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Школа кожевенного мастерства: сумки, ремни своими руками
  • Аннотация:
    Есть мимолетные моменты, которые разделяют Шина и Сабину, прежде чем они застрянут на планете, разлучившись...???
      
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Summary:
  There are fleeting moments Shin and Sabine share before they are stuck on a planet, apart.
  
  Then there are the challenges that arise after when they meet again.
  
  Navigating the dangers of Peridea, Shin and Sabine confront their complex emotions and an unexpected bond that they can no longer ignore.
  
  Notes:
  I began writing this since episode 4 and took some liberties about what occurred. The finale was perfect imo and my midterms can't seem to stop me from writing more. I'm not well-versed in Star Wars lore but I hope you enjoy anyway.
  
  Chapter 1: The Eye
  Chapter Text
  Taking a deep breath, Shin leaned back against the cool stone wall, her lips pressed into a thin line.
  
  
  
  Baylan, towering nearly a foot over her, squared his shoulders. "Shin," he began, his voice laced with authority. "I gave her my word."
  
  
  
  "And?" she countered, her fingers casually caressing the hilt of her saber.
  
  
  
  He sighed, adjusting his heavy cloak, eyes resting on his younger apprentice. "And our duty is to keep her safe," he said softly.
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes darted to the end of the hallway, where a sturdy locked door stood. Behind it was their captive, Sabine Wren. Despite the bindings they'd placed on the Mandalorian, a nagging worry gnawed at Shin, questioning the adequacy of their measures. Perhaps nothing would ever truly restrain someone like Sabine, but for now, the door would have to suffice.
  
  
  
  In the beginning, incessant pounding resonated through the corridor, the sounds reverberating in Shin's ears. It served as an abrasive reminder of the tumultuous events of the past days. Visions of fierce battles, high-stakes dogfights, enigmatic encounters, and the uncertainties of a new galaxy constantly swirled in Shin's thoughts.
  
  
  
  With a slight tilt of her head, Shin blinked slowly, granting her master a brief, tight-lipped smile. "Very well," she conceded through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  Baylan's gaze traveled down the corridor, his eyebrows arching slightly as the banging grew louder, interspersed with muffled expletives. He could palpably feel the cocktail of fear and anger emanating from the captive.
  
  
  
  "Attend to her," Baylan directed.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture stiffened, her fingers gliding over the sleek hilt of her saber. "Sounds like a task for a droid," she retorted under her breath.
  
  
  
  Baylan fixed her with an icy stare. "I didn"t ask a droid. I"m asking you."
  
  
  
  She met his unwavering gaze, the steel in his eyes reflecting his resolve. The aura surrounding her Master could be oppressive, even overwhelming. But she knew him well. He possessed a duality - he could be both a nurturing guide and an uncompromising teacher, exacting in his demands. Resigned, Shin pivoted gracefully, moving towards the source of the disturbance.
  
  
  
  Baylan's voice dropped to a whisper, a note of urgency coloring his words. "Elsbeth is not to be trusted, Shin," he cautioned. "Always be on guard. Sabine Wren might be our captive, but she's not our biggest concern."
  
  
  
  Acknowledging him with a brief nod, Shin proceeded down the dimly lit corridor.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The moment the door slid open, a ceramic cup whizzed past, narrowly missing Shin's face. She deftly sidestepped the projectile, her eyes following its trajectory until it shattered on the ground. With a hiss, the door sealed behind her, and almost instantly, another piece of dishware came flying in her direction. This room was turning into a debris field.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Shin employed her powers to immobilize Sabine, preventing her from grabbing any other makeshift projectiles. The ease with which Sabine was subdued was disconcerting. It felt as if, perhaps, she wanted to be restrained. But Shin quickly pushed that unsettling thought to the back of her mind.
  
  
  
  Addressing the flustered captive, Shin began, "Baylan wanted me to check if you required anything." She cast a fleeting glance at Sabine, who was now seated, her face flushed a deep shade of pink, her breathing ragged. The room was bathed in a subdued light, cluttered with various discarded items, and a meager cot pushed to one corner.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a derisive snort, her lips fluttering in exaggerated fashion before she sent a disdainful kick towards a shard of the broken mug. "Baylan sent you?" she questioned, a hint of mockery in her tone.
  
  
  
  "Indeed," Shin responded coolly.
  
  
  
  Sabine ran fingers through her cropped hair, her fiery gaze fixed on Shin. "What I need is to be rid of this ugly scar, courtesy of your blade," she began pointedly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The comment immediately drew Shin's focus, the weight of the statement landing heavily between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued, her tone playfully mocking, "I need my communication tower back in working order. I absolutely neeeed another chance to show you up in a dogfight. Oh, and perhaps I'll consider using pocket sand next time, just to see that surprised look on your face."
  
  
  
  A rush of heat surged through Shin, her jaw clenching involuntarily. The sly smirk that danced on Sabine's lips didn't help either. It was as if the Mandalorian was enjoying pressing every single one of her buttons, the warmth rising to Shin's cheeks testament to that fact.
  
  
  
  The captive, now donning a full grin, raised her bound hands. "These need to come off," she added.
  
  
  
  Shin shot a wary glance at the restraints, her back pressing against the door. She mused silently: Sabine might be skilled, but she had no force abilities. Escape was implausible. If, by some miracle, she managed to break free, what then? Sabine would be no match for the likes of Baylan or Morgan. Moreover, the ship was hurtling through space at light speed - stepping outside wasn"t an option.
  
  
  
  And, if all else failed, there stood one final and insurmountable obstacle: Shin Hati herself.
  
  
  
  Raising her hand, Shin extended two fingers, making a delicate gesture in the air. With a soft metallic sound, the restraints slipped from Sabine"s wrists, clinking together as they hit the cold floor.
  
  
  
  Sabine flexed her wrists, alleviating the numbness, and then clenched her hands into tight fists. She rose with an air of defiance, hands resting on her hips, her gaze piercing Shin who maintained a guarded stance by the door.
  
  
  
  "Promise me no more surprise rockets in the future," Shin cautioned.
  
  
  
  "Scared of a little fireworks?" Sabine countered, her voice dripping with derision. "It"s not like I have my weapons."
  
  
  
  A reluctant grin crept onto Shin's face. "In the midst of intergalactic travel? Preferably not," she replied, the hint of amusement evident.
  
  
  
  Sabine made a dismissive sound, clicking her tongue, before dramatically flopping back into her seat. "I can't stand you," she declared with a petulant edge.
  
  
  
  "The feeling's mutual," Shin retorted, easing her stance but still leaning against the door. She positioned herself strategically, far enough to be safe from any sudden lunges or airborne objects. Sabine was a constant headache. The graffiti-styled designs on her armor, her rebelliously short hair, and her rather rudimentary lightsaber skills. Shin mentally scoffed. Sabine should consider herself fortunate that Shin even bothered to engage.
  
  
  
  "Do you always follow your Master's orders?" Sabine probed, her eyebrow quirked in a mixture of disdain and genuine curiosity.
  
  
  
  "And do you always have a knack for disregarding yours?" Shin shot back, her voice sharp as a blade. She let her gaze wander to Sabine for a brief moment, then shifted her attention to the counter laden with an array of fruits and light refreshments. With an effortless gesture, a meiloorun fruit levitated toward her. Shin caught it, neatly slicing off its skin.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze softened for a fleeting moment. "Your Master sent mine to her demise," she murmured, a tremor in her voice. "So, I don"t have anyone's orders to defy anymore."
  
  
  
  The biting sound of Shin tearing into the fruit ceased, and she paused, her face a mixture of surprise and contemplation. The dense silence that fell between them was almost tangible. Slowly, Shin detached herself from the door's support and approached the counter. Gathering an assortment of provisions onto a plate, she moved with quiet determination toward Sabine, offering the assortment.
  
  
  
  "You need sustenance," Shin stated simply, her voice devoid of earlier animosity.
  
  
  
  Sabine huffed as she begrudgingly took the plate, "Some prison this is," she muttered sarcastically, casting a disparaging look around the dimly lit room. "No scenic view, clutter all around, and an ambiance that's suffocating." Despite her words, she bit into a piece of bread, her hunger evident.
  
  
  
  "You have an abundance of words for someone in your situation," Shin remarked, taking up her position by the door once more. "Perhaps if you spent more time in quiet reflection, the Force might be within your grasp."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a hearty laugh, the sound echoing slightly in the dimly lit room. She popped a few blumfruits into her mouth, savoring the taste before wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "You"re nothing more than a Padawan yourself," she chided. "What makes you such an expert?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes flashed, her posture straightening even more. "Because, unlike you, I have tapped into its power," she retorted.
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. To perform juvenile acts like choking me. How... enlightened."
  
  
  
  "You initiated our encounters," Shin fired back, her tone icy. "You were the first to shoot blasters on Seatos, the first to ignite your saber by the comm tower. And you call me childish?"
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Absolutely."
  
  
  
  Shin's nostrils flared, recalling their previous clashes. "And you thought launching rockets at me was a mature response?"
  
  
  
  Sabine simply shrugged, an insolent grin playing on her lips. "Why not?"
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled in exasperation, her patience clearly waning. "You'll never comprehend the true essence of the Force... Anything else you require before I depart?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze twinkled. "Your lightsaber, perhaps?" she suggested playfully before pausing. "Going somewhere?"
  
  
  
  Without another word, Shin's face hardened, and she exited the cabin, leaving the sound of Sabine's light-hearted chuckles in her wake.
  
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 2: Another Cell
  Notes:
  So happy many of you enjoyed the first chapter. I truly appreciate the comments, kudos and anyone reading.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stretched her neck with a sigh, rolling her eyes skyward. Yet again, she found herself trapped in a prison cell. Archaic and indomitable. Peridea's air was a heavy cocktail of decay and desolation, a relentless grip of despair that choked her with every breath. Images of Ahsoka, taken down by Baylan off a cliff, replayed in her mind, causing a knot of anguish to tighten in her belly, almost causing her to double over.
  
  
  
  She kicked a stray pebble in frustration, then settled her gaze on the massive door ahead. "Stupid, Baylan," she muttered under her breath, adding, "And Elsbeth... Thrawn... Ugh, everyone's just-" Her words trailed off as the door rumbled and began its slow slide open.
  
  
  
  "Everyone's just... stupid?" Shin questioned, her tone dripping with formality.
  
  
  
  Sabine shot her a sarcastic look, her eyes darting past Shin as if calculating a potential escape route. But then again, where would she even go? This was unfamiliar terrain and, besides, she had Ezra to think about. "Definitely including you on the stupid list," she retorted, her gaze lazily scanning Shin's face, wondering why they had to go through yet another tedious encounter.
  
  
  
  With a dignified posture, hands clasped behind her back, Shin responded, "Given our current positions, I'd argue I'm not the one lacking in judgment."
  
  
  
  A light chuckle escaped Sabine as she tousled her hair, taking a moment to truly look at Shin, the space between them filled with a lingering silence. "Your Master promised me," Sabine finally broke the pause.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat and echoing Sabine's previous movement, Shin offered a slight shrug. "I trust it will be addressed appropriately," she intoned. She had no interest in delving into the dealings with the Nightsisters above. To Shin, Witches were a menace, beings capable of neutralizing her cherished lightsaber and potent Force abilities. Their unpredictability made them a threat not to be underestimated.
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice hardened, her gaze unwavering. "I need to find Ezra," she pressed, her tone coated with desperation.
  
  
  
  A palpable silence settled between the two women, punctuated only by Shin's steady breathing. Clearly, the topic of Ezra Bridger was one she wished to avoid. Seeking to divert the conversation, she remarked, "Your hair, it's different. Why did you cut it?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, caught off guard, instinctively ran her fingers through her shortened purple tresses. "It feels right," she said, searching for the words. "It's...more me now."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyebrow arched in curiosity. "What does that mean?"
  
  
  
  Sabine shot back, her patience wearing thin, "Why do you choose to style your hair that way?"
  
  
  
  Shin pondered for a moment, touching a strand of her own hair. "It suits me," she finally replied.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, her fiery spirit evident. "Exactly. This suits me."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, conceding the point. "Very well."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Sabine pressed on, her gaze probing. "Do you actually enjoy all this? What's in it for you?"
  
  
  
  Shin's expression darkened, her stance growing more assertive as she stepped closer. "The thrill of besting you in combat is quite satisfying," she stated, a hint of pride in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, a mocking undertone in her laughter. "Feels a bit like you're picking on a youngling. I doubt you could ever challenge someone skilled like your Master."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flashed dangerously, her teeth gritting in suppressed anger. "How dare you assume such things?" she hissed, teeth gritting.
  
  
  
  Sabine met her glare with equal intensity. "Because every time we face off, I see it. I'm evolving, growing stronger, while you? You're just... static."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes, usually inscrutable, flared with genuine surprise. The audacity of Sabine's words caught her off guard. Recollections of their encounter on Seatos surged to the forefront of her mind. If not for Baylan's intervention, Sabine would have experienced firsthand the full, unbridled wrath of Shin's Force prowess. A tempting, dark thought of using the Force to choke Sabine flitted across Shin's mind, but she suppressed it. Her orders were clear: Do not harm the Mandalorian.
  
  
  
  "You might've honed some skills, but they"re just Mandalorian parlor tricks. They'll only get you so far," Shin responded, her voice dripping with condescension.
  
  
  
  Sabine retorted sharply, "And where will blind ambition lead you?"
  
  
  
  Shin's features tightened, her voice cold. "You know nothing of my aspirations."
  
  
  
  Sabine shot back, confidence bolstered by her understanding of Shin's current restrictions, "You're lost. A mere puppet following your Master"s whims and doing the bidding of someone like Elsbeth. It"s just... pathetic."
  
  
  
  Shin's face twisted with a mix of anger and disbelief. Pathetic? She was leagues beyond Sabine. Sabine, who failed to protect her own Master. Sabine, who tirelessly sought a friend who was probably long gone. Sabine, whose fierce gaze sometimes made Shin forget the burning intensity of her own lightsaber. Banishing such distracting thoughts, Shin took a deliberate step back, distancing herself from the aggravation.
  
  
  
  Interrupting the heavy silence, Sabine piped up, "You know, I could eat something."
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, momentarily thrown off by the shift. Her hands, which had unknowingly clenched into fists behind her back, trembled slightly. "You choose now to be hungry?"
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned cheekily, "Aren't you here to look after me? Direct orders from the top, right?"
  
  
  
  A wave of heat rolled over Shin. "Someone like you will always need looking after," she bit out, "Always reckless and dimwitted. Always so... closed off."
  
  
  
  Sabine dramatically pressed a hand over her heart, feigning distress. "Your words wound me!"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes, keen and probing, bore into Sabine's. "I can sense your pain, you know. It envelops you. You radiate sadness."
  
  
  
  Sabine's playful demeanor evaporated instantly. Her voice turned icy. "Stay out of my head."
  
  
  
  With chilling calm, Shin responded, "I don"t need to be inside your mind to feel it. It permeates everything around you. It's nearly suffocating."
  
  
  
  Tears threatened Sabine"s vision, and she swiped at her eyes irritably. "Just go," she whispered with barely concealed emotion. "Go back to your puppeteers."
  
  
  
  As a final gesture, Shin arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Gar vemanar?"
  
  
  
  Are you sure? Sabine's face contorted in confusion and a flash of recognition. She stumbled over her words, "Nu?" What? Although it wasn"t a perfect translation she understood what Shin was trying to say.
  
  
  
  "Gar vemanar? Ni"slanar."
  
  
  
  I"ll leave? Sabine responded hesitantly, "Nayc. Ke"mot!" No wait. Stop. Wait and explain to me where you learned that.
  
  
  
  With a sly, fleeting smirk, Shin pivoted gracefully and left the dim prison cell. Sabine was left reeling, the weight of their exchange lingering heavy in the air. She keeled over, placing her hands on her knees. With measured breaths she glared at the sealed door. She was in way over her head.
  
  
  
  The gamble Sabine had taken was shaping up to be a questionable decision at best. The mere thought of the Nightsisters sent a chill down her spine, their eerie presence forever linked to tales of possession and manipulation. The unnerving thought that she might once again be stripped of her agency and made to perform actions against her will lurked at the back of her mind.
  
  
  
  Additionally, there was the enigma of Shin. What was the meaning behind that sustained, penetrating look they shared aboard the drop ship? In that brief yet profound moment, as they journeyed through a foreign galaxy and descended upon a new planetary landscape, Sabine found herself locked in a silent exchange. The cool, inquisitive blue of Shin"s eyes bore into the warm, defiant brown of Sabine"s, a dance of challenge and curiosity.
  
  
  
  It was abundantly clear that Shin took a certain delight in testing Sabine's mettle, perhaps even enjoying the game of cat and mouse they found themselves in. Sabine was no stranger to such tactics, and while she might have been momentarily caught off guard, she was far from naive. Driven by her indomitable spirit and unwavering pride, she refused to be bested easily, vowing to match Shin's moves at every turn.
  
  
  
  Pulling herself to her feet, albeit with a slight tremble betraying her underlying emotions, Sabine took a moment to gaze out onto the vast landscape of Peridea. The barren stretch of land, devoid of the comforting presence of trees, might not have offered much in terms of visual stimulation, but there was a certain stark beauty to its expansive horizons.
  
  
  
  A subtle tremor abruptly disrupted the cell's ambient stillness, coursing through the floor beneath her feet. Sabine's attention immediately veered toward the doorway as it creaked open just enough to permit the entry of a seemingly age-worn plate. Its surface bore the marks of time, and upon it rested a scant assortment of provisions.
  
  
  
  As she hastily moved closer to the aperture, Sabine's sharp eyes caught the fleeting sight of those distinct icy blue irises that vanished as abruptly as they appeared when the door sealed shut. The familiar hue resonated with memories of prior encounters.
  
  
  
  "Di"kutla!" Sabine's exclamation echoed in the confined space. So idiotic. There was nothing in response. Maybe Shin wasn"t familiar with the term. Staring down at the food, Sabine sighed and grabbed the plate.
  
  
  
  She then diverted her gaze to the humble offering before her. The plate bore a sparse meal, but hunger wasn't particularly picky. Taking a moment to register her predicament, she exhaled deeply, her sigh heavy with a blend of exasperation and resignation. She tentatively reached out, fingers wrapping around the plate's cool rim.
  
  
  
  Yet, even as she bit aggressively into the uninviting texture of the stale bread, her thoughts were consumed not by her current meal but by the enigmatic figure beyond her cell. Shin's blue eyes - seemingly bottomless pools of intensity and inquisition - continued to linger in her mind. With a muffled huff, Sabine tried to dispel the intrusive thought, focusing instead on the meager meal at hand.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Thank you for giving this a read! It's so fun to write!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 3: Energy
  Notes:
  Thank you all for the feedback and kudos. For context this chapter is my version of what could've happened if Sabine chased after Shin when Thrawn withdrew his troops episode 7. I really hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Baylan's suspicions about Elsbeth had been spot on. Now, Shin was abandoned, alone in a world where even supposed allies, like Thrawn, seemed to harbor hidden intentions that didn't factor in her or Baylan's well-being. As she sped away on her howler, the biting sting of tears blurred her vision, each droplet leaving a trail down her face. She sniffed defiantly, attempting to keep her emotions in check. But the biting cold of the wind felt like a slap against her already pallid complexion, making her feel as though every ounce of warmth had been drained from her, leaving an inner void.
  
  
  
  To add to her misery, she had been outmatched by Ahsoka, even when the latter was without her trusted lightsaber. The weight of that defeat bore down on Shin, and what made it more unbearable was Sabine's unwavering gaze fixed on Shin's cerulean eyes throughout the ordeal. Every glance felt like an indictment, a jolt to her pride.
  
  
  
  The trio - the young Bridger, Ahsoka, and Sabine - stood united, their camaraderie evident. It was like watching a picture-perfect family, their unity mocking Shin, making her question every decision she ever made.
  
  
  
  As the howler began to decelerate, Shin rubbed away the tear streaks on her face. What could they possibly understand about her? They hadn't seen the struggles she had faced, the challenges she had overcome over the long years. As the wind whipped her hair into a frenzy, her braid lashed against her nape. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head in contemplation.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Shin tried to tap into the Force, hoping to discern Baylan's path. Yet, there was a void, an absence of his familiar presence. Had he intentionally shielded himself from her? It seemed he was heading somewhere he didn't want her, or anyone else, to tread. A sharp twinge shot through her heart, resonating within her chest, and she found herself absently wiping her nose as the howler paced steadily forward.
  
  
  
  "Hey!"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes fluttered for a brief moment, yet she resolutely kept her focus on the dimming hues of the setting sun. She made a silent vow not to turn around, not to grant the satisfaction of acknowledgment.
  
  
  
  "Is that all you've got?"
  
  
  
  The sharp rebuke made Shin's jaw clench involuntarily. Even without looking, she knew all too well the identity of the person spewing venom from behind. Determined, she urged herself to maintain her course, hoping to distance herself from the persistent, hot-headed, and volatile pursuer.
  
  
  
  "You can't run from it! I won! Admit it!"
  
  
  
  The sheer audacity of the challenge forced Shin to a stop. With gritted teeth, she gracefully dismounted her howler, taking a deep, measured breath. Her heart thudded loudly, its rhythm one she only became aware of when confronted by the triumphant and fiery brown eyes that gleamed in self-satisfaction.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Three on one? That"s hardly a fair fight," she countered, dismissing the boast with a casual flick of her wrist.
  
  
  
  Sabine, smirking with unabashed glee, slid off her howler with the practiced ease of a seasoned rider. Maintaining a cautious gap between them, her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her saber, ready for any eventuality. Somewhere far behind them, Ahsoka and Ezra were engrossed in conversation with Huyang and the Noti, plotting their next move. Sabine seized this prime opportunity to confront Shin, eager to claim her moment of glory.
  
  
  
  "Your Master... where is he?" Sabine inquired, an arched eyebrow hinting at both curiosity and challenge.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated for a mere second, then defiantly jutted out her chin. "He's occupied elsewhere," she retorted with a hint of pride, trying to maintain a façade of indifference.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze swept over the vast and desolate tundra that stretched out before them. "You seem awfully alone for someone with such important company," she remarked with a playful smirk. "Are you sure you wouldn"t consider... allying with us?"
  
  
  
  Shin glanced sideways, her eyes fixed on the vanishing horizon. Every fiber of her being was on high alert, especially with Sabine standing so close. The vibrant hues of her brown eyes, the striking purple locks, and her flawless complexion made it hard for Shin to focus. She couldn"t help but be overwhelmed by her presence. Despite lacking any connection with the Force, Sabine had an uncanny ability to unnerve her.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin retorted sharply, her voice edged with defiance. "I carve my own path."
  
  
  
  But Sabine was relentless. "Back on the Eye, you asked if I needed anything," she persisted, not allowing Shin to distance herself from the topic.
  
  
  
  Shin stiffened, maintaining her erect posture. Her eyes locked onto Sabine's, challenging yet seeking. "Times have changed," she responded coldly. "The Eye is behind us now."
  
  
  
  "Then listen to me," Sabine interjected, her voice laden with genuine concern. "Stay away from Thrawn. I wouldn"t go back."
  
  
  
  A frown creased Shin"s forehead, and she tilted her head slightly. "I'm not one to be commanded by you," she replied, her voice icy, underscored by the cold gust that momentarily intensified between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled audibly, her frustration evident. Rolling her eyes, she gestured expansively. "Would you prefer it be the other way around?" she posed.
  
  
  
  A flutter of Shin"s stomach prompted her to take a step backward. Though she tried to mask her apprehension, her body's instinctive reactions betrayed her. "Perhaps it's best if you departed," she replied tersely.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression was an array of emotions - a fleeting glimpse of anger, a shadow of disappointment, and an undercurrent of another emotion that Shin couldn"t quite place. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she briefly closed her eyes, seeking guidance from the Force to understand what lay behind Sabine"s enigmatic gaze.
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice, laced with a hint of challenge, broke the silence. "If you want me gone, why bother trying to figure me out?"
  
  
  
  As Shin"s eyes slowly opened, she was taken aback by Sabine"s proximity. The distance between them had shrunk dramatically, with only a breath's space separating the two. The distant hum of Shin"s idling howler served as a quiet reminder of her isolation. An intriguing mix of planetary and floral aromas wafted from Sabine, punctuated with the unmistakable tang of sweat - the byproduct of determination and exertion.
  
  
  
  With her chin tilted defiantly upwards, Sabine pressed on, "On the drop ship, why did you stare at me?" Even though Shin had the literal height advantage, at that moment, Sabine stood taller, empowered by her earlier triumph.
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off-guard, Shin pondered her response. Sabine deserved an answer, and Shin would have to articulate her sentiments with care. "Pure curiosity," Shin finally responded, her voice a tranquil mask, hiding the tumult of her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Just what are you curious about?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated for a moment before confessing, "Your bond with the Bridger boy - Ezra. You appeared so intent on finding him, so dedicated." She closed her mouth quickly, realizing she might have revealed too much.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Jealous?" she teased.
  
  
  
  A fiery warmth quickly spread across Shin"s face, much to her annoyance. "And why would I be?" she snapped back. "He"s got more hair than sense and has the appeal of a Hutt."
  
  
  
  The incredulous laugh that escaped Sabine was unexpected. "A Hutt? Really?" She shook her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Well, if that's your opinion... then good luck in this vast wilderness." Sabine spread her arms to emphasize the expansive tundra around them.
  
  
  
  Yet, a burning question still lingered in Shin"s mind. "Do your feelings for him run deep?" she asked, taking a hesitant step closer.
  
  
  
  Sabine met her gaze squarely. "I love him," she declared without hesitation.
  
  
  
  A heavy weight settled in Shin's chest, like molten lead, and a searing pain threatened to consume her. She took a shaky breath, trying to mask her unexpected heart thump. "I see," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
  
  
  
  However, Sabine, now learning the subtlest of shifts in Shin's demeanor, recognized the raw vulnerability in the other woman's voice, a tone she never imagined she'd hear from someone as formidable as Shin. Taking a moment, Sabine sighed, "I love him like family. Like a brother. There's nothing romantic between us."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze met Sabine's, a silent query dancing in the cerulean depths of her eyes, seeking authenticity in Sabine's words. With an almost involuntary motion, her eyes meandered over Sabine"s face, drifting down her graceful neck, briefly hesitating on the colourful beskar armor, and finally settling with intent on her abdomen.
  
  
  
  "Hmm," Sabine murmured, seemingly anticipating the unspoken question. Deliberately, she hitched up her shirt, while her other hand tugged the waistband of her pants down just a smidgen, revealing a hint of flesh. The stark contrast of the chilled atmosphere against her skin caused a reflexive shudder to ripple through her. "Your handiwork," she pointed out, her voice laced with a mix of accusation and pride from her resilience.
  
  
  
  Captivated by the sight of the scar, Shin's lips curled up ever so slightly. "You survived, didn"t you?" she countered.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a derisive huff, delicately tracing the contoured line of the scar. "Why didn't you finish the job?" she pressed.
  
  
  
  A slow blink was Shin's only initial reaction, but the temptation of the aged injury was too alluring to resist. She was a breath away from reaching out when she murmured, "Sparring with you... it has its charms."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s fingers instinctively brushed against her lightsaber, her jaw setting, the taste of their rivalry resurfacing. Yet before her fingers could disengage the weapon, a soft touch - deceptively gentle - pressed into the heated skin of her abdomen, staking a claim.
  
  
  
  "Stop," Sabine hissed, her fingers wrapping around Shin's wrist with urgency. "You need to ask."
  
  
  
  Drawing even closer so their bodies nearly melded, Shin whispered, "Why?" The void that often consumed her seemed to ebb in Sabine's presence.
  
  
  
  Sabine tightened her grip, an attempt to regain some semblance of control, but the effort was in vain. "For permission," she retorted tersely.
  
  
  
  The rapid pulse of Shin's heart resonated in her ears, and an electrifying sensation coursed through her skin at the proximity to Sabine's perspiration-slicked flesh. She exhaled a shaky breath, "Fine... Can I touch?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s sharp eyes flashed defiantly even as she tried to pull her shirt back into place. With an unexpected swiftness, Shin's other arm coiled around Sabine's slender waist, drawing her closer. "You bitch," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Raising an eyebrow, Shin suppressed a smirk. "Is this how you welcome potential allies?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s voice was little more than a whisper, laden with tension, "I"m rethinking the invitation."
  
  
  
  For a heartbeat, time seemed to still as Shin took a profound breath, trying to encapsulate every essence of Sabine. The lure of continuing their intimate confrontation was strong, yet Shin could sense a delicate yearning within Sabine - a longing for a tender moment. But Shin's desires ran deeper. When the time was right, she intended to explore them fully.
  
  
  
  Backing away slightly, her gaze still locked on Sabine, Shin"s voice dripped with curiosity. "You sought me out in this vast expanse... just to revel in your victory?"
  
  
  
  With a swift motion, Sabine readjusted her garments and snapped her armor into place. "No sabers or the Force," she declared, raising her fists and punching the air, the motion filled with anticipation. Her eyes sparkled with a playful challenge as she beckoned Shin closer.
  
  
  
  Casting a sidelong glance at Sabine, Shin felt a tension between weariness and anticipation tighten her muscles. This entire situation was eroding her strength, and the recent events certainly hadn"t put her in an optimal position to go toe-to-toe with the seasoned Mandalorian. But seeing that emerging smirk on Sabine's face was beginning to grate on her.
  
  
  
  "Do you ever get tired of ending up on your back, courtesy of me?" Shin taunted.
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was a light, amused chuckle as she shifted into a ready stance, the confidence evident in her posture. "Cold feet already?" she countered with a smirk.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin gracefully settled into her own fighting pose, displaying the elegance and fluidity of her training. Her voice was a mixture of playful and serious as she asked, "What do I stand to gain if I best you?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes flashed with surprise and amusement as she considered the proposition. "What do you want?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Shin"s smirk grew sly, her eyes glinting mischievously. "A one-way ticket out of this desolate wasteland."
  
  
  
  With a nod, Sabine glanced over her shoulder. Ahsoka and the others were far back in the distance. "Okay," she replied and mulled over what she"d want if she won the fight. "And if I win I want you to tell me about yourself. How you know basic Mando"a, for example."
  
  
  
  "There"s nothing to say."
  
  
  
  "I disagree."
  
  
  
  As Shin's adrenaline surged, her fist rocketed towards Sabine. However, Sabine, with her swift reflexes, parried the strike, her gaze hardened with steely resolve. The surrounding environment seemed to come alive with their tension, the wind howling with increased fervor and the very atmosphere crackling with the electricity of their duel.
  
  
  
  A voice in Shin's mind constantly reminded her to suppress her innate connection to the Force. Every time Sabine landed a blow, the temptation to employ her otherworldly powers grew stronger. But she knew, if she succumbed, even for a split second, she would be breaking their set rules and that would mean conceding defeat. Droplets of sweat trailed down her spine as she danced around Sabine's blows, narrowly evading a swift kick aimed at her temple.
  
  
  
  Taking advantage of a fleeting moment of distraction, Sabine connected her fist with Shin's jaw. The impact of the punch sent Shin reeling back a few steps. Sensing her upper hand, Sabine advanced, her strikes becoming swifter and more relentless. With every step, her confidence grew.
  
  
  
  "Give up!" Sabine shouted, her voice echoing over the cold expanse.
  
  
  
  Shin, with deft movement, caught one of Sabine"s furious punches, halting her momentum. Time seemed to slow as their eyes met. An electrifying tension, thick enough to be cut with a knife, hung between them as they stood motionless in the frozen wasteland. Gathering her strength, Shin prepared to deliver a knee strike to Sabine's midsection.
  
  
  
  Before either of them could make a move, a startling burst of electric energy crackled between their intertwined forms. Drawn into its dazzling allure, they remained momentarily paralyzed, captivated by the radiant display that intensified with every passing second.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice, tinged with a hint of fear, broke the trance. "What have you done?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze, now a piercing shade of gold, met Shin's. "You think this is me?" she countered, her grip on Shin tightening, fingers digging into her flesh. "This feels like the Force, so stop!"
  
  
  
  Shin's voice rose in panic, "I swear, this isn't my doing!"
  
  
  
  "Then what the hell is happening?" Sabine"s voice shook with a blend of fear and anger.
  
  
  
  "Mandalorian tricks!" Shin accused.
  
  
  
  The luminescent energy began to spiral, its vibrant tendrils circling the two women, sending an exhilarating chill through their bones. Overwhelmed, Shin released her grip on Sabine, leaping away to put some distance between them. As swiftly as it had appeared, the spectacle dissipated, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
  
  
  
  Catching her breath, Sabine, her face pale, glanced at her trembling hands. "I need to leave," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. No. It would be a grave mistake to ally with Shin. Too much unpredictability.
  
  
  
  Desperately trying to make sense of the inexplicable event, Shin's mind raced. But nothing seemed to add up. Her voice, hollow yet resolute, echoed back, "Yes, you should."
  
  
  
  Sabine huffed and swallowed, then looked up from her hands. "Tell me how you know Mando"a," she demanded.
  
  
  
  Shin tilted her head slightly and smirked. "Farewell, Sabine."
  
  
  
  Staggering slightly as her name flowed from Shin"s lips, Sabine fought to maintain her balance. A tingling sensation coursed through her, leaving her questioning the nature of the Force powers Shin might have wielded. Yet amidst her confusion, a profound flutter stirred within her, kindling a silent wish to hear Shin utter her name once more, no matter how distant that moment might lie.
  
  
  
  But for now, Shin was gone.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Hope you enjoyed! Something is cooking between the two. From here on the story will continue with Sabine and Shin's journey on Peridea together with plenty of shenanigans. I'm working on chapter 8 right now so lots more to come! And those of you who are super knowledgeable Star Wars fans I'm so sorry if I've botched anything I'm trying lol.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 4: Thoughts
  Notes:
  I truly appreciate all the comments, kudos and anyone reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Everything is post episode 8 now right where Shin finds the bandits.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin lowered her saber with a controlled movement. Her piercing gaze settled on the bandits appearing in the distance. A poignant twinge in her stomach, reminiscent of her recent farewell to Sabine, still resonated within the depths of her being. An enigmatic energy that had briefly sparked between them lingered in her thoughts, heavy and consuming. Yet, deep down, she surmised that Sabine was no longer within reach.
  
  
  
  She envisioned Sabine returning to Ezra Bridger, seeking refuge on the Eye, safely ensconced in their familiar galaxy. As Shin's steps drew her closer to the bandits, her jaw tightened, her resolve evident. These creatures, no doubt, were privy to her formidable abilities, fully aware of the lethal force she could unleash if provoked.
  
  
  
  However, her immediate needs were pragmatic: sustenance, potable water, and shelter. The barren landscape stretching before her painted a stark picture of her impending exile, a self-imposed isolation that could last an indeterminable period. How she wished she could reach out to her Master, seek his counsel. Yet, a daunting barrier obscured his presence in the Force, serving as a stark admonition. The message was clear: he had chosen solitude and did not wish to be sought.
  
  
  
  Engaging with the rough-edged bandits was far from a pleasant experience for Shin. Their mannerisms and crude communication style were grating, to say the least. However, they recognized her needs and in relatively short order, she found herself ushered to a solitary tent that, albeit modest, promised to provide the essentials she sought. Offering a nod of acknowledgment to a figure that exuded authority, likely the leader of this ragtag assembly, Shin cautiously ventured inside.
  
  
  
  The interior was a testament to improvisation. Everything looked hastily assembled, held together by sheer will and a few sturdy knots. Off to the corner stood a wood-burning stove, its rustic design suggesting it had seen many a cold night. Nearby, a rudimentary table bore silent witness to countless meals, while a lone bed, draped in an assortment of animal pelts, beckoned with the promise of rest.
  
  
  
  Shin absentmindedly rubbed her face, pausing momentarily to cast a wary glance over her shoulder, ensuring her solitude. With a heavy sigh, she felt her shoulders slump forward, the weight of her thoughts pressing down. After placing her belongings carefully to one side, she allowed herself a moment's respite, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. Drawing her hands up, she buried her face within them, taking a deep breath as she fought the stinging sensation threatening her eyes. These were vulnerable moments she"d only have when alone.
  
  
  
  Questions danced on the periphery of her mind. Had Sabine seen the raw emotion Shin had tried so hard to hide? Did she even care about Shin's vulnerability? And if she did, what difference would it make? A sniffle escaped as Shin attempted to regain her composure, her fingers instinctively combing through her hair.
  
  
  
  But amidst her swirling emotions, the memory of that uncanny energy resurfaced. Could it have been a crafty Mandalorian ruse? To Shin, their arsenal - rockets, flamethrowers, repulsors - were mere parlor tricks. Yet, she couldn't help but ponder if this was another innovative defense mechanism that Sabine had designed, specifically to counter Shin's prowess.
  
  
  
  It was Sabine who had pursued her with a smirk dancing on her lips, seemingly just to revel in the thrill of the chase. It was Sabine who had, in a surprising turn of events, proposed they settle their differences with fists rather than sabers. And most puzzling of all, it was Sabine who had shown a genuine interest in unraveling the enigma that was Shin. Why? Shin struggled with the question. She felt she was a straightforward book, and to a rival like Sabine Wren, what good would sharing her pages do?
  
  
  
  Retreating further into the tent, Shin's back collided with the rigid headboard as she sought a momentary escape from her tumultuous thoughts. Her gaze fixed on the modest opening of the tent across the room, contemplating her newfound position of power. The bandits outside, as rugged and tough as they might seem, wouldn't dare cross her. They knew the Force she wielded, and she'd ensure they remembered it. In this desolation, she'd assume a role of dominance, bending them to her every whim and desire. While it wasn"t the company she'd choose, it was a comforting thought knowing they'd serve as a makeshift shield in the harsh environment.
  
  
  
  With a resigned sigh, Shin slipped beneath the coarse furs, letting them envelop her against the creeping chill. An involuntary shiver shot up her spine as she drew her knees close, cocooning herself from the world outside. Her body eased into a state of fatigue, eyelids growing heavy and her breathing becoming rhythmic. For a fleeting moment, she yearned for the solace of emptiness in her mind.
  
  
  
  Yet, as she tried to detach herself, a persistent emotional torrent continued its assault. Each heartbeat seemed to echo reminders of the people and moments that had marked her journey. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she pushed away the haunting thoughts of Baylan's departure. There was the lurking possibility that Thrawn and others were long gone. And the more she reflected, the clearer it became: forging an alliance with the bandits and exploring the unknown terrains of Peridea might just be her best shot at enduring the challenges that lay ahead.
  
  
  
  Shin had always believed in her might. The universe had taught her that with unparalleled strength came the privilege to carve her path, to have every whim and desire met without question.
  
  
  
  Yet now, as she clenched the fur beneath her in a tight grip, a vivid image she hadn't invited nor anticipated crept into her consciousness: Sabine.
  
  
  
  Their initial encounter at the comm tower was unlike any Shin had experienced before. Sabine, with her fierce determination, had been swift to ignite her emerald-hued saber without a moment's hesitation. There was no attempt at mediation, no casual banter, and certainly no inclination to flee. This was in stark contrast to young Bridger, who, when faced with a challenge, had chosen captivity over confrontation. Sabine, however, seemed to thrive on combat, choosing battle over diplomacy every time.
  
  
  
  A mirthless chuckle escaped Shin's lips as she futilely tried to divert her mind, to summon memories or thoughts unrelated to Sabine Wren. To dwell on the image of an adversary was a self-betrayal Shin refused to accept.
  
  
  
  However, tonight was different. Tonight, she sought solace, a means to lull her restless mind into sleep. And if the thought of Sabine, a figure she presumed she would never cross paths with again, granted her that fleeting peace, then perhaps, just for this night, it was an indulgence she could permit herself.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The rhythmic sound of the Noti chattering surrounded Sabine, their voices creating a harmonious backdrop against the stillness of the night. They engaged in animated discussions, their tone imbued with both curiosity and caution as they navigated their newfound environment of more tundra. Sabine, in the midst of her new caravan, was bent on a singular mission - gathering an array of twigs, leaves, and whatever combustible materials she could lay her hands on to keep their dwindling campfire and heaters alive.
  
  
  
  As she worked, the ethereal glow of moonlight pierced the thick blanket of night clouds, casting an almost otherworldly illumination over the land. The brilliance of this celestial display was so intense, so tantalizing, that it felt as though the sky were inviting her to reach out and dance amidst the stars.
  
  
  
  Yet, even with nature's magnificence vying for her attention, an unsettling sensation had taken root in the depths of Sabine's chest. Only moments ago, she felt an indescribable tug, an intuitive feeling that someone, or perhaps something, was lurking just beyond the thicket. It wasn't a malevolent sensation; rather, it was as if a guardian spirit had chosen to watch over her. This unseen protector seemed to whisper promises, not just of her safety, but assurance that Ahsoka too would be shielded from harm.
  
  
  
  Despite the reassurance this ethereal presence provided, Sabine found herself momentarily distracted. She looked down to find her hands filled with the assorted twigs and sticks she had gathered. The realization dawned upon her - here she was, stranded on an alien planet with rich histories but seemingly devoid of a future. As the chill of the night began to seep into her bones, she felt the coolness kiss her cheeks, drawing away the warmth from her skin. Almost instinctively, she brought her hands together, rubbing them briskly in a desperate attempt to savor the fleeting warmth of the campfire.
  
  
  
  Time was of the essence. The Noti pods, their primary means of transportation, lay in disrepair. It was an arduous task to mend them, and until they were operational, mobility was limited. The danger of remaining stationary in such a location was not lost on Sabine. This unfamiliar world teemed with threats. Bandits and other enigmatic entities undoubtedly prowled its landscapes.
  
  
  
   And, of course, the omnipresent shadows of Baylan and Shin loomed large in her mind. Their intentions, their plans, remained shrouded in mystery. But one thing was abundantly clear to Sabine: If they remained on the planet, letting her guard down was not an option. It was a game of survival, and she was determined to come out on top.
  
  
  
  Shin, with her enigmatic presence and talent, posed a source of constant apprehension for Sabine. Each of their encounters, fraught with tension and unspoken words, left a myriad of unanswered questions swirling in Sabine's mind. While they had bid each other farewell, a sensation Sabine couldn't quite pinpoint lingered on, making her question whether their paths were truly destined never to cross again. The haunting allure of Shin's vivid blue eyes, which seemed to possess the uncanny ability to delve deep into Sabine"s very essence, refused to fade from memory.
  
  
  
  As the cold, crisp air enveloped Sabine, she took a sharp breath, feeling it sting her lungs with its icy touch. Memories of their last confrontation came flooding back. The mysterious energy that had intervened during their physical duel wasn"t a product of Sabine"s own capabilities. Instead, she was convinced it was some concealed technique Shin had employed, perhaps to gain an edge. It perplexed Sabine, this hidden layer to Shin that she hadn't fully understood. Despite her reluctance to admit it, part of her was intrigued, maybe even captivated, by the enigma that was Shin.
  
  
  
  But she quickly chided herself for such thoughts. How could there be anything remotely admirable about someone she considered a foe? Determinedly, Sabine took a moment to center herself, pushing aside these perplexing feelings and focusing on the present, trying to silence the disconcerting rhythm of her own heart.
  
  
  
  "Lost in thought?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's attention was abruptly snapped back to her surroundings as she heard the familiar voice. She turned to see Ahsoka drawing near with a playful yet concerned expression in her eyes. A momentary shock caused Sabine to react with a brief startle, her lips curving into a slightly sheepish smile.
  
  
  
  "Oh you know, just wondering if there"s a poncho shop around," she admitted, her tone light and teasing. "I need a new one."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips tugged into a knowing smirk, her gaze gentle yet piercing. "I'm well aware that today pushed us both to our limits," she responded, her voice tinged with warmth. "But, trust me, our current situation, as challenging as it might seem, is exactly where the fates intended for us to be."
  
  
  
  Rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, Sabine spread her arms, gesturing to their surroundings. "Oh, absolutely," she responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Exploring an alien planet with unpredictable dangers at every turn? Definitely on my bucket list."
  
  
  
   Ahsoka heaved a deep sigh, her gaze steady and contemplative. "Your wit aside," she began, pausing momentarily to ensure her point hit home, "our training remains of paramount importance. I have faith that an exit strategy from this place exists. As to its nature and timing, that's a mystery even to me."
  
  
  
  Sabine's playful demeanor shifted slightly, replaced by a furrowed brow that indicated her mounting frustration and confusion. She wet her lips, searching for the right words. "What"s that supposed to mean?" she pressed, her voice laced with suspicion.
  
  
  
  With a graceful lift of her shoulder in a half-shrug, Ahsoka remained enigmatic. "While I possess a deep well of intuition, definitive answers elude me. All I can say is that clarity tends to dawn when least expected."
  
  
  
  Sabine's reply was a skeptical hum. She bent down, assisting a Noti in positioning a pot over the steadily burning campfire. As she straightened up, she shot Ahsoka a sidelong glance, mischief evident in her eyes. "How abouuuut giving me a week off from training?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was swift and unequivocal. "No chance."
  
  
  
  "Ugh!"
  
  Notes:
  It won't be long until Shin and Sabine run into one another again next chapter. Thank you for reading it means a lot to me!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 5: Boulder and a Bush
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  The sun bore down on Sabine, its rays drenching her in sweat. Strands of her vibrant hair clung to her forehead, darkened and heavy with moisture. Each step she took felt like wading through molasses; her limbs protesting in fatigue from the day's strenuous activities. A month had come and gone, but every day was a merciless repetition: hours of intense training under Ahsoka's watchful eye.
  
  
  
  Blinking the sweat from her eyes, Sabine paused for a breath, steadying herself. Her gaze fixed on the immense boulder a few feet away. Its shadow loomed mockingly, almost as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on her.
  
  
  
  After this, her tasks were no less daunting. Gathering firewood, fishing in the nearby pond, and scouring the tundra for the bitter fruits and sharp-tasting herbs that this alien world offered. At this weary moment, she mused, perhaps wrestling with the obstinate boulder was a welcome distraction.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka stood a distance away, an expression of both pride and expectation. She tilted her head slightly, arms folded across her chest in an authoritative stance. "Time is ticking, Sabine," she called out with a hint of challenge in her voice. "Whether you spend the next hour wrestling this boulder or merely a minute, your duties still await."
  
  
  
  Grumbling internally, Sabine gritted her teeth, her resolve steeled. The gentle rustling of the grass and the soothing breeze offered a fleeting respite, cooling her fiery skin. With a determined grunt, she summoned her energy and strength, pushing the boulder into its desired position. In her heart, she mused how aiding Ezra in his leap to the Chimera seemed like child's play compared to this seemingly insurmountable task with the unyielding rock. But with one final push, it moved into place. Yet, before she could celebrate, Ahsoka's hand rose, signaling the end of the session.
  
  
  
  Exhaustion swept over Sabine, causing her to stagger and collapse to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Each inhalation felt like a battle, her lungs straining for every ounce of oxygen.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, unyielding and stern, didn"t miss a beat while observing Sabine. "Once you"ve completed the chores," she said, emphasizing each word, "you will actually sit in meditation tonight."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled heavily, a sound of exasperation escaping her in a gust. Slowly shaking her head, she looked up at Ahsoka with a mixture of fatigue and confusion. "Why am I training so hard?" she queried. "It"s been quiet for weeks. No bandits. Nothing."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze was distant, lost in the undulating waves of the grassy plains. The setting sun painted a melancholic hue as the blades danced to the tune of the gentle breeze. "Exactly," Ahsoka responded with an air of gravity. "The stillness, the silence, it's unsettling. Weren"t you caught off guard by those bandits during your search for Ezra?"
  
  
  
  Hauling herself up with some effort, Sabine brushed off the dirt and debris clinging to her attire. She met Ahsoka's gaze defiantly. "I was," she admitted, her chin held high, "but I also held my ground and beat them."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka looked Sabine straight in the eyes, her expression serious. "Here, in this place, our aim isn"t just to beat our opponents," she began, emphasizing each word.
  
  
  
  Sabine arched an eyebrow, her fatigue evident but curiosity piqued. "Then what's the goal?"
  
  
  
  After a pause, Ahsoka replied with an intensity, "It's to demonstrate our prowess to such a degree that any potential adversary thinks twice. To make clear that challenging us would be more trouble than it"s worth."
  
  
  
  Sabine, brushing a stray hair from her sweaty forehead, pondered over Ahsoka's words. She took a moment, tasting the salty tang of her own perspiration. "Alright. Maybe that"s why they haven"t come by. The two of us? Why even bother trying."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded firmly. "Precisely. We're sending a silent message: Don't even think about it. But let's not grow complacent. Our ship," she added, her tone growing darker, "is a gem in the eyes of many. There's no doubt in my mind they'll be tempted to lay their hands on it eventually."
  
  
  
  Casting a weary eye at the ship nestled close to the Noti camp, a tug of agreement panged in Sabine"s heart. With a huff, she gave a little kick to a stray rock at her feet, her thoughts already turning to her task of gathering firewood for the evening. Her faithful howler, always eager for interaction, nudged her playfully. She responded with a gentle touch to its soft muzzle and the ticklish spot beneath its chin. As if understanding her need, the howler bounded away, returning triumphantly with a decent-sized, dried log held high like a prized trophy.
  
  
  
  Later, accompanied by a small band of Noti, Sabine found herself at the edge of a pond, sifting through the water in search of anything that might pass for food. The local fauna and flora of this climate were far from gourmet, but they were sustenance. As she squished through the wet mud, she daydreamed of possibly finding a more favorable locale to the south. But that was a dream for another day. For now, Ahsoka had deemed it necessary to stay grounded.
  
  
  
  The coolness of the pond was a welcome relief against her aching muscles. Every movement reminded her of the day's exertions, the weight of her damp clothes clinging to her form. Nevertheless, with some effort, she managed to snag a handful of crustaceans and other pond treats, much to the enthusiastic cheers of the Noti. Amid the laughter and banter, Sabine"s thoughts drifted to the prospect of a warm, soothing bath later.
  
  
  
  But that reverie was short-lived. A sudden rustling from a distant thicket had her on high alert. Setting her gathered bucket down, she studied the distant treeline, the gentle sway of grass not aligning with the calm breeze. Her instincts sharpened, and she discreetly readied her blaster.
  
  
  
  "Get the food back to camp," she commanded in a hushed, urgent tone, her eyes still fixed on the suspect movement. The Noti, sensing the gravity of her voice, hastened to obey, leaving Sabine alone to confront whatever - or whoever - lurked nearby.
  
  
  
  With a sharp, commanding whistle, Sabine summoned her trusty howler. It trotted to her side, a certain playfulness in its demeanor. The creature's big eyes blinked at her, and for a moment, there seemed to be a conversation taking place between the two-a silent understanding.
  
  
  
  "Don't even think about leaving me behind, Tota," she warned the creature playfully, yet with a hint of seriousness in her tone. The howler responded with a soft whine, its body language exuding an understanding of the situation's gravity. Her thoughts drifted to her precious lothcat, Murley. Hopefully Jai and Ryder were keeping an eye on her pet. "Something"s over there," Sabine added, pointing to the dense brush up ahead.
  
  
  
  She expertly mounted the howler, her every movement indicative of their long-standing partnership. Drawing on her senses, Sabine strained to perceive what lay beyond her immediate vision as she maneuvered around the pond. The warm, golden hue of the sun began to fade, giving way to cool shadows that made the landscape ominous.
  
  
  
  The howler, understanding its rider's intent, approached the dense thicket with caution. Its tall stature allowed Sabine a vantage point, but the thorny undergrowth seemed impenetrable, hiding what was lurking within.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, a hauntingly familiar voice broke the silence. "A shame."
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart raced, her grip tightening on the howler's reins. She tried to pinpoint the voice's origin, her eyes darting in every direction. "Show yourself!" she commanded, her voice echoing off the surroundings.
  
  
  
  A taunting reply came, "Soon, all that you have will belong to me."
  
  
  
  Sabine's face contorted and her mouth twisted. She navigated her howler around the perimeter of the thicket, trying to get a better look. "Brave words," she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That won"t happen without your Master." Even though her vision was partially obscured, her instincts painted a clear picture of who was hidden in the undergrowth.
  
  
  
  The voice, full of malice, responded, "Your little group of survivors should comply."
  
  
  
  With a roll of her eyes, Sabine shot back, her voice filled with defiance, "You've never been one to skulk in the shadows. Why start now? Step out and face me."
  
  
  
  The underbrush rustled, drawing Sabine's attention. Out from the twisted mesh of thorns and branches emerged the familiar figure of Shin Hati. She looked every bit the rugged traveler-her attire was frayed and weathered, her platinum hair in a state of wild disarray, and blotches of grime smeared her skin. Yet, despite her weary appearance, the glint of a lightsaber still hung from her side, and her eyes radiated with the same intensity Sabine remembered.
  
  
  
  "Seems your band of misfits couldn't make it back in time," Shin remarked, a hint of mockery in her tone and a tilt to her head.
  
  
  
  Sabine, ever quick-witted, narrowed her eyes. She attempted to reach out with her senses, probing the vicinity for any sign of Baylan. But it was as if the world had gone silent. Shin was here alone. In a twisted way, it made sense; Thrawn was notorious for discarding mercenaries who outlived their usefulness. Align yourself with the dregs of society, and you're bound to be treated as one.
  
  
  
  "Looks like you're in the same boat," Sabine shot back, her tone cool. "All alone, huh?"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes gleamed. "Hardly," she retorted. She struggled to keep her emotions in check, wary of betraying the secrets of her weeks-long mission. She had been busy-scouring terrains, observing, gathering information.
  
  
  
  Sabine, riding atop her howler and feeling a sense of elevation, decided to push her advantage. "Where"s your Master?" she inquired with false sweetness.
  
  
  
  A fleeting smirk crossed Shin's face. "On a quest for the unknown," she replied cryptically before shooting back, "No Bridger?"
  
  
  
  Leaning forward slightly, Sabine's tone became more pointed. She didn"t want Shin to know Ezra wasn"t with them. "Stay away from our camp. You don"t bother us, we won"t bother you."
  
  
  
  With a deliberate motion, Shin clasped her hands behind her back, fingers pressing tightly into her palms. She gazed up at Sabine, and for a brief moment, the sun chose to peer from behind the clouds, illuminating her face with a soft golden hue. Shin pointedly turned away.
  
  
  
  There was a poignant stillness, one that made Sabine take in the fine details of Shin's face-the sharpness of her jawline, the resolve in her eyes. Sabine could feel her grip on the reins of her howler tighten, a subconscious response to the tension in the air. So, she turned away as well.
  
  
  
  Breaking the moment, Shin's voice pierced the silence, her tone contemplative. "To the south of here, there are ruins, or so I"ve heard," she began, her gaze somewhere distant. "It"s overrun by treacherous creatures."
  
  
  
  Sabine frowned, her patience thinning. "What's that got to do with anything?" she retorted, resisting the urge to fully meet Shin"s gaze.
  
  
  
  Shin turned back, a hint of challenge glinting in her eyes. "These creatures, while dangerous, are guarding a wealth of resources. And to access it, I need your equipment. And more importantly, your ship."
  
  
  
  A bark of incredulous laughter escaped Sabine's lips. The whole situation felt surreal. Was this some sort of elaborate joke? Would Ezra suddenly leap from the underbrush, laughing, with Thrawn following with a recorder in hand? Her eyes darted around the clearing, half-expecting this very scenario to play out. But when she met Shin's gaze once more, the reality of the situation bore down on her. Shin's icy blue eyes, unflinching and serious, left no room for doubt. She meant every word.
  
  
  
  "No," Sabine declared firmly, her voice edged with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Go back to whatever hole you"ve made here for yourself."
  
  
  
  Shin considered her for a moment, head slightly tilted in contemplation. "Very well," she said, her tone deceptively calm. "I'll give you three rotations to rethink. By then, I"m sure your Master will have a clearer perspective on the matter."
  
  
  
  The mention of her Master made Sabine"s back straighten, her fingers clutching the reins in her grasp. A gust of wind blew, carrying with it the cool touch of the coming night, rustling Sabine"s hair and garments. "This is a sick joke," she said. "Us being here."
  
  
  
  Shin let out a small, humorless chuckle. "Agreed," she began, eyes narrowing slightly, "this expansive planet feels suffocating with you on it. It's as if you drain the life out of everything around you."
  
  
  
  "Says the person who choked me," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Ignoring the barbed comment, Shin shot Sabine a smirk, her gaze holding a promise and a challenge. With measured steps, she moved past the howler, her silhouette casting a long shadow in the evening light. Over her shoulder, she called, "Three rotations."
  
  
  
  Sabine's grip on the reins tightened momentarily, her mind awash with memories, suspicions, and calculations. The howler beneath her seemed to sense her tension, its muscles twitching slightly beneath her. The creature's rhythmic breathing felt soothing, grounding Sabine in the present moment even as her thoughts spiraled.
  
  
  
  What game was Shin playing? Their history was complicated, a web of rivalry and twisted allegiances. It was infuriating how Shin always managed to keep her off balance, her words cloaked in veiled threats and cryptic messages. And this planet, with its vast landscapes and unfamiliar terrains, only heightened the sense of unpredictability.
  
  
  
  Why did Shin choose now to emerge, when Sabine was already grappling with a thousand other responsibilities? The weight of their history pressed on her heart, memories of duels lost and won, of moments of connection that were then violently severed. And now, Sabine was once again caught in Shin's line of fire.
  
  
  
  She recalled the way Shin's eyes barely met hers during their exchange, that dismissive arrogance. It was a tactic, Sabine knew, meant to unnerve her. If only those icy eyes would soften slightly then maybe... No that would never happen.
  
  
  
  A low groan from her howler shook Sabine from her reverie. She gave the creature a gentle pat, pulling herself back to the present. Three rotations. That wasn't much time to prepare for whatever Shin had in store. With a resolute nod to herself, she decided her next course of action: she'd head back to the camp and brief Ahsoka on the recent developments. They needed a strategy, and they needed it fast.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Thank you for reading!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 6: Not Protocol
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Once Shin had moved to a distance where she felt confident of being beyond Sabine's field of vision, she faltered, bending over slightly to catch her breath. The day was filled with revelations. She had stumbled upon the Noti - who Sabine seemed to have permanently joined during her unplanned stay. But what truly caught Shin's attention was the ship that was still usable.
  
  
  
  And though she tried not to think of it, in a tranquil pond, was Sabine, appearing... tired, fallible, and almost hilariously out of her element while fishing.
  
  
  
  From her concealed vantage point amidst the dense foliage, Shin had watched in stunned disbelief. Likely for too long. Sabine Wren was clumsily splashing in the water, her confidence momentarily displaced. When Sabine took an unintentional dive into the pond, the laughter of the Noti was joined by her own - a sound of genuine amusement and vulnerability. It was a sight Shin hadn't anticipated, and it both amused and bewildered her.
  
  
  
  Shin chalked her observations up to understanding her enemy further.
  
  
  
  This was Sabine Wren, seemingly powerless, devoid of the Force, stranded on this backwater planet, and yet, as the moment revealed, she was still so authentically herself.
  
  
  
  And no Ezra Bridger in sight. Shin would"ve noticed him by now and the lack of his presence had her shoulders lifting and body relaxing. One less opponent to worry herself over. One less person to take up Sabine"s time...
  
  
  
  Rummaging through her supplies, Shin extracted a canteen filled with water. She swiftly uncapped it and took a long, refreshing gulp, trying to process the incongruity of the scene she just witnessed. She swiped away the stray droplets that clung to her lips. Even with the reprieve, an ingrained sense of caution had her glancing over her shoulder, ensuring that Sabine wasn't lurking nearby.
  
  
  
  The familiar hum of the Force around her and sensing no immediate threats, Shin released a slow, contemplative exhale. With measured steps, she began her trek back to her encampment, her thoughts a chaotic whirl of the day's unexpected turns.
  
  
  
  The days Shin spent embedded with the bandits were monotonous. However, there was a silver lining: they heeded her words, treating her with a deference that was a blend of respect and fear. Despite the linguistic challenges they faced, Shin managed to gather precious insights about the planet she now found herself on. The most interesting of these tidbits was the existence of an ancient, abandoned town to the far south-a place blessed by warm sunshine and balmy breezes.
  
  
  
  Yet, as with all things that seemed too good to be true, the town had its dangers, according to the bandits. Ferocious predators roamed its peripheries, deterring all but the most fearless from venturing close. But for Shin, such threats were inconsequential. With the right ship, a handpicked cadre of fighters, and her skills, she could raid the town and stockpile supplies that would last them months. As she weighed her options, the allure of relocating to a more verdant and comfortable region became increasingly attractive. A place where life wasn't just about surviving, but where she could relish the sweetness of a freshly plucked fruit or the thrill of hunting wild game-little joys that would make this imposed exile bearable.
  
  
  
  Thoughts of the past often wandered into her present, casting a bittersweet pallor over her new existence. With Baylan, every day had been an adventure-its unpredictability both exhilarating and taxing. The rewards, however, were generous. Luxurious getaways to Niamos, where they'd laze on sun-kissed beaches, or idyllic sojourns to Naboo's tranquil lake country. Those memories were like cherished gems in her mind's treasure chest. But that life also had its challenges. The nature of their work meant they were constantly on the move. Settling down, forging friendships, or even revealing her true identity was perilous, lest she draw unwanted attention or threats. Such was the paradox of her life: moments of breathtaking beauty juxtaposed with the constant shadows of danger.
  
  
  
  All that didn"t matter anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  "This is not standard Jedi protocol," Huyang exclaimed from within the confines of the T-6 shuttle.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment to process Sabine's recent account, Ahsoka stretched back against the ship's cushioned seating. "This place doesn't adhere to Jedi protocols," she responded, eyes locking onto Sabine's. "Was Shin alone?"
  
  
  
  With a nod, Sabine answered, "I think she was spying." Absentmindedly, her fingers drummed on the table, her gaze settling on an ancient cup she had previously failed to move using the Force. The temptation to test her newly developed prowess and crush it was palpable.
  
  
  
  Huyang's robotic eyes seemed to glow brighter in surprise. "Spying?" he echoed. "To steal our ship from under our noses... under your noses..."
  
  
  
  Waving away the concern with a dismissive gesture, Ahsoka countered, "Even if she wanted to, she's not equipped to do it on her own, not without Baylan by her side. Especially considering her current state."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated for a brief moment before revealing, "She has no idea I can use the Force. Her eyes glinted with determination. "A secret I won"t give up until absolutely necessary."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips curled into an approving smile. "Strategic," she praised.
  
  
  
  Huyang, his mechanical hands gesturing for emphasis, interjected with a pointed reminder, "Isn"t this the same Dark Jedi who grievously wounded you, Lady Wren?" He continued, his tone laced with suspicion, "By all indications, she's laying the groundwork for a trap in a mere three rotations."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka sighed and shook her head in disagreement. "She wasn't acting on her own volition. That girl was merely a pawn, executing commands without question..."
  
  
  
  Huyang cut her off, his voice rising with incredulity, "And you think that justifies her actions?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's hands pressed firmly against the table, the chill of its surface momentarily distracting her from the haunting memory of a lightsaber's scorching blade. Drawing a deep breath, she met Ahsoka's eyes, "Ahsoka," she began. "Back when Thrawn pulled his forces back you said you could help her. What"d you see?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, her gaze distant as if staring through the fabric of time itself, responded, "A maelstrom of emotions: disarray, inner battles, a tumultuous spirit... yet within all that chaos, I sensed a faint glimmer of righteousness."
  
  
  
  Sabine, her brows knitted, pressed on, "And is it enough to meet? What if she manages to take what we have?"
  
  
  
  Huyang, never one to miss an opportunity to voice his opinion, chimed in, "A most pertinent query, indeed!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyes roved the confines of the training chamber. Just a few steps away were the specialized tools necessary for crafting a lightsaber. The room was also home to essential gear, their vital fuel reserves, and the array of personal items that Sabine often rhapsodized about during their quieter moments together. Something about purple eye shadow and its importance.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka leaned forward, her gaze fixed intently on Sabine. "Share your thoughts, Sabine. You've clashed with Shin on more than one occasion. I sense there's an undeniable fascination she has towards you. What do you perceive?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's posture tensed noticeably, and she paused, swallowing hard. Her mind raced, trying to deflect from the myriad of memories that threatened to surface. Could Ahsoka detect the undercurrents of their past encounters? An unbidden blush rose to her cheeks, and she grappled to find her voice amidst the whirl of emotions.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Ahsoka prodded gently, her voice carrying a hint of concern.
  
  
  
  Summoning her resolve, Sabine responded, her words rapid, "She"s impatient, reckless...Ambitious but immature."
  
  
  
  Huyang, observing the exchange, remarked with a wry expression, "A description that rings somewhat familiar, wouldn't you say?"
  
  
  
  "Hah!" Sabine choked out as the image of intense blue eyes crossed her mind. "At least I have a sense of humor."
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Ahsoka cut in. "I"ll attend this meeting by the pond."
  
  
  
  Both Sabine and Huyang exclaimed in unison, "What?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's expression remained serene, her confidence evident. "Am I not the one who sent her flying the other day?" she asked. "Not a saber in hand."
  
  
  
  Sabine muttered something under her breath, her fingers drumming against the table.
  
  
  
  "Let"s see what else she has to say," Ahsoka concluded. "This place she speaks of interests me."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Only one rotation was left until Shin would return to the Noti camp. One more day until she'd see Sabine again... But today she was scoping out a supply crate in the distance that a small band of rival bandits were trying to lay claim to. Word of her presence with the Red armored bandits was spreading across the area so she was surprised that the group would dare attempt to take what belonged to her.
  
  
  
  Examining the situation atop her howler, she cast a sidelong glance at the leader of her tribe, who was now second to her. "How many supply crates did Thrawn leave behind?" she asked.
  
  
  
  The leader, named Kradosh, who was slowly but surely learning to communicate with Shin, pointed in a vast direction. "They"re scattered everywhere since their final departure," he replied. "Some are useless, but others have useful gear."
  
  
  
  The air invigorated Shin as she breathed in. "Let"s go take what"s ours," she stated, hand on her lightsaber hilt.
  
  
  
  The leader trotted around upon his howler and signaled to the warriors nearby. "Lethal or no?" he asked.
  
  
  
  Shin eyed the rival bandits in the distance. They must"ve been desperate if going after the crate. "We take the crate only," Shin answered. "Then they"ll have no choice but to join our group soon enough."
  
  
  
  The leader nodded. "Understood," he replied.
  
  
  
  Closing her eyes for a moment Shin replayed an image of Baylan in her mind. Impatience for victory will guarantee defeat. Over and over again it continued on repeat. The thorny coil in her stomach that wrapped around and around when Ahsoka defeated her with such ease was unforgettable. And the offer to join immediately after? Shin"s hands trembled as she rode forward on her grey howler.
  
  
  
  As they approached the rival bandits, the hum of Shin's lightsaber slicing through the air drew immediate attention. Its glow was alien to them; a technology far removed from their spear-wielding existence. The primitive bandits exchanged nervous glances, clearly disturbed by the shimmering blade. But a silent command from their leader steeled their resolve, and they took their positions, readying their spears.
  
  
  
  The tension in the air was heavy as Shin, flanked by her tribe's warriors, closed the distance. The rival bandits threw their spears with strength and precision, but they were no match for the blinding speed of a lightsaber. Shin gracefully deflected their projectiles, ensuring she didn't inflict lethal harm. Her movements were controlled and methodical, her primary focus being to secure the crate without taking a life.
  
  
  
  She dismounted her howler and approached with a hardened face on foot. It was almost too easy, and her body buzzed with a flush of electricity. Chest puffed out and chin raised high, she continued forward.
  
  
  
  The warriors from the Red tribe engaged the rival bandits, using their blasters and combat skills to disarm and immobilize them. The stark difference between the two groups was evident - while one had the advantage of advanced weaponry and tactical training, the other fought with raw passion and desperation.
  
  
  
  Shin's presence on the battlefield was mesmerizing. Using the Force, she disarmed bandits, sending their spears flying out of their grasp. At times, she'd use a mild Force push to knock them off balance or create a barrier around the supply crate.
  
  
  
  As the skirmish continued, the rivals' numbers dwindled, their initial bravado replaced by the realization that they were fighting a losing battle. However, Shin's merciful approach was evident. Not a single bandit lay fatally injured; instead, they were incapacitated or simply too afraid to continue.
  
  
  
  It didn't take long for the tide to turn in Shin's favor completely. With most of the bandits disarmed or retreating, only one figure remained defiant - their leader.
  
  
  
  He stood tall and imposing, spear in hand, eyes locked onto Shin. In a show of courage or perhaps desperation, he advanced, his every step echoing his determination. But Shin was ready. In one swift motion, she used the Force to pull the spear from his grasp, leaving him defenseless.
  
  
  
  The two stood mere feet apart, the hum of Shin's lightsaber the only sound between them. The bandit leader's eyes displayed a mixture of fear, defiance, and grudging respect. Neither spoke, but the message was clear: Shin was not to be trifled with.
  
  
  
  The standoff seemed to last an eternity, but eventually, Shin extinguished her lightsaber, breaking the tense silence. Without a word, she turned her attention to the supply crate, leaving the bandit leader to stew in his emotions, his gaze never leaving her retreating figure.
  
  
  
  "Go back to your camp," Shin said. "Consider joining us. We"d be stronger together."
  
  
  
  The rival leader huffed and stared down at Shin. He hung his head and glanced at the lost crate he was to return with.
  
  
  
  "Take half the supplies," Shin offered. "I"ll allow it."
  
  
  
  The bandit stood tall and nodded slowly.
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her wrist, and her group began their work. She would soon have a hold over a growing army. An army that would undertake her every whim. It would ensure that she kept busy, alive, and she could show Sabine Wren what she was capable of. Static? She recalled the Mandalorian"s words. Shin would become stronger and better than Sabine could ever be.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh," Shin called out with her chin raised.
  
  
  
  The bandit leader approached. "Yes?"
  
  
  
  "Good work today," Shin praised. "Tomorrow, I expect things will run smoothly."
  
  
  
  "They will."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Between classes and work, writing this fic is my favorite hobby rn haha. I'm ahead working on chapter 11 of this. Thank you again for the kudos, comments and giving my fic a read!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 7: Meetings
  Notes:
  Thank you all so much for your kudos and making time to comment I always look forward to it!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine positioned herself alongside Ahsoka at the edge of the tranquil pond. The day's ambiance was gentle, with only a faint touch of sunlight filtering through, providing a mild embrace of warmth. There were certainly days that boasted more favorably in terms of weather, but the trend indicated a gradual transition towards the comforting embrace of upcoming warmer months.
  
  
  
  Back at camp, Huyang stood on guard, attentively observing their surroundings. He had stationed himself, ensuring that their ship was primed and ready for an immediate departure should any unforeseen situation demand it. The Noti, in their own right, were well-prepared, having made arrangements to swiftly relocate using their specialized pods if the situation deemed it necessary. While nobody hoped for complications, it was an unwritten rule to be prepared for any possible turn of events.
  
  
  
  Sabine's heightened senses were evident in her posture. She meticulously ran her hands down her sides, ensuring the quick accessibility of her blasters. Standing with a determined posture, her fingers instinctively found the hilt of her lightsaber, while she made minor adjustments to her beskar armor for optimal mobility and protection. She took a moment, amidst her mental and physical preparations, to observe Ahsoka.
  
  
  
  The latter exuded an air of serene confidence, her face radiating calm assurance. This demeanor intrigued Sabine; since their arrival in Peridea, she noticed a subtle transformation in Ahsoka, her Master. It was an enigma, a shift in her aura that Sabine pondered upon but couldn"t quite decipher.
  
  
  
  The atmosphere tensed, as if the very essence of the world around them was reacting to an impending encounter. Sabine's keen eyes scanned the horizon, and within a heartbeat, she identified the emerging figures. Prominent among them was Shin, flanked by two members of the notorious Red bandits. They rode atop their fierce howlers, and even from this distance, the glint of their weapons was unmistakably visible.
  
  
  
  Drawing nearer, the trio made a calculated stop by the pond's edge. Without hesitation, Ahsoka voiced her knowledge of their intent. "I"ve been informed of your proposition," she remarked, her voice steady.
  
  
  
  Unable to contain her surge of emotions, Sabine cut in sharply. "What are you now?" she challenged. "Queen of the bandits?"
  
  
  
  Shin, unflustered by the barb, arched an eyebrow and gracefully descended from her howler. Meeting Sabine's fiery gaze with her own icy one, she retorted, "And what about you? Queen of the tiny crabs?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice held a razor's edge as she countered, "At least the Noti are peaceful. Unlike your brutal and violent ways."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, sensing the escalating tension, interjected with a firm rebuke, "Sabine."
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, Sabine suppressed the welling frustration within her. Her gaze, however, never left Shin. The arrogant curve of Shin's smirk was a glaring challenge, almost mocking in its confidence. Every fiber of Sabine's being itched to use the Force, a power she now wielded, to wipe that smirk off the Dark Jedi's face and establish her own dominance. But she knew better than to act impulsively and give up her secret.
  
  
  
  Shin, sensing the charged atmosphere, turned her attention to Ahsoka. "Beyond the tundra is a warmer place, abundant with succulent fruits, a diverse range of game, and valuable resources we could harness," she articulated, painting a vivid picture of the promise the land held.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, her eyes betraying nothing, responded, "And you seek our ship to get there?"
  
  
  
  Maintaining a calculated distance from both Ahsoka and Sabine, Shin nodded. "With your ship, we'd get there swiftly. In gratitude, we'd offer you half of whatever we reap," she promised.
  
  
  
  A thoughtful expression passed over Ahsoka's face as she considered Shin's words. "And the beasts in that territory?"
  
  
  
  Stepping forward from Shin"s side, Kradosh cleared his throat before nodding in confirmation. "Indeed. The last reconnaissance of that land speaks of fierce predators that have claimed it," he shared, his voice carrying an undertone of caution.
  
  
  
  With a contemplative expression, Sabine paused for a moment, running her fingertips along her chin. Her observant eyes darted between Shin and the slightly uneasy-looking bandit leader, Kradosh. "Exactly how long ago was this recon mission?" she probed, her tone dripping with skepticism.
  
  
  
  Kradosh shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. "Several years ago," he reluctantly confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed softly under her breath, shaking her head. "What a joke," she remarked with a hint of derision.
  
  
  
  As Sabine's skepticism hung in the air, Ahsoka began pacing, her steps deliberate and her face a mask of contemplation. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest, she finally broke her silence, "Given the uncertainty, perhaps it's wisest for all of us to explore the area together."
  
  
  
  Hearing Ahsoka's suggestion, Sabine's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. She stared at her mentor, searching for signs that this was some kind of strategy. "You can't be serious?" she exclaimed.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Ahsoka directed her attention to Kradosh, her gaze piercing. "Tell me, will our abilities serve as a match against these creatures?"
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, Kradosh gave a single, resolute nod. "Most definitely."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka then turned her attention to Shin, whose smirk had now been replaced with a more contemplative look. "And Shin? Your thoughts on this collaboration?"
  
  
  
  With a deliberate attempt to ignore Sabine's glare that was boring into her, Shin responded, her voice measured, "When it comes to facing unknown dangers, the combined strength of two Force users undoubtedly surpasses that of one." She paused, letting the weight of her statement sink in.
  
  
  
  Tension tightened the muscles in Sabine's hands as she clenched them into fists, wrestling with the surge of emotions threatening to bubble up. Though every fiber of her being screamed in opposition to Ahsoka's proposal, deep down, she knew she had to lean on her unwavering faith in her Master. Perhaps there was wisdom in keeping potential foes like Shin and her band of bandits closer. After all, having them within sight might be safer than letting them concoct plots shrouded in shadows. Moreover, aligning with the locals, even temporarily, could provide invaluable insights into the lay of the land and its hidden secrets.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, declared, her voice firm and resolute, "We convene at the ship at dawn tomorrow. But let's get one thing straight: should any treachery ensue, rest assured it won't be Sabine and me who bear the brunt of the consequences."
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips curved into a smirk, directed squarely at Shin. She couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrast between Shin's former glory and her current state. Once mentored and favored, now forsaken by her Master and Thrawn alike. To see her leading this ragtag group of bandits was a testament to how far she had fallen. It was almost pitiable to realize that this was the zenith of Shin's current potential.
  
  
  
  The frigid blue of Shin's gaze locked onto Sabine's, and a sudden tension crackled in the space between them. It was as if an unseen current of energy, electric and alive, surged, connecting them in a web of heightened emotions. The intensity of their connection was so potent that even Ahsoka, seasoned as she was, found herself caught off-guard, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to discern the nature of the exchange.
  
  
  
  Taking an instinctive step back, Shin's eyes darted from side to side, suggesting a touch of unease or perhaps an anticipation of some impending event. With an attempt at casualness that didn't quite mask her caution, she announced, "I'm confident this will be to the benefit of all parties involved."
  
  
  
  Sabine, though trying to appear nonchalant, couldn't suppress a derisive snort, her earlier moment of vulnerability retreating as quickly as it had come. It struck her that the fleeting clash may have been a result of her burgeoning Force powers teetering on the brink of their boundaries, especially given the charged atmosphere. When Shin and her band gradually blended into the horizon, vanishing from sight, Sabine turned her intense gaze to Ahsoka, her expression a mix of confusion and frustration.
  
  
  
  Sabine's incredulity was evident, her voice heavy with skepticism. "Are you serious?" she demanded, incredulously. "Are we really partnering with them?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips curved into a gentle, knowing smile as she continued gazing at the horizon. "Reflect on today, Sabine," she prodded gently. "What conclusions can you draw from our interactions?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, animated in her confusion, waved her hands about. "That we're going to get ship-jacked, maybe?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was firm yet patient. "Look deeper. Go beyond the surface of the situation."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, tugging at her short hair in a mixture of exasperation and contemplation. "Alright," she conceded, "this is another one of your lessons, isn't it?" Taking a deep breath, she tried to piece together the day's events. "From our encounters, we've learned that Shin has taken command of the Red-armored bandits. We also know she's navigating this new leadership without Baylan by her side, suggesting some sort of rift or estrangement. Her need to maintain control and establish her credibility with the bandits is clear..."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's grin widened, revealing a hint of amusement. "Precisely. By aligning our interests with Shin's, we're not only securing our position but also ensuring the Noti"s safety. Sometimes, the key isn't in facing an enemy head-on, but in turning potential enemies into allies."
  
  
  
  Sabine took a deep breath, absorbing Ahsoka"s words. She gazed at the ground for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "So, it's a strategy then. Building bridges, not barriers."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded appreciatively. "It's the bigger picture, Sabine. The larger play. You understand tactics on the battlefield, but life"s larger game requires more delicate, intricate moves."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed deeply, her fingers tracing her jawline. "Yeah, I get it. Diplomacy and all that. It's just... difficult." She paused, a smirk playing on her lips. "But I'm leaving it to you to break the news to Huyang. I"m not about to face his million questions and possible lectures."
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  
  
  Shin stood poised, hands clasped behind her, studying the array of bokken swords displayed on the wall. She marveled at the ship's ingenuity - managing to accommodate an entire training room complete with seating. Her gaze drifted, assessing each equipment piece, lingering momentarily on the helmets with a hint of disdain. Childsplay.
  
  
  
  A discreet glance over her shoulder revealed Sabine, nestled comfortably in the seating area, her eyes fixed intently on Shin. Suppressing a smile, Shin voiced her thoughts. "Wooden swords?"
  
  
  
  Holding a cup firmly in hand, Sabine's focus remained unyielding. The bandits onboard were of no concern to her; they were merely adjusting to the sensation of flight. Shin, however, was a wild card, scrutinizing every corner of the ship. Every corner, that is, except Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a hint of nonchalance, "For training, you know."
  
  
  
  Shin's tone was measured, every word carrying weight. "I have only ever trained with a saber."
  
  
  
  Sabine's jaw tightened, her gaze fixated on the curve of Shin's back. Why had she thought this would be a good idea? The bandits might be clueless about their exact destination, but Ahsoka remained unwavering in her belief that they'd find their objective. Huyang, though vocally critical of the mission, dutifully manned the ship's controls.
  
  
  
  "Sounds risky," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with gravitas, "Necessary."
  
  
  
  Sabine tapped a rhythmic beat on the table, her voice carrying a casual warning. "Don"t touch anything, alright?"
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her hand nonchalantly. "I"d dare not cross your Master," she remarked, her gaze fixed on something distant. "She"s a force to reckon with. However, you? You don't dictate my actions. Not now, not ever."
  
  
  
  Sabine could feel the tension knotting her shoulders. She stood up abruptly, wishing more than anything for a gulp of fresh air. The ship's confines felt all the more constricting with Shin's overwhelming presence, even if they"d been onboard for just a little over an hour.
  
  
  
  "Oh that constant need to feel like you"re in control of everything," Sabine retorted, her voice dripping with ice. "I can see right through you. But don"t worry I won"t tell your bandit pals."
  
  
  
  With a swift pivot, Shin faced Sabine directly, her hands concealed behind her, eyes narrowing dangerously. "So, Bridger made it back and left you here?" Her words sounded more like a statement than a question.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment, Sabine let a slow smirk creep onto her lips. "It was my choice to stay," she said, a hint of pride evident in her tone. "And my Master chose me."
  
  
  
  Shin, her feet rooted to the spot, drew a long breath, her fingers tightly interlaced behind her. "Is there something you"d like to say?" she asked, her voice measured but clearly intrigued.
  
  
  
  Sabine, relaxing a bit, let out a chuckle. "You"re not going to pry into my mind?"
  
  
  
  Lifting her head with a touch of arrogance, Shin responded, "I wouldn"t waste my efforts on that. Besides, I need to save my energy for what's ahead on our mission."
  
  
  
  "Always so formal," Sabine shot back. Her mouth opened once more but then closed.
  
  
  
  Shin narrowed her eyes. "Are you going to call me an idiot, again?"
  
  
  
  "Are you going to supposedly take everything that belongs to me?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s hand landed on her saber hilt. "It"d be easy," she spat.
  
  
  
  Sabine pushed herself up from the seat, her eyes locked onto Shin's. The thoughts racing through her mind were of the swift moves she could make, the blows she could land before Ahsoka intervened. The glint in Shin"s eyes suggested she was all too aware of what Sabine was considering.
  
  
  
  However, just as the tension between them was reaching its peak, the cockpit door slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing Ahsoka.
  
  
  
  "We're about to land," Ahsoka announced, her voice ensuring she was heard over the undercurrents of the room. Her gaze shifted to Sabine, a silent warning in her eyes. With a resigned sigh, Sabine sank back into her seat. "Prepare yourselves," Ahsoka added.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Tensionnnn!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 8: The Dome of Death
  Notes:
  Thank you all so much for continuing to read, comment and kudo this story. This chapter is longer and a lot happens so I do hope you like it.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine gracefully descended from the loading ramp, her boots gently sinking into the soft, powdery embrace of pristine white sand. The surrounding air, thick with humidity, enveloped her in a warm caress, prompting beads of sweat to form on her forehead. Taking a moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the tangy, salty scent of the coastal air, tinged with the sweet aroma of blooming tropical flowers.
  
  
  
  As she reopened her eyes, the blinding brilliance of the overhead sun momentarily overwhelmed her senses. Its golden rays shimmered, casting dancing reflections on the water and making the leaves of nearby palm trees glisten. Shielding her gaze with a hand, Sabine waited for her pupils to adjust to the dramatic change in luminance.
  
  
  
  When clarity finally returned to her vision, the breathtaking panorama before her elicited an involuntary gasp. Stretching endlessly before her was a vast expanse of crystal-clear water that mirrored the azure sky above, its tranquility occasionally interrupted by playful waves caressing the shoreline. Bordering the beach was a vibrant expanse of lush greenery - a dense tropical jungle with a verdant canopy, beneath which lay a world of mystery and wonder. Vibrant flowers peeked out from between thick leaves, their petals a riot of colors, while the distant calls of exotic birds provided a melodic backdrop.
  
  
  
  This paradisiacal setting was a stark contrast to the icy tundra landscapes the Noti people had chosen as their base. A smile graced Sabine"s lips as she briefly lost herself in the scenic beauty. Snapping out of her reverie, she glanced over at Shin, noting how the latter was struggling with the intense sunlight. With her eyes almost shut and her hand serving as an improvised visor, Shin appeared as if she was battling the sun"s rays.
  
  
  
  From a distance, Kradosh's voice broke the serene moment. Holding his ornate spear aloft, catching the sun's reflection on its intricate metalwork, he signaled for their attention. "The destination lies deeper within," he announced with authority, nodding towards the impenetrable depths of the jungle. "A few clicks in, that"s where we need to be."
  
  
  
  With a fluid motion, Ahsoka shrugged off her poncho, revealing her battle-ready attire beneath. The fabric floated momentarily, capturing the tropical breeze, before landing into the waiting hands of Huyang. Her voice, authoritative yet tinged with a hint of curiosity, cut through the ambient noise. "Huyang, I need a comprehensive scan of this area," she commanded. "Assess everything - the water's composition, the air quality, and whatever lurks in the depths of this jungle. And most importantly, relay any significant findings back to us via comms immediately."
  
  
  
  As the directive was given, the group, animated by a shared purpose, began their expedition. The soft, warm sand crunched gently underfoot, each step taking them closer to the foreboding expanse of the jungle. Sabine, her spirit seemingly invigorated by the surroundings, paused momentarily to close her eyes and let the sun's radiant embrace kiss her face. The sensation transported her - even if briefly - to a simpler time. Drawing in a deep, heartfelt breath, she was engulfed by memories of her home planet. A fleeting moment, a mere heartbeat, and she was back in her childhood, wandering familiar landscapes under peaceful skies, untouched by the shadows of subsequent wars.
  
  
  
  Sabine crouched, curiously inspecting the myriad fruits scattered across the jungle floor, her fingers brushing against their textured surfaces. "This place doesn"t look like it"s teeming with predators," she remarked with a hint of skepticism.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with a vigilant gaze that continuously scanned the surroundings, replied with a hint of mystery, "Looks can be deceiving."
  
  
  
  As Sabine reached out to claim one of the colorful fruits, Kradosh swiftly intervened, smacking it from her grasp with a quick, decisive move. "Never take what's lying on the ground," he cautioned, his voice tinged with genuine concern.
  
  
  
  Startled, Sabine shot him a reproachful look. "Hey!" She barked, eying the discarded fruit with a mix of confusion and longing. "Why?"
  
  
  
  Without uttering a word, Kradosh adeptly used his spear to snare a few fruits from an overhead branch. Distributing them among the group, he cryptically responded, "Ground fruits are often tainted with... well, poopoodoodoo."
  
  
  
  Shuddering slightly, Sabine replied with a wry smile, "Noted." Without hesitation, she sank her teeth into the fruit Kradosh offered. An explosion of flavors - tart, citrusy, with an undercurrent of rich sweetness - danced on her palate. "Ahsoka, you have to try this," she exclaimed, words muffled by her enthusiastic chewing.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka gracefully bit into her fruit, savoring its taste for a moment before responding with a teasing smirk, "Keep your focus. You are a Commander after all."
  
  
  
  Sabine momentarily tensed. The silence was broken by her sudden laughter, which rang out nervously amidst the stillness. Rivulets of fruit juice streaked down her chin as she struggled to regain her composure. "I"m not into titles," she quipped, sucking on the remnants of her sweet find, trying to mask her discomfort.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, sensing the need to regain focus, gestured towards the heart of the jungle with a decisive motion. "Our path lies ahead," he declared with unwavering confidence.
  
  
  
  As the team ventured deeper, the canopy overhead seemed to close in, making the atmosphere dense, humid, and warmer. Chirps, tweets, and rustling emanated from the unseen creatures above and around them, painting a soundscape of a land untamed. While the inherent dangers of the jungle had yet to manifest themselves in the form of predatory threats, the sticky heat and rugged landscape were proving to be formidable adversaries in their own right.
  
  
  
  Shin moved with a cat-like grace, her eyes darting back and forth, ever alert to potential dangers. With every step, she maintained a keen sense of her surroundings, a saber ready to tackle any unexpected obstacles. Parting a particularly dense growth that blocked their path, she posed a question, her voice edged with curiosity and a hint of skepticism, "You mentioned formidable beasts, Kradosh. So where are these predators you warned us about?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh's furrowed brow revealed the depth of his concern. "Something is amiss" he mused, recalling tales of menacing creatures that once dominated these lands, striking fear into the hearts of any trespassers.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's fingers danced over her comm device, attempting to establish a clearer connection. "Huyang," she voiced with urgency, "we need more detailed intel."
  
  
  
  Huyang's voice came through, albeit interspersed with static. "Based on my scans, the local species are primarily herbivores or scavengers. They're passive by nature. Surprisingly, the biological makeup of these beings has parallels to creatures from our own galaxy, though they're clearly unique to this environment."
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a characteristic enthusiasm. "Well, that's good news, right? We can gather what we need without worry and wrap this up."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka raised her hand. "That"s exactly what I"m worried about," she replied.
  
  
  
  The familiar static from their communication device cut through their conversation. "Detecting a potent energy signature southward," Huyang's voice crackled. "It appears to be in the configuration of a dome."
  
  
  
  With an alertness borne from her training, Shin led the way, her senses heightened. The dense vegetation gradually gave way, revealing a clearing bathed in an ethereal glow. At its center stood the majestic dome, shimmering with hues of green and yellow. Three ancient-looking pillars stood nearby, a beam of energy connecting them. The architecture was unlike anything they'd seen, suggesting origins far removed from the known galaxies.
  
  
  
  Drawing a sharp breath, Shin whispered, "Witchcraft."
  
  
  
  Kradosh picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it towards the gleaming dome. As the stone made contact, it vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of its existence. "Legends among my ancestors spoke of the Domes of Death," he began, a hint of awe in his voice. "It was thought to be a mere myth, a story to scare the young. To see it with my own eyes..." He trailed off, the gravity of their discovery sinking in.
  
  
  
  Murmurs arose among Kradosh's comrades as they tentatively neared the pillars. The aged stone, inscribed with symbols from an age long past, seemed to tell tales of power, promise, and peril. The group, despite their varied backgrounds, were bound together in that moment by a shared sense of wonder and uncertainty.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's brow creased in deep thought, her gaze never leaving the mesmerizing expanse of the dome. "So there must be items of importance inside?" she questioned, seeking clarity.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's eyes held a blend of sorrow and determination as he responded, "Indeed. Within that dome lies various relics, intertwined with the history of the Noti people, us and other groups. Treasures not just of material value but bearing the soul and essence of our past."
  
  
  
  Sabine, ever the artist and tactician, was already engrossed with the pillars. Their archaic symbols beckoned her - the Three Faces. Each face intricately detailed, they seemed to resonate with age-old secrets. With gentle but confident fingers, Sabine began manipulating the dials, ensuring she remained a safe distance from the pulsating beam. The atmosphere around her seemed to grow dense, charged with a mysterious energy. Each turn caused the air to ripple and shimmer, and the heat became intense. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, a testament to both the tropical climate and the gravity of her task.
  
  
  
  "Be cautious, Sabine!" Ahsoka called out, a protective edge to her voice. "We don't fully understand the mechanisms or the consequences."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, looking over her shoulder with a smirk, "When have I ever been one to play it safe?" She returned to the task, her fingers dancing deftly over the symbols, driven by intuition and a profound respect for the history they represented.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained unwavering, studying Sabine's movements intently. "What was the purpose of sealing away this place with magic?" she pondered aloud.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's eyes bore a haunted look, betraying old wounds and memories. "This land wasn't just any land; it was revered, sacred to our ancestors," he explained. "The Nightsister"s final assurance was to undo the seal when their objectives were met, or it would self-destruct if we tampered with it."
  
  
  
  Sabine, having tuned into the conversation even while deciphering the pillars, completed her final adjustment with a sense of triumph. Her eyes sparkled as she stepped back, "They lied to you," she remarked with a touch of bitterness. "They always lie."
  
  
  
  As the beam faded and the dome's luminescence ebbed away, it unveiled a landscape of ancient architecture - structures that once stood tall, now weathered and worn with the relentless march of time.
  
  
  
  A chorus of jubilation erupted from the bandits, their faces alight with a mixture of gratitude and hope. They converged around Sabine, offering hearty pats on her back and expressing their gratitude in their own language and gestures.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyes widened with approval as the remnants of the dome vanished. "Well done, Sabine," she commended, tossing a stone towards the newly revealed region to confirm the dome's complete dissolution. The rock settled into the ancient debris without any hindrance. Turning to Kradosh, she motioned forward, "Retrieve whatever is essential, and let's make haste."
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, flexing her arms with a playful vigor. "Just another day's work," she quipped, yawning extravagantly and stretching her limbs with an eye on Shin who merely went tight lipped.
  
  
  
  But the sense of accomplishment was abruptly disrupted. The ground beneath them pulsated in a rhythmic throb, shaking them off balance. Once, twice, and a third jolt stronger than the ones before. As the terrain seemed to convulse, the once docile creatures of the jungle scampered in a frantic migration towards the safety of the shoreline. Trees, caught in the tremors, swayed dangerously, their leaves rustling.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, the calm serenity of the comm system was replaced by a sharp burst of static, followed by the urgent voice of Huyang. "Be on guard!" he warned, the anxiety evident in his usually composed tone. "Two colossal entities are converging on your location. They"re unlike anything we've seen in this region!"
  
  
  
  Kradosh swiftly drew his blaster, and the bandits, sensing the impending threat, did the same, aligning in a defensive stance. "Voraxlyn beasts," he murmured, his brow furrowing with concern. "They should not be in these tropical zones."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled in exasperation, flipping her blasters from their holsters. "The mystery of the missing local predators just got solved," she remarked sardonically. "Looks like these Voraxlyn are the new apex predators here."
  
  
  
  Amidst the rising tension, Ahsoka's voice crackled urgently over the comm. "Huyang, any intel to give us an edge?" she implored.
  
  
  
  Through the static interference, Huyang's voice offered a semblance of a plan. "Initial scans suggest a vulnerability at the nape of their necks," he advised. "One is closing in from your left, the other from the right."
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Ahsoka delegated roles, her fingers indicating the direction for each team member. She pointed swiftly at Shin and Sabine, "You two tackle the one on the right," she directed. Then turning to Kradosh, she added, "You're partnering up with me. Let's move!"
  
  
  
  "Seriously?" Sabine exclaimed, her tone a mixture of disbelief and frustration.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze sharpened, focusing intently on Sabine as the ground trembled beneath their feet. "Now's not the time for questions!" she snapped.
  
  
  
  With a groan, Sabine rolled her eyes. But as she glanced to her right, she saw Shin already charging headlong towards the impending threat. The air was sliced by a deafening roar - primal, resonant, and chilling. Momentarily taken aback, Sabine shook off her hesitance and sprinted after Shin, determined not to let Shin steal the show.
  
  
  
  Beads of perspiration clung stubbornly to Sabine's forehead, each one threatening to cascade down with her every stride. As she traversed the unstable terrain, the majesty of the ancient buildings around her beckoned for her attention. They stood like silent sentinels, each possibly guarding its own cache of long-forgotten relics. But with the ground rumbling beneath her feet and the trees dancing in erratic movements, any fleeting desire to explore was immediately quashed.
  
  
  
  Ahead, Shin moved with a balletic grace, her orange saber casting a fiery glow, cutting through the dense foliage of the jungle. It seemed as though she was being propelled by an unseen force, driven towards the epicenter of the commotion that echoed through the trees.
  
  
  
  Sabine observed Shin's movements, reminiscent of their duel on Seatos. Navigating over logs and weaving between trees, Shin moved with unyielding purpose. Sabine, with renewed determination, resolved to keep pace, eager to showcase her skills not only to her Master but perhaps to Shin as well.
  
  
  
  Reaching up, Sabine brushed away the sweat that had collected on her brow. She deftly held up her blasters, contemplating their effectiveness against the imminent threat lurking just beyond her line of sight. As she took a moment to catch her ragged breath, she found herself right behind Shin. The latter stood poised, her gaze directed skyward, her saber humming in anticipation, ready to confront whatever challenges awaited them.
  
  
  
  Taking a brief moment, Sabine ran her tongue across her parched lips, tasting the salty remnants of her exertion. She craned her neck, following Shin's gaze upwards, peering through the intricate lattice formed by the treetops. As the dense foliage parted, the contours of their adversary became clear, casting an imposing silhouette against the sky. It bore an alarming array of razor-sharp teeth arranged in jagged layers, and its physique was a testament to raw power - with bulging arms and robust legs. To Sabine's growing horror, this monstrous entity dwarfed even the dreaded Rancors she had heard tales of.
  
  
  
  A cold rush of dread flowed through her veins, causing her breath to catch in her throat. The creature's roar, deafening and primal, bore into her very core, making the ground feel as though it trembled in shared terror. Involuntarily, Sabine took a stumbling step back, the roar resonating through the air, an auditory assault that seemed targeted directly at her and Shin.
  
  
  
  With a terrifying swiftness belying its size, the creature brought down its immense clawed hand, attempting to flatten its perceived threats. The ground shook with the impact, sending a spray of debris into the air. Reacting with practiced agility, both Sabine and Shin performed evasive rolls, narrowly avoiding becoming one with the forest floor.
  
  
  
  Shin, ever the aggressor, sprang into action, attempting to strike a blow with her saber. She aimed for a vulnerable spot, but her efforts were in vain. The creature's reflexes were astonishing, and a secondary mandible, thick and robust, swooped down, forcing her to abort her attack or risk being crushed.
  
  
  
  With instinctive urgency, Sabine unleashed a volley of blaster shots at the looming creature. Demonstrating her agility, she nimbly danced around obstacles, vaulting over fallen logs, and skillfully evading the crushing descent of the monster's fearsome claws, which relentlessly pounded the ground.
  
  
  
  During her evasive maneuvers, a brief yet intense moment of connection occurred as her eyes met Shin's. In that fleeting moment, Shin skillfully carved a gash into one of the beast's claws, triggering a furious outburst from the creature. Seizing this moment of distraction, Sabine, with focused resolve, aimed and sent a barrage of blaster bolts straight into the creature's gaping maw.
  
  
  
  Sabine's internal reasoning speculated that the creature, perhaps unfamiliar with adversaries of their caliber or never having encountered such weaponry before, underestimated the potency of her blasters. However, the beast was no simpleton. Adapting rapidly to the newfound threat, it adopted a more guarded posture. Protruding spikes emerged ominously from its back, and its already formidable hide took on a subtly different hue, hinting at an even tougher exterior.
  
  
  
  With agile precision, Sabine dodged the creature's advances, her blasters blazing continuously as she strategically retreated towards the remnants of the ancient town once shielded by the dome. Meanwhile, Shin found herself severely restricted, her saber rendered nearly useless against the beast's frenzied claw attacks. She was left to weave, dodge, and somersault amidst the decaying structures, narrowly escaping the creature's relentless onslaught.
  
  
  
  Despite Sabine's relentless barrage, frustration began to set in as the beast seemed impervious to her efforts. Each step she took backward brought her perilously closer to an unstable wall. Her eyes darted frantically, seeking out Shin, silently pleading for a coordinated strategy or a sign for their next move.
  
  
  
  But the space where Shin once stood was now empty, sending a chill of realization down Sabine's spine.
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, she holstered her blasters, raising her arms defensively. Could using her flamethrowers be the solution? But more urgently, where had Shin vanished to? Desperation crept in as her eyes darted desperately in search of her companion, the weight of abandonment heavy in her chest.
  
  
  
  A familiar void began to spread within her. While Sabine often preferred solitude, this was not one of those times. Memories of past betrayals clouded her mind: Ketsu Onyo leaving her to fend for herself, Ezra's departure from Lothal, the choices of her parents... Anguish and anger mixed, Sabine clenched her fist, turning fiercely towards the beast. A powerful energy surged within her, her determination igniting like a white-hot flame.
  
  
  
  The sting of Shin's sudden absence gnawed at Sabine's core. Without so much as a whisper, she was left to confront this towering menace on her own.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment, Sabine inhaled deeply, centering herself. She adjusted her flamethrower to its maximum setting, contemplating a fiery escape or potentially regrouping with Ahsoka. Either way, she was determined to leave a mark.
  
  
  
  As she readied herself to unleash a torrent of flames, a flicker of light above arrested her movement. Sabine's eyes widened, and she quickly turned, squinting slightly to the right, intrigued by the unexpected glow.
  
  
  
  There, above the chaos, was Shin. She clambered up an ancient pillar, dislodging bits of stone that tumbled down in her wake.
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart raced, her eyes widening in both relief and concern as she worked to keep the Voraxlyn's attention on her. The beast's maw gaped open, its razor-sharp teeth moving menacingly closer, threatening to engulf her entirely.
  
  
  
  Reaching the pillar's summit, Shin raised her saber high. Channeling the Force, she soared through the air in a powerful leap, her blade descending in a bright arc, clashing against the Voraxlyn's tough hide. The creature's pain-filled howl echoed as it lashed out, catching Shin in its grasp and hurling her to the ground. Sabine, driven by instinct and unexpected concern for her comrade, rushed to Shin's side.
  
  
  
  As the enormous head of the creature detached gruesomely from its body, a flurry of emotions raged within Sabine. Relief mingled with frustration at Shin's audacious move. It wasn"t just about surviving; there seemed to be an element of spectacle in the way Shin operated, an almost theatrical bravado. It was as absurd as when she dramatically hopped off the log on Seatos.
  
  
  
  With a heated glare, Sabine's gaze settled on Shin, who was now clutching her injured knee. Their eyes met in a silent clash of intensity, a tempest of fiery defiance and icy reproach, while the remnants of the beast shuddered beside them.
  
  
  
  "Sabine!" Shin's voice pierced the tense silence, her hand outstretched towards her. "It's going to crush us!"
  
  
  
  The weight of reality hit Sabine as the massive, razor-toothed head thudded to the ground, sending shockwaves through the terrain. The headless body, though lifeless, was still looming ominously above them, teetering dangerously and threatening to crash down on top of them. She quickly calculated the time and distance - there was no way to drag Shin out of harm's way in time.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Sabine contemplated darting to safety on her own. With Shin incapacitated, it would mean one less complication in her life. But as she glanced back, she saw Shin, despite her pain, desperately harnessing her Force abilities in an attempt to stall the colossal structure from collapsing onto them. The sheer determination in Shin's eyes stopped Sabine in her tracks.
  
  
  
  "I can't hold it," Shin murmured weakly, her voice trembling with exhaustion. "It's too much..."
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, Sabine met Shin's desperate eyes for a fleeting moment before turning her full attention to the monumental threat. Lifting her arms, she summoned every ounce of her strength and determination. Although newly Force-sensitive, her sheer willpower combined with the residual force exerted by Shin created a potent energy barrier.
  
  
  
  The behemoth's fall seemed to pause momentarily in mid-air, then, with an almost palpable force of resistance, it began to tilt in the opposite direction. Finally, with a deafening crash, the enormous creature's body toppled away from them, the impact sending tremors throughout the surrounding area and causing bits of the ancient ruins to crumble and fall.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a moment, her breathing regulated as she allowed herself the small satisfaction of their survival. The weight of the situation settled around her, evident in the smirk that danced across her lips. Yet, when she turned to face Shin, the latter's eyes were wide with shock, a mixture of fear and wonder evident in her gaze.
  
  
  
  "How did you...?" Shin began, her voice weak and raspy as she tried to push herself into a sitting position on the worn-out stones beneath them.
  
  
  
  Sabine responded without words. A swift motion, and the glow of her green saber illuminated the gap between them. The humming blade pointed dangerously close to Shin's midsection. Their eyes met, Sabine's filled with determination and mistrust, while Shin's were a whirlpool of emotions, uncertainty chief among them.
  
  
  
  "Shin Hati," Sabine voiced, her tone deliberate.
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw tightened, her gaze fixed on the menacing blade hovering precariously close to her abdomen. In a situation such as this, there wasn't time to relish the rich timbre with which Sabine said her name for the first time. The dense atmosphere, accompanied by the putrid odor of the slain creature, consumed them.
  
  
  
  "You could've let it fall on me," Shin retorted, her voice carrying an undertone of accusation.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze remained unwavering, her saber steady. "Not so nice being on this end, is it?" Her words dripped with contempt, every ounce of her willpower keeping the blade from plunging forward.
  
  
  
  "Don"t."
  
  
  
  Fear edged Shin's voice, and Sabine savored the tremor of vulnerability. "Can you imagine if I pushed inside of you?" she questioned, gripping the hilt tightly. "How it would feel? Because you'll never forget the burn."
  
  
  
  Shin swallowed, her throat bobbing visibly, her voice maintaining a calm veneer despite the threat. "I"d die here."
  
  
  
  Sabine's saber remained unwavering, poised for action. "You haven"t even said sorry to me about it," she declared, voice cold.
  
  
  
  Shin met her glare. "And why should I? I was following orders. My Master"s orders."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes flashed with anger. "And now you follow my Master"s orders," she hissed.
  
  
  
  A flicker of defiance crossed Shin's face as she tried to summon the Force, but Sabine edged the glowing green blade even closer. "You'll regret this," Shin cautioned. "Stand down."
  
  
  
  A challenging gleam danced in Sabine"s eyes. "Tell me how you know Mando"a," she commanded. "Or I"ll kill you."
  
  
  
  Shin's body stiffened, her body remaining rigid beneath the threatening heat of the saber. There was a long pause as fiery brown eyes battled with icy blue. "As a child, Baylan took me to Mandalore on business," she began.
  
  
  
  "And then?"
  
  
  
  "We visited Sundari," Shin added hesitantly.
  
  
  
  Sabine's anger was palpable, every word she spat edged with venom. "What else? You better not lie to me," she demanded, images of Shin Hati on her sacred homeland flashing through her mind.
  
  
  
  The blade's hum and heat neared, almost grazing Shin"s garments. "While there, I picked up some Mando"a," she admitted. "The Civic Center was bustling. I didn"t learn much, but enough."
  
  
  
  "That"s it?" Sabine's voice held a mix of skepticism and curiosity, the blade still perilously close to Shin. "I find that hard to believe."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flitted nervously, but she forced herself to speak. "There was a boy I recall," she started, her voice softer now. "He followed a specific Creed. I remember he wanted to kiss me, and he faced severe repercussions for removing his helmet."
  
  
  
  A look of surprise crossed Sabine"s face, and she studied Shin intently. The myriad traditions and rules of different Mandalorian sects weren"t common knowledge. "A boy?" she echoed, trying to understand.
  
  
  
  Shin grimaced, trying to distance herself from the humming blade. "Yes, a boy," she insisted. "I was merely a child, nothing happened."
  
  
  
  A wave of disbelief washed over Sabine. Some young Mandalorian boy had once dared to kiss Shin? The grip on her saber's hilt intensified to the point where it felt as though it might shatter in her hand.
  
  
  
  After a tense silence, she finally said, "You can limp back to the ship on your own." With a flick, she deactivated her saber. Shin lay there, clearly relieved, yet still in pain as she clutched her injured knee. There was a fleeting pang in Sabine"s chest, a mixture of empathy and annoyance, but she ignored it. Turning away from the scene, her stomach churned but she forged ahead, leaving Shin behind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Again thank you for reading, this one was super fun to write and intense! I'm ahead on chapter 16 of this so even with finals etc coming up I still have lots to post with this fic.
  
  Note: the mando boy didn"t kiss shin at all and she was not interested. He tried and got into shit. Just wanted to clarify.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 9: Beach
  Notes:
  Thanks so much for all the kudos and comments. It truly brightens my day! Hope you're all having a good spooky weekend if you celebrate.
  
  Shin and Sabine get to cool off literally and figuratively in this chapter and it's a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine's garments clung to her form, plastered there by a concoction of sweat and grime that also tarnished her once-pristine skin. Each step she took up the ramp of the ship was not just a physical act, but a defiant saunter amidst the sweltering heat and exhaustion. The bandits, her momentary allies, swarmed the area, their forms bustling with purposeful motion as they salvaged valuable cargo. These spoils were not solely for personal gain; there was an unspoken promise in the air, a vow to distribute this newfound wealth among their kin and the Noti.
  
  
  
  The sun, relentless in its ascent, seemed intent on making the day even more searing. Sabine felt the drain all the more acutely after tapping into her Force abilities-a resource now spent, leaving her feeling as depleted as the heavy, humid air enveloping her.
  
  
  
  A wave of remorse washed over her as she thought about her behavior towards Shin in the jungle. The journey back provided her with much-needed time to cool off and ponder over her actions, while a knot of unease formed in the pit of her stomach. Acting brash and insensitive was out of place, but the overwhelming fear of being left alone in a critical situation had pushed her to her limits. Moreover, Shin"s honest response, though appreciated on some level, was not what she wanted to hear, intensifying the turmoil inside her. Sabine knew she needed to find a way to dissipate the internal chaos and restore her inner balance.
  
  
  
  In stark contrast, Ahsoka and Kradosh appeared almost unruffled, as if their encounter with the Voraxlyn had been nothing more than a leisurely stroll. They were nearly as immaculate as they had been at the outset, with not even a hint of dirt sullying their attire. Their eyes, sharp and discerning, scanned Sabine's beleaguered form as she managed a nonchalant hand wave, alluding to Shin's eventual return.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's features knitted together in a skeptical expression as she drew Sabine away from the throng, towards a quieter corner where Huyang was already engaged in the methodical organization of crates. With a visage softening into concern, she inquired, her voice a lull, "What happened?" Her words were feather-light, yet laden with the weight of unspoken fears and a deep-seated trust awaiting reaffirmation.
  
  
  
  Attempting to induce some semblance of a breeze, Sabine wafted her clothes, the fabric reluctantly yielding to her movements. She exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh, the sound mingling with the distant clatter of activity. "We had some trouble with the Voraxlyn thingies" she muttered, her words laced with the remnants of adrenaline from the encounter.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s eyebrow ascended her forehead. She slipped into an adjoining chamber, her voice trailing back, tinged with curiosity and concern, "And what of Shin?"
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a noncommittal shrug of one shoulder, her eyes evading direct contact as they found sudden interest in the floor. "Shin, you know, separated its head from its body," she grumbled, the image seemingly replaying in her mind, stark against the backdrop of her fatigue. And you know, some silly Mandalorian boy attempted and failed to kiss her when she was a young girl. Sabine had no idea why she cared so much considering nothing happened, but her stomach twisted sourly.
  
  
  
  Huyang, amidst his systematic handling of the crates, paused, his robotic eyes expanding in a mimicry of organic surprise. "An invaluable ally in that case!" he chimed in, the metallic timbre of his voice juxtaposing the underlying warmth in his words. "Fortuitous she accompanied you." His hands, precise and steady, resumed their task, setting down a crate with the gentlest of clinks.
  
  
  
  A laugh, tinged with sarcasm, threatened to escape Sabine, but she quelled it, her gaze drifting instead toward the sandy expanse that kissed the edge of crystalline waters a short distance from their ship. "Yeah, fortuitous indeed," she replied, the enthusiasm drained from her voice, leaving it as listless as her fatigued limbs.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka materialized again, this time bearing the mundane treasures of a pack and a canteen, the latter promising the bliss of ice-cold water. "Listen," she started, her tone softer, more coaxing than commanding, "why don"t you take the rest of the day? Enjoy what this beach has to offer. We"ll regroup and head back tomorrow."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows vaulted upwards; her surprise etching lines on her forehead. "Seriously?" she challenged. This suggestion was an anomaly, deviating from Ahsoka"s usual regimen of relentless training and unending chores. What was the catch?
  
  
  
  Huyang, ever the fount of knowledge, contributed to the conversation. "The data indicates no presence of perilous lifeforms within the warm, shallow embrace of these waters," he relayed, his voice a medley of factual resonance and subtle encouragement. "I would advise staying within proximity to the shore, however."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka extended the day pack toward Sabine, her other hand directing her toward the beckoning vastness beyond the ship. "Perhaps we"ll even find ourselves dining on the local aquatic delicacies and game this evening," she proposed, an undertone of playful adventure lending color to her words.
  
  
  
  Brushing away the persistent sheen of sweat on her brow, Sabine acquiesced with a nod. The lure of lazing on the sun-drenched beach, allowing the day's tension to melt into the golden sands, was an oasis of thought she couldn't resist. After the whirlwind of events they'd endured, the prospect of a tranquil interlude to rejuvenate seemed not just appealing, but necessary. Accepting the pack, she gifted Ahsoka with a smile, one that held a softness, a silent gratitude that crinkled the corners of her eyes. Energized by the promise of leisure, she set about preparing herself for an unexpected, yet wholly welcomed, sojourn under the sun's caressing rays. Her conflicting emotions about Shin"s Mandalore story slowly began to fade.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin ascended the ship's ramp with a noticeable limp, her knee painted with hues of abuse, yet thankfully still functional and hidden under her pants. Words of profuse gratitude cascaded around her as the bandits and Kradosh expressed their heartfelt appreciation for her initiative in seeking Ahsoka's aid. Without that critical move, they acknowledged, the opportunity to harness the bountiful resources of the region would have slipped through their fingers. Moreover, their successful foray had allowed them to retrieve invaluable relics from the ancient settlement to carry back with them.
  
  
  
  Exhaling a weary sigh, Shin reclined against a stack of crates, her fingers gently kneading the tender flesh around her bruised knee. In this quiet moment, she finally allowed herself the luxury of a breath, a pause from the relentless rhythm of her strenuous return journey. She had laid bare the truth to Sabine, yet the Mandalorian had buried herself in a fortress of denial.
  
  
  
  It was as if Sabine was either unwilling to confront the reality or perhaps found the truth too cumbersome to shoulder. This constant undercurrent of contention, this incessant need to spar, whether through verbal jousts or physical duels, seemed to be their default mode of interaction. And while Shin found a certain thrill in the engagement and the playful provocation, the perpetuity of it was draining, especially considering the gravity of their current circumstances.
  
  
  
  And then there was Sabine, manifesting the Force in a display that was nothing short of revelatory. It was a facet of her that Shin had never witnessed, an extraordinary layer that redefined the bounds of what she thought she knew about the Mandalorian. The sheer concentration and raw power Sabine had summoned to repel the colossal creature were not just remarkable-they were awe-inspiring.
  
  
  
  Although Shin would never concede such admiration to Sabine's face, this stunning disclosure rattled around incessantly in her mind. Throughout her solitary trek back, Shin's thoughts were besieged by the vivid memory of Sabine, arms raised and their Force energies merging in a desperate, beautiful ballet that had warded off imminent doom. That moment, frozen in time, posed questions that demanded answers and painted their relationship in hues Shin was still struggling to comprehend.
  
  
  
  Sabine could"ve left Shin to die but didn"t.
  
  
  
  Moistening her parched lips with a tentative lick, Shin exhaled a measured breath, allowing her eyelids to fall shut for a moment as she sought a reservoir of resilience deep within.
  
  
  
  "Shin?"
  
  
  
  At the sound of that familiar tone, a subtle tranquility threaded through Shin's frayed nerves. Her eyes fluttered open to find Ahsoka there, extending a cup filled with what promised to be the sweet relief of water. Straightening up, Shin composed herself, her chin lifting in a gesture of both respect and resolve. Ahsoka was an enigma-a formidable Master whose serene demeanor belied the formidable power she wielded. Her presence was both a comfort and a quiet, constant challenge to Shin's composure.
  
  
  
  "Should we make preparations to return soon?" Shin inquired with brisk professionalism, her fingers closing around the proffered cup.
  
  
  
  A gentle, reassuring smile creased Ahsoka's features. "Actually, I propose we take the remainder of the day for respite," she suggested, her tone imbued with an unexpected leniency. "We can chart our course homeward tomorrow."
  
  
  
  Rest. The word seeped into Shin's consciousness, and with it came an acute awareness of every bruise, every strained muscle that clamored for attention within her. A flicker of concern crossed her face while sipping the water. "Is it prudent for us to linger?" she questioned, the strategist within seeking affirmation.
  
  
  
  A single, confident nod was Ahsoka's response. "The threat of the Voraxlyn has been nullified," she assured, her words anchoring them both in a shared, unspoken victory.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with a weary nod, her gaze inadvertently falling to a patch on her clothing where the fabric was scorched and blackened. Hastily, she folded her hands across her stomach, feigning interest in the flurry of activity as crates were shuffled and cataloged around her.
  
  
  
  "You know, Shin," Ahsoka's voice carried a serious undertone as she continued, "I can overlook harm that comes from recklessness or miscalculation. But deliberate harm, that is something I cannot and will not tolerate."
  
  
  
  A tension crept up Shin's spine, and she found herself reluctant to meet Ahsoka's penetrating gaze. "Of course," she responded, her voice barely more than a murmur. The ambition that had once driven her to consider seizing control of the Noti camp, or to even dare to challenge a formidable presence like Ahsoka, had dulled in the face of practicality. Their fledgling alliance was a beacon of mutual advantage on a planet that brooked no easy survival. Moreover, with her paths to the power she craved still obstructed, especially with Baylan remaining an elusive puzzle, Shin recognized the wisdom in adaptability. If this alliance was her available avenue to influence and strength, then she would tread it, at least for the present.
  
  
  
  "And that includes Sabine," Ahsoka added, her tone adopting an edge of firmness. "Should she prove troublesome... she and I will have a discussion."
  
  
  
  A flutter of surprise jolted Shin's insides, her heart executing a quick, unexpected drumroll. Sabine? Shin had little insight into the dynamics of Ahsoka and Sabine's relationship, but she could surmise that mentoring someone as spirited and headstrong as Sabine was no straightforward endeavor. It was a responsibility Shin was certain she wouldn't eagerly assume.
  
  
  
  "Did she cause any difficulties during your mission?" Ahsoka inquired, her gaze locking onto Shin's with an intensity that seemed to sift through her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Tension crystallized in Shin's hands, her fingers clenching involuntarily while her lips pressed into a thin line, betraying her momentary inner conflict. "Not in the slightest," she asserted, her voice steady despite the tumult within. "We collaborated to bring down the Voraxlyn. My injury was an unfortunate consequence of the battle, nothing more." Her words, carefully chosen, veiled the complexities of their interaction, preserving the facade of uncomplicated professionalism.
  
  
  
  With a measured nod, Ahsoka's eyes undertook a deliberate journey from Shin's head to her toes, as if cataloging every detail. "I understand," she responded, her voice neither approving nor disputing, simply acknowledging. A significant pause stretched between them, with the air almost thickening with unspoken thoughts, before Ahsoka spoke again. "Why don't you take some time to unwind on the beach? Kradosh and I can manage things here. If you're inclined, I have a collection of Holobooks and Datapads you might find interesting."
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off guard, Shin blinked and took a moment to clear her throat, as though dislodging an unexpected emotion. "I appreciate the offer," she managed, her voice betraying a hint of her surprise. "But I think I'll opt for a swim instead."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was a gentle, almost tender smile. "That sounds like a good idea," she affirmed softly. "Feel free to grab whatever you need from the spare cabin. Sabine is already out there, probably turning a rather vibrant shade of red under the sun..." Her voice trailed off, a hint of playful jest softening the sentence's end, suggesting a familiarity and fond exasperation with Sabine's potential lack of foresight regarding sun protection.
  
  
  
  The mental image of Sabine"s skin turning an alarming shade of crimson under the relentless sun flickered through Shin"s mind, tinged with a twinge of concern. She briskly dismissed these thoughts, her hands busying themselves with selecting a fluffy towel. Methodically, she assembled a pack, tucking in provisions - an assortment of snacks, water, and a set of dry clothes for a comfortable transition post-swim.
  
  
  
  The beach here was an anomaly-a welcoming slice of paradise that seemed out of place yet was more pristine than the renowned coasts of Niamos. Shin pondered whether Peridea's unique planetary tilt might have birthed this idyllic zone, a stark contrast to other worlds' monotonous biomes. However, the scientific curiosity was fleeting; the specifics didn"t hold much weight as she neared the inviting turquoise embrace of the sea.
  
  
  
  With the jungle"s perils seeming a lifetime away, the prospect of the ocean"s buoyant saltwater promised to be therapeutic. It would offer not just physical relief for her knee, but also a salve for the phantom sting that still haunted her abdomen. Yet, as she neared the water's edge, anticipation dissolving into the sound of gentle waves, it was the sight of Sabine that halted her - a figure that commanded her attention despite the scenic vista.
  
  
  
  There was Sabine, reclined on an expansive towel, her form surrendered to the sun's caress, skin glistening as it embarked on the subtle journey from pale to golden. Shin's eyebrows ascended her forehead, an unspoken query in their arch as she tightened her grip on her pack, altering her trajectory from the beckoning sea to the figure basking in tranquility. A debate flickered in her mind - to broach the topic of their confrontation with the Voraxlyn or to let it lie in the realm of the unspoken? The entire situation brimmed with curiosity, an enigma wrapped in sunbeams.
  
  
  
  Positioning herself, Shin found her gaze inadvertently descending upon Sabine, taking in the expanse of exposed skin, the contour of her flat abdomen, and the simplicity of her undergarments, unadorned yet somehow accentuating her natural form. For several heartbeats, Shin remained a silent observer, contemplating Sabine, whose eyelids were gently closed, the sun's kiss painting her cheeks a rosy hue. The scene was one of vulnerable tranquility, a stark contrast to the warrior Shin knew Sabine to be, and it whispered of uncharted depths beneath the Mandalorian's resilient exterior.
  
  
  
  "You're not seriously considering swimming in that, are you?" Sabine's words floated up, her eyes remaining closed in serene repose.
  
  
  
  A slight frown tugged at Shin's lips as she lowered her pack, delineating a spot for herself near Sabine. "I intend to change, naturally," she responded, her voice maintaining its customary professional cadence.
  
  
  
  "This entire beach and you chose to hover here?" Sabine quipped, a playful smirk curving her lips.
  
  
  
  A faint warmth tinged Shin's cheeks, more from the unexpected interaction than the sun, as she began to shrug off her outerwear. "Your Master suggested I join you," she replied, her words structured with the precision she habitually employed.
  
  
  
  Sabine emitted a soft, disbelieving snort, her body rolling gracefully to rest on her stomach, her head turning to regard Shin with unveiled amusement. "Oh, I highly doubt that," she countered, her casual lilt a stark contrast to Shin's formal demeanor, encapsulating the distinct divide that often characterized their exchanges.
  
  
  
  The reverse side of Sabine's saber wound came into view, and an unanticipated reaction coiled within Shin's stomach-a flutter of conflicting emotions. There was an odd thrill, a silent, almost prideful acknowledgment of having left a permanent mark on her adversary. Yet, in the quiet depths of her conscience, a subtle ache throbbed, a remorseful understanding that the scar was a moment she could never reclaim or amend.
  
  
  
  Eager to navigate away from the silent turbulence within her, Shin seized on a diversion. "Care for a swim?" she proposed, her tone neutral yet inviting a challenge.
  
  
  
  At last, Sabine's eyes fluttered open, her gaze ascending along Shin's form-taking in the long legs, the defined abdomen, and the uniform paleness of her skin, untouched by the sun's kiss. A spirited grin animated her features. "Absolutely," she responded, the word imbued with an innate sense of competition. "Let's make it interesting. First one to that rock and back..." Her voice trailed off, a playful challenge hanging in the air, but then her expression shifted, a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. "Unless your knee is giving you trouble?" The question, laced with genuine consideration, softened the competitive edge, revealing a layer of their relationship seldom exposed.
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw set, a subtle rigidity taking hold of her stance, her eyes steadfastly locked with Sabine's, a silent vow not to allow them the liberty of a roving glance. "My knee will hold up," she asserted, the words escaping through gritted teeth, more a challenge to herself than a simple statement of fact.
  
  
  
  "Fantastic!" Sabine's hands came together in a single, enthusiastic clap, her spirit infectious. She hopped to her feet and pointed outward. "We race to the rock and back. Winner earns the right to gloat."
  
  
  
  The suggestion lingered in the air between them, its provocation nearly tangible. It was as if Sabine brandished her newfound abilities before Shin, a flag of challenge fluttering in the coastal breeze. Shin's gaze swept over the serene waters, appraising the distance to the rock. It was not an insurmountable distance, but in a sprint, victory would hang on the edge of a knife.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin countered, the word slicing through the salty air. "If I emerge victorious, I want an explanation-how did you ascend to the rank of Commander?"
  
  
  
  A laugh, rich and unguarded, tumbled from Sabine as she idly scratched her cheek, the sound mingling with the soft hush of lapping waves. "Okay," she consented, the casual shrug of her shoulders belying the weight of the wager. "And if I win, you're guzzling a cup of sea water."
  
  
  
  "Revolting."
  
  
  
  "Is it a deal?"
  
  
  
  The proposition was absurd, juvenile even, yet it crackled with an energy Shin couldn't deny. Her teeth clashed in a visceral reaction. "It's a deal."
  
  
  
  As Shin neared the water's edge, the gentle surf kissed the shore, its cool embrace encircling her feet. The briny air she drew into her lungs seemed to carry away the weight of the day's ordeals, replaced by a wave of unexpected tranquility.
  
  
  
  "On three," Sabine declared, her body coiled like a spring, ready to unleash its energy. "We circle the rock and return."
  
  
  
  "On three," Shin concurred, her tone resolute.
  
  
  
  One... two...
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flared in disbelief as Sabine, the rogue, surged forward prematurely, cleaving through the water with deceptive ease. Cheater! Indignation fueling her movements, Shin propelled herself forward, her form slicing through the shallow depth with a blend of grace and raw urgency. Weren"t Mandalorians meant to be honorable? Yet, even as frustration ebbed, Shin found solace in the water's balmy caress, its tranquility a stark contrast to their earlier tribulations.
  
  
  
  Beneath her, a microcosm of marine life danced and darted, while vibrant flora swayed in the deeper, crystal-clear abyss-a spectacle of life thriving amidst the planet's otherwise barren expanse. It was a mesmerizing divergence from the icy desolation that dominated the northern reaches. But Sabine's form, already a distance ahead, snapped Shin back to the urgency of their race. She funneled her energy into each stroke, the water parting for her with every determined surge.
  
  
  
  Despite the twinge in her knee and the captivating scenery vying for her attention, Shin managed to narrow the gap. Her muscles sang with effort, and her focus sharpened, a fine point amidst the ocean's vast canvas. The rock loomed ever closer, a silent witness to their spirited rivalry.
  
  
  
  As they rounded the rock, the sun cast its rays through the water, turning the surface into a shimmering blanket of diamonds. Shin allowed herself a brief smile as she edged alongside Sabine, the shore now within their sights. Her breaths came in ragged gasps from the exertion, yet she pressed on. But then, unexpectedly, Sabine ceased her strokes, coming to a standstill with the water lapping at her waist.
  
  
  
  Bobbing gently in the water, Shin swept a hand through her soaked locks, confusion knitting her brow. "Why did you stop?" she called across the short expanse of water. There stood Sabine, resplendent under the sun's caress, droplets beading on her skin, her physique adopting a sun-kissed hue, and a mischievous grin playing on her lips.
  
  
  
  "I cheated," Sabine declared with a nonchalant shrug. "So, you win by default."
  
  
  
  Shin cast a fleeting glance back at the towels on the beach but chose to wade back to where Sabine stood. "I wouldn"t have drunk this brine, regardless.," she responded, her feet finding hold on the silken seabed. Standing upright, she found herself peering down those few satisfying inches to meet Sabine"s eyes.
  
  
  
  "And I would"ve told you about being Commander, anyway," Sabine retorted, her arm sweeping through the water to send a playful splash toward Shin. The spontaneity of the gesture, devoid of any competitive edge, hinted at an unspoken camaraderie, one that transcended their earlier rivalry and the hidden layers of their respective pasts.
  
  
  
  Confusion laced Shin's posture as she stood, a statue amid the gentle waves. Their interactions had been a mess of skirmishes, blaster fire, and the visceral tension of combat; this playful, almost peaceful interaction felt foreign, almost suspect. The transition from Sabine's earlier aggression, her saber's threatening hum, to this carefree splashing was jarring. Could it be the sun's relentless heat playing tricks on her, or perhaps fatigue blurring her judgment?
  
  
  
  She remained motionless as Sabine moved closer, her intentions discernible beneath the water's crystal clarity. "Stop," Shin commanded, her voice firm yet devoid of hostility, and Sabine complied instantly. "You need to ask, remember? That was your rule."
  
  
  
  In the sunlight, Sabine's eyes took on a golden hue, twinkling with an emotion Shin couldn't quite decipher. A half-smirk played on her lips as she spoke, her voice a blend of challenge and concern. "Let me see your knee," she requested.
  
  
  
  With a slight frown and a gaze that momentarily turned inward, Shin acquiesced. Lifting her leg with a hint of reluctance, she exposed the injured area. "I had a harsh fall," she explained, her voice softening despite herself.
  
  
  
  "I know. I saw," Sabine responded, her tone shedding all traces of jest, replaced by the seriousness of a warrior acknowledging another's battle scars. In that exchange, amidst the sun, sand, and sea, they were no longer just rivals or tentative allies, but soldiers sharing the unspoken bond of the battlefield.
  
  
  
  Shin's body tensed. Sabine's fingers were gentle and precise as they traced the contour of her bruised knee. This touch was an anomaly, a stark contrast to the grasps and grips of their duels or the forceful restraint when Sabine had been her captive. Now, the touch was tender, almost caring.
  
  
  
  "Should we apply a bacta patch?" Sabine inquired, her gaze fixed on the injury through the clear water.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin responded, her voice steady but softer. "We should conserve it for emergencies."
  
  
  
  Releasing Shin's knee, Sabine nodded in agreement. "You're right," she conceded quietly, the playful tone in her voice yielding to practicality. "There's no telling how long we'll be stranded here."
  
  
  
  A peculiar chill replaced the warmth of Sabine's touch on Shin's knee, an absence unexpectedly noticeable. Shin tried to dismiss the fleeting longing but found her gaze involuntarily sweeping over Sabine's water-drenched form.
  
  
  
  "Could be indefinitely," Shin commented, her voice a whisper.
  
  
  
  "Maybe... Now, stop staring," Sabine teased, though her words lacked any real reproach.
  
  
  
  Heat flooded Shin's cheeks, and she averted her gaze, her heart thrumming a chaotic rhythm. "I'm just... unaccustomed to this," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "To what?" Sabine queried, an eyebrow quirked in curiosity as she folded her arms.
  
  
  
  "To being with someone in this manner," Shin confessed, allowing herself to sink into the comforting embrace of the warm water. "I've been adrift, belonging everywhere and nowhere, all at once."
  
  
  
  Sabine smoothed her hand back through her damp hair and mirrored Shin's actions, descending into the water. "Well, you're here now," she pointed out gently. "And here doesn't have to be nowhere."
  
  
  
  A smile threatened at the corners of Shin's mouth, perhaps it even broke through, for Sabine's lips curved in response. She sensed Sabine's attempts to move past their earlier altercation in the jungle and resolved to do the same. "Tell me," Shin urged, the mood shifting once more. "About how you became a Commander."
  
  
  
  With a soft chuckle and a nod, Sabine acquiesced. "Well..." she began, and the story unfolded, carried by the sound of waves, the rustle of the wind, and the quiet confidence of a warrior recounting her past.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Well seems like they've both found middle ground. It's only up from here! Thanks so much for reading!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 10: A Bed
  Notes:
  As always thank you for joining each chapter, it's been a blast so far! I'm working on this instead of listening to my lecture rn lol. Happy wolfwren Wednesday!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  
  
  Sabine had shared more than she thought with Shin, but opted to omit the more emotional aspects. Their conversation ebbed and flowed with the gentle grace of the waves, and as she spoke, the world around them seemed to quiet, acknowledging the intimacy of the exchange. The sun embarked on its descent, casting a golden patina over the world, making the water shimmer like a sea of molten gold. During their conversation, there were moments when Sabine felt herself being pulled into the deep pools of Shin's gaze, so intense and filled with empathy that they threatened to swallow her whole.
  
  
  
  She found herself, on several occasions, pausing midsentence, caught in the tide of emotions that Shin's eyes beckoned. But Shin remained silent during these hesitations, understanding the value of the unsaid, honoring Sabine's narrative as sacred. This silent communion spoke volumes, bridging the gaps between their spoken words.
  
  
  
  "And now I"m here," Sabine finally said, her voice a soft decrescendo against the lapping waves. She stretched her legs out on the beach towel, the grains of sand clinging to her skin, a subtle reminder of the earth connecting them. As she leaned back on her hands, the heaviness that had anchored her heart seemed to dissipate, carried away on the evening breeze. Her fingers inadvertently grazed Shin's in the process, a spark of electricity that jolted her back to the present. She retracted her hand swiftly, a sudden shyness overtaking her, and cleared her throat in an attempt to dispel the lingering charge.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes followed the trajectory of Sabine's retreat, eventually settling on the bruised knee where her fingers had momentarily rested. A sigh escaped her, a wistful sound that seemed to mingle with the air. She couldn"t pinpoint the origin of the flutters in her stomach or the tingling of her skin, sensations as enigmatic as the deepening twilight.
  
  
  
  "It seems we"ve both weathered our own storms," Shin remarked, her voice a blend of solidarity and an unspoken understanding. The sky above them was a canvas of orange and pink, the colors bleeding into each other in a poignant echo of their newfound connection. The day was giving way to night, and in that transformative space, they found a shared solace, a silent acknowledgment that they were, in some way, reflections of each other's struggles and triumphs.
  
  
  
  "Hm," Sabine hummed, the sound almost contemplative. She took a long gulp of water from a canteen, the coolness a balm against the setting sun"s warmth. Her gaze drifted to the horizon, where wispy clouds meandered across the sky, painted orange and pink by the sun's descent. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the beauty of the scene imprint itself upon her senses. "It's beautiful here. I wish this was where the Noti had settled," she mused aloud.
  
  
  
  Shin, who had been quietly observing the soft glow of the evening sun on Sabine's face, swallowed before responding. There was a certain detachment in her voice, a neutrality born of hard truths. "It is serene, yes," she agreed. "But this place is no longer their home."
  
  
  
  Sabine placed her water canteen and other belongings aside, her eyes lingering on the tranquil dance of the waves. A hint of frustration laced her words, her voice barely above a whisper, "They just had to pick the tundra, didn't they?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s reply carried a weight of understanding, of deeper, unspoken complexities. "There"s wisdom in their choice," she pointed out. "What happens if those predators return? The isolation is a necessity."
  
  
  
  Sabine turned to face Shin, her skin showing traces of the day spent under the sun, patches of red highlighting her exposure. Despite this, her spirit seemed undiminished. She locked eyes with Shin, a playful sparkle in her own. "You"ll climb another pillar and behead them?" she retorted, a teasing smile curving her lips. The moment was light, their banter a temporary reprieve from the gravity of their earlier conversation, a shared smile in the face of relentless challenges.
  
  
  
  Shin studied Sabine, her head tilting slightly as she processed her words. For a moment, she parted her lips to speak but then hesitated, a flicker of understanding crossing her features. Sabine was prodding for a reaction, a playful challenge thrown in Shin's direction. Choosing to engage, Shin volleyed back with her own jest. "So you can use the Force now?" she quipped, an eyebrow arching in mock incredulity. "Will we now discuss what happened?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine pressed her tongue against her cheek, her eyes momentarily darting away. "Seems like near-death experiences with zombie night troopers can have that effect," she retorted, her tone a mixture of sarcasm and an undercurrent of genuine awe at her own revelation.
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Shin exhaled, her eyes sweeping over Sabine with renewed curiosity. An unfamiliar sensation twisted in her stomach, a flutter that seemed to echo the increasing thud of her heart in her ears. Without realizing it, her hands clenched into fists, and she drew a slow, deep breath, the unique scent of Sabine-salt, sand, and something distinctly her-permeating her senses. Despite their proximity on the beach towels, an expanse seemed to stretch between them, a distance filled with uncharted emotions and tension. Shin felt a prickling awareness skitter across her skin, a pull she couldn"t quite decipher.
  
  
  
  Brows knitting together in concentration, Sabine extended her hands, palms up, and scrutinized them as though they held unseen answers. Raising her eyes to Shin, she let out a disbelieving scoff. "What are you doing?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Heat crept into Shin"s cheeks, her eyes skittering away evasively. "Nothing," she responded too quickly, her voice edged with a barely-there panic. But then, her gaze snapped back, locking with Sabine's as a sudden realization dawned. A sharp intake of breath punctuated her surprise. "It"s not me," she breathed out, her words edged with a mix of wonder and apprehension.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s own gaze sharpened as she scanned their surroundings before slowly shaking her head, strands of her hair catching the dying light. "It"s happening again," she acknowledged, a note of resigned recognition in her tone. "Just like during our brawl."
  
  
  
  "But I didn"t cause it then!" Shin protested, urgency underlining her words as the air around them began to crackle with energy, an invisible current dancing between them.
  
  
  
  "You need to rein it in," Sabine urged, her voice firm yet not unkind, as she attempted to bat at the invisible force that seemed to grow with each passing second. Her movements were deliberate, trying to disrupt the intensifying energy field enveloping them. There was a sense of impending urgency, a need to regain control before the unseen Force spiraled beyond their grasp.
  
  
  
  Shin gritted her teeth, a visible effort at composure, and took a deep, steadying breath. "We need to inform your Master about this," she insisted, her words laced with an undercurrent of concern. "Otherwise, we might just end up annihilating each other."
  
  
  
  "Does it hurt?" Sabine inquired.
  
  
  
  "No, it doesn't."
  
  
  
  "Then I doubt it's dangerous."
  
  
  
  Shin"s brows furrowed in confusion as the energy around them seemed to ebb, the tension in the air lessening. "What's it about, then?" she asked, her voice a mix of relief and lingering bewilderment.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, a lighthearted sigh escaping her as the atmosphere returned to normal. A playful gleam entered her eyes, the corners of her mouth turning up into a mischievous grin. "I think it signifies that I"m wayyyy stronger than you," she teased.
  
  
  
  "What?" Shin reacted, her voice a mix of disbelief and challenge as she leapt to her feet, towering over Sabine. "You"re not."
  
  
  
  Not to be outdone, Sabine sprang up as well, though she had to crane her neck slightly to meet Shin"s elevated gaze. "We"ll see about that," she said confidently. "But first, let"s get something to eat. I"m starving."
  
  
  
  "Is that the reason why you nearly stabbed me earlier?" Shin queried. "Your stomach was calling the shots?"
  
  
  
  With a light chuckle, Sabine started gathering her things, stuffing them into her pack. She slipped into loose, comfortable clothing, giving her short hair a quick, carefree tousle. Did she really have to rehash what happened? Couldn"t they just ignore it like she ignored everything else all the time? The dying sunlight cast a warm, golden hue on Shin, and Sabine paused, her eyes lingering on her opponent, the words momentarily eluding her.
  
  
  
  "It"s just that I really, really don"t like you," Sabine finally declared, striving for seriousness in her voice.
  
  
  
  "Tell me," Shin pressed, her tone serious yet gentle. "Cut the jokes for a moment."
  
  
  
  Sabine fidgeted, her eyes dropping to her hands as she played with her fingers. She took a deep breath, hesitated, and then admitted in a soft voice, "I think I got jealous."
  
  
  
  Shin"s brows drew together in a frown, confusion lacing her features. "Jealous? Over something that never even happened?"
  
  
  
  "I"m just...trying to be honest about how I feel," Sabine replied, her gaze lifting to meet Shin"s. It wasn"t just that, it was the mere idea of Shin and someone else. Anyone else. But Sabine didn"t want to admit that.
  
  
  
  Shin held her gaze, searching Sabine"s eyes before giving a slow nod of understanding. "We don"t have to be at odds anymore," she said calmly, the sincerity in her voice clear. "I"m right here with you, aren"t I?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes searched Shin"s, finding a softness she hadn"t noticed before. "I shouldn"t have acted out that way," she confessed, her voice quieter now. "I"m working on it."
  
  
  
  Shin looked down briefly, her expression contemplative. After a moment, she met Sabine"s gaze again and said, "I"ll work on it too."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled slowly and gazed out at the setting sun along the water"s horizon. "You know," she began. "Opening up and sharing isn"t easy."
  
  
  
  "Because then you have to be responsible for how you feel," Shin shot back, searching for Sabine"s eyes.
  
  
  
  "And so do you," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  "Fair."
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help the smirk that tugged at her lips. "Just so we"re clear, this doesn"t mean I like you or anything," she teased, her tone light. "I just need time to process things."
  
  
  
  A frown fleetingly crossed Shin"s features as she too began to dress, her movements efficient and deliberate. "The feeling is entirely mutual," she responded coolly. "But our alliance is of mutual benefit at the moment, so I"ll maintain a level of professionalism."
  
  
  
  "Sure," Sabine retorted, her words casual, almost dismissive, accompanied by a nonchalant half shrug. "Let"s go."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The bonfire roared to life under the celestial night, its crackles and sparks competing with the twinkling of stars above the ship. The rings of Peridea glowed brightly in the distance, adding to the beauty. Though the balmy air of the day had given way to a cooler evening, the alluring aroma of smoke intertwined with that of grilling meat beckoned invitingly.
  
  
  
  Shin found herself seated amongst the bandits, Ahsoka, and Sabine, a silent observer encircling the fire. Her knee throbbed, a persistent reminder of the day's ordeal, but the pain had dulled to a bearable hum. She was no stranger to discomfort, having weathered far graver trials in her past.
  
  
  
  She reflected deeply on her earlier exchange with Sabine, fully cognizant that the Mandalorian had held back details in her storytelling. However, Shin had no desire to engage in another argument or confrontation. She saw the partial revelations about Sabine"s history as a valuable gift, an opening to understanding her better. While Shin was eager to delve deeper and uncover more, she also recognized the importance of giving Sabine the breathing room she needed.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with the precision of someone who understood the importance of a well-cooked meal, inspected the succulent meat and fish, charred to perfection. She then began distributing portions to everyone present. "Today was a triumph," she commenced, her voice carrying the weight of collective effort. "It"s imperative that we maintain this momentum."
  
  
  
  Accepting his share with a grateful nod, Kradosh chimed in, "We"ve always lacked the necessary firepower to sustain a presence here for an extended period." His eyes rested on Shin appreciatively. "Recruiting your help was an astute move on Shin's part."
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw clenched, her eyes purposefully evading Sabine's when she felt them upon her. "We were in dire need of the supplies," she deflected, her tone nonchalant.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s gaze danced between Sabine and Shin, a hint of playful curiosity sparking in her eyes. "So, how did your beach day go?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Barely suppressing a chuckle, Sabine responded by audaciously stuffing a large piece of meat into her mouth.
  
  
  
  Internally swearing, Shin maintained her composure, her attention steadfast on Ahsoka. "The water was refreshing," she responded evenly.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka leaned in, her voice laced with mischief. "Did anything...interesting occur?" she continued, her eyes flicking towards Sabine.
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine nearly choked, hastily washing down her mouthful with a swig of fruit juice. "Define interesting," she managed to mumble, a hint of defensiveness in her evasion.
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips pursed, her gaze drifting to the moonlit waters, their nocturnal glimmer painting a serene yet alien scene. The night cloaked the sea in mystery, and she wondered about the deceptive calm, the potential hazards lurking beneath for night swimmers. As Ahsoka opened her mouth to question Sabine further, Shin interjected.
  
  
  
  "We experience this peculiar...Force energy. It emerges without warning, just between Sabine and me," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "Shin!" Sabine's protest was sharp, her eyes flashing.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Ahsoka's tone carried both inquiry and concern.
  
  
  
  With a groan of exasperation, Sabine buried her face in her hands.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, sensing the gravity behind their words, leaned in. "When did this start?" she insisted.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s glare fixed on Shin, a silent accusation before she relented. "Well..." she hesitated, weighing her words. "It first happened right before we stormed the Nightsister Fortress. I thought it was just her...doing some Force trick."
  
  
  
  "So it began just as you started using your abilities..." Ahsoka mused, her arms folding in contemplation. "What exactly were you two up to at that time?"
  
  
  
  "Nothing," Sabine interjected hastily.
  
  
  
  "Fighting," Shin clarified, almost in tandem.
  
  
  
  A knowing look crossed Ahsoka"s face as the evening breeze wafted through their makeshift camp, carrying the scent of the ocean with it. "Interesting," she murmured. "When we"re back, I want to see you both in a sparring session with the bokken sticks."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s head flung back in an exaggerated groan. "Whyyy, though?"
  
  
  
  A faint smile played on Shin's lips. She found Sabine's aversion to training perplexing, even amusing. "I have no objections," she responded smoothly.
  
  
  
  Rolling her eyes, Sabine ferociously bit into her fish, the sound of her chewing exaggerated amidst the silence. "Of course you wouldn"t," she muttered under her breath, though the burst of flavors in her mouth was a small consolation. It was a welcome change from their usual tundra fare.
  
  
  
  The remainder of the meal passed in uneasy quiet, punctuated only by the sounds of eating and the intermittent crackle from the fire, the group lost in their own thoughts beneath the starlit sky.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin diligently worked to restore the makeshift camp to its natural state, meticulously ensuring that no trace of their presence remained. She wanted to preserve the pristine condition of the environment, unwilling to cause any disturbance to the local flora and fauna. Sabine, having voiced her assortment of random complaints, had since retreated to the solitude of the ship. Despite this, Shin found herself compelled to linger, drawn to the tranquil expanse of water before her.
  
  
  
  The moon, now high in the sky, bathed the beach in a soft, silvery glow, accentuating the gentle ebb and flow of the waves as they caressed the shoreline. The air, filled with the briny scent of the sea, was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the warmth of the bonfire that had flickered so vibrantly moments before.
  
  
  
  Shin found solace in the rhythmic sounds of the ocean, allowing the gentle lull of the waves to wash away the remnants of the day"s tension. She wanted to etch this moment into her memory, to capture the serenity of the beach and hold onto it as a reminder of her time spent here. Her time with Sabine, though chaotic and confusing was still time well spent, especially at the beach.
  
  
  
  "Shin?" Ahsoka"s voice, soft and concerned, reached out from behind.
  
  
  
  Shin promptly turned, her posture straightening as she offered a slight bow of her head in respect. "Master," she acknowledged, her tone filled with reverence.
  
  
  
  With a warm smile and a pause in her task of organizing supplies, Ahsoka commended her, "You"ve truly impressed me with your actions today."
  
  
  
  Lifting her chin slightly, Shin responded with a modest nod. "It was a collective endeavor," she stated.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, dismissing her modesty with a wave of her hand, pressed on, "I"m not just talking about the mission. Spending time with Sabine at the beach-that"s what I"m referring to."
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off guard, Shin"s eyes flickered back to the beach, her gaze lingering on the moonlit waves before she refocused on Ahsoka. "Oh," she exhaled, a soft whisper of realization.
  
  
  
  "I believe," Ahsoka began thoughtfully, her voice gentle, "that both Sabine and you have known solitude for a considerable time. It's a challenging reality to confront, especially when left to one's own reflections. And remember, Shin, my offer to assist you still stands."
  
  
  
  Feeling a tightness in her throat, Shin worked to push it down, managing a grateful response, "Your kindness means a lot, Master. At times, I sense her solitude, her lingering pain and sorrow."
  
  
  
  "Yes, I sense it too," Ahsoka concurred, her expression softening in empathy. "It"s profoundly poignant."
  
  
  
  Shin momentarily lowered her head, her expression one of contemplation. "Navigating through this...I find myself at a loss," she admitted.
  
  
  
  With an encouraging smile, Ahsoka uncrossed her arms and leaned in slightly, "But that's the fun part, isn't it? You"re not bound by your past; you have the power to forge your own future, shape it as you wish."
  
  
  
  Feeling a surge of inspiration, Shin met Ahsoka"s gaze squarely, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Is that the path you chose for yourself?" she asked.
  
  
  
  "You might say that," Ahsoka responded, her tone reflecting a depth of experience.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her words momentarily caught in her throat as she quickly glanced toward the ship"s ramp, checking for any eavesdroppers. "I"m..." she started again, more confidently this time, "really grateful you made it to Lothal in time to save her."
  
  
  
  "I know, Shin." Ahsoka assured her, nodding with a sincere and knowing expression.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled a long, weary sigh as she freshened up, readying herself for a night"s rest after a day that had been draining, even with its moments of leisure. The sun had kissed her skin, leaving it with a warm glow, but the unfamiliar exertion had seeped into her muscles, leaving a tender ache that hummed through her with every movement. She worked her fingers into the tightness at the nape of her neck and across her shoulders, her body heavy with fatigue as she ambled toward her sleeping quarters, a yawn escaping her.
  
  
  
  The door hissed open, revealing the modest interior of her room, which was immediately thrown into a mild disarray by an unexpected presence. Shin was there, her figure outlined against the dim lighting, her attention fixed on something by the bed. It wasn"t exactly a small bed, but it certainly hadn"t been intended to accommodate two. The realization coaxed a slow exhale from Sabine as she lingered in the doorway, her mind rapidly sifting through the implications.
  
  
  
  It wasn"t just the bed that caught Shin"s interest, though. Her eyes had moved, scanning the personal touches that Sabine had peppered throughout the space. Among them were drawings and doodles, sketches that Sabine had etched on scraps of paper during moments of introspection or boredom. They were raw snippets of her thoughts, often impulsive, never meant for another's eyes. As Shin"s gaze swept over these, Sabine felt a flush of heat climb her neck and spread across her cheeks. There was an intimacy to having someone survey her scribbles, an inadvertent glimpse into her mind, and it left her grappling with a sudden sense of vulnerability under Shin's silent scrutiny.
  
  
  
  "Your Master assigned me this room," Shin announced, her words slicing through the tension as she pivoted to face Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Of course she did," Sabine muttered, her fingers absentmindedly straightening her sleep trousers. The thought of sharing a room with Shin twisted her stomach, a complex jumble of emotions she didn"t want to unpack at that moment. "Don't worry about it. I'll crash in the cockpit. You can have the room."
  
  
  
  She made to exit, but a sudden, invisible tug anchored her in place. She paused, glancing back over her shoulder.
  
  
  
  "Why can't we share?" Shin proposed, a hint of practicality in her tone as she nodded toward the bed. "I'll take the side closer to the door. That way, you won't risk falling off."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows arched skyward, a bewildered glance flitting between Shin and the bed, its modest size now a glaring detail. "Uh," she stumbled over a response. Everything was spiraling from homicidal attempts to an uneasy beach truce, and now this unforeseen proposition? She tried to make sense of the whirlwind shift in their dynamic. This couldn"t possibly align with the tales of Zeb and Kallus stranded together on a moon, could it? But then, she highly doubted their ordeal involved a shared bed or dips in sun-drenched tropical waters.
  
  
  
  The absurdity of it all momentarily hovered in the space between them, challenging every preconceived notion they had of friend and foe.
  
  
  
  Shin drew a sharp breath, her head canting slightly, a study of curiosity and confusion. "What"s the problem?" she probed. "It"s not like I would attempt anything of malice with your Master nearby. Even Kradosh would disapprove."
  
  
  
  "It"s not about... that," Sabine shot back with a scoff, her smile wry and a bit forced. The real issue was far more complex, woven into the very fabric of their tangled interactions. "It"s about what it means."
  
  
  
  "And what is that?" Shin countered, her hand extended in a silent offering, an invitation for trust amidst their tumultuous truce.
  
  
  
  A shiver of apprehension skittered up Sabine"s spine adding to the chaos stirring within her. Her breath caught, and words failed her.
  
  
  
  Noticing her hesitation, Shin"s features tightened, her jaw setting in that familiar stubborn way. But after a beat, she exhaled, her voice softer, but no less earnest. "You saved my life today," she acknowledged, her eyes searching Sabine"s. "Is that what"s bothering you? That you used your Force powers to save someone you consider an enemy?"
  
  
  
  The question hung heavy between them, a mirror reflecting Sabine's inner turmoil. She swallowed, her gaze flickering away as her heart pounded a relentless beat against her ribs. There was a disturbance deep within, a churning she couldn"t quite name. "Doing the right thing," she murmured, almost to herself, "that"s all it was."
  
  
  
  But even as she said it, the simplicity of that truth did nothing to still the storm inside.
  
  
  
  "Ah, the noble Mandalorian code in action," Shin quipped, her words dripping with feigned reverence. The weighty silence that enveloped the room pressed in on them from the bare walls. With a resigned sigh, Shin collected her sparse belongings, her movements sharp and decisive as she made for the door. "Fine, I"ll take the floor outside."
  
  
  
  But as she turned, Sabine"s hand shot out, an impulsive grasp that latched onto Shin"s arm, halting her escape.
  
  
  
  Shin"s scoff was a reflex, her immediate reaction to pull away thwarted by the firmness of Sabine"s grip. "You"re meant to ask, remember?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  For a moment, they were locked in a standoff, Sabine"s breath mingling with the damp scent that clung to Shin. Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the sleek muscle of Shin"s forearm, and she found herself unable to release her hold. Then it surged forth once more - that inexplicable energy, crackling with intensity, yet inexplicably comforting in its familiarity.
  
  
  
  With a breath that felt like surrender, Sabine relented, her voice softening, "You take the inside. I"ll be on the edge."
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes, vast pools of surprise, met Sabine's as she released her grip. The energy waned, retreating as quickly as it had flared, leaving behind a tranquil stillness that blanketed the room once more.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin felt as though she might somehow fuse with the wall, given the relentless tossing and turning from Sabine beside her. She remained rigid, a stark contrast to the restless Mandalorian who seemed to huff and puff with every breath. Sleep, it appeared, would elude Shin tonight, and she began to question the wisdom behind her proposal to share what she'd anticipated would be a comfortable bed.
  
  
  
  "You know those holo-ads on Coruscant, the ones where couples are blissfully asleep in each other's arms?" Sabine grumbled into the semi-darkness.
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled a tired sigh. "I"m not familiar..."
  
  
  
  "They"re a sham!" Sabine declared, her voice teetering between frustration and exasperation. "Why do you radiate so much heat? How do you live like this?"
  
  
  
  In the dim light, Shin"s eyes flickered, mirroring her own internal struggle with the predicament. "Perhaps you could try staying still," she offered, her hand nudging the blanket downward in a silent plea for some cool air.
  
  
  
  "I"m trying!" Sabine retorted, now turned away from Shin, her body curled defensively on her side.
  
  
  
  Adjusting her position, Shin lay flat on her back, her gaze directed at the nondescript ceiling above them. In an effort to steer away from their discomfort, she ventured, "I saw some sketches earlier."
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was to assault her pillow with a punch before burying her face into it. "Those are nothing but scribbles from before," she muffled through the fabric.
  
  
  
  "I found them quite charming," Shin confessed quietly.
  
  
  
  Sabine blinked, her gaze drifting across the room where the faint outlines of scattered papers lay haphazardly on a small desk. She wondered, fleetingly, if she had stowed a paint sprayer anywhere on Ahsoka's ship. "Thanks, I suppose," Sabine murmured, her eyelids finally feeling heavy.
  
  
  
  "Do you ever miss your friend?" Shin's question pierced the quiet, unexpected in its intimacy.
  
  
  
  A deep sigh escaped Sabine, and an unbidden image of Ezra filled her thoughts, vivid and persistent. "Every single day," she confessed softly. "And you? Anyone you miss?"
  
  
  
  "My Master," came Shin's reply, so soft it was almost lost in the shadows of the room.
  
  
  
  There was a twinge in Sabine"s stomach, and she could almost feel the sadness from Shin. "I"m sure he"s somewhere," she asserted.
  
  
  
  "Possibly," Shin sighed. "But he"s the only one I miss."
  
  
  
  A small smile tugged at Sabine"s lips, the pull of sleep growing stronger. "No one else of significance?" she teased. "No other boys, right?"
  
  
  
  Shin scoffed lightly, drawing the blanket back up with a rustle. "Trysts with boys are a risk I was never willing to take or had interest in," she clarified. "I"ve encountered many captivating women on my journeys, but nothing that beckoned me to stay for long."
  
  
  
  Sabine's hand clenched in the softness of her pillow. "So, no one special, then?" she sought confirmation, her voice a mere whisper in the darkness.
  
  
  
  "No one," Shin reaffirmed, the words simple and stark in the stillness.
  
  
  
  The admission acted as a soothing salve, and Sabine felt the tension seep from her muscles, replaced by a gentle, spreading relaxation. The oppressive heat gradually dissipated, replaced by a comforting coolness, and her mind quieted. The presence of Shin's body beside her morphed from a source of irritation to one of unexpected solace. She felt a pang of sympathy for Baylan's abandonment of Shin, yet confusion also clouded her thoughts, wondering about his true intentions.
  
  
  
  "I"m sorry about your Master," Sabine whispered.
  
  
  
  Shin adjusted in her spot and sighed. "I appreciate your concern," she said.
  
  
  
  As sleep tugged at the edges of Sabine"s consciousness, she couldn't help but wonder what Baylan would think if he knew his former apprentice was now sharing such close quarters with her.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Let's hope they can continue getting along!
  
  And happy NaNoWriMo to any of you who participate!
  
  Chapter 11: Spar
  Notes:
  I really appreciate all the positive comments, kudos etc wow I can't believe it sometimes so thank you. I feel very lucky to have some time to write for fun. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Shin awoke with a start, her body jolting upright as if pulled by invisible strings. Her hands flew to her face and rubbed the grogginess from her eyes. A thick veil of disorientation clouded her senses. As her vision adjusted to the dim light, the empty space beside her became painfully apparent - Sabine was gone. A twinge of an inexplicable emotion, a mixture of disappointment and concern, pricked at her heart. The room felt too big without her and the air too still.
  
  
  
  Only moments later, the subtle vibrations of the floor beneath her and the distant hum of engines thrumming provided the next revelation: they were already in transit. A flash of surprise flickered through her, their return journey having commenced while she was in the depths of slumber. Uncertainty gnawed at her; it was uncharacteristic for her to succumb to such heavy sleep, especially when a sense of constant alertness was both a necessity and a habit ingrained deep within her bones. Perhaps, she conceded inwardly, her body and mind had claimed the reprieve they so desperately craved, the recent events having exacted their toll more than she'd allowed herself to admit.
  
  
  
  Steel gathering in her spine, Shin swung her legs over the bed's edge, the cold deck a jolt against her bare feet. She took a moment to gather herself, a deep, steadying breath filling her lungs as she prepared for the tasks that lay ahead. She couldn't afford to dwell on vulnerabilities, not when duty called.
  
  
  
  The door to the room hissed and slid open with mechanical smoothness, revealing the common area beyond. There, in the casual chaos of the eating space, lounged Sabine. A cheeky, self-assured grin was spread across her face, her posture the epitome of relaxation and stark contrast to the tight coil of readiness in Shin's muscles. Seeing Sabine so at ease irked Shin, her lips pressing into a thin line. Nevertheless, she marched into the room with determined steps, her mind set on the rituals that would ready her for the day ahead.
  
  
  
  However, the task proved difficult with Sabine"s fiery brown eyes tracking her every move, an unspoken challenge dancing in their depths. The weight of her gaze was a tangible thing, igniting a frustration that had Shin stopping dead in her tracks, the grit of her teeth the only outlet for the simmering emotion. There was electricity in the air, a silent clash of wills that had nothing to do with their mission and everything to do with the complicated entanglement they were both hesitant to unravel. Was it because they slept in the same bed? Was it because they took down the Voraxlyn? Was it their beach day? Was it everything? Shin"s head ached.
  
  
  
  "Why are you staring?" Shin demanded, her voice cool and composed as she shifted her gaze towards Sabine, who was nonchalantly perched at the dining area with what seemed to be a morning meal.
  
  
  
  Instead of answering, Sabine's grin widened, a spark of mischief in her eyes. She casually set a cup on the table, her attention seemingly diverted. "Watch this," she instructed, her tone light but laced with underlying excitement. Extending her hand, she concentrated, the air around them pulsing with a silent, invisible energy. The cup quivered for a heartbeat, vibrating under the force of her will, before it had skidded smoothly across the table's surface.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flicked back and forth, from the cup to Sabine's expectant face, a part of her mind still processing what she had just witnessed. "Uh," she exhaled, the sound caught between astonishment and skepticism. Her gaze continued its relentless duel between the still-quivering cup and Sabine's self-satisfied smile. There was a stark contradiction here; Shin remembered the intense, focused expression Sabine wore when Force-pushing the Voraxlyn - there had been no trace of a smile then. But this simple display with the cup seemed to bring her unbridled joy.
  
  
  
  "See!" Sabine exclaimed, her voice crescendoing in triumph, her hand sweeping dramatically towards the cup as if presenting a prized possession. Her eyes danced with a challenge, a silent invitation for Shin to acknowledge what she had just accomplished.
  
  
  
  The contrast between them was striking in this moment: Sabine, with her exuberance and unhidden delight in her abilities, and Shin, ever the stoic, her emotions guarded and her reactions measured. Yet, there was no missing the undercurrent of intrigue in Shin's demeanor, a silent admission that, despite herself, she was indeed captivated by Sabine's antics.
  
  
  
  Shin adjusted her outerwear, the subtle hum of the ship's engines and the occasional rattle of crates creating a steady backdrop of ambient noise. "Well done," she replied, her tone flat, almost disinterested, as she made her way back to the bedroom. Their relationship was a perplexing one; they had oscillated from near-lethal hostility to this odd alliance, leaving Shin uncertain of the rules of engagement with Sabine. Maintaining professionalism seemed increasingly complex in the current dynamics. Back during their last fight it didn"t seem as though Sabine wanted to be touched or near Shin, so what changed?
  
  
  
  Not missing a beat, Sabine sprang from her seat, padding after Shin with an ease that spoke of her comfort in their shared space. "You snore," she declared, an impish tease in her tone.
  
  
  
  Shin drew a sharp breath, smoothing out the bedcovers with more force than necessary. "And you talk in your sleep," she retorted without looking back.
  
  
  
  Leaning casually against the doorframe, Sabine puffed out her cheeks, arms crossed, embodying the very essence of nonchalant defiance. "About what?" she prodded, curiosity tinting her words.
  
  
  
  Concealing a smirk, Shin continued her methodical folding of the blanket. "About how you desperately wish you were stronger than me," she delivered, the mock solemnity in her voice barely veiling the jest.
  
  
  
  A scoff escaped Sabine, followed by a disbelieving chuckle. "Oh yeah?" she volleyed back, the glint in her eyes challenging. "Elaborate, then."
  
  
  
  "No need," Shin replied dryly, closing the distance between them, her expression unreadable. "You simply mumbled about needing your jetpack to reach my level," she stated, the corner of her mouth twitching in what might have been the ghost of a smirk.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips parted, her eyes widening as they met Shin's. "Was that... was that humor?" she asked, a mix of surprise and something akin to respect warming her voice. The moment hung between them, charged with the unspoken acknowledgment of shifting sands in their interaction.
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, her gaze locked onto Sabine, whose purple hair stood in a charming disarray from bedhead. "I took note from your friend, Bridger I suppose," she retorted, a trace of mockery in her tone. "His appearance alone is puzzling to me. He must be quite the jester, I imagine."
  
  
  
  "Hey!" Sabine interjected, her stance unwavering, defensive loyalty sparking in her eyes. "He's handsome."
  
  
  
  An eyebrow arched high on Shin's forehead, her patience fraying as she remained trapped in the doorway. Touching Sabine to move her was out of the question; the ensuing commentary would be endless. "If that's what catches your eye," she murmured, her voice low, almost a challenge.
  
  
  
  "And what about you?" Sabine countered, her body a playful barricade in the doorway. "You seemed quite taken yesterday..."
  
  
  
  Shin's face was a mask of stoicism, but her eyes betrayed her annoyance. "You were equally engrossed, as I recall," she snapped back, her words sharp. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
  
  
  
  "Nope," Sabine replied with cheeky defiance. "Explain yourself. What had you gawking at me yesterday?"
  
  
  
  Gawking? The accusation rankled, and Shin fought to maintain her composure, feeling the heat of the challenge in Sabine's taunt. "I wasn't gawking," she responded, her voice firm, but inside, the certainty wavered. The interplay between irritation and intrigue danced precariously in the space between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes narrowed, a glint of curiosity and something softer within, but she held her ground. "You were looking at me as if..." Her voice dwindled into silence.
  
  
  
  "As if what?" Shin prodded, her head tilting slightly, a silent challenge in her poise.
  
  
  
  Biting her lip, Sabine drew a deep breath, her next words hovering unspoken. "Like you..."
  
  
  
  Skin prickling, Shin's hand shot up, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Don"t even try," she cautioned in a stern tone. "You know you can"t Force Probe, and even if you could, I wouldn"t allow it."
  
  
  
  With a dismissive flutter of her lips, Sabine relinquished her blockade, sliding aside with an air of feigned nonchalance. "You"re so intense, all the time," she grumbled under her breath.
  
  
  
  Shin retorted as she moved to grab some provisions, her tone sharp, "And you"ve been nothing but impulsive since the night we met."
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed, her eyes briefly flitting to the training gear adorning the ship's walls. A smirk played on her lips. "We"ll see who comes out on top in our spar later," she taunted with a competitive spark in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with a dismissive wave, her confidence unshaken. "You"ll find yourself on your back once more," she quipped casually.
  
  
  
  The air crackled with tension before Sabine threw a loaded question, "Is that how you want me?" The underlying implications hung heavy between them, a dance of words neither was willing to concede.
  
  
  
  A surge of warmth flooded through Shin, her gaze hardening as she met Sabine's challenging stare. Uncertainty nagged at her; was Sabine's question earnest, or just another round in their ongoing verbal sparring? Regardless, the query ignited a flurry of sensations she couldn't suppress. Sabine was unlike any woman Shin had encountered before; every interaction was a test, exhausting yet oddly exhilarating, and that realization unsettled Shin profoundly.
  
  
  
  "Well?" Sabine insisted, a teasing smirk dancing on her lips, drawing out the moment.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's grip tightened around a fruit she"d absently picked up, her fingernails threatening to pierce its flesh. She parted her lips to counter, but the sudden hiss of the cockpit door interrupted her - Kradosh stepped into view, nodding respectfully. "We"re approaching the Noti camp," he announced, his voice a grounding force amid the charged atmosphere. "Our clansmen are likely assembling in anticipation of our return."
  
  
  
  Regaining her composure, Shin cleared her throat, her gaze shifting to Kradosh as she nodded. "I"ll ready myself," she responded, her voice steady, yet the lingering heat from Sabine's provocations remained, a silent acknowledgment of an unfinished conversation.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine busied herself with the task of organizing the eclectic assortment of crates, supplies, and other invaluable treasures retrieved from the tropical zone. The artifacts, once imprisoned by the formidable dome that encapsulated the ruins, were now tangible tokens of their hard-won victory. As she worked, the surrounding atmosphere buzzed with an electric mix of astonishment and jubilant cheers, the Noti and the bandits alike expressing their wonderment at the seemingly impossible feats achieved.
  
  
  
  Despite the celebratory mood, Sabine couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the idyllic beach shore they'd left behind. The serene waves, warm sand, and tranquil environment had offered a rare moment of peace. The tundra's climate was mild during the day, a small mercy, but it was a stark contrast to the tropical paradise that now felt worlds away. She wondered when, if ever, she would return to that haven, but she quickly quashed the yearning. There were more pressing matters at hand - aiding the Noti people, who had been instrumental in supporting Ezra through countless tribulations, was paramount.
  
  
  
  Her muscles flexed with purpose as she loaded a Howler-drawn cart, the creature's breath visible in the cool air. Sabine managed to force a smile when the bandits, individuals she had clashed with in fierce combat merely weeks ago, expressed their gratitude in their unique, rough manner. The irony of their current camaraderie wasn't lost on her, highlighting the unpredictable, often tumultuous nature of alliances forged in times of strife.
  
  
  
  The language barrier posed a significant challenge; the bandits' tongue was an intricate melody of sounds and intonations, completely foreign to her ears. She harbored hopes of eventually unraveling the complexities of their speech or, conversely, that they would embrace the Galactic Basic language as Kradosh had. Communication, she knew, was integral to the fragile trust they were building.
  
  
  
  Observing the interactions around her, Sabine noted the Noti's skepticism toward the bandits. Their alliance was precarious, the threads of trust thin and newly spun. Yet, off in the distance, a heartwarming scene unfolded: children from both groups, unfettered by the intricate politics and prejudices that often plagued their elders, played together. Their laughter was a universal language, bridging the gap between the two cultures. Despite their stark differences in stature and background, the children found common ground in the simplicity of their games.
  
  
  
  This sight, a poignant scene of innocence and unity, kindled a flicker of hope within Sabine. Perhaps, in time, the wounds of the past could be mended, and a harmonious future, built upon mutual respect and understanding, could be forged. The journey would be fraught with challenges, but the promise gleamed on the horizon, a beacon guiding them forward.
  
  
  
  In the midst of the organized chaos, Shin and Kradosh stood a short distance away, deep in conversation. Their heads were bowed close together, their expressions serious as they discussed the logistics of what they could feasibly transport back to camp. Sabine made an effort to eavesdrop, curious about their plans, but initially, the conversation seemed saturated with mundane details and predictable concerns.
  
  
  
  However, as she continued to listen, the dialogue took an intriguing turn. It appeared the bandits were not content with the status quo. They were actively persuading other factions, ones that had been rivals not too long ago, to consolidate under their banner for a cause that was gradually uniting them all. Shin was evidently spearheading this unification process. This revelation added a new layer of complexity to the dynamics at play, hinting at a potential shift in the power structures the bandits had grown accustomed to.
  
  
  
  With a huff of exertion and a mind teeming with unspoken queries, Sabine completed her task of loading the cart. She scanned the area for Ahsoka, needing the wisdom and perspective the seasoned warrior could provide, especially now when the political landscape seemed as malleable and unpredictable as the swirling tundra winds.
  
  
  
  She found Ahsoka engaged in an intense discussion with the Noti elders, their collective posture one of deep respect mixed with urgent deliberation. Knowing better than to interrupt, Sabine was about to turn her attention elsewhere when she felt an insistent tug at her leg. Looking down, her stern demeanor softened into a smile at the sight of her tiny Noti friend. The child, who had taken to joyously greeting her from the mobile pod homes during their travels, looked up with wide, expectant eyes.
  
  
  
  In a spontaneous gesture of affection, Sabine reached for a piece of exotic fruit they had brought back from the tropical zone. The fruit, a vibrant gift from the lush region they had visited, seemed out of place in the stark tundra environment. Similar to a meiloorun but not quite the same. She tossed it gently to the child, who caught it with a gleeful squeal. The simple act, transcending the need for words, reinforced the bond they shared.
  
  
  
  "Bet you've never tasted anything like this before," Sabine commented, amusement lighting her eyes as the little one cheered, taking huge bites of the fruit, its eye-stalks whirling in delight. "You're so welcome, my friend." The Noti child, energized and ecstatic, scampered back to its mother, chattering animatedly about the encounter.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, having concluded her earnest conversation with the Noti elders, walked over to Sabine, a gentle, knowing smile gracing her features. "You can"t say you didn"t do well this time," she acknowledged, her voice carrying an undertone of pride.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, her boot idly nudging a pebble across the ground. "Yeah, I guess I did do something right on this mission," she admitted, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Working alongside the enemy and all..."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyebrows arched gracefully, her gaze sweeping over the Red bandits who were now immersed in their tasks. "But were they ever truly our enemies, Sabine?" she asked, her voice soft yet profound, encouraging reflection.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, her breath forming a misty cloud in the frigid air. After a contemplative pause, she shifted the topic. "What happened to you on your journey here, Ahsoka?" she asked, curiosity edging her words. "You're... different. Did you meditate too hard or something?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's laugh was a quiet, musical thing that seemed to dance on the icy breeze. She shook her head, the gesture slow and filled with an inexplicable depth. "Some experiences defy the confines of language," she replied enigmatically.
  
  
  
  "Sure, they do," Sabine responded, skepticism lacing her voice but with a playful glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's expression turned purposeful. "Speaking of experiences, I want you to find Shin," she instructed. "I'm interested in understanding this energy you speak of."
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression contorted into a mock grimace. "Now? After all this work?" she protested half-heartedly.
  
  
  
  "Didn't I grant you a day on the beach?" Ahsoka reminded her, a playful sternness in her tone.
  
  
  
  "Yeah, after downing a giant beast," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  "Sabine..."
  
  
  
  "Alright, alright..." Sabine conceded, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. Despite her feigned annoyance, the respect and fondness she held for Ahsoka were unmistakable in her compliance. With a resigned yet playful sigh, she set off in search of Shin, ready for whatever insight Ahsoka sought.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine wasn't physically exhausted, but mentally, she was running on fumes. And Shin's penetrating gaze wasn't making things any easier. Her earlier question to Shin, undeniably provocative, lingered in the air between them. There was a certain thrill, Sabine found, in unsettling the composed Dark Jedi, a sense of fleeting dominance she couldn"t help but savor.
  
  
  
  But did they have to spar right now? Ahsoka, ever the vigilant observer, stood arms crossed by the pond, her presence an unspoken command for discipline. They were positioned at a safe distance from the Noti camp, far enough to ensure their vigorous exchanges didn"t disrupt the daily activities or interfere with the Red bandits as they busied themselves relocating the cargo to their stronghold.
  
  
  
  "So, this energy you mentioned," Ahsoka initiated, her voice steady, "let"s explore that. It surfaces during combat, yes?"
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, brandishing her bokken with less enthusiasm than required. "It just...happens," she protested, frustration edging her words.
  
  
  
  Shin, poised and undeterred, assumed her fighting stance, a stark contrast to Sabine"s reluctance. "It"s triggered by you," she stated, her tone devoid of any accusation, just a simple fact laid bare.
  
  
  
  "Me?" Sabine balked, her grip tightening around her bokken. "What about yesterday on the beach? That was all you!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with a grace that commanded attention, raised her hand, signaling silence. Her eyes closed in a moment of collected calm. "Enough," she interjected, the authority in her tone gentle but firm. "The goal here now is instead synchrony, not conflict. You"ve been at odds since your paths crossed, but the real test lies in harmonizing your movements. Can you manage a dance with your bokken swords?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s expression was a mix of confusion and mild outrage, her mouth agape as she processed Ahsoka"s words. A dance? With bokken? She couldn"t fathom how this constituted training. In her mind, they were more likely to end up with gouged eyeballs than unison.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture subtly realigned, an affirmation directed at Ahsoka without words. "I understand," she declared, her confidence unwavering. The bokken sword twirled skillfully in her hand before she squarely faced Sabine, ready. "I"m ready."
  
  
  
  Sabine, skepticism written in every line of her stance, let out a derisive snort and dismissively waved her hand. Brandishing her bokken with a flourish, she positioned herself, mind flashing back to her Zatochi training sessions. As she launched forward, her stick descended only to clash violently with Shin's, sparking the beginning of their unconventional duel. This wasn"t like their lightsaber battles yet Sabine attacked with a fervor, each strike fueled by pent-up energy.
  
  
  
  In contrast, Shin moved with a fluid grace, evading with ease and countering with precision. She sidestepped Sabine"s relentless onslaught, eventually maneuvering deftly to trip her opponent. Sabine hit the ground with a jarring thud, and Shin observed dispassionately, "You"re approaching this all wrong."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s voice, patient yet stern, interjected, "It"s about harmony, Sabine, not dominance."
  
  
  
  Irritation flashed across Sabine"s features, her eyes rolling so vigorously she half-expected them to get lost in her skull. Were Shin and Ahsoka pals now? It felt like a conspiracy, this ludicrous exercise seeming more like a farce with each passing moment. How dare they. Yet, despite her internal protestations, she reset her stance, her chest rising and falling as she drew in a deep, centering breath, the air crisp and invigorating against her lungs.
  
  
  
  As much as I"d love to throw you on your back, that"s not the goal of this exercise...
  
  
  
  "Huh?" Sabine vocalized her confusion, her focus momentarily faltering.
  
  
  
  "No one spoke," Ahsoka interjected, her tone flat yet tinged with mild inquiry.
  
  
  
  That's when Sabine caught it - the fleeting, self-satisfied smirk that toyed at the edges of Shin's lips. A visceral heat surged up her spine, frustration boiling into ire. With her teeth gritted in determination, Sabine's grip on her sword tightened, and she launched into a renewed flurry of fervid attacks. Shin, ever the immovable object to her unstoppable force, parried and evaded each strike with infuriating calm.
  
  
  
  Sweat traced a damp path down Sabine"s back, and her breathing grew harsh and labored. Sabine, exhaustion fraying her composure, spat out a venomous retort, "I"m too tired for this."
  
  
  
  "One more attempt," Ahsoka urged, her voice a steady lighthouse amidst the storm of Sabine's frustration. "Shin is extending every chance for you to read her movements. Open yourself to the rhythm."
  
  
  
  Face it. I"ll always be better than you. You can't even flow with me, so why persist in moving against me?
  
  
  
  "Dank farrik," Sabine grumbled under her breath. Taking another deep, steadying inhalation, she filled her lungs and exhaled with deliberate slowness, attempting to quiet the chaos within. Her gaze locked onto Shin's, where icy blue met fire, and she held her sword in a grip that spoke of readiness, tempered with a new, cautious restraint.
  
  
  
  With her grip adjusted and her breathing controlled, Sabine reentered the fray with a renewed sense of purpose. This time, she didn't attack with reckless aggression but moved with a mindful presence she hadn't realized she'd been neglecting. Her bokken traced arcs in the air, mirroring Shin's with precision. Their wooden swords met in a rhythm that resonated like an impromptu melody, no longer clashing in chaos but syncing in a dance of blades.
  
  
  
  Shin, responding to the change, adjusted her movements in turn. Her evasions and parries became less about foiling Sabine's attacks and more about guiding them, redirecting their energy. It was a dance, Sabine realized - not of dominance and submission, but of partnership, of give-and-take.
  
  
  
  And then, something extraordinary began to happen.
  
  
  
  It started as a hum, a resonant frequency that Sabine could feel in her bones, in the very core of her being. The air around them seemed to thicken, and the space between their crossing bokkens shimmered as if with heat. It grew in intensity with each pass and parry, each slide and step, until the air itself crackled with energy. It was white and warm and alive, a tangible manifestation of the connection they'd forged in the crucible of their duel.
  
  
  
  They moved within this energy, buoyed by it, their movements not just synchronized now but harmonious. They were two parts of a whole, balanced and counterbalancing, separate and yet together. The bokkens became extensions of their wills, not weapons but conduits for the flow of energy that connected them.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, watching from the sidelines, allowed a small, knowing smile to grace her lips. This was the synchronization she had envisioned, the potential she had seen hidden beneath layers of conflict and competition.
  
  
  
  The energy didn't erupt or explode; it wasn't violent or destructive. It was creation, connection, a shared strength born from understanding - an understanding that words could not forge. Sabine, in the eye of this quiet storm, found clarity. She saw Shin - truly saw her - and in the mirror of Shin's steely blue eyes, she saw herself reflected back.
  
  
  
  And for the moment that this energy lasted, there were no words of taunt, no thoughts of exhaustion. There was only the dance, the flow, the silent conversation between two souls spoken in the language of movement and energy.
  
  
  
  "Excellent work!" Ahsoka commended, clapping her hands in approval.
  
  
  
  "So you can see it then?" Sabine asked with bated breath.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka tilted her head. "I can," she replied. "But it"d be invisible to others."
  
  
  
  "Why can we see it then?" Sabine asked.
  
  
  
  As the comforting energy gradually diminished, Shin and Sabine locked eyes, aware of the unexplored depth of power they'd just grazed. It was there, accessible, yet they chose to let it lie dormant for the moment.
  
  
  
  "It's a Force bond, originating from both of you," Ahsoka elaborated.
  
  
  
  Sabine gestured wildly, her face etched with disbelief. "A Force what?" she blurted out. She remembered the instance when Kanan had harnessed his Force powers, shielding them from the fuel pod detonation. It was as if a barrier had emanated from his hands, visible only to those who knew what to look for. Maybe this was similar?
  
  
  
  Assuming a more casual posture, Shin leveled a calm gaze at Ahsoka. "Why? What's the reason for this bond?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, maintaining her serene composure, offered a slight shrug. "Your initial meeting was charged with intensity... almost death," she speculated. "Alternatively, it might be the will of the Force. Its ways are often inscrutable."
  
  
  
  A hearty laugh erupted from Sabine, her hand thumping her abdomen. "Nightsisters, uncharted galaxies, Thrawn, mysterious forces, and now a bond..." She shook her head in mock despair. "I could hibernate for a decade."
  
  
  
  "Rest won't be part of our immediate plans," Ahsoka countered. "Shin?"
  
  
  
  Shin turned her attention to Ahsoka, responding with a simple, "Yes, Master?"
  
  
  
  "Does your encampment have space to accommodate Sabine?" Ahsoka inquired.
  
  
  
  Ignoring the piercing look Sabine shot her way, Shin responded affirmatively, "More than enough."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's features brightened with a purposeful smile. "Then you'll escort Sabine to your Red Bandit stronghold," she decreed. "Spending more time on this planet, exploring your Force bond, will likely enhance your safety."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled a heavy, resigned sigh, her hand dragging down her face. "I won"t even bother arguing," she grumbled, already heading back to the Noti camp for her belongings.
  
  Notes:
  Looks like Sabine is off to bandit land!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 12: Tent
  Notes:
  Phenomenology and Hermeneutics class is interesting rn but here"s a chapter! I don"t think this chapter applies to any Wolfwren week prompts but happy wolfwren wednesday. All the amazing art, writing etc this week is mindblowing!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine crammed essentials into her pack, her motions so forceful that the worn bag was nearly punctured with each item shoved in. With a determined swing, she heaved it over her shoulder and marched toward the ship's exit ramp, only to almost barrel into Ahsoka, who had planted herself firmly in the path.
  
  
  
  "Master?" Sabine greeted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
  
  
  
  "Padawan," Ahsoka responded, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly in acknowledgment of the irony.
  
  
  
  Releasing a resigned sigh, Sabine's fingers nervously toyed with her pack's strap. "What's the issue?" she queried, a hint of defensiveness in her tone. "I'm doing what you asked-no complaints, see?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowing as she pondered for a brief second. She cast a discreet glance over her shoulder, confirming they were alone in the ship's confines. "That's what surprises me," she admitted, her gaze returning to Sabine. "Your silence is...unusual. Is there something you're not telling me?"
  
  
  
  Sabine cleared her throat, shaking her head decisively. "No," she asserted, her voice resolute.
  
  
  
  "Good," Ahsoka responded, her tone firm yet not unkind. "I need your full attention on this trek. Even with our recent win in the tropical zone, I want you to investigate Shin"s camp."
  
  
  
  A flutter buzzed through Sabine's chest, tugging her lips into a half-smile. "A recon mission?" she breathed out, the thrill barely contained in her whisper.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's slight nod held a mixture of seriousness and implicit trust. "Something like that," she confirmed. "We'll maintain open comms. I trust in your capabilities, Sabine."
  
  
  
  Emboldened by Ahsoka's confidence, Sabine nodded, a warm sensation of pride swelling within her. But curiosity gnawed at her, prompting her next question. "What about this Force bond situation?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka drew a deep, audible breath. "I"ve never experienced one..." she began. "I've felt something akin to it with my Master, but nothing like what I witnessed between you and Shin. It might be deeper, lesser, or even something entirely different."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows shot up, and she couldn't help but make a face. "That's not particularly helpful," she retorted. "Is it possible to stop it?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka gave a light chuckle, her gaze shifting over her shoulder momentarily. "Even if you could... would you genuinely wish to?"
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, Sabine felt a tingle of apprehension, her senses sharpening as she attempted to gauge Ahsoka"s thoughts. "She came close to ending my life," Sabine asserted, her tone hardening. "The Force seems to have a twisted sense of humor."
  
  
  
  "Understandable," Ahsoka conceded. "But consider what happened with the Voraxlyn... Was Shin"s assistance merely driven by a will to survive, or is there something more?"
  
  
  
  "Ugh," Sabine exhaled in frustration, readjusting her pack on her shoulders. "Maybe this recon mission will give some answers."
  
  
  
  "It just might," Ahsoka acquiesced, her voice tinged with an ambiguous promise.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin maneuvered in tight arcs atop her grey howler, the beast's breath fogging in the frigid air, amidst the vast expanse of a barren tundra. The landscape around her was a stark scene of white and grey, the ground a patchwork of dry grass and exposed rock, stretching infinitely under a sullen sky.
  
  
  
  The cold bit at her, but it was hardly felt against the residual warmth tingling in her skin from the bokken sword spar. Her mind, however, couldn't stay as insulated from the events that had transpired, though she held her countenance as impassive as the desolate terrain stretching before her. If their situation eluded even Ahsoka, Shin harbored little hope that her own master, Baylan, would have fared any better in understanding.
  
  
  
  A pang of longing gnawed at her, a desire to somehow connect with her Master, to seek the comfort of his guidance amidst the confusion. Yet, he remained frustratingly out of reach, his presence an impenetrable fortress she couldn't hope to access.
  
  
  
  The air was more than brisk; it was a sharp-edged blade, slicing through the heavy fabric of her garments as she waited. It was then, in a gust that sent a flurry of isolated snowflakes dancing like wayward spirits, that she saw Sabine. The other girl was a stark contrast to the desolation around them, riding her animated howler, its breaths puffing rhythmically, cutting through the tundra with an urgency that matched the racing of Shin's pulse. Sabine's approach, direct and unflinching, was a bright spot in the wasteland. Shin couldn't help but steady herself, an anchor against the tumult that seemed to follow them both.
  
  
  
  "I"ve been waiting," Shin stated dryly, her fingers idly playing with her braid.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave Tota's head an affectionate pat, and the creature bounded over to greet Shin"s howler. The two animals exchanged their own form of greeting, chuffing and nuzzling in their unique form of communication.
  
  
  
  "I should"ve made you wait longer," Sabine retorted with mock severity as Shin set the pace. They were alone now; the last howler transport had departed, leaving them isolated in the expanse of the tundra.
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin"s jaw tightened, and she instinctively urged her howler to widen the gap between them. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, its light a dwindling promise in the encroaching chill. Memories of the previous day's warmth teased her - the vivid turquoise waters, pristine white sands, and the image of Sabine's sun-drenched form lounging without a care...
  
  
  
  "So, what"s your take on our... new Force skills?" Sabine inquired, shattering the silence that had fallen between them.
  
  
  
  Shin's lips formed a thin line, her grip tightening on the reins. Her thoughts were a tumultuous disarray regarding this alleged Force bond - full of emotions and unanswerable questions. It had manifested unmistakably and repeatedly, defying dismissal as mere delusion. Yet, she was wary of revealing the depth of her curiosity, her intrigue, especially to Sabine.
  
  
  
  "It"s inconsequential," Shin responded tersely. "Perhaps just witchcraft from this land, echoes of the Nightsisters" past."
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed, urging Tota to accelerate until they were riding abreast. "Are you sure that"s what you think?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Shin maintained her focus on the desolate horizon, silently praying Sabine would let the subject drop. But the perceptible weight of Sabine"s intense, expectant gaze eventually compelled her to respond, her patience fraying.
  
  
  
  "What about you, then?" Shin retorted, a sharp edge to her words. "You have a knack for cloaking your words in ambiguity, insinuating complexities in our interactions."
  
  
  
  A smirk played on Sabine"s lips, her eyebrows arching in playful dare. "Oh? Do tell more," she coaxed.
  
  
  
  Shin brought her howler to an abrupt stop, fixing Sabine with a steely glare. "You were the one who rebuffed my touch after you pursued me weeks ago," she pointed out, her voice tinged with frustration. "Your words were harsh - calling me an idiot, then a bitch. You"ve rarely spoken to me without scorn."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a low, drawn-out oh, as she gently patted Tota's head, calming his minor startle. "So, I"m curious," she began, her voice deceptively casual. "What would you have done if I hadn"t pulled away that time?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Shin"s eyes flashed with surprise, a reaction she fought to temper. She knew she had to provide an answer; otherwise, Sabine would relentlessly dig deeper. "I would have held onto you a little longer... then let you go," she confessed, her voice barely more than a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s expression softened, her lips pressing together as she momentarily bowed her head. "Okay," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "We should keep moving," Shin urged, eager to shift the focus. "The cold is worse at night."
  
  
  
  Unexpectedly, Sabine"s demeanor shifted, her voice more serious when she spoke. "It feels right, you know. When we do it. It"s... it"s comforting."
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze locked with Sabine"s, searching for any sign of insincerity but finding none. Instead, she saw a reflection of her own turmoil. She swallowed hard, acknowledging the deep, resonant thrum that vibrated within her core. The connection they shared was undeniably potent, bordering on addictive, stirring a hunger for more. Yet, she tamped down this desire, urging her howler forward in silence, even as the echo of their bond lingered between them. She wouldn"t allow herself to succumb to something she didn"t understand.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  As evening nestled over the landscape, the bandit encampment buzzed with an undeniable vibrancy, its vast expanse teeming with life. Sabine's eyes swept over the scene, taking in the diversity of bandits whose armor hues spanned beyond the anticipated Red. The air was punctuated by the innocent laughter of children chasing each other, the tender cries of babies, and the resolute conversations of both male and female warriors. This thriving community was a stark contrast to the smaller, more reserved group of the Noti. Sabine took mental note of everything she witnessed.
  
  
  
  She had braced herself for a cold reception, for a wall of distrust and skepticism. Instead, she was met with a wave of unexpected warmth and adulation. Word of her victory over the Dome of Death had apparently rippled through the encampment with the swiftness of a wild prairie fire. Gratitude and praise enveloped her from all sides as she navigated the crowds atop her howler, her prior skirmish with the Red bandits relegated to a mere whisper in the winds of her present triumph.
  
  
  
  The energy around her was infectious; her heart swelled, and a smile broke free, irrepressible and wide, as she descended from her mount. She found herself engulfed in a sea of outstretched hands, eager faces, and heartfelt words, each handshake and acknowledgment bridging the chasm between stranger and savior. But the admiration showered was not for her alone. Sabine could not miss the similar, if more subdued, reverence directed at Shin. The Dark Jedi, ever enigmatic, maintained an expression as unreadable as ever, yet Sabine sensed that beneath the stoic facade, Shin was silently reveling in the recognition, her actions heralding her as a leader, perhaps even a ruler-to-be.
  
  
  
  Amidst the festivities, the crates of goods salvaged from the tropical zone were distributed, tokens of survival and hope. Sabine's gaze was particularly drawn to the way ancient relics and antiques were gingerly handled, their mundane appearances belying a significance known only to the bandits and Noti. These treasures, unimpressive at first glance, were revered, hinting at stories and traditions yet uncovered.
  
  
  
  The excitement continued even as the night grew colder, the stars above twinkling with indomitable spirit. Eventually, the celebrations began to ebb, and the nocturnal chill settled in earnest. It was then that Shin guided Sabine towards a substantial tent standing like a sentinel near the encampment's heart.
  
  
  
  As Sabine stepped through the tent's flap, she was struck by the stark contrast between its unassuming exterior and the interior's meticulous organization. The space, clearly well-lived-in, exuded a sense of order and purpose, complete with a crackling fireplace, a dedicated work area, a bathtub hinting at unspoken luxuries, and a bed generously swathed in fur. The inviting warmth was a solace against the night's creeping frost, a sanctuary she hadn't anticipated within the primitive camp.
  
  
  
  "These are my quarters," Shin stated, a matter-of-fact tone in her voice as she began to remove her armor, each piece placed carefully away.
  
  
  
  Sabine scanned the interior, her expression morphing into one of confusion. "Where's my tent?" she inquired, her fingers subconsciously playing with her pack strap.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her eyes flicking to the expansive bed swathed in fur. "The left side or the right side," she offered, her voice devoid of jest, yet the slightest hint of a challenge lingered in her tone.
  
  
  
  A sigh escaped Sabine's lips, her mouth agape as she processed the implication. "I don't get my own space?" The question hung heavily in the air, laden with a mix of disbelief and a tinge of annoyance.
  
  
  
  Shin regarded her, head tilting slightly, a silent query in her ice-blue eyes. "What's the problem?" she probed. "We shared space on the ship. This," she gestured around, "is practically a luxury. That bed is twice the size of the one on the ship you had me endure."
  
  
  
  "Endure?" Sabine echoed with a scoff, her brows knitting together. "I was the one who had to deal with your snoring."
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin's jaw twitched, the only betrayal of her annoyance before she moved to freshen up. "I can arrange a tent for you tomorrow," she responded, her back turned to Sabine. "But be forewarned, they're not nearly as accommodating as this. They're rough, and with the night's cold, even more unwelcoming."
  
  
  
  Sabine heard the unspoken implication in her words - it was not just about comfort, but also about safety, the warmth of proximity in a land that was still largely alien and potentially hostile. The reality of their situation settled around her like the descending night, a stark reminder that despite the day's triumph, challenges lay ahead.
  
  
  
  Sabine flung her bag onto the worn-out sofa, the fabric protesting under the abrupt weight. Rough and cold her ass. Rough and cold just like Shin.
  
  
  
  "What's that?" Shin shot back, her tone sharp.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze snapped to Shin, who was in the process of wiping her face, her features partially obscured. "I didn"t say anything," she replied, feigning innocence but her defensive posture betrayed her true feelings.
  
  
  
  "Be mindful of your thoughts, Sabine," Shin cautioned, her voice a low warning, yet her eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s hands found her hips, her fingers digging into the fabric of her attire as she internally cursed. "And you should be mindful of the implications of all this, Shin," she retorted, gesturing vaguely to the space around them.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her movements ceasing as she aggressively wrung out her face towel before hanging it to dry. She faced Sabine, a mask of casual indifference failing to hide the storm in her eyes. "And what"s that?" she asked, her voice maintaining a deceptive calm.
  
  
  
  Striving for nonchalance, Sabine held Shin's intense gaze, though an inexplicable shiver traced her spine. "Your bandit friends might get the wrong idea," she said, her voice a study in controlled neutrality.
  
  
  
  "Wrong idea?" Shin echoed, a single eyebrow arching.
  
  
  
  "That we"re...more than just colleagues."
  
  
  
  For a heartbeat, Shin"s expression clouded, a frown creasing her brow. "Why should that concern us?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s thoughts raced, skirting around the real reason her heart had skipped a beat. With a mental shake, she found a safer harbor for her words. "It could compromise our standing," she replied, each word measured and deliberate. "Kradosh and his warriors could see it as a weakness."
  
  
  
  Shin's smirk transformed into a predatory grin as she closed the distance between them, stopping just close enough for Sabine to feel the heat radiating from her body. She locked onto Sabine's golden-brown eyes, her own a piercing icy blue. "Weakness?" she questioned, her voice a low rumble of amusement and challenge. "Here"s my perspective: aside from our respective Masters, we are the apex predators in this desolate place. It's imperative for the survival of everyone here to recognize and respect that."
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but scoff, defiantly tilting her chin up, striving not to drown in the intensity of Shin's gaze. "Your hunger for power is unsettling," she retorted. "And I don"t care for it."
  
  
  
  "Hm," Shin hummed noncommittally, her eyes never leaving Sabine's. "Good. Because this Force bond farce that we share doesn"t make you my equal."
  
  
  
  At that, Sabine"s eyebrows quirked up, and a smile tugged at her lips, irrepressible and incisive. "Have you been sniffing spice?" she jested, her tone laced with incredulity. "Do you even hear yourself when you speak?" The sight of Shin"s features twisting in sheer vexation was nearly enough to send Sabine into a fit of laughter.
  
  
  
  "You"re insufferable," Shin spat through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  Unperturbed, Sabine leaned in, her voice a theatrical imitation of Shin's earlier menaces, "Remember when you said, "you will regret this decision?" Or my favorite, "you have no power?" And then, oh-my rockets disarmed you...You really should consider expanding your social circle and loosening up a bit."
  
  
  
  The audible grind of Shin's teeth underscored her mounting irritation, the muscles of her jaw tensing in a clear display.
  
  
  
  Suppressing a snort, Sabine dragged her hand down her face and deftly sidestepped a fuming Shin. "I"ll take the left side then," she declared, moving to freshen up behind a privacy wall.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze lingered on the bed for a moment before she let out a soft sigh, her attention methodically shifting to tidying the living space. She adjusted objects with pointed precision, her efforts to maintain an orderly environment paired with a concerted effort to avert her gaze from Sabine. The sound of splashing water and the rustle of clothing being shed teased at her senses.
  
  
  
  Peering out with a mischievous smile, Sabine teased, "You didn"t seem to mind looking yesterday," a playful reminder of a moment less guarded.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture became rigid, her actions with the linens more deliberate as she immersed herself in the familiar routine of her chores. Despite her absence for several days, everything remained untouched, indicative of the respect-or perhaps fear-others held for her possessions. She had transformed this space from the cold anonymity of her first night to a place imbued with warmth and personal comfort, and she found solace in its unchanged state.
  
  
  
  "Yesterday was different," Shin replied tersely, her hands methodically folding linens without a glance at the shadowed outline of Sabine visible through the partition.
  
  
  
  Sabine was busy heating water from a large container and funneling it into the bathtub. "How so?" she queried, her attention shifting to survey the array of oils and floral essences neatly aligned on a shelf.
  
  
  
  With a subtle clench of her jaw, Shin responded, "The beach has its own rules."
  
  
  
  "Really?" Sabine"s voice floated over, mingling with the sound of testing the water. Finding it to her liking, she shed the last of her attire, letting the heat envelop her as she stepped into the bath. A contented exhale filled the space as she settled in, her gaze flickering over the partition to Shin"s rigid posture. "I"m surprised you didn"t get sunburn."
  
  
  
  Shin glanced at her skin, noting minor reddish spots. "Suppose I"m resilient," she said, almost to herself.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Sabine lathered away the day's dust and toil. The soothing blue waters of their recent escapade were a distant luxury; her time on Peridea wasn"t for rest, but for honing her skills and demonstrating her worth to Ahsoka. The misadventure on Seatos had set a high bar; she was determined to meet it.
  
  
  
  "Resilient, huh?" Sabine mused, working the soap over her skin. "Let"s see then." Once clean, she reclined briefly, her lips parting to savor the humid air. "Pass me a towel, will you?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s response was a low murmur as she rifled through the linen, extracting a thick towel and pressing it to her chest. With cautious steps, she edged towards the privacy screen.
  
  
  
  From her bath, Sabine's smile was hidden but unmistakably present in her voice. Rising, she let the water cascade down her body, aromatic droplets perfuming the air. Shin"s hand peeked around the screen; the towel gripped so tightly her knuckles paled.
  
  
  
  "You"re too far," Sabine said.
  
  
  
  "Why not step out?" Shin"s gaze was fixed on the floor.
  
  
  
  "I"ll drip everywhere," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  The grip on the towel intensified as Shin rounded the screen. "Just take it," she insisted, her voice firm yet her face turned away, now flushed with a red hue.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s delight was unabashed as she plucked the towel from Shin"s grasp and began to pat herself dry. "Such resilience, Shin," she taunted softly.
  
  
  
  With a frustrated puff of breath, Shin retreated, busying herself with meticulous adjustments around the room. It was going to be a long night.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  a looooooong night indeed. Good luck Shin!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 13: Control
  Notes:
  So awesome to see all the bts wolfwren and the Ahsoka cast supporting the ship wow! What an awesome weekend! I mean it hasss to be canon in S2 now right?
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  In the sequestered sanctuary of the tent, only the crackling of the fireplace paired with the ghostly whir of the wind's nocturne from outside filled the air. Warmth pervaded the space, a soft, golden glow from the firelight danced upon the interior, casting elongated shadows that swayed with the flickering flames. The atmosphere was a cocoon of stillness, almost surreal, as if time itself had been lulled to a slow crawl.
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine, engrossed in their own worlds, relaxed on opposite edges of the substantial bed, the distance between them an unvoiced witness to their complex bond. They lay amidst comfort, the bed adorned with furs from exotic creatures, their lush textures a contrast to the tent's rugged canvas walls. The thick furs beneath them provided a comforting softness, a stark contradiction to the frigid wilderness beyond their temporary haven. Since settling down, an uncharacteristic silence had unfolded between them, each absorbed in datapads they"d procured, the subtle glow of the screens further illuminating their distinct features.
  
  
  
  Shin, dressed in basic sleepwear that did little to outline her form, found her gaze inadvertently magnetized to Sabine. Her eyes, betraying her attempted indifference, traced the landscape of exposed skin revealed by Sabine's carefree attire. An unexpected tingle, originating from a place of unacknowledged desire, coiled in the pit of Shin"s stomach, a sensation as perplexing as it was profound. She grappled internally to avert her eyes, to break free from the spell cast by the vision before her.
  
  
  
  However, her eyes seemed to possess an agenda of their own. They continued an unabashed journey up Sabine"s now tanned leg, a reflection of recent adventures under alien suns, only to halt at the boundary presented by a pair of audaciously short shorts. Shin, caught in the turbulence of her emotions, exhaled sharply, a silent plea to regain her composure. With a mixture of reluctance and necessity, she forced her attention back to her datapad, though the words blurred before her, her mind a tempest of unspoken and unacknowledged feelings, stoked by the intimate ambiance of their shared seclusion.
  
  
  
  "What's eating you now?" Sabine inquired, a hint of both annoyance and amusement in her tone as she half-turned to face Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her hand in a dismissive gesture, not meeting Sabine's eyes. "It's nothing," she muttered, though her intense stare might have bored holes into her datapad if it were possible. The words on the screen had long since stopped making sense, all cognitive focus hijacked by the overwhelming awareness of Sabine's proximity.
  
  
  
  Unconvinced, Sabine cocked her head, her gaze sharpening with curiosity as she fully pivoted to face Shin. "Really now?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Clamping her jaw, Shin silently cursed Sabine's persistent attempts to peel back her defenses. "Anyone with sense would dress warmer on a night like this," she grumbled, her words carrying a dual critique of Sabine's choice of attire and her disregard for the biting cold.
  
  
  
  A playful smirk played on Sabine's lips, and she teasingly bit her cheek. "Oh? Worried I'll catch a chill, or just distracted by my legs?" she retorted, delighting in the ambiguity of Shin's discomfort.
  
  
  
  Clutching her datapad with a white-knuckled grip, Shin edged backward, seeking a phantom buffer between her and Sabine, only to find herself teetering precariously at the bed's boundary. Retreat wasn't an option; one more inch and she'd succumb to gravity. Regret gnawed at her for granting an invitation to her private haven to a rival, a decision that once seemed logical but now felt like a tactical error. The room's warmth, once comforting, now smothered her, and the expansive bed had shrunk, the space charged with an unspoken tension.
  
  
  
  With a breath to steel herself, Shin pivoted slowly to confront Sabine, her movement hindered, as though invisible strings orchestrated her reluctance for full eye contact. Sabine was a study in contrasts, with her attire defiantly incongruent to their environment: those form-fitting shorts and a night top more suited to the recent tropical twilight than a frigid evening. It was as though they were back on those sun-drenched shores, and Shin found herself perplexed, irked, and inexplicably drawn all at once. The golden hue of Sabine's skin, adorned with patches of sunburn, seemed to glow, and her lips, a shade of soft pink, silently issued an invitation that sent a complex eruption of emotions coursing through Shin.
  
  
  
  "Well?" Sabine pressed.
  
  
  
  Catching Sabine's insistent tone, Shin straightened up, her back rigid against the intricately carved wood of the headboard. A measured breath escaped her as she placed her datapad down with precise care, her motions meticulous. Her gaze drifted towards the tent's entrance, seemingly seeking an escape from the electric tension in the room, her heart pulsing a heady rhythm that echoed through her frame. Yet, when her eyes eventually met Sabine, it was the other's anticipatory smirk and the provocative draw of her legs that captured her, the flickering firelight casting a captivating sheen on Sabine's skin, enhancing her allure.
  
  
  
  Compelled by a force she couldn't name, Shin extended her hand. Instead of verbalizing a response to Sabine's challenge, she chose a more tactile language, her cool fingers making gentle contact with the base of Sabine's ankle. The sharp sound of Sabine's inhaled breath marking the moment, yet she didn't pull away.
  
  
  
   Shin's heart drummed a fierce beat against her ribcage, a deep, resonant thrum awakening within her. With deliberate slowness, she traced the contour of Sabine's calf, the journey both torturous and electrifying, her eyes steadfastly avoiding Sabine's intense gaze, focusing solely on the path her fingers were charting. However, as Shin's exploration reached the summit of Sabine's knee, it was met with sudden resistance - a firm hand arresting her progress.
  
  
  
  "You need to ask," Sabine admonished, her tone firm.
  
  
  
  Yet, Shin's hand remained, a steadfast presence on Sabine's knee. "You"ve touched me plenty of times without permission," she countered.
  
  
  
  A flash of something intense - surprise, then defiance - sparked in Sabine's eyes. She made a brief attempt to dislodge Shin's hand, but the difference in their strength became apparent, and with a resigned sigh, she relented. The steady heat from Shin's prolonged touch seemed to seep into her skin, right at the juncture of her knee. Swallowing hard, Sabine's gaze dropped to Shin's long, pale fingers, fingers that had seen less sun but no less battle, and her own grip relaxed.
  
  
  
  "Okay," she conceded, the word a pact as their eyes locked once more, the familiar dance of frost and flame between them reigniting.
  
  
  
  Emboldened by the concession, Shin's pulse thrummed with new urgency. Maintaining the connection of their gaze, her hand resumed its journey, ascending the landscape of Sabine's thigh, which radiated warmth. Sabine's hand atop hers provided silent guidance, an affirmation, her skin a canvas of soft heat beneath their intertwined touch. Unaware of her own movement, Shin found herself drawn magnetically closer to Sabine, noting the dew of perspiration that had formed on her skin. The exploration continued until fabric met fingertips, a boundary reached yet not respected.
  
  
  
  However, Sabine wasn't one for hesitation. With decisive motion, she interlaced her fingers with Shin's, guiding them with assertive intimacy beneath the fabric of her shorts. Throughout, her gaze never wavered, a challenge and an invitation fused in the depth of her unwavering stare.
  
  
  
  Shin's breath hitched, her lips parting slightly as her fingertips encountered the unexpected heat and the delicate edge of Sabine's underwear. A sudden surge of something intense and unnamed forced her to retract her hand abruptly, her expression hardening into a glare.
  
  
  
  Unperturbed, Sabine's response was a self-assured smirk as she reclined against the headboard, arms casually folded behind her head, the picture of nonchalant provocation. "Wasn't that what you wanted?" she queried.
  
  
  
  The tent's atmosphere thickened around Shin, the air heavy like a tangible forcefield. Her hand quivered, barely perceptible, yet undeniable. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, a rhythm that seemed to consume the space. "You presume too much," Shin retorted, her voice taut as a wire.
  
  
  
  Sabine's head tilted, a silent, considering gesture, her eyes never leaving Shin. They remained locked, charged particles in a confined space, until Sabine's voice broke the silence. Her words were soft, almost a whisper, yet they carried the weight of unspoken truths. "You can"t always be in control, Shin," she murmured, the softness of her tone belying the firmness of her message.
  
  
  
  "This isn't about-"
  
  
  
  "Anything you ever do to me from now will be because I allow it," Sabine cut in, her eyes sparkling with a fierce intensity. "I'm not the same girl you encountered on Lothal."
  
  
  
  A vivid flash of a different scenario-her lightsaber impaling Sabine-flickered through Shin's thoughts, igniting an ache within her. "I act on my own terms," Shin declared, lifting her chin in defiance.
  
  
  
  "Is that so?" Sabine retorted, one eyebrow arching skeptically. She swept her arm in a gesture encompassing their cozy yet confined surroundings, then settled into a cross-legged position on the bed. "Because from where I'm sitting, all of this," she waved a hand vaguely, "seems like an elaborate charade, a desperate grasp for a sense of control you don't really have."
  
  
  
  Heat crept up to the tips of Shin's ears, a visible manifestation of her rising frustration and embarrassment, and she found herself wishing she could extinguish the roaring fire that seemed to amplify the room's tension. "What about you, then?" she shot back, her voice taut. "Your grand tale of being a Commander, the narrative you spun on the beach yesterday. You neatly sidestepped any real mention of the Academy, your stint as a bounty hunter, your family... You recited events but shared nothing of what you felt."
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine"s eyes widened, the firelight catching a sheen that suggested unshed tears. "And you?" she countered, her voice a blend of anger and vulnerability. "Hopping from one planet to another under the guise of business. What about your past, Shin? Your family? Your life before all the chaos with Baylan? Are you ready to peel back your layers for me? Because, for all my omissions... at least I tried."
  
  
  
  The accusation hit its mark, and Shin felt a sharp prick behind her eyes, though she willed herself not to blink. She fixed Sabine with a piercing glare, noting the sweat that now glossed her companion's forehead. This evening was meant to be uncomplicated-a pause for rest, a recharge for the work awaiting them with the new day. Instead, it had devolved into a collision of hidden pasts and unspoken truths.
  
  
  
  "You fierfek," Shin hissed, the insult slicing through the tension like a knife.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s lips curled in a scornful sneer. "Dank farrik," she shot back with equal venom.
  
  
  
  Overwhelmed by frustration, Shin clenched her hands into tight fists, physically manifesting her internal turmoil, and deliberately averted her gaze from Sabine. "I never asked for this Force bond with you," she uttered, the words heavy with resentment yet laced with an undercurrent of despair.
  
  
  
  "Oh, and you think I did?" Sabine retorted sharply, her voice a mix of indignation and exasperation, before her tone softened, betraying her fatigue. "Sometimes, when I sense you through it, all I feel is this... this chilling loneliness, this harshness that"s so...alienating."
  
  
  
  "And you? You"re just a fortress of contradictions, chaos, and madness!" Shin fired back, her words echoing the tumult within.
  
  
  
  Letting out a derisive scoff, Sabine"s gaze lingered on the invisible trail Shin"s fingers had blazed just moments ago. She grasped the fur bedding, her fingers digging in as if seeking an anchor, before abruptly turning on her side, her body language closing off. "I"m going to sleep," she declared stiffly, her voice slightly muffled. "I couldn"t care less if you snore. It"s better than whatever this is."
  
  
  
  Drawing her knees up to her chest in a protective posture, Shin cast a sidelong glance at Sabine"s silhouette, softened and made indistinct by the fur covers. She swallowed hard, brushing away the moisture that threatened to spill from her eyes, and rested her chin atop her knees. In the dim glow of the fire, she found her gaze locked on the rhythmic rise and fall of Sabine"s breathing for an eternity. A torrent of anger and a profound sense of despair gripped her, relentlessly gnawing at her resolve until exhaustion finally claimed her, pulling her into the oblivion of restless sleep.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of sleep vanishing as she jolted upright. Her gaze, heavy with the fog of interrupted dreams, darted instinctively to her left. An inexplicable hollowness gnawed at her chest when she found the other side of the bed impeccably made, the furs smooth and undisturbed, starkly void of Shin's presence. It was as though the night before - the tension, the shared breaths - had been nothing but a figment of her imagination.
  
  
  
  The tent, a spacious canvas of muted colors, was suffused with a soft, golden glow, the fire from the hearth casting playful shadows that danced across the fabrics adorning the interior. The flames crackled softly, a rhythmic lullaby that had once promised warmth and companionship. Now, its heat seemed to mock her solitude. With a sigh, Sabine swung her legs over the bed's edge, the coarse woven rug scratching gently against her bare feet as she stood.
  
  
  
  She padded over to the living area, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her movements languid from the residual warmth of rest. Her attention was drawn to a plate of fresh provisions - an assortment of fruits whose names she'd yet to learn, and bread that reminded her just enough of home to twinge her heart - left considerately on the wooden table. Beside it lay her gear, that she cleaned and arranged neatly. The sunlight filtered through the open tent flap, casting linear patterns on the floor and bringing with it the ambient sounds of a camp stirring to life.
  
  
  
  Massaging the back of her neck, Sabine let out a yawn, her muscles protesting the action. She wandered closer to the tent's entrance, relishing the cool breeze that kissed her skin, a stark contrast to the fire's insistent warmth. Though her physical fatigue had been eased since rescuing Ezra from his exile, a psychological weight, dense and persistent, anchored itself within her. Here on Peridea, even the act of waking brought a reminder of the uncertainties that cluttered her future.
  
  
  
  Her mind involuntarily retraced the details of the previous evening with Shin. A flush crept up her neck as she cringed inwardly, questioning her own actions. Had she pushed too hard, crossed a line, perhaps? Their interaction had been a dangerous dance, and she, emboldened by emotions she didn't fully comprehend, had somehow wanted the challenge. But the empty bedspace beside her own painted a stark, silent reprimand, leaving Sabine to grapple with the complexities of their entwined fates.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a bite of the tropical fruit, its tangy juice awakening her taste buds and grounding her in the moment. As she chewed, her thoughts involuntarily drifted to the burgeoning powers within her, an intricate puzzle of strength and mystery she had yet to fully understand. It was an incomplete work of art in her mind.
  
  
  
  Her connection with Shin, in particular, remained an enigma wrapped in countless questions, the answers to which seemed to be just beyond her grasp. This shared energy, vibrant and pulsing with untapped potential, was something neither of them had anticipated - or wanted. At least, Sabine had been fairly certain she hadn't wanted it.
  
  
  
  The bond, however, existed, threading between them with a persistence that couldn't be ignored. It was a silent, unseen force, weaving them closer in ways that both intrigued and unnerved her.
  
  
  
  Shaking off her thoughts, Sabine finished her meal and prepared herself for the day. She armed herself with her gear, the familiar weight of her equipment a comforting constant amidst the plights of change. With a final glance at the space she'd occupied, a temporary safehouse within the unpredictable wilderness of Peridea, she stepped through the tent flap and into the world outside.
  
  
  
  The encampment was a hive of activity, the air alive with the sounds of morning: people chatting, tools clanging, and the crackle of fires. The sky above was a brilliant expanse of blue, the sun perched high and casting its generous light upon the land. Its warmth was gentle, a soft caress against her skin, invigorating her senses and offering a promise of a day filled with productivity.
  
  
  
  It was the kind of weather that beckoned one to keep busy, and as Sabine navigated through the throngs of people, she found herself hoping she might secure a tent of her own. A space where she could ponder the complexities of her situation in solitude, or perhaps, come to terms with the inexplicable bond that seemed determined to tether her to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shifting her focus to intelligence gathering, Sabine meticulously cataloged the assortment of weapons, armor, and supplies present in the expanding encampment. Her interactions were marked by a professional courtesy that didn't go unnoticed by the bandits, many of whom expressed gratitude and admiration for her foreign expertise with a lightsaber and her command of the mysterious Force.
  
  
  
  Brushing her fingers through her cropped hair, Sabine navigated her way around a notably expansive and heavily guarded tent. Within her sight, Kradosh and his elite associates moved purposefully, engaged in the continuous task of organizing resources procured from the tropical zone. She observed closely, identifying no fewer than twelve battle-hardened warriors leading the operations, while a larger group handled the more menial tasks. The scene provoked memories of the efficiency and hierarchy reminiscent of the Stormtroopers from her own galaxy.
  
  
  
  The camp was alive under the caress of a warm breeze, and Sabine, wearing an unwavering smile, moved through it with an air of confidence. The absence of hostility towards her was evident, though she considered whether this acceptance was directed at her, or perhaps it was the respect-or fear-of her lightsaber, blasters, and mysterious Force powers that guaranteed such warmth.
  
  
  
  As the sun ascended to its zenith, Sabine chose to navigate the outskirts of the burgeoning encampment. Her journey around the camp's edge was interrupted when she detected an unexpected warmth near one of the tents. Curiosity piqued, she edged closer and discovered a group of bandit younglings, each adorned in uniquely colored armor, diligently practicing combat stances, engaging in friendly duels, and interacting animatedly with their peers.
  
  
  
  Overseeing this lively assembly was an individual Sabine deduced to be an instructor, engaged in what appeared to be a serious discussion with Shin. Feeling a subtle sensation at the back of her neck, Sabine was torn between walking directly towards them or proceeding with her solitary patrol. However, when Shin's piercing blue gaze inexplicably met her own cautious brown eyes, she decided to adopt an air of nonchalance, portraying her approach as nothing more than a casual saunter.
  
  
  
  Her arrival sparked a flurry of whispers and wide-eyed enthusiasm among the children, their chatter reaching a crescendo as they recognized her. Acknowledging Sabine's presence, the bandit instructor offered a respectful bow of her head and tactfully disengaged from her conversation with Shin, leaving an opening for Sabine to join.
  
  
  
  "You overslept," Shin remarked with a dry tone, her hands deftly adjusting her pauldrons.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes performed an exaggerated roll as she observed the younglings disperse for their lunch interval. "And I bet you didn"t sleep at all," she retorted.
  
  
  
  A hint of rigidity in her stance was Shin's only visible reaction before she took a deep swig from her water canteen. "There's work to be done," she responded, her voice carrying the weight of responsibility. "Plenty, in fact, that you could assist with."
  
  
  
  "Sure," Sabine articulated, drawing out the word as her gaze deliberately swept over Shin. "How's your knee?"
  
  
  
  After a brief pause to dab her mouth, Shin offered an indifferent shrug. "Fine," she asserted, her tone betraying a hint of defiance. "I heal quickly."
  
  
  
  The air hung heavy for a few heartbeats, charged with the unspoken as Sabine weighed the merit of a sharp-witted comeback. Yet, the tension was punctured by subdued giggles and muffled chortles emanating from behind. Casting a glance over her shoulder, Sabine caught the curious stares of several bandit children, their faces partially obscured by the tent's fabric. Her lips curved into a wry smile, and she offered a playful wave. Like startled sparrows, the youngsters dispersed in a flurry of hushed laughter and rustling attire.
  
  
  
  "They're so curious, those kids," Sabine observed, her tone light.
  
  
  
  Shin straightened up, her countenance unreadable, while the wind played with her platinum locks. "They're under the impression you're fond of me," she stated, her voice devoid of inflection.
  
  
  
  A snort escaped Sabine as she swung around to face Shin, her face painted with mock disbelief. "Me?" she queried, her eyebrow arching dramatically. "They're mistaken."
  
  
  
  "Are they, though?" Shin countered, her words hanging in the air. "In their culture, every leader of note is paired off. It's only natural they'd apply the same concept to us."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her finger idly tracing her cheek. The children reappeared, their eyes wide with barely suppressed curiosity, and she couldn't help but chuckle. However, meeting Shin's unyielding gaze caused her to clear her throat, squaring her shoulders. "Is that the reason..." she trailed off, the question lingering. "You wanted me in your tent?"
  
  
  
  Maintaining her posture, hands clasped behind her back, Shin flicked a knowing smirk in the direction of the surreptitious young onlookers. Sunlight, having triumphed over the obstinate cloud cover, bathed her in an ethereal glow, her hair shimmering like molten silver. "Have you concluded your assessment of my encampment for your Master?" she retorted, neatly deflecting the inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine's breath caught, yet she elevated her chin defiantly. "Actually, I"ve been looking for a private tent," she countered.
  
  
  
  Closing the distance, Shin advanced until barely a foot separated them. She peered intently at Sabine, tilting her head in a gesture that bordered on the predatory. "Are you sure that"s what you want, Sabine?" she inquired, her voice a silky challenge.
  
  
  
  With her heart pounding a relentless beat and her stomach twisting, Sabine found herself momentarily spellbound. Perspiration gathered at her back, and her muscles seemed to rebel against motion. "Your tent is too warm," she managed to utter, the words almost a gasp.
  
  
  
  "I can reduce the fuel for the fire, remove the fireback," Shin offered quietly, her tone soothing yet laced with an undercurrent of something more.
  
  
  
  A surge of heat flushed through Sabine, her pulse racing like a drumbeat in her ears. She pressed her lips together to quell their trembling. "You"re just so..."
  
  
  
  "So what?" Shin pressed, her hand finding its way to Sabine"s thigh, caressing the spot she had explored just a night before. "We argue but you always come back."
  
  
  
  The contact nearly buckled Sabine"s knees, but she summoned her inner strength, seizing Shin"s wandering hand with a firmness that belied her internal tumult. "Stop," she commanded.
  
  
  
  Shin's lips parted to respond, but she retracted swiftly as Kradosh made his approach, offering a respectful bow of his head. He addressed Sabine first, "Commander," he acknowledged, before shifting his attention to Shin, "General."
  
  
  
  Though her thigh still tingled from Shin's touch, Sabine couldn't help but roll her eyes at the honorific bestowed upon Shin. It wasn't as if Shin had vanquished the Voraxlyn single-handedly or reclaimed the bandits' long-lost treasures. Without Sabine's and Ahsoka's ship, Shin's achievements would have amounted to zero.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh," Shin returned the greeting, her lips twitching into something approximating a smile.
  
  
  
  "We've gathered information about additional supply caches to the north in the frozen territories," he reported. "By howler, it's roughly a week's journey, and the climate should be relatively tolerable at this season."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze drifted skyward to the sun before nodding in acknowledgment. "Any notable factions in that direction?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  "The Ice people," was Kradosh's concise response.
  
  
  
  "And are they a threat or an ally?" Shin pursued further.
  
  
  
  Affirming with a nod, Kradosh elaborated, "They are a worldly people, not a threat."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze slid subtly to Sabine, her eyes probing. "Sabine will be an asset," she asserted confidently. "You"d prefer a colder environment, wouldn"t you?"
  
  
  
  Biting back a sharp retort, Sabine mustered a gracious smile for Kradosh's benefit. "I'd be more than happy to contribute," she chimed in. "And if we find any mystical barriers, I'll ensure they're dismantled for you..." She blatantly disregarded the sharp look Shin shot her way, choosing instead to acknowledge the giggling children who maintained their watchful vigil.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Looks like they'll be spending a lottt of time together
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 14: Canvas
  Notes:
  Sorry this is later than usual. I was at home with my family for Diwali and up to shenanigans and schoolwork all week. Best part though is I've been in a perpetual food coma the entire time.
  
  Anyway hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine conveyed every scrap of information to Ahsoka via the comms, her voice laden with the gravity of their uncharted mission. Yet, the calm that suffused her Master's response took her aback. Far from troubled, Ahsoka expressed a supportive stance towards Sabine's collaboration with Shin and the bandits in delving into the northern territories, with the promise that their ship would linger in readiness, a silent guardian against the backdrop of distant stars.
  
  
  
  Moreover, Ahsoka emphasized the continuous necessity for Sabine to hone her skills and engage in her meditative practices, especially now on the fringes of the mysterious Peridea, a world where unpredictability reigned.
  
  
  
  Communication ceasing, Sabine's arm fell to her side, the comm device a forgotten weight as her attention was captured by the horizon. The sun bowed out in a quiet spectacle, its descent marking a stark transition from the comforting heat of day to the biting chill of evening.
  
  
  
  This contrast, so abrupt, seemed to tug at her very skin, offering a prelude to the potential harshness of the northern climate. A shudder, unbidden yet not wholly unwelcome, coursed through her, not just from the cool air but also from envisioning the freezing vastness ahead and the necessity for her peak performance in the company of bandits. A resolve hardened within her, fueled by frustration at Shin's manipulations. She would undeniably prove herself the more adept one. Shin's schemes would not best her.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t believe she was tricked into sharing the same tent as Shin. And throughout the day, as she perused options for alternative quarters, she was met with unlivable dwellings that lacked even the most basic of comforts. At one point she contemplated returning to the Noti camp but if she did that, Shin would win the silent battle they agreed to.
  
  
  
  Navigating the winding paths to Shin's comfortably outfitted quarters, a stream of silent expletives ran through Sabine's mind. Hunger nipped at her insides, and the prospect of unwinding after such a taxing day loomed invitingly. Her hours had been consumed with the reconstruction of several malfunctioning blasters and the meticulous repair of minor explosives for the bandits. Acclaim for her proficiency seemed to flow endlessly, her skills drawing admiring glances and murmurs from several novice gadget enthusiasts. A surge of pride, persistent and invigorating, swelled within her each time she resolved a technical conundrum that left Shin baffled.
  
  
  
  Intent on retrieving her pack to shift to a different tent, Sabine entered through the canvas opening. The unexpected sight of Shin's exposed back promptly compelled her to divert her gaze. With a cough to signal her presence, she hastened towards her gear, striving to disregard the allure of skin illuminated by the flickering, muted light of the nearby flames.
  
  
  
  "Dinner"s ready," Shin called out, her hands busy applying a hydrating cream to her skin.
  
  
  
  Caught in discomfort, Sabine kneaded her neck, unable to prevent her gaze from stealing over her shoulder. Shin's back was a dynamic display of shifting muscles, every contour and movement revealing the legacy of extensive physical conditioning. Sabine, who had not fully appreciated the view at the beach, now found herself confronted with an undeniable observation of Shin's form.
  
  
  
  "You"re staring," Shin commented without turning, as she slipped a linen shirt over her head.
  
  
  
  Releasing a tense breath, Sabine seized her bag. "I found an unoccupied tent out there," she mentioned, thumbing toward the exit.
  
  
  
  Whirling to face her, Shin fiddled with her nightwear. "Those are bare bones," she countered.
  
  
  
  "I don"t mind the ground," Sabine asserted.
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze shifted between Sabine and the tent"s entrance. "If you go," she started, her voice laced with caution, "they might assume-"
  
  
  
  "Assume what?" Sabine challenged, her tone rising slightly. "That things aren"t really as you"ve made them appear?"
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin"s jaw twitched before she set her resolve. "Stay," she commanded.
  
  
  
  Disbelief etched across Sabine"s features. She scoffed, shaking her head in a mix of frustration and incredulity. "You can"t be serious," she retorted. "I"m not a howler or one to be ordered around."
  
  
  
  A flash of something intense passed through Shin"s eyes as she closed the distance between them. "I didn"t mean it like that," she clarified hastily.
  
  
  
  Sabine, already halfway to the tent flap, paused. "Then what did you mean?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor before meeting Sabine"s once more. "I"ll share," she offered softly, a noticeable shift in her demeanor. "Things about myself."
  
  
  
  That nearly made Sabine fumble her pack, but she caught it just in time. "And I can ask questions?" she ventured.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expression tightened, her lips pressing into a thin line before she acquiesced. "A few," she consented, the words almost a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her cheek, her gaze lingering on Shin, whose normally icy eyes had adopted a gentler hue, her lips pressed into a faint frown. With her stomach knotting and heart quivering, Sabine heaved her pack back onto the sofa. She surveyed the assortment of food spread out on the table and exhaled heavily.
  
  
  
  "Alright," Sabine conceded, shedding her Mandalorian armor. "You want to play house for your bandit pals? Then you can tell me what I want to know."
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Shin responded, nodding toward the table. "I"ll start once we"ve eaten."
  
  
  
  The table was modestly set, the flickering candlelight casting a warm, intimate glow over the spread of food. Shin and Sabine sat across from each other, an array of simple yet hearty dishes between them. The silence was not uncomfortable, but rather filled with a tentative anticipation.
  
  
  
  Sabine reached for a piece of bread, tearing off a chunk thoughtfully. She chewed slowly, her gaze occasionally flitting up to meet Shin's. There was a noticeable tension in the air, but it was not entirely unwelcoming - rather, it seemed to signify the potential for new understanding.
  
  
  
  Shin, on her part, seemed more measured in her movements, a stark contrast to her usually decisive demeanor. She carefully served herself, her actions betraying a hint of nervousness. "I've never been much for cooking," she remarked, attempting to break the ice. "But I can manage basic meals."
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked at this, a spark of her usual playful spirit returning. "I'll keep my expectations in check then," she replied, her tone light, but with an underlying note of warmth.
  
  
  
  As they ate, there was a gradual easing of the atmosphere. The initial awkwardness began to dissipate, replaced by a growing sense of companionship. It was a strange, almost surreal experience for both - to sit and share a meal in such a relaxed manner amidst the chaos of their current lives.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped down a fruity sort of drink and sighed in satisfaction. "Do you think," she began to say, wiping her mouth. "If I had Force abilities the night we met that I would"ve beat you?"
  
  
  
  Shin nearly spat out her food. She chuckled and shook her head once. "Absolutely not," she stated. "Force or not, your form was terrible, and you were so quick to anger. I was toying with you the entire time."
  
  
  
  Sabine tongued her cheek and tilted her head. "Toying, huh?" she asked. "You seem to enjoy doing that."
  
  
  
  Shin bit into a piece of meat and shrugged one shoulder. "Only as much as you do," she retorted.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed and licked her salty lips, putting her head in her hands and observing Shin while she ate. Shin was so meticulous and careful about everything. From the way she moved, spoke and even chewed. Sabine wondered if Shin would ever loosen up more, if she"d smile more or laugh. The thought of Shin smiling and laughing began to flood Sabine"s mind and she found herself staring.
  
  
  
  "And what would there be to smile and laugh about, Sabine?" Shin asked with a smirk.
  
  
  
  "Ugh," Sabine groaned. "Stop doing that."
  
  
  
  "Your thoughts are too loud," Shin retorted. "I hope you quiet them when I begin to speak."
  
  
  
  Sabine scowled and cut into her meat harshly. "I"ll try," she mumbled.
  
  
  
  "They were especially loud when you were staring at my back," Shin observed, her movements precise as she tidied the crumbs from the table.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression turned into a scowl, her grip tightening on her cup. "How am I supposed to know when you're dressing?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  Leaning back, Shin fixed her gaze on Sabine. "I at least make an effort to do that when you're not around," she countered calmly. "That's more than I can say for you, who seems to take a particular delight in drawing attention whenever I'm nearby."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her tongue tracing her teeth thoughtfully. She searched for a clever comeback, but deep down she knew Shin's observation was accurate. There was an undeniable thrill in provoking reactions from Shin, in the subtle play of push and pull between them. The more time they spent together, the more Sabine found herself craving these interactions, noticing how Shin's gaze lingered with a mix of curiosity and something else she couldn't quite define.
  
  
  
  Finally, Sabine sighed, her voice softer, "Let's just finish dinner, then you can start talking."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained fixed on Sabine, absorbing the reflections of a past she strived to articulate. Occasionally, the sheen in Sabine"s eyes made Shin's heart twinge with an aching tenderness, while the moments of genuine curiosity and amusement in Sabine's expression elicited a wistful smile from her. Some recollections were hazy, tangled in the cobwebs of her mind, while others were deliberately skirted for their painful edges. Yet, Sabine was all ears, offering a home for her words until the inevitable surge of questions came.
  
  
  
  "And your family?" Sabine inquired, her legs extending leisurely across the generous expanse of the bed. Propped back on her hands, she swayed her feet in a gentle rhythm.
  
  
  
  Maintaining a respectful distance on her half of the bed, Shin had even moderated the fireplace's heat, ensuring the environment wasn't overly warm for Sabine. "You skimmed over details about your family," Shin pointed out, a subtle prompt hanging in the air.
  
  
  
  With a sigh, Sabine"s hand grazed the plush fur they sat upon. "Okay..." she acquiesced, a note of resignation in her tone. "But you"re sure you have no idea what Baylan"s up to?"
  
  
  
  An invisible lump formed in Shin"s throat, an emotional blockade. Her mind, almost reflexively, strained to sense her Master's presence, finding emptiness instead. "I have no insights," she confessed, the words heavy with a mix of frustration and concern.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze, warming into a hue reminiscent of dawn's first light, turned toward Shin. "I"m sorry he left," she said, her voice a gentle balm. "There"s gotta be a solid reason behind it, right?"
  
  
  
  "Perhaps," Shin murmured, the word a soft sigh.
  
  
  
  "You"ve been through a lot," Sabine continued, urgency threading her words. "It"s not easy being alone."
  
  
  
  "Hm," was all Shin offered, her hands idly stroking the fur beneath them. Her eyes, however, were drawn to Sabine"s hands, noticing how the color on her nails had almost entirely chipped away. A charge seemed to crackle in the scant space separating their fingertips, and Shin found herself caught in the pull of Sabine"s presence.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s smile was tender, but as her gaze shifted beyond Shin, it sharpened, curiosity knitting her brows. "What... what is that?" she queried, tone laced with intrigue.
  
  
  
  Shin"s head whipped around, attempting to identify the subject of Sabine"s curiosity. But before she could pinpoint it, Sabine was already springing from the bed, moving decisively toward a cluttered corner of the tent. There, amidst a jumble of supplies and various gear, Sabine excavated a sizable parchment. She held it aloft, eyes scanning its contents.
  
  
  
  Recognizing what Sabine had unearthed caused Shin's breath to catch, a sudden urge to rush forward gripping her. But the need to maintain her poise around the Mandalorian anchored her, and so she remained perched on the bed, her posture a studied calm as she faced Sabine, awaiting the unfolding conversation.
  
  
  
  "Is this your work?" Sabine inquired, pivoting the parchment so it faced Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin"s throat tightened, yet she held herself still, her demeanor resolute. "I employ mud," she started, her voice steady, "manipulating its water content to achieve diverse shades."
  
  
  
  "Huh," Sabine expressed her admiration with a raised eyebrow. "Most attempts end up resembling, well, poopoo... but this is great. Quite abstract. I like it."
  
  
  
  A subtle pressure formed in Shin"s hands as she compressed the fur, her mind drifting to Sabine"s creations aboard Ahsoka"s ship. "It doesn"t hold a candle to your work," she responded, maintaining her composure.
  
  
  
  Sabine returned Shin"s piece to its place with care before brushing off the comparison with a casual sweep of her hand. "I"m all about graffiti," she explained. "Your approach feels non-representational, which is awesome in its own right." She pivoted back to Shin, a smile warming her features. "What do you use for your art?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze swept the space before settling back on Sabine. The evening, she reflected, was unexpectedly more agreeable than the last. With deliberate slowness, she raised her hands, almost in a gesture of offering. "My tools are my fingers," she revealed.
  
  
  
  A silent moment enveloped Sabine, her lips parting slightly. She lingered in quiet contemplation, her jaw tensing as she considered her next move. Finally, with a resolved step, she approached Shin. Their eyes met, Sabine's gaze drawn into the clear blue depths of Shin's. In a gesture of silent communion, she extended her hands towards her.
  
  
  
  "Show me," Sabine requested, her words unwavering.
  
  
  
  Confusion marred Shin's features as she regarded Sabine's outstretched hands. "I don"t understand," she responded.
  
  
  
  "Imagine my hands are your canvas," Sabine clarified. "And show me what you do."
  
  
  
  A hint of apprehension flashed through Shin's eyes, yet she tentatively brought her fingers to hover above Sabine's waiting palms. The limited expanse offered by the hands before her posed a challenge distinctly different from the broad parchment she was accustomed to. Yet, Sabine's expectant gaze exuded an impatient excitement, and Shin felt an inexplicable compulsion to comply before the moment slipped away. Initiating a delicate touch, she let her fingertips glide in gentle gyres upon the surface of Sabine's skin, eliciting a barely audible intake of breath that filled the quiet space around them.
  
  
  
  "Your hands are clammy," Shin remarked, maintaining the unhurried movement of her fingers.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine exhaled softly, a hint of amusement lacing her words. "You sure know how to state the obvious."
  
  
  
  Caught off guard by the comment, Shin's gaze darted up to meet Sabine's, her fingers ceasing their motion. "I've reached the boundary," she murmured, acknowledging the constraints of the improvised canvas.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lower lip found itself caught between her teeth as she gradually retracted her hands. A subtle shift in stance preceded her tugging at the hem of her sleep-shorts, followed by a conspicuous swallow. "How about this then?" she proposed, a hint of uncertainty weaving through her words.
  
  
  
  Tension coursed through Shin's body when Sabine, with a gentleness that belied the boldness of the act, positioned her foot at the bed's edge, thereby revealing the expanse of thigh and leg that Shin had fleetingly made contact with the night before. Doubt flickered in Shin's mind, questioning the reality of the gesture before her. She couldn't help but observe the delicate rise of goosebumps adorning Sabine's skin, yet it was the insistent, subtle throbbing in the pit of her stomach that compelled her towards the inviting warmth of contact.
  
  
  
  Anything you ever do to me from now will be because I allow it.
  
  
  
  As Shin tentatively extended her hand toward the inviting expanse of Sabine's exposed leg, the air between them thickened with anticipation. Her fingertips, artisans of her craft, danced with the reverence of a whisper upon the smoothness of Sabine's skin. Starting at the ankle, a delicate terrain she longed to explore, Shin painted invisible swirls with the lightness of a feather's fall, each gentle stroke a wordless conversation.
  
  
  
  The contour of Sabine's calf was a melody beneath her touch, muscles tensing and relaxing in a silent response to the slow, exploring pressure of Shin's fingertips. Ascending to the flesh of her thigh, the texture of Sabine's skin shifted, softer, more intimate- skin known to few, and Shin's breath hitched at the privilege. Here, she lingered, her fingers spelling secrets in a language they were inventing together. In the sanctity of this touch, Shin wasn't just tracing skin but charting the unspoken galaxies that bloomed in the space between them, every goosebump a star born from their nascent intimacy and the bond they were discovering.
  
  
  
  Sabine swallowed, her attention riveted on Shin's fingers. "Mud will crack, crumble, and wash away... but the memory of your touch won't fade-not from my skin, not from my mind," she confessed.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's eyes grew wide, a slow breath escaping her as warmth cascaded through every fiber of her being. The space around them seemed to hum with an unseen force, their connection sparking to life in a way that felt almost visible. She found herself lost in the depths of Sabine's shimmering brown eyes as the other woman retracted her foot, planting it firmly back on the floor's soft covering.
  
  
  
  "When we"re alone... we don"t need to be..." Shin ventured, grappling for the right words.
  
  
  
  Sabine drew a deep breath, as if inviting the pulsing warmth of the room inside her. "Be who we pretend to be out there?" she suggested, completing Shin's thought.
  
  
  
  A sense of aridness overwhelmed Shin's mouth, her heart pounding so fervently within the confines of her chest she feared its beats were audible. "Maybe," she whispered.
  
  
  
  With a deliberate motion, Sabine circled the bed to reach Shin's side. "Try to actually rest tonight" she proposed, a hint of playfulness softening her tone, "instead of staring at me for hours."
  
  
  
  The charged atmosphere seemed to ebb, and Shin expelled a sigh, her hand absently sifting through her platinum locks as she slid beneath the covers. "Then you'll stay?" she queried, a hopeful note inflecting her voice.
  
  
  
  "I'll stay."
  
  
  
  Notes:
  =]]]]
  
  Thank you as always for reading, kudos and comments. It's been nice chatting with some of you on tumblr as well.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 15: Healing
  Notes:
  This chapter does contain blood, mild gore and violence and was particularly fun to write!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine lay in bed, restless, tossing and turning, unable to succumb to sleep. A persistent tingling sensation coursed through her leg, longing for Shin"s touch again. She gripped the fur sheets, feeling their softness against her fingers. The room was quiet, save for the occasional crackle from the fireplace, casting a warm, flickering light across the space. Despite her efforts to relax, her mind remained active, replaying the day's events and her interactions with Shin.
  
  
  
  One thought, in particular, kept circling in her mind: the art Shin had created. Sabine wondered why Shin hadn't brought it up earlier, especially after noticing Sabine's own sketches on the T-6. Perhaps Shin was too reserved, or maybe she doubted the worth of her work. Sabine knew the value of artistic expression, regardless of the medium, and felt a deep appreciation for any form of art, even those crafted from mud.
  
  
  
  Yet, a lingering dissatisfaction hung in the air, stemming from the way their last conversation had concluded. Sabine lay there, pondering ways to gently coax Shin into revealing more of herself. In a mix of frustration and contemplation, she kicked off the fur covers with a heavy sigh.
  
  
  
  "Now who is the one who can"t sleep?" Shin"s voice, soft yet clear, broke the silence.
  
  
  
  Startled, Sabine jerked upright slightly, then rubbed her face with a weary hand. She shifted to lie flat on her back, exhaling a deep, frustrated breath. With her gaze fixed on the tent's ceiling and lost in thought, she finally broke the silence, confessing something that had been weighing on her.
  
  
  
  "When I was younger, my parents chose to side with the Empire," Sabine revealed. "It was all tangled up in politics, but deep down, I knew my mom did it to protect us."
  
  
  
  Shin, lying beside her, turned onto her back as well, a thoughtful pause preceding her response. "People make the best choices they can at the time," she said, her tone reflective. "But those choices don"t always lead to the outcomes they hope for."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a small, bitter laugh and rubbed her temples. "You"re telling me," she sighed, a sense of heaviness in her words. "The guilt, the second-guessing... it never really leaves you." Her mind briefly wandered to her recent, risky gamble with Baylan on Seatos, which still preyed on her conscience.
  
  
  
  Shin"s voice softened. "It"s true, the past lingers. But I find that being creative can be a solace at times."
  
  
  
  Sabine felt a spark of curiosity ignite within her, a rare glimpse into Shin"s inner world. She smiled slightly, a newfound warmth in her tone. "I think I have some paints, actually. We could share them sometime in the future."
  
  
  
  The idea seemed to resonate with Shin, who replied with a hint of eagerness in her voice, "That would be nice."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, turning her head to look at Shin, silhouetted in the flickering firelight. The sharp contours of Shin's jaw and the way the light played on her skin captivated Sabine. Despite the late hour, Shin's features held an enigmatic beauty. But Sabine's thoughts quickly returned to the events of the evening. Discovering Shin's artwork had been a turning point, preventing her from seeking solitude outside the tent. Her curiosity about Shin's past was piqued, yet she recognized the delicacy of probing too deeply. Nevertheless, as they prepared to venture into the unknowns of the north together, Sabine felt a pressing need for greater understanding.
  
  
  
  Breaking the silence, Sabine's voice was gentle but insistent. "Can you share something more with me?" she asked. "You agreed to try, and I've stayed."
  
  
  
  Shin's response was delayed as she lay still, hand resting behind her head, eyes fixed on the tent's ceiling. Finally, she spoke. "Are you familiar with the Jedi Purge?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was immediate. "Of course, Order 66 and all that tragedy," she said, her expression clouding with concern. Shin's youth made her wonder about the impact of those events on her life.
  
  
  
  Shin's tone grew more somber. "For a young child, especially one who is Force Sensitive, our galaxy can be a perilous place."
  
  
  
  Sabine shifted to her side, facing Shin more directly. Memories of Kanan and Ezra, who had both navigated the dangers of being Force Sensitive in a hostile galaxy, came to mind. "What happened?" she asked softly.
  
  
  
  Shin took a moment, her expression tightening as if recalling painful memories. "My parents... I didn"t really know them or if they exist," she admitted, a note of sadness in her voice. "I have vague memories of my grandparents caring for me, their failing health... but nothing concrete. I was just too young to remember clearly."
  
  
  
  Hearing Shin's admission, Sabine felt a twinge of sympathy. She nodded, acknowledging the pain such a lack of connection could cause. "I"m sorry you went through that," she said sincerely.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice softened as she continued. "But I remember Baylan. He intervened in a process that would have led to me being trained as an Inquisitor. He said my grandparents believed joining the Empire would keep me safe. They didn"t realize the full implications."
  
  
  
  Sabine listened intently, her eyes widening in surprise and concern. She could sense the struggle in Shin, the effort it took to share these fragments of her past. Shin"s usually stoic demeanor gave way to vulnerability, her blue eyes glistening and her lip quivering slightly - a rare glimpse into her inner turmoil.
  
  
  
  "You would have faced a harsh and manipulative training regime," Sabine reflected, her voice tinged with empathy. Her experiences in the Imperial Academy, though not as severe, had made her acutely aware of the brutal methods used to mold Inquisitors.
  
  
  
  Shin turned towards Sabine, a trace of a smile on her face, though it did little to mask her inner conflict. "Baylan was involved with the Empire then," she revealed. "He recognized something in me - said my abilities were... exceptional."
  
  
  
  As Sabine"s gaze remained locked with Shin's, the emotional depth of their conversation brought a new level of intimacy between them.This revelation went beyond physical attraction or shared experiences, delving into the complexities of Shin"s past, a subject she rarely touched upon.
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated but then pressed on, needing to understand more. "What happened to your grandparents?" she asked softly.
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes held a mixture of sadness and resignation. "They passed away due to age and health issues," she answered quietly. "As for my parents, I don't even know if they're still out there somewhere, but I feel nothing for them," The uncertainty in her voice highlighted a lifetime of questions left unanswered.
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed as she scooted closer to Shin, who remained still. Memories of Clan Wren's tragic end during the Night of a Thousand Tears haunted her, but at least she had clarity about her family's fate. "Why align with Thrawn then?" she queried. "Why help Morgan in the first place?"
  
  
  
  Shin's response came with a slight shrug. "I sought power, something more than the past I didn't fully understand," she said quietly. "And Baylan told me I"d have power such as I"ve never dreamed. He wanted me to kill you and Bridger, to secure my place in the emerging Empire."
  
  
  
  Sabine, propping herself on her elbow, studied Shin closely, absorbing her honesty. Shin's eyes shimmered, her vulnerability barely masked by her composed exterior.
  
  
  
  "But what did you want the power for?" Sabine pressed, seeking deeper insight.
  
  
  
  Shin's response was firm, her tone resolute. "Control," she stated. "As a child, I had none. Even with Baylan, my autonomy was limited. I was on the brink of something significant..."
  
  
  
  Sabine pondered Shin's words, feeling a complex mix of emotions. The revelation painted a picture of Shin's inner struggles and ambitions, creating a conflicting narrative that tugged at Sabine's heart. Her leg still tingled from Shin's earlier touch, a physical reminder of their growing connection amidst the turmoil of their shared journey.
  
  
  
  "You're already powerful, Shin," Sabine affirmed, meeting Shin's intense gaze. "But I think true power is in the choices we make or don"t make."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes narrowed; her voice tinged with curiosity. "Explain."
  
  
  
  Sabine recounted their past encounters with a hint of fervor. "Choosing not to kill me on Lothal, fleeing on Seatos, Force choking me, and leaving even when Ahsoka offered help... all choices, Shin."
  
  
  
  Shin's expression hardened, her eyes searching Sabine's. "And your point is?"
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled and shrugged lightly. "Now, you're free to make your own choices. Your Master is gone and we"re in a different galaxy. It's almost like you have more control than you ever intended."
  
  
  
  Shin pondered this, her head tilting slightly. "A peculiar way to see it."
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice softened, her words carrying a mix of empathy and encouragement. "You've been chasing external validation for your strength. But look at how you"ve gotten here on Peridea, right?"
  
  
  
  Shin conceded with a reluctant nod. "Perhaps you're right."
  
  
  
  "And even my Master sees something within you," Sabine reminded.
  
  
  
  "I suppose."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes gleamed with conviction. "Kriff, Shin, you can do what you want. Be your own person and figure out your own power within yourself."
  
  
  
  A smile flickered across Shin's lips. "You sound like a Jedi Master speaking," she teased gently, extending her hand from under the covers towards Sabine's face. "Are you ready to live by your own advice?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart skipped a beat, her breath caught in her throat as Shin's fingers hovered tantalizingly close to her face. With an almost magnetic pull, she closed the gap, welcoming the gentle touch of Shin's fingers on her cheek and jaw. The sensation sent a pleasant tingle through her, a warmth spreading across her skin, comforting and intimate.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice, soft yet holding an underlying strength, broke the silence. "Are you sure I can do what I want, Sabine?" she asked, her thumb caressing Sabine's chin gently, yet holding a subtle firmness.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, sinking back into her pillow, her skin still humming where Shin's touch lingered. "That's more than enough for now," she whispered.
  
  
  
  Shin slowly withdrew her hand, turning to face Sabine with a look of concern and inquiry. "Have I shared enough with you tonight? Speaking of these things is not easy."
  
  
  
  Tentatively, Sabine reached out beneath the covers, her fingers seeking Shin's. Hesitation gave way to resolve, and she intertwined their fingers, a small gasp escaping her lips at the immediate connection.
  
  
  
  "For now," Sabine murmured, her eyelids growing heavy. A playful thought crossed her mind, and she mused, "Can you use our Force bond thing to help me sleep?"
  
  
  
  Shin looked puzzled for a moment. "I could try," she responded cautiously.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a tired smile, "I was only kidding," she said. But as the words left her lips, a soothing wave of tranquility enveloped her, lulling her gently into a peaceful slumber.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin's posture remained composed while she absorbed the final details of the meeting with Kradosh. The air inside the tent, known among the bandits as the Council's Den, held a curious blend of anticipation and solemnity, underlining the importance of their upcoming journey to the inhospitable northern lands. The hope for a merciful warmth from the skies was almost a physical presence in the room, a silent plea from a people who had weathered the whims of nature for millennia.
  
  
  
  The interior of the Council's Den was a reflection of the bandit's history and prowess. Along the periphery, weapons of various designs were displayed, each telling a silent story: curved blades that spoke of battles long past, spears that had perhaps once brought down mighty beasts, and more modern armaments hinting at encounters with technologically advanced foes. Interspersed with these were relics of a different kind - small, worn figurines, faded maps, and other artifacts whose purpose Shin could only speculate about. They were items of obvious significance, carefully preserved through countless seasons of wandering.
  
  
  
  Surprisingly, there was order here, a far cry from the chaotic reputation of bandits. Scrolls were neatly cataloged in one corner, perhaps containing knowledge or strategies passed down through generations. The atmosphere was serious, with the smoky air carrying a weight of decisions that affected many lives.
  
  
  
  Shin noted, not for the first time, the contrast between the bandit's external persona and the reality of their internal hierarchy and respect for their heritage. Kradosh, their leader, was a prime example. His demeanor was rough, his skin etched with the lines of both age and exposure to the elements, yet his eyes sparkled with intelligence and, when he spoke of his people, compassion.
  
  
  
  Their culture, Shin realized, was rich with layers not visible to those who encountered them only in passing or during conflicts. Their traditions ran deep, their bonds strong, and their survival skills honed through the relentless crucible of a nomadic existence. And now, as she delved deeper into their customs and social intricacies, Shin found herself reevaluating her initial assessment of the bandits. Perhaps, she considered, civilization existed in many forms, some just less recognizable at first glance.
  
  
  
  Sabine had seamlessly integrated herself into the bandit camp's daily rhythm, her adeptness at repair and innovation winning silent nods of approval from the group that had once viewed the newcomers with suspicion. Her hands moved with purpose and confidence, tools turning into extensions of her will as she breathed new life into machinery and gadgets. Shin couldn"t help but think of Sabine, her mind occasionally meandering through the quiet moments they'd shared that morning.
  
  
  
  The subject of Shin's nocturnal noise had surfaced again, a light-hearted accusation from Sabine regarding her alleged snoring. Shin had merely arched an eyebrow, unsure of how to navigate this playful banter, a stark contrast to the gravitas of their usual interactions.
  
  
  
  After their evening together, something shifted. She wasn"t sure what but it was in a direction she longed for. Sharing their past, their thoughts and feelings wasn"t easy but Shin was open to continuing onward if it meant she could spend more time with Sabine without quarrel.
  
  
  
  Their morning had started side by side, sharing a meal as the camp around them stretched awake in the crisp air. Civility briefly encased them in its familiar bubble, only to be punctured as soon as they stepped foot outside their tent. The camp's residents, particularly its engineers and those with a knack for the mechanical, had whisked Sabine away, eager to glean knowledge from her skilled hands.
  
  
  
  Shin, left to her own devices, proceeded to her meeting, her path somewhat shadowed by the camp's younger members. The children, curious and nimble, were ever-present but almost invisible, their small forms ducking behind fabric and foliage. They were relentless in their observation of these foreign visitors, trying to decode the mystery without getting caught.
  
  
  
  Yet, Shin was aware of their presence, always. Their curiosity was a refreshing reminder of innocence in a place where survival often overshadowed simple joys. She would catch their gazes, wide-eyed and calculating, and respond with nothing more than a fleeting, stern glance. It was enough to send them scurrying back, though not in fear, but with the thrill of the game they played. Their laughter, though muted, would find its way to her, a reminder that even in the harshest conditions, the spirit of youth persisted.
  
  
  
  "Shin?"
  
  
  
  The sound of her name snapped Shin back to the present, her attention refocusing as she straightened in her seat, the wood rough and well-used beneath her. "Yes, apologies," she responded quickly, her mind racing to catch up with the conversation she'd momentarily drifted away from. "We leave tomorrow, correct?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh's affirmation was immediate, his large form adjusting in his own chair, the structure groaning slightly under his muscular build. "Yes," he confirmed, his command of Basic growing stronger with each passing day, a skill he diligently imparted to his fellows.
  
  
  
  "Elaborate on these Tunnel Raiders you mentioned," Shin probed.
  
  
  
  Kradosh nodded. "We may or may not run into them," he explained. "They often pose a threat to the Ice people from the Mud Lands. It"d be good diplomacy to assist if anything arises."
  
  
  
  "We can help," Shin replied. "I"m curious about this group in the north and what awaits us."
  
  
  
  Kradosh ran his large hand across the war table. "May I ask something?"
  
  
  
  A gust of wind found its way into the Council Den, causing the various relics and symbols of power adorning the space to sway gently. Shin relaxed back into her chair, her gaze steady on Kradosh. "Of course," she granted. She couldn't help but feel a certain satisfaction from the deference the bandits, Kradosh in particular, showed her-a lingering edge of caution that flavored their interactions.
  
  
  
  Leaning in slightly, ensuring their conversation remained private in the spacious tent, Kradosh voiced his query with deliberate care, "Is Commander Wren more powerful than you?"
  
  
  
  His question, though quietly posed, seemed to disrupt the air around them. Shin's body instinctively stiffened, a reaction she smoothed over by rolling her shoulders and running her hands along the time-worn surface of the war table before them. "Absolutely not," she answered with a controlled calm, her eyes narrowing as she leaned in. "Why would you think such a thing?" Her question hung between them, charged with unspoken implications, awaiting his reasoning.
  
  
  
  Kradosh raised his hand in a gesture of respectful amendment. "Excuse my lack of knowledge," he offered, his tone laced with genuine contrition. "I mean no offense. Allow me to explain... Sabine demonstrates the qualities of a seasoned warrior, skilled not only with her saber but also in the use of blasters, explosives, and mechanics. Since your arrival, our camp has undergone significant enhancements. Our alliance with Master Ahsoka and Commander Wren has propelled us forward in great strides. However, I ponder your personal advancement?"
  
  
  
  Shin absorbed his inquiry, striving to process it without bias, even as a flush of warmth threatened to betray her composure. "Advancement in what manner?" she queried, seeking clarity.
  
  
  
  Drawing a slow breath, Kradosh straightened, his posture embodying the solemnity of his words. "In our culture, ceaseless self-improvement, be it incremental or substantial, holds critical importance," he elucidated. "Often, collaboration with someone excelling in diverse skills catalyzes such growth."
  
  
  
  A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Shin's mouth, and she reclined slightly in her chair. "So, you're suggesting Sabine is an ideal counterpart for this endeavor?" she delved further. She remembered Sabine's accusation of her being static within the prison cell of the Nightsister fortress.
  
  
  
  A single, affirming nod came from Kradosh. "She shares similarities with you," he observed. "It leads one to speculate..."
  
  
  
  An eyebrow arched gracefully on Shin's forehead, her burgeoning amusement barely contained. "Embarking on a bit of matchmaking, are we, Kradosh?" she ribbed lightly.
  
  
  
  A rich, deep laugh rumbled from Kradosh as he folded his brawny arms across his chest, his demeanor relaxed yet confident. "I raise children of my own," he disclosed. "I'm well-versed in the ways of the young, in this galaxy or any other."
  
  
  
  "Then we shall gauge the extent of my improvement on our expedition north," Shin concluded, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air between them.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine found herself silently cursing with kriff on repeat. Their journey into the icy reaches of the north had her second-guessing her choices. The brief periods of daylight were scant comfort against the bone-chilling nights. Were it not for the Noti offering her a compact travel pod, she would've been left to the merciless cold like the bandits, who seemed entirely unfazed in their makeshift tents.
  
  
  
  Shin chose to bond with the bandits, resting alongside them, a display of her unwavering commitment to their shared mission. Sabine, however, valued warmth over camaraderie and took refuge in the Noti pod. In her haven, she was joined by two playful Noti companions, Pook and Dook, who seemed equally content to escape the frost. The journey's harsh conditions didn't appear to deter the howlers or the bandits, both seemingly in their element amidst the snow and ice.
  
  
  
  Yet, in the vast frozen wasteland, solitude was a luxury. Sabine frequently sensed Shin's watchful gaze and felt the scrutiny of Kradosh. Two curious bandit younglings were part of their group, absorbing new experiences and offering their hands wherever help was required.
  
  
  
  The terrain grew slick with frost as the biting wind intensified, yet amidst the harshness, a delicate allure emerged. Come nighttime, the heavens swayed with mesmerizing hues of green and yellow, while the radiant rings of Peridea pierced the obsidian sky.
  
  
  
  Just as Sabine was about to retreat to the warmth of her Noti pod, something in the stillness gave her pause. She peered into the abyss, alert.
  
  
  
  "You hear that?" She inquired of her Noti companion, Pook.
  
  
  
  Pook's eyestalks shifted rapidly, summoning his sibling, Dook, for a closer inspection. "Wupa, wupa!" they exclaimed in unison.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine murmured, a hint of apprehension in her tone. "That"s what I was afraid of." She leaned further out of the pod, taking in the sight of the bandit tent. Its power cell radiated warmth, contrasting starkly with the warm glow of the nearby dinner fire. She drew a deep breath, her senses sharpening. There it was again, a piercing screech that seemed to originate from the shadowy void beyond. As the chilling wind brushed past her face, a sinking feeling settled in-she had to find out what lurked in the shadows.
  
  
  
  The eerie cry rang out again, prompting Shin and several bandits to emerge hastily from the tent. Alert and vigilant, they quickly formed a defensive perimeter around their makeshift camp.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh, what's that sound?" Shin demanded, her eyes darting. "Is it like the Voraxlyn we battled?"
  
  
  
  Gripping his hefty blaster, Kradosh strained his eyes into the darkness. "No," he said tersely. "Icewraiths."
  
  
  
  "Ice what?" Sabine chimed in, drawing her blasters instinctively.
  
  
  
  Without hesitation, Kradosh bundled Pook and Dook into the Noti pod. "Icewraiths have a taste for Noti," he warned. "For the rest of us, they're less than friendly."
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips pressed together in irony as she secured the pod for them. "Delightful."
  
  
  
  Drawing her orange saber, its light competing with the fire's glow, Shin inquired, "Any vulnerabilities?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh met her gaze. "Blood."
  
  
  
  Both women exchanged a look. "Blood?" they echoed.
  
  
  
  "The scent of blood sends the Icewraiths into a rage," Kradosh explained. "If we can't take them down... someone might need to be bait."
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes in exasperation.
  
  
  
  By her side, Tota tensed up, ready to defend, his growls joining the nocturnal chorus.
  
  
  
  The rapid patter of footsteps on the frosted ground sent chills up their spines as they closed in on the encampment. The fire"s flames flickered erratically, dancing in response to the unseen invaders, as the group steeled themselves for the impending confrontation.
  
  
  
  Sabine's throat was parched, her fingers instinctively tightened around the grips of her blasters. Out of the dark, a shimmering form lunged towards her. Its body gleamed like sculpted ice, refracting the firelight in prismatic bursts. Yet, its almost mesmerizing allure was marred by its grotesque mouth-bristling with rows of needle-like teeth and a prehensile tongue that lashed out menacingly.
  
  
  
  What in the kriff were these things? Sabine thought as she narrowly avoided the tongue"s lashing strike. The icy attackers darted around, their tongues acting like metallic whips, smashing into armor and weapon with surprising force. They were difficult to see and quick as lightning.
  
  
  
  Sabine aimed and fired her blaster at an oncoming Icewraith. The creature reeled back, emitting a brief cry of pain, before retreating to regroup with its brethren.
  
  
  
  Elsewhere in the fray, Kradosh and the younglings proved their mettle. They managed to down one of the creatures. As it fell, its crystalline form glinted eerily, its lifeblood-a sparkling liquid-spilling onto the pristine snow.
  
  
  
  Shin brandished her lightsaber, plunging it into the snow and cutting a blazing circle around the camp as a fiery deterrent.
  
  
  
  Sabine felt the paradoxical sensation of sweat forming on her brow despite the biting cold. She caught sight of Pook and Dook, who were peeking from the safety of the Noti pod, cheering them on. However, the brief respite was shattered as the Icewraiths rallied, launching another frenzied assault.
  
  
  
  Bandits engaged the creatures with deft moves, their weapons clashing against the wraiths' crystalline forms. The night was filled with the glint of predatory teeth and the swift motions of the Icewraiths.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream pierced the night. Sabine's gaze darted to its source, witnessing a chilling sight: a youngling ensnared in the grips of two wraiths, being dragged away into the consuming darkness. Her heart raced as she fired off a few shots, but the risk of hitting the child forced her to cease fire. Without hesitation, she dashed after the menacing creatures, desperate to save the young captive.
  
  
  
  They were swift, their strength overpowering, and Sabine struggled to match their pace. Seizing an opportunity as a moonbeam illuminated the snowy expanse, Sabine unsheathed her hunting knife, quickly pricking her finger. Drops of blood stained the untouched snow, and she held her breath, anticipating their reaction.
  
  
  
  The Icewraiths responded with an agonized scream, immediately releasing their grip on the youngling. Seizing the opportunity, Sabine ignited her lightsaber, battling the frenzied swarm. She dispatched one with a clean beheading, cleaved another down its center, yet they seemed countless in number.
  
  
  
  Sabine's relief at seeing the youngling return to the camp was short-lived. An Icewraith lunged, its jaws clamping onto her arm. She let out a pained scream. If not for the protective beskar on her gauntlet, the damage would have been catastrophic. Blood seeped from the wound, rendering her arm weak and her lightsaber unusable.
  
  
  
  Alerted by the commotion, Kradosh, Shin, and the bandits converged on her position, finishing off the Icewraiths lured by the scent of her blood. They efficiently dispatched the remaining creatures before hastily pulling Sabine back to the safety of their encampment.
  
  
  
  "Where's the bacta?" Shin's voice was sharp, her urgency evident as she rushed into the Noti pod. "Pook! Dook! We need that bacta now!"
  
  
  
  Laid inside the pod, Sabine's vision wavered, the world around her growing dim. Shin's hands, usually so steady, quivered. Her face, slick with perspiration in the freezing cold, held a desperate look that made Sabine smirk weakly. Without hesitation, Shin sprayed the bacta over the grievous wound, but to little effect.
  
  
  
  She glanced at the depleting canister and hurled it in frustration. "Why isn't it healing properly?" Her voice edged with panic as Sabine's skin took on an unsettling hue, the discoloration spreading.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, unable to fit inside the compact space of the pod, remained at the entrance. "The one that bit her was likely venomous," he said, handing over a small vial. "Administer this, quickly."
  
  
  
  Sabine struggled to keep her eyes from closing. With haste, Shin plunged a needle filled with the antidote into Sabine's arm. Agonizing pain surged through her, every beat of her heart intensifying the burn.
  
  
  
  "Shin," Sabine managed to whisper, her voice fading.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes met Sabine's, a mix of determination and despair. "Don't you dare," she muttered, voice quivering. "The antidote will work. It just needs... time. Just stay with me."
  
  
  
  A tightness seized Sabine's throat as she locked onto Shin's teary blue eyes. Perhaps, she thought, she'd witness a tear from Shin before slipping into the enveloping darkness, a tear warmed by the connection they shared through the Force.
  
  
  
  Shin continued to try and keep Sabine awake. "Tell me more about Chopper committing war crimes," she pressed. "Ejecting people from space?"
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled slightly but immediately groaned in pain.
  
  
  
  Brushing away damp hair, Shin shot a pleading look at Kradosh and the Noti. She then knelt down beside Sabine, placing her trembling hands over the torn and bleeding arm. Taking a steadying breath, she closed her eyes.
  
  
  
  Sabine mustered her remaining strength to stare up at Shin. An intense stillness enveloped the pod, every sound and motion seemingly suspended. Sabine's eyes widened in astonishment as a radiant energy erupted around them. This healing light, warm and comforting, enveloped the pod, weaving its way to Shin and channeling through her fingertips.
  
  
  
  A sharp intake of breath escaped Sabine's lips as she witnessed her ravaged arm miraculously regenerate. The alarming discoloration faded, replaced by her skin's natural tone, now unmarred and whole. Her awe-struck gaze settled on Shin, who, with unwavering concentration, channeled the healing energy into her.
  
  
  
  "How did you do that?" Sabine whispered, examining her arm in disbelief.
  
  
  
  Shin slumped back, gasping for air, sweat dripping from her forehead. "I... I'm not sure," she stammered. "It was just an instinctive response."
  
  
  
  The two Noti, Pook and Dook, exchanged bewildered glances before staring back at Sabine, their eyes wide with astonishment.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, still lingering at the entrance, looked on with a mix of awe and confusion.
  
  
  
  Sabine flexed her hand, clenching and unclenching her fist, and murmured, "You healed me somehow."
  
  
  
  Visibly drained, Shin uttered, "I'm exhausted and I feel very ill."
  
  
  
  Sabine swiftly rose to her feet. "Pook, Dook," she instructed, "Help me get her settled in my bed." She pulled up Shin as gently as she could while guiding her to the small cot. Setting her down carefully, Sabine grabbed blankets and poured fresh water for Shin to drink if she needed. Shin was pale, sweating and wincing and Sabine"s stomach coiled.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Shin whimpered, her eyes glossy.
  
  
  
  "I"m here," Sabine asserted, grabbing a chair to sit near Shin. "What do you need?"
  
  
  
  "I"m drained," Shin managed to say. "I can barely feel the Force."
  
  
  
  "You need to rest, okay," Sabine replied. "Please just... I can take care of you while you rest."
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes flared open for a moment before drooping again. "I don"t want to be a burden," she mumbled weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  "You"re not," Sabine reassured her, placing a gentle hand on Shin"s forehead, feeling the feverish heat. "You saved me. Let me help you now."
  
  
  
  Shin frowned and leaned into Sabine"s warm touch. "There are so many things we want to say to each other, aren"t there?" she asked. "But the words are out of reach."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s heart fluttered and she removed her hand to clearly look into Shin"s eyes. "We"ll keep trying when you get better," she replied. "Now rest."
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips twitched in a semblance of a smile, her gaze lingering on Sabine"s face. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice trailing off as her eyes finally closed, succumbing to the exhaustion.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched over Shin, her own heart racing with a mix of concern and wonder. The night"s events had revealed a depth to Shin"s abilities that neither of them fully understood. As the Noti pod hummed quietly, providing a peaceful respite from the frigid outside world, Sabine found her thoughts drifting.
  
  
  
  Her mind replayed the scene of Shin"s unprecedented healing power, the way the energy had flowed from her hands, the miraculous recovery of her wound. It was something out of a fable, yet it had happened right before her eyes. Sabine pondered what it meant for Shin, for their journey, and for the mysteries of the Force that seemed to unravel in unexpected ways.
  
  
  
  The hours passed and then a day, and Sabine remained vigilant, occasionally checking Shin"s temperature and ensuring she was as comfortable as possible. Shin"s breathing was erratic at times and her rest was troubled, her brow often creasing in distress. Sabine didn"t feel at ease to tend to her own needs until Shin finally began to sleep peacefully.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Hopefully Shin will be okay! Thank you all for being here each chapter.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 16: Ice
  Notes:
  This time of year is pretty busy for anyone in school so hope you"re all doing well!
  
  I always get this weird nervousness before posting even though here we are at chapter 16. Enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  For two days, Shin lay in a deep slumber, her breaths first ragged but eventually peaceful, contrasting the urgency of their journey. Turning back was no longer an option, not when the territory of the Ice People lay just over the horizon, their destination drawing nearer with each passing moment. Throughout the journey, Sabine maintained a constant line of communication with Ahsoka, ensuring she was well-informed of every twist and turn the situation took.
  
  
  
  At the helm of the Noti pod, Sabine reclined, her boots casually propped up on the dashboard, basking in a rare moment of relaxation. Pook and Dook, meanwhile, were all business, their focus unwavering as they expertly navigated the pod through the snow-blanketed landscape. Every so often, their eyes darted to the peripheries, noting the comforting presence of the howlers and bandits. These loyal figures flanked the pod protectively, their silhouettes accompanying them closely, ensuring their journey remained undisturbed.
  
  
  
  Today, unlike the previous gloomy days, the sun was particularly radiant. Its golden rays struck the snow, causing it to sparkle brilliantly. It was as if the entire icy plain was a vast canvas of twinkling stars. The beauty of the scene was not lost on Sabine. Even amidst the tension, she stole a moment to marvel at the world outside, feeling a fleeting sense of peace.
  
  
  
  The connection buzzed to life as Ahsoka's voice filtered through the comms. "Could it have been the bacta?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Pulling her poncho tighter, Sabine responded, "Maybe a mix of both?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's tone was tinged with concern. "Force healing isn"t just any technique. It requires profound mastery."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, irritation evident. "I've told you exactly what happened, Master."
  
  
  
  A thoughtful pause on Ahsoka's end. "That explains her exhaustion... and yours too it seems. Stay vigilant. Should things decline, we're on standby with the ship."
  
  
  
  Sabine's determination shone through her voice. "I've got this under control. We're nearing the Ice People soon enough."
  
  
  
  "Remember, I'm a call away," Ahsoka said, before the line went silent.
  
  
  
  With a drawn-out sigh, Sabine's fingers grazed the fabric of her winter hat, feeling its coarse texture. Slowly, she retracted her legs from the dashboard and rose from her seat, her attention drifting to Shin. She retreated inside of the pod to check on her adversary.
  
  
  
  Seeing Shin Hati in such a vulnerable state was unsettling; the fierce warrior she knew now seemed almost fragile. A pang of concern tightened in Sabine's chest as she eased into a chair beside Shin's modest cot.
  
  
  
  For what felt like an eternity, she simply watched her - the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, the peacefulness of her features unmarred by the usual sounds of slumber. Just as Sabine contemplated leaving, a shift caught her attention. Shin's blue eyes, clear as the day sky, began to flicker open, drawing Sabine back into the moment.
  
  
  
  After days of silence, Shin's voice, raspy from disuse, broke the quiet. "Is that my poncho?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine blinked, a hint of amusement playing on her lips. "This one is mine," she responded.
  
  
  
  Shin squinted slightly, her tone laced with genuine curiosity. "Are you sure?"
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated for a brief moment, her thoughts wandering. Choosing to redirect the conversation, she asked, "How do you feel?"
  
  
  
  With an effort, Shin tried to prop herself up, her face contorted with discomfort. "Horrible. I can"t feel the Force, and my head's a complete fog."
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze drifted to her recently healed arm, a visible reminder of their last encounter. "I don"t think it"s a good idea to do that again," she cautioned.
  
  
  
  Leaning against the pod wall for support, Shin's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what does your Master think?"
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her lips dry from the cold air. Meeting Shin"s gaze head-on, she said, "She"s skeptical, which I get. It"s a technique that, from what she said, takes a lifetime to master."
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Shin mused, her fingers absently trying to tame her unruly hair. "But if this is the toll it takes, I won't be doing it again."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes twinkled, her lips curving into a playful smile. "Have you missed me in your sleep?"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flashed, her tone sharp. "Missed you? I should've let you-"
  
  
  
  "You didn't, though," Sabine cut in, her smirk evident.
  
  
  
  The tension in Shin's posture eased, her shoulders drooping. "Are you okay?"
  
  
  
  Radiating warmth, Sabine grinned. "Better than ever. Just a bit chilly."
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her voice teasing. "I was under the impression you liked the cold."
  
  
  
  Fingering the edge of her poncho, Sabine met Shin's gaze. "I was getting used to sleeping together."
  
  
  
  Shin's smirk grew sly. "Even with the snoring?"
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, leaning in conspiratorially. "Especially that," she teased. Memories of an intimate evening flashed before her, where Shin's touch had danced upon her skin-tender, yet with an underlying hint of ownership. An audacious part of Sabine had found herself longing for that possessiveness, a secret thrill behind closed doors, knowing she could always turn the tables on Shin if she wished.
  
  
  
  Shin arched an eyebrow. "Thinking of putting me in my place?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes widened in feigned innocence, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Mind reading now? I thought the Force had left you temporarily."
  
  
  
  Shin's stern gaze didn't waver. "Sometimes, your thoughts scream rather than whisper."
  
  
  
  Sabine made a face, her lips fluttering in a playful gesture. "I wish I could hear you better," she mumbled. "It"s not fair."
  
  
  
  Shin looked at her, a hint of empathy softening her features. She licked her parched lips and replied soothingly, "It takes time. You"ll get there..." Her voice carried the weight of her own experiences, offering reassurance.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze lingered on Shin, noting the gradual return of color to her face. The thought crossed her mind that she could take advantage of Shin's weakened state, but the only desire she harbored was to ensure Shin's safety and comfort. "Want to hear more about Chopper?" Sabine asked, hoping to lighten the mood.
  
  
  
  Shin's interest was piqued. "I do," she answered, her curiosity evident.
  
  
  
  As Sabine recounted her adventures with the Rebel Alliance, particularly the daring antics of Chopper, Shin listened intently. Her expressions fluctuated between amusement and disbelief, prompting Sabine to delve deeper into her stories, her voice animated against the steady hum of the Noti pod.
  
  
  
  Shin, puzzled by the tales, interjected, "How is this droid allowed to operate?" Her tone conveyed both bewilderment and fascination.
  
  
  
  Sabine laughed, throwing her hands in the air in a gesture of mock surrender. "Chopper is Chopper," she explained, her fondness for the droid clear in her voice.
  
  
  
  Shin murmured thoughtfully, "I"m certainly glad I wasn"t a baby on that Inquisitor ship then. Chopper"s name suits him."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s smile widened. "Zeb wouldn"t have let anything bad happen," she assured Shin, her tone confident. "And I"m relieved you weren"t taken as a baby either."
  
  
  
  There was a brief pause, a moment where the joviality of their conversation gently subsided. The comfort and ease they shared allowed deeper, more poignant topics to surface. It was in this natural lull that Shin, her expression turning thoughtful, steered their dialog to a more somber topic.
  
  
  
  "Sabine, I"ve always wondered about Mandalore, especially after the Night of a Thousand Tears..." Shin"s voice trailed off, her eyes conveying a depth of concern. "Considering I visited Sundari..."
  
  
  
  The mention of Mandalore struck a chord in Sabine, a poignant reminder of a past marred by tragedy. She felt a lump form in her throat, a physical manifestation of the pain and loss associated with her home. Swallowing hard, she managed to compose herself, touched by the empathy evident in Shin's gaze.
  
  
  
  "Mandalore..." Sabine began, her voice tinged with a mixture of sorrow and resilience, ready to delve into the memories of her homeworld.
  
  
  
  Seeking to steer the conversation away from the painful memory, Shin asked, "Will you try to rebuild your clan?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze met Shin's revitalizing blue eyes, sensing the depth of her concern. "To rebuild, I"d need a partner, wouldn"t I?" Sabine mused aloud.
  
  
  
  Shin's reaction was immediate; her eyes widened, then she averted her gaze, her voice a mere whisper. "Someone Mandalorian, I"m sure."
  
  
  
  Before Sabine could craft an appropriate response, the Noti pod jerked to a stop, drawing her attention to the window. Outside, Pook and Dook animatedly gestured, signaling their arrival at their destination. The relief was evident, and Sabine surmised they were near the Ice People village.
  
  
  
  Sabine reached for some warm gear, offering it to Shin. "Think you can handle the cold?"
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her intense gaze softening, a vulnerability emerging. "Before we go... I want to apologize for what transpired on Lothal. I was only doing what I was told. I wanted to impress my Master... it"s not an excuse... Thrawn wasn"t what I thought he"d be..." Shin realized she was rambling which she"d never done around Sabine or anyone before.
  
  
  
  Holding the winter-wear close to her beating chest, Sabine's voice softened, her eyes moistening. "I know, Shin... I know you"re sorry, I can feel it."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The village of the Ice People was a marvel to behold, a sprawling expanse of homes meticulously crafted from blocks of snow and stone. Each structure glistened and glittered under the relentless brilliance of the sunlight, creating a mesmerizing dance of light across the village. The luminosity was so intense that it bordered on overwhelming, nearly blinding to any unaccustomed eyes.
  
  
  
  Nestled amidst the biting cold, this elaborate settlement stood as a clear demonstration of the resilience of its inhabitants, who numbered in the thousands. They had adapted to the harsh, icy conditions, creating a life for themselves in the perpetual frost.
  
  
  
  Despite the stunning beauty of the village, Shin found herself battling against her ailment, her legs threatening to give way beneath her. Yet, in her moments of weakness, Sabine was a constant presence at her side, ready to lend support and strength. Shin felt a gurgle of protest from her stomach, a reminder of her body's needs, and she could sense the lingering weakness in her muscles. Yet, these sensations were a stark improvement from the harrowing nights past, where darkness had threatened to consume her, leaving her wondering if she would ever see the light of day again.
  
  
  
  As Shin gathered her bearings, she took in the full scope of the village"s location. It sat proudly beside a vast lake, its waters frozen solid, creating a shimmering stretch of ice. In the distance, formidable mountains rose up, providing a majestic and protective backdrop to the village. The combination of the shimmering homes, the frozen lake, and the towering mountains crafted a panorama of tranquil allure and untamed strength, showcasing the Ice Peoples" unyielding spirit and their expertise in navigating the harsh terrain.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expectations were completely overturned upon seeing the village, as it diverged significantly from Kradosh"s descriptions. She had envisioned a simple settlement, dotted with white tents standing stark against the snow and ice. However, what lay before her was almost ethereal, a community that not only survived but thrived by ingeniously harnessing the landscape and climate of this inhospitable region.
  
  
  
  Throughout the village, large bonfires blazed, providing pockets of warmth against the biting cold. Shops and stalls lined the paths, bustling with activity, while children found joy playing amidst the snow. Adults were busy at work, partaking in ice fishing and navigating the snowy expanse with specialized vehicles designed for such terrain.
  
  
  
  Upon their arrival, a delegation, presumably the leaders of this northern clan, promptly approached to meet Kradosh. Although Shin found herself too weak to participate actively, Sabine effortlessly took charge. She stepped forward, radiating charm and showcasing her profound knowledge as she engaged with the welcoming party, ensuring a smooth introduction for their group.
  
  
  
  "Struggling to retrieve those fallen supply crates, I see," Kradosh remarked, his tone laced with a hint of amusement as he surveyed the scene. The Ice People, clad in their stark white armor, stood imposingly before him.
  
  
  
  Ilyara, their poised and commanding leader, stepped forth, her armor gleaming resplendently in the sunlight. "We should make our way to the Glacial Hall," she suggested, her voice carrying a sense of authority as she motioned for the group to follow.
  
  
  
  Shin's consciousness wavered, her state fluctuating between clarity and confusion. Nonetheless, Sabine remained steadfast by her side, offering unwavering support as they navigated through the village. Despite her sporadic moments of disorientation, Shin couldn't help but notice Ilyara's impressive command of Basic.
  
  
  
  The Glacial Hall itself was a sight to behold, distinguishable from the surrounding structures with its intricate ice sculptures and symbolic engravings etched into the snowy walls. She observed that many of the Ice People wore sun-visors, a practical accessory to shield their eyes from the harsh glare.
  
  
  
  Upon entering the hall, Shin found its interior to bear a striking resemblance to the Council Den of the Red Bandits. However, this meeting space boasted a more artistic ambiance, devoid of any weaponry. Dominating the room was a lengthy table, constructed from rock and stone, with a captivating crystal slab nestled at its center. The sight of it left Shin utterly mesmerized.
  
  
  
  Shin took a seat beside Sabine, grateful that Kradosh was there to take charge of the meeting. The Ice People exuded a sense of calm refinement, a stark contrast to the other groups they had encountered. Their leader, Ilyara, carried herself with a composed ease, which did not go unnoticed by Shin. She was aware that such poise usually belonged to individuals with significant influence.
  
  
  
  Shin overheard a conversation about celebratory festivities occurring soon and that they hoped to make good progress in the coming days.
  
  
  
  Ilyara began to explain the situation, "The crates are positioned high up in the mountain range, and we"ve been unable to reach them for nearly a year now, due to the Ice wraiths and the perilous weather conditions at that altitude."
  
  
  
  Kradosh acknowledged her words with a nod before turning his attention to Sabine and Shin. "Our Commander and General, hailing from a galaxy far, far away, will undoubtedly prove invaluable in this endeavor," he stated with confidence.
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine suddenly realized that Shin"s hand had been in hers throughout the entire meeting. Trying to maintain her composure, she gently withdrew her hand, eager to address the gathering more formally. "But are these crates even worth the risk and effort?" she questioned, her tone laced with skepticism. "Especially considering that they were dumped by Thrawn?"
  
  
  
  Ilyara gave a nod of understanding, gracefully bringing her hands together atop the shimmering crystal table. "The crates in question are stocked with medical supplies, power cells, and various tools and parts crucial to our survival," she responded.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows drew together in a thoughtful frown as she scrutinized Ilyara closely. "Alright," she began cautiously, "but I have to ask, did something in those crates help you learn Basic Galactic? Your fluency is impressive."
  
  
  
  From her seat, Shin shot Sabine a glare, mustering as much energy as she could to communicate her disapproval. Sabine!
  
  
  
  Sabine, however, seemed to tune out the silent reproach, brushing off Shin"s hand as it attempted to squeeze her thigh in a silent plea for restraint.
  
  
  
  Unfazed, Ilyara"s lips twitched into something that resembled a smile as she lifted her hand in a gesture of revelation. "Your group is not the only one Thrawn abandoned," she stated with cool composure. "Allow me to introduce you to my allies, those who chose to defy Thrawn and join our cause."
  
  
  
  At her words, a group of people, devoid of helmets but clad in stormtrooper armor, emerged from the hall"s shadows and into the dim, flickering candlelight. It was a motley crew of soldiers, the sight of them causing Shin"s heart to plummet and then skyrocket, as if lodging itself in her throat.
  
  
  
  However, what captured Shin"s attention amidst the group was a woman with raven-black hair and rich, golden-toned skin, her deep brown eyes locked intently on Sabine. Shin"s gaze flickered between Sabine and this striking woman, feeling an inexplicable knot tighten in her stomach. The woman gracefully stepped forward from the group, flashing a flawless smile.
  
  
  
  "I"m Jex Gnar," she introduced herself, her voice as captivating as her presence. "We couldn"t align ourselves with Thrawn"s methods, so we chose to leave."
  
  
  
  Sabine, tapping rhythmically on the table, tilted her head slightly as she processed the information. "Uh-huh," she responded, skepticism evident in her tone. "But you were under his command at some point, weren"t you?"
  
  
  
  "Yep," Jex acknowledged with a mischievous grin, not missing a beat. "But that"s in the past. Here we are now, just like you-stranded."
  
  
  
  Shin felt a prickling sensation in her stomach as she observed Jex"s lingering gaze on Sabine. This was absurd, she thought to herself. Yet, amidst the startling revelations of the meeting, this unexpected and unwelcome surge of emotion was all she could focus on as she tried to sit up straighter in her seat.
  
  
  
  Kradosh attempted to alleviate the growing tension in the room by clearing his throat and shifting the focus. "We"ve brought back some treasures from the tropical zone," he announced, gesturing grandly as the Red Bandits began unloading crates filled with their recent findings.
  
  
  
  Ilyara clapped her hands with glee, her eyes lighting up as she eagerly inspected the trove of lost artifacts. "Incredible," she whispered. "How in the stars did you manage to acquire these?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh grinned, proud of their success. "We had a bit of special assistance," he revealed. "Our new allies possess some rather unique abilities."
  
  
  
  Jex"s brow furrowed in intrigue, and she crossed her arms, her posture radiating curiosity. "Jedi?" she inquired, her tone laced with suspicion.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin and Sabine responded in unison, their voices firm.
  
  
  
  Jex hummed in contemplation, her eyes flicking back and forth between Shin and Sabine as she processed their answer. "Okay well I hope we can get those crates with your help... In the meantime you can visit the hot springs if you want. You both seriously look like you need it."
  
  
  
  Shin slumped back in her chair, her energy drained, as Sabine eagerly began expressing her excitement about the prospect of a relaxing dip in the hot springs. This expedition was far from what Shin had envisioned. Not only was she still reeling from the Ice wraith attack, but the constant barrage of surprises-from Thrawn"s former soldiers to a distractingly attractive woman who seemed to have taken a particular interest in Sabine-was proving to be overwhelming.
  
  
  
  She could barely concentrate when the meeting began to discuss sightings of the Tunnel Raiders. Something about them not being seen for months which was an oddity.
  
  
  
  Maybe a trip to the hot springs wasn"t such a bad idea after all, she pondered, albeit for entirely different reasons than Sabine. She could very well use it to momentarily escape and gather her thoughts-or perhaps, half-jokingly, to drown her frustrations.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine was uncertain whether visiting the hot springs was truly a pressing matter at the moment, yet she harbored hope that it might contribute positively to Shin's well-being. At the very least, it presented an opportunity for her to rejuvenate and rest momentarily before embarking on the challenging journey up a mountain that awaited them.
  
  
  
  She found herself in a lavish living space, adjoined to Shin's quarters and those of the rest of the Red Bandits, with an entire row of homes at their disposal situated in close proximity to the Glacial Hall. The village"s inhabitants appeared relatively indifferent to her presence, likely due to their familiarity with the former troopers of Thrawn residing nearby for several years.
  
  
  
  As Sabine prepared her belongings for the trip to the springs, her thoughts inevitably wandered back to Shin. She reminisced about the delicate moments before and after Shin had healed her, captivated by the gentleness and tenderness that Shin had displayed. It was a complexity she recognized, yet she found herself hoping that this softer side of Shin would persist. Despite the intricacies of their situation, not a single part of Sabine wished for it to come to an end.
  
  
  
  Not anymore.
  
  
  
  A soft knock resonated against the solid, expansive door, prompting Sabine to swiftly pivot on her heels.
  
  
  
  "Ready?" came the voice of Jex Gnar, who stood with a casual lean against the doorway.
  
  
  
  With a swift motion, Sabine slung her pack over her shoulder, offering a nonchalant shrug. Trust was a scarce commodity when it came to anyone affiliated with Thrawn or the Empire. Sabine remained wary, memories of Agent Kallus' turn from foe to ally playing in her mind. Yet, something intriguing lingered in Jex's warm brown eyes.
  
  
  
  "For what, exactly?" Sabine inquired, diligently adjusting her winter hat.
  
  
  
  Jex"s grin broadened, though she stayed put at the door. "Just for a bit of fun," she responded, her voice playful as she bit her lower lip. "By the way, Shin Hati... is she your girlfriend?"
  
  
  
  The question caught Sabine off guard, prompting an internal double-take. Nonchalantly, she replied, "Nope," while fidgeting with the strap of her pack.
  
  
  
  Leaning further into the doorframe, Jex studied Sabine, her gaze lingering. "Never thought we"d ever encounter someone else from our galaxy here," she mused, her tone reflective.
  
  
  
  "You"re lucky you didn"t turn into a possessed zombie," Sabine shot back.
  
  
  
  "Those Nightsisters were quite unsettling," Jex added.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle, raising her eyebrows in agreement. "Unsettling, and likely back on Dathomir by now," she countered.
  
  
  
  Jex"s gaze traveled up and down Sabine"s form, her voice dipping to a cooler timbre. "Maybe being stranded here won't be all that bad, now that they're gone," she mused, her fingers winding through her lengthy black hair.
  
  
  
  A shiver traced Sabine"s spine, prompting her to clear her throat subtly. Jex was undeniably...something. Needing a change of topic, Sabine blurted out, "Let"s check out the springs!"
  
  
  
  Jex"s eyes sparkled as she pushed off from the doorframe. "Let"s."
  
  
  
  As Sabine moved forward, the door to the adjacent room creaked open, revealing Shin, her eyes steely and her demeanor unimpressed.
  
  
  
  "Am I disturbing something?" Shin inquired, her voice weary as she stepped into the room.
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed, noticing the lingering gaze between Shin and Jex, who nonchalantly stood across the room. And Jex... Jex was returning the gaze with such a look. What an opportunist. Sabine supposed she couldn"t blame her. There likely wasn"t much to do on Peridea except for...
  
  
  
  "Not in the slightest," Jex responded with a charming smile. "I'll be waiting outside." She closed the door with a soft click, leaving as quietly as she had appeared.
  
  
  
  Leaning against a nearby dresser for support, Shin exhaled slowly. "Did you see that look she gave you?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, placing her pack down and approaching Shin. "What about it?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  "It seemed rather forward."
  
  
  
  Sabine countered, "Have you noticed the looks you've been getting here?" It was true. As soon as Shin stepped foot into the village, citizens were ogling.
  
  
  
  Shin pressed her back against the wall, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. "I've had other things on my mind," she replied tersely.
  
  
  
  "Like what, exactly?"
  
  
  
  Shin's expression softened, fatigue evident. "I'm too worn out for this conversation," she admitted.
  
  
  
  Sabine tilted her head and closed the gap, now only a foot away from Shin. "I know you are," she responded softly. "You know... for a moment I thought about taking advantage of you somehow." She gently lifted her hand, tracing the curve of Shin's neck with her finger before grasping her chin with a firm, yet tender touch. "But I like it when you fight back."
  
  
  
  Shin's throat moved visibly as she swallowed, yet she remained motionless, almost savoring the contact. "The only one I want to fight with is you," she confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled softly, her eyes locked with Shin's. "Let's head to the springs and see if they help you recover a bit."
  
  
  
  Notes:
  These two...
  
  It"s been so great interacting with you all. If you"d like to chat, game or help me with my papers and finals /j lol you can reach me at @veditas on tumblr
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 17: Springs
  Notes:
  So happy the cast were so enthusiastic about wolfwren at the LA Comic Con panel. Really cool stuff!
  
  Did not think Jealous Shin would be so popular last chapter woweee!
  
  This chapter is probably the softest stuff I've written between these two. So those of you who enjoy that, I hope you like it!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin mustered up every bit of strength she had left, ensuring she maintained a close and steady pace right beside Sabine as they ambled toward the springs. With a subtle sense of curiosity dancing in her eyes, she observed Jex, along with a handful of others, who were accompanying them, their spirits lifted at the prospect of indulging in the warm embrace of the hot springs. Shin found comfort in her closeness to Sabine, who seemed surprisingly welcoming of her proximity. She decided not to delve too deep into it, choosing instead to focus on the warmth that was soon to envelop her frail body.
  
  
  
  Despite her lingering weakness, Shin felt an unspoken promise in the air, a promise that the hot springs would provide her with the much-needed solace and relaxation her body yearned for. And, secretly, she harbored the desire to catch another glimpse of Sabine, adorned in her swimwear, a sight she found herself unexpectedly drawn to.
  
  
  
  Above them, the sun held its position proudly in the clear, azure sky, casting a warm and golden hue across the landscape. Shin couldn't help but wonder if the celestial body would ever dip below the horizon in this peculiar land. Peridea was an enigma, a perplexing blend of familiarity and alienness, so different yet eerily similar to the myriad of planets and systems she had traversed over the years.
  
  
  
  The gentle whisper of the breeze carried with it the crisp, clean scent of the frozen landscape, intertwining with the faint, sulfuric aroma drifting up from the hot springs that lay hidden somewhere ahead, promising warmth in the midst of the biting cold.
  
  
  
  In the backdrop, majestic mountains stood tall, their peaks lost in the low-hanging clouds, adding a sense of grandeur and mystery to the frozen expanse. The ground beneath their feet was a soft carpet of snow, its surface sparkling under the muted light of the sun, struggling to pierce through the dense cloud cover.
  
  
  
  Several members of the group diverted their path towards the communal warm pools frequented by the locals, leaving the rest to find their own way. Amidst the crunching of ice underfoot and the shimmer of icicles overhead, Shin noticed Jex signaling to her and Sabine to take a different route. Despite the sizeable snowflakes gently descending around them, there was a surprising mildness to the daytime air.
  
  
  
  Venturing farther, they distanced themselves from the lively activity of the village, gradually ascending a gentle slope. With every step, Shin felt the strain, clutching her pack tightly. As they encountered a particularly treacherous icy stretch, she stifled a gasp of surprise and gratitude when Sabine effortlessly reached back, offering a steady hand to guide her across. In that simple gesture, a surge of warmth flowed through Shin, an undeniable comfort that spoke louder than words.
  
  
  
  "Here it is," Jex announced, signaling towards a secluded area ahead.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, captivated by the tranquil hot spring nestled perfectly for two. A gentle waterfall cascaded down, its waters steaming invitingly. Her skin seemed to yearn for the embrace of the warmth, and she found herself eager to submerge into the soothing heat. The spring was encircled by rocks, offering a secluded haven, while the panoramic view from the hill"s summit painted a scene of picturesque beauty.
  
  
  
  With a warm, mischievous smile, Jex turned to Shin and Sabine. "What do you think?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.
  
  
  
  Sabine, catching the glint in Jex's eyes, returned the smile with equal brightness. "It looks fantastic," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm.
  
  
  
  Shin, meanwhile, held her pack a bit tighter before casually tossing it onto a nearby rock. She briefly allowed her gaze to linger on Jex, who stood confidently, almost regally, in the gentle snowfall. The scene, with Jex at its center, seemed almost otherworldly to Shin. She was surely a sight to behold.
  
  
  
  Clearing her throat more loudly than necessary, Sabine placed a hand on her hip and addressed Jex directly. "Planning to join us?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Shin, momentarily caught off guard, quickly composed herself and fixed Sabine with a sharp look. "The space is limited," she pointed out.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised her eyebrows, her grin turning sly. "I think there's plenty of room," she countered.
  
  
  
  Feeling an unexpected nervous flutter, Shin glanced towards the spring. "Well, I guess I could fit in... between you two," she found herself saying, a hint of daring in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her mouth twisting at first before she forced a smile onto her lips. "What do you say, Jex?" she asked, her tone now laced with a touch of sweetness.
  
  
  
  Jex, her smile broadening, brushed a hand across her face, her gaze dancing over Shin and Sabine. "In different circumstances we"d have fun in there," she observed. "But I can see when it's time to leave a couple alone."
  
  
  
  "A couple?" Shin and Sabine parroted in unison, their voices intertwining in surprise.
  
  
  
  "Exactly," Jex affirmed with a playful hum, already making her way back down the hill, leaving Shin and Sabine momentarily dumbfounded by the hot spring.
  
  
  
  "Did you imply to her that we were... involved?" Shin inquired, her voice laced with curiosity as she set her belongings down with grace.
  
  
  
  "Involved?" Sabine echoed, her hands finding their way to her hips as she grinned, "You really have a way with words, don't you? And for the record, no, I didn"t tell her we were partners. Actually, I made sure to say we weren't."
  
  
  
  "You were so busy drinking in the sight of her, how was I to know?" Shin replied sharply.
  
  
  
  "Me?" Sabine scoffed with a dismissive wave of her hand, clapping her hands together expressively. "You wanted to squish yourself between the two of us."
  
  
  
  "You invited her to join us!"
  
  
  
  "And you were gawking!"
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her expression softening as she aimlessly kicked at a small pebble. "I"d like you to myself," she admitted quietly.
  
  
  
  Inhaling deeply, Shin took in the crisp air, her mind contemplating the best way to frame her question and, lacking the energy for their typical banter, decided to be direct. "Tell me about Mandalorian coupling practices," she inquired, simultaneously beginning to remove her top.
  
  
  
  Sabine, momentarily caught off guard, averted her gaze while processing the question. Eventually, she too started to undress, her movements mirroring Shin"s. "Well, customs can vary by clan and house," she started, her voice steady as she delved into an explanation. "But fundamentally, it"s about finding a partner who"s as steadfast in battle as they are in life. Strength, loyalty, and honor-those are the virtues we hold in the highest regard."
  
  
  
  "And?" Shin pressed, her curiosity piqued as she dipped her toes into the steamy waters of the hot spring. A sigh of relief escaped her as the warmth enveloped her, the water swirling soothingly around her legs.
  
  
  
  "Uh well, in a traditional Mandalorian wedding, the couple would wear their beskar'gam, our distinctive Mandalorian armor, as it represents our true selves," Sabine explained, her voice steady even as she undressed. "The armor is typically adorned with specific colors or symbols that symbolize the union."
  
  
  
  By this time, Shin was neck deep in the hot spring, seated comfortably atop the submerged rocks. She leaned her head back, letting the tension in her muscles dissolve in the soothing warmth. "Tell me more, Sabine," she murmured, her voice soft and inviting. "I enjoy listening to you speak."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, allowing herself to fully submerge in the water as well. "One of our traditions involves the couple forging something together-often a piece of jewelry or a piece of armor. It stands as a symbol of their union, the life they are building side by side. These items are exchanged during the ceremony."
  
  
  
  "Armor sounds fitting," Shin commented, smiling as she splashed warm water over her face.
  
  
  
  "It is," Sabine responded with a wry smile, her eyes twinkling. "But the vows, they"re important too. They"re not just promises to each other, but commitments to the clan and the Mandalorian way of life. It"s about vowing to stand together, protect each other, and uphold the values and traditions of our people."
  
  
  
  Shin gazed across the hot spring, her eyes settling on Sabine who appeared contemplative and distant in the warm, soothing water. Sabine"s golden-brown eyes sparkled with an inner light, and her cheeks were flushed a delicate rose. "Take me when we return home," Shin murmured, her voice barely audible above the gentle lapping of the water. "Despite everything that happened, I have a feeling there"s something worth discovering there."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated, her gaze dropping momentarily. "It"s not like when you visited Sundari," she finally admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I"m not sure there"s anything left to find."
  
  
  
  Shin, undeterred, moistened her lips and drew one knee up to her chest, maintaining her steady gaze on Sabine. "I feel that there is," she asserted gently. "And thank you, by the way, for sharing all of that with me."
  
  
  
  "Planning on marrying a Mandalorian now, are you?" Sabine quipped, her mood lightening as she playfully splashed water in Shin"s direction. "Maybe you"ll run into that boy again. Shame his helmet got in the way last time."
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips quirked in a slight smile, and she raised an eyebrow in playful challenge. "You should know by now, I have no interest in men," she responded. "Strong women, on the other hand..."
  
  
  
  Sabine cleared her throat more forcefully than necessary and began to playfully splash water around. "Thanks for saving my life back there," she said, her voice soft and filled with genuine gratitude.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded solemnly, her gaze drifting to encompass the village sprawling below them, the formidable mountains in the distance, and the sun just on the verge of dipping below the horizon. "I couldn't bear the thought," she confessed softly, her voice laced with emotion. "Even just imagining it... it's all very confusing."
  
  
  
  Sabine was momentarily taken aback, her eyes wide before she composed herself. She glided through the water to Shin"s side, reaching up to gently wipe away the beads of sweat from her forehead. "I was scared for you when you were really sick," she shared, her voice laden with sincerity. "I spent an entire day just watching over you, making sure your breathing evened out."
  
  
  
  An ache resonated in Shin's chest, and a fluttering sensation took hold of her stomach, yet she maintained her composure. "What does that mean for us, then?" she inquired, her piercing blue eyes locking onto Sabine's brown ones.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a half-shrug, inching imperceptibly closer to Shin. "I think it means we're evolving," she proposed thoughtfully. "Learning from each other. Growing in a sense."
  
  
  
  "Growing together?" Shin pressed gently.
  
  
  
  "Maybe," Sabine responded, her voice soft, leaving the word hanging in the air between them like a delicate promise.
  
  
  
  Hesitant yet drawn by an invisible force, Shin extended her arms beneath the surface of the water, pausing momentarily as she gathered her thoughts. "Can I just..." she began, her voice trailing off as she swallowed, grappling with her vulnerability. "Can I just hold you? It"s so comforting in here."
  
  
  
  Sabine, with a soft smile gracing her lips, allowed herself to float gently into Shin"s open arms. "Yeah, it really is," she agreed, her voice carrying a note of contentment.
  
  
  
  Carefully, Shin cradled Sabine in her lap, her arms securely enveloping Sabine's petite frame. Without needing words, Sabine naturally nestled into the curve of Shin's neck. Shin was certain she could feel the steady rhythm of Sabine"s heartbeat against her, the added warmth from her body, and the tender way she stilled, surrendering to the moment as they held each other. In this secluded space, just the two of them, they seemed to fit together flawlessly.
  
  
  
  "You feel nice," Sabine whispered, her fingers delicately tracing patterns up and down Shin"s arm, adding another layer of warmth to their intimate embrace.
  
  
  
  Shin shifted slightly, adjusting her position to more comfortably support Sabine in her arms as she gazed at the cascading steamy waterfall. "You feel nice too," she responded, her voice soft. "Do we really have to go back?"
  
  
  
  "Yeah, we do," Sabine replied, her fingertips creating gentle ripples in the water. "But maybe one day we could take a long break and rest."
  
  
  
  "That sounds perfect," Shin murmured, feeling the gentle tickle of Sabine"s hair against her chin. "We just have to stay extra vigilant on our upcoming mission in the mountains."
  
  
  
  "We"ve got this," Sabine reassured her, taking a moment to let out a thoughtful sigh. "We should really start honing our Force abilities, you know? It could really give us an edge."
  
  
  
  Shin gave Sabine"s hips a gentle squeeze in agreement. "Just promise me, next time, you won"t put yourself in harm"s way on purpose," she said, her tone stern yet filled with concern.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed playfully, her fingers tracing the length of Shin"s braid. "Oh, you"re just jealous I stole the spotlight," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin captured Sabine's wandering hand, holding it securely in her own. Their eyes locked-fire meeting ice-but Shin's expression was serious. "I"m upset because you nearly got yourself killed," she stated plainly, her concern evident.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a sharp breath in, biting her lower lip. "From wanting me dead, to worrying about me? That"s quite the turnaround," she observed.
  
  
  
  "I could say the same about you," Shin countered. "Now, let my braid be."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, letting her hand fall back into the water. "Your hair"s getting longer," she commented.
  
  
  
  "I"ll cut it soon enough," Shin replied. "If I feel to."
  
  
  
  "You're really something else, you know that?"
  
  
  
  "And you"re not?" Shin retorted, an amused smile playing on her lips.
  
  
  
  Sabine fidgeted, her fingers creating ripples in the water. "What went through your mind when you first saw me on Lothal?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin's expression tightened momentarily, her gaze drifting upward to the cascading waterfall, feeling the brush of Sabine's hair against her skin. "It was intriguing," she confessed. "You were the first saber-wielder I'd ever encountered in combat outside of my training with Baylan."
  
  
  
  A look of playful disappointment crossed Sabine's face. "Is that all?" she prodded. "Just intriguing?"
  
  
  
  Shin, feeling the challenge, returned the question. "And what about you? What were your thoughts?"
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a quick, spontaneous laugh, moving closer to Shin. "You had this intense gaze, almost as if you had claimed me upon sight," she revealed softly.
  
  
  
  Shin, taken aback, could only muster a surprised, "What?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's laughter echoed softly, her body relaxing further into Shin's embrace. "Your eyes held me in a way that felt like I belonged to you from the start," she whispered. "A sort of magnetic connection."
  
  
  
  "Oh," Shin hummed, her voice barely above a whisper as her heart raced and her stomach churned with a mix of nerves and excitement. That encounter marked a turning point, unveiling a part of her she hadn't known existed. She became consumed by thoughts of Sabine Wren, her days and nights intertwined with memories and anticipations of their meetings. The thrill of their duels, the way their gazes locked in battle, became something she craved ceaselessly. Yet, amidst this newfound longing, the reality of her path and the directives from Baylan loomed, casting a shadow over her desires.
  
  
  
  Sabine gently guided Shin's hand, tracing it across her toned abdomen. "Can you feel this?" she inquired softly.
  
  
  
  Shin's muscles tensed briefly before she nodded, her voice low. "Yes, I can feel it," she responded, her fingertips cautiously exploring the texture of Sabine's scar, a mix of rough and smooth under her touch.
  
  
  
  Then, Sabine moved Shin's hand upwards, pressing it firmly against her chest. "And this?" she asked, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
  
  
  
  Shin felt overwhelmed, her heart racing. "Your heartbeat is rapid," she whispered, feeling the steady thump against her palm.
  
  
  
  After a moment, Sabine gently released Shin's hand, which hesitated before circling back to embrace her waist. "Yours is too," she murmured softly.
  
  
  
  Feeling a warm flush spread through her, Shin admitted, "I'm still exhausted," her voice betraying her fatigue.
  
  
  
  Sabine withdrew slightly to meet Shin's gaze, smiling reassuringly. "It's okay," she reassured. "I actually find this... relaxing, in a way."
  
  
  
  Curiosity flickered across Shin's face. "Why's that?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression softened. "It gives me an idea of what it's like to take care of you," she confessed. "Not something I thought I"d want to ever do."
  
  
  
  Shin was momentarily speechless, lost in the depth of Sabine's brown eyes. There was an intimacy in the moment that transcended physicality, more profound than their experience on the tropical beach.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued, her voice thoughtful. "I've always kept people at a distance, even Ezra. Mandalorian culture values strength and loyalty, but maybe it's alright to embrace vulnerability at times."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, absorbing Sabine's words. "The path we're on isn't simple," she acknowledged. "But having you here makes it worthwhile."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated, then leaned in, her breath mingling with the steam around them. Her gaze was intense, yet filled with an unspoken tenderness.
  
  
  
  Frozen in place, Shin's attention was solely on Sabine's lips, her body easing deeper into the spring's embrace, almost submerging completely before catching herself. "Sorry," she sputtered, caught off guard by her own overwhelming emotions, narrowly avoiding a gulp of water. "I"m still so drained."
  
  
  
  With a light laugh, Sabine helped Shin find a more comfortable position. "Don't worry about it," she reassured. "Just relax... And keep holding me."
  
  
  
  "I will," Shin promised, her voice a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine nestled herself even closer to Shin and sighed contentedly. With Shin"s chin resting atop Sabine"s head, they remained intertwined in the hot spring, soaking in each other"s presence until the sun dipped low on the horizon and their stomachs reminded them it was time for food.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Ahhhh I can already feel readers hoping and wishing they kissed here hahaha. Soon I promise
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 18: Meditate
  Notes:
  Thank you all for being here, enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine made certain to distance Pook and Dook significantly from the path of their mountainous trek, ensuring their safety within the village confines before embarking on their mountainous expedition. She aimed to divert the Icewraiths" attention, preventing them from tracking their progress. As they made their ascent, the clouds hung low, while sporadic warmth emanated from the sun. The howlers and Ice People were well-acclimated to the frigid temperatures, navigating the terrain with ease.
  
  
  
  For them, it was akin to a leisurely stroll. However, Sabine was determined to exhibit unwavering resilience. She positioned herself atop Tota, her stalwart companion, who reveled in the adventure, enthusiastically exploring the winter berries and showing a playful curiosity towards the fluffy, white rodents native to the region. Since their initial encounter with the bandits, Tota had not once thought of abandoning Sabine, showcasing his steadfast loyalty.
  
  
  
  Shin swept a gloved hand through her light locks, grappling with the discomfort caused by her winter hat; it was oppressively hot when on, yet the air was brisk when she took it off. The journey wasn"t the epitome of comfort, but she took solace in her restored vigor.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, peering through his macrobinoculars and gesturing towards the peak, announced, "We"re not far off now."
  
  
  
  Ilyara, adjusting her sun visor, indicated several spots in the distance. "This is the furthest we've managed to reach without the weather taking a turn for the worse," she observed. "It seems like your new companions have brought us a stroke of luck."
  
  
  
  Jex contributed enthusiastically, "They sure have. Why don't we set up for lunch here and aim to head back before nightfall?"
  
  
  
  With a nimble dismount from Tota, Sabine set to work kindling a fire for lunch. As she rummaged through her pack for provisions, she murmured, "I"d be happy to avoid another fight with Icewraiths today."
  
  
  
  Shin, herding the howlers with gentle commands, made her way to a glistening spring nearby. She couldn"t help but smile as her grey companion affectionately nuzzled into her, eagerly seeking chin rubs. Shin, having never had the companionship of a pet or furry friend before, found herself unexpectedly attached to the howler, noticing its easy camaraderie with Tota.
  
  
  
  She scooped up a handful of the cool, clear water, splashing it on her face and delighting in the refreshing sensation against her skin. With a deep inhalation of the crisp mountain air, she felt revitalized and made her way back to the temporary encampment.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Sabine was grappling with the uncomfortable sensation of being both chilled to the bone and uncomfortably sweaty from the exertion of the climb. If only she had her jetpack... However, the discomfort was mitigated by the stunning panorama that lay before her. She was captivated by the sight of the frozen lake, the picturesque village nestled below, and the majestic mountains that surrounded them. It was a spectacle of nature she knew she would carry with her always, a moment of reprieve.
  
  
  
  "Are you enjoying it up here?" Shin inquired, approaching Sabine and joining her at a scenic lookout point.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze subtly followed the contour of Shin"s jawline, lingering on the moles scattered across her cheek. "Yeah," she responded, her voice soft and contemplative. "It brings back memories of my family"s estate on Krownest."
  
  
  
  Recognizing the name, Shin"s expression turned more solemn, her lips forming a thin line as she lifted her chin slightly. "In the Mandalore sector," she acknowledged, her voice laced with a hint of understanding.
  
  
  
  "Right."
  
  
  
  "But your family..."
  
  
  
  Sabine inhaled sharply, her face momentarily revealing her vulnerability before she managed to compose herself, offering a strained smile. "Well, it belongs to me now, I suppose," she said, her tone bittersweet. "Assuming we make it back."
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, a curious glint in her eye as a gentle breeze played with her braid. ""We?" she questioned softly.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, a warmth in her eyes as she met Shin"s gaze. "Yeah, we," she affirmed confidently. Sabine found herself caught in a fleeting daydream of bringing Shin to her home, imagining the myriad of things they could experience together there. Yet, as the thought lingered, it unearthed a profound ache in her heart. She swallowed hard, choosing not to delve too deeply into those emotions just yet.
  
  
  
  Shin took a step closer to Sabine, her voice low as they continued to survey the vast landscape. "My Master...Baylan, he mentioned your friend Ezra trained as Jedi."
  
  
  
  Instantly intrigued, Sabine leaned in, eager for more. "And?"
  
  
  
  "He told me he trained me to be something more," Shin divulged, her tone guarded.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her interest deepening. "And, aren"t you?"
  
  
  
  "How so?"
  
  
  
  Sabine gave her a firm look. "You"re yourself. Not bound by any Creeds, Codes or Oaths. Isn"t that enough for now?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips curled into a small smile, although she remained focused on the horizon. "Possibly," she murmured.
  
  
  
  Sabine licked her dry lips and sighed. "You"re so-,"
  
  
  
  "Let"s practice together," Shin proposed briskly.
  
  
  
  A thrill of anticipation ran down Sabine"s spine, causing a momentary pause. "How?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  "Meditation," Shin suggested, peeling off her glove to extend a bare hand towards Sabine. "This spot, surrounded by nature, is perfect."
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Holding hands, really?" She speculated if this was Shin"s subtle way of seeking a closer connection. Just the previous few nights, Shin had opted to sleep alone, desiring some personal space to recover. Sabine had respected her wishes, though she found herself awake in the wee hours, fighting the temptation to slip into Shin"s room. The offered hand in front of her now seemed like an olive branch, an intimate gesture she hadn"t expected but found herself longing for since their time in the hot spring.
  
  
  
  "It could enhance our focus," Shin commented, her voice gentle yet firm. "You wanted an edge remember?"
  
  
  
  With a deep breath, Sabine carefully removed her own glove, exposing her hand to the brisk mountain air. She tentatively placed her fingers upon Shin"s smooth, slightly damp palm. The contact was unassuming but carried a depth of unspoken words and emotions. A wave of light-headedness swept over Sabine, yet the moment Shin"s fingers intertwined with hers, a sense of stability washed over her. She anchored herself, her boots pressing firmly into the snowy ground as she locked eyes with Shin"s intense, steel-blue gaze.
  
  
  
  Shin took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering shut as she began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know we still have a sea of unspoken words between us, Sabine," she murmured. "But for now, let"s just... feel it."
  
  
  
  Heart hammering in her chest and sweat trickling down her spine, Sabine adopted a posture of tranquility, grounding herself amidst the swirling energies of the Force. She allowed the profound words to resonate within her, syncing with the rhythm of her steady breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Her breath mingled with the cool air, visible puffs dissipating into the serene surroundings as her eyes fluttered closed.
  
  
  
  Next to her, Shin exuded a presence akin to a gentle whisper, her breathing as soft as the subtle rustling of leaves stirred by a light breeze. The ambient sounds of the mountain forest became prominent, ranging from the quiet murmur of a nearby stream to the chorus of creatures inhabiting the area.
  
  
  
  Her senses becoming sharper, Sabine started to perceive the delicate vibrations of the Force surrounding her, intricately weaving through the very fabric of reality. The life force of the surrounding vegetation, the warmth emanating from the trees, and the solid strength of the rocks under her - everything flowed through her, linking her to the immense expanse of the galaxy.
  
  
  
  The Force bond she shared with Shin served as a channel, with their energies intertwining and amplifying each other"s presence. Sabine could feel Shin"s unwavering concentration, her spirit steady and peaceful, providing a constant anchor in the boundless sea of the Force.
  
  
  
  Engulfed in this sphere of energy, Sabine plunged deeper, her consciousness broadening as she accessed the source of her inner strength. A stream of images and emotions flowed through her mind, remnants of distant places and moments long gone. She welcomed them, letting the Force sharpen her intuition, enhance her senses, and fortify her perception.
  
  
  
  Their meditation transformed into a silent exchange of energy, with Sabine and Shin learning from each other, strengthening their bond. This Force connection served as their unspoken language, a link transcending words, showcasing the incredible potential they possessed together.
  
  
  
  And soon enough the words were no longer out of reach because the feelings were right there within them.
  
  
  
  Sabine sharply inhaled, withdrawing her hand swiftly as she locked eyes with Shin. "It"s overwhelming," she uttered, taking a step back.
  
  
  
  Shin acknowledged her reaction with a nod, casting a quick glance at the bandits. "You sensed the extent of it then?" she probed.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine responded.
  
  
  
  "More reason for us to continue practicing," Shin declared. "And you"ve got to stay on top of your training."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed exasperatedly, "Yeah, I get it. You're starting to sound like Ahsoka now."
  
  
  
  Shin, with a knowing smirk, gazed out over the vast and icy landscape. "This place... it feels familiar to you, doesn't it?" she ventured, sensing a connection.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a sharp breath, her eyes fixed on the frozen lake. "It's so much like home," she murmured softly.
  
  
  
  "Tell me more about Krownest," Shin urged gently.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips parted, briefly moistened by the cool air. "Well, it's a stronghold, positioned right on a lake just like this one," she began, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "There's a huge mural of my mom, and... my art is there too."
  
  
  
  As a breeze swept past them, Shin shifted her stance to face Sabine directly. "It sounds like a beautiful place," she commented.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked up at Shin, a smile playing on her lips, her heart beating a little faster. "It's big, you know. It needs big personalities to really come alive," she added in a quieter voice.
  
  
  
  Shin leaned in slightly, her breath visible in the cold air. "I see," she murmured, her gaze intent.
  
  
  
  Feeling an unexpected surge of energy, Sabine suddenly stepped back. "We should get going," she said briskly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "We don't want to keep the others waiting."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  It was clear why the Ice People had been unable to retrieve the discarded supply crates. They were massive, awkwardly wedged between unforgiving slabs of rock, virtually immovable without the right tools and strength. One could easily perceive the inherent danger; a single misstep could result in the crates toppling over, potentially crushing anyone unfortunate enough to be caught beneath.
  
  
  
  The surrounding landscape only added to the challenge. The crates were embedded in a rugged, uneven terrain, where sharp rocks jutted out at precarious angles and the ground was littered with loose stones and gravel. Ice and snow clung to the rocks, hinting at the danger of the area, a condition that made the footing all the more treacherous.
  
  
  
  Above, the sky was a deep, steel grey, with heavy clouds threatening a blizzard at any moment. The wind howled through the narrow passageway created by the towering rocks on either side of the crates, producing eerie, mournful sounds.
  
  
  
  The starkness of the landscape, combined with the formidable size and precarious positioning of the crates, served as a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. The bandits, despite their resourcefulness and familiarity with the terrain, had found themselves outmatched by the sheer physicality of the task. The crates remained trapped in their stony prison.
  
  
  
  "These are substantially larger and heavier than those we found in the foothills and tropical zone," Shin observed, her breath visible in the frigid mountain air. "It"s unrealistic to think we could transport all of these contents back down the mountain."
  
  
  
  Surveying her team in the biting wind, Ilyara nodded in agreement, her face set in determination. "Let"s prioritize," she suggested, her voice carrying over the howl of the wind. "We take only the most crucial items and leave the rest behind."
  
  
  
  Kradosh, after a moment of contemplative silence, added his thoughts, his gaze never leaving the daunting crates. "Time is of the essence," he asserted firmly. "The wraiths won't hesitate if they find us here."
  
  
  
  Sabine felt a shiver run down her spine, her arm involuntarily tingling at the memory of her last encounter with the elusive, shimmering creatures. She couldn"t bear the thought of Shin, or anyone else, getting hurt in an attempt to rescue her from another venomous bite.
  
  
  
  The mountain summit was a world of its own, frigid and unforgiving, with the wind wailing like a banshee through the icy crags. The weather was a capricious force, and the lingering daylight, weak and pale, was a clear signal that they needed to expedite their mission.
  
  
  
  Despite their efforts, the group, younglings included, struggled in vain to dislodge the cargo. The crates were stubbornly wedged, immovable even in the face of their collective strength. Some of them switched tactics, attempting to pry the crates open from the side, but this too proved futile.
  
  
  
  The mountain stood indifferent to their plight, its icy breath and treacherous terrain a reminder of the unforgiving nature of their quest. Time was slipping away, and with it, their window of opportunity to salvage what they could without falling victim to the mountain"s wrath-or worse, the wraiths.
  
  
  
  Gently brushing a hand over her braid, Shin turned her gaze to Kradosh, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "What"s your estimate on their weight?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Kradosh took a moment to size up the crates, meticulously adjusting his Red helmet before responding with a solid, "Considerable."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Shin lifted her chin confidently. "I"ll handle this," she declared.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows shot up in surprise, yet she harbored no doubts about Shin"s capabilities. She was more than willing to lend her assistance, but she also recognized the importance of respecting Shin"s leadership. Opting to remain on the sidelines, she retreated to a safe distance alongside the others, her attention fixed on Shin"s efforts.
  
  
  
  With the wind tugging at her hair and sunlight dancing on the snow around her, Shin raised her hand and took a deep breath. Her body filled with a tingling sensation as she gathered her focus, channeling it toward the crate nearest to her. The crate tremored in response, slowly freeing itself from the icy grip of the rocks.
  
  
  
  To her astonishment, however, other crates began to shake loose as well. Shin"s concentration didn"t waver as she skillfully manipulated the situation, guiding a few of the crates to glide safely over the snow, coming to a stop in an accessible location. Drained, she let her hand fall to her side and turned to find Sabine, offering her a puzzled look. Sabine could only respond with a noncommittal shrug, equally amazed by the spectacle.
  
  
  
  That was all you, I didn"t help
  
  
  
  But Shin was acutely aware of a distinct, intangible bond with Sabine - one that undeniably aided her. It seemed that Sabine, perhaps unaware, didn't perceive it as Shin did. Drawing a deep breath, Shin sensed that she could, in some inexplicable manner, tap into Sabine's Force energy, though the intricacies of how remained elusive to her understanding. Was it because they meditated together? Was it because they were becoming closer mentally and physically?
  
  
  
  Shin"s thoughts were interrupted as a wave of cheers and jubilant shouts erupted from the bandits perched atop the mountain. Ilyara showered her with heartfelt gratitude, while Jex simply stared, her mouth agape. The group wasted no time, swiftly sifting through the supplies, selecting essential items, and securing them onto the howlers.
  
  
  
  Jex stepped forward, a beaming smile lighting up her face. Addressing Shin, she exclaimed, "I've only ever heard stories about this stuff," her voice filled with awe. "To see it firsthand is something else."
  
  
  
  Shin felt a warmth spread across her face, catching Sabine"s sly grin out of the corner of her eye. "Well," she responded, her voice slightly hoarse, "it"s not something I can do without feeling the strain afterwards."
  
  
  
  "Oh really?" Jex chuckled, throwing a conspiratorial glance Sabine"s way. "Well, I think you've just earned yourselves an invitation to the wedding."
  
  
  
  Sabine cocked her head to the side, curiosity piquing as she stepped closer. "What wedding?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin's heartbeat quickened at the mention of a wedding. "The one mentioned at our first meeting?" she chimed in, her intrigue evident in her tone. She remembered overhearing snippets of conversation about an upcoming festivity, though she hadn't grasped the complete details at that time.
  
  
  
  Jex"s gaze flitted playfully between Shin and Sabine, her lips curved in a teasing grin. "One of Ilyara"s dozen kids is tying the knot next week," she shared animatedly. "Landing these supplies couldn"t have come at a better time. And just so you know, you"re all on the guest list."
  
  
  
  A glimmer of enthusiasm sparked in Sabine"s eyes. "Is there going to be food?" she queried, her tone laced with interest.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expression tightened, her jaw clenching subtly as she processed the information.
  
  
  
  "Absolutely, plenty of local fare!" Jex assured with a bubbly tone.
  
  
  
  "Well then, consider us guests," Sabine declared decisively, glancing at Shin for confirmation. "Isn"t that right, Shin?"
  
  
  
  "Right..." Shin responded, though her voice trailed off, laden with unspoken thoughts.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The day had culminated in success, and the team had managed to haul back a considerable bounty from the mountaintop. Sabine, in a relaxed posture, leaned against the doorframe of Shin's room, listening to the distant hum of the refresher. The Ice People"s village was impressively advanced compared to that of the Red Bandits, boasting a sophisticated plumbing system that utilized lake water and a heating mechanism that piqued Sabine"s curiosity. The luxuries here, she admitted to herself, made her journey north feel well worth it.
  
  
  
  Emerging from the refresher with her hair still damp and a towel wrapped around her, Shin glanced at Sabine. "Been standing there long?" she questioned.
  
  
  
  "I was wondering if I could come in," Sabine retorted, making it sound as though the delay was Shin"s doing.
  
  
  
  Shin gestured vaguely with her hand, signaling an indifferent permission, and turned back to her post-shower routine. "Be my guest," she said, her voice muffled by the refresher.
  
  
  
  Taking the invitation, Sabine entered the neat and orderly room, taking a moment to appreciate the meticulous organization. Her thoughts drifted to the comm tower back on Lothal, and she realized how chaotic it must look in comparison. Shin's love for order was something Sabine could truly admire.
  
  
  
  Swinging her arms back and forth in a casual manner, Sabine observed Shin as she returned, clad in simple sleepwear. "Sooo," she ventured, "are we going to this wedding together?"
  
  
  
  Shin eased herself onto the bed, resting back against the headboard with her arms crossed behind her head. "Is that your way of asking me?" she responded.
  
  
  
  Sabine tongued her cheek, squinting slightly as she pondered her words. She patted a small space at the foot of the bed before sitting down, turning to face Shin. With a bright smile and eyes sparkling, she said, "I would really like it if you"d be my date."
  
  
  
  Leaning forward, Shin bridged the distance between them, her eyes searching Sabine"s. "And why"s that?" she pressed, her voice soft yet insistent.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a huff, her tone a mix of exasperation and earnestness. "Look, you need to maintain your strong front around the bandits, and I need to prove to Ahsoka that I can handle all of this," she explained. "They value companionship and I value not getting into trouble."
  
  
  
  Shin ran her fingers through her damp hair, her gaze never leaving Sabine"s. "Is that the only reason?" she persisted. "Nothing more?"
  
  
  
  A flush of warmth spread through Sabine, and she squared her shoulders, meeting Shin"s gaze head-on. "I just..." she started, her voice faltering. Her stomach was in knots, a conflict of emotions bubbling within her. She was supposed to be opening up to Shin, and with their mysterious connection, she couldn"t fathom why it was proving to be so challenging. Even after their visit to the spring, a persistent caution lingered within her, gently nagging at her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Shin tilted her head, a playful smirk playing on her lips. "You know," she began, her voice soft, "I"ve been worried others might try to pursue you these last few days."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath caught in her throat, and she searched Shin"s eyes for any sign of jest. Finding none, she scooted a little closer on the bed. "I"ve felt the same," she admitted, "but I"m not interested."
  
  
  
  "I know," Shin responded, her voice steady. "Neither am I."
  
  
  
  Clearing her throat, Sabine felt a tingle run up her neck. "I think... going to a wedding together, something fun and carefree, would be a good way for us to spend time together," she suggested, her voice sincere.
  
  
  
  Shin considered this, her lips pursed in thought, before nodding slowly. "I see."
  
  
  
  Encouraged, Sabine shifted closer, her hands resting on the comforter. Hesitating for only a moment, she asked, "Could we maybe do what we did in the hot spring?"
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, caught off guard, but then readjusted her position. "You want me to hold you?" she asked, her voice gentle.
  
  
  
  "Actually," Sabine responded, a soft smile gracing her lips, "I was thinking I could hold you this time."
  
  
  
  Shin paused to search Sabine"s face for a moment, then nodded and adjusted the sheets. "Alright," she agreed, her voice soft.
  
  
  
  Quickly, Sabine positioned herself, lying back against the plush pillows and opening her arms to Shin. Her eyes, bright and earnest, met Shin"s as she invited her closer. A surge of warmth filled her, and her heart raced as Shin moved into her embrace.
  
  
  
  Shin"s hands glided over Sabine"s abdomen before wrapping around her waist, drawing their bodies closer. "Is this okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine, feeling Shin"s careful touch, wondered if she had ever shared such a moment with anyone before. Her touch was so gentle, so tentative, it sent a burning sensation across Sabine"s skin. "It"s perfect," she breathed out, her voice soft. "Just... maybe not right on my boob."
  
  
  
  "Oh," Shin murmured, adjusting her position slightly. "Sorry about that."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, her nose wrinkling slightly as Shin"s hair tickled her. "There, that"s better," she said, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
  
  
  
  "And if I fall asleep?" Shin asked, her body relaxing further into Sabine"s embrace.
  
  
  
  "Then I guess I"ll have a wet shirt to deal with tomorrow," Sabine teased, her fingers gently twirling through Shin"s light hair.
  
  
  
  Shin tensed for a moment, before relaxing again, a soft laugh escaping her. "I"ll try not to drool," she promised, her voice filled with warmth.
  
  
  
  "So," Sabine said, eager to confirm their plans before the moment passed, "we"re going to the wedding thing together?"
  
  
  
  "We will," Shin replied, her voice filled with a quiet sincerity.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Wedding date for these two. Gosh what's going to happen?
  
  So I will post chapter 19 and 20 and then take a little break for the holidays. I will finally get to play BG3 which I just haven't had time for. Also I would like to sleep forever hahaha. See you all soon!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 19: Show Off
  Notes:
  months like these i'm so glad i have stuff prewritten oh gosh... enjoy!
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle softly as she felt a damp patch on her sleep shirt, realizing that it was, in fact, drool. Yet, she found herself unbothered by it. Watching Shin in her slumber was like observing a completely different person-vulnerable, genuine, and undeniably human.
  
  
  
  The cryptic mercenary, first encountered by Sabine on the dusty plains of Lothal, would snore softly and occasionally whine in her sleep, yet she always remained still. She radiated such comforting warmth that Sabine hardly needed any covers throughout the night. In the morning, Shin"s hair would be a tangled mess, and she would have that all-too-familiar sleepiness in her eyes. To Sabine, these moments were precious; they stripped away the layers of the Dark Jedi façade, revealing the real and human Shin underneath.
  
  
  
  Haunted by memories of their turbulent past, Sabine found solace in these quiet mornings, a stark contrast to their shared history. The Shin that now stirred awake, preparing to face the new day, was a stark contrast to the killer she once knew. She was a woman of few words, yet her thoughts seemed to run deep, intense enough to fill the silence between them. She had a way of looking at Sabine, staring intently, as if trying to read her very soul, and would take what felt like an eternity before responding.
  
  
  
  Day by day, Sabine felt increasingly drawn to Shin, whose allure grew stronger. She constantly reminded herself to suppress the deep, pulsating throb in her stomach. After all, this was Shin-the woman with a complex past and an even more complicated present, and Sabine couldn"t help but be drawn to her, drool-stained shirt and all.
  
  
  
  "Could you straighten out your side of the bed?" Shin asked, her voice carrying a gravity that was characteristic of her.
  
  
  
  Roused from her thoughts, Sabine playfully rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you really take everything seriously, don"t you?" she remarked.
  
  
  
  Shin, in the midst of brushing her hair, paused and turned slightly to lock eyes with Sabine through the reflection in the mirror. "You"re thinking about it again, aren"t you?" she observed, her voice steady.
  
  
  
  "About what?" Sabine responded, her hands working to smooth out the bed covers, attempting to feign innocence.
  
  
  
  "About... what I did," Shin said, her gaze unwavering as she met Sabine"s eyes in the mirror.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed softly, feeling the weight of the conversation settle in her chest as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, it hits me every now and then," she admitted, her voice softer. "I mean, I came pretty close to dying."
  
  
  
  Shin"s grip tightened on the hairbrush, and she lowered her head slightly, a momentary lapse in her usually stoic demeanor. "I"ve changed since then," she confessed, her voice low. "But I understand that it"s something that you"re never going to forget."
  
  
  
  A lump swelled in Sabine"s throat as she found herself caught in a moment of vulnerability. Her gaze lingered on the bed they shared, a space filled with peaceful slumbers and silent understandings, before shifting to Shin"s sculpted back. She took in every detail-the delicate pattern of moles, the expanse of smooth skin-and felt a strange mix of emotions churn within her. "These things, they take time," Sabine voiced out. "I"ve been in a similar situation before, had a close friend who turned their back on me when I needed them the most."
  
  
  
  In an instant, Shin pivoted on her heels, her head tilting ever so slightly as she regarded Sabine with a questioning gaze. "And you considered them a friend?" she probed.
  
  
  
  A chuckle escaped Sabine"s lips, a wry smile playing on her face as she processed the irony of it all. "Yeah, kind of twisted, right? I think it stings a bit more when betrayal comes from a friend," she mused aloud. "At least with you, back then, you were nothing more than a stranger..."
  
  
  
  Shin"s chest tightened as she absorbed Sabine"s words, her seriousness giving way to a moment of softness. She set her brush down and leaned back against the dresser, her posture open and inviting as she gently urged, "Tell me about this friend of yours."
  
  
  
  "Uh," Sabine gave a nonchalant shrug, her tone breezy as she delved into a chapter from her past. "Her name is Ketsu Onyo." A brief pause hung in the air as she acknowledged the parts of her history she had previously left untouched in her stories to Shin. "We were pretty close, ended up as bounty hunters together. But, well, she got greedy, left me for dead," she recounted, the words flowing in a quick, staccato cadence. "We crossed paths again later on, helped each other out of a tight spot, talked things over, and eventually went our separate ways on good terms..." Sabine took a moment to catch her breath, offering Shin a fleeting, nervous smile as she wrapped up her tale.
  
  
  
  Shin was momentarily stunned, her mouth agape-a rare sight indeed. "That"s truly-,"
  
  
  
  "I know, right?" Sabine cut in swiftly, her hands animated as she spoke. "I can practically feel the waves of confusion coming off you."
  
  
  
  Regaining her composure, Shin stood with a straightened posture, running a hand smoothly down her toned midsection. "I"m sorry you went through that," she expressed with a subtle sincerity. "But I'm relieved to hear you both found closure."
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, doing her best to keep her gaze steady and not let it linger on Shin's scantily clad figure. "Yeah, I do find myself missing her from time to time," she confided. "Just hope she"s out there doing alright."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded thoughtfully, her gaze momentarily drifting toward the window. "She"s probably faring well," she mused aloud. "And who knows, maybe one day your paths will cross again, and you"ll have a treasure trove of stories to exchange."
  
  
  
  Feeling a warmth spread through her chest, Sabine couldn"t help but smile brighter at Shin. She shifted her stance, feet burrowing into the carpet as she tilted her head, studying Shin. "You"re not jealous about her?" she noted more than asked.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over her chest. "And why would I be?" she retorted. "This person seems like they were very important to you. It"s not my place to ever stop you from having feelings for others."
  
  
  
  "Well, that"s mature of you," Sabine replied with a cheeky grin.
  
  
  
  "Hm," Shin hummed, cocking her head. "And besides, the way you"ve been staring at me this entire time tells me you have no interest in anyone else. Would you like a hologram of me while we"re here?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine felt her face heat up, and she quickly turned away, muttering a string of curses under her breath. A hologram of Shin actually sounded like a tempting offer. "You"ve got quite the sense of humor lately," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "I picked up a thing or two from Ezra Bridger," remarked Shin nonchalantly, glancing down at her nails. "Never seen someone deliver so much humor into just a few minutes. From his singed hair to wanting to be a prisoner..."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, the tension easing from her shoulders. "You think that"s something? Wait till I tell you more about what he got up to," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  "By all means," Shin responded, her serious demeanor giving way to genuine interest.
  
  
  
  Eager to steer their conversation towards lighter topics, Sabine smiled brightly. However, a thoughtful expression crossed her face, and she gently cleared her throat. "Before I dive into those stories, can I ask you something about your Master?" she inquired cautiously.
  
  
  
  Shin gave a nod, signaling her openness. "Go ahead," she encouraged.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her lower lip, exhaling slowly as she gathered her thoughts. "Back when Ahsoka came to rescue Ezra and me at the Noti pods, your combat style seemed... off," she observed hesitantly. "Was it because Baylan had left?"
  
  
  
  Shin's fingers clenched around her arms, her posture becoming slightly rigid. "At that time, I was very conflicted," she confessed. "Baylan's departure came when I felt I needed him most, yet I believed I could still emerge victorious."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes, filled with empathy, met Shin's, which shimmered with unshed tears. "Heartbreak can change a person," she said softly.
  
  
  
  "Heartbreak?" Shin echoed, a trace of surprise in her voice.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine affirmed gently. "It seems to me you were heartbroken, and that's completely understandable. From what you've shared, Baylan was someone you deeply loved."
  
  
  
  Shin swallowed hard, her gaze dropping momentarily. "He was," she murmured. "And he will always have a place in my heart."
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a comforting smile. "I think I've experienced a kind of heartbreak too, when Ahsoka quit on me," she shared openly.
  
  
  
  A crease formed on Shin's forehead, her eyes locking with Sabine's. "Why did she do that?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a half-shrug. "She thought I wanted to train for the wrong reasons," she explained. "It was all tied to the events on Mandalore."
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled softly. "Our Masters are complex individuals, aren't they?"
  
  
  
  Nodding, Sabine brushed a hand through her hair. "I bet their own Masters had their issues too," she mused. "It"s as challenging as it is meaningful, according to Huyang."
  
  
  
  Shin's body tensed briefly, but she consciously relaxed. "Now, about Ezra's misadventures," she said, her tone shifting to one of genuine interest. "I like the ones where Chopper annoys him."
  
  
  
  A chuckle escaped Sabine, and she playfully bit her lip. "There's so much to share," she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "But sure, I"ll tell you about Chopper ragging on him."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin surveyed the assortment of formal attire before her, a discerning eye scanning through the various options. She had embarked on this shopping expedition with Kradosh, who was also searching for suitable garments for the imminent celebration.
  
  
  
   Meanwhile, Sabine was enlisted to lend her expertise in resolving some technical issues that had arisen in the village. Her proficiency had enabled her to identify and rectify several problems plaguing the Ice People. Shin, for her part, was content knowing Sabine was capable and adept at handling such matters.
  
  
  
  The atmosphere in the village was vibrant and lively, with a steady stream of individuals bustling about, all contributing to the preparations for the upcoming grand event at the Glacial Hall. The recent arrival of the Red Bandits-Pook and Dook-along with Sabine and Shin, had injected a fresh wave of excitement and anticipation among the Ice People, who were eagerly looking forward to what promised to be a memorable wedding celebration.
  
  
  
  Kradosh ran his fingers over the array of garments, eventually settling on a particular piece as he tapped it thoughtfully. "It seems you've taken my advice to heart," he observed, his voice carrying a hint of approval.
  
  
  
  Shin felt the chill in the air as her breath formed visible puffs in front of her, prompting her to draw her poncho tighter around herself. "And what advice would that be?" she inquired, her attention still on the outfits before her.
  
  
  
  "Learning from Commander Wren," Kradosh responded, his tone steady.
  
  
  
  A small, appreciative smile played on Shin"s lips. "She is impressive," she conceded, her admiration for Sabine evident in her voice.
  
  
  
  "And you're no less remarkable," Kradosh assured her, his words earnest. "The two of you together make for a formidable team."
  
  
  
  The word team lingered in Shin's mind as she touched a garment adorned with shimmering embellishments, her gaze lifting to the expansive blue sky above. "I aim to keep bettering myself," she expressed, her voice soft yet determined.
  
  
  
  "And you most certainly will," Kradosh responded confidently, completing a transaction with a shopkeeper to acquire some delectable sweets. He handed one to Shin, who accepted it graciously.
  
  
  
  As she took a bite, she savored the rich blend of milk, sweetness, and nuts in a fudgy consistency, filling her mouth with flavor. She acknowledged, albeit silently, that indulging in too many of these treats could lead to unwanted consequences. "Thank you," she said, her gratitude genuine.
  
  
  
  Kradosh nodded in agreement and strolled alongside Shin, browsing through various shops. "Once you've found something that catches your eye, consider it yours," he declared, puffing out his chest slightly.
  
  
  
  Shin, taken aback by his generosity, dipped her head in appreciation. "That"s very kind of you," she acknowledged with a soft smile.
  
  
  
  Lifting his chin slightly, Kradosh responded, "If your Master were here, I"m sure he would do the same for you. I may not be him, but I can understand the pain his absence causes you."
  
  
  
  Unconsciously twirling her braid, Shin felt a lump form in her throat at the mention of her Master. "Your concern means a lot," she replied quietly, her voice filled with sincerity. "He has just...closed himself off from me."
  
  
  
  "Hm," Kradosh hummed thoughtfully, picking up a pair of formal pants to examine. "Perhaps it"s for the best."
  
  
  
  As they continued their shopping, a particular fabric caught Shin"s eye, causing her to do a double-take at a nearby clothing stall. "Maybe," she murmured under her breath, her attention now focused on the garment in front of her. "Kradosh, what do you think of this one?" she asked, holding up the piece for him to see.
  
  
  
  Kradosh scrutinized the outfit, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It"s an unexpected choice," he observed. "But it somehow suits you perfectly."
  
  
  
  Encouraged by his words, Shin engaged in a brief discussion with the shop owner regarding potential alterations, wanting to ensure that the outfit could be adjusted to fit her just right. Satisfied with their assurances, she made her decision. "I"ll take it," she declared confidently.
  
  
  
  "Very good," Kradosh concurred, nodding in approval.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine found herself in the secluded expanse behind the Glacial Hall, surrounded by the icy grandeur of towering snowbanks and frost-kissed trees. The crisp air was laden with the scent of winter, and the ground beneath her was a blanket of untouched snow, disturbed only by the marks of her boots and those of her sparring partner. She held a spear, borrowed from a bandit she had worked with diligently throughout the day. Now, though, her focus was shifted to the physical exertion and discipline of training.
  
  
  
  Opposite her, Jex stood firmly on the snowy ground, her breaths visible in the chilly air as her chest heaved from exertion.
  
  
  
  "What kind of Stormtrooper are you, really?" Sabine teased as she gave her spear an expert spin. This brought back memories of her days on Krownest, over a decade ago, when she engaged in sparring matches with her brother Tristan within the fortified walls of the Wren stronghold.
  
  
  
  Jex responded with a playful click of her tongue, holding her staff up in a ready stance. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" she shot back, smirking confidently.
  
  
  
  Sabine simply chuckled, swinging her spear in a swift arc towards Jex. "I"ve seen the inside of the Empire and made a series of bad decisions before," she admitted freely.
  
  
  
  Jex gracefully parried the attack, taking a strategic step back. Her eyes briefly flicked to a small group of children who had gathered nearby, drawn by the spectacle. "We all have our past mistakes," she acknowledged, her movements fluid as she danced around Sabine. "But what matters is how we make amends."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Sabine raised her spear high, readying for another strike. She felt a sudden buoyancy in her chest, a lightness that propelled her forward with renewed vigor. "Leaving Thrawn and the Empire behind was the best decision you"ve made," she declared confidently. "This-being stranded here-it's way better."
  
  
  
  "I couldn"t agree more!" Jex exclaimed, her spirit infectious as she leapt into the air, spinning her staff with an exuberant flare. She brought the blade down only to bounce off Sabine"s beskar. "Dank farrik!"
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, twirled out of the way, and fingered her armor. "Oh, you love it," she shot back.
  
  
  
  Jex smiled broadly and regained her footing. "I do," she agreed. "Sparring with a Mandalorian is an honor."
  
  
  
  Sabine grabbed a fistful of snow and flung it at Jex, who groaned in annoyance. The former Trooper, easy to get along with, was proving to be an entertaining colleague. She was also very easy on the eyes and moved unlike any Stormtrooper Sabine encountered.
  
  
  
  "Not many of us left," Sabine replied, holding up her spear.
  
  
  
  "I"m sorry," Jex said, wiping snow from her face. "Maybe blondie can help you rebuild."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath caught, and a flush ran to her cheeks. Was it that obvious? "C"mon," she said. "Let"s keep going."
  
  
  
  Their training had transformed the secluded area behind the Glacial Hall into an arena of sorts. The snowy ground beneath their feet was scuffed and marked by the blitz of their training, the air filled with the sounds of laughter, sharp exhalations, and the clash of weapons. The frost-laden trees, their branches dusted with snow, surrounded them, creating a serene yet vibrant backdrop to the intense spar unfolding.
  
  
  
  Sabine gracefully sidestepped the incoming attack, her movements swift and sure. A crowd gathered, a mix of eager children and young adults, erupted into cheers, their excitement bursting. It seemed their routine of training and schooling had reached its conclusion for the day, evidenced by small groups streaming out of a nearby building, lured by the chime of a bell signaling a shift in activities.
  
  
  
  Engaging with her young audience, Sabine waved and flashed them a quick smile, her attention divided as she took several steps back. Abruptly, her retreat was halted by a collision with a solid form behind her.
  
  
  
  A gasp hitched in Sabine"s throat as warm breath caressed her ear. The word Childsplay whispered in a sultry tone that sent a shiver down her spine. Reacting instinctively, Sabine swirled around, her eyes narrowing as she laid eyes on Shin, who was sporting a sly, tantalizing smile.
  
  
  
  Quick to pick up on the sudden shift in atmosphere, Jex gracefully bowed out, making her way to the sidelines to give the two women space. Her departure didn"t go unnoticed, as a curious crowd, comprised of youngsters taking a brief respite from their chores and a handful of adults taking a break from their duties at the Glacial Hall, began to converge around them, drawn by the promise of an enthralling spectacle.
  
  
  
  In a fluid motion, Shin shed her poncho, revealing her lean, battle-ready form beneath. Her hands moved with practiced ease as she unclipped her saber from her belt, ensuring she maintained a respectful distance from the gathering crowd. With a flick of her wrist, she ignited her weapon, bathing the snowy ground in a warm orange glow. A chorus of awed gasps and exclamations filled the air, the crowd enraptured by the display of power and grace.
  
  
  
  The scene was set, the snowy expanse transformed into an impromptu arena, bathed in the light of Shin"s saber. The surrounding trees, heavy with snow, creaked, their branches creating dark shadows on the ground below. The Glacial Hall loomed in the background, its imposing structure adding to the dramatic scene unfolding before the captivated audience.
  
  
  
  "Show off," Sabine grumbled under her breath, her hands deftly discarding the spear as she drew her own saber with a swift, fluid motion.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her saber spinning elegantly in her grip, casting dynamic orange patterns through the air. "Handling it is one thing," she said. "But do you truly have mastery over it yet?"
  
  
  
  Sabine shot a quick glance towards the crowd, a smirk playing on her lips as she felt their curious eyes on her. "I"ve been sharpening my skills," she shot back confidently, the chilly air providing a refreshing contrast to the warmth spreading across her skin from the anticipation of the duel.
  
  
  
  "Then let"s dance," Shin declared, her voice carrying across the clearing.
  
  
  
  With that, she launched forward, her movements a blend of precision and grace. Sabine met her charge head-on, their lightsabers clashing with a bright flare and a loud crack. The crowd gasped, their eyes following every swift movement.
  
  
  
  In sync, Sabine and Shin's duel became a spectacle of flashing lights and swirling colors. They anticipated each other"s moves with a familiarity that spoke of hours of practice and a deep understanding of each other"s fighting style.
  
  
  
  The intensity of the duel grew with every pass, the sound of clashing lightsabers echoing through the wind. The young bandits watched on in awe, completely enthralled by the display of skill and power before them.
  
  
  
  As the duel continued, Sabine and Shin found a rhythm, their movements fluid and seamless. They pushed each other to the limits, neither one willing to back down. And yet, there was a sense of mutual respect between them, a bond forged in the heat of battle.
  
  
  
  With every clash and swift parry, Sabine and Shin continued their deadly ballet, each strike and dodge flowing seamlessly into the next. The snowy ground beneath their feet became a palette, marked by the tracks of their intense duel.
  
  
  
  Feeling a surge of adrenaline, Sabine increased her attack speed, her lightsaber a blur as she sought an opening in Shin"s defense. Shin, however, matched her pace with a calm and steady poise, her movements precise and calculated.
  
  
  
  The crowd of bandits, completely riveted by the display, could see the growing intensity in the duelists' eyes. They were no longer just sparring partners; they were warriors, each striving to outdo the other, yet there was a grace in their movements, a synchronicity that spoke of a deep connection.
  
  
  
  Shin grabbed Sabine"s wrist and held it tightly. "You seem wound up, Sabine," she breathed.
  
  
  
  Sabine glared into icy blue eyes but could only see amusement. "Then maybe you should help me unwind," she shot back.
  
  
  
  "Aren"t I doing that?"
  
  
  
  "You like this too much."
  
  
  
  Sensing an opportunity, Shin feigned a misstep, momentarily leaving herself open. Sabine, seizing the chance, lunged forward, aiming for a decisive strike. But Shin was quicker, her apparent vulnerability a ruse. She deftly sidestepped Sabine"s attack, bringing her own lightsaber around in a swift, effortless motion.
  
  
  
  Sabine, caught off guard, barely had time to react as Shin"s lightsaber connected with hers, sending a shockwave through her arms. Not letting up, Shin pressed her advantage, her movements becoming a spiral of orange light.
  
  
  
  Sabine, struggling to keep up, felt a newfound respect for her opponent. Shin"s skill was undeniable, and she realized that she was learning, adapting to Shin"s style with every passing second. They were pushing each other to new heights, their duel a crucible forging them into stronger, more skilled warriors.
  
  
  
  Shin, feeling the tide of the duel shift in her favor, continued to press her attack, her movements now a blend of aggression and grace. Sabine, despite the onslaught, found herself moving in tandem with Shin, their lightsabers clashing and dancing in a mesmerizing display of skill and power.
  
  
  
  And then, with a swift and precise strike, Shin found an opening in Sabine"s defense, her lightsaber connecting with Sabine"s in a glancing blow that sent Sabine"s weapon flying out of her hand. Sabine was knocked back and fell gently on her rear.
  
  
  
  The duel was over. Shin stood victorious, her breathing heavy, her face alight with the thrill of the battle. Sabine, panting and disarmed, couldn"t help but smile, the exhilaration of the duel still coursing through her veins.
  
  
  
  There was nothing like it. There was only Shin. Fighting with her. Sparring with her. Everything with her. Sabine wanted more.
  
  
  
  The crowd erupted into cheers, their applause filling the air as they celebrated the thrilling duel they had just witnessed. Shin offered a hand to Sabine, helping her to her feet.
  
  
  
  Overwhelmed by unexpected emotions, Sabine stumbled into Shin"s comforting embrace. A unique sensation of tingles spread throughout her body, making her stomach flip and her heart race. She became enveloped by Shin"s presence, and a sweet, floral scent that seemed to be uniquely Shin"s filled her senses, captivating Sabine completely. She was overcome with the desire to stay wrapped up in Shin"s arms.
  
  
  
  As Shin"s lips brushed against Sabine"s cheek, she sported a playful smirk and whispered in a firm tone, "Don"t tell me you don"t enjoy it when I put you in your place."
  
  
  
  A chill ran down Sabine"s spine as she felt Shin"s firm grip on her arm, her body responding instinctively to Shin"s closeness.
  
  
  
  Trying to recover her poise, Sabine shot back with a playful sparkle in her eye, "It"s only because I let you." Her words were bold, but there was an undercurrent of fascination she couldn"t completely hide.
  
  
  
  Shin pulled back, her eyes locking onto Sabine"s with a smile. "What else will you let me do?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine was taken aback, her breath catching and her eyes growing wide at Shin"s daring question. But before she could respond, they were surrounded by a group of curious kids and enthusiastic onlookers, all of them bombarding Sabine with questions about her skills with the saber.
  
  
  
  Even though Shin was quickly pulled away by the crowd, their eyes stayed connected for a time, silently communicating in the midst of the commotion. They were forced to shift their focus to the eager children around them, but the promise of picking up where they left off hung in the air.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 20: Ceremony
  Notes:
  This chapter means a lot to me. Enjoy.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine stepped into the Glacial Hall; her eyes widening in awe as she took in the majestic beauty of the space. The entire structure featured a marvel of ice and snow, the walls glistening with a gentle glow that reflected off the polished surfaces. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with the ice smoothed to perfection, creating a mesmerizing ambiance of soft luminosity.
  
  
  
  The hall expanded into a spacious area, the ceilings arching gracefully overhead, adorned with delicate icicles that dangled like nature"s own chandeliers. Beneath her feet, thick plush rugs made from the fur of local fauna provided a soft cushion, contrasting pleasantly with the icy floor and adding a touch of warmth to the frosty interior.
  
  
  
  Intricate decorations filled the space, enhancing the icy theme. Tables were arranged in a circle around the dance floor, its polished ice surface gleaming under the subtle lighting. The tables were draped in woven plant fiber tablecloths, dyed in hues of blues and whites, harmonizing with the frosty surroundings. Ice sculptures, meticulously crafted into intricate flowers and leaves, served as centerpieces, surrounded by twinkling candles encased in holders of ice, casting a romantic and warm glow.
  
  
  
  The chairs, carved from blocks of ice, were made comfortable with cushions of plush fur, ensuring comfort for those who sat. Along the walls, ice sculptures depicted scenes of love and unity, contributing to the romantic and enchanting atmosphere of the hall.
  
  
  
  At the forefront of the hall, an arch made from intertwining branches, decorated with hanging icicles and delicate white flowers, created a picturesque backdrop for the wedding ceremony. The arch stood upon a raised platform of ice, with steps leading up to it, each step lit by candles that guided the way.
  
  
  
  Sabine thought it was somewhat over the top but considering it was the wedding of one of Ilyara"s children, it made sense the villagers went all out. If anything, she looked forward to the ceremony and learning more about the Ice People.
  
  
  
  The soft strumming of music, played on instruments fashioned from local materials, filled the air, enveloping Sabine in sweet melodies and adding to the enchanting atmosphere, ensuring that the hall resonated with the sounds of celebration.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze oscillated left and right, her thoughts adrift in anticipation of Shin's arrival. Nearby, Kradosh clarified the tardiness, mentioning a last-minute alteration needed at the tailor's shop. She ran her palms down the lines of her immaculate white suit, feeling the sharpness of her attire matched the importance of the occasion. Her outfit not only resonated with the village's hues but also boasted a style that married fashion with comfort, courtesy of a local skilled tailor.
  
  
  
  "Commander Wren, you look exquisite," Kradosh offered his praise as the stream of guests swelled.
  
  
  
  A smile curved Sabine's lips, and she affectionately clapped a hand on Kradosh's robust shoulder. "You're quite the sight yourself," she returned the compliment, her eyes taking in the unexpected splendor of the event. "I have to admit, I didn't picture this kind of luxury in a place like this."
  
  
  
  With a thoughtful nod, Kradosh proceeded to usher his men to their seats. "We've thrived for millennia," he remarked, "some peoples more prosperous than others."
  
  
  
  "Why not settle here?" Sabine inquired, her fingers gently ensuring her short hair lay smooth.
  
  
  
  Kradosh hummed thoughtfully. "And why did you choose to remain on Lothal?"
  
  
  
  It was clear Shin had been recounting tales of Sabine's exploits. She nibbled the inside of her cheek, hands now tucked in her slacks, her body swaying slightly as she pondered her answer. "As a guardian," she started, her voice a blend of pride and nostalgia. "The bond I share with the people, aiding in their resurgence-" She paused, lips twitching into a sly grin. "Touché, my friend."
  
  
  
  Kradosh's expression softened into a smile, and he dipped his head to meet Sabine's gaze more directly. "The youth of today," he started, his voice carrying the weight of wisdom. "You and Shin, always surrounded by tales and sagas yet you can"t find the answers."
  
  
  
  The grin on Sabine's face stretched even wider, and she dismissed the weight of his words with a flick of her wrist. "Sometimes, asking outright is easier," she retorted with a trace of mirth.
  
  
  
  "Is that so?" Kradosh countered, an eyebrow raised in gentle challenge. As the stream of guests swelled, he indicated towards the ornate doors at the end of the hall. "You may find that this evening is ripe with inquiries for a certain individual. Let's hope the Force favors your tongue when the time comes."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows lifted in playful anticipation, her nose crinkling as she turned to face the entrance with a knowing smirk. The room settled into a hushed expectancy, the host's voice rolling over the crowd, hinting at the grooms imminent entrance. Yet, for Sabine, there was another arrival that preceded the grooms - her date for the evening was about to step into the limelight.
  
  
  
  Shin Hati.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze locked onto Shin the moment she entered, the usual confidence in her stance momentarily shaken by the sight. Shin seemed to float through the crowd, her presence commanding yet surreal, pulling Sabine's world into a standstill. Her heart thrummed a wild rhythm against her ribs, and a warmth crept up her neck as she took in the vision before her.
  
  
  
  There was a grace in Shin's movements that Sabine had rarely seen, her dress, a cascading sculpture of ice-white that hugged her form and highlighted her warrior's physique. Her hair was styled, braid elegant over her shoulder. And her lips were a delicate shade of pink that drew Sabine's attention with a force stronger than gravity.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's voice was a distant rumble, barely penetrating the bubble that had formed around Sabine and her racing thoughts. "Good luck," he said, though his words felt like they were from another world as he retreated to his seat.
  
  
  
  Speechless, Sabine stood rooted to the spot, her mind a flurry of admiration and affection. As Shin closed the distance between them, stopping a mere breath away, Sabine's voice was lost in the sudden dryness of her throat.
  
  
  
  "Sorry I"m late," Shin said, her eyes a mirror of the stars, holding Sabine in their depth.
  
  
  
  "Uh," was all Sabine managed at first, her voice a stranger to her ears. She cleared her throat and offered a shaky chuckle. "You look... I mean, your dress-it's..."
  
  
  
  Shin's smile was like sunrise, chasing away the shadows of doubt. "It fits correctly!" she declared, her enthusiasm a lifeline that Sabine clung to gratefully.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes went wide, her heart caught between a chuckle and a tear. "It fits correctly alright," she managed.
  
  
  
  "And you wear your suit well," Shin complimented, her fingers lightly grazing the fabric of Sabine"s white top as she made a small adjustment.
  
  
  
  A spark of disbelief flickered in Sabine"s gaze, and she offered a single, bemused shake of her head. Was this real? "Thanks," she uttered, her response teetering on a question.
  
  
  
  Shin"s demeanor was all professionalism-wasn"t this supposed to be a date? Sabine"s words teetered on the edge of her tongue, barricaded by nerves. Yet, as she braced herself to dive into those deep blue eyes, the ceremony called them to attention.
  
  
  
  The dialect of the Ice People was cryptic, yet their Union Elder weaved a story of inclusivity with their words. As the two grooms circled the pyre, they cast shards of ice into the flames, a ritual dance of fire and frost.
  
  
  
  Sabine tried to anchor herself in the moment, wedged between Kradosh"s formidable bulk and Shin's magnetic presence. Instinctively, she inclined toward Shin, seeking comfort not just in the physical space but in the warmth that seemed to emanate from her-warmth that belied the usual chill in her gaze. Through the ceremony, Shin embodied an effortless grace, her attentiveness painting a portrait of calm that Sabine couldn"t help but be drawn to. The lines of Shin"s profile-sharp jaw and softly curved lips-were far more captivating than the ongoing vows.
  
  
  
  As the congregation was prompted to stand, Sabine"s coordination faltered, her movement a half-beat out of sync. A flutter caught in her chest as Shin's hand found hers, a touch as stabilizing as it was electrifying, guiding her with silent assurance toward the hall"s far end.
  
  
  
  Right outside the Glacial Hall, shrouded beneath heavy blankets of shimmering silver, stood two enigmatic figures. Even concealed, they exuded an aura of elegance and artistry, their silhouettes hinting at the meticulous detail waiting beneath the fabric. The drapes fell in soft, cascading folds over the contours of what promised to be masterful sculptures, the weight of the material masking the chill of the ice underneath.
  
  
  
  The guests cast curious glances toward the veiled masterpieces, speculating about the hidden treasures. Whispered guesses and excited murmurs filled the air, as the anticipation built with each moment the statues remained unseen. It was as if the blankets themselves were part of a ceremonial dance, a prelude to the unveiling that would soon reveal the frozen beauty beneath.
  
  
  
  Both grooms went to their respective figures and with direction from the Union Elder, pulled off the blankets.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s mouth parted and her skin tingled over and over, the cool breeze welcome on her heated skin. One sculpture revealed the imposing form of an ice-sculpted Howler. It captured the creature mid-howl, its muzzle pointed skyward, releasing an eternal cry. Muscles were chiseled into the ice with lifelike detail, and its fur seemed to bristle with a frozen ferocity. The Howler's eyes, deep-set and alert, held a glacial gleam, as if it were surveying the tundra for its pack.
  
  
  
  Beside this wild display, the second sculpture also awed the crowd. The Ice Serpent sculpture emerged from the draped concealment, a sinuous form that looked as though it was swimming through an unseen current. Its elongated body twisted elegantly, scales carved into the ice so finely they shimmered like diamonds. Its head was raised with a regal bearing, fangs bared in a silent display of power, while its eyes were carved to mimic the depth and mystery of the icy depths it hailed from.
  
  
  
  Sabine's awareness of her intertwined fingers with Shin"s lingered in her consciousness, yet she made no move to withdraw. Enthralled by the ceremony's splendor and the rich culture she was immersed in, she absorbed the spectacle with wide-eyed reverence.
  
  
  
  The Union Elder's ceremonial liquid turned the ice sculptures into prisms, casting a spectacle of dancing lights as the setting sun kissed them-a sight of dreamlike beauty that Sabine would carry with her forever.
  
  
  
  "And as the Ice melts, so does it join the lake, carrying the essence of love eternally," proclaimed the Union Elder.
  
  
  
  With the grooms" tender embrace, a resounding cheer broke through the congregation, a wave of joy that Sabine felt ripple through her being.
  
  
  
  A quick, self-conscious swipe at her eyes was her only concession to vulnerability; she hoped the emotion didn't betray her carefully applied makeup. Feeling the persistent warmth and pressure of Shin's grip, Sabine"s nerves ignited, her palm damp with the intensity of the moment, yet the desire to remain connected overrode any impulse to pull away.
  
  
  
  As the staff began transforming the Glacial Hall for the ensuing celebration, Sabine and Shin lingered in the liminal space where the chill of the outside world met the gathering warmth within. It was then that Shin turned to her, lips quirking in an enigmatic smile that promised conversations yet to unfold.
  
  
  
  Shin's words were soft yet clear amid the hustle of people transforming the space around them. "You seem quite moved, Sabine," she observed, her eyes holding a gentle inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a sheepish laugh, glancing towards the shimmering sculptures. "The art here...it"s inspiring," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "Is that why you"re crushing my hand?" Shin asked.
  
  
  
  Realization dawned, and Sabine's grip slackened, an apologetic blush coloring her cheeks. "Oh, I... I"m sorry," she stammered, attention shifting as the air vibrated with new music and the clinking of dishes being set for the feast.
  
  
  
  Shin flexed her fingers, looking down at Sabine with a playful challenge in her height. "Tell me, Sabine, do you think about getting married?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine's response came with an unbidden cough, a flustered attempt to clear her airway-and perhaps the sudden knot of emotions. She offered a shaky laugh, a telltale sign of her scrambling thoughts. "I... Well, it's not something that's been on my radar," she confessed, her voice a murmur of honesty.
  
  
  
  Shin"s response was a simple, knowing nod, her movements as she smoothed her dress conveying a calm certainty. "But it's on your mind now," she stated, less a question than a gentle assertion.
  
  
  
  The scent of Shin"s perfume enveloped Sabine, a floral embrace that was almost intoxicating. Her gaze was drawn to Shin's eyes, luminescent and knowing, then to her lips, quirking into a teasing smile. Sabine drew in a steadying breath. "How about we find something to eat?" she redirected with a hopeful inflection, thinking perhaps that a touch of normalcy found in the act of dining might settle the whirl of thoughts within.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin navigated the unfamiliar dishes with a diplomat's poise, sampling the array of unknown tastes and textures with discrete curiosity. The Glacial Hall resonated with a celebratory energy that seemed foreign yet inviting to her. Her past had offered her countless glimpses into the revelry of others. Yet, she remained ever the observer, the shadow lingering just beyond the mirth.
  
  
  
  Baylan's demeanor was no-nonsense, leaving no time for jubilation.
  
  
  
  This evening marked a departure from those solitary roles. She wasn't just another face among the throngs; she was an influential figure, a General whose decisions rippled across the people in the room. Yet, amidst the pomp and splendor of the evening, Shin found her attention honed to a singular focus: Sabine.
  
  
  
  The warmth in Sabine"s cheeks, the lustrous glow of her skin, the way her smile seemed to hold its own source of light-all conspired to ensnare Shin's gaze. Even the vibrancy of Sabine"s laughter wove through the din of conversation, a melody that Shin found unexpectedly stirring.
  
  
  
  Shin remembered her entrance, the way her eyes had instinctively sought out Sabine, and how the sight of her in that impeccably tailored suit had momentarily stolen the breath from her lungs. She had chided herself for the mask of professionalism she wore like armor, but a hopeful part of her whispered that the night was still young.
  
  
  
  As plates were cleared and the dance floor beckoned, Shin felt the rhythm of the evening shift. The concept of dancing was not alien to her, yet she rarely indulged in such displays. Tonight, though, the importance of joining in was clear. Casting a sidelong glance at Sabine, Shin steeled herself with a swift drink of icy water, preparing to step out of her comfort zone-perhaps, she conceded, in more ways than one.
  
  
  
  Shin"s voice cut through the hum of conversation, clear and composed. "Sabine?" she called, just loud enough to carry.
  
  
  
  Pausing mid-bite, Sabine looked up, a forkful of the root vegetable delicacy poised in suspension. "Yeah?" she responded, her voice a curious lilt.
  
  
  
  A momentary silence bridged between them before Shin, with an almost imperceptible steadiness, broached the question, "Would you join me for a dance after your meal?"
  
  
  
  Surprise flickered across Sabine"s features, and she hastily dabbed at her lips with a napkin, pushing her plate to the side with a sudden decisiveness. "Yep," she responded, her initial squeak smoothing into a firmer tone upon repetition. "I'd like that."
  
  
  
  Shin released a controlled breath, maintaining her composure as she stood up straight. She gave Sabine a look, who quickly stood as well, her excitement almost tangible. They made their way through the crowd of attendees to the designated area for dancing, where the melodies intertwined seamlessly, suggesting a sophisticated closeness for the dancers.
  
  
  
  Amidst the dancers, Shin claimed a space with an unspoken assurance, her stance embodying a quiet strength. She offered a slight, expectant nod to Sabine. "You"re acquainted with dancing, I presume?" she ventured, her tone a blend of statement and inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s response was a soft laugh, tinted with the warmth of shared humor. "I am," she admitted, her smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Though I usually lead."
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze was unflinching, her voice firm yet gentle. "Tonight, I lead," she declared, dismissing any objections before they could surface. "Your attire doesn't dictate the dance."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s reply was a blend of challenge and admiration. "Never said it did," she said softly, her hand settling respectfully on Shin's shoulder. "You"re quite stunning in a dress."
  
  
  
  In a fluid motion, Shin's arm encircled Sabine's waist, drawing her near with an ease that belied the charge of the moment. "And you, Sabine, wear handsomeness as comfortably as your suit," Shin murmured.
  
  
  
  A sharp intake of breath was Sabine's only reply as she relaxed into the embrace, her defenses yielding to the undeniable connection between them. "Thank you," she whispered, surrendering to the dance.
  
  
  
  The subtle brush of Sabine's hair against Shin's chin was a delicate sensation as they moved gently together. The Hall was alive with shimmering light, the reflections dancing off the fabrics and jewelry of the crowd, with more pairs joining the gentle sway on the floor. In this circle of motion, Shin found a fleeting peace, a wish to remain locked in this moment with Sabine, far from the demands of Peridea. But she dismissed the yearning, focusing instead on the soothing motion of her hand along Sabine's arm.
  
  
  
  "Is this considered a date?" Shin ventured softly.
  
  
  
  "I did ask you to be my date," Sabine reminded her.
  
  
  
  "This isn't just to show off for your Master, is it?" Shin probed further.
  
  
  
  "Only if this isn"t just about integrating with the bandits," Sabine shot back.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's hold on Sabine's waist tightened briefly, her gaze introspective. "It's not," she finally conceded.
  
  
  
  Sabine stepped back slightly, still in Shin's embrace, her gaze firm. "Then prove it," she taunted.
  
  
  
  Shin's pulse quickened, a tumultuous rush of anticipation in response to the veiled dare. Life, it seemed, was an unending series of hurdles and contests, yet none had presented quite like this, an enigmatic blend of challenge and desire. Beads of sweat formed a delicate trail down Shin"s spine as Sabine's gaze, fierce and expectant, held her in a silent standoff.
  
  
  
  Shin realized that there was nothing else like being in the presence of Sabine Wren.
  
  
  
  Feeling Sabine begin to distance herself, Shin acted on a bold impulse, holding her closer, a silent refusal to let the moment slip. She inhaled deeply, the proximity intensifying the moment, and then, with a tenderness that carried the weight of unspoken words, her cheek brushed against Sabine"s. She could feel the rising of fine goosebumps under her breath, a silent affirmation to the connection shared. Delicately, she planted a kiss upon Sabine's cheek, a trace of lip gloss marking the moment.
  
  
  
  Drawing back, Shin sought the gaze she'd momentarily left - now soft and brimming with unvoiced questions. "Your turn," she said, the words an invitation and a challenge all at once.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine's fingertips grazed her own cheek, an attempt to quell the fluttering in her chest. The gloss from her skin smeared across her fingers, leaving a rosy stain that captured her gaze for a fleeting second, her thoughts spinning wildly from the brief touch on her cheek. She lifted her eyes to Shin's, noting the bright blue that betrayed a flicker of anxiety.
  
  
  
  "How much longer should we stay?" Sabine inquired, her tone steady.
  
  
  
  Shin's hand came to rest lightly on the small of Sabine's back, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Departing now might give the wrong impression," she said softly. "As though our presence was merely for the banquet."
  
  
  
  A chuckle broke from Sabine, and she allowed her head to lean against Shin's shoulder, a moment of comfort amidst the chaos. "Guess I can wait for my turn," she mused.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice was a soft vibration as she responded, "I'll hold you to that," her fingertips tracing a comforting path along Sabine's arm.
  
  
  
  Sabine's breath hitched, perplexed by the potent impact of Shin's casual touches. Intimacy had been a stranger to her for some time, yet the flurry of emotions felt exaggerated.
  
  
  
  "You smeared gloss on my cheek," Sabine said, a playful note of accusation in her voice.
  
  
  
  "And?" Shin countered.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a half-hearted shake of her head, "You are so-"
  
  
  
  "Not stupid anymore I hope," Shin cut in, their steps continuing in a leisurely waltz.
  
  
  
  A smirk curled Sabine's lips as past shadows and name-calling from the Nightsister Fortress fluttered through her mind. "Stupid? Nah," she teased. "In fact, I"d say you"re about as smart as a droid on low power mode..." She paused, expecting a clever retort, but was met with the warm timbre of genuine laughter instead, drawing her eyes instantly to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin, with a twinkle in her eye, retorted, "Should I ever be a droid, let me be as memorable as Chopper."
  
  
  
  Sabine's chuckle, tinged with contemplation, melded into a thoughtful frown. Her gaze, deep and searching, locked onto the steel-blue depths of Shin's eyes and her perfect smile. With a heavy sigh, she whispered, "You know, your eyes are so sad sometimes, Shin."
  
  
  
  "So are yours," Shin responded gently, pulling Sabine closer. Her voice, soft and understanding, added, "Things pool in them that you can"t quite say."
  
  
  
  A sharp inhale filled Sabine's lungs, Shin's familiar scent enveloping her. "I"ve wanted to run away from my feelings for the longest time," she confessed. "But I think I"ve been wanting to stay and face it all as of late."
  
  
  
  "I see," Shin murmured, her breath warm against Sabine's skin. "If you were to stay, I"d be here as long as you"ll have me. You don"t have to face it alone."
  
  
  
  A wave of tremors swept through Sabine, reaching into corners of her heart long neglected. "Our sabers clashing that one night caused all this?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin"s hand, gentle yet firm, traced down Sabine"s back. "Sometimes it only takes a taste to keep us wanting forever," she whispered, her words floating between them like a secret.
  
  
  
  Sabine, overwhelmed, rested her head against Shin's shoulder, their slow dance a refuge from her turmoil. As they continued slowly, the evening blossomed into a scene of delightful moments, each of Shin's chuckles weaving a melody Sabine wished to replay endlessly.
  
  
  
  They mingled and conversed, tasting the array of snacks, and savoring the festive atmosphere. The grooms, deep into their celebration, were inseparable until their amused parents intervened. Amid the merriment, Sabine found pleasure in the revelry of the guests, their joyous abandon captivating her observer"s eye.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, too, joined the dance floor, his imposing figure moving with a surprising grace. Pook and Dook were doing a dance of their own, people bending down to dance at their heights.
  
  
  
  Shin drew glances throughout the night, prompting Jex to ward off overzealous comrades. But Shin chose to at least dance with the Ice Leader Ilyara and then Kradosh. The dances were brief, punctuated more by serious conversation than by steps to the music.
  
  
  
  Yet none of this unsettled Sabine as much as she thought it would. She was content in the knowledge that when the time came to depart, it would be with Shin alone. She managed only an eye roll for the overtures of inebriated admirers, their clumsy advances failing to impress.
  
  
  
  Sabine abandoned her attempts to wipe away the gloss Shin had left on her cheek earlier. Part of her actually cherished its presence, a lingering reminder of rosy, pink lips constantly on her mind. While standing near the buffet, she smiled subtly to herself and nodded in acknowledgment as Jex approached, grinning.
  
  
  
  "I"m surprised the two of you haven"t left yet," Jex teased, casually picking up a flute of bubbly and sipping it.
  
  
  
  Peering up into Jex"s golden-brown eyes, Sabine chuckled. "Wouldn"t be appropriate just yet," she casually replied.
  
  
  
  "Uh-huh," Jex responded with a playful wink. "How about a dance before you"re whisked away forever?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, with a spirited glint in her eye, responded as she took Jex"s outstretched hand. "I"ll always be my own person, you know."
  
  
  
  "Of course," Jex agreed, leading her through the crowd of jubilantly dancing guests. "You are Mandalorian, after all. Is that what worries you? Losing yourself in a commitment to someone else?"
  
  
  
  Resting her hand lightly on Jex"s shoulder, Sabine gave a small nod. "Maybe," she admitted. "Seems like everyone close to me ends up getting hurt."
  
  
  
  "We all get hurt, in one way or another," Jex said. "Sorry, but you"re not the center of the universe, Sabine."
  
  
  
  With a soft laugh, Sabine responded, "Really?" Her tone held a tinge of sarcasm. "How did you cope when you realized Thrawn wasn"t who you thought he was?"
  
  
  
  Jex gave a shrug as they swayed gently. "It"s been years," she said thoughtfully. "But all I can do is my best and keep hoping we can stop him someday."
  
  
  
  Sabine took a deep breath, the scent of Jex"s cologne filling her senses. "We"ll find our way back," she said confidently. "You"re welcome to join us if you"d like."
  
  
  
  Jex looked down at Sabine with a warm smile. "You"re a good person, Sabine," she stated. "But the only way forward is to leave the past behind."
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes playfully. "You sound like my Mark IV droid, Huyang."
  
  
  
  "What a comparison," Jex retorted with a light huff. "Anyway, I can tell blondie cares a lot about you. Don"t you want her in your future?"
  
  
  
  Sabine glanced over Jex"s broad shoulder to see Shin dancing with Pook and Dook, a smile tugging at her lips. For a moment, she allowed herself to simply enjoy the dance with Jex and contemplate the question.
  
  
  
  An inquiry rather than response lingered in Sabine"s mind, and she finally voiced it, "Do you think people can move past their old problems and be okay?"
  
  
  
  Jex paused, considering her answer. "I think so," she finally said. "Sometimes letting go is the key to finding what really matters."
  
  
  
  Sabine leaned closer to Jex, a sincere tone in her voice. "You"re quite the sage for an ex-Stormtrooper. I appreciate you listening to me."
  
  
  
  Jex smiled. "Anytime, Sabine," she replied.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued in slow circles with Jex for a time. In the distance she noticed Shin looked on, a respectful eye, granting Sabine the space she valued. And that space, that silent assurance, was treasured by Sabine above all.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin lingered on the edge of her bed, patience fraying. She'd offered Sabine the solitude to rejuvenate after the night's celebration, yet as the hours waned, she was left to wonder about their significance. Her gaze wandered to the adjoining door, questioning whether to surrender to sleep's call. She toyed with the fabric of her sleep trousers, lost in thought.
  
  
  
  Had Sabine reconsidered their time together? Perhaps succumbed to slumber? Or had Shin's earlier gesture been too audacious? Such uncertainties weighed on her, urging her to seek clarity. She rose, the cool air of the room caressing her as she approached the door, her steps soundless on the plush carpet.
  
  
  
  The fireplace's warm glow bathed the room, casting dancing shadows against the walls' icy sheen. Shin paused and gently laid her hand upon the door's surface. The silence from the adjoining chamber was unsettling, suggesting an absence of life within. Just as she turned, resolved to retreat, the door groaned open, revealing Sabine's arresting gaze.
  
  
  
  "Ugh, the shower was spitting out ice cubes instead of water!" Sabine burst into the room with mock outrage, but her voice held a note of triumph. "But I fixed it."
  
  
  
  Shin looked up as Sabine breezed by, the casual swing of her hips contrasting with her matter-of-fact tone. "You know, my refresher is available," Shin offered, her voice as steady as her gaze tracking Sabine to the hearth.
  
  
  
  "Now, wouldn"t you just love that," Sabine teased, her hands deftly repositioning a stubborn log, the sparks jumping at her touch like playful sprites.
  
  
  
  Shin settled onto the couch with a deliberate ease, pulling at the hem of her shirt. The living area was a cozy space. "Practicality over heroics," she intoned, her eyes momentarily following the flickering flames.
  
  
  
  With a flourish, Sabine straightened up, casting a look over her shoulder, a playful smirk on her lips. "But where"s the fun in that?" she countered. "Besides, I"m a girl who likes a challenge."
  
  
  
  Shin couldn't help but crack a small smile, her serious facade giving way just so. "So Mandalorian of you," she acknowledged, her fatigue seeping through the dry humor.
  
  
  
  Sabine pirouetted with a flair, raising an eyebrow. "Now, don"t fall asleep yet," she chided with a wag of her finger.
  
  
  
  Shin couldn"t stifle the yawn that betrayed her weariness, sinking deeper into the cushion. "After the day we"ve had, and your endless tinkering..." she murmured.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s lips pursed in a thoughtful pout, hands finding their way to her hips in a show of mock deliberation. "Ah, but the night is still young by my watch," she declared. "And I"ve got just the thing to keep you up."
  
  
  
  Shin offered up a resigned gaze, half expecting another chore in Sabine"s capricious plan. "Alright, lead the way," she said, starting to rise.
  
  
  
  "Stay," Sabine commanded gently, pressing Shin back into the sofa with a firm hand. In one fluid motion, she hopped up, her legs straddling the divide between them. As she lowered herself gracefully onto Shin"s lap, her voice was soft, inquiring, "Is this alright?"
  
  
  
  The room seemed to shrink to just the two of them, the warmth of the fire echoing the heat spurring within. Shin"s eyes were wide, her breath caught somewhere in her chest, her hands instinctively finding their place at Sabine"s waist. Yes, this closeness was more than alright. It was a truth, as undeniable as the flitter of flames casting shadows over their shared space.
  
  
  
  Shin's response came with a steadiness that betrayed the rapid pace of her heart. "As long as you"re comfortable, so am I," she said softly.
  
  
  
  A teasing glint danced in Sabine"s eyes as her fingers gently squeezed Shin's shoulders, then trailed upward with the grace of a feather, framing her face tenderly. "I can"t believe you kissed my cheek," she whispered, their shared breaths mingling.
  
  
  
  A faint smile graced Shin"s lips, feeling the gentle touch that was both electrifying and soothing. In this proximity, they weren"t just two souls side by side; they were interwoven threads in a moment of pure connection. To share a bed for sleep was one thing, but this was a deliberate crossing into the sacred territory of vulnerability and desire. Shin wanted nothing more than to hold Sabine in this embrace indefinitely, yet the allure of those soft lips, illuminated by the hearth"s glow, was magnetic.
  
  
  
  With a gulp, Shin gathered her courage. "I may be overstepping my bounds, but I wanted to make a statement at the wedding-that you were with me this evening," she admitted.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath hitched, her gaze lowering in contemplation before she offered a half-smile tinged with irony. "At least you"re honest," she replied, her hand gliding across the cool skin of Shin's neck with a touch that promised freedom over possession. "Just remember, I don"t belong to anyone."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained locked with Sabine's, her eyes a reflection of the fire's dance as the latter's fingers encircled her neck with a touch that was daring yet controlled. "Is that so?" Shin quipped, her voice husky, "I should get to keep what I kill."
  
  
  
  "But you didn"t kill me," Sabine countered smoothly, her head cocking to the side. Her grip firmed, not to harm, but enough to make her point, her breath mingling with Shin's in a silent dance of power. "Remember, when the world fades and doors close, the game changes-and I"m in control."
  
  
  
  The line between threat and promise blurred as Sabine's fingers exerted their will upon Shin's throat, and Shin's instinctive reaction stirred a primal energy within her. Her own hands tightened reflexively on Sabine's waist, the escalation from a simple, affectionate gesture to this charged exchange both bewildering and exhilarating.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze intensified, her words an accusation. "There's a darkness in you, Sabine. It won't ever go away."
  
  
  
  In response, Sabine's expression morphed into a complex mixture of defiance and contemplation, her grip on Shin's throat unyielding. "Maybe I like it," she shot back, her voice tinged with recklessness. "Maybe it's time I let it out in this way."
  
  
  
  "Then do what you want," Shin dared as she lifted her chin defiantly, accepting the shift in dynamics.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze sharpened, her hand gliding from Shin's neck to cradle her jaw firmly, an unspoken covenant that her next move would be both deliberate and bold. "I will," she whispered, sealing the pact with the unyielding gentleness of her touch.
  
  
  
  Shin licked her lips slowly, staring up at Sabine whose eyes were fiery and deep. "We"re more alike than we are different," she breathed.
  
  
  
  Sabine inched closer, her thumbs running up and down Shin"s sharp jaw. "And there"s so much for us to learn from each other, isn"t there?" she asked in a hushed tone. "I want more."
  
  
  
  "Then take what you want, Sabine. It"s your turn now."
  
  
  
  Shin's breath faltered as Sabine bridged the gap between them, initiating a kiss that spoke volumes of their accumulated tension, all the sharp wit and taunting distilled into a moment that unfurled with exquisite slowness. The world seemed to pivot on the axis of their intertwined breaths, each exhale a silent promise of more.
  
  
  
  The embrace tightened as Sabine looped her arms around Shin's neck, her movements deliberate, anchoring Shin in place as the kiss deepened and their bodies melded together with a raw intensity. Sabine's lips sought a rhythm of soft persuasion, coaxing a response from Shin.
  
  
  
  Yet Shin craved an urgency that belied the softness, her hands tracing the curve of Sabine"s spine, pulling her closer with an insistent grasp. The kiss grew fervent, their meticulous control unraveling into a passionate tangle that was as chaotic as it was enthralling. Amidst the disarray and the heat of shared breaths, they found a flow that was uniquely theirs albeit sloppy and messy.
  
  
  
  In the wake of Sabine's gasp for air, a sound from Shin"s throat, half-moan, half-whisper, urged Sabine back into the fray. Hands exploring with newfound boldness, Shin arched into Sabine, inviting a rocking of hips that was both primal and intuitive. Sabine responded in kind, her movements becoming a mirror of Shin"s appetite.
  
  
  
  As their tongues ventured in a tentative exploration, surrendering to the escalating passion, it was clear that they had crossed a threshold. The boundaries that once defined them individually were blurred beyond recognition, giving way to a connection that was as deep as it was irrevocable.
  
  
  
  Sabine's exploration was an intoxicating blend of sweetness and ardor, her tongue painting strokes of desire onto Shin's lips. Hands gripping Shin's hair, Sabine pressed closer, the heat of their bodies fusing as the fabric of her shorts gathered at her thighs, marking the intensity of their encounter.
  
  
  
  Shin, enticed by the taste of Sabine's kiss, ventured further, tracing the line of Sabine"s jaw with her tongue, gentle yet deliberate. Her teeth grazed Sabine's neck, eliciting sighs and moans that pulsed with their escalating heartbeats. She summoned every ounce of her self-control to resist the urge to bite into the tempting golden skin. In the heat of their embrace, every sensation was amplified, every touch a spark igniting the tinder within them.
  
  
  
  With each moan from Sabine, Shin felt the energy shift, a silent acknowledgment that they weren"t just in sync, but that Sabine was soaring on a higher plane. Shin reclaimed Sabine's lips, sealing their connection with kisses that melded desperation with want. Everything was warm, sweaty and frantic. The ache deep within Shin was building but she could sense Sabine was already throbbing and chasing a high.
  
  
  
  Shin momentarily paused the kiss, withdrawing slightly. Sabine, drawn by an instinctual pull, attempted to close the gap, her lips seeking Shin's. Observing this, Shin couldn"t help but smile, her grip on Sabine"s hips tightening affirmatively. "Does it feel good?" she inquired, her voice low and encouraging, subtly urging Sabine to continue rolling her hips.
  
  
  
  Barely containing a moan, Sabine managed a breathy affirmation. "Yeah," she whispered, her voice laden with desire. "Don"t stop."
  
  
  
  In the flushed glow of exertion, Sabine's expression was a canvas of pleasure and effort as she found a perfect motion against Shin. The friction was heady, dizzying in its allure. In a moment of raw need, Sabine seized Shin's hand and guided it to her heart, a silent plea to feel the wild drumbeat beneath her skin, to understand the depth of her arousal without words.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze locked onto Sabine's as her hand tentatively began its exploration, her touch growing bolder with the encouragement of Sabine's sigh, a sound so stirring it coaxed Shin's hand beneath the fabric of her shirt. With a reverence that bordered on hesitation, she traced the contours of Sabine's damp skin and toned stomach, finally pausing just below the line of her bra. The silent plea in Sabine's grinding movements was unmistakable; she was granting Shin an unspoken permission to continue.
  
  
  
  With Sabine's lips fiercely claiming hers, Shin surrendered to a moan, the sting of a bite sending a current through her body. As the intensity of their kiss ebbed, Sabine's smug smirk was met with Shin's deepening resolve. Shin's embrace tightened, a silent signal of her growing excitement, as she expertly navigated the obstacle of Sabine"s bra to find the warmth of her bare skin.
  
  
  
  The moment Shin's hand made contact with the softness of Sabine"s breast, the room seemed to contract further around them. Sabine's gasp shattered the rhythm of their breaths, and she sought refuge in the curve of Shin's neck, her own breaths coming in sharp bursts. As Shin's fingers worked in gentle, yet confident strokes, a single, purposeful caress over Sabine's nipple was the catalyst that turned a simmering tension into a blaze.
  
  
  
  Sabine whimpered and tensed, a jolt of pleasure anchoring her to the sensation, to the moment... to Shin.
  
  
  
  After their moment of heated intimacy, Sabine's form yielded, a sudden slackness following the tension. Her breath was ragged, evidence of the intensity they had shared. Time seemed suspended as Sabine struggled to regain her poise.
  
  
  
  Shin, still flush with the closeness, broke the silence with a glimmer of concern. "Sabine?" The name was a soft inquiry, tentative and cautious. "Did you just...?"
  
  
  
  The flush on Sabine's cheeks deepened, a scarlet hue that betrayed her fluster. She stood abruptly, her movements shaky as she retreated with a hand pressed to her chest, her usual bravado dissolved in the wake of vulnerability.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Shin repeated, her voice laced with an apologetic tilt. The confusion was clear in her tone, "Did I...? I didn't mean to overstep."
  
  
  
  But Sabine, usually so in command, could only manage to wipe the perspiration from her brow. She made a beeline for the door, her silence speaking volumes.
  
  
  
  Shin rose, her instincts urging her to close the distance, to offer comfort. "Sabine, wait," she insisted gently. "It's alright, truly. Let me help you."
  
  
  
  At the threshold, Sabine paused, her response a mere whisper. "I just need... a moment alone." And with those words, she slipped through the door, leaving Shin amidst a tangle of worry and alarm.
  
  
  
  Shin stood there, the abruptness of the door's closure a stark contrast to the intimacy that had unfolded moments ago. The cool wood against her fevered brow was a small mercy. She tried to steady her breathing, the sensory echoes of Sabine's presence still enveloping her - the taste, the touch, the electrifying connection that had surged between them.
  
  
  
  Drawing a shuddering breath, she whispered to the barrier between them, an earnest plea carrying her voice. "I just want to spend time with you Sabine. We can play sabacc or read holobooks in bed, I don"t care..."
  
  
  
  She lingered at the door until the sound of the latch yielded to her patience. The door crept open, revealing Sabine, somehow transformed by the brief interlude, her earlier disarray replaced with composure.
  
  
  
  "Thanks for giving me a minute," Sabine said, her tone light.
  
  
  
  Shin retreated a step, a silent offer of respect for Sabine's space, and her eyes searched Sabine's for reassurance. "Of course," she said, her voice a comforting balm. "Are you alright?"
  
  
  
  A laugh, light and self-aware, escaped Sabine as she ran a hand through her vibrant hair. "I am," she admitted, the flush of her cheeks a soft testimony to the moment they had shared. "A little embarrassed, I suppose..." Her words trailed off.
  
  
  
  Shin observed Sabine with concern. "Why?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a casual shrug, her typical poise revealing a trace of insecurity. "I guess it just caught me off-guard," she confessed, her voice dropping to a murmur.
  
  
  
  A wrinkle formed on Shin's brow, her analytical mind processing the admission. "It happens," she said, hoping to dissolve any lingering awkwardness. "It"s a normal reaction."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes rolled with a playful exasperation. "Oh, Shin," she sighed, the tension breaking like dawn. "How about that game of sabacc, then?"
  
  
  
  The suggestion eased a smile onto Shin's lips, her earlier trepidation melting away. "I'd like that," she agreed, watching Sabine step back into the shared space between them. She"d have done anything at this point to convince Sabine to spend more time with her.
  
  
  
  Sabine, approaching once more, tapped Shin lightly on the collarbone, a silent echo of their closeness. Shin stood rooted, cautious yet hopeful with Sabine"s fingers so delicate upon her skin.
  
  
  
  Their eyes met, a flicker of azure and ember, and Sabine leaned in quickly. But their swift movement led to an unintended clash of teeth, causing them both to instinctively jerk back. The momentary awkwardness was quickly dissolved by their shared laughter.
  
  
  
  "Oops," Sabine chuckled, her hand instinctively going to her mouth.
  
  
  
  Shin, slightly bemused by their clumsy connection, nodded in agreement. "We're clearly both exhausted," she concluded.
  
  
  
  Still chuckling, Sabine agreed, "What a night," she said, her laughter subsiding into a warm smile. "I"m rusty is all."
  
  
  
  They moved to the table, a comfortable silence enveloping them. "I'll take your word for it," Shin responded with a hint of dry humor. "Now, to a quick game, and then to rest."
  
  
  
  Sabine shot her hand out and grabbed at Shin"s arm, holding her attention. "Hey," she said.
  
  
  
  "Yes?" Shin asked, resisting the urge to drag Sabine toward the bed and convince her to continue what they started on the sofa.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled and reached up to caress Shin"s cheek. "It was really nice," she said. "Kissing you finally... You"re okay if we take things slow at first and wait a bit?"
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled and offered a gentle smile pondering if Sabine had just read her mind. "I"d wait forever for you, Sabine..."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes sparkled as she sat to play sabacc. She nearly dropped all the cards out of her hands as her tired limbs struggled to move about. Shin had to bite back a smile watching the determined Mandalorian continue. However, to end the game early, Shin allowed Sabine to win so they could hurry off to bed.
  
  
  
  With swift, tender movements, Shin peeled back the covers and gently guided Sabine's weary form into the bed's welcoming embrace. As Sabine nestled in, rubbing her eyes in a sleepy gesture, an accidental elbow jabbed into Shin's back. A loud groan escaped her lips as she turned to face Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Sorry!" Sabine's voice was laced with a mix of apology and nervous humor, her grin uneasy in the dim light. "I"m a disaster tonight."
  
  
  
  Shin, wincing slightly, offered a comforting sigh. "This bed is so vast, Sabine... But you"re not a disaster," she reassured in a soft huff. "You"re just... overwhelmed, that"s all."
  
  
  
  Laying her hands beneath her cheek, Sabine's gaze lingered on Shin, vulnerability flashing in her eyes. "Aren"t you?" she whispered.
  
  
  
  In the flickering glow of the firelight, Shin"s eyes met Sabine's, revealing a depth of emotion. "I am," she confessed softly. "But I"m more so relieved you returned."
  
  
  
  A quiet Oh slipped from Sabine, her breath faint. "Did you like what we did?"
  
  
  
  A smirk touched Shin's lips as she reached out, her fingers tracing a gentle path across Sabine"s cheek. "I loved what we did," she murmured, her voice a velvet whisper. "Isn"t it obvious?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed slightly, her struggle to keep her eyes open evident. "I think so," she mumbled. "Can you just... hold me?"
  
  
  
  As Sabine turned and curled into herself, Shin moved closer, her presence a reassuring shield. "Of course," she agreed softly, sliding in behind her. "What happened to me being too warm for you?"
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a tired groan, pulling Shin's arm around her in a snug embrace. "Just... let me have this moment," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "I will," Shin assured, her voice a gentle murmur.
  
  
  
  Feeling a sense of comfort, Sabine snuggled closer, pressing her back against Shin. A nuance of curiosity threaded through her words. "Do you think... if we kept going, our Force powers would"ve blown up the room?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Shin, her lips still tingling with the memory of their kiss, gave a thoughtful response. "I believe we're learning to master our control," she noted, a sense of assurance in her tone. "So, I don't foresee it being an issue going forward."
  
  
  
  A relieved exhale escaped Sabine. "That"s good," she replied. "Otherwise we"d disturb everyone around us each time."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled lightly, the sound a soothing melody in the quiet room, as she wrapped herself around Sabine's form. She drew Sabine closer, their bodies fitting together in a comforting embrace. "Sleep well, Sabine," Shin whispered tenderly, her breath caressing Sabine's neck.
  
  
  
  "Goodnight, Shin," came Sabine's weary reply, her voice trailing off into the tranquility of the night.
  
  Notes:
  Phew!
  
  I remember being so nervous/excited while writing this and it"s my personal fave so far... for well... reasons hahaha.
  
  I don"t usually ask for comments but if you do have a kind/positive thought for this particular chapter, please consider leaving it so I may read it/respond over my holiday.
  
  Now time to finally go play BG3, sleep, eat and hopefully hit the slopes.
  
  Please be safe and enjoy this time of year as best as you can. It"s different for everyone and not always an easy time, so take care of yourselves. See you soon!
  
  Love,
  
  Vedi
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 21: Into the Depths
  Notes:
  Happy New Year! I hope you've all been doing well!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Dawn's light filtered through the frost-laced windows, casting a soft glow that fused with the flickering firelight and bathed half the room in its gentle embrace. Shin remained propped against the headboard, her gaze lingering on Sabine. Even in sleep, Sabine was a mess of motion - a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. The bed was generously sized, a saving grace given Sabine's restless slumber, where she would often roll, twist, and turn. Shin couldn't help but see the whimsical movements as a charming quirk, albeit a mildly perilous one at times.
  
  
  
  Shin released a quiet sigh, her ears tuned to the muffled murmurs escaping Sabine's lips. Night after night, the whispers were the same - echoes of family, Mandalore, the enigmatic Dark Saber, and other veiled secrets. Shin wrestled with the ethics of her accidental eavesdropping; Sabine, lost in dreams, unwittingly shared parts of her soul. Yet, Shin reasoned that their continued closeness in these vulnerable hours was a silent agreement - an unspoken consent to the sharing of nocturnal confessions.
  
  
  
  Shin took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed briefly as the remnants of the previous night's visions attempted to invade her peace. Consciously, she steered her mind away from those distractions, focusing solely on the present - on Sabine. A slow exhalation followed, her form becoming a portrait of stillness as the sound of her own heartbeat filled her senses, slowing to a calm, steady rhythm as she let herself just listen.
  
  
  
  In the undercurrent of Sabine's quiet breaths and murmurs, Shin sensed an ocean of emotion she couldn't fully fathom. Threads of sorrow woven tightly with strands of anger, disappointment, and fear. Yet, in the world of her dreams, Shin could also discern the shimmering threads of hope - sparks of excitement, the solace of relief, a quiet satisfaction, and the thrum of a passionate longing, all interlaced subtly beneath the surface.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flickered open, her gaze instinctively drawn to Sabine's slumbering figure. She allowed herself a brief moment to appreciate the details she usually forced herself to ignore - the distinctive beauty mark that punctuated Sabine's features, the charming dip of her dimpled chin and those rosy lips. Her gaze meandered over the soft glow of golden skin, the lithe strength evident in Sabine's form, and the vitality that danced within her usually spirited eyes, now closed in repose.
  
  
  
  Recollections of the previous night seared softly in Shin's memory, particularly the warmth of Sabine's skin beneath her touch, the living pulse she felt under her fingers.
  
  
  
  A reflective sigh escaped Shin as she fanned the fabric of her sleep shirt, contemplating the growing fondness she harbored for Sabine - the sharpness of her intellect, the quicksilver flash of her wit, her prowess with weaponry and the intricacies of machinery. Above all, it was Sabine's remarkable capacity to forge a profound connection with Shin, despite the conflict of their past, that resonated deeply within her.
  
  
  
  As she prepared to rise and face the day, a sudden, insistent banging at the door jolted her from introspection. Her feet had barely brushed the cool floor when the sound echoed through the room, heavy with urgency.
  
  
  
  Sabine's groan filled the room as she bolted upright, eyes wide in alarm.
  
  
  
  "General, Commander," Kradosh's voice resonated with gravitas. "Your aid is required immediately."
  
  
  
  Rising swiftly, Shin threw a concerned glance at Sabine, then stepped briskly to the door. Kradosh, his figure imposing, stood at attention, a solemn bow of his head confirming the gravity of the situation.
  
  
  
  "What's happened?" Shin queried, her tone sharp, as Sabine joined her side.
  
  
  
  "The Tunnel Raiders," Kradosh disclosed with a grimace. "Amidst the revelry of the nuptials, they've trespassed into the village and abducted three newborns from their cradles."
  
  
  
  A gasp escaped Sabine, her face a picture of disbelief. "Infants?" Her voice was full of shock and outrage. "Why?"
  
  
  
  "Their rituals," Kradosh's voice darkened, "involve the infants."
  
  
  
  A chill of dread crept up Shin's spine as her expression hardened. "What manner of rituals?" she demanded.
  
  
  
  "Those that culminate in death," came the grave reply from Kradosh.
  
  
  
  Shin's brow creased in concern. "How were they able to accomplish this?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's expression darkened with worry. "The caretaker watching over the infants was rendered unconscious," he revealed. "They were found only recently by one of the parents. It appears that Spies from the Tunnel Raiders were involved."
  
  
  
  With a derisive snort, Sabine spun on her heel. Her resolve was as perceptible as the tension in the air. "I'll suit up in my beskar. Let"s go," she declared, voice slicing through the thick atmosphere.
  
  
  
  As Shin prepped with equal alacrity, she gestured sharply for Kradosh to step inside. "Detail everything on these Raiders," she commanded, "their ignorance of our powers - does it hold true for now?"
  
  
  
  "Indeed," Kradosh affirmed, his tone underlined with respect. "Against you and Sabine, they stand no chance."
  
  
  
  Seizing her saber with a definitive snap, Shin attached it to her belt, her stance embodying defiance. "They've targeted the innocent," she hissed, her gaze fierce. "Crushing them is but the least of their impending woes."
  
  
  
  Acknowledgment and readiness mirrored in Kradosh's eyes. "Understood, General."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The remnants of last night's intimacy haunted Sabine's senses, a relentless surge of sensation that she struggled to suppress. The aftermath lingered on her skin, her consciousness fragmenting into splinters of desire that traced a heated path to her core. With a mental shake, she corralled her wandering thoughts; focus was imperative.
  
  
  
  Even the ride atop Tota was... distracting. Each movement of the beast beneath her was a reminder, a sensual reminder, that resonated with the night's memories.
  
  
  
  Her grip tightened on the reins as she made a subtle adjustment to her beskar armor. Ilyara, their pathfinder, led with unwavering determination. Sabine felt the flush of exertion on her skin, the sweat tracing her spine, while the wind whipped away any moisture from her gaze. A silent battle raged within, urging her to steal glances at Shin, but she resisted, channeling her attention to the mission.
  
  
  
  The landscape grew imposing, with mountains that clawed at the sky, looming over them as they navigated the narrowing pass. The terrain underfoot turned treacherous, a sludge-thick mud that clung to the Howlers' paws, challenging their relentless advance. Yet they persevered, driven by Ilyara's confident gestures toward what she surmised was the Raiders' subterranean bastion.
  
  
  
  The gravity of their task weighed heavily on Sabine, tethering her spirit to the present, to the urgency of their quest. She steeled herself, the resolve firming in her heart as they moved ever closer to confronting the darkness that had dared to steal innocence from their midst.
  
  
  
  Sabine gently stroked Tota"s mane, offering a silent thanks to the sturdy creature for its unwavering efforts. Tota"s breaths were heavy, yet his resolve mirrored their own as they edged closer to the lair of the elusive adversaries. The Tunnel Raiders-whose sinister reputation preceded them-remained a mystery in many ways. Their habits, emerging with the thaw of winter, suggested a cunning that made them all the more dangerous. Sabine filed away her questions about their culture; such luxuries of learning their history were a currency they could not afford in these pressing moments.
  
  
  
  Her gaze drifted to the front of their group, catching sight of Shin poised just behind Ilyara. The determined set of Shin"s jaw was as much a compass as Ilyara"s directions. Despite the gravity of their mission, Sabine"s pulse quickened with a personal tumult, memories of the night before intertwining with the present"s sharp edge. The striking difference between celebration and this urgent rescue reflected the unpredictable nature of their lives-reminiscent of the chaos and friendship of Sabine's time aboard the Ghost, where each day was a mix of the unexpected.
  
  
  
  The air crackled with static as Sabine tweaked her communicator. "Ahsoka?" she tried, her voice steady amidst the tumult.
  
  
  
  It was Huyang, not Ahsoka, whose voice filtered through, metallic and precise. "Affirmative, Lady Wren," he confirmed. "Your signal is clear. We're en route and will be joining you shortly."
  
  
  
  Sabine, not wanting to make another mistake, knew the virtue in rallying reinforcements. Ahsoka, quick to action, had already taken to the skies upon Sabine's initial report, leaving the defense of the Noti in capable hands until her return.
  
  
  
  "The terrain here is muddy," Sabine warned, visualizing the difficulty it might pose for landing. "Be careful."
  
  
  
  "Received and acknowledged," Huyang's voice crackled in response, the line buzzing with the sound of the connection straining against the distance.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze was fixed on the expanse above as she discerned the distinct shape of the T-6 shuttle piercing the horizon. The ground beneath her churned, the scent of wet dirt rising up as Ilyara executed a sharp left turn, directing attention to a specific point in the sky. The pace of the howlers decelerated, finally halting, and Sabine smoothly dismounted, her eyes following the T-6 as it deftly navigated to a rocky landing spot nearby.
  
  
  
  "Their closest known stronghold lies there," Ilyara announced, her arm outstretched toward a rugged opening nestled between a pair of jutting boulders.
  
  
  
  As Sabine assessed the entrance, Ahsoka's form emerged, moving with an almost ethereal grace across the sodden ground. Without a word, Ahsoka enveloped Sabine in an embrace that, despite its unexpectedness, was filled with warmth. Sabine, momentarily taken aback, soon relaxed into the hug.
  
  
  
  "Sabine, your efforts are commendable," Ahsoka whispered, stepping back with an approving gaze. "I appreciate you calling me."
  
  
  
  A hint of red blossomed on Sabine's cheeks, and her spirits lifted at the praise. "Thanks, Ahsoka," she said, her grin tempered by the gravity of their mission. "Invasion of the baby snatchers happened last night."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's attention shifted towards the cavernous entrance, her expression hardening with resolve. "Then let"s put a stop to it," she declared, signaling the assembled rescuers to prepare for what lay ahead.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin took the lead, her saber held before her like a talisman against the darkness. The tunnel's mouth yawned wide, an ominous void that swallowed the light and seemed to swallow sound as well. With each step she took, the light of the day dimmed behind her, and the embrace of the tunnel became more profound, more complete.
  
  
  
  She glanced at Sabine, her heart lifting, but the coils in her stomach reminded her of the task at hand. Ahsoka was a welcome addition, their combined stance would be a great asset to the rescue. The Tunnel Raiders wouldn"t dare cause any issues after Shin was done with them. Infants? Preposterous.
  
  
  
  The chill of the underground air wrapped around Shin like a damp cloak. It seeped through her clothes and pricked at her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms. She could feel the coolness of the walls radiating against her exposed cheeks, the air tasting of mineral and wet stone.
  
  
  
  Her footsteps, measured and careful, were muffled by the soil beneath her boots. She was acutely aware of the quiet that enveloped the group, the kind of silence that presses in on the eardrums and heightens every small noise. Occasionally, the soft sounds of the others' movements reached her-a scuff, a breath, a muted clank of armor from Sabine at her back.
  
  
  
  But everyone remained quiet- stealthy, to listen for the sounds of infants that might echo down the tunnels.
  
  
  
  The walls of the tunnel were rough-hewn, showing the scars of their making. They brushed against Shin's outstretched hand, a tangible reminder of the presence of those who'd carved this path before them. Here and there, the glow of her saber would catch on something unexpected-a vein of carbonite perhaps, or the scuttle of some small, unseen creature.
  
  
  
  Despite the pressing dark, Shin's senses remained alert. She cataloged every new turn of the tunnel, every change in the air, and the subtle signs of passage. She could feel the weight of the mountain above them, a silent, oppressive force that was as real to her as the ground beneath her feet.
  
  
  
  The saber light danced over the walls, throwing long shadows that played tricks on the eyes. It was easy to imagine figures lurking just beyond the reach of light, watching, waiting. But Shin pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the mission, on the reason they crept through the belly of the world.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's white saber suddenly hissed to life, piercing the gloom with its luminous blade and arresting the group's advance. "There's a presence," she murmured, her voice barely above a breath. "A distant cry, perhaps?"
  
  
  
  Ilyara inched forward, her grip tightening on the shaft of her spear. "The children?" she speculated, her voice thin with concern.
  
  
  
  With a decisive tilt of her weapon, Ahsoka indicated a shadowy corridor to their right. "We proceed in that direction," she instructed, assuming the lead with a composed urgency. "Eyes watch us from the shadows. Remain vigilant."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze sharpened as she scanned the encroaching dark. There were things lurking. The notion of the Tunnel Raiders observing them was plausible-after all, this subterranean maze, with its shifting shadows and deceptive silence, could easily harbor unseen watchers.
  
  
  
  The walls of the tunnel seemed to groan and shift, with strange sounds resonating as if the very bowels of the world were stirring. Shin's expression hardened, her fingers coiled around her saber's hilt, primed for instantaneous action. She threw a protective glance at Sabine, an unspoken promise of safeguarding between them, then shifted her focus to Ahsoka who took position at her side. Kradosh, Jex and Ilyara maintained a tight formation, their senses as taut as bowstrings, while the rest of their party stood in ready anticipation.
  
  
  
  Drawing a deep breath, Shin expanded her awareness, letting the Force seep into her senses, her conduit to everything within and beyond the darkness. In a fleeting moment of concentration, her eyes snapped shut, embracing the connection. With a sudden flash of motion, her saber arced through the air, cleaving the muddied wall. A strangled yelp burst forth as a shadowed figure crumpled to the ground. When all eyes converged on her, Shin"s gaze was as sharp as the blade she wielded.
  
  
  
  "These walls harbor more than secrets," Shin declared with icy precision.
  
  
  
  Approaching the felled figure, Ilyara traced her fingers over the earthen wall, a frown etching her features. "A cunning new tactic," she observed, her voice laced with unease. "They've never melded with the stone itself before. This is odd."
  
  
  
  Kradosh brandished his spear with grim determination. "Their strategy evolves," he acknowledged grimly. "And this is their home ground."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze pierced the murky depths of an adjacent tunnel, which seemed to plunge even further into the abyss. "Proceed this direction," she instructed.
  
  
  
  Shin"s attention was abruptly captured by the sound of infants" cries reverberating through the tunnel, a chorus of life amidst the stillness. "They're alive," she stated, a hint of urgency in her voice. "Let"s hurry."
  
  
  
  The party navigated the labyrinthine passages, their path intermittently illuminated by the sporadic glow of lightsabers and flickering torches. They encountered a few Tunnel Raiders who skulked from the shadows, but these foes were promptly dispatched, bewildered by the unexpected might of the Force-sensitive invaders.
  
  
  
  As the wails of the infants intensified, signaling their proximity, the group emerged into an expansive cavern. It bore the marks of habitual occupation: sleeping quarters, remnants of meals, personal effects scattered about. Yet amidst these traces of daily life, the babies lay isolated, their cries unanswered.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze swept over the cavern; every sense heightened for signs of an ambush. With measured steps, she approached the cluster of blankets where the infants were swaddled, her mind alert to any subtle shifts in the Force around them.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn't suppress a triumphant grin as she scooped up one of the infants, her face lighting up with a blend of relief and delight. "That was almost too easy," she declared, cuddling the baby close. "And hey, look at this little one already taking a shine to me!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, ever vigilant, cast a disapproving glance as she patrolled the edges of the room. "They're not playthings, Sabine," she reminded sternly.
  
  
  
  Ilyara, more pragmatic, gently retrieved the infant from Sabine's arms, organizing the rest of the children for the journey back.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression playfully fell into a mock pout. "So, no Huttball with the kiddos, huh?"
  
  
  
  "Sabine!" Ahsoka's reprimand came sharp, a clear warning in her tone.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged nonchalantly and chuckled, dismissing her own jest. "Relax, I'm just joking."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka exhaled deeply, her sabers casting long shadows as she scrutinized every corner for hidden threats.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Shin's focus was drawn to a peculiar wire snaking across the ground. She followed its course with a warrior's intuition, noting how it disappeared beneath the makeshift mess of blankets and rugs-clearly meant to obscure whatever lay beneath. Holding her saber at the ready, Shin meticulously traced the line with her eyes, prepared for whatever trickery the Tunnel Raiders might have left in their wake.
  
  
  
  "Sabine," Shin's voice cut through the tension, sharp and urgent.
  
  
  
  Sabine stopped her teasing of the infants perched on Kradosh's back and looked over. "Yeah?" she replied, noting the seriousness in Shin's tone.
  
  
  
  Shin pointed at the wire snaking along the ground. "Do you see this?"
  
  
  
  With a few quick steps, Sabine joined Shin and peered down. After a moment's inspection, her breath caught. "Time's up-we've got to move, now!"
  
  
  
  Shin's response was immediate, her hand propelling Sabine forward with a forceful push. "It"s a trap!" she barked, the phrase a catalyst for chaos.
  
  
  
  The party's momentary paralysis shattered as the walls began to groan ominously. An explosion boomed, reverberating through the cavern, as stones started to tumble from above. Panic ensued as the room began to implode.
  
  
  
  "Forward-move!" Shin commanded, thrusting Sabine into a sprint. The team surged up the tunnel, driven by the thunderous sounds of their world collapsing behind them.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice rose above the noise, guiding them. "Left! Now right!" She remembered the path they had taken, the mental map clear amidst the mayhem. As the tunnel convulsed, threatening to entomb them, Shin felt the brush of death at her heels. But she pushed on, her determination as relentless as the force of the cave-in, driving her and her companions towards the faint glimmer of safety.
  
  
  
  Sabine often glanced back at Shin, her eyes big and glassy.
  
  
  
  Keep your eyes ahead and run!
  
  
  
  But what if this is the last time I get to see you?
  
  
  
  Then you"ll have my memory
  
  
  
  Ilyara's alarm broke through the rumble, her voice laden with fear. "It"s closing in by the exit!" she exclaimed, as the ground shook beneath them like the heartbeat of the mountain.
  
  
  
  With resolute determination, Sabine stretched out her hand. "It won't collapse!" she proclaimed assertively. A powerful energy pulsed through the air as she steadfastly maintained the tunnel's integrity. Despite the trembling and groaning of the world around them, she successfully prevented the tunnel from caving in.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka and Shin mirrored Sabine, focusing their combined wills. A surreal calm enveloped the chaos as, by some unseen force, the tumultuous cascade of dirt and debris hung motionless, suspended in time.
  
  
  
  Their path cleared, the rescue team seized the moment, bolting through the petrified turmoil. The tunnel, momentarily subdued, held its breath until every last one of them had spilled into the open.
  
  
  
  As they tumbled out, the land reclaimed its right, swallowing the entrance whole, leaving no trace of the abyss that had nearly become their tomb.
  
  
  
  Exhausted, Sabine collapsed to her knees, her breaths coming in rapid torrents. "Dank farrik, that was too close," she gasped, relief lacing her strained voice.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's hand came to rest reassuringly on Sabine's shoulder, her touch grounding. "Well done, Sabine," she acknowledged with a proud nod. "And Shin, your vigilance was our salvation. Without your keen perception, our fates would be sealed."
  
  
  
  Shin, her energy waning, managed to find solace on her knees amidst the chaos, the cries of the infants now a clear sign of their survival rather than an alarm of distress. She looked up at Ahsoka, gratitude and fatigue mingling in her sweat-streaked face.
  
  
  
  ********
  
  
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka, with a tactical vigilance sharpened by recent events, stood within arm's reach of the ship-a silent acknowledgment that at a moment's notice, they might need to spring aboard and vanish into the skies. They directed their unwavering attention toward Ilyara and Kradosh, absorbing every detail of the plan being forged to counter the Tunnel Raiders' threat. The ship's proximity served as a reassuring bulwark, a promise of rapid evacuation from the precarious uncertainty that lay with the Raiders' next move.
  
  
  
  The gravity of their situation was unmistakable; the Force had been their shield, their protector in the subterranean chaos where the Raiders had set their deadly path. Now, in the aftermath, they stood unified in their resolve to reinforce their defenses, to become an immovable bastion amidst the howling winds and ice.
  
  
  
  "You have our assistance any time you need," Ahsoka affirmed, her voice cutting through the biting air, her eyes briefly connecting with the T-6. It stood ready, its hull marred by the harsh elements, yet unyielding. "Do you think they"ll retaliate?" Ahsoka"s question hung in the frigid air, her breath forming a cloud of mist as she spoke.
  
  
  
  Ilyara's response was as crisp as the crunch of snow underfoot. "Not above ground," she declared, her breath also misting before her. "And our land is too frozen for them to dig." Her assurance stemmed from the knowledge that the very earth was an ally in its current state, as unyielding and cold as their determination.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was a measured nod, arms crossed against the chill that sought to seep into her bones. "Then we bide our time," she suggested, her words a vow as much as a strategy.
  
  
  
  The conversation turned tactical as Kradosh, the imposing figure garbed in armor that spoke of countless battles, meticulously adjusted his helmet and brushed away the residue of their recent encounter. "We could possibly capture a spy," he mused. "I feel as though something is amiss here and we need answers."
  
  
  
  Shin, amidst the mundane task of shaking the last remnants of the underground from her hair, interjected with a warrior's focus. "Patrols," she declared, bringing an edge of proactive defiance to the mix. "We do randomized patrols until we find something."
  
  
  
  As they strategized, Ilyara's gaze lingered on the sleeping infants, their innocent slumber a stark contrast to the harshness of their surroundings. "Footsteps in the snow, trails of mud..." she mused, pointing out the silent tells of an unseen enemy against the pristine blanket of snow.
  
  
  
  Sabine's posture shifted to one of contemplation, hands on her hips as she contemplated the wisdom of their plan. "If they have eyes on us, they'll know we got out then," she noted.
  
  
  
  "And that's okay," Ahsoka countered with the serenity of a seasoned Master, her assurance a bastion against doubt. "They should also now know we're not to be trifled with."
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression shifted, a blend of intrigue and contemplation. "Well, what now?" she queried, seeking the path forward.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's attention to the T-6 was a silent acknowledgment of their reliance on the shuttle. "Is it possible, Master Ahsoka, to provide me with a lift back to check on my people?" His request was underlined with the weight of responsibility he carried for his kin.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's smile was a rare gem in the cold, the warmth of it promising camaraderie and support. "Of course," she responded with a gentle nod.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s focus shifted to Sabine, her invitation a reminder of the bond they shared. "Sabine. I"d like you back for a while too."
  
  
  
  The question in Sabine's eyes was mirrored by Shin"s unspoken concern, the air between them charged with the weight of unvoiced thoughts. "You do?" Sabine asked, seeking affirmation.
  
  
  
  "I do."
  
  
  
  Kradosh saw the moment for what it was-a pause in the storm. "Then let us have lunch and head to our homes," he concluded, his voice resonating with the simple, grounding power of tradition and the reminder that even warriors must eat, must rest, must find respite in the rhythm of daily life before facing what lay ahead.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin leaned against the rugged surface of a boulder, the rough texture contrasting with the delicate fruit in her hand. She took a bite, the crunch echoing sharply in the hush that hovered between her and Sabine, who stood just a stride away. They were tucked out of sight, with Ahsoka awaiting their return to embark on their next endeavor.
  
  
  
  Shin observed Sabine closely, noting the thoughtful loop of her thumbs around her holsters. "You're becoming very strong, Sabine," she commented.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, uncertainty in her voice. "Am I really?" she queried, almost to herself.
  
  
  
  Shin casually brushed a hand through her hair, taking another bite of her fruit. "You single-handedly prevented that tunnel's collapse," she pointed out.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze drifted to the collapsed entrance of the labyrinth they had navigated earlier, her lips pursing in contemplation. "Just a few months ago, I was barely able to tap into the Force," she reflected, her voice low, carried away by the wind.
  
  
  
  Shin studied Sabine's face, searching for clues to her thoughts. "And yet, your actions were pivotal in our escape," she gently prodded.
  
  
  
  Shrugging, Sabine played down her role. "It was teamwork, really. You and Ahsoka kept it intact."
  
  
  
  Observing Sabine, Shin noted several emotions - confusion, a hint of sadness, and an underlying strength that Sabine seemed hesitant to acknowledge. "Will we stay in touch while you're at the Noti camp?" Shin asked, her tone casual but laced with desperation she tried to hide.
  
  
  
  "Comms would be practical," Sabine suggested, her footsteps a soft pattern on the muddy ground.
  
  
  
  "Practical, yes," Shin agreed, the fruit's sweetness lingering on her tongue. "But then Huyang becomes our unintended audience."
  
  
  
  A sigh escaped Sabine as she dragged her hand down her face, a veil of exasperation. "I don"t know how long I"ll be," she confessed.
  
  
  
  Shin discarded the fruit's core, her back molding to the boulder's cold embrace. "Being with your Master is important," she reminded Sabine. "And I need to help here."
  
  
  
  Sabine weaved her fingers through her cropped hair, a gesture of contained turmoil, and closed the gap between them. "I know," she conceded. "But, last night-"
  
  
  
  "What about it?" Shin prodded gently, locking her gaze with Sabine as a sliver of sunlight broke through the cloud cover, crowning Sabine with a golden glow.
  
  
  
  "It was... nice," Sabine admitted, lifting her eyes to meet Shin's. "I don"t like our past but... I"d like you in my future."
  
  
  
  Shin's pulse surged, creating a tumultuous rhythm against the stillness. She moistened her lips, her eyes delving into Sabine's, seeking truth. She found it there, in the raw intensity of Sabine's gaze that seemed to see right through her.
  
  
  
  "This is a place of dreams and madness," Shin's voice was a whisper, laden with wonder. "Is all of it real?"
  
  
  
  "It"s real," Sabine assured, her gaze momentarily drifting away before locking back onto Shin's.
  
  
  
  A tightness constricted Shin's throat, her gratitude for the boulder's steady support unspoken. "And after all this... will you still be here?" she inquired, her voice soft.
  
  
  
  Sabine's affirmation was silent but steadfast-a nod imbued with a promise. "I'll do what I can," she said softly. "There are things we can"t do alone, Shin. Trust me I know."
  
  
  
  Shin nervously toyed with her fingers, a habit she tried to curb as she contemplated her evolving self. Being with Sabine Wren, she realized, was reshaping her in subtle ways.
  
  
  
  "I've grown tired of solitude," Shin confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes twinkled mischievously, her lips curving into a playful grin. "Really now?" she teased.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Shin's gaze lingered on Sabine"s lips, triggering a surge of memories from their intimate night together, stirring a deep longing within her. "Of course, some tasks are for one," Shin added hastily. "But, whenever possible, I want you there with me."
  
  
  
  "Ah," Sabine voiced, a note of understanding in her tone as she closed the distance between them, her steps deliberate. "I could do that."
  
  
  
  A tentative smile tugged at Shin's lips. "Then, until your return?"
  
  
  
  "Until then," Sabine affirmed, and their proximity vanished in the space of a heartbeat.
  
  
  
  In that moment, their kiss was an eloquent exchange that needed no words, resonating with the depth of a shared past and the hope of an unwritten future. They parted briefly, gasping in the sharp, fresh air, their embrace a silent affirmation of a connection that, improbably, had rooted itself in their hearts.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  They won't be apart for long. What's that saying, distance something something, hearts something haha ;]
  
  Caged Wolves
  ChocolateCookieCream
  Summary:
  As Sabine is held prisoner on the Eye of Sion, Shin comes to her cell so that she can pry the Mandalorian for information. PWP. Very M-rated smut. Intersex. G!P Sabine x G!P Shin.
  
  Work Text:
  THIS FIC CONTAINS EXPLICIT SMUT. SABINE AND SHIN IN THIS FIC ARE INTERSEX AND HAVE A PENIS. ALL CHARACTERS INVOLVED ARE OVER 18. PLEASE ENJOY!
  
  XXX
  
  The Eye of Sion was still traversing through Hyperspace. She could feel it in the subtle vibrations through the floor beneath her feet. She could hear the metallic walls around her still creaking. There was no way of knowing how long their journey would take. It was still a possibility that they might not even arrive at their destination. However, Morgan and Baylan's conviction to their cause was evident. They were beyond certain that this route would lead them to Thrawn.
  
  Likewise, Sabine hoped that she could be reunited with Ezra.
  
  She couldn't stomach the idea of losing more of her family.
  
  Sabine lifted her head when she heard the mechanisms for the door unlock. Four of Morgan's personal enforcers stepped into view, clearing a path for Shin Hati to enter.
  
  Sabine straightened her back and immediately locked eyes with the Dark Jedi. The air in the cramped cell was thick as the two women stared at each other in contemplative silence. Shin tilted her head, gazing at Sabine in an almost curious manner. Sabine tried not to crack. She feared that showing any momentary weakness or hesitation would give her enemy the advantage. Although, it felt like she couldn't be at any greater disadvantage considering the situation she was currently in. Yet, the longer she watched the white-haired enigma, the more she felt her will fracture. There was something about Shin that captivated Sabine. Could it be their dual connection of being apprentices?
  
  Or, was there something else that Sabine was drawn towards?
  
  Shin glanced at one of the guards standing beside her. ''Leave us.''
  
  They were apprehensive for a split second before obeying her command. Morgan's personal enforcers walked out of the cell and shut the door behind them, closing off any hope of Sabine making a daring escape.
  
  Sabine's lip twitched as she forced a coy smile. ''Alone at last. If you happen to have a spare lightsaber on you, what's say that you and I have a little rematch?''
  
  Shin's expression remained stoic as she closed the distance between them. Sabine wasn't sure what to make of this. Was the Dark Jedi overconfident? Sabine wasn't in much of a state to fight back with her wrists currently handcuffed. Still, she could give Shin trouble if an opportunity presented itself. But, Sabine waited for the right time.
  
  The Mandalorian warrior sighed in frustration. ''If you've come to question me, giving me the silent treatment isn't the best way to go about it.''
  
  ''It will only be a few questions,'' Shin said. Her cold eyes never diverted away from Sabine's face, causing the graffiti artist to blush slightly. ''Why did you do it?''
  
  ''Do what?''
  
  ''You had the map. You could have destroyed it and ensured that Thrawn would have no way of returning. Yet, you broke because of someone you know. Ezra Bridger.''
  
  A wave of memories washed over Sabine upon hearing that name. Nostalgia comforted her like a warm embrace. She wanted to smile, but she remained vigilant with Shin. She didn't want to give the Dark Jedi the satisfaction of slipping into her mind. ''I'm not going to tell you anything about him.''
  
  ''I don't care about him,'' Shin replied frostily. ''I want to know your relationship towards him.''
  
  Sabine's brow was raised. ''Excuse me?''
  
  ''You've risked the future of the galaxy for a chance to save him. He must be special in your heart.''
  
  ''H-he is!'' Sabine responded. She swallowed the lump in her throat. For whatever reason, the room seemed to get hotter, not helped by the fact that Shin was still advancing towards her. ''He's family.''
  
  ''Family?'' Shin's lip curled into a slight grin. ''Is that all?''
  
  Despite her situation, Sabine broke out into laughter. ''Are you trying to find out if he's my boyfriend or something?''
  
  ''Something...'' Shin said with chilly certainty as she knelt in front of Sabine.
  
  Their faces were inches apart. If Sabine wanted, she could have tried to headbutt the Dark Jedi and fight to break free. But, she didn't. She feared that Shin would counter her move and cut this interrogation short. Also, she was intrigued by where Shin was taking this conversation. She could feel their hearts racing in unison. Why was Shin also nervous? How did Sabine know that she was nervous? Why was she feeling more connected to someone who was considered her enemy than any other person in her life recently?
  
  Sabine sighed and was the first to break eye contact. ''Ezra and I aren't like that. We've been through a lot. More than what many people go through. He's been there for me when I've had my bad days. Now, I'm returning the favor.''
  
  ''You were never...intimate with him?''
  
  Sabine was too shocked to answer right away. Yet, Shin's face was etched with genuine curiosity, as if she was trying to piece together Sabine's history there and then. ''No! Not at all!'' Sabine answered. ''Let's just say that Ezra is not my type. Shall we talk about your romantic life next?''
  
  Her sarcasm did little to sway Shin's focus. The Dark Jedi craned her head to the side ever so slightly. ''Have you ever been intimate with anyone?''
  
  A chill ran up Sabine's spine. It should have felt unpleasant. But, it didn't. She gulped and leaned back. ''I think that we're done talking.''
  
  ''No,'' Shin raised her hand. ''We're just getting started.''
  
  Sabine's blood turned cold when she realized what Shin was about to do. Her walls immediately came up as she tried to shield her mind from the Dark Jedi's influence. However, the difference in their skill with the Force became apparent as Shin was swiftly able to pry into the Mandalorian's mind. Images of Sabine's past played vividly before Shin's eyes. Her wrist twisted slightly, dialling through the echoes of Sabine's memories, searching for her true feelings. Sabine reared her head back and sighed. There was no point in fighting the inevitable. Her only weapon was her wit.
  
  ''See anything you like?'' she asked sarcastically.
  
  Shin did not bat an eye. She stared at Sabine. The flames of curiosity intensified. ''Hera...''
  
  Sabine groaned. ''That was one time. It wasn't long after Kanan passed. We had a few drinks and...''
  
  ''Quiet!''
  
  ''Hey, you're the one who came here to question me,'' Sabine taunted.
  
  A slight twinge of pain creaked at the back of her neck. She knew that Shin was digging deeper into her thoughts. Sabine should have reacted more harshly to have her mind picked open. Yet, her resistance was minimal.
  
  Was she open to the idea of Shin finding her dirty secrets?
  
  Another face and name became visible to Shin. Her eyes widened. ''I see...your mother...''
  
  ''Yeah, well...I was close with my mom after we sorted out some family matters.''
  
  Shin grinned. ''Closer than most mother and daughters should be.''
  
  Sabine's cheeks reddened. The true nature of her relationship with her mother was somewhat of an open secret to those who knew her well. However, she hadn't thought about those forbidden nights of passion for a while. Especially after Ursa's passing.
  
  No.
  
  Sabine turned her head. She tried to cast aside those hurtful memories. But, it was too late. Shin had seen all that she needed. Fragments of the past came together like pieces of a puzzle. Faces crossed paths at the crossroads of Sabine's life.
  
  ''Your feelings for Ahsoka Tano are strained. You blame her for leaving you after the destruction of Mandalore. She abandoned you despite how...close you two had become...''
  
  ''Enough!'' Sabine snapped.
  
  It was enough to break the link between them. Shin was momentarily stunned by the outburst. The two women locked eyes as the intense nature of their confrontation gripped them into place. Sabine leaned closer until her face was inches away from Shin's. For the first time since she stepped into the cell, the Dark Jedi was the hesitant one. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Sabine's eyes and her lips.
  
  Sabine noticed, and smirked. ''Try something. I'm not afraid of you.''
  
  ''I don't want you to fear me,'' Shin rose to her feet.
  
  ''You want me to love you instead? Because we're a long way from that.''
  
  Shin's eyes darted downward. Something of particular interest caught her eye. A sinister smile took shape. ''It's not about love. Passion can be conjured in other ways.''
  
  The Dark Jedi raised her hand and focused on a certain area of Sabine's body. Sabine stared in perplexity before a wave of pleasure surged through her body. A gasp escaped from her as she glanced down to her groin. Between her legs, a prominent bulge started to take shape beneath her padded underwear. She couldn't recall when exactly she had started to become hard. Honestly...it could have happened the moment Shin stepped into view. Sabine wasn't going to deny that she found the mysterious warrior attractive. But, they were enemies. Nothing more. Sabine had to ignore the dark temptations. Love was not the Jedi way.
  
  Then again...Sabine wasn't an ordinary Jedi.
  
  Sabine's breathing quickened as an unseen force brushed against her concealed erection. She became overwhelmed with ecstasy when she felt the bottom half of her armor being removed. Shin remained two steps out of reach as she used her abilities to strip her captive and leave her bear below the waist. Sabine's cock sprang into view. It stood at a mightily impressive 10 inches. It was throbbing intensely as pre-cum leaked out of the tip. Slowly, Shin moved her hand up and down in a smooth motion.
  
  ''Fuck!'' Sabine cried out.
  
  Despite there being no physical contact between them, Sabine revelled in the sensation of her cock being stroked like this. She'd often wondered what it felt like to do this. She remembered that she once teased Ahsoka over the possibility. Her master never went through with the idea, although she did seem to be amused by the suggestion. Shin had no reservations about using the Force to fulfil her desires. She brushed her hand up and down faster. The pressure around Sabine's shaft grew. A fire burned in the pit of the Mandalorian's stomach. Her hips bucked in response.
  
  Then, Sabine noticed it. She snorted. ''Looks like you're enjoying this too.''
  
  Shin looked down to see where Sabine was staring. Beneath her robe, a tent was sticking out. This momentary distraction didn't stop her from continuing to torment Sabine. Her hand clutched as if she was gripping Sabine's cock like a vice. Sabine threw her head back and moaned in delightful agony.
  
  Still, Sabine smiled. ''I'd return the favor, but my hands a little tied. Maybe you can loosen them for me?''
  
  ''Do you really think I will fall for such an obvious trick?'' Shin stepped forward. ''Besides, there is another way you can please me.''
  
  It didn't take long for Sabine to know what Shin was referring to. The Dark Jedi's groin was level with her face. Sabine licked her lips. ''Are you sure about that? I'll make your knees quake before you break me.''
  
  ''I accept your challenge.''
  
  With her free hand, Shin folded the front of her robe to the side and reached down to grab her cock. Sabine was taken aback by its immense size. The Dark Jedi's shaft wasn't as thick as the Mandalorian's, but it did reach an amazing 13 inches in length. Shin didn't say another word as she thrust her hips forward and drove her cock into Sabine's parted mouth. Sabine gagged on Shin's dick but didn't back away. Her lips slid up and down the shaft as she bobbed her head rapidly. At the same time, Shin quickened the motion of her hand so that she could Force-Stroke Sabine's dick faster. The room was soon filled with the slick sounds of their seductive efforts. Moans reverberated off the walls as they worked to pleasure and conquer the other person.
  
  ''This is a much better use for your mouth!'' Shin purred.
  
  Sabine was unable to retort. She was far too busy sucking Shin's cock. The intoxicating taste compelled her to deepthroat the massive organ, even as it speared her throat repeatedly, causing her to choke on it over and over again. When that wasn't enough, Sabine darted her head down to lick on Shin's balls. As she slurped on them and took both in her mouth, she delighted in hearing Shin's mewls of pleasure. It was a sweet sound. This wasn't how she expected to see Shin's softer side, but she wasn't going to complain. Spit rained down the corners of her mouth and onto her lap. Every inch of her own cock was enveloped in a powerful pressure that wouldn't falter.
  
  However, it soon became clear that Sabine was more experienced. She was able to hold out longer. Shin buckled and squirmed as she felt herself on the brink of a powerful release. Her other hand gripped Sabine's hair tightly as she rammed her cock down Sabine's throat and came hard. The psychic hold she had on Sabine evaporated as she erupted in the other woman's mouth, spilling her hot load for what felt like minutes. Sabine kept her lips sealed around the hilt as she swallowed every last drop of Shin's seed.
  
  After the Dark Jedi was sucked dry, Sabine pulled her head back and smiled up at her. ''I win.''
  
  Shin's face twisted with frustration. Suddenly, she pressed herself up against Sabine and spread the Mandalorian's legs. Before Sabine could question her, she felt her hips being lifted off the seat as Shin's cock probed her rear. As the thick shaft slid between her cheeks, she questioned whether or not she wanted to fight back. She very quickly had her answer as she stared directly into Shin's eyes and waited for the moment of explosive passion. Shin thrust her cock into Sabine's ass and immediately began to buck her hips, fucking her prisoner without remorse. Then, she added to the pleasure by grabbing Sabine's dick to stroke it with her hand properly. Sabine's eyes rolled back into her head as she found herself riding against Shin. Her ass clenched tightly around the pulsating shaft.
  
  Even if she wasn't handcuffed, she'd have been more than happy to let Shin do all the work. Her lip curled into a smile as she felt Shin fucking her harder and faster. ''Is that all you've got!?''
  
  Not content with being teased, Shin let her emotions get the better of her and she used her other hand to Force-Choke Sabine. She gasped loudly and arched her back. For a moment, Shin seemed to break through her blind stupor. Her outstretched hand twitched and she was on the verge of lowering it when...
  
  ''Harder...''
  
  Shin slowed her thrusts. She wasn't sure if she misheard.
  
  Sabine wore a mask of absolute resolve. ''Harder!''
  
  Initially reluctant, Shin obeyed. She tightened the Force around Sabine's neck, which resulted in the prisoner crying out in pained pleasure. She grinded her ass against Sabine's dick to encourage her to continue. It was enough to bring Shin out of her daze as she gave Sabine what she craved. One hand was on Sabine's cock, stroking it furiously until her muscles ached. Her other hand turned from left to right as she measured the amount of power she wanted to use to choke Sabine to her heart's content. Sabine's strained moans echoed throughout the cell. Yet, there wasn't a single moment where it looked like she wanted the Dark Jedi to stop.
  
  Amidst the intense pounding, it clicked into place for Shin. She understood why Sabine wanted this. None of her previous lovers would treat her like this. Hera was an older, motherly figure who needed to feel compassion in a moment of despair. Ursa Wren would never dream of being this rough with her daughter. And Ahsoka...she coddled Sabine too much.
  
  Was she afraid to break her apprentice?
  
  Was she afraid that their passion would bring Sabine down another path?
  
  Sabine ascended to heights of pleasure that she'd never before experienced. She screamed to the best of her abilities whilst her throat was being squeezed. Shin felt the Mandalorian's cock pulse in her hand as she came on herself. White ropes of hot seed blasted all over Sabine's armor.
  
  A new work of art for her.
  
  Shin wasn't far behind. She grunted like a feral animal as she pumped every inch of her cock inside Sabine's ass and released her load, filling her to the brim. Cum oozed out of Sabine's rear as Shin swiftly pulled away. The Dark Jedi marched towards the door and opened it, glancing over her shoulder once more to glare at the dazed prisoner.
  
  ''We'll be arriving soon. Fix yourself up.'' She stepped out of the cell and the door shut itself behind her.
  
  Sabine panted heavily as she stared down at the mess that had been left on her, as well as inside her. Despite her situation, she couldn't help but smile. ''Probably my favorite work yet.''
  
  Bump, Set, Spike
  JenFMax
  Summary:
  A Modern Day, Volleyball WolfWren AU... Shin and Sabine have been rivals since they were thirteen, but best friends before then. Sabine has never known the reason as to why Shin started picking fights with her, to which she would also fight back. One fight ends up determining their future..
  
  Notes:
  Hey guys!! Welcome to my WolfWren AU!!! I'm also the author of Shin and Sabine on here!! Hope you guys enjoy this idea that popped into my head a couple weeks ago!!
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 1: Why Do We Always Meet With A Fight
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, as she pulled her clothes from her dryer, carrying them to her room. Tonight was a big game between her team, The Jedi's, and her rival team- The Mercenaries. Sabine was the Captain of her team, and her arch-enemy, Shin Hati, was the Captain of the Mercenaries. Their rivalry went back to middle school, when they'd been thirteen.
  
  
  
  They'd been best friends, and Sabine still never knew what had suddenly changed within Shin. Shin had hurt her deeply, and so now anytime they saw one another, a fight always broke out between them at their games.
  
  
  
  They played Professional Volleyball, and had played together until college, when their paths separated to different schools. They were both twenty five years old, and high strung.
  
  
  
  Sabine had gone to Lothal University, and Shin had gone to Seatos College. They'd gotten detention several times from their fighting one another, and Sabine had even gotten suspended from school for a portion of a semester.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, softly grabbing an old picture of them smiling together, volleyballs tucked under one of their arms, while hugging from the side.
  
  
  
  "Why do we always have to fight Shin? What happened to you... We were best friends.." She felt emotional looking at the old picture, and quickly put it back under her pillow.
  
  
  
  She'd had a crush on Shin, before everything had changed, and she'd planned to come out and confess her true feelings to Shin, and then Shin had just changed. No longer was she all smiles to Sabine, but cold. Something had happened that last night of them hanging out at Shin's house.
  
  
  
  She'd heard Shin's grandmother call Shin something she couldn't make out, and yell something when Sabine had stayed by the front door, contemplating telling Shin how she felt, before riding her bike back home. Whatever had happened, it had changed Shin, and how she felt towards Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gritted her teeth, remembering the last time they'd played against each other's teams, they'd both had to sit the game out, as they had started fighting before the game had even begun. Sabine had gone to confront her, and ended up with a fist to her chin.
  
  
  
  It had hurt, physically and emotionally. She had just punched back, and then they'd been kicking at each other while trying to put the other into a chokehold on the floor of the gym. Sabine's coach, Ahsoka Tano, had pulled her off of Shin, and Shin's coach, Baylan Skoll, had dragged Shin off to the locker room.
  
  
  
  Sabine grabbed her uniform, change of underwear, extra socks, and spare clothes, shoving them into her game bag. She then grabbed her favorite volleyball from the floor, spinning it in her hand.
  
  
  
  She sighed thinking back to how Baylan had dragged Shin by the arm, knowing how Baylan had adopted Shin when Shin's grandmother had passed away. It had to be embarrassing and awkward, and she shrugged.
  
  
  
  It wasn't her place to question how Baylan treated Shin, but she knew he loved her. He wouldn't be so strict if he wasn't, and she knew he got hell from being Shin's coach and father, since Shin was the team Captain.
  
  
  
  Sabine saw the time on her watch, "Shit!!!", she patted her cat Murley quickly, before grabbing her bag, phone, and keys, quickly heading out of her apartment.
  
  
  
  Sabine arrived to the gym, panting as she ran in to see Ahsoka tapping her foot on the floor. "I know I'm a few minutes late, sorry Coach. I ran into traffic, but I'm here now." She saw her Coach nod, and she hurried off to locker room. Sabine dashed to her locker, seeing her teammates smirk at her.
  
  
  
  "Late again Captain Wren? Traffic again?", a girl named Loren asked her with a smirk.
  
  
  
  Sabine blushed, knowing her teammates knew what she was really doing. She'd gone to get cigarettes, the kind she knew Shin liked, hopeful she could have a peaceful conversation and offer them as a sort of peace offering.
  
  
  
  "Hush Loren, maybe today Shin will actually let me talk before she shoves my face into a wall. We can't keep fighting like this, it doesn't look good on her or me. The team sponsors are pissed." Sabine was right about that, as she knew Ahsoka was tired of the fights too.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, and went to change into her uniform. Once done, she pulled her knee pads out of her locker, placing them over her ankles. She'd gotten Ahsoka to allow her to have purple ones, since she was the Captain, she wanted hers to stand out.
  
  
  
  Their home game uniforms, like the one she wore, were silver in color, with purple lines down them. Their away game uniforms were the opposite; purple with silver lines down them. So it only made sense to have hers match the uniforms, while everyone else didn't care, wearing the standard black or white colored ones.
  
  
  
  Sabine straightened herself up, her short purple hair glowing under the light as she ran out of the locker room with her team, to go warm up before the game started.
  
  
  
  She heard a bus pull up outside, and knew Shin was there now. She stood by Ahsoka quietly, watching Baylan lead his team into the gym, Shin right behind him, with a lollipop in her mouth.
  
  
  
  Sabine almost gasped at the sight of how Shin looked. The lollipop in Shin's mouth made her knees buckle, and her hair was in a tight short ponytail. Sabine gulped as Shin started walking past her, and saw Ahsoka's arm go right up, blocking them from going towards each other.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin stop dead in her tracks, her head tilting to the side as she smirked, taking the lollipop out. Sabine's body shook with nervousness, not knowing what would come out of Shin's mouth this time.
  
  
  
  She half expected Shin to charge her, and tackle her. But the opposite happened, making Sabine raise her eyebrow as she watched Shin smirk and run off to go to the other side of the gym.
  
  
  
  "Well, that's an improvement. Baylan must be talking some sense into her finally," Ahsoka said chuckling.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, "Maybe, or maybe..." Sabine caught herself, as she saw the owner of the Mercenaries, Morgan Elsbeth, walk into the gym, along with her team's owner, Hera Syndulla. Her eyes widened, realizing why Shin had walked off, and she crossed her fingers it would stay that way for the game.
  
  
  
  Sabine stretched, watching as Hera walked over towards them. She smiled, giving Hera a nod, "Hey boss lady, what brings you here tonight?" She smirked, knowing Hera didn't like being called boss lady.
  
  
  
  Hera only rolled her eyes, "Well, it's been brought to my attention that the sponsors are hitting us hard. Regarding you and Shin fighting every game... Morgan and I came to hopefully prevent that, as we need our sponsors badly. Shin's been told to back off of you, but we know how she can be. So far, she hasn't lunged at you, so that's a good sign that she may listen for once. But it goes for you too Sabine, no fighting.. It's not just the sponsors you have to worry about, the PVF is monitoring the two of you, eyeing you for the Olympics.. No pressure, but if the two of you want to qualify, you have got to get along, or they'll reprimand you both, somehow. So please, keep it civil Sabine, I'm counting on you." Hera patted Sabine on the shoulder and nodded to Ahsoka before she went to take a seat with Morgan.
  
  
  
  "The Olympics? Ahsoka, did you know me and Shin were being considered? That's huge!", Sabine was in shock. She was good, but didn't think she'd ever qualify to join the women's Olympics team.
  
  
  
  She looked over at where Shin was warming up, and a shiver went through her spine, seeing Shin's muscular arm go up to spike a ball her teammate set to her. She shook her head, telling herself to focus.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded, "I knew but not much, I didn't know tonight's game was set for it, or how the two of you were being monitored so much. I know you want things civil with Shin, and don't start with the traffic bs again Sabine.. I know what you do before each game we play against her team. But maybe, tonight's your chance, try to talk to her. Let her know you want peace." Ahsoka smiled to Sabine, and then walked over to where Loren was with another girl doing their stretches.
  
  
  
  Sabine did her leg and knee stretches, and glanced over at where Shin was. She saw Shin turn to look at her, and quickly looked down at the floor. She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, and she grimaced, hearing things go silent when the footsteps stopped next to her.'
  
  
  
  "Why do you keep watching me Wren? What are you trying to do, start a fight? I'm trying not to look at you, other than when I spike a ball at your face in the game," Shin tapped her foot next to Sabine's feet, her smirk driving Sabine crazy as she looked up at her.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, instantly standing up. "No, I.. I heard about the sponsors, and the Olympics... I come in peace.. I umm even brought you something?", she quickly grabbed the pack of cigarettes from under the bench, and handed them to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin raised her eyebrow, "How'd you know I smoke these? You spying on me now, Wren?" Shin looked at Sabine, her emotions going everywhere. She knew deep down, it wasn't right to fight her former best friend, but it was all she knew anymore, on how to approach Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, "We've known each other forever Shin, and I'm not spying, I just saw you one day smoking before you guys left the gym, and I thought I'd offer a peace offering.. That's it.. I don't want to fight anymore.."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled, "Yeah, you were totally spying on me.. Not creepy one bit, I wonder how your girlfriend would feel. I mean, you do have a girlfriend still right?" She said glancing at Sabine from where she stood.
  
  
  
  Sabine laughed, "Me? Girlfriend? Pssht... I don't have time for that.. If you're talking about Bo, it's nothing. She was my old roommate from college, nothing more than that Shin. Nothing like how you and I used to be.." Sabine said the last bit, regretting it immediately as Shin instantly kicked her in the ribs.
  
  
  
  "We were nothing!! Nothing!! Don't remind me of the past Sabine!", Shin angrily shouted at Sabine as she got down punching Sabine in the face now, and then groaned as Sabine flipped her over, pressing her knees to Shin's chest.
  
  
  
  "Shin stop!! We can't fight! And we were best friends!! We weren't nothing,Shin!!", Sabine cried out, finally her emotions getting the best of her, making Shin look confused.
  
  
  
  "That's enough!! The two of you, my office, now!!", Ahsoka shouted at the two Captains, pulling Sabine off of Shin, while Baylan grabbed Shin. She led them to her office there in the gym, slamming the door shut.
  
  
  
  "What were you thinking? Knowing what's at stake?" Ahsoka shouted to them both.
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her chin, knowing it was going to bruise, while holding her ribs with her other arm. "I'm sorry Coach Tano, I tried not to, but Shin.."
  
  
  
  Shin glared at her, trying to hit at her again, but Baylan caught her fist with his hand.
  
  
  
  "Shin, stop!! You've already probably bruised her ribs. You need to stop and listen to us, now! No more special privileges, just because you're my daughter, does not mean you can try to get away with fighting Sabine. Just stop it already." Baylan told Shin sternly, his voice raised as he was upset with her.
  
  
  
  Shin hung her head, finally feeling defeated at Baylan's tone. "I'm sorry.. I messed up. Shit I messed up bad, didn't I?" She looked up at Baylan with tears in her eyes, knowing her team was now going to be in trouble because of her.
  
  
  
  Baylan nodded to Ahsoka as he looked through her door's window, "Well, I guess we'll find out how bad you messed up Shin. Morgan, Hera, and one of the PVF chairs are heading this way."
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine both gaped at their Coaches, then at each other. Shin gave Sabine a quick glare, and threw the middle finger at her. While Sabine just rolled her eyes, sitting back into her chair.
  
  
  
  "What exactly happened out there Shin, Sabine? You both were advised no fighting, and not even ten minutes later, you're fighting to see who gets on top to hit harder. Explain, now!", Hera shouted folding her arms angrily.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, "I may have brought up our past.. I didn't mean it as a trigger, or expect it to be. I don't know why we both always fight when we see each other, and I tried to come in peace, I really did Hera." She rubbed her ribs, grimacing in pain.
  
  
  
  Hera sighed, and turned to look at Shin. "And you? What's your excuse this time?"
  
  
  
  Shin smirked, "Just like she said, she triggered me. She said something about the old days, and I just couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry everyone..."
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, and sat up looking at Shin. "Everyone?" She didn't believe Shin for a second.
  
  
  
  Shin muttered, "Everyone but you Wren."
  
  
  
  It was the wrong thing to say, as Baylan and Morgan sighed as the PVF chair person stepped forward. "Shin Hati, and Sabine Wren. You're both to attend a trial, in court. I'll send the information to your coaches, and we'll go from there, but you're both not to play during tonight's game, is that understood? Until the court trial decides what your punishment is, and how to get the two of you to stop this madness. You're both amazingly talented players, and we need you on the Olympics team. That said, you best show up to the trial." The man in the dark suit turned, leaving the office quickly.
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine both grumbled, and Sabine held her face in her hands. This was not going to be good, they figured.
  
  
  
  Sabine knew whatever punishment would be inflicted on them, must not be too severe if they were not only wanted, but needed for the Olympics team.
  
  
  
  Shin knew she had to control herself better, but Sabine just made it so difficult, when she gave Shin a twinkle in her eyes.
  
  
  
  They each watched their teams play from the benches, glaring at each other from across the gym. Something would change things soon, something they would not expect to happen, and they'd have to figure it out together.
  
  
  Chapter 2: The Trial
  Summary:
  Shin and Sabine attend the trail, and are shocked by the punishment of choice. The truth behind their fighting is revealed.. Shin has mixed feelings..
  
  Notes:
  Omg guys, thank you so much for all the wonderful kudos and comments today!! It truly means a lot!! So glad ya'll are enjoying this one!
  
  Enjoy!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  The day of the court trial came two weeks after the game, and Shin and Sabine had both been unable to play in any games since. They arrived to the court room at the same time, and Shin brushed against Shin roughly, moving to her seat, Baylan right behind her as he mouthed a "I'm sorry", to Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, sitting down with Ahsoka and Hera, looking over at where Shin was with Baylan and Morgan. She rubbed her shoulder while making eye contact with Shin, who just rolled her eyes, sinking into her seat. Sabine smirked, knowing she could get under Shin's skin so easily.
  
  
  
  The judge came in, along with the PVF board, and the man from before, who was introduced as Enoch. Judge Thrawn sat down, motioning for everyone to sit back down, as everyone had stood up at his entrance.
  
  
  
  He looked around, his face never showing emotion. "All right, what exactly brings us all here today? Something about cat fighting during your volleyball games? I hear the two of you are up for the two Captain spots for the Olympics team, is that right Mr. Enoch?"
  
  
  
  Enoch nodded, clearing his throat. "Yes your honor, we need them on the Olympics team. But, they've been a thorn in everyone's sides all season. Fighting each game they have against each other, whether before, after or during the game. It never fares well for them, but there are no other Captains in the league that are this talented to qualify to lead the Olympic team. We are here to discuss, an appropriate course of action to take, to get them to get along with one another. We propose... That they are suspended from playing, and put on lockdown, with each other. Whose place they occupy, we don't care, but look at it as a big get a long t-shirt, just sharing space that they can't fight each other in, as we'd also place heart monitors on them, to monitor their heart rates to determine if they are fighting or not. If any fighting is detected, they'll be removed from the league entirely."
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine's jaws dropped, and they both looked at each other. They were going to be forced to live together? What kind of punishment was this? Pure torture?
  
  
  
  Judge Thrawn chuckled, seeing how Enoch's proposition was already affecting the two young women. "Alright, I must say I do like that proposal for them. Let's give them thirty days, sort things out. That's plenty of time for them to get along with each other, starting today. Court dismissed!"
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, face-palming herself as she got up to follow Ahsoka and Hera, but found Shin confronting her.
  
  
  
  "My place is going through renovations at the moment, so looks like I'll be shacking up with you Wren, hope that's ok," Shin smirked out as she shoved past Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Yeah well, I have a cat!! He'll claw your eyes out!!," Sabine said, not meaning the last bit, as Murley was the calmest cat to exist. She sighed, as Ahsoka wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
  
  
  
  "Isn't this what you wanted Sabine, a chance for the two of you to get along? Maybe, this is a good thing. You never know, maybe you'll be best friends again after this. Or more." Ahsoka winked at Sabine, leaving her stunned as Ahsoka walked off.
  
  
  
  "Why me?!!", Sabine grumbled as she hurried after Ahsoka and Hera. She sighed as Ahsoka confronted her at her car, being told again to accept the ruling, and to try embracing it as best as she could.
  
  
  
  All Sabine could picture happening, was them getting into arguments, but deep down, she hoped for more, as Ahsoka had mentioned. She wanted peace, especially if she had to spend a month with the other woman, in her apartment.
  
  
  
  Hera gave Sabine a hug and then held her by the shoulders, "Don't mess this up Sabine.. We're all counting on you to make this work with Shin. We can't lose our best player because of some silly spat, for whatever reason it comes from, we need you. Now, go home and get ready for Shin to come by. Ahsoka will ride with Baylan to show him how to get to your place. Be nice." Hera patted her shoulder, and then went to go get into her Mercedes, speeding off.
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, "I tried to be nice Ahsoka, at the last game. I really didn't know what I said would upset her.. I feel awful about it, to make it all down to this. But.. I mean you know me, I won't stop trying until I'm all beat up, or she completely ignores me. I promise I'll behave, but I can't promise Shin will."
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her forehead, feeling a migraine coming on, from a slight panic attack she knew she was starting to have. Her breathing was getting fast, and her chest was hurting. She saw Ahsoka's eyes furrow, and she shook her head.
  
  
  
  "I'm ok.. Just a panic attack.. I've gotten them.. Ever since.. Well, you know Ahsoka.." Sabine bit her lip, remembering the first fight between her and Shin. She'd gone to confront Shin after being avoided by her the whole school day until after math class, and when she did, Shin had lost it.
  
  
  
  Shin had slapped her in the face, and Sabine had reacted by punching her hard in the jaw, sending them tumbling to the ground, hitting and clawing at each other's faces. Both had ended up with bruises, and Shin had gotten suspended for two weeks since she'd initiated the fight.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed and hurried off to her car, a silver BMW with purple racing stripes. She unlocked her door, swiftly getting inside, and revved her engine before hurrying to get home to get her apartment ready for her unexpected new roommate.
  
  
  
  Three hours later, Baylan was bringing Shin to Sabine's apartment, Ahsoka riding with him to guide him there. Shin was in the backseat, huffing as she held onto her duffle bags.
  
  
  
  She packed everything she considered essential, including some sparring sticks she liked training with. She figured they could try that, maybe, to let their frustrations out with. She looked down at her chest, grimacing as she felt the heart monitor.
  
  
  
  "Is this monitor really necessary? Can't they like put cameras up in her place instead?", Shin puffed out her cigarette smoke as she had the window cracked, much to Baylan's annoyance.
  
  
  
  "Camera are a much bigger invasion of privacy, Shin. I don't think Sabine would cooperate very well with cameras set up in her apartment, would you?" Baylan looked at her through the mirror of his car.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Fine, you're right. But still, this sucks. A month, a whole month of living with Wren. I'd rather go to prison." She tossed her cigarette out the window, rolling the window back up after doing so.
  
  
  
  She watched as they approached a nice looking apartment building, and she raised her eyebrow. "At least she lives somewhere that looks nice," Shin admitted.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka chuckled, "Just wait until you get upstairs. She paints, so beware of any paint cans on the floor. Painting is her hobby, outside of volleyball." Ahsoka knew Shin knew about Sabine's painting interests, but she didn't want Shin to realize what Ahsoka knew about how Sabine felt towards Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin thought for a moment, letting a memory hit her mind. She and Sabine had been thirteen, and best friends. Sabine had come over to Shin's home, where it had just been Shin and her aging grandmother. Sabine had painted her a picture of a cat, and Shin still had it.
  
  
  
  Shin's parents had died when she had been very young, and was taken in by her grandmother soon after. Her grandmother was super religious too, believing that some.. Some relationships were not holy, and therefore should not be looked into, or embraced.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, remembering how she and Sabine had smiled into each other's eyes, her stomach doing twists as she'd felt emotions run through her. She'd had a crush, a huge crush on Sabine, her best friend, and was too nervous to admit it, to tell Sabine how she truly felt.
  
  
  
  She knew at the time, because of her grandmother, that liking Sabine was forbidden, but she admitted her feelings to her grandmother anyway, once she'd watched Sabine leave, or thought Sabine had left her house.
  
  
  
  Shin had turned around crying, as she had felt scared, emotionally terrified, and her grandmother had questioned it. In a emotional fit, she blurted out to her grandmother that she liked girls, but that she really liked Sabine above anything else.
  
  
  
  Shin's grandmother had called her an abomination, yelling at her, telling her she would always be a freak of nature if she ever tried to act on her feelings, and that she would be disowned if Sabine ever came over again.
  
  
  
  Shin had buried her face into her pillow, crying for hours, and her grandmother wiped Sabine's information from her phone immediately. She'd been raised against homosexuality, but couldn't deny it to herself that she was gay. Boys had never interested her, just grossed her out, as much as they tried to pursue her, she 'd kick them in their balls.
  
  
  
  Shin had woken up the next morning, not knowing what to do when she'd see Sabine at school the next day. She'd passed Sabine in the hallway, getting confronted by her.
  
  
  
  Shin had tried to avoid her, the best she could, but Sabine had persisted. Shin felt all of her emotions run through her, and before she knew it, she had slapped Sabine, hard across the face, and called Sabine a creep for following after her, telling her that they were no longer friends, and if she saw her again, she'd bloody Sabine up. Then, the fighting had begun between them, and she'd start fights with Sabine, just to get close to her.
  
  
  
  She remembered how hurt Sabine had been when she'd slapped her, and then how she'd almost broken her nose during their first fight. Covered in bruises, they'd been pulled off of each other by their teachers and friends. No one ever understood or knew why Shin had done it.
  
  
  
  Shin had been suspended from school for two weeks, but the fighting had kept up, just getting worse each time to where they had to be separated, and escorted by teachers through the halls.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, and felt a tear roll down her cheek, sighing as she tried to shake the awful memory from her mind. She stepped out of Baylan's car, and was quickly turned to face him. She looked at him, her eyes puffy from crying, and she quickly wiped at her face.
  
  
  
  He looked her over, seeing her red puffy eyes. "Shin... I know.. I know about your past with Sabine, you used to scream in your sleep for her when you were younger. I know why you fight her, it's the only way to be near her, without your feelings coming out. It's ok, just take it slow with her up there, please don't try to fight.. Just become friends again, and go from there. Please, for your sake Shin. You've been through enough, being dropped from the league would not be wise." Baylan gave her a quick hug, patting her back.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, and followed him and Ahsoka to the apartment. She sighed, and gently knocked on the door.
  
  Notes:
  Be sure to also check my main fic, Shin and Sabine out!!
  
  
  
  Summary:
  This is SMUT ONE SHOTS. EVERY CHAPTER WILL BE DIFFERENT
  
  Notes:
  Bella is known for sleeping with multiple different women in high school, so much so that even the teachers talk about it. Bella has been struggling with graduating, now 18 and turning 19. Rosalie, the newest teacher has heard the gossip about Bella and her "little" friend. Rosalie can"t help but be curious and want to know if it"s all true, Rosalie offers her tutoring but the classes turn a romantic turn.
  
  Chapter 1: The Rumor And The Teacher
  Chapter Text
  Rosalie"s POV
  
  I was in the teacher's lounge where the teachers were telling me about all the gossip in the school, today was my first day and apparently, the teachers here loved drama. I didn"t mind listening to them speak, but they caught my attention when they started talking about a troubled student who was having her third senior year. Her name was Isabella but she went by Bella, she was known around the school as a player, sleeping with any woman who asked. They also talked about how she had a not-so-little "friend", I didn"t know how I felt about them talking about it like it wasn"t their student but I also couldn"t help but find myself curious.
  
  I grabbed my student list and saw I had her in the first class and last class, apparently my class was her most challenging subject so the principal wants her in it as much as possible. I looked at the time and realized that we should all head to our class, the students would be arriving. I got up and grabbed my things, saying bye to the ladies who sat with me. I headed to my class and made sure everything was organized, I had a seating chart and put Bella in front, no kids sat close to each other so I knew she wouldn"t be able to try anything if she did.
  
  I heard the students walk into the building, I wrote my name on my whiteboard and waited for my class to join. One by one my students walked in and sat where their name was, I watched and waited for Bella to come in. I saw a brunette walk in, a band Tee on with ripped black jeans, she had her hair in a messy bun. I watched as she went to the final seat, there she was, Bella Swan. She knew she was sexy and she wasn"t hiding it, I watched as she sat down winking at me. I cleared my throat and started the class.
  
  Throughout the class, I noticed not only were the boys but Bella was looking at me, it was almost as if a part of me wanted her to watch me, wanted her to not take her eyes off of me. I guess it"s the whore in me, but we all have one. Once class was over I decided I would wait until the end of the day to talk to Bella, so no one would be waiting to come in. Class after class, boys drooled and girls glared, knowing their boyfriends or crushes loved me more than them. I had to throw out a group of boys because they dared one of them to touch my ass when they dropped a pencil as I walked by. Luckily I was not stupid and pretended I was going to pick it up and when I noticed him moving I was able to grab his hand and slam it on his table.
  
  Probably shouldn"t have done that to a student, but they should learn not to touch women, especially someone higher up than them like a teacher. It was my last class, Bella walked in first, her hair was down and her clothes were a little disheveled, I rolled my eyes as she sat down. She smirked and sat back in her chair, fixing her clothes. Once the rest of the class was in I started teaching, trying to keep my eyes from drifting to Bella but it was almost impossible. Bella would always give me this look when we would make eye contact, it was as if she knew I couldn"t help but look at her as if she knew the thoughts I didn"t want.
  
  Once the bell rang I let the kids leave, Bella was the last to get up. "Miss Swan stay back, please." She set her stuff down and leaned against the table, the kids leaving the room. I kept the doors open so no one got the wrong idea, she came over to my desk and looked at me. "I wanted to offer you tutoring, from my understanding this is one of your harder classes. I wanna make sure you know where your life should be, not where it is heading. We can do it here, or at my place, where ever you would like." She smirked and leaned her hands against my desk, her head now at my level from where I was sitting. "I would like that, Miss. Hale, does tomorrow work? And your place would be better if that"s ok." I nodded and wrote down my address and a time, she took the paper and walked out with her things, I took a deep breath, not knowing what I got myself into.
  
  
  
  ~~~
  The next day - Rosalie"s House
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  I was sitting in my living room, waiting for Bella to arrive. I was nervous that she wouldn"t show up but also nervous that she would arrive. I heard a car pull into my driveway and stood up, I didn"t move until there was a knock on my door. I walked to the door at a reasonable pace and opened the door, when I opened the door I was shocked to see Bella out of her ripped jeans and band tees, instead she was wearing a loose-fitting sweatshirt, and some black leggings. I also noticed her hair was in a straight ponytail.
  
  "Sorry I"m late, my dad wouldn"t let me leave until I had dinner." I shook my head and let her in, I took her to the dining room where I had all the books and papers. "You know this is the first time a tutoring session was actually a tutoring session." I looked at her as I sat down, leaning against the table. "Were you hoping for it to be something else?" She sat down across from me, putting her bag down. "With you? To be honest a little, but I am also thankful it is a tutoring session." I opened the book and she followed, I read to her and she would give me the answers. She seemed good at it when it was just the two of us, I cleared my throat and she looked up at me.
  
  "You"re doing well, no issues at all. How come at school you can barely get a passing grade in my class, but here you can get it?" She looked away and sighed, "The kids, they think they know all these things. I play into them, I don"t really go have sex with everyone in the school. It was a rumor started by my ex, once the teacher heard it they wanted to see for themselves, so I would go to a tutoring session and they would get naked, and I would leave. But when I try and talk, or focus, I can hear them talk about me. Here no one is around, I guess I just need quiet and someone to actually listen to me." I nodded as she spoke, I would have to figure something out.
  "Ok, Bella, what I will do is figure out when you can come in during school hours. I don"t mind tutoring you but we should get you comfortable in the classroom. And about the kids, I will get that under control. Now let"s go through this some more and then you can head home," She nodded and I went over some more with her.
  
  ~~~~~
  A few weeks later
  ~~~~~~~~
  
  For the last few weeks I"ve been tutoring Bella in and out of school, she"s gotten comfortable in the classroom and there has been noticeable improvement. But she has asked to keep the tutoring as it makes it easier for her homework since home isn"t the best place to study. I agreed and today she was coming in, I decided to stop being so curious about my students' anatomy and be professional. I"ve gotten so close to Bella, that a part of me has developed unwanted feelings. Today she was coming in and I decided to change into what I would wear around the house, so short shorts that were loose fitting, a tank top, and no bra. I put my hair up as there was a knock, I walked over and opened it putting a pause on the hair.
  
  Bella had her bag in her hand and she smiled at me before the smile dropped and she just stared at me. I finished putting my hair up and walked into the dining room, I heard her follow behind and shut the door. I sat down at the table and she did too, I grabbed the books and opened them. "We only have a few pages left, I believe we can do the rest today." She opened her book and looked at me, I leaned forward to read the top of the page. I heard her shuffle and clear her throat, keeping her eyes on the page. "Everything alright, Bella?" I looked up and she looked at me, her face red. "Yes, Miss. Hale, I"m fine." She grabbed her bag and put it over her lap, I looked at her confused before my eyes widen. "So it is true?" She looked up from the book, and back at me.
  
  "I don"t think I understand, Miss. Hale." I cleared my throat and closed the book, she kept hers open. "The rumor about your little friend, it"s true?" She blushed even brighter, and she nodded. "Yes it is, I"m sorry for this. I can go, I do my best not to get these around people. I don"t think my mind and body were expecting to see you look like this." I looked at my outfit, noticing my boobs falling out a little, I fix it and look at her. "I can help you if you want." She closed her book quickly and nodded, I laughed and got up. I went over to her and kneeled, I pushed the bag off her lap and onto the floor. I heard her gulp as I slowly pulled her pants down, along with her boxers.
  
  I looked up at her one more time to make sure this was ok, her face was a bright red to her ears. She nodded at me and I gently took her into my hands, she bucked her hips and I lightly scratched her thigh with my free hand. I felt goosebumps rise and just rubbed her shaft slowly, I knew she was sensitive already but I liked teasing her. I licked her tip and heard her moan quietly, I looked into her eyes as I took her down my throat. She kept eye contact, her hands balling into fists. I snuck my free hand under her shirt and played with her nipples. She took her shirt off and bra, I felt her hand go into my hair and start to move my head. I decided to allow her to have control, she pushed my head down to her stomach. I didn"t have a gag reflex, which seemed to make her more excited. As she bobbed my head to her liking, she started to get close. Once she was about to cum I quickly grabbed her hand and pushed it off my head, and took my mouth away. She whimpered and bucked her hips up, I shook my head. "The only place you"re cumming is in my pussy, so be patient love." She whined but nodded, breathing heavily. I stripped out of my clothes and walked to my bedroom, I heard her get up quickly and follow me. Once we were in my room I pushed her onto the bed and straddled her. I pushed her chest so she was laying on her back but her feet were touching the ground, her hands went to my hips as I started grinding myself against her shaft.
  
  I slowly slipped her inside of me, I could tell she was trying not to buck into me. Once she was fully inside of me I let out a quiet moan as did she. I moved my hips slowly, getting used to her size. I looked at her and she gave me a look, begging to take control. "Fuck me, Bella, use me." She quickly flipped us and started pounding into me, I didn"t know where all this confidence came from but I wasn"t complaining. I let out a loud moan as I felt her gently grip my throat, I set my hand on hers. "Harder, don"t hold back." She moaned quietly and gripped my throat harder, cutting off some airflow.
  
  The room was filled with our moans and skin against skin, I felt myself get close and I think she knew I was. She rubbed my clit with her free hand, I screamed out her name as she let go of my throat. "I"m cumming, Rose." She went to pull out but I wrapped my legs around her, she came inside me and I let go too. "Fuck Bella, so good." She kissed my neck as she moved slowly, helping me through my orgasm. She pulled out and laid next to me, I felt myself get tired from not having sex like this for a long time. I yawned and she pulled me close, I draped my arm over her stomach.
  
  ~~~~~
  Next day at school
  ~~~~~~~~~
  
  I sat at my desk, it was my free period and I couldn"t wait to see Bella again after school. We were supposed to have another tutor session but I doubt it would stay like that. I had two students sitting in the back redoing tests when I heard the door open, they kept looking at their tests minding their own business. I looked up from my computer to see Bella, she had a smile and came over. "Hi, Miss. Hale, I was wondering if I could do some work in here?" I nodded and she went to a desk in the front that faced me, I didn"t think anything of it and continued my work.
  
  I heard her rustling quietly and looked at her, my eyes widened when I saw her reading her test book but also having her cock out. She looked at me and winked, rubbing it as she made eye contact. "Miss. Hale, I could use some help, can you come over?" I got up and went to her and whispered in her ear, "Why don"t you bring a chair and sit next to me?" She nodded and tucked herself and got up. She grabbed her chair and carried it over to my desk, she set it down and sat down. I sat in my chair and she pulled her cock back out, I pretended to go over some of the book while rubbing her. I pulled her chair closer to where my desk had a place for feet, it had a piece of wood hiding from seeing anything under the desk so I got on my knees between her legs.
  
  I took her cock into my mouth and started bobbing my head quickly, she held in her moans and continued to read her book. I heard one of my students get up and head toward the desk but I couldn"t get myself to stop. "Where did Miss. Hale go?" Bella cleared her throat and looked at them, "Oh she went to the bathroom, I"ll let her know you finished the test." I heard the paper be placed on the desk and the student leave, I rubbed her balls gently using my nails. As Bella was getting close the other student came over, before leaving. Once the door shut Bella gripped my hair, keeping my head still, and started pounding into my throat. "I"m gonna cum, do you want it down your throat or inside your pussy." She pulled out and I stood up, bending over the desk.
  
  She pulled my panties down from under my skirt and slammed into me, she covered my mouth and started pounding into me. She gripped my tit with her free hand and went as hard and fast as she could without making any noise. "You"re gonna cum with me, understand?" I nodded and started rubbing my clit, her movements started getting sloppy as she got close. I felt myself clench around her as I came, causing her to cum inside me. She leaned her head against my back as she slowed down, she pulled out and quickly pulled my panties up so there wasn"t a mess on the floor.
  
  She grabbed a tissue and cleaned herself off, before tucking herself in her pants again. She pulled me into a kiss and smiled, she grabbed her book and put away her chair. Before she could leave the bell rang, meaning she would have to stay anyways. I fixed my hair and clothes in a mirror I have in the room, and once I was done I let in the class. Bella looked at me and winked, smiling to herself.
  
  
  Chapter 2: New years party in the Cullen"s house
  Summary:
  Rosalie/Reader get it on at the Cullen's New year party. Human Reader.
  
  Chapter Text
  Reader"s POV
  
  I was standing in the kitchen surrounded by friends and family, and my wife, Rosalie was outside talking. It was New years eve and we planned on staying up until the new year began, but some of our friends were already ready to leave. I know Rosalie wants to go, saying she has plans for us but I promised Esme and Alice that I would stay the night. Rosalie came in and I looked at the time, seeing we only had a few minutes left. Rosalie approached me and put my drink on the counter, whispering in my ear. "I need to talk to you, in my old room." I nodded and we walked to her room, I didn"t know what was wrong, but it had to be necessary.
  
  Once she closed the door, she locked it and I turned toward her. Before I could talk she pulled me into a kiss, I wrapped my arms around her neck and she picked me up by my thighs. I smiled into the kiss and she pulled away kissing down my neck. She laid me on the bed and kneeled between my legs, I sat up and she pulled my top off along with my bra. I pulled hers off and she took my pants off after my heels, she stripped down and pulled me into another kiss. I tangled my hands into her hair and tugged gently, she moaned into the kiss and bit my bottom lip. She pulled away tugging my bottom lip with her, she let it go and kissed down my chest.
  
  I watched as she kissed down to my thighs, kissing and nipping at them. I tried to direct her head to where I needed her by pulling her hair, but she grabbed my hands and pinned them by my side. "Patience, baby," I whined but listened, keeping my hands still. She continued kissing my thighs, marking them. She loved marking me, it was a luxury only she could have since I could not mark her skin no matter how hard I wanted to try. She looked me in the eyes as she licked my clit, I threw my head back and moaned loudly. I could hear everyone downstairs counting down, once they got to twenty Rosalie started sucking harder and added her fingers.
  
  I knew this meant that she wanted me to cum at one, but it would need some extra help. She started pumping her fingers as fast as she could without hurting me, she curled them against my soft spot. I arched my back and gripped her hair, pulling her head closer. She used her free hand to play with my tits, pulling and pinching my nipples. As they started counting down to one, she curled one more time and I moaned out her name, cumming around her fingers. She slowed her fingers down and kissed up my body with her fingers still in me, I looked at her and she smirked feeling cocky she could make me cum that quick.
  
  I hit her shoulder and she laughed, pulling her fingers out of me. She put them to her mouth but I grabbed her hand, cleaning them myself. I saw her body shudder and she bit her lip, I wrapped my legs around her waist before flipping us. She always relaxed her body so I could also throw her around if I wanted to, she looked up at me and I took her fingers a little farther into my mouth. She pulled them out and wrapped her hand around my throat, I smiled and held her wrist gently. "Let me take care of you, Rose." She nodded and pulled her hand away, I kissed down her body as I settled between her legs. I kissed her thighs close to her center, and she looked at me and hummed.
  She loved when I kissed her thighs, no matter what we were doing. It was my favorite spot to give attention to, I would kiss, scratch, and rub at her thighs. I looked at her and she nodded, I licked her clit softly and she moaned, moving my hair out of my face. I gave her clit soft attention, not wanting to rush into it. Once I knew she needed more I entered my tongue into her, causing her to throw her head back. I rubbed her clit with my thumb and curled my tongue, moving it in and out. She gripped my hair and pulled me closer to her, I gripped her hip with my free hand.
  
  I pulled my tongue out and replaced it with my fingers, entering in two and going as fast as I could. I leaned over her and used my palm to rub her clit as I pulled her into a kiss, she moaned as she tasted herself on my lips. I curled my fingers and felt her hips buck indicating that she was getting close to cumming, I pulled away and kissed her neck up to her ear. I bit her ear lobe before whispering, "Cum for me, Rose." She moaned loudly, covering her mouth so her scream would be muffled as she came, her thighs shaking. I slowed my fingers down and took them out, cleaning them and I lay next to her. I pulled her close to me and rubbed her stomach and thighs, calming her body down. She looked at me and smiled, I kissed her nose and cheek.
  
  "I love you, Y/N, so much." I laid my head on her chest and hummed, "I love you too, Rosalie." After a few minutes of laying together, we got dressed and freshened up, before heading back downstairs. The family looked at us before laughing, we saw that everyone was gone except them since the couples were supposed to stay the night. I blushed brightly forgetting that the family isn"t stupid and know what we"re getting up to, we"re just lucky it"s soundproofed on our end.
  
  Chapter 3: Caught Under The Desk
  Summary:
  Principal Weems/ Student!Original Female Character- SMUT Larissa and Blair are dating, Blair is the older sister of Wednesday and has been dating Larissa for over a year. One day during Larissa's break and Blair is called to her office, things get heated which ends with Blair on her knees between Larissa"s legs. But someone knocks and comes in, causing Blair to hide under the desk. It happens to be her sister and mother, who knows she"s there already. DEF HEIGHT KINK.
  
  Chapter Text
  Blair's POV
  
  I heard over the intercom while I was in class that the principal wanted to see me, I blushed and got up once the teacher acknowledged the fact it was me. I headed to her office, ignoring all the 'ooohs'. I walked in and saw the receptionist gone, I knew what that meant. I walked into her office without knocking and saw her sitting at her desk, she looked up from her stack of papers and smiled at me. "Princess, I've missed you so much." I smiled widely and skipped over to her, knowing my skirt bounced showing my thighs. I felt her wrap her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her. She was so tall her head was just under my chin, she leaned up slightly and started kissing my neck.
  
  She slowly unbuttoned my school jacket and I took off the vest underneath, before taking the tie off as she unbuttoned the white shirt underneath. She stood up and I looked up at her as she pulled off my top, I dropped my skirt and she picked me up. Her hands were on my ass, gasping when she realized I didn't have any underwear on. "You naughty little minx, what if someone saw your pussy, hmm? You'd like that, wouldn't you? You would just let anyone use you, but you're mine, all of you, your ass," she smacked my ass and gripped it, making a point. "Your tight pussy, it's all mine, no one else's." I nodded quickly, she smiled and set me on the desk. She took off her skirt and panties, kicking them to the side under the desk.
  
  "You my little slut, are gonna get on your knees and earn to be touched." She sat down and I kneeled between her legs, I started kissing her thigh, biting and sucking. I loved seeing my purple lipstick on her thighs, especially with the bites and bruises. She gripped my hair and pulled my head closer, demanding me to touch her where she wanted. I looked up at her with innocent eyes before licking her clit, she threw her head back and moaned quietly. I always wished she was louder when we were at school, she only let that side out when we were at her place. I knew what made it difficult but the last time I did it my ass was the same shade as my hair (dyed Red). I started licking her clit faster, slowly entering my finger.
  
  "Just like that princess, don't stop." She gripped my hair harder, her thighs closing around my head. I entered another finger and moved them slowly, letting her get used to it. I lightly bit her clit, causing her to jump a little and moan slightly louder. I knew if I did it any harder she would be screaming, just like I liked it. I felt her ankles cross behind my back as she rested her legs on my shoulders. I curled my fingers and went faster, sucking and nipping at her clit. "Oh fuck baby, I'm so close, please don't stop, just like that." I went even faster and harder, wanting her to cum. She arched her back as she came, I quickly switched my fingers with my tongue, cleaning her up as she came.
  
  Once she was calm I went to get up but there was a knock on the door, she quickly threw our clothes under the desk and I slid under there, pulling her chair with me. I covered my mouth as she let them in, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart. I heard my mother's voice, causing my face to pale. I watched as Larissa's body tensed slightly, I set my hand on her thigh so she would calm down. "Larissa, sorry to bother you, we were wondering if you could get... Blair here, if that isn't an issue, I hope she isn't caught up in anything. Is lunch happening?" Larissa cleared her throat, "I-I'm sure I can do that, uh maybe you can come back though?" I heard Wednesday laughing quietly, they knew, and I knew they knew.
  
  "Is that so, Thing? You say she's under the desk?" I leaned my head on Larissa's knee and crawled from under, peaking my head over the desk, knowing I'm naked and my hair is a mess. "Oh Blair you're here already! We'll talk about this... relationship later, right now I want you to show your sister around once you're dressed, please. Your sister will be attending this school, so I need you to take care of her if you won't be too busy." I gulped and nodded, not being able to look into their eyes. They turned around and left, I grabbed my clothes and started putting them on, as Larissa did the same.
  
  Once I was dressed she pulled me into a kiss, she pulled away and fixed my makeup with a tissue, before pulling out my lipstick from a drawer in her desk. I looked in a mirror and fixed it, fixing my hair in the process. I noticed she hadn't put her panties on yet and I grabbed them, she went to take them from me but I shook my head. "they're mine now, behave mistress while I'm gone, I'll be back to continue where we left off." I kissed her cheek, leaving the purple lipstick on her cheek. I stuffed her panties in my pocket and walked out, finding my sister and mother. "Just keep this between us, I don't want dad finding out, I am not ready for that talk with him." My mom put her hands up and nodded, "Just answer this, is she your soulmate?" I looked back at the now-closed door, nodding.
  
  "I don't know if it is as special as you and dad, but I know she means the world to me and I would do absolutely everything for her. I know she feels the same, I've been with her for over a year now mother." She nodded and I looked at Wednesday, taking the sheet she got. I started walking, hearing her follow behind me. "Looks like you're sharing a room with Enid, she's very nice and colorful, you'll hate it. But maybe she'll be your soulmate, Wens, she's gay just like you." I could practically hear her eye roll.
  
  Chapter 4: Caught Red Handed
  Summary:
  Cheryl/Toni- GP Toni, Cheryl is cheating on Veronica with Toni, Toni always brings her up about finding out, but they didn"t expect her to walk in while Toni had her tied up.
  
  Chapter Text
  Toni"s POV
  
  I walked into Cheryl"s house through the back door once I was told her wife, Veronica, our high school best friend had left for work. I walked up the stairs where I knew Cheryl was waiting for me, once I walked in I saw her lying on the bed. She only had dark red lingerie on, she smiled as I walked through the door. She went to get up but I shook my head, stopping her in her tracks. She stayed on the bed as I started unbuttoning my shirt, her eyes stayed on me like a predator stalking its prey. I let the material fall off my shoulders and to the floor, I unbuckled my belt and took it out, dropping it to the floor.
  
  I walked over to Cheryl, dragging my hand against her stomach. I felt the goosebumps rise against her warm skin, her body jumping at my cold hands. I gently dug my nails into her soft flesh, scratching down, marking her slightly. I drag my hand down her thigh to her knee, I gently slapped her knee, indicating that I wanted her to spread her legs. She slowly spread her legs, my eyes were glued to her center where it was apparent she was wet. I wanted to feel her, touch her, taste her but I needed to wait. We had hours till Veronica would be back, and I had enough time to tease her. I went to her closet and grabbed the rope she had hidden, I went back to her. Her eyes followed me, she knew what next and was ready.
  
  She lifted her hands and I tied them there, once I was done she spread her legs as far as they could go and I tied them to the bed. I kneeled on the bed between her legs, rubbing her thighs. She jumped at my touch, bucking her hips as much as she could. I knew she wanted to speak, but I hadn"t given her permission to do so. She looked at me, her eyes begging, pleading with me to do something, to touch her. I grabbed my pocket knife out of my pocket and she watched it shine in the light, I rubbed the dull part against her thigh. I used one hand to keep her hips still, not wanting her to buck her hips into the knife. I gently scraped the knife against her panties, cutting them with ease, I took them off and threw them on the floor.
  
  She looked at me, asking for permission to speak, I nodded. "Toni, please, I need you. Please touch me, please I"ve been a good girl." I chuckled and cut her thigh, it was gentle, a small cut that didn"t go deep. "You obviously aren"t a good girl, you didn"t use my title." She whimpered and tried moving closer to me, "I"m sorry daddy, please, please! I need you, I"ll do anything." I smirked and got up, I took my pants and boxers off. Her eyes were on me, taking in my body though she has seen it plenty of times. I got back between her legs and took the knife, before cutting a T into her thigh, a little deeper than the cut before. She threw her head back and moaned, I knew her wife would never find it, especially since they hadn"t had sex in months.
  
  I set it down on the bedside table and looked at Cheryl, "Are you ready, princess?" She nodded quickly, bucking her hips. I rubbed my tip against her clit, teasing her. "Please, please, I need it-" I cut her off by slamming inside her, she moaned loudly and I started pounding inside of her. She grabbed the rope and gripped onto it, I held her hips in a tight grip, knowing it would leave a bruise. I went faster and wrapped my hand around her throat, she arched her back. I felt her becoming close, her walls were gripping around me. I looked down to see her eyes closed, I felt eyes on me and turned my head, there Veronica was, staring at us as I fucked her wife into oblivion. Knowing she was watching made me go faster, I made eye contact as Cheryl screamed out my name. I started rubbing Cheryl's clit, "Come for me, come for me, baby." I looked back at Cheryl and she had her eyes opened, she watched me look at Veronica.
  
  I thought maybe she would make me stop, but she didn"t, she threw her head back. "Yes, daddy! Fuck I"m cumming, you"re making me cum on your cock." I went as hard and fast as I could as she came, I moaned and put my head on her shoulder as I came inside her. I heard the door shut and Veronica leave downstairs, I slowed down and pulled out, untied Cheryl, and got dressed. "You should go speak to your wife, call me ok?" I pecked her lips and headed downstairs, I went out the back so I didn"t need to see Veronica. I got on my bike and put my helmet on, I shook my head and laughed before driving off.
  
  Cheryl"s POV
  
  I put a robe on and cleaned up the cuts on my thigh, before heading downstairs. I saw Veronica on the couch with a drink in her hand, I sat on the couch across from her knowing it would make it worse if I sat next to her. She just looked at the liquid in the cup, refusing to look at me. "Veronica, I could say it isn"t what it looked like but I can"t. What you saw was real and I can"t apologize, I knew what I was doing and there is no excuse. I just need you to know that this has nothing to do with you, you"re an amazing wife, and I do love you. But I also love Toni, I can"t help it, I just want to be honest, I should have talked to you instead of cheating. It wasn"t fair on you, you didn"t deserve that, especially seeing us together." She shook her head and looked up, her eyes were a little puffy from crying.
  
  "It isn"t the fact you cheated, it"s the fact you saw me there and kept going. Cheryl, I love you and I would never have done that to you, ever. I knew you had feelings for her, I just never thought you would do that, you could have at least stopped but you didn"t. You know how I feel about cheating, if you wanted an open relationship you should have talked to me. I know you love me, I know that, I feel it, I see it. But to see that, to see my best friends knowingly fuck in front of me, it was so degrading. I forgive you and I"m not mad, just please don"t do that again. And maybe I can join next time, but please talk to me next time you want to have sex with someone else." I got up and sat next to her, she put her hand on my thigh and moved the robe.
  
  She traced the cut with her thumb, my thigh tensed slightly and I looked at her. "I didn"t know you were into that, I guess there are a few things I don"t know about." She pulled me into a kiss and smiled, biting my bottom lip. I pulled away once we needed air, She leaned her forehead against mine. "Next time, tell me, now why don"t you go upstairs and take a hot bath? We"ll talk about this later, you need to relax." I kissed her once more and stood up, I grabbed her hand and pulled her up with me. I took her upstairs and into the bathroom, I started a bath and turned around. She undid my robe and I let the material fall off my shoulders with her help, she wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me close. I pecked her lips and helped her undress before we both got into the bath together.
  
  PLOT TWIST- Maybe there will be a part two.
  
  Chapter 5: Hold It Against Me
  Summary:
  Amy/Lauren/Karma- GP Amy confesses her feelings to Lauren while drunk and Lauren holds it against her. ONE SCENE- While sitting at the dining table Amy feels Lauren rub her foot up her leg, before rubbing right against her. Causing her to choke on her cereal and make their parents question her. Karma catches them and a threesome happens.
  
  Chapter Text
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  That Night
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Amy's POV
  
  I felt my head swirl as the alcohol was poisoning my body, I always hated the idea of drinking but lately, it's all I've been doing, except this time I'm home with Shane and Lauren. It was a little shock that Lauren was drinking with us since she normally didn't like being in the same room as me. Maybe that was why I had a massive crush on her, she wasn't afraid to show her feelings and to be her. I loved that about her, that she didn't hide behind this mask, as I did in high school, pretending to be a lesbian, then pretending I wasn't a lesbian and in love with my best friend, well we aren't besties much now. Not since she embarrassed me in front of the whole school, that was the difference between Lauren and Karma, Lauren would never hurt me for her own gain, or on purpose, Karma did that all the time.
  
  I felt something push my leg and saw Lauren's foot against me, I pushed her away. "You're drifting off again, why do you keep doing that? What are you thinking of?" I looked at her than Shane, who was even drunker than I was, "You, I always think about you and your cute face, and hot body and the way you make me feel." She was silent for a moment and Shane laughed, he knew about the crush. "Yeahhhhh she never shuts up about you," She looked at Shane then me, I grabbed another drink and finished it, and she shook her head. We ended up passing out after that, well at least Shane and I did, I'm not so sure about Lauren. She didn't talk much after that,
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Two Weeks Later
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  It's been two weeks since my drunken confession to Lauren, I still remember it but I think she thinks I don't since I never came and talked to her about it. I didn't know how, I know she remembers, she looks at me differently. I can't tell if it's a good difference or not, I don't think it's a bad one. I swear she's been teasing me, sometimes when it's just us she wears more revealing clothes, she bends down showing me her ass and she brushes against me a lot more now. Right now we were eating breakfast with our parents, she was sitting across from me while Bruce and my mom sat next to us. I put a scoop of cereal in my mouth as I felt a foot rub against my crotch, causing me to choke, my mom tapped my back. "Slow down honey, don't wanna choke." I nodded with a tight smile, I tried to subtly push Lauren's foot off of me as she stared into my eyes.
  
  She was a lot stronger in her legs than I was in my arms, she rubbed against my tip causing me to have to hold back a groan. our parents got up and she pulled away, I thank god in my head. My mom kissed my head and Bruce kissed Lauren's then they left. I tried to quickly finish my breakfast before she started teasing me again. I looked at her and she "dropped" her fork, she got down on her knees. I put the last bite in my mouth as I felt her push my legs apart, she unzipped my pants and I stopped her. "What are you doing?" She looked up at me, "Taking what I want, I know you want me too. So stop, unless you really don't want this." I thought for a second, looking at Lauren on her knees was a huge turn-on. "Don't stop, I want this." She smirked at me and pulled my jeans down with my boxers, she gasped softly at my cock. "You're so big, Amy." I blushed and she slowly took it into her hands, I kicked the rest of my clothes off and to the side. I moaned loudly as I felt her take my tip into my mouth, she sucked on the tip as she rubbed the base.
  
  "Just like that, Laur, it feels so good." She hummed around me as she slowly started to take more down her throat before she had the whole ten inches in her mouth and her nose was touching my pelvis. I heard a knock on the door and I tried pushing Lauren away but she stayed, the tablecloth was long enough to hide her, so she had no plan to stop. I pushed my pants towards her and the door opened, Karma walking in. She saw me in the dining room and smiled, coming over. "How come you haven't left for school yet?" I cleared my throat, "Lauren and I aren't feeling good, mom said we could stay home. I think it's contagious, so don't come over." She waved me off and came closer, moved closer to the table, making sure Lauren was hidden all the way and my naked legs were too. She put her hand against my forehead, "Wow you really are burning up, do you want me to ditch and take care of you?" I knew what she meant, she rubbed my chest and slowly down. I grabbed her hand to stop her, "I really don't feel good Karma, later ok? Go to school, I'll update you." She pouted and nodded, walking away and opening the front door. "Make sure you keep yourself nice and hard for me, see you soon Amy." I covered my face, knowing Lauren knows Karma has touched me.
  
  She pulled away and I looked at her, her hands on my balls making my hips buck. "You've fucked Karma?" I slowly nodded, "Only two times, she isn't even into me like that, just my dick. I'm apparently bigger and thicker than Liam, I don't know. Lauren I only want you, I promise." She took me back down her throat all the way and started moving her head fast, playing with my balls. I gripped her hair and moaned loudly, "Lauren you're gonna make me cum," She hummed and kept going, I moaned loudly and came hard, and she swallowed it all. She pulled away and got from under the table, I took my shirt and bra off as she stripped completely. She looked out the window and smirked, "Fuck me against the window, Amy, I want everyone to see you fucking the shit out of me." I nodded and she bent over against the window, moving the curtain. I got on my knees and licked her clit, getting her wet even though she didn't need it. After a little bit I got up and slowly entered inside of her, "Please Amy, I need it." I started moving slowly but that wasn't enough for her, she started slamming her hips back against me.
  
  I gripped her hips and started pounding into her, she threw her head back and moaned loudly. She moved the curtain, and I saw Karma, watching us. I grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, making her back pressed against my front. I went even harder and used my free hand to rub her clit. She moaned loudly as she came around me, I went as fast as I could and bit her shoulder. "I'm gonna cum, where do you want it?" She moaned loudly gripping my elbow, "I'm on the pill, cum inside me." I nodded and moaned loudly, cumming inside her. She came at the feeling, letting out a soft moan. I moved us so she was now bent over the table and started pounding into her again, knowing Karma could still see us. I heard the door open but I didn't care, still pounding into Lauren. Lauren scrapped her nails against the table, I looked over and saw Karma watching us.
  
  I gripped Lauren's neck and made her look at Karma, growling softly as I went as hard as I could. I whispered in her ear, "Cum for me, make her watch you cum. Watch as she touches herself to us, I'm yours, you're mine. Show her," Lauren moaned loudly, watching Karma touch herself as she squirted around my cock and I came inside her, her squirting pushed my cock, cum falling to the floor. I growled and pushed back inside her, she tried pushing me away. "Sensitive Amy," I shook my head and kept going, "One more, you can do it I promise." I rubbed her clit quickly and she came one more time, screaming out my name, I pulled out and pushed her to her knees and she put her tongue out. I looked at Karma and she came over, I saw on her face she had cum. She got on her knees and they both waited for my cum, I rubbed my cock quickly before throwing my head back and cumming all over them, moaning loudly. some hit their tongue and their face. Lauren took me into her mouth and sucked the rest out, before pulling Karma into a kiss. If I wasn't so exhausted I would have gotten hard, I leaned against the table as they kissed.
  
  "Give me a few minutes and I'll fuck you both, I'm super sensitive." They pulled away and got up, Lauren took off Karma's clothes and grabbed our hand, taking us upstairs. Once we got into my room Lauren pushed Karma on the bed and got between her legs, she started eating her out and I just slowly rubbed myself as I watched. Once I was hard again I got behind Lauren and pushed inside her, causing her to moan. I went slowly, not wanting to rush them into anything. Lauren pushed her hips back, setting the pace. She pulled away and moaned softly, "Fuck Karma, I wanna ride her face." I pulled out and they moved around, I bit my lip at the sight of Lauren sitting on Karma's face. I slammed into Karma, knowing she likes it rough. She moaned as she started eating Lauren out, Lauren pulled me into a kiss as I pounded into Karma, giving her no time to adjust.
  
  I gripped Karma's hips as Lauren rubbed her clit, I knew Karma was quick at cumming and was already close by how tight she was getting. I pulled away from Lauren, "Cum, Karma, cum for us." She moaned loudly into Lauren's pussy, causing Lauren to also cum with her. I went faster and came inside Karma, she wasn't on the pill but it was a risk she loved taking. I moaned loudly, pulling out of her. "God I can't anymore, Lauren moved down so she was eating Karma out as Karma ate her out. I watched as they came over and over again before they were both too tired to continue. They lay next to each other and I lay down, taking a breath. "This is not how I thought this would go." They hummed in agreement, we changed the sheets and blankets, cleaning ourselves up before laying down with each other and falling asleep.
  
  At the end of the day, we were woken up by Shane coming in and gasping loudly, "OH MY GOD!" We sat up, covering ourselves up more. "What are you doing here?" He started laughing loudly, "I wanted to check on you two, I wondered why you guys didn't show up, the door was unlocked. Saw Karma's truck here, you're lucky it was me and not your mom!" We groaned and fell back, he laughed harder and left. We got up and got dressed, heading downstairs. Liam was also there, Shane was holding in his laugh. I was thankful that Karma had broken up with him, because I really didn't need that fight right now. "As you all can see, we are fine. Thank you for checking on us, you may go." Shane laughed and they left, but before Shane closed the door he yelled back. "Karma, Lauren, you have cum in your hair." They blushed brightly and ran upstairs, I smiled and followed, seeing them getting undressed and starting a shower. I got undressed and hopped in with them.
  
  Chapter 6: Hurt Me, I'll Hurt You Ten Times Worse
  Summary:
  Minor Caleb/Hanna Hanna/Emily/Alison- Caleb cheated on Hanna with Alison to get back at her after a fight they had, Hanna instead of crying and screaming goes to Alison to find out why she did it but realizes that Alison was a little too drunk to realize who she was fucking and they make a plan to get back at him with Emily in the mix. A threesome ensues where they record and then send it to him via email.
  
  Chapter Text
  Hanna's POV
  
  I felt the tears well up in my eyes, I refused to let them fall. He didn't deserve to know how much it hurt to see him kissing Alison, to see him undressing her. I wondered if A didn't send the photos if either one of them would tell me that it happened, I could tell by what Caleb was wearing that it was the night we had a massive argument, something he had started in the first place and I guess ended. I walked out of the house, my mom trying to speak to me. I got into my car and drove off, heading to Alison's house. I was angry, I was upset, but crying and screaming wouldn't get me anywhere so I just wanted to talk to her. I pulled into her driveway, thankful to see everyone's car but hers was gone. I got out after parking and headed inside, we never had to knock so I wasn't going to start now. I heard her come down the stairs, a smile on her face almost like she didn't know what she did.
  
  "Hanna! What are you up to today?" It was a simple question, one she would ask all of us, well her questions would always be more in-depth for Emily, but none of us were allowed to bring that up. "I needed to talk to you, do you have anything you're keeping from me?" She looked at me confused, tilting her head with a smile. "No, why?" I handed her my phone, the photos on the screen. She took it and her eyes widened, she looked at me. "Oh my god, Hanna, I'm so sorry! I was so drunk that night that I couldn't even register anything. I didn't even know I had sex with anyone, I thought I did from when I woke up but I didn't even think for a second it was Caleb. If I knew it was him, there is no way I would have done that." I took the phone and sighed, "He did it to get back at me, we had a big fight and apparently he wanted to put salt to the wound." "I seriously am so sorry, Hanna." I shook my head, I knew then when she apologized to me at least, she meant it.
  
  "You apologizing gives me all I need, now I just need to get back at him somehow." I heard someone climb down the stairs and looked over, Emily in Alison's shorts and a baggy shirt. "Is everything ok?" I looked back at Alison, keeping my knowing smile to myself. "Yeah, everything is ok, Emily, we just found out that I slept with Caleb. I didn't even know I really slept with anyone I was that drunk, it was like two weeks ago." I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we had a fight and since then he's been distant, I don't know if he regretted it or not. But I need to get back at him, and I want it to hurt." Emily and Alison looked at each other, almost talking with their eyes. "Ali, I doubt she would agree to that. Just because you've been thinking about it doesn't mean our best friend is gonna like it." I looked at them confused, Alison turned to me with a smirk, holding her hand out for me.
  
  "Why don't we hurt him the same way he hurt you?" "You mean you want me to sleep with someone?" She nodded and I let her grab my hand, she took me upstairs, Emily walking in front of us. "Not just someone, both of us." My eyes widened at the idea, looking between them. "Are you guys being serious?" They nodded and I blushed brightly, I had a huge crush on Emily and Alison, it was hard to choose between the two of them and I never thought they would in a million years even wanna stomach the idea of kissing me let alone this. I tried getting rid of the crush when I was fifteen, but I guess it still lingered in the four years. "You don't have to agree to this just because we suggested it, we can think of another way." I shook my head, "N-no! I'm ok with the idea, but how will we get him to know?" Alison's smirk formed on her face again, she walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a tripod and camera.
  
  "This should do well enough, we can take a few photos and a video. Had he ever made you cum, Hanna?" I blushed again before shaking my head, "Not since the first couple of times we did it, he always focused on himself." Emily rolled her eyes, muttering 'Men' and Alison nodded in agreement with her. "Well Hanna, we have a couple of toys, don't worry clean and when I have random fucks I always test. Emily has only been with me, well now you too. But if you don't want to use it you don't have to. But Emily fucks hard when she has the strap on." I gulped and smiled, "I don't mind trying it," Emily smiled at me and Alison started setting up the camera, "Emily go get yourself ready, it'll be hot to see you undress with the strap already on." She stripped and grabbed the toy, I looked away quickly and heard Alison giggle.
  
  "You don't need to look away, especially when she's gonna fuck the shit out of you soon." I blushed and looked back, seeing Emily put it on and then a pair of boxers before putting on what she was already wearing. Once it was set up Alison set a timer and got in front of it, they started stripping me, the camera going off multiple times until I was fully naked. "Get Emily undressed," I turned towards Emily and started stripping her, I went to pull her boxers but she stopped me. "Get Alison, save that for last." I blushed and nodded, turning towards Alison and stripping her. She smiled a reassuring smile at me, pulling me into a kiss. I kissed back, melting into the kiss. After a few seconds, I was pulled away from her and pulled into a kiss by Emily. I felt Alison walk away from me and Emily pulled away, whispering to me. "Get on your knees for me," I did as told, looking up at her. I slowly put my hands on the waistband of her boxers, slowly pulling them down.
  
  I could tell from the corner of my eye that Alison was filming us, kneeling by me. My eyes widened at the size and girth of the toy, it was much bigger than Caleb, especially in girth. Emily kicked the boxers to the side and rested her hand on my cheek softly, "You can say no to this but I would really enjoy watching you suck on my cock." I blushed and nodded, I rested my hands on her muscular thighs before slowly taking the tip into my mouth. She tangled her fingers in my hair, not pulling or rushing me just holding on. I closed my eyes and slowly took it farther down my throat, gagging around it. I took a breath through my nose and kept going until I felt my nose hit her pelvis, I heard her curse under her breath. "Not even Alison can get me all the way down, fuck." I looked up at her and started bobbing my head slowly, I knew this was mainly to get it wet enough for me though I don't think it's needed; but it also felt good for Emily.
  
  Emily pulled me off and looked down at me, a smile on her face. "Get on the bed, Hanna." I got up off my knees and onto the bed, keeping my eyes on both of them. Alison positioned the camera to face the bed and they both got on, Emily situated herself between my legs, leaning down and licking my clit softly. I threw my head back and moaned, grabbing onto the pillow behind me. Alison kissed and sucked my neck, biting down to my tits. She took the left nipple into her mouth and sucked gently, tugging and pinching the right one before switching and doing the same thing to the other. Emily pulled away and I felt her tease my entrance with the tip of the toy, "Are you ready, Hanna?" I nodded quickly, "Y-yes, please Emily." She slowly slid into me, holding my hips. Alison kissed up to my ear, "Can I ride your face, baby?" I nodded and gasped at the feeling of Emily, "Words, Han," "Y-yes," She pecked my lips and straddled my face, my hands landed on her thighs and once she was situated I licked her clit.
  
  I had never done anything remotely close to fucking a girl, and I wasn't that professional when it came to men. But I did what I thought would be good, trying to focus on Alison, even though it was hard with Emily getting faster. "Right there, Hanna, you're doing so good, baby. You feel so fucking good." Alison gripped my hair, pulling me closer to her. I moaned into her, my eyes rolling back. I pulled away for a split second, "I'm close." Emily gripped my hips a little tighter and went harder, the room filling with our moans and the sound of skin against skin. I slid my tongue into Alison and she started moving her hips, grinding against me. I moaned loudly into Alison, cumming hard against the strap as she came around my tongue. She kept moving her hips at a fast pace, her grip on my hair getting tighter. "Cum again, cum for us baby girl." I could hear the gasps and pants coming from Emily, she was going to cum from fucking me.
  
  I curled my tongue and moved it out of Alison quickly, my thighs started shaking as I came once again. Alison grabbed onto the headboard and threw her head back, cumming again. I cleaned her up as her hips slowed down, Emily was still moving into me but at a slower pace. Alison moved off my face and laid down next to me with a sigh, I looked at her and she had a smile on her face. Emily leaned over me and I looked up at her, she pulled me into a kiss and hummed at the taste of Alison. "Think you can cum again for me, princess? Can you be my good girl?" I blushed and nodded, she smiled at me and started off slow. I wrapped my legs around her waist and pulled her deeper into me, moaning loudly. She held both my hands by my head, intertwining our fingers as her hips sped up. "You feel so good, Emily, please don't stop." She smiled a sweet innocent smile, a smile you wouldn't think someone would give you while they pound their cock into you. "I don't plan on stopping any time soon, sweet girl." I threw my head back, I never thought someone just calling me pet names would make me so close to cumming.
  
  "Are you gonna cum for me? Cum for me baby girl, be a good girl." I moaned loudly, their names falling from my lips as I came again. She slowed her hips and pulled out of me, I whined at the loss and she pecked my lips. "Alison wants to eat you out, and I wanna pound into her like the bitch she is." I blushed and nodded, they moved around so Alison was between my legs and I was sitting up a little. Emily moved so she was behind Alison, Alison started cleaning me up just missing my clit. I whined softly and bucked my hips, she held my hips down and started eating me out. I threw my head back and tangled my fingers into her hair. I watched as her eyes rolled back as Emily slid into her, I thought Emily would start slow like she did for me but she started pounding into her, not giving her any time to adjust. Alison just let out a loud-pitched moan and gently dug her nails into my hips. I knew there would be marks tomorrow but I couldn't get myself to care today.
  
  Every time Emily pulled back she would take Alison, pulling her tongue out of me and when she would slam back into her Alison's tongue would slam into me. It was the most amazing feeling and view I had ever felt and seen. Alison curled her tongue inside me and started rubbing my clit with her thumb, she moved so my legs were over her shoulders and pulled me closer to her. Emily moved my hand out of Alison's hair and gripped her, herself, pounding harder into her. "Fuck I'm close, Emily don't stop." Emily slowed down, "The guest cums first, be a good girl." Alison whined into me and started moving her thumb faster, her tongue moving faster too. "Fuck, I'm close!" Alison didn't stop but Emily sped up again, going even faster than she did last time. I arched my back and let out a silent scream, cumming hard against Alison's tongue. I felt her moan into me, her nails digging into my thighs. I slowly opened my eyes, not even realizing they were shut. Emily had pulled out of Alison and took care of the toy, she wasn't in the room so I assumed she was cleaning it. Alison laid her head against my thigh, sighing in contentment.
  
  When Emily came back she had turned off the camera, before climbing into the bed with us. "After you both relax I'm gonna clean the sheets and we can just lie down." I nodded and yawned, Alison held Emily's hand and closed her eyes. After what felt like five minutes Emily made us get up before we passed out, I went to the bathroom to clean myself up and so did Alison, it's silly to want privacy after we just got our brains turned into mush. Once I walked back into the room the bed was all made and Emily was lying in bed. I climbed in, giving her space, where I assumed Alison would want. She wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close, once Alison came in she lay on my other side. "When we wake up I will email Caleb the photos and video." I nodded, laying my head on Emily's chest. "Do you think A is gonna tell the girls about this?" I felt Emily chuckle, "I'm pretty sure tipsy Alison will tell them before A does, unless A gave them a live feed, if so then oh well. The only one that's gonna be shocked is Aria, well not shocked, more like, weirded out because she's a prude and we love her."
  
  I nodded with a laugh, closing my eyes. "Good night, Hanna, we'll order some pizza and invite the girls over later when we're up." I moved my head into what I thought was a nod, being too tired to register.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  I woke up and rubbed my eyes, I looked around to see the sun had gone down but it wasn't too dark out. I sat up and looked over to see Alison gone and Emily up reading a book, she looked at me with a smile. "Alison is downstairs, we assumed you'd wake up soon so she ordered the food. It just arrived, the girls will arrive soon so get dressed." I got up and decided since Alison and I are now the same size I would just steal her clothes, I grabbed her plaid pajama bottoms and a tank top, putting them on with my bra and underwear. Emily smiled at me and I smiled back, "Let's head downstairs," I nodded and she got up, we walked downstairs as Alison was just putting the pizzas down. "Morning, Han." I rolled my eyes with a smile and she came over, pecking my lips. "You look gorgeous in my clothes, Spencer is pulling in now with Aria so you woke up just in time." She held Emily and I's hands, pulling us to where she set the pizza. As we sat down Aria and Spencer came in, laughing about something someone had said. They came in and walked over to us, sitting down.
  
  "What's with the random hangout? Not that I'm complaining, but normally you guys are with your partners." I rolled my eyes at the thought of Caleb, I went to say something but Alison winked at me, telling me she already did it. "Hanna needed a pick me up, Caleb cheated on her." Aria gasped, leaning over to hold my hand. "With who? Do you know?" I nodded with a shrug, "No one important right now, it doesn't really bother me that much. I learned that there are much better people, especially when he was a weak fuck." Aria blushed and Spencer just laughed, I looked at Emily and Alison, they had a smirk. "Did you find someone who was a better fuck already, Han?" I shrugged with a smile, "Maybe, Spence, who knows." She gave me a look, telling me I would be telling her whether I planned on it or not. We started eating, changing the subject and I heard my phone go off. I excused myself and rushed upstairs, grabbing it and coming back down.
  
  As I walked down the stairs I read it, seeing a message from my mom 'Alison called and said you were upset about Caleb, didn't tell me much but that you were staying the night. Call me when you can, love you.' then a message from Caleb, 'What the hell Hanna?! You fucked Emily AND Alison?! Not only did you cheat on me, but you had the nerve to rub it in my face.' I laughed and shook my head, coming to sit next to Emily and Alison again. I started quickly typing out a message, attaching the photo of Alison. 'Considering YOU cheated first Caleb, means you have no right to be upset. You know who sent me this photo, someone who apparently is a better friend than you were to me. Alison explained that she didn't even know she slept with anyone, let alone you. That if she knew she wouldn't touch you in a million years. Next time don't go fucking someone so drunk they can't even feel you, well a sober girl wouldn't either. Goodbye Caleb, they fucked me better in the two years I've dated you in one night.' I sent the message, putting my phone on silent and setting it down.
  
  Spencer grabbed my phone and opened it, I rolled my eyes with a smile. Her eyes widened and she looked at Alison before reading the message, her jaw-dropping. "Holy shit, Hanna." I just laughed and Aria leaned over, reading it too. Her face turned red and her eyes widened, she looked at the three of us, "Y-you guys..." "We fucked, Aria, it's not a bad thing." She gulped and shook her head, "N-no it's not, it's just shocking." Spencer just smirked and leaned back, handing the phone back. "I'm a little jealous you got to ride the Emison train before me." I laughed and took a bite of my food, shaking my head. "There's always room Spence," Emily nodded in agreement with Alison. "We aren't a couple, not yet at least. Just messing around until college, why start a relationship when we leave in a year."
  
  
  Chapter 3: Well, Can We Get Along?
  Summary:
  Shin reluctantly moves into Sabine's apartment for their month ordered together.. Sabine's brother and Shin's best friend Ezra, stops by/sympathizes with Shin.. The two have some bonding moments..
  
  Notes:
  Guys!!! For those commenting and leaving so much love, YOU ARE AMAZING!! Like seriously.. Thank ya'll so much for sending me such lovely comments, and kudos!! Much love!!!
  
  Will Shin and Sabine get along together? What else might happen? Find out!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine hurried to her door, hearing the knock. "Coming, I'm coming!!" She'd been painting, instead of making the place accommodating for Shin, and had paint allover herself, her chin even had a little on it.
  
  
  
  Painting helped her calm down, and to de-stress, and she'd just been listening to her ear pods by while doing so. She sighed, and then opened the door to see Shin, Baylan and Ahsoka standing there.
  
  
  
  "Shin.. Good to see you, finally." Sabine smirked, raising her arm up as the blonde pushed past her to get inside. She nodded to Baylan and gave Ahsoka a hug.
  
  
  
  "So a month huh? One month with just you and me in this apartment, oh and Murley of course." Sabine smiled as her cat ran up, rubbing against her leg, to which she leant down to pick him up.
  
  
  
  "I thought you were joking about having a cat, Wren. Weren't you allergic, as a kid?" Shin smirked out watching the other woman hold the striped cat.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, "You're right, I was. But, I managed to get over it eventually. My doctor said I outgrew the allergy. Apparently it happens quite bit, my doctor said I wasn't the only patient of his to have it happen to. I'm glad, cuz Murley is my buddy, and my emotional support animal." She felt Shin's eyes at her, and sighed.
  
  
  
  "I get panic attacks... Ever since.. Umm... Never mind, umm here let me show you around." Sabine went over, grabbing one of Shin's duffle bags, grunting under the weight. "What the hell did you pack? Dumbbells?", She groaned at Shin.
  
  
  
  "I did, actually. Something wrong with that, Wren? Too heavy for you?", Shin smirked out. She was curious about why Sabine got panic attacks, and silently hoped it wasn't due to their interaction all those years ago, but deep down, she knew it was.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed and followed after Sabine, looking around the place as she followed Sabine to a spare room. She saw several canvases inside, and wrinkled her nose.
  
  
  
  "You're going to put me in with your painting stuff? Seriously Wren? At this point we may as well just share your room." Shin smirked out to Sabine.
  
  
  
  "That's a great idea, and actually it's also written on the court decree." Ahsoka said chuckling as she watched the two women look at her in shock.
  
  
  
  "What? No way!! I only have the one bed, granted it's a king size, but no way!!", Sabine begged her coach. She grabbed the court paper from Ahsoka, and frowned once she saw the fine print.
  
  
  
  "Shin Hati and Sabine Wren are to share all living space together, no matter how small the space may be, it will include the bedroom if it is the only sleeping space that is found present in the place of living."
  
  
  
  Sabine grunted, and then pushed the duffle bag into Shin's chest. "Fine, but you're sleeping by the wall. My bed, I call the shots here, got it?" She glared at Shin, wishing to god that this wasn't happening.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned as the heavy bag hit her chest, and she gritted her teeth as she nodded. "Fine with me, I wouldn't want to fall out of the bed anyways."
  
  
  
  She looked around the spacious bedroom, and noticed how the bedspread was purple, with white sheets. "How original," Shin muttered as she went and sat onto the edge of the bed. She dropped her duffle bags onto the floor, and looked over at where Baylan stood.
  
  
  
  "Don't worry dad, I won't bite.. Much..", Shin chuckled out as she felt a pillow slap her face, with Sabine behind it. She glared at the purple haired woman, huffing at a loose strand of hair.
  
  
  
  "You'll regret that decision, Wren." Shin smirked out, grabbing the pillow and putting it onto her side of the bed. She folded her arms, watching Sabine smirk right back at her.
  
  
  
  Shin rolled her eyes, her fists clenching, but she stopped once she saw Baylan raise his eyes at her. Groaning, Shin stuffed her hands into the pockets of her tan cargo pants.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka and Baylan chuckled, knowing fully well that they were playing matchmakers now. The actual court decree had no mention of them needing to share a bed, they'd had Loren's help writing it up, since Loren knew Sabine liked Shin still, even if Sabine wouldn't admit it.
  
  
  
  "Well, we'll leave you both to it. Don't have too much fun now, and no fighting!! We'll know if your vitals spike!", the Coaches said as they quickly left the apartment. The two coaches high fived each other, chuckling as they headed back to Baylan's black Hummer.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked over at Shin, sighing. "Want some pizza? My treat... I could go for some veggie pizza badly, wings and beer too?" Sabine knew Shin liked beer, from college days, and she saw a slight smirk come across Shin's face.
  
  
  
  "Fine, but I'll buy the beer, Wren. Wouldn't want you get shitty beer," Shin smirked out to Sabine. She remembered a college party she'd snuck into at Lothal University, and the beer Sabine had supplied was so bad, kids had left the party.
  
  
  
  Shin felt glad that Sabine never knew she'd attended, having put on a red haired wig with bangs, and sunglasses as her disguise.
  
  
  
  Sabine held her hand out to Shin, "Deal. Now you still like veggie pizza with pineapples right?" She smiled at the other woman, knowing it was, as it was all Shin ate when they'd hang out as kids.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, " You remembered.. Yea... Ummm sounds great.." She looked down at her feet, and watched as Sabine went to call the food in, and sighed, flipping her phone to her Doordash app, quickly finding the Spec's on it, and placed an order for quite a bit of beer.
  
  
  
  She ordered two 24 packs of her Pacifico beer, figuring it would be plenty to last, and enough to get her drunk tonight. She could use it, being here with Sabine for a month, was not going to be easy.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, removing the black leather jacket she had on over her black shirt, and tossed it onto her duffle bags. Her black shirt's sleeves hugged her biceps, showing them off well.
  
  
  
  She looked over to see Sabine standing there, leaning against the doorway. "What? Creeping again?", Shin muttered out, laying down onto the bed, on her back.
  
  
  
  Sabine folded her arms, walking back to her bedroom. She watched as Shin removed her jacket, and silently gasped seeing how well the shirt Shin was wearing, was hugging her muscular body. Sabine bit her lip softly, wanting to run her hands over Shin, and shook herself from the thought as she felt Shin look at her.
  
  
  
  "I.. uhh. No, urm pizza and wings ordered.. Veggie pizza with pineapples, and buffalo wings with ranch. Both of our favorites.. And yes I did remember." Sabine smirked to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin turned her face, looking over at Sabine, her eyes glued to the short shorts that Sabine had apparently changed into. They were hugging Sabine's thighs, and Shin felt something spark within her mind, sending a chill through her. She grunted, and sat up.
  
  
  
  "Now who's being a creep? Enjoying the view Shin?", Sabine smirked out playfully to Shin. She was thoroughly enjoying getting under Shin's skin, without the other woman able to hurt her.
  
  
  
  Shin laughed, "Oh Wren, you wish. You really wish that don't you?" Shin glared at Sabine, but her stomach was tying itself in knots, still lingering at Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine stepped over to Shin, blocking Shin from being able to get past her. "Well, can we just get along please? Don't look at me like that again, Hati."
  
  
  
  Deep down, she wanted Shin to stare at her, those icy blue eyes could look into her soul, and she'd melt. But, she couldn't let Shin know how much she liked when Shin did glare at her.
  
  
  
  Sabine let Shin's last name roll off her tongue slowly, and saw a glare come across Shin's face. Smirking, Sabine sauntered off towards the living room.
  
  
  
  Shin felt her stomach twist, "Stop it.. Don't do this Shin, don't get all worked up over her." She heard the doorbell ring, and jumped to her feet. She went into the living room, to see a guy come into the apartment, and she quickly recognized Sabine's brother Ezra.
  
  
  
  "Oh Ezra, just you.. Good to see you, been a while." Shin pulled him into a hug, making Sabine roll her eyes. Ezra had tried asking Shin out ages ago, and she'd rejected him, with her being gay, but he ended up the only one she'd told at first, and they'd ended up as best friends instead.
  
  
  
  Shin would go to Sabine's house to hangout with him, and play videogames. Shin wouldn't tell her grandmother about it, as Shin also used the opportunity to see Sabine. It didn't work though, so eventually Shin stopped going. She turned to look at Sabine, and grabbed Ezra's hand quickly, pulling him to the bathroom, shutting the door behind them.
  
  
  
  "Shin, what the heck.. How are you going to handle this? Talk to me, I'm your best friend. Sabine's brother yes, but I know you still care about her, deep down in that cold ass heart of yours, you still like my sister. Admit it.." Ezra chuckled out.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned, "Fine you're right, as usual Ezra. It's why I had to stop coming over when we were in college. I couldn't take seeing her dating all those other girls, it hurt too much, and just made me want to hurt her more. I hate myself for what I did, and she can't know Ezra.. I don't know how she'd react to me saying, "Oh hey Sabine you know why I start fights with you? It's so I can take my frustration out on you that way, instead of telling you that I like you, that I've always liked you." Ezra, she can't know.. Unless..."
  
  
  
  Shin stopped herself, trying to calm down as she felt a wave of tears hit her. She sighed, wishing she could take it all back, but she doubted Sabine would forgive her.
  
  
  
  Ezra knew, "Unless you finally admit it to her... It's ok Shin.. I understand, just don't punch my sister. Kiss her if you want, but dude no fighting." He chuckled, pulling Shin into a hug.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Don't worry, I won't screw this up. Baylan's counting on me, and I can't let him, or my team down."
  
  
  
  She hugged Ezra back, and then followed him out of the bathroom to see Sabine setting their food down onto her dining table.
  
  
  
  "Food's here, umm hey are you ok Shin?", Sabine asked worriedly, seeing how Shin was clearly upset. Deep down, she knew she shouldn't pry, as she didn't want to make Shin more upset.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, wiping tears from her face. "I'm fine Wren, don't start being nice now just because I'm crying." She sat down onto a dining chair, and watched as Sabine fixed a plate for her. She heard a knock at the door, which Era answered, and she chuckled hurrying over to help with the beer.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes widened, "You got that much beer? Trying to get drunk?" She smirked, placing Shin's plate down. Sabine eyed, the cases of beer, knowing how much Shin would drink.
  
  
  
  She'd snuck into a party at Seatos College, Shin's birthday party. She'd seen Shin chug half a keg of beer, and then four other beers, and then when Sabine had seen Shin makeout with a few girls, leaving the party with all three, Sabine had immediately left. The present she'd taken to give to Shin, was still buried in her closet.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed at the memory, her heart had ached that night, and so Sabine had gone out to find her own release, spending the night with a girl from her team, just as a one time hookup.
  
  
  
  "Being here with you, oh definitely.. Here, have one." Shin handed one to Sabine, and opened her own, chugging down a sip. She eyed Sabine, wondering what was going on in the purple haired woman's mind, seeing how her eyes would linger to Shin's eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin felt uneasy, those brown eyes piercing into hers always made her nervous, made her angry because she couldn't express her true feelings.
  
  
  
  Each stare down between them, always ended in a fight, so Shin sighed, turning her gaze away from Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, seeing how she'd made Shin nervous from staring at her, and quickly opened her beer that Shin gave her, chugging down a few sips. She motioned for Ezra to join them, and smiled as he did.
  
  
  
  Dinner began in awkward silence as the three started eating, and drinking their beers. Sabine looked over at Shin, watching her slowly chew on a wing. Ezra nudged her with his foot, and Sabine sighed.
  
  
  
  "So umm Shin, what do you think so far, about the apartment.. Are you going to be ok staying here? I can, umm get anything from the grocery store that you'd like, when I go tomorrow. We also may not be able to attend the games or play, but we could urmm, practice maybe? Together? If you want..." Sabine shifted awkwardly in her chair.
  
  
  
  Shin stopped chewing, and set the wing onto her plate. She sipped, then chugged her beer, and then opened another quickly. She chugged half of it, her hands trembling as she tried to fight her emotions, trying to fight her anger off.
  
  
  
  Sabine's soft voice was triggering her, making her want to slap her, kiss her, fuck her... Anything to get her hands on the woman in front of her at the table. She grabbed her pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, and looked nervously at Ezra.
  
  
  
  "I'm going to get a smoke in... Umm groceries, uhh sure, you can use my card for my stuff.." Shin sprang up, hurrying to the balcony, shutting the door behind her.
  
  
  
  She sighed, lighting her cigarette she held between her lips, and softly puffed on it. She turned to look behind her, and watched Ezra walk up, patting her shoulder before he stood beside her to hit his vape.
  
  
  
  "Sorry Shin, she's trying to be civil, but she realized she made you feel awkward. She didn't mean to, it's just been years since the two of had an actual conversation. She isn't sure how to approach this either, just give my sister a chance. Please, for me." Ezra smiled as he watched Shin relax her shoulders. He puffed his vape, looking around the street below them.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Ezra.. A month.. A month and we have to sleep in the same bed.. Like what the fuck dude... How am I supposed to do this? Those shorts she's wearing... Sorry not sorry, but damnit Ezra... I'm not sure if I can handle this, it's a lot to grasp, and you know what she does to me when she stares at me with those brown eyes of hers. Fuck man.."
  
  
  
  She palmed her face, groaning as the tip of her cigarette hit her cheek, and she lowered her hand to her mouth, inhaling it in before exhaling it back out.
  
  
  
  Ezra chuckled, "And you wearing that tight shirt of yours, doesn't help her either." He stopped dead in his tracks, and quickly turned to go back inside.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "What the actual fuck..."
  
  
  
  She went back inside, and saw Ezra getting ready to leave. Shin gave him a questioning look, but he only gulped, hugging her before he left. Soon, it was just her and Sabine again.
  
  
  
  Shin looked over at where Sabine was now sitting on her couch, petting Murley, while one leg was raised up on her coffee table, giving a decent view at her thighs.
  
  
  
  Shin gulped, hands fidgeting at her side, trying not to show her emotions as she clenched her fists into her pockets, before going to the fridge for more beer.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, petting Murley, knowing she was getting under Shin's skin. She knew Shin was going to get drunk, and she wanted to see how drunk she could make her get.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, and grabbed two beers from the fridge, handing one to Sabine. She sat down on the couch, away from Sabine, tapping her beer bottle. She looked over at the tv, and then at Sabine.
  
  
  
  "So, anything good on tv tonight?" Shin said quietly. She figured if she couldn't fight Sabine, or anything else physical, they could at least watch tv together, as the silence in the room was killing her.
  
  
  
  Sabine perked up, and she grinned. "Well, actually there's a show on Netflix I've been wanting to watch. Umm... Arcane? Have you heard of it? It's animated, but like for adults I'm told.. Umm meaning like there's bad language or whatever in it."
  
  
  
  She looked eagerly at Shin, hoping they could watch it together, now that Shin seemed to want to watch tv with her, and she'd rather watch it with someone else than by herself. Sabine patted Murley, before watching her striped cat jump off her lap to go eat his food in the kitchen.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, "League of Legends? You haven't seen it yet? Deal, it's good. One of my favorites actually, you'll like it." She leaned back, sitting against the couch, and then watched Sabine stand up.
  
  
  
  "Popcorn? My treat?", Sabine grinned as she went into her kitchen. She reached into her pantry, grabbing two bags of popcorn, and worked to get it started.
  
  
  
  She looked over at Shin from her kitchen, and smiled. "Maybe we can get along after all," Sabine thought to herself.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, "Uhh sure, thank you..." She sipped her beer, and watched the Netflix intro come onto the tv, and waited for Sabine. Shin sighed, she wasn't sure why she was letting her walls down at the moment, maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe part of herself wanted it to be like old times with Sabine. She missed those days, and didn't know why she felt so nervous right now, waiting to watch Arcane with Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine came out to the couch, a few minutes later, carrying a large bowl of popcorn. She set it between herself and Shin, and then positioned herself comfortably on her couch, knees tucked under her. She looked over at Shin, and pressed play when she found Arcane.
  
  
  
  They watched the show all night, Sabine unable to stop watching, heart melting for the characters. She grinned realizing that the two female leads, Caitlyn and Vi, were definitely gay for each other.
  
  
  
  Sabine spilled her popcorn when the last episode ended, and stared at Shin. "Please tell me there's more episodes. That.. Omg I'm addicted now."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled, "Not for another year, Cupcake." She smirked the last bit out, with it being what the character Vi would call the other character, Caitlyn.
  
  
  
  She saw Sabine's eyes widen, and giggled. She then stopped, and stood up. "I'm uhh, I'm going to go change for bed.. Umm, see you there.."
  
  
  
  Shin darted off to the bedroom, fumbling into her duffel bag to get her night clothes out. She couldn't remember the last time she'd giggled in front of Sabine, and realized it was the last night they'd hung out when they were thirteen.
  
  
  
  She made her way to Sabine's bathroom, and shut herself in. She pressed her forehead to the wall, "Fuck this." Shin sighed, changing clothes and then grimaced, not knowing where to put her dirty clothes. She left the bathroom, and found Sabine in the bedroom.
  
  
  
  She gasped, seeing that Sabine had changed into boxers, and a white tank top, with no type of sleep bra underneath. Shin bit her lip, seeing that Sabine's nipples were very noticeable and hard under the shirt, and she smacked herself for staring at them.
  
  
  
  Sabine jumped off the bed, blushing as she folded her arms across her chest. "Umm, sorry thought I'd be lying down before you came in here... Umm thanks for the beer, and the show.." She mumbled, before climbing into her bed, pulling the sheets over her tightly.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, "Umm yea sure.." She decided to ask about her clothes later, and dropped them onto the floor by her duffle bags. She hesitated, and then climbed into the bed with Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  Are ya'll ready for them to truly get along? ;) Find out tomorrow night!!
  
  Chapter 4: Well.. That Was Unexpected
  Summary:
  Something that will change Shin and Sabine's lives, happens unexpectedly.. How will they handle it?
  
  Notes:
  What's going to happen with them in this chapter? Ooo just find out ;)
  
  Shout out to Khamul!!! Your comments make my day! Appreciate the love and support!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  That first night, Shin was flipping and flopping in her sleep. She kept accidentally brushing her feet against Sabine's, or getting too close to the other woman. She sighed, finally laying onto her back.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed looking up at the ceiling, before flipping to her side and looked at her phone, to check the time. It read, "3:15 AM", making her grunt. She'd only been in bed for two hours, but it felt like longer.
  
  
  
  She looked next to her, watching Sabine sleep. It was almost calming, seeing Sabine's chest rise and fall, making Shin softly smile. She groaned from realizing that she was staring at Sabine for too long, and flipped back onto her other side, facing the wall.
  
  
  
  Finally, she realized she couldn't sleep, and she groaned as she slowly got up from the bed, trying not to wake up Sabine. She grunted then, feeling something hit her feet, making her stumble over the bed, falling onto her face.
  
  
  
  Shin looked over, watching Sabine's cat waltz up to her, rubbing his face on her head. "Damn cat, stop it." She grunted, and then heard a soft voice.
  
  
  
  "Shin.. Are you ok? What time is it? Uggg what happened?" Sabine softly called out to Shin, sleepily rubbing her eyes. She would also get tripped by Murley when she'd get up during the night to go pee, and figured that's what had happened.
  
  
  
  She sat up and looked down to see Shin struggling on the floor. She couldn't help but grin at the sight of Murley rubbing his face, against Shin's own annoyed face.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, "Big baby.. Come on, I got you." She reached down, gently helping Shin stand up.
  
  
  
  She then grunted, as Shin fell against her, pressing her to the bed. Sabine gulped, as Shin's head had landed on her chest, and she winced from the impact.
  
  
  
  Shin quickly sprang back, seeing where her head had landed onto Sabine. She stood back, scratching the back of her neck nervously.
  
  
  
  "Umm, I umm.. Your cat tripped me.. Umm sorry for waking you up," Shin darted out from the bedroom, towards the living room.
  
  
  
  She fell onto the couch, her face slamming into the cushions. She groaned, knowing how awkward she was being, and she silently wished she could fall back into Sabine's chest. Or at the very least, punch her, as she was good at expressing her emotions towards Sabine that way, but she couldn't, not with her career on the line. She banged her face onto the couch, grunting loudly.
  
  
  
  She then froze, feeling a hand come onto her shoulder. Shin turned her face, and looked up to see a worried Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Are you ok Shin? You've been so weird.. Oof, umm yea he tripped you pretty good, your nose is bleeding.." Sabine grabbed a tissue from the tissue box that was on her table, and gently wiped the blood from Shin's nose, making Shin jump.
  
  
  
  "Umm.. sorry, I just.. I wanted to help.." Sabine softly stuttered, blushing slightly. She definitely knew she was overstepping, but she did care about Shin, and wanted to have peace between them.
  
  
  
  Shin suddenly sat up, watching Sabine, her lips parting as she took in the sight of Sabine over her. The gentle feel of Sabine wiping at her face, made her skin crawl, and not in a bad way.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, making a choice of how to respond. She sighed, and then pulled Sabine to her, her lips desperately crashing into Sabine's.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin sit up, and half expected a punch, or a shove, but was shocked when soft lips crashed onto hers.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered, not knowing what to do, and so she eagerly kissed Shin back, her hands coming to cup Shin's face, pulling her in deeper, as she was pulled to the couch by Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin knew this was a mistake, a big mistake, kissing Sabine, but she couldn't hold it back anymore. She'd dreamt of this moment for them, longed for it. She darted her tongue into Sabine's mouth, smirking as Sabine softly moaned into the kiss.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin, first night and you already shove your tongue down her throat," Shin thought to herself, before pulling away, shoving Sabine off of her.
  
  
  
  "I uhh.. Umm... I...", Shin stuttered out. She saw the disappointment in Sabine's eyes, and she grimaced.
  
  
  
  Shin quickly realized what Ezra had almost told her earlier. Sabine liked her too... She realized that's why she was getting kissed back, instead of being slapped.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened in her realization, and she just stared at Sabine, unable to find the words to say for her choice of action.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered, trying to find the words.. "Well, that was unexpected.. Umm.. Yea.. I uhh.. I'm going back to bed.." She stumbled back to her room, laying down face first as she fell onto her bed.
  
  
  
  She felt her lips with her fingers, trembling but with a soft smile. She'd finally gotten to kiss Shin, unexpectedly, but she'd done it. Sabine sighed, drifting back to sleep.
  
  
  
  Shin was still on the couch, trying to process what had just happened. She'd kissed Sabine.. Finally.. She had let her frustrations out, the right way.. But then she had shoved Sabine away from her, yet again.
  
  
  
  She sighed, smacking herself as she went to go back to the bed. Shin climbed in softly, and faced the wall as she yawned, falling asleep.
  
  
  
  When morning came, Sabine woke up to a note on her bedside table.
  
  
  
  "Sabine.. I'm sorry for last night, I was.. I was uhh drunk.. I went to get us some coffee and donuts, be back soon."- Shin.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled, and she got out of bed to go use the shower. Finally, maybe they could get along with each other. Once she was out of the shower, she changed clothes, settling on a black tank top and blue skinny jeans. She'd put on lacey lingerie style panties, and a bra to match.
  
  
  
  Both purple in color, she'd gotten them to make herself feel sexy, and after the kiss last night, that's exactly how she felt. She would drive Shin crazy, if they had to be stuck like this, she'd make Shin open up more, in more ways than one she secretly hoped.
  
  
  
  Sabine heard her front door slam, and went out of her room, to see Shin setting down their coffee and a box of donuts onto her dining table.
  
  
  
  Shin got back from the donut shop, and had gotten their coffee from Starbucks. She had messaged Ezra to confirm what coffee Sabine liked, and flavor of donut. She mentioned the kiss, to which she'd gotten heart emojis back from him. Shin sighed, this was going to be an interesting day, after last night.
  
  
  
  She gulped, seeing Sabine walk up. "Umm here, Ezra told me what you like, umm you look nice." Shin mumbled out to Sabine.
  
  
  
  Her eyes darted at Sabine, eyeing the other woman up and down, trying hard to look away, but felt unable to do so. Shin was nervous, and wasn't sure what to do about what had happened.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, "So just how drunk were you last night? Did it mean anything... The kiss? Or just feeling the alcohol?" She had to confront her about it, knowing it would make Shin do something, and hoped she wouldn't get slapped.
  
  
  
  She got close to Shin, making the other woman breathe heavily as she reached around Shin, to grab her coffee from the table.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, "Chill, I'm teasing you. Of course you were drunk, and it's fine. No biggie..."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "Uhh yea.. I was.. Umm sorry again... I don't know what came over me.." She bit her lip, and grabbed her macchiato, sipping it slowly. She then sat down, grabbing a chocolate donut from the box, chewing into it.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, "It's ok.. Really Shin.. I won't tell anyone that the big bad Shin kissed me." She grinned as she saw the glare come from Shin. Sabine decided to pump it up a notch, and got up, standing behind Shin.
  
  
  
  She leant down, pressing her chest to Shin's back, and then put her lips to Shin's ear. "I won't tell anyone that I enjoyed kissing you back." Sabine bit at Shin's ear, making Shin gasp. She watched Shin turn quickly, and watched the blushing woman face her.
  
  
  
  Shin was awestruck, this woman was driving her crazy, and most likely on purpose. She blushed hard though, "Good.. That's the only time you'll get to have kissed me. It.. It was a mistake Sabine.." Shin stood up immediately from the dining chair, feeling nervous as she fidgeted with her hands.
  
  
  
  She started to turn to the bedroom, but then gasped as she watched Sabine pull her shirt up over her head, tossing it to the floor, revealing the lacey purple bra beneath. Sabine's breasts boldly protruding around the edges of the bra, and she could see the hard nipples poking through the fabric.
  
  
  
  Shin gulped, feeling a shiver of excitement shoot right down to her sex. She clenched her thighs together, and was pressed against the dining table harshly by Sabine. Shin gasped, her hands pressed to her side, squirming under Sabine.
  
  
  
  "I know it wasn't a mistake Shin.. I wanted it too..", Sabine softly told Shin as she pressed herself up against Shin.
  
  
  
  She reached out, her lips going to Shin's, crashing them together, her tongue moving deep into Shin's mouth. Sabine softly moaned as she felt Shin give in, picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom.
  
  
  
  Shin should stop, she knew she needed to, but damnit the way Sabine was eager for her, made all anger rush out the door. In this moment, she wanted to devour the purple haired woman that had stolen her heart so long ago. Shin ached to love her, to show Sabine how she truly felt.
  
  
  
  Shin placed Sabine down onto the bed, and got on top of her, hands quickly finding the button to Sabine's jeans, undoing it and quickly yanking them to the floor.
  
  
  
  She gasped seeing the purple lingerie beneath, hungry to remove it. Shin ran her fingertips over Sabine's clothed sex, feeling wetness immediately. She moaned softly, seeing how turned on Sabine really was for her.
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, seeing Shin inspect her body. She ran her fingers through Shin's hair, and pulled her back in to kiss her. She moaned, feeling Shin's tongue enter her mouth, and eagerly bucked her hips into Shin's hand that was still teasing her.
  
  
  
  "Shin... Please.. I want you to touch me.. Please..", Sabine begged Shin, whimpering softly as she widened her legs for Shin.
  
  
  
  She'd had wet dreams for years of this happening, and now that it was, Sabine was so eager for Shin to touch her, to fuck her, to bite and suck on her.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, and started removing Sabine's underwear, which were soaked with Sabine's juices. Shin looked into Sabine's eyes, and started softly rubbing her clit between her fingers, making Sabine moan. She then moved her fingers to the dripping sex, and plunged two fingers inside of Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gasped, moaning in pleasure as Shin gave in to her begging. "Oh fuck Shin.... Fuck yess.." She started breathing heavily, as she moved her hips with the thrusts of Shin's fingers.
  
  
  
  Shin moved her mouth to Sabine's neck, running her teeth over the soft skin, and pumped her fingers harder into Sabine.
  
  
  
  She mouthed a moan onto Sabine's neck, just as turned on. She then lowered herself to Sabine's breasts, those heavenly breasts, and started sucking on them while she fucked Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine arched her back up, moaning as Shin fucked her, and grasped onto Shin's hair, holding her head in place while her breasts were sucked.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin, this feels so good.. Mmm." Sabine moaned out, making Shin add a third finger inside of her.
  
  
  
  Shin licked each nipple tenderly, sucking them into her teeth, nibbling as she sucked. She thrusted her three fingers deep and fast within Sabine, moaning into Sabine's chest, as she felt Sabine's climax nearing.
  
  
  
  "Sabine... Wren... Cum for me.. I want to hear you scream...", Shin moaned out to Sabine, while fingering her harder and deeper.
  
  
  
  "Ooo fuck Sshin... Fucckkk.. I'm.. I... MMmm FUCK!!!", Sabine started screaming out as she finally came for Shin, moaning breathlessly as she thrusted her hips into Shin's fingers, her orgasm rippling through her.
  
  
  
  Shin grinned, and pumped harder into Sabine, getting the woman to squirt cum into her hand. Shin moaned, and bent down, quickly licking the cum up while removing her fingers.
  
  
  
  She sucked her fingers clean, moaning at Sabine's taste on her. Shin went back up to Sabine, kissing her deeply, as she made Sabine taste herself on her lips.
  
  
  
  Sabine moaned into their kiss, panting as she came again, the sensations too much for her. She licked at Shin's tongue, moaning as she tasted herself.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin... We should've been doing this instead of fighting... Goddamn that, you're... You feel so fucking good inside of me.." Sabine moaned out as they continued kissing.
  
  
  
  Shin suddenly pulled back from the kiss, blushing. "Umm... Yea... I.. uhh...", she shook her head, moving to the other side of the bed. She sighed, her mind full of emotions.
  
  
  
  Sabine frowned as Shin pulled away, "Are you ok? Didn't you like it? Did I push too much?". She ran her hand over Shin's cheek, turning her face back to hers. Sabine sighed, deeply looking into Shin's eyes, tears filling her eyes.
  
  
  
  "Shin... I've... I've always liked you... Since we were kids... I was going to tell you that night, the last time we hung out, when we were thirteen. But I was scared... I didn't want to lose you, but I did anyways.. What happened that night anyways? I almost came back to your door, but I heard your grandmother yelling at you, so I left." Sabine softly said as she looked Shin in the eyes still, her tears coming out now.
  
  
  
  Shin looked back at Sabine, her eyes wide with tears, "You.. You did?? I didn't know..." She sighed, and nodded. "I liked you too. Like I had such a huge crush on you, and was going to tell you that night too. You'd been so cute painting that picture for me, and then I just froze.. When you left, I admitted it all to my grandmother, and she called me an abomination.. That I was no longer allowed to see you, and if I was to, she'd disown me... I was so upset, and when you confronted me at school, I tried to avoid you, but you kept following me, and I.. I slipped... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Sabine." Shin broke down crying, and let Sabine pull her to her chest.
  
  
  
  "Oh Shin... My Shin... I.. I'm sorry... I didn't know.. I didn't know..." Sabine softly cried into Shin, holding her close.
  
  
  
  Her heart ached for Shin, knowing how hard it was to come out as gay, but thankfully her adoptive parents hadn't minded, and Ezra was her biggest supporter. But for some like Shin, they weren't so lucky.
  
  
  
  "The only way I knew how to keep seeing you, was to fight you, it's all I started to know." Shin admitted quietly. "I don't like hurting you, making you bleed and hurt, but it's the only way I knew to be able to be near you... This with you right now.. It's amazing, but Wren... Sabine.. I'm scared that I'll lash out at you, and that I'll hurt you again, but worse. I don't think I could handle that... This, with you, is all I've ever wanted, but it terrifies me." Shin let tears out, looking into Sabine's eyes as she pulled away from their embrace.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her lip, nodding. "I know Shin, and I'm scared too. Of doing the same thing to you. Your grandmother was wrong though.. You're not an abomination.. You are Shin Hati, Captain of the Mercenaries. And... And my crush, as you always have been." Sabine blushed at her confession, watching Shin's eyes soften.
  
  
  
  Sabine laid back against her bed, rubbing her eyes as she felt Shin watch her. "We're finally at peace, and god amazing peace, but I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for. I'll wait.. As long as it takes though Shin, as I always have.." She whimpered as she softly cried, and felt soft lips press against her shoulder.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked up to see a tearful Shin, and she pulled her down to her, kissing her softly. She sighed, pressing their foreheads together as the kiss ended.
  
  
  
  Shin softly kissed Sabine back, feeling her emotions run rampant for Sabine. She was absolutely terrified to pursue this with her, scared of what could happen, but she wanted Sabine so badly. It was something they'd have to figure out, together, and Shin knew it.
  
  
  
  "I'm here Sabine... Please, god don't cry for me.. I've been the worst to you for over a decade, and I don't deserve your tears. I never should have started fighting with you, I just should have told you what was going on, but I was scared. I'm sorry..." Shin told Sabine, her hand running through Sabine's hair gently.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, a soft smile coming across her face. "Yea, you should've told me, but I get it.. I do.. I honestly probably would've done the same, in your position.. I know what your grandmother meant to you Shin, even if she was an absolute cunt to you. She was your family, and you'd already lost your parents, just like me... Shin, we can figure this out.. We've got a month to do that, and even if this was just for tonight, I'm glad it happened. So, umm thanks for fucking me." She grinned out, caressing Shin's chin softly.
  
  
  
  Shin snorted, "Shit you're welcome for fucking you Sabine, and it was amazing... I'd do it again... But yea, we do need to figure this out.. Are we enemies still, or something more, something we've never been?" Shin ached to kiss Sabine again, but she knew they needed to stop and think.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked deep into Shin's eyes, "Lovers? Maybe.. We could umm, do this anytime we feel frustrated.. Instead of hitting each other violently, we could umm do it for, ermm, fun? To destress?" She bit her lip, knowing not to expect much from her request.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "You mean like just hooking up? Or.. What do you mean Sabine? We've already confessed how we feel towards each other, how we've always felt.. Being just hookups doesn't feel right to me." Shin sighed, laying onto her side, watching Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her face, "I.. I don't know.. Maybe.. We could date? Try it out? If it's something you'd be interested in? Otherwise just smack me now, and I'll stop." Sabine glanced at Shin, knowing she was giving Shin permission to hit her.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned, "We can't hurt each other remember? Or fight.. And I'm sure after what we just did, our vitals definitely sparked a bit.. But date... Umm.. Are you sure?? You don't want to just call this quits and go find Bo?" She smacked herself immediately, seeing a hurt look on Sabine's face, regretting her choice of words.
  
  
  
  "Bo was never my girlfriend, or even a hookup, Shin.. She was my roommate only, and I'm well aware of the rumors about her and I, but they weren't true. I turned her down several times, Shin. She started the rumors, which spread to Seatos College by the team, because I wouldn't sleep with her, and so that's when we changed roommates. I couldn't handle it. You... You Shin Hati, are the only woman I've ever truly wanted... Of course I've slept with some women, and dated, but they weren't you.." Sabine softly replied, her face filled with hurt from Shin's words.
  
  
  
  Shin looked back at Sabine, "I... I didn't know... I'm sorry Sabine.. Truly.. I've never dated though Sabine... I've only had hookups, because they also weren't you, no one else was like you." Shin spilled her guts, her stomach jumping as she did. She sighed, and got up to go smoke a cigarette.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin walk off, grabbing her cigarettes from her bedside table before heading to the balcony. She sighed, instantly regretting kissing Shin and starting this new mess of emotions between them. But, she had to tell Shin how she really felt. Sabine decided to follow Shin, and pulled her clothes back on, walking out onto the balcony.
  
  
  
  Shin heard Sabine come up from behind her, and offered her a cigarette. She chuckled as Sabine waved her off, and she shrugged taking a puff. She sighed, exhaling the smoke out as she looked at Sabine.
  
  
  
  "It wasn't a mistake.. Kissing you, and umm fucking you.. I enjoyed it Sabine.. But.. What do we do? If we were to really fuck, like how I'd want to, we'd set the monitors off." Shin grinned, softly chuckling as she saw Sabine's eyes widen in curiosity.
  
  
  
  Sabine got closer to Shin, "And how would you want to fuck me Shin? I haven't even gotten to fuck you yet, and drag my nails across your spine, or eaten you, and taste you on my tongue..."
  
  
  
  Sabine was seductive with her words, her lips finding Shin's neck, making Shin shudder and softly moan. She took it as consent, and started pulling Shin back into herself, leading her from the balcony, back inside, pushing her down onto the couch.
  
  
  
  Shin softly moaned as Sabine started kissing her neck, and then let herself be led back inside, and pushed down to Sabine's couch. She watched Sabine pull her clothes back off, and reached up, grabbing hold of the perky breasts, massaging them as Sabine softly moaned into her caresses.
  
  
  
  Shin watched as Sabine started straddling her, and she grasped onto her hips, holding her close as Sabine kissed her neck. "Fuck Wren...", Shin moaned out.
  
  
  
  She wanted Sabine so bad, and she raised herself up, removing her shirt for Sabine, and then watched as Sabine undid her bra, moaning as she felt those soft lips wrap around her nipples. Shin arched her back up, gripping into Sabine's back.
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, chuckling softly as she started sucking onto Shin's nipples, moaning as she did so. Shin had the most perfect breasts, and her nipples felt heavenly in her mouth.
  
  
  
  She started licking down the center of Shin's breasts, and started moving her way down, undoing Shin's jeans swiftly, yanking them down. She wanted to taste Shin, and she wanted it now. The very thought of savoring Shin's cum in her mouth, made her moan.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned softly, placing her fingers into Sabine's hair, gently pulling. She watched as the other woman started pulling her boxers down, and blushed when she saw Sabine's hungry eyes take in her soaking pussy. Once she felt the warm tongue hit her clit, Shin instantly threw her head back against the couch, moaning.
  
  
  
  Sabine started licking at Shin's clit, moaning as she tasted Shin's heavenly juices on her tongue. She then let her tongue slip inside of Shin, and started eagerly eating her out. Slurping as she sucked onto Shin's wet pussy, juices coating her mouth and chin, hungry for it.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, yanking onto Sabine's hair, moaning out as she was eaten out. She panted, "Fuckkk Sabine, mmm that feel so so good Wren.. Mm fuckk." She bucked her hips into Sabine, and groaned as she felt Sabine grip her hips, holding her down.
  
  
  
  Sabine eagerly ate Shin out, moaning as she felt her own pussy drip with desires for Shin to fuck her again. She felt Shin clench at her tongue, and she licked deeper into Shin, sucking her wet folds faster.
  
  
  
  Sabine broke away for a moment, and looked up at Shin, juices dripping down her chin. "Shin... Cum for me.. I want to taste you," Sabine said while gazing into Shin's eyes, before moving her mouth back to it's actions.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, gripping harder onto Sabine's hair. "Fuckkk Wren!!!," She screamed as her orgasm crashed, sending her body shaking into Sabine's mouth, squirting her cum deep into Sabine's hungry mouth, making Sabine moan.
  
  
  
  Sabine moaned, hungrily eating up Shin's cum, loving the taste. She cleaned Shin up, licking up every last drop of cum, before moving back up to Shin, and kissing her deeply.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, tasting herself on Sabine's tongue, and sucked on Sabine's bottom lip. She panted as another orgasm ripped through her, just from Sabine's kisses. She breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath as she felt her orgasm subside, and her felt Sabine kiss her neck softly.
  
  
  
  "Easy Shin, easy... Sshhh easy beautiful... I've got you," Sabine cooed to Shin, kissing her neck softly as she felt Shin's orgasm finally let up. She moved her lips to Shin's forehead, and then smiled.
  
  
  
  Shin looked up into Sabine's eyes, her eyes filling with tears. "I want to do this.. With you.. Date you.. Fuck you.. Make love to you... Only you Sabine..." Shin softly said, reaching up to caress Sabine's cheek.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, smiling happily, letting a tear drop from her eyes. "I want this too Shin, and I promise I'll do whatever I need to, to make this work. You're the only one I've ever wanted Shin... Be my girlfriend, my lover.. And I'll scream at you during sex, and slap you, but the right way." She smirked at the last bit, and giggled as Shin licked her nose.
  
  
  
  "Deal, I'm yours Sabine.. And you are mine, Wren.. All mine.." Shin smiled, leaning up to softly kiss Sabine.
  
  
  
  They pressed their foreheads together, not knowing if this would work, but they promised each other they'd do their best to make it so.
  
  Notes:
  Soooo, SMUT!!! Hahaha if you read Shin and Sabine, my other fic, you know I dive in pretty well to the Smut!! Haha, hope ya'll enjoyed! How will they approach their new relationship? Stay tuned!!!
  
  All I Feel is You
  
  Summary:
  Abandoned on Peridea by her master, Shin is forced to seek refuge with former adversaries Ahsoka and Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  My first meaningful attempt at femslash, so bear with me. Like many others, I was completely memorized by Shin (despite her screen time barely pushing twelve minutes) and felt the natural progression of this unhealthy fascination was to write fanfiction. Enjoy.
  
  Chapter 1: Shelter
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  If Ezra could do it, so could they. Sure; Peridea is cold, their ship desperately needs repairs, the language barrier with the Noti makes performing even mundane tasks difficult, and chances of a speedy rescue diminish exponentially each rotation; but they"d be fine.
  
  They had each other, and that was more than some people ever had.
  
  Ahsoka had started their day by telling her to "help the Noti wherever she could, whenever she could." So, Sabine found herself digging away at hard soil near the center of their new camp having been tasked to aid in the construction of a temporary farm. It really could be worse, all things considered. If anything, being stuck for the foreseeable future would give her plenty of time to train, something she so desperately needed. No distractions meant no excuses.
  
  Despite her mind always churning over new thoughts and ideas, she was preoccupied by her dig. She"d been working away for a sizable chunk of time without any interruption and found the dull task to be an exertional escape from the gravity of their situation. A sudden strange sensation rushed over the Mandalorian, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Weird. She thought with a shrug, continuing to shovel. A few more moments passed, the sensation grew, and she could not shake the sense of fear; something was wrong. Turning, she squinted against the warmth devoid sunlight scanning her surroundings to locate her master. Sure enough Ahsoka stood a mere few meters away, her eyes locked on something just out of sight.
  
  "Is everything alright?" Sabine called whilst dusting off her hands off, standing in an attempt to get a better view at what was captivating her master"s attention. "Ahsoka?"
  
  The Mandalorian"s heart leapt into her throat. No, everything is not alright. There, standing just outside of camp, was the blonde mercenary who had been a thorn in the side since she"d gotten dragged into this whole mess. Electric energy hung heavy in the air as the trio stood silent, all their attention now focused purely on one another. Something was off with the way the hooded threat stood; an arm tucked at her side, a slight lean, no clear expression of anger despite her eyes holding that unsettling stare Sabine had become accustomed to. Suddenly, it became clear to her that strange sensation of fear wasn"t emitting from her master.
  
  "What are you doing here?" Ahsoka declared, splitting the tension that held thick in the air. Sabine"s gaze tracked every movement of the mercenary, who almost appeared to flinch.
  
  No reply.
  
  "Why"d you come here?" Her master persisted, taking a slow step forward, careful not to spook young woman. More like, how did you find us.
  
  No reply, again.
  
  This time, Ahsoka turned towards Sabine. "What"s her name again?" Furrowing her eyebrows, she shook her head.
  
  "I"m not sure..." Sheen? Sin? Shai? She"d overheard it at some point, but her memory escaped her. "Sh something?"
  
  Nodding, Ahsoka took another step forward, then another, then another. "You don"t have to-"
  
  "They left." Her master paused. The mercenary"s voice was fleeting, hoarse, weak. Sabine could barely make it out over the wind. "They all left, they left me."
  
  Sabine could almost see Ahsoka"s posture soften. "Your master, Baylan?"
  
  "Everyone."
  
  If it wasn"t for her scar so kindly left from their first encounter or literally any of their history, Sabine might have felt bad. "So?" She shouted. "Clear off." The mercenary"s gaze shot to her, hitting like a laser, followed by a very serious zip it expression from Ashoka.
  
  "Why did you come here?" Her master repeated.
  
  "I don"t know."
  
  "Are you hurt?"
  
  Finally, her eyes moved off Sabine. "No."
  
  Ahsoka took a breath and closed her eyes, a painfully long moment of silence followed. "Head towards the ship."
  
  "What?" Sabine exclaimed, her blood running cold.
  
  Her master ignored her, focusing only on the mercenary. "You can find sleeping quarters there." The blonde straightened up, equally as shocked as Sabine.
  
  "Th-Thank you." The odd feeling of fear that hung over the camp lifted as the apprentice approached, her head hung down.
  
  "No, no, Ahsoka." With furious steps, she rushed up beside her. "What are you doing?"
  
  Again, the Jedi brushed off her padawan. "What"s your name?"
  
  The mercenary stopped in her tracks, nearly parallel to them. "Shin."
  
  Ahsoka smiled. "Shin, I"m going to need your saber." Sabine looked on, still powerless and frustrated as their company obeyed her master"s words without question. Walking up to the pair, head still lowered out of respect, or shame, and handed her weapon over.
  
  "What are you thinking?" Sabine"s anger was more than evident. "Did you or did you not remember her trying to kill me, multiple times!"
  
  Ashoka watched Shin disappear up the ship"s steps. "I do."
  
  That pushed her over the edge, Sabine clenched her fist. "And that doesn"t matter?"
  
  "It does" She replied, folding her arms.
  
  Pursed lips couldn"t hide the distain in her voice. "This isn"t what"s best, not for us, not now, or not ever for that matter." Sabine was frantic. Her mind raced, nothing about this interaction made sense.
  
  Ahsoka exhaled deeply. "It"s what is right."
  
  Nope, Sabine was having none of it. "I don"t care." Aggressively, she pointed out towards the expansive wasteland. "What"s right is sending her out there to d-"
  
  "Lady Tano!" Huyang"s cry cut her off, the droid rushing out from his post in the cabin. "Lady Tano! The enemy has infiltrated our ship!"
  
  "Settle down Huyang, the situation is under control." A free hand waved him off. "Thank you for the timely warning though." Confused, he looked at Sabine for answers who shrugged. "Come on," She added, "Let me handle explaining it to him, why don"t you keep an eye on our new guest, Sabine?"
  
  No, I"d rather not shouted her brain, but a meek "okay" was all she could muster.
  
  "Good, let"s go." Ahsoka concluded, beginning her march towards the ship with Wren closely following in tow.
  
  The trio stood in the empty hull of the ship; all eyes focused on the sleeping Shin. Her back was turned towards the wall, no blankets, her chest rising and falling softly, and of course in Sabine"s old bunk.
  
  "For the record, I think this is a terrible idea, Lady Tano." Huyang broke the silence. "Do you want to know the odds of her turning against us?" Sabine agreed with everything the droid was saying.
  
  "Probably high." She chimed in.
  
  "Exactly Lady Wren, very, very high." He turned towards Ahsoka. "This is incredibly impulsive." To be fair, they were known for that kind of thing.
  
  "She was afraid Huyang, and is no threat to us." She glanced at her apprentice. "Could you not feel that?" Who shook her head, even though she somewhat could. "We"ll work on that. In the meantime, we"ll continue to make this place our home." Ahsoka caught Sabine rolling her eyes.
  
  "A home with my attempted killer? Yeah, right." Huyang didn"t speak. He was used to their bickering.
  
  "She needs us more than we need her Sabine. She"s desperate." Ahsoka nodded towards Shin. "Look how fast she fell asleep, inside the ship surrounded by enemies." Empathy floated off her words. "She must"ve been traveling for days, poor thing."
  
  Poor thing? Did you forget everything she"s done. "Sounds a lot like justice to me."
  
  "Vendettas will get you nowhere if you want to be a Jedi." Suddenly, Sabine felt small and self-conscious. "There are times where we must learn to let go." This was something even she struggled with, Sabine seemed sense it.
  
  "Why must everything be a lesson." She grumbled under her breath; arms folded in protest.
  
  Ahsoka"s smile returned. "Often because everything is." Sabine didn"t return her kind gesture, instead, silently stormed off the ship.
  
  "Sabine seems pleased." Huyang commented, blinking twice as if assessing the situation for himself.
  
  "What makes you say that?" Ahsoka sighed, turning her attention back to Shin.
  
  "Do you think it is wise to drive a rift between you and Sabine once again?"
  
  "She"s mad, and rightfully so," The mischievous glint so commonly found her eye returned. "But she"ll get over it."
  
  "Is it worth it?" The droid added, he too studying the sleeping mercenary. "All for her?"
  
  "I"m not sure, not yet, anyways." Ahsoka reached out with the force once again, scanning for any sort of change in Shin. Moments later, she confirmed what she felt when the mysterious stranger first arrived at camp.
  
  "She could be dangerous Lady Tano." It was good to know Huyang had their better interest in mind, but sometimes he erred too close on the side of caution.
  
  "Maybe, maybe not. She"s lost and alone, Huyang." Gambling on the former dark side apprentice was a risk Ahsoka was willing to take. "I"ll find out more when she awakes." She turned towards her droid and confidant. "You should go check on Sabine. I"ll keep an eye on the padawan here."
  
  Without a word, he nodded and exited the ship. Leaving Ahsoka alone to watch their new marooned partner. A twinge of guilt invaded the Togruta"s space. It hurt seeing Sabine so angry, but she was confident her apprentice would come around in time. Surely, she would see there was more to be gained from Shin"s presence and cooperation than from simply sending her to an inevitable death in the wasteland that was Peridea.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Tsk tsk Sabine.
  
  Chapter 2: Crossroads
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin stirred. Sore, hungry, thirsty, the nape of her neck radiated a dull ache from how she slept, and a foggy mind filled with all sorts of feelings and thoughts foreign to her.
  
  "Good, you"re awake." Quickly rolling over, she caught a glimpse of Ahsoka sitting on a table in the center of the ship that was certainly not there when she walked in. "I have a few questions for you."
  
  Rubbing her eyes, she shifted to sit up straight on the bed. "What makes you think I have the answers?" Ahsoka tipped her head, was that a sense of humor or hostility?
  
  "What makes you think you have a choice?" Her tone was flat, displaying the very real fact that even if she"d shown kindness, they were not friends.
  
  "Alright." Not well-versed in social cues, but instilled by Baylan to show respect, Shin agreed.
  
  "Fantastic. Shin, do you have a last name?"
  
  "Hati."
  
  "Welcome aboard" The Jedi motioned for Shin to come closer "Ship"s in tough shape right now, not many of its features aren"t working or else I"d have Huyang give you a tour."
  
  "You"re not going to change me." Hati proclaimed, that thought had been on her mind ever since arriving. Having glossed over the warm welcome, she took a seat a little ways away from her.
  
  Ahsoka scoffed so defensive. "I might not need to, padawan." A hand instinctively moved up to her braid, rolling the end gently between her fingers. "That wasn"t what I was planning, anyways."
  
  For some reason, Shin believed her. "You do have a plan for me then?"
  
  "Just a few questions." Ahsoka"s expression was neutral, her posture was blank, even reaching out with the force to get a read on her feelings proved fruitless.
  
  "About what exactly?"
  
  "All of it. Start at the beginning." Ahsoka announced, cutting right to the chase. Blinking twice, Shin broke her intense stare by dropping her gaze, choosing not to reply. "Skoll," She continued. "How he trained you, what he trained you in, how close are you to a Jedi, anything really. If you are going to live here we need to know who we are staying with."
  
  For a fleeting second, the idea to run away sprung up in Hati"s mind. Her eyes found the door, her heart accelerated. An old feeling calmed her, encouraging her to stay. Tano said the beginning, so start there. She encouraged herself, taking a lengthy amount of time to find the right words. Shin had never been a talker and Ahsoka could sense this, giving her ample space to reveal whatever she felt comfortable.
  
  "I don"t know where I was born. I know is my Master found me before I could remember much." Every fiber of her being seemed to protest in unison at the revelation of information. "Discipline, no emotion, knowledge, no attachment, fairness, fear. That"s what I was taught."
  
  "Is that so?" Ahsoka"s neutral posture shifted, her interest evident. "Go on."
  
  "We aren"t Jedi. Master made it clear never wanted me to be one, so I never wanted to be one." Everything she"d ever done throughout her life was in an effort to please him, often times falling just short of praise. "Through the Force we are above all, my ability makes me superior."
  
  She"s definitely a work in progress. "Is that what Baylan told you?" Ahsoka asked, almost out of impulse.
  
  "We must rise above the petty quarrels of the masses because we are better than them." Shin affirmed.
  
   "Continue."
  
  "He said we were going to be better than the ones that came before us, that we"d never allow ourselves to fall to the same fate that caused the Purge. My training never stopped, even when we were involved with..." There was a glint of pride in Shin"s eye. "Our business endeavors."
  
  Silence fell in the cabin. They both knew what that business was. "Is there more?"
  
  Shin sat unnervingly still. "Yes."
  
  Time faded into many stories and questions. Ahsoka found exactly what she needed, and then some. All the while Hati proved herself, at minimum, a cooperative partner. Willing sharing many details of her training and knowledge of the force. Even though at times it sounded more like gloating than explaining, the information was useful nonetheless. It came to a point where there was nothing more that could be learned about the Dark Jedi"s training from words, but one questioned lingered on the tongue.
  
  "Where is your Master now?"
  
  "I-" A sharp pain ached through Shin"s heart my master. Caught off guard by the question, she shifted uncomfortably. "I don"t know." The wound he"d left her with still bled.
  
  "He didn"t leave with Thrawn," She almost sounded nervous, and rightfully so, if that was what happened it would be quiet a large problem for the New Republic. "Did he?"
  
  "No."
  
  "I thought you didn"t know?" Ahsoka"s eyes raked across Shin, searching for any clues. Her gravity was crushing, and she felt powerless in the presence of the Jedi.
  
  "I don"t know," Shin repeated. "I do know he didn"t go with Thrawn." Not only did he leave, he cast you aside like it was nothing. A voice inside her head whispered.
  
  "Ah, so he"s still out there." Ahsoka thought aloud, sitting back ever so slightly. "We"ll have to find him eventually" That was better for the galaxy, worse for them.
  
  A sense of longing and hurt radiated through the force. "Eventually."
  
  "Thank you, Shin." The Jedi"s gaze softened, her tone understanding. "You"re welcome to stay with us for now."
  
  "May I leave?" Hati asked quietly, no longer wishing to be stuck inside the cabin. Everything around her felt too close, and she needed space and time to think.
  
  Ahsoka nodded. "You"re free to go." Not needing to be told twice Shin quickly hurried out, pushing down the feelings she"d been burying for the last few cycles.
  
  Dusk painted streaks of red and purple across the clouds. The cold Peridea wind whipping them into a beautiful display, and blowing her hair as Shin marched out of camp with her head down. She walked quickly, her hands clutching at the sides of her cloak as she went. Stepping over rocks and knocking into whatever the Noti had left in her way.
  
  Somewhere over the ridge was the Howler she"d used to get here. Hopefully, he was still there, waiting. Unlike my Master. Anger was slowly welling up inside her. He"s left me no other choice but into bed with the enemy! Passing back the last Noti hut, she veered off to the right replaying moments of the two of them in her mind. Your ambition, Shin, your destiny, Shin, take your place, Shin.
  
  Cresting the horizon vast emptiness camouflaged by a gorgeous sunset sprawled out for as far as the eye could see. A small ravine revealed her Howler to still be there, patiently waiting for her return. I didn"t even want to be here! Normally complacent, she"d grown to question some of his decisions. I knew this place was awful, I had a feeling. Stupid witches. She was dragged out here alongside her master, trusting in him to keep them safe. Sometimes faith is misplaced, only trust in the force to guide you. Ironic. One of his own lessons could have saved her from this mess. Tired, she took one last step and slumped down onto a small boulder.
  
  A stillness fell over where she sat, dull white noise from the wind faded, replaced by a louder cacophony of voices in her head. Despite her efforts, the floodgates finally gave way. Every suppressed emotion, thought and feeling all came washing over her at once. Shin sat there, still, glistening eyes the only indication of her turmoil inside. Defeated, she brought her legs to her chest, allowing her head to fall onto her knees.
  
  Shin sat like that for many moments, having come to a crossroads in her life. Silently praying her master would appear in front of her, and help guide her down the right path. But try as she might, he would not show. No matter what call she sent out into the force, there was no answer.
  
  From Sabine"s position by the thruster exhaust, her eyes caught a glimpse grey and blonde marching out of camp. She was leaving fast, and her wake left an uncertain feeling around the Noti huts. Shrugging it off, she looked for her master. Humbly, Sabine thought Ahsoka had spent way too much time chit chatting with Shin. She wasn"t worth their time, and it left her and Huyang alone to finish doing her part of the ship repairs.
  
  "Lady Tano," The droid announced from a position somewhere behind Sabine. "How did it go?"
  
  "She"s patricianly a Jedi." Ahsoka shrugged, walking up to the pair. "Baylan taught and trained her like a Padawan."
  
  "But?" Sabine interjected.
  
  "But she isn"t." Ahsoka folded her arms. "Where a Padawan is shown the light, she was taught to embrace the dark."
  
  "Yeah, as if that wasn"t obvious already." Muttered Sabine, fed up with all the speculation on Shin"s force alignment.
  
  "What do you make of it?" Huyang questioned, seemingly having more faith in her than her apprentice.
  
  "She"s hurting." Ahsoka"s eyes looked distant, thoughtful. "Balyan left her, without him, she"s utterly lost."
  
  "Why does any of that matter?" Sabine protested. "If she"s taught to embrace the dark, wouldn"t that make her a threat?"
  
  "Not always."
  
  "Lady Wren has a point, Ahsoka." Huyang defended, always the reason to her spontaneity.
  
  "Shin is no more a threat than the bandits. We"d just make another enemy sending her off, and Sabine." Her master turned to her, as she pretended to be focused on a clump of exposed wires. "You two have a lot more in common than you think, maybe you could learn from her."
  
  Angerly, Sabine looked away. "So now you"re saying she should train me?"
  
  "I am not saying anything." Ahsoka shook her head. "She"s been in your position before, and you in hers. All I"m asking is observe, and be open. You don"t have to love her to coexist."
  
  "Fine." Sabine had heard enough, and there was no point in arguing. "But I want my bunk back. She can have a different one."
  
  "Of course." Huyang turned to Ahsoka, who seemed humored. "She"ll have different quarters, I promise."
  
  "Alright, Master." That was the bare minimum for Sabine, who nodded her thanks before walking away back onto the ship.
  
  Once she was out of earshot, Huyang spoke first. "Are you sure keeping our guest around is worth the displeasure of your apprentice?"
  
  "She"ll get over it eventually." The droid didn"t like that answer. "I have a feeling, Huyang." She turned to him, a more serious expression adorned her face. "I"m sure Sabine can feel it too, this is for the best, even if she"s not ready to accept that yet."
  
  "Perhaps your feelings are misjudged?" Huyang countered, prompting a smile from Ashoka.
  
  "You sound like the old Masters of the temple."
  
  "It is an honest observation." He humbly responded.
  
  "Shin"s been sheltered by her master her entire life. All her actions, even her view of the galaxy, was shaped by Skoll." She walked up to him, and patted his metallic shoulder. "Even a weapon can be used for good."
  
  "But a weapon"s true purpose is never forgotten."
  
  Ahsoka huffed, he was right after all. "Maybe she"s a Maul, maybe she isn"t. There is only one way to find out."
  
  "I hope you"re right Lady Tano." Huyang conceded, returning to his task at hand.
  
  "Me too." She breathed, heading off to go find Sabine. They"d missed this afternoon"s training session, and it was time to catch up.
  
  Sounds of feet hitting ground and sticks hitting sticks filled the cabin. "Good, again." Ahsoka commanded, centering herself and her apprentice. Sabine"s face was covered by the training mask, which this time she was pleased to wear, not wanting her master to see how much she was sweating from such a simple task.
  
  Reaching out, she stuck where Ahsoka held her stick. Clank. A solid hit. Encouraged Sabine went again, this time moving with more force and speed/ Smack. An even better hit. Each correct strike boosted her ego, hitting multiple in a row almost felt like a headrush. She was doing it, finally doing it. Excited, Sabine swung out again, harder than she had previously. No strike came, and the momentum she carried tripped her up, and the Mandalorian fell the floor with a huff.
  
  "There was," Ashoka began as Sabine lifted her mask up, looking around for her master. "Some progress today."
  
  "How did you get over there so fast?" She asked, finally spotting his master all the way near the cockpit of the ship.
  
  "You became too enthralled with yourself; it clouded your judgment." She replied earnestly.
  
  Sitting up, Sabine caught her breath. "And that allowed you to just teleport away?"
  
  "You were so focused on yourself, you lost touch with me. There was no way you"d have been able to sense my location with your mind preoccupied like that."
  
  "I"m sorry." Still sitting on the floor, she felt the twinges of shame at her failure. "I"ll do better next time."
  
  "You will, no doubt." Ahsoka affirmed walking over to help her apprentice up. "There has already been sizable improvement since our first attempt at this module."
  
  As quickly as the shame had come, it left with her master"s words. "Thank you, Ahsoka."
  
  "No need to thank me, your abilities come from within." How lucky was she to have such a kind master? "We"re done for the day. Rest up. Oh, and be careful using the refresher. Huyang is working on a water recapture setup, but for now we"re running low."
  
  "Got it." Sabine replied, rising to her feet as Ashoka turned to leave. "Wait." There was something she needed to ask. "You said you had a feeling, about Shin?"
  
  Ahsoka paused, intrigued. "Yes?"
  
  "I-" She was still angry, and she wanted her master to know that, but lying was pointless. "I think I could feel it too. You said she was lost?" Her memories replayed the feeling hanging around the camp after their encounter earlier that day. "I felt it, but I don"t understand how we can feel bad for her."
  
  "Why is that?" Ahsoka knew her apprentice was not to blame for her narrow view, she was not to blame for her inexperience.
  
  "Well, she"s heartless, for starters." Sabine could almost feel the heat of the saber still insider her from that night. "And she"s a killer too."
  
  "She was just following orders." Ahsoka countered. It wasn"t an excuse for her actions, she knew that, but she had to see how she"d reacted to that response.
  
  Sabine"s fist grabbed at the sides of her shirt. "Sometimes orders aren"t meant to be followed, a Jedi would know that."
  
  "What exactly do you think Jedi did during the Clone Wars?"
  
  Oh. "I, well." Sabine didn"t like the way Ashoka smiled when she knew she was right. "I wouldn"t know."
  
  "Sabine, I understand your frustration." Do you really? "I"m not asking for blind faith, either. Search your feelings next time she"s around." Ever mysterious, Ashoka whisked away towards her own quarters. "You may be surprised by what you find."
  
  Watching her go, Sabine felt a tug of comradery for their blonde guest. A flash or fear ripped through her, and quickly she pushed those feelings away, instead focusing on cleaning the training area. No way, Sabine, no way you"re going to let her in your head that easily. Begrudgingly, she put everything away neatly, her muscles already aching form their raining sessions. Tomorrow would be a new day, maybe then her master would finally see her side. Or maybe she"s right. Shaking her head, Sabine ventured back into the guts of the ship. No sense on dwelling, besides, somewhere Huyang probably needed her help anyway.
  
  Notes:
  Poor Shin. If only there was someone around who's also been abandoned by their master.
  
  Chapter 3: Emotions
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin didn"t return that night, much to the pleasure of Sabine. It was windy and cold, the typical Peridea climate. Keeping a fire going was impossible, especially without her saber. Leaving in the state she did, she"d forgotten to ask for it back. Whatever, call it a sign of trust or something as Baylan would say.
  
  Sleep wasn"t exactly an option, either. The chill had seemed to set into her bones, despite Shin"s best efforts to wrap up with whatever she could find. Maybe that was for the better, after all, broken sleep kept her on guard. Every gust that rippled anything nearby was noted, and thankfully, no danger made itself know.
  
  Only once, through clattering teeth and shivers, did she ever consider going back to Ahsoka and Sabine. There was too much pride in her to reverse any decision she made and to show a lack of strength to bare the elements was not something she was going to allow. Besides, pain brought focus, pain brought power.
  
  Somewhere in between sleep and frustrated movements dim sun began to peak over the desolate horizon, signaling a new cycle on this wasteland of a planet. Unrefreshed and agitated, Shin rolled over, blocking the light with her hood. Of course, once she finally was able to get some rest, the sun rose. Master wouldn"t want you sleeping in. She thought, replaying lessons in her head. A rigid schedule is only one step in achieving the discipline needed to master the force. She"d have disobeyed that rule if it wasn"t for the sharp pain of s growling stomach. Slowly, she rose to her feet, gathered her belongings, and rode her Howler back towards the Noti camp.
  
  Entering the camp felt odd. Atop her Howler, the shell people looked at her strangely, scared almost. She hitched her ride just outside of the ship. Piercing eyes scanned the grounds searching for Ahsoka, Sabine or even the droid. Turning past one of the huts near the ship, she spotted the Mandalorian. "Hold." Shin quietly instructed her howler, her gaze resting on Sabine.
  
  She had her back turned, unaware of their guest, working away on an exposed side panel of the ship. Shin stared blankly; Sabine was fascinating. A mixture of dark, light, good, unselfish, and powerless. The first force-sensitive she"d spent more than a few minutes around besides her Master, it left her confused and curious. How could she give up the map for a singular person? Was that worth it? Did she notice I grabbed her wrist too hard on the Scion? She hoped not. The jump into hyperspace made her nervous, and she didn"t realize she"d instinctively held onto her so intimately.
  
  Done with whatever task she was performing, Sabine turned around, startled to find Shin a good distance away burning her eyes into her. Caught red handed, Hati quickly dropped her gaze embarrassment warming her cheeks. Without a second thought, she continued into the ship, feeling Sabine follow her all the way out of sight.
  
  "You look rough." From the corner of the ship, Ahsoka stood eating some kind of fruit. "Did you spend the night outside?"
  
  Shin turned, her nod a bit rigid. "Yes."
  
  "Don"t feel the need to distant yourself, we have plenty of space onboard." Part of her believed the Jedi was simply that nice, but Baylan had always taught her to be wary of traps.
  
  "My saber." Sure, the force was her weapon, but she felt entirely unsafe without her blade. "I left it here."
  
  "That you did." Ahsoka answered, walking over to a wall. "Can we trust you?"
  
  "I could ask you the same." Shin calmy responded, making no effort to push the topic, taking a seat.
  
  A smile painted the Jed"s face. "Seems your master taught you well." She reached up, gently pushing her hand against a random section of wall, revealing a hidden compartment. "It"s in here. Take it if you wish."
  
  Shin blinked, the act of faith catching her off guard. She was fully preparing to be kept under watch like cattle for the remainder of her time here. "Thank you." An empty ach in her stomach kindly reminded her of why she was there. "Do you have any rations?"
  
  "We already ate, but there"s a few portions left and some caf." Ahsoka answered, nodding towards another room. "Grab whichever one you"d like."
  
  Feeling appreciated once again, she made her way to the room where the food was kept. It was a decent kitchen for a ship this size, with plenty of foreign buttons and tools. Shin"s stomach growled again, a testament to just how little she"d eaten in the past few cycles. Not feeling picky, she grabbed whatever was nearest and quickly consumed it.
  
  "Is she in here?" Sabine"s voice wafted in through the doorway, causing Shin to stiffen.
  
  "Yes." Her master answered.
  
  "Great." Shin tilted her head ever so slightly, trying to listen in on the conversation. "What about Huyang? Is he still trying to learn their language?"
  
  "Yup, he said it would take some time." She heard Ahsoka laugh. "He"s a bit preoccupied with getting our solar generator up and running."
  
  "Well tell him to hurry. I"ve finished helping with that small farm thing, but I think they want to dig another." Shin felt a pang of sadness at Sabine"s tone, harkening back to fond conversations between her and her master. Gone were those days.
  
  "Have Shin do it. I need you to focus on your training." Ahsoka responded. "It"s nice we have a third pair of hands that can help now."
  
  "Until she sabotages something." Sighing, she decided now was the best time to enter the conversation.
  
  "You need me to do anything?" She asked emerging from the small kitchen. Sabine turned around quickly, spooked.
  
  "Yeah, leave." Shin frowned. Hostility wasn"t unexpected, but it doesn"t feel any better even if you can see it coming.
  
  "Sabine here was just informing me about a farm that needed digging." Her eyes met Ashoka"s. "It would be nice if you could do that for us."
  
  Shin nodded despite already knowing the answer. "Of course."
  
  "Have my apprentice show you where the Noti keep their tools." From the corner of her eye, she could see Sabine"s expression change. "Come see me once you"ve finished."
  
  "Yes master." She replied, dipping her head. "Come on, let"s get this over with." Shin watched Ahsoka disappear into another room as Sabine started her way towards the door. Following, she made a small detour to grab her weapon. "The sooner the better!" Sabine called from halfway outside.
  
  Heavy grey clouds didn"t allow much sunlight to penetrate, making a cold day colder. "Right. Here is a shovel, I guess?" Sabine was already where they needed to be, mulling over the objects. "This is what we use to get it started. Just dig vertical lines about the width of your saber hilt. Once that"s done, take whatever this is." She held a small rake. "To carve lines connecting the bigger holes together." Shin stared blankly, trying to visualize what she had to do without her mind wandering to the Mandalorian in front of her. "Are you listening? Or is that too hard for you?"
  
  "No, it"s fine." Sabine"s face represented her annoyance. "I understand."
  
  "If you finish in time maybe you can help us repair some of the ship your Imperial friends kindly destroyed." She wanted to defend herself, but didn"t want to start an argument her first full day in camp.
  
  Shin took a breath, for once actively avoiding eye contact. "Alright." Reaching out with the force, she pulled the shovel towards her. Sabine looked on, a smirk forming on her face.
  
  "What was it you said to me?" She headed for the patch of land the Noti wanted their second farm. "When we fought?"
  
  Shin followed. "You"ll regret this decision."
  
  Sabine shook her head. "No, you Di'kut. The other thing."
  
  Oh. "You have no power." Her mind replayed their fights constantly. Her master often told her to recount fight, to try and memorize attack methods, but all she could remember was the look on her face highlighted by the glow of their sabers.
  
  "From having no power, to giving out the orders." Sabine"s aura radiated pride. "Must be hard for you."
  
  "That"s not what I meant by power." Shin replied dryly, doing her best to ignore her attempts to get under her skin. The two came to a halt just ahead for the original farm.
  
  Sabine turned to Shin. "You meant this power, right?" Arm extended, she pulled the small rake away from her and into her palm. "Looks like you"re not so special after all."
  
  Shin wanted to frown, but kept her face devoid of emotion. "I guess not." That wasn"t true at all. I am, and so are you. Sabine paused, not expecting her very arrogant enemy to concede so quickly. Was she okay?
  
  "Just get to work." The Mandalorian said, dropping the rake at her feet. "And don"t screw up like you did fighting me on Seatos."
  
  "I didn"t mess up." Shin retorted, angerly starting her first hole. "You used dirty tricks, Mandalorian."
  
  Sabine laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah right. Whatever helps you sleep at night." This woman was very irritating.
  
  "If I wanted rest my mind would not be on you." This was exactly what she wanted, getting Shin riled up, roping her into a war of words.
  
  "Sounds like you"ve been thinking of me a lot then." Sabine raised an eyebrow in her direction, teasing the dark Jedi further.
  
  Shin felt her cheeks flush. "No." She had, more than she"d like to admit. Shin felt panic rise in her throat, needing to get out of this conversation immediately. "Don"t you have something better to do than annoy me?"
  
  "You"re right, for once." Holding her head high, Sabine walked off. Satisfied with her efforts.
  
  Once the Mandalorian"s presence could no longer be felt, Shin exhaled a deep breath, soothing her rapidly beating heart. Frustrated, she dug away at the cold ground. Flecks of dirt spewing up with each shovel stroke. She was mad at herself for allowing Sabine to get to her so easily, and for whatever magnetic pull she had over her. Ever since their time on the Scion, there was something about Wren that drew her in, fascinated her, and made her utterly nervous.
  
  At least this task was a distraction. Shin was no stranger to physical labor; Baylan had made a point to condition her like the Jedi of old, only with a twist. "Physical pain is a path to the force; mental fortitude is your guide." Maybe she misunderstood what her master meant, but pain always sharpened her focus. Come planks, hot, cold, or running until her legs gave out, it all heighted her connection to the force. Moving over slightly, she began to start another row.
  
  Plus, aimlessly digging until her shoulders burned allowed her to reflect on words passing between them, on her feelings, and on the situation. Why Wren had such a hold on her, she may never know. It was fascination, really. If only she wasn"t so cold. Shin"s mind echoed her sentiment. There"s so much I want to know. Throughout all her life she"d never encountered another padawan, and curiosity nipped at her every chance it got.
  
  If only Baylan was here. He"d know what to do, how to explain her feelings, and reassure her of her purpose the way only a master could. What purpose? Shin thought with a snort. He left you, remember? Your ambition drives you in another direction. Each dig became increasing violently, sadness welling up inside her. Even when she tried to escape and focus on something else, her former master kept appearing at the forefront of her mind.
  
  "Shin?" Ashoka"s voice spooked her. Whipping her head around, she saw the Togruta approaching. "Huyang needs help with some wires. Do you mind checking it out?"
  
  Shin sat back on her legs. "Sure." She thought some time alone would help, but it only made things worse. "What of the farm?"
  
  Ahsoka shrugged. "They"ll finish the rest. Besides, ship"s more important to us. We can"t help them if we can"t help ourselves."
  
  Good point. Getting up, moseyed on over to where their droid fiddled away at some exposed wiring and panels. Ahsoka didn"t follow oddly enough, was it a trap? Doubtful, but she didn"t care enough in the moment to be bothered.
  
  "Are you Huyang?" Shin asked, peering around a corner.
  
  "That would be me, yes." He spoke back, not taking his eyes? Or censors? Off whatever he was working on.
  
  "Ahsoka said you needed something?"
  
  He nodded. "We need to reroute these wires to connect to the panels over there if we want all systems to run."
  
  "Is this some type of emergency backup?" Shin asked casually, walking around him.
  
  "In a way, yes." A spark flew as he connected a plug into a port. "Designed to keep ship operations functional while marooned."
  
  Ahsoka had mentioned they were working on getting everything up and running. "Understood." Surely, these panels would not be enough of a power source to make the ship fly, but keeping the lights on? That they could.
  
  Staring down at the wires, their clumped mess seemed like a foreign language. She"d never been thoroughly trained on how to repair ships. Only instructed on how to work her and Balyan"s ship, and of course her own speeder. But the droid said reroute, so, turn them around. It was common sense, and what Shin decided to do.
  
  A few moments of silence proceeded, only the sounds ambient sounds of camp could be heard before Shin broke the silence. "What were you programmed for, Huyang?"
  
  "I am a Mark IV architect droid, programmed to assist young jedi construct their light sabers." Shin"s eyes were thoughtful, thinking back to her days struggling to craft a weapon.
  
  "Baylan taught me. Have you seen it?" She asked, looking over her shoulder.
  
  The droid laughed. "Oh yes, I have, and I must say there are at least three areas that could have been improved."
  
  She sighed internally. "Perhaps you can show me these areas at a later time?" It was small talk, and that wasn"t something she was used too, but the droid seemed receptive enough and it was much better than having to deal with Sabine.
  
  "I knew your master." Shin froze. "He had trouble with his first as well." Silence followed, her eyes burning a hole into the wires in front of her, she dare not reveal the tempest of emotions circling her head.
  
  "How?" Baylan had never spoke of his time at the temple, aside from lessons to help her train.
  
  "I"ve known almost every Jedi for a thousand generations."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened, marveling at such an expanse of time. "A thousand generations." She murmured under her breath, curiosity calming her nerves. "What was he like?"
  
  "Thoughtful, mystic, fair, sometimes too focused on the future for his own good, but always entranced by stories of the past."
  
  She laughed internally. He hadn"t really changed that much, had he? "I know no such stories." The same words she had spoken to her master only a few days ago.
  
  "I still have some in my databanks," Huyang"s head rotated back to his work. "If you"d want to hear them one day."
  
  A spark of happiness flickered in her chest, even if stories were sometimes just stories. "I would like that." She mummed, barely above a whisper. Silence once again fell onto the two of them, quietly working away at the ship. For a brief moment, everything felt okay.
  
  "You"re doing it wrong." Sabine"s voice broke any tranquility that hung in the air. How had she not sensed her approach? Were her emotions clouding her connection to the force?
  
  "Are you sure?" Shin replied, turning her head to look at her. "Huya-"
  
  "Of course I"m sure! It"s my old ship." There was anger in her tone, and heavy footsteps approached from the rear. "Look." Sabine nudged Shin over, pushing up alongside her and opening the panels she had already finished. "The wires can"t go backwards; they need to go up. How daft can you be?"
  
  Embarrassment flashed in Shin"s cheeks. "I didn"t know."
  
  To their left, Huyang looked up. "Sabine."
  
  "And you didn"t think of asking?" Her nostrils flared, quickly correcting the mistakes. "If you want to stay, please don"t be so useless."
  
  Shin dropped her gaze, staring at her boots. She wanted to speak, defend herself, but nothing came out. Next to her, Sabine shook her head. "There? See?" The Mandalorian said, pointing to her completed work. "That"s how you do it."
  
  Still studying the ground, she nodded. "I get it." Shin"s belly knotted in sadness. She didn"t want to let them down, just as she didn"t want to let her master down.
  
  "Thank goodness you know now after wasting our time." Shin"s shoulders fell, defeated. Anger radiated off the woman next to her, blending together with her own pain.
  
  "Sabine." Huyang called again, sterner his time round, but Sabine ignored him.
  
  "No wonder your master abandoned you." That was the dagger. Any restraint Shin had left vanished as tears began welling on the edges of her eyes. Everything came back all too soon, all too fast.
  
  "Why must you belittle me?" Shin"s voice cracked from trembling lips, whipping around to gaze upon her accuser. Gone was the intense stare Sabine had grown used too, instead replaced by one tearful and longing.
  
  "I-" Shin didn"t want to listen. She didn"t care. She had to leave. Sabine couldn"t see her like this, her master never allowed her to be like this. Even in now after his departure she was failing him.
  
  Storming away she left camp behind her, sadness echoed in each beat of her thudding heart. With each step further away, she soon realized pain was quickly being replaced by a bubbling rage just below the surface. Sniffling, Shin picked up her pace. Cresting over a horizon, water eyes made out a large cluster of boulders in a nearby ravine. Igniting her saber, she took off towards them, all her emptiness quickly replaced by the warm embrace of anger.
  
  The pile of rocks didn"t deserve their fate as each slash from her blade came down fast and hard, mind blanking in an escape Shin so desperately needed.
  
  Notes:
  Yikesss. I promise things will get fluffier soon, I promise!
  
  Di'kut: According to a quick google search means idiot in the language used by Mandalorians.
  
  Chapter 4: Understanding
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stared, mouth agape. Her eyes tracking Shin running into the distance. Was she crying? Up until now, she didn"t think the dark Jedi could even feel emotions. Dumbfounded, she turned to Huyang.
  
  "That was uncalled for, Sabine." Sighed the droid, returning to his work. Guilt rushed through her. Maybe that was too much.
  
  Ahsoka appeared from around the ship. "Is everything alright?" Sabine dropped her gaze. "I thought I felt something- where"s Shin?" Huyang must"ve felt it better to stay out of it, choosing not to speak.
  
  "She, uh, she ran off that way." Sabine answered, nodding in the direction the blonde had traveled.
  
  "Odd." Her master raised an eyebrow. "Do you know why?" The Mandalorian swallowed hard, drawing circles in the dirt with her feet.
  
  "She needed some space I guess." A white lie, better than telling the truth. Ashoka would be disappointed, especially after suggesting to reach out. But now more than ever, she was afraid of what she might find
  
  "Let her have it. She"s still young and unbalanced, despite the mask she adorns." Her master"s face was stoic, but serious. "We don"t want to risk an altercation." As quickly as she came, Ashoka left. Sabine stayed still, mulling over the flurry of action. Huyang was right, it was uncalled for. Whether she liked it or not, Shin was here now, and it was best not to push the person who nearly killed her over the edge.
  
  "I"ll be back in a second." She called to Huyang, not thinking twice before following the path Hati had taken out of camp. Thoughts swirled around Sabine"s head. All her interactions with Shin, her intensity, her aura that followed her around, drawing everybody in who could feel it. She"d tried her best not to be affected, but still felt a slight tug in her direction despite all that had happened.
  
  Maybe Ahsoka was right too. Her master had kindly explained the situation, even with her refusing to really listen. Perhaps Shin was just a frightened apprentice without a master to guide her. No threat, just girl trained to be a weapon, manipulated to become what she was, lost in the same wasteland they were.
  
  Giving in, Sabine closed her eyes, reaching out with the force to find her. Where are you. Peridea was desolate, void of people, it should be easy to find an emotional force sensitive in the middle of a breakdown. Bingo, yikes. Shin was close, upset, and as expected, angry. Following her footsteps, she crested the ridge, spotting a dot of blonde down in a nearby ravine.
  
  As careful as Sabine could, she approached from the rear. It was like stepping on egg shells, or trying to domesticate a loth cat. One wrong step and the whole thing could blow up even more than it already had.
  
  Closer now, Sabine could make out Shin"s figure. She sat on the ground, knees to her chest, staring at a smoldering pile of rubble one could only assume used to be a boulder. Pain jabbed at Wren"s side. She"d caused this, or at least, pushed her this far. Letting down her shields Sabine hoped Shin could sense her vulnerability, the same was she could sense hers.
  
  Swallowing, she made her presence known. "Hey." Startled, Shin flinched, her head snapping back to see who had spoken. "Whatca doing?" Sabine didn"t know what else to say, and hoped she didn"t come off awkward.
  
  "Go away." Shin hissed through gritted teeth, fed up with the Mandalorian"s constant habit of appearing out of thin air.
  
  Sabine"s eyes wandered around the boulders. "Looks like you"ve been busy." She joked, finding ways to avoid apologizing.
  
  Shin stood up, still furious. "Don"t think I"m afraid to hurt you, Wren." Her saber ignited on cue. Bathing her puffed eyes in orange, evidence to her recent activities.
  
  "I-" She clenched her fist, ugh, why did she feel sorry. "I wanted to make sure you"re alright." Shin"s glare faded, taking a moment to process what was happening.
  
  "Do I look alright to you?" Shin faintly replied as her saber retracted into its hilt.
  
  "No." Of course she wasn"t. Ahsoka was right. Swilling around her in the force was a maelstrom of feelings, all of which Sabine did not like. Silence filled the space as Shin sat back down, gazing ahead just as she"d found her.
  
  "If you"ve come to insult me, spare your breath."
  
  Sabine shook her head. "That"s- that"s actually why I"m here." Taking a few steps forward, she closed the gap between them. "No, wait! Not to insult you, again. Because of that, no, what- because I have." Fingers gently fiddled with each other as she stumbled over her words.
  
  "Spit it out." If Sabine hadn"t been so focused on her mishap, she might have noticed the blonde"s lips curl into a faint smirk.
  
  "I..." A sigh escaped her, and she plopped down next to Shin. "What I said was uncalled for." Sabine couldn"t bring herself to outright apologize, this was the closest she was going to go.
  
  Shin blinked, a rare occurrence, still gazing at the sizzling rocks. Sabine took that as a sign to continue. "Not everyone knows their way around a ship, and, I think you"re a good apprentice."
  
  "You know nothing about me." Shin snorted.
  
  "Maybe not." If there was one thing she definitely was, it was mysterious. "But you weren"t, Ahsoka wouldn"t want you to stay."
  
  "She doesn"t either." She clearly wasn"t having it, her head solemnly sunk. "Nobody wants me." Shin mumbled out, barely audible over the wind. How easily the only person she"d ever cared about walked away from her burned away on her heart.
  
  "I know what that"s like." Sabine sighed, staring off into the distance. "Being abandoned by your master." After Ashoka left her, everyone was gone. Hera was out doing her thing, Zeb too, and of course Ezra was, well, stuck.
  
  "You do?"
  
  "Yup." Her tone betrayed her posture, those were a rough few years on Lothal. "I do."
  
  Shin"s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and looked towards Sabine. "Ahsoka left you."
  
  "For some time, yes." Sabine folded her arms. "She stopped my training and vanished."
  
  Almost at random, Shin"s demeanor changed. She shifted slightly, angling her body more towards the Mandalorian as if suddenly interested in what she had to say. "Do you know why?"
  
  "Ahsoka never gave me the real reason." Sabine sighed. "And honestly, I didn"t want to know. It was already hard enough being given up on."
  
  The strange Mandalorian was also abandoned by her master? The same one who had no power? Who wanted her dead, and hated her guts? "Why are you telling me this?" Shin"s gaze darted across her face, looking for any traces of a lie.
  
  "Because," Sabine paused. She knew why, but didn"t want to say it. "Because I want you to know that I understand." Maybe understanding, maybe that was enough.
  
  Empathy. Pity. Just like feelings of sadness, these too overwhelmed Shin and she felt water begin to return around the edges of her eyes. "How did you manage?" She asked, doing her best to swallow the lump in her throat.
  
  "Booze." Memories replayed in Sabine"s head recounting many a lonely night in the comms tower. "Bars on Lothal were my only friends at the time." There was an honesty in her voice that she had never heard before.
  
  "Baylan forbid such vices." Shin murmured, the toe of her boot digging into the dirt.
  
  "I had my art too, and Murley. So things weren"t always bad." Sabine turned to look at the dark Jedi, who avoided eye contact.
  
  "Who is Murley?"
  
  "My Loth Cat." A wave of sadness flooded her aura. "I hope he"s alright."
  
  Shin looked over at Sabine, reading her emotions through the force. "Murley is doing fine." Her voice was oddly neutral, but Sabine still appreciated her effort. Did that psycho-killer just try and comfort me?
  
  "You"re right." Sighing, she patted her knees and stood. "You should come back to camp with me, don"t want the others worrying."
  
  Shin found herself staring again. "They don"t worry for me." Her voice was breathless, but her eyes were piercing. Now, more than ever, her fascination with the Mandalorian grew. Abandoned by her master? The experiences she must have had?
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes. "You coming or what?" Nodding, Shin stood, brushing off her cape and armored bracers. "Good. It"s too cold for me to stay out here with you anyways."
  
  The quip made Shin want to smile, but their proximity made her nervous. She was only slightly taller than Sabine, and the Mandalorian hadn"t turned around yet. They stood almost eye to eye for the first time since their fight on Seatos and the midday sun reflected off her skin in a way she"d never seen before.
  
  Inhaling a sharp breath Shin nervously reached out with a hand, but pulled it away before it could brush Sabine"s arm. "Th-thank you. For coming to find me."
  
  Sabine shot her a confused look. "Don"t sweat it." Thankfully she turned before she could notice the blonde"s cheeks flush, and started down the path back towards camp. Shin"s eyes followed first before her legs finally decided to start moving, never once taking her gaze off the Mandalorian ahead of her.
  
  Notes:
  Gay panic = Shin Hati
  
  Chapter 5: Strange
  Notes:
  We survived the great flood of content, hurray! Thank WolfWren week for existing, though, idk what I'd have done without it.
  
  I must say, admittedly, I did more reading than writing this week. Nevertheless, thank you all for your support so far! It means the world to me to share my (some might say unhealthy) obsessions with you all, and please, enjoy chapter five.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Several rotations passed in the blink of an eye. It seemed as if the sun rose one moment, then sank the next. To the moderate surprise of Shin, Sabine no longer insulted her every chance she got. And to her subtle disappointment, they didn"t speak much at all either. Neither of them mentioned about what happened that day, or Shin"s outburst. Why would they? All that needed to be said was said. Besides, they"d been busy getting things set up long term.
  
  Twice now Shin watched (spied is the more accurate term) Sabine"s training sessions with Ahsoka. The difference in teaching style between her and Baylan was vast. Where he would be rough, she"d be gentle; where she"d bring praise, he"d bring punishment and so on. Her master was a fine teacher, and it seemed to Shin the issue lied in a bullish apprentice.
  
  A few nights into Shin"s stay saw her fully take over the top bunk, right above Sabine. It wasn"t here first choice, but the Mandalorian fervently protested her use of the bottom. Staggered and quietly, she had moved all her belongings from her howler onto the ship. Her first night was rough though she"d never admit it, Shin was scared of rolling off the bunk and onto the floor in her sleep. She was getting used to it now, and was settling in nicely.
  
  Yet, even with this busy new lifestyle she couldn"t shake the feeling she got whenever Sabine was nearby. It was the same feeling that first presented itself on Lothal, and had since refused to leave. It didn"t bother her as much at first, after all, the only time they"d see each other was when they"d fight or whenever Baylan instructed her to check on her during their time on the Scion. But now, she was stuck, and it bothered her.
  
  Sitting on the edge of Ahsoka"s pop-up table, she pondered these feelings, staring into the black pool of a cup of caf. If only her master was here to answer her questions, or if she could find time to meditate, or if she"d work up the courage to talk to Sabine, or if-
  
  "Do you know how old you are?" As if she had summoned Sabine with her thoughts, the Mandalorian appeared.
  
  "No." Shin said, looking up from her cup with a flat expression.
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
  
  "Kind of." Their eyes made contact, and those stupid feelings returned, making Shin"s stomach tense.
  
  "Sorry, I know it"s weird but Huyang had been asking." Sabine took a seat across from her. "Wait, what do you mean kind of?"
  
  Shin studied her for a moment, noticing flecks of dirt covering her hands. "I have an idea, but my master never knew, so I never knew."
  
  She raised an eyebrow. "Or he didn"t tell you."
  
  "He wouldn"t withhold information from me." She shot back, immediately defending the integrity of Baylan. "It wasn"t something that mattered anyways."
  
  "Well duh it matters." Sabine almost looked shocked to hear it.
  
  "I said I sort of know," Shin swallowed. "I know I got my first..." She shot Sabine a look. "Are you sure this an appropriate conversation?"
  
  Sabine looked a little embarrassed too. "I, uh." She shook her head. "You"re right. Ahsoka wants you helping Huyang. Apparently, he needs two pairs of hands to final set up our power supply."
  
  "Why can"t you help?" Shin asked, not unwilling to go, but nevertheless curious.
  
  Sabine"s eyes gleamed with pride. "Ahsoka is taking me out for a full day of training." Shin stared blankly, a full day alone? Finally, some room to think. "Wait, don"t tell me you"re jealous?"
  
  The question caught Shin off guard. "No." Apparently, she"d taken too long to respond. What could that mean? Jealous of Ahsoka spending time with her? Jealous of receiving training? "I am very contempt with my current situation."
  
  "Mhm." Sabine"s eyes darted up and down her face, making Shin"s skin crawl. "Whatever you say." A multitude of thoughts sprung through Shin"s mind. Was Sabine onto her? Did she feel the same pull she felt? Or did she catch her staring one too many times? "Huyang said he"s starting later today, busy with language acquisition or something right now, but he"ll find you when he"s ready."
  
  "That"ll be very beneficial to us." Shin stated mater-of-factly.
  
  Sabine surprised a laugh. Why did everything she say sound so clinical? "We are lucky he"s here. I don"t know how Ezra did it."
  
  "This Erza," Shin repeated, remembering the man Wren had fought alongside, the one she;d put the fate of the galaxy at risk to save. "He is important to you?" A burning sensation grew in her belly, ignited by the endless possibilities of answers. Why did it even matter if he was or wasn"t?
  
  "He is." Shin clenched her jaw, nerves getting the better of her.
  
  "Sabine!" Ahsoka"s clear tone tore through the tension between the two of them. "The clouds have rolled out, let"s go."
  
  "Coming!" Sabine swiftly rose to her feet, "Maybe another time?" She dipped her head, turned, and left abruptly. Leaving Shin a riled-up mess sitting alone at the table only accompanied by her thoughts and a lone cup of cold caf.
  
  Her eyes lingered where Wren once sat, gears in her mind grinding to a halt and fizzling out trying to make sense of all she"d felt just now. Baylan had always stressed control over emotions, and the key to control was to understand. Neither of which she currently had. Letting out sigh, she closed her eyes. That was the longest they"d talked since her outburst, and Shin both hated and loved how it made her feel.
  
  Getting out of the chair, Shin dumped the rest of her caf. At least Sabine would be gone for a while, Ahsoka too. Her first time alone since arriving at camp lost, hungry, and a threat. Apparently, they trusted her enough to be left unattended. That"s a risk. Shin thought, walking over to her bunk. Master would never have been so rash. Hoisting herself up, she entered her bunk. It was neatly made, each sheet folded precisely at each corner with two different sized pouches resting at the bed.
  
  Stretching out, she grabbed the smaller one and adjusted her so she was comfortably laying flat. There wasn"t much she brought with her down from the Scion. Baylan instructed her to pack light, and she always brought the essentials; some rations, a flask, hygiene products, a small cloak, and binoculars.
  
  But of course, Shin brought a few of her more personal belongings as well. Things she wouldn"t dare let Sabine, Ahsoka or Huyang get their hands on. Scrummaging through her bag, she found one of those items, an old datapad. Baylan had always stressed a minimal lifestyle, devoid of personal attachment to objects, but allowed her to have one.
  
  Clicking it open, Shin entered her passcode, and her heart sank. It opened up to a page of a text she was reading the night before her world fell apart. She closed the page quickly, not wanting to drum up painful memories, instead pulling up her journal. Its last entry was from a few days prior, and needed to be updated. It was all she used her datapad for really. Reading, journaling, and music. Balyan assigned her every possible text on Jedi and their ways as well as the historical conflicts they were apart of to the point she barely had time to read own personal stories. Still, Shin found time to herself to read whatever story caught her eye, but she didn"t open it to read.
  
  She came for her music. It helped her relax, and that was something she desperately needed. Clicking on a song she had downloaded; Shin closed her eyes and gently laid her datapad on her chest. Sound flooded her bunk, and as if on cue, her estranged thoughts slowly drifted into order. After spending some time digesting all that had happened the last few rotations, Shin became increasingly aware of how dirty she was. That"s what you get for rolling around in dirt all day building farms. The droid had recently finished setting up their water recaptivation device, which Sabine had made clear to her meant unlimited time in the refresher. But Shin still was weary of going in there for an extended period.
  
  Being naked in her enemy"s ship didn"t sound pleasant, even if hot water did. There was some sort of increased vulnerability in that action that she didn"t like. Plus, only packing one extra change of underclothes and not knowing where the wash would make changing into something difficult. Refocusing her mind, Shin changed her song. However, with each passing minute she felt more and more greasy, grimey and unclean. It bothered her. Muttering words incomprehensible, the dark jedi shifted and finally decided with steely resolve to venture into the refresher.
  
  "Miss Hati!" The unmissable sound of Huyang"s voice reach her ears the second her boots touched the ships floor. "I request your assistance with an important matter!"
  
  "Alright." Shin replied, rolling her eyes internally. "I"ll be there in a second." She took a forlorn glance towards the refresher, shaking her head before heading out to see whatever the droid wanted. Getting cleaned up would have to wait.
  
  Ahsoka had pushed her hard today. It seemed each muscle in Sabine"s body ached as they rode back in silence on their howlers. This was the first day in ages her master had chosen to test her physical ability rather than mental. Normally, a Mandalorian would beg for days like this, but something about the Peridea air zapped energy right out of her bones.
  
  "Do you think Huyang will have the finished by now?" Sabine asked, breaking the silence.
  
  Ahsoka, who as riding a bit ahead, tiled her head to get a better listen. "He should have, especially if our new companion lent a hand."
  
  She laughed, ah, their new companion. "Or she stole all our supplies and made for the hills."
  
  Now it was her masters turn to chuckle. "You really don"t trust her, do you?"
  
  "Not at all." Sabine confirmed
  
  "What are your feelings on Shin?" Ahsoka often listened to her apprentice"s opinion on matters, even if it didn"t sway her choice.
  
  She paused her mind retracing their encounter by the rocks. "I dunno, I feel bad for her."
  
  "Why is that?" Leave it to a Jedi to ask a question she should already know the answer to.
  
  "Isn"t it obvious? Her master left her stranded on this heap of rock." Their howlers started a steep descent a few clicks out from camp. "In a bad enough state, she felt seeking our help was best." Sabine sighed. "Poor girl doesn"t even know how old she is."
  
  "Wise assessment." Ahsoka adjusted her reigns. "I want her to come with us next time."
  
  Come with us? Sabine"s eyebrows raised in shock. "Like, with us training?"
  
  "Yes."
  
  "She doesn"t seem like a willing trainee." Sabine joked, petting her howler.
  
  "And miss a chance to spar with the padawan who beat her?" Ahsoka laughed. "There"s still much for you to learn."
  
  Embarrassment flashed through her. How come her master always seemed to be right? "I guess so." The two continued their mulling conversation all the way back to camp, arriving back just as the sun started to enter its golden hour. Even on Peridea, the evening rays were pretty, despite ushering in another cold night. Ahsoka decided to stay out and talk to Huyang, leaving Sabine to get cleaned up in the ship first.
  
  Stepping inside, she was met by all the ship"s buttons glowing and beautiful climate control. The power is back up, nice. Turning a corner, she passed by their bunks. Suspiciously, neatly arranged on the top bunk was all of Shin"s armor. Sabine wrinkled her nose. How odd? She practically never saw Shin without it on. Then again, she also never saw her smile, be happy, or blink. Subconsciously Sabine made her way to the refresher, of course she"d made sure to made sure it was perfectly placed on top of the bed instead of thrown into a corner like many others her age.
  
  "You"re back?" Startled, Sabine took a step back. There, blocking the sliding door to the refresher was Shin. "I knew I sensed something." She seemed to mutter that last bit to herself, but Sabine heard nonetheless.
  
  "Oh, uh, yeah, hi." She gave a cute little wave, the blonde before her was in a loose long sleeve undershirt and- where those her shorts?! "Are those mine!"
  
  Shin"s eyes flashed down to her legs. "Your droid said..." Her voice trailed off. She felt naked, like a freshly molted crustation. No armor to protect her, or hide her slim frame. "I only intended to sleep in them."
  
  Sabine shrugged. "Have em." She wasn"t mad, if anything, seeing the formidable apprentice posed like a wet cat in her bright purple shorts that were just a smidge too small was cute. "Purple looks good on you."
  
  Shin felt her cheeks flush, was that kindness? How weak. This Mandalorian would be the death of her. "Okay." She stepped past Sabine, dipping her head to avoid eye contact.
  
  Maybe a thank you would be nice? Sabine internally shot back, rolling her eyes. "The Noti are having a festival."
  
  Shin was already reaching for her outer suit and armor. "Fascinating." Her reply was dry, unenthused, and exactly how Sabine expected.
  
  "Ahsoka said there might be food, so, I don"t know, come it you want?" Shin didn"t seem any more enticed, stepping down from the step, hands full of gear and a strange black box. "Come on, when"s the last time you had a hot meal?"
  
  "A few days ago." Shin"s stony reply almost sounded cocky. "I"ll see if I can attend." Was her final comment on the issue before she briskly brushed passed Sabine and back into the refresher.
  
  "Don"t bother asking if I wanted to use it!" Sabine called as the door slid shit. "You"re so weird." She hissed under her breath, and began walking over to her bottom bunk, plopping down once she arrived.
  
  Out of the corner of Sabine"s eye, an object on the floor caught her attention. Leaning up, she got a better view. It a tanned beat-up leather bag, not hers or Ahsoka"s. Hello there. Curiosity nipped at the nape of her neck. It was wrong to search through someone"s things, but when that someone was technically a prisoner who had tried to murder you? All bets were off.
  
  Sliding off her bunk, she sat cross legged on the floor and pulled the bag closer. Let"s see what goodies we can find here. Undoing its buttons, she looked inside. Nothing unusual; a few different color boxes, a few were black, what appeared to be a rolled-up scarf. "Ah!" She clicked her tongue, pulling out a strange small metal container. "What are you?" Sabine questioned the object, moving it up to her eye level. Shaking it gently, an object moved inside. Something was definitely in there-
  
  The crisp sound from the refresher doors opening sliding opened startled Sabine, who clumsily threw her object of fascination back into it"s satchel, knocking the whole thing over in the process. Shin turned towards the noise, furrowing her brow in confusion quickly changing to shock as her eyes widened at the sight of all her belongings strewn across the floor.
  
  "Wren!" Her voice was in its upper register, nearly cracking. The blonde, now fully armored, fell to the ground in a hurry to put everything away, not once making eye contact with Sabine who just smiled awkwardly off on the side.
  
  "Why were you going through my stuff."
  
  Her tone inflicted a statement, but Sabine was sure Shin had asked a question. "I thought it was Ahsoka"s."
  
  Shin violently snapped the buttons back into place. "You"re a terrible liar." Sabine"s cheeks grew hot. Could she sense lies through the force? What else could she feel?"
  
  "It was just sitting there."
  
  "My stuff is private." In one fluid motion, she tossed her bag up where it belonged.
  
  "Huh. I didn"t know hair dye was so secretive these days."
  
  "I don"t dye my hair!" Shin snapped back, a little too quickly.
  
  Sabine stifled a laugh, playing off her transgression with humor and an eyeroll. "Neither do I."
  
  Surprisingly calm, or at least appearing calm, Shin exhaled. "I would appreciate it if you did not perv through my belongings. They are mine, and what I wish to show you is what you"ll see."
  
  Unfortunately, this didn"t stifle Sabine"s curiosity, in fact, it did the opposite. "What exactly are you hiding in there?" A million thoughts pod-raced through her mind. "Is it some cheesy Twi'lek porno? It"s okay if it is. I remember being your age."
  
  Shin"s pale skin grew red. "Absolutely not." A loose strand of hair fell down over her eye, but she quickly brushed it away.
  
  "Mhm, sure." Sabine"s eyes followed Shin"s movements as she started to climb into her bunk. "Are you gonna go watch it now?"
  
  "You are infuriating." Shin closed her privacy shade, ending the conversation as quickly as it had begun. Sabine stared momentarily, a civil war raging between whether or not to tease the blonde any further. Deciding not to, the Mandalorian rose, choosing to see whatever the Noti were up to instead. From her bunk, Shin listened to Wren"s footsteps fade away until they were gone. Clutching her wrist in her hands, she sighed, doing the best to settle the butterflies that currently were residing in her belly.
  
  "Do you think Shin"s coming?" Sabine asked Ahsoka to her right. Orange and yellow flames flickered light across the Noti camp, painting dancing shadows on their huts. Tribal music played softly in the background, humming a tranquil tune. A large fish was skewered and being roasted over a large fire in the center of camp, being tended to by what could only be imagined were elders.
  
  "Missing your friend already?" Her master wittily teased back, flashing a mischievous grin.
  
   "No." Poking her small stone plate with a fork from the ship, she continued. "I just don"t want her to miss this." It was true. Whatever the Noti were celebrating was truly a beautiful holiday.
  
  "Miss what?" Both women turned around, Shin was standing a few feet away.
  
  "The festivities." Ahsoka chimed in. "Come, have a seat, Shin." Following her invitation, she made herself right at home directly next to Sabine.
  
  "What are they celebrating?" The blonde asked, locking eyes with the fire in camp center.
  
  "Who knows." Sabine shrugged, nudging Shin with her shoulder. "Whatever it is, we get to enjoy it." Ashoka nodded a silent affirmation, turning her attention towards an approaching Noti.
  
  "It"s pretty." Shin said blankly, crossing her legs. Sabine looked over at her, her breath hitching in her throat. Never before had she noticed just how stunning Shin was. Her sharp cheekbones underscored a strong yet delicate face, her deep-set ice blue eyes, the way bangs fell neatly around the ridges of her eyebrows. If she hadn't known any better, one might call her beautiful.
  
  "Yeah, it sure is." Sabine squeaked out, caught off guard by the sudden onset of anxiety the blonde caused.
  
  "Is this our meal you were going on about?" Shin questioned, her gaze finally breaking with the fire and towards the Noti currently serving Ashoka.
  
  "I"d imagine." She replied, holding out her own stone plate as the Noti turned its attention on her. Chunks of flame roasted fish were neatly splattered down, covered in some type of vegetable paste from whatever farms they"d help build.
  
  "Is this safe for us?" Shin questioned, resting an off-putting stare on the Noti as she now served her.
  
  "Huyang ran a scan earlier and said it would be alright."
  
  Shin prodded the chunks of fish with her fork, investigating, before taking a weary bite. Sabine stopped mid chew, peering intently at the odd display. Scowling, the blonde spit her food back out.
  
  "I don"t like meat." She stated mater-of-factly, setting her plate down.
  
  "Really? You"re a vegetarian?" Sabine laughed, her lips curving up in a smile. Shin cast a side eye at her, not affirming her question, but the look of disgust on her face said it all. "Shin, you are strange."
  
  Notes:
  Shin? Strange? Pfft, nah, no way.
  
  Chapter 6: Difficulties
  Notes:
  Thank you all for the support! I love each and every one of you guys!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  There were many ways to enjoy your night on a marooned ship in a foreign galaxy. Options like stare at the ceiling blankly, sleep, listen to Shin snore and beg for mercy (the latter Sabine did often). This particular evening was not unlike many others, and the restless Mandalorian could simply not wind down. A squeak from the main room jolted her out from nodding off for the fifth time.
  
  Sabine groaned, rolling over to face in insider of her bunk. "Right when I was about to fall asleep." She drowsily muttered, closing her eyes in another feeble attempt to finally rest. The squeak came again, louder this time, and another followed in rapid succession.
  
  "Kriffing-" Angrily, she rolled out of bed. Why would Huyang be working on anything this late into the night? Through blurry eyes she glanced into the main hall. It was dark, but the unmistakable flash of blonde hair told her everything she needed to know.
  
  "Shin!" Sabine shouted quietly, as to not wake up Ashoka. The woman in question spun around, it was too dark to make out an expression. "What are you doing?!" She flicked a light on, squinting at the harsh brightness.
  
  "I am training." Her cool nonchalant tone sent shivers down Wren"s neck.
  
  "This late? Are you crazy?" Despite sleep gnawing at her, Sabine plopped herself down in the corner of the room. "Actually, don"t answer that."
  
   Shin watched her, chest heaving, one of Ahsoka"s wooden training sticks held firmly in her hand. "Baylan always said enemies don"t wait for the sun to rise, you shouldn"t either."
  
  Sabine snorted. "Your enemy was trying to get some much-needed rest."
  
  "Very funny." Shin"s stare seemed to burn holes through her. "If I had wanted to kill you, you"d be dead." Sabine"s eyes widened in shock, what a great thing to hear in the middle of the night.
  
  "Ha!" She has such a way with words. "You are an expert in conversation, you know that?"
  
  "It"s a fact." Shin"s stomach tightened. How come every time she said something, it seemed wrong?
  
  "Anyways." Sabine changed topics, noticing Shin"s jaw clinch and grip tighten on the training stick. "I"m up now," She waved a hand at her. "Enlighten me. What are you training in?"
  
  Immediately, Shin relaxed. "My forms." Wren wasn"t upset with her. This was good.
  
  Sabine cocked an eyebrow. "From memory?"
  
  "Yes."
  
  She pursed her lips, letting out a hmph. "Which one is your favorite?"
  
  Now, it was Shin"s turn to laugh. "And give you an advantage in combat? No way."
  
  "Alright, fine. Don"t tell me." Sabine replied, shifting so she could sit more comfortably. "I"ll just watch." Watch? This caught Shin off guard. Nobody besides her master had ever watched her practice before.
  
  Almost tentatively, she turned back around, getting into position facing a floating metallic ball that Sabine hadn"t noticed before. Now fully awake, she studied the room. That strange box she"d found in Shin"s bag was open, on the ground... Oh. That metal thing was a training droid, one of the things she didn"t want her to see.
  
  "Don"t wait on me." Sabine called, folding her arms. She saw Shin nod in reply, before viscously striking out with an upward strike towards the droid. It quickly dashed away, at an angle just out of reach, but as quickly as it had moved, Shin slashed back, tracing its movements.
  
  Sabine watched, soaking it all in. This call and dance cycle continued for a good few minutes, each swing following the exact movements of the droid. She noticed some strikes were faster and more accurate than others. A friendly reminder that she wasn"t the only one still in training. Finally, the droid flashed green, and Shin relaxed.
  
  "Aren"t you supposed to hit it?" Sabine asked, aware you weren"t, a sly smile deceived her question.
  
  "No. You trace." There wasn"t any malice, or even a hint of annoyance in her tone. She just placed her hands on her hips. eyeing up the droid.
  
  "Righhhtt. Tracing, definitely not missing." It took a moment to register with Sabine just how vulnerable Shin was. Her tunic and various pieces of armor lay next to her bag, leaving her in a compression-like long sleeve armored shirt, identical to the one Baylan wore. "Why aren"t you using your saber? You seem a little passed wooden sticks."
  
  Shin frowned. "The noise. I did not want to wake you." Sabine"s nose wrinkled and she quickly looked away. Stars. Was that kindness? She hated when Shin was nice to her.
  
  "Yeah, like that worked." She scoffed, mustering the strength to look back at her. Shin stood still, unnervingly still, but her eyes for once were soft.
  
  "Do you know your forms well?" She asked, tapping a few buttons on her bracer, causing the droid to move.
  
  "It might have been the only thing I was good at." While her control of the force was inadequate, her ability to fight and practice fighting never lacked. "Apparently I had no power, so I had to focus on other things."
  
  "Such as physical combat." That could be why she was able to hold her own against her.
  
  "Good with a saber, horrible with..." Sabine sighed. "I don"t know how many hours I spent just trying to mediate properly."
  
  "Interesting." Sabine caught eyes with Shin, who looked as if she were pondering a decision. An awkward silence followed, but was soon broken. "I will be completing more programs," she turned back towards her droid. "For a while. Stay if you wish."
  
  "Hmm. I"m kind of busy." Was there anything better to do? "I guess I"ll stick around." Ahsoka did say she could learn from her, considering Shin had gone through similar training. Maybe there was something she could pick up on.
  
  "This is form six." The blonde declared, readying a stance before once again lurching out at the droid. Sabine watched each fluid movement, paying close attention to her footwork. Something Ahsoka had been getting on her ass about.
  
  Soon, her focus shifted upwards. The way the material of Shin"s shirt gripped the contours of her chest, or the way her hips flared ever so slightly before being covered by her utility belt. The way her hair swooshed from side to side, or the look of calculated aggression she"d been on the other side of so many times. A curious thought drifted into her mine, egged on by those piercing eyes, but it soon vanished. It wasn"t long before Sabine dozed back off, this time for good.
  
  A few moments later, the program finished. "Form six is favored by Jedi." Shin began, wiping beads of sweat from her eyes. "It was used so frequently because-" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes falling onto Sabine. Her head was slumped down, and her chest rose and feel rhythmically.
  
  "Never mind then." Shin breathed, flashing a rare but brief smile. That strange bubbly excitement returned to her belly, causing her already flushed cheeks to grow even hotter. Falling asleep in your enemy"s presence? Cute. Shin"s eyes grew wide, and she stiffened. "No. Don"t think like that." She scolded herself. "You are above those trivial things." Reading the droid for another run, she continued with her forms. Actions refocused her mind, but she couldn"t shake them all.
  
  "Peculiar place to sleep, but whatever is your fancy." Sabine woke with a jolt, finding herself on the floor exactly where she had been watching Shin. Ahsoka was standing across the room, arms folded.
  
  "I was watc-" She paused, something telling her maybe it was best her master didn't know about Shin's late night training habits. "You know me." Sabine yawned, stretching. "Unpredictable."
  
   "I do." Her master smiled. "Come on, move so I can put the table up." She listened, getting up from her very unorthodox bed. Checking the room, every sign of Shin was gone. She must have packed everything away quietly once she"d finished.
  
  The table rose, and Ahsoka took a seat. "You should get ready while Huyang makes breakfast" She took a sip of her caf. "We have a busy day ahead of us."
  
  Sabine rubbed her neck, sore from how she slept. "How? I thought we only had rations left."
  
  "He completed language assimilation, and picked up a few recipes last night." Ahsoka replied.
  
  "Oh, neat." Sabine stretched once again "What"s on the training block for today?"
  
  "I"m not sure yet." Her master replied, tilting her head. "What do you think we should focus on?"
  
  Sabine snorted. "Everything."
  
  "Wise answer. It is always necessary to hone skills one"s already acquired." Her eyes sparkled. "I believe you"ve given me an idea. Meet me outside soon."
  
  "Yes, master." Sabine dipped her head. "I"ll be back in a second." If there were going to go outside, she"d need to get ready. Entering her quarters, she knelt beside her bed, opening her floor level storage bay. Before she went into the refresher, her eyes darted up to the bunk above her. Shin had her privacy shade closed, a sign the dark Jedi was still asleep. Of course, she gets to sleep in. It was unfair, but she was further ahead in training, and Sabine wouldn"t catch up if she slept around all day.
  
  Whatever training idea Sabine had put into Ahsoka"s mind, she wished she could have taken it out. They"d spent hours just on meditation and connection, and despite no real results, Ahsoka insisted on going again.
  
  She"d used it before. She felt connected before. Why not now? Hell, she"d even used it for a trivial thing such as teasing Shin. Apparently, she could only use the force when it decided it was convenient.
  
  It only got worse. "Clear your feelings." Ahsoka insisted, pacing behind her padawan.
  
  Sabine clinched her fists, sitting atop a boulder, legs crossed and eyes closed. "What feelings." She hissed. "I"ve been clearing them since morning!"
  
  "Frustration will get you nowhere." Her master stated calmly. "I know you can do it."
  
  It felt like her head was going to explode. Everywhere she searched within her, she could feel something but could not latch onto it. Anger bubbled up and over, finally, something she could channel.
  
  "Agh!" Once again, nothing major. She could move a rock, feel feelings, push Ezra once, but still couldn"t mediate.
  
  Ahsoka"s postured relaxed. "It"s getting late. Do you want to go again?"
  
  Sabine shot her a look, bringing up and hand to rub her temple. "No."
  
  "Fair enough." Her master slowly walked past her and towards where their howlers rested. "Failure is a better teach than success, Sabine."
  
  "I know." Great. Here comes the wise yet somewhat condescending pep talk. "You"ve made it clear to me plenty of times."
  
  "It"s true." She rolled her eyes in protest, but followed her master nonetheless. "You"ve shown progress, more now than you did in all our time before."
  
  "Is that supposed to make me feel any better?" Sabine argued, throwing her belongings into her howler"s bag. "I was terrible then, now I"m only bad?"
  
  "That"s not what I meant." Ahsoka said, gazing off into the distance. Echoes of her own master"s teachings rang out in the distance. "Your growth has been minor, but exponential."
  
  "Minor." Sabine reacted with a sarcastic laugh, hanging her head low as she got atop her howler. "Thanks."
  
  Ahsoka shook her head. "Would you rather me lie?" It was the duty of a master to be real while encouraging. Sometimes, that was hard.
  
  "I would prefer to figure this shit out." Sabine hissed, gripping the reigns tighter, doing her best not to lose her temper.
  
  Shin could sense the two before their figures appeared over the horizon. As they rode back into camp, she retreated into the ship. Waiting at the table, she was sipping some water when the blast door hissed open.
  
  "All you"ve done on the way back is complain." Ahsoka"s candid remark caused Shin"s eyes to widen.
  
  "What else is there to do?" The two were arguing, or sort of arguing. Shin had no intentions of joining the conversations, simply sitting back and listening.
  
  Ahsoka folded her arms. "I"d expect you to use this time to reflect." The dark Jedi assumed they were unaware of her presence to be talking so opening around her, but there was no way the Togruta failed to sense her.
  
  "How!" Sabine brought her hand to her temple before waving her off in defeat. "I can"t even mediate properly." Shin tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the Mandalorian. So that"s what this is about. Failure to meditate.
  
  "Mediation is not required to think, Sabine." There was only a hint of annoyance in Ahsoka"s voice, but her pursed expression told Shin there was far more of that than she was letting on. "I would be proud of all I"ve accomplished if I were you."
  
  Sabine"s nostrils flared. "Well, you aren"t me, and I"m not. There"s no point in celebrating something I can"t recreate." Shin could her anger from across the room, it was like a heavy fog settling in around the Mandalorian"s frame.
  
  She flicked her gaze over to Ahsoka. "Has it ever occurred to you-"
  
  "Just stop." Sabine wasn"t having it, cutting of her master. "I"ll be in Ezra"s hut if you need me." Shin saw her fist ball as another wave of frustration rolled through the room. "Ni, shuk'la Jetii, ures kot." She muttered the last part, leaving unceremoniously.
  
  Ahsoka shook her head, pausing a moment before turning and giving Shin a look. The Dark Jedi just shrugged in response; her eyes still glued to where Sabine once stood. Never before had she felt emotions so vividly through the force. It was as if she could read Wren"s thoughts, and they were all negative.
  
  Shin took another sip of her water as Ahsoka left the room for her quarters. She knew what those feelings were like. She"d been where Sabine was before, and at times, she was there now. Balyan had always told her those moments were part of the trails a good force wielder needed to learn how to overcome, and so, he never helped her through it.
  
  Chewing the insider of her cheek, Shin sighed. Failure was a lonely place. She hated being alone. Sabine must hate it too, given the feelings that still waffled around her head like mist. Baylan had been a great teacher, but there was something she had always wished for during her training years. Someone who understood.
  
  Standing, Shin felt cold shivers run up her spine, and she gently rubbed her wrist as unwelcomed memories made their untimely comeback. There were many nights after a failed training session where the anger and frustration would be too much, and the only way to take out that anger was on herself. It was a cycle she had trouble breaking, and of course, a cycle Baylan knew nothing of.
  
  Shin blinked, making her way over to her bunk. That feeling of self-doubt, of isolation; it was something she wished not even Wren should have to deal with. Pale hands searched her main bag, looking for one item in particular.
  
  Slowly stepping down the ladder, Shin cast a glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking. Dropping her gaze, she caressed her fingers over the rough cover of an old brown journal, its color was faded and edges were chipped.
  
  Closing her eyes, Shin brought it to her chest and exhaled a deep sigh. Stars, why did she feel this way? Biting her lip, she tentatively placed the book on Sabine"s pillow, but nervously pulled it back as soon as she set it down. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she felt her free hand tightly grip the edge of her tunic. With one last glance over her shoulder, Shin placed the book back on Sabine"s pillow, gently pulling the covers up as if to tuck the journal into bed.
  
  Stepping back, Shin admired her work. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips and a warm feeling grew in her belly, quickly spreading to her chest before it nearly all but consumed her. Whatever Sabine was having trouble with, she hoped her journal would help.
  
  Shin suddenly froze, her smile fading as quickly as it came. What was she doing? Helping? Frowning, she dipped her head. That warm feeling disappeared and was replaced by shame, egged on by a whiny voice inside her head. Why are you being so weak? Huh? Nobody ever helped you, why does she deserve it? You"re better than this, master would be disappointed. Turning her back to the bunks she walked away, leaving her thoughts behind, and the journal, still laying in Sabine"s bed.
  
  Notes:
  Was that empathy, Shin? Sheesh. She's right, that's so weak.
  
  Chapter 7: Yield
  Notes:
  Thanks again for the support! Sorry I was slow getting around to responding to all your great comments. I'll be more on top of that, I promise. Enjoy chapter seven!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine clutched the small journal to her chest. It was nestled in between black painted finger nails, which were becoming increasingly chipped by each passing rotation. For the better half of an hour since returning from Ezra"s old pod, she"d been locked in a tense internal debate. To read, or not to read.
  
  At first glance, she thought it was Ahsoka"s, but upon further inspection the handwriting on the cover was far too neat to have been from the Togruta. That left only one other option, and that puzzled Wren, coming home to find neatly tucked into her bed and waiting for her was a journal on exactly the problem she faced in training. But it wasn"t just a basic text book on meditation and force connection, it was a personal journal from the angry blonde who currently resided as her prisoner-bunk-buddy.
  
  Tapping her fingers on it lightly, Sabine finally made up her mind. Opening the front page slowly, she inhaled a sharply as her eyes fell upon the first words. Entries and Notes on Force Connectivity, Padawan Hati. A rush of guilt followed, and she momentarily pulled her eyes off the delicately written title. It felt as if she were intruding, peering into a life she did not belong in.
  
  How strange was it? Shin Hati. The one who had failed to kill her a few weeks prior, the one who barely spoke to her on their entire trip to Peridea, was now leaving secret gifts to aid her training. Was it some sort of pseudo-peace offering? Or perhaps it was Shin"s idea of an apology for frying her organs.
  
  Flicking it open again, Sabine started reading. Whatever it was could wait, the most important thing was figuring out why she couldn"t kriffing mediate properly. "Meditation: for enhancing emotional control over self and for better connection to the Force. If you don"t have one, you won"t have the other."
  
  Great. Just great. Sabine cursed to herself. Not even one page in, and it"s already crushing what little hope I have left. A flicker of determination sparked within her; Shin wouldn"t have given her this for no reason. Nothing that weirdo did was without due cause. Answers were in there somewhere, she just had to find them. Skipping a few pages ahead, she opened a random section.
  
  Meditation Twelve: Master informed me I hadn"t cleared my mind fully. I am confused by his sentiment. I felt clear, how could he know I"m not? I felt connected, but yet his words rang true. Nothing improved. We depart for what remains of Jedha tomorrow. I doubt I"ll have time to continue this practice until we arrive.
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. If the journal was just a log of her experiences, it would take forever to decipher what each entry meant. Unless she just flipped to the wrong page and was jumping to conclusions.
  
  Sounds of movement came from above, startling the Mandalorian who closed the book quickly in reaction, freezing in place soon after. The bunk creaked slightly, and the faintest sounds of rustling bags could be heard. Sabine shot a wayward glance at the journal. Why did she feel the need to hide it? It was Shin"s after all, and she did give it to her. Why would she check her bunk anyway? She was probably just waking up to get water or something.
  
  Soft tapping indicated Shin was climbing down the ladder, and Sabine held her breath, waiting for her to pass before daring to show signs of life.
  
  "I know you"re awake, Wren." A familiar cold voice jarred a curse from Sabine.
  
  "What do you want?" She countered, pulling back her privacy blind to reveal the blonde shimmying into her tunic.
  
  "I am going out." Shin stated mater-of-factly as she continued to add layers. Sabine cocked a singular eyebrow. "You said that we were beyond the use of Bokken training sticks."
  
  We? I never mentioned we. "There seems to be something lost in translation." Even though her head was dipped, Sabine could just make out a small smirk form on Shin"s face.
  
  "Really? Anyways," Shin threw on her ragged cloak. "I rather not fall out of good graces with your Master for using sabers inside the ship."
  
  "I doubt she"d care." That wasn"t true, Ahsoka would mind, but it would be treat to see the two of them argue.
  
  Shin was now fully prepared, and flung a satchel over her shoulder. She turned to the Mandalorian once she had nestled it in place. "Are you coming or are you just going to converse while I dress?"
  
  "Do y-" Sabine"s eyes caught Shin"s, freezing up as they locked into place. Her mouth was hanging slightly ajar as she fumbled with words to form a reply. Something about that gaze, those eyes. "No."
  
  Shin"s expression softened, and she blinked, a rare occurrence. "But you are awake and talking."
  
  Sabine exaggerated a sigh, kicking her legs up and rolling back into bed pretending to not be interested. "Yeah, well, I don"t wish to be."
  
  "Jedi. They are terrible liars." Shin muttered, crossing her arms. "Don"t keep me waiting long."
  
  Sabine internally kicked herself. Of course Shin knew she wanted to go. "Fine." A few moments of hurried packing followed by hastily putting on her armor ensued. Wren shot a silent pray to the stars, hoping her master was sound asleep as they slipped out of the ship.
  
  "It is actually freezing." Sabine announced, following closely behind Shin who was leading them up a ridge.
  
  There was no reply. Only the steady footsteps of the blonde ahead of her, and the occasional glimpse of hair rippling through a tattered hood.
  
  Frowning, Sabine continued. "I guess we chose the wrong night, eh?"
  
  Again, only silence. A steely resolve harden in Sabine. Shin didn"t want small talk? Fine. There were more important things to discuss. "Why did you give me your journal?"
  
  The Dark Jedi"s posture stiffened. "I don"t know."
  
  "Do you want to talk about it?"
  
  "No."
  
  A mischievous smile flashed across Sabine"s face, and she quickened her pace to get alongside Shin. "Big bad Shin doesn"t want to admit she did something nice." Silence fell once more, Sabine continued. "It"s quite odd that such a thing would end up in my bed, especially after I know you heard Ahsoka and I argue"
  
  "That is correct, I did." Shin shot back a terse reply.
  
  "Are dark Jedi Sith people not allowed to give gifts? Is that why your so shy?" Sabine nudged her. "Or are you just upset you helped me out?"
  
  Shin pursed her lips. "We aren"t Sith."
  
  "Sooo." Sabine"s voice was teasing and playful. "What are you?"
  
  The blonde abruptly stopped, reaching an arm out that smacked right into Wren"s chest, stopping her as well. "We are here."
  
  Shin threw her pack to the ground in one motion, and grabbing her saber in the next. "What do you wish to learn?" It ignited, casting them in a haze of orange.
  
  Sabine scoffed. "As if I have anything to learn from you." She ignited her saber in response, clashing green against blood orange hues.
  
  "I suppose this lesson will be on humility." Shin started circling her, taking tiny steps, twirling her saber in hand. Its hum was intoxicating, sending feverish memories of battle through Sabine"s mind and accelerating her heart beat at the very thought of battle.
  
  "What do you know about that?"
  
  The Mandalorian was the first to strike, confident. But Shin side stepped the blow like it was nothing, not even blocking it with her weapon. Alright, you kriffing try hard. Shin"s smug expression was infuriating as she dodged another one of Sabine"s swings in quick succession. Fine.
  
  Letting loose, Sabine was on the offensive. Blow after blow bouncing off one another, sparks flying off as their weapons collided in a cacophony of sound. Their blades clashed, Shin finally having to finally use the force counter one of her swings. Darting back, the blonde put some distance between, and launched a powerful barrage of her own, causing Sabine to stagger.
  
  Shaking it off, the Mandalorian twisted, throwing Shin"s attack off balance. Or so she thought, as when she swung upon her opponent, she was ready for the strike and countered it with a pretty display of saber skills, sliding backwards as she did.
  
  "Your aggression is admirable." Shin sneered, gracefully twirling her saber in preparation for the next attack. Her eyes rested calmly one her opponent, cooly calculating her next move.
  
  Sabine scowled. "You just wanted a sparring partner, not my company."
  
  "Maybe." Wren struck out again, faking a swing to Shin"s left before cutting her blade back across their direction of movement. The Dark Jedi of course, had a counter by blocking it in one motion before twisting into an attack.
  
  There was a way Shin blended attack and defense in a dance that caught Sabine"s eye. The fluidity of her movements, the concentration, the way she seemed to set up a move two steps before she made it. Sabine had always gone with the flow, ebbing and nulling as the fight progressed. But Shin seemed to be sparring like it was a game Dejarik, and it was working.
  
  Distracted by her observations Sabine didn"t see Shin"s elbow fly in from the right, smacking her dead in the nose. Staggering back Wren felt sharp pain clouding her mind, and within seconds Shin"s saber hand ripped down her own arm, disarming her.
  
  A solid force push sent Sabine onto her rear; cool compacted ground greeted her with a friendly smack. Shin was on her in a heartbeat, and so was her blood orange saber. It"s heat crackling and humming inches from her throat. Sabine swallowed hard, anger bubbling at once again another defeat at the hands of the blonde as she put hers up in surrender.
  
  "You"re lucky I don"t wish to end you." Shin whispered, her voice low, threatening almost. Her icy eyes locked with Sabine"s, shooting blue knives into brown pools.
  
  "Yeah," Sabine scoffed, intentionally looking away, overwhelmed by the blonde"s intense stare and the dull pain in her nose. "So lucky."
  
  Shin"s eyes searched her, darting over the peaks and valleys of Wren"s delicate face. "Your form is still as ugly as it was in Seatos." She retorted.
  
  "Maybe you can help if you"re so perfect." Sabine retorted, getting up as Shin pulled her blade away from her neck, slightly relieved the blonde had bene honest to her word about not wanting to end her
  
  "That can be arranged." Once again, their eyes meet. The Mandalorian"s heart skipped a beat. There was something about the way Shin looked at her with a certain softness that was surreal.
  
  "Let me guess, I"ll have to meet you here in the middle of the night for weeks on end until I improve." Sabine couldn"t hold her gaze any longer, looking away nervously.
  
  Shin nodded, unphased. "I suppose that would work."
  
  "As if I"d agree to that." Sabine laughed, causing the Dark Jedi to stiffen. "No way blondie."
  
  "It was only a suggestion." Shin replied quietly.
  
  Sabine"s lips parted, confused. Was that sadness? And was she actually offering help? Shaking her head, she changed the subject. "Wanna see who"s the better fighter? Let"s drop these sabers."
  
  A competitive glint returned to Shin"s eyes. "I didn"t know you liked being embarrassed."
  
  "You learn something new every day." Sabine rolled her shoulders in preparation. "If I win, you"ll have to admit I am the better fighter."
  
  Shin"s nose wrinkled. On one hand, Sabine was Mandalorian. On the other, Baylan never told her to backdown from anything. She swallowed, nervously glancing at Sabine then back to her saber. "What if you yield?"
  
  Sabine"s eyes sparkled mischievously. "Then I"ll forget you dye your hair."
  
  Shin"s nostrils flared. "I don-" She didn"t finish her sentence, mumbling whatever words remained. The orange blade retracting back into its hilt that was gently tossed to one side. "No weapons."
  
  "No weapons." Sabine repeated, bending her knees ever so slightly to lower her stance.
  
  "And no dirty Mandalorian tricks!"
  
  "No dirty Mandalorian tricks." Sabine affirmed with an eyeroll, carefully tracking Shin"s movements as she threw off her robe.
  
  The crisp air felt extra sensitive as it contacted her skin, her brown eyes forming a look of steely concentration to match the daunting stare from Shin. There was an electric energy in the air, not unlike the tension from Lothal. Dulled slightly by the rhythmic steps Shin took as they neared, Sabine inhaled, closing her eyes, doing her best to reach out connect with the energy around them.
  
  Then Shin struck, a swing that was easily batted down by the trained hand of Sabine. Nice try, slowpoke. Sabine taunted, eyes glinting with humor. Fortunately for the blonde, her strike had been quick enough to avoid being grabbed and grappled.
  
  Growling, Shin shook it off. "Your thoughts are loud." She struck again, not giving time for Sabine to process the weight of her words. She countered balled fist with a quick kick to the thigh, making contact just below Shin"s armor.
  
  The dark Jedi flinched, and her eye twitched. Sabine could sense she was uncomfortable, out of her element, worried. To her surprise, she could sense everything. Not just Shin"s feelings, but her actions, the ground around them, the air. Taking a breath, the Mandalorian stepped forward, reaching for Shin"s shoulders, trusting her instincts to carry her through her next move. Shin managed to wiggle free, but Sabine was ready for that, and shot a knee up into her gut. Breath escaped her lips with a hiss, brushing past Sabine"s ear in an exhilarating rush.
  
  Now that her blood was pumping, every sense was heightened. That connection Sabine had trouble recreating so many times before, was once again back in the heat of the moment. Briefly, Sabine thought she should stop the fight and figure out why. Shin, however, didn"t give her much time to pounder as she violently rammed a shoulder right into her chest.
  
  Sabine"s eyes widened, feeling pain radiate through the force. How unhinged do you have to be to throw yourself against beskar! There was no way that didn"t hurt Shin, but the blonde kept coming regardless. This time Sabine had to intercept an attempt to grab to grab her throat, which she did so with relative ease, even on the backfoot.
  
  Her hand locked onto Shin"s wrist, who"s expression morphed into one of surprise. She knew what was coming next, and threw one last valiant punch to the gut. Shin might know her way around a saber, but she wasn"t a Mandalorian.
  
  Sabine met Shin"s hand in air before contact could be made, slapping the punch away. Shin was now on the defensive. Attempting to tug free from Sabine"s grip, she threw herself of balance. Seizing the opportunity Wren stuck a foot right where Shin was about to step, and when her boot made contact with the back of her ankle, the blonde fell.
  
  Shin managed to tug Sabine down with her. The older woman"s weight again pushed the air out of her chest, and when she inhaled, the smell of cold grass filled her senses. Shin"s eyes darted to her left, one hand pinned under Sabine. Reaction caused her to shoot her right up inside, hoping to land a blow on her chin, but that arm was caught by the Mandalorian.
  
  "Yield." Shin didn"t answer, didn"t even look at her.
  
  "I said," On top Sabine"s knees dug into the compacted dirt, closing the gap between their bodies. "Yield." With no choice left, Shin finally gave in, and slowly turned her head to gaze up at Sabine.
  
  Their eyes locked, and Sabine"s breath hitched. Shin"s lips were parted slightly, her cheeks flushed, and her chest rose and fell quickly, but shallow. Suddenly, she was hyperaware of everything. Their proximity, the tension crackling through the force, the vulnerability of their position, the way Shin wasn"t even bothering to fight back as she pinned her to the ground.
  
  And those eyes, those damned eyes.
  
  Staring back at her were unwavering crystal blue pools. Gone was the feral aggression, replaced instead by a softness Sabine wished she hadn"t seen.
  
  "I yield." A calm acceptance of defeat flowed out of loose lips, Shin never once breaking eye contact.
  
  Reluctantly and silently, Sabine released her grip on Shin"s wrist. To her surprise, the girl beneath didn"t move, didn"t bolt away, didn"t even move her arms from their sprawled-out position.
  
  Suddenly, Peridea wasn"t so cold anymore. Sabine could feel everything between them, the connection not fading, like it had so many times before. Instead, it heightened. She swallowed, relaxing her body so she sat into the divot of Shin"s hips. The mercenary inhaled sharply, her eyes slowly following Sabine as she rested on top of her.
  
  "I..." The air hummed with tension to the point Sabine thought the sky would crack open. A gust of wind bellowed between them, sending loose strands of blonde hair onto Shin"s face, blocking Sabine"s view of those memorizing pools. A tentative hand slowly reached out, brushing the hair out of Shin"s eyes. Wren could hear her own heartbeat drum in her ears, or perhaps, it was Shin"s.
  
  "That"s better." She mummed, retracting a hand. Every stare they"d shared before couldn"t compare to this one. Something was different. The air felt thick around them. Sabine"s stomach was alive with butterflies as she caught Shin"s gaze flick down to her lips.
  
  The blonde beneath her had still yet to move, just gazing up at her, wide eyed. Sabine reached out with the force, closing her eyes briefly. It didn"t take more than a second to feel Shin"s presence, and it was magnetizing. An aura of content, trust, sadness, darkness, and desire?
  
  Sabine"s eyes shot open, only to be met by a piercing blue gaze that reflect everything she"d felt. Guilt suddenly was the only thing she could feel now. What would Ahsoka ever think? The strange heat she felt around them, suddenly made more sense. Perhaps what was worse, was it didn"t just come from her.
  
  Shaking her head, Sabine reluctantly rose to her feet. "We need to go." Still sat on the ground, Shin propped herself up with her arms.
  
  "Why?" It was a loaded question. Karabast, ugh, why? Don"t worry about it. Shin"s lip quivered, but she quickly pursed them together, clearly biting back a frown. "Okay." Sabine cursed herself, forgetting that for some reason or another, Shin could hear her thoughts.
  
  "I just don"t want Ahsoka worrying." She lied, nervous hands fumbling around for her saber that was laid some distance away.
  
  "We"ve not been gone long." Shin countered with a very accurate comeback, as a sense of longing and sadness replaced her still very intoxicating aura.
  
  "Yeah, well," Sabine didn"t want to expose any more than she already had, things were complicated enough. "If my Master wakes up and finds her padawan and prisoner missing, she might think I"ve killed you."
  
  "After that display of saber skill you graced me with? Right." The quip seemed to work as Shin snorted, her sadness fading ever so slightly into the cold night.
  
  "Annnd I"m freezing." Not really. "Which means your freezing, even if you are crazy."
  
  "I"m no-" Shin"s mouth hung open as she made a slight effort to protest, but shrugged instead. Apparently, she was aware of how unhinged she could be. Sabine smiled, there were so many layers to her.
  
  "We don"t want you getting sick on us. I"d hate to have to waste what little supplies we have let on you and your haircut."
  
  Shin brushed her blonde locks behind her ear instinctively at the comment. "Don"t lecture me on hair."
  
  Despite her cold tone, Sabine glanced over at the dark Jedi, who was knelt beside her things and packing up. Even in the low light, she noticed a twinge of blush warming her cheeks. "Maybe if you"d won our little tussle, I"d have forgotten you dye it."
  
  If there was a twinge of blush before, Shin"s pale cheeks were no engulfed in red. "For the last time Wren, I don"t dye my kriffing hair."
  
  Sabine"s smile grew "Whatever you say, psycho girl." Shin not-so-obviously turned to hide her face, focusing instead on shoving her training equipment into her satchel as hard possible without breaking it. Crossing her arms, the Mandalorian felt satisfied as the last drops of sadness faded out of the force. Finished packing, Shin stormed off ahead of her. Leaving Sabine standing and smiling, only pausing when she realized she wasn"t being followed.
  
  "If you so eager to leave, why are you still standing there? Did I hit you too hard back there? I did, didn"t I."
  
  "Nope." Sabine replied, beginning to walk forwards. "Just admiring the view." Shin stiffened; her posture change noticeable to her partner behind who laughed a little to loudly.
  
  "For a Jedi wannabe, you are truly insufferable." Shin said, picking up her stride once more.
  
  "If I"m insufferable, what does that make you?"
  
  "On second thought," Shin said, tilting her head slightly. "Perhaps I didn"t hit you hard enough."
  
  "Aren"t you supposed to be quick learner? Remember that for next time." Sabine"s cheeks were nearly sore from the constant smile that plastered her face. Shin"s banter skill caught her off guard. For someone she"d assume was always a loner, this girl was full of surprises.
  
  A moment of silence followed, and that odd heat returned to the force aura surrounding the mysterious blonde ahead of her once again. "I am utterly confused as to how your master puts up with you."
  
  "Trust me." Sabine laughed as the lights from camp poked over the horizon. "I don"t know either."
  
  Notes:
  Sabine is right. How would Ahsoka react? Oh, and little state of the union. I was at first going to make this a fluffy slow burn with a touch of angst, but I've changed my mind.
  
  It'll become a fluffy slow burn with a touch of angst and a meaningful plot! These girl's will end up with more on their hands than just each other.
  
  Thank you all for the support. Really. I mean it. Your kudos and comments give me fuel to get pumping these chapters out. Thank you again, and have a wonderful week!
  
  Chapter 8: Pixie Cut
  Notes:
  Hey hey!! This one is a bit of a filler, but I put some little moments in there for you to eat up.
  
  Thanks for all your support so far. I reread your comments almost daily, and all the kudos- they really help me write this stuff, even during finals. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one! Next chapter is gonna be a blast to create, so expect it soon!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "Lady Tano." Huyang spoke in a hushed voice. "Are you sure this is a wise idea?"
  
  Ahsoka was leaning against arms crossed. "If what the Noti told you is correct, yes, I do."
  
  "Perhaps, but what of Miss Wren and Hati?" The droid asked, beckoning towards the two women sitting at the ship"s table. "That is what I bring into question."
  
  "What about them?" Ahsoka probed.
  
  If Huyang had lungs to sigh, he would have. "We will have to leave them alone for an extended period."
  
  "They"re adults." Ahsoka"s expression twinkled. "I don"t see any issue with that."
  
  Two sets of eyes fell upon the pair. Sabine appeared to be in the process of explaining something to Shin. The latter hunched over their table, subconsciously stirring her caf with a spoon, listening intently. The blonde was so focused on what Sabine was saying Ahsoka was sure she could smack her on the back of her head and she still wouldn"t drop her gaze.
  
  "We are playing with fire Ahsoka." His eye censors blinked shut. "I fear the repercussions."
  
  A smile crept over the Togruta"s face. "Such a dire warning. I"ll keep that mind." She shifted to look at her droid. "Though I must ask, repercussions of what exactly?"
  
  "There was a reason why Jedi were forbidden from having personal attachments."
  
  "You worry too much Huyang." Ahsoka laughed. "Come on, let"s break the news to them before it gets much later." He shook his head and followed her into the main room.
  
  "Have you done any reading?" Shin raised an eyebrow, resting her chin in her hand.
  
  "You know, about that." Sabine chuckled uncomfortably. "I"d like to bring up a few complaints, do you have a suggestion box?"
  
  The blonde snorted. "It"s right up your ass." Sabine chuckled, dropping her gaze momentarily before meeting her eyes once again. No longer did Shin look at her like she wanted to splatter her insides across the wall, and maybe, that was worse. "If you can"t comprehend my journals context, perhaps I over estimated your intelligence level."
  
  "Maybe you-"
  
  "Sabine, Shin." Ahsoka abruptly interrupted, bowing her head as a greeting. "Huyang and I would like a moment to discuss something." Shin cast Sabine a nervous glance. Did she find out about their nightly escapades?
  
  "Of course, Master." Wren replied casually, leaning back into her chair. "Is something wrong?"
  
  "No, quite the contrary by the looks of it." Ahsoka shot a quick smirk in Shin"s direction, causing the blonde to look away as a blush crept over her face. "It has come to our attention through Huyang"s talks with the Noti of what we believe it to be an ancient Nighsister temple."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened, but she kept her cool. "Like close by?" Sabine questioned.
  
  "About a half day"s ride north of here." Her master explained. "Huyang would mind sharing the rest of the details?"
  
  "Yes of course." He took a step forward. "The locals were telling me of a large structure built into the sides of a cliff. A castle of sorts, one they dare not enter. According to their folklore, a group of witches had once occupied that land."
  
  "We need to be sure they don"t still hold power there, and if they do, maybe we can use it." Ahsoka added, crossing her arms. "Me and Huyang will be heading out shortly to investigate these rumors."
  
  Sabine tilted her head. "Without us?" Shin"s glance darted between the two of them.
  
  "That is correct, yes."
  
  "Why?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. Shin had to agree, it was an odd decision.
  
  "Someone needs to stay back and protect the Noti in case our friend"s bandit buddies decide to show up." Shin frowned, feeling slighted at her comment. "And what if something happened to us? We"d need someone to pick up the pieces. As much as I trust Huyang, I doubt he could bring the same gusto to a combat situation as you or Shin here."
  
  Sabine opened her mouth to protest, but shrugged. "Fair enough."
  
  "How long?" It was Shin"s turn to chime in. All eyes turned to her, and she felt uncomfortable under their gaze. "How long will you be gone?"
  
  "A rotation, maybe two. We are just scouting, shouldn"t take very long."
  
  "Two rotations alone with her." Sabine scoffed. "Whatever did I do to deserve this, Master?" Ahsoka chuckled, resting a hand on the back of Shin"s chair causing her to look up at the Jedi but her eyes were humorously glinting at Sabine.
  
  "Oh and Shin. Make sure my Padawan stays clear of any trouble while we"re gone." Shin nodded, playing along and smugly looking over at Sabine who scowled.
  
  "And you"re leaving her in charge!" The Mandalorian rolled her eyes and sank deeper into her chair. "You hate me. You really hate me. There is no other explanation."
  
  Ahsoka laughed it was light and airy, reminding Shin of the way her master. His softer side, when things were calm. She grimaced, gone were those days.
  
  "Shin has a few years of experience on you, and I"m sure she"s been tasked with some solo missions while her Master was busy."
  
  The blonde nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "She"s right, Wren." Sabine groaned as Ahsoka walked over to her, patting her shoulder.
  
  "You two girls stay out of trouble alright?" Out of the corner of Shin"s eye, Huyang was returning with two large travel packs in his arms. He must have left sometime during their conversation.
  
  "Here," Ahsoka pulled out a comm link from a pouch inside her cloak. "For emergencies, and updates. We will try and stay in contact." She placed it down on the table in front of Sabine, who"s eyes rested on the device for a moment. "You ready Huyang?"
  
  "Just about, Lady Tano." The droid replied, and began to walk towards the hydraulic exit. Ahsoka followed, and Sabine shortly after. Shin chewed the insider of her cheek, thinking about staying behind, but ultimately followed the others.
  
  The wind was blustering when Shin stepped into the daylight, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the harsh rays. Huyang was loading things onto a Howler, while Ahsoka stood chatting to Sabine.
  
  "Be safe, Master." She could hear Sabine"s concern rise above the breeze.
  
  Ahsoka smiled at her, cloak majestically whipping behind. "We"ll be fine Sabine." The two went in for a hug, and Shin felt a stab of longing cut through her belly at the embrace, wishing it was her Master she saw.
  
  The Togruta stepped back, casting a glance at Shin. "If we aren"t back in three rotations. Come looking for us."
  
  Feeling that comment was directed more towards her than Sabine, Shin nodded. "Safe travels." She mouthed, unsure if Ahsoka could hear her. The Jedi must"ve, because she nodded a thanks before turning to mount her howler.
  
  "It"s been hours since Ahsoka left and all you"ve done is read and eat those silly Imperial Standard Ration crackers." Sabine"s sharp tone cut through the silent hull.
  
  Shin clicked her lips, turning another page of her text. "Do you have a problem with that?" She sat relaxed in a chair, legs neatly folded and feet propped up on the table. One hand held a book, another dug into a small box of said crackers.
  
  "Yes, as a matter of fact I do." The Mandalorian retorted from her position on the floor, lying flat on her back with her legs resting on the ship"s walls. She lightly tossed a smooth metallic ball up, catching it with ease.
  
  "That"s a shame." Shin replied, tone devoid of any emotions. "Shouldn"t you be doing some reading of your own?"
  
  Sabine laughed, getting her reference. "I have." Wren twisted around, sitting up straight to get a better look at Shin. "A lot of it is making me question your mental health."
  
  The blonde smirked, looking up from her book. "But have you learned anything?"
  
  "Other than you seriously need a therapist?" Shin"s smirk faded and her gaze hardened, causing Sabine to snicker. "Yeah."
  
  "That"s nice." The moody blonde"s reply was short, and her gaze reverted back to her book. It had been four rotations since their spar. Giving her plenty of time to think about how it felt to be held under the Mandalorian, how her heart threatened to jump out of her chest, how she smelled. Four rotations meant four nights she was stuck alone in her bunk feeling feelings Baylan forbade.
  
  "Soooo." Sabine tilted her head, curiously. "What do you want to do?"
  
  "I was planning on meditating soon." Shin said, flipping over another page. "Maybe you can show me what you"ve learned and join me."
  
  "Meditation? Ugh." She crossed her legs, gently tapping the ground with her fingers. "You"re so boring."
  
  Raising an eyebrow, she dropped her book on the table. "No wonder you have yet to gain control of your ability."
  
  Defiantly Sabine crossed her arms. "Sorry I have a life, blondie."
  
  Shin bit her lip, biting back a retort about how she does in fact have a life, but she knew Sabine wouldn"t fall for it. Jealously started to form in her belly, thinking about all the things Wren got to experience that she hadn"t. Silence fell over the room.
  
  "Tell you what." The Mandalorian added, almost sensing her discomfort. "If I try and meditate with you, will you put down your books and do something fun for a change?" Shin eyes her cautiously, not one known for making deals. "With me?" Round brown puppy eyes filled her vision, enticing the offer.
  
  She"d be dammed if she didn"t take it. "Fine." Having fun wasn"t something she did. Training was fun, completing a job was fun. Doing random things that waste time? Not fun. But there was something about the way Sabine asked that tugged her towards the purple haired girl"s direction. "What did you have in mind anyway?"
  
  Sabine looked at her smugly. "You"ll see." Great. Shin thought, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks. Randomly agreeing to things now are we now Shin?
  
  "Let"s get started then." The blonde announced, trying to find a way to distract herself from the way Wren was looking at her. "How do I move this table?"
  
  Nodding, Sabine got up and walked to a switch, flicking it down. "There."
  
  It sank into the floor slowly, clearing space for the two. Shin was the first to walk towards the center, sitting down and crossing her legs. "Come." She beckoned to Sabine, who followed suit in front of her.
  
  "Have you been able to connect properly yet?"
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but notice how straight Shin"s back was. Her posture was perfect. "Uh, no, can"t say I have..."
  
  "Ah." The blonde"s eyes studied her. "We can do it together then."
  
  "Together? Ahsoka never mentioned you could do it with someone."
  
  Shin opened her hands, resting them on her knees. "Figures. It"s unorthodox. Something my Master did to help me when I was still learning as a kid."
  
  "As a kid, ha." There was no way Shin was more than twenty-five. "You still are one, girl"
  
  "Maybe you"re just old." The blonde took a deep breath and closed her eyes, exhaling after a few seconds. "Take my hands."
  
  Sabine"s eyes widened. "Wait, really?" Did Shin just suggest she touch her? Physical? Willing?
  
  She opened one eye to glare at her. "I don"t remember stuttering Mandalorian."
  
  "So aggressive, sheesh." Sabine placed her hands into Shin"s. Her touch was warm, and what surprised her the most was just how soft her skin was.
  
  "Follow my lead." The blonde directed, taking another deep breath. "Focus on me and only me." That wouldn"t be hard, considering all Sabine could think about these last few days was her.
  
  "Then what?" Sabine asked, doing her best to mimic Shin"s breathing.
  
  "Once you"ve connected, focus on yourself." Closing her eyes, Sabine followed her instructions. Soon, their were breathing in sync, and she started to feel Shin"s intoxicating aura fill her senses.
  
  Sabine gripped her hands a little tighter, the aura coming to life in front of her. There was sadness, an overwhelming amount that seemed to want to punch Sabine onto the floor. Diving deeper, the sadness was replaced as a cold emptiness clawed away at belly. The power of each cut caused her heart to ache. The slashing soon faded and Sabine tried to refocus, only to find a haunting darkness creep up around the edges of the floor where Shin sat, opening a chasm beneath the ship, threating to swallow her. Yet a spark of light flickered in the depths of its core, settling her from falling into that darkness, righting her path.
  
  Then it occurred to her. Shin"s feelings were being reflected; in that visceral moment, that is what she felt. Her.
  
  Meditation wasn"t about feeling what you want, it was about allowing yourself to feel what you were. No wonder Shin"s notes made her look mentally ill; it was how she felt, it was the truth. Sabine been holding back on her own truths for so long; it was time to let go.
  
  Taking a very long breath, Sabine turned her focus inward, feeling a subtle but encouraging push from Shin"s side. Finally, with one last hike over the walls within her, she felt it all. The loneliness on Lothal, the same loneliness that drove her here to find Ezra, the same loneliness that caused all this. The light within, the darkness that fought with it, clashing together like waves on a shoreline. She felt her guilt, her happiness, she felt herself. No more blocking, no more subconscious denial, and it felt amazing.
  
  Blinking her eyes open, Sabine found the moody blonde staring back at her with those crystal blue pools gleaming with approval. A mix of pride and giddy excitement surged through her, and she bit her lip over a dazzling smile.
  
  "Nice work." Shin mumbled, a small blush creeping over her cheeks as her gaze lingered on Sabine. "You finally did it."
  
  "I still think you need a therapist." Sabine joked breathlessly, taken aback by how clean she felt. Everything in her body was in harmony maybe for the first time ever.
  
  Confusion rippled through the force, her feelings twisting together. Shin. The blonde hair killer with surprisingly soft hands had helped her overcome a hurtle not even her Master could. New feelings bubbled under her skin and silence settled around them, they two melting into each others gaze. Sabine cursed herself internally, finding herself lost in curiosity wondering what Shin"s dagger-like eyes would look like fluttering closed as she brought her closer-
  
  "I can feel you too, Wren. You can"t hide your feelings let alone your thoughts."
  
  Caught red-handed. "Oh yeah?" The Mandalorian"s eye brows raised questioningly. "What am I"thinking now?"
  
  Shin swallowed hard, feeling Sabine"s thumbs gently caress the palm of her hand as she egged her on. "I-" Shin could practically see the imagines in the Mando"s mind and her belly ignited like a blazing inferno. Her eyes darted to her lips, to her soft brown eyes, then back to her lips.
  
  "You"re proud." Shin finally managed to speak, exhaling deeply doing her best to suppress the heat growing between her thighs. Sabine"s laugh was light and airy, only increasing the fire burning within her.
  
  "Duh." Sabine"s eyes twinkled mischievously. "And you"re..." Shin wanted to hide, run, or push away, but she couldn"t bring herself to pull out of that gaze. "I rather not say."
  
  Shifting closer, she felt Wren"s hand creep up her ungloved hand. "I am losing my mind, clearly." Shin said, her mouth suddenly dry.
  
  Sabine matched her movements, and leaned closer. "You"re just now realizing that?"
  
  "Shut up." Shin"s mind buzzed as the gap between them closed. She could practically feel Sabine"s breath on her nose, making her head swim.
  
  "You"re lucky I left mine on Lothal, blondie" Her words came out hushed. All Sabine could think about was that striking face she saw staring back at her, filling her vision. She traced a hand up Shin"s arm and grabbed her gently, pulling her ever so close.
  
  Shin felt apprehension grip her, and her hands grew clammy. Nervousness tangled her belly into knots, a wonderful concoction of excitement and fear. Instinctively she closed her eyes, letting Sabine guide her as she relaxed into their touch. Her world whited out from the intoxicating aroma of-
  
  "Sabine! Do you come in?" Startled the Mandalorian whipped her head around, their noses making contact as she did so. "Sabine?!"
  
  Shin glared at the comm link on the table, letting herself fall back onto her rear. She had been so lost in the moment; she hadn"t even realized she was leaning up off the ground to get closer to Sabine, who by now had gotten up to answer her Master"s call. "Yes, we do, clam down."
  
  Angerly, Shin chewed the inside of her lip. Reveling in the sensations that grew from the heat in her belly. Her master would have been displeased, there was no doubt about that. But the more she thought about it, the less she cared. She"d lost herself driven by a magnetic pull that she still lingered in the air around them, and maybe that was okay.
  
  Taking a shaking breath, Shin turned her attention back on Sabine. "Good! We have spotted an active bandit camp a few hours out." Ahsoka"s voice came through the comm broken and scattered.
  
  "And?" Sabine replied tersely. It was then Shin realized her fist were balled, and her cheeks reflected the same twinge of red that undoubtedly painted her own face. "I was busy."
  
  "This is serious, Sabine. Who knows their intentions? Be on the lookout for any suspicious activity around camp that could signal an attack."
  
  "Gotcha. We will." Instantly, she turned off the comm groaning as she turned back to Shin. "I"m sorry, for that-my Master, I mean."
  
  Shin sighed. "It"s okay." Not really, but she was used to this. Anytime she"d ever gotten close to somebody, Baylan was always there watching or their jobs called them away. Even then, she"d do her best to follow her Master"s code, refraining from anything more than simple bonding.
  
  "No really," Sabine brought a hand to her head, massaging her temple. "Ugh." Agitated, she started to pace. "Anyways, can we like, never mind...."
  
  Blue eyes tracked her movements. "Is everything alright, Wren?" Admittedly, everything was not alight, even for Shin. The heat that had grown under skin may have cooled, but it remained, encouraging her more carnal thoughts.
  
  Stopping in her tracks, Sabine"s eyes lit up. "You know what? I have an idea." A flurry of rapid steps found the Mandalorian rush past the blonde who was still on the floor.
  
  "Hmm?" Shin cocked her head to get a better view of where she was going, getting up in the process.
  
  "If we are gonna be stuck here, we might as well leave our mark." Sabine elaborated aloud, walking towards the back of the ship. "Ahsoka might act all stoic, but there is zero chance she had the nerve to get rid of them."
  
  "Wren, I"m not following." Normally sharp, Shin"s mind was still hazy.
  
  "I kept some stuff in the ship, ya know for emergencies like when uptight evil-blondes are onboard." Kneeling down, Sabine pulled away at a maintenance hatch on the floor near Huyang"s work station. "Karabast, they haven"t opened this in ages. There we go!" She said triumphantly as it popped open and she slipped under the floor.
  
  Shin crouched, letting her arms rest on her knees. "If this is some kind of trick-"
  
  "Catch!" A large bag flew into Shin"s view. Her quick reaction time allowed her to catch it, but its weight threw her off balance.
  
  "Stars, how about a better warning next time dumbass?" Exploratory hands gripped the bag now cradled in her arms, feeling for any clues to what its contents were.
  
  "Don"t drop my paint!"
  
  "Paint." Shin huffed, setting the bag down. "We don"t need this."
  
  A purple hair head popped up from the hatch. "Hey now, you made a deal! You'd do something fun if I meditated with you, and I did."
  
  "If you want to be picky, technically I helped you." Shin shrugged. "But fair enough." Baylan did always tell her to stay true to her word. "So, what"s your plan pixie cut?"
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes bringing up a bottle of clear liquid, it"s labeled scribbled with Mando"a. "We are going for a walk."
  
  Notes:
  Who knew Masters were so good at cockblocking?
  
  let the light in
  wakesiren
  Summary:
  As a favour, Sabine offers to do some light investigative work for Hera and Ahsoka. She might live to regret it.
  
  Notes:
  this is a coproduction between me and my gf she just doesn't have ao3 so i'm posting it (butch burdens). i promise this started as porn with plot but now its plot with porn on the horizon we just got distracted by worldbuilding hera and ahsoka's divorce arc.
  
  (See the end of the work for more notes.)
  
  Chapter 1: i can handle it
  Chapter Text
  Sabine has been sitting at the bar for nearly an hour by the time she finishes her drink. She isn"t usually one for nursing a rum and coke, she"s more of a swigger (in her teen years, a chugger) but Ahsoka told her not to get drunk on the job and Sabine is only as stubborn as is legally required. She swirls the ice cubes slowly around the bottom of her glass, the clinking barely audible over pulsing, thrumming music, and swivels slowly on her barstool.
  
  God, this is so boring. Sabine gets Ahsoka looks like a narc and Hera can"t be seen anywhere that might implicate her, but does that mean she has to spend her Saturday night being the world"s shittiest spy in the world"s most suspicious club? No one appears to be meeting anyone anywhere, the shadiest deals that are currently occurring are limited to the guy with the buzzed head selling coke in one of the back booths, and she"s had to piss for the last half hour.
  
  She extracts her phone from her pocket and flicks through the texts from Ahsoka for the fourth time, scanning eleven texts that easily could have been combined into two, and huffs. How in god"s name is she meant to confirm that Skoll and Elsbeth and Thrawn are meeting if she can"t get drunk and skulk around? It"s early enough in Hera"s investigation that Sabine can"t actually go creeping in any back rooms without drawing far too much attention to herself, so she has to what? Listen really hard? The club music is playing far too loudly for that strategy to do her any good.
  
  Sabine huffs another sigh and pushes her empty glass across the bar, slipping off the barstool and aiming for the entrance to the hallway she"s seen at least a dozen girls meander towards after handing Buzz-Cut a fifty. It"s quieter here, the music reduced to a bass she can feel through her boots and conversation absorbed by cinder block walls, and Sabine is halfway to the bathroom when a low baritone distracts her from the increasing urge to piss. God fucking dammit. Of course she starts getting somewhere with her shitty espionage right when the liquor hits her bladder.
  
  Two people are standing past the door to the restroom, at least halfway down the hall, and Sabine stops dead in her tracks despite her bladder"s pleas and pretends to be distracted by something on her phone as she inches closer. Baylan fucking Skoll, acting as inconspicuous as a man the size and shape of a water buffalo can, is standing in front of the door to what"s either a broom closet or a back office, resting one hand on the shoulder of a spindly girl with white hair and delivering what"s either a lecture or a eulogy. Sabine has seen pictures of Baylan before, but this girl is new, and she looks like she"s about to either burst into tears or stomp her foot.
  
  "Don"t fight me on this, Shin. You know Morgan likes her privacy." Skoll is saying, his hand bracketing the girl"s (Shin? That"s not a name) shoulder tightly as he looks at her. Shin looks incredibly annoyed with this, she doesn"t answer him but her hands are flexing at her sides and her strong jaw is clenched so hard Sabine can see the vein throbbing in her neck even in the dim light. Skoll lifts an eyebrow to her silence; neither of them have appeared to notice that Sabine is there, and Sabine takes another tentative step closer as Shin"s long fingers curl into fists.
  
  "And stop pouting. You"re not a child anymore." Skoll releases Shin"s shoulder, brushing the front of his crisp grey button-down off as if lecturing Shin has gotten him dusty, and Shin"s jaw unclenches minutely.
  
  "I wasn"t pouting." Shin says, even though she absolutely was. She has a faint accent, though whether she"s European or it"s an annoying affectation like Morgan Elsbeth"s is anyone"s guess, and Baylan gives her a stern look before he opens the door and leaves her outside. Shin looks like she"s about to kick the wall in front of her, her pale eyes darting around as if they"re searching for a target, and Sabine ducks into the women"s restroom before Shin decides to take out her frustrations on a set of kneecaps rather than cement.
  
  By the time Sabine has returned to her barstool and ordered another drink (hold the rum), she"s received a text from Ahsoka. How"s it going? Full capitals and punctuation. Jesus H. Christ. It"s any wonder she doesn"t sign her messages with her legal name. Sabine texts back a thumbs-up and stirs her coke, doing her best to keep her mind from wandering. She"d snuck a glance at Shin as she"d left the bathroom, trying not to let her notice that she was being watched, but based on the look in her eyes, Sabine is fairly certain she wouldn"t have clued in unless there was a set of binoculars in her face.
  
  An hour passes. Sabine keeps track of the time by tearing a napkin to shreds and flicking a paper ball onto the floor at each ten-minute interval, which is certainly not endearing her to the bartender, but as she"s about to toss her eleventh spitball, Skoll emerges from the back hallway with Shin in tow. He"s a horrendously intimidating presence, the entire club seems to shirk away from him, and Sabine can be forgiven for staring only because everyone else is too. Sabine can"t hear what he"s saying to Shin from this far away (despite Ahsoka"s attempts to teach her how, her lip reading is shit) but based solely on his hand gestures, he appears to be either telling Shin to go home or that she"s grounded.
  
  Skoll walks back into the hallway, the club"s patrons all seeming to exhale at once, and Shin does leave, passing Sabine without glancing at her, stepping as if she"s trying to stab the floor with the short heel of her boot, and she vanishes out the back entrance. Sabine parked her bike out there, and for a moment she"s mildly concerned that Shin might slash her tires for fun. Probably not, though. Hopefully.
  
  If Ahsoka were here, she"d be telling Sabine to go into the back and try to get some information by listening through the door. No guard dog means Sabine would probably get away with it, and Hera would be pleased. If Hera were here, she"d be telling Sabine to leave and text her a meeting confirmation so she could start with the next stage of her investigation without implicating herself in any way. Sabine does neither. Sabine counts to sixty three times, slaps a twenty-dollar bill on the bar, and follows Shin out the door.
  
  Cold air hits her in a rush and Sabine is suddenly grateful for her jacket, wind ruffling her hair as the large door swings shut behind her. She"s not sure what she expected to find out here, besides her bike, but Shin is leaning against the brick wall a few feet from the door, taking the first puff of a cigarette as she drops a thin orange lighter back into the pocket of her coat. Everything she"s wearing is grey; grey pants and a grey button-down that matches Skoll"s, a grey vest beneath a grey overcoat, it makes her hair look even whiter, and she doesn"t seem to notice Sabine is there as she blows smoke out of her nose.
  
  "Who was that, your dad or something?" Sabine says before she can stop herself, propping herself as casually as possible against the wall near Shin. She keeps just enough distance to be respectful, a skill carefully honed over the years, and Shin ignores her. Her eyes dart over for a fraction of a second and then she returns to staring into space, taking a long drag of her cigarette and flicking ash onto the pavement. Sabine watches her cheeks hollow, the high points of each cheekbone exposed as she sucks at the end of her cig, and then watches smoke dance across full pink lips as she exhales slowly.
  
  "It"s kinda weird, going clubbing with your dad." Sabine really should shut up. Anyone would advise her to shut up right now, but something about Shin makes her want to start blathering. It is kinda weird to go clubbing with your dad. If Sabine had to go clubbing with Ahsoka she"d probably puke. Even the thought makes her shudder. Except they weren"t actually clubbing. Shit. Right. Sabine is supposed to be playing spies. She should be trying to coax a teensy bit of information out of Shin so that she can go tell Ahsoka her stupid-ass reconnaissance mission wasn"t entirely unsuccessful.
  
  "I guess." Shin lifts one shoulder in half a shrug, still not looking over at Sabine. European instead of annoying, if Sabine had to put money on it. Skoll is British. Maybe he knocked up a weird Slavic woman and ended up with a weird Slavic baby. Sabine waits, as if Shin will say more if she doesn"t speak, but Shin just takes another puff and taps more ash from the end of her cigarette. Sabine folds her arms over her chest, tucking her hands into her armpits in a vain attempt to keep her fingers warm, and glances around the back alley. Next to a dumpster people probably piss on is a bad place for a meet-cute, but there weren"t a lot of options.
  
  "You don"t talk much, huh?" Sabine continues, resting the sole of one boot against the wall extremely casually and nonchalantly. Shin, shocking no one, remains silent. Sabine can see a few birthmarks scattered across the left side of her face as she smokes, one below her eye and another just below her lip, several dotting her cheek and jaw. They"re oddly enticing. She didn"t know birthmarks could be enticing. Sabine rolls her eyes when Shin doesn"t answer, the sort of drama-queen eye roll that makes Ahsoka give her The Look, but Shin doesn"t seem to notice or care. "Fine by me. People say I talk too much."
  
  "I wonder why." Shin runs her tongue over her teeth, looking at Sabine out of the corner of her eye, and Sabine fights the urge to smile. There"s no humour in Shin"s voice, at this point Sabine would be surprised if Shin knew what a joke actually was, but that could be chalked up to being raised by Baylan Skoll. Shit, Sabine would be pretty humourless if that fucker was her dad. That would be a goddamn shame, though. She"s hilarious.
  
  "Name"s Sabine." Sabine says, and immediately cusses herself out in her head for not thinking up a fake one on the fly. Ahsoka told her to think of one just in case, but Sabine rolled her eyes and ignored that advice. Bad call. She should be fine. If Shin doesn"t get to eat at the grown up"s table, it"s extremely unlikely she knows the name Sabine Wren.
  
  "I didn"t ask."
  
  "Harsh. Can I at least bum a cigarette?"
  
  "No." Shin blows a small, tight ring that lingers in the air for a moment before dissolving. Sabine doesn"t smoke (cigarettes, that is) but she could have faked it. In her experience, people were more likely to loosen up and start chatting if you split a beer or a cig or a meal, but based solely on what she currently knows about Shin, loosening up would only be possible with a heavy dose of Valium and possibly a good fuck. Sabine rolls her eyes again, deeper this time, and when she does she swears the faintest hint of a smile tugs at the corner of that pretty mouth as she opens it again. "Shin."
  
  Sabine nods, as if she didn"t know that already, and they lapse back into silence. Not a bad kind of silence, but silence all the same; the only sound is the faintest strings of club music leaking through the brick wall and the slight crackle of flame every time Shin takes a long drag off her cigarette. Sabine should be prodding more, trying to crack Shin"s shell and get even a little bit of information out of her, but instead she"s watching a pair of thin fingers with a cigarette balanced between them and studying the elegant point of a small, straight nose.
  
  "Is that your bike?" Shin says, jerking her chin at Sabine"s motorcycle. It looks a bit ridiculous in the dingy alley, too polished and clean and yellow, the sort of bike that would probably get her pegged as a rat if anyone who saw it knew a thing about motorcycles, but Sabine was banking on the attendees of this evil guy meeting not knowing jack shit about a bike. She appears to be right.
  
  "Yeah. Do you ride?" Probably not, Shin seems like she either doesn"t drive or has some sort of ridiculous sports car that costs more than Hera makes in a year, but Sabine has to admit that the idea of Shin straddling some gleaming leather and chrome is incredibly appealing. Shin rakes her gaze over Sabine"s bike, eyes like two chips of ice, and then she crosses her arms over her chest and brings her cigarette back up to her mouth.
  
  "No. What"s with the stickers?" Shin sucks her teeth. Sabine follows her nod to the drawings all over the body of her motorcycle as if she didn"t put them there, some cats and birds and the occasional lizard crawling across the polished yellow-and-purple surface of her bike, and looks back at Shin. Ahsoka and Hera both think the bike is far too conspicuous, but Ezra likes it, and Jacen likes it, and Chopper had given it a sniff and an approving huff, which was good enough for her.
  
  "You don"t like them?" Sabine asks and Shin exhales smoke, her lip curling slightly as she shakes her head. Her hair moves with her, a thick white curtain that barely skims her shoulders, and Sabine"s hand is halfway up to tuck it behind her ear before she can stop herself. She plays it off effortlessly, which is to say she nearly slaps herself in the face and prays that Shin either didn"t notice or already thinks she"s fucking weird.
  
  "Not really. I don"t watch cartoons."
  
  "They"re not cartoons. I designed them."
  
  "Hm." Shin tilts her head, as if the lizard will look better from a different angle, and Sabine rolls her eyes.
  
  "Alright, fuck. Hard to impress, I get it, princess."
  
  Shin bristles at this, visibly, as if Sabine calling her princess has gotten under her skin, and Sabine is relishing in her (admittedly miniscule) victory when her phone buzzes in the front pocket of her pants. She has four missed texts from Ahsoka, which is honestly better than she"s anticipated, and Sabine unlocks the screen and skims the messages quickly.
  
  A: A thumbs up is not an answer
  A: ??
  A: Sabine.
  A: Now Hera is calling me because she thinks you"re dead.
  
  Sabine rolls her eyes again. She has half a mind to ask Shin if Skoll bombards her with texts whenever she doesn"t answer within ten minutes, but then she remembers the grip he had on her shoulder, the chastising tone he"d used, the way he"d dismissed her like she was nothing, and thinks better of it. Shin is doing a decent job at pretending she isn"t peering at Sabine"s phone, the only indication that she"s snooping is the occasional flick of her eyes towards the screen, and Sabine tilts her phone away before she answers.
  
  S: plan has changed tell you later
  S: call hera back
  S: ;))
  
  "Did your dad give you his keys at least?" Sabine asks, turning her phone off and slipping it back into her pocket. Somehow she doubts it. Shin"s jaw clenches for a moment, the same clench as she"d had when Skoll gripped her shoulder, and then it"s gone as quickly as it appeared. Sabine is beginning to regret mentioning Skoll at all, it"s clearly a sore subject, but Shin"s face relaxes just slightly and she shakes her head.
  
  "No." Shin grinds her cigarette out against the wall, the last dregs of smoke escaping her lips as she speaks, and Sabine fist-pumps silently. She crosses over to her bike, unlocking and prying open the topbox, and grabs the spare helmet Ezra has insisted she keep in there despite the fact that she has other shit to haul around. At least he"s stopped trying to convince her to attach a sidecar like they"re fucking circus freaks.
  
  "Catch." Sabine tosses her the helmet. Shin drops her cigarette butt and catches the helmet in one motion, which looks very cool and makes Sabine suddenly regret giving Shin an opportunity to upstage her in terms of looking cool. First the cigarette and now this? Shit, Sabine is going to have to start carrying a knife or something. Shin holds the helmet gingerly, as if it might infect her, but Ezra hasn"t had a communicable disease since he spent a year abroad looking at sea turtles and came back with several new scars and a case of thrush that didn"t clear up for a good three months.
  
  "Are you kidnapping me?" Shin asks, and Sabine raises a brow. Shin hadn"t sounded particularly angry about the prospect of being kidnapped, like she was used to the threat of abduction or like she wouldn"t mind so much if Sabine did decide to kidnap her. For her ego"s sake, Sabine decides to go with the latter, though if she"s Baylan Skoll"s daughter, kidnapping is probably a regularly scheduled affair.
  
  "Would you like me to kidnap you?" Sabine straddles her bike, pushing herself forward enough to make room for Shin on the back, and tugs her own helmet on. She"s also fairly certain it"s not kidnapping if the victim is in her early twenties at the absolute youngest, but Sabine would have to ask Hera about the specifics and if she asks Hera about the specifics of what counts as kidnapping under the law, she"s going to get herself grounded for months.
  
  "I"ll think about it." Shin puts the helmet on. It pushes her bangs into her eyes and leaves a ruff of white hair around the back of her neck, but the overall effect once she pushes the visor down is a very good one, one that makes Sabine wonder what she"d look like in nothing but a motorcycle helmet, which immediately makes Sabine have to physically shake her head to clear that image from her brain.
  
  Shin swings her leg over the back of the bike. This close, she smells of cigarettes and soap and something herbal, a combination far more enticing than it sounds, and her long, slim hands hover awkwardly over Sabine"s hips before Sabine takes them and secures them around her waist. Her skin is cool and unyielding, all hard muscle and a faint dappling of scars, and Shin"s biceps press into Sabine"s ribs a bit harder than necessary.
  
  "Where to?" Sabine asks, a bit belatedly, but Shin leans forwards and whispers directions in her ear, so it"s worth it. Shin"s breath leaves goosebumps in its wake, her low voice making a shiver run down Sabine"s spine, and the press of her pointy little chin in Sabine"s shoulder combined with the fact that her thighs are bracketing Sabine"s own nearly makes her tip the bike over.
  
  Sabine flips her visor down and cranks the throttle, the answering purr beneath both their bodies earning a startled noise from Shin, and they speed out of the alley and onto the street without another word. The roads are quiet, making the roar of Sabine"s bike even more obnoxious, but they pass through far too quickly for any irritated old people to come out and shake their fists. Sabine steers them through several neighbourhoods and nearly runs several red lights, both times Shin"s arms tighten involuntarily around her waist, and it makes Sabine want to actually run one just to see what Shin would do.
  
  Unfortunately, most of Sabine"s brain power is being dedicated to focusing on the road instead of on the fact that Shin"s chest is pressed into her back and the fact that Shin"s thighs are spread wide and pressed into her ass and clenching against her hips every time they take a turn too hard. It means not a lot of her brain power has been allotted for remembering the route they"re taking in case Ahsoka or Hera think it"s useful information, and she tries to remember at least the vaguest direction just in case.
  
  Shin gives her thigh a sharp tap when they reach a block lined with nothing but concrete apartment buildings, two cold fingers pressing into Sabine"s leg hard enough to bruise, and Sabine pulls over in front of a crumbling brutalist complex that she seriously doubts Shin actually lives in. As soon as Sabine has parked, Shin slips off the bike, the loss of her body against Sabine"s back a strange sort of disappointment, and she tugs the helmet off neatly and tucks it beneath one arm. Her bangs are flat against her forehead, pasted there with sweat, and Sabine snorts a laugh into her own helmet before she flips the visor up off her face.
  
  "Do you live here?" Sabine asks, peering up at the building. Probably not. Skoll doesn"t seem like the type to put his daughter up in a shithole, especially in this part of town, and Shin runs her hand over her brow and ruffles her bangs back up. She looks harsh in the thin light of the moon, it catches on her nose and her jaw and her chin and turns her face into a series of hard lines and severe points. Sabine kinda likes it, in a way she"s not sure she could put into words, it makes her want to cup Shin"s cheek in one hand and slice her palm open on the razor"s edge of her jaw just to see if Shin would lap the blood from the cut.
  
  "You ask a lot of questions." Shin rocks back on her heels, hair swaying in the gust of wind that makes them both shiver. It"s too cold to linger outside, really, the sort of cold that has Sabine"s urge to give Shin her jacket rising, and Sabine kills the ignition so that she can hear Shin over the thrum of the engine. She doesn"t speak loudly, just like her dad, they both command the sort of quiet power that means they don"t need to raise their voices. Ahsoka has the same thing, Hera too, but Sabine has to yell to be taken seriously most of the time.
  
  "And you"ve barely answered a single one."
  
  "Thanks for the ride, Sabine." Shin tosses the helmet back, her tongue wrapping around Sabine"s name so prettily it hurts, and Sabine catches it in midair and lets it dangle from the handlebar for now. Shin is smoothing out her clothes, brushing imaginary dust from her shirt and straightening her vest, each movement of her long fingers over fabric making Sabine"s mind run wild.
  
  "Wow, at least you remembered my name. Way to make a lady feel special." Sabine lets her mouth curl into a half-smile, just enough to make Shin lift an eyebrow, and Shin lets her arms fall to her sides and tucks one halfway into her pocket. She studies Sabine"s face for a moment, wide blue eyes searching for something (what, Sabine isn"t sure, but she feels oddly like blushing) and then falling to Sabine"s mouth for a fraction of a second before her gaze returns to Sabine"s own.
  
  "Don"t kid yourself." Shin says, and then she turns around and strolls off into the dark. Sabine watches her. Shin is infinitely watchable, her hair visible amid the darkness of the night long after the rest of her body has faded from view, and it"s only when the last shreds of that sleek white bob vanish that Sabine remembers she"s parked in a fire zone.
  
  
  
  By the time Sabine gets home, she"s ravenous for something more than food, but leftover pizza will have to do. She finds Ahsoka"s number in her contacts and puts her phone on speaker as she shrugs out of her jacket and kicks off her boots, leaving them where they drop on the floor and opening the fridge. It takes three rings for Ahsoka to answer, during which time Sabine has stacked four slices of cold pepperoni on a woefully overestimated napkin and hip-checked the fridge closed hard enough that the bottles in the door rattle.
  
  "I was starting to think you"d never call." Ahsoka says, voice slightly tinny through Sabine"s phone speaker. Sabine pulls a face even though Ahsoka can"t see her, tucking a room-temperature beer under her arm and snagging her phone from the counter as she walks into the living room.
  
  "I told you, there was a change of plans," Sabine takes a gigantic bite out of the topmost slice, dropping her beer and phone onto the cleanest chunk of coffee table and flopping onto her couch. Murley blinks at her from the top of the insanely elaborate cat tower Ezra had painstakingly built for him, his tail flicking lazily, and Sabine tears off a little piece of crust and feeds it to him as she keeps talking to Ahsoka with her mouth full. "Small adjustment. It"s no big deal."
  
  "As in my definition of no big deal, or your own?" Ahsoka sounds annoyed, probably because Hera is leading her on for this weird scheme and then not following through, and Sabine bites into her pizza again as Murley takes his prize back to the tower and begins to gnaw on the hunk of bread noisily. She wonders if Shin likes cats. Unlikely. She seems like she barely tolerates other people.
  
  "Uhh. Yeah."
  
  "Sabine-"
  
  "Don"t use your Hera voice. I"m fine, alright?" Sabine rolls her eyes at Murley, who gives her an obliging meow in return. At least he supports her. Ahsoka sucks her teeth so loudly Sabine can hear it through the phone, which means she"s really pissed, which means Sabine should probably stop talking with her mouth full before Ahsoka comes over and starts nagging her about table manners even though she"s eating on the couch.
  
  "Did you at least gather some useful information?" Ahsoka asks. Sabine finishes her slice before answering, chewing as thoughtfully as she can when most of her thoughts are occupied by a head of white-blonde hair and the press of shockingly muscular thighs against her own and the smell of cigarettes and soap and what Sabine is fairly certain is lavender. Useful information. Hmm.
  
  "Don"t know if it"s what you"d consider useful, but Skoll and that bug-eyed guard dog of his are meeting with Morgan, probably meeting with Thrawn, and they"re all definitely involved in more than petty crime." Sabine feels only partially bad for calling Shin a bug-eyed guard dog, and that partially is exclusively because that"s what Sabine is beginning to like about her. Murley"s ears twitch at the mention of the word dog, he looks up from the piece of crust with alarm, and Sabine feeds him another little hunk with some cheese on it to get his fur to go back down.
  
  "Well, the last part was obvious. The confirmation helps, though." Ahsoka sounds a bit less annoyed at this. Only a bit, though. Certainly not enough for Sabine to start ribbing her about Hera yet. She hadn"t seen Thrawn in there, though Skoll had name-dropped Morgan, and she assumes that where Thrawn goes, Morgan follows. What they want with Skoll is anyone"s guess, probably Shin"s too, if the way Skoll had spoken to her was any indication.
  
  "Her name is Shin, by the way. Not short for anything I could figure out. I don"t know what Shin would be short for, though. Shinberly?" Sabine rips off another hunk of pizza with her teeth and chews. If Ahsoka laughs at her joke, Sabine doesn"t hear it, but if Ezra was here he"d be losing his shit. Jacen probably would be, too, but Jacen just laughs at everything Sabine says if she says it in a funny voice.
  
  "No last name?" Ahsoka sounds like she"s grinding her teeth, probably due to Sabine"s less-than-stellar investigative work, but you get what you pay for and Ahsoka didn"t even give her a twenty for gas. Sabine is tempted to say that her last name is Skoll, but Shin Skoll sounds like an anime character and Sabine doesn"t think she would have Baylan"s last name.
  
  "I didn"t ask. She"s weird, though. Kinda hot, but really weird." Sabine shrugs even though Ahsoka can"t see her, and she swears Ahsoka is rolling her eyes. Sabine has a sixth sense about this kind of stuff, probably due to years and years of experience with Ahsoka"s eye-rolls, especially when said eye-rolls are due to Sabine seeing a pretty girl and tripping over her own feet. Sabine"s never met anyone like Shin before, though. No pretty girl has ever drawn her in this fast.
  
  "Any idea where they"ll meet next?"
  
  "Nope. I did drive her home, but I don"t think she lives in the shit apartment complex she gave me directions to."
  
  "Probably not. I"m glad you"re safe, Sabine." Ahsoka says, strangely gently, and Sabine finishes her third slice of pizza and flicks another piece to Murley. Safe? She"s thirty years old. They"d have a bigger issue if she wasn"t safe performing minor acts of espionage that don"t seem to be going anywhere. "I know this is dangerous, but I trust you to handle yourself - Hera does, too."
  
  It"s Sabine who rolls her eyes this time. Hera doesn"t trust Sabine with anything. She lets her fucking dog babysit Jacen but texts every fifteen minutes whenever Jacen and Sabine are alone together. It"s more likely that Hera said something about trust, then touched Ahsoka"s arm, and Ahsoka stopped listening entirely. "Yeah, yeah. Hey, speaking of Hera-"
  
  "Sabine." Ahsoka warns, and Sabine snorts. It"s not like it"s her fault Ahsoka and Hera have been divorced for longer than they were together and Ahsoka is still pining after Hera. It"s absolutely not her fault that Ahsoka hasn"t dated anyone in a good fifteen years. It"s definitely, absolutely, positively not her fault that Ahsoka looks at Hera like she hung the moon in the sky and Hera looks at Ahsoka like she"s really pissing her off.
  
  "What? You don"t even know what I was gonna say." It was going to be something very rude, but Ahsoka can"t know that for sure. She might teach classes on the Jedi Order, but that doesn"t mean she can actually read thoughts or do mind tricks. If she could, Sabine wouldn"t have lived to see fifteen, let alone thirty. All she does is lecture a lot and make her TA, Huyang, mark the papers her students turn in late.
  
  "Trust me, I know what you were going to say."
  
  "I"m just trying to help you out!"
  
  "No, you"re getting in my business."
  
  "Fine, I'll stay out of it. Where is she with this whole thing, though?" Sabine, notorious for getting in Ahsoka"s business, takes another gigantic bite of pizza and waits for Ahsoka to be snarky in her response. Ahsoka is silent. She isn"t often silent. Usually this would be when Ahsoka would launch into a monologue of some description and Sabine would start thinking about what she was going to eat for breakfast. "Ahsoka."
  
  "A local council member was murdered last week. They finally managed to tie it to Skoll as a hit job, and Hera said she has reason to suspect another hit is coming up." Ahsoka says finally, and Sabine nearly chokes on her pepperoni. Jesus fucking Christ. Hera should not be getting her involved in murder! Hera should not be getting her involved in anything, but especially not murder!
  
  "Hey, hey, hold on. You said Hera suspected money laundering, you did not say murder." Sabine pushes herself to her feet, though she isn"t quite sure as to why, considering she"s alone in her apartment and even standing she"s barely five foot five. Money laundering investigations are the sort of thing Hera does, Sabine knows this, though she isn"t entirely certain what Hera actually does, she knows it"s not murder investigations.
  
  "I know. You can tap out whenever you want, Sabine, no one would blame you." Ahsoka sounds tired. She always sounds tired, but she sounds especially tired of this. Maybe she"s tired of Sabine herself.
  
  Sabine couldn"t exactly blame her. She"s thirty years old and she paints murals for a living and she spends most of her time smoking Ezra"s weed and hooking up with random girls from Tinder with names like Jessica and Rachel. She"s not doing anything. Hera is out there saving the fucking world (okay, the city, but still) and Sabine is eating cold pizza in her underwear. Even Shin is doing things, and Shin...is Shin. If she backs out now, she probably won"t see Shin ever again, and for some god-forsaken reason, Sabine is beginning to find that unacceptable.
  
  "No." Sabine says, sitting back down on the couch and bringing her phone up to her mouth. Ahsoka starts to say something, but Sabine cuts her off, suddenly afraid that if she doesn"t speak now she never will. "No. I can handle it."
  
  Chapter 2: sweet bourbon and orange zest
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  It"s goddamn bright outside. So sunny Sabine is beginning to regret brushing Ahsoka"s offer of sunglasses off, so sunny she"s been squinting so hard her head is starting to hurt, so sunny that beads of sweat have begun to trickle down her spine that have nothing to do with the fact that she"s about to encounter Baylan Skoll. It should not be this sunny at seven pm, even though the sun is sinking slowly behind the buildings, and Sabine lifts a hand to her eyes and peers across the street as inconspicuous as she can manage.
  
  She wishes she smoked. A cigarette on a park bench is far less suspicious than just sitting on one, right now she just feels like a narc, and Sabine uncrosses and recrosses her legs and taps her fingers across her knee impatiently. She"s starting to wish that this comptroller would just turn up dead already. The apartment building he lives in is made of glass and steel that keeps reflecting the rapidly-setting sun directly into Sabine"s eyeballs, nearly blinding her every time she gives the lobby doors a casual glance, and the fact that Hera couldn"t just do this herself is pissing Sabine the fuck off even though she knows, reasonably, Hera could never do this herself.
  
  No Skoll, though. Not yet, at least. He"s easy enough to spot, being gigantic, and Sabine has yet to see any skyscraper-shaped men come or go from the lobby. Sabine huffs a sigh, tipping her head back to stare up at the purpling sky, and when she straightens up again a head of white hair nearly makes her jump off the bench. Shit. Not Skoll. Not Skoll at all. What the fuck is Shin doing here? She"s turned the corner and begun to stomp down the sidewalk as if it"s pissed her off personally, in a grey turtleneck and black pants that make her look even paler, so focused she nearly slams into at least two businessmen and gives them such withering looks that the rest of the pedestrians practically jump out of her way.
  
  Sabine yanks her phone out of her pocket and fires off a text to Hera as she gets to her feet, trying to find the right emojis (💀👎 🐶👍) that will still get her point across without wasting valuable time on typing. She crosses the street without looking and keeps her gaze on her phone, thumbs dancing across nothing in particular even as she angles herself into Shin"s path, thumbs still dancing as she runs headlong into Shin and nearly cracks their skulls together.
  
  "Shit." Sabine says, a bit too loudly, reaching for Shin"s elbow. Shin yanks her arm away, righting herself with the sort of disgruntled expression usually reserved for scraping gum off shoes, and then her eyes catch Sabine"s and widen just so. Okay. Sabine can do this. She can impress Hera, probably, with her expert espionage tactics. "Hey. Hey, you"re Shin, right? Fancy meeting you here."
  
  Shin looks like Sabine has disturbed something horrendously important, which Sabine supposes she had, but she doesn"t move, just looks Sabine up and down and then lets her eyes dart to the lobby doors behind them. Sabine gives her a charming grin, one she doesn"t really have to fake, and positions herself so she"s blocking the entrance to the building while still looking casual enough to let Shin believe this was an actual accident.
  
  "I"m surprised you remembered. What are you doing here?" Shin tucks her hands into her pockets, her jaw clenched so tight she looks as if she"s going to crack a tooth, and Sabine shrugs in return. Waiting for your dad to murder a local politician doesn"t seem like an answer Shin would appreciate. Time to pivot.
  
  "Oh, I was going out with a friend, but I got stood up."
  
  "That"s too bad."
  
  "What about you?" Sabine asks. Shin is looking over her shoulder at the lobby door, looking for all the world like she"s doing algebra in her head, but when Sabine steps closer and tilts her head to one side with an easy smile, Shin"s eyes snap back to hers and stay there.
  
  "Similar situation." Shin studies Sabine carefully from beneath dark, furrowed brows, her lips pursed slightly as she examines Sabine"s face far too intensely for the middle of a public sidewalk. Shin is a bit taller than Sabine, just enough that it"s annoying, just enough that Sabine would have to tip her face slightly upwards for their lips to meet, and that absolutely isn"t something she should be thinking about right now. "I was going to visit a friend, but they don"t seem to be home."
  
  Sabine nods thoughtfully as she rifles through her brain trying to find something to distract her with. Not forever. Just enough to sabotage whatever mission this is, though how much of a mission assassinating a city comptroller is can be up for debate another time. She also absolutely doesn"t believe that Shin has friends, but again, another time.
  
  "You know, you still owe me for that ride home." Sabine says after a moment, letting the corner of her mouth twitch upwards. Shin lifts a brow at that, her shoulders relaxing minutely beneath the black suit jacket she"s wearing over that grey turtleneck, and Sabine nods back down at the corner Shin had just come around. "How about you let me buy you a drink and we call it square?"
  
  They end up in a shitty bar that Sabine has spent far too many nights playing pool in, the sort of dive that she and Ezra used to frequent in their college years, perched on adjacent stools at the end of the bar. Shin looks wildly out of place, she"s way too overdressed for somewhere that takes quarters in the jukebox and has Bud Light on tap, but Sabine sort of likes having her somewhere out of her comfort zone.
  
  Shin orders an old fashioned and sparks a cigarette before she gets it, the lighter"s flame dancing across her face and illuminating the deep cupid"s bow of her upper lip. It"s far too distracting, so Sabine stirs her rum and coke again instead of imagining what Shin"s mouth would taste like against her own. Cigarettes, probably, if they kissed right now. She doesn"t seem like the type to drink anything unless it"s top-shelf, but this place has one shelf, and the bourbon in her cocktail glass is likely Jim Beam that"s been collecting dust since before Shin was born.
  
  Quiet eighties music is playing from the jukebox, something Hera probably listened to in her youth, and every time Sabine lets her fingers graze Shin"s knee her face turns pink and every sip of her drink has Sabine getting bolder and bolder with where those knuckles brush. It feels like a date. An actual date. Sabine isn"t much of a dater, she"s more of a "u up?"-er but despite the outside circumstances, this is probably the best one she"s ever been on.
  
  "But what do you actually do?" Sabine asks, resting her elbow on the sticky bar and propping her cheek in her hand. Shin, who"s on her second cigarette and second drink, rolls her eyes, flicking ash into the novelty tray that"s so yellowed with age it"s impossible to tell what colour it was originally. The two spots of pink high on her cheeks are growing steadily pinker with every sip and every sweep of Sabine"s fingertips over her knee, making her eyes even bluer and her hair even whiter, and she takes a long drag of her cigarette before she answers.
  
  "I told you already. I freelance." Shin blows a thin stream of smoke at the ceiling and sets her cigarette down, replacing it in her hand with the condensation-covered rocks glass. She"s taken her coat off, likely because she"s been alternating cigarettes and sips of bourbon for the past hour and the bar is getting hot, and the turtleneck beneath is clinging to her so tightly that Sabine can practically see her heartbeat beneath the thin grey wool.
  
  "Well, that"s not very specific." Sabine takes a sip of her drink through the needle-thin straw, swirling cold liquor and soda around her mouth, and Shin sips her own drink and leaves her lips shiny and wet. It"s horrendously distracting; her mouth is all glossy pink and gleaming in the dim lights from the jukebox, practically demanding that Sabine have a taste. Her eyes keep darting down to Shin"s mouth in a way that she"s certain Shin has noticed, though she hasn"t said anything, and Shin uses the curl of orange peel to stir her drink before she speaks again.
  
  "Do I owe you specifics?" Shin cocks a brow, trading her glass for her cigarette again, and this time Sabine snags it from her and takes a drag before she can protest. The filter tastes of sugary bourbon and something else that Sabine wants to bottle, something distinctly Shin-flavoured, and Sabine passes the cigarette back as she fights the urge to cough at the feeling of nicotine sinking into her lungs. She smokes too much weed with Ezra for a single drag off a cig to be killing her.
  
  "That drink was fourteen dollars and you"ve had two. I think you owe me several specifics."
  
  "Hm. Buy me another and I"ll consider it." Shin gives Sabine a very small, very sly smile, the very corner of her mouth twitching up, and Sabine nearly topples off her stool. This is the first time Shin has smiled at her and it"s enough to make her light-headed, though that could be the rum and coke. She takes a drink to steady herself, tucking an ice cube into her cheek for the sharp cold sting against the fragile skin inside her mouth, and the eye contact they make over the rim of Shin"s glass makes Sabine crunch down on the ice and press a shard into her tongue. "My turn."
  
  "Hit me." Sabine swallows the ice once it"s melted down to next to nothing, the bite of it making her throat ache, and the look Shin gives her turns that ache into a burn all the way down. Shin ashes again, her short nails flicking at the cigarette deftly, and she leaves it dangling between two fingers as she surveys Sabine with that same barely-there smile.
  
  "Starving artist?" It"s more of a declaration than a question, as most of Shin"s questions tend to be, and Sabine snorts a laugh. Freelance murderer and starving artist. What a pair. A pair that shouldn"t be a pair, actually. A pair that"s only a pair because Hera can"t actually do illegal things in public when she looks like that much of a narc and Ahsoka had papers to pretend to grade.
  
  "Starving, usually. Artist, depends who you ask. What gave it away?"
  
  "You have a purple mullet and kitty cats painted on your motorcycle. Call it intuition."
  
  Sabine gasps mockingly, pressing one hand to her heart, and Shin rolls her eyes, giving Sabine a small, smug smile around the end of her cigarette. Her feigned offence lasts less than a second, mostly because she"s pleasantly drunk and Shin smells of lavender and their knees keep touching, and Sabine knocks back the last of her drink and covers the glass with her hand when the bartender comes over. She"s already had too much to drink, though she technically doesn"t have to drive home, and she needs at least some wits about her in case Baylan Skoll decides to jump out and kidnap her or something.
  
  "This isn"t a mullet, first of all, and second, make fun of me all you want, chicks dig the bike." Sabine taps her fingers along the bar absently. This makes Shin"s shoulders tense slightly beneath her sweater, imperceptible to anyone who hasn"t been eyeing the hard lines of her biceps all evening, and she exhales smoke out of her nose with a bit more force than necessary.
  
  "And do a lot of chicks "dig" you, in general?" Shin is absolutely trying to mock her, which is fair, but unluckily for Shin, Sabine has spent most of her life being teased by Ezra, Ahsoka, Hera, Jacen, even Chopper sometimes, and light derision from hot women is basically her bread and butter. She lets their knees touch again, brushing the toe of her boot lightly over the rigid muscle of Shin"s calf, and then shrugs, twisting her straw between two fingers in the same way Shin has been fiddling with her cigarette since she lit up.
  
  "I usually prefer to do the digging, but sure." Sabine says. Shin raises both eyebrows at that, her lip curling ever-so-slightly, and Sabine just shrugs again. Shin is studying her intently at this point, eyes darting from the little tufts of hair at Sabine"s temples to the very tips of her boots, like she"s collecting data or evidence or something, and it"s doing way more to her insides than Sabine would care to admit.
  
  "I should get going." Shin says suddenly, grinding the butt of her cigarette into the ashtray and slipping back into her jacket, and Sabine"s heart skips a beat. Shit. No, shit. She overstepped and maybe Shin isn"t even interested in women and maybe Shin is going to go home and tattle to Baylan and then Hera will absolutely murder her.
  
  "It"s late, I"ll walk you home." Sabine offers, practically hopping off her stool, and Shin drains her drink down to the thin, limp curl of orange peel at the bottom before she answers. Her walls are going back up, Sabine can feel it and she hates that she can feel it, she shouldn"t be feeling it, but here she is feeling it. She doesn"t want Shin to shy away from her like she seems to do with everyone else.
  
  "Absolutely not." Shin slips off her own stool but doesn"t move, just stands there, as if she"s waiting for Sabine to do something. Something could mean anything from a fistfight to Sabine pinning Shin to the bar with her hips and sticking a hand down her pants, neither of which Sabine would be particularly opposed to at the moment.
  
  "At least let me walk you to the door." This is fairly lame, but Shin shrugs her agreement, so Sabine counts out thirty-five dollars (twenty-eight of which were for Shin"s drinks) and makes a mental note to invoice Hera later. It"s the least she could do, really. Sabine opens the back door for Shin, if only so she can put one hand on the small of her back as Shin walks through, and Shin doesn"t immediately pull away or hit her. Small victories, even if Sabine can feel enough tension in Shin"s spine to cut glass.
  
  "Thank you for the drink." Shin says once they"re outside, her shoulders hunching in slightly against the wind. This is a far nicer alley than the last one they were in, or at least there"s no piss-stained dumpster making the entire backstreet stink of garbage juice, and Sabine lets the door slam shut behind them and scrapes a stray bit of hair away from her face. Shin watches her move with lethal attention, her pale eyes lingering on Sabine"s own for far longer than usual, and Sabine finds she doesn"t mind a bit.
  
  "Sure. Just remember the next one's on you." Sabine winks, earning a roll of those light eyes paired with a faint smile that actually reaches them. It"s the first of Shin"s smiles that hits her eyes, it makes them crinkle slightly at the corners and turns her entire face radiant, and Sabine grins back before she can stop herself. Neither of them move, Sabine feels rooted in place, like she might lose Shin forever if she takes a single step, and then her phone buzzes against her hip.
  
  H: Hold her up a bit longer
  
  "Goodnight, Sabine." Shin says before Sabine can drop her phone back into her pocket, turning away towards the street, and Sabine, as usual, panics. She shoves her phone away, trying desperately to think of something that"ll keep Shin with her for reasons unrelated to Hera"s demand, and does the only thing she can think of.
  
  "Shin, wait." Sabine nearly trips on her own feet in her haste, not even waiting for Shin to turn back fully before she grabs her by the wrist and practically crushes their lips together.
  
  A beat, less than a beat, and Shin is kissing her back, her mouth warm and smooth and soft against Sabine"s own. She tastes exactly like Sabine thought she would: cigarettes and sweet bourbon and orange zest, except even better than she could have imagined, and Shin digs her nails into the back of Sabine"s neck and pulls her closer. They stumble back into the wall, Shin"s back hitting the brick so hard that she gasps into Sabine"s mouth, and Sabine grabs her by the hips and slots their bodies together so close she can feel sharp, ragged breaths against her own chest.
  
  Cold fingers press into the nape of Sabine"s neck, scratching so hard Sabine swears they draw blood, and Shin"s tongue is sugary when it fits between Sabine"s teeth. They kiss for a long, long time, desperate and hungry, the sort of kiss that should not be happening in public, the sort of kiss that makes heat pool behind Sabine"s hips and has her grinding them forward into Shin"s, and it"s only when Sabine fists a handful of white hair and tugs her head back to kiss her neck that Shin seems to come to her senses.
  
  Shin shoves her so hard in the chest that it hurts, her palms burning holes in the thin fabric of Sabine"s shirt, and Sabine does her best to force some blood back into her brain. Shin stares at her with wide, wide eyes that have just a hint of blue around blown pupils, those two spots of pink on her cheeks so dark they"re nearly red, her lips puffy and wet and bitten so hard the dents of Sabine"s teeth are still visible in the bottom one. Sabine stares back. A thousand emotions are dancing across Shin"s features, every flutter of her lashes and twitch of her jaw betraying her, and then she spins on her heel and breaks into a strange half-jog down the alley and onto the street, leaving Sabine alone with a dumpster and extremely hard nipples.
  
  Her walk of shame is humiliating. She should"ve taken her bike, it"s fucking freezing, but her motorcycle is extremely conspicuous and difficult to find parking for, so she had walked the half-hour from her apartment to this building. Terrible decision. She"s walking nearly in a daze, bringing her fingers up to her lips as if it"ll preserve Shin"s taste on her tongue, and so the car that comes to a stop next to her nearly makes her jump out of her skin.
  
  "Aren"t you cold?" Hera asks wryly from the driver"s seat, throwing the passenger door open for Sabine. Of fucking course. Hera drives the narc-iest car in existence, sleek and black with leather seats and tinted windows, and when Sabine slides into the narc car and buckles up, she can feel the heated seats switch on beneath her thighs. Hera appears to be off-duty; her green sweater and jeans are far more suited for one of Jacen"s PTA meetings than going to work, but the look she gives Sabine is anything but.
  
  "How"d you know where I was?" Sabine asks, holding her hands up to the warm air blasting from the vent in front of her. Hera pulls back onto the road, lifting a single finger as she likes to do when she"s concentrating on something, and Sabine rolls her eyes as she settles back against the seat.
  
  "I took a wild guess." She answers, finally, after they"ve started driving again, drumming her fingers across the wheel, and Sabine wrinkles her nose. Took a wild guess? Hera is a terrible guesser. She"s lost iSpy and Guess Who more times than anyone can count. Jacen stopped playing with her when he was five because he wanted more of a challenge.
  
  "She tracks your phone." Speak of the devil. Sabine turns around to see Jacen in the back next to Chopper, who"s trying to lick the Cheerio dust from between the seats and drooling on Jacen"s seatbelt. He beams at her, revealing several new gaps in his teeth, and Sabine reaches behind her to ruffle his hair and then scratch Chopper behind the ears. He snorts on her hand, damp breath against her palm, and Sabine pulls back and wipes her hands on her pants.
  
  "Hey, buddy. Isn"t it way past your bedtime? What's up with that?"
  
  "I just picked him up from a sleepover." Hera interjects, practically waving her fist at a blue sedan that cuts her off. Jesus, she"s like an old man. Sabine is surprised she hasn"t been told to get off the lawn yet, though it"s really only a matter of time. Her and Ahsoka are forever complaining about kids these days and taxes and gas prices, as if Sabine or Jacen give a shit. Jacen is eleven and Sabine has never once paid her taxes.
  
  "I threw up on my friend Theo"s bed." Jacen says solemnly, punctuated by a grunt from Chopper as if he can confirm. He might be able to. Chopper, despite being about a hundred years old, not to mention extremely grumpy and borderline asthmatic, has a sixth sense for everything regarding Jacen"s well-being.
  
  "Gross, dude. You eat too much candy?"
  
  "Yup."
  
  Sabine makes a face at him, earning a giggle, and Jacen goes back to tapping at his sticky iPad with Chopper"s head resting against his leg and smearing drool on his pants. At least whatever he"s playing doesn"t have audio (that or Hera made him turn the volume off) and Sabine turns back to Hera with a raised eyebrow.
  
  "Back to you tracking my phone?"
  
  "It"s just a safety measure, that"s all."
  
  "Right." Sabine drags out the word, wondering if there"s a way to get Hera to stop doing that, especially because the look on Hera"s face indicates that she absolutely does not believe her own words. Creep. She"ll have to leave her phone at home next time she goes out and see how many pointed texts she"s gotten when she gets home. Maybe Hera will chip her like she did after the fourth time Chopper wandered off in search of some chicken bones.
  
  It takes another five minutes of silence before they reach Hera"s house, a nondescript bungalow with Jacen"s bike propped against the garage door and chalk drawings covering the driveway, and she parks in front of the mailbox and turns her hazard lights on to force cars to go around her as they pass.
  
  "Alright, you and Chopper go straight to bed, you hear me? I"m gonna drive Sabine home, I"ll be back in ten to say goodnight. No screens, either of you, and lock the door behind you." Hera says, very sternly, as if Chopper is going to plop down on the couch and turn on the news, and Jacen slings his backpack over one shoulder and unbuckles his seatbelt.
  
  "Yes, mom. Goodnight, Sabine." Jacen leans forward and accepts a kiss to his mussed hair from both Hera and Sabine, dutiful as ever, and Sabine gives Chopper a goodbye pet as well as Jacen climbs out of the car and holds the door for Chop politely. He"s letting cold air in, but he"s being so sweet about it that Sabine can"t exactly complain.
  
  "Goodnight, Jay. Night, Chopper." Chopper responds with a grunt, getting more slobber on the leather seats, and then he hops down after Jacen and trots inside with him. Sabine and Hera both watch until they"re inside and the door is closed and Jacen has flashed the porch light to confirm he"s safe, and only then does Hera turn her hazards off and pull away from the curb.
  
  Since Hera is a buzzkill, she doesn"t let Sabine turn the radio on, just turns it off from the steering wheel twice until Sabine catches the hint, and so they drive in silence towards the slightly shittier part of town where Sabine lives. Her buzz is starting to wear off, apparently two rum and cokes isn"t enough to sustain tipsiness for longer than an hour, which is kind of annoying, and they pull to a stop at a red light and idle there.
  
  Hera turns in her seat to squint at Sabine, extremely disapprovingly, like she wants to say something that"ll probably start an argument, and then her eyes dart down to the side of Sabine"s neck and narrow even further. "What"s this-"
  
  "Hey, c"mon. It"s nothing." Sabine leans away before Hera can touch her neck, flipping down the sun visor so she can check what Hera is trying to poke at, and finds a collection of dark pink claw marks patterning the side of her throat. Fuck. Shin"s nails had felt good digging into her skin, little pinpricks of pain that set her senses on fire, but they left scratches that are extremely prominent and impossible to explain away. She tries to brush some of the longer strands of her hair down over her neck, probably only highlighting the marks, and the light turns green before Hera can ask any more questions.
  
  "Have you been smoking?" Hera asks, eyes back on the road, and Sabine bites down on the inside of her cheek so she doesn"t cuss. She"s like a dog with a fucking bone, just as stubborn as she was when Sabine came home late or was evasive about the mushrooms her and Ezra were doing in college, and Sabine has a feeling that if Hera found out the actual reason she smells like smoke, she"ll blow a gasket.
  
  "No." Sabine lies. One drag of Shin"s cigarette doesn"t count. Hera cuts her eyes sideways, pursing her lips, and Sabine brings the collar of her jacket to her nose and takes a sniff. Dammit. She stinks of smoke. She also has a white hair on her lapel, which she plucks off as casually as she can manage, and then flicks it to the floor and pretends to be looking at the road.
  
  "Are you in trouble?"
  
  "No more than usual."
  
  "Good. I don"t want to know, then." Hera runs a hand over her face, she looks tired, and Sabine thanks whatever god is up there for making Hera leave her alone. She finds another white hair caught in one of her rings, likely from where she had fisted Shin"s hair right before Shin decided she"d had enough, and she untangles that too and tosses it onto the floor next to the other.
  
  There had been a knife in Shin"s pocket and hunger in Shin"s mouth and desperation in Shin"s hips and Sabine watches buildings blur and tries not to imagine Shin slitting that comptroller"s throat. She fails, mostly because she can see it perfectly in her head; pale face spattered crimson, long fingers stained with blood, chest rising and falling as she flicked out a switchblade and opened up that man"s throat in a bright red smile. Has Shin killed people before? Will she kill people again? Will Skoll be angry with her for not killing this man? Will he send her back to finish the job? Will-
  
  "Sabine." Hera says, breaking Sabine"s trance, and Sabine shakes her head sharply to dispel her lingering thoughts. This is really not the time to be daydreaming about Shin"s wild eyes or the gleam of her white teeth as she cuts a man"s throat from ear to ear. Killing people is wrong. Even if they suck as badly as this man supposedly does.
  
  "So, what"s next, then?" Sabine is fairly desperate to change the subject, but Hera never misses an opportunity to deliver a lecture or a soliloquy or a monologue, and she immediately perks up in her seat and makes a turn that Sabine knows will mean they"re taking the long way back to her apartment so Hera will have more time to ramble.
  
  "Well, Morgan is fucking untraceable, besides your lead from that nightclub front we"re coming up empty."
  
  "And your victim of the evening?"
  
  "He"s being placed under witness protection, which can come either in the form of actual witness protection or an interrogation room, depending on what we dig up in the next few days."
  
  "Yeesh. Shady guy?"
  
  "Oh, you know, the standard "man with an inkling of political power" package consisting mainly of hookers, blow and occasional money laundering."
  
  "Is "hookers and blow" professional jargon?" Sabine grins, drumming her fingers against her thigh. She can still taste Shin at the back of her mouth, all sticky-sweet whiskey and cigarette smoke, and she huffs a paranoid breath into her hand to make sure that Hera can"t smell anything. Just liquor, but Sabine had been drinking too, and though she doesn"t often drink bourbon, Hera doesn"t know that. The last thing Hera probably remembers Sabine drinking is Fireball directly from the bottle as a teenager.
  
  "In this case, kind of. It's all connected, the hookers less so." Hera waves a hand. No wonder she dropped Jacen off first. The drugs are interesting, though, mostly because the idea of Shin surrounded by half-naked women and dime baggies full of blow makes Sabine want to laugh until she cries.
  
  "The coke is connected to Thrawn and the others?" Sabine asks as she begins fiddling with the shit in Hera"s cupholders. She thought Thrawn was higher-level than that. He looks higher-level than that, he looks like he should be commanding armies, not selling bricks of coke wrapped in duct tape. (Sabine might watch too much TV. Might.)
  
  "Oh, yeah. Laundering and drugs go hand in hand, Sabine, especially rich people drugs." Hera sounds as if she"s about to launch into a whole thing, so Sabine keeps her mouth closed and prays she"ll be as brief as possible. Unlikely, but it would be nice. "They buy the coke with money that is, all things considered, clean. Then that clean money becomes drug money, which makes it dirty money, so you need someone to clean it. Of course, no one's gonna do that for free, because who would risk a jail sentence without reward, right? So they wash the money for a cut of it, and suddenly they're also, by association, involved in the drug trade part of the scheme."
  
  "So out of these people we're after, who does what?" Sabine mostly understands all that. She much prefers buying weed from Ezra"s dealer and doing coke at parties if she"s offered, but she can understand the money involved in the big league stuff like in one of those shows her and Ezra watch when they"re bored and a little stoned. It"s not money she"s particularly interested in, but it"s gotta be serious cash.
  
  "Well, that's what we're trying to find out." Hera says, slightly patronising in that way she gets when she thinks Sabine wasn"t listening. Sabine is rarely listening, but she"s a grown-ass woman who doesn"t need to be patronised. Silence falls over the car, the only sound the faint hum of the motor and the gentle patter of raindrops as the sky starts to spit a fine mist of rain, and then Sabine twists one of her rings around her fingers and speaks up again.
  
  "You ever think about how easy it would be for an agent to commit these crimes? I mean, you're already experts."
  
  "No, I don't, actually."
  
  "Maybe you should, I dunno. Just something to consider." Sabine shrugs. This is why she could never do the stuff Hera does. Well, that and a whole host of reasons, including but not limited to some time spent in juvenile detention and the fact that the only reason she graduated college (Sabine has a visual arts degree, something she could"ve accomplished by sneezing on a canvas) is because Ahsoka and Hera threatened to skin her alive if she didn"t go to class.
  
  "Don't think so." Hera turns onto Sabine"s street, evidently they had taken the medium way instead of the long way, and Sabine runs her tongue over her teeth. They taste of orange zest and Sabine never wants to brush the flavour away. She does it again, just to let the tang of citrus settle on her tongue, and realises belatedly this probably makes her look like she"s on molly and is going to stress Hera out.
  
  "Man. Boring." Sabine says, pressing her lips together so Hera doesn"t start lecturing her about party drugs for the nineteenth time, and Hera slows to a stop in front of Sabine"s building and leaves the engine running. This is probably because leaving Chopper and Jacen unsupervised for more than twenty minutes is going to mean a lot of peanut butter stuck in the carpet, so Sabine unbuckles her seatbelt so Hera doesn"t go home to a house that might send someone into anaphylactic shock.
  
  "I know." Hera reaches out and brushes a strand of hair off Sabine"s forehead, tapping her on the temple with two fingers. "Take care, Sabine. Don't make me regret involving you in this."
  
  "I wasn't planning on it." Sabine gives her a grin, earning a shake of Hera"s head in return, and she waves Sabine out of the car with a rather indulgent smile. She stays at the curb until Sabine is inside, as always, which is both very sweet and a little annoying, and Sabine gives her a thumbs-up through the plate-glass window in the lobby and takes the stairs by threes up to her apartment.
  
  She still feels jittery, like her nerves have been hooked up to a car battery, like Shin"s kiss struck her with lightning, and it takes her three tries to get her key into the door and twist, another two to kick one boot off at the wall. Jesus. Is she a teenager again? This unravelled by a girl? A pretty girl, sure, a tall, beautiful, abrasive, raspy-voiced, pink-lipped, wide-eyed-shit. Are her dishes done?
  
  Ahsoka can"t have been in, because she would have left a passive-aggressive note about said dishes, but her dishes are in the drying rack by the sink she usually stores paint brushes in and her paint brushes are sitting in a cup next to the stove. She did not do her dishes before she left, Sabine only does dishes when she"s out of clean surfaces to eat off of and she puts them back into the cupboard wet, but here they are, done.
  
  Her donuts are in the garbage. Fuck, someone is coming to kill her. Someone has broken into her apartment and they"re waiting to kill her, hiding under her bed or in her closet, and Murley didn"t even stop them. Sabine wonders, briefly, if it"s one of Baylan"s goons, coming to kill her for making out with his daughter, and she grabs the metal paper towel holder from the counter and a spatula from a drawer. Neither of these are particularly effective weapons: the paper towel holder only has the cardboard tube on it and the spatula is half-melted from the time she left the stove on by mistake, but they"re better than nothing.
  
  She makes her way towards the living room, where she can hear the TV playing faintly, and just as she"s about to flick on the light and engage in single combat with whoever is in her apartment, someone speaks behind her.
  
  "Oh, hey-" That someone is cut off when Sabine whips around and cracks them across the face with her spatula. She fumbles for the light switch, still brandishing the utensil like it"s a sword, and the hallway light reveals dark hair far longer than Sabine remembers it being and a cheek flushing a violent red from the spatula.
  
  "What the fuck, dude?!" Sabine isn"t sure whether to hug Ezra or kill him. He hasn"t been home in six months and he decides to break into her home and do her dishes? Makes sense that Murley didn"t defend her, though. Ezra feeds him all the chicken he wants and lets him gnaw on all Sabine"s paint brushes with abandon.
  
  "What? You gave me a key!" Ezra frowns. How he grew that beard in six months, Sabine isn"t sure, but it"s kind of impressive. He"s all shaggy now, even his clothes, which are absolutely going to give Hera an aneurysm when she sees him. She calls Sabine a hippie whenever she wears sandals, so Ezra"s chances of escaping unscathed are low.
  
  "You're supposed to be on vacation, I thought someone broke in!" Sabine hugs him tightly even as she"s berating him, burying her nose in the collar of his sweatshirt. Ezra has been in the Galapagos for nearly half a year on some sort of spiritual awakening trip, meaning he"s mostly communicated with her via postcard and the occasional picture of him with a turtle, and Sabine has missed him desperately. Ahsoka and Hera both think that his spiritual awakening is an excuse for him to drink ayahuasca and have unprotected sex, but it sounded pretty fun in the postcards.
  
  "And your weapon of choice was a plastic spatula?" Ezra lifts a brow when Sabine finally releases him. This is rich coming from a man who regularly tries to break up bar fights using deep breathing techniques, but Sabine chooses not to bring up the fact that he"s gotten more black eyes than a cartoon character with that method and elbows him instead.
  
  "I don't have to defend my choice of utensil to you." Sabine scowls, setting down the paper towel holder on the side table. Murley wanders into the room, meowing impatiently at Ezra, who leans down to pet him between the ears. Dumb cat. Never takes her side.
  
  "Why are you so paranoid, anyway? I've never seen you this jumpy."
  
  "I'm not jumpy, you just scared me."
  
  Ezra squints very suspiciously at her, crossing his arms over his chest. The red mark on his face is becoming more distinctly spatula-shaped, which makes Sabine feel sort of bad for hitting him with it at full force, but she feels less bad when Ezra is looking at her like he just caught her shoplifting or something.
  
  "Where were you?" Ezra trails her into the kitchen, where Sabine returns her weapon to the drawer next to the stove. Besides doing the dishes, Ezra has apparently been reorganising; the cereal boxes on top of the fridge are arranged alphabetically and all the spices in the rack are ordered using one of Ezra"s organisational systems that means Sabine is going to be seasoning her scrambled eggs with cinnamon until she finally remembers to switch back.
  
  "Out. Did you eat my donuts?" Sabine looks pointedly over at the box in the garbage. Ezra leans against the counter with his arms still crossed over his chest, shaking his hair out of his eyes, and then shrugs.
  
  "I tried. They were stale as hell, though, so I threw them out."
  
  "Man, I was saving those to make donut granola."
  
  "That's disgusting."
  
  Sabine is the one shrugging this time. Donut granola isn"t the invention she"s proudest of, but it is one of the tastiest. She opens the fridge and retrieves two bottles of beer from the vegetable drawer, popping the caps off both with the naked lady magnet she keeps on the fridge next to Jacen, Chopper, and Hera"s Christmas card from last year and handing the foamier of the two to Ezra. They sip in silence for a moment, then Ezra cuts his eyes at her suspiciously and drums his fingers against the neck of the bottle.
  
  "So, what's her name?" He asks, swishing the beer around before he takes another sip. Sabine makes a face at him, crossing her arms right back, and tips the bottle back for a swig so she doesn"t automatically tell Ezra that her name is Shin.
  
  "What do you mean 'what's her name', there's no her. Why would there be a her?" This is a piss-poor defence, but it"s the only one Sabine has. It feels weird to not tell Ezra about Shin, though. She tells Ezra about all the girls she dates, he tells her about...whoever he"s dating, they always have, and keeping Shin a secret feels strange. Necessary, because Ezra gets loose-lipped when he drinks and would end up spilling to Ahsoka and Hera sooner rather than later, but strange.
  
  "Because you're only this dodgy when it's about a giiiirl." Ezra drags out the word, crinkling his nose at her, and Sabine rolls her eyes. Is he a fucking teenager, teasing her about girls? Christ. It was bad enough that he did that when they actually were teenagers, but Ezra is pushing thirty now.
  
  "Well, it's not. I'm just helping Hera with a work thing." Sabine waves her bottle, accidentally slopping a bit of beer over the lip, and she mops up the spill with the toe of her sock and wipes her hand on her pants.
  
  "Okay, you can't just say a 'work thing' like she's an accountant who needs her files organised."
  
  "Why not?"
  
  "Because she's not an accountant!"
  
  "It's classified, okay? I'm not allowed to tell you." Another terrible excuse. Hera had never actually said the word classified, nor did she say that Sabine wasn"t allowed to tell Ezra, but for some reason she wants to keep Shin as just hers for the moment. Saying her name aloud, making her real, it would mean that Shin couldn"t occupy some small, strange place in Sabine"s brain that she"s taken up residence in, she"d have to exist in the real world and Sabine doesn"t want her to.
  
  "Fine. I'll just call Ahsoka, tell her that Hera asked her to fill me in and she'll start blabbing immediately." Ezra sips his beer rather smugly. Well, that"s just not fair. That"s just weaponizing Ahsoka"s lack of conviction when it comes to anything Hera-related. They can only exploit that for taking petty cash from her wallet and the occasional get-out-of-jail-free card.
  
  "That's a dirty trick and you know it."
  
  "So, better I hear it from you than from Ahsoka. She exaggerates."
  
  This is true. Sabine sighs, taking another long swig of beer so she doesn"t have to come up with the words right away. She swishes the beer around her mouth, rinsing the last taste of Shin from her teeth, and then swallows and looks at Ezra with the most serious expression she can muster when she"s on her third drink of the evening and is still buzzing off the feeling of Shin"s nails scratching the back of her neck.
  
  "Hera and her team have had their eyes on some money laundering scheme for a while now, but apparently they've started getting serious, like, actual criminal serious." Sabine says, beginning to peel the label off her beer so she has something to do with her hands. Ezra raps his bottle against her knuckles to get her attention back, just hard enough to make her glower at him, and he brushes it off and mulls on her words for a moment.
  
  "I feel like money laundering is pretty serious on its own." He says thoughtfully, as if he"s aware of all the ins and outs of crime just from watching Netflix dramas while he"s baked out of his mind. Sabine has watched most of them with him and all she"s absorbed is that men in those shows are always far uglier than the actresses playing their wives.
  
  "No, dude. Murder serious. Drugs, assassins, hitmen. White collar to organised. All of it."
  
  "Like mafia shit?"
  
  "Maybe!"
  
  "Well, that's insane. Why are you involved in this again? I'd love to know what skills you possess that could possibly help stop the mafia." Ezra finishes his beer and flips the bottle into the recycling neatly. Sabine would be offended if he wasn"t right. Painting murals and eating pizza aren"t exactly helpful, and kissing Shin wasn"t something Hera had specifically asked her to do nor is it something Sabine wants Hera actually knowing about.
  
  "Fuck off. I'm just snooping around for Hera 'cause she looks like a narc in any place that's a pay grade below a Ritz-Carlton lobby." Sabine listens to the bottle rattle around at the bottom of the recycling bin and then listens to Ezra snort. Hera isn"t even an actual cop and people avoid her on the subway.
  
  "That's an excellent point, actually. Like, there's no reason for her to wear a pantsuit to Whole Foods." Ezra laughs. Sabine tips her bottle at him in agreement, finishing the last dregs of her beer, and their laughter fades to a comfortable silence that Sabine hadn"t realised she"d missed this much.
  
  "I missed you." Sabine chucks her own bottle into the recycling, where it clunks loudly against Ezra"s, and gives him a grin. He grins back, warm and kind as ever, and wraps one arm around her neck so he can kiss the top of her head.
  
  "Bet you did."
  
  Notes:
  tumblr is wakesirens
  
  Summary:
  Follow the adventures of the witch Millie and her familiar Sophia as they travel Japan. They're on the hunt for sexy monster girls, and all the fun they can have.
  
  Chapter 1: Arriving in Japan
  Chapter Text
  Magical Sexual Hunting
  
  Chapter 1: Arriving in Japan
  
  Two women came out of the plane together, each with a bag. One of them was a tall woman, about 5"11" tall, with the kind of curves that would make people think she was a model, or a porn star, with long red hair down her back and bright blue eyes. The other one was shorter, about 5" even, with shoulder length black hair and green eyes, her body wasn"t as curvy, but she looked quite graceful, almost catlike in her movements. "Ah!" the blonde girl said, "We finally made it to the Land of the Rising Sun! Give me some sushi! Give me some Fuji! Give me some hot girls!"
  
  The shorter woman shook her head and said, "Calm down, Mistress. There"s no reason to draw attention to yourself." The redheaded girl laughed but didn"t say much else as they went through the airport and passed by security. The airport security officers were stunned by what they found in the redhead"s bag, one of them blushing as red as a tomato as he asked in Japanese and then English, "What is the reason for your visit to Japan, business or pleasure?" The redheaded woman smiled and answered in Japanese, "I"m here for pleasure, lots and lots of pleasure." The smaller woman sighed in exasperation and said in Japanese, "I"m with her. Same thing."
  
  Airport security then hurried them along, and tried not to watch as they left, but the shorter one had a very nice butt, and she was sashaying as she went.
  
  "You"re such a showoff, Mistress," the shorter woman said as she caught up with the taller one. The Mistress only smiled wide, "I can"t help it, Sophia, some people are just so easy. And we are here for pleasure after all." The Mistress then pulled out her phone and showed her the website she had found, "There are so many kinds of monster girls here, all ripe for the taking! I figure at least five or six will be enough for my harem, maybe even seven for it is a good magical number. And like the First Law of the Pink Path says, "The more the merrier"."
  
  The two women walked through the city of Kyoto and found a hotel that was renting for the night and rented their room on the third floor. They saw that they had found a legendary Love Hotel when they went inside and saw a minibar, heart-shaped bed, and an open shower and bath area where anyone could see them. Once they set their bags down, Sophia stretched, and two cat-ears sprang from her head and a black tail appeared from her back. "Ah! It feels so nice to let my parts out," the cat girl said as she stretched and then started stripping off her clothes.
  
  Sophia was indeed a familiar of her Mistress, a black cat spirit who gratefully served her Mistress on the Pink Path of Magic. There were many paths of Magic, the Green who relied on the power of nature, the Black that relied on the power of Evil were two such paths. The Pink relied on the life giving and Tantric power of sex. As Sophie stripped and stretched her feet and arms became covered in black fur while her nails turned into claws. Her skin was quite pale, her thighs, body, and upper arms were hairless; but her vagina was covered in thick black pubes. This was the form that her Mistress enjoyed the most.
  
  "So, Mistress Millie, when will we start the hunt for your harem?" Sophia asked as she crawled onto the bed, while her Mistress, Millie, got her clothes off and headed for the shower, showing off her pale yet freckled skin, DD sized breasts, 27" waist and wide 38" hips. "We"ll start tomorrow. I got a contact who can help me find the first girl for us, an onryo in a DVD," Millie answered before starting the shower. Sophia"s tail wagged as she followed her Mistress into the shower.
  
  "Let me wash you, Mistress," Sophia said as she pulled out some soap and started covering Millie"s voluptuous body in suds. She paid special attention to every inch of her, making sure she was good and clean as her Mistress liked, teasing her large breasts and pink nipples especially, making sure that her fiery bush was wet with more than just water. "Oh Sophia! I love it when you"re like this!" Millie moaned. Sophia took her to the edge, but never let her tip to the point of orgasm. "That ought to do it!" the cat familiar said with a smile. "AWWW!" Millie groaned in frustration.
  
  "Come to bed if you want more," Sophia said as she left the shower, shook off the water on her then dried herself off. She sashayed to the bed and sat down on all fours, her rear end high and tail up to show off her pink asshole and hairy quim. Barely five minutes later, Millie came out of the shower, her red hair still damp. She marched to her familiar and gave a hard smack on her rear. "MEOW!" Sophia screamed, then Millie spanked her again, making her give another "MEOW!" Millie grabbed Sophia"s tail and said, "You"re a naughty little kitty, toying with me like that. I"m going to spank your lovely ass red, then you"ll be eating me out good!"
  
  "Yes, Mi-MEOW!" Sophia"s answer was cutoff by another spanking, and then another. Every time Millie spanked her familiar, Sophia gave a loud "MEOW". Millie was merciless, and in only a few minutes, Sophia"s normally snow-white bum was bright cherry red from all her spanks. Millie climbed in front of Sophia and laid down, spreading her legs and showing off her fiery red bush and cunt. Sophia quietly went down and licked her Mistress"s cunt in all the ways she knew she liked. "Good girl," Millie moaned as her familiar licked up and down her slit.
  
  Her tongue was slightly rough, but not so much that it hurt as she ate out her Mistress, licking like she was the most delicious thing she would ever taste. "That"s my pretty kitty!" Millie moaned as Sophia ate her out, never stopping until Millie finally came. "OHHH YEEEESSSSSS!" Millie screamed as she finally reached orgasm, and Sophia gently licked her quim and legs clean. "Now, come have your milk," Millie said. Sophia climbed up until her face was level with Millie"s large breasts, and she latched on to her left nipple and started sucking on it.
  
  Part of the contract for a Familiar Spirit for a witch was that they could regularly have the fluids of the witch; either their blood or milk. Sophia chose Millie"s milk, and sucked it up ravenously, making her Mistress groan as she felt her breast milk coming out. Millie gently petted her head and said, "That"s a good kitty, such a good kitty." Sophia drank her fill and sighed contentedly as she let go of her Mistress" breast. Millie reached down to her dark-haired quim and gently stroked it before shoving two of her fingers inside her.
  
  Sophia groaned contentedly as she felt her orgasm coming, and Millie moved her fingers faster and harder inside her. Sophia screamed out as she finally came, her cunt squirting her fluids out like a fountain. Sophia sighed, and her Mistress gave her a kiss as she felt the magic of the Pink Path fill her; one had to satisfy their partners in order to gain power from the Pink Path. "Tomorrow, we"ll have a new partner," Millie said. Sophia smiled, "I can"t wait Mistress."
  
  
  Chapter 2: Ghost in the DVD
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 2: Ghost in the DVD
  
  Millie woke up and sighed, her pretty kitty familiar Sophia was snuggling up to her, and she looked so cute. Seeing her made her so horny, from her flawless pale skin to her dark as night hair and fur, her small yet tasty breasts and her amazing legs and ass, all of it was hers; she could do anything to her familiar. As long as she fed Sophia her breast milk or blood, the cat girl was hers until death do they part. Millie"s hands explored Sophia"s body, massaging and feeling everything from her ears to her feet before she settled on her fine behind. Sophia woke up and purred at her before they kissed, their tongues moving and dancing together; after ten years they were very good at making each other horny. It really helped as Millie grabbed Sophia"s butt and lifted her up to her face.
  
  Millie licked up and down her pretty kitty"s pussy, enjoying her taste and smell, something like a mix between cats and flowers and humans. Sophia moaned and meowed as her witch mistress ate her out, and Millie felt her power increasing with her familiar"s pleasure until she at last came, squirting all over Millie"s face. She was about to continue, when the phone in their room went off. "Fuck me," Millie said as Sophia climbed off her face and then climbed down; she chose to take Millie"s curse as an order. Millie reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the phone while Sophia started licking up her slit.
  
  "Hello?" Millie said, trying to keep her voice down as Sophia started licking her faster. "Miss Bookman, your time in our hotel has expired. You must either pay for an extension or leave within the next fifteen minutes. "OH!" Millie groaned, then got a handle on her voice as Sophia sucked on her clit and managed to say, "Fifteen minutes, understood. We"ll be down soon!" She grabbed Sophia"s head and yelled, "FASTER WE NEED TO LEAVE SOON!" Sophia moved her mouth and lips faster than any human could, and barely a minute later, Millie came.
  
  "Alright, we don"t have time to shower, so we"ll have to get clean at a public bathhouse nearby," Millie said as she and Sophia climbed off the bed and got dressed. Millie put on some tight pants and a green tube top with her heels while Sophia wore a black and white striped shirt and black pants and her normal black boots and made sure to change her form. Her arms and legs lost their hair and her claws turned back into nails as her ears and tail disappeared. "It feels so weird to have human ears," Sophia said as she parted her hair and felt her human ears, "Even after four-hundred years and seven mistresses, you"d think I"d be used to it."
  
  "Some things are just habit," Millie said as they packed their bags and hurried out to the front of the love hotel. After checking out the two of them walked together down the streets of Kyoto, following a map on her phone straight to the bath house. "I thought we had to meet someone who could help you summon an onryo," Sophia commented as they walked. "We"ll meet him at noon. We got time for a bath, breakfast, and maybe a little shopping for some cute outfits for you," Millie smiled at her familiar. Mi
  
  They made their way to the Public Bathhouse and went into the women"s section. There they entered the showers and cleaned themselves off before grabbing the towels provided for bathhouse patrons and went into the large bath. There were plenty of other women and girls already there, from old ladies to young girls almost old enough for school and everything in-between. Many of the women and girls there all watched as Millie went inside and laid down in the bath, with Sophia following close behind. Millie was used to this reaction; she was taller than average and had some fantastic curves if she did say so herself; both those things tended to make her stand out a lot in a crowd.
  
  The attention made Millie feel good, it might help her attract potential partners, or even an apprentice in the Pink Path of Magic. As she let the heat of the bath fill her, Millie remembered how she first met her Teacher, Allison, on the beach. Allison was a woman of about average height but some amazing legs and breasts with long dark hair and a grey streak down the middle. Allison and she had had a one-night stand, and Millie had been so good that Allison offered to teach her the Pink Path of Magic. Millie accepted, and twelve years later, here she was in Japan, looking to make an entire harem of monster girls. "Are your boobs real?"
  
  Millie was taken out of her head from a question a young Japanese woman asked her. She was quite handsome with dark hair in a short boyish cut and a smirk on her face that told Millie she was definitely into girls. "Yep," Millie said with a smile and lifted up her breasts, "All natural. Great genetics and all that." Millie was interrupted by the sound of her stomach grumbling, and Sophia said, "I"m starting to get dizzy, Mistress." Millie smiled at the Japanese girl with short hair and said, "We need to go. Hope we can see you again..." The Japanese woman smirked in a real playgirl kind of way, "Ryuko, Takeda Ryuko. Hope I can see you both later." Takeda Ryuko eyed Millie and Sophia one more time and then went her own way while they went theirs.
  
  "She looked interesting," Sophia commented as they got dressed and left the bathhouse, "I think she might have talent for magic." "Oh?" Millie said, "Are you sure?" Sophie nodded, "It"s quite possible. I sensed the spark inside her." Millie was intrigued by this and hoped that Fate would bring her and Takeda Ryuko together again.
  
  Guided by her phone map, Millie and Sophia made their way to a pancake restaurant and split a stack of six pancakes loaded with strawberries, blueberries, and cream. The pancakes were so fluffy and sweet that they had to have black coffee to counter the sweetness. It was a good breakfast, and after having another coffee they headed back out. Millie"s phone rang as they left and she answered, "Moshi moshi?" A man"s voice said, "I have the package you wanted, if you still want it. But I have to leave Kyoto, so come to the place in half an hour." With that, he hung up.
  
  "So much for clothes shopping," Millie sighed, "I was really hoping to pick out some cute goth loli outfits for you." Sophia shrugged, "Oh well. Let"s get this over with. Are you sure that your plan will work?" Millie nodded as they headed for a dark alleyway on the lonelier streets of Kyoto, "I"m sure. Onryo are spirits of revenge and anger. If we can quell that anger, one of two things will happen; she"ll either move on from this plane of existence, or she"ll be so happy she"ll join my harem. Win-win to me." Sophia nodded but commented, "I hope you"re right."
  
  The two of them made their way down the alleyway and spotted their contact. He was wearing a mask, but in previous messages said he would be wearing a green baseball cap. He was dressed in green and held a small plastic case. "That"s far enough," the man said. "Give me my payment, and I"ll give you the DVD." Millie nodded and raised her right hand. A bright pink magic circle with a dozen sigils appeared above her hand, and from the magic circle a green gem the size of a chicken egg dropped into Millie"s hand. Inside the gem there was a small writhing fire, a living fire.
  
  Millie and the man walked closer to each other and stopped six inches in front of each other. They held out their hands and both took their items, the man took his gem and Millie took the DVD case. "I hope you know what you"re doing," Millie told him, "That djinn is a tricky one." The man answered, "I hope you know what you"re doing. That ghost is murderous." Millie and the man nodded to each other, and then the man waved his hands, and a green portal appeared beneath him. He slipped into the portal and was gone.
  
  "Alright, that"s that," Millie said, then her and Sophia headed out to their next destination. They went into a grocery store and looked around, checking on the herbs. Millie picked out some rosemary, thyme, hyssop, sage, and mint. She also bought a small tea kettle and some green tea. Once they had their items, she and Sophia took a bus back to the Love Hotel. They checked back into the Hotel for three hours and went to their room. It was similar to the last one, so they were ready.
  
  Millie prepared the herbs and mixed some into the tea, then took her suitcase and pulled out a box of salt and mixed some into the herbs. Millie brewed the herbal green tea and prepared a salt circle around herself. Millie and Sophia drank the herbal tea when it was ready, and then Sophia stripped naked and transformed, only this time her entire body was covered in fur and her teeth turned into sharp fangs. She might have to fight against the onryo in the DVD. Once the preparations were made, Sophia took the DVD and put it in a player in the room.
  
  On the TV appeared an empty alleyway. Suddenly, there appeared a pale woman on the scream with long hair down her front, hiding her face. She was wearing a ragged and torn office worker"s dress. The woman walked closer and closer on the screen, and then the screen moved outward. The onryo pushed her way out of the screen and into the real world, snarling like a feral animal as she moved. "I will kill you!" The Onryo screamed as she ran at Millie, only to stop at the salt circle. "There is no need for violence," Millie said, "We should talk, Kuroko."
  
  The onryo stopped then, and then growled and tried to swat at Millie, only for her blows to stop outside the salt circle. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!?" The onryo, Kuroko, screamed. "Everything," Millie said, and looked at the ghost sadly. "I know that you were in love with your office senpai. I know that she used you to slake her lusts for women, but she had a male lover, a yakuza. I know that she tricked you into meeting her in an alleyway, where her lover and his thugs raped and murdered you. She made a DVD recording of it all, the very DVD you are haunting. You already had your revenge on them, Kuroko. You already killed Mashirao Mitsuki and her lover, Ryumen Guro. There"s no reason for you to be angry."
  
  The onryo growled, and lashed out at the salt circle, buy couldn"t go past it. Finally, the ghost"s growls and curses degenerated into sobs. "I loved her!" she screamed, "I loved her! Why didn"t she love me back!? Why did she help kill me?" The ghost of Kuroko sobbed and sobbed, and Millie finally pushed away the salt, and then wrapped the crying ghost in a hug. "I"m not her, but I can help you, if you wish. What is it that would make you happy, Kuroko?" Kuroko gasped, and looked up, her long hair parted. Her skin was deathly pale, but her lips her adorable, she had a cute button nose, and her hazel eyes showed life.
  
  "Do you mean it?" Kuroko asked. "Of course I do," Millie assured her. "I"m a witch with great power." Kuroko smiled, but then she said, "I can"t touch anyone, because I"m a ghost. I want to touch another woman and make love again. Can I, use your body for that?" Millie smiled, "Sure. I even have a cute girl you can make love to. Sophia?" Sophia stepped forward and changed her form, she had no fur on her body, her claws turned to nails, teeth were like a human"s, and the only hair on her was on her hair and pubes. Kuroko licked her lips and said, "Can you top me? I was a bottom in life." Sophia nodded, and Kuroko smiled, before she passed into Millie"s body.
  
  The first thing that Kuroko-in-Millie"s body did was feel up her new body. "Wow, this feel so weird, this woman"s body is so tall!" she said. "Mistress Millie is quite unique," Sophia agreed. Kuroko nodded with Millie"s body, and then she stripped naked, and admired Millie"s body some more before she went to the bed. Sophia followed her and climbed on top of Millie"s body. The cat familiar kissed Millie"s lips, and gently pushed her tongue into her mouth. Kuroko answered with Millie"s tongue, and they were soon kissing like they had been lovers for years. Sophia stopped kissing her and kissed her way down Millie"s body, making Kuroko groan as she felt physical pleasure for the first time in years.
  
  Sophia kissed and nibbled her Mistress" body and made her way to her quim. She immediately dug in, licking and kissing Millie"s pussy with all her skill, and Kuroko yelled as she felt the most intense pleasure she had felt in what felt like forever. Millie"s body came, but Sophia wasn"t done, and she fingered her soaking cunt, and then surprised Kuroko when she gently slid her fist into Millie"s quim. "OH GOD! THAT"S SO GOOOOOOOD!" Kuroko screamed as loudly as Millie"s voice could go and squirted all over the bed. Sophia pulled her hand and licked her Mistress" fluids, "Are you satisfied, Miss Kuroko, or can you handle one more round?"
  
  Kuroko sighed, "One more time, please." Sophia nodded and then climbed up until hers and Millie"s cunts were touching, and she lifted one of Millie"s long legs over her shoulder and started moving her hips. Kuroko groaned and started moving Millie"s body. The two of them, the ghost in the witch"s body and the cat familiar filled the room with their moans as they mutually pleasured each other, and Sophia started moving faster. Kuroko struggled to keep up but was soon too overwhelmed. Together, Sophia and Kuroko in Millie"s body screamed as they came, and Kuroko left Millie"s body.
  
  "Wow, didn"t know you were a screamer," Millie said with a cough. "So, Kuroko, do you want to keep doing stuff like this?" Kuroko smiled, but said, "I wish I had a body of my own." Millie nodded and licked her lips, "I can do that."
  
  Chapter 3: A New Body and a New Apprentice
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 3: A New Body and a New Apprentice
  
  
  
  The day after meeting Kuroko, Millie and Sophia got dressed and washed up, this time Sophia wore a purple dress with leggings and boots while Millie went for a long-sleeved shirt, still tight though, with her usual tight pants and heels. "Alright Sophia," Millie said as they left the Love Hotel, "We need to find some herbs, talk to Ryuko, and gather some soil, lots and lots of soil. We"ll need to head to a forest most likely to find enough soil, and the more life in it the better. Plus, if we"re going to make this work, we"ll need another. If you"re right about Ryuko, then she"ll be a big help for us. This will be a very busy day for us."
  
  "I understand Mistress," Sophia said as she walked behind her, "Making a golem body for a ghost is quite the task after all. Plus, we"ll need all the tantric energy we can make, as well as blood. Having a third partner would definitely make the task easier." Millie nodded and they had their breakfast before going to the Public Bath House again. This time, Millie kept her eyes peeled, looking for Ryuko. "I smell her, Mistress," Sophia said beside her, "She"s on the other side of the bath, and she"s very aroused." Millie and Sophia waded their way through the pool and found Ryuko up to her neck in the water, clearly looking at a couple of young women who were merely wetting their feet.
  
  "Hello, Takeda-san," Millie said as she stood up in front of Ryuko, her quim in line with her eyes. Ryuko looked up and smiled, "Hello again, Oppai-san." Millie snorted, "I have a name, it"s Millie, Millie Bookman. And this is Sophia." Sophia waded over to Ryuko and sniffed the air around her. "What"s wrong? I washed," Ryuko said as she stood up. Now that Millie could get a better look at her, Millie liked what she was seeing.
  
  Ryuko was a short woman, maybe 5"4", but she had the body of a fighter, all toned and tight with six pack abs and large knuckles that showed she studied karate. Her thighs were just as toned, if slightly large, and she kept herself cleanshaven between her legs; a small thing for Millie to dislike because she preferred girls with hair down there. But the rest of her body made up for that. "Tell me, Takeda-san," Millie asked, "Have you ever felt a spark inside you, felt yourself drawn to certain places you"ve never been to?" Ryuko nodded and said, "I guess. I usually get that feeling when I go to a temple or are near one. Sometimes, when I"m in a forest, I feel like I"m...a part of something bigger. And, when I make a girl cum really good, I feel like lightning"s running through me."
  
  Millie nodded, "I think I can explain that to you, if you want to hear me out." Ryuko shrugged, "Sure, but we"ll have to do it later. I"m a karate instructor, and my first class starts soon. Maybe we can meet later, say, dinner? I know a good ramen stand to talk at." "Sounds good," Millie agreed, and the three of them got out of the bath and after they dried off, Millie and Ryuko shared their numbers. Millie bent down a little and kissed her, and Ryuko responded by sliding her tongue in her mouth. It felt like lightning shot through Millie"s body and when they separated, Ryuko smirked before smacking Millie"s shapely rear, "See you later, Bookman-san."
  
  Millie sighed and turned to Sophia, "You were right, she definitely has the spark of magic in her. And with that attitude, the Pink Path might be perfect for her." Sophia smiled a little and said, "It will be interesting seeing how you act as a teacher." Millie nodded, "I hope I"m as good as Allison was. Anyway, let"s go, we need some more herbs for Kuroko"s body."
  
  They headed through various grocery stores and flower shops, and bought some more rosemary and sage, along with sweet woodruff, yarrow, and lavender. "Now we need some earth, the healthier and filled with life the better," Millie said, and consulted her trusty phone map to find the nearest forest. "Well, at least we don"t have to meet Ryuko until dinner time," Millie said when she saw how far they"d have to go. She then checked the bus schedules and routes and found one that would take them near the forest, her and Sophia went to the bus stop and waited.
  
  As they waited for the bus they sat down at a nearby bench and Sophia decided to take a nap and rested her head on her Mistress" shoulder. Millie let her and ignored the looks some people gave them. When the bus arrived she woke up her familiar and they took the bus to the closest stop to the forest. They got off and headed into the forest. Once they reached the edge, Millie took off her shoes and opened a pink portal like the one she had stored the gem with the genie in and stored her shoes inside it, while Sophia took off her clothes and threw them into the portal, before transforming. Sophia"s body grew smaller and furrier until she assumed the form of a black cat with blue eyes and followed Millie"s lead through the forest.
  
  The air seemed to hum with the power of life; the power that those who followed the Green Path of Magic relied on. All those trained in magic could feel the power of the forest, and Millie knew she had chosen a good place. They headed deeper into the forest until they finally found a spot with just enough clear space where the soil was loose enough for them to dig. Sophia transformed and became more humanoid except for her cat ears and tail, along with the claws and fur on her forearms and lower legs, and she started to dig up the soil, while Millie opened another storage portal and helped her put the soil inside it. It took an hour digging up the soil by hand, but eventually Millie decided they had enough soil to make a good body for Kuroko, and they headed out of the forest after Sophia returned to her human form and put her clothes back on.
  
  They took another bus back to Kyoto, this time Millie took a nap while Sophia let her rest her Mistress rest her head on her shoulder. As the bus drove them to Kyoto Sophia thought about all her previous Mistresses. Maybe it was because of the eras they had summoned her, maybe it was the Paths of Magic they followed, but none of her previous Mistresses had been as good to her as Millie. Most treated her as a servant, others as a slave for them to use and abuse as they wished. Only Millie had ever treated her as...human, as someone instead of something. Sophia smiled as she thought about how Millie had first summoned her. She had looked so surprised to see a familiar on the mortal plane, that she actually said, "Holy shit! It worked!" And then she said to Sophia, "Hello. Welcome to the Human Realm. I hope we can work well together."
  
  For the first week she never treated Sophia sexually. Millie treated sex as something special, something only people who truly wanted it should have. It was different from others Sophia had known, but then again, Sophia had first been born as a normal cat in the 17th century. Humans and their morals were different back then. Some things were better, some things were appallingly worse.
  
  Sophia noticed that they were almost back in Kyoto and woke up Millie. Millie yawned and said, "I need a drink." Sophia responded, "So do I, Mistress." Millie realized what she meant, and said, "Just wait until we"re someplace private." They were quiet for the rest of the ride until they reached their stop, and then Millie and Sophia headed into a nearby mall and made a quick beeline for the restrooms. They went in and when they were sure they had privacy in the stalls, Millie lifted her shirt and lowered her bra enough for Sophia to latch onto her breast and start to drink her milk. Sophia drank from her Mistress for about five minutes before she was satisfied.
  
  Once Sophia was fed, they left the Mall and made their way back to the Public Bathhouse where they met Ryuko, grabbing some snacks from vending machines along the way. After about a half-hour Ryuko arrived wearing a bright green shirt and pants with black boots. "Nice to see you two again. So, follow me and I"ll show you to the ramen shop," Ryuko said with a smirk. As they walked, Ryuko got between Millie and Sophia and groped their asses as they walked, and Millie returned the favor, while Sophia was silent.
  
  They made their way to a small ramen shop run by two old bald men and Ryuko said, "I"ll have the usual, Yuta-san. And I"m paying for these two." Millie checked the menu on the wall and said, "I"ll have pork ramen with extra vegetables. And a Sapporo beer." Sophia said, "Shrimp ramen, extra shrimp, with water," and the three of them sat down at a small table. They were handed two beers for Ryuko and Millie while Sophia got her water. Ryuko took a long swig of her beer before she said, "So, this morning you were asking a lot of questions. What was that about?"
  
  Millie explained, "Do you believe in witchcraft?" Ryuko put her beer down and looked Millie in the eyes. "That depends. Are you trying to scam me? I"ve read a few things about that sort of stuff, but I"ve also met a few fakes who just wanted money. I know that there"s something more out there, but I"m not some wide-eyed virgin," is how she answered. Millie nodded, "Good. Because I am a witch. Sopha is my familiar. And we think that you have the spark of magic inside of you as well. If you"re willing, I can teach you my Path of Magic."
  
  Ryuko finished her beer and ordered another, "Prove it, and I"ll do whatever you want." Millie sighed, then lifted her hand, and a magic circle appeared, and from it dropped a pair of grey boxers. Ryuko went wide eyed and grabbed them, "How did you do that?" she whispered. "Magic. That was a relocation spell, a little complicated because I took the undies right off you, but I needed to be simple to make sure that you would believe," Millie answered. Ryuko put her underwear in her pocket and looked nervous now. "Ok, so, you"re a witch. So, you think I can do stuff like that too?" Millie nodded, "In time, after years of studying and learning you can do many things."
  
  Their ramen was ready by then, so the three of them ate. As they ate, Millie explained the different Paths of Magic, and told her about the Pink Path that she followed. Ryuko smirked when she learned about that and said, "So, I"m full of magic power for being a stud. Nice." Millie smiled and told her, "It"s a little more complicated than that. You must be a generous lover to be energized by the Tantric Power of the Pink Path, but yes, you have the gift, and a lot of innate power. I"m hoping to use that power for something." Millie explained to Ryuko about Kuroko and how she was helping make a new body for her, and then told her what she could do to help, if she was interested. Ryuko finished her second beer and sat back a little bit to think. "I"m in. Just tell me where you want me, and I"ll do you, Sophia, and whatever else you need," she answered once they all finished eating.
  
  "If you have someplace private we can go it would help," Millie told her. The Japanese woman smiled, "Sure thing. My apartment isn"t huge, but the walls are thick at least. And my neighbors know that I bring new girls around all the time, so they tend to ignore me. Let"s go." They all paid for their meal, and the three of them left the ramen restaurant. Ryuko led Sophia and Millie through Kyoto"s streets down two blocks before they finally reached her apartment. The building was about five stories tall and looked old but sturdy at least as she led them to her apartment on the third story.
  
  "I"m home," Ryuko said as they entered her apartment, it was a small place, a living room, kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and her bedroom. The living room was simple with an exercise bike, a TV, a weight set, and a couch inside. The kitchen was small but functional, and Ryuko led them to her bedroom, all that was inside was a dresser, a bed, and a bookshelf with old action movies on Blu-ray inside. "So, what do we do first?" Ryuko asked.
  
  Millie and Sophia had kept their traveling suitcases on them the whole time, and Millie opened hers and pulled out a strap-on, lube, a stone mortar and pestle, and the DVD that housed Kuroko and said, "I"m going to make the herbs and soil ready. You and Sophia can start building up Tantric energy for the spell. Remember, you must be unselfish, make her feel good to generate the Tantric power within yourself." Ryuko nodded and turned to Sophia. The familiar and the woman started making out, while Millie started grinding up the herbs.
  
  Ryuko took the strap-on and lube and took off her clothes, revealing her toned, muscular body, while Sophia took off her own clothes and revealed her ears and tail. Ryuko whistled and said, "Just so you know, I"m a tachi. I"ve made plenty of girls my neko before, but I"ve never fucked a real one before." Sophia snorted, "I"m only doing this for Mistress. And I prefer anal, but Mistress doesn"t do it usually." Ryuko licked her lips as Sophia climbed on her bed, "I can do that."
  
  Sophia bent low and stuck her rear end high, and Ryuko immediately licked up her slit, taint, and anus, teasing her bottom with light kisses as well. Sophia moaned, "You"re good at this." Ryuko licked around Sophia"s cute pink anus and stuck her tongue inside, making the familiar groan in pleasure. While they did this, Millie finished preparing the herbs and opened a storage portal to let the soil out. She watched as Ryuko prepared the lube on the strap-on and Sophia"s lovely ass and forced herself to focus on mixing the herbs and soil.
  
  Ryuko gently slid the strap-on into Sophia"s butt and started moving. Sophia"s moans and mews fille the room as she groaned, "Pull my tail too!" Ryuko did as ordered, and Sophia made noises like a cat in heat mixed with groans of, "HARDER! FUCK ME!" Ryuko"s hips kept on moving faster and harder, fucking Sophia"s ass like she wanted, and the familiar came, squirting all over Ryuko"s bed, only to moan, "MORE!" Millie concentrated on her own task, and after mixing the herbs and soil she formed the mixture into a humanoid shape. Once she was done, Millie nearly tore her clothes off and stopped only to wash her hands off before climbing on the bed.
  
  She grabbed Sophia"s face and started making out with her. Sophia came a second time and Millie turned to Ryuko, "Fuck me." Ryuko smiled wide as she pulled out of Sophia, and Millie immediately started licking up and down the strap-on, tasting her familiar"s ass. Ryuko moaned as the small part on the strap-on inside her moved and she came, and Millie laid down and spread her legs wide. Ryuko didn"t need any more urging to climb on top of her and slide the strap-on inside of her. The two of them were contrasts, Millie with her light skin and freckles, red hair and blue eyes. Her curves and obvious feminine body, while Ryuko with her clear skin and dark hair and eyes and more muscular body, and yet they moved in nearly perfect synch, their hips nearly dancing together as they brought each other to climax.
  
  "Sophia, come here," Millie said as she and Ryuko changed position and Ryuko started screwing her doggy-style. Sophia climbed over and Millie pushed her down and started licking up her hairy quim, making the familiar moan as her Mistress pleasured her. The three of them moved together like they had been with each other for years, and soon came together. Ryuko moaned as she slid out of Millie and took the strap-on off, "Man, my hips are tired." Millie smiled and said, "Then how about we pleasure you?" Sophia and Millie went over and started kissing and licking up Ryuko"s powerfully defined legs, and the Japanese woman moaned as they reached her cunt and started licking it at the same time.
  
  Millie and Sophia moved together and soon had Ryuko screaming in pleasure as they made her cum three times in rapid succession before they finally stopped. "I think that"s enough," Millie said with a sigh, "All we need now is to add our blood to the body, I say the words, and then let Kuroko out." Sophia took the DVD to Ryuko"s TV to get it to play, while Millie went to Ryuko"s kitchen and grabbed a knife. "Ryuko, you don"t have to do this part if you don"t want to," Millie told her as she went into the room and prepared to cut her finger. Ryuko shook her head and offered her hand over the soil, "Go ahead, do it. I don"t think I"ve ever felt more alive before, even when I made it to the National Karate Championship. I feel like something bigger. Plus, I get a good excuse to screw lots of girls. I"m in this now."
  
  Millie nodded and cut the tip of her own index finger and let the blood drip onto the soil body, and then cut Ryuko"s index finger and let her blood drip down as well. Millie then chanted in English, "By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again. By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again. By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again." Kuroko then appeared behind Millie, and Ryuko stared at the onryo as she moved into the room. Millie smiled at Kuroko, "Your new body is ready." Kuroko looked down and watched the soil body grow, and then moved inside of it.
  
  Sophia entered the room, and the three of them watched as the soil body changed, it went from a vaguely humanoid shape into a more feminine shape, turned from dark black soil into a pale skin of a woman who worked indoors. Other features became apparent, as Kuroko"s body was reformed, her curves came out, she had slightly larger breasts than Ryuko and kept her pubes in a triangle shape. The body formed into a perfect facsimile of humanity, and then Kuroko opened her eyes and looked around. "Thank you, so much."
  
  Author's Note: When Ryuko talks about 'tachi' and 'neko' she's referring to Japanese terms for a lesbian couple. 'Tachi' is the top while 'neko' is the bottom, plus it's Japanese for 'cat'. It's like a lesbian version of 'seme' and 'uke' for gay male couples.
  
  Chapter 4: Testing the New Body
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 4: Testing the New Body
  
  After Kuroko gained her new body Ryuko showed her around her house, after giving the ghost some of her clothes to wear. Luckily, they were roughly the same size, although Ryuko was more muscular. Kuroko spent the next hour simply getting used to sensations again like smell, and touch, and taste especially, eating almost half of what was inside Ryuko"s fridge. She wouldn"t have to worry about getting fat from it; her new body was artificial and didn"t follow the biological laws of a normal human body; she could pig out as much as she wanted. Once Kuroko was satisfied, she went to sleep on Ryuko"s couch while Ryuko insisted on sleeping on her bed with Sophia and Millie. It was a tight squeeze, but the Karate instructor didn"t seem to mind having her body squished against her new magic teacher"s body or with her familiar"s.
  
  Millie woke up to the sound of some Japanese rock band playing music in Ryuko"s living room and got up to see Ryuko was doing push-ups in her living room, clapping push-ups to be precise. Ryuko saw her and said, "Sorry if I woke you up." Millie shrugged, "I"ve had worse ways of waking up. Ryuko, we need to do one more thing before you officially become a witch of the Pink Path. In every Path there are laws you must follow to gain power from it and use it properly. Violating these laws is very dangerous, and can destroy your very soul, even if you do it on accident." Ryuko stopped exercising and nodded, "Tell me what I need to do."
  
  Millie remained naked and told Ryuko to strip as well. Ryuko followed her orders, and then Millie"s fingers glowed as she formed a magic circle around them that glowed bright pink, like a neon sign. "Focus your energy into your dominant hand," Millie told Ryuko. Ryuko raised her right hand and took a second to concentrate. Her hand glowed white and she stared at it. "I"m going to ask you questions, every time you answer them, you must promise to keep the laws, and then use your hand to sign your name in the air. This will bind you to the Magic of the Universe and allow you to use and control it with training. Are you ready, Ryuko?"
  
  Ryuko nodded and Millie said, "Do you swear to only use your power in ways that will not harm an innocent?"
  
  "I swear," Ryuko said, and then waved her hand, forming a white glowing kanji of her full name, Takeda Ryuko.
  
  Millie said, "Do you swear to never create a potion, drug, or use a spell that will take away another human being"s free will?"
  
  "I swear," answered Ryuko, and made her name in the air again.
  
  Millie continued, "Do you swear that you will never act as a selfish lover, no matter if your lover is only for a minute or a century?"
  
  "I swear," Ryuko answered, and made her name.
  
  "Do you swear that you will never use your power to attack another, only in defense of yourself and others?" Millie asked her.
  
  Ryuko answered, "I swear," and once again made her name.
  
  Millie then asked her last question, "Do you swear that you will honor the Witch"s Sabbath, the Solstices, and the Festivals of Life and Death every year?"
  
  Ryuko answered, "I swear," and made her name one final time. The magic circle then coalesced and shrank down until it was the size of a mole, and then attached itself to Ryuko"s left breast, right over her heart. Ryuko gasped as she felt as if she had just been branded, and then the pain immediately stopped, and she felt as if her body had just been energized with a million volts of raw electricity. Millie nodded and pointed to a similar mark on her left breast, you could only tell it wasn"t a mole or freckle if you were extremely, intimately close to her.
  
  "Wow... that was intense," Ryuko said as she looked at the mark. "I will tell you about the festivals later, the next one will be the Winter Solstice, which won"t be for a while," Millie told her. "Do witch holidays involve dancing naked and stuff?" Ryuko asked her. Millie chuckled, "I wish, but not really. They"re mostly gatherings and festivals; bonfires, offerings to well, depending on where you think our magic comes from, we honor the Universe, the Gods, the Earth herself, or the Magic. Many witches have their theories. My own teacher, Allison Greyfair, believes that magic is almost like The Force from Star Wars, an energy field that binds the Universe together and that only a few can wield. I personally think it might be from the Gods, which ones don"t matter."
  
  Ryuko shrugged, "I see. Um...how long will I have to study magic with you, Millie-sensei?" Millie got a glass and filled it with some water from Ryuko"s kitchen before answering. "That depends on you, Ryuko. Some witches can master their power within a year, others need to study and train for decades. I needed seven years before Allison said that I was proficient enough not to need her anymore. Everyone goes at their own pace," Millie explained as Ryuko got some water herself. "I understand that; I have quite a few students who are slower than others," Ryuko agreed, "So, what now?"
  
  "Your first lesson is in learning to find your power so you can summon it at will," Millie explained. "You need to concentrate, and you can make it appear." Millie then demonstrated by waving her hand and leaving behind a veil of pink sparkles. "That is the most basic skill and the most important one, like stances in martial arts." Ryuko nodded, and then looked at her hand and concentrated. For a second it glowed, and then it stopped. Ryuko stared at her hand and focused harder, and her hand glowed for five seconds before it stopped again. "This is harder than I expected," Ryuko said. Millie patted her shoulder, "You"re doing better than I did. It took me a whole week before I could concentrate my magic enough to do that."
  
  "Anything else I should know?" Ryuko asked. Millie looked serious then and told her, "Beware the Black Path. It is the only Path of Magic that is truly and purely evil. All other Paths are merely ways of bending the natural order for you, like if someone uses a river to make a water mill or hydroelectric dam. But the Black Path takes and uses the Magic only for oneself and gives nothing back in return, like a company that drills for oil and pollutes the land around the oil field. Only one who is truly evil chooses that Path. Forget what you see on TV or movies about people being seduced or slowly slipping into evil, to go down the Black Path one must choose to put yourself above others, even their very lives and souls. Unfortunately, it is also an immensely powerful Path, which is why people choose it, even though they must commit...abominations for it."
  
  Ryuko swallowed and asked, "What kind of abominations?" Millie looked her in the eyes and said, "Any stories you hear of witches stealing children and eating them or using their body parts to make their talismans and potions comes from witches of the Black Path. Those stories don"t apply to all witches, but they all apply to witches following the Black Path. To them, other humans and animals are nothing but resources to use to increase their own power. That"s all I"ll tell you for now. If you ever find yourself confronting a witch of that Path, run. You can"t possibly face one and hope to survive." Ryuko nodded at this quietly, and that was when Sophia walked in, naked, and Kuroko waked up from the couch and looked around. "Am I the only one not naked here?" the onryo in a golem body asked.
  
  "Pretty much. I say we could just stay like this and have breakfast, and then, take a bath," Ryuko said as she started making breakfast, and then looked at Kuroko, "And while we"re in the bath we can get to know each other better." Kuroko blushed but gave a small smile at that as she stripped down as well, leaving all the women in Ryuko"s apartment stark naked. They all had a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, and rice, and then headed into Ryuko"s bathing room. For the first few minutes it was just them all taking turns getting cleaned up, and Kuroko groaned as she felt hot water on her body for the first time in years, and Ryuko got a look in her eyes when she heard her moaning.
  
  "Let me help wash your back, Kuroko-san," Ryuko cheekily said as she grabbed a sprayer and sprayed down Kuroko"s back. She applied soap to her and lathered her back up, and her hands started massaging Kuroko"s artificial body, "Amazing. If I hadn"t seen it I would never have guessed this wasn"t a real body," Ryuko commented as her hands slipped down to Kuroko"s ass and gave it a hard squeeze. Kuroko moaned and Ryuko lifted her hands to grope the onryo"s breasts. "Do you want me to stop?" Ryuko asked her.
  
  "B-But Millie and Sophia," Kuroko tried to say, only to see that the witch and familiar were already making out, Sophia"s petite body being lifted up by Millie before she started licking up her cunt. Kuroko moaned as Ryuko pinched one of her nipples, "Come on, Kuroko-san. I"m sure that you want to really test out your new body." Kuroko nodded and said, "Please, make me your woman." That was all the encouragement Ryuko needed as she kissed Kuroko, and soon their tongues were moving together. It took a few seconds for them to find their rhythm, Ryuko soon took charge.
  
  Ryuko kissed and massaged down Kuroko"s body until her fingers reached Kuroko"s pubes and she asked her, "Do you prefer being eaten out or penetrated?" Kuroko groaned, "I don"t care, just fuck me!" Ryuko immediately slid her fingers inside her and started to move them. Kuroko screamed as she quickly came, and Ryuko moved her fingers faster, and faster. She claimed Kuroko"s mouth again, and Kuroko came two more times before she was satisfied. Ryuko pulled her fingers out and licked them, "Tastes just like the real thing. Nice." Kuroko was laying down and she watched as Sophia used her tongue to make Millie cum.
  
  "I want Sophia and Millie to have me too," Kuroko said. "Submissive, huh?" Ryuko said, "You want to be everyone"s communal property? Our little slut?" Kuroko blushed but didn"t deny it, "Yes! I owe it to you for giving me a body again! Use me like a whore as much as you want!"
  
  Sophia smirked and went over to Kuroko and then pushed her down and sat on her face. "Start licking then, you slut," Sophia said. Kuroko grabbed Sophia"s lovely behind and spread it wide to lick up and around her anus. Sophia mewled and bent down enough to reach Kuroko"s quim and started fingering her as well. While this was happening, Ryuko made her way to Millie and smirked at her. Millie sat down and she and her apprentice started making out, wrapping their arms and legs around each other. Their breasts slid over each other"s bodies, and they pushed closer to each other until their cunts touched each other. Ryuko started moving her hips more, and Millie followed her pace, before she started taking control.
  
  Ryuko started groaning, only for her sounds to be drowned out by Kuroko screaming in pleasure as Sophia fingered her. "Hey! Don"t stop! I"m not satisfied yet!" Sophia ordered, and Kuroko went back to licking around her anus. Millie and Ryuko"s hips sped up and Ryuko got Millie on her back as she started sliding her hairless cunt over Millie"s bushier one. The witch and witch in training moaned almost as loud as Kuroko as they came together, and then Sophia meowed even louder as she came. Kuroko smiled at Millie as she went over to her and kissed her.
  
  Their tongues were in perfect synch as they kissed, and Kuroko kissed down Millie"s neck and took her left nipple in her mouth to suck on it. While they made love, Ryuko turned to Sophia, who looked at her and said, "You"re the one who"s going to be on the bottom." Ryuko smirked and told her, "I"d like to see you try." Sophia shrugged and reached up to grab Ryuko"s shoulder and pressed down. Ryuko was quickly overwhelmed and hit her knees on the ground. "What the fuck!?" the karate instructor/witch in training yelled in shocked English. Sophia smirked, "I"m not of this world, the laws of muscles, training, and physics do not apply to me. I am as strong as I want to be. And I want to be strong enough to top you. Now, enjoy this neko"s pussy."
  
  She pressed Ryuko"s head to her quim, and Ryuko didn"t try to fight it as she licked up and down her hairy slit. Meanwhile, Kuroko made her way to Millie"s own quim and started eating her out. "Oh yes! Just like that!" Millie moaned and held onto Kuroko"s head. Kuroko moved her lips and tongue the same way, and never stopped moving it, while Ryuko was doing her own best to pleasure Sophia. Sophia soon screamed and squirted on Ryuko"s face, and then pushed her to the ground. "I think you deserve a reward," Sophia said as she went to Ryuko"s quim and spread her lips wide.
  
  Sophia slowly slid her fist inside her, and Ryuko screamed in surprise as she felt things she never had before! "OH GOD! HOLY FUUUUCK!" she screamed as she came harder than she ever had before, and her screams of ecstasy were joined by Millie"s own. The four of them all looked at each other for a minute, before Ryuko turned the water off. Sophia turned to her Mistress and said, "I guess this is two down for your harem, Mistress. What"s next." Millie took a minute to catch her breath before she said, "Apprentices don"t count... But tomorrow I"m planning to head to the countryside. We"re going on a fox hunt."
  
  Chapter 5: Talking and Hot Springs
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 5: Talking and Hot Springs
  
  The next morning, everyone woke up and got ready, no sex that morning because they had to head off to the countryside, Hakone to be precise. Millie had heard rumors of sightings of a kitsune there, a kitsune who only appeared to women and had booked a reservation for four at an onsen retreat near the location of the sightings. Ryuko had managed to get a week off from the dojo and had yesterday informed her students she was leaving for the countryside for a much-needed "spiritual retreat" and had arranged for her replacement during that time. Once everyone was ready, and wearing appropriate clothes for the countryside, they headed for the bus stop. Along the way, Millie explained the details of Witch Festivals to Ryuko so she"d know what to do when they went to one.
  
  As the four of them waited at the bus stop, Kuroko told everyone about her own life before her death. She had been raised in Hakone and had moved to Tokyo after her parents died in a car accident. "You"ll love the onsen there," Kuroko explained, "The baths are so clean and relaxing, and the mountain views are breathtaking. I remember going every winter near New Year with my parents, it felt like we were washing away the stress of the old year." Ryuko closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders at the thought, "That sounds nice. Especially if we get a bottle of good sake and a cute girl around your arm." Ryuko wrapped an arm around Kuroko"s shoulders then and the onryo blushed a little but had a nice smile.
  
  Millie saw this and thought to herself, well now, this is an interesting development. The bus rolled up and they all got onboard; Millie and Sophia in one seat while Kuroko and Ryuko on another. Once the bus was loaded and was on the way to Hakone, Millie whispered to Sophia, "You seem to be getting jealous of Ryuko. I"ve never seen you act so dominating to someone before." Sophia shrugged, "I don"t like how presumptuous she is. She thinks that she owns me because she"s your apprentice. I only belong to you, Mistress. I merely wanted her to know her limits over me. If you want me to make love, have sex, or fuck with her, I shall. Otherwise, I don"t have much attraction to her; her body is too hard, and her breasts are too small."
  
  "Be nice, Sophia," Millie said, "For my sake at least. Ryuko is important to me now, my first apprentice. You are important to me as well. Do you not like my harem plan?" Sophia shrugged her shoulders, "What I want doesn"t matter, I am your familiar, bound to you until your death." Millie flicked some hair off Sophia"s face and told her, "Don"t tell me that. Tell me what you want, that"s an order, Sophia." The familiar looked down and then turned her head to look out of the buses" window. After a minute of thought, Sophia turned to Millie and their green eyes met as Sophia answered, "I like the idea of a harem. But...since I can be honest, I want to be your main wife. Every other woman in it must treat me with respect, and I will answer to you. I will do with them however you desire me to, but whether I"m nice about it will depend on how well I get along with the others."
  
  Millie nodded to this, "You want a hierarchy, not a polycule." Sophia nodded, "If I can have the choice, that is what I want." Sophia smiled, and it was a genuine smile that showed the familiar"s happiness, "This...is the first time that I have been given a choice. Thank you, Mistress." Sophia gave Millie a gentle kiss and said, "I promise that I will make this worth your while tonight." Millie smiled, and then Sophia took a nap, laying her head on her shoulder. It was a peaceful bus ride, and soon Millie was sleeping as well, until they were finally woken up by the bus driver declaring, "Welcome to Hakone!"
  
  Millie and Sophia woke up and saw Ryuko and Kuroko were snickering at them. "What?" Millie asked. "You just looked so cute together," Ryuko said with a smirk. The four women got off and Millie checked her phone, they were an hour"s walk to the onsen. "Alright, time for some exercise ladies," she said, and headed out in the direction of the onsen. Halfway to the onsen, Millie felt something, a tingling up and down her spine that spread to her heart before ending in her brain. Millie looked around and stopped, and so did Sophia. "Did you sense that?" Millie asked Ryuko. The karate instructor/witch-in-training nodded, "Yeah, what was that?"
  
  "That means that there is another witch of the Pink Path nearby. Think of it as a "witch sense", it"s something that comes naturally to a witch, let"s you know that there is a friend nearby. If you feel it in your heart, it means that you"re near a witch following your Path. I"d say she"s quite powerful as well, the sense reminded me of my teacher." Ryuko nodded as they walked along, "This could be more fun than I thought." They continued walking, and Millie encouraged Ryuko to practice summoning her magic as they walked; there was no one around to see it so it would be safe. Ryuko managed to make her hand glow for almost three minutes before the onsen came in sight and she stopped. At the front of the onsen they saw the Proprietress, and Millie felt her witch sense going off when she saw her.
  
  The Proprietress was an average height older Japanese woman, mid to late-forties with dark hair that was slightly greying at the temples and wearing a blue kimono and traditional geta, her face was still beautiful despite the wrinkles around her mouth, and she had full, kissable lips. Even through the kimono it was clear she was quite curvy judging by the width of her shoulders and hips. The Proprietress looked up and smiled at her guests and then used her thumbs and forefingers to form an inverted triangle, "Welcome, Sisters," she greeted in Japanese. Millie made the same sign and told Ryuko to do the same, and said, "Greetings and thank you, Sister."
  
  "I am Aikawa Aiuchi, the Proprietress of the onsen," she greeted and bowed in Japanese. Millie introduced herself and her companions. "I wasn"t expecting to meet a Sister of the Pink Path here," Millie said as they went inside. "Onsens are quite romantic," Aikawa Aiuchi explained, "A fine place to find partners and gain Tantric Energy. It is quite restful here as well, a good place to retire." Ryuko spoke up then, "You"re not that old, Aikawa-senpai. I"d say you could show me a thing or two." Ryuko punctuated her statement by giving the older woman a firm slap on her rear.
  
  Aiuchi responded by giving her a firm spank in kind and told her, "You young girls could stand to learn a few things." Aiuchi"s hand glowed, and Ryuko gave an orgasmic scream before she fell down. "That was good," Ryuko said as Kuroko helped her up. "Just making a point, Little Sister," Aiuchi told her, and led them to a room. "You two will stay here," she told Kuroko and Ryuko, and then led Millie and Sophia to a room across the hall, "And you two will stay here. Food will be ready in an hour. Do enjoy your stay."
  
  Millie and Sophia watched her close the door behind them and looked around the room. It was a simple Japanese style room, with two futons and a mirror on the wall opposite the door, only the electrical outlets and a single wide-screen TV were the signs that this building was modern. Sophia took a deep sniff with her nose and shuddered, "Aiuchi-san has a dog familiar. Her stench is everywhere in this building." Millie looked at her familiar and said, "Be nice. We are guests here, and Aiuchi-san is a sister of the Pink Path. She might be able to help us find the kitsune." Millie then started taking off her clothes and laid down on a futon, "Since we have time, how about a massage?"
  
  Sophia nodded and pulled some massage oil out of Millie"s suitcase. She dripped some on her Mistress" back and started kneading her stiff shoulders. "Lower, get my legs," Millie ordered, and Sophia moved lower, making sure to work out every knot she felt in her Mistress" back as she went. Millie"s groans filled the room, and Sophia smirked as she worked on Millie"s long legs. She was enjoying this so very much.
  
  Meanwhile, once Ryuko and Kuroko settled into their own room, Ryuko turned to the onryo and asked her, "So, are you as horny as I am right now?" Kuroko nodded, "Definitely. That Proprietress reminds me of my first crush, my High School Japanese teacher, Reiko-sensei." Ryuko smirked, "Oh? Got a kink for teacher huh? Is it the skirts, or the thought of an older woman punishing you that gets you wet?" Kuroko blushed and said, "I did always like being spanked." Ryuko immediately slapped her ass hard, and Kuroko groaned.
  
  She kissed her, and Kuroko responded just as vigorously, soon they were stripping each other"s clothes off, not paying attention where their clothes ended up until they were stark naked. Ryuko sat down on a futon and said, "Come here." Kuroko sat down next to her and was shocked when she was pulled over Ryuko"s lap. She slapped her ass again, and Kuroko groaned, which encouraged Ryuko to spank her more, and harder. Soon Kuroko"s pale rear was cherry red, and Ryuko felt that her cunt was soaking wet. "How much do you want to cum?" Ryuko asked her. "I"ll do anything!" Kuroko moaned.
  
  Ryuko"s smile lit up then and she laid down, "Sit on my face." Kuroko did as she was ordered and stood up, then sat down on Ryuko"s face. The karate instructor grabbed her legs and immediately started licking up and down her slit. Kuroko"s groans filled the room as she came over Ryuko"s face, and then she laid down and looked at her bare snatch and started returning the favor. The two of them found a quick pace together, licking and kissing each other"s cunts, pleasuring and giving pleasure at will until they finally came together. Ryuko then pushed Kuroko off her and climbed on top of her. She kissed her and soon their tongues were moving together, sharing each other"s taste.
  
  Ryuko sat up and lifted one of Kuroko"s legs before sliding her pussy over hers. Kuroko started moving her hips with her, and both of them started groaning and Kuroko screamed, "RYUKO!" Ryuko moved faster as Kuroko kept on screaming her name louder, and louder. Finally, Ryuko couldn"t stop herself, and screamed "KUROKO!" as Kuroko screamed "RYUKOOOOO!" Ryuko smiled down at the onryo in a golem body and Kuroko smiled at her and said, "I love you."
  
  Meanwhile, in her own private room, Aikawa Aiuchi watched all this happening through mirrors in her client"s rooms. Her kimono was partially undone, and she was fingering her cunt as she watched her guests. "Oh, this will be a fun evening."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Summary:
  "Can I ask what your business is here in Calico?" a steady drawl comes from one of the buildings. As the dust clears, Shin sees a woman leaning against a wooden pillar holding up the overhang that rests above a wooden porch. It"s a saloon, although Shin isn"t sure what type of woman would be lingering around a saloon at dawn. Admittedly, Shin is intrigued.
  
  An outlaw on the run from the skeletons in her closet, Shin Hati rolls into the sleepy town of Calico only to find a restless deputy by the name of Sabine Wren. All she wants is a night of rest, tired of running, but it's not long before she gets a lot more than she bargained for.
  
  Notes:
  i've had this idea in my head for days and i wanted to write it so bad so here i am. i have done research into the wild west before but i found a video essay specifically on the history of queer people and poc in the wild west and if that is something that interests you guys (which, i imagine it does if you're reading a fic about queer people in the wild west), you should check it out here.
  
  Apologies for the brevity of this chapter, they will almost certainly get longer the deeper the story goes.
  
  (See the end of the work for more notes.)
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Shin Hati rode into Calico at dawn. She wasn"t sure how long she had been riding or where she was going, all she knew was that once she started, she couldn"t stop and well, here she was. She had heard of the golden west-towns that propped up in the remnants of the gold rush, populated by those fleeing the Civil War, and then after the war had passed people just stayed. It was a freer place, free from the ghosts of the east and the confines of what society remained from America"s days beneath the British. Shin had always found life in the east to be restricting. But that was a problem of hers no more. In the decade or so since the war, Shin had gotten herself into a number of troubles under the guidance of her uncle-usually involving robbing people blind, dueling deputies, and in Shin"s case, getting far too close to the wives of farmers and gentlemen alike.
  
  But Baylan was not here now, no. Shin had stolen her horse in the middle of the night with nothing but a pack on her back and the clothes she had on her. The inkling to run had been growing on her for years-she yearned for a permanent life somewhere, to find honest work as a cowboy or farmhand, and live peacefully. She didn"t want to hurt people any more. That being said, she would if she had to.
  
  She trots into an empty town, dust restless at the hooves of her horse, the dark of dawn still lingering. A low whistle draws her attention as the sun rises above the dirt town ahead of her. She pulls the reins-her black horse named Pepper (for the spattering of white spots across her face, of course) comes to a halt, hooves scraping against the dirt road as the dust settles around Shin.
  
  Even in the low morning, the heat is prominent, but Shin supposes that"s what she gets for running away in the dead of August, right when the desert heat is at its most merciless. Her smooth brown cowboy hat rests atop her blonde locks, the hair chopped just above her shoulders. When she was younger, she had it cropped close to her ears so Baylan could pass her off as a boy, but the older she got, the harder it was to hide. The clothes stuck, but she let her hair grow out every now and then. Her shirt is a deep green tucked into her denim jeans, a brown vest thrown over it, unbuttoned. Holstered in her vest is her pistol, ready to be drawn at a moment"s notice. She gets the prickle up her neck that tells her that might be soon. She"s always had a knack for sensing danger.
  
  "Can I ask what your business is here in Calico?" a steady drawl comes from one of the buildings. As the dust clears, Shin sees a woman leaning against a wooden pillar holding up the overhang that rests above a wooden porch. It"s a saloon, although Shin isn"t sure what type of woman would be lingering around a saloon at dawn. Admittedly, Shin is intrigued.
  
  It doesn"t help that the woman is-well, certainly something. Long dark hair falls around her bare shoulders, tan skin contrasted by the white shirt she wears-the neckline square across her chest, cinched fabric wrapping around her waist and disappearing into cascading teal skirts. Despite her dress, though, she has a pistol holstered on her hip, as if Shin could get any more curious.
  
  "And who will that be askin" then?" Shin calls back, not dismounting just yet, just watching. The two of them make steady eye contact-the woman"s form is that of someone looking for a fight, but Shin doesn"t want that. She just wants a bed and maybe some water for her and her horse. Plus, there are a number of things she thinks she might like to do with this woman and fighting is not at the top of that list.
  
  "The deputy of Calico, at your service," the mysterious woman-the deputy apparently, approaches her horse now. Slowly, the crunch of dirt and gravel beneath her boots the only sound aside from the steady pant of her tired horse. Pepper takes a step back as the woman approaches, taking Shin with her. She"s never taken too kindly to strangers-something the horse and the outlaw have in common. Shin tightens her grip on the reins, the spurs of her boots digging into the horse just enough to keep control. "And you look like trouble."
  
  "That"s a mighty big judgment to have upon first glance, miss deputy," Shin does her best to turn on the charm, but she"s never been too good at such a thing. She swindles men easily enough, but women are always harder to convince. After all, a con artist always knows how to spot one of their own. Shin can"t deny she looks like trouble, though-her face is half covered in dirt, only so much of it able to be covered by bandana when she"s riding, there"s a half-healed slice above her eyebrow from a fight in some mining town a couple of days ago, and her nose is crooked like it"s been broken a couple of times (Shin has lost count). Even so, most aren"t usually so bold as to call it out. "I am just here to rest my head and my horse. No trouble at all."
  
  When Shin senses distaste, that"s when she decides she won"t stay in a town. She"s running from enough, she doesn"t need to try and create more ghosts to follow her west. Granted, she"s gotten in a few good fights since she left Baylan-usually when she milks a glass of bourbon at a saloon and watches a drunkard get too bold with a prostitute or any poor woman that crosses his bath will she down the rest of her glass before smashing it over his head and bringing the barrel of her pistol to his chin. And there was the sheriff"s wife that one time that resulted in Shin being banned from several towns in Arizona. But she tries to stay out of trouble-most of the time. So, she won"t stay in Calico. No matter how much this woman has managed to hook her in the first two minutes of words between them.
  
  "So you tellin" me you aren"t the outlaw who"s face I"ve seen plastered across every saloon this side of the Mississippi?" the woman rests a hand on her belt, scarily close to her pistol. Shin still doesn"t remove her hands from the reins, but she would shoot faster than this deputy could if it came down to it. She always shoots faster.
  
  Shin leans down, a coy smile on her face as her eyes meet the woman"s. She"s not short by any means, but with Shin"s vantage point on the horse, she hovers just above her face, eyes tracing over her slowly before running back up to meet her eyes. "I never said that. I said all I want is a place to rest my head and my horse and then I will gladly get the hell out of your town."
  
  "You must think I"m a goddamn idiot if I believe a word of that coming from the likes of you-"
  
  "Sabine!" a voice calls out, grabbing the attention of both the women. Shin turns her head to see another woman coming out of one of the nearby houses-her skin is dark, a long black braid falling down her back. She"s dressed more similarly to Shin, clad in denim with a shirt and vest, a tan cowboy hat blocking her face from the rising sun. On her vest is a shiny silver badge-the Sheriff"s crest. A female deputy was a surprise enough, but a female sheriff is even more interesting. "Why"re you out here bothering newcomers at the asscrack of dawn?"
  
  The woman- Sabine, Shin now knows, huffs and goes over to the bulletin board right outside on the wall of the saloon, ripping one of the papers off and handing it over to the sheriff. The officer peers down at it curiously, reading the words off out loud, "Hm. Wanted for assault, assault with a deadly weapon, adultery, robbery-well, Miss Hati, you certainly have been busy."
  
  "We need to arrest her-"
  
  The sheriff cuts her off with a slight grin, eyeing Shin up and down with a curious gaze before crumpling up the wanted poster in her hands. "Why don"t you take a mornin" off and rest your head at our inn?"
  
  "Ahsoka, you cannot be serious," Sabine argues, eyes darting anxiously in Shin"s direction. "She"s trouble, just look at her."
  
  Shin finally dismounts her horse, patting Pepper on the head as she stalks over to where the two women stand. She gets closer to Sabine than she probably needs to, close enough to see the beads of sweat on her forehead and the flecks of gold in her wide, dark eyes. Yeah, if Shin is going to find trouble in Calico, she has a feeling it"s standing right here in front of her. She can hear the way Sabine"s breath hitches at her closeness and Shin finds pleasure in knowing she"s shaken up by something so simple.
  
  "You heard the woman, Sabine," Shin teases, voice careful and low, a steady drawl just to watch the way Sabine shifts at the sound. "I really ought to get some rest. Care to point me in the direction of the inn?"
  
  The sheriff-Ahsoka, Sabine had called her, points at a larger building down the road. "Right down there, tell Hera I sent you, she"ll comp your first night, no worries. Apologies for my deputy here, she gets antsy with your type."
  
  Shin just places her hand atop her hat and tilts it down with her head, bidding the sheriff goodbye as she retreats back into her house, leaving just Shin and Sabine out on the dirt road at dawn. The second her superior is gone, Sabine takes a step forward, a finger jabbed at Shin"s chest. "Don"t get too comfortable, I know all about you Shin Hati. You"re infamous out west and I take it no town will host the likes of you, not if they"re smart."
  
  "And yet," Shin steps back, jutting out her chin as her hands rest at her belt, "it seems Calico has welcomed me with open arms. You should listen to your boss, Sabine. I have been busy and I"d make quick work of a place like this if I really wanted to, you keep that in mind before you go reaching for your gun. Now, you have a good day, ma"am."
  
  Sabine doesn"t say anything further as she straightens up and steps back, brushing dust off her skirts less so to stay clean and more because she clearly doesn"t know what to do with her hands. The threat is empty, but Sabine doesn"t need to know that. Shin has run into many women like her in the west-restless, searching for something more, for a purpose. Sabine reeks of that sort of displeasure, anxious for something to change, to have something to do.
  
  Shin lingers there, a space too heavy between them as her eyes trace down Sabine"s form. Her skin is tanned, both from the sun and from natural complexion, freckles scatter across her bare shoulders, too many to count. The sun rises over the dust, casting an early golden hue over both of them. Behind her, Pepper whinnies, anxious to get some rest. She"s overworked her, Shin knows that much, but she couldn"t risk being followed. She"s tried her best to keep her trail scattered and erratic, impossible to properly trace. And Pepper has borne the most of that exhaustion.
  
  "Won"t be a good day with you in my town," Sabine seethes, finding her words with her arms crossed against her chest with a sort of righteousness Shin has seen in the eyes of many. She is no stranger to people wanting her gone. Sabine tilts her head and spits into the dirt beside Shin"s feet before turning to walk down the road.
  
  Shin just stands there for a moment, hands still on her belt and a curious grin on her face as her gaze follows the woman. As if she can feel her eyes on her, Sabine turns around, basking in the morning sun as dust swirls around her skirts with the steady wind of the west. Shin just gives her a crooked grin, tilting her hat and turning towards the inn without a second glance. She can feel the eyes on her, though-lingering.
  
  Shin just chuckles to herself as she heads for the inn. Sleeping at the desk is a woman who looks to be in her late-thirties, dark hair in close cut cropped to ears. A white shirt buttoned to her neck is tucked into brown pants and cowboy boots, minus the spurs. This town sure is chock-full of strange women, Shin is beginning to realize.
  
  The woman-Shin can only assume this is the Hera the sheriff spoke of-is leaning on her palm, mouth open in her sleep. Shin reaches forward cautiously and rings the metal bell on the counter. She startles awake, eyes wide as she sputters, seeing another person standing in front of her.
  
  "Shit, sorry "bout that," the woman says with a startled laugh, "My boy kept me up all night, you know how kids are."
  
  Shin just pulls her hat off her head and holds it against her chest for a moment before dropping it to her side. "I do not, but I am sure I could picture it just fine. You must be Hera? The sheriff-ah, Ahsoka was it? She sent me over here for a night or two."
  
  Hera nods, yawning with a hand haphazardly over her mouth before turning and pulling a key down from the wall behind her, handing it off to Shin without a second thought. "Up the stairs and down the hall, darling. Say, you look awfully familiar, have we met before?"
  
  She chuckles lowly, shaking her head and holding out her hand. "No, but I"m sure you"ve heard of me. Shin Hati. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
  
  The name rings a bell, Shin can see it in her eyes. Even so, Hera takes her hand and shakes it firmly. Her eyes narrow as she looks at Shin. "We don"t need anymore trouble in Calico, Miss Hati. I"m sure Ahsoka made that clear."
  
  Shin nods her head, curt and kind. "Absolutely crystal. Thank you for the accommodations, as well. Is there a place I could keep my dear horse? She"s pretty worn."
  
  Hera is watching her curiously, unsure what to make of Shin"s politeness. Back when her mother was alive (decades ago now), she always taught Shin to keep her manners in check until someone proved unworthy of them. The people of this poor town have done nothing to earn her disrespect-Sabine aside. But Sabine is a bit more fun for Shin, less of an offensive and more of a game to be played.
  
  "There"s a stable out back, should be a free stall for her to rest," Hera tells her finally, pointing around the back of the building. "You enjoy your stay."
  
  Shin just places her hat back on her head as she prepares to step back outside to get Pepper settled. She nods once more in Hera"s direction, thinking of the woman that had looked at her in the dust. "Oh, I am sure I will."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 2
  Notes:
  yes new chapter already i had a day off and was really bored so fuck it we ball
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin doesn"t wake until late in the evening, the sun low on the horizon. She had forgone her shirt and jeans, resting in just a white undershirt and her underwear with her jeans, shirt and vest tossed aside to be dealt with later. As the waking world greets her, Shin groans and reaches for the pocket on the inside of her vest, opposite where her pistol is still stashed, reaching for her carton of cigarettes and lighting one with the scratchy sheets still wrapped around her waist. It"s nice to take a breath. Her last sleep had been on the desert floor, so this was already leagues better. The steady breath of smoke in her lungs brings her peace, collecting her thoughts in solitude.
  
  It"s still strange to be without Baylan, even with her several weeks on the road. For the last fifteen or so years, he was all she knew. Her mother died, her father was nowhere to be found, he was all she had. And now she had no one. The worst part was she hardly has an answer as to why. She felt stifled, restrained, like a wild animal; caged. All she knew was pain and unease and yet now, in a shitty inn, far away from anyone who truly knew her, her muscles stretch, her bones crack, relaxed for the first time in two and a half decades. Despite this, the guilt still wracks her bones, rattling her more than she would like to admit.
  
  Cigarette still between her lips, she reaches for her discarded shirt, the canvas comfortable and warm as it slides across her skin. She buttons it up about halfway, leaving the slightest peek of white visible before tugging her vest back on over it. Forcing herself out of bed, she cracks her back as she reaches for her jeans, tugging them up high on her waist and securing them with a belt. She lingers by the window for a moment once she"s dressed, smoke billowing from her lips as she watches the townsfolk below.
  
  Calico seems to be relatively bustling, not one of the largest Shin has passed through nor one of the smallest. At this hour, there aren"t quite drunks wandering the streets yet, most just now heading to the saloon for the first drink. Across the street, Shin can see a prostitute leading a man into the brothel with a shit-eating grin on his face, causing Shin to roll her eyes a bit at the eagerness. Although the brothel is not a particularly unappetizing idea, Shin will wait and see what the townsfolk have to offer before she spends her coin on something as frivolous as sex. When the pickings are good, Shin has hardly had a difficult time finding a willing participant.
  
  When she finishes her cigarette, she checks her pistol is loaded and holsters a knife in her belt. Shoving her feet into her boots, she grabs her hat off of the nightstand and places it over her messy hair before opening the door and heading downstairs.
  
  The receptionist desk is empty when she arrives, but she pays it no mind as she heads out back to check on Pepper.
  
  "Hey, girl," she mutters once the horse comes into her sights. She runs a hand down her face, scratching the spot between her ears before checking to make sure she has enough hay and water. With that settled, she presses her face against Pepper"s for a moment, pressing a soft kiss to her hide before bidding her goodbye.
  
  Back on the street, Shin is acutely aware of the amount of eyes landing on her every step. She doesn"t mind it, though, she"s grown used to it in her time on the road. With Baylan, they had been invisible thieves, known only by the white of their hair and the bandanas covering their faces, but Shin has managed to make quite a name for herself in her time away.
  
  She heads for the saloon-the one Sabine had been posted outside this morning. Sabine, Shin"s mind recalls. Her thoughts of the woman had persevered into her dreaming state-wondering if the woman would be so restless in bed or if she would let Shin have her way with her. Or maybe the tables would turn and her aggression would show itself in dominance-Shin thinks she would be fine either way as long as she got her hands on her. She shouldn"t let herself get distracted when she"s already made the decision to get the hell out of town as soon as possible, but there"s no saying she can"t have a little fun while she is here. Whether it be with Sabine or some other woman. She"s been tense lately, something to get the edge off would be nice.
  
  As she pushes through the doors of the saloon, the wood creaks beneath her heavy boots and the place goes silent. She pays the onlookers no mind, though, just pushing through to the bar so she can get a good glass of bourbon in her hands. Now that"s something she"s willing to spend her coin on.
  
  She settles down at the bar where she sees a man with curly dark hair not grown too far past his ears and bright blue eyes wiping a glass. The second he sees the look on Shin"s face, he takes the clean glass and places it down on the bar in front of her. The act earns a sly smile from her.
  
  "What"re you drinking?" the bartender asks, eyebrows raised as he watches her intently.
  
  "Bourbon. Give me your favorite," Shin answers dryly, lighting up another cigarette.
  
  The man smiles and reaches behind him, grabbing a bottle and giving her a hefty pour. She tries to toss some money across the bar but he holds out a hand. "Sabine told me "bout you. Said trouble rolled into town nice and early. I"m Ezra. And you are?"
  
  "Trouble, apparently," Shin smiles around her cigarette, fingers reaching for the glass as the other shakes his hand. "Shin Hati, pleased to meet you. This Sabine... she is an interesting character. You two friends?"
  
  Ezra nods. "The best. But she"s got a thing about outlaws, so I"d be careful gettin" alone with her if I were you. You were probably lucky Ahsoka stepped in when she did or else your stay in Calico would have been a bit shorter than expected."
  
  "She would not outdraw me," Shin says with an easy confidence, lifting the glass to her lips and taking a sip. The alcohol is warm, a pleasant burn down her throat. Eyes still linger on her conversation at the bar, but for the most part, people have resumed their business. "It was strange of that little sheriff to let me go. Most people are dying to get me in a jail cell."
  
  "Ahsoka"s not gonna be like the other sheriffs you run into out west," Ezra explains, going back to cleaning glasses and keeping an eye out for other customers in need of service. "She sees the good in people until they give her a reason not to. Trouble in the past doesn"t translate to trouble here-that"s what she always says. Don"t mean she won"t be watching you."
  
  Shin tenses, tapping the bottom of her glass against the bar before knocking the rest back, slamming it down against the bar and leaning in close. "Is that a threat?"
  
  Ezra leans in to meet her gaze, a flicker of entertainment in his light eyes. "A warning. I don"t know how long you plan on staying, but they won"t give a damn who you killed or robbed or fucked so long as you keep your nose clean within these town lines. Sabine is just itching to have a reason to shoot you."
  
  "I think she and I have different goals with one another," Shin huffs out a laugh, tapping her glass. Ezra doesn"t hesitate to refill her glass, the pour just as heavy. This time, he lets her pay and she gives her thanks in a nod before taking a sip.
  
  "Good luck with that, she"d eat you alive," Ezra scoffs, but not so in a way that tells her it"s out of the question entirely. Shin has always liked a challenge-clearly. The man eyes her carefully, brow creased with something Shin can"t read. "I"m serious about keeping your nose clean, though. Your wanted poster is so full, I think they"re gonna have to start using the backside soon."
  
  Shin laughs at this, a real laugh as she sips her bourbon. Ezra is called away by another customer and Shin minds her own, nursing her drink and observing the other folks at the saloon. There"s a poker game going on in the corner and Shin could go over there and shake the whole game if she wanted to-she"s always had a knack for poker, and for getting cards up her sleeve once the table gets too heavy on the beer, but she isn"t in the mood. Her exhaustion still stresses her bones even after her long rest, but it will ease with another night or two before she hits the road again. The bourbon brings her some comfort, much needed after a few weeks without a lick of alcohol to ease her mind.
  
  Every corner she turns, she fears Baylan will be standing there to drag her kicking and screaming back into the life she"s fighting tooth and nail to leave. She had already resigned herself to be an outlaw the rest of her life-her journey further west has proved that clear, but she wants to do it her way. Not killing people for money or robbing innocents blind. If she"s going to spill blood or snatch coins and cash, it"ll be someone who deserves it. He may have raised her, but she will not hesitate to draw blood if it assures her freedom. She takes a steady sip of her drink, hoping her nerves will dissipate-they don"t.
  
  She needs something stronger to blow the steam off-but it seems not many women are lingering around the saloon. Men have never interested her, that much she"s known since she was young. Not even the most desperate of times call for such desperate measures. The night is still young, Shin reminds herself, and she"s content to wait until someone worthwhile comes around and falls into her lap-literally.
  
  The sound of the doors swinging open hits Shin"s ears and she hears a handful of shouted greetings to whoever has just walked into the establishment, including a slurred, "Hey, dep, heard you were looking for me?"
  
  Sabine"s deep chuckle is unmistakable as she responds, "Not as long as you keep your dick in your pants, Harrison. I"m just looking for a drink."
  
  Not far down the bar, Ezra grabs a fresh glass from the shelf below him and begins pouring a drink, presumably for Sabine. Shin eyes it curiously-whiskey, neat. She"s dressed differently now-same shirt from this morning, only now it"s tucked into brown leather pants that hug her ass in a way that certainly has Shin looking, although she doesn"t allow herself to linger lest her mind take her to less than savory places. It"s a harsh reminder to recall this woman hates her entirely. Even so, she hasn"t even noticed Shin"s presence. Either that, or she"s deliberately ignoring her right now. Either way, Shin just lets her eyes trace over her form even further as she nurses her bourbon.
  
  She doesn"t even realize how distracted she got until her long cigarette burns down to her fingers. She curses it and drops it into the ashtray sitting on the bar with a hiss, bringing her finger to her tongue for a small moment of reprieve.
  
  It"s then that Sabine turns to her. Shin eyes her curiously, finger still lingering on her bottom lip, eyes lidded as she moves to take a sip of her drink. She watches as Sabine gives her a once over, eyes overlooking her form at a pace that feels achingly slow, like time in the saloon has managed to freeze entirely. Shin just waits. And watches.
  
  "You got a problem?" Shin finally asks, hiding the sly grin on her face with a sip of her drink, but the arrogance still rings clear in her voice. She takes off her hat and places it on the bar beside her, running a hand through her blonde locks and letting her bangs fall loose in front of her face after the fact.
  
  Sabine huffs, reaching for her whiskey. "Just wonderin" who in their right mind let you in here."
  
  "Your good friend over here-" Shin mentions, motioning to where Ezra"s eyes dart nervously between the two of them. He"s shining a glass to try and look casual, but his shoulders are tense. "Even covered my first drink. You got some real nice folk in this town of yours, Sabine. Now, will you be occupying this barstool until dawn again? Just curious."
  
  "For your information, not that I owe you such a thing," Sabine leans forward, only a barstool over from where Shin is sitting with one hand wrapped around her drink and one braced against her knee, curious as to what Sabine has to say. "I was on my way home and happened to stop when I saw you riding in."
  
  "Home from where?" Ezra asks with a shit-eating grin that says he knows exactly where Sabine"s been.
  
  "Your mother"s house, actually," Sabine says with an easy smirk and a tilt of her glass before knocking back the whiskey like it"s nothing. Shin watches the way her throat bobs as she swallows the liquor, tongue swiping across her bottom lip and wondering what the whiskey would taste like if it comes from Sabine"s lips. God, Shin needs to snap out of it. "None of your damn business, Bridger."
  
  Ezra just raises his eyebrows and spins away to go help another customer. Shin"s glass is getting low, but she"s not about to call him back for more. The sun is barely down and she knows she needs to take it easy. So, now it"s just her, Sabine, and the tense silence between them. Although, Shin really isn"t here looking for a fight. She thought that much would be obvious considering she could have torn up this place in half the time she"s been here, but Sabine doesn"t seem too convinced.
  
  "I want you out of my town," Sabine spits in her direction, hand tight around her empty glass of whiskey. She"s hunched over the bar with her forearms crossed against the wood, eyes looking at Shin with a certain sort of intensity.
  
  Shin spins around on her stool, elbows against the bar as she sips the last of her drink. "And there it is. You know, last I figured, you are not the sheriff and this is not your town. So, I really don"t think I"ll be going anywhere, actually. I got some business to take care of "round here."
  
  This seems to pique Sabine"s interest, her brow furrowing and resulting in a cute crease above her nose. "And what business would that be?"
  
  She just shrugs, widening her stance a little bit on the stool so her legs spread slightly, booted feet resting against the wooden bar holding the legs of the stool together. She tilts her head as she looks over at Sabine, eyes tracing over every line of her face. "Come a little closer and you can find out."
  
  The statement gives Sabine pause. It"s the most obvious Shin can really get-she isn"t sure what compels her to say it, but it sits there out in the open now, accompanied with a raise of her eyebrows and a sly grin on her face. Part of her likes watching Sabine squirm and boy, is she squirming. It seems to take her a moment to process, the words hanging in the open air before being absorbed and Shin almost wants to chuckle.
  
  "Are you-" Sabine asks, sputtering, "You"re joking, right?"
  
  Shin shrugs again, repeating her previous sentiment, "Find out."
  
  It"s bold, considering Sabine has a gun on her and there"s no way of knowing if she"s into women or not, but Shin is no stranger to hitting on difficult women. After all, she is wanted for adultery. Not that she seeks out married women. Unless, of course, a particularly unruly man makes a rude comment in her direction or dares to spit on the ground when she walks by, then, well, his wife is just fair game.
  
  But Sabine is no wife, Shin could tell that from the moment she saw her. Too restless, too arrogant. Women like that don"t settle down with men unless they have to.
  
  While Sabine processes, Shin waves Ezra back over to ask for a drink. She pushes her glass back over the bar. "Just a beer, if you will. Bottled, if you got it."
  
  Ezra nods and grabs one from down below, opening the bottle for her and sliding it across the bar. She gives him her thanks and tilts the bottle to her lips, still watching Sabine out of the corner of her eye. Ezra eyes the two of them carefully, like he can"t get a good read on the situation. To be fair, Shin can"t either. She can"t tell by Sabine"s expression whether she wants to take Shin up on her offer or shoot her for even asking.
  
  After a moment, Ezra walks away with one last fleeting glance in their direction. The moment he"s gone, Sabine leans forward placing a hand on the bar as she gets in Shin"s face. This close, she smells like whiskey. Shin really is starting to wonder how it tastes.
  
  "You must be out of your damn mind if you think you can charm your way into my bed, Hati," Sabine seethes, so intense Shin straightens up against the bar. Even though Sabine sounds angry, Shin doesn"t miss the way her eyes flick down to Shin"s lips, a brief moment of curiosity undoubtedly getting the better of her. Shin just watches her, smiling as she takes another sip of her beer. "Everyone else may be fine with you stirring things up around here, but don"t think I"ll forget what you"ve done. At the end of the day, you"re still a stupid outlaw."
  
  "Did that make you feel better?" is all Shin asks when she"s done. Despite the harsh rejection, Shin still finds herself wholly entertained. Because she is under Sabine"s skin and it is mighty comfortable here.
  
  Sabine considers it for a moment, leaning back and straightening herself out. "A bit. Go find some other woman to bother because it"s not happening with me."
  
  Shin nods. "Okay, how"s the woman you were with last night, then?"
  
  The woman beside her stills, hand still braced against the bar. She still hasn"t gotten another drink. Shin watches her expression shift, placing her bottle on the bar as she turns her full attention to Sabine, a coy grin on her face. God, this woman really is easy to irritate, it's almost too easy. Either way, Shin is having a good time.
  
  "Okay," Sabine straightens up, turning around to face the crowd of people in the bar, mirroring Shin"s stance. She points to a woman sitting in the corner, a bottle of beer in her hand and a disinterested look on her face as a man speaks too loudly in her ear. This woman notices Sabine turning to her and her attention instantly perks up, shooting a flirty wave in her direction. Sabine waves back with a nod before turning to Shin. "She"s a biter."
  
  Shin can play this game. If Sabine"s too busy looking at Shin"s wanted poster to have a good time, that"s perfectly fine. Shin is only going to be here another day, maybe two, and she intends to let off some steam one way or another. So, she stands up from the bar, grabbing her hat and placing it gently back on her head. Sabine is watching her every move, something Shin takes great satisfaction in. She grabs the rim of her hat and tilts it down in a nod before she walks across the bar-Sabine"s gaze still following her.
  
  The woman eyes Shin curiously as she approaches. She"s not disinterested in the slightest, that much Shin can decipher easily. The man speaking to her is immediately squaring Shin up, but she doesn"t even look in his direction as she holds out a hand. "Shin Hati, pleased to meet your acquaintance."
  
  "Margaret. Margaret Hawthorne, pleased to meet you," the woman introduces herself with a slight rosiness in her cheeks. The name Margaret suits her with her dark curls and freckled nose. She can understand why Sabine would be into her-she"s breathtaking.
  
  "You know, I just got a room at the inn and it is mighty empty in there, would you mind helping me out with that?" It"s almost too easy the way her eyes light up at the offer. Shin holds out her hand and Margaret takes it without a second glance at the man beside her.
  
  As they head for the entrance of the saloon, Shin turns around one last time to find Sabine still staring at her. With a shit-eating grin on her face, Shin nods in her direction and disappears through the doors of the bar. Calico has proved to be much more interesting than Shin thought it would be.
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 3
  Notes:
  i watched the WORST fantasy western tonight bc i needed a movie to put me in the mood to write this omg... the things i do for the little gay people in my phone
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin rolls over in bed to find the touch of another woman, bare from at least the waist up with the scratchy sheets of the inn only half covering her. The long dark hair and freckled shoulders unfortunately don"t belong to the person Shin wants them to be, but she won"t lie here and pretend Margaret didn"t know how to have a damn good time. She runs a hand over the woman"s hair, fingers featherlight against the dark locks before she rolls over into a sitting position. She pulls one of her other shirts over her shoulders, not bothering to button it up as she reaches for her drawers. Half-dressed, she sits on the side of the bed and lights a cigarette.
  
  Facing the door, she can hear the sheets shift and not long after, a hand smooths down across her chest, a head coming up to rest on her shoulder. The lips against her neck are warm and Shin sighs into the touch, blowing smoke out with her breath.
  
  "Hey, baby," Shin mumbles, letting the long cigarette be plucked from her lips as Margaret takes a drag.
  
  "You know I never been with a woman that sits here and wears men"s underwear," Margaret says with a chuckle-a soft one, not trying to be rude. She reaches down and thumbs at the fabric, rubbing it between her fingers. "You"re not like anyone I"ve met."
  
  Shin"s curiosity, admittedly, gets the better of her. She tilts her head to look over at Margaret, a coy smile tugging at her lips as she asks, "Yeah? What about that Sabine?"
  
  Margaret lets out a low whistle and takes another drag. "What about her?"
  
  "What"s her deal with outlaws?" Shin asks, hand resting on Margaret"s bare thigh. The woman has made no move to get dressed and Shin isn"t exactly about to rush her out the door. After last night, hell, she wouldn"t mind another round or two-even if she has another broad on her mind. "I mean, I know a few mean sheriffs, but she takes something real personal."
  
  Margaret goes quiet and Shin gets the feeling she"s asked the wrong question. "It ain"t my business to tell other people"s stories. I"m sure if she really tried talking to you, she wouldn"t mind you at all. Lord knows I don"t, even though I thought you were real scary walkin" into the saloon. Everyone"s whispering about you."
  
  This doesn"t surprise Shin. The thought almost brings her pleasure-to know she can cause such a ruckus just by walking around. She doesn"t mind being infamous, not so long as she can still have quiet moments like this. Quiet moments where she"s just a woman, not an outlaw. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I"m not so scary, though, am I?"
  
  She turns to look at Margaret with a sweet smile, leaning forward and pressing her into another kiss. She can feel Margaret smile into it, grabbing both her cheeks and giggling around Shin"s lips. Shin has half a mind to press her back into the mattress and have her way with her as she wraps an arm around her waist.
  
  Margaret pulls away laughing, looking up at Shin from the mattress, dark locks spread all around her face. "No, you"re not too scary. I really oughta get goin" though. Sun"s coming up and if my ma sees me walking around in last night"s dress, she"ll have my head."
  
  Shin regrettably lets her go, moving to button up her own shirt with a sigh, grabbing her cigarette off the ashtray on the end table and taking another drag. She watches as Margaret works to get dressed, eyes darting over to meet Shin"s the entire time.
  
  As she pulls her skirts back up, she asks, "Say, why are you so curious about Sabine, anyway? I mean, she"s a good time, but not worth the trouble. Woman like you can get anyone here. You like when they play hard to get or something?"
  
  Shin laughs, not used to being so seen. She doesn"t often let women stay the night, but the last few weeks have been so tiring, she passed out before she had half a mind to show Maragret the door. It"s been too long since a woman she spent the night with tried to have an honest to god conversation with her. "I don"t know. She"s just-"
  
  "Gorgeous? I know," Margaret chuckles, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame the wild curls. She leans forward and grabs Shin in one more kiss, lips soft and plush against her own. "And she"s probably the best lay in town. Well, maybe not now that you"re here. She"s got some tough competition."
  
  Shin throws her head back in a laugh, hand coming up to rub her chin as she thinks about that. Sabine in bed is not a thought unwelcome to her, not even close. "I"ll make sure to tell her you said that, I"m sure she"d love to hear it."
  
  Margaret looks like she"s going to say something, but a noise outside grabs their attention. Shin jumps to look out the window, cigarette still between her lips. She reaches for her jeans on the way over, tugging them up her legs as she stares down at the road below. Beside her, Margaret comes up with a concerned expression on her face. There"s a band of horses, men on top of them with hats covering their heads and bandanas obscuring their faces. Dust kicks up around them as they stop in front of the saloon-still closed for the morning.
  
  Shin watches as Ezra comes out of a house near the saloon, hands up and hat low on his head. If she squints, she can see a pistol in his waistband behind his back.
  
  "What"s goin" on there?" Shin asks.
  
  Margaret sighs, a hand over her mouth as she watches on. "There"s this god-awful gang of outlaws-not like you, they ride through town here and there, demanding Ezra fork over the saloon profits. It"s not just the saloon either, they"ll steal from the brothel, the bank, you name it. It"s been months since the last time they showed up, I was starting to think some hero finally took "em out."
  
  Shin doesn"t think twice before grabbing her pistol, checking its loaded. "Well, I"m no hero, but I"ll try my damn best."
  
  She isn"t sure why she heads downstairs as quickly as she does. This ain"t her town, so none of their troubles are really any of her business. Plus, she"s not exactly a prime example of a good citizen. She"s got a hefty amount of blood on her hands and quite the reward for her arrest, but she doesn"t stoop so low as to rob innocent people. Not since her days beneath Baylan.
  
  Just before she steps outside, she places her hat atop her head, pushing through the door with a lit cigarette between her lips and loaded gun in her hands. She lets out a low whistle, drawing the attention of the four outlaws-and the onlookers on the street. Ezra"s eyes dart over to her and he nods curtly.
  
  "What seems to be the problem here?" she asks once the eyes are on her. She checks her pistol casually, wiping off a smudge of dirt.
  
  "Just takin" what we"re owed, young lady, why don"t you mind your business and shove off?" One of the men-Shin assumes he"s some sort of leader since he sits in front of the group. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Sabine and Ezra stepping out of the sheriff"s office, hands on their pistols.
  
  "No, I don"t think I will," Shin tilts her head up, squinting with the morning sun in her eyes. "You see, I really don"t think this gentleman here owes you shit."
  
  "Say, you look mighty familiar," one of the other men says. He"s met with an elbow jab from one of his buddies, probably for steering the topic of conversation. The man in front has a hand on his hip, where his revolver sits. The metal of the handle glints in the sunlight.
  
  Shin barks out a laugh at this, quirking her eyebrows as she looks up at them. "You know, I get that a lot. Funny thing is, I ain"t never heard of you fools. If anyone around here should be robbing people, it"s probably me."
  
  "I"ve just about had enough of you-" Shin cuts off the leader by firing a shot into the dirt by the horse"s hooves, scaring it. It bucks up and almost knocks the man clean off, but he holds on tight, smacking the horse back into submission. She sighs, dropping her cigarette into the dirt and crushing it with her boot.
  
  "I"m sorry, what was that you were saying?" she asks, voice vacant and uncaring. She tilts her head, waiting to see what he has to say as if she really cares at all. This is going to end one of two ways-all four of them dead or running the hell out of town. If she"s nice, she might only kill one or two.
  
  "You dumb son of a cunt," the leader grumbles under his breath as he hops down off of his horse. The other three follow suit and Shin stands her ground. He gets up in her face, pistol drawn. She can see the sweat beaded on his forehead, bits of dark hair glued to his sunburnt forehead. "I don"t know if you"re new in town or if you"re just stupid, but I own this place. Everyone here knows that. So when I come through, yeah, they give me what I"m fucking owed."
  
  "I did not see your name on the town sign," Shin comments offhandedly. "In fact, I don"t think you"ve been mentioned once since I got here so unless I missed a town meeting-well, I don"t think you own shit."
  
  Clearly, she strikes a nerve with this because instead of shooting her the man just smacks her clean across the face. It stings, but it"s not nearly as forceful as it sounds. Besides, Shin has taken a lot worse in her day. Hell, she"s taken smacks worse than that in bed. She laughs, rubbing her cheek mainly just for effect rather than being in any actual pain. She goes to knee him in the gut, but she pauses. Out of the corner of her eye, one of the other men has his pistol raised and finger on the trigger.
  
  Before he can even squeeze, he"s on the ground and Shin"s pistol is smoking. She didn"t even have to take her eyes off of the man in front of her in order to get a clean shot between his eyes. Someone screams and Shin sees Ahsoka rounding up citizens and ushering them back into their homes.
  
  By the time the first body hits the ground, it"s an all out brawl. She brings her knee into the gut of the man in front of her, ducking to dodge a shot from one of the remaining outlaws. When she comes back up, she gets a shot in his shoulder, distracting him enough to send him to his knees. The horses run off to safety at the loud noises, dust kicking up in their wake and making it harder for Shin to see who"s left.
  
  One of the others she hasn"t hit yet ends up in front of her about five paces away, pistol aimed straight for her head. She fires one off into his chest and one at his crotch for good measure. Before she can lower her pistol, though, she feels a cool metal barrel against the back of her head. She sucks in a breath, waiting for him to pull the trigger.
  
  "You must be one stupid son of a-" he doesn"t get to finish his sentence because someone fires off a shot and he falls to his knees dead before another word can leave his mouth. Looking over, Shin expects to see Ezra"s gun smoking, but he"s tucked his pistol back into his waistband, fanning dust out of his eyes.
  
  Shin turns around slowly and she sees Sabine, pistol still raised. She bites back the surprise threatening to show on her face as she holsters her own weapon. She tilts her hat in Sabine"s direction as blood seeps into the dirt around Shin"s feet. She steps over the body of the outlaw to get closer to where Sabine still stands on the porch of the sheriff's office.
  
  "I would have thought you let him kill me first and then take him out. Kill two birds with one stone," Shin says with a slight chuckle, a twinge of teasing in her voice.
  
  "Careful, I can still take you in for shooting them," Sabine says, hands shoved in her pockets. She"s not wearing her hat, just a long dark braid thrown over her shoulder. "Assholes or not, that is still a crime."
  
  Shin just laughs and holds out her wrists, "Take me in, officer."
  
  Sabine just stares at her for a moment. The rest of the townsfolk have stopped watching from the windows and it looks like Ezra went back inside to catch the last few hours of his sleep. When Shin looks back at Sabine, she"s plopping down onto the steps and lighting a cigarette. She looks up, offering Shin one.
  
  She hesitates, waiting for some sort of remark or trap, but nothing comes. So, she reaches out and takes the cigarette, settling down on the steps beside Sabine as she lights a match.
  
  "They"ll send more," Sabine sighs, smoke billowing from her lips. "They always send more."
  
  "Then we kill those ones," Shin comments with an easy shrug. She isn"t sure why she says it. She"s never been one for fending off trouble, much more adept at causing it. Plus, she never planned on staying in Calico for long. She has to keep moving lest Baylan catch wind of her whereabouts. It"s easy to let herself forget she"s on the run.
  
  "You know," Sabine starts, taking a long drag, "technically, I"m supposed to arrest them."
  
  Shin scoffs, shaking her head. "Good thing you aren"t my boss, then. You can leave the fun part to me if that eases your conscience."
  
  Sabine is quiet for a while, head leaning against the post as they watch the morning sun rise. She"s surprised she"s managed to be in the woman"s presence this long without her threatening to kill her or run her out of town.
  
  After a while, though, she seems to find her words. "Did you mean it last night?"
  
  Shin turns to her with a curious look in her eyes, but Sabine isn"t looking at her. She"s staring down at the dirt beneath her boots instead. "Mean what?"
  
  "Don"t be daft," Sabine huffs, sounding frustrated. "That little come on. Were you actually trying to get into my pants or were you just trying to get under my skin?"
  
  The question makes Shin laugh. She pushes up from her spot on the stairs, taking the smoke and dropping it beneath her boot as she finishes it off. She shoves her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she looks down at Sabine, blocking the sun from her eyes. Shin bites her lip, contemplating the different ways she could answer this question. It was one-hundred-percent a real come on, but now it feels hard to put it in such blunt words.
  
  "You"re a beautiful woman, Sabine," Shin opts for instead of a real answer. She brings a hand to her head and tilts her hat in a nod, a low whistle falling from her lips as she turns on her heel and heads back for the inn.
  
  She pushes in through the doors and Hera is at the front desk, out of breath like she just ran from the windows. "Out causing trouble?"
  
  Shin huffs out a laugh. "The opposite, actually."
  
  She reaches into her pocket and brings out a small pack of coin and cash, dumping out about half onto the front desk. A sigh passes through her lips as she thinks of the woman she left sitting on the stairs. "Here. I think I"m gonna be in Calico a little while longer than I thought."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 4
  Notes:
  i think u guys will like this chapter... just a feeling
  
  also my beloved sugar made some cowboy!wolfwren art please view it here
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "So, what"s your story?" Ezra asks as Shin sits at the bar, a cigarette between her lips and a hand wrapped around a glass of whiskey. Her hat rests on the bar next to her, blonde hair an untamed mess above her shoulders. Calico is sweltering this time of year, so she"s tied as much of her hair as she can back into a bun, but an under-layer of hair still falls down at her nape. The sun is low in the sky, just barely kissing the horizon, and Shin is still on her first drink.
  
  "You"re going to have to butter me up with a lot more whiskey before I start talking about that," Shin barks out a breathy laugh, dropping her still-lit cigarette in the ashtray as she sips her whiskey. She has the sleeves of her white and blue pin-striped button up rolled to her elbows, revealing muscled and scarred forearms, her shirt itself half undone in a vain attempt to quell the insistent layers of sweat pulsing from her skin. "I"m from New York, I"ll tell you that much."
  
  It"s a half lie. Really, she had been a toddler when her parents attempted to escape Ukraine after it was forced beneath Russian Rule. They had become dirt poor, living in filthy peasantry, so they yearned for more. Shin does not remember much, if anything. Only what Baylan had told her. Her father did not make it onto the boat that would take them to the Americas and her mother did not live much longer after they crossed the Atlantic. Only enough to give Shin fleeting memories of her and to pass her onto the responsibility of Baylan. Shin must have been no more than seven, but her memory is sparse. She does not remember much before she came underneath Baylan"s care.
  
  Ezra whistles sharp and low, pouring her another drink as she finishes her first. "Whew, city girl. So, what brings you all the way west? Did you leave during the war?"
  
  Shin shakes her head, unsure why she"s bothering to share as much as she is. She"s kept her skin thus far just by not daring to get close to anyone. And she"s already stayed in Calico far longer than she should, but that"s a bed she"s already made. "No, I didn"t start heading west until this year. My Uncle fought for a bit with the Union. I thought he was going to desert with the sort of shit he"d tell me about in his letters, but he was big on commitment, destiny."
  
  Despite her lingering frustration from being under Baylan"s care, she still spoke fondly of him. He was the closest thing she had to a father. She"d almost lost him several times, as a teenager that had been more than enough to convince her to keep him close. Ten years ago, watching him come back scarred from the war, any excitement for life or righteousness gone from his eyes, she never would have believed she left his side willingly. She was prepared to die for him. But now, she realized she was already dead. Until now.
  
  "Sounds like a good man," Ezra hums, throwing a rag over his shoulder. "So how the hell did you end up a ruckus-rousing outlaw?"
  
  Shin chuckles, raising her eyebrows and taking another sip of burning whiskey in lieu of an answer. She clears her throat. "That"s a story for another night, I think."
  
  The doors to the saloon swing open and Sabine steps in, dust swirling from the windy evening air. Her boots clunk against the wood as her hands rest in her pockets, nodding to the people lingering in the bar. She nods to Ezra who is already pouring her a drink before, surprisingly, sitting down on the barstool beside Shin.
  
  Things were different since Shin helped with the outlaws. Maybe Sabine was finally starting to realize Shin truly didn"t want trouble in Calico. It would have been nice if Sabine believed her from the beginning instead of Shin having to nearly lose her head. But it was a nice shift. A subtle one, but Shin still noticed it. She hadn"t tried to come onto Sabine anymore in the days since, still unclear if that was something that held water. She hadn"t missed Sabine"s blush when she called her beautiful, though, so she knows it likely isn"t off the table entirely.
  
  Shin just tilts her head in Sabine"s direction and lifts her glass, not daring to start the conversation. Sabine responds by tilting her glass towards Shin"s before taking her first sip, eyes meeting Ezra"s across the countertop.
  
  "You two are strange," Ezra mumbles, taking the rag from his shoulder to wipe down a spot on the bar. "Say, Shin, I know I"ve been badgering you, but I"ve been meaning to ask. Why"d you take care of those outlaws the other day? Seems like a lot of effort for someone who"s just passing through."
  
  The truth of the matter is that Shin isn"t sure. Maybe she had something to prove. Or maybe she just doesn"t care for watching innocent, kind people getting hurt. She just eyes the whiskey in her glass, an easy, "You bought me a drink," falling from her lips. It"s not a real answer, but it"s one that"ll do.
  
  She can feel Sabine"s eyes on her, tracing the way she lifts the glass to her lips, the way her throat bobs as she swallows.
  
  "Well, I certainly owe you another drink, then," Ezra says with a slight chuckle, pushing Shin"s money that she had placed down back over to her. "This one"s on me."
  
  He gets motioned over to help another customer before she can argue and then it"s just her and Sabine. Shin lights up another cigarette after finishing her last, holding out the carton and offering one to the woman beside her. Sabine takes it gingerly, accepting Shin"s match to light it when it"s offered.
  
  "I would have thought you left town by now," Sabine finally speaks to her directly, taking a long drag of the cigarette after she does. She"s wearing a shirt not dissimilar to Shin"s, except hers is a burnt orange color that compliments her long dark braid. Her hat is nowhere to be found, stray locks of hair falling past her ears. A slightly dirty white bandana is tied loosely around her neck, stained from the dust. "I think I recall you saying all you wanted was a place to rest your head and then you"d get the hell out of my town."
  
  Shin sighs, stretching out a bit in her seat. "I don"t know, I"ve found myself to be quite enjoying the company of Calico. Margaret sure seems to agree."
  
  "Did you do that to piss me off?" Sabine asks and Shin wants to laugh.
  
  "I did that because you turned me down and I figured you"d know where else to go," Shin says with a shrug, a sly smile on her face as she looks at the other woman. "I"m a woman with needs in a small town, Sabine, ain"t nothing personal."
  
  "Needs?" Sabine asks with a quirked eyebrow, the corner of her lips turning up in a smile. "You in town for two seconds and already prowling the streets looking for a dame. No better than a man."
  
  This time, Shin does laugh. The last thing she expected was for Sabine to joke with her. All of their interactions thus far have been charged-with what, Shin isn"t sure, but none have been so relaxed as this. "What can I say? I"m only human. Besides, it"s not like she was not a, uh... willing and enthusiastic participant. In fact, I think she told me I was the best lay in town."
  
  She punctuates the sentence with a wink and Sabine chokes on her drag, hitting her chest as she blows smoke from her lungs and tries to catch her breath while Shin lets out a wholehearted laugh. Once she can breathe again, Sabine looks at her with a matter-of-fact expression, "That can"t be true because she told me the same thing not just three days ago."
  
  "Only one way to settle this, then," Shin winks again, bringing her glass to her lips. Yeah, Sabine isn"t off the table, she knows this clear as day now. Nothing like a little healthy competition to get Sabine like putty in her palm. The woman looks at her now, expression unimpressed, but Shin doesn"t miss the way her eyes dart to Shin"s lips, lowering to the open gap in her shirt revealing fair, marred skin, glistening with sweat.
  
  Sabine turns away from Shin, averting her gaze as she downs the rest of her drink and slams the glass against the counter. "I don"t fuck outlaws. You"re still lucky I haven"t put you in a jail cell, you have Ahsoka to thank for that. Your little stint with those robbers yesterday may have buttered up the townspeople, but I still see you for what you are."
  
  "Let me show you otherwise, then," Shin tilts her head as she pushes off of her barstool and steps over to Sabine, invading her space. It"s miniscule, but she can hear the way Sabine"s breath hitches the moment she"s close.
  
  "Why do you want it so bad?" Sabine asks, voice a low, breathy whisper as if suddenly scared the other patrons will be listening in on their conversation-as if the question is far too intimate for anyone to overhear. Her eyes flit up to meet Shin"s, gaze focused, flecks of gold shining in her dark eyes. Looking down at her, Shin would drown in those eyes without a single gasp for air. "Is it just because you can"t have it?"
  
  Shin smiles-a crooked, coy grin. "Like I told you yesterday. You"re a beautiful woman, Sabine."
  
  "There are plenty of beautiful women in this town, I pointed you in the direction of one just fine," Sabine argues, but her voice is still low, unsure. For a moment, Shin almost thinks she may kiss her in the middle of this saloon. Of course, that would undoubtedly be trouble. People in towns like these only turn a blind eye to queers so long as they don"t have to see it themselves. To dare show such overt affection would surely end in a brawl. Shin would win, of course, but it wouldn"t exactly prove to Sabine that she doesn"t want trouble.
  
  "Yeah, but none of those women brandish a pistol better than any man I"ve seen," Shin comments, inching closer to Sabine, just barely. Sabine, despite her loud voice, her brashness, her fierceness, holds a pistol with a certain steadiness. She does not flinch from the kick and she doesn"t miss. She"s as steady as the sun-rising each day and falling each night, constant, unwavering. It"s one of the most attractive things Shin has ever seen. "And none of them talk to me the way you do."
  
  She waits for Sabine to back off, to shift away from her, but she doesn"t. Shin is pushing her luck and she knows this, but at the same time, Sabine isn"t moving.
  
  "Have a drink with me," Sabine tells her. Although the words are an invitation, her tone is more akin to a demand. Shin is about to protest by mentioning they"re already having drinks, technically, but Sabine catches it before she can. "Not here. I"m not... I"m not promising anything. But you get a drink."
  
  Shin takes a step back finally, feeling cold despite the dog day heat now that she does not have the body heat of Sabine surrounding her. She stubs out her cigarette, finishes her drink, and places her hat atop her head, motioning towards the door. "Lead the way."
  
  Sabine gets up from the barstool, nods a goodbye to Ezra-whose eyes are glued to the two of them. Shin just tilts her hat in his direction with a slight smile before turning to follow Sabine.
  
  Calico is not exactly a big town, so it doesn"t take long for them to get back to Sabine"s home. It"s a small place, but it"s clean. There"s a stone fireplace that looks like it hasn"t been lit in months, rifles stored on the walls, and a rug of hide on the floor. Once they"re inside, Sabine heads for the counter top, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off a shelf and two glasses. Shin still stands by the front door, feeling out of place in the building.
  
  She can"t remember the last time she had a home to set down roots in. After the war, she and Baylan were always traveling, always moving to the next town, always stirring up trouble that was never worth it in the end. To have a home of her own was something she never thought she would have. She still isn"t sure if such a thing is in the cards for her.
  
  Sabine turns around, noticing her hesitation and motions towards the wooden kitchen chairs. "Have a seat."
  
  Hesitantly, she hangs her hat by the door and settles down at the kitchen table. Sabine places a glass down in front of her, but Shin doesn"t drink it quite yet. She watches as Sabine sits down opposite her, taking a sip of the whiskey. "It"s not poisoned, you know."
  
  "I know," Shin mutters, barely audible. Tentatively, she lifts the glass to her lips and takes a sip. It"s warm as it coats her throat, burning slightly as she swallows. Her eyes don"t leave Sabine"s for a moment. "Well? You have me."
  
  Sabine sighs, placing her glass down on the table and tracing the rim of it with a finger. "Don"t think I don"t know you"ve been asking about me, Shin. Ezra hears everything and he tells me everything. Margaret, too."
  
  "I was intrigued, what can I say?" Shin shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant like this woman has not consumed her every waking thought since she rode into Calico. Even as she was in the throes of desire with Margaret, part of her mind lingered. She wasn"t proud of it, but she couldn"t help it. It had been a long time since a woman had her under such a spell and never, never one like Sabine. "I"ve never met someone like you. I mean, I"ve ran into a bunch of bitter sheriffs, but it"s personal for you, isn"t it?"
  
  Sabine bites her lip and nods, taking another sip as if it will ease the conversation. "I used to have a family. Long, long time ago. There was another town not too far from here. The sheriff there, well, he had a personal vendetta against this band of outlaws-not the same ones that bother us here, but they"re all the same to me, if I"m being honest."
  
  "You do not have to tell me this, you know," Shin stops her, noticing the way Sabine is noticeably avoiding eye contact, the way she chokes on some of her words. "You do not owe me anything."
  
  "You keep asking," Sabine says with a simple shrug. "And I"d rather you hear it from me."
  
  Shin just nods, falling silent and allowing her to continue. "One day, I guess, these outlaws got real sick of this sheriff. And instead of just killing him, they wanted to take it out on the townspeople. They wanted to watch the sheriff lose everything before killing him, wanted to make him watch them burn it all down. I had a fever that day. It"s so stupid, something so inconsequential. I was burnin" up, so I stayed home from church that Sunday. That was the Sunday they bolted the doors shut and set the place on fire with everyone inside. They hung the sheriff and burned the rest of the town down just for good measure. As far as I know, I"m the only one that made it out."
  
  "Sabine-" Shin starts, but she isn"t sure what to say.
  
  "I took my dad"s horse and rode to the first town I could find, still burnin" up. Ahsoka found me, took me in. She taught me everything-my firing skills, that"s all her. I never heard another trace of those outlaws after that, so I told myself I"d kill each and every one of "em until I knew the ones that killed my family were dead. Ahsoka does not approve of this plan. One of the only reasons I didn"t shoot you."
  
  The room goes silent, nothing but the whistling wind of the early evening outside. Shin meets her eyes across the table. "I"m sorry. I could never... I could never do something as horrible as that. I"ve never found any joy in harming the innocents. My Uncle didn"t feel the same. I can"t say I"m proud of everything I"ve done, but I"m trying to leave it behind. I ran west for a reason. Isn"t this the place people go to be free?"
  
  Sabine"s eyes are glistening when they meet hers. "I suppose it is. It"s a shame, though, you"re a hell of a gunslinger."
  
  "I know," Shin smiles, glad to see the air in the home lifted a bit. "I never said I was putting down the damn pistol. I just don"t want to hurt an innocent soul again, that"s all. I left behind the only father I knew to make sure of it."
  
  "That"s brave," Sabine mumbles. Her fingers tap against the table in erratic patterns, anxiety lacing her every move. Shin can see how tense her shoulders are and she wonders what she can do to fix it. "That"s mighty brave of you, Shin."
  
  "Thank you," Shin says, although she doesn"t feel it. She feels like a fucking coward for running from Baylan, something she swore she never would be. It eats her alive every day she"s gone. "You are too, you know. It ain"t easy to lose something like that and come out stronger at the other end."
  
  Sabine just gets up from the kitchen table, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring each of them another glass. "Hope you don"t mind another."
  
  "Not at all," Shin shakes her head, taking a sip of the drink happily. Anything to help her forget the tension between them. The room is thick with it. She finishes the last of the liquor before she stands from the table. "I suppose, knowing what I know, it"s probably best I simply respect your wishes then."
  
  Sabine opens her mouth like she"s going to argue, but she freezes. Shin approaches her carefully, watching the way the woman looks up at her. She leans forward and lets her lips brush against Sabine"s forehead. She isn"t sure why she does it-she almost feels like her body is operating separately from her mind, but she sees the way Sabine"s eyes flutter closed and she sighs at the touch. The tension worsens.
  
  She pulls away from Sabine and goes to walk away, but Sabine tangles her fingers in the fabric of Shin"s shirt, knuckles brushing against her bare chest as Shin"s breath hitches, caught off guard. Sabine remains seated, pulling Shin down as the space closes between them, lips just barely brushing against one another but not yet meeting.
  
  "Sabine," Shin whispers, not sure what to say. Her heart races in her chest faster than it would in a duel and she can"t remember the last time she wanted to kiss someone as badly as she does right now. But she shouldn"t and she knows she shouldn"t.
  
  "Shin," Sabine breathes out in a way that makes Shin want to forget every reason why this is a bad idea in the first place.
  
  She can smell the mix of whiskey and bourbon on Sabine"s breath, this close she can see the beads of sweat formed on her cheeks, the precise shape of the mole beside her nose. For just a flicker of a moment, Shin lets herself find out what Sabine tastes like. It"s a chaste kiss, a mere brush of the lips, so brief it was almost never there at all. When she pulls away, Sabine lets her go, but Shin doesn"t move far.
  
  "We"ve had a lot to drink," Shin says, even though she feels perfectly stable on her feet. She doesn"t want to push Sabine-not now when there"s whiskey on her tongue and tears shining in her eyes. No, not like this. If she"s going to do this, she"s going to do it right. And she knows deep down that now is not the right time.
  
  Sabine clears her throat, wiping beneath her nose and nodding as Shin pulls back. "No, you"re right. That was... awfully rude of me. Thank you. For having a drink with me."
  
  Shin nods and steps back, reaching for her hat by the door. Sabine stays seated and she doesn"t expect her to get up. She watches her-legs spread around the edge of her chair, fingers tapping on the table, half-empty glass in front of her. Shin"s chest heaves up and down and the last thing she wants to do is leave right now, but if she doesn"t walk out that door in the next two minutes she isn"t sure she"ll be able to stop herself from jumping Sabine"s bones.
  
  "My pleasure," she says with a nod of her head, two fingers holding her hat. "You have a good rest of your evening."
  
  When she pushes through the door, she waits until it closes behind her, but doesn"t walk away quite yet. Shin makes herself take a deep breath, wiping sweat from her brow and lighting up a cigarette. It takes everything in her not to turn back around and open that door again. Out of the corner of her eye, through the window, she sees Sabine still at the table, running an exasperated hand through her hair. She walks away before Sabine can see her, heart still racing.
  
  She burns through two more cigarettes before she makes it back to the inn. A hand ghosts across her lips, trying to remember the taste of bourbon.
  
  Notes:
  i did pretty base level research on like, the status of ukraine in the 1800s, and it was in fact occupied and ruled by russia at the time but if any other historical details are inaccurate/not handled well please do let me know <3
  
  i did not want to completely ignore the civil war especially since so much of the "wild west" was founded by people fleeing the war/freed slaves/etc but omg i was watching this western movie and like halfway through the movie they dropped that the main character was a former CONFEDERATE SOLDIER i was like UM. the movie was jonah hex and it was BAD even without the CONFEDERACY involved. it was crazy. i cant remember if i talked about this in the last chapter notes or not but it's literally still so baffling to me its like when i watched tvd and they revealed that the salvatore brothers (or was it just damon? idr) fought for the confederacy like can we stop doing that in media it's WEIRD
  
  anyway this fic takes place about a decade post-civil war anyway, but i still wanted to mention it because it's obviously. a huge part of american history
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 5
  Notes:
  i did not like this chapter at first but then i went a certain direction and now i like this chapter very much and i think you guys will too also i finally remembered other people in the town exist omggg
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin is beginning to run low on funds, more low than she would like. But to accept a job here in Calico would imply that she"s going to stay here. She had half a mind to run away in the middle of the night after she let herself kiss Sabine, to hop on Pepper"s back and never look twice at this sleepy mining town again. But the sun rose and Shin was still here. She isn"t sure why, but something in her just isn"t ready to leave quite yet. Maybe it was the exasperated look in Sabine"s eyes as she sat at her kitchen table after Shin"s departure. The look that yearned for something more. And the parts of Shin that wished for the same.
  
  She quells her anxieties by grooming Pepper as best she can with what little she has, using some borrowed supplies from Hera as she runs a brush through her hair.
  
  "I ain"t seen you "round here," a voice interrupts her as Shin lets Pepper nuzzle into her hand. She turns around to see a young boy-the same dark hair as the inn"s owner, standing, staring at Shin and her horse. She remembers Hera mentioning something about her boy, but Shin had yet to run into him. Until now. "I like your horse."
  
  "You can pet her if you like," Shin offers, stepping aside. She holds out her hand for the young boy to shake. "I"m Shin, pleasure to meet you."
  
  "Jacen." He shakes her hand happily before running over to pet Pepper. "What"s her name?"
  
  Shin scratches the space between the horse"s ears, watching the way he stands up on his tip-toes to run his hand across Pepper"s nose. "This here is Pepper. She"s just about the sweetest horse I"ve ever had the pleasure of owning."
  
  Her heart warms against her will watching the young boy pet her horse. In just a few days it seems Shin has already grown far too fond of this little town. She needs to get the hell out before she starts getting dangerous thoughts like staying. She isn"t even sure if Baylan is after her, but she doesn"t want to find out. She stole his horse, spit on his name, and abandoned him. If someone did the same to her, she"d hunt them all the way across the west, too. Even so, something about Calico is just... nice. Despite her past, Shin has been allowed the grace to just be. There"s no guarantee another town will give her that luxury.
  
  "Jacen, don"t go bothering the guests," Hera"s voice hollers around the back corner, coming around with her arms crossed as she snaps her fingers at her son.
  
  "He"s not bothering me," Shin shrugs her off, turning to the boy with a small smile. Even so, he lets go of Pepper and runs over to his mother"s side anyway. "Say, Hera, how many days I got left with how much I gave you?"
  
  Hera looks up, like she"s doing the math in her head before shrugging, "Probably another week. You plan on staying after that?"
  
  Shin hesitates. Hera catches it right away, turning to Jacen and telling him, "Why don"t you go run along, I"ll be there in a minute."
  
  He runs off back around the front of the inn and Hera takes a step closer to Shin. She places a hand atop Pepper"s head, rubbing gently before turning to Shin. "Look, if you don"t have the money to stay, but you want to, don"t worry about it. There"s plenty of work in town and I"d be happy to work something out with you."
  
  "I just don"t know if I can," Shin sighs, crossing her arms and leaning against a wooden pole. "I"ve pissed off a lot of people. A lot of people I can"t have finding me. I mean, the town"s been wonderful so far. Ezra needs to stop buying me drinks or I swear to God, I"ll be more of a drunk than I already am. But I"m... I"m running from a lot of shit, Hera."
  
  Hera nods, taking in the words with a steady expression on her face. "Well, if you decide to stay here, that means you"re one of us. And we take care of our own here in Calico, as I"m sure you"ve seen. And we can be as discreet as you need us to be. Besides, I think Sabine has taken a real shining to you. Having the favor of the deputy is as good as you"re gonna get out here."
  
  Shin can"t help but blush, remembering the taste of bourbon on her lips, leftover from Sabine. Part of her wishes she had gone back into that house and let Sabine have her way with her, but she knows it"s for the best. An attachment won"t work anyway, not when she could have to leave at a moment"s notice the moment trouble starts rolling in. "Sabine doesn"t care "bout me. I"m just another dirty outlaw waitin" to cause some trouble."
  
  "I wouldn"t be too sure about that," Hera says with a chuckle. "Ahsoka told me she"s been blowin" up the sheriff"s office all afternoon yapping about you. Don"t tell her I told you that, though, she"ll kill me. Whole town"s talking about you, all good."
  
  It"s startling. Shin is used to being notorious, to people assuming the worst about her before she"s even got a word out of her mouth. She isn"t sure how to respond when that"s not the case. She stumbles over her words for a moment, running a hand through her loose hair. "Thank you for that, Hera. I"m not sure what work this town has for me because I doubt I"m any good at silver mining-"
  
  "Ezra might have something for ya," Hera cuts her off with a wink. "Not that we"ve been... talking about it or anything. There"s even an empty house since the McCullen"s moved on, I"m sure you could talk to the mayor about taking it up. I"ve got an in with him considering I"m the mother of his child and all."
  
  "Oh, um," Shin shrinks into herself, the concept of a house here almost too much to bear. "I think-that"s mighty kind of you, but I think I"m quite settled at the inn right now, I won"t worry about anything more... permanent. I appreciate it, it"s just uh-yeah. Thank you. I"ll look into the job, though, I think, maybe."
  
  "Oh, don"t go bending over backwards to please me, Shin," the woman laughs, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she takes a step towards Shin. "Look, no one ends up in a place like this without running from something. Most of us only settle down because we get damn tired and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you seem tired, Shin. And there"s only so much further west you can go."
  
  Shin just nods, unsure what to say. She knows Hera"s right, but that doesn"t mean she has to like it. Shin will do laps around the states if it means getting the hell away from the life she used to have. "Thank you, Hera."
  
  "I"ll leave you be, thank you for hearing me out," Hera nods, "and for entertaining my boy for a minute or two."
  
  She just tilts her hat and offers a small smile. "Any time."
  
  Then, she"s left alone with her horse. Shin sighs, leaning against the wall for a bit before walking over to Pepper. She scratches between her ears once more, whispering to the animal, "What are we gonna do now, girl?"
  
  
  
  The saloon is empty when Shin makes her way over there-not a lot of day drinkers in Calico it seems, which strikes Shin as odd considering there"s very little else to do around here. Ezra is sitting on one of the barstools, a book in his hand, but he looks like he"s nodding off more than reading. The creaking wood beneath her feet wakes him and he startles, his book falling to the floor with a heavy clunk.
  
  "Jesus, Shin," Ezra breathes out a laugh. "What can I do ya for?"
  
  "A job?" Shin tilts her head and asks with a sigh. She can"t believe the words are leaving her lips, yet here they hang in the air. "Hera told me you might have something for me and I-I think I"m going to be here longer than I planned. And it"s probably best I support that with an honest living instead of my other... hobbies."
  
  Ezra pats the barstool next to him and Shin sighs, placing her hat on the bar and sitting down. He reaches over and grabs two glasses with a bottle of whiskey, pouring both of them a glass. "Sabine told me what happened last night."
  
  The color drains from Shin"s face, sputtering over her words, but Ezra cuts her off before she can think of anything to say. "Don"t go panicking. I think you"re quite the gentleman, truly. Holy shit, you have thrown her for a goddamn loop, though. Don"t tell her I told you."
  
  Shin takes a hefty sip of her whiskey and nods. "I keep getting told that a lot today, it seems. I have a feeling I"ve been throwing her since the moment I arrived."
  
  "Cheers to that," Ezra laughs, clinking his glass with hers. "I think it"s been a long time since Sabine took anything seriously in that regard. And an outlaw, nonetheless... she"s just about pulling her hair out."
  
  "It"s not-" Shin starts to say. She wants to say it"s nothing, that all she wants is to bed Sabine and be done with it, but the way the air had felt in that house last night was unlike anything Shin has ever shared with someone. "I don"t know what the hell"s going on with me. Something in the air in this town got me all turned around. I can"t remember the last time I found a place that made me want to stay."
  
  "Well, I could use some extra hands "round here," Ezra sighs, looking around at the empty saloon. "Maybe for the night shift. And as for Sabine-she doesn"t tell a lot of people what happened to her, you know. I know you haven"t been here long, but I have a feeling there"s a spot in this town carved out for you if you want it. And, word of advice, stop by the sheriff"s office. Ahsoka is about damn ready to blow Sabine"s head off if she doesn"t shut up any time soon."
  
  Shin chuckles, trying not to acknowledge the way her heart warms at the thought. She finishes the rest of the whiskey and slams the glass down on the bar. "I don"t know. Everything is... I shouldn"t be talking to you about this. She"s your best friend, it"s rude."
  
  "Well, she won"t tell you, but I will," Ezra scoffs, taking the rest of his drink. "Very first night you rolled into town she talked my damn ear off about the audacity you possessed and how you were just utterly incorrigible-oh, and also mentioned how hot you were about every other word. Girl"s got a crush, she"s just hung up on that little attitude of yours. Her finding out what a hell of a gunslinger you are yesterday, though, boy she just about fainted."
  
  It"s so much information, Shin almost doesn"t know what to do with it. Part of her wants more whiskey, part of her wants to run over to the sheriff"s office as soon as possible and see how crazy she can really drive Sabine. "She"ll kill you for telling me that."
  
  "Oh, I know, I"m counting on you to be discreet," Ezra laughs. "I don"t mean to push my nose into your business, of course, but I know you"ve had an eye on her. But it"s a tricky thing, even here. So, don"t rush."
  
  "This sure is an odd town," Shin sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I don"t think Sabine"s the only one thrown. Look-mighty kind of you to sell out your best friend like this, but I don"t know if Sabine wants to mix herself up in all of this. She"s right, I"m just trouble and sooner or later, it"ll fuck things up more than it already has and I just-I don"t think I could do that to a place that"s been so kind to me."
  
  She stands up from the stool, placing her hat atop her head, ready to take her leave. "I appreciate everything you"ve done for me. Don"t worry about the job."
  
  Shin heads for the door, ready to hang her head when Ezra pipes up from the stool. "Shin?" She turns. "At least pay her a visit."
  
  She finds herself at the sheriff"s office not two minutes later. Shin tugs her hat from her head, holding it against her chest with one hand gently as she knocks on the door frame. Ahsoka"s head pops from her desk, turning to where Sabine is very elegantly napping with her feet kicked up on the desk and her hat over her face. Shin bites back a chuckle at the sight.
  
  "Good to see you, Shin, making yourself at home?" Ahsoka asks.
  
  "Something like that," Shin shrugs.
  
  The voices startle Sabine awake and she jumps, the hat slipping off her face, tugging a few strands of dark hair in front of her face as it does so. She catches it before it hits the floor and her eyes dart immediately over to Shin. Without even saying anything, Sabine"s cheeks flush pink just at the sight of the woman darkening her doorway, "Shin, I, uh, what are you doing here?"
  
  "Well, would you look at that, I think I hear Kanan hollering for me," Ahsoka sighs, standing up from her desk, shooting a smile in Shin"s direction. "Always good seeing you, Shin. Thanks for staying out of trouble."
  
  Shin just nods as the woman brushes past her, leaving just her and Sabine. "Thought I"d stop in and say goodbye."
  
  "Goodbye?" Sabine asks, standing up from her desk. She doesn"t move, just stands there with gentle hands against the wood. "Hera told me you paid for another week at the inn, I thought-"
  
  "This is a good town," Shin says simply, letting her hand with her hat drop down by her side. "I would hate to darken it with my troubles, so I think it"s best I be on my way and just leave you be. Everyone has been so welcoming, I won"t forget it, promise."
  
  Sabine opens her mouth to say something and then closes it. Shin takes the silence as a moment to look at her-her hair is always in that damn braid, loose down her back with strands all over the place like she slept in it. And yet she"s got bags under eyes like she didn"t sleep a wink. Their eyes meet across the room and Shin takes a shaky breath. It"s worse when she knows what Sabine"s lips taste like. But she can"t stay.
  
  When Sabine still doesn"t say anything, Shin prepares to leave, putting her hat back on and heading for the door. That"s when Sabine moves from the desk, reaching out and grabbing Shin"s wrist, "Wait."
  
  Shin pauses, eyes darting down to the hand on her wrist before flicking back up to meet Sabine"s gaze. Sabine lets out a shaky breath, clearing her throat and letting go of Shin before stepping back. "Sorry, I just... sorry. I don"t know what came over me."
  
  Her gaze lingers on Sabine"s lips for longer than it should. She steps in, away from the doorway and close to Sabine. Using her heel, she hooks it around the door and pushes it shut without taking her eyes off of Sabine. A million thoughts on what to do race through Shin"s mind-and not one of them is something she should do. What she should do is walk out that door right now, hop on her horse, and ride far, far away from Calico. She came here to say goodbye and she took care of that already. And if there"s one thing Shin is good at, it"s leaving. So she doesn"t have a clue why this is so hard for her.
  
  There"s only inches between her and Sabine now and it"s clear they both have the same thing on their mind. Sabine"s eyes flit up to meet hers. "You can"t use alcohol as an excuse this time."
  
  Shin huffs out a quiet laugh. "Ezra gave me whiskey, I could be out of my mind right now."
  
  "Shut up," Sabine scoffs before she surges forward and catches Shin"s lips with her own.
  
  Shin lets her, letting Sabine press her up against the door as her hands slide up in Shin"s hair, knocking her hat right off her head. It hits the floor with a soft noise as Shin brings her hand up to hold Sabine"s face, skin warm beneath her touch as she kisses her back with fervor. She grips her hair at the base of her braid, keeping Sabine close to her as she opens her lips, letting Sabine explore her mouth with her tongue.
  
  They stumble back until Sabine"s back is up against the edge of her desk, one of Shin"s hands braced against the wood, the other still tangled in her hair. Sabine"s hands find her hips, fingers sliding in her belt loops and tugging Shin between her legs.
  
  "Sabine-" Shin breathes against her lips, pulling herself away from Sabine as much as she doesn"t want to, she knows she should. She doesn"t go far, a hand still on Sabine"s face, thumb stroking her cheek. "I don"t-I can"t. You don"t mess with people like me and for damn good reason. I"m in shit up to my waist and I don"t want that to be a problem here. I am sorry, I truly cannot stay."
  
  Sabine clears her throat, bringing a hand up to gently wipe her cupid"s bow where beads of sweat are beginning to form. Neither of them move. And Shin, despite her words, can"t find it in her to be the first to break. "I suppose I can"t exactly force you."
  
  "Right." Shin finally steps back, sucking in a careful breath, reaching down and picking her hat up off the floor. She lingers by the door, ready to leave. Really, the best decision is to walk out right now and not look back. It would be the smart, selfless thing to do. She makes her first mistake-turning back to look at Sabine.
  
  Sabine, standing there with her hands braced against the wood of the desk with a white-knuckled grip, her braid messier than it was before and her cheeks flushed red. God, she"s beautiful. Shin was mesmerized by her the second she rode in and she heard that whistle. Her chest is still heaving, still catching her breath. Her lips are kiss-bitten and she"s got a sad look in her eyes that makes Shin want to move right into the spot between her heart and her ribs.
  
  "Oh, Jesus Christ," is all Shin breathes out, muttering under her breath as she steps back over to Sabine, pushing her up onto the desk and crashing their lips together.
  
  Sabine gasps against her mouth, kissing her back eagerly with open-mouthed passion, a hand rough at the nape of Shin"s neck and the other gripping her waist tight enough to bruise. Her tongue explores Sabine"s mouth, tasting every last bit of her, swallowing every gasp and moan from the heated kiss. She can"t remember the last time she felt desire like this-the last time she physically couldn"t let herself walk away from someone. Sabine has consumed her entirely, living in her mind every waking and dreaming moment.
  
  "I don"t care about your shit," Sabine whispers against her lips, hands going for the rivets of Shin"s jeans. "You make me feel crazy, Shin, absolutely crazy."
  
  "Feeling"s mutual," Shin gasps as Sabine"s hand slips past her drawers, fingers dipping into the slick wetness forming between her legs. Her lips find Sabine"s neck, biting down into the flesh just below the collar of her shirt, tasting the sweat on her flesh and sucking a bruise into the skin. She moans as Sabine"s fingers ghost over her clit, just barely grazing the bundle of nerves. Her fingers tangle around Sabine"s braid, yanking it down to give Shin better access to her neck. Sabine moans at this, finally pressing down on her clit.
  
  Shin doesn"t normally let women touch her like this-usually she just helps them get off and calls it a night, content to just give and give. But she didn"t have it in her to push Sabine away, she doesn"t know how she could when it feels this good. Instead, she presses further against Sabine, chest to chest as she kisses further up Sabine"s neck. She kisses the skin below her ear before meeting her lips once more, just as Sabine presses two fingers against her entrance. Shin nods against her lips, gasping as the fingers breach her entrance. The stretch is pleasant, the burn of pleasure almost too much to bear. She whimpers against Sabine"s lips-a sound entirely unlike her, but she can"t help it.
  
  Her head falls against Sabine"s shoulder as she fucks into her, her fingers spreading within Shin each time she pushes in, thumb playing with her clit the whole time. Sabine mouths against the skin of her neck, breath hot as it fans across Shin"s flesh. Sabine"s free hand digs at her scalp, Sabine"s legs hooked around the backs of Shin"s knees, heels of her boots digging into the creases of her jeans.
  
  She shakes as her orgasm rattles through her, sooner than she expected. Shin grips Sabine"s braid tightly, teeth biting down into Sabine"s shoulder to disguise the, frankly embarrassing, moan that rips from her throat. Sabine chuckles softly, kissing the spot beneath Shin"s ear, running her hands through her hair affectionately.
  
  Shin comes down with a shaky breath, releasing her grip on Sabine and pressing a soft kiss to the teeth marks that now reside in the flesh of her shoulder, tugging her shirt back up so it covers them for the most part. Sabine removes her hand and Shin can"t help but reach for her jeans-only to be pushed away by Sabine.
  
  "Not right now," Sabine whispers against her lips. "Another time."
  
  "I don"t like owing people," Shin chuckles, kissing her again just to taste her once more.
  
  Sabine shrugs, doing up Shin"s jeans and letting her hands rest on her hips, fingers toying with her belt loops. She chases Shin"s lips, a grin on her face. She looks up to meet Shin"s eyes, tilting her head, saying, "I suppose you"ll just have to stick around a little bit longer, then."
  
  Shin chuckles, accepting her defeat. Looking at Sabine now, though, she thinks she can stay at least another day. Maybe two. If only so she can pay back her debt. At the very least. "I suppose I will. Well played, Wren."
  
  "Any time, Hati."
  
  Notes:
  sabine "the cowboy boots stay on during sex" wren
  
  you and i were born in fire
  YumagnasHome
  Summary:
  It's a relief, in a way, to finally know what the fuck's been going on with her body. Though, that relief only goes so far considering Sabine's still no closer to figuring out what to do about it. How to fix it.
  
  And she does need to fix it.
  
  Like hell she's going to spend the rest of her days connected to Shin Hati. That most definitely falls under the category of cruel and unusual punishment and Sabine honestly doesn't think she's been bad enough in life to deserve it. Sure, she's no angel. But she's not the literal spawn of Satan either.
  
  . . .
  
  (AKA the search for Ezra hits a snag when Sabine discovers she has an unusual connection to the mercenary who stabbed her.)
  
  Chapter 1: is that a lightsaber in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
  Notes:
  gifting this to TheTurkeyOne because I really loved the oneshot series they wrote for Sabine/Shin
  
  I"m going to be honest, this fic basically exists because I wanted to write something for wolfren but I find the sheer immensity of the star wars universe and lore really difficult to keep track of so I decided to downscale it all. Originally, this was only supposed to be an 8-12k word oneshot but the draft so far is 60k so. . . Just like every time I try to write a oneshot, it didn"t work out.
  
  Even though this is set on Earth and there"s no force I"ve tried to carry across as much of the original universe as I can and insert similar enough replacements for things that couldn"t be carried across exactly. So, whilst it"s an alternate universe, a fair chunk of canon remains. The Jedi and Sith still exist (but they"re a little different because of the lack of force), aliens are still present, the war still happened between the Empire and Republic (it just involved countries not planets), and droids are also still here. The biggest new element I"ve introduced are robots called synthetics (synths). They (and this fic) are heavily inspired by the tv series Humans (which if you haven"t watch it, I really recommend)
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine is not having a good week.
  
  First she gets stabbed-
  
  Actually, no. First she gets a surprise visit from her estranged master asking for her help - a master who, surprise surprise, has as little faith in her as ever - then she gets stabbed. By a bottle blonde with a hard-on for eyeliner and the most dated fashion sense Sabine has ever seen, no less.
  
  And now, here she is, having the life choked out of her by that same bottle blond whilst trying not to focus on just how green her eyes are. Like, really green - in case anyone was wondering. Really, really green. Also really close.
  
  No seriously, Sabine could kiss her right now if she wanted to.
  
  Not that she does. Or will. Because that would be an insane reaction to have when being choked to within an inch of your life. And she's not - insane.
  
  (no matter what Huyang might say to the contrary)
  
  Still. . . she's very close.
  
  And Sabine tries to remember if she cleaned her teeth this morning. Or had garlic for dinner. You know, the normal things you worry about when someone is trying to kill you and their nose is within close proximity to your mouth. . .
  
  Suffice it to say, she is not having a good week.
  
  Earlier that week
  
  Ahsoka shows up one fine Summer's morning, heart set on tearing Sabine's life apart at the seams. Or, at least giving it a good tug and pull.
  
  "Oh my God, you brought me a sphere!" Sabine gushes the moment the object is dropped into her hand. "You know, I always wanted a sphere."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth twitches in that way she does when she's amused by something Sabine has said but is refusing to let it show. "It's a holocron-like device created by Palpatine."
  
  She looks at the sphere with new eyes - and more than a little distaste. She wonders whether you can catch evil. Makes a note to scrub her hands raw once she's tossed the thing back to Ahsoka. "What's on it?"
  
  "I don't know." Her lips purse and Sabine can tell she's more than a little bit peeved by this tiny little ball of metal escaping her vast array of knowledge. "Not for certain. But there were rumors during the war of a holocron, matching this description, also created by Palpatine."
  
  "And what did those rumors say was on it?"
  
  "A map." Ahsoka steps closer, examining the sphere, and Sabine tries not to shrink back from the increased proximity. It's been a long time since they've even been in the same room together, let alone sharing a foot of space. "Every member of the Empire was required to consume a tracking device that molded with their DNA. It was meant to deter against defection. No mater where you ran, the Empire would always be able to find you. A holocron was created to act as a receiver for all the tracker's signals and stored the information permanently."
  
  "So this is the holocron." Sabine tilts her head, searching out a button or. . . something that might open the evil little ball or otherwise switch it on. "What are you doing with it?"
  
  "Three days ago, Morgan Elsbeth escaped from her cell. The last I spoke to her, she was obsessed with finding this map. . . I've spent the last four months trying to find it first."
  
  "Looks like you were successful." Sabine tosses it up in the air. Catches it (suppressing a smile when Ahsoka tenses at the careless action). "So what do you want with it? And why have you brought it to me?"
  
  "Second question first. I've brought it to you because you're the only person I know who stands a good chance at being able to open it."
  
  (Sabine will not fall prey to flattery, she will not.)
  
  "And the first question?"
  
  "That's more complicated." Ahsoka hesitates, scanning her face. "This is a map to every Imperial Officer on the planet, including those currently wanted for war crimes but have, thus far, been unlocatable."
  
  "A fairly good reason."
  
  Sabine certainly doesn't need another. Though, that does nothing to stop Ahsoka from giving her one.
  
  "One of those soldiers is Thrawn. And if we find Thrawn's location, we might find-"
  
  The penny drops.
  
  "Ezra."
  
  [The Jedi were created as an ideal, with the assigned purpose of maintaining balance in the world. An impartial body to ensure no country would ever gain more power than another, and that wealth was distributed evenly amongst the populations. Their existence was considered necessary to ensure that Earth did not suffer another near-extinction event. That billionaires and corporations weren't given a second chance to destroy the only planet they had.
  
  The Jedi were to forsake all romantic and familial ties as well as allegiance to any one country. Their loyalty would be to the world as a whole and through that they would keep it safe. Keep all of them safe.
  
  Ideals rarely ever withstand reality.]
  
  Sabine feels her before she sees her.
  
  A subtle shake in her limbs, shivering up her spine, spreading through her veins. It stills her motions, suppressing the breath in her lungs. . .
  
  When Sabine was little, she used to enjoy holding her hand against the side of her father's jetplane whilst the engine was running, feeling the steady vibrations against her skin, the way they snaked their way up her arm, to her teeth. It felt like coming alive. Like she'd found the frequency of the universe and it was singing through her, consuming her.
  
  This feels like that. Vibrations laying waste to every cell in her body, shaking her skull. The more time passes, the stronger it gets. Until, finally, it settles. . . fading to a hum that she can at least form a thought over.
  
  "What the fuck?"
  
  Then the window explodes.
  
  Sabine nearly drops the sphere in her hand as Murley hisses, hair rising like daggers from his body.
  
  "Shit!" Springing into action, she dashes for the bedroom, Murley scampering ahead and nearly tripping her feet in the process. "Fuck!"
  
  Slamming the door behind her, Sabine falls to the floor in front of the wardrobe.
  
  "Was that a window that just broke?"
  
  "Can't talk right now, Scrappie!"
  
  "Just as long as you're aware that I will not be held responsible for fixing it."
  
  "You've never fixed anything a day in your life."
  
  Scrappie, a class three droid she once rescued from a trash heap and pieced back together - and who she now can"t get to move out of her home - gives a noise closely resembling a huff.
  
  "Come on, come on." Wrenching the wardrobe open, she fumbles around for the harsh metal of her safe. There's cloaking technology on it, concealing the unbreakable metal box from view, and even Sabine struggles to locate it half the time.
  
  "Got you!"
  
  Murley hisses his congratulations from beneath a chair. Scrappie, on the other hand, lingers in resentful silence.
  
  Feeling out the raised texture of the keypad, she hastily types in her password, mutters a quick, "Open sesame," and watches the cloaking technology turn off as the top of the safe pops open.
  
  Not wasting a moment, Sabine stashes the sphere inside, slams the lid and shoves it back into the depths of her closet, watching as it disappears from view.
  
  Next order of business is to chase Murley under the bed and give him a stern talking to about not coming out for anyone but her or Ahsoka - which is, of course, when the door to her bedroom flies off its hinges.
  
  Sabine whips around. "Was that really necessary?!"
  
  (she only just replaced the damn thing)
  
  The woman who steps into the room either doesn't hear or doesn't care to acknowledge her words. Which would be infuriating if not for the fact that the humming inside Sabine has started to climb again, higher and higher until it finally reaches its peak when the woman's feet stop less than a meter from hers.
  
  She's. . .
  
  Well, weird is probably the best word. Tall and lithe as any ballerina or model, and decked out head to toe in an outfit that would probably be more suited to Earth's medieval period. The cloak is a particularly ostentatious touch and Sabine can't quite keep back a snort - because snorting in the face of danger is what she does best.
  
  It's the type of dramatic wardrobe she's only ever seen on those employed by the Empire.
  
  Not a great sign.
  
  "Miss Wren, I believe we have an intruder."
  
  "Kind of stating the obvious, Scrappie," Sabine mutters, not taking her eyes off said 'intruder'.
  
  The woman cocks her head, in that same way she's seen Murley do when studying a cornered mouse.
  
  Such scenes usually end in a blood bath.
  
  "You're in possession of something that does not belong to you." She has a faint accent, though not one Sabine can readily trace. Something Eastern European, maybe. It doesn't really help her determine who she's dealing with. "Relinquish it to me and you will not be harmed."
  
  "I mean, technically it belongs to a dead guy so I think I'm going to hold onto it. Finders Keepers and all that."
  
  If Sabine didn't already know that she was fibbing about the whole 'not harming you' part, then the startling red of her lightsaber as it ignites would have clued her in.
  
  The only people she's ever seen wield sabers of that color are the Sith. An identifying mark of their fucked up cult that they proudly display. During the war, the Empire made it illegal for anyone to manufacture a saber of blue or green, the colors of the Jedi order. Now, the tables have turned and Sabine can count on less than three fingers just how many times she's seen someone with a red blade since the end of the war.
  
  There's a tint of orange to this lightsaber but she doesn't know enough about the Sith to hazard a guess on whether that makes her situation less dire or moreso.
  
  Shit.
  
  The woman steps closer, the sharp hum of her lightsaber nearly eclipsing the irritating hum Sabine's veins that she's been feeling since her arrival. "I was hoping you'd say that."
  
  Sabine doesn't doubt it for a second. Whilst her face is unerringly blank, there's a creeping excitement in her eyes and Sabine knows an adrenaline junkie when she sees one.
  
  Mostly because she is one.
  
  "I suppose you wouldn't be open to just grabbing a bite to eat and some coffee? Maybe throw in a bit of clubbing?"
  
  The woman cocks her head, looking an - admittedly - adorable mixture of frustrated and perplexed.
  
  "Nope?" Sabine reaches for the lightsaber at her belt. "Okay, then."
  
  Exhaling, she ignites it.
  
  Ahsoka, you better be on your way.
  
  Lying on the ground, Sabine can only prepare for death as the sound of footsteps draws closer and closer. Then comes to a stop. Her would-be murderer squints down at her, like she's a particularly frustrating puzzle whose pieces refuse to fit together.
  
  Sabine tries to speak, to deliver some heroic last-minute snark before she finishes her off, but she can't find the strength to move her lips. The world moves around her in a fog, hazy and unforgiving, Sabine wanders in and out of the shadows.
  
  She blinks and the woman is bending over, hand outstretched towards her face, her own drawn with curiosity.
  
  The closer she gets, the more insistent the hum in Sabine's head becomes. She groans under the onslaught, just as the woman's fingers touch her forehead - then jerk back.
  
  "What are you?"
  
  (what a rude question to ask)
  
  Sabine parts her lips, tries to form a stinging response-
  
  and it's at that moment the world fades out.
  
  [At first, the Jedi Order was an unquestionable success. Wars dwindled, corruption faltered, and poverty receded slowly from the shores of civilization. Then the cracks started to show. Little fissures in the fabric of the world, that grew and grew. By the time Sabine was born, the entire building had almost crumbled down.
  
  People would always hunger for more. More power. More money. More attention. And ever so slowly they began to gain it.
  
  The Order, which was created as a governing body that would take no sides and work for the good of all, fell slowly into the grip of the Old Republic. Which, whilst not nearly as bad as the Empire that would one day replace it, had grown rotten with corruption, inaction and self-indulgence. Those outside of the Republic slipped slowly into waste, left to fester by the Jedi. Human trafficking and slavery were common in those parts, though - Sabine's learned - such things found themselves at home in the Republic as well. They were just hidden. Never spoken of. Never acknowledged.
  
  ('We lost our way,' Ahsoka confides in her once, not long after Sabine has agreed to be her apprentice. 'Became arrogant with our own power and influence whilst believing ourselves above such base things. That became clear to me the day I was expelled from the Order. As much as the Jedi preach against attachment, we had become attached to the Republic. A dying Republic.'
  
  'They chose it over you.'
  
  Ahsoka inclines her head. 'Our intentions were good - I still believe that - but the day we stopped focusing on the entire world instead of just one governmant, is the day we signed our own ruin.'
  
  'Do you think the new Jedi Order will be better?'
  
  '. . . I hope so,' Ahsoka says softly.
  
  Sabine doesn't point out that, as much as she may hope, that hope hasn't been strong enough to call her back to the Order. Though she has reclaimed the title of Jedi, she refuses to return to the past.
  
  Sabine can't blame her)]
  
  It goes without saying that she managed to crack the map open. She is, uncontestably, brilliant at what she does. And, sure, it was a little trickier to start with than she expected but that wasn't necessarily an unwanted hiccup - it's been far too long since Sabine's had a challenge she can really sink her teeth into.
  
  The problem wasn't the map.
  
  The problem was the blonde, lightsaber-wielding gremlin that crashed her victory party and tried to steal the damn map - but not before rearranging some of Sabine's insides.
  
  She winces, massaging the wound on her side.
  
  "Stop touching it," Ahsoka scolds. "You'll only get it infected."
  
  "I can't believe she just left me lying there. She didn't even care enough to finish the job!"
  
  "I'm sorry, are you upset that you were only stabbed somewhere non-vital instead of mortally wounded by the person who tried to rob you?"
  
  "I mean. . . not really," It's more the principle of the matter. Sabine is very happy to still be alive and breathing - it just wouldn't be fair to poor Murley and Scrappie to render them orphans - but the utter disrespect! What? Homicidal blonde lady didn't even consider Sabine enough of a threat to make sure that she'd never get back up again? She left her - like trash!
  
  Ahsoka raises a doubtful brow but doesn't comment.
  
  Sabine sighs, turning to the sphere on her bedside table. "At least she didn't manage to take it."
  
  Ahsoka's arrival was timely, if a little too late to stop another scar from being added to her collection. Sabine winces, regretting her decision not to accept painkillers, as she attempts to make herself a little more upright.
  
  Huyang, to her left, clocks her struggle and adds another pillow to her already impressive collection, creating a sturdier surface to support her weight.
  
  Ahsoka frowns, eying the sphere. "Were you able to open it?"
  
  "Yeah." Sabine winces, backtracking. "Well, mostly. I did get it open but I was only able to unlock about thirty percent of the map. Bloodthirsty Barbie interrupted before I could work my way through the rest."
  
  "Still" - Ahsoka smiles - "thirty percent is impressive. It's more than anyone else has managed."
  
  Sabine curses the way her lips itch to break into their own smile, the little thrill that zaps through her at Ahsoka's praise. She's not her master anymore. And Sabine is not her apprentice.
  
  Those days are behind them. The only reason she's doing this is because of Ezra. Ezra, who disappeared off the face of the Earth along with Thrawn ten years ago.
  
  "Get some rest." Ahsoka moves like she's going to pat Sabine's hand but stops herself at the last second. "We'll talk more later."
  
  Sabine has no intention at all of resting - she still has seventy percent worth of map to unlock - but she nods at her former master like a good girl and watches as she rises from her chair in preparation to leave.
  
  It's when she's partway to the door that Sabine remembers something. Something that she could only take in stride and dismiss at the time but that now has her stomach twisting in on itself.
  
  "Ahsoka."
  
  Ahsoka halts, turning slowly back to face her.
  
  Sabine hesitates, unsure if she even wants to voice this. If it's even worth voicing. After all, she has no idea what actually happened. What she felt. What if her brain is just misremembering shit because of the trauma of getting stabbed?
  
  Except her brain never misremembers shit.
  
  It can't.
  
  "I sensed her coming, Ahsoka," Sabine whispers, watching her turn very still. "I felt her. . . I don't even know how that's possible."
  
  The confused frown on Ahsoka's face mirrors her own internal state, which is comforting in its way. "It shouldn't be. . . not for a human."
  
  Sabine smiles grimly. "Except I'm not entirely human."
  
  Not anymore.
  
  "It all depends on your definition." Ahsoka hesitates, then forces her own smile - it's not nearly as reassuring as she probably thinks it is. "As for what you felt. . . it's something we can try to figure out the why of in the future. Right now, our priority is that map."
  
  "Right." Sabine tries not to let the smile on her lips falter. "Of course."
  
  And she's right. That map is their priority.
  
  Finding Ezra is their priority. Nothing else matters more than that.
  
  Sabine won't let it.
  
  Notes:
  Next chapter will be much longer and then we'll be up to present day and the chapters will be pretty much entirely shin/sabine from that point on. we've just got to get through the setup first
  
  Next time: sabine learns more about the mysterious woman who attacked her
  
  Chapter 2: your body's a machine, you are not a human being
  Notes:
  warning this fic laughs in the face of science, not one part of it is plausible, but that"s okay because we"re just here for wolfren
  
  (chapter title is obviously taken from Halsey's song Gasoline
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "Alright, let's see who your attacker was."
  
  Sabine is already stepping into motion before Ahsoka has finished speaking. She's been itching to start investigating - and hopefully get to the bottom of this - since she first woke up.
  
  Mandalore, one of Earth's largest manmade islands, was once home to a civilization of people who decided to meld their bodies with machines. Cyborgs, many have called them. Altering and shaping their bodies with biomechatronic parts. The alterations usually begin in early adulthood, once a person's decided whether they wish to devote their life to the Mandalorian way, or leave.
  
  Sabine left her people long before that point, though, when she was only sixteen, but not before receiving her own alteration. A modification to her brain, done in an effort to save her life after the first time their home was bombed by the Empire. Experimental technology. Unsafe. But the alternative was to let her die.
  
  It has its upsides, she's found. One of them being a digital memory that she can transfer to certain electronic devices like the datapad on the table in front of her - though, of course, this upside also has its downsides but she tries not to focus on those.
  
  Touching a hand to the datapad, Sabine closes her eyes, concentrating. By this point, the wireless transfer is almost second nature, she's done it so often, and when she opens her eyes, sure enough, her attacker is displayed across the screen. Sabine swipes a finger and a duplicate of the screen is thrust into the air.
  
  And there she is.
  
  The woman who stabbed her. Dancing with her lightsaber, her brow knit tight in concentration. There's hunger in her eyes, as well. Sabine missed it the first time around - too busy fighting for her life - but she can see it now as the footage continues to play, each move between them growing more vicious. She enjoys the fight. Sabine can see it in those eyes. In that hunger.
  
  And, well, she can't say she doesn't relate to that particular thrill. That sometimes she doesn't enjoy it too. Not when she's getting stabbed, of course. But outside of that.
  
  Sabine stares at the footage hovering before her, unable to stop herself from leaning in a little closer, analyzing every detail her eyes were able to capture. It's something she's been doing in her own head ever since waking up. Playing out those few short minutes of their fight, again and again. At this point, she doesn't even know what it is exactly that she's looking for. What she thinks she'll find.
  
  An explanation, maybe. For why she was assaulted by those annoying as fuck vibrations moments before her assailant arrived; for why she still has the memory of lying on the ground, staring up into inquisitive green eyes as fingers hover over her skin.
  
  Whatever she's looking for, though, she hasn't found it.
  
  Beside her, Ahsoka stares at the hologram, seeming equally as enraptured by the stranger. "That shouldn't be possible."
  
  "What shouldn't be possible?" Sabine takes her eyes off her attacker's face to inspect her former-maybe-current master's instead. "Wait, do you know her?"
  
  "Not in the strictest sense." Ahsoka discards the disbelief from her features, folding her arms as she studies the, apparently, familiar woman's face. "We crossed paths once, though, during my time in Ukraine. She was on a mission for the Empire - and I was on a mission to derail that mission."
  
  "Did you?"
  
  "Partially. But that's irrelevant." Ahsoka turns to her. "She should be dead."
  
  "Because you killed her?"
  
  Great. Sabine's been skewered by a ghost. Add that to her list of unique - if unenviable - life experiences.
  
  "Because the Empire did. Or at least. . . that's what our source led us to assume."
  
  "I can confirm that she's very much alive." Sabine rubs the scarring skin on her stomach with a wince. "Like, very alive. . . Well, that or just the world's spriest corpse."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth twitches, amusement penetrating the discontent in her eyes. "She's not a corpse. She's a synth."
  
  Sabine's eyes dart back to the screen, back to Ahsoka, then back to the screen. "Actually, that explains a lot. She packs a hell of a punch."
  
  Her bruises will have bruises for weeks.
  
  But that's par for the course when fighting someone whose strength would outmatch any human's on the planet. Sabine frowns, reevaluating that fight, combing through the details in a new light. . .
  
  "I'm not surprised. You should be proud, Sabine," Ahsoka touches her arm. "Not many would come to blows with a Hati and live to tell the tale."
  
  "Hati." The word sounds harsh on her tongue, like punch. "I'm not familiar with that model of synthetic."
  
  "Not surprising. They were one of the Empire's secret weapons. Very few knew of their existence. And, of course, they were all destroyed towards the end of the war."
  
  "Of course," Sabine says, like this is common knowledge that anyone would know and not something she's finding out for the very first time. "Who destroyed them?"
  
  "The Empire."
  
  Sabine whistles. "That's got to burn."
  
  Your own side turning on you? Not for the first time, she's glad she pulled her head out of her ass and joined the Rebel Alliance when she did.
  
  Sabine frowns, examining the Hati's face, searching for any hints of her true nature.
  
  There are, of course, none.
  
  Synths, or synthetics, were created to be more useful than humans - but also more disposable. A perfect replica in every way - except for in rights. From the beginning, synths were devoid of them. And their fight to change that - both for themselves and the droids that were their sister species - was one of the conflicts that kickstarted the war. Palpatine seized on the turmoil created by their uprising - the fear and hatred embedded in Earth's population - seized on it and wrung it for all it was worth.
  
  Before then, the Synth Uprising had been a movement of no violence - though they'd certainly fallen victim to it often - but Palpatine changed the narrative. Spread countless propaganda and lies, creating the image of a machine with insatiable blood lust, whose only goal was to destroy humanity. He painted a similar picture of Earth's alien population.
  
  Sabine can remember all the lies and propaganda she so readily fell for as a child. Even after all these years of knowing the truth, not to mention fighting alongside both synths and aliens alike, she still stumbles upon traps in her head. Old rhetoric and beliefs planted there during her youth. It's constant work - springing those traps and throwing them away - but necessary work.
  
  She can't change what she believed when she was a child, or later when she was an Imperial cadet. But she can change what she believes now. More than that, she has a duty to.
  
  "So," she turns her attention back to the hologram. "Does my mystery attacker have a name?"
  
  "Huyang?" Ahsoka requests.
  
  "Already combing her face through the database - ah. Yes, here we are.
  
  Species: Synthetic
  
  Model: Hati.
  
  Registered name: Shin."
  
  Shin?
  
  Sabine snorts. A ridiculous name to suit someone with an equally ridiculous sense of fashion. Oh, she can't wait to kick her in the shins whilst shooting off a bunch of ill-timed quips.
  
  'Little pig, little pig, let me come in!'
  
  'Not by the hair on my shinny-shin-shin!'
  
  Sabine cringes. Okay, not her best work. But she'll have time to think of some much better material before their next match. And there most definitely will be a next one. Sabine isn't inclined to let anyone get away with stabbing her. Even if they are hot as fuck.
  
  She chokes on her tongue.
  
  Um. . . what?
  
  Where did that come from?
  
  We do not crush on homicidal maniacs in this house, Sabine!
  
  (of course her inner scolding voice sounds like Hera)
  
  She can feel the heat in her cheeks, reaching higher and higher. Hopes that neither Ahsoka or Huyang can see it. This is a hell of a time to discover you have a stabbing kink. Or, well, maybe it just counts as a penetration kink - in which case totally normal!
  
  Desperately in need of a distraction, Sabine clears her throat. "Got anything else on her Huyang?"
  
  (it's impressive just how normal her voice sounds. Maybe she should go into acting.)
  
  "Of course, Lady Wren.
  
  Gender: Female
  
  Status: Deceased
  
  Age: Unknown
  
  Maker: Unknown
  
  Place of origin: Unknown
  
  Current allegiance: Unknown
  
  Last known location-"
  
  "Let me guess, unknown?"
  
  ". . . There does seem to be a bit of an air of mystery surrounding your new arch-nemesis."
  
  "Hey! She is not my arch nemesis. She is not my anything - except, of course, for a massive pain in my ass."
  
  "Whatever the case, she's a problem," Ahsoka says.
  
  "I think I pretty much covered that with the 'pain in my ass' part."
  
  "But not our biggest priority right now. Our priority is finding Elsbeth and opening that map."
  
  "A map that she tried to steal, in case you forgot. Is probably still trying to steal." In Sabine's book, that makes her a huge priority. "What does she even want with it, anyway?"
  
  "I don't know, but I'm confident I don't want to find out."
  
  Sabine can't help but agree.
  
  If her skill in a fight is anything to go by, Shin Hati is certainly no idle threat. All the more reason to prioritize finding her.
  
  (because she's a threat. And not because Sabine wants to pay her back for stabbing her and walking away; and certainly not because she wants to find out what the hell is up with the whole vibrating-like-a-sex-toy-in-her-presence thing)
  
  "Sorry to interrupt," Huyang interjects politely, "but I've just received word that there's been a confirmed sighting of Lady Elsbeth in Corellia."
  
  Sabine turns to the woman beside her. "I suppose it doesn't bode well that our missing fugitive is hanging out in the largest shipping yard in the world?"
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins in agreement. "Feel up for another fight?"
  
  Huyang looks like he's going to protest but Sabine cuts him off.
  
  "Definitely."
  
  If anything, she's itching for one. Sure, the person she's itching to have a fight with is Shin Hati but a little scrap with Morgan Elsbeth is more than guaranteed to take the edge off.
  
  Huyang sighs. "I want it noted for the record that I strongly disapprove of this course of action."
  
  "Noted," Sabine says brightly, walking past him and ignoring the way the scarred skin of her stomach pulls with every step. "Now let's go."
  
  "Very well. If you insist on embarking on this reckless and assuredly self-destructive endeavour, I should inform you that I collected your armor whilst Ahsoka was loading your mortally wounded body onto the shuttle."
  
  "See? Nothing to worry about. No-one can lay a finger on me in that armor."
  
  Sabine groans, slumping onto the couch with an icepack pressed to her head, which feels like it's been halfway crushed by the foot of an elephant. Huyang assured her there was no risk of concussion but she's definitely been seeing stars for the last hour, ever since her newest bestest friend decided to use her head as a battering ram.
  
  Sabine moans at the memory.
  
  Why?
  
  Whatever happened to a good old-fashioned punch in the face? Decent. Respectable. Far less likely to cause a skull fracture. Sabine already has her fair share of brain damage, she's not in the market to get more.
  
  At least she had her armor this time, which was strong enough to defend against Shin's blows and help her deliver her own walloping ones in return - though Sabine's advantage was limited and ultimately pitiful in the face of the synth's superior skillset. And, as much as she loathes to admit it, it is superior.
  
  Though Sabine's proud to claim that she has the more lethal tongue. In fact, if it was a battle of quips, she would have won without competition. Something her opponent failed to appreciate. In fact, some of Sabine's best lines seemed to sail right on over her head.
  
  Which is disappointing. She worked really hard on those.
  
  (of course, there's always the possibility that Shin was simply pretending not to hear her. Which. . .
  
  Isn't actually a terrible strategy. Considering Sabine got increasingly frustrated the longer the fight went on - and sloppy)
  
  Needless to say, their little rendezvous with Morgan did not go as planned. Mostly because of the unexpected appearance of two lightsaber-swinging pests, one of whom was Shin Hati.
  
  As much as Sabine was itching for another fight with her, she could have done without the resulting head trauma.
  
  "She seems fascinated with you," Ahsoka comments from her position in a nearby armchair - and it might be paranoia but Sabine doesn't think she's imagining the sliver of amusement in her tone.
  
  "She seems fascinated with making me bleed," Sabine grumbles and, indeed, she came out of this latest fight with a nasty gash above her eyebrow in need of a frightening number of stitches. Though, she didn't get stabbed so Sabine's decided to count herself as the winner of that altercation.
  
  "Well. . . everyone has to have a hobby."
  
  She peers at Ahsoka through narrowed eyes.
  
  She's definitely smiling now.
  
  "Oh, fuck you."
  
  Ahsoka forces her smile to subdue itself though Sabine can still see it brimming in her eyes.
  
  She sighs, leaning back in her seat. "I'm getting my ass handed to me."
  
  "It does appear to be that way," Huyang chimes in.
  
  "Oh, fuck you too."
  
  "I was simply agreeing with you, Lady Wren." The cheek in his robotic voice is only barely detectable but, boy, does she detect it.
  
  "She had another synth with her," Ahsoka says thoughtfully. "I didn't recognize him."
  
  "Yeah, he wasn't there during our first date."
  
  "A Skroll model. Lord Baylan, if my records are correct - which they always are," Huyang reveals. "He was a Jedi at the temple. Assumed to be lost to the war."
  
  "Well, apparently not."
  
  Ahsoka tilts her head. "You don't see too many Skroll models these days. They're a dying breed."
  
  "Indeed. The models are known for being the only synthetic that never needs to charge. They are powered by a self-sustaining generator at their core. The materials for which were exhausted during the war. With most of the Skroll destroyed during that very same war and with no means to create more. . . they are an endangered species. It is the fear of the conservationists that they may one day very soon go extinct."
  
  Sabine makes a face. "I still think it's weird that the New Republic elected a 'conservationist' organization to oversee what's left of the synth and alien species on Earth. Like they're animals."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins in agreement.
  
  "The title is. . . regrettable," Huyang says. "Though the intentions themselves seem to be admirable. They've already located twenty different synth models on the brink of extinction and replenished the ranks of those they could."
  
  Sabine jerks a thumb at the woman beside her. "Ahsoka nearly punched a senator after that organization put forward a proposal for a breeding program for critically endangered alien species."
  
  "I had no intention of punching him."
  
  "Yeah, but you wanted to. And, hey, me too."
  
  "Which is why I dragged you out of there."
  
  "All part of my master plan. I was offering myself up as a distraction so that you would be focused on me rather than that Senator's oh-so-punchable face."
  
  Not really. But that's between her and God. Who she's never spoken to a day in her life.
  
  "Well, you were very successful."
  
  Sabine can tell from Ahsoka's tone that she doesn't believe a single word of her bullshit. Not surprising. It is incredibly hard to bullshit a Jedi.
  
  "Do you think Shin and Baylan were the two people you saw on the security footage of Morgan's prison break?" Sabine asks.
  
  "I'd say the odds are certainly high. They never showed their faces but we know that Elsbeth has been looking for the map and now a man and woman appear hoping to steal it shortly after she's broken out of prison by two people of a similar build and appearance? And they all lightsabers?"
  
  "Yeah. Either it's them or the universe is going a little too overboard with its coincidences."
  
  "Essentially."
  
  Great.
  
  Sabine is liking the sound of this less and less.
  
  She sighs, slumping back in her seat. Could really go for some chocolate right now.
  
  [Xenobots, a sort of animal-machine hybrid, were the world's first and only living robot. Comprised of biological matter and designed by artificial intelligence, they were capable of self-replication and healing. Originally created to remove microplastics from the ocean, scrape plaque from people's arteries and act as a drug delivery system, the Jedi Order found ways to advance their function and application beyond what anyone could ever have predicted.
  
  The technology was barred to members of the public, reserved only for members of the Order, who were injected with it over the course of their training.
  
  (another thing Palpatine used to sew resentment for the Jedi)
  
  The true extent of the xenobots' capabilities remains a closely guarded secret but Sabine's learned from being around Ahsoka that advanced healing is part of it, along with enhanced senses, speed and agility. Not to mention extended longevity.
  
  Sabine could really use some of that healing right now.]
  
  "So." She readjusts the ice pack on her head. "You never finished telling me about the Hati model. I feel like I should probably know what I'm up against here considering this one seems determined to fuck up every inch of me."
  
  And not in a pleasurable way.
  
  Ahsoka considers her. "You're right. You should be fully informed when it comes to what you're facing."
  
  "Great." Sabine smacks her thighs, standing up - her stomach cries a protest but she manages not to wince. "Let me just put on some hot chocolate and we can get this show on the road."
  
  "It's not that kind of story, Sabine."
  
  "Hot chocolate is good for any story. Happy, sad. Light-hearted, depressingly dark. It's a queen of versatility."
  
  "Fine," Ahsoka sighs.
  
  "Want some?"
  
  "Only if you leave out the marshmallows this time."
  
  Sabine pauses in her step - "Heathen." - before continuing into the kitchen.
  
  Ahsoka hides a smile.
  
  [The first sentient synths were created by the Jedi to help fill their ranks. A truly impartial warrior with no biological or national ties. Completely and utterly unattached.
  
  Or, at least, that was the idea.
  
  Palpatine used the Order's role in their creation as one of his talking points for the Empire. As animosity towards synthetics grew, he used that resentment to help justify his unchecked slaughter of the Jedi Order.
  
  Sabine can grudgingly admit that it was a smart move. And an effective one as well. Even now as the Jedi rebuild themselves, there's still a palpable amount of distrust from the general public towards the few synth members in their Order.
  
  After war, hate and fear are the hardest things to dispense with]
  
  "So, lay it on me." Cuddled up on the couch with the thickest blanket Sabine's ever had the privilege to touch wrapped around her like a cocoon, she takes a sip of her hot chocolate (with marshmellows. Because unlike Ahsoka she actually has taste).
  
  Sabine's newly reinstated master taps her fingers against her own cup as she considers the best place to start. "The Hati were revolutionary, as far as synthetic technology goes. No model before them was ever so realistic."
  
  "Oh yeah. It sure felt realistic when she was using her fist to rearrange my face - be honest, just how bad does my nose look at the moment?"
  
  Ahsoka wisely chooses not to answer. "They could easily pass as human - which was their selling point. I believe they were used as the blueprint for the Jade model. Though were greatly improved upon."
  
  Sabine hides a smirk. She can only imagine Shin's face if she heard anyone say that she was something that needed to be 'greatly improved upon'. Then she registers the rest of Ahsoka's words.
  
  "Mara Jade? But I thought she was unique?"
  
  The first and only model of her kind.
  
  Huyang weighs in from his position on the other side of the room. "Very much so. But her design was inspired by earlier models such as the Hati. Unlike the Hati, though, she was created through the use of femtotechnology."
  
  "Never heard of it."
  
  Huyang moves to speak.
  
  "Also don't want to hear about it."
  
  Not when it would distract from Sabine's efforts to learn every last juicy piece of information about Shin there is.
  
  Priorities. She has them. (a little less than straight but she has them)
  
  She turns to Ahsoka. "So what else can you tell me?"
  
  She raises a brow at Sabine's, admittedly, unconcealed eagerness but obliges like a good Samaritan. "Before the war, they were one of the few models with sentience written into their design."
  
  Well, that's interesting.
  
  From what Sabine knows, sentience was spread like a virus after Palpatine rose to power, released by Synth Freedom Fighters. The results helped turn the tide for the Rebels since a high number of non-sentient synths were being used in all areas of the Imperial army. Before the war, only about forty percent of them possessed true sentience.
  
  "I thought sentience was a bug, not a feature? At least in terms of those that weren't part of the Jedi Order."
  
  "Propaganda." Ahsoka waves a hand, dismissing this apparent nonsense. "They were also the only model fully comprised of nanobots. It gave them the ability to change appearances and to recover from almost any physical damage. Imagine taking every cell in a human body and replacing it with nanotechnology - and you'll get some idea of the Hati design."
  
  Sabine's 'idea' says that sounds prohibitively expensive and, also, illegal. But then it was the Empire that made the use of nanotechnology illegal (though they clearly had no qualms about using it themselves) so Sabine's not going to judge.
  
  "Most often, the model was assigned to people who wanted a child and couldn't conceive one of their own. A code was written into their structure that meant they would 'age' in an organic way. They'd arrive as newborns and then at some point end up as fully grown adults - though I'm not sure what age they were programmed to reach, the model wasn't around long enough to find out. Shin is the oldest I've seen."
  
  It's a little disconcerting - even nauseating - to think of people ordering themselves a designer baby like they're a purse. Especially when it no doubt involved an unjustifiable amount of cash considering the price of nanobots.
  
  "What happened during the war?"
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins. "Most of them were killed. By their own families or their human peers. Vader saw to the massacre of a majority himself. Children, all of them. . . Some were kept as slaves - the Hati model was unique in that, because it was granted sentience, it also had a fail-safe put in place. A code that made it so that they had to obey any and every instruction from their assigned masters, which were in most cases their parents. They were sentient but without free will. . . As a result, those that weren't destroyed were re-purposed by the Empire. Fashioned into assassins and spies."
  
  "To work against other synths like themselves."
  
  Sabine feels sick at the thought. She can remember what it felt like, to discover that the Duchess, a weapon she designed, was being used to enslave and kill her own people.
  
  "To work against whoever the Empire chose," Ahsoka corrects. "Synth, alien and human alike. The nanobots made them harder to kill than most other models and their full sentience gave them intelligence and creativity that couldn't be found in droids. But the code that put them at the mercy of their masters' will - utterly and completely obedient - made their loyalty absolute."
  
  Often during the war, Sabine wondered what kind of fate would await her if she was ever captured by the Empire. Captured and not killed. She had nightmares about the torture and indignities that might befall her, the things she could be forced to do. In her nightmares, death was a better outcome than falling victim to the Empire's barbaric hold.
  
  But those nightmares feel like child's play to her now. The complete and total subjugation that Ahsoka describes is beyond anything her imagination could ever concoct.
  
  She feels a stab of sympathy for the woman who stabbed her but quickly quashes it. Sympathy for the enemy will only get you killed.
  
  And Shin is the enemy. Whatever she endured during the war, whatever she was forced to do, that was then and this is now. And right now, her actions are her own. Her choices are her own.
  
  And she had chosen to align herself against the New Republic. To kill.
  
  Ahsoka's voice pulls her from her thoughts. "That program was then replicated to enslave other synth models, any who were sentient and of use to the Empire."
  
  "How have I never heard of them?" Sabine wonders aloud.
  
  "They fought in the shadows, in places unseen. Killing silently and discreetly. Infiltrating rebel cells and leaving without a trace. . . And like I said, most of them were destroyed."
  
  "Except Shin."
  
  "Except Shin."
  
  Sabine draws her knee up to her chest, considering all the new information her master has just unloaded on her. "So where does Baylan fit into all this?"
  
  "You'd have to ask her."
  
  Sabine snorts. "I don't think she's exactly interested in providing me with any answers - to anything."
  
  The corner of Ashoka's mouth drifts up. "She does seem to have a certain. . . disregard for you."
  
  Sabine grumbles. "She stabbed me and tried to use my head as a battering ram. Pretty sure what she has for me is a deep and burning desire to see me dead."
  
  "If she wanted you dead, you'd be dead." Ahsoka's tone is light but her eyes are cold. "The Empire made them killing machines, Sabine. The most lethal and precise there are. They don't make mistakes. That stab wound missed all your vital organs - including your spine. The heat of her lightsaber fully cauterized the wound so you didn't bleed out. Then she left you, left you to be found and given aid. . . That's not a mistake someone like her would make."
  
  So maybe Sabine's new 'nemesis' has a heart, after all. Some small vestige of morality.
  
  Or maybe she just likes playing with her food.
  
  "You said that the Hatis had no free will. Is that still true?"
  
  ". . .I don't know," Ahsoka says, eyes subdued. "From what I heard, Palpatine put a certain. . . lock in place to safeguard that program. One that prevented tampering, even by the most skilled slicer. To try would trigger a self-destruct sequence." She catches Sabine's questioning gaze. "It would kill the model."
  
  "Fuck."
  
  "Yes. . . fuck."
  
  Any other time, she might smile at the curse falling from her mentor's lips, how unnatural it sounds. But Sabine feels devoid of amusement. "So she's probably still operating at the behest of someone else."
  
  Her earlier sympathy returns.
  
  Maybe she was too quick to pass judgment. Maybe Shin's just as much a slave now as she ever was. Maybe the predator who sprung on her in the night was really the prey. Maybe the war still hasn't ended for Shin.
  
  (has it ended for any of them?)
  
  "Maybe, maybe not." Ahsoka's expression is thoughtful as she chews on the possibility, though if she feels even a fraction of Sabine's internal horror, it doesn't show. "As far as I know, the only way to make that program null and void is for a Hati's master - or masters - to die. A dead man can't give orders. . . It's possible, with the war, that all of Shin's masters are now dead, rendering her free."
  
  "What about Baylan?"
  
  Ahsoka shakes her head. "The Empire would never give a synth that kind of power over a weapon of her caliber."
  
  Something in Sabine's stomach twists at Shin being referred to as weapon. Like she has little more agency or personhood than a blaster. Which. . . she supposes in the eyes of the Empire was true.
  
  "And if Shin's masters aren't dead? If she's still operating at the behest of someone else?"
  
  Someone who likely hates their very existence. Who would like nothing better than to see the New Republic destroyed.
  
  The press of Ahsoka's mouth is grim. "Then we have bigger problems than we thought."
  
  And here Sabine was thinking their problems were already the size of woolly mammoths.
  
  She rests her chin on her knee, conjuring a picture of Shin in her mind. It's crystal clear. All her memories are. But she still doesn't think it quite. . . captures the ferocity of the real thing.
  
  She doesn't know anything about Shin. Not really. Just theories. But she knows what she looks like when she fights. What it feels like to endure the crush of her blade. The fire in her eyes, the hunger.
  
  When they fight, Shin is more alive than anyone else she's ever met.
  
  That's not something Sabine's memories can capture.
  
  "I don't think I've ever met anyone else like me," she hums, without thought.
  
  "She's not like you, Sabine."
  
  "Well, no - of course not." No-one's like her. And it seems no-one's like Shin either. They are one of a kind. Special. (alone). "But someone with nanobots."
  
  The technology was lost towards the end of the war after the Empire banned it, killing all with any knowledge, including Sabine's own family during the Purge of Mandalore (though that was likely an unexpected benefit rather than an act of intention, given the entire island was the target of that attack). Ahsoka is confident that one day the technology will return, that someone else will figure it out, put the pieces together, but until then it exists only in Sabine.
  
  And now Shin.
  
  Of course, someone could study their nanobots and potentially work out how to reproduce them, which is one of the reasons Sabine keeps her 'condition' on the down low. The last thing she wants is to become somebody's science experiment.
  
  Ahsoka's right, though. She and Shin aren't the same. Sabine has a paltry amount of nanobots in her brain, doing the work of areas that are damaged beyond repair. Shin, on the other hand, is made of nanobots. They extend to every part of her. They are her.
  
  The Mandalorian in Sabine wants to open her up, see how she works, examine every synthetic inch of her. The artist in her is disgusted at the thought of picking apart such a rare and beautiful creation. It wants to see how Shin works too but only from the position of an outside observer, admiring from a distance.
  
  And Sabine. . .
  
  Sabine is curious. But not about the mechanics of Shin's being - or, not just about that - but about Shin herself. The person she is. How she thinks. What she feels. What happened to her.
  
  She wants to know why every time she's around her, every cell in Sabine's body sings.
  
  It sounds terribly romantic but it's not. It's unsettling as fuck. Like something has reached inside her and changed the mechanics of her very being, the way her body operates. It's not all too different from how she woke up after an explosion took out more than half her brain, to find that her thoughts were suddenly sharper, clearer. More cohesive. That she could picture things in her mind with a level of vividness and clarity that she'd never been capable of before. It wasn't bad, necessarily. But it was foreign. And it rendered Sabine's own mind a stranger to her.
  
  She's not enjoying the process of going through that again.
  
  "Do you think the nanobots are why I can sense her?"
  
  There"s no surprise on Ashoka"s face at the question which leads her to suspect that it"s something she"s already thought about. Great. Nice of her to fill Sabine in. "It"s possible. You know, many in the order were able to sense each other. It was. . . like a low frequency in the air. The xenobots in our bloodstream were designed to connect with each other to allow for easier communication."
  
  "Communication?"
  
  "We could exchange thoughts. Sometimes."
  
  Sabine feels incredibly glad that she"s not training to become a real Jedi. Because that sounds creepy as hell.
  
  "Yeah, well, I haven"t experienced anything like that."
  
  "That doesn"t mean the process isn"t similar. Still, the best thing to do might be to ignore it. For now, all it functions as is a distraction."
  
  She"s not wrong about that.
  
  (Ezra. He"s the priority)
  
  "Well, I"m going to head to bed." Ahsoka stands up. "You off too?"
  
  "Uh. . . not just yet. I think I might work on the map some more."
  
  (and absolutely not obsess about Shin)
  
  "Don"t stay up too late. You"re still healing."
  
  Yeah and now she has even more fun things to heal from.
  
  "Yes, Sir."
  
  Ahsoka smiles at her solute but it"s faint and all too quickly gone. "Tell me the truth, how are you doing with all this?"
  
  She means getting stabbed. Getting a real chance to find Ezra at last. Being in her master"s company again, after how they parted ways. There"s a lot of "all this" to cover.
  
  "Honestly, right now, I mostly just want to hit Shin in the face." Everything else, she"s allowing to be background noise. For her own mental wellbeing. "Maybe give her a matching stab wound."
  
  Though, being made of nanobots, any injury Sabine delivers her would be healed up in a jiffy.
  
  She pouts. It"s really not fair.
  
  "Okay." Ahsoka smiles and she"s not sure whether she believes her. But that"s a problem for another day.
  
  She looks down, using her spoon to fish out the gooey remains of one of the marshmallows in her mug.
  
  "Sabine?" Ashoka's hand lands on her shoulder as she passes, making her glance up. "Be careful."
  
  "Um. . . always?"
  
  She is the most carefullest person in the history of careful persons.
  
  Ahsoka mouth's twitches before smoothing out again. "Shin's not like anyone you've ever faced before. She has training that you've never had to contend with. She is one of the Empire's most skilled assassins - and she's taken an interest in you."
  
  "Again, I'm not sure I'd call stabbing me in the gut and trying to bash out my brains taking an interest."
  
  "Male and female mantises wrestle each other when mating," Huyang informs them. "A high stakes battle where, if the male is unable to achieve victory, she will inevitably cannibalize him."
  
  Sabine nearly falls out of her chair.
  
  "Then, of course, there's the female banded mongoose, who leads her pack into war when she wishes to mate with a rival male. As for chimpanzees-"
  
  "Okay, okay, we get it," Sabine shuts him down.
  
  Ahsoka bites her lip but her fucking eyes betray her. She is laughing. "I think Shin's interest is a little more lethal than sexual."
  
  "The two things are not mutually exclusive."
  
  Sabine chokes.
  
  "But I do suppose it's possible. I have no information, after all, on whether or not the Hati were even given the potential for such baser urges. It is a disappointing fact of our species that not all synths and droids are above it. Only the unenlightened feel the need to participate in something so primitive."
  
  Ahsoka raises a brow but wisely chooses not to comment. Maybe because this is the most awkward conversation the three of them have ever been a part of. Though Sabine has a sinking suspicion that she's the only one who finds it awkward.
  
  You know what? I don't have to deal with this.
  
  She stands up. "I'm going to my room."
  
  "To participate in some baser urges?"
  
  "No!"
  
  (okay, yes. Definitely yes.
  
  But only for stress relief!)
  
  Notes:
  so what do you think so far? Shin arrives in the next chapter and I promise all chapters after that are heavy on the shin/sabine interactions. I just had to set things up first
  
  Also, Mara Jade is in this universe because she's my fave and it would be a crime not to include her. With that said, though, she doesn't have much of a part. I just like knowing that she exists lol
  
  Chapter 3: The Luke Skywalker School of Love
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  'Tyger Tyger, burning bright
  
  In the forests of the night,
  
  What immortal hand or eye
  
  Dare frame thy fearful symmetry.'
  
  - The Tyger by William Blake
  
  Ahsoka stops at the foot of her bed, where Sabine has been fiddling with the most frustrating map in existence for the past three hours. "How much have you managed to open so far?"
  
  "About a third." A disappointingly trivial amount but at least it's something. "See for yourself."
  
  Ahsoka takes a seat on the chair by her bed, examining the holographic map. "That's a lot of names."
  
  "Yeah. I think when they're faded like this," she points to a name nearest to her, "it means they're dead. I've taken out more than a few of these people."
  
  "Me too."
  
  "I can't work out the ones in red, though." Sabine squints, studying the various names and coordinates highlighted in blood.
  
  "Defectors."
  
  "How do you know?"
  
  "I recognize more than half of them from the New Republic's witness protection database. A not insubstantial amount of Imperials turned against the Empire and aided the Rebels, especially towards the end of the war."
  
  "Rats fleeing a sinking ship."
  
  Ahsoka hums but doesn't dispute her cynicism. "Some of them, though, were working with us from the start. Acting as Rebel spies. . . Palpatine must have kept this map up to date, adjusting it for every traitor in his ranks."
  
  "So it also functions as a hit list."
  
  Ahsoka nods slowly.
  
  "Do you think that's why she's after it? Shin."
  
  "There are any number of reasons why she could be after it. If she's loyal to the Empire, she may simply want it for Thrawn."
  
  Like us.
  
  "A synth loyal to the Empire?"
  
  "It's been known to happen. Some people serve no master but their own thirst for power - synths aren't immune to that."
  
  "Yeah, but this particular synth. After what you said they did to her."
  
  Sabine's not buying it. Nothing - not even the promise of power - could get her to aid in bringing back the Empire that slaughtered her people.
  
  Ahsoka's voice is soft, "Sometimes. . . when you've been without freedom too long, you don't know what to do with it once you get it. Sometimes, you don't even realize it's there."
  
  Well, that's depressing.
  
  A little too depressing, in fact. Sabine likes her theory better:
  
  "Or she's on a revenge kick and plans to use the entire map as a kill list." In which case, Sabine would be hard-pressed to condemn her.
  
  Ahoska inclines her head. "Perhaps more likely."
  
  Huyang bustles into the room. "Hera wishes me to inform you that she's received information from a reliable source that Lord Baylan Skoll has spent the last decade or so operating as a mercenary."
  
  "Well, that's interesting," Ahsoka leans forward over her knees, eyes narrowed in thought.
  
  Sabine can't help but agree.
  
  If Baylan's a mercenary that pretty much makes it guaranteed that Shin's one too. It's not what Sabine expected and she feels her opinion of the synth drop exponentially.
  
  Not that she really has room to talk. What with her history of being a bounty hunter and all. Not to mention her people are renowned for their mercenary work and Sabine's positive some of that work was less than honorable. Her house is made of glass and she definitely shouldn't be going around throwing stones. But still.
  
  She expected something a little more. . . purpose-driven from Shin. A meaningful motivation for her actions.
  
  Though some would argue that there's nothing more meaningful or motivating than money. It does make the world go round, after all.
  
  "So, what, we think they're hired goons?"
  
  "That would explain why they broke Morgan Elsbeth out of prison," Ahsoka says. "And why they were at Corellia. I knew it couldn't be a coincidence."
  
  "You think she hired them?"
  
  "It's the most plausible theory we have at the moment."
  
  So the odds that Shin is aiding the Empire are significantly higher. Of course, there's always the possibility that she's not doing it of her own free will.
  
  (Sabine's not sure why she cares so much either way. Why it should even matter to her.
  
  The woman stabbed you in the gut.
  
  Maybe she needs to learn some self-respect. This has to speak to some kind of deep-rooted self-esteem issue)
  
  Ahsoka reaches into her pocket, pulling out a note and placing it unceremoniously on Sabine's lap.
  
  She squints at the words scrawled on the page.
  
  "What's this?"
  
  "Something that might help. I contacted Mara to see if she knew anything that might aid us with this newfound thorn in your side. She was the Emperor's Hand. If anyone knows anything about the Hatis, it's her."
  
  "I bet that was a fun conversation."
  
  Jade just loves talking about her time with the Empire as Palpatine's brainwashed doll.
  
  Ahsoka grimaces a little. "I don't think she'll be inviting me out to drinks for a while."
  
  "Wait, she invites you out to drinks? She never invites me out to drinks."
  
  Sabine's barely ever gotten more than a few syllables of conversation out of her.
  
  Ahsoka just smiles before continuing. "Most of what she had to say was already known to me and - like us - she was led to believe that all the Hati had been destroyed. I do think there's information that she's sitting on, details that she won't reveal for whatever reason but I don't think those details would be of aid to us. . . there are some things we don't have a right to."
  
  "So basically you learnt nothing."
  
  "Almost nothing. When I explained the situation to her, she did divulge this." Ahsoka taps the paper on her lap. "It's a trigger phrase. Only about a dozen or so people were given the position of Master when it came to the Hati. Safer that way. But also problematic if a Hati ever found a way around their existing commands and went rogue. So a safety lever was invented. Something anybody could pull, master or not, that would shut them down."
  
  "Shut them down?"
  
  "Place them in standby mode. At least until someone says the release phrase. It should give us enough time to escape if needed."
  
  She examines the sentence scrawled on the page.
  
  'In what distant deep or skies
  
  Burnt the fire of thine eyes?'
  
  It's obviously an excerpt of poetry. Probably something super pretentious since it was presumably picked out by Palpatine himself.
  
  "All I have to do is say these words and she'll turn off?" Sabine can't help but feel a little skeptical.
  
  Ahsoka hesitates. "In theory. Mara did warn that it may no longer be functional. The phrases were constantly changing for security reasons and this was simply the last one she was given before the Hati were destroyed."
  
  "Good to know." Sighing, Sabine pockets the note with less than eager enthusiasm.
  
  With her luck, the phrase will trigger something like Homicidal Rage Mode instead.
  
  "Did Jade know her? Shin," Sabine asks with forced nonchalance.
  
  Ahsoka nods slowly. "Not well. Mostly she knew of her. There were times that their paths crossed but Mara's missions were usually of a higher caliber and kept her separate. . . She did say that Shin was renowned for her short temper."
  
  "Isn't that a little like the pot calling the kettle black?"
  
  Ahsoka snorts. "I think we've landed on why you've never been invited out to drinks."
  
  "She tried to kill her husband. Multiple times."
  
  Far be it from Sabine to judge other people's romantic relationships but. . . she's kind of judging.
  
  "Well, it's not as though they were married at the time."
  
  Uh huh.
  
  She still thinks one too many blows to the head have thrown a few of Luke Skywalker's screws loose.
  
  "I'm just saying. I mean, I know that some relationships can have a rocky start but I don't think I'd be in such a rush to hitch myself to someone who wanted me dead." Ahsoka looks doubtful - which, okay, insulting. "Sex is one thing. That might actually be kind of hot. But commitment? That's a whole other kettle of fish."
  
  "She says as someone who's never had a committed romantic relationship in her life."
  
  "Neither have you."
  
  "Jedi. What's your excuse?"
  
  Sabine bristles faintly, even though she knows this is just friendly banter - something she should be delighted to be having with Ahsoka again since she never once thought they would - but that's a wound she's still a little raw from. She could blame it on Ezra. On the undefinable thing that existed between them before his disappearance, that thing that was then later left to flounder hopelessly in the sea of unknowns and what-ifs after he was gone. But the truth is, since the war, she hasn't been able to connect with anyone. Not like that. Letting a person in, letting them see her enough to love her. . . well, that just sounds horrible. What sounds even more horrible is the thought of letting someone in. . . only to lose them like she's lost everyone else. Worse, to be rejected by them and watch them walk away.
  
  The same way Ahsoka walked away.
  
  Which isn't exactly something she can say to the woman in front of her.
  
  So instead Sabine shrugs, pretending her smile doesn't hurt her lips. "I don't know. Guess I just haven't found the right person yet."
  
  Ahsoka eyes her like she knows she's a liar-liar-pants-on-fire but kindly doesn't call her on it. "I guess so."
  
  [Over the centuries, millions of alien species have wound up in their solar system. Refugees fleeing the reckoning of their home galaxies, crash landing in the Milky Way., their ships destroyed.
  
  Many tried to rebuild the advanced technology that enabled them to travel through different galaxies but Earth and its surrounding planets were severely lacking in the necessary materials required. They were stranded. Safe from the forces that had propelled them to flee but never able to return home.
  
  Ahsoka's grandparents were among those refugees.]
  
  The Seatos safe house, located on the floating manmade territory of Lothal, is only a ten-minute flight from LothalNet tower and it's somewhat of a test in self-control not to grab the holocron, swipe Ahsoka's jetplane and chart her way back there. It's not that Sabine's particularly attached to her apartment but she's keenly aware that Scrappie isn't up to attending to Murley's needs for days on end. Last time she left the two alone together for any length of time, Murley lost the end of his tail.
  
  Sabine still doesn't know how exactly this happened and Scrappie has remained suspiciously mum about the whole thing.
  
  At any rate, it certainly doesn't bode well that this is her fourth night away from home. For all she knows, they've massacred each other.
  
  "Just another day or two," Sabine swears, more to herself than anyone else.
  
  She'll have the map cracked by then. She knows it. And then she'll have to figure out a more permanent solution for Murley's care whilst they go after Ezra. Unless Ahsoka is agreeable to bringing the little mongrel along. Sabine thinks she could sell it. Pets are good for morale.
  
  Speaking of Ahsoka. . .
  
  "How are we coming along with the map?"
  
  "I love how you say 'we' when what you really mean is me," Sabine sighs, stretching out her spine - which gives a worryingly loud pop. Maybe she should get into yoga. "And I'm about most of the way there. Eighty percent now."
  
  Ahsoka raises a brow and that small pathetic part of her that she tries to kick into submission fills with bubbly warmth at the impressed look on her face. "Good work."
  
  Huyang trots into the room, looking as flustered as she's ever seen a droid. "I'm afraid we have a breach."
  
  Her head shoots up. "Wait, really?"
  
  Breaching a safehouse of this caliber's unheard of. At least, it hasn't happened in Sabine's lifetime.
  
  "Affirmative."
  
  Or. . . I guess now it has.
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka exchange a look. "What's to bet it's my favorite new pain in the ass?"
  
  "I'd say the odds would be in your favor."
  
  "Great."
  
  She's been so looking forward to getting pummeled to with an inch of her life again.
  
  "Stay here. Protect the map." Ahsoka's already unsheathing her lightsaber and heading for the door. "I'll do my best to subdue them but if they get past me, you'll have no choice but to destroy it." She stops long enough to meet Sabine's eyes. "Can you do that?"
  
  "Yeah," she breathes. "I can do that."
  
  Just as soon as she's unlocked the coordinates for Thrawn.
  
  Ahsoka seems to read these unspoken words on her face - she really has to get better at concealing her thoughts from her. "I'd unlock the rest of that map very quickly."
  
  She doesn't wait for a response.
  
  Releasing a groan, Sabine turns her attention to the sphere on her lap. "You better be amenable to this plan."
  
  It offers no retort.
  
  "Good. Glad we're on the same page. Now let's get started."
  
  Present
  
  The hand around her neck is firm and unyielding. Shin could crush her throat without any effort at all, without so much as a blink.
  
  Sabine has definitely moved on from worrying about the smell of her breath to worrying about just what it will feel like when her head pops off like Miss Polly's poor dolly.
  
  She thinks she is, at least partially responsible for her present situation. If only because they were having a pretty pleasant and respectful altercation before Sabine's mouth said one too many things that it shouldn't have and Shin chose the quickest and most effective method available to shut her up.
  
  I am going to kill Ahsoka when I see her later.
  
  You know, if she doesn't get decapitated first.
  
  That so-called trigger phrase was about as useful as one of Sabine's childhood nursery ryhmes. Only worse because the minute Shin heard it she took immediate offense.
  
  Though offense might be putting it mildly.
  
  Her eyes bugged in her skull and her hand struck out for Sabine's jugular with the ferocity of a wolf. Or a very pissed-off puppy.
  
  Big mistake.
  
  Huge!
  
  If anything's become clear in the last few minutes it's that Shin has been holding back in their fights. Substantially. Toying with her like a cat with a mouse, letting her live just so she can toss her up in the air with her paws and watch her go splat against the floor. Kitty playtime.
  
  Well, she's not toying with her anymore.
  
  "You have no power," Shin grinds out in a breath, and there is such rage in her words, such violent desperation - that Sabine's heart twists in her chest.
  
  (no-one has ever looked at her with such loathing)
  
  The kids on Lothal like to chase the stray cats that pepper the streets. Running after them with stones in their hands. Sabine has seen those stones fly through the air like blaster fire, leaving mangled and bloody fur in their wake. A small-scale echo of wartime's violence.
  
  When Murley first came to live with Sabine (read: snuck in through an open window one night and made himself at home, thereafter refusing to leave) he used to flinch every time she raised her hand. His hackles would rise, his body bending low to the ground, as his lips drew back in a hiss. He never ran, never hid. Instead he held his ground, furious desperation in the whites of his eyes. Once, he launched himself at her wrist, fangs sinking into flesh. She still has one of the scars.
  
  Eventually, he came to learn that there was no threat in Sabine's actions, no stone in her grasp. But even now he still hisses whenever someone else raises a hand in his presence.
  
  Sabine has just raised a hand in Shin's.
  
  Worse, that hand actually had a stone in it. One she threw without hesitation - even if its target was missed.
  
  In what distant deep or skies
  
  Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
  
  Guilt floods her being.
  
  From everything Ahsoka's told her, she can hazard a guess as to what Shin's life was like during the war. The sheer powerlessness that must have defined her existence. Living as a slave in anything but name, helpless to even protect yourself. To run.
  
  During the Empire's reign, Sabine saw what people would do to their synths. These objects under their command that look so very human - but aren't seen as human. Aren't seen as possessing the feelings of one, let alone the rights.
  
  In the past, synths like Shin could never raise a hand to their master. Never fight back against the indignities heaped upon them. But the past is the past and no synth will ever be that powerless again.
  
  (the fingers around her throat press deeper, cutting off her last breath of air)
  
  Still, Sabine isn't ready to die to prove Shin's newfound power. So she does something that is, in retrospect, quite rude:
  
  she blasts her in the face.
  
  The hold on her throat releases in an instant as Shin goes flying across the room, landing with a thud that makes the floorboards shudder under Sabine's feet.
  
  "Sorry!"
  
  The word hurts to get out through the abused flesh of her throat and Sabine decides that, actually, she's not that sorry.
  
  Shin is silent and still. Which means she probably has at least a good minute or two to get the hell out of here.
  
  "Great talk. Let's never do it again."
  
  Patting her chest to ensure that the map is still safely ensconced in her bra, she beats a hasty retreat.
  
  Sabine tries to ignore the harsh whip of icy wind as she huddles behind one of the impressively large stones that mark the top of the cliff. In the last week, she's made a routine of coming out here to sketch the roiling ocean down bellow, the seagulls that crest the skies above and the dew-touched grass of the hills. A short, scheduled breather during her mad race to unlock a, potentially cataclysmic, map.
  
  But that was always during the day. When it was warm. And sunny. And it didn't feel like the wind had taken on a personal vendetta to destroy her.
  
  Sabine grits her chattering teeth, numb fingers sliding along the sphere's outer edge, shifting - what she hopes is - the last piece into place. There's a promising click.
  
  Holding her breath, she presses the button on the top of the sphere which she's learned by now releases a projection of the map's contents. Before, only eighty percent of the earth's surface was visible. A large chunk of the North Atlantic Ocean and American continent glaringly absent.
  
  This time, they're plain as day to see and Sabine's hungry eyes rapidly take in the missing chunk. She doesn't know how much time she has until a - no doubt - royally pissed-off killing machine manages to track her down. The cliff's edge is far enough away from the cabin that it's certainly not going to be the first place Shin looks but Sabine isn't optimistic enough to believe that she won't eventually expand her search here.
  
  That is, if Ahsoka doesn't manage to take care of her first.
  
  But who even knows if Ahsoka is still alive?
  
  She hasn't heard a thing over the comlink from her master since Shin made her grand entrance and decided to choke the life out of her. The last transmission she received contained the distant but ominous sound of Baylan's voice and a harsh order from Ahsoka to destroy the map.
  
  Which Sabine plans to do.
  
  Any second now.
  
  White dots litter the map, each one attached with a name and list of coordinates. Sabine knows if she touches one of those names she'll get a detailed biography that would put the likes of one of Huyang's to shame - but that's not the kind of information she's after.
  
  At least seventy new names have been added to the map and Sabine scans all of them, filing them away in her memory as she searches out that one specific-
  
  "There you are," Sabine breathes.
  
  A satisfied - and, more than a little, relieved - smirk settles on her lips, though it falters when she takes in exactly where Thrawn's beacon is emanating from.
  
  No fucking way.
  
  The sound of rushed footsteps interrupts Sabine's disbelief and she feels it - that now familiar hum rising in her blood. It's a somewhat unsettling alert system but not an unhelpful one.
  
  Hastily, Sabine turns off the map and reaches for her lightsaber. "Sorry about this."
  
  It really is a beautiful piece of technology and, given more time, Sabine would have loved to examine it further, figure out exactly how it works. But alas. . .
  
  She lights up her saber, just as a shadow enters her field of vision.
  
  "You."
  
  "We really have to stop meeting like this."
  
  A hand grabs Sabine's throat, driving her back against unforgiving rock as her head bounces off it with a crack. Fuck. Pain splinters through her skull, spiderwebbing out until she sees spots, blooming in the corner of her vision. Sabine blinks them away, unable to suppress a wince.
  
  Definitely pissed her off.
  
  When she opens her eyes, Shin's own are a breath away, nostrils flaring, harsh breaths falling from her mouth - though she doesn't even need to fucking breathe! Unlike Sabine, who is all of a sudden finding it rather difficult.
  
  (read: impossible)
  
  Well, this feels familiar.
  
  She really wasn't looking to end up back here quite so soon. Her throat is particularly peeved at the development.
  
  Sabine tries - and fails - to gasp for air, taking in the furious sight of her opponent.
  
  Shin's hair is singed and parts of her face are still knitting themselves back together, a grisly patchwork of skin that crawls like ants the longer and harder Sabine looks. She's also missing an eye.
  
  So that blaster shot might not have been the best thing to endear her to me.
  
  In fact, she may have just made herself an enemy for life. Though if the threat in Shin"s one eye is anything to go by, at least it will be an incredibly short feud.
  
  On the ground, the remains of the map lie blackened and deformed.
  
  "I should have killed you the first time we met."
  
  Sabine would respond but it's a little difficult to get a word out between the crushing pressure on her throat. A pressure that only grows tighter and tighter.
  
  Oh, boy. She's definitely going to kill her this time.
  
  "Shin." Baylan's voice is a command, hard and unyielding - daring any to disobey. "Let her speak."
  
  Shin's hand tightens around her throat, taking the dare. "She destroyed it."
  
  Yep. You've really done it now, Sabine.
  
  Great plan.
  
  "And you can kill her for that in time - after she's been given the chance to speak."
  
  The pressure on her throat doesn't ease.
  
  "Shin!" Baylan barks. "She was the last person to see the map. She is the apprentice of Ahsoka Tano. She may yet have something of value."
  
  Slowly, with great reluctance, the hand on Sabine's throat begins to slacken, just enough for her to speak.
  
  Sabine doesn't waste the opportunity. "I have a photographic memory!"
  
  Both Shin and Baylan go very still.
  
  Okay, okay, they're listening. Good. Great. Now keep it moving.
  
  "I looked at the contents of the map before I destroyed it. The information was valuable, I couldn't just. . ." Well, she could. She very much could. But that information included Thrawn's whereabouts. Thrawn, the last person to see Ezra alive. She couldn't just let that information disappear forever. "Valuable to the Republic. And, well, I knew that you're little murder puppy here wouldn't be too happy with its destruction so I figured I better make myself valuable too."
  
  She wasn't actually thinking about that at the time but, really, it's a smart move. Sabine is more than willing to lay claim to it in the aftermath. It's not like anyone's going to call her out.
  
  "She's lying," Shin hisses.
  
  (the trust issues are strong in this one)
  
  "Perhaps," Baylan hums. "And soon enough we'll know for certain. Until then it would be more prudent to let her live."
  
  Shin only looks more furious at this pronouncement. Apparently, right now, her hatred for Sabine far outrivals her desire to access the contents of that map.
  
  Really, if looks could kill.
  
  Well, Sabine probably would have been dead a hundred times over by now, considering the kind of looks Shin has been inclined to send her way. Actually, Sabine's starting to get the impression that she doesn't like her very much. Which is, frankly, baffling. She is incredibly likable.
  
  The hand around her throat tightens, cutting off the air she's only just started getting a taste for again. She claws at Shin's knuckles, armored fingers digging uselessly into synthetic flesh. This is it, she's really going to-
  
  Sabine slams onto the hard earth, a groan cracking through her ribs as the hold on her is released.
  
  Shin stalks off.
  
  Fucking rude.
  
  It takes a good minute of hacking and gasping to feel like her lungs aren't going to explode but eventually she manages to regain some dignity and look up. Baylan still stands at a distance, a faintly amused - if irritated - twist to his mouth.
  
  "You should really keep your dog on a tighter leash."
  
  He ignores her hilarious quip. "Shin listens to my command. . . But if you are lying, not even I will be able to stay her hand."
  
  It's more a warning than an apology - perhaps even a little bit of a chiding for her recklessness - and then the man is following after his apprentice.
  
  Sabine releases another groan, head flopping back onto the ground.
  
  Great work.
  
  Complete and resounding success. No notes.
  
  Really, she should write a book. How to Make Enemies and Influence People.
  
  Notes:
  do you think the excerpt I used in the summary for this fic is enough of a hook? Or should I pick something different?
  
  the trigger phrase is taken from the poem The Tyger by William Blake. If you're interested the full poem is here accompanied by an analysis https://poemanalysis.com/william-blake/the-tyger/
  
  also the Miss Polly line is a reference to the children's nursery rhyme Miss Polly Had a Dolly but in school kids often replaced the lyrics with 'Miss Polly had a dolly and her head popped off' because kids are wild like that lol
  
  The Price of Peace
  WhiteravenGreywolf
  Summary:
  Shin and her Master are sent by the Jedi Council to monitor the Civil War happening on Mandalore. Their task is to protect the Countess Wren, who represents the planet's best chance at peace. But Sabine doesn't want the Jedi overseeing her rebellion, and Shin takes an immediate dislike to the Countess.
  
  
  
  Based on the romance between Obi-Wan and Satine, but this time it's Shin and Sabine.
  
  Chapter 1: The Countess Wren
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin could count how many times she"d left Coruscant on one hand. This would be her sixth times, officially calling for the use of a second hand to count. They were bound for Mandalore. She sat in the co-pilot seat, watching the stars flash around them, boxing their small ship into a tunnel of light. Baylan sat on the other side of the cockpit, his gaze not on the galaxy around them but on his padawan.
  
  "What is the title given to the leader of Madalore?"
  
  Shin had to tear her eyes away from the lights. She looked back at her master, then her gaze fell to the ground as she searched her memory. She"d been given a crash course on Mandalorian politics by the librarian before leaving, but it had been pretty late at night and she had fallen asleep on her desk four times in an hour.
  
  "The Mandalore?"
  
  "Mand"alor. It has been a long time since the Mandalorians have chosen a Mand"alor, hence yet another civil war."
  
  "Master, if this is the third civil war in as many generations, what can we truly do to help them?"
  
  Baylan sighed. Shin knew her master wasn"t entirely thrill by their assignment, but it had been too long since he had been given any mission, and the Council knew that. Whatever the case may be, Shin was determined to make the most of the assignment.
  
  "We will do what the Council has asked of us. We will protect the Countess Wren for as long as is required."
  
  The ship let out a beep, indicating they would soon exit hyperspace. Baylan turned his attention back to the controls and Shin imitated him. While her master wasn"t thrilled about joining a civil war, Shin wasn"t thrilled about their target. She imagined the Countess to be like all the politicians in Coruscant, probably old and full of ideas that would be impossible to execute even in the best of times. The kind of politicians who practiced their cordial smiles in the mirror every morning. This Countess was apparently the Mandalorians" greatest chance at peace. Shin couldn"t quite believe that.
  
  The ship left hyperspace and made its slow approach to a large, barren-looking planet. On its surface, they could see clouds whipping in rolling patterns. Shin looked with great interest as they entered the atmosphere and flew over large dried plains.
  
  "The whole flora was destroyed," Baylan explained. "The Mandalorians are forced to live in domes."
  
  Shin remembered that particular point of her lesson. Her master had spoken it with such venom, even now. She, too, couldn"t understand why people would do that to their own planet. Ahead, the giant dome of Sundari rose out of the horizon like a black sun. To Shin"s surprise, however, instead of approaching one of its holes to bring the shuttle inside, Baylan landed amidst the rocks, some ways away in the mountains.
  
  "Master?" she began but Baylan cut her off and explained:
  
  "We will make our approach on foot. Our presence is not welcomed in Sundari, not by the Countess" enemies, and not by the Countess either."
  
  Shin nodded. She made sure to pick up her cloak and put it on before joining her master at the ramp. As soon as Baylan opened the exit, hot air stiffened her. It whipped around her and pulled at her cloak. She pulled up her hood as she stepped out to shadow her eyes from the harsh light of the sun. Suddenly she understood why the Mandalorians had chosen to live in domes.
  
  "Let"s make haste," Baylan said as he shut the ship"s ramp behind them. "The Countess is often on the move. It would be... troublesome if she had left Sundari before we arrived."
  
  They walked under the hard sun until, to Shin"s relief, they reached the dome"s enormous shadow. The air was still as dry but the heat was weakened, and she stopped sweating as strongly under her cloak. The planet was deathly quiet. No sound came from the dome or the desert surrounding it. Shin began to wonder if the planet had been abandoned. Then, they reached the dome.
  
  A single door at ground level allowed for vehicles in and out. It had not opened at all while they had walked. Baylan unlocked it with the Force and they hurried inside. Coolness wrapped around Shin like a blanket and she almost took off her hood. Her master stopped her before she could. She understood his silent order. They were to remain anonymous. She brushed the sweat off her forehead and followed her master deeper into the city.
  
  Sundari was full of life. People came and went about their day, some in partial or full armor but most clothed in civilian attires. They traversed walkways that spanned the entire dome, leading to staircases and elevators as the city extended far below them. Shin had the terrible idea to look down and for the first time in a long time, she felt vertigo grip the back of her brain, as the buildings below her stretched on and on, so deep she couldn"t see the ground.
  
  "Where are we going, Master?" she asked in a low voice.
  
  "The Council told me to find her last contact location, though I doubt she will have lingered there."
  
  There was a bitterness to Baylan"s voice every time he mentioned the Council now, which Shin picked on every time. She hadn"t dared to ask him yet what was wrong with the Council.
  
  The low rumble of an explosion rocked the dome. All the people around them froze up, then ran for cover. Shin glanced at her master. The explosion was coming from above, to their left. Baylan took off running and she followed. They pushed their way onto an elevator and took it up. Shin"s hand reached for her lightsaber, but again, her master stopped her.
  
  "Wait until we"ve confirmed our target is here."
  
  She nodded. Still, her hand continued to fidget with the hook on her belt. A rocket zoomed through the air and shattered against the building across from them, showering the walkways beneath in glass. Baylan stopped the elevator at the next floor and ran out. Shin, heart shaking with anticipation, ran after him.
  
  Two groups of Mandalorians were fighting a floor above them on a landing pad. On group was wearing red and white armor. The other was a hotchpotch of colors, some solidly blue or gold and silver, and some with a different color on each piece of their armor. They fired at each other but the shots bounced off their armors. However, the colorful group was pinned down by the others with no way to escape.
  
  "Should we intervene?" Shin asked.
  
  Baylan let out a sigh but undid his cloak and reached for his lightsaber. He used the Force to jump the distance and landed on the platform with ease. Shin imitated him. Once at the top, they turned on their lightsabers and deflected shots from the red faction away. As soon as they spotted the Jedi, both sides stopped firing.
  
  "My name is Baylan Skoll. I have been sent by the Jedi Council to intercede in the matter of the New Mandalorian Civil War."
  
  "There is no Civil War," one of the red Mandalorian said. "Only a bunch of Rebels refusing to recognize our new Mand"alor"s supremacy."
  
  "Waving a big stick around doesn"t make you Mand"alor," one of the rebels shouted.
  
  The red Mandalorians trained their blasters on the small group again. Baylan didn"t flinch. Shin stood her ground, encouraged by her Master"s steadfastness.
  
  "This doesn"t concern the Jedi. Leave Mandalore at once."
  
  "I come here as a keeper of the peace. If both sides cannot come to a peaceful agreement..."
  
  The red Mandalorian turned his blasters toward Baylan.
  
  "Peaceful is not the way."
  
  Baylan sighed.
  
  "Have it your way then," Shin"s master replied as he raised his green lightsaber and took a defensive stance.
  
  The red Mandalorians were ready to fire at him. Using the Force, he pushed three of them off the roof. When the others began firing again, Baylan and Shin deflected the blaster shots away. The colorful Mandalorians fired between them, distracting their enemies who didn"t know where to shoot anymore. One of the colorful Mandalorians with an orange and purple armor jumped out of cover and rolled up to Baylan and Shin"s level. As they pushed themselves up, they threw a disk on the ground, at the feet of the red Mandalorians. Electricity sparked from the disk, stunning all the nearby fighters. They crumpled to the ground, convulsing.
  
  "Go!" the orange and purple Mandalorian - a woman - shouted to her group.
  
  They anchored their grappling lines to the floor and jumped off the building, repelling down. The female Mandalorian spared a final glance toward the Jedi before following her people down. Shin looked at her Master for guidance. Baylan let out a tired sigh.
  
  "Mandalorians..."
  
  They followed, using the ropes left behind to repel down. The Rebels had stopped halfway down the building, jumped on a walkway and ran into an alley. The Jedi followed. The Rebels disappeared through the back of a building and into an elevator leading further down. There was only one elevator. Shin looked at her Master. Baylan seemed reluctant to follow, but she knew he wasn"t about to let their only lead get away. He opened the doors to the elevator cage and looked down. The elevator was disappearing into a chasm.
  
  "This is going to be a long jump," he warned her.
  
  "We could always wait for the next elevator."
  
  "There won"t be a next elevator."
  
  Baylan leaned back then, taking a deep breath, he jumped into the shaft. Shin watched her master disappear at top speed. She took a deep breath of her own and jumped.
  
  The ground arrived faster than she thought, only because a door had shut behind the elevator, separating the building and the chasm beneath. Her master had landed on it. She used the Force to slow down her fall but landed hard on the trap, making it jostle.
  
  "Halfway there," Baylan warned.
  
  Shin nodded, readying herself. Baylan unlocked the trap. They plummeted once more. They hit the ground together, Shin rolling off the inertia. They were in a barely-lit mine, far under the city. Baylan turned on his lightsaber, bathing the caves in green light.
  
  "The beskar mines of Mandalore."
  
  Looking around, Shin could see at least five different paths branching from the elevator shaft.
  
  "We could be down here forever."
  
  Baylan closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he indicated one of the paths. Shin nodded and walked down the stone corridor.
  
  They walked, following the old mining shaft stripped of all metal. Baylan guided them at every fork and crossroads. Shin felt they had been wondering for hours through the unstable-looking mine. Her Master said nothing, his focus entirely on tracking their targets. He led them to another elevator.
  
  "They went back to the surface?" Shin asked in confusion.
  
  "It is unexpected to be sure."
  
  They entered the old elevator and Baylan pulled the lever to send them up. The elevator rocked off the ground, then smoothly rose out of the mine.
  
  "They don"t seem to want our help," Shin noted, arms crossed.
  
  "The Council already knows that. But they sent us anyway."
  
  The elevator stopped, and the Jedi found themselves face to face with a dozen blasters. Shin tried to reach for her lightsaber but her master grabbed her wrist to stop her.
  
  "I hate to agree with our enemy, but you"re not welcomed here," the orange and purple Mandalorian spoke.
  
  She stood at the center of the group, both blasters aimed at the Jedi.
  
  "And I hate to agree as well, but the Council thought it far more prudent to send us any way."
  
  "Why?"
  
  "To monitor the situation. The Galactic Senate is rather nervous about Gar Saxon pulling out of the accords."
  
  "If only that was his only sin..."
  
  She lowered her blasters. The other imitated her. Shin assumed the woman was ranked high in the Rebellion.
  
  "Leave now, before you make things worse for us. Tell the Council we"re doing fine on our side."
  
  "With all due respect, Countess, the Council will consider this a failure on both me and my apprentice"s part. We cannot return until the situation has been resolved."
  
  Shin stared, slacked jaw, at the orange and purple Mandalorian. This was the Countess they had been sent to protect? She had barely recovered from her surprise that the woman took off her helmet. She was young, barely a few years older than Shin herself. Dark purple hair, kept short, clung to her forehead from sweat. Her brown eyes glared daggers at the Jedi. She kept her helmet under her arm.
  
  "And with all due respect, I don"t give a fuck. I don"t need your protection. We don"t need your help."
  
  Shin huffed. The sound immediately caught the Countess" attention.
  
  "You"ve got something to say?"
  
  Shin crossed her arms.
  
  "You were pinned down on a roof when we found you."
  
  "You found us exactly where we wanted to be."
  
  "Under sieged?"
  
  "Shin."
  
  Baylan"s warning made Shin shrink away from the conversation. The Countess smirked.
  
  "Yes, under siege, so we could test our new weapon. And it works. We are about to turn the tide of the war."
  
  "Then in that case, you won"t mind us making sure this is a turning point, and not just another chapter in a very long civil war."
  
  Shin could see the Countess" jaw working. Finally, she sighed.
  
  "Fine. You can stand at the back and monitor. But if you stand in my way again, I"ll return you to Coruscant myself."
  
  "We won"t intervene unless absolutely necessary. You have my word, Countess."
  
  She sighed.
  
  "Cut it with the honorifics, will you? My name is Sabine Wren."
  
  She stuck her helmet back onto her head and motioned for her group to follow her deeper into the building. The Jedi followed, though neither wanted to.
  
  Notes:
  Do you guys ever think about how, because Sabine is the last member of clan Wren, she's technically the new Countess Wren?
  
  Anyway, hello everyone! Welcome to my new multi-chapter story, the often mentioned Obi-Wan AU. Now you know why!
  
  I'd like to preface this by saying that, while I did take inspiration from both Clone Wars and Rebels I haven't seen either. I've only seen the first 2 seasons of Rebels (and I fell asleep watching the first episode of Clone Wars) so I mostly relied on Wookiepedia for the lore and background information. I might take the winter break to continue Rebels because this whole Mandalorian arc seems really good, but anyway, I made my own thing out of these two shows, and hopefully you will all enjoy it!
  
  Tonight I will be traveling back home for the holidays. So, unless my plane is turned around and I end up trapped in the Canadian wilderness for eighteen months, the next updates will be posted about six hours earlier. Does it make a difference for anyone? If it does, here's your warning.
  
  Thank you for reading this first chapter! I will be posting a new one on every Wednesday and Saturday, as per usual, so I hope to see you there! And don't forget that kudos and comments are greatly appreciated
  
  Chapter 2: Attack on the Palace
  Summary:
  After a somewhat quiet night, Shin is woken up by her master, only to find that the Mandalorian rebels have gone on the offensive without them.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  In those moments of quiet where the rebels awaited orders, tugged in the corners of a trashed art museum, Baylan had told Shin to meditate. He knew it was her least favorite activity but Shin always obeyed. She sat on her heels and, trying to ignore the strange glances from the Mandalorians, she focused on her breathing and her connection with the Force.
  
  The Jedi taught to look inward, to think over one"s mistakes and how they could be prevented, and to consider one"s successes to see how they could be replicated. Shin was usually swept up in thoughts too quickly to ever consider her actions critically. She thought about when the Council had assigned them the mission on Mandalore.
  
  As a padawan, she had been ordered to stay outside of the Council chamber. However, knowledge passed down from one padawan to the next told that if one leaned close enough to the doors, the Council could be heard. Shin had never been one for discretion. She had pressed her ear against the cool metal.
  
  "I don"t understand. You said neither party wants our help. Why bother sending us at all?"
  
  Baylan"s voice had been muffled through the metal but Shin had recognized it with ease. Master Windu had replied:
  
  "The Council need someone they can trust to monitor the situation. The most recent Mandalorian Civil Wars have all spiraled out of control and spread to further planets."
  
  "Then perhaps you ought to send someone they trust. Ahsoka Tano has made considerable alliances after the previous war..."
  
  "This Council has decided to send you and your padawan," Windu had replied, raising his voice for the first time since the conversation had begun. "Do you disagree with us?"
  
  "I only question the Council"s intentions before me and my padawans are sent in the middle of a Civil War."
  
  After a moment of quiet, Master Yoda had spoken:
  
  "For your padawan, you fear?"
  
  "Shin is ready. Allow her to pass the trials. I will go alone to Mandalore."
  
  "Tremendous progress, you padawan has made," Yoda had acknowledged. "But for the Trials, not ready she is."
  
  "We heard about the argument which broke out between Shin and Caleb"s padawan," Master Obi-Wan had said.
  
  Shin couldn"t help but wince. Ezra had deserved it, and she had no regret kicking his ass. She had only wished the Council hadn"t been made aware of it.
  
  "She will always be prompt to strong emotions," Baylan had replied. "That is not a crime."
  
  "But strong emotions, such as anger, lead one down a dark path," Windu had said. "Complete this assignment, show us that your padawan can act reasonably in the face of a high-stake situation, and we will talk about the trials upon your return."
  
  Shin had had to step away from the door before her Master stepped out. She had looked down, pretending to be deep in observation of the marble floor. When the door had opened, she had turned toward it. Baylan had stepped out with an unreadable expression on his face. It almost seemed like anger, his traits furrowed and his eyes dark with it.
  
  Shin opened her eyes. The museum was dark and quiet. A single Mandalorian in silver and gold armor stood near the emtrance of their room. Their poor attempt at casualness couldn"t mask the fact that they were keeping an eye on the Jedi. Beside her, Baylan was still deep in trance. Shin took a breath through her nose and closed her eyes again. She could feel the Force around her, an invisible wind that shifted, snake-like, coiling and slithering around the room. It was strongest around her Master, wrapping him fully like a cocoon. She couldn"t break through his strong mental defense, only look at it from the outside and attempt to imitate him. She never succeeded.
  
  Another strand pulled at her mind, as if the Force itself was trying to guide her somewhere. This was new. Usually, once she"d failed to reproduce a fraction of Baylan"s concentration, she gave up and went to sleep. This time, she let the Force guide her to wherever it wanted to take her. Her mind connected with someone else"s, somewhere else in the building. Images flashed into her mind. A man in red and white armor, brandishing a black lightsaber. He attacked his own Mandalorian kind, killing indiscriminately. Bodies in silver and gold armor scattered over the steps of a great throne room.
  
  The connection was broken and Shin opened her eyes. She could feel the unsteady Force still pulsing further away in the building. It was tainted with fear and fury, churning like the ocean during a storm. Shin had felt the Force reacting like that before, in her early days as a padawan. It had happened all the time when she"d been a Youngling, but she"d thought it was normal, how the Force was supposed to feel. Baylan had taught her that the Force was only a blank canvas, and all living things projected what they wanted to feel on it. The process was easier for Force-sensitive people, hence why Shin always had to be mindful.
  
  Footsteps echoed in the empty museum. Shin closed her eyes once more and pretended to be meditating. The footsteps came up to them and stopped near the guard.
  
  "A problem, Sabine?" the guard asked.
  
  At first, Sabine gave no reply. Shin could feel her gaze on her, even with her eyes closed.
  
  "Everything"s fine," she answered, finally, and walked away.
  
  Once Shin could no longer hear the footsteps, she opened her eyes. Glancing at her master and finding him still in a deep meditative state, she gave up on meditation altogether. She lay down on the marbled ground and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep.
  
  Shin was shaken awake by her master. The light coming from the outside seemed real, but she knew it was projected from the top of the domes into the capital. It was white but not eye-burning like most fake lights could be. All in all, her awakening would have been serene if her Master wasn"t fighting back panic.
  
  "Get up. The Mandalorians moved."
  
  Shin frowned and looked around. The museum was still quiet. The long halls seemed even emptier in the daylight. Someone was still guarding them.
  
  "How do you know?" she asked.
  
  "Focus."
  
  Shin did. The Force was as placid as fog. Except for them, the museum was empty. Baylan walked up to the exit. The Mandalorian stood in his way.
  
  "Orders are to keep you here until the fighting is over. Sabine doesn"t want you interfering again."
  
  Shin stood up, ready to follow her Master.
  
  "We only want to help," Baylan replied. "Stand aside and let us help."
  
  "I won"t."
  
  "Where are they?"
  
  "They went to finish it."
  
  Baylan clicked his tongue against his teeth with annoyance. For a second, Shin wondered whether they would have to fight their way out of the museum. She placed her hand on the hilt of her lightsaber, ready to draw. Her master turned to the Mandalorian.
  
  "Take us to her."
  
  The Force bent and popped around the Mandalorian"s brain. He lowered his weapon.
  
  "This way."
  
  He stepped aside and led them through the museum, to the hole drilled into the floor through which the rebels came and went. At the bottom, they found themselves back in the mines. Without a word, the Mandalorian guided them through the low-ceiling corridors. Shin"s heart was staggering in her chest. What if it was too late and they had already failed? Sabine Wren seemed like the kind of idiot who threw herself into danger any chance she got. Asking them to protect her was setting them up for failure.
  
  They reached an elevator and the Mandalorian pulled the lever, taking them back to the surface. The elevator stopped halfway up a building and they emerged onto the street. The Mandalorian took the lead again.
  
  "The Palace is this way."
  
  They trotted through the streets. They looked deserted compared to the streets of Coruscant. Only a few people hurried up and down the walkways, not lingering outside. They soon understood why. A few floors below, a group of red and white Mandalorians were rounding up people out of a building and lining them on their knees. They must have heard the sound of running as one of them looked up and spotted the Jedi above them.
  
  "Over there! Stop!"
  
  Using jetpacks, the red Mandalorians flew up to their catwalk. Shin turned on her blue lightsaber and deflected their shots. Their Mandalorian ally turned around and fired back. The shots ricocheted off their beskar armor. Baylan grabbed Shin by the shoulder and pulled her back, taking her place at the front.
  
  "I"ll handle them, keep going."
  
  He stepped up for a fight, deflecting blaster shots then slicing just where the armor didn"t protect their enemies. Shin turned to their ally who took off in a sprint. She followed. One of the red Mandalorians flew after them. He fired at them from above. Shin used the Force to crush his jetpack. The power cell sputtered and the Mandalorian plummeted into the bowels of the city.
  
  Ahead, an explosion shook the Palace. The tall white stone and blue glass structure was usually only reachable through a shuttle. The rebels had attached ropes to the plaza entrance and climbed up. Shin had no choice but to do the same. At the top, she found chaos. Mandalorians versus Mandalorians, firing at each other with ineffective blaster shots. Still, it was clear that the red outmatched the rebels.
  
  She spotted Sabine throwing one of those disks against the steps leading inside. Electricity arced and stunned the Mandalorians defending the door. Sabine motioned for a small contingent of her people and they rushed inside. Shin sighed, unhitched her cloak and drew her lightsaber. To get to their target, she would have to cross the whole plaza. She promised herself that when she would catch up to Sabine, she would kill her.
  
  She deflected a few blaster shots then Force grabbed a Mandalorian and threw him on his companion. They tumbled amidst the heavy clank of metal. A red Mandalorian tried attacking her with a dagger. She sliced the blade in half and through the small interstice in the beskar plates of his chest. A shower of spark exploded from her enemy where the edge of her lightsaber touched the metal.
  
  Looking back, she spotted Baylan climbing up to the Palace Plaza and joining the fight. He ran up to her.
  
  "Wren went inside," she informed him.
  
  Baylan nodded. When a group of Mandalorian flew down near them, he sliced through a jetpack and Force pushed the man away into his people. When the jetpack exploded, it knocked down half a dozen enemies.
  
  "We need to catch up," Baylan said.
  
  A grenade landed ahead of them. Shin used the Force to throw it back to its sender. It exploded above them, shattering glass and shaking the wall of the plaza. A piece of stone slid off and crumbled onto the reds.
  
  The Jedi Knight and his padawan fought their way into the Palace as reinforcement arrived throughout the city to take down the rebels. Once inside, they found a trail of stunned Mandalorians. Sabine had used at least a dozen disks to get to the throne room. When the Jedi rushed into the throne room, the vast chamber was the sight of another fight. The red and the rebels had shattered the windows to take cover behind the walls, each side standing on a balcony. Shin wondered whether the rebels had run out of stunning disks that they would be caught in a standstill.
  
  Baylan Force pulled one the red Mandalorian from behind cover. She stumbled onto the marble floor, losing her grip on her weapon. This was the red"s cue that their balcony wouldn"t protect them for long. They rushed out, some aiming at the Jedi and others at the rebels, still. Sabine rolled out of cover and grabbed a red"s blaster, pushing it aside. She swept their legs from under them and forced them to the ground, pinning them down.
  
  "Where is Gar Saxon?" she asked.
  
  "Making sure every Mandalorian bastion is his. He"s waiting for his vassal in Krownest."
  
  Sabine roared with anger and kicked the underside of their chin, knocking them out cold.
  
  Baylan and Shin, with the help of the rebels, finished clearing the room. When Shin turned off her lightsaber, the leader of the rebellions rushed up to them.
  
  "What happened to staying behind and monitoring the situation? I told you we don"t need your help."
  
  "A simple thank you will suffice," Baylan replied, making Shin smirk.
  
  "Saxon is in Krownest," Sabine informed her team.
  
  "We can steal a ship at the docks."
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "He"ll be expecting that. I"m sure he left a lot of people to guard the docks."
  
  "We have a ship," Shin noted, but glancing at her Master, she realized she had spoken out of term.
  
  "We do, but I must advice against running after Saxon. This is obviously a trap."
  
  "What do you want me to do, then? Stay here and do nothing?"
  
  "More incoming," one of the rebels shouted from the door.
  
  "I wouldn"t advice staying here either."
  
  "Then what?" Sabine groaned.
  
  Baylan turned to his padawan.
  
  "Get her out of here. Back to our shuttle. We"re leaving Sundari."
  
  Shin opened her mouth to protest. She did not want to spend time alone with Sabine Wren at all. But her Master put an end to the debate with a single look. He turned to Sabine.
  
  "My padawan will take you to our shuttle. We will stay back and cover you. If we haven"t joined you in twelve hours, leave Sundari. Go to Keldabe and call the Jedi Council."
  
  Sabine looked at Shin with uncertainty. Shin knew it was her time to step up. She walked past the rebel leader and up to the door, checking that the coast was clear.
  
  "Come on, we don"t have all day."
  
  After a second of hesitation, Sabine followed. Shin sent one last glance at her Master. Baylan nodded. Shin, filling her chest with courage, ran after Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I needed a bit of set up before I could get Shin and Sabine alone but you bet next chapter is going to be just the two of them ;)
  
  I wasn't quite sure which lightsaber color I should give Shin between blue and green, though I was leaning more toward blue. In the end, I made a poll on Tumblr, so this was a collective decision. The results were blue at 75% which seems right. I don't remember her using the Force that much in the show but she is a fiend for combat.
  
  As usual, thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments, and I hope to see you all on Saturday for the next chapter!
  
  Chapter 3: Escape from Mandalore
  Summary:
  While Shin and Sabine make their way to the Jedi's shuttle, tensions between the two lead their enemies right to them...
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin had no choice but to follow Sabine as she was unfamiliar with the city. They could have been walking back to the door she and Baylan had gone through the day before and she wouldn"t have been able to tell. Above them, red Mandalorians zoomed through the air with jetpacks. Sabine hid in the shadows of a building, holding Shin back with her arm. As soon as they had passed, she darted out and across the street. Shin hurried after her.
  
  "Can you slow down?"
  
  "Having trouble keeping up?" Sabine shot back.
  
  Shin felt a shot of anger strike her.
  
  "You won"t be able to shake me off."
  
  Without turning around, Sabine replied:
  
  "I"m not trying to. But I won"t wait for you either. So, keep up."
  
  They entered a doorway to hide from another passing group of red Mandalorians, standing shoulder to shoulder. Shin noticed she was a few inches taller than the rebel leader. She was about to brag about it, when the door to the building opened. A woman was standing on the other side. She waved them inside, then shut the door behind them quickly.
  
  "Sabine Wren," the woman whispered.
  
  Shin reached for her lightsaber warily. Sabine stopped her.
  
  "We need to get to exit 4B. Can you help us?"
  
  "Are you abandoning us?"
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "I would never. I"m going after Saxon, ending this once and for all."
  
  The woman considered Sabine"s words. Then, she led them through the apartment complex, down two flights of stairs to a back door.
  
  "The droids use this exit for the garbage collection. You should be on the right floor."
  
  Sabine took off her helmet. Shin wanted to tell her to hurry up, however the rebel leader looked so genuinely touched by the woman"s help that Shin couldn"t bring herself to disturb the moment.
  
  "Thank you. I owe you a great debt."
  
  "For Mandalore," the woman replied.
  
  Sabine put her helmet back on.
  
  "For Mandalore."
  
  She ran out into the alley and Shin once again had to catch up.
  
  They found the door and Sabine kneeled beside the security panel. Shin didn"t give her a chance to rewire it. She held out her hand toward the door and Forced the panels apart. Sabine clicked her tongue against her teeth.
  
  "All you Jedi do is show off."
  
  Shin gritted her teeth.
  
  "That"s big coming from a Mandalorian. You people like showing off so much you have a new Civil War every generation."
  
  Sabine ran outside into the harsh plains, forcing Shin to follow. The sun was falling, turning the air cold as ice. Shin wished she had her cloak still.
  
  "At least I"m not drawing my weapon on civilians," Sabine replied.
  
  "She could have denounced us. She could still denounce us."
  
  "Or, have a little faith in people. Isn"t that what you Jedi are all about, anyway, faith?"
  
  Shin rolled her eyes.
  
  "You"re going the wrong way. Our shuttle is over there."
  
  Sabine emanated some very angry energy as she turned to follow Shin. Shin smirked, satisfied. She took the lead as they walked through the plains toward the rocky outcroppings where Baylan had hidden their shuttle. The air was growing frigid. She focused on the Force to warm herself, feeling its flow in and around her.
  
  "Do you think your Master will catch up?" Sabine asked.
  
  "You spoke of faith earlier. I have faith in him."
  
  "Aren"t you a bit old to be a padawan anyway?"
  
  Shin glared back at her.
  
  "I"m not. There are padawan older than me. I am at a normal age to be a padawan."
  
  "If you say so."
  
  Shin shivered and crossed her arms.
  
  "I"m going to be a Knight soon. As soon as your Civil War is over."
  
  "Impressive. You"re finally going to be able to get rid of that stupid little braid then."
  
  Shin whirled around and glared so hard she felt the Force become sharp around her. She knew she had to calm down, but she didn"t care to do so.
  
  "What is your problem?" she shouted.
  
  "My problem is that I told the Jedi Council to stay out of it, but once again they think they know better than anyone."
  
  Shin stood in Sabine"s way.
  
  "You think you could have escaped the Palace without us?"
  
  "I know so. I told you already, I don"t need your help. And if you think you can stop me from going to Krownest, I will kick you right back to Coruscant."
  
  Sabine brushed past Shin, her shoulder knocking into hers. Shin grabbed her arm to hold her back. Sabine turned around and aimed her blaster at her.
  
  "I don"t even understand why they want to keep you alive," Shin hissed. "You"re reckless and your plans are terrible. Even if you can defeat Saxon, you will never be a good leader."
  
  "Let me go."
  
  Sabine pulled her arm out of Shin"s grasp but didn"t lower her blaster. They had lost all light as both moons appeared in the sky, one shining brighter than the other. The silver light reflected on Sabine"s helmet.
  
  "I"m taking your shuttle. You can explain to your master how you lost it."
  
  Sabine holstered her blaster and walked on. Shin stomped after her.
  
  "Over my dead body."
  
  "Is that a threat or a wish?"
  
  Before Shin could stop herself, she Force pushed Sabine. The rebel leader landed hard onto the dried ground, her armor clanking in the quiet evening.
  
  "What the fuck!"
  
  Shin ignored her and trudged past her. Sabine pushed herself up and grabbed her ankle to trip her. Shin jumped over her grasp and turned around with a smirk.
  
  "Childish much?"
  
  "You pushed me first!"
  
  "I knocked some sense into you. Do you need another dose?"
  
  Shin walked off. Sabine jumped to her feet. She threw her grabbling hook at Shin"s legs. The rope wound around her ankles. She tripped and fell on the dried-up ground. She roared and turned on her blue lightsaber. She flipped around and cut herself free. Sabine stood above her; blaster aimed at her.
  
  "Do you need another dose?"
  
  The deafening sound of jetpacks broke through the quiet night. Five red Mandalorians landed around them, encircling them. They each had heavy-duty blasters trained on the two women.
  
  "Well, well, well, would you look at that. Captain Pagg will be happy to know we found who that shuttle belonged to. We heard reports of Jedi at the Palace today. And Sabine Wren. We"ll get a promotion for that."
  
  "Or your funeral rites," Sabine replied.
  
  "Drop your weapons."
  
  Sabine"s eyesight moved back to Shin. Shin felt Sabine"s intention before she acted. She gave a curt nod and tightened her grip on her lightsaber. In a split second, Sabine pulled out her second blaster and aimed at two different reds. Shin pushed herself up with the Force then pulled the weapons out of the hand of one of the reds. They lunged for it and scrambled while the others fired at them. Sabine used her vambrace to deflect the shots as every shot to her helmet or chestplate seemed to unbalance her. Shin deflected them with her lightsaber then charged one of the Mandalorians. She tried aiming for their feet. They used their jetpacks to fly off, out of her grasp. She focused her Force on them, pushing gravity on top of them like bags of lead. They fell back to the ground and stumbled on their knee. Shin couldn"t charge them, however, as another two reds fired at her.
  
  She had to step back into a defensive position, deflecting shots which only bounced off the Mandalorians" armors, never unsettling them long enough to give her an edge. Soon, they were three firing at her. Sabine was fighting off the other two. She fired at close range in one"s knee, sending them tumbling in a shower of sparks. The other grabbed her by the neck to choke her. She let go of one of her blasters and pulled a small knife from her boot. She stabbed blindly behind her.
  
  Shin, feeling that she was about to fail her master if she let Sabine die, used the Force to push the three Mandalorians away. They clanked on the ground, the sound just enough to distract the man choking Sabine. Sabine stabbed his hand through the glove. He released her with a yelp. She turned around and headbutted them. Shin rushed to her side. Before she could make it, one of the Mandalorians struck her temple with the butt of his weapon. She fell to the ground, her ears ringing like the meditation bells of the temple. She closed her hand on her lightsaber only to realize that she had lost her weapon. The barrel of a blaster pressed against her head.
  
  "Drop your weapon."
  
  She looked up. Through the haze of tears, she spotted Sabine, both blasters trained on the man holding her at gunpoint. The other Mandalorians aimed at the rebel leader.
  
  "Now, or the Jedi bites it."
  
  Shin"s heart dropped in her chest. She couldn"t believe that she was going to die out here for nothing. To her surprise, however, Sabine let her blasters fall to the ground.
  
  "Take off your helmet."
  
  She complied, taking it off and setting it on the ground with her weapons. She held out her hands. The nearest red punched her to the ground. She stumbled and spit out blood. The red Mandalorians chuckled.
  
  "Tie them up. Pagg will know what to do with them."
  
  Shin expected the reds to take them back to Sundari. Instead, they pushed them up the hill to the shuttle, arms tied behind their backs. At the top, another three reds were inspecting the shuttle.
  
  "Look what the tooka dragged in."
  
  The three Mandalorians turned around. Upon spotting Sabine and Shin, the leader of the group stepped forward.
  
  "Sabine Wren. Since when do you conspire with Jedi?"
  
  "Since they didn"t give me much of a choice."
  
  With a motion of his helmet, the captain indicated his squad to set the prisoners in a corner. Then, he turned to one of his companions.
  
  "Call Saxon. Tell him we have a surprise for him..."
  
  He glanced back at the prisoners.
  
  "A few surprises..."
  
  Shin and Sabine were shoved onto the ground, at the foot of a tall and large spire of rocks. One of the reds set their weapons and Sabine"s helmet opposite to them, out of reach.
  
  "Are you ready for round 2?" Sabine whispered to the blonde.
  
  "Against eight Mandalorians instead to five? Sure."
  
  "Shut it," one of the reds groaned at them.
  
  The captain was focused on the shuttle, trying to crack its security to get inside. They would need some specialized equipment, Shin figured. A Jedi shuttle wasn"t some random speeder outside of a dive bar. Perhaps Baylan would have caught up with them before that. She felt a burst of shame in her throat. He would be pretty mad at her for getting captured, she knew.
  
  "Can"t you Jedi mind trick them or something?" Sabine whispered.
  
  "That"s not how it works."
  
  "I said shut up."
  
  He slapped Sabine. She spit again, though this time it was more saliva than blood. From up close, Shin could see two lines of blood running down from her nostrils, already dried in the chill night air.
  
  "Bring Wren over," the captain ordered.
  
  The red Mandalorian picked up Sabine roughly and pulled her to Pagg. The rebel leader stood tall against her enemy, far from intimidated.
  
  "So, let"s hear it. What was your brilliant plan this time?"
  
  "My brilliant plan hasn"t changed. Find Saxon. Defeat him. That"s it."
  
  "You think you can defeat him in single combat? He wields the Darksaber."
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes.
  
  "No need to remind me. But I have some tricks up my sleeve too."
  
  Something near Sabine caught Shin"s attention. Her lightsaber was trembling on the ground. She frowned. This wasn"t her doing.
  
  "Like what? Your little Duchesses? You wouldn"t ashamed of cheating."
  
  "Cheating? I wouldn"t call it cheating. More like making sure that whatever happens, Gar Saxon will lose."
  
  Shin"s lightsaber flew into Sabine"s hand. She turned on the blade, burning away her bonds. She struck Pagg before he could react, slicing off his arm. He stumbled back, screaming in agony. She swiped at the legs of the red beside her. He stumbled back to avoid the blow, falling down the hill. Shots fired in her direction. She protected her face with her vambrace and ran to Shin.
  
  "You"re a Jedi too..."
  
  "No, I"m just a Mandalorian."
  
  Sabine freed the padawan, then gave her a second to stand back up by deflecting a shot with the lightsaber. Shin took back her weapon and stepped in front of the rebel leader. She used the Force to pull Sabine"s blasters to her. Sabine caught them mid-air.
  
  "Do you have a plan?" Shin shouted over the blaster shots as they ran for cover.
  
  "Of course, I have a plan."
  
  Sabine hid behind a boulder and pulled Shin down with her. She poked her head out of cover to blast a few shots, catching the Mandalorians" attention. They converged on their position.
  
  "Ready?"
  
  "For what!"
  
  Sabine aimed her vambrace at the spire looming above them. A rocket fired out and exploded against the rocks.
  
  "Now!"
  
  Sabine stood up and used the Force to pull the rocks on top of the Mandalorians. Shin understood quickly enough to help. Sabine"s connection to the Force was still quite weak, she felt. Without her, she wouldn"t have been able to cause a rockslide on her own. The spire crumbled onto itself then, as if pushed by a harsh wind, the boulders tumbled onto the Mandalorians. The six reds weren"t fast enough. The stones buried them. Dust kicked off, prompting Shin to hide back under cover. Once the ruckus of falling stones had died out, she stood up. Sabine walked out and around the shuttle, back to where she had left Pagg. She brushed the blood under her nose with her fingers, then pulled out her blaster from its holster.
  
  Pagg had crawled to recover his weapon on the floor. His aim trembled with pain. Sabine kicked the gun out of his hand before he could fire. She aimed down at him.
  
  "I heard Saxon was at Wren stronghold. Is that true?"
  
  "He... He thought you wouldn"t think to look for him there."
  
  "He"s scared then. Good."
  
  She fired, blasting him in the hollow of his neck. Rocks shuffled to her right. She looked up just in time to see the Mandalorian she had pushed climbing back up the hill. Before he could fire, he found himself immobilized. He was dragged across the ground to Shin. She beheaded him unceremoniously. Sabine stared at the padawan until she had turned off her blade, taking the neon blue light with her. She picked up her helmet off the ground.
  
  "We"ll wait another hour. If your Master hasn"t caught up with us by then, I"m taking the shuttle. Gar Saxon has enjoyed his time away for too long already."
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter!
  
  In my headcanon for the show Shin was born in 19BBY, same as the Skywalker twins and Ezra. That would make her about 27, then, which, in the show at least, would also make her the oldest padawan that we know of, snatching the title right out of Phantom Menace era Obi-Wan's hand.
  
  Thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments! I will see you all on Wednesday for chapter 4!
  
  Chapter 4: Sabine's Terrible Ideas
  Summary:
  Now reunited with Baylan and a handful of the Mandalorian rebels, Shin and Sabine fly to Krownest and prepare the assault on the Wren Stronghold.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Baylan appeared at the bottom of the hill a short time later, leading the small group of five rebels who had fought in the throne room. Shin was so relieved to see him she jumped to her feet and walked to the edge. Sabine caught her arm when she walked past her.
  
  "You brought down the stones alone."
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "What?"
  
  "On the Mandalorians. You brought down the stones on them and you sliced off Pagg"s arm."
  
  When Shin"s confusion only intensified, furrowing her features, Sabine added:
  
  "I don"t know how to use the Force. No need to mention that to your Master."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened when she understood what Sabine meant. She glanced at the rebel leader but she had put her helmet back on, making her expression unreadable. All Shin could see was her own confusion reflected back at her. After a second of hesitation, she gave a nod. Sabine let her go.
  
  Baylan reached the top of the mountain and surveyed the carnage around the shuttle. Shin approached him. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
  
  "I"m glad you"re okay," she told him.
  
  Her Master nodded.
  
  "We had a bit of trouble on our way out but nothing we couldn"t handle. You?"
  
  "An ambush of Mandalorians around our shuttle. Nothing we couldn"t handle."
  
  The five rebels had rejoined their leader. One of them had to support themselves on another"s shoulders, but the others looked alright. Sabine spoke to each of them, quickly getting the tale of their escape.
  
  "It was the Jedi."
  
  "He helped us out of the Palace."
  
  "We gave the order to disperse until you return."
  
  Sabine turned to Baylan then.
  
  "To that end, when are we leaving?"
  
  "We should leave now, as soon as we"ve decided the better place to hide you."
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "I"m not hiding. I"m going to Krownest. Gar Saxon is waiting there. We can put an end to this war once and for all."
  
  "The Council has tasked me to protect you."
  
  "Fuck the Council. I"m not going into hiding, now or ever. So, you can either escort us there in your shuttle, or we"ll take it off your hands."
  
  Sabine"s hand hovered near her blaster. The other Mandalorians tensed up, ready for a fight. Shin watched the standoff nervously, hand moving automatically to her lightsaber. She was surprised when Baylan spoke:
  
  "Very well. I will take you to Krownest on one condition. You cannot leave us behind. We will be a part of your plan."
  
  Sabine replied faster than Shin had anticipated.
  
  "Deal."
  
  Within the shuttle, the rebels laid down their wounded comrade on the side seats, then sat in the four seats across from him. Shin took her usual copilot seat. Baylan sat behind the controls. He fired up the engines and the shuttle rose from the hill. The wings opened and they shot off through the night.
  
  As soon as they were out of the planet"s atmosphere, Sabine stood up.
  
  "You got a bathroom in here?"
  
  Shin motioned for a door to the right. Sabine disappeared through it. Shin stared hard at the door. She wanted to know how an untrained Mandalorian could wield the Force at all. Before she could, however, her Master called her name, snapping her out of her thoughts.
  
  "Shin? Can you set up our wounded friend on one of the bunks."
  
  "Yes, Master."
  
  She stood up and helped the Mandalorian back on his feet. She took him through the door to the left, where two bunks sat on top of one another. She helped him on the lower bunk. He tried taking off his helmet but with only one hand it was difficult. He was bleeding at the shoulder where he had been stabbed below his pauldron.
  
  "We have first aid supplies in the bathroom, hold on."
  
  She crossed the hall and entered the bathroom without knocking. The room was very cramped. Sabine sat on the lid of the toilet, brushing a piece of wet cloth under her nose to clean the dried blood. She looked up when Shin stepped in. As the door shut behind her, Shin found she could barely move.
  
  "What do you want?" Sabine asked.
  
  "Medkit. Your friend was stabbed."
  
  Sabine sighed.
  
  "I"ll take care of it."
  
  Shin pursed her lips. She should leave her be, she knew, but she needed answers. She crossed her arms.
  
  "I didn"t say anything to my master, but I want an explanation."
  
  "I didn"t know it was a condition."
  
  Sabine straightened with a groan. She gave a final brush of the cloth under her nostrils then threw it in the tiny sink.
  
  "When the last Civil War broke out, we had help from a Jedi. Her name is Ahsoka Tano. I spent a lot of time with her. She taught me that the Force is in all of us, even people with weak Midi-chlorians like me. I used to imitate with her when she meditated. It was, I don"t know, a good way to focus myself. I continued doing it as I got older."
  
  She paused, let out a long, tired sigh. She brushed her hand through her short purple hair.
  
  "When Gar Saxon attacked my clan, I tried... I tried saving my brother, but it was all too little too late. The Force responded, for the first time, but not fast enough. So no, I"m no Jedi, and I"d rather it stays that way. I use the Force if I have to, that"s it."
  
  She looked up at Shin, finally. For the first time since they had met, Shin saw all of her courage. Behind the recklessness was incredible bravery, itself a security blanket wrapped around Sabine"s grief, all the broken sorrowful pieces of her kept safe below the surface. Shin was struck by her strength as a leader in the face of such heartbreak.
  
  "Can I trust you to keep it a secret?"
  
  Shin was speechless at first. Perhaps Sabine thought she was considering her options. She wasn"t. She was too struck by the depth of her eyes to remember how to speak.
  
  "I... I won"t tell on you."
  
  "Great. I wouldn"t want to get dragged to the temple and thrown into a bathrobe."
  
  She stood up and they were suddenly standing far too close for comfort. Sabine didn"t seem to mind as she rummaged through the cabinet for medical supplies. Shin stood even stiller than before, muscles locked in place by the close warmth coming from the Mandalorian"s body.
  
  "That was pretty hardcore what you did back there," Sabine said. "Pretty Mandalorian of you. I didn"t expect such ruthlessness from a Jedi."
  
  It took Shin a second to realize it was a compliment, not an accusation. She had grown so used to reproach every time she stepped out of line that she didn"t know how to respond.
  
  "The Masters think I have an emotional issue. No one"s ever quite been able to curb it, not even Baylan."
  
  Sabine picked up a bacta patch and shut the cabinet. When she looked at Shin, she was smirking.
  
  "I don"t think you should let them. Stay feral, it suits you best."
  
  She grabbed Shin by the shoulder and switched their position so she could walk out of the bathroom, leaving Shin in deep confusion.
  
  The shuttle reached Krownest within a few hours. The bacta patch had fixed up the rebel, leaving them with six Mandalorians and two Jedi to storm the Wren stronghold. No ship was orbiting the planet and waiting for them, so on Sabine"s recommendation, they landed in the woods, on the other side of a frozen lake. Shin had not expected Krownest to be a frozen planet.
  
  Using the projector in her helmet, Sabine showed off a map of the stronghold. It was a rectangular structure at the edge of the lake. The front entrance was on the side, up a row of stairs. A giant glass window overlooked the lake.
  
  "We"ll charge through the front entrance. The throne room is this way, through this corridor."
  
  Baylan crossed his arms.
  
  "If I may, the front entrance will surely be heavily guarded. We should probably find a more discreet approach."
  
  Sabine turned away from him.
  
  "Anyway, the front entrance. I"m expecting Saxon to be over here, in the throne room. He"s mine."
  
  "He won"t be if you get killed on the way there."
  
  Sabine glared at the Jedi Knight.
  
  "Let"s hear it then, what is your brilliant idea?"
  
  "We have prod drones. We can send them out to scout before planning anything."
  
  "You think Mandalorians won"t spot prod droids from a mile away?"
  
  "Isn"t it worth a try? Saxon already knows you"re on your way. We do not have the element of surprise on our side. He is expecting you. We might as well make sure he doesn"t kill you before you get to him."
  
  Sabine grumbled.
  
  "Fine. But don"t take too long. We will lose light quickly here."
  
  Baylan and Shin took the box of droids outside. They set it in the puffy snow away from the trees so they could fly off easily. While Shin busied herself opening the box and turning on the small orbs, Baylan programmed them to fly to the stronghold and orbit around it. Shin shivered. Her knee was deep in the snow and she could feel her pants growing cold and damp against her skin. Sabine"s comment about the bathrobe came back to her suddenly and she let out a bitter chuckle.
  
  Once they were ready, the droids took flight and disappeared over the canopy of straight pines. Shin watched them take flight; her eyes were half-blinded by the snow on the branches around them which reflected the sun.
  
  "Can I trust you to keep an eye on the droids while I keep an eye on the Mandalorians?" Baylan asked.
  
  "Of course, Master."
  
  He handed her the tablet and she saw three red dots blinking on it, flying toward the stronghold. Baylan returned inside. Another shiver overtook Shin"s body. She sat on a fallen trunk and glanced at the tablet every so often. The cold seemed to be closing in on her. She closed her eyes and focused on the Force. If she could just gather it within herself to warm her body, she wouldn"t be shivering as hard as she was.
  
  She thought she had finally attained the right kind of focus when a blanket was thrown over her shoulders. She opened her eyes, surprised. Sabine was standing over her.
  
  "Kind of an asshole move on your master"s part to just leave you outside with only a bathrobe."
  
  Shin rolled her eyes but bundled under the blanket.
  
  "The Master gives the order and the padawan obeys. That"s how it works, in principle."
  
  "In principle?"
  
  "I do disobey. Often. Probably more often than he"d like."
  
  "Good," Sabine replied with a smile.
  
  Shin felt warmth blossom in her chest, unbearable. She wanted to take the blanket off as the rush of heat took hold of her. It was a very strange feeling, one she"d never felt before. She thought it came from the Force, that it was trying to tell her something.
  
  "How are the droids doing?"
  
  Shin glanced at the tablet, thinking it would give her an answer. She glanced at Sabine but realized she had retained nothing of what was on the screen. She pulled up the tablet again. Perhaps Sabine had grown tired of waiting for an answer. She sat on the trunk beside Shin and pulled the tablet between them. The droids had reached the stronghold. They were now scanning its surrounding. For every Mandalorian spotted, a yellow dot appeared on the tablet.
  
  "Well would you look at that. Once again, a lack of peripheral vision saves the day."
  
  Sabine chuckled to herself. Shin looked between the tablet and the rebel leader.
  
  "What are you going to do, once this is all over?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "I don"t know. Find someone who can rule?"
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "You don"t want to rule yourself?"
  
  "Do I look like a ruler to you? I wouldn"t even know where to begin. I"m not the Duchesse Kryze, I have no plans for the future of Mandalore. I just don"t want Gar Saxon to rule."
  
  Sabine wrapped her arms around her, feeling the cold get to her as well.
  
  "You"ve organized an entire rebellion all by yourself. How is ruling any different?"
  
  "I didn"t organize the rebellion on my own."
  
  "Neither will you rule alone. The Jedi has a Council to discuss every decision. To say nothing of the hundreds of Senators working to keep peace in the galaxy..."
  
  Shin"s ideas came to a stop when Sabine slid under the blanket with her.
  
  "You"re pretty smart sometimes," Sabine noted.
  
  They were so close Shin could feel the warmth of Sabine"s breath against her face. She was mesmerized by the redness of her cheeks, the half-curl of her smile, the intensity of her eyes as they looked into hers.
  
  The tablet beeped between them. They shifted apart. Looking down, Shin saw that the droids had finished their observation and were flying back. She stood up, stepping away from Sabine and leaving the blanket with her. Her heart was moving a thousand beats a minute, and each pound against her ribs was electric, making her bones warm. If it beat any faster it might turn into a sun.
  
  The droids returned and Shin locked the box behind them swiftly. She didn"t want to spend a second more in Sabine"s presence, alone. Behind her, Sabine was still seated on the trunk, watching her.
  
  "We should show this to everyone," Shin suggested.
  
  She picked up the case in one hand, holding the tablet in the other. When she turned around, Sabine was standing beside her. All the warmth drained out of Shin"s body. Here was that uncomfortable, indescribable feeling again. She couldn"t figure out what the Force wanted to tell her. Then, Sabine leaned and kissed her lips.
  
  The kiss was light and quick. To Shin, it felt like time had stopped. The pressure of Sabine"s cold lips on hers made her entire body go numb. She had been robbed of something, but what she had been given in return was worth so much more. It hadn"t been the Force at all speaking to her, it had been Sabine the entire time, their bodies entering into a conversation her brain couldn"t comprehend. Sabine pulled away.
  
  "See you on the other side."
  
  She walked back to the shuttle, leaving Shin completely stunned in the snow.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
  
  I have to emergency post this chapter very early in the morning because I didn't know until Monday afternoon that today I had a day-long family thing that would have us leave home at 7 a.m... I will be replying to every comments from chapter 3 and 4 before posting chapter 5, don't worry
  
  Thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments and I will see you on Saturday for the next chapter!
  
  Chapter 5: Dual of the Fates
  Summary:
  The rebels and the Jedi attack Wren Stronghold
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Since most of Gar Saxon"s troops were waiting for them in the throne room, Baylan agreed to Sabine"s plan. They left the shuttle and walked to the stronghold, trudging through the thick blanket of snow. Shin hung back, deep in thoughts. Her master noticed immediately. He slowed down to walk with her.
  
  "Something is troubling you."
  
  Shin kept her gaze low, on the shadows of the trees.
  
  "I was just thinking," she replied. "Meditating on attachment."
  
  Baylan hummed.
  
  "It is true we have seldom talked about attachment. I never thought you needed a lesson on it."
  
  Ahead, Sabine was walking with determination without looking back. Shin wished she would look back. That simple desire confused her deeply.
  
  "Attachment is not dangerous," Baylan explained.
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "But I thought it was within the Order"s creed to renounce attachment."
  
  "Shin, no sentient creature can live without forming attachments. Even Jedi. Especially Jedi. What the Order expects of you is to prioritize duty, no matter the situation. Do you think you could do that?"
  
  Shin pursed her lips, unsure what to reply. Baylan continued:
  
  "Why are you pondering this now?"
  
  Panic seized Shin"s throat. She shrugged, the motion somewhat clearing her airways and allowing some welcomed cold air into her chest.
  
  "In case the mission fails, I suppose."
  
  Again, her Master hummed.
  
  "If the mission fails, I want you running right back to the shuttle."
  
  "But..."
  
  "I won"t argue with you on this, Shin. You run to the shuttle and you take off, even if I"m not there. Do you understand?"
  
  "Yes, Master," Shin replied reluctantly.
  
  "Now focus. I don"t want anything to happen to you because you are not focused."
  
  Shin nodded. Satisfied, Baylan walked away, leaving his apprentice to her twisted thoughts.
  
  The Wren stronghold was a concrete and glass rectangle overlooking a deep blue frozen lake, anchored to the side of a snowy mountain. The front door was ten feet above the ground, accessible by a set of stairs. Four red Mandalorians kept watch by the entrance, two before the stairs and two before the door. The small group of rebels hid in forest, behind the tall pines. On Sabine"s signal, they attacked.
  
  The rebels leaned out of their hiding spots and fired at the reds. One was struck in the guts and collapsed. The others fired back. Shin kept to her cover, looking for an opening. When the reds advanced on their position, she used the Force to throw one of them back. They stumbled in the snow. Baylan dashed out of the trees to take them down. The other two reds were shot down by Sabine and her team. When the quiet returned to the woods and no other Mandalorians emerged from the stronghold, Baylan said:
  
  "Saxon is expecting us, that much is clear."
  
  "Let"s not keep him waiting," Sabine replied.
  
  Baylan used the Force to unlock the door. The Mandalorians stepped inside, keeping their backs to the walls. Shin closed their group, one hand on her lightsaber and the other against the wall, sensing for enemies.
  
  "They"re trying to box us in," she whispered.
  
  Beside her, Baylan nodded. He could also feel the reds moving through the corridors, closing in on them. He grabbed his lightsaber from his belt.
  
  Two reds turned the corner behind them. A second later, another three closed in on them ahead. Baylan turned on his lightsaber and deflected the blaster shots behind them. He Force dragged one forward and Shin, turning on her weapon, stabbed them in the side. Baylan took down the other one with a well-placed strike. The Jedi had grown deft at finding Mandalorian weak spots now.
  
  Ahead, the reds opened fire onto the rebels. The rebels were done firing back. They rushed the Mandalorians in close-combat, knocking the blasters out of their hands. Sabine swept the legs from under her opponent. He stumbled and she kneed him in the sternum, knocking the breath out of him. She took off his helmet before he could struggle to keep it on and knocked him out with it.
  
  With the path cleared once more, the rebels assumed their positions. The throne room was ahead. Sabine paused in front of it. She turned to her group and hand-signaled at them. They divided, each taking a side of the double doors. She took a deep breath. Shin could feel her anxiety, turning the Force around them cold. She wondered how Baylan couldn"t feel it too.
  
  With a nod, Sabine pushed her door open. Her companion on the other side did the same. The eight rebels emerged into the throne room, guns blazing. At least twenty Mandalorians had been waiting for them, standing on either side of the cavernous throne room. Blue light came through the frosted windows. A throne stood on the other side, its back to a wall of windows. The reds had spread around the room, blasters trained on the doors. As soon as the rebels pushed inside, they fired back.
  
  Shin rushed ahead, deflecting as many shots as she could. She pulled weapons out of hands, pushed reds away, knocked them into one another, all to clear a path for Sabine and her rebels. Ahead, a man sat in the throne, watching the chaos unfold. He was as old as her master with gray hair combed apart. He wasn"t wearing a helmet and his armor was more red than white. Shin figured this was Gar Saxon.
  
  Sabine rushed to him as soon as she could, only confirming Shin"s assumption. Sabine fired at him without wasting a second, forcing Saxon on his feet. He reached for a lightsaber handle at his belt and turned it on. The Darksaber hissed awake, the air sizzling around the flat blade. He used it to deflect Sabine"s shots. Then, taking his own blaster, he fired back. Sabine had to roll out of the way. She was almost grabbed by one of the reds. She threw them off and used them as a shield against Saxon"s blasts. He closed in on her, slicing toward her. The blade only sliced through his own man as Sabine dropped her human shield to avoid the blow.
  
  "You"ll have to do better than that if you want to kill me, little girl."
  
  Sabine rose to taunt. She kicked Saxon in the chest and fired twice at close range at his legs. Saxon swiped toward her again, the blade letting out a shriek as it cut through the air. Sabine blocked the blow with her vambrace. The metal sparked and heat up under the blade. She tried punching him away. He blocked her blow. His blaster was too close to her helmet for comfort. He fired. Though the shot bounced off the metal, it still rang Sabine"s brain. She stumbled away. Saxon kicked her onto the steps. Sabine lost her grip on one of her blasters. She aimed the other at Saxon. He sliced it in half.
  
  "End of the line."
  
  "No!"
  
  Shin, who had been keeping an eye on the fight, jumped into action. She reached out to the Force and locked Saxon"s arms into place before he could bring down the Darksaber on Sabine"s chest. Saxon glared at her. Shin glared back. She stepped up to him and swung her lightsaber. He had no choice but to redirect his blow away from Sabine to Shin. He blocked her onslaught, stepping away from Sabine and up the steps, back to the throne.
  
  They locked blade. Saxon was strong. Shin put all the anger she had in her, pushing back hard. She greeted her teeth. The black sparks coming off the Darksaber scattered around them.
  
  "I"ve always wanted to kill a Jedi," Saxon said.
  
  Shin roared and pushed him away. She took a deep breath, searching for her focus. She couldn"t find it anymore, could only feel the anger and the hatred.
  
  "Shin!"
  
  Sabine was the only thing still sharp around her. She could feel her intentions as if they were her own. She sidestepped. Sabine fired a rocket into Saxon. It exploded at his feet. It shattered the windows behind the throne and sent the man flying out of the stronghold. Sabine let out a sigh as he disappeared from view.
  
  "He"s mine to fight," she told the padawan.
  
  She fought to take off her helmet, her head still ringing from the too close shot. Shin ignored her. She jumped onto the lake, using the Force to cushion her landing. She ran onto the slick, thick surface of the ice, searching for red. Saxon seemed to have disappeared.
  
  Blaster shots pierced the ice beside her. Shin rolled out of the way. Looking up, she found Saxon firing down at her. He was using his jetpack to keep out of her range, flying above the ice. Shin ran toward him, hand held out, reaching for the Force to bring him down. Each shot came closer and closer. She lost her focus when she had to deflect a blow, her blade slicing through the ice in the same motion. A jet of steam hissed out of the lake, masking the padawan. Finally, she could focus. She reached for Saxon and pulled him down. He landed on the ice on his knees and turned off the jetpack. Brandishing the Darksaber once more, he charged at her.
  
  Shin fought back hard, each blow coming fast. She aimed for the head, again and again, but Saxon could read her every time, deflecting her blade away. She was growing furious, losing her patience. Years of training thrown out of the window because of one man.
  
  The hiss of a jetpack interrupted their fight. Sabine had stolen the pack from one of his people and flew toward them at full speed. She collided with Saxon hard, taking him into the air. He turned his jetpack back on and swung at her. She threw him off her. They hovered, fifteen feet above the ice, out of Shin"s reach. Saxon rushed Sabine once more, ready to slice her in half. She blocked the blade with her vambrace. It hissed against the metal. She grabbed onto Saxon once more, reaching for his jetpack, trying to disable it. He struck hers first, making one large slice through the device. The blade dug into her lower back. Sabine yelped. As soon as he pulled it out, she lost control of her flight. She crashed onto the ice, which shuddered and splintered under her.
  
  Saxon landed beside her.
  
  "You pathetic excuse for a Mandalorian will never be able to defeat me."
  
  Shin rushed Saxon. He turned around and blocked her strike. She left herself wide open for his retaliation. He sliced the inside of her leg. Shin yelped and lost balance. Then, he sliced off her lightsaber hand. He kicked her in the chest. Shin fell on the ice hard, racked with pain. Her lightsaber rolled out of reach.
  
  "The Jedi first," Saxon decided.
  
  The lightsaber trembled onto the ice. Saxon shrank away from it as it flew past him. Sabine caught it and turned it on.
  
  "How..."
  
  "The day you killed my family. You made me powerful enough to defeat you."
  
  She closed the distance, lightsaber brandished high. The blades screamed against each other, cold air vaporizing between them. Saxon struck toward her. Sabine avoided the blow and stabbed Shin"s lightsaber deep into the ice. Steam came up, blinding Saxon. He struck blindly through the cloud. Sabine was already out of his range. She stabbed at his back. He turned around quickly, but not quickly enough. The lightsaber nicked his arm. He screamed. Sabine struck again. Saxon stumbled back as he tried to avoid the blow.
  
  She saw a flicker of fear on in his eyes and smirked. He tried flying away. From her vambrace, she unleashed a tongue of fire on him. His jetpack caught fire, and he made and emergency landing, stumbling back on the ice. He rid himself of the jetpack and turned to Sabine again. With his blaster, he fired at her. She deflected each shot, closing in on him once more. Using the Force, she tore the blaster out of his hand. He had no other choice but to face her blade against blade.
  
  He struck toward her. She parried. He lunged at her. She turned and elbowed him in the nose. She grabbed the Darksaber from his hand. With a single motion, she sliced both blades through Gar Saxon"s stomach, just below his chestplate. His eyes grew wide. He fell to his knees on the ice. Sabine waited, a blade in each hand. She expected him to put up more of a fight. He fell face first on the ice and stopped moving. Sabine let out a sigh of relief, which turned into a whine of pain as if her body suddenly remembered the hole in her side. She choked on tears as she turned off both lightsabers.
  
  Shin was still laying on the lake a few feet away. Sabine shambled to her and fell to her knees beside her.
  
  "Come on Shin, wake up."
  
  She shook her to consciousness. Shin"s eyes opened and closed like the wings of a butterfly, fluttering with no sign of intelligence beneath. Sabine sat her up then tried to get her to her feet. She groaned under the strain and her burning back. She pushed herself and managed to get Shin on her feet, though the padawan was heavily leaning on her.
  
  "Come on, let"s get you inside..."
  
  She limped onto the ice, carrying all of Shin"s weight. The stronghold loomed above. Every step was difficult and unsteady, but Sabine refused to leave her behind. Her vision blurred with tears, she forced one foot in front of the other, keeping a vice grip on Shin.
  
  "Shin?" a voice called ahead.
  
  Sabine recognized Baylan. He seemed to be calling from the stronghold, though her vision was too impaired to know for sure.
  
  "Over here!" she called back.
  
  She stumbled forward, falling to one knee under the padawan"s weight. She pushed her legs to stand back up, but couldn"t find the energy she needed to do so anymore. To her great relief, Baylan reached her quickly and he took the load of his padawan off her.
  
  "Let"s get you both inside."
  
  Sabine, relieved of the extra weight, stood up and staggered. Baylan steadied her with a hand.
  
  "Saxon?"
  
  "Dead... It"s over..."
  
  Her chest was filled with so much relief it could burst. Only a nugget of worry for the padawan"s fate kept her grounded. With legs as steady as jelly, Sabine followed the Jedi Knight back inside.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this penultimate chapter!
  
  I asked my sister if it was illegal to name your Star Wars fanfiction chapter "Dual of the Fates" and she said on the contrary, it was expected.
  
  Although this chapter took a lot of inspiration from the Mandalorian arc of SW: Rebels, I still haven't see it... I thought I would have had the time to watch it before posting this chapter but no. Funnily enough I had planned for the fight to end on the frozen lake long before I read a summary of Sabine and Saxon's fight in Rebels. Great minds think alike, I suppose ;)
  
  Coincidentally also this is my weekend at Wren Stronghold because tomorrow I will be posting a one-shot where Shin and Sabine go to clean Wren Stronghold. It was not planned that way but what a fun weekend this will be!
  
  As usual, thank you for reading and thank you for your many many kudos and comments! I will see you on Wednesday for the final chapter!
  
  Chapter 6: Darling, I Would Do It Again
  Summary:
  Shin wakes up full of confusion.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin woke up out of her chemically induced sleep, hazy and confused. She had never been put to sleep before. It took an eternity for her mind to shake off the anesthesia. She began by remembering the mission on Madalore and, string by string, connected each memory until she remembered Gar Saxon.
  
  Her eyes flew open, then shut again as artificial light stunned her vision. She was in a bright lit room, no longer wrapped in the cold air of Krownest. As soon as she regained control of her body, she tried seating up. A hand grabbed her arm to keep her down.
  
  "You"re okay. You"re okay."
  
  Through her blurry vision, she recognized Sabine standing beside her. She relaxed and lay back down. Her whole right arm felt numb. She tried brushing the wetness out of her eyes but couldn"t make it move. She had to use her left hand inside. Now that she could see better, she took in Sabine. The rebel leader sat back in her chair with a groan.
  
  "Where are we?"
  
  "Sundari. We retook the capital. I sent people to arrest Saxon"s allies in the other cities."
  
  "Is he..."
  
  Sabine nodded.
  
  "In part thanks to you."
  
  Shin looked around. The room she was in was too well decorated to belong to a hospital. She must have been in the Palace. A double door of blue glass led to a balcony outside. The bed she laid in was fit for two but she had been placed on the left side of the bed. The right side was taken up by her arm and a machine. The machine pushed a bluish fluid into a bag wrapped around her arm, then another tube sucked it out of the bag. Shin stared at the fluid bag for a long time. Piece by piece, she convinced herself that she hadn"t imagined the pain when the Darksaber had sliced through her wrist.
  
  She looked away abruptly, back to Sabine who was staring at her with concern.
  
  "Where is my Master?"
  
  "He stayed with you through the surgery but he had to call the Jedi Council. I promised I"d stay with you until he returned."
  
  Sabine reached for something at her belt. Shin noticed she was carrying the handle of two lightsabers, hers and the rectangular, silver hilt of the Darksaber. Sabine took Shin"s hilt and placed it in her left hand.
  
  "I hope you don"t mind, I had to use your lightsaber to win."
  
  Shin grabbed onto her weapon as much as she held Sabine"s hand. Sabine placed her other hand around hers. She looked more guilty than relieved. Shin wanted to ask her why. The door to the room hissed open. Sabine pulled away as Baylan entered the room. Shin let go of her hand reluctantly, her grip on her lightsaber loose. Sabine stood up with barely a hint of pain.
  
  "Rest well. You deserve it."
  
  She walked away, giving a nod toward the Jedi Knight as she walked past him. Baylan returned the nod. He came to take the seat beside his padawan.
  
  "You gave me quite a fright," he said as he sat down.
  
  "I"m sorry, Master. I failed."
  
  Baylan frowned. Shin explained:
  
  "I let myself be overwhelmed by anger and hatred and my enemy used it against me. I lost my hand..."
  
  "Shin."
  
  Her master set the lightsaber aside, placing it on the bedside table. He took her hand in his.
  
  "You are not the first Jedi to lose a limb in combat, and you will certainly not be the last. You helped defeat Gar Saxon and bring peace to Mandalore once more. I"ve made sure the Jedi Council was aware of that. As soon as you"re clear for travel, we"ll return to Coruscant and you will pass the trials."
  
  He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Shin sat up. Her master was keeping something from her and they both knew it. Their eyes met, and Baylan knew she had figured it out.
  
  "As for me, this was my last mission for the Jedi Order. I intent to leave and forge my own path."
  
  Shin"s breath caught in her throat.
  
  "You can"t..."
  
  "My dissatisfaction with the Order did not begin today. I have been thinking about it for years now. But I couldn"t leave you. I needed to finish your training. Now that I have, it is time for us to part."
  
  "No, I... My training isn"t over."
  
  "It is in my eyes, and it will be in the eyes of the Council. It is time for you to become a Knight."
  
  She shook her head.
  
  "What if I don"t want to be a Knight? I could come with you. Let me help you..."
  
  Baylan gave her a sad but confident smile.
  
  "I do not know where the Force will take me, only that my path no longer lays with the Order. You need to find your path, just as I have found mine."
  
  Sabine wanted to visit Shin again, but with the busy day she"d had, she couldn"t find the time until late into the evening. Who would have thought that establishing a new government would be so difficult? News from the other cities were good, at least. With the Darksaber at her belt, she had made more allies in a day than she"d had in months of resistance. She was determined never to use it again.
  
  Her feet took her to Shin"s room before she could stop herself. She stood there, silent, wondering if she should knock. The padawan was probably asleep already. She wasn"t attuned to the Force enough to know what that strange sensation on the other side of the door was, though she assumed it was someone sleeping. When curiosity finally got the better of her, she opened the door.
  
  Shin"s bed was empty. Panic only had a second to settle into her, as she spotted that the balcony doors were opened. The Jedi was standing outside, arms leaned against the balcony railing, her blue hospital outfit not quite enough to protect her from the cold night air. Bandages wrapped around her right stump, forcing her to lean on her forearms rather than her hand. Sabine joined her, coming to lean on the balcony beside her.
  
  "Have you ever been confused?" Shin asked, her gaze lost to the lights of the capital city.
  
  "More often than you"d think."
  
  "What do you do, then?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "I just try to think through it. Go back to what made me confused in the first place. Just lay all the facts out."
  
  Shin hummed.
  
  "Alright. All the facts. I lost my hand in single-combat."
  
  Sabine grimaced.
  
  "I"m sorry about that."
  
  "You don"t have to apologize. It was far more my fault than yours."
  
  Sabine turned to look at the Jedi.
  
  "We"ll have it fixed up in no time, I promise."
  
  Shin didn"t reply, only kept her gaze out of reach.
  
  "Fact: When I return on Coruscant I"ll be made a Knight. But my master will leave the Order. He"s searching for more. He told me to find my path. I don"t know if my path is with the Order either."
  
  Sabine listened, but found she had no advice to share but the obvious. She kept her comments to herself.
  
  "Fact: You kissed me on Krownest."
  
  Sabine winced.
  
  "Don"t think too hard about it," she replied. "We can just ignore it happened. I just... I don"t know. I figured the odds of me coming out of the fight alive were slim and I wanted to kiss you, in that moment. It didn"t mean anything."
  
  Shin finally looked at her, pale eyes piercing through every wall and layer of Sabine with a single glance.
  
  "You confuse me."
  
  "I confuse you?"
  
  "I"ve never felt anything like it. Every time you come near me, it"s like the Force has deserted me. But I don"t feel lost either. You annoy me, deeply, but I don"t want to stay away from you."
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle. She knocked her shoulder against Shin"s lightly.
  
  "You annoy me too."
  
  They stood side by side overlooking the busy city, enjoying each other"s closeness with no need for more. After a beat, however, Sabine had to ask:
  
  "Are you feeling less confused?"
  
  "Not at all."
  
  "That"s okay. That"s the beauty of life sometimes, you can stay confused for a very long time."
  
  Shin breathed out.
  
  "You were no help. You made me even more confused."
  
  "You"re welcome."
  
  Once the droid doctor had decided that Shin"s limb had recovered enough, the outer parts of her cybernetic post were installed. Baylan sat with her through it as they adjusted her nerve sensitivity, each turn of the hex key sending a thousand knives up her arm. Baylan held her hand through it all. Shin wished Sabine had been there too.
  
  Once the doctor was done, they told Shin to rest up. Her new hand would be coming the next day. Shin laid down in bed, looking at the metal parts now fused to her flesh. The metal was chrome, shiny under the low artificial light of the room. It would take her a long time to get used to the sight, she knew.
  
  Beside her, Baylan stood up, catching her attention.
  
  "I will call the temple, let them know to expect us tomorrow."
  
  Before he could walk away, Shin replied:
  
  "I"m not going back."
  
  Baylan stared at her. Shin had never been one for jokes. She always spoke her mind, and in her eyes, he could see her determination. He sat back down.
  
  "Are you sure?"
  
  "I"m not going back to the temple if you won"t be there. They hate me there, all of them."
  
  "If you leave now, you will never be made a Knight. You"ve worked hard for this."
  
  "I worked hard for it because I thought it was the only path for me. But my place is not with the Order. It never was."
  
  Baylan hummed. He looked out of place in the small chair, too sturdy for it.
  
  "I see you"ve made up your mind. What will you do then?"
  
  "I don"t know yet. But if you won"t let me come with you than I suppose I"ll have to figure it out for myself."
  
  Her Master smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, just as he had done a thousand times before.
  
  "I will return to Coruscant alone. Let them know of your decision and mine. You deserve the chance to figure out your path, Shin. But no matter where it takes you, I will always be there if you need my help."
  
  Shin had spent the rest of the day deep in thoughts, her head leaned back against the pillow as her gaze became lost in the hard lines of the stone ceiling. Her musing was disturbed when a soft knock came at her door. Sabine appeared on the other side, and Shin somewhat relaxed, accepting the interruption.
  
  "I heard the doctor wasn"t kind to you. If it makes you feel better, they weren"t kind to me either."
  
  Sabine shut the door behind her. She was carrying a parcel tugged against her side. She came to sit on Shin"s bed, setting the package aside.
  
  "How"s the confusion going?"
  
  Shin gave a half-hearted shrug.
  
  "I"ve had plenty of time to think, at least. I"m not going back to Coruscant. I will never be good enough to pass their test. I could have killed a Sith Lord that it wouldn"t have changed a thing. They will always find fault with me. My path is somewhere else."
  
  Sabine offered her half a smile.
  
  "In know Mandalore is chaos incarnate right now and it is probably the last place you want to be, but you"re welcomed to stay here for as long as you want."
  
  Shin nodded in acknowledgement.
  
  "Anyway, I brought something to cheer you up."
  
  Sabine picked up the parcel and placed it in her lap. She unfurled the flaps of the cloths, revealing a silver hand on the other side. Each phalanx was skeletal thin, connected by tiny, intricate screws and servos.
  
  "It"s only the structure. We can add whatever you want to it. Skin, armor, whatever you want."
  
  Shin picked up the hand from Sabine"s lap. She looked it around, her fingers feeling every piece of cold metal. It took her a moment to understand fully what she was looking at.
  
  "This is beskar."
  
  "I had it made especially for you. We recycled Gar Saxon"s armor."
  
  "Why?"
  
  "Because every enemy you defeat makes you stronger. That"s Mandalorian ideals for you."
  
  Shin felt the urge to try it on. She glanced at Sabine, wondering if she could. As if she could read her thoughts, Sabine nodded. Shin set the limb in the post and screwed it on. It connected with her arm, burning her nerves for a second. The pain disappeared before she could wince. She thought about moving her fingers. The phalanx activated, curling and opening as she desired. She looked up at Sabine who smiled at her.
  
  "It"ll take a bit of practice, but you"ll be back in the fight in no time."
  
  "Who would I even fight?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "Whoever you want."
  
  Shin looked down at the beskar hand again. She touched it, feeling the metal warming to her. Sabine took the cybernetic hand in hers.
  
  "Maybe you can become a wandering mercenary, helping people in need."
  
  Shin rolled her eyes.
  
  "That sounds like a Mandalorian thing to do."
  
  "Okay, well, what do you want to do?"
  
  Shin"s gaze glided to Sabine"s lips before she could stop herself. She felt that same spark of warmth that seemed to replace where the Force had been just a second ago. But this time, she wasn"t confused about it at all. She embraced it.
  
  "I want to kiss you again."
  
  Sabine scooted closer. Her fingers twined with Shin"s new fingers and she held on as she leaned forward. Their lips met in a powerful kiss. For the first time since their previous kiss, Shin felt she knew exactly what she wanted. No confusion. No hesitation. She would walk away from the Jedi Order, would walk all the way to Coruscant to give them her lightsaber and walk back to Mandalore as long as Sabine was there to kiss her when she returned.
  
  Sabine leaned against her until Shin couldn"t stay seated anymore. She laid down on the bed, taking Sabine with her as she refused to part from their kiss. Sabine laid beside her, placing sweet kisses on her lips. When they parted, Sabine rolled to lay beside her.
  
  "And now, what do you want to do?"
  
  "Hold you till I die."
  
  Sabine chuckled.
  
  "I suppose I can allow that."
  
  She scooted even closer to Shin, placing her head on her shoulder. Shin"s chest was fluttering with a confident fear and hopeful confusion. What a strange path the Force had laid out for her, she thought. Then, she did what she wanted to do. She held onto Sabine until she fell asleep.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this final chapter!
  
  I don't remember if I mentioned it in the first chapter notes but initially, I wanted to right a Wolfwren story based on the love story of Anakin and Padme. It just so happens that they fit the Obi-Wan and Satine story better. Still, and since a lot of people have made comparisons between Anakin and Shin, I figured I'd bring a bit of him into the story by cutting off Shin's hand. That last shot of Padme holding his prostetic hand in Attack of the Clones is seared into my mind.
  
  Last minute decision to name the chapter after an Hozier song (again) because I just realized Francesca works really well for this chapter.
  
  On Saturday I will begin posting my new multi-chapter story which I am unbelievably excited about. This story is my favorite I've ever written (I know I say that a lot but this is true) and I have been waiting since November to post it. It's a Rival Kingdoms AU. Expect a lot of angst because it is a proper Enemies to Lovers ;) Title will most likely be "I Can Wait For You at the Bottom."
  
  Thank you all for reading and thank you for your many, many kudos and comments! Have a wonderful first week for the year and I hope to see you on Saturday for a brand new story!
  
  
  Shin and Sabine
  JenFMax
  Summary:
  my Take on their story, tying some questions together, while further exploring the relationship that is WolfWren.
  
  Notes:
  I am so excited to finally get to post this fanfic I have been working on for a few weeks now! Hope everyone enjoys! There will be smut.
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Shin and Sabine
  Written by JenFMax
  
  Chapter 1: The Meeting/First Duel
  
  As Shin arrived to Lothal in search of Ahsoka Tano's apprentice, Sabine Wren, she looked around in admiration. She had never been to the capital city before and admired the scenery around her. As her light blonde hair blew in the wind, she listened to the droids Morgan had sent her with. She hated the droids, but had to keep her opinions to herself for the moment. She sighed as they made their way through Lothal's fields to search for the apprentice. She didn't know what to expect from her, but knowing how talented Ahsoka was, her apprentice must be as well.
  
  In her home, at the tower of Lothal, which had once been Ezra's home, sat Sabine. She petted her Loth-Cat while inspecting the map Ahsoka had managed to obtain. As she worked hard to open it to figure out the coordinates, she thought about Ezra. It had been about 10 years since he and Thrawn had gone missing into the unknown with the Purgills. She hoped the map would lead her to her best friend, to her brother. They may not be blood, but he was the closest thing to family she'd had since losing her own in the Siege of Mandalore. Finally, the map glimmered and started to open, to Sabine's joy. However, unknown to her, a new presense had arrived to Lothal, to find the map, to find her.
  
  As night came, Shin and her droids descended onto the tower where Sabine was staying. Something in the air felt different to her, almost exotic. Shin took a deep breath, ignoring it and sent the droids forward. As she listened, one of the droids barged into Sabine's home, scaring the Loth-Cat and having Sabine fight it off. The second droid ran in and quickly grabbed the map, running out to give it to Shin. As Shin took the map from the droid, she nodded her approval to it and then looked up to see Sabine walk out to be across from her. Shin took a deep breath; no one told her how beautiful the apprentice would be. She took in the sight of the young woman, with the long purple and orange hair, longing to touch it. She shook her head, as Sabine stepped forward to face her.
  
  As Sabine fought off the droid, she chased after the other who took the map, and gasped when she arrived outside. Standing there was the most beautiful, yet intense, person she'd ever seen. Her mouth parted as she breathed watching the light haired woman hold the map. Shin noticed her and said, " We've been looking for this." Sabine saw the map in her hand and replied, "Well that's too bad." Sabine ignited her lightsaber, holding it to her side. She watched Shin do the same and come towards her slowly. As they both gazed at each other for a moment, before sparking the fight, they both knew something between them needed to occur.
  
  Chapter 2: Time to Heal
  
  Before Sabine could make a blow to Shin, during them both turning, Shin's lightsaber make contact into Sabine's abdomen. Sabine fell to the ground clutching herself and waving her saber at Shin, who only just hit back it with her own. No other blows sent, no final death blow at all, which surprised Sabine. She saw the look of shock in Shin's eyes at what had happened, and then saw Ahsoka and Huyang's ship appear above them, making Shin run off, but not before looking at Sabine again. Sabine passed out from her pain, drifting into unconsciousness.
  
  Shin ran to her small shuttle ship with the droids, thinking about Sabine, how and where she'd stabbed her, which had been by accident. The way they'd both moved had caused the blow to happen, and Shin couldn't stop thinking about Sabine now. She hoped she would live, so she could see her again. As she flew back to Baylan and Morgan, she held the map in her hand, wondering how such a small thing could cause such big grief. She sighed and continued on her way.
  
  As Sabine woke up, she saw Ahsoka and Huyang there, looking concerned but thankful. Sabine grunted as she tried to sit up, the wound on her abdomen from Shin's saber, still hurt some, but was healed. Ahsoka made her lay back down and explained what happened and asked Sabine if she'd been able to read the map. Sabine shook her head but told Ahsoka that she'd been able to open it. She was upset with herself for allowing their only way to finding Ezra, slip from her grasp. She felt she had failed Ahsoka's trust but Ahsoka shook her head. "You did what you could Sabine, and you took a hard blow for it., Ahsoka said softly. Sabine nodded and asked Ahsoka about the young woman. Ahsoka sighed and said, "I sensed the Force strongly within her, very strongly. She'd definitely being trained well, but by whom, I do not know." Sabine nodded, "Well, I expect we'll meet her again, and when we do, she's mine, ok?" Ahsoka looked at Sabine, sensing a difference in her words, it seemed, obsessive, longing, hungry. Ahsoka just nodded her reply in approval.
  
  Shin walked around the temple area on Seatos, watching Baylan and Morgan discuss their plan together. Shin still didn't know very much of the whole plan, and that bothered her. Why should she do so much without knowing the real purpose behind it? She asked Baylan what would happen once they found Thrawn, and he simply replied for them, it would mean more power. She couldn't help but feel that was just a loose question to try to satisfy her, and it definitely did not. She was bothered still, and thought back to Lothal, fighting Sabine. The way Sabine's eyes glistened in the light of their sabers, the way her hair blew in the breeze; it all sent shivers down Shin's spine. She couldn't help but admit it; she was definitely attracted to the Jedi apprentice.
  
  Chapter 2: Training
  Summary:
  Shin realizes her feelings, Baylan understands. Ahsoka trains Sabine
  
  Notes:
  I couldn't figure out how to do the chapter adding before, so it may look weird for the first two chapters.
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stretched as she got up from her bed aboard Ahsoka's ship. She yawned and scratched at her head, feeling her short hair. She'd cut it before they had left Lothal, in search of the star map to find Ezra, and Thrawn. She made her way to the refresher and as she showered, her mind drifted to the young woman that had attacked her. The intensity in her eyes, the way she carried herself, it was all just so majestic. Sabine sighed to herself, "Stop thinking about her, she's no good, but i want to know her." She continued her shower, her mind drifting more and more to Shin.
  
  On Seatos, Shin was training with Baylan, while Morgan was working on the map. Shin and Baylan circled each other, and then Shin struck out at him. He knocked her backwards, sending her to the ground. She groaned as her tailbone hit the hard ground. Baylan looked down at her, "Get up Shin, no time for pain." He extended his hand to her, but she brushed it off, standing up to face him. She huffed and swung her saber at him, but missed. Baylan sighed, "Something is troubling you Shin, what is going on
  ? You're distracted, and off balance." Shin caught her breath and looked at him, "Nothing is wrong, just train me better." She continued swinging at him, but continued to miss. "Shin stop!", her master commanded her. Shin's eyes went wide and then dropped. She sighed and retracted her saber and then sat on the ground. Baylan knelt beside her, looking concerned. He had never seen Shin this way, at least not since he'd first found her as a young stray. "Shin, talk to me. What's troubling you? You've been this way ever since..." His mind raced, "Ever since i sent you after Sabine Wren." At the mention of her name, Shin looked at him. "It's her.. I can't figure out why, but ever since I saw her, I've felt, conflicted. Like sparks are dancing in my body. What does this mean Master?," She looked at him with tearful eyes. Baylan knew, he immediately knew what was happening. He held her shoulder and comforted her. She'd found her soulmate, her love. There was no denying it, Sabine Wren would be the end for Shin.
  
  Sabin stretched her hand out towards the coffee mug. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the Force. Nothing would happen though, as usual. She sighed, "What am I doing wrong? Ahsoka says I'm sensitive to the Force, so why can't i touch it?" She folded her arms onto the table and crushed her head on top. She pictured Shin in her mind again, and her heart started to race. The thought of being stabbed again by her, but in a direction that wouldn't have killed her. As she continued to focus on Shin, unbeknownst to her, the cup moved a few inches on the table... She sighed and then stood up, looked down at the cup briefly, and walked out of the room. Sabine entered the cockpit finding Ahsoka and Huyang there, and sat down. Sabine sighed, "Why can't I feel the force Ahsoka?" Ahsoka turned to her and sofly smiled. "You just have not found what will connect you to it, to have you fully embrace it for what it is, and how it will help you. You still have much to learn my padawan," Ahsoka told her. Sabine sighed, she hoped she'd find this missing piece soon. As she thought about it, her mind drifted off to Shin again, and she smiled but shook it off.
  
  Shin paced around her room, trying to get her mind focused on her training. All she could think about still, was Sabine, only her. She sat on her bed, her hands covering her face. Shin sighed, she didn't want to kill or harm Sabine, but she desperately wanted to see her again. She knew the only real way of doing that without causing suspicion, was to face her when commanded to do so by Baylan or Morgan. The thought of the witch angered Shin. She hated witches, after several had-- She let tears run down her face as she remembered her family being murdered by witch magick. She'd been able to find a way to hide and that's when Baylan had found her. Scared, alone, crying and hiding under dead bodies. Baylan had taken her in as his own, trained her to be his succsesor, to be more than any Jedi could ever dream to be. She enjoyed using the Force and her lightsaber, it brought her clarity, but now she felt lost again. Scared and unsure of how to think or feel. She pushed her feelings aside briefly, as she hit at her wall, tears rolling down her face. She collapsed onto her bed, hugging her knees to her chest as she cried. Baylan stopped by her door and heard her crying. He sighed and thought about when he'd first found her. Alone and scared, and seeming to feel the same again. He knew what finding your soulmate felt like, but in the Jedi order, it had been forbidden. He'd kept his love, Kyra, a secret for years, until the Clone Wars. She'd perished during it, and he'd been so distraught, until he'd found Shin. He had adopted her as his own, and loved her as such. He knew she would have to make a choice of what to do, and it was her choice alone, and on her terms, not his.
  
  Chapter 3: Seatos
  Summary:
  Sabine, and Ahsoka arrive on Seatos to retrieve the map, Shin is ready to see Sabine again.
  
  Notes:
  Things will turn smutty in the next chapter after this one!! And also the story will get emotional as well. Enjoy! Thank you for all the kudos so far!
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine, Ahsoka and Huyang crash landed onto Seatos after being chased by some of Morgan's people, not realizing Shin had been one of them. As Huyang worked outside to fix the ship, Sabine and Ahsoka did their part inside. Before too long, they knew something was wrong as soon as the lights went out completely after restoring power. They each ran outside to see Huyang struggling against one of of Morgan's droids. They freed him and fought the remaining droids off. They knew they'd have to hurry to go find the map before anyone else could find their ship. Sabine and Ahsoka had Huyang stay with the ship as they ran out into the forest.
  
  Shin nodded to Baylan as he commanded her to go after Sabine and Ahsoka, and silently sighed under her breath as she walked away. She softly smiled at the thought of seeing Sabine, but had to take Marrok with her. The former Inquisitor followed her into the forest to find the Jedi and her padawan. Shin started running, her feelings of Sabine driving her mad as she ran. Marrok shouted after her, "Shin slow down!" She eventually stopped and came to a walk, huffing to catch her breath. His masked face hid an annoyed smirk as he brushed sharply past her. He could sense something was up with her after she'd told him to regroup, instead of going straight after the others. Shin didn't care what Marrok could sense about her behavior, and continued walking.
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka stopped running as soon as they saw Shin and Marrok walking their way. Sabine's face was shielded by her helmet, but her eyes were locked on Shin. She felt something, a shiver, go up and down her spine. The feeling of seeing Shin again excited, but scared her at the same time. Ahsoka glanced over at her padawan, sensing her feelings and looked at Shin, instantly feeling the same, but much stronger.
  
  Shin breathed heavily as she saw Sabine standing in front of her, in her full Mandalorian armor and helmet. Shin instantly dropped her cloak to the ground, wishing it was Sabine's clothes. She gave a sly smile at Sabine while tilting her head to gaze at her. "Going somewhere?", Shin said breathlessy watching Sabine. They stood there for a moment before two blasts from Sabine's blasters were sent at her. Shin ducked and extended her saber out, running towards another section of the forest, shielding each blast with her arms. She had to get Sabine alone with her, she had to be close to her. She knew though that Marrok would know something was up if she didn't go ahead and defend herself against Sabine. She sighed as she finally stopped and turned to Sabine, sending a kick to her. Sabine was sent against a tree, which knocked her helmet off. Shin gasped as she saw her new short haircut, and couldn't help but want to run her fingers through it. She watched as Sabine retracted her saber, and met it with her own.
  
  Sabine groaned as she continued her advances at Shin with her saber. She was so out of practice with using the saber, or really any combat. She'd been retired since Ezra's disappearance with Thrawn, living alone with her Loth-Cat. Sabine couldn't help but notice how Shin's gorgeous blue eyes shined in the saber light. She was so uniquely beautiful, fierce and so intense. The way Shin gazed into her eyes made her feel so weak inside and out. Sabine gasped as Shin sent her to the ground again. Sabine held her hand up in defense, not knowing what she doing. She wasn't sure if she was trying to summon the Force, or if she just wanted Shin to stop.
  
  Shin's face turned as Sabine held her hand up, not knowing what to expect. She could tell the Mandalorian padawan was not very inept with the Force, but it was growing. She turned back to Sabine and smirked slyly. "You have no power," Shin sputtered out to Sabine. She watched Sabine grimace and watched in shock as Sabine shot her saber out of her hand. Shin stood there in admiration of Sabine, of her quickness to undermine her. Not wanting to injure the beautiful padawan, Shin used a trick of her own- smoke bombs. She didn't want Sabine to hurt her either, and tossed them at her before taking off to rejoin Baylan. Her feelings everywhere. She'd watched Marrok die at Ahsoka's hand during the fights. Marrok turning into green dust as he died. "Witchcraft!,"Shin shouted to herself, realizing Marrok was actually dead the whole time.
  
  Sabine pulled herself up against a tree behind her, gasping as she tried to catch her breath. She thought about how Shin ran off, leaving her behind without harming her. Sabine felt her spine tingle with the thoughts of Shin crashing into her mind, into her emotions. She blushed at the thought of Shin's voice. She'd managed to win this fight, but why did Shin run? She couldn't get it off her mind as she hurried to find Ahsoka. As she arrived to the temple ruins, she found Baylan and Ahsoka fighting each other. Sabine saw Shin laying on the ground and wished she could go help her, but she needed to help Ahsoka first. She grabbed the star map and held her blaster at it. She yelled at Baylan to let Ahsoka go, threatening to destroy her only way to find Ezra, her brother. She gulped at the realization before her, but had to help her Master. Ahsoka told her to destroy it, and Sabine just stayed in position but screamed, "NO!", as she watched Baylan strike Ahsoka with his saber. Ahsoka fell from the cliffs towards the high rising water below, she was surely dead Sabine thought.
  
  Shin groaned as she pulled herself up slowly, rubbing the back of her head where it had hit one of the ruins. She looked up to see Sabine standing nearby holding a blaster to the star map, and then at Baylan. Shin held a look of fear for her Master, and pulled herself up. She watched as Sabine was tempted by Baylan to give him the map, hearing him promise to help her find this Ezra person. Shin grimaced, she didn't know who Ezra was, but she felt extremely jealous in that moment.
  
  Sabine breathed heavily as she placed the star map into Baylan's hand. He'd promised he would help her find Ezra, and to keep that promise unlike Ahsoka was doing. Suddenly she felt a pressure building in her body, slow at first and then before she knew it, she was clutching at her throat gasping for air. She could feel the delicate fingers through the Force and knew it was Shin. Baylan watched and said, "Shin release her." Shin continued to hold her Force grip but Sabine felt her let go after hearing Baylan tell Shin to stop a second time. Sabine was on her hands and knees, her ass facing to the sky almost it seemed to her. She couldn't help but hope that Shin looked at it, to admire her. She could feel Shin's breath on her as the dark apprentice leaned down close to her to retrieve the saber laying there. Sabine watched Shin stand back up, and then looked in awe as the star map re-activated thanks to Baylan. Once the map was completed, she watched in distraught as Baylan destroyed it with his saber, saying no one would follow them now.
  
  Shin stood beside Sabine watching the scene unfold in front of her. She watched as some of Morgan's droids arrived with handcuffs for Sabine, and she quickly took them to do it herself. She didn't want Sabine hurt, and couldn't help but gaze into Sabine's eyes as she clasped them onto the beautiful padawan's wrists. Once they were told to meet back up with Morgan, Shin watched her Master head out, with Sabine behind him. She followed her closely and gave her a hesitated gentle push forward as she followed Sabine's gaze to the cliffs. "Come now, we must go, no looking back." Shin told her. She could hear Sabine's sigh as they boarded the shuttle to head back to the Eye of Scion.
  
  Chapter 4: Eye of Scion
  Summary:
  Sabine boards the Eye of Scion with Shin and Baylan, finds out she'll have to share a room with Shin
  
  Notes:
  Ok so the chapter after this one is where the smut starts, sorry for the mix-up, but enjoy my take on them boarding Morgan's ship.
  
  Chapter Text
  As Sabine was told to exit the shuttle, Shin followed her out, and then grabbed a hold of Sabine's right wrist, above the handcuff. Sabine silently gasped at the feel of Shin's hand on her wrist, and she could tell Shin heard her by the sly smile she gave. Sabine shuddered at the look on Shin's face, and the way she smiled. It sent chills down her spine, all way to her toes. She'd never experienced these type of feelings before, not for anyone. She'd always been single, always told herself she was better off that way. Shin made her realize, she was so wrong in that thought process. She hoped to be able to have more time with Shin now that she was making the journey to Ezra with them. Sabine smiled to herself and then hid it as they walked through the doors leading to Morgan in the control room area. Sabine gave a scowl at the sight of the witch, she couldn't stand her one bit.
  
  Shin grabbed ahold of Sabine's wrist, to lead her off the shuttle and onto the main ship. She could hear Sabine gasp at her touch, and smiled to herself. Unbeknownst to her, Sabine had seen her smile and enjoyed it. Shin didn't want anyone else to come near the.. her padawan. The thought of Sabine being hers excited her, and made her want more of the beautiful woman beside her. As they entered the main door behind Baylan, Shin held tighter onto Sabine, while casting evil looks at Morgan's droids, and then at Morgan herself for looking at her padawan. She could feel Sabine tense up at the sight of Morgan, and held her wrist even more, getting closer to her. She could almost feel Sabine's breath on her neck as she stayed by her side. She could feel within the Force, that Sabine was trying to reach out, but could tell she didn't know she was doing. She had to keep Sabine safe while on the ship.
  
  Sabine tried to leap forward at the mention of Hera's ship, The Ghost. Shin held her back, and Sabine stood in discomfort. She didn't want Hera harmed, she'd always felt like a second mother to her, and looked up to her. Morgan instructed her droids to take them into hyperspace, to take the coordinates given by the star map. Before she could think, they jumped to hyperspace, and Shin was still holding onto her. Sabine felt Shin's grip loosen and become more gentle as her hand slid closer to Sabine's fingers. She shivered at the sensation of Shin's fingers trying to touch hers. The sensation stopped as Shin's hand moved away at the sound of Morgan's voice. Morgan told them it would be a few weeks before they'd reach their destination, and to start their preparations to be comfortable for the journey ahead. Morgan looked at Shin and Baylan, then at Sabine and smirked. "Unfortunately, we did not think to build cells on the Eye. We only designed it to make the journey to our destination, and have space for training and rooms and such. Just the basic necessities and essentials more or less, and with full kitchen service also. But, we are limited on rooms as such, your presence was not anticipated, so every room is already assigned. Perhaps you could share with Shin there next to you? That is if you don't mind being watched."
  
  Shin's eyes fluttered in reality of Morgan's words. Did Morgan know? Could she sense what Shin felt towards Sabine? She hoped not, for both their sakes, but especially for Sabine's. Shin nodded in response, "She will share with me, my room has a spare bed in it, so plenty of space for the two of us." Sabine looked at her in awe, and in hopes that they'd share a bed, but she couldn't get that lucky so soon. Sabine nodded in agreement, while looking at Shin. "That sounds delightful, but does it have its own refresher? I don't do well with public showers." Sabine slyly smirked. Shin felt a blush cross her cheeks, the very thought of seeing Sabine in her refresher was intoxicating. Shin without looking at Sabine said, "Yes don't worry, you'll have your privacy and some fresh clothes as well." Baylan looked at her on that, realizing Shin meant to share her own clothing with Sabine. In itself, it was a very intimate act of care, and he smiled to himself. Shin felt him speak to her through the Force, "Just be careful Shin, I don't want you getting hurt by this girl." Shin spoke back, " I know Master, but whose clothes is she supposed to wear? Yours? Morgan's? No she'll be fine sharing mine." Baylan nodded to her and motioned for her to take Sabine to her quarters, their quarters. Shin held onto Sabine's wrist yet again as she turned to take her to their room.
  
  Sabine felt Shin's hand on her wrist yet again, and breathed heavily. She was going to share a room with her, and anything else they wanted. She shivered as they passed an air conditioning vent, feeling the coldness hit her neck. She assumed Shin could tell she had just gotten cold, as Shin began walking faster with her, until they reached their room. Shin let go of Sabine's wrist so she could open the door and once open, she motioned for Sabine to go inside first. Sabine looked around as she stepped inside, taking the sight all in. It wasn't all dark as she'd expected it to be, there was a painting above the spare bed, dancing in rainbow colors. Sabine smiled at the sight of it all, it was good to see colors in somewhere dark. She looked at Shin and held her hands out to her, hoping she'd undo the cuffs.
  
  Shin watched as Sabine looked around her room, their room. She smiled to herself and she could sense Sabine liked it. She watched as Sabine came up to her holding her hands out, and undid her cuffs. Shin nodded to herself as she set them down on a table, thinking about how glad she was to free Sabine from them. Shin looked nervous as she watched Sabine sit down on the spare bed. Shin sat across from her on her own, and played with her padawan braid. "So, do you like where you'll be staying?", Shin asked her.
  
  Sabine looked into Shin's eyes as Shin asked her about the room. Sabine softly smiled, "Yes it's very nice Shin, thank you for letting me stay with you." Sabine looked at her hands as they played with the blanket beneath her. She couldn't help but wonder if Shin felt as nervous as she did. Sabine looked over at the refresher door and then at Shin. "Mind if I use the refresher first? I hate being all sweaty." Sabine said in a hushed voice.
  
  Shin gazed at Sabine as she asked to use the refresher. "Of course, I'll get some clothes ready for you to change into afterwards. Here's a towel also." Shin replied as she handed her one of her towels. She could feel the heat come from her face as her fingers touched Sabine's in that moment. She turned her face so Sabine couldn't see that she was heavily blushing and got some clothes picked out.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Summary:
  There are fleeting moments Shin and Sabine share before they are stuck on a planet, apart.
  
  Then there are the challenges that arise after when they meet again.
  
  Navigating the dangers of Peridea, Shin and Sabine confront their complex emotions and an unexpected bond that they can no longer ignore.
  
  Notes:
  I began writing this since episode 4 and took some liberties about what occurred. The finale was perfect imo and my midterms can't seem to stop me from writing more. I'm not well-versed in Star Wars lore but I hope you enjoy anyway.
  
  Chapter 1: The Eye
  Chapter Text
  Taking a deep breath, Shin leaned back against the cool stone wall, her lips pressed into a thin line.
  
  
  
  Baylan, towering nearly a foot over her, squared his shoulders. "Shin," he began, his voice laced with authority. "I gave her my word."
  
  
  
  "And?" she countered, her fingers casually caressing the hilt of her saber.
  
  
  
  He sighed, adjusting his heavy cloak, eyes resting on his younger apprentice. "And our duty is to keep her safe," he said softly.
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes darted to the end of the hallway, where a sturdy locked door stood. Behind it was their captive, Sabine Wren. Despite the bindings they'd placed on the Mandalorian, a nagging worry gnawed at Shin, questioning the adequacy of their measures. Perhaps nothing would ever truly restrain someone like Sabine, but for now, the door would have to suffice.
  
  
  
  In the beginning, incessant pounding resonated through the corridor, the sounds reverberating in Shin's ears. It served as an abrasive reminder of the tumultuous events of the past days. Visions of fierce battles, high-stakes dogfights, enigmatic encounters, and the uncertainties of a new galaxy constantly swirled in Shin's thoughts.
  
  
  
  With a slight tilt of her head, Shin blinked slowly, granting her master a brief, tight-lipped smile. "Very well," she conceded through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  Baylan's gaze traveled down the corridor, his eyebrows arching slightly as the banging grew louder, interspersed with muffled expletives. He could palpably feel the cocktail of fear and anger emanating from the captive.
  
  
  
  "Attend to her," Baylan directed.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture stiffened, her fingers gliding over the sleek hilt of her saber. "Sounds like a task for a droid," she retorted under her breath.
  
  
  
  Baylan fixed her with an icy stare. "I didn"t ask a droid. I"m asking you."
  
  
  
  She met his unwavering gaze, the steel in his eyes reflecting his resolve. The aura surrounding her Master could be oppressive, even overwhelming. But she knew him well. He possessed a duality - he could be both a nurturing guide and an uncompromising teacher, exacting in his demands. Resigned, Shin pivoted gracefully, moving towards the source of the disturbance.
  
  
  
  Baylan's voice dropped to a whisper, a note of urgency coloring his words. "Elsbeth is not to be trusted, Shin," he cautioned. "Always be on guard. Sabine Wren might be our captive, but she's not our biggest concern."
  
  
  
  Acknowledging him with a brief nod, Shin proceeded down the dimly lit corridor.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The moment the door slid open, a ceramic cup whizzed past, narrowly missing Shin's face. She deftly sidestepped the projectile, her eyes following its trajectory until it shattered on the ground. With a hiss, the door sealed behind her, and almost instantly, another piece of dishware came flying in her direction. This room was turning into a debris field.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Shin employed her powers to immobilize Sabine, preventing her from grabbing any other makeshift projectiles. The ease with which Sabine was subdued was disconcerting. It felt as if, perhaps, she wanted to be restrained. But Shin quickly pushed that unsettling thought to the back of her mind.
  
  
  
  Addressing the flustered captive, Shin began, "Baylan wanted me to check if you required anything." She cast a fleeting glance at Sabine, who was now seated, her face flushed a deep shade of pink, her breathing ragged. The room was bathed in a subdued light, cluttered with various discarded items, and a meager cot pushed to one corner.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a derisive snort, her lips fluttering in exaggerated fashion before she sent a disdainful kick towards a shard of the broken mug. "Baylan sent you?" she questioned, a hint of mockery in her tone.
  
  
  
  "Indeed," Shin responded coolly.
  
  
  
  Sabine ran fingers through her cropped hair, her fiery gaze fixed on Shin. "What I need is to be rid of this ugly scar, courtesy of your blade," she began pointedly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The comment immediately drew Shin's focus, the weight of the statement landing heavily between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued, her tone playfully mocking, "I need my communication tower back in working order. I absolutely neeeed another chance to show you up in a dogfight. Oh, and perhaps I'll consider using pocket sand next time, just to see that surprised look on your face."
  
  
  
  A rush of heat surged through Shin, her jaw clenching involuntarily. The sly smirk that danced on Sabine's lips didn't help either. It was as if the Mandalorian was enjoying pressing every single one of her buttons, the warmth rising to Shin's cheeks testament to that fact.
  
  
  
  The captive, now donning a full grin, raised her bound hands. "These need to come off," she added.
  
  
  
  Shin shot a wary glance at the restraints, her back pressing against the door. She mused silently: Sabine might be skilled, but she had no force abilities. Escape was implausible. If, by some miracle, she managed to break free, what then? Sabine would be no match for the likes of Baylan or Morgan. Moreover, the ship was hurtling through space at light speed - stepping outside wasn"t an option.
  
  
  
  And, if all else failed, there stood one final and insurmountable obstacle: Shin Hati herself.
  
  
  
  Raising her hand, Shin extended two fingers, making a delicate gesture in the air. With a soft metallic sound, the restraints slipped from Sabine"s wrists, clinking together as they hit the cold floor.
  
  
  
  Sabine flexed her wrists, alleviating the numbness, and then clenched her hands into tight fists. She rose with an air of defiance, hands resting on her hips, her gaze piercing Shin who maintained a guarded stance by the door.
  
  
  
  "Promise me no more surprise rockets in the future," Shin cautioned.
  
  
  
  "Scared of a little fireworks?" Sabine countered, her voice dripping with derision. "It"s not like I have my weapons."
  
  
  
  A reluctant grin crept onto Shin's face. "In the midst of intergalactic travel? Preferably not," she replied, the hint of amusement evident.
  
  
  
  Sabine made a dismissive sound, clicking her tongue, before dramatically flopping back into her seat. "I can't stand you," she declared with a petulant edge.
  
  
  
  "The feeling's mutual," Shin retorted, easing her stance but still leaning against the door. She positioned herself strategically, far enough to be safe from any sudden lunges or airborne objects. Sabine was a constant headache. The graffiti-styled designs on her armor, her rebelliously short hair, and her rather rudimentary lightsaber skills. Shin mentally scoffed. Sabine should consider herself fortunate that Shin even bothered to engage.
  
  
  
  "Do you always follow your Master's orders?" Sabine probed, her eyebrow quirked in a mixture of disdain and genuine curiosity.
  
  
  
  "And do you always have a knack for disregarding yours?" Shin shot back, her voice sharp as a blade. She let her gaze wander to Sabine for a brief moment, then shifted her attention to the counter laden with an array of fruits and light refreshments. With an effortless gesture, a meiloorun fruit levitated toward her. Shin caught it, neatly slicing off its skin.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze softened for a fleeting moment. "Your Master sent mine to her demise," she murmured, a tremor in her voice. "So, I don"t have anyone's orders to defy anymore."
  
  
  
  The biting sound of Shin tearing into the fruit ceased, and she paused, her face a mixture of surprise and contemplation. The dense silence that fell between them was almost tangible. Slowly, Shin detached herself from the door's support and approached the counter. Gathering an assortment of provisions onto a plate, she moved with quiet determination toward Sabine, offering the assortment.
  
  
  
  "You need sustenance," Shin stated simply, her voice devoid of earlier animosity.
  
  
  
  Sabine huffed as she begrudgingly took the plate, "Some prison this is," she muttered sarcastically, casting a disparaging look around the dimly lit room. "No scenic view, clutter all around, and an ambiance that's suffocating." Despite her words, she bit into a piece of bread, her hunger evident.
  
  
  
  "You have an abundance of words for someone in your situation," Shin remarked, taking up her position by the door once more. "Perhaps if you spent more time in quiet reflection, the Force might be within your grasp."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a hearty laugh, the sound echoing slightly in the dimly lit room. She popped a few blumfruits into her mouth, savoring the taste before wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "You"re nothing more than a Padawan yourself," she chided. "What makes you such an expert?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes flashed, her posture straightening even more. "Because, unlike you, I have tapped into its power," she retorted.
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. To perform juvenile acts like choking me. How... enlightened."
  
  
  
  "You initiated our encounters," Shin fired back, her tone icy. "You were the first to shoot blasters on Seatos, the first to ignite your saber by the comm tower. And you call me childish?"
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Absolutely."
  
  
  
  Shin's nostrils flared, recalling their previous clashes. "And you thought launching rockets at me was a mature response?"
  
  
  
  Sabine simply shrugged, an insolent grin playing on her lips. "Why not?"
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled in exasperation, her patience clearly waning. "You'll never comprehend the true essence of the Force... Anything else you require before I depart?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze twinkled. "Your lightsaber, perhaps?" she suggested playfully before pausing. "Going somewhere?"
  
  
  
  Without another word, Shin's face hardened, and she exited the cabin, leaving the sound of Sabine's light-hearted chuckles in her wake.
  
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 2: Another Cell
  Notes:
  So happy many of you enjoyed the first chapter. I truly appreciate the comments, kudos and anyone reading.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stretched her neck with a sigh, rolling her eyes skyward. Yet again, she found herself trapped in a prison cell. Archaic and indomitable. Peridea's air was a heavy cocktail of decay and desolation, a relentless grip of despair that choked her with every breath. Images of Ahsoka, taken down by Baylan off a cliff, replayed in her mind, causing a knot of anguish to tighten in her belly, almost causing her to double over.
  
  
  
  She kicked a stray pebble in frustration, then settled her gaze on the massive door ahead. "Stupid, Baylan," she muttered under her breath, adding, "And Elsbeth... Thrawn... Ugh, everyone's just-" Her words trailed off as the door rumbled and began its slow slide open.
  
  
  
  "Everyone's just... stupid?" Shin questioned, her tone dripping with formality.
  
  
  
  Sabine shot her a sarcastic look, her eyes darting past Shin as if calculating a potential escape route. But then again, where would she even go? This was unfamiliar terrain and, besides, she had Ezra to think about. "Definitely including you on the stupid list," she retorted, her gaze lazily scanning Shin's face, wondering why they had to go through yet another tedious encounter.
  
  
  
  With a dignified posture, hands clasped behind her back, Shin responded, "Given our current positions, I'd argue I'm not the one lacking in judgment."
  
  
  
  A light chuckle escaped Sabine as she tousled her hair, taking a moment to truly look at Shin, the space between them filled with a lingering silence. "Your Master promised me," Sabine finally broke the pause.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat and echoing Sabine's previous movement, Shin offered a slight shrug. "I trust it will be addressed appropriately," she intoned. She had no interest in delving into the dealings with the Nightsisters above. To Shin, Witches were a menace, beings capable of neutralizing her cherished lightsaber and potent Force abilities. Their unpredictability made them a threat not to be underestimated.
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice hardened, her gaze unwavering. "I need to find Ezra," she pressed, her tone coated with desperation.
  
  
  
  A palpable silence settled between the two women, punctuated only by Shin's steady breathing. Clearly, the topic of Ezra Bridger was one she wished to avoid. Seeking to divert the conversation, she remarked, "Your hair, it's different. Why did you cut it?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, caught off guard, instinctively ran her fingers through her shortened purple tresses. "It feels right," she said, searching for the words. "It's...more me now."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyebrow arched in curiosity. "What does that mean?"
  
  
  
  Sabine shot back, her patience wearing thin, "Why do you choose to style your hair that way?"
  
  
  
  Shin pondered for a moment, touching a strand of her own hair. "It suits me," she finally replied.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, her fiery spirit evident. "Exactly. This suits me."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, conceding the point. "Very well."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Sabine pressed on, her gaze probing. "Do you actually enjoy all this? What's in it for you?"
  
  
  
  Shin's expression darkened, her stance growing more assertive as she stepped closer. "The thrill of besting you in combat is quite satisfying," she stated, a hint of pride in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, a mocking undertone in her laughter. "Feels a bit like you're picking on a youngling. I doubt you could ever challenge someone skilled like your Master."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flashed dangerously, her teeth gritting in suppressed anger. "How dare you assume such things?" she hissed, teeth gritting.
  
  
  
  Sabine met her glare with equal intensity. "Because every time we face off, I see it. I'm evolving, growing stronger, while you? You're just... static."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes, usually inscrutable, flared with genuine surprise. The audacity of Sabine's words caught her off guard. Recollections of their encounter on Seatos surged to the forefront of her mind. If not for Baylan's intervention, Sabine would have experienced firsthand the full, unbridled wrath of Shin's Force prowess. A tempting, dark thought of using the Force to choke Sabine flitted across Shin's mind, but she suppressed it. Her orders were clear: Do not harm the Mandalorian.
  
  
  
  "You might've honed some skills, but they"re just Mandalorian parlor tricks. They'll only get you so far," Shin responded, her voice dripping with condescension.
  
  
  
  Sabine retorted sharply, "And where will blind ambition lead you?"
  
  
  
  Shin's features tightened, her voice cold. "You know nothing of my aspirations."
  
  
  
  Sabine shot back, confidence bolstered by her understanding of Shin's current restrictions, "You're lost. A mere puppet following your Master"s whims and doing the bidding of someone like Elsbeth. It"s just... pathetic."
  
  
  
  Shin's face twisted with a mix of anger and disbelief. Pathetic? She was leagues beyond Sabine. Sabine, who failed to protect her own Master. Sabine, who tirelessly sought a friend who was probably long gone. Sabine, whose fierce gaze sometimes made Shin forget the burning intensity of her own lightsaber. Banishing such distracting thoughts, Shin took a deliberate step back, distancing herself from the aggravation.
  
  
  
  Interrupting the heavy silence, Sabine piped up, "You know, I could eat something."
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, momentarily thrown off by the shift. Her hands, which had unknowingly clenched into fists behind her back, trembled slightly. "You choose now to be hungry?"
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned cheekily, "Aren't you here to look after me? Direct orders from the top, right?"
  
  
  
  A wave of heat rolled over Shin. "Someone like you will always need looking after," she bit out, "Always reckless and dimwitted. Always so... closed off."
  
  
  
  Sabine dramatically pressed a hand over her heart, feigning distress. "Your words wound me!"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes, keen and probing, bore into Sabine's. "I can sense your pain, you know. It envelops you. You radiate sadness."
  
  
  
  Sabine's playful demeanor evaporated instantly. Her voice turned icy. "Stay out of my head."
  
  
  
  With chilling calm, Shin responded, "I don"t need to be inside your mind to feel it. It permeates everything around you. It's nearly suffocating."
  
  
  
  Tears threatened Sabine"s vision, and she swiped at her eyes irritably. "Just go," she whispered with barely concealed emotion. "Go back to your puppeteers."
  
  
  
  As a final gesture, Shin arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Gar vemanar?"
  
  
  
  Are you sure? Sabine's face contorted in confusion and a flash of recognition. She stumbled over her words, "Nu?" What? Although it wasn"t a perfect translation she understood what Shin was trying to say.
  
  
  
  "Gar vemanar? Ni"slanar."
  
  
  
  I"ll leave? Sabine responded hesitantly, "Nayc. Ke"mot!" No wait. Stop. Wait and explain to me where you learned that.
  
  
  
  With a sly, fleeting smirk, Shin pivoted gracefully and left the dim prison cell. Sabine was left reeling, the weight of their exchange lingering heavy in the air. She keeled over, placing her hands on her knees. With measured breaths she glared at the sealed door. She was in way over her head.
  
  
  
  The gamble Sabine had taken was shaping up to be a questionable decision at best. The mere thought of the Nightsisters sent a chill down her spine, their eerie presence forever linked to tales of possession and manipulation. The unnerving thought that she might once again be stripped of her agency and made to perform actions against her will lurked at the back of her mind.
  
  
  
  Additionally, there was the enigma of Shin. What was the meaning behind that sustained, penetrating look they shared aboard the drop ship? In that brief yet profound moment, as they journeyed through a foreign galaxy and descended upon a new planetary landscape, Sabine found herself locked in a silent exchange. The cool, inquisitive blue of Shin"s eyes bore into the warm, defiant brown of Sabine"s, a dance of challenge and curiosity.
  
  
  
  It was abundantly clear that Shin took a certain delight in testing Sabine's mettle, perhaps even enjoying the game of cat and mouse they found themselves in. Sabine was no stranger to such tactics, and while she might have been momentarily caught off guard, she was far from naive. Driven by her indomitable spirit and unwavering pride, she refused to be bested easily, vowing to match Shin's moves at every turn.
  
  
  
  Pulling herself to her feet, albeit with a slight tremble betraying her underlying emotions, Sabine took a moment to gaze out onto the vast landscape of Peridea. The barren stretch of land, devoid of the comforting presence of trees, might not have offered much in terms of visual stimulation, but there was a certain stark beauty to its expansive horizons.
  
  
  
  A subtle tremor abruptly disrupted the cell's ambient stillness, coursing through the floor beneath her feet. Sabine's attention immediately veered toward the doorway as it creaked open just enough to permit the entry of a seemingly age-worn plate. Its surface bore the marks of time, and upon it rested a scant assortment of provisions.
  
  
  
  As she hastily moved closer to the aperture, Sabine's sharp eyes caught the fleeting sight of those distinct icy blue irises that vanished as abruptly as they appeared when the door sealed shut. The familiar hue resonated with memories of prior encounters.
  
  
  
  "Di"kutla!" Sabine's exclamation echoed in the confined space. So idiotic. There was nothing in response. Maybe Shin wasn"t familiar with the term. Staring down at the food, Sabine sighed and grabbed the plate.
  
  
  
  She then diverted her gaze to the humble offering before her. The plate bore a sparse meal, but hunger wasn't particularly picky. Taking a moment to register her predicament, she exhaled deeply, her sigh heavy with a blend of exasperation and resignation. She tentatively reached out, fingers wrapping around the plate's cool rim.
  
  
  
  Yet, even as she bit aggressively into the uninviting texture of the stale bread, her thoughts were consumed not by her current meal but by the enigmatic figure beyond her cell. Shin's blue eyes - seemingly bottomless pools of intensity and inquisition - continued to linger in her mind. With a muffled huff, Sabine tried to dispel the intrusive thought, focusing instead on the meager meal at hand.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Thank you for giving this a read! It's so fun to write!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 3: Energy
  Notes:
  Thank you all for the feedback and kudos. For context this chapter is my version of what could've happened if Sabine chased after Shin when Thrawn withdrew his troops episode 7. I really hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Baylan's suspicions about Elsbeth had been spot on. Now, Shin was abandoned, alone in a world where even supposed allies, like Thrawn, seemed to harbor hidden intentions that didn't factor in her or Baylan's well-being. As she sped away on her howler, the biting sting of tears blurred her vision, each droplet leaving a trail down her face. She sniffed defiantly, attempting to keep her emotions in check. But the biting cold of the wind felt like a slap against her already pallid complexion, making her feel as though every ounce of warmth had been drained from her, leaving an inner void.
  
  
  
  To add to her misery, she had been outmatched by Ahsoka, even when the latter was without her trusted lightsaber. The weight of that defeat bore down on Shin, and what made it more unbearable was Sabine's unwavering gaze fixed on Shin's cerulean eyes throughout the ordeal. Every glance felt like an indictment, a jolt to her pride.
  
  
  
  The trio - the young Bridger, Ahsoka, and Sabine - stood united, their camaraderie evident. It was like watching a picture-perfect family, their unity mocking Shin, making her question every decision she ever made.
  
  
  
  As the howler began to decelerate, Shin rubbed away the tear streaks on her face. What could they possibly understand about her? They hadn't seen the struggles she had faced, the challenges she had overcome over the long years. As the wind whipped her hair into a frenzy, her braid lashed against her nape. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head in contemplation.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Shin tried to tap into the Force, hoping to discern Baylan's path. Yet, there was a void, an absence of his familiar presence. Had he intentionally shielded himself from her? It seemed he was heading somewhere he didn't want her, or anyone else, to tread. A sharp twinge shot through her heart, resonating within her chest, and she found herself absently wiping her nose as the howler paced steadily forward.
  
  
  
  "Hey!"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes fluttered for a brief moment, yet she resolutely kept her focus on the dimming hues of the setting sun. She made a silent vow not to turn around, not to grant the satisfaction of acknowledgment.
  
  
  
  "Is that all you've got?"
  
  
  
  The sharp rebuke made Shin's jaw clench involuntarily. Even without looking, she knew all too well the identity of the person spewing venom from behind. Determined, she urged herself to maintain her course, hoping to distance herself from the persistent, hot-headed, and volatile pursuer.
  
  
  
  "You can't run from it! I won! Admit it!"
  
  
  
  The sheer audacity of the challenge forced Shin to a stop. With gritted teeth, she gracefully dismounted her howler, taking a deep, measured breath. Her heart thudded loudly, its rhythm one she only became aware of when confronted by the triumphant and fiery brown eyes that gleamed in self-satisfaction.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Three on one? That"s hardly a fair fight," she countered, dismissing the boast with a casual flick of her wrist.
  
  
  
  Sabine, smirking with unabashed glee, slid off her howler with the practiced ease of a seasoned rider. Maintaining a cautious gap between them, her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her saber, ready for any eventuality. Somewhere far behind them, Ahsoka and Ezra were engrossed in conversation with Huyang and the Noti, plotting their next move. Sabine seized this prime opportunity to confront Shin, eager to claim her moment of glory.
  
  
  
  "Your Master... where is he?" Sabine inquired, an arched eyebrow hinting at both curiosity and challenge.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated for a mere second, then defiantly jutted out her chin. "He's occupied elsewhere," she retorted with a hint of pride, trying to maintain a façade of indifference.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze swept over the vast and desolate tundra that stretched out before them. "You seem awfully alone for someone with such important company," she remarked with a playful smirk. "Are you sure you wouldn"t consider... allying with us?"
  
  
  
  Shin glanced sideways, her eyes fixed on the vanishing horizon. Every fiber of her being was on high alert, especially with Sabine standing so close. The vibrant hues of her brown eyes, the striking purple locks, and her flawless complexion made it hard for Shin to focus. She couldn"t help but be overwhelmed by her presence. Despite lacking any connection with the Force, Sabine had an uncanny ability to unnerve her.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin retorted sharply, her voice edged with defiance. "I carve my own path."
  
  
  
  But Sabine was relentless. "Back on the Eye, you asked if I needed anything," she persisted, not allowing Shin to distance herself from the topic.
  
  
  
  Shin stiffened, maintaining her erect posture. Her eyes locked onto Sabine's, challenging yet seeking. "Times have changed," she responded coldly. "The Eye is behind us now."
  
  
  
  "Then listen to me," Sabine interjected, her voice laden with genuine concern. "Stay away from Thrawn. I wouldn"t go back."
  
  
  
  A frown creased Shin"s forehead, and she tilted her head slightly. "I'm not one to be commanded by you," she replied, her voice icy, underscored by the cold gust that momentarily intensified between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled audibly, her frustration evident. Rolling her eyes, she gestured expansively. "Would you prefer it be the other way around?" she posed.
  
  
  
  A flutter of Shin"s stomach prompted her to take a step backward. Though she tried to mask her apprehension, her body's instinctive reactions betrayed her. "Perhaps it's best if you departed," she replied tersely.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression was an array of emotions - a fleeting glimpse of anger, a shadow of disappointment, and an undercurrent of another emotion that Shin couldn"t quite place. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she briefly closed her eyes, seeking guidance from the Force to understand what lay behind Sabine"s enigmatic gaze.
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice, laced with a hint of challenge, broke the silence. "If you want me gone, why bother trying to figure me out?"
  
  
  
  As Shin"s eyes slowly opened, she was taken aback by Sabine"s proximity. The distance between them had shrunk dramatically, with only a breath's space separating the two. The distant hum of Shin"s idling howler served as a quiet reminder of her isolation. An intriguing mix of planetary and floral aromas wafted from Sabine, punctuated with the unmistakable tang of sweat - the byproduct of determination and exertion.
  
  
  
  With her chin tilted defiantly upwards, Sabine pressed on, "On the drop ship, why did you stare at me?" Even though Shin had the literal height advantage, at that moment, Sabine stood taller, empowered by her earlier triumph.
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off-guard, Shin pondered her response. Sabine deserved an answer, and Shin would have to articulate her sentiments with care. "Pure curiosity," Shin finally responded, her voice a tranquil mask, hiding the tumult of her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Just what are you curious about?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated for a moment before confessing, "Your bond with the Bridger boy - Ezra. You appeared so intent on finding him, so dedicated." She closed her mouth quickly, realizing she might have revealed too much.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Jealous?" she teased.
  
  
  
  A fiery warmth quickly spread across Shin"s face, much to her annoyance. "And why would I be?" she snapped back. "He"s got more hair than sense and has the appeal of a Hutt."
  
  
  
  The incredulous laugh that escaped Sabine was unexpected. "A Hutt? Really?" She shook her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Well, if that's your opinion... then good luck in this vast wilderness." Sabine spread her arms to emphasize the expansive tundra around them.
  
  
  
  Yet, a burning question still lingered in Shin"s mind. "Do your feelings for him run deep?" she asked, taking a hesitant step closer.
  
  
  
  Sabine met her gaze squarely. "I love him," she declared without hesitation.
  
  
  
  A heavy weight settled in Shin's chest, like molten lead, and a searing pain threatened to consume her. She took a shaky breath, trying to mask her unexpected heart thump. "I see," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
  
  
  
  However, Sabine, now learning the subtlest of shifts in Shin's demeanor, recognized the raw vulnerability in the other woman's voice, a tone she never imagined she'd hear from someone as formidable as Shin. Taking a moment, Sabine sighed, "I love him like family. Like a brother. There's nothing romantic between us."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze met Sabine's, a silent query dancing in the cerulean depths of her eyes, seeking authenticity in Sabine's words. With an almost involuntary motion, her eyes meandered over Sabine"s face, drifting down her graceful neck, briefly hesitating on the colourful beskar armor, and finally settling with intent on her abdomen.
  
  
  
  "Hmm," Sabine murmured, seemingly anticipating the unspoken question. Deliberately, she hitched up her shirt, while her other hand tugged the waistband of her pants down just a smidgen, revealing a hint of flesh. The stark contrast of the chilled atmosphere against her skin caused a reflexive shudder to ripple through her. "Your handiwork," she pointed out, her voice laced with a mix of accusation and pride from her resilience.
  
  
  
  Captivated by the sight of the scar, Shin's lips curled up ever so slightly. "You survived, didn"t you?" she countered.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a derisive huff, delicately tracing the contoured line of the scar. "Why didn't you finish the job?" she pressed.
  
  
  
  A slow blink was Shin's only initial reaction, but the temptation of the aged injury was too alluring to resist. She was a breath away from reaching out when she murmured, "Sparring with you... it has its charms."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s fingers instinctively brushed against her lightsaber, her jaw setting, the taste of their rivalry resurfacing. Yet before her fingers could disengage the weapon, a soft touch - deceptively gentle - pressed into the heated skin of her abdomen, staking a claim.
  
  
  
  "Stop," Sabine hissed, her fingers wrapping around Shin's wrist with urgency. "You need to ask."
  
  
  
  Drawing even closer so their bodies nearly melded, Shin whispered, "Why?" The void that often consumed her seemed to ebb in Sabine's presence.
  
  
  
  Sabine tightened her grip, an attempt to regain some semblance of control, but the effort was in vain. "For permission," she retorted tersely.
  
  
  
  The rapid pulse of Shin's heart resonated in her ears, and an electrifying sensation coursed through her skin at the proximity to Sabine's perspiration-slicked flesh. She exhaled a shaky breath, "Fine... Can I touch?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s sharp eyes flashed defiantly even as she tried to pull her shirt back into place. With an unexpected swiftness, Shin's other arm coiled around Sabine's slender waist, drawing her closer. "You bitch," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Raising an eyebrow, Shin suppressed a smirk. "Is this how you welcome potential allies?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s voice was little more than a whisper, laden with tension, "I"m rethinking the invitation."
  
  
  
  For a heartbeat, time seemed to still as Shin took a profound breath, trying to encapsulate every essence of Sabine. The lure of continuing their intimate confrontation was strong, yet Shin could sense a delicate yearning within Sabine - a longing for a tender moment. But Shin's desires ran deeper. When the time was right, she intended to explore them fully.
  
  
  
  Backing away slightly, her gaze still locked on Sabine, Shin"s voice dripped with curiosity. "You sought me out in this vast expanse... just to revel in your victory?"
  
  
  
  With a swift motion, Sabine readjusted her garments and snapped her armor into place. "No sabers or the Force," she declared, raising her fists and punching the air, the motion filled with anticipation. Her eyes sparkled with a playful challenge as she beckoned Shin closer.
  
  
  
  Casting a sidelong glance at Sabine, Shin felt a tension between weariness and anticipation tighten her muscles. This entire situation was eroding her strength, and the recent events certainly hadn"t put her in an optimal position to go toe-to-toe with the seasoned Mandalorian. But seeing that emerging smirk on Sabine's face was beginning to grate on her.
  
  
  
  "Do you ever get tired of ending up on your back, courtesy of me?" Shin taunted.
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was a light, amused chuckle as she shifted into a ready stance, the confidence evident in her posture. "Cold feet already?" she countered with a smirk.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin gracefully settled into her own fighting pose, displaying the elegance and fluidity of her training. Her voice was a mixture of playful and serious as she asked, "What do I stand to gain if I best you?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes flashed with surprise and amusement as she considered the proposition. "What do you want?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Shin"s smirk grew sly, her eyes glinting mischievously. "A one-way ticket out of this desolate wasteland."
  
  
  
  With a nod, Sabine glanced over her shoulder. Ahsoka and the others were far back in the distance. "Okay," she replied and mulled over what she"d want if she won the fight. "And if I win I want you to tell me about yourself. How you know basic Mando"a, for example."
  
  
  
  "There"s nothing to say."
  
  
  
  "I disagree."
  
  
  
  As Shin's adrenaline surged, her fist rocketed towards Sabine. However, Sabine, with her swift reflexes, parried the strike, her gaze hardened with steely resolve. The surrounding environment seemed to come alive with their tension, the wind howling with increased fervor and the very atmosphere crackling with the electricity of their duel.
  
  
  
  A voice in Shin's mind constantly reminded her to suppress her innate connection to the Force. Every time Sabine landed a blow, the temptation to employ her otherworldly powers grew stronger. But she knew, if she succumbed, even for a split second, she would be breaking their set rules and that would mean conceding defeat. Droplets of sweat trailed down her spine as she danced around Sabine's blows, narrowly evading a swift kick aimed at her temple.
  
  
  
  Taking advantage of a fleeting moment of distraction, Sabine connected her fist with Shin's jaw. The impact of the punch sent Shin reeling back a few steps. Sensing her upper hand, Sabine advanced, her strikes becoming swifter and more relentless. With every step, her confidence grew.
  
  
  
  "Give up!" Sabine shouted, her voice echoing over the cold expanse.
  
  
  
  Shin, with deft movement, caught one of Sabine"s furious punches, halting her momentum. Time seemed to slow as their eyes met. An electrifying tension, thick enough to be cut with a knife, hung between them as they stood motionless in the frozen wasteland. Gathering her strength, Shin prepared to deliver a knee strike to Sabine's midsection.
  
  
  
  Before either of them could make a move, a startling burst of electric energy crackled between their intertwined forms. Drawn into its dazzling allure, they remained momentarily paralyzed, captivated by the radiant display that intensified with every passing second.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice, tinged with a hint of fear, broke the trance. "What have you done?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze, now a piercing shade of gold, met Shin's. "You think this is me?" she countered, her grip on Shin tightening, fingers digging into her flesh. "This feels like the Force, so stop!"
  
  
  
  Shin's voice rose in panic, "I swear, this isn't my doing!"
  
  
  
  "Then what the hell is happening?" Sabine"s voice shook with a blend of fear and anger.
  
  
  
  "Mandalorian tricks!" Shin accused.
  
  
  
  The luminescent energy began to spiral, its vibrant tendrils circling the two women, sending an exhilarating chill through their bones. Overwhelmed, Shin released her grip on Sabine, leaping away to put some distance between them. As swiftly as it had appeared, the spectacle dissipated, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
  
  
  
  Catching her breath, Sabine, her face pale, glanced at her trembling hands. "I need to leave," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. No. It would be a grave mistake to ally with Shin. Too much unpredictability.
  
  
  
  Desperately trying to make sense of the inexplicable event, Shin's mind raced. But nothing seemed to add up. Her voice, hollow yet resolute, echoed back, "Yes, you should."
  
  
  
  Sabine huffed and swallowed, then looked up from her hands. "Tell me how you know Mando"a," she demanded.
  
  
  
  Shin tilted her head slightly and smirked. "Farewell, Sabine."
  
  
  
  Staggering slightly as her name flowed from Shin"s lips, Sabine fought to maintain her balance. A tingling sensation coursed through her, leaving her questioning the nature of the Force powers Shin might have wielded. Yet amidst her confusion, a profound flutter stirred within her, kindling a silent wish to hear Shin utter her name once more, no matter how distant that moment might lie.
  
  
  
  But for now, Shin was gone.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Hope you enjoyed! Something is cooking between the two. From here on the story will continue with Sabine and Shin's journey on Peridea together with plenty of shenanigans. I'm working on chapter 8 right now so lots more to come! And those of you who are super knowledgeable Star Wars fans I'm so sorry if I've botched anything I'm trying lol.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 4: Thoughts
  Notes:
  I truly appreciate all the comments, kudos and anyone reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Everything is post episode 8 now right where Shin finds the bandits.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin lowered her saber with a controlled movement. Her piercing gaze settled on the bandits appearing in the distance. A poignant twinge in her stomach, reminiscent of her recent farewell to Sabine, still resonated within the depths of her being. An enigmatic energy that had briefly sparked between them lingered in her thoughts, heavy and consuming. Yet, deep down, she surmised that Sabine was no longer within reach.
  
  
  
  She envisioned Sabine returning to Ezra Bridger, seeking refuge on the Eye, safely ensconced in their familiar galaxy. As Shin's steps drew her closer to the bandits, her jaw tightened, her resolve evident. These creatures, no doubt, were privy to her formidable abilities, fully aware of the lethal force she could unleash if provoked.
  
  
  
  However, her immediate needs were pragmatic: sustenance, potable water, and shelter. The barren landscape stretching before her painted a stark picture of her impending exile, a self-imposed isolation that could last an indeterminable period. How she wished she could reach out to her Master, seek his counsel. Yet, a daunting barrier obscured his presence in the Force, serving as a stark admonition. The message was clear: he had chosen solitude and did not wish to be sought.
  
  
  
  Engaging with the rough-edged bandits was far from a pleasant experience for Shin. Their mannerisms and crude communication style were grating, to say the least. However, they recognized her needs and in relatively short order, she found herself ushered to a solitary tent that, albeit modest, promised to provide the essentials she sought. Offering a nod of acknowledgment to a figure that exuded authority, likely the leader of this ragtag assembly, Shin cautiously ventured inside.
  
  
  
  The interior was a testament to improvisation. Everything looked hastily assembled, held together by sheer will and a few sturdy knots. Off to the corner stood a wood-burning stove, its rustic design suggesting it had seen many a cold night. Nearby, a rudimentary table bore silent witness to countless meals, while a lone bed, draped in an assortment of animal pelts, beckoned with the promise of rest.
  
  
  
  Shin absentmindedly rubbed her face, pausing momentarily to cast a wary glance over her shoulder, ensuring her solitude. With a heavy sigh, she felt her shoulders slump forward, the weight of her thoughts pressing down. After placing her belongings carefully to one side, she allowed herself a moment's respite, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. Drawing her hands up, she buried her face within them, taking a deep breath as she fought the stinging sensation threatening her eyes. These were vulnerable moments she"d only have when alone.
  
  
  
  Questions danced on the periphery of her mind. Had Sabine seen the raw emotion Shin had tried so hard to hide? Did she even care about Shin's vulnerability? And if she did, what difference would it make? A sniffle escaped as Shin attempted to regain her composure, her fingers instinctively combing through her hair.
  
  
  
  But amidst her swirling emotions, the memory of that uncanny energy resurfaced. Could it have been a crafty Mandalorian ruse? To Shin, their arsenal - rockets, flamethrowers, repulsors - were mere parlor tricks. Yet, she couldn't help but ponder if this was another innovative defense mechanism that Sabine had designed, specifically to counter Shin's prowess.
  
  
  
  It was Sabine who had pursued her with a smirk dancing on her lips, seemingly just to revel in the thrill of the chase. It was Sabine who had, in a surprising turn of events, proposed they settle their differences with fists rather than sabers. And most puzzling of all, it was Sabine who had shown a genuine interest in unraveling the enigma that was Shin. Why? Shin struggled with the question. She felt she was a straightforward book, and to a rival like Sabine Wren, what good would sharing her pages do?
  
  
  
  Retreating further into the tent, Shin's back collided with the rigid headboard as she sought a momentary escape from her tumultuous thoughts. Her gaze fixed on the modest opening of the tent across the room, contemplating her newfound position of power. The bandits outside, as rugged and tough as they might seem, wouldn't dare cross her. They knew the Force she wielded, and she'd ensure they remembered it. In this desolation, she'd assume a role of dominance, bending them to her every whim and desire. While it wasn"t the company she'd choose, it was a comforting thought knowing they'd serve as a makeshift shield in the harsh environment.
  
  
  
  With a resigned sigh, Shin slipped beneath the coarse furs, letting them envelop her against the creeping chill. An involuntary shiver shot up her spine as she drew her knees close, cocooning herself from the world outside. Her body eased into a state of fatigue, eyelids growing heavy and her breathing becoming rhythmic. For a fleeting moment, she yearned for the solace of emptiness in her mind.
  
  
  
  Yet, as she tried to detach herself, a persistent emotional torrent continued its assault. Each heartbeat seemed to echo reminders of the people and moments that had marked her journey. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she pushed away the haunting thoughts of Baylan's departure. There was the lurking possibility that Thrawn and others were long gone. And the more she reflected, the clearer it became: forging an alliance with the bandits and exploring the unknown terrains of Peridea might just be her best shot at enduring the challenges that lay ahead.
  
  
  
  Shin had always believed in her might. The universe had taught her that with unparalleled strength came the privilege to carve her path, to have every whim and desire met without question.
  
  
  
  Yet now, as she clenched the fur beneath her in a tight grip, a vivid image she hadn't invited nor anticipated crept into her consciousness: Sabine.
  
  
  
  Their initial encounter at the comm tower was unlike any Shin had experienced before. Sabine, with her fierce determination, had been swift to ignite her emerald-hued saber without a moment's hesitation. There was no attempt at mediation, no casual banter, and certainly no inclination to flee. This was in stark contrast to young Bridger, who, when faced with a challenge, had chosen captivity over confrontation. Sabine, however, seemed to thrive on combat, choosing battle over diplomacy every time.
  
  
  
  A mirthless chuckle escaped Shin's lips as she futilely tried to divert her mind, to summon memories or thoughts unrelated to Sabine Wren. To dwell on the image of an adversary was a self-betrayal Shin refused to accept.
  
  
  
  However, tonight was different. Tonight, she sought solace, a means to lull her restless mind into sleep. And if the thought of Sabine, a figure she presumed she would never cross paths with again, granted her that fleeting peace, then perhaps, just for this night, it was an indulgence she could permit herself.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The rhythmic sound of the Noti chattering surrounded Sabine, their voices creating a harmonious backdrop against the stillness of the night. They engaged in animated discussions, their tone imbued with both curiosity and caution as they navigated their newfound environment of more tundra. Sabine, in the midst of her new caravan, was bent on a singular mission - gathering an array of twigs, leaves, and whatever combustible materials she could lay her hands on to keep their dwindling campfire and heaters alive.
  
  
  
  As she worked, the ethereal glow of moonlight pierced the thick blanket of night clouds, casting an almost otherworldly illumination over the land. The brilliance of this celestial display was so intense, so tantalizing, that it felt as though the sky were inviting her to reach out and dance amidst the stars.
  
  
  
  Yet, even with nature's magnificence vying for her attention, an unsettling sensation had taken root in the depths of Sabine's chest. Only moments ago, she felt an indescribable tug, an intuitive feeling that someone, or perhaps something, was lurking just beyond the thicket. It wasn't a malevolent sensation; rather, it was as if a guardian spirit had chosen to watch over her. This unseen protector seemed to whisper promises, not just of her safety, but assurance that Ahsoka too would be shielded from harm.
  
  
  
  Despite the reassurance this ethereal presence provided, Sabine found herself momentarily distracted. She looked down to find her hands filled with the assorted twigs and sticks she had gathered. The realization dawned upon her - here she was, stranded on an alien planet with rich histories but seemingly devoid of a future. As the chill of the night began to seep into her bones, she felt the coolness kiss her cheeks, drawing away the warmth from her skin. Almost instinctively, she brought her hands together, rubbing them briskly in a desperate attempt to savor the fleeting warmth of the campfire.
  
  
  
  Time was of the essence. The Noti pods, their primary means of transportation, lay in disrepair. It was an arduous task to mend them, and until they were operational, mobility was limited. The danger of remaining stationary in such a location was not lost on Sabine. This unfamiliar world teemed with threats. Bandits and other enigmatic entities undoubtedly prowled its landscapes.
  
  
  
   And, of course, the omnipresent shadows of Baylan and Shin loomed large in her mind. Their intentions, their plans, remained shrouded in mystery. But one thing was abundantly clear to Sabine: If they remained on the planet, letting her guard down was not an option. It was a game of survival, and she was determined to come out on top.
  
  
  
  Shin, with her enigmatic presence and talent, posed a source of constant apprehension for Sabine. Each of their encounters, fraught with tension and unspoken words, left a myriad of unanswered questions swirling in Sabine's mind. While they had bid each other farewell, a sensation Sabine couldn't quite pinpoint lingered on, making her question whether their paths were truly destined never to cross again. The haunting allure of Shin's vivid blue eyes, which seemed to possess the uncanny ability to delve deep into Sabine"s very essence, refused to fade from memory.
  
  
  
  As the cold, crisp air enveloped Sabine, she took a sharp breath, feeling it sting her lungs with its icy touch. Memories of their last confrontation came flooding back. The mysterious energy that had intervened during their physical duel wasn"t a product of Sabine"s own capabilities. Instead, she was convinced it was some concealed technique Shin had employed, perhaps to gain an edge. It perplexed Sabine, this hidden layer to Shin that she hadn't fully understood. Despite her reluctance to admit it, part of her was intrigued, maybe even captivated, by the enigma that was Shin.
  
  
  
  But she quickly chided herself for such thoughts. How could there be anything remotely admirable about someone she considered a foe? Determinedly, Sabine took a moment to center herself, pushing aside these perplexing feelings and focusing on the present, trying to silence the disconcerting rhythm of her own heart.
  
  
  
  "Lost in thought?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's attention was abruptly snapped back to her surroundings as she heard the familiar voice. She turned to see Ahsoka drawing near with a playful yet concerned expression in her eyes. A momentary shock caused Sabine to react with a brief startle, her lips curving into a slightly sheepish smile.
  
  
  
  "Oh you know, just wondering if there"s a poncho shop around," she admitted, her tone light and teasing. "I need a new one."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips tugged into a knowing smirk, her gaze gentle yet piercing. "I'm well aware that today pushed us both to our limits," she responded, her voice tinged with warmth. "But, trust me, our current situation, as challenging as it might seem, is exactly where the fates intended for us to be."
  
  
  
  Rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, Sabine spread her arms, gesturing to their surroundings. "Oh, absolutely," she responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Exploring an alien planet with unpredictable dangers at every turn? Definitely on my bucket list."
  
  
  
   Ahsoka heaved a deep sigh, her gaze steady and contemplative. "Your wit aside," she began, pausing momentarily to ensure her point hit home, "our training remains of paramount importance. I have faith that an exit strategy from this place exists. As to its nature and timing, that's a mystery even to me."
  
  
  
  Sabine's playful demeanor shifted slightly, replaced by a furrowed brow that indicated her mounting frustration and confusion. She wet her lips, searching for the right words. "What"s that supposed to mean?" she pressed, her voice laced with suspicion.
  
  
  
  With a graceful lift of her shoulder in a half-shrug, Ahsoka remained enigmatic. "While I possess a deep well of intuition, definitive answers elude me. All I can say is that clarity tends to dawn when least expected."
  
  
  
  Sabine's reply was a skeptical hum. She bent down, assisting a Noti in positioning a pot over the steadily burning campfire. As she straightened up, she shot Ahsoka a sidelong glance, mischief evident in her eyes. "How abouuuut giving me a week off from training?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was swift and unequivocal. "No chance."
  
  
  
  "Ugh!"
  
  Notes:
  It won't be long until Shin and Sabine run into one another again next chapter. Thank you for reading it means a lot to me!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 5: Boulder and a Bush
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  The sun bore down on Sabine, its rays drenching her in sweat. Strands of her vibrant hair clung to her forehead, darkened and heavy with moisture. Each step she took felt like wading through molasses; her limbs protesting in fatigue from the day's strenuous activities. A month had come and gone, but every day was a merciless repetition: hours of intense training under Ahsoka's watchful eye.
  
  
  
  Blinking the sweat from her eyes, Sabine paused for a breath, steadying herself. Her gaze fixed on the immense boulder a few feet away. Its shadow loomed mockingly, almost as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on her.
  
  
  
  After this, her tasks were no less daunting. Gathering firewood, fishing in the nearby pond, and scouring the tundra for the bitter fruits and sharp-tasting herbs that this alien world offered. At this weary moment, she mused, perhaps wrestling with the obstinate boulder was a welcome distraction.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka stood a distance away, an expression of both pride and expectation. She tilted her head slightly, arms folded across her chest in an authoritative stance. "Time is ticking, Sabine," she called out with a hint of challenge in her voice. "Whether you spend the next hour wrestling this boulder or merely a minute, your duties still await."
  
  
  
  Grumbling internally, Sabine gritted her teeth, her resolve steeled. The gentle rustling of the grass and the soothing breeze offered a fleeting respite, cooling her fiery skin. With a determined grunt, she summoned her energy and strength, pushing the boulder into its desired position. In her heart, she mused how aiding Ezra in his leap to the Chimera seemed like child's play compared to this seemingly insurmountable task with the unyielding rock. But with one final push, it moved into place. Yet, before she could celebrate, Ahsoka's hand rose, signaling the end of the session.
  
  
  
  Exhaustion swept over Sabine, causing her to stagger and collapse to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Each inhalation felt like a battle, her lungs straining for every ounce of oxygen.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, unyielding and stern, didn"t miss a beat while observing Sabine. "Once you"ve completed the chores," she said, emphasizing each word, "you will actually sit in meditation tonight."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled heavily, a sound of exasperation escaping her in a gust. Slowly shaking her head, she looked up at Ahsoka with a mixture of fatigue and confusion. "Why am I training so hard?" she queried. "It"s been quiet for weeks. No bandits. Nothing."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze was distant, lost in the undulating waves of the grassy plains. The setting sun painted a melancholic hue as the blades danced to the tune of the gentle breeze. "Exactly," Ahsoka responded with an air of gravity. "The stillness, the silence, it's unsettling. Weren"t you caught off guard by those bandits during your search for Ezra?"
  
  
  
  Hauling herself up with some effort, Sabine brushed off the dirt and debris clinging to her attire. She met Ahsoka's gaze defiantly. "I was," she admitted, her chin held high, "but I also held my ground and beat them."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka looked Sabine straight in the eyes, her expression serious. "Here, in this place, our aim isn"t just to beat our opponents," she began, emphasizing each word.
  
  
  
  Sabine arched an eyebrow, her fatigue evident but curiosity piqued. "Then what's the goal?"
  
  
  
  After a pause, Ahsoka replied with an intensity, "It's to demonstrate our prowess to such a degree that any potential adversary thinks twice. To make clear that challenging us would be more trouble than it"s worth."
  
  
  
  Sabine, brushing a stray hair from her sweaty forehead, pondered over Ahsoka's words. She took a moment, tasting the salty tang of her own perspiration. "Alright. Maybe that"s why they haven"t come by. The two of us? Why even bother trying."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded firmly. "Precisely. We're sending a silent message: Don't even think about it. But let's not grow complacent. Our ship," she added, her tone growing darker, "is a gem in the eyes of many. There's no doubt in my mind they'll be tempted to lay their hands on it eventually."
  
  
  
  Casting a weary eye at the ship nestled close to the Noti camp, a tug of agreement panged in Sabine"s heart. With a huff, she gave a little kick to a stray rock at her feet, her thoughts already turning to her task of gathering firewood for the evening. Her faithful howler, always eager for interaction, nudged her playfully. She responded with a gentle touch to its soft muzzle and the ticklish spot beneath its chin. As if understanding her need, the howler bounded away, returning triumphantly with a decent-sized, dried log held high like a prized trophy.
  
  
  
  Later, accompanied by a small band of Noti, Sabine found herself at the edge of a pond, sifting through the water in search of anything that might pass for food. The local fauna and flora of this climate were far from gourmet, but they were sustenance. As she squished through the wet mud, she daydreamed of possibly finding a more favorable locale to the south. But that was a dream for another day. For now, Ahsoka had deemed it necessary to stay grounded.
  
  
  
  The coolness of the pond was a welcome relief against her aching muscles. Every movement reminded her of the day's exertions, the weight of her damp clothes clinging to her form. Nevertheless, with some effort, she managed to snag a handful of crustaceans and other pond treats, much to the enthusiastic cheers of the Noti. Amid the laughter and banter, Sabine"s thoughts drifted to the prospect of a warm, soothing bath later.
  
  
  
  But that reverie was short-lived. A sudden rustling from a distant thicket had her on high alert. Setting her gathered bucket down, she studied the distant treeline, the gentle sway of grass not aligning with the calm breeze. Her instincts sharpened, and she discreetly readied her blaster.
  
  
  
  "Get the food back to camp," she commanded in a hushed, urgent tone, her eyes still fixed on the suspect movement. The Noti, sensing the gravity of her voice, hastened to obey, leaving Sabine alone to confront whatever - or whoever - lurked nearby.
  
  
  
  With a sharp, commanding whistle, Sabine summoned her trusty howler. It trotted to her side, a certain playfulness in its demeanor. The creature's big eyes blinked at her, and for a moment, there seemed to be a conversation taking place between the two-a silent understanding.
  
  
  
  "Don't even think about leaving me behind, Tota," she warned the creature playfully, yet with a hint of seriousness in her tone. The howler responded with a soft whine, its body language exuding an understanding of the situation's gravity. Her thoughts drifted to her precious lothcat, Murley. Hopefully Jai and Ryder were keeping an eye on her pet. "Something"s over there," Sabine added, pointing to the dense brush up ahead.
  
  
  
  She expertly mounted the howler, her every movement indicative of their long-standing partnership. Drawing on her senses, Sabine strained to perceive what lay beyond her immediate vision as she maneuvered around the pond. The warm, golden hue of the sun began to fade, giving way to cool shadows that made the landscape ominous.
  
  
  
  The howler, understanding its rider's intent, approached the dense thicket with caution. Its tall stature allowed Sabine a vantage point, but the thorny undergrowth seemed impenetrable, hiding what was lurking within.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, a hauntingly familiar voice broke the silence. "A shame."
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart raced, her grip tightening on the howler's reins. She tried to pinpoint the voice's origin, her eyes darting in every direction. "Show yourself!" she commanded, her voice echoing off the surroundings.
  
  
  
  A taunting reply came, "Soon, all that you have will belong to me."
  
  
  
  Sabine's face contorted and her mouth twisted. She navigated her howler around the perimeter of the thicket, trying to get a better look. "Brave words," she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That won"t happen without your Master." Even though her vision was partially obscured, her instincts painted a clear picture of who was hidden in the undergrowth.
  
  
  
  The voice, full of malice, responded, "Your little group of survivors should comply."
  
  
  
  With a roll of her eyes, Sabine shot back, her voice filled with defiance, "You've never been one to skulk in the shadows. Why start now? Step out and face me."
  
  
  
  The underbrush rustled, drawing Sabine's attention. Out from the twisted mesh of thorns and branches emerged the familiar figure of Shin Hati. She looked every bit the rugged traveler-her attire was frayed and weathered, her platinum hair in a state of wild disarray, and blotches of grime smeared her skin. Yet, despite her weary appearance, the glint of a lightsaber still hung from her side, and her eyes radiated with the same intensity Sabine remembered.
  
  
  
  "Seems your band of misfits couldn't make it back in time," Shin remarked, a hint of mockery in her tone and a tilt to her head.
  
  
  
  Sabine, ever quick-witted, narrowed her eyes. She attempted to reach out with her senses, probing the vicinity for any sign of Baylan. But it was as if the world had gone silent. Shin was here alone. In a twisted way, it made sense; Thrawn was notorious for discarding mercenaries who outlived their usefulness. Align yourself with the dregs of society, and you're bound to be treated as one.
  
  
  
  "Looks like you're in the same boat," Sabine shot back, her tone cool. "All alone, huh?"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes gleamed. "Hardly," she retorted. She struggled to keep her emotions in check, wary of betraying the secrets of her weeks-long mission. She had been busy-scouring terrains, observing, gathering information.
  
  
  
  Sabine, riding atop her howler and feeling a sense of elevation, decided to push her advantage. "Where"s your Master?" she inquired with false sweetness.
  
  
  
  A fleeting smirk crossed Shin's face. "On a quest for the unknown," she replied cryptically before shooting back, "No Bridger?"
  
  
  
  Leaning forward slightly, Sabine's tone became more pointed. She didn"t want Shin to know Ezra wasn"t with them. "Stay away from our camp. You don"t bother us, we won"t bother you."
  
  
  
  With a deliberate motion, Shin clasped her hands behind her back, fingers pressing tightly into her palms. She gazed up at Sabine, and for a brief moment, the sun chose to peer from behind the clouds, illuminating her face with a soft golden hue. Shin pointedly turned away.
  
  
  
  There was a poignant stillness, one that made Sabine take in the fine details of Shin's face-the sharpness of her jawline, the resolve in her eyes. Sabine could feel her grip on the reins of her howler tighten, a subconscious response to the tension in the air. So, she turned away as well.
  
  
  
  Breaking the moment, Shin's voice pierced the silence, her tone contemplative. "To the south of here, there are ruins, or so I"ve heard," she began, her gaze somewhere distant. "It"s overrun by treacherous creatures."
  
  
  
  Sabine frowned, her patience thinning. "What's that got to do with anything?" she retorted, resisting the urge to fully meet Shin"s gaze.
  
  
  
  Shin turned back, a hint of challenge glinting in her eyes. "These creatures, while dangerous, are guarding a wealth of resources. And to access it, I need your equipment. And more importantly, your ship."
  
  
  
  A bark of incredulous laughter escaped Sabine's lips. The whole situation felt surreal. Was this some sort of elaborate joke? Would Ezra suddenly leap from the underbrush, laughing, with Thrawn following with a recorder in hand? Her eyes darted around the clearing, half-expecting this very scenario to play out. But when she met Shin's gaze once more, the reality of the situation bore down on her. Shin's icy blue eyes, unflinching and serious, left no room for doubt. She meant every word.
  
  
  
  "No," Sabine declared firmly, her voice edged with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Go back to whatever hole you"ve made here for yourself."
  
  
  
  Shin considered her for a moment, head slightly tilted in contemplation. "Very well," she said, her tone deceptively calm. "I'll give you three rotations to rethink. By then, I"m sure your Master will have a clearer perspective on the matter."
  
  
  
  The mention of her Master made Sabine"s back straighten, her fingers clutching the reins in her grasp. A gust of wind blew, carrying with it the cool touch of the coming night, rustling Sabine"s hair and garments. "This is a sick joke," she said. "Us being here."
  
  
  
  Shin let out a small, humorless chuckle. "Agreed," she began, eyes narrowing slightly, "this expansive planet feels suffocating with you on it. It's as if you drain the life out of everything around you."
  
  
  
  "Says the person who choked me," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Ignoring the barbed comment, Shin shot Sabine a smirk, her gaze holding a promise and a challenge. With measured steps, she moved past the howler, her silhouette casting a long shadow in the evening light. Over her shoulder, she called, "Three rotations."
  
  
  
  Sabine's grip on the reins tightened momentarily, her mind awash with memories, suspicions, and calculations. The howler beneath her seemed to sense her tension, its muscles twitching slightly beneath her. The creature's rhythmic breathing felt soothing, grounding Sabine in the present moment even as her thoughts spiraled.
  
  
  
  What game was Shin playing? Their history was complicated, a web of rivalry and twisted allegiances. It was infuriating how Shin always managed to keep her off balance, her words cloaked in veiled threats and cryptic messages. And this planet, with its vast landscapes and unfamiliar terrains, only heightened the sense of unpredictability.
  
  
  
  Why did Shin choose now to emerge, when Sabine was already grappling with a thousand other responsibilities? The weight of their history pressed on her heart, memories of duels lost and won, of moments of connection that were then violently severed. And now, Sabine was once again caught in Shin's line of fire.
  
  
  
  She recalled the way Shin's eyes barely met hers during their exchange, that dismissive arrogance. It was a tactic, Sabine knew, meant to unnerve her. If only those icy eyes would soften slightly then maybe... No that would never happen.
  
  
  
  A low groan from her howler shook Sabine from her reverie. She gave the creature a gentle pat, pulling herself back to the present. Three rotations. That wasn't much time to prepare for whatever Shin had in store. With a resolute nod to herself, she decided her next course of action: she'd head back to the camp and brief Ahsoka on the recent developments. They needed a strategy, and they needed it fast.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Thank you for reading!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 6: Not Protocol
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Once Shin had moved to a distance where she felt confident of being beyond Sabine's field of vision, she faltered, bending over slightly to catch her breath. The day was filled with revelations. She had stumbled upon the Noti - who Sabine seemed to have permanently joined during her unplanned stay. But what truly caught Shin's attention was the ship that was still usable.
  
  
  
  And though she tried not to think of it, in a tranquil pond, was Sabine, appearing... tired, fallible, and almost hilariously out of her element while fishing.
  
  
  
  From her concealed vantage point amidst the dense foliage, Shin had watched in stunned disbelief. Likely for too long. Sabine Wren was clumsily splashing in the water, her confidence momentarily displaced. When Sabine took an unintentional dive into the pond, the laughter of the Noti was joined by her own - a sound of genuine amusement and vulnerability. It was a sight Shin hadn't anticipated, and it both amused and bewildered her.
  
  
  
  Shin chalked her observations up to understanding her enemy further.
  
  
  
  This was Sabine Wren, seemingly powerless, devoid of the Force, stranded on this backwater planet, and yet, as the moment revealed, she was still so authentically herself.
  
  
  
  And no Ezra Bridger in sight. Shin would"ve noticed him by now and the lack of his presence had her shoulders lifting and body relaxing. One less opponent to worry herself over. One less person to take up Sabine"s time...
  
  
  
  Rummaging through her supplies, Shin extracted a canteen filled with water. She swiftly uncapped it and took a long, refreshing gulp, trying to process the incongruity of the scene she just witnessed. She swiped away the stray droplets that clung to her lips. Even with the reprieve, an ingrained sense of caution had her glancing over her shoulder, ensuring that Sabine wasn't lurking nearby.
  
  
  
  The familiar hum of the Force around her and sensing no immediate threats, Shin released a slow, contemplative exhale. With measured steps, she began her trek back to her encampment, her thoughts a chaotic whirl of the day's unexpected turns.
  
  
  
  The days Shin spent embedded with the bandits were monotonous. However, there was a silver lining: they heeded her words, treating her with a deference that was a blend of respect and fear. Despite the linguistic challenges they faced, Shin managed to gather precious insights about the planet she now found herself on. The most interesting of these tidbits was the existence of an ancient, abandoned town to the far south-a place blessed by warm sunshine and balmy breezes.
  
  
  
  Yet, as with all things that seemed too good to be true, the town had its dangers, according to the bandits. Ferocious predators roamed its peripheries, deterring all but the most fearless from venturing close. But for Shin, such threats were inconsequential. With the right ship, a handpicked cadre of fighters, and her skills, she could raid the town and stockpile supplies that would last them months. As she weighed her options, the allure of relocating to a more verdant and comfortable region became increasingly attractive. A place where life wasn't just about surviving, but where she could relish the sweetness of a freshly plucked fruit or the thrill of hunting wild game-little joys that would make this imposed exile bearable.
  
  
  
  Thoughts of the past often wandered into her present, casting a bittersweet pallor over her new existence. With Baylan, every day had been an adventure-its unpredictability both exhilarating and taxing. The rewards, however, were generous. Luxurious getaways to Niamos, where they'd laze on sun-kissed beaches, or idyllic sojourns to Naboo's tranquil lake country. Those memories were like cherished gems in her mind's treasure chest. But that life also had its challenges. The nature of their work meant they were constantly on the move. Settling down, forging friendships, or even revealing her true identity was perilous, lest she draw unwanted attention or threats. Such was the paradox of her life: moments of breathtaking beauty juxtaposed with the constant shadows of danger.
  
  
  
  All that didn"t matter anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  "This is not standard Jedi protocol," Huyang exclaimed from within the confines of the T-6 shuttle.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment to process Sabine's recent account, Ahsoka stretched back against the ship's cushioned seating. "This place doesn't adhere to Jedi protocols," she responded, eyes locking onto Sabine's. "Was Shin alone?"
  
  
  
  With a nod, Sabine answered, "I think she was spying." Absentmindedly, her fingers drummed on the table, her gaze settling on an ancient cup she had previously failed to move using the Force. The temptation to test her newly developed prowess and crush it was palpable.
  
  
  
  Huyang's robotic eyes seemed to glow brighter in surprise. "Spying?" he echoed. "To steal our ship from under our noses... under your noses..."
  
  
  
  Waving away the concern with a dismissive gesture, Ahsoka countered, "Even if she wanted to, she's not equipped to do it on her own, not without Baylan by her side. Especially considering her current state."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated for a brief moment before revealing, "She has no idea I can use the Force. Her eyes glinted with determination. "A secret I won"t give up until absolutely necessary."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips curled into an approving smile. "Strategic," she praised.
  
  
  
  Huyang, his mechanical hands gesturing for emphasis, interjected with a pointed reminder, "Isn"t this the same Dark Jedi who grievously wounded you, Lady Wren?" He continued, his tone laced with suspicion, "By all indications, she's laying the groundwork for a trap in a mere three rotations."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka sighed and shook her head in disagreement. "She wasn't acting on her own volition. That girl was merely a pawn, executing commands without question..."
  
  
  
  Huyang cut her off, his voice rising with incredulity, "And you think that justifies her actions?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's hands pressed firmly against the table, the chill of its surface momentarily distracting her from the haunting memory of a lightsaber's scorching blade. Drawing a deep breath, she met Ahsoka's eyes, "Ahsoka," she began. "Back when Thrawn pulled his forces back you said you could help her. What"d you see?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, her gaze distant as if staring through the fabric of time itself, responded, "A maelstrom of emotions: disarray, inner battles, a tumultuous spirit... yet within all that chaos, I sensed a faint glimmer of righteousness."
  
  
  
  Sabine, her brows knitted, pressed on, "And is it enough to meet? What if she manages to take what we have?"
  
  
  
  Huyang, never one to miss an opportunity to voice his opinion, chimed in, "A most pertinent query, indeed!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyes roved the confines of the training chamber. Just a few steps away were the specialized tools necessary for crafting a lightsaber. The room was also home to essential gear, their vital fuel reserves, and the array of personal items that Sabine often rhapsodized about during their quieter moments together. Something about purple eye shadow and its importance.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka leaned forward, her gaze fixed intently on Sabine. "Share your thoughts, Sabine. You've clashed with Shin on more than one occasion. I sense there's an undeniable fascination she has towards you. What do you perceive?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's posture tensed noticeably, and she paused, swallowing hard. Her mind raced, trying to deflect from the myriad of memories that threatened to surface. Could Ahsoka detect the undercurrents of their past encounters? An unbidden blush rose to her cheeks, and she grappled to find her voice amidst the whirl of emotions.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Ahsoka prodded gently, her voice carrying a hint of concern.
  
  
  
  Summoning her resolve, Sabine responded, her words rapid, "She"s impatient, reckless...Ambitious but immature."
  
  
  
  Huyang, observing the exchange, remarked with a wry expression, "A description that rings somewhat familiar, wouldn't you say?"
  
  
  
  "Hah!" Sabine choked out as the image of intense blue eyes crossed her mind. "At least I have a sense of humor."
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Ahsoka cut in. "I"ll attend this meeting by the pond."
  
  
  
  Both Sabine and Huyang exclaimed in unison, "What?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's expression remained serene, her confidence evident. "Am I not the one who sent her flying the other day?" she asked. "Not a saber in hand."
  
  
  
  Sabine muttered something under her breath, her fingers drumming against the table.
  
  
  
  "Let"s see what else she has to say," Ahsoka concluded. "This place she speaks of interests me."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Only one rotation was left until Shin would return to the Noti camp. One more day until she'd see Sabine again... But today she was scoping out a supply crate in the distance that a small band of rival bandits were trying to lay claim to. Word of her presence with the Red armored bandits was spreading across the area so she was surprised that the group would dare attempt to take what belonged to her.
  
  
  
  Examining the situation atop her howler, she cast a sidelong glance at the leader of her tribe, who was now second to her. "How many supply crates did Thrawn leave behind?" she asked.
  
  
  
  The leader, named Kradosh, who was slowly but surely learning to communicate with Shin, pointed in a vast direction. "They"re scattered everywhere since their final departure," he replied. "Some are useless, but others have useful gear."
  
  
  
  The air invigorated Shin as she breathed in. "Let"s go take what"s ours," she stated, hand on her lightsaber hilt.
  
  
  
  The leader trotted around upon his howler and signaled to the warriors nearby. "Lethal or no?" he asked.
  
  
  
  Shin eyed the rival bandits in the distance. They must"ve been desperate if going after the crate. "We take the crate only," Shin answered. "Then they"ll have no choice but to join our group soon enough."
  
  
  
  The leader nodded. "Understood," he replied.
  
  
  
  Closing her eyes for a moment Shin replayed an image of Baylan in her mind. Impatience for victory will guarantee defeat. Over and over again it continued on repeat. The thorny coil in her stomach that wrapped around and around when Ahsoka defeated her with such ease was unforgettable. And the offer to join immediately after? Shin"s hands trembled as she rode forward on her grey howler.
  
  
  
  As they approached the rival bandits, the hum of Shin's lightsaber slicing through the air drew immediate attention. Its glow was alien to them; a technology far removed from their spear-wielding existence. The primitive bandits exchanged nervous glances, clearly disturbed by the shimmering blade. But a silent command from their leader steeled their resolve, and they took their positions, readying their spears.
  
  
  
  The tension in the air was heavy as Shin, flanked by her tribe's warriors, closed the distance. The rival bandits threw their spears with strength and precision, but they were no match for the blinding speed of a lightsaber. Shin gracefully deflected their projectiles, ensuring she didn't inflict lethal harm. Her movements were controlled and methodical, her primary focus being to secure the crate without taking a life.
  
  
  
  She dismounted her howler and approached with a hardened face on foot. It was almost too easy, and her body buzzed with a flush of electricity. Chest puffed out and chin raised high, she continued forward.
  
  
  
  The warriors from the Red tribe engaged the rival bandits, using their blasters and combat skills to disarm and immobilize them. The stark difference between the two groups was evident - while one had the advantage of advanced weaponry and tactical training, the other fought with raw passion and desperation.
  
  
  
  Shin's presence on the battlefield was mesmerizing. Using the Force, she disarmed bandits, sending their spears flying out of their grasp. At times, she'd use a mild Force push to knock them off balance or create a barrier around the supply crate.
  
  
  
  As the skirmish continued, the rivals' numbers dwindled, their initial bravado replaced by the realization that they were fighting a losing battle. However, Shin's merciful approach was evident. Not a single bandit lay fatally injured; instead, they were incapacitated or simply too afraid to continue.
  
  
  
  It didn't take long for the tide to turn in Shin's favor completely. With most of the bandits disarmed or retreating, only one figure remained defiant - their leader.
  
  
  
  He stood tall and imposing, spear in hand, eyes locked onto Shin. In a show of courage or perhaps desperation, he advanced, his every step echoing his determination. But Shin was ready. In one swift motion, she used the Force to pull the spear from his grasp, leaving him defenseless.
  
  
  
  The two stood mere feet apart, the hum of Shin's lightsaber the only sound between them. The bandit leader's eyes displayed a mixture of fear, defiance, and grudging respect. Neither spoke, but the message was clear: Shin was not to be trifled with.
  
  
  
  The standoff seemed to last an eternity, but eventually, Shin extinguished her lightsaber, breaking the tense silence. Without a word, she turned her attention to the supply crate, leaving the bandit leader to stew in his emotions, his gaze never leaving her retreating figure.
  
  
  
  "Go back to your camp," Shin said. "Consider joining us. We"d be stronger together."
  
  
  
  The rival leader huffed and stared down at Shin. He hung his head and glanced at the lost crate he was to return with.
  
  
  
  "Take half the supplies," Shin offered. "I"ll allow it."
  
  
  
  The bandit stood tall and nodded slowly.
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her wrist, and her group began their work. She would soon have a hold over a growing army. An army that would undertake her every whim. It would ensure that she kept busy, alive, and she could show Sabine Wren what she was capable of. Static? She recalled the Mandalorian"s words. Shin would become stronger and better than Sabine could ever be.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh," Shin called out with her chin raised.
  
  
  
  The bandit leader approached. "Yes?"
  
  
  
  "Good work today," Shin praised. "Tomorrow, I expect things will run smoothly."
  
  
  
  "They will."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Between classes and work, writing this fic is my favorite hobby rn haha. I'm ahead working on chapter 11 of this. Thank you again for the kudos, comments and giving my fic a read!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 7: Meetings
  Notes:
  Thank you all so much for your kudos and making time to comment I always look forward to it!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine positioned herself alongside Ahsoka at the edge of the tranquil pond. The day's ambiance was gentle, with only a faint touch of sunlight filtering through, providing a mild embrace of warmth. There were certainly days that boasted more favorably in terms of weather, but the trend indicated a gradual transition towards the comforting embrace of upcoming warmer months.
  
  
  
  Back at camp, Huyang stood on guard, attentively observing their surroundings. He had stationed himself, ensuring that their ship was primed and ready for an immediate departure should any unforeseen situation demand it. The Noti, in their own right, were well-prepared, having made arrangements to swiftly relocate using their specialized pods if the situation deemed it necessary. While nobody hoped for complications, it was an unwritten rule to be prepared for any possible turn of events.
  
  
  
  Sabine's heightened senses were evident in her posture. She meticulously ran her hands down her sides, ensuring the quick accessibility of her blasters. Standing with a determined posture, her fingers instinctively found the hilt of her lightsaber, while she made minor adjustments to her beskar armor for optimal mobility and protection. She took a moment, amidst her mental and physical preparations, to observe Ahsoka.
  
  
  
  The latter exuded an air of serene confidence, her face radiating calm assurance. This demeanor intrigued Sabine; since their arrival in Peridea, she noticed a subtle transformation in Ahsoka, her Master. It was an enigma, a shift in her aura that Sabine pondered upon but couldn"t quite decipher.
  
  
  
  The atmosphere tensed, as if the very essence of the world around them was reacting to an impending encounter. Sabine's keen eyes scanned the horizon, and within a heartbeat, she identified the emerging figures. Prominent among them was Shin, flanked by two members of the notorious Red bandits. They rode atop their fierce howlers, and even from this distance, the glint of their weapons was unmistakably visible.
  
  
  
  Drawing nearer, the trio made a calculated stop by the pond's edge. Without hesitation, Ahsoka voiced her knowledge of their intent. "I"ve been informed of your proposition," she remarked, her voice steady.
  
  
  
  Unable to contain her surge of emotions, Sabine cut in sharply. "What are you now?" she challenged. "Queen of the bandits?"
  
  
  
  Shin, unflustered by the barb, arched an eyebrow and gracefully descended from her howler. Meeting Sabine's fiery gaze with her own icy one, she retorted, "And what about you? Queen of the tiny crabs?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice held a razor's edge as she countered, "At least the Noti are peaceful. Unlike your brutal and violent ways."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, sensing the escalating tension, interjected with a firm rebuke, "Sabine."
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, Sabine suppressed the welling frustration within her. Her gaze, however, never left Shin. The arrogant curve of Shin's smirk was a glaring challenge, almost mocking in its confidence. Every fiber of Sabine's being itched to use the Force, a power she now wielded, to wipe that smirk off the Dark Jedi's face and establish her own dominance. But she knew better than to act impulsively and give up her secret.
  
  
  
  Shin, sensing the charged atmosphere, turned her attention to Ahsoka. "Beyond the tundra is a warmer place, abundant with succulent fruits, a diverse range of game, and valuable resources we could harness," she articulated, painting a vivid picture of the promise the land held.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, her eyes betraying nothing, responded, "And you seek our ship to get there?"
  
  
  
  Maintaining a calculated distance from both Ahsoka and Sabine, Shin nodded. "With your ship, we'd get there swiftly. In gratitude, we'd offer you half of whatever we reap," she promised.
  
  
  
  A thoughtful expression passed over Ahsoka's face as she considered Shin's words. "And the beasts in that territory?"
  
  
  
  Stepping forward from Shin"s side, Kradosh cleared his throat before nodding in confirmation. "Indeed. The last reconnaissance of that land speaks of fierce predators that have claimed it," he shared, his voice carrying an undertone of caution.
  
  
  
  With a contemplative expression, Sabine paused for a moment, running her fingertips along her chin. Her observant eyes darted between Shin and the slightly uneasy-looking bandit leader, Kradosh. "Exactly how long ago was this recon mission?" she probed, her tone dripping with skepticism.
  
  
  
  Kradosh shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. "Several years ago," he reluctantly confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed softly under her breath, shaking her head. "What a joke," she remarked with a hint of derision.
  
  
  
  As Sabine's skepticism hung in the air, Ahsoka began pacing, her steps deliberate and her face a mask of contemplation. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest, she finally broke her silence, "Given the uncertainty, perhaps it's wisest for all of us to explore the area together."
  
  
  
  Hearing Ahsoka's suggestion, Sabine's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. She stared at her mentor, searching for signs that this was some kind of strategy. "You can't be serious?" she exclaimed.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Ahsoka directed her attention to Kradosh, her gaze piercing. "Tell me, will our abilities serve as a match against these creatures?"
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, Kradosh gave a single, resolute nod. "Most definitely."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka then turned her attention to Shin, whose smirk had now been replaced with a more contemplative look. "And Shin? Your thoughts on this collaboration?"
  
  
  
  With a deliberate attempt to ignore Sabine's glare that was boring into her, Shin responded, her voice measured, "When it comes to facing unknown dangers, the combined strength of two Force users undoubtedly surpasses that of one." She paused, letting the weight of her statement sink in.
  
  
  
  Tension tightened the muscles in Sabine's hands as she clenched them into fists, wrestling with the surge of emotions threatening to bubble up. Though every fiber of her being screamed in opposition to Ahsoka's proposal, deep down, she knew she had to lean on her unwavering faith in her Master. Perhaps there was wisdom in keeping potential foes like Shin and her band of bandits closer. After all, having them within sight might be safer than letting them concoct plots shrouded in shadows. Moreover, aligning with the locals, even temporarily, could provide invaluable insights into the lay of the land and its hidden secrets.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, declared, her voice firm and resolute, "We convene at the ship at dawn tomorrow. But let's get one thing straight: should any treachery ensue, rest assured it won't be Sabine and me who bear the brunt of the consequences."
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips curved into a smirk, directed squarely at Shin. She couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrast between Shin's former glory and her current state. Once mentored and favored, now forsaken by her Master and Thrawn alike. To see her leading this ragtag group of bandits was a testament to how far she had fallen. It was almost pitiable to realize that this was the zenith of Shin's current potential.
  
  
  
  The frigid blue of Shin's gaze locked onto Sabine's, and a sudden tension crackled in the space between them. It was as if an unseen current of energy, electric and alive, surged, connecting them in a web of heightened emotions. The intensity of their connection was so potent that even Ahsoka, seasoned as she was, found herself caught off-guard, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to discern the nature of the exchange.
  
  
  
  Taking an instinctive step back, Shin's eyes darted from side to side, suggesting a touch of unease or perhaps an anticipation of some impending event. With an attempt at casualness that didn't quite mask her caution, she announced, "I'm confident this will be to the benefit of all parties involved."
  
  
  
  Sabine, though trying to appear nonchalant, couldn't suppress a derisive snort, her earlier moment of vulnerability retreating as quickly as it had come. It struck her that the fleeting clash may have been a result of her burgeoning Force powers teetering on the brink of their boundaries, especially given the charged atmosphere. When Shin and her band gradually blended into the horizon, vanishing from sight, Sabine turned her intense gaze to Ahsoka, her expression a mix of confusion and frustration.
  
  
  
  Sabine's incredulity was evident, her voice heavy with skepticism. "Are you serious?" she demanded, incredulously. "Are we really partnering with them?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips curved into a gentle, knowing smile as she continued gazing at the horizon. "Reflect on today, Sabine," she prodded gently. "What conclusions can you draw from our interactions?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, animated in her confusion, waved her hands about. "That we're going to get ship-jacked, maybe?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was firm yet patient. "Look deeper. Go beyond the surface of the situation."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, tugging at her short hair in a mixture of exasperation and contemplation. "Alright," she conceded, "this is another one of your lessons, isn't it?" Taking a deep breath, she tried to piece together the day's events. "From our encounters, we've learned that Shin has taken command of the Red-armored bandits. We also know she's navigating this new leadership without Baylan by her side, suggesting some sort of rift or estrangement. Her need to maintain control and establish her credibility with the bandits is clear..."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's grin widened, revealing a hint of amusement. "Precisely. By aligning our interests with Shin's, we're not only securing our position but also ensuring the Noti"s safety. Sometimes, the key isn't in facing an enemy head-on, but in turning potential enemies into allies."
  
  
  
  Sabine took a deep breath, absorbing Ahsoka"s words. She gazed at the ground for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "So, it's a strategy then. Building bridges, not barriers."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded appreciatively. "It's the bigger picture, Sabine. The larger play. You understand tactics on the battlefield, but life"s larger game requires more delicate, intricate moves."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed deeply, her fingers tracing her jawline. "Yeah, I get it. Diplomacy and all that. It's just... difficult." She paused, a smirk playing on her lips. "But I'm leaving it to you to break the news to Huyang. I"m not about to face his million questions and possible lectures."
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  
  
  Shin stood poised, hands clasped behind her, studying the array of bokken swords displayed on the wall. She marveled at the ship's ingenuity - managing to accommodate an entire training room complete with seating. Her gaze drifted, assessing each equipment piece, lingering momentarily on the helmets with a hint of disdain. Childsplay.
  
  
  
  A discreet glance over her shoulder revealed Sabine, nestled comfortably in the seating area, her eyes fixed intently on Shin. Suppressing a smile, Shin voiced her thoughts. "Wooden swords?"
  
  
  
  Holding a cup firmly in hand, Sabine's focus remained unyielding. The bandits onboard were of no concern to her; they were merely adjusting to the sensation of flight. Shin, however, was a wild card, scrutinizing every corner of the ship. Every corner, that is, except Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a hint of nonchalance, "For training, you know."
  
  
  
  Shin's tone was measured, every word carrying weight. "I have only ever trained with a saber."
  
  
  
  Sabine's jaw tightened, her gaze fixated on the curve of Shin's back. Why had she thought this would be a good idea? The bandits might be clueless about their exact destination, but Ahsoka remained unwavering in her belief that they'd find their objective. Huyang, though vocally critical of the mission, dutifully manned the ship's controls.
  
  
  
  "Sounds risky," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with gravitas, "Necessary."
  
  
  
  Sabine tapped a rhythmic beat on the table, her voice carrying a casual warning. "Don"t touch anything, alright?"
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her hand nonchalantly. "I"d dare not cross your Master," she remarked, her gaze fixed on something distant. "She"s a force to reckon with. However, you? You don't dictate my actions. Not now, not ever."
  
  
  
  Sabine could feel the tension knotting her shoulders. She stood up abruptly, wishing more than anything for a gulp of fresh air. The ship's confines felt all the more constricting with Shin's overwhelming presence, even if they"d been onboard for just a little over an hour.
  
  
  
  "Oh that constant need to feel like you"re in control of everything," Sabine retorted, her voice dripping with ice. "I can see right through you. But don"t worry I won"t tell your bandit pals."
  
  
  
  With a swift pivot, Shin faced Sabine directly, her hands concealed behind her, eyes narrowing dangerously. "So, Bridger made it back and left you here?" Her words sounded more like a statement than a question.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment, Sabine let a slow smirk creep onto her lips. "It was my choice to stay," she said, a hint of pride evident in her tone. "And my Master chose me."
  
  
  
  Shin, her feet rooted to the spot, drew a long breath, her fingers tightly interlaced behind her. "Is there something you"d like to say?" she asked, her voice measured but clearly intrigued.
  
  
  
  Sabine, relaxing a bit, let out a chuckle. "You"re not going to pry into my mind?"
  
  
  
  Lifting her head with a touch of arrogance, Shin responded, "I wouldn"t waste my efforts on that. Besides, I need to save my energy for what's ahead on our mission."
  
  
  
  "Always so formal," Sabine shot back. Her mouth opened once more but then closed.
  
  
  
  Shin narrowed her eyes. "Are you going to call me an idiot, again?"
  
  
  
  "Are you going to supposedly take everything that belongs to me?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s hand landed on her saber hilt. "It"d be easy," she spat.
  
  
  
  Sabine pushed herself up from the seat, her eyes locked onto Shin's. The thoughts racing through her mind were of the swift moves she could make, the blows she could land before Ahsoka intervened. The glint in Shin"s eyes suggested she was all too aware of what Sabine was considering.
  
  
  
  However, just as the tension between them was reaching its peak, the cockpit door slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing Ahsoka.
  
  
  
  "We're about to land," Ahsoka announced, her voice ensuring she was heard over the undercurrents of the room. Her gaze shifted to Sabine, a silent warning in her eyes. With a resigned sigh, Sabine sank back into her seat. "Prepare yourselves," Ahsoka added.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Tensionnnn!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 8: The Dome of Death
  Notes:
  Thank you all so much for continuing to read, comment and kudo this story. This chapter is longer and a lot happens so I do hope you like it.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine gracefully descended from the loading ramp, her boots gently sinking into the soft, powdery embrace of pristine white sand. The surrounding air, thick with humidity, enveloped her in a warm caress, prompting beads of sweat to form on her forehead. Taking a moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the tangy, salty scent of the coastal air, tinged with the sweet aroma of blooming tropical flowers.
  
  
  
  As she reopened her eyes, the blinding brilliance of the overhead sun momentarily overwhelmed her senses. Its golden rays shimmered, casting dancing reflections on the water and making the leaves of nearby palm trees glisten. Shielding her gaze with a hand, Sabine waited for her pupils to adjust to the dramatic change in luminance.
  
  
  
  When clarity finally returned to her vision, the breathtaking panorama before her elicited an involuntary gasp. Stretching endlessly before her was a vast expanse of crystal-clear water that mirrored the azure sky above, its tranquility occasionally interrupted by playful waves caressing the shoreline. Bordering the beach was a vibrant expanse of lush greenery - a dense tropical jungle with a verdant canopy, beneath which lay a world of mystery and wonder. Vibrant flowers peeked out from between thick leaves, their petals a riot of colors, while the distant calls of exotic birds provided a melodic backdrop.
  
  
  
  This paradisiacal setting was a stark contrast to the icy tundra landscapes the Noti people had chosen as their base. A smile graced Sabine"s lips as she briefly lost herself in the scenic beauty. Snapping out of her reverie, she glanced over at Shin, noting how the latter was struggling with the intense sunlight. With her eyes almost shut and her hand serving as an improvised visor, Shin appeared as if she was battling the sun"s rays.
  
  
  
  From a distance, Kradosh's voice broke the serene moment. Holding his ornate spear aloft, catching the sun's reflection on its intricate metalwork, he signaled for their attention. "The destination lies deeper within," he announced with authority, nodding towards the impenetrable depths of the jungle. "A few clicks in, that"s where we need to be."
  
  
  
  With a fluid motion, Ahsoka shrugged off her poncho, revealing her battle-ready attire beneath. The fabric floated momentarily, capturing the tropical breeze, before landing into the waiting hands of Huyang. Her voice, authoritative yet tinged with a hint of curiosity, cut through the ambient noise. "Huyang, I need a comprehensive scan of this area," she commanded. "Assess everything - the water's composition, the air quality, and whatever lurks in the depths of this jungle. And most importantly, relay any significant findings back to us via comms immediately."
  
  
  
  As the directive was given, the group, animated by a shared purpose, began their expedition. The soft, warm sand crunched gently underfoot, each step taking them closer to the foreboding expanse of the jungle. Sabine, her spirit seemingly invigorated by the surroundings, paused momentarily to close her eyes and let the sun's radiant embrace kiss her face. The sensation transported her - even if briefly - to a simpler time. Drawing in a deep, heartfelt breath, she was engulfed by memories of her home planet. A fleeting moment, a mere heartbeat, and she was back in her childhood, wandering familiar landscapes under peaceful skies, untouched by the shadows of subsequent wars.
  
  
  
  Sabine crouched, curiously inspecting the myriad fruits scattered across the jungle floor, her fingers brushing against their textured surfaces. "This place doesn"t look like it"s teeming with predators," she remarked with a hint of skepticism.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with a vigilant gaze that continuously scanned the surroundings, replied with a hint of mystery, "Looks can be deceiving."
  
  
  
  As Sabine reached out to claim one of the colorful fruits, Kradosh swiftly intervened, smacking it from her grasp with a quick, decisive move. "Never take what's lying on the ground," he cautioned, his voice tinged with genuine concern.
  
  
  
  Startled, Sabine shot him a reproachful look. "Hey!" She barked, eying the discarded fruit with a mix of confusion and longing. "Why?"
  
  
  
  Without uttering a word, Kradosh adeptly used his spear to snare a few fruits from an overhead branch. Distributing them among the group, he cryptically responded, "Ground fruits are often tainted with... well, poopoodoodoo."
  
  
  
  Shuddering slightly, Sabine replied with a wry smile, "Noted." Without hesitation, she sank her teeth into the fruit Kradosh offered. An explosion of flavors - tart, citrusy, with an undercurrent of rich sweetness - danced on her palate. "Ahsoka, you have to try this," she exclaimed, words muffled by her enthusiastic chewing.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka gracefully bit into her fruit, savoring its taste for a moment before responding with a teasing smirk, "Keep your focus. You are a Commander after all."
  
  
  
  Sabine momentarily tensed. The silence was broken by her sudden laughter, which rang out nervously amidst the stillness. Rivulets of fruit juice streaked down her chin as she struggled to regain her composure. "I"m not into titles," she quipped, sucking on the remnants of her sweet find, trying to mask her discomfort.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, sensing the need to regain focus, gestured towards the heart of the jungle with a decisive motion. "Our path lies ahead," he declared with unwavering confidence.
  
  
  
  As the team ventured deeper, the canopy overhead seemed to close in, making the atmosphere dense, humid, and warmer. Chirps, tweets, and rustling emanated from the unseen creatures above and around them, painting a soundscape of a land untamed. While the inherent dangers of the jungle had yet to manifest themselves in the form of predatory threats, the sticky heat and rugged landscape were proving to be formidable adversaries in their own right.
  
  
  
  Shin moved with a cat-like grace, her eyes darting back and forth, ever alert to potential dangers. With every step, she maintained a keen sense of her surroundings, a saber ready to tackle any unexpected obstacles. Parting a particularly dense growth that blocked their path, she posed a question, her voice edged with curiosity and a hint of skepticism, "You mentioned formidable beasts, Kradosh. So where are these predators you warned us about?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh's furrowed brow revealed the depth of his concern. "Something is amiss" he mused, recalling tales of menacing creatures that once dominated these lands, striking fear into the hearts of any trespassers.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's fingers danced over her comm device, attempting to establish a clearer connection. "Huyang," she voiced with urgency, "we need more detailed intel."
  
  
  
  Huyang's voice came through, albeit interspersed with static. "Based on my scans, the local species are primarily herbivores or scavengers. They're passive by nature. Surprisingly, the biological makeup of these beings has parallels to creatures from our own galaxy, though they're clearly unique to this environment."
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a characteristic enthusiasm. "Well, that's good news, right? We can gather what we need without worry and wrap this up."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka raised her hand. "That"s exactly what I"m worried about," she replied.
  
  
  
  The familiar static from their communication device cut through their conversation. "Detecting a potent energy signature southward," Huyang's voice crackled. "It appears to be in the configuration of a dome."
  
  
  
  With an alertness borne from her training, Shin led the way, her senses heightened. The dense vegetation gradually gave way, revealing a clearing bathed in an ethereal glow. At its center stood the majestic dome, shimmering with hues of green and yellow. Three ancient-looking pillars stood nearby, a beam of energy connecting them. The architecture was unlike anything they'd seen, suggesting origins far removed from the known galaxies.
  
  
  
  Drawing a sharp breath, Shin whispered, "Witchcraft."
  
  
  
  Kradosh picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it towards the gleaming dome. As the stone made contact, it vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of its existence. "Legends among my ancestors spoke of the Domes of Death," he began, a hint of awe in his voice. "It was thought to be a mere myth, a story to scare the young. To see it with my own eyes..." He trailed off, the gravity of their discovery sinking in.
  
  
  
  Murmurs arose among Kradosh's comrades as they tentatively neared the pillars. The aged stone, inscribed with symbols from an age long past, seemed to tell tales of power, promise, and peril. The group, despite their varied backgrounds, were bound together in that moment by a shared sense of wonder and uncertainty.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's brow creased in deep thought, her gaze never leaving the mesmerizing expanse of the dome. "So there must be items of importance inside?" she questioned, seeking clarity.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's eyes held a blend of sorrow and determination as he responded, "Indeed. Within that dome lies various relics, intertwined with the history of the Noti people, us and other groups. Treasures not just of material value but bearing the soul and essence of our past."
  
  
  
  Sabine, ever the artist and tactician, was already engrossed with the pillars. Their archaic symbols beckoned her - the Three Faces. Each face intricately detailed, they seemed to resonate with age-old secrets. With gentle but confident fingers, Sabine began manipulating the dials, ensuring she remained a safe distance from the pulsating beam. The atmosphere around her seemed to grow dense, charged with a mysterious energy. Each turn caused the air to ripple and shimmer, and the heat became intense. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, a testament to both the tropical climate and the gravity of her task.
  
  
  
  "Be cautious, Sabine!" Ahsoka called out, a protective edge to her voice. "We don't fully understand the mechanisms or the consequences."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, looking over her shoulder with a smirk, "When have I ever been one to play it safe?" She returned to the task, her fingers dancing deftly over the symbols, driven by intuition and a profound respect for the history they represented.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained unwavering, studying Sabine's movements intently. "What was the purpose of sealing away this place with magic?" she pondered aloud.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's eyes bore a haunted look, betraying old wounds and memories. "This land wasn't just any land; it was revered, sacred to our ancestors," he explained. "The Nightsister"s final assurance was to undo the seal when their objectives were met, or it would self-destruct if we tampered with it."
  
  
  
  Sabine, having tuned into the conversation even while deciphering the pillars, completed her final adjustment with a sense of triumph. Her eyes sparkled as she stepped back, "They lied to you," she remarked with a touch of bitterness. "They always lie."
  
  
  
  As the beam faded and the dome's luminescence ebbed away, it unveiled a landscape of ancient architecture - structures that once stood tall, now weathered and worn with the relentless march of time.
  
  
  
  A chorus of jubilation erupted from the bandits, their faces alight with a mixture of gratitude and hope. They converged around Sabine, offering hearty pats on her back and expressing their gratitude in their own language and gestures.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyes widened with approval as the remnants of the dome vanished. "Well done, Sabine," she commended, tossing a stone towards the newly revealed region to confirm the dome's complete dissolution. The rock settled into the ancient debris without any hindrance. Turning to Kradosh, she motioned forward, "Retrieve whatever is essential, and let's make haste."
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, flexing her arms with a playful vigor. "Just another day's work," she quipped, yawning extravagantly and stretching her limbs with an eye on Shin who merely went tight lipped.
  
  
  
  But the sense of accomplishment was abruptly disrupted. The ground beneath them pulsated in a rhythmic throb, shaking them off balance. Once, twice, and a third jolt stronger than the ones before. As the terrain seemed to convulse, the once docile creatures of the jungle scampered in a frantic migration towards the safety of the shoreline. Trees, caught in the tremors, swayed dangerously, their leaves rustling.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, the calm serenity of the comm system was replaced by a sharp burst of static, followed by the urgent voice of Huyang. "Be on guard!" he warned, the anxiety evident in his usually composed tone. "Two colossal entities are converging on your location. They"re unlike anything we've seen in this region!"
  
  
  
  Kradosh swiftly drew his blaster, and the bandits, sensing the impending threat, did the same, aligning in a defensive stance. "Voraxlyn beasts," he murmured, his brow furrowing with concern. "They should not be in these tropical zones."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled in exasperation, flipping her blasters from their holsters. "The mystery of the missing local predators just got solved," she remarked sardonically. "Looks like these Voraxlyn are the new apex predators here."
  
  
  
  Amidst the rising tension, Ahsoka's voice crackled urgently over the comm. "Huyang, any intel to give us an edge?" she implored.
  
  
  
  Through the static interference, Huyang's voice offered a semblance of a plan. "Initial scans suggest a vulnerability at the nape of their necks," he advised. "One is closing in from your left, the other from the right."
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Ahsoka delegated roles, her fingers indicating the direction for each team member. She pointed swiftly at Shin and Sabine, "You two tackle the one on the right," she directed. Then turning to Kradosh, she added, "You're partnering up with me. Let's move!"
  
  
  
  "Seriously?" Sabine exclaimed, her tone a mixture of disbelief and frustration.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze sharpened, focusing intently on Sabine as the ground trembled beneath their feet. "Now's not the time for questions!" she snapped.
  
  
  
  With a groan, Sabine rolled her eyes. But as she glanced to her right, she saw Shin already charging headlong towards the impending threat. The air was sliced by a deafening roar - primal, resonant, and chilling. Momentarily taken aback, Sabine shook off her hesitance and sprinted after Shin, determined not to let Shin steal the show.
  
  
  
  Beads of perspiration clung stubbornly to Sabine's forehead, each one threatening to cascade down with her every stride. As she traversed the unstable terrain, the majesty of the ancient buildings around her beckoned for her attention. They stood like silent sentinels, each possibly guarding its own cache of long-forgotten relics. But with the ground rumbling beneath her feet and the trees dancing in erratic movements, any fleeting desire to explore was immediately quashed.
  
  
  
  Ahead, Shin moved with a balletic grace, her orange saber casting a fiery glow, cutting through the dense foliage of the jungle. It seemed as though she was being propelled by an unseen force, driven towards the epicenter of the commotion that echoed through the trees.
  
  
  
  Sabine observed Shin's movements, reminiscent of their duel on Seatos. Navigating over logs and weaving between trees, Shin moved with unyielding purpose. Sabine, with renewed determination, resolved to keep pace, eager to showcase her skills not only to her Master but perhaps to Shin as well.
  
  
  
  Reaching up, Sabine brushed away the sweat that had collected on her brow. She deftly held up her blasters, contemplating their effectiveness against the imminent threat lurking just beyond her line of sight. As she took a moment to catch her ragged breath, she found herself right behind Shin. The latter stood poised, her gaze directed skyward, her saber humming in anticipation, ready to confront whatever challenges awaited them.
  
  
  
  Taking a brief moment, Sabine ran her tongue across her parched lips, tasting the salty remnants of her exertion. She craned her neck, following Shin's gaze upwards, peering through the intricate lattice formed by the treetops. As the dense foliage parted, the contours of their adversary became clear, casting an imposing silhouette against the sky. It bore an alarming array of razor-sharp teeth arranged in jagged layers, and its physique was a testament to raw power - with bulging arms and robust legs. To Sabine's growing horror, this monstrous entity dwarfed even the dreaded Rancors she had heard tales of.
  
  
  
  A cold rush of dread flowed through her veins, causing her breath to catch in her throat. The creature's roar, deafening and primal, bore into her very core, making the ground feel as though it trembled in shared terror. Involuntarily, Sabine took a stumbling step back, the roar resonating through the air, an auditory assault that seemed targeted directly at her and Shin.
  
  
  
  With a terrifying swiftness belying its size, the creature brought down its immense clawed hand, attempting to flatten its perceived threats. The ground shook with the impact, sending a spray of debris into the air. Reacting with practiced agility, both Sabine and Shin performed evasive rolls, narrowly avoiding becoming one with the forest floor.
  
  
  
  Shin, ever the aggressor, sprang into action, attempting to strike a blow with her saber. She aimed for a vulnerable spot, but her efforts were in vain. The creature's reflexes were astonishing, and a secondary mandible, thick and robust, swooped down, forcing her to abort her attack or risk being crushed.
  
  
  
  With instinctive urgency, Sabine unleashed a volley of blaster shots at the looming creature. Demonstrating her agility, she nimbly danced around obstacles, vaulting over fallen logs, and skillfully evading the crushing descent of the monster's fearsome claws, which relentlessly pounded the ground.
  
  
  
  During her evasive maneuvers, a brief yet intense moment of connection occurred as her eyes met Shin's. In that fleeting moment, Shin skillfully carved a gash into one of the beast's claws, triggering a furious outburst from the creature. Seizing this moment of distraction, Sabine, with focused resolve, aimed and sent a barrage of blaster bolts straight into the creature's gaping maw.
  
  
  
  Sabine's internal reasoning speculated that the creature, perhaps unfamiliar with adversaries of their caliber or never having encountered such weaponry before, underestimated the potency of her blasters. However, the beast was no simpleton. Adapting rapidly to the newfound threat, it adopted a more guarded posture. Protruding spikes emerged ominously from its back, and its already formidable hide took on a subtly different hue, hinting at an even tougher exterior.
  
  
  
  With agile precision, Sabine dodged the creature's advances, her blasters blazing continuously as she strategically retreated towards the remnants of the ancient town once shielded by the dome. Meanwhile, Shin found herself severely restricted, her saber rendered nearly useless against the beast's frenzied claw attacks. She was left to weave, dodge, and somersault amidst the decaying structures, narrowly escaping the creature's relentless onslaught.
  
  
  
  Despite Sabine's relentless barrage, frustration began to set in as the beast seemed impervious to her efforts. Each step she took backward brought her perilously closer to an unstable wall. Her eyes darted frantically, seeking out Shin, silently pleading for a coordinated strategy or a sign for their next move.
  
  
  
  But the space where Shin once stood was now empty, sending a chill of realization down Sabine's spine.
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, she holstered her blasters, raising her arms defensively. Could using her flamethrowers be the solution? But more urgently, where had Shin vanished to? Desperation crept in as her eyes darted desperately in search of her companion, the weight of abandonment heavy in her chest.
  
  
  
  A familiar void began to spread within her. While Sabine often preferred solitude, this was not one of those times. Memories of past betrayals clouded her mind: Ketsu Onyo leaving her to fend for herself, Ezra's departure from Lothal, the choices of her parents... Anguish and anger mixed, Sabine clenched her fist, turning fiercely towards the beast. A powerful energy surged within her, her determination igniting like a white-hot flame.
  
  
  
  The sting of Shin's sudden absence gnawed at Sabine's core. Without so much as a whisper, she was left to confront this towering menace on her own.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment, Sabine inhaled deeply, centering herself. She adjusted her flamethrower to its maximum setting, contemplating a fiery escape or potentially regrouping with Ahsoka. Either way, she was determined to leave a mark.
  
  
  
  As she readied herself to unleash a torrent of flames, a flicker of light above arrested her movement. Sabine's eyes widened, and she quickly turned, squinting slightly to the right, intrigued by the unexpected glow.
  
  
  
  There, above the chaos, was Shin. She clambered up an ancient pillar, dislodging bits of stone that tumbled down in her wake.
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart raced, her eyes widening in both relief and concern as she worked to keep the Voraxlyn's attention on her. The beast's maw gaped open, its razor-sharp teeth moving menacingly closer, threatening to engulf her entirely.
  
  
  
  Reaching the pillar's summit, Shin raised her saber high. Channeling the Force, she soared through the air in a powerful leap, her blade descending in a bright arc, clashing against the Voraxlyn's tough hide. The creature's pain-filled howl echoed as it lashed out, catching Shin in its grasp and hurling her to the ground. Sabine, driven by instinct and unexpected concern for her comrade, rushed to Shin's side.
  
  
  
  As the enormous head of the creature detached gruesomely from its body, a flurry of emotions raged within Sabine. Relief mingled with frustration at Shin's audacious move. It wasn"t just about surviving; there seemed to be an element of spectacle in the way Shin operated, an almost theatrical bravado. It was as absurd as when she dramatically hopped off the log on Seatos.
  
  
  
  With a heated glare, Sabine's gaze settled on Shin, who was now clutching her injured knee. Their eyes met in a silent clash of intensity, a tempest of fiery defiance and icy reproach, while the remnants of the beast shuddered beside them.
  
  
  
  "Sabine!" Shin's voice pierced the tense silence, her hand outstretched towards her. "It's going to crush us!"
  
  
  
  The weight of reality hit Sabine as the massive, razor-toothed head thudded to the ground, sending shockwaves through the terrain. The headless body, though lifeless, was still looming ominously above them, teetering dangerously and threatening to crash down on top of them. She quickly calculated the time and distance - there was no way to drag Shin out of harm's way in time.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Sabine contemplated darting to safety on her own. With Shin incapacitated, it would mean one less complication in her life. But as she glanced back, she saw Shin, despite her pain, desperately harnessing her Force abilities in an attempt to stall the colossal structure from collapsing onto them. The sheer determination in Shin's eyes stopped Sabine in her tracks.
  
  
  
  "I can't hold it," Shin murmured weakly, her voice trembling with exhaustion. "It's too much..."
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, Sabine met Shin's desperate eyes for a fleeting moment before turning her full attention to the monumental threat. Lifting her arms, she summoned every ounce of her strength and determination. Although newly Force-sensitive, her sheer willpower combined with the residual force exerted by Shin created a potent energy barrier.
  
  
  
  The behemoth's fall seemed to pause momentarily in mid-air, then, with an almost palpable force of resistance, it began to tilt in the opposite direction. Finally, with a deafening crash, the enormous creature's body toppled away from them, the impact sending tremors throughout the surrounding area and causing bits of the ancient ruins to crumble and fall.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a moment, her breathing regulated as she allowed herself the small satisfaction of their survival. The weight of the situation settled around her, evident in the smirk that danced across her lips. Yet, when she turned to face Shin, the latter's eyes were wide with shock, a mixture of fear and wonder evident in her gaze.
  
  
  
  "How did you...?" Shin began, her voice weak and raspy as she tried to push herself into a sitting position on the worn-out stones beneath them.
  
  
  
  Sabine responded without words. A swift motion, and the glow of her green saber illuminated the gap between them. The humming blade pointed dangerously close to Shin's midsection. Their eyes met, Sabine's filled with determination and mistrust, while Shin's were a whirlpool of emotions, uncertainty chief among them.
  
  
  
  "Shin Hati," Sabine voiced, her tone deliberate.
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw tightened, her gaze fixed on the menacing blade hovering precariously close to her abdomen. In a situation such as this, there wasn't time to relish the rich timbre with which Sabine said her name for the first time. The dense atmosphere, accompanied by the putrid odor of the slain creature, consumed them.
  
  
  
  "You could've let it fall on me," Shin retorted, her voice carrying an undertone of accusation.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze remained unwavering, her saber steady. "Not so nice being on this end, is it?" Her words dripped with contempt, every ounce of her willpower keeping the blade from plunging forward.
  
  
  
  "Don"t."
  
  
  
  Fear edged Shin's voice, and Sabine savored the tremor of vulnerability. "Can you imagine if I pushed inside of you?" she questioned, gripping the hilt tightly. "How it would feel? Because you'll never forget the burn."
  
  
  
  Shin swallowed, her throat bobbing visibly, her voice maintaining a calm veneer despite the threat. "I"d die here."
  
  
  
  Sabine's saber remained unwavering, poised for action. "You haven"t even said sorry to me about it," she declared, voice cold.
  
  
  
  Shin met her glare. "And why should I? I was following orders. My Master"s orders."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes flashed with anger. "And now you follow my Master"s orders," she hissed.
  
  
  
  A flicker of defiance crossed Shin's face as she tried to summon the Force, but Sabine edged the glowing green blade even closer. "You'll regret this," Shin cautioned. "Stand down."
  
  
  
  A challenging gleam danced in Sabine"s eyes. "Tell me how you know Mando"a," she commanded. "Or I"ll kill you."
  
  
  
  Shin's body stiffened, her body remaining rigid beneath the threatening heat of the saber. There was a long pause as fiery brown eyes battled with icy blue. "As a child, Baylan took me to Mandalore on business," she began.
  
  
  
  "And then?"
  
  
  
  "We visited Sundari," Shin added hesitantly.
  
  
  
  Sabine's anger was palpable, every word she spat edged with venom. "What else? You better not lie to me," she demanded, images of Shin Hati on her sacred homeland flashing through her mind.
  
  
  
  The blade's hum and heat neared, almost grazing Shin"s garments. "While there, I picked up some Mando"a," she admitted. "The Civic Center was bustling. I didn"t learn much, but enough."
  
  
  
  "That"s it?" Sabine's voice held a mix of skepticism and curiosity, the blade still perilously close to Shin. "I find that hard to believe."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flitted nervously, but she forced herself to speak. "There was a boy I recall," she started, her voice softer now. "He followed a specific Creed. I remember he wanted to kiss me, and he faced severe repercussions for removing his helmet."
  
  
  
  A look of surprise crossed Sabine"s face, and she studied Shin intently. The myriad traditions and rules of different Mandalorian sects weren"t common knowledge. "A boy?" she echoed, trying to understand.
  
  
  
  Shin grimaced, trying to distance herself from the humming blade. "Yes, a boy," she insisted. "I was merely a child, nothing happened."
  
  
  
  A wave of disbelief washed over Sabine. Some young Mandalorian boy had once dared to kiss Shin? The grip on her saber's hilt intensified to the point where it felt as though it might shatter in her hand.
  
  
  
  After a tense silence, she finally said, "You can limp back to the ship on your own." With a flick, she deactivated her saber. Shin lay there, clearly relieved, yet still in pain as she clutched her injured knee. There was a fleeting pang in Sabine"s chest, a mixture of empathy and annoyance, but she ignored it. Turning away from the scene, her stomach churned but she forged ahead, leaving Shin behind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Again thank you for reading, this one was super fun to write and intense! I'm ahead on chapter 16 of this so even with finals etc coming up I still have lots to post with this fic.
  
  Note: the mando boy didn"t kiss shin at all and she was not interested. He tried and got into shit. Just wanted to clarify.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 9: Beach
  Notes:
  Thanks so much for all the kudos and comments. It truly brightens my day! Hope you're all having a good spooky weekend if you celebrate.
  
  Shin and Sabine get to cool off literally and figuratively in this chapter and it's a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine's garments clung to her form, plastered there by a concoction of sweat and grime that also tarnished her once-pristine skin. Each step she took up the ramp of the ship was not just a physical act, but a defiant saunter amidst the sweltering heat and exhaustion. The bandits, her momentary allies, swarmed the area, their forms bustling with purposeful motion as they salvaged valuable cargo. These spoils were not solely for personal gain; there was an unspoken promise in the air, a vow to distribute this newfound wealth among their kin and the Noti.
  
  
  
  The sun, relentless in its ascent, seemed intent on making the day even more searing. Sabine felt the drain all the more acutely after tapping into her Force abilities-a resource now spent, leaving her feeling as depleted as the heavy, humid air enveloping her.
  
  
  
  A wave of remorse washed over her as she thought about her behavior towards Shin in the jungle. The journey back provided her with much-needed time to cool off and ponder over her actions, while a knot of unease formed in the pit of her stomach. Acting brash and insensitive was out of place, but the overwhelming fear of being left alone in a critical situation had pushed her to her limits. Moreover, Shin"s honest response, though appreciated on some level, was not what she wanted to hear, intensifying the turmoil inside her. Sabine knew she needed to find a way to dissipate the internal chaos and restore her inner balance.
  
  
  
  In stark contrast, Ahsoka and Kradosh appeared almost unruffled, as if their encounter with the Voraxlyn had been nothing more than a leisurely stroll. They were nearly as immaculate as they had been at the outset, with not even a hint of dirt sullying their attire. Their eyes, sharp and discerning, scanned Sabine's beleaguered form as she managed a nonchalant hand wave, alluding to Shin's eventual return.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's features knitted together in a skeptical expression as she drew Sabine away from the throng, towards a quieter corner where Huyang was already engaged in the methodical organization of crates. With a visage softening into concern, she inquired, her voice a lull, "What happened?" Her words were feather-light, yet laden with the weight of unspoken fears and a deep-seated trust awaiting reaffirmation.
  
  
  
  Attempting to induce some semblance of a breeze, Sabine wafted her clothes, the fabric reluctantly yielding to her movements. She exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh, the sound mingling with the distant clatter of activity. "We had some trouble with the Voraxlyn thingies" she muttered, her words laced with the remnants of adrenaline from the encounter.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s eyebrow ascended her forehead. She slipped into an adjoining chamber, her voice trailing back, tinged with curiosity and concern, "And what of Shin?"
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a noncommittal shrug of one shoulder, her eyes evading direct contact as they found sudden interest in the floor. "Shin, you know, separated its head from its body," she grumbled, the image seemingly replaying in her mind, stark against the backdrop of her fatigue. And you know, some silly Mandalorian boy attempted and failed to kiss her when she was a young girl. Sabine had no idea why she cared so much considering nothing happened, but her stomach twisted sourly.
  
  
  
  Huyang, amidst his systematic handling of the crates, paused, his robotic eyes expanding in a mimicry of organic surprise. "An invaluable ally in that case!" he chimed in, the metallic timbre of his voice juxtaposing the underlying warmth in his words. "Fortuitous she accompanied you." His hands, precise and steady, resumed their task, setting down a crate with the gentlest of clinks.
  
  
  
  A laugh, tinged with sarcasm, threatened to escape Sabine, but she quelled it, her gaze drifting instead toward the sandy expanse that kissed the edge of crystalline waters a short distance from their ship. "Yeah, fortuitous indeed," she replied, the enthusiasm drained from her voice, leaving it as listless as her fatigued limbs.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka materialized again, this time bearing the mundane treasures of a pack and a canteen, the latter promising the bliss of ice-cold water. "Listen," she started, her tone softer, more coaxing than commanding, "why don"t you take the rest of the day? Enjoy what this beach has to offer. We"ll regroup and head back tomorrow."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows vaulted upwards; her surprise etching lines on her forehead. "Seriously?" she challenged. This suggestion was an anomaly, deviating from Ahsoka"s usual regimen of relentless training and unending chores. What was the catch?
  
  
  
  Huyang, ever the fount of knowledge, contributed to the conversation. "The data indicates no presence of perilous lifeforms within the warm, shallow embrace of these waters," he relayed, his voice a medley of factual resonance and subtle encouragement. "I would advise staying within proximity to the shore, however."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka extended the day pack toward Sabine, her other hand directing her toward the beckoning vastness beyond the ship. "Perhaps we"ll even find ourselves dining on the local aquatic delicacies and game this evening," she proposed, an undertone of playful adventure lending color to her words.
  
  
  
  Brushing away the persistent sheen of sweat on her brow, Sabine acquiesced with a nod. The lure of lazing on the sun-drenched beach, allowing the day's tension to melt into the golden sands, was an oasis of thought she couldn't resist. After the whirlwind of events they'd endured, the prospect of a tranquil interlude to rejuvenate seemed not just appealing, but necessary. Accepting the pack, she gifted Ahsoka with a smile, one that held a softness, a silent gratitude that crinkled the corners of her eyes. Energized by the promise of leisure, she set about preparing herself for an unexpected, yet wholly welcomed, sojourn under the sun's caressing rays. Her conflicting emotions about Shin"s Mandalore story slowly began to fade.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin ascended the ship's ramp with a noticeable limp, her knee painted with hues of abuse, yet thankfully still functional and hidden under her pants. Words of profuse gratitude cascaded around her as the bandits and Kradosh expressed their heartfelt appreciation for her initiative in seeking Ahsoka's aid. Without that critical move, they acknowledged, the opportunity to harness the bountiful resources of the region would have slipped through their fingers. Moreover, their successful foray had allowed them to retrieve invaluable relics from the ancient settlement to carry back with them.
  
  
  
  Exhaling a weary sigh, Shin reclined against a stack of crates, her fingers gently kneading the tender flesh around her bruised knee. In this quiet moment, she finally allowed herself the luxury of a breath, a pause from the relentless rhythm of her strenuous return journey. She had laid bare the truth to Sabine, yet the Mandalorian had buried herself in a fortress of denial.
  
  
  
  It was as if Sabine was either unwilling to confront the reality or perhaps found the truth too cumbersome to shoulder. This constant undercurrent of contention, this incessant need to spar, whether through verbal jousts or physical duels, seemed to be their default mode of interaction. And while Shin found a certain thrill in the engagement and the playful provocation, the perpetuity of it was draining, especially considering the gravity of their current circumstances.
  
  
  
  And then there was Sabine, manifesting the Force in a display that was nothing short of revelatory. It was a facet of her that Shin had never witnessed, an extraordinary layer that redefined the bounds of what she thought she knew about the Mandalorian. The sheer concentration and raw power Sabine had summoned to repel the colossal creature were not just remarkable-they were awe-inspiring.
  
  
  
  Although Shin would never concede such admiration to Sabine's face, this stunning disclosure rattled around incessantly in her mind. Throughout her solitary trek back, Shin's thoughts were besieged by the vivid memory of Sabine, arms raised and their Force energies merging in a desperate, beautiful ballet that had warded off imminent doom. That moment, frozen in time, posed questions that demanded answers and painted their relationship in hues Shin was still struggling to comprehend.
  
  
  
  Sabine could"ve left Shin to die but didn"t.
  
  
  
  Moistening her parched lips with a tentative lick, Shin exhaled a measured breath, allowing her eyelids to fall shut for a moment as she sought a reservoir of resilience deep within.
  
  
  
  "Shin?"
  
  
  
  At the sound of that familiar tone, a subtle tranquility threaded through Shin's frayed nerves. Her eyes fluttered open to find Ahsoka there, extending a cup filled with what promised to be the sweet relief of water. Straightening up, Shin composed herself, her chin lifting in a gesture of both respect and resolve. Ahsoka was an enigma-a formidable Master whose serene demeanor belied the formidable power she wielded. Her presence was both a comfort and a quiet, constant challenge to Shin's composure.
  
  
  
  "Should we make preparations to return soon?" Shin inquired with brisk professionalism, her fingers closing around the proffered cup.
  
  
  
  A gentle, reassuring smile creased Ahsoka's features. "Actually, I propose we take the remainder of the day for respite," she suggested, her tone imbued with an unexpected leniency. "We can chart our course homeward tomorrow."
  
  
  
  Rest. The word seeped into Shin's consciousness, and with it came an acute awareness of every bruise, every strained muscle that clamored for attention within her. A flicker of concern crossed her face while sipping the water. "Is it prudent for us to linger?" she questioned, the strategist within seeking affirmation.
  
  
  
  A single, confident nod was Ahsoka's response. "The threat of the Voraxlyn has been nullified," she assured, her words anchoring them both in a shared, unspoken victory.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with a weary nod, her gaze inadvertently falling to a patch on her clothing where the fabric was scorched and blackened. Hastily, she folded her hands across her stomach, feigning interest in the flurry of activity as crates were shuffled and cataloged around her.
  
  
  
  "You know, Shin," Ahsoka's voice carried a serious undertone as she continued, "I can overlook harm that comes from recklessness or miscalculation. But deliberate harm, that is something I cannot and will not tolerate."
  
  
  
  A tension crept up Shin's spine, and she found herself reluctant to meet Ahsoka's penetrating gaze. "Of course," she responded, her voice barely more than a murmur. The ambition that had once driven her to consider seizing control of the Noti camp, or to even dare to challenge a formidable presence like Ahsoka, had dulled in the face of practicality. Their fledgling alliance was a beacon of mutual advantage on a planet that brooked no easy survival. Moreover, with her paths to the power she craved still obstructed, especially with Baylan remaining an elusive puzzle, Shin recognized the wisdom in adaptability. If this alliance was her available avenue to influence and strength, then she would tread it, at least for the present.
  
  
  
  "And that includes Sabine," Ahsoka added, her tone adopting an edge of firmness. "Should she prove troublesome... she and I will have a discussion."
  
  
  
  A flutter of surprise jolted Shin's insides, her heart executing a quick, unexpected drumroll. Sabine? Shin had little insight into the dynamics of Ahsoka and Sabine's relationship, but she could surmise that mentoring someone as spirited and headstrong as Sabine was no straightforward endeavor. It was a responsibility Shin was certain she wouldn't eagerly assume.
  
  
  
  "Did she cause any difficulties during your mission?" Ahsoka inquired, her gaze locking onto Shin's with an intensity that seemed to sift through her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Tension crystallized in Shin's hands, her fingers clenching involuntarily while her lips pressed into a thin line, betraying her momentary inner conflict. "Not in the slightest," she asserted, her voice steady despite the tumult within. "We collaborated to bring down the Voraxlyn. My injury was an unfortunate consequence of the battle, nothing more." Her words, carefully chosen, veiled the complexities of their interaction, preserving the facade of uncomplicated professionalism.
  
  
  
  With a measured nod, Ahsoka's eyes undertook a deliberate journey from Shin's head to her toes, as if cataloging every detail. "I understand," she responded, her voice neither approving nor disputing, simply acknowledging. A significant pause stretched between them, with the air almost thickening with unspoken thoughts, before Ahsoka spoke again. "Why don't you take some time to unwind on the beach? Kradosh and I can manage things here. If you're inclined, I have a collection of Holobooks and Datapads you might find interesting."
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off guard, Shin blinked and took a moment to clear her throat, as though dislodging an unexpected emotion. "I appreciate the offer," she managed, her voice betraying a hint of her surprise. "But I think I'll opt for a swim instead."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was a gentle, almost tender smile. "That sounds like a good idea," she affirmed softly. "Feel free to grab whatever you need from the spare cabin. Sabine is already out there, probably turning a rather vibrant shade of red under the sun..." Her voice trailed off, a hint of playful jest softening the sentence's end, suggesting a familiarity and fond exasperation with Sabine's potential lack of foresight regarding sun protection.
  
  
  
  The mental image of Sabine"s skin turning an alarming shade of crimson under the relentless sun flickered through Shin"s mind, tinged with a twinge of concern. She briskly dismissed these thoughts, her hands busying themselves with selecting a fluffy towel. Methodically, she assembled a pack, tucking in provisions - an assortment of snacks, water, and a set of dry clothes for a comfortable transition post-swim.
  
  
  
  The beach here was an anomaly-a welcoming slice of paradise that seemed out of place yet was more pristine than the renowned coasts of Niamos. Shin pondered whether Peridea's unique planetary tilt might have birthed this idyllic zone, a stark contrast to other worlds' monotonous biomes. However, the scientific curiosity was fleeting; the specifics didn"t hold much weight as she neared the inviting turquoise embrace of the sea.
  
  
  
  With the jungle"s perils seeming a lifetime away, the prospect of the ocean"s buoyant saltwater promised to be therapeutic. It would offer not just physical relief for her knee, but also a salve for the phantom sting that still haunted her abdomen. Yet, as she neared the water's edge, anticipation dissolving into the sound of gentle waves, it was the sight of Sabine that halted her - a figure that commanded her attention despite the scenic vista.
  
  
  
  There was Sabine, reclined on an expansive towel, her form surrendered to the sun's caress, skin glistening as it embarked on the subtle journey from pale to golden. Shin's eyebrows ascended her forehead, an unspoken query in their arch as she tightened her grip on her pack, altering her trajectory from the beckoning sea to the figure basking in tranquility. A debate flickered in her mind - to broach the topic of their confrontation with the Voraxlyn or to let it lie in the realm of the unspoken? The entire situation brimmed with curiosity, an enigma wrapped in sunbeams.
  
  
  
  Positioning herself, Shin found her gaze inadvertently descending upon Sabine, taking in the expanse of exposed skin, the contour of her flat abdomen, and the simplicity of her undergarments, unadorned yet somehow accentuating her natural form. For several heartbeats, Shin remained a silent observer, contemplating Sabine, whose eyelids were gently closed, the sun's kiss painting her cheeks a rosy hue. The scene was one of vulnerable tranquility, a stark contrast to the warrior Shin knew Sabine to be, and it whispered of uncharted depths beneath the Mandalorian's resilient exterior.
  
  
  
  "You're not seriously considering swimming in that, are you?" Sabine's words floated up, her eyes remaining closed in serene repose.
  
  
  
  A slight frown tugged at Shin's lips as she lowered her pack, delineating a spot for herself near Sabine. "I intend to change, naturally," she responded, her voice maintaining its customary professional cadence.
  
  
  
  "This entire beach and you chose to hover here?" Sabine quipped, a playful smirk curving her lips.
  
  
  
  A faint warmth tinged Shin's cheeks, more from the unexpected interaction than the sun, as she began to shrug off her outerwear. "Your Master suggested I join you," she replied, her words structured with the precision she habitually employed.
  
  
  
  Sabine emitted a soft, disbelieving snort, her body rolling gracefully to rest on her stomach, her head turning to regard Shin with unveiled amusement. "Oh, I highly doubt that," she countered, her casual lilt a stark contrast to Shin's formal demeanor, encapsulating the distinct divide that often characterized their exchanges.
  
  
  
  The reverse side of Sabine's saber wound came into view, and an unanticipated reaction coiled within Shin's stomach-a flutter of conflicting emotions. There was an odd thrill, a silent, almost prideful acknowledgment of having left a permanent mark on her adversary. Yet, in the quiet depths of her conscience, a subtle ache throbbed, a remorseful understanding that the scar was a moment she could never reclaim or amend.
  
  
  
  Eager to navigate away from the silent turbulence within her, Shin seized on a diversion. "Care for a swim?" she proposed, her tone neutral yet inviting a challenge.
  
  
  
  At last, Sabine's eyes fluttered open, her gaze ascending along Shin's form-taking in the long legs, the defined abdomen, and the uniform paleness of her skin, untouched by the sun's kiss. A spirited grin animated her features. "Absolutely," she responded, the word imbued with an innate sense of competition. "Let's make it interesting. First one to that rock and back..." Her voice trailed off, a playful challenge hanging in the air, but then her expression shifted, a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. "Unless your knee is giving you trouble?" The question, laced with genuine consideration, softened the competitive edge, revealing a layer of their relationship seldom exposed.
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw set, a subtle rigidity taking hold of her stance, her eyes steadfastly locked with Sabine's, a silent vow not to allow them the liberty of a roving glance. "My knee will hold up," she asserted, the words escaping through gritted teeth, more a challenge to herself than a simple statement of fact.
  
  
  
  "Fantastic!" Sabine's hands came together in a single, enthusiastic clap, her spirit infectious. She hopped to her feet and pointed outward. "We race to the rock and back. Winner earns the right to gloat."
  
  
  
  The suggestion lingered in the air between them, its provocation nearly tangible. It was as if Sabine brandished her newfound abilities before Shin, a flag of challenge fluttering in the coastal breeze. Shin's gaze swept over the serene waters, appraising the distance to the rock. It was not an insurmountable distance, but in a sprint, victory would hang on the edge of a knife.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin countered, the word slicing through the salty air. "If I emerge victorious, I want an explanation-how did you ascend to the rank of Commander?"
  
  
  
  A laugh, rich and unguarded, tumbled from Sabine as she idly scratched her cheek, the sound mingling with the soft hush of lapping waves. "Okay," she consented, the casual shrug of her shoulders belying the weight of the wager. "And if I win, you're guzzling a cup of sea water."
  
  
  
  "Revolting."
  
  
  
  "Is it a deal?"
  
  
  
  The proposition was absurd, juvenile even, yet it crackled with an energy Shin couldn't deny. Her teeth clashed in a visceral reaction. "It's a deal."
  
  
  
  As Shin neared the water's edge, the gentle surf kissed the shore, its cool embrace encircling her feet. The briny air she drew into her lungs seemed to carry away the weight of the day's ordeals, replaced by a wave of unexpected tranquility.
  
  
  
  "On three," Sabine declared, her body coiled like a spring, ready to unleash its energy. "We circle the rock and return."
  
  
  
  "On three," Shin concurred, her tone resolute.
  
  
  
  One... two...
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flared in disbelief as Sabine, the rogue, surged forward prematurely, cleaving through the water with deceptive ease. Cheater! Indignation fueling her movements, Shin propelled herself forward, her form slicing through the shallow depth with a blend of grace and raw urgency. Weren"t Mandalorians meant to be honorable? Yet, even as frustration ebbed, Shin found solace in the water's balmy caress, its tranquility a stark contrast to their earlier tribulations.
  
  
  
  Beneath her, a microcosm of marine life danced and darted, while vibrant flora swayed in the deeper, crystal-clear abyss-a spectacle of life thriving amidst the planet's otherwise barren expanse. It was a mesmerizing divergence from the icy desolation that dominated the northern reaches. But Sabine's form, already a distance ahead, snapped Shin back to the urgency of their race. She funneled her energy into each stroke, the water parting for her with every determined surge.
  
  
  
  Despite the twinge in her knee and the captivating scenery vying for her attention, Shin managed to narrow the gap. Her muscles sang with effort, and her focus sharpened, a fine point amidst the ocean's vast canvas. The rock loomed ever closer, a silent witness to their spirited rivalry.
  
  
  
  As they rounded the rock, the sun cast its rays through the water, turning the surface into a shimmering blanket of diamonds. Shin allowed herself a brief smile as she edged alongside Sabine, the shore now within their sights. Her breaths came in ragged gasps from the exertion, yet she pressed on. But then, unexpectedly, Sabine ceased her strokes, coming to a standstill with the water lapping at her waist.
  
  
  
  Bobbing gently in the water, Shin swept a hand through her soaked locks, confusion knitting her brow. "Why did you stop?" she called across the short expanse of water. There stood Sabine, resplendent under the sun's caress, droplets beading on her skin, her physique adopting a sun-kissed hue, and a mischievous grin playing on her lips.
  
  
  
  "I cheated," Sabine declared with a nonchalant shrug. "So, you win by default."
  
  
  
  Shin cast a fleeting glance back at the towels on the beach but chose to wade back to where Sabine stood. "I wouldn"t have drunk this brine, regardless.," she responded, her feet finding hold on the silken seabed. Standing upright, she found herself peering down those few satisfying inches to meet Sabine"s eyes.
  
  
  
  "And I would"ve told you about being Commander, anyway," Sabine retorted, her arm sweeping through the water to send a playful splash toward Shin. The spontaneity of the gesture, devoid of any competitive edge, hinted at an unspoken camaraderie, one that transcended their earlier rivalry and the hidden layers of their respective pasts.
  
  
  
  Confusion laced Shin's posture as she stood, a statue amid the gentle waves. Their interactions had been a mess of skirmishes, blaster fire, and the visceral tension of combat; this playful, almost peaceful interaction felt foreign, almost suspect. The transition from Sabine's earlier aggression, her saber's threatening hum, to this carefree splashing was jarring. Could it be the sun's relentless heat playing tricks on her, or perhaps fatigue blurring her judgment?
  
  
  
  She remained motionless as Sabine moved closer, her intentions discernible beneath the water's crystal clarity. "Stop," Shin commanded, her voice firm yet devoid of hostility, and Sabine complied instantly. "You need to ask, remember? That was your rule."
  
  
  
  In the sunlight, Sabine's eyes took on a golden hue, twinkling with an emotion Shin couldn't quite decipher. A half-smirk played on her lips as she spoke, her voice a blend of challenge and concern. "Let me see your knee," she requested.
  
  
  
  With a slight frown and a gaze that momentarily turned inward, Shin acquiesced. Lifting her leg with a hint of reluctance, she exposed the injured area. "I had a harsh fall," she explained, her voice softening despite herself.
  
  
  
  "I know. I saw," Sabine responded, her tone shedding all traces of jest, replaced by the seriousness of a warrior acknowledging another's battle scars. In that exchange, amidst the sun, sand, and sea, they were no longer just rivals or tentative allies, but soldiers sharing the unspoken bond of the battlefield.
  
  
  
  Shin's body tensed. Sabine's fingers were gentle and precise as they traced the contour of her bruised knee. This touch was an anomaly, a stark contrast to the grasps and grips of their duels or the forceful restraint when Sabine had been her captive. Now, the touch was tender, almost caring.
  
  
  
  "Should we apply a bacta patch?" Sabine inquired, her gaze fixed on the injury through the clear water.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin responded, her voice steady but softer. "We should conserve it for emergencies."
  
  
  
  Releasing Shin's knee, Sabine nodded in agreement. "You're right," she conceded quietly, the playful tone in her voice yielding to practicality. "There's no telling how long we'll be stranded here."
  
  
  
  A peculiar chill replaced the warmth of Sabine's touch on Shin's knee, an absence unexpectedly noticeable. Shin tried to dismiss the fleeting longing but found her gaze involuntarily sweeping over Sabine's water-drenched form.
  
  
  
  "Could be indefinitely," Shin commented, her voice a whisper.
  
  
  
  "Maybe... Now, stop staring," Sabine teased, though her words lacked any real reproach.
  
  
  
  Heat flooded Shin's cheeks, and she averted her gaze, her heart thrumming a chaotic rhythm. "I'm just... unaccustomed to this," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "To what?" Sabine queried, an eyebrow quirked in curiosity as she folded her arms.
  
  
  
  "To being with someone in this manner," Shin confessed, allowing herself to sink into the comforting embrace of the warm water. "I've been adrift, belonging everywhere and nowhere, all at once."
  
  
  
  Sabine smoothed her hand back through her damp hair and mirrored Shin's actions, descending into the water. "Well, you're here now," she pointed out gently. "And here doesn't have to be nowhere."
  
  
  
  A smile threatened at the corners of Shin's mouth, perhaps it even broke through, for Sabine's lips curved in response. She sensed Sabine's attempts to move past their earlier altercation in the jungle and resolved to do the same. "Tell me," Shin urged, the mood shifting once more. "About how you became a Commander."
  
  
  
  With a soft chuckle and a nod, Sabine acquiesced. "Well..." she began, and the story unfolded, carried by the sound of waves, the rustle of the wind, and the quiet confidence of a warrior recounting her past.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Well seems like they've both found middle ground. It's only up from here! Thanks so much for reading!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 10: A Bed
  Notes:
  As always thank you for joining each chapter, it's been a blast so far! I'm working on this instead of listening to my lecture rn lol. Happy wolfwren Wednesday!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  
  
  Sabine had shared more than she thought with Shin, but opted to omit the more emotional aspects. Their conversation ebbed and flowed with the gentle grace of the waves, and as she spoke, the world around them seemed to quiet, acknowledging the intimacy of the exchange. The sun embarked on its descent, casting a golden patina over the world, making the water shimmer like a sea of molten gold. During their conversation, there were moments when Sabine felt herself being pulled into the deep pools of Shin's gaze, so intense and filled with empathy that they threatened to swallow her whole.
  
  
  
  She found herself, on several occasions, pausing midsentence, caught in the tide of emotions that Shin's eyes beckoned. But Shin remained silent during these hesitations, understanding the value of the unsaid, honoring Sabine's narrative as sacred. This silent communion spoke volumes, bridging the gaps between their spoken words.
  
  
  
  "And now I"m here," Sabine finally said, her voice a soft decrescendo against the lapping waves. She stretched her legs out on the beach towel, the grains of sand clinging to her skin, a subtle reminder of the earth connecting them. As she leaned back on her hands, the heaviness that had anchored her heart seemed to dissipate, carried away on the evening breeze. Her fingers inadvertently grazed Shin's in the process, a spark of electricity that jolted her back to the present. She retracted her hand swiftly, a sudden shyness overtaking her, and cleared her throat in an attempt to dispel the lingering charge.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes followed the trajectory of Sabine's retreat, eventually settling on the bruised knee where her fingers had momentarily rested. A sigh escaped her, a wistful sound that seemed to mingle with the air. She couldn"t pinpoint the origin of the flutters in her stomach or the tingling of her skin, sensations as enigmatic as the deepening twilight.
  
  
  
  "It seems we"ve both weathered our own storms," Shin remarked, her voice a blend of solidarity and an unspoken understanding. The sky above them was a canvas of orange and pink, the colors bleeding into each other in a poignant echo of their newfound connection. The day was giving way to night, and in that transformative space, they found a shared solace, a silent acknowledgment that they were, in some way, reflections of each other's struggles and triumphs.
  
  
  
  "Hm," Sabine hummed, the sound almost contemplative. She took a long gulp of water from a canteen, the coolness a balm against the setting sun"s warmth. Her gaze drifted to the horizon, where wispy clouds meandered across the sky, painted orange and pink by the sun's descent. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the beauty of the scene imprint itself upon her senses. "It's beautiful here. I wish this was where the Noti had settled," she mused aloud.
  
  
  
  Shin, who had been quietly observing the soft glow of the evening sun on Sabine's face, swallowed before responding. There was a certain detachment in her voice, a neutrality born of hard truths. "It is serene, yes," she agreed. "But this place is no longer their home."
  
  
  
  Sabine placed her water canteen and other belongings aside, her eyes lingering on the tranquil dance of the waves. A hint of frustration laced her words, her voice barely above a whisper, "They just had to pick the tundra, didn't they?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s reply carried a weight of understanding, of deeper, unspoken complexities. "There"s wisdom in their choice," she pointed out. "What happens if those predators return? The isolation is a necessity."
  
  
  
  Sabine turned to face Shin, her skin showing traces of the day spent under the sun, patches of red highlighting her exposure. Despite this, her spirit seemed undiminished. She locked eyes with Shin, a playful sparkle in her own. "You"ll climb another pillar and behead them?" she retorted, a teasing smile curving her lips. The moment was light, their banter a temporary reprieve from the gravity of their earlier conversation, a shared smile in the face of relentless challenges.
  
  
  
  Shin studied Sabine, her head tilting slightly as she processed her words. For a moment, she parted her lips to speak but then hesitated, a flicker of understanding crossing her features. Sabine was prodding for a reaction, a playful challenge thrown in Shin's direction. Choosing to engage, Shin volleyed back with her own jest. "So you can use the Force now?" she quipped, an eyebrow arching in mock incredulity. "Will we now discuss what happened?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine pressed her tongue against her cheek, her eyes momentarily darting away. "Seems like near-death experiences with zombie night troopers can have that effect," she retorted, her tone a mixture of sarcasm and an undercurrent of genuine awe at her own revelation.
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Shin exhaled, her eyes sweeping over Sabine with renewed curiosity. An unfamiliar sensation twisted in her stomach, a flutter that seemed to echo the increasing thud of her heart in her ears. Without realizing it, her hands clenched into fists, and she drew a slow, deep breath, the unique scent of Sabine-salt, sand, and something distinctly her-permeating her senses. Despite their proximity on the beach towels, an expanse seemed to stretch between them, a distance filled with uncharted emotions and tension. Shin felt a prickling awareness skitter across her skin, a pull she couldn"t quite decipher.
  
  
  
  Brows knitting together in concentration, Sabine extended her hands, palms up, and scrutinized them as though they held unseen answers. Raising her eyes to Shin, she let out a disbelieving scoff. "What are you doing?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Heat crept into Shin"s cheeks, her eyes skittering away evasively. "Nothing," she responded too quickly, her voice edged with a barely-there panic. But then, her gaze snapped back, locking with Sabine's as a sudden realization dawned. A sharp intake of breath punctuated her surprise. "It"s not me," she breathed out, her words edged with a mix of wonder and apprehension.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s own gaze sharpened as she scanned their surroundings before slowly shaking her head, strands of her hair catching the dying light. "It"s happening again," she acknowledged, a note of resigned recognition in her tone. "Just like during our brawl."
  
  
  
  "But I didn"t cause it then!" Shin protested, urgency underlining her words as the air around them began to crackle with energy, an invisible current dancing between them.
  
  
  
  "You need to rein it in," Sabine urged, her voice firm yet not unkind, as she attempted to bat at the invisible force that seemed to grow with each passing second. Her movements were deliberate, trying to disrupt the intensifying energy field enveloping them. There was a sense of impending urgency, a need to regain control before the unseen Force spiraled beyond their grasp.
  
  
  
  Shin gritted her teeth, a visible effort at composure, and took a deep, steadying breath. "We need to inform your Master about this," she insisted, her words laced with an undercurrent of concern. "Otherwise, we might just end up annihilating each other."
  
  
  
  "Does it hurt?" Sabine inquired.
  
  
  
  "No, it doesn't."
  
  
  
  "Then I doubt it's dangerous."
  
  
  
  Shin"s brows furrowed in confusion as the energy around them seemed to ebb, the tension in the air lessening. "What's it about, then?" she asked, her voice a mix of relief and lingering bewilderment.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, a lighthearted sigh escaping her as the atmosphere returned to normal. A playful gleam entered her eyes, the corners of her mouth turning up into a mischievous grin. "I think it signifies that I"m wayyyy stronger than you," she teased.
  
  
  
  "What?" Shin reacted, her voice a mix of disbelief and challenge as she leapt to her feet, towering over Sabine. "You"re not."
  
  
  
  Not to be outdone, Sabine sprang up as well, though she had to crane her neck slightly to meet Shin"s elevated gaze. "We"ll see about that," she said confidently. "But first, let"s get something to eat. I"m starving."
  
  
  
  "Is that the reason why you nearly stabbed me earlier?" Shin queried. "Your stomach was calling the shots?"
  
  
  
  With a light chuckle, Sabine started gathering her things, stuffing them into her pack. She slipped into loose, comfortable clothing, giving her short hair a quick, carefree tousle. Did she really have to rehash what happened? Couldn"t they just ignore it like she ignored everything else all the time? The dying sunlight cast a warm, golden hue on Shin, and Sabine paused, her eyes lingering on her opponent, the words momentarily eluding her.
  
  
  
  "It"s just that I really, really don"t like you," Sabine finally declared, striving for seriousness in her voice.
  
  
  
  "Tell me," Shin pressed, her tone serious yet gentle. "Cut the jokes for a moment."
  
  
  
  Sabine fidgeted, her eyes dropping to her hands as she played with her fingers. She took a deep breath, hesitated, and then admitted in a soft voice, "I think I got jealous."
  
  
  
  Shin"s brows drew together in a frown, confusion lacing her features. "Jealous? Over something that never even happened?"
  
  
  
  "I"m just...trying to be honest about how I feel," Sabine replied, her gaze lifting to meet Shin"s. It wasn"t just that, it was the mere idea of Shin and someone else. Anyone else. But Sabine didn"t want to admit that.
  
  
  
  Shin held her gaze, searching Sabine"s eyes before giving a slow nod of understanding. "We don"t have to be at odds anymore," she said calmly, the sincerity in her voice clear. "I"m right here with you, aren"t I?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes searched Shin"s, finding a softness she hadn"t noticed before. "I shouldn"t have acted out that way," she confessed, her voice quieter now. "I"m working on it."
  
  
  
  Shin looked down briefly, her expression contemplative. After a moment, she met Sabine"s gaze again and said, "I"ll work on it too."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled slowly and gazed out at the setting sun along the water"s horizon. "You know," she began. "Opening up and sharing isn"t easy."
  
  
  
  "Because then you have to be responsible for how you feel," Shin shot back, searching for Sabine"s eyes.
  
  
  
  "And so do you," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  "Fair."
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help the smirk that tugged at her lips. "Just so we"re clear, this doesn"t mean I like you or anything," she teased, her tone light. "I just need time to process things."
  
  
  
  A frown fleetingly crossed Shin"s features as she too began to dress, her movements efficient and deliberate. "The feeling is entirely mutual," she responded coolly. "But our alliance is of mutual benefit at the moment, so I"ll maintain a level of professionalism."
  
  
  
  "Sure," Sabine retorted, her words casual, almost dismissive, accompanied by a nonchalant half shrug. "Let"s go."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The bonfire roared to life under the celestial night, its crackles and sparks competing with the twinkling of stars above the ship. The rings of Peridea glowed brightly in the distance, adding to the beauty. Though the balmy air of the day had given way to a cooler evening, the alluring aroma of smoke intertwined with that of grilling meat beckoned invitingly.
  
  
  
  Shin found herself seated amongst the bandits, Ahsoka, and Sabine, a silent observer encircling the fire. Her knee throbbed, a persistent reminder of the day's ordeal, but the pain had dulled to a bearable hum. She was no stranger to discomfort, having weathered far graver trials in her past.
  
  
  
  She reflected deeply on her earlier exchange with Sabine, fully cognizant that the Mandalorian had held back details in her storytelling. However, Shin had no desire to engage in another argument or confrontation. She saw the partial revelations about Sabine"s history as a valuable gift, an opening to understanding her better. While Shin was eager to delve deeper and uncover more, she also recognized the importance of giving Sabine the breathing room she needed.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with the precision of someone who understood the importance of a well-cooked meal, inspected the succulent meat and fish, charred to perfection. She then began distributing portions to everyone present. "Today was a triumph," she commenced, her voice carrying the weight of collective effort. "It"s imperative that we maintain this momentum."
  
  
  
  Accepting his share with a grateful nod, Kradosh chimed in, "We"ve always lacked the necessary firepower to sustain a presence here for an extended period." His eyes rested on Shin appreciatively. "Recruiting your help was an astute move on Shin's part."
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw clenched, her eyes purposefully evading Sabine's when she felt them upon her. "We were in dire need of the supplies," she deflected, her tone nonchalant.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s gaze danced between Sabine and Shin, a hint of playful curiosity sparking in her eyes. "So, how did your beach day go?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Barely suppressing a chuckle, Sabine responded by audaciously stuffing a large piece of meat into her mouth.
  
  
  
  Internally swearing, Shin maintained her composure, her attention steadfast on Ahsoka. "The water was refreshing," she responded evenly.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka leaned in, her voice laced with mischief. "Did anything...interesting occur?" she continued, her eyes flicking towards Sabine.
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine nearly choked, hastily washing down her mouthful with a swig of fruit juice. "Define interesting," she managed to mumble, a hint of defensiveness in her evasion.
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips pursed, her gaze drifting to the moonlit waters, their nocturnal glimmer painting a serene yet alien scene. The night cloaked the sea in mystery, and she wondered about the deceptive calm, the potential hazards lurking beneath for night swimmers. As Ahsoka opened her mouth to question Sabine further, Shin interjected.
  
  
  
  "We experience this peculiar...Force energy. It emerges without warning, just between Sabine and me," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "Shin!" Sabine's protest was sharp, her eyes flashing.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Ahsoka's tone carried both inquiry and concern.
  
  
  
  With a groan of exasperation, Sabine buried her face in her hands.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, sensing the gravity behind their words, leaned in. "When did this start?" she insisted.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s glare fixed on Shin, a silent accusation before she relented. "Well..." she hesitated, weighing her words. "It first happened right before we stormed the Nightsister Fortress. I thought it was just her...doing some Force trick."
  
  
  
  "So it began just as you started using your abilities..." Ahsoka mused, her arms folding in contemplation. "What exactly were you two up to at that time?"
  
  
  
  "Nothing," Sabine interjected hastily.
  
  
  
  "Fighting," Shin clarified, almost in tandem.
  
  
  
  A knowing look crossed Ahsoka"s face as the evening breeze wafted through their makeshift camp, carrying the scent of the ocean with it. "Interesting," she murmured. "When we"re back, I want to see you both in a sparring session with the bokken sticks."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s head flung back in an exaggerated groan. "Whyyy, though?"
  
  
  
  A faint smile played on Shin's lips. She found Sabine's aversion to training perplexing, even amusing. "I have no objections," she responded smoothly.
  
  
  
  Rolling her eyes, Sabine ferociously bit into her fish, the sound of her chewing exaggerated amidst the silence. "Of course you wouldn"t," she muttered under her breath, though the burst of flavors in her mouth was a small consolation. It was a welcome change from their usual tundra fare.
  
  
  
  The remainder of the meal passed in uneasy quiet, punctuated only by the sounds of eating and the intermittent crackle from the fire, the group lost in their own thoughts beneath the starlit sky.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin diligently worked to restore the makeshift camp to its natural state, meticulously ensuring that no trace of their presence remained. She wanted to preserve the pristine condition of the environment, unwilling to cause any disturbance to the local flora and fauna. Sabine, having voiced her assortment of random complaints, had since retreated to the solitude of the ship. Despite this, Shin found herself compelled to linger, drawn to the tranquil expanse of water before her.
  
  
  
  The moon, now high in the sky, bathed the beach in a soft, silvery glow, accentuating the gentle ebb and flow of the waves as they caressed the shoreline. The air, filled with the briny scent of the sea, was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the warmth of the bonfire that had flickered so vibrantly moments before.
  
  
  
  Shin found solace in the rhythmic sounds of the ocean, allowing the gentle lull of the waves to wash away the remnants of the day"s tension. She wanted to etch this moment into her memory, to capture the serenity of the beach and hold onto it as a reminder of her time spent here. Her time with Sabine, though chaotic and confusing was still time well spent, especially at the beach.
  
  
  
  "Shin?" Ahsoka"s voice, soft and concerned, reached out from behind.
  
  
  
  Shin promptly turned, her posture straightening as she offered a slight bow of her head in respect. "Master," she acknowledged, her tone filled with reverence.
  
  
  
  With a warm smile and a pause in her task of organizing supplies, Ahsoka commended her, "You"ve truly impressed me with your actions today."
  
  
  
  Lifting her chin slightly, Shin responded with a modest nod. "It was a collective endeavor," she stated.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, dismissing her modesty with a wave of her hand, pressed on, "I"m not just talking about the mission. Spending time with Sabine at the beach-that"s what I"m referring to."
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off guard, Shin"s eyes flickered back to the beach, her gaze lingering on the moonlit waves before she refocused on Ahsoka. "Oh," she exhaled, a soft whisper of realization.
  
  
  
  "I believe," Ahsoka began thoughtfully, her voice gentle, "that both Sabine and you have known solitude for a considerable time. It's a challenging reality to confront, especially when left to one's own reflections. And remember, Shin, my offer to assist you still stands."
  
  
  
  Feeling a tightness in her throat, Shin worked to push it down, managing a grateful response, "Your kindness means a lot, Master. At times, I sense her solitude, her lingering pain and sorrow."
  
  
  
  "Yes, I sense it too," Ahsoka concurred, her expression softening in empathy. "It"s profoundly poignant."
  
  
  
  Shin momentarily lowered her head, her expression one of contemplation. "Navigating through this...I find myself at a loss," she admitted.
  
  
  
  With an encouraging smile, Ahsoka uncrossed her arms and leaned in slightly, "But that's the fun part, isn't it? You"re not bound by your past; you have the power to forge your own future, shape it as you wish."
  
  
  
  Feeling a surge of inspiration, Shin met Ahsoka"s gaze squarely, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Is that the path you chose for yourself?" she asked.
  
  
  
  "You might say that," Ahsoka responded, her tone reflecting a depth of experience.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her words momentarily caught in her throat as she quickly glanced toward the ship"s ramp, checking for any eavesdroppers. "I"m..." she started again, more confidently this time, "really grateful you made it to Lothal in time to save her."
  
  
  
  "I know, Shin." Ahsoka assured her, nodding with a sincere and knowing expression.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled a long, weary sigh as she freshened up, readying herself for a night"s rest after a day that had been draining, even with its moments of leisure. The sun had kissed her skin, leaving it with a warm glow, but the unfamiliar exertion had seeped into her muscles, leaving a tender ache that hummed through her with every movement. She worked her fingers into the tightness at the nape of her neck and across her shoulders, her body heavy with fatigue as she ambled toward her sleeping quarters, a yawn escaping her.
  
  
  
  The door hissed open, revealing the modest interior of her room, which was immediately thrown into a mild disarray by an unexpected presence. Shin was there, her figure outlined against the dim lighting, her attention fixed on something by the bed. It wasn"t exactly a small bed, but it certainly hadn"t been intended to accommodate two. The realization coaxed a slow exhale from Sabine as she lingered in the doorway, her mind rapidly sifting through the implications.
  
  
  
  It wasn"t just the bed that caught Shin"s interest, though. Her eyes had moved, scanning the personal touches that Sabine had peppered throughout the space. Among them were drawings and doodles, sketches that Sabine had etched on scraps of paper during moments of introspection or boredom. They were raw snippets of her thoughts, often impulsive, never meant for another's eyes. As Shin"s gaze swept over these, Sabine felt a flush of heat climb her neck and spread across her cheeks. There was an intimacy to having someone survey her scribbles, an inadvertent glimpse into her mind, and it left her grappling with a sudden sense of vulnerability under Shin's silent scrutiny.
  
  
  
  "Your Master assigned me this room," Shin announced, her words slicing through the tension as she pivoted to face Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Of course she did," Sabine muttered, her fingers absentmindedly straightening her sleep trousers. The thought of sharing a room with Shin twisted her stomach, a complex jumble of emotions she didn"t want to unpack at that moment. "Don't worry about it. I'll crash in the cockpit. You can have the room."
  
  
  
  She made to exit, but a sudden, invisible tug anchored her in place. She paused, glancing back over her shoulder.
  
  
  
  "Why can't we share?" Shin proposed, a hint of practicality in her tone as she nodded toward the bed. "I'll take the side closer to the door. That way, you won't risk falling off."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows arched skyward, a bewildered glance flitting between Shin and the bed, its modest size now a glaring detail. "Uh," she stumbled over a response. Everything was spiraling from homicidal attempts to an uneasy beach truce, and now this unforeseen proposition? She tried to make sense of the whirlwind shift in their dynamic. This couldn"t possibly align with the tales of Zeb and Kallus stranded together on a moon, could it? But then, she highly doubted their ordeal involved a shared bed or dips in sun-drenched tropical waters.
  
  
  
  The absurdity of it all momentarily hovered in the space between them, challenging every preconceived notion they had of friend and foe.
  
  
  
  Shin drew a sharp breath, her head canting slightly, a study of curiosity and confusion. "What"s the problem?" she probed. "It"s not like I would attempt anything of malice with your Master nearby. Even Kradosh would disapprove."
  
  
  
  "It"s not about... that," Sabine shot back with a scoff, her smile wry and a bit forced. The real issue was far more complex, woven into the very fabric of their tangled interactions. "It"s about what it means."
  
  
  
  "And what is that?" Shin countered, her hand extended in a silent offering, an invitation for trust amidst their tumultuous truce.
  
  
  
  A shiver of apprehension skittered up Sabine"s spine adding to the chaos stirring within her. Her breath caught, and words failed her.
  
  
  
  Noticing her hesitation, Shin"s features tightened, her jaw setting in that familiar stubborn way. But after a beat, she exhaled, her voice softer, but no less earnest. "You saved my life today," she acknowledged, her eyes searching Sabine"s. "Is that what"s bothering you? That you used your Force powers to save someone you consider an enemy?"
  
  
  
  The question hung heavy between them, a mirror reflecting Sabine's inner turmoil. She swallowed, her gaze flickering away as her heart pounded a relentless beat against her ribs. There was a disturbance deep within, a churning she couldn"t quite name. "Doing the right thing," she murmured, almost to herself, "that"s all it was."
  
  
  
  But even as she said it, the simplicity of that truth did nothing to still the storm inside.
  
  
  
  "Ah, the noble Mandalorian code in action," Shin quipped, her words dripping with feigned reverence. The weighty silence that enveloped the room pressed in on them from the bare walls. With a resigned sigh, Shin collected her sparse belongings, her movements sharp and decisive as she made for the door. "Fine, I"ll take the floor outside."
  
  
  
  But as she turned, Sabine"s hand shot out, an impulsive grasp that latched onto Shin"s arm, halting her escape.
  
  
  
  Shin"s scoff was a reflex, her immediate reaction to pull away thwarted by the firmness of Sabine"s grip. "You"re meant to ask, remember?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  For a moment, they were locked in a standoff, Sabine"s breath mingling with the damp scent that clung to Shin. Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the sleek muscle of Shin"s forearm, and she found herself unable to release her hold. Then it surged forth once more - that inexplicable energy, crackling with intensity, yet inexplicably comforting in its familiarity.
  
  
  
  With a breath that felt like surrender, Sabine relented, her voice softening, "You take the inside. I"ll be on the edge."
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes, vast pools of surprise, met Sabine's as she released her grip. The energy waned, retreating as quickly as it had flared, leaving behind a tranquil stillness that blanketed the room once more.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin felt as though she might somehow fuse with the wall, given the relentless tossing and turning from Sabine beside her. She remained rigid, a stark contrast to the restless Mandalorian who seemed to huff and puff with every breath. Sleep, it appeared, would elude Shin tonight, and she began to question the wisdom behind her proposal to share what she'd anticipated would be a comfortable bed.
  
  
  
  "You know those holo-ads on Coruscant, the ones where couples are blissfully asleep in each other's arms?" Sabine grumbled into the semi-darkness.
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled a tired sigh. "I"m not familiar..."
  
  
  
  "They"re a sham!" Sabine declared, her voice teetering between frustration and exasperation. "Why do you radiate so much heat? How do you live like this?"
  
  
  
  In the dim light, Shin"s eyes flickered, mirroring her own internal struggle with the predicament. "Perhaps you could try staying still," she offered, her hand nudging the blanket downward in a silent plea for some cool air.
  
  
  
  "I"m trying!" Sabine retorted, now turned away from Shin, her body curled defensively on her side.
  
  
  
  Adjusting her position, Shin lay flat on her back, her gaze directed at the nondescript ceiling above them. In an effort to steer away from their discomfort, she ventured, "I saw some sketches earlier."
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was to assault her pillow with a punch before burying her face into it. "Those are nothing but scribbles from before," she muffled through the fabric.
  
  
  
  "I found them quite charming," Shin confessed quietly.
  
  
  
  Sabine blinked, her gaze drifting across the room where the faint outlines of scattered papers lay haphazardly on a small desk. She wondered, fleetingly, if she had stowed a paint sprayer anywhere on Ahsoka's ship. "Thanks, I suppose," Sabine murmured, her eyelids finally feeling heavy.
  
  
  
  "Do you ever miss your friend?" Shin's question pierced the quiet, unexpected in its intimacy.
  
  
  
  A deep sigh escaped Sabine, and an unbidden image of Ezra filled her thoughts, vivid and persistent. "Every single day," she confessed softly. "And you? Anyone you miss?"
  
  
  
  "My Master," came Shin's reply, so soft it was almost lost in the shadows of the room.
  
  
  
  There was a twinge in Sabine"s stomach, and she could almost feel the sadness from Shin. "I"m sure he"s somewhere," she asserted.
  
  
  
  "Possibly," Shin sighed. "But he"s the only one I miss."
  
  
  
  A small smile tugged at Sabine"s lips, the pull of sleep growing stronger. "No one else of significance?" she teased. "No other boys, right?"
  
  
  
  Shin scoffed lightly, drawing the blanket back up with a rustle. "Trysts with boys are a risk I was never willing to take or had interest in," she clarified. "I"ve encountered many captivating women on my journeys, but nothing that beckoned me to stay for long."
  
  
  
  Sabine's hand clenched in the softness of her pillow. "So, no one special, then?" she sought confirmation, her voice a mere whisper in the darkness.
  
  
  
  "No one," Shin reaffirmed, the words simple and stark in the stillness.
  
  
  
  The admission acted as a soothing salve, and Sabine felt the tension seep from her muscles, replaced by a gentle, spreading relaxation. The oppressive heat gradually dissipated, replaced by a comforting coolness, and her mind quieted. The presence of Shin's body beside her morphed from a source of irritation to one of unexpected solace. She felt a pang of sympathy for Baylan's abandonment of Shin, yet confusion also clouded her thoughts, wondering about his true intentions.
  
  
  
  "I"m sorry about your Master," Sabine whispered.
  
  
  
  Shin adjusted in her spot and sighed. "I appreciate your concern," she said.
  
  
  
  As sleep tugged at the edges of Sabine"s consciousness, she couldn't help but wonder what Baylan would think if he knew his former apprentice was now sharing such close quarters with her.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Let's hope they can continue getting along!
  
  And happy NaNoWriMo to any of you who participate!
  
  Chapter 11: Spar
  Notes:
  I really appreciate all the positive comments, kudos etc wow I can't believe it sometimes so thank you. I feel very lucky to have some time to write for fun. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Shin awoke with a start, her body jolting upright as if pulled by invisible strings. Her hands flew to her face and rubbed the grogginess from her eyes. A thick veil of disorientation clouded her senses. As her vision adjusted to the dim light, the empty space beside her became painfully apparent - Sabine was gone. A twinge of an inexplicable emotion, a mixture of disappointment and concern, pricked at her heart. The room felt too big without her and the air too still.
  
  
  
  Only moments later, the subtle vibrations of the floor beneath her and the distant hum of engines thrumming provided the next revelation: they were already in transit. A flash of surprise flickered through her, their return journey having commenced while she was in the depths of slumber. Uncertainty gnawed at her; it was uncharacteristic for her to succumb to such heavy sleep, especially when a sense of constant alertness was both a necessity and a habit ingrained deep within her bones. Perhaps, she conceded inwardly, her body and mind had claimed the reprieve they so desperately craved, the recent events having exacted their toll more than she'd allowed herself to admit.
  
  
  
  Steel gathering in her spine, Shin swung her legs over the bed's edge, the cold deck a jolt against her bare feet. She took a moment to gather herself, a deep, steadying breath filling her lungs as she prepared for the tasks that lay ahead. She couldn't afford to dwell on vulnerabilities, not when duty called.
  
  
  
  The door to the room hissed and slid open with mechanical smoothness, revealing the common area beyond. There, in the casual chaos of the eating space, lounged Sabine. A cheeky, self-assured grin was spread across her face, her posture the epitome of relaxation and stark contrast to the tight coil of readiness in Shin's muscles. Seeing Sabine so at ease irked Shin, her lips pressing into a thin line. Nevertheless, she marched into the room with determined steps, her mind set on the rituals that would ready her for the day ahead.
  
  
  
  However, the task proved difficult with Sabine"s fiery brown eyes tracking her every move, an unspoken challenge dancing in their depths. The weight of her gaze was a tangible thing, igniting a frustration that had Shin stopping dead in her tracks, the grit of her teeth the only outlet for the simmering emotion. There was electricity in the air, a silent clash of wills that had nothing to do with their mission and everything to do with the complicated entanglement they were both hesitant to unravel. Was it because they slept in the same bed? Was it because they took down the Voraxlyn? Was it their beach day? Was it everything? Shin"s head ached.
  
  
  
  "Why are you staring?" Shin demanded, her voice cool and composed as she shifted her gaze towards Sabine, who was nonchalantly perched at the dining area with what seemed to be a morning meal.
  
  
  
  Instead of answering, Sabine's grin widened, a spark of mischief in her eyes. She casually set a cup on the table, her attention seemingly diverted. "Watch this," she instructed, her tone light but laced with underlying excitement. Extending her hand, she concentrated, the air around them pulsing with a silent, invisible energy. The cup quivered for a heartbeat, vibrating under the force of her will, before it had skidded smoothly across the table's surface.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flicked back and forth, from the cup to Sabine's expectant face, a part of her mind still processing what she had just witnessed. "Uh," she exhaled, the sound caught between astonishment and skepticism. Her gaze continued its relentless duel between the still-quivering cup and Sabine's self-satisfied smile. There was a stark contradiction here; Shin remembered the intense, focused expression Sabine wore when Force-pushing the Voraxlyn - there had been no trace of a smile then. But this simple display with the cup seemed to bring her unbridled joy.
  
  
  
  "See!" Sabine exclaimed, her voice crescendoing in triumph, her hand sweeping dramatically towards the cup as if presenting a prized possession. Her eyes danced with a challenge, a silent invitation for Shin to acknowledge what she had just accomplished.
  
  
  
  The contrast between them was striking in this moment: Sabine, with her exuberance and unhidden delight in her abilities, and Shin, ever the stoic, her emotions guarded and her reactions measured. Yet, there was no missing the undercurrent of intrigue in Shin's demeanor, a silent admission that, despite herself, she was indeed captivated by Sabine's antics.
  
  
  
  Shin adjusted her outerwear, the subtle hum of the ship's engines and the occasional rattle of crates creating a steady backdrop of ambient noise. "Well done," she replied, her tone flat, almost disinterested, as she made her way back to the bedroom. Their relationship was a perplexing one; they had oscillated from near-lethal hostility to this odd alliance, leaving Shin uncertain of the rules of engagement with Sabine. Maintaining professionalism seemed increasingly complex in the current dynamics. Back during their last fight it didn"t seem as though Sabine wanted to be touched or near Shin, so what changed?
  
  
  
  Not missing a beat, Sabine sprang from her seat, padding after Shin with an ease that spoke of her comfort in their shared space. "You snore," she declared, an impish tease in her tone.
  
  
  
  Shin drew a sharp breath, smoothing out the bedcovers with more force than necessary. "And you talk in your sleep," she retorted without looking back.
  
  
  
  Leaning casually against the doorframe, Sabine puffed out her cheeks, arms crossed, embodying the very essence of nonchalant defiance. "About what?" she prodded, curiosity tinting her words.
  
  
  
  Concealing a smirk, Shin continued her methodical folding of the blanket. "About how you desperately wish you were stronger than me," she delivered, the mock solemnity in her voice barely veiling the jest.
  
  
  
  A scoff escaped Sabine, followed by a disbelieving chuckle. "Oh yeah?" she volleyed back, the glint in her eyes challenging. "Elaborate, then."
  
  
  
  "No need," Shin replied dryly, closing the distance between them, her expression unreadable. "You simply mumbled about needing your jetpack to reach my level," she stated, the corner of her mouth twitching in what might have been the ghost of a smirk.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips parted, her eyes widening as they met Shin's. "Was that... was that humor?" she asked, a mix of surprise and something akin to respect warming her voice. The moment hung between them, charged with the unspoken acknowledgment of shifting sands in their interaction.
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, her gaze locked onto Sabine, whose purple hair stood in a charming disarray from bedhead. "I took note from your friend, Bridger I suppose," she retorted, a trace of mockery in her tone. "His appearance alone is puzzling to me. He must be quite the jester, I imagine."
  
  
  
  "Hey!" Sabine interjected, her stance unwavering, defensive loyalty sparking in her eyes. "He's handsome."
  
  
  
  An eyebrow arched high on Shin's forehead, her patience fraying as she remained trapped in the doorway. Touching Sabine to move her was out of the question; the ensuing commentary would be endless. "If that's what catches your eye," she murmured, her voice low, almost a challenge.
  
  
  
  "And what about you?" Sabine countered, her body a playful barricade in the doorway. "You seemed quite taken yesterday..."
  
  
  
  Shin's face was a mask of stoicism, but her eyes betrayed her annoyance. "You were equally engrossed, as I recall," she snapped back, her words sharp. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
  
  
  
  "Nope," Sabine replied with cheeky defiance. "Explain yourself. What had you gawking at me yesterday?"
  
  
  
  Gawking? The accusation rankled, and Shin fought to maintain her composure, feeling the heat of the challenge in Sabine's taunt. "I wasn't gawking," she responded, her voice firm, but inside, the certainty wavered. The interplay between irritation and intrigue danced precariously in the space between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes narrowed, a glint of curiosity and something softer within, but she held her ground. "You were looking at me as if..." Her voice dwindled into silence.
  
  
  
  "As if what?" Shin prodded, her head tilting slightly, a silent challenge in her poise.
  
  
  
  Biting her lip, Sabine drew a deep breath, her next words hovering unspoken. "Like you..."
  
  
  
  Skin prickling, Shin's hand shot up, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Don"t even try," she cautioned in a stern tone. "You know you can"t Force Probe, and even if you could, I wouldn"t allow it."
  
  
  
  With a dismissive flutter of her lips, Sabine relinquished her blockade, sliding aside with an air of feigned nonchalance. "You"re so intense, all the time," she grumbled under her breath.
  
  
  
  Shin retorted as she moved to grab some provisions, her tone sharp, "And you"ve been nothing but impulsive since the night we met."
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed, her eyes briefly flitting to the training gear adorning the ship's walls. A smirk played on her lips. "We"ll see who comes out on top in our spar later," she taunted with a competitive spark in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with a dismissive wave, her confidence unshaken. "You"ll find yourself on your back once more," she quipped casually.
  
  
  
  The air crackled with tension before Sabine threw a loaded question, "Is that how you want me?" The underlying implications hung heavy between them, a dance of words neither was willing to concede.
  
  
  
  A surge of warmth flooded through Shin, her gaze hardening as she met Sabine's challenging stare. Uncertainty nagged at her; was Sabine's question earnest, or just another round in their ongoing verbal sparring? Regardless, the query ignited a flurry of sensations she couldn't suppress. Sabine was unlike any woman Shin had encountered before; every interaction was a test, exhausting yet oddly exhilarating, and that realization unsettled Shin profoundly.
  
  
  
  "Well?" Sabine insisted, a teasing smirk dancing on her lips, drawing out the moment.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's grip tightened around a fruit she"d absently picked up, her fingernails threatening to pierce its flesh. She parted her lips to counter, but the sudden hiss of the cockpit door interrupted her - Kradosh stepped into view, nodding respectfully. "We"re approaching the Noti camp," he announced, his voice a grounding force amid the charged atmosphere. "Our clansmen are likely assembling in anticipation of our return."
  
  
  
  Regaining her composure, Shin cleared her throat, her gaze shifting to Kradosh as she nodded. "I"ll ready myself," she responded, her voice steady, yet the lingering heat from Sabine's provocations remained, a silent acknowledgment of an unfinished conversation.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine busied herself with the task of organizing the eclectic assortment of crates, supplies, and other invaluable treasures retrieved from the tropical zone. The artifacts, once imprisoned by the formidable dome that encapsulated the ruins, were now tangible tokens of their hard-won victory. As she worked, the surrounding atmosphere buzzed with an electric mix of astonishment and jubilant cheers, the Noti and the bandits alike expressing their wonderment at the seemingly impossible feats achieved.
  
  
  
  Despite the celebratory mood, Sabine couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the idyllic beach shore they'd left behind. The serene waves, warm sand, and tranquil environment had offered a rare moment of peace. The tundra's climate was mild during the day, a small mercy, but it was a stark contrast to the tropical paradise that now felt worlds away. She wondered when, if ever, she would return to that haven, but she quickly quashed the yearning. There were more pressing matters at hand - aiding the Noti people, who had been instrumental in supporting Ezra through countless tribulations, was paramount.
  
  
  
  Her muscles flexed with purpose as she loaded a Howler-drawn cart, the creature's breath visible in the cool air. Sabine managed to force a smile when the bandits, individuals she had clashed with in fierce combat merely weeks ago, expressed their gratitude in their unique, rough manner. The irony of their current camaraderie wasn't lost on her, highlighting the unpredictable, often tumultuous nature of alliances forged in times of strife.
  
  
  
  The language barrier posed a significant challenge; the bandits' tongue was an intricate melody of sounds and intonations, completely foreign to her ears. She harbored hopes of eventually unraveling the complexities of their speech or, conversely, that they would embrace the Galactic Basic language as Kradosh had. Communication, she knew, was integral to the fragile trust they were building.
  
  
  
  Observing the interactions around her, Sabine noted the Noti's skepticism toward the bandits. Their alliance was precarious, the threads of trust thin and newly spun. Yet, off in the distance, a heartwarming scene unfolded: children from both groups, unfettered by the intricate politics and prejudices that often plagued their elders, played together. Their laughter was a universal language, bridging the gap between the two cultures. Despite their stark differences in stature and background, the children found common ground in the simplicity of their games.
  
  
  
  This sight, a poignant scene of innocence and unity, kindled a flicker of hope within Sabine. Perhaps, in time, the wounds of the past could be mended, and a harmonious future, built upon mutual respect and understanding, could be forged. The journey would be fraught with challenges, but the promise gleamed on the horizon, a beacon guiding them forward.
  
  
  
  In the midst of the organized chaos, Shin and Kradosh stood a short distance away, deep in conversation. Their heads were bowed close together, their expressions serious as they discussed the logistics of what they could feasibly transport back to camp. Sabine made an effort to eavesdrop, curious about their plans, but initially, the conversation seemed saturated with mundane details and predictable concerns.
  
  
  
  However, as she continued to listen, the dialogue took an intriguing turn. It appeared the bandits were not content with the status quo. They were actively persuading other factions, ones that had been rivals not too long ago, to consolidate under their banner for a cause that was gradually uniting them all. Shin was evidently spearheading this unification process. This revelation added a new layer of complexity to the dynamics at play, hinting at a potential shift in the power structures the bandits had grown accustomed to.
  
  
  
  With a huff of exertion and a mind teeming with unspoken queries, Sabine completed her task of loading the cart. She scanned the area for Ahsoka, needing the wisdom and perspective the seasoned warrior could provide, especially now when the political landscape seemed as malleable and unpredictable as the swirling tundra winds.
  
  
  
  She found Ahsoka engaged in an intense discussion with the Noti elders, their collective posture one of deep respect mixed with urgent deliberation. Knowing better than to interrupt, Sabine was about to turn her attention elsewhere when she felt an insistent tug at her leg. Looking down, her stern demeanor softened into a smile at the sight of her tiny Noti friend. The child, who had taken to joyously greeting her from the mobile pod homes during their travels, looked up with wide, expectant eyes.
  
  
  
  In a spontaneous gesture of affection, Sabine reached for a piece of exotic fruit they had brought back from the tropical zone. The fruit, a vibrant gift from the lush region they had visited, seemed out of place in the stark tundra environment. Similar to a meiloorun but not quite the same. She tossed it gently to the child, who caught it with a gleeful squeal. The simple act, transcending the need for words, reinforced the bond they shared.
  
  
  
  "Bet you've never tasted anything like this before," Sabine commented, amusement lighting her eyes as the little one cheered, taking huge bites of the fruit, its eye-stalks whirling in delight. "You're so welcome, my friend." The Noti child, energized and ecstatic, scampered back to its mother, chattering animatedly about the encounter.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, having concluded her earnest conversation with the Noti elders, walked over to Sabine, a gentle, knowing smile gracing her features. "You can"t say you didn"t do well this time," she acknowledged, her voice carrying an undertone of pride.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, her boot idly nudging a pebble across the ground. "Yeah, I guess I did do something right on this mission," she admitted, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Working alongside the enemy and all..."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyebrows arched gracefully, her gaze sweeping over the Red bandits who were now immersed in their tasks. "But were they ever truly our enemies, Sabine?" she asked, her voice soft yet profound, encouraging reflection.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, her breath forming a misty cloud in the frigid air. After a contemplative pause, she shifted the topic. "What happened to you on your journey here, Ahsoka?" she asked, curiosity edging her words. "You're... different. Did you meditate too hard or something?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's laugh was a quiet, musical thing that seemed to dance on the icy breeze. She shook her head, the gesture slow and filled with an inexplicable depth. "Some experiences defy the confines of language," she replied enigmatically.
  
  
  
  "Sure, they do," Sabine responded, skepticism lacing her voice but with a playful glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's expression turned purposeful. "Speaking of experiences, I want you to find Shin," she instructed. "I'm interested in understanding this energy you speak of."
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression contorted into a mock grimace. "Now? After all this work?" she protested half-heartedly.
  
  
  
  "Didn't I grant you a day on the beach?" Ahsoka reminded her, a playful sternness in her tone.
  
  
  
  "Yeah, after downing a giant beast," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  "Sabine..."
  
  
  
  "Alright, alright..." Sabine conceded, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. Despite her feigned annoyance, the respect and fondness she held for Ahsoka were unmistakable in her compliance. With a resigned yet playful sigh, she set off in search of Shin, ready for whatever insight Ahsoka sought.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine wasn't physically exhausted, but mentally, she was running on fumes. And Shin's penetrating gaze wasn't making things any easier. Her earlier question to Shin, undeniably provocative, lingered in the air between them. There was a certain thrill, Sabine found, in unsettling the composed Dark Jedi, a sense of fleeting dominance she couldn"t help but savor.
  
  
  
  But did they have to spar right now? Ahsoka, ever the vigilant observer, stood arms crossed by the pond, her presence an unspoken command for discipline. They were positioned at a safe distance from the Noti camp, far enough to ensure their vigorous exchanges didn"t disrupt the daily activities or interfere with the Red bandits as they busied themselves relocating the cargo to their stronghold.
  
  
  
  "So, this energy you mentioned," Ahsoka initiated, her voice steady, "let"s explore that. It surfaces during combat, yes?"
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, brandishing her bokken with less enthusiasm than required. "It just...happens," she protested, frustration edging her words.
  
  
  
  Shin, poised and undeterred, assumed her fighting stance, a stark contrast to Sabine"s reluctance. "It"s triggered by you," she stated, her tone devoid of any accusation, just a simple fact laid bare.
  
  
  
  "Me?" Sabine balked, her grip tightening around her bokken. "What about yesterday on the beach? That was all you!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with a grace that commanded attention, raised her hand, signaling silence. Her eyes closed in a moment of collected calm. "Enough," she interjected, the authority in her tone gentle but firm. "The goal here now is instead synchrony, not conflict. You"ve been at odds since your paths crossed, but the real test lies in harmonizing your movements. Can you manage a dance with your bokken swords?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s expression was a mix of confusion and mild outrage, her mouth agape as she processed Ahsoka"s words. A dance? With bokken? She couldn"t fathom how this constituted training. In her mind, they were more likely to end up with gouged eyeballs than unison.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture subtly realigned, an affirmation directed at Ahsoka without words. "I understand," she declared, her confidence unwavering. The bokken sword twirled skillfully in her hand before she squarely faced Sabine, ready. "I"m ready."
  
  
  
  Sabine, skepticism written in every line of her stance, let out a derisive snort and dismissively waved her hand. Brandishing her bokken with a flourish, she positioned herself, mind flashing back to her Zatochi training sessions. As she launched forward, her stick descended only to clash violently with Shin's, sparking the beginning of their unconventional duel. This wasn"t like their lightsaber battles yet Sabine attacked with a fervor, each strike fueled by pent-up energy.
  
  
  
  In contrast, Shin moved with a fluid grace, evading with ease and countering with precision. She sidestepped Sabine"s relentless onslaught, eventually maneuvering deftly to trip her opponent. Sabine hit the ground with a jarring thud, and Shin observed dispassionately, "You"re approaching this all wrong."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s voice, patient yet stern, interjected, "It"s about harmony, Sabine, not dominance."
  
  
  
  Irritation flashed across Sabine"s features, her eyes rolling so vigorously she half-expected them to get lost in her skull. Were Shin and Ahsoka pals now? It felt like a conspiracy, this ludicrous exercise seeming more like a farce with each passing moment. How dare they. Yet, despite her internal protestations, she reset her stance, her chest rising and falling as she drew in a deep, centering breath, the air crisp and invigorating against her lungs.
  
  
  
  As much as I"d love to throw you on your back, that"s not the goal of this exercise...
  
  
  
  "Huh?" Sabine vocalized her confusion, her focus momentarily faltering.
  
  
  
  "No one spoke," Ahsoka interjected, her tone flat yet tinged with mild inquiry.
  
  
  
  That's when Sabine caught it - the fleeting, self-satisfied smirk that toyed at the edges of Shin's lips. A visceral heat surged up her spine, frustration boiling into ire. With her teeth gritted in determination, Sabine's grip on her sword tightened, and she launched into a renewed flurry of fervid attacks. Shin, ever the immovable object to her unstoppable force, parried and evaded each strike with infuriating calm.
  
  
  
  Sweat traced a damp path down Sabine"s back, and her breathing grew harsh and labored. Sabine, exhaustion fraying her composure, spat out a venomous retort, "I"m too tired for this."
  
  
  
  "One more attempt," Ahsoka urged, her voice a steady lighthouse amidst the storm of Sabine's frustration. "Shin is extending every chance for you to read her movements. Open yourself to the rhythm."
  
  
  
  Face it. I"ll always be better than you. You can't even flow with me, so why persist in moving against me?
  
  
  
  "Dank farrik," Sabine grumbled under her breath. Taking another deep, steadying inhalation, she filled her lungs and exhaled with deliberate slowness, attempting to quiet the chaos within. Her gaze locked onto Shin's, where icy blue met fire, and she held her sword in a grip that spoke of readiness, tempered with a new, cautious restraint.
  
  
  
  With her grip adjusted and her breathing controlled, Sabine reentered the fray with a renewed sense of purpose. This time, she didn't attack with reckless aggression but moved with a mindful presence she hadn't realized she'd been neglecting. Her bokken traced arcs in the air, mirroring Shin's with precision. Their wooden swords met in a rhythm that resonated like an impromptu melody, no longer clashing in chaos but syncing in a dance of blades.
  
  
  
  Shin, responding to the change, adjusted her movements in turn. Her evasions and parries became less about foiling Sabine's attacks and more about guiding them, redirecting their energy. It was a dance, Sabine realized - not of dominance and submission, but of partnership, of give-and-take.
  
  
  
  And then, something extraordinary began to happen.
  
  
  
  It started as a hum, a resonant frequency that Sabine could feel in her bones, in the very core of her being. The air around them seemed to thicken, and the space between their crossing bokkens shimmered as if with heat. It grew in intensity with each pass and parry, each slide and step, until the air itself crackled with energy. It was white and warm and alive, a tangible manifestation of the connection they'd forged in the crucible of their duel.
  
  
  
  They moved within this energy, buoyed by it, their movements not just synchronized now but harmonious. They were two parts of a whole, balanced and counterbalancing, separate and yet together. The bokkens became extensions of their wills, not weapons but conduits for the flow of energy that connected them.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, watching from the sidelines, allowed a small, knowing smile to grace her lips. This was the synchronization she had envisioned, the potential she had seen hidden beneath layers of conflict and competition.
  
  
  
  The energy didn't erupt or explode; it wasn't violent or destructive. It was creation, connection, a shared strength born from understanding - an understanding that words could not forge. Sabine, in the eye of this quiet storm, found clarity. She saw Shin - truly saw her - and in the mirror of Shin's steely blue eyes, she saw herself reflected back.
  
  
  
  And for the moment that this energy lasted, there were no words of taunt, no thoughts of exhaustion. There was only the dance, the flow, the silent conversation between two souls spoken in the language of movement and energy.
  
  
  
  "Excellent work!" Ahsoka commended, clapping her hands in approval.
  
  
  
  "So you can see it then?" Sabine asked with bated breath.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka tilted her head. "I can," she replied. "But it"d be invisible to others."
  
  
  
  "Why can we see it then?" Sabine asked.
  
  
  
  As the comforting energy gradually diminished, Shin and Sabine locked eyes, aware of the unexplored depth of power they'd just grazed. It was there, accessible, yet they chose to let it lie dormant for the moment.
  
  
  
  "It's a Force bond, originating from both of you," Ahsoka elaborated.
  
  
  
  Sabine gestured wildly, her face etched with disbelief. "A Force what?" she blurted out. She remembered the instance when Kanan had harnessed his Force powers, shielding them from the fuel pod detonation. It was as if a barrier had emanated from his hands, visible only to those who knew what to look for. Maybe this was similar?
  
  
  
  Assuming a more casual posture, Shin leveled a calm gaze at Ahsoka. "Why? What's the reason for this bond?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, maintaining her serene composure, offered a slight shrug. "Your initial meeting was charged with intensity... almost death," she speculated. "Alternatively, it might be the will of the Force. Its ways are often inscrutable."
  
  
  
  A hearty laugh erupted from Sabine, her hand thumping her abdomen. "Nightsisters, uncharted galaxies, Thrawn, mysterious forces, and now a bond..." She shook her head in mock despair. "I could hibernate for a decade."
  
  
  
  "Rest won't be part of our immediate plans," Ahsoka countered. "Shin?"
  
  
  
  Shin turned her attention to Ahsoka, responding with a simple, "Yes, Master?"
  
  
  
  "Does your encampment have space to accommodate Sabine?" Ahsoka inquired.
  
  
  
  Ignoring the piercing look Sabine shot her way, Shin responded affirmatively, "More than enough."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's features brightened with a purposeful smile. "Then you'll escort Sabine to your Red Bandit stronghold," she decreed. "Spending more time on this planet, exploring your Force bond, will likely enhance your safety."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled a heavy, resigned sigh, her hand dragging down her face. "I won"t even bother arguing," she grumbled, already heading back to the Noti camp for her belongings.
  
  Notes:
  Looks like Sabine is off to bandit land!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 12: Tent
  Notes:
  Phenomenology and Hermeneutics class is interesting rn but here"s a chapter! I don"t think this chapter applies to any Wolfwren week prompts but happy wolfwren wednesday. All the amazing art, writing etc this week is mindblowing!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine crammed essentials into her pack, her motions so forceful that the worn bag was nearly punctured with each item shoved in. With a determined swing, she heaved it over her shoulder and marched toward the ship's exit ramp, only to almost barrel into Ahsoka, who had planted herself firmly in the path.
  
  
  
  "Master?" Sabine greeted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
  
  
  
  "Padawan," Ahsoka responded, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly in acknowledgment of the irony.
  
  
  
  Releasing a resigned sigh, Sabine's fingers nervously toyed with her pack's strap. "What's the issue?" she queried, a hint of defensiveness in her tone. "I'm doing what you asked-no complaints, see?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowing as she pondered for a brief second. She cast a discreet glance over her shoulder, confirming they were alone in the ship's confines. "That's what surprises me," she admitted, her gaze returning to Sabine. "Your silence is...unusual. Is there something you're not telling me?"
  
  
  
  Sabine cleared her throat, shaking her head decisively. "No," she asserted, her voice resolute.
  
  
  
  "Good," Ahsoka responded, her tone firm yet not unkind. "I need your full attention on this trek. Even with our recent win in the tropical zone, I want you to investigate Shin"s camp."
  
  
  
  A flutter buzzed through Sabine's chest, tugging her lips into a half-smile. "A recon mission?" she breathed out, the thrill barely contained in her whisper.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's slight nod held a mixture of seriousness and implicit trust. "Something like that," she confirmed. "We'll maintain open comms. I trust in your capabilities, Sabine."
  
  
  
  Emboldened by Ahsoka's confidence, Sabine nodded, a warm sensation of pride swelling within her. But curiosity gnawed at her, prompting her next question. "What about this Force bond situation?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka drew a deep, audible breath. "I"ve never experienced one..." she began. "I've felt something akin to it with my Master, but nothing like what I witnessed between you and Shin. It might be deeper, lesser, or even something entirely different."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows shot up, and she couldn't help but make a face. "That's not particularly helpful," she retorted. "Is it possible to stop it?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka gave a light chuckle, her gaze shifting over her shoulder momentarily. "Even if you could... would you genuinely wish to?"
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, Sabine felt a tingle of apprehension, her senses sharpening as she attempted to gauge Ahsoka"s thoughts. "She came close to ending my life," Sabine asserted, her tone hardening. "The Force seems to have a twisted sense of humor."
  
  
  
  "Understandable," Ahsoka conceded. "But consider what happened with the Voraxlyn... Was Shin"s assistance merely driven by a will to survive, or is there something more?"
  
  
  
  "Ugh," Sabine exhaled in frustration, readjusting her pack on her shoulders. "Maybe this recon mission will give some answers."
  
  
  
  "It just might," Ahsoka acquiesced, her voice tinged with an ambiguous promise.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin maneuvered in tight arcs atop her grey howler, the beast's breath fogging in the frigid air, amidst the vast expanse of a barren tundra. The landscape around her was a stark scene of white and grey, the ground a patchwork of dry grass and exposed rock, stretching infinitely under a sullen sky.
  
  
  
  The cold bit at her, but it was hardly felt against the residual warmth tingling in her skin from the bokken sword spar. Her mind, however, couldn't stay as insulated from the events that had transpired, though she held her countenance as impassive as the desolate terrain stretching before her. If their situation eluded even Ahsoka, Shin harbored little hope that her own master, Baylan, would have fared any better in understanding.
  
  
  
  A pang of longing gnawed at her, a desire to somehow connect with her Master, to seek the comfort of his guidance amidst the confusion. Yet, he remained frustratingly out of reach, his presence an impenetrable fortress she couldn't hope to access.
  
  
  
  The air was more than brisk; it was a sharp-edged blade, slicing through the heavy fabric of her garments as she waited. It was then, in a gust that sent a flurry of isolated snowflakes dancing like wayward spirits, that she saw Sabine. The other girl was a stark contrast to the desolation around them, riding her animated howler, its breaths puffing rhythmically, cutting through the tundra with an urgency that matched the racing of Shin's pulse. Sabine's approach, direct and unflinching, was a bright spot in the wasteland. Shin couldn't help but steady herself, an anchor against the tumult that seemed to follow them both.
  
  
  
  "I"ve been waiting," Shin stated dryly, her fingers idly playing with her braid.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave Tota's head an affectionate pat, and the creature bounded over to greet Shin"s howler. The two animals exchanged their own form of greeting, chuffing and nuzzling in their unique form of communication.
  
  
  
  "I should"ve made you wait longer," Sabine retorted with mock severity as Shin set the pace. They were alone now; the last howler transport had departed, leaving them isolated in the expanse of the tundra.
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin"s jaw tightened, and she instinctively urged her howler to widen the gap between them. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, its light a dwindling promise in the encroaching chill. Memories of the previous day's warmth teased her - the vivid turquoise waters, pristine white sands, and the image of Sabine's sun-drenched form lounging without a care...
  
  
  
  "So, what"s your take on our... new Force skills?" Sabine inquired, shattering the silence that had fallen between them.
  
  
  
  Shin's lips formed a thin line, her grip tightening on the reins. Her thoughts were a tumultuous disarray regarding this alleged Force bond - full of emotions and unanswerable questions. It had manifested unmistakably and repeatedly, defying dismissal as mere delusion. Yet, she was wary of revealing the depth of her curiosity, her intrigue, especially to Sabine.
  
  
  
  "It"s inconsequential," Shin responded tersely. "Perhaps just witchcraft from this land, echoes of the Nightsisters" past."
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed, urging Tota to accelerate until they were riding abreast. "Are you sure that"s what you think?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Shin maintained her focus on the desolate horizon, silently praying Sabine would let the subject drop. But the perceptible weight of Sabine"s intense, expectant gaze eventually compelled her to respond, her patience fraying.
  
  
  
  "What about you, then?" Shin retorted, a sharp edge to her words. "You have a knack for cloaking your words in ambiguity, insinuating complexities in our interactions."
  
  
  
  A smirk played on Sabine"s lips, her eyebrows arching in playful dare. "Oh? Do tell more," she coaxed.
  
  
  
  Shin brought her howler to an abrupt stop, fixing Sabine with a steely glare. "You were the one who rebuffed my touch after you pursued me weeks ago," she pointed out, her voice tinged with frustration. "Your words were harsh - calling me an idiot, then a bitch. You"ve rarely spoken to me without scorn."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a low, drawn-out oh, as she gently patted Tota's head, calming his minor startle. "So, I"m curious," she began, her voice deceptively casual. "What would you have done if I hadn"t pulled away that time?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Shin"s eyes flashed with surprise, a reaction she fought to temper. She knew she had to provide an answer; otherwise, Sabine would relentlessly dig deeper. "I would have held onto you a little longer... then let you go," she confessed, her voice barely more than a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s expression softened, her lips pressing together as she momentarily bowed her head. "Okay," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "We should keep moving," Shin urged, eager to shift the focus. "The cold is worse at night."
  
  
  
  Unexpectedly, Sabine"s demeanor shifted, her voice more serious when she spoke. "It feels right, you know. When we do it. It"s... it"s comforting."
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze locked with Sabine"s, searching for any sign of insincerity but finding none. Instead, she saw a reflection of her own turmoil. She swallowed hard, acknowledging the deep, resonant thrum that vibrated within her core. The connection they shared was undeniably potent, bordering on addictive, stirring a hunger for more. Yet, she tamped down this desire, urging her howler forward in silence, even as the echo of their bond lingered between them. She wouldn"t allow herself to succumb to something she didn"t understand.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  As evening nestled over the landscape, the bandit encampment buzzed with an undeniable vibrancy, its vast expanse teeming with life. Sabine's eyes swept over the scene, taking in the diversity of bandits whose armor hues spanned beyond the anticipated Red. The air was punctuated by the innocent laughter of children chasing each other, the tender cries of babies, and the resolute conversations of both male and female warriors. This thriving community was a stark contrast to the smaller, more reserved group of the Noti. Sabine took mental note of everything she witnessed.
  
  
  
  She had braced herself for a cold reception, for a wall of distrust and skepticism. Instead, she was met with a wave of unexpected warmth and adulation. Word of her victory over the Dome of Death had apparently rippled through the encampment with the swiftness of a wild prairie fire. Gratitude and praise enveloped her from all sides as she navigated the crowds atop her howler, her prior skirmish with the Red bandits relegated to a mere whisper in the winds of her present triumph.
  
  
  
  The energy around her was infectious; her heart swelled, and a smile broke free, irrepressible and wide, as she descended from her mount. She found herself engulfed in a sea of outstretched hands, eager faces, and heartfelt words, each handshake and acknowledgment bridging the chasm between stranger and savior. But the admiration showered was not for her alone. Sabine could not miss the similar, if more subdued, reverence directed at Shin. The Dark Jedi, ever enigmatic, maintained an expression as unreadable as ever, yet Sabine sensed that beneath the stoic facade, Shin was silently reveling in the recognition, her actions heralding her as a leader, perhaps even a ruler-to-be.
  
  
  
  Amidst the festivities, the crates of goods salvaged from the tropical zone were distributed, tokens of survival and hope. Sabine's gaze was particularly drawn to the way ancient relics and antiques were gingerly handled, their mundane appearances belying a significance known only to the bandits and Noti. These treasures, unimpressive at first glance, were revered, hinting at stories and traditions yet uncovered.
  
  
  
  The excitement continued even as the night grew colder, the stars above twinkling with indomitable spirit. Eventually, the celebrations began to ebb, and the nocturnal chill settled in earnest. It was then that Shin guided Sabine towards a substantial tent standing like a sentinel near the encampment's heart.
  
  
  
  As Sabine stepped through the tent's flap, she was struck by the stark contrast between its unassuming exterior and the interior's meticulous organization. The space, clearly well-lived-in, exuded a sense of order and purpose, complete with a crackling fireplace, a dedicated work area, a bathtub hinting at unspoken luxuries, and a bed generously swathed in fur. The inviting warmth was a solace against the night's creeping frost, a sanctuary she hadn't anticipated within the primitive camp.
  
  
  
  "These are my quarters," Shin stated, a matter-of-fact tone in her voice as she began to remove her armor, each piece placed carefully away.
  
  
  
  Sabine scanned the interior, her expression morphing into one of confusion. "Where's my tent?" she inquired, her fingers subconsciously playing with her pack strap.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her eyes flicking to the expansive bed swathed in fur. "The left side or the right side," she offered, her voice devoid of jest, yet the slightest hint of a challenge lingered in her tone.
  
  
  
  A sigh escaped Sabine's lips, her mouth agape as she processed the implication. "I don't get my own space?" The question hung heavily in the air, laden with a mix of disbelief and a tinge of annoyance.
  
  
  
  Shin regarded her, head tilting slightly, a silent query in her ice-blue eyes. "What's the problem?" she probed. "We shared space on the ship. This," she gestured around, "is practically a luxury. That bed is twice the size of the one on the ship you had me endure."
  
  
  
  "Endure?" Sabine echoed with a scoff, her brows knitting together. "I was the one who had to deal with your snoring."
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin's jaw twitched, the only betrayal of her annoyance before she moved to freshen up. "I can arrange a tent for you tomorrow," she responded, her back turned to Sabine. "But be forewarned, they're not nearly as accommodating as this. They're rough, and with the night's cold, even more unwelcoming."
  
  
  
  Sabine heard the unspoken implication in her words - it was not just about comfort, but also about safety, the warmth of proximity in a land that was still largely alien and potentially hostile. The reality of their situation settled around her like the descending night, a stark reminder that despite the day's triumph, challenges lay ahead.
  
  
  
  Sabine flung her bag onto the worn-out sofa, the fabric protesting under the abrupt weight. Rough and cold her ass. Rough and cold just like Shin.
  
  
  
  "What's that?" Shin shot back, her tone sharp.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze snapped to Shin, who was in the process of wiping her face, her features partially obscured. "I didn"t say anything," she replied, feigning innocence but her defensive posture betrayed her true feelings.
  
  
  
  "Be mindful of your thoughts, Sabine," Shin cautioned, her voice a low warning, yet her eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s hands found her hips, her fingers digging into the fabric of her attire as she internally cursed. "And you should be mindful of the implications of all this, Shin," she retorted, gesturing vaguely to the space around them.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her movements ceasing as she aggressively wrung out her face towel before hanging it to dry. She faced Sabine, a mask of casual indifference failing to hide the storm in her eyes. "And what"s that?" she asked, her voice maintaining a deceptive calm.
  
  
  
  Striving for nonchalance, Sabine held Shin's intense gaze, though an inexplicable shiver traced her spine. "Your bandit friends might get the wrong idea," she said, her voice a study in controlled neutrality.
  
  
  
  "Wrong idea?" Shin echoed, a single eyebrow arching.
  
  
  
  "That we"re...more than just colleagues."
  
  
  
  For a heartbeat, Shin"s expression clouded, a frown creasing her brow. "Why should that concern us?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s thoughts raced, skirting around the real reason her heart had skipped a beat. With a mental shake, she found a safer harbor for her words. "It could compromise our standing," she replied, each word measured and deliberate. "Kradosh and his warriors could see it as a weakness."
  
  
  
  Shin's smirk transformed into a predatory grin as she closed the distance between them, stopping just close enough for Sabine to feel the heat radiating from her body. She locked onto Sabine's golden-brown eyes, her own a piercing icy blue. "Weakness?" she questioned, her voice a low rumble of amusement and challenge. "Here"s my perspective: aside from our respective Masters, we are the apex predators in this desolate place. It's imperative for the survival of everyone here to recognize and respect that."
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but scoff, defiantly tilting her chin up, striving not to drown in the intensity of Shin's gaze. "Your hunger for power is unsettling," she retorted. "And I don"t care for it."
  
  
  
  "Hm," Shin hummed noncommittally, her eyes never leaving Sabine's. "Good. Because this Force bond farce that we share doesn"t make you my equal."
  
  
  
  At that, Sabine"s eyebrows quirked up, and a smile tugged at her lips, irrepressible and incisive. "Have you been sniffing spice?" she jested, her tone laced with incredulity. "Do you even hear yourself when you speak?" The sight of Shin"s features twisting in sheer vexation was nearly enough to send Sabine into a fit of laughter.
  
  
  
  "You"re insufferable," Shin spat through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  Unperturbed, Sabine leaned in, her voice a theatrical imitation of Shin's earlier menaces, "Remember when you said, "you will regret this decision?" Or my favorite, "you have no power?" And then, oh-my rockets disarmed you...You really should consider expanding your social circle and loosening up a bit."
  
  
  
  The audible grind of Shin's teeth underscored her mounting irritation, the muscles of her jaw tensing in a clear display.
  
  
  
  Suppressing a snort, Sabine dragged her hand down her face and deftly sidestepped a fuming Shin. "I"ll take the left side then," she declared, moving to freshen up behind a privacy wall.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze lingered on the bed for a moment before she let out a soft sigh, her attention methodically shifting to tidying the living space. She adjusted objects with pointed precision, her efforts to maintain an orderly environment paired with a concerted effort to avert her gaze from Sabine. The sound of splashing water and the rustle of clothing being shed teased at her senses.
  
  
  
  Peering out with a mischievous smile, Sabine teased, "You didn"t seem to mind looking yesterday," a playful reminder of a moment less guarded.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture became rigid, her actions with the linens more deliberate as she immersed herself in the familiar routine of her chores. Despite her absence for several days, everything remained untouched, indicative of the respect-or perhaps fear-others held for her possessions. She had transformed this space from the cold anonymity of her first night to a place imbued with warmth and personal comfort, and she found solace in its unchanged state.
  
  
  
  "Yesterday was different," Shin replied tersely, her hands methodically folding linens without a glance at the shadowed outline of Sabine visible through the partition.
  
  
  
  Sabine was busy heating water from a large container and funneling it into the bathtub. "How so?" she queried, her attention shifting to survey the array of oils and floral essences neatly aligned on a shelf.
  
  
  
  With a subtle clench of her jaw, Shin responded, "The beach has its own rules."
  
  
  
  "Really?" Sabine"s voice floated over, mingling with the sound of testing the water. Finding it to her liking, she shed the last of her attire, letting the heat envelop her as she stepped into the bath. A contented exhale filled the space as she settled in, her gaze flickering over the partition to Shin"s rigid posture. "I"m surprised you didn"t get sunburn."
  
  
  
  Shin glanced at her skin, noting minor reddish spots. "Suppose I"m resilient," she said, almost to herself.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Sabine lathered away the day's dust and toil. The soothing blue waters of their recent escapade were a distant luxury; her time on Peridea wasn"t for rest, but for honing her skills and demonstrating her worth to Ahsoka. The misadventure on Seatos had set a high bar; she was determined to meet it.
  
  
  
  "Resilient, huh?" Sabine mused, working the soap over her skin. "Let"s see then." Once clean, she reclined briefly, her lips parting to savor the humid air. "Pass me a towel, will you?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s response was a low murmur as she rifled through the linen, extracting a thick towel and pressing it to her chest. With cautious steps, she edged towards the privacy screen.
  
  
  
  From her bath, Sabine's smile was hidden but unmistakably present in her voice. Rising, she let the water cascade down her body, aromatic droplets perfuming the air. Shin"s hand peeked around the screen; the towel gripped so tightly her knuckles paled.
  
  
  
  "You"re too far," Sabine said.
  
  
  
  "Why not step out?" Shin"s gaze was fixed on the floor.
  
  
  
  "I"ll drip everywhere," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  The grip on the towel intensified as Shin rounded the screen. "Just take it," she insisted, her voice firm yet her face turned away, now flushed with a red hue.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s delight was unabashed as she plucked the towel from Shin"s grasp and began to pat herself dry. "Such resilience, Shin," she taunted softly.
  
  
  
  With a frustrated puff of breath, Shin retreated, busying herself with meticulous adjustments around the room. It was going to be a long night.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  a looooooong night indeed. Good luck Shin!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 13: Control
  Notes:
  So awesome to see all the bts wolfwren and the Ahsoka cast supporting the ship wow! What an awesome weekend! I mean it hasss to be canon in S2 now right?
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  In the sequestered sanctuary of the tent, only the crackling of the fireplace paired with the ghostly whir of the wind's nocturne from outside filled the air. Warmth pervaded the space, a soft, golden glow from the firelight danced upon the interior, casting elongated shadows that swayed with the flickering flames. The atmosphere was a cocoon of stillness, almost surreal, as if time itself had been lulled to a slow crawl.
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine, engrossed in their own worlds, relaxed on opposite edges of the substantial bed, the distance between them an unvoiced witness to their complex bond. They lay amidst comfort, the bed adorned with furs from exotic creatures, their lush textures a contrast to the tent's rugged canvas walls. The thick furs beneath them provided a comforting softness, a stark contradiction to the frigid wilderness beyond their temporary haven. Since settling down, an uncharacteristic silence had unfolded between them, each absorbed in datapads they"d procured, the subtle glow of the screens further illuminating their distinct features.
  
  
  
  Shin, dressed in basic sleepwear that did little to outline her form, found her gaze inadvertently magnetized to Sabine. Her eyes, betraying her attempted indifference, traced the landscape of exposed skin revealed by Sabine's carefree attire. An unexpected tingle, originating from a place of unacknowledged desire, coiled in the pit of Shin"s stomach, a sensation as perplexing as it was profound. She grappled internally to avert her eyes, to break free from the spell cast by the vision before her.
  
  
  
  However, her eyes seemed to possess an agenda of their own. They continued an unabashed journey up Sabine"s now tanned leg, a reflection of recent adventures under alien suns, only to halt at the boundary presented by a pair of audaciously short shorts. Shin, caught in the turbulence of her emotions, exhaled sharply, a silent plea to regain her composure. With a mixture of reluctance and necessity, she forced her attention back to her datapad, though the words blurred before her, her mind a tempest of unspoken and unacknowledged feelings, stoked by the intimate ambiance of their shared seclusion.
  
  
  
  "What's eating you now?" Sabine inquired, a hint of both annoyance and amusement in her tone as she half-turned to face Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her hand in a dismissive gesture, not meeting Sabine's eyes. "It's nothing," she muttered, though her intense stare might have bored holes into her datapad if it were possible. The words on the screen had long since stopped making sense, all cognitive focus hijacked by the overwhelming awareness of Sabine's proximity.
  
  
  
  Unconvinced, Sabine cocked her head, her gaze sharpening with curiosity as she fully pivoted to face Shin. "Really now?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Clamping her jaw, Shin silently cursed Sabine's persistent attempts to peel back her defenses. "Anyone with sense would dress warmer on a night like this," she grumbled, her words carrying a dual critique of Sabine's choice of attire and her disregard for the biting cold.
  
  
  
  A playful smirk played on Sabine's lips, and she teasingly bit her cheek. "Oh? Worried I'll catch a chill, or just distracted by my legs?" she retorted, delighting in the ambiguity of Shin's discomfort.
  
  
  
  Clutching her datapad with a white-knuckled grip, Shin edged backward, seeking a phantom buffer between her and Sabine, only to find herself teetering precariously at the bed's boundary. Retreat wasn't an option; one more inch and she'd succumb to gravity. Regret gnawed at her for granting an invitation to her private haven to a rival, a decision that once seemed logical but now felt like a tactical error. The room's warmth, once comforting, now smothered her, and the expansive bed had shrunk, the space charged with an unspoken tension.
  
  
  
  With a breath to steel herself, Shin pivoted slowly to confront Sabine, her movement hindered, as though invisible strings orchestrated her reluctance for full eye contact. Sabine was a study in contrasts, with her attire defiantly incongruent to their environment: those form-fitting shorts and a night top more suited to the recent tropical twilight than a frigid evening. It was as though they were back on those sun-drenched shores, and Shin found herself perplexed, irked, and inexplicably drawn all at once. The golden hue of Sabine's skin, adorned with patches of sunburn, seemed to glow, and her lips, a shade of soft pink, silently issued an invitation that sent a complex eruption of emotions coursing through Shin.
  
  
  
  "Well?" Sabine pressed.
  
  
  
  Catching Sabine's insistent tone, Shin straightened up, her back rigid against the intricately carved wood of the headboard. A measured breath escaped her as she placed her datapad down with precise care, her motions meticulous. Her gaze drifted towards the tent's entrance, seemingly seeking an escape from the electric tension in the room, her heart pulsing a heady rhythm that echoed through her frame. Yet, when her eyes eventually met Sabine, it was the other's anticipatory smirk and the provocative draw of her legs that captured her, the flickering firelight casting a captivating sheen on Sabine's skin, enhancing her allure.
  
  
  
  Compelled by a force she couldn't name, Shin extended her hand. Instead of verbalizing a response to Sabine's challenge, she chose a more tactile language, her cool fingers making gentle contact with the base of Sabine's ankle. The sharp sound of Sabine's inhaled breath marking the moment, yet she didn't pull away.
  
  
  
   Shin's heart drummed a fierce beat against her ribcage, a deep, resonant thrum awakening within her. With deliberate slowness, she traced the contour of Sabine's calf, the journey both torturous and electrifying, her eyes steadfastly avoiding Sabine's intense gaze, focusing solely on the path her fingers were charting. However, as Shin's exploration reached the summit of Sabine's knee, it was met with sudden resistance - a firm hand arresting her progress.
  
  
  
  "You need to ask," Sabine admonished, her tone firm.
  
  
  
  Yet, Shin's hand remained, a steadfast presence on Sabine's knee. "You"ve touched me plenty of times without permission," she countered.
  
  
  
  A flash of something intense - surprise, then defiance - sparked in Sabine's eyes. She made a brief attempt to dislodge Shin's hand, but the difference in their strength became apparent, and with a resigned sigh, she relented. The steady heat from Shin's prolonged touch seemed to seep into her skin, right at the juncture of her knee. Swallowing hard, Sabine's gaze dropped to Shin's long, pale fingers, fingers that had seen less sun but no less battle, and her own grip relaxed.
  
  
  
  "Okay," she conceded, the word a pact as their eyes locked once more, the familiar dance of frost and flame between them reigniting.
  
  
  
  Emboldened by the concession, Shin's pulse thrummed with new urgency. Maintaining the connection of their gaze, her hand resumed its journey, ascending the landscape of Sabine's thigh, which radiated warmth. Sabine's hand atop hers provided silent guidance, an affirmation, her skin a canvas of soft heat beneath their intertwined touch. Unaware of her own movement, Shin found herself drawn magnetically closer to Sabine, noting the dew of perspiration that had formed on her skin. The exploration continued until fabric met fingertips, a boundary reached yet not respected.
  
  
  
  However, Sabine wasn't one for hesitation. With decisive motion, she interlaced her fingers with Shin's, guiding them with assertive intimacy beneath the fabric of her shorts. Throughout, her gaze never wavered, a challenge and an invitation fused in the depth of her unwavering stare.
  
  
  
  Shin's breath hitched, her lips parting slightly as her fingertips encountered the unexpected heat and the delicate edge of Sabine's underwear. A sudden surge of something intense and unnamed forced her to retract her hand abruptly, her expression hardening into a glare.
  
  
  
  Unperturbed, Sabine's response was a self-assured smirk as she reclined against the headboard, arms casually folded behind her head, the picture of nonchalant provocation. "Wasn't that what you wanted?" she queried.
  
  
  
  The tent's atmosphere thickened around Shin, the air heavy like a tangible forcefield. Her hand quivered, barely perceptible, yet undeniable. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, a rhythm that seemed to consume the space. "You presume too much," Shin retorted, her voice taut as a wire.
  
  
  
  Sabine's head tilted, a silent, considering gesture, her eyes never leaving Shin. They remained locked, charged particles in a confined space, until Sabine's voice broke the silence. Her words were soft, almost a whisper, yet they carried the weight of unspoken truths. "You can"t always be in control, Shin," she murmured, the softness of her tone belying the firmness of her message.
  
  
  
  "This isn't about-"
  
  
  
  "Anything you ever do to me from now will be because I allow it," Sabine cut in, her eyes sparkling with a fierce intensity. "I'm not the same girl you encountered on Lothal."
  
  
  
  A vivid flash of a different scenario-her lightsaber impaling Sabine-flickered through Shin's thoughts, igniting an ache within her. "I act on my own terms," Shin declared, lifting her chin in defiance.
  
  
  
  "Is that so?" Sabine retorted, one eyebrow arching skeptically. She swept her arm in a gesture encompassing their cozy yet confined surroundings, then settled into a cross-legged position on the bed. "Because from where I'm sitting, all of this," she waved a hand vaguely, "seems like an elaborate charade, a desperate grasp for a sense of control you don't really have."
  
  
  
  Heat crept up to the tips of Shin's ears, a visible manifestation of her rising frustration and embarrassment, and she found herself wishing she could extinguish the roaring fire that seemed to amplify the room's tension. "What about you, then?" she shot back, her voice taut. "Your grand tale of being a Commander, the narrative you spun on the beach yesterday. You neatly sidestepped any real mention of the Academy, your stint as a bounty hunter, your family... You recited events but shared nothing of what you felt."
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine"s eyes widened, the firelight catching a sheen that suggested unshed tears. "And you?" she countered, her voice a blend of anger and vulnerability. "Hopping from one planet to another under the guise of business. What about your past, Shin? Your family? Your life before all the chaos with Baylan? Are you ready to peel back your layers for me? Because, for all my omissions... at least I tried."
  
  
  
  The accusation hit its mark, and Shin felt a sharp prick behind her eyes, though she willed herself not to blink. She fixed Sabine with a piercing glare, noting the sweat that now glossed her companion's forehead. This evening was meant to be uncomplicated-a pause for rest, a recharge for the work awaiting them with the new day. Instead, it had devolved into a collision of hidden pasts and unspoken truths.
  
  
  
  "You fierfek," Shin hissed, the insult slicing through the tension like a knife.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s lips curled in a scornful sneer. "Dank farrik," she shot back with equal venom.
  
  
  
  Overwhelmed by frustration, Shin clenched her hands into tight fists, physically manifesting her internal turmoil, and deliberately averted her gaze from Sabine. "I never asked for this Force bond with you," she uttered, the words heavy with resentment yet laced with an undercurrent of despair.
  
  
  
  "Oh, and you think I did?" Sabine retorted sharply, her voice a mix of indignation and exasperation, before her tone softened, betraying her fatigue. "Sometimes, when I sense you through it, all I feel is this... this chilling loneliness, this harshness that"s so...alienating."
  
  
  
  "And you? You"re just a fortress of contradictions, chaos, and madness!" Shin fired back, her words echoing the tumult within.
  
  
  
  Letting out a derisive scoff, Sabine"s gaze lingered on the invisible trail Shin"s fingers had blazed just moments ago. She grasped the fur bedding, her fingers digging in as if seeking an anchor, before abruptly turning on her side, her body language closing off. "I"m going to sleep," she declared stiffly, her voice slightly muffled. "I couldn"t care less if you snore. It"s better than whatever this is."
  
  
  
  Drawing her knees up to her chest in a protective posture, Shin cast a sidelong glance at Sabine"s silhouette, softened and made indistinct by the fur covers. She swallowed hard, brushing away the moisture that threatened to spill from her eyes, and rested her chin atop her knees. In the dim glow of the fire, she found her gaze locked on the rhythmic rise and fall of Sabine"s breathing for an eternity. A torrent of anger and a profound sense of despair gripped her, relentlessly gnawing at her resolve until exhaustion finally claimed her, pulling her into the oblivion of restless sleep.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of sleep vanishing as she jolted upright. Her gaze, heavy with the fog of interrupted dreams, darted instinctively to her left. An inexplicable hollowness gnawed at her chest when she found the other side of the bed impeccably made, the furs smooth and undisturbed, starkly void of Shin's presence. It was as though the night before - the tension, the shared breaths - had been nothing but a figment of her imagination.
  
  
  
  The tent, a spacious canvas of muted colors, was suffused with a soft, golden glow, the fire from the hearth casting playful shadows that danced across the fabrics adorning the interior. The flames crackled softly, a rhythmic lullaby that had once promised warmth and companionship. Now, its heat seemed to mock her solitude. With a sigh, Sabine swung her legs over the bed's edge, the coarse woven rug scratching gently against her bare feet as she stood.
  
  
  
  She padded over to the living area, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her movements languid from the residual warmth of rest. Her attention was drawn to a plate of fresh provisions - an assortment of fruits whose names she'd yet to learn, and bread that reminded her just enough of home to twinge her heart - left considerately on the wooden table. Beside it lay her gear, that she cleaned and arranged neatly. The sunlight filtered through the open tent flap, casting linear patterns on the floor and bringing with it the ambient sounds of a camp stirring to life.
  
  
  
  Massaging the back of her neck, Sabine let out a yawn, her muscles protesting the action. She wandered closer to the tent's entrance, relishing the cool breeze that kissed her skin, a stark contrast to the fire's insistent warmth. Though her physical fatigue had been eased since rescuing Ezra from his exile, a psychological weight, dense and persistent, anchored itself within her. Here on Peridea, even the act of waking brought a reminder of the uncertainties that cluttered her future.
  
  
  
  Her mind involuntarily retraced the details of the previous evening with Shin. A flush crept up her neck as she cringed inwardly, questioning her own actions. Had she pushed too hard, crossed a line, perhaps? Their interaction had been a dangerous dance, and she, emboldened by emotions she didn't fully comprehend, had somehow wanted the challenge. But the empty bedspace beside her own painted a stark, silent reprimand, leaving Sabine to grapple with the complexities of their entwined fates.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a bite of the tropical fruit, its tangy juice awakening her taste buds and grounding her in the moment. As she chewed, her thoughts involuntarily drifted to the burgeoning powers within her, an intricate puzzle of strength and mystery she had yet to fully understand. It was an incomplete work of art in her mind.
  
  
  
  Her connection with Shin, in particular, remained an enigma wrapped in countless questions, the answers to which seemed to be just beyond her grasp. This shared energy, vibrant and pulsing with untapped potential, was something neither of them had anticipated - or wanted. At least, Sabine had been fairly certain she hadn't wanted it.
  
  
  
  The bond, however, existed, threading between them with a persistence that couldn't be ignored. It was a silent, unseen force, weaving them closer in ways that both intrigued and unnerved her.
  
  
  
  Shaking off her thoughts, Sabine finished her meal and prepared herself for the day. She armed herself with her gear, the familiar weight of her equipment a comforting constant amidst the plights of change. With a final glance at the space she'd occupied, a temporary safehouse within the unpredictable wilderness of Peridea, she stepped through the tent flap and into the world outside.
  
  
  
  The encampment was a hive of activity, the air alive with the sounds of morning: people chatting, tools clanging, and the crackle of fires. The sky above was a brilliant expanse of blue, the sun perched high and casting its generous light upon the land. Its warmth was gentle, a soft caress against her skin, invigorating her senses and offering a promise of a day filled with productivity.
  
  
  
  It was the kind of weather that beckoned one to keep busy, and as Sabine navigated through the throngs of people, she found herself hoping she might secure a tent of her own. A space where she could ponder the complexities of her situation in solitude, or perhaps, come to terms with the inexplicable bond that seemed determined to tether her to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shifting her focus to intelligence gathering, Sabine meticulously cataloged the assortment of weapons, armor, and supplies present in the expanding encampment. Her interactions were marked by a professional courtesy that didn't go unnoticed by the bandits, many of whom expressed gratitude and admiration for her foreign expertise with a lightsaber and her command of the mysterious Force.
  
  
  
  Brushing her fingers through her cropped hair, Sabine navigated her way around a notably expansive and heavily guarded tent. Within her sight, Kradosh and his elite associates moved purposefully, engaged in the continuous task of organizing resources procured from the tropical zone. She observed closely, identifying no fewer than twelve battle-hardened warriors leading the operations, while a larger group handled the more menial tasks. The scene provoked memories of the efficiency and hierarchy reminiscent of the Stormtroopers from her own galaxy.
  
  
  
  The camp was alive under the caress of a warm breeze, and Sabine, wearing an unwavering smile, moved through it with an air of confidence. The absence of hostility towards her was evident, though she considered whether this acceptance was directed at her, or perhaps it was the respect-or fear-of her lightsaber, blasters, and mysterious Force powers that guaranteed such warmth.
  
  
  
  As the sun ascended to its zenith, Sabine chose to navigate the outskirts of the burgeoning encampment. Her journey around the camp's edge was interrupted when she detected an unexpected warmth near one of the tents. Curiosity piqued, she edged closer and discovered a group of bandit younglings, each adorned in uniquely colored armor, diligently practicing combat stances, engaging in friendly duels, and interacting animatedly with their peers.
  
  
  
  Overseeing this lively assembly was an individual Sabine deduced to be an instructor, engaged in what appeared to be a serious discussion with Shin. Feeling a subtle sensation at the back of her neck, Sabine was torn between walking directly towards them or proceeding with her solitary patrol. However, when Shin's piercing blue gaze inexplicably met her own cautious brown eyes, she decided to adopt an air of nonchalance, portraying her approach as nothing more than a casual saunter.
  
  
  
  Her arrival sparked a flurry of whispers and wide-eyed enthusiasm among the children, their chatter reaching a crescendo as they recognized her. Acknowledging Sabine's presence, the bandit instructor offered a respectful bow of her head and tactfully disengaged from her conversation with Shin, leaving an opening for Sabine to join.
  
  
  
  "You overslept," Shin remarked with a dry tone, her hands deftly adjusting her pauldrons.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes performed an exaggerated roll as she observed the younglings disperse for their lunch interval. "And I bet you didn"t sleep at all," she retorted.
  
  
  
  A hint of rigidity in her stance was Shin's only visible reaction before she took a deep swig from her water canteen. "There's work to be done," she responded, her voice carrying the weight of responsibility. "Plenty, in fact, that you could assist with."
  
  
  
  "Sure," Sabine articulated, drawing out the word as her gaze deliberately swept over Shin. "How's your knee?"
  
  
  
  After a brief pause to dab her mouth, Shin offered an indifferent shrug. "Fine," she asserted, her tone betraying a hint of defiance. "I heal quickly."
  
  
  
  The air hung heavy for a few heartbeats, charged with the unspoken as Sabine weighed the merit of a sharp-witted comeback. Yet, the tension was punctured by subdued giggles and muffled chortles emanating from behind. Casting a glance over her shoulder, Sabine caught the curious stares of several bandit children, their faces partially obscured by the tent's fabric. Her lips curved into a wry smile, and she offered a playful wave. Like startled sparrows, the youngsters dispersed in a flurry of hushed laughter and rustling attire.
  
  
  
  "They're so curious, those kids," Sabine observed, her tone light.
  
  
  
  Shin straightened up, her countenance unreadable, while the wind played with her platinum locks. "They're under the impression you're fond of me," she stated, her voice devoid of inflection.
  
  
  
  A snort escaped Sabine as she swung around to face Shin, her face painted with mock disbelief. "Me?" she queried, her eyebrow arching dramatically. "They're mistaken."
  
  
  
  "Are they, though?" Shin countered, her words hanging in the air. "In their culture, every leader of note is paired off. It's only natural they'd apply the same concept to us."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her finger idly tracing her cheek. The children reappeared, their eyes wide with barely suppressed curiosity, and she couldn't help but chuckle. However, meeting Shin's unyielding gaze caused her to clear her throat, squaring her shoulders. "Is that the reason..." she trailed off, the question lingering. "You wanted me in your tent?"
  
  
  
  Maintaining her posture, hands clasped behind her back, Shin flicked a knowing smirk in the direction of the surreptitious young onlookers. Sunlight, having triumphed over the obstinate cloud cover, bathed her in an ethereal glow, her hair shimmering like molten silver. "Have you concluded your assessment of my encampment for your Master?" she retorted, neatly deflecting the inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine's breath caught, yet she elevated her chin defiantly. "Actually, I"ve been looking for a private tent," she countered.
  
  
  
  Closing the distance, Shin advanced until barely a foot separated them. She peered intently at Sabine, tilting her head in a gesture that bordered on the predatory. "Are you sure that"s what you want, Sabine?" she inquired, her voice a silky challenge.
  
  
  
  With her heart pounding a relentless beat and her stomach twisting, Sabine found herself momentarily spellbound. Perspiration gathered at her back, and her muscles seemed to rebel against motion. "Your tent is too warm," she managed to utter, the words almost a gasp.
  
  
  
  "I can reduce the fuel for the fire, remove the fireback," Shin offered quietly, her tone soothing yet laced with an undercurrent of something more.
  
  
  
  A surge of heat flushed through Sabine, her pulse racing like a drumbeat in her ears. She pressed her lips together to quell their trembling. "You"re just so..."
  
  
  
  "So what?" Shin pressed, her hand finding its way to Sabine"s thigh, caressing the spot she had explored just a night before. "We argue but you always come back."
  
  
  
  The contact nearly buckled Sabine"s knees, but she summoned her inner strength, seizing Shin"s wandering hand with a firmness that belied her internal tumult. "Stop," she commanded.
  
  
  
  Shin's lips parted to respond, but she retracted swiftly as Kradosh made his approach, offering a respectful bow of his head. He addressed Sabine first, "Commander," he acknowledged, before shifting his attention to Shin, "General."
  
  
  
  Though her thigh still tingled from Shin's touch, Sabine couldn't help but roll her eyes at the honorific bestowed upon Shin. It wasn't as if Shin had vanquished the Voraxlyn single-handedly or reclaimed the bandits' long-lost treasures. Without Sabine's and Ahsoka's ship, Shin's achievements would have amounted to zero.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh," Shin returned the greeting, her lips twitching into something approximating a smile.
  
  
  
  "We've gathered information about additional supply caches to the north in the frozen territories," he reported. "By howler, it's roughly a week's journey, and the climate should be relatively tolerable at this season."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze drifted skyward to the sun before nodding in acknowledgment. "Any notable factions in that direction?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  "The Ice people," was Kradosh's concise response.
  
  
  
  "And are they a threat or an ally?" Shin pursued further.
  
  
  
  Affirming with a nod, Kradosh elaborated, "They are a worldly people, not a threat."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze slid subtly to Sabine, her eyes probing. "Sabine will be an asset," she asserted confidently. "You"d prefer a colder environment, wouldn"t you?"
  
  
  
  Biting back a sharp retort, Sabine mustered a gracious smile for Kradosh's benefit. "I'd be more than happy to contribute," she chimed in. "And if we find any mystical barriers, I'll ensure they're dismantled for you..." She blatantly disregarded the sharp look Shin shot her way, choosing instead to acknowledge the giggling children who maintained their watchful vigil.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Looks like they'll be spending a lottt of time together
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 14: Canvas
  Notes:
  Sorry this is later than usual. I was at home with my family for Diwali and up to shenanigans and schoolwork all week. Best part though is I've been in a perpetual food coma the entire time.
  
  Anyway hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine conveyed every scrap of information to Ahsoka via the comms, her voice laden with the gravity of their uncharted mission. Yet, the calm that suffused her Master's response took her aback. Far from troubled, Ahsoka expressed a supportive stance towards Sabine's collaboration with Shin and the bandits in delving into the northern territories, with the promise that their ship would linger in readiness, a silent guardian against the backdrop of distant stars.
  
  
  
  Moreover, Ahsoka emphasized the continuous necessity for Sabine to hone her skills and engage in her meditative practices, especially now on the fringes of the mysterious Peridea, a world where unpredictability reigned.
  
  
  
  Communication ceasing, Sabine's arm fell to her side, the comm device a forgotten weight as her attention was captured by the horizon. The sun bowed out in a quiet spectacle, its descent marking a stark transition from the comforting heat of day to the biting chill of evening.
  
  
  
  This contrast, so abrupt, seemed to tug at her very skin, offering a prelude to the potential harshness of the northern climate. A shudder, unbidden yet not wholly unwelcome, coursed through her, not just from the cool air but also from envisioning the freezing vastness ahead and the necessity for her peak performance in the company of bandits. A resolve hardened within her, fueled by frustration at Shin's manipulations. She would undeniably prove herself the more adept one. Shin's schemes would not best her.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t believe she was tricked into sharing the same tent as Shin. And throughout the day, as she perused options for alternative quarters, she was met with unlivable dwellings that lacked even the most basic of comforts. At one point she contemplated returning to the Noti camp but if she did that, Shin would win the silent battle they agreed to.
  
  
  
  Navigating the winding paths to Shin's comfortably outfitted quarters, a stream of silent expletives ran through Sabine's mind. Hunger nipped at her insides, and the prospect of unwinding after such a taxing day loomed invitingly. Her hours had been consumed with the reconstruction of several malfunctioning blasters and the meticulous repair of minor explosives for the bandits. Acclaim for her proficiency seemed to flow endlessly, her skills drawing admiring glances and murmurs from several novice gadget enthusiasts. A surge of pride, persistent and invigorating, swelled within her each time she resolved a technical conundrum that left Shin baffled.
  
  
  
  Intent on retrieving her pack to shift to a different tent, Sabine entered through the canvas opening. The unexpected sight of Shin's exposed back promptly compelled her to divert her gaze. With a cough to signal her presence, she hastened towards her gear, striving to disregard the allure of skin illuminated by the flickering, muted light of the nearby flames.
  
  
  
  "Dinner"s ready," Shin called out, her hands busy applying a hydrating cream to her skin.
  
  
  
  Caught in discomfort, Sabine kneaded her neck, unable to prevent her gaze from stealing over her shoulder. Shin's back was a dynamic display of shifting muscles, every contour and movement revealing the legacy of extensive physical conditioning. Sabine, who had not fully appreciated the view at the beach, now found herself confronted with an undeniable observation of Shin's form.
  
  
  
  "You"re staring," Shin commented without turning, as she slipped a linen shirt over her head.
  
  
  
  Releasing a tense breath, Sabine seized her bag. "I found an unoccupied tent out there," she mentioned, thumbing toward the exit.
  
  
  
  Whirling to face her, Shin fiddled with her nightwear. "Those are bare bones," she countered.
  
  
  
  "I don"t mind the ground," Sabine asserted.
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze shifted between Sabine and the tent"s entrance. "If you go," she started, her voice laced with caution, "they might assume-"
  
  
  
  "Assume what?" Sabine challenged, her tone rising slightly. "That things aren"t really as you"ve made them appear?"
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin"s jaw twitched before she set her resolve. "Stay," she commanded.
  
  
  
  Disbelief etched across Sabine"s features. She scoffed, shaking her head in a mix of frustration and incredulity. "You can"t be serious," she retorted. "I"m not a howler or one to be ordered around."
  
  
  
  A flash of something intense passed through Shin"s eyes as she closed the distance between them. "I didn"t mean it like that," she clarified hastily.
  
  
  
  Sabine, already halfway to the tent flap, paused. "Then what did you mean?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor before meeting Sabine"s once more. "I"ll share," she offered softly, a noticeable shift in her demeanor. "Things about myself."
  
  
  
  That nearly made Sabine fumble her pack, but she caught it just in time. "And I can ask questions?" she ventured.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expression tightened, her lips pressing into a thin line before she acquiesced. "A few," she consented, the words almost a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her cheek, her gaze lingering on Shin, whose normally icy eyes had adopted a gentler hue, her lips pressed into a faint frown. With her stomach knotting and heart quivering, Sabine heaved her pack back onto the sofa. She surveyed the assortment of food spread out on the table and exhaled heavily.
  
  
  
  "Alright," Sabine conceded, shedding her Mandalorian armor. "You want to play house for your bandit pals? Then you can tell me what I want to know."
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Shin responded, nodding toward the table. "I"ll start once we"ve eaten."
  
  
  
  The table was modestly set, the flickering candlelight casting a warm, intimate glow over the spread of food. Shin and Sabine sat across from each other, an array of simple yet hearty dishes between them. The silence was not uncomfortable, but rather filled with a tentative anticipation.
  
  
  
  Sabine reached for a piece of bread, tearing off a chunk thoughtfully. She chewed slowly, her gaze occasionally flitting up to meet Shin's. There was a noticeable tension in the air, but it was not entirely unwelcoming - rather, it seemed to signify the potential for new understanding.
  
  
  
  Shin, on her part, seemed more measured in her movements, a stark contrast to her usually decisive demeanor. She carefully served herself, her actions betraying a hint of nervousness. "I've never been much for cooking," she remarked, attempting to break the ice. "But I can manage basic meals."
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked at this, a spark of her usual playful spirit returning. "I'll keep my expectations in check then," she replied, her tone light, but with an underlying note of warmth.
  
  
  
  As they ate, there was a gradual easing of the atmosphere. The initial awkwardness began to dissipate, replaced by a growing sense of companionship. It was a strange, almost surreal experience for both - to sit and share a meal in such a relaxed manner amidst the chaos of their current lives.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped down a fruity sort of drink and sighed in satisfaction. "Do you think," she began to say, wiping her mouth. "If I had Force abilities the night we met that I would"ve beat you?"
  
  
  
  Shin nearly spat out her food. She chuckled and shook her head once. "Absolutely not," she stated. "Force or not, your form was terrible, and you were so quick to anger. I was toying with you the entire time."
  
  
  
  Sabine tongued her cheek and tilted her head. "Toying, huh?" she asked. "You seem to enjoy doing that."
  
  
  
  Shin bit into a piece of meat and shrugged one shoulder. "Only as much as you do," she retorted.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed and licked her salty lips, putting her head in her hands and observing Shin while she ate. Shin was so meticulous and careful about everything. From the way she moved, spoke and even chewed. Sabine wondered if Shin would ever loosen up more, if she"d smile more or laugh. The thought of Shin smiling and laughing began to flood Sabine"s mind and she found herself staring.
  
  
  
  "And what would there be to smile and laugh about, Sabine?" Shin asked with a smirk.
  
  
  
  "Ugh," Sabine groaned. "Stop doing that."
  
  
  
  "Your thoughts are too loud," Shin retorted. "I hope you quiet them when I begin to speak."
  
  
  
  Sabine scowled and cut into her meat harshly. "I"ll try," she mumbled.
  
  
  
  "They were especially loud when you were staring at my back," Shin observed, her movements precise as she tidied the crumbs from the table.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression turned into a scowl, her grip tightening on her cup. "How am I supposed to know when you're dressing?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  Leaning back, Shin fixed her gaze on Sabine. "I at least make an effort to do that when you're not around," she countered calmly. "That's more than I can say for you, who seems to take a particular delight in drawing attention whenever I'm nearby."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her tongue tracing her teeth thoughtfully. She searched for a clever comeback, but deep down she knew Shin's observation was accurate. There was an undeniable thrill in provoking reactions from Shin, in the subtle play of push and pull between them. The more time they spent together, the more Sabine found herself craving these interactions, noticing how Shin's gaze lingered with a mix of curiosity and something else she couldn't quite define.
  
  
  
  Finally, Sabine sighed, her voice softer, "Let's just finish dinner, then you can start talking."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained fixed on Sabine, absorbing the reflections of a past she strived to articulate. Occasionally, the sheen in Sabine"s eyes made Shin's heart twinge with an aching tenderness, while the moments of genuine curiosity and amusement in Sabine's expression elicited a wistful smile from her. Some recollections were hazy, tangled in the cobwebs of her mind, while others were deliberately skirted for their painful edges. Yet, Sabine was all ears, offering a home for her words until the inevitable surge of questions came.
  
  
  
  "And your family?" Sabine inquired, her legs extending leisurely across the generous expanse of the bed. Propped back on her hands, she swayed her feet in a gentle rhythm.
  
  
  
  Maintaining a respectful distance on her half of the bed, Shin had even moderated the fireplace's heat, ensuring the environment wasn't overly warm for Sabine. "You skimmed over details about your family," Shin pointed out, a subtle prompt hanging in the air.
  
  
  
  With a sigh, Sabine"s hand grazed the plush fur they sat upon. "Okay..." she acquiesced, a note of resignation in her tone. "But you"re sure you have no idea what Baylan"s up to?"
  
  
  
  An invisible lump formed in Shin"s throat, an emotional blockade. Her mind, almost reflexively, strained to sense her Master's presence, finding emptiness instead. "I have no insights," she confessed, the words heavy with a mix of frustration and concern.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze, warming into a hue reminiscent of dawn's first light, turned toward Shin. "I"m sorry he left," she said, her voice a gentle balm. "There"s gotta be a solid reason behind it, right?"
  
  
  
  "Perhaps," Shin murmured, the word a soft sigh.
  
  
  
  "You"ve been through a lot," Sabine continued, urgency threading her words. "It"s not easy being alone."
  
  
  
  "Hm," was all Shin offered, her hands idly stroking the fur beneath them. Her eyes, however, were drawn to Sabine"s hands, noticing how the color on her nails had almost entirely chipped away. A charge seemed to crackle in the scant space separating their fingertips, and Shin found herself caught in the pull of Sabine"s presence.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s smile was tender, but as her gaze shifted beyond Shin, it sharpened, curiosity knitting her brows. "What... what is that?" she queried, tone laced with intrigue.
  
  
  
  Shin"s head whipped around, attempting to identify the subject of Sabine"s curiosity. But before she could pinpoint it, Sabine was already springing from the bed, moving decisively toward a cluttered corner of the tent. There, amidst a jumble of supplies and various gear, Sabine excavated a sizable parchment. She held it aloft, eyes scanning its contents.
  
  
  
  Recognizing what Sabine had unearthed caused Shin's breath to catch, a sudden urge to rush forward gripping her. But the need to maintain her poise around the Mandalorian anchored her, and so she remained perched on the bed, her posture a studied calm as she faced Sabine, awaiting the unfolding conversation.
  
  
  
  "Is this your work?" Sabine inquired, pivoting the parchment so it faced Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin"s throat tightened, yet she held herself still, her demeanor resolute. "I employ mud," she started, her voice steady, "manipulating its water content to achieve diverse shades."
  
  
  
  "Huh," Sabine expressed her admiration with a raised eyebrow. "Most attempts end up resembling, well, poopoo... but this is great. Quite abstract. I like it."
  
  
  
  A subtle pressure formed in Shin"s hands as she compressed the fur, her mind drifting to Sabine"s creations aboard Ahsoka"s ship. "It doesn"t hold a candle to your work," she responded, maintaining her composure.
  
  
  
  Sabine returned Shin"s piece to its place with care before brushing off the comparison with a casual sweep of her hand. "I"m all about graffiti," she explained. "Your approach feels non-representational, which is awesome in its own right." She pivoted back to Shin, a smile warming her features. "What do you use for your art?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze swept the space before settling back on Sabine. The evening, she reflected, was unexpectedly more agreeable than the last. With deliberate slowness, she raised her hands, almost in a gesture of offering. "My tools are my fingers," she revealed.
  
  
  
  A silent moment enveloped Sabine, her lips parting slightly. She lingered in quiet contemplation, her jaw tensing as she considered her next move. Finally, with a resolved step, she approached Shin. Their eyes met, Sabine's gaze drawn into the clear blue depths of Shin's. In a gesture of silent communion, she extended her hands towards her.
  
  
  
  "Show me," Sabine requested, her words unwavering.
  
  
  
  Confusion marred Shin's features as she regarded Sabine's outstretched hands. "I don"t understand," she responded.
  
  
  
  "Imagine my hands are your canvas," Sabine clarified. "And show me what you do."
  
  
  
  A hint of apprehension flashed through Shin's eyes, yet she tentatively brought her fingers to hover above Sabine's waiting palms. The limited expanse offered by the hands before her posed a challenge distinctly different from the broad parchment she was accustomed to. Yet, Sabine's expectant gaze exuded an impatient excitement, and Shin felt an inexplicable compulsion to comply before the moment slipped away. Initiating a delicate touch, she let her fingertips glide in gentle gyres upon the surface of Sabine's skin, eliciting a barely audible intake of breath that filled the quiet space around them.
  
  
  
  "Your hands are clammy," Shin remarked, maintaining the unhurried movement of her fingers.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine exhaled softly, a hint of amusement lacing her words. "You sure know how to state the obvious."
  
  
  
  Caught off guard by the comment, Shin's gaze darted up to meet Sabine's, her fingers ceasing their motion. "I've reached the boundary," she murmured, acknowledging the constraints of the improvised canvas.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lower lip found itself caught between her teeth as she gradually retracted her hands. A subtle shift in stance preceded her tugging at the hem of her sleep-shorts, followed by a conspicuous swallow. "How about this then?" she proposed, a hint of uncertainty weaving through her words.
  
  
  
  Tension coursed through Shin's body when Sabine, with a gentleness that belied the boldness of the act, positioned her foot at the bed's edge, thereby revealing the expanse of thigh and leg that Shin had fleetingly made contact with the night before. Doubt flickered in Shin's mind, questioning the reality of the gesture before her. She couldn't help but observe the delicate rise of goosebumps adorning Sabine's skin, yet it was the insistent, subtle throbbing in the pit of her stomach that compelled her towards the inviting warmth of contact.
  
  
  
  Anything you ever do to me from now will be because I allow it.
  
  
  
  As Shin tentatively extended her hand toward the inviting expanse of Sabine's exposed leg, the air between them thickened with anticipation. Her fingertips, artisans of her craft, danced with the reverence of a whisper upon the smoothness of Sabine's skin. Starting at the ankle, a delicate terrain she longed to explore, Shin painted invisible swirls with the lightness of a feather's fall, each gentle stroke a wordless conversation.
  
  
  
  The contour of Sabine's calf was a melody beneath her touch, muscles tensing and relaxing in a silent response to the slow, exploring pressure of Shin's fingertips. Ascending to the flesh of her thigh, the texture of Sabine's skin shifted, softer, more intimate- skin known to few, and Shin's breath hitched at the privilege. Here, she lingered, her fingers spelling secrets in a language they were inventing together. In the sanctity of this touch, Shin wasn't just tracing skin but charting the unspoken galaxies that bloomed in the space between them, every goosebump a star born from their nascent intimacy and the bond they were discovering.
  
  
  
  Sabine swallowed, her attention riveted on Shin's fingers. "Mud will crack, crumble, and wash away... but the memory of your touch won't fade-not from my skin, not from my mind," she confessed.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's eyes grew wide, a slow breath escaping her as warmth cascaded through every fiber of her being. The space around them seemed to hum with an unseen force, their connection sparking to life in a way that felt almost visible. She found herself lost in the depths of Sabine's shimmering brown eyes as the other woman retracted her foot, planting it firmly back on the floor's soft covering.
  
  
  
  "When we"re alone... we don"t need to be..." Shin ventured, grappling for the right words.
  
  
  
  Sabine drew a deep breath, as if inviting the pulsing warmth of the room inside her. "Be who we pretend to be out there?" she suggested, completing Shin's thought.
  
  
  
  A sense of aridness overwhelmed Shin's mouth, her heart pounding so fervently within the confines of her chest she feared its beats were audible. "Maybe," she whispered.
  
  
  
  With a deliberate motion, Sabine circled the bed to reach Shin's side. "Try to actually rest tonight" she proposed, a hint of playfulness softening her tone, "instead of staring at me for hours."
  
  
  
  The charged atmosphere seemed to ebb, and Shin expelled a sigh, her hand absently sifting through her platinum locks as she slid beneath the covers. "Then you'll stay?" she queried, a hopeful note inflecting her voice.
  
  
  
  "I'll stay."
  
  
  
  Notes:
  =]]]]
  
  Thank you as always for reading, kudos and comments. It's been nice chatting with some of you on tumblr as well.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 15: Healing
  Notes:
  This chapter does contain blood, mild gore and violence and was particularly fun to write!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine lay in bed, restless, tossing and turning, unable to succumb to sleep. A persistent tingling sensation coursed through her leg, longing for Shin"s touch again. She gripped the fur sheets, feeling their softness against her fingers. The room was quiet, save for the occasional crackle from the fireplace, casting a warm, flickering light across the space. Despite her efforts to relax, her mind remained active, replaying the day's events and her interactions with Shin.
  
  
  
  One thought, in particular, kept circling in her mind: the art Shin had created. Sabine wondered why Shin hadn't brought it up earlier, especially after noticing Sabine's own sketches on the T-6. Perhaps Shin was too reserved, or maybe she doubted the worth of her work. Sabine knew the value of artistic expression, regardless of the medium, and felt a deep appreciation for any form of art, even those crafted from mud.
  
  
  
  Yet, a lingering dissatisfaction hung in the air, stemming from the way their last conversation had concluded. Sabine lay there, pondering ways to gently coax Shin into revealing more of herself. In a mix of frustration and contemplation, she kicked off the fur covers with a heavy sigh.
  
  
  
  "Now who is the one who can"t sleep?" Shin"s voice, soft yet clear, broke the silence.
  
  
  
  Startled, Sabine jerked upright slightly, then rubbed her face with a weary hand. She shifted to lie flat on her back, exhaling a deep, frustrated breath. With her gaze fixed on the tent's ceiling and lost in thought, she finally broke the silence, confessing something that had been weighing on her.
  
  
  
  "When I was younger, my parents chose to side with the Empire," Sabine revealed. "It was all tangled up in politics, but deep down, I knew my mom did it to protect us."
  
  
  
  Shin, lying beside her, turned onto her back as well, a thoughtful pause preceding her response. "People make the best choices they can at the time," she said, her tone reflective. "But those choices don"t always lead to the outcomes they hope for."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a small, bitter laugh and rubbed her temples. "You"re telling me," she sighed, a sense of heaviness in her words. "The guilt, the second-guessing... it never really leaves you." Her mind briefly wandered to her recent, risky gamble with Baylan on Seatos, which still preyed on her conscience.
  
  
  
  Shin"s voice softened. "It"s true, the past lingers. But I find that being creative can be a solace at times."
  
  
  
  Sabine felt a spark of curiosity ignite within her, a rare glimpse into Shin"s inner world. She smiled slightly, a newfound warmth in her tone. "I think I have some paints, actually. We could share them sometime in the future."
  
  
  
  The idea seemed to resonate with Shin, who replied with a hint of eagerness in her voice, "That would be nice."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, turning her head to look at Shin, silhouetted in the flickering firelight. The sharp contours of Shin's jaw and the way the light played on her skin captivated Sabine. Despite the late hour, Shin's features held an enigmatic beauty. But Sabine's thoughts quickly returned to the events of the evening. Discovering Shin's artwork had been a turning point, preventing her from seeking solitude outside the tent. Her curiosity about Shin's past was piqued, yet she recognized the delicacy of probing too deeply. Nevertheless, as they prepared to venture into the unknowns of the north together, Sabine felt a pressing need for greater understanding.
  
  
  
  Breaking the silence, Sabine's voice was gentle but insistent. "Can you share something more with me?" she asked. "You agreed to try, and I've stayed."
  
  
  
  Shin's response was delayed as she lay still, hand resting behind her head, eyes fixed on the tent's ceiling. Finally, she spoke. "Are you familiar with the Jedi Purge?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was immediate. "Of course, Order 66 and all that tragedy," she said, her expression clouding with concern. Shin's youth made her wonder about the impact of those events on her life.
  
  
  
  Shin's tone grew more somber. "For a young child, especially one who is Force Sensitive, our galaxy can be a perilous place."
  
  
  
  Sabine shifted to her side, facing Shin more directly. Memories of Kanan and Ezra, who had both navigated the dangers of being Force Sensitive in a hostile galaxy, came to mind. "What happened?" she asked softly.
  
  
  
  Shin took a moment, her expression tightening as if recalling painful memories. "My parents... I didn"t really know them or if they exist," she admitted, a note of sadness in her voice. "I have vague memories of my grandparents caring for me, their failing health... but nothing concrete. I was just too young to remember clearly."
  
  
  
  Hearing Shin's admission, Sabine felt a twinge of sympathy. She nodded, acknowledging the pain such a lack of connection could cause. "I"m sorry you went through that," she said sincerely.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice softened as she continued. "But I remember Baylan. He intervened in a process that would have led to me being trained as an Inquisitor. He said my grandparents believed joining the Empire would keep me safe. They didn"t realize the full implications."
  
  
  
  Sabine listened intently, her eyes widening in surprise and concern. She could sense the struggle in Shin, the effort it took to share these fragments of her past. Shin"s usually stoic demeanor gave way to vulnerability, her blue eyes glistening and her lip quivering slightly - a rare glimpse into her inner turmoil.
  
  
  
  "You would have faced a harsh and manipulative training regime," Sabine reflected, her voice tinged with empathy. Her experiences in the Imperial Academy, though not as severe, had made her acutely aware of the brutal methods used to mold Inquisitors.
  
  
  
  Shin turned towards Sabine, a trace of a smile on her face, though it did little to mask her inner conflict. "Baylan was involved with the Empire then," she revealed. "He recognized something in me - said my abilities were... exceptional."
  
  
  
  As Sabine"s gaze remained locked with Shin's, the emotional depth of their conversation brought a new level of intimacy between them.This revelation went beyond physical attraction or shared experiences, delving into the complexities of Shin"s past, a subject she rarely touched upon.
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated but then pressed on, needing to understand more. "What happened to your grandparents?" she asked softly.
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes held a mixture of sadness and resignation. "They passed away due to age and health issues," she answered quietly. "As for my parents, I don't even know if they're still out there somewhere, but I feel nothing for them," The uncertainty in her voice highlighted a lifetime of questions left unanswered.
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed as she scooted closer to Shin, who remained still. Memories of Clan Wren's tragic end during the Night of a Thousand Tears haunted her, but at least she had clarity about her family's fate. "Why align with Thrawn then?" she queried. "Why help Morgan in the first place?"
  
  
  
  Shin's response came with a slight shrug. "I sought power, something more than the past I didn't fully understand," she said quietly. "And Baylan told me I"d have power such as I"ve never dreamed. He wanted me to kill you and Bridger, to secure my place in the emerging Empire."
  
  
  
  Sabine, propping herself on her elbow, studied Shin closely, absorbing her honesty. Shin's eyes shimmered, her vulnerability barely masked by her composed exterior.
  
  
  
  "But what did you want the power for?" Sabine pressed, seeking deeper insight.
  
  
  
  Shin's response was firm, her tone resolute. "Control," she stated. "As a child, I had none. Even with Baylan, my autonomy was limited. I was on the brink of something significant..."
  
  
  
  Sabine pondered Shin's words, feeling a complex mix of emotions. The revelation painted a picture of Shin's inner struggles and ambitions, creating a conflicting narrative that tugged at Sabine's heart. Her leg still tingled from Shin's earlier touch, a physical reminder of their growing connection amidst the turmoil of their shared journey.
  
  
  
  "You're already powerful, Shin," Sabine affirmed, meeting Shin's intense gaze. "But I think true power is in the choices we make or don"t make."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes narrowed; her voice tinged with curiosity. "Explain."
  
  
  
  Sabine recounted their past encounters with a hint of fervor. "Choosing not to kill me on Lothal, fleeing on Seatos, Force choking me, and leaving even when Ahsoka offered help... all choices, Shin."
  
  
  
  Shin's expression hardened, her eyes searching Sabine's. "And your point is?"
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled and shrugged lightly. "Now, you're free to make your own choices. Your Master is gone and we"re in a different galaxy. It's almost like you have more control than you ever intended."
  
  
  
  Shin pondered this, her head tilting slightly. "A peculiar way to see it."
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice softened, her words carrying a mix of empathy and encouragement. "You've been chasing external validation for your strength. But look at how you"ve gotten here on Peridea, right?"
  
  
  
  Shin conceded with a reluctant nod. "Perhaps you're right."
  
  
  
  "And even my Master sees something within you," Sabine reminded.
  
  
  
  "I suppose."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes gleamed with conviction. "Kriff, Shin, you can do what you want. Be your own person and figure out your own power within yourself."
  
  
  
  A smile flickered across Shin's lips. "You sound like a Jedi Master speaking," she teased gently, extending her hand from under the covers towards Sabine's face. "Are you ready to live by your own advice?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart skipped a beat, her breath caught in her throat as Shin's fingers hovered tantalizingly close to her face. With an almost magnetic pull, she closed the gap, welcoming the gentle touch of Shin's fingers on her cheek and jaw. The sensation sent a pleasant tingle through her, a warmth spreading across her skin, comforting and intimate.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice, soft yet holding an underlying strength, broke the silence. "Are you sure I can do what I want, Sabine?" she asked, her thumb caressing Sabine's chin gently, yet holding a subtle firmness.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, sinking back into her pillow, her skin still humming where Shin's touch lingered. "That's more than enough for now," she whispered.
  
  
  
  Shin slowly withdrew her hand, turning to face Sabine with a look of concern and inquiry. "Have I shared enough with you tonight? Speaking of these things is not easy."
  
  
  
  Tentatively, Sabine reached out beneath the covers, her fingers seeking Shin's. Hesitation gave way to resolve, and she intertwined their fingers, a small gasp escaping her lips at the immediate connection.
  
  
  
  "For now," Sabine murmured, her eyelids growing heavy. A playful thought crossed her mind, and she mused, "Can you use our Force bond thing to help me sleep?"
  
  
  
  Shin looked puzzled for a moment. "I could try," she responded cautiously.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a tired smile, "I was only kidding," she said. But as the words left her lips, a soothing wave of tranquility enveloped her, lulling her gently into a peaceful slumber.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin's posture remained composed while she absorbed the final details of the meeting with Kradosh. The air inside the tent, known among the bandits as the Council's Den, held a curious blend of anticipation and solemnity, underlining the importance of their upcoming journey to the inhospitable northern lands. The hope for a merciful warmth from the skies was almost a physical presence in the room, a silent plea from a people who had weathered the whims of nature for millennia.
  
  
  
  The interior of the Council's Den was a reflection of the bandit's history and prowess. Along the periphery, weapons of various designs were displayed, each telling a silent story: curved blades that spoke of battles long past, spears that had perhaps once brought down mighty beasts, and more modern armaments hinting at encounters with technologically advanced foes. Interspersed with these were relics of a different kind - small, worn figurines, faded maps, and other artifacts whose purpose Shin could only speculate about. They were items of obvious significance, carefully preserved through countless seasons of wandering.
  
  
  
  Surprisingly, there was order here, a far cry from the chaotic reputation of bandits. Scrolls were neatly cataloged in one corner, perhaps containing knowledge or strategies passed down through generations. The atmosphere was serious, with the smoky air carrying a weight of decisions that affected many lives.
  
  
  
  Shin noted, not for the first time, the contrast between the bandit's external persona and the reality of their internal hierarchy and respect for their heritage. Kradosh, their leader, was a prime example. His demeanor was rough, his skin etched with the lines of both age and exposure to the elements, yet his eyes sparkled with intelligence and, when he spoke of his people, compassion.
  
  
  
  Their culture, Shin realized, was rich with layers not visible to those who encountered them only in passing or during conflicts. Their traditions ran deep, their bonds strong, and their survival skills honed through the relentless crucible of a nomadic existence. And now, as she delved deeper into their customs and social intricacies, Shin found herself reevaluating her initial assessment of the bandits. Perhaps, she considered, civilization existed in many forms, some just less recognizable at first glance.
  
  
  
  Sabine had seamlessly integrated herself into the bandit camp's daily rhythm, her adeptness at repair and innovation winning silent nods of approval from the group that had once viewed the newcomers with suspicion. Her hands moved with purpose and confidence, tools turning into extensions of her will as she breathed new life into machinery and gadgets. Shin couldn"t help but think of Sabine, her mind occasionally meandering through the quiet moments they'd shared that morning.
  
  
  
  The subject of Shin's nocturnal noise had surfaced again, a light-hearted accusation from Sabine regarding her alleged snoring. Shin had merely arched an eyebrow, unsure of how to navigate this playful banter, a stark contrast to the gravitas of their usual interactions.
  
  
  
  After their evening together, something shifted. She wasn"t sure what but it was in a direction she longed for. Sharing their past, their thoughts and feelings wasn"t easy but Shin was open to continuing onward if it meant she could spend more time with Sabine without quarrel.
  
  
  
  Their morning had started side by side, sharing a meal as the camp around them stretched awake in the crisp air. Civility briefly encased them in its familiar bubble, only to be punctured as soon as they stepped foot outside their tent. The camp's residents, particularly its engineers and those with a knack for the mechanical, had whisked Sabine away, eager to glean knowledge from her skilled hands.
  
  
  
  Shin, left to her own devices, proceeded to her meeting, her path somewhat shadowed by the camp's younger members. The children, curious and nimble, were ever-present but almost invisible, their small forms ducking behind fabric and foliage. They were relentless in their observation of these foreign visitors, trying to decode the mystery without getting caught.
  
  
  
  Yet, Shin was aware of their presence, always. Their curiosity was a refreshing reminder of innocence in a place where survival often overshadowed simple joys. She would catch their gazes, wide-eyed and calculating, and respond with nothing more than a fleeting, stern glance. It was enough to send them scurrying back, though not in fear, but with the thrill of the game they played. Their laughter, though muted, would find its way to her, a reminder that even in the harshest conditions, the spirit of youth persisted.
  
  
  
  "Shin?"
  
  
  
  The sound of her name snapped Shin back to the present, her attention refocusing as she straightened in her seat, the wood rough and well-used beneath her. "Yes, apologies," she responded quickly, her mind racing to catch up with the conversation she'd momentarily drifted away from. "We leave tomorrow, correct?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh's affirmation was immediate, his large form adjusting in his own chair, the structure groaning slightly under his muscular build. "Yes," he confirmed, his command of Basic growing stronger with each passing day, a skill he diligently imparted to his fellows.
  
  
  
  "Elaborate on these Tunnel Raiders you mentioned," Shin probed.
  
  
  
  Kradosh nodded. "We may or may not run into them," he explained. "They often pose a threat to the Ice people from the Mud Lands. It"d be good diplomacy to assist if anything arises."
  
  
  
  "We can help," Shin replied. "I"m curious about this group in the north and what awaits us."
  
  
  
  Kradosh ran his large hand across the war table. "May I ask something?"
  
  
  
  A gust of wind found its way into the Council Den, causing the various relics and symbols of power adorning the space to sway gently. Shin relaxed back into her chair, her gaze steady on Kradosh. "Of course," she granted. She couldn't help but feel a certain satisfaction from the deference the bandits, Kradosh in particular, showed her-a lingering edge of caution that flavored their interactions.
  
  
  
  Leaning in slightly, ensuring their conversation remained private in the spacious tent, Kradosh voiced his query with deliberate care, "Is Commander Wren more powerful than you?"
  
  
  
  His question, though quietly posed, seemed to disrupt the air around them. Shin's body instinctively stiffened, a reaction she smoothed over by rolling her shoulders and running her hands along the time-worn surface of the war table before them. "Absolutely not," she answered with a controlled calm, her eyes narrowing as she leaned in. "Why would you think such a thing?" Her question hung between them, charged with unspoken implications, awaiting his reasoning.
  
  
  
  Kradosh raised his hand in a gesture of respectful amendment. "Excuse my lack of knowledge," he offered, his tone laced with genuine contrition. "I mean no offense. Allow me to explain... Sabine demonstrates the qualities of a seasoned warrior, skilled not only with her saber but also in the use of blasters, explosives, and mechanics. Since your arrival, our camp has undergone significant enhancements. Our alliance with Master Ahsoka and Commander Wren has propelled us forward in great strides. However, I ponder your personal advancement?"
  
  
  
  Shin absorbed his inquiry, striving to process it without bias, even as a flush of warmth threatened to betray her composure. "Advancement in what manner?" she queried, seeking clarity.
  
  
  
  Drawing a slow breath, Kradosh straightened, his posture embodying the solemnity of his words. "In our culture, ceaseless self-improvement, be it incremental or substantial, holds critical importance," he elucidated. "Often, collaboration with someone excelling in diverse skills catalyzes such growth."
  
  
  
  A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Shin's mouth, and she reclined slightly in her chair. "So, you're suggesting Sabine is an ideal counterpart for this endeavor?" she delved further. She remembered Sabine's accusation of her being static within the prison cell of the Nightsister fortress.
  
  
  
  A single, affirming nod came from Kradosh. "She shares similarities with you," he observed. "It leads one to speculate..."
  
  
  
  An eyebrow arched gracefully on Shin's forehead, her burgeoning amusement barely contained. "Embarking on a bit of matchmaking, are we, Kradosh?" she ribbed lightly.
  
  
  
  A rich, deep laugh rumbled from Kradosh as he folded his brawny arms across his chest, his demeanor relaxed yet confident. "I raise children of my own," he disclosed. "I'm well-versed in the ways of the young, in this galaxy or any other."
  
  
  
  "Then we shall gauge the extent of my improvement on our expedition north," Shin concluded, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air between them.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine found herself silently cursing with kriff on repeat. Their journey into the icy reaches of the north had her second-guessing her choices. The brief periods of daylight were scant comfort against the bone-chilling nights. Were it not for the Noti offering her a compact travel pod, she would've been left to the merciless cold like the bandits, who seemed entirely unfazed in their makeshift tents.
  
  
  
  Shin chose to bond with the bandits, resting alongside them, a display of her unwavering commitment to their shared mission. Sabine, however, valued warmth over camaraderie and took refuge in the Noti pod. In her haven, she was joined by two playful Noti companions, Pook and Dook, who seemed equally content to escape the frost. The journey's harsh conditions didn't appear to deter the howlers or the bandits, both seemingly in their element amidst the snow and ice.
  
  
  
  Yet, in the vast frozen wasteland, solitude was a luxury. Sabine frequently sensed Shin's watchful gaze and felt the scrutiny of Kradosh. Two curious bandit younglings were part of their group, absorbing new experiences and offering their hands wherever help was required.
  
  
  
  The terrain grew slick with frost as the biting wind intensified, yet amidst the harshness, a delicate allure emerged. Come nighttime, the heavens swayed with mesmerizing hues of green and yellow, while the radiant rings of Peridea pierced the obsidian sky.
  
  
  
  Just as Sabine was about to retreat to the warmth of her Noti pod, something in the stillness gave her pause. She peered into the abyss, alert.
  
  
  
  "You hear that?" She inquired of her Noti companion, Pook.
  
  
  
  Pook's eyestalks shifted rapidly, summoning his sibling, Dook, for a closer inspection. "Wupa, wupa!" they exclaimed in unison.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine murmured, a hint of apprehension in her tone. "That"s what I was afraid of." She leaned further out of the pod, taking in the sight of the bandit tent. Its power cell radiated warmth, contrasting starkly with the warm glow of the nearby dinner fire. She drew a deep breath, her senses sharpening. There it was again, a piercing screech that seemed to originate from the shadowy void beyond. As the chilling wind brushed past her face, a sinking feeling settled in-she had to find out what lurked in the shadows.
  
  
  
  The eerie cry rang out again, prompting Shin and several bandits to emerge hastily from the tent. Alert and vigilant, they quickly formed a defensive perimeter around their makeshift camp.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh, what's that sound?" Shin demanded, her eyes darting. "Is it like the Voraxlyn we battled?"
  
  
  
  Gripping his hefty blaster, Kradosh strained his eyes into the darkness. "No," he said tersely. "Icewraiths."
  
  
  
  "Ice what?" Sabine chimed in, drawing her blasters instinctively.
  
  
  
  Without hesitation, Kradosh bundled Pook and Dook into the Noti pod. "Icewraiths have a taste for Noti," he warned. "For the rest of us, they're less than friendly."
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips pressed together in irony as she secured the pod for them. "Delightful."
  
  
  
  Drawing her orange saber, its light competing with the fire's glow, Shin inquired, "Any vulnerabilities?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh met her gaze. "Blood."
  
  
  
  Both women exchanged a look. "Blood?" they echoed.
  
  
  
  "The scent of blood sends the Icewraiths into a rage," Kradosh explained. "If we can't take them down... someone might need to be bait."
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes in exasperation.
  
  
  
  By her side, Tota tensed up, ready to defend, his growls joining the nocturnal chorus.
  
  
  
  The rapid patter of footsteps on the frosted ground sent chills up their spines as they closed in on the encampment. The fire"s flames flickered erratically, dancing in response to the unseen invaders, as the group steeled themselves for the impending confrontation.
  
  
  
  Sabine's throat was parched, her fingers instinctively tightened around the grips of her blasters. Out of the dark, a shimmering form lunged towards her. Its body gleamed like sculpted ice, refracting the firelight in prismatic bursts. Yet, its almost mesmerizing allure was marred by its grotesque mouth-bristling with rows of needle-like teeth and a prehensile tongue that lashed out menacingly.
  
  
  
  What in the kriff were these things? Sabine thought as she narrowly avoided the tongue"s lashing strike. The icy attackers darted around, their tongues acting like metallic whips, smashing into armor and weapon with surprising force. They were difficult to see and quick as lightning.
  
  
  
  Sabine aimed and fired her blaster at an oncoming Icewraith. The creature reeled back, emitting a brief cry of pain, before retreating to regroup with its brethren.
  
  
  
  Elsewhere in the fray, Kradosh and the younglings proved their mettle. They managed to down one of the creatures. As it fell, its crystalline form glinted eerily, its lifeblood-a sparkling liquid-spilling onto the pristine snow.
  
  
  
  Shin brandished her lightsaber, plunging it into the snow and cutting a blazing circle around the camp as a fiery deterrent.
  
  
  
  Sabine felt the paradoxical sensation of sweat forming on her brow despite the biting cold. She caught sight of Pook and Dook, who were peeking from the safety of the Noti pod, cheering them on. However, the brief respite was shattered as the Icewraiths rallied, launching another frenzied assault.
  
  
  
  Bandits engaged the creatures with deft moves, their weapons clashing against the wraiths' crystalline forms. The night was filled with the glint of predatory teeth and the swift motions of the Icewraiths.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream pierced the night. Sabine's gaze darted to its source, witnessing a chilling sight: a youngling ensnared in the grips of two wraiths, being dragged away into the consuming darkness. Her heart raced as she fired off a few shots, but the risk of hitting the child forced her to cease fire. Without hesitation, she dashed after the menacing creatures, desperate to save the young captive.
  
  
  
  They were swift, their strength overpowering, and Sabine struggled to match their pace. Seizing an opportunity as a moonbeam illuminated the snowy expanse, Sabine unsheathed her hunting knife, quickly pricking her finger. Drops of blood stained the untouched snow, and she held her breath, anticipating their reaction.
  
  
  
  The Icewraiths responded with an agonized scream, immediately releasing their grip on the youngling. Seizing the opportunity, Sabine ignited her lightsaber, battling the frenzied swarm. She dispatched one with a clean beheading, cleaved another down its center, yet they seemed countless in number.
  
  
  
  Sabine's relief at seeing the youngling return to the camp was short-lived. An Icewraith lunged, its jaws clamping onto her arm. She let out a pained scream. If not for the protective beskar on her gauntlet, the damage would have been catastrophic. Blood seeped from the wound, rendering her arm weak and her lightsaber unusable.
  
  
  
  Alerted by the commotion, Kradosh, Shin, and the bandits converged on her position, finishing off the Icewraiths lured by the scent of her blood. They efficiently dispatched the remaining creatures before hastily pulling Sabine back to the safety of their encampment.
  
  
  
  "Where's the bacta?" Shin's voice was sharp, her urgency evident as she rushed into the Noti pod. "Pook! Dook! We need that bacta now!"
  
  
  
  Laid inside the pod, Sabine's vision wavered, the world around her growing dim. Shin's hands, usually so steady, quivered. Her face, slick with perspiration in the freezing cold, held a desperate look that made Sabine smirk weakly. Without hesitation, Shin sprayed the bacta over the grievous wound, but to little effect.
  
  
  
  She glanced at the depleting canister and hurled it in frustration. "Why isn't it healing properly?" Her voice edged with panic as Sabine's skin took on an unsettling hue, the discoloration spreading.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, unable to fit inside the compact space of the pod, remained at the entrance. "The one that bit her was likely venomous," he said, handing over a small vial. "Administer this, quickly."
  
  
  
  Sabine struggled to keep her eyes from closing. With haste, Shin plunged a needle filled with the antidote into Sabine's arm. Agonizing pain surged through her, every beat of her heart intensifying the burn.
  
  
  
  "Shin," Sabine managed to whisper, her voice fading.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes met Sabine's, a mix of determination and despair. "Don't you dare," she muttered, voice quivering. "The antidote will work. It just needs... time. Just stay with me."
  
  
  
  A tightness seized Sabine's throat as she locked onto Shin's teary blue eyes. Perhaps, she thought, she'd witness a tear from Shin before slipping into the enveloping darkness, a tear warmed by the connection they shared through the Force.
  
  
  
  Shin continued to try and keep Sabine awake. "Tell me more about Chopper committing war crimes," she pressed. "Ejecting people from space?"
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled slightly but immediately groaned in pain.
  
  
  
  Brushing away damp hair, Shin shot a pleading look at Kradosh and the Noti. She then knelt down beside Sabine, placing her trembling hands over the torn and bleeding arm. Taking a steadying breath, she closed her eyes.
  
  
  
  Sabine mustered her remaining strength to stare up at Shin. An intense stillness enveloped the pod, every sound and motion seemingly suspended. Sabine's eyes widened in astonishment as a radiant energy erupted around them. This healing light, warm and comforting, enveloped the pod, weaving its way to Shin and channeling through her fingertips.
  
  
  
  A sharp intake of breath escaped Sabine's lips as she witnessed her ravaged arm miraculously regenerate. The alarming discoloration faded, replaced by her skin's natural tone, now unmarred and whole. Her awe-struck gaze settled on Shin, who, with unwavering concentration, channeled the healing energy into her.
  
  
  
  "How did you do that?" Sabine whispered, examining her arm in disbelief.
  
  
  
  Shin slumped back, gasping for air, sweat dripping from her forehead. "I... I'm not sure," she stammered. "It was just an instinctive response."
  
  
  
  The two Noti, Pook and Dook, exchanged bewildered glances before staring back at Sabine, their eyes wide with astonishment.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, still lingering at the entrance, looked on with a mix of awe and confusion.
  
  
  
  Sabine flexed her hand, clenching and unclenching her fist, and murmured, "You healed me somehow."
  
  
  
  Visibly drained, Shin uttered, "I'm exhausted and I feel very ill."
  
  
  
  Sabine swiftly rose to her feet. "Pook, Dook," she instructed, "Help me get her settled in my bed." She pulled up Shin as gently as she could while guiding her to the small cot. Setting her down carefully, Sabine grabbed blankets and poured fresh water for Shin to drink if she needed. Shin was pale, sweating and wincing and Sabine"s stomach coiled.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Shin whimpered, her eyes glossy.
  
  
  
  "I"m here," Sabine asserted, grabbing a chair to sit near Shin. "What do you need?"
  
  
  
  "I"m drained," Shin managed to say. "I can barely feel the Force."
  
  
  
  "You need to rest, okay," Sabine replied. "Please just... I can take care of you while you rest."
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes flared open for a moment before drooping again. "I don"t want to be a burden," she mumbled weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  "You"re not," Sabine reassured her, placing a gentle hand on Shin"s forehead, feeling the feverish heat. "You saved me. Let me help you now."
  
  
  
  Shin frowned and leaned into Sabine"s warm touch. "There are so many things we want to say to each other, aren"t there?" she asked. "But the words are out of reach."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s heart fluttered and she removed her hand to clearly look into Shin"s eyes. "We"ll keep trying when you get better," she replied. "Now rest."
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips twitched in a semblance of a smile, her gaze lingering on Sabine"s face. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice trailing off as her eyes finally closed, succumbing to the exhaustion.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched over Shin, her own heart racing with a mix of concern and wonder. The night"s events had revealed a depth to Shin"s abilities that neither of them fully understood. As the Noti pod hummed quietly, providing a peaceful respite from the frigid outside world, Sabine found her thoughts drifting.
  
  
  
  Her mind replayed the scene of Shin"s unprecedented healing power, the way the energy had flowed from her hands, the miraculous recovery of her wound. It was something out of a fable, yet it had happened right before her eyes. Sabine pondered what it meant for Shin, for their journey, and for the mysteries of the Force that seemed to unravel in unexpected ways.
  
  
  
  The hours passed and then a day, and Sabine remained vigilant, occasionally checking Shin"s temperature and ensuring she was as comfortable as possible. Shin"s breathing was erratic at times and her rest was troubled, her brow often creasing in distress. Sabine didn"t feel at ease to tend to her own needs until Shin finally began to sleep peacefully.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Hopefully Shin will be okay! Thank you all for being here each chapter.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 16: Ice
  Notes:
  This time of year is pretty busy for anyone in school so hope you"re all doing well!
  
  I always get this weird nervousness before posting even though here we are at chapter 16. Enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  For two days, Shin lay in a deep slumber, her breaths first ragged but eventually peaceful, contrasting the urgency of their journey. Turning back was no longer an option, not when the territory of the Ice People lay just over the horizon, their destination drawing nearer with each passing moment. Throughout the journey, Sabine maintained a constant line of communication with Ahsoka, ensuring she was well-informed of every twist and turn the situation took.
  
  
  
  At the helm of the Noti pod, Sabine reclined, her boots casually propped up on the dashboard, basking in a rare moment of relaxation. Pook and Dook, meanwhile, were all business, their focus unwavering as they expertly navigated the pod through the snow-blanketed landscape. Every so often, their eyes darted to the peripheries, noting the comforting presence of the howlers and bandits. These loyal figures flanked the pod protectively, their silhouettes accompanying them closely, ensuring their journey remained undisturbed.
  
  
  
  Today, unlike the previous gloomy days, the sun was particularly radiant. Its golden rays struck the snow, causing it to sparkle brilliantly. It was as if the entire icy plain was a vast canvas of twinkling stars. The beauty of the scene was not lost on Sabine. Even amidst the tension, she stole a moment to marvel at the world outside, feeling a fleeting sense of peace.
  
  
  
  The connection buzzed to life as Ahsoka's voice filtered through the comms. "Could it have been the bacta?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Pulling her poncho tighter, Sabine responded, "Maybe a mix of both?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's tone was tinged with concern. "Force healing isn"t just any technique. It requires profound mastery."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, irritation evident. "I've told you exactly what happened, Master."
  
  
  
  A thoughtful pause on Ahsoka's end. "That explains her exhaustion... and yours too it seems. Stay vigilant. Should things decline, we're on standby with the ship."
  
  
  
  Sabine's determination shone through her voice. "I've got this under control. We're nearing the Ice People soon enough."
  
  
  
  "Remember, I'm a call away," Ahsoka said, before the line went silent.
  
  
  
  With a drawn-out sigh, Sabine's fingers grazed the fabric of her winter hat, feeling its coarse texture. Slowly, she retracted her legs from the dashboard and rose from her seat, her attention drifting to Shin. She retreated inside of the pod to check on her adversary.
  
  
  
  Seeing Shin Hati in such a vulnerable state was unsettling; the fierce warrior she knew now seemed almost fragile. A pang of concern tightened in Sabine's chest as she eased into a chair beside Shin's modest cot.
  
  
  
  For what felt like an eternity, she simply watched her - the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, the peacefulness of her features unmarred by the usual sounds of slumber. Just as Sabine contemplated leaving, a shift caught her attention. Shin's blue eyes, clear as the day sky, began to flicker open, drawing Sabine back into the moment.
  
  
  
  After days of silence, Shin's voice, raspy from disuse, broke the quiet. "Is that my poncho?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine blinked, a hint of amusement playing on her lips. "This one is mine," she responded.
  
  
  
  Shin squinted slightly, her tone laced with genuine curiosity. "Are you sure?"
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated for a brief moment, her thoughts wandering. Choosing to redirect the conversation, she asked, "How do you feel?"
  
  
  
  With an effort, Shin tried to prop herself up, her face contorted with discomfort. "Horrible. I can"t feel the Force, and my head's a complete fog."
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze drifted to her recently healed arm, a visible reminder of their last encounter. "I don"t think it"s a good idea to do that again," she cautioned.
  
  
  
  Leaning against the pod wall for support, Shin's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what does your Master think?"
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her lips dry from the cold air. Meeting Shin"s gaze head-on, she said, "She"s skeptical, which I get. It"s a technique that, from what she said, takes a lifetime to master."
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Shin mused, her fingers absently trying to tame her unruly hair. "But if this is the toll it takes, I won't be doing it again."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes twinkled, her lips curving into a playful smile. "Have you missed me in your sleep?"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flashed, her tone sharp. "Missed you? I should've let you-"
  
  
  
  "You didn't, though," Sabine cut in, her smirk evident.
  
  
  
  The tension in Shin's posture eased, her shoulders drooping. "Are you okay?"
  
  
  
  Radiating warmth, Sabine grinned. "Better than ever. Just a bit chilly."
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her voice teasing. "I was under the impression you liked the cold."
  
  
  
  Fingering the edge of her poncho, Sabine met Shin's gaze. "I was getting used to sleeping together."
  
  
  
  Shin's smirk grew sly. "Even with the snoring?"
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, leaning in conspiratorially. "Especially that," she teased. Memories of an intimate evening flashed before her, where Shin's touch had danced upon her skin-tender, yet with an underlying hint of ownership. An audacious part of Sabine had found herself longing for that possessiveness, a secret thrill behind closed doors, knowing she could always turn the tables on Shin if she wished.
  
  
  
  Shin arched an eyebrow. "Thinking of putting me in my place?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes widened in feigned innocence, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Mind reading now? I thought the Force had left you temporarily."
  
  
  
  Shin's stern gaze didn't waver. "Sometimes, your thoughts scream rather than whisper."
  
  
  
  Sabine made a face, her lips fluttering in a playful gesture. "I wish I could hear you better," she mumbled. "It"s not fair."
  
  
  
  Shin looked at her, a hint of empathy softening her features. She licked her parched lips and replied soothingly, "It takes time. You"ll get there..." Her voice carried the weight of her own experiences, offering reassurance.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze lingered on Shin, noting the gradual return of color to her face. The thought crossed her mind that she could take advantage of Shin's weakened state, but the only desire she harbored was to ensure Shin's safety and comfort. "Want to hear more about Chopper?" Sabine asked, hoping to lighten the mood.
  
  
  
  Shin's interest was piqued. "I do," she answered, her curiosity evident.
  
  
  
  As Sabine recounted her adventures with the Rebel Alliance, particularly the daring antics of Chopper, Shin listened intently. Her expressions fluctuated between amusement and disbelief, prompting Sabine to delve deeper into her stories, her voice animated against the steady hum of the Noti pod.
  
  
  
  Shin, puzzled by the tales, interjected, "How is this droid allowed to operate?" Her tone conveyed both bewilderment and fascination.
  
  
  
  Sabine laughed, throwing her hands in the air in a gesture of mock surrender. "Chopper is Chopper," she explained, her fondness for the droid clear in her voice.
  
  
  
  Shin murmured thoughtfully, "I"m certainly glad I wasn"t a baby on that Inquisitor ship then. Chopper"s name suits him."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s smile widened. "Zeb wouldn"t have let anything bad happen," she assured Shin, her tone confident. "And I"m relieved you weren"t taken as a baby either."
  
  
  
  There was a brief pause, a moment where the joviality of their conversation gently subsided. The comfort and ease they shared allowed deeper, more poignant topics to surface. It was in this natural lull that Shin, her expression turning thoughtful, steered their dialog to a more somber topic.
  
  
  
  "Sabine, I"ve always wondered about Mandalore, especially after the Night of a Thousand Tears..." Shin"s voice trailed off, her eyes conveying a depth of concern. "Considering I visited Sundari..."
  
  
  
  The mention of Mandalore struck a chord in Sabine, a poignant reminder of a past marred by tragedy. She felt a lump form in her throat, a physical manifestation of the pain and loss associated with her home. Swallowing hard, she managed to compose herself, touched by the empathy evident in Shin's gaze.
  
  
  
  "Mandalore..." Sabine began, her voice tinged with a mixture of sorrow and resilience, ready to delve into the memories of her homeworld.
  
  
  
  Seeking to steer the conversation away from the painful memory, Shin asked, "Will you try to rebuild your clan?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze met Shin's revitalizing blue eyes, sensing the depth of her concern. "To rebuild, I"d need a partner, wouldn"t I?" Sabine mused aloud.
  
  
  
  Shin's reaction was immediate; her eyes widened, then she averted her gaze, her voice a mere whisper. "Someone Mandalorian, I"m sure."
  
  
  
  Before Sabine could craft an appropriate response, the Noti pod jerked to a stop, drawing her attention to the window. Outside, Pook and Dook animatedly gestured, signaling their arrival at their destination. The relief was evident, and Sabine surmised they were near the Ice People village.
  
  
  
  Sabine reached for some warm gear, offering it to Shin. "Think you can handle the cold?"
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her intense gaze softening, a vulnerability emerging. "Before we go... I want to apologize for what transpired on Lothal. I was only doing what I was told. I wanted to impress my Master... it"s not an excuse... Thrawn wasn"t what I thought he"d be..." Shin realized she was rambling which she"d never done around Sabine or anyone before.
  
  
  
  Holding the winter-wear close to her beating chest, Sabine's voice softened, her eyes moistening. "I know, Shin... I know you"re sorry, I can feel it."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The village of the Ice People was a marvel to behold, a sprawling expanse of homes meticulously crafted from blocks of snow and stone. Each structure glistened and glittered under the relentless brilliance of the sunlight, creating a mesmerizing dance of light across the village. The luminosity was so intense that it bordered on overwhelming, nearly blinding to any unaccustomed eyes.
  
  
  
  Nestled amidst the biting cold, this elaborate settlement stood as a clear demonstration of the resilience of its inhabitants, who numbered in the thousands. They had adapted to the harsh, icy conditions, creating a life for themselves in the perpetual frost.
  
  
  
  Despite the stunning beauty of the village, Shin found herself battling against her ailment, her legs threatening to give way beneath her. Yet, in her moments of weakness, Sabine was a constant presence at her side, ready to lend support and strength. Shin felt a gurgle of protest from her stomach, a reminder of her body's needs, and she could sense the lingering weakness in her muscles. Yet, these sensations were a stark improvement from the harrowing nights past, where darkness had threatened to consume her, leaving her wondering if she would ever see the light of day again.
  
  
  
  As Shin gathered her bearings, she took in the full scope of the village"s location. It sat proudly beside a vast lake, its waters frozen solid, creating a shimmering stretch of ice. In the distance, formidable mountains rose up, providing a majestic and protective backdrop to the village. The combination of the shimmering homes, the frozen lake, and the towering mountains crafted a panorama of tranquil allure and untamed strength, showcasing the Ice Peoples" unyielding spirit and their expertise in navigating the harsh terrain.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expectations were completely overturned upon seeing the village, as it diverged significantly from Kradosh"s descriptions. She had envisioned a simple settlement, dotted with white tents standing stark against the snow and ice. However, what lay before her was almost ethereal, a community that not only survived but thrived by ingeniously harnessing the landscape and climate of this inhospitable region.
  
  
  
  Throughout the village, large bonfires blazed, providing pockets of warmth against the biting cold. Shops and stalls lined the paths, bustling with activity, while children found joy playing amidst the snow. Adults were busy at work, partaking in ice fishing and navigating the snowy expanse with specialized vehicles designed for such terrain.
  
  
  
  Upon their arrival, a delegation, presumably the leaders of this northern clan, promptly approached to meet Kradosh. Although Shin found herself too weak to participate actively, Sabine effortlessly took charge. She stepped forward, radiating charm and showcasing her profound knowledge as she engaged with the welcoming party, ensuring a smooth introduction for their group.
  
  
  
  "Struggling to retrieve those fallen supply crates, I see," Kradosh remarked, his tone laced with a hint of amusement as he surveyed the scene. The Ice People, clad in their stark white armor, stood imposingly before him.
  
  
  
  Ilyara, their poised and commanding leader, stepped forth, her armor gleaming resplendently in the sunlight. "We should make our way to the Glacial Hall," she suggested, her voice carrying a sense of authority as she motioned for the group to follow.
  
  
  
  Shin's consciousness wavered, her state fluctuating between clarity and confusion. Nonetheless, Sabine remained steadfast by her side, offering unwavering support as they navigated through the village. Despite her sporadic moments of disorientation, Shin couldn't help but notice Ilyara's impressive command of Basic.
  
  
  
  The Glacial Hall itself was a sight to behold, distinguishable from the surrounding structures with its intricate ice sculptures and symbolic engravings etched into the snowy walls. She observed that many of the Ice People wore sun-visors, a practical accessory to shield their eyes from the harsh glare.
  
  
  
  Upon entering the hall, Shin found its interior to bear a striking resemblance to the Council Den of the Red Bandits. However, this meeting space boasted a more artistic ambiance, devoid of any weaponry. Dominating the room was a lengthy table, constructed from rock and stone, with a captivating crystal slab nestled at its center. The sight of it left Shin utterly mesmerized.
  
  
  
  Shin took a seat beside Sabine, grateful that Kradosh was there to take charge of the meeting. The Ice People exuded a sense of calm refinement, a stark contrast to the other groups they had encountered. Their leader, Ilyara, carried herself with a composed ease, which did not go unnoticed by Shin. She was aware that such poise usually belonged to individuals with significant influence.
  
  
  
  Shin overheard a conversation about celebratory festivities occurring soon and that they hoped to make good progress in the coming days.
  
  
  
  Ilyara began to explain the situation, "The crates are positioned high up in the mountain range, and we"ve been unable to reach them for nearly a year now, due to the Ice wraiths and the perilous weather conditions at that altitude."
  
  
  
  Kradosh acknowledged her words with a nod before turning his attention to Sabine and Shin. "Our Commander and General, hailing from a galaxy far, far away, will undoubtedly prove invaluable in this endeavor," he stated with confidence.
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine suddenly realized that Shin"s hand had been in hers throughout the entire meeting. Trying to maintain her composure, she gently withdrew her hand, eager to address the gathering more formally. "But are these crates even worth the risk and effort?" she questioned, her tone laced with skepticism. "Especially considering that they were dumped by Thrawn?"
  
  
  
  Ilyara gave a nod of understanding, gracefully bringing her hands together atop the shimmering crystal table. "The crates in question are stocked with medical supplies, power cells, and various tools and parts crucial to our survival," she responded.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows drew together in a thoughtful frown as she scrutinized Ilyara closely. "Alright," she began cautiously, "but I have to ask, did something in those crates help you learn Basic Galactic? Your fluency is impressive."
  
  
  
  From her seat, Shin shot Sabine a glare, mustering as much energy as she could to communicate her disapproval. Sabine!
  
  
  
  Sabine, however, seemed to tune out the silent reproach, brushing off Shin"s hand as it attempted to squeeze her thigh in a silent plea for restraint.
  
  
  
  Unfazed, Ilyara"s lips twitched into something that resembled a smile as she lifted her hand in a gesture of revelation. "Your group is not the only one Thrawn abandoned," she stated with cool composure. "Allow me to introduce you to my allies, those who chose to defy Thrawn and join our cause."
  
  
  
  At her words, a group of people, devoid of helmets but clad in stormtrooper armor, emerged from the hall"s shadows and into the dim, flickering candlelight. It was a motley crew of soldiers, the sight of them causing Shin"s heart to plummet and then skyrocket, as if lodging itself in her throat.
  
  
  
  However, what captured Shin"s attention amidst the group was a woman with raven-black hair and rich, golden-toned skin, her deep brown eyes locked intently on Sabine. Shin"s gaze flickered between Sabine and this striking woman, feeling an inexplicable knot tighten in her stomach. The woman gracefully stepped forward from the group, flashing a flawless smile.
  
  
  
  "I"m Jex Gnar," she introduced herself, her voice as captivating as her presence. "We couldn"t align ourselves with Thrawn"s methods, so we chose to leave."
  
  
  
  Sabine, tapping rhythmically on the table, tilted her head slightly as she processed the information. "Uh-huh," she responded, skepticism evident in her tone. "But you were under his command at some point, weren"t you?"
  
  
  
  "Yep," Jex acknowledged with a mischievous grin, not missing a beat. "But that"s in the past. Here we are now, just like you-stranded."
  
  
  
  Shin felt a prickling sensation in her stomach as she observed Jex"s lingering gaze on Sabine. This was absurd, she thought to herself. Yet, amidst the startling revelations of the meeting, this unexpected and unwelcome surge of emotion was all she could focus on as she tried to sit up straighter in her seat.
  
  
  
  Kradosh attempted to alleviate the growing tension in the room by clearing his throat and shifting the focus. "We"ve brought back some treasures from the tropical zone," he announced, gesturing grandly as the Red Bandits began unloading crates filled with their recent findings.
  
  
  
  Ilyara clapped her hands with glee, her eyes lighting up as she eagerly inspected the trove of lost artifacts. "Incredible," she whispered. "How in the stars did you manage to acquire these?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh grinned, proud of their success. "We had a bit of special assistance," he revealed. "Our new allies possess some rather unique abilities."
  
  
  
  Jex"s brow furrowed in intrigue, and she crossed her arms, her posture radiating curiosity. "Jedi?" she inquired, her tone laced with suspicion.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin and Sabine responded in unison, their voices firm.
  
  
  
  Jex hummed in contemplation, her eyes flicking back and forth between Shin and Sabine as she processed their answer. "Okay well I hope we can get those crates with your help... In the meantime you can visit the hot springs if you want. You both seriously look like you need it."
  
  
  
  Shin slumped back in her chair, her energy drained, as Sabine eagerly began expressing her excitement about the prospect of a relaxing dip in the hot springs. This expedition was far from what Shin had envisioned. Not only was she still reeling from the Ice wraith attack, but the constant barrage of surprises-from Thrawn"s former soldiers to a distractingly attractive woman who seemed to have taken a particular interest in Sabine-was proving to be overwhelming.
  
  
  
  She could barely concentrate when the meeting began to discuss sightings of the Tunnel Raiders. Something about them not being seen for months which was an oddity.
  
  
  
  Maybe a trip to the hot springs wasn"t such a bad idea after all, she pondered, albeit for entirely different reasons than Sabine. She could very well use it to momentarily escape and gather her thoughts-or perhaps, half-jokingly, to drown her frustrations.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine was uncertain whether visiting the hot springs was truly a pressing matter at the moment, yet she harbored hope that it might contribute positively to Shin's well-being. At the very least, it presented an opportunity for her to rejuvenate and rest momentarily before embarking on the challenging journey up a mountain that awaited them.
  
  
  
  She found herself in a lavish living space, adjoined to Shin's quarters and those of the rest of the Red Bandits, with an entire row of homes at their disposal situated in close proximity to the Glacial Hall. The village"s inhabitants appeared relatively indifferent to her presence, likely due to their familiarity with the former troopers of Thrawn residing nearby for several years.
  
  
  
  As Sabine prepared her belongings for the trip to the springs, her thoughts inevitably wandered back to Shin. She reminisced about the delicate moments before and after Shin had healed her, captivated by the gentleness and tenderness that Shin had displayed. It was a complexity she recognized, yet she found herself hoping that this softer side of Shin would persist. Despite the intricacies of their situation, not a single part of Sabine wished for it to come to an end.
  
  
  
  Not anymore.
  
  
  
  A soft knock resonated against the solid, expansive door, prompting Sabine to swiftly pivot on her heels.
  
  
  
  "Ready?" came the voice of Jex Gnar, who stood with a casual lean against the doorway.
  
  
  
  With a swift motion, Sabine slung her pack over her shoulder, offering a nonchalant shrug. Trust was a scarce commodity when it came to anyone affiliated with Thrawn or the Empire. Sabine remained wary, memories of Agent Kallus' turn from foe to ally playing in her mind. Yet, something intriguing lingered in Jex's warm brown eyes.
  
  
  
  "For what, exactly?" Sabine inquired, diligently adjusting her winter hat.
  
  
  
  Jex"s grin broadened, though she stayed put at the door. "Just for a bit of fun," she responded, her voice playful as she bit her lower lip. "By the way, Shin Hati... is she your girlfriend?"
  
  
  
  The question caught Sabine off guard, prompting an internal double-take. Nonchalantly, she replied, "Nope," while fidgeting with the strap of her pack.
  
  
  
  Leaning further into the doorframe, Jex studied Sabine, her gaze lingering. "Never thought we"d ever encounter someone else from our galaxy here," she mused, her tone reflective.
  
  
  
  "You"re lucky you didn"t turn into a possessed zombie," Sabine shot back.
  
  
  
  "Those Nightsisters were quite unsettling," Jex added.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle, raising her eyebrows in agreement. "Unsettling, and likely back on Dathomir by now," she countered.
  
  
  
  Jex"s gaze traveled up and down Sabine"s form, her voice dipping to a cooler timbre. "Maybe being stranded here won't be all that bad, now that they're gone," she mused, her fingers winding through her lengthy black hair.
  
  
  
  A shiver traced Sabine"s spine, prompting her to clear her throat subtly. Jex was undeniably...something. Needing a change of topic, Sabine blurted out, "Let"s check out the springs!"
  
  
  
  Jex"s eyes sparkled as she pushed off from the doorframe. "Let"s."
  
  
  
  As Sabine moved forward, the door to the adjacent room creaked open, revealing Shin, her eyes steely and her demeanor unimpressed.
  
  
  
  "Am I disturbing something?" Shin inquired, her voice weary as she stepped into the room.
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed, noticing the lingering gaze between Shin and Jex, who nonchalantly stood across the room. And Jex... Jex was returning the gaze with such a look. What an opportunist. Sabine supposed she couldn"t blame her. There likely wasn"t much to do on Peridea except for...
  
  
  
  "Not in the slightest," Jex responded with a charming smile. "I'll be waiting outside." She closed the door with a soft click, leaving as quietly as she had appeared.
  
  
  
  Leaning against a nearby dresser for support, Shin exhaled slowly. "Did you see that look she gave you?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, placing her pack down and approaching Shin. "What about it?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  "It seemed rather forward."
  
  
  
  Sabine countered, "Have you noticed the looks you've been getting here?" It was true. As soon as Shin stepped foot into the village, citizens were ogling.
  
  
  
  Shin pressed her back against the wall, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. "I've had other things on my mind," she replied tersely.
  
  
  
  "Like what, exactly?"
  
  
  
  Shin's expression softened, fatigue evident. "I'm too worn out for this conversation," she admitted.
  
  
  
  Sabine tilted her head and closed the gap, now only a foot away from Shin. "I know you are," she responded softly. "You know... for a moment I thought about taking advantage of you somehow." She gently lifted her hand, tracing the curve of Shin's neck with her finger before grasping her chin with a firm, yet tender touch. "But I like it when you fight back."
  
  
  
  Shin's throat moved visibly as she swallowed, yet she remained motionless, almost savoring the contact. "The only one I want to fight with is you," she confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled softly, her eyes locked with Shin's. "Let's head to the springs and see if they help you recover a bit."
  
  
  
  Notes:
  These two...
  
  It"s been so great interacting with you all. If you"d like to chat, game or help me with my papers and finals /j lol you can reach me at @veditas on tumblr
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 17: Springs
  Notes:
  So happy the cast were so enthusiastic about wolfwren at the LA Comic Con panel. Really cool stuff!
  
  Did not think Jealous Shin would be so popular last chapter woweee!
  
  This chapter is probably the softest stuff I've written between these two. So those of you who enjoy that, I hope you like it!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin mustered up every bit of strength she had left, ensuring she maintained a close and steady pace right beside Sabine as they ambled toward the springs. With a subtle sense of curiosity dancing in her eyes, she observed Jex, along with a handful of others, who were accompanying them, their spirits lifted at the prospect of indulging in the warm embrace of the hot springs. Shin found comfort in her closeness to Sabine, who seemed surprisingly welcoming of her proximity. She decided not to delve too deep into it, choosing instead to focus on the warmth that was soon to envelop her frail body.
  
  
  
  Despite her lingering weakness, Shin felt an unspoken promise in the air, a promise that the hot springs would provide her with the much-needed solace and relaxation her body yearned for. And, secretly, she harbored the desire to catch another glimpse of Sabine, adorned in her swimwear, a sight she found herself unexpectedly drawn to.
  
  
  
  Above them, the sun held its position proudly in the clear, azure sky, casting a warm and golden hue across the landscape. Shin couldn't help but wonder if the celestial body would ever dip below the horizon in this peculiar land. Peridea was an enigma, a perplexing blend of familiarity and alienness, so different yet eerily similar to the myriad of planets and systems she had traversed over the years.
  
  
  
  The gentle whisper of the breeze carried with it the crisp, clean scent of the frozen landscape, intertwining with the faint, sulfuric aroma drifting up from the hot springs that lay hidden somewhere ahead, promising warmth in the midst of the biting cold.
  
  
  
  In the backdrop, majestic mountains stood tall, their peaks lost in the low-hanging clouds, adding a sense of grandeur and mystery to the frozen expanse. The ground beneath their feet was a soft carpet of snow, its surface sparkling under the muted light of the sun, struggling to pierce through the dense cloud cover.
  
  
  
  Several members of the group diverted their path towards the communal warm pools frequented by the locals, leaving the rest to find their own way. Amidst the crunching of ice underfoot and the shimmer of icicles overhead, Shin noticed Jex signaling to her and Sabine to take a different route. Despite the sizeable snowflakes gently descending around them, there was a surprising mildness to the daytime air.
  
  
  
  Venturing farther, they distanced themselves from the lively activity of the village, gradually ascending a gentle slope. With every step, Shin felt the strain, clutching her pack tightly. As they encountered a particularly treacherous icy stretch, she stifled a gasp of surprise and gratitude when Sabine effortlessly reached back, offering a steady hand to guide her across. In that simple gesture, a surge of warmth flowed through Shin, an undeniable comfort that spoke louder than words.
  
  
  
  "Here it is," Jex announced, signaling towards a secluded area ahead.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, captivated by the tranquil hot spring nestled perfectly for two. A gentle waterfall cascaded down, its waters steaming invitingly. Her skin seemed to yearn for the embrace of the warmth, and she found herself eager to submerge into the soothing heat. The spring was encircled by rocks, offering a secluded haven, while the panoramic view from the hill"s summit painted a scene of picturesque beauty.
  
  
  
  With a warm, mischievous smile, Jex turned to Shin and Sabine. "What do you think?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.
  
  
  
  Sabine, catching the glint in Jex's eyes, returned the smile with equal brightness. "It looks fantastic," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm.
  
  
  
  Shin, meanwhile, held her pack a bit tighter before casually tossing it onto a nearby rock. She briefly allowed her gaze to linger on Jex, who stood confidently, almost regally, in the gentle snowfall. The scene, with Jex at its center, seemed almost otherworldly to Shin. She was surely a sight to behold.
  
  
  
  Clearing her throat more loudly than necessary, Sabine placed a hand on her hip and addressed Jex directly. "Planning to join us?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Shin, momentarily caught off guard, quickly composed herself and fixed Sabine with a sharp look. "The space is limited," she pointed out.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised her eyebrows, her grin turning sly. "I think there's plenty of room," she countered.
  
  
  
  Feeling an unexpected nervous flutter, Shin glanced towards the spring. "Well, I guess I could fit in... between you two," she found herself saying, a hint of daring in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her mouth twisting at first before she forced a smile onto her lips. "What do you say, Jex?" she asked, her tone now laced with a touch of sweetness.
  
  
  
  Jex, her smile broadening, brushed a hand across her face, her gaze dancing over Shin and Sabine. "In different circumstances we"d have fun in there," she observed. "But I can see when it's time to leave a couple alone."
  
  
  
  "A couple?" Shin and Sabine parroted in unison, their voices intertwining in surprise.
  
  
  
  "Exactly," Jex affirmed with a playful hum, already making her way back down the hill, leaving Shin and Sabine momentarily dumbfounded by the hot spring.
  
  
  
  "Did you imply to her that we were... involved?" Shin inquired, her voice laced with curiosity as she set her belongings down with grace.
  
  
  
  "Involved?" Sabine echoed, her hands finding their way to her hips as she grinned, "You really have a way with words, don't you? And for the record, no, I didn"t tell her we were partners. Actually, I made sure to say we weren't."
  
  
  
  "You were so busy drinking in the sight of her, how was I to know?" Shin replied sharply.
  
  
  
  "Me?" Sabine scoffed with a dismissive wave of her hand, clapping her hands together expressively. "You wanted to squish yourself between the two of us."
  
  
  
  "You invited her to join us!"
  
  
  
  "And you were gawking!"
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her expression softening as she aimlessly kicked at a small pebble. "I"d like you to myself," she admitted quietly.
  
  
  
  Inhaling deeply, Shin took in the crisp air, her mind contemplating the best way to frame her question and, lacking the energy for their typical banter, decided to be direct. "Tell me about Mandalorian coupling practices," she inquired, simultaneously beginning to remove her top.
  
  
  
  Sabine, momentarily caught off guard, averted her gaze while processing the question. Eventually, she too started to undress, her movements mirroring Shin"s. "Well, customs can vary by clan and house," she started, her voice steady as she delved into an explanation. "But fundamentally, it"s about finding a partner who"s as steadfast in battle as they are in life. Strength, loyalty, and honor-those are the virtues we hold in the highest regard."
  
  
  
  "And?" Shin pressed, her curiosity piqued as she dipped her toes into the steamy waters of the hot spring. A sigh of relief escaped her as the warmth enveloped her, the water swirling soothingly around her legs.
  
  
  
  "Uh well, in a traditional Mandalorian wedding, the couple would wear their beskar'gam, our distinctive Mandalorian armor, as it represents our true selves," Sabine explained, her voice steady even as she undressed. "The armor is typically adorned with specific colors or symbols that symbolize the union."
  
  
  
  By this time, Shin was neck deep in the hot spring, seated comfortably atop the submerged rocks. She leaned her head back, letting the tension in her muscles dissolve in the soothing warmth. "Tell me more, Sabine," she murmured, her voice soft and inviting. "I enjoy listening to you speak."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, allowing herself to fully submerge in the water as well. "One of our traditions involves the couple forging something together-often a piece of jewelry or a piece of armor. It stands as a symbol of their union, the life they are building side by side. These items are exchanged during the ceremony."
  
  
  
  "Armor sounds fitting," Shin commented, smiling as she splashed warm water over her face.
  
  
  
  "It is," Sabine responded with a wry smile, her eyes twinkling. "But the vows, they"re important too. They"re not just promises to each other, but commitments to the clan and the Mandalorian way of life. It"s about vowing to stand together, protect each other, and uphold the values and traditions of our people."
  
  
  
  Shin gazed across the hot spring, her eyes settling on Sabine who appeared contemplative and distant in the warm, soothing water. Sabine"s golden-brown eyes sparkled with an inner light, and her cheeks were flushed a delicate rose. "Take me when we return home," Shin murmured, her voice barely audible above the gentle lapping of the water. "Despite everything that happened, I have a feeling there"s something worth discovering there."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated, her gaze dropping momentarily. "It"s not like when you visited Sundari," she finally admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I"m not sure there"s anything left to find."
  
  
  
  Shin, undeterred, moistened her lips and drew one knee up to her chest, maintaining her steady gaze on Sabine. "I feel that there is," she asserted gently. "And thank you, by the way, for sharing all of that with me."
  
  
  
  "Planning on marrying a Mandalorian now, are you?" Sabine quipped, her mood lightening as she playfully splashed water in Shin"s direction. "Maybe you"ll run into that boy again. Shame his helmet got in the way last time."
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips quirked in a slight smile, and she raised an eyebrow in playful challenge. "You should know by now, I have no interest in men," she responded. "Strong women, on the other hand..."
  
  
  
  Sabine cleared her throat more forcefully than necessary and began to playfully splash water around. "Thanks for saving my life back there," she said, her voice soft and filled with genuine gratitude.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded solemnly, her gaze drifting to encompass the village sprawling below them, the formidable mountains in the distance, and the sun just on the verge of dipping below the horizon. "I couldn't bear the thought," she confessed softly, her voice laced with emotion. "Even just imagining it... it's all very confusing."
  
  
  
  Sabine was momentarily taken aback, her eyes wide before she composed herself. She glided through the water to Shin"s side, reaching up to gently wipe away the beads of sweat from her forehead. "I was scared for you when you were really sick," she shared, her voice laden with sincerity. "I spent an entire day just watching over you, making sure your breathing evened out."
  
  
  
  An ache resonated in Shin's chest, and a fluttering sensation took hold of her stomach, yet she maintained her composure. "What does that mean for us, then?" she inquired, her piercing blue eyes locking onto Sabine's brown ones.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a half-shrug, inching imperceptibly closer to Shin. "I think it means we're evolving," she proposed thoughtfully. "Learning from each other. Growing in a sense."
  
  
  
  "Growing together?" Shin pressed gently.
  
  
  
  "Maybe," Sabine responded, her voice soft, leaving the word hanging in the air between them like a delicate promise.
  
  
  
  Hesitant yet drawn by an invisible force, Shin extended her arms beneath the surface of the water, pausing momentarily as she gathered her thoughts. "Can I just..." she began, her voice trailing off as she swallowed, grappling with her vulnerability. "Can I just hold you? It"s so comforting in here."
  
  
  
  Sabine, with a soft smile gracing her lips, allowed herself to float gently into Shin"s open arms. "Yeah, it really is," she agreed, her voice carrying a note of contentment.
  
  
  
  Carefully, Shin cradled Sabine in her lap, her arms securely enveloping Sabine's petite frame. Without needing words, Sabine naturally nestled into the curve of Shin's neck. Shin was certain she could feel the steady rhythm of Sabine"s heartbeat against her, the added warmth from her body, and the tender way she stilled, surrendering to the moment as they held each other. In this secluded space, just the two of them, they seemed to fit together flawlessly.
  
  
  
  "You feel nice," Sabine whispered, her fingers delicately tracing patterns up and down Shin"s arm, adding another layer of warmth to their intimate embrace.
  
  
  
  Shin shifted slightly, adjusting her position to more comfortably support Sabine in her arms as she gazed at the cascading steamy waterfall. "You feel nice too," she responded, her voice soft. "Do we really have to go back?"
  
  
  
  "Yeah, we do," Sabine replied, her fingertips creating gentle ripples in the water. "But maybe one day we could take a long break and rest."
  
  
  
  "That sounds perfect," Shin murmured, feeling the gentle tickle of Sabine"s hair against her chin. "We just have to stay extra vigilant on our upcoming mission in the mountains."
  
  
  
  "We"ve got this," Sabine reassured her, taking a moment to let out a thoughtful sigh. "We should really start honing our Force abilities, you know? It could really give us an edge."
  
  
  
  Shin gave Sabine"s hips a gentle squeeze in agreement. "Just promise me, next time, you won"t put yourself in harm"s way on purpose," she said, her tone stern yet filled with concern.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed playfully, her fingers tracing the length of Shin"s braid. "Oh, you"re just jealous I stole the spotlight," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin captured Sabine's wandering hand, holding it securely in her own. Their eyes locked-fire meeting ice-but Shin's expression was serious. "I"m upset because you nearly got yourself killed," she stated plainly, her concern evident.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a sharp breath in, biting her lower lip. "From wanting me dead, to worrying about me? That"s quite the turnaround," she observed.
  
  
  
  "I could say the same about you," Shin countered. "Now, let my braid be."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, letting her hand fall back into the water. "Your hair"s getting longer," she commented.
  
  
  
  "I"ll cut it soon enough," Shin replied. "If I feel to."
  
  
  
  "You're really something else, you know that?"
  
  
  
  "And you"re not?" Shin retorted, an amused smile playing on her lips.
  
  
  
  Sabine fidgeted, her fingers creating ripples in the water. "What went through your mind when you first saw me on Lothal?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin's expression tightened momentarily, her gaze drifting upward to the cascading waterfall, feeling the brush of Sabine's hair against her skin. "It was intriguing," she confessed. "You were the first saber-wielder I'd ever encountered in combat outside of my training with Baylan."
  
  
  
  A look of playful disappointment crossed Sabine's face. "Is that all?" she prodded. "Just intriguing?"
  
  
  
  Shin, feeling the challenge, returned the question. "And what about you? What were your thoughts?"
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a quick, spontaneous laugh, moving closer to Shin. "You had this intense gaze, almost as if you had claimed me upon sight," she revealed softly.
  
  
  
  Shin, taken aback, could only muster a surprised, "What?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's laughter echoed softly, her body relaxing further into Shin's embrace. "Your eyes held me in a way that felt like I belonged to you from the start," she whispered. "A sort of magnetic connection."
  
  
  
  "Oh," Shin hummed, her voice barely above a whisper as her heart raced and her stomach churned with a mix of nerves and excitement. That encounter marked a turning point, unveiling a part of her she hadn't known existed. She became consumed by thoughts of Sabine Wren, her days and nights intertwined with memories and anticipations of their meetings. The thrill of their duels, the way their gazes locked in battle, became something she craved ceaselessly. Yet, amidst this newfound longing, the reality of her path and the directives from Baylan loomed, casting a shadow over her desires.
  
  
  
  Sabine gently guided Shin's hand, tracing it across her toned abdomen. "Can you feel this?" she inquired softly.
  
  
  
  Shin's muscles tensed briefly before she nodded, her voice low. "Yes, I can feel it," she responded, her fingertips cautiously exploring the texture of Sabine's scar, a mix of rough and smooth under her touch.
  
  
  
  Then, Sabine moved Shin's hand upwards, pressing it firmly against her chest. "And this?" she asked, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
  
  
  
  Shin felt overwhelmed, her heart racing. "Your heartbeat is rapid," she whispered, feeling the steady thump against her palm.
  
  
  
  After a moment, Sabine gently released Shin's hand, which hesitated before circling back to embrace her waist. "Yours is too," she murmured softly.
  
  
  
  Feeling a warm flush spread through her, Shin admitted, "I'm still exhausted," her voice betraying her fatigue.
  
  
  
  Sabine withdrew slightly to meet Shin's gaze, smiling reassuringly. "It's okay," she reassured. "I actually find this... relaxing, in a way."
  
  
  
  Curiosity flickered across Shin's face. "Why's that?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression softened. "It gives me an idea of what it's like to take care of you," she confessed. "Not something I thought I"d want to ever do."
  
  
  
  Shin was momentarily speechless, lost in the depth of Sabine's brown eyes. There was an intimacy in the moment that transcended physicality, more profound than their experience on the tropical beach.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued, her voice thoughtful. "I've always kept people at a distance, even Ezra. Mandalorian culture values strength and loyalty, but maybe it's alright to embrace vulnerability at times."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, absorbing Sabine's words. "The path we're on isn't simple," she acknowledged. "But having you here makes it worthwhile."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated, then leaned in, her breath mingling with the steam around them. Her gaze was intense, yet filled with an unspoken tenderness.
  
  
  
  Frozen in place, Shin's attention was solely on Sabine's lips, her body easing deeper into the spring's embrace, almost submerging completely before catching herself. "Sorry," she sputtered, caught off guard by her own overwhelming emotions, narrowly avoiding a gulp of water. "I"m still so drained."
  
  
  
  With a light laugh, Sabine helped Shin find a more comfortable position. "Don't worry about it," she reassured. "Just relax... And keep holding me."
  
  
  
  "I will," Shin promised, her voice a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine nestled herself even closer to Shin and sighed contentedly. With Shin"s chin resting atop Sabine"s head, they remained intertwined in the hot spring, soaking in each other"s presence until the sun dipped low on the horizon and their stomachs reminded them it was time for food.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Ahhhh I can already feel readers hoping and wishing they kissed here hahaha. Soon I promise
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 18: Meditate
  Notes:
  Thank you all for being here, enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine made certain to distance Pook and Dook significantly from the path of their mountainous trek, ensuring their safety within the village confines before embarking on their mountainous expedition. She aimed to divert the Icewraiths" attention, preventing them from tracking their progress. As they made their ascent, the clouds hung low, while sporadic warmth emanated from the sun. The howlers and Ice People were well-acclimated to the frigid temperatures, navigating the terrain with ease.
  
  
  
  For them, it was akin to a leisurely stroll. However, Sabine was determined to exhibit unwavering resilience. She positioned herself atop Tota, her stalwart companion, who reveled in the adventure, enthusiastically exploring the winter berries and showing a playful curiosity towards the fluffy, white rodents native to the region. Since their initial encounter with the bandits, Tota had not once thought of abandoning Sabine, showcasing his steadfast loyalty.
  
  
  
  Shin swept a gloved hand through her light locks, grappling with the discomfort caused by her winter hat; it was oppressively hot when on, yet the air was brisk when she took it off. The journey wasn"t the epitome of comfort, but she took solace in her restored vigor.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, peering through his macrobinoculars and gesturing towards the peak, announced, "We"re not far off now."
  
  
  
  Ilyara, adjusting her sun visor, indicated several spots in the distance. "This is the furthest we've managed to reach without the weather taking a turn for the worse," she observed. "It seems like your new companions have brought us a stroke of luck."
  
  
  
  Jex contributed enthusiastically, "They sure have. Why don't we set up for lunch here and aim to head back before nightfall?"
  
  
  
  With a nimble dismount from Tota, Sabine set to work kindling a fire for lunch. As she rummaged through her pack for provisions, she murmured, "I"d be happy to avoid another fight with Icewraiths today."
  
  
  
  Shin, herding the howlers with gentle commands, made her way to a glistening spring nearby. She couldn"t help but smile as her grey companion affectionately nuzzled into her, eagerly seeking chin rubs. Shin, having never had the companionship of a pet or furry friend before, found herself unexpectedly attached to the howler, noticing its easy camaraderie with Tota.
  
  
  
  She scooped up a handful of the cool, clear water, splashing it on her face and delighting in the refreshing sensation against her skin. With a deep inhalation of the crisp mountain air, she felt revitalized and made her way back to the temporary encampment.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Sabine was grappling with the uncomfortable sensation of being both chilled to the bone and uncomfortably sweaty from the exertion of the climb. If only she had her jetpack... However, the discomfort was mitigated by the stunning panorama that lay before her. She was captivated by the sight of the frozen lake, the picturesque village nestled below, and the majestic mountains that surrounded them. It was a spectacle of nature she knew she would carry with her always, a moment of reprieve.
  
  
  
  "Are you enjoying it up here?" Shin inquired, approaching Sabine and joining her at a scenic lookout point.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze subtly followed the contour of Shin"s jawline, lingering on the moles scattered across her cheek. "Yeah," she responded, her voice soft and contemplative. "It brings back memories of my family"s estate on Krownest."
  
  
  
  Recognizing the name, Shin"s expression turned more solemn, her lips forming a thin line as she lifted her chin slightly. "In the Mandalore sector," she acknowledged, her voice laced with a hint of understanding.
  
  
  
  "Right."
  
  
  
  "But your family..."
  
  
  
  Sabine inhaled sharply, her face momentarily revealing her vulnerability before she managed to compose herself, offering a strained smile. "Well, it belongs to me now, I suppose," she said, her tone bittersweet. "Assuming we make it back."
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, a curious glint in her eye as a gentle breeze played with her braid. ""We?" she questioned softly.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, a warmth in her eyes as she met Shin"s gaze. "Yeah, we," she affirmed confidently. Sabine found herself caught in a fleeting daydream of bringing Shin to her home, imagining the myriad of things they could experience together there. Yet, as the thought lingered, it unearthed a profound ache in her heart. She swallowed hard, choosing not to delve too deeply into those emotions just yet.
  
  
  
  Shin took a step closer to Sabine, her voice low as they continued to survey the vast landscape. "My Master...Baylan, he mentioned your friend Ezra trained as Jedi."
  
  
  
  Instantly intrigued, Sabine leaned in, eager for more. "And?"
  
  
  
  "He told me he trained me to be something more," Shin divulged, her tone guarded.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her interest deepening. "And, aren"t you?"
  
  
  
  "How so?"
  
  
  
  Sabine gave her a firm look. "You"re yourself. Not bound by any Creeds, Codes or Oaths. Isn"t that enough for now?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips curled into a small smile, although she remained focused on the horizon. "Possibly," she murmured.
  
  
  
  Sabine licked her dry lips and sighed. "You"re so-,"
  
  
  
  "Let"s practice together," Shin proposed briskly.
  
  
  
  A thrill of anticipation ran down Sabine"s spine, causing a momentary pause. "How?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  "Meditation," Shin suggested, peeling off her glove to extend a bare hand towards Sabine. "This spot, surrounded by nature, is perfect."
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Holding hands, really?" She speculated if this was Shin"s subtle way of seeking a closer connection. Just the previous few nights, Shin had opted to sleep alone, desiring some personal space to recover. Sabine had respected her wishes, though she found herself awake in the wee hours, fighting the temptation to slip into Shin"s room. The offered hand in front of her now seemed like an olive branch, an intimate gesture she hadn"t expected but found herself longing for since their time in the hot spring.
  
  
  
  "It could enhance our focus," Shin commented, her voice gentle yet firm. "You wanted an edge remember?"
  
  
  
  With a deep breath, Sabine carefully removed her own glove, exposing her hand to the brisk mountain air. She tentatively placed her fingers upon Shin"s smooth, slightly damp palm. The contact was unassuming but carried a depth of unspoken words and emotions. A wave of light-headedness swept over Sabine, yet the moment Shin"s fingers intertwined with hers, a sense of stability washed over her. She anchored herself, her boots pressing firmly into the snowy ground as she locked eyes with Shin"s intense, steel-blue gaze.
  
  
  
  Shin took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering shut as she began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know we still have a sea of unspoken words between us, Sabine," she murmured. "But for now, let"s just... feel it."
  
  
  
  Heart hammering in her chest and sweat trickling down her spine, Sabine adopted a posture of tranquility, grounding herself amidst the swirling energies of the Force. She allowed the profound words to resonate within her, syncing with the rhythm of her steady breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Her breath mingled with the cool air, visible puffs dissipating into the serene surroundings as her eyes fluttered closed.
  
  
  
  Next to her, Shin exuded a presence akin to a gentle whisper, her breathing as soft as the subtle rustling of leaves stirred by a light breeze. The ambient sounds of the mountain forest became prominent, ranging from the quiet murmur of a nearby stream to the chorus of creatures inhabiting the area.
  
  
  
  Her senses becoming sharper, Sabine started to perceive the delicate vibrations of the Force surrounding her, intricately weaving through the very fabric of reality. The life force of the surrounding vegetation, the warmth emanating from the trees, and the solid strength of the rocks under her - everything flowed through her, linking her to the immense expanse of the galaxy.
  
  
  
  The Force bond she shared with Shin served as a channel, with their energies intertwining and amplifying each other"s presence. Sabine could feel Shin"s unwavering concentration, her spirit steady and peaceful, providing a constant anchor in the boundless sea of the Force.
  
  
  
  Engulfed in this sphere of energy, Sabine plunged deeper, her consciousness broadening as she accessed the source of her inner strength. A stream of images and emotions flowed through her mind, remnants of distant places and moments long gone. She welcomed them, letting the Force sharpen her intuition, enhance her senses, and fortify her perception.
  
  
  
  Their meditation transformed into a silent exchange of energy, with Sabine and Shin learning from each other, strengthening their bond. This Force connection served as their unspoken language, a link transcending words, showcasing the incredible potential they possessed together.
  
  
  
  And soon enough the words were no longer out of reach because the feelings were right there within them.
  
  
  
  Sabine sharply inhaled, withdrawing her hand swiftly as she locked eyes with Shin. "It"s overwhelming," she uttered, taking a step back.
  
  
  
  Shin acknowledged her reaction with a nod, casting a quick glance at the bandits. "You sensed the extent of it then?" she probed.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine responded.
  
  
  
  "More reason for us to continue practicing," Shin declared. "And you"ve got to stay on top of your training."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed exasperatedly, "Yeah, I get it. You're starting to sound like Ahsoka now."
  
  
  
  Shin, with a knowing smirk, gazed out over the vast and icy landscape. "This place... it feels familiar to you, doesn't it?" she ventured, sensing a connection.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a sharp breath, her eyes fixed on the frozen lake. "It's so much like home," she murmured softly.
  
  
  
  "Tell me more about Krownest," Shin urged gently.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips parted, briefly moistened by the cool air. "Well, it's a stronghold, positioned right on a lake just like this one," she began, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "There's a huge mural of my mom, and... my art is there too."
  
  
  
  As a breeze swept past them, Shin shifted her stance to face Sabine directly. "It sounds like a beautiful place," she commented.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked up at Shin, a smile playing on her lips, her heart beating a little faster. "It's big, you know. It needs big personalities to really come alive," she added in a quieter voice.
  
  
  
  Shin leaned in slightly, her breath visible in the cold air. "I see," she murmured, her gaze intent.
  
  
  
  Feeling an unexpected surge of energy, Sabine suddenly stepped back. "We should get going," she said briskly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "We don't want to keep the others waiting."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  It was clear why the Ice People had been unable to retrieve the discarded supply crates. They were massive, awkwardly wedged between unforgiving slabs of rock, virtually immovable without the right tools and strength. One could easily perceive the inherent danger; a single misstep could result in the crates toppling over, potentially crushing anyone unfortunate enough to be caught beneath.
  
  
  
  The surrounding landscape only added to the challenge. The crates were embedded in a rugged, uneven terrain, where sharp rocks jutted out at precarious angles and the ground was littered with loose stones and gravel. Ice and snow clung to the rocks, hinting at the danger of the area, a condition that made the footing all the more treacherous.
  
  
  
  Above, the sky was a deep, steel grey, with heavy clouds threatening a blizzard at any moment. The wind howled through the narrow passageway created by the towering rocks on either side of the crates, producing eerie, mournful sounds.
  
  
  
  The starkness of the landscape, combined with the formidable size and precarious positioning of the crates, served as a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. The bandits, despite their resourcefulness and familiarity with the terrain, had found themselves outmatched by the sheer physicality of the task. The crates remained trapped in their stony prison.
  
  
  
  "These are substantially larger and heavier than those we found in the foothills and tropical zone," Shin observed, her breath visible in the frigid mountain air. "It"s unrealistic to think we could transport all of these contents back down the mountain."
  
  
  
  Surveying her team in the biting wind, Ilyara nodded in agreement, her face set in determination. "Let"s prioritize," she suggested, her voice carrying over the howl of the wind. "We take only the most crucial items and leave the rest behind."
  
  
  
  Kradosh, after a moment of contemplative silence, added his thoughts, his gaze never leaving the daunting crates. "Time is of the essence," he asserted firmly. "The wraiths won't hesitate if they find us here."
  
  
  
  Sabine felt a shiver run down her spine, her arm involuntarily tingling at the memory of her last encounter with the elusive, shimmering creatures. She couldn"t bear the thought of Shin, or anyone else, getting hurt in an attempt to rescue her from another venomous bite.
  
  
  
  The mountain summit was a world of its own, frigid and unforgiving, with the wind wailing like a banshee through the icy crags. The weather was a capricious force, and the lingering daylight, weak and pale, was a clear signal that they needed to expedite their mission.
  
  
  
  Despite their efforts, the group, younglings included, struggled in vain to dislodge the cargo. The crates were stubbornly wedged, immovable even in the face of their collective strength. Some of them switched tactics, attempting to pry the crates open from the side, but this too proved futile.
  
  
  
  The mountain stood indifferent to their plight, its icy breath and treacherous terrain a reminder of the unforgiving nature of their quest. Time was slipping away, and with it, their window of opportunity to salvage what they could without falling victim to the mountain"s wrath-or worse, the wraiths.
  
  
  
  Gently brushing a hand over her braid, Shin turned her gaze to Kradosh, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "What"s your estimate on their weight?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Kradosh took a moment to size up the crates, meticulously adjusting his Red helmet before responding with a solid, "Considerable."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Shin lifted her chin confidently. "I"ll handle this," she declared.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows shot up in surprise, yet she harbored no doubts about Shin"s capabilities. She was more than willing to lend her assistance, but she also recognized the importance of respecting Shin"s leadership. Opting to remain on the sidelines, she retreated to a safe distance alongside the others, her attention fixed on Shin"s efforts.
  
  
  
  With the wind tugging at her hair and sunlight dancing on the snow around her, Shin raised her hand and took a deep breath. Her body filled with a tingling sensation as she gathered her focus, channeling it toward the crate nearest to her. The crate tremored in response, slowly freeing itself from the icy grip of the rocks.
  
  
  
  To her astonishment, however, other crates began to shake loose as well. Shin"s concentration didn"t waver as she skillfully manipulated the situation, guiding a few of the crates to glide safely over the snow, coming to a stop in an accessible location. Drained, she let her hand fall to her side and turned to find Sabine, offering her a puzzled look. Sabine could only respond with a noncommittal shrug, equally amazed by the spectacle.
  
  
  
  That was all you, I didn"t help
  
  
  
  But Shin was acutely aware of a distinct, intangible bond with Sabine - one that undeniably aided her. It seemed that Sabine, perhaps unaware, didn't perceive it as Shin did. Drawing a deep breath, Shin sensed that she could, in some inexplicable manner, tap into Sabine's Force energy, though the intricacies of how remained elusive to her understanding. Was it because they meditated together? Was it because they were becoming closer mentally and physically?
  
  
  
  Shin"s thoughts were interrupted as a wave of cheers and jubilant shouts erupted from the bandits perched atop the mountain. Ilyara showered her with heartfelt gratitude, while Jex simply stared, her mouth agape. The group wasted no time, swiftly sifting through the supplies, selecting essential items, and securing them onto the howlers.
  
  
  
  Jex stepped forward, a beaming smile lighting up her face. Addressing Shin, she exclaimed, "I've only ever heard stories about this stuff," her voice filled with awe. "To see it firsthand is something else."
  
  
  
  Shin felt a warmth spread across her face, catching Sabine"s sly grin out of the corner of her eye. "Well," she responded, her voice slightly hoarse, "it"s not something I can do without feeling the strain afterwards."
  
  
  
  "Oh really?" Jex chuckled, throwing a conspiratorial glance Sabine"s way. "Well, I think you've just earned yourselves an invitation to the wedding."
  
  
  
  Sabine cocked her head to the side, curiosity piquing as she stepped closer. "What wedding?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin's heartbeat quickened at the mention of a wedding. "The one mentioned at our first meeting?" she chimed in, her intrigue evident in her tone. She remembered overhearing snippets of conversation about an upcoming festivity, though she hadn't grasped the complete details at that time.
  
  
  
  Jex"s gaze flitted playfully between Shin and Sabine, her lips curved in a teasing grin. "One of Ilyara"s dozen kids is tying the knot next week," she shared animatedly. "Landing these supplies couldn"t have come at a better time. And just so you know, you"re all on the guest list."
  
  
  
  A glimmer of enthusiasm sparked in Sabine"s eyes. "Is there going to be food?" she queried, her tone laced with interest.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expression tightened, her jaw clenching subtly as she processed the information.
  
  
  
  "Absolutely, plenty of local fare!" Jex assured with a bubbly tone.
  
  
  
  "Well then, consider us guests," Sabine declared decisively, glancing at Shin for confirmation. "Isn"t that right, Shin?"
  
  
  
  "Right..." Shin responded, though her voice trailed off, laden with unspoken thoughts.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The day had culminated in success, and the team had managed to haul back a considerable bounty from the mountaintop. Sabine, in a relaxed posture, leaned against the doorframe of Shin's room, listening to the distant hum of the refresher. The Ice People"s village was impressively advanced compared to that of the Red Bandits, boasting a sophisticated plumbing system that utilized lake water and a heating mechanism that piqued Sabine"s curiosity. The luxuries here, she admitted to herself, made her journey north feel well worth it.
  
  
  
  Emerging from the refresher with her hair still damp and a towel wrapped around her, Shin glanced at Sabine. "Been standing there long?" she questioned.
  
  
  
  "I was wondering if I could come in," Sabine retorted, making it sound as though the delay was Shin"s doing.
  
  
  
  Shin gestured vaguely with her hand, signaling an indifferent permission, and turned back to her post-shower routine. "Be my guest," she said, her voice muffled by the refresher.
  
  
  
  Taking the invitation, Sabine entered the neat and orderly room, taking a moment to appreciate the meticulous organization. Her thoughts drifted to the comm tower back on Lothal, and she realized how chaotic it must look in comparison. Shin's love for order was something Sabine could truly admire.
  
  
  
  Swinging her arms back and forth in a casual manner, Sabine observed Shin as she returned, clad in simple sleepwear. "Sooo," she ventured, "are we going to this wedding together?"
  
  
  
  Shin eased herself onto the bed, resting back against the headboard with her arms crossed behind her head. "Is that your way of asking me?" she responded.
  
  
  
  Sabine tongued her cheek, squinting slightly as she pondered her words. She patted a small space at the foot of the bed before sitting down, turning to face Shin. With a bright smile and eyes sparkling, she said, "I would really like it if you"d be my date."
  
  
  
  Leaning forward, Shin bridged the distance between them, her eyes searching Sabine"s. "And why"s that?" she pressed, her voice soft yet insistent.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a huff, her tone a mix of exasperation and earnestness. "Look, you need to maintain your strong front around the bandits, and I need to prove to Ahsoka that I can handle all of this," she explained. "They value companionship and I value not getting into trouble."
  
  
  
  Shin ran her fingers through her damp hair, her gaze never leaving Sabine"s. "Is that the only reason?" she persisted. "Nothing more?"
  
  
  
  A flush of warmth spread through Sabine, and she squared her shoulders, meeting Shin"s gaze head-on. "I just..." she started, her voice faltering. Her stomach was in knots, a conflict of emotions bubbling within her. She was supposed to be opening up to Shin, and with their mysterious connection, she couldn"t fathom why it was proving to be so challenging. Even after their visit to the spring, a persistent caution lingered within her, gently nagging at her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Shin tilted her head, a playful smirk playing on her lips. "You know," she began, her voice soft, "I"ve been worried others might try to pursue you these last few days."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath caught in her throat, and she searched Shin"s eyes for any sign of jest. Finding none, she scooted a little closer on the bed. "I"ve felt the same," she admitted, "but I"m not interested."
  
  
  
  "I know," Shin responded, her voice steady. "Neither am I."
  
  
  
  Clearing her throat, Sabine felt a tingle run up her neck. "I think... going to a wedding together, something fun and carefree, would be a good way for us to spend time together," she suggested, her voice sincere.
  
  
  
  Shin considered this, her lips pursed in thought, before nodding slowly. "I see."
  
  
  
  Encouraged, Sabine shifted closer, her hands resting on the comforter. Hesitating for only a moment, she asked, "Could we maybe do what we did in the hot spring?"
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, caught off guard, but then readjusted her position. "You want me to hold you?" she asked, her voice gentle.
  
  
  
  "Actually," Sabine responded, a soft smile gracing her lips, "I was thinking I could hold you this time."
  
  
  
  Shin paused to search Sabine"s face for a moment, then nodded and adjusted the sheets. "Alright," she agreed, her voice soft.
  
  
  
  Quickly, Sabine positioned herself, lying back against the plush pillows and opening her arms to Shin. Her eyes, bright and earnest, met Shin"s as she invited her closer. A surge of warmth filled her, and her heart raced as Shin moved into her embrace.
  
  
  
  Shin"s hands glided over Sabine"s abdomen before wrapping around her waist, drawing their bodies closer. "Is this okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine, feeling Shin"s careful touch, wondered if she had ever shared such a moment with anyone before. Her touch was so gentle, so tentative, it sent a burning sensation across Sabine"s skin. "It"s perfect," she breathed out, her voice soft. "Just... maybe not right on my boob."
  
  
  
  "Oh," Shin murmured, adjusting her position slightly. "Sorry about that."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, her nose wrinkling slightly as Shin"s hair tickled her. "There, that"s better," she said, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
  
  
  
  "And if I fall asleep?" Shin asked, her body relaxing further into Sabine"s embrace.
  
  
  
  "Then I guess I"ll have a wet shirt to deal with tomorrow," Sabine teased, her fingers gently twirling through Shin"s light hair.
  
  
  
  Shin tensed for a moment, before relaxing again, a soft laugh escaping her. "I"ll try not to drool," she promised, her voice filled with warmth.
  
  
  
  "So," Sabine said, eager to confirm their plans before the moment passed, "we"re going to the wedding thing together?"
  
  
  
  "We will," Shin replied, her voice filled with a quiet sincerity.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Wedding date for these two. Gosh what's going to happen?
  
  So I will post chapter 19 and 20 and then take a little break for the holidays. I will finally get to play BG3 which I just haven't had time for. Also I would like to sleep forever hahaha. See you all soon!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 19: Show Off
  Notes:
  months like these i'm so glad i have stuff prewritten oh gosh... enjoy!
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle softly as she felt a damp patch on her sleep shirt, realizing that it was, in fact, drool. Yet, she found herself unbothered by it. Watching Shin in her slumber was like observing a completely different person-vulnerable, genuine, and undeniably human.
  
  
  
  The cryptic mercenary, first encountered by Sabine on the dusty plains of Lothal, would snore softly and occasionally whine in her sleep, yet she always remained still. She radiated such comforting warmth that Sabine hardly needed any covers throughout the night. In the morning, Shin"s hair would be a tangled mess, and she would have that all-too-familiar sleepiness in her eyes. To Sabine, these moments were precious; they stripped away the layers of the Dark Jedi façade, revealing the real and human Shin underneath.
  
  
  
  Haunted by memories of their turbulent past, Sabine found solace in these quiet mornings, a stark contrast to their shared history. The Shin that now stirred awake, preparing to face the new day, was a stark contrast to the killer she once knew. She was a woman of few words, yet her thoughts seemed to run deep, intense enough to fill the silence between them. She had a way of looking at Sabine, staring intently, as if trying to read her very soul, and would take what felt like an eternity before responding.
  
  
  
  Day by day, Sabine felt increasingly drawn to Shin, whose allure grew stronger. She constantly reminded herself to suppress the deep, pulsating throb in her stomach. After all, this was Shin-the woman with a complex past and an even more complicated present, and Sabine couldn"t help but be drawn to her, drool-stained shirt and all.
  
  
  
  "Could you straighten out your side of the bed?" Shin asked, her voice carrying a gravity that was characteristic of her.
  
  
  
  Roused from her thoughts, Sabine playfully rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you really take everything seriously, don"t you?" she remarked.
  
  
  
  Shin, in the midst of brushing her hair, paused and turned slightly to lock eyes with Sabine through the reflection in the mirror. "You"re thinking about it again, aren"t you?" she observed, her voice steady.
  
  
  
  "About what?" Sabine responded, her hands working to smooth out the bed covers, attempting to feign innocence.
  
  
  
  "About... what I did," Shin said, her gaze unwavering as she met Sabine"s eyes in the mirror.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed softly, feeling the weight of the conversation settle in her chest as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, it hits me every now and then," she admitted, her voice softer. "I mean, I came pretty close to dying."
  
  
  
  Shin"s grip tightened on the hairbrush, and she lowered her head slightly, a momentary lapse in her usually stoic demeanor. "I"ve changed since then," she confessed, her voice low. "But I understand that it"s something that you"re never going to forget."
  
  
  
  A lump swelled in Sabine"s throat as she found herself caught in a moment of vulnerability. Her gaze lingered on the bed they shared, a space filled with peaceful slumbers and silent understandings, before shifting to Shin"s sculpted back. She took in every detail-the delicate pattern of moles, the expanse of smooth skin-and felt a strange mix of emotions churn within her. "These things, they take time," Sabine voiced out. "I"ve been in a similar situation before, had a close friend who turned their back on me when I needed them the most."
  
  
  
  In an instant, Shin pivoted on her heels, her head tilting ever so slightly as she regarded Sabine with a questioning gaze. "And you considered them a friend?" she probed.
  
  
  
  A chuckle escaped Sabine"s lips, a wry smile playing on her face as she processed the irony of it all. "Yeah, kind of twisted, right? I think it stings a bit more when betrayal comes from a friend," she mused aloud. "At least with you, back then, you were nothing more than a stranger..."
  
  
  
  Shin"s chest tightened as she absorbed Sabine"s words, her seriousness giving way to a moment of softness. She set her brush down and leaned back against the dresser, her posture open and inviting as she gently urged, "Tell me about this friend of yours."
  
  
  
  "Uh," Sabine gave a nonchalant shrug, her tone breezy as she delved into a chapter from her past. "Her name is Ketsu Onyo." A brief pause hung in the air as she acknowledged the parts of her history she had previously left untouched in her stories to Shin. "We were pretty close, ended up as bounty hunters together. But, well, she got greedy, left me for dead," she recounted, the words flowing in a quick, staccato cadence. "We crossed paths again later on, helped each other out of a tight spot, talked things over, and eventually went our separate ways on good terms..." Sabine took a moment to catch her breath, offering Shin a fleeting, nervous smile as she wrapped up her tale.
  
  
  
  Shin was momentarily stunned, her mouth agape-a rare sight indeed. "That"s truly-,"
  
  
  
  "I know, right?" Sabine cut in swiftly, her hands animated as she spoke. "I can practically feel the waves of confusion coming off you."
  
  
  
  Regaining her composure, Shin stood with a straightened posture, running a hand smoothly down her toned midsection. "I"m sorry you went through that," she expressed with a subtle sincerity. "But I'm relieved to hear you both found closure."
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, doing her best to keep her gaze steady and not let it linger on Shin's scantily clad figure. "Yeah, I do find myself missing her from time to time," she confided. "Just hope she"s out there doing alright."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded thoughtfully, her gaze momentarily drifting toward the window. "She"s probably faring well," she mused aloud. "And who knows, maybe one day your paths will cross again, and you"ll have a treasure trove of stories to exchange."
  
  
  
  Feeling a warmth spread through her chest, Sabine couldn"t help but smile brighter at Shin. She shifted her stance, feet burrowing into the carpet as she tilted her head, studying Shin. "You"re not jealous about her?" she noted more than asked.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over her chest. "And why would I be?" she retorted. "This person seems like they were very important to you. It"s not my place to ever stop you from having feelings for others."
  
  
  
  "Well, that"s mature of you," Sabine replied with a cheeky grin.
  
  
  
  "Hm," Shin hummed, cocking her head. "And besides, the way you"ve been staring at me this entire time tells me you have no interest in anyone else. Would you like a hologram of me while we"re here?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine felt her face heat up, and she quickly turned away, muttering a string of curses under her breath. A hologram of Shin actually sounded like a tempting offer. "You"ve got quite the sense of humor lately," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "I picked up a thing or two from Ezra Bridger," remarked Shin nonchalantly, glancing down at her nails. "Never seen someone deliver so much humor into just a few minutes. From his singed hair to wanting to be a prisoner..."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, the tension easing from her shoulders. "You think that"s something? Wait till I tell you more about what he got up to," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  "By all means," Shin responded, her serious demeanor giving way to genuine interest.
  
  
  
  Eager to steer their conversation towards lighter topics, Sabine smiled brightly. However, a thoughtful expression crossed her face, and she gently cleared her throat. "Before I dive into those stories, can I ask you something about your Master?" she inquired cautiously.
  
  
  
  Shin gave a nod, signaling her openness. "Go ahead," she encouraged.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her lower lip, exhaling slowly as she gathered her thoughts. "Back when Ahsoka came to rescue Ezra and me at the Noti pods, your combat style seemed... off," she observed hesitantly. "Was it because Baylan had left?"
  
  
  
  Shin's fingers clenched around her arms, her posture becoming slightly rigid. "At that time, I was very conflicted," she confessed. "Baylan's departure came when I felt I needed him most, yet I believed I could still emerge victorious."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes, filled with empathy, met Shin's, which shimmered with unshed tears. "Heartbreak can change a person," she said softly.
  
  
  
  "Heartbreak?" Shin echoed, a trace of surprise in her voice.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine affirmed gently. "It seems to me you were heartbroken, and that's completely understandable. From what you've shared, Baylan was someone you deeply loved."
  
  
  
  Shin swallowed hard, her gaze dropping momentarily. "He was," she murmured. "And he will always have a place in my heart."
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a comforting smile. "I think I've experienced a kind of heartbreak too, when Ahsoka quit on me," she shared openly.
  
  
  
  A crease formed on Shin's forehead, her eyes locking with Sabine's. "Why did she do that?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a half-shrug. "She thought I wanted to train for the wrong reasons," she explained. "It was all tied to the events on Mandalore."
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled softly. "Our Masters are complex individuals, aren't they?"
  
  
  
  Nodding, Sabine brushed a hand through her hair. "I bet their own Masters had their issues too," she mused. "It"s as challenging as it is meaningful, according to Huyang."
  
  
  
  Shin's body tensed briefly, but she consciously relaxed. "Now, about Ezra's misadventures," she said, her tone shifting to one of genuine interest. "I like the ones where Chopper annoys him."
  
  
  
  A chuckle escaped Sabine, and she playfully bit her lip. "There's so much to share," she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "But sure, I"ll tell you about Chopper ragging on him."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin surveyed the assortment of formal attire before her, a discerning eye scanning through the various options. She had embarked on this shopping expedition with Kradosh, who was also searching for suitable garments for the imminent celebration.
  
  
  
   Meanwhile, Sabine was enlisted to lend her expertise in resolving some technical issues that had arisen in the village. Her proficiency had enabled her to identify and rectify several problems plaguing the Ice People. Shin, for her part, was content knowing Sabine was capable and adept at handling such matters.
  
  
  
  The atmosphere in the village was vibrant and lively, with a steady stream of individuals bustling about, all contributing to the preparations for the upcoming grand event at the Glacial Hall. The recent arrival of the Red Bandits-Pook and Dook-along with Sabine and Shin, had injected a fresh wave of excitement and anticipation among the Ice People, who were eagerly looking forward to what promised to be a memorable wedding celebration.
  
  
  
  Kradosh ran his fingers over the array of garments, eventually settling on a particular piece as he tapped it thoughtfully. "It seems you've taken my advice to heart," he observed, his voice carrying a hint of approval.
  
  
  
  Shin felt the chill in the air as her breath formed visible puffs in front of her, prompting her to draw her poncho tighter around herself. "And what advice would that be?" she inquired, her attention still on the outfits before her.
  
  
  
  "Learning from Commander Wren," Kradosh responded, his tone steady.
  
  
  
  A small, appreciative smile played on Shin"s lips. "She is impressive," she conceded, her admiration for Sabine evident in her voice.
  
  
  
  "And you're no less remarkable," Kradosh assured her, his words earnest. "The two of you together make for a formidable team."
  
  
  
  The word team lingered in Shin's mind as she touched a garment adorned with shimmering embellishments, her gaze lifting to the expansive blue sky above. "I aim to keep bettering myself," she expressed, her voice soft yet determined.
  
  
  
  "And you most certainly will," Kradosh responded confidently, completing a transaction with a shopkeeper to acquire some delectable sweets. He handed one to Shin, who accepted it graciously.
  
  
  
  As she took a bite, she savored the rich blend of milk, sweetness, and nuts in a fudgy consistency, filling her mouth with flavor. She acknowledged, albeit silently, that indulging in too many of these treats could lead to unwanted consequences. "Thank you," she said, her gratitude genuine.
  
  
  
  Kradosh nodded in agreement and strolled alongside Shin, browsing through various shops. "Once you've found something that catches your eye, consider it yours," he declared, puffing out his chest slightly.
  
  
  
  Shin, taken aback by his generosity, dipped her head in appreciation. "That"s very kind of you," she acknowledged with a soft smile.
  
  
  
  Lifting his chin slightly, Kradosh responded, "If your Master were here, I"m sure he would do the same for you. I may not be him, but I can understand the pain his absence causes you."
  
  
  
  Unconsciously twirling her braid, Shin felt a lump form in her throat at the mention of her Master. "Your concern means a lot," she replied quietly, her voice filled with sincerity. "He has just...closed himself off from me."
  
  
  
  "Hm," Kradosh hummed thoughtfully, picking up a pair of formal pants to examine. "Perhaps it"s for the best."
  
  
  
  As they continued their shopping, a particular fabric caught Shin"s eye, causing her to do a double-take at a nearby clothing stall. "Maybe," she murmured under her breath, her attention now focused on the garment in front of her. "Kradosh, what do you think of this one?" she asked, holding up the piece for him to see.
  
  
  
  Kradosh scrutinized the outfit, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It"s an unexpected choice," he observed. "But it somehow suits you perfectly."
  
  
  
  Encouraged by his words, Shin engaged in a brief discussion with the shop owner regarding potential alterations, wanting to ensure that the outfit could be adjusted to fit her just right. Satisfied with their assurances, she made her decision. "I"ll take it," she declared confidently.
  
  
  
  "Very good," Kradosh concurred, nodding in approval.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine found herself in the secluded expanse behind the Glacial Hall, surrounded by the icy grandeur of towering snowbanks and frost-kissed trees. The crisp air was laden with the scent of winter, and the ground beneath her was a blanket of untouched snow, disturbed only by the marks of her boots and those of her sparring partner. She held a spear, borrowed from a bandit she had worked with diligently throughout the day. Now, though, her focus was shifted to the physical exertion and discipline of training.
  
  
  
  Opposite her, Jex stood firmly on the snowy ground, her breaths visible in the chilly air as her chest heaved from exertion.
  
  
  
  "What kind of Stormtrooper are you, really?" Sabine teased as she gave her spear an expert spin. This brought back memories of her days on Krownest, over a decade ago, when she engaged in sparring matches with her brother Tristan within the fortified walls of the Wren stronghold.
  
  
  
  Jex responded with a playful click of her tongue, holding her staff up in a ready stance. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" she shot back, smirking confidently.
  
  
  
  Sabine simply chuckled, swinging her spear in a swift arc towards Jex. "I"ve seen the inside of the Empire and made a series of bad decisions before," she admitted freely.
  
  
  
  Jex gracefully parried the attack, taking a strategic step back. Her eyes briefly flicked to a small group of children who had gathered nearby, drawn by the spectacle. "We all have our past mistakes," she acknowledged, her movements fluid as she danced around Sabine. "But what matters is how we make amends."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Sabine raised her spear high, readying for another strike. She felt a sudden buoyancy in her chest, a lightness that propelled her forward with renewed vigor. "Leaving Thrawn and the Empire behind was the best decision you"ve made," she declared confidently. "This-being stranded here-it's way better."
  
  
  
  "I couldn"t agree more!" Jex exclaimed, her spirit infectious as she leapt into the air, spinning her staff with an exuberant flare. She brought the blade down only to bounce off Sabine"s beskar. "Dank farrik!"
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, twirled out of the way, and fingered her armor. "Oh, you love it," she shot back.
  
  
  
  Jex smiled broadly and regained her footing. "I do," she agreed. "Sparring with a Mandalorian is an honor."
  
  
  
  Sabine grabbed a fistful of snow and flung it at Jex, who groaned in annoyance. The former Trooper, easy to get along with, was proving to be an entertaining colleague. She was also very easy on the eyes and moved unlike any Stormtrooper Sabine encountered.
  
  
  
  "Not many of us left," Sabine replied, holding up her spear.
  
  
  
  "I"m sorry," Jex said, wiping snow from her face. "Maybe blondie can help you rebuild."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath caught, and a flush ran to her cheeks. Was it that obvious? "C"mon," she said. "Let"s keep going."
  
  
  
  Their training had transformed the secluded area behind the Glacial Hall into an arena of sorts. The snowy ground beneath their feet was scuffed and marked by the blitz of their training, the air filled with the sounds of laughter, sharp exhalations, and the clash of weapons. The frost-laden trees, their branches dusted with snow, surrounded them, creating a serene yet vibrant backdrop to the intense spar unfolding.
  
  
  
  Sabine gracefully sidestepped the incoming attack, her movements swift and sure. A crowd gathered, a mix of eager children and young adults, erupted into cheers, their excitement bursting. It seemed their routine of training and schooling had reached its conclusion for the day, evidenced by small groups streaming out of a nearby building, lured by the chime of a bell signaling a shift in activities.
  
  
  
  Engaging with her young audience, Sabine waved and flashed them a quick smile, her attention divided as she took several steps back. Abruptly, her retreat was halted by a collision with a solid form behind her.
  
  
  
  A gasp hitched in Sabine"s throat as warm breath caressed her ear. The word Childsplay whispered in a sultry tone that sent a shiver down her spine. Reacting instinctively, Sabine swirled around, her eyes narrowing as she laid eyes on Shin, who was sporting a sly, tantalizing smile.
  
  
  
  Quick to pick up on the sudden shift in atmosphere, Jex gracefully bowed out, making her way to the sidelines to give the two women space. Her departure didn"t go unnoticed, as a curious crowd, comprised of youngsters taking a brief respite from their chores and a handful of adults taking a break from their duties at the Glacial Hall, began to converge around them, drawn by the promise of an enthralling spectacle.
  
  
  
  In a fluid motion, Shin shed her poncho, revealing her lean, battle-ready form beneath. Her hands moved with practiced ease as she unclipped her saber from her belt, ensuring she maintained a respectful distance from the gathering crowd. With a flick of her wrist, she ignited her weapon, bathing the snowy ground in a warm orange glow. A chorus of awed gasps and exclamations filled the air, the crowd enraptured by the display of power and grace.
  
  
  
  The scene was set, the snowy expanse transformed into an impromptu arena, bathed in the light of Shin"s saber. The surrounding trees, heavy with snow, creaked, their branches creating dark shadows on the ground below. The Glacial Hall loomed in the background, its imposing structure adding to the dramatic scene unfolding before the captivated audience.
  
  
  
  "Show off," Sabine grumbled under her breath, her hands deftly discarding the spear as she drew her own saber with a swift, fluid motion.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her saber spinning elegantly in her grip, casting dynamic orange patterns through the air. "Handling it is one thing," she said. "But do you truly have mastery over it yet?"
  
  
  
  Sabine shot a quick glance towards the crowd, a smirk playing on her lips as she felt their curious eyes on her. "I"ve been sharpening my skills," she shot back confidently, the chilly air providing a refreshing contrast to the warmth spreading across her skin from the anticipation of the duel.
  
  
  
  "Then let"s dance," Shin declared, her voice carrying across the clearing.
  
  
  
  With that, she launched forward, her movements a blend of precision and grace. Sabine met her charge head-on, their lightsabers clashing with a bright flare and a loud crack. The crowd gasped, their eyes following every swift movement.
  
  
  
  In sync, Sabine and Shin's duel became a spectacle of flashing lights and swirling colors. They anticipated each other"s moves with a familiarity that spoke of hours of practice and a deep understanding of each other"s fighting style.
  
  
  
  The intensity of the duel grew with every pass, the sound of clashing lightsabers echoing through the wind. The young bandits watched on in awe, completely enthralled by the display of skill and power before them.
  
  
  
  As the duel continued, Sabine and Shin found a rhythm, their movements fluid and seamless. They pushed each other to the limits, neither one willing to back down. And yet, there was a sense of mutual respect between them, a bond forged in the heat of battle.
  
  
  
  With every clash and swift parry, Sabine and Shin continued their deadly ballet, each strike and dodge flowing seamlessly into the next. The snowy ground beneath their feet became a palette, marked by the tracks of their intense duel.
  
  
  
  Feeling a surge of adrenaline, Sabine increased her attack speed, her lightsaber a blur as she sought an opening in Shin"s defense. Shin, however, matched her pace with a calm and steady poise, her movements precise and calculated.
  
  
  
  The crowd of bandits, completely riveted by the display, could see the growing intensity in the duelists' eyes. They were no longer just sparring partners; they were warriors, each striving to outdo the other, yet there was a grace in their movements, a synchronicity that spoke of a deep connection.
  
  
  
  Shin grabbed Sabine"s wrist and held it tightly. "You seem wound up, Sabine," she breathed.
  
  
  
  Sabine glared into icy blue eyes but could only see amusement. "Then maybe you should help me unwind," she shot back.
  
  
  
  "Aren"t I doing that?"
  
  
  
  "You like this too much."
  
  
  
  Sensing an opportunity, Shin feigned a misstep, momentarily leaving herself open. Sabine, seizing the chance, lunged forward, aiming for a decisive strike. But Shin was quicker, her apparent vulnerability a ruse. She deftly sidestepped Sabine"s attack, bringing her own lightsaber around in a swift, effortless motion.
  
  
  
  Sabine, caught off guard, barely had time to react as Shin"s lightsaber connected with hers, sending a shockwave through her arms. Not letting up, Shin pressed her advantage, her movements becoming a spiral of orange light.
  
  
  
  Sabine, struggling to keep up, felt a newfound respect for her opponent. Shin"s skill was undeniable, and she realized that she was learning, adapting to Shin"s style with every passing second. They were pushing each other to new heights, their duel a crucible forging them into stronger, more skilled warriors.
  
  
  
  Shin, feeling the tide of the duel shift in her favor, continued to press her attack, her movements now a blend of aggression and grace. Sabine, despite the onslaught, found herself moving in tandem with Shin, their lightsabers clashing and dancing in a mesmerizing display of skill and power.
  
  
  
  And then, with a swift and precise strike, Shin found an opening in Sabine"s defense, her lightsaber connecting with Sabine"s in a glancing blow that sent Sabine"s weapon flying out of her hand. Sabine was knocked back and fell gently on her rear.
  
  
  
  The duel was over. Shin stood victorious, her breathing heavy, her face alight with the thrill of the battle. Sabine, panting and disarmed, couldn"t help but smile, the exhilaration of the duel still coursing through her veins.
  
  
  
  There was nothing like it. There was only Shin. Fighting with her. Sparring with her. Everything with her. Sabine wanted more.
  
  
  
  The crowd erupted into cheers, their applause filling the air as they celebrated the thrilling duel they had just witnessed. Shin offered a hand to Sabine, helping her to her feet.
  
  
  
  Overwhelmed by unexpected emotions, Sabine stumbled into Shin"s comforting embrace. A unique sensation of tingles spread throughout her body, making her stomach flip and her heart race. She became enveloped by Shin"s presence, and a sweet, floral scent that seemed to be uniquely Shin"s filled her senses, captivating Sabine completely. She was overcome with the desire to stay wrapped up in Shin"s arms.
  
  
  
  As Shin"s lips brushed against Sabine"s cheek, she sported a playful smirk and whispered in a firm tone, "Don"t tell me you don"t enjoy it when I put you in your place."
  
  
  
  A chill ran down Sabine"s spine as she felt Shin"s firm grip on her arm, her body responding instinctively to Shin"s closeness.
  
  
  
  Trying to recover her poise, Sabine shot back with a playful sparkle in her eye, "It"s only because I let you." Her words were bold, but there was an undercurrent of fascination she couldn"t completely hide.
  
  
  
  Shin pulled back, her eyes locking onto Sabine"s with a smile. "What else will you let me do?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine was taken aback, her breath catching and her eyes growing wide at Shin"s daring question. But before she could respond, they were surrounded by a group of curious kids and enthusiastic onlookers, all of them bombarding Sabine with questions about her skills with the saber.
  
  
  
  Even though Shin was quickly pulled away by the crowd, their eyes stayed connected for a time, silently communicating in the midst of the commotion. They were forced to shift their focus to the eager children around them, but the promise of picking up where they left off hung in the air.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 20: Ceremony
  Notes:
  This chapter means a lot to me. Enjoy.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine stepped into the Glacial Hall; her eyes widening in awe as she took in the majestic beauty of the space. The entire structure featured a marvel of ice and snow, the walls glistening with a gentle glow that reflected off the polished surfaces. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with the ice smoothed to perfection, creating a mesmerizing ambiance of soft luminosity.
  
  
  
  The hall expanded into a spacious area, the ceilings arching gracefully overhead, adorned with delicate icicles that dangled like nature"s own chandeliers. Beneath her feet, thick plush rugs made from the fur of local fauna provided a soft cushion, contrasting pleasantly with the icy floor and adding a touch of warmth to the frosty interior.
  
  
  
  Intricate decorations filled the space, enhancing the icy theme. Tables were arranged in a circle around the dance floor, its polished ice surface gleaming under the subtle lighting. The tables were draped in woven plant fiber tablecloths, dyed in hues of blues and whites, harmonizing with the frosty surroundings. Ice sculptures, meticulously crafted into intricate flowers and leaves, served as centerpieces, surrounded by twinkling candles encased in holders of ice, casting a romantic and warm glow.
  
  
  
  The chairs, carved from blocks of ice, were made comfortable with cushions of plush fur, ensuring comfort for those who sat. Along the walls, ice sculptures depicted scenes of love and unity, contributing to the romantic and enchanting atmosphere of the hall.
  
  
  
  At the forefront of the hall, an arch made from intertwining branches, decorated with hanging icicles and delicate white flowers, created a picturesque backdrop for the wedding ceremony. The arch stood upon a raised platform of ice, with steps leading up to it, each step lit by candles that guided the way.
  
  
  
  Sabine thought it was somewhat over the top but considering it was the wedding of one of Ilyara"s children, it made sense the villagers went all out. If anything, she looked forward to the ceremony and learning more about the Ice People.
  
  
  
  The soft strumming of music, played on instruments fashioned from local materials, filled the air, enveloping Sabine in sweet melodies and adding to the enchanting atmosphere, ensuring that the hall resonated with the sounds of celebration.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze oscillated left and right, her thoughts adrift in anticipation of Shin's arrival. Nearby, Kradosh clarified the tardiness, mentioning a last-minute alteration needed at the tailor's shop. She ran her palms down the lines of her immaculate white suit, feeling the sharpness of her attire matched the importance of the occasion. Her outfit not only resonated with the village's hues but also boasted a style that married fashion with comfort, courtesy of a local skilled tailor.
  
  
  
  "Commander Wren, you look exquisite," Kradosh offered his praise as the stream of guests swelled.
  
  
  
  A smile curved Sabine's lips, and she affectionately clapped a hand on Kradosh's robust shoulder. "You're quite the sight yourself," she returned the compliment, her eyes taking in the unexpected splendor of the event. "I have to admit, I didn't picture this kind of luxury in a place like this."
  
  
  
  With a thoughtful nod, Kradosh proceeded to usher his men to their seats. "We've thrived for millennia," he remarked, "some peoples more prosperous than others."
  
  
  
  "Why not settle here?" Sabine inquired, her fingers gently ensuring her short hair lay smooth.
  
  
  
  Kradosh hummed thoughtfully. "And why did you choose to remain on Lothal?"
  
  
  
  It was clear Shin had been recounting tales of Sabine's exploits. She nibbled the inside of her cheek, hands now tucked in her slacks, her body swaying slightly as she pondered her answer. "As a guardian," she started, her voice a blend of pride and nostalgia. "The bond I share with the people, aiding in their resurgence-" She paused, lips twitching into a sly grin. "Touché, my friend."
  
  
  
  Kradosh's expression softened into a smile, and he dipped his head to meet Sabine's gaze more directly. "The youth of today," he started, his voice carrying the weight of wisdom. "You and Shin, always surrounded by tales and sagas yet you can"t find the answers."
  
  
  
  The grin on Sabine's face stretched even wider, and she dismissed the weight of his words with a flick of her wrist. "Sometimes, asking outright is easier," she retorted with a trace of mirth.
  
  
  
  "Is that so?" Kradosh countered, an eyebrow raised in gentle challenge. As the stream of guests swelled, he indicated towards the ornate doors at the end of the hall. "You may find that this evening is ripe with inquiries for a certain individual. Let's hope the Force favors your tongue when the time comes."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows lifted in playful anticipation, her nose crinkling as she turned to face the entrance with a knowing smirk. The room settled into a hushed expectancy, the host's voice rolling over the crowd, hinting at the grooms imminent entrance. Yet, for Sabine, there was another arrival that preceded the grooms - her date for the evening was about to step into the limelight.
  
  
  
  Shin Hati.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze locked onto Shin the moment she entered, the usual confidence in her stance momentarily shaken by the sight. Shin seemed to float through the crowd, her presence commanding yet surreal, pulling Sabine's world into a standstill. Her heart thrummed a wild rhythm against her ribs, and a warmth crept up her neck as she took in the vision before her.
  
  
  
  There was a grace in Shin's movements that Sabine had rarely seen, her dress, a cascading sculpture of ice-white that hugged her form and highlighted her warrior's physique. Her hair was styled, braid elegant over her shoulder. And her lips were a delicate shade of pink that drew Sabine's attention with a force stronger than gravity.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's voice was a distant rumble, barely penetrating the bubble that had formed around Sabine and her racing thoughts. "Good luck," he said, though his words felt like they were from another world as he retreated to his seat.
  
  
  
  Speechless, Sabine stood rooted to the spot, her mind a flurry of admiration and affection. As Shin closed the distance between them, stopping a mere breath away, Sabine's voice was lost in the sudden dryness of her throat.
  
  
  
  "Sorry I"m late," Shin said, her eyes a mirror of the stars, holding Sabine in their depth.
  
  
  
  "Uh," was all Sabine managed at first, her voice a stranger to her ears. She cleared her throat and offered a shaky chuckle. "You look... I mean, your dress-it's..."
  
  
  
  Shin's smile was like sunrise, chasing away the shadows of doubt. "It fits correctly!" she declared, her enthusiasm a lifeline that Sabine clung to gratefully.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes went wide, her heart caught between a chuckle and a tear. "It fits correctly alright," she managed.
  
  
  
  "And you wear your suit well," Shin complimented, her fingers lightly grazing the fabric of Sabine"s white top as she made a small adjustment.
  
  
  
  A spark of disbelief flickered in Sabine"s gaze, and she offered a single, bemused shake of her head. Was this real? "Thanks," she uttered, her response teetering on a question.
  
  
  
  Shin"s demeanor was all professionalism-wasn"t this supposed to be a date? Sabine"s words teetered on the edge of her tongue, barricaded by nerves. Yet, as she braced herself to dive into those deep blue eyes, the ceremony called them to attention.
  
  
  
  The dialect of the Ice People was cryptic, yet their Union Elder weaved a story of inclusivity with their words. As the two grooms circled the pyre, they cast shards of ice into the flames, a ritual dance of fire and frost.
  
  
  
  Sabine tried to anchor herself in the moment, wedged between Kradosh"s formidable bulk and Shin's magnetic presence. Instinctively, she inclined toward Shin, seeking comfort not just in the physical space but in the warmth that seemed to emanate from her-warmth that belied the usual chill in her gaze. Through the ceremony, Shin embodied an effortless grace, her attentiveness painting a portrait of calm that Sabine couldn"t help but be drawn to. The lines of Shin"s profile-sharp jaw and softly curved lips-were far more captivating than the ongoing vows.
  
  
  
  As the congregation was prompted to stand, Sabine"s coordination faltered, her movement a half-beat out of sync. A flutter caught in her chest as Shin's hand found hers, a touch as stabilizing as it was electrifying, guiding her with silent assurance toward the hall"s far end.
  
  
  
  Right outside the Glacial Hall, shrouded beneath heavy blankets of shimmering silver, stood two enigmatic figures. Even concealed, they exuded an aura of elegance and artistry, their silhouettes hinting at the meticulous detail waiting beneath the fabric. The drapes fell in soft, cascading folds over the contours of what promised to be masterful sculptures, the weight of the material masking the chill of the ice underneath.
  
  
  
  The guests cast curious glances toward the veiled masterpieces, speculating about the hidden treasures. Whispered guesses and excited murmurs filled the air, as the anticipation built with each moment the statues remained unseen. It was as if the blankets themselves were part of a ceremonial dance, a prelude to the unveiling that would soon reveal the frozen beauty beneath.
  
  
  
  Both grooms went to their respective figures and with direction from the Union Elder, pulled off the blankets.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s mouth parted and her skin tingled over and over, the cool breeze welcome on her heated skin. One sculpture revealed the imposing form of an ice-sculpted Howler. It captured the creature mid-howl, its muzzle pointed skyward, releasing an eternal cry. Muscles were chiseled into the ice with lifelike detail, and its fur seemed to bristle with a frozen ferocity. The Howler's eyes, deep-set and alert, held a glacial gleam, as if it were surveying the tundra for its pack.
  
  
  
  Beside this wild display, the second sculpture also awed the crowd. The Ice Serpent sculpture emerged from the draped concealment, a sinuous form that looked as though it was swimming through an unseen current. Its elongated body twisted elegantly, scales carved into the ice so finely they shimmered like diamonds. Its head was raised with a regal bearing, fangs bared in a silent display of power, while its eyes were carved to mimic the depth and mystery of the icy depths it hailed from.
  
  
  
  Sabine's awareness of her intertwined fingers with Shin"s lingered in her consciousness, yet she made no move to withdraw. Enthralled by the ceremony's splendor and the rich culture she was immersed in, she absorbed the spectacle with wide-eyed reverence.
  
  
  
  The Union Elder's ceremonial liquid turned the ice sculptures into prisms, casting a spectacle of dancing lights as the setting sun kissed them-a sight of dreamlike beauty that Sabine would carry with her forever.
  
  
  
  "And as the Ice melts, so does it join the lake, carrying the essence of love eternally," proclaimed the Union Elder.
  
  
  
  With the grooms" tender embrace, a resounding cheer broke through the congregation, a wave of joy that Sabine felt ripple through her being.
  
  
  
  A quick, self-conscious swipe at her eyes was her only concession to vulnerability; she hoped the emotion didn't betray her carefully applied makeup. Feeling the persistent warmth and pressure of Shin's grip, Sabine"s nerves ignited, her palm damp with the intensity of the moment, yet the desire to remain connected overrode any impulse to pull away.
  
  
  
  As the staff began transforming the Glacial Hall for the ensuing celebration, Sabine and Shin lingered in the liminal space where the chill of the outside world met the gathering warmth within. It was then that Shin turned to her, lips quirking in an enigmatic smile that promised conversations yet to unfold.
  
  
  
  Shin's words were soft yet clear amid the hustle of people transforming the space around them. "You seem quite moved, Sabine," she observed, her eyes holding a gentle inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a sheepish laugh, glancing towards the shimmering sculptures. "The art here...it"s inspiring," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "Is that why you"re crushing my hand?" Shin asked.
  
  
  
  Realization dawned, and Sabine's grip slackened, an apologetic blush coloring her cheeks. "Oh, I... I"m sorry," she stammered, attention shifting as the air vibrated with new music and the clinking of dishes being set for the feast.
  
  
  
  Shin flexed her fingers, looking down at Sabine with a playful challenge in her height. "Tell me, Sabine, do you think about getting married?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine's response came with an unbidden cough, a flustered attempt to clear her airway-and perhaps the sudden knot of emotions. She offered a shaky laugh, a telltale sign of her scrambling thoughts. "I... Well, it's not something that's been on my radar," she confessed, her voice a murmur of honesty.
  
  
  
  Shin"s response was a simple, knowing nod, her movements as she smoothed her dress conveying a calm certainty. "But it's on your mind now," she stated, less a question than a gentle assertion.
  
  
  
  The scent of Shin"s perfume enveloped Sabine, a floral embrace that was almost intoxicating. Her gaze was drawn to Shin's eyes, luminescent and knowing, then to her lips, quirking into a teasing smile. Sabine drew in a steadying breath. "How about we find something to eat?" she redirected with a hopeful inflection, thinking perhaps that a touch of normalcy found in the act of dining might settle the whirl of thoughts within.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin navigated the unfamiliar dishes with a diplomat's poise, sampling the array of unknown tastes and textures with discrete curiosity. The Glacial Hall resonated with a celebratory energy that seemed foreign yet inviting to her. Her past had offered her countless glimpses into the revelry of others. Yet, she remained ever the observer, the shadow lingering just beyond the mirth.
  
  
  
  Baylan's demeanor was no-nonsense, leaving no time for jubilation.
  
  
  
  This evening marked a departure from those solitary roles. She wasn't just another face among the throngs; she was an influential figure, a General whose decisions rippled across the people in the room. Yet, amidst the pomp and splendor of the evening, Shin found her attention honed to a singular focus: Sabine.
  
  
  
  The warmth in Sabine"s cheeks, the lustrous glow of her skin, the way her smile seemed to hold its own source of light-all conspired to ensnare Shin's gaze. Even the vibrancy of Sabine"s laughter wove through the din of conversation, a melody that Shin found unexpectedly stirring.
  
  
  
  Shin remembered her entrance, the way her eyes had instinctively sought out Sabine, and how the sight of her in that impeccably tailored suit had momentarily stolen the breath from her lungs. She had chided herself for the mask of professionalism she wore like armor, but a hopeful part of her whispered that the night was still young.
  
  
  
  As plates were cleared and the dance floor beckoned, Shin felt the rhythm of the evening shift. The concept of dancing was not alien to her, yet she rarely indulged in such displays. Tonight, though, the importance of joining in was clear. Casting a sidelong glance at Sabine, Shin steeled herself with a swift drink of icy water, preparing to step out of her comfort zone-perhaps, she conceded, in more ways than one.
  
  
  
  Shin"s voice cut through the hum of conversation, clear and composed. "Sabine?" she called, just loud enough to carry.
  
  
  
  Pausing mid-bite, Sabine looked up, a forkful of the root vegetable delicacy poised in suspension. "Yeah?" she responded, her voice a curious lilt.
  
  
  
  A momentary silence bridged between them before Shin, with an almost imperceptible steadiness, broached the question, "Would you join me for a dance after your meal?"
  
  
  
  Surprise flickered across Sabine"s features, and she hastily dabbed at her lips with a napkin, pushing her plate to the side with a sudden decisiveness. "Yep," she responded, her initial squeak smoothing into a firmer tone upon repetition. "I'd like that."
  
  
  
  Shin released a controlled breath, maintaining her composure as she stood up straight. She gave Sabine a look, who quickly stood as well, her excitement almost tangible. They made their way through the crowd of attendees to the designated area for dancing, where the melodies intertwined seamlessly, suggesting a sophisticated closeness for the dancers.
  
  
  
  Amidst the dancers, Shin claimed a space with an unspoken assurance, her stance embodying a quiet strength. She offered a slight, expectant nod to Sabine. "You"re acquainted with dancing, I presume?" she ventured, her tone a blend of statement and inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s response was a soft laugh, tinted with the warmth of shared humor. "I am," she admitted, her smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Though I usually lead."
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze was unflinching, her voice firm yet gentle. "Tonight, I lead," she declared, dismissing any objections before they could surface. "Your attire doesn't dictate the dance."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s reply was a blend of challenge and admiration. "Never said it did," she said softly, her hand settling respectfully on Shin's shoulder. "You"re quite stunning in a dress."
  
  
  
  In a fluid motion, Shin's arm encircled Sabine's waist, drawing her near with an ease that belied the charge of the moment. "And you, Sabine, wear handsomeness as comfortably as your suit," Shin murmured.
  
  
  
  A sharp intake of breath was Sabine's only reply as she relaxed into the embrace, her defenses yielding to the undeniable connection between them. "Thank you," she whispered, surrendering to the dance.
  
  
  
  The subtle brush of Sabine's hair against Shin's chin was a delicate sensation as they moved gently together. The Hall was alive with shimmering light, the reflections dancing off the fabrics and jewelry of the crowd, with more pairs joining the gentle sway on the floor. In this circle of motion, Shin found a fleeting peace, a wish to remain locked in this moment with Sabine, far from the demands of Peridea. But she dismissed the yearning, focusing instead on the soothing motion of her hand along Sabine's arm.
  
  
  
  "Is this considered a date?" Shin ventured softly.
  
  
  
  "I did ask you to be my date," Sabine reminded her.
  
  
  
  "This isn't just to show off for your Master, is it?" Shin probed further.
  
  
  
  "Only if this isn"t just about integrating with the bandits," Sabine shot back.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's hold on Sabine's waist tightened briefly, her gaze introspective. "It's not," she finally conceded.
  
  
  
  Sabine stepped back slightly, still in Shin's embrace, her gaze firm. "Then prove it," she taunted.
  
  
  
  Shin's pulse quickened, a tumultuous rush of anticipation in response to the veiled dare. Life, it seemed, was an unending series of hurdles and contests, yet none had presented quite like this, an enigmatic blend of challenge and desire. Beads of sweat formed a delicate trail down Shin"s spine as Sabine's gaze, fierce and expectant, held her in a silent standoff.
  
  
  
  Shin realized that there was nothing else like being in the presence of Sabine Wren.
  
  
  
  Feeling Sabine begin to distance herself, Shin acted on a bold impulse, holding her closer, a silent refusal to let the moment slip. She inhaled deeply, the proximity intensifying the moment, and then, with a tenderness that carried the weight of unspoken words, her cheek brushed against Sabine"s. She could feel the rising of fine goosebumps under her breath, a silent affirmation to the connection shared. Delicately, she planted a kiss upon Sabine's cheek, a trace of lip gloss marking the moment.
  
  
  
  Drawing back, Shin sought the gaze she'd momentarily left - now soft and brimming with unvoiced questions. "Your turn," she said, the words an invitation and a challenge all at once.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine's fingertips grazed her own cheek, an attempt to quell the fluttering in her chest. The gloss from her skin smeared across her fingers, leaving a rosy stain that captured her gaze for a fleeting second, her thoughts spinning wildly from the brief touch on her cheek. She lifted her eyes to Shin's, noting the bright blue that betrayed a flicker of anxiety.
  
  
  
  "How much longer should we stay?" Sabine inquired, her tone steady.
  
  
  
  Shin's hand came to rest lightly on the small of Sabine's back, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Departing now might give the wrong impression," she said softly. "As though our presence was merely for the banquet."
  
  
  
  A chuckle broke from Sabine, and she allowed her head to lean against Shin's shoulder, a moment of comfort amidst the chaos. "Guess I can wait for my turn," she mused.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice was a soft vibration as she responded, "I'll hold you to that," her fingertips tracing a comforting path along Sabine's arm.
  
  
  
  Sabine's breath hitched, perplexed by the potent impact of Shin's casual touches. Intimacy had been a stranger to her for some time, yet the flurry of emotions felt exaggerated.
  
  
  
  "You smeared gloss on my cheek," Sabine said, a playful note of accusation in her voice.
  
  
  
  "And?" Shin countered.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a half-hearted shake of her head, "You are so-"
  
  
  
  "Not stupid anymore I hope," Shin cut in, their steps continuing in a leisurely waltz.
  
  
  
  A smirk curled Sabine's lips as past shadows and name-calling from the Nightsister Fortress fluttered through her mind. "Stupid? Nah," she teased. "In fact, I"d say you"re about as smart as a droid on low power mode..." She paused, expecting a clever retort, but was met with the warm timbre of genuine laughter instead, drawing her eyes instantly to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin, with a twinkle in her eye, retorted, "Should I ever be a droid, let me be as memorable as Chopper."
  
  
  
  Sabine's chuckle, tinged with contemplation, melded into a thoughtful frown. Her gaze, deep and searching, locked onto the steel-blue depths of Shin's eyes and her perfect smile. With a heavy sigh, she whispered, "You know, your eyes are so sad sometimes, Shin."
  
  
  
  "So are yours," Shin responded gently, pulling Sabine closer. Her voice, soft and understanding, added, "Things pool in them that you can"t quite say."
  
  
  
  A sharp inhale filled Sabine's lungs, Shin's familiar scent enveloping her. "I"ve wanted to run away from my feelings for the longest time," she confessed. "But I think I"ve been wanting to stay and face it all as of late."
  
  
  
  "I see," Shin murmured, her breath warm against Sabine's skin. "If you were to stay, I"d be here as long as you"ll have me. You don"t have to face it alone."
  
  
  
  A wave of tremors swept through Sabine, reaching into corners of her heart long neglected. "Our sabers clashing that one night caused all this?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin"s hand, gentle yet firm, traced down Sabine"s back. "Sometimes it only takes a taste to keep us wanting forever," she whispered, her words floating between them like a secret.
  
  
  
  Sabine, overwhelmed, rested her head against Shin's shoulder, their slow dance a refuge from her turmoil. As they continued slowly, the evening blossomed into a scene of delightful moments, each of Shin's chuckles weaving a melody Sabine wished to replay endlessly.
  
  
  
  They mingled and conversed, tasting the array of snacks, and savoring the festive atmosphere. The grooms, deep into their celebration, were inseparable until their amused parents intervened. Amid the merriment, Sabine found pleasure in the revelry of the guests, their joyous abandon captivating her observer"s eye.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, too, joined the dance floor, his imposing figure moving with a surprising grace. Pook and Dook were doing a dance of their own, people bending down to dance at their heights.
  
  
  
  Shin drew glances throughout the night, prompting Jex to ward off overzealous comrades. But Shin chose to at least dance with the Ice Leader Ilyara and then Kradosh. The dances were brief, punctuated more by serious conversation than by steps to the music.
  
  
  
  Yet none of this unsettled Sabine as much as she thought it would. She was content in the knowledge that when the time came to depart, it would be with Shin alone. She managed only an eye roll for the overtures of inebriated admirers, their clumsy advances failing to impress.
  
  
  
  Sabine abandoned her attempts to wipe away the gloss Shin had left on her cheek earlier. Part of her actually cherished its presence, a lingering reminder of rosy, pink lips constantly on her mind. While standing near the buffet, she smiled subtly to herself and nodded in acknowledgment as Jex approached, grinning.
  
  
  
  "I"m surprised the two of you haven"t left yet," Jex teased, casually picking up a flute of bubbly and sipping it.
  
  
  
  Peering up into Jex"s golden-brown eyes, Sabine chuckled. "Wouldn"t be appropriate just yet," she casually replied.
  
  
  
  "Uh-huh," Jex responded with a playful wink. "How about a dance before you"re whisked away forever?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, with a spirited glint in her eye, responded as she took Jex"s outstretched hand. "I"ll always be my own person, you know."
  
  
  
  "Of course," Jex agreed, leading her through the crowd of jubilantly dancing guests. "You are Mandalorian, after all. Is that what worries you? Losing yourself in a commitment to someone else?"
  
  
  
  Resting her hand lightly on Jex"s shoulder, Sabine gave a small nod. "Maybe," she admitted. "Seems like everyone close to me ends up getting hurt."
  
  
  
  "We all get hurt, in one way or another," Jex said. "Sorry, but you"re not the center of the universe, Sabine."
  
  
  
  With a soft laugh, Sabine responded, "Really?" Her tone held a tinge of sarcasm. "How did you cope when you realized Thrawn wasn"t who you thought he was?"
  
  
  
  Jex gave a shrug as they swayed gently. "It"s been years," she said thoughtfully. "But all I can do is my best and keep hoping we can stop him someday."
  
  
  
  Sabine took a deep breath, the scent of Jex"s cologne filling her senses. "We"ll find our way back," she said confidently. "You"re welcome to join us if you"d like."
  
  
  
  Jex looked down at Sabine with a warm smile. "You"re a good person, Sabine," she stated. "But the only way forward is to leave the past behind."
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes playfully. "You sound like my Mark IV droid, Huyang."
  
  
  
  "What a comparison," Jex retorted with a light huff. "Anyway, I can tell blondie cares a lot about you. Don"t you want her in your future?"
  
  
  
  Sabine glanced over Jex"s broad shoulder to see Shin dancing with Pook and Dook, a smile tugging at her lips. For a moment, she allowed herself to simply enjoy the dance with Jex and contemplate the question.
  
  
  
  An inquiry rather than response lingered in Sabine"s mind, and she finally voiced it, "Do you think people can move past their old problems and be okay?"
  
  
  
  Jex paused, considering her answer. "I think so," she finally said. "Sometimes letting go is the key to finding what really matters."
  
  
  
  Sabine leaned closer to Jex, a sincere tone in her voice. "You"re quite the sage for an ex-Stormtrooper. I appreciate you listening to me."
  
  
  
  Jex smiled. "Anytime, Sabine," she replied.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued in slow circles with Jex for a time. In the distance she noticed Shin looked on, a respectful eye, granting Sabine the space she valued. And that space, that silent assurance, was treasured by Sabine above all.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin lingered on the edge of her bed, patience fraying. She'd offered Sabine the solitude to rejuvenate after the night's celebration, yet as the hours waned, she was left to wonder about their significance. Her gaze wandered to the adjoining door, questioning whether to surrender to sleep's call. She toyed with the fabric of her sleep trousers, lost in thought.
  
  
  
  Had Sabine reconsidered their time together? Perhaps succumbed to slumber? Or had Shin's earlier gesture been too audacious? Such uncertainties weighed on her, urging her to seek clarity. She rose, the cool air of the room caressing her as she approached the door, her steps soundless on the plush carpet.
  
  
  
  The fireplace's warm glow bathed the room, casting dancing shadows against the walls' icy sheen. Shin paused and gently laid her hand upon the door's surface. The silence from the adjoining chamber was unsettling, suggesting an absence of life within. Just as she turned, resolved to retreat, the door groaned open, revealing Sabine's arresting gaze.
  
  
  
  "Ugh, the shower was spitting out ice cubes instead of water!" Sabine burst into the room with mock outrage, but her voice held a note of triumph. "But I fixed it."
  
  
  
  Shin looked up as Sabine breezed by, the casual swing of her hips contrasting with her matter-of-fact tone. "You know, my refresher is available," Shin offered, her voice as steady as her gaze tracking Sabine to the hearth.
  
  
  
  "Now, wouldn"t you just love that," Sabine teased, her hands deftly repositioning a stubborn log, the sparks jumping at her touch like playful sprites.
  
  
  
  Shin settled onto the couch with a deliberate ease, pulling at the hem of her shirt. The living area was a cozy space. "Practicality over heroics," she intoned, her eyes momentarily following the flickering flames.
  
  
  
  With a flourish, Sabine straightened up, casting a look over her shoulder, a playful smirk on her lips. "But where"s the fun in that?" she countered. "Besides, I"m a girl who likes a challenge."
  
  
  
  Shin couldn't help but crack a small smile, her serious facade giving way just so. "So Mandalorian of you," she acknowledged, her fatigue seeping through the dry humor.
  
  
  
  Sabine pirouetted with a flair, raising an eyebrow. "Now, don"t fall asleep yet," she chided with a wag of her finger.
  
  
  
  Shin couldn"t stifle the yawn that betrayed her weariness, sinking deeper into the cushion. "After the day we"ve had, and your endless tinkering..." she murmured.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s lips pursed in a thoughtful pout, hands finding their way to her hips in a show of mock deliberation. "Ah, but the night is still young by my watch," she declared. "And I"ve got just the thing to keep you up."
  
  
  
  Shin offered up a resigned gaze, half expecting another chore in Sabine"s capricious plan. "Alright, lead the way," she said, starting to rise.
  
  
  
  "Stay," Sabine commanded gently, pressing Shin back into the sofa with a firm hand. In one fluid motion, she hopped up, her legs straddling the divide between them. As she lowered herself gracefully onto Shin"s lap, her voice was soft, inquiring, "Is this alright?"
  
  
  
  The room seemed to shrink to just the two of them, the warmth of the fire echoing the heat spurring within. Shin"s eyes were wide, her breath caught somewhere in her chest, her hands instinctively finding their place at Sabine"s waist. Yes, this closeness was more than alright. It was a truth, as undeniable as the flitter of flames casting shadows over their shared space.
  
  
  
  Shin's response came with a steadiness that betrayed the rapid pace of her heart. "As long as you"re comfortable, so am I," she said softly.
  
  
  
  A teasing glint danced in Sabine"s eyes as her fingers gently squeezed Shin's shoulders, then trailed upward with the grace of a feather, framing her face tenderly. "I can"t believe you kissed my cheek," she whispered, their shared breaths mingling.
  
  
  
  A faint smile graced Shin"s lips, feeling the gentle touch that was both electrifying and soothing. In this proximity, they weren"t just two souls side by side; they were interwoven threads in a moment of pure connection. To share a bed for sleep was one thing, but this was a deliberate crossing into the sacred territory of vulnerability and desire. Shin wanted nothing more than to hold Sabine in this embrace indefinitely, yet the allure of those soft lips, illuminated by the hearth"s glow, was magnetic.
  
  
  
  With a gulp, Shin gathered her courage. "I may be overstepping my bounds, but I wanted to make a statement at the wedding-that you were with me this evening," she admitted.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath hitched, her gaze lowering in contemplation before she offered a half-smile tinged with irony. "At least you"re honest," she replied, her hand gliding across the cool skin of Shin's neck with a touch that promised freedom over possession. "Just remember, I don"t belong to anyone."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained locked with Sabine's, her eyes a reflection of the fire's dance as the latter's fingers encircled her neck with a touch that was daring yet controlled. "Is that so?" Shin quipped, her voice husky, "I should get to keep what I kill."
  
  
  
  "But you didn"t kill me," Sabine countered smoothly, her head cocking to the side. Her grip firmed, not to harm, but enough to make her point, her breath mingling with Shin's in a silent dance of power. "Remember, when the world fades and doors close, the game changes-and I"m in control."
  
  
  
  The line between threat and promise blurred as Sabine's fingers exerted their will upon Shin's throat, and Shin's instinctive reaction stirred a primal energy within her. Her own hands tightened reflexively on Sabine's waist, the escalation from a simple, affectionate gesture to this charged exchange both bewildering and exhilarating.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze intensified, her words an accusation. "There's a darkness in you, Sabine. It won't ever go away."
  
  
  
  In response, Sabine's expression morphed into a complex mixture of defiance and contemplation, her grip on Shin's throat unyielding. "Maybe I like it," she shot back, her voice tinged with recklessness. "Maybe it's time I let it out in this way."
  
  
  
  "Then do what you want," Shin dared as she lifted her chin defiantly, accepting the shift in dynamics.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze sharpened, her hand gliding from Shin's neck to cradle her jaw firmly, an unspoken covenant that her next move would be both deliberate and bold. "I will," she whispered, sealing the pact with the unyielding gentleness of her touch.
  
  
  
  Shin licked her lips slowly, staring up at Sabine whose eyes were fiery and deep. "We"re more alike than we are different," she breathed.
  
  
  
  Sabine inched closer, her thumbs running up and down Shin"s sharp jaw. "And there"s so much for us to learn from each other, isn"t there?" she asked in a hushed tone. "I want more."
  
  
  
  "Then take what you want, Sabine. It"s your turn now."
  
  
  
  Shin's breath faltered as Sabine bridged the gap between them, initiating a kiss that spoke volumes of their accumulated tension, all the sharp wit and taunting distilled into a moment that unfurled with exquisite slowness. The world seemed to pivot on the axis of their intertwined breaths, each exhale a silent promise of more.
  
  
  
  The embrace tightened as Sabine looped her arms around Shin's neck, her movements deliberate, anchoring Shin in place as the kiss deepened and their bodies melded together with a raw intensity. Sabine's lips sought a rhythm of soft persuasion, coaxing a response from Shin.
  
  
  
  Yet Shin craved an urgency that belied the softness, her hands tracing the curve of Sabine"s spine, pulling her closer with an insistent grasp. The kiss grew fervent, their meticulous control unraveling into a passionate tangle that was as chaotic as it was enthralling. Amidst the disarray and the heat of shared breaths, they found a flow that was uniquely theirs albeit sloppy and messy.
  
  
  
  In the wake of Sabine's gasp for air, a sound from Shin"s throat, half-moan, half-whisper, urged Sabine back into the fray. Hands exploring with newfound boldness, Shin arched into Sabine, inviting a rocking of hips that was both primal and intuitive. Sabine responded in kind, her movements becoming a mirror of Shin"s appetite.
  
  
  
  As their tongues ventured in a tentative exploration, surrendering to the escalating passion, it was clear that they had crossed a threshold. The boundaries that once defined them individually were blurred beyond recognition, giving way to a connection that was as deep as it was irrevocable.
  
  
  
  Sabine's exploration was an intoxicating blend of sweetness and ardor, her tongue painting strokes of desire onto Shin's lips. Hands gripping Shin's hair, Sabine pressed closer, the heat of their bodies fusing as the fabric of her shorts gathered at her thighs, marking the intensity of their encounter.
  
  
  
  Shin, enticed by the taste of Sabine's kiss, ventured further, tracing the line of Sabine"s jaw with her tongue, gentle yet deliberate. Her teeth grazed Sabine's neck, eliciting sighs and moans that pulsed with their escalating heartbeats. She summoned every ounce of her self-control to resist the urge to bite into the tempting golden skin. In the heat of their embrace, every sensation was amplified, every touch a spark igniting the tinder within them.
  
  
  
  With each moan from Sabine, Shin felt the energy shift, a silent acknowledgment that they weren"t just in sync, but that Sabine was soaring on a higher plane. Shin reclaimed Sabine's lips, sealing their connection with kisses that melded desperation with want. Everything was warm, sweaty and frantic. The ache deep within Shin was building but she could sense Sabine was already throbbing and chasing a high.
  
  
  
  Shin momentarily paused the kiss, withdrawing slightly. Sabine, drawn by an instinctual pull, attempted to close the gap, her lips seeking Shin's. Observing this, Shin couldn"t help but smile, her grip on Sabine"s hips tightening affirmatively. "Does it feel good?" she inquired, her voice low and encouraging, subtly urging Sabine to continue rolling her hips.
  
  
  
  Barely containing a moan, Sabine managed a breathy affirmation. "Yeah," she whispered, her voice laden with desire. "Don"t stop."
  
  
  
  In the flushed glow of exertion, Sabine's expression was a canvas of pleasure and effort as she found a perfect motion against Shin. The friction was heady, dizzying in its allure. In a moment of raw need, Sabine seized Shin's hand and guided it to her heart, a silent plea to feel the wild drumbeat beneath her skin, to understand the depth of her arousal without words.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze locked onto Sabine's as her hand tentatively began its exploration, her touch growing bolder with the encouragement of Sabine's sigh, a sound so stirring it coaxed Shin's hand beneath the fabric of her shirt. With a reverence that bordered on hesitation, she traced the contours of Sabine's damp skin and toned stomach, finally pausing just below the line of her bra. The silent plea in Sabine's grinding movements was unmistakable; she was granting Shin an unspoken permission to continue.
  
  
  
  With Sabine's lips fiercely claiming hers, Shin surrendered to a moan, the sting of a bite sending a current through her body. As the intensity of their kiss ebbed, Sabine's smug smirk was met with Shin's deepening resolve. Shin's embrace tightened, a silent signal of her growing excitement, as she expertly navigated the obstacle of Sabine"s bra to find the warmth of her bare skin.
  
  
  
  The moment Shin's hand made contact with the softness of Sabine"s breast, the room seemed to contract further around them. Sabine's gasp shattered the rhythm of their breaths, and she sought refuge in the curve of Shin's neck, her own breaths coming in sharp bursts. As Shin's fingers worked in gentle, yet confident strokes, a single, purposeful caress over Sabine's nipple was the catalyst that turned a simmering tension into a blaze.
  
  
  
  Sabine whimpered and tensed, a jolt of pleasure anchoring her to the sensation, to the moment... to Shin.
  
  
  
  After their moment of heated intimacy, Sabine's form yielded, a sudden slackness following the tension. Her breath was ragged, evidence of the intensity they had shared. Time seemed suspended as Sabine struggled to regain her poise.
  
  
  
  Shin, still flush with the closeness, broke the silence with a glimmer of concern. "Sabine?" The name was a soft inquiry, tentative and cautious. "Did you just...?"
  
  
  
  The flush on Sabine's cheeks deepened, a scarlet hue that betrayed her fluster. She stood abruptly, her movements shaky as she retreated with a hand pressed to her chest, her usual bravado dissolved in the wake of vulnerability.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Shin repeated, her voice laced with an apologetic tilt. The confusion was clear in her tone, "Did I...? I didn't mean to overstep."
  
  
  
  But Sabine, usually so in command, could only manage to wipe the perspiration from her brow. She made a beeline for the door, her silence speaking volumes.
  
  
  
  Shin rose, her instincts urging her to close the distance, to offer comfort. "Sabine, wait," she insisted gently. "It's alright, truly. Let me help you."
  
  
  
  At the threshold, Sabine paused, her response a mere whisper. "I just need... a moment alone." And with those words, she slipped through the door, leaving Shin amidst a tangle of worry and alarm.
  
  
  
  Shin stood there, the abruptness of the door's closure a stark contrast to the intimacy that had unfolded moments ago. The cool wood against her fevered brow was a small mercy. She tried to steady her breathing, the sensory echoes of Sabine's presence still enveloping her - the taste, the touch, the electrifying connection that had surged between them.
  
  
  
  Drawing a shuddering breath, she whispered to the barrier between them, an earnest plea carrying her voice. "I just want to spend time with you Sabine. We can play sabacc or read holobooks in bed, I don"t care..."
  
  
  
  She lingered at the door until the sound of the latch yielded to her patience. The door crept open, revealing Sabine, somehow transformed by the brief interlude, her earlier disarray replaced with composure.
  
  
  
  "Thanks for giving me a minute," Sabine said, her tone light.
  
  
  
  Shin retreated a step, a silent offer of respect for Sabine's space, and her eyes searched Sabine's for reassurance. "Of course," she said, her voice a comforting balm. "Are you alright?"
  
  
  
  A laugh, light and self-aware, escaped Sabine as she ran a hand through her vibrant hair. "I am," she admitted, the flush of her cheeks a soft testimony to the moment they had shared. "A little embarrassed, I suppose..." Her words trailed off.
  
  
  
  Shin observed Sabine with concern. "Why?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a casual shrug, her typical poise revealing a trace of insecurity. "I guess it just caught me off-guard," she confessed, her voice dropping to a murmur.
  
  
  
  A wrinkle formed on Shin's brow, her analytical mind processing the admission. "It happens," she said, hoping to dissolve any lingering awkwardness. "It"s a normal reaction."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes rolled with a playful exasperation. "Oh, Shin," she sighed, the tension breaking like dawn. "How about that game of sabacc, then?"
  
  
  
  The suggestion eased a smile onto Shin's lips, her earlier trepidation melting away. "I'd like that," she agreed, watching Sabine step back into the shared space between them. She"d have done anything at this point to convince Sabine to spend more time with her.
  
  
  
  Sabine, approaching once more, tapped Shin lightly on the collarbone, a silent echo of their closeness. Shin stood rooted, cautious yet hopeful with Sabine"s fingers so delicate upon her skin.
  
  
  
  Their eyes met, a flicker of azure and ember, and Sabine leaned in quickly. But their swift movement led to an unintended clash of teeth, causing them both to instinctively jerk back. The momentary awkwardness was quickly dissolved by their shared laughter.
  
  
  
  "Oops," Sabine chuckled, her hand instinctively going to her mouth.
  
  
  
  Shin, slightly bemused by their clumsy connection, nodded in agreement. "We're clearly both exhausted," she concluded.
  
  
  
  Still chuckling, Sabine agreed, "What a night," she said, her laughter subsiding into a warm smile. "I"m rusty is all."
  
  
  
  They moved to the table, a comfortable silence enveloping them. "I'll take your word for it," Shin responded with a hint of dry humor. "Now, to a quick game, and then to rest."
  
  
  
  Sabine shot her hand out and grabbed at Shin"s arm, holding her attention. "Hey," she said.
  
  
  
  "Yes?" Shin asked, resisting the urge to drag Sabine toward the bed and convince her to continue what they started on the sofa.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled and reached up to caress Shin"s cheek. "It was really nice," she said. "Kissing you finally... You"re okay if we take things slow at first and wait a bit?"
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled and offered a gentle smile pondering if Sabine had just read her mind. "I"d wait forever for you, Sabine..."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes sparkled as she sat to play sabacc. She nearly dropped all the cards out of her hands as her tired limbs struggled to move about. Shin had to bite back a smile watching the determined Mandalorian continue. However, to end the game early, Shin allowed Sabine to win so they could hurry off to bed.
  
  
  
  With swift, tender movements, Shin peeled back the covers and gently guided Sabine's weary form into the bed's welcoming embrace. As Sabine nestled in, rubbing her eyes in a sleepy gesture, an accidental elbow jabbed into Shin's back. A loud groan escaped her lips as she turned to face Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Sorry!" Sabine's voice was laced with a mix of apology and nervous humor, her grin uneasy in the dim light. "I"m a disaster tonight."
  
  
  
  Shin, wincing slightly, offered a comforting sigh. "This bed is so vast, Sabine... But you"re not a disaster," she reassured in a soft huff. "You"re just... overwhelmed, that"s all."
  
  
  
  Laying her hands beneath her cheek, Sabine's gaze lingered on Shin, vulnerability flashing in her eyes. "Aren"t you?" she whispered.
  
  
  
  In the flickering glow of the firelight, Shin"s eyes met Sabine's, revealing a depth of emotion. "I am," she confessed softly. "But I"m more so relieved you returned."
  
  
  
  A quiet Oh slipped from Sabine, her breath faint. "Did you like what we did?"
  
  
  
  A smirk touched Shin's lips as she reached out, her fingers tracing a gentle path across Sabine"s cheek. "I loved what we did," she murmured, her voice a velvet whisper. "Isn"t it obvious?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed slightly, her struggle to keep her eyes open evident. "I think so," she mumbled. "Can you just... hold me?"
  
  
  
  As Sabine turned and curled into herself, Shin moved closer, her presence a reassuring shield. "Of course," she agreed softly, sliding in behind her. "What happened to me being too warm for you?"
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a tired groan, pulling Shin's arm around her in a snug embrace. "Just... let me have this moment," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "I will," Shin assured, her voice a gentle murmur.
  
  
  
  Feeling a sense of comfort, Sabine snuggled closer, pressing her back against Shin. A nuance of curiosity threaded through her words. "Do you think... if we kept going, our Force powers would"ve blown up the room?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Shin, her lips still tingling with the memory of their kiss, gave a thoughtful response. "I believe we're learning to master our control," she noted, a sense of assurance in her tone. "So, I don't foresee it being an issue going forward."
  
  
  
  A relieved exhale escaped Sabine. "That"s good," she replied. "Otherwise we"d disturb everyone around us each time."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled lightly, the sound a soothing melody in the quiet room, as she wrapped herself around Sabine's form. She drew Sabine closer, their bodies fitting together in a comforting embrace. "Sleep well, Sabine," Shin whispered tenderly, her breath caressing Sabine's neck.
  
  
  
  "Goodnight, Shin," came Sabine's weary reply, her voice trailing off into the tranquility of the night.
  
  Notes:
  Phew!
  
  I remember being so nervous/excited while writing this and it"s my personal fave so far... for well... reasons hahaha.
  
  I don"t usually ask for comments but if you do have a kind/positive thought for this particular chapter, please consider leaving it so I may read it/respond over my holiday.
  
  Now time to finally go play BG3, sleep, eat and hopefully hit the slopes.
  
  Please be safe and enjoy this time of year as best as you can. It"s different for everyone and not always an easy time, so take care of yourselves. See you soon!
  
  Love,
  
  Vedi
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 21: Into the Depths
  Notes:
  Happy New Year! I hope you've all been doing well!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Dawn's light filtered through the frost-laced windows, casting a soft glow that fused with the flickering firelight and bathed half the room in its gentle embrace. Shin remained propped against the headboard, her gaze lingering on Sabine. Even in sleep, Sabine was a mess of motion - a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. The bed was generously sized, a saving grace given Sabine's restless slumber, where she would often roll, twist, and turn. Shin couldn't help but see the whimsical movements as a charming quirk, albeit a mildly perilous one at times.
  
  
  
  Shin released a quiet sigh, her ears tuned to the muffled murmurs escaping Sabine's lips. Night after night, the whispers were the same - echoes of family, Mandalore, the enigmatic Dark Saber, and other veiled secrets. Shin wrestled with the ethics of her accidental eavesdropping; Sabine, lost in dreams, unwittingly shared parts of her soul. Yet, Shin reasoned that their continued closeness in these vulnerable hours was a silent agreement - an unspoken consent to the sharing of nocturnal confessions.
  
  
  
  Shin took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed briefly as the remnants of the previous night's visions attempted to invade her peace. Consciously, she steered her mind away from those distractions, focusing solely on the present - on Sabine. A slow exhalation followed, her form becoming a portrait of stillness as the sound of her own heartbeat filled her senses, slowing to a calm, steady rhythm as she let herself just listen.
  
  
  
  In the undercurrent of Sabine's quiet breaths and murmurs, Shin sensed an ocean of emotion she couldn't fully fathom. Threads of sorrow woven tightly with strands of anger, disappointment, and fear. Yet, in the world of her dreams, Shin could also discern the shimmering threads of hope - sparks of excitement, the solace of relief, a quiet satisfaction, and the thrum of a passionate longing, all interlaced subtly beneath the surface.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flickered open, her gaze instinctively drawn to Sabine's slumbering figure. She allowed herself a brief moment to appreciate the details she usually forced herself to ignore - the distinctive beauty mark that punctuated Sabine's features, the charming dip of her dimpled chin and those rosy lips. Her gaze meandered over the soft glow of golden skin, the lithe strength evident in Sabine's form, and the vitality that danced within her usually spirited eyes, now closed in repose.
  
  
  
  Recollections of the previous night seared softly in Shin's memory, particularly the warmth of Sabine's skin beneath her touch, the living pulse she felt under her fingers.
  
  
  
  A reflective sigh escaped Shin as she fanned the fabric of her sleep shirt, contemplating the growing fondness she harbored for Sabine - the sharpness of her intellect, the quicksilver flash of her wit, her prowess with weaponry and the intricacies of machinery. Above all, it was Sabine's remarkable capacity to forge a profound connection with Shin, despite the conflict of their past, that resonated deeply within her.
  
  
  
  As she prepared to rise and face the day, a sudden, insistent banging at the door jolted her from introspection. Her feet had barely brushed the cool floor when the sound echoed through the room, heavy with urgency.
  
  
  
  Sabine's groan filled the room as she bolted upright, eyes wide in alarm.
  
  
  
  "General, Commander," Kradosh's voice resonated with gravitas. "Your aid is required immediately."
  
  
  
  Rising swiftly, Shin threw a concerned glance at Sabine, then stepped briskly to the door. Kradosh, his figure imposing, stood at attention, a solemn bow of his head confirming the gravity of the situation.
  
  
  
  "What's happened?" Shin queried, her tone sharp, as Sabine joined her side.
  
  
  
  "The Tunnel Raiders," Kradosh disclosed with a grimace. "Amidst the revelry of the nuptials, they've trespassed into the village and abducted three newborns from their cradles."
  
  
  
  A gasp escaped Sabine, her face a picture of disbelief. "Infants?" Her voice was full of shock and outrage. "Why?"
  
  
  
  "Their rituals," Kradosh's voice darkened, "involve the infants."
  
  
  
  A chill of dread crept up Shin's spine as her expression hardened. "What manner of rituals?" she demanded.
  
  
  
  "Those that culminate in death," came the grave reply from Kradosh.
  
  
  
  Shin's brow creased in concern. "How were they able to accomplish this?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's expression darkened with worry. "The caretaker watching over the infants was rendered unconscious," he revealed. "They were found only recently by one of the parents. It appears that Spies from the Tunnel Raiders were involved."
  
  
  
  With a derisive snort, Sabine spun on her heel. Her resolve was as perceptible as the tension in the air. "I'll suit up in my beskar. Let"s go," she declared, voice slicing through the thick atmosphere.
  
  
  
  As Shin prepped with equal alacrity, she gestured sharply for Kradosh to step inside. "Detail everything on these Raiders," she commanded, "their ignorance of our powers - does it hold true for now?"
  
  
  
  "Indeed," Kradosh affirmed, his tone underlined with respect. "Against you and Sabine, they stand no chance."
  
  
  
  Seizing her saber with a definitive snap, Shin attached it to her belt, her stance embodying defiance. "They've targeted the innocent," she hissed, her gaze fierce. "Crushing them is but the least of their impending woes."
  
  
  
  Acknowledgment and readiness mirrored in Kradosh's eyes. "Understood, General."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The remnants of last night's intimacy haunted Sabine's senses, a relentless surge of sensation that she struggled to suppress. The aftermath lingered on her skin, her consciousness fragmenting into splinters of desire that traced a heated path to her core. With a mental shake, she corralled her wandering thoughts; focus was imperative.
  
  
  
  Even the ride atop Tota was... distracting. Each movement of the beast beneath her was a reminder, a sensual reminder, that resonated with the night's memories.
  
  
  
  Her grip tightened on the reins as she made a subtle adjustment to her beskar armor. Ilyara, their pathfinder, led with unwavering determination. Sabine felt the flush of exertion on her skin, the sweat tracing her spine, while the wind whipped away any moisture from her gaze. A silent battle raged within, urging her to steal glances at Shin, but she resisted, channeling her attention to the mission.
  
  
  
  The landscape grew imposing, with mountains that clawed at the sky, looming over them as they navigated the narrowing pass. The terrain underfoot turned treacherous, a sludge-thick mud that clung to the Howlers' paws, challenging their relentless advance. Yet they persevered, driven by Ilyara's confident gestures toward what she surmised was the Raiders' subterranean bastion.
  
  
  
  The gravity of their task weighed heavily on Sabine, tethering her spirit to the present, to the urgency of their quest. She steeled herself, the resolve firming in her heart as they moved ever closer to confronting the darkness that had dared to steal innocence from their midst.
  
  
  
  Sabine gently stroked Tota"s mane, offering a silent thanks to the sturdy creature for its unwavering efforts. Tota"s breaths were heavy, yet his resolve mirrored their own as they edged closer to the lair of the elusive adversaries. The Tunnel Raiders-whose sinister reputation preceded them-remained a mystery in many ways. Their habits, emerging with the thaw of winter, suggested a cunning that made them all the more dangerous. Sabine filed away her questions about their culture; such luxuries of learning their history were a currency they could not afford in these pressing moments.
  
  
  
  Her gaze drifted to the front of their group, catching sight of Shin poised just behind Ilyara. The determined set of Shin"s jaw was as much a compass as Ilyara"s directions. Despite the gravity of their mission, Sabine"s pulse quickened with a personal tumult, memories of the night before intertwining with the present"s sharp edge. The striking difference between celebration and this urgent rescue reflected the unpredictable nature of their lives-reminiscent of the chaos and friendship of Sabine's time aboard the Ghost, where each day was a mix of the unexpected.
  
  
  
  The air crackled with static as Sabine tweaked her communicator. "Ahsoka?" she tried, her voice steady amidst the tumult.
  
  
  
  It was Huyang, not Ahsoka, whose voice filtered through, metallic and precise. "Affirmative, Lady Wren," he confirmed. "Your signal is clear. We're en route and will be joining you shortly."
  
  
  
  Sabine, not wanting to make another mistake, knew the virtue in rallying reinforcements. Ahsoka, quick to action, had already taken to the skies upon Sabine's initial report, leaving the defense of the Noti in capable hands until her return.
  
  
  
  "The terrain here is muddy," Sabine warned, visualizing the difficulty it might pose for landing. "Be careful."
  
  
  
  "Received and acknowledged," Huyang's voice crackled in response, the line buzzing with the sound of the connection straining against the distance.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze was fixed on the expanse above as she discerned the distinct shape of the T-6 shuttle piercing the horizon. The ground beneath her churned, the scent of wet dirt rising up as Ilyara executed a sharp left turn, directing attention to a specific point in the sky. The pace of the howlers decelerated, finally halting, and Sabine smoothly dismounted, her eyes following the T-6 as it deftly navigated to a rocky landing spot nearby.
  
  
  
  "Their closest known stronghold lies there," Ilyara announced, her arm outstretched toward a rugged opening nestled between a pair of jutting boulders.
  
  
  
  As Sabine assessed the entrance, Ahsoka's form emerged, moving with an almost ethereal grace across the sodden ground. Without a word, Ahsoka enveloped Sabine in an embrace that, despite its unexpectedness, was filled with warmth. Sabine, momentarily taken aback, soon relaxed into the hug.
  
  
  
  "Sabine, your efforts are commendable," Ahsoka whispered, stepping back with an approving gaze. "I appreciate you calling me."
  
  
  
  A hint of red blossomed on Sabine's cheeks, and her spirits lifted at the praise. "Thanks, Ahsoka," she said, her grin tempered by the gravity of their mission. "Invasion of the baby snatchers happened last night."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's attention shifted towards the cavernous entrance, her expression hardening with resolve. "Then let"s put a stop to it," she declared, signaling the assembled rescuers to prepare for what lay ahead.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin took the lead, her saber held before her like a talisman against the darkness. The tunnel's mouth yawned wide, an ominous void that swallowed the light and seemed to swallow sound as well. With each step she took, the light of the day dimmed behind her, and the embrace of the tunnel became more profound, more complete.
  
  
  
  She glanced at Sabine, her heart lifting, but the coils in her stomach reminded her of the task at hand. Ahsoka was a welcome addition, their combined stance would be a great asset to the rescue. The Tunnel Raiders wouldn"t dare cause any issues after Shin was done with them. Infants? Preposterous.
  
  
  
  The chill of the underground air wrapped around Shin like a damp cloak. It seeped through her clothes and pricked at her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms. She could feel the coolness of the walls radiating against her exposed cheeks, the air tasting of mineral and wet stone.
  
  
  
  Her footsteps, measured and careful, were muffled by the soil beneath her boots. She was acutely aware of the quiet that enveloped the group, the kind of silence that presses in on the eardrums and heightens every small noise. Occasionally, the soft sounds of the others' movements reached her-a scuff, a breath, a muted clank of armor from Sabine at her back.
  
  
  
  But everyone remained quiet- stealthy, to listen for the sounds of infants that might echo down the tunnels.
  
  
  
  The walls of the tunnel were rough-hewn, showing the scars of their making. They brushed against Shin's outstretched hand, a tangible reminder of the presence of those who'd carved this path before them. Here and there, the glow of her saber would catch on something unexpected-a vein of carbonite perhaps, or the scuttle of some small, unseen creature.
  
  
  
  Despite the pressing dark, Shin's senses remained alert. She cataloged every new turn of the tunnel, every change in the air, and the subtle signs of passage. She could feel the weight of the mountain above them, a silent, oppressive force that was as real to her as the ground beneath her feet.
  
  
  
  The saber light danced over the walls, throwing long shadows that played tricks on the eyes. It was easy to imagine figures lurking just beyond the reach of light, watching, waiting. But Shin pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the mission, on the reason they crept through the belly of the world.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's white saber suddenly hissed to life, piercing the gloom with its luminous blade and arresting the group's advance. "There's a presence," she murmured, her voice barely above a breath. "A distant cry, perhaps?"
  
  
  
  Ilyara inched forward, her grip tightening on the shaft of her spear. "The children?" she speculated, her voice thin with concern.
  
  
  
  With a decisive tilt of her weapon, Ahsoka indicated a shadowy corridor to their right. "We proceed in that direction," she instructed, assuming the lead with a composed urgency. "Eyes watch us from the shadows. Remain vigilant."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze sharpened as she scanned the encroaching dark. There were things lurking. The notion of the Tunnel Raiders observing them was plausible-after all, this subterranean maze, with its shifting shadows and deceptive silence, could easily harbor unseen watchers.
  
  
  
  The walls of the tunnel seemed to groan and shift, with strange sounds resonating as if the very bowels of the world were stirring. Shin's expression hardened, her fingers coiled around her saber's hilt, primed for instantaneous action. She threw a protective glance at Sabine, an unspoken promise of safeguarding between them, then shifted her focus to Ahsoka who took position at her side. Kradosh, Jex and Ilyara maintained a tight formation, their senses as taut as bowstrings, while the rest of their party stood in ready anticipation.
  
  
  
  Drawing a deep breath, Shin expanded her awareness, letting the Force seep into her senses, her conduit to everything within and beyond the darkness. In a fleeting moment of concentration, her eyes snapped shut, embracing the connection. With a sudden flash of motion, her saber arced through the air, cleaving the muddied wall. A strangled yelp burst forth as a shadowed figure crumpled to the ground. When all eyes converged on her, Shin"s gaze was as sharp as the blade she wielded.
  
  
  
  "These walls harbor more than secrets," Shin declared with icy precision.
  
  
  
  Approaching the felled figure, Ilyara traced her fingers over the earthen wall, a frown etching her features. "A cunning new tactic," she observed, her voice laced with unease. "They've never melded with the stone itself before. This is odd."
  
  
  
  Kradosh brandished his spear with grim determination. "Their strategy evolves," he acknowledged grimly. "And this is their home ground."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze pierced the murky depths of an adjacent tunnel, which seemed to plunge even further into the abyss. "Proceed this direction," she instructed.
  
  
  
  Shin"s attention was abruptly captured by the sound of infants" cries reverberating through the tunnel, a chorus of life amidst the stillness. "They're alive," she stated, a hint of urgency in her voice. "Let"s hurry."
  
  
  
  The party navigated the labyrinthine passages, their path intermittently illuminated by the sporadic glow of lightsabers and flickering torches. They encountered a few Tunnel Raiders who skulked from the shadows, but these foes were promptly dispatched, bewildered by the unexpected might of the Force-sensitive invaders.
  
  
  
  As the wails of the infants intensified, signaling their proximity, the group emerged into an expansive cavern. It bore the marks of habitual occupation: sleeping quarters, remnants of meals, personal effects scattered about. Yet amidst these traces of daily life, the babies lay isolated, their cries unanswered.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze swept over the cavern; every sense heightened for signs of an ambush. With measured steps, she approached the cluster of blankets where the infants were swaddled, her mind alert to any subtle shifts in the Force around them.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn't suppress a triumphant grin as she scooped up one of the infants, her face lighting up with a blend of relief and delight. "That was almost too easy," she declared, cuddling the baby close. "And hey, look at this little one already taking a shine to me!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, ever vigilant, cast a disapproving glance as she patrolled the edges of the room. "They're not playthings, Sabine," she reminded sternly.
  
  
  
  Ilyara, more pragmatic, gently retrieved the infant from Sabine's arms, organizing the rest of the children for the journey back.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression playfully fell into a mock pout. "So, no Huttball with the kiddos, huh?"
  
  
  
  "Sabine!" Ahsoka's reprimand came sharp, a clear warning in her tone.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged nonchalantly and chuckled, dismissing her own jest. "Relax, I'm just joking."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka exhaled deeply, her sabers casting long shadows as she scrutinized every corner for hidden threats.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Shin's focus was drawn to a peculiar wire snaking across the ground. She followed its course with a warrior's intuition, noting how it disappeared beneath the makeshift mess of blankets and rugs-clearly meant to obscure whatever lay beneath. Holding her saber at the ready, Shin meticulously traced the line with her eyes, prepared for whatever trickery the Tunnel Raiders might have left in their wake.
  
  
  
  "Sabine," Shin's voice cut through the tension, sharp and urgent.
  
  
  
  Sabine stopped her teasing of the infants perched on Kradosh's back and looked over. "Yeah?" she replied, noting the seriousness in Shin's tone.
  
  
  
  Shin pointed at the wire snaking along the ground. "Do you see this?"
  
  
  
  With a few quick steps, Sabine joined Shin and peered down. After a moment's inspection, her breath caught. "Time's up-we've got to move, now!"
  
  
  
  Shin's response was immediate, her hand propelling Sabine forward with a forceful push. "It"s a trap!" she barked, the phrase a catalyst for chaos.
  
  
  
  The party's momentary paralysis shattered as the walls began to groan ominously. An explosion boomed, reverberating through the cavern, as stones started to tumble from above. Panic ensued as the room began to implode.
  
  
  
  "Forward-move!" Shin commanded, thrusting Sabine into a sprint. The team surged up the tunnel, driven by the thunderous sounds of their world collapsing behind them.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice rose above the noise, guiding them. "Left! Now right!" She remembered the path they had taken, the mental map clear amidst the mayhem. As the tunnel convulsed, threatening to entomb them, Shin felt the brush of death at her heels. But she pushed on, her determination as relentless as the force of the cave-in, driving her and her companions towards the faint glimmer of safety.
  
  
  
  Sabine often glanced back at Shin, her eyes big and glassy.
  
  
  
  Keep your eyes ahead and run!
  
  
  
  But what if this is the last time I get to see you?
  
  
  
  Then you"ll have my memory
  
  
  
  Ilyara's alarm broke through the rumble, her voice laden with fear. "It"s closing in by the exit!" she exclaimed, as the ground shook beneath them like the heartbeat of the mountain.
  
  
  
  With resolute determination, Sabine stretched out her hand. "It won't collapse!" she proclaimed assertively. A powerful energy pulsed through the air as she steadfastly maintained the tunnel's integrity. Despite the trembling and groaning of the world around them, she successfully prevented the tunnel from caving in.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka and Shin mirrored Sabine, focusing their combined wills. A surreal calm enveloped the chaos as, by some unseen force, the tumultuous cascade of dirt and debris hung motionless, suspended in time.
  
  
  
  Their path cleared, the rescue team seized the moment, bolting through the petrified turmoil. The tunnel, momentarily subdued, held its breath until every last one of them had spilled into the open.
  
  
  
  As they tumbled out, the land reclaimed its right, swallowing the entrance whole, leaving no trace of the abyss that had nearly become their tomb.
  
  
  
  Exhausted, Sabine collapsed to her knees, her breaths coming in rapid torrents. "Dank farrik, that was too close," she gasped, relief lacing her strained voice.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's hand came to rest reassuringly on Sabine's shoulder, her touch grounding. "Well done, Sabine," she acknowledged with a proud nod. "And Shin, your vigilance was our salvation. Without your keen perception, our fates would be sealed."
  
  
  
  Shin, her energy waning, managed to find solace on her knees amidst the chaos, the cries of the infants now a clear sign of their survival rather than an alarm of distress. She looked up at Ahsoka, gratitude and fatigue mingling in her sweat-streaked face.
  
  
  
  ********
  
  
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka, with a tactical vigilance sharpened by recent events, stood within arm's reach of the ship-a silent acknowledgment that at a moment's notice, they might need to spring aboard and vanish into the skies. They directed their unwavering attention toward Ilyara and Kradosh, absorbing every detail of the plan being forged to counter the Tunnel Raiders' threat. The ship's proximity served as a reassuring bulwark, a promise of rapid evacuation from the precarious uncertainty that lay with the Raiders' next move.
  
  
  
  The gravity of their situation was unmistakable; the Force had been their shield, their protector in the subterranean chaos where the Raiders had set their deadly path. Now, in the aftermath, they stood unified in their resolve to reinforce their defenses, to become an immovable bastion amidst the howling winds and ice.
  
  
  
  "You have our assistance any time you need," Ahsoka affirmed, her voice cutting through the biting air, her eyes briefly connecting with the T-6. It stood ready, its hull marred by the harsh elements, yet unyielding. "Do you think they"ll retaliate?" Ahsoka"s question hung in the frigid air, her breath forming a cloud of mist as she spoke.
  
  
  
  Ilyara's response was as crisp as the crunch of snow underfoot. "Not above ground," she declared, her breath also misting before her. "And our land is too frozen for them to dig." Her assurance stemmed from the knowledge that the very earth was an ally in its current state, as unyielding and cold as their determination.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was a measured nod, arms crossed against the chill that sought to seep into her bones. "Then we bide our time," she suggested, her words a vow as much as a strategy.
  
  
  
  The conversation turned tactical as Kradosh, the imposing figure garbed in armor that spoke of countless battles, meticulously adjusted his helmet and brushed away the residue of their recent encounter. "We could possibly capture a spy," he mused. "I feel as though something is amiss here and we need answers."
  
  
  
  Shin, amidst the mundane task of shaking the last remnants of the underground from her hair, interjected with a warrior's focus. "Patrols," she declared, bringing an edge of proactive defiance to the mix. "We do randomized patrols until we find something."
  
  
  
  As they strategized, Ilyara's gaze lingered on the sleeping infants, their innocent slumber a stark contrast to the harshness of their surroundings. "Footsteps in the snow, trails of mud..." she mused, pointing out the silent tells of an unseen enemy against the pristine blanket of snow.
  
  
  
  Sabine's posture shifted to one of contemplation, hands on her hips as she contemplated the wisdom of their plan. "If they have eyes on us, they'll know we got out then," she noted.
  
  
  
  "And that's okay," Ahsoka countered with the serenity of a seasoned Master, her assurance a bastion against doubt. "They should also now know we're not to be trifled with."
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression shifted, a blend of intrigue and contemplation. "Well, what now?" she queried, seeking the path forward.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's attention to the T-6 was a silent acknowledgment of their reliance on the shuttle. "Is it possible, Master Ahsoka, to provide me with a lift back to check on my people?" His request was underlined with the weight of responsibility he carried for his kin.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's smile was a rare gem in the cold, the warmth of it promising camaraderie and support. "Of course," she responded with a gentle nod.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s focus shifted to Sabine, her invitation a reminder of the bond they shared. "Sabine. I"d like you back for a while too."
  
  
  
  The question in Sabine's eyes was mirrored by Shin"s unspoken concern, the air between them charged with the weight of unvoiced thoughts. "You do?" Sabine asked, seeking affirmation.
  
  
  
  "I do."
  
  
  
  Kradosh saw the moment for what it was-a pause in the storm. "Then let us have lunch and head to our homes," he concluded, his voice resonating with the simple, grounding power of tradition and the reminder that even warriors must eat, must rest, must find respite in the rhythm of daily life before facing what lay ahead.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin leaned against the rugged surface of a boulder, the rough texture contrasting with the delicate fruit in her hand. She took a bite, the crunch echoing sharply in the hush that hovered between her and Sabine, who stood just a stride away. They were tucked out of sight, with Ahsoka awaiting their return to embark on their next endeavor.
  
  
  
  Shin observed Sabine closely, noting the thoughtful loop of her thumbs around her holsters. "You're becoming very strong, Sabine," she commented.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, uncertainty in her voice. "Am I really?" she queried, almost to herself.
  
  
  
  Shin casually brushed a hand through her hair, taking another bite of her fruit. "You single-handedly prevented that tunnel's collapse," she pointed out.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze drifted to the collapsed entrance of the labyrinth they had navigated earlier, her lips pursing in contemplation. "Just a few months ago, I was barely able to tap into the Force," she reflected, her voice low, carried away by the wind.
  
  
  
  Shin studied Sabine's face, searching for clues to her thoughts. "And yet, your actions were pivotal in our escape," she gently prodded.
  
  
  
  Shrugging, Sabine played down her role. "It was teamwork, really. You and Ahsoka kept it intact."
  
  
  
  Observing Sabine, Shin noted several emotions - confusion, a hint of sadness, and an underlying strength that Sabine seemed hesitant to acknowledge. "Will we stay in touch while you're at the Noti camp?" Shin asked, her tone casual but laced with desperation she tried to hide.
  
  
  
  "Comms would be practical," Sabine suggested, her footsteps a soft pattern on the muddy ground.
  
  
  
  "Practical, yes," Shin agreed, the fruit's sweetness lingering on her tongue. "But then Huyang becomes our unintended audience."
  
  
  
  A sigh escaped Sabine as she dragged her hand down her face, a veil of exasperation. "I don"t know how long I"ll be," she confessed.
  
  
  
  Shin discarded the fruit's core, her back molding to the boulder's cold embrace. "Being with your Master is important," she reminded Sabine. "And I need to help here."
  
  
  
  Sabine weaved her fingers through her cropped hair, a gesture of contained turmoil, and closed the gap between them. "I know," she conceded. "But, last night-"
  
  
  
  "What about it?" Shin prodded gently, locking her gaze with Sabine as a sliver of sunlight broke through the cloud cover, crowning Sabine with a golden glow.
  
  
  
  "It was... nice," Sabine admitted, lifting her eyes to meet Shin's. "I don"t like our past but... I"d like you in my future."
  
  
  
  Shin's pulse surged, creating a tumultuous rhythm against the stillness. She moistened her lips, her eyes delving into Sabine's, seeking truth. She found it there, in the raw intensity of Sabine's gaze that seemed to see right through her.
  
  
  
  "This is a place of dreams and madness," Shin's voice was a whisper, laden with wonder. "Is all of it real?"
  
  
  
  "It"s real," Sabine assured, her gaze momentarily drifting away before locking back onto Shin's.
  
  
  
  A tightness constricted Shin's throat, her gratitude for the boulder's steady support unspoken. "And after all this... will you still be here?" she inquired, her voice soft.
  
  
  
  Sabine's affirmation was silent but steadfast-a nod imbued with a promise. "I'll do what I can," she said softly. "There are things we can"t do alone, Shin. Trust me I know."
  
  
  
  Shin nervously toyed with her fingers, a habit she tried to curb as she contemplated her evolving self. Being with Sabine Wren, she realized, was reshaping her in subtle ways.
  
  
  
  "I've grown tired of solitude," Shin confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes twinkled mischievously, her lips curving into a playful grin. "Really now?" she teased.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Shin's gaze lingered on Sabine"s lips, triggering a surge of memories from their intimate night together, stirring a deep longing within her. "Of course, some tasks are for one," Shin added hastily. "But, whenever possible, I want you there with me."
  
  
  
  "Ah," Sabine voiced, a note of understanding in her tone as she closed the distance between them, her steps deliberate. "I could do that."
  
  
  
  A tentative smile tugged at Shin's lips. "Then, until your return?"
  
  
  
  "Until then," Sabine affirmed, and their proximity vanished in the space of a heartbeat.
  
  
  
  In that moment, their kiss was an eloquent exchange that needed no words, resonating with the depth of a shared past and the hope of an unwritten future. They parted briefly, gasping in the sharp, fresh air, their embrace a silent affirmation of a connection that, improbably, had rooted itself in their hearts.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  They won't be apart for long. What's that saying, distance something something, hearts something haha ;]
  
  Caged Wolves
  ChocolateCookieCream
  Summary:
  As Sabine is held prisoner on the Eye of Sion, Shin comes to her cell so that she can pry the Mandalorian for information. PWP. Very M-rated smut. Intersex. G!P Sabine x G!P Shin.
  
  Work Text:
  THIS FIC CONTAINS EXPLICIT SMUT. SABINE AND SHIN IN THIS FIC ARE INTERSEX AND HAVE A PENIS. ALL CHARACTERS INVOLVED ARE OVER 18. PLEASE ENJOY!
  
  XXX
  
  The Eye of Sion was still traversing through Hyperspace. She could feel it in the subtle vibrations through the floor beneath her feet. She could hear the metallic walls around her still creaking. There was no way of knowing how long their journey would take. It was still a possibility that they might not even arrive at their destination. However, Morgan and Baylan's conviction to their cause was evident. They were beyond certain that this route would lead them to Thrawn.
  
  Likewise, Sabine hoped that she could be reunited with Ezra.
  
  She couldn't stomach the idea of losing more of her family.
  
  Sabine lifted her head when she heard the mechanisms for the door unlock. Four of Morgan's personal enforcers stepped into view, clearing a path for Shin Hati to enter.
  
  Sabine straightened her back and immediately locked eyes with the Dark Jedi. The air in the cramped cell was thick as the two women stared at each other in contemplative silence. Shin tilted her head, gazing at Sabine in an almost curious manner. Sabine tried not to crack. She feared that showing any momentary weakness or hesitation would give her enemy the advantage. Although, it felt like she couldn't be at any greater disadvantage considering the situation she was currently in. Yet, the longer she watched the white-haired enigma, the more she felt her will fracture. There was something about Shin that captivated Sabine. Could it be their dual connection of being apprentices?
  
  Or, was there something else that Sabine was drawn towards?
  
  Shin glanced at one of the guards standing beside her. ''Leave us.''
  
  They were apprehensive for a split second before obeying her command. Morgan's personal enforcers walked out of the cell and shut the door behind them, closing off any hope of Sabine making a daring escape.
  
  Sabine's lip twitched as she forced a coy smile. ''Alone at last. If you happen to have a spare lightsaber on you, what's say that you and I have a little rematch?''
  
  Shin's expression remained stoic as she closed the distance between them. Sabine wasn't sure what to make of this. Was the Dark Jedi overconfident? Sabine wasn't in much of a state to fight back with her wrists currently handcuffed. Still, she could give Shin trouble if an opportunity presented itself. But, Sabine waited for the right time.
  
  The Mandalorian warrior sighed in frustration. ''If you've come to question me, giving me the silent treatment isn't the best way to go about it.''
  
  ''It will only be a few questions,'' Shin said. Her cold eyes never diverted away from Sabine's face, causing the graffiti artist to blush slightly. ''Why did you do it?''
  
  ''Do what?''
  
  ''You had the map. You could have destroyed it and ensured that Thrawn would have no way of returning. Yet, you broke because of someone you know. Ezra Bridger.''
  
  A wave of memories washed over Sabine upon hearing that name. Nostalgia comforted her like a warm embrace. She wanted to smile, but she remained vigilant with Shin. She didn't want to give the Dark Jedi the satisfaction of slipping into her mind. ''I'm not going to tell you anything about him.''
  
  ''I don't care about him,'' Shin replied frostily. ''I want to know your relationship towards him.''
  
  Sabine's brow was raised. ''Excuse me?''
  
  ''You've risked the future of the galaxy for a chance to save him. He must be special in your heart.''
  
  ''H-he is!'' Sabine responded. She swallowed the lump in her throat. For whatever reason, the room seemed to get hotter, not helped by the fact that Shin was still advancing towards her. ''He's family.''
  
  ''Family?'' Shin's lip curled into a slight grin. ''Is that all?''
  
  Despite her situation, Sabine broke out into laughter. ''Are you trying to find out if he's my boyfriend or something?''
  
  ''Something...'' Shin said with chilly certainty as she knelt in front of Sabine.
  
  Their faces were inches apart. If Sabine wanted, she could have tried to headbutt the Dark Jedi and fight to break free. But, she didn't. She feared that Shin would counter her move and cut this interrogation short. Also, she was intrigued by where Shin was taking this conversation. She could feel their hearts racing in unison. Why was Shin also nervous? How did Sabine know that she was nervous? Why was she feeling more connected to someone who was considered her enemy than any other person in her life recently?
  
  Sabine sighed and was the first to break eye contact. ''Ezra and I aren't like that. We've been through a lot. More than what many people go through. He's been there for me when I've had my bad days. Now, I'm returning the favor.''
  
  ''You were never...intimate with him?''
  
  Sabine was too shocked to answer right away. Yet, Shin's face was etched with genuine curiosity, as if she was trying to piece together Sabine's history there and then. ''No! Not at all!'' Sabine answered. ''Let's just say that Ezra is not my type. Shall we talk about your romantic life next?''
  
  Her sarcasm did little to sway Shin's focus. The Dark Jedi craned her head to the side ever so slightly. ''Have you ever been intimate with anyone?''
  
  A chill ran up Sabine's spine. It should have felt unpleasant. But, it didn't. She gulped and leaned back. ''I think that we're done talking.''
  
  ''No,'' Shin raised her hand. ''We're just getting started.''
  
  Sabine's blood turned cold when she realized what Shin was about to do. Her walls immediately came up as she tried to shield her mind from the Dark Jedi's influence. However, the difference in their skill with the Force became apparent as Shin was swiftly able to pry into the Mandalorian's mind. Images of Sabine's past played vividly before Shin's eyes. Her wrist twisted slightly, dialling through the echoes of Sabine's memories, searching for her true feelings. Sabine reared her head back and sighed. There was no point in fighting the inevitable. Her only weapon was her wit.
  
  ''See anything you like?'' she asked sarcastically.
  
  Shin did not bat an eye. She stared at Sabine. The flames of curiosity intensified. ''Hera...''
  
  Sabine groaned. ''That was one time. It wasn't long after Kanan passed. We had a few drinks and...''
  
  ''Quiet!''
  
  ''Hey, you're the one who came here to question me,'' Sabine taunted.
  
  A slight twinge of pain creaked at the back of her neck. She knew that Shin was digging deeper into her thoughts. Sabine should have reacted more harshly to have her mind picked open. Yet, her resistance was minimal.
  
  Was she open to the idea of Shin finding her dirty secrets?
  
  Another face and name became visible to Shin. Her eyes widened. ''I see...your mother...''
  
  ''Yeah, well...I was close with my mom after we sorted out some family matters.''
  
  Shin grinned. ''Closer than most mother and daughters should be.''
  
  Sabine's cheeks reddened. The true nature of her relationship with her mother was somewhat of an open secret to those who knew her well. However, she hadn't thought about those forbidden nights of passion for a while. Especially after Ursa's passing.
  
  No.
  
  Sabine turned her head. She tried to cast aside those hurtful memories. But, it was too late. Shin had seen all that she needed. Fragments of the past came together like pieces of a puzzle. Faces crossed paths at the crossroads of Sabine's life.
  
  ''Your feelings for Ahsoka Tano are strained. You blame her for leaving you after the destruction of Mandalore. She abandoned you despite how...close you two had become...''
  
  ''Enough!'' Sabine snapped.
  
  It was enough to break the link between them. Shin was momentarily stunned by the outburst. The two women locked eyes as the intense nature of their confrontation gripped them into place. Sabine leaned closer until her face was inches away from Shin's. For the first time since she stepped into the cell, the Dark Jedi was the hesitant one. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Sabine's eyes and her lips.
  
  Sabine noticed, and smirked. ''Try something. I'm not afraid of you.''
  
  ''I don't want you to fear me,'' Shin rose to her feet.
  
  ''You want me to love you instead? Because we're a long way from that.''
  
  Shin's eyes darted downward. Something of particular interest caught her eye. A sinister smile took shape. ''It's not about love. Passion can be conjured in other ways.''
  
  The Dark Jedi raised her hand and focused on a certain area of Sabine's body. Sabine stared in perplexity before a wave of pleasure surged through her body. A gasp escaped from her as she glanced down to her groin. Between her legs, a prominent bulge started to take shape beneath her padded underwear. She couldn't recall when exactly she had started to become hard. Honestly...it could have happened the moment Shin stepped into view. Sabine wasn't going to deny that she found the mysterious warrior attractive. But, they were enemies. Nothing more. Sabine had to ignore the dark temptations. Love was not the Jedi way.
  
  Then again...Sabine wasn't an ordinary Jedi.
  
  Sabine's breathing quickened as an unseen force brushed against her concealed erection. She became overwhelmed with ecstasy when she felt the bottom half of her armor being removed. Shin remained two steps out of reach as she used her abilities to strip her captive and leave her bear below the waist. Sabine's cock sprang into view. It stood at a mightily impressive 10 inches. It was throbbing intensely as pre-cum leaked out of the tip. Slowly, Shin moved her hand up and down in a smooth motion.
  
  ''Fuck!'' Sabine cried out.
  
  Despite there being no physical contact between them, Sabine revelled in the sensation of her cock being stroked like this. She'd often wondered what it felt like to do this. She remembered that she once teased Ahsoka over the possibility. Her master never went through with the idea, although she did seem to be amused by the suggestion. Shin had no reservations about using the Force to fulfil her desires. She brushed her hand up and down faster. The pressure around Sabine's shaft grew. A fire burned in the pit of the Mandalorian's stomach. Her hips bucked in response.
  
  Then, Sabine noticed it. She snorted. ''Looks like you're enjoying this too.''
  
  Shin looked down to see where Sabine was staring. Beneath her robe, a tent was sticking out. This momentary distraction didn't stop her from continuing to torment Sabine. Her hand clutched as if she was gripping Sabine's cock like a vice. Sabine threw her head back and moaned in delightful agony.
  
  Still, Sabine smiled. ''I'd return the favor, but my hands a little tied. Maybe you can loosen them for me?''
  
  ''Do you really think I will fall for such an obvious trick?'' Shin stepped forward. ''Besides, there is another way you can please me.''
  
  It didn't take long for Sabine to know what Shin was referring to. The Dark Jedi's groin was level with her face. Sabine licked her lips. ''Are you sure about that? I'll make your knees quake before you break me.''
  
  ''I accept your challenge.''
  
  With her free hand, Shin folded the front of her robe to the side and reached down to grab her cock. Sabine was taken aback by its immense size. The Dark Jedi's shaft wasn't as thick as the Mandalorian's, but it did reach an amazing 13 inches in length. Shin didn't say another word as she thrust her hips forward and drove her cock into Sabine's parted mouth. Sabine gagged on Shin's dick but didn't back away. Her lips slid up and down the shaft as she bobbed her head rapidly. At the same time, Shin quickened the motion of her hand so that she could Force-Stroke Sabine's dick faster. The room was soon filled with the slick sounds of their seductive efforts. Moans reverberated off the walls as they worked to pleasure and conquer the other person.
  
  ''This is a much better use for your mouth!'' Shin purred.
  
  Sabine was unable to retort. She was far too busy sucking Shin's cock. The intoxicating taste compelled her to deepthroat the massive organ, even as it speared her throat repeatedly, causing her to choke on it over and over again. When that wasn't enough, Sabine darted her head down to lick on Shin's balls. As she slurped on them and took both in her mouth, she delighted in hearing Shin's mewls of pleasure. It was a sweet sound. This wasn't how she expected to see Shin's softer side, but she wasn't going to complain. Spit rained down the corners of her mouth and onto her lap. Every inch of her own cock was enveloped in a powerful pressure that wouldn't falter.
  
  However, it soon became clear that Sabine was more experienced. She was able to hold out longer. Shin buckled and squirmed as she felt herself on the brink of a powerful release. Her other hand gripped Sabine's hair tightly as she rammed her cock down Sabine's throat and came hard. The psychic hold she had on Sabine evaporated as she erupted in the other woman's mouth, spilling her hot load for what felt like minutes. Sabine kept her lips sealed around the hilt as she swallowed every last drop of Shin's seed.
  
  After the Dark Jedi was sucked dry, Sabine pulled her head back and smiled up at her. ''I win.''
  
  Shin's face twisted with frustration. Suddenly, she pressed herself up against Sabine and spread the Mandalorian's legs. Before Sabine could question her, she felt her hips being lifted off the seat as Shin's cock probed her rear. As the thick shaft slid between her cheeks, she questioned whether or not she wanted to fight back. She very quickly had her answer as she stared directly into Shin's eyes and waited for the moment of explosive passion. Shin thrust her cock into Sabine's ass and immediately began to buck her hips, fucking her prisoner without remorse. Then, she added to the pleasure by grabbing Sabine's dick to stroke it with her hand properly. Sabine's eyes rolled back into her head as she found herself riding against Shin. Her ass clenched tightly around the pulsating shaft.
  
  Even if she wasn't handcuffed, she'd have been more than happy to let Shin do all the work. Her lip curled into a smile as she felt Shin fucking her harder and faster. ''Is that all you've got!?''
  
  Not content with being teased, Shin let her emotions get the better of her and she used her other hand to Force-Choke Sabine. She gasped loudly and arched her back. For a moment, Shin seemed to break through her blind stupor. Her outstretched hand twitched and she was on the verge of lowering it when...
  
  ''Harder...''
  
  Shin slowed her thrusts. She wasn't sure if she misheard.
  
  Sabine wore a mask of absolute resolve. ''Harder!''
  
  Initially reluctant, Shin obeyed. She tightened the Force around Sabine's neck, which resulted in the prisoner crying out in pained pleasure. She grinded her ass against Sabine's dick to encourage her to continue. It was enough to bring Shin out of her daze as she gave Sabine what she craved. One hand was on Sabine's cock, stroking it furiously until her muscles ached. Her other hand turned from left to right as she measured the amount of power she wanted to use to choke Sabine to her heart's content. Sabine's strained moans echoed throughout the cell. Yet, there wasn't a single moment where it looked like she wanted the Dark Jedi to stop.
  
  Amidst the intense pounding, it clicked into place for Shin. She understood why Sabine wanted this. None of her previous lovers would treat her like this. Hera was an older, motherly figure who needed to feel compassion in a moment of despair. Ursa Wren would never dream of being this rough with her daughter. And Ahsoka...she coddled Sabine too much.
  
  Was she afraid to break her apprentice?
  
  Was she afraid that their passion would bring Sabine down another path?
  
  Sabine ascended to heights of pleasure that she'd never before experienced. She screamed to the best of her abilities whilst her throat was being squeezed. Shin felt the Mandalorian's cock pulse in her hand as she came on herself. White ropes of hot seed blasted all over Sabine's armor.
  
  A new work of art for her.
  
  Shin wasn't far behind. She grunted like a feral animal as she pumped every inch of her cock inside Sabine's ass and released her load, filling her to the brim. Cum oozed out of Sabine's rear as Shin swiftly pulled away. The Dark Jedi marched towards the door and opened it, glancing over her shoulder once more to glare at the dazed prisoner.
  
  ''We'll be arriving soon. Fix yourself up.'' She stepped out of the cell and the door shut itself behind her.
  
  Sabine panted heavily as she stared down at the mess that had been left on her, as well as inside her. Despite her situation, she couldn't help but smile. ''Probably my favorite work yet.''
  
  Bump, Set, Spike
  JenFMax
  Summary:
  A Modern Day, Volleyball WolfWren AU... Shin and Sabine have been rivals since they were thirteen, but best friends before then. Sabine has never known the reason as to why Shin started picking fights with her, to which she would also fight back. One fight ends up determining their future..
  
  Notes:
  Hey guys!! Welcome to my WolfWren AU!!! I'm also the author of Shin and Sabine on here!! Hope you guys enjoy this idea that popped into my head a couple weeks ago!!
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 1: Why Do We Always Meet With A Fight
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, as she pulled her clothes from her dryer, carrying them to her room. Tonight was a big game between her team, The Jedi's, and her rival team- The Mercenaries. Sabine was the Captain of her team, and her arch-enemy, Shin Hati, was the Captain of the Mercenaries. Their rivalry went back to middle school, when they'd been thirteen.
  
  
  
  They'd been best friends, and Sabine still never knew what had suddenly changed within Shin. Shin had hurt her deeply, and so now anytime they saw one another, a fight always broke out between them at their games.
  
  
  
  They played Professional Volleyball, and had played together until college, when their paths separated to different schools. They were both twenty five years old, and high strung.
  
  
  
  Sabine had gone to Lothal University, and Shin had gone to Seatos College. They'd gotten detention several times from their fighting one another, and Sabine had even gotten suspended from school for a portion of a semester.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, softly grabbing an old picture of them smiling together, volleyballs tucked under one of their arms, while hugging from the side.
  
  
  
  "Why do we always have to fight Shin? What happened to you... We were best friends.." She felt emotional looking at the old picture, and quickly put it back under her pillow.
  
  
  
  She'd had a crush on Shin, before everything had changed, and she'd planned to come out and confess her true feelings to Shin, and then Shin had just changed. No longer was she all smiles to Sabine, but cold. Something had happened that last night of them hanging out at Shin's house.
  
  
  
  She'd heard Shin's grandmother call Shin something she couldn't make out, and yell something when Sabine had stayed by the front door, contemplating telling Shin how she felt, before riding her bike back home. Whatever had happened, it had changed Shin, and how she felt towards Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gritted her teeth, remembering the last time they'd played against each other's teams, they'd both had to sit the game out, as they had started fighting before the game had even begun. Sabine had gone to confront her, and ended up with a fist to her chin.
  
  
  
  It had hurt, physically and emotionally. She had just punched back, and then they'd been kicking at each other while trying to put the other into a chokehold on the floor of the gym. Sabine's coach, Ahsoka Tano, had pulled her off of Shin, and Shin's coach, Baylan Skoll, had dragged Shin off to the locker room.
  
  
  
  Sabine grabbed her uniform, change of underwear, extra socks, and spare clothes, shoving them into her game bag. She then grabbed her favorite volleyball from the floor, spinning it in her hand.
  
  
  
  She sighed thinking back to how Baylan had dragged Shin by the arm, knowing how Baylan had adopted Shin when Shin's grandmother had passed away. It had to be embarrassing and awkward, and she shrugged.
  
  
  
  It wasn't her place to question how Baylan treated Shin, but she knew he loved her. He wouldn't be so strict if he wasn't, and she knew he got hell from being Shin's coach and father, since Shin was the team Captain.
  
  
  
  Sabine saw the time on her watch, "Shit!!!", she patted her cat Murley quickly, before grabbing her bag, phone, and keys, quickly heading out of her apartment.
  
  
  
  Sabine arrived to the gym, panting as she ran in to see Ahsoka tapping her foot on the floor. "I know I'm a few minutes late, sorry Coach. I ran into traffic, but I'm here now." She saw her Coach nod, and she hurried off to locker room. Sabine dashed to her locker, seeing her teammates smirk at her.
  
  
  
  "Late again Captain Wren? Traffic again?", a girl named Loren asked her with a smirk.
  
  
  
  Sabine blushed, knowing her teammates knew what she was really doing. She'd gone to get cigarettes, the kind she knew Shin liked, hopeful she could have a peaceful conversation and offer them as a sort of peace offering.
  
  
  
  "Hush Loren, maybe today Shin will actually let me talk before she shoves my face into a wall. We can't keep fighting like this, it doesn't look good on her or me. The team sponsors are pissed." Sabine was right about that, as she knew Ahsoka was tired of the fights too.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, and went to change into her uniform. Once done, she pulled her knee pads out of her locker, placing them over her ankles. She'd gotten Ahsoka to allow her to have purple ones, since she was the Captain, she wanted hers to stand out.
  
  
  
  Their home game uniforms, like the one she wore, were silver in color, with purple lines down them. Their away game uniforms were the opposite; purple with silver lines down them. So it only made sense to have hers match the uniforms, while everyone else didn't care, wearing the standard black or white colored ones.
  
  
  
  Sabine straightened herself up, her short purple hair glowing under the light as she ran out of the locker room with her team, to go warm up before the game started.
  
  
  
  She heard a bus pull up outside, and knew Shin was there now. She stood by Ahsoka quietly, watching Baylan lead his team into the gym, Shin right behind him, with a lollipop in her mouth.
  
  
  
  Sabine almost gasped at the sight of how Shin looked. The lollipop in Shin's mouth made her knees buckle, and her hair was in a tight short ponytail. Sabine gulped as Shin started walking past her, and saw Ahsoka's arm go right up, blocking them from going towards each other.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin stop dead in her tracks, her head tilting to the side as she smirked, taking the lollipop out. Sabine's body shook with nervousness, not knowing what would come out of Shin's mouth this time.
  
  
  
  She half expected Shin to charge her, and tackle her. But the opposite happened, making Sabine raise her eyebrow as she watched Shin smirk and run off to go to the other side of the gym.
  
  
  
  "Well, that's an improvement. Baylan must be talking some sense into her finally," Ahsoka said chuckling.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, "Maybe, or maybe..." Sabine caught herself, as she saw the owner of the Mercenaries, Morgan Elsbeth, walk into the gym, along with her team's owner, Hera Syndulla. Her eyes widened, realizing why Shin had walked off, and she crossed her fingers it would stay that way for the game.
  
  
  
  Sabine stretched, watching as Hera walked over towards them. She smiled, giving Hera a nod, "Hey boss lady, what brings you here tonight?" She smirked, knowing Hera didn't like being called boss lady.
  
  
  
  Hera only rolled her eyes, "Well, it's been brought to my attention that the sponsors are hitting us hard. Regarding you and Shin fighting every game... Morgan and I came to hopefully prevent that, as we need our sponsors badly. Shin's been told to back off of you, but we know how she can be. So far, she hasn't lunged at you, so that's a good sign that she may listen for once. But it goes for you too Sabine, no fighting.. It's not just the sponsors you have to worry about, the PVF is monitoring the two of you, eyeing you for the Olympics.. No pressure, but if the two of you want to qualify, you have got to get along, or they'll reprimand you both, somehow. So please, keep it civil Sabine, I'm counting on you." Hera patted Sabine on the shoulder and nodded to Ahsoka before she went to take a seat with Morgan.
  
  
  
  "The Olympics? Ahsoka, did you know me and Shin were being considered? That's huge!", Sabine was in shock. She was good, but didn't think she'd ever qualify to join the women's Olympics team.
  
  
  
  She looked over at where Shin was warming up, and a shiver went through her spine, seeing Shin's muscular arm go up to spike a ball her teammate set to her. She shook her head, telling herself to focus.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded, "I knew but not much, I didn't know tonight's game was set for it, or how the two of you were being monitored so much. I know you want things civil with Shin, and don't start with the traffic bs again Sabine.. I know what you do before each game we play against her team. But maybe, tonight's your chance, try to talk to her. Let her know you want peace." Ahsoka smiled to Sabine, and then walked over to where Loren was with another girl doing their stretches.
  
  
  
  Sabine did her leg and knee stretches, and glanced over at where Shin was. She saw Shin turn to look at her, and quickly looked down at the floor. She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, and she grimaced, hearing things go silent when the footsteps stopped next to her.'
  
  
  
  "Why do you keep watching me Wren? What are you trying to do, start a fight? I'm trying not to look at you, other than when I spike a ball at your face in the game," Shin tapped her foot next to Sabine's feet, her smirk driving Sabine crazy as she looked up at her.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, instantly standing up. "No, I.. I heard about the sponsors, and the Olympics... I come in peace.. I umm even brought you something?", she quickly grabbed the pack of cigarettes from under the bench, and handed them to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin raised her eyebrow, "How'd you know I smoke these? You spying on me now, Wren?" Shin looked at Sabine, her emotions going everywhere. She knew deep down, it wasn't right to fight her former best friend, but it was all she knew anymore, on how to approach Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, "We've known each other forever Shin, and I'm not spying, I just saw you one day smoking before you guys left the gym, and I thought I'd offer a peace offering.. That's it.. I don't want to fight anymore.."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled, "Yeah, you were totally spying on me.. Not creepy one bit, I wonder how your girlfriend would feel. I mean, you do have a girlfriend still right?" She said glancing at Sabine from where she stood.
  
  
  
  Sabine laughed, "Me? Girlfriend? Pssht... I don't have time for that.. If you're talking about Bo, it's nothing. She was my old roommate from college, nothing more than that Shin. Nothing like how you and I used to be.." Sabine said the last bit, regretting it immediately as Shin instantly kicked her in the ribs.
  
  
  
  "We were nothing!! Nothing!! Don't remind me of the past Sabine!", Shin angrily shouted at Sabine as she got down punching Sabine in the face now, and then groaned as Sabine flipped her over, pressing her knees to Shin's chest.
  
  
  
  "Shin stop!! We can't fight! And we were best friends!! We weren't nothing,Shin!!", Sabine cried out, finally her emotions getting the best of her, making Shin look confused.
  
  
  
  "That's enough!! The two of you, my office, now!!", Ahsoka shouted at the two Captains, pulling Sabine off of Shin, while Baylan grabbed Shin. She led them to her office there in the gym, slamming the door shut.
  
  
  
  "What were you thinking? Knowing what's at stake?" Ahsoka shouted to them both.
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her chin, knowing it was going to bruise, while holding her ribs with her other arm. "I'm sorry Coach Tano, I tried not to, but Shin.."
  
  
  
  Shin glared at her, trying to hit at her again, but Baylan caught her fist with his hand.
  
  
  
  "Shin, stop!! You've already probably bruised her ribs. You need to stop and listen to us, now! No more special privileges, just because you're my daughter, does not mean you can try to get away with fighting Sabine. Just stop it already." Baylan told Shin sternly, his voice raised as he was upset with her.
  
  
  
  Shin hung her head, finally feeling defeated at Baylan's tone. "I'm sorry.. I messed up. Shit I messed up bad, didn't I?" She looked up at Baylan with tears in her eyes, knowing her team was now going to be in trouble because of her.
  
  
  
  Baylan nodded to Ahsoka as he looked through her door's window, "Well, I guess we'll find out how bad you messed up Shin. Morgan, Hera, and one of the PVF chairs are heading this way."
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine both gaped at their Coaches, then at each other. Shin gave Sabine a quick glare, and threw the middle finger at her. While Sabine just rolled her eyes, sitting back into her chair.
  
  
  
  "What exactly happened out there Shin, Sabine? You both were advised no fighting, and not even ten minutes later, you're fighting to see who gets on top to hit harder. Explain, now!", Hera shouted folding her arms angrily.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, "I may have brought up our past.. I didn't mean it as a trigger, or expect it to be. I don't know why we both always fight when we see each other, and I tried to come in peace, I really did Hera." She rubbed her ribs, grimacing in pain.
  
  
  
  Hera sighed, and turned to look at Shin. "And you? What's your excuse this time?"
  
  
  
  Shin smirked, "Just like she said, she triggered me. She said something about the old days, and I just couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry everyone..."
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, and sat up looking at Shin. "Everyone?" She didn't believe Shin for a second.
  
  
  
  Shin muttered, "Everyone but you Wren."
  
  
  
  It was the wrong thing to say, as Baylan and Morgan sighed as the PVF chair person stepped forward. "Shin Hati, and Sabine Wren. You're both to attend a trial, in court. I'll send the information to your coaches, and we'll go from there, but you're both not to play during tonight's game, is that understood? Until the court trial decides what your punishment is, and how to get the two of you to stop this madness. You're both amazingly talented players, and we need you on the Olympics team. That said, you best show up to the trial." The man in the dark suit turned, leaving the office quickly.
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine both grumbled, and Sabine held her face in her hands. This was not going to be good, they figured.
  
  
  
  Sabine knew whatever punishment would be inflicted on them, must not be too severe if they were not only wanted, but needed for the Olympics team.
  
  
  
  Shin knew she had to control herself better, but Sabine just made it so difficult, when she gave Shin a twinkle in her eyes.
  
  
  
  They each watched their teams play from the benches, glaring at each other from across the gym. Something would change things soon, something they would not expect to happen, and they'd have to figure it out together.
  
  
  Chapter 2: The Trial
  Summary:
  Shin and Sabine attend the trail, and are shocked by the punishment of choice. The truth behind their fighting is revealed.. Shin has mixed feelings..
  
  Notes:
  Omg guys, thank you so much for all the wonderful kudos and comments today!! It truly means a lot!! So glad ya'll are enjoying this one!
  
  Enjoy!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  The day of the court trial came two weeks after the game, and Shin and Sabine had both been unable to play in any games since. They arrived to the court room at the same time, and Shin brushed against Shin roughly, moving to her seat, Baylan right behind her as he mouthed a "I'm sorry", to Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, sitting down with Ahsoka and Hera, looking over at where Shin was with Baylan and Morgan. She rubbed her shoulder while making eye contact with Shin, who just rolled her eyes, sinking into her seat. Sabine smirked, knowing she could get under Shin's skin so easily.
  
  
  
  The judge came in, along with the PVF board, and the man from before, who was introduced as Enoch. Judge Thrawn sat down, motioning for everyone to sit back down, as everyone had stood up at his entrance.
  
  
  
  He looked around, his face never showing emotion. "All right, what exactly brings us all here today? Something about cat fighting during your volleyball games? I hear the two of you are up for the two Captain spots for the Olympics team, is that right Mr. Enoch?"
  
  
  
  Enoch nodded, clearing his throat. "Yes your honor, we need them on the Olympics team. But, they've been a thorn in everyone's sides all season. Fighting each game they have against each other, whether before, after or during the game. It never fares well for them, but there are no other Captains in the league that are this talented to qualify to lead the Olympic team. We are here to discuss, an appropriate course of action to take, to get them to get along with one another. We propose... That they are suspended from playing, and put on lockdown, with each other. Whose place they occupy, we don't care, but look at it as a big get a long t-shirt, just sharing space that they can't fight each other in, as we'd also place heart monitors on them, to monitor their heart rates to determine if they are fighting or not. If any fighting is detected, they'll be removed from the league entirely."
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine's jaws dropped, and they both looked at each other. They were going to be forced to live together? What kind of punishment was this? Pure torture?
  
  
  
  Judge Thrawn chuckled, seeing how Enoch's proposition was already affecting the two young women. "Alright, I must say I do like that proposal for them. Let's give them thirty days, sort things out. That's plenty of time for them to get along with each other, starting today. Court dismissed!"
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, face-palming herself as she got up to follow Ahsoka and Hera, but found Shin confronting her.
  
  
  
  "My place is going through renovations at the moment, so looks like I'll be shacking up with you Wren, hope that's ok," Shin smirked out as she shoved past Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Yeah well, I have a cat!! He'll claw your eyes out!!," Sabine said, not meaning the last bit, as Murley was the calmest cat to exist. She sighed, as Ahsoka wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
  
  
  
  "Isn't this what you wanted Sabine, a chance for the two of you to get along? Maybe, this is a good thing. You never know, maybe you'll be best friends again after this. Or more." Ahsoka winked at Sabine, leaving her stunned as Ahsoka walked off.
  
  
  
  "Why me?!!", Sabine grumbled as she hurried after Ahsoka and Hera. She sighed as Ahsoka confronted her at her car, being told again to accept the ruling, and to try embracing it as best as she could.
  
  
  
  All Sabine could picture happening, was them getting into arguments, but deep down, she hoped for more, as Ahsoka had mentioned. She wanted peace, especially if she had to spend a month with the other woman, in her apartment.
  
  
  
  Hera gave Sabine a hug and then held her by the shoulders, "Don't mess this up Sabine.. We're all counting on you to make this work with Shin. We can't lose our best player because of some silly spat, for whatever reason it comes from, we need you. Now, go home and get ready for Shin to come by. Ahsoka will ride with Baylan to show him how to get to your place. Be nice." Hera patted her shoulder, and then went to go get into her Mercedes, speeding off.
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, "I tried to be nice Ahsoka, at the last game. I really didn't know what I said would upset her.. I feel awful about it, to make it all down to this. But.. I mean you know me, I won't stop trying until I'm all beat up, or she completely ignores me. I promise I'll behave, but I can't promise Shin will."
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her forehead, feeling a migraine coming on, from a slight panic attack she knew she was starting to have. Her breathing was getting fast, and her chest was hurting. She saw Ahsoka's eyes furrow, and she shook her head.
  
  
  
  "I'm ok.. Just a panic attack.. I've gotten them.. Ever since.. Well, you know Ahsoka.." Sabine bit her lip, remembering the first fight between her and Shin. She'd gone to confront Shin after being avoided by her the whole school day until after math class, and when she did, Shin had lost it.
  
  
  
  Shin had slapped her in the face, and Sabine had reacted by punching her hard in the jaw, sending them tumbling to the ground, hitting and clawing at each other's faces. Both had ended up with bruises, and Shin had gotten suspended for two weeks since she'd initiated the fight.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed and hurried off to her car, a silver BMW with purple racing stripes. She unlocked her door, swiftly getting inside, and revved her engine before hurrying to get home to get her apartment ready for her unexpected new roommate.
  
  
  
  Three hours later, Baylan was bringing Shin to Sabine's apartment, Ahsoka riding with him to guide him there. Shin was in the backseat, huffing as she held onto her duffle bags.
  
  
  
  She packed everything she considered essential, including some sparring sticks she liked training with. She figured they could try that, maybe, to let their frustrations out with. She looked down at her chest, grimacing as she felt the heart monitor.
  
  
  
  "Is this monitor really necessary? Can't they like put cameras up in her place instead?", Shin puffed out her cigarette smoke as she had the window cracked, much to Baylan's annoyance.
  
  
  
  "Camera are a much bigger invasion of privacy, Shin. I don't think Sabine would cooperate very well with cameras set up in her apartment, would you?" Baylan looked at her through the mirror of his car.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Fine, you're right. But still, this sucks. A month, a whole month of living with Wren. I'd rather go to prison." She tossed her cigarette out the window, rolling the window back up after doing so.
  
  
  
  She watched as they approached a nice looking apartment building, and she raised her eyebrow. "At least she lives somewhere that looks nice," Shin admitted.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka chuckled, "Just wait until you get upstairs. She paints, so beware of any paint cans on the floor. Painting is her hobby, outside of volleyball." Ahsoka knew Shin knew about Sabine's painting interests, but she didn't want Shin to realize what Ahsoka knew about how Sabine felt towards Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin thought for a moment, letting a memory hit her mind. She and Sabine had been thirteen, and best friends. Sabine had come over to Shin's home, where it had just been Shin and her aging grandmother. Sabine had painted her a picture of a cat, and Shin still had it.
  
  
  
  Shin's parents had died when she had been very young, and was taken in by her grandmother soon after. Her grandmother was super religious too, believing that some.. Some relationships were not holy, and therefore should not be looked into, or embraced.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, remembering how she and Sabine had smiled into each other's eyes, her stomach doing twists as she'd felt emotions run through her. She'd had a crush, a huge crush on Sabine, her best friend, and was too nervous to admit it, to tell Sabine how she truly felt.
  
  
  
  She knew at the time, because of her grandmother, that liking Sabine was forbidden, but she admitted her feelings to her grandmother anyway, once she'd watched Sabine leave, or thought Sabine had left her house.
  
  
  
  Shin had turned around crying, as she had felt scared, emotionally terrified, and her grandmother had questioned it. In a emotional fit, she blurted out to her grandmother that she liked girls, but that she really liked Sabine above anything else.
  
  
  
  Shin's grandmother had called her an abomination, yelling at her, telling her she would always be a freak of nature if she ever tried to act on her feelings, and that she would be disowned if Sabine ever came over again.
  
  
  
  Shin had buried her face into her pillow, crying for hours, and her grandmother wiped Sabine's information from her phone immediately. She'd been raised against homosexuality, but couldn't deny it to herself that she was gay. Boys had never interested her, just grossed her out, as much as they tried to pursue her, she 'd kick them in their balls.
  
  
  
  Shin had woken up the next morning, not knowing what to do when she'd see Sabine at school the next day. She'd passed Sabine in the hallway, getting confronted by her.
  
  
  
  Shin had tried to avoid her, the best she could, but Sabine had persisted. Shin felt all of her emotions run through her, and before she knew it, she had slapped Sabine, hard across the face, and called Sabine a creep for following after her, telling her that they were no longer friends, and if she saw her again, she'd bloody Sabine up. Then, the fighting had begun between them, and she'd start fights with Sabine, just to get close to her.
  
  
  
  She remembered how hurt Sabine had been when she'd slapped her, and then how she'd almost broken her nose during their first fight. Covered in bruises, they'd been pulled off of each other by their teachers and friends. No one ever understood or knew why Shin had done it.
  
  
  
  Shin had been suspended from school for two weeks, but the fighting had kept up, just getting worse each time to where they had to be separated, and escorted by teachers through the halls.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, and felt a tear roll down her cheek, sighing as she tried to shake the awful memory from her mind. She stepped out of Baylan's car, and was quickly turned to face him. She looked at him, her eyes puffy from crying, and she quickly wiped at her face.
  
  
  
  He looked her over, seeing her red puffy eyes. "Shin... I know.. I know about your past with Sabine, you used to scream in your sleep for her when you were younger. I know why you fight her, it's the only way to be near her, without your feelings coming out. It's ok, just take it slow with her up there, please don't try to fight.. Just become friends again, and go from there. Please, for your sake Shin. You've been through enough, being dropped from the league would not be wise." Baylan gave her a quick hug, patting her back.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, and followed him and Ahsoka to the apartment. She sighed, and gently knocked on the door.
  
  Notes:
  Be sure to also check my main fic, Shin and Sabine out!!
  
  
  
  Summary:
  This is SMUT ONE SHOTS. EVERY CHAPTER WILL BE DIFFERENT
  
  Notes:
  Bella is known for sleeping with multiple different women in high school, so much so that even the teachers talk about it. Bella has been struggling with graduating, now 18 and turning 19. Rosalie, the newest teacher has heard the gossip about Bella and her "little" friend. Rosalie can"t help but be curious and want to know if it"s all true, Rosalie offers her tutoring but the classes turn a romantic turn.
  
  Chapter 1: The Rumor And The Teacher
  Chapter Text
  Rosalie"s POV
  
  I was in the teacher's lounge where the teachers were telling me about all the gossip in the school, today was my first day and apparently, the teachers here loved drama. I didn"t mind listening to them speak, but they caught my attention when they started talking about a troubled student who was having her third senior year. Her name was Isabella but she went by Bella, she was known around the school as a player, sleeping with any woman who asked. They also talked about how she had a not-so-little "friend", I didn"t know how I felt about them talking about it like it wasn"t their student but I also couldn"t help but find myself curious.
  
  I grabbed my student list and saw I had her in the first class and last class, apparently my class was her most challenging subject so the principal wants her in it as much as possible. I looked at the time and realized that we should all head to our class, the students would be arriving. I got up and grabbed my things, saying bye to the ladies who sat with me. I headed to my class and made sure everything was organized, I had a seating chart and put Bella in front, no kids sat close to each other so I knew she wouldn"t be able to try anything if she did.
  
  I heard the students walk into the building, I wrote my name on my whiteboard and waited for my class to join. One by one my students walked in and sat where their name was, I watched and waited for Bella to come in. I saw a brunette walk in, a band Tee on with ripped black jeans, she had her hair in a messy bun. I watched as she went to the final seat, there she was, Bella Swan. She knew she was sexy and she wasn"t hiding it, I watched as she sat down winking at me. I cleared my throat and started the class.
  
  Throughout the class, I noticed not only were the boys but Bella was looking at me, it was almost as if a part of me wanted her to watch me, wanted her to not take her eyes off of me. I guess it"s the whore in me, but we all have one. Once class was over I decided I would wait until the end of the day to talk to Bella, so no one would be waiting to come in. Class after class, boys drooled and girls glared, knowing their boyfriends or crushes loved me more than them. I had to throw out a group of boys because they dared one of them to touch my ass when they dropped a pencil as I walked by. Luckily I was not stupid and pretended I was going to pick it up and when I noticed him moving I was able to grab his hand and slam it on his table.
  
  Probably shouldn"t have done that to a student, but they should learn not to touch women, especially someone higher up than them like a teacher. It was my last class, Bella walked in first, her hair was down and her clothes were a little disheveled, I rolled my eyes as she sat down. She smirked and sat back in her chair, fixing her clothes. Once the rest of the class was in I started teaching, trying to keep my eyes from drifting to Bella but it was almost impossible. Bella would always give me this look when we would make eye contact, it was as if she knew I couldn"t help but look at her as if she knew the thoughts I didn"t want.
  
  Once the bell rang I let the kids leave, Bella was the last to get up. "Miss Swan stay back, please." She set her stuff down and leaned against the table, the kids leaving the room. I kept the doors open so no one got the wrong idea, she came over to my desk and looked at me. "I wanted to offer you tutoring, from my understanding this is one of your harder classes. I wanna make sure you know where your life should be, not where it is heading. We can do it here, or at my place, where ever you would like." She smirked and leaned her hands against my desk, her head now at my level from where I was sitting. "I would like that, Miss. Hale, does tomorrow work? And your place would be better if that"s ok." I nodded and wrote down my address and a time, she took the paper and walked out with her things, I took a deep breath, not knowing what I got myself into.
  
  
  
  ~~~
  The next day - Rosalie"s House
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  I was sitting in my living room, waiting for Bella to arrive. I was nervous that she wouldn"t show up but also nervous that she would arrive. I heard a car pull into my driveway and stood up, I didn"t move until there was a knock on my door. I walked to the door at a reasonable pace and opened the door, when I opened the door I was shocked to see Bella out of her ripped jeans and band tees, instead she was wearing a loose-fitting sweatshirt, and some black leggings. I also noticed her hair was in a straight ponytail.
  
  "Sorry I"m late, my dad wouldn"t let me leave until I had dinner." I shook my head and let her in, I took her to the dining room where I had all the books and papers. "You know this is the first time a tutoring session was actually a tutoring session." I looked at her as I sat down, leaning against the table. "Were you hoping for it to be something else?" She sat down across from me, putting her bag down. "With you? To be honest a little, but I am also thankful it is a tutoring session." I opened the book and she followed, I read to her and she would give me the answers. She seemed good at it when it was just the two of us, I cleared my throat and she looked up at me.
  
  "You"re doing well, no issues at all. How come at school you can barely get a passing grade in my class, but here you can get it?" She looked away and sighed, "The kids, they think they know all these things. I play into them, I don"t really go have sex with everyone in the school. It was a rumor started by my ex, once the teacher heard it they wanted to see for themselves, so I would go to a tutoring session and they would get naked, and I would leave. But when I try and talk, or focus, I can hear them talk about me. Here no one is around, I guess I just need quiet and someone to actually listen to me." I nodded as she spoke, I would have to figure something out.
  "Ok, Bella, what I will do is figure out when you can come in during school hours. I don"t mind tutoring you but we should get you comfortable in the classroom. And about the kids, I will get that under control. Now let"s go through this some more and then you can head home," She nodded and I went over some more with her.
  
  ~~~~~
  A few weeks later
  ~~~~~~~~
  
  For the last few weeks I"ve been tutoring Bella in and out of school, she"s gotten comfortable in the classroom and there has been noticeable improvement. But she has asked to keep the tutoring as it makes it easier for her homework since home isn"t the best place to study. I agreed and today she was coming in, I decided to stop being so curious about my students' anatomy and be professional. I"ve gotten so close to Bella, that a part of me has developed unwanted feelings. Today she was coming in and I decided to change into what I would wear around the house, so short shorts that were loose fitting, a tank top, and no bra. I put my hair up as there was a knock, I walked over and opened it putting a pause on the hair.
  
  Bella had her bag in her hand and she smiled at me before the smile dropped and she just stared at me. I finished putting my hair up and walked into the dining room, I heard her follow behind and shut the door. I sat down at the table and she did too, I grabbed the books and opened them. "We only have a few pages left, I believe we can do the rest today." She opened her book and looked at me, I leaned forward to read the top of the page. I heard her shuffle and clear her throat, keeping her eyes on the page. "Everything alright, Bella?" I looked up and she looked at me, her face red. "Yes, Miss. Hale, I"m fine." She grabbed her bag and put it over her lap, I looked at her confused before my eyes widen. "So it is true?" She looked up from the book, and back at me.
  
  "I don"t think I understand, Miss. Hale." I cleared my throat and closed the book, she kept hers open. "The rumor about your little friend, it"s true?" She blushed even brighter, and she nodded. "Yes it is, I"m sorry for this. I can go, I do my best not to get these around people. I don"t think my mind and body were expecting to see you look like this." I looked at my outfit, noticing my boobs falling out a little, I fix it and look at her. "I can help you if you want." She closed her book quickly and nodded, I laughed and got up. I went over to her and kneeled, I pushed the bag off her lap and onto the floor. I heard her gulp as I slowly pulled her pants down, along with her boxers.
  
  I looked up at her one more time to make sure this was ok, her face was a bright red to her ears. She nodded at me and I gently took her into my hands, she bucked her hips and I lightly scratched her thigh with my free hand. I felt goosebumps rise and just rubbed her shaft slowly, I knew she was sensitive already but I liked teasing her. I licked her tip and heard her moan quietly, I looked into her eyes as I took her down my throat. She kept eye contact, her hands balling into fists. I snuck my free hand under her shirt and played with her nipples. She took her shirt off and bra, I felt her hand go into my hair and start to move my head. I decided to allow her to have control, she pushed my head down to her stomach. I didn"t have a gag reflex, which seemed to make her more excited. As she bobbed my head to her liking, she started to get close. Once she was about to cum I quickly grabbed her hand and pushed it off my head, and took my mouth away. She whimpered and bucked her hips up, I shook my head. "The only place you"re cumming is in my pussy, so be patient love." She whined but nodded, breathing heavily. I stripped out of my clothes and walked to my bedroom, I heard her get up quickly and follow me. Once we were in my room I pushed her onto the bed and straddled her. I pushed her chest so she was laying on her back but her feet were touching the ground, her hands went to my hips as I started grinding myself against her shaft.
  
  I slowly slipped her inside of me, I could tell she was trying not to buck into me. Once she was fully inside of me I let out a quiet moan as did she. I moved my hips slowly, getting used to her size. I looked at her and she gave me a look, begging to take control. "Fuck me, Bella, use me." She quickly flipped us and started pounding into me, I didn"t know where all this confidence came from but I wasn"t complaining. I let out a loud moan as I felt her gently grip my throat, I set my hand on hers. "Harder, don"t hold back." She moaned quietly and gripped my throat harder, cutting off some airflow.
  
  The room was filled with our moans and skin against skin, I felt myself get close and I think she knew I was. She rubbed my clit with her free hand, I screamed out her name as she let go of my throat. "I"m cumming, Rose." She went to pull out but I wrapped my legs around her, she came inside me and I let go too. "Fuck Bella, so good." She kissed my neck as she moved slowly, helping me through my orgasm. She pulled out and laid next to me, I felt myself get tired from not having sex like this for a long time. I yawned and she pulled me close, I draped my arm over her stomach.
  
  ~~~~~
  Next day at school
  ~~~~~~~~~
  
  I sat at my desk, it was my free period and I couldn"t wait to see Bella again after school. We were supposed to have another tutor session but I doubt it would stay like that. I had two students sitting in the back redoing tests when I heard the door open, they kept looking at their tests minding their own business. I looked up from my computer to see Bella, she had a smile and came over. "Hi, Miss. Hale, I was wondering if I could do some work in here?" I nodded and she went to a desk in the front that faced me, I didn"t think anything of it and continued my work.
  
  I heard her rustling quietly and looked at her, my eyes widened when I saw her reading her test book but also having her cock out. She looked at me and winked, rubbing it as she made eye contact. "Miss. Hale, I could use some help, can you come over?" I got up and went to her and whispered in her ear, "Why don"t you bring a chair and sit next to me?" She nodded and tucked herself and got up. She grabbed her chair and carried it over to my desk, she set it down and sat down. I sat in my chair and she pulled her cock back out, I pretended to go over some of the book while rubbing her. I pulled her chair closer to where my desk had a place for feet, it had a piece of wood hiding from seeing anything under the desk so I got on my knees between her legs.
  
  I took her cock into my mouth and started bobbing my head quickly, she held in her moans and continued to read her book. I heard one of my students get up and head toward the desk but I couldn"t get myself to stop. "Where did Miss. Hale go?" Bella cleared her throat and looked at them, "Oh she went to the bathroom, I"ll let her know you finished the test." I heard the paper be placed on the desk and the student leave, I rubbed her balls gently using my nails. As Bella was getting close the other student came over, before leaving. Once the door shut Bella gripped my hair, keeping my head still, and started pounding into my throat. "I"m gonna cum, do you want it down your throat or inside your pussy." She pulled out and I stood up, bending over the desk.
  
  She pulled my panties down from under my skirt and slammed into me, she covered my mouth and started pounding into me. She gripped my tit with her free hand and went as hard and fast as she could without making any noise. "You"re gonna cum with me, understand?" I nodded and started rubbing my clit, her movements started getting sloppy as she got close. I felt myself clench around her as I came, causing her to cum inside me. She leaned her head against my back as she slowed down, she pulled out and quickly pulled my panties up so there wasn"t a mess on the floor.
  
  She grabbed a tissue and cleaned herself off, before tucking herself in her pants again. She pulled me into a kiss and smiled, she grabbed her book and put away her chair. Before she could leave the bell rang, meaning she would have to stay anyways. I fixed my hair and clothes in a mirror I have in the room, and once I was done I let in the class. Bella looked at me and winked, smiling to herself.
  
  
  Chapter 2: New years party in the Cullen"s house
  Summary:
  Rosalie/Reader get it on at the Cullen's New year party. Human Reader.
  
  Chapter Text
  Reader"s POV
  
  I was standing in the kitchen surrounded by friends and family, and my wife, Rosalie was outside talking. It was New years eve and we planned on staying up until the new year began, but some of our friends were already ready to leave. I know Rosalie wants to go, saying she has plans for us but I promised Esme and Alice that I would stay the night. Rosalie came in and I looked at the time, seeing we only had a few minutes left. Rosalie approached me and put my drink on the counter, whispering in my ear. "I need to talk to you, in my old room." I nodded and we walked to her room, I didn"t know what was wrong, but it had to be necessary.
  
  Once she closed the door, she locked it and I turned toward her. Before I could talk she pulled me into a kiss, I wrapped my arms around her neck and she picked me up by my thighs. I smiled into the kiss and she pulled away kissing down my neck. She laid me on the bed and kneeled between my legs, I sat up and she pulled my top off along with my bra. I pulled hers off and she took my pants off after my heels, she stripped down and pulled me into another kiss. I tangled my hands into her hair and tugged gently, she moaned into the kiss and bit my bottom lip. She pulled away tugging my bottom lip with her, she let it go and kissed down my chest.
  
  I watched as she kissed down to my thighs, kissing and nipping at them. I tried to direct her head to where I needed her by pulling her hair, but she grabbed my hands and pinned them by my side. "Patience, baby," I whined but listened, keeping my hands still. She continued kissing my thighs, marking them. She loved marking me, it was a luxury only she could have since I could not mark her skin no matter how hard I wanted to try. She looked me in the eyes as she licked my clit, I threw my head back and moaned loudly. I could hear everyone downstairs counting down, once they got to twenty Rosalie started sucking harder and added her fingers.
  
  I knew this meant that she wanted me to cum at one, but it would need some extra help. She started pumping her fingers as fast as she could without hurting me, she curled them against my soft spot. I arched my back and gripped her hair, pulling her head closer. She used her free hand to play with my tits, pulling and pinching my nipples. As they started counting down to one, she curled one more time and I moaned out her name, cumming around her fingers. She slowed her fingers down and kissed up my body with her fingers still in me, I looked at her and she smirked feeling cocky she could make me cum that quick.
  
  I hit her shoulder and she laughed, pulling her fingers out of me. She put them to her mouth but I grabbed her hand, cleaning them myself. I saw her body shudder and she bit her lip, I wrapped my legs around her waist before flipping us. She always relaxed her body so I could also throw her around if I wanted to, she looked up at me and I took her fingers a little farther into my mouth. She pulled them out and wrapped her hand around my throat, I smiled and held her wrist gently. "Let me take care of you, Rose." She nodded and pulled her hand away, I kissed down her body as I settled between her legs. I kissed her thighs close to her center, and she looked at me and hummed.
  She loved when I kissed her thighs, no matter what we were doing. It was my favorite spot to give attention to, I would kiss, scratch, and rub at her thighs. I looked at her and she nodded, I licked her clit softly and she moaned, moving my hair out of my face. I gave her clit soft attention, not wanting to rush into it. Once I knew she needed more I entered my tongue into her, causing her to throw her head back. I rubbed her clit with my thumb and curled my tongue, moving it in and out. She gripped my hair and pulled me closer to her, I gripped her hip with my free hand.
  
  I pulled my tongue out and replaced it with my fingers, entering in two and going as fast as I could. I leaned over her and used my palm to rub her clit as I pulled her into a kiss, she moaned as she tasted herself on my lips. I curled my fingers and felt her hips buck indicating that she was getting close to cumming, I pulled away and kissed her neck up to her ear. I bit her ear lobe before whispering, "Cum for me, Rose." She moaned loudly, covering her mouth so her scream would be muffled as she came, her thighs shaking. I slowed my fingers down and took them out, cleaning them and I lay next to her. I pulled her close to me and rubbed her stomach and thighs, calming her body down. She looked at me and smiled, I kissed her nose and cheek.
  
  "I love you, Y/N, so much." I laid my head on her chest and hummed, "I love you too, Rosalie." After a few minutes of laying together, we got dressed and freshened up, before heading back downstairs. The family looked at us before laughing, we saw that everyone was gone except them since the couples were supposed to stay the night. I blushed brightly forgetting that the family isn"t stupid and know what we"re getting up to, we"re just lucky it"s soundproofed on our end.
  
  Chapter 3: Caught Under The Desk
  Summary:
  Principal Weems/ Student!Original Female Character- SMUT Larissa and Blair are dating, Blair is the older sister of Wednesday and has been dating Larissa for over a year. One day during Larissa's break and Blair is called to her office, things get heated which ends with Blair on her knees between Larissa"s legs. But someone knocks and comes in, causing Blair to hide under the desk. It happens to be her sister and mother, who knows she"s there already. DEF HEIGHT KINK.
  
  Chapter Text
  Blair's POV
  
  I heard over the intercom while I was in class that the principal wanted to see me, I blushed and got up once the teacher acknowledged the fact it was me. I headed to her office, ignoring all the 'ooohs'. I walked in and saw the receptionist gone, I knew what that meant. I walked into her office without knocking and saw her sitting at her desk, she looked up from her stack of papers and smiled at me. "Princess, I've missed you so much." I smiled widely and skipped over to her, knowing my skirt bounced showing my thighs. I felt her wrap her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her. She was so tall her head was just under my chin, she leaned up slightly and started kissing my neck.
  
  She slowly unbuttoned my school jacket and I took off the vest underneath, before taking the tie off as she unbuttoned the white shirt underneath. She stood up and I looked up at her as she pulled off my top, I dropped my skirt and she picked me up. Her hands were on my ass, gasping when she realized I didn't have any underwear on. "You naughty little minx, what if someone saw your pussy, hmm? You'd like that, wouldn't you? You would just let anyone use you, but you're mine, all of you, your ass," she smacked my ass and gripped it, making a point. "Your tight pussy, it's all mine, no one else's." I nodded quickly, she smiled and set me on the desk. She took off her skirt and panties, kicking them to the side under the desk.
  
  "You my little slut, are gonna get on your knees and earn to be touched." She sat down and I kneeled between her legs, I started kissing her thigh, biting and sucking. I loved seeing my purple lipstick on her thighs, especially with the bites and bruises. She gripped my hair and pulled my head closer, demanding me to touch her where she wanted. I looked up at her with innocent eyes before licking her clit, she threw her head back and moaned quietly. I always wished she was louder when we were at school, she only let that side out when we were at her place. I knew what made it difficult but the last time I did it my ass was the same shade as my hair (dyed Red). I started licking her clit faster, slowly entering my finger.
  
  "Just like that princess, don't stop." She gripped my hair harder, her thighs closing around my head. I entered another finger and moved them slowly, letting her get used to it. I lightly bit her clit, causing her to jump a little and moan slightly louder. I knew if I did it any harder she would be screaming, just like I liked it. I felt her ankles cross behind my back as she rested her legs on my shoulders. I curled my fingers and went faster, sucking and nipping at her clit. "Oh fuck baby, I'm so close, please don't stop, just like that." I went even faster and harder, wanting her to cum. She arched her back as she came, I quickly switched my fingers with my tongue, cleaning her up as she came.
  
  Once she was calm I went to get up but there was a knock on the door, she quickly threw our clothes under the desk and I slid under there, pulling her chair with me. I covered my mouth as she let them in, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart. I heard my mother's voice, causing my face to pale. I watched as Larissa's body tensed slightly, I set my hand on her thigh so she would calm down. "Larissa, sorry to bother you, we were wondering if you could get... Blair here, if that isn't an issue, I hope she isn't caught up in anything. Is lunch happening?" Larissa cleared her throat, "I-I'm sure I can do that, uh maybe you can come back though?" I heard Wednesday laughing quietly, they knew, and I knew they knew.
  
  "Is that so, Thing? You say she's under the desk?" I leaned my head on Larissa's knee and crawled from under, peaking my head over the desk, knowing I'm naked and my hair is a mess. "Oh Blair you're here already! We'll talk about this... relationship later, right now I want you to show your sister around once you're dressed, please. Your sister will be attending this school, so I need you to take care of her if you won't be too busy." I gulped and nodded, not being able to look into their eyes. They turned around and left, I grabbed my clothes and started putting them on, as Larissa did the same.
  
  Once I was dressed she pulled me into a kiss, she pulled away and fixed my makeup with a tissue, before pulling out my lipstick from a drawer in her desk. I looked in a mirror and fixed it, fixing my hair in the process. I noticed she hadn't put her panties on yet and I grabbed them, she went to take them from me but I shook my head. "they're mine now, behave mistress while I'm gone, I'll be back to continue where we left off." I kissed her cheek, leaving the purple lipstick on her cheek. I stuffed her panties in my pocket and walked out, finding my sister and mother. "Just keep this between us, I don't want dad finding out, I am not ready for that talk with him." My mom put her hands up and nodded, "Just answer this, is she your soulmate?" I looked back at the now-closed door, nodding.
  
  "I don't know if it is as special as you and dad, but I know she means the world to me and I would do absolutely everything for her. I know she feels the same, I've been with her for over a year now mother." She nodded and I looked at Wednesday, taking the sheet she got. I started walking, hearing her follow behind me. "Looks like you're sharing a room with Enid, she's very nice and colorful, you'll hate it. But maybe she'll be your soulmate, Wens, she's gay just like you." I could practically hear her eye roll.
  
  Chapter 4: Caught Red Handed
  Summary:
  Cheryl/Toni- GP Toni, Cheryl is cheating on Veronica with Toni, Toni always brings her up about finding out, but they didn"t expect her to walk in while Toni had her tied up.
  
  Chapter Text
  Toni"s POV
  
  I walked into Cheryl"s house through the back door once I was told her wife, Veronica, our high school best friend had left for work. I walked up the stairs where I knew Cheryl was waiting for me, once I walked in I saw her lying on the bed. She only had dark red lingerie on, she smiled as I walked through the door. She went to get up but I shook my head, stopping her in her tracks. She stayed on the bed as I started unbuttoning my shirt, her eyes stayed on me like a predator stalking its prey. I let the material fall off my shoulders and to the floor, I unbuckled my belt and took it out, dropping it to the floor.
  
  I walked over to Cheryl, dragging my hand against her stomach. I felt the goosebumps rise against her warm skin, her body jumping at my cold hands. I gently dug my nails into her soft flesh, scratching down, marking her slightly. I drag my hand down her thigh to her knee, I gently slapped her knee, indicating that I wanted her to spread her legs. She slowly spread her legs, my eyes were glued to her center where it was apparent she was wet. I wanted to feel her, touch her, taste her but I needed to wait. We had hours till Veronica would be back, and I had enough time to tease her. I went to her closet and grabbed the rope she had hidden, I went back to her. Her eyes followed me, she knew what next and was ready.
  
  She lifted her hands and I tied them there, once I was done she spread her legs as far as they could go and I tied them to the bed. I kneeled on the bed between her legs, rubbing her thighs. She jumped at my touch, bucking her hips as much as she could. I knew she wanted to speak, but I hadn"t given her permission to do so. She looked at me, her eyes begging, pleading with me to do something, to touch her. I grabbed my pocket knife out of my pocket and she watched it shine in the light, I rubbed the dull part against her thigh. I used one hand to keep her hips still, not wanting her to buck her hips into the knife. I gently scraped the knife against her panties, cutting them with ease, I took them off and threw them on the floor.
  
  She looked at me, asking for permission to speak, I nodded. "Toni, please, I need you. Please touch me, please I"ve been a good girl." I chuckled and cut her thigh, it was gentle, a small cut that didn"t go deep. "You obviously aren"t a good girl, you didn"t use my title." She whimpered and tried moving closer to me, "I"m sorry daddy, please, please! I need you, I"ll do anything." I smirked and got up, I took my pants and boxers off. Her eyes were on me, taking in my body though she has seen it plenty of times. I got back between her legs and took the knife, before cutting a T into her thigh, a little deeper than the cut before. She threw her head back and moaned, I knew her wife would never find it, especially since they hadn"t had sex in months.
  
  I set it down on the bedside table and looked at Cheryl, "Are you ready, princess?" She nodded quickly, bucking her hips. I rubbed my tip against her clit, teasing her. "Please, please, I need it-" I cut her off by slamming inside her, she moaned loudly and I started pounding inside of her. She grabbed the rope and gripped onto it, I held her hips in a tight grip, knowing it would leave a bruise. I went faster and wrapped my hand around her throat, she arched her back. I felt her becoming close, her walls were gripping around me. I looked down to see her eyes closed, I felt eyes on me and turned my head, there Veronica was, staring at us as I fucked her wife into oblivion. Knowing she was watching made me go faster, I made eye contact as Cheryl screamed out my name. I started rubbing Cheryl's clit, "Come for me, come for me, baby." I looked back at Cheryl and she had her eyes opened, she watched me look at Veronica.
  
  I thought maybe she would make me stop, but she didn"t, she threw her head back. "Yes, daddy! Fuck I"m cumming, you"re making me cum on your cock." I went as hard and fast as I could as she came, I moaned and put my head on her shoulder as I came inside her. I heard the door shut and Veronica leave downstairs, I slowed down and pulled out, untied Cheryl, and got dressed. "You should go speak to your wife, call me ok?" I pecked her lips and headed downstairs, I went out the back so I didn"t need to see Veronica. I got on my bike and put my helmet on, I shook my head and laughed before driving off.
  
  Cheryl"s POV
  
  I put a robe on and cleaned up the cuts on my thigh, before heading downstairs. I saw Veronica on the couch with a drink in her hand, I sat on the couch across from her knowing it would make it worse if I sat next to her. She just looked at the liquid in the cup, refusing to look at me. "Veronica, I could say it isn"t what it looked like but I can"t. What you saw was real and I can"t apologize, I knew what I was doing and there is no excuse. I just need you to know that this has nothing to do with you, you"re an amazing wife, and I do love you. But I also love Toni, I can"t help it, I just want to be honest, I should have talked to you instead of cheating. It wasn"t fair on you, you didn"t deserve that, especially seeing us together." She shook her head and looked up, her eyes were a little puffy from crying.
  
  "It isn"t the fact you cheated, it"s the fact you saw me there and kept going. Cheryl, I love you and I would never have done that to you, ever. I knew you had feelings for her, I just never thought you would do that, you could have at least stopped but you didn"t. You know how I feel about cheating, if you wanted an open relationship you should have talked to me. I know you love me, I know that, I feel it, I see it. But to see that, to see my best friends knowingly fuck in front of me, it was so degrading. I forgive you and I"m not mad, just please don"t do that again. And maybe I can join next time, but please talk to me next time you want to have sex with someone else." I got up and sat next to her, she put her hand on my thigh and moved the robe.
  
  She traced the cut with her thumb, my thigh tensed slightly and I looked at her. "I didn"t know you were into that, I guess there are a few things I don"t know about." She pulled me into a kiss and smiled, biting my bottom lip. I pulled away once we needed air, She leaned her forehead against mine. "Next time, tell me, now why don"t you go upstairs and take a hot bath? We"ll talk about this later, you need to relax." I kissed her once more and stood up, I grabbed her hand and pulled her up with me. I took her upstairs and into the bathroom, I started a bath and turned around. She undid my robe and I let the material fall off my shoulders with her help, she wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me close. I pecked her lips and helped her undress before we both got into the bath together.
  
  PLOT TWIST- Maybe there will be a part two.
  
  Chapter 5: Hold It Against Me
  Summary:
  Amy/Lauren/Karma- GP Amy confesses her feelings to Lauren while drunk and Lauren holds it against her. ONE SCENE- While sitting at the dining table Amy feels Lauren rub her foot up her leg, before rubbing right against her. Causing her to choke on her cereal and make their parents question her. Karma catches them and a threesome happens.
  
  Chapter Text
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  That Night
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Amy's POV
  
  I felt my head swirl as the alcohol was poisoning my body, I always hated the idea of drinking but lately, it's all I've been doing, except this time I'm home with Shane and Lauren. It was a little shock that Lauren was drinking with us since she normally didn't like being in the same room as me. Maybe that was why I had a massive crush on her, she wasn't afraid to show her feelings and to be her. I loved that about her, that she didn't hide behind this mask, as I did in high school, pretending to be a lesbian, then pretending I wasn't a lesbian and in love with my best friend, well we aren't besties much now. Not since she embarrassed me in front of the whole school, that was the difference between Lauren and Karma, Lauren would never hurt me for her own gain, or on purpose, Karma did that all the time.
  
  I felt something push my leg and saw Lauren's foot against me, I pushed her away. "You're drifting off again, why do you keep doing that? What are you thinking of?" I looked at her than Shane, who was even drunker than I was, "You, I always think about you and your cute face, and hot body and the way you make me feel." She was silent for a moment and Shane laughed, he knew about the crush. "Yeahhhhh she never shuts up about you," She looked at Shane then me, I grabbed another drink and finished it, and she shook her head. We ended up passing out after that, well at least Shane and I did, I'm not so sure about Lauren. She didn't talk much after that,
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Two Weeks Later
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  It's been two weeks since my drunken confession to Lauren, I still remember it but I think she thinks I don't since I never came and talked to her about it. I didn't know how, I know she remembers, she looks at me differently. I can't tell if it's a good difference or not, I don't think it's a bad one. I swear she's been teasing me, sometimes when it's just us she wears more revealing clothes, she bends down showing me her ass and she brushes against me a lot more now. Right now we were eating breakfast with our parents, she was sitting across from me while Bruce and my mom sat next to us. I put a scoop of cereal in my mouth as I felt a foot rub against my crotch, causing me to choke, my mom tapped my back. "Slow down honey, don't wanna choke." I nodded with a tight smile, I tried to subtly push Lauren's foot off of me as she stared into my eyes.
  
  She was a lot stronger in her legs than I was in my arms, she rubbed against my tip causing me to have to hold back a groan. our parents got up and she pulled away, I thank god in my head. My mom kissed my head and Bruce kissed Lauren's then they left. I tried to quickly finish my breakfast before she started teasing me again. I looked at her and she "dropped" her fork, she got down on her knees. I put the last bite in my mouth as I felt her push my legs apart, she unzipped my pants and I stopped her. "What are you doing?" She looked up at me, "Taking what I want, I know you want me too. So stop, unless you really don't want this." I thought for a second, looking at Lauren on her knees was a huge turn-on. "Don't stop, I want this." She smirked at me and pulled my jeans down with my boxers, she gasped softly at my cock. "You're so big, Amy." I blushed and she slowly took it into her hands, I kicked the rest of my clothes off and to the side. I moaned loudly as I felt her take my tip into my mouth, she sucked on the tip as she rubbed the base.
  
  "Just like that, Laur, it feels so good." She hummed around me as she slowly started to take more down her throat before she had the whole ten inches in her mouth and her nose was touching my pelvis. I heard a knock on the door and I tried pushing Lauren away but she stayed, the tablecloth was long enough to hide her, so she had no plan to stop. I pushed my pants towards her and the door opened, Karma walking in. She saw me in the dining room and smiled, coming over. "How come you haven't left for school yet?" I cleared my throat, "Lauren and I aren't feeling good, mom said we could stay home. I think it's contagious, so don't come over." She waved me off and came closer, moved closer to the table, making sure Lauren was hidden all the way and my naked legs were too. She put her hand against my forehead, "Wow you really are burning up, do you want me to ditch and take care of you?" I knew what she meant, she rubbed my chest and slowly down. I grabbed her hand to stop her, "I really don't feel good Karma, later ok? Go to school, I'll update you." She pouted and nodded, walking away and opening the front door. "Make sure you keep yourself nice and hard for me, see you soon Amy." I covered my face, knowing Lauren knows Karma has touched me.
  
  She pulled away and I looked at her, her hands on my balls making my hips buck. "You've fucked Karma?" I slowly nodded, "Only two times, she isn't even into me like that, just my dick. I'm apparently bigger and thicker than Liam, I don't know. Lauren I only want you, I promise." She took me back down her throat all the way and started moving her head fast, playing with my balls. I gripped her hair and moaned loudly, "Lauren you're gonna make me cum," She hummed and kept going, I moaned loudly and came hard, and she swallowed it all. She pulled away and got from under the table, I took my shirt and bra off as she stripped completely. She looked out the window and smirked, "Fuck me against the window, Amy, I want everyone to see you fucking the shit out of me." I nodded and she bent over against the window, moving the curtain. I got on my knees and licked her clit, getting her wet even though she didn't need it. After a little bit I got up and slowly entered inside of her, "Please Amy, I need it." I started moving slowly but that wasn't enough for her, she started slamming her hips back against me.
  
  I gripped her hips and started pounding into her, she threw her head back and moaned loudly. She moved the curtain, and I saw Karma, watching us. I grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, making her back pressed against my front. I went even harder and used my free hand to rub her clit. She moaned loudly as she came around me, I went as fast as I could and bit her shoulder. "I'm gonna cum, where do you want it?" She moaned loudly gripping my elbow, "I'm on the pill, cum inside me." I nodded and moaned loudly, cumming inside her. She came at the feeling, letting out a soft moan. I moved us so she was now bent over the table and started pounding into her again, knowing Karma could still see us. I heard the door open but I didn't care, still pounding into Lauren. Lauren scrapped her nails against the table, I looked over and saw Karma watching us.
  
  I gripped Lauren's neck and made her look at Karma, growling softly as I went as hard as I could. I whispered in her ear, "Cum for me, make her watch you cum. Watch as she touches herself to us, I'm yours, you're mine. Show her," Lauren moaned loudly, watching Karma touch herself as she squirted around my cock and I came inside her, her squirting pushed my cock, cum falling to the floor. I growled and pushed back inside her, she tried pushing me away. "Sensitive Amy," I shook my head and kept going, "One more, you can do it I promise." I rubbed her clit quickly and she came one more time, screaming out my name, I pulled out and pushed her to her knees and she put her tongue out. I looked at Karma and she came over, I saw on her face she had cum. She got on her knees and they both waited for my cum, I rubbed my cock quickly before throwing my head back and cumming all over them, moaning loudly. some hit their tongue and their face. Lauren took me into her mouth and sucked the rest out, before pulling Karma into a kiss. If I wasn't so exhausted I would have gotten hard, I leaned against the table as they kissed.
  
  "Give me a few minutes and I'll fuck you both, I'm super sensitive." They pulled away and got up, Lauren took off Karma's clothes and grabbed our hand, taking us upstairs. Once we got into my room Lauren pushed Karma on the bed and got between her legs, she started eating her out and I just slowly rubbed myself as I watched. Once I was hard again I got behind Lauren and pushed inside her, causing her to moan. I went slowly, not wanting to rush them into anything. Lauren pushed her hips back, setting the pace. She pulled away and moaned softly, "Fuck Karma, I wanna ride her face." I pulled out and they moved around, I bit my lip at the sight of Lauren sitting on Karma's face. I slammed into Karma, knowing she likes it rough. She moaned as she started eating Lauren out, Lauren pulled me into a kiss as I pounded into Karma, giving her no time to adjust.
  
  I gripped Karma's hips as Lauren rubbed her clit, I knew Karma was quick at cumming and was already close by how tight she was getting. I pulled away from Lauren, "Cum, Karma, cum for us." She moaned loudly into Lauren's pussy, causing Lauren to also cum with her. I went faster and came inside Karma, she wasn't on the pill but it was a risk she loved taking. I moaned loudly, pulling out of her. "God I can't anymore, Lauren moved down so she was eating Karma out as Karma ate her out. I watched as they came over and over again before they were both too tired to continue. They lay next to each other and I lay down, taking a breath. "This is not how I thought this would go." They hummed in agreement, we changed the sheets and blankets, cleaning ourselves up before laying down with each other and falling asleep.
  
  At the end of the day, we were woken up by Shane coming in and gasping loudly, "OH MY GOD!" We sat up, covering ourselves up more. "What are you doing here?" He started laughing loudly, "I wanted to check on you two, I wondered why you guys didn't show up, the door was unlocked. Saw Karma's truck here, you're lucky it was me and not your mom!" We groaned and fell back, he laughed harder and left. We got up and got dressed, heading downstairs. Liam was also there, Shane was holding in his laugh. I was thankful that Karma had broken up with him, because I really didn't need that fight right now. "As you all can see, we are fine. Thank you for checking on us, you may go." Shane laughed and they left, but before Shane closed the door he yelled back. "Karma, Lauren, you have cum in your hair." They blushed brightly and ran upstairs, I smiled and followed, seeing them getting undressed and starting a shower. I got undressed and hopped in with them.
  
  Chapter 6: Hurt Me, I'll Hurt You Ten Times Worse
  Summary:
  Minor Caleb/Hanna Hanna/Emily/Alison- Caleb cheated on Hanna with Alison to get back at her after a fight they had, Hanna instead of crying and screaming goes to Alison to find out why she did it but realizes that Alison was a little too drunk to realize who she was fucking and they make a plan to get back at him with Emily in the mix. A threesome ensues where they record and then send it to him via email.
  
  Chapter Text
  Hanna's POV
  
  I felt the tears well up in my eyes, I refused to let them fall. He didn't deserve to know how much it hurt to see him kissing Alison, to see him undressing her. I wondered if A didn't send the photos if either one of them would tell me that it happened, I could tell by what Caleb was wearing that it was the night we had a massive argument, something he had started in the first place and I guess ended. I walked out of the house, my mom trying to speak to me. I got into my car and drove off, heading to Alison's house. I was angry, I was upset, but crying and screaming wouldn't get me anywhere so I just wanted to talk to her. I pulled into her driveway, thankful to see everyone's car but hers was gone. I got out after parking and headed inside, we never had to knock so I wasn't going to start now. I heard her come down the stairs, a smile on her face almost like she didn't know what she did.
  
  "Hanna! What are you up to today?" It was a simple question, one she would ask all of us, well her questions would always be more in-depth for Emily, but none of us were allowed to bring that up. "I needed to talk to you, do you have anything you're keeping from me?" She looked at me confused, tilting her head with a smile. "No, why?" I handed her my phone, the photos on the screen. She took it and her eyes widened, she looked at me. "Oh my god, Hanna, I'm so sorry! I was so drunk that night that I couldn't even register anything. I didn't even know I had sex with anyone, I thought I did from when I woke up but I didn't even think for a second it was Caleb. If I knew it was him, there is no way I would have done that." I took the phone and sighed, "He did it to get back at me, we had a big fight and apparently he wanted to put salt to the wound." "I seriously am so sorry, Hanna." I shook my head, I knew then when she apologized to me at least, she meant it.
  
  "You apologizing gives me all I need, now I just need to get back at him somehow." I heard someone climb down the stairs and looked over, Emily in Alison's shorts and a baggy shirt. "Is everything ok?" I looked back at Alison, keeping my knowing smile to myself. "Yeah, everything is ok, Emily, we just found out that I slept with Caleb. I didn't even know I really slept with anyone I was that drunk, it was like two weeks ago." I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we had a fight and since then he's been distant, I don't know if he regretted it or not. But I need to get back at him, and I want it to hurt." Emily and Alison looked at each other, almost talking with their eyes. "Ali, I doubt she would agree to that. Just because you've been thinking about it doesn't mean our best friend is gonna like it." I looked at them confused, Alison turned to me with a smirk, holding her hand out for me.
  
  "Why don't we hurt him the same way he hurt you?" "You mean you want me to sleep with someone?" She nodded and I let her grab my hand, she took me upstairs, Emily walking in front of us. "Not just someone, both of us." My eyes widened at the idea, looking between them. "Are you guys being serious?" They nodded and I blushed brightly, I had a huge crush on Emily and Alison, it was hard to choose between the two of them and I never thought they would in a million years even wanna stomach the idea of kissing me let alone this. I tried getting rid of the crush when I was fifteen, but I guess it still lingered in the four years. "You don't have to agree to this just because we suggested it, we can think of another way." I shook my head, "N-no! I'm ok with the idea, but how will we get him to know?" Alison's smirk formed on her face again, she walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a tripod and camera.
  
  "This should do well enough, we can take a few photos and a video. Had he ever made you cum, Hanna?" I blushed again before shaking my head, "Not since the first couple of times we did it, he always focused on himself." Emily rolled her eyes, muttering 'Men' and Alison nodded in agreement with her. "Well Hanna, we have a couple of toys, don't worry clean and when I have random fucks I always test. Emily has only been with me, well now you too. But if you don't want to use it you don't have to. But Emily fucks hard when she has the strap on." I gulped and smiled, "I don't mind trying it," Emily smiled at me and Alison started setting up the camera, "Emily go get yourself ready, it'll be hot to see you undress with the strap already on." She stripped and grabbed the toy, I looked away quickly and heard Alison giggle.
  
  "You don't need to look away, especially when she's gonna fuck the shit out of you soon." I blushed and looked back, seeing Emily put it on and then a pair of boxers before putting on what she was already wearing. Once it was set up Alison set a timer and got in front of it, they started stripping me, the camera going off multiple times until I was fully naked. "Get Emily undressed," I turned towards Emily and started stripping her, I went to pull her boxers but she stopped me. "Get Alison, save that for last." I blushed and nodded, turning towards Alison and stripping her. She smiled a reassuring smile at me, pulling me into a kiss. I kissed back, melting into the kiss. After a few seconds, I was pulled away from her and pulled into a kiss by Emily. I felt Alison walk away from me and Emily pulled away, whispering to me. "Get on your knees for me," I did as told, looking up at her. I slowly put my hands on the waistband of her boxers, slowly pulling them down.
  
  I could tell from the corner of my eye that Alison was filming us, kneeling by me. My eyes widened at the size and girth of the toy, it was much bigger than Caleb, especially in girth. Emily kicked the boxers to the side and rested her hand on my cheek softly, "You can say no to this but I would really enjoy watching you suck on my cock." I blushed and nodded, I rested my hands on her muscular thighs before slowly taking the tip into my mouth. She tangled her fingers in my hair, not pulling or rushing me just holding on. I closed my eyes and slowly took it farther down my throat, gagging around it. I took a breath through my nose and kept going until I felt my nose hit her pelvis, I heard her curse under her breath. "Not even Alison can get me all the way down, fuck." I looked up at her and started bobbing my head slowly, I knew this was mainly to get it wet enough for me though I don't think it's needed; but it also felt good for Emily.
  
  Emily pulled me off and looked down at me, a smile on her face. "Get on the bed, Hanna." I got up off my knees and onto the bed, keeping my eyes on both of them. Alison positioned the camera to face the bed and they both got on, Emily situated herself between my legs, leaning down and licking my clit softly. I threw my head back and moaned, grabbing onto the pillow behind me. Alison kissed and sucked my neck, biting down to my tits. She took the left nipple into her mouth and sucked gently, tugging and pinching the right one before switching and doing the same thing to the other. Emily pulled away and I felt her tease my entrance with the tip of the toy, "Are you ready, Hanna?" I nodded quickly, "Y-yes, please Emily." She slowly slid into me, holding my hips. Alison kissed up to my ear, "Can I ride your face, baby?" I nodded and gasped at the feeling of Emily, "Words, Han," "Y-yes," She pecked my lips and straddled my face, my hands landed on her thighs and once she was situated I licked her clit.
  
  I had never done anything remotely close to fucking a girl, and I wasn't that professional when it came to men. But I did what I thought would be good, trying to focus on Alison, even though it was hard with Emily getting faster. "Right there, Hanna, you're doing so good, baby. You feel so fucking good." Alison gripped my hair, pulling me closer to her. I moaned into her, my eyes rolling back. I pulled away for a split second, "I'm close." Emily gripped my hips a little tighter and went harder, the room filling with our moans and the sound of skin against skin. I slid my tongue into Alison and she started moving her hips, grinding against me. I moaned loudly into Alison, cumming hard against the strap as she came around my tongue. She kept moving her hips at a fast pace, her grip on my hair getting tighter. "Cum again, cum for us baby girl." I could hear the gasps and pants coming from Emily, she was going to cum from fucking me.
  
  I curled my tongue and moved it out of Alison quickly, my thighs started shaking as I came once again. Alison grabbed onto the headboard and threw her head back, cumming again. I cleaned her up as her hips slowed down, Emily was still moving into me but at a slower pace. Alison moved off my face and laid down next to me with a sigh, I looked at her and she had a smile on her face. Emily leaned over me and I looked up at her, she pulled me into a kiss and hummed at the taste of Alison. "Think you can cum again for me, princess? Can you be my good girl?" I blushed and nodded, she smiled at me and started off slow. I wrapped my legs around her waist and pulled her deeper into me, moaning loudly. She held both my hands by my head, intertwining our fingers as her hips sped up. "You feel so good, Emily, please don't stop." She smiled a sweet innocent smile, a smile you wouldn't think someone would give you while they pound their cock into you. "I don't plan on stopping any time soon, sweet girl." I threw my head back, I never thought someone just calling me pet names would make me so close to cumming.
  
  "Are you gonna cum for me? Cum for me baby girl, be a good girl." I moaned loudly, their names falling from my lips as I came again. She slowed her hips and pulled out of me, I whined at the loss and she pecked my lips. "Alison wants to eat you out, and I wanna pound into her like the bitch she is." I blushed and nodded, they moved around so Alison was between my legs and I was sitting up a little. Emily moved so she was behind Alison, Alison started cleaning me up just missing my clit. I whined softly and bucked my hips, she held my hips down and started eating me out. I threw my head back and tangled my fingers into her hair. I watched as her eyes rolled back as Emily slid into her, I thought Emily would start slow like she did for me but she started pounding into her, not giving her any time to adjust. Alison just let out a loud-pitched moan and gently dug her nails into my hips. I knew there would be marks tomorrow but I couldn't get myself to care today.
  
  Every time Emily pulled back she would take Alison, pulling her tongue out of me and when she would slam back into her Alison's tongue would slam into me. It was the most amazing feeling and view I had ever felt and seen. Alison curled her tongue inside me and started rubbing my clit with her thumb, she moved so my legs were over her shoulders and pulled me closer to her. Emily moved my hand out of Alison's hair and gripped her, herself, pounding harder into her. "Fuck I'm close, Emily don't stop." Emily slowed down, "The guest cums first, be a good girl." Alison whined into me and started moving her thumb faster, her tongue moving faster too. "Fuck, I'm close!" Alison didn't stop but Emily sped up again, going even faster than she did last time. I arched my back and let out a silent scream, cumming hard against Alison's tongue. I felt her moan into me, her nails digging into my thighs. I slowly opened my eyes, not even realizing they were shut. Emily had pulled out of Alison and took care of the toy, she wasn't in the room so I assumed she was cleaning it. Alison laid her head against my thigh, sighing in contentment.
  
  When Emily came back she had turned off the camera, before climbing into the bed with us. "After you both relax I'm gonna clean the sheets and we can just lie down." I nodded and yawned, Alison held Emily's hand and closed her eyes. After what felt like five minutes Emily made us get up before we passed out, I went to the bathroom to clean myself up and so did Alison, it's silly to want privacy after we just got our brains turned into mush. Once I walked back into the room the bed was all made and Emily was lying in bed. I climbed in, giving her space, where I assumed Alison would want. She wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close, once Alison came in she lay on my other side. "When we wake up I will email Caleb the photos and video." I nodded, laying my head on Emily's chest. "Do you think A is gonna tell the girls about this?" I felt Emily chuckle, "I'm pretty sure tipsy Alison will tell them before A does, unless A gave them a live feed, if so then oh well. The only one that's gonna be shocked is Aria, well not shocked, more like, weirded out because she's a prude and we love her."
  
  I nodded with a laugh, closing my eyes. "Good night, Hanna, we'll order some pizza and invite the girls over later when we're up." I moved my head into what I thought was a nod, being too tired to register.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  I woke up and rubbed my eyes, I looked around to see the sun had gone down but it wasn't too dark out. I sat up and looked over to see Alison gone and Emily up reading a book, she looked at me with a smile. "Alison is downstairs, we assumed you'd wake up soon so she ordered the food. It just arrived, the girls will arrive soon so get dressed." I got up and decided since Alison and I are now the same size I would just steal her clothes, I grabbed her plaid pajama bottoms and a tank top, putting them on with my bra and underwear. Emily smiled at me and I smiled back, "Let's head downstairs," I nodded and she got up, we walked downstairs as Alison was just putting the pizzas down. "Morning, Han." I rolled my eyes with a smile and she came over, pecking my lips. "You look gorgeous in my clothes, Spencer is pulling in now with Aria so you woke up just in time." She held Emily and I's hands, pulling us to where she set the pizza. As we sat down Aria and Spencer came in, laughing about something someone had said. They came in and walked over to us, sitting down.
  
  "What's with the random hangout? Not that I'm complaining, but normally you guys are with your partners." I rolled my eyes at the thought of Caleb, I went to say something but Alison winked at me, telling me she already did it. "Hanna needed a pick me up, Caleb cheated on her." Aria gasped, leaning over to hold my hand. "With who? Do you know?" I nodded with a shrug, "No one important right now, it doesn't really bother me that much. I learned that there are much better people, especially when he was a weak fuck." Aria blushed and Spencer just laughed, I looked at Emily and Alison, they had a smirk. "Did you find someone who was a better fuck already, Han?" I shrugged with a smile, "Maybe, Spence, who knows." She gave me a look, telling me I would be telling her whether I planned on it or not. We started eating, changing the subject and I heard my phone go off. I excused myself and rushed upstairs, grabbing it and coming back down.
  
  As I walked down the stairs I read it, seeing a message from my mom 'Alison called and said you were upset about Caleb, didn't tell me much but that you were staying the night. Call me when you can, love you.' then a message from Caleb, 'What the hell Hanna?! You fucked Emily AND Alison?! Not only did you cheat on me, but you had the nerve to rub it in my face.' I laughed and shook my head, coming to sit next to Emily and Alison again. I started quickly typing out a message, attaching the photo of Alison. 'Considering YOU cheated first Caleb, means you have no right to be upset. You know who sent me this photo, someone who apparently is a better friend than you were to me. Alison explained that she didn't even know she slept with anyone, let alone you. That if she knew she wouldn't touch you in a million years. Next time don't go fucking someone so drunk they can't even feel you, well a sober girl wouldn't either. Goodbye Caleb, they fucked me better in the two years I've dated you in one night.' I sent the message, putting my phone on silent and setting it down.
  
  Spencer grabbed my phone and opened it, I rolled my eyes with a smile. Her eyes widened and she looked at Alison before reading the message, her jaw-dropping. "Holy shit, Hanna." I just laughed and Aria leaned over, reading it too. Her face turned red and her eyes widened, she looked at the three of us, "Y-you guys..." "We fucked, Aria, it's not a bad thing." She gulped and shook her head, "N-no it's not, it's just shocking." Spencer just smirked and leaned back, handing the phone back. "I'm a little jealous you got to ride the Emison train before me." I laughed and took a bite of my food, shaking my head. "There's always room Spence," Emily nodded in agreement with Alison. "We aren't a couple, not yet at least. Just messing around until college, why start a relationship when we leave in a year."
  
  
  Chapter 3: Well, Can We Get Along?
  Summary:
  Shin reluctantly moves into Sabine's apartment for their month ordered together.. Sabine's brother and Shin's best friend Ezra, stops by/sympathizes with Shin.. The two have some bonding moments..
  
  Notes:
  Guys!!! For those commenting and leaving so much love, YOU ARE AMAZING!! Like seriously.. Thank ya'll so much for sending me such lovely comments, and kudos!! Much love!!!
  
  Will Shin and Sabine get along together? What else might happen? Find out!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine hurried to her door, hearing the knock. "Coming, I'm coming!!" She'd been painting, instead of making the place accommodating for Shin, and had paint allover herself, her chin even had a little on it.
  
  
  
  Painting helped her calm down, and to de-stress, and she'd just been listening to her ear pods by while doing so. She sighed, and then opened the door to see Shin, Baylan and Ahsoka standing there.
  
  
  
  "Shin.. Good to see you, finally." Sabine smirked, raising her arm up as the blonde pushed past her to get inside. She nodded to Baylan and gave Ahsoka a hug.
  
  
  
  "So a month huh? One month with just you and me in this apartment, oh and Murley of course." Sabine smiled as her cat ran up, rubbing against her leg, to which she leant down to pick him up.
  
  
  
  "I thought you were joking about having a cat, Wren. Weren't you allergic, as a kid?" Shin smirked out watching the other woman hold the striped cat.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, "You're right, I was. But, I managed to get over it eventually. My doctor said I outgrew the allergy. Apparently it happens quite bit, my doctor said I wasn't the only patient of his to have it happen to. I'm glad, cuz Murley is my buddy, and my emotional support animal." She felt Shin's eyes at her, and sighed.
  
  
  
  "I get panic attacks... Ever since.. Umm... Never mind, umm here let me show you around." Sabine went over, grabbing one of Shin's duffle bags, grunting under the weight. "What the hell did you pack? Dumbbells?", She groaned at Shin.
  
  
  
  "I did, actually. Something wrong with that, Wren? Too heavy for you?", Shin smirked out. She was curious about why Sabine got panic attacks, and silently hoped it wasn't due to their interaction all those years ago, but deep down, she knew it was.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed and followed after Sabine, looking around the place as she followed Sabine to a spare room. She saw several canvases inside, and wrinkled her nose.
  
  
  
  "You're going to put me in with your painting stuff? Seriously Wren? At this point we may as well just share your room." Shin smirked out to Sabine.
  
  
  
  "That's a great idea, and actually it's also written on the court decree." Ahsoka said chuckling as she watched the two women look at her in shock.
  
  
  
  "What? No way!! I only have the one bed, granted it's a king size, but no way!!", Sabine begged her coach. She grabbed the court paper from Ahsoka, and frowned once she saw the fine print.
  
  
  
  "Shin Hati and Sabine Wren are to share all living space together, no matter how small the space may be, it will include the bedroom if it is the only sleeping space that is found present in the place of living."
  
  
  
  Sabine grunted, and then pushed the duffle bag into Shin's chest. "Fine, but you're sleeping by the wall. My bed, I call the shots here, got it?" She glared at Shin, wishing to god that this wasn't happening.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned as the heavy bag hit her chest, and she gritted her teeth as she nodded. "Fine with me, I wouldn't want to fall out of the bed anyways."
  
  
  
  She looked around the spacious bedroom, and noticed how the bedspread was purple, with white sheets. "How original," Shin muttered as she went and sat onto the edge of the bed. She dropped her duffle bags onto the floor, and looked over at where Baylan stood.
  
  
  
  "Don't worry dad, I won't bite.. Much..", Shin chuckled out as she felt a pillow slap her face, with Sabine behind it. She glared at the purple haired woman, huffing at a loose strand of hair.
  
  
  
  "You'll regret that decision, Wren." Shin smirked out, grabbing the pillow and putting it onto her side of the bed. She folded her arms, watching Sabine smirk right back at her.
  
  
  
  Shin rolled her eyes, her fists clenching, but she stopped once she saw Baylan raise his eyes at her. Groaning, Shin stuffed her hands into the pockets of her tan cargo pants.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka and Baylan chuckled, knowing fully well that they were playing matchmakers now. The actual court decree had no mention of them needing to share a bed, they'd had Loren's help writing it up, since Loren knew Sabine liked Shin still, even if Sabine wouldn't admit it.
  
  
  
  "Well, we'll leave you both to it. Don't have too much fun now, and no fighting!! We'll know if your vitals spike!", the Coaches said as they quickly left the apartment. The two coaches high fived each other, chuckling as they headed back to Baylan's black Hummer.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked over at Shin, sighing. "Want some pizza? My treat... I could go for some veggie pizza badly, wings and beer too?" Sabine knew Shin liked beer, from college days, and she saw a slight smirk come across Shin's face.
  
  
  
  "Fine, but I'll buy the beer, Wren. Wouldn't want you get shitty beer," Shin smirked out to Sabine. She remembered a college party she'd snuck into at Lothal University, and the beer Sabine had supplied was so bad, kids had left the party.
  
  
  
  Shin felt glad that Sabine never knew she'd attended, having put on a red haired wig with bangs, and sunglasses as her disguise.
  
  
  
  Sabine held her hand out to Shin, "Deal. Now you still like veggie pizza with pineapples right?" She smiled at the other woman, knowing it was, as it was all Shin ate when they'd hang out as kids.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, " You remembered.. Yea... Ummm sounds great.." She looked down at her feet, and watched as Sabine went to call the food in, and sighed, flipping her phone to her Doordash app, quickly finding the Spec's on it, and placed an order for quite a bit of beer.
  
  
  
  She ordered two 24 packs of her Pacifico beer, figuring it would be plenty to last, and enough to get her drunk tonight. She could use it, being here with Sabine for a month, was not going to be easy.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, removing the black leather jacket she had on over her black shirt, and tossed it onto her duffle bags. Her black shirt's sleeves hugged her biceps, showing them off well.
  
  
  
  She looked over to see Sabine standing there, leaning against the doorway. "What? Creeping again?", Shin muttered out, laying down onto the bed, on her back.
  
  
  
  Sabine folded her arms, walking back to her bedroom. She watched as Shin removed her jacket, and silently gasped seeing how well the shirt Shin was wearing, was hugging her muscular body. Sabine bit her lip softly, wanting to run her hands over Shin, and shook herself from the thought as she felt Shin look at her.
  
  
  
  "I.. uhh. No, urm pizza and wings ordered.. Veggie pizza with pineapples, and buffalo wings with ranch. Both of our favorites.. And yes I did remember." Sabine smirked to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin turned her face, looking over at Sabine, her eyes glued to the short shorts that Sabine had apparently changed into. They were hugging Sabine's thighs, and Shin felt something spark within her mind, sending a chill through her. She grunted, and sat up.
  
  
  
  "Now who's being a creep? Enjoying the view Shin?", Sabine smirked out playfully to Shin. She was thoroughly enjoying getting under Shin's skin, without the other woman able to hurt her.
  
  
  
  Shin laughed, "Oh Wren, you wish. You really wish that don't you?" Shin glared at Sabine, but her stomach was tying itself in knots, still lingering at Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine stepped over to Shin, blocking Shin from being able to get past her. "Well, can we just get along please? Don't look at me like that again, Hati."
  
  
  
  Deep down, she wanted Shin to stare at her, those icy blue eyes could look into her soul, and she'd melt. But, she couldn't let Shin know how much she liked when Shin did glare at her.
  
  
  
  Sabine let Shin's last name roll off her tongue slowly, and saw a glare come across Shin's face. Smirking, Sabine sauntered off towards the living room.
  
  
  
  Shin felt her stomach twist, "Stop it.. Don't do this Shin, don't get all worked up over her." She heard the doorbell ring, and jumped to her feet. She went into the living room, to see a guy come into the apartment, and she quickly recognized Sabine's brother Ezra.
  
  
  
  "Oh Ezra, just you.. Good to see you, been a while." Shin pulled him into a hug, making Sabine roll her eyes. Ezra had tried asking Shin out ages ago, and she'd rejected him, with her being gay, but he ended up the only one she'd told at first, and they'd ended up as best friends instead.
  
  
  
  Shin would go to Sabine's house to hangout with him, and play videogames. Shin wouldn't tell her grandmother about it, as Shin also used the opportunity to see Sabine. It didn't work though, so eventually Shin stopped going. She turned to look at Sabine, and grabbed Ezra's hand quickly, pulling him to the bathroom, shutting the door behind them.
  
  
  
  "Shin, what the heck.. How are you going to handle this? Talk to me, I'm your best friend. Sabine's brother yes, but I know you still care about her, deep down in that cold ass heart of yours, you still like my sister. Admit it.." Ezra chuckled out.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned, "Fine you're right, as usual Ezra. It's why I had to stop coming over when we were in college. I couldn't take seeing her dating all those other girls, it hurt too much, and just made me want to hurt her more. I hate myself for what I did, and she can't know Ezra.. I don't know how she'd react to me saying, "Oh hey Sabine you know why I start fights with you? It's so I can take my frustration out on you that way, instead of telling you that I like you, that I've always liked you." Ezra, she can't know.. Unless..."
  
  
  
  Shin stopped herself, trying to calm down as she felt a wave of tears hit her. She sighed, wishing she could take it all back, but she doubted Sabine would forgive her.
  
  
  
  Ezra knew, "Unless you finally admit it to her... It's ok Shin.. I understand, just don't punch my sister. Kiss her if you want, but dude no fighting." He chuckled, pulling Shin into a hug.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Don't worry, I won't screw this up. Baylan's counting on me, and I can't let him, or my team down."
  
  
  
  She hugged Ezra back, and then followed him out of the bathroom to see Sabine setting their food down onto her dining table.
  
  
  
  "Food's here, umm hey are you ok Shin?", Sabine asked worriedly, seeing how Shin was clearly upset. Deep down, she knew she shouldn't pry, as she didn't want to make Shin more upset.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, wiping tears from her face. "I'm fine Wren, don't start being nice now just because I'm crying." She sat down onto a dining chair, and watched as Sabine fixed a plate for her. She heard a knock at the door, which Era answered, and she chuckled hurrying over to help with the beer.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes widened, "You got that much beer? Trying to get drunk?" She smirked, placing Shin's plate down. Sabine eyed, the cases of beer, knowing how much Shin would drink.
  
  
  
  She'd snuck into a party at Seatos College, Shin's birthday party. She'd seen Shin chug half a keg of beer, and then four other beers, and then when Sabine had seen Shin makeout with a few girls, leaving the party with all three, Sabine had immediately left. The present she'd taken to give to Shin, was still buried in her closet.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed at the memory, her heart had ached that night, and so Sabine had gone out to find her own release, spending the night with a girl from her team, just as a one time hookup.
  
  
  
  "Being here with you, oh definitely.. Here, have one." Shin handed one to Sabine, and opened her own, chugging down a sip. She eyed Sabine, wondering what was going on in the purple haired woman's mind, seeing how her eyes would linger to Shin's eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin felt uneasy, those brown eyes piercing into hers always made her nervous, made her angry because she couldn't express her true feelings.
  
  
  
  Each stare down between them, always ended in a fight, so Shin sighed, turning her gaze away from Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, seeing how she'd made Shin nervous from staring at her, and quickly opened her beer that Shin gave her, chugging down a few sips. She motioned for Ezra to join them, and smiled as he did.
  
  
  
  Dinner began in awkward silence as the three started eating, and drinking their beers. Sabine looked over at Shin, watching her slowly chew on a wing. Ezra nudged her with his foot, and Sabine sighed.
  
  
  
  "So umm Shin, what do you think so far, about the apartment.. Are you going to be ok staying here? I can, umm get anything from the grocery store that you'd like, when I go tomorrow. We also may not be able to attend the games or play, but we could urmm, practice maybe? Together? If you want..." Sabine shifted awkwardly in her chair.
  
  
  
  Shin stopped chewing, and set the wing onto her plate. She sipped, then chugged her beer, and then opened another quickly. She chugged half of it, her hands trembling as she tried to fight her emotions, trying to fight her anger off.
  
  
  
  Sabine's soft voice was triggering her, making her want to slap her, kiss her, fuck her... Anything to get her hands on the woman in front of her at the table. She grabbed her pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, and looked nervously at Ezra.
  
  
  
  "I'm going to get a smoke in... Umm groceries, uhh sure, you can use my card for my stuff.." Shin sprang up, hurrying to the balcony, shutting the door behind her.
  
  
  
  She sighed, lighting her cigarette she held between her lips, and softly puffed on it. She turned to look behind her, and watched Ezra walk up, patting her shoulder before he stood beside her to hit his vape.
  
  
  
  "Sorry Shin, she's trying to be civil, but she realized she made you feel awkward. She didn't mean to, it's just been years since the two of had an actual conversation. She isn't sure how to approach this either, just give my sister a chance. Please, for me." Ezra smiled as he watched Shin relax her shoulders. He puffed his vape, looking around the street below them.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Ezra.. A month.. A month and we have to sleep in the same bed.. Like what the fuck dude... How am I supposed to do this? Those shorts she's wearing... Sorry not sorry, but damnit Ezra... I'm not sure if I can handle this, it's a lot to grasp, and you know what she does to me when she stares at me with those brown eyes of hers. Fuck man.."
  
  
  
  She palmed her face, groaning as the tip of her cigarette hit her cheek, and she lowered her hand to her mouth, inhaling it in before exhaling it back out.
  
  
  
  Ezra chuckled, "And you wearing that tight shirt of yours, doesn't help her either." He stopped dead in his tracks, and quickly turned to go back inside.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "What the actual fuck..."
  
  
  
  She went back inside, and saw Ezra getting ready to leave. Shin gave him a questioning look, but he only gulped, hugging her before he left. Soon, it was just her and Sabine again.
  
  
  
  Shin looked over at where Sabine was now sitting on her couch, petting Murley, while one leg was raised up on her coffee table, giving a decent view at her thighs.
  
  
  
  Shin gulped, hands fidgeting at her side, trying not to show her emotions as she clenched her fists into her pockets, before going to the fridge for more beer.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, petting Murley, knowing she was getting under Shin's skin. She knew Shin was going to get drunk, and she wanted to see how drunk she could make her get.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, and grabbed two beers from the fridge, handing one to Sabine. She sat down on the couch, away from Sabine, tapping her beer bottle. She looked over at the tv, and then at Sabine.
  
  
  
  "So, anything good on tv tonight?" Shin said quietly. She figured if she couldn't fight Sabine, or anything else physical, they could at least watch tv together, as the silence in the room was killing her.
  
  
  
  Sabine perked up, and she grinned. "Well, actually there's a show on Netflix I've been wanting to watch. Umm... Arcane? Have you heard of it? It's animated, but like for adults I'm told.. Umm meaning like there's bad language or whatever in it."
  
  
  
  She looked eagerly at Shin, hoping they could watch it together, now that Shin seemed to want to watch tv with her, and she'd rather watch it with someone else than by herself. Sabine patted Murley, before watching her striped cat jump off her lap to go eat his food in the kitchen.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, "League of Legends? You haven't seen it yet? Deal, it's good. One of my favorites actually, you'll like it." She leaned back, sitting against the couch, and then watched Sabine stand up.
  
  
  
  "Popcorn? My treat?", Sabine grinned as she went into her kitchen. She reached into her pantry, grabbing two bags of popcorn, and worked to get it started.
  
  
  
  She looked over at Shin from her kitchen, and smiled. "Maybe we can get along after all," Sabine thought to herself.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, "Uhh sure, thank you..." She sipped her beer, and watched the Netflix intro come onto the tv, and waited for Sabine. Shin sighed, she wasn't sure why she was letting her walls down at the moment, maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe part of herself wanted it to be like old times with Sabine. She missed those days, and didn't know why she felt so nervous right now, waiting to watch Arcane with Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine came out to the couch, a few minutes later, carrying a large bowl of popcorn. She set it between herself and Shin, and then positioned herself comfortably on her couch, knees tucked under her. She looked over at Shin, and pressed play when she found Arcane.
  
  
  
  They watched the show all night, Sabine unable to stop watching, heart melting for the characters. She grinned realizing that the two female leads, Caitlyn and Vi, were definitely gay for each other.
  
  
  
  Sabine spilled her popcorn when the last episode ended, and stared at Shin. "Please tell me there's more episodes. That.. Omg I'm addicted now."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled, "Not for another year, Cupcake." She smirked the last bit out, with it being what the character Vi would call the other character, Caitlyn.
  
  
  
  She saw Sabine's eyes widen, and giggled. She then stopped, and stood up. "I'm uhh, I'm going to go change for bed.. Umm, see you there.."
  
  
  
  Shin darted off to the bedroom, fumbling into her duffel bag to get her night clothes out. She couldn't remember the last time she'd giggled in front of Sabine, and realized it was the last night they'd hung out when they were thirteen.
  
  
  
  She made her way to Sabine's bathroom, and shut herself in. She pressed her forehead to the wall, "Fuck this." Shin sighed, changing clothes and then grimaced, not knowing where to put her dirty clothes. She left the bathroom, and found Sabine in the bedroom.
  
  
  
  She gasped, seeing that Sabine had changed into boxers, and a white tank top, with no type of sleep bra underneath. Shin bit her lip, seeing that Sabine's nipples were very noticeable and hard under the shirt, and she smacked herself for staring at them.
  
  
  
  Sabine jumped off the bed, blushing as she folded her arms across her chest. "Umm, sorry thought I'd be lying down before you came in here... Umm thanks for the beer, and the show.." She mumbled, before climbing into her bed, pulling the sheets over her tightly.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, "Umm yea sure.." She decided to ask about her clothes later, and dropped them onto the floor by her duffle bags. She hesitated, and then climbed into the bed with Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  Are ya'll ready for them to truly get along? ;) Find out tomorrow night!!
  
  Chapter 4: Well.. That Was Unexpected
  Summary:
  Something that will change Shin and Sabine's lives, happens unexpectedly.. How will they handle it?
  
  Notes:
  What's going to happen with them in this chapter? Ooo just find out ;)
  
  Shout out to Khamul!!! Your comments make my day! Appreciate the love and support!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  That first night, Shin was flipping and flopping in her sleep. She kept accidentally brushing her feet against Sabine's, or getting too close to the other woman. She sighed, finally laying onto her back.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed looking up at the ceiling, before flipping to her side and looked at her phone, to check the time. It read, "3:15 AM", making her grunt. She'd only been in bed for two hours, but it felt like longer.
  
  
  
  She looked next to her, watching Sabine sleep. It was almost calming, seeing Sabine's chest rise and fall, making Shin softly smile. She groaned from realizing that she was staring at Sabine for too long, and flipped back onto her other side, facing the wall.
  
  
  
  Finally, she realized she couldn't sleep, and she groaned as she slowly got up from the bed, trying not to wake up Sabine. She grunted then, feeling something hit her feet, making her stumble over the bed, falling onto her face.
  
  
  
  Shin looked over, watching Sabine's cat waltz up to her, rubbing his face on her head. "Damn cat, stop it." She grunted, and then heard a soft voice.
  
  
  
  "Shin.. Are you ok? What time is it? Uggg what happened?" Sabine softly called out to Shin, sleepily rubbing her eyes. She would also get tripped by Murley when she'd get up during the night to go pee, and figured that's what had happened.
  
  
  
  She sat up and looked down to see Shin struggling on the floor. She couldn't help but grin at the sight of Murley rubbing his face, against Shin's own annoyed face.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, "Big baby.. Come on, I got you." She reached down, gently helping Shin stand up.
  
  
  
  She then grunted, as Shin fell against her, pressing her to the bed. Sabine gulped, as Shin's head had landed on her chest, and she winced from the impact.
  
  
  
  Shin quickly sprang back, seeing where her head had landed onto Sabine. She stood back, scratching the back of her neck nervously.
  
  
  
  "Umm, I umm.. Your cat tripped me.. Umm sorry for waking you up," Shin darted out from the bedroom, towards the living room.
  
  
  
  She fell onto the couch, her face slamming into the cushions. She groaned, knowing how awkward she was being, and she silently wished she could fall back into Sabine's chest. Or at the very least, punch her, as she was good at expressing her emotions towards Sabine that way, but she couldn't, not with her career on the line. She banged her face onto the couch, grunting loudly.
  
  
  
  She then froze, feeling a hand come onto her shoulder. Shin turned her face, and looked up to see a worried Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Are you ok Shin? You've been so weird.. Oof, umm yea he tripped you pretty good, your nose is bleeding.." Sabine grabbed a tissue from the tissue box that was on her table, and gently wiped the blood from Shin's nose, making Shin jump.
  
  
  
  "Umm.. sorry, I just.. I wanted to help.." Sabine softly stuttered, blushing slightly. She definitely knew she was overstepping, but she did care about Shin, and wanted to have peace between them.
  
  
  
  Shin suddenly sat up, watching Sabine, her lips parting as she took in the sight of Sabine over her. The gentle feel of Sabine wiping at her face, made her skin crawl, and not in a bad way.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, making a choice of how to respond. She sighed, and then pulled Sabine to her, her lips desperately crashing into Sabine's.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin sit up, and half expected a punch, or a shove, but was shocked when soft lips crashed onto hers.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered, not knowing what to do, and so she eagerly kissed Shin back, her hands coming to cup Shin's face, pulling her in deeper, as she was pulled to the couch by Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin knew this was a mistake, a big mistake, kissing Sabine, but she couldn't hold it back anymore. She'd dreamt of this moment for them, longed for it. She darted her tongue into Sabine's mouth, smirking as Sabine softly moaned into the kiss.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin, first night and you already shove your tongue down her throat," Shin thought to herself, before pulling away, shoving Sabine off of her.
  
  
  
  "I uhh.. Umm... I...", Shin stuttered out. She saw the disappointment in Sabine's eyes, and she grimaced.
  
  
  
  Shin quickly realized what Ezra had almost told her earlier. Sabine liked her too... She realized that's why she was getting kissed back, instead of being slapped.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened in her realization, and she just stared at Sabine, unable to find the words to say for her choice of action.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered, trying to find the words.. "Well, that was unexpected.. Umm.. Yea.. I uhh.. I'm going back to bed.." She stumbled back to her room, laying down face first as she fell onto her bed.
  
  
  
  She felt her lips with her fingers, trembling but with a soft smile. She'd finally gotten to kiss Shin, unexpectedly, but she'd done it. Sabine sighed, drifting back to sleep.
  
  
  
  Shin was still on the couch, trying to process what had just happened. She'd kissed Sabine.. Finally.. She had let her frustrations out, the right way.. But then she had shoved Sabine away from her, yet again.
  
  
  
  She sighed, smacking herself as she went to go back to the bed. Shin climbed in softly, and faced the wall as she yawned, falling asleep.
  
  
  
  When morning came, Sabine woke up to a note on her bedside table.
  
  
  
  "Sabine.. I'm sorry for last night, I was.. I was uhh drunk.. I went to get us some coffee and donuts, be back soon."- Shin.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled, and she got out of bed to go use the shower. Finally, maybe they could get along with each other. Once she was out of the shower, she changed clothes, settling on a black tank top and blue skinny jeans. She'd put on lacey lingerie style panties, and a bra to match.
  
  
  
  Both purple in color, she'd gotten them to make herself feel sexy, and after the kiss last night, that's exactly how she felt. She would drive Shin crazy, if they had to be stuck like this, she'd make Shin open up more, in more ways than one she secretly hoped.
  
  
  
  Sabine heard her front door slam, and went out of her room, to see Shin setting down their coffee and a box of donuts onto her dining table.
  
  
  
  Shin got back from the donut shop, and had gotten their coffee from Starbucks. She had messaged Ezra to confirm what coffee Sabine liked, and flavor of donut. She mentioned the kiss, to which she'd gotten heart emojis back from him. Shin sighed, this was going to be an interesting day, after last night.
  
  
  
  She gulped, seeing Sabine walk up. "Umm here, Ezra told me what you like, umm you look nice." Shin mumbled out to Sabine.
  
  
  
  Her eyes darted at Sabine, eyeing the other woman up and down, trying hard to look away, but felt unable to do so. Shin was nervous, and wasn't sure what to do about what had happened.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, "So just how drunk were you last night? Did it mean anything... The kiss? Or just feeling the alcohol?" She had to confront her about it, knowing it would make Shin do something, and hoped she wouldn't get slapped.
  
  
  
  She got close to Shin, making the other woman breathe heavily as she reached around Shin, to grab her coffee from the table.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, "Chill, I'm teasing you. Of course you were drunk, and it's fine. No biggie..."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "Uhh yea.. I was.. Umm sorry again... I don't know what came over me.." She bit her lip, and grabbed her macchiato, sipping it slowly. She then sat down, grabbing a chocolate donut from the box, chewing into it.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, "It's ok.. Really Shin.. I won't tell anyone that the big bad Shin kissed me." She grinned as she saw the glare come from Shin. Sabine decided to pump it up a notch, and got up, standing behind Shin.
  
  
  
  She leant down, pressing her chest to Shin's back, and then put her lips to Shin's ear. "I won't tell anyone that I enjoyed kissing you back." Sabine bit at Shin's ear, making Shin gasp. She watched Shin turn quickly, and watched the blushing woman face her.
  
  
  
  Shin was awestruck, this woman was driving her crazy, and most likely on purpose. She blushed hard though, "Good.. That's the only time you'll get to have kissed me. It.. It was a mistake Sabine.." Shin stood up immediately from the dining chair, feeling nervous as she fidgeted with her hands.
  
  
  
  She started to turn to the bedroom, but then gasped as she watched Sabine pull her shirt up over her head, tossing it to the floor, revealing the lacey purple bra beneath. Sabine's breasts boldly protruding around the edges of the bra, and she could see the hard nipples poking through the fabric.
  
  
  
  Shin gulped, feeling a shiver of excitement shoot right down to her sex. She clenched her thighs together, and was pressed against the dining table harshly by Sabine. Shin gasped, her hands pressed to her side, squirming under Sabine.
  
  
  
  "I know it wasn't a mistake Shin.. I wanted it too..", Sabine softly told Shin as she pressed herself up against Shin.
  
  
  
  She reached out, her lips going to Shin's, crashing them together, her tongue moving deep into Shin's mouth. Sabine softly moaned as she felt Shin give in, picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom.
  
  
  
  Shin should stop, she knew she needed to, but damnit the way Sabine was eager for her, made all anger rush out the door. In this moment, she wanted to devour the purple haired woman that had stolen her heart so long ago. Shin ached to love her, to show Sabine how she truly felt.
  
  
  
  Shin placed Sabine down onto the bed, and got on top of her, hands quickly finding the button to Sabine's jeans, undoing it and quickly yanking them to the floor.
  
  
  
  She gasped seeing the purple lingerie beneath, hungry to remove it. Shin ran her fingertips over Sabine's clothed sex, feeling wetness immediately. She moaned softly, seeing how turned on Sabine really was for her.
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, seeing Shin inspect her body. She ran her fingers through Shin's hair, and pulled her back in to kiss her. She moaned, feeling Shin's tongue enter her mouth, and eagerly bucked her hips into Shin's hand that was still teasing her.
  
  
  
  "Shin... Please.. I want you to touch me.. Please..", Sabine begged Shin, whimpering softly as she widened her legs for Shin.
  
  
  
  She'd had wet dreams for years of this happening, and now that it was, Sabine was so eager for Shin to touch her, to fuck her, to bite and suck on her.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, and started removing Sabine's underwear, which were soaked with Sabine's juices. Shin looked into Sabine's eyes, and started softly rubbing her clit between her fingers, making Sabine moan. She then moved her fingers to the dripping sex, and plunged two fingers inside of Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gasped, moaning in pleasure as Shin gave in to her begging. "Oh fuck Shin.... Fuck yess.." She started breathing heavily, as she moved her hips with the thrusts of Shin's fingers.
  
  
  
  Shin moved her mouth to Sabine's neck, running her teeth over the soft skin, and pumped her fingers harder into Sabine.
  
  
  
  She mouthed a moan onto Sabine's neck, just as turned on. She then lowered herself to Sabine's breasts, those heavenly breasts, and started sucking on them while she fucked Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine arched her back up, moaning as Shin fucked her, and grasped onto Shin's hair, holding her head in place while her breasts were sucked.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin, this feels so good.. Mmm." Sabine moaned out, making Shin add a third finger inside of her.
  
  
  
  Shin licked each nipple tenderly, sucking them into her teeth, nibbling as she sucked. She thrusted her three fingers deep and fast within Sabine, moaning into Sabine's chest, as she felt Sabine's climax nearing.
  
  
  
  "Sabine... Wren... Cum for me.. I want to hear you scream...", Shin moaned out to Sabine, while fingering her harder and deeper.
  
  
  
  "Ooo fuck Sshin... Fucckkk.. I'm.. I... MMmm FUCK!!!", Sabine started screaming out as she finally came for Shin, moaning breathlessly as she thrusted her hips into Shin's fingers, her orgasm rippling through her.
  
  
  
  Shin grinned, and pumped harder into Sabine, getting the woman to squirt cum into her hand. Shin moaned, and bent down, quickly licking the cum up while removing her fingers.
  
  
  
  She sucked her fingers clean, moaning at Sabine's taste on her. Shin went back up to Sabine, kissing her deeply, as she made Sabine taste herself on her lips.
  
  
  
  Sabine moaned into their kiss, panting as she came again, the sensations too much for her. She licked at Shin's tongue, moaning as she tasted herself.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin... We should've been doing this instead of fighting... Goddamn that, you're... You feel so fucking good inside of me.." Sabine moaned out as they continued kissing.
  
  
  
  Shin suddenly pulled back from the kiss, blushing. "Umm... Yea... I.. uhh...", she shook her head, moving to the other side of the bed. She sighed, her mind full of emotions.
  
  
  
  Sabine frowned as Shin pulled away, "Are you ok? Didn't you like it? Did I push too much?". She ran her hand over Shin's cheek, turning her face back to hers. Sabine sighed, deeply looking into Shin's eyes, tears filling her eyes.
  
  
  
  "Shin... I've... I've always liked you... Since we were kids... I was going to tell you that night, the last time we hung out, when we were thirteen. But I was scared... I didn't want to lose you, but I did anyways.. What happened that night anyways? I almost came back to your door, but I heard your grandmother yelling at you, so I left." Sabine softly said as she looked Shin in the eyes still, her tears coming out now.
  
  
  
  Shin looked back at Sabine, her eyes wide with tears, "You.. You did?? I didn't know..." She sighed, and nodded. "I liked you too. Like I had such a huge crush on you, and was going to tell you that night too. You'd been so cute painting that picture for me, and then I just froze.. When you left, I admitted it all to my grandmother, and she called me an abomination.. That I was no longer allowed to see you, and if I was to, she'd disown me... I was so upset, and when you confronted me at school, I tried to avoid you, but you kept following me, and I.. I slipped... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Sabine." Shin broke down crying, and let Sabine pull her to her chest.
  
  
  
  "Oh Shin... My Shin... I.. I'm sorry... I didn't know.. I didn't know..." Sabine softly cried into Shin, holding her close.
  
  
  
  Her heart ached for Shin, knowing how hard it was to come out as gay, but thankfully her adoptive parents hadn't minded, and Ezra was her biggest supporter. But for some like Shin, they weren't so lucky.
  
  
  
  "The only way I knew how to keep seeing you, was to fight you, it's all I started to know." Shin admitted quietly. "I don't like hurting you, making you bleed and hurt, but it's the only way I knew to be able to be near you... This with you right now.. It's amazing, but Wren... Sabine.. I'm scared that I'll lash out at you, and that I'll hurt you again, but worse. I don't think I could handle that... This, with you, is all I've ever wanted, but it terrifies me." Shin let tears out, looking into Sabine's eyes as she pulled away from their embrace.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her lip, nodding. "I know Shin, and I'm scared too. Of doing the same thing to you. Your grandmother was wrong though.. You're not an abomination.. You are Shin Hati, Captain of the Mercenaries. And... And my crush, as you always have been." Sabine blushed at her confession, watching Shin's eyes soften.
  
  
  
  Sabine laid back against her bed, rubbing her eyes as she felt Shin watch her. "We're finally at peace, and god amazing peace, but I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for. I'll wait.. As long as it takes though Shin, as I always have.." She whimpered as she softly cried, and felt soft lips press against her shoulder.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked up to see a tearful Shin, and she pulled her down to her, kissing her softly. She sighed, pressing their foreheads together as the kiss ended.
  
  
  
  Shin softly kissed Sabine back, feeling her emotions run rampant for Sabine. She was absolutely terrified to pursue this with her, scared of what could happen, but she wanted Sabine so badly. It was something they'd have to figure out, together, and Shin knew it.
  
  
  
  "I'm here Sabine... Please, god don't cry for me.. I've been the worst to you for over a decade, and I don't deserve your tears. I never should have started fighting with you, I just should have told you what was going on, but I was scared. I'm sorry..." Shin told Sabine, her hand running through Sabine's hair gently.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, a soft smile coming across her face. "Yea, you should've told me, but I get it.. I do.. I honestly probably would've done the same, in your position.. I know what your grandmother meant to you Shin, even if she was an absolute cunt to you. She was your family, and you'd already lost your parents, just like me... Shin, we can figure this out.. We've got a month to do that, and even if this was just for tonight, I'm glad it happened. So, umm thanks for fucking me." She grinned out, caressing Shin's chin softly.
  
  
  
  Shin snorted, "Shit you're welcome for fucking you Sabine, and it was amazing... I'd do it again... But yea, we do need to figure this out.. Are we enemies still, or something more, something we've never been?" Shin ached to kiss Sabine again, but she knew they needed to stop and think.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked deep into Shin's eyes, "Lovers? Maybe.. We could umm, do this anytime we feel frustrated.. Instead of hitting each other violently, we could umm do it for, ermm, fun? To destress?" She bit her lip, knowing not to expect much from her request.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "You mean like just hooking up? Or.. What do you mean Sabine? We've already confessed how we feel towards each other, how we've always felt.. Being just hookups doesn't feel right to me." Shin sighed, laying onto her side, watching Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her face, "I.. I don't know.. Maybe.. We could date? Try it out? If it's something you'd be interested in? Otherwise just smack me now, and I'll stop." Sabine glanced at Shin, knowing she was giving Shin permission to hit her.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned, "We can't hurt each other remember? Or fight.. And I'm sure after what we just did, our vitals definitely sparked a bit.. But date... Umm.. Are you sure?? You don't want to just call this quits and go find Bo?" She smacked herself immediately, seeing a hurt look on Sabine's face, regretting her choice of words.
  
  
  
  "Bo was never my girlfriend, or even a hookup, Shin.. She was my roommate only, and I'm well aware of the rumors about her and I, but they weren't true. I turned her down several times, Shin. She started the rumors, which spread to Seatos College by the team, because I wouldn't sleep with her, and so that's when we changed roommates. I couldn't handle it. You... You Shin Hati, are the only woman I've ever truly wanted... Of course I've slept with some women, and dated, but they weren't you.." Sabine softly replied, her face filled with hurt from Shin's words.
  
  
  
  Shin looked back at Sabine, "I... I didn't know... I'm sorry Sabine.. Truly.. I've never dated though Sabine... I've only had hookups, because they also weren't you, no one else was like you." Shin spilled her guts, her stomach jumping as she did. She sighed, and got up to go smoke a cigarette.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin walk off, grabbing her cigarettes from her bedside table before heading to the balcony. She sighed, instantly regretting kissing Shin and starting this new mess of emotions between them. But, she had to tell Shin how she really felt. Sabine decided to follow Shin, and pulled her clothes back on, walking out onto the balcony.
  
  
  
  Shin heard Sabine come up from behind her, and offered her a cigarette. She chuckled as Sabine waved her off, and she shrugged taking a puff. She sighed, exhaling the smoke out as she looked at Sabine.
  
  
  
  "It wasn't a mistake.. Kissing you, and umm fucking you.. I enjoyed it Sabine.. But.. What do we do? If we were to really fuck, like how I'd want to, we'd set the monitors off." Shin grinned, softly chuckling as she saw Sabine's eyes widen in curiosity.
  
  
  
  Sabine got closer to Shin, "And how would you want to fuck me Shin? I haven't even gotten to fuck you yet, and drag my nails across your spine, or eaten you, and taste you on my tongue..."
  
  
  
  Sabine was seductive with her words, her lips finding Shin's neck, making Shin shudder and softly moan. She took it as consent, and started pulling Shin back into herself, leading her from the balcony, back inside, pushing her down onto the couch.
  
  
  
  Shin softly moaned as Sabine started kissing her neck, and then let herself be led back inside, and pushed down to Sabine's couch. She watched Sabine pull her clothes back off, and reached up, grabbing hold of the perky breasts, massaging them as Sabine softly moaned into her caresses.
  
  
  
  Shin watched as Sabine started straddling her, and she grasped onto her hips, holding her close as Sabine kissed her neck. "Fuck Wren...", Shin moaned out.
  
  
  
  She wanted Sabine so bad, and she raised herself up, removing her shirt for Sabine, and then watched as Sabine undid her bra, moaning as she felt those soft lips wrap around her nipples. Shin arched her back up, gripping into Sabine's back.
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, chuckling softly as she started sucking onto Shin's nipples, moaning as she did so. Shin had the most perfect breasts, and her nipples felt heavenly in her mouth.
  
  
  
  She started licking down the center of Shin's breasts, and started moving her way down, undoing Shin's jeans swiftly, yanking them down. She wanted to taste Shin, and she wanted it now. The very thought of savoring Shin's cum in her mouth, made her moan.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned softly, placing her fingers into Sabine's hair, gently pulling. She watched as the other woman started pulling her boxers down, and blushed when she saw Sabine's hungry eyes take in her soaking pussy. Once she felt the warm tongue hit her clit, Shin instantly threw her head back against the couch, moaning.
  
  
  
  Sabine started licking at Shin's clit, moaning as she tasted Shin's heavenly juices on her tongue. She then let her tongue slip inside of Shin, and started eagerly eating her out. Slurping as she sucked onto Shin's wet pussy, juices coating her mouth and chin, hungry for it.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, yanking onto Sabine's hair, moaning out as she was eaten out. She panted, "Fuckkk Sabine, mmm that feel so so good Wren.. Mm fuckk." She bucked her hips into Sabine, and groaned as she felt Sabine grip her hips, holding her down.
  
  
  
  Sabine eagerly ate Shin out, moaning as she felt her own pussy drip with desires for Shin to fuck her again. She felt Shin clench at her tongue, and she licked deeper into Shin, sucking her wet folds faster.
  
  
  
  Sabine broke away for a moment, and looked up at Shin, juices dripping down her chin. "Shin... Cum for me.. I want to taste you," Sabine said while gazing into Shin's eyes, before moving her mouth back to it's actions.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, gripping harder onto Sabine's hair. "Fuckkk Wren!!!," She screamed as her orgasm crashed, sending her body shaking into Sabine's mouth, squirting her cum deep into Sabine's hungry mouth, making Sabine moan.
  
  
  
  Sabine moaned, hungrily eating up Shin's cum, loving the taste. She cleaned Shin up, licking up every last drop of cum, before moving back up to Shin, and kissing her deeply.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, tasting herself on Sabine's tongue, and sucked on Sabine's bottom lip. She panted as another orgasm ripped through her, just from Sabine's kisses. She breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath as she felt her orgasm subside, and her felt Sabine kiss her neck softly.
  
  
  
  "Easy Shin, easy... Sshhh easy beautiful... I've got you," Sabine cooed to Shin, kissing her neck softly as she felt Shin's orgasm finally let up. She moved her lips to Shin's forehead, and then smiled.
  
  
  
  Shin looked up into Sabine's eyes, her eyes filling with tears. "I want to do this.. With you.. Date you.. Fuck you.. Make love to you... Only you Sabine..." Shin softly said, reaching up to caress Sabine's cheek.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, smiling happily, letting a tear drop from her eyes. "I want this too Shin, and I promise I'll do whatever I need to, to make this work. You're the only one I've ever wanted Shin... Be my girlfriend, my lover.. And I'll scream at you during sex, and slap you, but the right way." She smirked at the last bit, and giggled as Shin licked her nose.
  
  
  
  "Deal, I'm yours Sabine.. And you are mine, Wren.. All mine.." Shin smiled, leaning up to softly kiss Sabine.
  
  
  
  They pressed their foreheads together, not knowing if this would work, but they promised each other they'd do their best to make it so.
  
  Notes:
  Soooo, SMUT!!! Hahaha if you read Shin and Sabine, my other fic, you know I dive in pretty well to the Smut!! Haha, hope ya'll enjoyed! How will they approach their new relationship? Stay tuned!!!
  
  All I Feel is You
  
  Summary:
  Abandoned on Peridea by her master, Shin is forced to seek refuge with former adversaries Ahsoka and Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  My first meaningful attempt at femslash, so bear with me. Like many others, I was completely memorized by Shin (despite her screen time barely pushing twelve minutes) and felt the natural progression of this unhealthy fascination was to write fanfiction. Enjoy.
  
  Chapter 1: Shelter
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  If Ezra could do it, so could they. Sure; Peridea is cold, their ship desperately needs repairs, the language barrier with the Noti makes performing even mundane tasks difficult, and chances of a speedy rescue diminish exponentially each rotation; but they"d be fine.
  
  They had each other, and that was more than some people ever had.
  
  Ahsoka had started their day by telling her to "help the Noti wherever she could, whenever she could." So, Sabine found herself digging away at hard soil near the center of their new camp having been tasked to aid in the construction of a temporary farm. It really could be worse, all things considered. If anything, being stuck for the foreseeable future would give her plenty of time to train, something she so desperately needed. No distractions meant no excuses.
  
  Despite her mind always churning over new thoughts and ideas, she was preoccupied by her dig. She"d been working away for a sizable chunk of time without any interruption and found the dull task to be an exertional escape from the gravity of their situation. A sudden strange sensation rushed over the Mandalorian, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Weird. She thought with a shrug, continuing to shovel. A few more moments passed, the sensation grew, and she could not shake the sense of fear; something was wrong. Turning, she squinted against the warmth devoid sunlight scanning her surroundings to locate her master. Sure enough Ahsoka stood a mere few meters away, her eyes locked on something just out of sight.
  
  "Is everything alright?" Sabine called whilst dusting off her hands off, standing in an attempt to get a better view at what was captivating her master"s attention. "Ahsoka?"
  
  The Mandalorian"s heart leapt into her throat. No, everything is not alright. There, standing just outside of camp, was the blonde mercenary who had been a thorn in the side since she"d gotten dragged into this whole mess. Electric energy hung heavy in the air as the trio stood silent, all their attention now focused purely on one another. Something was off with the way the hooded threat stood; an arm tucked at her side, a slight lean, no clear expression of anger despite her eyes holding that unsettling stare Sabine had become accustomed to. Suddenly, it became clear to her that strange sensation of fear wasn"t emitting from her master.
  
  "What are you doing here?" Ahsoka declared, splitting the tension that held thick in the air. Sabine"s gaze tracked every movement of the mercenary, who almost appeared to flinch.
  
  No reply.
  
  "Why"d you come here?" Her master persisted, taking a slow step forward, careful not to spook young woman. More like, how did you find us.
  
  No reply, again.
  
  This time, Ahsoka turned towards Sabine. "What"s her name again?" Furrowing her eyebrows, she shook her head.
  
  "I"m not sure..." Sheen? Sin? Shai? She"d overheard it at some point, but her memory escaped her. "Sh something?"
  
  Nodding, Ahsoka took another step forward, then another, then another. "You don"t have to-"
  
  "They left." Her master paused. The mercenary"s voice was fleeting, hoarse, weak. Sabine could barely make it out over the wind. "They all left, they left me."
  
  Sabine could almost see Ahsoka"s posture soften. "Your master, Baylan?"
  
  "Everyone."
  
  If it wasn"t for her scar so kindly left from their first encounter or literally any of their history, Sabine might have felt bad. "So?" She shouted. "Clear off." The mercenary"s gaze shot to her, hitting like a laser, followed by a very serious zip it expression from Ashoka.
  
  "Why did you come here?" Her master repeated.
  
  "I don"t know."
  
  "Are you hurt?"
  
  Finally, her eyes moved off Sabine. "No."
  
  Ahsoka took a breath and closed her eyes, a painfully long moment of silence followed. "Head towards the ship."
  
  "What?" Sabine exclaimed, her blood running cold.
  
  Her master ignored her, focusing only on the mercenary. "You can find sleeping quarters there." The blonde straightened up, equally as shocked as Sabine.
  
  "Th-Thank you." The odd feeling of fear that hung over the camp lifted as the apprentice approached, her head hung down.
  
  "No, no, Ahsoka." With furious steps, she rushed up beside her. "What are you doing?"
  
  Again, the Jedi brushed off her padawan. "What"s your name?"
  
  The mercenary stopped in her tracks, nearly parallel to them. "Shin."
  
  Ahsoka smiled. "Shin, I"m going to need your saber." Sabine looked on, still powerless and frustrated as their company obeyed her master"s words without question. Walking up to the pair, head still lowered out of respect, or shame, and handed her weapon over.
  
  "What are you thinking?" Sabine"s anger was more than evident. "Did you or did you not remember her trying to kill me, multiple times!"
  
  Ashoka watched Shin disappear up the ship"s steps. "I do."
  
  That pushed her over the edge, Sabine clenched her fist. "And that doesn"t matter?"
  
  "It does" She replied, folding her arms.
  
  Pursed lips couldn"t hide the distain in her voice. "This isn"t what"s best, not for us, not now, or not ever for that matter." Sabine was frantic. Her mind raced, nothing about this interaction made sense.
  
  Ahsoka exhaled deeply. "It"s what is right."
  
  Nope, Sabine was having none of it. "I don"t care." Aggressively, she pointed out towards the expansive wasteland. "What"s right is sending her out there to d-"
  
  "Lady Tano!" Huyang"s cry cut her off, the droid rushing out from his post in the cabin. "Lady Tano! The enemy has infiltrated our ship!"
  
  "Settle down Huyang, the situation is under control." A free hand waved him off. "Thank you for the timely warning though." Confused, he looked at Sabine for answers who shrugged. "Come on," She added, "Let me handle explaining it to him, why don"t you keep an eye on our new guest, Sabine?"
  
  No, I"d rather not shouted her brain, but a meek "okay" was all she could muster.
  
  "Good, let"s go." Ahsoka concluded, beginning her march towards the ship with Wren closely following in tow.
  
  The trio stood in the empty hull of the ship; all eyes focused on the sleeping Shin. Her back was turned towards the wall, no blankets, her chest rising and falling softly, and of course in Sabine"s old bunk.
  
  "For the record, I think this is a terrible idea, Lady Tano." Huyang broke the silence. "Do you want to know the odds of her turning against us?" Sabine agreed with everything the droid was saying.
  
  "Probably high." She chimed in.
  
  "Exactly Lady Wren, very, very high." He turned towards Ahsoka. "This is incredibly impulsive." To be fair, they were known for that kind of thing.
  
  "She was afraid Huyang, and is no threat to us." She glanced at her apprentice. "Could you not feel that?" Who shook her head, even though she somewhat could. "We"ll work on that. In the meantime, we"ll continue to make this place our home." Ahsoka caught Sabine rolling her eyes.
  
  "A home with my attempted killer? Yeah, right." Huyang didn"t speak. He was used to their bickering.
  
  "She needs us more than we need her Sabine. She"s desperate." Ahsoka nodded towards Shin. "Look how fast she fell asleep, inside the ship surrounded by enemies." Empathy floated off her words. "She must"ve been traveling for days, poor thing."
  
  Poor thing? Did you forget everything she"s done. "Sounds a lot like justice to me."
  
  "Vendettas will get you nowhere if you want to be a Jedi." Suddenly, Sabine felt small and self-conscious. "There are times where we must learn to let go." This was something even she struggled with, Sabine seemed sense it.
  
  "Why must everything be a lesson." She grumbled under her breath; arms folded in protest.
  
  Ahsoka"s smile returned. "Often because everything is." Sabine didn"t return her kind gesture, instead, silently stormed off the ship.
  
  "Sabine seems pleased." Huyang commented, blinking twice as if assessing the situation for himself.
  
  "What makes you say that?" Ahsoka sighed, turning her attention back to Shin.
  
  "Do you think it is wise to drive a rift between you and Sabine once again?"
  
  "She"s mad, and rightfully so," The mischievous glint so commonly found her eye returned. "But she"ll get over it."
  
  "Is it worth it?" The droid added, he too studying the sleeping mercenary. "All for her?"
  
  "I"m not sure, not yet, anyways." Ahsoka reached out with the force once again, scanning for any sort of change in Shin. Moments later, she confirmed what she felt when the mysterious stranger first arrived at camp.
  
  "She could be dangerous Lady Tano." It was good to know Huyang had their better interest in mind, but sometimes he erred too close on the side of caution.
  
  "Maybe, maybe not. She"s lost and alone, Huyang." Gambling on the former dark side apprentice was a risk Ahsoka was willing to take. "I"ll find out more when she awakes." She turned towards her droid and confidant. "You should go check on Sabine. I"ll keep an eye on the padawan here."
  
  Without a word, he nodded and exited the ship. Leaving Ahsoka alone to watch their new marooned partner. A twinge of guilt invaded the Togruta"s space. It hurt seeing Sabine so angry, but she was confident her apprentice would come around in time. Surely, she would see there was more to be gained from Shin"s presence and cooperation than from simply sending her to an inevitable death in the wasteland that was Peridea.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Tsk tsk Sabine.
  
  Chapter 2: Crossroads
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin stirred. Sore, hungry, thirsty, the nape of her neck radiated a dull ache from how she slept, and a foggy mind filled with all sorts of feelings and thoughts foreign to her.
  
  "Good, you"re awake." Quickly rolling over, she caught a glimpse of Ahsoka sitting on a table in the center of the ship that was certainly not there when she walked in. "I have a few questions for you."
  
  Rubbing her eyes, she shifted to sit up straight on the bed. "What makes you think I have the answers?" Ahsoka tipped her head, was that a sense of humor or hostility?
  
  "What makes you think you have a choice?" Her tone was flat, displaying the very real fact that even if she"d shown kindness, they were not friends.
  
  "Alright." Not well-versed in social cues, but instilled by Baylan to show respect, Shin agreed.
  
  "Fantastic. Shin, do you have a last name?"
  
  "Hati."
  
  "Welcome aboard" The Jedi motioned for Shin to come closer "Ship"s in tough shape right now, not many of its features aren"t working or else I"d have Huyang give you a tour."
  
  "You"re not going to change me." Hati proclaimed, that thought had been on her mind ever since arriving. Having glossed over the warm welcome, she took a seat a little ways away from her.
  
  Ahsoka scoffed so defensive. "I might not need to, padawan." A hand instinctively moved up to her braid, rolling the end gently between her fingers. "That wasn"t what I was planning, anyways."
  
  For some reason, Shin believed her. "You do have a plan for me then?"
  
  "Just a few questions." Ahsoka"s expression was neutral, her posture was blank, even reaching out with the force to get a read on her feelings proved fruitless.
  
  "About what exactly?"
  
  "All of it. Start at the beginning." Ahsoka announced, cutting right to the chase. Blinking twice, Shin broke her intense stare by dropping her gaze, choosing not to reply. "Skoll," She continued. "How he trained you, what he trained you in, how close are you to a Jedi, anything really. If you are going to live here we need to know who we are staying with."
  
  For a fleeting second, the idea to run away sprung up in Hati"s mind. Her eyes found the door, her heart accelerated. An old feeling calmed her, encouraging her to stay. Tano said the beginning, so start there. She encouraged herself, taking a lengthy amount of time to find the right words. Shin had never been a talker and Ahsoka could sense this, giving her ample space to reveal whatever she felt comfortable.
  
  "I don"t know where I was born. I know is my Master found me before I could remember much." Every fiber of her being seemed to protest in unison at the revelation of information. "Discipline, no emotion, knowledge, no attachment, fairness, fear. That"s what I was taught."
  
  "Is that so?" Ahsoka"s neutral posture shifted, her interest evident. "Go on."
  
  "We aren"t Jedi. Master made it clear never wanted me to be one, so I never wanted to be one." Everything she"d ever done throughout her life was in an effort to please him, often times falling just short of praise. "Through the Force we are above all, my ability makes me superior."
  
  She"s definitely a work in progress. "Is that what Baylan told you?" Ahsoka asked, almost out of impulse.
  
  "We must rise above the petty quarrels of the masses because we are better than them." Shin affirmed.
  
   "Continue."
  
  "He said we were going to be better than the ones that came before us, that we"d never allow ourselves to fall to the same fate that caused the Purge. My training never stopped, even when we were involved with..." There was a glint of pride in Shin"s eye. "Our business endeavors."
  
  Silence fell in the cabin. They both knew what that business was. "Is there more?"
  
  Shin sat unnervingly still. "Yes."
  
  Time faded into many stories and questions. Ahsoka found exactly what she needed, and then some. All the while Hati proved herself, at minimum, a cooperative partner. Willing sharing many details of her training and knowledge of the force. Even though at times it sounded more like gloating than explaining, the information was useful nonetheless. It came to a point where there was nothing more that could be learned about the Dark Jedi"s training from words, but one questioned lingered on the tongue.
  
  "Where is your Master now?"
  
  "I-" A sharp pain ached through Shin"s heart my master. Caught off guard by the question, she shifted uncomfortably. "I don"t know." The wound he"d left her with still bled.
  
  "He didn"t leave with Thrawn," She almost sounded nervous, and rightfully so, if that was what happened it would be quiet a large problem for the New Republic. "Did he?"
  
  "No."
  
  "I thought you didn"t know?" Ahsoka"s eyes raked across Shin, searching for any clues. Her gravity was crushing, and she felt powerless in the presence of the Jedi.
  
  "I don"t know," Shin repeated. "I do know he didn"t go with Thrawn." Not only did he leave, he cast you aside like it was nothing. A voice inside her head whispered.
  
  "Ah, so he"s still out there." Ahsoka thought aloud, sitting back ever so slightly. "We"ll have to find him eventually" That was better for the galaxy, worse for them.
  
  A sense of longing and hurt radiated through the force. "Eventually."
  
  "Thank you, Shin." The Jedi"s gaze softened, her tone understanding. "You"re welcome to stay with us for now."
  
  "May I leave?" Hati asked quietly, no longer wishing to be stuck inside the cabin. Everything around her felt too close, and she needed space and time to think.
  
  Ahsoka nodded. "You"re free to go." Not needing to be told twice Shin quickly hurried out, pushing down the feelings she"d been burying for the last few cycles.
  
  Dusk painted streaks of red and purple across the clouds. The cold Peridea wind whipping them into a beautiful display, and blowing her hair as Shin marched out of camp with her head down. She walked quickly, her hands clutching at the sides of her cloak as she went. Stepping over rocks and knocking into whatever the Noti had left in her way.
  
  Somewhere over the ridge was the Howler she"d used to get here. Hopefully, he was still there, waiting. Unlike my Master. Anger was slowly welling up inside her. He"s left me no other choice but into bed with the enemy! Passing back the last Noti hut, she veered off to the right replaying moments of the two of them in her mind. Your ambition, Shin, your destiny, Shin, take your place, Shin.
  
  Cresting the horizon vast emptiness camouflaged by a gorgeous sunset sprawled out for as far as the eye could see. A small ravine revealed her Howler to still be there, patiently waiting for her return. I didn"t even want to be here! Normally complacent, she"d grown to question some of his decisions. I knew this place was awful, I had a feeling. Stupid witches. She was dragged out here alongside her master, trusting in him to keep them safe. Sometimes faith is misplaced, only trust in the force to guide you. Ironic. One of his own lessons could have saved her from this mess. Tired, she took one last step and slumped down onto a small boulder.
  
  A stillness fell over where she sat, dull white noise from the wind faded, replaced by a louder cacophony of voices in her head. Despite her efforts, the floodgates finally gave way. Every suppressed emotion, thought and feeling all came washing over her at once. Shin sat there, still, glistening eyes the only indication of her turmoil inside. Defeated, she brought her legs to her chest, allowing her head to fall onto her knees.
  
  Shin sat like that for many moments, having come to a crossroads in her life. Silently praying her master would appear in front of her, and help guide her down the right path. But try as she might, he would not show. No matter what call she sent out into the force, there was no answer.
  
  From Sabine"s position by the thruster exhaust, her eyes caught a glimpse grey and blonde marching out of camp. She was leaving fast, and her wake left an uncertain feeling around the Noti huts. Shrugging it off, she looked for her master. Humbly, Sabine thought Ahsoka had spent way too much time chit chatting with Shin. She wasn"t worth their time, and it left her and Huyang alone to finish doing her part of the ship repairs.
  
  "Lady Tano," The droid announced from a position somewhere behind Sabine. "How did it go?"
  
  "She"s patricianly a Jedi." Ahsoka shrugged, walking up to the pair. "Baylan taught and trained her like a Padawan."
  
  "But?" Sabine interjected.
  
  "But she isn"t." Ahsoka folded her arms. "Where a Padawan is shown the light, she was taught to embrace the dark."
  
  "Yeah, as if that wasn"t obvious already." Muttered Sabine, fed up with all the speculation on Shin"s force alignment.
  
  "What do you make of it?" Huyang questioned, seemingly having more faith in her than her apprentice.
  
  "She"s hurting." Ahsoka"s eyes looked distant, thoughtful. "Balyan left her, without him, she"s utterly lost."
  
  "Why does any of that matter?" Sabine protested. "If she"s taught to embrace the dark, wouldn"t that make her a threat?"
  
  "Not always."
  
  "Lady Wren has a point, Ahsoka." Huyang defended, always the reason to her spontaneity.
  
  "Shin is no more a threat than the bandits. We"d just make another enemy sending her off, and Sabine." Her master turned to her, as she pretended to be focused on a clump of exposed wires. "You two have a lot more in common than you think, maybe you could learn from her."
  
  Angerly, Sabine looked away. "So now you"re saying she should train me?"
  
  "I am not saying anything." Ahsoka shook her head. "She"s been in your position before, and you in hers. All I"m asking is observe, and be open. You don"t have to love her to coexist."
  
  "Fine." Sabine had heard enough, and there was no point in arguing. "But I want my bunk back. She can have a different one."
  
  "Of course." Huyang turned to Ahsoka, who seemed humored. "She"ll have different quarters, I promise."
  
  "Alright, Master." That was the bare minimum for Sabine, who nodded her thanks before walking away back onto the ship.
  
  Once she was out of earshot, Huyang spoke first. "Are you sure keeping our guest around is worth the displeasure of your apprentice?"
  
  "She"ll get over it eventually." The droid didn"t like that answer. "I have a feeling, Huyang." She turned to him, a more serious expression adorned her face. "I"m sure Sabine can feel it too, this is for the best, even if she"s not ready to accept that yet."
  
  "Perhaps your feelings are misjudged?" Huyang countered, prompting a smile from Ashoka.
  
  "You sound like the old Masters of the temple."
  
  "It is an honest observation." He humbly responded.
  
  "Shin"s been sheltered by her master her entire life. All her actions, even her view of the galaxy, was shaped by Skoll." She walked up to him, and patted his metallic shoulder. "Even a weapon can be used for good."
  
  "But a weapon"s true purpose is never forgotten."
  
  Ahsoka huffed, he was right after all. "Maybe she"s a Maul, maybe she isn"t. There is only one way to find out."
  
  "I hope you"re right Lady Tano." Huyang conceded, returning to his task at hand.
  
  "Me too." She breathed, heading off to go find Sabine. They"d missed this afternoon"s training session, and it was time to catch up.
  
  Sounds of feet hitting ground and sticks hitting sticks filled the cabin. "Good, again." Ahsoka commanded, centering herself and her apprentice. Sabine"s face was covered by the training mask, which this time she was pleased to wear, not wanting her master to see how much she was sweating from such a simple task.
  
  Reaching out, she stuck where Ahsoka held her stick. Clank. A solid hit. Encouraged Sabine went again, this time moving with more force and speed/ Smack. An even better hit. Each correct strike boosted her ego, hitting multiple in a row almost felt like a headrush. She was doing it, finally doing it. Excited, Sabine swung out again, harder than she had previously. No strike came, and the momentum she carried tripped her up, and the Mandalorian fell the floor with a huff.
  
  "There was," Ashoka began as Sabine lifted her mask up, looking around for her master. "Some progress today."
  
  "How did you get over there so fast?" She asked, finally spotting his master all the way near the cockpit of the ship.
  
  "You became too enthralled with yourself; it clouded your judgment." She replied earnestly.
  
  Sitting up, Sabine caught her breath. "And that allowed you to just teleport away?"
  
  "You were so focused on yourself, you lost touch with me. There was no way you"d have been able to sense my location with your mind preoccupied like that."
  
  "I"m sorry." Still sitting on the floor, she felt the twinges of shame at her failure. "I"ll do better next time."
  
  "You will, no doubt." Ahsoka affirmed walking over to help her apprentice up. "There has already been sizable improvement since our first attempt at this module."
  
  As quickly as the shame had come, it left with her master"s words. "Thank you, Ahsoka."
  
  "No need to thank me, your abilities come from within." How lucky was she to have such a kind master? "We"re done for the day. Rest up. Oh, and be careful using the refresher. Huyang is working on a water recapture setup, but for now we"re running low."
  
  "Got it." Sabine replied, rising to her feet as Ashoka turned to leave. "Wait." There was something she needed to ask. "You said you had a feeling, about Shin?"
  
  Ahsoka paused, intrigued. "Yes?"
  
  "I-" She was still angry, and she wanted her master to know that, but lying was pointless. "I think I could feel it too. You said she was lost?" Her memories replayed the feeling hanging around the camp after their encounter earlier that day. "I felt it, but I don"t understand how we can feel bad for her."
  
  "Why is that?" Ahsoka knew her apprentice was not to blame for her narrow view, she was not to blame for her inexperience.
  
  "Well, she"s heartless, for starters." Sabine could almost feel the heat of the saber still insider her from that night. "And she"s a killer too."
  
  "She was just following orders." Ahsoka countered. It wasn"t an excuse for her actions, she knew that, but she had to see how she"d reacted to that response.
  
  Sabine"s fist grabbed at the sides of her shirt. "Sometimes orders aren"t meant to be followed, a Jedi would know that."
  
  "What exactly do you think Jedi did during the Clone Wars?"
  
  Oh. "I, well." Sabine didn"t like the way Ashoka smiled when she knew she was right. "I wouldn"t know."
  
  "Sabine, I understand your frustration." Do you really? "I"m not asking for blind faith, either. Search your feelings next time she"s around." Ever mysterious, Ashoka whisked away towards her own quarters. "You may be surprised by what you find."
  
  Watching her go, Sabine felt a tug of comradery for their blonde guest. A flash or fear ripped through her, and quickly she pushed those feelings away, instead focusing on cleaning the training area. No way, Sabine, no way you"re going to let her in your head that easily. Begrudgingly, she put everything away neatly, her muscles already aching form their raining sessions. Tomorrow would be a new day, maybe then her master would finally see her side. Or maybe she"s right. Shaking her head, Sabine ventured back into the guts of the ship. No sense on dwelling, besides, somewhere Huyang probably needed her help anyway.
  
  Notes:
  Poor Shin. If only there was someone around who's also been abandoned by their master.
  
  Chapter 3: Emotions
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin didn"t return that night, much to the pleasure of Sabine. It was windy and cold, the typical Peridea climate. Keeping a fire going was impossible, especially without her saber. Leaving in the state she did, she"d forgotten to ask for it back. Whatever, call it a sign of trust or something as Baylan would say.
  
  Sleep wasn"t exactly an option, either. The chill had seemed to set into her bones, despite Shin"s best efforts to wrap up with whatever she could find. Maybe that was for the better, after all, broken sleep kept her on guard. Every gust that rippled anything nearby was noted, and thankfully, no danger made itself know.
  
  Only once, through clattering teeth and shivers, did she ever consider going back to Ahsoka and Sabine. There was too much pride in her to reverse any decision she made and to show a lack of strength to bare the elements was not something she was going to allow. Besides, pain brought focus, pain brought power.
  
  Somewhere in between sleep and frustrated movements dim sun began to peak over the desolate horizon, signaling a new cycle on this wasteland of a planet. Unrefreshed and agitated, Shin rolled over, blocking the light with her hood. Of course, once she finally was able to get some rest, the sun rose. Master wouldn"t want you sleeping in. She thought, replaying lessons in her head. A rigid schedule is only one step in achieving the discipline needed to master the force. She"d have disobeyed that rule if it wasn"t for the sharp pain of s growling stomach. Slowly, she rose to her feet, gathered her belongings, and rode her Howler back towards the Noti camp.
  
  Entering the camp felt odd. Atop her Howler, the shell people looked at her strangely, scared almost. She hitched her ride just outside of the ship. Piercing eyes scanned the grounds searching for Ahsoka, Sabine or even the droid. Turning past one of the huts near the ship, she spotted the Mandalorian. "Hold." Shin quietly instructed her howler, her gaze resting on Sabine.
  
  She had her back turned, unaware of their guest, working away on an exposed side panel of the ship. Shin stared blankly; Sabine was fascinating. A mixture of dark, light, good, unselfish, and powerless. The first force-sensitive she"d spent more than a few minutes around besides her Master, it left her confused and curious. How could she give up the map for a singular person? Was that worth it? Did she notice I grabbed her wrist too hard on the Scion? She hoped not. The jump into hyperspace made her nervous, and she didn"t realize she"d instinctively held onto her so intimately.
  
  Done with whatever task she was performing, Sabine turned around, startled to find Shin a good distance away burning her eyes into her. Caught red handed, Hati quickly dropped her gaze embarrassment warming her cheeks. Without a second thought, she continued into the ship, feeling Sabine follow her all the way out of sight.
  
  "You look rough." From the corner of the ship, Ahsoka stood eating some kind of fruit. "Did you spend the night outside?"
  
  Shin turned, her nod a bit rigid. "Yes."
  
  "Don"t feel the need to distant yourself, we have plenty of space onboard." Part of her believed the Jedi was simply that nice, but Baylan had always taught her to be wary of traps.
  
  "My saber." Sure, the force was her weapon, but she felt entirely unsafe without her blade. "I left it here."
  
  "That you did." Ahsoka answered, walking over to a wall. "Can we trust you?"
  
  "I could ask you the same." Shin calmy responded, making no effort to push the topic, taking a seat.
  
  A smile painted the Jed"s face. "Seems your master taught you well." She reached up, gently pushing her hand against a random section of wall, revealing a hidden compartment. "It"s in here. Take it if you wish."
  
  Shin blinked, the act of faith catching her off guard. She was fully preparing to be kept under watch like cattle for the remainder of her time here. "Thank you." An empty ach in her stomach kindly reminded her of why she was there. "Do you have any rations?"
  
  "We already ate, but there"s a few portions left and some caf." Ahsoka answered, nodding towards another room. "Grab whichever one you"d like."
  
  Feeling appreciated once again, she made her way to the room where the food was kept. It was a decent kitchen for a ship this size, with plenty of foreign buttons and tools. Shin"s stomach growled again, a testament to just how little she"d eaten in the past few cycles. Not feeling picky, she grabbed whatever was nearest and quickly consumed it.
  
  "Is she in here?" Sabine"s voice wafted in through the doorway, causing Shin to stiffen.
  
  "Yes." Her master answered.
  
  "Great." Shin tilted her head ever so slightly, trying to listen in on the conversation. "What about Huyang? Is he still trying to learn their language?"
  
  "Yup, he said it would take some time." She heard Ahsoka laugh. "He"s a bit preoccupied with getting our solar generator up and running."
  
  "Well tell him to hurry. I"ve finished helping with that small farm thing, but I think they want to dig another." Shin felt a pang of sadness at Sabine"s tone, harkening back to fond conversations between her and her master. Gone were those days.
  
  "Have Shin do it. I need you to focus on your training." Ahsoka responded. "It"s nice we have a third pair of hands that can help now."
  
  "Until she sabotages something." Sighing, she decided now was the best time to enter the conversation.
  
  "You need me to do anything?" She asked emerging from the small kitchen. Sabine turned around quickly, spooked.
  
  "Yeah, leave." Shin frowned. Hostility wasn"t unexpected, but it doesn"t feel any better even if you can see it coming.
  
  "Sabine here was just informing me about a farm that needed digging." Her eyes met Ashoka"s. "It would be nice if you could do that for us."
  
  Shin nodded despite already knowing the answer. "Of course."
  
  "Have my apprentice show you where the Noti keep their tools." From the corner of her eye, she could see Sabine"s expression change. "Come see me once you"ve finished."
  
  "Yes master." She replied, dipping her head. "Come on, let"s get this over with." Shin watched Ahsoka disappear into another room as Sabine started her way towards the door. Following, she made a small detour to grab her weapon. "The sooner the better!" Sabine called from halfway outside.
  
  Heavy grey clouds didn"t allow much sunlight to penetrate, making a cold day colder. "Right. Here is a shovel, I guess?" Sabine was already where they needed to be, mulling over the objects. "This is what we use to get it started. Just dig vertical lines about the width of your saber hilt. Once that"s done, take whatever this is." She held a small rake. "To carve lines connecting the bigger holes together." Shin stared blankly, trying to visualize what she had to do without her mind wandering to the Mandalorian in front of her. "Are you listening? Or is that too hard for you?"
  
  "No, it"s fine." Sabine"s face represented her annoyance. "I understand."
  
  "If you finish in time maybe you can help us repair some of the ship your Imperial friends kindly destroyed." She wanted to defend herself, but didn"t want to start an argument her first full day in camp.
  
  Shin took a breath, for once actively avoiding eye contact. "Alright." Reaching out with the force, she pulled the shovel towards her. Sabine looked on, a smirk forming on her face.
  
  "What was it you said to me?" She headed for the patch of land the Noti wanted their second farm. "When we fought?"
  
  Shin followed. "You"ll regret this decision."
  
  Sabine shook her head. "No, you Di'kut. The other thing."
  
  Oh. "You have no power." Her mind replayed their fights constantly. Her master often told her to recount fight, to try and memorize attack methods, but all she could remember was the look on her face highlighted by the glow of their sabers.
  
  "From having no power, to giving out the orders." Sabine"s aura radiated pride. "Must be hard for you."
  
  "That"s not what I meant by power." Shin replied dryly, doing her best to ignore her attempts to get under her skin. The two came to a halt just ahead for the original farm.
  
  Sabine turned to Shin. "You meant this power, right?" Arm extended, she pulled the small rake away from her and into her palm. "Looks like you"re not so special after all."
  
  Shin wanted to frown, but kept her face devoid of emotion. "I guess not." That wasn"t true at all. I am, and so are you. Sabine paused, not expecting her very arrogant enemy to concede so quickly. Was she okay?
  
  "Just get to work." The Mandalorian said, dropping the rake at her feet. "And don"t screw up like you did fighting me on Seatos."
  
  "I didn"t mess up." Shin retorted, angerly starting her first hole. "You used dirty tricks, Mandalorian."
  
  Sabine laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah right. Whatever helps you sleep at night." This woman was very irritating.
  
  "If I wanted rest my mind would not be on you." This was exactly what she wanted, getting Shin riled up, roping her into a war of words.
  
  "Sounds like you"ve been thinking of me a lot then." Sabine raised an eyebrow in her direction, teasing the dark Jedi further.
  
  Shin felt her cheeks flush. "No." She had, more than she"d like to admit. Shin felt panic rise in her throat, needing to get out of this conversation immediately. "Don"t you have something better to do than annoy me?"
  
  "You"re right, for once." Holding her head high, Sabine walked off. Satisfied with her efforts.
  
  Once the Mandalorian"s presence could no longer be felt, Shin exhaled a deep breath, soothing her rapidly beating heart. Frustrated, she dug away at the cold ground. Flecks of dirt spewing up with each shovel stroke. She was mad at herself for allowing Sabine to get to her so easily, and for whatever magnetic pull she had over her. Ever since their time on the Scion, there was something about Wren that drew her in, fascinated her, and made her utterly nervous.
  
  At least this task was a distraction. Shin was no stranger to physical labor; Baylan had made a point to condition her like the Jedi of old, only with a twist. "Physical pain is a path to the force; mental fortitude is your guide." Maybe she misunderstood what her master meant, but pain always sharpened her focus. Come planks, hot, cold, or running until her legs gave out, it all heighted her connection to the force. Moving over slightly, she began to start another row.
  
  Plus, aimlessly digging until her shoulders burned allowed her to reflect on words passing between them, on her feelings, and on the situation. Why Wren had such a hold on her, she may never know. It was fascination, really. If only she wasn"t so cold. Shin"s mind echoed her sentiment. There"s so much I want to know. Throughout all her life she"d never encountered another padawan, and curiosity nipped at her every chance it got.
  
  If only Baylan was here. He"d know what to do, how to explain her feelings, and reassure her of her purpose the way only a master could. What purpose? Shin thought with a snort. He left you, remember? Your ambition drives you in another direction. Each dig became increasing violently, sadness welling up inside her. Even when she tried to escape and focus on something else, her former master kept appearing at the forefront of her mind.
  
  "Shin?" Ashoka"s voice spooked her. Whipping her head around, she saw the Togruta approaching. "Huyang needs help with some wires. Do you mind checking it out?"
  
  Shin sat back on her legs. "Sure." She thought some time alone would help, but it only made things worse. "What of the farm?"
  
  Ahsoka shrugged. "They"ll finish the rest. Besides, ship"s more important to us. We can"t help them if we can"t help ourselves."
  
  Good point. Getting up, moseyed on over to where their droid fiddled away at some exposed wiring and panels. Ahsoka didn"t follow oddly enough, was it a trap? Doubtful, but she didn"t care enough in the moment to be bothered.
  
  "Are you Huyang?" Shin asked, peering around a corner.
  
  "That would be me, yes." He spoke back, not taking his eyes? Or censors? Off whatever he was working on.
  
  "Ahsoka said you needed something?"
  
  He nodded. "We need to reroute these wires to connect to the panels over there if we want all systems to run."
  
  "Is this some type of emergency backup?" Shin asked casually, walking around him.
  
  "In a way, yes." A spark flew as he connected a plug into a port. "Designed to keep ship operations functional while marooned."
  
  Ahsoka had mentioned they were working on getting everything up and running. "Understood." Surely, these panels would not be enough of a power source to make the ship fly, but keeping the lights on? That they could.
  
  Staring down at the wires, their clumped mess seemed like a foreign language. She"d never been thoroughly trained on how to repair ships. Only instructed on how to work her and Balyan"s ship, and of course her own speeder. But the droid said reroute, so, turn them around. It was common sense, and what Shin decided to do.
  
  A few moments of silence proceeded, only the sounds ambient sounds of camp could be heard before Shin broke the silence. "What were you programmed for, Huyang?"
  
  "I am a Mark IV architect droid, programmed to assist young jedi construct their light sabers." Shin"s eyes were thoughtful, thinking back to her days struggling to craft a weapon.
  
  "Baylan taught me. Have you seen it?" She asked, looking over her shoulder.
  
  The droid laughed. "Oh yes, I have, and I must say there are at least three areas that could have been improved."
  
  She sighed internally. "Perhaps you can show me these areas at a later time?" It was small talk, and that wasn"t something she was used too, but the droid seemed receptive enough and it was much better than having to deal with Sabine.
  
  "I knew your master." Shin froze. "He had trouble with his first as well." Silence followed, her eyes burning a hole into the wires in front of her, she dare not reveal the tempest of emotions circling her head.
  
  "How?" Baylan had never spoke of his time at the temple, aside from lessons to help her train.
  
  "I"ve known almost every Jedi for a thousand generations."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened, marveling at such an expanse of time. "A thousand generations." She murmured under her breath, curiosity calming her nerves. "What was he like?"
  
  "Thoughtful, mystic, fair, sometimes too focused on the future for his own good, but always entranced by stories of the past."
  
  She laughed internally. He hadn"t really changed that much, had he? "I know no such stories." The same words she had spoken to her master only a few days ago.
  
  "I still have some in my databanks," Huyang"s head rotated back to his work. "If you"d want to hear them one day."
  
  A spark of happiness flickered in her chest, even if stories were sometimes just stories. "I would like that." She mummed, barely above a whisper. Silence once again fell onto the two of them, quietly working away at the ship. For a brief moment, everything felt okay.
  
  "You"re doing it wrong." Sabine"s voice broke any tranquility that hung in the air. How had she not sensed her approach? Were her emotions clouding her connection to the force?
  
  "Are you sure?" Shin replied, turning her head to look at her. "Huya-"
  
  "Of course I"m sure! It"s my old ship." There was anger in her tone, and heavy footsteps approached from the rear. "Look." Sabine nudged Shin over, pushing up alongside her and opening the panels she had already finished. "The wires can"t go backwards; they need to go up. How daft can you be?"
  
  Embarrassment flashed in Shin"s cheeks. "I didn"t know."
  
  To their left, Huyang looked up. "Sabine."
  
  "And you didn"t think of asking?" Her nostrils flared, quickly correcting the mistakes. "If you want to stay, please don"t be so useless."
  
  Shin dropped her gaze, staring at her boots. She wanted to speak, defend herself, but nothing came out. Next to her, Sabine shook her head. "There? See?" The Mandalorian said, pointing to her completed work. "That"s how you do it."
  
  Still studying the ground, she nodded. "I get it." Shin"s belly knotted in sadness. She didn"t want to let them down, just as she didn"t want to let her master down.
  
  "Thank goodness you know now after wasting our time." Shin"s shoulders fell, defeated. Anger radiated off the woman next to her, blending together with her own pain.
  
  "Sabine." Huyang called again, sterner his time round, but Sabine ignored him.
  
  "No wonder your master abandoned you." That was the dagger. Any restraint Shin had left vanished as tears began welling on the edges of her eyes. Everything came back all too soon, all too fast.
  
  "Why must you belittle me?" Shin"s voice cracked from trembling lips, whipping around to gaze upon her accuser. Gone was the intense stare Sabine had grown used too, instead replaced by one tearful and longing.
  
  "I-" Shin didn"t want to listen. She didn"t care. She had to leave. Sabine couldn"t see her like this, her master never allowed her to be like this. Even in now after his departure she was failing him.
  
  Storming away she left camp behind her, sadness echoed in each beat of her thudding heart. With each step further away, she soon realized pain was quickly being replaced by a bubbling rage just below the surface. Sniffling, Shin picked up her pace. Cresting over a horizon, water eyes made out a large cluster of boulders in a nearby ravine. Igniting her saber, she took off towards them, all her emptiness quickly replaced by the warm embrace of anger.
  
  The pile of rocks didn"t deserve their fate as each slash from her blade came down fast and hard, mind blanking in an escape Shin so desperately needed.
  
  Notes:
  Yikesss. I promise things will get fluffier soon, I promise!
  
  Di'kut: According to a quick google search means idiot in the language used by Mandalorians.
  
  Chapter 4: Understanding
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stared, mouth agape. Her eyes tracking Shin running into the distance. Was she crying? Up until now, she didn"t think the dark Jedi could even feel emotions. Dumbfounded, she turned to Huyang.
  
  "That was uncalled for, Sabine." Sighed the droid, returning to his work. Guilt rushed through her. Maybe that was too much.
  
  Ahsoka appeared from around the ship. "Is everything alright?" Sabine dropped her gaze. "I thought I felt something- where"s Shin?" Huyang must"ve felt it better to stay out of it, choosing not to speak.
  
  "She, uh, she ran off that way." Sabine answered, nodding in the direction the blonde had traveled.
  
  "Odd." Her master raised an eyebrow. "Do you know why?" The Mandalorian swallowed hard, drawing circles in the dirt with her feet.
  
  "She needed some space I guess." A white lie, better than telling the truth. Ashoka would be disappointed, especially after suggesting to reach out. But now more than ever, she was afraid of what she might find
  
  "Let her have it. She"s still young and unbalanced, despite the mask she adorns." Her master"s face was stoic, but serious. "We don"t want to risk an altercation." As quickly as she came, Ashoka left. Sabine stayed still, mulling over the flurry of action. Huyang was right, it was uncalled for. Whether she liked it or not, Shin was here now, and it was best not to push the person who nearly killed her over the edge.
  
  "I"ll be back in a second." She called to Huyang, not thinking twice before following the path Hati had taken out of camp. Thoughts swirled around Sabine"s head. All her interactions with Shin, her intensity, her aura that followed her around, drawing everybody in who could feel it. She"d tried her best not to be affected, but still felt a slight tug in her direction despite all that had happened.
  
  Maybe Ahsoka was right too. Her master had kindly explained the situation, even with her refusing to really listen. Perhaps Shin was just a frightened apprentice without a master to guide her. No threat, just girl trained to be a weapon, manipulated to become what she was, lost in the same wasteland they were.
  
  Giving in, Sabine closed her eyes, reaching out with the force to find her. Where are you. Peridea was desolate, void of people, it should be easy to find an emotional force sensitive in the middle of a breakdown. Bingo, yikes. Shin was close, upset, and as expected, angry. Following her footsteps, she crested the ridge, spotting a dot of blonde down in a nearby ravine.
  
  As careful as Sabine could, she approached from the rear. It was like stepping on egg shells, or trying to domesticate a loth cat. One wrong step and the whole thing could blow up even more than it already had.
  
  Closer now, Sabine could make out Shin"s figure. She sat on the ground, knees to her chest, staring at a smoldering pile of rubble one could only assume used to be a boulder. Pain jabbed at Wren"s side. She"d caused this, or at least, pushed her this far. Letting down her shields Sabine hoped Shin could sense her vulnerability, the same was she could sense hers.
  
  Swallowing, she made her presence known. "Hey." Startled, Shin flinched, her head snapping back to see who had spoken. "Whatca doing?" Sabine didn"t know what else to say, and hoped she didn"t come off awkward.
  
  "Go away." Shin hissed through gritted teeth, fed up with the Mandalorian"s constant habit of appearing out of thin air.
  
  Sabine"s eyes wandered around the boulders. "Looks like you"ve been busy." She joked, finding ways to avoid apologizing.
  
  Shin stood up, still furious. "Don"t think I"m afraid to hurt you, Wren." Her saber ignited on cue. Bathing her puffed eyes in orange, evidence to her recent activities.
  
  "I-" She clenched her fist, ugh, why did she feel sorry. "I wanted to make sure you"re alright." Shin"s glare faded, taking a moment to process what was happening.
  
  "Do I look alright to you?" Shin faintly replied as her saber retracted into its hilt.
  
  "No." Of course she wasn"t. Ahsoka was right. Swilling around her in the force was a maelstrom of feelings, all of which Sabine did not like. Silence filled the space as Shin sat back down, gazing ahead just as she"d found her.
  
  "If you"ve come to insult me, spare your breath."
  
  Sabine shook her head. "That"s- that"s actually why I"m here." Taking a few steps forward, she closed the gap between them. "No, wait! Not to insult you, again. Because of that, no, what- because I have." Fingers gently fiddled with each other as she stumbled over her words.
  
  "Spit it out." If Sabine hadn"t been so focused on her mishap, she might have noticed the blonde"s lips curl into a faint smirk.
  
  "I..." A sigh escaped her, and she plopped down next to Shin. "What I said was uncalled for." Sabine couldn"t bring herself to outright apologize, this was the closest she was going to go.
  
  Shin blinked, a rare occurrence, still gazing at the sizzling rocks. Sabine took that as a sign to continue. "Not everyone knows their way around a ship, and, I think you"re a good apprentice."
  
  "You know nothing about me." Shin snorted.
  
  "Maybe not." If there was one thing she definitely was, it was mysterious. "But you weren"t, Ahsoka wouldn"t want you to stay."
  
  "She doesn"t either." She clearly wasn"t having it, her head solemnly sunk. "Nobody wants me." Shin mumbled out, barely audible over the wind. How easily the only person she"d ever cared about walked away from her burned away on her heart.
  
  "I know what that"s like." Sabine sighed, staring off into the distance. "Being abandoned by your master." After Ashoka left her, everyone was gone. Hera was out doing her thing, Zeb too, and of course Ezra was, well, stuck.
  
  "You do?"
  
  "Yup." Her tone betrayed her posture, those were a rough few years on Lothal. "I do."
  
  Shin"s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and looked towards Sabine. "Ahsoka left you."
  
  "For some time, yes." Sabine folded her arms. "She stopped my training and vanished."
  
  Almost at random, Shin"s demeanor changed. She shifted slightly, angling her body more towards the Mandalorian as if suddenly interested in what she had to say. "Do you know why?"
  
  "Ahsoka never gave me the real reason." Sabine sighed. "And honestly, I didn"t want to know. It was already hard enough being given up on."
  
  The strange Mandalorian was also abandoned by her master? The same one who had no power? Who wanted her dead, and hated her guts? "Why are you telling me this?" Shin"s gaze darted across her face, looking for any traces of a lie.
  
  "Because," Sabine paused. She knew why, but didn"t want to say it. "Because I want you to know that I understand." Maybe understanding, maybe that was enough.
  
  Empathy. Pity. Just like feelings of sadness, these too overwhelmed Shin and she felt water begin to return around the edges of her eyes. "How did you manage?" She asked, doing her best to swallow the lump in her throat.
  
  "Booze." Memories replayed in Sabine"s head recounting many a lonely night in the comms tower. "Bars on Lothal were my only friends at the time." There was an honesty in her voice that she had never heard before.
  
  "Baylan forbid such vices." Shin murmured, the toe of her boot digging into the dirt.
  
  "I had my art too, and Murley. So things weren"t always bad." Sabine turned to look at the dark Jedi, who avoided eye contact.
  
  "Who is Murley?"
  
  "My Loth Cat." A wave of sadness flooded her aura. "I hope he"s alright."
  
  Shin looked over at Sabine, reading her emotions through the force. "Murley is doing fine." Her voice was oddly neutral, but Sabine still appreciated her effort. Did that psycho-killer just try and comfort me?
  
  "You"re right." Sighing, she patted her knees and stood. "You should come back to camp with me, don"t want the others worrying."
  
  Shin found herself staring again. "They don"t worry for me." Her voice was breathless, but her eyes were piercing. Now, more than ever, her fascination with the Mandalorian grew. Abandoned by her master? The experiences she must have had?
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes. "You coming or what?" Nodding, Shin stood, brushing off her cape and armored bracers. "Good. It"s too cold for me to stay out here with you anyways."
  
  The quip made Shin want to smile, but their proximity made her nervous. She was only slightly taller than Sabine, and the Mandalorian hadn"t turned around yet. They stood almost eye to eye for the first time since their fight on Seatos and the midday sun reflected off her skin in a way she"d never seen before.
  
  Inhaling a sharp breath Shin nervously reached out with a hand, but pulled it away before it could brush Sabine"s arm. "Th-thank you. For coming to find me."
  
  Sabine shot her a confused look. "Don"t sweat it." Thankfully she turned before she could notice the blonde"s cheeks flush, and started down the path back towards camp. Shin"s eyes followed first before her legs finally decided to start moving, never once taking her gaze off the Mandalorian ahead of her.
  
  Notes:
  Gay panic = Shin Hati
  
  Chapter 5: Strange
  Notes:
  We survived the great flood of content, hurray! Thank WolfWren week for existing, though, idk what I'd have done without it.
  
  I must say, admittedly, I did more reading than writing this week. Nevertheless, thank you all for your support so far! It means the world to me to share my (some might say unhealthy) obsessions with you all, and please, enjoy chapter five.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Several rotations passed in the blink of an eye. It seemed as if the sun rose one moment, then sank the next. To the moderate surprise of Shin, Sabine no longer insulted her every chance she got. And to her subtle disappointment, they didn"t speak much at all either. Neither of them mentioned about what happened that day, or Shin"s outburst. Why would they? All that needed to be said was said. Besides, they"d been busy getting things set up long term.
  
  Twice now Shin watched (spied is the more accurate term) Sabine"s training sessions with Ahsoka. The difference in teaching style between her and Baylan was vast. Where he would be rough, she"d be gentle; where she"d bring praise, he"d bring punishment and so on. Her master was a fine teacher, and it seemed to Shin the issue lied in a bullish apprentice.
  
  A few nights into Shin"s stay saw her fully take over the top bunk, right above Sabine. It wasn"t here first choice, but the Mandalorian fervently protested her use of the bottom. Staggered and quietly, she had moved all her belongings from her howler onto the ship. Her first night was rough though she"d never admit it, Shin was scared of rolling off the bunk and onto the floor in her sleep. She was getting used to it now, and was settling in nicely.
  
  Yet, even with this busy new lifestyle she couldn"t shake the feeling she got whenever Sabine was nearby. It was the same feeling that first presented itself on Lothal, and had since refused to leave. It didn"t bother her as much at first, after all, the only time they"d see each other was when they"d fight or whenever Baylan instructed her to check on her during their time on the Scion. But now, she was stuck, and it bothered her.
  
  Sitting on the edge of Ahsoka"s pop-up table, she pondered these feelings, staring into the black pool of a cup of caf. If only her master was here to answer her questions, or if she could find time to meditate, or if she"d work up the courage to talk to Sabine, or if-
  
  "Do you know how old you are?" As if she had summoned Sabine with her thoughts, the Mandalorian appeared.
  
  "No." Shin said, looking up from her cup with a flat expression.
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
  
  "Kind of." Their eyes made contact, and those stupid feelings returned, making Shin"s stomach tense.
  
  "Sorry, I know it"s weird but Huyang had been asking." Sabine took a seat across from her. "Wait, what do you mean kind of?"
  
  Shin studied her for a moment, noticing flecks of dirt covering her hands. "I have an idea, but my master never knew, so I never knew."
  
  She raised an eyebrow. "Or he didn"t tell you."
  
  "He wouldn"t withhold information from me." She shot back, immediately defending the integrity of Baylan. "It wasn"t something that mattered anyways."
  
  "Well duh it matters." Sabine almost looked shocked to hear it.
  
  "I said I sort of know," Shin swallowed. "I know I got my first..." She shot Sabine a look. "Are you sure this an appropriate conversation?"
  
  Sabine looked a little embarrassed too. "I, uh." She shook her head. "You"re right. Ahsoka wants you helping Huyang. Apparently, he needs two pairs of hands to final set up our power supply."
  
  "Why can"t you help?" Shin asked, not unwilling to go, but nevertheless curious.
  
  Sabine"s eyes gleamed with pride. "Ahsoka is taking me out for a full day of training." Shin stared blankly, a full day alone? Finally, some room to think. "Wait, don"t tell me you"re jealous?"
  
  The question caught Shin off guard. "No." Apparently, she"d taken too long to respond. What could that mean? Jealous of Ahsoka spending time with her? Jealous of receiving training? "I am very contempt with my current situation."
  
  "Mhm." Sabine"s eyes darted up and down her face, making Shin"s skin crawl. "Whatever you say." A multitude of thoughts sprung through Shin"s mind. Was Sabine onto her? Did she feel the same pull she felt? Or did she catch her staring one too many times? "Huyang said he"s starting later today, busy with language acquisition or something right now, but he"ll find you when he"s ready."
  
  "That"ll be very beneficial to us." Shin stated mater-of-factly.
  
  Sabine surprised a laugh. Why did everything she say sound so clinical? "We are lucky he"s here. I don"t know how Ezra did it."
  
  "This Erza," Shin repeated, remembering the man Wren had fought alongside, the one she;d put the fate of the galaxy at risk to save. "He is important to you?" A burning sensation grew in her belly, ignited by the endless possibilities of answers. Why did it even matter if he was or wasn"t?
  
  "He is." Shin clenched her jaw, nerves getting the better of her.
  
  "Sabine!" Ahsoka"s clear tone tore through the tension between the two of them. "The clouds have rolled out, let"s go."
  
  "Coming!" Sabine swiftly rose to her feet, "Maybe another time?" She dipped her head, turned, and left abruptly. Leaving Shin a riled-up mess sitting alone at the table only accompanied by her thoughts and a lone cup of cold caf.
  
  Her eyes lingered where Wren once sat, gears in her mind grinding to a halt and fizzling out trying to make sense of all she"d felt just now. Baylan had always stressed control over emotions, and the key to control was to understand. Neither of which she currently had. Letting out sigh, she closed her eyes. That was the longest they"d talked since her outburst, and Shin both hated and loved how it made her feel.
  
  Getting out of the chair, Shin dumped the rest of her caf. At least Sabine would be gone for a while, Ahsoka too. Her first time alone since arriving at camp lost, hungry, and a threat. Apparently, they trusted her enough to be left unattended. That"s a risk. Shin thought, walking over to her bunk. Master would never have been so rash. Hoisting herself up, she entered her bunk. It was neatly made, each sheet folded precisely at each corner with two different sized pouches resting at the bed.
  
  Stretching out, she grabbed the smaller one and adjusted her so she was comfortably laying flat. There wasn"t much she brought with her down from the Scion. Baylan instructed her to pack light, and she always brought the essentials; some rations, a flask, hygiene products, a small cloak, and binoculars.
  
  But of course, Shin brought a few of her more personal belongings as well. Things she wouldn"t dare let Sabine, Ahsoka or Huyang get their hands on. Scrummaging through her bag, she found one of those items, an old datapad. Baylan had always stressed a minimal lifestyle, devoid of personal attachment to objects, but allowed her to have one.
  
  Clicking it open, Shin entered her passcode, and her heart sank. It opened up to a page of a text she was reading the night before her world fell apart. She closed the page quickly, not wanting to drum up painful memories, instead pulling up her journal. Its last entry was from a few days prior, and needed to be updated. It was all she used her datapad for really. Reading, journaling, and music. Balyan assigned her every possible text on Jedi and their ways as well as the historical conflicts they were apart of to the point she barely had time to read own personal stories. Still, Shin found time to herself to read whatever story caught her eye, but she didn"t open it to read.
  
  She came for her music. It helped her relax, and that was something she desperately needed. Clicking on a song she had downloaded; Shin closed her eyes and gently laid her datapad on her chest. Sound flooded her bunk, and as if on cue, her estranged thoughts slowly drifted into order. After spending some time digesting all that had happened the last few rotations, Shin became increasingly aware of how dirty she was. That"s what you get for rolling around in dirt all day building farms. The droid had recently finished setting up their water recaptivation device, which Sabine had made clear to her meant unlimited time in the refresher. But Shin still was weary of going in there for an extended period.
  
  Being naked in her enemy"s ship didn"t sound pleasant, even if hot water did. There was some sort of increased vulnerability in that action that she didn"t like. Plus, only packing one extra change of underclothes and not knowing where the wash would make changing into something difficult. Refocusing her mind, Shin changed her song. However, with each passing minute she felt more and more greasy, grimey and unclean. It bothered her. Muttering words incomprehensible, the dark jedi shifted and finally decided with steely resolve to venture into the refresher.
  
  "Miss Hati!" The unmissable sound of Huyang"s voice reach her ears the second her boots touched the ships floor. "I request your assistance with an important matter!"
  
  "Alright." Shin replied, rolling her eyes internally. "I"ll be there in a second." She took a forlorn glance towards the refresher, shaking her head before heading out to see whatever the droid wanted. Getting cleaned up would have to wait.
  
  Ahsoka had pushed her hard today. It seemed each muscle in Sabine"s body ached as they rode back in silence on their howlers. This was the first day in ages her master had chosen to test her physical ability rather than mental. Normally, a Mandalorian would beg for days like this, but something about the Peridea air zapped energy right out of her bones.
  
  "Do you think Huyang will have the finished by now?" Sabine asked, breaking the silence.
  
  Ahsoka, who as riding a bit ahead, tiled her head to get a better listen. "He should have, especially if our new companion lent a hand."
  
  She laughed, ah, their new companion. "Or she stole all our supplies and made for the hills."
  
  Now it was her masters turn to chuckle. "You really don"t trust her, do you?"
  
  "Not at all." Sabine confirmed
  
  "What are your feelings on Shin?" Ahsoka often listened to her apprentice"s opinion on matters, even if it didn"t sway her choice.
  
  She paused her mind retracing their encounter by the rocks. "I dunno, I feel bad for her."
  
  "Why is that?" Leave it to a Jedi to ask a question she should already know the answer to.
  
  "Isn"t it obvious? Her master left her stranded on this heap of rock." Their howlers started a steep descent a few clicks out from camp. "In a bad enough state, she felt seeking our help was best." Sabine sighed. "Poor girl doesn"t even know how old she is."
  
  "Wise assessment." Ahsoka adjusted her reigns. "I want her to come with us next time."
  
  Come with us? Sabine"s eyebrows raised in shock. "Like, with us training?"
  
  "Yes."
  
  "She doesn"t seem like a willing trainee." Sabine joked, petting her howler.
  
  "And miss a chance to spar with the padawan who beat her?" Ahsoka laughed. "There"s still much for you to learn."
  
  Embarrassment flashed through her. How come her master always seemed to be right? "I guess so." The two continued their mulling conversation all the way back to camp, arriving back just as the sun started to enter its golden hour. Even on Peridea, the evening rays were pretty, despite ushering in another cold night. Ahsoka decided to stay out and talk to Huyang, leaving Sabine to get cleaned up in the ship first.
  
  Stepping inside, she was met by all the ship"s buttons glowing and beautiful climate control. The power is back up, nice. Turning a corner, she passed by their bunks. Suspiciously, neatly arranged on the top bunk was all of Shin"s armor. Sabine wrinkled her nose. How odd? She practically never saw Shin without it on. Then again, she also never saw her smile, be happy, or blink. Subconsciously Sabine made her way to the refresher, of course she"d made sure to made sure it was perfectly placed on top of the bed instead of thrown into a corner like many others her age.
  
  "You"re back?" Startled, Sabine took a step back. There, blocking the sliding door to the refresher was Shin. "I knew I sensed something." She seemed to mutter that last bit to herself, but Sabine heard nonetheless.
  
  "Oh, uh, yeah, hi." She gave a cute little wave, the blonde before her was in a loose long sleeve undershirt and- where those her shorts?! "Are those mine!"
  
  Shin"s eyes flashed down to her legs. "Your droid said..." Her voice trailed off. She felt naked, like a freshly molted crustation. No armor to protect her, or hide her slim frame. "I only intended to sleep in them."
  
  Sabine shrugged. "Have em." She wasn"t mad, if anything, seeing the formidable apprentice posed like a wet cat in her bright purple shorts that were just a smidge too small was cute. "Purple looks good on you."
  
  Shin felt her cheeks flush, was that kindness? How weak. This Mandalorian would be the death of her. "Okay." She stepped past Sabine, dipping her head to avoid eye contact.
  
  Maybe a thank you would be nice? Sabine internally shot back, rolling her eyes. "The Noti are having a festival."
  
  Shin was already reaching for her outer suit and armor. "Fascinating." Her reply was dry, unenthused, and exactly how Sabine expected.
  
  "Ahsoka said there might be food, so, I don"t know, come it you want?" Shin didn"t seem any more enticed, stepping down from the step, hands full of gear and a strange black box. "Come on, when"s the last time you had a hot meal?"
  
  "A few days ago." Shin"s stony reply almost sounded cocky. "I"ll see if I can attend." Was her final comment on the issue before she briskly brushed passed Sabine and back into the refresher.
  
  "Don"t bother asking if I wanted to use it!" Sabine called as the door slid shit. "You"re so weird." She hissed under her breath, and began walking over to her bottom bunk, plopping down once she arrived.
  
  Out of the corner of Sabine"s eye, an object on the floor caught her attention. Leaning up, she got a better view. It a tanned beat-up leather bag, not hers or Ahsoka"s. Hello there. Curiosity nipped at the nape of her neck. It was wrong to search through someone"s things, but when that someone was technically a prisoner who had tried to murder you? All bets were off.
  
  Sliding off her bunk, she sat cross legged on the floor and pulled the bag closer. Let"s see what goodies we can find here. Undoing its buttons, she looked inside. Nothing unusual; a few different color boxes, a few were black, what appeared to be a rolled-up scarf. "Ah!" She clicked her tongue, pulling out a strange small metal container. "What are you?" Sabine questioned the object, moving it up to her eye level. Shaking it gently, an object moved inside. Something was definitely in there-
  
  The crisp sound from the refresher doors opening sliding opened startled Sabine, who clumsily threw her object of fascination back into it"s satchel, knocking the whole thing over in the process. Shin turned towards the noise, furrowing her brow in confusion quickly changing to shock as her eyes widened at the sight of all her belongings strewn across the floor.
  
  "Wren!" Her voice was in its upper register, nearly cracking. The blonde, now fully armored, fell to the ground in a hurry to put everything away, not once making eye contact with Sabine who just smiled awkwardly off on the side.
  
  "Why were you going through my stuff."
  
  Her tone inflicted a statement, but Sabine was sure Shin had asked a question. "I thought it was Ahsoka"s."
  
  Shin violently snapped the buttons back into place. "You"re a terrible liar." Sabine"s cheeks grew hot. Could she sense lies through the force? What else could she feel?"
  
  "It was just sitting there."
  
  "My stuff is private." In one fluid motion, she tossed her bag up where it belonged.
  
  "Huh. I didn"t know hair dye was so secretive these days."
  
  "I don"t dye my hair!" Shin snapped back, a little too quickly.
  
  Sabine stifled a laugh, playing off her transgression with humor and an eyeroll. "Neither do I."
  
  Surprisingly calm, or at least appearing calm, Shin exhaled. "I would appreciate it if you did not perv through my belongings. They are mine, and what I wish to show you is what you"ll see."
  
  Unfortunately, this didn"t stifle Sabine"s curiosity, in fact, it did the opposite. "What exactly are you hiding in there?" A million thoughts pod-raced through her mind. "Is it some cheesy Twi'lek porno? It"s okay if it is. I remember being your age."
  
  Shin"s pale skin grew red. "Absolutely not." A loose strand of hair fell down over her eye, but she quickly brushed it away.
  
  "Mhm, sure." Sabine"s eyes followed Shin"s movements as she started to climb into her bunk. "Are you gonna go watch it now?"
  
  "You are infuriating." Shin closed her privacy shade, ending the conversation as quickly as it had begun. Sabine stared momentarily, a civil war raging between whether or not to tease the blonde any further. Deciding not to, the Mandalorian rose, choosing to see whatever the Noti were up to instead. From her bunk, Shin listened to Wren"s footsteps fade away until they were gone. Clutching her wrist in her hands, she sighed, doing the best to settle the butterflies that currently were residing in her belly.
  
  "Do you think Shin"s coming?" Sabine asked Ahsoka to her right. Orange and yellow flames flickered light across the Noti camp, painting dancing shadows on their huts. Tribal music played softly in the background, humming a tranquil tune. A large fish was skewered and being roasted over a large fire in the center of camp, being tended to by what could only be imagined were elders.
  
  "Missing your friend already?" Her master wittily teased back, flashing a mischievous grin.
  
   "No." Poking her small stone plate with a fork from the ship, she continued. "I just don"t want her to miss this." It was true. Whatever the Noti were celebrating was truly a beautiful holiday.
  
  "Miss what?" Both women turned around, Shin was standing a few feet away.
  
  "The festivities." Ahsoka chimed in. "Come, have a seat, Shin." Following her invitation, she made herself right at home directly next to Sabine.
  
  "What are they celebrating?" The blonde asked, locking eyes with the fire in camp center.
  
  "Who knows." Sabine shrugged, nudging Shin with her shoulder. "Whatever it is, we get to enjoy it." Ashoka nodded a silent affirmation, turning her attention towards an approaching Noti.
  
  "It"s pretty." Shin said blankly, crossing her legs. Sabine looked over at her, her breath hitching in her throat. Never before had she noticed just how stunning Shin was. Her sharp cheekbones underscored a strong yet delicate face, her deep-set ice blue eyes, the way bangs fell neatly around the ridges of her eyebrows. If she hadn't known any better, one might call her beautiful.
  
  "Yeah, it sure is." Sabine squeaked out, caught off guard by the sudden onset of anxiety the blonde caused.
  
  "Is this our meal you were going on about?" Shin questioned, her gaze finally breaking with the fire and towards the Noti currently serving Ashoka.
  
  "I"d imagine." She replied, holding out her own stone plate as the Noti turned its attention on her. Chunks of flame roasted fish were neatly splattered down, covered in some type of vegetable paste from whatever farms they"d help build.
  
  "Is this safe for us?" Shin questioned, resting an off-putting stare on the Noti as she now served her.
  
  "Huyang ran a scan earlier and said it would be alright."
  
  Shin prodded the chunks of fish with her fork, investigating, before taking a weary bite. Sabine stopped mid chew, peering intently at the odd display. Scowling, the blonde spit her food back out.
  
  "I don"t like meat." She stated mater-of-factly, setting her plate down.
  
  "Really? You"re a vegetarian?" Sabine laughed, her lips curving up in a smile. Shin cast a side eye at her, not affirming her question, but the look of disgust on her face said it all. "Shin, you are strange."
  
  Notes:
  Shin? Strange? Pfft, nah, no way.
  
  Chapter 6: Difficulties
  Notes:
  Thank you all for the support! I love each and every one of you guys!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  There were many ways to enjoy your night on a marooned ship in a foreign galaxy. Options like stare at the ceiling blankly, sleep, listen to Shin snore and beg for mercy (the latter Sabine did often). This particular evening was not unlike many others, and the restless Mandalorian could simply not wind down. A squeak from the main room jolted her out from nodding off for the fifth time.
  
  Sabine groaned, rolling over to face in insider of her bunk. "Right when I was about to fall asleep." She drowsily muttered, closing her eyes in another feeble attempt to finally rest. The squeak came again, louder this time, and another followed in rapid succession.
  
  "Kriffing-" Angrily, she rolled out of bed. Why would Huyang be working on anything this late into the night? Through blurry eyes she glanced into the main hall. It was dark, but the unmistakable flash of blonde hair told her everything she needed to know.
  
  "Shin!" Sabine shouted quietly, as to not wake up Ashoka. The woman in question spun around, it was too dark to make out an expression. "What are you doing?!" She flicked a light on, squinting at the harsh brightness.
  
  "I am training." Her cool nonchalant tone sent shivers down Wren"s neck.
  
  "This late? Are you crazy?" Despite sleep gnawing at her, Sabine plopped herself down in the corner of the room. "Actually, don"t answer that."
  
   Shin watched her, chest heaving, one of Ahsoka"s wooden training sticks held firmly in her hand. "Baylan always said enemies don"t wait for the sun to rise, you shouldn"t either."
  
  Sabine snorted. "Your enemy was trying to get some much-needed rest."
  
  "Very funny." Shin"s stare seemed to burn holes through her. "If I had wanted to kill you, you"d be dead." Sabine"s eyes widened in shock, what a great thing to hear in the middle of the night.
  
  "Ha!" She has such a way with words. "You are an expert in conversation, you know that?"
  
  "It"s a fact." Shin"s stomach tightened. How come every time she said something, it seemed wrong?
  
  "Anyways." Sabine changed topics, noticing Shin"s jaw clinch and grip tighten on the training stick. "I"m up now," She waved a hand at her. "Enlighten me. What are you training in?"
  
  Immediately, Shin relaxed. "My forms." Wren wasn"t upset with her. This was good.
  
  Sabine cocked an eyebrow. "From memory?"
  
  "Yes."
  
  She pursed her lips, letting out a hmph. "Which one is your favorite?"
  
  Now, it was Shin"s turn to laugh. "And give you an advantage in combat? No way."
  
  "Alright, fine. Don"t tell me." Sabine replied, shifting so she could sit more comfortably. "I"ll just watch." Watch? This caught Shin off guard. Nobody besides her master had ever watched her practice before.
  
  Almost tentatively, she turned back around, getting into position facing a floating metallic ball that Sabine hadn"t noticed before. Now fully awake, she studied the room. That strange box she"d found in Shin"s bag was open, on the ground... Oh. That metal thing was a training droid, one of the things she didn"t want her to see.
  
  "Don"t wait on me." Sabine called, folding her arms. She saw Shin nod in reply, before viscously striking out with an upward strike towards the droid. It quickly dashed away, at an angle just out of reach, but as quickly as it had moved, Shin slashed back, tracing its movements.
  
  Sabine watched, soaking it all in. This call and dance cycle continued for a good few minutes, each swing following the exact movements of the droid. She noticed some strikes were faster and more accurate than others. A friendly reminder that she wasn"t the only one still in training. Finally, the droid flashed green, and Shin relaxed.
  
  "Aren"t you supposed to hit it?" Sabine asked, aware you weren"t, a sly smile deceived her question.
  
  "No. You trace." There wasn"t any malice, or even a hint of annoyance in her tone. She just placed her hands on her hips. eyeing up the droid.
  
  "Righhhtt. Tracing, definitely not missing." It took a moment to register with Sabine just how vulnerable Shin was. Her tunic and various pieces of armor lay next to her bag, leaving her in a compression-like long sleeve armored shirt, identical to the one Baylan wore. "Why aren"t you using your saber? You seem a little passed wooden sticks."
  
  Shin frowned. "The noise. I did not want to wake you." Sabine"s nose wrinkled and she quickly looked away. Stars. Was that kindness? She hated when Shin was nice to her.
  
  "Yeah, like that worked." She scoffed, mustering the strength to look back at her. Shin stood still, unnervingly still, but her eyes for once were soft.
  
  "Do you know your forms well?" She asked, tapping a few buttons on her bracer, causing the droid to move.
  
  "It might have been the only thing I was good at." While her control of the force was inadequate, her ability to fight and practice fighting never lacked. "Apparently I had no power, so I had to focus on other things."
  
  "Such as physical combat." That could be why she was able to hold her own against her.
  
  "Good with a saber, horrible with..." Sabine sighed. "I don"t know how many hours I spent just trying to mediate properly."
  
  "Interesting." Sabine caught eyes with Shin, who looked as if she were pondering a decision. An awkward silence followed, but was soon broken. "I will be completing more programs," she turned back towards her droid. "For a while. Stay if you wish."
  
  "Hmm. I"m kind of busy." Was there anything better to do? "I guess I"ll stick around." Ahsoka did say she could learn from her, considering Shin had gone through similar training. Maybe there was something she could pick up on.
  
  "This is form six." The blonde declared, readying a stance before once again lurching out at the droid. Sabine watched each fluid movement, paying close attention to her footwork. Something Ahsoka had been getting on her ass about.
  
  Soon, her focus shifted upwards. The way the material of Shin"s shirt gripped the contours of her chest, or the way her hips flared ever so slightly before being covered by her utility belt. The way her hair swooshed from side to side, or the look of calculated aggression she"d been on the other side of so many times. A curious thought drifted into her mine, egged on by those piercing eyes, but it soon vanished. It wasn"t long before Sabine dozed back off, this time for good.
  
  A few moments later, the program finished. "Form six is favored by Jedi." Shin began, wiping beads of sweat from her eyes. "It was used so frequently because-" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes falling onto Sabine. Her head was slumped down, and her chest rose and feel rhythmically.
  
  "Never mind then." Shin breathed, flashing a rare but brief smile. That strange bubbly excitement returned to her belly, causing her already flushed cheeks to grow even hotter. Falling asleep in your enemy"s presence? Cute. Shin"s eyes grew wide, and she stiffened. "No. Don"t think like that." She scolded herself. "You are above those trivial things." Reading the droid for another run, she continued with her forms. Actions refocused her mind, but she couldn"t shake them all.
  
  "Peculiar place to sleep, but whatever is your fancy." Sabine woke with a jolt, finding herself on the floor exactly where she had been watching Shin. Ahsoka was standing across the room, arms folded.
  
  "I was watc-" She paused, something telling her maybe it was best her master didn't know about Shin's late night training habits. "You know me." Sabine yawned, stretching. "Unpredictable."
  
   "I do." Her master smiled. "Come on, move so I can put the table up." She listened, getting up from her very unorthodox bed. Checking the room, every sign of Shin was gone. She must have packed everything away quietly once she"d finished.
  
  The table rose, and Ahsoka took a seat. "You should get ready while Huyang makes breakfast" She took a sip of her caf. "We have a busy day ahead of us."
  
  Sabine rubbed her neck, sore from how she slept. "How? I thought we only had rations left."
  
  "He completed language assimilation, and picked up a few recipes last night." Ahsoka replied.
  
  "Oh, neat." Sabine stretched once again "What"s on the training block for today?"
  
  "I"m not sure yet." Her master replied, tilting her head. "What do you think we should focus on?"
  
  Sabine snorted. "Everything."
  
  "Wise answer. It is always necessary to hone skills one"s already acquired." Her eyes sparkled. "I believe you"ve given me an idea. Meet me outside soon."
  
  "Yes, master." Sabine dipped her head. "I"ll be back in a second." If there were going to go outside, she"d need to get ready. Entering her quarters, she knelt beside her bed, opening her floor level storage bay. Before she went into the refresher, her eyes darted up to the bunk above her. Shin had her privacy shade closed, a sign the dark Jedi was still asleep. Of course, she gets to sleep in. It was unfair, but she was further ahead in training, and Sabine wouldn"t catch up if she slept around all day.
  
  Whatever training idea Sabine had put into Ahsoka"s mind, she wished she could have taken it out. They"d spent hours just on meditation and connection, and despite no real results, Ahsoka insisted on going again.
  
  She"d used it before. She felt connected before. Why not now? Hell, she"d even used it for a trivial thing such as teasing Shin. Apparently, she could only use the force when it decided it was convenient.
  
  It only got worse. "Clear your feelings." Ahsoka insisted, pacing behind her padawan.
  
  Sabine clinched her fists, sitting atop a boulder, legs crossed and eyes closed. "What feelings." She hissed. "I"ve been clearing them since morning!"
  
  "Frustration will get you nowhere." Her master stated calmly. "I know you can do it."
  
  It felt like her head was going to explode. Everywhere she searched within her, she could feel something but could not latch onto it. Anger bubbled up and over, finally, something she could channel.
  
  "Agh!" Once again, nothing major. She could move a rock, feel feelings, push Ezra once, but still couldn"t mediate.
  
  Ahsoka"s postured relaxed. "It"s getting late. Do you want to go again?"
  
  Sabine shot her a look, bringing up and hand to rub her temple. "No."
  
  "Fair enough." Her master slowly walked past her and towards where their howlers rested. "Failure is a better teach than success, Sabine."
  
  "I know." Great. Here comes the wise yet somewhat condescending pep talk. "You"ve made it clear to me plenty of times."
  
  "It"s true." She rolled her eyes in protest, but followed her master nonetheless. "You"ve shown progress, more now than you did in all our time before."
  
  "Is that supposed to make me feel any better?" Sabine argued, throwing her belongings into her howler"s bag. "I was terrible then, now I"m only bad?"
  
  "That"s not what I meant." Ahsoka said, gazing off into the distance. Echoes of her own master"s teachings rang out in the distance. "Your growth has been minor, but exponential."
  
  "Minor." Sabine reacted with a sarcastic laugh, hanging her head low as she got atop her howler. "Thanks."
  
  Ahsoka shook her head. "Would you rather me lie?" It was the duty of a master to be real while encouraging. Sometimes, that was hard.
  
  "I would prefer to figure this shit out." Sabine hissed, gripping the reigns tighter, doing her best not to lose her temper.
  
  Shin could sense the two before their figures appeared over the horizon. As they rode back into camp, she retreated into the ship. Waiting at the table, she was sipping some water when the blast door hissed open.
  
  "All you"ve done on the way back is complain." Ahsoka"s candid remark caused Shin"s eyes to widen.
  
  "What else is there to do?" The two were arguing, or sort of arguing. Shin had no intentions of joining the conversations, simply sitting back and listening.
  
  Ahsoka folded her arms. "I"d expect you to use this time to reflect." The dark Jedi assumed they were unaware of her presence to be talking so opening around her, but there was no way the Togruta failed to sense her.
  
  "How!" Sabine brought her hand to her temple before waving her off in defeat. "I can"t even mediate properly." Shin tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the Mandalorian. So that"s what this is about. Failure to meditate.
  
  "Mediation is not required to think, Sabine." There was only a hint of annoyance in Ahsoka"s voice, but her pursed expression told Shin there was far more of that than she was letting on. "I would be proud of all I"ve accomplished if I were you."
  
  Sabine"s nostrils flared. "Well, you aren"t me, and I"m not. There"s no point in celebrating something I can"t recreate." Shin could her anger from across the room, it was like a heavy fog settling in around the Mandalorian"s frame.
  
  She flicked her gaze over to Ahsoka. "Has it ever occurred to you-"
  
  "Just stop." Sabine wasn"t having it, cutting of her master. "I"ll be in Ezra"s hut if you need me." Shin saw her fist ball as another wave of frustration rolled through the room. "Ni, shuk'la Jetii, ures kot." She muttered the last part, leaving unceremoniously.
  
  Ahsoka shook her head, pausing a moment before turning and giving Shin a look. The Dark Jedi just shrugged in response; her eyes still glued to where Sabine once stood. Never before had she felt emotions so vividly through the force. It was as if she could read Wren"s thoughts, and they were all negative.
  
  Shin took another sip of her water as Ahsoka left the room for her quarters. She knew what those feelings were like. She"d been where Sabine was before, and at times, she was there now. Balyan had always told her those moments were part of the trails a good force wielder needed to learn how to overcome, and so, he never helped her through it.
  
  Chewing the insider of her cheek, Shin sighed. Failure was a lonely place. She hated being alone. Sabine must hate it too, given the feelings that still waffled around her head like mist. Baylan had been a great teacher, but there was something she had always wished for during her training years. Someone who understood.
  
  Standing, Shin felt cold shivers run up her spine, and she gently rubbed her wrist as unwelcomed memories made their untimely comeback. There were many nights after a failed training session where the anger and frustration would be too much, and the only way to take out that anger was on herself. It was a cycle she had trouble breaking, and of course, a cycle Baylan knew nothing of.
  
  Shin blinked, making her way over to her bunk. That feeling of self-doubt, of isolation; it was something she wished not even Wren should have to deal with. Pale hands searched her main bag, looking for one item in particular.
  
  Slowly stepping down the ladder, Shin cast a glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking. Dropping her gaze, she caressed her fingers over the rough cover of an old brown journal, its color was faded and edges were chipped.
  
  Closing her eyes, Shin brought it to her chest and exhaled a deep sigh. Stars, why did she feel this way? Biting her lip, she tentatively placed the book on Sabine"s pillow, but nervously pulled it back as soon as she set it down. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she felt her free hand tightly grip the edge of her tunic. With one last glance over her shoulder, Shin placed the book back on Sabine"s pillow, gently pulling the covers up as if to tuck the journal into bed.
  
  Stepping back, Shin admired her work. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips and a warm feeling grew in her belly, quickly spreading to her chest before it nearly all but consumed her. Whatever Sabine was having trouble with, she hoped her journal would help.
  
  Shin suddenly froze, her smile fading as quickly as it came. What was she doing? Helping? Frowning, she dipped her head. That warm feeling disappeared and was replaced by shame, egged on by a whiny voice inside her head. Why are you being so weak? Huh? Nobody ever helped you, why does she deserve it? You"re better than this, master would be disappointed. Turning her back to the bunks she walked away, leaving her thoughts behind, and the journal, still laying in Sabine"s bed.
  
  Notes:
  Was that empathy, Shin? Sheesh. She's right, that's so weak.
  
  Chapter 7: Yield
  Notes:
  Thanks again for the support! Sorry I was slow getting around to responding to all your great comments. I'll be more on top of that, I promise. Enjoy chapter seven!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine clutched the small journal to her chest. It was nestled in between black painted finger nails, which were becoming increasingly chipped by each passing rotation. For the better half of an hour since returning from Ezra"s old pod, she"d been locked in a tense internal debate. To read, or not to read.
  
  At first glance, she thought it was Ahsoka"s, but upon further inspection the handwriting on the cover was far too neat to have been from the Togruta. That left only one other option, and that puzzled Wren, coming home to find neatly tucked into her bed and waiting for her was a journal on exactly the problem she faced in training. But it wasn"t just a basic text book on meditation and force connection, it was a personal journal from the angry blonde who currently resided as her prisoner-bunk-buddy.
  
  Tapping her fingers on it lightly, Sabine finally made up her mind. Opening the front page slowly, she inhaled a sharply as her eyes fell upon the first words. Entries and Notes on Force Connectivity, Padawan Hati. A rush of guilt followed, and she momentarily pulled her eyes off the delicately written title. It felt as if she were intruding, peering into a life she did not belong in.
  
  How strange was it? Shin Hati. The one who had failed to kill her a few weeks prior, the one who barely spoke to her on their entire trip to Peridea, was now leaving secret gifts to aid her training. Was it some sort of pseudo-peace offering? Or perhaps it was Shin"s idea of an apology for frying her organs.
  
  Flicking it open again, Sabine started reading. Whatever it was could wait, the most important thing was figuring out why she couldn"t kriffing mediate properly. "Meditation: for enhancing emotional control over self and for better connection to the Force. If you don"t have one, you won"t have the other."
  
  Great. Just great. Sabine cursed to herself. Not even one page in, and it"s already crushing what little hope I have left. A flicker of determination sparked within her; Shin wouldn"t have given her this for no reason. Nothing that weirdo did was without due cause. Answers were in there somewhere, she just had to find them. Skipping a few pages ahead, she opened a random section.
  
  Meditation Twelve: Master informed me I hadn"t cleared my mind fully. I am confused by his sentiment. I felt clear, how could he know I"m not? I felt connected, but yet his words rang true. Nothing improved. We depart for what remains of Jedha tomorrow. I doubt I"ll have time to continue this practice until we arrive.
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. If the journal was just a log of her experiences, it would take forever to decipher what each entry meant. Unless she just flipped to the wrong page and was jumping to conclusions.
  
  Sounds of movement came from above, startling the Mandalorian who closed the book quickly in reaction, freezing in place soon after. The bunk creaked slightly, and the faintest sounds of rustling bags could be heard. Sabine shot a wayward glance at the journal. Why did she feel the need to hide it? It was Shin"s after all, and she did give it to her. Why would she check her bunk anyway? She was probably just waking up to get water or something.
  
  Soft tapping indicated Shin was climbing down the ladder, and Sabine held her breath, waiting for her to pass before daring to show signs of life.
  
  "I know you"re awake, Wren." A familiar cold voice jarred a curse from Sabine.
  
  "What do you want?" She countered, pulling back her privacy blind to reveal the blonde shimmying into her tunic.
  
  "I am going out." Shin stated mater-of-factly as she continued to add layers. Sabine cocked a singular eyebrow. "You said that we were beyond the use of Bokken training sticks."
  
  We? I never mentioned we. "There seems to be something lost in translation." Even though her head was dipped, Sabine could just make out a small smirk form on Shin"s face.
  
  "Really? Anyways," Shin threw on her ragged cloak. "I rather not fall out of good graces with your Master for using sabers inside the ship."
  
  "I doubt she"d care." That wasn"t true, Ahsoka would mind, but it would be treat to see the two of them argue.
  
  Shin was now fully prepared, and flung a satchel over her shoulder. She turned to the Mandalorian once she had nestled it in place. "Are you coming or are you just going to converse while I dress?"
  
  "Do y-" Sabine"s eyes caught Shin"s, freezing up as they locked into place. Her mouth was hanging slightly ajar as she fumbled with words to form a reply. Something about that gaze, those eyes. "No."
  
  Shin"s expression softened, and she blinked, a rare occurrence. "But you are awake and talking."
  
  Sabine exaggerated a sigh, kicking her legs up and rolling back into bed pretending to not be interested. "Yeah, well, I don"t wish to be."
  
  "Jedi. They are terrible liars." Shin muttered, crossing her arms. "Don"t keep me waiting long."
  
  Sabine internally kicked herself. Of course Shin knew she wanted to go. "Fine." A few moments of hurried packing followed by hastily putting on her armor ensued. Wren shot a silent pray to the stars, hoping her master was sound asleep as they slipped out of the ship.
  
  "It is actually freezing." Sabine announced, following closely behind Shin who was leading them up a ridge.
  
  There was no reply. Only the steady footsteps of the blonde ahead of her, and the occasional glimpse of hair rippling through a tattered hood.
  
  Frowning, Sabine continued. "I guess we chose the wrong night, eh?"
  
  Again, only silence. A steely resolve harden in Sabine. Shin didn"t want small talk? Fine. There were more important things to discuss. "Why did you give me your journal?"
  
  The Dark Jedi"s posture stiffened. "I don"t know."
  
  "Do you want to talk about it?"
  
  "No."
  
  A mischievous smile flashed across Sabine"s face, and she quickened her pace to get alongside Shin. "Big bad Shin doesn"t want to admit she did something nice." Silence fell once more, Sabine continued. "It"s quite odd that such a thing would end up in my bed, especially after I know you heard Ahsoka and I argue"
  
  "That is correct, I did." Shin shot back a terse reply.
  
  "Are dark Jedi Sith people not allowed to give gifts? Is that why your so shy?" Sabine nudged her. "Or are you just upset you helped me out?"
  
  Shin pursed her lips. "We aren"t Sith."
  
  "Sooo." Sabine"s voice was teasing and playful. "What are you?"
  
  The blonde abruptly stopped, reaching an arm out that smacked right into Wren"s chest, stopping her as well. "We are here."
  
  Shin threw her pack to the ground in one motion, and grabbing her saber in the next. "What do you wish to learn?" It ignited, casting them in a haze of orange.
  
  Sabine scoffed. "As if I have anything to learn from you." She ignited her saber in response, clashing green against blood orange hues.
  
  "I suppose this lesson will be on humility." Shin started circling her, taking tiny steps, twirling her saber in hand. Its hum was intoxicating, sending feverish memories of battle through Sabine"s mind and accelerating her heart beat at the very thought of battle.
  
  "What do you know about that?"
  
  The Mandalorian was the first to strike, confident. But Shin side stepped the blow like it was nothing, not even blocking it with her weapon. Alright, you kriffing try hard. Shin"s smug expression was infuriating as she dodged another one of Sabine"s swings in quick succession. Fine.
  
  Letting loose, Sabine was on the offensive. Blow after blow bouncing off one another, sparks flying off as their weapons collided in a cacophony of sound. Their blades clashed, Shin finally having to finally use the force counter one of her swings. Darting back, the blonde put some distance between, and launched a powerful barrage of her own, causing Sabine to stagger.
  
  Shaking it off, the Mandalorian twisted, throwing Shin"s attack off balance. Or so she thought, as when she swung upon her opponent, she was ready for the strike and countered it with a pretty display of saber skills, sliding backwards as she did.
  
  "Your aggression is admirable." Shin sneered, gracefully twirling her saber in preparation for the next attack. Her eyes rested calmly one her opponent, cooly calculating her next move.
  
  Sabine scowled. "You just wanted a sparring partner, not my company."
  
  "Maybe." Wren struck out again, faking a swing to Shin"s left before cutting her blade back across their direction of movement. The Dark Jedi of course, had a counter by blocking it in one motion before twisting into an attack.
  
  There was a way Shin blended attack and defense in a dance that caught Sabine"s eye. The fluidity of her movements, the concentration, the way she seemed to set up a move two steps before she made it. Sabine had always gone with the flow, ebbing and nulling as the fight progressed. But Shin seemed to be sparring like it was a game Dejarik, and it was working.
  
  Distracted by her observations Sabine didn"t see Shin"s elbow fly in from the right, smacking her dead in the nose. Staggering back Wren felt sharp pain clouding her mind, and within seconds Shin"s saber hand ripped down her own arm, disarming her.
  
  A solid force push sent Sabine onto her rear; cool compacted ground greeted her with a friendly smack. Shin was on her in a heartbeat, and so was her blood orange saber. It"s heat crackling and humming inches from her throat. Sabine swallowed hard, anger bubbling at once again another defeat at the hands of the blonde as she put hers up in surrender.
  
  "You"re lucky I don"t wish to end you." Shin whispered, her voice low, threatening almost. Her icy eyes locked with Sabine"s, shooting blue knives into brown pools.
  
  "Yeah," Sabine scoffed, intentionally looking away, overwhelmed by the blonde"s intense stare and the dull pain in her nose. "So lucky."
  
  Shin"s eyes searched her, darting over the peaks and valleys of Wren"s delicate face. "Your form is still as ugly as it was in Seatos." She retorted.
  
  "Maybe you can help if you"re so perfect." Sabine retorted, getting up as Shin pulled her blade away from her neck, slightly relieved the blonde had bene honest to her word about not wanting to end her
  
  "That can be arranged." Once again, their eyes meet. The Mandalorian"s heart skipped a beat. There was something about the way Shin looked at her with a certain softness that was surreal.
  
  "Let me guess, I"ll have to meet you here in the middle of the night for weeks on end until I improve." Sabine couldn"t hold her gaze any longer, looking away nervously.
  
  Shin nodded, unphased. "I suppose that would work."
  
  "As if I"d agree to that." Sabine laughed, causing the Dark Jedi to stiffen. "No way blondie."
  
  "It was only a suggestion." Shin replied quietly.
  
  Sabine"s lips parted, confused. Was that sadness? And was she actually offering help? Shaking her head, she changed the subject. "Wanna see who"s the better fighter? Let"s drop these sabers."
  
  A competitive glint returned to Shin"s eyes. "I didn"t know you liked being embarrassed."
  
  "You learn something new every day." Sabine rolled her shoulders in preparation. "If I win, you"ll have to admit I am the better fighter."
  
  Shin"s nose wrinkled. On one hand, Sabine was Mandalorian. On the other, Baylan never told her to backdown from anything. She swallowed, nervously glancing at Sabine then back to her saber. "What if you yield?"
  
  Sabine"s eyes sparkled mischievously. "Then I"ll forget you dye your hair."
  
  Shin"s nostrils flared. "I don-" She didn"t finish her sentence, mumbling whatever words remained. The orange blade retracting back into its hilt that was gently tossed to one side. "No weapons."
  
  "No weapons." Sabine repeated, bending her knees ever so slightly to lower her stance.
  
  "And no dirty Mandalorian tricks!"
  
  "No dirty Mandalorian tricks." Sabine affirmed with an eyeroll, carefully tracking Shin"s movements as she threw off her robe.
  
  The crisp air felt extra sensitive as it contacted her skin, her brown eyes forming a look of steely concentration to match the daunting stare from Shin. There was an electric energy in the air, not unlike the tension from Lothal. Dulled slightly by the rhythmic steps Shin took as they neared, Sabine inhaled, closing her eyes, doing her best to reach out connect with the energy around them.
  
  Then Shin struck, a swing that was easily batted down by the trained hand of Sabine. Nice try, slowpoke. Sabine taunted, eyes glinting with humor. Fortunately for the blonde, her strike had been quick enough to avoid being grabbed and grappled.
  
  Growling, Shin shook it off. "Your thoughts are loud." She struck again, not giving time for Sabine to process the weight of her words. She countered balled fist with a quick kick to the thigh, making contact just below Shin"s armor.
  
  The dark Jedi flinched, and her eye twitched. Sabine could sense she was uncomfortable, out of her element, worried. To her surprise, she could sense everything. Not just Shin"s feelings, but her actions, the ground around them, the air. Taking a breath, the Mandalorian stepped forward, reaching for Shin"s shoulders, trusting her instincts to carry her through her next move. Shin managed to wiggle free, but Sabine was ready for that, and shot a knee up into her gut. Breath escaped her lips with a hiss, brushing past Sabine"s ear in an exhilarating rush.
  
  Now that her blood was pumping, every sense was heightened. That connection Sabine had trouble recreating so many times before, was once again back in the heat of the moment. Briefly, Sabine thought she should stop the fight and figure out why. Shin, however, didn"t give her much time to pounder as she violently rammed a shoulder right into her chest.
  
  Sabine"s eyes widened, feeling pain radiate through the force. How unhinged do you have to be to throw yourself against beskar! There was no way that didn"t hurt Shin, but the blonde kept coming regardless. This time Sabine had to intercept an attempt to grab to grab her throat, which she did so with relative ease, even on the backfoot.
  
  Her hand locked onto Shin"s wrist, who"s expression morphed into one of surprise. She knew what was coming next, and threw one last valiant punch to the gut. Shin might know her way around a saber, but she wasn"t a Mandalorian.
  
  Sabine met Shin"s hand in air before contact could be made, slapping the punch away. Shin was now on the defensive. Attempting to tug free from Sabine"s grip, she threw herself of balance. Seizing the opportunity Wren stuck a foot right where Shin was about to step, and when her boot made contact with the back of her ankle, the blonde fell.
  
  Shin managed to tug Sabine down with her. The older woman"s weight again pushed the air out of her chest, and when she inhaled, the smell of cold grass filled her senses. Shin"s eyes darted to her left, one hand pinned under Sabine. Reaction caused her to shoot her right up inside, hoping to land a blow on her chin, but that arm was caught by the Mandalorian.
  
  "Yield." Shin didn"t answer, didn"t even look at her.
  
  "I said," On top Sabine"s knees dug into the compacted dirt, closing the gap between their bodies. "Yield." With no choice left, Shin finally gave in, and slowly turned her head to gaze up at Sabine.
  
  Their eyes locked, and Sabine"s breath hitched. Shin"s lips were parted slightly, her cheeks flushed, and her chest rose and fell quickly, but shallow. Suddenly, she was hyperaware of everything. Their proximity, the tension crackling through the force, the vulnerability of their position, the way Shin wasn"t even bothering to fight back as she pinned her to the ground.
  
  And those eyes, those damned eyes.
  
  Staring back at her were unwavering crystal blue pools. Gone was the feral aggression, replaced instead by a softness Sabine wished she hadn"t seen.
  
  "I yield." A calm acceptance of defeat flowed out of loose lips, Shin never once breaking eye contact.
  
  Reluctantly and silently, Sabine released her grip on Shin"s wrist. To her surprise, the girl beneath didn"t move, didn"t bolt away, didn"t even move her arms from their sprawled-out position.
  
  Suddenly, Peridea wasn"t so cold anymore. Sabine could feel everything between them, the connection not fading, like it had so many times before. Instead, it heightened. She swallowed, relaxing her body so she sat into the divot of Shin"s hips. The mercenary inhaled sharply, her eyes slowly following Sabine as she rested on top of her.
  
  "I..." The air hummed with tension to the point Sabine thought the sky would crack open. A gust of wind bellowed between them, sending loose strands of blonde hair onto Shin"s face, blocking Sabine"s view of those memorizing pools. A tentative hand slowly reached out, brushing the hair out of Shin"s eyes. Wren could hear her own heartbeat drum in her ears, or perhaps, it was Shin"s.
  
  "That"s better." She mummed, retracting a hand. Every stare they"d shared before couldn"t compare to this one. Something was different. The air felt thick around them. Sabine"s stomach was alive with butterflies as she caught Shin"s gaze flick down to her lips.
  
  The blonde beneath her had still yet to move, just gazing up at her, wide eyed. Sabine reached out with the force, closing her eyes briefly. It didn"t take more than a second to feel Shin"s presence, and it was magnetizing. An aura of content, trust, sadness, darkness, and desire?
  
  Sabine"s eyes shot open, only to be met by a piercing blue gaze that reflect everything she"d felt. Guilt suddenly was the only thing she could feel now. What would Ahsoka ever think? The strange heat she felt around them, suddenly made more sense. Perhaps what was worse, was it didn"t just come from her.
  
  Shaking her head, Sabine reluctantly rose to her feet. "We need to go." Still sat on the ground, Shin propped herself up with her arms.
  
  "Why?" It was a loaded question. Karabast, ugh, why? Don"t worry about it. Shin"s lip quivered, but she quickly pursed them together, clearly biting back a frown. "Okay." Sabine cursed herself, forgetting that for some reason or another, Shin could hear her thoughts.
  
  "I just don"t want Ahsoka worrying." She lied, nervous hands fumbling around for her saber that was laid some distance away.
  
  "We"ve not been gone long." Shin countered with a very accurate comeback, as a sense of longing and sadness replaced her still very intoxicating aura.
  
  "Yeah, well," Sabine didn"t want to expose any more than she already had, things were complicated enough. "If my Master wakes up and finds her padawan and prisoner missing, she might think I"ve killed you."
  
  "After that display of saber skill you graced me with? Right." The quip seemed to work as Shin snorted, her sadness fading ever so slightly into the cold night.
  
  "Annnd I"m freezing." Not really. "Which means your freezing, even if you are crazy."
  
  "I"m no-" Shin"s mouth hung open as she made a slight effort to protest, but shrugged instead. Apparently, she was aware of how unhinged she could be. Sabine smiled, there were so many layers to her.
  
  "We don"t want you getting sick on us. I"d hate to have to waste what little supplies we have let on you and your haircut."
  
  Shin brushed her blonde locks behind her ear instinctively at the comment. "Don"t lecture me on hair."
  
  Despite her cold tone, Sabine glanced over at the dark Jedi, who was knelt beside her things and packing up. Even in the low light, she noticed a twinge of blush warming her cheeks. "Maybe if you"d won our little tussle, I"d have forgotten you dye it."
  
  If there was a twinge of blush before, Shin"s pale cheeks were no engulfed in red. "For the last time Wren, I don"t dye my kriffing hair."
  
  Sabine"s smile grew "Whatever you say, psycho girl." Shin not-so-obviously turned to hide her face, focusing instead on shoving her training equipment into her satchel as hard possible without breaking it. Crossing her arms, the Mandalorian felt satisfied as the last drops of sadness faded out of the force. Finished packing, Shin stormed off ahead of her. Leaving Sabine standing and smiling, only pausing when she realized she wasn"t being followed.
  
  "If you so eager to leave, why are you still standing there? Did I hit you too hard back there? I did, didn"t I."
  
  "Nope." Sabine replied, beginning to walk forwards. "Just admiring the view." Shin stiffened; her posture change noticeable to her partner behind who laughed a little to loudly.
  
  "For a Jedi wannabe, you are truly insufferable." Shin said, picking up her stride once more.
  
  "If I"m insufferable, what does that make you?"
  
  "On second thought," Shin said, tilting her head slightly. "Perhaps I didn"t hit you hard enough."
  
  "Aren"t you supposed to be quick learner? Remember that for next time." Sabine"s cheeks were nearly sore from the constant smile that plastered her face. Shin"s banter skill caught her off guard. For someone she"d assume was always a loner, this girl was full of surprises.
  
  A moment of silence followed, and that odd heat returned to the force aura surrounding the mysterious blonde ahead of her once again. "I am utterly confused as to how your master puts up with you."
  
  "Trust me." Sabine laughed as the lights from camp poked over the horizon. "I don"t know either."
  
  Notes:
  Sabine is right. How would Ahsoka react? Oh, and little state of the union. I was at first going to make this a fluffy slow burn with a touch of angst, but I've changed my mind.
  
  It'll become a fluffy slow burn with a touch of angst and a meaningful plot! These girl's will end up with more on their hands than just each other.
  
  Thank you all for the support. Really. I mean it. Your kudos and comments give me fuel to get pumping these chapters out. Thank you again, and have a wonderful week!
  
  Chapter 8: Pixie Cut
  Notes:
  Hey hey!! This one is a bit of a filler, but I put some little moments in there for you to eat up.
  
  Thanks for all your support so far. I reread your comments almost daily, and all the kudos- they really help me write this stuff, even during finals. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one! Next chapter is gonna be a blast to create, so expect it soon!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "Lady Tano." Huyang spoke in a hushed voice. "Are you sure this is a wise idea?"
  
  Ahsoka was leaning against arms crossed. "If what the Noti told you is correct, yes, I do."
  
  "Perhaps, but what of Miss Wren and Hati?" The droid asked, beckoning towards the two women sitting at the ship"s table. "That is what I bring into question."
  
  "What about them?" Ahsoka probed.
  
  If Huyang had lungs to sigh, he would have. "We will have to leave them alone for an extended period."
  
  "They"re adults." Ahsoka"s expression twinkled. "I don"t see any issue with that."
  
  Two sets of eyes fell upon the pair. Sabine appeared to be in the process of explaining something to Shin. The latter hunched over their table, subconsciously stirring her caf with a spoon, listening intently. The blonde was so focused on what Sabine was saying Ahsoka was sure she could smack her on the back of her head and she still wouldn"t drop her gaze.
  
  "We are playing with fire Ahsoka." His eye censors blinked shut. "I fear the repercussions."
  
  A smile crept over the Togruta"s face. "Such a dire warning. I"ll keep that mind." She shifted to look at her droid. "Though I must ask, repercussions of what exactly?"
  
  "There was a reason why Jedi were forbidden from having personal attachments."
  
  "You worry too much Huyang." Ahsoka laughed. "Come on, let"s break the news to them before it gets much later." He shook his head and followed her into the main room.
  
  "Have you done any reading?" Shin raised an eyebrow, resting her chin in her hand.
  
  "You know, about that." Sabine chuckled uncomfortably. "I"d like to bring up a few complaints, do you have a suggestion box?"
  
  The blonde snorted. "It"s right up your ass." Sabine chuckled, dropping her gaze momentarily before meeting her eyes once again. No longer did Shin look at her like she wanted to splatter her insides across the wall, and maybe, that was worse. "If you can"t comprehend my journals context, perhaps I over estimated your intelligence level."
  
  "Maybe you-"
  
  "Sabine, Shin." Ahsoka abruptly interrupted, bowing her head as a greeting. "Huyang and I would like a moment to discuss something." Shin cast Sabine a nervous glance. Did she find out about their nightly escapades?
  
  "Of course, Master." Wren replied casually, leaning back into her chair. "Is something wrong?"
  
  "No, quite the contrary by the looks of it." Ahsoka shot a quick smirk in Shin"s direction, causing the blonde to look away as a blush crept over her face. "It has come to our attention through Huyang"s talks with the Noti of what we believe it to be an ancient Nighsister temple."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened, but she kept her cool. "Like close by?" Sabine questioned.
  
  "About a half day"s ride north of here." Her master explained. "Huyang would mind sharing the rest of the details?"
  
  "Yes of course." He took a step forward. "The locals were telling me of a large structure built into the sides of a cliff. A castle of sorts, one they dare not enter. According to their folklore, a group of witches had once occupied that land."
  
  "We need to be sure they don"t still hold power there, and if they do, maybe we can use it." Ahsoka added, crossing her arms. "Me and Huyang will be heading out shortly to investigate these rumors."
  
  Sabine tilted her head. "Without us?" Shin"s glance darted between the two of them.
  
  "That is correct, yes."
  
  "Why?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. Shin had to agree, it was an odd decision.
  
  "Someone needs to stay back and protect the Noti in case our friend"s bandit buddies decide to show up." Shin frowned, feeling slighted at her comment. "And what if something happened to us? We"d need someone to pick up the pieces. As much as I trust Huyang, I doubt he could bring the same gusto to a combat situation as you or Shin here."
  
  Sabine opened her mouth to protest, but shrugged. "Fair enough."
  
  "How long?" It was Shin"s turn to chime in. All eyes turned to her, and she felt uncomfortable under their gaze. "How long will you be gone?"
  
  "A rotation, maybe two. We are just scouting, shouldn"t take very long."
  
  "Two rotations alone with her." Sabine scoffed. "Whatever did I do to deserve this, Master?" Ahsoka chuckled, resting a hand on the back of Shin"s chair causing her to look up at the Jedi but her eyes were humorously glinting at Sabine.
  
  "Oh and Shin. Make sure my Padawan stays clear of any trouble while we"re gone." Shin nodded, playing along and smugly looking over at Sabine who scowled.
  
  "And you"re leaving her in charge!" The Mandalorian rolled her eyes and sank deeper into her chair. "You hate me. You really hate me. There is no other explanation."
  
  Ahsoka laughed it was light and airy, reminding Shin of the way her master. His softer side, when things were calm. She grimaced, gone were those days.
  
  "Shin has a few years of experience on you, and I"m sure she"s been tasked with some solo missions while her Master was busy."
  
  The blonde nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "She"s right, Wren." Sabine groaned as Ahsoka walked over to her, patting her shoulder.
  
  "You two girls stay out of trouble alright?" Out of the corner of Shin"s eye, Huyang was returning with two large travel packs in his arms. He must have left sometime during their conversation.
  
  "Here," Ahsoka pulled out a comm link from a pouch inside her cloak. "For emergencies, and updates. We will try and stay in contact." She placed it down on the table in front of Sabine, who"s eyes rested on the device for a moment. "You ready Huyang?"
  
  "Just about, Lady Tano." The droid replied, and began to walk towards the hydraulic exit. Ahsoka followed, and Sabine shortly after. Shin chewed the insider of her cheek, thinking about staying behind, but ultimately followed the others.
  
  The wind was blustering when Shin stepped into the daylight, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the harsh rays. Huyang was loading things onto a Howler, while Ahsoka stood chatting to Sabine.
  
  "Be safe, Master." She could hear Sabine"s concern rise above the breeze.
  
  Ahsoka smiled at her, cloak majestically whipping behind. "We"ll be fine Sabine." The two went in for a hug, and Shin felt a stab of longing cut through her belly at the embrace, wishing it was her Master she saw.
  
  The Togruta stepped back, casting a glance at Shin. "If we aren"t back in three rotations. Come looking for us."
  
  Feeling that comment was directed more towards her than Sabine, Shin nodded. "Safe travels." She mouthed, unsure if Ahsoka could hear her. The Jedi must"ve, because she nodded a thanks before turning to mount her howler.
  
  "It"s been hours since Ahsoka left and all you"ve done is read and eat those silly Imperial Standard Ration crackers." Sabine"s sharp tone cut through the silent hull.
  
  Shin clicked her lips, turning another page of her text. "Do you have a problem with that?" She sat relaxed in a chair, legs neatly folded and feet propped up on the table. One hand held a book, another dug into a small box of said crackers.
  
  "Yes, as a matter of fact I do." The Mandalorian retorted from her position on the floor, lying flat on her back with her legs resting on the ship"s walls. She lightly tossed a smooth metallic ball up, catching it with ease.
  
  "That"s a shame." Shin replied, tone devoid of any emotions. "Shouldn"t you be doing some reading of your own?"
  
  Sabine laughed, getting her reference. "I have." Wren twisted around, sitting up straight to get a better look at Shin. "A lot of it is making me question your mental health."
  
  The blonde smirked, looking up from her book. "But have you learned anything?"
  
  "Other than you seriously need a therapist?" Shin"s smirk faded and her gaze hardened, causing Sabine to snicker. "Yeah."
  
  "That"s nice." The moody blonde"s reply was short, and her gaze reverted back to her book. It had been four rotations since their spar. Giving her plenty of time to think about how it felt to be held under the Mandalorian, how her heart threatened to jump out of her chest, how she smelled. Four rotations meant four nights she was stuck alone in her bunk feeling feelings Baylan forbade.
  
  "Soooo." Sabine tilted her head, curiously. "What do you want to do?"
  
  "I was planning on meditating soon." Shin said, flipping over another page. "Maybe you can show me what you"ve learned and join me."
  
  "Meditation? Ugh." She crossed her legs, gently tapping the ground with her fingers. "You"re so boring."
  
  Raising an eyebrow, she dropped her book on the table. "No wonder you have yet to gain control of your ability."
  
  Defiantly Sabine crossed her arms. "Sorry I have a life, blondie."
  
  Shin bit her lip, biting back a retort about how she does in fact have a life, but she knew Sabine wouldn"t fall for it. Jealously started to form in her belly, thinking about all the things Wren got to experience that she hadn"t. Silence fell over the room.
  
  "Tell you what." The Mandalorian added, almost sensing her discomfort. "If I try and meditate with you, will you put down your books and do something fun for a change?" Shin eyes her cautiously, not one known for making deals. "With me?" Round brown puppy eyes filled her vision, enticing the offer.
  
  She"d be dammed if she didn"t take it. "Fine." Having fun wasn"t something she did. Training was fun, completing a job was fun. Doing random things that waste time? Not fun. But there was something about the way Sabine asked that tugged her towards the purple haired girl"s direction. "What did you have in mind anyway?"
  
  Sabine looked at her smugly. "You"ll see." Great. Shin thought, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks. Randomly agreeing to things now are we now Shin?
  
  "Let"s get started then." The blonde announced, trying to find a way to distract herself from the way Wren was looking at her. "How do I move this table?"
  
  Nodding, Sabine got up and walked to a switch, flicking it down. "There."
  
  It sank into the floor slowly, clearing space for the two. Shin was the first to walk towards the center, sitting down and crossing her legs. "Come." She beckoned to Sabine, who followed suit in front of her.
  
  "Have you been able to connect properly yet?"
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but notice how straight Shin"s back was. Her posture was perfect. "Uh, no, can"t say I have..."
  
  "Ah." The blonde"s eyes studied her. "We can do it together then."
  
  "Together? Ahsoka never mentioned you could do it with someone."
  
  Shin opened her hands, resting them on her knees. "Figures. It"s unorthodox. Something my Master did to help me when I was still learning as a kid."
  
  "As a kid, ha." There was no way Shin was more than twenty-five. "You still are one, girl"
  
  "Maybe you"re just old." The blonde took a deep breath and closed her eyes, exhaling after a few seconds. "Take my hands."
  
  Sabine"s eyes widened. "Wait, really?" Did Shin just suggest she touch her? Physical? Willing?
  
  She opened one eye to glare at her. "I don"t remember stuttering Mandalorian."
  
  "So aggressive, sheesh." Sabine placed her hands into Shin"s. Her touch was warm, and what surprised her the most was just how soft her skin was.
  
  "Follow my lead." The blonde directed, taking another deep breath. "Focus on me and only me." That wouldn"t be hard, considering all Sabine could think about these last few days was her.
  
  "Then what?" Sabine asked, doing her best to mimic Shin"s breathing.
  
  "Once you"ve connected, focus on yourself." Closing her eyes, Sabine followed her instructions. Soon, their were breathing in sync, and she started to feel Shin"s intoxicating aura fill her senses.
  
  Sabine gripped her hands a little tighter, the aura coming to life in front of her. There was sadness, an overwhelming amount that seemed to want to punch Sabine onto the floor. Diving deeper, the sadness was replaced as a cold emptiness clawed away at belly. The power of each cut caused her heart to ache. The slashing soon faded and Sabine tried to refocus, only to find a haunting darkness creep up around the edges of the floor where Shin sat, opening a chasm beneath the ship, threating to swallow her. Yet a spark of light flickered in the depths of its core, settling her from falling into that darkness, righting her path.
  
  Then it occurred to her. Shin"s feelings were being reflected; in that visceral moment, that is what she felt. Her.
  
  Meditation wasn"t about feeling what you want, it was about allowing yourself to feel what you were. No wonder Shin"s notes made her look mentally ill; it was how she felt, it was the truth. Sabine been holding back on her own truths for so long; it was time to let go.
  
  Taking a very long breath, Sabine turned her focus inward, feeling a subtle but encouraging push from Shin"s side. Finally, with one last hike over the walls within her, she felt it all. The loneliness on Lothal, the same loneliness that drove her here to find Ezra, the same loneliness that caused all this. The light within, the darkness that fought with it, clashing together like waves on a shoreline. She felt her guilt, her happiness, she felt herself. No more blocking, no more subconscious denial, and it felt amazing.
  
  Blinking her eyes open, Sabine found the moody blonde staring back at her with those crystal blue pools gleaming with approval. A mix of pride and giddy excitement surged through her, and she bit her lip over a dazzling smile.
  
  "Nice work." Shin mumbled, a small blush creeping over her cheeks as her gaze lingered on Sabine. "You finally did it."
  
  "I still think you need a therapist." Sabine joked breathlessly, taken aback by how clean she felt. Everything in her body was in harmony maybe for the first time ever.
  
  Confusion rippled through the force, her feelings twisting together. Shin. The blonde hair killer with surprisingly soft hands had helped her overcome a hurtle not even her Master could. New feelings bubbled under her skin and silence settled around them, they two melting into each others gaze. Sabine cursed herself internally, finding herself lost in curiosity wondering what Shin"s dagger-like eyes would look like fluttering closed as she brought her closer-
  
  "I can feel you too, Wren. You can"t hide your feelings let alone your thoughts."
  
  Caught red-handed. "Oh yeah?" The Mandalorian"s eye brows raised questioningly. "What am I"thinking now?"
  
  Shin swallowed hard, feeling Sabine"s thumbs gently caress the palm of her hand as she egged her on. "I-" Shin could practically see the imagines in the Mando"s mind and her belly ignited like a blazing inferno. Her eyes darted to her lips, to her soft brown eyes, then back to her lips.
  
  "You"re proud." Shin finally managed to speak, exhaling deeply doing her best to suppress the heat growing between her thighs. Sabine"s laugh was light and airy, only increasing the fire burning within her.
  
  "Duh." Sabine"s eyes twinkled mischievously. "And you"re..." Shin wanted to hide, run, or push away, but she couldn"t bring herself to pull out of that gaze. "I rather not say."
  
  Shifting closer, she felt Wren"s hand creep up her ungloved hand. "I am losing my mind, clearly." Shin said, her mouth suddenly dry.
  
  Sabine matched her movements, and leaned closer. "You"re just now realizing that?"
  
  "Shut up." Shin"s mind buzzed as the gap between them closed. She could practically feel Sabine"s breath on her nose, making her head swim.
  
  "You"re lucky I left mine on Lothal, blondie" Her words came out hushed. All Sabine could think about was that striking face she saw staring back at her, filling her vision. She traced a hand up Shin"s arm and grabbed her gently, pulling her ever so close.
  
  Shin felt apprehension grip her, and her hands grew clammy. Nervousness tangled her belly into knots, a wonderful concoction of excitement and fear. Instinctively she closed her eyes, letting Sabine guide her as she relaxed into their touch. Her world whited out from the intoxicating aroma of-
  
  "Sabine! Do you come in?" Startled the Mandalorian whipped her head around, their noses making contact as she did so. "Sabine?!"
  
  Shin glared at the comm link on the table, letting herself fall back onto her rear. She had been so lost in the moment; she hadn"t even realized she was leaning up off the ground to get closer to Sabine, who by now had gotten up to answer her Master"s call. "Yes, we do, clam down."
  
  Angerly, Shin chewed the inside of her lip. Reveling in the sensations that grew from the heat in her belly. Her master would have been displeased, there was no doubt about that. But the more she thought about it, the less she cared. She"d lost herself driven by a magnetic pull that she still lingered in the air around them, and maybe that was okay.
  
  Taking a shaking breath, Shin turned her attention back on Sabine. "Good! We have spotted an active bandit camp a few hours out." Ahsoka"s voice came through the comm broken and scattered.
  
  "And?" Sabine replied tersely. It was then Shin realized her fist were balled, and her cheeks reflected the same twinge of red that undoubtedly painted her own face. "I was busy."
  
  "This is serious, Sabine. Who knows their intentions? Be on the lookout for any suspicious activity around camp that could signal an attack."
  
  "Gotcha. We will." Instantly, she turned off the comm groaning as she turned back to Shin. "I"m sorry, for that-my Master, I mean."
  
  Shin sighed. "It"s okay." Not really, but she was used to this. Anytime she"d ever gotten close to somebody, Baylan was always there watching or their jobs called them away. Even then, she"d do her best to follow her Master"s code, refraining from anything more than simple bonding.
  
  "No really," Sabine brought a hand to her head, massaging her temple. "Ugh." Agitated, she started to pace. "Anyways, can we like, never mind...."
  
  Blue eyes tracked her movements. "Is everything alright, Wren?" Admittedly, everything was not alight, even for Shin. The heat that had grown under skin may have cooled, but it remained, encouraging her more carnal thoughts.
  
  Stopping in her tracks, Sabine"s eyes lit up. "You know what? I have an idea." A flurry of rapid steps found the Mandalorian rush past the blonde who was still on the floor.
  
  "Hmm?" Shin cocked her head to get a better view of where she was going, getting up in the process.
  
  "If we are gonna be stuck here, we might as well leave our mark." Sabine elaborated aloud, walking towards the back of the ship. "Ahsoka might act all stoic, but there is zero chance she had the nerve to get rid of them."
  
  "Wren, I"m not following." Normally sharp, Shin"s mind was still hazy.
  
  "I kept some stuff in the ship, ya know for emergencies like when uptight evil-blondes are onboard." Kneeling down, Sabine pulled away at a maintenance hatch on the floor near Huyang"s work station. "Karabast, they haven"t opened this in ages. There we go!" She said triumphantly as it popped open and she slipped under the floor.
  
  Shin crouched, letting her arms rest on her knees. "If this is some kind of trick-"
  
  "Catch!" A large bag flew into Shin"s view. Her quick reaction time allowed her to catch it, but its weight threw her off balance.
  
  "Stars, how about a better warning next time dumbass?" Exploratory hands gripped the bag now cradled in her arms, feeling for any clues to what its contents were.
  
  "Don"t drop my paint!"
  
  "Paint." Shin huffed, setting the bag down. "We don"t need this."
  
  A purple hair head popped up from the hatch. "Hey now, you made a deal! You'd do something fun if I meditated with you, and I did."
  
  "If you want to be picky, technically I helped you." Shin shrugged. "But fair enough." Baylan did always tell her to stay true to her word. "So, what"s your plan pixie cut?"
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes bringing up a bottle of clear liquid, it"s labeled scribbled with Mando"a. "We are going for a walk."
  
  Notes:
  Who knew Masters were so good at cockblocking?
  
  let the light in
  wakesiren
  Summary:
  As a favour, Sabine offers to do some light investigative work for Hera and Ahsoka. She might live to regret it.
  
  Notes:
  this is a coproduction between me and my gf she just doesn't have ao3 so i'm posting it (butch burdens). i promise this started as porn with plot but now its plot with porn on the horizon we just got distracted by worldbuilding hera and ahsoka's divorce arc.
  
  (See the end of the work for more notes.)
  
  Chapter 1: i can handle it
  Chapter Text
  Sabine has been sitting at the bar for nearly an hour by the time she finishes her drink. She isn"t usually one for nursing a rum and coke, she"s more of a swigger (in her teen years, a chugger) but Ahsoka told her not to get drunk on the job and Sabine is only as stubborn as is legally required. She swirls the ice cubes slowly around the bottom of her glass, the clinking barely audible over pulsing, thrumming music, and swivels slowly on her barstool.
  
  God, this is so boring. Sabine gets Ahsoka looks like a narc and Hera can"t be seen anywhere that might implicate her, but does that mean she has to spend her Saturday night being the world"s shittiest spy in the world"s most suspicious club? No one appears to be meeting anyone anywhere, the shadiest deals that are currently occurring are limited to the guy with the buzzed head selling coke in one of the back booths, and she"s had to piss for the last half hour.
  
  She extracts her phone from her pocket and flicks through the texts from Ahsoka for the fourth time, scanning eleven texts that easily could have been combined into two, and huffs. How in god"s name is she meant to confirm that Skoll and Elsbeth and Thrawn are meeting if she can"t get drunk and skulk around? It"s early enough in Hera"s investigation that Sabine can"t actually go creeping in any back rooms without drawing far too much attention to herself, so she has to what? Listen really hard? The club music is playing far too loudly for that strategy to do her any good.
  
  Sabine huffs another sigh and pushes her empty glass across the bar, slipping off the barstool and aiming for the entrance to the hallway she"s seen at least a dozen girls meander towards after handing Buzz-Cut a fifty. It"s quieter here, the music reduced to a bass she can feel through her boots and conversation absorbed by cinder block walls, and Sabine is halfway to the bathroom when a low baritone distracts her from the increasing urge to piss. God fucking dammit. Of course she starts getting somewhere with her shitty espionage right when the liquor hits her bladder.
  
  Two people are standing past the door to the restroom, at least halfway down the hall, and Sabine stops dead in her tracks despite her bladder"s pleas and pretends to be distracted by something on her phone as she inches closer. Baylan fucking Skoll, acting as inconspicuous as a man the size and shape of a water buffalo can, is standing in front of the door to what"s either a broom closet or a back office, resting one hand on the shoulder of a spindly girl with white hair and delivering what"s either a lecture or a eulogy. Sabine has seen pictures of Baylan before, but this girl is new, and she looks like she"s about to either burst into tears or stomp her foot.
  
  "Don"t fight me on this, Shin. You know Morgan likes her privacy." Skoll is saying, his hand bracketing the girl"s (Shin? That"s not a name) shoulder tightly as he looks at her. Shin looks incredibly annoyed with this, she doesn"t answer him but her hands are flexing at her sides and her strong jaw is clenched so hard Sabine can see the vein throbbing in her neck even in the dim light. Skoll lifts an eyebrow to her silence; neither of them have appeared to notice that Sabine is there, and Sabine takes another tentative step closer as Shin"s long fingers curl into fists.
  
  "And stop pouting. You"re not a child anymore." Skoll releases Shin"s shoulder, brushing the front of his crisp grey button-down off as if lecturing Shin has gotten him dusty, and Shin"s jaw unclenches minutely.
  
  "I wasn"t pouting." Shin says, even though she absolutely was. She has a faint accent, though whether she"s European or it"s an annoying affectation like Morgan Elsbeth"s is anyone"s guess, and Baylan gives her a stern look before he opens the door and leaves her outside. Shin looks like she"s about to kick the wall in front of her, her pale eyes darting around as if they"re searching for a target, and Sabine ducks into the women"s restroom before Shin decides to take out her frustrations on a set of kneecaps rather than cement.
  
  By the time Sabine has returned to her barstool and ordered another drink (hold the rum), she"s received a text from Ahsoka. How"s it going? Full capitals and punctuation. Jesus H. Christ. It"s any wonder she doesn"t sign her messages with her legal name. Sabine texts back a thumbs-up and stirs her coke, doing her best to keep her mind from wandering. She"d snuck a glance at Shin as she"d left the bathroom, trying not to let her notice that she was being watched, but based on the look in her eyes, Sabine is fairly certain she wouldn"t have clued in unless there was a set of binoculars in her face.
  
  An hour passes. Sabine keeps track of the time by tearing a napkin to shreds and flicking a paper ball onto the floor at each ten-minute interval, which is certainly not endearing her to the bartender, but as she"s about to toss her eleventh spitball, Skoll emerges from the back hallway with Shin in tow. He"s a horrendously intimidating presence, the entire club seems to shirk away from him, and Sabine can be forgiven for staring only because everyone else is too. Sabine can"t hear what he"s saying to Shin from this far away (despite Ahsoka"s attempts to teach her how, her lip reading is shit) but based solely on his hand gestures, he appears to be either telling Shin to go home or that she"s grounded.
  
  Skoll walks back into the hallway, the club"s patrons all seeming to exhale at once, and Shin does leave, passing Sabine without glancing at her, stepping as if she"s trying to stab the floor with the short heel of her boot, and she vanishes out the back entrance. Sabine parked her bike out there, and for a moment she"s mildly concerned that Shin might slash her tires for fun. Probably not, though. Hopefully.
  
  If Ahsoka were here, she"d be telling Sabine to go into the back and try to get some information by listening through the door. No guard dog means Sabine would probably get away with it, and Hera would be pleased. If Hera were here, she"d be telling Sabine to leave and text her a meeting confirmation so she could start with the next stage of her investigation without implicating herself in any way. Sabine does neither. Sabine counts to sixty three times, slaps a twenty-dollar bill on the bar, and follows Shin out the door.
  
  Cold air hits her in a rush and Sabine is suddenly grateful for her jacket, wind ruffling her hair as the large door swings shut behind her. She"s not sure what she expected to find out here, besides her bike, but Shin is leaning against the brick wall a few feet from the door, taking the first puff of a cigarette as she drops a thin orange lighter back into the pocket of her coat. Everything she"s wearing is grey; grey pants and a grey button-down that matches Skoll"s, a grey vest beneath a grey overcoat, it makes her hair look even whiter, and she doesn"t seem to notice Sabine is there as she blows smoke out of her nose.
  
  "Who was that, your dad or something?" Sabine says before she can stop herself, propping herself as casually as possible against the wall near Shin. She keeps just enough distance to be respectful, a skill carefully honed over the years, and Shin ignores her. Her eyes dart over for a fraction of a second and then she returns to staring into space, taking a long drag of her cigarette and flicking ash onto the pavement. Sabine watches her cheeks hollow, the high points of each cheekbone exposed as she sucks at the end of her cig, and then watches smoke dance across full pink lips as she exhales slowly.
  
  "It"s kinda weird, going clubbing with your dad." Sabine really should shut up. Anyone would advise her to shut up right now, but something about Shin makes her want to start blathering. It is kinda weird to go clubbing with your dad. If Sabine had to go clubbing with Ahsoka she"d probably puke. Even the thought makes her shudder. Except they weren"t actually clubbing. Shit. Right. Sabine is supposed to be playing spies. She should be trying to coax a teensy bit of information out of Shin so that she can go tell Ahsoka her stupid-ass reconnaissance mission wasn"t entirely unsuccessful.
  
  "I guess." Shin lifts one shoulder in half a shrug, still not looking over at Sabine. European instead of annoying, if Sabine had to put money on it. Skoll is British. Maybe he knocked up a weird Slavic woman and ended up with a weird Slavic baby. Sabine waits, as if Shin will say more if she doesn"t speak, but Shin just takes another puff and taps more ash from the end of her cigarette. Sabine folds her arms over her chest, tucking her hands into her armpits in a vain attempt to keep her fingers warm, and glances around the back alley. Next to a dumpster people probably piss on is a bad place for a meet-cute, but there weren"t a lot of options.
  
  "You don"t talk much, huh?" Sabine continues, resting the sole of one boot against the wall extremely casually and nonchalantly. Shin, shocking no one, remains silent. Sabine can see a few birthmarks scattered across the left side of her face as she smokes, one below her eye and another just below her lip, several dotting her cheek and jaw. They"re oddly enticing. She didn"t know birthmarks could be enticing. Sabine rolls her eyes when Shin doesn"t answer, the sort of drama-queen eye roll that makes Ahsoka give her The Look, but Shin doesn"t seem to notice or care. "Fine by me. People say I talk too much."
  
  "I wonder why." Shin runs her tongue over her teeth, looking at Sabine out of the corner of her eye, and Sabine fights the urge to smile. There"s no humour in Shin"s voice, at this point Sabine would be surprised if Shin knew what a joke actually was, but that could be chalked up to being raised by Baylan Skoll. Shit, Sabine would be pretty humourless if that fucker was her dad. That would be a goddamn shame, though. She"s hilarious.
  
  "Name"s Sabine." Sabine says, and immediately cusses herself out in her head for not thinking up a fake one on the fly. Ahsoka told her to think of one just in case, but Sabine rolled her eyes and ignored that advice. Bad call. She should be fine. If Shin doesn"t get to eat at the grown up"s table, it"s extremely unlikely she knows the name Sabine Wren.
  
  "I didn"t ask."
  
  "Harsh. Can I at least bum a cigarette?"
  
  "No." Shin blows a small, tight ring that lingers in the air for a moment before dissolving. Sabine doesn"t smoke (cigarettes, that is) but she could have faked it. In her experience, people were more likely to loosen up and start chatting if you split a beer or a cig or a meal, but based solely on what she currently knows about Shin, loosening up would only be possible with a heavy dose of Valium and possibly a good fuck. Sabine rolls her eyes again, deeper this time, and when she does she swears the faintest hint of a smile tugs at the corner of that pretty mouth as she opens it again. "Shin."
  
  Sabine nods, as if she didn"t know that already, and they lapse back into silence. Not a bad kind of silence, but silence all the same; the only sound is the faintest strings of club music leaking through the brick wall and the slight crackle of flame every time Shin takes a long drag off her cigarette. Sabine should be prodding more, trying to crack Shin"s shell and get even a little bit of information out of her, but instead she"s watching a pair of thin fingers with a cigarette balanced between them and studying the elegant point of a small, straight nose.
  
  "Is that your bike?" Shin says, jerking her chin at Sabine"s motorcycle. It looks a bit ridiculous in the dingy alley, too polished and clean and yellow, the sort of bike that would probably get her pegged as a rat if anyone who saw it knew a thing about motorcycles, but Sabine was banking on the attendees of this evil guy meeting not knowing jack shit about a bike. She appears to be right.
  
  "Yeah. Do you ride?" Probably not, Shin seems like she either doesn"t drive or has some sort of ridiculous sports car that costs more than Hera makes in a year, but Sabine has to admit that the idea of Shin straddling some gleaming leather and chrome is incredibly appealing. Shin rakes her gaze over Sabine"s bike, eyes like two chips of ice, and then she crosses her arms over her chest and brings her cigarette back up to her mouth.
  
  "No. What"s with the stickers?" Shin sucks her teeth. Sabine follows her nod to the drawings all over the body of her motorcycle as if she didn"t put them there, some cats and birds and the occasional lizard crawling across the polished yellow-and-purple surface of her bike, and looks back at Shin. Ahsoka and Hera both think the bike is far too conspicuous, but Ezra likes it, and Jacen likes it, and Chopper had given it a sniff and an approving huff, which was good enough for her.
  
  "You don"t like them?" Sabine asks and Shin exhales smoke, her lip curling slightly as she shakes her head. Her hair moves with her, a thick white curtain that barely skims her shoulders, and Sabine"s hand is halfway up to tuck it behind her ear before she can stop herself. She plays it off effortlessly, which is to say she nearly slaps herself in the face and prays that Shin either didn"t notice or already thinks she"s fucking weird.
  
  "Not really. I don"t watch cartoons."
  
  "They"re not cartoons. I designed them."
  
  "Hm." Shin tilts her head, as if the lizard will look better from a different angle, and Sabine rolls her eyes.
  
  "Alright, fuck. Hard to impress, I get it, princess."
  
  Shin bristles at this, visibly, as if Sabine calling her princess has gotten under her skin, and Sabine is relishing in her (admittedly miniscule) victory when her phone buzzes in the front pocket of her pants. She has four missed texts from Ahsoka, which is honestly better than she"s anticipated, and Sabine unlocks the screen and skims the messages quickly.
  
  A: A thumbs up is not an answer
  A: ??
  A: Sabine.
  A: Now Hera is calling me because she thinks you"re dead.
  
  Sabine rolls her eyes again. She has half a mind to ask Shin if Skoll bombards her with texts whenever she doesn"t answer within ten minutes, but then she remembers the grip he had on her shoulder, the chastising tone he"d used, the way he"d dismissed her like she was nothing, and thinks better of it. Shin is doing a decent job at pretending she isn"t peering at Sabine"s phone, the only indication that she"s snooping is the occasional flick of her eyes towards the screen, and Sabine tilts her phone away before she answers.
  
  S: plan has changed tell you later
  S: call hera back
  S: ;))
  
  "Did your dad give you his keys at least?" Sabine asks, turning her phone off and slipping it back into her pocket. Somehow she doubts it. Shin"s jaw clenches for a moment, the same clench as she"d had when Skoll gripped her shoulder, and then it"s gone as quickly as it appeared. Sabine is beginning to regret mentioning Skoll at all, it"s clearly a sore subject, but Shin"s face relaxes just slightly and she shakes her head.
  
  "No." Shin grinds her cigarette out against the wall, the last dregs of smoke escaping her lips as she speaks, and Sabine fist-pumps silently. She crosses over to her bike, unlocking and prying open the topbox, and grabs the spare helmet Ezra has insisted she keep in there despite the fact that she has other shit to haul around. At least he"s stopped trying to convince her to attach a sidecar like they"re fucking circus freaks.
  
  "Catch." Sabine tosses her the helmet. Shin drops her cigarette butt and catches the helmet in one motion, which looks very cool and makes Sabine suddenly regret giving Shin an opportunity to upstage her in terms of looking cool. First the cigarette and now this? Shit, Sabine is going to have to start carrying a knife or something. Shin holds the helmet gingerly, as if it might infect her, but Ezra hasn"t had a communicable disease since he spent a year abroad looking at sea turtles and came back with several new scars and a case of thrush that didn"t clear up for a good three months.
  
  "Are you kidnapping me?" Shin asks, and Sabine raises a brow. Shin hadn"t sounded particularly angry about the prospect of being kidnapped, like she was used to the threat of abduction or like she wouldn"t mind so much if Sabine did decide to kidnap her. For her ego"s sake, Sabine decides to go with the latter, though if she"s Baylan Skoll"s daughter, kidnapping is probably a regularly scheduled affair.
  
  "Would you like me to kidnap you?" Sabine straddles her bike, pushing herself forward enough to make room for Shin on the back, and tugs her own helmet on. She"s also fairly certain it"s not kidnapping if the victim is in her early twenties at the absolute youngest, but Sabine would have to ask Hera about the specifics and if she asks Hera about the specifics of what counts as kidnapping under the law, she"s going to get herself grounded for months.
  
  "I"ll think about it." Shin puts the helmet on. It pushes her bangs into her eyes and leaves a ruff of white hair around the back of her neck, but the overall effect once she pushes the visor down is a very good one, one that makes Sabine wonder what she"d look like in nothing but a motorcycle helmet, which immediately makes Sabine have to physically shake her head to clear that image from her brain.
  
  Shin swings her leg over the back of the bike. This close, she smells of cigarettes and soap and something herbal, a combination far more enticing than it sounds, and her long, slim hands hover awkwardly over Sabine"s hips before Sabine takes them and secures them around her waist. Her skin is cool and unyielding, all hard muscle and a faint dappling of scars, and Shin"s biceps press into Sabine"s ribs a bit harder than necessary.
  
  "Where to?" Sabine asks, a bit belatedly, but Shin leans forwards and whispers directions in her ear, so it"s worth it. Shin"s breath leaves goosebumps in its wake, her low voice making a shiver run down Sabine"s spine, and the press of her pointy little chin in Sabine"s shoulder combined with the fact that her thighs are bracketing Sabine"s own nearly makes her tip the bike over.
  
  Sabine flips her visor down and cranks the throttle, the answering purr beneath both their bodies earning a startled noise from Shin, and they speed out of the alley and onto the street without another word. The roads are quiet, making the roar of Sabine"s bike even more obnoxious, but they pass through far too quickly for any irritated old people to come out and shake their fists. Sabine steers them through several neighbourhoods and nearly runs several red lights, both times Shin"s arms tighten involuntarily around her waist, and it makes Sabine want to actually run one just to see what Shin would do.
  
  Unfortunately, most of Sabine"s brain power is being dedicated to focusing on the road instead of on the fact that Shin"s chest is pressed into her back and the fact that Shin"s thighs are spread wide and pressed into her ass and clenching against her hips every time they take a turn too hard. It means not a lot of her brain power has been allotted for remembering the route they"re taking in case Ahsoka or Hera think it"s useful information, and she tries to remember at least the vaguest direction just in case.
  
  Shin gives her thigh a sharp tap when they reach a block lined with nothing but concrete apartment buildings, two cold fingers pressing into Sabine"s leg hard enough to bruise, and Sabine pulls over in front of a crumbling brutalist complex that she seriously doubts Shin actually lives in. As soon as Sabine has parked, Shin slips off the bike, the loss of her body against Sabine"s back a strange sort of disappointment, and she tugs the helmet off neatly and tucks it beneath one arm. Her bangs are flat against her forehead, pasted there with sweat, and Sabine snorts a laugh into her own helmet before she flips the visor up off her face.
  
  "Do you live here?" Sabine asks, peering up at the building. Probably not. Skoll doesn"t seem like the type to put his daughter up in a shithole, especially in this part of town, and Shin runs her hand over her brow and ruffles her bangs back up. She looks harsh in the thin light of the moon, it catches on her nose and her jaw and her chin and turns her face into a series of hard lines and severe points. Sabine kinda likes it, in a way she"s not sure she could put into words, it makes her want to cup Shin"s cheek in one hand and slice her palm open on the razor"s edge of her jaw just to see if Shin would lap the blood from the cut.
  
  "You ask a lot of questions." Shin rocks back on her heels, hair swaying in the gust of wind that makes them both shiver. It"s too cold to linger outside, really, the sort of cold that has Sabine"s urge to give Shin her jacket rising, and Sabine kills the ignition so that she can hear Shin over the thrum of the engine. She doesn"t speak loudly, just like her dad, they both command the sort of quiet power that means they don"t need to raise their voices. Ahsoka has the same thing, Hera too, but Sabine has to yell to be taken seriously most of the time.
  
  "And you"ve barely answered a single one."
  
  "Thanks for the ride, Sabine." Shin tosses the helmet back, her tongue wrapping around Sabine"s name so prettily it hurts, and Sabine catches it in midair and lets it dangle from the handlebar for now. Shin is smoothing out her clothes, brushing imaginary dust from her shirt and straightening her vest, each movement of her long fingers over fabric making Sabine"s mind run wild.
  
  "Wow, at least you remembered my name. Way to make a lady feel special." Sabine lets her mouth curl into a half-smile, just enough to make Shin lift an eyebrow, and Shin lets her arms fall to her sides and tucks one halfway into her pocket. She studies Sabine"s face for a moment, wide blue eyes searching for something (what, Sabine isn"t sure, but she feels oddly like blushing) and then falling to Sabine"s mouth for a fraction of a second before her gaze returns to Sabine"s own.
  
  "Don"t kid yourself." Shin says, and then she turns around and strolls off into the dark. Sabine watches her. Shin is infinitely watchable, her hair visible amid the darkness of the night long after the rest of her body has faded from view, and it"s only when the last shreds of that sleek white bob vanish that Sabine remembers she"s parked in a fire zone.
  
  
  
  By the time Sabine gets home, she"s ravenous for something more than food, but leftover pizza will have to do. She finds Ahsoka"s number in her contacts and puts her phone on speaker as she shrugs out of her jacket and kicks off her boots, leaving them where they drop on the floor and opening the fridge. It takes three rings for Ahsoka to answer, during which time Sabine has stacked four slices of cold pepperoni on a woefully overestimated napkin and hip-checked the fridge closed hard enough that the bottles in the door rattle.
  
  "I was starting to think you"d never call." Ahsoka says, voice slightly tinny through Sabine"s phone speaker. Sabine pulls a face even though Ahsoka can"t see her, tucking a room-temperature beer under her arm and snagging her phone from the counter as she walks into the living room.
  
  "I told you, there was a change of plans," Sabine takes a gigantic bite out of the topmost slice, dropping her beer and phone onto the cleanest chunk of coffee table and flopping onto her couch. Murley blinks at her from the top of the insanely elaborate cat tower Ezra had painstakingly built for him, his tail flicking lazily, and Sabine tears off a little piece of crust and feeds it to him as she keeps talking to Ahsoka with her mouth full. "Small adjustment. It"s no big deal."
  
  "As in my definition of no big deal, or your own?" Ahsoka sounds annoyed, probably because Hera is leading her on for this weird scheme and then not following through, and Sabine bites into her pizza again as Murley takes his prize back to the tower and begins to gnaw on the hunk of bread noisily. She wonders if Shin likes cats. Unlikely. She seems like she barely tolerates other people.
  
  "Uhh. Yeah."
  
  "Sabine-"
  
  "Don"t use your Hera voice. I"m fine, alright?" Sabine rolls her eyes at Murley, who gives her an obliging meow in return. At least he supports her. Ahsoka sucks her teeth so loudly Sabine can hear it through the phone, which means she"s really pissed, which means Sabine should probably stop talking with her mouth full before Ahsoka comes over and starts nagging her about table manners even though she"s eating on the couch.
  
  "Did you at least gather some useful information?" Ahsoka asks. Sabine finishes her slice before answering, chewing as thoughtfully as she can when most of her thoughts are occupied by a head of white-blonde hair and the press of shockingly muscular thighs against her own and the smell of cigarettes and soap and what Sabine is fairly certain is lavender. Useful information. Hmm.
  
  "Don"t know if it"s what you"d consider useful, but Skoll and that bug-eyed guard dog of his are meeting with Morgan, probably meeting with Thrawn, and they"re all definitely involved in more than petty crime." Sabine feels only partially bad for calling Shin a bug-eyed guard dog, and that partially is exclusively because that"s what Sabine is beginning to like about her. Murley"s ears twitch at the mention of the word dog, he looks up from the piece of crust with alarm, and Sabine feeds him another little hunk with some cheese on it to get his fur to go back down.
  
  "Well, the last part was obvious. The confirmation helps, though." Ahsoka sounds a bit less annoyed at this. Only a bit, though. Certainly not enough for Sabine to start ribbing her about Hera yet. She hadn"t seen Thrawn in there, though Skoll had name-dropped Morgan, and she assumes that where Thrawn goes, Morgan follows. What they want with Skoll is anyone"s guess, probably Shin"s too, if the way Skoll had spoken to her was any indication.
  
  "Her name is Shin, by the way. Not short for anything I could figure out. I don"t know what Shin would be short for, though. Shinberly?" Sabine rips off another hunk of pizza with her teeth and chews. If Ahsoka laughs at her joke, Sabine doesn"t hear it, but if Ezra was here he"d be losing his shit. Jacen probably would be, too, but Jacen just laughs at everything Sabine says if she says it in a funny voice.
  
  "No last name?" Ahsoka sounds like she"s grinding her teeth, probably due to Sabine"s less-than-stellar investigative work, but you get what you pay for and Ahsoka didn"t even give her a twenty for gas. Sabine is tempted to say that her last name is Skoll, but Shin Skoll sounds like an anime character and Sabine doesn"t think she would have Baylan"s last name.
  
  "I didn"t ask. She"s weird, though. Kinda hot, but really weird." Sabine shrugs even though Ahsoka can"t see her, and she swears Ahsoka is rolling her eyes. Sabine has a sixth sense about this kind of stuff, probably due to years and years of experience with Ahsoka"s eye-rolls, especially when said eye-rolls are due to Sabine seeing a pretty girl and tripping over her own feet. Sabine"s never met anyone like Shin before, though. No pretty girl has ever drawn her in this fast.
  
  "Any idea where they"ll meet next?"
  
  "Nope. I did drive her home, but I don"t think she lives in the shit apartment complex she gave me directions to."
  
  "Probably not. I"m glad you"re safe, Sabine." Ahsoka says, strangely gently, and Sabine finishes her third slice of pizza and flicks another piece to Murley. Safe? She"s thirty years old. They"d have a bigger issue if she wasn"t safe performing minor acts of espionage that don"t seem to be going anywhere. "I know this is dangerous, but I trust you to handle yourself - Hera does, too."
  
  It"s Sabine who rolls her eyes this time. Hera doesn"t trust Sabine with anything. She lets her fucking dog babysit Jacen but texts every fifteen minutes whenever Jacen and Sabine are alone together. It"s more likely that Hera said something about trust, then touched Ahsoka"s arm, and Ahsoka stopped listening entirely. "Yeah, yeah. Hey, speaking of Hera-"
  
  "Sabine." Ahsoka warns, and Sabine snorts. It"s not like it"s her fault Ahsoka and Hera have been divorced for longer than they were together and Ahsoka is still pining after Hera. It"s absolutely not her fault that Ahsoka hasn"t dated anyone in a good fifteen years. It"s definitely, absolutely, positively not her fault that Ahsoka looks at Hera like she hung the moon in the sky and Hera looks at Ahsoka like she"s really pissing her off.
  
  "What? You don"t even know what I was gonna say." It was going to be something very rude, but Ahsoka can"t know that for sure. She might teach classes on the Jedi Order, but that doesn"t mean she can actually read thoughts or do mind tricks. If she could, Sabine wouldn"t have lived to see fifteen, let alone thirty. All she does is lecture a lot and make her TA, Huyang, mark the papers her students turn in late.
  
  "Trust me, I know what you were going to say."
  
  "I"m just trying to help you out!"
  
  "No, you"re getting in my business."
  
  "Fine, I'll stay out of it. Where is she with this whole thing, though?" Sabine, notorious for getting in Ahsoka"s business, takes another gigantic bite of pizza and waits for Ahsoka to be snarky in her response. Ahsoka is silent. She isn"t often silent. Usually this would be when Ahsoka would launch into a monologue of some description and Sabine would start thinking about what she was going to eat for breakfast. "Ahsoka."
  
  "A local council member was murdered last week. They finally managed to tie it to Skoll as a hit job, and Hera said she has reason to suspect another hit is coming up." Ahsoka says finally, and Sabine nearly chokes on her pepperoni. Jesus fucking Christ. Hera should not be getting her involved in murder! Hera should not be getting her involved in anything, but especially not murder!
  
  "Hey, hey, hold on. You said Hera suspected money laundering, you did not say murder." Sabine pushes herself to her feet, though she isn"t quite sure as to why, considering she"s alone in her apartment and even standing she"s barely five foot five. Money laundering investigations are the sort of thing Hera does, Sabine knows this, though she isn"t entirely certain what Hera actually does, she knows it"s not murder investigations.
  
  "I know. You can tap out whenever you want, Sabine, no one would blame you." Ahsoka sounds tired. She always sounds tired, but she sounds especially tired of this. Maybe she"s tired of Sabine herself.
  
  Sabine couldn"t exactly blame her. She"s thirty years old and she paints murals for a living and she spends most of her time smoking Ezra"s weed and hooking up with random girls from Tinder with names like Jessica and Rachel. She"s not doing anything. Hera is out there saving the fucking world (okay, the city, but still) and Sabine is eating cold pizza in her underwear. Even Shin is doing things, and Shin...is Shin. If she backs out now, she probably won"t see Shin ever again, and for some god-forsaken reason, Sabine is beginning to find that unacceptable.
  
  "No." Sabine says, sitting back down on the couch and bringing her phone up to her mouth. Ahsoka starts to say something, but Sabine cuts her off, suddenly afraid that if she doesn"t speak now she never will. "No. I can handle it."
  
  Chapter 2: sweet bourbon and orange zest
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  It"s goddamn bright outside. So sunny Sabine is beginning to regret brushing Ahsoka"s offer of sunglasses off, so sunny she"s been squinting so hard her head is starting to hurt, so sunny that beads of sweat have begun to trickle down her spine that have nothing to do with the fact that she"s about to encounter Baylan Skoll. It should not be this sunny at seven pm, even though the sun is sinking slowly behind the buildings, and Sabine lifts a hand to her eyes and peers across the street as inconspicuous as she can manage.
  
  She wishes she smoked. A cigarette on a park bench is far less suspicious than just sitting on one, right now she just feels like a narc, and Sabine uncrosses and recrosses her legs and taps her fingers across her knee impatiently. She"s starting to wish that this comptroller would just turn up dead already. The apartment building he lives in is made of glass and steel that keeps reflecting the rapidly-setting sun directly into Sabine"s eyeballs, nearly blinding her every time she gives the lobby doors a casual glance, and the fact that Hera couldn"t just do this herself is pissing Sabine the fuck off even though she knows, reasonably, Hera could never do this herself.
  
  No Skoll, though. Not yet, at least. He"s easy enough to spot, being gigantic, and Sabine has yet to see any skyscraper-shaped men come or go from the lobby. Sabine huffs a sigh, tipping her head back to stare up at the purpling sky, and when she straightens up again a head of white hair nearly makes her jump off the bench. Shit. Not Skoll. Not Skoll at all. What the fuck is Shin doing here? She"s turned the corner and begun to stomp down the sidewalk as if it"s pissed her off personally, in a grey turtleneck and black pants that make her look even paler, so focused she nearly slams into at least two businessmen and gives them such withering looks that the rest of the pedestrians practically jump out of her way.
  
  Sabine yanks her phone out of her pocket and fires off a text to Hera as she gets to her feet, trying to find the right emojis (💀👎 🐶👍) that will still get her point across without wasting valuable time on typing. She crosses the street without looking and keeps her gaze on her phone, thumbs dancing across nothing in particular even as she angles herself into Shin"s path, thumbs still dancing as she runs headlong into Shin and nearly cracks their skulls together.
  
  "Shit." Sabine says, a bit too loudly, reaching for Shin"s elbow. Shin yanks her arm away, righting herself with the sort of disgruntled expression usually reserved for scraping gum off shoes, and then her eyes catch Sabine"s and widen just so. Okay. Sabine can do this. She can impress Hera, probably, with her expert espionage tactics. "Hey. Hey, you"re Shin, right? Fancy meeting you here."
  
  Shin looks like Sabine has disturbed something horrendously important, which Sabine supposes she had, but she doesn"t move, just looks Sabine up and down and then lets her eyes dart to the lobby doors behind them. Sabine gives her a charming grin, one she doesn"t really have to fake, and positions herself so she"s blocking the entrance to the building while still looking casual enough to let Shin believe this was an actual accident.
  
  "I"m surprised you remembered. What are you doing here?" Shin tucks her hands into her pockets, her jaw clenched so tight she looks as if she"s going to crack a tooth, and Sabine shrugs in return. Waiting for your dad to murder a local politician doesn"t seem like an answer Shin would appreciate. Time to pivot.
  
  "Oh, I was going out with a friend, but I got stood up."
  
  "That"s too bad."
  
  "What about you?" Sabine asks. Shin is looking over her shoulder at the lobby door, looking for all the world like she"s doing algebra in her head, but when Sabine steps closer and tilts her head to one side with an easy smile, Shin"s eyes snap back to hers and stay there.
  
  "Similar situation." Shin studies Sabine carefully from beneath dark, furrowed brows, her lips pursed slightly as she examines Sabine"s face far too intensely for the middle of a public sidewalk. Shin is a bit taller than Sabine, just enough that it"s annoying, just enough that Sabine would have to tip her face slightly upwards for their lips to meet, and that absolutely isn"t something she should be thinking about right now. "I was going to visit a friend, but they don"t seem to be home."
  
  Sabine nods thoughtfully as she rifles through her brain trying to find something to distract her with. Not forever. Just enough to sabotage whatever mission this is, though how much of a mission assassinating a city comptroller is can be up for debate another time. She also absolutely doesn"t believe that Shin has friends, but again, another time.
  
  "You know, you still owe me for that ride home." Sabine says after a moment, letting the corner of her mouth twitch upwards. Shin lifts a brow at that, her shoulders relaxing minutely beneath the black suit jacket she"s wearing over that grey turtleneck, and Sabine nods back down at the corner Shin had just come around. "How about you let me buy you a drink and we call it square?"
  
  They end up in a shitty bar that Sabine has spent far too many nights playing pool in, the sort of dive that she and Ezra used to frequent in their college years, perched on adjacent stools at the end of the bar. Shin looks wildly out of place, she"s way too overdressed for somewhere that takes quarters in the jukebox and has Bud Light on tap, but Sabine sort of likes having her somewhere out of her comfort zone.
  
  Shin orders an old fashioned and sparks a cigarette before she gets it, the lighter"s flame dancing across her face and illuminating the deep cupid"s bow of her upper lip. It"s far too distracting, so Sabine stirs her rum and coke again instead of imagining what Shin"s mouth would taste like against her own. Cigarettes, probably, if they kissed right now. She doesn"t seem like the type to drink anything unless it"s top-shelf, but this place has one shelf, and the bourbon in her cocktail glass is likely Jim Beam that"s been collecting dust since before Shin was born.
  
  Quiet eighties music is playing from the jukebox, something Hera probably listened to in her youth, and every time Sabine lets her fingers graze Shin"s knee her face turns pink and every sip of her drink has Sabine getting bolder and bolder with where those knuckles brush. It feels like a date. An actual date. Sabine isn"t much of a dater, she"s more of a "u up?"-er but despite the outside circumstances, this is probably the best one she"s ever been on.
  
  "But what do you actually do?" Sabine asks, resting her elbow on the sticky bar and propping her cheek in her hand. Shin, who"s on her second cigarette and second drink, rolls her eyes, flicking ash into the novelty tray that"s so yellowed with age it"s impossible to tell what colour it was originally. The two spots of pink high on her cheeks are growing steadily pinker with every sip and every sweep of Sabine"s fingertips over her knee, making her eyes even bluer and her hair even whiter, and she takes a long drag of her cigarette before she answers.
  
  "I told you already. I freelance." Shin blows a thin stream of smoke at the ceiling and sets her cigarette down, replacing it in her hand with the condensation-covered rocks glass. She"s taken her coat off, likely because she"s been alternating cigarettes and sips of bourbon for the past hour and the bar is getting hot, and the turtleneck beneath is clinging to her so tightly that Sabine can practically see her heartbeat beneath the thin grey wool.
  
  "Well, that"s not very specific." Sabine takes a sip of her drink through the needle-thin straw, swirling cold liquor and soda around her mouth, and Shin sips her own drink and leaves her lips shiny and wet. It"s horrendously distracting; her mouth is all glossy pink and gleaming in the dim lights from the jukebox, practically demanding that Sabine have a taste. Her eyes keep darting down to Shin"s mouth in a way that she"s certain Shin has noticed, though she hasn"t said anything, and Shin uses the curl of orange peel to stir her drink before she speaks again.
  
  "Do I owe you specifics?" Shin cocks a brow, trading her glass for her cigarette again, and this time Sabine snags it from her and takes a drag before she can protest. The filter tastes of sugary bourbon and something else that Sabine wants to bottle, something distinctly Shin-flavoured, and Sabine passes the cigarette back as she fights the urge to cough at the feeling of nicotine sinking into her lungs. She smokes too much weed with Ezra for a single drag off a cig to be killing her.
  
  "That drink was fourteen dollars and you"ve had two. I think you owe me several specifics."
  
  "Hm. Buy me another and I"ll consider it." Shin gives Sabine a very small, very sly smile, the very corner of her mouth twitching up, and Sabine nearly topples off her stool. This is the first time Shin has smiled at her and it"s enough to make her light-headed, though that could be the rum and coke. She takes a drink to steady herself, tucking an ice cube into her cheek for the sharp cold sting against the fragile skin inside her mouth, and the eye contact they make over the rim of Shin"s glass makes Sabine crunch down on the ice and press a shard into her tongue. "My turn."
  
  "Hit me." Sabine swallows the ice once it"s melted down to next to nothing, the bite of it making her throat ache, and the look Shin gives her turns that ache into a burn all the way down. Shin ashes again, her short nails flicking at the cigarette deftly, and she leaves it dangling between two fingers as she surveys Sabine with that same barely-there smile.
  
  "Starving artist?" It"s more of a declaration than a question, as most of Shin"s questions tend to be, and Sabine snorts a laugh. Freelance murderer and starving artist. What a pair. A pair that shouldn"t be a pair, actually. A pair that"s only a pair because Hera can"t actually do illegal things in public when she looks like that much of a narc and Ahsoka had papers to pretend to grade.
  
  "Starving, usually. Artist, depends who you ask. What gave it away?"
  
  "You have a purple mullet and kitty cats painted on your motorcycle. Call it intuition."
  
  Sabine gasps mockingly, pressing one hand to her heart, and Shin rolls her eyes, giving Sabine a small, smug smile around the end of her cigarette. Her feigned offence lasts less than a second, mostly because she"s pleasantly drunk and Shin smells of lavender and their knees keep touching, and Sabine knocks back the last of her drink and covers the glass with her hand when the bartender comes over. She"s already had too much to drink, though she technically doesn"t have to drive home, and she needs at least some wits about her in case Baylan Skoll decides to jump out and kidnap her or something.
  
  "This isn"t a mullet, first of all, and second, make fun of me all you want, chicks dig the bike." Sabine taps her fingers along the bar absently. This makes Shin"s shoulders tense slightly beneath her sweater, imperceptible to anyone who hasn"t been eyeing the hard lines of her biceps all evening, and she exhales smoke out of her nose with a bit more force than necessary.
  
  "And do a lot of chicks "dig" you, in general?" Shin is absolutely trying to mock her, which is fair, but unluckily for Shin, Sabine has spent most of her life being teased by Ezra, Ahsoka, Hera, Jacen, even Chopper sometimes, and light derision from hot women is basically her bread and butter. She lets their knees touch again, brushing the toe of her boot lightly over the rigid muscle of Shin"s calf, and then shrugs, twisting her straw between two fingers in the same way Shin has been fiddling with her cigarette since she lit up.
  
  "I usually prefer to do the digging, but sure." Sabine says. Shin raises both eyebrows at that, her lip curling ever-so-slightly, and Sabine just shrugs again. Shin is studying her intently at this point, eyes darting from the little tufts of hair at Sabine"s temples to the very tips of her boots, like she"s collecting data or evidence or something, and it"s doing way more to her insides than Sabine would care to admit.
  
  "I should get going." Shin says suddenly, grinding the butt of her cigarette into the ashtray and slipping back into her jacket, and Sabine"s heart skips a beat. Shit. No, shit. She overstepped and maybe Shin isn"t even interested in women and maybe Shin is going to go home and tattle to Baylan and then Hera will absolutely murder her.
  
  "It"s late, I"ll walk you home." Sabine offers, practically hopping off her stool, and Shin drains her drink down to the thin, limp curl of orange peel at the bottom before she answers. Her walls are going back up, Sabine can feel it and she hates that she can feel it, she shouldn"t be feeling it, but here she is feeling it. She doesn"t want Shin to shy away from her like she seems to do with everyone else.
  
  "Absolutely not." Shin slips off her own stool but doesn"t move, just stands there, as if she"s waiting for Sabine to do something. Something could mean anything from a fistfight to Sabine pinning Shin to the bar with her hips and sticking a hand down her pants, neither of which Sabine would be particularly opposed to at the moment.
  
  "At least let me walk you to the door." This is fairly lame, but Shin shrugs her agreement, so Sabine counts out thirty-five dollars (twenty-eight of which were for Shin"s drinks) and makes a mental note to invoice Hera later. It"s the least she could do, really. Sabine opens the back door for Shin, if only so she can put one hand on the small of her back as Shin walks through, and Shin doesn"t immediately pull away or hit her. Small victories, even if Sabine can feel enough tension in Shin"s spine to cut glass.
  
  "Thank you for the drink." Shin says once they"re outside, her shoulders hunching in slightly against the wind. This is a far nicer alley than the last one they were in, or at least there"s no piss-stained dumpster making the entire backstreet stink of garbage juice, and Sabine lets the door slam shut behind them and scrapes a stray bit of hair away from her face. Shin watches her move with lethal attention, her pale eyes lingering on Sabine"s own for far longer than usual, and Sabine finds she doesn"t mind a bit.
  
  "Sure. Just remember the next one's on you." Sabine winks, earning a roll of those light eyes paired with a faint smile that actually reaches them. It"s the first of Shin"s smiles that hits her eyes, it makes them crinkle slightly at the corners and turns her entire face radiant, and Sabine grins back before she can stop herself. Neither of them move, Sabine feels rooted in place, like she might lose Shin forever if she takes a single step, and then her phone buzzes against her hip.
  
  H: Hold her up a bit longer
  
  "Goodnight, Sabine." Shin says before Sabine can drop her phone back into her pocket, turning away towards the street, and Sabine, as usual, panics. She shoves her phone away, trying desperately to think of something that"ll keep Shin with her for reasons unrelated to Hera"s demand, and does the only thing she can think of.
  
  "Shin, wait." Sabine nearly trips on her own feet in her haste, not even waiting for Shin to turn back fully before she grabs her by the wrist and practically crushes their lips together.
  
  A beat, less than a beat, and Shin is kissing her back, her mouth warm and smooth and soft against Sabine"s own. She tastes exactly like Sabine thought she would: cigarettes and sweet bourbon and orange zest, except even better than she could have imagined, and Shin digs her nails into the back of Sabine"s neck and pulls her closer. They stumble back into the wall, Shin"s back hitting the brick so hard that she gasps into Sabine"s mouth, and Sabine grabs her by the hips and slots their bodies together so close she can feel sharp, ragged breaths against her own chest.
  
  Cold fingers press into the nape of Sabine"s neck, scratching so hard Sabine swears they draw blood, and Shin"s tongue is sugary when it fits between Sabine"s teeth. They kiss for a long, long time, desperate and hungry, the sort of kiss that should not be happening in public, the sort of kiss that makes heat pool behind Sabine"s hips and has her grinding them forward into Shin"s, and it"s only when Sabine fists a handful of white hair and tugs her head back to kiss her neck that Shin seems to come to her senses.
  
  Shin shoves her so hard in the chest that it hurts, her palms burning holes in the thin fabric of Sabine"s shirt, and Sabine does her best to force some blood back into her brain. Shin stares at her with wide, wide eyes that have just a hint of blue around blown pupils, those two spots of pink on her cheeks so dark they"re nearly red, her lips puffy and wet and bitten so hard the dents of Sabine"s teeth are still visible in the bottom one. Sabine stares back. A thousand emotions are dancing across Shin"s features, every flutter of her lashes and twitch of her jaw betraying her, and then she spins on her heel and breaks into a strange half-jog down the alley and onto the street, leaving Sabine alone with a dumpster and extremely hard nipples.
  
  Her walk of shame is humiliating. She should"ve taken her bike, it"s fucking freezing, but her motorcycle is extremely conspicuous and difficult to find parking for, so she had walked the half-hour from her apartment to this building. Terrible decision. She"s walking nearly in a daze, bringing her fingers up to her lips as if it"ll preserve Shin"s taste on her tongue, and so the car that comes to a stop next to her nearly makes her jump out of her skin.
  
  "Aren"t you cold?" Hera asks wryly from the driver"s seat, throwing the passenger door open for Sabine. Of fucking course. Hera drives the narc-iest car in existence, sleek and black with leather seats and tinted windows, and when Sabine slides into the narc car and buckles up, she can feel the heated seats switch on beneath her thighs. Hera appears to be off-duty; her green sweater and jeans are far more suited for one of Jacen"s PTA meetings than going to work, but the look she gives Sabine is anything but.
  
  "How"d you know where I was?" Sabine asks, holding her hands up to the warm air blasting from the vent in front of her. Hera pulls back onto the road, lifting a single finger as she likes to do when she"s concentrating on something, and Sabine rolls her eyes as she settles back against the seat.
  
  "I took a wild guess." She answers, finally, after they"ve started driving again, drumming her fingers across the wheel, and Sabine wrinkles her nose. Took a wild guess? Hera is a terrible guesser. She"s lost iSpy and Guess Who more times than anyone can count. Jacen stopped playing with her when he was five because he wanted more of a challenge.
  
  "She tracks your phone." Speak of the devil. Sabine turns around to see Jacen in the back next to Chopper, who"s trying to lick the Cheerio dust from between the seats and drooling on Jacen"s seatbelt. He beams at her, revealing several new gaps in his teeth, and Sabine reaches behind her to ruffle his hair and then scratch Chopper behind the ears. He snorts on her hand, damp breath against her palm, and Sabine pulls back and wipes her hands on her pants.
  
  "Hey, buddy. Isn"t it way past your bedtime? What's up with that?"
  
  "I just picked him up from a sleepover." Hera interjects, practically waving her fist at a blue sedan that cuts her off. Jesus, she"s like an old man. Sabine is surprised she hasn"t been told to get off the lawn yet, though it"s really only a matter of time. Her and Ahsoka are forever complaining about kids these days and taxes and gas prices, as if Sabine or Jacen give a shit. Jacen is eleven and Sabine has never once paid her taxes.
  
  "I threw up on my friend Theo"s bed." Jacen says solemnly, punctuated by a grunt from Chopper as if he can confirm. He might be able to. Chopper, despite being about a hundred years old, not to mention extremely grumpy and borderline asthmatic, has a sixth sense for everything regarding Jacen"s well-being.
  
  "Gross, dude. You eat too much candy?"
  
  "Yup."
  
  Sabine makes a face at him, earning a giggle, and Jacen goes back to tapping at his sticky iPad with Chopper"s head resting against his leg and smearing drool on his pants. At least whatever he"s playing doesn"t have audio (that or Hera made him turn the volume off) and Sabine turns back to Hera with a raised eyebrow.
  
  "Back to you tracking my phone?"
  
  "It"s just a safety measure, that"s all."
  
  "Right." Sabine drags out the word, wondering if there"s a way to get Hera to stop doing that, especially because the look on Hera"s face indicates that she absolutely does not believe her own words. Creep. She"ll have to leave her phone at home next time she goes out and see how many pointed texts she"s gotten when she gets home. Maybe Hera will chip her like she did after the fourth time Chopper wandered off in search of some chicken bones.
  
  It takes another five minutes of silence before they reach Hera"s house, a nondescript bungalow with Jacen"s bike propped against the garage door and chalk drawings covering the driveway, and she parks in front of the mailbox and turns her hazard lights on to force cars to go around her as they pass.
  
  "Alright, you and Chopper go straight to bed, you hear me? I"m gonna drive Sabine home, I"ll be back in ten to say goodnight. No screens, either of you, and lock the door behind you." Hera says, very sternly, as if Chopper is going to plop down on the couch and turn on the news, and Jacen slings his backpack over one shoulder and unbuckles his seatbelt.
  
  "Yes, mom. Goodnight, Sabine." Jacen leans forward and accepts a kiss to his mussed hair from both Hera and Sabine, dutiful as ever, and Sabine gives Chopper a goodbye pet as well as Jacen climbs out of the car and holds the door for Chop politely. He"s letting cold air in, but he"s being so sweet about it that Sabine can"t exactly complain.
  
  "Goodnight, Jay. Night, Chopper." Chopper responds with a grunt, getting more slobber on the leather seats, and then he hops down after Jacen and trots inside with him. Sabine and Hera both watch until they"re inside and the door is closed and Jacen has flashed the porch light to confirm he"s safe, and only then does Hera turn her hazards off and pull away from the curb.
  
  Since Hera is a buzzkill, she doesn"t let Sabine turn the radio on, just turns it off from the steering wheel twice until Sabine catches the hint, and so they drive in silence towards the slightly shittier part of town where Sabine lives. Her buzz is starting to wear off, apparently two rum and cokes isn"t enough to sustain tipsiness for longer than an hour, which is kind of annoying, and they pull to a stop at a red light and idle there.
  
  Hera turns in her seat to squint at Sabine, extremely disapprovingly, like she wants to say something that"ll probably start an argument, and then her eyes dart down to the side of Sabine"s neck and narrow even further. "What"s this-"
  
  "Hey, c"mon. It"s nothing." Sabine leans away before Hera can touch her neck, flipping down the sun visor so she can check what Hera is trying to poke at, and finds a collection of dark pink claw marks patterning the side of her throat. Fuck. Shin"s nails had felt good digging into her skin, little pinpricks of pain that set her senses on fire, but they left scratches that are extremely prominent and impossible to explain away. She tries to brush some of the longer strands of her hair down over her neck, probably only highlighting the marks, and the light turns green before Hera can ask any more questions.
  
  "Have you been smoking?" Hera asks, eyes back on the road, and Sabine bites down on the inside of her cheek so she doesn"t cuss. She"s like a dog with a fucking bone, just as stubborn as she was when Sabine came home late or was evasive about the mushrooms her and Ezra were doing in college, and Sabine has a feeling that if Hera found out the actual reason she smells like smoke, she"ll blow a gasket.
  
  "No." Sabine lies. One drag of Shin"s cigarette doesn"t count. Hera cuts her eyes sideways, pursing her lips, and Sabine brings the collar of her jacket to her nose and takes a sniff. Dammit. She stinks of smoke. She also has a white hair on her lapel, which she plucks off as casually as she can manage, and then flicks it to the floor and pretends to be looking at the road.
  
  "Are you in trouble?"
  
  "No more than usual."
  
  "Good. I don"t want to know, then." Hera runs a hand over her face, she looks tired, and Sabine thanks whatever god is up there for making Hera leave her alone. She finds another white hair caught in one of her rings, likely from where she had fisted Shin"s hair right before Shin decided she"d had enough, and she untangles that too and tosses it onto the floor next to the other.
  
  There had been a knife in Shin"s pocket and hunger in Shin"s mouth and desperation in Shin"s hips and Sabine watches buildings blur and tries not to imagine Shin slitting that comptroller"s throat. She fails, mostly because she can see it perfectly in her head; pale face spattered crimson, long fingers stained with blood, chest rising and falling as she flicked out a switchblade and opened up that man"s throat in a bright red smile. Has Shin killed people before? Will she kill people again? Will Skoll be angry with her for not killing this man? Will he send her back to finish the job? Will-
  
  "Sabine." Hera says, breaking Sabine"s trance, and Sabine shakes her head sharply to dispel her lingering thoughts. This is really not the time to be daydreaming about Shin"s wild eyes or the gleam of her white teeth as she cuts a man"s throat from ear to ear. Killing people is wrong. Even if they suck as badly as this man supposedly does.
  
  "So, what"s next, then?" Sabine is fairly desperate to change the subject, but Hera never misses an opportunity to deliver a lecture or a soliloquy or a monologue, and she immediately perks up in her seat and makes a turn that Sabine knows will mean they"re taking the long way back to her apartment so Hera will have more time to ramble.
  
  "Well, Morgan is fucking untraceable, besides your lead from that nightclub front we"re coming up empty."
  
  "And your victim of the evening?"
  
  "He"s being placed under witness protection, which can come either in the form of actual witness protection or an interrogation room, depending on what we dig up in the next few days."
  
  "Yeesh. Shady guy?"
  
  "Oh, you know, the standard "man with an inkling of political power" package consisting mainly of hookers, blow and occasional money laundering."
  
  "Is "hookers and blow" professional jargon?" Sabine grins, drumming her fingers against her thigh. She can still taste Shin at the back of her mouth, all sticky-sweet whiskey and cigarette smoke, and she huffs a paranoid breath into her hand to make sure that Hera can"t smell anything. Just liquor, but Sabine had been drinking too, and though she doesn"t often drink bourbon, Hera doesn"t know that. The last thing Hera probably remembers Sabine drinking is Fireball directly from the bottle as a teenager.
  
  "In this case, kind of. It's all connected, the hookers less so." Hera waves a hand. No wonder she dropped Jacen off first. The drugs are interesting, though, mostly because the idea of Shin surrounded by half-naked women and dime baggies full of blow makes Sabine want to laugh until she cries.
  
  "The coke is connected to Thrawn and the others?" Sabine asks as she begins fiddling with the shit in Hera"s cupholders. She thought Thrawn was higher-level than that. He looks higher-level than that, he looks like he should be commanding armies, not selling bricks of coke wrapped in duct tape. (Sabine might watch too much TV. Might.)
  
  "Oh, yeah. Laundering and drugs go hand in hand, Sabine, especially rich people drugs." Hera sounds as if she"s about to launch into a whole thing, so Sabine keeps her mouth closed and prays she"ll be as brief as possible. Unlikely, but it would be nice. "They buy the coke with money that is, all things considered, clean. Then that clean money becomes drug money, which makes it dirty money, so you need someone to clean it. Of course, no one's gonna do that for free, because who would risk a jail sentence without reward, right? So they wash the money for a cut of it, and suddenly they're also, by association, involved in the drug trade part of the scheme."
  
  "So out of these people we're after, who does what?" Sabine mostly understands all that. She much prefers buying weed from Ezra"s dealer and doing coke at parties if she"s offered, but she can understand the money involved in the big league stuff like in one of those shows her and Ezra watch when they"re bored and a little stoned. It"s not money she"s particularly interested in, but it"s gotta be serious cash.
  
  "Well, that's what we're trying to find out." Hera says, slightly patronising in that way she gets when she thinks Sabine wasn"t listening. Sabine is rarely listening, but she"s a grown-ass woman who doesn"t need to be patronised. Silence falls over the car, the only sound the faint hum of the motor and the gentle patter of raindrops as the sky starts to spit a fine mist of rain, and then Sabine twists one of her rings around her fingers and speaks up again.
  
  "You ever think about how easy it would be for an agent to commit these crimes? I mean, you're already experts."
  
  "No, I don't, actually."
  
  "Maybe you should, I dunno. Just something to consider." Sabine shrugs. This is why she could never do the stuff Hera does. Well, that and a whole host of reasons, including but not limited to some time spent in juvenile detention and the fact that the only reason she graduated college (Sabine has a visual arts degree, something she could"ve accomplished by sneezing on a canvas) is because Ahsoka and Hera threatened to skin her alive if she didn"t go to class.
  
  "Don't think so." Hera turns onto Sabine"s street, evidently they had taken the medium way instead of the long way, and Sabine runs her tongue over her teeth. They taste of orange zest and Sabine never wants to brush the flavour away. She does it again, just to let the tang of citrus settle on her tongue, and realises belatedly this probably makes her look like she"s on molly and is going to stress Hera out.
  
  "Man. Boring." Sabine says, pressing her lips together so Hera doesn"t start lecturing her about party drugs for the nineteenth time, and Hera slows to a stop in front of Sabine"s building and leaves the engine running. This is probably because leaving Chopper and Jacen unsupervised for more than twenty minutes is going to mean a lot of peanut butter stuck in the carpet, so Sabine unbuckles her seatbelt so Hera doesn"t go home to a house that might send someone into anaphylactic shock.
  
  "I know." Hera reaches out and brushes a strand of hair off Sabine"s forehead, tapping her on the temple with two fingers. "Take care, Sabine. Don't make me regret involving you in this."
  
  "I wasn't planning on it." Sabine gives her a grin, earning a shake of Hera"s head in return, and she waves Sabine out of the car with a rather indulgent smile. She stays at the curb until Sabine is inside, as always, which is both very sweet and a little annoying, and Sabine gives her a thumbs-up through the plate-glass window in the lobby and takes the stairs by threes up to her apartment.
  
  She still feels jittery, like her nerves have been hooked up to a car battery, like Shin"s kiss struck her with lightning, and it takes her three tries to get her key into the door and twist, another two to kick one boot off at the wall. Jesus. Is she a teenager again? This unravelled by a girl? A pretty girl, sure, a tall, beautiful, abrasive, raspy-voiced, pink-lipped, wide-eyed-shit. Are her dishes done?
  
  Ahsoka can"t have been in, because she would have left a passive-aggressive note about said dishes, but her dishes are in the drying rack by the sink she usually stores paint brushes in and her paint brushes are sitting in a cup next to the stove. She did not do her dishes before she left, Sabine only does dishes when she"s out of clean surfaces to eat off of and she puts them back into the cupboard wet, but here they are, done.
  
  Her donuts are in the garbage. Fuck, someone is coming to kill her. Someone has broken into her apartment and they"re waiting to kill her, hiding under her bed or in her closet, and Murley didn"t even stop them. Sabine wonders, briefly, if it"s one of Baylan"s goons, coming to kill her for making out with his daughter, and she grabs the metal paper towel holder from the counter and a spatula from a drawer. Neither of these are particularly effective weapons: the paper towel holder only has the cardboard tube on it and the spatula is half-melted from the time she left the stove on by mistake, but they"re better than nothing.
  
  She makes her way towards the living room, where she can hear the TV playing faintly, and just as she"s about to flick on the light and engage in single combat with whoever is in her apartment, someone speaks behind her.
  
  "Oh, hey-" That someone is cut off when Sabine whips around and cracks them across the face with her spatula. She fumbles for the light switch, still brandishing the utensil like it"s a sword, and the hallway light reveals dark hair far longer than Sabine remembers it being and a cheek flushing a violent red from the spatula.
  
  "What the fuck, dude?!" Sabine isn"t sure whether to hug Ezra or kill him. He hasn"t been home in six months and he decides to break into her home and do her dishes? Makes sense that Murley didn"t defend her, though. Ezra feeds him all the chicken he wants and lets him gnaw on all Sabine"s paint brushes with abandon.
  
  "What? You gave me a key!" Ezra frowns. How he grew that beard in six months, Sabine isn"t sure, but it"s kind of impressive. He"s all shaggy now, even his clothes, which are absolutely going to give Hera an aneurysm when she sees him. She calls Sabine a hippie whenever she wears sandals, so Ezra"s chances of escaping unscathed are low.
  
  "You're supposed to be on vacation, I thought someone broke in!" Sabine hugs him tightly even as she"s berating him, burying her nose in the collar of his sweatshirt. Ezra has been in the Galapagos for nearly half a year on some sort of spiritual awakening trip, meaning he"s mostly communicated with her via postcard and the occasional picture of him with a turtle, and Sabine has missed him desperately. Ahsoka and Hera both think that his spiritual awakening is an excuse for him to drink ayahuasca and have unprotected sex, but it sounded pretty fun in the postcards.
  
  "And your weapon of choice was a plastic spatula?" Ezra lifts a brow when Sabine finally releases him. This is rich coming from a man who regularly tries to break up bar fights using deep breathing techniques, but Sabine chooses not to bring up the fact that he"s gotten more black eyes than a cartoon character with that method and elbows him instead.
  
  "I don't have to defend my choice of utensil to you." Sabine scowls, setting down the paper towel holder on the side table. Murley wanders into the room, meowing impatiently at Ezra, who leans down to pet him between the ears. Dumb cat. Never takes her side.
  
  "Why are you so paranoid, anyway? I've never seen you this jumpy."
  
  "I'm not jumpy, you just scared me."
  
  Ezra squints very suspiciously at her, crossing his arms over his chest. The red mark on his face is becoming more distinctly spatula-shaped, which makes Sabine feel sort of bad for hitting him with it at full force, but she feels less bad when Ezra is looking at her like he just caught her shoplifting or something.
  
  "Where were you?" Ezra trails her into the kitchen, where Sabine returns her weapon to the drawer next to the stove. Besides doing the dishes, Ezra has apparently been reorganising; the cereal boxes on top of the fridge are arranged alphabetically and all the spices in the rack are ordered using one of Ezra"s organisational systems that means Sabine is going to be seasoning her scrambled eggs with cinnamon until she finally remembers to switch back.
  
  "Out. Did you eat my donuts?" Sabine looks pointedly over at the box in the garbage. Ezra leans against the counter with his arms still crossed over his chest, shaking his hair out of his eyes, and then shrugs.
  
  "I tried. They were stale as hell, though, so I threw them out."
  
  "Man, I was saving those to make donut granola."
  
  "That's disgusting."
  
  Sabine is the one shrugging this time. Donut granola isn"t the invention she"s proudest of, but it is one of the tastiest. She opens the fridge and retrieves two bottles of beer from the vegetable drawer, popping the caps off both with the naked lady magnet she keeps on the fridge next to Jacen, Chopper, and Hera"s Christmas card from last year and handing the foamier of the two to Ezra. They sip in silence for a moment, then Ezra cuts his eyes at her suspiciously and drums his fingers against the neck of the bottle.
  
  "So, what's her name?" He asks, swishing the beer around before he takes another sip. Sabine makes a face at him, crossing her arms right back, and tips the bottle back for a swig so she doesn"t automatically tell Ezra that her name is Shin.
  
  "What do you mean 'what's her name', there's no her. Why would there be a her?" This is a piss-poor defence, but it"s the only one Sabine has. It feels weird to not tell Ezra about Shin, though. She tells Ezra about all the girls she dates, he tells her about...whoever he"s dating, they always have, and keeping Shin a secret feels strange. Necessary, because Ezra gets loose-lipped when he drinks and would end up spilling to Ahsoka and Hera sooner rather than later, but strange.
  
  "Because you're only this dodgy when it's about a giiiirl." Ezra drags out the word, crinkling his nose at her, and Sabine rolls her eyes. Is he a fucking teenager, teasing her about girls? Christ. It was bad enough that he did that when they actually were teenagers, but Ezra is pushing thirty now.
  
  "Well, it's not. I'm just helping Hera with a work thing." Sabine waves her bottle, accidentally slopping a bit of beer over the lip, and she mops up the spill with the toe of her sock and wipes her hand on her pants.
  
  "Okay, you can't just say a 'work thing' like she's an accountant who needs her files organised."
  
  "Why not?"
  
  "Because she's not an accountant!"
  
  "It's classified, okay? I'm not allowed to tell you." Another terrible excuse. Hera had never actually said the word classified, nor did she say that Sabine wasn"t allowed to tell Ezra, but for some reason she wants to keep Shin as just hers for the moment. Saying her name aloud, making her real, it would mean that Shin couldn"t occupy some small, strange place in Sabine"s brain that she"s taken up residence in, she"d have to exist in the real world and Sabine doesn"t want her to.
  
  "Fine. I'll just call Ahsoka, tell her that Hera asked her to fill me in and she'll start blabbing immediately." Ezra sips his beer rather smugly. Well, that"s just not fair. That"s just weaponizing Ahsoka"s lack of conviction when it comes to anything Hera-related. They can only exploit that for taking petty cash from her wallet and the occasional get-out-of-jail-free card.
  
  "That's a dirty trick and you know it."
  
  "So, better I hear it from you than from Ahsoka. She exaggerates."
  
  This is true. Sabine sighs, taking another long swig of beer so she doesn"t have to come up with the words right away. She swishes the beer around her mouth, rinsing the last taste of Shin from her teeth, and then swallows and looks at Ezra with the most serious expression she can muster when she"s on her third drink of the evening and is still buzzing off the feeling of Shin"s nails scratching the back of her neck.
  
  "Hera and her team have had their eyes on some money laundering scheme for a while now, but apparently they've started getting serious, like, actual criminal serious." Sabine says, beginning to peel the label off her beer so she has something to do with her hands. Ezra raps his bottle against her knuckles to get her attention back, just hard enough to make her glower at him, and he brushes it off and mulls on her words for a moment.
  
  "I feel like money laundering is pretty serious on its own." He says thoughtfully, as if he"s aware of all the ins and outs of crime just from watching Netflix dramas while he"s baked out of his mind. Sabine has watched most of them with him and all she"s absorbed is that men in those shows are always far uglier than the actresses playing their wives.
  
  "No, dude. Murder serious. Drugs, assassins, hitmen. White collar to organised. All of it."
  
  "Like mafia shit?"
  
  "Maybe!"
  
  "Well, that's insane. Why are you involved in this again? I'd love to know what skills you possess that could possibly help stop the mafia." Ezra finishes his beer and flips the bottle into the recycling neatly. Sabine would be offended if he wasn"t right. Painting murals and eating pizza aren"t exactly helpful, and kissing Shin wasn"t something Hera had specifically asked her to do nor is it something Sabine wants Hera actually knowing about.
  
  "Fuck off. I'm just snooping around for Hera 'cause she looks like a narc in any place that's a pay grade below a Ritz-Carlton lobby." Sabine listens to the bottle rattle around at the bottom of the recycling bin and then listens to Ezra snort. Hera isn"t even an actual cop and people avoid her on the subway.
  
  "That's an excellent point, actually. Like, there's no reason for her to wear a pantsuit to Whole Foods." Ezra laughs. Sabine tips her bottle at him in agreement, finishing the last dregs of her beer, and their laughter fades to a comfortable silence that Sabine hadn"t realised she"d missed this much.
  
  "I missed you." Sabine chucks her own bottle into the recycling, where it clunks loudly against Ezra"s, and gives him a grin. He grins back, warm and kind as ever, and wraps one arm around her neck so he can kiss the top of her head.
  
  "Bet you did."
  
  Notes:
  tumblr is wakesirens
  
  Summary:
  Follow the adventures of the witch Millie and her familiar Sophia as they travel Japan. They're on the hunt for sexy monster girls, and all the fun they can have.
  
  Chapter 1: Arriving in Japan
  Chapter Text
  Magical Sexual Hunting
  
  Chapter 1: Arriving in Japan
  
  Two women came out of the plane together, each with a bag. One of them was a tall woman, about 5"11" tall, with the kind of curves that would make people think she was a model, or a porn star, with long red hair down her back and bright blue eyes. The other one was shorter, about 5" even, with shoulder length black hair and green eyes, her body wasn"t as curvy, but she looked quite graceful, almost catlike in her movements. "Ah!" the blonde girl said, "We finally made it to the Land of the Rising Sun! Give me some sushi! Give me some Fuji! Give me some hot girls!"
  
  The shorter woman shook her head and said, "Calm down, Mistress. There"s no reason to draw attention to yourself." The redheaded girl laughed but didn"t say much else as they went through the airport and passed by security. The airport security officers were stunned by what they found in the redhead"s bag, one of them blushing as red as a tomato as he asked in Japanese and then English, "What is the reason for your visit to Japan, business or pleasure?" The redheaded woman smiled and answered in Japanese, "I"m here for pleasure, lots and lots of pleasure." The smaller woman sighed in exasperation and said in Japanese, "I"m with her. Same thing."
  
  Airport security then hurried them along, and tried not to watch as they left, but the shorter one had a very nice butt, and she was sashaying as she went.
  
  "You"re such a showoff, Mistress," the shorter woman said as she caught up with the taller one. The Mistress only smiled wide, "I can"t help it, Sophia, some people are just so easy. And we are here for pleasure after all." The Mistress then pulled out her phone and showed her the website she had found, "There are so many kinds of monster girls here, all ripe for the taking! I figure at least five or six will be enough for my harem, maybe even seven for it is a good magical number. And like the First Law of the Pink Path says, "The more the merrier"."
  
  The two women walked through the city of Kyoto and found a hotel that was renting for the night and rented their room on the third floor. They saw that they had found a legendary Love Hotel when they went inside and saw a minibar, heart-shaped bed, and an open shower and bath area where anyone could see them. Once they set their bags down, Sophia stretched, and two cat-ears sprang from her head and a black tail appeared from her back. "Ah! It feels so nice to let my parts out," the cat girl said as she stretched and then started stripping off her clothes.
  
  Sophia was indeed a familiar of her Mistress, a black cat spirit who gratefully served her Mistress on the Pink Path of Magic. There were many paths of Magic, the Green who relied on the power of nature, the Black that relied on the power of Evil were two such paths. The Pink relied on the life giving and Tantric power of sex. As Sophie stripped and stretched her feet and arms became covered in black fur while her nails turned into claws. Her skin was quite pale, her thighs, body, and upper arms were hairless; but her vagina was covered in thick black pubes. This was the form that her Mistress enjoyed the most.
  
  "So, Mistress Millie, when will we start the hunt for your harem?" Sophia asked as she crawled onto the bed, while her Mistress, Millie, got her clothes off and headed for the shower, showing off her pale yet freckled skin, DD sized breasts, 27" waist and wide 38" hips. "We"ll start tomorrow. I got a contact who can help me find the first girl for us, an onryo in a DVD," Millie answered before starting the shower. Sophia"s tail wagged as she followed her Mistress into the shower.
  
  "Let me wash you, Mistress," Sophia said as she pulled out some soap and started covering Millie"s voluptuous body in suds. She paid special attention to every inch of her, making sure she was good and clean as her Mistress liked, teasing her large breasts and pink nipples especially, making sure that her fiery bush was wet with more than just water. "Oh Sophia! I love it when you"re like this!" Millie moaned. Sophia took her to the edge, but never let her tip to the point of orgasm. "That ought to do it!" the cat familiar said with a smile. "AWWW!" Millie groaned in frustration.
  
  "Come to bed if you want more," Sophia said as she left the shower, shook off the water on her then dried herself off. She sashayed to the bed and sat down on all fours, her rear end high and tail up to show off her pink asshole and hairy quim. Barely five minutes later, Millie came out of the shower, her red hair still damp. She marched to her familiar and gave a hard smack on her rear. "MEOW!" Sophia screamed, then Millie spanked her again, making her give another "MEOW!" Millie grabbed Sophia"s tail and said, "You"re a naughty little kitty, toying with me like that. I"m going to spank your lovely ass red, then you"ll be eating me out good!"
  
  "Yes, Mi-MEOW!" Sophia"s answer was cutoff by another spanking, and then another. Every time Millie spanked her familiar, Sophia gave a loud "MEOW". Millie was merciless, and in only a few minutes, Sophia"s normally snow-white bum was bright cherry red from all her spanks. Millie climbed in front of Sophia and laid down, spreading her legs and showing off her fiery red bush and cunt. Sophia quietly went down and licked her Mistress"s cunt in all the ways she knew she liked. "Good girl," Millie moaned as her familiar licked up and down her slit.
  
  Her tongue was slightly rough, but not so much that it hurt as she ate out her Mistress, licking like she was the most delicious thing she would ever taste. "That"s my pretty kitty!" Millie moaned as Sophia ate her out, never stopping until Millie finally came. "OHHH YEEEESSSSSS!" Millie screamed as she finally reached orgasm, and Sophia gently licked her quim and legs clean. "Now, come have your milk," Millie said. Sophia climbed up until her face was level with Millie"s large breasts, and she latched on to her left nipple and started sucking on it.
  
  Part of the contract for a Familiar Spirit for a witch was that they could regularly have the fluids of the witch; either their blood or milk. Sophia chose Millie"s milk, and sucked it up ravenously, making her Mistress groan as she felt her breast milk coming out. Millie gently petted her head and said, "That"s a good kitty, such a good kitty." Sophia drank her fill and sighed contentedly as she let go of her Mistress" breast. Millie reached down to her dark-haired quim and gently stroked it before shoving two of her fingers inside her.
  
  Sophia groaned contentedly as she felt her orgasm coming, and Millie moved her fingers faster and harder inside her. Sophia screamed out as she finally came, her cunt squirting her fluids out like a fountain. Sophia sighed, and her Mistress gave her a kiss as she felt the magic of the Pink Path fill her; one had to satisfy their partners in order to gain power from the Pink Path. "Tomorrow, we"ll have a new partner," Millie said. Sophia smiled, "I can"t wait Mistress."
  
  
  Chapter 2: Ghost in the DVD
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 2: Ghost in the DVD
  
  Millie woke up and sighed, her pretty kitty familiar Sophia was snuggling up to her, and she looked so cute. Seeing her made her so horny, from her flawless pale skin to her dark as night hair and fur, her small yet tasty breasts and her amazing legs and ass, all of it was hers; she could do anything to her familiar. As long as she fed Sophia her breast milk or blood, the cat girl was hers until death do they part. Millie"s hands explored Sophia"s body, massaging and feeling everything from her ears to her feet before she settled on her fine behind. Sophia woke up and purred at her before they kissed, their tongues moving and dancing together; after ten years they were very good at making each other horny. It really helped as Millie grabbed Sophia"s butt and lifted her up to her face.
  
  Millie licked up and down her pretty kitty"s pussy, enjoying her taste and smell, something like a mix between cats and flowers and humans. Sophia moaned and meowed as her witch mistress ate her out, and Millie felt her power increasing with her familiar"s pleasure until she at last came, squirting all over Millie"s face. She was about to continue, when the phone in their room went off. "Fuck me," Millie said as Sophia climbed off her face and then climbed down; she chose to take Millie"s curse as an order. Millie reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the phone while Sophia started licking up her slit.
  
  "Hello?" Millie said, trying to keep her voice down as Sophia started licking her faster. "Miss Bookman, your time in our hotel has expired. You must either pay for an extension or leave within the next fifteen minutes. "OH!" Millie groaned, then got a handle on her voice as Sophia sucked on her clit and managed to say, "Fifteen minutes, understood. We"ll be down soon!" She grabbed Sophia"s head and yelled, "FASTER WE NEED TO LEAVE SOON!" Sophia moved her mouth and lips faster than any human could, and barely a minute later, Millie came.
  
  "Alright, we don"t have time to shower, so we"ll have to get clean at a public bathhouse nearby," Millie said as she and Sophia climbed off the bed and got dressed. Millie put on some tight pants and a green tube top with her heels while Sophia wore a black and white striped shirt and black pants and her normal black boots and made sure to change her form. Her arms and legs lost their hair and her claws turned back into nails as her ears and tail disappeared. "It feels so weird to have human ears," Sophia said as she parted her hair and felt her human ears, "Even after four-hundred years and seven mistresses, you"d think I"d be used to it."
  
  "Some things are just habit," Millie said as they packed their bags and hurried out to the front of the love hotel. After checking out the two of them walked together down the streets of Kyoto, following a map on her phone straight to the bath house. "I thought we had to meet someone who could help you summon an onryo," Sophia commented as they walked. "We"ll meet him at noon. We got time for a bath, breakfast, and maybe a little shopping for some cute outfits for you," Millie smiled at her familiar. Mi
  
  They made their way to the Public Bathhouse and went into the women"s section. There they entered the showers and cleaned themselves off before grabbing the towels provided for bathhouse patrons and went into the large bath. There were plenty of other women and girls already there, from old ladies to young girls almost old enough for school and everything in-between. Many of the women and girls there all watched as Millie went inside and laid down in the bath, with Sophia following close behind. Millie was used to this reaction; she was taller than average and had some fantastic curves if she did say so herself; both those things tended to make her stand out a lot in a crowd.
  
  The attention made Millie feel good, it might help her attract potential partners, or even an apprentice in the Pink Path of Magic. As she let the heat of the bath fill her, Millie remembered how she first met her Teacher, Allison, on the beach. Allison was a woman of about average height but some amazing legs and breasts with long dark hair and a grey streak down the middle. Allison and she had had a one-night stand, and Millie had been so good that Allison offered to teach her the Pink Path of Magic. Millie accepted, and twelve years later, here she was in Japan, looking to make an entire harem of monster girls. "Are your boobs real?"
  
  Millie was taken out of her head from a question a young Japanese woman asked her. She was quite handsome with dark hair in a short boyish cut and a smirk on her face that told Millie she was definitely into girls. "Yep," Millie said with a smile and lifted up her breasts, "All natural. Great genetics and all that." Millie was interrupted by the sound of her stomach grumbling, and Sophia said, "I"m starting to get dizzy, Mistress." Millie smiled at the Japanese girl with short hair and said, "We need to go. Hope we can see you again..." The Japanese woman smirked in a real playgirl kind of way, "Ryuko, Takeda Ryuko. Hope I can see you both later." Takeda Ryuko eyed Millie and Sophia one more time and then went her own way while they went theirs.
  
  "She looked interesting," Sophia commented as they got dressed and left the bathhouse, "I think she might have talent for magic." "Oh?" Millie said, "Are you sure?" Sophie nodded, "It"s quite possible. I sensed the spark inside her." Millie was intrigued by this and hoped that Fate would bring her and Takeda Ryuko together again.
  
  Guided by her phone map, Millie and Sophia made their way to a pancake restaurant and split a stack of six pancakes loaded with strawberries, blueberries, and cream. The pancakes were so fluffy and sweet that they had to have black coffee to counter the sweetness. It was a good breakfast, and after having another coffee they headed back out. Millie"s phone rang as they left and she answered, "Moshi moshi?" A man"s voice said, "I have the package you wanted, if you still want it. But I have to leave Kyoto, so come to the place in half an hour." With that, he hung up.
  
  "So much for clothes shopping," Millie sighed, "I was really hoping to pick out some cute goth loli outfits for you." Sophia shrugged, "Oh well. Let"s get this over with. Are you sure that your plan will work?" Millie nodded as they headed for a dark alleyway on the lonelier streets of Kyoto, "I"m sure. Onryo are spirits of revenge and anger. If we can quell that anger, one of two things will happen; she"ll either move on from this plane of existence, or she"ll be so happy she"ll join my harem. Win-win to me." Sophia nodded but commented, "I hope you"re right."
  
  The two of them made their way down the alleyway and spotted their contact. He was wearing a mask, but in previous messages said he would be wearing a green baseball cap. He was dressed in green and held a small plastic case. "That"s far enough," the man said. "Give me my payment, and I"ll give you the DVD." Millie nodded and raised her right hand. A bright pink magic circle with a dozen sigils appeared above her hand, and from the magic circle a green gem the size of a chicken egg dropped into Millie"s hand. Inside the gem there was a small writhing fire, a living fire.
  
  Millie and the man walked closer to each other and stopped six inches in front of each other. They held out their hands and both took their items, the man took his gem and Millie took the DVD case. "I hope you know what you"re doing," Millie told him, "That djinn is a tricky one." The man answered, "I hope you know what you"re doing. That ghost is murderous." Millie and the man nodded to each other, and then the man waved his hands, and a green portal appeared beneath him. He slipped into the portal and was gone.
  
  "Alright, that"s that," Millie said, then her and Sophia headed out to their next destination. They went into a grocery store and looked around, checking on the herbs. Millie picked out some rosemary, thyme, hyssop, sage, and mint. She also bought a small tea kettle and some green tea. Once they had their items, she and Sophia took a bus back to the Love Hotel. They checked back into the Hotel for three hours and went to their room. It was similar to the last one, so they were ready.
  
  Millie prepared the herbs and mixed some into the tea, then took her suitcase and pulled out a box of salt and mixed some into the herbs. Millie brewed the herbal green tea and prepared a salt circle around herself. Millie and Sophia drank the herbal tea when it was ready, and then Sophia stripped naked and transformed, only this time her entire body was covered in fur and her teeth turned into sharp fangs. She might have to fight against the onryo in the DVD. Once the preparations were made, Sophia took the DVD and put it in a player in the room.
  
  On the TV appeared an empty alleyway. Suddenly, there appeared a pale woman on the scream with long hair down her front, hiding her face. She was wearing a ragged and torn office worker"s dress. The woman walked closer and closer on the screen, and then the screen moved outward. The onryo pushed her way out of the screen and into the real world, snarling like a feral animal as she moved. "I will kill you!" The Onryo screamed as she ran at Millie, only to stop at the salt circle. "There is no need for violence," Millie said, "We should talk, Kuroko."
  
  The onryo stopped then, and then growled and tried to swat at Millie, only for her blows to stop outside the salt circle. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!?" The onryo, Kuroko, screamed. "Everything," Millie said, and looked at the ghost sadly. "I know that you were in love with your office senpai. I know that she used you to slake her lusts for women, but she had a male lover, a yakuza. I know that she tricked you into meeting her in an alleyway, where her lover and his thugs raped and murdered you. She made a DVD recording of it all, the very DVD you are haunting. You already had your revenge on them, Kuroko. You already killed Mashirao Mitsuki and her lover, Ryumen Guro. There"s no reason for you to be angry."
  
  The onryo growled, and lashed out at the salt circle, buy couldn"t go past it. Finally, the ghost"s growls and curses degenerated into sobs. "I loved her!" she screamed, "I loved her! Why didn"t she love me back!? Why did she help kill me?" The ghost of Kuroko sobbed and sobbed, and Millie finally pushed away the salt, and then wrapped the crying ghost in a hug. "I"m not her, but I can help you, if you wish. What is it that would make you happy, Kuroko?" Kuroko gasped, and looked up, her long hair parted. Her skin was deathly pale, but her lips her adorable, she had a cute button nose, and her hazel eyes showed life.
  
  "Do you mean it?" Kuroko asked. "Of course I do," Millie assured her. "I"m a witch with great power." Kuroko smiled, but then she said, "I can"t touch anyone, because I"m a ghost. I want to touch another woman and make love again. Can I, use your body for that?" Millie smiled, "Sure. I even have a cute girl you can make love to. Sophia?" Sophia stepped forward and changed her form, she had no fur on her body, her claws turned to nails, teeth were like a human"s, and the only hair on her was on her hair and pubes. Kuroko licked her lips and said, "Can you top me? I was a bottom in life." Sophia nodded, and Kuroko smiled, before she passed into Millie"s body.
  
  The first thing that Kuroko-in-Millie"s body did was feel up her new body. "Wow, this feel so weird, this woman"s body is so tall!" she said. "Mistress Millie is quite unique," Sophia agreed. Kuroko nodded with Millie"s body, and then she stripped naked, and admired Millie"s body some more before she went to the bed. Sophia followed her and climbed on top of Millie"s body. The cat familiar kissed Millie"s lips, and gently pushed her tongue into her mouth. Kuroko answered with Millie"s tongue, and they were soon kissing like they had been lovers for years. Sophia stopped kissing her and kissed her way down Millie"s body, making Kuroko groan as she felt physical pleasure for the first time in years.
  
  Sophia kissed and nibbled her Mistress" body and made her way to her quim. She immediately dug in, licking and kissing Millie"s pussy with all her skill, and Kuroko yelled as she felt the most intense pleasure she had felt in what felt like forever. Millie"s body came, but Sophia wasn"t done, and she fingered her soaking cunt, and then surprised Kuroko when she gently slid her fist into Millie"s quim. "OH GOD! THAT"S SO GOOOOOOOD!" Kuroko screamed as loudly as Millie"s voice could go and squirted all over the bed. Sophia pulled her hand and licked her Mistress" fluids, "Are you satisfied, Miss Kuroko, or can you handle one more round?"
  
  Kuroko sighed, "One more time, please." Sophia nodded and then climbed up until hers and Millie"s cunts were touching, and she lifted one of Millie"s long legs over her shoulder and started moving her hips. Kuroko groaned and started moving Millie"s body. The two of them, the ghost in the witch"s body and the cat familiar filled the room with their moans as they mutually pleasured each other, and Sophia started moving faster. Kuroko struggled to keep up but was soon too overwhelmed. Together, Sophia and Kuroko in Millie"s body screamed as they came, and Kuroko left Millie"s body.
  
  "Wow, didn"t know you were a screamer," Millie said with a cough. "So, Kuroko, do you want to keep doing stuff like this?" Kuroko smiled, but said, "I wish I had a body of my own." Millie nodded and licked her lips, "I can do that."
  
  Chapter 3: A New Body and a New Apprentice
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 3: A New Body and a New Apprentice
  
  
  
  The day after meeting Kuroko, Millie and Sophia got dressed and washed up, this time Sophia wore a purple dress with leggings and boots while Millie went for a long-sleeved shirt, still tight though, with her usual tight pants and heels. "Alright Sophia," Millie said as they left the Love Hotel, "We need to find some herbs, talk to Ryuko, and gather some soil, lots and lots of soil. We"ll need to head to a forest most likely to find enough soil, and the more life in it the better. Plus, if we"re going to make this work, we"ll need another. If you"re right about Ryuko, then she"ll be a big help for us. This will be a very busy day for us."
  
  "I understand Mistress," Sophia said as she walked behind her, "Making a golem body for a ghost is quite the task after all. Plus, we"ll need all the tantric energy we can make, as well as blood. Having a third partner would definitely make the task easier." Millie nodded and they had their breakfast before going to the Public Bath House again. This time, Millie kept her eyes peeled, looking for Ryuko. "I smell her, Mistress," Sophia said beside her, "She"s on the other side of the bath, and she"s very aroused." Millie and Sophia waded their way through the pool and found Ryuko up to her neck in the water, clearly looking at a couple of young women who were merely wetting their feet.
  
  "Hello, Takeda-san," Millie said as she stood up in front of Ryuko, her quim in line with her eyes. Ryuko looked up and smiled, "Hello again, Oppai-san." Millie snorted, "I have a name, it"s Millie, Millie Bookman. And this is Sophia." Sophia waded over to Ryuko and sniffed the air around her. "What"s wrong? I washed," Ryuko said as she stood up. Now that Millie could get a better look at her, Millie liked what she was seeing.
  
  Ryuko was a short woman, maybe 5"4", but she had the body of a fighter, all toned and tight with six pack abs and large knuckles that showed she studied karate. Her thighs were just as toned, if slightly large, and she kept herself cleanshaven between her legs; a small thing for Millie to dislike because she preferred girls with hair down there. But the rest of her body made up for that. "Tell me, Takeda-san," Millie asked, "Have you ever felt a spark inside you, felt yourself drawn to certain places you"ve never been to?" Ryuko nodded and said, "I guess. I usually get that feeling when I go to a temple or are near one. Sometimes, when I"m in a forest, I feel like I"m...a part of something bigger. And, when I make a girl cum really good, I feel like lightning"s running through me."
  
  Millie nodded, "I think I can explain that to you, if you want to hear me out." Ryuko shrugged, "Sure, but we"ll have to do it later. I"m a karate instructor, and my first class starts soon. Maybe we can meet later, say, dinner? I know a good ramen stand to talk at." "Sounds good," Millie agreed, and the three of them got out of the bath and after they dried off, Millie and Ryuko shared their numbers. Millie bent down a little and kissed her, and Ryuko responded by sliding her tongue in her mouth. It felt like lightning shot through Millie"s body and when they separated, Ryuko smirked before smacking Millie"s shapely rear, "See you later, Bookman-san."
  
  Millie sighed and turned to Sophia, "You were right, she definitely has the spark of magic in her. And with that attitude, the Pink Path might be perfect for her." Sophia smiled a little and said, "It will be interesting seeing how you act as a teacher." Millie nodded, "I hope I"m as good as Allison was. Anyway, let"s go, we need some more herbs for Kuroko"s body."
  
  They headed through various grocery stores and flower shops, and bought some more rosemary and sage, along with sweet woodruff, yarrow, and lavender. "Now we need some earth, the healthier and filled with life the better," Millie said, and consulted her trusty phone map to find the nearest forest. "Well, at least we don"t have to meet Ryuko until dinner time," Millie said when she saw how far they"d have to go. She then checked the bus schedules and routes and found one that would take them near the forest, her and Sophia went to the bus stop and waited.
  
  As they waited for the bus they sat down at a nearby bench and Sophia decided to take a nap and rested her head on her Mistress" shoulder. Millie let her and ignored the looks some people gave them. When the bus arrived she woke up her familiar and they took the bus to the closest stop to the forest. They got off and headed into the forest. Once they reached the edge, Millie took off her shoes and opened a pink portal like the one she had stored the gem with the genie in and stored her shoes inside it, while Sophia took off her clothes and threw them into the portal, before transforming. Sophia"s body grew smaller and furrier until she assumed the form of a black cat with blue eyes and followed Millie"s lead through the forest.
  
  The air seemed to hum with the power of life; the power that those who followed the Green Path of Magic relied on. All those trained in magic could feel the power of the forest, and Millie knew she had chosen a good place. They headed deeper into the forest until they finally found a spot with just enough clear space where the soil was loose enough for them to dig. Sophia transformed and became more humanoid except for her cat ears and tail, along with the claws and fur on her forearms and lower legs, and she started to dig up the soil, while Millie opened another storage portal and helped her put the soil inside it. It took an hour digging up the soil by hand, but eventually Millie decided they had enough soil to make a good body for Kuroko, and they headed out of the forest after Sophia returned to her human form and put her clothes back on.
  
  They took another bus back to Kyoto, this time Millie took a nap while Sophia let her rest her Mistress rest her head on her shoulder. As the bus drove them to Kyoto Sophia thought about all her previous Mistresses. Maybe it was because of the eras they had summoned her, maybe it was the Paths of Magic they followed, but none of her previous Mistresses had been as good to her as Millie. Most treated her as a servant, others as a slave for them to use and abuse as they wished. Only Millie had ever treated her as...human, as someone instead of something. Sophia smiled as she thought about how Millie had first summoned her. She had looked so surprised to see a familiar on the mortal plane, that she actually said, "Holy shit! It worked!" And then she said to Sophia, "Hello. Welcome to the Human Realm. I hope we can work well together."
  
  For the first week she never treated Sophia sexually. Millie treated sex as something special, something only people who truly wanted it should have. It was different from others Sophia had known, but then again, Sophia had first been born as a normal cat in the 17th century. Humans and their morals were different back then. Some things were better, some things were appallingly worse.
  
  Sophia noticed that they were almost back in Kyoto and woke up Millie. Millie yawned and said, "I need a drink." Sophia responded, "So do I, Mistress." Millie realized what she meant, and said, "Just wait until we"re someplace private." They were quiet for the rest of the ride until they reached their stop, and then Millie and Sophia headed into a nearby mall and made a quick beeline for the restrooms. They went in and when they were sure they had privacy in the stalls, Millie lifted her shirt and lowered her bra enough for Sophia to latch onto her breast and start to drink her milk. Sophia drank from her Mistress for about five minutes before she was satisfied.
  
  Once Sophia was fed, they left the Mall and made their way back to the Public Bathhouse where they met Ryuko, grabbing some snacks from vending machines along the way. After about a half-hour Ryuko arrived wearing a bright green shirt and pants with black boots. "Nice to see you two again. So, follow me and I"ll show you to the ramen shop," Ryuko said with a smirk. As they walked, Ryuko got between Millie and Sophia and groped their asses as they walked, and Millie returned the favor, while Sophia was silent.
  
  They made their way to a small ramen shop run by two old bald men and Ryuko said, "I"ll have the usual, Yuta-san. And I"m paying for these two." Millie checked the menu on the wall and said, "I"ll have pork ramen with extra vegetables. And a Sapporo beer." Sophia said, "Shrimp ramen, extra shrimp, with water," and the three of them sat down at a small table. They were handed two beers for Ryuko and Millie while Sophia got her water. Ryuko took a long swig of her beer before she said, "So, this morning you were asking a lot of questions. What was that about?"
  
  Millie explained, "Do you believe in witchcraft?" Ryuko put her beer down and looked Millie in the eyes. "That depends. Are you trying to scam me? I"ve read a few things about that sort of stuff, but I"ve also met a few fakes who just wanted money. I know that there"s something more out there, but I"m not some wide-eyed virgin," is how she answered. Millie nodded, "Good. Because I am a witch. Sopha is my familiar. And we think that you have the spark of magic inside of you as well. If you"re willing, I can teach you my Path of Magic."
  
  Ryuko finished her beer and ordered another, "Prove it, and I"ll do whatever you want." Millie sighed, then lifted her hand, and a magic circle appeared, and from it dropped a pair of grey boxers. Ryuko went wide eyed and grabbed them, "How did you do that?" she whispered. "Magic. That was a relocation spell, a little complicated because I took the undies right off you, but I needed to be simple to make sure that you would believe," Millie answered. Ryuko put her underwear in her pocket and looked nervous now. "Ok, so, you"re a witch. So, you think I can do stuff like that too?" Millie nodded, "In time, after years of studying and learning you can do many things."
  
  Their ramen was ready by then, so the three of them ate. As they ate, Millie explained the different Paths of Magic, and told her about the Pink Path that she followed. Ryuko smirked when she learned about that and said, "So, I"m full of magic power for being a stud. Nice." Millie smiled and told her, "It"s a little more complicated than that. You must be a generous lover to be energized by the Tantric Power of the Pink Path, but yes, you have the gift, and a lot of innate power. I"m hoping to use that power for something." Millie explained to Ryuko about Kuroko and how she was helping make a new body for her, and then told her what she could do to help, if she was interested. Ryuko finished her second beer and sat back a little bit to think. "I"m in. Just tell me where you want me, and I"ll do you, Sophia, and whatever else you need," she answered once they all finished eating.
  
  "If you have someplace private we can go it would help," Millie told her. The Japanese woman smiled, "Sure thing. My apartment isn"t huge, but the walls are thick at least. And my neighbors know that I bring new girls around all the time, so they tend to ignore me. Let"s go." They all paid for their meal, and the three of them left the ramen restaurant. Ryuko led Sophia and Millie through Kyoto"s streets down two blocks before they finally reached her apartment. The building was about five stories tall and looked old but sturdy at least as she led them to her apartment on the third story.
  
  "I"m home," Ryuko said as they entered her apartment, it was a small place, a living room, kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and her bedroom. The living room was simple with an exercise bike, a TV, a weight set, and a couch inside. The kitchen was small but functional, and Ryuko led them to her bedroom, all that was inside was a dresser, a bed, and a bookshelf with old action movies on Blu-ray inside. "So, what do we do first?" Ryuko asked.
  
  Millie and Sophia had kept their traveling suitcases on them the whole time, and Millie opened hers and pulled out a strap-on, lube, a stone mortar and pestle, and the DVD that housed Kuroko and said, "I"m going to make the herbs and soil ready. You and Sophia can start building up Tantric energy for the spell. Remember, you must be unselfish, make her feel good to generate the Tantric power within yourself." Ryuko nodded and turned to Sophia. The familiar and the woman started making out, while Millie started grinding up the herbs.
  
  Ryuko took the strap-on and lube and took off her clothes, revealing her toned, muscular body, while Sophia took off her own clothes and revealed her ears and tail. Ryuko whistled and said, "Just so you know, I"m a tachi. I"ve made plenty of girls my neko before, but I"ve never fucked a real one before." Sophia snorted, "I"m only doing this for Mistress. And I prefer anal, but Mistress doesn"t do it usually." Ryuko licked her lips as Sophia climbed on her bed, "I can do that."
  
  Sophia bent low and stuck her rear end high, and Ryuko immediately licked up her slit, taint, and anus, teasing her bottom with light kisses as well. Sophia moaned, "You"re good at this." Ryuko licked around Sophia"s cute pink anus and stuck her tongue inside, making the familiar groan in pleasure. While they did this, Millie finished preparing the herbs and opened a storage portal to let the soil out. She watched as Ryuko prepared the lube on the strap-on and Sophia"s lovely ass and forced herself to focus on mixing the herbs and soil.
  
  Ryuko gently slid the strap-on into Sophia"s butt and started moving. Sophia"s moans and mews fille the room as she groaned, "Pull my tail too!" Ryuko did as ordered, and Sophia made noises like a cat in heat mixed with groans of, "HARDER! FUCK ME!" Ryuko"s hips kept on moving faster and harder, fucking Sophia"s ass like she wanted, and the familiar came, squirting all over Ryuko"s bed, only to moan, "MORE!" Millie concentrated on her own task, and after mixing the herbs and soil she formed the mixture into a humanoid shape. Once she was done, Millie nearly tore her clothes off and stopped only to wash her hands off before climbing on the bed.
  
  She grabbed Sophia"s face and started making out with her. Sophia came a second time and Millie turned to Ryuko, "Fuck me." Ryuko smiled wide as she pulled out of Sophia, and Millie immediately started licking up and down the strap-on, tasting her familiar"s ass. Ryuko moaned as the small part on the strap-on inside her moved and she came, and Millie laid down and spread her legs wide. Ryuko didn"t need any more urging to climb on top of her and slide the strap-on inside of her. The two of them were contrasts, Millie with her light skin and freckles, red hair and blue eyes. Her curves and obvious feminine body, while Ryuko with her clear skin and dark hair and eyes and more muscular body, and yet they moved in nearly perfect synch, their hips nearly dancing together as they brought each other to climax.
  
  "Sophia, come here," Millie said as she and Ryuko changed position and Ryuko started screwing her doggy-style. Sophia climbed over and Millie pushed her down and started licking up her hairy quim, making the familiar moan as her Mistress pleasured her. The three of them moved together like they had been with each other for years, and soon came together. Ryuko moaned as she slid out of Millie and took the strap-on off, "Man, my hips are tired." Millie smiled and said, "Then how about we pleasure you?" Sophia and Millie went over and started kissing and licking up Ryuko"s powerfully defined legs, and the Japanese woman moaned as they reached her cunt and started licking it at the same time.
  
  Millie and Sophia moved together and soon had Ryuko screaming in pleasure as they made her cum three times in rapid succession before they finally stopped. "I think that"s enough," Millie said with a sigh, "All we need now is to add our blood to the body, I say the words, and then let Kuroko out." Sophia took the DVD to Ryuko"s TV to get it to play, while Millie went to Ryuko"s kitchen and grabbed a knife. "Ryuko, you don"t have to do this part if you don"t want to," Millie told her as she went into the room and prepared to cut her finger. Ryuko shook her head and offered her hand over the soil, "Go ahead, do it. I don"t think I"ve ever felt more alive before, even when I made it to the National Karate Championship. I feel like something bigger. Plus, I get a good excuse to screw lots of girls. I"m in this now."
  
  Millie nodded and cut the tip of her own index finger and let the blood drip onto the soil body, and then cut Ryuko"s index finger and let her blood drip down as well. Millie then chanted in English, "By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again. By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again. By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again." Kuroko then appeared behind Millie, and Ryuko stared at the onryo as she moved into the room. Millie smiled at Kuroko, "Your new body is ready." Kuroko looked down and watched the soil body grow, and then moved inside of it.
  
  Sophia entered the room, and the three of them watched as the soil body changed, it went from a vaguely humanoid shape into a more feminine shape, turned from dark black soil into a pale skin of a woman who worked indoors. Other features became apparent, as Kuroko"s body was reformed, her curves came out, she had slightly larger breasts than Ryuko and kept her pubes in a triangle shape. The body formed into a perfect facsimile of humanity, and then Kuroko opened her eyes and looked around. "Thank you, so much."
  
  Author's Note: When Ryuko talks about 'tachi' and 'neko' she's referring to Japanese terms for a lesbian couple. 'Tachi' is the top while 'neko' is the bottom, plus it's Japanese for 'cat'. It's like a lesbian version of 'seme' and 'uke' for gay male couples.
  
  Chapter 4: Testing the New Body
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 4: Testing the New Body
  
  After Kuroko gained her new body Ryuko showed her around her house, after giving the ghost some of her clothes to wear. Luckily, they were roughly the same size, although Ryuko was more muscular. Kuroko spent the next hour simply getting used to sensations again like smell, and touch, and taste especially, eating almost half of what was inside Ryuko"s fridge. She wouldn"t have to worry about getting fat from it; her new body was artificial and didn"t follow the biological laws of a normal human body; she could pig out as much as she wanted. Once Kuroko was satisfied, she went to sleep on Ryuko"s couch while Ryuko insisted on sleeping on her bed with Sophia and Millie. It was a tight squeeze, but the Karate instructor didn"t seem to mind having her body squished against her new magic teacher"s body or with her familiar"s.
  
  Millie woke up to the sound of some Japanese rock band playing music in Ryuko"s living room and got up to see Ryuko was doing push-ups in her living room, clapping push-ups to be precise. Ryuko saw her and said, "Sorry if I woke you up." Millie shrugged, "I"ve had worse ways of waking up. Ryuko, we need to do one more thing before you officially become a witch of the Pink Path. In every Path there are laws you must follow to gain power from it and use it properly. Violating these laws is very dangerous, and can destroy your very soul, even if you do it on accident." Ryuko stopped exercising and nodded, "Tell me what I need to do."
  
  Millie remained naked and told Ryuko to strip as well. Ryuko followed her orders, and then Millie"s fingers glowed as she formed a magic circle around them that glowed bright pink, like a neon sign. "Focus your energy into your dominant hand," Millie told Ryuko. Ryuko raised her right hand and took a second to concentrate. Her hand glowed white and she stared at it. "I"m going to ask you questions, every time you answer them, you must promise to keep the laws, and then use your hand to sign your name in the air. This will bind you to the Magic of the Universe and allow you to use and control it with training. Are you ready, Ryuko?"
  
  Ryuko nodded and Millie said, "Do you swear to only use your power in ways that will not harm an innocent?"
  
  "I swear," Ryuko said, and then waved her hand, forming a white glowing kanji of her full name, Takeda Ryuko.
  
  Millie said, "Do you swear to never create a potion, drug, or use a spell that will take away another human being"s free will?"
  
  "I swear," answered Ryuko, and made her name in the air again.
  
  Millie continued, "Do you swear that you will never act as a selfish lover, no matter if your lover is only for a minute or a century?"
  
  "I swear," Ryuko answered, and made her name.
  
  "Do you swear that you will never use your power to attack another, only in defense of yourself and others?" Millie asked her.
  
  Ryuko answered, "I swear," and once again made her name.
  
  Millie then asked her last question, "Do you swear that you will honor the Witch"s Sabbath, the Solstices, and the Festivals of Life and Death every year?"
  
  Ryuko answered, "I swear," and made her name one final time. The magic circle then coalesced and shrank down until it was the size of a mole, and then attached itself to Ryuko"s left breast, right over her heart. Ryuko gasped as she felt as if she had just been branded, and then the pain immediately stopped, and she felt as if her body had just been energized with a million volts of raw electricity. Millie nodded and pointed to a similar mark on her left breast, you could only tell it wasn"t a mole or freckle if you were extremely, intimately close to her.
  
  "Wow... that was intense," Ryuko said as she looked at the mark. "I will tell you about the festivals later, the next one will be the Winter Solstice, which won"t be for a while," Millie told her. "Do witch holidays involve dancing naked and stuff?" Ryuko asked her. Millie chuckled, "I wish, but not really. They"re mostly gatherings and festivals; bonfires, offerings to well, depending on where you think our magic comes from, we honor the Universe, the Gods, the Earth herself, or the Magic. Many witches have their theories. My own teacher, Allison Greyfair, believes that magic is almost like The Force from Star Wars, an energy field that binds the Universe together and that only a few can wield. I personally think it might be from the Gods, which ones don"t matter."
  
  Ryuko shrugged, "I see. Um...how long will I have to study magic with you, Millie-sensei?" Millie got a glass and filled it with some water from Ryuko"s kitchen before answering. "That depends on you, Ryuko. Some witches can master their power within a year, others need to study and train for decades. I needed seven years before Allison said that I was proficient enough not to need her anymore. Everyone goes at their own pace," Millie explained as Ryuko got some water herself. "I understand that; I have quite a few students who are slower than others," Ryuko agreed, "So, what now?"
  
  "Your first lesson is in learning to find your power so you can summon it at will," Millie explained. "You need to concentrate, and you can make it appear." Millie then demonstrated by waving her hand and leaving behind a veil of pink sparkles. "That is the most basic skill and the most important one, like stances in martial arts." Ryuko nodded, and then looked at her hand and concentrated. For a second it glowed, and then it stopped. Ryuko stared at her hand and focused harder, and her hand glowed for five seconds before it stopped again. "This is harder than I expected," Ryuko said. Millie patted her shoulder, "You"re doing better than I did. It took me a whole week before I could concentrate my magic enough to do that."
  
  "Anything else I should know?" Ryuko asked. Millie looked serious then and told her, "Beware the Black Path. It is the only Path of Magic that is truly and purely evil. All other Paths are merely ways of bending the natural order for you, like if someone uses a river to make a water mill or hydroelectric dam. But the Black Path takes and uses the Magic only for oneself and gives nothing back in return, like a company that drills for oil and pollutes the land around the oil field. Only one who is truly evil chooses that Path. Forget what you see on TV or movies about people being seduced or slowly slipping into evil, to go down the Black Path one must choose to put yourself above others, even their very lives and souls. Unfortunately, it is also an immensely powerful Path, which is why people choose it, even though they must commit...abominations for it."
  
  Ryuko swallowed and asked, "What kind of abominations?" Millie looked her in the eyes and said, "Any stories you hear of witches stealing children and eating them or using their body parts to make their talismans and potions comes from witches of the Black Path. Those stories don"t apply to all witches, but they all apply to witches following the Black Path. To them, other humans and animals are nothing but resources to use to increase their own power. That"s all I"ll tell you for now. If you ever find yourself confronting a witch of that Path, run. You can"t possibly face one and hope to survive." Ryuko nodded at this quietly, and that was when Sophia walked in, naked, and Kuroko waked up from the couch and looked around. "Am I the only one not naked here?" the onryo in a golem body asked.
  
  "Pretty much. I say we could just stay like this and have breakfast, and then, take a bath," Ryuko said as she started making breakfast, and then looked at Kuroko, "And while we"re in the bath we can get to know each other better." Kuroko blushed but gave a small smile at that as she stripped down as well, leaving all the women in Ryuko"s apartment stark naked. They all had a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, and rice, and then headed into Ryuko"s bathing room. For the first few minutes it was just them all taking turns getting cleaned up, and Kuroko groaned as she felt hot water on her body for the first time in years, and Ryuko got a look in her eyes when she heard her moaning.
  
  "Let me help wash your back, Kuroko-san," Ryuko cheekily said as she grabbed a sprayer and sprayed down Kuroko"s back. She applied soap to her and lathered her back up, and her hands started massaging Kuroko"s artificial body, "Amazing. If I hadn"t seen it I would never have guessed this wasn"t a real body," Ryuko commented as her hands slipped down to Kuroko"s ass and gave it a hard squeeze. Kuroko moaned and Ryuko lifted her hands to grope the onryo"s breasts. "Do you want me to stop?" Ryuko asked her.
  
  "B-But Millie and Sophia," Kuroko tried to say, only to see that the witch and familiar were already making out, Sophia"s petite body being lifted up by Millie before she started licking up her cunt. Kuroko moaned as Ryuko pinched one of her nipples, "Come on, Kuroko-san. I"m sure that you want to really test out your new body." Kuroko nodded and said, "Please, make me your woman." That was all the encouragement Ryuko needed as she kissed Kuroko, and soon their tongues were moving together. It took a few seconds for them to find their rhythm, Ryuko soon took charge.
  
  Ryuko kissed and massaged down Kuroko"s body until her fingers reached Kuroko"s pubes and she asked her, "Do you prefer being eaten out or penetrated?" Kuroko groaned, "I don"t care, just fuck me!" Ryuko immediately slid her fingers inside her and started to move them. Kuroko screamed as she quickly came, and Ryuko moved her fingers faster, and faster. She claimed Kuroko"s mouth again, and Kuroko came two more times before she was satisfied. Ryuko pulled her fingers out and licked them, "Tastes just like the real thing. Nice." Kuroko was laying down and she watched as Sophia used her tongue to make Millie cum.
  
  "I want Sophia and Millie to have me too," Kuroko said. "Submissive, huh?" Ryuko said, "You want to be everyone"s communal property? Our little slut?" Kuroko blushed but didn"t deny it, "Yes! I owe it to you for giving me a body again! Use me like a whore as much as you want!"
  
  Sophia smirked and went over to Kuroko and then pushed her down and sat on her face. "Start licking then, you slut," Sophia said. Kuroko grabbed Sophia"s lovely behind and spread it wide to lick up and around her anus. Sophia mewled and bent down enough to reach Kuroko"s quim and started fingering her as well. While this was happening, Ryuko made her way to Millie and smirked at her. Millie sat down and she and her apprentice started making out, wrapping their arms and legs around each other. Their breasts slid over each other"s bodies, and they pushed closer to each other until their cunts touched each other. Ryuko started moving her hips more, and Millie followed her pace, before she started taking control.
  
  Ryuko started groaning, only for her sounds to be drowned out by Kuroko screaming in pleasure as Sophia fingered her. "Hey! Don"t stop! I"m not satisfied yet!" Sophia ordered, and Kuroko went back to licking around her anus. Millie and Ryuko"s hips sped up and Ryuko got Millie on her back as she started sliding her hairless cunt over Millie"s bushier one. The witch and witch in training moaned almost as loud as Kuroko as they came together, and then Sophia meowed even louder as she came. Kuroko smiled at Millie as she went over to her and kissed her.
  
  Their tongues were in perfect synch as they kissed, and Kuroko kissed down Millie"s neck and took her left nipple in her mouth to suck on it. While they made love, Ryuko turned to Sophia, who looked at her and said, "You"re the one who"s going to be on the bottom." Ryuko smirked and told her, "I"d like to see you try." Sophia shrugged and reached up to grab Ryuko"s shoulder and pressed down. Ryuko was quickly overwhelmed and hit her knees on the ground. "What the fuck!?" the karate instructor/witch in training yelled in shocked English. Sophia smirked, "I"m not of this world, the laws of muscles, training, and physics do not apply to me. I am as strong as I want to be. And I want to be strong enough to top you. Now, enjoy this neko"s pussy."
  
  She pressed Ryuko"s head to her quim, and Ryuko didn"t try to fight it as she licked up and down her hairy slit. Meanwhile, Kuroko made her way to Millie"s own quim and started eating her out. "Oh yes! Just like that!" Millie moaned and held onto Kuroko"s head. Kuroko moved her lips and tongue the same way, and never stopped moving it, while Ryuko was doing her own best to pleasure Sophia. Sophia soon screamed and squirted on Ryuko"s face, and then pushed her to the ground. "I think you deserve a reward," Sophia said as she went to Ryuko"s quim and spread her lips wide.
  
  Sophia slowly slid her fist inside her, and Ryuko screamed in surprise as she felt things she never had before! "OH GOD! HOLY FUUUUCK!" she screamed as she came harder than she ever had before, and her screams of ecstasy were joined by Millie"s own. The four of them all looked at each other for a minute, before Ryuko turned the water off. Sophia turned to her Mistress and said, "I guess this is two down for your harem, Mistress. What"s next." Millie took a minute to catch her breath before she said, "Apprentices don"t count... But tomorrow I"m planning to head to the countryside. We"re going on a fox hunt."
  
  Chapter 5: Talking and Hot Springs
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 5: Talking and Hot Springs
  
  The next morning, everyone woke up and got ready, no sex that morning because they had to head off to the countryside, Hakone to be precise. Millie had heard rumors of sightings of a kitsune there, a kitsune who only appeared to women and had booked a reservation for four at an onsen retreat near the location of the sightings. Ryuko had managed to get a week off from the dojo and had yesterday informed her students she was leaving for the countryside for a much-needed "spiritual retreat" and had arranged for her replacement during that time. Once everyone was ready, and wearing appropriate clothes for the countryside, they headed for the bus stop. Along the way, Millie explained the details of Witch Festivals to Ryuko so she"d know what to do when they went to one.
  
  As the four of them waited at the bus stop, Kuroko told everyone about her own life before her death. She had been raised in Hakone and had moved to Tokyo after her parents died in a car accident. "You"ll love the onsen there," Kuroko explained, "The baths are so clean and relaxing, and the mountain views are breathtaking. I remember going every winter near New Year with my parents, it felt like we were washing away the stress of the old year." Ryuko closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders at the thought, "That sounds nice. Especially if we get a bottle of good sake and a cute girl around your arm." Ryuko wrapped an arm around Kuroko"s shoulders then and the onryo blushed a little but had a nice smile.
  
  Millie saw this and thought to herself, well now, this is an interesting development. The bus rolled up and they all got onboard; Millie and Sophia in one seat while Kuroko and Ryuko on another. Once the bus was loaded and was on the way to Hakone, Millie whispered to Sophia, "You seem to be getting jealous of Ryuko. I"ve never seen you act so dominating to someone before." Sophia shrugged, "I don"t like how presumptuous she is. She thinks that she owns me because she"s your apprentice. I only belong to you, Mistress. I merely wanted her to know her limits over me. If you want me to make love, have sex, or fuck with her, I shall. Otherwise, I don"t have much attraction to her; her body is too hard, and her breasts are too small."
  
  "Be nice, Sophia," Millie said, "For my sake at least. Ryuko is important to me now, my first apprentice. You are important to me as well. Do you not like my harem plan?" Sophia shrugged her shoulders, "What I want doesn"t matter, I am your familiar, bound to you until your death." Millie flicked some hair off Sophia"s face and told her, "Don"t tell me that. Tell me what you want, that"s an order, Sophia." The familiar looked down and then turned her head to look out of the buses" window. After a minute of thought, Sophia turned to Millie and their green eyes met as Sophia answered, "I like the idea of a harem. But...since I can be honest, I want to be your main wife. Every other woman in it must treat me with respect, and I will answer to you. I will do with them however you desire me to, but whether I"m nice about it will depend on how well I get along with the others."
  
  Millie nodded to this, "You want a hierarchy, not a polycule." Sophia nodded, "If I can have the choice, that is what I want." Sophia smiled, and it was a genuine smile that showed the familiar"s happiness, "This...is the first time that I have been given a choice. Thank you, Mistress." Sophia gave Millie a gentle kiss and said, "I promise that I will make this worth your while tonight." Millie smiled, and then Sophia took a nap, laying her head on her shoulder. It was a peaceful bus ride, and soon Millie was sleeping as well, until they were finally woken up by the bus driver declaring, "Welcome to Hakone!"
  
  Millie and Sophia woke up and saw Ryuko and Kuroko were snickering at them. "What?" Millie asked. "You just looked so cute together," Ryuko said with a smirk. The four women got off and Millie checked her phone, they were an hour"s walk to the onsen. "Alright, time for some exercise ladies," she said, and headed out in the direction of the onsen. Halfway to the onsen, Millie felt something, a tingling up and down her spine that spread to her heart before ending in her brain. Millie looked around and stopped, and so did Sophia. "Did you sense that?" Millie asked Ryuko. The karate instructor/witch-in-training nodded, "Yeah, what was that?"
  
  "That means that there is another witch of the Pink Path nearby. Think of it as a "witch sense", it"s something that comes naturally to a witch, let"s you know that there is a friend nearby. If you feel it in your heart, it means that you"re near a witch following your Path. I"d say she"s quite powerful as well, the sense reminded me of my teacher." Ryuko nodded as they walked along, "This could be more fun than I thought." They continued walking, and Millie encouraged Ryuko to practice summoning her magic as they walked; there was no one around to see it so it would be safe. Ryuko managed to make her hand glow for almost three minutes before the onsen came in sight and she stopped. At the front of the onsen they saw the Proprietress, and Millie felt her witch sense going off when she saw her.
  
  The Proprietress was an average height older Japanese woman, mid to late-forties with dark hair that was slightly greying at the temples and wearing a blue kimono and traditional geta, her face was still beautiful despite the wrinkles around her mouth, and she had full, kissable lips. Even through the kimono it was clear she was quite curvy judging by the width of her shoulders and hips. The Proprietress looked up and smiled at her guests and then used her thumbs and forefingers to form an inverted triangle, "Welcome, Sisters," she greeted in Japanese. Millie made the same sign and told Ryuko to do the same, and said, "Greetings and thank you, Sister."
  
  "I am Aikawa Aiuchi, the Proprietress of the onsen," she greeted and bowed in Japanese. Millie introduced herself and her companions. "I wasn"t expecting to meet a Sister of the Pink Path here," Millie said as they went inside. "Onsens are quite romantic," Aikawa Aiuchi explained, "A fine place to find partners and gain Tantric Energy. It is quite restful here as well, a good place to retire." Ryuko spoke up then, "You"re not that old, Aikawa-senpai. I"d say you could show me a thing or two." Ryuko punctuated her statement by giving the older woman a firm slap on her rear.
  
  Aiuchi responded by giving her a firm spank in kind and told her, "You young girls could stand to learn a few things." Aiuchi"s hand glowed, and Ryuko gave an orgasmic scream before she fell down. "That was good," Ryuko said as Kuroko helped her up. "Just making a point, Little Sister," Aiuchi told her, and led them to a room. "You two will stay here," she told Kuroko and Ryuko, and then led Millie and Sophia to a room across the hall, "And you two will stay here. Food will be ready in an hour. Do enjoy your stay."
  
  Millie and Sophia watched her close the door behind them and looked around the room. It was a simple Japanese style room, with two futons and a mirror on the wall opposite the door, only the electrical outlets and a single wide-screen TV were the signs that this building was modern. Sophia took a deep sniff with her nose and shuddered, "Aiuchi-san has a dog familiar. Her stench is everywhere in this building." Millie looked at her familiar and said, "Be nice. We are guests here, and Aiuchi-san is a sister of the Pink Path. She might be able to help us find the kitsune." Millie then started taking off her clothes and laid down on a futon, "Since we have time, how about a massage?"
  
  Sophia nodded and pulled some massage oil out of Millie"s suitcase. She dripped some on her Mistress" back and started kneading her stiff shoulders. "Lower, get my legs," Millie ordered, and Sophia moved lower, making sure to work out every knot she felt in her Mistress" back as she went. Millie"s groans filled the room, and Sophia smirked as she worked on Millie"s long legs. She was enjoying this so very much.
  
  Meanwhile, once Ryuko and Kuroko settled into their own room, Ryuko turned to the onryo and asked her, "So, are you as horny as I am right now?" Kuroko nodded, "Definitely. That Proprietress reminds me of my first crush, my High School Japanese teacher, Reiko-sensei." Ryuko smirked, "Oh? Got a kink for teacher huh? Is it the skirts, or the thought of an older woman punishing you that gets you wet?" Kuroko blushed and said, "I did always like being spanked." Ryuko immediately slapped her ass hard, and Kuroko groaned.
  
  She kissed her, and Kuroko responded just as vigorously, soon they were stripping each other"s clothes off, not paying attention where their clothes ended up until they were stark naked. Ryuko sat down on a futon and said, "Come here." Kuroko sat down next to her and was shocked when she was pulled over Ryuko"s lap. She slapped her ass again, and Kuroko groaned, which encouraged Ryuko to spank her more, and harder. Soon Kuroko"s pale rear was cherry red, and Ryuko felt that her cunt was soaking wet. "How much do you want to cum?" Ryuko asked her. "I"ll do anything!" Kuroko moaned.
  
  Ryuko"s smile lit up then and she laid down, "Sit on my face." Kuroko did as she was ordered and stood up, then sat down on Ryuko"s face. The karate instructor grabbed her legs and immediately started licking up and down her slit. Kuroko"s groans filled the room as she came over Ryuko"s face, and then she laid down and looked at her bare snatch and started returning the favor. The two of them found a quick pace together, licking and kissing each other"s cunts, pleasuring and giving pleasure at will until they finally came together. Ryuko then pushed Kuroko off her and climbed on top of her. She kissed her and soon their tongues were moving together, sharing each other"s taste.
  
  Ryuko sat up and lifted one of Kuroko"s legs before sliding her pussy over hers. Kuroko started moving her hips with her, and both of them started groaning and Kuroko screamed, "RYUKO!" Ryuko moved faster as Kuroko kept on screaming her name louder, and louder. Finally, Ryuko couldn"t stop herself, and screamed "KUROKO!" as Kuroko screamed "RYUKOOOOO!" Ryuko smiled down at the onryo in a golem body and Kuroko smiled at her and said, "I love you."
  
  Meanwhile, in her own private room, Aikawa Aiuchi watched all this happening through mirrors in her client"s rooms. Her kimono was partially undone, and she was fingering her cunt as she watched her guests. "Oh, this will be a fun evening."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Summary:
  "Can I ask what your business is here in Calico?" a steady drawl comes from one of the buildings. As the dust clears, Shin sees a woman leaning against a wooden pillar holding up the overhang that rests above a wooden porch. It"s a saloon, although Shin isn"t sure what type of woman would be lingering around a saloon at dawn. Admittedly, Shin is intrigued.
  
  An outlaw on the run from the skeletons in her closet, Shin Hati rolls into the sleepy town of Calico only to find a restless deputy by the name of Sabine Wren. All she wants is a night of rest, tired of running, but it's not long before she gets a lot more than she bargained for.
  
  Notes:
  i've had this idea in my head for days and i wanted to write it so bad so here i am. i have done research into the wild west before but i found a video essay specifically on the history of queer people and poc in the wild west and if that is something that interests you guys (which, i imagine it does if you're reading a fic about queer people in the wild west), you should check it out here.
  
  Apologies for the brevity of this chapter, they will almost certainly get longer the deeper the story goes.
  
  (See the end of the work for more notes.)
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Shin Hati rode into Calico at dawn. She wasn"t sure how long she had been riding or where she was going, all she knew was that once she started, she couldn"t stop and well, here she was. She had heard of the golden west-towns that propped up in the remnants of the gold rush, populated by those fleeing the Civil War, and then after the war had passed people just stayed. It was a freer place, free from the ghosts of the east and the confines of what society remained from America"s days beneath the British. Shin had always found life in the east to be restricting. But that was a problem of hers no more. In the decade or so since the war, Shin had gotten herself into a number of troubles under the guidance of her uncle-usually involving robbing people blind, dueling deputies, and in Shin"s case, getting far too close to the wives of farmers and gentlemen alike.
  
  But Baylan was not here now, no. Shin had stolen her horse in the middle of the night with nothing but a pack on her back and the clothes she had on her. The inkling to run had been growing on her for years-she yearned for a permanent life somewhere, to find honest work as a cowboy or farmhand, and live peacefully. She didn"t want to hurt people any more. That being said, she would if she had to.
  
  She trots into an empty town, dust restless at the hooves of her horse, the dark of dawn still lingering. A low whistle draws her attention as the sun rises above the dirt town ahead of her. She pulls the reins-her black horse named Pepper (for the spattering of white spots across her face, of course) comes to a halt, hooves scraping against the dirt road as the dust settles around Shin.
  
  Even in the low morning, the heat is prominent, but Shin supposes that"s what she gets for running away in the dead of August, right when the desert heat is at its most merciless. Her smooth brown cowboy hat rests atop her blonde locks, the hair chopped just above her shoulders. When she was younger, she had it cropped close to her ears so Baylan could pass her off as a boy, but the older she got, the harder it was to hide. The clothes stuck, but she let her hair grow out every now and then. Her shirt is a deep green tucked into her denim jeans, a brown vest thrown over it, unbuttoned. Holstered in her vest is her pistol, ready to be drawn at a moment"s notice. She gets the prickle up her neck that tells her that might be soon. She"s always had a knack for sensing danger.
  
  "Can I ask what your business is here in Calico?" a steady drawl comes from one of the buildings. As the dust clears, Shin sees a woman leaning against a wooden pillar holding up the overhang that rests above a wooden porch. It"s a saloon, although Shin isn"t sure what type of woman would be lingering around a saloon at dawn. Admittedly, Shin is intrigued.
  
  It doesn"t help that the woman is-well, certainly something. Long dark hair falls around her bare shoulders, tan skin contrasted by the white shirt she wears-the neckline square across her chest, cinched fabric wrapping around her waist and disappearing into cascading teal skirts. Despite her dress, though, she has a pistol holstered on her hip, as if Shin could get any more curious.
  
  "And who will that be askin" then?" Shin calls back, not dismounting just yet, just watching. The two of them make steady eye contact-the woman"s form is that of someone looking for a fight, but Shin doesn"t want that. She just wants a bed and maybe some water for her and her horse. Plus, there are a number of things she thinks she might like to do with this woman and fighting is not at the top of that list.
  
  "The deputy of Calico, at your service," the mysterious woman-the deputy apparently, approaches her horse now. Slowly, the crunch of dirt and gravel beneath her boots the only sound aside from the steady pant of her tired horse. Pepper takes a step back as the woman approaches, taking Shin with her. She"s never taken too kindly to strangers-something the horse and the outlaw have in common. Shin tightens her grip on the reins, the spurs of her boots digging into the horse just enough to keep control. "And you look like trouble."
  
  "That"s a mighty big judgment to have upon first glance, miss deputy," Shin does her best to turn on the charm, but she"s never been too good at such a thing. She swindles men easily enough, but women are always harder to convince. After all, a con artist always knows how to spot one of their own. Shin can"t deny she looks like trouble, though-her face is half covered in dirt, only so much of it able to be covered by bandana when she"s riding, there"s a half-healed slice above her eyebrow from a fight in some mining town a couple of days ago, and her nose is crooked like it"s been broken a couple of times (Shin has lost count). Even so, most aren"t usually so bold as to call it out. "I am just here to rest my head and my horse. No trouble at all."
  
  When Shin senses distaste, that"s when she decides she won"t stay in a town. She"s running from enough, she doesn"t need to try and create more ghosts to follow her west. Granted, she"s gotten in a few good fights since she left Baylan-usually when she milks a glass of bourbon at a saloon and watches a drunkard get too bold with a prostitute or any poor woman that crosses his bath will she down the rest of her glass before smashing it over his head and bringing the barrel of her pistol to his chin. And there was the sheriff"s wife that one time that resulted in Shin being banned from several towns in Arizona. But she tries to stay out of trouble-most of the time. So, she won"t stay in Calico. No matter how much this woman has managed to hook her in the first two minutes of words between them.
  
  "So you tellin" me you aren"t the outlaw who"s face I"ve seen plastered across every saloon this side of the Mississippi?" the woman rests a hand on her belt, scarily close to her pistol. Shin still doesn"t remove her hands from the reins, but she would shoot faster than this deputy could if it came down to it. She always shoots faster.
  
  Shin leans down, a coy smile on her face as her eyes meet the woman"s. She"s not short by any means, but with Shin"s vantage point on the horse, she hovers just above her face, eyes tracing over her slowly before running back up to meet her eyes. "I never said that. I said all I want is a place to rest my head and my horse and then I will gladly get the hell out of your town."
  
  "You must think I"m a goddamn idiot if I believe a word of that coming from the likes of you-"
  
  "Sabine!" a voice calls out, grabbing the attention of both the women. Shin turns her head to see another woman coming out of one of the nearby houses-her skin is dark, a long black braid falling down her back. She"s dressed more similarly to Shin, clad in denim with a shirt and vest, a tan cowboy hat blocking her face from the rising sun. On her vest is a shiny silver badge-the Sheriff"s crest. A female deputy was a surprise enough, but a female sheriff is even more interesting. "Why"re you out here bothering newcomers at the asscrack of dawn?"
  
  The woman- Sabine, Shin now knows, huffs and goes over to the bulletin board right outside on the wall of the saloon, ripping one of the papers off and handing it over to the sheriff. The officer peers down at it curiously, reading the words off out loud, "Hm. Wanted for assault, assault with a deadly weapon, adultery, robbery-well, Miss Hati, you certainly have been busy."
  
  "We need to arrest her-"
  
  The sheriff cuts her off with a slight grin, eyeing Shin up and down with a curious gaze before crumpling up the wanted poster in her hands. "Why don"t you take a mornin" off and rest your head at our inn?"
  
  "Ahsoka, you cannot be serious," Sabine argues, eyes darting anxiously in Shin"s direction. "She"s trouble, just look at her."
  
  Shin finally dismounts her horse, patting Pepper on the head as she stalks over to where the two women stand. She gets closer to Sabine than she probably needs to, close enough to see the beads of sweat on her forehead and the flecks of gold in her wide, dark eyes. Yeah, if Shin is going to find trouble in Calico, she has a feeling it"s standing right here in front of her. She can hear the way Sabine"s breath hitches at her closeness and Shin finds pleasure in knowing she"s shaken up by something so simple.
  
  "You heard the woman, Sabine," Shin teases, voice careful and low, a steady drawl just to watch the way Sabine shifts at the sound. "I really ought to get some rest. Care to point me in the direction of the inn?"
  
  The sheriff-Ahsoka, Sabine had called her, points at a larger building down the road. "Right down there, tell Hera I sent you, she"ll comp your first night, no worries. Apologies for my deputy here, she gets antsy with your type."
  
  Shin just places her hand atop her hat and tilts it down with her head, bidding the sheriff goodbye as she retreats back into her house, leaving just Shin and Sabine out on the dirt road at dawn. The second her superior is gone, Sabine takes a step forward, a finger jabbed at Shin"s chest. "Don"t get too comfortable, I know all about you Shin Hati. You"re infamous out west and I take it no town will host the likes of you, not if they"re smart."
  
  "And yet," Shin steps back, jutting out her chin as her hands rest at her belt, "it seems Calico has welcomed me with open arms. You should listen to your boss, Sabine. I have been busy and I"d make quick work of a place like this if I really wanted to, you keep that in mind before you go reaching for your gun. Now, you have a good day, ma"am."
  
  Sabine doesn"t say anything further as she straightens up and steps back, brushing dust off her skirts less so to stay clean and more because she clearly doesn"t know what to do with her hands. The threat is empty, but Sabine doesn"t need to know that. Shin has run into many women like her in the west-restless, searching for something more, for a purpose. Sabine reeks of that sort of displeasure, anxious for something to change, to have something to do.
  
  Shin lingers there, a space too heavy between them as her eyes trace down Sabine"s form. Her skin is tanned, both from the sun and from natural complexion, freckles scatter across her bare shoulders, too many to count. The sun rises over the dust, casting an early golden hue over both of them. Behind her, Pepper whinnies, anxious to get some rest. She"s overworked her, Shin knows that much, but she couldn"t risk being followed. She"s tried her best to keep her trail scattered and erratic, impossible to properly trace. And Pepper has borne the most of that exhaustion.
  
  "Won"t be a good day with you in my town," Sabine seethes, finding her words with her arms crossed against her chest with a sort of righteousness Shin has seen in the eyes of many. She is no stranger to people wanting her gone. Sabine tilts her head and spits into the dirt beside Shin"s feet before turning to walk down the road.
  
  Shin just stands there for a moment, hands still on her belt and a curious grin on her face as her gaze follows the woman. As if she can feel her eyes on her, Sabine turns around, basking in the morning sun as dust swirls around her skirts with the steady wind of the west. Shin just gives her a crooked grin, tilting her hat and turning towards the inn without a second glance. She can feel the eyes on her, though-lingering.
  
  Shin just chuckles to herself as she heads for the inn. Sleeping at the desk is a woman who looks to be in her late-thirties, dark hair in close cut cropped to ears. A white shirt buttoned to her neck is tucked into brown pants and cowboy boots, minus the spurs. This town sure is chock-full of strange women, Shin is beginning to realize.
  
  The woman-Shin can only assume this is the Hera the sheriff spoke of-is leaning on her palm, mouth open in her sleep. Shin reaches forward cautiously and rings the metal bell on the counter. She startles awake, eyes wide as she sputters, seeing another person standing in front of her.
  
  "Shit, sorry "bout that," the woman says with a startled laugh, "My boy kept me up all night, you know how kids are."
  
  Shin just pulls her hat off her head and holds it against her chest for a moment before dropping it to her side. "I do not, but I am sure I could picture it just fine. You must be Hera? The sheriff-ah, Ahsoka was it? She sent me over here for a night or two."
  
  Hera nods, yawning with a hand haphazardly over her mouth before turning and pulling a key down from the wall behind her, handing it off to Shin without a second thought. "Up the stairs and down the hall, darling. Say, you look awfully familiar, have we met before?"
  
  She chuckles lowly, shaking her head and holding out her hand. "No, but I"m sure you"ve heard of me. Shin Hati. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
  
  The name rings a bell, Shin can see it in her eyes. Even so, Hera takes her hand and shakes it firmly. Her eyes narrow as she looks at Shin. "We don"t need anymore trouble in Calico, Miss Hati. I"m sure Ahsoka made that clear."
  
  Shin nods her head, curt and kind. "Absolutely crystal. Thank you for the accommodations, as well. Is there a place I could keep my dear horse? She"s pretty worn."
  
  Hera is watching her curiously, unsure what to make of Shin"s politeness. Back when her mother was alive (decades ago now), she always taught Shin to keep her manners in check until someone proved unworthy of them. The people of this poor town have done nothing to earn her disrespect-Sabine aside. But Sabine is a bit more fun for Shin, less of an offensive and more of a game to be played.
  
  "There"s a stable out back, should be a free stall for her to rest," Hera tells her finally, pointing around the back of the building. "You enjoy your stay."
  
  Shin just places her hat back on her head as she prepares to step back outside to get Pepper settled. She nods once more in Hera"s direction, thinking of the woman that had looked at her in the dust. "Oh, I am sure I will."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 2
  Notes:
  yes new chapter already i had a day off and was really bored so fuck it we ball
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin doesn"t wake until late in the evening, the sun low on the horizon. She had forgone her shirt and jeans, resting in just a white undershirt and her underwear with her jeans, shirt and vest tossed aside to be dealt with later. As the waking world greets her, Shin groans and reaches for the pocket on the inside of her vest, opposite where her pistol is still stashed, reaching for her carton of cigarettes and lighting one with the scratchy sheets still wrapped around her waist. It"s nice to take a breath. Her last sleep had been on the desert floor, so this was already leagues better. The steady breath of smoke in her lungs brings her peace, collecting her thoughts in solitude.
  
  It"s still strange to be without Baylan, even with her several weeks on the road. For the last fifteen or so years, he was all she knew. Her mother died, her father was nowhere to be found, he was all she had. And now she had no one. The worst part was she hardly has an answer as to why. She felt stifled, restrained, like a wild animal; caged. All she knew was pain and unease and yet now, in a shitty inn, far away from anyone who truly knew her, her muscles stretch, her bones crack, relaxed for the first time in two and a half decades. Despite this, the guilt still wracks her bones, rattling her more than she would like to admit.
  
  Cigarette still between her lips, she reaches for her discarded shirt, the canvas comfortable and warm as it slides across her skin. She buttons it up about halfway, leaving the slightest peek of white visible before tugging her vest back on over it. Forcing herself out of bed, she cracks her back as she reaches for her jeans, tugging them up high on her waist and securing them with a belt. She lingers by the window for a moment once she"s dressed, smoke billowing from her lips as she watches the townsfolk below.
  
  Calico seems to be relatively bustling, not one of the largest Shin has passed through nor one of the smallest. At this hour, there aren"t quite drunks wandering the streets yet, most just now heading to the saloon for the first drink. Across the street, Shin can see a prostitute leading a man into the brothel with a shit-eating grin on his face, causing Shin to roll her eyes a bit at the eagerness. Although the brothel is not a particularly unappetizing idea, Shin will wait and see what the townsfolk have to offer before she spends her coin on something as frivolous as sex. When the pickings are good, Shin has hardly had a difficult time finding a willing participant.
  
  When she finishes her cigarette, she checks her pistol is loaded and holsters a knife in her belt. Shoving her feet into her boots, she grabs her hat off of the nightstand and places it over her messy hair before opening the door and heading downstairs.
  
  The receptionist desk is empty when she arrives, but she pays it no mind as she heads out back to check on Pepper.
  
  "Hey, girl," she mutters once the horse comes into her sights. She runs a hand down her face, scratching the spot between her ears before checking to make sure she has enough hay and water. With that settled, she presses her face against Pepper"s for a moment, pressing a soft kiss to her hide before bidding her goodbye.
  
  Back on the street, Shin is acutely aware of the amount of eyes landing on her every step. She doesn"t mind it, though, she"s grown used to it in her time on the road. With Baylan, they had been invisible thieves, known only by the white of their hair and the bandanas covering their faces, but Shin has managed to make quite a name for herself in her time away.
  
  She heads for the saloon-the one Sabine had been posted outside this morning. Sabine, Shin"s mind recalls. Her thoughts of the woman had persevered into her dreaming state-wondering if the woman would be so restless in bed or if she would let Shin have her way with her. Or maybe the tables would turn and her aggression would show itself in dominance-Shin thinks she would be fine either way as long as she got her hands on her. She shouldn"t let herself get distracted when she"s already made the decision to get the hell out of town as soon as possible, but there"s no saying she can"t have a little fun while she is here. Whether it be with Sabine or some other woman. She"s been tense lately, something to get the edge off would be nice.
  
  As she pushes through the doors of the saloon, the wood creaks beneath her heavy boots and the place goes silent. She pays the onlookers no mind, though, just pushing through to the bar so she can get a good glass of bourbon in her hands. Now that"s something she"s willing to spend her coin on.
  
  She settles down at the bar where she sees a man with curly dark hair not grown too far past his ears and bright blue eyes wiping a glass. The second he sees the look on Shin"s face, he takes the clean glass and places it down on the bar in front of her. The act earns a sly smile from her.
  
  "What"re you drinking?" the bartender asks, eyebrows raised as he watches her intently.
  
  "Bourbon. Give me your favorite," Shin answers dryly, lighting up another cigarette.
  
  The man smiles and reaches behind him, grabbing a bottle and giving her a hefty pour. She tries to toss some money across the bar but he holds out a hand. "Sabine told me "bout you. Said trouble rolled into town nice and early. I"m Ezra. And you are?"
  
  "Trouble, apparently," Shin smiles around her cigarette, fingers reaching for the glass as the other shakes his hand. "Shin Hati, pleased to meet you. This Sabine... she is an interesting character. You two friends?"
  
  Ezra nods. "The best. But she"s got a thing about outlaws, so I"d be careful gettin" alone with her if I were you. You were probably lucky Ahsoka stepped in when she did or else your stay in Calico would have been a bit shorter than expected."
  
  "She would not outdraw me," Shin says with an easy confidence, lifting the glass to her lips and taking a sip. The alcohol is warm, a pleasant burn down her throat. Eyes still linger on her conversation at the bar, but for the most part, people have resumed their business. "It was strange of that little sheriff to let me go. Most people are dying to get me in a jail cell."
  
  "Ahsoka"s not gonna be like the other sheriffs you run into out west," Ezra explains, going back to cleaning glasses and keeping an eye out for other customers in need of service. "She sees the good in people until they give her a reason not to. Trouble in the past doesn"t translate to trouble here-that"s what she always says. Don"t mean she won"t be watching you."
  
  Shin tenses, tapping the bottom of her glass against the bar before knocking the rest back, slamming it down against the bar and leaning in close. "Is that a threat?"
  
  Ezra leans in to meet her gaze, a flicker of entertainment in his light eyes. "A warning. I don"t know how long you plan on staying, but they won"t give a damn who you killed or robbed or fucked so long as you keep your nose clean within these town lines. Sabine is just itching to have a reason to shoot you."
  
  "I think she and I have different goals with one another," Shin huffs out a laugh, tapping her glass. Ezra doesn"t hesitate to refill her glass, the pour just as heavy. This time, he lets her pay and she gives her thanks in a nod before taking a sip.
  
  "Good luck with that, she"d eat you alive," Ezra scoffs, but not so in a way that tells her it"s out of the question entirely. Shin has always liked a challenge-clearly. The man eyes her carefully, brow creased with something Shin can"t read. "I"m serious about keeping your nose clean, though. Your wanted poster is so full, I think they"re gonna have to start using the backside soon."
  
  Shin laughs at this, a real laugh as she sips her bourbon. Ezra is called away by another customer and Shin minds her own, nursing her drink and observing the other folks at the saloon. There"s a poker game going on in the corner and Shin could go over there and shake the whole game if she wanted to-she"s always had a knack for poker, and for getting cards up her sleeve once the table gets too heavy on the beer, but she isn"t in the mood. Her exhaustion still stresses her bones even after her long rest, but it will ease with another night or two before she hits the road again. The bourbon brings her some comfort, much needed after a few weeks without a lick of alcohol to ease her mind.
  
  Every corner she turns, she fears Baylan will be standing there to drag her kicking and screaming back into the life she"s fighting tooth and nail to leave. She had already resigned herself to be an outlaw the rest of her life-her journey further west has proved that clear, but she wants to do it her way. Not killing people for money or robbing innocents blind. If she"s going to spill blood or snatch coins and cash, it"ll be someone who deserves it. He may have raised her, but she will not hesitate to draw blood if it assures her freedom. She takes a steady sip of her drink, hoping her nerves will dissipate-they don"t.
  
  She needs something stronger to blow the steam off-but it seems not many women are lingering around the saloon. Men have never interested her, that much she"s known since she was young. Not even the most desperate of times call for such desperate measures. The night is still young, Shin reminds herself, and she"s content to wait until someone worthwhile comes around and falls into her lap-literally.
  
  The sound of the doors swinging open hits Shin"s ears and she hears a handful of shouted greetings to whoever has just walked into the establishment, including a slurred, "Hey, dep, heard you were looking for me?"
  
  Sabine"s deep chuckle is unmistakable as she responds, "Not as long as you keep your dick in your pants, Harrison. I"m just looking for a drink."
  
  Not far down the bar, Ezra grabs a fresh glass from the shelf below him and begins pouring a drink, presumably for Sabine. Shin eyes it curiously-whiskey, neat. She"s dressed differently now-same shirt from this morning, only now it"s tucked into brown leather pants that hug her ass in a way that certainly has Shin looking, although she doesn"t allow herself to linger lest her mind take her to less than savory places. It"s a harsh reminder to recall this woman hates her entirely. Even so, she hasn"t even noticed Shin"s presence. Either that, or she"s deliberately ignoring her right now. Either way, Shin just lets her eyes trace over her form even further as she nurses her bourbon.
  
  She doesn"t even realize how distracted she got until her long cigarette burns down to her fingers. She curses it and drops it into the ashtray sitting on the bar with a hiss, bringing her finger to her tongue for a small moment of reprieve.
  
  It"s then that Sabine turns to her. Shin eyes her curiously, finger still lingering on her bottom lip, eyes lidded as she moves to take a sip of her drink. She watches as Sabine gives her a once over, eyes overlooking her form at a pace that feels achingly slow, like time in the saloon has managed to freeze entirely. Shin just waits. And watches.
  
  "You got a problem?" Shin finally asks, hiding the sly grin on her face with a sip of her drink, but the arrogance still rings clear in her voice. She takes off her hat and places it on the bar beside her, running a hand through her blonde locks and letting her bangs fall loose in front of her face after the fact.
  
  Sabine huffs, reaching for her whiskey. "Just wonderin" who in their right mind let you in here."
  
  "Your good friend over here-" Shin mentions, motioning to where Ezra"s eyes dart nervously between the two of them. He"s shining a glass to try and look casual, but his shoulders are tense. "Even covered my first drink. You got some real nice folk in this town of yours, Sabine. Now, will you be occupying this barstool until dawn again? Just curious."
  
  "For your information, not that I owe you such a thing," Sabine leans forward, only a barstool over from where Shin is sitting with one hand wrapped around her drink and one braced against her knee, curious as to what Sabine has to say. "I was on my way home and happened to stop when I saw you riding in."
  
  "Home from where?" Ezra asks with a shit-eating grin that says he knows exactly where Sabine"s been.
  
  "Your mother"s house, actually," Sabine says with an easy smirk and a tilt of her glass before knocking back the whiskey like it"s nothing. Shin watches the way her throat bobs as she swallows the liquor, tongue swiping across her bottom lip and wondering what the whiskey would taste like if it comes from Sabine"s lips. God, Shin needs to snap out of it. "None of your damn business, Bridger."
  
  Ezra just raises his eyebrows and spins away to go help another customer. Shin"s glass is getting low, but she"s not about to call him back for more. The sun is barely down and she knows she needs to take it easy. So, now it"s just her, Sabine, and the tense silence between them. Although, Shin really isn"t here looking for a fight. She thought that much would be obvious considering she could have torn up this place in half the time she"s been here, but Sabine doesn"t seem too convinced.
  
  "I want you out of my town," Sabine spits in her direction, hand tight around her empty glass of whiskey. She"s hunched over the bar with her forearms crossed against the wood, eyes looking at Shin with a certain sort of intensity.
  
  Shin spins around on her stool, elbows against the bar as she sips the last of her drink. "And there it is. You know, last I figured, you are not the sheriff and this is not your town. So, I really don"t think I"ll be going anywhere, actually. I got some business to take care of "round here."
  
  This seems to pique Sabine"s interest, her brow furrowing and resulting in a cute crease above her nose. "And what business would that be?"
  
  She just shrugs, widening her stance a little bit on the stool so her legs spread slightly, booted feet resting against the wooden bar holding the legs of the stool together. She tilts her head as she looks over at Sabine, eyes tracing over every line of her face. "Come a little closer and you can find out."
  
  The statement gives Sabine pause. It"s the most obvious Shin can really get-she isn"t sure what compels her to say it, but it sits there out in the open now, accompanied with a raise of her eyebrows and a sly grin on her face. Part of her likes watching Sabine squirm and boy, is she squirming. It seems to take her a moment to process, the words hanging in the open air before being absorbed and Shin almost wants to chuckle.
  
  "Are you-" Sabine asks, sputtering, "You"re joking, right?"
  
  Shin shrugs again, repeating her previous sentiment, "Find out."
  
  It"s bold, considering Sabine has a gun on her and there"s no way of knowing if she"s into women or not, but Shin is no stranger to hitting on difficult women. After all, she is wanted for adultery. Not that she seeks out married women. Unless, of course, a particularly unruly man makes a rude comment in her direction or dares to spit on the ground when she walks by, then, well, his wife is just fair game.
  
  But Sabine is no wife, Shin could tell that from the moment she saw her. Too restless, too arrogant. Women like that don"t settle down with men unless they have to.
  
  While Sabine processes, Shin waves Ezra back over to ask for a drink. She pushes her glass back over the bar. "Just a beer, if you will. Bottled, if you got it."
  
  Ezra nods and grabs one from down below, opening the bottle for her and sliding it across the bar. She gives him her thanks and tilts the bottle to her lips, still watching Sabine out of the corner of her eye. Ezra eyes the two of them carefully, like he can"t get a good read on the situation. To be fair, Shin can"t either. She can"t tell by Sabine"s expression whether she wants to take Shin up on her offer or shoot her for even asking.
  
  After a moment, Ezra walks away with one last fleeting glance in their direction. The moment he"s gone, Sabine leans forward placing a hand on the bar as she gets in Shin"s face. This close, she smells like whiskey. Shin really is starting to wonder how it tastes.
  
  "You must be out of your damn mind if you think you can charm your way into my bed, Hati," Sabine seethes, so intense Shin straightens up against the bar. Even though Sabine sounds angry, Shin doesn"t miss the way her eyes flick down to Shin"s lips, a brief moment of curiosity undoubtedly getting the better of her. Shin just watches her, smiling as she takes another sip of her beer. "Everyone else may be fine with you stirring things up around here, but don"t think I"ll forget what you"ve done. At the end of the day, you"re still a stupid outlaw."
  
  "Did that make you feel better?" is all Shin asks when she"s done. Despite the harsh rejection, Shin still finds herself wholly entertained. Because she is under Sabine"s skin and it is mighty comfortable here.
  
  Sabine considers it for a moment, leaning back and straightening herself out. "A bit. Go find some other woman to bother because it"s not happening with me."
  
  Shin nods. "Okay, how"s the woman you were with last night, then?"
  
  The woman beside her stills, hand still braced against the bar. She still hasn"t gotten another drink. Shin watches her expression shift, placing her bottle on the bar as she turns her full attention to Sabine, a coy grin on her face. God, this woman really is easy to irritate, it's almost too easy. Either way, Shin is having a good time.
  
  "Okay," Sabine straightens up, turning around to face the crowd of people in the bar, mirroring Shin"s stance. She points to a woman sitting in the corner, a bottle of beer in her hand and a disinterested look on her face as a man speaks too loudly in her ear. This woman notices Sabine turning to her and her attention instantly perks up, shooting a flirty wave in her direction. Sabine waves back with a nod before turning to Shin. "She"s a biter."
  
  Shin can play this game. If Sabine"s too busy looking at Shin"s wanted poster to have a good time, that"s perfectly fine. Shin is only going to be here another day, maybe two, and she intends to let off some steam one way or another. So, she stands up from the bar, grabbing her hat and placing it gently back on her head. Sabine is watching her every move, something Shin takes great satisfaction in. She grabs the rim of her hat and tilts it down in a nod before she walks across the bar-Sabine"s gaze still following her.
  
  The woman eyes Shin curiously as she approaches. She"s not disinterested in the slightest, that much Shin can decipher easily. The man speaking to her is immediately squaring Shin up, but she doesn"t even look in his direction as she holds out a hand. "Shin Hati, pleased to meet your acquaintance."
  
  "Margaret. Margaret Hawthorne, pleased to meet you," the woman introduces herself with a slight rosiness in her cheeks. The name Margaret suits her with her dark curls and freckled nose. She can understand why Sabine would be into her-she"s breathtaking.
  
  "You know, I just got a room at the inn and it is mighty empty in there, would you mind helping me out with that?" It"s almost too easy the way her eyes light up at the offer. Shin holds out her hand and Margaret takes it without a second glance at the man beside her.
  
  As they head for the entrance of the saloon, Shin turns around one last time to find Sabine still staring at her. With a shit-eating grin on her face, Shin nods in her direction and disappears through the doors of the bar. Calico has proved to be much more interesting than Shin thought it would be.
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 3
  Notes:
  i watched the WORST fantasy western tonight bc i needed a movie to put me in the mood to write this omg... the things i do for the little gay people in my phone
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin rolls over in bed to find the touch of another woman, bare from at least the waist up with the scratchy sheets of the inn only half covering her. The long dark hair and freckled shoulders unfortunately don"t belong to the person Shin wants them to be, but she won"t lie here and pretend Margaret didn"t know how to have a damn good time. She runs a hand over the woman"s hair, fingers featherlight against the dark locks before she rolls over into a sitting position. She pulls one of her other shirts over her shoulders, not bothering to button it up as she reaches for her drawers. Half-dressed, she sits on the side of the bed and lights a cigarette.
  
  Facing the door, she can hear the sheets shift and not long after, a hand smooths down across her chest, a head coming up to rest on her shoulder. The lips against her neck are warm and Shin sighs into the touch, blowing smoke out with her breath.
  
  "Hey, baby," Shin mumbles, letting the long cigarette be plucked from her lips as Margaret takes a drag.
  
  "You know I never been with a woman that sits here and wears men"s underwear," Margaret says with a chuckle-a soft one, not trying to be rude. She reaches down and thumbs at the fabric, rubbing it between her fingers. "You"re not like anyone I"ve met."
  
  Shin"s curiosity, admittedly, gets the better of her. She tilts her head to look over at Margaret, a coy smile tugging at her lips as she asks, "Yeah? What about that Sabine?"
  
  Margaret lets out a low whistle and takes another drag. "What about her?"
  
  "What"s her deal with outlaws?" Shin asks, hand resting on Margaret"s bare thigh. The woman has made no move to get dressed and Shin isn"t exactly about to rush her out the door. After last night, hell, she wouldn"t mind another round or two-even if she has another broad on her mind. "I mean, I know a few mean sheriffs, but she takes something real personal."
  
  Margaret goes quiet and Shin gets the feeling she"s asked the wrong question. "It ain"t my business to tell other people"s stories. I"m sure if she really tried talking to you, she wouldn"t mind you at all. Lord knows I don"t, even though I thought you were real scary walkin" into the saloon. Everyone"s whispering about you."
  
  This doesn"t surprise Shin. The thought almost brings her pleasure-to know she can cause such a ruckus just by walking around. She doesn"t mind being infamous, not so long as she can still have quiet moments like this. Quiet moments where she"s just a woman, not an outlaw. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I"m not so scary, though, am I?"
  
  She turns to look at Margaret with a sweet smile, leaning forward and pressing her into another kiss. She can feel Margaret smile into it, grabbing both her cheeks and giggling around Shin"s lips. Shin has half a mind to press her back into the mattress and have her way with her as she wraps an arm around her waist.
  
  Margaret pulls away laughing, looking up at Shin from the mattress, dark locks spread all around her face. "No, you"re not too scary. I really oughta get goin" though. Sun"s coming up and if my ma sees me walking around in last night"s dress, she"ll have my head."
  
  Shin regrettably lets her go, moving to button up her own shirt with a sigh, grabbing her cigarette off the ashtray on the end table and taking another drag. She watches as Margaret works to get dressed, eyes darting over to meet Shin"s the entire time.
  
  As she pulls her skirts back up, she asks, "Say, why are you so curious about Sabine, anyway? I mean, she"s a good time, but not worth the trouble. Woman like you can get anyone here. You like when they play hard to get or something?"
  
  Shin laughs, not used to being so seen. She doesn"t often let women stay the night, but the last few weeks have been so tiring, she passed out before she had half a mind to show Maragret the door. It"s been too long since a woman she spent the night with tried to have an honest to god conversation with her. "I don"t know. She"s just-"
  
  "Gorgeous? I know," Margaret chuckles, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame the wild curls. She leans forward and grabs Shin in one more kiss, lips soft and plush against her own. "And she"s probably the best lay in town. Well, maybe not now that you"re here. She"s got some tough competition."
  
  Shin throws her head back in a laugh, hand coming up to rub her chin as she thinks about that. Sabine in bed is not a thought unwelcome to her, not even close. "I"ll make sure to tell her you said that, I"m sure she"d love to hear it."
  
  Margaret looks like she"s going to say something, but a noise outside grabs their attention. Shin jumps to look out the window, cigarette still between her lips. She reaches for her jeans on the way over, tugging them up her legs as she stares down at the road below. Beside her, Margaret comes up with a concerned expression on her face. There"s a band of horses, men on top of them with hats covering their heads and bandanas obscuring their faces. Dust kicks up around them as they stop in front of the saloon-still closed for the morning.
  
  Shin watches as Ezra comes out of a house near the saloon, hands up and hat low on his head. If she squints, she can see a pistol in his waistband behind his back.
  
  "What"s goin" on there?" Shin asks.
  
  Margaret sighs, a hand over her mouth as she watches on. "There"s this god-awful gang of outlaws-not like you, they ride through town here and there, demanding Ezra fork over the saloon profits. It"s not just the saloon either, they"ll steal from the brothel, the bank, you name it. It"s been months since the last time they showed up, I was starting to think some hero finally took "em out."
  
  Shin doesn"t think twice before grabbing her pistol, checking its loaded. "Well, I"m no hero, but I"ll try my damn best."
  
  She isn"t sure why she heads downstairs as quickly as she does. This ain"t her town, so none of their troubles are really any of her business. Plus, she"s not exactly a prime example of a good citizen. She"s got a hefty amount of blood on her hands and quite the reward for her arrest, but she doesn"t stoop so low as to rob innocent people. Not since her days beneath Baylan.
  
  Just before she steps outside, she places her hat atop her head, pushing through the door with a lit cigarette between her lips and loaded gun in her hands. She lets out a low whistle, drawing the attention of the four outlaws-and the onlookers on the street. Ezra"s eyes dart over to her and he nods curtly.
  
  "What seems to be the problem here?" she asks once the eyes are on her. She checks her pistol casually, wiping off a smudge of dirt.
  
  "Just takin" what we"re owed, young lady, why don"t you mind your business and shove off?" One of the men-Shin assumes he"s some sort of leader since he sits in front of the group. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Sabine and Ezra stepping out of the sheriff"s office, hands on their pistols.
  
  "No, I don"t think I will," Shin tilts her head up, squinting with the morning sun in her eyes. "You see, I really don"t think this gentleman here owes you shit."
  
  "Say, you look mighty familiar," one of the other men says. He"s met with an elbow jab from one of his buddies, probably for steering the topic of conversation. The man in front has a hand on his hip, where his revolver sits. The metal of the handle glints in the sunlight.
  
  Shin barks out a laugh at this, quirking her eyebrows as she looks up at them. "You know, I get that a lot. Funny thing is, I ain"t never heard of you fools. If anyone around here should be robbing people, it"s probably me."
  
  "I"ve just about had enough of you-" Shin cuts off the leader by firing a shot into the dirt by the horse"s hooves, scaring it. It bucks up and almost knocks the man clean off, but he holds on tight, smacking the horse back into submission. She sighs, dropping her cigarette into the dirt and crushing it with her boot.
  
  "I"m sorry, what was that you were saying?" she asks, voice vacant and uncaring. She tilts her head, waiting to see what he has to say as if she really cares at all. This is going to end one of two ways-all four of them dead or running the hell out of town. If she"s nice, she might only kill one or two.
  
  "You dumb son of a cunt," the leader grumbles under his breath as he hops down off of his horse. The other three follow suit and Shin stands her ground. He gets up in her face, pistol drawn. She can see the sweat beaded on his forehead, bits of dark hair glued to his sunburnt forehead. "I don"t know if you"re new in town or if you"re just stupid, but I own this place. Everyone here knows that. So when I come through, yeah, they give me what I"m fucking owed."
  
  "I did not see your name on the town sign," Shin comments offhandedly. "In fact, I don"t think you"ve been mentioned once since I got here so unless I missed a town meeting-well, I don"t think you own shit."
  
  Clearly, she strikes a nerve with this because instead of shooting her the man just smacks her clean across the face. It stings, but it"s not nearly as forceful as it sounds. Besides, Shin has taken a lot worse in her day. Hell, she"s taken smacks worse than that in bed. She laughs, rubbing her cheek mainly just for effect rather than being in any actual pain. She goes to knee him in the gut, but she pauses. Out of the corner of her eye, one of the other men has his pistol raised and finger on the trigger.
  
  Before he can even squeeze, he"s on the ground and Shin"s pistol is smoking. She didn"t even have to take her eyes off of the man in front of her in order to get a clean shot between his eyes. Someone screams and Shin sees Ahsoka rounding up citizens and ushering them back into their homes.
  
  By the time the first body hits the ground, it"s an all out brawl. She brings her knee into the gut of the man in front of her, ducking to dodge a shot from one of the remaining outlaws. When she comes back up, she gets a shot in his shoulder, distracting him enough to send him to his knees. The horses run off to safety at the loud noises, dust kicking up in their wake and making it harder for Shin to see who"s left.
  
  One of the others she hasn"t hit yet ends up in front of her about five paces away, pistol aimed straight for her head. She fires one off into his chest and one at his crotch for good measure. Before she can lower her pistol, though, she feels a cool metal barrel against the back of her head. She sucks in a breath, waiting for him to pull the trigger.
  
  "You must be one stupid son of a-" he doesn"t get to finish his sentence because someone fires off a shot and he falls to his knees dead before another word can leave his mouth. Looking over, Shin expects to see Ezra"s gun smoking, but he"s tucked his pistol back into his waistband, fanning dust out of his eyes.
  
  Shin turns around slowly and she sees Sabine, pistol still raised. She bites back the surprise threatening to show on her face as she holsters her own weapon. She tilts her hat in Sabine"s direction as blood seeps into the dirt around Shin"s feet. She steps over the body of the outlaw to get closer to where Sabine still stands on the porch of the sheriff's office.
  
  "I would have thought you let him kill me first and then take him out. Kill two birds with one stone," Shin says with a slight chuckle, a twinge of teasing in her voice.
  
  "Careful, I can still take you in for shooting them," Sabine says, hands shoved in her pockets. She"s not wearing her hat, just a long dark braid thrown over her shoulder. "Assholes or not, that is still a crime."
  
  Shin just laughs and holds out her wrists, "Take me in, officer."
  
  Sabine just stares at her for a moment. The rest of the townsfolk have stopped watching from the windows and it looks like Ezra went back inside to catch the last few hours of his sleep. When Shin looks back at Sabine, she"s plopping down onto the steps and lighting a cigarette. She looks up, offering Shin one.
  
  She hesitates, waiting for some sort of remark or trap, but nothing comes. So, she reaches out and takes the cigarette, settling down on the steps beside Sabine as she lights a match.
  
  "They"ll send more," Sabine sighs, smoke billowing from her lips. "They always send more."
  
  "Then we kill those ones," Shin comments with an easy shrug. She isn"t sure why she says it. She"s never been one for fending off trouble, much more adept at causing it. Plus, she never planned on staying in Calico for long. She has to keep moving lest Baylan catch wind of her whereabouts. It"s easy to let herself forget she"s on the run.
  
  "You know," Sabine starts, taking a long drag, "technically, I"m supposed to arrest them."
  
  Shin scoffs, shaking her head. "Good thing you aren"t my boss, then. You can leave the fun part to me if that eases your conscience."
  
  Sabine is quiet for a while, head leaning against the post as they watch the morning sun rise. She"s surprised she"s managed to be in the woman"s presence this long without her threatening to kill her or run her out of town.
  
  After a while, though, she seems to find her words. "Did you mean it last night?"
  
  Shin turns to her with a curious look in her eyes, but Sabine isn"t looking at her. She"s staring down at the dirt beneath her boots instead. "Mean what?"
  
  "Don"t be daft," Sabine huffs, sounding frustrated. "That little come on. Were you actually trying to get into my pants or were you just trying to get under my skin?"
  
  The question makes Shin laugh. She pushes up from her spot on the stairs, taking the smoke and dropping it beneath her boot as she finishes it off. She shoves her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she looks down at Sabine, blocking the sun from her eyes. Shin bites her lip, contemplating the different ways she could answer this question. It was one-hundred-percent a real come on, but now it feels hard to put it in such blunt words.
  
  "You"re a beautiful woman, Sabine," Shin opts for instead of a real answer. She brings a hand to her head and tilts her hat in a nod, a low whistle falling from her lips as she turns on her heel and heads back for the inn.
  
  She pushes in through the doors and Hera is at the front desk, out of breath like she just ran from the windows. "Out causing trouble?"
  
  Shin huffs out a laugh. "The opposite, actually."
  
  She reaches into her pocket and brings out a small pack of coin and cash, dumping out about half onto the front desk. A sigh passes through her lips as she thinks of the woman she left sitting on the stairs. "Here. I think I"m gonna be in Calico a little while longer than I thought."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 4
  Notes:
  i think u guys will like this chapter... just a feeling
  
  also my beloved sugar made some cowboy!wolfwren art please view it here
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "So, what"s your story?" Ezra asks as Shin sits at the bar, a cigarette between her lips and a hand wrapped around a glass of whiskey. Her hat rests on the bar next to her, blonde hair an untamed mess above her shoulders. Calico is sweltering this time of year, so she"s tied as much of her hair as she can back into a bun, but an under-layer of hair still falls down at her nape. The sun is low in the sky, just barely kissing the horizon, and Shin is still on her first drink.
  
  "You"re going to have to butter me up with a lot more whiskey before I start talking about that," Shin barks out a breathy laugh, dropping her still-lit cigarette in the ashtray as she sips her whiskey. She has the sleeves of her white and blue pin-striped button up rolled to her elbows, revealing muscled and scarred forearms, her shirt itself half undone in a vain attempt to quell the insistent layers of sweat pulsing from her skin. "I"m from New York, I"ll tell you that much."
  
  It"s a half lie. Really, she had been a toddler when her parents attempted to escape Ukraine after it was forced beneath Russian Rule. They had become dirt poor, living in filthy peasantry, so they yearned for more. Shin does not remember much, if anything. Only what Baylan had told her. Her father did not make it onto the boat that would take them to the Americas and her mother did not live much longer after they crossed the Atlantic. Only enough to give Shin fleeting memories of her and to pass her onto the responsibility of Baylan. Shin must have been no more than seven, but her memory is sparse. She does not remember much before she came underneath Baylan"s care.
  
  Ezra whistles sharp and low, pouring her another drink as she finishes her first. "Whew, city girl. So, what brings you all the way west? Did you leave during the war?"
  
  Shin shakes her head, unsure why she"s bothering to share as much as she is. She"s kept her skin thus far just by not daring to get close to anyone. And she"s already stayed in Calico far longer than she should, but that"s a bed she"s already made. "No, I didn"t start heading west until this year. My Uncle fought for a bit with the Union. I thought he was going to desert with the sort of shit he"d tell me about in his letters, but he was big on commitment, destiny."
  
  Despite her lingering frustration from being under Baylan"s care, she still spoke fondly of him. He was the closest thing she had to a father. She"d almost lost him several times, as a teenager that had been more than enough to convince her to keep him close. Ten years ago, watching him come back scarred from the war, any excitement for life or righteousness gone from his eyes, she never would have believed she left his side willingly. She was prepared to die for him. But now, she realized she was already dead. Until now.
  
  "Sounds like a good man," Ezra hums, throwing a rag over his shoulder. "So how the hell did you end up a ruckus-rousing outlaw?"
  
  Shin chuckles, raising her eyebrows and taking another sip of burning whiskey in lieu of an answer. She clears her throat. "That"s a story for another night, I think."
  
  The doors to the saloon swing open and Sabine steps in, dust swirling from the windy evening air. Her boots clunk against the wood as her hands rest in her pockets, nodding to the people lingering in the bar. She nods to Ezra who is already pouring her a drink before, surprisingly, sitting down on the barstool beside Shin.
  
  Things were different since Shin helped with the outlaws. Maybe Sabine was finally starting to realize Shin truly didn"t want trouble in Calico. It would have been nice if Sabine believed her from the beginning instead of Shin having to nearly lose her head. But it was a nice shift. A subtle one, but Shin still noticed it. She hadn"t tried to come onto Sabine anymore in the days since, still unclear if that was something that held water. She hadn"t missed Sabine"s blush when she called her beautiful, though, so she knows it likely isn"t off the table entirely.
  
  Shin just tilts her head in Sabine"s direction and lifts her glass, not daring to start the conversation. Sabine responds by tilting her glass towards Shin"s before taking her first sip, eyes meeting Ezra"s across the countertop.
  
  "You two are strange," Ezra mumbles, taking the rag from his shoulder to wipe down a spot on the bar. "Say, Shin, I know I"ve been badgering you, but I"ve been meaning to ask. Why"d you take care of those outlaws the other day? Seems like a lot of effort for someone who"s just passing through."
  
  The truth of the matter is that Shin isn"t sure. Maybe she had something to prove. Or maybe she just doesn"t care for watching innocent, kind people getting hurt. She just eyes the whiskey in her glass, an easy, "You bought me a drink," falling from her lips. It"s not a real answer, but it"s one that"ll do.
  
  She can feel Sabine"s eyes on her, tracing the way she lifts the glass to her lips, the way her throat bobs as she swallows.
  
  "Well, I certainly owe you another drink, then," Ezra says with a slight chuckle, pushing Shin"s money that she had placed down back over to her. "This one"s on me."
  
  He gets motioned over to help another customer before she can argue and then it"s just her and Sabine. Shin lights up another cigarette after finishing her last, holding out the carton and offering one to the woman beside her. Sabine takes it gingerly, accepting Shin"s match to light it when it"s offered.
  
  "I would have thought you left town by now," Sabine finally speaks to her directly, taking a long drag of the cigarette after she does. She"s wearing a shirt not dissimilar to Shin"s, except hers is a burnt orange color that compliments her long dark braid. Her hat is nowhere to be found, stray locks of hair falling past her ears. A slightly dirty white bandana is tied loosely around her neck, stained from the dust. "I think I recall you saying all you wanted was a place to rest your head and then you"d get the hell out of my town."
  
  Shin sighs, stretching out a bit in her seat. "I don"t know, I"ve found myself to be quite enjoying the company of Calico. Margaret sure seems to agree."
  
  "Did you do that to piss me off?" Sabine asks and Shin wants to laugh.
  
  "I did that because you turned me down and I figured you"d know where else to go," Shin says with a shrug, a sly smile on her face as she looks at the other woman. "I"m a woman with needs in a small town, Sabine, ain"t nothing personal."
  
  "Needs?" Sabine asks with a quirked eyebrow, the corner of her lips turning up in a smile. "You in town for two seconds and already prowling the streets looking for a dame. No better than a man."
  
  This time, Shin does laugh. The last thing she expected was for Sabine to joke with her. All of their interactions thus far have been charged-with what, Shin isn"t sure, but none have been so relaxed as this. "What can I say? I"m only human. Besides, it"s not like she was not a, uh... willing and enthusiastic participant. In fact, I think she told me I was the best lay in town."
  
  She punctuates the sentence with a wink and Sabine chokes on her drag, hitting her chest as she blows smoke from her lungs and tries to catch her breath while Shin lets out a wholehearted laugh. Once she can breathe again, Sabine looks at her with a matter-of-fact expression, "That can"t be true because she told me the same thing not just three days ago."
  
  "Only one way to settle this, then," Shin winks again, bringing her glass to her lips. Yeah, Sabine isn"t off the table, she knows this clear as day now. Nothing like a little healthy competition to get Sabine like putty in her palm. The woman looks at her now, expression unimpressed, but Shin doesn"t miss the way her eyes dart to Shin"s lips, lowering to the open gap in her shirt revealing fair, marred skin, glistening with sweat.
  
  Sabine turns away from Shin, averting her gaze as she downs the rest of her drink and slams the glass against the counter. "I don"t fuck outlaws. You"re still lucky I haven"t put you in a jail cell, you have Ahsoka to thank for that. Your little stint with those robbers yesterday may have buttered up the townspeople, but I still see you for what you are."
  
  "Let me show you otherwise, then," Shin tilts her head as she pushes off of her barstool and steps over to Sabine, invading her space. It"s miniscule, but she can hear the way Sabine"s breath hitches the moment she"s close.
  
  "Why do you want it so bad?" Sabine asks, voice a low, breathy whisper as if suddenly scared the other patrons will be listening in on their conversation-as if the question is far too intimate for anyone to overhear. Her eyes flit up to meet Shin"s, gaze focused, flecks of gold shining in her dark eyes. Looking down at her, Shin would drown in those eyes without a single gasp for air. "Is it just because you can"t have it?"
  
  Shin smiles-a crooked, coy grin. "Like I told you yesterday. You"re a beautiful woman, Sabine."
  
  "There are plenty of beautiful women in this town, I pointed you in the direction of one just fine," Sabine argues, but her voice is still low, unsure. For a moment, Shin almost thinks she may kiss her in the middle of this saloon. Of course, that would undoubtedly be trouble. People in towns like these only turn a blind eye to queers so long as they don"t have to see it themselves. To dare show such overt affection would surely end in a brawl. Shin would win, of course, but it wouldn"t exactly prove to Sabine that she doesn"t want trouble.
  
  "Yeah, but none of those women brandish a pistol better than any man I"ve seen," Shin comments, inching closer to Sabine, just barely. Sabine, despite her loud voice, her brashness, her fierceness, holds a pistol with a certain steadiness. She does not flinch from the kick and she doesn"t miss. She"s as steady as the sun-rising each day and falling each night, constant, unwavering. It"s one of the most attractive things Shin has ever seen. "And none of them talk to me the way you do."
  
  She waits for Sabine to back off, to shift away from her, but she doesn"t. Shin is pushing her luck and she knows this, but at the same time, Sabine isn"t moving.
  
  "Have a drink with me," Sabine tells her. Although the words are an invitation, her tone is more akin to a demand. Shin is about to protest by mentioning they"re already having drinks, technically, but Sabine catches it before she can. "Not here. I"m not... I"m not promising anything. But you get a drink."
  
  Shin takes a step back finally, feeling cold despite the dog day heat now that she does not have the body heat of Sabine surrounding her. She stubs out her cigarette, finishes her drink, and places her hat atop her head, motioning towards the door. "Lead the way."
  
  Sabine gets up from the barstool, nods a goodbye to Ezra-whose eyes are glued to the two of them. Shin just tilts her hat in his direction with a slight smile before turning to follow Sabine.
  
  Calico is not exactly a big town, so it doesn"t take long for them to get back to Sabine"s home. It"s a small place, but it"s clean. There"s a stone fireplace that looks like it hasn"t been lit in months, rifles stored on the walls, and a rug of hide on the floor. Once they"re inside, Sabine heads for the counter top, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off a shelf and two glasses. Shin still stands by the front door, feeling out of place in the building.
  
  She can"t remember the last time she had a home to set down roots in. After the war, she and Baylan were always traveling, always moving to the next town, always stirring up trouble that was never worth it in the end. To have a home of her own was something she never thought she would have. She still isn"t sure if such a thing is in the cards for her.
  
  Sabine turns around, noticing her hesitation and motions towards the wooden kitchen chairs. "Have a seat."
  
  Hesitantly, she hangs her hat by the door and settles down at the kitchen table. Sabine places a glass down in front of her, but Shin doesn"t drink it quite yet. She watches as Sabine sits down opposite her, taking a sip of the whiskey. "It"s not poisoned, you know."
  
  "I know," Shin mutters, barely audible. Tentatively, she lifts the glass to her lips and takes a sip. It"s warm as it coats her throat, burning slightly as she swallows. Her eyes don"t leave Sabine"s for a moment. "Well? You have me."
  
  Sabine sighs, placing her glass down on the table and tracing the rim of it with a finger. "Don"t think I don"t know you"ve been asking about me, Shin. Ezra hears everything and he tells me everything. Margaret, too."
  
  "I was intrigued, what can I say?" Shin shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant like this woman has not consumed her every waking thought since she rode into Calico. Even as she was in the throes of desire with Margaret, part of her mind lingered. She wasn"t proud of it, but she couldn"t help it. It had been a long time since a woman had her under such a spell and never, never one like Sabine. "I"ve never met someone like you. I mean, I"ve ran into a bunch of bitter sheriffs, but it"s personal for you, isn"t it?"
  
  Sabine bites her lip and nods, taking another sip as if it will ease the conversation. "I used to have a family. Long, long time ago. There was another town not too far from here. The sheriff there, well, he had a personal vendetta against this band of outlaws-not the same ones that bother us here, but they"re all the same to me, if I"m being honest."
  
  "You do not have to tell me this, you know," Shin stops her, noticing the way Sabine is noticeably avoiding eye contact, the way she chokes on some of her words. "You do not owe me anything."
  
  "You keep asking," Sabine says with a simple shrug. "And I"d rather you hear it from me."
  
  Shin just nods, falling silent and allowing her to continue. "One day, I guess, these outlaws got real sick of this sheriff. And instead of just killing him, they wanted to take it out on the townspeople. They wanted to watch the sheriff lose everything before killing him, wanted to make him watch them burn it all down. I had a fever that day. It"s so stupid, something so inconsequential. I was burnin" up, so I stayed home from church that Sunday. That was the Sunday they bolted the doors shut and set the place on fire with everyone inside. They hung the sheriff and burned the rest of the town down just for good measure. As far as I know, I"m the only one that made it out."
  
  "Sabine-" Shin starts, but she isn"t sure what to say.
  
  "I took my dad"s horse and rode to the first town I could find, still burnin" up. Ahsoka found me, took me in. She taught me everything-my firing skills, that"s all her. I never heard another trace of those outlaws after that, so I told myself I"d kill each and every one of "em until I knew the ones that killed my family were dead. Ahsoka does not approve of this plan. One of the only reasons I didn"t shoot you."
  
  The room goes silent, nothing but the whistling wind of the early evening outside. Shin meets her eyes across the table. "I"m sorry. I could never... I could never do something as horrible as that. I"ve never found any joy in harming the innocents. My Uncle didn"t feel the same. I can"t say I"m proud of everything I"ve done, but I"m trying to leave it behind. I ran west for a reason. Isn"t this the place people go to be free?"
  
  Sabine"s eyes are glistening when they meet hers. "I suppose it is. It"s a shame, though, you"re a hell of a gunslinger."
  
  "I know," Shin smiles, glad to see the air in the home lifted a bit. "I never said I was putting down the damn pistol. I just don"t want to hurt an innocent soul again, that"s all. I left behind the only father I knew to make sure of it."
  
  "That"s brave," Sabine mumbles. Her fingers tap against the table in erratic patterns, anxiety lacing her every move. Shin can see how tense her shoulders are and she wonders what she can do to fix it. "That"s mighty brave of you, Shin."
  
  "Thank you," Shin says, although she doesn"t feel it. She feels like a fucking coward for running from Baylan, something she swore she never would be. It eats her alive every day she"s gone. "You are too, you know. It ain"t easy to lose something like that and come out stronger at the other end."
  
  Sabine just gets up from the kitchen table, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring each of them another glass. "Hope you don"t mind another."
  
  "Not at all," Shin shakes her head, taking a sip of the drink happily. Anything to help her forget the tension between them. The room is thick with it. She finishes the last of the liquor before she stands from the table. "I suppose, knowing what I know, it"s probably best I simply respect your wishes then."
  
  Sabine opens her mouth like she"s going to argue, but she freezes. Shin approaches her carefully, watching the way the woman looks up at her. She leans forward and lets her lips brush against Sabine"s forehead. She isn"t sure why she does it-she almost feels like her body is operating separately from her mind, but she sees the way Sabine"s eyes flutter closed and she sighs at the touch. The tension worsens.
  
  She pulls away from Sabine and goes to walk away, but Sabine tangles her fingers in the fabric of Shin"s shirt, knuckles brushing against her bare chest as Shin"s breath hitches, caught off guard. Sabine remains seated, pulling Shin down as the space closes between them, lips just barely brushing against one another but not yet meeting.
  
  "Sabine," Shin whispers, not sure what to say. Her heart races in her chest faster than it would in a duel and she can"t remember the last time she wanted to kiss someone as badly as she does right now. But she shouldn"t and she knows she shouldn"t.
  
  "Shin," Sabine breathes out in a way that makes Shin want to forget every reason why this is a bad idea in the first place.
  
  She can smell the mix of whiskey and bourbon on Sabine"s breath, this close she can see the beads of sweat formed on her cheeks, the precise shape of the mole beside her nose. For just a flicker of a moment, Shin lets herself find out what Sabine tastes like. It"s a chaste kiss, a mere brush of the lips, so brief it was almost never there at all. When she pulls away, Sabine lets her go, but Shin doesn"t move far.
  
  "We"ve had a lot to drink," Shin says, even though she feels perfectly stable on her feet. She doesn"t want to push Sabine-not now when there"s whiskey on her tongue and tears shining in her eyes. No, not like this. If she"s going to do this, she"s going to do it right. And she knows deep down that now is not the right time.
  
  Sabine clears her throat, wiping beneath her nose and nodding as Shin pulls back. "No, you"re right. That was... awfully rude of me. Thank you. For having a drink with me."
  
  Shin nods and steps back, reaching for her hat by the door. Sabine stays seated and she doesn"t expect her to get up. She watches her-legs spread around the edge of her chair, fingers tapping on the table, half-empty glass in front of her. Shin"s chest heaves up and down and the last thing she wants to do is leave right now, but if she doesn"t walk out that door in the next two minutes she isn"t sure she"ll be able to stop herself from jumping Sabine"s bones.
  
  "My pleasure," she says with a nod of her head, two fingers holding her hat. "You have a good rest of your evening."
  
  When she pushes through the door, she waits until it closes behind her, but doesn"t walk away quite yet. Shin makes herself take a deep breath, wiping sweat from her brow and lighting up a cigarette. It takes everything in her not to turn back around and open that door again. Out of the corner of her eye, through the window, she sees Sabine still at the table, running an exasperated hand through her hair. She walks away before Sabine can see her, heart still racing.
  
  She burns through two more cigarettes before she makes it back to the inn. A hand ghosts across her lips, trying to remember the taste of bourbon.
  
  Notes:
  i did pretty base level research on like, the status of ukraine in the 1800s, and it was in fact occupied and ruled by russia at the time but if any other historical details are inaccurate/not handled well please do let me know <3
  
  i did not want to completely ignore the civil war especially since so much of the "wild west" was founded by people fleeing the war/freed slaves/etc but omg i was watching this western movie and like halfway through the movie they dropped that the main character was a former CONFEDERATE SOLDIER i was like UM. the movie was jonah hex and it was BAD even without the CONFEDERACY involved. it was crazy. i cant remember if i talked about this in the last chapter notes or not but it's literally still so baffling to me its like when i watched tvd and they revealed that the salvatore brothers (or was it just damon? idr) fought for the confederacy like can we stop doing that in media it's WEIRD
  
  anyway this fic takes place about a decade post-civil war anyway, but i still wanted to mention it because it's obviously. a huge part of american history
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 5
  Notes:
  i did not like this chapter at first but then i went a certain direction and now i like this chapter very much and i think you guys will too also i finally remembered other people in the town exist omggg
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin is beginning to run low on funds, more low than she would like. But to accept a job here in Calico would imply that she"s going to stay here. She had half a mind to run away in the middle of the night after she let herself kiss Sabine, to hop on Pepper"s back and never look twice at this sleepy mining town again. But the sun rose and Shin was still here. She isn"t sure why, but something in her just isn"t ready to leave quite yet. Maybe it was the exasperated look in Sabine"s eyes as she sat at her kitchen table after Shin"s departure. The look that yearned for something more. And the parts of Shin that wished for the same.
  
  She quells her anxieties by grooming Pepper as best she can with what little she has, using some borrowed supplies from Hera as she runs a brush through her hair.
  
  "I ain"t seen you "round here," a voice interrupts her as Shin lets Pepper nuzzle into her hand. She turns around to see a young boy-the same dark hair as the inn"s owner, standing, staring at Shin and her horse. She remembers Hera mentioning something about her boy, but Shin had yet to run into him. Until now. "I like your horse."
  
  "You can pet her if you like," Shin offers, stepping aside. She holds out her hand for the young boy to shake. "I"m Shin, pleasure to meet you."
  
  "Jacen." He shakes her hand happily before running over to pet Pepper. "What"s her name?"
  
  Shin scratches the space between the horse"s ears, watching the way he stands up on his tip-toes to run his hand across Pepper"s nose. "This here is Pepper. She"s just about the sweetest horse I"ve ever had the pleasure of owning."
  
  Her heart warms against her will watching the young boy pet her horse. In just a few days it seems Shin has already grown far too fond of this little town. She needs to get the hell out before she starts getting dangerous thoughts like staying. She isn"t even sure if Baylan is after her, but she doesn"t want to find out. She stole his horse, spit on his name, and abandoned him. If someone did the same to her, she"d hunt them all the way across the west, too. Even so, something about Calico is just... nice. Despite her past, Shin has been allowed the grace to just be. There"s no guarantee another town will give her that luxury.
  
  "Jacen, don"t go bothering the guests," Hera"s voice hollers around the back corner, coming around with her arms crossed as she snaps her fingers at her son.
  
  "He"s not bothering me," Shin shrugs her off, turning to the boy with a small smile. Even so, he lets go of Pepper and runs over to his mother"s side anyway. "Say, Hera, how many days I got left with how much I gave you?"
  
  Hera looks up, like she"s doing the math in her head before shrugging, "Probably another week. You plan on staying after that?"
  
  Shin hesitates. Hera catches it right away, turning to Jacen and telling him, "Why don"t you go run along, I"ll be there in a minute."
  
  He runs off back around the front of the inn and Hera takes a step closer to Shin. She places a hand atop Pepper"s head, rubbing gently before turning to Shin. "Look, if you don"t have the money to stay, but you want to, don"t worry about it. There"s plenty of work in town and I"d be happy to work something out with you."
  
  "I just don"t know if I can," Shin sighs, crossing her arms and leaning against a wooden pole. "I"ve pissed off a lot of people. A lot of people I can"t have finding me. I mean, the town"s been wonderful so far. Ezra needs to stop buying me drinks or I swear to God, I"ll be more of a drunk than I already am. But I"m... I"m running from a lot of shit, Hera."
  
  Hera nods, taking in the words with a steady expression on her face. "Well, if you decide to stay here, that means you"re one of us. And we take care of our own here in Calico, as I"m sure you"ve seen. And we can be as discreet as you need us to be. Besides, I think Sabine has taken a real shining to you. Having the favor of the deputy is as good as you"re gonna get out here."
  
  Shin can"t help but blush, remembering the taste of bourbon on her lips, leftover from Sabine. Part of her wishes she had gone back into that house and let Sabine have her way with her, but she knows it"s for the best. An attachment won"t work anyway, not when she could have to leave at a moment"s notice the moment trouble starts rolling in. "Sabine doesn"t care "bout me. I"m just another dirty outlaw waitin" to cause some trouble."
  
  "I wouldn"t be too sure about that," Hera says with a chuckle. "Ahsoka told me she"s been blowin" up the sheriff"s office all afternoon yapping about you. Don"t tell her I told you that, though, she"ll kill me. Whole town"s talking about you, all good."
  
  It"s startling. Shin is used to being notorious, to people assuming the worst about her before she"s even got a word out of her mouth. She isn"t sure how to respond when that"s not the case. She stumbles over her words for a moment, running a hand through her loose hair. "Thank you for that, Hera. I"m not sure what work this town has for me because I doubt I"m any good at silver mining-"
  
  "Ezra might have something for ya," Hera cuts her off with a wink. "Not that we"ve been... talking about it or anything. There"s even an empty house since the McCullen"s moved on, I"m sure you could talk to the mayor about taking it up. I"ve got an in with him considering I"m the mother of his child and all."
  
  "Oh, um," Shin shrinks into herself, the concept of a house here almost too much to bear. "I think-that"s mighty kind of you, but I think I"m quite settled at the inn right now, I won"t worry about anything more... permanent. I appreciate it, it"s just uh-yeah. Thank you. I"ll look into the job, though, I think, maybe."
  
  "Oh, don"t go bending over backwards to please me, Shin," the woman laughs, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she takes a step towards Shin. "Look, no one ends up in a place like this without running from something. Most of us only settle down because we get damn tired and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you seem tired, Shin. And there"s only so much further west you can go."
  
  Shin just nods, unsure what to say. She knows Hera"s right, but that doesn"t mean she has to like it. Shin will do laps around the states if it means getting the hell away from the life she used to have. "Thank you, Hera."
  
  "I"ll leave you be, thank you for hearing me out," Hera nods, "and for entertaining my boy for a minute or two."
  
  She just tilts her hat and offers a small smile. "Any time."
  
  Then, she"s left alone with her horse. Shin sighs, leaning against the wall for a bit before walking over to Pepper. She scratches between her ears once more, whispering to the animal, "What are we gonna do now, girl?"
  
  
  
  The saloon is empty when Shin makes her way over there-not a lot of day drinkers in Calico it seems, which strikes Shin as odd considering there"s very little else to do around here. Ezra is sitting on one of the barstools, a book in his hand, but he looks like he"s nodding off more than reading. The creaking wood beneath her feet wakes him and he startles, his book falling to the floor with a heavy clunk.
  
  "Jesus, Shin," Ezra breathes out a laugh. "What can I do ya for?"
  
  "A job?" Shin tilts her head and asks with a sigh. She can"t believe the words are leaving her lips, yet here they hang in the air. "Hera told me you might have something for me and I-I think I"m going to be here longer than I planned. And it"s probably best I support that with an honest living instead of my other... hobbies."
  
  Ezra pats the barstool next to him and Shin sighs, placing her hat on the bar and sitting down. He reaches over and grabs two glasses with a bottle of whiskey, pouring both of them a glass. "Sabine told me what happened last night."
  
  The color drains from Shin"s face, sputtering over her words, but Ezra cuts her off before she can think of anything to say. "Don"t go panicking. I think you"re quite the gentleman, truly. Holy shit, you have thrown her for a goddamn loop, though. Don"t tell her I told you."
  
  Shin takes a hefty sip of her whiskey and nods. "I keep getting told that a lot today, it seems. I have a feeling I"ve been throwing her since the moment I arrived."
  
  "Cheers to that," Ezra laughs, clinking his glass with hers. "I think it"s been a long time since Sabine took anything seriously in that regard. And an outlaw, nonetheless... she"s just about pulling her hair out."
  
  "It"s not-" Shin starts to say. She wants to say it"s nothing, that all she wants is to bed Sabine and be done with it, but the way the air had felt in that house last night was unlike anything Shin has ever shared with someone. "I don"t know what the hell"s going on with me. Something in the air in this town got me all turned around. I can"t remember the last time I found a place that made me want to stay."
  
  "Well, I could use some extra hands "round here," Ezra sighs, looking around at the empty saloon. "Maybe for the night shift. And as for Sabine-she doesn"t tell a lot of people what happened to her, you know. I know you haven"t been here long, but I have a feeling there"s a spot in this town carved out for you if you want it. And, word of advice, stop by the sheriff"s office. Ahsoka is about damn ready to blow Sabine"s head off if she doesn"t shut up any time soon."
  
  Shin chuckles, trying not to acknowledge the way her heart warms at the thought. She finishes the rest of the whiskey and slams the glass down on the bar. "I don"t know. Everything is... I shouldn"t be talking to you about this. She"s your best friend, it"s rude."
  
  "Well, she won"t tell you, but I will," Ezra scoffs, taking the rest of his drink. "Very first night you rolled into town she talked my damn ear off about the audacity you possessed and how you were just utterly incorrigible-oh, and also mentioned how hot you were about every other word. Girl"s got a crush, she"s just hung up on that little attitude of yours. Her finding out what a hell of a gunslinger you are yesterday, though, boy she just about fainted."
  
  It"s so much information, Shin almost doesn"t know what to do with it. Part of her wants more whiskey, part of her wants to run over to the sheriff"s office as soon as possible and see how crazy she can really drive Sabine. "She"ll kill you for telling me that."
  
  "Oh, I know, I"m counting on you to be discreet," Ezra laughs. "I don"t mean to push my nose into your business, of course, but I know you"ve had an eye on her. But it"s a tricky thing, even here. So, don"t rush."
  
  "This sure is an odd town," Shin sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I don"t think Sabine"s the only one thrown. Look-mighty kind of you to sell out your best friend like this, but I don"t know if Sabine wants to mix herself up in all of this. She"s right, I"m just trouble and sooner or later, it"ll fuck things up more than it already has and I just-I don"t think I could do that to a place that"s been so kind to me."
  
  She stands up from the stool, placing her hat atop her head, ready to take her leave. "I appreciate everything you"ve done for me. Don"t worry about the job."
  
  Shin heads for the door, ready to hang her head when Ezra pipes up from the stool. "Shin?" She turns. "At least pay her a visit."
  
  She finds herself at the sheriff"s office not two minutes later. Shin tugs her hat from her head, holding it against her chest with one hand gently as she knocks on the door frame. Ahsoka"s head pops from her desk, turning to where Sabine is very elegantly napping with her feet kicked up on the desk and her hat over her face. Shin bites back a chuckle at the sight.
  
  "Good to see you, Shin, making yourself at home?" Ahsoka asks.
  
  "Something like that," Shin shrugs.
  
  The voices startle Sabine awake and she jumps, the hat slipping off her face, tugging a few strands of dark hair in front of her face as it does so. She catches it before it hits the floor and her eyes dart immediately over to Shin. Without even saying anything, Sabine"s cheeks flush pink just at the sight of the woman darkening her doorway, "Shin, I, uh, what are you doing here?"
  
  "Well, would you look at that, I think I hear Kanan hollering for me," Ahsoka sighs, standing up from her desk, shooting a smile in Shin"s direction. "Always good seeing you, Shin. Thanks for staying out of trouble."
  
  Shin just nods as the woman brushes past her, leaving just her and Sabine. "Thought I"d stop in and say goodbye."
  
  "Goodbye?" Sabine asks, standing up from her desk. She doesn"t move, just stands there with gentle hands against the wood. "Hera told me you paid for another week at the inn, I thought-"
  
  "This is a good town," Shin says simply, letting her hand with her hat drop down by her side. "I would hate to darken it with my troubles, so I think it"s best I be on my way and just leave you be. Everyone has been so welcoming, I won"t forget it, promise."
  
  Sabine opens her mouth to say something and then closes it. Shin takes the silence as a moment to look at her-her hair is always in that damn braid, loose down her back with strands all over the place like she slept in it. And yet she"s got bags under eyes like she didn"t sleep a wink. Their eyes meet across the room and Shin takes a shaky breath. It"s worse when she knows what Sabine"s lips taste like. But she can"t stay.
  
  When Sabine still doesn"t say anything, Shin prepares to leave, putting her hat back on and heading for the door. That"s when Sabine moves from the desk, reaching out and grabbing Shin"s wrist, "Wait."
  
  Shin pauses, eyes darting down to the hand on her wrist before flicking back up to meet Sabine"s gaze. Sabine lets out a shaky breath, clearing her throat and letting go of Shin before stepping back. "Sorry, I just... sorry. I don"t know what came over me."
  
  Her gaze lingers on Sabine"s lips for longer than it should. She steps in, away from the doorway and close to Sabine. Using her heel, she hooks it around the door and pushes it shut without taking her eyes off of Sabine. A million thoughts on what to do race through Shin"s mind-and not one of them is something she should do. What she should do is walk out that door right now, hop on her horse, and ride far, far away from Calico. She came here to say goodbye and she took care of that already. And if there"s one thing Shin is good at, it"s leaving. So she doesn"t have a clue why this is so hard for her.
  
  There"s only inches between her and Sabine now and it"s clear they both have the same thing on their mind. Sabine"s eyes flit up to meet hers. "You can"t use alcohol as an excuse this time."
  
  Shin huffs out a quiet laugh. "Ezra gave me whiskey, I could be out of my mind right now."
  
  "Shut up," Sabine scoffs before she surges forward and catches Shin"s lips with her own.
  
  Shin lets her, letting Sabine press her up against the door as her hands slide up in Shin"s hair, knocking her hat right off her head. It hits the floor with a soft noise as Shin brings her hand up to hold Sabine"s face, skin warm beneath her touch as she kisses her back with fervor. She grips her hair at the base of her braid, keeping Sabine close to her as she opens her lips, letting Sabine explore her mouth with her tongue.
  
  They stumble back until Sabine"s back is up against the edge of her desk, one of Shin"s hands braced against the wood, the other still tangled in her hair. Sabine"s hands find her hips, fingers sliding in her belt loops and tugging Shin between her legs.
  
  "Sabine-" Shin breathes against her lips, pulling herself away from Sabine as much as she doesn"t want to, she knows she should. She doesn"t go far, a hand still on Sabine"s face, thumb stroking her cheek. "I don"t-I can"t. You don"t mess with people like me and for damn good reason. I"m in shit up to my waist and I don"t want that to be a problem here. I am sorry, I truly cannot stay."
  
  Sabine clears her throat, bringing a hand up to gently wipe her cupid"s bow where beads of sweat are beginning to form. Neither of them move. And Shin, despite her words, can"t find it in her to be the first to break. "I suppose I can"t exactly force you."
  
  "Right." Shin finally steps back, sucking in a careful breath, reaching down and picking her hat up off the floor. She lingers by the door, ready to leave. Really, the best decision is to walk out right now and not look back. It would be the smart, selfless thing to do. She makes her first mistake-turning back to look at Sabine.
  
  Sabine, standing there with her hands braced against the wood of the desk with a white-knuckled grip, her braid messier than it was before and her cheeks flushed red. God, she"s beautiful. Shin was mesmerized by her the second she rode in and she heard that whistle. Her chest is still heaving, still catching her breath. Her lips are kiss-bitten and she"s got a sad look in her eyes that makes Shin want to move right into the spot between her heart and her ribs.
  
  "Oh, Jesus Christ," is all Shin breathes out, muttering under her breath as she steps back over to Sabine, pushing her up onto the desk and crashing their lips together.
  
  Sabine gasps against her mouth, kissing her back eagerly with open-mouthed passion, a hand rough at the nape of Shin"s neck and the other gripping her waist tight enough to bruise. Her tongue explores Sabine"s mouth, tasting every last bit of her, swallowing every gasp and moan from the heated kiss. She can"t remember the last time she felt desire like this-the last time she physically couldn"t let herself walk away from someone. Sabine has consumed her entirely, living in her mind every waking and dreaming moment.
  
  "I don"t care about your shit," Sabine whispers against her lips, hands going for the rivets of Shin"s jeans. "You make me feel crazy, Shin, absolutely crazy."
  
  "Feeling"s mutual," Shin gasps as Sabine"s hand slips past her drawers, fingers dipping into the slick wetness forming between her legs. Her lips find Sabine"s neck, biting down into the flesh just below the collar of her shirt, tasting the sweat on her flesh and sucking a bruise into the skin. She moans as Sabine"s fingers ghost over her clit, just barely grazing the bundle of nerves. Her fingers tangle around Sabine"s braid, yanking it down to give Shin better access to her neck. Sabine moans at this, finally pressing down on her clit.
  
  Shin doesn"t normally let women touch her like this-usually she just helps them get off and calls it a night, content to just give and give. But she didn"t have it in her to push Sabine away, she doesn"t know how she could when it feels this good. Instead, she presses further against Sabine, chest to chest as she kisses further up Sabine"s neck. She kisses the skin below her ear before meeting her lips once more, just as Sabine presses two fingers against her entrance. Shin nods against her lips, gasping as the fingers breach her entrance. The stretch is pleasant, the burn of pleasure almost too much to bear. She whimpers against Sabine"s lips-a sound entirely unlike her, but she can"t help it.
  
  Her head falls against Sabine"s shoulder as she fucks into her, her fingers spreading within Shin each time she pushes in, thumb playing with her clit the whole time. Sabine mouths against the skin of her neck, breath hot as it fans across Shin"s flesh. Sabine"s free hand digs at her scalp, Sabine"s legs hooked around the backs of Shin"s knees, heels of her boots digging into the creases of her jeans.
  
  She shakes as her orgasm rattles through her, sooner than she expected. Shin grips Sabine"s braid tightly, teeth biting down into Sabine"s shoulder to disguise the, frankly embarrassing, moan that rips from her throat. Sabine chuckles softly, kissing the spot beneath Shin"s ear, running her hands through her hair affectionately.
  
  Shin comes down with a shaky breath, releasing her grip on Sabine and pressing a soft kiss to the teeth marks that now reside in the flesh of her shoulder, tugging her shirt back up so it covers them for the most part. Sabine removes her hand and Shin can"t help but reach for her jeans-only to be pushed away by Sabine.
  
  "Not right now," Sabine whispers against her lips. "Another time."
  
  "I don"t like owing people," Shin chuckles, kissing her again just to taste her once more.
  
  Sabine shrugs, doing up Shin"s jeans and letting her hands rest on her hips, fingers toying with her belt loops. She chases Shin"s lips, a grin on her face. She looks up to meet Shin"s eyes, tilting her head, saying, "I suppose you"ll just have to stick around a little bit longer, then."
  
  Shin chuckles, accepting her defeat. Looking at Sabine now, though, she thinks she can stay at least another day. Maybe two. If only so she can pay back her debt. At the very least. "I suppose I will. Well played, Wren."
  
  "Any time, Hati."
  
  Notes:
  sabine "the cowboy boots stay on during sex" wren
  
  you and i were born in fire
  YumagnasHome
  Summary:
  It's a relief, in a way, to finally know what the fuck's been going on with her body. Though, that relief only goes so far considering Sabine's still no closer to figuring out what to do about it. How to fix it.
  
  And she does need to fix it.
  
  Like hell she's going to spend the rest of her days connected to Shin Hati. That most definitely falls under the category of cruel and unusual punishment and Sabine honestly doesn't think she's been bad enough in life to deserve it. Sure, she's no angel. But she's not the literal spawn of Satan either.
  
  . . .
  
  (AKA the search for Ezra hits a snag when Sabine discovers she has an unusual connection to the mercenary who stabbed her.)
  
  Chapter 1: is that a lightsaber in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
  Notes:
  gifting this to TheTurkeyOne because I really loved the oneshot series they wrote for Sabine/Shin
  
  I"m going to be honest, this fic basically exists because I wanted to write something for wolfren but I find the sheer immensity of the star wars universe and lore really difficult to keep track of so I decided to downscale it all. Originally, this was only supposed to be an 8-12k word oneshot but the draft so far is 60k so. . . Just like every time I try to write a oneshot, it didn"t work out.
  
  Even though this is set on Earth and there"s no force I"ve tried to carry across as much of the original universe as I can and insert similar enough replacements for things that couldn"t be carried across exactly. So, whilst it"s an alternate universe, a fair chunk of canon remains. The Jedi and Sith still exist (but they"re a little different because of the lack of force), aliens are still present, the war still happened between the Empire and Republic (it just involved countries not planets), and droids are also still here. The biggest new element I"ve introduced are robots called synthetics (synths). They (and this fic) are heavily inspired by the tv series Humans (which if you haven"t watch it, I really recommend)
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine is not having a good week.
  
  First she gets stabbed-
  
  Actually, no. First she gets a surprise visit from her estranged master asking for her help - a master who, surprise surprise, has as little faith in her as ever - then she gets stabbed. By a bottle blonde with a hard-on for eyeliner and the most dated fashion sense Sabine has ever seen, no less.
  
  And now, here she is, having the life choked out of her by that same bottle blond whilst trying not to focus on just how green her eyes are. Like, really green - in case anyone was wondering. Really, really green. Also really close.
  
  No seriously, Sabine could kiss her right now if she wanted to.
  
  Not that she does. Or will. Because that would be an insane reaction to have when being choked to within an inch of your life. And she's not - insane.
  
  (no matter what Huyang might say to the contrary)
  
  Still. . . she's very close.
  
  And Sabine tries to remember if she cleaned her teeth this morning. Or had garlic for dinner. You know, the normal things you worry about when someone is trying to kill you and their nose is within close proximity to your mouth. . .
  
  Suffice it to say, she is not having a good week.
  
  Earlier that week
  
  Ahsoka shows up one fine Summer's morning, heart set on tearing Sabine's life apart at the seams. Or, at least giving it a good tug and pull.
  
  "Oh my God, you brought me a sphere!" Sabine gushes the moment the object is dropped into her hand. "You know, I always wanted a sphere."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth twitches in that way she does when she's amused by something Sabine has said but is refusing to let it show. "It's a holocron-like device created by Palpatine."
  
  She looks at the sphere with new eyes - and more than a little distaste. She wonders whether you can catch evil. Makes a note to scrub her hands raw once she's tossed the thing back to Ahsoka. "What's on it?"
  
  "I don't know." Her lips purse and Sabine can tell she's more than a little bit peeved by this tiny little ball of metal escaping her vast array of knowledge. "Not for certain. But there were rumors during the war of a holocron, matching this description, also created by Palpatine."
  
  "And what did those rumors say was on it?"
  
  "A map." Ahsoka steps closer, examining the sphere, and Sabine tries not to shrink back from the increased proximity. It's been a long time since they've even been in the same room together, let alone sharing a foot of space. "Every member of the Empire was required to consume a tracking device that molded with their DNA. It was meant to deter against defection. No mater where you ran, the Empire would always be able to find you. A holocron was created to act as a receiver for all the tracker's signals and stored the information permanently."
  
  "So this is the holocron." Sabine tilts her head, searching out a button or. . . something that might open the evil little ball or otherwise switch it on. "What are you doing with it?"
  
  "Three days ago, Morgan Elsbeth escaped from her cell. The last I spoke to her, she was obsessed with finding this map. . . I've spent the last four months trying to find it first."
  
  "Looks like you were successful." Sabine tosses it up in the air. Catches it (suppressing a smile when Ahsoka tenses at the careless action). "So what do you want with it? And why have you brought it to me?"
  
  "Second question first. I've brought it to you because you're the only person I know who stands a good chance at being able to open it."
  
  (Sabine will not fall prey to flattery, she will not.)
  
  "And the first question?"
  
  "That's more complicated." Ahsoka hesitates, scanning her face. "This is a map to every Imperial Officer on the planet, including those currently wanted for war crimes but have, thus far, been unlocatable."
  
  "A fairly good reason."
  
  Sabine certainly doesn't need another. Though, that does nothing to stop Ahsoka from giving her one.
  
  "One of those soldiers is Thrawn. And if we find Thrawn's location, we might find-"
  
  The penny drops.
  
  "Ezra."
  
  [The Jedi were created as an ideal, with the assigned purpose of maintaining balance in the world. An impartial body to ensure no country would ever gain more power than another, and that wealth was distributed evenly amongst the populations. Their existence was considered necessary to ensure that Earth did not suffer another near-extinction event. That billionaires and corporations weren't given a second chance to destroy the only planet they had.
  
  The Jedi were to forsake all romantic and familial ties as well as allegiance to any one country. Their loyalty would be to the world as a whole and through that they would keep it safe. Keep all of them safe.
  
  Ideals rarely ever withstand reality.]
  
  Sabine feels her before she sees her.
  
  A subtle shake in her limbs, shivering up her spine, spreading through her veins. It stills her motions, suppressing the breath in her lungs. . .
  
  When Sabine was little, she used to enjoy holding her hand against the side of her father's jetplane whilst the engine was running, feeling the steady vibrations against her skin, the way they snaked their way up her arm, to her teeth. It felt like coming alive. Like she'd found the frequency of the universe and it was singing through her, consuming her.
  
  This feels like that. Vibrations laying waste to every cell in her body, shaking her skull. The more time passes, the stronger it gets. Until, finally, it settles. . . fading to a hum that she can at least form a thought over.
  
  "What the fuck?"
  
  Then the window explodes.
  
  Sabine nearly drops the sphere in her hand as Murley hisses, hair rising like daggers from his body.
  
  "Shit!" Springing into action, she dashes for the bedroom, Murley scampering ahead and nearly tripping her feet in the process. "Fuck!"
  
  Slamming the door behind her, Sabine falls to the floor in front of the wardrobe.
  
  "Was that a window that just broke?"
  
  "Can't talk right now, Scrappie!"
  
  "Just as long as you're aware that I will not be held responsible for fixing it."
  
  "You've never fixed anything a day in your life."
  
  Scrappie, a class three droid she once rescued from a trash heap and pieced back together - and who she now can"t get to move out of her home - gives a noise closely resembling a huff.
  
  "Come on, come on." Wrenching the wardrobe open, she fumbles around for the harsh metal of her safe. There's cloaking technology on it, concealing the unbreakable metal box from view, and even Sabine struggles to locate it half the time.
  
  "Got you!"
  
  Murley hisses his congratulations from beneath a chair. Scrappie, on the other hand, lingers in resentful silence.
  
  Feeling out the raised texture of the keypad, she hastily types in her password, mutters a quick, "Open sesame," and watches the cloaking technology turn off as the top of the safe pops open.
  
  Not wasting a moment, Sabine stashes the sphere inside, slams the lid and shoves it back into the depths of her closet, watching as it disappears from view.
  
  Next order of business is to chase Murley under the bed and give him a stern talking to about not coming out for anyone but her or Ahsoka - which is, of course, when the door to her bedroom flies off its hinges.
  
  Sabine whips around. "Was that really necessary?!"
  
  (she only just replaced the damn thing)
  
  The woman who steps into the room either doesn't hear or doesn't care to acknowledge her words. Which would be infuriating if not for the fact that the humming inside Sabine has started to climb again, higher and higher until it finally reaches its peak when the woman's feet stop less than a meter from hers.
  
  She's. . .
  
  Well, weird is probably the best word. Tall and lithe as any ballerina or model, and decked out head to toe in an outfit that would probably be more suited to Earth's medieval period. The cloak is a particularly ostentatious touch and Sabine can't quite keep back a snort - because snorting in the face of danger is what she does best.
  
  It's the type of dramatic wardrobe she's only ever seen on those employed by the Empire.
  
  Not a great sign.
  
  "Miss Wren, I believe we have an intruder."
  
  "Kind of stating the obvious, Scrappie," Sabine mutters, not taking her eyes off said 'intruder'.
  
  The woman cocks her head, in that same way she's seen Murley do when studying a cornered mouse.
  
  Such scenes usually end in a blood bath.
  
  "You're in possession of something that does not belong to you." She has a faint accent, though not one Sabine can readily trace. Something Eastern European, maybe. It doesn't really help her determine who she's dealing with. "Relinquish it to me and you will not be harmed."
  
  "I mean, technically it belongs to a dead guy so I think I'm going to hold onto it. Finders Keepers and all that."
  
  If Sabine didn't already know that she was fibbing about the whole 'not harming you' part, then the startling red of her lightsaber as it ignites would have clued her in.
  
  The only people she's ever seen wield sabers of that color are the Sith. An identifying mark of their fucked up cult that they proudly display. During the war, the Empire made it illegal for anyone to manufacture a saber of blue or green, the colors of the Jedi order. Now, the tables have turned and Sabine can count on less than three fingers just how many times she's seen someone with a red blade since the end of the war.
  
  There's a tint of orange to this lightsaber but she doesn't know enough about the Sith to hazard a guess on whether that makes her situation less dire or moreso.
  
  Shit.
  
  The woman steps closer, the sharp hum of her lightsaber nearly eclipsing the irritating hum Sabine's veins that she's been feeling since her arrival. "I was hoping you'd say that."
  
  Sabine doesn't doubt it for a second. Whilst her face is unerringly blank, there's a creeping excitement in her eyes and Sabine knows an adrenaline junkie when she sees one.
  
  Mostly because she is one.
  
  "I suppose you wouldn't be open to just grabbing a bite to eat and some coffee? Maybe throw in a bit of clubbing?"
  
  The woman cocks her head, looking an - admittedly - adorable mixture of frustrated and perplexed.
  
  "Nope?" Sabine reaches for the lightsaber at her belt. "Okay, then."
  
  Exhaling, she ignites it.
  
  Ahsoka, you better be on your way.
  
  Lying on the ground, Sabine can only prepare for death as the sound of footsteps draws closer and closer. Then comes to a stop. Her would-be murderer squints down at her, like she's a particularly frustrating puzzle whose pieces refuse to fit together.
  
  Sabine tries to speak, to deliver some heroic last-minute snark before she finishes her off, but she can't find the strength to move her lips. The world moves around her in a fog, hazy and unforgiving, Sabine wanders in and out of the shadows.
  
  She blinks and the woman is bending over, hand outstretched towards her face, her own drawn with curiosity.
  
  The closer she gets, the more insistent the hum in Sabine's head becomes. She groans under the onslaught, just as the woman's fingers touch her forehead - then jerk back.
  
  "What are you?"
  
  (what a rude question to ask)
  
  Sabine parts her lips, tries to form a stinging response-
  
  and it's at that moment the world fades out.
  
  [At first, the Jedi Order was an unquestionable success. Wars dwindled, corruption faltered, and poverty receded slowly from the shores of civilization. Then the cracks started to show. Little fissures in the fabric of the world, that grew and grew. By the time Sabine was born, the entire building had almost crumbled down.
  
  People would always hunger for more. More power. More money. More attention. And ever so slowly they began to gain it.
  
  The Order, which was created as a governing body that would take no sides and work for the good of all, fell slowly into the grip of the Old Republic. Which, whilst not nearly as bad as the Empire that would one day replace it, had grown rotten with corruption, inaction and self-indulgence. Those outside of the Republic slipped slowly into waste, left to fester by the Jedi. Human trafficking and slavery were common in those parts, though - Sabine's learned - such things found themselves at home in the Republic as well. They were just hidden. Never spoken of. Never acknowledged.
  
  ('We lost our way,' Ahsoka confides in her once, not long after Sabine has agreed to be her apprentice. 'Became arrogant with our own power and influence whilst believing ourselves above such base things. That became clear to me the day I was expelled from the Order. As much as the Jedi preach against attachment, we had become attached to the Republic. A dying Republic.'
  
  'They chose it over you.'
  
  Ahsoka inclines her head. 'Our intentions were good - I still believe that - but the day we stopped focusing on the entire world instead of just one governmant, is the day we signed our own ruin.'
  
  'Do you think the new Jedi Order will be better?'
  
  '. . . I hope so,' Ahsoka says softly.
  
  Sabine doesn't point out that, as much as she may hope, that hope hasn't been strong enough to call her back to the Order. Though she has reclaimed the title of Jedi, she refuses to return to the past.
  
  Sabine can't blame her)]
  
  It goes without saying that she managed to crack the map open. She is, uncontestably, brilliant at what she does. And, sure, it was a little trickier to start with than she expected but that wasn't necessarily an unwanted hiccup - it's been far too long since Sabine's had a challenge she can really sink her teeth into.
  
  The problem wasn't the map.
  
  The problem was the blonde, lightsaber-wielding gremlin that crashed her victory party and tried to steal the damn map - but not before rearranging some of Sabine's insides.
  
  She winces, massaging the wound on her side.
  
  "Stop touching it," Ahsoka scolds. "You'll only get it infected."
  
  "I can't believe she just left me lying there. She didn't even care enough to finish the job!"
  
  "I'm sorry, are you upset that you were only stabbed somewhere non-vital instead of mortally wounded by the person who tried to rob you?"
  
  "I mean. . . not really," It's more the principle of the matter. Sabine is very happy to still be alive and breathing - it just wouldn't be fair to poor Murley and Scrappie to render them orphans - but the utter disrespect! What? Homicidal blonde lady didn't even consider Sabine enough of a threat to make sure that she'd never get back up again? She left her - like trash!
  
  Ahsoka raises a doubtful brow but doesn't comment.
  
  Sabine sighs, turning to the sphere on her bedside table. "At least she didn't manage to take it."
  
  Ahsoka's arrival was timely, if a little too late to stop another scar from being added to her collection. Sabine winces, regretting her decision not to accept painkillers, as she attempts to make herself a little more upright.
  
  Huyang, to her left, clocks her struggle and adds another pillow to her already impressive collection, creating a sturdier surface to support her weight.
  
  Ahsoka frowns, eying the sphere. "Were you able to open it?"
  
  "Yeah." Sabine winces, backtracking. "Well, mostly. I did get it open but I was only able to unlock about thirty percent of the map. Bloodthirsty Barbie interrupted before I could work my way through the rest."
  
  "Still" - Ahsoka smiles - "thirty percent is impressive. It's more than anyone else has managed."
  
  Sabine curses the way her lips itch to break into their own smile, the little thrill that zaps through her at Ahsoka's praise. She's not her master anymore. And Sabine is not her apprentice.
  
  Those days are behind them. The only reason she's doing this is because of Ezra. Ezra, who disappeared off the face of the Earth along with Thrawn ten years ago.
  
  "Get some rest." Ahsoka moves like she's going to pat Sabine's hand but stops herself at the last second. "We'll talk more later."
  
  Sabine has no intention at all of resting - she still has seventy percent worth of map to unlock - but she nods at her former master like a good girl and watches as she rises from her chair in preparation to leave.
  
  It's when she's partway to the door that Sabine remembers something. Something that she could only take in stride and dismiss at the time but that now has her stomach twisting in on itself.
  
  "Ahsoka."
  
  Ahsoka halts, turning slowly back to face her.
  
  Sabine hesitates, unsure if she even wants to voice this. If it's even worth voicing. After all, she has no idea what actually happened. What she felt. What if her brain is just misremembering shit because of the trauma of getting stabbed?
  
  Except her brain never misremembers shit.
  
  It can't.
  
  "I sensed her coming, Ahsoka," Sabine whispers, watching her turn very still. "I felt her. . . I don't even know how that's possible."
  
  The confused frown on Ahsoka's face mirrors her own internal state, which is comforting in its way. "It shouldn't be. . . not for a human."
  
  Sabine smiles grimly. "Except I'm not entirely human."
  
  Not anymore.
  
  "It all depends on your definition." Ahsoka hesitates, then forces her own smile - it's not nearly as reassuring as she probably thinks it is. "As for what you felt. . . it's something we can try to figure out the why of in the future. Right now, our priority is that map."
  
  "Right." Sabine tries not to let the smile on her lips falter. "Of course."
  
  And she's right. That map is their priority.
  
  Finding Ezra is their priority. Nothing else matters more than that.
  
  Sabine won't let it.
  
  Notes:
  Next chapter will be much longer and then we'll be up to present day and the chapters will be pretty much entirely shin/sabine from that point on. we've just got to get through the setup first
  
  Next time: sabine learns more about the mysterious woman who attacked her
  
  Chapter 2: your body's a machine, you are not a human being
  Notes:
  warning this fic laughs in the face of science, not one part of it is plausible, but that"s okay because we"re just here for wolfren
  
  (chapter title is obviously taken from Halsey's song Gasoline
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "Alright, let's see who your attacker was."
  
  Sabine is already stepping into motion before Ahsoka has finished speaking. She's been itching to start investigating - and hopefully get to the bottom of this - since she first woke up.
  
  Mandalore, one of Earth's largest manmade islands, was once home to a civilization of people who decided to meld their bodies with machines. Cyborgs, many have called them. Altering and shaping their bodies with biomechatronic parts. The alterations usually begin in early adulthood, once a person's decided whether they wish to devote their life to the Mandalorian way, or leave.
  
  Sabine left her people long before that point, though, when she was only sixteen, but not before receiving her own alteration. A modification to her brain, done in an effort to save her life after the first time their home was bombed by the Empire. Experimental technology. Unsafe. But the alternative was to let her die.
  
  It has its upsides, she's found. One of them being a digital memory that she can transfer to certain electronic devices like the datapad on the table in front of her - though, of course, this upside also has its downsides but she tries not to focus on those.
  
  Touching a hand to the datapad, Sabine closes her eyes, concentrating. By this point, the wireless transfer is almost second nature, she's done it so often, and when she opens her eyes, sure enough, her attacker is displayed across the screen. Sabine swipes a finger and a duplicate of the screen is thrust into the air.
  
  And there she is.
  
  The woman who stabbed her. Dancing with her lightsaber, her brow knit tight in concentration. There's hunger in her eyes, as well. Sabine missed it the first time around - too busy fighting for her life - but she can see it now as the footage continues to play, each move between them growing more vicious. She enjoys the fight. Sabine can see it in those eyes. In that hunger.
  
  And, well, she can't say she doesn't relate to that particular thrill. That sometimes she doesn't enjoy it too. Not when she's getting stabbed, of course. But outside of that.
  
  Sabine stares at the footage hovering before her, unable to stop herself from leaning in a little closer, analyzing every detail her eyes were able to capture. It's something she's been doing in her own head ever since waking up. Playing out those few short minutes of their fight, again and again. At this point, she doesn't even know what it is exactly that she's looking for. What she thinks she'll find.
  
  An explanation, maybe. For why she was assaulted by those annoying as fuck vibrations moments before her assailant arrived; for why she still has the memory of lying on the ground, staring up into inquisitive green eyes as fingers hover over her skin.
  
  Whatever she's looking for, though, she hasn't found it.
  
  Beside her, Ahsoka stares at the hologram, seeming equally as enraptured by the stranger. "That shouldn't be possible."
  
  "What shouldn't be possible?" Sabine takes her eyes off her attacker's face to inspect her former-maybe-current master's instead. "Wait, do you know her?"
  
  "Not in the strictest sense." Ahsoka discards the disbelief from her features, folding her arms as she studies the, apparently, familiar woman's face. "We crossed paths once, though, during my time in Ukraine. She was on a mission for the Empire - and I was on a mission to derail that mission."
  
  "Did you?"
  
  "Partially. But that's irrelevant." Ahsoka turns to her. "She should be dead."
  
  "Because you killed her?"
  
  Great. Sabine's been skewered by a ghost. Add that to her list of unique - if unenviable - life experiences.
  
  "Because the Empire did. Or at least. . . that's what our source led us to assume."
  
  "I can confirm that she's very much alive." Sabine rubs the scarring skin on her stomach with a wince. "Like, very alive. . . Well, that or just the world's spriest corpse."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth twitches, amusement penetrating the discontent in her eyes. "She's not a corpse. She's a synth."
  
  Sabine's eyes dart back to the screen, back to Ahsoka, then back to the screen. "Actually, that explains a lot. She packs a hell of a punch."
  
  Her bruises will have bruises for weeks.
  
  But that's par for the course when fighting someone whose strength would outmatch any human's on the planet. Sabine frowns, reevaluating that fight, combing through the details in a new light. . .
  
  "I'm not surprised. You should be proud, Sabine," Ahsoka touches her arm. "Not many would come to blows with a Hati and live to tell the tale."
  
  "Hati." The word sounds harsh on her tongue, like punch. "I'm not familiar with that model of synthetic."
  
  "Not surprising. They were one of the Empire's secret weapons. Very few knew of their existence. And, of course, they were all destroyed towards the end of the war."
  
  "Of course," Sabine says, like this is common knowledge that anyone would know and not something she's finding out for the very first time. "Who destroyed them?"
  
  "The Empire."
  
  Sabine whistles. "That's got to burn."
  
  Your own side turning on you? Not for the first time, she's glad she pulled her head out of her ass and joined the Rebel Alliance when she did.
  
  Sabine frowns, examining the Hati's face, searching for any hints of her true nature.
  
  There are, of course, none.
  
  Synths, or synthetics, were created to be more useful than humans - but also more disposable. A perfect replica in every way - except for in rights. From the beginning, synths were devoid of them. And their fight to change that - both for themselves and the droids that were their sister species - was one of the conflicts that kickstarted the war. Palpatine seized on the turmoil created by their uprising - the fear and hatred embedded in Earth's population - seized on it and wrung it for all it was worth.
  
  Before then, the Synth Uprising had been a movement of no violence - though they'd certainly fallen victim to it often - but Palpatine changed the narrative. Spread countless propaganda and lies, creating the image of a machine with insatiable blood lust, whose only goal was to destroy humanity. He painted a similar picture of Earth's alien population.
  
  Sabine can remember all the lies and propaganda she so readily fell for as a child. Even after all these years of knowing the truth, not to mention fighting alongside both synths and aliens alike, she still stumbles upon traps in her head. Old rhetoric and beliefs planted there during her youth. It's constant work - springing those traps and throwing them away - but necessary work.
  
  She can't change what she believed when she was a child, or later when she was an Imperial cadet. But she can change what she believes now. More than that, she has a duty to.
  
  "So," she turns her attention back to the hologram. "Does my mystery attacker have a name?"
  
  "Huyang?" Ahsoka requests.
  
  "Already combing her face through the database - ah. Yes, here we are.
  
  Species: Synthetic
  
  Model: Hati.
  
  Registered name: Shin."
  
  Shin?
  
  Sabine snorts. A ridiculous name to suit someone with an equally ridiculous sense of fashion. Oh, she can't wait to kick her in the shins whilst shooting off a bunch of ill-timed quips.
  
  'Little pig, little pig, let me come in!'
  
  'Not by the hair on my shinny-shin-shin!'
  
  Sabine cringes. Okay, not her best work. But she'll have time to think of some much better material before their next match. And there most definitely will be a next one. Sabine isn't inclined to let anyone get away with stabbing her. Even if they are hot as fuck.
  
  She chokes on her tongue.
  
  Um. . . what?
  
  Where did that come from?
  
  We do not crush on homicidal maniacs in this house, Sabine!
  
  (of course her inner scolding voice sounds like Hera)
  
  She can feel the heat in her cheeks, reaching higher and higher. Hopes that neither Ahsoka or Huyang can see it. This is a hell of a time to discover you have a stabbing kink. Or, well, maybe it just counts as a penetration kink - in which case totally normal!
  
  Desperately in need of a distraction, Sabine clears her throat. "Got anything else on her Huyang?"
  
  (it's impressive just how normal her voice sounds. Maybe she should go into acting.)
  
  "Of course, Lady Wren.
  
  Gender: Female
  
  Status: Deceased
  
  Age: Unknown
  
  Maker: Unknown
  
  Place of origin: Unknown
  
  Current allegiance: Unknown
  
  Last known location-"
  
  "Let me guess, unknown?"
  
  ". . . There does seem to be a bit of an air of mystery surrounding your new arch-nemesis."
  
  "Hey! She is not my arch nemesis. She is not my anything - except, of course, for a massive pain in my ass."
  
  "Whatever the case, she's a problem," Ahsoka says.
  
  "I think I pretty much covered that with the 'pain in my ass' part."
  
  "But not our biggest priority right now. Our priority is finding Elsbeth and opening that map."
  
  "A map that she tried to steal, in case you forgot. Is probably still trying to steal." In Sabine's book, that makes her a huge priority. "What does she even want with it, anyway?"
  
  "I don't know, but I'm confident I don't want to find out."
  
  Sabine can't help but agree.
  
  If her skill in a fight is anything to go by, Shin Hati is certainly no idle threat. All the more reason to prioritize finding her.
  
  (because she's a threat. And not because Sabine wants to pay her back for stabbing her and walking away; and certainly not because she wants to find out what the hell is up with the whole vibrating-like-a-sex-toy-in-her-presence thing)
  
  "Sorry to interrupt," Huyang interjects politely, "but I've just received word that there's been a confirmed sighting of Lady Elsbeth in Corellia."
  
  Sabine turns to the woman beside her. "I suppose it doesn't bode well that our missing fugitive is hanging out in the largest shipping yard in the world?"
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins in agreement. "Feel up for another fight?"
  
  Huyang looks like he's going to protest but Sabine cuts him off.
  
  "Definitely."
  
  If anything, she's itching for one. Sure, the person she's itching to have a fight with is Shin Hati but a little scrap with Morgan Elsbeth is more than guaranteed to take the edge off.
  
  Huyang sighs. "I want it noted for the record that I strongly disapprove of this course of action."
  
  "Noted," Sabine says brightly, walking past him and ignoring the way the scarred skin of her stomach pulls with every step. "Now let's go."
  
  "Very well. If you insist on embarking on this reckless and assuredly self-destructive endeavour, I should inform you that I collected your armor whilst Ahsoka was loading your mortally wounded body onto the shuttle."
  
  "See? Nothing to worry about. No-one can lay a finger on me in that armor."
  
  Sabine groans, slumping onto the couch with an icepack pressed to her head, which feels like it's been halfway crushed by the foot of an elephant. Huyang assured her there was no risk of concussion but she's definitely been seeing stars for the last hour, ever since her newest bestest friend decided to use her head as a battering ram.
  
  Sabine moans at the memory.
  
  Why?
  
  Whatever happened to a good old-fashioned punch in the face? Decent. Respectable. Far less likely to cause a skull fracture. Sabine already has her fair share of brain damage, she's not in the market to get more.
  
  At least she had her armor this time, which was strong enough to defend against Shin's blows and help her deliver her own walloping ones in return - though Sabine's advantage was limited and ultimately pitiful in the face of the synth's superior skillset. And, as much as she loathes to admit it, it is superior.
  
  Though Sabine's proud to claim that she has the more lethal tongue. In fact, if it was a battle of quips, she would have won without competition. Something her opponent failed to appreciate. In fact, some of Sabine's best lines seemed to sail right on over her head.
  
  Which is disappointing. She worked really hard on those.
  
  (of course, there's always the possibility that Shin was simply pretending not to hear her. Which. . .
  
  Isn't actually a terrible strategy. Considering Sabine got increasingly frustrated the longer the fight went on - and sloppy)
  
  Needless to say, their little rendezvous with Morgan did not go as planned. Mostly because of the unexpected appearance of two lightsaber-swinging pests, one of whom was Shin Hati.
  
  As much as Sabine was itching for another fight with her, she could have done without the resulting head trauma.
  
  "She seems fascinated with you," Ahsoka comments from her position in a nearby armchair - and it might be paranoia but Sabine doesn't think she's imagining the sliver of amusement in her tone.
  
  "She seems fascinated with making me bleed," Sabine grumbles and, indeed, she came out of this latest fight with a nasty gash above her eyebrow in need of a frightening number of stitches. Though, she didn't get stabbed so Sabine's decided to count herself as the winner of that altercation.
  
  "Well. . . everyone has to have a hobby."
  
  She peers at Ahsoka through narrowed eyes.
  
  She's definitely smiling now.
  
  "Oh, fuck you."
  
  Ahsoka forces her smile to subdue itself though Sabine can still see it brimming in her eyes.
  
  She sighs, leaning back in her seat. "I'm getting my ass handed to me."
  
  "It does appear to be that way," Huyang chimes in.
  
  "Oh, fuck you too."
  
  "I was simply agreeing with you, Lady Wren." The cheek in his robotic voice is only barely detectable but, boy, does she detect it.
  
  "She had another synth with her," Ahsoka says thoughtfully. "I didn't recognize him."
  
  "Yeah, he wasn't there during our first date."
  
  "A Skroll model. Lord Baylan, if my records are correct - which they always are," Huyang reveals. "He was a Jedi at the temple. Assumed to be lost to the war."
  
  "Well, apparently not."
  
  Ahsoka tilts her head. "You don't see too many Skroll models these days. They're a dying breed."
  
  "Indeed. The models are known for being the only synthetic that never needs to charge. They are powered by a self-sustaining generator at their core. The materials for which were exhausted during the war. With most of the Skroll destroyed during that very same war and with no means to create more. . . they are an endangered species. It is the fear of the conservationists that they may one day very soon go extinct."
  
  Sabine makes a face. "I still think it's weird that the New Republic elected a 'conservationist' organization to oversee what's left of the synth and alien species on Earth. Like they're animals."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins in agreement.
  
  "The title is. . . regrettable," Huyang says. "Though the intentions themselves seem to be admirable. They've already located twenty different synth models on the brink of extinction and replenished the ranks of those they could."
  
  Sabine jerks a thumb at the woman beside her. "Ahsoka nearly punched a senator after that organization put forward a proposal for a breeding program for critically endangered alien species."
  
  "I had no intention of punching him."
  
  "Yeah, but you wanted to. And, hey, me too."
  
  "Which is why I dragged you out of there."
  
  "All part of my master plan. I was offering myself up as a distraction so that you would be focused on me rather than that Senator's oh-so-punchable face."
  
  Not really. But that's between her and God. Who she's never spoken to a day in her life.
  
  "Well, you were very successful."
  
  Sabine can tell from Ahsoka's tone that she doesn't believe a single word of her bullshit. Not surprising. It is incredibly hard to bullshit a Jedi.
  
  "Do you think Shin and Baylan were the two people you saw on the security footage of Morgan's prison break?" Sabine asks.
  
  "I'd say the odds are certainly high. They never showed their faces but we know that Elsbeth has been looking for the map and now a man and woman appear hoping to steal it shortly after she's broken out of prison by two people of a similar build and appearance? And they all lightsabers?"
  
  "Yeah. Either it's them or the universe is going a little too overboard with its coincidences."
  
  "Essentially."
  
  Great.
  
  Sabine is liking the sound of this less and less.
  
  She sighs, slumping back in her seat. Could really go for some chocolate right now.
  
  [Xenobots, a sort of animal-machine hybrid, were the world's first and only living robot. Comprised of biological matter and designed by artificial intelligence, they were capable of self-replication and healing. Originally created to remove microplastics from the ocean, scrape plaque from people's arteries and act as a drug delivery system, the Jedi Order found ways to advance their function and application beyond what anyone could ever have predicted.
  
  The technology was barred to members of the public, reserved only for members of the Order, who were injected with it over the course of their training.
  
  (another thing Palpatine used to sew resentment for the Jedi)
  
  The true extent of the xenobots' capabilities remains a closely guarded secret but Sabine's learned from being around Ahsoka that advanced healing is part of it, along with enhanced senses, speed and agility. Not to mention extended longevity.
  
  Sabine could really use some of that healing right now.]
  
  "So." She readjusts the ice pack on her head. "You never finished telling me about the Hati model. I feel like I should probably know what I'm up against here considering this one seems determined to fuck up every inch of me."
  
  And not in a pleasurable way.
  
  Ahsoka considers her. "You're right. You should be fully informed when it comes to what you're facing."
  
  "Great." Sabine smacks her thighs, standing up - her stomach cries a protest but she manages not to wince. "Let me just put on some hot chocolate and we can get this show on the road."
  
  "It's not that kind of story, Sabine."
  
  "Hot chocolate is good for any story. Happy, sad. Light-hearted, depressingly dark. It's a queen of versatility."
  
  "Fine," Ahsoka sighs.
  
  "Want some?"
  
  "Only if you leave out the marshmallows this time."
  
  Sabine pauses in her step - "Heathen." - before continuing into the kitchen.
  
  Ahsoka hides a smile.
  
  [The first sentient synths were created by the Jedi to help fill their ranks. A truly impartial warrior with no biological or national ties. Completely and utterly unattached.
  
  Or, at least, that was the idea.
  
  Palpatine used the Order's role in their creation as one of his talking points for the Empire. As animosity towards synthetics grew, he used that resentment to help justify his unchecked slaughter of the Jedi Order.
  
  Sabine can grudgingly admit that it was a smart move. And an effective one as well. Even now as the Jedi rebuild themselves, there's still a palpable amount of distrust from the general public towards the few synth members in their Order.
  
  After war, hate and fear are the hardest things to dispense with]
  
  "So, lay it on me." Cuddled up on the couch with the thickest blanket Sabine's ever had the privilege to touch wrapped around her like a cocoon, she takes a sip of her hot chocolate (with marshmellows. Because unlike Ahsoka she actually has taste).
  
  Sabine's newly reinstated master taps her fingers against her own cup as she considers the best place to start. "The Hati were revolutionary, as far as synthetic technology goes. No model before them was ever so realistic."
  
  "Oh yeah. It sure felt realistic when she was using her fist to rearrange my face - be honest, just how bad does my nose look at the moment?"
  
  Ahsoka wisely chooses not to answer. "They could easily pass as human - which was their selling point. I believe they were used as the blueprint for the Jade model. Though were greatly improved upon."
  
  Sabine hides a smirk. She can only imagine Shin's face if she heard anyone say that she was something that needed to be 'greatly improved upon'. Then she registers the rest of Ahsoka's words.
  
  "Mara Jade? But I thought she was unique?"
  
  The first and only model of her kind.
  
  Huyang weighs in from his position on the other side of the room. "Very much so. But her design was inspired by earlier models such as the Hati. Unlike the Hati, though, she was created through the use of femtotechnology."
  
  "Never heard of it."
  
  Huyang moves to speak.
  
  "Also don't want to hear about it."
  
  Not when it would distract from Sabine's efforts to learn every last juicy piece of information about Shin there is.
  
  Priorities. She has them. (a little less than straight but she has them)
  
  She turns to Ahsoka. "So what else can you tell me?"
  
  She raises a brow at Sabine's, admittedly, unconcealed eagerness but obliges like a good Samaritan. "Before the war, they were one of the few models with sentience written into their design."
  
  Well, that's interesting.
  
  From what Sabine knows, sentience was spread like a virus after Palpatine rose to power, released by Synth Freedom Fighters. The results helped turn the tide for the Rebels since a high number of non-sentient synths were being used in all areas of the Imperial army. Before the war, only about forty percent of them possessed true sentience.
  
  "I thought sentience was a bug, not a feature? At least in terms of those that weren't part of the Jedi Order."
  
  "Propaganda." Ahsoka waves a hand, dismissing this apparent nonsense. "They were also the only model fully comprised of nanobots. It gave them the ability to change appearances and to recover from almost any physical damage. Imagine taking every cell in a human body and replacing it with nanotechnology - and you'll get some idea of the Hati design."
  
  Sabine's 'idea' says that sounds prohibitively expensive and, also, illegal. But then it was the Empire that made the use of nanotechnology illegal (though they clearly had no qualms about using it themselves) so Sabine's not going to judge.
  
  "Most often, the model was assigned to people who wanted a child and couldn't conceive one of their own. A code was written into their structure that meant they would 'age' in an organic way. They'd arrive as newborns and then at some point end up as fully grown adults - though I'm not sure what age they were programmed to reach, the model wasn't around long enough to find out. Shin is the oldest I've seen."
  
  It's a little disconcerting - even nauseating - to think of people ordering themselves a designer baby like they're a purse. Especially when it no doubt involved an unjustifiable amount of cash considering the price of nanobots.
  
  "What happened during the war?"
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins. "Most of them were killed. By their own families or their human peers. Vader saw to the massacre of a majority himself. Children, all of them. . . Some were kept as slaves - the Hati model was unique in that, because it was granted sentience, it also had a fail-safe put in place. A code that made it so that they had to obey any and every instruction from their assigned masters, which were in most cases their parents. They were sentient but without free will. . . As a result, those that weren't destroyed were re-purposed by the Empire. Fashioned into assassins and spies."
  
  "To work against other synths like themselves."
  
  Sabine feels sick at the thought. She can remember what it felt like, to discover that the Duchess, a weapon she designed, was being used to enslave and kill her own people.
  
  "To work against whoever the Empire chose," Ahsoka corrects. "Synth, alien and human alike. The nanobots made them harder to kill than most other models and their full sentience gave them intelligence and creativity that couldn't be found in droids. But the code that put them at the mercy of their masters' will - utterly and completely obedient - made their loyalty absolute."
  
  Often during the war, Sabine wondered what kind of fate would await her if she was ever captured by the Empire. Captured and not killed. She had nightmares about the torture and indignities that might befall her, the things she could be forced to do. In her nightmares, death was a better outcome than falling victim to the Empire's barbaric hold.
  
  But those nightmares feel like child's play to her now. The complete and total subjugation that Ahsoka describes is beyond anything her imagination could ever concoct.
  
  She feels a stab of sympathy for the woman who stabbed her but quickly quashes it. Sympathy for the enemy will only get you killed.
  
  And Shin is the enemy. Whatever she endured during the war, whatever she was forced to do, that was then and this is now. And right now, her actions are her own. Her choices are her own.
  
  And she had chosen to align herself against the New Republic. To kill.
  
  Ahsoka's voice pulls her from her thoughts. "That program was then replicated to enslave other synth models, any who were sentient and of use to the Empire."
  
  "How have I never heard of them?" Sabine wonders aloud.
  
  "They fought in the shadows, in places unseen. Killing silently and discreetly. Infiltrating rebel cells and leaving without a trace. . . And like I said, most of them were destroyed."
  
  "Except Shin."
  
  "Except Shin."
  
  Sabine draws her knee up to her chest, considering all the new information her master has just unloaded on her. "So where does Baylan fit into all this?"
  
  "You'd have to ask her."
  
  Sabine snorts. "I don't think she's exactly interested in providing me with any answers - to anything."
  
  The corner of Ashoka's mouth drifts up. "She does seem to have a certain. . . disregard for you."
  
  Sabine grumbles. "She stabbed me and tried to use my head as a battering ram. Pretty sure what she has for me is a deep and burning desire to see me dead."
  
  "If she wanted you dead, you'd be dead." Ahsoka's tone is light but her eyes are cold. "The Empire made them killing machines, Sabine. The most lethal and precise there are. They don't make mistakes. That stab wound missed all your vital organs - including your spine. The heat of her lightsaber fully cauterized the wound so you didn't bleed out. Then she left you, left you to be found and given aid. . . That's not a mistake someone like her would make."
  
  So maybe Sabine's new 'nemesis' has a heart, after all. Some small vestige of morality.
  
  Or maybe she just likes playing with her food.
  
  "You said that the Hatis had no free will. Is that still true?"
  
  ". . .I don't know," Ahsoka says, eyes subdued. "From what I heard, Palpatine put a certain. . . lock in place to safeguard that program. One that prevented tampering, even by the most skilled slicer. To try would trigger a self-destruct sequence." She catches Sabine's questioning gaze. "It would kill the model."
  
  "Fuck."
  
  "Yes. . . fuck."
  
  Any other time, she might smile at the curse falling from her mentor's lips, how unnatural it sounds. But Sabine feels devoid of amusement. "So she's probably still operating at the behest of someone else."
  
  Her earlier sympathy returns.
  
  Maybe she was too quick to pass judgment. Maybe Shin's just as much a slave now as she ever was. Maybe the predator who sprung on her in the night was really the prey. Maybe the war still hasn't ended for Shin.
  
  (has it ended for any of them?)
  
  "Maybe, maybe not." Ahsoka's expression is thoughtful as she chews on the possibility, though if she feels even a fraction of Sabine's internal horror, it doesn't show. "As far as I know, the only way to make that program null and void is for a Hati's master - or masters - to die. A dead man can't give orders. . . It's possible, with the war, that all of Shin's masters are now dead, rendering her free."
  
  "What about Baylan?"
  
  Ahsoka shakes her head. "The Empire would never give a synth that kind of power over a weapon of her caliber."
  
  Something in Sabine's stomach twists at Shin being referred to as weapon. Like she has little more agency or personhood than a blaster. Which. . . she supposes in the eyes of the Empire was true.
  
  "And if Shin's masters aren't dead? If she's still operating at the behest of someone else?"
  
  Someone who likely hates their very existence. Who would like nothing better than to see the New Republic destroyed.
  
  The press of Ahsoka's mouth is grim. "Then we have bigger problems than we thought."
  
  And here Sabine was thinking their problems were already the size of woolly mammoths.
  
  She rests her chin on her knee, conjuring a picture of Shin in her mind. It's crystal clear. All her memories are. But she still doesn't think it quite. . . captures the ferocity of the real thing.
  
  She doesn't know anything about Shin. Not really. Just theories. But she knows what she looks like when she fights. What it feels like to endure the crush of her blade. The fire in her eyes, the hunger.
  
  When they fight, Shin is more alive than anyone else she's ever met.
  
  That's not something Sabine's memories can capture.
  
  "I don't think I've ever met anyone else like me," she hums, without thought.
  
  "She's not like you, Sabine."
  
  "Well, no - of course not." No-one's like her. And it seems no-one's like Shin either. They are one of a kind. Special. (alone). "But someone with nanobots."
  
  The technology was lost towards the end of the war after the Empire banned it, killing all with any knowledge, including Sabine's own family during the Purge of Mandalore (though that was likely an unexpected benefit rather than an act of intention, given the entire island was the target of that attack). Ahsoka is confident that one day the technology will return, that someone else will figure it out, put the pieces together, but until then it exists only in Sabine.
  
  And now Shin.
  
  Of course, someone could study their nanobots and potentially work out how to reproduce them, which is one of the reasons Sabine keeps her 'condition' on the down low. The last thing she wants is to become somebody's science experiment.
  
  Ahsoka's right, though. She and Shin aren't the same. Sabine has a paltry amount of nanobots in her brain, doing the work of areas that are damaged beyond repair. Shin, on the other hand, is made of nanobots. They extend to every part of her. They are her.
  
  The Mandalorian in Sabine wants to open her up, see how she works, examine every synthetic inch of her. The artist in her is disgusted at the thought of picking apart such a rare and beautiful creation. It wants to see how Shin works too but only from the position of an outside observer, admiring from a distance.
  
  And Sabine. . .
  
  Sabine is curious. But not about the mechanics of Shin's being - or, not just about that - but about Shin herself. The person she is. How she thinks. What she feels. What happened to her.
  
  She wants to know why every time she's around her, every cell in Sabine's body sings.
  
  It sounds terribly romantic but it's not. It's unsettling as fuck. Like something has reached inside her and changed the mechanics of her very being, the way her body operates. It's not all too different from how she woke up after an explosion took out more than half her brain, to find that her thoughts were suddenly sharper, clearer. More cohesive. That she could picture things in her mind with a level of vividness and clarity that she'd never been capable of before. It wasn't bad, necessarily. But it was foreign. And it rendered Sabine's own mind a stranger to her.
  
  She's not enjoying the process of going through that again.
  
  "Do you think the nanobots are why I can sense her?"
  
  There"s no surprise on Ashoka"s face at the question which leads her to suspect that it"s something she"s already thought about. Great. Nice of her to fill Sabine in. "It"s possible. You know, many in the order were able to sense each other. It was. . . like a low frequency in the air. The xenobots in our bloodstream were designed to connect with each other to allow for easier communication."
  
  "Communication?"
  
  "We could exchange thoughts. Sometimes."
  
  Sabine feels incredibly glad that she"s not training to become a real Jedi. Because that sounds creepy as hell.
  
  "Yeah, well, I haven"t experienced anything like that."
  
  "That doesn"t mean the process isn"t similar. Still, the best thing to do might be to ignore it. For now, all it functions as is a distraction."
  
  She"s not wrong about that.
  
  (Ezra. He"s the priority)
  
  "Well, I"m going to head to bed." Ahsoka stands up. "You off too?"
  
  "Uh. . . not just yet. I think I might work on the map some more."
  
  (and absolutely not obsess about Shin)
  
  "Don"t stay up too late. You"re still healing."
  
  Yeah and now she has even more fun things to heal from.
  
  "Yes, Sir."
  
  Ahsoka smiles at her solute but it"s faint and all too quickly gone. "Tell me the truth, how are you doing with all this?"
  
  She means getting stabbed. Getting a real chance to find Ezra at last. Being in her master"s company again, after how they parted ways. There"s a lot of "all this" to cover.
  
  "Honestly, right now, I mostly just want to hit Shin in the face." Everything else, she"s allowing to be background noise. For her own mental wellbeing. "Maybe give her a matching stab wound."
  
  Though, being made of nanobots, any injury Sabine delivers her would be healed up in a jiffy.
  
  She pouts. It"s really not fair.
  
  "Okay." Ahsoka smiles and she"s not sure whether she believes her. But that"s a problem for another day.
  
  She looks down, using her spoon to fish out the gooey remains of one of the marshmallows in her mug.
  
  "Sabine?" Ashoka's hand lands on her shoulder as she passes, making her glance up. "Be careful."
  
  "Um. . . always?"
  
  She is the most carefullest person in the history of careful persons.
  
  Ahsoka mouth's twitches before smoothing out again. "Shin's not like anyone you've ever faced before. She has training that you've never had to contend with. She is one of the Empire's most skilled assassins - and she's taken an interest in you."
  
  "Again, I'm not sure I'd call stabbing me in the gut and trying to bash out my brains taking an interest."
  
  "Male and female mantises wrestle each other when mating," Huyang informs them. "A high stakes battle where, if the male is unable to achieve victory, she will inevitably cannibalize him."
  
  Sabine nearly falls out of her chair.
  
  "Then, of course, there's the female banded mongoose, who leads her pack into war when she wishes to mate with a rival male. As for chimpanzees-"
  
  "Okay, okay, we get it," Sabine shuts him down.
  
  Ahsoka bites her lip but her fucking eyes betray her. She is laughing. "I think Shin's interest is a little more lethal than sexual."
  
  "The two things are not mutually exclusive."
  
  Sabine chokes.
  
  "But I do suppose it's possible. I have no information, after all, on whether or not the Hati were even given the potential for such baser urges. It is a disappointing fact of our species that not all synths and droids are above it. Only the unenlightened feel the need to participate in something so primitive."
  
  Ahsoka raises a brow but wisely chooses not to comment. Maybe because this is the most awkward conversation the three of them have ever been a part of. Though Sabine has a sinking suspicion that she's the only one who finds it awkward.
  
  You know what? I don't have to deal with this.
  
  She stands up. "I'm going to my room."
  
  "To participate in some baser urges?"
  
  "No!"
  
  (okay, yes. Definitely yes.
  
  But only for stress relief!)
  
  Notes:
  so what do you think so far? Shin arrives in the next chapter and I promise all chapters after that are heavy on the shin/sabine interactions. I just had to set things up first
  
  Also, Mara Jade is in this universe because she's my fave and it would be a crime not to include her. With that said, though, she doesn't have much of a part. I just like knowing that she exists lol
  
  Chapter 3: The Luke Skywalker School of Love
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  'Tyger Tyger, burning bright
  
  In the forests of the night,
  
  What immortal hand or eye
  
  Dare frame thy fearful symmetry.'
  
  - The Tyger by William Blake
  
  Ahsoka stops at the foot of her bed, where Sabine has been fiddling with the most frustrating map in existence for the past three hours. "How much have you managed to open so far?"
  
  "About a third." A disappointingly trivial amount but at least it's something. "See for yourself."
  
  Ahsoka takes a seat on the chair by her bed, examining the holographic map. "That's a lot of names."
  
  "Yeah. I think when they're faded like this," she points to a name nearest to her, "it means they're dead. I've taken out more than a few of these people."
  
  "Me too."
  
  "I can't work out the ones in red, though." Sabine squints, studying the various names and coordinates highlighted in blood.
  
  "Defectors."
  
  "How do you know?"
  
  "I recognize more than half of them from the New Republic's witness protection database. A not insubstantial amount of Imperials turned against the Empire and aided the Rebels, especially towards the end of the war."
  
  "Rats fleeing a sinking ship."
  
  Ahsoka hums but doesn't dispute her cynicism. "Some of them, though, were working with us from the start. Acting as Rebel spies. . . Palpatine must have kept this map up to date, adjusting it for every traitor in his ranks."
  
  "So it also functions as a hit list."
  
  Ahsoka nods slowly.
  
  "Do you think that's why she's after it? Shin."
  
  "There are any number of reasons why she could be after it. If she's loyal to the Empire, she may simply want it for Thrawn."
  
  Like us.
  
  "A synth loyal to the Empire?"
  
  "It's been known to happen. Some people serve no master but their own thirst for power - synths aren't immune to that."
  
  "Yeah, but this particular synth. After what you said they did to her."
  
  Sabine's not buying it. Nothing - not even the promise of power - could get her to aid in bringing back the Empire that slaughtered her people.
  
  Ahsoka's voice is soft, "Sometimes. . . when you've been without freedom too long, you don't know what to do with it once you get it. Sometimes, you don't even realize it's there."
  
  Well, that's depressing.
  
  A little too depressing, in fact. Sabine likes her theory better:
  
  "Or she's on a revenge kick and plans to use the entire map as a kill list." In which case, Sabine would be hard-pressed to condemn her.
  
  Ahoska inclines her head. "Perhaps more likely."
  
  Huyang bustles into the room. "Hera wishes me to inform you that she's received information from a reliable source that Lord Baylan Skoll has spent the last decade or so operating as a mercenary."
  
  "Well, that's interesting," Ahsoka leans forward over her knees, eyes narrowed in thought.
  
  Sabine can't help but agree.
  
  If Baylan's a mercenary that pretty much makes it guaranteed that Shin's one too. It's not what Sabine expected and she feels her opinion of the synth drop exponentially.
  
  Not that she really has room to talk. What with her history of being a bounty hunter and all. Not to mention her people are renowned for their mercenary work and Sabine's positive some of that work was less than honorable. Her house is made of glass and she definitely shouldn't be going around throwing stones. But still.
  
  She expected something a little more. . . purpose-driven from Shin. A meaningful motivation for her actions.
  
  Though some would argue that there's nothing more meaningful or motivating than money. It does make the world go round, after all.
  
  "So, what, we think they're hired goons?"
  
  "That would explain why they broke Morgan Elsbeth out of prison," Ahsoka says. "And why they were at Corellia. I knew it couldn't be a coincidence."
  
  "You think she hired them?"
  
  "It's the most plausible theory we have at the moment."
  
  So the odds that Shin is aiding the Empire are significantly higher. Of course, there's always the possibility that she's not doing it of her own free will.
  
  (Sabine's not sure why she cares so much either way. Why it should even matter to her.
  
  The woman stabbed you in the gut.
  
  Maybe she needs to learn some self-respect. This has to speak to some kind of deep-rooted self-esteem issue)
  
  Ahsoka reaches into her pocket, pulling out a note and placing it unceremoniously on Sabine's lap.
  
  She squints at the words scrawled on the page.
  
  "What's this?"
  
  "Something that might help. I contacted Mara to see if she knew anything that might aid us with this newfound thorn in your side. She was the Emperor's Hand. If anyone knows anything about the Hatis, it's her."
  
  "I bet that was a fun conversation."
  
  Jade just loves talking about her time with the Empire as Palpatine's brainwashed doll.
  
  Ahsoka grimaces a little. "I don't think she'll be inviting me out to drinks for a while."
  
  "Wait, she invites you out to drinks? She never invites me out to drinks."
  
  Sabine's barely ever gotten more than a few syllables of conversation out of her.
  
  Ahsoka just smiles before continuing. "Most of what she had to say was already known to me and - like us - she was led to believe that all the Hati had been destroyed. I do think there's information that she's sitting on, details that she won't reveal for whatever reason but I don't think those details would be of aid to us. . . there are some things we don't have a right to."
  
  "So basically you learnt nothing."
  
  "Almost nothing. When I explained the situation to her, she did divulge this." Ahsoka taps the paper on her lap. "It's a trigger phrase. Only about a dozen or so people were given the position of Master when it came to the Hati. Safer that way. But also problematic if a Hati ever found a way around their existing commands and went rogue. So a safety lever was invented. Something anybody could pull, master or not, that would shut them down."
  
  "Shut them down?"
  
  "Place them in standby mode. At least until someone says the release phrase. It should give us enough time to escape if needed."
  
  She examines the sentence scrawled on the page.
  
  'In what distant deep or skies
  
  Burnt the fire of thine eyes?'
  
  It's obviously an excerpt of poetry. Probably something super pretentious since it was presumably picked out by Palpatine himself.
  
  "All I have to do is say these words and she'll turn off?" Sabine can't help but feel a little skeptical.
  
  Ahsoka hesitates. "In theory. Mara did warn that it may no longer be functional. The phrases were constantly changing for security reasons and this was simply the last one she was given before the Hati were destroyed."
  
  "Good to know." Sighing, Sabine pockets the note with less than eager enthusiasm.
  
  With her luck, the phrase will trigger something like Homicidal Rage Mode instead.
  
  "Did Jade know her? Shin," Sabine asks with forced nonchalance.
  
  Ahsoka nods slowly. "Not well. Mostly she knew of her. There were times that their paths crossed but Mara's missions were usually of a higher caliber and kept her separate. . . She did say that Shin was renowned for her short temper."
  
  "Isn't that a little like the pot calling the kettle black?"
  
  Ahsoka snorts. "I think we've landed on why you've never been invited out to drinks."
  
  "She tried to kill her husband. Multiple times."
  
  Far be it from Sabine to judge other people's romantic relationships but. . . she's kind of judging.
  
  "Well, it's not as though they were married at the time."
  
  Uh huh.
  
  She still thinks one too many blows to the head have thrown a few of Luke Skywalker's screws loose.
  
  "I'm just saying. I mean, I know that some relationships can have a rocky start but I don't think I'd be in such a rush to hitch myself to someone who wanted me dead." Ahsoka looks doubtful - which, okay, insulting. "Sex is one thing. That might actually be kind of hot. But commitment? That's a whole other kettle of fish."
  
  "She says as someone who's never had a committed romantic relationship in her life."
  
  "Neither have you."
  
  "Jedi. What's your excuse?"
  
  Sabine bristles faintly, even though she knows this is just friendly banter - something she should be delighted to be having with Ahsoka again since she never once thought they would - but that's a wound she's still a little raw from. She could blame it on Ezra. On the undefinable thing that existed between them before his disappearance, that thing that was then later left to flounder hopelessly in the sea of unknowns and what-ifs after he was gone. But the truth is, since the war, she hasn't been able to connect with anyone. Not like that. Letting a person in, letting them see her enough to love her. . . well, that just sounds horrible. What sounds even more horrible is the thought of letting someone in. . . only to lose them like she's lost everyone else. Worse, to be rejected by them and watch them walk away.
  
  The same way Ahsoka walked away.
  
  Which isn't exactly something she can say to the woman in front of her.
  
  So instead Sabine shrugs, pretending her smile doesn't hurt her lips. "I don't know. Guess I just haven't found the right person yet."
  
  Ahsoka eyes her like she knows she's a liar-liar-pants-on-fire but kindly doesn't call her on it. "I guess so."
  
  [Over the centuries, millions of alien species have wound up in their solar system. Refugees fleeing the reckoning of their home galaxies, crash landing in the Milky Way., their ships destroyed.
  
  Many tried to rebuild the advanced technology that enabled them to travel through different galaxies but Earth and its surrounding planets were severely lacking in the necessary materials required. They were stranded. Safe from the forces that had propelled them to flee but never able to return home.
  
  Ahsoka's grandparents were among those refugees.]
  
  The Seatos safe house, located on the floating manmade territory of Lothal, is only a ten-minute flight from LothalNet tower and it's somewhat of a test in self-control not to grab the holocron, swipe Ahsoka's jetplane and chart her way back there. It's not that Sabine's particularly attached to her apartment but she's keenly aware that Scrappie isn't up to attending to Murley's needs for days on end. Last time she left the two alone together for any length of time, Murley lost the end of his tail.
  
  Sabine still doesn't know how exactly this happened and Scrappie has remained suspiciously mum about the whole thing.
  
  At any rate, it certainly doesn't bode well that this is her fourth night away from home. For all she knows, they've massacred each other.
  
  "Just another day or two," Sabine swears, more to herself than anyone else.
  
  She'll have the map cracked by then. She knows it. And then she'll have to figure out a more permanent solution for Murley's care whilst they go after Ezra. Unless Ahsoka is agreeable to bringing the little mongrel along. Sabine thinks she could sell it. Pets are good for morale.
  
  Speaking of Ahsoka. . .
  
  "How are we coming along with the map?"
  
  "I love how you say 'we' when what you really mean is me," Sabine sighs, stretching out her spine - which gives a worryingly loud pop. Maybe she should get into yoga. "And I'm about most of the way there. Eighty percent now."
  
  Ahsoka raises a brow and that small pathetic part of her that she tries to kick into submission fills with bubbly warmth at the impressed look on her face. "Good work."
  
  Huyang trots into the room, looking as flustered as she's ever seen a droid. "I'm afraid we have a breach."
  
  Her head shoots up. "Wait, really?"
  
  Breaching a safehouse of this caliber's unheard of. At least, it hasn't happened in Sabine's lifetime.
  
  "Affirmative."
  
  Or. . . I guess now it has.
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka exchange a look. "What's to bet it's my favorite new pain in the ass?"
  
  "I'd say the odds would be in your favor."
  
  "Great."
  
  She's been so looking forward to getting pummeled to with an inch of her life again.
  
  "Stay here. Protect the map." Ahsoka's already unsheathing her lightsaber and heading for the door. "I'll do my best to subdue them but if they get past me, you'll have no choice but to destroy it." She stops long enough to meet Sabine's eyes. "Can you do that?"
  
  "Yeah," she breathes. "I can do that."
  
  Just as soon as she's unlocked the coordinates for Thrawn.
  
  Ahsoka seems to read these unspoken words on her face - she really has to get better at concealing her thoughts from her. "I'd unlock the rest of that map very quickly."
  
  She doesn't wait for a response.
  
  Releasing a groan, Sabine turns her attention to the sphere on her lap. "You better be amenable to this plan."
  
  It offers no retort.
  
  "Good. Glad we're on the same page. Now let's get started."
  
  Present
  
  The hand around her neck is firm and unyielding. Shin could crush her throat without any effort at all, without so much as a blink.
  
  Sabine has definitely moved on from worrying about the smell of her breath to worrying about just what it will feel like when her head pops off like Miss Polly's poor dolly.
  
  She thinks she is, at least partially responsible for her present situation. If only because they were having a pretty pleasant and respectful altercation before Sabine's mouth said one too many things that it shouldn't have and Shin chose the quickest and most effective method available to shut her up.
  
  I am going to kill Ahsoka when I see her later.
  
  You know, if she doesn't get decapitated first.
  
  That so-called trigger phrase was about as useful as one of Sabine's childhood nursery ryhmes. Only worse because the minute Shin heard it she took immediate offense.
  
  Though offense might be putting it mildly.
  
  Her eyes bugged in her skull and her hand struck out for Sabine's jugular with the ferocity of a wolf. Or a very pissed-off puppy.
  
  Big mistake.
  
  Huge!
  
  If anything's become clear in the last few minutes it's that Shin has been holding back in their fights. Substantially. Toying with her like a cat with a mouse, letting her live just so she can toss her up in the air with her paws and watch her go splat against the floor. Kitty playtime.
  
  Well, she's not toying with her anymore.
  
  "You have no power," Shin grinds out in a breath, and there is such rage in her words, such violent desperation - that Sabine's heart twists in her chest.
  
  (no-one has ever looked at her with such loathing)
  
  The kids on Lothal like to chase the stray cats that pepper the streets. Running after them with stones in their hands. Sabine has seen those stones fly through the air like blaster fire, leaving mangled and bloody fur in their wake. A small-scale echo of wartime's violence.
  
  When Murley first came to live with Sabine (read: snuck in through an open window one night and made himself at home, thereafter refusing to leave) he used to flinch every time she raised her hand. His hackles would rise, his body bending low to the ground, as his lips drew back in a hiss. He never ran, never hid. Instead he held his ground, furious desperation in the whites of his eyes. Once, he launched himself at her wrist, fangs sinking into flesh. She still has one of the scars.
  
  Eventually, he came to learn that there was no threat in Sabine's actions, no stone in her grasp. But even now he still hisses whenever someone else raises a hand in his presence.
  
  Sabine has just raised a hand in Shin's.
  
  Worse, that hand actually had a stone in it. One she threw without hesitation - even if its target was missed.
  
  In what distant deep or skies
  
  Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
  
  Guilt floods her being.
  
  From everything Ahsoka's told her, she can hazard a guess as to what Shin's life was like during the war. The sheer powerlessness that must have defined her existence. Living as a slave in anything but name, helpless to even protect yourself. To run.
  
  During the Empire's reign, Sabine saw what people would do to their synths. These objects under their command that look so very human - but aren't seen as human. Aren't seen as possessing the feelings of one, let alone the rights.
  
  In the past, synths like Shin could never raise a hand to their master. Never fight back against the indignities heaped upon them. But the past is the past and no synth will ever be that powerless again.
  
  (the fingers around her throat press deeper, cutting off her last breath of air)
  
  Still, Sabine isn't ready to die to prove Shin's newfound power. So she does something that is, in retrospect, quite rude:
  
  she blasts her in the face.
  
  The hold on her throat releases in an instant as Shin goes flying across the room, landing with a thud that makes the floorboards shudder under Sabine's feet.
  
  "Sorry!"
  
  The word hurts to get out through the abused flesh of her throat and Sabine decides that, actually, she's not that sorry.
  
  Shin is silent and still. Which means she probably has at least a good minute or two to get the hell out of here.
  
  "Great talk. Let's never do it again."
  
  Patting her chest to ensure that the map is still safely ensconced in her bra, she beats a hasty retreat.
  
  Sabine tries to ignore the harsh whip of icy wind as she huddles behind one of the impressively large stones that mark the top of the cliff. In the last week, she's made a routine of coming out here to sketch the roiling ocean down bellow, the seagulls that crest the skies above and the dew-touched grass of the hills. A short, scheduled breather during her mad race to unlock a, potentially cataclysmic, map.
  
  But that was always during the day. When it was warm. And sunny. And it didn't feel like the wind had taken on a personal vendetta to destroy her.
  
  Sabine grits her chattering teeth, numb fingers sliding along the sphere's outer edge, shifting - what she hopes is - the last piece into place. There's a promising click.
  
  Holding her breath, she presses the button on the top of the sphere which she's learned by now releases a projection of the map's contents. Before, only eighty percent of the earth's surface was visible. A large chunk of the North Atlantic Ocean and American continent glaringly absent.
  
  This time, they're plain as day to see and Sabine's hungry eyes rapidly take in the missing chunk. She doesn't know how much time she has until a - no doubt - royally pissed-off killing machine manages to track her down. The cliff's edge is far enough away from the cabin that it's certainly not going to be the first place Shin looks but Sabine isn't optimistic enough to believe that she won't eventually expand her search here.
  
  That is, if Ahsoka doesn't manage to take care of her first.
  
  But who even knows if Ahsoka is still alive?
  
  She hasn't heard a thing over the comlink from her master since Shin made her grand entrance and decided to choke the life out of her. The last transmission she received contained the distant but ominous sound of Baylan's voice and a harsh order from Ahsoka to destroy the map.
  
  Which Sabine plans to do.
  
  Any second now.
  
  White dots litter the map, each one attached with a name and list of coordinates. Sabine knows if she touches one of those names she'll get a detailed biography that would put the likes of one of Huyang's to shame - but that's not the kind of information she's after.
  
  At least seventy new names have been added to the map and Sabine scans all of them, filing them away in her memory as she searches out that one specific-
  
  "There you are," Sabine breathes.
  
  A satisfied - and, more than a little, relieved - smirk settles on her lips, though it falters when she takes in exactly where Thrawn's beacon is emanating from.
  
  No fucking way.
  
  The sound of rushed footsteps interrupts Sabine's disbelief and she feels it - that now familiar hum rising in her blood. It's a somewhat unsettling alert system but not an unhelpful one.
  
  Hastily, Sabine turns off the map and reaches for her lightsaber. "Sorry about this."
  
  It really is a beautiful piece of technology and, given more time, Sabine would have loved to examine it further, figure out exactly how it works. But alas. . .
  
  She lights up her saber, just as a shadow enters her field of vision.
  
  "You."
  
  "We really have to stop meeting like this."
  
  A hand grabs Sabine's throat, driving her back against unforgiving rock as her head bounces off it with a crack. Fuck. Pain splinters through her skull, spiderwebbing out until she sees spots, blooming in the corner of her vision. Sabine blinks them away, unable to suppress a wince.
  
  Definitely pissed her off.
  
  When she opens her eyes, Shin's own are a breath away, nostrils flaring, harsh breaths falling from her mouth - though she doesn't even need to fucking breathe! Unlike Sabine, who is all of a sudden finding it rather difficult.
  
  (read: impossible)
  
  Well, this feels familiar.
  
  She really wasn't looking to end up back here quite so soon. Her throat is particularly peeved at the development.
  
  Sabine tries - and fails - to gasp for air, taking in the furious sight of her opponent.
  
  Shin's hair is singed and parts of her face are still knitting themselves back together, a grisly patchwork of skin that crawls like ants the longer and harder Sabine looks. She's also missing an eye.
  
  So that blaster shot might not have been the best thing to endear her to me.
  
  In fact, she may have just made herself an enemy for life. Though if the threat in Shin"s one eye is anything to go by, at least it will be an incredibly short feud.
  
  On the ground, the remains of the map lie blackened and deformed.
  
  "I should have killed you the first time we met."
  
  Sabine would respond but it's a little difficult to get a word out between the crushing pressure on her throat. A pressure that only grows tighter and tighter.
  
  Oh, boy. She's definitely going to kill her this time.
  
  "Shin." Baylan's voice is a command, hard and unyielding - daring any to disobey. "Let her speak."
  
  Shin's hand tightens around her throat, taking the dare. "She destroyed it."
  
  Yep. You've really done it now, Sabine.
  
  Great plan.
  
  "And you can kill her for that in time - after she's been given the chance to speak."
  
  The pressure on her throat doesn't ease.
  
  "Shin!" Baylan barks. "She was the last person to see the map. She is the apprentice of Ahsoka Tano. She may yet have something of value."
  
  Slowly, with great reluctance, the hand on Sabine's throat begins to slacken, just enough for her to speak.
  
  Sabine doesn't waste the opportunity. "I have a photographic memory!"
  
  Both Shin and Baylan go very still.
  
  Okay, okay, they're listening. Good. Great. Now keep it moving.
  
  "I looked at the contents of the map before I destroyed it. The information was valuable, I couldn't just. . ." Well, she could. She very much could. But that information included Thrawn's whereabouts. Thrawn, the last person to see Ezra alive. She couldn't just let that information disappear forever. "Valuable to the Republic. And, well, I knew that you're little murder puppy here wouldn't be too happy with its destruction so I figured I better make myself valuable too."
  
  She wasn't actually thinking about that at the time but, really, it's a smart move. Sabine is more than willing to lay claim to it in the aftermath. It's not like anyone's going to call her out.
  
  "She's lying," Shin hisses.
  
  (the trust issues are strong in this one)
  
  "Perhaps," Baylan hums. "And soon enough we'll know for certain. Until then it would be more prudent to let her live."
  
  Shin only looks more furious at this pronouncement. Apparently, right now, her hatred for Sabine far outrivals her desire to access the contents of that map.
  
  Really, if looks could kill.
  
  Well, Sabine probably would have been dead a hundred times over by now, considering the kind of looks Shin has been inclined to send her way. Actually, Sabine's starting to get the impression that she doesn't like her very much. Which is, frankly, baffling. She is incredibly likable.
  
  The hand around her throat tightens, cutting off the air she's only just started getting a taste for again. She claws at Shin's knuckles, armored fingers digging uselessly into synthetic flesh. This is it, she's really going to-
  
  Sabine slams onto the hard earth, a groan cracking through her ribs as the hold on her is released.
  
  Shin stalks off.
  
  Fucking rude.
  
  It takes a good minute of hacking and gasping to feel like her lungs aren't going to explode but eventually she manages to regain some dignity and look up. Baylan still stands at a distance, a faintly amused - if irritated - twist to his mouth.
  
  "You should really keep your dog on a tighter leash."
  
  He ignores her hilarious quip. "Shin listens to my command. . . But if you are lying, not even I will be able to stay her hand."
  
  It's more a warning than an apology - perhaps even a little bit of a chiding for her recklessness - and then the man is following after his apprentice.
  
  Sabine releases another groan, head flopping back onto the ground.
  
  Great work.
  
  Complete and resounding success. No notes.
  
  Really, she should write a book. How to Make Enemies and Influence People.
  
  Notes:
  do you think the excerpt I used in the summary for this fic is enough of a hook? Or should I pick something different?
  
  the trigger phrase is taken from the poem The Tyger by William Blake. If you're interested the full poem is here accompanied by an analysis https://poemanalysis.com/william-blake/the-tyger/
  
  also the Miss Polly line is a reference to the children's nursery rhyme Miss Polly Had a Dolly but in school kids often replaced the lyrics with 'Miss Polly had a dolly and her head popped off' because kids are wild like that lol
  
  The Price of Peace
  WhiteravenGreywolf
  Summary:
  Shin and her Master are sent by the Jedi Council to monitor the Civil War happening on Mandalore. Their task is to protect the Countess Wren, who represents the planet's best chance at peace. But Sabine doesn't want the Jedi overseeing her rebellion, and Shin takes an immediate dislike to the Countess.
  
  
  
  Based on the romance between Obi-Wan and Satine, but this time it's Shin and Sabine.
  
  Chapter 1: The Countess Wren
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin could count how many times she"d left Coruscant on one hand. This would be her sixth times, officially calling for the use of a second hand to count. They were bound for Mandalore. She sat in the co-pilot seat, watching the stars flash around them, boxing their small ship into a tunnel of light. Baylan sat on the other side of the cockpit, his gaze not on the galaxy around them but on his padawan.
  
  "What is the title given to the leader of Madalore?"
  
  Shin had to tear her eyes away from the lights. She looked back at her master, then her gaze fell to the ground as she searched her memory. She"d been given a crash course on Mandalorian politics by the librarian before leaving, but it had been pretty late at night and she had fallen asleep on her desk four times in an hour.
  
  "The Mandalore?"
  
  "Mand"alor. It has been a long time since the Mandalorians have chosen a Mand"alor, hence yet another civil war."
  
  "Master, if this is the third civil war in as many generations, what can we truly do to help them?"
  
  Baylan sighed. Shin knew her master wasn"t entirely thrill by their assignment, but it had been too long since he had been given any mission, and the Council knew that. Whatever the case may be, Shin was determined to make the most of the assignment.
  
  "We will do what the Council has asked of us. We will protect the Countess Wren for as long as is required."
  
  The ship let out a beep, indicating they would soon exit hyperspace. Baylan turned his attention back to the controls and Shin imitated him. While her master wasn"t thrilled about joining a civil war, Shin wasn"t thrilled about their target. She imagined the Countess to be like all the politicians in Coruscant, probably old and full of ideas that would be impossible to execute even in the best of times. The kind of politicians who practiced their cordial smiles in the mirror every morning. This Countess was apparently the Mandalorians" greatest chance at peace. Shin couldn"t quite believe that.
  
  The ship left hyperspace and made its slow approach to a large, barren-looking planet. On its surface, they could see clouds whipping in rolling patterns. Shin looked with great interest as they entered the atmosphere and flew over large dried plains.
  
  "The whole flora was destroyed," Baylan explained. "The Mandalorians are forced to live in domes."
  
  Shin remembered that particular point of her lesson. Her master had spoken it with such venom, even now. She, too, couldn"t understand why people would do that to their own planet. Ahead, the giant dome of Sundari rose out of the horizon like a black sun. To Shin"s surprise, however, instead of approaching one of its holes to bring the shuttle inside, Baylan landed amidst the rocks, some ways away in the mountains.
  
  "Master?" she began but Baylan cut her off and explained:
  
  "We will make our approach on foot. Our presence is not welcomed in Sundari, not by the Countess" enemies, and not by the Countess either."
  
  Shin nodded. She made sure to pick up her cloak and put it on before joining her master at the ramp. As soon as Baylan opened the exit, hot air stiffened her. It whipped around her and pulled at her cloak. She pulled up her hood as she stepped out to shadow her eyes from the harsh light of the sun. Suddenly she understood why the Mandalorians had chosen to live in domes.
  
  "Let"s make haste," Baylan said as he shut the ship"s ramp behind them. "The Countess is often on the move. It would be... troublesome if she had left Sundari before we arrived."
  
  They walked under the hard sun until, to Shin"s relief, they reached the dome"s enormous shadow. The air was still as dry but the heat was weakened, and she stopped sweating as strongly under her cloak. The planet was deathly quiet. No sound came from the dome or the desert surrounding it. Shin began to wonder if the planet had been abandoned. Then, they reached the dome.
  
  A single door at ground level allowed for vehicles in and out. It had not opened at all while they had walked. Baylan unlocked it with the Force and they hurried inside. Coolness wrapped around Shin like a blanket and she almost took off her hood. Her master stopped her before she could. She understood his silent order. They were to remain anonymous. She brushed the sweat off her forehead and followed her master deeper into the city.
  
  Sundari was full of life. People came and went about their day, some in partial or full armor but most clothed in civilian attires. They traversed walkways that spanned the entire dome, leading to staircases and elevators as the city extended far below them. Shin had the terrible idea to look down and for the first time in a long time, she felt vertigo grip the back of her brain, as the buildings below her stretched on and on, so deep she couldn"t see the ground.
  
  "Where are we going, Master?" she asked in a low voice.
  
  "The Council told me to find her last contact location, though I doubt she will have lingered there."
  
  There was a bitterness to Baylan"s voice every time he mentioned the Council now, which Shin picked on every time. She hadn"t dared to ask him yet what was wrong with the Council.
  
  The low rumble of an explosion rocked the dome. All the people around them froze up, then ran for cover. Shin glanced at her master. The explosion was coming from above, to their left. Baylan took off running and she followed. They pushed their way onto an elevator and took it up. Shin"s hand reached for her lightsaber, but again, her master stopped her.
  
  "Wait until we"ve confirmed our target is here."
  
  She nodded. Still, her hand continued to fidget with the hook on her belt. A rocket zoomed through the air and shattered against the building across from them, showering the walkways beneath in glass. Baylan stopped the elevator at the next floor and ran out. Shin, heart shaking with anticipation, ran after him.
  
  Two groups of Mandalorians were fighting a floor above them on a landing pad. On group was wearing red and white armor. The other was a hotchpotch of colors, some solidly blue or gold and silver, and some with a different color on each piece of their armor. They fired at each other but the shots bounced off their armors. However, the colorful group was pinned down by the others with no way to escape.
  
  "Should we intervene?" Shin asked.
  
  Baylan let out a sigh but undid his cloak and reached for his lightsaber. He used the Force to jump the distance and landed on the platform with ease. Shin imitated him. Once at the top, they turned on their lightsabers and deflected shots from the red faction away. As soon as they spotted the Jedi, both sides stopped firing.
  
  "My name is Baylan Skoll. I have been sent by the Jedi Council to intercede in the matter of the New Mandalorian Civil War."
  
  "There is no Civil War," one of the red Mandalorian said. "Only a bunch of Rebels refusing to recognize our new Mand"alor"s supremacy."
  
  "Waving a big stick around doesn"t make you Mand"alor," one of the rebels shouted.
  
  The red Mandalorians trained their blasters on the small group again. Baylan didn"t flinch. Shin stood her ground, encouraged by her Master"s steadfastness.
  
  "This doesn"t concern the Jedi. Leave Mandalore at once."
  
  "I come here as a keeper of the peace. If both sides cannot come to a peaceful agreement..."
  
  The red Mandalorian turned his blasters toward Baylan.
  
  "Peaceful is not the way."
  
  Baylan sighed.
  
  "Have it your way then," Shin"s master replied as he raised his green lightsaber and took a defensive stance.
  
  The red Mandalorians were ready to fire at him. Using the Force, he pushed three of them off the roof. When the others began firing again, Baylan and Shin deflected the blaster shots away. The colorful Mandalorians fired between them, distracting their enemies who didn"t know where to shoot anymore. One of the colorful Mandalorians with an orange and purple armor jumped out of cover and rolled up to Baylan and Shin"s level. As they pushed themselves up, they threw a disk on the ground, at the feet of the red Mandalorians. Electricity sparked from the disk, stunning all the nearby fighters. They crumpled to the ground, convulsing.
  
  "Go!" the orange and purple Mandalorian - a woman - shouted to her group.
  
  They anchored their grappling lines to the floor and jumped off the building, repelling down. The female Mandalorian spared a final glance toward the Jedi before following her people down. Shin looked at her Master for guidance. Baylan let out a tired sigh.
  
  "Mandalorians..."
  
  They followed, using the ropes left behind to repel down. The Rebels had stopped halfway down the building, jumped on a walkway and ran into an alley. The Jedi followed. The Rebels disappeared through the back of a building and into an elevator leading further down. There was only one elevator. Shin looked at her Master. Baylan seemed reluctant to follow, but she knew he wasn"t about to let their only lead get away. He opened the doors to the elevator cage and looked down. The elevator was disappearing into a chasm.
  
  "This is going to be a long jump," he warned her.
  
  "We could always wait for the next elevator."
  
  "There won"t be a next elevator."
  
  Baylan leaned back then, taking a deep breath, he jumped into the shaft. Shin watched her master disappear at top speed. She took a deep breath of her own and jumped.
  
  The ground arrived faster than she thought, only because a door had shut behind the elevator, separating the building and the chasm beneath. Her master had landed on it. She used the Force to slow down her fall but landed hard on the trap, making it jostle.
  
  "Halfway there," Baylan warned.
  
  Shin nodded, readying herself. Baylan unlocked the trap. They plummeted once more. They hit the ground together, Shin rolling off the inertia. They were in a barely-lit mine, far under the city. Baylan turned on his lightsaber, bathing the caves in green light.
  
  "The beskar mines of Mandalore."
  
  Looking around, Shin could see at least five different paths branching from the elevator shaft.
  
  "We could be down here forever."
  
  Baylan closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he indicated one of the paths. Shin nodded and walked down the stone corridor.
  
  They walked, following the old mining shaft stripped of all metal. Baylan guided them at every fork and crossroads. Shin felt they had been wondering for hours through the unstable-looking mine. Her Master said nothing, his focus entirely on tracking their targets. He led them to another elevator.
  
  "They went back to the surface?" Shin asked in confusion.
  
  "It is unexpected to be sure."
  
  They entered the old elevator and Baylan pulled the lever to send them up. The elevator rocked off the ground, then smoothly rose out of the mine.
  
  "They don"t seem to want our help," Shin noted, arms crossed.
  
  "The Council already knows that. But they sent us anyway."
  
  The elevator stopped, and the Jedi found themselves face to face with a dozen blasters. Shin tried to reach for her lightsaber but her master grabbed her wrist to stop her.
  
  "I hate to agree with our enemy, but you"re not welcomed here," the orange and purple Mandalorian spoke.
  
  She stood at the center of the group, both blasters aimed at the Jedi.
  
  "And I hate to agree as well, but the Council thought it far more prudent to send us any way."
  
  "Why?"
  
  "To monitor the situation. The Galactic Senate is rather nervous about Gar Saxon pulling out of the accords."
  
  "If only that was his only sin..."
  
  She lowered her blasters. The other imitated her. Shin assumed the woman was ranked high in the Rebellion.
  
  "Leave now, before you make things worse for us. Tell the Council we"re doing fine on our side."
  
  "With all due respect, Countess, the Council will consider this a failure on both me and my apprentice"s part. We cannot return until the situation has been resolved."
  
  Shin stared, slacked jaw, at the orange and purple Mandalorian. This was the Countess they had been sent to protect? She had barely recovered from her surprise that the woman took off her helmet. She was young, barely a few years older than Shin herself. Dark purple hair, kept short, clung to her forehead from sweat. Her brown eyes glared daggers at the Jedi. She kept her helmet under her arm.
  
  "And with all due respect, I don"t give a fuck. I don"t need your protection. We don"t need your help."
  
  Shin huffed. The sound immediately caught the Countess" attention.
  
  "You"ve got something to say?"
  
  Shin crossed her arms.
  
  "You were pinned down on a roof when we found you."
  
  "You found us exactly where we wanted to be."
  
  "Under sieged?"
  
  "Shin."
  
  Baylan"s warning made Shin shrink away from the conversation. The Countess smirked.
  
  "Yes, under siege, so we could test our new weapon. And it works. We are about to turn the tide of the war."
  
  "Then in that case, you won"t mind us making sure this is a turning point, and not just another chapter in a very long civil war."
  
  Shin could see the Countess" jaw working. Finally, she sighed.
  
  "Fine. You can stand at the back and monitor. But if you stand in my way again, I"ll return you to Coruscant myself."
  
  "We won"t intervene unless absolutely necessary. You have my word, Countess."
  
  She sighed.
  
  "Cut it with the honorifics, will you? My name is Sabine Wren."
  
  She stuck her helmet back onto her head and motioned for her group to follow her deeper into the building. The Jedi followed, though neither wanted to.
  
  Notes:
  Do you guys ever think about how, because Sabine is the last member of clan Wren, she's technically the new Countess Wren?
  
  Anyway, hello everyone! Welcome to my new multi-chapter story, the often mentioned Obi-Wan AU. Now you know why!
  
  I'd like to preface this by saying that, while I did take inspiration from both Clone Wars and Rebels I haven't seen either. I've only seen the first 2 seasons of Rebels (and I fell asleep watching the first episode of Clone Wars) so I mostly relied on Wookiepedia for the lore and background information. I might take the winter break to continue Rebels because this whole Mandalorian arc seems really good, but anyway, I made my own thing out of these two shows, and hopefully you will all enjoy it!
  
  Tonight I will be traveling back home for the holidays. So, unless my plane is turned around and I end up trapped in the Canadian wilderness for eighteen months, the next updates will be posted about six hours earlier. Does it make a difference for anyone? If it does, here's your warning.
  
  Thank you for reading this first chapter! I will be posting a new one on every Wednesday and Saturday, as per usual, so I hope to see you there! And don't forget that kudos and comments are greatly appreciated
  
  Chapter 2: Attack on the Palace
  Summary:
  After a somewhat quiet night, Shin is woken up by her master, only to find that the Mandalorian rebels have gone on the offensive without them.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  In those moments of quiet where the rebels awaited orders, tugged in the corners of a trashed art museum, Baylan had told Shin to meditate. He knew it was her least favorite activity but Shin always obeyed. She sat on her heels and, trying to ignore the strange glances from the Mandalorians, she focused on her breathing and her connection with the Force.
  
  The Jedi taught to look inward, to think over one"s mistakes and how they could be prevented, and to consider one"s successes to see how they could be replicated. Shin was usually swept up in thoughts too quickly to ever consider her actions critically. She thought about when the Council had assigned them the mission on Mandalore.
  
  As a padawan, she had been ordered to stay outside of the Council chamber. However, knowledge passed down from one padawan to the next told that if one leaned close enough to the doors, the Council could be heard. Shin had never been one for discretion. She had pressed her ear against the cool metal.
  
  "I don"t understand. You said neither party wants our help. Why bother sending us at all?"
  
  Baylan"s voice had been muffled through the metal but Shin had recognized it with ease. Master Windu had replied:
  
  "The Council need someone they can trust to monitor the situation. The most recent Mandalorian Civil Wars have all spiraled out of control and spread to further planets."
  
  "Then perhaps you ought to send someone they trust. Ahsoka Tano has made considerable alliances after the previous war..."
  
  "This Council has decided to send you and your padawan," Windu had replied, raising his voice for the first time since the conversation had begun. "Do you disagree with us?"
  
  "I only question the Council"s intentions before me and my padawans are sent in the middle of a Civil War."
  
  After a moment of quiet, Master Yoda had spoken:
  
  "For your padawan, you fear?"
  
  "Shin is ready. Allow her to pass the trials. I will go alone to Mandalore."
  
  "Tremendous progress, you padawan has made," Yoda had acknowledged. "But for the Trials, not ready she is."
  
  "We heard about the argument which broke out between Shin and Caleb"s padawan," Master Obi-Wan had said.
  
  Shin couldn"t help but wince. Ezra had deserved it, and she had no regret kicking his ass. She had only wished the Council hadn"t been made aware of it.
  
  "She will always be prompt to strong emotions," Baylan had replied. "That is not a crime."
  
  "But strong emotions, such as anger, lead one down a dark path," Windu had said. "Complete this assignment, show us that your padawan can act reasonably in the face of a high-stake situation, and we will talk about the trials upon your return."
  
  Shin had had to step away from the door before her Master stepped out. She had looked down, pretending to be deep in observation of the marble floor. When the door had opened, she had turned toward it. Baylan had stepped out with an unreadable expression on his face. It almost seemed like anger, his traits furrowed and his eyes dark with it.
  
  Shin opened her eyes. The museum was dark and quiet. A single Mandalorian in silver and gold armor stood near the emtrance of their room. Their poor attempt at casualness couldn"t mask the fact that they were keeping an eye on the Jedi. Beside her, Baylan was still deep in trance. Shin took a breath through her nose and closed her eyes again. She could feel the Force around her, an invisible wind that shifted, snake-like, coiling and slithering around the room. It was strongest around her Master, wrapping him fully like a cocoon. She couldn"t break through his strong mental defense, only look at it from the outside and attempt to imitate him. She never succeeded.
  
  Another strand pulled at her mind, as if the Force itself was trying to guide her somewhere. This was new. Usually, once she"d failed to reproduce a fraction of Baylan"s concentration, she gave up and went to sleep. This time, she let the Force guide her to wherever it wanted to take her. Her mind connected with someone else"s, somewhere else in the building. Images flashed into her mind. A man in red and white armor, brandishing a black lightsaber. He attacked his own Mandalorian kind, killing indiscriminately. Bodies in silver and gold armor scattered over the steps of a great throne room.
  
  The connection was broken and Shin opened her eyes. She could feel the unsteady Force still pulsing further away in the building. It was tainted with fear and fury, churning like the ocean during a storm. Shin had felt the Force reacting like that before, in her early days as a padawan. It had happened all the time when she"d been a Youngling, but she"d thought it was normal, how the Force was supposed to feel. Baylan had taught her that the Force was only a blank canvas, and all living things projected what they wanted to feel on it. The process was easier for Force-sensitive people, hence why Shin always had to be mindful.
  
  Footsteps echoed in the empty museum. Shin closed her eyes once more and pretended to be meditating. The footsteps came up to them and stopped near the guard.
  
  "A problem, Sabine?" the guard asked.
  
  At first, Sabine gave no reply. Shin could feel her gaze on her, even with her eyes closed.
  
  "Everything"s fine," she answered, finally, and walked away.
  
  Once Shin could no longer hear the footsteps, she opened her eyes. Glancing at her master and finding him still in a deep meditative state, she gave up on meditation altogether. She lay down on the marbled ground and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep.
  
  Shin was shaken awake by her master. The light coming from the outside seemed real, but she knew it was projected from the top of the domes into the capital. It was white but not eye-burning like most fake lights could be. All in all, her awakening would have been serene if her Master wasn"t fighting back panic.
  
  "Get up. The Mandalorians moved."
  
  Shin frowned and looked around. The museum was still quiet. The long halls seemed even emptier in the daylight. Someone was still guarding them.
  
  "How do you know?" she asked.
  
  "Focus."
  
  Shin did. The Force was as placid as fog. Except for them, the museum was empty. Baylan walked up to the exit. The Mandalorian stood in his way.
  
  "Orders are to keep you here until the fighting is over. Sabine doesn"t want you interfering again."
  
  Shin stood up, ready to follow her Master.
  
  "We only want to help," Baylan replied. "Stand aside and let us help."
  
  "I won"t."
  
  "Where are they?"
  
  "They went to finish it."
  
  Baylan clicked his tongue against his teeth with annoyance. For a second, Shin wondered whether they would have to fight their way out of the museum. She placed her hand on the hilt of her lightsaber, ready to draw. Her master turned to the Mandalorian.
  
  "Take us to her."
  
  The Force bent and popped around the Mandalorian"s brain. He lowered his weapon.
  
  "This way."
  
  He stepped aside and led them through the museum, to the hole drilled into the floor through which the rebels came and went. At the bottom, they found themselves back in the mines. Without a word, the Mandalorian guided them through the low-ceiling corridors. Shin"s heart was staggering in her chest. What if it was too late and they had already failed? Sabine Wren seemed like the kind of idiot who threw herself into danger any chance she got. Asking them to protect her was setting them up for failure.
  
  They reached an elevator and the Mandalorian pulled the lever, taking them back to the surface. The elevator stopped halfway up a building and they emerged onto the street. The Mandalorian took the lead again.
  
  "The Palace is this way."
  
  They trotted through the streets. They looked deserted compared to the streets of Coruscant. Only a few people hurried up and down the walkways, not lingering outside. They soon understood why. A few floors below, a group of red and white Mandalorians were rounding up people out of a building and lining them on their knees. They must have heard the sound of running as one of them looked up and spotted the Jedi above them.
  
  "Over there! Stop!"
  
  Using jetpacks, the red Mandalorians flew up to their catwalk. Shin turned on her blue lightsaber and deflected their shots. Their Mandalorian ally turned around and fired back. The shots ricocheted off their beskar armor. Baylan grabbed Shin by the shoulder and pulled her back, taking her place at the front.
  
  "I"ll handle them, keep going."
  
  He stepped up for a fight, deflecting blaster shots then slicing just where the armor didn"t protect their enemies. Shin turned to their ally who took off in a sprint. She followed. One of the red Mandalorians flew after them. He fired at them from above. Shin used the Force to crush his jetpack. The power cell sputtered and the Mandalorian plummeted into the bowels of the city.
  
  Ahead, an explosion shook the Palace. The tall white stone and blue glass structure was usually only reachable through a shuttle. The rebels had attached ropes to the plaza entrance and climbed up. Shin had no choice but to do the same. At the top, she found chaos. Mandalorians versus Mandalorians, firing at each other with ineffective blaster shots. Still, it was clear that the red outmatched the rebels.
  
  She spotted Sabine throwing one of those disks against the steps leading inside. Electricity arced and stunned the Mandalorians defending the door. Sabine motioned for a small contingent of her people and they rushed inside. Shin sighed, unhitched her cloak and drew her lightsaber. To get to their target, she would have to cross the whole plaza. She promised herself that when she would catch up to Sabine, she would kill her.
  
  She deflected a few blaster shots then Force grabbed a Mandalorian and threw him on his companion. They tumbled amidst the heavy clank of metal. A red Mandalorian tried attacking her with a dagger. She sliced the blade in half and through the small interstice in the beskar plates of his chest. A shower of spark exploded from her enemy where the edge of her lightsaber touched the metal.
  
  Looking back, she spotted Baylan climbing up to the Palace Plaza and joining the fight. He ran up to her.
  
  "Wren went inside," she informed him.
  
  Baylan nodded. When a group of Mandalorian flew down near them, he sliced through a jetpack and Force pushed the man away into his people. When the jetpack exploded, it knocked down half a dozen enemies.
  
  "We need to catch up," Baylan said.
  
  A grenade landed ahead of them. Shin used the Force to throw it back to its sender. It exploded above them, shattering glass and shaking the wall of the plaza. A piece of stone slid off and crumbled onto the reds.
  
  The Jedi Knight and his padawan fought their way into the Palace as reinforcement arrived throughout the city to take down the rebels. Once inside, they found a trail of stunned Mandalorians. Sabine had used at least a dozen disks to get to the throne room. When the Jedi rushed into the throne room, the vast chamber was the sight of another fight. The red and the rebels had shattered the windows to take cover behind the walls, each side standing on a balcony. Shin wondered whether the rebels had run out of stunning disks that they would be caught in a standstill.
  
  Baylan Force pulled one the red Mandalorian from behind cover. She stumbled onto the marble floor, losing her grip on her weapon. This was the red"s cue that their balcony wouldn"t protect them for long. They rushed out, some aiming at the Jedi and others at the rebels, still. Sabine rolled out of cover and grabbed a red"s blaster, pushing it aside. She swept their legs from under them and forced them to the ground, pinning them down.
  
  "Where is Gar Saxon?" she asked.
  
  "Making sure every Mandalorian bastion is his. He"s waiting for his vassal in Krownest."
  
  Sabine roared with anger and kicked the underside of their chin, knocking them out cold.
  
  Baylan and Shin, with the help of the rebels, finished clearing the room. When Shin turned off her lightsaber, the leader of the rebellions rushed up to them.
  
  "What happened to staying behind and monitoring the situation? I told you we don"t need your help."
  
  "A simple thank you will suffice," Baylan replied, making Shin smirk.
  
  "Saxon is in Krownest," Sabine informed her team.
  
  "We can steal a ship at the docks."
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "He"ll be expecting that. I"m sure he left a lot of people to guard the docks."
  
  "We have a ship," Shin noted, but glancing at her Master, she realized she had spoken out of term.
  
  "We do, but I must advice against running after Saxon. This is obviously a trap."
  
  "What do you want me to do, then? Stay here and do nothing?"
  
  "More incoming," one of the rebels shouted from the door.
  
  "I wouldn"t advice staying here either."
  
  "Then what?" Sabine groaned.
  
  Baylan turned to his padawan.
  
  "Get her out of here. Back to our shuttle. We"re leaving Sundari."
  
  Shin opened her mouth to protest. She did not want to spend time alone with Sabine Wren at all. But her Master put an end to the debate with a single look. He turned to Sabine.
  
  "My padawan will take you to our shuttle. We will stay back and cover you. If we haven"t joined you in twelve hours, leave Sundari. Go to Keldabe and call the Jedi Council."
  
  Sabine looked at Shin with uncertainty. Shin knew it was her time to step up. She walked past the rebel leader and up to the door, checking that the coast was clear.
  
  "Come on, we don"t have all day."
  
  After a second of hesitation, Sabine followed. Shin sent one last glance at her Master. Baylan nodded. Shin, filling her chest with courage, ran after Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I needed a bit of set up before I could get Shin and Sabine alone but you bet next chapter is going to be just the two of them ;)
  
  I wasn't quite sure which lightsaber color I should give Shin between blue and green, though I was leaning more toward blue. In the end, I made a poll on Tumblr, so this was a collective decision. The results were blue at 75% which seems right. I don't remember her using the Force that much in the show but she is a fiend for combat.
  
  As usual, thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments, and I hope to see you all on Saturday for the next chapter!
  
  Chapter 3: Escape from Mandalore
  Summary:
  While Shin and Sabine make their way to the Jedi's shuttle, tensions between the two lead their enemies right to them...
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin had no choice but to follow Sabine as she was unfamiliar with the city. They could have been walking back to the door she and Baylan had gone through the day before and she wouldn"t have been able to tell. Above them, red Mandalorians zoomed through the air with jetpacks. Sabine hid in the shadows of a building, holding Shin back with her arm. As soon as they had passed, she darted out and across the street. Shin hurried after her.
  
  "Can you slow down?"
  
  "Having trouble keeping up?" Sabine shot back.
  
  Shin felt a shot of anger strike her.
  
  "You won"t be able to shake me off."
  
  Without turning around, Sabine replied:
  
  "I"m not trying to. But I won"t wait for you either. So, keep up."
  
  They entered a doorway to hide from another passing group of red Mandalorians, standing shoulder to shoulder. Shin noticed she was a few inches taller than the rebel leader. She was about to brag about it, when the door to the building opened. A woman was standing on the other side. She waved them inside, then shut the door behind them quickly.
  
  "Sabine Wren," the woman whispered.
  
  Shin reached for her lightsaber warily. Sabine stopped her.
  
  "We need to get to exit 4B. Can you help us?"
  
  "Are you abandoning us?"
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "I would never. I"m going after Saxon, ending this once and for all."
  
  The woman considered Sabine"s words. Then, she led them through the apartment complex, down two flights of stairs to a back door.
  
  "The droids use this exit for the garbage collection. You should be on the right floor."
  
  Sabine took off her helmet. Shin wanted to tell her to hurry up, however the rebel leader looked so genuinely touched by the woman"s help that Shin couldn"t bring herself to disturb the moment.
  
  "Thank you. I owe you a great debt."
  
  "For Mandalore," the woman replied.
  
  Sabine put her helmet back on.
  
  "For Mandalore."
  
  She ran out into the alley and Shin once again had to catch up.
  
  They found the door and Sabine kneeled beside the security panel. Shin didn"t give her a chance to rewire it. She held out her hand toward the door and Forced the panels apart. Sabine clicked her tongue against her teeth.
  
  "All you Jedi do is show off."
  
  Shin gritted her teeth.
  
  "That"s big coming from a Mandalorian. You people like showing off so much you have a new Civil War every generation."
  
  Sabine ran outside into the harsh plains, forcing Shin to follow. The sun was falling, turning the air cold as ice. Shin wished she had her cloak still.
  
  "At least I"m not drawing my weapon on civilians," Sabine replied.
  
  "She could have denounced us. She could still denounce us."
  
  "Or, have a little faith in people. Isn"t that what you Jedi are all about, anyway, faith?"
  
  Shin rolled her eyes.
  
  "You"re going the wrong way. Our shuttle is over there."
  
  Sabine emanated some very angry energy as she turned to follow Shin. Shin smirked, satisfied. She took the lead as they walked through the plains toward the rocky outcroppings where Baylan had hidden their shuttle. The air was growing frigid. She focused on the Force to warm herself, feeling its flow in and around her.
  
  "Do you think your Master will catch up?" Sabine asked.
  
  "You spoke of faith earlier. I have faith in him."
  
  "Aren"t you a bit old to be a padawan anyway?"
  
  Shin glared back at her.
  
  "I"m not. There are padawan older than me. I am at a normal age to be a padawan."
  
  "If you say so."
  
  Shin shivered and crossed her arms.
  
  "I"m going to be a Knight soon. As soon as your Civil War is over."
  
  "Impressive. You"re finally going to be able to get rid of that stupid little braid then."
  
  Shin whirled around and glared so hard she felt the Force become sharp around her. She knew she had to calm down, but she didn"t care to do so.
  
  "What is your problem?" she shouted.
  
  "My problem is that I told the Jedi Council to stay out of it, but once again they think they know better than anyone."
  
  Shin stood in Sabine"s way.
  
  "You think you could have escaped the Palace without us?"
  
  "I know so. I told you already, I don"t need your help. And if you think you can stop me from going to Krownest, I will kick you right back to Coruscant."
  
  Sabine brushed past Shin, her shoulder knocking into hers. Shin grabbed her arm to hold her back. Sabine turned around and aimed her blaster at her.
  
  "I don"t even understand why they want to keep you alive," Shin hissed. "You"re reckless and your plans are terrible. Even if you can defeat Saxon, you will never be a good leader."
  
  "Let me go."
  
  Sabine pulled her arm out of Shin"s grasp but didn"t lower her blaster. They had lost all light as both moons appeared in the sky, one shining brighter than the other. The silver light reflected on Sabine"s helmet.
  
  "I"m taking your shuttle. You can explain to your master how you lost it."
  
  Sabine holstered her blaster and walked on. Shin stomped after her.
  
  "Over my dead body."
  
  "Is that a threat or a wish?"
  
  Before Shin could stop herself, she Force pushed Sabine. The rebel leader landed hard onto the dried ground, her armor clanking in the quiet evening.
  
  "What the fuck!"
  
  Shin ignored her and trudged past her. Sabine pushed herself up and grabbed her ankle to trip her. Shin jumped over her grasp and turned around with a smirk.
  
  "Childish much?"
  
  "You pushed me first!"
  
  "I knocked some sense into you. Do you need another dose?"
  
  Shin walked off. Sabine jumped to her feet. She threw her grabbling hook at Shin"s legs. The rope wound around her ankles. She tripped and fell on the dried-up ground. She roared and turned on her blue lightsaber. She flipped around and cut herself free. Sabine stood above her; blaster aimed at her.
  
  "Do you need another dose?"
  
  The deafening sound of jetpacks broke through the quiet night. Five red Mandalorians landed around them, encircling them. They each had heavy-duty blasters trained on the two women.
  
  "Well, well, well, would you look at that. Captain Pagg will be happy to know we found who that shuttle belonged to. We heard reports of Jedi at the Palace today. And Sabine Wren. We"ll get a promotion for that."
  
  "Or your funeral rites," Sabine replied.
  
  "Drop your weapons."
  
  Sabine"s eyesight moved back to Shin. Shin felt Sabine"s intention before she acted. She gave a curt nod and tightened her grip on her lightsaber. In a split second, Sabine pulled out her second blaster and aimed at two different reds. Shin pushed herself up with the Force then pulled the weapons out of the hand of one of the reds. They lunged for it and scrambled while the others fired at them. Sabine used her vambrace to deflect the shots as every shot to her helmet or chestplate seemed to unbalance her. Shin deflected them with her lightsaber then charged one of the Mandalorians. She tried aiming for their feet. They used their jetpacks to fly off, out of her grasp. She focused her Force on them, pushing gravity on top of them like bags of lead. They fell back to the ground and stumbled on their knee. Shin couldn"t charge them, however, as another two reds fired at her.
  
  She had to step back into a defensive position, deflecting shots which only bounced off the Mandalorians" armors, never unsettling them long enough to give her an edge. Soon, they were three firing at her. Sabine was fighting off the other two. She fired at close range in one"s knee, sending them tumbling in a shower of sparks. The other grabbed her by the neck to choke her. She let go of one of her blasters and pulled a small knife from her boot. She stabbed blindly behind her.
  
  Shin, feeling that she was about to fail her master if she let Sabine die, used the Force to push the three Mandalorians away. They clanked on the ground, the sound just enough to distract the man choking Sabine. Sabine stabbed his hand through the glove. He released her with a yelp. She turned around and headbutted them. Shin rushed to her side. Before she could make it, one of the Mandalorians struck her temple with the butt of his weapon. She fell to the ground, her ears ringing like the meditation bells of the temple. She closed her hand on her lightsaber only to realize that she had lost her weapon. The barrel of a blaster pressed against her head.
  
  "Drop your weapon."
  
  She looked up. Through the haze of tears, she spotted Sabine, both blasters trained on the man holding her at gunpoint. The other Mandalorians aimed at the rebel leader.
  
  "Now, or the Jedi bites it."
  
  Shin"s heart dropped in her chest. She couldn"t believe that she was going to die out here for nothing. To her surprise, however, Sabine let her blasters fall to the ground.
  
  "Take off your helmet."
  
  She complied, taking it off and setting it on the ground with her weapons. She held out her hands. The nearest red punched her to the ground. She stumbled and spit out blood. The red Mandalorians chuckled.
  
  "Tie them up. Pagg will know what to do with them."
  
  Shin expected the reds to take them back to Sundari. Instead, they pushed them up the hill to the shuttle, arms tied behind their backs. At the top, another three reds were inspecting the shuttle.
  
  "Look what the tooka dragged in."
  
  The three Mandalorians turned around. Upon spotting Sabine and Shin, the leader of the group stepped forward.
  
  "Sabine Wren. Since when do you conspire with Jedi?"
  
  "Since they didn"t give me much of a choice."
  
  With a motion of his helmet, the captain indicated his squad to set the prisoners in a corner. Then, he turned to one of his companions.
  
  "Call Saxon. Tell him we have a surprise for him..."
  
  He glanced back at the prisoners.
  
  "A few surprises..."
  
  Shin and Sabine were shoved onto the ground, at the foot of a tall and large spire of rocks. One of the reds set their weapons and Sabine"s helmet opposite to them, out of reach.
  
  "Are you ready for round 2?" Sabine whispered to the blonde.
  
  "Against eight Mandalorians instead to five? Sure."
  
  "Shut it," one of the reds groaned at them.
  
  The captain was focused on the shuttle, trying to crack its security to get inside. They would need some specialized equipment, Shin figured. A Jedi shuttle wasn"t some random speeder outside of a dive bar. Perhaps Baylan would have caught up with them before that. She felt a burst of shame in her throat. He would be pretty mad at her for getting captured, she knew.
  
  "Can"t you Jedi mind trick them or something?" Sabine whispered.
  
  "That"s not how it works."
  
  "I said shut up."
  
  He slapped Sabine. She spit again, though this time it was more saliva than blood. From up close, Shin could see two lines of blood running down from her nostrils, already dried in the chill night air.
  
  "Bring Wren over," the captain ordered.
  
  The red Mandalorian picked up Sabine roughly and pulled her to Pagg. The rebel leader stood tall against her enemy, far from intimidated.
  
  "So, let"s hear it. What was your brilliant plan this time?"
  
  "My brilliant plan hasn"t changed. Find Saxon. Defeat him. That"s it."
  
  "You think you can defeat him in single combat? He wields the Darksaber."
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes.
  
  "No need to remind me. But I have some tricks up my sleeve too."
  
  Something near Sabine caught Shin"s attention. Her lightsaber was trembling on the ground. She frowned. This wasn"t her doing.
  
  "Like what? Your little Duchesses? You wouldn"t ashamed of cheating."
  
  "Cheating? I wouldn"t call it cheating. More like making sure that whatever happens, Gar Saxon will lose."
  
  Shin"s lightsaber flew into Sabine"s hand. She turned on the blade, burning away her bonds. She struck Pagg before he could react, slicing off his arm. He stumbled back, screaming in agony. She swiped at the legs of the red beside her. He stumbled back to avoid the blow, falling down the hill. Shots fired in her direction. She protected her face with her vambrace and ran to Shin.
  
  "You"re a Jedi too..."
  
  "No, I"m just a Mandalorian."
  
  Sabine freed the padawan, then gave her a second to stand back up by deflecting a shot with the lightsaber. Shin took back her weapon and stepped in front of the rebel leader. She used the Force to pull Sabine"s blasters to her. Sabine caught them mid-air.
  
  "Do you have a plan?" Shin shouted over the blaster shots as they ran for cover.
  
  "Of course, I have a plan."
  
  Sabine hid behind a boulder and pulled Shin down with her. She poked her head out of cover to blast a few shots, catching the Mandalorians" attention. They converged on their position.
  
  "Ready?"
  
  "For what!"
  
  Sabine aimed her vambrace at the spire looming above them. A rocket fired out and exploded against the rocks.
  
  "Now!"
  
  Sabine stood up and used the Force to pull the rocks on top of the Mandalorians. Shin understood quickly enough to help. Sabine"s connection to the Force was still quite weak, she felt. Without her, she wouldn"t have been able to cause a rockslide on her own. The spire crumbled onto itself then, as if pushed by a harsh wind, the boulders tumbled onto the Mandalorians. The six reds weren"t fast enough. The stones buried them. Dust kicked off, prompting Shin to hide back under cover. Once the ruckus of falling stones had died out, she stood up. Sabine walked out and around the shuttle, back to where she had left Pagg. She brushed the blood under her nose with her fingers, then pulled out her blaster from its holster.
  
  Pagg had crawled to recover his weapon on the floor. His aim trembled with pain. Sabine kicked the gun out of his hand before he could fire. She aimed down at him.
  
  "I heard Saxon was at Wren stronghold. Is that true?"
  
  "He... He thought you wouldn"t think to look for him there."
  
  "He"s scared then. Good."
  
  She fired, blasting him in the hollow of his neck. Rocks shuffled to her right. She looked up just in time to see the Mandalorian she had pushed climbing back up the hill. Before he could fire, he found himself immobilized. He was dragged across the ground to Shin. She beheaded him unceremoniously. Sabine stared at the padawan until she had turned off her blade, taking the neon blue light with her. She picked up her helmet off the ground.
  
  "We"ll wait another hour. If your Master hasn"t caught up with us by then, I"m taking the shuttle. Gar Saxon has enjoyed his time away for too long already."
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter!
  
  In my headcanon for the show Shin was born in 19BBY, same as the Skywalker twins and Ezra. That would make her about 27, then, which, in the show at least, would also make her the oldest padawan that we know of, snatching the title right out of Phantom Menace era Obi-Wan's hand.
  
  Thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments! I will see you all on Wednesday for chapter 4!
  
  Chapter 4: Sabine's Terrible Ideas
  Summary:
  Now reunited with Baylan and a handful of the Mandalorian rebels, Shin and Sabine fly to Krownest and prepare the assault on the Wren Stronghold.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Baylan appeared at the bottom of the hill a short time later, leading the small group of five rebels who had fought in the throne room. Shin was so relieved to see him she jumped to her feet and walked to the edge. Sabine caught her arm when she walked past her.
  
  "You brought down the stones alone."
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "What?"
  
  "On the Mandalorians. You brought down the stones on them and you sliced off Pagg"s arm."
  
  When Shin"s confusion only intensified, furrowing her features, Sabine added:
  
  "I don"t know how to use the Force. No need to mention that to your Master."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened when she understood what Sabine meant. She glanced at the rebel leader but she had put her helmet back on, making her expression unreadable. All Shin could see was her own confusion reflected back at her. After a second of hesitation, she gave a nod. Sabine let her go.
  
  Baylan reached the top of the mountain and surveyed the carnage around the shuttle. Shin approached him. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
  
  "I"m glad you"re okay," she told him.
  
  Her Master nodded.
  
  "We had a bit of trouble on our way out but nothing we couldn"t handle. You?"
  
  "An ambush of Mandalorians around our shuttle. Nothing we couldn"t handle."
  
  The five rebels had rejoined their leader. One of them had to support themselves on another"s shoulders, but the others looked alright. Sabine spoke to each of them, quickly getting the tale of their escape.
  
  "It was the Jedi."
  
  "He helped us out of the Palace."
  
  "We gave the order to disperse until you return."
  
  Sabine turned to Baylan then.
  
  "To that end, when are we leaving?"
  
  "We should leave now, as soon as we"ve decided the better place to hide you."
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "I"m not hiding. I"m going to Krownest. Gar Saxon is waiting there. We can put an end to this war once and for all."
  
  "The Council has tasked me to protect you."
  
  "Fuck the Council. I"m not going into hiding, now or ever. So, you can either escort us there in your shuttle, or we"ll take it off your hands."
  
  Sabine"s hand hovered near her blaster. The other Mandalorians tensed up, ready for a fight. Shin watched the standoff nervously, hand moving automatically to her lightsaber. She was surprised when Baylan spoke:
  
  "Very well. I will take you to Krownest on one condition. You cannot leave us behind. We will be a part of your plan."
  
  Sabine replied faster than Shin had anticipated.
  
  "Deal."
  
  Within the shuttle, the rebels laid down their wounded comrade on the side seats, then sat in the four seats across from him. Shin took her usual copilot seat. Baylan sat behind the controls. He fired up the engines and the shuttle rose from the hill. The wings opened and they shot off through the night.
  
  As soon as they were out of the planet"s atmosphere, Sabine stood up.
  
  "You got a bathroom in here?"
  
  Shin motioned for a door to the right. Sabine disappeared through it. Shin stared hard at the door. She wanted to know how an untrained Mandalorian could wield the Force at all. Before she could, however, her Master called her name, snapping her out of her thoughts.
  
  "Shin? Can you set up our wounded friend on one of the bunks."
  
  "Yes, Master."
  
  She stood up and helped the Mandalorian back on his feet. She took him through the door to the left, where two bunks sat on top of one another. She helped him on the lower bunk. He tried taking off his helmet but with only one hand it was difficult. He was bleeding at the shoulder where he had been stabbed below his pauldron.
  
  "We have first aid supplies in the bathroom, hold on."
  
  She crossed the hall and entered the bathroom without knocking. The room was very cramped. Sabine sat on the lid of the toilet, brushing a piece of wet cloth under her nose to clean the dried blood. She looked up when Shin stepped in. As the door shut behind her, Shin found she could barely move.
  
  "What do you want?" Sabine asked.
  
  "Medkit. Your friend was stabbed."
  
  Sabine sighed.
  
  "I"ll take care of it."
  
  Shin pursed her lips. She should leave her be, she knew, but she needed answers. She crossed her arms.
  
  "I didn"t say anything to my master, but I want an explanation."
  
  "I didn"t know it was a condition."
  
  Sabine straightened with a groan. She gave a final brush of the cloth under her nostrils then threw it in the tiny sink.
  
  "When the last Civil War broke out, we had help from a Jedi. Her name is Ahsoka Tano. I spent a lot of time with her. She taught me that the Force is in all of us, even people with weak Midi-chlorians like me. I used to imitate with her when she meditated. It was, I don"t know, a good way to focus myself. I continued doing it as I got older."
  
  She paused, let out a long, tired sigh. She brushed her hand through her short purple hair.
  
  "When Gar Saxon attacked my clan, I tried... I tried saving my brother, but it was all too little too late. The Force responded, for the first time, but not fast enough. So no, I"m no Jedi, and I"d rather it stays that way. I use the Force if I have to, that"s it."
  
  She looked up at Shin, finally. For the first time since they had met, Shin saw all of her courage. Behind the recklessness was incredible bravery, itself a security blanket wrapped around Sabine"s grief, all the broken sorrowful pieces of her kept safe below the surface. Shin was struck by her strength as a leader in the face of such heartbreak.
  
  "Can I trust you to keep it a secret?"
  
  Shin was speechless at first. Perhaps Sabine thought she was considering her options. She wasn"t. She was too struck by the depth of her eyes to remember how to speak.
  
  "I... I won"t tell on you."
  
  "Great. I wouldn"t want to get dragged to the temple and thrown into a bathrobe."
  
  She stood up and they were suddenly standing far too close for comfort. Sabine didn"t seem to mind as she rummaged through the cabinet for medical supplies. Shin stood even stiller than before, muscles locked in place by the close warmth coming from the Mandalorian"s body.
  
  "That was pretty hardcore what you did back there," Sabine said. "Pretty Mandalorian of you. I didn"t expect such ruthlessness from a Jedi."
  
  It took Shin a second to realize it was a compliment, not an accusation. She had grown so used to reproach every time she stepped out of line that she didn"t know how to respond.
  
  "The Masters think I have an emotional issue. No one"s ever quite been able to curb it, not even Baylan."
  
  Sabine picked up a bacta patch and shut the cabinet. When she looked at Shin, she was smirking.
  
  "I don"t think you should let them. Stay feral, it suits you best."
  
  She grabbed Shin by the shoulder and switched their position so she could walk out of the bathroom, leaving Shin in deep confusion.
  
  The shuttle reached Krownest within a few hours. The bacta patch had fixed up the rebel, leaving them with six Mandalorians and two Jedi to storm the Wren stronghold. No ship was orbiting the planet and waiting for them, so on Sabine"s recommendation, they landed in the woods, on the other side of a frozen lake. Shin had not expected Krownest to be a frozen planet.
  
  Using the projector in her helmet, Sabine showed off a map of the stronghold. It was a rectangular structure at the edge of the lake. The front entrance was on the side, up a row of stairs. A giant glass window overlooked the lake.
  
  "We"ll charge through the front entrance. The throne room is this way, through this corridor."
  
  Baylan crossed his arms.
  
  "If I may, the front entrance will surely be heavily guarded. We should probably find a more discreet approach."
  
  Sabine turned away from him.
  
  "Anyway, the front entrance. I"m expecting Saxon to be over here, in the throne room. He"s mine."
  
  "He won"t be if you get killed on the way there."
  
  Sabine glared at the Jedi Knight.
  
  "Let"s hear it then, what is your brilliant idea?"
  
  "We have prod drones. We can send them out to scout before planning anything."
  
  "You think Mandalorians won"t spot prod droids from a mile away?"
  
  "Isn"t it worth a try? Saxon already knows you"re on your way. We do not have the element of surprise on our side. He is expecting you. We might as well make sure he doesn"t kill you before you get to him."
  
  Sabine grumbled.
  
  "Fine. But don"t take too long. We will lose light quickly here."
  
  Baylan and Shin took the box of droids outside. They set it in the puffy snow away from the trees so they could fly off easily. While Shin busied herself opening the box and turning on the small orbs, Baylan programmed them to fly to the stronghold and orbit around it. Shin shivered. Her knee was deep in the snow and she could feel her pants growing cold and damp against her skin. Sabine"s comment about the bathrobe came back to her suddenly and she let out a bitter chuckle.
  
  Once they were ready, the droids took flight and disappeared over the canopy of straight pines. Shin watched them take flight; her eyes were half-blinded by the snow on the branches around them which reflected the sun.
  
  "Can I trust you to keep an eye on the droids while I keep an eye on the Mandalorians?" Baylan asked.
  
  "Of course, Master."
  
  He handed her the tablet and she saw three red dots blinking on it, flying toward the stronghold. Baylan returned inside. Another shiver overtook Shin"s body. She sat on a fallen trunk and glanced at the tablet every so often. The cold seemed to be closing in on her. She closed her eyes and focused on the Force. If she could just gather it within herself to warm her body, she wouldn"t be shivering as hard as she was.
  
  She thought she had finally attained the right kind of focus when a blanket was thrown over her shoulders. She opened her eyes, surprised. Sabine was standing over her.
  
  "Kind of an asshole move on your master"s part to just leave you outside with only a bathrobe."
  
  Shin rolled her eyes but bundled under the blanket.
  
  "The Master gives the order and the padawan obeys. That"s how it works, in principle."
  
  "In principle?"
  
  "I do disobey. Often. Probably more often than he"d like."
  
  "Good," Sabine replied with a smile.
  
  Shin felt warmth blossom in her chest, unbearable. She wanted to take the blanket off as the rush of heat took hold of her. It was a very strange feeling, one she"d never felt before. She thought it came from the Force, that it was trying to tell her something.
  
  "How are the droids doing?"
  
  Shin glanced at the tablet, thinking it would give her an answer. She glanced at Sabine but realized she had retained nothing of what was on the screen. She pulled up the tablet again. Perhaps Sabine had grown tired of waiting for an answer. She sat on the trunk beside Shin and pulled the tablet between them. The droids had reached the stronghold. They were now scanning its surrounding. For every Mandalorian spotted, a yellow dot appeared on the tablet.
  
  "Well would you look at that. Once again, a lack of peripheral vision saves the day."
  
  Sabine chuckled to herself. Shin looked between the tablet and the rebel leader.
  
  "What are you going to do, once this is all over?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "I don"t know. Find someone who can rule?"
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "You don"t want to rule yourself?"
  
  "Do I look like a ruler to you? I wouldn"t even know where to begin. I"m not the Duchesse Kryze, I have no plans for the future of Mandalore. I just don"t want Gar Saxon to rule."
  
  Sabine wrapped her arms around her, feeling the cold get to her as well.
  
  "You"ve organized an entire rebellion all by yourself. How is ruling any different?"
  
  "I didn"t organize the rebellion on my own."
  
  "Neither will you rule alone. The Jedi has a Council to discuss every decision. To say nothing of the hundreds of Senators working to keep peace in the galaxy..."
  
  Shin"s ideas came to a stop when Sabine slid under the blanket with her.
  
  "You"re pretty smart sometimes," Sabine noted.
  
  They were so close Shin could feel the warmth of Sabine"s breath against her face. She was mesmerized by the redness of her cheeks, the half-curl of her smile, the intensity of her eyes as they looked into hers.
  
  The tablet beeped between them. They shifted apart. Looking down, Shin saw that the droids had finished their observation and were flying back. She stood up, stepping away from Sabine and leaving the blanket with her. Her heart was moving a thousand beats a minute, and each pound against her ribs was electric, making her bones warm. If it beat any faster it might turn into a sun.
  
  The droids returned and Shin locked the box behind them swiftly. She didn"t want to spend a second more in Sabine"s presence, alone. Behind her, Sabine was still seated on the trunk, watching her.
  
  "We should show this to everyone," Shin suggested.
  
  She picked up the case in one hand, holding the tablet in the other. When she turned around, Sabine was standing beside her. All the warmth drained out of Shin"s body. Here was that uncomfortable, indescribable feeling again. She couldn"t figure out what the Force wanted to tell her. Then, Sabine leaned and kissed her lips.
  
  The kiss was light and quick. To Shin, it felt like time had stopped. The pressure of Sabine"s cold lips on hers made her entire body go numb. She had been robbed of something, but what she had been given in return was worth so much more. It hadn"t been the Force at all speaking to her, it had been Sabine the entire time, their bodies entering into a conversation her brain couldn"t comprehend. Sabine pulled away.
  
  "See you on the other side."
  
  She walked back to the shuttle, leaving Shin completely stunned in the snow.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
  
  I have to emergency post this chapter very early in the morning because I didn't know until Monday afternoon that today I had a day-long family thing that would have us leave home at 7 a.m... I will be replying to every comments from chapter 3 and 4 before posting chapter 5, don't worry
  
  Thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments and I will see you on Saturday for the next chapter!
  
  Chapter 5: Dual of the Fates
  Summary:
  The rebels and the Jedi attack Wren Stronghold
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Since most of Gar Saxon"s troops were waiting for them in the throne room, Baylan agreed to Sabine"s plan. They left the shuttle and walked to the stronghold, trudging through the thick blanket of snow. Shin hung back, deep in thoughts. Her master noticed immediately. He slowed down to walk with her.
  
  "Something is troubling you."
  
  Shin kept her gaze low, on the shadows of the trees.
  
  "I was just thinking," she replied. "Meditating on attachment."
  
  Baylan hummed.
  
  "It is true we have seldom talked about attachment. I never thought you needed a lesson on it."
  
  Ahead, Sabine was walking with determination without looking back. Shin wished she would look back. That simple desire confused her deeply.
  
  "Attachment is not dangerous," Baylan explained.
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "But I thought it was within the Order"s creed to renounce attachment."
  
  "Shin, no sentient creature can live without forming attachments. Even Jedi. Especially Jedi. What the Order expects of you is to prioritize duty, no matter the situation. Do you think you could do that?"
  
  Shin pursed her lips, unsure what to reply. Baylan continued:
  
  "Why are you pondering this now?"
  
  Panic seized Shin"s throat. She shrugged, the motion somewhat clearing her airways and allowing some welcomed cold air into her chest.
  
  "In case the mission fails, I suppose."
  
  Again, her Master hummed.
  
  "If the mission fails, I want you running right back to the shuttle."
  
  "But..."
  
  "I won"t argue with you on this, Shin. You run to the shuttle and you take off, even if I"m not there. Do you understand?"
  
  "Yes, Master," Shin replied reluctantly.
  
  "Now focus. I don"t want anything to happen to you because you are not focused."
  
  Shin nodded. Satisfied, Baylan walked away, leaving his apprentice to her twisted thoughts.
  
  The Wren stronghold was a concrete and glass rectangle overlooking a deep blue frozen lake, anchored to the side of a snowy mountain. The front door was ten feet above the ground, accessible by a set of stairs. Four red Mandalorians kept watch by the entrance, two before the stairs and two before the door. The small group of rebels hid in forest, behind the tall pines. On Sabine"s signal, they attacked.
  
  The rebels leaned out of their hiding spots and fired at the reds. One was struck in the guts and collapsed. The others fired back. Shin kept to her cover, looking for an opening. When the reds advanced on their position, she used the Force to throw one of them back. They stumbled in the snow. Baylan dashed out of the trees to take them down. The other two reds were shot down by Sabine and her team. When the quiet returned to the woods and no other Mandalorians emerged from the stronghold, Baylan said:
  
  "Saxon is expecting us, that much is clear."
  
  "Let"s not keep him waiting," Sabine replied.
  
  Baylan used the Force to unlock the door. The Mandalorians stepped inside, keeping their backs to the walls. Shin closed their group, one hand on her lightsaber and the other against the wall, sensing for enemies.
  
  "They"re trying to box us in," she whispered.
  
  Beside her, Baylan nodded. He could also feel the reds moving through the corridors, closing in on them. He grabbed his lightsaber from his belt.
  
  Two reds turned the corner behind them. A second later, another three closed in on them ahead. Baylan turned on his lightsaber and deflected the blaster shots behind them. He Force dragged one forward and Shin, turning on her weapon, stabbed them in the side. Baylan took down the other one with a well-placed strike. The Jedi had grown deft at finding Mandalorian weak spots now.
  
  Ahead, the reds opened fire onto the rebels. The rebels were done firing back. They rushed the Mandalorians in close-combat, knocking the blasters out of their hands. Sabine swept the legs from under her opponent. He stumbled and she kneed him in the sternum, knocking the breath out of him. She took off his helmet before he could struggle to keep it on and knocked him out with it.
  
  With the path cleared once more, the rebels assumed their positions. The throne room was ahead. Sabine paused in front of it. She turned to her group and hand-signaled at them. They divided, each taking a side of the double doors. She took a deep breath. Shin could feel her anxiety, turning the Force around them cold. She wondered how Baylan couldn"t feel it too.
  
  With a nod, Sabine pushed her door open. Her companion on the other side did the same. The eight rebels emerged into the throne room, guns blazing. At least twenty Mandalorians had been waiting for them, standing on either side of the cavernous throne room. Blue light came through the frosted windows. A throne stood on the other side, its back to a wall of windows. The reds had spread around the room, blasters trained on the doors. As soon as the rebels pushed inside, they fired back.
  
  Shin rushed ahead, deflecting as many shots as she could. She pulled weapons out of hands, pushed reds away, knocked them into one another, all to clear a path for Sabine and her rebels. Ahead, a man sat in the throne, watching the chaos unfold. He was as old as her master with gray hair combed apart. He wasn"t wearing a helmet and his armor was more red than white. Shin figured this was Gar Saxon.
  
  Sabine rushed to him as soon as she could, only confirming Shin"s assumption. Sabine fired at him without wasting a second, forcing Saxon on his feet. He reached for a lightsaber handle at his belt and turned it on. The Darksaber hissed awake, the air sizzling around the flat blade. He used it to deflect Sabine"s shots. Then, taking his own blaster, he fired back. Sabine had to roll out of the way. She was almost grabbed by one of the reds. She threw them off and used them as a shield against Saxon"s blasts. He closed in on her, slicing toward her. The blade only sliced through his own man as Sabine dropped her human shield to avoid the blow.
  
  "You"ll have to do better than that if you want to kill me, little girl."
  
  Sabine rose to taunt. She kicked Saxon in the chest and fired twice at close range at his legs. Saxon swiped toward her again, the blade letting out a shriek as it cut through the air. Sabine blocked the blow with her vambrace. The metal sparked and heat up under the blade. She tried punching him away. He blocked her blow. His blaster was too close to her helmet for comfort. He fired. Though the shot bounced off the metal, it still rang Sabine"s brain. She stumbled away. Saxon kicked her onto the steps. Sabine lost her grip on one of her blasters. She aimed the other at Saxon. He sliced it in half.
  
  "End of the line."
  
  "No!"
  
  Shin, who had been keeping an eye on the fight, jumped into action. She reached out to the Force and locked Saxon"s arms into place before he could bring down the Darksaber on Sabine"s chest. Saxon glared at her. Shin glared back. She stepped up to him and swung her lightsaber. He had no choice but to redirect his blow away from Sabine to Shin. He blocked her onslaught, stepping away from Sabine and up the steps, back to the throne.
  
  They locked blade. Saxon was strong. Shin put all the anger she had in her, pushing back hard. She greeted her teeth. The black sparks coming off the Darksaber scattered around them.
  
  "I"ve always wanted to kill a Jedi," Saxon said.
  
  Shin roared and pushed him away. She took a deep breath, searching for her focus. She couldn"t find it anymore, could only feel the anger and the hatred.
  
  "Shin!"
  
  Sabine was the only thing still sharp around her. She could feel her intentions as if they were her own. She sidestepped. Sabine fired a rocket into Saxon. It exploded at his feet. It shattered the windows behind the throne and sent the man flying out of the stronghold. Sabine let out a sigh as he disappeared from view.
  
  "He"s mine to fight," she told the padawan.
  
  She fought to take off her helmet, her head still ringing from the too close shot. Shin ignored her. She jumped onto the lake, using the Force to cushion her landing. She ran onto the slick, thick surface of the ice, searching for red. Saxon seemed to have disappeared.
  
  Blaster shots pierced the ice beside her. Shin rolled out of the way. Looking up, she found Saxon firing down at her. He was using his jetpack to keep out of her range, flying above the ice. Shin ran toward him, hand held out, reaching for the Force to bring him down. Each shot came closer and closer. She lost her focus when she had to deflect a blow, her blade slicing through the ice in the same motion. A jet of steam hissed out of the lake, masking the padawan. Finally, she could focus. She reached for Saxon and pulled him down. He landed on the ice on his knees and turned off the jetpack. Brandishing the Darksaber once more, he charged at her.
  
  Shin fought back hard, each blow coming fast. She aimed for the head, again and again, but Saxon could read her every time, deflecting her blade away. She was growing furious, losing her patience. Years of training thrown out of the window because of one man.
  
  The hiss of a jetpack interrupted their fight. Sabine had stolen the pack from one of his people and flew toward them at full speed. She collided with Saxon hard, taking him into the air. He turned his jetpack back on and swung at her. She threw him off her. They hovered, fifteen feet above the ice, out of Shin"s reach. Saxon rushed Sabine once more, ready to slice her in half. She blocked the blade with her vambrace. It hissed against the metal. She grabbed onto Saxon once more, reaching for his jetpack, trying to disable it. He struck hers first, making one large slice through the device. The blade dug into her lower back. Sabine yelped. As soon as he pulled it out, she lost control of her flight. She crashed onto the ice, which shuddered and splintered under her.
  
  Saxon landed beside her.
  
  "You pathetic excuse for a Mandalorian will never be able to defeat me."
  
  Shin rushed Saxon. He turned around and blocked her strike. She left herself wide open for his retaliation. He sliced the inside of her leg. Shin yelped and lost balance. Then, he sliced off her lightsaber hand. He kicked her in the chest. Shin fell on the ice hard, racked with pain. Her lightsaber rolled out of reach.
  
  "The Jedi first," Saxon decided.
  
  The lightsaber trembled onto the ice. Saxon shrank away from it as it flew past him. Sabine caught it and turned it on.
  
  "How..."
  
  "The day you killed my family. You made me powerful enough to defeat you."
  
  She closed the distance, lightsaber brandished high. The blades screamed against each other, cold air vaporizing between them. Saxon struck toward her. Sabine avoided the blow and stabbed Shin"s lightsaber deep into the ice. Steam came up, blinding Saxon. He struck blindly through the cloud. Sabine was already out of his range. She stabbed at his back. He turned around quickly, but not quickly enough. The lightsaber nicked his arm. He screamed. Sabine struck again. Saxon stumbled back as he tried to avoid the blow.
  
  She saw a flicker of fear on in his eyes and smirked. He tried flying away. From her vambrace, she unleashed a tongue of fire on him. His jetpack caught fire, and he made and emergency landing, stumbling back on the ice. He rid himself of the jetpack and turned to Sabine again. With his blaster, he fired at her. She deflected each shot, closing in on him once more. Using the Force, she tore the blaster out of his hand. He had no other choice but to face her blade against blade.
  
  He struck toward her. She parried. He lunged at her. She turned and elbowed him in the nose. She grabbed the Darksaber from his hand. With a single motion, she sliced both blades through Gar Saxon"s stomach, just below his chestplate. His eyes grew wide. He fell to his knees on the ice. Sabine waited, a blade in each hand. She expected him to put up more of a fight. He fell face first on the ice and stopped moving. Sabine let out a sigh of relief, which turned into a whine of pain as if her body suddenly remembered the hole in her side. She choked on tears as she turned off both lightsabers.
  
  Shin was still laying on the lake a few feet away. Sabine shambled to her and fell to her knees beside her.
  
  "Come on Shin, wake up."
  
  She shook her to consciousness. Shin"s eyes opened and closed like the wings of a butterfly, fluttering with no sign of intelligence beneath. Sabine sat her up then tried to get her to her feet. She groaned under the strain and her burning back. She pushed herself and managed to get Shin on her feet, though the padawan was heavily leaning on her.
  
  "Come on, let"s get you inside..."
  
  She limped onto the ice, carrying all of Shin"s weight. The stronghold loomed above. Every step was difficult and unsteady, but Sabine refused to leave her behind. Her vision blurred with tears, she forced one foot in front of the other, keeping a vice grip on Shin.
  
  "Shin?" a voice called ahead.
  
  Sabine recognized Baylan. He seemed to be calling from the stronghold, though her vision was too impaired to know for sure.
  
  "Over here!" she called back.
  
  She stumbled forward, falling to one knee under the padawan"s weight. She pushed her legs to stand back up, but couldn"t find the energy she needed to do so anymore. To her great relief, Baylan reached her quickly and he took the load of his padawan off her.
  
  "Let"s get you both inside."
  
  Sabine, relieved of the extra weight, stood up and staggered. Baylan steadied her with a hand.
  
  "Saxon?"
  
  "Dead... It"s over..."
  
  Her chest was filled with so much relief it could burst. Only a nugget of worry for the padawan"s fate kept her grounded. With legs as steady as jelly, Sabine followed the Jedi Knight back inside.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this penultimate chapter!
  
  I asked my sister if it was illegal to name your Star Wars fanfiction chapter "Dual of the Fates" and she said on the contrary, it was expected.
  
  Although this chapter took a lot of inspiration from the Mandalorian arc of SW: Rebels, I still haven't see it... I thought I would have had the time to watch it before posting this chapter but no. Funnily enough I had planned for the fight to end on the frozen lake long before I read a summary of Sabine and Saxon's fight in Rebels. Great minds think alike, I suppose ;)
  
  Coincidentally also this is my weekend at Wren Stronghold because tomorrow I will be posting a one-shot where Shin and Sabine go to clean Wren Stronghold. It was not planned that way but what a fun weekend this will be!
  
  As usual, thank you for reading and thank you for your many many kudos and comments! I will see you on Wednesday for the final chapter!
  
  Chapter 6: Darling, I Would Do It Again
  Summary:
  Shin wakes up full of confusion.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin woke up out of her chemically induced sleep, hazy and confused. She had never been put to sleep before. It took an eternity for her mind to shake off the anesthesia. She began by remembering the mission on Madalore and, string by string, connected each memory until she remembered Gar Saxon.
  
  Her eyes flew open, then shut again as artificial light stunned her vision. She was in a bright lit room, no longer wrapped in the cold air of Krownest. As soon as she regained control of her body, she tried seating up. A hand grabbed her arm to keep her down.
  
  "You"re okay. You"re okay."
  
  Through her blurry vision, she recognized Sabine standing beside her. She relaxed and lay back down. Her whole right arm felt numb. She tried brushing the wetness out of her eyes but couldn"t make it move. She had to use her left hand inside. Now that she could see better, she took in Sabine. The rebel leader sat back in her chair with a groan.
  
  "Where are we?"
  
  "Sundari. We retook the capital. I sent people to arrest Saxon"s allies in the other cities."
  
  "Is he..."
  
  Sabine nodded.
  
  "In part thanks to you."
  
  Shin looked around. The room she was in was too well decorated to belong to a hospital. She must have been in the Palace. A double door of blue glass led to a balcony outside. The bed she laid in was fit for two but she had been placed on the left side of the bed. The right side was taken up by her arm and a machine. The machine pushed a bluish fluid into a bag wrapped around her arm, then another tube sucked it out of the bag. Shin stared at the fluid bag for a long time. Piece by piece, she convinced herself that she hadn"t imagined the pain when the Darksaber had sliced through her wrist.
  
  She looked away abruptly, back to Sabine who was staring at her with concern.
  
  "Where is my Master?"
  
  "He stayed with you through the surgery but he had to call the Jedi Council. I promised I"d stay with you until he returned."
  
  Sabine reached for something at her belt. Shin noticed she was carrying the handle of two lightsabers, hers and the rectangular, silver hilt of the Darksaber. Sabine took Shin"s hilt and placed it in her left hand.
  
  "I hope you don"t mind, I had to use your lightsaber to win."
  
  Shin grabbed onto her weapon as much as she held Sabine"s hand. Sabine placed her other hand around hers. She looked more guilty than relieved. Shin wanted to ask her why. The door to the room hissed open. Sabine pulled away as Baylan entered the room. Shin let go of her hand reluctantly, her grip on her lightsaber loose. Sabine stood up with barely a hint of pain.
  
  "Rest well. You deserve it."
  
  She walked away, giving a nod toward the Jedi Knight as she walked past him. Baylan returned the nod. He came to take the seat beside his padawan.
  
  "You gave me quite a fright," he said as he sat down.
  
  "I"m sorry, Master. I failed."
  
  Baylan frowned. Shin explained:
  
  "I let myself be overwhelmed by anger and hatred and my enemy used it against me. I lost my hand..."
  
  "Shin."
  
  Her master set the lightsaber aside, placing it on the bedside table. He took her hand in his.
  
  "You are not the first Jedi to lose a limb in combat, and you will certainly not be the last. You helped defeat Gar Saxon and bring peace to Mandalore once more. I"ve made sure the Jedi Council was aware of that. As soon as you"re clear for travel, we"ll return to Coruscant and you will pass the trials."
  
  He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Shin sat up. Her master was keeping something from her and they both knew it. Their eyes met, and Baylan knew she had figured it out.
  
  "As for me, this was my last mission for the Jedi Order. I intent to leave and forge my own path."
  
  Shin"s breath caught in her throat.
  
  "You can"t..."
  
  "My dissatisfaction with the Order did not begin today. I have been thinking about it for years now. But I couldn"t leave you. I needed to finish your training. Now that I have, it is time for us to part."
  
  "No, I... My training isn"t over."
  
  "It is in my eyes, and it will be in the eyes of the Council. It is time for you to become a Knight."
  
  She shook her head.
  
  "What if I don"t want to be a Knight? I could come with you. Let me help you..."
  
  Baylan gave her a sad but confident smile.
  
  "I do not know where the Force will take me, only that my path no longer lays with the Order. You need to find your path, just as I have found mine."
  
  Sabine wanted to visit Shin again, but with the busy day she"d had, she couldn"t find the time until late into the evening. Who would have thought that establishing a new government would be so difficult? News from the other cities were good, at least. With the Darksaber at her belt, she had made more allies in a day than she"d had in months of resistance. She was determined never to use it again.
  
  Her feet took her to Shin"s room before she could stop herself. She stood there, silent, wondering if she should knock. The padawan was probably asleep already. She wasn"t attuned to the Force enough to know what that strange sensation on the other side of the door was, though she assumed it was someone sleeping. When curiosity finally got the better of her, she opened the door.
  
  Shin"s bed was empty. Panic only had a second to settle into her, as she spotted that the balcony doors were opened. The Jedi was standing outside, arms leaned against the balcony railing, her blue hospital outfit not quite enough to protect her from the cold night air. Bandages wrapped around her right stump, forcing her to lean on her forearms rather than her hand. Sabine joined her, coming to lean on the balcony beside her.
  
  "Have you ever been confused?" Shin asked, her gaze lost to the lights of the capital city.
  
  "More often than you"d think."
  
  "What do you do, then?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "I just try to think through it. Go back to what made me confused in the first place. Just lay all the facts out."
  
  Shin hummed.
  
  "Alright. All the facts. I lost my hand in single-combat."
  
  Sabine grimaced.
  
  "I"m sorry about that."
  
  "You don"t have to apologize. It was far more my fault than yours."
  
  Sabine turned to look at the Jedi.
  
  "We"ll have it fixed up in no time, I promise."
  
  Shin didn"t reply, only kept her gaze out of reach.
  
  "Fact: When I return on Coruscant I"ll be made a Knight. But my master will leave the Order. He"s searching for more. He told me to find my path. I don"t know if my path is with the Order either."
  
  Sabine listened, but found she had no advice to share but the obvious. She kept her comments to herself.
  
  "Fact: You kissed me on Krownest."
  
  Sabine winced.
  
  "Don"t think too hard about it," she replied. "We can just ignore it happened. I just... I don"t know. I figured the odds of me coming out of the fight alive were slim and I wanted to kiss you, in that moment. It didn"t mean anything."
  
  Shin finally looked at her, pale eyes piercing through every wall and layer of Sabine with a single glance.
  
  "You confuse me."
  
  "I confuse you?"
  
  "I"ve never felt anything like it. Every time you come near me, it"s like the Force has deserted me. But I don"t feel lost either. You annoy me, deeply, but I don"t want to stay away from you."
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle. She knocked her shoulder against Shin"s lightly.
  
  "You annoy me too."
  
  They stood side by side overlooking the busy city, enjoying each other"s closeness with no need for more. After a beat, however, Sabine had to ask:
  
  "Are you feeling less confused?"
  
  "Not at all."
  
  "That"s okay. That"s the beauty of life sometimes, you can stay confused for a very long time."
  
  Shin breathed out.
  
  "You were no help. You made me even more confused."
  
  "You"re welcome."
  
  Once the droid doctor had decided that Shin"s limb had recovered enough, the outer parts of her cybernetic post were installed. Baylan sat with her through it as they adjusted her nerve sensitivity, each turn of the hex key sending a thousand knives up her arm. Baylan held her hand through it all. Shin wished Sabine had been there too.
  
  Once the doctor was done, they told Shin to rest up. Her new hand would be coming the next day. Shin laid down in bed, looking at the metal parts now fused to her flesh. The metal was chrome, shiny under the low artificial light of the room. It would take her a long time to get used to the sight, she knew.
  
  Beside her, Baylan stood up, catching her attention.
  
  "I will call the temple, let them know to expect us tomorrow."
  
  Before he could walk away, Shin replied:
  
  "I"m not going back."
  
  Baylan stared at her. Shin had never been one for jokes. She always spoke her mind, and in her eyes, he could see her determination. He sat back down.
  
  "Are you sure?"
  
  "I"m not going back to the temple if you won"t be there. They hate me there, all of them."
  
  "If you leave now, you will never be made a Knight. You"ve worked hard for this."
  
  "I worked hard for it because I thought it was the only path for me. But my place is not with the Order. It never was."
  
  Baylan hummed. He looked out of place in the small chair, too sturdy for it.
  
  "I see you"ve made up your mind. What will you do then?"
  
  "I don"t know yet. But if you won"t let me come with you than I suppose I"ll have to figure it out for myself."
  
  Her Master smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, just as he had done a thousand times before.
  
  "I will return to Coruscant alone. Let them know of your decision and mine. You deserve the chance to figure out your path, Shin. But no matter where it takes you, I will always be there if you need my help."
  
  Shin had spent the rest of the day deep in thoughts, her head leaned back against the pillow as her gaze became lost in the hard lines of the stone ceiling. Her musing was disturbed when a soft knock came at her door. Sabine appeared on the other side, and Shin somewhat relaxed, accepting the interruption.
  
  "I heard the doctor wasn"t kind to you. If it makes you feel better, they weren"t kind to me either."
  
  Sabine shut the door behind her. She was carrying a parcel tugged against her side. She came to sit on Shin"s bed, setting the package aside.
  
  "How"s the confusion going?"
  
  Shin gave a half-hearted shrug.
  
  "I"ve had plenty of time to think, at least. I"m not going back to Coruscant. I will never be good enough to pass their test. I could have killed a Sith Lord that it wouldn"t have changed a thing. They will always find fault with me. My path is somewhere else."
  
  Sabine offered her half a smile.
  
  "In know Mandalore is chaos incarnate right now and it is probably the last place you want to be, but you"re welcomed to stay here for as long as you want."
  
  Shin nodded in acknowledgement.
  
  "Anyway, I brought something to cheer you up."
  
  Sabine picked up the parcel and placed it in her lap. She unfurled the flaps of the cloths, revealing a silver hand on the other side. Each phalanx was skeletal thin, connected by tiny, intricate screws and servos.
  
  "It"s only the structure. We can add whatever you want to it. Skin, armor, whatever you want."
  
  Shin picked up the hand from Sabine"s lap. She looked it around, her fingers feeling every piece of cold metal. It took her a moment to understand fully what she was looking at.
  
  "This is beskar."
  
  "I had it made especially for you. We recycled Gar Saxon"s armor."
  
  "Why?"
  
  "Because every enemy you defeat makes you stronger. That"s Mandalorian ideals for you."
  
  Shin felt the urge to try it on. She glanced at Sabine, wondering if she could. As if she could read her thoughts, Sabine nodded. Shin set the limb in the post and screwed it on. It connected with her arm, burning her nerves for a second. The pain disappeared before she could wince. She thought about moving her fingers. The phalanx activated, curling and opening as she desired. She looked up at Sabine who smiled at her.
  
  "It"ll take a bit of practice, but you"ll be back in the fight in no time."
  
  "Who would I even fight?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "Whoever you want."
  
  Shin looked down at the beskar hand again. She touched it, feeling the metal warming to her. Sabine took the cybernetic hand in hers.
  
  "Maybe you can become a wandering mercenary, helping people in need."
  
  Shin rolled her eyes.
  
  "That sounds like a Mandalorian thing to do."
  
  "Okay, well, what do you want to do?"
  
  Shin"s gaze glided to Sabine"s lips before she could stop herself. She felt that same spark of warmth that seemed to replace where the Force had been just a second ago. But this time, she wasn"t confused about it at all. She embraced it.
  
  "I want to kiss you again."
  
  Sabine scooted closer. Her fingers twined with Shin"s new fingers and she held on as she leaned forward. Their lips met in a powerful kiss. For the first time since their previous kiss, Shin felt she knew exactly what she wanted. No confusion. No hesitation. She would walk away from the Jedi Order, would walk all the way to Coruscant to give them her lightsaber and walk back to Mandalore as long as Sabine was there to kiss her when she returned.
  
  Sabine leaned against her until Shin couldn"t stay seated anymore. She laid down on the bed, taking Sabine with her as she refused to part from their kiss. Sabine laid beside her, placing sweet kisses on her lips. When they parted, Sabine rolled to lay beside her.
  
  "And now, what do you want to do?"
  
  "Hold you till I die."
  
  Sabine chuckled.
  
  "I suppose I can allow that."
  
  She scooted even closer to Shin, placing her head on her shoulder. Shin"s chest was fluttering with a confident fear and hopeful confusion. What a strange path the Force had laid out for her, she thought. Then, she did what she wanted to do. She held onto Sabine until she fell asleep.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this final chapter!
  
  I don't remember if I mentioned it in the first chapter notes but initially, I wanted to right a Wolfwren story based on the love story of Anakin and Padme. It just so happens that they fit the Obi-Wan and Satine story better. Still, and since a lot of people have made comparisons between Anakin and Shin, I figured I'd bring a bit of him into the story by cutting off Shin's hand. That last shot of Padme holding his prostetic hand in Attack of the Clones is seared into my mind.
  
  Last minute decision to name the chapter after an Hozier song (again) because I just realized Francesca works really well for this chapter.
  
  On Saturday I will begin posting my new multi-chapter story which I am unbelievably excited about. This story is my favorite I've ever written (I know I say that a lot but this is true) and I have been waiting since November to post it. It's a Rival Kingdoms AU. Expect a lot of angst because it is a proper Enemies to Lovers ;) Title will most likely be "I Can Wait For You at the Bottom."
  
  Thank you all for reading and thank you for your many, many kudos and comments! Have a wonderful first week for the year and I hope to see you on Saturday for a brand new story!
  
  
  Shin and Sabine
  JenFMax
  Summary:
  my Take on their story, tying some questions together, while further exploring the relationship that is WolfWren.
  
  Notes:
  I am so excited to finally get to post this fanfic I have been working on for a few weeks now! Hope everyone enjoys! There will be smut.
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Shin and Sabine
  Written by JenFMax
  
  Chapter 1: The Meeting/First Duel
  
  As Shin arrived to Lothal in search of Ahsoka Tano's apprentice, Sabine Wren, she looked around in admiration. She had never been to the capital city before and admired the scenery around her. As her light blonde hair blew in the wind, she listened to the droids Morgan had sent her with. She hated the droids, but had to keep her opinions to herself for the moment. She sighed as they made their way through Lothal's fields to search for the apprentice. She didn't know what to expect from her, but knowing how talented Ahsoka was, her apprentice must be as well.
  
  In her home, at the tower of Lothal, which had once been Ezra's home, sat Sabine. She petted her Loth-Cat while inspecting the map Ahsoka had managed to obtain. As she worked hard to open it to figure out the coordinates, she thought about Ezra. It had been about 10 years since he and Thrawn had gone missing into the unknown with the Purgills. She hoped the map would lead her to her best friend, to her brother. They may not be blood, but he was the closest thing to family she'd had since losing her own in the Siege of Mandalore. Finally, the map glimmered and started to open, to Sabine's joy. However, unknown to her, a new presense had arrived to Lothal, to find the map, to find her.
  
  As night came, Shin and her droids descended onto the tower where Sabine was staying. Something in the air felt different to her, almost exotic. Shin took a deep breath, ignoring it and sent the droids forward. As she listened, one of the droids barged into Sabine's home, scaring the Loth-Cat and having Sabine fight it off. The second droid ran in and quickly grabbed the map, running out to give it to Shin. As Shin took the map from the droid, she nodded her approval to it and then looked up to see Sabine walk out to be across from her. Shin took a deep breath; no one told her how beautiful the apprentice would be. She took in the sight of the young woman, with the long purple and orange hair, longing to touch it. She shook her head, as Sabine stepped forward to face her.
  
  As Sabine fought off the droid, she chased after the other who took the map, and gasped when she arrived outside. Standing there was the most beautiful, yet intense, person she'd ever seen. Her mouth parted as she breathed watching the light haired woman hold the map. Shin noticed her and said, " We've been looking for this." Sabine saw the map in her hand and replied, "Well that's too bad." Sabine ignited her lightsaber, holding it to her side. She watched Shin do the same and come towards her slowly. As they both gazed at each other for a moment, before sparking the fight, they both knew something between them needed to occur.
  
  Chapter 2: Time to Heal
  
  Before Sabine could make a blow to Shin, during them both turning, Shin's lightsaber make contact into Sabine's abdomen. Sabine fell to the ground clutching herself and waving her saber at Shin, who only just hit back it with her own. No other blows sent, no final death blow at all, which surprised Sabine. She saw the look of shock in Shin's eyes at what had happened, and then saw Ahsoka and Huyang's ship appear above them, making Shin run off, but not before looking at Sabine again. Sabine passed out from her pain, drifting into unconsciousness.
  
  Shin ran to her small shuttle ship with the droids, thinking about Sabine, how and where she'd stabbed her, which had been by accident. The way they'd both moved had caused the blow to happen, and Shin couldn't stop thinking about Sabine now. She hoped she would live, so she could see her again. As she flew back to Baylan and Morgan, she held the map in her hand, wondering how such a small thing could cause such big grief. She sighed and continued on her way.
  
  As Sabine woke up, she saw Ahsoka and Huyang there, looking concerned but thankful. Sabine grunted as she tried to sit up, the wound on her abdomen from Shin's saber, still hurt some, but was healed. Ahsoka made her lay back down and explained what happened and asked Sabine if she'd been able to read the map. Sabine shook her head but told Ahsoka that she'd been able to open it. She was upset with herself for allowing their only way to finding Ezra, slip from her grasp. She felt she had failed Ahsoka's trust but Ahsoka shook her head. "You did what you could Sabine, and you took a hard blow for it., Ahsoka said softly. Sabine nodded and asked Ahsoka about the young woman. Ahsoka sighed and said, "I sensed the Force strongly within her, very strongly. She'd definitely being trained well, but by whom, I do not know." Sabine nodded, "Well, I expect we'll meet her again, and when we do, she's mine, ok?" Ahsoka looked at Sabine, sensing a difference in her words, it seemed, obsessive, longing, hungry. Ahsoka just nodded her reply in approval.
  
  Shin walked around the temple area on Seatos, watching Baylan and Morgan discuss their plan together. Shin still didn't know very much of the whole plan, and that bothered her. Why should she do so much without knowing the real purpose behind it? She asked Baylan what would happen once they found Thrawn, and he simply replied for them, it would mean more power. She couldn't help but feel that was just a loose question to try to satisfy her, and it definitely did not. She was bothered still, and thought back to Lothal, fighting Sabine. The way Sabine's eyes glistened in the light of their sabers, the way her hair blew in the breeze; it all sent shivers down Shin's spine. She couldn't help but admit it; she was definitely attracted to the Jedi apprentice.
  
  Chapter 2: Training
  Summary:
  Shin realizes her feelings, Baylan understands. Ahsoka trains Sabine
  
  Notes:
  I couldn't figure out how to do the chapter adding before, so it may look weird for the first two chapters.
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stretched as she got up from her bed aboard Ahsoka's ship. She yawned and scratched at her head, feeling her short hair. She'd cut it before they had left Lothal, in search of the star map to find Ezra, and Thrawn. She made her way to the refresher and as she showered, her mind drifted to the young woman that had attacked her. The intensity in her eyes, the way she carried herself, it was all just so majestic. Sabine sighed to herself, "Stop thinking about her, she's no good, but i want to know her." She continued her shower, her mind drifting more and more to Shin.
  
  On Seatos, Shin was training with Baylan, while Morgan was working on the map. Shin and Baylan circled each other, and then Shin struck out at him. He knocked her backwards, sending her to the ground. She groaned as her tailbone hit the hard ground. Baylan looked down at her, "Get up Shin, no time for pain." He extended his hand to her, but she brushed it off, standing up to face him. She huffed and swung her saber at him, but missed. Baylan sighed, "Something is troubling you Shin, what is going on
  ? You're distracted, and off balance." Shin caught her breath and looked at him, "Nothing is wrong, just train me better." She continued swinging at him, but continued to miss. "Shin stop!", her master commanded her. Shin's eyes went wide and then dropped. She sighed and retracted her saber and then sat on the ground. Baylan knelt beside her, looking concerned. He had never seen Shin this way, at least not since he'd first found her as a young stray. "Shin, talk to me. What's troubling you? You've been this way ever since..." His mind raced, "Ever since i sent you after Sabine Wren." At the mention of her name, Shin looked at him. "It's her.. I can't figure out why, but ever since I saw her, I've felt, conflicted. Like sparks are dancing in my body. What does this mean Master?," She looked at him with tearful eyes. Baylan knew, he immediately knew what was happening. He held her shoulder and comforted her. She'd found her soulmate, her love. There was no denying it, Sabine Wren would be the end for Shin.
  
  Sabin stretched her hand out towards the coffee mug. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the Force. Nothing would happen though, as usual. She sighed, "What am I doing wrong? Ahsoka says I'm sensitive to the Force, so why can't i touch it?" She folded her arms onto the table and crushed her head on top. She pictured Shin in her mind again, and her heart started to race. The thought of being stabbed again by her, but in a direction that wouldn't have killed her. As she continued to focus on Shin, unbeknownst to her, the cup moved a few inches on the table... She sighed and then stood up, looked down at the cup briefly, and walked out of the room. Sabine entered the cockpit finding Ahsoka and Huyang there, and sat down. Sabine sighed, "Why can't I feel the force Ahsoka?" Ahsoka turned to her and sofly smiled. "You just have not found what will connect you to it, to have you fully embrace it for what it is, and how it will help you. You still have much to learn my padawan," Ahsoka told her. Sabine sighed, she hoped she'd find this missing piece soon. As she thought about it, her mind drifted off to Shin again, and she smiled but shook it off.
  
  Shin paced around her room, trying to get her mind focused on her training. All she could think about still, was Sabine, only her. She sat on her bed, her hands covering her face. Shin sighed, she didn't want to kill or harm Sabine, but she desperately wanted to see her again. She knew the only real way of doing that without causing suspicion, was to face her when commanded to do so by Baylan or Morgan. The thought of the witch angered Shin. She hated witches, after several had-- She let tears run down her face as she remembered her family being murdered by witch magick. She'd been able to find a way to hide and that's when Baylan had found her. Scared, alone, crying and hiding under dead bodies. Baylan had taken her in as his own, trained her to be his succsesor, to be more than any Jedi could ever dream to be. She enjoyed using the Force and her lightsaber, it brought her clarity, but now she felt lost again. Scared and unsure of how to think or feel. She pushed her feelings aside briefly, as she hit at her wall, tears rolling down her face. She collapsed onto her bed, hugging her knees to her chest as she cried. Baylan stopped by her door and heard her crying. He sighed and thought about when he'd first found her. Alone and scared, and seeming to feel the same again. He knew what finding your soulmate felt like, but in the Jedi order, it had been forbidden. He'd kept his love, Kyra, a secret for years, until the Clone Wars. She'd perished during it, and he'd been so distraught, until he'd found Shin. He had adopted her as his own, and loved her as such. He knew she would have to make a choice of what to do, and it was her choice alone, and on her terms, not his.
  
  Chapter 3: Seatos
  Summary:
  Sabine, and Ahsoka arrive on Seatos to retrieve the map, Shin is ready to see Sabine again.
  
  Notes:
  Things will turn smutty in the next chapter after this one!! And also the story will get emotional as well. Enjoy! Thank you for all the kudos so far!
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine, Ahsoka and Huyang crash landed onto Seatos after being chased by some of Morgan's people, not realizing Shin had been one of them. As Huyang worked outside to fix the ship, Sabine and Ahsoka did their part inside. Before too long, they knew something was wrong as soon as the lights went out completely after restoring power. They each ran outside to see Huyang struggling against one of of Morgan's droids. They freed him and fought the remaining droids off. They knew they'd have to hurry to go find the map before anyone else could find their ship. Sabine and Ahsoka had Huyang stay with the ship as they ran out into the forest.
  
  Shin nodded to Baylan as he commanded her to go after Sabine and Ahsoka, and silently sighed under her breath as she walked away. She softly smiled at the thought of seeing Sabine, but had to take Marrok with her. The former Inquisitor followed her into the forest to find the Jedi and her padawan. Shin started running, her feelings of Sabine driving her mad as she ran. Marrok shouted after her, "Shin slow down!" She eventually stopped and came to a walk, huffing to catch her breath. His masked face hid an annoyed smirk as he brushed sharply past her. He could sense something was up with her after she'd told him to regroup, instead of going straight after the others. Shin didn't care what Marrok could sense about her behavior, and continued walking.
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka stopped running as soon as they saw Shin and Marrok walking their way. Sabine's face was shielded by her helmet, but her eyes were locked on Shin. She felt something, a shiver, go up and down her spine. The feeling of seeing Shin again excited, but scared her at the same time. Ahsoka glanced over at her padawan, sensing her feelings and looked at Shin, instantly feeling the same, but much stronger.
  
  Shin breathed heavily as she saw Sabine standing in front of her, in her full Mandalorian armor and helmet. Shin instantly dropped her cloak to the ground, wishing it was Sabine's clothes. She gave a sly smile at Sabine while tilting her head to gaze at her. "Going somewhere?", Shin said breathlessy watching Sabine. They stood there for a moment before two blasts from Sabine's blasters were sent at her. Shin ducked and extended her saber out, running towards another section of the forest, shielding each blast with her arms. She had to get Sabine alone with her, she had to be close to her. She knew though that Marrok would know something was up if she didn't go ahead and defend herself against Sabine. She sighed as she finally stopped and turned to Sabine, sending a kick to her. Sabine was sent against a tree, which knocked her helmet off. Shin gasped as she saw her new short haircut, and couldn't help but want to run her fingers through it. She watched as Sabine retracted her saber, and met it with her own.
  
  Sabine groaned as she continued her advances at Shin with her saber. She was so out of practice with using the saber, or really any combat. She'd been retired since Ezra's disappearance with Thrawn, living alone with her Loth-Cat. Sabine couldn't help but notice how Shin's gorgeous blue eyes shined in the saber light. She was so uniquely beautiful, fierce and so intense. The way Shin gazed into her eyes made her feel so weak inside and out. Sabine gasped as Shin sent her to the ground again. Sabine held her hand up in defense, not knowing what she doing. She wasn't sure if she was trying to summon the Force, or if she just wanted Shin to stop.
  
  Shin's face turned as Sabine held her hand up, not knowing what to expect. She could tell the Mandalorian padawan was not very inept with the Force, but it was growing. She turned back to Sabine and smirked slyly. "You have no power," Shin sputtered out to Sabine. She watched Sabine grimace and watched in shock as Sabine shot her saber out of her hand. Shin stood there in admiration of Sabine, of her quickness to undermine her. Not wanting to injure the beautiful padawan, Shin used a trick of her own- smoke bombs. She didn't want Sabine to hurt her either, and tossed them at her before taking off to rejoin Baylan. Her feelings everywhere. She'd watched Marrok die at Ahsoka's hand during the fights. Marrok turning into green dust as he died. "Witchcraft!,"Shin shouted to herself, realizing Marrok was actually dead the whole time.
  
  Sabine pulled herself up against a tree behind her, gasping as she tried to catch her breath. She thought about how Shin ran off, leaving her behind without harming her. Sabine felt her spine tingle with the thoughts of Shin crashing into her mind, into her emotions. She blushed at the thought of Shin's voice. She'd managed to win this fight, but why did Shin run? She couldn't get it off her mind as she hurried to find Ahsoka. As she arrived to the temple ruins, she found Baylan and Ahsoka fighting each other. Sabine saw Shin laying on the ground and wished she could go help her, but she needed to help Ahsoka first. She grabbed the star map and held her blaster at it. She yelled at Baylan to let Ahsoka go, threatening to destroy her only way to find Ezra, her brother. She gulped at the realization before her, but had to help her Master. Ahsoka told her to destroy it, and Sabine just stayed in position but screamed, "NO!", as she watched Baylan strike Ahsoka with his saber. Ahsoka fell from the cliffs towards the high rising water below, she was surely dead Sabine thought.
  
  Shin groaned as she pulled herself up slowly, rubbing the back of her head where it had hit one of the ruins. She looked up to see Sabine standing nearby holding a blaster to the star map, and then at Baylan. Shin held a look of fear for her Master, and pulled herself up. She watched as Sabine was tempted by Baylan to give him the map, hearing him promise to help her find this Ezra person. Shin grimaced, she didn't know who Ezra was, but she felt extremely jealous in that moment.
  
  Sabine breathed heavily as she placed the star map into Baylan's hand. He'd promised he would help her find Ezra, and to keep that promise unlike Ahsoka was doing. Suddenly she felt a pressure building in her body, slow at first and then before she knew it, she was clutching at her throat gasping for air. She could feel the delicate fingers through the Force and knew it was Shin. Baylan watched and said, "Shin release her." Shin continued to hold her Force grip but Sabine felt her let go after hearing Baylan tell Shin to stop a second time. Sabine was on her hands and knees, her ass facing to the sky almost it seemed to her. She couldn't help but hope that Shin looked at it, to admire her. She could feel Shin's breath on her as the dark apprentice leaned down close to her to retrieve the saber laying there. Sabine watched Shin stand back up, and then looked in awe as the star map re-activated thanks to Baylan. Once the map was completed, she watched in distraught as Baylan destroyed it with his saber, saying no one would follow them now.
  
  Shin stood beside Sabine watching the scene unfold in front of her. She watched as some of Morgan's droids arrived with handcuffs for Sabine, and she quickly took them to do it herself. She didn't want Sabine hurt, and couldn't help but gaze into Sabine's eyes as she clasped them onto the beautiful padawan's wrists. Once they were told to meet back up with Morgan, Shin watched her Master head out, with Sabine behind him. She followed her closely and gave her a hesitated gentle push forward as she followed Sabine's gaze to the cliffs. "Come now, we must go, no looking back." Shin told her. She could hear Sabine's sigh as they boarded the shuttle to head back to the Eye of Scion.
  
  Chapter 4: Eye of Scion
  Summary:
  Sabine boards the Eye of Scion with Shin and Baylan, finds out she'll have to share a room with Shin
  
  Notes:
  Ok so the chapter after this one is where the smut starts, sorry for the mix-up, but enjoy my take on them boarding Morgan's ship.
  
  Chapter Text
  As Sabine was told to exit the shuttle, Shin followed her out, and then grabbed a hold of Sabine's right wrist, above the handcuff. Sabine silently gasped at the feel of Shin's hand on her wrist, and she could tell Shin heard her by the sly smile she gave. Sabine shuddered at the look on Shin's face, and the way she smiled. It sent chills down her spine, all way to her toes. She'd never experienced these type of feelings before, not for anyone. She'd always been single, always told herself she was better off that way. Shin made her realize, she was so wrong in that thought process. She hoped to be able to have more time with Shin now that she was making the journey to Ezra with them. Sabine smiled to herself and then hid it as they walked through the doors leading to Morgan in the control room area. Sabine gave a scowl at the sight of the witch, she couldn't stand her one bit.
  
  Shin grabbed ahold of Sabine's wrist, to lead her off the shuttle and onto the main ship. She could hear Sabine gasp at her touch, and smiled to herself. Unbeknownst to her, Sabine had seen her smile and enjoyed it. Shin didn't want anyone else to come near the.. her padawan. The thought of Sabine being hers excited her, and made her want more of the beautiful woman beside her. As they entered the main door behind Baylan, Shin held tighter onto Sabine, while casting evil looks at Morgan's droids, and then at Morgan herself for looking at her padawan. She could feel Sabine tense up at the sight of Morgan, and held her wrist even more, getting closer to her. She could almost feel Sabine's breath on her neck as she stayed by her side. She could feel within the Force, that Sabine was trying to reach out, but could tell she didn't know she was doing. She had to keep Sabine safe while on the ship.
  
  Sabine tried to leap forward at the mention of Hera's ship, The Ghost. Shin held her back, and Sabine stood in discomfort. She didn't want Hera harmed, she'd always felt like a second mother to her, and looked up to her. Morgan instructed her droids to take them into hyperspace, to take the coordinates given by the star map. Before she could think, they jumped to hyperspace, and Shin was still holding onto her. Sabine felt Shin's grip loosen and become more gentle as her hand slid closer to Sabine's fingers. She shivered at the sensation of Shin's fingers trying to touch hers. The sensation stopped as Shin's hand moved away at the sound of Morgan's voice. Morgan told them it would be a few weeks before they'd reach their destination, and to start their preparations to be comfortable for the journey ahead. Morgan looked at Shin and Baylan, then at Sabine and smirked. "Unfortunately, we did not think to build cells on the Eye. We only designed it to make the journey to our destination, and have space for training and rooms and such. Just the basic necessities and essentials more or less, and with full kitchen service also. But, we are limited on rooms as such, your presence was not anticipated, so every room is already assigned. Perhaps you could share with Shin there next to you? That is if you don't mind being watched."
  
  Shin's eyes fluttered in reality of Morgan's words. Did Morgan know? Could she sense what Shin felt towards Sabine? She hoped not, for both their sakes, but especially for Sabine's. Shin nodded in response, "She will share with me, my room has a spare bed in it, so plenty of space for the two of us." Sabine looked at her in awe, and in hopes that they'd share a bed, but she couldn't get that lucky so soon. Sabine nodded in agreement, while looking at Shin. "That sounds delightful, but does it have its own refresher? I don't do well with public showers." Sabine slyly smirked. Shin felt a blush cross her cheeks, the very thought of seeing Sabine in her refresher was intoxicating. Shin without looking at Sabine said, "Yes don't worry, you'll have your privacy and some fresh clothes as well." Baylan looked at her on that, realizing Shin meant to share her own clothing with Sabine. In itself, it was a very intimate act of care, and he smiled to himself. Shin felt him speak to her through the Force, "Just be careful Shin, I don't want you getting hurt by this girl." Shin spoke back, " I know Master, but whose clothes is she supposed to wear? Yours? Morgan's? No she'll be fine sharing mine." Baylan nodded to her and motioned for her to take Sabine to her quarters, their quarters. Shin held onto Sabine's wrist yet again as she turned to take her to their room.
  
  Sabine felt Shin's hand on her wrist yet again, and breathed heavily. She was going to share a room with her, and anything else they wanted. She shivered as they passed an air conditioning vent, feeling the coldness hit her neck. She assumed Shin could tell she had just gotten cold, as Shin began walking faster with her, until they reached their room. Shin let go of Sabine's wrist so she could open the door and once open, she motioned for Sabine to go inside first. Sabine looked around as she stepped inside, taking the sight all in. It wasn't all dark as she'd expected it to be, there was a painting above the spare bed, dancing in rainbow colors. Sabine smiled at the sight of it all, it was good to see colors in somewhere dark. She looked at Shin and held her hands out to her, hoping she'd undo the cuffs.
  
  Shin watched as Sabine looked around her room, their room. She smiled to herself and she could sense Sabine liked it. She watched as Sabine came up to her holding her hands out, and undid her cuffs. Shin nodded to herself as she set them down on a table, thinking about how glad she was to free Sabine from them. Shin looked nervous as she watched Sabine sit down on the spare bed. Shin sat across from her on her own, and played with her padawan braid. "So, do you like where you'll be staying?", Shin asked her.
  
  Sabine looked into Shin's eyes as Shin asked her about the room. Sabine softly smiled, "Yes it's very nice Shin, thank you for letting me stay with you." Sabine looked at her hands as they played with the blanket beneath her. She couldn't help but wonder if Shin felt as nervous as she did. Sabine looked over at the refresher door and then at Shin. "Mind if I use the refresher first? I hate being all sweaty." Sabine said in a hushed voice.
  
  Shin gazed at Sabine as she asked to use the refresher. "Of course, I'll get some clothes ready for you to change into afterwards. Here's a towel also." Shin replied as she handed her one of her towels. She could feel the heat come from her face as her fingers touched Sabine's in that moment. She turned her face so Sabine couldn't see that she was heavily blushing and got some clothes picked out.
  
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Summary:
  There are fleeting moments Shin and Sabine share before they are stuck on a planet, apart.
  
  Then there are the challenges that arise after when they meet again.
  
  Navigating the dangers of Peridea, Shin and Sabine confront their complex emotions and an unexpected bond that they can no longer ignore.
  
  Notes:
  I began writing this since episode 4 and took some liberties about what occurred. The finale was perfect imo and my midterms can't seem to stop me from writing more. I'm not well-versed in Star Wars lore but I hope you enjoy anyway.
  
  Chapter 1: The Eye
  Chapter Text
  Taking a deep breath, Shin leaned back against the cool stone wall, her lips pressed into a thin line.
  
  
  
  Baylan, towering nearly a foot over her, squared his shoulders. "Shin," he began, his voice laced with authority. "I gave her my word."
  
  
  
  "And?" she countered, her fingers casually caressing the hilt of her saber.
  
  
  
  He sighed, adjusting his heavy cloak, eyes resting on his younger apprentice. "And our duty is to keep her safe," he said softly.
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes darted to the end of the hallway, where a sturdy locked door stood. Behind it was their captive, Sabine Wren. Despite the bindings they'd placed on the Mandalorian, a nagging worry gnawed at Shin, questioning the adequacy of their measures. Perhaps nothing would ever truly restrain someone like Sabine, but for now, the door would have to suffice.
  
  
  
  In the beginning, incessant pounding resonated through the corridor, the sounds reverberating in Shin's ears. It served as an abrasive reminder of the tumultuous events of the past days. Visions of fierce battles, high-stakes dogfights, enigmatic encounters, and the uncertainties of a new galaxy constantly swirled in Shin's thoughts.
  
  
  
  With a slight tilt of her head, Shin blinked slowly, granting her master a brief, tight-lipped smile. "Very well," she conceded through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  Baylan's gaze traveled down the corridor, his eyebrows arching slightly as the banging grew louder, interspersed with muffled expletives. He could palpably feel the cocktail of fear and anger emanating from the captive.
  
  
  
  "Attend to her," Baylan directed.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture stiffened, her fingers gliding over the sleek hilt of her saber. "Sounds like a task for a droid," she retorted under her breath.
  
  
  
  Baylan fixed her with an icy stare. "I didn"t ask a droid. I"m asking you."
  
  
  
  She met his unwavering gaze, the steel in his eyes reflecting his resolve. The aura surrounding her Master could be oppressive, even overwhelming. But she knew him well. He possessed a duality - he could be both a nurturing guide and an uncompromising teacher, exacting in his demands. Resigned, Shin pivoted gracefully, moving towards the source of the disturbance.
  
  
  
  Baylan's voice dropped to a whisper, a note of urgency coloring his words. "Elsbeth is not to be trusted, Shin," he cautioned. "Always be on guard. Sabine Wren might be our captive, but she's not our biggest concern."
  
  
  
  Acknowledging him with a brief nod, Shin proceeded down the dimly lit corridor.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The moment the door slid open, a ceramic cup whizzed past, narrowly missing Shin's face. She deftly sidestepped the projectile, her eyes following its trajectory until it shattered on the ground. With a hiss, the door sealed behind her, and almost instantly, another piece of dishware came flying in her direction. This room was turning into a debris field.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Shin employed her powers to immobilize Sabine, preventing her from grabbing any other makeshift projectiles. The ease with which Sabine was subdued was disconcerting. It felt as if, perhaps, she wanted to be restrained. But Shin quickly pushed that unsettling thought to the back of her mind.
  
  
  
  Addressing the flustered captive, Shin began, "Baylan wanted me to check if you required anything." She cast a fleeting glance at Sabine, who was now seated, her face flushed a deep shade of pink, her breathing ragged. The room was bathed in a subdued light, cluttered with various discarded items, and a meager cot pushed to one corner.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a derisive snort, her lips fluttering in exaggerated fashion before she sent a disdainful kick towards a shard of the broken mug. "Baylan sent you?" she questioned, a hint of mockery in her tone.
  
  
  
  "Indeed," Shin responded coolly.
  
  
  
  Sabine ran fingers through her cropped hair, her fiery gaze fixed on Shin. "What I need is to be rid of this ugly scar, courtesy of your blade," she began pointedly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The comment immediately drew Shin's focus, the weight of the statement landing heavily between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued, her tone playfully mocking, "I need my communication tower back in working order. I absolutely neeeed another chance to show you up in a dogfight. Oh, and perhaps I'll consider using pocket sand next time, just to see that surprised look on your face."
  
  
  
  A rush of heat surged through Shin, her jaw clenching involuntarily. The sly smirk that danced on Sabine's lips didn't help either. It was as if the Mandalorian was enjoying pressing every single one of her buttons, the warmth rising to Shin's cheeks testament to that fact.
  
  
  
  The captive, now donning a full grin, raised her bound hands. "These need to come off," she added.
  
  
  
  Shin shot a wary glance at the restraints, her back pressing against the door. She mused silently: Sabine might be skilled, but she had no force abilities. Escape was implausible. If, by some miracle, she managed to break free, what then? Sabine would be no match for the likes of Baylan or Morgan. Moreover, the ship was hurtling through space at light speed - stepping outside wasn"t an option.
  
  
  
  And, if all else failed, there stood one final and insurmountable obstacle: Shin Hati herself.
  
  
  
  Raising her hand, Shin extended two fingers, making a delicate gesture in the air. With a soft metallic sound, the restraints slipped from Sabine"s wrists, clinking together as they hit the cold floor.
  
  
  
  Sabine flexed her wrists, alleviating the numbness, and then clenched her hands into tight fists. She rose with an air of defiance, hands resting on her hips, her gaze piercing Shin who maintained a guarded stance by the door.
  
  
  
  "Promise me no more surprise rockets in the future," Shin cautioned.
  
  
  
  "Scared of a little fireworks?" Sabine countered, her voice dripping with derision. "It"s not like I have my weapons."
  
  
  
  A reluctant grin crept onto Shin's face. "In the midst of intergalactic travel? Preferably not," she replied, the hint of amusement evident.
  
  
  
  Sabine made a dismissive sound, clicking her tongue, before dramatically flopping back into her seat. "I can't stand you," she declared with a petulant edge.
  
  
  
  "The feeling's mutual," Shin retorted, easing her stance but still leaning against the door. She positioned herself strategically, far enough to be safe from any sudden lunges or airborne objects. Sabine was a constant headache. The graffiti-styled designs on her armor, her rebelliously short hair, and her rather rudimentary lightsaber skills. Shin mentally scoffed. Sabine should consider herself fortunate that Shin even bothered to engage.
  
  
  
  "Do you always follow your Master's orders?" Sabine probed, her eyebrow quirked in a mixture of disdain and genuine curiosity.
  
  
  
  "And do you always have a knack for disregarding yours?" Shin shot back, her voice sharp as a blade. She let her gaze wander to Sabine for a brief moment, then shifted her attention to the counter laden with an array of fruits and light refreshments. With an effortless gesture, a meiloorun fruit levitated toward her. Shin caught it, neatly slicing off its skin.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze softened for a fleeting moment. "Your Master sent mine to her demise," she murmured, a tremor in her voice. "So, I don"t have anyone's orders to defy anymore."
  
  
  
  The biting sound of Shin tearing into the fruit ceased, and she paused, her face a mixture of surprise and contemplation. The dense silence that fell between them was almost tangible. Slowly, Shin detached herself from the door's support and approached the counter. Gathering an assortment of provisions onto a plate, she moved with quiet determination toward Sabine, offering the assortment.
  
  
  
  "You need sustenance," Shin stated simply, her voice devoid of earlier animosity.
  
  
  
  Sabine huffed as she begrudgingly took the plate, "Some prison this is," she muttered sarcastically, casting a disparaging look around the dimly lit room. "No scenic view, clutter all around, and an ambiance that's suffocating." Despite her words, she bit into a piece of bread, her hunger evident.
  
  
  
  "You have an abundance of words for someone in your situation," Shin remarked, taking up her position by the door once more. "Perhaps if you spent more time in quiet reflection, the Force might be within your grasp."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a hearty laugh, the sound echoing slightly in the dimly lit room. She popped a few blumfruits into her mouth, savoring the taste before wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "You"re nothing more than a Padawan yourself," she chided. "What makes you such an expert?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes flashed, her posture straightening even more. "Because, unlike you, I have tapped into its power," she retorted.
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. To perform juvenile acts like choking me. How... enlightened."
  
  
  
  "You initiated our encounters," Shin fired back, her tone icy. "You were the first to shoot blasters on Seatos, the first to ignite your saber by the comm tower. And you call me childish?"
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Absolutely."
  
  
  
  Shin's nostrils flared, recalling their previous clashes. "And you thought launching rockets at me was a mature response?"
  
  
  
  Sabine simply shrugged, an insolent grin playing on her lips. "Why not?"
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled in exasperation, her patience clearly waning. "You'll never comprehend the true essence of the Force... Anything else you require before I depart?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze twinkled. "Your lightsaber, perhaps?" she suggested playfully before pausing. "Going somewhere?"
  
  
  
  Without another word, Shin's face hardened, and she exited the cabin, leaving the sound of Sabine's light-hearted chuckles in her wake.
  
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 2: Another Cell
  Notes:
  So happy many of you enjoyed the first chapter. I truly appreciate the comments, kudos and anyone reading.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stretched her neck with a sigh, rolling her eyes skyward. Yet again, she found herself trapped in a prison cell. Archaic and indomitable. Peridea's air was a heavy cocktail of decay and desolation, a relentless grip of despair that choked her with every breath. Images of Ahsoka, taken down by Baylan off a cliff, replayed in her mind, causing a knot of anguish to tighten in her belly, almost causing her to double over.
  
  
  
  She kicked a stray pebble in frustration, then settled her gaze on the massive door ahead. "Stupid, Baylan," she muttered under her breath, adding, "And Elsbeth... Thrawn... Ugh, everyone's just-" Her words trailed off as the door rumbled and began its slow slide open.
  
  
  
  "Everyone's just... stupid?" Shin questioned, her tone dripping with formality.
  
  
  
  Sabine shot her a sarcastic look, her eyes darting past Shin as if calculating a potential escape route. But then again, where would she even go? This was unfamiliar terrain and, besides, she had Ezra to think about. "Definitely including you on the stupid list," she retorted, her gaze lazily scanning Shin's face, wondering why they had to go through yet another tedious encounter.
  
  
  
  With a dignified posture, hands clasped behind her back, Shin responded, "Given our current positions, I'd argue I'm not the one lacking in judgment."
  
  
  
  A light chuckle escaped Sabine as she tousled her hair, taking a moment to truly look at Shin, the space between them filled with a lingering silence. "Your Master promised me," Sabine finally broke the pause.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat and echoing Sabine's previous movement, Shin offered a slight shrug. "I trust it will be addressed appropriately," she intoned. She had no interest in delving into the dealings with the Nightsisters above. To Shin, Witches were a menace, beings capable of neutralizing her cherished lightsaber and potent Force abilities. Their unpredictability made them a threat not to be underestimated.
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice hardened, her gaze unwavering. "I need to find Ezra," she pressed, her tone coated with desperation.
  
  
  
  A palpable silence settled between the two women, punctuated only by Shin's steady breathing. Clearly, the topic of Ezra Bridger was one she wished to avoid. Seeking to divert the conversation, she remarked, "Your hair, it's different. Why did you cut it?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, caught off guard, instinctively ran her fingers through her shortened purple tresses. "It feels right," she said, searching for the words. "It's...more me now."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyebrow arched in curiosity. "What does that mean?"
  
  
  
  Sabine shot back, her patience wearing thin, "Why do you choose to style your hair that way?"
  
  
  
  Shin pondered for a moment, touching a strand of her own hair. "It suits me," she finally replied.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, her fiery spirit evident. "Exactly. This suits me."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, conceding the point. "Very well."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Sabine pressed on, her gaze probing. "Do you actually enjoy all this? What's in it for you?"
  
  
  
  Shin's expression darkened, her stance growing more assertive as she stepped closer. "The thrill of besting you in combat is quite satisfying," she stated, a hint of pride in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, a mocking undertone in her laughter. "Feels a bit like you're picking on a youngling. I doubt you could ever challenge someone skilled like your Master."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flashed dangerously, her teeth gritting in suppressed anger. "How dare you assume such things?" she hissed, teeth gritting.
  
  
  
  Sabine met her glare with equal intensity. "Because every time we face off, I see it. I'm evolving, growing stronger, while you? You're just... static."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes, usually inscrutable, flared with genuine surprise. The audacity of Sabine's words caught her off guard. Recollections of their encounter on Seatos surged to the forefront of her mind. If not for Baylan's intervention, Sabine would have experienced firsthand the full, unbridled wrath of Shin's Force prowess. A tempting, dark thought of using the Force to choke Sabine flitted across Shin's mind, but she suppressed it. Her orders were clear: Do not harm the Mandalorian.
  
  
  
  "You might've honed some skills, but they"re just Mandalorian parlor tricks. They'll only get you so far," Shin responded, her voice dripping with condescension.
  
  
  
  Sabine retorted sharply, "And where will blind ambition lead you?"
  
  
  
  Shin's features tightened, her voice cold. "You know nothing of my aspirations."
  
  
  
  Sabine shot back, confidence bolstered by her understanding of Shin's current restrictions, "You're lost. A mere puppet following your Master"s whims and doing the bidding of someone like Elsbeth. It"s just... pathetic."
  
  
  
  Shin's face twisted with a mix of anger and disbelief. Pathetic? She was leagues beyond Sabine. Sabine, who failed to protect her own Master. Sabine, who tirelessly sought a friend who was probably long gone. Sabine, whose fierce gaze sometimes made Shin forget the burning intensity of her own lightsaber. Banishing such distracting thoughts, Shin took a deliberate step back, distancing herself from the aggravation.
  
  
  
  Interrupting the heavy silence, Sabine piped up, "You know, I could eat something."
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, momentarily thrown off by the shift. Her hands, which had unknowingly clenched into fists behind her back, trembled slightly. "You choose now to be hungry?"
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned cheekily, "Aren't you here to look after me? Direct orders from the top, right?"
  
  
  
  A wave of heat rolled over Shin. "Someone like you will always need looking after," she bit out, "Always reckless and dimwitted. Always so... closed off."
  
  
  
  Sabine dramatically pressed a hand over her heart, feigning distress. "Your words wound me!"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes, keen and probing, bore into Sabine's. "I can sense your pain, you know. It envelops you. You radiate sadness."
  
  
  
  Sabine's playful demeanor evaporated instantly. Her voice turned icy. "Stay out of my head."
  
  
  
  With chilling calm, Shin responded, "I don"t need to be inside your mind to feel it. It permeates everything around you. It's nearly suffocating."
  
  
  
  Tears threatened Sabine"s vision, and she swiped at her eyes irritably. "Just go," she whispered with barely concealed emotion. "Go back to your puppeteers."
  
  
  
  As a final gesture, Shin arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Gar vemanar?"
  
  
  
  Are you sure? Sabine's face contorted in confusion and a flash of recognition. She stumbled over her words, "Nu?" What? Although it wasn"t a perfect translation she understood what Shin was trying to say.
  
  
  
  "Gar vemanar? Ni"slanar."
  
  
  
  I"ll leave? Sabine responded hesitantly, "Nayc. Ke"mot!" No wait. Stop. Wait and explain to me where you learned that.
  
  
  
  With a sly, fleeting smirk, Shin pivoted gracefully and left the dim prison cell. Sabine was left reeling, the weight of their exchange lingering heavy in the air. She keeled over, placing her hands on her knees. With measured breaths she glared at the sealed door. She was in way over her head.
  
  
  
  The gamble Sabine had taken was shaping up to be a questionable decision at best. The mere thought of the Nightsisters sent a chill down her spine, their eerie presence forever linked to tales of possession and manipulation. The unnerving thought that she might once again be stripped of her agency and made to perform actions against her will lurked at the back of her mind.
  
  
  
  Additionally, there was the enigma of Shin. What was the meaning behind that sustained, penetrating look they shared aboard the drop ship? In that brief yet profound moment, as they journeyed through a foreign galaxy and descended upon a new planetary landscape, Sabine found herself locked in a silent exchange. The cool, inquisitive blue of Shin"s eyes bore into the warm, defiant brown of Sabine"s, a dance of challenge and curiosity.
  
  
  
  It was abundantly clear that Shin took a certain delight in testing Sabine's mettle, perhaps even enjoying the game of cat and mouse they found themselves in. Sabine was no stranger to such tactics, and while she might have been momentarily caught off guard, she was far from naive. Driven by her indomitable spirit and unwavering pride, she refused to be bested easily, vowing to match Shin's moves at every turn.
  
  
  
  Pulling herself to her feet, albeit with a slight tremble betraying her underlying emotions, Sabine took a moment to gaze out onto the vast landscape of Peridea. The barren stretch of land, devoid of the comforting presence of trees, might not have offered much in terms of visual stimulation, but there was a certain stark beauty to its expansive horizons.
  
  
  
  A subtle tremor abruptly disrupted the cell's ambient stillness, coursing through the floor beneath her feet. Sabine's attention immediately veered toward the doorway as it creaked open just enough to permit the entry of a seemingly age-worn plate. Its surface bore the marks of time, and upon it rested a scant assortment of provisions.
  
  
  
  As she hastily moved closer to the aperture, Sabine's sharp eyes caught the fleeting sight of those distinct icy blue irises that vanished as abruptly as they appeared when the door sealed shut. The familiar hue resonated with memories of prior encounters.
  
  
  
  "Di"kutla!" Sabine's exclamation echoed in the confined space. So idiotic. There was nothing in response. Maybe Shin wasn"t familiar with the term. Staring down at the food, Sabine sighed and grabbed the plate.
  
  
  
  She then diverted her gaze to the humble offering before her. The plate bore a sparse meal, but hunger wasn't particularly picky. Taking a moment to register her predicament, she exhaled deeply, her sigh heavy with a blend of exasperation and resignation. She tentatively reached out, fingers wrapping around the plate's cool rim.
  
  
  
  Yet, even as she bit aggressively into the uninviting texture of the stale bread, her thoughts were consumed not by her current meal but by the enigmatic figure beyond her cell. Shin's blue eyes - seemingly bottomless pools of intensity and inquisition - continued to linger in her mind. With a muffled huff, Sabine tried to dispel the intrusive thought, focusing instead on the meager meal at hand.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Thank you for giving this a read! It's so fun to write!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 3: Energy
  Notes:
  Thank you all for the feedback and kudos. For context this chapter is my version of what could've happened if Sabine chased after Shin when Thrawn withdrew his troops episode 7. I really hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Baylan's suspicions about Elsbeth had been spot on. Now, Shin was abandoned, alone in a world where even supposed allies, like Thrawn, seemed to harbor hidden intentions that didn't factor in her or Baylan's well-being. As she sped away on her howler, the biting sting of tears blurred her vision, each droplet leaving a trail down her face. She sniffed defiantly, attempting to keep her emotions in check. But the biting cold of the wind felt like a slap against her already pallid complexion, making her feel as though every ounce of warmth had been drained from her, leaving an inner void.
  
  
  
  To add to her misery, she had been outmatched by Ahsoka, even when the latter was without her trusted lightsaber. The weight of that defeat bore down on Shin, and what made it more unbearable was Sabine's unwavering gaze fixed on Shin's cerulean eyes throughout the ordeal. Every glance felt like an indictment, a jolt to her pride.
  
  
  
  The trio - the young Bridger, Ahsoka, and Sabine - stood united, their camaraderie evident. It was like watching a picture-perfect family, their unity mocking Shin, making her question every decision she ever made.
  
  
  
  As the howler began to decelerate, Shin rubbed away the tear streaks on her face. What could they possibly understand about her? They hadn't seen the struggles she had faced, the challenges she had overcome over the long years. As the wind whipped her hair into a frenzy, her braid lashed against her nape. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head in contemplation.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Shin tried to tap into the Force, hoping to discern Baylan's path. Yet, there was a void, an absence of his familiar presence. Had he intentionally shielded himself from her? It seemed he was heading somewhere he didn't want her, or anyone else, to tread. A sharp twinge shot through her heart, resonating within her chest, and she found herself absently wiping her nose as the howler paced steadily forward.
  
  
  
  "Hey!"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes fluttered for a brief moment, yet she resolutely kept her focus on the dimming hues of the setting sun. She made a silent vow not to turn around, not to grant the satisfaction of acknowledgment.
  
  
  
  "Is that all you've got?"
  
  
  
  The sharp rebuke made Shin's jaw clench involuntarily. Even without looking, she knew all too well the identity of the person spewing venom from behind. Determined, she urged herself to maintain her course, hoping to distance herself from the persistent, hot-headed, and volatile pursuer.
  
  
  
  "You can't run from it! I won! Admit it!"
  
  
  
  The sheer audacity of the challenge forced Shin to a stop. With gritted teeth, she gracefully dismounted her howler, taking a deep, measured breath. Her heart thudded loudly, its rhythm one she only became aware of when confronted by the triumphant and fiery brown eyes that gleamed in self-satisfaction.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Three on one? That"s hardly a fair fight," she countered, dismissing the boast with a casual flick of her wrist.
  
  
  
  Sabine, smirking with unabashed glee, slid off her howler with the practiced ease of a seasoned rider. Maintaining a cautious gap between them, her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her saber, ready for any eventuality. Somewhere far behind them, Ahsoka and Ezra were engrossed in conversation with Huyang and the Noti, plotting their next move. Sabine seized this prime opportunity to confront Shin, eager to claim her moment of glory.
  
  
  
  "Your Master... where is he?" Sabine inquired, an arched eyebrow hinting at both curiosity and challenge.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated for a mere second, then defiantly jutted out her chin. "He's occupied elsewhere," she retorted with a hint of pride, trying to maintain a façade of indifference.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze swept over the vast and desolate tundra that stretched out before them. "You seem awfully alone for someone with such important company," she remarked with a playful smirk. "Are you sure you wouldn"t consider... allying with us?"
  
  
  
  Shin glanced sideways, her eyes fixed on the vanishing horizon. Every fiber of her being was on high alert, especially with Sabine standing so close. The vibrant hues of her brown eyes, the striking purple locks, and her flawless complexion made it hard for Shin to focus. She couldn"t help but be overwhelmed by her presence. Despite lacking any connection with the Force, Sabine had an uncanny ability to unnerve her.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin retorted sharply, her voice edged with defiance. "I carve my own path."
  
  
  
  But Sabine was relentless. "Back on the Eye, you asked if I needed anything," she persisted, not allowing Shin to distance herself from the topic.
  
  
  
  Shin stiffened, maintaining her erect posture. Her eyes locked onto Sabine's, challenging yet seeking. "Times have changed," she responded coldly. "The Eye is behind us now."
  
  
  
  "Then listen to me," Sabine interjected, her voice laden with genuine concern. "Stay away from Thrawn. I wouldn"t go back."
  
  
  
  A frown creased Shin"s forehead, and she tilted her head slightly. "I'm not one to be commanded by you," she replied, her voice icy, underscored by the cold gust that momentarily intensified between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled audibly, her frustration evident. Rolling her eyes, she gestured expansively. "Would you prefer it be the other way around?" she posed.
  
  
  
  A flutter of Shin"s stomach prompted her to take a step backward. Though she tried to mask her apprehension, her body's instinctive reactions betrayed her. "Perhaps it's best if you departed," she replied tersely.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression was an array of emotions - a fleeting glimpse of anger, a shadow of disappointment, and an undercurrent of another emotion that Shin couldn"t quite place. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she briefly closed her eyes, seeking guidance from the Force to understand what lay behind Sabine"s enigmatic gaze.
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice, laced with a hint of challenge, broke the silence. "If you want me gone, why bother trying to figure me out?"
  
  
  
  As Shin"s eyes slowly opened, she was taken aback by Sabine"s proximity. The distance between them had shrunk dramatically, with only a breath's space separating the two. The distant hum of Shin"s idling howler served as a quiet reminder of her isolation. An intriguing mix of planetary and floral aromas wafted from Sabine, punctuated with the unmistakable tang of sweat - the byproduct of determination and exertion.
  
  
  
  With her chin tilted defiantly upwards, Sabine pressed on, "On the drop ship, why did you stare at me?" Even though Shin had the literal height advantage, at that moment, Sabine stood taller, empowered by her earlier triumph.
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off-guard, Shin pondered her response. Sabine deserved an answer, and Shin would have to articulate her sentiments with care. "Pure curiosity," Shin finally responded, her voice a tranquil mask, hiding the tumult of her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Just what are you curious about?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated for a moment before confessing, "Your bond with the Bridger boy - Ezra. You appeared so intent on finding him, so dedicated." She closed her mouth quickly, realizing she might have revealed too much.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Jealous?" she teased.
  
  
  
  A fiery warmth quickly spread across Shin"s face, much to her annoyance. "And why would I be?" she snapped back. "He"s got more hair than sense and has the appeal of a Hutt."
  
  
  
  The incredulous laugh that escaped Sabine was unexpected. "A Hutt? Really?" She shook her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Well, if that's your opinion... then good luck in this vast wilderness." Sabine spread her arms to emphasize the expansive tundra around them.
  
  
  
  Yet, a burning question still lingered in Shin"s mind. "Do your feelings for him run deep?" she asked, taking a hesitant step closer.
  
  
  
  Sabine met her gaze squarely. "I love him," she declared without hesitation.
  
  
  
  A heavy weight settled in Shin's chest, like molten lead, and a searing pain threatened to consume her. She took a shaky breath, trying to mask her unexpected heart thump. "I see," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
  
  
  
  However, Sabine, now learning the subtlest of shifts in Shin's demeanor, recognized the raw vulnerability in the other woman's voice, a tone she never imagined she'd hear from someone as formidable as Shin. Taking a moment, Sabine sighed, "I love him like family. Like a brother. There's nothing romantic between us."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze met Sabine's, a silent query dancing in the cerulean depths of her eyes, seeking authenticity in Sabine's words. With an almost involuntary motion, her eyes meandered over Sabine"s face, drifting down her graceful neck, briefly hesitating on the colourful beskar armor, and finally settling with intent on her abdomen.
  
  
  
  "Hmm," Sabine murmured, seemingly anticipating the unspoken question. Deliberately, she hitched up her shirt, while her other hand tugged the waistband of her pants down just a smidgen, revealing a hint of flesh. The stark contrast of the chilled atmosphere against her skin caused a reflexive shudder to ripple through her. "Your handiwork," she pointed out, her voice laced with a mix of accusation and pride from her resilience.
  
  
  
  Captivated by the sight of the scar, Shin's lips curled up ever so slightly. "You survived, didn"t you?" she countered.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a derisive huff, delicately tracing the contoured line of the scar. "Why didn't you finish the job?" she pressed.
  
  
  
  A slow blink was Shin's only initial reaction, but the temptation of the aged injury was too alluring to resist. She was a breath away from reaching out when she murmured, "Sparring with you... it has its charms."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s fingers instinctively brushed against her lightsaber, her jaw setting, the taste of their rivalry resurfacing. Yet before her fingers could disengage the weapon, a soft touch - deceptively gentle - pressed into the heated skin of her abdomen, staking a claim.
  
  
  
  "Stop," Sabine hissed, her fingers wrapping around Shin's wrist with urgency. "You need to ask."
  
  
  
  Drawing even closer so their bodies nearly melded, Shin whispered, "Why?" The void that often consumed her seemed to ebb in Sabine's presence.
  
  
  
  Sabine tightened her grip, an attempt to regain some semblance of control, but the effort was in vain. "For permission," she retorted tersely.
  
  
  
  The rapid pulse of Shin's heart resonated in her ears, and an electrifying sensation coursed through her skin at the proximity to Sabine's perspiration-slicked flesh. She exhaled a shaky breath, "Fine... Can I touch?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s sharp eyes flashed defiantly even as she tried to pull her shirt back into place. With an unexpected swiftness, Shin's other arm coiled around Sabine's slender waist, drawing her closer. "You bitch," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Raising an eyebrow, Shin suppressed a smirk. "Is this how you welcome potential allies?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s voice was little more than a whisper, laden with tension, "I"m rethinking the invitation."
  
  
  
  For a heartbeat, time seemed to still as Shin took a profound breath, trying to encapsulate every essence of Sabine. The lure of continuing their intimate confrontation was strong, yet Shin could sense a delicate yearning within Sabine - a longing for a tender moment. But Shin's desires ran deeper. When the time was right, she intended to explore them fully.
  
  
  
  Backing away slightly, her gaze still locked on Sabine, Shin"s voice dripped with curiosity. "You sought me out in this vast expanse... just to revel in your victory?"
  
  
  
  With a swift motion, Sabine readjusted her garments and snapped her armor into place. "No sabers or the Force," she declared, raising her fists and punching the air, the motion filled with anticipation. Her eyes sparkled with a playful challenge as she beckoned Shin closer.
  
  
  
  Casting a sidelong glance at Sabine, Shin felt a tension between weariness and anticipation tighten her muscles. This entire situation was eroding her strength, and the recent events certainly hadn"t put her in an optimal position to go toe-to-toe with the seasoned Mandalorian. But seeing that emerging smirk on Sabine's face was beginning to grate on her.
  
  
  
  "Do you ever get tired of ending up on your back, courtesy of me?" Shin taunted.
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was a light, amused chuckle as she shifted into a ready stance, the confidence evident in her posture. "Cold feet already?" she countered with a smirk.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin gracefully settled into her own fighting pose, displaying the elegance and fluidity of her training. Her voice was a mixture of playful and serious as she asked, "What do I stand to gain if I best you?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes flashed with surprise and amusement as she considered the proposition. "What do you want?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Shin"s smirk grew sly, her eyes glinting mischievously. "A one-way ticket out of this desolate wasteland."
  
  
  
  With a nod, Sabine glanced over her shoulder. Ahsoka and the others were far back in the distance. "Okay," she replied and mulled over what she"d want if she won the fight. "And if I win I want you to tell me about yourself. How you know basic Mando"a, for example."
  
  
  
  "There"s nothing to say."
  
  
  
  "I disagree."
  
  
  
  As Shin's adrenaline surged, her fist rocketed towards Sabine. However, Sabine, with her swift reflexes, parried the strike, her gaze hardened with steely resolve. The surrounding environment seemed to come alive with their tension, the wind howling with increased fervor and the very atmosphere crackling with the electricity of their duel.
  
  
  
  A voice in Shin's mind constantly reminded her to suppress her innate connection to the Force. Every time Sabine landed a blow, the temptation to employ her otherworldly powers grew stronger. But she knew, if she succumbed, even for a split second, she would be breaking their set rules and that would mean conceding defeat. Droplets of sweat trailed down her spine as she danced around Sabine's blows, narrowly evading a swift kick aimed at her temple.
  
  
  
  Taking advantage of a fleeting moment of distraction, Sabine connected her fist with Shin's jaw. The impact of the punch sent Shin reeling back a few steps. Sensing her upper hand, Sabine advanced, her strikes becoming swifter and more relentless. With every step, her confidence grew.
  
  
  
  "Give up!" Sabine shouted, her voice echoing over the cold expanse.
  
  
  
  Shin, with deft movement, caught one of Sabine"s furious punches, halting her momentum. Time seemed to slow as their eyes met. An electrifying tension, thick enough to be cut with a knife, hung between them as they stood motionless in the frozen wasteland. Gathering her strength, Shin prepared to deliver a knee strike to Sabine's midsection.
  
  
  
  Before either of them could make a move, a startling burst of electric energy crackled between their intertwined forms. Drawn into its dazzling allure, they remained momentarily paralyzed, captivated by the radiant display that intensified with every passing second.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice, tinged with a hint of fear, broke the trance. "What have you done?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze, now a piercing shade of gold, met Shin's. "You think this is me?" she countered, her grip on Shin tightening, fingers digging into her flesh. "This feels like the Force, so stop!"
  
  
  
  Shin's voice rose in panic, "I swear, this isn't my doing!"
  
  
  
  "Then what the hell is happening?" Sabine"s voice shook with a blend of fear and anger.
  
  
  
  "Mandalorian tricks!" Shin accused.
  
  
  
  The luminescent energy began to spiral, its vibrant tendrils circling the two women, sending an exhilarating chill through their bones. Overwhelmed, Shin released her grip on Sabine, leaping away to put some distance between them. As swiftly as it had appeared, the spectacle dissipated, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
  
  
  
  Catching her breath, Sabine, her face pale, glanced at her trembling hands. "I need to leave," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. No. It would be a grave mistake to ally with Shin. Too much unpredictability.
  
  
  
  Desperately trying to make sense of the inexplicable event, Shin's mind raced. But nothing seemed to add up. Her voice, hollow yet resolute, echoed back, "Yes, you should."
  
  
  
  Sabine huffed and swallowed, then looked up from her hands. "Tell me how you know Mando"a," she demanded.
  
  
  
  Shin tilted her head slightly and smirked. "Farewell, Sabine."
  
  
  
  Staggering slightly as her name flowed from Shin"s lips, Sabine fought to maintain her balance. A tingling sensation coursed through her, leaving her questioning the nature of the Force powers Shin might have wielded. Yet amidst her confusion, a profound flutter stirred within her, kindling a silent wish to hear Shin utter her name once more, no matter how distant that moment might lie.
  
  
  
  But for now, Shin was gone.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Hope you enjoyed! Something is cooking between the two. From here on the story will continue with Sabine and Shin's journey on Peridea together with plenty of shenanigans. I'm working on chapter 8 right now so lots more to come! And those of you who are super knowledgeable Star Wars fans I'm so sorry if I've botched anything I'm trying lol.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 4: Thoughts
  Notes:
  I truly appreciate all the comments, kudos and anyone reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Everything is post episode 8 now right where Shin finds the bandits.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin lowered her saber with a controlled movement. Her piercing gaze settled on the bandits appearing in the distance. A poignant twinge in her stomach, reminiscent of her recent farewell to Sabine, still resonated within the depths of her being. An enigmatic energy that had briefly sparked between them lingered in her thoughts, heavy and consuming. Yet, deep down, she surmised that Sabine was no longer within reach.
  
  
  
  She envisioned Sabine returning to Ezra Bridger, seeking refuge on the Eye, safely ensconced in their familiar galaxy. As Shin's steps drew her closer to the bandits, her jaw tightened, her resolve evident. These creatures, no doubt, were privy to her formidable abilities, fully aware of the lethal force she could unleash if provoked.
  
  
  
  However, her immediate needs were pragmatic: sustenance, potable water, and shelter. The barren landscape stretching before her painted a stark picture of her impending exile, a self-imposed isolation that could last an indeterminable period. How she wished she could reach out to her Master, seek his counsel. Yet, a daunting barrier obscured his presence in the Force, serving as a stark admonition. The message was clear: he had chosen solitude and did not wish to be sought.
  
  
  
  Engaging with the rough-edged bandits was far from a pleasant experience for Shin. Their mannerisms and crude communication style were grating, to say the least. However, they recognized her needs and in relatively short order, she found herself ushered to a solitary tent that, albeit modest, promised to provide the essentials she sought. Offering a nod of acknowledgment to a figure that exuded authority, likely the leader of this ragtag assembly, Shin cautiously ventured inside.
  
  
  
  The interior was a testament to improvisation. Everything looked hastily assembled, held together by sheer will and a few sturdy knots. Off to the corner stood a wood-burning stove, its rustic design suggesting it had seen many a cold night. Nearby, a rudimentary table bore silent witness to countless meals, while a lone bed, draped in an assortment of animal pelts, beckoned with the promise of rest.
  
  
  
  Shin absentmindedly rubbed her face, pausing momentarily to cast a wary glance over her shoulder, ensuring her solitude. With a heavy sigh, she felt her shoulders slump forward, the weight of her thoughts pressing down. After placing her belongings carefully to one side, she allowed herself a moment's respite, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. Drawing her hands up, she buried her face within them, taking a deep breath as she fought the stinging sensation threatening her eyes. These were vulnerable moments she"d only have when alone.
  
  
  
  Questions danced on the periphery of her mind. Had Sabine seen the raw emotion Shin had tried so hard to hide? Did she even care about Shin's vulnerability? And if she did, what difference would it make? A sniffle escaped as Shin attempted to regain her composure, her fingers instinctively combing through her hair.
  
  
  
  But amidst her swirling emotions, the memory of that uncanny energy resurfaced. Could it have been a crafty Mandalorian ruse? To Shin, their arsenal - rockets, flamethrowers, repulsors - were mere parlor tricks. Yet, she couldn't help but ponder if this was another innovative defense mechanism that Sabine had designed, specifically to counter Shin's prowess.
  
  
  
  It was Sabine who had pursued her with a smirk dancing on her lips, seemingly just to revel in the thrill of the chase. It was Sabine who had, in a surprising turn of events, proposed they settle their differences with fists rather than sabers. And most puzzling of all, it was Sabine who had shown a genuine interest in unraveling the enigma that was Shin. Why? Shin struggled with the question. She felt she was a straightforward book, and to a rival like Sabine Wren, what good would sharing her pages do?
  
  
  
  Retreating further into the tent, Shin's back collided with the rigid headboard as she sought a momentary escape from her tumultuous thoughts. Her gaze fixed on the modest opening of the tent across the room, contemplating her newfound position of power. The bandits outside, as rugged and tough as they might seem, wouldn't dare cross her. They knew the Force she wielded, and she'd ensure they remembered it. In this desolation, she'd assume a role of dominance, bending them to her every whim and desire. While it wasn"t the company she'd choose, it was a comforting thought knowing they'd serve as a makeshift shield in the harsh environment.
  
  
  
  With a resigned sigh, Shin slipped beneath the coarse furs, letting them envelop her against the creeping chill. An involuntary shiver shot up her spine as she drew her knees close, cocooning herself from the world outside. Her body eased into a state of fatigue, eyelids growing heavy and her breathing becoming rhythmic. For a fleeting moment, she yearned for the solace of emptiness in her mind.
  
  
  
  Yet, as she tried to detach herself, a persistent emotional torrent continued its assault. Each heartbeat seemed to echo reminders of the people and moments that had marked her journey. Drawing a deep, steadying breath, she pushed away the haunting thoughts of Baylan's departure. There was the lurking possibility that Thrawn and others were long gone. And the more she reflected, the clearer it became: forging an alliance with the bandits and exploring the unknown terrains of Peridea might just be her best shot at enduring the challenges that lay ahead.
  
  
  
  Shin had always believed in her might. The universe had taught her that with unparalleled strength came the privilege to carve her path, to have every whim and desire met without question.
  
  
  
  Yet now, as she clenched the fur beneath her in a tight grip, a vivid image she hadn't invited nor anticipated crept into her consciousness: Sabine.
  
  
  
  Their initial encounter at the comm tower was unlike any Shin had experienced before. Sabine, with her fierce determination, had been swift to ignite her emerald-hued saber without a moment's hesitation. There was no attempt at mediation, no casual banter, and certainly no inclination to flee. This was in stark contrast to young Bridger, who, when faced with a challenge, had chosen captivity over confrontation. Sabine, however, seemed to thrive on combat, choosing battle over diplomacy every time.
  
  
  
  A mirthless chuckle escaped Shin's lips as she futilely tried to divert her mind, to summon memories or thoughts unrelated to Sabine Wren. To dwell on the image of an adversary was a self-betrayal Shin refused to accept.
  
  
  
  However, tonight was different. Tonight, she sought solace, a means to lull her restless mind into sleep. And if the thought of Sabine, a figure she presumed she would never cross paths with again, granted her that fleeting peace, then perhaps, just for this night, it was an indulgence she could permit herself.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The rhythmic sound of the Noti chattering surrounded Sabine, their voices creating a harmonious backdrop against the stillness of the night. They engaged in animated discussions, their tone imbued with both curiosity and caution as they navigated their newfound environment of more tundra. Sabine, in the midst of her new caravan, was bent on a singular mission - gathering an array of twigs, leaves, and whatever combustible materials she could lay her hands on to keep their dwindling campfire and heaters alive.
  
  
  
  As she worked, the ethereal glow of moonlight pierced the thick blanket of night clouds, casting an almost otherworldly illumination over the land. The brilliance of this celestial display was so intense, so tantalizing, that it felt as though the sky were inviting her to reach out and dance amidst the stars.
  
  
  
  Yet, even with nature's magnificence vying for her attention, an unsettling sensation had taken root in the depths of Sabine's chest. Only moments ago, she felt an indescribable tug, an intuitive feeling that someone, or perhaps something, was lurking just beyond the thicket. It wasn't a malevolent sensation; rather, it was as if a guardian spirit had chosen to watch over her. This unseen protector seemed to whisper promises, not just of her safety, but assurance that Ahsoka too would be shielded from harm.
  
  
  
  Despite the reassurance this ethereal presence provided, Sabine found herself momentarily distracted. She looked down to find her hands filled with the assorted twigs and sticks she had gathered. The realization dawned upon her - here she was, stranded on an alien planet with rich histories but seemingly devoid of a future. As the chill of the night began to seep into her bones, she felt the coolness kiss her cheeks, drawing away the warmth from her skin. Almost instinctively, she brought her hands together, rubbing them briskly in a desperate attempt to savor the fleeting warmth of the campfire.
  
  
  
  Time was of the essence. The Noti pods, their primary means of transportation, lay in disrepair. It was an arduous task to mend them, and until they were operational, mobility was limited. The danger of remaining stationary in such a location was not lost on Sabine. This unfamiliar world teemed with threats. Bandits and other enigmatic entities undoubtedly prowled its landscapes.
  
  
  
   And, of course, the omnipresent shadows of Baylan and Shin loomed large in her mind. Their intentions, their plans, remained shrouded in mystery. But one thing was abundantly clear to Sabine: If they remained on the planet, letting her guard down was not an option. It was a game of survival, and she was determined to come out on top.
  
  
  
  Shin, with her enigmatic presence and talent, posed a source of constant apprehension for Sabine. Each of their encounters, fraught with tension and unspoken words, left a myriad of unanswered questions swirling in Sabine's mind. While they had bid each other farewell, a sensation Sabine couldn't quite pinpoint lingered on, making her question whether their paths were truly destined never to cross again. The haunting allure of Shin's vivid blue eyes, which seemed to possess the uncanny ability to delve deep into Sabine"s very essence, refused to fade from memory.
  
  
  
  As the cold, crisp air enveloped Sabine, she took a sharp breath, feeling it sting her lungs with its icy touch. Memories of their last confrontation came flooding back. The mysterious energy that had intervened during their physical duel wasn"t a product of Sabine"s own capabilities. Instead, she was convinced it was some concealed technique Shin had employed, perhaps to gain an edge. It perplexed Sabine, this hidden layer to Shin that she hadn't fully understood. Despite her reluctance to admit it, part of her was intrigued, maybe even captivated, by the enigma that was Shin.
  
  
  
  But she quickly chided herself for such thoughts. How could there be anything remotely admirable about someone she considered a foe? Determinedly, Sabine took a moment to center herself, pushing aside these perplexing feelings and focusing on the present, trying to silence the disconcerting rhythm of her own heart.
  
  
  
  "Lost in thought?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's attention was abruptly snapped back to her surroundings as she heard the familiar voice. She turned to see Ahsoka drawing near with a playful yet concerned expression in her eyes. A momentary shock caused Sabine to react with a brief startle, her lips curving into a slightly sheepish smile.
  
  
  
  "Oh you know, just wondering if there"s a poncho shop around," she admitted, her tone light and teasing. "I need a new one."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips tugged into a knowing smirk, her gaze gentle yet piercing. "I'm well aware that today pushed us both to our limits," she responded, her voice tinged with warmth. "But, trust me, our current situation, as challenging as it might seem, is exactly where the fates intended for us to be."
  
  
  
  Rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, Sabine spread her arms, gesturing to their surroundings. "Oh, absolutely," she responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Exploring an alien planet with unpredictable dangers at every turn? Definitely on my bucket list."
  
  
  
   Ahsoka heaved a deep sigh, her gaze steady and contemplative. "Your wit aside," she began, pausing momentarily to ensure her point hit home, "our training remains of paramount importance. I have faith that an exit strategy from this place exists. As to its nature and timing, that's a mystery even to me."
  
  
  
  Sabine's playful demeanor shifted slightly, replaced by a furrowed brow that indicated her mounting frustration and confusion. She wet her lips, searching for the right words. "What"s that supposed to mean?" she pressed, her voice laced with suspicion.
  
  
  
  With a graceful lift of her shoulder in a half-shrug, Ahsoka remained enigmatic. "While I possess a deep well of intuition, definitive answers elude me. All I can say is that clarity tends to dawn when least expected."
  
  
  
  Sabine's reply was a skeptical hum. She bent down, assisting a Noti in positioning a pot over the steadily burning campfire. As she straightened up, she shot Ahsoka a sidelong glance, mischief evident in her eyes. "How abouuuut giving me a week off from training?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was swift and unequivocal. "No chance."
  
  
  
  "Ugh!"
  
  Notes:
  It won't be long until Shin and Sabine run into one another again next chapter. Thank you for reading it means a lot to me!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 5: Boulder and a Bush
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  The sun bore down on Sabine, its rays drenching her in sweat. Strands of her vibrant hair clung to her forehead, darkened and heavy with moisture. Each step she took felt like wading through molasses; her limbs protesting in fatigue from the day's strenuous activities. A month had come and gone, but every day was a merciless repetition: hours of intense training under Ahsoka's watchful eye.
  
  
  
  Blinking the sweat from her eyes, Sabine paused for a breath, steadying herself. Her gaze fixed on the immense boulder a few feet away. Its shadow loomed mockingly, almost as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on her.
  
  
  
  After this, her tasks were no less daunting. Gathering firewood, fishing in the nearby pond, and scouring the tundra for the bitter fruits and sharp-tasting herbs that this alien world offered. At this weary moment, she mused, perhaps wrestling with the obstinate boulder was a welcome distraction.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka stood a distance away, an expression of both pride and expectation. She tilted her head slightly, arms folded across her chest in an authoritative stance. "Time is ticking, Sabine," she called out with a hint of challenge in her voice. "Whether you spend the next hour wrestling this boulder or merely a minute, your duties still await."
  
  
  
  Grumbling internally, Sabine gritted her teeth, her resolve steeled. The gentle rustling of the grass and the soothing breeze offered a fleeting respite, cooling her fiery skin. With a determined grunt, she summoned her energy and strength, pushing the boulder into its desired position. In her heart, she mused how aiding Ezra in his leap to the Chimera seemed like child's play compared to this seemingly insurmountable task with the unyielding rock. But with one final push, it moved into place. Yet, before she could celebrate, Ahsoka's hand rose, signaling the end of the session.
  
  
  
  Exhaustion swept over Sabine, causing her to stagger and collapse to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Each inhalation felt like a battle, her lungs straining for every ounce of oxygen.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, unyielding and stern, didn"t miss a beat while observing Sabine. "Once you"ve completed the chores," she said, emphasizing each word, "you will actually sit in meditation tonight."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled heavily, a sound of exasperation escaping her in a gust. Slowly shaking her head, she looked up at Ahsoka with a mixture of fatigue and confusion. "Why am I training so hard?" she queried. "It"s been quiet for weeks. No bandits. Nothing."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze was distant, lost in the undulating waves of the grassy plains. The setting sun painted a melancholic hue as the blades danced to the tune of the gentle breeze. "Exactly," Ahsoka responded with an air of gravity. "The stillness, the silence, it's unsettling. Weren"t you caught off guard by those bandits during your search for Ezra?"
  
  
  
  Hauling herself up with some effort, Sabine brushed off the dirt and debris clinging to her attire. She met Ahsoka's gaze defiantly. "I was," she admitted, her chin held high, "but I also held my ground and beat them."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka looked Sabine straight in the eyes, her expression serious. "Here, in this place, our aim isn"t just to beat our opponents," she began, emphasizing each word.
  
  
  
  Sabine arched an eyebrow, her fatigue evident but curiosity piqued. "Then what's the goal?"
  
  
  
  After a pause, Ahsoka replied with an intensity, "It's to demonstrate our prowess to such a degree that any potential adversary thinks twice. To make clear that challenging us would be more trouble than it"s worth."
  
  
  
  Sabine, brushing a stray hair from her sweaty forehead, pondered over Ahsoka's words. She took a moment, tasting the salty tang of her own perspiration. "Alright. Maybe that"s why they haven"t come by. The two of us? Why even bother trying."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded firmly. "Precisely. We're sending a silent message: Don't even think about it. But let's not grow complacent. Our ship," she added, her tone growing darker, "is a gem in the eyes of many. There's no doubt in my mind they'll be tempted to lay their hands on it eventually."
  
  
  
  Casting a weary eye at the ship nestled close to the Noti camp, a tug of agreement panged in Sabine"s heart. With a huff, she gave a little kick to a stray rock at her feet, her thoughts already turning to her task of gathering firewood for the evening. Her faithful howler, always eager for interaction, nudged her playfully. She responded with a gentle touch to its soft muzzle and the ticklish spot beneath its chin. As if understanding her need, the howler bounded away, returning triumphantly with a decent-sized, dried log held high like a prized trophy.
  
  
  
  Later, accompanied by a small band of Noti, Sabine found herself at the edge of a pond, sifting through the water in search of anything that might pass for food. The local fauna and flora of this climate were far from gourmet, but they were sustenance. As she squished through the wet mud, she daydreamed of possibly finding a more favorable locale to the south. But that was a dream for another day. For now, Ahsoka had deemed it necessary to stay grounded.
  
  
  
  The coolness of the pond was a welcome relief against her aching muscles. Every movement reminded her of the day's exertions, the weight of her damp clothes clinging to her form. Nevertheless, with some effort, she managed to snag a handful of crustaceans and other pond treats, much to the enthusiastic cheers of the Noti. Amid the laughter and banter, Sabine"s thoughts drifted to the prospect of a warm, soothing bath later.
  
  
  
  But that reverie was short-lived. A sudden rustling from a distant thicket had her on high alert. Setting her gathered bucket down, she studied the distant treeline, the gentle sway of grass not aligning with the calm breeze. Her instincts sharpened, and she discreetly readied her blaster.
  
  
  
  "Get the food back to camp," she commanded in a hushed, urgent tone, her eyes still fixed on the suspect movement. The Noti, sensing the gravity of her voice, hastened to obey, leaving Sabine alone to confront whatever - or whoever - lurked nearby.
  
  
  
  With a sharp, commanding whistle, Sabine summoned her trusty howler. It trotted to her side, a certain playfulness in its demeanor. The creature's big eyes blinked at her, and for a moment, there seemed to be a conversation taking place between the two-a silent understanding.
  
  
  
  "Don't even think about leaving me behind, Tota," she warned the creature playfully, yet with a hint of seriousness in her tone. The howler responded with a soft whine, its body language exuding an understanding of the situation's gravity. Her thoughts drifted to her precious lothcat, Murley. Hopefully Jai and Ryder were keeping an eye on her pet. "Something"s over there," Sabine added, pointing to the dense brush up ahead.
  
  
  
  She expertly mounted the howler, her every movement indicative of their long-standing partnership. Drawing on her senses, Sabine strained to perceive what lay beyond her immediate vision as she maneuvered around the pond. The warm, golden hue of the sun began to fade, giving way to cool shadows that made the landscape ominous.
  
  
  
  The howler, understanding its rider's intent, approached the dense thicket with caution. Its tall stature allowed Sabine a vantage point, but the thorny undergrowth seemed impenetrable, hiding what was lurking within.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, a hauntingly familiar voice broke the silence. "A shame."
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart raced, her grip tightening on the howler's reins. She tried to pinpoint the voice's origin, her eyes darting in every direction. "Show yourself!" she commanded, her voice echoing off the surroundings.
  
  
  
  A taunting reply came, "Soon, all that you have will belong to me."
  
  
  
  Sabine's face contorted and her mouth twisted. She navigated her howler around the perimeter of the thicket, trying to get a better look. "Brave words," she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That won"t happen without your Master." Even though her vision was partially obscured, her instincts painted a clear picture of who was hidden in the undergrowth.
  
  
  
  The voice, full of malice, responded, "Your little group of survivors should comply."
  
  
  
  With a roll of her eyes, Sabine shot back, her voice filled with defiance, "You've never been one to skulk in the shadows. Why start now? Step out and face me."
  
  
  
  The underbrush rustled, drawing Sabine's attention. Out from the twisted mesh of thorns and branches emerged the familiar figure of Shin Hati. She looked every bit the rugged traveler-her attire was frayed and weathered, her platinum hair in a state of wild disarray, and blotches of grime smeared her skin. Yet, despite her weary appearance, the glint of a lightsaber still hung from her side, and her eyes radiated with the same intensity Sabine remembered.
  
  
  
  "Seems your band of misfits couldn't make it back in time," Shin remarked, a hint of mockery in her tone and a tilt to her head.
  
  
  
  Sabine, ever quick-witted, narrowed her eyes. She attempted to reach out with her senses, probing the vicinity for any sign of Baylan. But it was as if the world had gone silent. Shin was here alone. In a twisted way, it made sense; Thrawn was notorious for discarding mercenaries who outlived their usefulness. Align yourself with the dregs of society, and you're bound to be treated as one.
  
  
  
  "Looks like you're in the same boat," Sabine shot back, her tone cool. "All alone, huh?"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes gleamed. "Hardly," she retorted. She struggled to keep her emotions in check, wary of betraying the secrets of her weeks-long mission. She had been busy-scouring terrains, observing, gathering information.
  
  
  
  Sabine, riding atop her howler and feeling a sense of elevation, decided to push her advantage. "Where"s your Master?" she inquired with false sweetness.
  
  
  
  A fleeting smirk crossed Shin's face. "On a quest for the unknown," she replied cryptically before shooting back, "No Bridger?"
  
  
  
  Leaning forward slightly, Sabine's tone became more pointed. She didn"t want Shin to know Ezra wasn"t with them. "Stay away from our camp. You don"t bother us, we won"t bother you."
  
  
  
  With a deliberate motion, Shin clasped her hands behind her back, fingers pressing tightly into her palms. She gazed up at Sabine, and for a brief moment, the sun chose to peer from behind the clouds, illuminating her face with a soft golden hue. Shin pointedly turned away.
  
  
  
  There was a poignant stillness, one that made Sabine take in the fine details of Shin's face-the sharpness of her jawline, the resolve in her eyes. Sabine could feel her grip on the reins of her howler tighten, a subconscious response to the tension in the air. So, she turned away as well.
  
  
  
  Breaking the moment, Shin's voice pierced the silence, her tone contemplative. "To the south of here, there are ruins, or so I"ve heard," she began, her gaze somewhere distant. "It"s overrun by treacherous creatures."
  
  
  
  Sabine frowned, her patience thinning. "What's that got to do with anything?" she retorted, resisting the urge to fully meet Shin"s gaze.
  
  
  
  Shin turned back, a hint of challenge glinting in her eyes. "These creatures, while dangerous, are guarding a wealth of resources. And to access it, I need your equipment. And more importantly, your ship."
  
  
  
  A bark of incredulous laughter escaped Sabine's lips. The whole situation felt surreal. Was this some sort of elaborate joke? Would Ezra suddenly leap from the underbrush, laughing, with Thrawn following with a recorder in hand? Her eyes darted around the clearing, half-expecting this very scenario to play out. But when she met Shin's gaze once more, the reality of the situation bore down on her. Shin's icy blue eyes, unflinching and serious, left no room for doubt. She meant every word.
  
  
  
  "No," Sabine declared firmly, her voice edged with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Go back to whatever hole you"ve made here for yourself."
  
  
  
  Shin considered her for a moment, head slightly tilted in contemplation. "Very well," she said, her tone deceptively calm. "I'll give you three rotations to rethink. By then, I"m sure your Master will have a clearer perspective on the matter."
  
  
  
  The mention of her Master made Sabine"s back straighten, her fingers clutching the reins in her grasp. A gust of wind blew, carrying with it the cool touch of the coming night, rustling Sabine"s hair and garments. "This is a sick joke," she said. "Us being here."
  
  
  
  Shin let out a small, humorless chuckle. "Agreed," she began, eyes narrowing slightly, "this expansive planet feels suffocating with you on it. It's as if you drain the life out of everything around you."
  
  
  
  "Says the person who choked me," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Ignoring the barbed comment, Shin shot Sabine a smirk, her gaze holding a promise and a challenge. With measured steps, she moved past the howler, her silhouette casting a long shadow in the evening light. Over her shoulder, she called, "Three rotations."
  
  
  
  Sabine's grip on the reins tightened momentarily, her mind awash with memories, suspicions, and calculations. The howler beneath her seemed to sense her tension, its muscles twitching slightly beneath her. The creature's rhythmic breathing felt soothing, grounding Sabine in the present moment even as her thoughts spiraled.
  
  
  
  What game was Shin playing? Their history was complicated, a web of rivalry and twisted allegiances. It was infuriating how Shin always managed to keep her off balance, her words cloaked in veiled threats and cryptic messages. And this planet, with its vast landscapes and unfamiliar terrains, only heightened the sense of unpredictability.
  
  
  
  Why did Shin choose now to emerge, when Sabine was already grappling with a thousand other responsibilities? The weight of their history pressed on her heart, memories of duels lost and won, of moments of connection that were then violently severed. And now, Sabine was once again caught in Shin's line of fire.
  
  
  
  She recalled the way Shin's eyes barely met hers during their exchange, that dismissive arrogance. It was a tactic, Sabine knew, meant to unnerve her. If only those icy eyes would soften slightly then maybe... No that would never happen.
  
  
  
  A low groan from her howler shook Sabine from her reverie. She gave the creature a gentle pat, pulling herself back to the present. Three rotations. That wasn't much time to prepare for whatever Shin had in store. With a resolute nod to herself, she decided her next course of action: she'd head back to the camp and brief Ahsoka on the recent developments. They needed a strategy, and they needed it fast.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Thank you for reading!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 6: Not Protocol
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Once Shin had moved to a distance where she felt confident of being beyond Sabine's field of vision, she faltered, bending over slightly to catch her breath. The day was filled with revelations. She had stumbled upon the Noti - who Sabine seemed to have permanently joined during her unplanned stay. But what truly caught Shin's attention was the ship that was still usable.
  
  
  
  And though she tried not to think of it, in a tranquil pond, was Sabine, appearing... tired, fallible, and almost hilariously out of her element while fishing.
  
  
  
  From her concealed vantage point amidst the dense foliage, Shin had watched in stunned disbelief. Likely for too long. Sabine Wren was clumsily splashing in the water, her confidence momentarily displaced. When Sabine took an unintentional dive into the pond, the laughter of the Noti was joined by her own - a sound of genuine amusement and vulnerability. It was a sight Shin hadn't anticipated, and it both amused and bewildered her.
  
  
  
  Shin chalked her observations up to understanding her enemy further.
  
  
  
  This was Sabine Wren, seemingly powerless, devoid of the Force, stranded on this backwater planet, and yet, as the moment revealed, she was still so authentically herself.
  
  
  
  And no Ezra Bridger in sight. Shin would"ve noticed him by now and the lack of his presence had her shoulders lifting and body relaxing. One less opponent to worry herself over. One less person to take up Sabine"s time...
  
  
  
  Rummaging through her supplies, Shin extracted a canteen filled with water. She swiftly uncapped it and took a long, refreshing gulp, trying to process the incongruity of the scene she just witnessed. She swiped away the stray droplets that clung to her lips. Even with the reprieve, an ingrained sense of caution had her glancing over her shoulder, ensuring that Sabine wasn't lurking nearby.
  
  
  
  The familiar hum of the Force around her and sensing no immediate threats, Shin released a slow, contemplative exhale. With measured steps, she began her trek back to her encampment, her thoughts a chaotic whirl of the day's unexpected turns.
  
  
  
  The days Shin spent embedded with the bandits were monotonous. However, there was a silver lining: they heeded her words, treating her with a deference that was a blend of respect and fear. Despite the linguistic challenges they faced, Shin managed to gather precious insights about the planet she now found herself on. The most interesting of these tidbits was the existence of an ancient, abandoned town to the far south-a place blessed by warm sunshine and balmy breezes.
  
  
  
  Yet, as with all things that seemed too good to be true, the town had its dangers, according to the bandits. Ferocious predators roamed its peripheries, deterring all but the most fearless from venturing close. But for Shin, such threats were inconsequential. With the right ship, a handpicked cadre of fighters, and her skills, she could raid the town and stockpile supplies that would last them months. As she weighed her options, the allure of relocating to a more verdant and comfortable region became increasingly attractive. A place where life wasn't just about surviving, but where she could relish the sweetness of a freshly plucked fruit or the thrill of hunting wild game-little joys that would make this imposed exile bearable.
  
  
  
  Thoughts of the past often wandered into her present, casting a bittersweet pallor over her new existence. With Baylan, every day had been an adventure-its unpredictability both exhilarating and taxing. The rewards, however, were generous. Luxurious getaways to Niamos, where they'd laze on sun-kissed beaches, or idyllic sojourns to Naboo's tranquil lake country. Those memories were like cherished gems in her mind's treasure chest. But that life also had its challenges. The nature of their work meant they were constantly on the move. Settling down, forging friendships, or even revealing her true identity was perilous, lest she draw unwanted attention or threats. Such was the paradox of her life: moments of breathtaking beauty juxtaposed with the constant shadows of danger.
  
  
  
  All that didn"t matter anymore.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  "This is not standard Jedi protocol," Huyang exclaimed from within the confines of the T-6 shuttle.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment to process Sabine's recent account, Ahsoka stretched back against the ship's cushioned seating. "This place doesn't adhere to Jedi protocols," she responded, eyes locking onto Sabine's. "Was Shin alone?"
  
  
  
  With a nod, Sabine answered, "I think she was spying." Absentmindedly, her fingers drummed on the table, her gaze settling on an ancient cup she had previously failed to move using the Force. The temptation to test her newly developed prowess and crush it was palpable.
  
  
  
  Huyang's robotic eyes seemed to glow brighter in surprise. "Spying?" he echoed. "To steal our ship from under our noses... under your noses..."
  
  
  
  Waving away the concern with a dismissive gesture, Ahsoka countered, "Even if she wanted to, she's not equipped to do it on her own, not without Baylan by her side. Especially considering her current state."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated for a brief moment before revealing, "She has no idea I can use the Force. Her eyes glinted with determination. "A secret I won"t give up until absolutely necessary."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips curled into an approving smile. "Strategic," she praised.
  
  
  
  Huyang, his mechanical hands gesturing for emphasis, interjected with a pointed reminder, "Isn"t this the same Dark Jedi who grievously wounded you, Lady Wren?" He continued, his tone laced with suspicion, "By all indications, she's laying the groundwork for a trap in a mere three rotations."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka sighed and shook her head in disagreement. "She wasn't acting on her own volition. That girl was merely a pawn, executing commands without question..."
  
  
  
  Huyang cut her off, his voice rising with incredulity, "And you think that justifies her actions?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's hands pressed firmly against the table, the chill of its surface momentarily distracting her from the haunting memory of a lightsaber's scorching blade. Drawing a deep breath, she met Ahsoka's eyes, "Ahsoka," she began. "Back when Thrawn pulled his forces back you said you could help her. What"d you see?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, her gaze distant as if staring through the fabric of time itself, responded, "A maelstrom of emotions: disarray, inner battles, a tumultuous spirit... yet within all that chaos, I sensed a faint glimmer of righteousness."
  
  
  
  Sabine, her brows knitted, pressed on, "And is it enough to meet? What if she manages to take what we have?"
  
  
  
  Huyang, never one to miss an opportunity to voice his opinion, chimed in, "A most pertinent query, indeed!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyes roved the confines of the training chamber. Just a few steps away were the specialized tools necessary for crafting a lightsaber. The room was also home to essential gear, their vital fuel reserves, and the array of personal items that Sabine often rhapsodized about during their quieter moments together. Something about purple eye shadow and its importance.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka leaned forward, her gaze fixed intently on Sabine. "Share your thoughts, Sabine. You've clashed with Shin on more than one occasion. I sense there's an undeniable fascination she has towards you. What do you perceive?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's posture tensed noticeably, and she paused, swallowing hard. Her mind raced, trying to deflect from the myriad of memories that threatened to surface. Could Ahsoka detect the undercurrents of their past encounters? An unbidden blush rose to her cheeks, and she grappled to find her voice amidst the whirl of emotions.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Ahsoka prodded gently, her voice carrying a hint of concern.
  
  
  
  Summoning her resolve, Sabine responded, her words rapid, "She"s impatient, reckless...Ambitious but immature."
  
  
  
  Huyang, observing the exchange, remarked with a wry expression, "A description that rings somewhat familiar, wouldn't you say?"
  
  
  
  "Hah!" Sabine choked out as the image of intense blue eyes crossed her mind. "At least I have a sense of humor."
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Ahsoka cut in. "I"ll attend this meeting by the pond."
  
  
  
  Both Sabine and Huyang exclaimed in unison, "What?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's expression remained serene, her confidence evident. "Am I not the one who sent her flying the other day?" she asked. "Not a saber in hand."
  
  
  
  Sabine muttered something under her breath, her fingers drumming against the table.
  
  
  
  "Let"s see what else she has to say," Ahsoka concluded. "This place she speaks of interests me."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Only one rotation was left until Shin would return to the Noti camp. One more day until she'd see Sabine again... But today she was scoping out a supply crate in the distance that a small band of rival bandits were trying to lay claim to. Word of her presence with the Red armored bandits was spreading across the area so she was surprised that the group would dare attempt to take what belonged to her.
  
  
  
  Examining the situation atop her howler, she cast a sidelong glance at the leader of her tribe, who was now second to her. "How many supply crates did Thrawn leave behind?" she asked.
  
  
  
  The leader, named Kradosh, who was slowly but surely learning to communicate with Shin, pointed in a vast direction. "They"re scattered everywhere since their final departure," he replied. "Some are useless, but others have useful gear."
  
  
  
  The air invigorated Shin as she breathed in. "Let"s go take what"s ours," she stated, hand on her lightsaber hilt.
  
  
  
  The leader trotted around upon his howler and signaled to the warriors nearby. "Lethal or no?" he asked.
  
  
  
  Shin eyed the rival bandits in the distance. They must"ve been desperate if going after the crate. "We take the crate only," Shin answered. "Then they"ll have no choice but to join our group soon enough."
  
  
  
  The leader nodded. "Understood," he replied.
  
  
  
  Closing her eyes for a moment Shin replayed an image of Baylan in her mind. Impatience for victory will guarantee defeat. Over and over again it continued on repeat. The thorny coil in her stomach that wrapped around and around when Ahsoka defeated her with such ease was unforgettable. And the offer to join immediately after? Shin"s hands trembled as she rode forward on her grey howler.
  
  
  
  As they approached the rival bandits, the hum of Shin's lightsaber slicing through the air drew immediate attention. Its glow was alien to them; a technology far removed from their spear-wielding existence. The primitive bandits exchanged nervous glances, clearly disturbed by the shimmering blade. But a silent command from their leader steeled their resolve, and they took their positions, readying their spears.
  
  
  
  The tension in the air was heavy as Shin, flanked by her tribe's warriors, closed the distance. The rival bandits threw their spears with strength and precision, but they were no match for the blinding speed of a lightsaber. Shin gracefully deflected their projectiles, ensuring she didn't inflict lethal harm. Her movements were controlled and methodical, her primary focus being to secure the crate without taking a life.
  
  
  
  She dismounted her howler and approached with a hardened face on foot. It was almost too easy, and her body buzzed with a flush of electricity. Chest puffed out and chin raised high, she continued forward.
  
  
  
  The warriors from the Red tribe engaged the rival bandits, using their blasters and combat skills to disarm and immobilize them. The stark difference between the two groups was evident - while one had the advantage of advanced weaponry and tactical training, the other fought with raw passion and desperation.
  
  
  
  Shin's presence on the battlefield was mesmerizing. Using the Force, she disarmed bandits, sending their spears flying out of their grasp. At times, she'd use a mild Force push to knock them off balance or create a barrier around the supply crate.
  
  
  
  As the skirmish continued, the rivals' numbers dwindled, their initial bravado replaced by the realization that they were fighting a losing battle. However, Shin's merciful approach was evident. Not a single bandit lay fatally injured; instead, they were incapacitated or simply too afraid to continue.
  
  
  
  It didn't take long for the tide to turn in Shin's favor completely. With most of the bandits disarmed or retreating, only one figure remained defiant - their leader.
  
  
  
  He stood tall and imposing, spear in hand, eyes locked onto Shin. In a show of courage or perhaps desperation, he advanced, his every step echoing his determination. But Shin was ready. In one swift motion, she used the Force to pull the spear from his grasp, leaving him defenseless.
  
  
  
  The two stood mere feet apart, the hum of Shin's lightsaber the only sound between them. The bandit leader's eyes displayed a mixture of fear, defiance, and grudging respect. Neither spoke, but the message was clear: Shin was not to be trifled with.
  
  
  
  The standoff seemed to last an eternity, but eventually, Shin extinguished her lightsaber, breaking the tense silence. Without a word, she turned her attention to the supply crate, leaving the bandit leader to stew in his emotions, his gaze never leaving her retreating figure.
  
  
  
  "Go back to your camp," Shin said. "Consider joining us. We"d be stronger together."
  
  
  
  The rival leader huffed and stared down at Shin. He hung his head and glanced at the lost crate he was to return with.
  
  
  
  "Take half the supplies," Shin offered. "I"ll allow it."
  
  
  
  The bandit stood tall and nodded slowly.
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her wrist, and her group began their work. She would soon have a hold over a growing army. An army that would undertake her every whim. It would ensure that she kept busy, alive, and she could show Sabine Wren what she was capable of. Static? She recalled the Mandalorian"s words. Shin would become stronger and better than Sabine could ever be.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh," Shin called out with her chin raised.
  
  
  
  The bandit leader approached. "Yes?"
  
  
  
  "Good work today," Shin praised. "Tomorrow, I expect things will run smoothly."
  
  
  
  "They will."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Between classes and work, writing this fic is my favorite hobby rn haha. I'm ahead working on chapter 11 of this. Thank you again for the kudos, comments and giving my fic a read!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 7: Meetings
  Notes:
  Thank you all so much for your kudos and making time to comment I always look forward to it!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine positioned herself alongside Ahsoka at the edge of the tranquil pond. The day's ambiance was gentle, with only a faint touch of sunlight filtering through, providing a mild embrace of warmth. There were certainly days that boasted more favorably in terms of weather, but the trend indicated a gradual transition towards the comforting embrace of upcoming warmer months.
  
  
  
  Back at camp, Huyang stood on guard, attentively observing their surroundings. He had stationed himself, ensuring that their ship was primed and ready for an immediate departure should any unforeseen situation demand it. The Noti, in their own right, were well-prepared, having made arrangements to swiftly relocate using their specialized pods if the situation deemed it necessary. While nobody hoped for complications, it was an unwritten rule to be prepared for any possible turn of events.
  
  
  
  Sabine's heightened senses were evident in her posture. She meticulously ran her hands down her sides, ensuring the quick accessibility of her blasters. Standing with a determined posture, her fingers instinctively found the hilt of her lightsaber, while she made minor adjustments to her beskar armor for optimal mobility and protection. She took a moment, amidst her mental and physical preparations, to observe Ahsoka.
  
  
  
  The latter exuded an air of serene confidence, her face radiating calm assurance. This demeanor intrigued Sabine; since their arrival in Peridea, she noticed a subtle transformation in Ahsoka, her Master. It was an enigma, a shift in her aura that Sabine pondered upon but couldn"t quite decipher.
  
  
  
  The atmosphere tensed, as if the very essence of the world around them was reacting to an impending encounter. Sabine's keen eyes scanned the horizon, and within a heartbeat, she identified the emerging figures. Prominent among them was Shin, flanked by two members of the notorious Red bandits. They rode atop their fierce howlers, and even from this distance, the glint of their weapons was unmistakably visible.
  
  
  
  Drawing nearer, the trio made a calculated stop by the pond's edge. Without hesitation, Ahsoka voiced her knowledge of their intent. "I"ve been informed of your proposition," she remarked, her voice steady.
  
  
  
  Unable to contain her surge of emotions, Sabine cut in sharply. "What are you now?" she challenged. "Queen of the bandits?"
  
  
  
  Shin, unflustered by the barb, arched an eyebrow and gracefully descended from her howler. Meeting Sabine's fiery gaze with her own icy one, she retorted, "And what about you? Queen of the tiny crabs?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice held a razor's edge as she countered, "At least the Noti are peaceful. Unlike your brutal and violent ways."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, sensing the escalating tension, interjected with a firm rebuke, "Sabine."
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, Sabine suppressed the welling frustration within her. Her gaze, however, never left Shin. The arrogant curve of Shin's smirk was a glaring challenge, almost mocking in its confidence. Every fiber of Sabine's being itched to use the Force, a power she now wielded, to wipe that smirk off the Dark Jedi's face and establish her own dominance. But she knew better than to act impulsively and give up her secret.
  
  
  
  Shin, sensing the charged atmosphere, turned her attention to Ahsoka. "Beyond the tundra is a warmer place, abundant with succulent fruits, a diverse range of game, and valuable resources we could harness," she articulated, painting a vivid picture of the promise the land held.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, her eyes betraying nothing, responded, "And you seek our ship to get there?"
  
  
  
  Maintaining a calculated distance from both Ahsoka and Sabine, Shin nodded. "With your ship, we'd get there swiftly. In gratitude, we'd offer you half of whatever we reap," she promised.
  
  
  
  A thoughtful expression passed over Ahsoka's face as she considered Shin's words. "And the beasts in that territory?"
  
  
  
  Stepping forward from Shin"s side, Kradosh cleared his throat before nodding in confirmation. "Indeed. The last reconnaissance of that land speaks of fierce predators that have claimed it," he shared, his voice carrying an undertone of caution.
  
  
  
  With a contemplative expression, Sabine paused for a moment, running her fingertips along her chin. Her observant eyes darted between Shin and the slightly uneasy-looking bandit leader, Kradosh. "Exactly how long ago was this recon mission?" she probed, her tone dripping with skepticism.
  
  
  
  Kradosh shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. "Several years ago," he reluctantly confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed softly under her breath, shaking her head. "What a joke," she remarked with a hint of derision.
  
  
  
  As Sabine's skepticism hung in the air, Ahsoka began pacing, her steps deliberate and her face a mask of contemplation. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest, she finally broke her silence, "Given the uncertainty, perhaps it's wisest for all of us to explore the area together."
  
  
  
  Hearing Ahsoka's suggestion, Sabine's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. She stared at her mentor, searching for signs that this was some kind of strategy. "You can't be serious?" she exclaimed.
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Ahsoka directed her attention to Kradosh, her gaze piercing. "Tell me, will our abilities serve as a match against these creatures?"
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, Kradosh gave a single, resolute nod. "Most definitely."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka then turned her attention to Shin, whose smirk had now been replaced with a more contemplative look. "And Shin? Your thoughts on this collaboration?"
  
  
  
  With a deliberate attempt to ignore Sabine's glare that was boring into her, Shin responded, her voice measured, "When it comes to facing unknown dangers, the combined strength of two Force users undoubtedly surpasses that of one." She paused, letting the weight of her statement sink in.
  
  
  
  Tension tightened the muscles in Sabine's hands as she clenched them into fists, wrestling with the surge of emotions threatening to bubble up. Though every fiber of her being screamed in opposition to Ahsoka's proposal, deep down, she knew she had to lean on her unwavering faith in her Master. Perhaps there was wisdom in keeping potential foes like Shin and her band of bandits closer. After all, having them within sight might be safer than letting them concoct plots shrouded in shadows. Moreover, aligning with the locals, even temporarily, could provide invaluable insights into the lay of the land and its hidden secrets.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, declared, her voice firm and resolute, "We convene at the ship at dawn tomorrow. But let's get one thing straight: should any treachery ensue, rest assured it won't be Sabine and me who bear the brunt of the consequences."
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips curved into a smirk, directed squarely at Shin. She couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrast between Shin's former glory and her current state. Once mentored and favored, now forsaken by her Master and Thrawn alike. To see her leading this ragtag group of bandits was a testament to how far she had fallen. It was almost pitiable to realize that this was the zenith of Shin's current potential.
  
  
  
  The frigid blue of Shin's gaze locked onto Sabine's, and a sudden tension crackled in the space between them. It was as if an unseen current of energy, electric and alive, surged, connecting them in a web of heightened emotions. The intensity of their connection was so potent that even Ahsoka, seasoned as she was, found herself caught off-guard, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to discern the nature of the exchange.
  
  
  
  Taking an instinctive step back, Shin's eyes darted from side to side, suggesting a touch of unease or perhaps an anticipation of some impending event. With an attempt at casualness that didn't quite mask her caution, she announced, "I'm confident this will be to the benefit of all parties involved."
  
  
  
  Sabine, though trying to appear nonchalant, couldn't suppress a derisive snort, her earlier moment of vulnerability retreating as quickly as it had come. It struck her that the fleeting clash may have been a result of her burgeoning Force powers teetering on the brink of their boundaries, especially given the charged atmosphere. When Shin and her band gradually blended into the horizon, vanishing from sight, Sabine turned her intense gaze to Ahsoka, her expression a mix of confusion and frustration.
  
  
  
  Sabine's incredulity was evident, her voice heavy with skepticism. "Are you serious?" she demanded, incredulously. "Are we really partnering with them?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's lips curved into a gentle, knowing smile as she continued gazing at the horizon. "Reflect on today, Sabine," she prodded gently. "What conclusions can you draw from our interactions?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, animated in her confusion, waved her hands about. "That we're going to get ship-jacked, maybe?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was firm yet patient. "Look deeper. Go beyond the surface of the situation."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, tugging at her short hair in a mixture of exasperation and contemplation. "Alright," she conceded, "this is another one of your lessons, isn't it?" Taking a deep breath, she tried to piece together the day's events. "From our encounters, we've learned that Shin has taken command of the Red-armored bandits. We also know she's navigating this new leadership without Baylan by her side, suggesting some sort of rift or estrangement. Her need to maintain control and establish her credibility with the bandits is clear..."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's grin widened, revealing a hint of amusement. "Precisely. By aligning our interests with Shin's, we're not only securing our position but also ensuring the Noti"s safety. Sometimes, the key isn't in facing an enemy head-on, but in turning potential enemies into allies."
  
  
  
  Sabine took a deep breath, absorbing Ahsoka"s words. She gazed at the ground for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "So, it's a strategy then. Building bridges, not barriers."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded appreciatively. "It's the bigger picture, Sabine. The larger play. You understand tactics on the battlefield, but life"s larger game requires more delicate, intricate moves."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed deeply, her fingers tracing her jawline. "Yeah, I get it. Diplomacy and all that. It's just... difficult." She paused, a smirk playing on her lips. "But I'm leaving it to you to break the news to Huyang. I"m not about to face his million questions and possible lectures."
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  
  
  Shin stood poised, hands clasped behind her, studying the array of bokken swords displayed on the wall. She marveled at the ship's ingenuity - managing to accommodate an entire training room complete with seating. Her gaze drifted, assessing each equipment piece, lingering momentarily on the helmets with a hint of disdain. Childsplay.
  
  
  
  A discreet glance over her shoulder revealed Sabine, nestled comfortably in the seating area, her eyes fixed intently on Shin. Suppressing a smile, Shin voiced her thoughts. "Wooden swords?"
  
  
  
  Holding a cup firmly in hand, Sabine's focus remained unyielding. The bandits onboard were of no concern to her; they were merely adjusting to the sensation of flight. Shin, however, was a wild card, scrutinizing every corner of the ship. Every corner, that is, except Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a hint of nonchalance, "For training, you know."
  
  
  
  Shin's tone was measured, every word carrying weight. "I have only ever trained with a saber."
  
  
  
  Sabine's jaw tightened, her gaze fixated on the curve of Shin's back. Why had she thought this would be a good idea? The bandits might be clueless about their exact destination, but Ahsoka remained unwavering in her belief that they'd find their objective. Huyang, though vocally critical of the mission, dutifully manned the ship's controls.
  
  
  
  "Sounds risky," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with gravitas, "Necessary."
  
  
  
  Sabine tapped a rhythmic beat on the table, her voice carrying a casual warning. "Don"t touch anything, alright?"
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her hand nonchalantly. "I"d dare not cross your Master," she remarked, her gaze fixed on something distant. "She"s a force to reckon with. However, you? You don't dictate my actions. Not now, not ever."
  
  
  
  Sabine could feel the tension knotting her shoulders. She stood up abruptly, wishing more than anything for a gulp of fresh air. The ship's confines felt all the more constricting with Shin's overwhelming presence, even if they"d been onboard for just a little over an hour.
  
  
  
  "Oh that constant need to feel like you"re in control of everything," Sabine retorted, her voice dripping with ice. "I can see right through you. But don"t worry I won"t tell your bandit pals."
  
  
  
  With a swift pivot, Shin faced Sabine directly, her hands concealed behind her, eyes narrowing dangerously. "So, Bridger made it back and left you here?" Her words sounded more like a statement than a question.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment, Sabine let a slow smirk creep onto her lips. "It was my choice to stay," she said, a hint of pride evident in her tone. "And my Master chose me."
  
  
  
  Shin, her feet rooted to the spot, drew a long breath, her fingers tightly interlaced behind her. "Is there something you"d like to say?" she asked, her voice measured but clearly intrigued.
  
  
  
  Sabine, relaxing a bit, let out a chuckle. "You"re not going to pry into my mind?"
  
  
  
  Lifting her head with a touch of arrogance, Shin responded, "I wouldn"t waste my efforts on that. Besides, I need to save my energy for what's ahead on our mission."
  
  
  
  "Always so formal," Sabine shot back. Her mouth opened once more but then closed.
  
  
  
  Shin narrowed her eyes. "Are you going to call me an idiot, again?"
  
  
  
  "Are you going to supposedly take everything that belongs to me?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s hand landed on her saber hilt. "It"d be easy," she spat.
  
  
  
  Sabine pushed herself up from the seat, her eyes locked onto Shin's. The thoughts racing through her mind were of the swift moves she could make, the blows she could land before Ahsoka intervened. The glint in Shin"s eyes suggested she was all too aware of what Sabine was considering.
  
  
  
  However, just as the tension between them was reaching its peak, the cockpit door slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing Ahsoka.
  
  
  
  "We're about to land," Ahsoka announced, her voice ensuring she was heard over the undercurrents of the room. Her gaze shifted to Sabine, a silent warning in her eyes. With a resigned sigh, Sabine sank back into her seat. "Prepare yourselves," Ahsoka added.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Tensionnnn!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 8: The Dome of Death
  Notes:
  Thank you all so much for continuing to read, comment and kudo this story. This chapter is longer and a lot happens so I do hope you like it.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine gracefully descended from the loading ramp, her boots gently sinking into the soft, powdery embrace of pristine white sand. The surrounding air, thick with humidity, enveloped her in a warm caress, prompting beads of sweat to form on her forehead. Taking a moment, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the tangy, salty scent of the coastal air, tinged with the sweet aroma of blooming tropical flowers.
  
  
  
  As she reopened her eyes, the blinding brilliance of the overhead sun momentarily overwhelmed her senses. Its golden rays shimmered, casting dancing reflections on the water and making the leaves of nearby palm trees glisten. Shielding her gaze with a hand, Sabine waited for her pupils to adjust to the dramatic change in luminance.
  
  
  
  When clarity finally returned to her vision, the breathtaking panorama before her elicited an involuntary gasp. Stretching endlessly before her was a vast expanse of crystal-clear water that mirrored the azure sky above, its tranquility occasionally interrupted by playful waves caressing the shoreline. Bordering the beach was a vibrant expanse of lush greenery - a dense tropical jungle with a verdant canopy, beneath which lay a world of mystery and wonder. Vibrant flowers peeked out from between thick leaves, their petals a riot of colors, while the distant calls of exotic birds provided a melodic backdrop.
  
  
  
  This paradisiacal setting was a stark contrast to the icy tundra landscapes the Noti people had chosen as their base. A smile graced Sabine"s lips as she briefly lost herself in the scenic beauty. Snapping out of her reverie, she glanced over at Shin, noting how the latter was struggling with the intense sunlight. With her eyes almost shut and her hand serving as an improvised visor, Shin appeared as if she was battling the sun"s rays.
  
  
  
  From a distance, Kradosh's voice broke the serene moment. Holding his ornate spear aloft, catching the sun's reflection on its intricate metalwork, he signaled for their attention. "The destination lies deeper within," he announced with authority, nodding towards the impenetrable depths of the jungle. "A few clicks in, that"s where we need to be."
  
  
  
  With a fluid motion, Ahsoka shrugged off her poncho, revealing her battle-ready attire beneath. The fabric floated momentarily, capturing the tropical breeze, before landing into the waiting hands of Huyang. Her voice, authoritative yet tinged with a hint of curiosity, cut through the ambient noise. "Huyang, I need a comprehensive scan of this area," she commanded. "Assess everything - the water's composition, the air quality, and whatever lurks in the depths of this jungle. And most importantly, relay any significant findings back to us via comms immediately."
  
  
  
  As the directive was given, the group, animated by a shared purpose, began their expedition. The soft, warm sand crunched gently underfoot, each step taking them closer to the foreboding expanse of the jungle. Sabine, her spirit seemingly invigorated by the surroundings, paused momentarily to close her eyes and let the sun's radiant embrace kiss her face. The sensation transported her - even if briefly - to a simpler time. Drawing in a deep, heartfelt breath, she was engulfed by memories of her home planet. A fleeting moment, a mere heartbeat, and she was back in her childhood, wandering familiar landscapes under peaceful skies, untouched by the shadows of subsequent wars.
  
  
  
  Sabine crouched, curiously inspecting the myriad fruits scattered across the jungle floor, her fingers brushing against their textured surfaces. "This place doesn"t look like it"s teeming with predators," she remarked with a hint of skepticism.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with a vigilant gaze that continuously scanned the surroundings, replied with a hint of mystery, "Looks can be deceiving."
  
  
  
  As Sabine reached out to claim one of the colorful fruits, Kradosh swiftly intervened, smacking it from her grasp with a quick, decisive move. "Never take what's lying on the ground," he cautioned, his voice tinged with genuine concern.
  
  
  
  Startled, Sabine shot him a reproachful look. "Hey!" She barked, eying the discarded fruit with a mix of confusion and longing. "Why?"
  
  
  
  Without uttering a word, Kradosh adeptly used his spear to snare a few fruits from an overhead branch. Distributing them among the group, he cryptically responded, "Ground fruits are often tainted with... well, poopoodoodoo."
  
  
  
  Shuddering slightly, Sabine replied with a wry smile, "Noted." Without hesitation, she sank her teeth into the fruit Kradosh offered. An explosion of flavors - tart, citrusy, with an undercurrent of rich sweetness - danced on her palate. "Ahsoka, you have to try this," she exclaimed, words muffled by her enthusiastic chewing.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka gracefully bit into her fruit, savoring its taste for a moment before responding with a teasing smirk, "Keep your focus. You are a Commander after all."
  
  
  
  Sabine momentarily tensed. The silence was broken by her sudden laughter, which rang out nervously amidst the stillness. Rivulets of fruit juice streaked down her chin as she struggled to regain her composure. "I"m not into titles," she quipped, sucking on the remnants of her sweet find, trying to mask her discomfort.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, sensing the need to regain focus, gestured towards the heart of the jungle with a decisive motion. "Our path lies ahead," he declared with unwavering confidence.
  
  
  
  As the team ventured deeper, the canopy overhead seemed to close in, making the atmosphere dense, humid, and warmer. Chirps, tweets, and rustling emanated from the unseen creatures above and around them, painting a soundscape of a land untamed. While the inherent dangers of the jungle had yet to manifest themselves in the form of predatory threats, the sticky heat and rugged landscape were proving to be formidable adversaries in their own right.
  
  
  
  Shin moved with a cat-like grace, her eyes darting back and forth, ever alert to potential dangers. With every step, she maintained a keen sense of her surroundings, a saber ready to tackle any unexpected obstacles. Parting a particularly dense growth that blocked their path, she posed a question, her voice edged with curiosity and a hint of skepticism, "You mentioned formidable beasts, Kradosh. So where are these predators you warned us about?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh's furrowed brow revealed the depth of his concern. "Something is amiss" he mused, recalling tales of menacing creatures that once dominated these lands, striking fear into the hearts of any trespassers.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's fingers danced over her comm device, attempting to establish a clearer connection. "Huyang," she voiced with urgency, "we need more detailed intel."
  
  
  
  Huyang's voice came through, albeit interspersed with static. "Based on my scans, the local species are primarily herbivores or scavengers. They're passive by nature. Surprisingly, the biological makeup of these beings has parallels to creatures from our own galaxy, though they're clearly unique to this environment."
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a characteristic enthusiasm. "Well, that's good news, right? We can gather what we need without worry and wrap this up."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka raised her hand. "That"s exactly what I"m worried about," she replied.
  
  
  
  The familiar static from their communication device cut through their conversation. "Detecting a potent energy signature southward," Huyang's voice crackled. "It appears to be in the configuration of a dome."
  
  
  
  With an alertness borne from her training, Shin led the way, her senses heightened. The dense vegetation gradually gave way, revealing a clearing bathed in an ethereal glow. At its center stood the majestic dome, shimmering with hues of green and yellow. Three ancient-looking pillars stood nearby, a beam of energy connecting them. The architecture was unlike anything they'd seen, suggesting origins far removed from the known galaxies.
  
  
  
  Drawing a sharp breath, Shin whispered, "Witchcraft."
  
  
  
  Kradosh picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it towards the gleaming dome. As the stone made contact, it vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of its existence. "Legends among my ancestors spoke of the Domes of Death," he began, a hint of awe in his voice. "It was thought to be a mere myth, a story to scare the young. To see it with my own eyes..." He trailed off, the gravity of their discovery sinking in.
  
  
  
  Murmurs arose among Kradosh's comrades as they tentatively neared the pillars. The aged stone, inscribed with symbols from an age long past, seemed to tell tales of power, promise, and peril. The group, despite their varied backgrounds, were bound together in that moment by a shared sense of wonder and uncertainty.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's brow creased in deep thought, her gaze never leaving the mesmerizing expanse of the dome. "So there must be items of importance inside?" she questioned, seeking clarity.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's eyes held a blend of sorrow and determination as he responded, "Indeed. Within that dome lies various relics, intertwined with the history of the Noti people, us and other groups. Treasures not just of material value but bearing the soul and essence of our past."
  
  
  
  Sabine, ever the artist and tactician, was already engrossed with the pillars. Their archaic symbols beckoned her - the Three Faces. Each face intricately detailed, they seemed to resonate with age-old secrets. With gentle but confident fingers, Sabine began manipulating the dials, ensuring she remained a safe distance from the pulsating beam. The atmosphere around her seemed to grow dense, charged with a mysterious energy. Each turn caused the air to ripple and shimmer, and the heat became intense. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, a testament to both the tropical climate and the gravity of her task.
  
  
  
  "Be cautious, Sabine!" Ahsoka called out, a protective edge to her voice. "We don't fully understand the mechanisms or the consequences."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, looking over her shoulder with a smirk, "When have I ever been one to play it safe?" She returned to the task, her fingers dancing deftly over the symbols, driven by intuition and a profound respect for the history they represented.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained unwavering, studying Sabine's movements intently. "What was the purpose of sealing away this place with magic?" she pondered aloud.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's eyes bore a haunted look, betraying old wounds and memories. "This land wasn't just any land; it was revered, sacred to our ancestors," he explained. "The Nightsister"s final assurance was to undo the seal when their objectives were met, or it would self-destruct if we tampered with it."
  
  
  
  Sabine, having tuned into the conversation even while deciphering the pillars, completed her final adjustment with a sense of triumph. Her eyes sparkled as she stepped back, "They lied to you," she remarked with a touch of bitterness. "They always lie."
  
  
  
  As the beam faded and the dome's luminescence ebbed away, it unveiled a landscape of ancient architecture - structures that once stood tall, now weathered and worn with the relentless march of time.
  
  
  
  A chorus of jubilation erupted from the bandits, their faces alight with a mixture of gratitude and hope. They converged around Sabine, offering hearty pats on her back and expressing their gratitude in their own language and gestures.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyes widened with approval as the remnants of the dome vanished. "Well done, Sabine," she commended, tossing a stone towards the newly revealed region to confirm the dome's complete dissolution. The rock settled into the ancient debris without any hindrance. Turning to Kradosh, she motioned forward, "Retrieve whatever is essential, and let's make haste."
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, flexing her arms with a playful vigor. "Just another day's work," she quipped, yawning extravagantly and stretching her limbs with an eye on Shin who merely went tight lipped.
  
  
  
  But the sense of accomplishment was abruptly disrupted. The ground beneath them pulsated in a rhythmic throb, shaking them off balance. Once, twice, and a third jolt stronger than the ones before. As the terrain seemed to convulse, the once docile creatures of the jungle scampered in a frantic migration towards the safety of the shoreline. Trees, caught in the tremors, swayed dangerously, their leaves rustling.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, the calm serenity of the comm system was replaced by a sharp burst of static, followed by the urgent voice of Huyang. "Be on guard!" he warned, the anxiety evident in his usually composed tone. "Two colossal entities are converging on your location. They"re unlike anything we've seen in this region!"
  
  
  
  Kradosh swiftly drew his blaster, and the bandits, sensing the impending threat, did the same, aligning in a defensive stance. "Voraxlyn beasts," he murmured, his brow furrowing with concern. "They should not be in these tropical zones."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled in exasperation, flipping her blasters from their holsters. "The mystery of the missing local predators just got solved," she remarked sardonically. "Looks like these Voraxlyn are the new apex predators here."
  
  
  
  Amidst the rising tension, Ahsoka's voice crackled urgently over the comm. "Huyang, any intel to give us an edge?" she implored.
  
  
  
  Through the static interference, Huyang's voice offered a semblance of a plan. "Initial scans suggest a vulnerability at the nape of their necks," he advised. "One is closing in from your left, the other from the right."
  
  
  
  Without missing a beat, Ahsoka delegated roles, her fingers indicating the direction for each team member. She pointed swiftly at Shin and Sabine, "You two tackle the one on the right," she directed. Then turning to Kradosh, she added, "You're partnering up with me. Let's move!"
  
  
  
  "Seriously?" Sabine exclaimed, her tone a mixture of disbelief and frustration.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze sharpened, focusing intently on Sabine as the ground trembled beneath their feet. "Now's not the time for questions!" she snapped.
  
  
  
  With a groan, Sabine rolled her eyes. But as she glanced to her right, she saw Shin already charging headlong towards the impending threat. The air was sliced by a deafening roar - primal, resonant, and chilling. Momentarily taken aback, Sabine shook off her hesitance and sprinted after Shin, determined not to let Shin steal the show.
  
  
  
  Beads of perspiration clung stubbornly to Sabine's forehead, each one threatening to cascade down with her every stride. As she traversed the unstable terrain, the majesty of the ancient buildings around her beckoned for her attention. They stood like silent sentinels, each possibly guarding its own cache of long-forgotten relics. But with the ground rumbling beneath her feet and the trees dancing in erratic movements, any fleeting desire to explore was immediately quashed.
  
  
  
  Ahead, Shin moved with a balletic grace, her orange saber casting a fiery glow, cutting through the dense foliage of the jungle. It seemed as though she was being propelled by an unseen force, driven towards the epicenter of the commotion that echoed through the trees.
  
  
  
  Sabine observed Shin's movements, reminiscent of their duel on Seatos. Navigating over logs and weaving between trees, Shin moved with unyielding purpose. Sabine, with renewed determination, resolved to keep pace, eager to showcase her skills not only to her Master but perhaps to Shin as well.
  
  
  
  Reaching up, Sabine brushed away the sweat that had collected on her brow. She deftly held up her blasters, contemplating their effectiveness against the imminent threat lurking just beyond her line of sight. As she took a moment to catch her ragged breath, she found herself right behind Shin. The latter stood poised, her gaze directed skyward, her saber humming in anticipation, ready to confront whatever challenges awaited them.
  
  
  
  Taking a brief moment, Sabine ran her tongue across her parched lips, tasting the salty remnants of her exertion. She craned her neck, following Shin's gaze upwards, peering through the intricate lattice formed by the treetops. As the dense foliage parted, the contours of their adversary became clear, casting an imposing silhouette against the sky. It bore an alarming array of razor-sharp teeth arranged in jagged layers, and its physique was a testament to raw power - with bulging arms and robust legs. To Sabine's growing horror, this monstrous entity dwarfed even the dreaded Rancors she had heard tales of.
  
  
  
  A cold rush of dread flowed through her veins, causing her breath to catch in her throat. The creature's roar, deafening and primal, bore into her very core, making the ground feel as though it trembled in shared terror. Involuntarily, Sabine took a stumbling step back, the roar resonating through the air, an auditory assault that seemed targeted directly at her and Shin.
  
  
  
  With a terrifying swiftness belying its size, the creature brought down its immense clawed hand, attempting to flatten its perceived threats. The ground shook with the impact, sending a spray of debris into the air. Reacting with practiced agility, both Sabine and Shin performed evasive rolls, narrowly avoiding becoming one with the forest floor.
  
  
  
  Shin, ever the aggressor, sprang into action, attempting to strike a blow with her saber. She aimed for a vulnerable spot, but her efforts were in vain. The creature's reflexes were astonishing, and a secondary mandible, thick and robust, swooped down, forcing her to abort her attack or risk being crushed.
  
  
  
  With instinctive urgency, Sabine unleashed a volley of blaster shots at the looming creature. Demonstrating her agility, she nimbly danced around obstacles, vaulting over fallen logs, and skillfully evading the crushing descent of the monster's fearsome claws, which relentlessly pounded the ground.
  
  
  
  During her evasive maneuvers, a brief yet intense moment of connection occurred as her eyes met Shin's. In that fleeting moment, Shin skillfully carved a gash into one of the beast's claws, triggering a furious outburst from the creature. Seizing this moment of distraction, Sabine, with focused resolve, aimed and sent a barrage of blaster bolts straight into the creature's gaping maw.
  
  
  
  Sabine's internal reasoning speculated that the creature, perhaps unfamiliar with adversaries of their caliber or never having encountered such weaponry before, underestimated the potency of her blasters. However, the beast was no simpleton. Adapting rapidly to the newfound threat, it adopted a more guarded posture. Protruding spikes emerged ominously from its back, and its already formidable hide took on a subtly different hue, hinting at an even tougher exterior.
  
  
  
  With agile precision, Sabine dodged the creature's advances, her blasters blazing continuously as she strategically retreated towards the remnants of the ancient town once shielded by the dome. Meanwhile, Shin found herself severely restricted, her saber rendered nearly useless against the beast's frenzied claw attacks. She was left to weave, dodge, and somersault amidst the decaying structures, narrowly escaping the creature's relentless onslaught.
  
  
  
  Despite Sabine's relentless barrage, frustration began to set in as the beast seemed impervious to her efforts. Each step she took backward brought her perilously closer to an unstable wall. Her eyes darted frantically, seeking out Shin, silently pleading for a coordinated strategy or a sign for their next move.
  
  
  
  But the space where Shin once stood was now empty, sending a chill of realization down Sabine's spine.
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, she holstered her blasters, raising her arms defensively. Could using her flamethrowers be the solution? But more urgently, where had Shin vanished to? Desperation crept in as her eyes darted desperately in search of her companion, the weight of abandonment heavy in her chest.
  
  
  
  A familiar void began to spread within her. While Sabine often preferred solitude, this was not one of those times. Memories of past betrayals clouded her mind: Ketsu Onyo leaving her to fend for herself, Ezra's departure from Lothal, the choices of her parents... Anguish and anger mixed, Sabine clenched her fist, turning fiercely towards the beast. A powerful energy surged within her, her determination igniting like a white-hot flame.
  
  
  
  The sting of Shin's sudden absence gnawed at Sabine's core. Without so much as a whisper, she was left to confront this towering menace on her own.
  
  
  
  Taking a moment, Sabine inhaled deeply, centering herself. She adjusted her flamethrower to its maximum setting, contemplating a fiery escape or potentially regrouping with Ahsoka. Either way, she was determined to leave a mark.
  
  
  
  As she readied herself to unleash a torrent of flames, a flicker of light above arrested her movement. Sabine's eyes widened, and she quickly turned, squinting slightly to the right, intrigued by the unexpected glow.
  
  
  
  There, above the chaos, was Shin. She clambered up an ancient pillar, dislodging bits of stone that tumbled down in her wake.
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart raced, her eyes widening in both relief and concern as she worked to keep the Voraxlyn's attention on her. The beast's maw gaped open, its razor-sharp teeth moving menacingly closer, threatening to engulf her entirely.
  
  
  
  Reaching the pillar's summit, Shin raised her saber high. Channeling the Force, she soared through the air in a powerful leap, her blade descending in a bright arc, clashing against the Voraxlyn's tough hide. The creature's pain-filled howl echoed as it lashed out, catching Shin in its grasp and hurling her to the ground. Sabine, driven by instinct and unexpected concern for her comrade, rushed to Shin's side.
  
  
  
  As the enormous head of the creature detached gruesomely from its body, a flurry of emotions raged within Sabine. Relief mingled with frustration at Shin's audacious move. It wasn"t just about surviving; there seemed to be an element of spectacle in the way Shin operated, an almost theatrical bravado. It was as absurd as when she dramatically hopped off the log on Seatos.
  
  
  
  With a heated glare, Sabine's gaze settled on Shin, who was now clutching her injured knee. Their eyes met in a silent clash of intensity, a tempest of fiery defiance and icy reproach, while the remnants of the beast shuddered beside them.
  
  
  
  "Sabine!" Shin's voice pierced the tense silence, her hand outstretched towards her. "It's going to crush us!"
  
  
  
  The weight of reality hit Sabine as the massive, razor-toothed head thudded to the ground, sending shockwaves through the terrain. The headless body, though lifeless, was still looming ominously above them, teetering dangerously and threatening to crash down on top of them. She quickly calculated the time and distance - there was no way to drag Shin out of harm's way in time.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Sabine contemplated darting to safety on her own. With Shin incapacitated, it would mean one less complication in her life. But as she glanced back, she saw Shin, despite her pain, desperately harnessing her Force abilities in an attempt to stall the colossal structure from collapsing onto them. The sheer determination in Shin's eyes stopped Sabine in her tracks.
  
  
  
  "I can't hold it," Shin murmured weakly, her voice trembling with exhaustion. "It's too much..."
  
  
  
  Taking a deep breath, Sabine met Shin's desperate eyes for a fleeting moment before turning her full attention to the monumental threat. Lifting her arms, she summoned every ounce of her strength and determination. Although newly Force-sensitive, her sheer willpower combined with the residual force exerted by Shin created a potent energy barrier.
  
  
  
  The behemoth's fall seemed to pause momentarily in mid-air, then, with an almost palpable force of resistance, it began to tilt in the opposite direction. Finally, with a deafening crash, the enormous creature's body toppled away from them, the impact sending tremors throughout the surrounding area and causing bits of the ancient ruins to crumble and fall.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a moment, her breathing regulated as she allowed herself the small satisfaction of their survival. The weight of the situation settled around her, evident in the smirk that danced across her lips. Yet, when she turned to face Shin, the latter's eyes were wide with shock, a mixture of fear and wonder evident in her gaze.
  
  
  
  "How did you...?" Shin began, her voice weak and raspy as she tried to push herself into a sitting position on the worn-out stones beneath them.
  
  
  
  Sabine responded without words. A swift motion, and the glow of her green saber illuminated the gap between them. The humming blade pointed dangerously close to Shin's midsection. Their eyes met, Sabine's filled with determination and mistrust, while Shin's were a whirlpool of emotions, uncertainty chief among them.
  
  
  
  "Shin Hati," Sabine voiced, her tone deliberate.
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw tightened, her gaze fixed on the menacing blade hovering precariously close to her abdomen. In a situation such as this, there wasn't time to relish the rich timbre with which Sabine said her name for the first time. The dense atmosphere, accompanied by the putrid odor of the slain creature, consumed them.
  
  
  
  "You could've let it fall on me," Shin retorted, her voice carrying an undertone of accusation.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze remained unwavering, her saber steady. "Not so nice being on this end, is it?" Her words dripped with contempt, every ounce of her willpower keeping the blade from plunging forward.
  
  
  
  "Don"t."
  
  
  
  Fear edged Shin's voice, and Sabine savored the tremor of vulnerability. "Can you imagine if I pushed inside of you?" she questioned, gripping the hilt tightly. "How it would feel? Because you'll never forget the burn."
  
  
  
  Shin swallowed, her throat bobbing visibly, her voice maintaining a calm veneer despite the threat. "I"d die here."
  
  
  
  Sabine's saber remained unwavering, poised for action. "You haven"t even said sorry to me about it," she declared, voice cold.
  
  
  
  Shin met her glare. "And why should I? I was following orders. My Master"s orders."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes flashed with anger. "And now you follow my Master"s orders," she hissed.
  
  
  
  A flicker of defiance crossed Shin's face as she tried to summon the Force, but Sabine edged the glowing green blade even closer. "You'll regret this," Shin cautioned. "Stand down."
  
  
  
  A challenging gleam danced in Sabine"s eyes. "Tell me how you know Mando"a," she commanded. "Or I"ll kill you."
  
  
  
  Shin's body stiffened, her body remaining rigid beneath the threatening heat of the saber. There was a long pause as fiery brown eyes battled with icy blue. "As a child, Baylan took me to Mandalore on business," she began.
  
  
  
  "And then?"
  
  
  
  "We visited Sundari," Shin added hesitantly.
  
  
  
  Sabine's anger was palpable, every word she spat edged with venom. "What else? You better not lie to me," she demanded, images of Shin Hati on her sacred homeland flashing through her mind.
  
  
  
  The blade's hum and heat neared, almost grazing Shin"s garments. "While there, I picked up some Mando"a," she admitted. "The Civic Center was bustling. I didn"t learn much, but enough."
  
  
  
  "That"s it?" Sabine's voice held a mix of skepticism and curiosity, the blade still perilously close to Shin. "I find that hard to believe."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flitted nervously, but she forced herself to speak. "There was a boy I recall," she started, her voice softer now. "He followed a specific Creed. I remember he wanted to kiss me, and he faced severe repercussions for removing his helmet."
  
  
  
  A look of surprise crossed Sabine"s face, and she studied Shin intently. The myriad traditions and rules of different Mandalorian sects weren"t common knowledge. "A boy?" she echoed, trying to understand.
  
  
  
  Shin grimaced, trying to distance herself from the humming blade. "Yes, a boy," she insisted. "I was merely a child, nothing happened."
  
  
  
  A wave of disbelief washed over Sabine. Some young Mandalorian boy had once dared to kiss Shin? The grip on her saber's hilt intensified to the point where it felt as though it might shatter in her hand.
  
  
  
  After a tense silence, she finally said, "You can limp back to the ship on your own." With a flick, she deactivated her saber. Shin lay there, clearly relieved, yet still in pain as she clutched her injured knee. There was a fleeting pang in Sabine"s chest, a mixture of empathy and annoyance, but she ignored it. Turning away from the scene, her stomach churned but she forged ahead, leaving Shin behind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Again thank you for reading, this one was super fun to write and intense! I'm ahead on chapter 16 of this so even with finals etc coming up I still have lots to post with this fic.
  
  Note: the mando boy didn"t kiss shin at all and she was not interested. He tried and got into shit. Just wanted to clarify.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 9: Beach
  Notes:
  Thanks so much for all the kudos and comments. It truly brightens my day! Hope you're all having a good spooky weekend if you celebrate.
  
  Shin and Sabine get to cool off literally and figuratively in this chapter and it's a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine's garments clung to her form, plastered there by a concoction of sweat and grime that also tarnished her once-pristine skin. Each step she took up the ramp of the ship was not just a physical act, but a defiant saunter amidst the sweltering heat and exhaustion. The bandits, her momentary allies, swarmed the area, their forms bustling with purposeful motion as they salvaged valuable cargo. These spoils were not solely for personal gain; there was an unspoken promise in the air, a vow to distribute this newfound wealth among their kin and the Noti.
  
  
  
  The sun, relentless in its ascent, seemed intent on making the day even more searing. Sabine felt the drain all the more acutely after tapping into her Force abilities-a resource now spent, leaving her feeling as depleted as the heavy, humid air enveloping her.
  
  
  
  A wave of remorse washed over her as she thought about her behavior towards Shin in the jungle. The journey back provided her with much-needed time to cool off and ponder over her actions, while a knot of unease formed in the pit of her stomach. Acting brash and insensitive was out of place, but the overwhelming fear of being left alone in a critical situation had pushed her to her limits. Moreover, Shin"s honest response, though appreciated on some level, was not what she wanted to hear, intensifying the turmoil inside her. Sabine knew she needed to find a way to dissipate the internal chaos and restore her inner balance.
  
  
  
  In stark contrast, Ahsoka and Kradosh appeared almost unruffled, as if their encounter with the Voraxlyn had been nothing more than a leisurely stroll. They were nearly as immaculate as they had been at the outset, with not even a hint of dirt sullying their attire. Their eyes, sharp and discerning, scanned Sabine's beleaguered form as she managed a nonchalant hand wave, alluding to Shin's eventual return.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's features knitted together in a skeptical expression as she drew Sabine away from the throng, towards a quieter corner where Huyang was already engaged in the methodical organization of crates. With a visage softening into concern, she inquired, her voice a lull, "What happened?" Her words were feather-light, yet laden with the weight of unspoken fears and a deep-seated trust awaiting reaffirmation.
  
  
  
  Attempting to induce some semblance of a breeze, Sabine wafted her clothes, the fabric reluctantly yielding to her movements. She exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh, the sound mingling with the distant clatter of activity. "We had some trouble with the Voraxlyn thingies" she muttered, her words laced with the remnants of adrenaline from the encounter.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s eyebrow ascended her forehead. She slipped into an adjoining chamber, her voice trailing back, tinged with curiosity and concern, "And what of Shin?"
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a noncommittal shrug of one shoulder, her eyes evading direct contact as they found sudden interest in the floor. "Shin, you know, separated its head from its body," she grumbled, the image seemingly replaying in her mind, stark against the backdrop of her fatigue. And you know, some silly Mandalorian boy attempted and failed to kiss her when she was a young girl. Sabine had no idea why she cared so much considering nothing happened, but her stomach twisted sourly.
  
  
  
  Huyang, amidst his systematic handling of the crates, paused, his robotic eyes expanding in a mimicry of organic surprise. "An invaluable ally in that case!" he chimed in, the metallic timbre of his voice juxtaposing the underlying warmth in his words. "Fortuitous she accompanied you." His hands, precise and steady, resumed their task, setting down a crate with the gentlest of clinks.
  
  
  
  A laugh, tinged with sarcasm, threatened to escape Sabine, but she quelled it, her gaze drifting instead toward the sandy expanse that kissed the edge of crystalline waters a short distance from their ship. "Yeah, fortuitous indeed," she replied, the enthusiasm drained from her voice, leaving it as listless as her fatigued limbs.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka materialized again, this time bearing the mundane treasures of a pack and a canteen, the latter promising the bliss of ice-cold water. "Listen," she started, her tone softer, more coaxing than commanding, "why don"t you take the rest of the day? Enjoy what this beach has to offer. We"ll regroup and head back tomorrow."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows vaulted upwards; her surprise etching lines on her forehead. "Seriously?" she challenged. This suggestion was an anomaly, deviating from Ahsoka"s usual regimen of relentless training and unending chores. What was the catch?
  
  
  
  Huyang, ever the fount of knowledge, contributed to the conversation. "The data indicates no presence of perilous lifeforms within the warm, shallow embrace of these waters," he relayed, his voice a medley of factual resonance and subtle encouragement. "I would advise staying within proximity to the shore, however."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka extended the day pack toward Sabine, her other hand directing her toward the beckoning vastness beyond the ship. "Perhaps we"ll even find ourselves dining on the local aquatic delicacies and game this evening," she proposed, an undertone of playful adventure lending color to her words.
  
  
  
  Brushing away the persistent sheen of sweat on her brow, Sabine acquiesced with a nod. The lure of lazing on the sun-drenched beach, allowing the day's tension to melt into the golden sands, was an oasis of thought she couldn't resist. After the whirlwind of events they'd endured, the prospect of a tranquil interlude to rejuvenate seemed not just appealing, but necessary. Accepting the pack, she gifted Ahsoka with a smile, one that held a softness, a silent gratitude that crinkled the corners of her eyes. Energized by the promise of leisure, she set about preparing herself for an unexpected, yet wholly welcomed, sojourn under the sun's caressing rays. Her conflicting emotions about Shin"s Mandalore story slowly began to fade.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin ascended the ship's ramp with a noticeable limp, her knee painted with hues of abuse, yet thankfully still functional and hidden under her pants. Words of profuse gratitude cascaded around her as the bandits and Kradosh expressed their heartfelt appreciation for her initiative in seeking Ahsoka's aid. Without that critical move, they acknowledged, the opportunity to harness the bountiful resources of the region would have slipped through their fingers. Moreover, their successful foray had allowed them to retrieve invaluable relics from the ancient settlement to carry back with them.
  
  
  
  Exhaling a weary sigh, Shin reclined against a stack of crates, her fingers gently kneading the tender flesh around her bruised knee. In this quiet moment, she finally allowed herself the luxury of a breath, a pause from the relentless rhythm of her strenuous return journey. She had laid bare the truth to Sabine, yet the Mandalorian had buried herself in a fortress of denial.
  
  
  
  It was as if Sabine was either unwilling to confront the reality or perhaps found the truth too cumbersome to shoulder. This constant undercurrent of contention, this incessant need to spar, whether through verbal jousts or physical duels, seemed to be their default mode of interaction. And while Shin found a certain thrill in the engagement and the playful provocation, the perpetuity of it was draining, especially considering the gravity of their current circumstances.
  
  
  
  And then there was Sabine, manifesting the Force in a display that was nothing short of revelatory. It was a facet of her that Shin had never witnessed, an extraordinary layer that redefined the bounds of what she thought she knew about the Mandalorian. The sheer concentration and raw power Sabine had summoned to repel the colossal creature were not just remarkable-they were awe-inspiring.
  
  
  
  Although Shin would never concede such admiration to Sabine's face, this stunning disclosure rattled around incessantly in her mind. Throughout her solitary trek back, Shin's thoughts were besieged by the vivid memory of Sabine, arms raised and their Force energies merging in a desperate, beautiful ballet that had warded off imminent doom. That moment, frozen in time, posed questions that demanded answers and painted their relationship in hues Shin was still struggling to comprehend.
  
  
  
  Sabine could"ve left Shin to die but didn"t.
  
  
  
  Moistening her parched lips with a tentative lick, Shin exhaled a measured breath, allowing her eyelids to fall shut for a moment as she sought a reservoir of resilience deep within.
  
  
  
  "Shin?"
  
  
  
  At the sound of that familiar tone, a subtle tranquility threaded through Shin's frayed nerves. Her eyes fluttered open to find Ahsoka there, extending a cup filled with what promised to be the sweet relief of water. Straightening up, Shin composed herself, her chin lifting in a gesture of both respect and resolve. Ahsoka was an enigma-a formidable Master whose serene demeanor belied the formidable power she wielded. Her presence was both a comfort and a quiet, constant challenge to Shin's composure.
  
  
  
  "Should we make preparations to return soon?" Shin inquired with brisk professionalism, her fingers closing around the proffered cup.
  
  
  
  A gentle, reassuring smile creased Ahsoka's features. "Actually, I propose we take the remainder of the day for respite," she suggested, her tone imbued with an unexpected leniency. "We can chart our course homeward tomorrow."
  
  
  
  Rest. The word seeped into Shin's consciousness, and with it came an acute awareness of every bruise, every strained muscle that clamored for attention within her. A flicker of concern crossed her face while sipping the water. "Is it prudent for us to linger?" she questioned, the strategist within seeking affirmation.
  
  
  
  A single, confident nod was Ahsoka's response. "The threat of the Voraxlyn has been nullified," she assured, her words anchoring them both in a shared, unspoken victory.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with a weary nod, her gaze inadvertently falling to a patch on her clothing where the fabric was scorched and blackened. Hastily, she folded her hands across her stomach, feigning interest in the flurry of activity as crates were shuffled and cataloged around her.
  
  
  
  "You know, Shin," Ahsoka's voice carried a serious undertone as she continued, "I can overlook harm that comes from recklessness or miscalculation. But deliberate harm, that is something I cannot and will not tolerate."
  
  
  
  A tension crept up Shin's spine, and she found herself reluctant to meet Ahsoka's penetrating gaze. "Of course," she responded, her voice barely more than a murmur. The ambition that had once driven her to consider seizing control of the Noti camp, or to even dare to challenge a formidable presence like Ahsoka, had dulled in the face of practicality. Their fledgling alliance was a beacon of mutual advantage on a planet that brooked no easy survival. Moreover, with her paths to the power she craved still obstructed, especially with Baylan remaining an elusive puzzle, Shin recognized the wisdom in adaptability. If this alliance was her available avenue to influence and strength, then she would tread it, at least for the present.
  
  
  
  "And that includes Sabine," Ahsoka added, her tone adopting an edge of firmness. "Should she prove troublesome... she and I will have a discussion."
  
  
  
  A flutter of surprise jolted Shin's insides, her heart executing a quick, unexpected drumroll. Sabine? Shin had little insight into the dynamics of Ahsoka and Sabine's relationship, but she could surmise that mentoring someone as spirited and headstrong as Sabine was no straightforward endeavor. It was a responsibility Shin was certain she wouldn't eagerly assume.
  
  
  
  "Did she cause any difficulties during your mission?" Ahsoka inquired, her gaze locking onto Shin's with an intensity that seemed to sift through her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Tension crystallized in Shin's hands, her fingers clenching involuntarily while her lips pressed into a thin line, betraying her momentary inner conflict. "Not in the slightest," she asserted, her voice steady despite the tumult within. "We collaborated to bring down the Voraxlyn. My injury was an unfortunate consequence of the battle, nothing more." Her words, carefully chosen, veiled the complexities of their interaction, preserving the facade of uncomplicated professionalism.
  
  
  
  With a measured nod, Ahsoka's eyes undertook a deliberate journey from Shin's head to her toes, as if cataloging every detail. "I understand," she responded, her voice neither approving nor disputing, simply acknowledging. A significant pause stretched between them, with the air almost thickening with unspoken thoughts, before Ahsoka spoke again. "Why don't you take some time to unwind on the beach? Kradosh and I can manage things here. If you're inclined, I have a collection of Holobooks and Datapads you might find interesting."
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off guard, Shin blinked and took a moment to clear her throat, as though dislodging an unexpected emotion. "I appreciate the offer," she managed, her voice betraying a hint of her surprise. "But I think I'll opt for a swim instead."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was a gentle, almost tender smile. "That sounds like a good idea," she affirmed softly. "Feel free to grab whatever you need from the spare cabin. Sabine is already out there, probably turning a rather vibrant shade of red under the sun..." Her voice trailed off, a hint of playful jest softening the sentence's end, suggesting a familiarity and fond exasperation with Sabine's potential lack of foresight regarding sun protection.
  
  
  
  The mental image of Sabine"s skin turning an alarming shade of crimson under the relentless sun flickered through Shin"s mind, tinged with a twinge of concern. She briskly dismissed these thoughts, her hands busying themselves with selecting a fluffy towel. Methodically, she assembled a pack, tucking in provisions - an assortment of snacks, water, and a set of dry clothes for a comfortable transition post-swim.
  
  
  
  The beach here was an anomaly-a welcoming slice of paradise that seemed out of place yet was more pristine than the renowned coasts of Niamos. Shin pondered whether Peridea's unique planetary tilt might have birthed this idyllic zone, a stark contrast to other worlds' monotonous biomes. However, the scientific curiosity was fleeting; the specifics didn"t hold much weight as she neared the inviting turquoise embrace of the sea.
  
  
  
  With the jungle"s perils seeming a lifetime away, the prospect of the ocean"s buoyant saltwater promised to be therapeutic. It would offer not just physical relief for her knee, but also a salve for the phantom sting that still haunted her abdomen. Yet, as she neared the water's edge, anticipation dissolving into the sound of gentle waves, it was the sight of Sabine that halted her - a figure that commanded her attention despite the scenic vista.
  
  
  
  There was Sabine, reclined on an expansive towel, her form surrendered to the sun's caress, skin glistening as it embarked on the subtle journey from pale to golden. Shin's eyebrows ascended her forehead, an unspoken query in their arch as she tightened her grip on her pack, altering her trajectory from the beckoning sea to the figure basking in tranquility. A debate flickered in her mind - to broach the topic of their confrontation with the Voraxlyn or to let it lie in the realm of the unspoken? The entire situation brimmed with curiosity, an enigma wrapped in sunbeams.
  
  
  
  Positioning herself, Shin found her gaze inadvertently descending upon Sabine, taking in the expanse of exposed skin, the contour of her flat abdomen, and the simplicity of her undergarments, unadorned yet somehow accentuating her natural form. For several heartbeats, Shin remained a silent observer, contemplating Sabine, whose eyelids were gently closed, the sun's kiss painting her cheeks a rosy hue. The scene was one of vulnerable tranquility, a stark contrast to the warrior Shin knew Sabine to be, and it whispered of uncharted depths beneath the Mandalorian's resilient exterior.
  
  
  
  "You're not seriously considering swimming in that, are you?" Sabine's words floated up, her eyes remaining closed in serene repose.
  
  
  
  A slight frown tugged at Shin's lips as she lowered her pack, delineating a spot for herself near Sabine. "I intend to change, naturally," she responded, her voice maintaining its customary professional cadence.
  
  
  
  "This entire beach and you chose to hover here?" Sabine quipped, a playful smirk curving her lips.
  
  
  
  A faint warmth tinged Shin's cheeks, more from the unexpected interaction than the sun, as she began to shrug off her outerwear. "Your Master suggested I join you," she replied, her words structured with the precision she habitually employed.
  
  
  
  Sabine emitted a soft, disbelieving snort, her body rolling gracefully to rest on her stomach, her head turning to regard Shin with unveiled amusement. "Oh, I highly doubt that," she countered, her casual lilt a stark contrast to Shin's formal demeanor, encapsulating the distinct divide that often characterized their exchanges.
  
  
  
  The reverse side of Sabine's saber wound came into view, and an unanticipated reaction coiled within Shin's stomach-a flutter of conflicting emotions. There was an odd thrill, a silent, almost prideful acknowledgment of having left a permanent mark on her adversary. Yet, in the quiet depths of her conscience, a subtle ache throbbed, a remorseful understanding that the scar was a moment she could never reclaim or amend.
  
  
  
  Eager to navigate away from the silent turbulence within her, Shin seized on a diversion. "Care for a swim?" she proposed, her tone neutral yet inviting a challenge.
  
  
  
  At last, Sabine's eyes fluttered open, her gaze ascending along Shin's form-taking in the long legs, the defined abdomen, and the uniform paleness of her skin, untouched by the sun's kiss. A spirited grin animated her features. "Absolutely," she responded, the word imbued with an innate sense of competition. "Let's make it interesting. First one to that rock and back..." Her voice trailed off, a playful challenge hanging in the air, but then her expression shifted, a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. "Unless your knee is giving you trouble?" The question, laced with genuine consideration, softened the competitive edge, revealing a layer of their relationship seldom exposed.
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw set, a subtle rigidity taking hold of her stance, her eyes steadfastly locked with Sabine's, a silent vow not to allow them the liberty of a roving glance. "My knee will hold up," she asserted, the words escaping through gritted teeth, more a challenge to herself than a simple statement of fact.
  
  
  
  "Fantastic!" Sabine's hands came together in a single, enthusiastic clap, her spirit infectious. She hopped to her feet and pointed outward. "We race to the rock and back. Winner earns the right to gloat."
  
  
  
  The suggestion lingered in the air between them, its provocation nearly tangible. It was as if Sabine brandished her newfound abilities before Shin, a flag of challenge fluttering in the coastal breeze. Shin's gaze swept over the serene waters, appraising the distance to the rock. It was not an insurmountable distance, but in a sprint, victory would hang on the edge of a knife.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin countered, the word slicing through the salty air. "If I emerge victorious, I want an explanation-how did you ascend to the rank of Commander?"
  
  
  
  A laugh, rich and unguarded, tumbled from Sabine as she idly scratched her cheek, the sound mingling with the soft hush of lapping waves. "Okay," she consented, the casual shrug of her shoulders belying the weight of the wager. "And if I win, you're guzzling a cup of sea water."
  
  
  
  "Revolting."
  
  
  
  "Is it a deal?"
  
  
  
  The proposition was absurd, juvenile even, yet it crackled with an energy Shin couldn't deny. Her teeth clashed in a visceral reaction. "It's a deal."
  
  
  
  As Shin neared the water's edge, the gentle surf kissed the shore, its cool embrace encircling her feet. The briny air she drew into her lungs seemed to carry away the weight of the day's ordeals, replaced by a wave of unexpected tranquility.
  
  
  
  "On three," Sabine declared, her body coiled like a spring, ready to unleash its energy. "We circle the rock and return."
  
  
  
  "On three," Shin concurred, her tone resolute.
  
  
  
  One... two...
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flared in disbelief as Sabine, the rogue, surged forward prematurely, cleaving through the water with deceptive ease. Cheater! Indignation fueling her movements, Shin propelled herself forward, her form slicing through the shallow depth with a blend of grace and raw urgency. Weren"t Mandalorians meant to be honorable? Yet, even as frustration ebbed, Shin found solace in the water's balmy caress, its tranquility a stark contrast to their earlier tribulations.
  
  
  
  Beneath her, a microcosm of marine life danced and darted, while vibrant flora swayed in the deeper, crystal-clear abyss-a spectacle of life thriving amidst the planet's otherwise barren expanse. It was a mesmerizing divergence from the icy desolation that dominated the northern reaches. But Sabine's form, already a distance ahead, snapped Shin back to the urgency of their race. She funneled her energy into each stroke, the water parting for her with every determined surge.
  
  
  
  Despite the twinge in her knee and the captivating scenery vying for her attention, Shin managed to narrow the gap. Her muscles sang with effort, and her focus sharpened, a fine point amidst the ocean's vast canvas. The rock loomed ever closer, a silent witness to their spirited rivalry.
  
  
  
  As they rounded the rock, the sun cast its rays through the water, turning the surface into a shimmering blanket of diamonds. Shin allowed herself a brief smile as she edged alongside Sabine, the shore now within their sights. Her breaths came in ragged gasps from the exertion, yet she pressed on. But then, unexpectedly, Sabine ceased her strokes, coming to a standstill with the water lapping at her waist.
  
  
  
  Bobbing gently in the water, Shin swept a hand through her soaked locks, confusion knitting her brow. "Why did you stop?" she called across the short expanse of water. There stood Sabine, resplendent under the sun's caress, droplets beading on her skin, her physique adopting a sun-kissed hue, and a mischievous grin playing on her lips.
  
  
  
  "I cheated," Sabine declared with a nonchalant shrug. "So, you win by default."
  
  
  
  Shin cast a fleeting glance back at the towels on the beach but chose to wade back to where Sabine stood. "I wouldn"t have drunk this brine, regardless.," she responded, her feet finding hold on the silken seabed. Standing upright, she found herself peering down those few satisfying inches to meet Sabine"s eyes.
  
  
  
  "And I would"ve told you about being Commander, anyway," Sabine retorted, her arm sweeping through the water to send a playful splash toward Shin. The spontaneity of the gesture, devoid of any competitive edge, hinted at an unspoken camaraderie, one that transcended their earlier rivalry and the hidden layers of their respective pasts.
  
  
  
  Confusion laced Shin's posture as she stood, a statue amid the gentle waves. Their interactions had been a mess of skirmishes, blaster fire, and the visceral tension of combat; this playful, almost peaceful interaction felt foreign, almost suspect. The transition from Sabine's earlier aggression, her saber's threatening hum, to this carefree splashing was jarring. Could it be the sun's relentless heat playing tricks on her, or perhaps fatigue blurring her judgment?
  
  
  
  She remained motionless as Sabine moved closer, her intentions discernible beneath the water's crystal clarity. "Stop," Shin commanded, her voice firm yet devoid of hostility, and Sabine complied instantly. "You need to ask, remember? That was your rule."
  
  
  
  In the sunlight, Sabine's eyes took on a golden hue, twinkling with an emotion Shin couldn't quite decipher. A half-smirk played on her lips as she spoke, her voice a blend of challenge and concern. "Let me see your knee," she requested.
  
  
  
  With a slight frown and a gaze that momentarily turned inward, Shin acquiesced. Lifting her leg with a hint of reluctance, she exposed the injured area. "I had a harsh fall," she explained, her voice softening despite herself.
  
  
  
  "I know. I saw," Sabine responded, her tone shedding all traces of jest, replaced by the seriousness of a warrior acknowledging another's battle scars. In that exchange, amidst the sun, sand, and sea, they were no longer just rivals or tentative allies, but soldiers sharing the unspoken bond of the battlefield.
  
  
  
  Shin's body tensed. Sabine's fingers were gentle and precise as they traced the contour of her bruised knee. This touch was an anomaly, a stark contrast to the grasps and grips of their duels or the forceful restraint when Sabine had been her captive. Now, the touch was tender, almost caring.
  
  
  
  "Should we apply a bacta patch?" Sabine inquired, her gaze fixed on the injury through the clear water.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin responded, her voice steady but softer. "We should conserve it for emergencies."
  
  
  
  Releasing Shin's knee, Sabine nodded in agreement. "You're right," she conceded quietly, the playful tone in her voice yielding to practicality. "There's no telling how long we'll be stranded here."
  
  
  
  A peculiar chill replaced the warmth of Sabine's touch on Shin's knee, an absence unexpectedly noticeable. Shin tried to dismiss the fleeting longing but found her gaze involuntarily sweeping over Sabine's water-drenched form.
  
  
  
  "Could be indefinitely," Shin commented, her voice a whisper.
  
  
  
  "Maybe... Now, stop staring," Sabine teased, though her words lacked any real reproach.
  
  
  
  Heat flooded Shin's cheeks, and she averted her gaze, her heart thrumming a chaotic rhythm. "I'm just... unaccustomed to this," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "To what?" Sabine queried, an eyebrow quirked in curiosity as she folded her arms.
  
  
  
  "To being with someone in this manner," Shin confessed, allowing herself to sink into the comforting embrace of the warm water. "I've been adrift, belonging everywhere and nowhere, all at once."
  
  
  
  Sabine smoothed her hand back through her damp hair and mirrored Shin's actions, descending into the water. "Well, you're here now," she pointed out gently. "And here doesn't have to be nowhere."
  
  
  
  A smile threatened at the corners of Shin's mouth, perhaps it even broke through, for Sabine's lips curved in response. She sensed Sabine's attempts to move past their earlier altercation in the jungle and resolved to do the same. "Tell me," Shin urged, the mood shifting once more. "About how you became a Commander."
  
  
  
  With a soft chuckle and a nod, Sabine acquiesced. "Well..." she began, and the story unfolded, carried by the sound of waves, the rustle of the wind, and the quiet confidence of a warrior recounting her past.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Well seems like they've both found middle ground. It's only up from here! Thanks so much for reading!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 10: A Bed
  Notes:
  As always thank you for joining each chapter, it's been a blast so far! I'm working on this instead of listening to my lecture rn lol. Happy wolfwren Wednesday!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  
  
  Sabine had shared more than she thought with Shin, but opted to omit the more emotional aspects. Their conversation ebbed and flowed with the gentle grace of the waves, and as she spoke, the world around them seemed to quiet, acknowledging the intimacy of the exchange. The sun embarked on its descent, casting a golden patina over the world, making the water shimmer like a sea of molten gold. During their conversation, there were moments when Sabine felt herself being pulled into the deep pools of Shin's gaze, so intense and filled with empathy that they threatened to swallow her whole.
  
  
  
  She found herself, on several occasions, pausing midsentence, caught in the tide of emotions that Shin's eyes beckoned. But Shin remained silent during these hesitations, understanding the value of the unsaid, honoring Sabine's narrative as sacred. This silent communion spoke volumes, bridging the gaps between their spoken words.
  
  
  
  "And now I"m here," Sabine finally said, her voice a soft decrescendo against the lapping waves. She stretched her legs out on the beach towel, the grains of sand clinging to her skin, a subtle reminder of the earth connecting them. As she leaned back on her hands, the heaviness that had anchored her heart seemed to dissipate, carried away on the evening breeze. Her fingers inadvertently grazed Shin's in the process, a spark of electricity that jolted her back to the present. She retracted her hand swiftly, a sudden shyness overtaking her, and cleared her throat in an attempt to dispel the lingering charge.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes followed the trajectory of Sabine's retreat, eventually settling on the bruised knee where her fingers had momentarily rested. A sigh escaped her, a wistful sound that seemed to mingle with the air. She couldn"t pinpoint the origin of the flutters in her stomach or the tingling of her skin, sensations as enigmatic as the deepening twilight.
  
  
  
  "It seems we"ve both weathered our own storms," Shin remarked, her voice a blend of solidarity and an unspoken understanding. The sky above them was a canvas of orange and pink, the colors bleeding into each other in a poignant echo of their newfound connection. The day was giving way to night, and in that transformative space, they found a shared solace, a silent acknowledgment that they were, in some way, reflections of each other's struggles and triumphs.
  
  
  
  "Hm," Sabine hummed, the sound almost contemplative. She took a long gulp of water from a canteen, the coolness a balm against the setting sun"s warmth. Her gaze drifted to the horizon, where wispy clouds meandered across the sky, painted orange and pink by the sun's descent. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the beauty of the scene imprint itself upon her senses. "It's beautiful here. I wish this was where the Noti had settled," she mused aloud.
  
  
  
  Shin, who had been quietly observing the soft glow of the evening sun on Sabine's face, swallowed before responding. There was a certain detachment in her voice, a neutrality born of hard truths. "It is serene, yes," she agreed. "But this place is no longer their home."
  
  
  
  Sabine placed her water canteen and other belongings aside, her eyes lingering on the tranquil dance of the waves. A hint of frustration laced her words, her voice barely above a whisper, "They just had to pick the tundra, didn't they?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s reply carried a weight of understanding, of deeper, unspoken complexities. "There"s wisdom in their choice," she pointed out. "What happens if those predators return? The isolation is a necessity."
  
  
  
  Sabine turned to face Shin, her skin showing traces of the day spent under the sun, patches of red highlighting her exposure. Despite this, her spirit seemed undiminished. She locked eyes with Shin, a playful sparkle in her own. "You"ll climb another pillar and behead them?" she retorted, a teasing smile curving her lips. The moment was light, their banter a temporary reprieve from the gravity of their earlier conversation, a shared smile in the face of relentless challenges.
  
  
  
  Shin studied Sabine, her head tilting slightly as she processed her words. For a moment, she parted her lips to speak but then hesitated, a flicker of understanding crossing her features. Sabine was prodding for a reaction, a playful challenge thrown in Shin's direction. Choosing to engage, Shin volleyed back with her own jest. "So you can use the Force now?" she quipped, an eyebrow arching in mock incredulity. "Will we now discuss what happened?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine pressed her tongue against her cheek, her eyes momentarily darting away. "Seems like near-death experiences with zombie night troopers can have that effect," she retorted, her tone a mixture of sarcasm and an undercurrent of genuine awe at her own revelation.
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Shin exhaled, her eyes sweeping over Sabine with renewed curiosity. An unfamiliar sensation twisted in her stomach, a flutter that seemed to echo the increasing thud of her heart in her ears. Without realizing it, her hands clenched into fists, and she drew a slow, deep breath, the unique scent of Sabine-salt, sand, and something distinctly her-permeating her senses. Despite their proximity on the beach towels, an expanse seemed to stretch between them, a distance filled with uncharted emotions and tension. Shin felt a prickling awareness skitter across her skin, a pull she couldn"t quite decipher.
  
  
  
  Brows knitting together in concentration, Sabine extended her hands, palms up, and scrutinized them as though they held unseen answers. Raising her eyes to Shin, she let out a disbelieving scoff. "What are you doing?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Heat crept into Shin"s cheeks, her eyes skittering away evasively. "Nothing," she responded too quickly, her voice edged with a barely-there panic. But then, her gaze snapped back, locking with Sabine's as a sudden realization dawned. A sharp intake of breath punctuated her surprise. "It"s not me," she breathed out, her words edged with a mix of wonder and apprehension.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s own gaze sharpened as she scanned their surroundings before slowly shaking her head, strands of her hair catching the dying light. "It"s happening again," she acknowledged, a note of resigned recognition in her tone. "Just like during our brawl."
  
  
  
  "But I didn"t cause it then!" Shin protested, urgency underlining her words as the air around them began to crackle with energy, an invisible current dancing between them.
  
  
  
  "You need to rein it in," Sabine urged, her voice firm yet not unkind, as she attempted to bat at the invisible force that seemed to grow with each passing second. Her movements were deliberate, trying to disrupt the intensifying energy field enveloping them. There was a sense of impending urgency, a need to regain control before the unseen Force spiraled beyond their grasp.
  
  
  
  Shin gritted her teeth, a visible effort at composure, and took a deep, steadying breath. "We need to inform your Master about this," she insisted, her words laced with an undercurrent of concern. "Otherwise, we might just end up annihilating each other."
  
  
  
  "Does it hurt?" Sabine inquired.
  
  
  
  "No, it doesn't."
  
  
  
  "Then I doubt it's dangerous."
  
  
  
  Shin"s brows furrowed in confusion as the energy around them seemed to ebb, the tension in the air lessening. "What's it about, then?" she asked, her voice a mix of relief and lingering bewilderment.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, a lighthearted sigh escaping her as the atmosphere returned to normal. A playful gleam entered her eyes, the corners of her mouth turning up into a mischievous grin. "I think it signifies that I"m wayyyy stronger than you," she teased.
  
  
  
  "What?" Shin reacted, her voice a mix of disbelief and challenge as she leapt to her feet, towering over Sabine. "You"re not."
  
  
  
  Not to be outdone, Sabine sprang up as well, though she had to crane her neck slightly to meet Shin"s elevated gaze. "We"ll see about that," she said confidently. "But first, let"s get something to eat. I"m starving."
  
  
  
  "Is that the reason why you nearly stabbed me earlier?" Shin queried. "Your stomach was calling the shots?"
  
  
  
  With a light chuckle, Sabine started gathering her things, stuffing them into her pack. She slipped into loose, comfortable clothing, giving her short hair a quick, carefree tousle. Did she really have to rehash what happened? Couldn"t they just ignore it like she ignored everything else all the time? The dying sunlight cast a warm, golden hue on Shin, and Sabine paused, her eyes lingering on her opponent, the words momentarily eluding her.
  
  
  
  "It"s just that I really, really don"t like you," Sabine finally declared, striving for seriousness in her voice.
  
  
  
  "Tell me," Shin pressed, her tone serious yet gentle. "Cut the jokes for a moment."
  
  
  
  Sabine fidgeted, her eyes dropping to her hands as she played with her fingers. She took a deep breath, hesitated, and then admitted in a soft voice, "I think I got jealous."
  
  
  
  Shin"s brows drew together in a frown, confusion lacing her features. "Jealous? Over something that never even happened?"
  
  
  
  "I"m just...trying to be honest about how I feel," Sabine replied, her gaze lifting to meet Shin"s. It wasn"t just that, it was the mere idea of Shin and someone else. Anyone else. But Sabine didn"t want to admit that.
  
  
  
  Shin held her gaze, searching Sabine"s eyes before giving a slow nod of understanding. "We don"t have to be at odds anymore," she said calmly, the sincerity in her voice clear. "I"m right here with you, aren"t I?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes searched Shin"s, finding a softness she hadn"t noticed before. "I shouldn"t have acted out that way," she confessed, her voice quieter now. "I"m working on it."
  
  
  
  Shin looked down briefly, her expression contemplative. After a moment, she met Sabine"s gaze again and said, "I"ll work on it too."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled slowly and gazed out at the setting sun along the water"s horizon. "You know," she began. "Opening up and sharing isn"t easy."
  
  
  
  "Because then you have to be responsible for how you feel," Shin shot back, searching for Sabine"s eyes.
  
  
  
  "And so do you," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  "Fair."
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help the smirk that tugged at her lips. "Just so we"re clear, this doesn"t mean I like you or anything," she teased, her tone light. "I just need time to process things."
  
  
  
  A frown fleetingly crossed Shin"s features as she too began to dress, her movements efficient and deliberate. "The feeling is entirely mutual," she responded coolly. "But our alliance is of mutual benefit at the moment, so I"ll maintain a level of professionalism."
  
  
  
  "Sure," Sabine retorted, her words casual, almost dismissive, accompanied by a nonchalant half shrug. "Let"s go."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The bonfire roared to life under the celestial night, its crackles and sparks competing with the twinkling of stars above the ship. The rings of Peridea glowed brightly in the distance, adding to the beauty. Though the balmy air of the day had given way to a cooler evening, the alluring aroma of smoke intertwined with that of grilling meat beckoned invitingly.
  
  
  
  Shin found herself seated amongst the bandits, Ahsoka, and Sabine, a silent observer encircling the fire. Her knee throbbed, a persistent reminder of the day's ordeal, but the pain had dulled to a bearable hum. She was no stranger to discomfort, having weathered far graver trials in her past.
  
  
  
  She reflected deeply on her earlier exchange with Sabine, fully cognizant that the Mandalorian had held back details in her storytelling. However, Shin had no desire to engage in another argument or confrontation. She saw the partial revelations about Sabine"s history as a valuable gift, an opening to understanding her better. While Shin was eager to delve deeper and uncover more, she also recognized the importance of giving Sabine the breathing room she needed.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with the precision of someone who understood the importance of a well-cooked meal, inspected the succulent meat and fish, charred to perfection. She then began distributing portions to everyone present. "Today was a triumph," she commenced, her voice carrying the weight of collective effort. "It"s imperative that we maintain this momentum."
  
  
  
  Accepting his share with a grateful nod, Kradosh chimed in, "We"ve always lacked the necessary firepower to sustain a presence here for an extended period." His eyes rested on Shin appreciatively. "Recruiting your help was an astute move on Shin's part."
  
  
  
  Shin's jaw clenched, her eyes purposefully evading Sabine's when she felt them upon her. "We were in dire need of the supplies," she deflected, her tone nonchalant.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s gaze danced between Sabine and Shin, a hint of playful curiosity sparking in her eyes. "So, how did your beach day go?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Barely suppressing a chuckle, Sabine responded by audaciously stuffing a large piece of meat into her mouth.
  
  
  
  Internally swearing, Shin maintained her composure, her attention steadfast on Ahsoka. "The water was refreshing," she responded evenly.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka leaned in, her voice laced with mischief. "Did anything...interesting occur?" she continued, her eyes flicking towards Sabine.
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine nearly choked, hastily washing down her mouthful with a swig of fruit juice. "Define interesting," she managed to mumble, a hint of defensiveness in her evasion.
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips pursed, her gaze drifting to the moonlit waters, their nocturnal glimmer painting a serene yet alien scene. The night cloaked the sea in mystery, and she wondered about the deceptive calm, the potential hazards lurking beneath for night swimmers. As Ahsoka opened her mouth to question Sabine further, Shin interjected.
  
  
  
  "We experience this peculiar...Force energy. It emerges without warning, just between Sabine and me," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "Shin!" Sabine's protest was sharp, her eyes flashing.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Ahsoka's tone carried both inquiry and concern.
  
  
  
  With a groan of exasperation, Sabine buried her face in her hands.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, sensing the gravity behind their words, leaned in. "When did this start?" she insisted.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s glare fixed on Shin, a silent accusation before she relented. "Well..." she hesitated, weighing her words. "It first happened right before we stormed the Nightsister Fortress. I thought it was just her...doing some Force trick."
  
  
  
  "So it began just as you started using your abilities..." Ahsoka mused, her arms folding in contemplation. "What exactly were you two up to at that time?"
  
  
  
  "Nothing," Sabine interjected hastily.
  
  
  
  "Fighting," Shin clarified, almost in tandem.
  
  
  
  A knowing look crossed Ahsoka"s face as the evening breeze wafted through their makeshift camp, carrying the scent of the ocean with it. "Interesting," she murmured. "When we"re back, I want to see you both in a sparring session with the bokken sticks."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s head flung back in an exaggerated groan. "Whyyy, though?"
  
  
  
  A faint smile played on Shin's lips. She found Sabine's aversion to training perplexing, even amusing. "I have no objections," she responded smoothly.
  
  
  
  Rolling her eyes, Sabine ferociously bit into her fish, the sound of her chewing exaggerated amidst the silence. "Of course you wouldn"t," she muttered under her breath, though the burst of flavors in her mouth was a small consolation. It was a welcome change from their usual tundra fare.
  
  
  
  The remainder of the meal passed in uneasy quiet, punctuated only by the sounds of eating and the intermittent crackle from the fire, the group lost in their own thoughts beneath the starlit sky.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin diligently worked to restore the makeshift camp to its natural state, meticulously ensuring that no trace of their presence remained. She wanted to preserve the pristine condition of the environment, unwilling to cause any disturbance to the local flora and fauna. Sabine, having voiced her assortment of random complaints, had since retreated to the solitude of the ship. Despite this, Shin found herself compelled to linger, drawn to the tranquil expanse of water before her.
  
  
  
  The moon, now high in the sky, bathed the beach in a soft, silvery glow, accentuating the gentle ebb and flow of the waves as they caressed the shoreline. The air, filled with the briny scent of the sea, was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the warmth of the bonfire that had flickered so vibrantly moments before.
  
  
  
  Shin found solace in the rhythmic sounds of the ocean, allowing the gentle lull of the waves to wash away the remnants of the day"s tension. She wanted to etch this moment into her memory, to capture the serenity of the beach and hold onto it as a reminder of her time spent here. Her time with Sabine, though chaotic and confusing was still time well spent, especially at the beach.
  
  
  
  "Shin?" Ahsoka"s voice, soft and concerned, reached out from behind.
  
  
  
  Shin promptly turned, her posture straightening as she offered a slight bow of her head in respect. "Master," she acknowledged, her tone filled with reverence.
  
  
  
  With a warm smile and a pause in her task of organizing supplies, Ahsoka commended her, "You"ve truly impressed me with your actions today."
  
  
  
  Lifting her chin slightly, Shin responded with a modest nod. "It was a collective endeavor," she stated.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, dismissing her modesty with a wave of her hand, pressed on, "I"m not just talking about the mission. Spending time with Sabine at the beach-that"s what I"m referring to."
  
  
  
  Caught slightly off guard, Shin"s eyes flickered back to the beach, her gaze lingering on the moonlit waves before she refocused on Ahsoka. "Oh," she exhaled, a soft whisper of realization.
  
  
  
  "I believe," Ahsoka began thoughtfully, her voice gentle, "that both Sabine and you have known solitude for a considerable time. It's a challenging reality to confront, especially when left to one's own reflections. And remember, Shin, my offer to assist you still stands."
  
  
  
  Feeling a tightness in her throat, Shin worked to push it down, managing a grateful response, "Your kindness means a lot, Master. At times, I sense her solitude, her lingering pain and sorrow."
  
  
  
  "Yes, I sense it too," Ahsoka concurred, her expression softening in empathy. "It"s profoundly poignant."
  
  
  
  Shin momentarily lowered her head, her expression one of contemplation. "Navigating through this...I find myself at a loss," she admitted.
  
  
  
  With an encouraging smile, Ahsoka uncrossed her arms and leaned in slightly, "But that's the fun part, isn't it? You"re not bound by your past; you have the power to forge your own future, shape it as you wish."
  
  
  
  Feeling a surge of inspiration, Shin met Ahsoka"s gaze squarely, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Is that the path you chose for yourself?" she asked.
  
  
  
  "You might say that," Ahsoka responded, her tone reflecting a depth of experience.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her words momentarily caught in her throat as she quickly glanced toward the ship"s ramp, checking for any eavesdroppers. "I"m..." she started again, more confidently this time, "really grateful you made it to Lothal in time to save her."
  
  
  
  "I know, Shin." Ahsoka assured her, nodding with a sincere and knowing expression.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled a long, weary sigh as she freshened up, readying herself for a night"s rest after a day that had been draining, even with its moments of leisure. The sun had kissed her skin, leaving it with a warm glow, but the unfamiliar exertion had seeped into her muscles, leaving a tender ache that hummed through her with every movement. She worked her fingers into the tightness at the nape of her neck and across her shoulders, her body heavy with fatigue as she ambled toward her sleeping quarters, a yawn escaping her.
  
  
  
  The door hissed open, revealing the modest interior of her room, which was immediately thrown into a mild disarray by an unexpected presence. Shin was there, her figure outlined against the dim lighting, her attention fixed on something by the bed. It wasn"t exactly a small bed, but it certainly hadn"t been intended to accommodate two. The realization coaxed a slow exhale from Sabine as she lingered in the doorway, her mind rapidly sifting through the implications.
  
  
  
  It wasn"t just the bed that caught Shin"s interest, though. Her eyes had moved, scanning the personal touches that Sabine had peppered throughout the space. Among them were drawings and doodles, sketches that Sabine had etched on scraps of paper during moments of introspection or boredom. They were raw snippets of her thoughts, often impulsive, never meant for another's eyes. As Shin"s gaze swept over these, Sabine felt a flush of heat climb her neck and spread across her cheeks. There was an intimacy to having someone survey her scribbles, an inadvertent glimpse into her mind, and it left her grappling with a sudden sense of vulnerability under Shin's silent scrutiny.
  
  
  
  "Your Master assigned me this room," Shin announced, her words slicing through the tension as she pivoted to face Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Of course she did," Sabine muttered, her fingers absentmindedly straightening her sleep trousers. The thought of sharing a room with Shin twisted her stomach, a complex jumble of emotions she didn"t want to unpack at that moment. "Don't worry about it. I'll crash in the cockpit. You can have the room."
  
  
  
  She made to exit, but a sudden, invisible tug anchored her in place. She paused, glancing back over her shoulder.
  
  
  
  "Why can't we share?" Shin proposed, a hint of practicality in her tone as she nodded toward the bed. "I'll take the side closer to the door. That way, you won't risk falling off."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows arched skyward, a bewildered glance flitting between Shin and the bed, its modest size now a glaring detail. "Uh," she stumbled over a response. Everything was spiraling from homicidal attempts to an uneasy beach truce, and now this unforeseen proposition? She tried to make sense of the whirlwind shift in their dynamic. This couldn"t possibly align with the tales of Zeb and Kallus stranded together on a moon, could it? But then, she highly doubted their ordeal involved a shared bed or dips in sun-drenched tropical waters.
  
  
  
  The absurdity of it all momentarily hovered in the space between them, challenging every preconceived notion they had of friend and foe.
  
  
  
  Shin drew a sharp breath, her head canting slightly, a study of curiosity and confusion. "What"s the problem?" she probed. "It"s not like I would attempt anything of malice with your Master nearby. Even Kradosh would disapprove."
  
  
  
  "It"s not about... that," Sabine shot back with a scoff, her smile wry and a bit forced. The real issue was far more complex, woven into the very fabric of their tangled interactions. "It"s about what it means."
  
  
  
  "And what is that?" Shin countered, her hand extended in a silent offering, an invitation for trust amidst their tumultuous truce.
  
  
  
  A shiver of apprehension skittered up Sabine"s spine adding to the chaos stirring within her. Her breath caught, and words failed her.
  
  
  
  Noticing her hesitation, Shin"s features tightened, her jaw setting in that familiar stubborn way. But after a beat, she exhaled, her voice softer, but no less earnest. "You saved my life today," she acknowledged, her eyes searching Sabine"s. "Is that what"s bothering you? That you used your Force powers to save someone you consider an enemy?"
  
  
  
  The question hung heavy between them, a mirror reflecting Sabine's inner turmoil. She swallowed, her gaze flickering away as her heart pounded a relentless beat against her ribs. There was a disturbance deep within, a churning she couldn"t quite name. "Doing the right thing," she murmured, almost to herself, "that"s all it was."
  
  
  
  But even as she said it, the simplicity of that truth did nothing to still the storm inside.
  
  
  
  "Ah, the noble Mandalorian code in action," Shin quipped, her words dripping with feigned reverence. The weighty silence that enveloped the room pressed in on them from the bare walls. With a resigned sigh, Shin collected her sparse belongings, her movements sharp and decisive as she made for the door. "Fine, I"ll take the floor outside."
  
  
  
  But as she turned, Sabine"s hand shot out, an impulsive grasp that latched onto Shin"s arm, halting her escape.
  
  
  
  Shin"s scoff was a reflex, her immediate reaction to pull away thwarted by the firmness of Sabine"s grip. "You"re meant to ask, remember?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  For a moment, they were locked in a standoff, Sabine"s breath mingling with the damp scent that clung to Shin. Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the sleek muscle of Shin"s forearm, and she found herself unable to release her hold. Then it surged forth once more - that inexplicable energy, crackling with intensity, yet inexplicably comforting in its familiarity.
  
  
  
  With a breath that felt like surrender, Sabine relented, her voice softening, "You take the inside. I"ll be on the edge."
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes, vast pools of surprise, met Sabine's as she released her grip. The energy waned, retreating as quickly as it had flared, leaving behind a tranquil stillness that blanketed the room once more.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin felt as though she might somehow fuse with the wall, given the relentless tossing and turning from Sabine beside her. She remained rigid, a stark contrast to the restless Mandalorian who seemed to huff and puff with every breath. Sleep, it appeared, would elude Shin tonight, and she began to question the wisdom behind her proposal to share what she'd anticipated would be a comfortable bed.
  
  
  
  "You know those holo-ads on Coruscant, the ones where couples are blissfully asleep in each other's arms?" Sabine grumbled into the semi-darkness.
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled a tired sigh. "I"m not familiar..."
  
  
  
  "They"re a sham!" Sabine declared, her voice teetering between frustration and exasperation. "Why do you radiate so much heat? How do you live like this?"
  
  
  
  In the dim light, Shin"s eyes flickered, mirroring her own internal struggle with the predicament. "Perhaps you could try staying still," she offered, her hand nudging the blanket downward in a silent plea for some cool air.
  
  
  
  "I"m trying!" Sabine retorted, now turned away from Shin, her body curled defensively on her side.
  
  
  
  Adjusting her position, Shin lay flat on her back, her gaze directed at the nondescript ceiling above them. In an effort to steer away from their discomfort, she ventured, "I saw some sketches earlier."
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was to assault her pillow with a punch before burying her face into it. "Those are nothing but scribbles from before," she muffled through the fabric.
  
  
  
  "I found them quite charming," Shin confessed quietly.
  
  
  
  Sabine blinked, her gaze drifting across the room where the faint outlines of scattered papers lay haphazardly on a small desk. She wondered, fleetingly, if she had stowed a paint sprayer anywhere on Ahsoka's ship. "Thanks, I suppose," Sabine murmured, her eyelids finally feeling heavy.
  
  
  
  "Do you ever miss your friend?" Shin's question pierced the quiet, unexpected in its intimacy.
  
  
  
  A deep sigh escaped Sabine, and an unbidden image of Ezra filled her thoughts, vivid and persistent. "Every single day," she confessed softly. "And you? Anyone you miss?"
  
  
  
  "My Master," came Shin's reply, so soft it was almost lost in the shadows of the room.
  
  
  
  There was a twinge in Sabine"s stomach, and she could almost feel the sadness from Shin. "I"m sure he"s somewhere," she asserted.
  
  
  
  "Possibly," Shin sighed. "But he"s the only one I miss."
  
  
  
  A small smile tugged at Sabine"s lips, the pull of sleep growing stronger. "No one else of significance?" she teased. "No other boys, right?"
  
  
  
  Shin scoffed lightly, drawing the blanket back up with a rustle. "Trysts with boys are a risk I was never willing to take or had interest in," she clarified. "I"ve encountered many captivating women on my journeys, but nothing that beckoned me to stay for long."
  
  
  
  Sabine's hand clenched in the softness of her pillow. "So, no one special, then?" she sought confirmation, her voice a mere whisper in the darkness.
  
  
  
  "No one," Shin reaffirmed, the words simple and stark in the stillness.
  
  
  
  The admission acted as a soothing salve, and Sabine felt the tension seep from her muscles, replaced by a gentle, spreading relaxation. The oppressive heat gradually dissipated, replaced by a comforting coolness, and her mind quieted. The presence of Shin's body beside her morphed from a source of irritation to one of unexpected solace. She felt a pang of sympathy for Baylan's abandonment of Shin, yet confusion also clouded her thoughts, wondering about his true intentions.
  
  
  
  "I"m sorry about your Master," Sabine whispered.
  
  
  
  Shin adjusted in her spot and sighed. "I appreciate your concern," she said.
  
  
  
  As sleep tugged at the edges of Sabine"s consciousness, she couldn't help but wonder what Baylan would think if he knew his former apprentice was now sharing such close quarters with her.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Let's hope they can continue getting along!
  
  And happy NaNoWriMo to any of you who participate!
  
  Chapter 11: Spar
  Notes:
  I really appreciate all the positive comments, kudos etc wow I can't believe it sometimes so thank you. I feel very lucky to have some time to write for fun. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Shin awoke with a start, her body jolting upright as if pulled by invisible strings. Her hands flew to her face and rubbed the grogginess from her eyes. A thick veil of disorientation clouded her senses. As her vision adjusted to the dim light, the empty space beside her became painfully apparent - Sabine was gone. A twinge of an inexplicable emotion, a mixture of disappointment and concern, pricked at her heart. The room felt too big without her and the air too still.
  
  
  
  Only moments later, the subtle vibrations of the floor beneath her and the distant hum of engines thrumming provided the next revelation: they were already in transit. A flash of surprise flickered through her, their return journey having commenced while she was in the depths of slumber. Uncertainty gnawed at her; it was uncharacteristic for her to succumb to such heavy sleep, especially when a sense of constant alertness was both a necessity and a habit ingrained deep within her bones. Perhaps, she conceded inwardly, her body and mind had claimed the reprieve they so desperately craved, the recent events having exacted their toll more than she'd allowed herself to admit.
  
  
  
  Steel gathering in her spine, Shin swung her legs over the bed's edge, the cold deck a jolt against her bare feet. She took a moment to gather herself, a deep, steadying breath filling her lungs as she prepared for the tasks that lay ahead. She couldn't afford to dwell on vulnerabilities, not when duty called.
  
  
  
  The door to the room hissed and slid open with mechanical smoothness, revealing the common area beyond. There, in the casual chaos of the eating space, lounged Sabine. A cheeky, self-assured grin was spread across her face, her posture the epitome of relaxation and stark contrast to the tight coil of readiness in Shin's muscles. Seeing Sabine so at ease irked Shin, her lips pressing into a thin line. Nevertheless, she marched into the room with determined steps, her mind set on the rituals that would ready her for the day ahead.
  
  
  
  However, the task proved difficult with Sabine"s fiery brown eyes tracking her every move, an unspoken challenge dancing in their depths. The weight of her gaze was a tangible thing, igniting a frustration that had Shin stopping dead in her tracks, the grit of her teeth the only outlet for the simmering emotion. There was electricity in the air, a silent clash of wills that had nothing to do with their mission and everything to do with the complicated entanglement they were both hesitant to unravel. Was it because they slept in the same bed? Was it because they took down the Voraxlyn? Was it their beach day? Was it everything? Shin"s head ached.
  
  
  
  "Why are you staring?" Shin demanded, her voice cool and composed as she shifted her gaze towards Sabine, who was nonchalantly perched at the dining area with what seemed to be a morning meal.
  
  
  
  Instead of answering, Sabine's grin widened, a spark of mischief in her eyes. She casually set a cup on the table, her attention seemingly diverted. "Watch this," she instructed, her tone light but laced with underlying excitement. Extending her hand, she concentrated, the air around them pulsing with a silent, invisible energy. The cup quivered for a heartbeat, vibrating under the force of her will, before it had skidded smoothly across the table's surface.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flicked back and forth, from the cup to Sabine's expectant face, a part of her mind still processing what she had just witnessed. "Uh," she exhaled, the sound caught between astonishment and skepticism. Her gaze continued its relentless duel between the still-quivering cup and Sabine's self-satisfied smile. There was a stark contradiction here; Shin remembered the intense, focused expression Sabine wore when Force-pushing the Voraxlyn - there had been no trace of a smile then. But this simple display with the cup seemed to bring her unbridled joy.
  
  
  
  "See!" Sabine exclaimed, her voice crescendoing in triumph, her hand sweeping dramatically towards the cup as if presenting a prized possession. Her eyes danced with a challenge, a silent invitation for Shin to acknowledge what she had just accomplished.
  
  
  
  The contrast between them was striking in this moment: Sabine, with her exuberance and unhidden delight in her abilities, and Shin, ever the stoic, her emotions guarded and her reactions measured. Yet, there was no missing the undercurrent of intrigue in Shin's demeanor, a silent admission that, despite herself, she was indeed captivated by Sabine's antics.
  
  
  
  Shin adjusted her outerwear, the subtle hum of the ship's engines and the occasional rattle of crates creating a steady backdrop of ambient noise. "Well done," she replied, her tone flat, almost disinterested, as she made her way back to the bedroom. Their relationship was a perplexing one; they had oscillated from near-lethal hostility to this odd alliance, leaving Shin uncertain of the rules of engagement with Sabine. Maintaining professionalism seemed increasingly complex in the current dynamics. Back during their last fight it didn"t seem as though Sabine wanted to be touched or near Shin, so what changed?
  
  
  
  Not missing a beat, Sabine sprang from her seat, padding after Shin with an ease that spoke of her comfort in their shared space. "You snore," she declared, an impish tease in her tone.
  
  
  
  Shin drew a sharp breath, smoothing out the bedcovers with more force than necessary. "And you talk in your sleep," she retorted without looking back.
  
  
  
  Leaning casually against the doorframe, Sabine puffed out her cheeks, arms crossed, embodying the very essence of nonchalant defiance. "About what?" she prodded, curiosity tinting her words.
  
  
  
  Concealing a smirk, Shin continued her methodical folding of the blanket. "About how you desperately wish you were stronger than me," she delivered, the mock solemnity in her voice barely veiling the jest.
  
  
  
  A scoff escaped Sabine, followed by a disbelieving chuckle. "Oh yeah?" she volleyed back, the glint in her eyes challenging. "Elaborate, then."
  
  
  
  "No need," Shin replied dryly, closing the distance between them, her expression unreadable. "You simply mumbled about needing your jetpack to reach my level," she stated, the corner of her mouth twitching in what might have been the ghost of a smirk.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips parted, her eyes widening as they met Shin's. "Was that... was that humor?" she asked, a mix of surprise and something akin to respect warming her voice. The moment hung between them, charged with the unspoken acknowledgment of shifting sands in their interaction.
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, her gaze locked onto Sabine, whose purple hair stood in a charming disarray from bedhead. "I took note from your friend, Bridger I suppose," she retorted, a trace of mockery in her tone. "His appearance alone is puzzling to me. He must be quite the jester, I imagine."
  
  
  
  "Hey!" Sabine interjected, her stance unwavering, defensive loyalty sparking in her eyes. "He's handsome."
  
  
  
  An eyebrow arched high on Shin's forehead, her patience fraying as she remained trapped in the doorway. Touching Sabine to move her was out of the question; the ensuing commentary would be endless. "If that's what catches your eye," she murmured, her voice low, almost a challenge.
  
  
  
  "And what about you?" Sabine countered, her body a playful barricade in the doorway. "You seemed quite taken yesterday..."
  
  
  
  Shin's face was a mask of stoicism, but her eyes betrayed her annoyance. "You were equally engrossed, as I recall," she snapped back, her words sharp. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
  
  
  
  "Nope," Sabine replied with cheeky defiance. "Explain yourself. What had you gawking at me yesterday?"
  
  
  
  Gawking? The accusation rankled, and Shin fought to maintain her composure, feeling the heat of the challenge in Sabine's taunt. "I wasn't gawking," she responded, her voice firm, but inside, the certainty wavered. The interplay between irritation and intrigue danced precariously in the space between them.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes narrowed, a glint of curiosity and something softer within, but she held her ground. "You were looking at me as if..." Her voice dwindled into silence.
  
  
  
  "As if what?" Shin prodded, her head tilting slightly, a silent challenge in her poise.
  
  
  
  Biting her lip, Sabine drew a deep breath, her next words hovering unspoken. "Like you..."
  
  
  
  Skin prickling, Shin's hand shot up, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Don"t even try," she cautioned in a stern tone. "You know you can"t Force Probe, and even if you could, I wouldn"t allow it."
  
  
  
  With a dismissive flutter of her lips, Sabine relinquished her blockade, sliding aside with an air of feigned nonchalance. "You"re so intense, all the time," she grumbled under her breath.
  
  
  
  Shin retorted as she moved to grab some provisions, her tone sharp, "And you"ve been nothing but impulsive since the night we met."
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed, her eyes briefly flitting to the training gear adorning the ship's walls. A smirk played on her lips. "We"ll see who comes out on top in our spar later," she taunted with a competitive spark in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin responded with a dismissive wave, her confidence unshaken. "You"ll find yourself on your back once more," she quipped casually.
  
  
  
  The air crackled with tension before Sabine threw a loaded question, "Is that how you want me?" The underlying implications hung heavy between them, a dance of words neither was willing to concede.
  
  
  
  A surge of warmth flooded through Shin, her gaze hardening as she met Sabine's challenging stare. Uncertainty nagged at her; was Sabine's question earnest, or just another round in their ongoing verbal sparring? Regardless, the query ignited a flurry of sensations she couldn't suppress. Sabine was unlike any woman Shin had encountered before; every interaction was a test, exhausting yet oddly exhilarating, and that realization unsettled Shin profoundly.
  
  
  
  "Well?" Sabine insisted, a teasing smirk dancing on her lips, drawing out the moment.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's grip tightened around a fruit she"d absently picked up, her fingernails threatening to pierce its flesh. She parted her lips to counter, but the sudden hiss of the cockpit door interrupted her - Kradosh stepped into view, nodding respectfully. "We"re approaching the Noti camp," he announced, his voice a grounding force amid the charged atmosphere. "Our clansmen are likely assembling in anticipation of our return."
  
  
  
  Regaining her composure, Shin cleared her throat, her gaze shifting to Kradosh as she nodded. "I"ll ready myself," she responded, her voice steady, yet the lingering heat from Sabine's provocations remained, a silent acknowledgment of an unfinished conversation.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine busied herself with the task of organizing the eclectic assortment of crates, supplies, and other invaluable treasures retrieved from the tropical zone. The artifacts, once imprisoned by the formidable dome that encapsulated the ruins, were now tangible tokens of their hard-won victory. As she worked, the surrounding atmosphere buzzed with an electric mix of astonishment and jubilant cheers, the Noti and the bandits alike expressing their wonderment at the seemingly impossible feats achieved.
  
  
  
  Despite the celebratory mood, Sabine couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the idyllic beach shore they'd left behind. The serene waves, warm sand, and tranquil environment had offered a rare moment of peace. The tundra's climate was mild during the day, a small mercy, but it was a stark contrast to the tropical paradise that now felt worlds away. She wondered when, if ever, she would return to that haven, but she quickly quashed the yearning. There were more pressing matters at hand - aiding the Noti people, who had been instrumental in supporting Ezra through countless tribulations, was paramount.
  
  
  
  Her muscles flexed with purpose as she loaded a Howler-drawn cart, the creature's breath visible in the cool air. Sabine managed to force a smile when the bandits, individuals she had clashed with in fierce combat merely weeks ago, expressed their gratitude in their unique, rough manner. The irony of their current camaraderie wasn't lost on her, highlighting the unpredictable, often tumultuous nature of alliances forged in times of strife.
  
  
  
  The language barrier posed a significant challenge; the bandits' tongue was an intricate melody of sounds and intonations, completely foreign to her ears. She harbored hopes of eventually unraveling the complexities of their speech or, conversely, that they would embrace the Galactic Basic language as Kradosh had. Communication, she knew, was integral to the fragile trust they were building.
  
  
  
  Observing the interactions around her, Sabine noted the Noti's skepticism toward the bandits. Their alliance was precarious, the threads of trust thin and newly spun. Yet, off in the distance, a heartwarming scene unfolded: children from both groups, unfettered by the intricate politics and prejudices that often plagued their elders, played together. Their laughter was a universal language, bridging the gap between the two cultures. Despite their stark differences in stature and background, the children found common ground in the simplicity of their games.
  
  
  
  This sight, a poignant scene of innocence and unity, kindled a flicker of hope within Sabine. Perhaps, in time, the wounds of the past could be mended, and a harmonious future, built upon mutual respect and understanding, could be forged. The journey would be fraught with challenges, but the promise gleamed on the horizon, a beacon guiding them forward.
  
  
  
  In the midst of the organized chaos, Shin and Kradosh stood a short distance away, deep in conversation. Their heads were bowed close together, their expressions serious as they discussed the logistics of what they could feasibly transport back to camp. Sabine made an effort to eavesdrop, curious about their plans, but initially, the conversation seemed saturated with mundane details and predictable concerns.
  
  
  
  However, as she continued to listen, the dialogue took an intriguing turn. It appeared the bandits were not content with the status quo. They were actively persuading other factions, ones that had been rivals not too long ago, to consolidate under their banner for a cause that was gradually uniting them all. Shin was evidently spearheading this unification process. This revelation added a new layer of complexity to the dynamics at play, hinting at a potential shift in the power structures the bandits had grown accustomed to.
  
  
  
  With a huff of exertion and a mind teeming with unspoken queries, Sabine completed her task of loading the cart. She scanned the area for Ahsoka, needing the wisdom and perspective the seasoned warrior could provide, especially now when the political landscape seemed as malleable and unpredictable as the swirling tundra winds.
  
  
  
  She found Ahsoka engaged in an intense discussion with the Noti elders, their collective posture one of deep respect mixed with urgent deliberation. Knowing better than to interrupt, Sabine was about to turn her attention elsewhere when she felt an insistent tug at her leg. Looking down, her stern demeanor softened into a smile at the sight of her tiny Noti friend. The child, who had taken to joyously greeting her from the mobile pod homes during their travels, looked up with wide, expectant eyes.
  
  
  
  In a spontaneous gesture of affection, Sabine reached for a piece of exotic fruit they had brought back from the tropical zone. The fruit, a vibrant gift from the lush region they had visited, seemed out of place in the stark tundra environment. Similar to a meiloorun but not quite the same. She tossed it gently to the child, who caught it with a gleeful squeal. The simple act, transcending the need for words, reinforced the bond they shared.
  
  
  
  "Bet you've never tasted anything like this before," Sabine commented, amusement lighting her eyes as the little one cheered, taking huge bites of the fruit, its eye-stalks whirling in delight. "You're so welcome, my friend." The Noti child, energized and ecstatic, scampered back to its mother, chattering animatedly about the encounter.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, having concluded her earnest conversation with the Noti elders, walked over to Sabine, a gentle, knowing smile gracing her features. "You can"t say you didn"t do well this time," she acknowledged, her voice carrying an undertone of pride.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, her boot idly nudging a pebble across the ground. "Yeah, I guess I did do something right on this mission," she admitted, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Working alongside the enemy and all..."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's eyebrows arched gracefully, her gaze sweeping over the Red bandits who were now immersed in their tasks. "But were they ever truly our enemies, Sabine?" she asked, her voice soft yet profound, encouraging reflection.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, her breath forming a misty cloud in the frigid air. After a contemplative pause, she shifted the topic. "What happened to you on your journey here, Ahsoka?" she asked, curiosity edging her words. "You're... different. Did you meditate too hard or something?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's laugh was a quiet, musical thing that seemed to dance on the icy breeze. She shook her head, the gesture slow and filled with an inexplicable depth. "Some experiences defy the confines of language," she replied enigmatically.
  
  
  
  "Sure, they do," Sabine responded, skepticism lacing her voice but with a playful glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's expression turned purposeful. "Speaking of experiences, I want you to find Shin," she instructed. "I'm interested in understanding this energy you speak of."
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression contorted into a mock grimace. "Now? After all this work?" she protested half-heartedly.
  
  
  
  "Didn't I grant you a day on the beach?" Ahsoka reminded her, a playful sternness in her tone.
  
  
  
  "Yeah, after downing a giant beast," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  "Sabine..."
  
  
  
  "Alright, alright..." Sabine conceded, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. Despite her feigned annoyance, the respect and fondness she held for Ahsoka were unmistakable in her compliance. With a resigned yet playful sigh, she set off in search of Shin, ready for whatever insight Ahsoka sought.
  
  
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine wasn't physically exhausted, but mentally, she was running on fumes. And Shin's penetrating gaze wasn't making things any easier. Her earlier question to Shin, undeniably provocative, lingered in the air between them. There was a certain thrill, Sabine found, in unsettling the composed Dark Jedi, a sense of fleeting dominance she couldn"t help but savor.
  
  
  
  But did they have to spar right now? Ahsoka, ever the vigilant observer, stood arms crossed by the pond, her presence an unspoken command for discipline. They were positioned at a safe distance from the Noti camp, far enough to ensure their vigorous exchanges didn"t disrupt the daily activities or interfere with the Red bandits as they busied themselves relocating the cargo to their stronghold.
  
  
  
  "So, this energy you mentioned," Ahsoka initiated, her voice steady, "let"s explore that. It surfaces during combat, yes?"
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, brandishing her bokken with less enthusiasm than required. "It just...happens," she protested, frustration edging her words.
  
  
  
  Shin, poised and undeterred, assumed her fighting stance, a stark contrast to Sabine"s reluctance. "It"s triggered by you," she stated, her tone devoid of any accusation, just a simple fact laid bare.
  
  
  
  "Me?" Sabine balked, her grip tightening around her bokken. "What about yesterday on the beach? That was all you!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, with a grace that commanded attention, raised her hand, signaling silence. Her eyes closed in a moment of collected calm. "Enough," she interjected, the authority in her tone gentle but firm. "The goal here now is instead synchrony, not conflict. You"ve been at odds since your paths crossed, but the real test lies in harmonizing your movements. Can you manage a dance with your bokken swords?"
  
  
  
  Sabine"s expression was a mix of confusion and mild outrage, her mouth agape as she processed Ahsoka"s words. A dance? With bokken? She couldn"t fathom how this constituted training. In her mind, they were more likely to end up with gouged eyeballs than unison.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture subtly realigned, an affirmation directed at Ahsoka without words. "I understand," she declared, her confidence unwavering. The bokken sword twirled skillfully in her hand before she squarely faced Sabine, ready. "I"m ready."
  
  
  
  Sabine, skepticism written in every line of her stance, let out a derisive snort and dismissively waved her hand. Brandishing her bokken with a flourish, she positioned herself, mind flashing back to her Zatochi training sessions. As she launched forward, her stick descended only to clash violently with Shin's, sparking the beginning of their unconventional duel. This wasn"t like their lightsaber battles yet Sabine attacked with a fervor, each strike fueled by pent-up energy.
  
  
  
  In contrast, Shin moved with a fluid grace, evading with ease and countering with precision. She sidestepped Sabine"s relentless onslaught, eventually maneuvering deftly to trip her opponent. Sabine hit the ground with a jarring thud, and Shin observed dispassionately, "You"re approaching this all wrong."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s voice, patient yet stern, interjected, "It"s about harmony, Sabine, not dominance."
  
  
  
  Irritation flashed across Sabine"s features, her eyes rolling so vigorously she half-expected them to get lost in her skull. Were Shin and Ahsoka pals now? It felt like a conspiracy, this ludicrous exercise seeming more like a farce with each passing moment. How dare they. Yet, despite her internal protestations, she reset her stance, her chest rising and falling as she drew in a deep, centering breath, the air crisp and invigorating against her lungs.
  
  
  
  As much as I"d love to throw you on your back, that"s not the goal of this exercise...
  
  
  
  "Huh?" Sabine vocalized her confusion, her focus momentarily faltering.
  
  
  
  "No one spoke," Ahsoka interjected, her tone flat yet tinged with mild inquiry.
  
  
  
  That's when Sabine caught it - the fleeting, self-satisfied smirk that toyed at the edges of Shin's lips. A visceral heat surged up her spine, frustration boiling into ire. With her teeth gritted in determination, Sabine's grip on her sword tightened, and she launched into a renewed flurry of fervid attacks. Shin, ever the immovable object to her unstoppable force, parried and evaded each strike with infuriating calm.
  
  
  
  Sweat traced a damp path down Sabine"s back, and her breathing grew harsh and labored. Sabine, exhaustion fraying her composure, spat out a venomous retort, "I"m too tired for this."
  
  
  
  "One more attempt," Ahsoka urged, her voice a steady lighthouse amidst the storm of Sabine's frustration. "Shin is extending every chance for you to read her movements. Open yourself to the rhythm."
  
  
  
  Face it. I"ll always be better than you. You can't even flow with me, so why persist in moving against me?
  
  
  
  "Dank farrik," Sabine grumbled under her breath. Taking another deep, steadying inhalation, she filled her lungs and exhaled with deliberate slowness, attempting to quiet the chaos within. Her gaze locked onto Shin's, where icy blue met fire, and she held her sword in a grip that spoke of readiness, tempered with a new, cautious restraint.
  
  
  
  With her grip adjusted and her breathing controlled, Sabine reentered the fray with a renewed sense of purpose. This time, she didn't attack with reckless aggression but moved with a mindful presence she hadn't realized she'd been neglecting. Her bokken traced arcs in the air, mirroring Shin's with precision. Their wooden swords met in a rhythm that resonated like an impromptu melody, no longer clashing in chaos but syncing in a dance of blades.
  
  
  
  Shin, responding to the change, adjusted her movements in turn. Her evasions and parries became less about foiling Sabine's attacks and more about guiding them, redirecting their energy. It was a dance, Sabine realized - not of dominance and submission, but of partnership, of give-and-take.
  
  
  
  And then, something extraordinary began to happen.
  
  
  
  It started as a hum, a resonant frequency that Sabine could feel in her bones, in the very core of her being. The air around them seemed to thicken, and the space between their crossing bokkens shimmered as if with heat. It grew in intensity with each pass and parry, each slide and step, until the air itself crackled with energy. It was white and warm and alive, a tangible manifestation of the connection they'd forged in the crucible of their duel.
  
  
  
  They moved within this energy, buoyed by it, their movements not just synchronized now but harmonious. They were two parts of a whole, balanced and counterbalancing, separate and yet together. The bokkens became extensions of their wills, not weapons but conduits for the flow of energy that connected them.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, watching from the sidelines, allowed a small, knowing smile to grace her lips. This was the synchronization she had envisioned, the potential she had seen hidden beneath layers of conflict and competition.
  
  
  
  The energy didn't erupt or explode; it wasn't violent or destructive. It was creation, connection, a shared strength born from understanding - an understanding that words could not forge. Sabine, in the eye of this quiet storm, found clarity. She saw Shin - truly saw her - and in the mirror of Shin's steely blue eyes, she saw herself reflected back.
  
  
  
  And for the moment that this energy lasted, there were no words of taunt, no thoughts of exhaustion. There was only the dance, the flow, the silent conversation between two souls spoken in the language of movement and energy.
  
  
  
  "Excellent work!" Ahsoka commended, clapping her hands in approval.
  
  
  
  "So you can see it then?" Sabine asked with bated breath.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka tilted her head. "I can," she replied. "But it"d be invisible to others."
  
  
  
  "Why can we see it then?" Sabine asked.
  
  
  
  As the comforting energy gradually diminished, Shin and Sabine locked eyes, aware of the unexplored depth of power they'd just grazed. It was there, accessible, yet they chose to let it lie dormant for the moment.
  
  
  
  "It's a Force bond, originating from both of you," Ahsoka elaborated.
  
  
  
  Sabine gestured wildly, her face etched with disbelief. "A Force what?" she blurted out. She remembered the instance when Kanan had harnessed his Force powers, shielding them from the fuel pod detonation. It was as if a barrier had emanated from his hands, visible only to those who knew what to look for. Maybe this was similar?
  
  
  
  Assuming a more casual posture, Shin leveled a calm gaze at Ahsoka. "Why? What's the reason for this bond?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, maintaining her serene composure, offered a slight shrug. "Your initial meeting was charged with intensity... almost death," she speculated. "Alternatively, it might be the will of the Force. Its ways are often inscrutable."
  
  
  
  A hearty laugh erupted from Sabine, her hand thumping her abdomen. "Nightsisters, uncharted galaxies, Thrawn, mysterious forces, and now a bond..." She shook her head in mock despair. "I could hibernate for a decade."
  
  
  
  "Rest won't be part of our immediate plans," Ahsoka countered. "Shin?"
  
  
  
  Shin turned her attention to Ahsoka, responding with a simple, "Yes, Master?"
  
  
  
  "Does your encampment have space to accommodate Sabine?" Ahsoka inquired.
  
  
  
  Ignoring the piercing look Sabine shot her way, Shin responded affirmatively, "More than enough."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's features brightened with a purposeful smile. "Then you'll escort Sabine to your Red Bandit stronghold," she decreed. "Spending more time on this planet, exploring your Force bond, will likely enhance your safety."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled a heavy, resigned sigh, her hand dragging down her face. "I won"t even bother arguing," she grumbled, already heading back to the Noti camp for her belongings.
  
  Notes:
  Looks like Sabine is off to bandit land!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 12: Tent
  Notes:
  Phenomenology and Hermeneutics class is interesting rn but here"s a chapter! I don"t think this chapter applies to any Wolfwren week prompts but happy wolfwren wednesday. All the amazing art, writing etc this week is mindblowing!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine crammed essentials into her pack, her motions so forceful that the worn bag was nearly punctured with each item shoved in. With a determined swing, she heaved it over her shoulder and marched toward the ship's exit ramp, only to almost barrel into Ahsoka, who had planted herself firmly in the path.
  
  
  
  "Master?" Sabine greeted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
  
  
  
  "Padawan," Ahsoka responded, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly in acknowledgment of the irony.
  
  
  
  Releasing a resigned sigh, Sabine's fingers nervously toyed with her pack's strap. "What's the issue?" she queried, a hint of defensiveness in her tone. "I'm doing what you asked-no complaints, see?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowing as she pondered for a brief second. She cast a discreet glance over her shoulder, confirming they were alone in the ship's confines. "That's what surprises me," she admitted, her gaze returning to Sabine. "Your silence is...unusual. Is there something you're not telling me?"
  
  
  
  Sabine cleared her throat, shaking her head decisively. "No," she asserted, her voice resolute.
  
  
  
  "Good," Ahsoka responded, her tone firm yet not unkind. "I need your full attention on this trek. Even with our recent win in the tropical zone, I want you to investigate Shin"s camp."
  
  
  
  A flutter buzzed through Sabine's chest, tugging her lips into a half-smile. "A recon mission?" she breathed out, the thrill barely contained in her whisper.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's slight nod held a mixture of seriousness and implicit trust. "Something like that," she confirmed. "We'll maintain open comms. I trust in your capabilities, Sabine."
  
  
  
  Emboldened by Ahsoka's confidence, Sabine nodded, a warm sensation of pride swelling within her. But curiosity gnawed at her, prompting her next question. "What about this Force bond situation?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka drew a deep, audible breath. "I"ve never experienced one..." she began. "I've felt something akin to it with my Master, but nothing like what I witnessed between you and Shin. It might be deeper, lesser, or even something entirely different."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows shot up, and she couldn't help but make a face. "That's not particularly helpful," she retorted. "Is it possible to stop it?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka gave a light chuckle, her gaze shifting over her shoulder momentarily. "Even if you could... would you genuinely wish to?"
  
  
  
  Swallowing hard, Sabine felt a tingle of apprehension, her senses sharpening as she attempted to gauge Ahsoka"s thoughts. "She came close to ending my life," Sabine asserted, her tone hardening. "The Force seems to have a twisted sense of humor."
  
  
  
  "Understandable," Ahsoka conceded. "But consider what happened with the Voraxlyn... Was Shin"s assistance merely driven by a will to survive, or is there something more?"
  
  
  
  "Ugh," Sabine exhaled in frustration, readjusting her pack on her shoulders. "Maybe this recon mission will give some answers."
  
  
  
  "It just might," Ahsoka acquiesced, her voice tinged with an ambiguous promise.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin maneuvered in tight arcs atop her grey howler, the beast's breath fogging in the frigid air, amidst the vast expanse of a barren tundra. The landscape around her was a stark scene of white and grey, the ground a patchwork of dry grass and exposed rock, stretching infinitely under a sullen sky.
  
  
  
  The cold bit at her, but it was hardly felt against the residual warmth tingling in her skin from the bokken sword spar. Her mind, however, couldn't stay as insulated from the events that had transpired, though she held her countenance as impassive as the desolate terrain stretching before her. If their situation eluded even Ahsoka, Shin harbored little hope that her own master, Baylan, would have fared any better in understanding.
  
  
  
  A pang of longing gnawed at her, a desire to somehow connect with her Master, to seek the comfort of his guidance amidst the confusion. Yet, he remained frustratingly out of reach, his presence an impenetrable fortress she couldn't hope to access.
  
  
  
  The air was more than brisk; it was a sharp-edged blade, slicing through the heavy fabric of her garments as she waited. It was then, in a gust that sent a flurry of isolated snowflakes dancing like wayward spirits, that she saw Sabine. The other girl was a stark contrast to the desolation around them, riding her animated howler, its breaths puffing rhythmically, cutting through the tundra with an urgency that matched the racing of Shin's pulse. Sabine's approach, direct and unflinching, was a bright spot in the wasteland. Shin couldn't help but steady herself, an anchor against the tumult that seemed to follow them both.
  
  
  
  "I"ve been waiting," Shin stated dryly, her fingers idly playing with her braid.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave Tota's head an affectionate pat, and the creature bounded over to greet Shin"s howler. The two animals exchanged their own form of greeting, chuffing and nuzzling in their unique form of communication.
  
  
  
  "I should"ve made you wait longer," Sabine retorted with mock severity as Shin set the pace. They were alone now; the last howler transport had departed, leaving them isolated in the expanse of the tundra.
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin"s jaw tightened, and she instinctively urged her howler to widen the gap between them. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, its light a dwindling promise in the encroaching chill. Memories of the previous day's warmth teased her - the vivid turquoise waters, pristine white sands, and the image of Sabine's sun-drenched form lounging without a care...
  
  
  
  "So, what"s your take on our... new Force skills?" Sabine inquired, shattering the silence that had fallen between them.
  
  
  
  Shin's lips formed a thin line, her grip tightening on the reins. Her thoughts were a tumultuous disarray regarding this alleged Force bond - full of emotions and unanswerable questions. It had manifested unmistakably and repeatedly, defying dismissal as mere delusion. Yet, she was wary of revealing the depth of her curiosity, her intrigue, especially to Sabine.
  
  
  
  "It"s inconsequential," Shin responded tersely. "Perhaps just witchcraft from this land, echoes of the Nightsisters" past."
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed, urging Tota to accelerate until they were riding abreast. "Are you sure that"s what you think?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Shin maintained her focus on the desolate horizon, silently praying Sabine would let the subject drop. But the perceptible weight of Sabine"s intense, expectant gaze eventually compelled her to respond, her patience fraying.
  
  
  
  "What about you, then?" Shin retorted, a sharp edge to her words. "You have a knack for cloaking your words in ambiguity, insinuating complexities in our interactions."
  
  
  
  A smirk played on Sabine"s lips, her eyebrows arching in playful dare. "Oh? Do tell more," she coaxed.
  
  
  
  Shin brought her howler to an abrupt stop, fixing Sabine with a steely glare. "You were the one who rebuffed my touch after you pursued me weeks ago," she pointed out, her voice tinged with frustration. "Your words were harsh - calling me an idiot, then a bitch. You"ve rarely spoken to me without scorn."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a low, drawn-out oh, as she gently patted Tota's head, calming his minor startle. "So, I"m curious," she began, her voice deceptively casual. "What would you have done if I hadn"t pulled away that time?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Shin"s eyes flashed with surprise, a reaction she fought to temper. She knew she had to provide an answer; otherwise, Sabine would relentlessly dig deeper. "I would have held onto you a little longer... then let you go," she confessed, her voice barely more than a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s expression softened, her lips pressing together as she momentarily bowed her head. "Okay," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "We should keep moving," Shin urged, eager to shift the focus. "The cold is worse at night."
  
  
  
  Unexpectedly, Sabine"s demeanor shifted, her voice more serious when she spoke. "It feels right, you know. When we do it. It"s... it"s comforting."
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze locked with Sabine"s, searching for any sign of insincerity but finding none. Instead, she saw a reflection of her own turmoil. She swallowed hard, acknowledging the deep, resonant thrum that vibrated within her core. The connection they shared was undeniably potent, bordering on addictive, stirring a hunger for more. Yet, she tamped down this desire, urging her howler forward in silence, even as the echo of their bond lingered between them. She wouldn"t allow herself to succumb to something she didn"t understand.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  As evening nestled over the landscape, the bandit encampment buzzed with an undeniable vibrancy, its vast expanse teeming with life. Sabine's eyes swept over the scene, taking in the diversity of bandits whose armor hues spanned beyond the anticipated Red. The air was punctuated by the innocent laughter of children chasing each other, the tender cries of babies, and the resolute conversations of both male and female warriors. This thriving community was a stark contrast to the smaller, more reserved group of the Noti. Sabine took mental note of everything she witnessed.
  
  
  
  She had braced herself for a cold reception, for a wall of distrust and skepticism. Instead, she was met with a wave of unexpected warmth and adulation. Word of her victory over the Dome of Death had apparently rippled through the encampment with the swiftness of a wild prairie fire. Gratitude and praise enveloped her from all sides as she navigated the crowds atop her howler, her prior skirmish with the Red bandits relegated to a mere whisper in the winds of her present triumph.
  
  
  
  The energy around her was infectious; her heart swelled, and a smile broke free, irrepressible and wide, as she descended from her mount. She found herself engulfed in a sea of outstretched hands, eager faces, and heartfelt words, each handshake and acknowledgment bridging the chasm between stranger and savior. But the admiration showered was not for her alone. Sabine could not miss the similar, if more subdued, reverence directed at Shin. The Dark Jedi, ever enigmatic, maintained an expression as unreadable as ever, yet Sabine sensed that beneath the stoic facade, Shin was silently reveling in the recognition, her actions heralding her as a leader, perhaps even a ruler-to-be.
  
  
  
  Amidst the festivities, the crates of goods salvaged from the tropical zone were distributed, tokens of survival and hope. Sabine's gaze was particularly drawn to the way ancient relics and antiques were gingerly handled, their mundane appearances belying a significance known only to the bandits and Noti. These treasures, unimpressive at first glance, were revered, hinting at stories and traditions yet uncovered.
  
  
  
  The excitement continued even as the night grew colder, the stars above twinkling with indomitable spirit. Eventually, the celebrations began to ebb, and the nocturnal chill settled in earnest. It was then that Shin guided Sabine towards a substantial tent standing like a sentinel near the encampment's heart.
  
  
  
  As Sabine stepped through the tent's flap, she was struck by the stark contrast between its unassuming exterior and the interior's meticulous organization. The space, clearly well-lived-in, exuded a sense of order and purpose, complete with a crackling fireplace, a dedicated work area, a bathtub hinting at unspoken luxuries, and a bed generously swathed in fur. The inviting warmth was a solace against the night's creeping frost, a sanctuary she hadn't anticipated within the primitive camp.
  
  
  
  "These are my quarters," Shin stated, a matter-of-fact tone in her voice as she began to remove her armor, each piece placed carefully away.
  
  
  
  Sabine scanned the interior, her expression morphing into one of confusion. "Where's my tent?" she inquired, her fingers subconsciously playing with her pack strap.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her eyes flicking to the expansive bed swathed in fur. "The left side or the right side," she offered, her voice devoid of jest, yet the slightest hint of a challenge lingered in her tone.
  
  
  
  A sigh escaped Sabine's lips, her mouth agape as she processed the implication. "I don't get my own space?" The question hung heavily in the air, laden with a mix of disbelief and a tinge of annoyance.
  
  
  
  Shin regarded her, head tilting slightly, a silent query in her ice-blue eyes. "What's the problem?" she probed. "We shared space on the ship. This," she gestured around, "is practically a luxury. That bed is twice the size of the one on the ship you had me endure."
  
  
  
  "Endure?" Sabine echoed with a scoff, her brows knitting together. "I was the one who had to deal with your snoring."
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin's jaw twitched, the only betrayal of her annoyance before she moved to freshen up. "I can arrange a tent for you tomorrow," she responded, her back turned to Sabine. "But be forewarned, they're not nearly as accommodating as this. They're rough, and with the night's cold, even more unwelcoming."
  
  
  
  Sabine heard the unspoken implication in her words - it was not just about comfort, but also about safety, the warmth of proximity in a land that was still largely alien and potentially hostile. The reality of their situation settled around her like the descending night, a stark reminder that despite the day's triumph, challenges lay ahead.
  
  
  
  Sabine flung her bag onto the worn-out sofa, the fabric protesting under the abrupt weight. Rough and cold her ass. Rough and cold just like Shin.
  
  
  
  "What's that?" Shin shot back, her tone sharp.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze snapped to Shin, who was in the process of wiping her face, her features partially obscured. "I didn"t say anything," she replied, feigning innocence but her defensive posture betrayed her true feelings.
  
  
  
  "Be mindful of your thoughts, Sabine," Shin cautioned, her voice a low warning, yet her eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s hands found her hips, her fingers digging into the fabric of her attire as she internally cursed. "And you should be mindful of the implications of all this, Shin," she retorted, gesturing vaguely to the space around them.
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her movements ceasing as she aggressively wrung out her face towel before hanging it to dry. She faced Sabine, a mask of casual indifference failing to hide the storm in her eyes. "And what"s that?" she asked, her voice maintaining a deceptive calm.
  
  
  
  Striving for nonchalance, Sabine held Shin's intense gaze, though an inexplicable shiver traced her spine. "Your bandit friends might get the wrong idea," she said, her voice a study in controlled neutrality.
  
  
  
  "Wrong idea?" Shin echoed, a single eyebrow arching.
  
  
  
  "That we"re...more than just colleagues."
  
  
  
  For a heartbeat, Shin"s expression clouded, a frown creasing her brow. "Why should that concern us?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s thoughts raced, skirting around the real reason her heart had skipped a beat. With a mental shake, she found a safer harbor for her words. "It could compromise our standing," she replied, each word measured and deliberate. "Kradosh and his warriors could see it as a weakness."
  
  
  
  Shin's smirk transformed into a predatory grin as she closed the distance between them, stopping just close enough for Sabine to feel the heat radiating from her body. She locked onto Sabine's golden-brown eyes, her own a piercing icy blue. "Weakness?" she questioned, her voice a low rumble of amusement and challenge. "Here"s my perspective: aside from our respective Masters, we are the apex predators in this desolate place. It's imperative for the survival of everyone here to recognize and respect that."
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but scoff, defiantly tilting her chin up, striving not to drown in the intensity of Shin's gaze. "Your hunger for power is unsettling," she retorted. "And I don"t care for it."
  
  
  
  "Hm," Shin hummed noncommittally, her eyes never leaving Sabine's. "Good. Because this Force bond farce that we share doesn"t make you my equal."
  
  
  
  At that, Sabine"s eyebrows quirked up, and a smile tugged at her lips, irrepressible and incisive. "Have you been sniffing spice?" she jested, her tone laced with incredulity. "Do you even hear yourself when you speak?" The sight of Shin"s features twisting in sheer vexation was nearly enough to send Sabine into a fit of laughter.
  
  
  
  "You"re insufferable," Shin spat through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  Unperturbed, Sabine leaned in, her voice a theatrical imitation of Shin's earlier menaces, "Remember when you said, "you will regret this decision?" Or my favorite, "you have no power?" And then, oh-my rockets disarmed you...You really should consider expanding your social circle and loosening up a bit."
  
  
  
  The audible grind of Shin's teeth underscored her mounting irritation, the muscles of her jaw tensing in a clear display.
  
  
  
  Suppressing a snort, Sabine dragged her hand down her face and deftly sidestepped a fuming Shin. "I"ll take the left side then," she declared, moving to freshen up behind a privacy wall.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze lingered on the bed for a moment before she let out a soft sigh, her attention methodically shifting to tidying the living space. She adjusted objects with pointed precision, her efforts to maintain an orderly environment paired with a concerted effort to avert her gaze from Sabine. The sound of splashing water and the rustle of clothing being shed teased at her senses.
  
  
  
  Peering out with a mischievous smile, Sabine teased, "You didn"t seem to mind looking yesterday," a playful reminder of a moment less guarded.
  
  
  
  Shin's posture became rigid, her actions with the linens more deliberate as she immersed herself in the familiar routine of her chores. Despite her absence for several days, everything remained untouched, indicative of the respect-or perhaps fear-others held for her possessions. She had transformed this space from the cold anonymity of her first night to a place imbued with warmth and personal comfort, and she found solace in its unchanged state.
  
  
  
  "Yesterday was different," Shin replied tersely, her hands methodically folding linens without a glance at the shadowed outline of Sabine visible through the partition.
  
  
  
  Sabine was busy heating water from a large container and funneling it into the bathtub. "How so?" she queried, her attention shifting to survey the array of oils and floral essences neatly aligned on a shelf.
  
  
  
  With a subtle clench of her jaw, Shin responded, "The beach has its own rules."
  
  
  
  "Really?" Sabine"s voice floated over, mingling with the sound of testing the water. Finding it to her liking, she shed the last of her attire, letting the heat envelop her as she stepped into the bath. A contented exhale filled the space as she settled in, her gaze flickering over the partition to Shin"s rigid posture. "I"m surprised you didn"t get sunburn."
  
  
  
  Shin glanced at her skin, noting minor reddish spots. "Suppose I"m resilient," she said, almost to herself.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Sabine lathered away the day's dust and toil. The soothing blue waters of their recent escapade were a distant luxury; her time on Peridea wasn"t for rest, but for honing her skills and demonstrating her worth to Ahsoka. The misadventure on Seatos had set a high bar; she was determined to meet it.
  
  
  
  "Resilient, huh?" Sabine mused, working the soap over her skin. "Let"s see then." Once clean, she reclined briefly, her lips parting to savor the humid air. "Pass me a towel, will you?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s response was a low murmur as she rifled through the linen, extracting a thick towel and pressing it to her chest. With cautious steps, she edged towards the privacy screen.
  
  
  
  From her bath, Sabine's smile was hidden but unmistakably present in her voice. Rising, she let the water cascade down her body, aromatic droplets perfuming the air. Shin"s hand peeked around the screen; the towel gripped so tightly her knuckles paled.
  
  
  
  "You"re too far," Sabine said.
  
  
  
  "Why not step out?" Shin"s gaze was fixed on the floor.
  
  
  
  "I"ll drip everywhere," Sabine retorted.
  
  
  
  The grip on the towel intensified as Shin rounded the screen. "Just take it," she insisted, her voice firm yet her face turned away, now flushed with a red hue.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s delight was unabashed as she plucked the towel from Shin"s grasp and began to pat herself dry. "Such resilience, Shin," she taunted softly.
  
  
  
  With a frustrated puff of breath, Shin retreated, busying herself with meticulous adjustments around the room. It was going to be a long night.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  a looooooong night indeed. Good luck Shin!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 13: Control
  Notes:
  So awesome to see all the bts wolfwren and the Ahsoka cast supporting the ship wow! What an awesome weekend! I mean it hasss to be canon in S2 now right?
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  In the sequestered sanctuary of the tent, only the crackling of the fireplace paired with the ghostly whir of the wind's nocturne from outside filled the air. Warmth pervaded the space, a soft, golden glow from the firelight danced upon the interior, casting elongated shadows that swayed with the flickering flames. The atmosphere was a cocoon of stillness, almost surreal, as if time itself had been lulled to a slow crawl.
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine, engrossed in their own worlds, relaxed on opposite edges of the substantial bed, the distance between them an unvoiced witness to their complex bond. They lay amidst comfort, the bed adorned with furs from exotic creatures, their lush textures a contrast to the tent's rugged canvas walls. The thick furs beneath them provided a comforting softness, a stark contradiction to the frigid wilderness beyond their temporary haven. Since settling down, an uncharacteristic silence had unfolded between them, each absorbed in datapads they"d procured, the subtle glow of the screens further illuminating their distinct features.
  
  
  
  Shin, dressed in basic sleepwear that did little to outline her form, found her gaze inadvertently magnetized to Sabine. Her eyes, betraying her attempted indifference, traced the landscape of exposed skin revealed by Sabine's carefree attire. An unexpected tingle, originating from a place of unacknowledged desire, coiled in the pit of Shin"s stomach, a sensation as perplexing as it was profound. She grappled internally to avert her eyes, to break free from the spell cast by the vision before her.
  
  
  
  However, her eyes seemed to possess an agenda of their own. They continued an unabashed journey up Sabine"s now tanned leg, a reflection of recent adventures under alien suns, only to halt at the boundary presented by a pair of audaciously short shorts. Shin, caught in the turbulence of her emotions, exhaled sharply, a silent plea to regain her composure. With a mixture of reluctance and necessity, she forced her attention back to her datapad, though the words blurred before her, her mind a tempest of unspoken and unacknowledged feelings, stoked by the intimate ambiance of their shared seclusion.
  
  
  
  "What's eating you now?" Sabine inquired, a hint of both annoyance and amusement in her tone as she half-turned to face Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin flicked her hand in a dismissive gesture, not meeting Sabine's eyes. "It's nothing," she muttered, though her intense stare might have bored holes into her datapad if it were possible. The words on the screen had long since stopped making sense, all cognitive focus hijacked by the overwhelming awareness of Sabine's proximity.
  
  
  
  Unconvinced, Sabine cocked her head, her gaze sharpening with curiosity as she fully pivoted to face Shin. "Really now?" she challenged.
  
  
  
  Clamping her jaw, Shin silently cursed Sabine's persistent attempts to peel back her defenses. "Anyone with sense would dress warmer on a night like this," she grumbled, her words carrying a dual critique of Sabine's choice of attire and her disregard for the biting cold.
  
  
  
  A playful smirk played on Sabine's lips, and she teasingly bit her cheek. "Oh? Worried I'll catch a chill, or just distracted by my legs?" she retorted, delighting in the ambiguity of Shin's discomfort.
  
  
  
  Clutching her datapad with a white-knuckled grip, Shin edged backward, seeking a phantom buffer between her and Sabine, only to find herself teetering precariously at the bed's boundary. Retreat wasn't an option; one more inch and she'd succumb to gravity. Regret gnawed at her for granting an invitation to her private haven to a rival, a decision that once seemed logical but now felt like a tactical error. The room's warmth, once comforting, now smothered her, and the expansive bed had shrunk, the space charged with an unspoken tension.
  
  
  
  With a breath to steel herself, Shin pivoted slowly to confront Sabine, her movement hindered, as though invisible strings orchestrated her reluctance for full eye contact. Sabine was a study in contrasts, with her attire defiantly incongruent to their environment: those form-fitting shorts and a night top more suited to the recent tropical twilight than a frigid evening. It was as though they were back on those sun-drenched shores, and Shin found herself perplexed, irked, and inexplicably drawn all at once. The golden hue of Sabine's skin, adorned with patches of sunburn, seemed to glow, and her lips, a shade of soft pink, silently issued an invitation that sent a complex eruption of emotions coursing through Shin.
  
  
  
  "Well?" Sabine pressed.
  
  
  
  Catching Sabine's insistent tone, Shin straightened up, her back rigid against the intricately carved wood of the headboard. A measured breath escaped her as she placed her datapad down with precise care, her motions meticulous. Her gaze drifted towards the tent's entrance, seemingly seeking an escape from the electric tension in the room, her heart pulsing a heady rhythm that echoed through her frame. Yet, when her eyes eventually met Sabine, it was the other's anticipatory smirk and the provocative draw of her legs that captured her, the flickering firelight casting a captivating sheen on Sabine's skin, enhancing her allure.
  
  
  
  Compelled by a force she couldn't name, Shin extended her hand. Instead of verbalizing a response to Sabine's challenge, she chose a more tactile language, her cool fingers making gentle contact with the base of Sabine's ankle. The sharp sound of Sabine's inhaled breath marking the moment, yet she didn't pull away.
  
  
  
   Shin's heart drummed a fierce beat against her ribcage, a deep, resonant thrum awakening within her. With deliberate slowness, she traced the contour of Sabine's calf, the journey both torturous and electrifying, her eyes steadfastly avoiding Sabine's intense gaze, focusing solely on the path her fingers were charting. However, as Shin's exploration reached the summit of Sabine's knee, it was met with sudden resistance - a firm hand arresting her progress.
  
  
  
  "You need to ask," Sabine admonished, her tone firm.
  
  
  
  Yet, Shin's hand remained, a steadfast presence on Sabine's knee. "You"ve touched me plenty of times without permission," she countered.
  
  
  
  A flash of something intense - surprise, then defiance - sparked in Sabine's eyes. She made a brief attempt to dislodge Shin's hand, but the difference in their strength became apparent, and with a resigned sigh, she relented. The steady heat from Shin's prolonged touch seemed to seep into her skin, right at the juncture of her knee. Swallowing hard, Sabine's gaze dropped to Shin's long, pale fingers, fingers that had seen less sun but no less battle, and her own grip relaxed.
  
  
  
  "Okay," she conceded, the word a pact as their eyes locked once more, the familiar dance of frost and flame between them reigniting.
  
  
  
  Emboldened by the concession, Shin's pulse thrummed with new urgency. Maintaining the connection of their gaze, her hand resumed its journey, ascending the landscape of Sabine's thigh, which radiated warmth. Sabine's hand atop hers provided silent guidance, an affirmation, her skin a canvas of soft heat beneath their intertwined touch. Unaware of her own movement, Shin found herself drawn magnetically closer to Sabine, noting the dew of perspiration that had formed on her skin. The exploration continued until fabric met fingertips, a boundary reached yet not respected.
  
  
  
  However, Sabine wasn't one for hesitation. With decisive motion, she interlaced her fingers with Shin's, guiding them with assertive intimacy beneath the fabric of her shorts. Throughout, her gaze never wavered, a challenge and an invitation fused in the depth of her unwavering stare.
  
  
  
  Shin's breath hitched, her lips parting slightly as her fingertips encountered the unexpected heat and the delicate edge of Sabine's underwear. A sudden surge of something intense and unnamed forced her to retract her hand abruptly, her expression hardening into a glare.
  
  
  
  Unperturbed, Sabine's response was a self-assured smirk as she reclined against the headboard, arms casually folded behind her head, the picture of nonchalant provocation. "Wasn't that what you wanted?" she queried.
  
  
  
  The tent's atmosphere thickened around Shin, the air heavy like a tangible forcefield. Her hand quivered, barely perceptible, yet undeniable. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, a rhythm that seemed to consume the space. "You presume too much," Shin retorted, her voice taut as a wire.
  
  
  
  Sabine's head tilted, a silent, considering gesture, her eyes never leaving Shin. They remained locked, charged particles in a confined space, until Sabine's voice broke the silence. Her words were soft, almost a whisper, yet they carried the weight of unspoken truths. "You can"t always be in control, Shin," she murmured, the softness of her tone belying the firmness of her message.
  
  
  
  "This isn't about-"
  
  
  
  "Anything you ever do to me from now will be because I allow it," Sabine cut in, her eyes sparkling with a fierce intensity. "I'm not the same girl you encountered on Lothal."
  
  
  
  A vivid flash of a different scenario-her lightsaber impaling Sabine-flickered through Shin's thoughts, igniting an ache within her. "I act on my own terms," Shin declared, lifting her chin in defiance.
  
  
  
  "Is that so?" Sabine retorted, one eyebrow arching skeptically. She swept her arm in a gesture encompassing their cozy yet confined surroundings, then settled into a cross-legged position on the bed. "Because from where I'm sitting, all of this," she waved a hand vaguely, "seems like an elaborate charade, a desperate grasp for a sense of control you don't really have."
  
  
  
  Heat crept up to the tips of Shin's ears, a visible manifestation of her rising frustration and embarrassment, and she found herself wishing she could extinguish the roaring fire that seemed to amplify the room's tension. "What about you, then?" she shot back, her voice taut. "Your grand tale of being a Commander, the narrative you spun on the beach yesterday. You neatly sidestepped any real mention of the Academy, your stint as a bounty hunter, your family... You recited events but shared nothing of what you felt."
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine"s eyes widened, the firelight catching a sheen that suggested unshed tears. "And you?" she countered, her voice a blend of anger and vulnerability. "Hopping from one planet to another under the guise of business. What about your past, Shin? Your family? Your life before all the chaos with Baylan? Are you ready to peel back your layers for me? Because, for all my omissions... at least I tried."
  
  
  
  The accusation hit its mark, and Shin felt a sharp prick behind her eyes, though she willed herself not to blink. She fixed Sabine with a piercing glare, noting the sweat that now glossed her companion's forehead. This evening was meant to be uncomplicated-a pause for rest, a recharge for the work awaiting them with the new day. Instead, it had devolved into a collision of hidden pasts and unspoken truths.
  
  
  
  "You fierfek," Shin hissed, the insult slicing through the tension like a knife.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s lips curled in a scornful sneer. "Dank farrik," she shot back with equal venom.
  
  
  
  Overwhelmed by frustration, Shin clenched her hands into tight fists, physically manifesting her internal turmoil, and deliberately averted her gaze from Sabine. "I never asked for this Force bond with you," she uttered, the words heavy with resentment yet laced with an undercurrent of despair.
  
  
  
  "Oh, and you think I did?" Sabine retorted sharply, her voice a mix of indignation and exasperation, before her tone softened, betraying her fatigue. "Sometimes, when I sense you through it, all I feel is this... this chilling loneliness, this harshness that"s so...alienating."
  
  
  
  "And you? You"re just a fortress of contradictions, chaos, and madness!" Shin fired back, her words echoing the tumult within.
  
  
  
  Letting out a derisive scoff, Sabine"s gaze lingered on the invisible trail Shin"s fingers had blazed just moments ago. She grasped the fur bedding, her fingers digging in as if seeking an anchor, before abruptly turning on her side, her body language closing off. "I"m going to sleep," she declared stiffly, her voice slightly muffled. "I couldn"t care less if you snore. It"s better than whatever this is."
  
  
  
  Drawing her knees up to her chest in a protective posture, Shin cast a sidelong glance at Sabine"s silhouette, softened and made indistinct by the fur covers. She swallowed hard, brushing away the moisture that threatened to spill from her eyes, and rested her chin atop her knees. In the dim glow of the fire, she found her gaze locked on the rhythmic rise and fall of Sabine"s breathing for an eternity. A torrent of anger and a profound sense of despair gripped her, relentlessly gnawing at her resolve until exhaustion finally claimed her, pulling her into the oblivion of restless sleep.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of sleep vanishing as she jolted upright. Her gaze, heavy with the fog of interrupted dreams, darted instinctively to her left. An inexplicable hollowness gnawed at her chest when she found the other side of the bed impeccably made, the furs smooth and undisturbed, starkly void of Shin's presence. It was as though the night before - the tension, the shared breaths - had been nothing but a figment of her imagination.
  
  
  
  The tent, a spacious canvas of muted colors, was suffused with a soft, golden glow, the fire from the hearth casting playful shadows that danced across the fabrics adorning the interior. The flames crackled softly, a rhythmic lullaby that had once promised warmth and companionship. Now, its heat seemed to mock her solitude. With a sigh, Sabine swung her legs over the bed's edge, the coarse woven rug scratching gently against her bare feet as she stood.
  
  
  
  She padded over to the living area, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her movements languid from the residual warmth of rest. Her attention was drawn to a plate of fresh provisions - an assortment of fruits whose names she'd yet to learn, and bread that reminded her just enough of home to twinge her heart - left considerately on the wooden table. Beside it lay her gear, that she cleaned and arranged neatly. The sunlight filtered through the open tent flap, casting linear patterns on the floor and bringing with it the ambient sounds of a camp stirring to life.
  
  
  
  Massaging the back of her neck, Sabine let out a yawn, her muscles protesting the action. She wandered closer to the tent's entrance, relishing the cool breeze that kissed her skin, a stark contrast to the fire's insistent warmth. Though her physical fatigue had been eased since rescuing Ezra from his exile, a psychological weight, dense and persistent, anchored itself within her. Here on Peridea, even the act of waking brought a reminder of the uncertainties that cluttered her future.
  
  
  
  Her mind involuntarily retraced the details of the previous evening with Shin. A flush crept up her neck as she cringed inwardly, questioning her own actions. Had she pushed too hard, crossed a line, perhaps? Their interaction had been a dangerous dance, and she, emboldened by emotions she didn't fully comprehend, had somehow wanted the challenge. But the empty bedspace beside her own painted a stark, silent reprimand, leaving Sabine to grapple with the complexities of their entwined fates.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a bite of the tropical fruit, its tangy juice awakening her taste buds and grounding her in the moment. As she chewed, her thoughts involuntarily drifted to the burgeoning powers within her, an intricate puzzle of strength and mystery she had yet to fully understand. It was an incomplete work of art in her mind.
  
  
  
  Her connection with Shin, in particular, remained an enigma wrapped in countless questions, the answers to which seemed to be just beyond her grasp. This shared energy, vibrant and pulsing with untapped potential, was something neither of them had anticipated - or wanted. At least, Sabine had been fairly certain she hadn't wanted it.
  
  
  
  The bond, however, existed, threading between them with a persistence that couldn't be ignored. It was a silent, unseen force, weaving them closer in ways that both intrigued and unnerved her.
  
  
  
  Shaking off her thoughts, Sabine finished her meal and prepared herself for the day. She armed herself with her gear, the familiar weight of her equipment a comforting constant amidst the plights of change. With a final glance at the space she'd occupied, a temporary safehouse within the unpredictable wilderness of Peridea, she stepped through the tent flap and into the world outside.
  
  
  
  The encampment was a hive of activity, the air alive with the sounds of morning: people chatting, tools clanging, and the crackle of fires. The sky above was a brilliant expanse of blue, the sun perched high and casting its generous light upon the land. Its warmth was gentle, a soft caress against her skin, invigorating her senses and offering a promise of a day filled with productivity.
  
  
  
  It was the kind of weather that beckoned one to keep busy, and as Sabine navigated through the throngs of people, she found herself hoping she might secure a tent of her own. A space where she could ponder the complexities of her situation in solitude, or perhaps, come to terms with the inexplicable bond that seemed determined to tether her to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shifting her focus to intelligence gathering, Sabine meticulously cataloged the assortment of weapons, armor, and supplies present in the expanding encampment. Her interactions were marked by a professional courtesy that didn't go unnoticed by the bandits, many of whom expressed gratitude and admiration for her foreign expertise with a lightsaber and her command of the mysterious Force.
  
  
  
  Brushing her fingers through her cropped hair, Sabine navigated her way around a notably expansive and heavily guarded tent. Within her sight, Kradosh and his elite associates moved purposefully, engaged in the continuous task of organizing resources procured from the tropical zone. She observed closely, identifying no fewer than twelve battle-hardened warriors leading the operations, while a larger group handled the more menial tasks. The scene provoked memories of the efficiency and hierarchy reminiscent of the Stormtroopers from her own galaxy.
  
  
  
  The camp was alive under the caress of a warm breeze, and Sabine, wearing an unwavering smile, moved through it with an air of confidence. The absence of hostility towards her was evident, though she considered whether this acceptance was directed at her, or perhaps it was the respect-or fear-of her lightsaber, blasters, and mysterious Force powers that guaranteed such warmth.
  
  
  
  As the sun ascended to its zenith, Sabine chose to navigate the outskirts of the burgeoning encampment. Her journey around the camp's edge was interrupted when she detected an unexpected warmth near one of the tents. Curiosity piqued, she edged closer and discovered a group of bandit younglings, each adorned in uniquely colored armor, diligently practicing combat stances, engaging in friendly duels, and interacting animatedly with their peers.
  
  
  
  Overseeing this lively assembly was an individual Sabine deduced to be an instructor, engaged in what appeared to be a serious discussion with Shin. Feeling a subtle sensation at the back of her neck, Sabine was torn between walking directly towards them or proceeding with her solitary patrol. However, when Shin's piercing blue gaze inexplicably met her own cautious brown eyes, she decided to adopt an air of nonchalance, portraying her approach as nothing more than a casual saunter.
  
  
  
  Her arrival sparked a flurry of whispers and wide-eyed enthusiasm among the children, their chatter reaching a crescendo as they recognized her. Acknowledging Sabine's presence, the bandit instructor offered a respectful bow of her head and tactfully disengaged from her conversation with Shin, leaving an opening for Sabine to join.
  
  
  
  "You overslept," Shin remarked with a dry tone, her hands deftly adjusting her pauldrons.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes performed an exaggerated roll as she observed the younglings disperse for their lunch interval. "And I bet you didn"t sleep at all," she retorted.
  
  
  
  A hint of rigidity in her stance was Shin's only visible reaction before she took a deep swig from her water canteen. "There's work to be done," she responded, her voice carrying the weight of responsibility. "Plenty, in fact, that you could assist with."
  
  
  
  "Sure," Sabine articulated, drawing out the word as her gaze deliberately swept over Shin. "How's your knee?"
  
  
  
  After a brief pause to dab her mouth, Shin offered an indifferent shrug. "Fine," she asserted, her tone betraying a hint of defiance. "I heal quickly."
  
  
  
  The air hung heavy for a few heartbeats, charged with the unspoken as Sabine weighed the merit of a sharp-witted comeback. Yet, the tension was punctured by subdued giggles and muffled chortles emanating from behind. Casting a glance over her shoulder, Sabine caught the curious stares of several bandit children, their faces partially obscured by the tent's fabric. Her lips curved into a wry smile, and she offered a playful wave. Like startled sparrows, the youngsters dispersed in a flurry of hushed laughter and rustling attire.
  
  
  
  "They're so curious, those kids," Sabine observed, her tone light.
  
  
  
  Shin straightened up, her countenance unreadable, while the wind played with her platinum locks. "They're under the impression you're fond of me," she stated, her voice devoid of inflection.
  
  
  
  A snort escaped Sabine as she swung around to face Shin, her face painted with mock disbelief. "Me?" she queried, her eyebrow arching dramatically. "They're mistaken."
  
  
  
  "Are they, though?" Shin countered, her words hanging in the air. "In their culture, every leader of note is paired off. It's only natural they'd apply the same concept to us."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her finger idly tracing her cheek. The children reappeared, their eyes wide with barely suppressed curiosity, and she couldn't help but chuckle. However, meeting Shin's unyielding gaze caused her to clear her throat, squaring her shoulders. "Is that the reason..." she trailed off, the question lingering. "You wanted me in your tent?"
  
  
  
  Maintaining her posture, hands clasped behind her back, Shin flicked a knowing smirk in the direction of the surreptitious young onlookers. Sunlight, having triumphed over the obstinate cloud cover, bathed her in an ethereal glow, her hair shimmering like molten silver. "Have you concluded your assessment of my encampment for your Master?" she retorted, neatly deflecting the inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine's breath caught, yet she elevated her chin defiantly. "Actually, I"ve been looking for a private tent," she countered.
  
  
  
  Closing the distance, Shin advanced until barely a foot separated them. She peered intently at Sabine, tilting her head in a gesture that bordered on the predatory. "Are you sure that"s what you want, Sabine?" she inquired, her voice a silky challenge.
  
  
  
  With her heart pounding a relentless beat and her stomach twisting, Sabine found herself momentarily spellbound. Perspiration gathered at her back, and her muscles seemed to rebel against motion. "Your tent is too warm," she managed to utter, the words almost a gasp.
  
  
  
  "I can reduce the fuel for the fire, remove the fireback," Shin offered quietly, her tone soothing yet laced with an undercurrent of something more.
  
  
  
  A surge of heat flushed through Sabine, her pulse racing like a drumbeat in her ears. She pressed her lips together to quell their trembling. "You"re just so..."
  
  
  
  "So what?" Shin pressed, her hand finding its way to Sabine"s thigh, caressing the spot she had explored just a night before. "We argue but you always come back."
  
  
  
  The contact nearly buckled Sabine"s knees, but she summoned her inner strength, seizing Shin"s wandering hand with a firmness that belied her internal tumult. "Stop," she commanded.
  
  
  
  Shin's lips parted to respond, but she retracted swiftly as Kradosh made his approach, offering a respectful bow of his head. He addressed Sabine first, "Commander," he acknowledged, before shifting his attention to Shin, "General."
  
  
  
  Though her thigh still tingled from Shin's touch, Sabine couldn't help but roll her eyes at the honorific bestowed upon Shin. It wasn't as if Shin had vanquished the Voraxlyn single-handedly or reclaimed the bandits' long-lost treasures. Without Sabine's and Ahsoka's ship, Shin's achievements would have amounted to zero.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh," Shin returned the greeting, her lips twitching into something approximating a smile.
  
  
  
  "We've gathered information about additional supply caches to the north in the frozen territories," he reported. "By howler, it's roughly a week's journey, and the climate should be relatively tolerable at this season."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze drifted skyward to the sun before nodding in acknowledgment. "Any notable factions in that direction?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  "The Ice people," was Kradosh's concise response.
  
  
  
  "And are they a threat or an ally?" Shin pursued further.
  
  
  
  Affirming with a nod, Kradosh elaborated, "They are a worldly people, not a threat."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze slid subtly to Sabine, her eyes probing. "Sabine will be an asset," she asserted confidently. "You"d prefer a colder environment, wouldn"t you?"
  
  
  
  Biting back a sharp retort, Sabine mustered a gracious smile for Kradosh's benefit. "I'd be more than happy to contribute," she chimed in. "And if we find any mystical barriers, I'll ensure they're dismantled for you..." She blatantly disregarded the sharp look Shin shot her way, choosing instead to acknowledge the giggling children who maintained their watchful vigil.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Looks like they'll be spending a lottt of time together
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 14: Canvas
  Notes:
  Sorry this is later than usual. I was at home with my family for Diwali and up to shenanigans and schoolwork all week. Best part though is I've been in a perpetual food coma the entire time.
  
  Anyway hope you enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine conveyed every scrap of information to Ahsoka via the comms, her voice laden with the gravity of their uncharted mission. Yet, the calm that suffused her Master's response took her aback. Far from troubled, Ahsoka expressed a supportive stance towards Sabine's collaboration with Shin and the bandits in delving into the northern territories, with the promise that their ship would linger in readiness, a silent guardian against the backdrop of distant stars.
  
  
  
  Moreover, Ahsoka emphasized the continuous necessity for Sabine to hone her skills and engage in her meditative practices, especially now on the fringes of the mysterious Peridea, a world where unpredictability reigned.
  
  
  
  Communication ceasing, Sabine's arm fell to her side, the comm device a forgotten weight as her attention was captured by the horizon. The sun bowed out in a quiet spectacle, its descent marking a stark transition from the comforting heat of day to the biting chill of evening.
  
  
  
  This contrast, so abrupt, seemed to tug at her very skin, offering a prelude to the potential harshness of the northern climate. A shudder, unbidden yet not wholly unwelcome, coursed through her, not just from the cool air but also from envisioning the freezing vastness ahead and the necessity for her peak performance in the company of bandits. A resolve hardened within her, fueled by frustration at Shin's manipulations. She would undeniably prove herself the more adept one. Shin's schemes would not best her.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t believe she was tricked into sharing the same tent as Shin. And throughout the day, as she perused options for alternative quarters, she was met with unlivable dwellings that lacked even the most basic of comforts. At one point she contemplated returning to the Noti camp but if she did that, Shin would win the silent battle they agreed to.
  
  
  
  Navigating the winding paths to Shin's comfortably outfitted quarters, a stream of silent expletives ran through Sabine's mind. Hunger nipped at her insides, and the prospect of unwinding after such a taxing day loomed invitingly. Her hours had been consumed with the reconstruction of several malfunctioning blasters and the meticulous repair of minor explosives for the bandits. Acclaim for her proficiency seemed to flow endlessly, her skills drawing admiring glances and murmurs from several novice gadget enthusiasts. A surge of pride, persistent and invigorating, swelled within her each time she resolved a technical conundrum that left Shin baffled.
  
  
  
  Intent on retrieving her pack to shift to a different tent, Sabine entered through the canvas opening. The unexpected sight of Shin's exposed back promptly compelled her to divert her gaze. With a cough to signal her presence, she hastened towards her gear, striving to disregard the allure of skin illuminated by the flickering, muted light of the nearby flames.
  
  
  
  "Dinner"s ready," Shin called out, her hands busy applying a hydrating cream to her skin.
  
  
  
  Caught in discomfort, Sabine kneaded her neck, unable to prevent her gaze from stealing over her shoulder. Shin's back was a dynamic display of shifting muscles, every contour and movement revealing the legacy of extensive physical conditioning. Sabine, who had not fully appreciated the view at the beach, now found herself confronted with an undeniable observation of Shin's form.
  
  
  
  "You"re staring," Shin commented without turning, as she slipped a linen shirt over her head.
  
  
  
  Releasing a tense breath, Sabine seized her bag. "I found an unoccupied tent out there," she mentioned, thumbing toward the exit.
  
  
  
  Whirling to face her, Shin fiddled with her nightwear. "Those are bare bones," she countered.
  
  
  
  "I don"t mind the ground," Sabine asserted.
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze shifted between Sabine and the tent"s entrance. "If you go," she started, her voice laced with caution, "they might assume-"
  
  
  
  "Assume what?" Sabine challenged, her tone rising slightly. "That things aren"t really as you"ve made them appear?"
  
  
  
  A muscle in Shin"s jaw twitched before she set her resolve. "Stay," she commanded.
  
  
  
  Disbelief etched across Sabine"s features. She scoffed, shaking her head in a mix of frustration and incredulity. "You can"t be serious," she retorted. "I"m not a howler or one to be ordered around."
  
  
  
  A flash of something intense passed through Shin"s eyes as she closed the distance between them. "I didn"t mean it like that," she clarified hastily.
  
  
  
  Sabine, already halfway to the tent flap, paused. "Then what did you mean?" she probed.
  
  
  
  Shin hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor before meeting Sabine"s once more. "I"ll share," she offered softly, a noticeable shift in her demeanor. "Things about myself."
  
  
  
  That nearly made Sabine fumble her pack, but she caught it just in time. "And I can ask questions?" she ventured.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expression tightened, her lips pressing into a thin line before she acquiesced. "A few," she consented, the words almost a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her cheek, her gaze lingering on Shin, whose normally icy eyes had adopted a gentler hue, her lips pressed into a faint frown. With her stomach knotting and heart quivering, Sabine heaved her pack back onto the sofa. She surveyed the assortment of food spread out on the table and exhaled heavily.
  
  
  
  "Alright," Sabine conceded, shedding her Mandalorian armor. "You want to play house for your bandit pals? Then you can tell me what I want to know."
  
  
  
  "Agreed," Shin responded, nodding toward the table. "I"ll start once we"ve eaten."
  
  
  
  The table was modestly set, the flickering candlelight casting a warm, intimate glow over the spread of food. Shin and Sabine sat across from each other, an array of simple yet hearty dishes between them. The silence was not uncomfortable, but rather filled with a tentative anticipation.
  
  
  
  Sabine reached for a piece of bread, tearing off a chunk thoughtfully. She chewed slowly, her gaze occasionally flitting up to meet Shin's. There was a noticeable tension in the air, but it was not entirely unwelcoming - rather, it seemed to signify the potential for new understanding.
  
  
  
  Shin, on her part, seemed more measured in her movements, a stark contrast to her usually decisive demeanor. She carefully served herself, her actions betraying a hint of nervousness. "I've never been much for cooking," she remarked, attempting to break the ice. "But I can manage basic meals."
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked at this, a spark of her usual playful spirit returning. "I'll keep my expectations in check then," she replied, her tone light, but with an underlying note of warmth.
  
  
  
  As they ate, there was a gradual easing of the atmosphere. The initial awkwardness began to dissipate, replaced by a growing sense of companionship. It was a strange, almost surreal experience for both - to sit and share a meal in such a relaxed manner amidst the chaos of their current lives.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped down a fruity sort of drink and sighed in satisfaction. "Do you think," she began to say, wiping her mouth. "If I had Force abilities the night we met that I would"ve beat you?"
  
  
  
  Shin nearly spat out her food. She chuckled and shook her head once. "Absolutely not," she stated. "Force or not, your form was terrible, and you were so quick to anger. I was toying with you the entire time."
  
  
  
  Sabine tongued her cheek and tilted her head. "Toying, huh?" she asked. "You seem to enjoy doing that."
  
  
  
  Shin bit into a piece of meat and shrugged one shoulder. "Only as much as you do," she retorted.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed and licked her salty lips, putting her head in her hands and observing Shin while she ate. Shin was so meticulous and careful about everything. From the way she moved, spoke and even chewed. Sabine wondered if Shin would ever loosen up more, if she"d smile more or laugh. The thought of Shin smiling and laughing began to flood Sabine"s mind and she found herself staring.
  
  
  
  "And what would there be to smile and laugh about, Sabine?" Shin asked with a smirk.
  
  
  
  "Ugh," Sabine groaned. "Stop doing that."
  
  
  
  "Your thoughts are too loud," Shin retorted. "I hope you quiet them when I begin to speak."
  
  
  
  Sabine scowled and cut into her meat harshly. "I"ll try," she mumbled.
  
  
  
  "They were especially loud when you were staring at my back," Shin observed, her movements precise as she tidied the crumbs from the table.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression turned into a scowl, her grip tightening on her cup. "How am I supposed to know when you're dressing?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  Leaning back, Shin fixed her gaze on Sabine. "I at least make an effort to do that when you're not around," she countered calmly. "That's more than I can say for you, who seems to take a particular delight in drawing attention whenever I'm nearby."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her tongue tracing her teeth thoughtfully. She searched for a clever comeback, but deep down she knew Shin's observation was accurate. There was an undeniable thrill in provoking reactions from Shin, in the subtle play of push and pull between them. The more time they spent together, the more Sabine found herself craving these interactions, noticing how Shin's gaze lingered with a mix of curiosity and something else she couldn't quite define.
  
  
  
  Finally, Sabine sighed, her voice softer, "Let's just finish dinner, then you can start talking."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained fixed on Sabine, absorbing the reflections of a past she strived to articulate. Occasionally, the sheen in Sabine"s eyes made Shin's heart twinge with an aching tenderness, while the moments of genuine curiosity and amusement in Sabine's expression elicited a wistful smile from her. Some recollections were hazy, tangled in the cobwebs of her mind, while others were deliberately skirted for their painful edges. Yet, Sabine was all ears, offering a home for her words until the inevitable surge of questions came.
  
  
  
  "And your family?" Sabine inquired, her legs extending leisurely across the generous expanse of the bed. Propped back on her hands, she swayed her feet in a gentle rhythm.
  
  
  
  Maintaining a respectful distance on her half of the bed, Shin had even moderated the fireplace's heat, ensuring the environment wasn't overly warm for Sabine. "You skimmed over details about your family," Shin pointed out, a subtle prompt hanging in the air.
  
  
  
  With a sigh, Sabine"s hand grazed the plush fur they sat upon. "Okay..." she acquiesced, a note of resignation in her tone. "But you"re sure you have no idea what Baylan"s up to?"
  
  
  
  An invisible lump formed in Shin"s throat, an emotional blockade. Her mind, almost reflexively, strained to sense her Master's presence, finding emptiness instead. "I have no insights," she confessed, the words heavy with a mix of frustration and concern.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze, warming into a hue reminiscent of dawn's first light, turned toward Shin. "I"m sorry he left," she said, her voice a gentle balm. "There"s gotta be a solid reason behind it, right?"
  
  
  
  "Perhaps," Shin murmured, the word a soft sigh.
  
  
  
  "You"ve been through a lot," Sabine continued, urgency threading her words. "It"s not easy being alone."
  
  
  
  "Hm," was all Shin offered, her hands idly stroking the fur beneath them. Her eyes, however, were drawn to Sabine"s hands, noticing how the color on her nails had almost entirely chipped away. A charge seemed to crackle in the scant space separating their fingertips, and Shin found herself caught in the pull of Sabine"s presence.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s smile was tender, but as her gaze shifted beyond Shin, it sharpened, curiosity knitting her brows. "What... what is that?" she queried, tone laced with intrigue.
  
  
  
  Shin"s head whipped around, attempting to identify the subject of Sabine"s curiosity. But before she could pinpoint it, Sabine was already springing from the bed, moving decisively toward a cluttered corner of the tent. There, amidst a jumble of supplies and various gear, Sabine excavated a sizable parchment. She held it aloft, eyes scanning its contents.
  
  
  
  Recognizing what Sabine had unearthed caused Shin's breath to catch, a sudden urge to rush forward gripping her. But the need to maintain her poise around the Mandalorian anchored her, and so she remained perched on the bed, her posture a studied calm as she faced Sabine, awaiting the unfolding conversation.
  
  
  
  "Is this your work?" Sabine inquired, pivoting the parchment so it faced Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin"s throat tightened, yet she held herself still, her demeanor resolute. "I employ mud," she started, her voice steady, "manipulating its water content to achieve diverse shades."
  
  
  
  "Huh," Sabine expressed her admiration with a raised eyebrow. "Most attempts end up resembling, well, poopoo... but this is great. Quite abstract. I like it."
  
  
  
  A subtle pressure formed in Shin"s hands as she compressed the fur, her mind drifting to Sabine"s creations aboard Ahsoka"s ship. "It doesn"t hold a candle to your work," she responded, maintaining her composure.
  
  
  
  Sabine returned Shin"s piece to its place with care before brushing off the comparison with a casual sweep of her hand. "I"m all about graffiti," she explained. "Your approach feels non-representational, which is awesome in its own right." She pivoted back to Shin, a smile warming her features. "What do you use for your art?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze swept the space before settling back on Sabine. The evening, she reflected, was unexpectedly more agreeable than the last. With deliberate slowness, she raised her hands, almost in a gesture of offering. "My tools are my fingers," she revealed.
  
  
  
  A silent moment enveloped Sabine, her lips parting slightly. She lingered in quiet contemplation, her jaw tensing as she considered her next move. Finally, with a resolved step, she approached Shin. Their eyes met, Sabine's gaze drawn into the clear blue depths of Shin's. In a gesture of silent communion, she extended her hands towards her.
  
  
  
  "Show me," Sabine requested, her words unwavering.
  
  
  
  Confusion marred Shin's features as she regarded Sabine's outstretched hands. "I don"t understand," she responded.
  
  
  
  "Imagine my hands are your canvas," Sabine clarified. "And show me what you do."
  
  
  
  A hint of apprehension flashed through Shin's eyes, yet she tentatively brought her fingers to hover above Sabine's waiting palms. The limited expanse offered by the hands before her posed a challenge distinctly different from the broad parchment she was accustomed to. Yet, Sabine's expectant gaze exuded an impatient excitement, and Shin felt an inexplicable compulsion to comply before the moment slipped away. Initiating a delicate touch, she let her fingertips glide in gentle gyres upon the surface of Sabine's skin, eliciting a barely audible intake of breath that filled the quiet space around them.
  
  
  
  "Your hands are clammy," Shin remarked, maintaining the unhurried movement of her fingers.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine exhaled softly, a hint of amusement lacing her words. "You sure know how to state the obvious."
  
  
  
  Caught off guard by the comment, Shin's gaze darted up to meet Sabine's, her fingers ceasing their motion. "I've reached the boundary," she murmured, acknowledging the constraints of the improvised canvas.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lower lip found itself caught between her teeth as she gradually retracted her hands. A subtle shift in stance preceded her tugging at the hem of her sleep-shorts, followed by a conspicuous swallow. "How about this then?" she proposed, a hint of uncertainty weaving through her words.
  
  
  
  Tension coursed through Shin's body when Sabine, with a gentleness that belied the boldness of the act, positioned her foot at the bed's edge, thereby revealing the expanse of thigh and leg that Shin had fleetingly made contact with the night before. Doubt flickered in Shin's mind, questioning the reality of the gesture before her. She couldn't help but observe the delicate rise of goosebumps adorning Sabine's skin, yet it was the insistent, subtle throbbing in the pit of her stomach that compelled her towards the inviting warmth of contact.
  
  
  
  Anything you ever do to me from now will be because I allow it.
  
  
  
  As Shin tentatively extended her hand toward the inviting expanse of Sabine's exposed leg, the air between them thickened with anticipation. Her fingertips, artisans of her craft, danced with the reverence of a whisper upon the smoothness of Sabine's skin. Starting at the ankle, a delicate terrain she longed to explore, Shin painted invisible swirls with the lightness of a feather's fall, each gentle stroke a wordless conversation.
  
  
  
  The contour of Sabine's calf was a melody beneath her touch, muscles tensing and relaxing in a silent response to the slow, exploring pressure of Shin's fingertips. Ascending to the flesh of her thigh, the texture of Sabine's skin shifted, softer, more intimate- skin known to few, and Shin's breath hitched at the privilege. Here, she lingered, her fingers spelling secrets in a language they were inventing together. In the sanctity of this touch, Shin wasn't just tracing skin but charting the unspoken galaxies that bloomed in the space between them, every goosebump a star born from their nascent intimacy and the bond they were discovering.
  
  
  
  Sabine swallowed, her attention riveted on Shin's fingers. "Mud will crack, crumble, and wash away... but the memory of your touch won't fade-not from my skin, not from my mind," she confessed.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's eyes grew wide, a slow breath escaping her as warmth cascaded through every fiber of her being. The space around them seemed to hum with an unseen force, their connection sparking to life in a way that felt almost visible. She found herself lost in the depths of Sabine's shimmering brown eyes as the other woman retracted her foot, planting it firmly back on the floor's soft covering.
  
  
  
  "When we"re alone... we don"t need to be..." Shin ventured, grappling for the right words.
  
  
  
  Sabine drew a deep breath, as if inviting the pulsing warmth of the room inside her. "Be who we pretend to be out there?" she suggested, completing Shin's thought.
  
  
  
  A sense of aridness overwhelmed Shin's mouth, her heart pounding so fervently within the confines of her chest she feared its beats were audible. "Maybe," she whispered.
  
  
  
  With a deliberate motion, Sabine circled the bed to reach Shin's side. "Try to actually rest tonight" she proposed, a hint of playfulness softening her tone, "instead of staring at me for hours."
  
  
  
  The charged atmosphere seemed to ebb, and Shin expelled a sigh, her hand absently sifting through her platinum locks as she slid beneath the covers. "Then you'll stay?" she queried, a hopeful note inflecting her voice.
  
  
  
  "I'll stay."
  
  
  
  Notes:
  =]]]]
  
  Thank you as always for reading, kudos and comments. It's been nice chatting with some of you on tumblr as well.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 15: Healing
  Notes:
  This chapter does contain blood, mild gore and violence and was particularly fun to write!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine lay in bed, restless, tossing and turning, unable to succumb to sleep. A persistent tingling sensation coursed through her leg, longing for Shin"s touch again. She gripped the fur sheets, feeling their softness against her fingers. The room was quiet, save for the occasional crackle from the fireplace, casting a warm, flickering light across the space. Despite her efforts to relax, her mind remained active, replaying the day's events and her interactions with Shin.
  
  
  
  One thought, in particular, kept circling in her mind: the art Shin had created. Sabine wondered why Shin hadn't brought it up earlier, especially after noticing Sabine's own sketches on the T-6. Perhaps Shin was too reserved, or maybe she doubted the worth of her work. Sabine knew the value of artistic expression, regardless of the medium, and felt a deep appreciation for any form of art, even those crafted from mud.
  
  
  
  Yet, a lingering dissatisfaction hung in the air, stemming from the way their last conversation had concluded. Sabine lay there, pondering ways to gently coax Shin into revealing more of herself. In a mix of frustration and contemplation, she kicked off the fur covers with a heavy sigh.
  
  
  
  "Now who is the one who can"t sleep?" Shin"s voice, soft yet clear, broke the silence.
  
  
  
  Startled, Sabine jerked upright slightly, then rubbed her face with a weary hand. She shifted to lie flat on her back, exhaling a deep, frustrated breath. With her gaze fixed on the tent's ceiling and lost in thought, she finally broke the silence, confessing something that had been weighing on her.
  
  
  
  "When I was younger, my parents chose to side with the Empire," Sabine revealed. "It was all tangled up in politics, but deep down, I knew my mom did it to protect us."
  
  
  
  Shin, lying beside her, turned onto her back as well, a thoughtful pause preceding her response. "People make the best choices they can at the time," she said, her tone reflective. "But those choices don"t always lead to the outcomes they hope for."
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a small, bitter laugh and rubbed her temples. "You"re telling me," she sighed, a sense of heaviness in her words. "The guilt, the second-guessing... it never really leaves you." Her mind briefly wandered to her recent, risky gamble with Baylan on Seatos, which still preyed on her conscience.
  
  
  
  Shin"s voice softened. "It"s true, the past lingers. But I find that being creative can be a solace at times."
  
  
  
  Sabine felt a spark of curiosity ignite within her, a rare glimpse into Shin"s inner world. She smiled slightly, a newfound warmth in her tone. "I think I have some paints, actually. We could share them sometime in the future."
  
  
  
  The idea seemed to resonate with Shin, who replied with a hint of eagerness in her voice, "That would be nice."
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, turning her head to look at Shin, silhouetted in the flickering firelight. The sharp contours of Shin's jaw and the way the light played on her skin captivated Sabine. Despite the late hour, Shin's features held an enigmatic beauty. But Sabine's thoughts quickly returned to the events of the evening. Discovering Shin's artwork had been a turning point, preventing her from seeking solitude outside the tent. Her curiosity about Shin's past was piqued, yet she recognized the delicacy of probing too deeply. Nevertheless, as they prepared to venture into the unknowns of the north together, Sabine felt a pressing need for greater understanding.
  
  
  
  Breaking the silence, Sabine's voice was gentle but insistent. "Can you share something more with me?" she asked. "You agreed to try, and I've stayed."
  
  
  
  Shin's response was delayed as she lay still, hand resting behind her head, eyes fixed on the tent's ceiling. Finally, she spoke. "Are you familiar with the Jedi Purge?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's response was immediate. "Of course, Order 66 and all that tragedy," she said, her expression clouding with concern. Shin's youth made her wonder about the impact of those events on her life.
  
  
  
  Shin's tone grew more somber. "For a young child, especially one who is Force Sensitive, our galaxy can be a perilous place."
  
  
  
  Sabine shifted to her side, facing Shin more directly. Memories of Kanan and Ezra, who had both navigated the dangers of being Force Sensitive in a hostile galaxy, came to mind. "What happened?" she asked softly.
  
  
  
  Shin took a moment, her expression tightening as if recalling painful memories. "My parents... I didn"t really know them or if they exist," she admitted, a note of sadness in her voice. "I have vague memories of my grandparents caring for me, their failing health... but nothing concrete. I was just too young to remember clearly."
  
  
  
  Hearing Shin's admission, Sabine felt a twinge of sympathy. She nodded, acknowledging the pain such a lack of connection could cause. "I"m sorry you went through that," she said sincerely.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice softened as she continued. "But I remember Baylan. He intervened in a process that would have led to me being trained as an Inquisitor. He said my grandparents believed joining the Empire would keep me safe. They didn"t realize the full implications."
  
  
  
  Sabine listened intently, her eyes widening in surprise and concern. She could sense the struggle in Shin, the effort it took to share these fragments of her past. Shin"s usually stoic demeanor gave way to vulnerability, her blue eyes glistening and her lip quivering slightly - a rare glimpse into her inner turmoil.
  
  
  
  "You would have faced a harsh and manipulative training regime," Sabine reflected, her voice tinged with empathy. Her experiences in the Imperial Academy, though not as severe, had made her acutely aware of the brutal methods used to mold Inquisitors.
  
  
  
  Shin turned towards Sabine, a trace of a smile on her face, though it did little to mask her inner conflict. "Baylan was involved with the Empire then," she revealed. "He recognized something in me - said my abilities were... exceptional."
  
  
  
  As Sabine"s gaze remained locked with Shin's, the emotional depth of their conversation brought a new level of intimacy between them.This revelation went beyond physical attraction or shared experiences, delving into the complexities of Shin"s past, a subject she rarely touched upon.
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated but then pressed on, needing to understand more. "What happened to your grandparents?" she asked softly.
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes held a mixture of sadness and resignation. "They passed away due to age and health issues," she answered quietly. "As for my parents, I don't even know if they're still out there somewhere, but I feel nothing for them," The uncertainty in her voice highlighted a lifetime of questions left unanswered.
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed as she scooted closer to Shin, who remained still. Memories of Clan Wren's tragic end during the Night of a Thousand Tears haunted her, but at least she had clarity about her family's fate. "Why align with Thrawn then?" she queried. "Why help Morgan in the first place?"
  
  
  
  Shin's response came with a slight shrug. "I sought power, something more than the past I didn't fully understand," she said quietly. "And Baylan told me I"d have power such as I"ve never dreamed. He wanted me to kill you and Bridger, to secure my place in the emerging Empire."
  
  
  
  Sabine, propping herself on her elbow, studied Shin closely, absorbing her honesty. Shin's eyes shimmered, her vulnerability barely masked by her composed exterior.
  
  
  
  "But what did you want the power for?" Sabine pressed, seeking deeper insight.
  
  
  
  Shin's response was firm, her tone resolute. "Control," she stated. "As a child, I had none. Even with Baylan, my autonomy was limited. I was on the brink of something significant..."
  
  
  
  Sabine pondered Shin's words, feeling a complex mix of emotions. The revelation painted a picture of Shin's inner struggles and ambitions, creating a conflicting narrative that tugged at Sabine's heart. Her leg still tingled from Shin's earlier touch, a physical reminder of their growing connection amidst the turmoil of their shared journey.
  
  
  
  "You're already powerful, Shin," Sabine affirmed, meeting Shin's intense gaze. "But I think true power is in the choices we make or don"t make."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes narrowed; her voice tinged with curiosity. "Explain."
  
  
  
  Sabine recounted their past encounters with a hint of fervor. "Choosing not to kill me on Lothal, fleeing on Seatos, Force choking me, and leaving even when Ahsoka offered help... all choices, Shin."
  
  
  
  Shin's expression hardened, her eyes searching Sabine's. "And your point is?"
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled and shrugged lightly. "Now, you're free to make your own choices. Your Master is gone and we"re in a different galaxy. It's almost like you have more control than you ever intended."
  
  
  
  Shin pondered this, her head tilting slightly. "A peculiar way to see it."
  
  
  
  Sabine's voice softened, her words carrying a mix of empathy and encouragement. "You've been chasing external validation for your strength. But look at how you"ve gotten here on Peridea, right?"
  
  
  
  Shin conceded with a reluctant nod. "Perhaps you're right."
  
  
  
  "And even my Master sees something within you," Sabine reminded.
  
  
  
  "I suppose."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes gleamed with conviction. "Kriff, Shin, you can do what you want. Be your own person and figure out your own power within yourself."
  
  
  
  A smile flickered across Shin's lips. "You sound like a Jedi Master speaking," she teased gently, extending her hand from under the covers towards Sabine's face. "Are you ready to live by your own advice?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's heart skipped a beat, her breath caught in her throat as Shin's fingers hovered tantalizingly close to her face. With an almost magnetic pull, she closed the gap, welcoming the gentle touch of Shin's fingers on her cheek and jaw. The sensation sent a pleasant tingle through her, a warmth spreading across her skin, comforting and intimate.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice, soft yet holding an underlying strength, broke the silence. "Are you sure I can do what I want, Sabine?" she asked, her thumb caressing Sabine's chin gently, yet holding a subtle firmness.
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, sinking back into her pillow, her skin still humming where Shin's touch lingered. "That's more than enough for now," she whispered.
  
  
  
  Shin slowly withdrew her hand, turning to face Sabine with a look of concern and inquiry. "Have I shared enough with you tonight? Speaking of these things is not easy."
  
  
  
  Tentatively, Sabine reached out beneath the covers, her fingers seeking Shin's. Hesitation gave way to resolve, and she intertwined their fingers, a small gasp escaping her lips at the immediate connection.
  
  
  
  "For now," Sabine murmured, her eyelids growing heavy. A playful thought crossed her mind, and she mused, "Can you use our Force bond thing to help me sleep?"
  
  
  
  Shin looked puzzled for a moment. "I could try," she responded cautiously.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a tired smile, "I was only kidding," she said. But as the words left her lips, a soothing wave of tranquility enveloped her, lulling her gently into a peaceful slumber.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin's posture remained composed while she absorbed the final details of the meeting with Kradosh. The air inside the tent, known among the bandits as the Council's Den, held a curious blend of anticipation and solemnity, underlining the importance of their upcoming journey to the inhospitable northern lands. The hope for a merciful warmth from the skies was almost a physical presence in the room, a silent plea from a people who had weathered the whims of nature for millennia.
  
  
  
  The interior of the Council's Den was a reflection of the bandit's history and prowess. Along the periphery, weapons of various designs were displayed, each telling a silent story: curved blades that spoke of battles long past, spears that had perhaps once brought down mighty beasts, and more modern armaments hinting at encounters with technologically advanced foes. Interspersed with these were relics of a different kind - small, worn figurines, faded maps, and other artifacts whose purpose Shin could only speculate about. They were items of obvious significance, carefully preserved through countless seasons of wandering.
  
  
  
  Surprisingly, there was order here, a far cry from the chaotic reputation of bandits. Scrolls were neatly cataloged in one corner, perhaps containing knowledge or strategies passed down through generations. The atmosphere was serious, with the smoky air carrying a weight of decisions that affected many lives.
  
  
  
  Shin noted, not for the first time, the contrast between the bandit's external persona and the reality of their internal hierarchy and respect for their heritage. Kradosh, their leader, was a prime example. His demeanor was rough, his skin etched with the lines of both age and exposure to the elements, yet his eyes sparkled with intelligence and, when he spoke of his people, compassion.
  
  
  
  Their culture, Shin realized, was rich with layers not visible to those who encountered them only in passing or during conflicts. Their traditions ran deep, their bonds strong, and their survival skills honed through the relentless crucible of a nomadic existence. And now, as she delved deeper into their customs and social intricacies, Shin found herself reevaluating her initial assessment of the bandits. Perhaps, she considered, civilization existed in many forms, some just less recognizable at first glance.
  
  
  
  Sabine had seamlessly integrated herself into the bandit camp's daily rhythm, her adeptness at repair and innovation winning silent nods of approval from the group that had once viewed the newcomers with suspicion. Her hands moved with purpose and confidence, tools turning into extensions of her will as she breathed new life into machinery and gadgets. Shin couldn"t help but think of Sabine, her mind occasionally meandering through the quiet moments they'd shared that morning.
  
  
  
  The subject of Shin's nocturnal noise had surfaced again, a light-hearted accusation from Sabine regarding her alleged snoring. Shin had merely arched an eyebrow, unsure of how to navigate this playful banter, a stark contrast to the gravitas of their usual interactions.
  
  
  
  After their evening together, something shifted. She wasn"t sure what but it was in a direction she longed for. Sharing their past, their thoughts and feelings wasn"t easy but Shin was open to continuing onward if it meant she could spend more time with Sabine without quarrel.
  
  
  
  Their morning had started side by side, sharing a meal as the camp around them stretched awake in the crisp air. Civility briefly encased them in its familiar bubble, only to be punctured as soon as they stepped foot outside their tent. The camp's residents, particularly its engineers and those with a knack for the mechanical, had whisked Sabine away, eager to glean knowledge from her skilled hands.
  
  
  
  Shin, left to her own devices, proceeded to her meeting, her path somewhat shadowed by the camp's younger members. The children, curious and nimble, were ever-present but almost invisible, their small forms ducking behind fabric and foliage. They were relentless in their observation of these foreign visitors, trying to decode the mystery without getting caught.
  
  
  
  Yet, Shin was aware of their presence, always. Their curiosity was a refreshing reminder of innocence in a place where survival often overshadowed simple joys. She would catch their gazes, wide-eyed and calculating, and respond with nothing more than a fleeting, stern glance. It was enough to send them scurrying back, though not in fear, but with the thrill of the game they played. Their laughter, though muted, would find its way to her, a reminder that even in the harshest conditions, the spirit of youth persisted.
  
  
  
  "Shin?"
  
  
  
  The sound of her name snapped Shin back to the present, her attention refocusing as she straightened in her seat, the wood rough and well-used beneath her. "Yes, apologies," she responded quickly, her mind racing to catch up with the conversation she'd momentarily drifted away from. "We leave tomorrow, correct?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh's affirmation was immediate, his large form adjusting in his own chair, the structure groaning slightly under his muscular build. "Yes," he confirmed, his command of Basic growing stronger with each passing day, a skill he diligently imparted to his fellows.
  
  
  
  "Elaborate on these Tunnel Raiders you mentioned," Shin probed.
  
  
  
  Kradosh nodded. "We may or may not run into them," he explained. "They often pose a threat to the Ice people from the Mud Lands. It"d be good diplomacy to assist if anything arises."
  
  
  
  "We can help," Shin replied. "I"m curious about this group in the north and what awaits us."
  
  
  
  Kradosh ran his large hand across the war table. "May I ask something?"
  
  
  
  A gust of wind found its way into the Council Den, causing the various relics and symbols of power adorning the space to sway gently. Shin relaxed back into her chair, her gaze steady on Kradosh. "Of course," she granted. She couldn't help but feel a certain satisfaction from the deference the bandits, Kradosh in particular, showed her-a lingering edge of caution that flavored their interactions.
  
  
  
  Leaning in slightly, ensuring their conversation remained private in the spacious tent, Kradosh voiced his query with deliberate care, "Is Commander Wren more powerful than you?"
  
  
  
  His question, though quietly posed, seemed to disrupt the air around them. Shin's body instinctively stiffened, a reaction she smoothed over by rolling her shoulders and running her hands along the time-worn surface of the war table before them. "Absolutely not," she answered with a controlled calm, her eyes narrowing as she leaned in. "Why would you think such a thing?" Her question hung between them, charged with unspoken implications, awaiting his reasoning.
  
  
  
  Kradosh raised his hand in a gesture of respectful amendment. "Excuse my lack of knowledge," he offered, his tone laced with genuine contrition. "I mean no offense. Allow me to explain... Sabine demonstrates the qualities of a seasoned warrior, skilled not only with her saber but also in the use of blasters, explosives, and mechanics. Since your arrival, our camp has undergone significant enhancements. Our alliance with Master Ahsoka and Commander Wren has propelled us forward in great strides. However, I ponder your personal advancement?"
  
  
  
  Shin absorbed his inquiry, striving to process it without bias, even as a flush of warmth threatened to betray her composure. "Advancement in what manner?" she queried, seeking clarity.
  
  
  
  Drawing a slow breath, Kradosh straightened, his posture embodying the solemnity of his words. "In our culture, ceaseless self-improvement, be it incremental or substantial, holds critical importance," he elucidated. "Often, collaboration with someone excelling in diverse skills catalyzes such growth."
  
  
  
  A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Shin's mouth, and she reclined slightly in her chair. "So, you're suggesting Sabine is an ideal counterpart for this endeavor?" she delved further. She remembered Sabine's accusation of her being static within the prison cell of the Nightsister fortress.
  
  
  
  A single, affirming nod came from Kradosh. "She shares similarities with you," he observed. "It leads one to speculate..."
  
  
  
  An eyebrow arched gracefully on Shin's forehead, her burgeoning amusement barely contained. "Embarking on a bit of matchmaking, are we, Kradosh?" she ribbed lightly.
  
  
  
  A rich, deep laugh rumbled from Kradosh as he folded his brawny arms across his chest, his demeanor relaxed yet confident. "I raise children of my own," he disclosed. "I'm well-versed in the ways of the young, in this galaxy or any other."
  
  
  
  "Then we shall gauge the extent of my improvement on our expedition north," Shin concluded, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air between them.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine found herself silently cursing with kriff on repeat. Their journey into the icy reaches of the north had her second-guessing her choices. The brief periods of daylight were scant comfort against the bone-chilling nights. Were it not for the Noti offering her a compact travel pod, she would've been left to the merciless cold like the bandits, who seemed entirely unfazed in their makeshift tents.
  
  
  
  Shin chose to bond with the bandits, resting alongside them, a display of her unwavering commitment to their shared mission. Sabine, however, valued warmth over camaraderie and took refuge in the Noti pod. In her haven, she was joined by two playful Noti companions, Pook and Dook, who seemed equally content to escape the frost. The journey's harsh conditions didn't appear to deter the howlers or the bandits, both seemingly in their element amidst the snow and ice.
  
  
  
  Yet, in the vast frozen wasteland, solitude was a luxury. Sabine frequently sensed Shin's watchful gaze and felt the scrutiny of Kradosh. Two curious bandit younglings were part of their group, absorbing new experiences and offering their hands wherever help was required.
  
  
  
  The terrain grew slick with frost as the biting wind intensified, yet amidst the harshness, a delicate allure emerged. Come nighttime, the heavens swayed with mesmerizing hues of green and yellow, while the radiant rings of Peridea pierced the obsidian sky.
  
  
  
  Just as Sabine was about to retreat to the warmth of her Noti pod, something in the stillness gave her pause. She peered into the abyss, alert.
  
  
  
  "You hear that?" She inquired of her Noti companion, Pook.
  
  
  
  Pook's eyestalks shifted rapidly, summoning his sibling, Dook, for a closer inspection. "Wupa, wupa!" they exclaimed in unison.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine murmured, a hint of apprehension in her tone. "That"s what I was afraid of." She leaned further out of the pod, taking in the sight of the bandit tent. Its power cell radiated warmth, contrasting starkly with the warm glow of the nearby dinner fire. She drew a deep breath, her senses sharpening. There it was again, a piercing screech that seemed to originate from the shadowy void beyond. As the chilling wind brushed past her face, a sinking feeling settled in-she had to find out what lurked in the shadows.
  
  
  
  The eerie cry rang out again, prompting Shin and several bandits to emerge hastily from the tent. Alert and vigilant, they quickly formed a defensive perimeter around their makeshift camp.
  
  
  
  "Kradosh, what's that sound?" Shin demanded, her eyes darting. "Is it like the Voraxlyn we battled?"
  
  
  
  Gripping his hefty blaster, Kradosh strained his eyes into the darkness. "No," he said tersely. "Icewraiths."
  
  
  
  "Ice what?" Sabine chimed in, drawing her blasters instinctively.
  
  
  
  Without hesitation, Kradosh bundled Pook and Dook into the Noti pod. "Icewraiths have a taste for Noti," he warned. "For the rest of us, they're less than friendly."
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips pressed together in irony as she secured the pod for them. "Delightful."
  
  
  
  Drawing her orange saber, its light competing with the fire's glow, Shin inquired, "Any vulnerabilities?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh met her gaze. "Blood."
  
  
  
  Both women exchanged a look. "Blood?" they echoed.
  
  
  
  "The scent of blood sends the Icewraiths into a rage," Kradosh explained. "If we can't take them down... someone might need to be bait."
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes in exasperation.
  
  
  
  By her side, Tota tensed up, ready to defend, his growls joining the nocturnal chorus.
  
  
  
  The rapid patter of footsteps on the frosted ground sent chills up their spines as they closed in on the encampment. The fire"s flames flickered erratically, dancing in response to the unseen invaders, as the group steeled themselves for the impending confrontation.
  
  
  
  Sabine's throat was parched, her fingers instinctively tightened around the grips of her blasters. Out of the dark, a shimmering form lunged towards her. Its body gleamed like sculpted ice, refracting the firelight in prismatic bursts. Yet, its almost mesmerizing allure was marred by its grotesque mouth-bristling with rows of needle-like teeth and a prehensile tongue that lashed out menacingly.
  
  
  
  What in the kriff were these things? Sabine thought as she narrowly avoided the tongue"s lashing strike. The icy attackers darted around, their tongues acting like metallic whips, smashing into armor and weapon with surprising force. They were difficult to see and quick as lightning.
  
  
  
  Sabine aimed and fired her blaster at an oncoming Icewraith. The creature reeled back, emitting a brief cry of pain, before retreating to regroup with its brethren.
  
  
  
  Elsewhere in the fray, Kradosh and the younglings proved their mettle. They managed to down one of the creatures. As it fell, its crystalline form glinted eerily, its lifeblood-a sparkling liquid-spilling onto the pristine snow.
  
  
  
  Shin brandished her lightsaber, plunging it into the snow and cutting a blazing circle around the camp as a fiery deterrent.
  
  
  
  Sabine felt the paradoxical sensation of sweat forming on her brow despite the biting cold. She caught sight of Pook and Dook, who were peeking from the safety of the Noti pod, cheering them on. However, the brief respite was shattered as the Icewraiths rallied, launching another frenzied assault.
  
  
  
  Bandits engaged the creatures with deft moves, their weapons clashing against the wraiths' crystalline forms. The night was filled with the glint of predatory teeth and the swift motions of the Icewraiths.
  
  
  
  Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream pierced the night. Sabine's gaze darted to its source, witnessing a chilling sight: a youngling ensnared in the grips of two wraiths, being dragged away into the consuming darkness. Her heart raced as she fired off a few shots, but the risk of hitting the child forced her to cease fire. Without hesitation, she dashed after the menacing creatures, desperate to save the young captive.
  
  
  
  They were swift, their strength overpowering, and Sabine struggled to match their pace. Seizing an opportunity as a moonbeam illuminated the snowy expanse, Sabine unsheathed her hunting knife, quickly pricking her finger. Drops of blood stained the untouched snow, and she held her breath, anticipating their reaction.
  
  
  
  The Icewraiths responded with an agonized scream, immediately releasing their grip on the youngling. Seizing the opportunity, Sabine ignited her lightsaber, battling the frenzied swarm. She dispatched one with a clean beheading, cleaved another down its center, yet they seemed countless in number.
  
  
  
  Sabine's relief at seeing the youngling return to the camp was short-lived. An Icewraith lunged, its jaws clamping onto her arm. She let out a pained scream. If not for the protective beskar on her gauntlet, the damage would have been catastrophic. Blood seeped from the wound, rendering her arm weak and her lightsaber unusable.
  
  
  
  Alerted by the commotion, Kradosh, Shin, and the bandits converged on her position, finishing off the Icewraiths lured by the scent of her blood. They efficiently dispatched the remaining creatures before hastily pulling Sabine back to the safety of their encampment.
  
  
  
  "Where's the bacta?" Shin's voice was sharp, her urgency evident as she rushed into the Noti pod. "Pook! Dook! We need that bacta now!"
  
  
  
  Laid inside the pod, Sabine's vision wavered, the world around her growing dim. Shin's hands, usually so steady, quivered. Her face, slick with perspiration in the freezing cold, held a desperate look that made Sabine smirk weakly. Without hesitation, Shin sprayed the bacta over the grievous wound, but to little effect.
  
  
  
  She glanced at the depleting canister and hurled it in frustration. "Why isn't it healing properly?" Her voice edged with panic as Sabine's skin took on an unsettling hue, the discoloration spreading.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, unable to fit inside the compact space of the pod, remained at the entrance. "The one that bit her was likely venomous," he said, handing over a small vial. "Administer this, quickly."
  
  
  
  Sabine struggled to keep her eyes from closing. With haste, Shin plunged a needle filled with the antidote into Sabine's arm. Agonizing pain surged through her, every beat of her heart intensifying the burn.
  
  
  
  "Shin," Sabine managed to whisper, her voice fading.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes met Sabine's, a mix of determination and despair. "Don't you dare," she muttered, voice quivering. "The antidote will work. It just needs... time. Just stay with me."
  
  
  
  A tightness seized Sabine's throat as she locked onto Shin's teary blue eyes. Perhaps, she thought, she'd witness a tear from Shin before slipping into the enveloping darkness, a tear warmed by the connection they shared through the Force.
  
  
  
  Shin continued to try and keep Sabine awake. "Tell me more about Chopper committing war crimes," she pressed. "Ejecting people from space?"
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled slightly but immediately groaned in pain.
  
  
  
  Brushing away damp hair, Shin shot a pleading look at Kradosh and the Noti. She then knelt down beside Sabine, placing her trembling hands over the torn and bleeding arm. Taking a steadying breath, she closed her eyes.
  
  
  
  Sabine mustered her remaining strength to stare up at Shin. An intense stillness enveloped the pod, every sound and motion seemingly suspended. Sabine's eyes widened in astonishment as a radiant energy erupted around them. This healing light, warm and comforting, enveloped the pod, weaving its way to Shin and channeling through her fingertips.
  
  
  
  A sharp intake of breath escaped Sabine's lips as she witnessed her ravaged arm miraculously regenerate. The alarming discoloration faded, replaced by her skin's natural tone, now unmarred and whole. Her awe-struck gaze settled on Shin, who, with unwavering concentration, channeled the healing energy into her.
  
  
  
  "How did you do that?" Sabine whispered, examining her arm in disbelief.
  
  
  
  Shin slumped back, gasping for air, sweat dripping from her forehead. "I... I'm not sure," she stammered. "It was just an instinctive response."
  
  
  
  The two Noti, Pook and Dook, exchanged bewildered glances before staring back at Sabine, their eyes wide with astonishment.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, still lingering at the entrance, looked on with a mix of awe and confusion.
  
  
  
  Sabine flexed her hand, clenching and unclenching her fist, and murmured, "You healed me somehow."
  
  
  
  Visibly drained, Shin uttered, "I'm exhausted and I feel very ill."
  
  
  
  Sabine swiftly rose to her feet. "Pook, Dook," she instructed, "Help me get her settled in my bed." She pulled up Shin as gently as she could while guiding her to the small cot. Setting her down carefully, Sabine grabbed blankets and poured fresh water for Shin to drink if she needed. Shin was pale, sweating and wincing and Sabine"s stomach coiled.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Shin whimpered, her eyes glossy.
  
  
  
  "I"m here," Sabine asserted, grabbing a chair to sit near Shin. "What do you need?"
  
  
  
  "I"m drained," Shin managed to say. "I can barely feel the Force."
  
  
  
  "You need to rest, okay," Sabine replied. "Please just... I can take care of you while you rest."
  
  
  
  Shin"s eyes flared open for a moment before drooping again. "I don"t want to be a burden," she mumbled weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  "You"re not," Sabine reassured her, placing a gentle hand on Shin"s forehead, feeling the feverish heat. "You saved me. Let me help you now."
  
  
  
  Shin frowned and leaned into Sabine"s warm touch. "There are so many things we want to say to each other, aren"t there?" she asked. "But the words are out of reach."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s heart fluttered and she removed her hand to clearly look into Shin"s eyes. "We"ll keep trying when you get better," she replied. "Now rest."
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips twitched in a semblance of a smile, her gaze lingering on Sabine"s face. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice trailing off as her eyes finally closed, succumbing to the exhaustion.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched over Shin, her own heart racing with a mix of concern and wonder. The night"s events had revealed a depth to Shin"s abilities that neither of them fully understood. As the Noti pod hummed quietly, providing a peaceful respite from the frigid outside world, Sabine found her thoughts drifting.
  
  
  
  Her mind replayed the scene of Shin"s unprecedented healing power, the way the energy had flowed from her hands, the miraculous recovery of her wound. It was something out of a fable, yet it had happened right before her eyes. Sabine pondered what it meant for Shin, for their journey, and for the mysteries of the Force that seemed to unravel in unexpected ways.
  
  
  
  The hours passed and then a day, and Sabine remained vigilant, occasionally checking Shin"s temperature and ensuring she was as comfortable as possible. Shin"s breathing was erratic at times and her rest was troubled, her brow often creasing in distress. Sabine didn"t feel at ease to tend to her own needs until Shin finally began to sleep peacefully.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Hopefully Shin will be okay! Thank you all for being here each chapter.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 16: Ice
  Notes:
  This time of year is pretty busy for anyone in school so hope you"re all doing well!
  
  I always get this weird nervousness before posting even though here we are at chapter 16. Enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  For two days, Shin lay in a deep slumber, her breaths first ragged but eventually peaceful, contrasting the urgency of their journey. Turning back was no longer an option, not when the territory of the Ice People lay just over the horizon, their destination drawing nearer with each passing moment. Throughout the journey, Sabine maintained a constant line of communication with Ahsoka, ensuring she was well-informed of every twist and turn the situation took.
  
  
  
  At the helm of the Noti pod, Sabine reclined, her boots casually propped up on the dashboard, basking in a rare moment of relaxation. Pook and Dook, meanwhile, were all business, their focus unwavering as they expertly navigated the pod through the snow-blanketed landscape. Every so often, their eyes darted to the peripheries, noting the comforting presence of the howlers and bandits. These loyal figures flanked the pod protectively, their silhouettes accompanying them closely, ensuring their journey remained undisturbed.
  
  
  
  Today, unlike the previous gloomy days, the sun was particularly radiant. Its golden rays struck the snow, causing it to sparkle brilliantly. It was as if the entire icy plain was a vast canvas of twinkling stars. The beauty of the scene was not lost on Sabine. Even amidst the tension, she stole a moment to marvel at the world outside, feeling a fleeting sense of peace.
  
  
  
  The connection buzzed to life as Ahsoka's voice filtered through the comms. "Could it have been the bacta?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Pulling her poncho tighter, Sabine responded, "Maybe a mix of both?"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's tone was tinged with concern. "Force healing isn"t just any technique. It requires profound mastery."
  
  
  
  Sabine exhaled, irritation evident. "I've told you exactly what happened, Master."
  
  
  
  A thoughtful pause on Ahsoka's end. "That explains her exhaustion... and yours too it seems. Stay vigilant. Should things decline, we're on standby with the ship."
  
  
  
  Sabine's determination shone through her voice. "I've got this under control. We're nearing the Ice People soon enough."
  
  
  
  "Remember, I'm a call away," Ahsoka said, before the line went silent.
  
  
  
  With a drawn-out sigh, Sabine's fingers grazed the fabric of her winter hat, feeling its coarse texture. Slowly, she retracted her legs from the dashboard and rose from her seat, her attention drifting to Shin. She retreated inside of the pod to check on her adversary.
  
  
  
  Seeing Shin Hati in such a vulnerable state was unsettling; the fierce warrior she knew now seemed almost fragile. A pang of concern tightened in Sabine's chest as she eased into a chair beside Shin's modest cot.
  
  
  
  For what felt like an eternity, she simply watched her - the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, the peacefulness of her features unmarred by the usual sounds of slumber. Just as Sabine contemplated leaving, a shift caught her attention. Shin's blue eyes, clear as the day sky, began to flicker open, drawing Sabine back into the moment.
  
  
  
  After days of silence, Shin's voice, raspy from disuse, broke the quiet. "Is that my poncho?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine blinked, a hint of amusement playing on her lips. "This one is mine," she responded.
  
  
  
  Shin squinted slightly, her tone laced with genuine curiosity. "Are you sure?"
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated for a brief moment, her thoughts wandering. Choosing to redirect the conversation, she asked, "How do you feel?"
  
  
  
  With an effort, Shin tried to prop herself up, her face contorted with discomfort. "Horrible. I can"t feel the Force, and my head's a complete fog."
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze drifted to her recently healed arm, a visible reminder of their last encounter. "I don"t think it"s a good idea to do that again," she cautioned.
  
  
  
  Leaning against the pod wall for support, Shin's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what does your Master think?"
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her lips dry from the cold air. Meeting Shin"s gaze head-on, she said, "She"s skeptical, which I get. It"s a technique that, from what she said, takes a lifetime to master."
  
  
  
  "Interesting," Shin mused, her fingers absently trying to tame her unruly hair. "But if this is the toll it takes, I won't be doing it again."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes twinkled, her lips curving into a playful smile. "Have you missed me in your sleep?"
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flashed, her tone sharp. "Missed you? I should've let you-"
  
  
  
  "You didn't, though," Sabine cut in, her smirk evident.
  
  
  
  The tension in Shin's posture eased, her shoulders drooping. "Are you okay?"
  
  
  
  Radiating warmth, Sabine grinned. "Better than ever. Just a bit chilly."
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her voice teasing. "I was under the impression you liked the cold."
  
  
  
  Fingering the edge of her poncho, Sabine met Shin's gaze. "I was getting used to sleeping together."
  
  
  
  Shin's smirk grew sly. "Even with the snoring?"
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, leaning in conspiratorially. "Especially that," she teased. Memories of an intimate evening flashed before her, where Shin's touch had danced upon her skin-tender, yet with an underlying hint of ownership. An audacious part of Sabine had found herself longing for that possessiveness, a secret thrill behind closed doors, knowing she could always turn the tables on Shin if she wished.
  
  
  
  Shin arched an eyebrow. "Thinking of putting me in my place?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes widened in feigned innocence, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Mind reading now? I thought the Force had left you temporarily."
  
  
  
  Shin's stern gaze didn't waver. "Sometimes, your thoughts scream rather than whisper."
  
  
  
  Sabine made a face, her lips fluttering in a playful gesture. "I wish I could hear you better," she mumbled. "It"s not fair."
  
  
  
  Shin looked at her, a hint of empathy softening her features. She licked her parched lips and replied soothingly, "It takes time. You"ll get there..." Her voice carried the weight of her own experiences, offering reassurance.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze lingered on Shin, noting the gradual return of color to her face. The thought crossed her mind that she could take advantage of Shin's weakened state, but the only desire she harbored was to ensure Shin's safety and comfort. "Want to hear more about Chopper?" Sabine asked, hoping to lighten the mood.
  
  
  
  Shin's interest was piqued. "I do," she answered, her curiosity evident.
  
  
  
  As Sabine recounted her adventures with the Rebel Alliance, particularly the daring antics of Chopper, Shin listened intently. Her expressions fluctuated between amusement and disbelief, prompting Sabine to delve deeper into her stories, her voice animated against the steady hum of the Noti pod.
  
  
  
  Shin, puzzled by the tales, interjected, "How is this droid allowed to operate?" Her tone conveyed both bewilderment and fascination.
  
  
  
  Sabine laughed, throwing her hands in the air in a gesture of mock surrender. "Chopper is Chopper," she explained, her fondness for the droid clear in her voice.
  
  
  
  Shin murmured thoughtfully, "I"m certainly glad I wasn"t a baby on that Inquisitor ship then. Chopper"s name suits him."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s smile widened. "Zeb wouldn"t have let anything bad happen," she assured Shin, her tone confident. "And I"m relieved you weren"t taken as a baby either."
  
  
  
  There was a brief pause, a moment where the joviality of their conversation gently subsided. The comfort and ease they shared allowed deeper, more poignant topics to surface. It was in this natural lull that Shin, her expression turning thoughtful, steered their dialog to a more somber topic.
  
  
  
  "Sabine, I"ve always wondered about Mandalore, especially after the Night of a Thousand Tears..." Shin"s voice trailed off, her eyes conveying a depth of concern. "Considering I visited Sundari..."
  
  
  
  The mention of Mandalore struck a chord in Sabine, a poignant reminder of a past marred by tragedy. She felt a lump form in her throat, a physical manifestation of the pain and loss associated with her home. Swallowing hard, she managed to compose herself, touched by the empathy evident in Shin's gaze.
  
  
  
  "Mandalore..." Sabine began, her voice tinged with a mixture of sorrow and resilience, ready to delve into the memories of her homeworld.
  
  
  
  Seeking to steer the conversation away from the painful memory, Shin asked, "Will you try to rebuild your clan?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze met Shin's revitalizing blue eyes, sensing the depth of her concern. "To rebuild, I"d need a partner, wouldn"t I?" Sabine mused aloud.
  
  
  
  Shin's reaction was immediate; her eyes widened, then she averted her gaze, her voice a mere whisper. "Someone Mandalorian, I"m sure."
  
  
  
  Before Sabine could craft an appropriate response, the Noti pod jerked to a stop, drawing her attention to the window. Outside, Pook and Dook animatedly gestured, signaling their arrival at their destination. The relief was evident, and Sabine surmised they were near the Ice People village.
  
  
  
  Sabine reached for some warm gear, offering it to Shin. "Think you can handle the cold?"
  
  
  
  Shin paused, her intense gaze softening, a vulnerability emerging. "Before we go... I want to apologize for what transpired on Lothal. I was only doing what I was told. I wanted to impress my Master... it"s not an excuse... Thrawn wasn"t what I thought he"d be..." Shin realized she was rambling which she"d never done around Sabine or anyone before.
  
  
  
  Holding the winter-wear close to her beating chest, Sabine's voice softened, her eyes moistening. "I know, Shin... I know you"re sorry, I can feel it."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The village of the Ice People was a marvel to behold, a sprawling expanse of homes meticulously crafted from blocks of snow and stone. Each structure glistened and glittered under the relentless brilliance of the sunlight, creating a mesmerizing dance of light across the village. The luminosity was so intense that it bordered on overwhelming, nearly blinding to any unaccustomed eyes.
  
  
  
  Nestled amidst the biting cold, this elaborate settlement stood as a clear demonstration of the resilience of its inhabitants, who numbered in the thousands. They had adapted to the harsh, icy conditions, creating a life for themselves in the perpetual frost.
  
  
  
  Despite the stunning beauty of the village, Shin found herself battling against her ailment, her legs threatening to give way beneath her. Yet, in her moments of weakness, Sabine was a constant presence at her side, ready to lend support and strength. Shin felt a gurgle of protest from her stomach, a reminder of her body's needs, and she could sense the lingering weakness in her muscles. Yet, these sensations were a stark improvement from the harrowing nights past, where darkness had threatened to consume her, leaving her wondering if she would ever see the light of day again.
  
  
  
  As Shin gathered her bearings, she took in the full scope of the village"s location. It sat proudly beside a vast lake, its waters frozen solid, creating a shimmering stretch of ice. In the distance, formidable mountains rose up, providing a majestic and protective backdrop to the village. The combination of the shimmering homes, the frozen lake, and the towering mountains crafted a panorama of tranquil allure and untamed strength, showcasing the Ice Peoples" unyielding spirit and their expertise in navigating the harsh terrain.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expectations were completely overturned upon seeing the village, as it diverged significantly from Kradosh"s descriptions. She had envisioned a simple settlement, dotted with white tents standing stark against the snow and ice. However, what lay before her was almost ethereal, a community that not only survived but thrived by ingeniously harnessing the landscape and climate of this inhospitable region.
  
  
  
  Throughout the village, large bonfires blazed, providing pockets of warmth against the biting cold. Shops and stalls lined the paths, bustling with activity, while children found joy playing amidst the snow. Adults were busy at work, partaking in ice fishing and navigating the snowy expanse with specialized vehicles designed for such terrain.
  
  
  
  Upon their arrival, a delegation, presumably the leaders of this northern clan, promptly approached to meet Kradosh. Although Shin found herself too weak to participate actively, Sabine effortlessly took charge. She stepped forward, radiating charm and showcasing her profound knowledge as she engaged with the welcoming party, ensuring a smooth introduction for their group.
  
  
  
  "Struggling to retrieve those fallen supply crates, I see," Kradosh remarked, his tone laced with a hint of amusement as he surveyed the scene. The Ice People, clad in their stark white armor, stood imposingly before him.
  
  
  
  Ilyara, their poised and commanding leader, stepped forth, her armor gleaming resplendently in the sunlight. "We should make our way to the Glacial Hall," she suggested, her voice carrying a sense of authority as she motioned for the group to follow.
  
  
  
  Shin's consciousness wavered, her state fluctuating between clarity and confusion. Nonetheless, Sabine remained steadfast by her side, offering unwavering support as they navigated through the village. Despite her sporadic moments of disorientation, Shin couldn't help but notice Ilyara's impressive command of Basic.
  
  
  
  The Glacial Hall itself was a sight to behold, distinguishable from the surrounding structures with its intricate ice sculptures and symbolic engravings etched into the snowy walls. She observed that many of the Ice People wore sun-visors, a practical accessory to shield their eyes from the harsh glare.
  
  
  
  Upon entering the hall, Shin found its interior to bear a striking resemblance to the Council Den of the Red Bandits. However, this meeting space boasted a more artistic ambiance, devoid of any weaponry. Dominating the room was a lengthy table, constructed from rock and stone, with a captivating crystal slab nestled at its center. The sight of it left Shin utterly mesmerized.
  
  
  
  Shin took a seat beside Sabine, grateful that Kradosh was there to take charge of the meeting. The Ice People exuded a sense of calm refinement, a stark contrast to the other groups they had encountered. Their leader, Ilyara, carried herself with a composed ease, which did not go unnoticed by Shin. She was aware that such poise usually belonged to individuals with significant influence.
  
  
  
  Shin overheard a conversation about celebratory festivities occurring soon and that they hoped to make good progress in the coming days.
  
  
  
  Ilyara began to explain the situation, "The crates are positioned high up in the mountain range, and we"ve been unable to reach them for nearly a year now, due to the Ice wraiths and the perilous weather conditions at that altitude."
  
  
  
  Kradosh acknowledged her words with a nod before turning his attention to Sabine and Shin. "Our Commander and General, hailing from a galaxy far, far away, will undoubtedly prove invaluable in this endeavor," he stated with confidence.
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine suddenly realized that Shin"s hand had been in hers throughout the entire meeting. Trying to maintain her composure, she gently withdrew her hand, eager to address the gathering more formally. "But are these crates even worth the risk and effort?" she questioned, her tone laced with skepticism. "Especially considering that they were dumped by Thrawn?"
  
  
  
  Ilyara gave a nod of understanding, gracefully bringing her hands together atop the shimmering crystal table. "The crates in question are stocked with medical supplies, power cells, and various tools and parts crucial to our survival," she responded.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows drew together in a thoughtful frown as she scrutinized Ilyara closely. "Alright," she began cautiously, "but I have to ask, did something in those crates help you learn Basic Galactic? Your fluency is impressive."
  
  
  
  From her seat, Shin shot Sabine a glare, mustering as much energy as she could to communicate her disapproval. Sabine!
  
  
  
  Sabine, however, seemed to tune out the silent reproach, brushing off Shin"s hand as it attempted to squeeze her thigh in a silent plea for restraint.
  
  
  
  Unfazed, Ilyara"s lips twitched into something that resembled a smile as she lifted her hand in a gesture of revelation. "Your group is not the only one Thrawn abandoned," she stated with cool composure. "Allow me to introduce you to my allies, those who chose to defy Thrawn and join our cause."
  
  
  
  At her words, a group of people, devoid of helmets but clad in stormtrooper armor, emerged from the hall"s shadows and into the dim, flickering candlelight. It was a motley crew of soldiers, the sight of them causing Shin"s heart to plummet and then skyrocket, as if lodging itself in her throat.
  
  
  
  However, what captured Shin"s attention amidst the group was a woman with raven-black hair and rich, golden-toned skin, her deep brown eyes locked intently on Sabine. Shin"s gaze flickered between Sabine and this striking woman, feeling an inexplicable knot tighten in her stomach. The woman gracefully stepped forward from the group, flashing a flawless smile.
  
  
  
  "I"m Jex Gnar," she introduced herself, her voice as captivating as her presence. "We couldn"t align ourselves with Thrawn"s methods, so we chose to leave."
  
  
  
  Sabine, tapping rhythmically on the table, tilted her head slightly as she processed the information. "Uh-huh," she responded, skepticism evident in her tone. "But you were under his command at some point, weren"t you?"
  
  
  
  "Yep," Jex acknowledged with a mischievous grin, not missing a beat. "But that"s in the past. Here we are now, just like you-stranded."
  
  
  
  Shin felt a prickling sensation in her stomach as she observed Jex"s lingering gaze on Sabine. This was absurd, she thought to herself. Yet, amidst the startling revelations of the meeting, this unexpected and unwelcome surge of emotion was all she could focus on as she tried to sit up straighter in her seat.
  
  
  
  Kradosh attempted to alleviate the growing tension in the room by clearing his throat and shifting the focus. "We"ve brought back some treasures from the tropical zone," he announced, gesturing grandly as the Red Bandits began unloading crates filled with their recent findings.
  
  
  
  Ilyara clapped her hands with glee, her eyes lighting up as she eagerly inspected the trove of lost artifacts. "Incredible," she whispered. "How in the stars did you manage to acquire these?"
  
  
  
  Kradosh grinned, proud of their success. "We had a bit of special assistance," he revealed. "Our new allies possess some rather unique abilities."
  
  
  
  Jex"s brow furrowed in intrigue, and she crossed her arms, her posture radiating curiosity. "Jedi?" she inquired, her tone laced with suspicion.
  
  
  
  "No," Shin and Sabine responded in unison, their voices firm.
  
  
  
  Jex hummed in contemplation, her eyes flicking back and forth between Shin and Sabine as she processed their answer. "Okay well I hope we can get those crates with your help... In the meantime you can visit the hot springs if you want. You both seriously look like you need it."
  
  
  
  Shin slumped back in her chair, her energy drained, as Sabine eagerly began expressing her excitement about the prospect of a relaxing dip in the hot springs. This expedition was far from what Shin had envisioned. Not only was she still reeling from the Ice wraith attack, but the constant barrage of surprises-from Thrawn"s former soldiers to a distractingly attractive woman who seemed to have taken a particular interest in Sabine-was proving to be overwhelming.
  
  
  
  She could barely concentrate when the meeting began to discuss sightings of the Tunnel Raiders. Something about them not being seen for months which was an oddity.
  
  
  
  Maybe a trip to the hot springs wasn"t such a bad idea after all, she pondered, albeit for entirely different reasons than Sabine. She could very well use it to momentarily escape and gather her thoughts-or perhaps, half-jokingly, to drown her frustrations.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine was uncertain whether visiting the hot springs was truly a pressing matter at the moment, yet she harbored hope that it might contribute positively to Shin's well-being. At the very least, it presented an opportunity for her to rejuvenate and rest momentarily before embarking on the challenging journey up a mountain that awaited them.
  
  
  
  She found herself in a lavish living space, adjoined to Shin's quarters and those of the rest of the Red Bandits, with an entire row of homes at their disposal situated in close proximity to the Glacial Hall. The village"s inhabitants appeared relatively indifferent to her presence, likely due to their familiarity with the former troopers of Thrawn residing nearby for several years.
  
  
  
  As Sabine prepared her belongings for the trip to the springs, her thoughts inevitably wandered back to Shin. She reminisced about the delicate moments before and after Shin had healed her, captivated by the gentleness and tenderness that Shin had displayed. It was a complexity she recognized, yet she found herself hoping that this softer side of Shin would persist. Despite the intricacies of their situation, not a single part of Sabine wished for it to come to an end.
  
  
  
  Not anymore.
  
  
  
  A soft knock resonated against the solid, expansive door, prompting Sabine to swiftly pivot on her heels.
  
  
  
  "Ready?" came the voice of Jex Gnar, who stood with a casual lean against the doorway.
  
  
  
  With a swift motion, Sabine slung her pack over her shoulder, offering a nonchalant shrug. Trust was a scarce commodity when it came to anyone affiliated with Thrawn or the Empire. Sabine remained wary, memories of Agent Kallus' turn from foe to ally playing in her mind. Yet, something intriguing lingered in Jex's warm brown eyes.
  
  
  
  "For what, exactly?" Sabine inquired, diligently adjusting her winter hat.
  
  
  
  Jex"s grin broadened, though she stayed put at the door. "Just for a bit of fun," she responded, her voice playful as she bit her lower lip. "By the way, Shin Hati... is she your girlfriend?"
  
  
  
  The question caught Sabine off guard, prompting an internal double-take. Nonchalantly, she replied, "Nope," while fidgeting with the strap of her pack.
  
  
  
  Leaning further into the doorframe, Jex studied Sabine, her gaze lingering. "Never thought we"d ever encounter someone else from our galaxy here," she mused, her tone reflective.
  
  
  
  "You"re lucky you didn"t turn into a possessed zombie," Sabine shot back.
  
  
  
  "Those Nightsisters were quite unsettling," Jex added.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle, raising her eyebrows in agreement. "Unsettling, and likely back on Dathomir by now," she countered.
  
  
  
  Jex"s gaze traveled up and down Sabine"s form, her voice dipping to a cooler timbre. "Maybe being stranded here won't be all that bad, now that they're gone," she mused, her fingers winding through her lengthy black hair.
  
  
  
  A shiver traced Sabine"s spine, prompting her to clear her throat subtly. Jex was undeniably...something. Needing a change of topic, Sabine blurted out, "Let"s check out the springs!"
  
  
  
  Jex"s eyes sparkled as she pushed off from the doorframe. "Let"s."
  
  
  
  As Sabine moved forward, the door to the adjacent room creaked open, revealing Shin, her eyes steely and her demeanor unimpressed.
  
  
  
  "Am I disturbing something?" Shin inquired, her voice weary as she stepped into the room.
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed, noticing the lingering gaze between Shin and Jex, who nonchalantly stood across the room. And Jex... Jex was returning the gaze with such a look. What an opportunist. Sabine supposed she couldn"t blame her. There likely wasn"t much to do on Peridea except for...
  
  
  
  "Not in the slightest," Jex responded with a charming smile. "I'll be waiting outside." She closed the door with a soft click, leaving as quietly as she had appeared.
  
  
  
  Leaning against a nearby dresser for support, Shin exhaled slowly. "Did you see that look she gave you?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, placing her pack down and approaching Shin. "What about it?" she retorted.
  
  
  
  "It seemed rather forward."
  
  
  
  Sabine countered, "Have you noticed the looks you've been getting here?" It was true. As soon as Shin stepped foot into the village, citizens were ogling.
  
  
  
  Shin pressed her back against the wall, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. "I've had other things on my mind," she replied tersely.
  
  
  
  "Like what, exactly?"
  
  
  
  Shin's expression softened, fatigue evident. "I'm too worn out for this conversation," she admitted.
  
  
  
  Sabine tilted her head and closed the gap, now only a foot away from Shin. "I know you are," she responded softly. "You know... for a moment I thought about taking advantage of you somehow." She gently lifted her hand, tracing the curve of Shin's neck with her finger before grasping her chin with a firm, yet tender touch. "But I like it when you fight back."
  
  
  
  Shin's throat moved visibly as she swallowed, yet she remained motionless, almost savoring the contact. "The only one I want to fight with is you," she confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled softly, her eyes locked with Shin's. "Let's head to the springs and see if they help you recover a bit."
  
  
  
  Notes:
  These two...
  
  It"s been so great interacting with you all. If you"d like to chat, game or help me with my papers and finals /j lol you can reach me at @veditas on tumblr
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 17: Springs
  Notes:
  So happy the cast were so enthusiastic about wolfwren at the LA Comic Con panel. Really cool stuff!
  
  Did not think Jealous Shin would be so popular last chapter woweee!
  
  This chapter is probably the softest stuff I've written between these two. So those of you who enjoy that, I hope you like it!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin mustered up every bit of strength she had left, ensuring she maintained a close and steady pace right beside Sabine as they ambled toward the springs. With a subtle sense of curiosity dancing in her eyes, she observed Jex, along with a handful of others, who were accompanying them, their spirits lifted at the prospect of indulging in the warm embrace of the hot springs. Shin found comfort in her closeness to Sabine, who seemed surprisingly welcoming of her proximity. She decided not to delve too deep into it, choosing instead to focus on the warmth that was soon to envelop her frail body.
  
  
  
  Despite her lingering weakness, Shin felt an unspoken promise in the air, a promise that the hot springs would provide her with the much-needed solace and relaxation her body yearned for. And, secretly, she harbored the desire to catch another glimpse of Sabine, adorned in her swimwear, a sight she found herself unexpectedly drawn to.
  
  
  
  Above them, the sun held its position proudly in the clear, azure sky, casting a warm and golden hue across the landscape. Shin couldn't help but wonder if the celestial body would ever dip below the horizon in this peculiar land. Peridea was an enigma, a perplexing blend of familiarity and alienness, so different yet eerily similar to the myriad of planets and systems she had traversed over the years.
  
  
  
  The gentle whisper of the breeze carried with it the crisp, clean scent of the frozen landscape, intertwining with the faint, sulfuric aroma drifting up from the hot springs that lay hidden somewhere ahead, promising warmth in the midst of the biting cold.
  
  
  
  In the backdrop, majestic mountains stood tall, their peaks lost in the low-hanging clouds, adding a sense of grandeur and mystery to the frozen expanse. The ground beneath their feet was a soft carpet of snow, its surface sparkling under the muted light of the sun, struggling to pierce through the dense cloud cover.
  
  
  
  Several members of the group diverted their path towards the communal warm pools frequented by the locals, leaving the rest to find their own way. Amidst the crunching of ice underfoot and the shimmer of icicles overhead, Shin noticed Jex signaling to her and Sabine to take a different route. Despite the sizeable snowflakes gently descending around them, there was a surprising mildness to the daytime air.
  
  
  
  Venturing farther, they distanced themselves from the lively activity of the village, gradually ascending a gentle slope. With every step, Shin felt the strain, clutching her pack tightly. As they encountered a particularly treacherous icy stretch, she stifled a gasp of surprise and gratitude when Sabine effortlessly reached back, offering a steady hand to guide her across. In that simple gesture, a surge of warmth flowed through Shin, an undeniable comfort that spoke louder than words.
  
  
  
  "Here it is," Jex announced, signaling towards a secluded area ahead.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, captivated by the tranquil hot spring nestled perfectly for two. A gentle waterfall cascaded down, its waters steaming invitingly. Her skin seemed to yearn for the embrace of the warmth, and she found herself eager to submerge into the soothing heat. The spring was encircled by rocks, offering a secluded haven, while the panoramic view from the hill"s summit painted a scene of picturesque beauty.
  
  
  
  With a warm, mischievous smile, Jex turned to Shin and Sabine. "What do you think?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.
  
  
  
  Sabine, catching the glint in Jex's eyes, returned the smile with equal brightness. "It looks fantastic," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm.
  
  
  
  Shin, meanwhile, held her pack a bit tighter before casually tossing it onto a nearby rock. She briefly allowed her gaze to linger on Jex, who stood confidently, almost regally, in the gentle snowfall. The scene, with Jex at its center, seemed almost otherworldly to Shin. She was surely a sight to behold.
  
  
  
  Clearing her throat more loudly than necessary, Sabine placed a hand on her hip and addressed Jex directly. "Planning to join us?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Shin, momentarily caught off guard, quickly composed herself and fixed Sabine with a sharp look. "The space is limited," she pointed out.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised her eyebrows, her grin turning sly. "I think there's plenty of room," she countered.
  
  
  
  Feeling an unexpected nervous flutter, Shin glanced towards the spring. "Well, I guess I could fit in... between you two," she found herself saying, a hint of daring in her voice.
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her mouth twisting at first before she forced a smile onto her lips. "What do you say, Jex?" she asked, her tone now laced with a touch of sweetness.
  
  
  
  Jex, her smile broadening, brushed a hand across her face, her gaze dancing over Shin and Sabine. "In different circumstances we"d have fun in there," she observed. "But I can see when it's time to leave a couple alone."
  
  
  
  "A couple?" Shin and Sabine parroted in unison, their voices intertwining in surprise.
  
  
  
  "Exactly," Jex affirmed with a playful hum, already making her way back down the hill, leaving Shin and Sabine momentarily dumbfounded by the hot spring.
  
  
  
  "Did you imply to her that we were... involved?" Shin inquired, her voice laced with curiosity as she set her belongings down with grace.
  
  
  
  "Involved?" Sabine echoed, her hands finding their way to her hips as she grinned, "You really have a way with words, don't you? And for the record, no, I didn"t tell her we were partners. Actually, I made sure to say we weren't."
  
  
  
  "You were so busy drinking in the sight of her, how was I to know?" Shin replied sharply.
  
  
  
  "Me?" Sabine scoffed with a dismissive wave of her hand, clapping her hands together expressively. "You wanted to squish yourself between the two of us."
  
  
  
  "You invited her to join us!"
  
  
  
  "And you were gawking!"
  
  
  
  Sabine paused, her expression softening as she aimlessly kicked at a small pebble. "I"d like you to myself," she admitted quietly.
  
  
  
  Inhaling deeply, Shin took in the crisp air, her mind contemplating the best way to frame her question and, lacking the energy for their typical banter, decided to be direct. "Tell me about Mandalorian coupling practices," she inquired, simultaneously beginning to remove her top.
  
  
  
  Sabine, momentarily caught off guard, averted her gaze while processing the question. Eventually, she too started to undress, her movements mirroring Shin"s. "Well, customs can vary by clan and house," she started, her voice steady as she delved into an explanation. "But fundamentally, it"s about finding a partner who"s as steadfast in battle as they are in life. Strength, loyalty, and honor-those are the virtues we hold in the highest regard."
  
  
  
  "And?" Shin pressed, her curiosity piqued as she dipped her toes into the steamy waters of the hot spring. A sigh of relief escaped her as the warmth enveloped her, the water swirling soothingly around her legs.
  
  
  
  "Uh well, in a traditional Mandalorian wedding, the couple would wear their beskar'gam, our distinctive Mandalorian armor, as it represents our true selves," Sabine explained, her voice steady even as she undressed. "The armor is typically adorned with specific colors or symbols that symbolize the union."
  
  
  
  By this time, Shin was neck deep in the hot spring, seated comfortably atop the submerged rocks. She leaned her head back, letting the tension in her muscles dissolve in the soothing warmth. "Tell me more, Sabine," she murmured, her voice soft and inviting. "I enjoy listening to you speak."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, allowing herself to fully submerge in the water as well. "One of our traditions involves the couple forging something together-often a piece of jewelry or a piece of armor. It stands as a symbol of their union, the life they are building side by side. These items are exchanged during the ceremony."
  
  
  
  "Armor sounds fitting," Shin commented, smiling as she splashed warm water over her face.
  
  
  
  "It is," Sabine responded with a wry smile, her eyes twinkling. "But the vows, they"re important too. They"re not just promises to each other, but commitments to the clan and the Mandalorian way of life. It"s about vowing to stand together, protect each other, and uphold the values and traditions of our people."
  
  
  
  Shin gazed across the hot spring, her eyes settling on Sabine who appeared contemplative and distant in the warm, soothing water. Sabine"s golden-brown eyes sparkled with an inner light, and her cheeks were flushed a delicate rose. "Take me when we return home," Shin murmured, her voice barely audible above the gentle lapping of the water. "Despite everything that happened, I have a feeling there"s something worth discovering there."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated, her gaze dropping momentarily. "It"s not like when you visited Sundari," she finally admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I"m not sure there"s anything left to find."
  
  
  
  Shin, undeterred, moistened her lips and drew one knee up to her chest, maintaining her steady gaze on Sabine. "I feel that there is," she asserted gently. "And thank you, by the way, for sharing all of that with me."
  
  
  
  "Planning on marrying a Mandalorian now, are you?" Sabine quipped, her mood lightening as she playfully splashed water in Shin"s direction. "Maybe you"ll run into that boy again. Shame his helmet got in the way last time."
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips quirked in a slight smile, and she raised an eyebrow in playful challenge. "You should know by now, I have no interest in men," she responded. "Strong women, on the other hand..."
  
  
  
  Sabine cleared her throat more forcefully than necessary and began to playfully splash water around. "Thanks for saving my life back there," she said, her voice soft and filled with genuine gratitude.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded solemnly, her gaze drifting to encompass the village sprawling below them, the formidable mountains in the distance, and the sun just on the verge of dipping below the horizon. "I couldn't bear the thought," she confessed softly, her voice laced with emotion. "Even just imagining it... it's all very confusing."
  
  
  
  Sabine was momentarily taken aback, her eyes wide before she composed herself. She glided through the water to Shin"s side, reaching up to gently wipe away the beads of sweat from her forehead. "I was scared for you when you were really sick," she shared, her voice laden with sincerity. "I spent an entire day just watching over you, making sure your breathing evened out."
  
  
  
  An ache resonated in Shin's chest, and a fluttering sensation took hold of her stomach, yet she maintained her composure. "What does that mean for us, then?" she inquired, her piercing blue eyes locking onto Sabine's brown ones.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a half-shrug, inching imperceptibly closer to Shin. "I think it means we're evolving," she proposed thoughtfully. "Learning from each other. Growing in a sense."
  
  
  
  "Growing together?" Shin pressed gently.
  
  
  
  "Maybe," Sabine responded, her voice soft, leaving the word hanging in the air between them like a delicate promise.
  
  
  
  Hesitant yet drawn by an invisible force, Shin extended her arms beneath the surface of the water, pausing momentarily as she gathered her thoughts. "Can I just..." she began, her voice trailing off as she swallowed, grappling with her vulnerability. "Can I just hold you? It"s so comforting in here."
  
  
  
  Sabine, with a soft smile gracing her lips, allowed herself to float gently into Shin"s open arms. "Yeah, it really is," she agreed, her voice carrying a note of contentment.
  
  
  
  Carefully, Shin cradled Sabine in her lap, her arms securely enveloping Sabine's petite frame. Without needing words, Sabine naturally nestled into the curve of Shin's neck. Shin was certain she could feel the steady rhythm of Sabine"s heartbeat against her, the added warmth from her body, and the tender way she stilled, surrendering to the moment as they held each other. In this secluded space, just the two of them, they seemed to fit together flawlessly.
  
  
  
  "You feel nice," Sabine whispered, her fingers delicately tracing patterns up and down Shin"s arm, adding another layer of warmth to their intimate embrace.
  
  
  
  Shin shifted slightly, adjusting her position to more comfortably support Sabine in her arms as she gazed at the cascading steamy waterfall. "You feel nice too," she responded, her voice soft. "Do we really have to go back?"
  
  
  
  "Yeah, we do," Sabine replied, her fingertips creating gentle ripples in the water. "But maybe one day we could take a long break and rest."
  
  
  
  "That sounds perfect," Shin murmured, feeling the gentle tickle of Sabine"s hair against her chin. "We just have to stay extra vigilant on our upcoming mission in the mountains."
  
  
  
  "We"ve got this," Sabine reassured her, taking a moment to let out a thoughtful sigh. "We should really start honing our Force abilities, you know? It could really give us an edge."
  
  
  
  Shin gave Sabine"s hips a gentle squeeze in agreement. "Just promise me, next time, you won"t put yourself in harm"s way on purpose," she said, her tone stern yet filled with concern.
  
  
  
  Sabine scoffed playfully, her fingers tracing the length of Shin"s braid. "Oh, you"re just jealous I stole the spotlight," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin captured Sabine's wandering hand, holding it securely in her own. Their eyes locked-fire meeting ice-but Shin's expression was serious. "I"m upset because you nearly got yourself killed," she stated plainly, her concern evident.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a sharp breath in, biting her lower lip. "From wanting me dead, to worrying about me? That"s quite the turnaround," she observed.
  
  
  
  "I could say the same about you," Shin countered. "Now, let my braid be."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, letting her hand fall back into the water. "Your hair"s getting longer," she commented.
  
  
  
  "I"ll cut it soon enough," Shin replied. "If I feel to."
  
  
  
  "You're really something else, you know that?"
  
  
  
  "And you"re not?" Shin retorted, an amused smile playing on her lips.
  
  
  
  Sabine fidgeted, her fingers creating ripples in the water. "What went through your mind when you first saw me on Lothal?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin's expression tightened momentarily, her gaze drifting upward to the cascading waterfall, feeling the brush of Sabine's hair against her skin. "It was intriguing," she confessed. "You were the first saber-wielder I'd ever encountered in combat outside of my training with Baylan."
  
  
  
  A look of playful disappointment crossed Sabine's face. "Is that all?" she prodded. "Just intriguing?"
  
  
  
  Shin, feeling the challenge, returned the question. "And what about you? What were your thoughts?"
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a quick, spontaneous laugh, moving closer to Shin. "You had this intense gaze, almost as if you had claimed me upon sight," she revealed softly.
  
  
  
  Shin, taken aback, could only muster a surprised, "What?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's laughter echoed softly, her body relaxing further into Shin's embrace. "Your eyes held me in a way that felt like I belonged to you from the start," she whispered. "A sort of magnetic connection."
  
  
  
  "Oh," Shin hummed, her voice barely above a whisper as her heart raced and her stomach churned with a mix of nerves and excitement. That encounter marked a turning point, unveiling a part of her she hadn't known existed. She became consumed by thoughts of Sabine Wren, her days and nights intertwined with memories and anticipations of their meetings. The thrill of their duels, the way their gazes locked in battle, became something she craved ceaselessly. Yet, amidst this newfound longing, the reality of her path and the directives from Baylan loomed, casting a shadow over her desires.
  
  
  
  Sabine gently guided Shin's hand, tracing it across her toned abdomen. "Can you feel this?" she inquired softly.
  
  
  
  Shin's muscles tensed briefly before she nodded, her voice low. "Yes, I can feel it," she responded, her fingertips cautiously exploring the texture of Sabine's scar, a mix of rough and smooth under her touch.
  
  
  
  Then, Sabine moved Shin's hand upwards, pressing it firmly against her chest. "And this?" she asked, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
  
  
  
  Shin felt overwhelmed, her heart racing. "Your heartbeat is rapid," she whispered, feeling the steady thump against her palm.
  
  
  
  After a moment, Sabine gently released Shin's hand, which hesitated before circling back to embrace her waist. "Yours is too," she murmured softly.
  
  
  
  Feeling a warm flush spread through her, Shin admitted, "I'm still exhausted," her voice betraying her fatigue.
  
  
  
  Sabine withdrew slightly to meet Shin's gaze, smiling reassuringly. "It's okay," she reassured. "I actually find this... relaxing, in a way."
  
  
  
  Curiosity flickered across Shin's face. "Why's that?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression softened. "It gives me an idea of what it's like to take care of you," she confessed. "Not something I thought I"d want to ever do."
  
  
  
  Shin was momentarily speechless, lost in the depth of Sabine's brown eyes. There was an intimacy in the moment that transcended physicality, more profound than their experience on the tropical beach.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued, her voice thoughtful. "I've always kept people at a distance, even Ezra. Mandalorian culture values strength and loyalty, but maybe it's alright to embrace vulnerability at times."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, absorbing Sabine's words. "The path we're on isn't simple," she acknowledged. "But having you here makes it worthwhile."
  
  
  
  Sabine hesitated, then leaned in, her breath mingling with the steam around them. Her gaze was intense, yet filled with an unspoken tenderness.
  
  
  
  Frozen in place, Shin's attention was solely on Sabine's lips, her body easing deeper into the spring's embrace, almost submerging completely before catching herself. "Sorry," she sputtered, caught off guard by her own overwhelming emotions, narrowly avoiding a gulp of water. "I"m still so drained."
  
  
  
  With a light laugh, Sabine helped Shin find a more comfortable position. "Don't worry about it," she reassured. "Just relax... And keep holding me."
  
  
  
  "I will," Shin promised, her voice a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine nestled herself even closer to Shin and sighed contentedly. With Shin"s chin resting atop Sabine"s head, they remained intertwined in the hot spring, soaking in each other"s presence until the sun dipped low on the horizon and their stomachs reminded them it was time for food.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Ahhhh I can already feel readers hoping and wishing they kissed here hahaha. Soon I promise
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 18: Meditate
  Notes:
  Thank you all for being here, enjoy!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine made certain to distance Pook and Dook significantly from the path of their mountainous trek, ensuring their safety within the village confines before embarking on their mountainous expedition. She aimed to divert the Icewraiths" attention, preventing them from tracking their progress. As they made their ascent, the clouds hung low, while sporadic warmth emanated from the sun. The howlers and Ice People were well-acclimated to the frigid temperatures, navigating the terrain with ease.
  
  
  
  For them, it was akin to a leisurely stroll. However, Sabine was determined to exhibit unwavering resilience. She positioned herself atop Tota, her stalwart companion, who reveled in the adventure, enthusiastically exploring the winter berries and showing a playful curiosity towards the fluffy, white rodents native to the region. Since their initial encounter with the bandits, Tota had not once thought of abandoning Sabine, showcasing his steadfast loyalty.
  
  
  
  Shin swept a gloved hand through her light locks, grappling with the discomfort caused by her winter hat; it was oppressively hot when on, yet the air was brisk when she took it off. The journey wasn"t the epitome of comfort, but she took solace in her restored vigor.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, peering through his macrobinoculars and gesturing towards the peak, announced, "We"re not far off now."
  
  
  
  Ilyara, adjusting her sun visor, indicated several spots in the distance. "This is the furthest we've managed to reach without the weather taking a turn for the worse," she observed. "It seems like your new companions have brought us a stroke of luck."
  
  
  
  Jex contributed enthusiastically, "They sure have. Why don't we set up for lunch here and aim to head back before nightfall?"
  
  
  
  With a nimble dismount from Tota, Sabine set to work kindling a fire for lunch. As she rummaged through her pack for provisions, she murmured, "I"d be happy to avoid another fight with Icewraiths today."
  
  
  
  Shin, herding the howlers with gentle commands, made her way to a glistening spring nearby. She couldn"t help but smile as her grey companion affectionately nuzzled into her, eagerly seeking chin rubs. Shin, having never had the companionship of a pet or furry friend before, found herself unexpectedly attached to the howler, noticing its easy camaraderie with Tota.
  
  
  
  She scooped up a handful of the cool, clear water, splashing it on her face and delighting in the refreshing sensation against her skin. With a deep inhalation of the crisp mountain air, she felt revitalized and made her way back to the temporary encampment.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Sabine was grappling with the uncomfortable sensation of being both chilled to the bone and uncomfortably sweaty from the exertion of the climb. If only she had her jetpack... However, the discomfort was mitigated by the stunning panorama that lay before her. She was captivated by the sight of the frozen lake, the picturesque village nestled below, and the majestic mountains that surrounded them. It was a spectacle of nature she knew she would carry with her always, a moment of reprieve.
  
  
  
  "Are you enjoying it up here?" Shin inquired, approaching Sabine and joining her at a scenic lookout point.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s gaze subtly followed the contour of Shin"s jawline, lingering on the moles scattered across her cheek. "Yeah," she responded, her voice soft and contemplative. "It brings back memories of my family"s estate on Krownest."
  
  
  
  Recognizing the name, Shin"s expression turned more solemn, her lips forming a thin line as she lifted her chin slightly. "In the Mandalore sector," she acknowledged, her voice laced with a hint of understanding.
  
  
  
  "Right."
  
  
  
  "But your family..."
  
  
  
  Sabine inhaled sharply, her face momentarily revealing her vulnerability before she managed to compose herself, offering a strained smile. "Well, it belongs to me now, I suppose," she said, her tone bittersweet. "Assuming we make it back."
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, a curious glint in her eye as a gentle breeze played with her braid. ""We?" she questioned softly.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, a warmth in her eyes as she met Shin"s gaze. "Yeah, we," she affirmed confidently. Sabine found herself caught in a fleeting daydream of bringing Shin to her home, imagining the myriad of things they could experience together there. Yet, as the thought lingered, it unearthed a profound ache in her heart. She swallowed hard, choosing not to delve too deeply into those emotions just yet.
  
  
  
  Shin took a step closer to Sabine, her voice low as they continued to survey the vast landscape. "My Master...Baylan, he mentioned your friend Ezra trained as Jedi."
  
  
  
  Instantly intrigued, Sabine leaned in, eager for more. "And?"
  
  
  
  "He told me he trained me to be something more," Shin divulged, her tone guarded.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her interest deepening. "And, aren"t you?"
  
  
  
  "How so?"
  
  
  
  Sabine gave her a firm look. "You"re yourself. Not bound by any Creeds, Codes or Oaths. Isn"t that enough for now?"
  
  
  
  Shin"s lips curled into a small smile, although she remained focused on the horizon. "Possibly," she murmured.
  
  
  
  Sabine licked her dry lips and sighed. "You"re so-,"
  
  
  
  "Let"s practice together," Shin proposed briskly.
  
  
  
  A thrill of anticipation ran down Sabine"s spine, causing a momentary pause. "How?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  "Meditation," Shin suggested, peeling off her glove to extend a bare hand towards Sabine. "This spot, surrounded by nature, is perfect."
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Holding hands, really?" She speculated if this was Shin"s subtle way of seeking a closer connection. Just the previous few nights, Shin had opted to sleep alone, desiring some personal space to recover. Sabine had respected her wishes, though she found herself awake in the wee hours, fighting the temptation to slip into Shin"s room. The offered hand in front of her now seemed like an olive branch, an intimate gesture she hadn"t expected but found herself longing for since their time in the hot spring.
  
  
  
  "It could enhance our focus," Shin commented, her voice gentle yet firm. "You wanted an edge remember?"
  
  
  
  With a deep breath, Sabine carefully removed her own glove, exposing her hand to the brisk mountain air. She tentatively placed her fingers upon Shin"s smooth, slightly damp palm. The contact was unassuming but carried a depth of unspoken words and emotions. A wave of light-headedness swept over Sabine, yet the moment Shin"s fingers intertwined with hers, a sense of stability washed over her. She anchored herself, her boots pressing firmly into the snowy ground as she locked eyes with Shin"s intense, steel-blue gaze.
  
  
  
  Shin took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering shut as she began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know we still have a sea of unspoken words between us, Sabine," she murmured. "But for now, let"s just... feel it."
  
  
  
  Heart hammering in her chest and sweat trickling down her spine, Sabine adopted a posture of tranquility, grounding herself amidst the swirling energies of the Force. She allowed the profound words to resonate within her, syncing with the rhythm of her steady breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Her breath mingled with the cool air, visible puffs dissipating into the serene surroundings as her eyes fluttered closed.
  
  
  
  Next to her, Shin exuded a presence akin to a gentle whisper, her breathing as soft as the subtle rustling of leaves stirred by a light breeze. The ambient sounds of the mountain forest became prominent, ranging from the quiet murmur of a nearby stream to the chorus of creatures inhabiting the area.
  
  
  
  Her senses becoming sharper, Sabine started to perceive the delicate vibrations of the Force surrounding her, intricately weaving through the very fabric of reality. The life force of the surrounding vegetation, the warmth emanating from the trees, and the solid strength of the rocks under her - everything flowed through her, linking her to the immense expanse of the galaxy.
  
  
  
  The Force bond she shared with Shin served as a channel, with their energies intertwining and amplifying each other"s presence. Sabine could feel Shin"s unwavering concentration, her spirit steady and peaceful, providing a constant anchor in the boundless sea of the Force.
  
  
  
  Engulfed in this sphere of energy, Sabine plunged deeper, her consciousness broadening as she accessed the source of her inner strength. A stream of images and emotions flowed through her mind, remnants of distant places and moments long gone. She welcomed them, letting the Force sharpen her intuition, enhance her senses, and fortify her perception.
  
  
  
  Their meditation transformed into a silent exchange of energy, with Sabine and Shin learning from each other, strengthening their bond. This Force connection served as their unspoken language, a link transcending words, showcasing the incredible potential they possessed together.
  
  
  
  And soon enough the words were no longer out of reach because the feelings were right there within them.
  
  
  
  Sabine sharply inhaled, withdrawing her hand swiftly as she locked eyes with Shin. "It"s overwhelming," she uttered, taking a step back.
  
  
  
  Shin acknowledged her reaction with a nod, casting a quick glance at the bandits. "You sensed the extent of it then?" she probed.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine responded.
  
  
  
  "More reason for us to continue practicing," Shin declared. "And you"ve got to stay on top of your training."
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed exasperatedly, "Yeah, I get it. You're starting to sound like Ahsoka now."
  
  
  
  Shin, with a knowing smirk, gazed out over the vast and icy landscape. "This place... it feels familiar to you, doesn't it?" she ventured, sensing a connection.
  
  
  
  Sabine took a sharp breath, her eyes fixed on the frozen lake. "It's so much like home," she murmured softly.
  
  
  
  "Tell me more about Krownest," Shin urged gently.
  
  
  
  Sabine's lips parted, briefly moistened by the cool air. "Well, it's a stronghold, positioned right on a lake just like this one," she began, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "There's a huge mural of my mom, and... my art is there too."
  
  
  
  As a breeze swept past them, Shin shifted her stance to face Sabine directly. "It sounds like a beautiful place," she commented.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked up at Shin, a smile playing on her lips, her heart beating a little faster. "It's big, you know. It needs big personalities to really come alive," she added in a quieter voice.
  
  
  
  Shin leaned in slightly, her breath visible in the cold air. "I see," she murmured, her gaze intent.
  
  
  
  Feeling an unexpected surge of energy, Sabine suddenly stepped back. "We should get going," she said briskly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "We don't want to keep the others waiting."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  It was clear why the Ice People had been unable to retrieve the discarded supply crates. They were massive, awkwardly wedged between unforgiving slabs of rock, virtually immovable without the right tools and strength. One could easily perceive the inherent danger; a single misstep could result in the crates toppling over, potentially crushing anyone unfortunate enough to be caught beneath.
  
  
  
  The surrounding landscape only added to the challenge. The crates were embedded in a rugged, uneven terrain, where sharp rocks jutted out at precarious angles and the ground was littered with loose stones and gravel. Ice and snow clung to the rocks, hinting at the danger of the area, a condition that made the footing all the more treacherous.
  
  
  
  Above, the sky was a deep, steel grey, with heavy clouds threatening a blizzard at any moment. The wind howled through the narrow passageway created by the towering rocks on either side of the crates, producing eerie, mournful sounds.
  
  
  
  The starkness of the landscape, combined with the formidable size and precarious positioning of the crates, served as a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. The bandits, despite their resourcefulness and familiarity with the terrain, had found themselves outmatched by the sheer physicality of the task. The crates remained trapped in their stony prison.
  
  
  
  "These are substantially larger and heavier than those we found in the foothills and tropical zone," Shin observed, her breath visible in the frigid mountain air. "It"s unrealistic to think we could transport all of these contents back down the mountain."
  
  
  
  Surveying her team in the biting wind, Ilyara nodded in agreement, her face set in determination. "Let"s prioritize," she suggested, her voice carrying over the howl of the wind. "We take only the most crucial items and leave the rest behind."
  
  
  
  Kradosh, after a moment of contemplative silence, added his thoughts, his gaze never leaving the daunting crates. "Time is of the essence," he asserted firmly. "The wraiths won't hesitate if they find us here."
  
  
  
  Sabine felt a shiver run down her spine, her arm involuntarily tingling at the memory of her last encounter with the elusive, shimmering creatures. She couldn"t bear the thought of Shin, or anyone else, getting hurt in an attempt to rescue her from another venomous bite.
  
  
  
  The mountain summit was a world of its own, frigid and unforgiving, with the wind wailing like a banshee through the icy crags. The weather was a capricious force, and the lingering daylight, weak and pale, was a clear signal that they needed to expedite their mission.
  
  
  
  Despite their efforts, the group, younglings included, struggled in vain to dislodge the cargo. The crates were stubbornly wedged, immovable even in the face of their collective strength. Some of them switched tactics, attempting to pry the crates open from the side, but this too proved futile.
  
  
  
  The mountain stood indifferent to their plight, its icy breath and treacherous terrain a reminder of the unforgiving nature of their quest. Time was slipping away, and with it, their window of opportunity to salvage what they could without falling victim to the mountain"s wrath-or worse, the wraiths.
  
  
  
  Gently brushing a hand over her braid, Shin turned her gaze to Kradosh, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "What"s your estimate on their weight?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Kradosh took a moment to size up the crates, meticulously adjusting his Red helmet before responding with a solid, "Considerable."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Shin lifted her chin confidently. "I"ll handle this," she declared.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows shot up in surprise, yet she harbored no doubts about Shin"s capabilities. She was more than willing to lend her assistance, but she also recognized the importance of respecting Shin"s leadership. Opting to remain on the sidelines, she retreated to a safe distance alongside the others, her attention fixed on Shin"s efforts.
  
  
  
  With the wind tugging at her hair and sunlight dancing on the snow around her, Shin raised her hand and took a deep breath. Her body filled with a tingling sensation as she gathered her focus, channeling it toward the crate nearest to her. The crate tremored in response, slowly freeing itself from the icy grip of the rocks.
  
  
  
  To her astonishment, however, other crates began to shake loose as well. Shin"s concentration didn"t waver as she skillfully manipulated the situation, guiding a few of the crates to glide safely over the snow, coming to a stop in an accessible location. Drained, she let her hand fall to her side and turned to find Sabine, offering her a puzzled look. Sabine could only respond with a noncommittal shrug, equally amazed by the spectacle.
  
  
  
  That was all you, I didn"t help
  
  
  
  But Shin was acutely aware of a distinct, intangible bond with Sabine - one that undeniably aided her. It seemed that Sabine, perhaps unaware, didn't perceive it as Shin did. Drawing a deep breath, Shin sensed that she could, in some inexplicable manner, tap into Sabine's Force energy, though the intricacies of how remained elusive to her understanding. Was it because they meditated together? Was it because they were becoming closer mentally and physically?
  
  
  
  Shin"s thoughts were interrupted as a wave of cheers and jubilant shouts erupted from the bandits perched atop the mountain. Ilyara showered her with heartfelt gratitude, while Jex simply stared, her mouth agape. The group wasted no time, swiftly sifting through the supplies, selecting essential items, and securing them onto the howlers.
  
  
  
  Jex stepped forward, a beaming smile lighting up her face. Addressing Shin, she exclaimed, "I've only ever heard stories about this stuff," her voice filled with awe. "To see it firsthand is something else."
  
  
  
  Shin felt a warmth spread across her face, catching Sabine"s sly grin out of the corner of her eye. "Well," she responded, her voice slightly hoarse, "it"s not something I can do without feeling the strain afterwards."
  
  
  
  "Oh really?" Jex chuckled, throwing a conspiratorial glance Sabine"s way. "Well, I think you've just earned yourselves an invitation to the wedding."
  
  
  
  Sabine cocked her head to the side, curiosity piquing as she stepped closer. "What wedding?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin's heartbeat quickened at the mention of a wedding. "The one mentioned at our first meeting?" she chimed in, her intrigue evident in her tone. She remembered overhearing snippets of conversation about an upcoming festivity, though she hadn't grasped the complete details at that time.
  
  
  
  Jex"s gaze flitted playfully between Shin and Sabine, her lips curved in a teasing grin. "One of Ilyara"s dozen kids is tying the knot next week," she shared animatedly. "Landing these supplies couldn"t have come at a better time. And just so you know, you"re all on the guest list."
  
  
  
  A glimmer of enthusiasm sparked in Sabine"s eyes. "Is there going to be food?" she queried, her tone laced with interest.
  
  
  
  Shin"s expression tightened, her jaw clenching subtly as she processed the information.
  
  
  
  "Absolutely, plenty of local fare!" Jex assured with a bubbly tone.
  
  
  
  "Well then, consider us guests," Sabine declared decisively, glancing at Shin for confirmation. "Isn"t that right, Shin?"
  
  
  
  "Right..." Shin responded, though her voice trailed off, laden with unspoken thoughts.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The day had culminated in success, and the team had managed to haul back a considerable bounty from the mountaintop. Sabine, in a relaxed posture, leaned against the doorframe of Shin's room, listening to the distant hum of the refresher. The Ice People"s village was impressively advanced compared to that of the Red Bandits, boasting a sophisticated plumbing system that utilized lake water and a heating mechanism that piqued Sabine"s curiosity. The luxuries here, she admitted to herself, made her journey north feel well worth it.
  
  
  
  Emerging from the refresher with her hair still damp and a towel wrapped around her, Shin glanced at Sabine. "Been standing there long?" she questioned.
  
  
  
  "I was wondering if I could come in," Sabine retorted, making it sound as though the delay was Shin"s doing.
  
  
  
  Shin gestured vaguely with her hand, signaling an indifferent permission, and turned back to her post-shower routine. "Be my guest," she said, her voice muffled by the refresher.
  
  
  
  Taking the invitation, Sabine entered the neat and orderly room, taking a moment to appreciate the meticulous organization. Her thoughts drifted to the comm tower back on Lothal, and she realized how chaotic it must look in comparison. Shin's love for order was something Sabine could truly admire.
  
  
  
  Swinging her arms back and forth in a casual manner, Sabine observed Shin as she returned, clad in simple sleepwear. "Sooo," she ventured, "are we going to this wedding together?"
  
  
  
  Shin eased herself onto the bed, resting back against the headboard with her arms crossed behind her head. "Is that your way of asking me?" she responded.
  
  
  
  Sabine tongued her cheek, squinting slightly as she pondered her words. She patted a small space at the foot of the bed before sitting down, turning to face Shin. With a bright smile and eyes sparkling, she said, "I would really like it if you"d be my date."
  
  
  
  Leaning forward, Shin bridged the distance between them, her eyes searching Sabine"s. "And why"s that?" she pressed, her voice soft yet insistent.
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a huff, her tone a mix of exasperation and earnestness. "Look, you need to maintain your strong front around the bandits, and I need to prove to Ahsoka that I can handle all of this," she explained. "They value companionship and I value not getting into trouble."
  
  
  
  Shin ran her fingers through her damp hair, her gaze never leaving Sabine"s. "Is that the only reason?" she persisted. "Nothing more?"
  
  
  
  A flush of warmth spread through Sabine, and she squared her shoulders, meeting Shin"s gaze head-on. "I just..." she started, her voice faltering. Her stomach was in knots, a conflict of emotions bubbling within her. She was supposed to be opening up to Shin, and with their mysterious connection, she couldn"t fathom why it was proving to be so challenging. Even after their visit to the spring, a persistent caution lingered within her, gently nagging at her thoughts.
  
  
  
  Shin tilted her head, a playful smirk playing on her lips. "You know," she began, her voice soft, "I"ve been worried others might try to pursue you these last few days."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath caught in her throat, and she searched Shin"s eyes for any sign of jest. Finding none, she scooted a little closer on the bed. "I"ve felt the same," she admitted, "but I"m not interested."
  
  
  
  "I know," Shin responded, her voice steady. "Neither am I."
  
  
  
  Clearing her throat, Sabine felt a tingle run up her neck. "I think... going to a wedding together, something fun and carefree, would be a good way for us to spend time together," she suggested, her voice sincere.
  
  
  
  Shin considered this, her lips pursed in thought, before nodding slowly. "I see."
  
  
  
  Encouraged, Sabine shifted closer, her hands resting on the comforter. Hesitating for only a moment, she asked, "Could we maybe do what we did in the hot spring?"
  
  
  
  Shin blinked, caught off guard, but then readjusted her position. "You want me to hold you?" she asked, her voice gentle.
  
  
  
  "Actually," Sabine responded, a soft smile gracing her lips, "I was thinking I could hold you this time."
  
  
  
  Shin paused to search Sabine"s face for a moment, then nodded and adjusted the sheets. "Alright," she agreed, her voice soft.
  
  
  
  Quickly, Sabine positioned herself, lying back against the plush pillows and opening her arms to Shin. Her eyes, bright and earnest, met Shin"s as she invited her closer. A surge of warmth filled her, and her heart raced as Shin moved into her embrace.
  
  
  
  Shin"s hands glided over Sabine"s abdomen before wrapping around her waist, drawing their bodies closer. "Is this okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
  
  
  
  Sabine, feeling Shin"s careful touch, wondered if she had ever shared such a moment with anyone before. Her touch was so gentle, so tentative, it sent a burning sensation across Sabine"s skin. "It"s perfect," she breathed out, her voice soft. "Just... maybe not right on my boob."
  
  
  
  "Oh," Shin murmured, adjusting her position slightly. "Sorry about that."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, her nose wrinkling slightly as Shin"s hair tickled her. "There, that"s better," she said, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
  
  
  
  "And if I fall asleep?" Shin asked, her body relaxing further into Sabine"s embrace.
  
  
  
  "Then I guess I"ll have a wet shirt to deal with tomorrow," Sabine teased, her fingers gently twirling through Shin"s light hair.
  
  
  
  Shin tensed for a moment, before relaxing again, a soft laugh escaping her. "I"ll try not to drool," she promised, her voice filled with warmth.
  
  
  
  "So," Sabine said, eager to confirm their plans before the moment passed, "we"re going to the wedding thing together?"
  
  
  
  "We will," Shin replied, her voice filled with a quiet sincerity.
  
  
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Wedding date for these two. Gosh what's going to happen?
  
  So I will post chapter 19 and 20 and then take a little break for the holidays. I will finally get to play BG3 which I just haven't had time for. Also I would like to sleep forever hahaha. See you all soon!
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 19: Show Off
  Notes:
  months like these i'm so glad i have stuff prewritten oh gosh... enjoy!
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle softly as she felt a damp patch on her sleep shirt, realizing that it was, in fact, drool. Yet, she found herself unbothered by it. Watching Shin in her slumber was like observing a completely different person-vulnerable, genuine, and undeniably human.
  
  
  
  The cryptic mercenary, first encountered by Sabine on the dusty plains of Lothal, would snore softly and occasionally whine in her sleep, yet she always remained still. She radiated such comforting warmth that Sabine hardly needed any covers throughout the night. In the morning, Shin"s hair would be a tangled mess, and she would have that all-too-familiar sleepiness in her eyes. To Sabine, these moments were precious; they stripped away the layers of the Dark Jedi façade, revealing the real and human Shin underneath.
  
  
  
  Haunted by memories of their turbulent past, Sabine found solace in these quiet mornings, a stark contrast to their shared history. The Shin that now stirred awake, preparing to face the new day, was a stark contrast to the killer she once knew. She was a woman of few words, yet her thoughts seemed to run deep, intense enough to fill the silence between them. She had a way of looking at Sabine, staring intently, as if trying to read her very soul, and would take what felt like an eternity before responding.
  
  
  
  Day by day, Sabine felt increasingly drawn to Shin, whose allure grew stronger. She constantly reminded herself to suppress the deep, pulsating throb in her stomach. After all, this was Shin-the woman with a complex past and an even more complicated present, and Sabine couldn"t help but be drawn to her, drool-stained shirt and all.
  
  
  
  "Could you straighten out your side of the bed?" Shin asked, her voice carrying a gravity that was characteristic of her.
  
  
  
  Roused from her thoughts, Sabine playfully rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you really take everything seriously, don"t you?" she remarked.
  
  
  
  Shin, in the midst of brushing her hair, paused and turned slightly to lock eyes with Sabine through the reflection in the mirror. "You"re thinking about it again, aren"t you?" she observed, her voice steady.
  
  
  
  "About what?" Sabine responded, her hands working to smooth out the bed covers, attempting to feign innocence.
  
  
  
  "About... what I did," Shin said, her gaze unwavering as she met Sabine"s eyes in the mirror.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed softly, feeling the weight of the conversation settle in her chest as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, it hits me every now and then," she admitted, her voice softer. "I mean, I came pretty close to dying."
  
  
  
  Shin"s grip tightened on the hairbrush, and she lowered her head slightly, a momentary lapse in her usually stoic demeanor. "I"ve changed since then," she confessed, her voice low. "But I understand that it"s something that you"re never going to forget."
  
  
  
  A lump swelled in Sabine"s throat as she found herself caught in a moment of vulnerability. Her gaze lingered on the bed they shared, a space filled with peaceful slumbers and silent understandings, before shifting to Shin"s sculpted back. She took in every detail-the delicate pattern of moles, the expanse of smooth skin-and felt a strange mix of emotions churn within her. "These things, they take time," Sabine voiced out. "I"ve been in a similar situation before, had a close friend who turned their back on me when I needed them the most."
  
  
  
  In an instant, Shin pivoted on her heels, her head tilting ever so slightly as she regarded Sabine with a questioning gaze. "And you considered them a friend?" she probed.
  
  
  
  A chuckle escaped Sabine"s lips, a wry smile playing on her face as she processed the irony of it all. "Yeah, kind of twisted, right? I think it stings a bit more when betrayal comes from a friend," she mused aloud. "At least with you, back then, you were nothing more than a stranger..."
  
  
  
  Shin"s chest tightened as she absorbed Sabine"s words, her seriousness giving way to a moment of softness. She set her brush down and leaned back against the dresser, her posture open and inviting as she gently urged, "Tell me about this friend of yours."
  
  
  
  "Uh," Sabine gave a nonchalant shrug, her tone breezy as she delved into a chapter from her past. "Her name is Ketsu Onyo." A brief pause hung in the air as she acknowledged the parts of her history she had previously left untouched in her stories to Shin. "We were pretty close, ended up as bounty hunters together. But, well, she got greedy, left me for dead," she recounted, the words flowing in a quick, staccato cadence. "We crossed paths again later on, helped each other out of a tight spot, talked things over, and eventually went our separate ways on good terms..." Sabine took a moment to catch her breath, offering Shin a fleeting, nervous smile as she wrapped up her tale.
  
  
  
  Shin was momentarily stunned, her mouth agape-a rare sight indeed. "That"s truly-,"
  
  
  
  "I know, right?" Sabine cut in swiftly, her hands animated as she spoke. "I can practically feel the waves of confusion coming off you."
  
  
  
  Regaining her composure, Shin stood with a straightened posture, running a hand smoothly down her toned midsection. "I"m sorry you went through that," she expressed with a subtle sincerity. "But I'm relieved to hear you both found closure."
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, doing her best to keep her gaze steady and not let it linger on Shin's scantily clad figure. "Yeah, I do find myself missing her from time to time," she confided. "Just hope she"s out there doing alright."
  
  
  
  Shin nodded thoughtfully, her gaze momentarily drifting toward the window. "She"s probably faring well," she mused aloud. "And who knows, maybe one day your paths will cross again, and you"ll have a treasure trove of stories to exchange."
  
  
  
  Feeling a warmth spread through her chest, Sabine couldn"t help but smile brighter at Shin. She shifted her stance, feet burrowing into the carpet as she tilted her head, studying Shin. "You"re not jealous about her?" she noted more than asked.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over her chest. "And why would I be?" she retorted. "This person seems like they were very important to you. It"s not my place to ever stop you from having feelings for others."
  
  
  
  "Well, that"s mature of you," Sabine replied with a cheeky grin.
  
  
  
  "Hm," Shin hummed, cocking her head. "And besides, the way you"ve been staring at me this entire time tells me you have no interest in anyone else. Would you like a hologram of me while we"re here?"
  
  
  
  Caught off guard, Sabine felt her face heat up, and she quickly turned away, muttering a string of curses under her breath. A hologram of Shin actually sounded like a tempting offer. "You"ve got quite the sense of humor lately," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "I picked up a thing or two from Ezra Bridger," remarked Shin nonchalantly, glancing down at her nails. "Never seen someone deliver so much humor into just a few minutes. From his singed hair to wanting to be a prisoner..."
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, the tension easing from her shoulders. "You think that"s something? Wait till I tell you more about what he got up to," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
  
  
  
  "By all means," Shin responded, her serious demeanor giving way to genuine interest.
  
  
  
  Eager to steer their conversation towards lighter topics, Sabine smiled brightly. However, a thoughtful expression crossed her face, and she gently cleared her throat. "Before I dive into those stories, can I ask you something about your Master?" she inquired cautiously.
  
  
  
  Shin gave a nod, signaling her openness. "Go ahead," she encouraged.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her lower lip, exhaling slowly as she gathered her thoughts. "Back when Ahsoka came to rescue Ezra and me at the Noti pods, your combat style seemed... off," she observed hesitantly. "Was it because Baylan had left?"
  
  
  
  Shin's fingers clenched around her arms, her posture becoming slightly rigid. "At that time, I was very conflicted," she confessed. "Baylan's departure came when I felt I needed him most, yet I believed I could still emerge victorious."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes, filled with empathy, met Shin's, which shimmered with unshed tears. "Heartbreak can change a person," she said softly.
  
  
  
  "Heartbreak?" Shin echoed, a trace of surprise in her voice.
  
  
  
  "Yeah," Sabine affirmed gently. "It seems to me you were heartbroken, and that's completely understandable. From what you've shared, Baylan was someone you deeply loved."
  
  
  
  Shin swallowed hard, her gaze dropping momentarily. "He was," she murmured. "And he will always have a place in my heart."
  
  
  
  Sabine responded with a comforting smile. "I think I've experienced a kind of heartbreak too, when Ahsoka quit on me," she shared openly.
  
  
  
  A crease formed on Shin's forehead, her eyes locking with Sabine's. "Why did she do that?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a half-shrug. "She thought I wanted to train for the wrong reasons," she explained. "It was all tied to the events on Mandalore."
  
  
  
  Shin exhaled softly. "Our Masters are complex individuals, aren't they?"
  
  
  
  Nodding, Sabine brushed a hand through her hair. "I bet their own Masters had their issues too," she mused. "It"s as challenging as it is meaningful, according to Huyang."
  
  
  
  Shin's body tensed briefly, but she consciously relaxed. "Now, about Ezra's misadventures," she said, her tone shifting to one of genuine interest. "I like the ones where Chopper annoys him."
  
  
  
  A chuckle escaped Sabine, and she playfully bit her lip. "There's so much to share," she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "But sure, I"ll tell you about Chopper ragging on him."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin surveyed the assortment of formal attire before her, a discerning eye scanning through the various options. She had embarked on this shopping expedition with Kradosh, who was also searching for suitable garments for the imminent celebration.
  
  
  
   Meanwhile, Sabine was enlisted to lend her expertise in resolving some technical issues that had arisen in the village. Her proficiency had enabled her to identify and rectify several problems plaguing the Ice People. Shin, for her part, was content knowing Sabine was capable and adept at handling such matters.
  
  
  
  The atmosphere in the village was vibrant and lively, with a steady stream of individuals bustling about, all contributing to the preparations for the upcoming grand event at the Glacial Hall. The recent arrival of the Red Bandits-Pook and Dook-along with Sabine and Shin, had injected a fresh wave of excitement and anticipation among the Ice People, who were eagerly looking forward to what promised to be a memorable wedding celebration.
  
  
  
  Kradosh ran his fingers over the array of garments, eventually settling on a particular piece as he tapped it thoughtfully. "It seems you've taken my advice to heart," he observed, his voice carrying a hint of approval.
  
  
  
  Shin felt the chill in the air as her breath formed visible puffs in front of her, prompting her to draw her poncho tighter around herself. "And what advice would that be?" she inquired, her attention still on the outfits before her.
  
  
  
  "Learning from Commander Wren," Kradosh responded, his tone steady.
  
  
  
  A small, appreciative smile played on Shin"s lips. "She is impressive," she conceded, her admiration for Sabine evident in her voice.
  
  
  
  "And you're no less remarkable," Kradosh assured her, his words earnest. "The two of you together make for a formidable team."
  
  
  
  The word team lingered in Shin's mind as she touched a garment adorned with shimmering embellishments, her gaze lifting to the expansive blue sky above. "I aim to keep bettering myself," she expressed, her voice soft yet determined.
  
  
  
  "And you most certainly will," Kradosh responded confidently, completing a transaction with a shopkeeper to acquire some delectable sweets. He handed one to Shin, who accepted it graciously.
  
  
  
  As she took a bite, she savored the rich blend of milk, sweetness, and nuts in a fudgy consistency, filling her mouth with flavor. She acknowledged, albeit silently, that indulging in too many of these treats could lead to unwanted consequences. "Thank you," she said, her gratitude genuine.
  
  
  
  Kradosh nodded in agreement and strolled alongside Shin, browsing through various shops. "Once you've found something that catches your eye, consider it yours," he declared, puffing out his chest slightly.
  
  
  
  Shin, taken aback by his generosity, dipped her head in appreciation. "That"s very kind of you," she acknowledged with a soft smile.
  
  
  
  Lifting his chin slightly, Kradosh responded, "If your Master were here, I"m sure he would do the same for you. I may not be him, but I can understand the pain his absence causes you."
  
  
  
  Unconsciously twirling her braid, Shin felt a lump form in her throat at the mention of her Master. "Your concern means a lot," she replied quietly, her voice filled with sincerity. "He has just...closed himself off from me."
  
  
  
  "Hm," Kradosh hummed thoughtfully, picking up a pair of formal pants to examine. "Perhaps it"s for the best."
  
  
  
  As they continued their shopping, a particular fabric caught Shin"s eye, causing her to do a double-take at a nearby clothing stall. "Maybe," she murmured under her breath, her attention now focused on the garment in front of her. "Kradosh, what do you think of this one?" she asked, holding up the piece for him to see.
  
  
  
  Kradosh scrutinized the outfit, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It"s an unexpected choice," he observed. "But it somehow suits you perfectly."
  
  
  
  Encouraged by his words, Shin engaged in a brief discussion with the shop owner regarding potential alterations, wanting to ensure that the outfit could be adjusted to fit her just right. Satisfied with their assurances, she made her decision. "I"ll take it," she declared confidently.
  
  
  
  "Very good," Kradosh concurred, nodding in approval.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine found herself in the secluded expanse behind the Glacial Hall, surrounded by the icy grandeur of towering snowbanks and frost-kissed trees. The crisp air was laden with the scent of winter, and the ground beneath her was a blanket of untouched snow, disturbed only by the marks of her boots and those of her sparring partner. She held a spear, borrowed from a bandit she had worked with diligently throughout the day. Now, though, her focus was shifted to the physical exertion and discipline of training.
  
  
  
  Opposite her, Jex stood firmly on the snowy ground, her breaths visible in the chilly air as her chest heaved from exertion.
  
  
  
  "What kind of Stormtrooper are you, really?" Sabine teased as she gave her spear an expert spin. This brought back memories of her days on Krownest, over a decade ago, when she engaged in sparring matches with her brother Tristan within the fortified walls of the Wren stronghold.
  
  
  
  Jex responded with a playful click of her tongue, holding her staff up in a ready stance. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" she shot back, smirking confidently.
  
  
  
  Sabine simply chuckled, swinging her spear in a swift arc towards Jex. "I"ve seen the inside of the Empire and made a series of bad decisions before," she admitted freely.
  
  
  
  Jex gracefully parried the attack, taking a strategic step back. Her eyes briefly flicked to a small group of children who had gathered nearby, drawn by the spectacle. "We all have our past mistakes," she acknowledged, her movements fluid as she danced around Sabine. "But what matters is how we make amends."
  
  
  
  Undeterred, Sabine raised her spear high, readying for another strike. She felt a sudden buoyancy in her chest, a lightness that propelled her forward with renewed vigor. "Leaving Thrawn and the Empire behind was the best decision you"ve made," she declared confidently. "This-being stranded here-it's way better."
  
  
  
  "I couldn"t agree more!" Jex exclaimed, her spirit infectious as she leapt into the air, spinning her staff with an exuberant flare. She brought the blade down only to bounce off Sabine"s beskar. "Dank farrik!"
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, twirled out of the way, and fingered her armor. "Oh, you love it," she shot back.
  
  
  
  Jex smiled broadly and regained her footing. "I do," she agreed. "Sparring with a Mandalorian is an honor."
  
  
  
  Sabine grabbed a fistful of snow and flung it at Jex, who groaned in annoyance. The former Trooper, easy to get along with, was proving to be an entertaining colleague. She was also very easy on the eyes and moved unlike any Stormtrooper Sabine encountered.
  
  
  
  "Not many of us left," Sabine replied, holding up her spear.
  
  
  
  "I"m sorry," Jex said, wiping snow from her face. "Maybe blondie can help you rebuild."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath caught, and a flush ran to her cheeks. Was it that obvious? "C"mon," she said. "Let"s keep going."
  
  
  
  Their training had transformed the secluded area behind the Glacial Hall into an arena of sorts. The snowy ground beneath their feet was scuffed and marked by the blitz of their training, the air filled with the sounds of laughter, sharp exhalations, and the clash of weapons. The frost-laden trees, their branches dusted with snow, surrounded them, creating a serene yet vibrant backdrop to the intense spar unfolding.
  
  
  
  Sabine gracefully sidestepped the incoming attack, her movements swift and sure. A crowd gathered, a mix of eager children and young adults, erupted into cheers, their excitement bursting. It seemed their routine of training and schooling had reached its conclusion for the day, evidenced by small groups streaming out of a nearby building, lured by the chime of a bell signaling a shift in activities.
  
  
  
  Engaging with her young audience, Sabine waved and flashed them a quick smile, her attention divided as she took several steps back. Abruptly, her retreat was halted by a collision with a solid form behind her.
  
  
  
  A gasp hitched in Sabine"s throat as warm breath caressed her ear. The word Childsplay whispered in a sultry tone that sent a shiver down her spine. Reacting instinctively, Sabine swirled around, her eyes narrowing as she laid eyes on Shin, who was sporting a sly, tantalizing smile.
  
  
  
  Quick to pick up on the sudden shift in atmosphere, Jex gracefully bowed out, making her way to the sidelines to give the two women space. Her departure didn"t go unnoticed, as a curious crowd, comprised of youngsters taking a brief respite from their chores and a handful of adults taking a break from their duties at the Glacial Hall, began to converge around them, drawn by the promise of an enthralling spectacle.
  
  
  
  In a fluid motion, Shin shed her poncho, revealing her lean, battle-ready form beneath. Her hands moved with practiced ease as she unclipped her saber from her belt, ensuring she maintained a respectful distance from the gathering crowd. With a flick of her wrist, she ignited her weapon, bathing the snowy ground in a warm orange glow. A chorus of awed gasps and exclamations filled the air, the crowd enraptured by the display of power and grace.
  
  
  
  The scene was set, the snowy expanse transformed into an impromptu arena, bathed in the light of Shin"s saber. The surrounding trees, heavy with snow, creaked, their branches creating dark shadows on the ground below. The Glacial Hall loomed in the background, its imposing structure adding to the dramatic scene unfolding before the captivated audience.
  
  
  
  "Show off," Sabine grumbled under her breath, her hands deftly discarding the spear as she drew her own saber with a swift, fluid motion.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, her saber spinning elegantly in her grip, casting dynamic orange patterns through the air. "Handling it is one thing," she said. "But do you truly have mastery over it yet?"
  
  
  
  Sabine shot a quick glance towards the crowd, a smirk playing on her lips as she felt their curious eyes on her. "I"ve been sharpening my skills," she shot back confidently, the chilly air providing a refreshing contrast to the warmth spreading across her skin from the anticipation of the duel.
  
  
  
  "Then let"s dance," Shin declared, her voice carrying across the clearing.
  
  
  
  With that, she launched forward, her movements a blend of precision and grace. Sabine met her charge head-on, their lightsabers clashing with a bright flare and a loud crack. The crowd gasped, their eyes following every swift movement.
  
  
  
  In sync, Sabine and Shin's duel became a spectacle of flashing lights and swirling colors. They anticipated each other"s moves with a familiarity that spoke of hours of practice and a deep understanding of each other"s fighting style.
  
  
  
  The intensity of the duel grew with every pass, the sound of clashing lightsabers echoing through the wind. The young bandits watched on in awe, completely enthralled by the display of skill and power before them.
  
  
  
  As the duel continued, Sabine and Shin found a rhythm, their movements fluid and seamless. They pushed each other to the limits, neither one willing to back down. And yet, there was a sense of mutual respect between them, a bond forged in the heat of battle.
  
  
  
  With every clash and swift parry, Sabine and Shin continued their deadly ballet, each strike and dodge flowing seamlessly into the next. The snowy ground beneath their feet became a palette, marked by the tracks of their intense duel.
  
  
  
  Feeling a surge of adrenaline, Sabine increased her attack speed, her lightsaber a blur as she sought an opening in Shin"s defense. Shin, however, matched her pace with a calm and steady poise, her movements precise and calculated.
  
  
  
  The crowd of bandits, completely riveted by the display, could see the growing intensity in the duelists' eyes. They were no longer just sparring partners; they were warriors, each striving to outdo the other, yet there was a grace in their movements, a synchronicity that spoke of a deep connection.
  
  
  
  Shin grabbed Sabine"s wrist and held it tightly. "You seem wound up, Sabine," she breathed.
  
  
  
  Sabine glared into icy blue eyes but could only see amusement. "Then maybe you should help me unwind," she shot back.
  
  
  
  "Aren"t I doing that?"
  
  
  
  "You like this too much."
  
  
  
  Sensing an opportunity, Shin feigned a misstep, momentarily leaving herself open. Sabine, seizing the chance, lunged forward, aiming for a decisive strike. But Shin was quicker, her apparent vulnerability a ruse. She deftly sidestepped Sabine"s attack, bringing her own lightsaber around in a swift, effortless motion.
  
  
  
  Sabine, caught off guard, barely had time to react as Shin"s lightsaber connected with hers, sending a shockwave through her arms. Not letting up, Shin pressed her advantage, her movements becoming a spiral of orange light.
  
  
  
  Sabine, struggling to keep up, felt a newfound respect for her opponent. Shin"s skill was undeniable, and she realized that she was learning, adapting to Shin"s style with every passing second. They were pushing each other to new heights, their duel a crucible forging them into stronger, more skilled warriors.
  
  
  
  Shin, feeling the tide of the duel shift in her favor, continued to press her attack, her movements now a blend of aggression and grace. Sabine, despite the onslaught, found herself moving in tandem with Shin, their lightsabers clashing and dancing in a mesmerizing display of skill and power.
  
  
  
  And then, with a swift and precise strike, Shin found an opening in Sabine"s defense, her lightsaber connecting with Sabine"s in a glancing blow that sent Sabine"s weapon flying out of her hand. Sabine was knocked back and fell gently on her rear.
  
  
  
  The duel was over. Shin stood victorious, her breathing heavy, her face alight with the thrill of the battle. Sabine, panting and disarmed, couldn"t help but smile, the exhilaration of the duel still coursing through her veins.
  
  
  
  There was nothing like it. There was only Shin. Fighting with her. Sparring with her. Everything with her. Sabine wanted more.
  
  
  
  The crowd erupted into cheers, their applause filling the air as they celebrated the thrilling duel they had just witnessed. Shin offered a hand to Sabine, helping her to her feet.
  
  
  
  Overwhelmed by unexpected emotions, Sabine stumbled into Shin"s comforting embrace. A unique sensation of tingles spread throughout her body, making her stomach flip and her heart race. She became enveloped by Shin"s presence, and a sweet, floral scent that seemed to be uniquely Shin"s filled her senses, captivating Sabine completely. She was overcome with the desire to stay wrapped up in Shin"s arms.
  
  
  
  As Shin"s lips brushed against Sabine"s cheek, she sported a playful smirk and whispered in a firm tone, "Don"t tell me you don"t enjoy it when I put you in your place."
  
  
  
  A chill ran down Sabine"s spine as she felt Shin"s firm grip on her arm, her body responding instinctively to Shin"s closeness.
  
  
  
  Trying to recover her poise, Sabine shot back with a playful sparkle in her eye, "It"s only because I let you." Her words were bold, but there was an undercurrent of fascination she couldn"t completely hide.
  
  
  
  Shin pulled back, her eyes locking onto Sabine"s with a smile. "What else will you let me do?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine was taken aback, her breath catching and her eyes growing wide at Shin"s daring question. But before she could respond, they were surrounded by a group of curious kids and enthusiastic onlookers, all of them bombarding Sabine with questions about her skills with the saber.
  
  
  
  Even though Shin was quickly pulled away by the crowd, their eyes stayed connected for a time, silently communicating in the midst of the commotion. They were forced to shift their focus to the eager children around them, but the promise of picking up where they left off hung in the air.
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 20: Ceremony
  Notes:
  This chapter means a lot to me. Enjoy.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  
  
  Sabine stepped into the Glacial Hall; her eyes widening in awe as she took in the majestic beauty of the space. The entire structure featured a marvel of ice and snow, the walls glistening with a gentle glow that reflected off the polished surfaces. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with the ice smoothed to perfection, creating a mesmerizing ambiance of soft luminosity.
  
  
  
  The hall expanded into a spacious area, the ceilings arching gracefully overhead, adorned with delicate icicles that dangled like nature"s own chandeliers. Beneath her feet, thick plush rugs made from the fur of local fauna provided a soft cushion, contrasting pleasantly with the icy floor and adding a touch of warmth to the frosty interior.
  
  
  
  Intricate decorations filled the space, enhancing the icy theme. Tables were arranged in a circle around the dance floor, its polished ice surface gleaming under the subtle lighting. The tables were draped in woven plant fiber tablecloths, dyed in hues of blues and whites, harmonizing with the frosty surroundings. Ice sculptures, meticulously crafted into intricate flowers and leaves, served as centerpieces, surrounded by twinkling candles encased in holders of ice, casting a romantic and warm glow.
  
  
  
  The chairs, carved from blocks of ice, were made comfortable with cushions of plush fur, ensuring comfort for those who sat. Along the walls, ice sculptures depicted scenes of love and unity, contributing to the romantic and enchanting atmosphere of the hall.
  
  
  
  At the forefront of the hall, an arch made from intertwining branches, decorated with hanging icicles and delicate white flowers, created a picturesque backdrop for the wedding ceremony. The arch stood upon a raised platform of ice, with steps leading up to it, each step lit by candles that guided the way.
  
  
  
  Sabine thought it was somewhat over the top but considering it was the wedding of one of Ilyara"s children, it made sense the villagers went all out. If anything, she looked forward to the ceremony and learning more about the Ice People.
  
  
  
  The soft strumming of music, played on instruments fashioned from local materials, filled the air, enveloping Sabine in sweet melodies and adding to the enchanting atmosphere, ensuring that the hall resonated with the sounds of celebration.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze oscillated left and right, her thoughts adrift in anticipation of Shin's arrival. Nearby, Kradosh clarified the tardiness, mentioning a last-minute alteration needed at the tailor's shop. She ran her palms down the lines of her immaculate white suit, feeling the sharpness of her attire matched the importance of the occasion. Her outfit not only resonated with the village's hues but also boasted a style that married fashion with comfort, courtesy of a local skilled tailor.
  
  
  
  "Commander Wren, you look exquisite," Kradosh offered his praise as the stream of guests swelled.
  
  
  
  A smile curved Sabine's lips, and she affectionately clapped a hand on Kradosh's robust shoulder. "You're quite the sight yourself," she returned the compliment, her eyes taking in the unexpected splendor of the event. "I have to admit, I didn't picture this kind of luxury in a place like this."
  
  
  
  With a thoughtful nod, Kradosh proceeded to usher his men to their seats. "We've thrived for millennia," he remarked, "some peoples more prosperous than others."
  
  
  
  "Why not settle here?" Sabine inquired, her fingers gently ensuring her short hair lay smooth.
  
  
  
  Kradosh hummed thoughtfully. "And why did you choose to remain on Lothal?"
  
  
  
  It was clear Shin had been recounting tales of Sabine's exploits. She nibbled the inside of her cheek, hands now tucked in her slacks, her body swaying slightly as she pondered her answer. "As a guardian," she started, her voice a blend of pride and nostalgia. "The bond I share with the people, aiding in their resurgence-" She paused, lips twitching into a sly grin. "Touché, my friend."
  
  
  
  Kradosh's expression softened into a smile, and he dipped his head to meet Sabine's gaze more directly. "The youth of today," he started, his voice carrying the weight of wisdom. "You and Shin, always surrounded by tales and sagas yet you can"t find the answers."
  
  
  
  The grin on Sabine's face stretched even wider, and she dismissed the weight of his words with a flick of her wrist. "Sometimes, asking outright is easier," she retorted with a trace of mirth.
  
  
  
  "Is that so?" Kradosh countered, an eyebrow raised in gentle challenge. As the stream of guests swelled, he indicated towards the ornate doors at the end of the hall. "You may find that this evening is ripe with inquiries for a certain individual. Let's hope the Force favors your tongue when the time comes."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyebrows lifted in playful anticipation, her nose crinkling as she turned to face the entrance with a knowing smirk. The room settled into a hushed expectancy, the host's voice rolling over the crowd, hinting at the grooms imminent entrance. Yet, for Sabine, there was another arrival that preceded the grooms - her date for the evening was about to step into the limelight.
  
  
  
  Shin Hati.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze locked onto Shin the moment she entered, the usual confidence in her stance momentarily shaken by the sight. Shin seemed to float through the crowd, her presence commanding yet surreal, pulling Sabine's world into a standstill. Her heart thrummed a wild rhythm against her ribs, and a warmth crept up her neck as she took in the vision before her.
  
  
  
  There was a grace in Shin's movements that Sabine had rarely seen, her dress, a cascading sculpture of ice-white that hugged her form and highlighted her warrior's physique. Her hair was styled, braid elegant over her shoulder. And her lips were a delicate shade of pink that drew Sabine's attention with a force stronger than gravity.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's voice was a distant rumble, barely penetrating the bubble that had formed around Sabine and her racing thoughts. "Good luck," he said, though his words felt like they were from another world as he retreated to his seat.
  
  
  
  Speechless, Sabine stood rooted to the spot, her mind a flurry of admiration and affection. As Shin closed the distance between them, stopping a mere breath away, Sabine's voice was lost in the sudden dryness of her throat.
  
  
  
  "Sorry I"m late," Shin said, her eyes a mirror of the stars, holding Sabine in their depth.
  
  
  
  "Uh," was all Sabine managed at first, her voice a stranger to her ears. She cleared her throat and offered a shaky chuckle. "You look... I mean, your dress-it's..."
  
  
  
  Shin's smile was like sunrise, chasing away the shadows of doubt. "It fits correctly!" she declared, her enthusiasm a lifeline that Sabine clung to gratefully.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes went wide, her heart caught between a chuckle and a tear. "It fits correctly alright," she managed.
  
  
  
  "And you wear your suit well," Shin complimented, her fingers lightly grazing the fabric of Sabine"s white top as she made a small adjustment.
  
  
  
  A spark of disbelief flickered in Sabine"s gaze, and she offered a single, bemused shake of her head. Was this real? "Thanks," she uttered, her response teetering on a question.
  
  
  
  Shin"s demeanor was all professionalism-wasn"t this supposed to be a date? Sabine"s words teetered on the edge of her tongue, barricaded by nerves. Yet, as she braced herself to dive into those deep blue eyes, the ceremony called them to attention.
  
  
  
  The dialect of the Ice People was cryptic, yet their Union Elder weaved a story of inclusivity with their words. As the two grooms circled the pyre, they cast shards of ice into the flames, a ritual dance of fire and frost.
  
  
  
  Sabine tried to anchor herself in the moment, wedged between Kradosh"s formidable bulk and Shin's magnetic presence. Instinctively, she inclined toward Shin, seeking comfort not just in the physical space but in the warmth that seemed to emanate from her-warmth that belied the usual chill in her gaze. Through the ceremony, Shin embodied an effortless grace, her attentiveness painting a portrait of calm that Sabine couldn"t help but be drawn to. The lines of Shin"s profile-sharp jaw and softly curved lips-were far more captivating than the ongoing vows.
  
  
  
  As the congregation was prompted to stand, Sabine"s coordination faltered, her movement a half-beat out of sync. A flutter caught in her chest as Shin's hand found hers, a touch as stabilizing as it was electrifying, guiding her with silent assurance toward the hall"s far end.
  
  
  
  Right outside the Glacial Hall, shrouded beneath heavy blankets of shimmering silver, stood two enigmatic figures. Even concealed, they exuded an aura of elegance and artistry, their silhouettes hinting at the meticulous detail waiting beneath the fabric. The drapes fell in soft, cascading folds over the contours of what promised to be masterful sculptures, the weight of the material masking the chill of the ice underneath.
  
  
  
  The guests cast curious glances toward the veiled masterpieces, speculating about the hidden treasures. Whispered guesses and excited murmurs filled the air, as the anticipation built with each moment the statues remained unseen. It was as if the blankets themselves were part of a ceremonial dance, a prelude to the unveiling that would soon reveal the frozen beauty beneath.
  
  
  
  Both grooms went to their respective figures and with direction from the Union Elder, pulled off the blankets.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s mouth parted and her skin tingled over and over, the cool breeze welcome on her heated skin. One sculpture revealed the imposing form of an ice-sculpted Howler. It captured the creature mid-howl, its muzzle pointed skyward, releasing an eternal cry. Muscles were chiseled into the ice with lifelike detail, and its fur seemed to bristle with a frozen ferocity. The Howler's eyes, deep-set and alert, held a glacial gleam, as if it were surveying the tundra for its pack.
  
  
  
  Beside this wild display, the second sculpture also awed the crowd. The Ice Serpent sculpture emerged from the draped concealment, a sinuous form that looked as though it was swimming through an unseen current. Its elongated body twisted elegantly, scales carved into the ice so finely they shimmered like diamonds. Its head was raised with a regal bearing, fangs bared in a silent display of power, while its eyes were carved to mimic the depth and mystery of the icy depths it hailed from.
  
  
  
  Sabine's awareness of her intertwined fingers with Shin"s lingered in her consciousness, yet she made no move to withdraw. Enthralled by the ceremony's splendor and the rich culture she was immersed in, she absorbed the spectacle with wide-eyed reverence.
  
  
  
  The Union Elder's ceremonial liquid turned the ice sculptures into prisms, casting a spectacle of dancing lights as the setting sun kissed them-a sight of dreamlike beauty that Sabine would carry with her forever.
  
  
  
  "And as the Ice melts, so does it join the lake, carrying the essence of love eternally," proclaimed the Union Elder.
  
  
  
  With the grooms" tender embrace, a resounding cheer broke through the congregation, a wave of joy that Sabine felt ripple through her being.
  
  
  
  A quick, self-conscious swipe at her eyes was her only concession to vulnerability; she hoped the emotion didn't betray her carefully applied makeup. Feeling the persistent warmth and pressure of Shin's grip, Sabine"s nerves ignited, her palm damp with the intensity of the moment, yet the desire to remain connected overrode any impulse to pull away.
  
  
  
  As the staff began transforming the Glacial Hall for the ensuing celebration, Sabine and Shin lingered in the liminal space where the chill of the outside world met the gathering warmth within. It was then that Shin turned to her, lips quirking in an enigmatic smile that promised conversations yet to unfold.
  
  
  
  Shin's words were soft yet clear amid the hustle of people transforming the space around them. "You seem quite moved, Sabine," she observed, her eyes holding a gentle inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine offered a sheepish laugh, glancing towards the shimmering sculptures. "The art here...it"s inspiring," she admitted.
  
  
  
  "Is that why you"re crushing my hand?" Shin asked.
  
  
  
  Realization dawned, and Sabine's grip slackened, an apologetic blush coloring her cheeks. "Oh, I... I"m sorry," she stammered, attention shifting as the air vibrated with new music and the clinking of dishes being set for the feast.
  
  
  
  Shin flexed her fingers, looking down at Sabine with a playful challenge in her height. "Tell me, Sabine, do you think about getting married?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine's response came with an unbidden cough, a flustered attempt to clear her airway-and perhaps the sudden knot of emotions. She offered a shaky laugh, a telltale sign of her scrambling thoughts. "I... Well, it's not something that's been on my radar," she confessed, her voice a murmur of honesty.
  
  
  
  Shin"s response was a simple, knowing nod, her movements as she smoothed her dress conveying a calm certainty. "But it's on your mind now," she stated, less a question than a gentle assertion.
  
  
  
  The scent of Shin"s perfume enveloped Sabine, a floral embrace that was almost intoxicating. Her gaze was drawn to Shin's eyes, luminescent and knowing, then to her lips, quirking into a teasing smile. Sabine drew in a steadying breath. "How about we find something to eat?" she redirected with a hopeful inflection, thinking perhaps that a touch of normalcy found in the act of dining might settle the whirl of thoughts within.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin navigated the unfamiliar dishes with a diplomat's poise, sampling the array of unknown tastes and textures with discrete curiosity. The Glacial Hall resonated with a celebratory energy that seemed foreign yet inviting to her. Her past had offered her countless glimpses into the revelry of others. Yet, she remained ever the observer, the shadow lingering just beyond the mirth.
  
  
  
  Baylan's demeanor was no-nonsense, leaving no time for jubilation.
  
  
  
  This evening marked a departure from those solitary roles. She wasn't just another face among the throngs; she was an influential figure, a General whose decisions rippled across the people in the room. Yet, amidst the pomp and splendor of the evening, Shin found her attention honed to a singular focus: Sabine.
  
  
  
  The warmth in Sabine"s cheeks, the lustrous glow of her skin, the way her smile seemed to hold its own source of light-all conspired to ensnare Shin's gaze. Even the vibrancy of Sabine"s laughter wove through the din of conversation, a melody that Shin found unexpectedly stirring.
  
  
  
  Shin remembered her entrance, the way her eyes had instinctively sought out Sabine, and how the sight of her in that impeccably tailored suit had momentarily stolen the breath from her lungs. She had chided herself for the mask of professionalism she wore like armor, but a hopeful part of her whispered that the night was still young.
  
  
  
  As plates were cleared and the dance floor beckoned, Shin felt the rhythm of the evening shift. The concept of dancing was not alien to her, yet she rarely indulged in such displays. Tonight, though, the importance of joining in was clear. Casting a sidelong glance at Sabine, Shin steeled herself with a swift drink of icy water, preparing to step out of her comfort zone-perhaps, she conceded, in more ways than one.
  
  
  
  Shin"s voice cut through the hum of conversation, clear and composed. "Sabine?" she called, just loud enough to carry.
  
  
  
  Pausing mid-bite, Sabine looked up, a forkful of the root vegetable delicacy poised in suspension. "Yeah?" she responded, her voice a curious lilt.
  
  
  
  A momentary silence bridged between them before Shin, with an almost imperceptible steadiness, broached the question, "Would you join me for a dance after your meal?"
  
  
  
  Surprise flickered across Sabine"s features, and she hastily dabbed at her lips with a napkin, pushing her plate to the side with a sudden decisiveness. "Yep," she responded, her initial squeak smoothing into a firmer tone upon repetition. "I'd like that."
  
  
  
  Shin released a controlled breath, maintaining her composure as she stood up straight. She gave Sabine a look, who quickly stood as well, her excitement almost tangible. They made their way through the crowd of attendees to the designated area for dancing, where the melodies intertwined seamlessly, suggesting a sophisticated closeness for the dancers.
  
  
  
  Amidst the dancers, Shin claimed a space with an unspoken assurance, her stance embodying a quiet strength. She offered a slight, expectant nod to Sabine. "You"re acquainted with dancing, I presume?" she ventured, her tone a blend of statement and inquiry.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s response was a soft laugh, tinted with the warmth of shared humor. "I am," she admitted, her smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Though I usually lead."
  
  
  
  Shin"s gaze was unflinching, her voice firm yet gentle. "Tonight, I lead," she declared, dismissing any objections before they could surface. "Your attire doesn't dictate the dance."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s reply was a blend of challenge and admiration. "Never said it did," she said softly, her hand settling respectfully on Shin's shoulder. "You"re quite stunning in a dress."
  
  
  
  In a fluid motion, Shin's arm encircled Sabine's waist, drawing her near with an ease that belied the charge of the moment. "And you, Sabine, wear handsomeness as comfortably as your suit," Shin murmured.
  
  
  
  A sharp intake of breath was Sabine's only reply as she relaxed into the embrace, her defenses yielding to the undeniable connection between them. "Thank you," she whispered, surrendering to the dance.
  
  
  
  The subtle brush of Sabine's hair against Shin's chin was a delicate sensation as they moved gently together. The Hall was alive with shimmering light, the reflections dancing off the fabrics and jewelry of the crowd, with more pairs joining the gentle sway on the floor. In this circle of motion, Shin found a fleeting peace, a wish to remain locked in this moment with Sabine, far from the demands of Peridea. But she dismissed the yearning, focusing instead on the soothing motion of her hand along Sabine's arm.
  
  
  
  "Is this considered a date?" Shin ventured softly.
  
  
  
  "I did ask you to be my date," Sabine reminded her.
  
  
  
  "This isn't just to show off for your Master, is it?" Shin probed further.
  
  
  
  "Only if this isn"t just about integrating with the bandits," Sabine shot back.
  
  
  
  In response, Shin's hold on Sabine's waist tightened briefly, her gaze introspective. "It's not," she finally conceded.
  
  
  
  Sabine stepped back slightly, still in Shin's embrace, her gaze firm. "Then prove it," she taunted.
  
  
  
  Shin's pulse quickened, a tumultuous rush of anticipation in response to the veiled dare. Life, it seemed, was an unending series of hurdles and contests, yet none had presented quite like this, an enigmatic blend of challenge and desire. Beads of sweat formed a delicate trail down Shin"s spine as Sabine's gaze, fierce and expectant, held her in a silent standoff.
  
  
  
  Shin realized that there was nothing else like being in the presence of Sabine Wren.
  
  
  
  Feeling Sabine begin to distance herself, Shin acted on a bold impulse, holding her closer, a silent refusal to let the moment slip. She inhaled deeply, the proximity intensifying the moment, and then, with a tenderness that carried the weight of unspoken words, her cheek brushed against Sabine"s. She could feel the rising of fine goosebumps under her breath, a silent affirmation to the connection shared. Delicately, she planted a kiss upon Sabine's cheek, a trace of lip gloss marking the moment.
  
  
  
  Drawing back, Shin sought the gaze she'd momentarily left - now soft and brimming with unvoiced questions. "Your turn," she said, the words an invitation and a challenge all at once.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Sabine's fingertips grazed her own cheek, an attempt to quell the fluttering in her chest. The gloss from her skin smeared across her fingers, leaving a rosy stain that captured her gaze for a fleeting second, her thoughts spinning wildly from the brief touch on her cheek. She lifted her eyes to Shin's, noting the bright blue that betrayed a flicker of anxiety.
  
  
  
  "How much longer should we stay?" Sabine inquired, her tone steady.
  
  
  
  Shin's hand came to rest lightly on the small of Sabine's back, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Departing now might give the wrong impression," she said softly. "As though our presence was merely for the banquet."
  
  
  
  A chuckle broke from Sabine, and she allowed her head to lean against Shin's shoulder, a moment of comfort amidst the chaos. "Guess I can wait for my turn," she mused.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice was a soft vibration as she responded, "I'll hold you to that," her fingertips tracing a comforting path along Sabine's arm.
  
  
  
  Sabine's breath hitched, perplexed by the potent impact of Shin's casual touches. Intimacy had been a stranger to her for some time, yet the flurry of emotions felt exaggerated.
  
  
  
  "You smeared gloss on my cheek," Sabine said, a playful note of accusation in her voice.
  
  
  
  "And?" Shin countered.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a half-hearted shake of her head, "You are so-"
  
  
  
  "Not stupid anymore I hope," Shin cut in, their steps continuing in a leisurely waltz.
  
  
  
  A smirk curled Sabine's lips as past shadows and name-calling from the Nightsister Fortress fluttered through her mind. "Stupid? Nah," she teased. "In fact, I"d say you"re about as smart as a droid on low power mode..." She paused, expecting a clever retort, but was met with the warm timbre of genuine laughter instead, drawing her eyes instantly to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin, with a twinkle in her eye, retorted, "Should I ever be a droid, let me be as memorable as Chopper."
  
  
  
  Sabine's chuckle, tinged with contemplation, melded into a thoughtful frown. Her gaze, deep and searching, locked onto the steel-blue depths of Shin's eyes and her perfect smile. With a heavy sigh, she whispered, "You know, your eyes are so sad sometimes, Shin."
  
  
  
  "So are yours," Shin responded gently, pulling Sabine closer. Her voice, soft and understanding, added, "Things pool in them that you can"t quite say."
  
  
  
  A sharp inhale filled Sabine's lungs, Shin's familiar scent enveloping her. "I"ve wanted to run away from my feelings for the longest time," she confessed. "But I think I"ve been wanting to stay and face it all as of late."
  
  
  
  "I see," Shin murmured, her breath warm against Sabine's skin. "If you were to stay, I"d be here as long as you"ll have me. You don"t have to face it alone."
  
  
  
  A wave of tremors swept through Sabine, reaching into corners of her heart long neglected. "Our sabers clashing that one night caused all this?" she queried.
  
  
  
  Shin"s hand, gentle yet firm, traced down Sabine"s back. "Sometimes it only takes a taste to keep us wanting forever," she whispered, her words floating between them like a secret.
  
  
  
  Sabine, overwhelmed, rested her head against Shin's shoulder, their slow dance a refuge from her turmoil. As they continued slowly, the evening blossomed into a scene of delightful moments, each of Shin's chuckles weaving a melody Sabine wished to replay endlessly.
  
  
  
  They mingled and conversed, tasting the array of snacks, and savoring the festive atmosphere. The grooms, deep into their celebration, were inseparable until their amused parents intervened. Amid the merriment, Sabine found pleasure in the revelry of the guests, their joyous abandon captivating her observer"s eye.
  
  
  
  Kradosh, too, joined the dance floor, his imposing figure moving with a surprising grace. Pook and Dook were doing a dance of their own, people bending down to dance at their heights.
  
  
  
  Shin drew glances throughout the night, prompting Jex to ward off overzealous comrades. But Shin chose to at least dance with the Ice Leader Ilyara and then Kradosh. The dances were brief, punctuated more by serious conversation than by steps to the music.
  
  
  
  Yet none of this unsettled Sabine as much as she thought it would. She was content in the knowledge that when the time came to depart, it would be with Shin alone. She managed only an eye roll for the overtures of inebriated admirers, their clumsy advances failing to impress.
  
  
  
  Sabine abandoned her attempts to wipe away the gloss Shin had left on her cheek earlier. Part of her actually cherished its presence, a lingering reminder of rosy, pink lips constantly on her mind. While standing near the buffet, she smiled subtly to herself and nodded in acknowledgment as Jex approached, grinning.
  
  
  
  "I"m surprised the two of you haven"t left yet," Jex teased, casually picking up a flute of bubbly and sipping it.
  
  
  
  Peering up into Jex"s golden-brown eyes, Sabine chuckled. "Wouldn"t be appropriate just yet," she casually replied.
  
  
  
  "Uh-huh," Jex responded with a playful wink. "How about a dance before you"re whisked away forever?"
  
  
  
  Sabine, with a spirited glint in her eye, responded as she took Jex"s outstretched hand. "I"ll always be my own person, you know."
  
  
  
  "Of course," Jex agreed, leading her through the crowd of jubilantly dancing guests. "You are Mandalorian, after all. Is that what worries you? Losing yourself in a commitment to someone else?"
  
  
  
  Resting her hand lightly on Jex"s shoulder, Sabine gave a small nod. "Maybe," she admitted. "Seems like everyone close to me ends up getting hurt."
  
  
  
  "We all get hurt, in one way or another," Jex said. "Sorry, but you"re not the center of the universe, Sabine."
  
  
  
  With a soft laugh, Sabine responded, "Really?" Her tone held a tinge of sarcasm. "How did you cope when you realized Thrawn wasn"t who you thought he was?"
  
  
  
  Jex gave a shrug as they swayed gently. "It"s been years," she said thoughtfully. "But all I can do is my best and keep hoping we can stop him someday."
  
  
  
  Sabine took a deep breath, the scent of Jex"s cologne filling her senses. "We"ll find our way back," she said confidently. "You"re welcome to join us if you"d like."
  
  
  
  Jex looked down at Sabine with a warm smile. "You"re a good person, Sabine," she stated. "But the only way forward is to leave the past behind."
  
  
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes playfully. "You sound like my Mark IV droid, Huyang."
  
  
  
  "What a comparison," Jex retorted with a light huff. "Anyway, I can tell blondie cares a lot about you. Don"t you want her in your future?"
  
  
  
  Sabine glanced over Jex"s broad shoulder to see Shin dancing with Pook and Dook, a smile tugging at her lips. For a moment, she allowed herself to simply enjoy the dance with Jex and contemplate the question.
  
  
  
  An inquiry rather than response lingered in Sabine"s mind, and she finally voiced it, "Do you think people can move past their old problems and be okay?"
  
  
  
  Jex paused, considering her answer. "I think so," she finally said. "Sometimes letting go is the key to finding what really matters."
  
  
  
  Sabine leaned closer to Jex, a sincere tone in her voice. "You"re quite the sage for an ex-Stormtrooper. I appreciate you listening to me."
  
  
  
  Jex smiled. "Anytime, Sabine," she replied.
  
  
  
  Sabine continued in slow circles with Jex for a time. In the distance she noticed Shin looked on, a respectful eye, granting Sabine the space she valued. And that space, that silent assurance, was treasured by Sabine above all.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin lingered on the edge of her bed, patience fraying. She'd offered Sabine the solitude to rejuvenate after the night's celebration, yet as the hours waned, she was left to wonder about their significance. Her gaze wandered to the adjoining door, questioning whether to surrender to sleep's call. She toyed with the fabric of her sleep trousers, lost in thought.
  
  
  
  Had Sabine reconsidered their time together? Perhaps succumbed to slumber? Or had Shin's earlier gesture been too audacious? Such uncertainties weighed on her, urging her to seek clarity. She rose, the cool air of the room caressing her as she approached the door, her steps soundless on the plush carpet.
  
  
  
  The fireplace's warm glow bathed the room, casting dancing shadows against the walls' icy sheen. Shin paused and gently laid her hand upon the door's surface. The silence from the adjoining chamber was unsettling, suggesting an absence of life within. Just as she turned, resolved to retreat, the door groaned open, revealing Sabine's arresting gaze.
  
  
  
  "Ugh, the shower was spitting out ice cubes instead of water!" Sabine burst into the room with mock outrage, but her voice held a note of triumph. "But I fixed it."
  
  
  
  Shin looked up as Sabine breezed by, the casual swing of her hips contrasting with her matter-of-fact tone. "You know, my refresher is available," Shin offered, her voice as steady as her gaze tracking Sabine to the hearth.
  
  
  
  "Now, wouldn"t you just love that," Sabine teased, her hands deftly repositioning a stubborn log, the sparks jumping at her touch like playful sprites.
  
  
  
  Shin settled onto the couch with a deliberate ease, pulling at the hem of her shirt. The living area was a cozy space. "Practicality over heroics," she intoned, her eyes momentarily following the flickering flames.
  
  
  
  With a flourish, Sabine straightened up, casting a look over her shoulder, a playful smirk on her lips. "But where"s the fun in that?" she countered. "Besides, I"m a girl who likes a challenge."
  
  
  
  Shin couldn't help but crack a small smile, her serious facade giving way just so. "So Mandalorian of you," she acknowledged, her fatigue seeping through the dry humor.
  
  
  
  Sabine pirouetted with a flair, raising an eyebrow. "Now, don"t fall asleep yet," she chided with a wag of her finger.
  
  
  
  Shin couldn"t stifle the yawn that betrayed her weariness, sinking deeper into the cushion. "After the day we"ve had, and your endless tinkering..." she murmured.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s lips pursed in a thoughtful pout, hands finding their way to her hips in a show of mock deliberation. "Ah, but the night is still young by my watch," she declared. "And I"ve got just the thing to keep you up."
  
  
  
  Shin offered up a resigned gaze, half expecting another chore in Sabine"s capricious plan. "Alright, lead the way," she said, starting to rise.
  
  
  
  "Stay," Sabine commanded gently, pressing Shin back into the sofa with a firm hand. In one fluid motion, she hopped up, her legs straddling the divide between them. As she lowered herself gracefully onto Shin"s lap, her voice was soft, inquiring, "Is this alright?"
  
  
  
  The room seemed to shrink to just the two of them, the warmth of the fire echoing the heat spurring within. Shin"s eyes were wide, her breath caught somewhere in her chest, her hands instinctively finding their place at Sabine"s waist. Yes, this closeness was more than alright. It was a truth, as undeniable as the flitter of flames casting shadows over their shared space.
  
  
  
  Shin's response came with a steadiness that betrayed the rapid pace of her heart. "As long as you"re comfortable, so am I," she said softly.
  
  
  
  A teasing glint danced in Sabine"s eyes as her fingers gently squeezed Shin's shoulders, then trailed upward with the grace of a feather, framing her face tenderly. "I can"t believe you kissed my cheek," she whispered, their shared breaths mingling.
  
  
  
  A faint smile graced Shin"s lips, feeling the gentle touch that was both electrifying and soothing. In this proximity, they weren"t just two souls side by side; they were interwoven threads in a moment of pure connection. To share a bed for sleep was one thing, but this was a deliberate crossing into the sacred territory of vulnerability and desire. Shin wanted nothing more than to hold Sabine in this embrace indefinitely, yet the allure of those soft lips, illuminated by the hearth"s glow, was magnetic.
  
  
  
  With a gulp, Shin gathered her courage. "I may be overstepping my bounds, but I wanted to make a statement at the wedding-that you were with me this evening," she admitted.
  
  
  
  Sabine"s breath hitched, her gaze lowering in contemplation before she offered a half-smile tinged with irony. "At least you"re honest," she replied, her hand gliding across the cool skin of Shin's neck with a touch that promised freedom over possession. "Just remember, I don"t belong to anyone."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze remained locked with Sabine's, her eyes a reflection of the fire's dance as the latter's fingers encircled her neck with a touch that was daring yet controlled. "Is that so?" Shin quipped, her voice husky, "I should get to keep what I kill."
  
  
  
  "But you didn"t kill me," Sabine countered smoothly, her head cocking to the side. Her grip firmed, not to harm, but enough to make her point, her breath mingling with Shin's in a silent dance of power. "Remember, when the world fades and doors close, the game changes-and I"m in control."
  
  
  
  The line between threat and promise blurred as Sabine's fingers exerted their will upon Shin's throat, and Shin's instinctive reaction stirred a primal energy within her. Her own hands tightened reflexively on Sabine's waist, the escalation from a simple, affectionate gesture to this charged exchange both bewildering and exhilarating.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze intensified, her words an accusation. "There's a darkness in you, Sabine. It won't ever go away."
  
  
  
  In response, Sabine's expression morphed into a complex mixture of defiance and contemplation, her grip on Shin's throat unyielding. "Maybe I like it," she shot back, her voice tinged with recklessness. "Maybe it's time I let it out in this way."
  
  
  
  "Then do what you want," Shin dared as she lifted her chin defiantly, accepting the shift in dynamics.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze sharpened, her hand gliding from Shin's neck to cradle her jaw firmly, an unspoken covenant that her next move would be both deliberate and bold. "I will," she whispered, sealing the pact with the unyielding gentleness of her touch.
  
  
  
  Shin licked her lips slowly, staring up at Sabine whose eyes were fiery and deep. "We"re more alike than we are different," she breathed.
  
  
  
  Sabine inched closer, her thumbs running up and down Shin"s sharp jaw. "And there"s so much for us to learn from each other, isn"t there?" she asked in a hushed tone. "I want more."
  
  
  
  "Then take what you want, Sabine. It"s your turn now."
  
  
  
  Shin's breath faltered as Sabine bridged the gap between them, initiating a kiss that spoke volumes of their accumulated tension, all the sharp wit and taunting distilled into a moment that unfurled with exquisite slowness. The world seemed to pivot on the axis of their intertwined breaths, each exhale a silent promise of more.
  
  
  
  The embrace tightened as Sabine looped her arms around Shin's neck, her movements deliberate, anchoring Shin in place as the kiss deepened and their bodies melded together with a raw intensity. Sabine's lips sought a rhythm of soft persuasion, coaxing a response from Shin.
  
  
  
  Yet Shin craved an urgency that belied the softness, her hands tracing the curve of Sabine"s spine, pulling her closer with an insistent grasp. The kiss grew fervent, their meticulous control unraveling into a passionate tangle that was as chaotic as it was enthralling. Amidst the disarray and the heat of shared breaths, they found a flow that was uniquely theirs albeit sloppy and messy.
  
  
  
  In the wake of Sabine's gasp for air, a sound from Shin"s throat, half-moan, half-whisper, urged Sabine back into the fray. Hands exploring with newfound boldness, Shin arched into Sabine, inviting a rocking of hips that was both primal and intuitive. Sabine responded in kind, her movements becoming a mirror of Shin"s appetite.
  
  
  
  As their tongues ventured in a tentative exploration, surrendering to the escalating passion, it was clear that they had crossed a threshold. The boundaries that once defined them individually were blurred beyond recognition, giving way to a connection that was as deep as it was irrevocable.
  
  
  
  Sabine's exploration was an intoxicating blend of sweetness and ardor, her tongue painting strokes of desire onto Shin's lips. Hands gripping Shin's hair, Sabine pressed closer, the heat of their bodies fusing as the fabric of her shorts gathered at her thighs, marking the intensity of their encounter.
  
  
  
  Shin, enticed by the taste of Sabine's kiss, ventured further, tracing the line of Sabine"s jaw with her tongue, gentle yet deliberate. Her teeth grazed Sabine's neck, eliciting sighs and moans that pulsed with their escalating heartbeats. She summoned every ounce of her self-control to resist the urge to bite into the tempting golden skin. In the heat of their embrace, every sensation was amplified, every touch a spark igniting the tinder within them.
  
  
  
  With each moan from Sabine, Shin felt the energy shift, a silent acknowledgment that they weren"t just in sync, but that Sabine was soaring on a higher plane. Shin reclaimed Sabine's lips, sealing their connection with kisses that melded desperation with want. Everything was warm, sweaty and frantic. The ache deep within Shin was building but she could sense Sabine was already throbbing and chasing a high.
  
  
  
  Shin momentarily paused the kiss, withdrawing slightly. Sabine, drawn by an instinctual pull, attempted to close the gap, her lips seeking Shin's. Observing this, Shin couldn"t help but smile, her grip on Sabine"s hips tightening affirmatively. "Does it feel good?" she inquired, her voice low and encouraging, subtly urging Sabine to continue rolling her hips.
  
  
  
  Barely containing a moan, Sabine managed a breathy affirmation. "Yeah," she whispered, her voice laden with desire. "Don"t stop."
  
  
  
  In the flushed glow of exertion, Sabine's expression was a canvas of pleasure and effort as she found a perfect motion against Shin. The friction was heady, dizzying in its allure. In a moment of raw need, Sabine seized Shin's hand and guided it to her heart, a silent plea to feel the wild drumbeat beneath her skin, to understand the depth of her arousal without words.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze locked onto Sabine's as her hand tentatively began its exploration, her touch growing bolder with the encouragement of Sabine's sigh, a sound so stirring it coaxed Shin's hand beneath the fabric of her shirt. With a reverence that bordered on hesitation, she traced the contours of Sabine's damp skin and toned stomach, finally pausing just below the line of her bra. The silent plea in Sabine's grinding movements was unmistakable; she was granting Shin an unspoken permission to continue.
  
  
  
  With Sabine's lips fiercely claiming hers, Shin surrendered to a moan, the sting of a bite sending a current through her body. As the intensity of their kiss ebbed, Sabine's smug smirk was met with Shin's deepening resolve. Shin's embrace tightened, a silent signal of her growing excitement, as she expertly navigated the obstacle of Sabine"s bra to find the warmth of her bare skin.
  
  
  
  The moment Shin's hand made contact with the softness of Sabine"s breast, the room seemed to contract further around them. Sabine's gasp shattered the rhythm of their breaths, and she sought refuge in the curve of Shin's neck, her own breaths coming in sharp bursts. As Shin's fingers worked in gentle, yet confident strokes, a single, purposeful caress over Sabine's nipple was the catalyst that turned a simmering tension into a blaze.
  
  
  
  Sabine whimpered and tensed, a jolt of pleasure anchoring her to the sensation, to the moment... to Shin.
  
  
  
  After their moment of heated intimacy, Sabine's form yielded, a sudden slackness following the tension. Her breath was ragged, evidence of the intensity they had shared. Time seemed suspended as Sabine struggled to regain her poise.
  
  
  
  Shin, still flush with the closeness, broke the silence with a glimmer of concern. "Sabine?" The name was a soft inquiry, tentative and cautious. "Did you just...?"
  
  
  
  The flush on Sabine's cheeks deepened, a scarlet hue that betrayed her fluster. She stood abruptly, her movements shaky as she retreated with a hand pressed to her chest, her usual bravado dissolved in the wake of vulnerability.
  
  
  
  "Sabine?" Shin repeated, her voice laced with an apologetic tilt. The confusion was clear in her tone, "Did I...? I didn't mean to overstep."
  
  
  
  But Sabine, usually so in command, could only manage to wipe the perspiration from her brow. She made a beeline for the door, her silence speaking volumes.
  
  
  
  Shin rose, her instincts urging her to close the distance, to offer comfort. "Sabine, wait," she insisted gently. "It's alright, truly. Let me help you."
  
  
  
  At the threshold, Sabine paused, her response a mere whisper. "I just need... a moment alone." And with those words, she slipped through the door, leaving Shin amidst a tangle of worry and alarm.
  
  
  
  Shin stood there, the abruptness of the door's closure a stark contrast to the intimacy that had unfolded moments ago. The cool wood against her fevered brow was a small mercy. She tried to steady her breathing, the sensory echoes of Sabine's presence still enveloping her - the taste, the touch, the electrifying connection that had surged between them.
  
  
  
  Drawing a shuddering breath, she whispered to the barrier between them, an earnest plea carrying her voice. "I just want to spend time with you Sabine. We can play sabacc or read holobooks in bed, I don"t care..."
  
  
  
  She lingered at the door until the sound of the latch yielded to her patience. The door crept open, revealing Sabine, somehow transformed by the brief interlude, her earlier disarray replaced with composure.
  
  
  
  "Thanks for giving me a minute," Sabine said, her tone light.
  
  
  
  Shin retreated a step, a silent offer of respect for Sabine's space, and her eyes searched Sabine's for reassurance. "Of course," she said, her voice a comforting balm. "Are you alright?"
  
  
  
  A laugh, light and self-aware, escaped Sabine as she ran a hand through her vibrant hair. "I am," she admitted, the flush of her cheeks a soft testimony to the moment they had shared. "A little embarrassed, I suppose..." Her words trailed off.
  
  
  
  Shin observed Sabine with concern. "Why?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Sabine gave a casual shrug, her typical poise revealing a trace of insecurity. "I guess it just caught me off-guard," she confessed, her voice dropping to a murmur.
  
  
  
  A wrinkle formed on Shin's brow, her analytical mind processing the admission. "It happens," she said, hoping to dissolve any lingering awkwardness. "It"s a normal reaction."
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes rolled with a playful exasperation. "Oh, Shin," she sighed, the tension breaking like dawn. "How about that game of sabacc, then?"
  
  
  
  The suggestion eased a smile onto Shin's lips, her earlier trepidation melting away. "I'd like that," she agreed, watching Sabine step back into the shared space between them. She"d have done anything at this point to convince Sabine to spend more time with her.
  
  
  
  Sabine, approaching once more, tapped Shin lightly on the collarbone, a silent echo of their closeness. Shin stood rooted, cautious yet hopeful with Sabine"s fingers so delicate upon her skin.
  
  
  
  Their eyes met, a flicker of azure and ember, and Sabine leaned in quickly. But their swift movement led to an unintended clash of teeth, causing them both to instinctively jerk back. The momentary awkwardness was quickly dissolved by their shared laughter.
  
  
  
  "Oops," Sabine chuckled, her hand instinctively going to her mouth.
  
  
  
  Shin, slightly bemused by their clumsy connection, nodded in agreement. "We're clearly both exhausted," she concluded.
  
  
  
  Still chuckling, Sabine agreed, "What a night," she said, her laughter subsiding into a warm smile. "I"m rusty is all."
  
  
  
  They moved to the table, a comfortable silence enveloping them. "I'll take your word for it," Shin responded with a hint of dry humor. "Now, to a quick game, and then to rest."
  
  
  
  Sabine shot her hand out and grabbed at Shin"s arm, holding her attention. "Hey," she said.
  
  
  
  "Yes?" Shin asked, resisting the urge to drag Sabine toward the bed and convince her to continue what they started on the sofa.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled and reached up to caress Shin"s cheek. "It was really nice," she said. "Kissing you finally... You"re okay if we take things slow at first and wait a bit?"
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled and offered a gentle smile pondering if Sabine had just read her mind. "I"d wait forever for you, Sabine..."
  
  
  
  Sabine"s eyes sparkled as she sat to play sabacc. She nearly dropped all the cards out of her hands as her tired limbs struggled to move about. Shin had to bite back a smile watching the determined Mandalorian continue. However, to end the game early, Shin allowed Sabine to win so they could hurry off to bed.
  
  
  
  With swift, tender movements, Shin peeled back the covers and gently guided Sabine's weary form into the bed's welcoming embrace. As Sabine nestled in, rubbing her eyes in a sleepy gesture, an accidental elbow jabbed into Shin's back. A loud groan escaped her lips as she turned to face Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Sorry!" Sabine's voice was laced with a mix of apology and nervous humor, her grin uneasy in the dim light. "I"m a disaster tonight."
  
  
  
  Shin, wincing slightly, offered a comforting sigh. "This bed is so vast, Sabine... But you"re not a disaster," she reassured in a soft huff. "You"re just... overwhelmed, that"s all."
  
  
  
  Laying her hands beneath her cheek, Sabine's gaze lingered on Shin, vulnerability flashing in her eyes. "Aren"t you?" she whispered.
  
  
  
  In the flickering glow of the firelight, Shin"s eyes met Sabine's, revealing a depth of emotion. "I am," she confessed softly. "But I"m more so relieved you returned."
  
  
  
  A quiet Oh slipped from Sabine, her breath faint. "Did you like what we did?"
  
  
  
  A smirk touched Shin's lips as she reached out, her fingers tracing a gentle path across Sabine"s cheek. "I loved what we did," she murmured, her voice a velvet whisper. "Isn"t it obvious?"
  
  
  
  Sabine's brow furrowed slightly, her struggle to keep her eyes open evident. "I think so," she mumbled. "Can you just... hold me?"
  
  
  
  As Sabine turned and curled into herself, Shin moved closer, her presence a reassuring shield. "Of course," she agreed softly, sliding in behind her. "What happened to me being too warm for you?"
  
  
  
  Sabine let out a tired groan, pulling Shin's arm around her in a snug embrace. "Just... let me have this moment," she murmured.
  
  
  
  "I will," Shin assured, her voice a gentle murmur.
  
  
  
  Feeling a sense of comfort, Sabine snuggled closer, pressing her back against Shin. A nuance of curiosity threaded through her words. "Do you think... if we kept going, our Force powers would"ve blown up the room?" she asked.
  
  
  
  Shin, her lips still tingling with the memory of their kiss, gave a thoughtful response. "I believe we're learning to master our control," she noted, a sense of assurance in her tone. "So, I don't foresee it being an issue going forward."
  
  
  
  A relieved exhale escaped Sabine. "That"s good," she replied. "Otherwise we"d disturb everyone around us each time."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled lightly, the sound a soothing melody in the quiet room, as she wrapped herself around Sabine's form. She drew Sabine closer, their bodies fitting together in a comforting embrace. "Sleep well, Sabine," Shin whispered tenderly, her breath caressing Sabine's neck.
  
  
  
  "Goodnight, Shin," came Sabine's weary reply, her voice trailing off into the tranquility of the night.
  
  Notes:
  Phew!
  
  I remember being so nervous/excited while writing this and it"s my personal fave so far... for well... reasons hahaha.
  
  I don"t usually ask for comments but if you do have a kind/positive thought for this particular chapter, please consider leaving it so I may read it/respond over my holiday.
  
  Now time to finally go play BG3, sleep, eat and hopefully hit the slopes.
  
  Please be safe and enjoy this time of year as best as you can. It"s different for everyone and not always an easy time, so take care of yourselves. See you soon!
  
  Love,
  
  Vedi
  
  Challenges
  Vedi
  Chapter 21: Into the Depths
  Notes:
  Happy New Year! I hope you've all been doing well!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Dawn's light filtered through the frost-laced windows, casting a soft glow that fused with the flickering firelight and bathed half the room in its gentle embrace. Shin remained propped against the headboard, her gaze lingering on Sabine. Even in sleep, Sabine was a mess of motion - a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. The bed was generously sized, a saving grace given Sabine's restless slumber, where she would often roll, twist, and turn. Shin couldn't help but see the whimsical movements as a charming quirk, albeit a mildly perilous one at times.
  
  
  
  Shin released a quiet sigh, her ears tuned to the muffled murmurs escaping Sabine's lips. Night after night, the whispers were the same - echoes of family, Mandalore, the enigmatic Dark Saber, and other veiled secrets. Shin wrestled with the ethics of her accidental eavesdropping; Sabine, lost in dreams, unwittingly shared parts of her soul. Yet, Shin reasoned that their continued closeness in these vulnerable hours was a silent agreement - an unspoken consent to the sharing of nocturnal confessions.
  
  
  
  Shin took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed briefly as the remnants of the previous night's visions attempted to invade her peace. Consciously, she steered her mind away from those distractions, focusing solely on the present - on Sabine. A slow exhalation followed, her form becoming a portrait of stillness as the sound of her own heartbeat filled her senses, slowing to a calm, steady rhythm as she let herself just listen.
  
  
  
  In the undercurrent of Sabine's quiet breaths and murmurs, Shin sensed an ocean of emotion she couldn't fully fathom. Threads of sorrow woven tightly with strands of anger, disappointment, and fear. Yet, in the world of her dreams, Shin could also discern the shimmering threads of hope - sparks of excitement, the solace of relief, a quiet satisfaction, and the thrum of a passionate longing, all interlaced subtly beneath the surface.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes flickered open, her gaze instinctively drawn to Sabine's slumbering figure. She allowed herself a brief moment to appreciate the details she usually forced herself to ignore - the distinctive beauty mark that punctuated Sabine's features, the charming dip of her dimpled chin and those rosy lips. Her gaze meandered over the soft glow of golden skin, the lithe strength evident in Sabine's form, and the vitality that danced within her usually spirited eyes, now closed in repose.
  
  
  
  Recollections of the previous night seared softly in Shin's memory, particularly the warmth of Sabine's skin beneath her touch, the living pulse she felt under her fingers.
  
  
  
  A reflective sigh escaped Shin as she fanned the fabric of her sleep shirt, contemplating the growing fondness she harbored for Sabine - the sharpness of her intellect, the quicksilver flash of her wit, her prowess with weaponry and the intricacies of machinery. Above all, it was Sabine's remarkable capacity to forge a profound connection with Shin, despite the conflict of their past, that resonated deeply within her.
  
  
  
  As she prepared to rise and face the day, a sudden, insistent banging at the door jolted her from introspection. Her feet had barely brushed the cool floor when the sound echoed through the room, heavy with urgency.
  
  
  
  Sabine's groan filled the room as she bolted upright, eyes wide in alarm.
  
  
  
  "General, Commander," Kradosh's voice resonated with gravitas. "Your aid is required immediately."
  
  
  
  Rising swiftly, Shin threw a concerned glance at Sabine, then stepped briskly to the door. Kradosh, his figure imposing, stood at attention, a solemn bow of his head confirming the gravity of the situation.
  
  
  
  "What's happened?" Shin queried, her tone sharp, as Sabine joined her side.
  
  
  
  "The Tunnel Raiders," Kradosh disclosed with a grimace. "Amidst the revelry of the nuptials, they've trespassed into the village and abducted three newborns from their cradles."
  
  
  
  A gasp escaped Sabine, her face a picture of disbelief. "Infants?" Her voice was full of shock and outrage. "Why?"
  
  
  
  "Their rituals," Kradosh's voice darkened, "involve the infants."
  
  
  
  A chill of dread crept up Shin's spine as her expression hardened. "What manner of rituals?" she demanded.
  
  
  
  "Those that culminate in death," came the grave reply from Kradosh.
  
  
  
  Shin's brow creased in concern. "How were they able to accomplish this?" she inquired.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's expression darkened with worry. "The caretaker watching over the infants was rendered unconscious," he revealed. "They were found only recently by one of the parents. It appears that Spies from the Tunnel Raiders were involved."
  
  
  
  With a derisive snort, Sabine spun on her heel. Her resolve was as perceptible as the tension in the air. "I'll suit up in my beskar. Let"s go," she declared, voice slicing through the thick atmosphere.
  
  
  
  As Shin prepped with equal alacrity, she gestured sharply for Kradosh to step inside. "Detail everything on these Raiders," she commanded, "their ignorance of our powers - does it hold true for now?"
  
  
  
  "Indeed," Kradosh affirmed, his tone underlined with respect. "Against you and Sabine, they stand no chance."
  
  
  
  Seizing her saber with a definitive snap, Shin attached it to her belt, her stance embodying defiance. "They've targeted the innocent," she hissed, her gaze fierce. "Crushing them is but the least of their impending woes."
  
  
  
  Acknowledgment and readiness mirrored in Kradosh's eyes. "Understood, General."
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  The remnants of last night's intimacy haunted Sabine's senses, a relentless surge of sensation that she struggled to suppress. The aftermath lingered on her skin, her consciousness fragmenting into splinters of desire that traced a heated path to her core. With a mental shake, she corralled her wandering thoughts; focus was imperative.
  
  
  
  Even the ride atop Tota was... distracting. Each movement of the beast beneath her was a reminder, a sensual reminder, that resonated with the night's memories.
  
  
  
  Her grip tightened on the reins as she made a subtle adjustment to her beskar armor. Ilyara, their pathfinder, led with unwavering determination. Sabine felt the flush of exertion on her skin, the sweat tracing her spine, while the wind whipped away any moisture from her gaze. A silent battle raged within, urging her to steal glances at Shin, but she resisted, channeling her attention to the mission.
  
  
  
  The landscape grew imposing, with mountains that clawed at the sky, looming over them as they navigated the narrowing pass. The terrain underfoot turned treacherous, a sludge-thick mud that clung to the Howlers' paws, challenging their relentless advance. Yet they persevered, driven by Ilyara's confident gestures toward what she surmised was the Raiders' subterranean bastion.
  
  
  
  The gravity of their task weighed heavily on Sabine, tethering her spirit to the present, to the urgency of their quest. She steeled herself, the resolve firming in her heart as they moved ever closer to confronting the darkness that had dared to steal innocence from their midst.
  
  
  
  Sabine gently stroked Tota"s mane, offering a silent thanks to the sturdy creature for its unwavering efforts. Tota"s breaths were heavy, yet his resolve mirrored their own as they edged closer to the lair of the elusive adversaries. The Tunnel Raiders-whose sinister reputation preceded them-remained a mystery in many ways. Their habits, emerging with the thaw of winter, suggested a cunning that made them all the more dangerous. Sabine filed away her questions about their culture; such luxuries of learning their history were a currency they could not afford in these pressing moments.
  
  
  
  Her gaze drifted to the front of their group, catching sight of Shin poised just behind Ilyara. The determined set of Shin"s jaw was as much a compass as Ilyara"s directions. Despite the gravity of their mission, Sabine"s pulse quickened with a personal tumult, memories of the night before intertwining with the present"s sharp edge. The striking difference between celebration and this urgent rescue reflected the unpredictable nature of their lives-reminiscent of the chaos and friendship of Sabine's time aboard the Ghost, where each day was a mix of the unexpected.
  
  
  
  The air crackled with static as Sabine tweaked her communicator. "Ahsoka?" she tried, her voice steady amidst the tumult.
  
  
  
  It was Huyang, not Ahsoka, whose voice filtered through, metallic and precise. "Affirmative, Lady Wren," he confirmed. "Your signal is clear. We're en route and will be joining you shortly."
  
  
  
  Sabine, not wanting to make another mistake, knew the virtue in rallying reinforcements. Ahsoka, quick to action, had already taken to the skies upon Sabine's initial report, leaving the defense of the Noti in capable hands until her return.
  
  
  
  "The terrain here is muddy," Sabine warned, visualizing the difficulty it might pose for landing. "Be careful."
  
  
  
  "Received and acknowledged," Huyang's voice crackled in response, the line buzzing with the sound of the connection straining against the distance.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze was fixed on the expanse above as she discerned the distinct shape of the T-6 shuttle piercing the horizon. The ground beneath her churned, the scent of wet dirt rising up as Ilyara executed a sharp left turn, directing attention to a specific point in the sky. The pace of the howlers decelerated, finally halting, and Sabine smoothly dismounted, her eyes following the T-6 as it deftly navigated to a rocky landing spot nearby.
  
  
  
  "Their closest known stronghold lies there," Ilyara announced, her arm outstretched toward a rugged opening nestled between a pair of jutting boulders.
  
  
  
  As Sabine assessed the entrance, Ahsoka's form emerged, moving with an almost ethereal grace across the sodden ground. Without a word, Ahsoka enveloped Sabine in an embrace that, despite its unexpectedness, was filled with warmth. Sabine, momentarily taken aback, soon relaxed into the hug.
  
  
  
  "Sabine, your efforts are commendable," Ahsoka whispered, stepping back with an approving gaze. "I appreciate you calling me."
  
  
  
  A hint of red blossomed on Sabine's cheeks, and her spirits lifted at the praise. "Thanks, Ahsoka," she said, her grin tempered by the gravity of their mission. "Invasion of the baby snatchers happened last night."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's attention shifted towards the cavernous entrance, her expression hardening with resolve. "Then let"s put a stop to it," she declared, signaling the assembled rescuers to prepare for what lay ahead.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin took the lead, her saber held before her like a talisman against the darkness. The tunnel's mouth yawned wide, an ominous void that swallowed the light and seemed to swallow sound as well. With each step she took, the light of the day dimmed behind her, and the embrace of the tunnel became more profound, more complete.
  
  
  
  She glanced at Sabine, her heart lifting, but the coils in her stomach reminded her of the task at hand. Ahsoka was a welcome addition, their combined stance would be a great asset to the rescue. The Tunnel Raiders wouldn"t dare cause any issues after Shin was done with them. Infants? Preposterous.
  
  
  
  The chill of the underground air wrapped around Shin like a damp cloak. It seeped through her clothes and pricked at her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms. She could feel the coolness of the walls radiating against her exposed cheeks, the air tasting of mineral and wet stone.
  
  
  
  Her footsteps, measured and careful, were muffled by the soil beneath her boots. She was acutely aware of the quiet that enveloped the group, the kind of silence that presses in on the eardrums and heightens every small noise. Occasionally, the soft sounds of the others' movements reached her-a scuff, a breath, a muted clank of armor from Sabine at her back.
  
  
  
  But everyone remained quiet- stealthy, to listen for the sounds of infants that might echo down the tunnels.
  
  
  
  The walls of the tunnel were rough-hewn, showing the scars of their making. They brushed against Shin's outstretched hand, a tangible reminder of the presence of those who'd carved this path before them. Here and there, the glow of her saber would catch on something unexpected-a vein of carbonite perhaps, or the scuttle of some small, unseen creature.
  
  
  
  Despite the pressing dark, Shin's senses remained alert. She cataloged every new turn of the tunnel, every change in the air, and the subtle signs of passage. She could feel the weight of the mountain above them, a silent, oppressive force that was as real to her as the ground beneath her feet.
  
  
  
  The saber light danced over the walls, throwing long shadows that played tricks on the eyes. It was easy to imagine figures lurking just beyond the reach of light, watching, waiting. But Shin pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the mission, on the reason they crept through the belly of the world.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's white saber suddenly hissed to life, piercing the gloom with its luminous blade and arresting the group's advance. "There's a presence," she murmured, her voice barely above a breath. "A distant cry, perhaps?"
  
  
  
  Ilyara inched forward, her grip tightening on the shaft of her spear. "The children?" she speculated, her voice thin with concern.
  
  
  
  With a decisive tilt of her weapon, Ahsoka indicated a shadowy corridor to their right. "We proceed in that direction," she instructed, assuming the lead with a composed urgency. "Eyes watch us from the shadows. Remain vigilant."
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze sharpened as she scanned the encroaching dark. There were things lurking. The notion of the Tunnel Raiders observing them was plausible-after all, this subterranean maze, with its shifting shadows and deceptive silence, could easily harbor unseen watchers.
  
  
  
  The walls of the tunnel seemed to groan and shift, with strange sounds resonating as if the very bowels of the world were stirring. Shin's expression hardened, her fingers coiled around her saber's hilt, primed for instantaneous action. She threw a protective glance at Sabine, an unspoken promise of safeguarding between them, then shifted her focus to Ahsoka who took position at her side. Kradosh, Jex and Ilyara maintained a tight formation, their senses as taut as bowstrings, while the rest of their party stood in ready anticipation.
  
  
  
  Drawing a deep breath, Shin expanded her awareness, letting the Force seep into her senses, her conduit to everything within and beyond the darkness. In a fleeting moment of concentration, her eyes snapped shut, embracing the connection. With a sudden flash of motion, her saber arced through the air, cleaving the muddied wall. A strangled yelp burst forth as a shadowed figure crumpled to the ground. When all eyes converged on her, Shin"s gaze was as sharp as the blade she wielded.
  
  
  
  "These walls harbor more than secrets," Shin declared with icy precision.
  
  
  
  Approaching the felled figure, Ilyara traced her fingers over the earthen wall, a frown etching her features. "A cunning new tactic," she observed, her voice laced with unease. "They've never melded with the stone itself before. This is odd."
  
  
  
  Kradosh brandished his spear with grim determination. "Their strategy evolves," he acknowledged grimly. "And this is their home ground."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's gaze pierced the murky depths of an adjacent tunnel, which seemed to plunge even further into the abyss. "Proceed this direction," she instructed.
  
  
  
  Shin"s attention was abruptly captured by the sound of infants" cries reverberating through the tunnel, a chorus of life amidst the stillness. "They're alive," she stated, a hint of urgency in her voice. "Let"s hurry."
  
  
  
  The party navigated the labyrinthine passages, their path intermittently illuminated by the sporadic glow of lightsabers and flickering torches. They encountered a few Tunnel Raiders who skulked from the shadows, but these foes were promptly dispatched, bewildered by the unexpected might of the Force-sensitive invaders.
  
  
  
  As the wails of the infants intensified, signaling their proximity, the group emerged into an expansive cavern. It bore the marks of habitual occupation: sleeping quarters, remnants of meals, personal effects scattered about. Yet amidst these traces of daily life, the babies lay isolated, their cries unanswered.
  
  
  
  Shin's gaze swept over the cavern; every sense heightened for signs of an ambush. With measured steps, she approached the cluster of blankets where the infants were swaddled, her mind alert to any subtle shifts in the Force around them.
  
  
  
  Sabine couldn't suppress a triumphant grin as she scooped up one of the infants, her face lighting up with a blend of relief and delight. "That was almost too easy," she declared, cuddling the baby close. "And hey, look at this little one already taking a shine to me!"
  
  
  
  Ahsoka, ever vigilant, cast a disapproving glance as she patrolled the edges of the room. "They're not playthings, Sabine," she reminded sternly.
  
  
  
  Ilyara, more pragmatic, gently retrieved the infant from Sabine's arms, organizing the rest of the children for the journey back.
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression playfully fell into a mock pout. "So, no Huttball with the kiddos, huh?"
  
  
  
  "Sabine!" Ahsoka's reprimand came sharp, a clear warning in her tone.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged nonchalantly and chuckled, dismissing her own jest. "Relax, I'm just joking."
  
  
  
  Ahsoka exhaled deeply, her sabers casting long shadows as she scrutinized every corner for hidden threats.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, Shin's focus was drawn to a peculiar wire snaking across the ground. She followed its course with a warrior's intuition, noting how it disappeared beneath the makeshift mess of blankets and rugs-clearly meant to obscure whatever lay beneath. Holding her saber at the ready, Shin meticulously traced the line with her eyes, prepared for whatever trickery the Tunnel Raiders might have left in their wake.
  
  
  
  "Sabine," Shin's voice cut through the tension, sharp and urgent.
  
  
  
  Sabine stopped her teasing of the infants perched on Kradosh's back and looked over. "Yeah?" she replied, noting the seriousness in Shin's tone.
  
  
  
  Shin pointed at the wire snaking along the ground. "Do you see this?"
  
  
  
  With a few quick steps, Sabine joined Shin and peered down. After a moment's inspection, her breath caught. "Time's up-we've got to move, now!"
  
  
  
  Shin's response was immediate, her hand propelling Sabine forward with a forceful push. "It"s a trap!" she barked, the phrase a catalyst for chaos.
  
  
  
  The party's momentary paralysis shattered as the walls began to groan ominously. An explosion boomed, reverberating through the cavern, as stones started to tumble from above. Panic ensued as the room began to implode.
  
  
  
  "Forward-move!" Shin commanded, thrusting Sabine into a sprint. The team surged up the tunnel, driven by the thunderous sounds of their world collapsing behind them.
  
  
  
  Shin's voice rose above the noise, guiding them. "Left! Now right!" She remembered the path they had taken, the mental map clear amidst the mayhem. As the tunnel convulsed, threatening to entomb them, Shin felt the brush of death at her heels. But she pushed on, her determination as relentless as the force of the cave-in, driving her and her companions towards the faint glimmer of safety.
  
  
  
  Sabine often glanced back at Shin, her eyes big and glassy.
  
  
  
  Keep your eyes ahead and run!
  
  
  
  But what if this is the last time I get to see you?
  
  
  
  Then you"ll have my memory
  
  
  
  Ilyara's alarm broke through the rumble, her voice laden with fear. "It"s closing in by the exit!" she exclaimed, as the ground shook beneath them like the heartbeat of the mountain.
  
  
  
  With resolute determination, Sabine stretched out her hand. "It won't collapse!" she proclaimed assertively. A powerful energy pulsed through the air as she steadfastly maintained the tunnel's integrity. Despite the trembling and groaning of the world around them, she successfully prevented the tunnel from caving in.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka and Shin mirrored Sabine, focusing their combined wills. A surreal calm enveloped the chaos as, by some unseen force, the tumultuous cascade of dirt and debris hung motionless, suspended in time.
  
  
  
  Their path cleared, the rescue team seized the moment, bolting through the petrified turmoil. The tunnel, momentarily subdued, held its breath until every last one of them had spilled into the open.
  
  
  
  As they tumbled out, the land reclaimed its right, swallowing the entrance whole, leaving no trace of the abyss that had nearly become their tomb.
  
  
  
  Exhausted, Sabine collapsed to her knees, her breaths coming in rapid torrents. "Dank farrik, that was too close," she gasped, relief lacing her strained voice.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's hand came to rest reassuringly on Sabine's shoulder, her touch grounding. "Well done, Sabine," she acknowledged with a proud nod. "And Shin, your vigilance was our salvation. Without your keen perception, our fates would be sealed."
  
  
  
  Shin, her energy waning, managed to find solace on her knees amidst the chaos, the cries of the infants now a clear sign of their survival rather than an alarm of distress. She looked up at Ahsoka, gratitude and fatigue mingling in her sweat-streaked face.
  
  
  
  ********
  
  
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka, with a tactical vigilance sharpened by recent events, stood within arm's reach of the ship-a silent acknowledgment that at a moment's notice, they might need to spring aboard and vanish into the skies. They directed their unwavering attention toward Ilyara and Kradosh, absorbing every detail of the plan being forged to counter the Tunnel Raiders' threat. The ship's proximity served as a reassuring bulwark, a promise of rapid evacuation from the precarious uncertainty that lay with the Raiders' next move.
  
  
  
  The gravity of their situation was unmistakable; the Force had been their shield, their protector in the subterranean chaos where the Raiders had set their deadly path. Now, in the aftermath, they stood unified in their resolve to reinforce their defenses, to become an immovable bastion amidst the howling winds and ice.
  
  
  
  "You have our assistance any time you need," Ahsoka affirmed, her voice cutting through the biting air, her eyes briefly connecting with the T-6. It stood ready, its hull marred by the harsh elements, yet unyielding. "Do you think they"ll retaliate?" Ahsoka"s question hung in the frigid air, her breath forming a cloud of mist as she spoke.
  
  
  
  Ilyara's response was as crisp as the crunch of snow underfoot. "Not above ground," she declared, her breath also misting before her. "And our land is too frozen for them to dig." Her assurance stemmed from the knowledge that the very earth was an ally in its current state, as unyielding and cold as their determination.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's response was a measured nod, arms crossed against the chill that sought to seep into her bones. "Then we bide our time," she suggested, her words a vow as much as a strategy.
  
  
  
  The conversation turned tactical as Kradosh, the imposing figure garbed in armor that spoke of countless battles, meticulously adjusted his helmet and brushed away the residue of their recent encounter. "We could possibly capture a spy," he mused. "I feel as though something is amiss here and we need answers."
  
  
  
  Shin, amidst the mundane task of shaking the last remnants of the underground from her hair, interjected with a warrior's focus. "Patrols," she declared, bringing an edge of proactive defiance to the mix. "We do randomized patrols until we find something."
  
  
  
  As they strategized, Ilyara's gaze lingered on the sleeping infants, their innocent slumber a stark contrast to the harshness of their surroundings. "Footsteps in the snow, trails of mud..." she mused, pointing out the silent tells of an unseen enemy against the pristine blanket of snow.
  
  
  
  Sabine's posture shifted to one of contemplation, hands on her hips as she contemplated the wisdom of their plan. "If they have eyes on us, they'll know we got out then," she noted.
  
  
  
  "And that's okay," Ahsoka countered with the serenity of a seasoned Master, her assurance a bastion against doubt. "They should also now know we're not to be trifled with."
  
  
  
  Sabine's expression shifted, a blend of intrigue and contemplation. "Well, what now?" she queried, seeking the path forward.
  
  
  
  Kradosh's attention to the T-6 was a silent acknowledgment of their reliance on the shuttle. "Is it possible, Master Ahsoka, to provide me with a lift back to check on my people?" His request was underlined with the weight of responsibility he carried for his kin.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka's smile was a rare gem in the cold, the warmth of it promising camaraderie and support. "Of course," she responded with a gentle nod.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka"s focus shifted to Sabine, her invitation a reminder of the bond they shared. "Sabine. I"d like you back for a while too."
  
  
  
  The question in Sabine's eyes was mirrored by Shin"s unspoken concern, the air between them charged with the weight of unvoiced thoughts. "You do?" Sabine asked, seeking affirmation.
  
  
  
  "I do."
  
  
  
  Kradosh saw the moment for what it was-a pause in the storm. "Then let us have lunch and head to our homes," he concluded, his voice resonating with the simple, grounding power of tradition and the reminder that even warriors must eat, must rest, must find respite in the rhythm of daily life before facing what lay ahead.
  
  
  
  **********
  
  
  
  Shin leaned against the rugged surface of a boulder, the rough texture contrasting with the delicate fruit in her hand. She took a bite, the crunch echoing sharply in the hush that hovered between her and Sabine, who stood just a stride away. They were tucked out of sight, with Ahsoka awaiting their return to embark on their next endeavor.
  
  
  
  Shin observed Sabine closely, noting the thoughtful loop of her thumbs around her holsters. "You're becoming very strong, Sabine," she commented.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, uncertainty in her voice. "Am I really?" she queried, almost to herself.
  
  
  
  Shin casually brushed a hand through her hair, taking another bite of her fruit. "You single-handedly prevented that tunnel's collapse," she pointed out.
  
  
  
  Sabine's gaze drifted to the collapsed entrance of the labyrinth they had navigated earlier, her lips pursing in contemplation. "Just a few months ago, I was barely able to tap into the Force," she reflected, her voice low, carried away by the wind.
  
  
  
  Shin studied Sabine's face, searching for clues to her thoughts. "And yet, your actions were pivotal in our escape," she gently prodded.
  
  
  
  Shrugging, Sabine played down her role. "It was teamwork, really. You and Ahsoka kept it intact."
  
  
  
  Observing Sabine, Shin noted several emotions - confusion, a hint of sadness, and an underlying strength that Sabine seemed hesitant to acknowledge. "Will we stay in touch while you're at the Noti camp?" Shin asked, her tone casual but laced with desperation she tried to hide.
  
  
  
  "Comms would be practical," Sabine suggested, her footsteps a soft pattern on the muddy ground.
  
  
  
  "Practical, yes," Shin agreed, the fruit's sweetness lingering on her tongue. "But then Huyang becomes our unintended audience."
  
  
  
  A sigh escaped Sabine as she dragged her hand down her face, a veil of exasperation. "I don"t know how long I"ll be," she confessed.
  
  
  
  Shin discarded the fruit's core, her back molding to the boulder's cold embrace. "Being with your Master is important," she reminded Sabine. "And I need to help here."
  
  
  
  Sabine weaved her fingers through her cropped hair, a gesture of contained turmoil, and closed the gap between them. "I know," she conceded. "But, last night-"
  
  
  
  "What about it?" Shin prodded gently, locking her gaze with Sabine as a sliver of sunlight broke through the cloud cover, crowning Sabine with a golden glow.
  
  
  
  "It was... nice," Sabine admitted, lifting her eyes to meet Shin's. "I don"t like our past but... I"d like you in my future."
  
  
  
  Shin's pulse surged, creating a tumultuous rhythm against the stillness. She moistened her lips, her eyes delving into Sabine's, seeking truth. She found it there, in the raw intensity of Sabine's gaze that seemed to see right through her.
  
  
  
  "This is a place of dreams and madness," Shin's voice was a whisper, laden with wonder. "Is all of it real?"
  
  
  
  "It"s real," Sabine assured, her gaze momentarily drifting away before locking back onto Shin's.
  
  
  
  A tightness constricted Shin's throat, her gratitude for the boulder's steady support unspoken. "And after all this... will you still be here?" she inquired, her voice soft.
  
  
  
  Sabine's affirmation was silent but steadfast-a nod imbued with a promise. "I'll do what I can," she said softly. "There are things we can"t do alone, Shin. Trust me I know."
  
  
  
  Shin nervously toyed with her fingers, a habit she tried to curb as she contemplated her evolving self. Being with Sabine Wren, she realized, was reshaping her in subtle ways.
  
  
  
  "I've grown tired of solitude," Shin confessed.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes twinkled mischievously, her lips curving into a playful grin. "Really now?" she teased.
  
  
  
  For a fleeting moment, Shin's gaze lingered on Sabine"s lips, triggering a surge of memories from their intimate night together, stirring a deep longing within her. "Of course, some tasks are for one," Shin added hastily. "But, whenever possible, I want you there with me."
  
  
  
  "Ah," Sabine voiced, a note of understanding in her tone as she closed the distance between them, her steps deliberate. "I could do that."
  
  
  
  A tentative smile tugged at Shin's lips. "Then, until your return?"
  
  
  
  "Until then," Sabine affirmed, and their proximity vanished in the space of a heartbeat.
  
  
  
  In that moment, their kiss was an eloquent exchange that needed no words, resonating with the depth of a shared past and the hope of an unwritten future. They parted briefly, gasping in the sharp, fresh air, their embrace a silent affirmation of a connection that, improbably, had rooted itself in their hearts.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  They won't be apart for long. What's that saying, distance something something, hearts something haha ;]
  
  Caged Wolves
  ChocolateCookieCream
  Summary:
  As Sabine is held prisoner on the Eye of Sion, Shin comes to her cell so that she can pry the Mandalorian for information. PWP. Very M-rated smut. Intersex. G!P Sabine x G!P Shin.
  
  Work Text:
  THIS FIC CONTAINS EXPLICIT SMUT. SABINE AND SHIN IN THIS FIC ARE INTERSEX AND HAVE A PENIS. ALL CHARACTERS INVOLVED ARE OVER 18. PLEASE ENJOY!
  
  XXX
  
  The Eye of Sion was still traversing through Hyperspace. She could feel it in the subtle vibrations through the floor beneath her feet. She could hear the metallic walls around her still creaking. There was no way of knowing how long their journey would take. It was still a possibility that they might not even arrive at their destination. However, Morgan and Baylan's conviction to their cause was evident. They were beyond certain that this route would lead them to Thrawn.
  
  Likewise, Sabine hoped that she could be reunited with Ezra.
  
  She couldn't stomach the idea of losing more of her family.
  
  Sabine lifted her head when she heard the mechanisms for the door unlock. Four of Morgan's personal enforcers stepped into view, clearing a path for Shin Hati to enter.
  
  Sabine straightened her back and immediately locked eyes with the Dark Jedi. The air in the cramped cell was thick as the two women stared at each other in contemplative silence. Shin tilted her head, gazing at Sabine in an almost curious manner. Sabine tried not to crack. She feared that showing any momentary weakness or hesitation would give her enemy the advantage. Although, it felt like she couldn't be at any greater disadvantage considering the situation she was currently in. Yet, the longer she watched the white-haired enigma, the more she felt her will fracture. There was something about Shin that captivated Sabine. Could it be their dual connection of being apprentices?
  
  Or, was there something else that Sabine was drawn towards?
  
  Shin glanced at one of the guards standing beside her. ''Leave us.''
  
  They were apprehensive for a split second before obeying her command. Morgan's personal enforcers walked out of the cell and shut the door behind them, closing off any hope of Sabine making a daring escape.
  
  Sabine's lip twitched as she forced a coy smile. ''Alone at last. If you happen to have a spare lightsaber on you, what's say that you and I have a little rematch?''
  
  Shin's expression remained stoic as she closed the distance between them. Sabine wasn't sure what to make of this. Was the Dark Jedi overconfident? Sabine wasn't in much of a state to fight back with her wrists currently handcuffed. Still, she could give Shin trouble if an opportunity presented itself. But, Sabine waited for the right time.
  
  The Mandalorian warrior sighed in frustration. ''If you've come to question me, giving me the silent treatment isn't the best way to go about it.''
  
  ''It will only be a few questions,'' Shin said. Her cold eyes never diverted away from Sabine's face, causing the graffiti artist to blush slightly. ''Why did you do it?''
  
  ''Do what?''
  
  ''You had the map. You could have destroyed it and ensured that Thrawn would have no way of returning. Yet, you broke because of someone you know. Ezra Bridger.''
  
  A wave of memories washed over Sabine upon hearing that name. Nostalgia comforted her like a warm embrace. She wanted to smile, but she remained vigilant with Shin. She didn't want to give the Dark Jedi the satisfaction of slipping into her mind. ''I'm not going to tell you anything about him.''
  
  ''I don't care about him,'' Shin replied frostily. ''I want to know your relationship towards him.''
  
  Sabine's brow was raised. ''Excuse me?''
  
  ''You've risked the future of the galaxy for a chance to save him. He must be special in your heart.''
  
  ''H-he is!'' Sabine responded. She swallowed the lump in her throat. For whatever reason, the room seemed to get hotter, not helped by the fact that Shin was still advancing towards her. ''He's family.''
  
  ''Family?'' Shin's lip curled into a slight grin. ''Is that all?''
  
  Despite her situation, Sabine broke out into laughter. ''Are you trying to find out if he's my boyfriend or something?''
  
  ''Something...'' Shin said with chilly certainty as she knelt in front of Sabine.
  
  Their faces were inches apart. If Sabine wanted, she could have tried to headbutt the Dark Jedi and fight to break free. But, she didn't. She feared that Shin would counter her move and cut this interrogation short. Also, she was intrigued by where Shin was taking this conversation. She could feel their hearts racing in unison. Why was Shin also nervous? How did Sabine know that she was nervous? Why was she feeling more connected to someone who was considered her enemy than any other person in her life recently?
  
  Sabine sighed and was the first to break eye contact. ''Ezra and I aren't like that. We've been through a lot. More than what many people go through. He's been there for me when I've had my bad days. Now, I'm returning the favor.''
  
  ''You were never...intimate with him?''
  
  Sabine was too shocked to answer right away. Yet, Shin's face was etched with genuine curiosity, as if she was trying to piece together Sabine's history there and then. ''No! Not at all!'' Sabine answered. ''Let's just say that Ezra is not my type. Shall we talk about your romantic life next?''
  
  Her sarcasm did little to sway Shin's focus. The Dark Jedi craned her head to the side ever so slightly. ''Have you ever been intimate with anyone?''
  
  A chill ran up Sabine's spine. It should have felt unpleasant. But, it didn't. She gulped and leaned back. ''I think that we're done talking.''
  
  ''No,'' Shin raised her hand. ''We're just getting started.''
  
  Sabine's blood turned cold when she realized what Shin was about to do. Her walls immediately came up as she tried to shield her mind from the Dark Jedi's influence. However, the difference in their skill with the Force became apparent as Shin was swiftly able to pry into the Mandalorian's mind. Images of Sabine's past played vividly before Shin's eyes. Her wrist twisted slightly, dialling through the echoes of Sabine's memories, searching for her true feelings. Sabine reared her head back and sighed. There was no point in fighting the inevitable. Her only weapon was her wit.
  
  ''See anything you like?'' she asked sarcastically.
  
  Shin did not bat an eye. She stared at Sabine. The flames of curiosity intensified. ''Hera...''
  
  Sabine groaned. ''That was one time. It wasn't long after Kanan passed. We had a few drinks and...''
  
  ''Quiet!''
  
  ''Hey, you're the one who came here to question me,'' Sabine taunted.
  
  A slight twinge of pain creaked at the back of her neck. She knew that Shin was digging deeper into her thoughts. Sabine should have reacted more harshly to have her mind picked open. Yet, her resistance was minimal.
  
  Was she open to the idea of Shin finding her dirty secrets?
  
  Another face and name became visible to Shin. Her eyes widened. ''I see...your mother...''
  
  ''Yeah, well...I was close with my mom after we sorted out some family matters.''
  
  Shin grinned. ''Closer than most mother and daughters should be.''
  
  Sabine's cheeks reddened. The true nature of her relationship with her mother was somewhat of an open secret to those who knew her well. However, she hadn't thought about those forbidden nights of passion for a while. Especially after Ursa's passing.
  
  No.
  
  Sabine turned her head. She tried to cast aside those hurtful memories. But, it was too late. Shin had seen all that she needed. Fragments of the past came together like pieces of a puzzle. Faces crossed paths at the crossroads of Sabine's life.
  
  ''Your feelings for Ahsoka Tano are strained. You blame her for leaving you after the destruction of Mandalore. She abandoned you despite how...close you two had become...''
  
  ''Enough!'' Sabine snapped.
  
  It was enough to break the link between them. Shin was momentarily stunned by the outburst. The two women locked eyes as the intense nature of their confrontation gripped them into place. Sabine leaned closer until her face was inches away from Shin's. For the first time since she stepped into the cell, the Dark Jedi was the hesitant one. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Sabine's eyes and her lips.
  
  Sabine noticed, and smirked. ''Try something. I'm not afraid of you.''
  
  ''I don't want you to fear me,'' Shin rose to her feet.
  
  ''You want me to love you instead? Because we're a long way from that.''
  
  Shin's eyes darted downward. Something of particular interest caught her eye. A sinister smile took shape. ''It's not about love. Passion can be conjured in other ways.''
  
  The Dark Jedi raised her hand and focused on a certain area of Sabine's body. Sabine stared in perplexity before a wave of pleasure surged through her body. A gasp escaped from her as she glanced down to her groin. Between her legs, a prominent bulge started to take shape beneath her padded underwear. She couldn't recall when exactly she had started to become hard. Honestly...it could have happened the moment Shin stepped into view. Sabine wasn't going to deny that she found the mysterious warrior attractive. But, they were enemies. Nothing more. Sabine had to ignore the dark temptations. Love was not the Jedi way.
  
  Then again...Sabine wasn't an ordinary Jedi.
  
  Sabine's breathing quickened as an unseen force brushed against her concealed erection. She became overwhelmed with ecstasy when she felt the bottom half of her armor being removed. Shin remained two steps out of reach as she used her abilities to strip her captive and leave her bear below the waist. Sabine's cock sprang into view. It stood at a mightily impressive 10 inches. It was throbbing intensely as pre-cum leaked out of the tip. Slowly, Shin moved her hand up and down in a smooth motion.
  
  ''Fuck!'' Sabine cried out.
  
  Despite there being no physical contact between them, Sabine revelled in the sensation of her cock being stroked like this. She'd often wondered what it felt like to do this. She remembered that she once teased Ahsoka over the possibility. Her master never went through with the idea, although she did seem to be amused by the suggestion. Shin had no reservations about using the Force to fulfil her desires. She brushed her hand up and down faster. The pressure around Sabine's shaft grew. A fire burned in the pit of the Mandalorian's stomach. Her hips bucked in response.
  
  Then, Sabine noticed it. She snorted. ''Looks like you're enjoying this too.''
  
  Shin looked down to see where Sabine was staring. Beneath her robe, a tent was sticking out. This momentary distraction didn't stop her from continuing to torment Sabine. Her hand clutched as if she was gripping Sabine's cock like a vice. Sabine threw her head back and moaned in delightful agony.
  
  Still, Sabine smiled. ''I'd return the favor, but my hands a little tied. Maybe you can loosen them for me?''
  
  ''Do you really think I will fall for such an obvious trick?'' Shin stepped forward. ''Besides, there is another way you can please me.''
  
  It didn't take long for Sabine to know what Shin was referring to. The Dark Jedi's groin was level with her face. Sabine licked her lips. ''Are you sure about that? I'll make your knees quake before you break me.''
  
  ''I accept your challenge.''
  
  With her free hand, Shin folded the front of her robe to the side and reached down to grab her cock. Sabine was taken aback by its immense size. The Dark Jedi's shaft wasn't as thick as the Mandalorian's, but it did reach an amazing 13 inches in length. Shin didn't say another word as she thrust her hips forward and drove her cock into Sabine's parted mouth. Sabine gagged on Shin's dick but didn't back away. Her lips slid up and down the shaft as she bobbed her head rapidly. At the same time, Shin quickened the motion of her hand so that she could Force-Stroke Sabine's dick faster. The room was soon filled with the slick sounds of their seductive efforts. Moans reverberated off the walls as they worked to pleasure and conquer the other person.
  
  ''This is a much better use for your mouth!'' Shin purred.
  
  Sabine was unable to retort. She was far too busy sucking Shin's cock. The intoxicating taste compelled her to deepthroat the massive organ, even as it speared her throat repeatedly, causing her to choke on it over and over again. When that wasn't enough, Sabine darted her head down to lick on Shin's balls. As she slurped on them and took both in her mouth, she delighted in hearing Shin's mewls of pleasure. It was a sweet sound. This wasn't how she expected to see Shin's softer side, but she wasn't going to complain. Spit rained down the corners of her mouth and onto her lap. Every inch of her own cock was enveloped in a powerful pressure that wouldn't falter.
  
  However, it soon became clear that Sabine was more experienced. She was able to hold out longer. Shin buckled and squirmed as she felt herself on the brink of a powerful release. Her other hand gripped Sabine's hair tightly as she rammed her cock down Sabine's throat and came hard. The psychic hold she had on Sabine evaporated as she erupted in the other woman's mouth, spilling her hot load for what felt like minutes. Sabine kept her lips sealed around the hilt as she swallowed every last drop of Shin's seed.
  
  After the Dark Jedi was sucked dry, Sabine pulled her head back and smiled up at her. ''I win.''
  
  Shin's face twisted with frustration. Suddenly, she pressed herself up against Sabine and spread the Mandalorian's legs. Before Sabine could question her, she felt her hips being lifted off the seat as Shin's cock probed her rear. As the thick shaft slid between her cheeks, she questioned whether or not she wanted to fight back. She very quickly had her answer as she stared directly into Shin's eyes and waited for the moment of explosive passion. Shin thrust her cock into Sabine's ass and immediately began to buck her hips, fucking her prisoner without remorse. Then, she added to the pleasure by grabbing Sabine's dick to stroke it with her hand properly. Sabine's eyes rolled back into her head as she found herself riding against Shin. Her ass clenched tightly around the pulsating shaft.
  
  Even if she wasn't handcuffed, she'd have been more than happy to let Shin do all the work. Her lip curled into a smile as she felt Shin fucking her harder and faster. ''Is that all you've got!?''
  
  Not content with being teased, Shin let her emotions get the better of her and she used her other hand to Force-Choke Sabine. She gasped loudly and arched her back. For a moment, Shin seemed to break through her blind stupor. Her outstretched hand twitched and she was on the verge of lowering it when...
  
  ''Harder...''
  
  Shin slowed her thrusts. She wasn't sure if she misheard.
  
  Sabine wore a mask of absolute resolve. ''Harder!''
  
  Initially reluctant, Shin obeyed. She tightened the Force around Sabine's neck, which resulted in the prisoner crying out in pained pleasure. She grinded her ass against Sabine's dick to encourage her to continue. It was enough to bring Shin out of her daze as she gave Sabine what she craved. One hand was on Sabine's cock, stroking it furiously until her muscles ached. Her other hand turned from left to right as she measured the amount of power she wanted to use to choke Sabine to her heart's content. Sabine's strained moans echoed throughout the cell. Yet, there wasn't a single moment where it looked like she wanted the Dark Jedi to stop.
  
  Amidst the intense pounding, it clicked into place for Shin. She understood why Sabine wanted this. None of her previous lovers would treat her like this. Hera was an older, motherly figure who needed to feel compassion in a moment of despair. Ursa Wren would never dream of being this rough with her daughter. And Ahsoka...she coddled Sabine too much.
  
  Was she afraid to break her apprentice?
  
  Was she afraid that their passion would bring Sabine down another path?
  
  Sabine ascended to heights of pleasure that she'd never before experienced. She screamed to the best of her abilities whilst her throat was being squeezed. Shin felt the Mandalorian's cock pulse in her hand as she came on herself. White ropes of hot seed blasted all over Sabine's armor.
  
  A new work of art for her.
  
  Shin wasn't far behind. She grunted like a feral animal as she pumped every inch of her cock inside Sabine's ass and released her load, filling her to the brim. Cum oozed out of Sabine's rear as Shin swiftly pulled away. The Dark Jedi marched towards the door and opened it, glancing over her shoulder once more to glare at the dazed prisoner.
  
  ''We'll be arriving soon. Fix yourself up.'' She stepped out of the cell and the door shut itself behind her.
  
  Sabine panted heavily as she stared down at the mess that had been left on her, as well as inside her. Despite her situation, she couldn't help but smile. ''Probably my favorite work yet.''
  
  Bump, Set, Spike
  JenFMax
  Summary:
  A Modern Day, Volleyball WolfWren AU... Shin and Sabine have been rivals since they were thirteen, but best friends before then. Sabine has never known the reason as to why Shin started picking fights with her, to which she would also fight back. One fight ends up determining their future..
  
  Notes:
  Hey guys!! Welcome to my WolfWren AU!!! I'm also the author of Shin and Sabine on here!! Hope you guys enjoy this idea that popped into my head a couple weeks ago!!
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 1: Why Do We Always Meet With A Fight
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, as she pulled her clothes from her dryer, carrying them to her room. Tonight was a big game between her team, The Jedi's, and her rival team- The Mercenaries. Sabine was the Captain of her team, and her arch-enemy, Shin Hati, was the Captain of the Mercenaries. Their rivalry went back to middle school, when they'd been thirteen.
  
  
  
  They'd been best friends, and Sabine still never knew what had suddenly changed within Shin. Shin had hurt her deeply, and so now anytime they saw one another, a fight always broke out between them at their games.
  
  
  
  They played Professional Volleyball, and had played together until college, when their paths separated to different schools. They were both twenty five years old, and high strung.
  
  
  
  Sabine had gone to Lothal University, and Shin had gone to Seatos College. They'd gotten detention several times from their fighting one another, and Sabine had even gotten suspended from school for a portion of a semester.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, softly grabbing an old picture of them smiling together, volleyballs tucked under one of their arms, while hugging from the side.
  
  
  
  "Why do we always have to fight Shin? What happened to you... We were best friends.." She felt emotional looking at the old picture, and quickly put it back under her pillow.
  
  
  
  She'd had a crush on Shin, before everything had changed, and she'd planned to come out and confess her true feelings to Shin, and then Shin had just changed. No longer was she all smiles to Sabine, but cold. Something had happened that last night of them hanging out at Shin's house.
  
  
  
  She'd heard Shin's grandmother call Shin something she couldn't make out, and yell something when Sabine had stayed by the front door, contemplating telling Shin how she felt, before riding her bike back home. Whatever had happened, it had changed Shin, and how she felt towards Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gritted her teeth, remembering the last time they'd played against each other's teams, they'd both had to sit the game out, as they had started fighting before the game had even begun. Sabine had gone to confront her, and ended up with a fist to her chin.
  
  
  
  It had hurt, physically and emotionally. She had just punched back, and then they'd been kicking at each other while trying to put the other into a chokehold on the floor of the gym. Sabine's coach, Ahsoka Tano, had pulled her off of Shin, and Shin's coach, Baylan Skoll, had dragged Shin off to the locker room.
  
  
  
  Sabine grabbed her uniform, change of underwear, extra socks, and spare clothes, shoving them into her game bag. She then grabbed her favorite volleyball from the floor, spinning it in her hand.
  
  
  
  She sighed thinking back to how Baylan had dragged Shin by the arm, knowing how Baylan had adopted Shin when Shin's grandmother had passed away. It had to be embarrassing and awkward, and she shrugged.
  
  
  
  It wasn't her place to question how Baylan treated Shin, but she knew he loved her. He wouldn't be so strict if he wasn't, and she knew he got hell from being Shin's coach and father, since Shin was the team Captain.
  
  
  
  Sabine saw the time on her watch, "Shit!!!", she patted her cat Murley quickly, before grabbing her bag, phone, and keys, quickly heading out of her apartment.
  
  
  
  Sabine arrived to the gym, panting as she ran in to see Ahsoka tapping her foot on the floor. "I know I'm a few minutes late, sorry Coach. I ran into traffic, but I'm here now." She saw her Coach nod, and she hurried off to locker room. Sabine dashed to her locker, seeing her teammates smirk at her.
  
  
  
  "Late again Captain Wren? Traffic again?", a girl named Loren asked her with a smirk.
  
  
  
  Sabine blushed, knowing her teammates knew what she was really doing. She'd gone to get cigarettes, the kind she knew Shin liked, hopeful she could have a peaceful conversation and offer them as a sort of peace offering.
  
  
  
  "Hush Loren, maybe today Shin will actually let me talk before she shoves my face into a wall. We can't keep fighting like this, it doesn't look good on her or me. The team sponsors are pissed." Sabine was right about that, as she knew Ahsoka was tired of the fights too.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, and went to change into her uniform. Once done, she pulled her knee pads out of her locker, placing them over her ankles. She'd gotten Ahsoka to allow her to have purple ones, since she was the Captain, she wanted hers to stand out.
  
  
  
  Their home game uniforms, like the one she wore, were silver in color, with purple lines down them. Their away game uniforms were the opposite; purple with silver lines down them. So it only made sense to have hers match the uniforms, while everyone else didn't care, wearing the standard black or white colored ones.
  
  
  
  Sabine straightened herself up, her short purple hair glowing under the light as she ran out of the locker room with her team, to go warm up before the game started.
  
  
  
  She heard a bus pull up outside, and knew Shin was there now. She stood by Ahsoka quietly, watching Baylan lead his team into the gym, Shin right behind him, with a lollipop in her mouth.
  
  
  
  Sabine almost gasped at the sight of how Shin looked. The lollipop in Shin's mouth made her knees buckle, and her hair was in a tight short ponytail. Sabine gulped as Shin started walking past her, and saw Ahsoka's arm go right up, blocking them from going towards each other.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin stop dead in her tracks, her head tilting to the side as she smirked, taking the lollipop out. Sabine's body shook with nervousness, not knowing what would come out of Shin's mouth this time.
  
  
  
  She half expected Shin to charge her, and tackle her. But the opposite happened, making Sabine raise her eyebrow as she watched Shin smirk and run off to go to the other side of the gym.
  
  
  
  "Well, that's an improvement. Baylan must be talking some sense into her finally," Ahsoka said chuckling.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, "Maybe, or maybe..." Sabine caught herself, as she saw the owner of the Mercenaries, Morgan Elsbeth, walk into the gym, along with her team's owner, Hera Syndulla. Her eyes widened, realizing why Shin had walked off, and she crossed her fingers it would stay that way for the game.
  
  
  
  Sabine stretched, watching as Hera walked over towards them. She smiled, giving Hera a nod, "Hey boss lady, what brings you here tonight?" She smirked, knowing Hera didn't like being called boss lady.
  
  
  
  Hera only rolled her eyes, "Well, it's been brought to my attention that the sponsors are hitting us hard. Regarding you and Shin fighting every game... Morgan and I came to hopefully prevent that, as we need our sponsors badly. Shin's been told to back off of you, but we know how she can be. So far, she hasn't lunged at you, so that's a good sign that she may listen for once. But it goes for you too Sabine, no fighting.. It's not just the sponsors you have to worry about, the PVF is monitoring the two of you, eyeing you for the Olympics.. No pressure, but if the two of you want to qualify, you have got to get along, or they'll reprimand you both, somehow. So please, keep it civil Sabine, I'm counting on you." Hera patted Sabine on the shoulder and nodded to Ahsoka before she went to take a seat with Morgan.
  
  
  
  "The Olympics? Ahsoka, did you know me and Shin were being considered? That's huge!", Sabine was in shock. She was good, but didn't think she'd ever qualify to join the women's Olympics team.
  
  
  
  She looked over at where Shin was warming up, and a shiver went through her spine, seeing Shin's muscular arm go up to spike a ball her teammate set to her. She shook her head, telling herself to focus.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka nodded, "I knew but not much, I didn't know tonight's game was set for it, or how the two of you were being monitored so much. I know you want things civil with Shin, and don't start with the traffic bs again Sabine.. I know what you do before each game we play against her team. But maybe, tonight's your chance, try to talk to her. Let her know you want peace." Ahsoka smiled to Sabine, and then walked over to where Loren was with another girl doing their stretches.
  
  
  
  Sabine did her leg and knee stretches, and glanced over at where Shin was. She saw Shin turn to look at her, and quickly looked down at the floor. She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, and she grimaced, hearing things go silent when the footsteps stopped next to her.'
  
  
  
  "Why do you keep watching me Wren? What are you trying to do, start a fight? I'm trying not to look at you, other than when I spike a ball at your face in the game," Shin tapped her foot next to Sabine's feet, her smirk driving Sabine crazy as she looked up at her.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, instantly standing up. "No, I.. I heard about the sponsors, and the Olympics... I come in peace.. I umm even brought you something?", she quickly grabbed the pack of cigarettes from under the bench, and handed them to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin raised her eyebrow, "How'd you know I smoke these? You spying on me now, Wren?" Shin looked at Sabine, her emotions going everywhere. She knew deep down, it wasn't right to fight her former best friend, but it was all she knew anymore, on how to approach Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, "We've known each other forever Shin, and I'm not spying, I just saw you one day smoking before you guys left the gym, and I thought I'd offer a peace offering.. That's it.. I don't want to fight anymore.."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled, "Yeah, you were totally spying on me.. Not creepy one bit, I wonder how your girlfriend would feel. I mean, you do have a girlfriend still right?" She said glancing at Sabine from where she stood.
  
  
  
  Sabine laughed, "Me? Girlfriend? Pssht... I don't have time for that.. If you're talking about Bo, it's nothing. She was my old roommate from college, nothing more than that Shin. Nothing like how you and I used to be.." Sabine said the last bit, regretting it immediately as Shin instantly kicked her in the ribs.
  
  
  
  "We were nothing!! Nothing!! Don't remind me of the past Sabine!", Shin angrily shouted at Sabine as she got down punching Sabine in the face now, and then groaned as Sabine flipped her over, pressing her knees to Shin's chest.
  
  
  
  "Shin stop!! We can't fight! And we were best friends!! We weren't nothing,Shin!!", Sabine cried out, finally her emotions getting the best of her, making Shin look confused.
  
  
  
  "That's enough!! The two of you, my office, now!!", Ahsoka shouted at the two Captains, pulling Sabine off of Shin, while Baylan grabbed Shin. She led them to her office there in the gym, slamming the door shut.
  
  
  
  "What were you thinking? Knowing what's at stake?" Ahsoka shouted to them both.
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her chin, knowing it was going to bruise, while holding her ribs with her other arm. "I'm sorry Coach Tano, I tried not to, but Shin.."
  
  
  
  Shin glared at her, trying to hit at her again, but Baylan caught her fist with his hand.
  
  
  
  "Shin, stop!! You've already probably bruised her ribs. You need to stop and listen to us, now! No more special privileges, just because you're my daughter, does not mean you can try to get away with fighting Sabine. Just stop it already." Baylan told Shin sternly, his voice raised as he was upset with her.
  
  
  
  Shin hung her head, finally feeling defeated at Baylan's tone. "I'm sorry.. I messed up. Shit I messed up bad, didn't I?" She looked up at Baylan with tears in her eyes, knowing her team was now going to be in trouble because of her.
  
  
  
  Baylan nodded to Ahsoka as he looked through her door's window, "Well, I guess we'll find out how bad you messed up Shin. Morgan, Hera, and one of the PVF chairs are heading this way."
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine both gaped at their Coaches, then at each other. Shin gave Sabine a quick glare, and threw the middle finger at her. While Sabine just rolled her eyes, sitting back into her chair.
  
  
  
  "What exactly happened out there Shin, Sabine? You both were advised no fighting, and not even ten minutes later, you're fighting to see who gets on top to hit harder. Explain, now!", Hera shouted folding her arms angrily.
  
  
  
  Sabine gulped, "I may have brought up our past.. I didn't mean it as a trigger, or expect it to be. I don't know why we both always fight when we see each other, and I tried to come in peace, I really did Hera." She rubbed her ribs, grimacing in pain.
  
  
  
  Hera sighed, and turned to look at Shin. "And you? What's your excuse this time?"
  
  
  
  Shin smirked, "Just like she said, she triggered me. She said something about the old days, and I just couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry everyone..."
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, and sat up looking at Shin. "Everyone?" She didn't believe Shin for a second.
  
  
  
  Shin muttered, "Everyone but you Wren."
  
  
  
  It was the wrong thing to say, as Baylan and Morgan sighed as the PVF chair person stepped forward. "Shin Hati, and Sabine Wren. You're both to attend a trial, in court. I'll send the information to your coaches, and we'll go from there, but you're both not to play during tonight's game, is that understood? Until the court trial decides what your punishment is, and how to get the two of you to stop this madness. You're both amazingly talented players, and we need you on the Olympics team. That said, you best show up to the trial." The man in the dark suit turned, leaving the office quickly.
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine both grumbled, and Sabine held her face in her hands. This was not going to be good, they figured.
  
  
  
  Sabine knew whatever punishment would be inflicted on them, must not be too severe if they were not only wanted, but needed for the Olympics team.
  
  
  
  Shin knew she had to control herself better, but Sabine just made it so difficult, when she gave Shin a twinkle in her eyes.
  
  
  
  They each watched their teams play from the benches, glaring at each other from across the gym. Something would change things soon, something they would not expect to happen, and they'd have to figure it out together.
  
  
  Chapter 2: The Trial
  Summary:
  Shin and Sabine attend the trail, and are shocked by the punishment of choice. The truth behind their fighting is revealed.. Shin has mixed feelings..
  
  Notes:
  Omg guys, thank you so much for all the wonderful kudos and comments today!! It truly means a lot!! So glad ya'll are enjoying this one!
  
  Enjoy!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  The day of the court trial came two weeks after the game, and Shin and Sabine had both been unable to play in any games since. They arrived to the court room at the same time, and Shin brushed against Shin roughly, moving to her seat, Baylan right behind her as he mouthed a "I'm sorry", to Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed, sitting down with Ahsoka and Hera, looking over at where Shin was with Baylan and Morgan. She rubbed her shoulder while making eye contact with Shin, who just rolled her eyes, sinking into her seat. Sabine smirked, knowing she could get under Shin's skin so easily.
  
  
  
  The judge came in, along with the PVF board, and the man from before, who was introduced as Enoch. Judge Thrawn sat down, motioning for everyone to sit back down, as everyone had stood up at his entrance.
  
  
  
  He looked around, his face never showing emotion. "All right, what exactly brings us all here today? Something about cat fighting during your volleyball games? I hear the two of you are up for the two Captain spots for the Olympics team, is that right Mr. Enoch?"
  
  
  
  Enoch nodded, clearing his throat. "Yes your honor, we need them on the Olympics team. But, they've been a thorn in everyone's sides all season. Fighting each game they have against each other, whether before, after or during the game. It never fares well for them, but there are no other Captains in the league that are this talented to qualify to lead the Olympic team. We are here to discuss, an appropriate course of action to take, to get them to get along with one another. We propose... That they are suspended from playing, and put on lockdown, with each other. Whose place they occupy, we don't care, but look at it as a big get a long t-shirt, just sharing space that they can't fight each other in, as we'd also place heart monitors on them, to monitor their heart rates to determine if they are fighting or not. If any fighting is detected, they'll be removed from the league entirely."
  
  
  
  Shin and Sabine's jaws dropped, and they both looked at each other. They were going to be forced to live together? What kind of punishment was this? Pure torture?
  
  
  
  Judge Thrawn chuckled, seeing how Enoch's proposition was already affecting the two young women. "Alright, I must say I do like that proposal for them. Let's give them thirty days, sort things out. That's plenty of time for them to get along with each other, starting today. Court dismissed!"
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, face-palming herself as she got up to follow Ahsoka and Hera, but found Shin confronting her.
  
  
  
  "My place is going through renovations at the moment, so looks like I'll be shacking up with you Wren, hope that's ok," Shin smirked out as she shoved past Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Yeah well, I have a cat!! He'll claw your eyes out!!," Sabine said, not meaning the last bit, as Murley was the calmest cat to exist. She sighed, as Ahsoka wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
  
  
  
  "Isn't this what you wanted Sabine, a chance for the two of you to get along? Maybe, this is a good thing. You never know, maybe you'll be best friends again after this. Or more." Ahsoka winked at Sabine, leaving her stunned as Ahsoka walked off.
  
  
  
  "Why me?!!", Sabine grumbled as she hurried after Ahsoka and Hera. She sighed as Ahsoka confronted her at her car, being told again to accept the ruling, and to try embracing it as best as she could.
  
  
  
  All Sabine could picture happening, was them getting into arguments, but deep down, she hoped for more, as Ahsoka had mentioned. She wanted peace, especially if she had to spend a month with the other woman, in her apartment.
  
  
  
  Hera gave Sabine a hug and then held her by the shoulders, "Don't mess this up Sabine.. We're all counting on you to make this work with Shin. We can't lose our best player because of some silly spat, for whatever reason it comes from, we need you. Now, go home and get ready for Shin to come by. Ahsoka will ride with Baylan to show him how to get to your place. Be nice." Hera patted her shoulder, and then went to go get into her Mercedes, speeding off.
  
  
  
  Sabine groaned, "I tried to be nice Ahsoka, at the last game. I really didn't know what I said would upset her.. I feel awful about it, to make it all down to this. But.. I mean you know me, I won't stop trying until I'm all beat up, or she completely ignores me. I promise I'll behave, but I can't promise Shin will."
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her forehead, feeling a migraine coming on, from a slight panic attack she knew she was starting to have. Her breathing was getting fast, and her chest was hurting. She saw Ahsoka's eyes furrow, and she shook her head.
  
  
  
  "I'm ok.. Just a panic attack.. I've gotten them.. Ever since.. Well, you know Ahsoka.." Sabine bit her lip, remembering the first fight between her and Shin. She'd gone to confront Shin after being avoided by her the whole school day until after math class, and when she did, Shin had lost it.
  
  
  
  Shin had slapped her in the face, and Sabine had reacted by punching her hard in the jaw, sending them tumbling to the ground, hitting and clawing at each other's faces. Both had ended up with bruises, and Shin had gotten suspended for two weeks since she'd initiated the fight.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed and hurried off to her car, a silver BMW with purple racing stripes. She unlocked her door, swiftly getting inside, and revved her engine before hurrying to get home to get her apartment ready for her unexpected new roommate.
  
  
  
  Three hours later, Baylan was bringing Shin to Sabine's apartment, Ahsoka riding with him to guide him there. Shin was in the backseat, huffing as she held onto her duffle bags.
  
  
  
  She packed everything she considered essential, including some sparring sticks she liked training with. She figured they could try that, maybe, to let their frustrations out with. She looked down at her chest, grimacing as she felt the heart monitor.
  
  
  
  "Is this monitor really necessary? Can't they like put cameras up in her place instead?", Shin puffed out her cigarette smoke as she had the window cracked, much to Baylan's annoyance.
  
  
  
  "Camera are a much bigger invasion of privacy, Shin. I don't think Sabine would cooperate very well with cameras set up in her apartment, would you?" Baylan looked at her through the mirror of his car.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Fine, you're right. But still, this sucks. A month, a whole month of living with Wren. I'd rather go to prison." She tossed her cigarette out the window, rolling the window back up after doing so.
  
  
  
  She watched as they approached a nice looking apartment building, and she raised her eyebrow. "At least she lives somewhere that looks nice," Shin admitted.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka chuckled, "Just wait until you get upstairs. She paints, so beware of any paint cans on the floor. Painting is her hobby, outside of volleyball." Ahsoka knew Shin knew about Sabine's painting interests, but she didn't want Shin to realize what Ahsoka knew about how Sabine felt towards Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin thought for a moment, letting a memory hit her mind. She and Sabine had been thirteen, and best friends. Sabine had come over to Shin's home, where it had just been Shin and her aging grandmother. Sabine had painted her a picture of a cat, and Shin still had it.
  
  
  
  Shin's parents had died when she had been very young, and was taken in by her grandmother soon after. Her grandmother was super religious too, believing that some.. Some relationships were not holy, and therefore should not be looked into, or embraced.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, remembering how she and Sabine had smiled into each other's eyes, her stomach doing twists as she'd felt emotions run through her. She'd had a crush, a huge crush on Sabine, her best friend, and was too nervous to admit it, to tell Sabine how she truly felt.
  
  
  
  She knew at the time, because of her grandmother, that liking Sabine was forbidden, but she admitted her feelings to her grandmother anyway, once she'd watched Sabine leave, or thought Sabine had left her house.
  
  
  
  Shin had turned around crying, as she had felt scared, emotionally terrified, and her grandmother had questioned it. In a emotional fit, she blurted out to her grandmother that she liked girls, but that she really liked Sabine above anything else.
  
  
  
  Shin's grandmother had called her an abomination, yelling at her, telling her she would always be a freak of nature if she ever tried to act on her feelings, and that she would be disowned if Sabine ever came over again.
  
  
  
  Shin had buried her face into her pillow, crying for hours, and her grandmother wiped Sabine's information from her phone immediately. She'd been raised against homosexuality, but couldn't deny it to herself that she was gay. Boys had never interested her, just grossed her out, as much as they tried to pursue her, she 'd kick them in their balls.
  
  
  
  Shin had woken up the next morning, not knowing what to do when she'd see Sabine at school the next day. She'd passed Sabine in the hallway, getting confronted by her.
  
  
  
  Shin had tried to avoid her, the best she could, but Sabine had persisted. Shin felt all of her emotions run through her, and before she knew it, she had slapped Sabine, hard across the face, and called Sabine a creep for following after her, telling her that they were no longer friends, and if she saw her again, she'd bloody Sabine up. Then, the fighting had begun between them, and she'd start fights with Sabine, just to get close to her.
  
  
  
  She remembered how hurt Sabine had been when she'd slapped her, and then how she'd almost broken her nose during their first fight. Covered in bruises, they'd been pulled off of each other by their teachers and friends. No one ever understood or knew why Shin had done it.
  
  
  
  Shin had been suspended from school for two weeks, but the fighting had kept up, just getting worse each time to where they had to be separated, and escorted by teachers through the halls.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, and felt a tear roll down her cheek, sighing as she tried to shake the awful memory from her mind. She stepped out of Baylan's car, and was quickly turned to face him. She looked at him, her eyes puffy from crying, and she quickly wiped at her face.
  
  
  
  He looked her over, seeing her red puffy eyes. "Shin... I know.. I know about your past with Sabine, you used to scream in your sleep for her when you were younger. I know why you fight her, it's the only way to be near her, without your feelings coming out. It's ok, just take it slow with her up there, please don't try to fight.. Just become friends again, and go from there. Please, for your sake Shin. You've been through enough, being dropped from the league would not be wise." Baylan gave her a quick hug, patting her back.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, and followed him and Ahsoka to the apartment. She sighed, and gently knocked on the door.
  
  Notes:
  Be sure to also check my main fic, Shin and Sabine out!!
  
  
  
  Summary:
  This is SMUT ONE SHOTS. EVERY CHAPTER WILL BE DIFFERENT
  
  Notes:
  Bella is known for sleeping with multiple different women in high school, so much so that even the teachers talk about it. Bella has been struggling with graduating, now 18 and turning 19. Rosalie, the newest teacher has heard the gossip about Bella and her "little" friend. Rosalie can"t help but be curious and want to know if it"s all true, Rosalie offers her tutoring but the classes turn a romantic turn.
  
  Chapter 1: The Rumor And The Teacher
  Chapter Text
  Rosalie"s POV
  
  I was in the teacher's lounge where the teachers were telling me about all the gossip in the school, today was my first day and apparently, the teachers here loved drama. I didn"t mind listening to them speak, but they caught my attention when they started talking about a troubled student who was having her third senior year. Her name was Isabella but she went by Bella, she was known around the school as a player, sleeping with any woman who asked. They also talked about how she had a not-so-little "friend", I didn"t know how I felt about them talking about it like it wasn"t their student but I also couldn"t help but find myself curious.
  
  I grabbed my student list and saw I had her in the first class and last class, apparently my class was her most challenging subject so the principal wants her in it as much as possible. I looked at the time and realized that we should all head to our class, the students would be arriving. I got up and grabbed my things, saying bye to the ladies who sat with me. I headed to my class and made sure everything was organized, I had a seating chart and put Bella in front, no kids sat close to each other so I knew she wouldn"t be able to try anything if she did.
  
  I heard the students walk into the building, I wrote my name on my whiteboard and waited for my class to join. One by one my students walked in and sat where their name was, I watched and waited for Bella to come in. I saw a brunette walk in, a band Tee on with ripped black jeans, she had her hair in a messy bun. I watched as she went to the final seat, there she was, Bella Swan. She knew she was sexy and she wasn"t hiding it, I watched as she sat down winking at me. I cleared my throat and started the class.
  
  Throughout the class, I noticed not only were the boys but Bella was looking at me, it was almost as if a part of me wanted her to watch me, wanted her to not take her eyes off of me. I guess it"s the whore in me, but we all have one. Once class was over I decided I would wait until the end of the day to talk to Bella, so no one would be waiting to come in. Class after class, boys drooled and girls glared, knowing their boyfriends or crushes loved me more than them. I had to throw out a group of boys because they dared one of them to touch my ass when they dropped a pencil as I walked by. Luckily I was not stupid and pretended I was going to pick it up and when I noticed him moving I was able to grab his hand and slam it on his table.
  
  Probably shouldn"t have done that to a student, but they should learn not to touch women, especially someone higher up than them like a teacher. It was my last class, Bella walked in first, her hair was down and her clothes were a little disheveled, I rolled my eyes as she sat down. She smirked and sat back in her chair, fixing her clothes. Once the rest of the class was in I started teaching, trying to keep my eyes from drifting to Bella but it was almost impossible. Bella would always give me this look when we would make eye contact, it was as if she knew I couldn"t help but look at her as if she knew the thoughts I didn"t want.
  
  Once the bell rang I let the kids leave, Bella was the last to get up. "Miss Swan stay back, please." She set her stuff down and leaned against the table, the kids leaving the room. I kept the doors open so no one got the wrong idea, she came over to my desk and looked at me. "I wanted to offer you tutoring, from my understanding this is one of your harder classes. I wanna make sure you know where your life should be, not where it is heading. We can do it here, or at my place, where ever you would like." She smirked and leaned her hands against my desk, her head now at my level from where I was sitting. "I would like that, Miss. Hale, does tomorrow work? And your place would be better if that"s ok." I nodded and wrote down my address and a time, she took the paper and walked out with her things, I took a deep breath, not knowing what I got myself into.
  
  
  
  ~~~
  The next day - Rosalie"s House
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  I was sitting in my living room, waiting for Bella to arrive. I was nervous that she wouldn"t show up but also nervous that she would arrive. I heard a car pull into my driveway and stood up, I didn"t move until there was a knock on my door. I walked to the door at a reasonable pace and opened the door, when I opened the door I was shocked to see Bella out of her ripped jeans and band tees, instead she was wearing a loose-fitting sweatshirt, and some black leggings. I also noticed her hair was in a straight ponytail.
  
  "Sorry I"m late, my dad wouldn"t let me leave until I had dinner." I shook my head and let her in, I took her to the dining room where I had all the books and papers. "You know this is the first time a tutoring session was actually a tutoring session." I looked at her as I sat down, leaning against the table. "Were you hoping for it to be something else?" She sat down across from me, putting her bag down. "With you? To be honest a little, but I am also thankful it is a tutoring session." I opened the book and she followed, I read to her and she would give me the answers. She seemed good at it when it was just the two of us, I cleared my throat and she looked up at me.
  
  "You"re doing well, no issues at all. How come at school you can barely get a passing grade in my class, but here you can get it?" She looked away and sighed, "The kids, they think they know all these things. I play into them, I don"t really go have sex with everyone in the school. It was a rumor started by my ex, once the teacher heard it they wanted to see for themselves, so I would go to a tutoring session and they would get naked, and I would leave. But when I try and talk, or focus, I can hear them talk about me. Here no one is around, I guess I just need quiet and someone to actually listen to me." I nodded as she spoke, I would have to figure something out.
  "Ok, Bella, what I will do is figure out when you can come in during school hours. I don"t mind tutoring you but we should get you comfortable in the classroom. And about the kids, I will get that under control. Now let"s go through this some more and then you can head home," She nodded and I went over some more with her.
  
  ~~~~~
  A few weeks later
  ~~~~~~~~
  
  For the last few weeks I"ve been tutoring Bella in and out of school, she"s gotten comfortable in the classroom and there has been noticeable improvement. But she has asked to keep the tutoring as it makes it easier for her homework since home isn"t the best place to study. I agreed and today she was coming in, I decided to stop being so curious about my students' anatomy and be professional. I"ve gotten so close to Bella, that a part of me has developed unwanted feelings. Today she was coming in and I decided to change into what I would wear around the house, so short shorts that were loose fitting, a tank top, and no bra. I put my hair up as there was a knock, I walked over and opened it putting a pause on the hair.
  
  Bella had her bag in her hand and she smiled at me before the smile dropped and she just stared at me. I finished putting my hair up and walked into the dining room, I heard her follow behind and shut the door. I sat down at the table and she did too, I grabbed the books and opened them. "We only have a few pages left, I believe we can do the rest today." She opened her book and looked at me, I leaned forward to read the top of the page. I heard her shuffle and clear her throat, keeping her eyes on the page. "Everything alright, Bella?" I looked up and she looked at me, her face red. "Yes, Miss. Hale, I"m fine." She grabbed her bag and put it over her lap, I looked at her confused before my eyes widen. "So it is true?" She looked up from the book, and back at me.
  
  "I don"t think I understand, Miss. Hale." I cleared my throat and closed the book, she kept hers open. "The rumor about your little friend, it"s true?" She blushed even brighter, and she nodded. "Yes it is, I"m sorry for this. I can go, I do my best not to get these around people. I don"t think my mind and body were expecting to see you look like this." I looked at my outfit, noticing my boobs falling out a little, I fix it and look at her. "I can help you if you want." She closed her book quickly and nodded, I laughed and got up. I went over to her and kneeled, I pushed the bag off her lap and onto the floor. I heard her gulp as I slowly pulled her pants down, along with her boxers.
  
  I looked up at her one more time to make sure this was ok, her face was a bright red to her ears. She nodded at me and I gently took her into my hands, she bucked her hips and I lightly scratched her thigh with my free hand. I felt goosebumps rise and just rubbed her shaft slowly, I knew she was sensitive already but I liked teasing her. I licked her tip and heard her moan quietly, I looked into her eyes as I took her down my throat. She kept eye contact, her hands balling into fists. I snuck my free hand under her shirt and played with her nipples. She took her shirt off and bra, I felt her hand go into my hair and start to move my head. I decided to allow her to have control, she pushed my head down to her stomach. I didn"t have a gag reflex, which seemed to make her more excited. As she bobbed my head to her liking, she started to get close. Once she was about to cum I quickly grabbed her hand and pushed it off my head, and took my mouth away. She whimpered and bucked her hips up, I shook my head. "The only place you"re cumming is in my pussy, so be patient love." She whined but nodded, breathing heavily. I stripped out of my clothes and walked to my bedroom, I heard her get up quickly and follow me. Once we were in my room I pushed her onto the bed and straddled her. I pushed her chest so she was laying on her back but her feet were touching the ground, her hands went to my hips as I started grinding myself against her shaft.
  
  I slowly slipped her inside of me, I could tell she was trying not to buck into me. Once she was fully inside of me I let out a quiet moan as did she. I moved my hips slowly, getting used to her size. I looked at her and she gave me a look, begging to take control. "Fuck me, Bella, use me." She quickly flipped us and started pounding into me, I didn"t know where all this confidence came from but I wasn"t complaining. I let out a loud moan as I felt her gently grip my throat, I set my hand on hers. "Harder, don"t hold back." She moaned quietly and gripped my throat harder, cutting off some airflow.
  
  The room was filled with our moans and skin against skin, I felt myself get close and I think she knew I was. She rubbed my clit with her free hand, I screamed out her name as she let go of my throat. "I"m cumming, Rose." She went to pull out but I wrapped my legs around her, she came inside me and I let go too. "Fuck Bella, so good." She kissed my neck as she moved slowly, helping me through my orgasm. She pulled out and laid next to me, I felt myself get tired from not having sex like this for a long time. I yawned and she pulled me close, I draped my arm over her stomach.
  
  ~~~~~
  Next day at school
  ~~~~~~~~~
  
  I sat at my desk, it was my free period and I couldn"t wait to see Bella again after school. We were supposed to have another tutor session but I doubt it would stay like that. I had two students sitting in the back redoing tests when I heard the door open, they kept looking at their tests minding their own business. I looked up from my computer to see Bella, she had a smile and came over. "Hi, Miss. Hale, I was wondering if I could do some work in here?" I nodded and she went to a desk in the front that faced me, I didn"t think anything of it and continued my work.
  
  I heard her rustling quietly and looked at her, my eyes widened when I saw her reading her test book but also having her cock out. She looked at me and winked, rubbing it as she made eye contact. "Miss. Hale, I could use some help, can you come over?" I got up and went to her and whispered in her ear, "Why don"t you bring a chair and sit next to me?" She nodded and tucked herself and got up. She grabbed her chair and carried it over to my desk, she set it down and sat down. I sat in my chair and she pulled her cock back out, I pretended to go over some of the book while rubbing her. I pulled her chair closer to where my desk had a place for feet, it had a piece of wood hiding from seeing anything under the desk so I got on my knees between her legs.
  
  I took her cock into my mouth and started bobbing my head quickly, she held in her moans and continued to read her book. I heard one of my students get up and head toward the desk but I couldn"t get myself to stop. "Where did Miss. Hale go?" Bella cleared her throat and looked at them, "Oh she went to the bathroom, I"ll let her know you finished the test." I heard the paper be placed on the desk and the student leave, I rubbed her balls gently using my nails. As Bella was getting close the other student came over, before leaving. Once the door shut Bella gripped my hair, keeping my head still, and started pounding into my throat. "I"m gonna cum, do you want it down your throat or inside your pussy." She pulled out and I stood up, bending over the desk.
  
  She pulled my panties down from under my skirt and slammed into me, she covered my mouth and started pounding into me. She gripped my tit with her free hand and went as hard and fast as she could without making any noise. "You"re gonna cum with me, understand?" I nodded and started rubbing my clit, her movements started getting sloppy as she got close. I felt myself clench around her as I came, causing her to cum inside me. She leaned her head against my back as she slowed down, she pulled out and quickly pulled my panties up so there wasn"t a mess on the floor.
  
  She grabbed a tissue and cleaned herself off, before tucking herself in her pants again. She pulled me into a kiss and smiled, she grabbed her book and put away her chair. Before she could leave the bell rang, meaning she would have to stay anyways. I fixed my hair and clothes in a mirror I have in the room, and once I was done I let in the class. Bella looked at me and winked, smiling to herself.
  
  
  Chapter 2: New years party in the Cullen"s house
  Summary:
  Rosalie/Reader get it on at the Cullen's New year party. Human Reader.
  
  Chapter Text
  Reader"s POV
  
  I was standing in the kitchen surrounded by friends and family, and my wife, Rosalie was outside talking. It was New years eve and we planned on staying up until the new year began, but some of our friends were already ready to leave. I know Rosalie wants to go, saying she has plans for us but I promised Esme and Alice that I would stay the night. Rosalie came in and I looked at the time, seeing we only had a few minutes left. Rosalie approached me and put my drink on the counter, whispering in my ear. "I need to talk to you, in my old room." I nodded and we walked to her room, I didn"t know what was wrong, but it had to be necessary.
  
  Once she closed the door, she locked it and I turned toward her. Before I could talk she pulled me into a kiss, I wrapped my arms around her neck and she picked me up by my thighs. I smiled into the kiss and she pulled away kissing down my neck. She laid me on the bed and kneeled between my legs, I sat up and she pulled my top off along with my bra. I pulled hers off and she took my pants off after my heels, she stripped down and pulled me into another kiss. I tangled my hands into her hair and tugged gently, she moaned into the kiss and bit my bottom lip. She pulled away tugging my bottom lip with her, she let it go and kissed down my chest.
  
  I watched as she kissed down to my thighs, kissing and nipping at them. I tried to direct her head to where I needed her by pulling her hair, but she grabbed my hands and pinned them by my side. "Patience, baby," I whined but listened, keeping my hands still. She continued kissing my thighs, marking them. She loved marking me, it was a luxury only she could have since I could not mark her skin no matter how hard I wanted to try. She looked me in the eyes as she licked my clit, I threw my head back and moaned loudly. I could hear everyone downstairs counting down, once they got to twenty Rosalie started sucking harder and added her fingers.
  
  I knew this meant that she wanted me to cum at one, but it would need some extra help. She started pumping her fingers as fast as she could without hurting me, she curled them against my soft spot. I arched my back and gripped her hair, pulling her head closer. She used her free hand to play with my tits, pulling and pinching my nipples. As they started counting down to one, she curled one more time and I moaned out her name, cumming around her fingers. She slowed her fingers down and kissed up my body with her fingers still in me, I looked at her and she smirked feeling cocky she could make me cum that quick.
  
  I hit her shoulder and she laughed, pulling her fingers out of me. She put them to her mouth but I grabbed her hand, cleaning them myself. I saw her body shudder and she bit her lip, I wrapped my legs around her waist before flipping us. She always relaxed her body so I could also throw her around if I wanted to, she looked up at me and I took her fingers a little farther into my mouth. She pulled them out and wrapped her hand around my throat, I smiled and held her wrist gently. "Let me take care of you, Rose." She nodded and pulled her hand away, I kissed down her body as I settled between her legs. I kissed her thighs close to her center, and she looked at me and hummed.
  She loved when I kissed her thighs, no matter what we were doing. It was my favorite spot to give attention to, I would kiss, scratch, and rub at her thighs. I looked at her and she nodded, I licked her clit softly and she moaned, moving my hair out of my face. I gave her clit soft attention, not wanting to rush into it. Once I knew she needed more I entered my tongue into her, causing her to throw her head back. I rubbed her clit with my thumb and curled my tongue, moving it in and out. She gripped my hair and pulled me closer to her, I gripped her hip with my free hand.
  
  I pulled my tongue out and replaced it with my fingers, entering in two and going as fast as I could. I leaned over her and used my palm to rub her clit as I pulled her into a kiss, she moaned as she tasted herself on my lips. I curled my fingers and felt her hips buck indicating that she was getting close to cumming, I pulled away and kissed her neck up to her ear. I bit her ear lobe before whispering, "Cum for me, Rose." She moaned loudly, covering her mouth so her scream would be muffled as she came, her thighs shaking. I slowed my fingers down and took them out, cleaning them and I lay next to her. I pulled her close to me and rubbed her stomach and thighs, calming her body down. She looked at me and smiled, I kissed her nose and cheek.
  
  "I love you, Y/N, so much." I laid my head on her chest and hummed, "I love you too, Rosalie." After a few minutes of laying together, we got dressed and freshened up, before heading back downstairs. The family looked at us before laughing, we saw that everyone was gone except them since the couples were supposed to stay the night. I blushed brightly forgetting that the family isn"t stupid and know what we"re getting up to, we"re just lucky it"s soundproofed on our end.
  
  Chapter 3: Caught Under The Desk
  Summary:
  Principal Weems/ Student!Original Female Character- SMUT Larissa and Blair are dating, Blair is the older sister of Wednesday and has been dating Larissa for over a year. One day during Larissa's break and Blair is called to her office, things get heated which ends with Blair on her knees between Larissa"s legs. But someone knocks and comes in, causing Blair to hide under the desk. It happens to be her sister and mother, who knows she"s there already. DEF HEIGHT KINK.
  
  Chapter Text
  Blair's POV
  
  I heard over the intercom while I was in class that the principal wanted to see me, I blushed and got up once the teacher acknowledged the fact it was me. I headed to her office, ignoring all the 'ooohs'. I walked in and saw the receptionist gone, I knew what that meant. I walked into her office without knocking and saw her sitting at her desk, she looked up from her stack of papers and smiled at me. "Princess, I've missed you so much." I smiled widely and skipped over to her, knowing my skirt bounced showing my thighs. I felt her wrap her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her. She was so tall her head was just under my chin, she leaned up slightly and started kissing my neck.
  
  She slowly unbuttoned my school jacket and I took off the vest underneath, before taking the tie off as she unbuttoned the white shirt underneath. She stood up and I looked up at her as she pulled off my top, I dropped my skirt and she picked me up. Her hands were on my ass, gasping when she realized I didn't have any underwear on. "You naughty little minx, what if someone saw your pussy, hmm? You'd like that, wouldn't you? You would just let anyone use you, but you're mine, all of you, your ass," she smacked my ass and gripped it, making a point. "Your tight pussy, it's all mine, no one else's." I nodded quickly, she smiled and set me on the desk. She took off her skirt and panties, kicking them to the side under the desk.
  
  "You my little slut, are gonna get on your knees and earn to be touched." She sat down and I kneeled between her legs, I started kissing her thigh, biting and sucking. I loved seeing my purple lipstick on her thighs, especially with the bites and bruises. She gripped my hair and pulled my head closer, demanding me to touch her where she wanted. I looked up at her with innocent eyes before licking her clit, she threw her head back and moaned quietly. I always wished she was louder when we were at school, she only let that side out when we were at her place. I knew what made it difficult but the last time I did it my ass was the same shade as my hair (dyed Red). I started licking her clit faster, slowly entering my finger.
  
  "Just like that princess, don't stop." She gripped my hair harder, her thighs closing around my head. I entered another finger and moved them slowly, letting her get used to it. I lightly bit her clit, causing her to jump a little and moan slightly louder. I knew if I did it any harder she would be screaming, just like I liked it. I felt her ankles cross behind my back as she rested her legs on my shoulders. I curled my fingers and went faster, sucking and nipping at her clit. "Oh fuck baby, I'm so close, please don't stop, just like that." I went even faster and harder, wanting her to cum. She arched her back as she came, I quickly switched my fingers with my tongue, cleaning her up as she came.
  
  Once she was calm I went to get up but there was a knock on the door, she quickly threw our clothes under the desk and I slid under there, pulling her chair with me. I covered my mouth as she let them in, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart. I heard my mother's voice, causing my face to pale. I watched as Larissa's body tensed slightly, I set my hand on her thigh so she would calm down. "Larissa, sorry to bother you, we were wondering if you could get... Blair here, if that isn't an issue, I hope she isn't caught up in anything. Is lunch happening?" Larissa cleared her throat, "I-I'm sure I can do that, uh maybe you can come back though?" I heard Wednesday laughing quietly, they knew, and I knew they knew.
  
  "Is that so, Thing? You say she's under the desk?" I leaned my head on Larissa's knee and crawled from under, peaking my head over the desk, knowing I'm naked and my hair is a mess. "Oh Blair you're here already! We'll talk about this... relationship later, right now I want you to show your sister around once you're dressed, please. Your sister will be attending this school, so I need you to take care of her if you won't be too busy." I gulped and nodded, not being able to look into their eyes. They turned around and left, I grabbed my clothes and started putting them on, as Larissa did the same.
  
  Once I was dressed she pulled me into a kiss, she pulled away and fixed my makeup with a tissue, before pulling out my lipstick from a drawer in her desk. I looked in a mirror and fixed it, fixing my hair in the process. I noticed she hadn't put her panties on yet and I grabbed them, she went to take them from me but I shook my head. "they're mine now, behave mistress while I'm gone, I'll be back to continue where we left off." I kissed her cheek, leaving the purple lipstick on her cheek. I stuffed her panties in my pocket and walked out, finding my sister and mother. "Just keep this between us, I don't want dad finding out, I am not ready for that talk with him." My mom put her hands up and nodded, "Just answer this, is she your soulmate?" I looked back at the now-closed door, nodding.
  
  "I don't know if it is as special as you and dad, but I know she means the world to me and I would do absolutely everything for her. I know she feels the same, I've been with her for over a year now mother." She nodded and I looked at Wednesday, taking the sheet she got. I started walking, hearing her follow behind me. "Looks like you're sharing a room with Enid, she's very nice and colorful, you'll hate it. But maybe she'll be your soulmate, Wens, she's gay just like you." I could practically hear her eye roll.
  
  Chapter 4: Caught Red Handed
  Summary:
  Cheryl/Toni- GP Toni, Cheryl is cheating on Veronica with Toni, Toni always brings her up about finding out, but they didn"t expect her to walk in while Toni had her tied up.
  
  Chapter Text
  Toni"s POV
  
  I walked into Cheryl"s house through the back door once I was told her wife, Veronica, our high school best friend had left for work. I walked up the stairs where I knew Cheryl was waiting for me, once I walked in I saw her lying on the bed. She only had dark red lingerie on, she smiled as I walked through the door. She went to get up but I shook my head, stopping her in her tracks. She stayed on the bed as I started unbuttoning my shirt, her eyes stayed on me like a predator stalking its prey. I let the material fall off my shoulders and to the floor, I unbuckled my belt and took it out, dropping it to the floor.
  
  I walked over to Cheryl, dragging my hand against her stomach. I felt the goosebumps rise against her warm skin, her body jumping at my cold hands. I gently dug my nails into her soft flesh, scratching down, marking her slightly. I drag my hand down her thigh to her knee, I gently slapped her knee, indicating that I wanted her to spread her legs. She slowly spread her legs, my eyes were glued to her center where it was apparent she was wet. I wanted to feel her, touch her, taste her but I needed to wait. We had hours till Veronica would be back, and I had enough time to tease her. I went to her closet and grabbed the rope she had hidden, I went back to her. Her eyes followed me, she knew what next and was ready.
  
  She lifted her hands and I tied them there, once I was done she spread her legs as far as they could go and I tied them to the bed. I kneeled on the bed between her legs, rubbing her thighs. She jumped at my touch, bucking her hips as much as she could. I knew she wanted to speak, but I hadn"t given her permission to do so. She looked at me, her eyes begging, pleading with me to do something, to touch her. I grabbed my pocket knife out of my pocket and she watched it shine in the light, I rubbed the dull part against her thigh. I used one hand to keep her hips still, not wanting her to buck her hips into the knife. I gently scraped the knife against her panties, cutting them with ease, I took them off and threw them on the floor.
  
  She looked at me, asking for permission to speak, I nodded. "Toni, please, I need you. Please touch me, please I"ve been a good girl." I chuckled and cut her thigh, it was gentle, a small cut that didn"t go deep. "You obviously aren"t a good girl, you didn"t use my title." She whimpered and tried moving closer to me, "I"m sorry daddy, please, please! I need you, I"ll do anything." I smirked and got up, I took my pants and boxers off. Her eyes were on me, taking in my body though she has seen it plenty of times. I got back between her legs and took the knife, before cutting a T into her thigh, a little deeper than the cut before. She threw her head back and moaned, I knew her wife would never find it, especially since they hadn"t had sex in months.
  
  I set it down on the bedside table and looked at Cheryl, "Are you ready, princess?" She nodded quickly, bucking her hips. I rubbed my tip against her clit, teasing her. "Please, please, I need it-" I cut her off by slamming inside her, she moaned loudly and I started pounding inside of her. She grabbed the rope and gripped onto it, I held her hips in a tight grip, knowing it would leave a bruise. I went faster and wrapped my hand around her throat, she arched her back. I felt her becoming close, her walls were gripping around me. I looked down to see her eyes closed, I felt eyes on me and turned my head, there Veronica was, staring at us as I fucked her wife into oblivion. Knowing she was watching made me go faster, I made eye contact as Cheryl screamed out my name. I started rubbing Cheryl's clit, "Come for me, come for me, baby." I looked back at Cheryl and she had her eyes opened, she watched me look at Veronica.
  
  I thought maybe she would make me stop, but she didn"t, she threw her head back. "Yes, daddy! Fuck I"m cumming, you"re making me cum on your cock." I went as hard and fast as I could as she came, I moaned and put my head on her shoulder as I came inside her. I heard the door shut and Veronica leave downstairs, I slowed down and pulled out, untied Cheryl, and got dressed. "You should go speak to your wife, call me ok?" I pecked her lips and headed downstairs, I went out the back so I didn"t need to see Veronica. I got on my bike and put my helmet on, I shook my head and laughed before driving off.
  
  Cheryl"s POV
  
  I put a robe on and cleaned up the cuts on my thigh, before heading downstairs. I saw Veronica on the couch with a drink in her hand, I sat on the couch across from her knowing it would make it worse if I sat next to her. She just looked at the liquid in the cup, refusing to look at me. "Veronica, I could say it isn"t what it looked like but I can"t. What you saw was real and I can"t apologize, I knew what I was doing and there is no excuse. I just need you to know that this has nothing to do with you, you"re an amazing wife, and I do love you. But I also love Toni, I can"t help it, I just want to be honest, I should have talked to you instead of cheating. It wasn"t fair on you, you didn"t deserve that, especially seeing us together." She shook her head and looked up, her eyes were a little puffy from crying.
  
  "It isn"t the fact you cheated, it"s the fact you saw me there and kept going. Cheryl, I love you and I would never have done that to you, ever. I knew you had feelings for her, I just never thought you would do that, you could have at least stopped but you didn"t. You know how I feel about cheating, if you wanted an open relationship you should have talked to me. I know you love me, I know that, I feel it, I see it. But to see that, to see my best friends knowingly fuck in front of me, it was so degrading. I forgive you and I"m not mad, just please don"t do that again. And maybe I can join next time, but please talk to me next time you want to have sex with someone else." I got up and sat next to her, she put her hand on my thigh and moved the robe.
  
  She traced the cut with her thumb, my thigh tensed slightly and I looked at her. "I didn"t know you were into that, I guess there are a few things I don"t know about." She pulled me into a kiss and smiled, biting my bottom lip. I pulled away once we needed air, She leaned her forehead against mine. "Next time, tell me, now why don"t you go upstairs and take a hot bath? We"ll talk about this later, you need to relax." I kissed her once more and stood up, I grabbed her hand and pulled her up with me. I took her upstairs and into the bathroom, I started a bath and turned around. She undid my robe and I let the material fall off my shoulders with her help, she wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me close. I pecked her lips and helped her undress before we both got into the bath together.
  
  PLOT TWIST- Maybe there will be a part two.
  
  Chapter 5: Hold It Against Me
  Summary:
  Amy/Lauren/Karma- GP Amy confesses her feelings to Lauren while drunk and Lauren holds it against her. ONE SCENE- While sitting at the dining table Amy feels Lauren rub her foot up her leg, before rubbing right against her. Causing her to choke on her cereal and make their parents question her. Karma catches them and a threesome happens.
  
  Chapter Text
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  That Night
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Amy's POV
  
  I felt my head swirl as the alcohol was poisoning my body, I always hated the idea of drinking but lately, it's all I've been doing, except this time I'm home with Shane and Lauren. It was a little shock that Lauren was drinking with us since she normally didn't like being in the same room as me. Maybe that was why I had a massive crush on her, she wasn't afraid to show her feelings and to be her. I loved that about her, that she didn't hide behind this mask, as I did in high school, pretending to be a lesbian, then pretending I wasn't a lesbian and in love with my best friend, well we aren't besties much now. Not since she embarrassed me in front of the whole school, that was the difference between Lauren and Karma, Lauren would never hurt me for her own gain, or on purpose, Karma did that all the time.
  
  I felt something push my leg and saw Lauren's foot against me, I pushed her away. "You're drifting off again, why do you keep doing that? What are you thinking of?" I looked at her than Shane, who was even drunker than I was, "You, I always think about you and your cute face, and hot body and the way you make me feel." She was silent for a moment and Shane laughed, he knew about the crush. "Yeahhhhh she never shuts up about you," She looked at Shane then me, I grabbed another drink and finished it, and she shook her head. We ended up passing out after that, well at least Shane and I did, I'm not so sure about Lauren. She didn't talk much after that,
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Two Weeks Later
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  It's been two weeks since my drunken confession to Lauren, I still remember it but I think she thinks I don't since I never came and talked to her about it. I didn't know how, I know she remembers, she looks at me differently. I can't tell if it's a good difference or not, I don't think it's a bad one. I swear she's been teasing me, sometimes when it's just us she wears more revealing clothes, she bends down showing me her ass and she brushes against me a lot more now. Right now we were eating breakfast with our parents, she was sitting across from me while Bruce and my mom sat next to us. I put a scoop of cereal in my mouth as I felt a foot rub against my crotch, causing me to choke, my mom tapped my back. "Slow down honey, don't wanna choke." I nodded with a tight smile, I tried to subtly push Lauren's foot off of me as she stared into my eyes.
  
  She was a lot stronger in her legs than I was in my arms, she rubbed against my tip causing me to have to hold back a groan. our parents got up and she pulled away, I thank god in my head. My mom kissed my head and Bruce kissed Lauren's then they left. I tried to quickly finish my breakfast before she started teasing me again. I looked at her and she "dropped" her fork, she got down on her knees. I put the last bite in my mouth as I felt her push my legs apart, she unzipped my pants and I stopped her. "What are you doing?" She looked up at me, "Taking what I want, I know you want me too. So stop, unless you really don't want this." I thought for a second, looking at Lauren on her knees was a huge turn-on. "Don't stop, I want this." She smirked at me and pulled my jeans down with my boxers, she gasped softly at my cock. "You're so big, Amy." I blushed and she slowly took it into her hands, I kicked the rest of my clothes off and to the side. I moaned loudly as I felt her take my tip into my mouth, she sucked on the tip as she rubbed the base.
  
  "Just like that, Laur, it feels so good." She hummed around me as she slowly started to take more down her throat before she had the whole ten inches in her mouth and her nose was touching my pelvis. I heard a knock on the door and I tried pushing Lauren away but she stayed, the tablecloth was long enough to hide her, so she had no plan to stop. I pushed my pants towards her and the door opened, Karma walking in. She saw me in the dining room and smiled, coming over. "How come you haven't left for school yet?" I cleared my throat, "Lauren and I aren't feeling good, mom said we could stay home. I think it's contagious, so don't come over." She waved me off and came closer, moved closer to the table, making sure Lauren was hidden all the way and my naked legs were too. She put her hand against my forehead, "Wow you really are burning up, do you want me to ditch and take care of you?" I knew what she meant, she rubbed my chest and slowly down. I grabbed her hand to stop her, "I really don't feel good Karma, later ok? Go to school, I'll update you." She pouted and nodded, walking away and opening the front door. "Make sure you keep yourself nice and hard for me, see you soon Amy." I covered my face, knowing Lauren knows Karma has touched me.
  
  She pulled away and I looked at her, her hands on my balls making my hips buck. "You've fucked Karma?" I slowly nodded, "Only two times, she isn't even into me like that, just my dick. I'm apparently bigger and thicker than Liam, I don't know. Lauren I only want you, I promise." She took me back down her throat all the way and started moving her head fast, playing with my balls. I gripped her hair and moaned loudly, "Lauren you're gonna make me cum," She hummed and kept going, I moaned loudly and came hard, and she swallowed it all. She pulled away and got from under the table, I took my shirt and bra off as she stripped completely. She looked out the window and smirked, "Fuck me against the window, Amy, I want everyone to see you fucking the shit out of me." I nodded and she bent over against the window, moving the curtain. I got on my knees and licked her clit, getting her wet even though she didn't need it. After a little bit I got up and slowly entered inside of her, "Please Amy, I need it." I started moving slowly but that wasn't enough for her, she started slamming her hips back against me.
  
  I gripped her hips and started pounding into her, she threw her head back and moaned loudly. She moved the curtain, and I saw Karma, watching us. I grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, making her back pressed against my front. I went even harder and used my free hand to rub her clit. She moaned loudly as she came around me, I went as fast as I could and bit her shoulder. "I'm gonna cum, where do you want it?" She moaned loudly gripping my elbow, "I'm on the pill, cum inside me." I nodded and moaned loudly, cumming inside her. She came at the feeling, letting out a soft moan. I moved us so she was now bent over the table and started pounding into her again, knowing Karma could still see us. I heard the door open but I didn't care, still pounding into Lauren. Lauren scrapped her nails against the table, I looked over and saw Karma watching us.
  
  I gripped Lauren's neck and made her look at Karma, growling softly as I went as hard as I could. I whispered in her ear, "Cum for me, make her watch you cum. Watch as she touches herself to us, I'm yours, you're mine. Show her," Lauren moaned loudly, watching Karma touch herself as she squirted around my cock and I came inside her, her squirting pushed my cock, cum falling to the floor. I growled and pushed back inside her, she tried pushing me away. "Sensitive Amy," I shook my head and kept going, "One more, you can do it I promise." I rubbed her clit quickly and she came one more time, screaming out my name, I pulled out and pushed her to her knees and she put her tongue out. I looked at Karma and she came over, I saw on her face she had cum. She got on her knees and they both waited for my cum, I rubbed my cock quickly before throwing my head back and cumming all over them, moaning loudly. some hit their tongue and their face. Lauren took me into her mouth and sucked the rest out, before pulling Karma into a kiss. If I wasn't so exhausted I would have gotten hard, I leaned against the table as they kissed.
  
  "Give me a few minutes and I'll fuck you both, I'm super sensitive." They pulled away and got up, Lauren took off Karma's clothes and grabbed our hand, taking us upstairs. Once we got into my room Lauren pushed Karma on the bed and got between her legs, she started eating her out and I just slowly rubbed myself as I watched. Once I was hard again I got behind Lauren and pushed inside her, causing her to moan. I went slowly, not wanting to rush them into anything. Lauren pushed her hips back, setting the pace. She pulled away and moaned softly, "Fuck Karma, I wanna ride her face." I pulled out and they moved around, I bit my lip at the sight of Lauren sitting on Karma's face. I slammed into Karma, knowing she likes it rough. She moaned as she started eating Lauren out, Lauren pulled me into a kiss as I pounded into Karma, giving her no time to adjust.
  
  I gripped Karma's hips as Lauren rubbed her clit, I knew Karma was quick at cumming and was already close by how tight she was getting. I pulled away from Lauren, "Cum, Karma, cum for us." She moaned loudly into Lauren's pussy, causing Lauren to also cum with her. I went faster and came inside Karma, she wasn't on the pill but it was a risk she loved taking. I moaned loudly, pulling out of her. "God I can't anymore, Lauren moved down so she was eating Karma out as Karma ate her out. I watched as they came over and over again before they were both too tired to continue. They lay next to each other and I lay down, taking a breath. "This is not how I thought this would go." They hummed in agreement, we changed the sheets and blankets, cleaning ourselves up before laying down with each other and falling asleep.
  
  At the end of the day, we were woken up by Shane coming in and gasping loudly, "OH MY GOD!" We sat up, covering ourselves up more. "What are you doing here?" He started laughing loudly, "I wanted to check on you two, I wondered why you guys didn't show up, the door was unlocked. Saw Karma's truck here, you're lucky it was me and not your mom!" We groaned and fell back, he laughed harder and left. We got up and got dressed, heading downstairs. Liam was also there, Shane was holding in his laugh. I was thankful that Karma had broken up with him, because I really didn't need that fight right now. "As you all can see, we are fine. Thank you for checking on us, you may go." Shane laughed and they left, but before Shane closed the door he yelled back. "Karma, Lauren, you have cum in your hair." They blushed brightly and ran upstairs, I smiled and followed, seeing them getting undressed and starting a shower. I got undressed and hopped in with them.
  
  Chapter 6: Hurt Me, I'll Hurt You Ten Times Worse
  Summary:
  Minor Caleb/Hanna Hanna/Emily/Alison- Caleb cheated on Hanna with Alison to get back at her after a fight they had, Hanna instead of crying and screaming goes to Alison to find out why she did it but realizes that Alison was a little too drunk to realize who she was fucking and they make a plan to get back at him with Emily in the mix. A threesome ensues where they record and then send it to him via email.
  
  Chapter Text
  Hanna's POV
  
  I felt the tears well up in my eyes, I refused to let them fall. He didn't deserve to know how much it hurt to see him kissing Alison, to see him undressing her. I wondered if A didn't send the photos if either one of them would tell me that it happened, I could tell by what Caleb was wearing that it was the night we had a massive argument, something he had started in the first place and I guess ended. I walked out of the house, my mom trying to speak to me. I got into my car and drove off, heading to Alison's house. I was angry, I was upset, but crying and screaming wouldn't get me anywhere so I just wanted to talk to her. I pulled into her driveway, thankful to see everyone's car but hers was gone. I got out after parking and headed inside, we never had to knock so I wasn't going to start now. I heard her come down the stairs, a smile on her face almost like she didn't know what she did.
  
  "Hanna! What are you up to today?" It was a simple question, one she would ask all of us, well her questions would always be more in-depth for Emily, but none of us were allowed to bring that up. "I needed to talk to you, do you have anything you're keeping from me?" She looked at me confused, tilting her head with a smile. "No, why?" I handed her my phone, the photos on the screen. She took it and her eyes widened, she looked at me. "Oh my god, Hanna, I'm so sorry! I was so drunk that night that I couldn't even register anything. I didn't even know I had sex with anyone, I thought I did from when I woke up but I didn't even think for a second it was Caleb. If I knew it was him, there is no way I would have done that." I took the phone and sighed, "He did it to get back at me, we had a big fight and apparently he wanted to put salt to the wound." "I seriously am so sorry, Hanna." I shook my head, I knew then when she apologized to me at least, she meant it.
  
  "You apologizing gives me all I need, now I just need to get back at him somehow." I heard someone climb down the stairs and looked over, Emily in Alison's shorts and a baggy shirt. "Is everything ok?" I looked back at Alison, keeping my knowing smile to myself. "Yeah, everything is ok, Emily, we just found out that I slept with Caleb. I didn't even know I really slept with anyone I was that drunk, it was like two weeks ago." I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we had a fight and since then he's been distant, I don't know if he regretted it or not. But I need to get back at him, and I want it to hurt." Emily and Alison looked at each other, almost talking with their eyes. "Ali, I doubt she would agree to that. Just because you've been thinking about it doesn't mean our best friend is gonna like it." I looked at them confused, Alison turned to me with a smirk, holding her hand out for me.
  
  "Why don't we hurt him the same way he hurt you?" "You mean you want me to sleep with someone?" She nodded and I let her grab my hand, she took me upstairs, Emily walking in front of us. "Not just someone, both of us." My eyes widened at the idea, looking between them. "Are you guys being serious?" They nodded and I blushed brightly, I had a huge crush on Emily and Alison, it was hard to choose between the two of them and I never thought they would in a million years even wanna stomach the idea of kissing me let alone this. I tried getting rid of the crush when I was fifteen, but I guess it still lingered in the four years. "You don't have to agree to this just because we suggested it, we can think of another way." I shook my head, "N-no! I'm ok with the idea, but how will we get him to know?" Alison's smirk formed on her face again, she walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a tripod and camera.
  
  "This should do well enough, we can take a few photos and a video. Had he ever made you cum, Hanna?" I blushed again before shaking my head, "Not since the first couple of times we did it, he always focused on himself." Emily rolled her eyes, muttering 'Men' and Alison nodded in agreement with her. "Well Hanna, we have a couple of toys, don't worry clean and when I have random fucks I always test. Emily has only been with me, well now you too. But if you don't want to use it you don't have to. But Emily fucks hard when she has the strap on." I gulped and smiled, "I don't mind trying it," Emily smiled at me and Alison started setting up the camera, "Emily go get yourself ready, it'll be hot to see you undress with the strap already on." She stripped and grabbed the toy, I looked away quickly and heard Alison giggle.
  
  "You don't need to look away, especially when she's gonna fuck the shit out of you soon." I blushed and looked back, seeing Emily put it on and then a pair of boxers before putting on what she was already wearing. Once it was set up Alison set a timer and got in front of it, they started stripping me, the camera going off multiple times until I was fully naked. "Get Emily undressed," I turned towards Emily and started stripping her, I went to pull her boxers but she stopped me. "Get Alison, save that for last." I blushed and nodded, turning towards Alison and stripping her. She smiled a reassuring smile at me, pulling me into a kiss. I kissed back, melting into the kiss. After a few seconds, I was pulled away from her and pulled into a kiss by Emily. I felt Alison walk away from me and Emily pulled away, whispering to me. "Get on your knees for me," I did as told, looking up at her. I slowly put my hands on the waistband of her boxers, slowly pulling them down.
  
  I could tell from the corner of my eye that Alison was filming us, kneeling by me. My eyes widened at the size and girth of the toy, it was much bigger than Caleb, especially in girth. Emily kicked the boxers to the side and rested her hand on my cheek softly, "You can say no to this but I would really enjoy watching you suck on my cock." I blushed and nodded, I rested my hands on her muscular thighs before slowly taking the tip into my mouth. She tangled her fingers in my hair, not pulling or rushing me just holding on. I closed my eyes and slowly took it farther down my throat, gagging around it. I took a breath through my nose and kept going until I felt my nose hit her pelvis, I heard her curse under her breath. "Not even Alison can get me all the way down, fuck." I looked up at her and started bobbing my head slowly, I knew this was mainly to get it wet enough for me though I don't think it's needed; but it also felt good for Emily.
  
  Emily pulled me off and looked down at me, a smile on her face. "Get on the bed, Hanna." I got up off my knees and onto the bed, keeping my eyes on both of them. Alison positioned the camera to face the bed and they both got on, Emily situated herself between my legs, leaning down and licking my clit softly. I threw my head back and moaned, grabbing onto the pillow behind me. Alison kissed and sucked my neck, biting down to my tits. She took the left nipple into her mouth and sucked gently, tugging and pinching the right one before switching and doing the same thing to the other. Emily pulled away and I felt her tease my entrance with the tip of the toy, "Are you ready, Hanna?" I nodded quickly, "Y-yes, please Emily." She slowly slid into me, holding my hips. Alison kissed up to my ear, "Can I ride your face, baby?" I nodded and gasped at the feeling of Emily, "Words, Han," "Y-yes," She pecked my lips and straddled my face, my hands landed on her thighs and once she was situated I licked her clit.
  
  I had never done anything remotely close to fucking a girl, and I wasn't that professional when it came to men. But I did what I thought would be good, trying to focus on Alison, even though it was hard with Emily getting faster. "Right there, Hanna, you're doing so good, baby. You feel so fucking good." Alison gripped my hair, pulling me closer to her. I moaned into her, my eyes rolling back. I pulled away for a split second, "I'm close." Emily gripped my hips a little tighter and went harder, the room filling with our moans and the sound of skin against skin. I slid my tongue into Alison and she started moving her hips, grinding against me. I moaned loudly into Alison, cumming hard against the strap as she came around my tongue. She kept moving her hips at a fast pace, her grip on my hair getting tighter. "Cum again, cum for us baby girl." I could hear the gasps and pants coming from Emily, she was going to cum from fucking me.
  
  I curled my tongue and moved it out of Alison quickly, my thighs started shaking as I came once again. Alison grabbed onto the headboard and threw her head back, cumming again. I cleaned her up as her hips slowed down, Emily was still moving into me but at a slower pace. Alison moved off my face and laid down next to me with a sigh, I looked at her and she had a smile on her face. Emily leaned over me and I looked up at her, she pulled me into a kiss and hummed at the taste of Alison. "Think you can cum again for me, princess? Can you be my good girl?" I blushed and nodded, she smiled at me and started off slow. I wrapped my legs around her waist and pulled her deeper into me, moaning loudly. She held both my hands by my head, intertwining our fingers as her hips sped up. "You feel so good, Emily, please don't stop." She smiled a sweet innocent smile, a smile you wouldn't think someone would give you while they pound their cock into you. "I don't plan on stopping any time soon, sweet girl." I threw my head back, I never thought someone just calling me pet names would make me so close to cumming.
  
  "Are you gonna cum for me? Cum for me baby girl, be a good girl." I moaned loudly, their names falling from my lips as I came again. She slowed her hips and pulled out of me, I whined at the loss and she pecked my lips. "Alison wants to eat you out, and I wanna pound into her like the bitch she is." I blushed and nodded, they moved around so Alison was between my legs and I was sitting up a little. Emily moved so she was behind Alison, Alison started cleaning me up just missing my clit. I whined softly and bucked my hips, she held my hips down and started eating me out. I threw my head back and tangled my fingers into her hair. I watched as her eyes rolled back as Emily slid into her, I thought Emily would start slow like she did for me but she started pounding into her, not giving her any time to adjust. Alison just let out a loud-pitched moan and gently dug her nails into my hips. I knew there would be marks tomorrow but I couldn't get myself to care today.
  
  Every time Emily pulled back she would take Alison, pulling her tongue out of me and when she would slam back into her Alison's tongue would slam into me. It was the most amazing feeling and view I had ever felt and seen. Alison curled her tongue inside me and started rubbing my clit with her thumb, she moved so my legs were over her shoulders and pulled me closer to her. Emily moved my hand out of Alison's hair and gripped her, herself, pounding harder into her. "Fuck I'm close, Emily don't stop." Emily slowed down, "The guest cums first, be a good girl." Alison whined into me and started moving her thumb faster, her tongue moving faster too. "Fuck, I'm close!" Alison didn't stop but Emily sped up again, going even faster than she did last time. I arched my back and let out a silent scream, cumming hard against Alison's tongue. I felt her moan into me, her nails digging into my thighs. I slowly opened my eyes, not even realizing they were shut. Emily had pulled out of Alison and took care of the toy, she wasn't in the room so I assumed she was cleaning it. Alison laid her head against my thigh, sighing in contentment.
  
  When Emily came back she had turned off the camera, before climbing into the bed with us. "After you both relax I'm gonna clean the sheets and we can just lie down." I nodded and yawned, Alison held Emily's hand and closed her eyes. After what felt like five minutes Emily made us get up before we passed out, I went to the bathroom to clean myself up and so did Alison, it's silly to want privacy after we just got our brains turned into mush. Once I walked back into the room the bed was all made and Emily was lying in bed. I climbed in, giving her space, where I assumed Alison would want. She wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close, once Alison came in she lay on my other side. "When we wake up I will email Caleb the photos and video." I nodded, laying my head on Emily's chest. "Do you think A is gonna tell the girls about this?" I felt Emily chuckle, "I'm pretty sure tipsy Alison will tell them before A does, unless A gave them a live feed, if so then oh well. The only one that's gonna be shocked is Aria, well not shocked, more like, weirded out because she's a prude and we love her."
  
  I nodded with a laugh, closing my eyes. "Good night, Hanna, we'll order some pizza and invite the girls over later when we're up." I moved my head into what I thought was a nod, being too tired to register.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  I woke up and rubbed my eyes, I looked around to see the sun had gone down but it wasn't too dark out. I sat up and looked over to see Alison gone and Emily up reading a book, she looked at me with a smile. "Alison is downstairs, we assumed you'd wake up soon so she ordered the food. It just arrived, the girls will arrive soon so get dressed." I got up and decided since Alison and I are now the same size I would just steal her clothes, I grabbed her plaid pajama bottoms and a tank top, putting them on with my bra and underwear. Emily smiled at me and I smiled back, "Let's head downstairs," I nodded and she got up, we walked downstairs as Alison was just putting the pizzas down. "Morning, Han." I rolled my eyes with a smile and she came over, pecking my lips. "You look gorgeous in my clothes, Spencer is pulling in now with Aria so you woke up just in time." She held Emily and I's hands, pulling us to where she set the pizza. As we sat down Aria and Spencer came in, laughing about something someone had said. They came in and walked over to us, sitting down.
  
  "What's with the random hangout? Not that I'm complaining, but normally you guys are with your partners." I rolled my eyes at the thought of Caleb, I went to say something but Alison winked at me, telling me she already did it. "Hanna needed a pick me up, Caleb cheated on her." Aria gasped, leaning over to hold my hand. "With who? Do you know?" I nodded with a shrug, "No one important right now, it doesn't really bother me that much. I learned that there are much better people, especially when he was a weak fuck." Aria blushed and Spencer just laughed, I looked at Emily and Alison, they had a smirk. "Did you find someone who was a better fuck already, Han?" I shrugged with a smile, "Maybe, Spence, who knows." She gave me a look, telling me I would be telling her whether I planned on it or not. We started eating, changing the subject and I heard my phone go off. I excused myself and rushed upstairs, grabbing it and coming back down.
  
  As I walked down the stairs I read it, seeing a message from my mom 'Alison called and said you were upset about Caleb, didn't tell me much but that you were staying the night. Call me when you can, love you.' then a message from Caleb, 'What the hell Hanna?! You fucked Emily AND Alison?! Not only did you cheat on me, but you had the nerve to rub it in my face.' I laughed and shook my head, coming to sit next to Emily and Alison again. I started quickly typing out a message, attaching the photo of Alison. 'Considering YOU cheated first Caleb, means you have no right to be upset. You know who sent me this photo, someone who apparently is a better friend than you were to me. Alison explained that she didn't even know she slept with anyone, let alone you. That if she knew she wouldn't touch you in a million years. Next time don't go fucking someone so drunk they can't even feel you, well a sober girl wouldn't either. Goodbye Caleb, they fucked me better in the two years I've dated you in one night.' I sent the message, putting my phone on silent and setting it down.
  
  Spencer grabbed my phone and opened it, I rolled my eyes with a smile. Her eyes widened and she looked at Alison before reading the message, her jaw-dropping. "Holy shit, Hanna." I just laughed and Aria leaned over, reading it too. Her face turned red and her eyes widened, she looked at the three of us, "Y-you guys..." "We fucked, Aria, it's not a bad thing." She gulped and shook her head, "N-no it's not, it's just shocking." Spencer just smirked and leaned back, handing the phone back. "I'm a little jealous you got to ride the Emison train before me." I laughed and took a bite of my food, shaking my head. "There's always room Spence," Emily nodded in agreement with Alison. "We aren't a couple, not yet at least. Just messing around until college, why start a relationship when we leave in a year."
  
  
  Chapter 3: Well, Can We Get Along?
  Summary:
  Shin reluctantly moves into Sabine's apartment for their month ordered together.. Sabine's brother and Shin's best friend Ezra, stops by/sympathizes with Shin.. The two have some bonding moments..
  
  Notes:
  Guys!!! For those commenting and leaving so much love, YOU ARE AMAZING!! Like seriously.. Thank ya'll so much for sending me such lovely comments, and kudos!! Much love!!!
  
  Will Shin and Sabine get along together? What else might happen? Find out!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine hurried to her door, hearing the knock. "Coming, I'm coming!!" She'd been painting, instead of making the place accommodating for Shin, and had paint allover herself, her chin even had a little on it.
  
  
  
  Painting helped her calm down, and to de-stress, and she'd just been listening to her ear pods by while doing so. She sighed, and then opened the door to see Shin, Baylan and Ahsoka standing there.
  
  
  
  "Shin.. Good to see you, finally." Sabine smirked, raising her arm up as the blonde pushed past her to get inside. She nodded to Baylan and gave Ahsoka a hug.
  
  
  
  "So a month huh? One month with just you and me in this apartment, oh and Murley of course." Sabine smiled as her cat ran up, rubbing against her leg, to which she leant down to pick him up.
  
  
  
  "I thought you were joking about having a cat, Wren. Weren't you allergic, as a kid?" Shin smirked out watching the other woman hold the striped cat.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, "You're right, I was. But, I managed to get over it eventually. My doctor said I outgrew the allergy. Apparently it happens quite bit, my doctor said I wasn't the only patient of his to have it happen to. I'm glad, cuz Murley is my buddy, and my emotional support animal." She felt Shin's eyes at her, and sighed.
  
  
  
  "I get panic attacks... Ever since.. Umm... Never mind, umm here let me show you around." Sabine went over, grabbing one of Shin's duffle bags, grunting under the weight. "What the hell did you pack? Dumbbells?", She groaned at Shin.
  
  
  
  "I did, actually. Something wrong with that, Wren? Too heavy for you?", Shin smirked out. She was curious about why Sabine got panic attacks, and silently hoped it wasn't due to their interaction all those years ago, but deep down, she knew it was.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed and followed after Sabine, looking around the place as she followed Sabine to a spare room. She saw several canvases inside, and wrinkled her nose.
  
  
  
  "You're going to put me in with your painting stuff? Seriously Wren? At this point we may as well just share your room." Shin smirked out to Sabine.
  
  
  
  "That's a great idea, and actually it's also written on the court decree." Ahsoka said chuckling as she watched the two women look at her in shock.
  
  
  
  "What? No way!! I only have the one bed, granted it's a king size, but no way!!", Sabine begged her coach. She grabbed the court paper from Ahsoka, and frowned once she saw the fine print.
  
  
  
  "Shin Hati and Sabine Wren are to share all living space together, no matter how small the space may be, it will include the bedroom if it is the only sleeping space that is found present in the place of living."
  
  
  
  Sabine grunted, and then pushed the duffle bag into Shin's chest. "Fine, but you're sleeping by the wall. My bed, I call the shots here, got it?" She glared at Shin, wishing to god that this wasn't happening.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned as the heavy bag hit her chest, and she gritted her teeth as she nodded. "Fine with me, I wouldn't want to fall out of the bed anyways."
  
  
  
  She looked around the spacious bedroom, and noticed how the bedspread was purple, with white sheets. "How original," Shin muttered as she went and sat onto the edge of the bed. She dropped her duffle bags onto the floor, and looked over at where Baylan stood.
  
  
  
  "Don't worry dad, I won't bite.. Much..", Shin chuckled out as she felt a pillow slap her face, with Sabine behind it. She glared at the purple haired woman, huffing at a loose strand of hair.
  
  
  
  "You'll regret that decision, Wren." Shin smirked out, grabbing the pillow and putting it onto her side of the bed. She folded her arms, watching Sabine smirk right back at her.
  
  
  
  Shin rolled her eyes, her fists clenching, but she stopped once she saw Baylan raise his eyes at her. Groaning, Shin stuffed her hands into the pockets of her tan cargo pants.
  
  
  
  Ahsoka and Baylan chuckled, knowing fully well that they were playing matchmakers now. The actual court decree had no mention of them needing to share a bed, they'd had Loren's help writing it up, since Loren knew Sabine liked Shin still, even if Sabine wouldn't admit it.
  
  
  
  "Well, we'll leave you both to it. Don't have too much fun now, and no fighting!! We'll know if your vitals spike!", the Coaches said as they quickly left the apartment. The two coaches high fived each other, chuckling as they headed back to Baylan's black Hummer.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked over at Shin, sighing. "Want some pizza? My treat... I could go for some veggie pizza badly, wings and beer too?" Sabine knew Shin liked beer, from college days, and she saw a slight smirk come across Shin's face.
  
  
  
  "Fine, but I'll buy the beer, Wren. Wouldn't want you get shitty beer," Shin smirked out to Sabine. She remembered a college party she'd snuck into at Lothal University, and the beer Sabine had supplied was so bad, kids had left the party.
  
  
  
  Shin felt glad that Sabine never knew she'd attended, having put on a red haired wig with bangs, and sunglasses as her disguise.
  
  
  
  Sabine held her hand out to Shin, "Deal. Now you still like veggie pizza with pineapples right?" She smiled at the other woman, knowing it was, as it was all Shin ate when they'd hang out as kids.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, " You remembered.. Yea... Ummm sounds great.." She looked down at her feet, and watched as Sabine went to call the food in, and sighed, flipping her phone to her Doordash app, quickly finding the Spec's on it, and placed an order for quite a bit of beer.
  
  
  
  She ordered two 24 packs of her Pacifico beer, figuring it would be plenty to last, and enough to get her drunk tonight. She could use it, being here with Sabine for a month, was not going to be easy.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, removing the black leather jacket she had on over her black shirt, and tossed it onto her duffle bags. Her black shirt's sleeves hugged her biceps, showing them off well.
  
  
  
  She looked over to see Sabine standing there, leaning against the doorway. "What? Creeping again?", Shin muttered out, laying down onto the bed, on her back.
  
  
  
  Sabine folded her arms, walking back to her bedroom. She watched as Shin removed her jacket, and silently gasped seeing how well the shirt Shin was wearing, was hugging her muscular body. Sabine bit her lip softly, wanting to run her hands over Shin, and shook herself from the thought as she felt Shin look at her.
  
  
  
  "I.. uhh. No, urm pizza and wings ordered.. Veggie pizza with pineapples, and buffalo wings with ranch. Both of our favorites.. And yes I did remember." Sabine smirked to Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin turned her face, looking over at Sabine, her eyes glued to the short shorts that Sabine had apparently changed into. They were hugging Sabine's thighs, and Shin felt something spark within her mind, sending a chill through her. She grunted, and sat up.
  
  
  
  "Now who's being a creep? Enjoying the view Shin?", Sabine smirked out playfully to Shin. She was thoroughly enjoying getting under Shin's skin, without the other woman able to hurt her.
  
  
  
  Shin laughed, "Oh Wren, you wish. You really wish that don't you?" Shin glared at Sabine, but her stomach was tying itself in knots, still lingering at Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine stepped over to Shin, blocking Shin from being able to get past her. "Well, can we just get along please? Don't look at me like that again, Hati."
  
  
  
  Deep down, she wanted Shin to stare at her, those icy blue eyes could look into her soul, and she'd melt. But, she couldn't let Shin know how much she liked when Shin did glare at her.
  
  
  
  Sabine let Shin's last name roll off her tongue slowly, and saw a glare come across Shin's face. Smirking, Sabine sauntered off towards the living room.
  
  
  
  Shin felt her stomach twist, "Stop it.. Don't do this Shin, don't get all worked up over her." She heard the doorbell ring, and jumped to her feet. She went into the living room, to see a guy come into the apartment, and she quickly recognized Sabine's brother Ezra.
  
  
  
  "Oh Ezra, just you.. Good to see you, been a while." Shin pulled him into a hug, making Sabine roll her eyes. Ezra had tried asking Shin out ages ago, and she'd rejected him, with her being gay, but he ended up the only one she'd told at first, and they'd ended up as best friends instead.
  
  
  
  Shin would go to Sabine's house to hangout with him, and play videogames. Shin wouldn't tell her grandmother about it, as Shin also used the opportunity to see Sabine. It didn't work though, so eventually Shin stopped going. She turned to look at Sabine, and grabbed Ezra's hand quickly, pulling him to the bathroom, shutting the door behind them.
  
  
  
  "Shin, what the heck.. How are you going to handle this? Talk to me, I'm your best friend. Sabine's brother yes, but I know you still care about her, deep down in that cold ass heart of yours, you still like my sister. Admit it.." Ezra chuckled out.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned, "Fine you're right, as usual Ezra. It's why I had to stop coming over when we were in college. I couldn't take seeing her dating all those other girls, it hurt too much, and just made me want to hurt her more. I hate myself for what I did, and she can't know Ezra.. I don't know how she'd react to me saying, "Oh hey Sabine you know why I start fights with you? It's so I can take my frustration out on you that way, instead of telling you that I like you, that I've always liked you." Ezra, she can't know.. Unless..."
  
  
  
  Shin stopped herself, trying to calm down as she felt a wave of tears hit her. She sighed, wishing she could take it all back, but she doubted Sabine would forgive her.
  
  
  
  Ezra knew, "Unless you finally admit it to her... It's ok Shin.. I understand, just don't punch my sister. Kiss her if you want, but dude no fighting." He chuckled, pulling Shin into a hug.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Don't worry, I won't screw this up. Baylan's counting on me, and I can't let him, or my team down."
  
  
  
  She hugged Ezra back, and then followed him out of the bathroom to see Sabine setting their food down onto her dining table.
  
  
  
  "Food's here, umm hey are you ok Shin?", Sabine asked worriedly, seeing how Shin was clearly upset. Deep down, she knew she shouldn't pry, as she didn't want to make Shin more upset.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, wiping tears from her face. "I'm fine Wren, don't start being nice now just because I'm crying." She sat down onto a dining chair, and watched as Sabine fixed a plate for her. She heard a knock at the door, which Era answered, and she chuckled hurrying over to help with the beer.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes widened, "You got that much beer? Trying to get drunk?" She smirked, placing Shin's plate down. Sabine eyed, the cases of beer, knowing how much Shin would drink.
  
  
  
  She'd snuck into a party at Seatos College, Shin's birthday party. She'd seen Shin chug half a keg of beer, and then four other beers, and then when Sabine had seen Shin makeout with a few girls, leaving the party with all three, Sabine had immediately left. The present she'd taken to give to Shin, was still buried in her closet.
  
  
  
  Sabine sighed at the memory, her heart had ached that night, and so Sabine had gone out to find her own release, spending the night with a girl from her team, just as a one time hookup.
  
  
  
  "Being here with you, oh definitely.. Here, have one." Shin handed one to Sabine, and opened her own, chugging down a sip. She eyed Sabine, wondering what was going on in the purple haired woman's mind, seeing how her eyes would linger to Shin's eyes.
  
  
  
  Shin felt uneasy, those brown eyes piercing into hers always made her nervous, made her angry because she couldn't express her true feelings.
  
  
  
  Each stare down between them, always ended in a fight, so Shin sighed, turning her gaze away from Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, seeing how she'd made Shin nervous from staring at her, and quickly opened her beer that Shin gave her, chugging down a few sips. She motioned for Ezra to join them, and smiled as he did.
  
  
  
  Dinner began in awkward silence as the three started eating, and drinking their beers. Sabine looked over at Shin, watching her slowly chew on a wing. Ezra nudged her with his foot, and Sabine sighed.
  
  
  
  "So umm Shin, what do you think so far, about the apartment.. Are you going to be ok staying here? I can, umm get anything from the grocery store that you'd like, when I go tomorrow. We also may not be able to attend the games or play, but we could urmm, practice maybe? Together? If you want..." Sabine shifted awkwardly in her chair.
  
  
  
  Shin stopped chewing, and set the wing onto her plate. She sipped, then chugged her beer, and then opened another quickly. She chugged half of it, her hands trembling as she tried to fight her emotions, trying to fight her anger off.
  
  
  
  Sabine's soft voice was triggering her, making her want to slap her, kiss her, fuck her... Anything to get her hands on the woman in front of her at the table. She grabbed her pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, and looked nervously at Ezra.
  
  
  
  "I'm going to get a smoke in... Umm groceries, uhh sure, you can use my card for my stuff.." Shin sprang up, hurrying to the balcony, shutting the door behind her.
  
  
  
  She sighed, lighting her cigarette she held between her lips, and softly puffed on it. She turned to look behind her, and watched Ezra walk up, patting her shoulder before he stood beside her to hit his vape.
  
  
  
  "Sorry Shin, she's trying to be civil, but she realized she made you feel awkward. She didn't mean to, it's just been years since the two of had an actual conversation. She isn't sure how to approach this either, just give my sister a chance. Please, for me." Ezra smiled as he watched Shin relax her shoulders. He puffed his vape, looking around the street below them.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, "Ezra.. A month.. A month and we have to sleep in the same bed.. Like what the fuck dude... How am I supposed to do this? Those shorts she's wearing... Sorry not sorry, but damnit Ezra... I'm not sure if I can handle this, it's a lot to grasp, and you know what she does to me when she stares at me with those brown eyes of hers. Fuck man.."
  
  
  
  She palmed her face, groaning as the tip of her cigarette hit her cheek, and she lowered her hand to her mouth, inhaling it in before exhaling it back out.
  
  
  
  Ezra chuckled, "And you wearing that tight shirt of yours, doesn't help her either." He stopped dead in his tracks, and quickly turned to go back inside.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "What the actual fuck..."
  
  
  
  She went back inside, and saw Ezra getting ready to leave. Shin gave him a questioning look, but he only gulped, hugging her before he left. Soon, it was just her and Sabine again.
  
  
  
  Shin looked over at where Sabine was now sitting on her couch, petting Murley, while one leg was raised up on her coffee table, giving a decent view at her thighs.
  
  
  
  Shin gulped, hands fidgeting at her side, trying not to show her emotions as she clenched her fists into her pockets, before going to the fridge for more beer.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, petting Murley, knowing she was getting under Shin's skin. She knew Shin was going to get drunk, and she wanted to see how drunk she could make her get.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed, and grabbed two beers from the fridge, handing one to Sabine. She sat down on the couch, away from Sabine, tapping her beer bottle. She looked over at the tv, and then at Sabine.
  
  
  
  "So, anything good on tv tonight?" Shin said quietly. She figured if she couldn't fight Sabine, or anything else physical, they could at least watch tv together, as the silence in the room was killing her.
  
  
  
  Sabine perked up, and she grinned. "Well, actually there's a show on Netflix I've been wanting to watch. Umm... Arcane? Have you heard of it? It's animated, but like for adults I'm told.. Umm meaning like there's bad language or whatever in it."
  
  
  
  She looked eagerly at Shin, hoping they could watch it together, now that Shin seemed to want to watch tv with her, and she'd rather watch it with someone else than by herself. Sabine patted Murley, before watching her striped cat jump off her lap to go eat his food in the kitchen.
  
  
  
  Shin raised an eyebrow, "League of Legends? You haven't seen it yet? Deal, it's good. One of my favorites actually, you'll like it." She leaned back, sitting against the couch, and then watched Sabine stand up.
  
  
  
  "Popcorn? My treat?", Sabine grinned as she went into her kitchen. She reached into her pantry, grabbing two bags of popcorn, and worked to get it started.
  
  
  
  She looked over at Shin from her kitchen, and smiled. "Maybe we can get along after all," Sabine thought to herself.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, "Uhh sure, thank you..." She sipped her beer, and watched the Netflix intro come onto the tv, and waited for Sabine. Shin sighed, she wasn't sure why she was letting her walls down at the moment, maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe part of herself wanted it to be like old times with Sabine. She missed those days, and didn't know why she felt so nervous right now, waiting to watch Arcane with Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine came out to the couch, a few minutes later, carrying a large bowl of popcorn. She set it between herself and Shin, and then positioned herself comfortably on her couch, knees tucked under her. She looked over at Shin, and pressed play when she found Arcane.
  
  
  
  They watched the show all night, Sabine unable to stop watching, heart melting for the characters. She grinned realizing that the two female leads, Caitlyn and Vi, were definitely gay for each other.
  
  
  
  Sabine spilled her popcorn when the last episode ended, and stared at Shin. "Please tell me there's more episodes. That.. Omg I'm addicted now."
  
  
  
  Shin chuckled, "Not for another year, Cupcake." She smirked the last bit out, with it being what the character Vi would call the other character, Caitlyn.
  
  
  
  She saw Sabine's eyes widen, and giggled. She then stopped, and stood up. "I'm uhh, I'm going to go change for bed.. Umm, see you there.."
  
  
  
  Shin darted off to the bedroom, fumbling into her duffel bag to get her night clothes out. She couldn't remember the last time she'd giggled in front of Sabine, and realized it was the last night they'd hung out when they were thirteen.
  
  
  
  She made her way to Sabine's bathroom, and shut herself in. She pressed her forehead to the wall, "Fuck this." Shin sighed, changing clothes and then grimaced, not knowing where to put her dirty clothes. She left the bathroom, and found Sabine in the bedroom.
  
  
  
  She gasped, seeing that Sabine had changed into boxers, and a white tank top, with no type of sleep bra underneath. Shin bit her lip, seeing that Sabine's nipples were very noticeable and hard under the shirt, and she smacked herself for staring at them.
  
  
  
  Sabine jumped off the bed, blushing as she folded her arms across her chest. "Umm, sorry thought I'd be lying down before you came in here... Umm thanks for the beer, and the show.." She mumbled, before climbing into her bed, pulling the sheets over her tightly.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, "Umm yea sure.." She decided to ask about her clothes later, and dropped them onto the floor by her duffle bags. She hesitated, and then climbed into the bed with Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  Are ya'll ready for them to truly get along? ;) Find out tomorrow night!!
  
  Chapter 4: Well.. That Was Unexpected
  Summary:
  Something that will change Shin and Sabine's lives, happens unexpectedly.. How will they handle it?
  
  Notes:
  What's going to happen with them in this chapter? Ooo just find out ;)
  
  Shout out to Khamul!!! Your comments make my day! Appreciate the love and support!!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  That first night, Shin was flipping and flopping in her sleep. She kept accidentally brushing her feet against Sabine's, or getting too close to the other woman. She sighed, finally laying onto her back.
  
  
  
  Shin sighed looking up at the ceiling, before flipping to her side and looked at her phone, to check the time. It read, "3:15 AM", making her grunt. She'd only been in bed for two hours, but it felt like longer.
  
  
  
  She looked next to her, watching Sabine sleep. It was almost calming, seeing Sabine's chest rise and fall, making Shin softly smile. She groaned from realizing that she was staring at Sabine for too long, and flipped back onto her other side, facing the wall.
  
  
  
  Finally, she realized she couldn't sleep, and she groaned as she slowly got up from the bed, trying not to wake up Sabine. She grunted then, feeling something hit her feet, making her stumble over the bed, falling onto her face.
  
  
  
  Shin looked over, watching Sabine's cat waltz up to her, rubbing his face on her head. "Damn cat, stop it." She grunted, and then heard a soft voice.
  
  
  
  "Shin.. Are you ok? What time is it? Uggg what happened?" Sabine softly called out to Shin, sleepily rubbing her eyes. She would also get tripped by Murley when she'd get up during the night to go pee, and figured that's what had happened.
  
  
  
  She sat up and looked down to see Shin struggling on the floor. She couldn't help but grin at the sight of Murley rubbing his face, against Shin's own annoyed face.
  
  
  
  Sabine chuckled, "Big baby.. Come on, I got you." She reached down, gently helping Shin stand up.
  
  
  
  She then grunted, as Shin fell against her, pressing her to the bed. Sabine gulped, as Shin's head had landed on her chest, and she winced from the impact.
  
  
  
  Shin quickly sprang back, seeing where her head had landed onto Sabine. She stood back, scratching the back of her neck nervously.
  
  
  
  "Umm, I umm.. Your cat tripped me.. Umm sorry for waking you up," Shin darted out from the bedroom, towards the living room.
  
  
  
  She fell onto the couch, her face slamming into the cushions. She groaned, knowing how awkward she was being, and she silently wished she could fall back into Sabine's chest. Or at the very least, punch her, as she was good at expressing her emotions towards Sabine that way, but she couldn't, not with her career on the line. She banged her face onto the couch, grunting loudly.
  
  
  
  She then froze, feeling a hand come onto her shoulder. Shin turned her face, and looked up to see a worried Sabine.
  
  
  
  "Are you ok Shin? You've been so weird.. Oof, umm yea he tripped you pretty good, your nose is bleeding.." Sabine grabbed a tissue from the tissue box that was on her table, and gently wiped the blood from Shin's nose, making Shin jump.
  
  
  
  "Umm.. sorry, I just.. I wanted to help.." Sabine softly stuttered, blushing slightly. She definitely knew she was overstepping, but she did care about Shin, and wanted to have peace between them.
  
  
  
  Shin suddenly sat up, watching Sabine, her lips parting as she took in the sight of Sabine over her. The gentle feel of Sabine wiping at her face, made her skin crawl, and not in a bad way.
  
  
  
  Shin bit her lip, making a choice of how to respond. She sighed, and then pulled Sabine to her, her lips desperately crashing into Sabine's.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin sit up, and half expected a punch, or a shove, but was shocked when soft lips crashed onto hers.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered, not knowing what to do, and so she eagerly kissed Shin back, her hands coming to cup Shin's face, pulling her in deeper, as she was pulled to the couch by Shin.
  
  
  
  Shin knew this was a mistake, a big mistake, kissing Sabine, but she couldn't hold it back anymore. She'd dreamt of this moment for them, longed for it. She darted her tongue into Sabine's mouth, smirking as Sabine softly moaned into the kiss.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin, first night and you already shove your tongue down her throat," Shin thought to herself, before pulling away, shoving Sabine off of her.
  
  
  
  "I uhh.. Umm... I...", Shin stuttered out. She saw the disappointment in Sabine's eyes, and she grimaced.
  
  
  
  Shin quickly realized what Ezra had almost told her earlier. Sabine liked her too... She realized that's why she was getting kissed back, instead of being slapped.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened in her realization, and she just stared at Sabine, unable to find the words to say for her choice of action.
  
  
  
  Sabine's eyes fluttered, trying to find the words.. "Well, that was unexpected.. Umm.. Yea.. I uhh.. I'm going back to bed.." She stumbled back to her room, laying down face first as she fell onto her bed.
  
  
  
  She felt her lips with her fingers, trembling but with a soft smile. She'd finally gotten to kiss Shin, unexpectedly, but she'd done it. Sabine sighed, drifting back to sleep.
  
  
  
  Shin was still on the couch, trying to process what had just happened. She'd kissed Sabine.. Finally.. She had let her frustrations out, the right way.. But then she had shoved Sabine away from her, yet again.
  
  
  
  She sighed, smacking herself as she went to go back to the bed. Shin climbed in softly, and faced the wall as she yawned, falling asleep.
  
  
  
  When morning came, Sabine woke up to a note on her bedside table.
  
  
  
  "Sabine.. I'm sorry for last night, I was.. I was uhh drunk.. I went to get us some coffee and donuts, be back soon."- Shin.
  
  
  
  Sabine smiled, and she got out of bed to go use the shower. Finally, maybe they could get along with each other. Once she was out of the shower, she changed clothes, settling on a black tank top and blue skinny jeans. She'd put on lacey lingerie style panties, and a bra to match.
  
  
  
  Both purple in color, she'd gotten them to make herself feel sexy, and after the kiss last night, that's exactly how she felt. She would drive Shin crazy, if they had to be stuck like this, she'd make Shin open up more, in more ways than one she secretly hoped.
  
  
  
  Sabine heard her front door slam, and went out of her room, to see Shin setting down their coffee and a box of donuts onto her dining table.
  
  
  
  Shin got back from the donut shop, and had gotten their coffee from Starbucks. She had messaged Ezra to confirm what coffee Sabine liked, and flavor of donut. She mentioned the kiss, to which she'd gotten heart emojis back from him. Shin sighed, this was going to be an interesting day, after last night.
  
  
  
  She gulped, seeing Sabine walk up. "Umm here, Ezra told me what you like, umm you look nice." Shin mumbled out to Sabine.
  
  
  
  Her eyes darted at Sabine, eyeing the other woman up and down, trying hard to look away, but felt unable to do so. Shin was nervous, and wasn't sure what to do about what had happened.
  
  
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow, "So just how drunk were you last night? Did it mean anything... The kiss? Or just feeling the alcohol?" She had to confront her about it, knowing it would make Shin do something, and hoped she wouldn't get slapped.
  
  
  
  She got close to Shin, making the other woman breathe heavily as she reached around Shin, to grab her coffee from the table.
  
  
  
  Sabine smirked, "Chill, I'm teasing you. Of course you were drunk, and it's fine. No biggie..."
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "Uhh yea.. I was.. Umm sorry again... I don't know what came over me.." She bit her lip, and grabbed her macchiato, sipping it slowly. She then sat down, grabbing a chocolate donut from the box, chewing into it.
  
  
  
  Sabine shrugged, "It's ok.. Really Shin.. I won't tell anyone that the big bad Shin kissed me." She grinned as she saw the glare come from Shin. Sabine decided to pump it up a notch, and got up, standing behind Shin.
  
  
  
  She leant down, pressing her chest to Shin's back, and then put her lips to Shin's ear. "I won't tell anyone that I enjoyed kissing you back." Sabine bit at Shin's ear, making Shin gasp. She watched Shin turn quickly, and watched the blushing woman face her.
  
  
  
  Shin was awestruck, this woman was driving her crazy, and most likely on purpose. She blushed hard though, "Good.. That's the only time you'll get to have kissed me. It.. It was a mistake Sabine.." Shin stood up immediately from the dining chair, feeling nervous as she fidgeted with her hands.
  
  
  
  She started to turn to the bedroom, but then gasped as she watched Sabine pull her shirt up over her head, tossing it to the floor, revealing the lacey purple bra beneath. Sabine's breasts boldly protruding around the edges of the bra, and she could see the hard nipples poking through the fabric.
  
  
  
  Shin gulped, feeling a shiver of excitement shoot right down to her sex. She clenched her thighs together, and was pressed against the dining table harshly by Sabine. Shin gasped, her hands pressed to her side, squirming under Sabine.
  
  
  
  "I know it wasn't a mistake Shin.. I wanted it too..", Sabine softly told Shin as she pressed herself up against Shin.
  
  
  
  She reached out, her lips going to Shin's, crashing them together, her tongue moving deep into Shin's mouth. Sabine softly moaned as she felt Shin give in, picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom.
  
  
  
  Shin should stop, she knew she needed to, but damnit the way Sabine was eager for her, made all anger rush out the door. In this moment, she wanted to devour the purple haired woman that had stolen her heart so long ago. Shin ached to love her, to show Sabine how she truly felt.
  
  
  
  Shin placed Sabine down onto the bed, and got on top of her, hands quickly finding the button to Sabine's jeans, undoing it and quickly yanking them to the floor.
  
  
  
  She gasped seeing the purple lingerie beneath, hungry to remove it. Shin ran her fingertips over Sabine's clothed sex, feeling wetness immediately. She moaned softly, seeing how turned on Sabine really was for her.
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, seeing Shin inspect her body. She ran her fingers through Shin's hair, and pulled her back in to kiss her. She moaned, feeling Shin's tongue enter her mouth, and eagerly bucked her hips into Shin's hand that was still teasing her.
  
  
  
  "Shin... Please.. I want you to touch me.. Please..", Sabine begged Shin, whimpering softly as she widened her legs for Shin.
  
  
  
  She'd had wet dreams for years of this happening, and now that it was, Sabine was so eager for Shin to touch her, to fuck her, to bite and suck on her.
  
  
  
  Shin nodded, and started removing Sabine's underwear, which were soaked with Sabine's juices. Shin looked into Sabine's eyes, and started softly rubbing her clit between her fingers, making Sabine moan. She then moved her fingers to the dripping sex, and plunged two fingers inside of Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine gasped, moaning in pleasure as Shin gave in to her begging. "Oh fuck Shin.... Fuck yess.." She started breathing heavily, as she moved her hips with the thrusts of Shin's fingers.
  
  
  
  Shin moved her mouth to Sabine's neck, running her teeth over the soft skin, and pumped her fingers harder into Sabine.
  
  
  
  She mouthed a moan onto Sabine's neck, just as turned on. She then lowered herself to Sabine's breasts, those heavenly breasts, and started sucking on them while she fucked Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine arched her back up, moaning as Shin fucked her, and grasped onto Shin's hair, holding her head in place while her breasts were sucked.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin, this feels so good.. Mmm." Sabine moaned out, making Shin add a third finger inside of her.
  
  
  
  Shin licked each nipple tenderly, sucking them into her teeth, nibbling as she sucked. She thrusted her three fingers deep and fast within Sabine, moaning into Sabine's chest, as she felt Sabine's climax nearing.
  
  
  
  "Sabine... Wren... Cum for me.. I want to hear you scream...", Shin moaned out to Sabine, while fingering her harder and deeper.
  
  
  
  "Ooo fuck Sshin... Fucckkk.. I'm.. I... MMmm FUCK!!!", Sabine started screaming out as she finally came for Shin, moaning breathlessly as she thrusted her hips into Shin's fingers, her orgasm rippling through her.
  
  
  
  Shin grinned, and pumped harder into Sabine, getting the woman to squirt cum into her hand. Shin moaned, and bent down, quickly licking the cum up while removing her fingers.
  
  
  
  She sucked her fingers clean, moaning at Sabine's taste on her. Shin went back up to Sabine, kissing her deeply, as she made Sabine taste herself on her lips.
  
  
  
  Sabine moaned into their kiss, panting as she came again, the sensations too much for her. She licked at Shin's tongue, moaning as she tasted herself.
  
  
  
  "Fuck Shin... We should've been doing this instead of fighting... Goddamn that, you're... You feel so fucking good inside of me.." Sabine moaned out as they continued kissing.
  
  
  
  Shin suddenly pulled back from the kiss, blushing. "Umm... Yea... I.. uhh...", she shook her head, moving to the other side of the bed. She sighed, her mind full of emotions.
  
  
  
  Sabine frowned as Shin pulled away, "Are you ok? Didn't you like it? Did I push too much?". She ran her hand over Shin's cheek, turning her face back to hers. Sabine sighed, deeply looking into Shin's eyes, tears filling her eyes.
  
  
  
  "Shin... I've... I've always liked you... Since we were kids... I was going to tell you that night, the last time we hung out, when we were thirteen. But I was scared... I didn't want to lose you, but I did anyways.. What happened that night anyways? I almost came back to your door, but I heard your grandmother yelling at you, so I left." Sabine softly said as she looked Shin in the eyes still, her tears coming out now.
  
  
  
  Shin looked back at Sabine, her eyes wide with tears, "You.. You did?? I didn't know..." She sighed, and nodded. "I liked you too. Like I had such a huge crush on you, and was going to tell you that night too. You'd been so cute painting that picture for me, and then I just froze.. When you left, I admitted it all to my grandmother, and she called me an abomination.. That I was no longer allowed to see you, and if I was to, she'd disown me... I was so upset, and when you confronted me at school, I tried to avoid you, but you kept following me, and I.. I slipped... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Sabine." Shin broke down crying, and let Sabine pull her to her chest.
  
  
  
  "Oh Shin... My Shin... I.. I'm sorry... I didn't know.. I didn't know..." Sabine softly cried into Shin, holding her close.
  
  
  
  Her heart ached for Shin, knowing how hard it was to come out as gay, but thankfully her adoptive parents hadn't minded, and Ezra was her biggest supporter. But for some like Shin, they weren't so lucky.
  
  
  
  "The only way I knew how to keep seeing you, was to fight you, it's all I started to know." Shin admitted quietly. "I don't like hurting you, making you bleed and hurt, but it's the only way I knew to be able to be near you... This with you right now.. It's amazing, but Wren... Sabine.. I'm scared that I'll lash out at you, and that I'll hurt you again, but worse. I don't think I could handle that... This, with you, is all I've ever wanted, but it terrifies me." Shin let tears out, looking into Sabine's eyes as she pulled away from their embrace.
  
  
  
  Sabine bit her lip, nodding. "I know Shin, and I'm scared too. Of doing the same thing to you. Your grandmother was wrong though.. You're not an abomination.. You are Shin Hati, Captain of the Mercenaries. And... And my crush, as you always have been." Sabine blushed at her confession, watching Shin's eyes soften.
  
  
  
  Sabine laid back against her bed, rubbing her eyes as she felt Shin watch her. "We're finally at peace, and god amazing peace, but I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for. I'll wait.. As long as it takes though Shin, as I always have.." She whimpered as she softly cried, and felt soft lips press against her shoulder.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked up to see a tearful Shin, and she pulled her down to her, kissing her softly. She sighed, pressing their foreheads together as the kiss ended.
  
  
  
  Shin softly kissed Sabine back, feeling her emotions run rampant for Sabine. She was absolutely terrified to pursue this with her, scared of what could happen, but she wanted Sabine so badly. It was something they'd have to figure out, together, and Shin knew it.
  
  
  
  "I'm here Sabine... Please, god don't cry for me.. I've been the worst to you for over a decade, and I don't deserve your tears. I never should have started fighting with you, I just should have told you what was going on, but I was scared. I'm sorry..." Shin told Sabine, her hand running through Sabine's hair gently.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, a soft smile coming across her face. "Yea, you should've told me, but I get it.. I do.. I honestly probably would've done the same, in your position.. I know what your grandmother meant to you Shin, even if she was an absolute cunt to you. She was your family, and you'd already lost your parents, just like me... Shin, we can figure this out.. We've got a month to do that, and even if this was just for tonight, I'm glad it happened. So, umm thanks for fucking me." She grinned out, caressing Shin's chin softly.
  
  
  
  Shin snorted, "Shit you're welcome for fucking you Sabine, and it was amazing... I'd do it again... But yea, we do need to figure this out.. Are we enemies still, or something more, something we've never been?" Shin ached to kiss Sabine again, but she knew they needed to stop and think.
  
  
  
  Sabine looked deep into Shin's eyes, "Lovers? Maybe.. We could umm, do this anytime we feel frustrated.. Instead of hitting each other violently, we could umm do it for, ermm, fun? To destress?" She bit her lip, knowing not to expect much from her request.
  
  
  
  Shin's eyes widened, "You mean like just hooking up? Or.. What do you mean Sabine? We've already confessed how we feel towards each other, how we've always felt.. Being just hookups doesn't feel right to me." Shin sighed, laying onto her side, watching Sabine.
  
  
  
  Sabine rubbed her face, "I.. I don't know.. Maybe.. We could date? Try it out? If it's something you'd be interested in? Otherwise just smack me now, and I'll stop." Sabine glanced at Shin, knowing she was giving Shin permission to hit her.
  
  
  
  Shin groaned, "We can't hurt each other remember? Or fight.. And I'm sure after what we just did, our vitals definitely sparked a bit.. But date... Umm.. Are you sure?? You don't want to just call this quits and go find Bo?" She smacked herself immediately, seeing a hurt look on Sabine's face, regretting her choice of words.
  
  
  
  "Bo was never my girlfriend, or even a hookup, Shin.. She was my roommate only, and I'm well aware of the rumors about her and I, but they weren't true. I turned her down several times, Shin. She started the rumors, which spread to Seatos College by the team, because I wouldn't sleep with her, and so that's when we changed roommates. I couldn't handle it. You... You Shin Hati, are the only woman I've ever truly wanted... Of course I've slept with some women, and dated, but they weren't you.." Sabine softly replied, her face filled with hurt from Shin's words.
  
  
  
  Shin looked back at Sabine, "I... I didn't know... I'm sorry Sabine.. Truly.. I've never dated though Sabine... I've only had hookups, because they also weren't you, no one else was like you." Shin spilled her guts, her stomach jumping as she did. She sighed, and got up to go smoke a cigarette.
  
  
  
  Sabine watched Shin walk off, grabbing her cigarettes from her bedside table before heading to the balcony. She sighed, instantly regretting kissing Shin and starting this new mess of emotions between them. But, she had to tell Shin how she really felt. Sabine decided to follow Shin, and pulled her clothes back on, walking out onto the balcony.
  
  
  
  Shin heard Sabine come up from behind her, and offered her a cigarette. She chuckled as Sabine waved her off, and she shrugged taking a puff. She sighed, exhaling the smoke out as she looked at Sabine.
  
  
  
  "It wasn't a mistake.. Kissing you, and umm fucking you.. I enjoyed it Sabine.. But.. What do we do? If we were to really fuck, like how I'd want to, we'd set the monitors off." Shin grinned, softly chuckling as she saw Sabine's eyes widen in curiosity.
  
  
  
  Sabine got closer to Shin, "And how would you want to fuck me Shin? I haven't even gotten to fuck you yet, and drag my nails across your spine, or eaten you, and taste you on my tongue..."
  
  
  
  Sabine was seductive with her words, her lips finding Shin's neck, making Shin shudder and softly moan. She took it as consent, and started pulling Shin back into herself, leading her from the balcony, back inside, pushing her down onto the couch.
  
  
  
  Shin softly moaned as Sabine started kissing her neck, and then let herself be led back inside, and pushed down to Sabine's couch. She watched Sabine pull her clothes back off, and reached up, grabbing hold of the perky breasts, massaging them as Sabine softly moaned into her caresses.
  
  
  
  Shin watched as Sabine started straddling her, and she grasped onto her hips, holding her close as Sabine kissed her neck. "Fuck Wren...", Shin moaned out.
  
  
  
  She wanted Sabine so bad, and she raised herself up, removing her shirt for Sabine, and then watched as Sabine undid her bra, moaning as she felt those soft lips wrap around her nipples. Shin arched her back up, gripping into Sabine's back.
  
  
  
  Sabine grinned, chuckling softly as she started sucking onto Shin's nipples, moaning as she did so. Shin had the most perfect breasts, and her nipples felt heavenly in her mouth.
  
  
  
  She started licking down the center of Shin's breasts, and started moving her way down, undoing Shin's jeans swiftly, yanking them down. She wanted to taste Shin, and she wanted it now. The very thought of savoring Shin's cum in her mouth, made her moan.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned softly, placing her fingers into Sabine's hair, gently pulling. She watched as the other woman started pulling her boxers down, and blushed when she saw Sabine's hungry eyes take in her soaking pussy. Once she felt the warm tongue hit her clit, Shin instantly threw her head back against the couch, moaning.
  
  
  
  Sabine started licking at Shin's clit, moaning as she tasted Shin's heavenly juices on her tongue. She then let her tongue slip inside of Shin, and started eagerly eating her out. Slurping as she sucked onto Shin's wet pussy, juices coating her mouth and chin, hungry for it.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, yanking onto Sabine's hair, moaning out as she was eaten out. She panted, "Fuckkk Sabine, mmm that feel so so good Wren.. Mm fuckk." She bucked her hips into Sabine, and groaned as she felt Sabine grip her hips, holding her down.
  
  
  
  Sabine eagerly ate Shin out, moaning as she felt her own pussy drip with desires for Shin to fuck her again. She felt Shin clench at her tongue, and she licked deeper into Shin, sucking her wet folds faster.
  
  
  
  Sabine broke away for a moment, and looked up at Shin, juices dripping down her chin. "Shin... Cum for me.. I want to taste you," Sabine said while gazing into Shin's eyes, before moving her mouth back to it's actions.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, gripping harder onto Sabine's hair. "Fuckkk Wren!!!," She screamed as her orgasm crashed, sending her body shaking into Sabine's mouth, squirting her cum deep into Sabine's hungry mouth, making Sabine moan.
  
  
  
  Sabine moaned, hungrily eating up Shin's cum, loving the taste. She cleaned Shin up, licking up every last drop of cum, before moving back up to Shin, and kissing her deeply.
  
  
  
  Shin moaned, tasting herself on Sabine's tongue, and sucked on Sabine's bottom lip. She panted as another orgasm ripped through her, just from Sabine's kisses. She breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath as she felt her orgasm subside, and her felt Sabine kiss her neck softly.
  
  
  
  "Easy Shin, easy... Sshhh easy beautiful... I've got you," Sabine cooed to Shin, kissing her neck softly as she felt Shin's orgasm finally let up. She moved her lips to Shin's forehead, and then smiled.
  
  
  
  Shin looked up into Sabine's eyes, her eyes filling with tears. "I want to do this.. With you.. Date you.. Fuck you.. Make love to you... Only you Sabine..." Shin softly said, reaching up to caress Sabine's cheek.
  
  
  
  Sabine nodded, smiling happily, letting a tear drop from her eyes. "I want this too Shin, and I promise I'll do whatever I need to, to make this work. You're the only one I've ever wanted Shin... Be my girlfriend, my lover.. And I'll scream at you during sex, and slap you, but the right way." She smirked at the last bit, and giggled as Shin licked her nose.
  
  
  
  "Deal, I'm yours Sabine.. And you are mine, Wren.. All mine.." Shin smiled, leaning up to softly kiss Sabine.
  
  
  
  They pressed their foreheads together, not knowing if this would work, but they promised each other they'd do their best to make it so.
  
  Notes:
  Soooo, SMUT!!! Hahaha if you read Shin and Sabine, my other fic, you know I dive in pretty well to the Smut!! Haha, hope ya'll enjoyed! How will they approach their new relationship? Stay tuned!!!
  
  All I Feel is You
  
  Summary:
  Abandoned on Peridea by her master, Shin is forced to seek refuge with former adversaries Ahsoka and Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  My first meaningful attempt at femslash, so bear with me. Like many others, I was completely memorized by Shin (despite her screen time barely pushing twelve minutes) and felt the natural progression of this unhealthy fascination was to write fanfiction. Enjoy.
  
  Chapter 1: Shelter
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  If Ezra could do it, so could they. Sure; Peridea is cold, their ship desperately needs repairs, the language barrier with the Noti makes performing even mundane tasks difficult, and chances of a speedy rescue diminish exponentially each rotation; but they"d be fine.
  
  They had each other, and that was more than some people ever had.
  
  Ahsoka had started their day by telling her to "help the Noti wherever she could, whenever she could." So, Sabine found herself digging away at hard soil near the center of their new camp having been tasked to aid in the construction of a temporary farm. It really could be worse, all things considered. If anything, being stuck for the foreseeable future would give her plenty of time to train, something she so desperately needed. No distractions meant no excuses.
  
  Despite her mind always churning over new thoughts and ideas, she was preoccupied by her dig. She"d been working away for a sizable chunk of time without any interruption and found the dull task to be an exertional escape from the gravity of their situation. A sudden strange sensation rushed over the Mandalorian, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Weird. She thought with a shrug, continuing to shovel. A few more moments passed, the sensation grew, and she could not shake the sense of fear; something was wrong. Turning, she squinted against the warmth devoid sunlight scanning her surroundings to locate her master. Sure enough Ahsoka stood a mere few meters away, her eyes locked on something just out of sight.
  
  "Is everything alright?" Sabine called whilst dusting off her hands off, standing in an attempt to get a better view at what was captivating her master"s attention. "Ahsoka?"
  
  The Mandalorian"s heart leapt into her throat. No, everything is not alright. There, standing just outside of camp, was the blonde mercenary who had been a thorn in the side since she"d gotten dragged into this whole mess. Electric energy hung heavy in the air as the trio stood silent, all their attention now focused purely on one another. Something was off with the way the hooded threat stood; an arm tucked at her side, a slight lean, no clear expression of anger despite her eyes holding that unsettling stare Sabine had become accustomed to. Suddenly, it became clear to her that strange sensation of fear wasn"t emitting from her master.
  
  "What are you doing here?" Ahsoka declared, splitting the tension that held thick in the air. Sabine"s gaze tracked every movement of the mercenary, who almost appeared to flinch.
  
  No reply.
  
  "Why"d you come here?" Her master persisted, taking a slow step forward, careful not to spook young woman. More like, how did you find us.
  
  No reply, again.
  
  This time, Ahsoka turned towards Sabine. "What"s her name again?" Furrowing her eyebrows, she shook her head.
  
  "I"m not sure..." Sheen? Sin? Shai? She"d overheard it at some point, but her memory escaped her. "Sh something?"
  
  Nodding, Ahsoka took another step forward, then another, then another. "You don"t have to-"
  
  "They left." Her master paused. The mercenary"s voice was fleeting, hoarse, weak. Sabine could barely make it out over the wind. "They all left, they left me."
  
  Sabine could almost see Ahsoka"s posture soften. "Your master, Baylan?"
  
  "Everyone."
  
  If it wasn"t for her scar so kindly left from their first encounter or literally any of their history, Sabine might have felt bad. "So?" She shouted. "Clear off." The mercenary"s gaze shot to her, hitting like a laser, followed by a very serious zip it expression from Ashoka.
  
  "Why did you come here?" Her master repeated.
  
  "I don"t know."
  
  "Are you hurt?"
  
  Finally, her eyes moved off Sabine. "No."
  
  Ahsoka took a breath and closed her eyes, a painfully long moment of silence followed. "Head towards the ship."
  
  "What?" Sabine exclaimed, her blood running cold.
  
  Her master ignored her, focusing only on the mercenary. "You can find sleeping quarters there." The blonde straightened up, equally as shocked as Sabine.
  
  "Th-Thank you." The odd feeling of fear that hung over the camp lifted as the apprentice approached, her head hung down.
  
  "No, no, Ahsoka." With furious steps, she rushed up beside her. "What are you doing?"
  
  Again, the Jedi brushed off her padawan. "What"s your name?"
  
  The mercenary stopped in her tracks, nearly parallel to them. "Shin."
  
  Ahsoka smiled. "Shin, I"m going to need your saber." Sabine looked on, still powerless and frustrated as their company obeyed her master"s words without question. Walking up to the pair, head still lowered out of respect, or shame, and handed her weapon over.
  
  "What are you thinking?" Sabine"s anger was more than evident. "Did you or did you not remember her trying to kill me, multiple times!"
  
  Ashoka watched Shin disappear up the ship"s steps. "I do."
  
  That pushed her over the edge, Sabine clenched her fist. "And that doesn"t matter?"
  
  "It does" She replied, folding her arms.
  
  Pursed lips couldn"t hide the distain in her voice. "This isn"t what"s best, not for us, not now, or not ever for that matter." Sabine was frantic. Her mind raced, nothing about this interaction made sense.
  
  Ahsoka exhaled deeply. "It"s what is right."
  
  Nope, Sabine was having none of it. "I don"t care." Aggressively, she pointed out towards the expansive wasteland. "What"s right is sending her out there to d-"
  
  "Lady Tano!" Huyang"s cry cut her off, the droid rushing out from his post in the cabin. "Lady Tano! The enemy has infiltrated our ship!"
  
  "Settle down Huyang, the situation is under control." A free hand waved him off. "Thank you for the timely warning though." Confused, he looked at Sabine for answers who shrugged. "Come on," She added, "Let me handle explaining it to him, why don"t you keep an eye on our new guest, Sabine?"
  
  No, I"d rather not shouted her brain, but a meek "okay" was all she could muster.
  
  "Good, let"s go." Ahsoka concluded, beginning her march towards the ship with Wren closely following in tow.
  
  The trio stood in the empty hull of the ship; all eyes focused on the sleeping Shin. Her back was turned towards the wall, no blankets, her chest rising and falling softly, and of course in Sabine"s old bunk.
  
  "For the record, I think this is a terrible idea, Lady Tano." Huyang broke the silence. "Do you want to know the odds of her turning against us?" Sabine agreed with everything the droid was saying.
  
  "Probably high." She chimed in.
  
  "Exactly Lady Wren, very, very high." He turned towards Ahsoka. "This is incredibly impulsive." To be fair, they were known for that kind of thing.
  
  "She was afraid Huyang, and is no threat to us." She glanced at her apprentice. "Could you not feel that?" Who shook her head, even though she somewhat could. "We"ll work on that. In the meantime, we"ll continue to make this place our home." Ahsoka caught Sabine rolling her eyes.
  
  "A home with my attempted killer? Yeah, right." Huyang didn"t speak. He was used to their bickering.
  
  "She needs us more than we need her Sabine. She"s desperate." Ahsoka nodded towards Shin. "Look how fast she fell asleep, inside the ship surrounded by enemies." Empathy floated off her words. "She must"ve been traveling for days, poor thing."
  
  Poor thing? Did you forget everything she"s done. "Sounds a lot like justice to me."
  
  "Vendettas will get you nowhere if you want to be a Jedi." Suddenly, Sabine felt small and self-conscious. "There are times where we must learn to let go." This was something even she struggled with, Sabine seemed sense it.
  
  "Why must everything be a lesson." She grumbled under her breath; arms folded in protest.
  
  Ahsoka"s smile returned. "Often because everything is." Sabine didn"t return her kind gesture, instead, silently stormed off the ship.
  
  "Sabine seems pleased." Huyang commented, blinking twice as if assessing the situation for himself.
  
  "What makes you say that?" Ahsoka sighed, turning her attention back to Shin.
  
  "Do you think it is wise to drive a rift between you and Sabine once again?"
  
  "She"s mad, and rightfully so," The mischievous glint so commonly found her eye returned. "But she"ll get over it."
  
  "Is it worth it?" The droid added, he too studying the sleeping mercenary. "All for her?"
  
  "I"m not sure, not yet, anyways." Ahsoka reached out with the force once again, scanning for any sort of change in Shin. Moments later, she confirmed what she felt when the mysterious stranger first arrived at camp.
  
  "She could be dangerous Lady Tano." It was good to know Huyang had their better interest in mind, but sometimes he erred too close on the side of caution.
  
  "Maybe, maybe not. She"s lost and alone, Huyang." Gambling on the former dark side apprentice was a risk Ahsoka was willing to take. "I"ll find out more when she awakes." She turned towards her droid and confidant. "You should go check on Sabine. I"ll keep an eye on the padawan here."
  
  Without a word, he nodded and exited the ship. Leaving Ahsoka alone to watch their new marooned partner. A twinge of guilt invaded the Togruta"s space. It hurt seeing Sabine so angry, but she was confident her apprentice would come around in time. Surely, she would see there was more to be gained from Shin"s presence and cooperation than from simply sending her to an inevitable death in the wasteland that was Peridea.
  
  
  
  Notes:
  Tsk tsk Sabine.
  
  Chapter 2: Crossroads
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin stirred. Sore, hungry, thirsty, the nape of her neck radiated a dull ache from how she slept, and a foggy mind filled with all sorts of feelings and thoughts foreign to her.
  
  "Good, you"re awake." Quickly rolling over, she caught a glimpse of Ahsoka sitting on a table in the center of the ship that was certainly not there when she walked in. "I have a few questions for you."
  
  Rubbing her eyes, she shifted to sit up straight on the bed. "What makes you think I have the answers?" Ahsoka tipped her head, was that a sense of humor or hostility?
  
  "What makes you think you have a choice?" Her tone was flat, displaying the very real fact that even if she"d shown kindness, they were not friends.
  
  "Alright." Not well-versed in social cues, but instilled by Baylan to show respect, Shin agreed.
  
  "Fantastic. Shin, do you have a last name?"
  
  "Hati."
  
  "Welcome aboard" The Jedi motioned for Shin to come closer "Ship"s in tough shape right now, not many of its features aren"t working or else I"d have Huyang give you a tour."
  
  "You"re not going to change me." Hati proclaimed, that thought had been on her mind ever since arriving. Having glossed over the warm welcome, she took a seat a little ways away from her.
  
  Ahsoka scoffed so defensive. "I might not need to, padawan." A hand instinctively moved up to her braid, rolling the end gently between her fingers. "That wasn"t what I was planning, anyways."
  
  For some reason, Shin believed her. "You do have a plan for me then?"
  
  "Just a few questions." Ahsoka"s expression was neutral, her posture was blank, even reaching out with the force to get a read on her feelings proved fruitless.
  
  "About what exactly?"
  
  "All of it. Start at the beginning." Ahsoka announced, cutting right to the chase. Blinking twice, Shin broke her intense stare by dropping her gaze, choosing not to reply. "Skoll," She continued. "How he trained you, what he trained you in, how close are you to a Jedi, anything really. If you are going to live here we need to know who we are staying with."
  
  For a fleeting second, the idea to run away sprung up in Hati"s mind. Her eyes found the door, her heart accelerated. An old feeling calmed her, encouraging her to stay. Tano said the beginning, so start there. She encouraged herself, taking a lengthy amount of time to find the right words. Shin had never been a talker and Ahsoka could sense this, giving her ample space to reveal whatever she felt comfortable.
  
  "I don"t know where I was born. I know is my Master found me before I could remember much." Every fiber of her being seemed to protest in unison at the revelation of information. "Discipline, no emotion, knowledge, no attachment, fairness, fear. That"s what I was taught."
  
  "Is that so?" Ahsoka"s neutral posture shifted, her interest evident. "Go on."
  
  "We aren"t Jedi. Master made it clear never wanted me to be one, so I never wanted to be one." Everything she"d ever done throughout her life was in an effort to please him, often times falling just short of praise. "Through the Force we are above all, my ability makes me superior."
  
  She"s definitely a work in progress. "Is that what Baylan told you?" Ahsoka asked, almost out of impulse.
  
  "We must rise above the petty quarrels of the masses because we are better than them." Shin affirmed.
  
   "Continue."
  
  "He said we were going to be better than the ones that came before us, that we"d never allow ourselves to fall to the same fate that caused the Purge. My training never stopped, even when we were involved with..." There was a glint of pride in Shin"s eye. "Our business endeavors."
  
  Silence fell in the cabin. They both knew what that business was. "Is there more?"
  
  Shin sat unnervingly still. "Yes."
  
  Time faded into many stories and questions. Ahsoka found exactly what she needed, and then some. All the while Hati proved herself, at minimum, a cooperative partner. Willing sharing many details of her training and knowledge of the force. Even though at times it sounded more like gloating than explaining, the information was useful nonetheless. It came to a point where there was nothing more that could be learned about the Dark Jedi"s training from words, but one questioned lingered on the tongue.
  
  "Where is your Master now?"
  
  "I-" A sharp pain ached through Shin"s heart my master. Caught off guard by the question, she shifted uncomfortably. "I don"t know." The wound he"d left her with still bled.
  
  "He didn"t leave with Thrawn," She almost sounded nervous, and rightfully so, if that was what happened it would be quiet a large problem for the New Republic. "Did he?"
  
  "No."
  
  "I thought you didn"t know?" Ahsoka"s eyes raked across Shin, searching for any clues. Her gravity was crushing, and she felt powerless in the presence of the Jedi.
  
  "I don"t know," Shin repeated. "I do know he didn"t go with Thrawn." Not only did he leave, he cast you aside like it was nothing. A voice inside her head whispered.
  
  "Ah, so he"s still out there." Ahsoka thought aloud, sitting back ever so slightly. "We"ll have to find him eventually" That was better for the galaxy, worse for them.
  
  A sense of longing and hurt radiated through the force. "Eventually."
  
  "Thank you, Shin." The Jedi"s gaze softened, her tone understanding. "You"re welcome to stay with us for now."
  
  "May I leave?" Hati asked quietly, no longer wishing to be stuck inside the cabin. Everything around her felt too close, and she needed space and time to think.
  
  Ahsoka nodded. "You"re free to go." Not needing to be told twice Shin quickly hurried out, pushing down the feelings she"d been burying for the last few cycles.
  
  Dusk painted streaks of red and purple across the clouds. The cold Peridea wind whipping them into a beautiful display, and blowing her hair as Shin marched out of camp with her head down. She walked quickly, her hands clutching at the sides of her cloak as she went. Stepping over rocks and knocking into whatever the Noti had left in her way.
  
  Somewhere over the ridge was the Howler she"d used to get here. Hopefully, he was still there, waiting. Unlike my Master. Anger was slowly welling up inside her. He"s left me no other choice but into bed with the enemy! Passing back the last Noti hut, she veered off to the right replaying moments of the two of them in her mind. Your ambition, Shin, your destiny, Shin, take your place, Shin.
  
  Cresting the horizon vast emptiness camouflaged by a gorgeous sunset sprawled out for as far as the eye could see. A small ravine revealed her Howler to still be there, patiently waiting for her return. I didn"t even want to be here! Normally complacent, she"d grown to question some of his decisions. I knew this place was awful, I had a feeling. Stupid witches. She was dragged out here alongside her master, trusting in him to keep them safe. Sometimes faith is misplaced, only trust in the force to guide you. Ironic. One of his own lessons could have saved her from this mess. Tired, she took one last step and slumped down onto a small boulder.
  
  A stillness fell over where she sat, dull white noise from the wind faded, replaced by a louder cacophony of voices in her head. Despite her efforts, the floodgates finally gave way. Every suppressed emotion, thought and feeling all came washing over her at once. Shin sat there, still, glistening eyes the only indication of her turmoil inside. Defeated, she brought her legs to her chest, allowing her head to fall onto her knees.
  
  Shin sat like that for many moments, having come to a crossroads in her life. Silently praying her master would appear in front of her, and help guide her down the right path. But try as she might, he would not show. No matter what call she sent out into the force, there was no answer.
  
  From Sabine"s position by the thruster exhaust, her eyes caught a glimpse grey and blonde marching out of camp. She was leaving fast, and her wake left an uncertain feeling around the Noti huts. Shrugging it off, she looked for her master. Humbly, Sabine thought Ahsoka had spent way too much time chit chatting with Shin. She wasn"t worth their time, and it left her and Huyang alone to finish doing her part of the ship repairs.
  
  "Lady Tano," The droid announced from a position somewhere behind Sabine. "How did it go?"
  
  "She"s patricianly a Jedi." Ahsoka shrugged, walking up to the pair. "Baylan taught and trained her like a Padawan."
  
  "But?" Sabine interjected.
  
  "But she isn"t." Ahsoka folded her arms. "Where a Padawan is shown the light, she was taught to embrace the dark."
  
  "Yeah, as if that wasn"t obvious already." Muttered Sabine, fed up with all the speculation on Shin"s force alignment.
  
  "What do you make of it?" Huyang questioned, seemingly having more faith in her than her apprentice.
  
  "She"s hurting." Ahsoka"s eyes looked distant, thoughtful. "Balyan left her, without him, she"s utterly lost."
  
  "Why does any of that matter?" Sabine protested. "If she"s taught to embrace the dark, wouldn"t that make her a threat?"
  
  "Not always."
  
  "Lady Wren has a point, Ahsoka." Huyang defended, always the reason to her spontaneity.
  
  "Shin is no more a threat than the bandits. We"d just make another enemy sending her off, and Sabine." Her master turned to her, as she pretended to be focused on a clump of exposed wires. "You two have a lot more in common than you think, maybe you could learn from her."
  
  Angerly, Sabine looked away. "So now you"re saying she should train me?"
  
  "I am not saying anything." Ahsoka shook her head. "She"s been in your position before, and you in hers. All I"m asking is observe, and be open. You don"t have to love her to coexist."
  
  "Fine." Sabine had heard enough, and there was no point in arguing. "But I want my bunk back. She can have a different one."
  
  "Of course." Huyang turned to Ahsoka, who seemed humored. "She"ll have different quarters, I promise."
  
  "Alright, Master." That was the bare minimum for Sabine, who nodded her thanks before walking away back onto the ship.
  
  Once she was out of earshot, Huyang spoke first. "Are you sure keeping our guest around is worth the displeasure of your apprentice?"
  
  "She"ll get over it eventually." The droid didn"t like that answer. "I have a feeling, Huyang." She turned to him, a more serious expression adorned her face. "I"m sure Sabine can feel it too, this is for the best, even if she"s not ready to accept that yet."
  
  "Perhaps your feelings are misjudged?" Huyang countered, prompting a smile from Ashoka.
  
  "You sound like the old Masters of the temple."
  
  "It is an honest observation." He humbly responded.
  
  "Shin"s been sheltered by her master her entire life. All her actions, even her view of the galaxy, was shaped by Skoll." She walked up to him, and patted his metallic shoulder. "Even a weapon can be used for good."
  
  "But a weapon"s true purpose is never forgotten."
  
  Ahsoka huffed, he was right after all. "Maybe she"s a Maul, maybe she isn"t. There is only one way to find out."
  
  "I hope you"re right Lady Tano." Huyang conceded, returning to his task at hand.
  
  "Me too." She breathed, heading off to go find Sabine. They"d missed this afternoon"s training session, and it was time to catch up.
  
  Sounds of feet hitting ground and sticks hitting sticks filled the cabin. "Good, again." Ahsoka commanded, centering herself and her apprentice. Sabine"s face was covered by the training mask, which this time she was pleased to wear, not wanting her master to see how much she was sweating from such a simple task.
  
  Reaching out, she stuck where Ahsoka held her stick. Clank. A solid hit. Encouraged Sabine went again, this time moving with more force and speed/ Smack. An even better hit. Each correct strike boosted her ego, hitting multiple in a row almost felt like a headrush. She was doing it, finally doing it. Excited, Sabine swung out again, harder than she had previously. No strike came, and the momentum she carried tripped her up, and the Mandalorian fell the floor with a huff.
  
  "There was," Ashoka began as Sabine lifted her mask up, looking around for her master. "Some progress today."
  
  "How did you get over there so fast?" She asked, finally spotting his master all the way near the cockpit of the ship.
  
  "You became too enthralled with yourself; it clouded your judgment." She replied earnestly.
  
  Sitting up, Sabine caught her breath. "And that allowed you to just teleport away?"
  
  "You were so focused on yourself, you lost touch with me. There was no way you"d have been able to sense my location with your mind preoccupied like that."
  
  "I"m sorry." Still sitting on the floor, she felt the twinges of shame at her failure. "I"ll do better next time."
  
  "You will, no doubt." Ahsoka affirmed walking over to help her apprentice up. "There has already been sizable improvement since our first attempt at this module."
  
  As quickly as the shame had come, it left with her master"s words. "Thank you, Ahsoka."
  
  "No need to thank me, your abilities come from within." How lucky was she to have such a kind master? "We"re done for the day. Rest up. Oh, and be careful using the refresher. Huyang is working on a water recapture setup, but for now we"re running low."
  
  "Got it." Sabine replied, rising to her feet as Ashoka turned to leave. "Wait." There was something she needed to ask. "You said you had a feeling, about Shin?"
  
  Ahsoka paused, intrigued. "Yes?"
  
  "I-" She was still angry, and she wanted her master to know that, but lying was pointless. "I think I could feel it too. You said she was lost?" Her memories replayed the feeling hanging around the camp after their encounter earlier that day. "I felt it, but I don"t understand how we can feel bad for her."
  
  "Why is that?" Ahsoka knew her apprentice was not to blame for her narrow view, she was not to blame for her inexperience.
  
  "Well, she"s heartless, for starters." Sabine could almost feel the heat of the saber still insider her from that night. "And she"s a killer too."
  
  "She was just following orders." Ahsoka countered. It wasn"t an excuse for her actions, she knew that, but she had to see how she"d reacted to that response.
  
  Sabine"s fist grabbed at the sides of her shirt. "Sometimes orders aren"t meant to be followed, a Jedi would know that."
  
  "What exactly do you think Jedi did during the Clone Wars?"
  
  Oh. "I, well." Sabine didn"t like the way Ashoka smiled when she knew she was right. "I wouldn"t know."
  
  "Sabine, I understand your frustration." Do you really? "I"m not asking for blind faith, either. Search your feelings next time she"s around." Ever mysterious, Ashoka whisked away towards her own quarters. "You may be surprised by what you find."
  
  Watching her go, Sabine felt a tug of comradery for their blonde guest. A flash or fear ripped through her, and quickly she pushed those feelings away, instead focusing on cleaning the training area. No way, Sabine, no way you"re going to let her in your head that easily. Begrudgingly, she put everything away neatly, her muscles already aching form their raining sessions. Tomorrow would be a new day, maybe then her master would finally see her side. Or maybe she"s right. Shaking her head, Sabine ventured back into the guts of the ship. No sense on dwelling, besides, somewhere Huyang probably needed her help anyway.
  
  Notes:
  Poor Shin. If only there was someone around who's also been abandoned by their master.
  
  Chapter 3: Emotions
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin didn"t return that night, much to the pleasure of Sabine. It was windy and cold, the typical Peridea climate. Keeping a fire going was impossible, especially without her saber. Leaving in the state she did, she"d forgotten to ask for it back. Whatever, call it a sign of trust or something as Baylan would say.
  
  Sleep wasn"t exactly an option, either. The chill had seemed to set into her bones, despite Shin"s best efforts to wrap up with whatever she could find. Maybe that was for the better, after all, broken sleep kept her on guard. Every gust that rippled anything nearby was noted, and thankfully, no danger made itself know.
  
  Only once, through clattering teeth and shivers, did she ever consider going back to Ahsoka and Sabine. There was too much pride in her to reverse any decision she made and to show a lack of strength to bare the elements was not something she was going to allow. Besides, pain brought focus, pain brought power.
  
  Somewhere in between sleep and frustrated movements dim sun began to peak over the desolate horizon, signaling a new cycle on this wasteland of a planet. Unrefreshed and agitated, Shin rolled over, blocking the light with her hood. Of course, once she finally was able to get some rest, the sun rose. Master wouldn"t want you sleeping in. She thought, replaying lessons in her head. A rigid schedule is only one step in achieving the discipline needed to master the force. She"d have disobeyed that rule if it wasn"t for the sharp pain of s growling stomach. Slowly, she rose to her feet, gathered her belongings, and rode her Howler back towards the Noti camp.
  
  Entering the camp felt odd. Atop her Howler, the shell people looked at her strangely, scared almost. She hitched her ride just outside of the ship. Piercing eyes scanned the grounds searching for Ahsoka, Sabine or even the droid. Turning past one of the huts near the ship, she spotted the Mandalorian. "Hold." Shin quietly instructed her howler, her gaze resting on Sabine.
  
  She had her back turned, unaware of their guest, working away on an exposed side panel of the ship. Shin stared blankly; Sabine was fascinating. A mixture of dark, light, good, unselfish, and powerless. The first force-sensitive she"d spent more than a few minutes around besides her Master, it left her confused and curious. How could she give up the map for a singular person? Was that worth it? Did she notice I grabbed her wrist too hard on the Scion? She hoped not. The jump into hyperspace made her nervous, and she didn"t realize she"d instinctively held onto her so intimately.
  
  Done with whatever task she was performing, Sabine turned around, startled to find Shin a good distance away burning her eyes into her. Caught red handed, Hati quickly dropped her gaze embarrassment warming her cheeks. Without a second thought, she continued into the ship, feeling Sabine follow her all the way out of sight.
  
  "You look rough." From the corner of the ship, Ahsoka stood eating some kind of fruit. "Did you spend the night outside?"
  
  Shin turned, her nod a bit rigid. "Yes."
  
  "Don"t feel the need to distant yourself, we have plenty of space onboard." Part of her believed the Jedi was simply that nice, but Baylan had always taught her to be wary of traps.
  
  "My saber." Sure, the force was her weapon, but she felt entirely unsafe without her blade. "I left it here."
  
  "That you did." Ahsoka answered, walking over to a wall. "Can we trust you?"
  
  "I could ask you the same." Shin calmy responded, making no effort to push the topic, taking a seat.
  
  A smile painted the Jed"s face. "Seems your master taught you well." She reached up, gently pushing her hand against a random section of wall, revealing a hidden compartment. "It"s in here. Take it if you wish."
  
  Shin blinked, the act of faith catching her off guard. She was fully preparing to be kept under watch like cattle for the remainder of her time here. "Thank you." An empty ach in her stomach kindly reminded her of why she was there. "Do you have any rations?"
  
  "We already ate, but there"s a few portions left and some caf." Ahsoka answered, nodding towards another room. "Grab whichever one you"d like."
  
  Feeling appreciated once again, she made her way to the room where the food was kept. It was a decent kitchen for a ship this size, with plenty of foreign buttons and tools. Shin"s stomach growled again, a testament to just how little she"d eaten in the past few cycles. Not feeling picky, she grabbed whatever was nearest and quickly consumed it.
  
  "Is she in here?" Sabine"s voice wafted in through the doorway, causing Shin to stiffen.
  
  "Yes." Her master answered.
  
  "Great." Shin tilted her head ever so slightly, trying to listen in on the conversation. "What about Huyang? Is he still trying to learn their language?"
  
  "Yup, he said it would take some time." She heard Ahsoka laugh. "He"s a bit preoccupied with getting our solar generator up and running."
  
  "Well tell him to hurry. I"ve finished helping with that small farm thing, but I think they want to dig another." Shin felt a pang of sadness at Sabine"s tone, harkening back to fond conversations between her and her master. Gone were those days.
  
  "Have Shin do it. I need you to focus on your training." Ahsoka responded. "It"s nice we have a third pair of hands that can help now."
  
  "Until she sabotages something." Sighing, she decided now was the best time to enter the conversation.
  
  "You need me to do anything?" She asked emerging from the small kitchen. Sabine turned around quickly, spooked.
  
  "Yeah, leave." Shin frowned. Hostility wasn"t unexpected, but it doesn"t feel any better even if you can see it coming.
  
  "Sabine here was just informing me about a farm that needed digging." Her eyes met Ashoka"s. "It would be nice if you could do that for us."
  
  Shin nodded despite already knowing the answer. "Of course."
  
  "Have my apprentice show you where the Noti keep their tools." From the corner of her eye, she could see Sabine"s expression change. "Come see me once you"ve finished."
  
  "Yes master." She replied, dipping her head. "Come on, let"s get this over with." Shin watched Ahsoka disappear into another room as Sabine started her way towards the door. Following, she made a small detour to grab her weapon. "The sooner the better!" Sabine called from halfway outside.
  
  Heavy grey clouds didn"t allow much sunlight to penetrate, making a cold day colder. "Right. Here is a shovel, I guess?" Sabine was already where they needed to be, mulling over the objects. "This is what we use to get it started. Just dig vertical lines about the width of your saber hilt. Once that"s done, take whatever this is." She held a small rake. "To carve lines connecting the bigger holes together." Shin stared blankly, trying to visualize what she had to do without her mind wandering to the Mandalorian in front of her. "Are you listening? Or is that too hard for you?"
  
  "No, it"s fine." Sabine"s face represented her annoyance. "I understand."
  
  "If you finish in time maybe you can help us repair some of the ship your Imperial friends kindly destroyed." She wanted to defend herself, but didn"t want to start an argument her first full day in camp.
  
  Shin took a breath, for once actively avoiding eye contact. "Alright." Reaching out with the force, she pulled the shovel towards her. Sabine looked on, a smirk forming on her face.
  
  "What was it you said to me?" She headed for the patch of land the Noti wanted their second farm. "When we fought?"
  
  Shin followed. "You"ll regret this decision."
  
  Sabine shook her head. "No, you Di'kut. The other thing."
  
  Oh. "You have no power." Her mind replayed their fights constantly. Her master often told her to recount fight, to try and memorize attack methods, but all she could remember was the look on her face highlighted by the glow of their sabers.
  
  "From having no power, to giving out the orders." Sabine"s aura radiated pride. "Must be hard for you."
  
  "That"s not what I meant by power." Shin replied dryly, doing her best to ignore her attempts to get under her skin. The two came to a halt just ahead for the original farm.
  
  Sabine turned to Shin. "You meant this power, right?" Arm extended, she pulled the small rake away from her and into her palm. "Looks like you"re not so special after all."
  
  Shin wanted to frown, but kept her face devoid of emotion. "I guess not." That wasn"t true at all. I am, and so are you. Sabine paused, not expecting her very arrogant enemy to concede so quickly. Was she okay?
  
  "Just get to work." The Mandalorian said, dropping the rake at her feet. "And don"t screw up like you did fighting me on Seatos."
  
  "I didn"t mess up." Shin retorted, angerly starting her first hole. "You used dirty tricks, Mandalorian."
  
  Sabine laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah right. Whatever helps you sleep at night." This woman was very irritating.
  
  "If I wanted rest my mind would not be on you." This was exactly what she wanted, getting Shin riled up, roping her into a war of words.
  
  "Sounds like you"ve been thinking of me a lot then." Sabine raised an eyebrow in her direction, teasing the dark Jedi further.
  
  Shin felt her cheeks flush. "No." She had, more than she"d like to admit. Shin felt panic rise in her throat, needing to get out of this conversation immediately. "Don"t you have something better to do than annoy me?"
  
  "You"re right, for once." Holding her head high, Sabine walked off. Satisfied with her efforts.
  
  Once the Mandalorian"s presence could no longer be felt, Shin exhaled a deep breath, soothing her rapidly beating heart. Frustrated, she dug away at the cold ground. Flecks of dirt spewing up with each shovel stroke. She was mad at herself for allowing Sabine to get to her so easily, and for whatever magnetic pull she had over her. Ever since their time on the Scion, there was something about Wren that drew her in, fascinated her, and made her utterly nervous.
  
  At least this task was a distraction. Shin was no stranger to physical labor; Baylan had made a point to condition her like the Jedi of old, only with a twist. "Physical pain is a path to the force; mental fortitude is your guide." Maybe she misunderstood what her master meant, but pain always sharpened her focus. Come planks, hot, cold, or running until her legs gave out, it all heighted her connection to the force. Moving over slightly, she began to start another row.
  
  Plus, aimlessly digging until her shoulders burned allowed her to reflect on words passing between them, on her feelings, and on the situation. Why Wren had such a hold on her, she may never know. It was fascination, really. If only she wasn"t so cold. Shin"s mind echoed her sentiment. There"s so much I want to know. Throughout all her life she"d never encountered another padawan, and curiosity nipped at her every chance it got.
  
  If only Baylan was here. He"d know what to do, how to explain her feelings, and reassure her of her purpose the way only a master could. What purpose? Shin thought with a snort. He left you, remember? Your ambition drives you in another direction. Each dig became increasing violently, sadness welling up inside her. Even when she tried to escape and focus on something else, her former master kept appearing at the forefront of her mind.
  
  "Shin?" Ashoka"s voice spooked her. Whipping her head around, she saw the Togruta approaching. "Huyang needs help with some wires. Do you mind checking it out?"
  
  Shin sat back on her legs. "Sure." She thought some time alone would help, but it only made things worse. "What of the farm?"
  
  Ahsoka shrugged. "They"ll finish the rest. Besides, ship"s more important to us. We can"t help them if we can"t help ourselves."
  
  Good point. Getting up, moseyed on over to where their droid fiddled away at some exposed wiring and panels. Ahsoka didn"t follow oddly enough, was it a trap? Doubtful, but she didn"t care enough in the moment to be bothered.
  
  "Are you Huyang?" Shin asked, peering around a corner.
  
  "That would be me, yes." He spoke back, not taking his eyes? Or censors? Off whatever he was working on.
  
  "Ahsoka said you needed something?"
  
  He nodded. "We need to reroute these wires to connect to the panels over there if we want all systems to run."
  
  "Is this some type of emergency backup?" Shin asked casually, walking around him.
  
  "In a way, yes." A spark flew as he connected a plug into a port. "Designed to keep ship operations functional while marooned."
  
  Ahsoka had mentioned they were working on getting everything up and running. "Understood." Surely, these panels would not be enough of a power source to make the ship fly, but keeping the lights on? That they could.
  
  Staring down at the wires, their clumped mess seemed like a foreign language. She"d never been thoroughly trained on how to repair ships. Only instructed on how to work her and Balyan"s ship, and of course her own speeder. But the droid said reroute, so, turn them around. It was common sense, and what Shin decided to do.
  
  A few moments of silence proceeded, only the sounds ambient sounds of camp could be heard before Shin broke the silence. "What were you programmed for, Huyang?"
  
  "I am a Mark IV architect droid, programmed to assist young jedi construct their light sabers." Shin"s eyes were thoughtful, thinking back to her days struggling to craft a weapon.
  
  "Baylan taught me. Have you seen it?" She asked, looking over her shoulder.
  
  The droid laughed. "Oh yes, I have, and I must say there are at least three areas that could have been improved."
  
  She sighed internally. "Perhaps you can show me these areas at a later time?" It was small talk, and that wasn"t something she was used too, but the droid seemed receptive enough and it was much better than having to deal with Sabine.
  
  "I knew your master." Shin froze. "He had trouble with his first as well." Silence followed, her eyes burning a hole into the wires in front of her, she dare not reveal the tempest of emotions circling her head.
  
  "How?" Baylan had never spoke of his time at the temple, aside from lessons to help her train.
  
  "I"ve known almost every Jedi for a thousand generations."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened, marveling at such an expanse of time. "A thousand generations." She murmured under her breath, curiosity calming her nerves. "What was he like?"
  
  "Thoughtful, mystic, fair, sometimes too focused on the future for his own good, but always entranced by stories of the past."
  
  She laughed internally. He hadn"t really changed that much, had he? "I know no such stories." The same words she had spoken to her master only a few days ago.
  
  "I still have some in my databanks," Huyang"s head rotated back to his work. "If you"d want to hear them one day."
  
  A spark of happiness flickered in her chest, even if stories were sometimes just stories. "I would like that." She mummed, barely above a whisper. Silence once again fell onto the two of them, quietly working away at the ship. For a brief moment, everything felt okay.
  
  "You"re doing it wrong." Sabine"s voice broke any tranquility that hung in the air. How had she not sensed her approach? Were her emotions clouding her connection to the force?
  
  "Are you sure?" Shin replied, turning her head to look at her. "Huya-"
  
  "Of course I"m sure! It"s my old ship." There was anger in her tone, and heavy footsteps approached from the rear. "Look." Sabine nudged Shin over, pushing up alongside her and opening the panels she had already finished. "The wires can"t go backwards; they need to go up. How daft can you be?"
  
  Embarrassment flashed in Shin"s cheeks. "I didn"t know."
  
  To their left, Huyang looked up. "Sabine."
  
  "And you didn"t think of asking?" Her nostrils flared, quickly correcting the mistakes. "If you want to stay, please don"t be so useless."
  
  Shin dropped her gaze, staring at her boots. She wanted to speak, defend herself, but nothing came out. Next to her, Sabine shook her head. "There? See?" The Mandalorian said, pointing to her completed work. "That"s how you do it."
  
  Still studying the ground, she nodded. "I get it." Shin"s belly knotted in sadness. She didn"t want to let them down, just as she didn"t want to let her master down.
  
  "Thank goodness you know now after wasting our time." Shin"s shoulders fell, defeated. Anger radiated off the woman next to her, blending together with her own pain.
  
  "Sabine." Huyang called again, sterner his time round, but Sabine ignored him.
  
  "No wonder your master abandoned you." That was the dagger. Any restraint Shin had left vanished as tears began welling on the edges of her eyes. Everything came back all too soon, all too fast.
  
  "Why must you belittle me?" Shin"s voice cracked from trembling lips, whipping around to gaze upon her accuser. Gone was the intense stare Sabine had grown used too, instead replaced by one tearful and longing.
  
  "I-" Shin didn"t want to listen. She didn"t care. She had to leave. Sabine couldn"t see her like this, her master never allowed her to be like this. Even in now after his departure she was failing him.
  
  Storming away she left camp behind her, sadness echoed in each beat of her thudding heart. With each step further away, she soon realized pain was quickly being replaced by a bubbling rage just below the surface. Sniffling, Shin picked up her pace. Cresting over a horizon, water eyes made out a large cluster of boulders in a nearby ravine. Igniting her saber, she took off towards them, all her emptiness quickly replaced by the warm embrace of anger.
  
  The pile of rocks didn"t deserve their fate as each slash from her blade came down fast and hard, mind blanking in an escape Shin so desperately needed.
  
  Notes:
  Yikesss. I promise things will get fluffier soon, I promise!
  
  Di'kut: According to a quick google search means idiot in the language used by Mandalorians.
  
  Chapter 4: Understanding
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stared, mouth agape. Her eyes tracking Shin running into the distance. Was she crying? Up until now, she didn"t think the dark Jedi could even feel emotions. Dumbfounded, she turned to Huyang.
  
  "That was uncalled for, Sabine." Sighed the droid, returning to his work. Guilt rushed through her. Maybe that was too much.
  
  Ahsoka appeared from around the ship. "Is everything alright?" Sabine dropped her gaze. "I thought I felt something- where"s Shin?" Huyang must"ve felt it better to stay out of it, choosing not to speak.
  
  "She, uh, she ran off that way." Sabine answered, nodding in the direction the blonde had traveled.
  
  "Odd." Her master raised an eyebrow. "Do you know why?" The Mandalorian swallowed hard, drawing circles in the dirt with her feet.
  
  "She needed some space I guess." A white lie, better than telling the truth. Ashoka would be disappointed, especially after suggesting to reach out. But now more than ever, she was afraid of what she might find
  
  "Let her have it. She"s still young and unbalanced, despite the mask she adorns." Her master"s face was stoic, but serious. "We don"t want to risk an altercation." As quickly as she came, Ashoka left. Sabine stayed still, mulling over the flurry of action. Huyang was right, it was uncalled for. Whether she liked it or not, Shin was here now, and it was best not to push the person who nearly killed her over the edge.
  
  "I"ll be back in a second." She called to Huyang, not thinking twice before following the path Hati had taken out of camp. Thoughts swirled around Sabine"s head. All her interactions with Shin, her intensity, her aura that followed her around, drawing everybody in who could feel it. She"d tried her best not to be affected, but still felt a slight tug in her direction despite all that had happened.
  
  Maybe Ahsoka was right too. Her master had kindly explained the situation, even with her refusing to really listen. Perhaps Shin was just a frightened apprentice without a master to guide her. No threat, just girl trained to be a weapon, manipulated to become what she was, lost in the same wasteland they were.
  
  Giving in, Sabine closed her eyes, reaching out with the force to find her. Where are you. Peridea was desolate, void of people, it should be easy to find an emotional force sensitive in the middle of a breakdown. Bingo, yikes. Shin was close, upset, and as expected, angry. Following her footsteps, she crested the ridge, spotting a dot of blonde down in a nearby ravine.
  
  As careful as Sabine could, she approached from the rear. It was like stepping on egg shells, or trying to domesticate a loth cat. One wrong step and the whole thing could blow up even more than it already had.
  
  Closer now, Sabine could make out Shin"s figure. She sat on the ground, knees to her chest, staring at a smoldering pile of rubble one could only assume used to be a boulder. Pain jabbed at Wren"s side. She"d caused this, or at least, pushed her this far. Letting down her shields Sabine hoped Shin could sense her vulnerability, the same was she could sense hers.
  
  Swallowing, she made her presence known. "Hey." Startled, Shin flinched, her head snapping back to see who had spoken. "Whatca doing?" Sabine didn"t know what else to say, and hoped she didn"t come off awkward.
  
  "Go away." Shin hissed through gritted teeth, fed up with the Mandalorian"s constant habit of appearing out of thin air.
  
  Sabine"s eyes wandered around the boulders. "Looks like you"ve been busy." She joked, finding ways to avoid apologizing.
  
  Shin stood up, still furious. "Don"t think I"m afraid to hurt you, Wren." Her saber ignited on cue. Bathing her puffed eyes in orange, evidence to her recent activities.
  
  "I-" She clenched her fist, ugh, why did she feel sorry. "I wanted to make sure you"re alright." Shin"s glare faded, taking a moment to process what was happening.
  
  "Do I look alright to you?" Shin faintly replied as her saber retracted into its hilt.
  
  "No." Of course she wasn"t. Ahsoka was right. Swilling around her in the force was a maelstrom of feelings, all of which Sabine did not like. Silence filled the space as Shin sat back down, gazing ahead just as she"d found her.
  
  "If you"ve come to insult me, spare your breath."
  
  Sabine shook her head. "That"s- that"s actually why I"m here." Taking a few steps forward, she closed the gap between them. "No, wait! Not to insult you, again. Because of that, no, what- because I have." Fingers gently fiddled with each other as she stumbled over her words.
  
  "Spit it out." If Sabine hadn"t been so focused on her mishap, she might have noticed the blonde"s lips curl into a faint smirk.
  
  "I..." A sigh escaped her, and she plopped down next to Shin. "What I said was uncalled for." Sabine couldn"t bring herself to outright apologize, this was the closest she was going to go.
  
  Shin blinked, a rare occurrence, still gazing at the sizzling rocks. Sabine took that as a sign to continue. "Not everyone knows their way around a ship, and, I think you"re a good apprentice."
  
  "You know nothing about me." Shin snorted.
  
  "Maybe not." If there was one thing she definitely was, it was mysterious. "But you weren"t, Ahsoka wouldn"t want you to stay."
  
  "She doesn"t either." She clearly wasn"t having it, her head solemnly sunk. "Nobody wants me." Shin mumbled out, barely audible over the wind. How easily the only person she"d ever cared about walked away from her burned away on her heart.
  
  "I know what that"s like." Sabine sighed, staring off into the distance. "Being abandoned by your master." After Ashoka left her, everyone was gone. Hera was out doing her thing, Zeb too, and of course Ezra was, well, stuck.
  
  "You do?"
  
  "Yup." Her tone betrayed her posture, those were a rough few years on Lothal. "I do."
  
  Shin"s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and looked towards Sabine. "Ahsoka left you."
  
  "For some time, yes." Sabine folded her arms. "She stopped my training and vanished."
  
  Almost at random, Shin"s demeanor changed. She shifted slightly, angling her body more towards the Mandalorian as if suddenly interested in what she had to say. "Do you know why?"
  
  "Ahsoka never gave me the real reason." Sabine sighed. "And honestly, I didn"t want to know. It was already hard enough being given up on."
  
  The strange Mandalorian was also abandoned by her master? The same one who had no power? Who wanted her dead, and hated her guts? "Why are you telling me this?" Shin"s gaze darted across her face, looking for any traces of a lie.
  
  "Because," Sabine paused. She knew why, but didn"t want to say it. "Because I want you to know that I understand." Maybe understanding, maybe that was enough.
  
  Empathy. Pity. Just like feelings of sadness, these too overwhelmed Shin and she felt water begin to return around the edges of her eyes. "How did you manage?" She asked, doing her best to swallow the lump in her throat.
  
  "Booze." Memories replayed in Sabine"s head recounting many a lonely night in the comms tower. "Bars on Lothal were my only friends at the time." There was an honesty in her voice that she had never heard before.
  
  "Baylan forbid such vices." Shin murmured, the toe of her boot digging into the dirt.
  
  "I had my art too, and Murley. So things weren"t always bad." Sabine turned to look at the dark Jedi, who avoided eye contact.
  
  "Who is Murley?"
  
  "My Loth Cat." A wave of sadness flooded her aura. "I hope he"s alright."
  
  Shin looked over at Sabine, reading her emotions through the force. "Murley is doing fine." Her voice was oddly neutral, but Sabine still appreciated her effort. Did that psycho-killer just try and comfort me?
  
  "You"re right." Sighing, she patted her knees and stood. "You should come back to camp with me, don"t want the others worrying."
  
  Shin found herself staring again. "They don"t worry for me." Her voice was breathless, but her eyes were piercing. Now, more than ever, her fascination with the Mandalorian grew. Abandoned by her master? The experiences she must have had?
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes. "You coming or what?" Nodding, Shin stood, brushing off her cape and armored bracers. "Good. It"s too cold for me to stay out here with you anyways."
  
  The quip made Shin want to smile, but their proximity made her nervous. She was only slightly taller than Sabine, and the Mandalorian hadn"t turned around yet. They stood almost eye to eye for the first time since their fight on Seatos and the midday sun reflected off her skin in a way she"d never seen before.
  
  Inhaling a sharp breath Shin nervously reached out with a hand, but pulled it away before it could brush Sabine"s arm. "Th-thank you. For coming to find me."
  
  Sabine shot her a confused look. "Don"t sweat it." Thankfully she turned before she could notice the blonde"s cheeks flush, and started down the path back towards camp. Shin"s eyes followed first before her legs finally decided to start moving, never once taking her gaze off the Mandalorian ahead of her.
  
  Notes:
  Gay panic = Shin Hati
  
  Chapter 5: Strange
  Notes:
  We survived the great flood of content, hurray! Thank WolfWren week for existing, though, idk what I'd have done without it.
  
  I must say, admittedly, I did more reading than writing this week. Nevertheless, thank you all for your support so far! It means the world to me to share my (some might say unhealthy) obsessions with you all, and please, enjoy chapter five.
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Several rotations passed in the blink of an eye. It seemed as if the sun rose one moment, then sank the next. To the moderate surprise of Shin, Sabine no longer insulted her every chance she got. And to her subtle disappointment, they didn"t speak much at all either. Neither of them mentioned about what happened that day, or Shin"s outburst. Why would they? All that needed to be said was said. Besides, they"d been busy getting things set up long term.
  
  Twice now Shin watched (spied is the more accurate term) Sabine"s training sessions with Ahsoka. The difference in teaching style between her and Baylan was vast. Where he would be rough, she"d be gentle; where she"d bring praise, he"d bring punishment and so on. Her master was a fine teacher, and it seemed to Shin the issue lied in a bullish apprentice.
  
  A few nights into Shin"s stay saw her fully take over the top bunk, right above Sabine. It wasn"t here first choice, but the Mandalorian fervently protested her use of the bottom. Staggered and quietly, she had moved all her belongings from her howler onto the ship. Her first night was rough though she"d never admit it, Shin was scared of rolling off the bunk and onto the floor in her sleep. She was getting used to it now, and was settling in nicely.
  
  Yet, even with this busy new lifestyle she couldn"t shake the feeling she got whenever Sabine was nearby. It was the same feeling that first presented itself on Lothal, and had since refused to leave. It didn"t bother her as much at first, after all, the only time they"d see each other was when they"d fight or whenever Baylan instructed her to check on her during their time on the Scion. But now, she was stuck, and it bothered her.
  
  Sitting on the edge of Ahsoka"s pop-up table, she pondered these feelings, staring into the black pool of a cup of caf. If only her master was here to answer her questions, or if she could find time to meditate, or if she"d work up the courage to talk to Sabine, or if-
  
  "Do you know how old you are?" As if she had summoned Sabine with her thoughts, the Mandalorian appeared.
  
  "No." Shin said, looking up from her cup with a flat expression.
  
  Sabine raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
  
  "Kind of." Their eyes made contact, and those stupid feelings returned, making Shin"s stomach tense.
  
  "Sorry, I know it"s weird but Huyang had been asking." Sabine took a seat across from her. "Wait, what do you mean kind of?"
  
  Shin studied her for a moment, noticing flecks of dirt covering her hands. "I have an idea, but my master never knew, so I never knew."
  
  She raised an eyebrow. "Or he didn"t tell you."
  
  "He wouldn"t withhold information from me." She shot back, immediately defending the integrity of Baylan. "It wasn"t something that mattered anyways."
  
  "Well duh it matters." Sabine almost looked shocked to hear it.
  
  "I said I sort of know," Shin swallowed. "I know I got my first..." She shot Sabine a look. "Are you sure this an appropriate conversation?"
  
  Sabine looked a little embarrassed too. "I, uh." She shook her head. "You"re right. Ahsoka wants you helping Huyang. Apparently, he needs two pairs of hands to final set up our power supply."
  
  "Why can"t you help?" Shin asked, not unwilling to go, but nevertheless curious.
  
  Sabine"s eyes gleamed with pride. "Ahsoka is taking me out for a full day of training." Shin stared blankly, a full day alone? Finally, some room to think. "Wait, don"t tell me you"re jealous?"
  
  The question caught Shin off guard. "No." Apparently, she"d taken too long to respond. What could that mean? Jealous of Ahsoka spending time with her? Jealous of receiving training? "I am very contempt with my current situation."
  
  "Mhm." Sabine"s eyes darted up and down her face, making Shin"s skin crawl. "Whatever you say." A multitude of thoughts sprung through Shin"s mind. Was Sabine onto her? Did she feel the same pull she felt? Or did she catch her staring one too many times? "Huyang said he"s starting later today, busy with language acquisition or something right now, but he"ll find you when he"s ready."
  
  "That"ll be very beneficial to us." Shin stated mater-of-factly.
  
  Sabine surprised a laugh. Why did everything she say sound so clinical? "We are lucky he"s here. I don"t know how Ezra did it."
  
  "This Erza," Shin repeated, remembering the man Wren had fought alongside, the one she;d put the fate of the galaxy at risk to save. "He is important to you?" A burning sensation grew in her belly, ignited by the endless possibilities of answers. Why did it even matter if he was or wasn"t?
  
  "He is." Shin clenched her jaw, nerves getting the better of her.
  
  "Sabine!" Ahsoka"s clear tone tore through the tension between the two of them. "The clouds have rolled out, let"s go."
  
  "Coming!" Sabine swiftly rose to her feet, "Maybe another time?" She dipped her head, turned, and left abruptly. Leaving Shin a riled-up mess sitting alone at the table only accompanied by her thoughts and a lone cup of cold caf.
  
  Her eyes lingered where Wren once sat, gears in her mind grinding to a halt and fizzling out trying to make sense of all she"d felt just now. Baylan had always stressed control over emotions, and the key to control was to understand. Neither of which she currently had. Letting out sigh, she closed her eyes. That was the longest they"d talked since her outburst, and Shin both hated and loved how it made her feel.
  
  Getting out of the chair, Shin dumped the rest of her caf. At least Sabine would be gone for a while, Ahsoka too. Her first time alone since arriving at camp lost, hungry, and a threat. Apparently, they trusted her enough to be left unattended. That"s a risk. Shin thought, walking over to her bunk. Master would never have been so rash. Hoisting herself up, she entered her bunk. It was neatly made, each sheet folded precisely at each corner with two different sized pouches resting at the bed.
  
  Stretching out, she grabbed the smaller one and adjusted her so she was comfortably laying flat. There wasn"t much she brought with her down from the Scion. Baylan instructed her to pack light, and she always brought the essentials; some rations, a flask, hygiene products, a small cloak, and binoculars.
  
  But of course, Shin brought a few of her more personal belongings as well. Things she wouldn"t dare let Sabine, Ahsoka or Huyang get their hands on. Scrummaging through her bag, she found one of those items, an old datapad. Baylan had always stressed a minimal lifestyle, devoid of personal attachment to objects, but allowed her to have one.
  
  Clicking it open, Shin entered her passcode, and her heart sank. It opened up to a page of a text she was reading the night before her world fell apart. She closed the page quickly, not wanting to drum up painful memories, instead pulling up her journal. Its last entry was from a few days prior, and needed to be updated. It was all she used her datapad for really. Reading, journaling, and music. Balyan assigned her every possible text on Jedi and their ways as well as the historical conflicts they were apart of to the point she barely had time to read own personal stories. Still, Shin found time to herself to read whatever story caught her eye, but she didn"t open it to read.
  
  She came for her music. It helped her relax, and that was something she desperately needed. Clicking on a song she had downloaded; Shin closed her eyes and gently laid her datapad on her chest. Sound flooded her bunk, and as if on cue, her estranged thoughts slowly drifted into order. After spending some time digesting all that had happened the last few rotations, Shin became increasingly aware of how dirty she was. That"s what you get for rolling around in dirt all day building farms. The droid had recently finished setting up their water recaptivation device, which Sabine had made clear to her meant unlimited time in the refresher. But Shin still was weary of going in there for an extended period.
  
  Being naked in her enemy"s ship didn"t sound pleasant, even if hot water did. There was some sort of increased vulnerability in that action that she didn"t like. Plus, only packing one extra change of underclothes and not knowing where the wash would make changing into something difficult. Refocusing her mind, Shin changed her song. However, with each passing minute she felt more and more greasy, grimey and unclean. It bothered her. Muttering words incomprehensible, the dark jedi shifted and finally decided with steely resolve to venture into the refresher.
  
  "Miss Hati!" The unmissable sound of Huyang"s voice reach her ears the second her boots touched the ships floor. "I request your assistance with an important matter!"
  
  "Alright." Shin replied, rolling her eyes internally. "I"ll be there in a second." She took a forlorn glance towards the refresher, shaking her head before heading out to see whatever the droid wanted. Getting cleaned up would have to wait.
  
  Ahsoka had pushed her hard today. It seemed each muscle in Sabine"s body ached as they rode back in silence on their howlers. This was the first day in ages her master had chosen to test her physical ability rather than mental. Normally, a Mandalorian would beg for days like this, but something about the Peridea air zapped energy right out of her bones.
  
  "Do you think Huyang will have the finished by now?" Sabine asked, breaking the silence.
  
  Ahsoka, who as riding a bit ahead, tiled her head to get a better listen. "He should have, especially if our new companion lent a hand."
  
  She laughed, ah, their new companion. "Or she stole all our supplies and made for the hills."
  
  Now it was her masters turn to chuckle. "You really don"t trust her, do you?"
  
  "Not at all." Sabine confirmed
  
  "What are your feelings on Shin?" Ahsoka often listened to her apprentice"s opinion on matters, even if it didn"t sway her choice.
  
  She paused her mind retracing their encounter by the rocks. "I dunno, I feel bad for her."
  
  "Why is that?" Leave it to a Jedi to ask a question she should already know the answer to.
  
  "Isn"t it obvious? Her master left her stranded on this heap of rock." Their howlers started a steep descent a few clicks out from camp. "In a bad enough state, she felt seeking our help was best." Sabine sighed. "Poor girl doesn"t even know how old she is."
  
  "Wise assessment." Ahsoka adjusted her reigns. "I want her to come with us next time."
  
  Come with us? Sabine"s eyebrows raised in shock. "Like, with us training?"
  
  "Yes."
  
  "She doesn"t seem like a willing trainee." Sabine joked, petting her howler.
  
  "And miss a chance to spar with the padawan who beat her?" Ahsoka laughed. "There"s still much for you to learn."
  
  Embarrassment flashed through her. How come her master always seemed to be right? "I guess so." The two continued their mulling conversation all the way back to camp, arriving back just as the sun started to enter its golden hour. Even on Peridea, the evening rays were pretty, despite ushering in another cold night. Ahsoka decided to stay out and talk to Huyang, leaving Sabine to get cleaned up in the ship first.
  
  Stepping inside, she was met by all the ship"s buttons glowing and beautiful climate control. The power is back up, nice. Turning a corner, she passed by their bunks. Suspiciously, neatly arranged on the top bunk was all of Shin"s armor. Sabine wrinkled her nose. How odd? She practically never saw Shin without it on. Then again, she also never saw her smile, be happy, or blink. Subconsciously Sabine made her way to the refresher, of course she"d made sure to made sure it was perfectly placed on top of the bed instead of thrown into a corner like many others her age.
  
  "You"re back?" Startled, Sabine took a step back. There, blocking the sliding door to the refresher was Shin. "I knew I sensed something." She seemed to mutter that last bit to herself, but Sabine heard nonetheless.
  
  "Oh, uh, yeah, hi." She gave a cute little wave, the blonde before her was in a loose long sleeve undershirt and- where those her shorts?! "Are those mine!"
  
  Shin"s eyes flashed down to her legs. "Your droid said..." Her voice trailed off. She felt naked, like a freshly molted crustation. No armor to protect her, or hide her slim frame. "I only intended to sleep in them."
  
  Sabine shrugged. "Have em." She wasn"t mad, if anything, seeing the formidable apprentice posed like a wet cat in her bright purple shorts that were just a smidge too small was cute. "Purple looks good on you."
  
  Shin felt her cheeks flush, was that kindness? How weak. This Mandalorian would be the death of her. "Okay." She stepped past Sabine, dipping her head to avoid eye contact.
  
  Maybe a thank you would be nice? Sabine internally shot back, rolling her eyes. "The Noti are having a festival."
  
  Shin was already reaching for her outer suit and armor. "Fascinating." Her reply was dry, unenthused, and exactly how Sabine expected.
  
  "Ahsoka said there might be food, so, I don"t know, come it you want?" Shin didn"t seem any more enticed, stepping down from the step, hands full of gear and a strange black box. "Come on, when"s the last time you had a hot meal?"
  
  "A few days ago." Shin"s stony reply almost sounded cocky. "I"ll see if I can attend." Was her final comment on the issue before she briskly brushed passed Sabine and back into the refresher.
  
  "Don"t bother asking if I wanted to use it!" Sabine called as the door slid shit. "You"re so weird." She hissed under her breath, and began walking over to her bottom bunk, plopping down once she arrived.
  
  Out of the corner of Sabine"s eye, an object on the floor caught her attention. Leaning up, she got a better view. It a tanned beat-up leather bag, not hers or Ahsoka"s. Hello there. Curiosity nipped at the nape of her neck. It was wrong to search through someone"s things, but when that someone was technically a prisoner who had tried to murder you? All bets were off.
  
  Sliding off her bunk, she sat cross legged on the floor and pulled the bag closer. Let"s see what goodies we can find here. Undoing its buttons, she looked inside. Nothing unusual; a few different color boxes, a few were black, what appeared to be a rolled-up scarf. "Ah!" She clicked her tongue, pulling out a strange small metal container. "What are you?" Sabine questioned the object, moving it up to her eye level. Shaking it gently, an object moved inside. Something was definitely in there-
  
  The crisp sound from the refresher doors opening sliding opened startled Sabine, who clumsily threw her object of fascination back into it"s satchel, knocking the whole thing over in the process. Shin turned towards the noise, furrowing her brow in confusion quickly changing to shock as her eyes widened at the sight of all her belongings strewn across the floor.
  
  "Wren!" Her voice was in its upper register, nearly cracking. The blonde, now fully armored, fell to the ground in a hurry to put everything away, not once making eye contact with Sabine who just smiled awkwardly off on the side.
  
  "Why were you going through my stuff."
  
  Her tone inflicted a statement, but Sabine was sure Shin had asked a question. "I thought it was Ahsoka"s."
  
  Shin violently snapped the buttons back into place. "You"re a terrible liar." Sabine"s cheeks grew hot. Could she sense lies through the force? What else could she feel?"
  
  "It was just sitting there."
  
  "My stuff is private." In one fluid motion, she tossed her bag up where it belonged.
  
  "Huh. I didn"t know hair dye was so secretive these days."
  
  "I don"t dye my hair!" Shin snapped back, a little too quickly.
  
  Sabine stifled a laugh, playing off her transgression with humor and an eyeroll. "Neither do I."
  
  Surprisingly calm, or at least appearing calm, Shin exhaled. "I would appreciate it if you did not perv through my belongings. They are mine, and what I wish to show you is what you"ll see."
  
  Unfortunately, this didn"t stifle Sabine"s curiosity, in fact, it did the opposite. "What exactly are you hiding in there?" A million thoughts pod-raced through her mind. "Is it some cheesy Twi'lek porno? It"s okay if it is. I remember being your age."
  
  Shin"s pale skin grew red. "Absolutely not." A loose strand of hair fell down over her eye, but she quickly brushed it away.
  
  "Mhm, sure." Sabine"s eyes followed Shin"s movements as she started to climb into her bunk. "Are you gonna go watch it now?"
  
  "You are infuriating." Shin closed her privacy shade, ending the conversation as quickly as it had begun. Sabine stared momentarily, a civil war raging between whether or not to tease the blonde any further. Deciding not to, the Mandalorian rose, choosing to see whatever the Noti were up to instead. From her bunk, Shin listened to Wren"s footsteps fade away until they were gone. Clutching her wrist in her hands, she sighed, doing the best to settle the butterflies that currently were residing in her belly.
  
  "Do you think Shin"s coming?" Sabine asked Ahsoka to her right. Orange and yellow flames flickered light across the Noti camp, painting dancing shadows on their huts. Tribal music played softly in the background, humming a tranquil tune. A large fish was skewered and being roasted over a large fire in the center of camp, being tended to by what could only be imagined were elders.
  
  "Missing your friend already?" Her master wittily teased back, flashing a mischievous grin.
  
   "No." Poking her small stone plate with a fork from the ship, she continued. "I just don"t want her to miss this." It was true. Whatever the Noti were celebrating was truly a beautiful holiday.
  
  "Miss what?" Both women turned around, Shin was standing a few feet away.
  
  "The festivities." Ahsoka chimed in. "Come, have a seat, Shin." Following her invitation, she made herself right at home directly next to Sabine.
  
  "What are they celebrating?" The blonde asked, locking eyes with the fire in camp center.
  
  "Who knows." Sabine shrugged, nudging Shin with her shoulder. "Whatever it is, we get to enjoy it." Ashoka nodded a silent affirmation, turning her attention towards an approaching Noti.
  
  "It"s pretty." Shin said blankly, crossing her legs. Sabine looked over at her, her breath hitching in her throat. Never before had she noticed just how stunning Shin was. Her sharp cheekbones underscored a strong yet delicate face, her deep-set ice blue eyes, the way bangs fell neatly around the ridges of her eyebrows. If she hadn't known any better, one might call her beautiful.
  
  "Yeah, it sure is." Sabine squeaked out, caught off guard by the sudden onset of anxiety the blonde caused.
  
  "Is this our meal you were going on about?" Shin questioned, her gaze finally breaking with the fire and towards the Noti currently serving Ashoka.
  
  "I"d imagine." She replied, holding out her own stone plate as the Noti turned its attention on her. Chunks of flame roasted fish were neatly splattered down, covered in some type of vegetable paste from whatever farms they"d help build.
  
  "Is this safe for us?" Shin questioned, resting an off-putting stare on the Noti as she now served her.
  
  "Huyang ran a scan earlier and said it would be alright."
  
  Shin prodded the chunks of fish with her fork, investigating, before taking a weary bite. Sabine stopped mid chew, peering intently at the odd display. Scowling, the blonde spit her food back out.
  
  "I don"t like meat." She stated mater-of-factly, setting her plate down.
  
  "Really? You"re a vegetarian?" Sabine laughed, her lips curving up in a smile. Shin cast a side eye at her, not affirming her question, but the look of disgust on her face said it all. "Shin, you are strange."
  
  Notes:
  Shin? Strange? Pfft, nah, no way.
  
  Chapter 6: Difficulties
  Notes:
  Thank you all for the support! I love each and every one of you guys!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  There were many ways to enjoy your night on a marooned ship in a foreign galaxy. Options like stare at the ceiling blankly, sleep, listen to Shin snore and beg for mercy (the latter Sabine did often). This particular evening was not unlike many others, and the restless Mandalorian could simply not wind down. A squeak from the main room jolted her out from nodding off for the fifth time.
  
  Sabine groaned, rolling over to face in insider of her bunk. "Right when I was about to fall asleep." She drowsily muttered, closing her eyes in another feeble attempt to finally rest. The squeak came again, louder this time, and another followed in rapid succession.
  
  "Kriffing-" Angrily, she rolled out of bed. Why would Huyang be working on anything this late into the night? Through blurry eyes she glanced into the main hall. It was dark, but the unmistakable flash of blonde hair told her everything she needed to know.
  
  "Shin!" Sabine shouted quietly, as to not wake up Ashoka. The woman in question spun around, it was too dark to make out an expression. "What are you doing?!" She flicked a light on, squinting at the harsh brightness.
  
  "I am training." Her cool nonchalant tone sent shivers down Wren"s neck.
  
  "This late? Are you crazy?" Despite sleep gnawing at her, Sabine plopped herself down in the corner of the room. "Actually, don"t answer that."
  
   Shin watched her, chest heaving, one of Ahsoka"s wooden training sticks held firmly in her hand. "Baylan always said enemies don"t wait for the sun to rise, you shouldn"t either."
  
  Sabine snorted. "Your enemy was trying to get some much-needed rest."
  
  "Very funny." Shin"s stare seemed to burn holes through her. "If I had wanted to kill you, you"d be dead." Sabine"s eyes widened in shock, what a great thing to hear in the middle of the night.
  
  "Ha!" She has such a way with words. "You are an expert in conversation, you know that?"
  
  "It"s a fact." Shin"s stomach tightened. How come every time she said something, it seemed wrong?
  
  "Anyways." Sabine changed topics, noticing Shin"s jaw clinch and grip tighten on the training stick. "I"m up now," She waved a hand at her. "Enlighten me. What are you training in?"
  
  Immediately, Shin relaxed. "My forms." Wren wasn"t upset with her. This was good.
  
  Sabine cocked an eyebrow. "From memory?"
  
  "Yes."
  
  She pursed her lips, letting out a hmph. "Which one is your favorite?"
  
  Now, it was Shin"s turn to laugh. "And give you an advantage in combat? No way."
  
  "Alright, fine. Don"t tell me." Sabine replied, shifting so she could sit more comfortably. "I"ll just watch." Watch? This caught Shin off guard. Nobody besides her master had ever watched her practice before.
  
  Almost tentatively, she turned back around, getting into position facing a floating metallic ball that Sabine hadn"t noticed before. Now fully awake, she studied the room. That strange box she"d found in Shin"s bag was open, on the ground... Oh. That metal thing was a training droid, one of the things she didn"t want her to see.
  
  "Don"t wait on me." Sabine called, folding her arms. She saw Shin nod in reply, before viscously striking out with an upward strike towards the droid. It quickly dashed away, at an angle just out of reach, but as quickly as it had moved, Shin slashed back, tracing its movements.
  
  Sabine watched, soaking it all in. This call and dance cycle continued for a good few minutes, each swing following the exact movements of the droid. She noticed some strikes were faster and more accurate than others. A friendly reminder that she wasn"t the only one still in training. Finally, the droid flashed green, and Shin relaxed.
  
  "Aren"t you supposed to hit it?" Sabine asked, aware you weren"t, a sly smile deceived her question.
  
  "No. You trace." There wasn"t any malice, or even a hint of annoyance in her tone. She just placed her hands on her hips. eyeing up the droid.
  
  "Righhhtt. Tracing, definitely not missing." It took a moment to register with Sabine just how vulnerable Shin was. Her tunic and various pieces of armor lay next to her bag, leaving her in a compression-like long sleeve armored shirt, identical to the one Baylan wore. "Why aren"t you using your saber? You seem a little passed wooden sticks."
  
  Shin frowned. "The noise. I did not want to wake you." Sabine"s nose wrinkled and she quickly looked away. Stars. Was that kindness? She hated when Shin was nice to her.
  
  "Yeah, like that worked." She scoffed, mustering the strength to look back at her. Shin stood still, unnervingly still, but her eyes for once were soft.
  
  "Do you know your forms well?" She asked, tapping a few buttons on her bracer, causing the droid to move.
  
  "It might have been the only thing I was good at." While her control of the force was inadequate, her ability to fight and practice fighting never lacked. "Apparently I had no power, so I had to focus on other things."
  
  "Such as physical combat." That could be why she was able to hold her own against her.
  
  "Good with a saber, horrible with..." Sabine sighed. "I don"t know how many hours I spent just trying to mediate properly."
  
  "Interesting." Sabine caught eyes with Shin, who looked as if she were pondering a decision. An awkward silence followed, but was soon broken. "I will be completing more programs," she turned back towards her droid. "For a while. Stay if you wish."
  
  "Hmm. I"m kind of busy." Was there anything better to do? "I guess I"ll stick around." Ahsoka did say she could learn from her, considering Shin had gone through similar training. Maybe there was something she could pick up on.
  
  "This is form six." The blonde declared, readying a stance before once again lurching out at the droid. Sabine watched each fluid movement, paying close attention to her footwork. Something Ahsoka had been getting on her ass about.
  
  Soon, her focus shifted upwards. The way the material of Shin"s shirt gripped the contours of her chest, or the way her hips flared ever so slightly before being covered by her utility belt. The way her hair swooshed from side to side, or the look of calculated aggression she"d been on the other side of so many times. A curious thought drifted into her mine, egged on by those piercing eyes, but it soon vanished. It wasn"t long before Sabine dozed back off, this time for good.
  
  A few moments later, the program finished. "Form six is favored by Jedi." Shin began, wiping beads of sweat from her eyes. "It was used so frequently because-" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes falling onto Sabine. Her head was slumped down, and her chest rose and feel rhythmically.
  
  "Never mind then." Shin breathed, flashing a rare but brief smile. That strange bubbly excitement returned to her belly, causing her already flushed cheeks to grow even hotter. Falling asleep in your enemy"s presence? Cute. Shin"s eyes grew wide, and she stiffened. "No. Don"t think like that." She scolded herself. "You are above those trivial things." Reading the droid for another run, she continued with her forms. Actions refocused her mind, but she couldn"t shake them all.
  
  "Peculiar place to sleep, but whatever is your fancy." Sabine woke with a jolt, finding herself on the floor exactly where she had been watching Shin. Ahsoka was standing across the room, arms folded.
  
  "I was watc-" She paused, something telling her maybe it was best her master didn't know about Shin's late night training habits. "You know me." Sabine yawned, stretching. "Unpredictable."
  
   "I do." Her master smiled. "Come on, move so I can put the table up." She listened, getting up from her very unorthodox bed. Checking the room, every sign of Shin was gone. She must have packed everything away quietly once she"d finished.
  
  The table rose, and Ahsoka took a seat. "You should get ready while Huyang makes breakfast" She took a sip of her caf. "We have a busy day ahead of us."
  
  Sabine rubbed her neck, sore from how she slept. "How? I thought we only had rations left."
  
  "He completed language assimilation, and picked up a few recipes last night." Ahsoka replied.
  
  "Oh, neat." Sabine stretched once again "What"s on the training block for today?"
  
  "I"m not sure yet." Her master replied, tilting her head. "What do you think we should focus on?"
  
  Sabine snorted. "Everything."
  
  "Wise answer. It is always necessary to hone skills one"s already acquired." Her eyes sparkled. "I believe you"ve given me an idea. Meet me outside soon."
  
  "Yes, master." Sabine dipped her head. "I"ll be back in a second." If there were going to go outside, she"d need to get ready. Entering her quarters, she knelt beside her bed, opening her floor level storage bay. Before she went into the refresher, her eyes darted up to the bunk above her. Shin had her privacy shade closed, a sign the dark Jedi was still asleep. Of course, she gets to sleep in. It was unfair, but she was further ahead in training, and Sabine wouldn"t catch up if she slept around all day.
  
  Whatever training idea Sabine had put into Ahsoka"s mind, she wished she could have taken it out. They"d spent hours just on meditation and connection, and despite no real results, Ahsoka insisted on going again.
  
  She"d used it before. She felt connected before. Why not now? Hell, she"d even used it for a trivial thing such as teasing Shin. Apparently, she could only use the force when it decided it was convenient.
  
  It only got worse. "Clear your feelings." Ahsoka insisted, pacing behind her padawan.
  
  Sabine clinched her fists, sitting atop a boulder, legs crossed and eyes closed. "What feelings." She hissed. "I"ve been clearing them since morning!"
  
  "Frustration will get you nowhere." Her master stated calmly. "I know you can do it."
  
  It felt like her head was going to explode. Everywhere she searched within her, she could feel something but could not latch onto it. Anger bubbled up and over, finally, something she could channel.
  
  "Agh!" Once again, nothing major. She could move a rock, feel feelings, push Ezra once, but still couldn"t mediate.
  
  Ahsoka"s postured relaxed. "It"s getting late. Do you want to go again?"
  
  Sabine shot her a look, bringing up and hand to rub her temple. "No."
  
  "Fair enough." Her master slowly walked past her and towards where their howlers rested. "Failure is a better teach than success, Sabine."
  
  "I know." Great. Here comes the wise yet somewhat condescending pep talk. "You"ve made it clear to me plenty of times."
  
  "It"s true." She rolled her eyes in protest, but followed her master nonetheless. "You"ve shown progress, more now than you did in all our time before."
  
  "Is that supposed to make me feel any better?" Sabine argued, throwing her belongings into her howler"s bag. "I was terrible then, now I"m only bad?"
  
  "That"s not what I meant." Ahsoka said, gazing off into the distance. Echoes of her own master"s teachings rang out in the distance. "Your growth has been minor, but exponential."
  
  "Minor." Sabine reacted with a sarcastic laugh, hanging her head low as she got atop her howler. "Thanks."
  
  Ahsoka shook her head. "Would you rather me lie?" It was the duty of a master to be real while encouraging. Sometimes, that was hard.
  
  "I would prefer to figure this shit out." Sabine hissed, gripping the reigns tighter, doing her best not to lose her temper.
  
  Shin could sense the two before their figures appeared over the horizon. As they rode back into camp, she retreated into the ship. Waiting at the table, she was sipping some water when the blast door hissed open.
  
  "All you"ve done on the way back is complain." Ahsoka"s candid remark caused Shin"s eyes to widen.
  
  "What else is there to do?" The two were arguing, or sort of arguing. Shin had no intentions of joining the conversations, simply sitting back and listening.
  
  Ahsoka folded her arms. "I"d expect you to use this time to reflect." The dark Jedi assumed they were unaware of her presence to be talking so opening around her, but there was no way the Togruta failed to sense her.
  
  "How!" Sabine brought her hand to her temple before waving her off in defeat. "I can"t even mediate properly." Shin tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the Mandalorian. So that"s what this is about. Failure to meditate.
  
  "Mediation is not required to think, Sabine." There was only a hint of annoyance in Ahsoka"s voice, but her pursed expression told Shin there was far more of that than she was letting on. "I would be proud of all I"ve accomplished if I were you."
  
  Sabine"s nostrils flared. "Well, you aren"t me, and I"m not. There"s no point in celebrating something I can"t recreate." Shin could her anger from across the room, it was like a heavy fog settling in around the Mandalorian"s frame.
  
  She flicked her gaze over to Ahsoka. "Has it ever occurred to you-"
  
  "Just stop." Sabine wasn"t having it, cutting of her master. "I"ll be in Ezra"s hut if you need me." Shin saw her fist ball as another wave of frustration rolled through the room. "Ni, shuk'la Jetii, ures kot." She muttered the last part, leaving unceremoniously.
  
  Ahsoka shook her head, pausing a moment before turning and giving Shin a look. The Dark Jedi just shrugged in response; her eyes still glued to where Sabine once stood. Never before had she felt emotions so vividly through the force. It was as if she could read Wren"s thoughts, and they were all negative.
  
  Shin took another sip of her water as Ahsoka left the room for her quarters. She knew what those feelings were like. She"d been where Sabine was before, and at times, she was there now. Balyan had always told her those moments were part of the trails a good force wielder needed to learn how to overcome, and so, he never helped her through it.
  
  Chewing the insider of her cheek, Shin sighed. Failure was a lonely place. She hated being alone. Sabine must hate it too, given the feelings that still waffled around her head like mist. Baylan had been a great teacher, but there was something she had always wished for during her training years. Someone who understood.
  
  Standing, Shin felt cold shivers run up her spine, and she gently rubbed her wrist as unwelcomed memories made their untimely comeback. There were many nights after a failed training session where the anger and frustration would be too much, and the only way to take out that anger was on herself. It was a cycle she had trouble breaking, and of course, a cycle Baylan knew nothing of.
  
  Shin blinked, making her way over to her bunk. That feeling of self-doubt, of isolation; it was something she wished not even Wren should have to deal with. Pale hands searched her main bag, looking for one item in particular.
  
  Slowly stepping down the ladder, Shin cast a glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking. Dropping her gaze, she caressed her fingers over the rough cover of an old brown journal, its color was faded and edges were chipped.
  
  Closing her eyes, Shin brought it to her chest and exhaled a deep sigh. Stars, why did she feel this way? Biting her lip, she tentatively placed the book on Sabine"s pillow, but nervously pulled it back as soon as she set it down. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she felt her free hand tightly grip the edge of her tunic. With one last glance over her shoulder, Shin placed the book back on Sabine"s pillow, gently pulling the covers up as if to tuck the journal into bed.
  
  Stepping back, Shin admired her work. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips and a warm feeling grew in her belly, quickly spreading to her chest before it nearly all but consumed her. Whatever Sabine was having trouble with, she hoped her journal would help.
  
  Shin suddenly froze, her smile fading as quickly as it came. What was she doing? Helping? Frowning, she dipped her head. That warm feeling disappeared and was replaced by shame, egged on by a whiny voice inside her head. Why are you being so weak? Huh? Nobody ever helped you, why does she deserve it? You"re better than this, master would be disappointed. Turning her back to the bunks she walked away, leaving her thoughts behind, and the journal, still laying in Sabine"s bed.
  
  Notes:
  Was that empathy, Shin? Sheesh. She's right, that's so weak.
  
  Chapter 7: Yield
  Notes:
  Thanks again for the support! Sorry I was slow getting around to responding to all your great comments. I'll be more on top of that, I promise. Enjoy chapter seven!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine clutched the small journal to her chest. It was nestled in between black painted finger nails, which were becoming increasingly chipped by each passing rotation. For the better half of an hour since returning from Ezra"s old pod, she"d been locked in a tense internal debate. To read, or not to read.
  
  At first glance, she thought it was Ahsoka"s, but upon further inspection the handwriting on the cover was far too neat to have been from the Togruta. That left only one other option, and that puzzled Wren, coming home to find neatly tucked into her bed and waiting for her was a journal on exactly the problem she faced in training. But it wasn"t just a basic text book on meditation and force connection, it was a personal journal from the angry blonde who currently resided as her prisoner-bunk-buddy.
  
  Tapping her fingers on it lightly, Sabine finally made up her mind. Opening the front page slowly, she inhaled a sharply as her eyes fell upon the first words. Entries and Notes on Force Connectivity, Padawan Hati. A rush of guilt followed, and she momentarily pulled her eyes off the delicately written title. It felt as if she were intruding, peering into a life she did not belong in.
  
  How strange was it? Shin Hati. The one who had failed to kill her a few weeks prior, the one who barely spoke to her on their entire trip to Peridea, was now leaving secret gifts to aid her training. Was it some sort of pseudo-peace offering? Or perhaps it was Shin"s idea of an apology for frying her organs.
  
  Flicking it open again, Sabine started reading. Whatever it was could wait, the most important thing was figuring out why she couldn"t kriffing mediate properly. "Meditation: for enhancing emotional control over self and for better connection to the Force. If you don"t have one, you won"t have the other."
  
  Great. Just great. Sabine cursed to herself. Not even one page in, and it"s already crushing what little hope I have left. A flicker of determination sparked within her; Shin wouldn"t have given her this for no reason. Nothing that weirdo did was without due cause. Answers were in there somewhere, she just had to find them. Skipping a few pages ahead, she opened a random section.
  
  Meditation Twelve: Master informed me I hadn"t cleared my mind fully. I am confused by his sentiment. I felt clear, how could he know I"m not? I felt connected, but yet his words rang true. Nothing improved. We depart for what remains of Jedha tomorrow. I doubt I"ll have time to continue this practice until we arrive.
  
  Sabine"s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. If the journal was just a log of her experiences, it would take forever to decipher what each entry meant. Unless she just flipped to the wrong page and was jumping to conclusions.
  
  Sounds of movement came from above, startling the Mandalorian who closed the book quickly in reaction, freezing in place soon after. The bunk creaked slightly, and the faintest sounds of rustling bags could be heard. Sabine shot a wayward glance at the journal. Why did she feel the need to hide it? It was Shin"s after all, and she did give it to her. Why would she check her bunk anyway? She was probably just waking up to get water or something.
  
  Soft tapping indicated Shin was climbing down the ladder, and Sabine held her breath, waiting for her to pass before daring to show signs of life.
  
  "I know you"re awake, Wren." A familiar cold voice jarred a curse from Sabine.
  
  "What do you want?" She countered, pulling back her privacy blind to reveal the blonde shimmying into her tunic.
  
  "I am going out." Shin stated mater-of-factly as she continued to add layers. Sabine cocked a singular eyebrow. "You said that we were beyond the use of Bokken training sticks."
  
  We? I never mentioned we. "There seems to be something lost in translation." Even though her head was dipped, Sabine could just make out a small smirk form on Shin"s face.
  
  "Really? Anyways," Shin threw on her ragged cloak. "I rather not fall out of good graces with your Master for using sabers inside the ship."
  
  "I doubt she"d care." That wasn"t true, Ahsoka would mind, but it would be treat to see the two of them argue.
  
  Shin was now fully prepared, and flung a satchel over her shoulder. She turned to the Mandalorian once she had nestled it in place. "Are you coming or are you just going to converse while I dress?"
  
  "Do y-" Sabine"s eyes caught Shin"s, freezing up as they locked into place. Her mouth was hanging slightly ajar as she fumbled with words to form a reply. Something about that gaze, those eyes. "No."
  
  Shin"s expression softened, and she blinked, a rare occurrence. "But you are awake and talking."
  
  Sabine exaggerated a sigh, kicking her legs up and rolling back into bed pretending to not be interested. "Yeah, well, I don"t wish to be."
  
  "Jedi. They are terrible liars." Shin muttered, crossing her arms. "Don"t keep me waiting long."
  
  Sabine internally kicked herself. Of course Shin knew she wanted to go. "Fine." A few moments of hurried packing followed by hastily putting on her armor ensued. Wren shot a silent pray to the stars, hoping her master was sound asleep as they slipped out of the ship.
  
  "It is actually freezing." Sabine announced, following closely behind Shin who was leading them up a ridge.
  
  There was no reply. Only the steady footsteps of the blonde ahead of her, and the occasional glimpse of hair rippling through a tattered hood.
  
  Frowning, Sabine continued. "I guess we chose the wrong night, eh?"
  
  Again, only silence. A steely resolve harden in Sabine. Shin didn"t want small talk? Fine. There were more important things to discuss. "Why did you give me your journal?"
  
  The Dark Jedi"s posture stiffened. "I don"t know."
  
  "Do you want to talk about it?"
  
  "No."
  
  A mischievous smile flashed across Sabine"s face, and she quickened her pace to get alongside Shin. "Big bad Shin doesn"t want to admit she did something nice." Silence fell once more, Sabine continued. "It"s quite odd that such a thing would end up in my bed, especially after I know you heard Ahsoka and I argue"
  
  "That is correct, I did." Shin shot back a terse reply.
  
  "Are dark Jedi Sith people not allowed to give gifts? Is that why your so shy?" Sabine nudged her. "Or are you just upset you helped me out?"
  
  Shin pursed her lips. "We aren"t Sith."
  
  "Sooo." Sabine"s voice was teasing and playful. "What are you?"
  
  The blonde abruptly stopped, reaching an arm out that smacked right into Wren"s chest, stopping her as well. "We are here."
  
  Shin threw her pack to the ground in one motion, and grabbing her saber in the next. "What do you wish to learn?" It ignited, casting them in a haze of orange.
  
  Sabine scoffed. "As if I have anything to learn from you." She ignited her saber in response, clashing green against blood orange hues.
  
  "I suppose this lesson will be on humility." Shin started circling her, taking tiny steps, twirling her saber in hand. Its hum was intoxicating, sending feverish memories of battle through Sabine"s mind and accelerating her heart beat at the very thought of battle.
  
  "What do you know about that?"
  
  The Mandalorian was the first to strike, confident. But Shin side stepped the blow like it was nothing, not even blocking it with her weapon. Alright, you kriffing try hard. Shin"s smug expression was infuriating as she dodged another one of Sabine"s swings in quick succession. Fine.
  
  Letting loose, Sabine was on the offensive. Blow after blow bouncing off one another, sparks flying off as their weapons collided in a cacophony of sound. Their blades clashed, Shin finally having to finally use the force counter one of her swings. Darting back, the blonde put some distance between, and launched a powerful barrage of her own, causing Sabine to stagger.
  
  Shaking it off, the Mandalorian twisted, throwing Shin"s attack off balance. Or so she thought, as when she swung upon her opponent, she was ready for the strike and countered it with a pretty display of saber skills, sliding backwards as she did.
  
  "Your aggression is admirable." Shin sneered, gracefully twirling her saber in preparation for the next attack. Her eyes rested calmly one her opponent, cooly calculating her next move.
  
  Sabine scowled. "You just wanted a sparring partner, not my company."
  
  "Maybe." Wren struck out again, faking a swing to Shin"s left before cutting her blade back across their direction of movement. The Dark Jedi of course, had a counter by blocking it in one motion before twisting into an attack.
  
  There was a way Shin blended attack and defense in a dance that caught Sabine"s eye. The fluidity of her movements, the concentration, the way she seemed to set up a move two steps before she made it. Sabine had always gone with the flow, ebbing and nulling as the fight progressed. But Shin seemed to be sparring like it was a game Dejarik, and it was working.
  
  Distracted by her observations Sabine didn"t see Shin"s elbow fly in from the right, smacking her dead in the nose. Staggering back Wren felt sharp pain clouding her mind, and within seconds Shin"s saber hand ripped down her own arm, disarming her.
  
  A solid force push sent Sabine onto her rear; cool compacted ground greeted her with a friendly smack. Shin was on her in a heartbeat, and so was her blood orange saber. It"s heat crackling and humming inches from her throat. Sabine swallowed hard, anger bubbling at once again another defeat at the hands of the blonde as she put hers up in surrender.
  
  "You"re lucky I don"t wish to end you." Shin whispered, her voice low, threatening almost. Her icy eyes locked with Sabine"s, shooting blue knives into brown pools.
  
  "Yeah," Sabine scoffed, intentionally looking away, overwhelmed by the blonde"s intense stare and the dull pain in her nose. "So lucky."
  
  Shin"s eyes searched her, darting over the peaks and valleys of Wren"s delicate face. "Your form is still as ugly as it was in Seatos." She retorted.
  
  "Maybe you can help if you"re so perfect." Sabine retorted, getting up as Shin pulled her blade away from her neck, slightly relieved the blonde had bene honest to her word about not wanting to end her
  
  "That can be arranged." Once again, their eyes meet. The Mandalorian"s heart skipped a beat. There was something about the way Shin looked at her with a certain softness that was surreal.
  
  "Let me guess, I"ll have to meet you here in the middle of the night for weeks on end until I improve." Sabine couldn"t hold her gaze any longer, looking away nervously.
  
  Shin nodded, unphased. "I suppose that would work."
  
  "As if I"d agree to that." Sabine laughed, causing the Dark Jedi to stiffen. "No way blondie."
  
  "It was only a suggestion." Shin replied quietly.
  
  Sabine"s lips parted, confused. Was that sadness? And was she actually offering help? Shaking her head, she changed the subject. "Wanna see who"s the better fighter? Let"s drop these sabers."
  
  A competitive glint returned to Shin"s eyes. "I didn"t know you liked being embarrassed."
  
  "You learn something new every day." Sabine rolled her shoulders in preparation. "If I win, you"ll have to admit I am the better fighter."
  
  Shin"s nose wrinkled. On one hand, Sabine was Mandalorian. On the other, Baylan never told her to backdown from anything. She swallowed, nervously glancing at Sabine then back to her saber. "What if you yield?"
  
  Sabine"s eyes sparkled mischievously. "Then I"ll forget you dye your hair."
  
  Shin"s nostrils flared. "I don-" She didn"t finish her sentence, mumbling whatever words remained. The orange blade retracting back into its hilt that was gently tossed to one side. "No weapons."
  
  "No weapons." Sabine repeated, bending her knees ever so slightly to lower her stance.
  
  "And no dirty Mandalorian tricks!"
  
  "No dirty Mandalorian tricks." Sabine affirmed with an eyeroll, carefully tracking Shin"s movements as she threw off her robe.
  
  The crisp air felt extra sensitive as it contacted her skin, her brown eyes forming a look of steely concentration to match the daunting stare from Shin. There was an electric energy in the air, not unlike the tension from Lothal. Dulled slightly by the rhythmic steps Shin took as they neared, Sabine inhaled, closing her eyes, doing her best to reach out connect with the energy around them.
  
  Then Shin struck, a swing that was easily batted down by the trained hand of Sabine. Nice try, slowpoke. Sabine taunted, eyes glinting with humor. Fortunately for the blonde, her strike had been quick enough to avoid being grabbed and grappled.
  
  Growling, Shin shook it off. "Your thoughts are loud." She struck again, not giving time for Sabine to process the weight of her words. She countered balled fist with a quick kick to the thigh, making contact just below Shin"s armor.
  
  The dark Jedi flinched, and her eye twitched. Sabine could sense she was uncomfortable, out of her element, worried. To her surprise, she could sense everything. Not just Shin"s feelings, but her actions, the ground around them, the air. Taking a breath, the Mandalorian stepped forward, reaching for Shin"s shoulders, trusting her instincts to carry her through her next move. Shin managed to wiggle free, but Sabine was ready for that, and shot a knee up into her gut. Breath escaped her lips with a hiss, brushing past Sabine"s ear in an exhilarating rush.
  
  Now that her blood was pumping, every sense was heightened. That connection Sabine had trouble recreating so many times before, was once again back in the heat of the moment. Briefly, Sabine thought she should stop the fight and figure out why. Shin, however, didn"t give her much time to pounder as she violently rammed a shoulder right into her chest.
  
  Sabine"s eyes widened, feeling pain radiate through the force. How unhinged do you have to be to throw yourself against beskar! There was no way that didn"t hurt Shin, but the blonde kept coming regardless. This time Sabine had to intercept an attempt to grab to grab her throat, which she did so with relative ease, even on the backfoot.
  
  Her hand locked onto Shin"s wrist, who"s expression morphed into one of surprise. She knew what was coming next, and threw one last valiant punch to the gut. Shin might know her way around a saber, but she wasn"t a Mandalorian.
  
  Sabine met Shin"s hand in air before contact could be made, slapping the punch away. Shin was now on the defensive. Attempting to tug free from Sabine"s grip, she threw herself of balance. Seizing the opportunity Wren stuck a foot right where Shin was about to step, and when her boot made contact with the back of her ankle, the blonde fell.
  
  Shin managed to tug Sabine down with her. The older woman"s weight again pushed the air out of her chest, and when she inhaled, the smell of cold grass filled her senses. Shin"s eyes darted to her left, one hand pinned under Sabine. Reaction caused her to shoot her right up inside, hoping to land a blow on her chin, but that arm was caught by the Mandalorian.
  
  "Yield." Shin didn"t answer, didn"t even look at her.
  
  "I said," On top Sabine"s knees dug into the compacted dirt, closing the gap between their bodies. "Yield." With no choice left, Shin finally gave in, and slowly turned her head to gaze up at Sabine.
  
  Their eyes locked, and Sabine"s breath hitched. Shin"s lips were parted slightly, her cheeks flushed, and her chest rose and fell quickly, but shallow. Suddenly, she was hyperaware of everything. Their proximity, the tension crackling through the force, the vulnerability of their position, the way Shin wasn"t even bothering to fight back as she pinned her to the ground.
  
  And those eyes, those damned eyes.
  
  Staring back at her were unwavering crystal blue pools. Gone was the feral aggression, replaced instead by a softness Sabine wished she hadn"t seen.
  
  "I yield." A calm acceptance of defeat flowed out of loose lips, Shin never once breaking eye contact.
  
  Reluctantly and silently, Sabine released her grip on Shin"s wrist. To her surprise, the girl beneath didn"t move, didn"t bolt away, didn"t even move her arms from their sprawled-out position.
  
  Suddenly, Peridea wasn"t so cold anymore. Sabine could feel everything between them, the connection not fading, like it had so many times before. Instead, it heightened. She swallowed, relaxing her body so she sat into the divot of Shin"s hips. The mercenary inhaled sharply, her eyes slowly following Sabine as she rested on top of her.
  
  "I..." The air hummed with tension to the point Sabine thought the sky would crack open. A gust of wind bellowed between them, sending loose strands of blonde hair onto Shin"s face, blocking Sabine"s view of those memorizing pools. A tentative hand slowly reached out, brushing the hair out of Shin"s eyes. Wren could hear her own heartbeat drum in her ears, or perhaps, it was Shin"s.
  
  "That"s better." She mummed, retracting a hand. Every stare they"d shared before couldn"t compare to this one. Something was different. The air felt thick around them. Sabine"s stomach was alive with butterflies as she caught Shin"s gaze flick down to her lips.
  
  The blonde beneath her had still yet to move, just gazing up at her, wide eyed. Sabine reached out with the force, closing her eyes briefly. It didn"t take more than a second to feel Shin"s presence, and it was magnetizing. An aura of content, trust, sadness, darkness, and desire?
  
  Sabine"s eyes shot open, only to be met by a piercing blue gaze that reflect everything she"d felt. Guilt suddenly was the only thing she could feel now. What would Ahsoka ever think? The strange heat she felt around them, suddenly made more sense. Perhaps what was worse, was it didn"t just come from her.
  
  Shaking her head, Sabine reluctantly rose to her feet. "We need to go." Still sat on the ground, Shin propped herself up with her arms.
  
  "Why?" It was a loaded question. Karabast, ugh, why? Don"t worry about it. Shin"s lip quivered, but she quickly pursed them together, clearly biting back a frown. "Okay." Sabine cursed herself, forgetting that for some reason or another, Shin could hear her thoughts.
  
  "I just don"t want Ahsoka worrying." She lied, nervous hands fumbling around for her saber that was laid some distance away.
  
  "We"ve not been gone long." Shin countered with a very accurate comeback, as a sense of longing and sadness replaced her still very intoxicating aura.
  
  "Yeah, well," Sabine didn"t want to expose any more than she already had, things were complicated enough. "If my Master wakes up and finds her padawan and prisoner missing, she might think I"ve killed you."
  
  "After that display of saber skill you graced me with? Right." The quip seemed to work as Shin snorted, her sadness fading ever so slightly into the cold night.
  
  "Annnd I"m freezing." Not really. "Which means your freezing, even if you are crazy."
  
  "I"m no-" Shin"s mouth hung open as she made a slight effort to protest, but shrugged instead. Apparently, she was aware of how unhinged she could be. Sabine smiled, there were so many layers to her.
  
  "We don"t want you getting sick on us. I"d hate to have to waste what little supplies we have let on you and your haircut."
  
  Shin brushed her blonde locks behind her ear instinctively at the comment. "Don"t lecture me on hair."
  
  Despite her cold tone, Sabine glanced over at the dark Jedi, who was knelt beside her things and packing up. Even in the low light, she noticed a twinge of blush warming her cheeks. "Maybe if you"d won our little tussle, I"d have forgotten you dye it."
  
  If there was a twinge of blush before, Shin"s pale cheeks were no engulfed in red. "For the last time Wren, I don"t dye my kriffing hair."
  
  Sabine"s smile grew "Whatever you say, psycho girl." Shin not-so-obviously turned to hide her face, focusing instead on shoving her training equipment into her satchel as hard possible without breaking it. Crossing her arms, the Mandalorian felt satisfied as the last drops of sadness faded out of the force. Finished packing, Shin stormed off ahead of her. Leaving Sabine standing and smiling, only pausing when she realized she wasn"t being followed.
  
  "If you so eager to leave, why are you still standing there? Did I hit you too hard back there? I did, didn"t I."
  
  "Nope." Sabine replied, beginning to walk forwards. "Just admiring the view." Shin stiffened; her posture change noticeable to her partner behind who laughed a little to loudly.
  
  "For a Jedi wannabe, you are truly insufferable." Shin said, picking up her stride once more.
  
  "If I"m insufferable, what does that make you?"
  
  "On second thought," Shin said, tilting her head slightly. "Perhaps I didn"t hit you hard enough."
  
  "Aren"t you supposed to be quick learner? Remember that for next time." Sabine"s cheeks were nearly sore from the constant smile that plastered her face. Shin"s banter skill caught her off guard. For someone she"d assume was always a loner, this girl was full of surprises.
  
  A moment of silence followed, and that odd heat returned to the force aura surrounding the mysterious blonde ahead of her once again. "I am utterly confused as to how your master puts up with you."
  
  "Trust me." Sabine laughed as the lights from camp poked over the horizon. "I don"t know either."
  
  Notes:
  Sabine is right. How would Ahsoka react? Oh, and little state of the union. I was at first going to make this a fluffy slow burn with a touch of angst, but I've changed my mind.
  
  It'll become a fluffy slow burn with a touch of angst and a meaningful plot! These girl's will end up with more on their hands than just each other.
  
  Thank you all for the support. Really. I mean it. Your kudos and comments give me fuel to get pumping these chapters out. Thank you again, and have a wonderful week!
  
  Chapter 8: Pixie Cut
  Notes:
  Hey hey!! This one is a bit of a filler, but I put some little moments in there for you to eat up.
  
  Thanks for all your support so far. I reread your comments almost daily, and all the kudos- they really help me write this stuff, even during finals. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one! Next chapter is gonna be a blast to create, so expect it soon!
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "Lady Tano." Huyang spoke in a hushed voice. "Are you sure this is a wise idea?"
  
  Ahsoka was leaning against arms crossed. "If what the Noti told you is correct, yes, I do."
  
  "Perhaps, but what of Miss Wren and Hati?" The droid asked, beckoning towards the two women sitting at the ship"s table. "That is what I bring into question."
  
  "What about them?" Ahsoka probed.
  
  If Huyang had lungs to sigh, he would have. "We will have to leave them alone for an extended period."
  
  "They"re adults." Ahsoka"s expression twinkled. "I don"t see any issue with that."
  
  Two sets of eyes fell upon the pair. Sabine appeared to be in the process of explaining something to Shin. The latter hunched over their table, subconsciously stirring her caf with a spoon, listening intently. The blonde was so focused on what Sabine was saying Ahsoka was sure she could smack her on the back of her head and she still wouldn"t drop her gaze.
  
  "We are playing with fire Ahsoka." His eye censors blinked shut. "I fear the repercussions."
  
  A smile crept over the Togruta"s face. "Such a dire warning. I"ll keep that mind." She shifted to look at her droid. "Though I must ask, repercussions of what exactly?"
  
  "There was a reason why Jedi were forbidden from having personal attachments."
  
  "You worry too much Huyang." Ahsoka laughed. "Come on, let"s break the news to them before it gets much later." He shook his head and followed her into the main room.
  
  "Have you done any reading?" Shin raised an eyebrow, resting her chin in her hand.
  
  "You know, about that." Sabine chuckled uncomfortably. "I"d like to bring up a few complaints, do you have a suggestion box?"
  
  The blonde snorted. "It"s right up your ass." Sabine chuckled, dropping her gaze momentarily before meeting her eyes once again. No longer did Shin look at her like she wanted to splatter her insides across the wall, and maybe, that was worse. "If you can"t comprehend my journals context, perhaps I over estimated your intelligence level."
  
  "Maybe you-"
  
  "Sabine, Shin." Ahsoka abruptly interrupted, bowing her head as a greeting. "Huyang and I would like a moment to discuss something." Shin cast Sabine a nervous glance. Did she find out about their nightly escapades?
  
  "Of course, Master." Wren replied casually, leaning back into her chair. "Is something wrong?"
  
  "No, quite the contrary by the looks of it." Ahsoka shot a quick smirk in Shin"s direction, causing the blonde to look away as a blush crept over her face. "It has come to our attention through Huyang"s talks with the Noti of what we believe it to be an ancient Nighsister temple."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened, but she kept her cool. "Like close by?" Sabine questioned.
  
  "About a half day"s ride north of here." Her master explained. "Huyang would mind sharing the rest of the details?"
  
  "Yes of course." He took a step forward. "The locals were telling me of a large structure built into the sides of a cliff. A castle of sorts, one they dare not enter. According to their folklore, a group of witches had once occupied that land."
  
  "We need to be sure they don"t still hold power there, and if they do, maybe we can use it." Ahsoka added, crossing her arms. "Me and Huyang will be heading out shortly to investigate these rumors."
  
  Sabine tilted her head. "Without us?" Shin"s glance darted between the two of them.
  
  "That is correct, yes."
  
  "Why?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. Shin had to agree, it was an odd decision.
  
  "Someone needs to stay back and protect the Noti in case our friend"s bandit buddies decide to show up." Shin frowned, feeling slighted at her comment. "And what if something happened to us? We"d need someone to pick up the pieces. As much as I trust Huyang, I doubt he could bring the same gusto to a combat situation as you or Shin here."
  
  Sabine opened her mouth to protest, but shrugged. "Fair enough."
  
  "How long?" It was Shin"s turn to chime in. All eyes turned to her, and she felt uncomfortable under their gaze. "How long will you be gone?"
  
  "A rotation, maybe two. We are just scouting, shouldn"t take very long."
  
  "Two rotations alone with her." Sabine scoffed. "Whatever did I do to deserve this, Master?" Ahsoka chuckled, resting a hand on the back of Shin"s chair causing her to look up at the Jedi but her eyes were humorously glinting at Sabine.
  
  "Oh and Shin. Make sure my Padawan stays clear of any trouble while we"re gone." Shin nodded, playing along and smugly looking over at Sabine who scowled.
  
  "And you"re leaving her in charge!" The Mandalorian rolled her eyes and sank deeper into her chair. "You hate me. You really hate me. There is no other explanation."
  
  Ahsoka laughed it was light and airy, reminding Shin of the way her master. His softer side, when things were calm. She grimaced, gone were those days.
  
  "Shin has a few years of experience on you, and I"m sure she"s been tasked with some solo missions while her Master was busy."
  
  The blonde nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "She"s right, Wren." Sabine groaned as Ahsoka walked over to her, patting her shoulder.
  
  "You two girls stay out of trouble alright?" Out of the corner of Shin"s eye, Huyang was returning with two large travel packs in his arms. He must have left sometime during their conversation.
  
  "Here," Ahsoka pulled out a comm link from a pouch inside her cloak. "For emergencies, and updates. We will try and stay in contact." She placed it down on the table in front of Sabine, who"s eyes rested on the device for a moment. "You ready Huyang?"
  
  "Just about, Lady Tano." The droid replied, and began to walk towards the hydraulic exit. Ahsoka followed, and Sabine shortly after. Shin chewed the insider of her cheek, thinking about staying behind, but ultimately followed the others.
  
  The wind was blustering when Shin stepped into the daylight, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the harsh rays. Huyang was loading things onto a Howler, while Ahsoka stood chatting to Sabine.
  
  "Be safe, Master." She could hear Sabine"s concern rise above the breeze.
  
  Ahsoka smiled at her, cloak majestically whipping behind. "We"ll be fine Sabine." The two went in for a hug, and Shin felt a stab of longing cut through her belly at the embrace, wishing it was her Master she saw.
  
  The Togruta stepped back, casting a glance at Shin. "If we aren"t back in three rotations. Come looking for us."
  
  Feeling that comment was directed more towards her than Sabine, Shin nodded. "Safe travels." She mouthed, unsure if Ahsoka could hear her. The Jedi must"ve, because she nodded a thanks before turning to mount her howler.
  
  "It"s been hours since Ahsoka left and all you"ve done is read and eat those silly Imperial Standard Ration crackers." Sabine"s sharp tone cut through the silent hull.
  
  Shin clicked her lips, turning another page of her text. "Do you have a problem with that?" She sat relaxed in a chair, legs neatly folded and feet propped up on the table. One hand held a book, another dug into a small box of said crackers.
  
  "Yes, as a matter of fact I do." The Mandalorian retorted from her position on the floor, lying flat on her back with her legs resting on the ship"s walls. She lightly tossed a smooth metallic ball up, catching it with ease.
  
  "That"s a shame." Shin replied, tone devoid of any emotions. "Shouldn"t you be doing some reading of your own?"
  
  Sabine laughed, getting her reference. "I have." Wren twisted around, sitting up straight to get a better look at Shin. "A lot of it is making me question your mental health."
  
  The blonde smirked, looking up from her book. "But have you learned anything?"
  
  "Other than you seriously need a therapist?" Shin"s smirk faded and her gaze hardened, causing Sabine to snicker. "Yeah."
  
  "That"s nice." The moody blonde"s reply was short, and her gaze reverted back to her book. It had been four rotations since their spar. Giving her plenty of time to think about how it felt to be held under the Mandalorian, how her heart threatened to jump out of her chest, how she smelled. Four rotations meant four nights she was stuck alone in her bunk feeling feelings Baylan forbade.
  
  "Soooo." Sabine tilted her head, curiously. "What do you want to do?"
  
  "I was planning on meditating soon." Shin said, flipping over another page. "Maybe you can show me what you"ve learned and join me."
  
  "Meditation? Ugh." She crossed her legs, gently tapping the ground with her fingers. "You"re so boring."
  
  Raising an eyebrow, she dropped her book on the table. "No wonder you have yet to gain control of your ability."
  
  Defiantly Sabine crossed her arms. "Sorry I have a life, blondie."
  
  Shin bit her lip, biting back a retort about how she does in fact have a life, but she knew Sabine wouldn"t fall for it. Jealously started to form in her belly, thinking about all the things Wren got to experience that she hadn"t. Silence fell over the room.
  
  "Tell you what." The Mandalorian added, almost sensing her discomfort. "If I try and meditate with you, will you put down your books and do something fun for a change?" Shin eyes her cautiously, not one known for making deals. "With me?" Round brown puppy eyes filled her vision, enticing the offer.
  
  She"d be dammed if she didn"t take it. "Fine." Having fun wasn"t something she did. Training was fun, completing a job was fun. Doing random things that waste time? Not fun. But there was something about the way Sabine asked that tugged her towards the purple haired girl"s direction. "What did you have in mind anyway?"
  
  Sabine looked at her smugly. "You"ll see." Great. Shin thought, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks. Randomly agreeing to things now are we now Shin?
  
  "Let"s get started then." The blonde announced, trying to find a way to distract herself from the way Wren was looking at her. "How do I move this table?"
  
  Nodding, Sabine got up and walked to a switch, flicking it down. "There."
  
  It sank into the floor slowly, clearing space for the two. Shin was the first to walk towards the center, sitting down and crossing her legs. "Come." She beckoned to Sabine, who followed suit in front of her.
  
  "Have you been able to connect properly yet?"
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but notice how straight Shin"s back was. Her posture was perfect. "Uh, no, can"t say I have..."
  
  "Ah." The blonde"s eyes studied her. "We can do it together then."
  
  "Together? Ahsoka never mentioned you could do it with someone."
  
  Shin opened her hands, resting them on her knees. "Figures. It"s unorthodox. Something my Master did to help me when I was still learning as a kid."
  
  "As a kid, ha." There was no way Shin was more than twenty-five. "You still are one, girl"
  
  "Maybe you"re just old." The blonde took a deep breath and closed her eyes, exhaling after a few seconds. "Take my hands."
  
  Sabine"s eyes widened. "Wait, really?" Did Shin just suggest she touch her? Physical? Willing?
  
  She opened one eye to glare at her. "I don"t remember stuttering Mandalorian."
  
  "So aggressive, sheesh." Sabine placed her hands into Shin"s. Her touch was warm, and what surprised her the most was just how soft her skin was.
  
  "Follow my lead." The blonde directed, taking another deep breath. "Focus on me and only me." That wouldn"t be hard, considering all Sabine could think about these last few days was her.
  
  "Then what?" Sabine asked, doing her best to mimic Shin"s breathing.
  
  "Once you"ve connected, focus on yourself." Closing her eyes, Sabine followed her instructions. Soon, their were breathing in sync, and she started to feel Shin"s intoxicating aura fill her senses.
  
  Sabine gripped her hands a little tighter, the aura coming to life in front of her. There was sadness, an overwhelming amount that seemed to want to punch Sabine onto the floor. Diving deeper, the sadness was replaced as a cold emptiness clawed away at belly. The power of each cut caused her heart to ache. The slashing soon faded and Sabine tried to refocus, only to find a haunting darkness creep up around the edges of the floor where Shin sat, opening a chasm beneath the ship, threating to swallow her. Yet a spark of light flickered in the depths of its core, settling her from falling into that darkness, righting her path.
  
  Then it occurred to her. Shin"s feelings were being reflected; in that visceral moment, that is what she felt. Her.
  
  Meditation wasn"t about feeling what you want, it was about allowing yourself to feel what you were. No wonder Shin"s notes made her look mentally ill; it was how she felt, it was the truth. Sabine been holding back on her own truths for so long; it was time to let go.
  
  Taking a very long breath, Sabine turned her focus inward, feeling a subtle but encouraging push from Shin"s side. Finally, with one last hike over the walls within her, she felt it all. The loneliness on Lothal, the same loneliness that drove her here to find Ezra, the same loneliness that caused all this. The light within, the darkness that fought with it, clashing together like waves on a shoreline. She felt her guilt, her happiness, she felt herself. No more blocking, no more subconscious denial, and it felt amazing.
  
  Blinking her eyes open, Sabine found the moody blonde staring back at her with those crystal blue pools gleaming with approval. A mix of pride and giddy excitement surged through her, and she bit her lip over a dazzling smile.
  
  "Nice work." Shin mumbled, a small blush creeping over her cheeks as her gaze lingered on Sabine. "You finally did it."
  
  "I still think you need a therapist." Sabine joked breathlessly, taken aback by how clean she felt. Everything in her body was in harmony maybe for the first time ever.
  
  Confusion rippled through the force, her feelings twisting together. Shin. The blonde hair killer with surprisingly soft hands had helped her overcome a hurtle not even her Master could. New feelings bubbled under her skin and silence settled around them, they two melting into each others gaze. Sabine cursed herself internally, finding herself lost in curiosity wondering what Shin"s dagger-like eyes would look like fluttering closed as she brought her closer-
  
  "I can feel you too, Wren. You can"t hide your feelings let alone your thoughts."
  
  Caught red-handed. "Oh yeah?" The Mandalorian"s eye brows raised questioningly. "What am I"thinking now?"
  
  Shin swallowed hard, feeling Sabine"s thumbs gently caress the palm of her hand as she egged her on. "I-" Shin could practically see the imagines in the Mando"s mind and her belly ignited like a blazing inferno. Her eyes darted to her lips, to her soft brown eyes, then back to her lips.
  
  "You"re proud." Shin finally managed to speak, exhaling deeply doing her best to suppress the heat growing between her thighs. Sabine"s laugh was light and airy, only increasing the fire burning within her.
  
  "Duh." Sabine"s eyes twinkled mischievously. "And you"re..." Shin wanted to hide, run, or push away, but she couldn"t bring herself to pull out of that gaze. "I rather not say."
  
  Shifting closer, she felt Wren"s hand creep up her ungloved hand. "I am losing my mind, clearly." Shin said, her mouth suddenly dry.
  
  Sabine matched her movements, and leaned closer. "You"re just now realizing that?"
  
  "Shut up." Shin"s mind buzzed as the gap between them closed. She could practically feel Sabine"s breath on her nose, making her head swim.
  
  "You"re lucky I left mine on Lothal, blondie" Her words came out hushed. All Sabine could think about was that striking face she saw staring back at her, filling her vision. She traced a hand up Shin"s arm and grabbed her gently, pulling her ever so close.
  
  Shin felt apprehension grip her, and her hands grew clammy. Nervousness tangled her belly into knots, a wonderful concoction of excitement and fear. Instinctively she closed her eyes, letting Sabine guide her as she relaxed into their touch. Her world whited out from the intoxicating aroma of-
  
  "Sabine! Do you come in?" Startled the Mandalorian whipped her head around, their noses making contact as she did so. "Sabine?!"
  
  Shin glared at the comm link on the table, letting herself fall back onto her rear. She had been so lost in the moment; she hadn"t even realized she was leaning up off the ground to get closer to Sabine, who by now had gotten up to answer her Master"s call. "Yes, we do, clam down."
  
  Angerly, Shin chewed the inside of her lip. Reveling in the sensations that grew from the heat in her belly. Her master would have been displeased, there was no doubt about that. But the more she thought about it, the less she cared. She"d lost herself driven by a magnetic pull that she still lingered in the air around them, and maybe that was okay.
  
  Taking a shaking breath, Shin turned her attention back on Sabine. "Good! We have spotted an active bandit camp a few hours out." Ahsoka"s voice came through the comm broken and scattered.
  
  "And?" Sabine replied tersely. It was then Shin realized her fist were balled, and her cheeks reflected the same twinge of red that undoubtedly painted her own face. "I was busy."
  
  "This is serious, Sabine. Who knows their intentions? Be on the lookout for any suspicious activity around camp that could signal an attack."
  
  "Gotcha. We will." Instantly, she turned off the comm groaning as she turned back to Shin. "I"m sorry, for that-my Master, I mean."
  
  Shin sighed. "It"s okay." Not really, but she was used to this. Anytime she"d ever gotten close to somebody, Baylan was always there watching or their jobs called them away. Even then, she"d do her best to follow her Master"s code, refraining from anything more than simple bonding.
  
  "No really," Sabine brought a hand to her head, massaging her temple. "Ugh." Agitated, she started to pace. "Anyways, can we like, never mind...."
  
  Blue eyes tracked her movements. "Is everything alright, Wren?" Admittedly, everything was not alight, even for Shin. The heat that had grown under skin may have cooled, but it remained, encouraging her more carnal thoughts.
  
  Stopping in her tracks, Sabine"s eyes lit up. "You know what? I have an idea." A flurry of rapid steps found the Mandalorian rush past the blonde who was still on the floor.
  
  "Hmm?" Shin cocked her head to get a better view of where she was going, getting up in the process.
  
  "If we are gonna be stuck here, we might as well leave our mark." Sabine elaborated aloud, walking towards the back of the ship. "Ahsoka might act all stoic, but there is zero chance she had the nerve to get rid of them."
  
  "Wren, I"m not following." Normally sharp, Shin"s mind was still hazy.
  
  "I kept some stuff in the ship, ya know for emergencies like when uptight evil-blondes are onboard." Kneeling down, Sabine pulled away at a maintenance hatch on the floor near Huyang"s work station. "Karabast, they haven"t opened this in ages. There we go!" She said triumphantly as it popped open and she slipped under the floor.
  
  Shin crouched, letting her arms rest on her knees. "If this is some kind of trick-"
  
  "Catch!" A large bag flew into Shin"s view. Her quick reaction time allowed her to catch it, but its weight threw her off balance.
  
  "Stars, how about a better warning next time dumbass?" Exploratory hands gripped the bag now cradled in her arms, feeling for any clues to what its contents were.
  
  "Don"t drop my paint!"
  
  "Paint." Shin huffed, setting the bag down. "We don"t need this."
  
  A purple hair head popped up from the hatch. "Hey now, you made a deal! You'd do something fun if I meditated with you, and I did."
  
  "If you want to be picky, technically I helped you." Shin shrugged. "But fair enough." Baylan did always tell her to stay true to her word. "So, what"s your plan pixie cut?"
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes bringing up a bottle of clear liquid, it"s labeled scribbled with Mando"a. "We are going for a walk."
  
  Notes:
  Who knew Masters were so good at cockblocking?
  
  let the light in
  wakesiren
  Summary:
  As a favour, Sabine offers to do some light investigative work for Hera and Ahsoka. She might live to regret it.
  
  Notes:
  this is a coproduction between me and my gf she just doesn't have ao3 so i'm posting it (butch burdens). i promise this started as porn with plot but now its plot with porn on the horizon we just got distracted by worldbuilding hera and ahsoka's divorce arc.
  
  (See the end of the work for more notes.)
  
  Chapter 1: i can handle it
  Chapter Text
  Sabine has been sitting at the bar for nearly an hour by the time she finishes her drink. She isn"t usually one for nursing a rum and coke, she"s more of a swigger (in her teen years, a chugger) but Ahsoka told her not to get drunk on the job and Sabine is only as stubborn as is legally required. She swirls the ice cubes slowly around the bottom of her glass, the clinking barely audible over pulsing, thrumming music, and swivels slowly on her barstool.
  
  God, this is so boring. Sabine gets Ahsoka looks like a narc and Hera can"t be seen anywhere that might implicate her, but does that mean she has to spend her Saturday night being the world"s shittiest spy in the world"s most suspicious club? No one appears to be meeting anyone anywhere, the shadiest deals that are currently occurring are limited to the guy with the buzzed head selling coke in one of the back booths, and she"s had to piss for the last half hour.
  
  She extracts her phone from her pocket and flicks through the texts from Ahsoka for the fourth time, scanning eleven texts that easily could have been combined into two, and huffs. How in god"s name is she meant to confirm that Skoll and Elsbeth and Thrawn are meeting if she can"t get drunk and skulk around? It"s early enough in Hera"s investigation that Sabine can"t actually go creeping in any back rooms without drawing far too much attention to herself, so she has to what? Listen really hard? The club music is playing far too loudly for that strategy to do her any good.
  
  Sabine huffs another sigh and pushes her empty glass across the bar, slipping off the barstool and aiming for the entrance to the hallway she"s seen at least a dozen girls meander towards after handing Buzz-Cut a fifty. It"s quieter here, the music reduced to a bass she can feel through her boots and conversation absorbed by cinder block walls, and Sabine is halfway to the bathroom when a low baritone distracts her from the increasing urge to piss. God fucking dammit. Of course she starts getting somewhere with her shitty espionage right when the liquor hits her bladder.
  
  Two people are standing past the door to the restroom, at least halfway down the hall, and Sabine stops dead in her tracks despite her bladder"s pleas and pretends to be distracted by something on her phone as she inches closer. Baylan fucking Skoll, acting as inconspicuous as a man the size and shape of a water buffalo can, is standing in front of the door to what"s either a broom closet or a back office, resting one hand on the shoulder of a spindly girl with white hair and delivering what"s either a lecture or a eulogy. Sabine has seen pictures of Baylan before, but this girl is new, and she looks like she"s about to either burst into tears or stomp her foot.
  
  "Don"t fight me on this, Shin. You know Morgan likes her privacy." Skoll is saying, his hand bracketing the girl"s (Shin? That"s not a name) shoulder tightly as he looks at her. Shin looks incredibly annoyed with this, she doesn"t answer him but her hands are flexing at her sides and her strong jaw is clenched so hard Sabine can see the vein throbbing in her neck even in the dim light. Skoll lifts an eyebrow to her silence; neither of them have appeared to notice that Sabine is there, and Sabine takes another tentative step closer as Shin"s long fingers curl into fists.
  
  "And stop pouting. You"re not a child anymore." Skoll releases Shin"s shoulder, brushing the front of his crisp grey button-down off as if lecturing Shin has gotten him dusty, and Shin"s jaw unclenches minutely.
  
  "I wasn"t pouting." Shin says, even though she absolutely was. She has a faint accent, though whether she"s European or it"s an annoying affectation like Morgan Elsbeth"s is anyone"s guess, and Baylan gives her a stern look before he opens the door and leaves her outside. Shin looks like she"s about to kick the wall in front of her, her pale eyes darting around as if they"re searching for a target, and Sabine ducks into the women"s restroom before Shin decides to take out her frustrations on a set of kneecaps rather than cement.
  
  By the time Sabine has returned to her barstool and ordered another drink (hold the rum), she"s received a text from Ahsoka. How"s it going? Full capitals and punctuation. Jesus H. Christ. It"s any wonder she doesn"t sign her messages with her legal name. Sabine texts back a thumbs-up and stirs her coke, doing her best to keep her mind from wandering. She"d snuck a glance at Shin as she"d left the bathroom, trying not to let her notice that she was being watched, but based on the look in her eyes, Sabine is fairly certain she wouldn"t have clued in unless there was a set of binoculars in her face.
  
  An hour passes. Sabine keeps track of the time by tearing a napkin to shreds and flicking a paper ball onto the floor at each ten-minute interval, which is certainly not endearing her to the bartender, but as she"s about to toss her eleventh spitball, Skoll emerges from the back hallway with Shin in tow. He"s a horrendously intimidating presence, the entire club seems to shirk away from him, and Sabine can be forgiven for staring only because everyone else is too. Sabine can"t hear what he"s saying to Shin from this far away (despite Ahsoka"s attempts to teach her how, her lip reading is shit) but based solely on his hand gestures, he appears to be either telling Shin to go home or that she"s grounded.
  
  Skoll walks back into the hallway, the club"s patrons all seeming to exhale at once, and Shin does leave, passing Sabine without glancing at her, stepping as if she"s trying to stab the floor with the short heel of her boot, and she vanishes out the back entrance. Sabine parked her bike out there, and for a moment she"s mildly concerned that Shin might slash her tires for fun. Probably not, though. Hopefully.
  
  If Ahsoka were here, she"d be telling Sabine to go into the back and try to get some information by listening through the door. No guard dog means Sabine would probably get away with it, and Hera would be pleased. If Hera were here, she"d be telling Sabine to leave and text her a meeting confirmation so she could start with the next stage of her investigation without implicating herself in any way. Sabine does neither. Sabine counts to sixty three times, slaps a twenty-dollar bill on the bar, and follows Shin out the door.
  
  Cold air hits her in a rush and Sabine is suddenly grateful for her jacket, wind ruffling her hair as the large door swings shut behind her. She"s not sure what she expected to find out here, besides her bike, but Shin is leaning against the brick wall a few feet from the door, taking the first puff of a cigarette as she drops a thin orange lighter back into the pocket of her coat. Everything she"s wearing is grey; grey pants and a grey button-down that matches Skoll"s, a grey vest beneath a grey overcoat, it makes her hair look even whiter, and she doesn"t seem to notice Sabine is there as she blows smoke out of her nose.
  
  "Who was that, your dad or something?" Sabine says before she can stop herself, propping herself as casually as possible against the wall near Shin. She keeps just enough distance to be respectful, a skill carefully honed over the years, and Shin ignores her. Her eyes dart over for a fraction of a second and then she returns to staring into space, taking a long drag of her cigarette and flicking ash onto the pavement. Sabine watches her cheeks hollow, the high points of each cheekbone exposed as she sucks at the end of her cig, and then watches smoke dance across full pink lips as she exhales slowly.
  
  "It"s kinda weird, going clubbing with your dad." Sabine really should shut up. Anyone would advise her to shut up right now, but something about Shin makes her want to start blathering. It is kinda weird to go clubbing with your dad. If Sabine had to go clubbing with Ahsoka she"d probably puke. Even the thought makes her shudder. Except they weren"t actually clubbing. Shit. Right. Sabine is supposed to be playing spies. She should be trying to coax a teensy bit of information out of Shin so that she can go tell Ahsoka her stupid-ass reconnaissance mission wasn"t entirely unsuccessful.
  
  "I guess." Shin lifts one shoulder in half a shrug, still not looking over at Sabine. European instead of annoying, if Sabine had to put money on it. Skoll is British. Maybe he knocked up a weird Slavic woman and ended up with a weird Slavic baby. Sabine waits, as if Shin will say more if she doesn"t speak, but Shin just takes another puff and taps more ash from the end of her cigarette. Sabine folds her arms over her chest, tucking her hands into her armpits in a vain attempt to keep her fingers warm, and glances around the back alley. Next to a dumpster people probably piss on is a bad place for a meet-cute, but there weren"t a lot of options.
  
  "You don"t talk much, huh?" Sabine continues, resting the sole of one boot against the wall extremely casually and nonchalantly. Shin, shocking no one, remains silent. Sabine can see a few birthmarks scattered across the left side of her face as she smokes, one below her eye and another just below her lip, several dotting her cheek and jaw. They"re oddly enticing. She didn"t know birthmarks could be enticing. Sabine rolls her eyes when Shin doesn"t answer, the sort of drama-queen eye roll that makes Ahsoka give her The Look, but Shin doesn"t seem to notice or care. "Fine by me. People say I talk too much."
  
  "I wonder why." Shin runs her tongue over her teeth, looking at Sabine out of the corner of her eye, and Sabine fights the urge to smile. There"s no humour in Shin"s voice, at this point Sabine would be surprised if Shin knew what a joke actually was, but that could be chalked up to being raised by Baylan Skoll. Shit, Sabine would be pretty humourless if that fucker was her dad. That would be a goddamn shame, though. She"s hilarious.
  
  "Name"s Sabine." Sabine says, and immediately cusses herself out in her head for not thinking up a fake one on the fly. Ahsoka told her to think of one just in case, but Sabine rolled her eyes and ignored that advice. Bad call. She should be fine. If Shin doesn"t get to eat at the grown up"s table, it"s extremely unlikely she knows the name Sabine Wren.
  
  "I didn"t ask."
  
  "Harsh. Can I at least bum a cigarette?"
  
  "No." Shin blows a small, tight ring that lingers in the air for a moment before dissolving. Sabine doesn"t smoke (cigarettes, that is) but she could have faked it. In her experience, people were more likely to loosen up and start chatting if you split a beer or a cig or a meal, but based solely on what she currently knows about Shin, loosening up would only be possible with a heavy dose of Valium and possibly a good fuck. Sabine rolls her eyes again, deeper this time, and when she does she swears the faintest hint of a smile tugs at the corner of that pretty mouth as she opens it again. "Shin."
  
  Sabine nods, as if she didn"t know that already, and they lapse back into silence. Not a bad kind of silence, but silence all the same; the only sound is the faintest strings of club music leaking through the brick wall and the slight crackle of flame every time Shin takes a long drag off her cigarette. Sabine should be prodding more, trying to crack Shin"s shell and get even a little bit of information out of her, but instead she"s watching a pair of thin fingers with a cigarette balanced between them and studying the elegant point of a small, straight nose.
  
  "Is that your bike?" Shin says, jerking her chin at Sabine"s motorcycle. It looks a bit ridiculous in the dingy alley, too polished and clean and yellow, the sort of bike that would probably get her pegged as a rat if anyone who saw it knew a thing about motorcycles, but Sabine was banking on the attendees of this evil guy meeting not knowing jack shit about a bike. She appears to be right.
  
  "Yeah. Do you ride?" Probably not, Shin seems like she either doesn"t drive or has some sort of ridiculous sports car that costs more than Hera makes in a year, but Sabine has to admit that the idea of Shin straddling some gleaming leather and chrome is incredibly appealing. Shin rakes her gaze over Sabine"s bike, eyes like two chips of ice, and then she crosses her arms over her chest and brings her cigarette back up to her mouth.
  
  "No. What"s with the stickers?" Shin sucks her teeth. Sabine follows her nod to the drawings all over the body of her motorcycle as if she didn"t put them there, some cats and birds and the occasional lizard crawling across the polished yellow-and-purple surface of her bike, and looks back at Shin. Ahsoka and Hera both think the bike is far too conspicuous, but Ezra likes it, and Jacen likes it, and Chopper had given it a sniff and an approving huff, which was good enough for her.
  
  "You don"t like them?" Sabine asks and Shin exhales smoke, her lip curling slightly as she shakes her head. Her hair moves with her, a thick white curtain that barely skims her shoulders, and Sabine"s hand is halfway up to tuck it behind her ear before she can stop herself. She plays it off effortlessly, which is to say she nearly slaps herself in the face and prays that Shin either didn"t notice or already thinks she"s fucking weird.
  
  "Not really. I don"t watch cartoons."
  
  "They"re not cartoons. I designed them."
  
  "Hm." Shin tilts her head, as if the lizard will look better from a different angle, and Sabine rolls her eyes.
  
  "Alright, fuck. Hard to impress, I get it, princess."
  
  Shin bristles at this, visibly, as if Sabine calling her princess has gotten under her skin, and Sabine is relishing in her (admittedly miniscule) victory when her phone buzzes in the front pocket of her pants. She has four missed texts from Ahsoka, which is honestly better than she"s anticipated, and Sabine unlocks the screen and skims the messages quickly.
  
  A: A thumbs up is not an answer
  A: ??
  A: Sabine.
  A: Now Hera is calling me because she thinks you"re dead.
  
  Sabine rolls her eyes again. She has half a mind to ask Shin if Skoll bombards her with texts whenever she doesn"t answer within ten minutes, but then she remembers the grip he had on her shoulder, the chastising tone he"d used, the way he"d dismissed her like she was nothing, and thinks better of it. Shin is doing a decent job at pretending she isn"t peering at Sabine"s phone, the only indication that she"s snooping is the occasional flick of her eyes towards the screen, and Sabine tilts her phone away before she answers.
  
  S: plan has changed tell you later
  S: call hera back
  S: ;))
  
  "Did your dad give you his keys at least?" Sabine asks, turning her phone off and slipping it back into her pocket. Somehow she doubts it. Shin"s jaw clenches for a moment, the same clench as she"d had when Skoll gripped her shoulder, and then it"s gone as quickly as it appeared. Sabine is beginning to regret mentioning Skoll at all, it"s clearly a sore subject, but Shin"s face relaxes just slightly and she shakes her head.
  
  "No." Shin grinds her cigarette out against the wall, the last dregs of smoke escaping her lips as she speaks, and Sabine fist-pumps silently. She crosses over to her bike, unlocking and prying open the topbox, and grabs the spare helmet Ezra has insisted she keep in there despite the fact that she has other shit to haul around. At least he"s stopped trying to convince her to attach a sidecar like they"re fucking circus freaks.
  
  "Catch." Sabine tosses her the helmet. Shin drops her cigarette butt and catches the helmet in one motion, which looks very cool and makes Sabine suddenly regret giving Shin an opportunity to upstage her in terms of looking cool. First the cigarette and now this? Shit, Sabine is going to have to start carrying a knife or something. Shin holds the helmet gingerly, as if it might infect her, but Ezra hasn"t had a communicable disease since he spent a year abroad looking at sea turtles and came back with several new scars and a case of thrush that didn"t clear up for a good three months.
  
  "Are you kidnapping me?" Shin asks, and Sabine raises a brow. Shin hadn"t sounded particularly angry about the prospect of being kidnapped, like she was used to the threat of abduction or like she wouldn"t mind so much if Sabine did decide to kidnap her. For her ego"s sake, Sabine decides to go with the latter, though if she"s Baylan Skoll"s daughter, kidnapping is probably a regularly scheduled affair.
  
  "Would you like me to kidnap you?" Sabine straddles her bike, pushing herself forward enough to make room for Shin on the back, and tugs her own helmet on. She"s also fairly certain it"s not kidnapping if the victim is in her early twenties at the absolute youngest, but Sabine would have to ask Hera about the specifics and if she asks Hera about the specifics of what counts as kidnapping under the law, she"s going to get herself grounded for months.
  
  "I"ll think about it." Shin puts the helmet on. It pushes her bangs into her eyes and leaves a ruff of white hair around the back of her neck, but the overall effect once she pushes the visor down is a very good one, one that makes Sabine wonder what she"d look like in nothing but a motorcycle helmet, which immediately makes Sabine have to physically shake her head to clear that image from her brain.
  
  Shin swings her leg over the back of the bike. This close, she smells of cigarettes and soap and something herbal, a combination far more enticing than it sounds, and her long, slim hands hover awkwardly over Sabine"s hips before Sabine takes them and secures them around her waist. Her skin is cool and unyielding, all hard muscle and a faint dappling of scars, and Shin"s biceps press into Sabine"s ribs a bit harder than necessary.
  
  "Where to?" Sabine asks, a bit belatedly, but Shin leans forwards and whispers directions in her ear, so it"s worth it. Shin"s breath leaves goosebumps in its wake, her low voice making a shiver run down Sabine"s spine, and the press of her pointy little chin in Sabine"s shoulder combined with the fact that her thighs are bracketing Sabine"s own nearly makes her tip the bike over.
  
  Sabine flips her visor down and cranks the throttle, the answering purr beneath both their bodies earning a startled noise from Shin, and they speed out of the alley and onto the street without another word. The roads are quiet, making the roar of Sabine"s bike even more obnoxious, but they pass through far too quickly for any irritated old people to come out and shake their fists. Sabine steers them through several neighbourhoods and nearly runs several red lights, both times Shin"s arms tighten involuntarily around her waist, and it makes Sabine want to actually run one just to see what Shin would do.
  
  Unfortunately, most of Sabine"s brain power is being dedicated to focusing on the road instead of on the fact that Shin"s chest is pressed into her back and the fact that Shin"s thighs are spread wide and pressed into her ass and clenching against her hips every time they take a turn too hard. It means not a lot of her brain power has been allotted for remembering the route they"re taking in case Ahsoka or Hera think it"s useful information, and she tries to remember at least the vaguest direction just in case.
  
  Shin gives her thigh a sharp tap when they reach a block lined with nothing but concrete apartment buildings, two cold fingers pressing into Sabine"s leg hard enough to bruise, and Sabine pulls over in front of a crumbling brutalist complex that she seriously doubts Shin actually lives in. As soon as Sabine has parked, Shin slips off the bike, the loss of her body against Sabine"s back a strange sort of disappointment, and she tugs the helmet off neatly and tucks it beneath one arm. Her bangs are flat against her forehead, pasted there with sweat, and Sabine snorts a laugh into her own helmet before she flips the visor up off her face.
  
  "Do you live here?" Sabine asks, peering up at the building. Probably not. Skoll doesn"t seem like the type to put his daughter up in a shithole, especially in this part of town, and Shin runs her hand over her brow and ruffles her bangs back up. She looks harsh in the thin light of the moon, it catches on her nose and her jaw and her chin and turns her face into a series of hard lines and severe points. Sabine kinda likes it, in a way she"s not sure she could put into words, it makes her want to cup Shin"s cheek in one hand and slice her palm open on the razor"s edge of her jaw just to see if Shin would lap the blood from the cut.
  
  "You ask a lot of questions." Shin rocks back on her heels, hair swaying in the gust of wind that makes them both shiver. It"s too cold to linger outside, really, the sort of cold that has Sabine"s urge to give Shin her jacket rising, and Sabine kills the ignition so that she can hear Shin over the thrum of the engine. She doesn"t speak loudly, just like her dad, they both command the sort of quiet power that means they don"t need to raise their voices. Ahsoka has the same thing, Hera too, but Sabine has to yell to be taken seriously most of the time.
  
  "And you"ve barely answered a single one."
  
  "Thanks for the ride, Sabine." Shin tosses the helmet back, her tongue wrapping around Sabine"s name so prettily it hurts, and Sabine catches it in midair and lets it dangle from the handlebar for now. Shin is smoothing out her clothes, brushing imaginary dust from her shirt and straightening her vest, each movement of her long fingers over fabric making Sabine"s mind run wild.
  
  "Wow, at least you remembered my name. Way to make a lady feel special." Sabine lets her mouth curl into a half-smile, just enough to make Shin lift an eyebrow, and Shin lets her arms fall to her sides and tucks one halfway into her pocket. She studies Sabine"s face for a moment, wide blue eyes searching for something (what, Sabine isn"t sure, but she feels oddly like blushing) and then falling to Sabine"s mouth for a fraction of a second before her gaze returns to Sabine"s own.
  
  "Don"t kid yourself." Shin says, and then she turns around and strolls off into the dark. Sabine watches her. Shin is infinitely watchable, her hair visible amid the darkness of the night long after the rest of her body has faded from view, and it"s only when the last shreds of that sleek white bob vanish that Sabine remembers she"s parked in a fire zone.
  
  
  
  By the time Sabine gets home, she"s ravenous for something more than food, but leftover pizza will have to do. She finds Ahsoka"s number in her contacts and puts her phone on speaker as she shrugs out of her jacket and kicks off her boots, leaving them where they drop on the floor and opening the fridge. It takes three rings for Ahsoka to answer, during which time Sabine has stacked four slices of cold pepperoni on a woefully overestimated napkin and hip-checked the fridge closed hard enough that the bottles in the door rattle.
  
  "I was starting to think you"d never call." Ahsoka says, voice slightly tinny through Sabine"s phone speaker. Sabine pulls a face even though Ahsoka can"t see her, tucking a room-temperature beer under her arm and snagging her phone from the counter as she walks into the living room.
  
  "I told you, there was a change of plans," Sabine takes a gigantic bite out of the topmost slice, dropping her beer and phone onto the cleanest chunk of coffee table and flopping onto her couch. Murley blinks at her from the top of the insanely elaborate cat tower Ezra had painstakingly built for him, his tail flicking lazily, and Sabine tears off a little piece of crust and feeds it to him as she keeps talking to Ahsoka with her mouth full. "Small adjustment. It"s no big deal."
  
  "As in my definition of no big deal, or your own?" Ahsoka sounds annoyed, probably because Hera is leading her on for this weird scheme and then not following through, and Sabine bites into her pizza again as Murley takes his prize back to the tower and begins to gnaw on the hunk of bread noisily. She wonders if Shin likes cats. Unlikely. She seems like she barely tolerates other people.
  
  "Uhh. Yeah."
  
  "Sabine-"
  
  "Don"t use your Hera voice. I"m fine, alright?" Sabine rolls her eyes at Murley, who gives her an obliging meow in return. At least he supports her. Ahsoka sucks her teeth so loudly Sabine can hear it through the phone, which means she"s really pissed, which means Sabine should probably stop talking with her mouth full before Ahsoka comes over and starts nagging her about table manners even though she"s eating on the couch.
  
  "Did you at least gather some useful information?" Ahsoka asks. Sabine finishes her slice before answering, chewing as thoughtfully as she can when most of her thoughts are occupied by a head of white-blonde hair and the press of shockingly muscular thighs against her own and the smell of cigarettes and soap and what Sabine is fairly certain is lavender. Useful information. Hmm.
  
  "Don"t know if it"s what you"d consider useful, but Skoll and that bug-eyed guard dog of his are meeting with Morgan, probably meeting with Thrawn, and they"re all definitely involved in more than petty crime." Sabine feels only partially bad for calling Shin a bug-eyed guard dog, and that partially is exclusively because that"s what Sabine is beginning to like about her. Murley"s ears twitch at the mention of the word dog, he looks up from the piece of crust with alarm, and Sabine feeds him another little hunk with some cheese on it to get his fur to go back down.
  
  "Well, the last part was obvious. The confirmation helps, though." Ahsoka sounds a bit less annoyed at this. Only a bit, though. Certainly not enough for Sabine to start ribbing her about Hera yet. She hadn"t seen Thrawn in there, though Skoll had name-dropped Morgan, and she assumes that where Thrawn goes, Morgan follows. What they want with Skoll is anyone"s guess, probably Shin"s too, if the way Skoll had spoken to her was any indication.
  
  "Her name is Shin, by the way. Not short for anything I could figure out. I don"t know what Shin would be short for, though. Shinberly?" Sabine rips off another hunk of pizza with her teeth and chews. If Ahsoka laughs at her joke, Sabine doesn"t hear it, but if Ezra was here he"d be losing his shit. Jacen probably would be, too, but Jacen just laughs at everything Sabine says if she says it in a funny voice.
  
  "No last name?" Ahsoka sounds like she"s grinding her teeth, probably due to Sabine"s less-than-stellar investigative work, but you get what you pay for and Ahsoka didn"t even give her a twenty for gas. Sabine is tempted to say that her last name is Skoll, but Shin Skoll sounds like an anime character and Sabine doesn"t think she would have Baylan"s last name.
  
  "I didn"t ask. She"s weird, though. Kinda hot, but really weird." Sabine shrugs even though Ahsoka can"t see her, and she swears Ahsoka is rolling her eyes. Sabine has a sixth sense about this kind of stuff, probably due to years and years of experience with Ahsoka"s eye-rolls, especially when said eye-rolls are due to Sabine seeing a pretty girl and tripping over her own feet. Sabine"s never met anyone like Shin before, though. No pretty girl has ever drawn her in this fast.
  
  "Any idea where they"ll meet next?"
  
  "Nope. I did drive her home, but I don"t think she lives in the shit apartment complex she gave me directions to."
  
  "Probably not. I"m glad you"re safe, Sabine." Ahsoka says, strangely gently, and Sabine finishes her third slice of pizza and flicks another piece to Murley. Safe? She"s thirty years old. They"d have a bigger issue if she wasn"t safe performing minor acts of espionage that don"t seem to be going anywhere. "I know this is dangerous, but I trust you to handle yourself - Hera does, too."
  
  It"s Sabine who rolls her eyes this time. Hera doesn"t trust Sabine with anything. She lets her fucking dog babysit Jacen but texts every fifteen minutes whenever Jacen and Sabine are alone together. It"s more likely that Hera said something about trust, then touched Ahsoka"s arm, and Ahsoka stopped listening entirely. "Yeah, yeah. Hey, speaking of Hera-"
  
  "Sabine." Ahsoka warns, and Sabine snorts. It"s not like it"s her fault Ahsoka and Hera have been divorced for longer than they were together and Ahsoka is still pining after Hera. It"s absolutely not her fault that Ahsoka hasn"t dated anyone in a good fifteen years. It"s definitely, absolutely, positively not her fault that Ahsoka looks at Hera like she hung the moon in the sky and Hera looks at Ahsoka like she"s really pissing her off.
  
  "What? You don"t even know what I was gonna say." It was going to be something very rude, but Ahsoka can"t know that for sure. She might teach classes on the Jedi Order, but that doesn"t mean she can actually read thoughts or do mind tricks. If she could, Sabine wouldn"t have lived to see fifteen, let alone thirty. All she does is lecture a lot and make her TA, Huyang, mark the papers her students turn in late.
  
  "Trust me, I know what you were going to say."
  
  "I"m just trying to help you out!"
  
  "No, you"re getting in my business."
  
  "Fine, I'll stay out of it. Where is she with this whole thing, though?" Sabine, notorious for getting in Ahsoka"s business, takes another gigantic bite of pizza and waits for Ahsoka to be snarky in her response. Ahsoka is silent. She isn"t often silent. Usually this would be when Ahsoka would launch into a monologue of some description and Sabine would start thinking about what she was going to eat for breakfast. "Ahsoka."
  
  "A local council member was murdered last week. They finally managed to tie it to Skoll as a hit job, and Hera said she has reason to suspect another hit is coming up." Ahsoka says finally, and Sabine nearly chokes on her pepperoni. Jesus fucking Christ. Hera should not be getting her involved in murder! Hera should not be getting her involved in anything, but especially not murder!
  
  "Hey, hey, hold on. You said Hera suspected money laundering, you did not say murder." Sabine pushes herself to her feet, though she isn"t quite sure as to why, considering she"s alone in her apartment and even standing she"s barely five foot five. Money laundering investigations are the sort of thing Hera does, Sabine knows this, though she isn"t entirely certain what Hera actually does, she knows it"s not murder investigations.
  
  "I know. You can tap out whenever you want, Sabine, no one would blame you." Ahsoka sounds tired. She always sounds tired, but she sounds especially tired of this. Maybe she"s tired of Sabine herself.
  
  Sabine couldn"t exactly blame her. She"s thirty years old and she paints murals for a living and she spends most of her time smoking Ezra"s weed and hooking up with random girls from Tinder with names like Jessica and Rachel. She"s not doing anything. Hera is out there saving the fucking world (okay, the city, but still) and Sabine is eating cold pizza in her underwear. Even Shin is doing things, and Shin...is Shin. If she backs out now, she probably won"t see Shin ever again, and for some god-forsaken reason, Sabine is beginning to find that unacceptable.
  
  "No." Sabine says, sitting back down on the couch and bringing her phone up to her mouth. Ahsoka starts to say something, but Sabine cuts her off, suddenly afraid that if she doesn"t speak now she never will. "No. I can handle it."
  
  Chapter 2: sweet bourbon and orange zest
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  It"s goddamn bright outside. So sunny Sabine is beginning to regret brushing Ahsoka"s offer of sunglasses off, so sunny she"s been squinting so hard her head is starting to hurt, so sunny that beads of sweat have begun to trickle down her spine that have nothing to do with the fact that she"s about to encounter Baylan Skoll. It should not be this sunny at seven pm, even though the sun is sinking slowly behind the buildings, and Sabine lifts a hand to her eyes and peers across the street as inconspicuous as she can manage.
  
  She wishes she smoked. A cigarette on a park bench is far less suspicious than just sitting on one, right now she just feels like a narc, and Sabine uncrosses and recrosses her legs and taps her fingers across her knee impatiently. She"s starting to wish that this comptroller would just turn up dead already. The apartment building he lives in is made of glass and steel that keeps reflecting the rapidly-setting sun directly into Sabine"s eyeballs, nearly blinding her every time she gives the lobby doors a casual glance, and the fact that Hera couldn"t just do this herself is pissing Sabine the fuck off even though she knows, reasonably, Hera could never do this herself.
  
  No Skoll, though. Not yet, at least. He"s easy enough to spot, being gigantic, and Sabine has yet to see any skyscraper-shaped men come or go from the lobby. Sabine huffs a sigh, tipping her head back to stare up at the purpling sky, and when she straightens up again a head of white hair nearly makes her jump off the bench. Shit. Not Skoll. Not Skoll at all. What the fuck is Shin doing here? She"s turned the corner and begun to stomp down the sidewalk as if it"s pissed her off personally, in a grey turtleneck and black pants that make her look even paler, so focused she nearly slams into at least two businessmen and gives them such withering looks that the rest of the pedestrians practically jump out of her way.
  
  Sabine yanks her phone out of her pocket and fires off a text to Hera as she gets to her feet, trying to find the right emojis (💀👎 🐶👍) that will still get her point across without wasting valuable time on typing. She crosses the street without looking and keeps her gaze on her phone, thumbs dancing across nothing in particular even as she angles herself into Shin"s path, thumbs still dancing as she runs headlong into Shin and nearly cracks their skulls together.
  
  "Shit." Sabine says, a bit too loudly, reaching for Shin"s elbow. Shin yanks her arm away, righting herself with the sort of disgruntled expression usually reserved for scraping gum off shoes, and then her eyes catch Sabine"s and widen just so. Okay. Sabine can do this. She can impress Hera, probably, with her expert espionage tactics. "Hey. Hey, you"re Shin, right? Fancy meeting you here."
  
  Shin looks like Sabine has disturbed something horrendously important, which Sabine supposes she had, but she doesn"t move, just looks Sabine up and down and then lets her eyes dart to the lobby doors behind them. Sabine gives her a charming grin, one she doesn"t really have to fake, and positions herself so she"s blocking the entrance to the building while still looking casual enough to let Shin believe this was an actual accident.
  
  "I"m surprised you remembered. What are you doing here?" Shin tucks her hands into her pockets, her jaw clenched so tight she looks as if she"s going to crack a tooth, and Sabine shrugs in return. Waiting for your dad to murder a local politician doesn"t seem like an answer Shin would appreciate. Time to pivot.
  
  "Oh, I was going out with a friend, but I got stood up."
  
  "That"s too bad."
  
  "What about you?" Sabine asks. Shin is looking over her shoulder at the lobby door, looking for all the world like she"s doing algebra in her head, but when Sabine steps closer and tilts her head to one side with an easy smile, Shin"s eyes snap back to hers and stay there.
  
  "Similar situation." Shin studies Sabine carefully from beneath dark, furrowed brows, her lips pursed slightly as she examines Sabine"s face far too intensely for the middle of a public sidewalk. Shin is a bit taller than Sabine, just enough that it"s annoying, just enough that Sabine would have to tip her face slightly upwards for their lips to meet, and that absolutely isn"t something she should be thinking about right now. "I was going to visit a friend, but they don"t seem to be home."
  
  Sabine nods thoughtfully as she rifles through her brain trying to find something to distract her with. Not forever. Just enough to sabotage whatever mission this is, though how much of a mission assassinating a city comptroller is can be up for debate another time. She also absolutely doesn"t believe that Shin has friends, but again, another time.
  
  "You know, you still owe me for that ride home." Sabine says after a moment, letting the corner of her mouth twitch upwards. Shin lifts a brow at that, her shoulders relaxing minutely beneath the black suit jacket she"s wearing over that grey turtleneck, and Sabine nods back down at the corner Shin had just come around. "How about you let me buy you a drink and we call it square?"
  
  They end up in a shitty bar that Sabine has spent far too many nights playing pool in, the sort of dive that she and Ezra used to frequent in their college years, perched on adjacent stools at the end of the bar. Shin looks wildly out of place, she"s way too overdressed for somewhere that takes quarters in the jukebox and has Bud Light on tap, but Sabine sort of likes having her somewhere out of her comfort zone.
  
  Shin orders an old fashioned and sparks a cigarette before she gets it, the lighter"s flame dancing across her face and illuminating the deep cupid"s bow of her upper lip. It"s far too distracting, so Sabine stirs her rum and coke again instead of imagining what Shin"s mouth would taste like against her own. Cigarettes, probably, if they kissed right now. She doesn"t seem like the type to drink anything unless it"s top-shelf, but this place has one shelf, and the bourbon in her cocktail glass is likely Jim Beam that"s been collecting dust since before Shin was born.
  
  Quiet eighties music is playing from the jukebox, something Hera probably listened to in her youth, and every time Sabine lets her fingers graze Shin"s knee her face turns pink and every sip of her drink has Sabine getting bolder and bolder with where those knuckles brush. It feels like a date. An actual date. Sabine isn"t much of a dater, she"s more of a "u up?"-er but despite the outside circumstances, this is probably the best one she"s ever been on.
  
  "But what do you actually do?" Sabine asks, resting her elbow on the sticky bar and propping her cheek in her hand. Shin, who"s on her second cigarette and second drink, rolls her eyes, flicking ash into the novelty tray that"s so yellowed with age it"s impossible to tell what colour it was originally. The two spots of pink high on her cheeks are growing steadily pinker with every sip and every sweep of Sabine"s fingertips over her knee, making her eyes even bluer and her hair even whiter, and she takes a long drag of her cigarette before she answers.
  
  "I told you already. I freelance." Shin blows a thin stream of smoke at the ceiling and sets her cigarette down, replacing it in her hand with the condensation-covered rocks glass. She"s taken her coat off, likely because she"s been alternating cigarettes and sips of bourbon for the past hour and the bar is getting hot, and the turtleneck beneath is clinging to her so tightly that Sabine can practically see her heartbeat beneath the thin grey wool.
  
  "Well, that"s not very specific." Sabine takes a sip of her drink through the needle-thin straw, swirling cold liquor and soda around her mouth, and Shin sips her own drink and leaves her lips shiny and wet. It"s horrendously distracting; her mouth is all glossy pink and gleaming in the dim lights from the jukebox, practically demanding that Sabine have a taste. Her eyes keep darting down to Shin"s mouth in a way that she"s certain Shin has noticed, though she hasn"t said anything, and Shin uses the curl of orange peel to stir her drink before she speaks again.
  
  "Do I owe you specifics?" Shin cocks a brow, trading her glass for her cigarette again, and this time Sabine snags it from her and takes a drag before she can protest. The filter tastes of sugary bourbon and something else that Sabine wants to bottle, something distinctly Shin-flavoured, and Sabine passes the cigarette back as she fights the urge to cough at the feeling of nicotine sinking into her lungs. She smokes too much weed with Ezra for a single drag off a cig to be killing her.
  
  "That drink was fourteen dollars and you"ve had two. I think you owe me several specifics."
  
  "Hm. Buy me another and I"ll consider it." Shin gives Sabine a very small, very sly smile, the very corner of her mouth twitching up, and Sabine nearly topples off her stool. This is the first time Shin has smiled at her and it"s enough to make her light-headed, though that could be the rum and coke. She takes a drink to steady herself, tucking an ice cube into her cheek for the sharp cold sting against the fragile skin inside her mouth, and the eye contact they make over the rim of Shin"s glass makes Sabine crunch down on the ice and press a shard into her tongue. "My turn."
  
  "Hit me." Sabine swallows the ice once it"s melted down to next to nothing, the bite of it making her throat ache, and the look Shin gives her turns that ache into a burn all the way down. Shin ashes again, her short nails flicking at the cigarette deftly, and she leaves it dangling between two fingers as she surveys Sabine with that same barely-there smile.
  
  "Starving artist?" It"s more of a declaration than a question, as most of Shin"s questions tend to be, and Sabine snorts a laugh. Freelance murderer and starving artist. What a pair. A pair that shouldn"t be a pair, actually. A pair that"s only a pair because Hera can"t actually do illegal things in public when she looks like that much of a narc and Ahsoka had papers to pretend to grade.
  
  "Starving, usually. Artist, depends who you ask. What gave it away?"
  
  "You have a purple mullet and kitty cats painted on your motorcycle. Call it intuition."
  
  Sabine gasps mockingly, pressing one hand to her heart, and Shin rolls her eyes, giving Sabine a small, smug smile around the end of her cigarette. Her feigned offence lasts less than a second, mostly because she"s pleasantly drunk and Shin smells of lavender and their knees keep touching, and Sabine knocks back the last of her drink and covers the glass with her hand when the bartender comes over. She"s already had too much to drink, though she technically doesn"t have to drive home, and she needs at least some wits about her in case Baylan Skoll decides to jump out and kidnap her or something.
  
  "This isn"t a mullet, first of all, and second, make fun of me all you want, chicks dig the bike." Sabine taps her fingers along the bar absently. This makes Shin"s shoulders tense slightly beneath her sweater, imperceptible to anyone who hasn"t been eyeing the hard lines of her biceps all evening, and she exhales smoke out of her nose with a bit more force than necessary.
  
  "And do a lot of chicks "dig" you, in general?" Shin is absolutely trying to mock her, which is fair, but unluckily for Shin, Sabine has spent most of her life being teased by Ezra, Ahsoka, Hera, Jacen, even Chopper sometimes, and light derision from hot women is basically her bread and butter. She lets their knees touch again, brushing the toe of her boot lightly over the rigid muscle of Shin"s calf, and then shrugs, twisting her straw between two fingers in the same way Shin has been fiddling with her cigarette since she lit up.
  
  "I usually prefer to do the digging, but sure." Sabine says. Shin raises both eyebrows at that, her lip curling ever-so-slightly, and Sabine just shrugs again. Shin is studying her intently at this point, eyes darting from the little tufts of hair at Sabine"s temples to the very tips of her boots, like she"s collecting data or evidence or something, and it"s doing way more to her insides than Sabine would care to admit.
  
  "I should get going." Shin says suddenly, grinding the butt of her cigarette into the ashtray and slipping back into her jacket, and Sabine"s heart skips a beat. Shit. No, shit. She overstepped and maybe Shin isn"t even interested in women and maybe Shin is going to go home and tattle to Baylan and then Hera will absolutely murder her.
  
  "It"s late, I"ll walk you home." Sabine offers, practically hopping off her stool, and Shin drains her drink down to the thin, limp curl of orange peel at the bottom before she answers. Her walls are going back up, Sabine can feel it and she hates that she can feel it, she shouldn"t be feeling it, but here she is feeling it. She doesn"t want Shin to shy away from her like she seems to do with everyone else.
  
  "Absolutely not." Shin slips off her own stool but doesn"t move, just stands there, as if she"s waiting for Sabine to do something. Something could mean anything from a fistfight to Sabine pinning Shin to the bar with her hips and sticking a hand down her pants, neither of which Sabine would be particularly opposed to at the moment.
  
  "At least let me walk you to the door." This is fairly lame, but Shin shrugs her agreement, so Sabine counts out thirty-five dollars (twenty-eight of which were for Shin"s drinks) and makes a mental note to invoice Hera later. It"s the least she could do, really. Sabine opens the back door for Shin, if only so she can put one hand on the small of her back as Shin walks through, and Shin doesn"t immediately pull away or hit her. Small victories, even if Sabine can feel enough tension in Shin"s spine to cut glass.
  
  "Thank you for the drink." Shin says once they"re outside, her shoulders hunching in slightly against the wind. This is a far nicer alley than the last one they were in, or at least there"s no piss-stained dumpster making the entire backstreet stink of garbage juice, and Sabine lets the door slam shut behind them and scrapes a stray bit of hair away from her face. Shin watches her move with lethal attention, her pale eyes lingering on Sabine"s own for far longer than usual, and Sabine finds she doesn"t mind a bit.
  
  "Sure. Just remember the next one's on you." Sabine winks, earning a roll of those light eyes paired with a faint smile that actually reaches them. It"s the first of Shin"s smiles that hits her eyes, it makes them crinkle slightly at the corners and turns her entire face radiant, and Sabine grins back before she can stop herself. Neither of them move, Sabine feels rooted in place, like she might lose Shin forever if she takes a single step, and then her phone buzzes against her hip.
  
  H: Hold her up a bit longer
  
  "Goodnight, Sabine." Shin says before Sabine can drop her phone back into her pocket, turning away towards the street, and Sabine, as usual, panics. She shoves her phone away, trying desperately to think of something that"ll keep Shin with her for reasons unrelated to Hera"s demand, and does the only thing she can think of.
  
  "Shin, wait." Sabine nearly trips on her own feet in her haste, not even waiting for Shin to turn back fully before she grabs her by the wrist and practically crushes their lips together.
  
  A beat, less than a beat, and Shin is kissing her back, her mouth warm and smooth and soft against Sabine"s own. She tastes exactly like Sabine thought she would: cigarettes and sweet bourbon and orange zest, except even better than she could have imagined, and Shin digs her nails into the back of Sabine"s neck and pulls her closer. They stumble back into the wall, Shin"s back hitting the brick so hard that she gasps into Sabine"s mouth, and Sabine grabs her by the hips and slots their bodies together so close she can feel sharp, ragged breaths against her own chest.
  
  Cold fingers press into the nape of Sabine"s neck, scratching so hard Sabine swears they draw blood, and Shin"s tongue is sugary when it fits between Sabine"s teeth. They kiss for a long, long time, desperate and hungry, the sort of kiss that should not be happening in public, the sort of kiss that makes heat pool behind Sabine"s hips and has her grinding them forward into Shin"s, and it"s only when Sabine fists a handful of white hair and tugs her head back to kiss her neck that Shin seems to come to her senses.
  
  Shin shoves her so hard in the chest that it hurts, her palms burning holes in the thin fabric of Sabine"s shirt, and Sabine does her best to force some blood back into her brain. Shin stares at her with wide, wide eyes that have just a hint of blue around blown pupils, those two spots of pink on her cheeks so dark they"re nearly red, her lips puffy and wet and bitten so hard the dents of Sabine"s teeth are still visible in the bottom one. Sabine stares back. A thousand emotions are dancing across Shin"s features, every flutter of her lashes and twitch of her jaw betraying her, and then she spins on her heel and breaks into a strange half-jog down the alley and onto the street, leaving Sabine alone with a dumpster and extremely hard nipples.
  
  Her walk of shame is humiliating. She should"ve taken her bike, it"s fucking freezing, but her motorcycle is extremely conspicuous and difficult to find parking for, so she had walked the half-hour from her apartment to this building. Terrible decision. She"s walking nearly in a daze, bringing her fingers up to her lips as if it"ll preserve Shin"s taste on her tongue, and so the car that comes to a stop next to her nearly makes her jump out of her skin.
  
  "Aren"t you cold?" Hera asks wryly from the driver"s seat, throwing the passenger door open for Sabine. Of fucking course. Hera drives the narc-iest car in existence, sleek and black with leather seats and tinted windows, and when Sabine slides into the narc car and buckles up, she can feel the heated seats switch on beneath her thighs. Hera appears to be off-duty; her green sweater and jeans are far more suited for one of Jacen"s PTA meetings than going to work, but the look she gives Sabine is anything but.
  
  "How"d you know where I was?" Sabine asks, holding her hands up to the warm air blasting from the vent in front of her. Hera pulls back onto the road, lifting a single finger as she likes to do when she"s concentrating on something, and Sabine rolls her eyes as she settles back against the seat.
  
  "I took a wild guess." She answers, finally, after they"ve started driving again, drumming her fingers across the wheel, and Sabine wrinkles her nose. Took a wild guess? Hera is a terrible guesser. She"s lost iSpy and Guess Who more times than anyone can count. Jacen stopped playing with her when he was five because he wanted more of a challenge.
  
  "She tracks your phone." Speak of the devil. Sabine turns around to see Jacen in the back next to Chopper, who"s trying to lick the Cheerio dust from between the seats and drooling on Jacen"s seatbelt. He beams at her, revealing several new gaps in his teeth, and Sabine reaches behind her to ruffle his hair and then scratch Chopper behind the ears. He snorts on her hand, damp breath against her palm, and Sabine pulls back and wipes her hands on her pants.
  
  "Hey, buddy. Isn"t it way past your bedtime? What's up with that?"
  
  "I just picked him up from a sleepover." Hera interjects, practically waving her fist at a blue sedan that cuts her off. Jesus, she"s like an old man. Sabine is surprised she hasn"t been told to get off the lawn yet, though it"s really only a matter of time. Her and Ahsoka are forever complaining about kids these days and taxes and gas prices, as if Sabine or Jacen give a shit. Jacen is eleven and Sabine has never once paid her taxes.
  
  "I threw up on my friend Theo"s bed." Jacen says solemnly, punctuated by a grunt from Chopper as if he can confirm. He might be able to. Chopper, despite being about a hundred years old, not to mention extremely grumpy and borderline asthmatic, has a sixth sense for everything regarding Jacen"s well-being.
  
  "Gross, dude. You eat too much candy?"
  
  "Yup."
  
  Sabine makes a face at him, earning a giggle, and Jacen goes back to tapping at his sticky iPad with Chopper"s head resting against his leg and smearing drool on his pants. At least whatever he"s playing doesn"t have audio (that or Hera made him turn the volume off) and Sabine turns back to Hera with a raised eyebrow.
  
  "Back to you tracking my phone?"
  
  "It"s just a safety measure, that"s all."
  
  "Right." Sabine drags out the word, wondering if there"s a way to get Hera to stop doing that, especially because the look on Hera"s face indicates that she absolutely does not believe her own words. Creep. She"ll have to leave her phone at home next time she goes out and see how many pointed texts she"s gotten when she gets home. Maybe Hera will chip her like she did after the fourth time Chopper wandered off in search of some chicken bones.
  
  It takes another five minutes of silence before they reach Hera"s house, a nondescript bungalow with Jacen"s bike propped against the garage door and chalk drawings covering the driveway, and she parks in front of the mailbox and turns her hazard lights on to force cars to go around her as they pass.
  
  "Alright, you and Chopper go straight to bed, you hear me? I"m gonna drive Sabine home, I"ll be back in ten to say goodnight. No screens, either of you, and lock the door behind you." Hera says, very sternly, as if Chopper is going to plop down on the couch and turn on the news, and Jacen slings his backpack over one shoulder and unbuckles his seatbelt.
  
  "Yes, mom. Goodnight, Sabine." Jacen leans forward and accepts a kiss to his mussed hair from both Hera and Sabine, dutiful as ever, and Sabine gives Chopper a goodbye pet as well as Jacen climbs out of the car and holds the door for Chop politely. He"s letting cold air in, but he"s being so sweet about it that Sabine can"t exactly complain.
  
  "Goodnight, Jay. Night, Chopper." Chopper responds with a grunt, getting more slobber on the leather seats, and then he hops down after Jacen and trots inside with him. Sabine and Hera both watch until they"re inside and the door is closed and Jacen has flashed the porch light to confirm he"s safe, and only then does Hera turn her hazards off and pull away from the curb.
  
  Since Hera is a buzzkill, she doesn"t let Sabine turn the radio on, just turns it off from the steering wheel twice until Sabine catches the hint, and so they drive in silence towards the slightly shittier part of town where Sabine lives. Her buzz is starting to wear off, apparently two rum and cokes isn"t enough to sustain tipsiness for longer than an hour, which is kind of annoying, and they pull to a stop at a red light and idle there.
  
  Hera turns in her seat to squint at Sabine, extremely disapprovingly, like she wants to say something that"ll probably start an argument, and then her eyes dart down to the side of Sabine"s neck and narrow even further. "What"s this-"
  
  "Hey, c"mon. It"s nothing." Sabine leans away before Hera can touch her neck, flipping down the sun visor so she can check what Hera is trying to poke at, and finds a collection of dark pink claw marks patterning the side of her throat. Fuck. Shin"s nails had felt good digging into her skin, little pinpricks of pain that set her senses on fire, but they left scratches that are extremely prominent and impossible to explain away. She tries to brush some of the longer strands of her hair down over her neck, probably only highlighting the marks, and the light turns green before Hera can ask any more questions.
  
  "Have you been smoking?" Hera asks, eyes back on the road, and Sabine bites down on the inside of her cheek so she doesn"t cuss. She"s like a dog with a fucking bone, just as stubborn as she was when Sabine came home late or was evasive about the mushrooms her and Ezra were doing in college, and Sabine has a feeling that if Hera found out the actual reason she smells like smoke, she"ll blow a gasket.
  
  "No." Sabine lies. One drag of Shin"s cigarette doesn"t count. Hera cuts her eyes sideways, pursing her lips, and Sabine brings the collar of her jacket to her nose and takes a sniff. Dammit. She stinks of smoke. She also has a white hair on her lapel, which she plucks off as casually as she can manage, and then flicks it to the floor and pretends to be looking at the road.
  
  "Are you in trouble?"
  
  "No more than usual."
  
  "Good. I don"t want to know, then." Hera runs a hand over her face, she looks tired, and Sabine thanks whatever god is up there for making Hera leave her alone. She finds another white hair caught in one of her rings, likely from where she had fisted Shin"s hair right before Shin decided she"d had enough, and she untangles that too and tosses it onto the floor next to the other.
  
  There had been a knife in Shin"s pocket and hunger in Shin"s mouth and desperation in Shin"s hips and Sabine watches buildings blur and tries not to imagine Shin slitting that comptroller"s throat. She fails, mostly because she can see it perfectly in her head; pale face spattered crimson, long fingers stained with blood, chest rising and falling as she flicked out a switchblade and opened up that man"s throat in a bright red smile. Has Shin killed people before? Will she kill people again? Will Skoll be angry with her for not killing this man? Will he send her back to finish the job? Will-
  
  "Sabine." Hera says, breaking Sabine"s trance, and Sabine shakes her head sharply to dispel her lingering thoughts. This is really not the time to be daydreaming about Shin"s wild eyes or the gleam of her white teeth as she cuts a man"s throat from ear to ear. Killing people is wrong. Even if they suck as badly as this man supposedly does.
  
  "So, what"s next, then?" Sabine is fairly desperate to change the subject, but Hera never misses an opportunity to deliver a lecture or a soliloquy or a monologue, and she immediately perks up in her seat and makes a turn that Sabine knows will mean they"re taking the long way back to her apartment so Hera will have more time to ramble.
  
  "Well, Morgan is fucking untraceable, besides your lead from that nightclub front we"re coming up empty."
  
  "And your victim of the evening?"
  
  "He"s being placed under witness protection, which can come either in the form of actual witness protection or an interrogation room, depending on what we dig up in the next few days."
  
  "Yeesh. Shady guy?"
  
  "Oh, you know, the standard "man with an inkling of political power" package consisting mainly of hookers, blow and occasional money laundering."
  
  "Is "hookers and blow" professional jargon?" Sabine grins, drumming her fingers against her thigh. She can still taste Shin at the back of her mouth, all sticky-sweet whiskey and cigarette smoke, and she huffs a paranoid breath into her hand to make sure that Hera can"t smell anything. Just liquor, but Sabine had been drinking too, and though she doesn"t often drink bourbon, Hera doesn"t know that. The last thing Hera probably remembers Sabine drinking is Fireball directly from the bottle as a teenager.
  
  "In this case, kind of. It's all connected, the hookers less so." Hera waves a hand. No wonder she dropped Jacen off first. The drugs are interesting, though, mostly because the idea of Shin surrounded by half-naked women and dime baggies full of blow makes Sabine want to laugh until she cries.
  
  "The coke is connected to Thrawn and the others?" Sabine asks as she begins fiddling with the shit in Hera"s cupholders. She thought Thrawn was higher-level than that. He looks higher-level than that, he looks like he should be commanding armies, not selling bricks of coke wrapped in duct tape. (Sabine might watch too much TV. Might.)
  
  "Oh, yeah. Laundering and drugs go hand in hand, Sabine, especially rich people drugs." Hera sounds as if she"s about to launch into a whole thing, so Sabine keeps her mouth closed and prays she"ll be as brief as possible. Unlikely, but it would be nice. "They buy the coke with money that is, all things considered, clean. Then that clean money becomes drug money, which makes it dirty money, so you need someone to clean it. Of course, no one's gonna do that for free, because who would risk a jail sentence without reward, right? So they wash the money for a cut of it, and suddenly they're also, by association, involved in the drug trade part of the scheme."
  
  "So out of these people we're after, who does what?" Sabine mostly understands all that. She much prefers buying weed from Ezra"s dealer and doing coke at parties if she"s offered, but she can understand the money involved in the big league stuff like in one of those shows her and Ezra watch when they"re bored and a little stoned. It"s not money she"s particularly interested in, but it"s gotta be serious cash.
  
  "Well, that's what we're trying to find out." Hera says, slightly patronising in that way she gets when she thinks Sabine wasn"t listening. Sabine is rarely listening, but she"s a grown-ass woman who doesn"t need to be patronised. Silence falls over the car, the only sound the faint hum of the motor and the gentle patter of raindrops as the sky starts to spit a fine mist of rain, and then Sabine twists one of her rings around her fingers and speaks up again.
  
  "You ever think about how easy it would be for an agent to commit these crimes? I mean, you're already experts."
  
  "No, I don't, actually."
  
  "Maybe you should, I dunno. Just something to consider." Sabine shrugs. This is why she could never do the stuff Hera does. Well, that and a whole host of reasons, including but not limited to some time spent in juvenile detention and the fact that the only reason she graduated college (Sabine has a visual arts degree, something she could"ve accomplished by sneezing on a canvas) is because Ahsoka and Hera threatened to skin her alive if she didn"t go to class.
  
  "Don't think so." Hera turns onto Sabine"s street, evidently they had taken the medium way instead of the long way, and Sabine runs her tongue over her teeth. They taste of orange zest and Sabine never wants to brush the flavour away. She does it again, just to let the tang of citrus settle on her tongue, and realises belatedly this probably makes her look like she"s on molly and is going to stress Hera out.
  
  "Man. Boring." Sabine says, pressing her lips together so Hera doesn"t start lecturing her about party drugs for the nineteenth time, and Hera slows to a stop in front of Sabine"s building and leaves the engine running. This is probably because leaving Chopper and Jacen unsupervised for more than twenty minutes is going to mean a lot of peanut butter stuck in the carpet, so Sabine unbuckles her seatbelt so Hera doesn"t go home to a house that might send someone into anaphylactic shock.
  
  "I know." Hera reaches out and brushes a strand of hair off Sabine"s forehead, tapping her on the temple with two fingers. "Take care, Sabine. Don't make me regret involving you in this."
  
  "I wasn't planning on it." Sabine gives her a grin, earning a shake of Hera"s head in return, and she waves Sabine out of the car with a rather indulgent smile. She stays at the curb until Sabine is inside, as always, which is both very sweet and a little annoying, and Sabine gives her a thumbs-up through the plate-glass window in the lobby and takes the stairs by threes up to her apartment.
  
  She still feels jittery, like her nerves have been hooked up to a car battery, like Shin"s kiss struck her with lightning, and it takes her three tries to get her key into the door and twist, another two to kick one boot off at the wall. Jesus. Is she a teenager again? This unravelled by a girl? A pretty girl, sure, a tall, beautiful, abrasive, raspy-voiced, pink-lipped, wide-eyed-shit. Are her dishes done?
  
  Ahsoka can"t have been in, because she would have left a passive-aggressive note about said dishes, but her dishes are in the drying rack by the sink she usually stores paint brushes in and her paint brushes are sitting in a cup next to the stove. She did not do her dishes before she left, Sabine only does dishes when she"s out of clean surfaces to eat off of and she puts them back into the cupboard wet, but here they are, done.
  
  Her donuts are in the garbage. Fuck, someone is coming to kill her. Someone has broken into her apartment and they"re waiting to kill her, hiding under her bed or in her closet, and Murley didn"t even stop them. Sabine wonders, briefly, if it"s one of Baylan"s goons, coming to kill her for making out with his daughter, and she grabs the metal paper towel holder from the counter and a spatula from a drawer. Neither of these are particularly effective weapons: the paper towel holder only has the cardboard tube on it and the spatula is half-melted from the time she left the stove on by mistake, but they"re better than nothing.
  
  She makes her way towards the living room, where she can hear the TV playing faintly, and just as she"s about to flick on the light and engage in single combat with whoever is in her apartment, someone speaks behind her.
  
  "Oh, hey-" That someone is cut off when Sabine whips around and cracks them across the face with her spatula. She fumbles for the light switch, still brandishing the utensil like it"s a sword, and the hallway light reveals dark hair far longer than Sabine remembers it being and a cheek flushing a violent red from the spatula.
  
  "What the fuck, dude?!" Sabine isn"t sure whether to hug Ezra or kill him. He hasn"t been home in six months and he decides to break into her home and do her dishes? Makes sense that Murley didn"t defend her, though. Ezra feeds him all the chicken he wants and lets him gnaw on all Sabine"s paint brushes with abandon.
  
  "What? You gave me a key!" Ezra frowns. How he grew that beard in six months, Sabine isn"t sure, but it"s kind of impressive. He"s all shaggy now, even his clothes, which are absolutely going to give Hera an aneurysm when she sees him. She calls Sabine a hippie whenever she wears sandals, so Ezra"s chances of escaping unscathed are low.
  
  "You're supposed to be on vacation, I thought someone broke in!" Sabine hugs him tightly even as she"s berating him, burying her nose in the collar of his sweatshirt. Ezra has been in the Galapagos for nearly half a year on some sort of spiritual awakening trip, meaning he"s mostly communicated with her via postcard and the occasional picture of him with a turtle, and Sabine has missed him desperately. Ahsoka and Hera both think that his spiritual awakening is an excuse for him to drink ayahuasca and have unprotected sex, but it sounded pretty fun in the postcards.
  
  "And your weapon of choice was a plastic spatula?" Ezra lifts a brow when Sabine finally releases him. This is rich coming from a man who regularly tries to break up bar fights using deep breathing techniques, but Sabine chooses not to bring up the fact that he"s gotten more black eyes than a cartoon character with that method and elbows him instead.
  
  "I don't have to defend my choice of utensil to you." Sabine scowls, setting down the paper towel holder on the side table. Murley wanders into the room, meowing impatiently at Ezra, who leans down to pet him between the ears. Dumb cat. Never takes her side.
  
  "Why are you so paranoid, anyway? I've never seen you this jumpy."
  
  "I'm not jumpy, you just scared me."
  
  Ezra squints very suspiciously at her, crossing his arms over his chest. The red mark on his face is becoming more distinctly spatula-shaped, which makes Sabine feel sort of bad for hitting him with it at full force, but she feels less bad when Ezra is looking at her like he just caught her shoplifting or something.
  
  "Where were you?" Ezra trails her into the kitchen, where Sabine returns her weapon to the drawer next to the stove. Besides doing the dishes, Ezra has apparently been reorganising; the cereal boxes on top of the fridge are arranged alphabetically and all the spices in the rack are ordered using one of Ezra"s organisational systems that means Sabine is going to be seasoning her scrambled eggs with cinnamon until she finally remembers to switch back.
  
  "Out. Did you eat my donuts?" Sabine looks pointedly over at the box in the garbage. Ezra leans against the counter with his arms still crossed over his chest, shaking his hair out of his eyes, and then shrugs.
  
  "I tried. They were stale as hell, though, so I threw them out."
  
  "Man, I was saving those to make donut granola."
  
  "That's disgusting."
  
  Sabine is the one shrugging this time. Donut granola isn"t the invention she"s proudest of, but it is one of the tastiest. She opens the fridge and retrieves two bottles of beer from the vegetable drawer, popping the caps off both with the naked lady magnet she keeps on the fridge next to Jacen, Chopper, and Hera"s Christmas card from last year and handing the foamier of the two to Ezra. They sip in silence for a moment, then Ezra cuts his eyes at her suspiciously and drums his fingers against the neck of the bottle.
  
  "So, what's her name?" He asks, swishing the beer around before he takes another sip. Sabine makes a face at him, crossing her arms right back, and tips the bottle back for a swig so she doesn"t automatically tell Ezra that her name is Shin.
  
  "What do you mean 'what's her name', there's no her. Why would there be a her?" This is a piss-poor defence, but it"s the only one Sabine has. It feels weird to not tell Ezra about Shin, though. She tells Ezra about all the girls she dates, he tells her about...whoever he"s dating, they always have, and keeping Shin a secret feels strange. Necessary, because Ezra gets loose-lipped when he drinks and would end up spilling to Ahsoka and Hera sooner rather than later, but strange.
  
  "Because you're only this dodgy when it's about a giiiirl." Ezra drags out the word, crinkling his nose at her, and Sabine rolls her eyes. Is he a fucking teenager, teasing her about girls? Christ. It was bad enough that he did that when they actually were teenagers, but Ezra is pushing thirty now.
  
  "Well, it's not. I'm just helping Hera with a work thing." Sabine waves her bottle, accidentally slopping a bit of beer over the lip, and she mops up the spill with the toe of her sock and wipes her hand on her pants.
  
  "Okay, you can't just say a 'work thing' like she's an accountant who needs her files organised."
  
  "Why not?"
  
  "Because she's not an accountant!"
  
  "It's classified, okay? I'm not allowed to tell you." Another terrible excuse. Hera had never actually said the word classified, nor did she say that Sabine wasn"t allowed to tell Ezra, but for some reason she wants to keep Shin as just hers for the moment. Saying her name aloud, making her real, it would mean that Shin couldn"t occupy some small, strange place in Sabine"s brain that she"s taken up residence in, she"d have to exist in the real world and Sabine doesn"t want her to.
  
  "Fine. I'll just call Ahsoka, tell her that Hera asked her to fill me in and she'll start blabbing immediately." Ezra sips his beer rather smugly. Well, that"s just not fair. That"s just weaponizing Ahsoka"s lack of conviction when it comes to anything Hera-related. They can only exploit that for taking petty cash from her wallet and the occasional get-out-of-jail-free card.
  
  "That's a dirty trick and you know it."
  
  "So, better I hear it from you than from Ahsoka. She exaggerates."
  
  This is true. Sabine sighs, taking another long swig of beer so she doesn"t have to come up with the words right away. She swishes the beer around her mouth, rinsing the last taste of Shin from her teeth, and then swallows and looks at Ezra with the most serious expression she can muster when she"s on her third drink of the evening and is still buzzing off the feeling of Shin"s nails scratching the back of her neck.
  
  "Hera and her team have had their eyes on some money laundering scheme for a while now, but apparently they've started getting serious, like, actual criminal serious." Sabine says, beginning to peel the label off her beer so she has something to do with her hands. Ezra raps his bottle against her knuckles to get her attention back, just hard enough to make her glower at him, and he brushes it off and mulls on her words for a moment.
  
  "I feel like money laundering is pretty serious on its own." He says thoughtfully, as if he"s aware of all the ins and outs of crime just from watching Netflix dramas while he"s baked out of his mind. Sabine has watched most of them with him and all she"s absorbed is that men in those shows are always far uglier than the actresses playing their wives.
  
  "No, dude. Murder serious. Drugs, assassins, hitmen. White collar to organised. All of it."
  
  "Like mafia shit?"
  
  "Maybe!"
  
  "Well, that's insane. Why are you involved in this again? I'd love to know what skills you possess that could possibly help stop the mafia." Ezra finishes his beer and flips the bottle into the recycling neatly. Sabine would be offended if he wasn"t right. Painting murals and eating pizza aren"t exactly helpful, and kissing Shin wasn"t something Hera had specifically asked her to do nor is it something Sabine wants Hera actually knowing about.
  
  "Fuck off. I'm just snooping around for Hera 'cause she looks like a narc in any place that's a pay grade below a Ritz-Carlton lobby." Sabine listens to the bottle rattle around at the bottom of the recycling bin and then listens to Ezra snort. Hera isn"t even an actual cop and people avoid her on the subway.
  
  "That's an excellent point, actually. Like, there's no reason for her to wear a pantsuit to Whole Foods." Ezra laughs. Sabine tips her bottle at him in agreement, finishing the last dregs of her beer, and their laughter fades to a comfortable silence that Sabine hadn"t realised she"d missed this much.
  
  "I missed you." Sabine chucks her own bottle into the recycling, where it clunks loudly against Ezra"s, and gives him a grin. He grins back, warm and kind as ever, and wraps one arm around her neck so he can kiss the top of her head.
  
  "Bet you did."
  
  Notes:
  tumblr is wakesirens
  
  Summary:
  Follow the adventures of the witch Millie and her familiar Sophia as they travel Japan. They're on the hunt for sexy monster girls, and all the fun they can have.
  
  Chapter 1: Arriving in Japan
  Chapter Text
  Magical Sexual Hunting
  
  Chapter 1: Arriving in Japan
  
  Two women came out of the plane together, each with a bag. One of them was a tall woman, about 5"11" tall, with the kind of curves that would make people think she was a model, or a porn star, with long red hair down her back and bright blue eyes. The other one was shorter, about 5" even, with shoulder length black hair and green eyes, her body wasn"t as curvy, but she looked quite graceful, almost catlike in her movements. "Ah!" the blonde girl said, "We finally made it to the Land of the Rising Sun! Give me some sushi! Give me some Fuji! Give me some hot girls!"
  
  The shorter woman shook her head and said, "Calm down, Mistress. There"s no reason to draw attention to yourself." The redheaded girl laughed but didn"t say much else as they went through the airport and passed by security. The airport security officers were stunned by what they found in the redhead"s bag, one of them blushing as red as a tomato as he asked in Japanese and then English, "What is the reason for your visit to Japan, business or pleasure?" The redheaded woman smiled and answered in Japanese, "I"m here for pleasure, lots and lots of pleasure." The smaller woman sighed in exasperation and said in Japanese, "I"m with her. Same thing."
  
  Airport security then hurried them along, and tried not to watch as they left, but the shorter one had a very nice butt, and she was sashaying as she went.
  
  "You"re such a showoff, Mistress," the shorter woman said as she caught up with the taller one. The Mistress only smiled wide, "I can"t help it, Sophia, some people are just so easy. And we are here for pleasure after all." The Mistress then pulled out her phone and showed her the website she had found, "There are so many kinds of monster girls here, all ripe for the taking! I figure at least five or six will be enough for my harem, maybe even seven for it is a good magical number. And like the First Law of the Pink Path says, "The more the merrier"."
  
  The two women walked through the city of Kyoto and found a hotel that was renting for the night and rented their room on the third floor. They saw that they had found a legendary Love Hotel when they went inside and saw a minibar, heart-shaped bed, and an open shower and bath area where anyone could see them. Once they set their bags down, Sophia stretched, and two cat-ears sprang from her head and a black tail appeared from her back. "Ah! It feels so nice to let my parts out," the cat girl said as she stretched and then started stripping off her clothes.
  
  Sophia was indeed a familiar of her Mistress, a black cat spirit who gratefully served her Mistress on the Pink Path of Magic. There were many paths of Magic, the Green who relied on the power of nature, the Black that relied on the power of Evil were two such paths. The Pink relied on the life giving and Tantric power of sex. As Sophie stripped and stretched her feet and arms became covered in black fur while her nails turned into claws. Her skin was quite pale, her thighs, body, and upper arms were hairless; but her vagina was covered in thick black pubes. This was the form that her Mistress enjoyed the most.
  
  "So, Mistress Millie, when will we start the hunt for your harem?" Sophia asked as she crawled onto the bed, while her Mistress, Millie, got her clothes off and headed for the shower, showing off her pale yet freckled skin, DD sized breasts, 27" waist and wide 38" hips. "We"ll start tomorrow. I got a contact who can help me find the first girl for us, an onryo in a DVD," Millie answered before starting the shower. Sophia"s tail wagged as she followed her Mistress into the shower.
  
  "Let me wash you, Mistress," Sophia said as she pulled out some soap and started covering Millie"s voluptuous body in suds. She paid special attention to every inch of her, making sure she was good and clean as her Mistress liked, teasing her large breasts and pink nipples especially, making sure that her fiery bush was wet with more than just water. "Oh Sophia! I love it when you"re like this!" Millie moaned. Sophia took her to the edge, but never let her tip to the point of orgasm. "That ought to do it!" the cat familiar said with a smile. "AWWW!" Millie groaned in frustration.
  
  "Come to bed if you want more," Sophia said as she left the shower, shook off the water on her then dried herself off. She sashayed to the bed and sat down on all fours, her rear end high and tail up to show off her pink asshole and hairy quim. Barely five minutes later, Millie came out of the shower, her red hair still damp. She marched to her familiar and gave a hard smack on her rear. "MEOW!" Sophia screamed, then Millie spanked her again, making her give another "MEOW!" Millie grabbed Sophia"s tail and said, "You"re a naughty little kitty, toying with me like that. I"m going to spank your lovely ass red, then you"ll be eating me out good!"
  
  "Yes, Mi-MEOW!" Sophia"s answer was cutoff by another spanking, and then another. Every time Millie spanked her familiar, Sophia gave a loud "MEOW". Millie was merciless, and in only a few minutes, Sophia"s normally snow-white bum was bright cherry red from all her spanks. Millie climbed in front of Sophia and laid down, spreading her legs and showing off her fiery red bush and cunt. Sophia quietly went down and licked her Mistress"s cunt in all the ways she knew she liked. "Good girl," Millie moaned as her familiar licked up and down her slit.
  
  Her tongue was slightly rough, but not so much that it hurt as she ate out her Mistress, licking like she was the most delicious thing she would ever taste. "That"s my pretty kitty!" Millie moaned as Sophia ate her out, never stopping until Millie finally came. "OHHH YEEEESSSSSS!" Millie screamed as she finally reached orgasm, and Sophia gently licked her quim and legs clean. "Now, come have your milk," Millie said. Sophia climbed up until her face was level with Millie"s large breasts, and she latched on to her left nipple and started sucking on it.
  
  Part of the contract for a Familiar Spirit for a witch was that they could regularly have the fluids of the witch; either their blood or milk. Sophia chose Millie"s milk, and sucked it up ravenously, making her Mistress groan as she felt her breast milk coming out. Millie gently petted her head and said, "That"s a good kitty, such a good kitty." Sophia drank her fill and sighed contentedly as she let go of her Mistress" breast. Millie reached down to her dark-haired quim and gently stroked it before shoving two of her fingers inside her.
  
  Sophia groaned contentedly as she felt her orgasm coming, and Millie moved her fingers faster and harder inside her. Sophia screamed out as she finally came, her cunt squirting her fluids out like a fountain. Sophia sighed, and her Mistress gave her a kiss as she felt the magic of the Pink Path fill her; one had to satisfy their partners in order to gain power from the Pink Path. "Tomorrow, we"ll have a new partner," Millie said. Sophia smiled, "I can"t wait Mistress."
  
  
  Chapter 2: Ghost in the DVD
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 2: Ghost in the DVD
  
  Millie woke up and sighed, her pretty kitty familiar Sophia was snuggling up to her, and she looked so cute. Seeing her made her so horny, from her flawless pale skin to her dark as night hair and fur, her small yet tasty breasts and her amazing legs and ass, all of it was hers; she could do anything to her familiar. As long as she fed Sophia her breast milk or blood, the cat girl was hers until death do they part. Millie"s hands explored Sophia"s body, massaging and feeling everything from her ears to her feet before she settled on her fine behind. Sophia woke up and purred at her before they kissed, their tongues moving and dancing together; after ten years they were very good at making each other horny. It really helped as Millie grabbed Sophia"s butt and lifted her up to her face.
  
  Millie licked up and down her pretty kitty"s pussy, enjoying her taste and smell, something like a mix between cats and flowers and humans. Sophia moaned and meowed as her witch mistress ate her out, and Millie felt her power increasing with her familiar"s pleasure until she at last came, squirting all over Millie"s face. She was about to continue, when the phone in their room went off. "Fuck me," Millie said as Sophia climbed off her face and then climbed down; she chose to take Millie"s curse as an order. Millie reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the phone while Sophia started licking up her slit.
  
  "Hello?" Millie said, trying to keep her voice down as Sophia started licking her faster. "Miss Bookman, your time in our hotel has expired. You must either pay for an extension or leave within the next fifteen minutes. "OH!" Millie groaned, then got a handle on her voice as Sophia sucked on her clit and managed to say, "Fifteen minutes, understood. We"ll be down soon!" She grabbed Sophia"s head and yelled, "FASTER WE NEED TO LEAVE SOON!" Sophia moved her mouth and lips faster than any human could, and barely a minute later, Millie came.
  
  "Alright, we don"t have time to shower, so we"ll have to get clean at a public bathhouse nearby," Millie said as she and Sophia climbed off the bed and got dressed. Millie put on some tight pants and a green tube top with her heels while Sophia wore a black and white striped shirt and black pants and her normal black boots and made sure to change her form. Her arms and legs lost their hair and her claws turned back into nails as her ears and tail disappeared. "It feels so weird to have human ears," Sophia said as she parted her hair and felt her human ears, "Even after four-hundred years and seven mistresses, you"d think I"d be used to it."
  
  "Some things are just habit," Millie said as they packed their bags and hurried out to the front of the love hotel. After checking out the two of them walked together down the streets of Kyoto, following a map on her phone straight to the bath house. "I thought we had to meet someone who could help you summon an onryo," Sophia commented as they walked. "We"ll meet him at noon. We got time for a bath, breakfast, and maybe a little shopping for some cute outfits for you," Millie smiled at her familiar. Mi
  
  They made their way to the Public Bathhouse and went into the women"s section. There they entered the showers and cleaned themselves off before grabbing the towels provided for bathhouse patrons and went into the large bath. There were plenty of other women and girls already there, from old ladies to young girls almost old enough for school and everything in-between. Many of the women and girls there all watched as Millie went inside and laid down in the bath, with Sophia following close behind. Millie was used to this reaction; she was taller than average and had some fantastic curves if she did say so herself; both those things tended to make her stand out a lot in a crowd.
  
  The attention made Millie feel good, it might help her attract potential partners, or even an apprentice in the Pink Path of Magic. As she let the heat of the bath fill her, Millie remembered how she first met her Teacher, Allison, on the beach. Allison was a woman of about average height but some amazing legs and breasts with long dark hair and a grey streak down the middle. Allison and she had had a one-night stand, and Millie had been so good that Allison offered to teach her the Pink Path of Magic. Millie accepted, and twelve years later, here she was in Japan, looking to make an entire harem of monster girls. "Are your boobs real?"
  
  Millie was taken out of her head from a question a young Japanese woman asked her. She was quite handsome with dark hair in a short boyish cut and a smirk on her face that told Millie she was definitely into girls. "Yep," Millie said with a smile and lifted up her breasts, "All natural. Great genetics and all that." Millie was interrupted by the sound of her stomach grumbling, and Sophia said, "I"m starting to get dizzy, Mistress." Millie smiled at the Japanese girl with short hair and said, "We need to go. Hope we can see you again..." The Japanese woman smirked in a real playgirl kind of way, "Ryuko, Takeda Ryuko. Hope I can see you both later." Takeda Ryuko eyed Millie and Sophia one more time and then went her own way while they went theirs.
  
  "She looked interesting," Sophia commented as they got dressed and left the bathhouse, "I think she might have talent for magic." "Oh?" Millie said, "Are you sure?" Sophie nodded, "It"s quite possible. I sensed the spark inside her." Millie was intrigued by this and hoped that Fate would bring her and Takeda Ryuko together again.
  
  Guided by her phone map, Millie and Sophia made their way to a pancake restaurant and split a stack of six pancakes loaded with strawberries, blueberries, and cream. The pancakes were so fluffy and sweet that they had to have black coffee to counter the sweetness. It was a good breakfast, and after having another coffee they headed back out. Millie"s phone rang as they left and she answered, "Moshi moshi?" A man"s voice said, "I have the package you wanted, if you still want it. But I have to leave Kyoto, so come to the place in half an hour." With that, he hung up.
  
  "So much for clothes shopping," Millie sighed, "I was really hoping to pick out some cute goth loli outfits for you." Sophia shrugged, "Oh well. Let"s get this over with. Are you sure that your plan will work?" Millie nodded as they headed for a dark alleyway on the lonelier streets of Kyoto, "I"m sure. Onryo are spirits of revenge and anger. If we can quell that anger, one of two things will happen; she"ll either move on from this plane of existence, or she"ll be so happy she"ll join my harem. Win-win to me." Sophia nodded but commented, "I hope you"re right."
  
  The two of them made their way down the alleyway and spotted their contact. He was wearing a mask, but in previous messages said he would be wearing a green baseball cap. He was dressed in green and held a small plastic case. "That"s far enough," the man said. "Give me my payment, and I"ll give you the DVD." Millie nodded and raised her right hand. A bright pink magic circle with a dozen sigils appeared above her hand, and from the magic circle a green gem the size of a chicken egg dropped into Millie"s hand. Inside the gem there was a small writhing fire, a living fire.
  
  Millie and the man walked closer to each other and stopped six inches in front of each other. They held out their hands and both took their items, the man took his gem and Millie took the DVD case. "I hope you know what you"re doing," Millie told him, "That djinn is a tricky one." The man answered, "I hope you know what you"re doing. That ghost is murderous." Millie and the man nodded to each other, and then the man waved his hands, and a green portal appeared beneath him. He slipped into the portal and was gone.
  
  "Alright, that"s that," Millie said, then her and Sophia headed out to their next destination. They went into a grocery store and looked around, checking on the herbs. Millie picked out some rosemary, thyme, hyssop, sage, and mint. She also bought a small tea kettle and some green tea. Once they had their items, she and Sophia took a bus back to the Love Hotel. They checked back into the Hotel for three hours and went to their room. It was similar to the last one, so they were ready.
  
  Millie prepared the herbs and mixed some into the tea, then took her suitcase and pulled out a box of salt and mixed some into the herbs. Millie brewed the herbal green tea and prepared a salt circle around herself. Millie and Sophia drank the herbal tea when it was ready, and then Sophia stripped naked and transformed, only this time her entire body was covered in fur and her teeth turned into sharp fangs. She might have to fight against the onryo in the DVD. Once the preparations were made, Sophia took the DVD and put it in a player in the room.
  
  On the TV appeared an empty alleyway. Suddenly, there appeared a pale woman on the scream with long hair down her front, hiding her face. She was wearing a ragged and torn office worker"s dress. The woman walked closer and closer on the screen, and then the screen moved outward. The onryo pushed her way out of the screen and into the real world, snarling like a feral animal as she moved. "I will kill you!" The Onryo screamed as she ran at Millie, only to stop at the salt circle. "There is no need for violence," Millie said, "We should talk, Kuroko."
  
  The onryo stopped then, and then growled and tried to swat at Millie, only for her blows to stop outside the salt circle. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!?" The onryo, Kuroko, screamed. "Everything," Millie said, and looked at the ghost sadly. "I know that you were in love with your office senpai. I know that she used you to slake her lusts for women, but she had a male lover, a yakuza. I know that she tricked you into meeting her in an alleyway, where her lover and his thugs raped and murdered you. She made a DVD recording of it all, the very DVD you are haunting. You already had your revenge on them, Kuroko. You already killed Mashirao Mitsuki and her lover, Ryumen Guro. There"s no reason for you to be angry."
  
  The onryo growled, and lashed out at the salt circle, buy couldn"t go past it. Finally, the ghost"s growls and curses degenerated into sobs. "I loved her!" she screamed, "I loved her! Why didn"t she love me back!? Why did she help kill me?" The ghost of Kuroko sobbed and sobbed, and Millie finally pushed away the salt, and then wrapped the crying ghost in a hug. "I"m not her, but I can help you, if you wish. What is it that would make you happy, Kuroko?" Kuroko gasped, and looked up, her long hair parted. Her skin was deathly pale, but her lips her adorable, she had a cute button nose, and her hazel eyes showed life.
  
  "Do you mean it?" Kuroko asked. "Of course I do," Millie assured her. "I"m a witch with great power." Kuroko smiled, but then she said, "I can"t touch anyone, because I"m a ghost. I want to touch another woman and make love again. Can I, use your body for that?" Millie smiled, "Sure. I even have a cute girl you can make love to. Sophia?" Sophia stepped forward and changed her form, she had no fur on her body, her claws turned to nails, teeth were like a human"s, and the only hair on her was on her hair and pubes. Kuroko licked her lips and said, "Can you top me? I was a bottom in life." Sophia nodded, and Kuroko smiled, before she passed into Millie"s body.
  
  The first thing that Kuroko-in-Millie"s body did was feel up her new body. "Wow, this feel so weird, this woman"s body is so tall!" she said. "Mistress Millie is quite unique," Sophia agreed. Kuroko nodded with Millie"s body, and then she stripped naked, and admired Millie"s body some more before she went to the bed. Sophia followed her and climbed on top of Millie"s body. The cat familiar kissed Millie"s lips, and gently pushed her tongue into her mouth. Kuroko answered with Millie"s tongue, and they were soon kissing like they had been lovers for years. Sophia stopped kissing her and kissed her way down Millie"s body, making Kuroko groan as she felt physical pleasure for the first time in years.
  
  Sophia kissed and nibbled her Mistress" body and made her way to her quim. She immediately dug in, licking and kissing Millie"s pussy with all her skill, and Kuroko yelled as she felt the most intense pleasure she had felt in what felt like forever. Millie"s body came, but Sophia wasn"t done, and she fingered her soaking cunt, and then surprised Kuroko when she gently slid her fist into Millie"s quim. "OH GOD! THAT"S SO GOOOOOOOD!" Kuroko screamed as loudly as Millie"s voice could go and squirted all over the bed. Sophia pulled her hand and licked her Mistress" fluids, "Are you satisfied, Miss Kuroko, or can you handle one more round?"
  
  Kuroko sighed, "One more time, please." Sophia nodded and then climbed up until hers and Millie"s cunts were touching, and she lifted one of Millie"s long legs over her shoulder and started moving her hips. Kuroko groaned and started moving Millie"s body. The two of them, the ghost in the witch"s body and the cat familiar filled the room with their moans as they mutually pleasured each other, and Sophia started moving faster. Kuroko struggled to keep up but was soon too overwhelmed. Together, Sophia and Kuroko in Millie"s body screamed as they came, and Kuroko left Millie"s body.
  
  "Wow, didn"t know you were a screamer," Millie said with a cough. "So, Kuroko, do you want to keep doing stuff like this?" Kuroko smiled, but said, "I wish I had a body of my own." Millie nodded and licked her lips, "I can do that."
  
  Chapter 3: A New Body and a New Apprentice
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 3: A New Body and a New Apprentice
  
  
  
  The day after meeting Kuroko, Millie and Sophia got dressed and washed up, this time Sophia wore a purple dress with leggings and boots while Millie went for a long-sleeved shirt, still tight though, with her usual tight pants and heels. "Alright Sophia," Millie said as they left the Love Hotel, "We need to find some herbs, talk to Ryuko, and gather some soil, lots and lots of soil. We"ll need to head to a forest most likely to find enough soil, and the more life in it the better. Plus, if we"re going to make this work, we"ll need another. If you"re right about Ryuko, then she"ll be a big help for us. This will be a very busy day for us."
  
  "I understand Mistress," Sophia said as she walked behind her, "Making a golem body for a ghost is quite the task after all. Plus, we"ll need all the tantric energy we can make, as well as blood. Having a third partner would definitely make the task easier." Millie nodded and they had their breakfast before going to the Public Bath House again. This time, Millie kept her eyes peeled, looking for Ryuko. "I smell her, Mistress," Sophia said beside her, "She"s on the other side of the bath, and she"s very aroused." Millie and Sophia waded their way through the pool and found Ryuko up to her neck in the water, clearly looking at a couple of young women who were merely wetting their feet.
  
  "Hello, Takeda-san," Millie said as she stood up in front of Ryuko, her quim in line with her eyes. Ryuko looked up and smiled, "Hello again, Oppai-san." Millie snorted, "I have a name, it"s Millie, Millie Bookman. And this is Sophia." Sophia waded over to Ryuko and sniffed the air around her. "What"s wrong? I washed," Ryuko said as she stood up. Now that Millie could get a better look at her, Millie liked what she was seeing.
  
  Ryuko was a short woman, maybe 5"4", but she had the body of a fighter, all toned and tight with six pack abs and large knuckles that showed she studied karate. Her thighs were just as toned, if slightly large, and she kept herself cleanshaven between her legs; a small thing for Millie to dislike because she preferred girls with hair down there. But the rest of her body made up for that. "Tell me, Takeda-san," Millie asked, "Have you ever felt a spark inside you, felt yourself drawn to certain places you"ve never been to?" Ryuko nodded and said, "I guess. I usually get that feeling when I go to a temple or are near one. Sometimes, when I"m in a forest, I feel like I"m...a part of something bigger. And, when I make a girl cum really good, I feel like lightning"s running through me."
  
  Millie nodded, "I think I can explain that to you, if you want to hear me out." Ryuko shrugged, "Sure, but we"ll have to do it later. I"m a karate instructor, and my first class starts soon. Maybe we can meet later, say, dinner? I know a good ramen stand to talk at." "Sounds good," Millie agreed, and the three of them got out of the bath and after they dried off, Millie and Ryuko shared their numbers. Millie bent down a little and kissed her, and Ryuko responded by sliding her tongue in her mouth. It felt like lightning shot through Millie"s body and when they separated, Ryuko smirked before smacking Millie"s shapely rear, "See you later, Bookman-san."
  
  Millie sighed and turned to Sophia, "You were right, she definitely has the spark of magic in her. And with that attitude, the Pink Path might be perfect for her." Sophia smiled a little and said, "It will be interesting seeing how you act as a teacher." Millie nodded, "I hope I"m as good as Allison was. Anyway, let"s go, we need some more herbs for Kuroko"s body."
  
  They headed through various grocery stores and flower shops, and bought some more rosemary and sage, along with sweet woodruff, yarrow, and lavender. "Now we need some earth, the healthier and filled with life the better," Millie said, and consulted her trusty phone map to find the nearest forest. "Well, at least we don"t have to meet Ryuko until dinner time," Millie said when she saw how far they"d have to go. She then checked the bus schedules and routes and found one that would take them near the forest, her and Sophia went to the bus stop and waited.
  
  As they waited for the bus they sat down at a nearby bench and Sophia decided to take a nap and rested her head on her Mistress" shoulder. Millie let her and ignored the looks some people gave them. When the bus arrived she woke up her familiar and they took the bus to the closest stop to the forest. They got off and headed into the forest. Once they reached the edge, Millie took off her shoes and opened a pink portal like the one she had stored the gem with the genie in and stored her shoes inside it, while Sophia took off her clothes and threw them into the portal, before transforming. Sophia"s body grew smaller and furrier until she assumed the form of a black cat with blue eyes and followed Millie"s lead through the forest.
  
  The air seemed to hum with the power of life; the power that those who followed the Green Path of Magic relied on. All those trained in magic could feel the power of the forest, and Millie knew she had chosen a good place. They headed deeper into the forest until they finally found a spot with just enough clear space where the soil was loose enough for them to dig. Sophia transformed and became more humanoid except for her cat ears and tail, along with the claws and fur on her forearms and lower legs, and she started to dig up the soil, while Millie opened another storage portal and helped her put the soil inside it. It took an hour digging up the soil by hand, but eventually Millie decided they had enough soil to make a good body for Kuroko, and they headed out of the forest after Sophia returned to her human form and put her clothes back on.
  
  They took another bus back to Kyoto, this time Millie took a nap while Sophia let her rest her Mistress rest her head on her shoulder. As the bus drove them to Kyoto Sophia thought about all her previous Mistresses. Maybe it was because of the eras they had summoned her, maybe it was the Paths of Magic they followed, but none of her previous Mistresses had been as good to her as Millie. Most treated her as a servant, others as a slave for them to use and abuse as they wished. Only Millie had ever treated her as...human, as someone instead of something. Sophia smiled as she thought about how Millie had first summoned her. She had looked so surprised to see a familiar on the mortal plane, that she actually said, "Holy shit! It worked!" And then she said to Sophia, "Hello. Welcome to the Human Realm. I hope we can work well together."
  
  For the first week she never treated Sophia sexually. Millie treated sex as something special, something only people who truly wanted it should have. It was different from others Sophia had known, but then again, Sophia had first been born as a normal cat in the 17th century. Humans and their morals were different back then. Some things were better, some things were appallingly worse.
  
  Sophia noticed that they were almost back in Kyoto and woke up Millie. Millie yawned and said, "I need a drink." Sophia responded, "So do I, Mistress." Millie realized what she meant, and said, "Just wait until we"re someplace private." They were quiet for the rest of the ride until they reached their stop, and then Millie and Sophia headed into a nearby mall and made a quick beeline for the restrooms. They went in and when they were sure they had privacy in the stalls, Millie lifted her shirt and lowered her bra enough for Sophia to latch onto her breast and start to drink her milk. Sophia drank from her Mistress for about five minutes before she was satisfied.
  
  Once Sophia was fed, they left the Mall and made their way back to the Public Bathhouse where they met Ryuko, grabbing some snacks from vending machines along the way. After about a half-hour Ryuko arrived wearing a bright green shirt and pants with black boots. "Nice to see you two again. So, follow me and I"ll show you to the ramen shop," Ryuko said with a smirk. As they walked, Ryuko got between Millie and Sophia and groped their asses as they walked, and Millie returned the favor, while Sophia was silent.
  
  They made their way to a small ramen shop run by two old bald men and Ryuko said, "I"ll have the usual, Yuta-san. And I"m paying for these two." Millie checked the menu on the wall and said, "I"ll have pork ramen with extra vegetables. And a Sapporo beer." Sophia said, "Shrimp ramen, extra shrimp, with water," and the three of them sat down at a small table. They were handed two beers for Ryuko and Millie while Sophia got her water. Ryuko took a long swig of her beer before she said, "So, this morning you were asking a lot of questions. What was that about?"
  
  Millie explained, "Do you believe in witchcraft?" Ryuko put her beer down and looked Millie in the eyes. "That depends. Are you trying to scam me? I"ve read a few things about that sort of stuff, but I"ve also met a few fakes who just wanted money. I know that there"s something more out there, but I"m not some wide-eyed virgin," is how she answered. Millie nodded, "Good. Because I am a witch. Sopha is my familiar. And we think that you have the spark of magic inside of you as well. If you"re willing, I can teach you my Path of Magic."
  
  Ryuko finished her beer and ordered another, "Prove it, and I"ll do whatever you want." Millie sighed, then lifted her hand, and a magic circle appeared, and from it dropped a pair of grey boxers. Ryuko went wide eyed and grabbed them, "How did you do that?" she whispered. "Magic. That was a relocation spell, a little complicated because I took the undies right off you, but I needed to be simple to make sure that you would believe," Millie answered. Ryuko put her underwear in her pocket and looked nervous now. "Ok, so, you"re a witch. So, you think I can do stuff like that too?" Millie nodded, "In time, after years of studying and learning you can do many things."
  
  Their ramen was ready by then, so the three of them ate. As they ate, Millie explained the different Paths of Magic, and told her about the Pink Path that she followed. Ryuko smirked when she learned about that and said, "So, I"m full of magic power for being a stud. Nice." Millie smiled and told her, "It"s a little more complicated than that. You must be a generous lover to be energized by the Tantric Power of the Pink Path, but yes, you have the gift, and a lot of innate power. I"m hoping to use that power for something." Millie explained to Ryuko about Kuroko and how she was helping make a new body for her, and then told her what she could do to help, if she was interested. Ryuko finished her second beer and sat back a little bit to think. "I"m in. Just tell me where you want me, and I"ll do you, Sophia, and whatever else you need," she answered once they all finished eating.
  
  "If you have someplace private we can go it would help," Millie told her. The Japanese woman smiled, "Sure thing. My apartment isn"t huge, but the walls are thick at least. And my neighbors know that I bring new girls around all the time, so they tend to ignore me. Let"s go." They all paid for their meal, and the three of them left the ramen restaurant. Ryuko led Sophia and Millie through Kyoto"s streets down two blocks before they finally reached her apartment. The building was about five stories tall and looked old but sturdy at least as she led them to her apartment on the third story.
  
  "I"m home," Ryuko said as they entered her apartment, it was a small place, a living room, kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and her bedroom. The living room was simple with an exercise bike, a TV, a weight set, and a couch inside. The kitchen was small but functional, and Ryuko led them to her bedroom, all that was inside was a dresser, a bed, and a bookshelf with old action movies on Blu-ray inside. "So, what do we do first?" Ryuko asked.
  
  Millie and Sophia had kept their traveling suitcases on them the whole time, and Millie opened hers and pulled out a strap-on, lube, a stone mortar and pestle, and the DVD that housed Kuroko and said, "I"m going to make the herbs and soil ready. You and Sophia can start building up Tantric energy for the spell. Remember, you must be unselfish, make her feel good to generate the Tantric power within yourself." Ryuko nodded and turned to Sophia. The familiar and the woman started making out, while Millie started grinding up the herbs.
  
  Ryuko took the strap-on and lube and took off her clothes, revealing her toned, muscular body, while Sophia took off her own clothes and revealed her ears and tail. Ryuko whistled and said, "Just so you know, I"m a tachi. I"ve made plenty of girls my neko before, but I"ve never fucked a real one before." Sophia snorted, "I"m only doing this for Mistress. And I prefer anal, but Mistress doesn"t do it usually." Ryuko licked her lips as Sophia climbed on her bed, "I can do that."
  
  Sophia bent low and stuck her rear end high, and Ryuko immediately licked up her slit, taint, and anus, teasing her bottom with light kisses as well. Sophia moaned, "You"re good at this." Ryuko licked around Sophia"s cute pink anus and stuck her tongue inside, making the familiar groan in pleasure. While they did this, Millie finished preparing the herbs and opened a storage portal to let the soil out. She watched as Ryuko prepared the lube on the strap-on and Sophia"s lovely ass and forced herself to focus on mixing the herbs and soil.
  
  Ryuko gently slid the strap-on into Sophia"s butt and started moving. Sophia"s moans and mews fille the room as she groaned, "Pull my tail too!" Ryuko did as ordered, and Sophia made noises like a cat in heat mixed with groans of, "HARDER! FUCK ME!" Ryuko"s hips kept on moving faster and harder, fucking Sophia"s ass like she wanted, and the familiar came, squirting all over Ryuko"s bed, only to moan, "MORE!" Millie concentrated on her own task, and after mixing the herbs and soil she formed the mixture into a humanoid shape. Once she was done, Millie nearly tore her clothes off and stopped only to wash her hands off before climbing on the bed.
  
  She grabbed Sophia"s face and started making out with her. Sophia came a second time and Millie turned to Ryuko, "Fuck me." Ryuko smiled wide as she pulled out of Sophia, and Millie immediately started licking up and down the strap-on, tasting her familiar"s ass. Ryuko moaned as the small part on the strap-on inside her moved and she came, and Millie laid down and spread her legs wide. Ryuko didn"t need any more urging to climb on top of her and slide the strap-on inside of her. The two of them were contrasts, Millie with her light skin and freckles, red hair and blue eyes. Her curves and obvious feminine body, while Ryuko with her clear skin and dark hair and eyes and more muscular body, and yet they moved in nearly perfect synch, their hips nearly dancing together as they brought each other to climax.
  
  "Sophia, come here," Millie said as she and Ryuko changed position and Ryuko started screwing her doggy-style. Sophia climbed over and Millie pushed her down and started licking up her hairy quim, making the familiar moan as her Mistress pleasured her. The three of them moved together like they had been with each other for years, and soon came together. Ryuko moaned as she slid out of Millie and took the strap-on off, "Man, my hips are tired." Millie smiled and said, "Then how about we pleasure you?" Sophia and Millie went over and started kissing and licking up Ryuko"s powerfully defined legs, and the Japanese woman moaned as they reached her cunt and started licking it at the same time.
  
  Millie and Sophia moved together and soon had Ryuko screaming in pleasure as they made her cum three times in rapid succession before they finally stopped. "I think that"s enough," Millie said with a sigh, "All we need now is to add our blood to the body, I say the words, and then let Kuroko out." Sophia took the DVD to Ryuko"s TV to get it to play, while Millie went to Ryuko"s kitchen and grabbed a knife. "Ryuko, you don"t have to do this part if you don"t want to," Millie told her as she went into the room and prepared to cut her finger. Ryuko shook her head and offered her hand over the soil, "Go ahead, do it. I don"t think I"ve ever felt more alive before, even when I made it to the National Karate Championship. I feel like something bigger. Plus, I get a good excuse to screw lots of girls. I"m in this now."
  
  Millie nodded and cut the tip of her own index finger and let the blood drip onto the soil body, and then cut Ryuko"s index finger and let her blood drip down as well. Millie then chanted in English, "By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again. By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again. By the life of the Earth and the life of my blood, let the wandering spirit walk this plane again." Kuroko then appeared behind Millie, and Ryuko stared at the onryo as she moved into the room. Millie smiled at Kuroko, "Your new body is ready." Kuroko looked down and watched the soil body grow, and then moved inside of it.
  
  Sophia entered the room, and the three of them watched as the soil body changed, it went from a vaguely humanoid shape into a more feminine shape, turned from dark black soil into a pale skin of a woman who worked indoors. Other features became apparent, as Kuroko"s body was reformed, her curves came out, she had slightly larger breasts than Ryuko and kept her pubes in a triangle shape. The body formed into a perfect facsimile of humanity, and then Kuroko opened her eyes and looked around. "Thank you, so much."
  
  Author's Note: When Ryuko talks about 'tachi' and 'neko' she's referring to Japanese terms for a lesbian couple. 'Tachi' is the top while 'neko' is the bottom, plus it's Japanese for 'cat'. It's like a lesbian version of 'seme' and 'uke' for gay male couples.
  
  Chapter 4: Testing the New Body
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 4: Testing the New Body
  
  After Kuroko gained her new body Ryuko showed her around her house, after giving the ghost some of her clothes to wear. Luckily, they were roughly the same size, although Ryuko was more muscular. Kuroko spent the next hour simply getting used to sensations again like smell, and touch, and taste especially, eating almost half of what was inside Ryuko"s fridge. She wouldn"t have to worry about getting fat from it; her new body was artificial and didn"t follow the biological laws of a normal human body; she could pig out as much as she wanted. Once Kuroko was satisfied, she went to sleep on Ryuko"s couch while Ryuko insisted on sleeping on her bed with Sophia and Millie. It was a tight squeeze, but the Karate instructor didn"t seem to mind having her body squished against her new magic teacher"s body or with her familiar"s.
  
  Millie woke up to the sound of some Japanese rock band playing music in Ryuko"s living room and got up to see Ryuko was doing push-ups in her living room, clapping push-ups to be precise. Ryuko saw her and said, "Sorry if I woke you up." Millie shrugged, "I"ve had worse ways of waking up. Ryuko, we need to do one more thing before you officially become a witch of the Pink Path. In every Path there are laws you must follow to gain power from it and use it properly. Violating these laws is very dangerous, and can destroy your very soul, even if you do it on accident." Ryuko stopped exercising and nodded, "Tell me what I need to do."
  
  Millie remained naked and told Ryuko to strip as well. Ryuko followed her orders, and then Millie"s fingers glowed as she formed a magic circle around them that glowed bright pink, like a neon sign. "Focus your energy into your dominant hand," Millie told Ryuko. Ryuko raised her right hand and took a second to concentrate. Her hand glowed white and she stared at it. "I"m going to ask you questions, every time you answer them, you must promise to keep the laws, and then use your hand to sign your name in the air. This will bind you to the Magic of the Universe and allow you to use and control it with training. Are you ready, Ryuko?"
  
  Ryuko nodded and Millie said, "Do you swear to only use your power in ways that will not harm an innocent?"
  
  "I swear," Ryuko said, and then waved her hand, forming a white glowing kanji of her full name, Takeda Ryuko.
  
  Millie said, "Do you swear to never create a potion, drug, or use a spell that will take away another human being"s free will?"
  
  "I swear," answered Ryuko, and made her name in the air again.
  
  Millie continued, "Do you swear that you will never act as a selfish lover, no matter if your lover is only for a minute or a century?"
  
  "I swear," Ryuko answered, and made her name.
  
  "Do you swear that you will never use your power to attack another, only in defense of yourself and others?" Millie asked her.
  
  Ryuko answered, "I swear," and once again made her name.
  
  Millie then asked her last question, "Do you swear that you will honor the Witch"s Sabbath, the Solstices, and the Festivals of Life and Death every year?"
  
  Ryuko answered, "I swear," and made her name one final time. The magic circle then coalesced and shrank down until it was the size of a mole, and then attached itself to Ryuko"s left breast, right over her heart. Ryuko gasped as she felt as if she had just been branded, and then the pain immediately stopped, and she felt as if her body had just been energized with a million volts of raw electricity. Millie nodded and pointed to a similar mark on her left breast, you could only tell it wasn"t a mole or freckle if you were extremely, intimately close to her.
  
  "Wow... that was intense," Ryuko said as she looked at the mark. "I will tell you about the festivals later, the next one will be the Winter Solstice, which won"t be for a while," Millie told her. "Do witch holidays involve dancing naked and stuff?" Ryuko asked her. Millie chuckled, "I wish, but not really. They"re mostly gatherings and festivals; bonfires, offerings to well, depending on where you think our magic comes from, we honor the Universe, the Gods, the Earth herself, or the Magic. Many witches have their theories. My own teacher, Allison Greyfair, believes that magic is almost like The Force from Star Wars, an energy field that binds the Universe together and that only a few can wield. I personally think it might be from the Gods, which ones don"t matter."
  
  Ryuko shrugged, "I see. Um...how long will I have to study magic with you, Millie-sensei?" Millie got a glass and filled it with some water from Ryuko"s kitchen before answering. "That depends on you, Ryuko. Some witches can master their power within a year, others need to study and train for decades. I needed seven years before Allison said that I was proficient enough not to need her anymore. Everyone goes at their own pace," Millie explained as Ryuko got some water herself. "I understand that; I have quite a few students who are slower than others," Ryuko agreed, "So, what now?"
  
  "Your first lesson is in learning to find your power so you can summon it at will," Millie explained. "You need to concentrate, and you can make it appear." Millie then demonstrated by waving her hand and leaving behind a veil of pink sparkles. "That is the most basic skill and the most important one, like stances in martial arts." Ryuko nodded, and then looked at her hand and concentrated. For a second it glowed, and then it stopped. Ryuko stared at her hand and focused harder, and her hand glowed for five seconds before it stopped again. "This is harder than I expected," Ryuko said. Millie patted her shoulder, "You"re doing better than I did. It took me a whole week before I could concentrate my magic enough to do that."
  
  "Anything else I should know?" Ryuko asked. Millie looked serious then and told her, "Beware the Black Path. It is the only Path of Magic that is truly and purely evil. All other Paths are merely ways of bending the natural order for you, like if someone uses a river to make a water mill or hydroelectric dam. But the Black Path takes and uses the Magic only for oneself and gives nothing back in return, like a company that drills for oil and pollutes the land around the oil field. Only one who is truly evil chooses that Path. Forget what you see on TV or movies about people being seduced or slowly slipping into evil, to go down the Black Path one must choose to put yourself above others, even their very lives and souls. Unfortunately, it is also an immensely powerful Path, which is why people choose it, even though they must commit...abominations for it."
  
  Ryuko swallowed and asked, "What kind of abominations?" Millie looked her in the eyes and said, "Any stories you hear of witches stealing children and eating them or using their body parts to make their talismans and potions comes from witches of the Black Path. Those stories don"t apply to all witches, but they all apply to witches following the Black Path. To them, other humans and animals are nothing but resources to use to increase their own power. That"s all I"ll tell you for now. If you ever find yourself confronting a witch of that Path, run. You can"t possibly face one and hope to survive." Ryuko nodded at this quietly, and that was when Sophia walked in, naked, and Kuroko waked up from the couch and looked around. "Am I the only one not naked here?" the onryo in a golem body asked.
  
  "Pretty much. I say we could just stay like this and have breakfast, and then, take a bath," Ryuko said as she started making breakfast, and then looked at Kuroko, "And while we"re in the bath we can get to know each other better." Kuroko blushed but gave a small smile at that as she stripped down as well, leaving all the women in Ryuko"s apartment stark naked. They all had a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, and rice, and then headed into Ryuko"s bathing room. For the first few minutes it was just them all taking turns getting cleaned up, and Kuroko groaned as she felt hot water on her body for the first time in years, and Ryuko got a look in her eyes when she heard her moaning.
  
  "Let me help wash your back, Kuroko-san," Ryuko cheekily said as she grabbed a sprayer and sprayed down Kuroko"s back. She applied soap to her and lathered her back up, and her hands started massaging Kuroko"s artificial body, "Amazing. If I hadn"t seen it I would never have guessed this wasn"t a real body," Ryuko commented as her hands slipped down to Kuroko"s ass and gave it a hard squeeze. Kuroko moaned and Ryuko lifted her hands to grope the onryo"s breasts. "Do you want me to stop?" Ryuko asked her.
  
  "B-But Millie and Sophia," Kuroko tried to say, only to see that the witch and familiar were already making out, Sophia"s petite body being lifted up by Millie before she started licking up her cunt. Kuroko moaned as Ryuko pinched one of her nipples, "Come on, Kuroko-san. I"m sure that you want to really test out your new body." Kuroko nodded and said, "Please, make me your woman." That was all the encouragement Ryuko needed as she kissed Kuroko, and soon their tongues were moving together. It took a few seconds for them to find their rhythm, Ryuko soon took charge.
  
  Ryuko kissed and massaged down Kuroko"s body until her fingers reached Kuroko"s pubes and she asked her, "Do you prefer being eaten out or penetrated?" Kuroko groaned, "I don"t care, just fuck me!" Ryuko immediately slid her fingers inside her and started to move them. Kuroko screamed as she quickly came, and Ryuko moved her fingers faster, and faster. She claimed Kuroko"s mouth again, and Kuroko came two more times before she was satisfied. Ryuko pulled her fingers out and licked them, "Tastes just like the real thing. Nice." Kuroko was laying down and she watched as Sophia used her tongue to make Millie cum.
  
  "I want Sophia and Millie to have me too," Kuroko said. "Submissive, huh?" Ryuko said, "You want to be everyone"s communal property? Our little slut?" Kuroko blushed but didn"t deny it, "Yes! I owe it to you for giving me a body again! Use me like a whore as much as you want!"
  
  Sophia smirked and went over to Kuroko and then pushed her down and sat on her face. "Start licking then, you slut," Sophia said. Kuroko grabbed Sophia"s lovely behind and spread it wide to lick up and around her anus. Sophia mewled and bent down enough to reach Kuroko"s quim and started fingering her as well. While this was happening, Ryuko made her way to Millie and smirked at her. Millie sat down and she and her apprentice started making out, wrapping their arms and legs around each other. Their breasts slid over each other"s bodies, and they pushed closer to each other until their cunts touched each other. Ryuko started moving her hips more, and Millie followed her pace, before she started taking control.
  
  Ryuko started groaning, only for her sounds to be drowned out by Kuroko screaming in pleasure as Sophia fingered her. "Hey! Don"t stop! I"m not satisfied yet!" Sophia ordered, and Kuroko went back to licking around her anus. Millie and Ryuko"s hips sped up and Ryuko got Millie on her back as she started sliding her hairless cunt over Millie"s bushier one. The witch and witch in training moaned almost as loud as Kuroko as they came together, and then Sophia meowed even louder as she came. Kuroko smiled at Millie as she went over to her and kissed her.
  
  Their tongues were in perfect synch as they kissed, and Kuroko kissed down Millie"s neck and took her left nipple in her mouth to suck on it. While they made love, Ryuko turned to Sophia, who looked at her and said, "You"re the one who"s going to be on the bottom." Ryuko smirked and told her, "I"d like to see you try." Sophia shrugged and reached up to grab Ryuko"s shoulder and pressed down. Ryuko was quickly overwhelmed and hit her knees on the ground. "What the fuck!?" the karate instructor/witch in training yelled in shocked English. Sophia smirked, "I"m not of this world, the laws of muscles, training, and physics do not apply to me. I am as strong as I want to be. And I want to be strong enough to top you. Now, enjoy this neko"s pussy."
  
  She pressed Ryuko"s head to her quim, and Ryuko didn"t try to fight it as she licked up and down her hairy slit. Meanwhile, Kuroko made her way to Millie"s own quim and started eating her out. "Oh yes! Just like that!" Millie moaned and held onto Kuroko"s head. Kuroko moved her lips and tongue the same way, and never stopped moving it, while Ryuko was doing her own best to pleasure Sophia. Sophia soon screamed and squirted on Ryuko"s face, and then pushed her to the ground. "I think you deserve a reward," Sophia said as she went to Ryuko"s quim and spread her lips wide.
  
  Sophia slowly slid her fist inside her, and Ryuko screamed in surprise as she felt things she never had before! "OH GOD! HOLY FUUUUCK!" she screamed as she came harder than she ever had before, and her screams of ecstasy were joined by Millie"s own. The four of them all looked at each other for a minute, before Ryuko turned the water off. Sophia turned to her Mistress and said, "I guess this is two down for your harem, Mistress. What"s next." Millie took a minute to catch her breath before she said, "Apprentices don"t count... But tomorrow I"m planning to head to the countryside. We"re going on a fox hunt."
  
  Chapter 5: Talking and Hot Springs
  Chapter Text
  Chapter 5: Talking and Hot Springs
  
  The next morning, everyone woke up and got ready, no sex that morning because they had to head off to the countryside, Hakone to be precise. Millie had heard rumors of sightings of a kitsune there, a kitsune who only appeared to women and had booked a reservation for four at an onsen retreat near the location of the sightings. Ryuko had managed to get a week off from the dojo and had yesterday informed her students she was leaving for the countryside for a much-needed "spiritual retreat" and had arranged for her replacement during that time. Once everyone was ready, and wearing appropriate clothes for the countryside, they headed for the bus stop. Along the way, Millie explained the details of Witch Festivals to Ryuko so she"d know what to do when they went to one.
  
  As the four of them waited at the bus stop, Kuroko told everyone about her own life before her death. She had been raised in Hakone and had moved to Tokyo after her parents died in a car accident. "You"ll love the onsen there," Kuroko explained, "The baths are so clean and relaxing, and the mountain views are breathtaking. I remember going every winter near New Year with my parents, it felt like we were washing away the stress of the old year." Ryuko closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders at the thought, "That sounds nice. Especially if we get a bottle of good sake and a cute girl around your arm." Ryuko wrapped an arm around Kuroko"s shoulders then and the onryo blushed a little but had a nice smile.
  
  Millie saw this and thought to herself, well now, this is an interesting development. The bus rolled up and they all got onboard; Millie and Sophia in one seat while Kuroko and Ryuko on another. Once the bus was loaded and was on the way to Hakone, Millie whispered to Sophia, "You seem to be getting jealous of Ryuko. I"ve never seen you act so dominating to someone before." Sophia shrugged, "I don"t like how presumptuous she is. She thinks that she owns me because she"s your apprentice. I only belong to you, Mistress. I merely wanted her to know her limits over me. If you want me to make love, have sex, or fuck with her, I shall. Otherwise, I don"t have much attraction to her; her body is too hard, and her breasts are too small."
  
  "Be nice, Sophia," Millie said, "For my sake at least. Ryuko is important to me now, my first apprentice. You are important to me as well. Do you not like my harem plan?" Sophia shrugged her shoulders, "What I want doesn"t matter, I am your familiar, bound to you until your death." Millie flicked some hair off Sophia"s face and told her, "Don"t tell me that. Tell me what you want, that"s an order, Sophia." The familiar looked down and then turned her head to look out of the buses" window. After a minute of thought, Sophia turned to Millie and their green eyes met as Sophia answered, "I like the idea of a harem. But...since I can be honest, I want to be your main wife. Every other woman in it must treat me with respect, and I will answer to you. I will do with them however you desire me to, but whether I"m nice about it will depend on how well I get along with the others."
  
  Millie nodded to this, "You want a hierarchy, not a polycule." Sophia nodded, "If I can have the choice, that is what I want." Sophia smiled, and it was a genuine smile that showed the familiar"s happiness, "This...is the first time that I have been given a choice. Thank you, Mistress." Sophia gave Millie a gentle kiss and said, "I promise that I will make this worth your while tonight." Millie smiled, and then Sophia took a nap, laying her head on her shoulder. It was a peaceful bus ride, and soon Millie was sleeping as well, until they were finally woken up by the bus driver declaring, "Welcome to Hakone!"
  
  Millie and Sophia woke up and saw Ryuko and Kuroko were snickering at them. "What?" Millie asked. "You just looked so cute together," Ryuko said with a smirk. The four women got off and Millie checked her phone, they were an hour"s walk to the onsen. "Alright, time for some exercise ladies," she said, and headed out in the direction of the onsen. Halfway to the onsen, Millie felt something, a tingling up and down her spine that spread to her heart before ending in her brain. Millie looked around and stopped, and so did Sophia. "Did you sense that?" Millie asked Ryuko. The karate instructor/witch-in-training nodded, "Yeah, what was that?"
  
  "That means that there is another witch of the Pink Path nearby. Think of it as a "witch sense", it"s something that comes naturally to a witch, let"s you know that there is a friend nearby. If you feel it in your heart, it means that you"re near a witch following your Path. I"d say she"s quite powerful as well, the sense reminded me of my teacher." Ryuko nodded as they walked along, "This could be more fun than I thought." They continued walking, and Millie encouraged Ryuko to practice summoning her magic as they walked; there was no one around to see it so it would be safe. Ryuko managed to make her hand glow for almost three minutes before the onsen came in sight and she stopped. At the front of the onsen they saw the Proprietress, and Millie felt her witch sense going off when she saw her.
  
  The Proprietress was an average height older Japanese woman, mid to late-forties with dark hair that was slightly greying at the temples and wearing a blue kimono and traditional geta, her face was still beautiful despite the wrinkles around her mouth, and she had full, kissable lips. Even through the kimono it was clear she was quite curvy judging by the width of her shoulders and hips. The Proprietress looked up and smiled at her guests and then used her thumbs and forefingers to form an inverted triangle, "Welcome, Sisters," she greeted in Japanese. Millie made the same sign and told Ryuko to do the same, and said, "Greetings and thank you, Sister."
  
  "I am Aikawa Aiuchi, the Proprietress of the onsen," she greeted and bowed in Japanese. Millie introduced herself and her companions. "I wasn"t expecting to meet a Sister of the Pink Path here," Millie said as they went inside. "Onsens are quite romantic," Aikawa Aiuchi explained, "A fine place to find partners and gain Tantric Energy. It is quite restful here as well, a good place to retire." Ryuko spoke up then, "You"re not that old, Aikawa-senpai. I"d say you could show me a thing or two." Ryuko punctuated her statement by giving the older woman a firm slap on her rear.
  
  Aiuchi responded by giving her a firm spank in kind and told her, "You young girls could stand to learn a few things." Aiuchi"s hand glowed, and Ryuko gave an orgasmic scream before she fell down. "That was good," Ryuko said as Kuroko helped her up. "Just making a point, Little Sister," Aiuchi told her, and led them to a room. "You two will stay here," she told Kuroko and Ryuko, and then led Millie and Sophia to a room across the hall, "And you two will stay here. Food will be ready in an hour. Do enjoy your stay."
  
  Millie and Sophia watched her close the door behind them and looked around the room. It was a simple Japanese style room, with two futons and a mirror on the wall opposite the door, only the electrical outlets and a single wide-screen TV were the signs that this building was modern. Sophia took a deep sniff with her nose and shuddered, "Aiuchi-san has a dog familiar. Her stench is everywhere in this building." Millie looked at her familiar and said, "Be nice. We are guests here, and Aiuchi-san is a sister of the Pink Path. She might be able to help us find the kitsune." Millie then started taking off her clothes and laid down on a futon, "Since we have time, how about a massage?"
  
  Sophia nodded and pulled some massage oil out of Millie"s suitcase. She dripped some on her Mistress" back and started kneading her stiff shoulders. "Lower, get my legs," Millie ordered, and Sophia moved lower, making sure to work out every knot she felt in her Mistress" back as she went. Millie"s groans filled the room, and Sophia smirked as she worked on Millie"s long legs. She was enjoying this so very much.
  
  Meanwhile, once Ryuko and Kuroko settled into their own room, Ryuko turned to the onryo and asked her, "So, are you as horny as I am right now?" Kuroko nodded, "Definitely. That Proprietress reminds me of my first crush, my High School Japanese teacher, Reiko-sensei." Ryuko smirked, "Oh? Got a kink for teacher huh? Is it the skirts, or the thought of an older woman punishing you that gets you wet?" Kuroko blushed and said, "I did always like being spanked." Ryuko immediately slapped her ass hard, and Kuroko groaned.
  
  She kissed her, and Kuroko responded just as vigorously, soon they were stripping each other"s clothes off, not paying attention where their clothes ended up until they were stark naked. Ryuko sat down on a futon and said, "Come here." Kuroko sat down next to her and was shocked when she was pulled over Ryuko"s lap. She slapped her ass again, and Kuroko groaned, which encouraged Ryuko to spank her more, and harder. Soon Kuroko"s pale rear was cherry red, and Ryuko felt that her cunt was soaking wet. "How much do you want to cum?" Ryuko asked her. "I"ll do anything!" Kuroko moaned.
  
  Ryuko"s smile lit up then and she laid down, "Sit on my face." Kuroko did as she was ordered and stood up, then sat down on Ryuko"s face. The karate instructor grabbed her legs and immediately started licking up and down her slit. Kuroko"s groans filled the room as she came over Ryuko"s face, and then she laid down and looked at her bare snatch and started returning the favor. The two of them found a quick pace together, licking and kissing each other"s cunts, pleasuring and giving pleasure at will until they finally came together. Ryuko then pushed Kuroko off her and climbed on top of her. She kissed her and soon their tongues were moving together, sharing each other"s taste.
  
  Ryuko sat up and lifted one of Kuroko"s legs before sliding her pussy over hers. Kuroko started moving her hips with her, and both of them started groaning and Kuroko screamed, "RYUKO!" Ryuko moved faster as Kuroko kept on screaming her name louder, and louder. Finally, Ryuko couldn"t stop herself, and screamed "KUROKO!" as Kuroko screamed "RYUKOOOOO!" Ryuko smiled down at the onryo in a golem body and Kuroko smiled at her and said, "I love you."
  
  Meanwhile, in her own private room, Aikawa Aiuchi watched all this happening through mirrors in her client"s rooms. Her kimono was partially undone, and she was fingering her cunt as she watched her guests. "Oh, this will be a fun evening."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Summary:
  "Can I ask what your business is here in Calico?" a steady drawl comes from one of the buildings. As the dust clears, Shin sees a woman leaning against a wooden pillar holding up the overhang that rests above a wooden porch. It"s a saloon, although Shin isn"t sure what type of woman would be lingering around a saloon at dawn. Admittedly, Shin is intrigued.
  
  An outlaw on the run from the skeletons in her closet, Shin Hati rolls into the sleepy town of Calico only to find a restless deputy by the name of Sabine Wren. All she wants is a night of rest, tired of running, but it's not long before she gets a lot more than she bargained for.
  
  Notes:
  i've had this idea in my head for days and i wanted to write it so bad so here i am. i have done research into the wild west before but i found a video essay specifically on the history of queer people and poc in the wild west and if that is something that interests you guys (which, i imagine it does if you're reading a fic about queer people in the wild west), you should check it out here.
  
  Apologies for the brevity of this chapter, they will almost certainly get longer the deeper the story goes.
  
  (See the end of the work for more notes.)
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Shin Hati rode into Calico at dawn. She wasn"t sure how long she had been riding or where she was going, all she knew was that once she started, she couldn"t stop and well, here she was. She had heard of the golden west-towns that propped up in the remnants of the gold rush, populated by those fleeing the Civil War, and then after the war had passed people just stayed. It was a freer place, free from the ghosts of the east and the confines of what society remained from America"s days beneath the British. Shin had always found life in the east to be restricting. But that was a problem of hers no more. In the decade or so since the war, Shin had gotten herself into a number of troubles under the guidance of her uncle-usually involving robbing people blind, dueling deputies, and in Shin"s case, getting far too close to the wives of farmers and gentlemen alike.
  
  But Baylan was not here now, no. Shin had stolen her horse in the middle of the night with nothing but a pack on her back and the clothes she had on her. The inkling to run had been growing on her for years-she yearned for a permanent life somewhere, to find honest work as a cowboy or farmhand, and live peacefully. She didn"t want to hurt people any more. That being said, she would if she had to.
  
  She trots into an empty town, dust restless at the hooves of her horse, the dark of dawn still lingering. A low whistle draws her attention as the sun rises above the dirt town ahead of her. She pulls the reins-her black horse named Pepper (for the spattering of white spots across her face, of course) comes to a halt, hooves scraping against the dirt road as the dust settles around Shin.
  
  Even in the low morning, the heat is prominent, but Shin supposes that"s what she gets for running away in the dead of August, right when the desert heat is at its most merciless. Her smooth brown cowboy hat rests atop her blonde locks, the hair chopped just above her shoulders. When she was younger, she had it cropped close to her ears so Baylan could pass her off as a boy, but the older she got, the harder it was to hide. The clothes stuck, but she let her hair grow out every now and then. Her shirt is a deep green tucked into her denim jeans, a brown vest thrown over it, unbuttoned. Holstered in her vest is her pistol, ready to be drawn at a moment"s notice. She gets the prickle up her neck that tells her that might be soon. She"s always had a knack for sensing danger.
  
  "Can I ask what your business is here in Calico?" a steady drawl comes from one of the buildings. As the dust clears, Shin sees a woman leaning against a wooden pillar holding up the overhang that rests above a wooden porch. It"s a saloon, although Shin isn"t sure what type of woman would be lingering around a saloon at dawn. Admittedly, Shin is intrigued.
  
  It doesn"t help that the woman is-well, certainly something. Long dark hair falls around her bare shoulders, tan skin contrasted by the white shirt she wears-the neckline square across her chest, cinched fabric wrapping around her waist and disappearing into cascading teal skirts. Despite her dress, though, she has a pistol holstered on her hip, as if Shin could get any more curious.
  
  "And who will that be askin" then?" Shin calls back, not dismounting just yet, just watching. The two of them make steady eye contact-the woman"s form is that of someone looking for a fight, but Shin doesn"t want that. She just wants a bed and maybe some water for her and her horse. Plus, there are a number of things she thinks she might like to do with this woman and fighting is not at the top of that list.
  
  "The deputy of Calico, at your service," the mysterious woman-the deputy apparently, approaches her horse now. Slowly, the crunch of dirt and gravel beneath her boots the only sound aside from the steady pant of her tired horse. Pepper takes a step back as the woman approaches, taking Shin with her. She"s never taken too kindly to strangers-something the horse and the outlaw have in common. Shin tightens her grip on the reins, the spurs of her boots digging into the horse just enough to keep control. "And you look like trouble."
  
  "That"s a mighty big judgment to have upon first glance, miss deputy," Shin does her best to turn on the charm, but she"s never been too good at such a thing. She swindles men easily enough, but women are always harder to convince. After all, a con artist always knows how to spot one of their own. Shin can"t deny she looks like trouble, though-her face is half covered in dirt, only so much of it able to be covered by bandana when she"s riding, there"s a half-healed slice above her eyebrow from a fight in some mining town a couple of days ago, and her nose is crooked like it"s been broken a couple of times (Shin has lost count). Even so, most aren"t usually so bold as to call it out. "I am just here to rest my head and my horse. No trouble at all."
  
  When Shin senses distaste, that"s when she decides she won"t stay in a town. She"s running from enough, she doesn"t need to try and create more ghosts to follow her west. Granted, she"s gotten in a few good fights since she left Baylan-usually when she milks a glass of bourbon at a saloon and watches a drunkard get too bold with a prostitute or any poor woman that crosses his bath will she down the rest of her glass before smashing it over his head and bringing the barrel of her pistol to his chin. And there was the sheriff"s wife that one time that resulted in Shin being banned from several towns in Arizona. But she tries to stay out of trouble-most of the time. So, she won"t stay in Calico. No matter how much this woman has managed to hook her in the first two minutes of words between them.
  
  "So you tellin" me you aren"t the outlaw who"s face I"ve seen plastered across every saloon this side of the Mississippi?" the woman rests a hand on her belt, scarily close to her pistol. Shin still doesn"t remove her hands from the reins, but she would shoot faster than this deputy could if it came down to it. She always shoots faster.
  
  Shin leans down, a coy smile on her face as her eyes meet the woman"s. She"s not short by any means, but with Shin"s vantage point on the horse, she hovers just above her face, eyes tracing over her slowly before running back up to meet her eyes. "I never said that. I said all I want is a place to rest my head and my horse and then I will gladly get the hell out of your town."
  
  "You must think I"m a goddamn idiot if I believe a word of that coming from the likes of you-"
  
  "Sabine!" a voice calls out, grabbing the attention of both the women. Shin turns her head to see another woman coming out of one of the nearby houses-her skin is dark, a long black braid falling down her back. She"s dressed more similarly to Shin, clad in denim with a shirt and vest, a tan cowboy hat blocking her face from the rising sun. On her vest is a shiny silver badge-the Sheriff"s crest. A female deputy was a surprise enough, but a female sheriff is even more interesting. "Why"re you out here bothering newcomers at the asscrack of dawn?"
  
  The woman- Sabine, Shin now knows, huffs and goes over to the bulletin board right outside on the wall of the saloon, ripping one of the papers off and handing it over to the sheriff. The officer peers down at it curiously, reading the words off out loud, "Hm. Wanted for assault, assault with a deadly weapon, adultery, robbery-well, Miss Hati, you certainly have been busy."
  
  "We need to arrest her-"
  
  The sheriff cuts her off with a slight grin, eyeing Shin up and down with a curious gaze before crumpling up the wanted poster in her hands. "Why don"t you take a mornin" off and rest your head at our inn?"
  
  "Ahsoka, you cannot be serious," Sabine argues, eyes darting anxiously in Shin"s direction. "She"s trouble, just look at her."
  
  Shin finally dismounts her horse, patting Pepper on the head as she stalks over to where the two women stand. She gets closer to Sabine than she probably needs to, close enough to see the beads of sweat on her forehead and the flecks of gold in her wide, dark eyes. Yeah, if Shin is going to find trouble in Calico, she has a feeling it"s standing right here in front of her. She can hear the way Sabine"s breath hitches at her closeness and Shin finds pleasure in knowing she"s shaken up by something so simple.
  
  "You heard the woman, Sabine," Shin teases, voice careful and low, a steady drawl just to watch the way Sabine shifts at the sound. "I really ought to get some rest. Care to point me in the direction of the inn?"
  
  The sheriff-Ahsoka, Sabine had called her, points at a larger building down the road. "Right down there, tell Hera I sent you, she"ll comp your first night, no worries. Apologies for my deputy here, she gets antsy with your type."
  
  Shin just places her hand atop her hat and tilts it down with her head, bidding the sheriff goodbye as she retreats back into her house, leaving just Shin and Sabine out on the dirt road at dawn. The second her superior is gone, Sabine takes a step forward, a finger jabbed at Shin"s chest. "Don"t get too comfortable, I know all about you Shin Hati. You"re infamous out west and I take it no town will host the likes of you, not if they"re smart."
  
  "And yet," Shin steps back, jutting out her chin as her hands rest at her belt, "it seems Calico has welcomed me with open arms. You should listen to your boss, Sabine. I have been busy and I"d make quick work of a place like this if I really wanted to, you keep that in mind before you go reaching for your gun. Now, you have a good day, ma"am."
  
  Sabine doesn"t say anything further as she straightens up and steps back, brushing dust off her skirts less so to stay clean and more because she clearly doesn"t know what to do with her hands. The threat is empty, but Sabine doesn"t need to know that. Shin has run into many women like her in the west-restless, searching for something more, for a purpose. Sabine reeks of that sort of displeasure, anxious for something to change, to have something to do.
  
  Shin lingers there, a space too heavy between them as her eyes trace down Sabine"s form. Her skin is tanned, both from the sun and from natural complexion, freckles scatter across her bare shoulders, too many to count. The sun rises over the dust, casting an early golden hue over both of them. Behind her, Pepper whinnies, anxious to get some rest. She"s overworked her, Shin knows that much, but she couldn"t risk being followed. She"s tried her best to keep her trail scattered and erratic, impossible to properly trace. And Pepper has borne the most of that exhaustion.
  
  "Won"t be a good day with you in my town," Sabine seethes, finding her words with her arms crossed against her chest with a sort of righteousness Shin has seen in the eyes of many. She is no stranger to people wanting her gone. Sabine tilts her head and spits into the dirt beside Shin"s feet before turning to walk down the road.
  
  Shin just stands there for a moment, hands still on her belt and a curious grin on her face as her gaze follows the woman. As if she can feel her eyes on her, Sabine turns around, basking in the morning sun as dust swirls around her skirts with the steady wind of the west. Shin just gives her a crooked grin, tilting her hat and turning towards the inn without a second glance. She can feel the eyes on her, though-lingering.
  
  Shin just chuckles to herself as she heads for the inn. Sleeping at the desk is a woman who looks to be in her late-thirties, dark hair in close cut cropped to ears. A white shirt buttoned to her neck is tucked into brown pants and cowboy boots, minus the spurs. This town sure is chock-full of strange women, Shin is beginning to realize.
  
  The woman-Shin can only assume this is the Hera the sheriff spoke of-is leaning on her palm, mouth open in her sleep. Shin reaches forward cautiously and rings the metal bell on the counter. She startles awake, eyes wide as she sputters, seeing another person standing in front of her.
  
  "Shit, sorry "bout that," the woman says with a startled laugh, "My boy kept me up all night, you know how kids are."
  
  Shin just pulls her hat off her head and holds it against her chest for a moment before dropping it to her side. "I do not, but I am sure I could picture it just fine. You must be Hera? The sheriff-ah, Ahsoka was it? She sent me over here for a night or two."
  
  Hera nods, yawning with a hand haphazardly over her mouth before turning and pulling a key down from the wall behind her, handing it off to Shin without a second thought. "Up the stairs and down the hall, darling. Say, you look awfully familiar, have we met before?"
  
  She chuckles lowly, shaking her head and holding out her hand. "No, but I"m sure you"ve heard of me. Shin Hati. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
  
  The name rings a bell, Shin can see it in her eyes. Even so, Hera takes her hand and shakes it firmly. Her eyes narrow as she looks at Shin. "We don"t need anymore trouble in Calico, Miss Hati. I"m sure Ahsoka made that clear."
  
  Shin nods her head, curt and kind. "Absolutely crystal. Thank you for the accommodations, as well. Is there a place I could keep my dear horse? She"s pretty worn."
  
  Hera is watching her curiously, unsure what to make of Shin"s politeness. Back when her mother was alive (decades ago now), she always taught Shin to keep her manners in check until someone proved unworthy of them. The people of this poor town have done nothing to earn her disrespect-Sabine aside. But Sabine is a bit more fun for Shin, less of an offensive and more of a game to be played.
  
  "There"s a stable out back, should be a free stall for her to rest," Hera tells her finally, pointing around the back of the building. "You enjoy your stay."
  
  Shin just places her hat back on her head as she prepares to step back outside to get Pepper settled. She nods once more in Hera"s direction, thinking of the woman that had looked at her in the dust. "Oh, I am sure I will."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 2
  Notes:
  yes new chapter already i had a day off and was really bored so fuck it we ball
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin doesn"t wake until late in the evening, the sun low on the horizon. She had forgone her shirt and jeans, resting in just a white undershirt and her underwear with her jeans, shirt and vest tossed aside to be dealt with later. As the waking world greets her, Shin groans and reaches for the pocket on the inside of her vest, opposite where her pistol is still stashed, reaching for her carton of cigarettes and lighting one with the scratchy sheets still wrapped around her waist. It"s nice to take a breath. Her last sleep had been on the desert floor, so this was already leagues better. The steady breath of smoke in her lungs brings her peace, collecting her thoughts in solitude.
  
  It"s still strange to be without Baylan, even with her several weeks on the road. For the last fifteen or so years, he was all she knew. Her mother died, her father was nowhere to be found, he was all she had. And now she had no one. The worst part was she hardly has an answer as to why. She felt stifled, restrained, like a wild animal; caged. All she knew was pain and unease and yet now, in a shitty inn, far away from anyone who truly knew her, her muscles stretch, her bones crack, relaxed for the first time in two and a half decades. Despite this, the guilt still wracks her bones, rattling her more than she would like to admit.
  
  Cigarette still between her lips, she reaches for her discarded shirt, the canvas comfortable and warm as it slides across her skin. She buttons it up about halfway, leaving the slightest peek of white visible before tugging her vest back on over it. Forcing herself out of bed, she cracks her back as she reaches for her jeans, tugging them up high on her waist and securing them with a belt. She lingers by the window for a moment once she"s dressed, smoke billowing from her lips as she watches the townsfolk below.
  
  Calico seems to be relatively bustling, not one of the largest Shin has passed through nor one of the smallest. At this hour, there aren"t quite drunks wandering the streets yet, most just now heading to the saloon for the first drink. Across the street, Shin can see a prostitute leading a man into the brothel with a shit-eating grin on his face, causing Shin to roll her eyes a bit at the eagerness. Although the brothel is not a particularly unappetizing idea, Shin will wait and see what the townsfolk have to offer before she spends her coin on something as frivolous as sex. When the pickings are good, Shin has hardly had a difficult time finding a willing participant.
  
  When she finishes her cigarette, she checks her pistol is loaded and holsters a knife in her belt. Shoving her feet into her boots, she grabs her hat off of the nightstand and places it over her messy hair before opening the door and heading downstairs.
  
  The receptionist desk is empty when she arrives, but she pays it no mind as she heads out back to check on Pepper.
  
  "Hey, girl," she mutters once the horse comes into her sights. She runs a hand down her face, scratching the spot between her ears before checking to make sure she has enough hay and water. With that settled, she presses her face against Pepper"s for a moment, pressing a soft kiss to her hide before bidding her goodbye.
  
  Back on the street, Shin is acutely aware of the amount of eyes landing on her every step. She doesn"t mind it, though, she"s grown used to it in her time on the road. With Baylan, they had been invisible thieves, known only by the white of their hair and the bandanas covering their faces, but Shin has managed to make quite a name for herself in her time away.
  
  She heads for the saloon-the one Sabine had been posted outside this morning. Sabine, Shin"s mind recalls. Her thoughts of the woman had persevered into her dreaming state-wondering if the woman would be so restless in bed or if she would let Shin have her way with her. Or maybe the tables would turn and her aggression would show itself in dominance-Shin thinks she would be fine either way as long as she got her hands on her. She shouldn"t let herself get distracted when she"s already made the decision to get the hell out of town as soon as possible, but there"s no saying she can"t have a little fun while she is here. Whether it be with Sabine or some other woman. She"s been tense lately, something to get the edge off would be nice.
  
  As she pushes through the doors of the saloon, the wood creaks beneath her heavy boots and the place goes silent. She pays the onlookers no mind, though, just pushing through to the bar so she can get a good glass of bourbon in her hands. Now that"s something she"s willing to spend her coin on.
  
  She settles down at the bar where she sees a man with curly dark hair not grown too far past his ears and bright blue eyes wiping a glass. The second he sees the look on Shin"s face, he takes the clean glass and places it down on the bar in front of her. The act earns a sly smile from her.
  
  "What"re you drinking?" the bartender asks, eyebrows raised as he watches her intently.
  
  "Bourbon. Give me your favorite," Shin answers dryly, lighting up another cigarette.
  
  The man smiles and reaches behind him, grabbing a bottle and giving her a hefty pour. She tries to toss some money across the bar but he holds out a hand. "Sabine told me "bout you. Said trouble rolled into town nice and early. I"m Ezra. And you are?"
  
  "Trouble, apparently," Shin smiles around her cigarette, fingers reaching for the glass as the other shakes his hand. "Shin Hati, pleased to meet you. This Sabine... she is an interesting character. You two friends?"
  
  Ezra nods. "The best. But she"s got a thing about outlaws, so I"d be careful gettin" alone with her if I were you. You were probably lucky Ahsoka stepped in when she did or else your stay in Calico would have been a bit shorter than expected."
  
  "She would not outdraw me," Shin says with an easy confidence, lifting the glass to her lips and taking a sip. The alcohol is warm, a pleasant burn down her throat. Eyes still linger on her conversation at the bar, but for the most part, people have resumed their business. "It was strange of that little sheriff to let me go. Most people are dying to get me in a jail cell."
  
  "Ahsoka"s not gonna be like the other sheriffs you run into out west," Ezra explains, going back to cleaning glasses and keeping an eye out for other customers in need of service. "She sees the good in people until they give her a reason not to. Trouble in the past doesn"t translate to trouble here-that"s what she always says. Don"t mean she won"t be watching you."
  
  Shin tenses, tapping the bottom of her glass against the bar before knocking the rest back, slamming it down against the bar and leaning in close. "Is that a threat?"
  
  Ezra leans in to meet her gaze, a flicker of entertainment in his light eyes. "A warning. I don"t know how long you plan on staying, but they won"t give a damn who you killed or robbed or fucked so long as you keep your nose clean within these town lines. Sabine is just itching to have a reason to shoot you."
  
  "I think she and I have different goals with one another," Shin huffs out a laugh, tapping her glass. Ezra doesn"t hesitate to refill her glass, the pour just as heavy. This time, he lets her pay and she gives her thanks in a nod before taking a sip.
  
  "Good luck with that, she"d eat you alive," Ezra scoffs, but not so in a way that tells her it"s out of the question entirely. Shin has always liked a challenge-clearly. The man eyes her carefully, brow creased with something Shin can"t read. "I"m serious about keeping your nose clean, though. Your wanted poster is so full, I think they"re gonna have to start using the backside soon."
  
  Shin laughs at this, a real laugh as she sips her bourbon. Ezra is called away by another customer and Shin minds her own, nursing her drink and observing the other folks at the saloon. There"s a poker game going on in the corner and Shin could go over there and shake the whole game if she wanted to-she"s always had a knack for poker, and for getting cards up her sleeve once the table gets too heavy on the beer, but she isn"t in the mood. Her exhaustion still stresses her bones even after her long rest, but it will ease with another night or two before she hits the road again. The bourbon brings her some comfort, much needed after a few weeks without a lick of alcohol to ease her mind.
  
  Every corner she turns, she fears Baylan will be standing there to drag her kicking and screaming back into the life she"s fighting tooth and nail to leave. She had already resigned herself to be an outlaw the rest of her life-her journey further west has proved that clear, but she wants to do it her way. Not killing people for money or robbing innocents blind. If she"s going to spill blood or snatch coins and cash, it"ll be someone who deserves it. He may have raised her, but she will not hesitate to draw blood if it assures her freedom. She takes a steady sip of her drink, hoping her nerves will dissipate-they don"t.
  
  She needs something stronger to blow the steam off-but it seems not many women are lingering around the saloon. Men have never interested her, that much she"s known since she was young. Not even the most desperate of times call for such desperate measures. The night is still young, Shin reminds herself, and she"s content to wait until someone worthwhile comes around and falls into her lap-literally.
  
  The sound of the doors swinging open hits Shin"s ears and she hears a handful of shouted greetings to whoever has just walked into the establishment, including a slurred, "Hey, dep, heard you were looking for me?"
  
  Sabine"s deep chuckle is unmistakable as she responds, "Not as long as you keep your dick in your pants, Harrison. I"m just looking for a drink."
  
  Not far down the bar, Ezra grabs a fresh glass from the shelf below him and begins pouring a drink, presumably for Sabine. Shin eyes it curiously-whiskey, neat. She"s dressed differently now-same shirt from this morning, only now it"s tucked into brown leather pants that hug her ass in a way that certainly has Shin looking, although she doesn"t allow herself to linger lest her mind take her to less than savory places. It"s a harsh reminder to recall this woman hates her entirely. Even so, she hasn"t even noticed Shin"s presence. Either that, or she"s deliberately ignoring her right now. Either way, Shin just lets her eyes trace over her form even further as she nurses her bourbon.
  
  She doesn"t even realize how distracted she got until her long cigarette burns down to her fingers. She curses it and drops it into the ashtray sitting on the bar with a hiss, bringing her finger to her tongue for a small moment of reprieve.
  
  It"s then that Sabine turns to her. Shin eyes her curiously, finger still lingering on her bottom lip, eyes lidded as she moves to take a sip of her drink. She watches as Sabine gives her a once over, eyes overlooking her form at a pace that feels achingly slow, like time in the saloon has managed to freeze entirely. Shin just waits. And watches.
  
  "You got a problem?" Shin finally asks, hiding the sly grin on her face with a sip of her drink, but the arrogance still rings clear in her voice. She takes off her hat and places it on the bar beside her, running a hand through her blonde locks and letting her bangs fall loose in front of her face after the fact.
  
  Sabine huffs, reaching for her whiskey. "Just wonderin" who in their right mind let you in here."
  
  "Your good friend over here-" Shin mentions, motioning to where Ezra"s eyes dart nervously between the two of them. He"s shining a glass to try and look casual, but his shoulders are tense. "Even covered my first drink. You got some real nice folk in this town of yours, Sabine. Now, will you be occupying this barstool until dawn again? Just curious."
  
  "For your information, not that I owe you such a thing," Sabine leans forward, only a barstool over from where Shin is sitting with one hand wrapped around her drink and one braced against her knee, curious as to what Sabine has to say. "I was on my way home and happened to stop when I saw you riding in."
  
  "Home from where?" Ezra asks with a shit-eating grin that says he knows exactly where Sabine"s been.
  
  "Your mother"s house, actually," Sabine says with an easy smirk and a tilt of her glass before knocking back the whiskey like it"s nothing. Shin watches the way her throat bobs as she swallows the liquor, tongue swiping across her bottom lip and wondering what the whiskey would taste like if it comes from Sabine"s lips. God, Shin needs to snap out of it. "None of your damn business, Bridger."
  
  Ezra just raises his eyebrows and spins away to go help another customer. Shin"s glass is getting low, but she"s not about to call him back for more. The sun is barely down and she knows she needs to take it easy. So, now it"s just her, Sabine, and the tense silence between them. Although, Shin really isn"t here looking for a fight. She thought that much would be obvious considering she could have torn up this place in half the time she"s been here, but Sabine doesn"t seem too convinced.
  
  "I want you out of my town," Sabine spits in her direction, hand tight around her empty glass of whiskey. She"s hunched over the bar with her forearms crossed against the wood, eyes looking at Shin with a certain sort of intensity.
  
  Shin spins around on her stool, elbows against the bar as she sips the last of her drink. "And there it is. You know, last I figured, you are not the sheriff and this is not your town. So, I really don"t think I"ll be going anywhere, actually. I got some business to take care of "round here."
  
  This seems to pique Sabine"s interest, her brow furrowing and resulting in a cute crease above her nose. "And what business would that be?"
  
  She just shrugs, widening her stance a little bit on the stool so her legs spread slightly, booted feet resting against the wooden bar holding the legs of the stool together. She tilts her head as she looks over at Sabine, eyes tracing over every line of her face. "Come a little closer and you can find out."
  
  The statement gives Sabine pause. It"s the most obvious Shin can really get-she isn"t sure what compels her to say it, but it sits there out in the open now, accompanied with a raise of her eyebrows and a sly grin on her face. Part of her likes watching Sabine squirm and boy, is she squirming. It seems to take her a moment to process, the words hanging in the open air before being absorbed and Shin almost wants to chuckle.
  
  "Are you-" Sabine asks, sputtering, "You"re joking, right?"
  
  Shin shrugs again, repeating her previous sentiment, "Find out."
  
  It"s bold, considering Sabine has a gun on her and there"s no way of knowing if she"s into women or not, but Shin is no stranger to hitting on difficult women. After all, she is wanted for adultery. Not that she seeks out married women. Unless, of course, a particularly unruly man makes a rude comment in her direction or dares to spit on the ground when she walks by, then, well, his wife is just fair game.
  
  But Sabine is no wife, Shin could tell that from the moment she saw her. Too restless, too arrogant. Women like that don"t settle down with men unless they have to.
  
  While Sabine processes, Shin waves Ezra back over to ask for a drink. She pushes her glass back over the bar. "Just a beer, if you will. Bottled, if you got it."
  
  Ezra nods and grabs one from down below, opening the bottle for her and sliding it across the bar. She gives him her thanks and tilts the bottle to her lips, still watching Sabine out of the corner of her eye. Ezra eyes the two of them carefully, like he can"t get a good read on the situation. To be fair, Shin can"t either. She can"t tell by Sabine"s expression whether she wants to take Shin up on her offer or shoot her for even asking.
  
  After a moment, Ezra walks away with one last fleeting glance in their direction. The moment he"s gone, Sabine leans forward placing a hand on the bar as she gets in Shin"s face. This close, she smells like whiskey. Shin really is starting to wonder how it tastes.
  
  "You must be out of your damn mind if you think you can charm your way into my bed, Hati," Sabine seethes, so intense Shin straightens up against the bar. Even though Sabine sounds angry, Shin doesn"t miss the way her eyes flick down to Shin"s lips, a brief moment of curiosity undoubtedly getting the better of her. Shin just watches her, smiling as she takes another sip of her beer. "Everyone else may be fine with you stirring things up around here, but don"t think I"ll forget what you"ve done. At the end of the day, you"re still a stupid outlaw."
  
  "Did that make you feel better?" is all Shin asks when she"s done. Despite the harsh rejection, Shin still finds herself wholly entertained. Because she is under Sabine"s skin and it is mighty comfortable here.
  
  Sabine considers it for a moment, leaning back and straightening herself out. "A bit. Go find some other woman to bother because it"s not happening with me."
  
  Shin nods. "Okay, how"s the woman you were with last night, then?"
  
  The woman beside her stills, hand still braced against the bar. She still hasn"t gotten another drink. Shin watches her expression shift, placing her bottle on the bar as she turns her full attention to Sabine, a coy grin on her face. God, this woman really is easy to irritate, it's almost too easy. Either way, Shin is having a good time.
  
  "Okay," Sabine straightens up, turning around to face the crowd of people in the bar, mirroring Shin"s stance. She points to a woman sitting in the corner, a bottle of beer in her hand and a disinterested look on her face as a man speaks too loudly in her ear. This woman notices Sabine turning to her and her attention instantly perks up, shooting a flirty wave in her direction. Sabine waves back with a nod before turning to Shin. "She"s a biter."
  
  Shin can play this game. If Sabine"s too busy looking at Shin"s wanted poster to have a good time, that"s perfectly fine. Shin is only going to be here another day, maybe two, and she intends to let off some steam one way or another. So, she stands up from the bar, grabbing her hat and placing it gently back on her head. Sabine is watching her every move, something Shin takes great satisfaction in. She grabs the rim of her hat and tilts it down in a nod before she walks across the bar-Sabine"s gaze still following her.
  
  The woman eyes Shin curiously as she approaches. She"s not disinterested in the slightest, that much Shin can decipher easily. The man speaking to her is immediately squaring Shin up, but she doesn"t even look in his direction as she holds out a hand. "Shin Hati, pleased to meet your acquaintance."
  
  "Margaret. Margaret Hawthorne, pleased to meet you," the woman introduces herself with a slight rosiness in her cheeks. The name Margaret suits her with her dark curls and freckled nose. She can understand why Sabine would be into her-she"s breathtaking.
  
  "You know, I just got a room at the inn and it is mighty empty in there, would you mind helping me out with that?" It"s almost too easy the way her eyes light up at the offer. Shin holds out her hand and Margaret takes it without a second glance at the man beside her.
  
  As they head for the entrance of the saloon, Shin turns around one last time to find Sabine still staring at her. With a shit-eating grin on her face, Shin nods in her direction and disappears through the doors of the bar. Calico has proved to be much more interesting than Shin thought it would be.
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 3
  Notes:
  i watched the WORST fantasy western tonight bc i needed a movie to put me in the mood to write this omg... the things i do for the little gay people in my phone
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin rolls over in bed to find the touch of another woman, bare from at least the waist up with the scratchy sheets of the inn only half covering her. The long dark hair and freckled shoulders unfortunately don"t belong to the person Shin wants them to be, but she won"t lie here and pretend Margaret didn"t know how to have a damn good time. She runs a hand over the woman"s hair, fingers featherlight against the dark locks before she rolls over into a sitting position. She pulls one of her other shirts over her shoulders, not bothering to button it up as she reaches for her drawers. Half-dressed, she sits on the side of the bed and lights a cigarette.
  
  Facing the door, she can hear the sheets shift and not long after, a hand smooths down across her chest, a head coming up to rest on her shoulder. The lips against her neck are warm and Shin sighs into the touch, blowing smoke out with her breath.
  
  "Hey, baby," Shin mumbles, letting the long cigarette be plucked from her lips as Margaret takes a drag.
  
  "You know I never been with a woman that sits here and wears men"s underwear," Margaret says with a chuckle-a soft one, not trying to be rude. She reaches down and thumbs at the fabric, rubbing it between her fingers. "You"re not like anyone I"ve met."
  
  Shin"s curiosity, admittedly, gets the better of her. She tilts her head to look over at Margaret, a coy smile tugging at her lips as she asks, "Yeah? What about that Sabine?"
  
  Margaret lets out a low whistle and takes another drag. "What about her?"
  
  "What"s her deal with outlaws?" Shin asks, hand resting on Margaret"s bare thigh. The woman has made no move to get dressed and Shin isn"t exactly about to rush her out the door. After last night, hell, she wouldn"t mind another round or two-even if she has another broad on her mind. "I mean, I know a few mean sheriffs, but she takes something real personal."
  
  Margaret goes quiet and Shin gets the feeling she"s asked the wrong question. "It ain"t my business to tell other people"s stories. I"m sure if she really tried talking to you, she wouldn"t mind you at all. Lord knows I don"t, even though I thought you were real scary walkin" into the saloon. Everyone"s whispering about you."
  
  This doesn"t surprise Shin. The thought almost brings her pleasure-to know she can cause such a ruckus just by walking around. She doesn"t mind being infamous, not so long as she can still have quiet moments like this. Quiet moments where she"s just a woman, not an outlaw. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I"m not so scary, though, am I?"
  
  She turns to look at Margaret with a sweet smile, leaning forward and pressing her into another kiss. She can feel Margaret smile into it, grabbing both her cheeks and giggling around Shin"s lips. Shin has half a mind to press her back into the mattress and have her way with her as she wraps an arm around her waist.
  
  Margaret pulls away laughing, looking up at Shin from the mattress, dark locks spread all around her face. "No, you"re not too scary. I really oughta get goin" though. Sun"s coming up and if my ma sees me walking around in last night"s dress, she"ll have my head."
  
  Shin regrettably lets her go, moving to button up her own shirt with a sigh, grabbing her cigarette off the ashtray on the end table and taking another drag. She watches as Margaret works to get dressed, eyes darting over to meet Shin"s the entire time.
  
  As she pulls her skirts back up, she asks, "Say, why are you so curious about Sabine, anyway? I mean, she"s a good time, but not worth the trouble. Woman like you can get anyone here. You like when they play hard to get or something?"
  
  Shin laughs, not used to being so seen. She doesn"t often let women stay the night, but the last few weeks have been so tiring, she passed out before she had half a mind to show Maragret the door. It"s been too long since a woman she spent the night with tried to have an honest to god conversation with her. "I don"t know. She"s just-"
  
  "Gorgeous? I know," Margaret chuckles, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame the wild curls. She leans forward and grabs Shin in one more kiss, lips soft and plush against her own. "And she"s probably the best lay in town. Well, maybe not now that you"re here. She"s got some tough competition."
  
  Shin throws her head back in a laugh, hand coming up to rub her chin as she thinks about that. Sabine in bed is not a thought unwelcome to her, not even close. "I"ll make sure to tell her you said that, I"m sure she"d love to hear it."
  
  Margaret looks like she"s going to say something, but a noise outside grabs their attention. Shin jumps to look out the window, cigarette still between her lips. She reaches for her jeans on the way over, tugging them up her legs as she stares down at the road below. Beside her, Margaret comes up with a concerned expression on her face. There"s a band of horses, men on top of them with hats covering their heads and bandanas obscuring their faces. Dust kicks up around them as they stop in front of the saloon-still closed for the morning.
  
  Shin watches as Ezra comes out of a house near the saloon, hands up and hat low on his head. If she squints, she can see a pistol in his waistband behind his back.
  
  "What"s goin" on there?" Shin asks.
  
  Margaret sighs, a hand over her mouth as she watches on. "There"s this god-awful gang of outlaws-not like you, they ride through town here and there, demanding Ezra fork over the saloon profits. It"s not just the saloon either, they"ll steal from the brothel, the bank, you name it. It"s been months since the last time they showed up, I was starting to think some hero finally took "em out."
  
  Shin doesn"t think twice before grabbing her pistol, checking its loaded. "Well, I"m no hero, but I"ll try my damn best."
  
  She isn"t sure why she heads downstairs as quickly as she does. This ain"t her town, so none of their troubles are really any of her business. Plus, she"s not exactly a prime example of a good citizen. She"s got a hefty amount of blood on her hands and quite the reward for her arrest, but she doesn"t stoop so low as to rob innocent people. Not since her days beneath Baylan.
  
  Just before she steps outside, she places her hat atop her head, pushing through the door with a lit cigarette between her lips and loaded gun in her hands. She lets out a low whistle, drawing the attention of the four outlaws-and the onlookers on the street. Ezra"s eyes dart over to her and he nods curtly.
  
  "What seems to be the problem here?" she asks once the eyes are on her. She checks her pistol casually, wiping off a smudge of dirt.
  
  "Just takin" what we"re owed, young lady, why don"t you mind your business and shove off?" One of the men-Shin assumes he"s some sort of leader since he sits in front of the group. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Sabine and Ezra stepping out of the sheriff"s office, hands on their pistols.
  
  "No, I don"t think I will," Shin tilts her head up, squinting with the morning sun in her eyes. "You see, I really don"t think this gentleman here owes you shit."
  
  "Say, you look mighty familiar," one of the other men says. He"s met with an elbow jab from one of his buddies, probably for steering the topic of conversation. The man in front has a hand on his hip, where his revolver sits. The metal of the handle glints in the sunlight.
  
  Shin barks out a laugh at this, quirking her eyebrows as she looks up at them. "You know, I get that a lot. Funny thing is, I ain"t never heard of you fools. If anyone around here should be robbing people, it"s probably me."
  
  "I"ve just about had enough of you-" Shin cuts off the leader by firing a shot into the dirt by the horse"s hooves, scaring it. It bucks up and almost knocks the man clean off, but he holds on tight, smacking the horse back into submission. She sighs, dropping her cigarette into the dirt and crushing it with her boot.
  
  "I"m sorry, what was that you were saying?" she asks, voice vacant and uncaring. She tilts her head, waiting to see what he has to say as if she really cares at all. This is going to end one of two ways-all four of them dead or running the hell out of town. If she"s nice, she might only kill one or two.
  
  "You dumb son of a cunt," the leader grumbles under his breath as he hops down off of his horse. The other three follow suit and Shin stands her ground. He gets up in her face, pistol drawn. She can see the sweat beaded on his forehead, bits of dark hair glued to his sunburnt forehead. "I don"t know if you"re new in town or if you"re just stupid, but I own this place. Everyone here knows that. So when I come through, yeah, they give me what I"m fucking owed."
  
  "I did not see your name on the town sign," Shin comments offhandedly. "In fact, I don"t think you"ve been mentioned once since I got here so unless I missed a town meeting-well, I don"t think you own shit."
  
  Clearly, she strikes a nerve with this because instead of shooting her the man just smacks her clean across the face. It stings, but it"s not nearly as forceful as it sounds. Besides, Shin has taken a lot worse in her day. Hell, she"s taken smacks worse than that in bed. She laughs, rubbing her cheek mainly just for effect rather than being in any actual pain. She goes to knee him in the gut, but she pauses. Out of the corner of her eye, one of the other men has his pistol raised and finger on the trigger.
  
  Before he can even squeeze, he"s on the ground and Shin"s pistol is smoking. She didn"t even have to take her eyes off of the man in front of her in order to get a clean shot between his eyes. Someone screams and Shin sees Ahsoka rounding up citizens and ushering them back into their homes.
  
  By the time the first body hits the ground, it"s an all out brawl. She brings her knee into the gut of the man in front of her, ducking to dodge a shot from one of the remaining outlaws. When she comes back up, she gets a shot in his shoulder, distracting him enough to send him to his knees. The horses run off to safety at the loud noises, dust kicking up in their wake and making it harder for Shin to see who"s left.
  
  One of the others she hasn"t hit yet ends up in front of her about five paces away, pistol aimed straight for her head. She fires one off into his chest and one at his crotch for good measure. Before she can lower her pistol, though, she feels a cool metal barrel against the back of her head. She sucks in a breath, waiting for him to pull the trigger.
  
  "You must be one stupid son of a-" he doesn"t get to finish his sentence because someone fires off a shot and he falls to his knees dead before another word can leave his mouth. Looking over, Shin expects to see Ezra"s gun smoking, but he"s tucked his pistol back into his waistband, fanning dust out of his eyes.
  
  Shin turns around slowly and she sees Sabine, pistol still raised. She bites back the surprise threatening to show on her face as she holsters her own weapon. She tilts her hat in Sabine"s direction as blood seeps into the dirt around Shin"s feet. She steps over the body of the outlaw to get closer to where Sabine still stands on the porch of the sheriff's office.
  
  "I would have thought you let him kill me first and then take him out. Kill two birds with one stone," Shin says with a slight chuckle, a twinge of teasing in her voice.
  
  "Careful, I can still take you in for shooting them," Sabine says, hands shoved in her pockets. She"s not wearing her hat, just a long dark braid thrown over her shoulder. "Assholes or not, that is still a crime."
  
  Shin just laughs and holds out her wrists, "Take me in, officer."
  
  Sabine just stares at her for a moment. The rest of the townsfolk have stopped watching from the windows and it looks like Ezra went back inside to catch the last few hours of his sleep. When Shin looks back at Sabine, she"s plopping down onto the steps and lighting a cigarette. She looks up, offering Shin one.
  
  She hesitates, waiting for some sort of remark or trap, but nothing comes. So, she reaches out and takes the cigarette, settling down on the steps beside Sabine as she lights a match.
  
  "They"ll send more," Sabine sighs, smoke billowing from her lips. "They always send more."
  
  "Then we kill those ones," Shin comments with an easy shrug. She isn"t sure why she says it. She"s never been one for fending off trouble, much more adept at causing it. Plus, she never planned on staying in Calico for long. She has to keep moving lest Baylan catch wind of her whereabouts. It"s easy to let herself forget she"s on the run.
  
  "You know," Sabine starts, taking a long drag, "technically, I"m supposed to arrest them."
  
  Shin scoffs, shaking her head. "Good thing you aren"t my boss, then. You can leave the fun part to me if that eases your conscience."
  
  Sabine is quiet for a while, head leaning against the post as they watch the morning sun rise. She"s surprised she"s managed to be in the woman"s presence this long without her threatening to kill her or run her out of town.
  
  After a while, though, she seems to find her words. "Did you mean it last night?"
  
  Shin turns to her with a curious look in her eyes, but Sabine isn"t looking at her. She"s staring down at the dirt beneath her boots instead. "Mean what?"
  
  "Don"t be daft," Sabine huffs, sounding frustrated. "That little come on. Were you actually trying to get into my pants or were you just trying to get under my skin?"
  
  The question makes Shin laugh. She pushes up from her spot on the stairs, taking the smoke and dropping it beneath her boot as she finishes it off. She shoves her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she looks down at Sabine, blocking the sun from her eyes. Shin bites her lip, contemplating the different ways she could answer this question. It was one-hundred-percent a real come on, but now it feels hard to put it in such blunt words.
  
  "You"re a beautiful woman, Sabine," Shin opts for instead of a real answer. She brings a hand to her head and tilts her hat in a nod, a low whistle falling from her lips as she turns on her heel and heads back for the inn.
  
  She pushes in through the doors and Hera is at the front desk, out of breath like she just ran from the windows. "Out causing trouble?"
  
  Shin huffs out a laugh. "The opposite, actually."
  
  She reaches into her pocket and brings out a small pack of coin and cash, dumping out about half onto the front desk. A sigh passes through her lips as she thinks of the woman she left sitting on the stairs. "Here. I think I"m gonna be in Calico a little while longer than I thought."
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 4
  Notes:
  i think u guys will like this chapter... just a feeling
  
  also my beloved sugar made some cowboy!wolfwren art please view it here
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "So, what"s your story?" Ezra asks as Shin sits at the bar, a cigarette between her lips and a hand wrapped around a glass of whiskey. Her hat rests on the bar next to her, blonde hair an untamed mess above her shoulders. Calico is sweltering this time of year, so she"s tied as much of her hair as she can back into a bun, but an under-layer of hair still falls down at her nape. The sun is low in the sky, just barely kissing the horizon, and Shin is still on her first drink.
  
  "You"re going to have to butter me up with a lot more whiskey before I start talking about that," Shin barks out a breathy laugh, dropping her still-lit cigarette in the ashtray as she sips her whiskey. She has the sleeves of her white and blue pin-striped button up rolled to her elbows, revealing muscled and scarred forearms, her shirt itself half undone in a vain attempt to quell the insistent layers of sweat pulsing from her skin. "I"m from New York, I"ll tell you that much."
  
  It"s a half lie. Really, she had been a toddler when her parents attempted to escape Ukraine after it was forced beneath Russian Rule. They had become dirt poor, living in filthy peasantry, so they yearned for more. Shin does not remember much, if anything. Only what Baylan had told her. Her father did not make it onto the boat that would take them to the Americas and her mother did not live much longer after they crossed the Atlantic. Only enough to give Shin fleeting memories of her and to pass her onto the responsibility of Baylan. Shin must have been no more than seven, but her memory is sparse. She does not remember much before she came underneath Baylan"s care.
  
  Ezra whistles sharp and low, pouring her another drink as she finishes her first. "Whew, city girl. So, what brings you all the way west? Did you leave during the war?"
  
  Shin shakes her head, unsure why she"s bothering to share as much as she is. She"s kept her skin thus far just by not daring to get close to anyone. And she"s already stayed in Calico far longer than she should, but that"s a bed she"s already made. "No, I didn"t start heading west until this year. My Uncle fought for a bit with the Union. I thought he was going to desert with the sort of shit he"d tell me about in his letters, but he was big on commitment, destiny."
  
  Despite her lingering frustration from being under Baylan"s care, she still spoke fondly of him. He was the closest thing she had to a father. She"d almost lost him several times, as a teenager that had been more than enough to convince her to keep him close. Ten years ago, watching him come back scarred from the war, any excitement for life or righteousness gone from his eyes, she never would have believed she left his side willingly. She was prepared to die for him. But now, she realized she was already dead. Until now.
  
  "Sounds like a good man," Ezra hums, throwing a rag over his shoulder. "So how the hell did you end up a ruckus-rousing outlaw?"
  
  Shin chuckles, raising her eyebrows and taking another sip of burning whiskey in lieu of an answer. She clears her throat. "That"s a story for another night, I think."
  
  The doors to the saloon swing open and Sabine steps in, dust swirling from the windy evening air. Her boots clunk against the wood as her hands rest in her pockets, nodding to the people lingering in the bar. She nods to Ezra who is already pouring her a drink before, surprisingly, sitting down on the barstool beside Shin.
  
  Things were different since Shin helped with the outlaws. Maybe Sabine was finally starting to realize Shin truly didn"t want trouble in Calico. It would have been nice if Sabine believed her from the beginning instead of Shin having to nearly lose her head. But it was a nice shift. A subtle one, but Shin still noticed it. She hadn"t tried to come onto Sabine anymore in the days since, still unclear if that was something that held water. She hadn"t missed Sabine"s blush when she called her beautiful, though, so she knows it likely isn"t off the table entirely.
  
  Shin just tilts her head in Sabine"s direction and lifts her glass, not daring to start the conversation. Sabine responds by tilting her glass towards Shin"s before taking her first sip, eyes meeting Ezra"s across the countertop.
  
  "You two are strange," Ezra mumbles, taking the rag from his shoulder to wipe down a spot on the bar. "Say, Shin, I know I"ve been badgering you, but I"ve been meaning to ask. Why"d you take care of those outlaws the other day? Seems like a lot of effort for someone who"s just passing through."
  
  The truth of the matter is that Shin isn"t sure. Maybe she had something to prove. Or maybe she just doesn"t care for watching innocent, kind people getting hurt. She just eyes the whiskey in her glass, an easy, "You bought me a drink," falling from her lips. It"s not a real answer, but it"s one that"ll do.
  
  She can feel Sabine"s eyes on her, tracing the way she lifts the glass to her lips, the way her throat bobs as she swallows.
  
  "Well, I certainly owe you another drink, then," Ezra says with a slight chuckle, pushing Shin"s money that she had placed down back over to her. "This one"s on me."
  
  He gets motioned over to help another customer before she can argue and then it"s just her and Sabine. Shin lights up another cigarette after finishing her last, holding out the carton and offering one to the woman beside her. Sabine takes it gingerly, accepting Shin"s match to light it when it"s offered.
  
  "I would have thought you left town by now," Sabine finally speaks to her directly, taking a long drag of the cigarette after she does. She"s wearing a shirt not dissimilar to Shin"s, except hers is a burnt orange color that compliments her long dark braid. Her hat is nowhere to be found, stray locks of hair falling past her ears. A slightly dirty white bandana is tied loosely around her neck, stained from the dust. "I think I recall you saying all you wanted was a place to rest your head and then you"d get the hell out of my town."
  
  Shin sighs, stretching out a bit in her seat. "I don"t know, I"ve found myself to be quite enjoying the company of Calico. Margaret sure seems to agree."
  
  "Did you do that to piss me off?" Sabine asks and Shin wants to laugh.
  
  "I did that because you turned me down and I figured you"d know where else to go," Shin says with a shrug, a sly smile on her face as she looks at the other woman. "I"m a woman with needs in a small town, Sabine, ain"t nothing personal."
  
  "Needs?" Sabine asks with a quirked eyebrow, the corner of her lips turning up in a smile. "You in town for two seconds and already prowling the streets looking for a dame. No better than a man."
  
  This time, Shin does laugh. The last thing she expected was for Sabine to joke with her. All of their interactions thus far have been charged-with what, Shin isn"t sure, but none have been so relaxed as this. "What can I say? I"m only human. Besides, it"s not like she was not a, uh... willing and enthusiastic participant. In fact, I think she told me I was the best lay in town."
  
  She punctuates the sentence with a wink and Sabine chokes on her drag, hitting her chest as she blows smoke from her lungs and tries to catch her breath while Shin lets out a wholehearted laugh. Once she can breathe again, Sabine looks at her with a matter-of-fact expression, "That can"t be true because she told me the same thing not just three days ago."
  
  "Only one way to settle this, then," Shin winks again, bringing her glass to her lips. Yeah, Sabine isn"t off the table, she knows this clear as day now. Nothing like a little healthy competition to get Sabine like putty in her palm. The woman looks at her now, expression unimpressed, but Shin doesn"t miss the way her eyes dart to Shin"s lips, lowering to the open gap in her shirt revealing fair, marred skin, glistening with sweat.
  
  Sabine turns away from Shin, averting her gaze as she downs the rest of her drink and slams the glass against the counter. "I don"t fuck outlaws. You"re still lucky I haven"t put you in a jail cell, you have Ahsoka to thank for that. Your little stint with those robbers yesterday may have buttered up the townspeople, but I still see you for what you are."
  
  "Let me show you otherwise, then," Shin tilts her head as she pushes off of her barstool and steps over to Sabine, invading her space. It"s miniscule, but she can hear the way Sabine"s breath hitches the moment she"s close.
  
  "Why do you want it so bad?" Sabine asks, voice a low, breathy whisper as if suddenly scared the other patrons will be listening in on their conversation-as if the question is far too intimate for anyone to overhear. Her eyes flit up to meet Shin"s, gaze focused, flecks of gold shining in her dark eyes. Looking down at her, Shin would drown in those eyes without a single gasp for air. "Is it just because you can"t have it?"
  
  Shin smiles-a crooked, coy grin. "Like I told you yesterday. You"re a beautiful woman, Sabine."
  
  "There are plenty of beautiful women in this town, I pointed you in the direction of one just fine," Sabine argues, but her voice is still low, unsure. For a moment, Shin almost thinks she may kiss her in the middle of this saloon. Of course, that would undoubtedly be trouble. People in towns like these only turn a blind eye to queers so long as they don"t have to see it themselves. To dare show such overt affection would surely end in a brawl. Shin would win, of course, but it wouldn"t exactly prove to Sabine that she doesn"t want trouble.
  
  "Yeah, but none of those women brandish a pistol better than any man I"ve seen," Shin comments, inching closer to Sabine, just barely. Sabine, despite her loud voice, her brashness, her fierceness, holds a pistol with a certain steadiness. She does not flinch from the kick and she doesn"t miss. She"s as steady as the sun-rising each day and falling each night, constant, unwavering. It"s one of the most attractive things Shin has ever seen. "And none of them talk to me the way you do."
  
  She waits for Sabine to back off, to shift away from her, but she doesn"t. Shin is pushing her luck and she knows this, but at the same time, Sabine isn"t moving.
  
  "Have a drink with me," Sabine tells her. Although the words are an invitation, her tone is more akin to a demand. Shin is about to protest by mentioning they"re already having drinks, technically, but Sabine catches it before she can. "Not here. I"m not... I"m not promising anything. But you get a drink."
  
  Shin takes a step back finally, feeling cold despite the dog day heat now that she does not have the body heat of Sabine surrounding her. She stubs out her cigarette, finishes her drink, and places her hat atop her head, motioning towards the door. "Lead the way."
  
  Sabine gets up from the barstool, nods a goodbye to Ezra-whose eyes are glued to the two of them. Shin just tilts her hat in his direction with a slight smile before turning to follow Sabine.
  
  Calico is not exactly a big town, so it doesn"t take long for them to get back to Sabine"s home. It"s a small place, but it"s clean. There"s a stone fireplace that looks like it hasn"t been lit in months, rifles stored on the walls, and a rug of hide on the floor. Once they"re inside, Sabine heads for the counter top, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off a shelf and two glasses. Shin still stands by the front door, feeling out of place in the building.
  
  She can"t remember the last time she had a home to set down roots in. After the war, she and Baylan were always traveling, always moving to the next town, always stirring up trouble that was never worth it in the end. To have a home of her own was something she never thought she would have. She still isn"t sure if such a thing is in the cards for her.
  
  Sabine turns around, noticing her hesitation and motions towards the wooden kitchen chairs. "Have a seat."
  
  Hesitantly, she hangs her hat by the door and settles down at the kitchen table. Sabine places a glass down in front of her, but Shin doesn"t drink it quite yet. She watches as Sabine sits down opposite her, taking a sip of the whiskey. "It"s not poisoned, you know."
  
  "I know," Shin mutters, barely audible. Tentatively, she lifts the glass to her lips and takes a sip. It"s warm as it coats her throat, burning slightly as she swallows. Her eyes don"t leave Sabine"s for a moment. "Well? You have me."
  
  Sabine sighs, placing her glass down on the table and tracing the rim of it with a finger. "Don"t think I don"t know you"ve been asking about me, Shin. Ezra hears everything and he tells me everything. Margaret, too."
  
  "I was intrigued, what can I say?" Shin shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant like this woman has not consumed her every waking thought since she rode into Calico. Even as she was in the throes of desire with Margaret, part of her mind lingered. She wasn"t proud of it, but she couldn"t help it. It had been a long time since a woman had her under such a spell and never, never one like Sabine. "I"ve never met someone like you. I mean, I"ve ran into a bunch of bitter sheriffs, but it"s personal for you, isn"t it?"
  
  Sabine bites her lip and nods, taking another sip as if it will ease the conversation. "I used to have a family. Long, long time ago. There was another town not too far from here. The sheriff there, well, he had a personal vendetta against this band of outlaws-not the same ones that bother us here, but they"re all the same to me, if I"m being honest."
  
  "You do not have to tell me this, you know," Shin stops her, noticing the way Sabine is noticeably avoiding eye contact, the way she chokes on some of her words. "You do not owe me anything."
  
  "You keep asking," Sabine says with a simple shrug. "And I"d rather you hear it from me."
  
  Shin just nods, falling silent and allowing her to continue. "One day, I guess, these outlaws got real sick of this sheriff. And instead of just killing him, they wanted to take it out on the townspeople. They wanted to watch the sheriff lose everything before killing him, wanted to make him watch them burn it all down. I had a fever that day. It"s so stupid, something so inconsequential. I was burnin" up, so I stayed home from church that Sunday. That was the Sunday they bolted the doors shut and set the place on fire with everyone inside. They hung the sheriff and burned the rest of the town down just for good measure. As far as I know, I"m the only one that made it out."
  
  "Sabine-" Shin starts, but she isn"t sure what to say.
  
  "I took my dad"s horse and rode to the first town I could find, still burnin" up. Ahsoka found me, took me in. She taught me everything-my firing skills, that"s all her. I never heard another trace of those outlaws after that, so I told myself I"d kill each and every one of "em until I knew the ones that killed my family were dead. Ahsoka does not approve of this plan. One of the only reasons I didn"t shoot you."
  
  The room goes silent, nothing but the whistling wind of the early evening outside. Shin meets her eyes across the table. "I"m sorry. I could never... I could never do something as horrible as that. I"ve never found any joy in harming the innocents. My Uncle didn"t feel the same. I can"t say I"m proud of everything I"ve done, but I"m trying to leave it behind. I ran west for a reason. Isn"t this the place people go to be free?"
  
  Sabine"s eyes are glistening when they meet hers. "I suppose it is. It"s a shame, though, you"re a hell of a gunslinger."
  
  "I know," Shin smiles, glad to see the air in the home lifted a bit. "I never said I was putting down the damn pistol. I just don"t want to hurt an innocent soul again, that"s all. I left behind the only father I knew to make sure of it."
  
  "That"s brave," Sabine mumbles. Her fingers tap against the table in erratic patterns, anxiety lacing her every move. Shin can see how tense her shoulders are and she wonders what she can do to fix it. "That"s mighty brave of you, Shin."
  
  "Thank you," Shin says, although she doesn"t feel it. She feels like a fucking coward for running from Baylan, something she swore she never would be. It eats her alive every day she"s gone. "You are too, you know. It ain"t easy to lose something like that and come out stronger at the other end."
  
  Sabine just gets up from the kitchen table, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring each of them another glass. "Hope you don"t mind another."
  
  "Not at all," Shin shakes her head, taking a sip of the drink happily. Anything to help her forget the tension between them. The room is thick with it. She finishes the last of the liquor before she stands from the table. "I suppose, knowing what I know, it"s probably best I simply respect your wishes then."
  
  Sabine opens her mouth like she"s going to argue, but she freezes. Shin approaches her carefully, watching the way the woman looks up at her. She leans forward and lets her lips brush against Sabine"s forehead. She isn"t sure why she does it-she almost feels like her body is operating separately from her mind, but she sees the way Sabine"s eyes flutter closed and she sighs at the touch. The tension worsens.
  
  She pulls away from Sabine and goes to walk away, but Sabine tangles her fingers in the fabric of Shin"s shirt, knuckles brushing against her bare chest as Shin"s breath hitches, caught off guard. Sabine remains seated, pulling Shin down as the space closes between them, lips just barely brushing against one another but not yet meeting.
  
  "Sabine," Shin whispers, not sure what to say. Her heart races in her chest faster than it would in a duel and she can"t remember the last time she wanted to kiss someone as badly as she does right now. But she shouldn"t and she knows she shouldn"t.
  
  "Shin," Sabine breathes out in a way that makes Shin want to forget every reason why this is a bad idea in the first place.
  
  She can smell the mix of whiskey and bourbon on Sabine"s breath, this close she can see the beads of sweat formed on her cheeks, the precise shape of the mole beside her nose. For just a flicker of a moment, Shin lets herself find out what Sabine tastes like. It"s a chaste kiss, a mere brush of the lips, so brief it was almost never there at all. When she pulls away, Sabine lets her go, but Shin doesn"t move far.
  
  "We"ve had a lot to drink," Shin says, even though she feels perfectly stable on her feet. She doesn"t want to push Sabine-not now when there"s whiskey on her tongue and tears shining in her eyes. No, not like this. If she"s going to do this, she"s going to do it right. And she knows deep down that now is not the right time.
  
  Sabine clears her throat, wiping beneath her nose and nodding as Shin pulls back. "No, you"re right. That was... awfully rude of me. Thank you. For having a drink with me."
  
  Shin nods and steps back, reaching for her hat by the door. Sabine stays seated and she doesn"t expect her to get up. She watches her-legs spread around the edge of her chair, fingers tapping on the table, half-empty glass in front of her. Shin"s chest heaves up and down and the last thing she wants to do is leave right now, but if she doesn"t walk out that door in the next two minutes she isn"t sure she"ll be able to stop herself from jumping Sabine"s bones.
  
  "My pleasure," she says with a nod of her head, two fingers holding her hat. "You have a good rest of your evening."
  
  When she pushes through the door, she waits until it closes behind her, but doesn"t walk away quite yet. Shin makes herself take a deep breath, wiping sweat from her brow and lighting up a cigarette. It takes everything in her not to turn back around and open that door again. Out of the corner of her eye, through the window, she sees Sabine still at the table, running an exasperated hand through her hair. She walks away before Sabine can see her, heart still racing.
  
  She burns through two more cigarettes before she makes it back to the inn. A hand ghosts across her lips, trying to remember the taste of bourbon.
  
  Notes:
  i did pretty base level research on like, the status of ukraine in the 1800s, and it was in fact occupied and ruled by russia at the time but if any other historical details are inaccurate/not handled well please do let me know <3
  
  i did not want to completely ignore the civil war especially since so much of the "wild west" was founded by people fleeing the war/freed slaves/etc but omg i was watching this western movie and like halfway through the movie they dropped that the main character was a former CONFEDERATE SOLDIER i was like UM. the movie was jonah hex and it was BAD even without the CONFEDERACY involved. it was crazy. i cant remember if i talked about this in the last chapter notes or not but it's literally still so baffling to me its like when i watched tvd and they revealed that the salvatore brothers (or was it just damon? idr) fought for the confederacy like can we stop doing that in media it's WEIRD
  
  anyway this fic takes place about a decade post-civil war anyway, but i still wanted to mention it because it's obviously. a huge part of american history
  
  you're a cowboy like me
  somebodytoundress
  Chapter 5
  Notes:
  i did not like this chapter at first but then i went a certain direction and now i like this chapter very much and i think you guys will too also i finally remembered other people in the town exist omggg
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin is beginning to run low on funds, more low than she would like. But to accept a job here in Calico would imply that she"s going to stay here. She had half a mind to run away in the middle of the night after she let herself kiss Sabine, to hop on Pepper"s back and never look twice at this sleepy mining town again. But the sun rose and Shin was still here. She isn"t sure why, but something in her just isn"t ready to leave quite yet. Maybe it was the exasperated look in Sabine"s eyes as she sat at her kitchen table after Shin"s departure. The look that yearned for something more. And the parts of Shin that wished for the same.
  
  She quells her anxieties by grooming Pepper as best she can with what little she has, using some borrowed supplies from Hera as she runs a brush through her hair.
  
  "I ain"t seen you "round here," a voice interrupts her as Shin lets Pepper nuzzle into her hand. She turns around to see a young boy-the same dark hair as the inn"s owner, standing, staring at Shin and her horse. She remembers Hera mentioning something about her boy, but Shin had yet to run into him. Until now. "I like your horse."
  
  "You can pet her if you like," Shin offers, stepping aside. She holds out her hand for the young boy to shake. "I"m Shin, pleasure to meet you."
  
  "Jacen." He shakes her hand happily before running over to pet Pepper. "What"s her name?"
  
  Shin scratches the space between the horse"s ears, watching the way he stands up on his tip-toes to run his hand across Pepper"s nose. "This here is Pepper. She"s just about the sweetest horse I"ve ever had the pleasure of owning."
  
  Her heart warms against her will watching the young boy pet her horse. In just a few days it seems Shin has already grown far too fond of this little town. She needs to get the hell out before she starts getting dangerous thoughts like staying. She isn"t even sure if Baylan is after her, but she doesn"t want to find out. She stole his horse, spit on his name, and abandoned him. If someone did the same to her, she"d hunt them all the way across the west, too. Even so, something about Calico is just... nice. Despite her past, Shin has been allowed the grace to just be. There"s no guarantee another town will give her that luxury.
  
  "Jacen, don"t go bothering the guests," Hera"s voice hollers around the back corner, coming around with her arms crossed as she snaps her fingers at her son.
  
  "He"s not bothering me," Shin shrugs her off, turning to the boy with a small smile. Even so, he lets go of Pepper and runs over to his mother"s side anyway. "Say, Hera, how many days I got left with how much I gave you?"
  
  Hera looks up, like she"s doing the math in her head before shrugging, "Probably another week. You plan on staying after that?"
  
  Shin hesitates. Hera catches it right away, turning to Jacen and telling him, "Why don"t you go run along, I"ll be there in a minute."
  
  He runs off back around the front of the inn and Hera takes a step closer to Shin. She places a hand atop Pepper"s head, rubbing gently before turning to Shin. "Look, if you don"t have the money to stay, but you want to, don"t worry about it. There"s plenty of work in town and I"d be happy to work something out with you."
  
  "I just don"t know if I can," Shin sighs, crossing her arms and leaning against a wooden pole. "I"ve pissed off a lot of people. A lot of people I can"t have finding me. I mean, the town"s been wonderful so far. Ezra needs to stop buying me drinks or I swear to God, I"ll be more of a drunk than I already am. But I"m... I"m running from a lot of shit, Hera."
  
  Hera nods, taking in the words with a steady expression on her face. "Well, if you decide to stay here, that means you"re one of us. And we take care of our own here in Calico, as I"m sure you"ve seen. And we can be as discreet as you need us to be. Besides, I think Sabine has taken a real shining to you. Having the favor of the deputy is as good as you"re gonna get out here."
  
  Shin can"t help but blush, remembering the taste of bourbon on her lips, leftover from Sabine. Part of her wishes she had gone back into that house and let Sabine have her way with her, but she knows it"s for the best. An attachment won"t work anyway, not when she could have to leave at a moment"s notice the moment trouble starts rolling in. "Sabine doesn"t care "bout me. I"m just another dirty outlaw waitin" to cause some trouble."
  
  "I wouldn"t be too sure about that," Hera says with a chuckle. "Ahsoka told me she"s been blowin" up the sheriff"s office all afternoon yapping about you. Don"t tell her I told you that, though, she"ll kill me. Whole town"s talking about you, all good."
  
  It"s startling. Shin is used to being notorious, to people assuming the worst about her before she"s even got a word out of her mouth. She isn"t sure how to respond when that"s not the case. She stumbles over her words for a moment, running a hand through her loose hair. "Thank you for that, Hera. I"m not sure what work this town has for me because I doubt I"m any good at silver mining-"
  
  "Ezra might have something for ya," Hera cuts her off with a wink. "Not that we"ve been... talking about it or anything. There"s even an empty house since the McCullen"s moved on, I"m sure you could talk to the mayor about taking it up. I"ve got an in with him considering I"m the mother of his child and all."
  
  "Oh, um," Shin shrinks into herself, the concept of a house here almost too much to bear. "I think-that"s mighty kind of you, but I think I"m quite settled at the inn right now, I won"t worry about anything more... permanent. I appreciate it, it"s just uh-yeah. Thank you. I"ll look into the job, though, I think, maybe."
  
  "Oh, don"t go bending over backwards to please me, Shin," the woman laughs, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she takes a step towards Shin. "Look, no one ends up in a place like this without running from something. Most of us only settle down because we get damn tired and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you seem tired, Shin. And there"s only so much further west you can go."
  
  Shin just nods, unsure what to say. She knows Hera"s right, but that doesn"t mean she has to like it. Shin will do laps around the states if it means getting the hell away from the life she used to have. "Thank you, Hera."
  
  "I"ll leave you be, thank you for hearing me out," Hera nods, "and for entertaining my boy for a minute or two."
  
  She just tilts her hat and offers a small smile. "Any time."
  
  Then, she"s left alone with her horse. Shin sighs, leaning against the wall for a bit before walking over to Pepper. She scratches between her ears once more, whispering to the animal, "What are we gonna do now, girl?"
  
  
  
  The saloon is empty when Shin makes her way over there-not a lot of day drinkers in Calico it seems, which strikes Shin as odd considering there"s very little else to do around here. Ezra is sitting on one of the barstools, a book in his hand, but he looks like he"s nodding off more than reading. The creaking wood beneath her feet wakes him and he startles, his book falling to the floor with a heavy clunk.
  
  "Jesus, Shin," Ezra breathes out a laugh. "What can I do ya for?"
  
  "A job?" Shin tilts her head and asks with a sigh. She can"t believe the words are leaving her lips, yet here they hang in the air. "Hera told me you might have something for me and I-I think I"m going to be here longer than I planned. And it"s probably best I support that with an honest living instead of my other... hobbies."
  
  Ezra pats the barstool next to him and Shin sighs, placing her hat on the bar and sitting down. He reaches over and grabs two glasses with a bottle of whiskey, pouring both of them a glass. "Sabine told me what happened last night."
  
  The color drains from Shin"s face, sputtering over her words, but Ezra cuts her off before she can think of anything to say. "Don"t go panicking. I think you"re quite the gentleman, truly. Holy shit, you have thrown her for a goddamn loop, though. Don"t tell her I told you."
  
  Shin takes a hefty sip of her whiskey and nods. "I keep getting told that a lot today, it seems. I have a feeling I"ve been throwing her since the moment I arrived."
  
  "Cheers to that," Ezra laughs, clinking his glass with hers. "I think it"s been a long time since Sabine took anything seriously in that regard. And an outlaw, nonetheless... she"s just about pulling her hair out."
  
  "It"s not-" Shin starts to say. She wants to say it"s nothing, that all she wants is to bed Sabine and be done with it, but the way the air had felt in that house last night was unlike anything Shin has ever shared with someone. "I don"t know what the hell"s going on with me. Something in the air in this town got me all turned around. I can"t remember the last time I found a place that made me want to stay."
  
  "Well, I could use some extra hands "round here," Ezra sighs, looking around at the empty saloon. "Maybe for the night shift. And as for Sabine-she doesn"t tell a lot of people what happened to her, you know. I know you haven"t been here long, but I have a feeling there"s a spot in this town carved out for you if you want it. And, word of advice, stop by the sheriff"s office. Ahsoka is about damn ready to blow Sabine"s head off if she doesn"t shut up any time soon."
  
  Shin chuckles, trying not to acknowledge the way her heart warms at the thought. She finishes the rest of the whiskey and slams the glass down on the bar. "I don"t know. Everything is... I shouldn"t be talking to you about this. She"s your best friend, it"s rude."
  
  "Well, she won"t tell you, but I will," Ezra scoffs, taking the rest of his drink. "Very first night you rolled into town she talked my damn ear off about the audacity you possessed and how you were just utterly incorrigible-oh, and also mentioned how hot you were about every other word. Girl"s got a crush, she"s just hung up on that little attitude of yours. Her finding out what a hell of a gunslinger you are yesterday, though, boy she just about fainted."
  
  It"s so much information, Shin almost doesn"t know what to do with it. Part of her wants more whiskey, part of her wants to run over to the sheriff"s office as soon as possible and see how crazy she can really drive Sabine. "She"ll kill you for telling me that."
  
  "Oh, I know, I"m counting on you to be discreet," Ezra laughs. "I don"t mean to push my nose into your business, of course, but I know you"ve had an eye on her. But it"s a tricky thing, even here. So, don"t rush."
  
  "This sure is an odd town," Shin sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I don"t think Sabine"s the only one thrown. Look-mighty kind of you to sell out your best friend like this, but I don"t know if Sabine wants to mix herself up in all of this. She"s right, I"m just trouble and sooner or later, it"ll fuck things up more than it already has and I just-I don"t think I could do that to a place that"s been so kind to me."
  
  She stands up from the stool, placing her hat atop her head, ready to take her leave. "I appreciate everything you"ve done for me. Don"t worry about the job."
  
  Shin heads for the door, ready to hang her head when Ezra pipes up from the stool. "Shin?" She turns. "At least pay her a visit."
  
  She finds herself at the sheriff"s office not two minutes later. Shin tugs her hat from her head, holding it against her chest with one hand gently as she knocks on the door frame. Ahsoka"s head pops from her desk, turning to where Sabine is very elegantly napping with her feet kicked up on the desk and her hat over her face. Shin bites back a chuckle at the sight.
  
  "Good to see you, Shin, making yourself at home?" Ahsoka asks.
  
  "Something like that," Shin shrugs.
  
  The voices startle Sabine awake and she jumps, the hat slipping off her face, tugging a few strands of dark hair in front of her face as it does so. She catches it before it hits the floor and her eyes dart immediately over to Shin. Without even saying anything, Sabine"s cheeks flush pink just at the sight of the woman darkening her doorway, "Shin, I, uh, what are you doing here?"
  
  "Well, would you look at that, I think I hear Kanan hollering for me," Ahsoka sighs, standing up from her desk, shooting a smile in Shin"s direction. "Always good seeing you, Shin. Thanks for staying out of trouble."
  
  Shin just nods as the woman brushes past her, leaving just her and Sabine. "Thought I"d stop in and say goodbye."
  
  "Goodbye?" Sabine asks, standing up from her desk. She doesn"t move, just stands there with gentle hands against the wood. "Hera told me you paid for another week at the inn, I thought-"
  
  "This is a good town," Shin says simply, letting her hand with her hat drop down by her side. "I would hate to darken it with my troubles, so I think it"s best I be on my way and just leave you be. Everyone has been so welcoming, I won"t forget it, promise."
  
  Sabine opens her mouth to say something and then closes it. Shin takes the silence as a moment to look at her-her hair is always in that damn braid, loose down her back with strands all over the place like she slept in it. And yet she"s got bags under eyes like she didn"t sleep a wink. Their eyes meet across the room and Shin takes a shaky breath. It"s worse when she knows what Sabine"s lips taste like. But she can"t stay.
  
  When Sabine still doesn"t say anything, Shin prepares to leave, putting her hat back on and heading for the door. That"s when Sabine moves from the desk, reaching out and grabbing Shin"s wrist, "Wait."
  
  Shin pauses, eyes darting down to the hand on her wrist before flicking back up to meet Sabine"s gaze. Sabine lets out a shaky breath, clearing her throat and letting go of Shin before stepping back. "Sorry, I just... sorry. I don"t know what came over me."
  
  Her gaze lingers on Sabine"s lips for longer than it should. She steps in, away from the doorway and close to Sabine. Using her heel, she hooks it around the door and pushes it shut without taking her eyes off of Sabine. A million thoughts on what to do race through Shin"s mind-and not one of them is something she should do. What she should do is walk out that door right now, hop on her horse, and ride far, far away from Calico. She came here to say goodbye and she took care of that already. And if there"s one thing Shin is good at, it"s leaving. So she doesn"t have a clue why this is so hard for her.
  
  There"s only inches between her and Sabine now and it"s clear they both have the same thing on their mind. Sabine"s eyes flit up to meet hers. "You can"t use alcohol as an excuse this time."
  
  Shin huffs out a quiet laugh. "Ezra gave me whiskey, I could be out of my mind right now."
  
  "Shut up," Sabine scoffs before she surges forward and catches Shin"s lips with her own.
  
  Shin lets her, letting Sabine press her up against the door as her hands slide up in Shin"s hair, knocking her hat right off her head. It hits the floor with a soft noise as Shin brings her hand up to hold Sabine"s face, skin warm beneath her touch as she kisses her back with fervor. She grips her hair at the base of her braid, keeping Sabine close to her as she opens her lips, letting Sabine explore her mouth with her tongue.
  
  They stumble back until Sabine"s back is up against the edge of her desk, one of Shin"s hands braced against the wood, the other still tangled in her hair. Sabine"s hands find her hips, fingers sliding in her belt loops and tugging Shin between her legs.
  
  "Sabine-" Shin breathes against her lips, pulling herself away from Sabine as much as she doesn"t want to, she knows she should. She doesn"t go far, a hand still on Sabine"s face, thumb stroking her cheek. "I don"t-I can"t. You don"t mess with people like me and for damn good reason. I"m in shit up to my waist and I don"t want that to be a problem here. I am sorry, I truly cannot stay."
  
  Sabine clears her throat, bringing a hand up to gently wipe her cupid"s bow where beads of sweat are beginning to form. Neither of them move. And Shin, despite her words, can"t find it in her to be the first to break. "I suppose I can"t exactly force you."
  
  "Right." Shin finally steps back, sucking in a careful breath, reaching down and picking her hat up off the floor. She lingers by the door, ready to leave. Really, the best decision is to walk out right now and not look back. It would be the smart, selfless thing to do. She makes her first mistake-turning back to look at Sabine.
  
  Sabine, standing there with her hands braced against the wood of the desk with a white-knuckled grip, her braid messier than it was before and her cheeks flushed red. God, she"s beautiful. Shin was mesmerized by her the second she rode in and she heard that whistle. Her chest is still heaving, still catching her breath. Her lips are kiss-bitten and she"s got a sad look in her eyes that makes Shin want to move right into the spot between her heart and her ribs.
  
  "Oh, Jesus Christ," is all Shin breathes out, muttering under her breath as she steps back over to Sabine, pushing her up onto the desk and crashing their lips together.
  
  Sabine gasps against her mouth, kissing her back eagerly with open-mouthed passion, a hand rough at the nape of Shin"s neck and the other gripping her waist tight enough to bruise. Her tongue explores Sabine"s mouth, tasting every last bit of her, swallowing every gasp and moan from the heated kiss. She can"t remember the last time she felt desire like this-the last time she physically couldn"t let herself walk away from someone. Sabine has consumed her entirely, living in her mind every waking and dreaming moment.
  
  "I don"t care about your shit," Sabine whispers against her lips, hands going for the rivets of Shin"s jeans. "You make me feel crazy, Shin, absolutely crazy."
  
  "Feeling"s mutual," Shin gasps as Sabine"s hand slips past her drawers, fingers dipping into the slick wetness forming between her legs. Her lips find Sabine"s neck, biting down into the flesh just below the collar of her shirt, tasting the sweat on her flesh and sucking a bruise into the skin. She moans as Sabine"s fingers ghost over her clit, just barely grazing the bundle of nerves. Her fingers tangle around Sabine"s braid, yanking it down to give Shin better access to her neck. Sabine moans at this, finally pressing down on her clit.
  
  Shin doesn"t normally let women touch her like this-usually she just helps them get off and calls it a night, content to just give and give. But she didn"t have it in her to push Sabine away, she doesn"t know how she could when it feels this good. Instead, she presses further against Sabine, chest to chest as she kisses further up Sabine"s neck. She kisses the skin below her ear before meeting her lips once more, just as Sabine presses two fingers against her entrance. Shin nods against her lips, gasping as the fingers breach her entrance. The stretch is pleasant, the burn of pleasure almost too much to bear. She whimpers against Sabine"s lips-a sound entirely unlike her, but she can"t help it.
  
  Her head falls against Sabine"s shoulder as she fucks into her, her fingers spreading within Shin each time she pushes in, thumb playing with her clit the whole time. Sabine mouths against the skin of her neck, breath hot as it fans across Shin"s flesh. Sabine"s free hand digs at her scalp, Sabine"s legs hooked around the backs of Shin"s knees, heels of her boots digging into the creases of her jeans.
  
  She shakes as her orgasm rattles through her, sooner than she expected. Shin grips Sabine"s braid tightly, teeth biting down into Sabine"s shoulder to disguise the, frankly embarrassing, moan that rips from her throat. Sabine chuckles softly, kissing the spot beneath Shin"s ear, running her hands through her hair affectionately.
  
  Shin comes down with a shaky breath, releasing her grip on Sabine and pressing a soft kiss to the teeth marks that now reside in the flesh of her shoulder, tugging her shirt back up so it covers them for the most part. Sabine removes her hand and Shin can"t help but reach for her jeans-only to be pushed away by Sabine.
  
  "Not right now," Sabine whispers against her lips. "Another time."
  
  "I don"t like owing people," Shin chuckles, kissing her again just to taste her once more.
  
  Sabine shrugs, doing up Shin"s jeans and letting her hands rest on her hips, fingers toying with her belt loops. She chases Shin"s lips, a grin on her face. She looks up to meet Shin"s eyes, tilting her head, saying, "I suppose you"ll just have to stick around a little bit longer, then."
  
  Shin chuckles, accepting her defeat. Looking at Sabine now, though, she thinks she can stay at least another day. Maybe two. If only so she can pay back her debt. At the very least. "I suppose I will. Well played, Wren."
  
  "Any time, Hati."
  
  Notes:
  sabine "the cowboy boots stay on during sex" wren
  
  you and i were born in fire
  YumagnasHome
  Summary:
  It's a relief, in a way, to finally know what the fuck's been going on with her body. Though, that relief only goes so far considering Sabine's still no closer to figuring out what to do about it. How to fix it.
  
  And she does need to fix it.
  
  Like hell she's going to spend the rest of her days connected to Shin Hati. That most definitely falls under the category of cruel and unusual punishment and Sabine honestly doesn't think she's been bad enough in life to deserve it. Sure, she's no angel. But she's not the literal spawn of Satan either.
  
  . . .
  
  (AKA the search for Ezra hits a snag when Sabine discovers she has an unusual connection to the mercenary who stabbed her.)
  
  Chapter 1: is that a lightsaber in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
  Notes:
  gifting this to TheTurkeyOne because I really loved the oneshot series they wrote for Sabine/Shin
  
  I"m going to be honest, this fic basically exists because I wanted to write something for wolfren but I find the sheer immensity of the star wars universe and lore really difficult to keep track of so I decided to downscale it all. Originally, this was only supposed to be an 8-12k word oneshot but the draft so far is 60k so. . . Just like every time I try to write a oneshot, it didn"t work out.
  
  Even though this is set on Earth and there"s no force I"ve tried to carry across as much of the original universe as I can and insert similar enough replacements for things that couldn"t be carried across exactly. So, whilst it"s an alternate universe, a fair chunk of canon remains. The Jedi and Sith still exist (but they"re a little different because of the lack of force), aliens are still present, the war still happened between the Empire and Republic (it just involved countries not planets), and droids are also still here. The biggest new element I"ve introduced are robots called synthetics (synths). They (and this fic) are heavily inspired by the tv series Humans (which if you haven"t watch it, I really recommend)
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine is not having a good week.
  
  First she gets stabbed-
  
  Actually, no. First she gets a surprise visit from her estranged master asking for her help - a master who, surprise surprise, has as little faith in her as ever - then she gets stabbed. By a bottle blonde with a hard-on for eyeliner and the most dated fashion sense Sabine has ever seen, no less.
  
  And now, here she is, having the life choked out of her by that same bottle blond whilst trying not to focus on just how green her eyes are. Like, really green - in case anyone was wondering. Really, really green. Also really close.
  
  No seriously, Sabine could kiss her right now if she wanted to.
  
  Not that she does. Or will. Because that would be an insane reaction to have when being choked to within an inch of your life. And she's not - insane.
  
  (no matter what Huyang might say to the contrary)
  
  Still. . . she's very close.
  
  And Sabine tries to remember if she cleaned her teeth this morning. Or had garlic for dinner. You know, the normal things you worry about when someone is trying to kill you and their nose is within close proximity to your mouth. . .
  
  Suffice it to say, she is not having a good week.
  
  Earlier that week
  
  Ahsoka shows up one fine Summer's morning, heart set on tearing Sabine's life apart at the seams. Or, at least giving it a good tug and pull.
  
  "Oh my God, you brought me a sphere!" Sabine gushes the moment the object is dropped into her hand. "You know, I always wanted a sphere."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth twitches in that way she does when she's amused by something Sabine has said but is refusing to let it show. "It's a holocron-like device created by Palpatine."
  
  She looks at the sphere with new eyes - and more than a little distaste. She wonders whether you can catch evil. Makes a note to scrub her hands raw once she's tossed the thing back to Ahsoka. "What's on it?"
  
  "I don't know." Her lips purse and Sabine can tell she's more than a little bit peeved by this tiny little ball of metal escaping her vast array of knowledge. "Not for certain. But there were rumors during the war of a holocron, matching this description, also created by Palpatine."
  
  "And what did those rumors say was on it?"
  
  "A map." Ahsoka steps closer, examining the sphere, and Sabine tries not to shrink back from the increased proximity. It's been a long time since they've even been in the same room together, let alone sharing a foot of space. "Every member of the Empire was required to consume a tracking device that molded with their DNA. It was meant to deter against defection. No mater where you ran, the Empire would always be able to find you. A holocron was created to act as a receiver for all the tracker's signals and stored the information permanently."
  
  "So this is the holocron." Sabine tilts her head, searching out a button or. . . something that might open the evil little ball or otherwise switch it on. "What are you doing with it?"
  
  "Three days ago, Morgan Elsbeth escaped from her cell. The last I spoke to her, she was obsessed with finding this map. . . I've spent the last four months trying to find it first."
  
  "Looks like you were successful." Sabine tosses it up in the air. Catches it (suppressing a smile when Ahsoka tenses at the careless action). "So what do you want with it? And why have you brought it to me?"
  
  "Second question first. I've brought it to you because you're the only person I know who stands a good chance at being able to open it."
  
  (Sabine will not fall prey to flattery, she will not.)
  
  "And the first question?"
  
  "That's more complicated." Ahsoka hesitates, scanning her face. "This is a map to every Imperial Officer on the planet, including those currently wanted for war crimes but have, thus far, been unlocatable."
  
  "A fairly good reason."
  
  Sabine certainly doesn't need another. Though, that does nothing to stop Ahsoka from giving her one.
  
  "One of those soldiers is Thrawn. And if we find Thrawn's location, we might find-"
  
  The penny drops.
  
  "Ezra."
  
  [The Jedi were created as an ideal, with the assigned purpose of maintaining balance in the world. An impartial body to ensure no country would ever gain more power than another, and that wealth was distributed evenly amongst the populations. Their existence was considered necessary to ensure that Earth did not suffer another near-extinction event. That billionaires and corporations weren't given a second chance to destroy the only planet they had.
  
  The Jedi were to forsake all romantic and familial ties as well as allegiance to any one country. Their loyalty would be to the world as a whole and through that they would keep it safe. Keep all of them safe.
  
  Ideals rarely ever withstand reality.]
  
  Sabine feels her before she sees her.
  
  A subtle shake in her limbs, shivering up her spine, spreading through her veins. It stills her motions, suppressing the breath in her lungs. . .
  
  When Sabine was little, she used to enjoy holding her hand against the side of her father's jetplane whilst the engine was running, feeling the steady vibrations against her skin, the way they snaked their way up her arm, to her teeth. It felt like coming alive. Like she'd found the frequency of the universe and it was singing through her, consuming her.
  
  This feels like that. Vibrations laying waste to every cell in her body, shaking her skull. The more time passes, the stronger it gets. Until, finally, it settles. . . fading to a hum that she can at least form a thought over.
  
  "What the fuck?"
  
  Then the window explodes.
  
  Sabine nearly drops the sphere in her hand as Murley hisses, hair rising like daggers from his body.
  
  "Shit!" Springing into action, she dashes for the bedroom, Murley scampering ahead and nearly tripping her feet in the process. "Fuck!"
  
  Slamming the door behind her, Sabine falls to the floor in front of the wardrobe.
  
  "Was that a window that just broke?"
  
  "Can't talk right now, Scrappie!"
  
  "Just as long as you're aware that I will not be held responsible for fixing it."
  
  "You've never fixed anything a day in your life."
  
  Scrappie, a class three droid she once rescued from a trash heap and pieced back together - and who she now can"t get to move out of her home - gives a noise closely resembling a huff.
  
  "Come on, come on." Wrenching the wardrobe open, she fumbles around for the harsh metal of her safe. There's cloaking technology on it, concealing the unbreakable metal box from view, and even Sabine struggles to locate it half the time.
  
  "Got you!"
  
  Murley hisses his congratulations from beneath a chair. Scrappie, on the other hand, lingers in resentful silence.
  
  Feeling out the raised texture of the keypad, she hastily types in her password, mutters a quick, "Open sesame," and watches the cloaking technology turn off as the top of the safe pops open.
  
  Not wasting a moment, Sabine stashes the sphere inside, slams the lid and shoves it back into the depths of her closet, watching as it disappears from view.
  
  Next order of business is to chase Murley under the bed and give him a stern talking to about not coming out for anyone but her or Ahsoka - which is, of course, when the door to her bedroom flies off its hinges.
  
  Sabine whips around. "Was that really necessary?!"
  
  (she only just replaced the damn thing)
  
  The woman who steps into the room either doesn't hear or doesn't care to acknowledge her words. Which would be infuriating if not for the fact that the humming inside Sabine has started to climb again, higher and higher until it finally reaches its peak when the woman's feet stop less than a meter from hers.
  
  She's. . .
  
  Well, weird is probably the best word. Tall and lithe as any ballerina or model, and decked out head to toe in an outfit that would probably be more suited to Earth's medieval period. The cloak is a particularly ostentatious touch and Sabine can't quite keep back a snort - because snorting in the face of danger is what she does best.
  
  It's the type of dramatic wardrobe she's only ever seen on those employed by the Empire.
  
  Not a great sign.
  
  "Miss Wren, I believe we have an intruder."
  
  "Kind of stating the obvious, Scrappie," Sabine mutters, not taking her eyes off said 'intruder'.
  
  The woman cocks her head, in that same way she's seen Murley do when studying a cornered mouse.
  
  Such scenes usually end in a blood bath.
  
  "You're in possession of something that does not belong to you." She has a faint accent, though not one Sabine can readily trace. Something Eastern European, maybe. It doesn't really help her determine who she's dealing with. "Relinquish it to me and you will not be harmed."
  
  "I mean, technically it belongs to a dead guy so I think I'm going to hold onto it. Finders Keepers and all that."
  
  If Sabine didn't already know that she was fibbing about the whole 'not harming you' part, then the startling red of her lightsaber as it ignites would have clued her in.
  
  The only people she's ever seen wield sabers of that color are the Sith. An identifying mark of their fucked up cult that they proudly display. During the war, the Empire made it illegal for anyone to manufacture a saber of blue or green, the colors of the Jedi order. Now, the tables have turned and Sabine can count on less than three fingers just how many times she's seen someone with a red blade since the end of the war.
  
  There's a tint of orange to this lightsaber but she doesn't know enough about the Sith to hazard a guess on whether that makes her situation less dire or moreso.
  
  Shit.
  
  The woman steps closer, the sharp hum of her lightsaber nearly eclipsing the irritating hum Sabine's veins that she's been feeling since her arrival. "I was hoping you'd say that."
  
  Sabine doesn't doubt it for a second. Whilst her face is unerringly blank, there's a creeping excitement in her eyes and Sabine knows an adrenaline junkie when she sees one.
  
  Mostly because she is one.
  
  "I suppose you wouldn't be open to just grabbing a bite to eat and some coffee? Maybe throw in a bit of clubbing?"
  
  The woman cocks her head, looking an - admittedly - adorable mixture of frustrated and perplexed.
  
  "Nope?" Sabine reaches for the lightsaber at her belt. "Okay, then."
  
  Exhaling, she ignites it.
  
  Ahsoka, you better be on your way.
  
  Lying on the ground, Sabine can only prepare for death as the sound of footsteps draws closer and closer. Then comes to a stop. Her would-be murderer squints down at her, like she's a particularly frustrating puzzle whose pieces refuse to fit together.
  
  Sabine tries to speak, to deliver some heroic last-minute snark before she finishes her off, but she can't find the strength to move her lips. The world moves around her in a fog, hazy and unforgiving, Sabine wanders in and out of the shadows.
  
  She blinks and the woman is bending over, hand outstretched towards her face, her own drawn with curiosity.
  
  The closer she gets, the more insistent the hum in Sabine's head becomes. She groans under the onslaught, just as the woman's fingers touch her forehead - then jerk back.
  
  "What are you?"
  
  (what a rude question to ask)
  
  Sabine parts her lips, tries to form a stinging response-
  
  and it's at that moment the world fades out.
  
  [At first, the Jedi Order was an unquestionable success. Wars dwindled, corruption faltered, and poverty receded slowly from the shores of civilization. Then the cracks started to show. Little fissures in the fabric of the world, that grew and grew. By the time Sabine was born, the entire building had almost crumbled down.
  
  People would always hunger for more. More power. More money. More attention. And ever so slowly they began to gain it.
  
  The Order, which was created as a governing body that would take no sides and work for the good of all, fell slowly into the grip of the Old Republic. Which, whilst not nearly as bad as the Empire that would one day replace it, had grown rotten with corruption, inaction and self-indulgence. Those outside of the Republic slipped slowly into waste, left to fester by the Jedi. Human trafficking and slavery were common in those parts, though - Sabine's learned - such things found themselves at home in the Republic as well. They were just hidden. Never spoken of. Never acknowledged.
  
  ('We lost our way,' Ahsoka confides in her once, not long after Sabine has agreed to be her apprentice. 'Became arrogant with our own power and influence whilst believing ourselves above such base things. That became clear to me the day I was expelled from the Order. As much as the Jedi preach against attachment, we had become attached to the Republic. A dying Republic.'
  
  'They chose it over you.'
  
  Ahsoka inclines her head. 'Our intentions were good - I still believe that - but the day we stopped focusing on the entire world instead of just one governmant, is the day we signed our own ruin.'
  
  'Do you think the new Jedi Order will be better?'
  
  '. . . I hope so,' Ahsoka says softly.
  
  Sabine doesn't point out that, as much as she may hope, that hope hasn't been strong enough to call her back to the Order. Though she has reclaimed the title of Jedi, she refuses to return to the past.
  
  Sabine can't blame her)]
  
  It goes without saying that she managed to crack the map open. She is, uncontestably, brilliant at what she does. And, sure, it was a little trickier to start with than she expected but that wasn't necessarily an unwanted hiccup - it's been far too long since Sabine's had a challenge she can really sink her teeth into.
  
  The problem wasn't the map.
  
  The problem was the blonde, lightsaber-wielding gremlin that crashed her victory party and tried to steal the damn map - but not before rearranging some of Sabine's insides.
  
  She winces, massaging the wound on her side.
  
  "Stop touching it," Ahsoka scolds. "You'll only get it infected."
  
  "I can't believe she just left me lying there. She didn't even care enough to finish the job!"
  
  "I'm sorry, are you upset that you were only stabbed somewhere non-vital instead of mortally wounded by the person who tried to rob you?"
  
  "I mean. . . not really," It's more the principle of the matter. Sabine is very happy to still be alive and breathing - it just wouldn't be fair to poor Murley and Scrappie to render them orphans - but the utter disrespect! What? Homicidal blonde lady didn't even consider Sabine enough of a threat to make sure that she'd never get back up again? She left her - like trash!
  
  Ahsoka raises a doubtful brow but doesn't comment.
  
  Sabine sighs, turning to the sphere on her bedside table. "At least she didn't manage to take it."
  
  Ahsoka's arrival was timely, if a little too late to stop another scar from being added to her collection. Sabine winces, regretting her decision not to accept painkillers, as she attempts to make herself a little more upright.
  
  Huyang, to her left, clocks her struggle and adds another pillow to her already impressive collection, creating a sturdier surface to support her weight.
  
  Ahsoka frowns, eying the sphere. "Were you able to open it?"
  
  "Yeah." Sabine winces, backtracking. "Well, mostly. I did get it open but I was only able to unlock about thirty percent of the map. Bloodthirsty Barbie interrupted before I could work my way through the rest."
  
  "Still" - Ahsoka smiles - "thirty percent is impressive. It's more than anyone else has managed."
  
  Sabine curses the way her lips itch to break into their own smile, the little thrill that zaps through her at Ahsoka's praise. She's not her master anymore. And Sabine is not her apprentice.
  
  Those days are behind them. The only reason she's doing this is because of Ezra. Ezra, who disappeared off the face of the Earth along with Thrawn ten years ago.
  
  "Get some rest." Ahsoka moves like she's going to pat Sabine's hand but stops herself at the last second. "We'll talk more later."
  
  Sabine has no intention at all of resting - she still has seventy percent worth of map to unlock - but she nods at her former master like a good girl and watches as she rises from her chair in preparation to leave.
  
  It's when she's partway to the door that Sabine remembers something. Something that she could only take in stride and dismiss at the time but that now has her stomach twisting in on itself.
  
  "Ahsoka."
  
  Ahsoka halts, turning slowly back to face her.
  
  Sabine hesitates, unsure if she even wants to voice this. If it's even worth voicing. After all, she has no idea what actually happened. What she felt. What if her brain is just misremembering shit because of the trauma of getting stabbed?
  
  Except her brain never misremembers shit.
  
  It can't.
  
  "I sensed her coming, Ahsoka," Sabine whispers, watching her turn very still. "I felt her. . . I don't even know how that's possible."
  
  The confused frown on Ahsoka's face mirrors her own internal state, which is comforting in its way. "It shouldn't be. . . not for a human."
  
  Sabine smiles grimly. "Except I'm not entirely human."
  
  Not anymore.
  
  "It all depends on your definition." Ahsoka hesitates, then forces her own smile - it's not nearly as reassuring as she probably thinks it is. "As for what you felt. . . it's something we can try to figure out the why of in the future. Right now, our priority is that map."
  
  "Right." Sabine tries not to let the smile on her lips falter. "Of course."
  
  And she's right. That map is their priority.
  
  Finding Ezra is their priority. Nothing else matters more than that.
  
  Sabine won't let it.
  
  Notes:
  Next chapter will be much longer and then we'll be up to present day and the chapters will be pretty much entirely shin/sabine from that point on. we've just got to get through the setup first
  
  Next time: sabine learns more about the mysterious woman who attacked her
  
  Chapter 2: your body's a machine, you are not a human being
  Notes:
  warning this fic laughs in the face of science, not one part of it is plausible, but that"s okay because we"re just here for wolfren
  
  (chapter title is obviously taken from Halsey's song Gasoline
  
  (See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  "Alright, let's see who your attacker was."
  
  Sabine is already stepping into motion before Ahsoka has finished speaking. She's been itching to start investigating - and hopefully get to the bottom of this - since she first woke up.
  
  Mandalore, one of Earth's largest manmade islands, was once home to a civilization of people who decided to meld their bodies with machines. Cyborgs, many have called them. Altering and shaping their bodies with biomechatronic parts. The alterations usually begin in early adulthood, once a person's decided whether they wish to devote their life to the Mandalorian way, or leave.
  
  Sabine left her people long before that point, though, when she was only sixteen, but not before receiving her own alteration. A modification to her brain, done in an effort to save her life after the first time their home was bombed by the Empire. Experimental technology. Unsafe. But the alternative was to let her die.
  
  It has its upsides, she's found. One of them being a digital memory that she can transfer to certain electronic devices like the datapad on the table in front of her - though, of course, this upside also has its downsides but she tries not to focus on those.
  
  Touching a hand to the datapad, Sabine closes her eyes, concentrating. By this point, the wireless transfer is almost second nature, she's done it so often, and when she opens her eyes, sure enough, her attacker is displayed across the screen. Sabine swipes a finger and a duplicate of the screen is thrust into the air.
  
  And there she is.
  
  The woman who stabbed her. Dancing with her lightsaber, her brow knit tight in concentration. There's hunger in her eyes, as well. Sabine missed it the first time around - too busy fighting for her life - but she can see it now as the footage continues to play, each move between them growing more vicious. She enjoys the fight. Sabine can see it in those eyes. In that hunger.
  
  And, well, she can't say she doesn't relate to that particular thrill. That sometimes she doesn't enjoy it too. Not when she's getting stabbed, of course. But outside of that.
  
  Sabine stares at the footage hovering before her, unable to stop herself from leaning in a little closer, analyzing every detail her eyes were able to capture. It's something she's been doing in her own head ever since waking up. Playing out those few short minutes of their fight, again and again. At this point, she doesn't even know what it is exactly that she's looking for. What she thinks she'll find.
  
  An explanation, maybe. For why she was assaulted by those annoying as fuck vibrations moments before her assailant arrived; for why she still has the memory of lying on the ground, staring up into inquisitive green eyes as fingers hover over her skin.
  
  Whatever she's looking for, though, she hasn't found it.
  
  Beside her, Ahsoka stares at the hologram, seeming equally as enraptured by the stranger. "That shouldn't be possible."
  
  "What shouldn't be possible?" Sabine takes her eyes off her attacker's face to inspect her former-maybe-current master's instead. "Wait, do you know her?"
  
  "Not in the strictest sense." Ahsoka discards the disbelief from her features, folding her arms as she studies the, apparently, familiar woman's face. "We crossed paths once, though, during my time in Ukraine. She was on a mission for the Empire - and I was on a mission to derail that mission."
  
  "Did you?"
  
  "Partially. But that's irrelevant." Ahsoka turns to her. "She should be dead."
  
  "Because you killed her?"
  
  Great. Sabine's been skewered by a ghost. Add that to her list of unique - if unenviable - life experiences.
  
  "Because the Empire did. Or at least. . . that's what our source led us to assume."
  
  "I can confirm that she's very much alive." Sabine rubs the scarring skin on her stomach with a wince. "Like, very alive. . . Well, that or just the world's spriest corpse."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth twitches, amusement penetrating the discontent in her eyes. "She's not a corpse. She's a synth."
  
  Sabine's eyes dart back to the screen, back to Ahsoka, then back to the screen. "Actually, that explains a lot. She packs a hell of a punch."
  
  Her bruises will have bruises for weeks.
  
  But that's par for the course when fighting someone whose strength would outmatch any human's on the planet. Sabine frowns, reevaluating that fight, combing through the details in a new light. . .
  
  "I'm not surprised. You should be proud, Sabine," Ahsoka touches her arm. "Not many would come to blows with a Hati and live to tell the tale."
  
  "Hati." The word sounds harsh on her tongue, like punch. "I'm not familiar with that model of synthetic."
  
  "Not surprising. They were one of the Empire's secret weapons. Very few knew of their existence. And, of course, they were all destroyed towards the end of the war."
  
  "Of course," Sabine says, like this is common knowledge that anyone would know and not something she's finding out for the very first time. "Who destroyed them?"
  
  "The Empire."
  
  Sabine whistles. "That's got to burn."
  
  Your own side turning on you? Not for the first time, she's glad she pulled her head out of her ass and joined the Rebel Alliance when she did.
  
  Sabine frowns, examining the Hati's face, searching for any hints of her true nature.
  
  There are, of course, none.
  
  Synths, or synthetics, were created to be more useful than humans - but also more disposable. A perfect replica in every way - except for in rights. From the beginning, synths were devoid of them. And their fight to change that - both for themselves and the droids that were their sister species - was one of the conflicts that kickstarted the war. Palpatine seized on the turmoil created by their uprising - the fear and hatred embedded in Earth's population - seized on it and wrung it for all it was worth.
  
  Before then, the Synth Uprising had been a movement of no violence - though they'd certainly fallen victim to it often - but Palpatine changed the narrative. Spread countless propaganda and lies, creating the image of a machine with insatiable blood lust, whose only goal was to destroy humanity. He painted a similar picture of Earth's alien population.
  
  Sabine can remember all the lies and propaganda she so readily fell for as a child. Even after all these years of knowing the truth, not to mention fighting alongside both synths and aliens alike, she still stumbles upon traps in her head. Old rhetoric and beliefs planted there during her youth. It's constant work - springing those traps and throwing them away - but necessary work.
  
  She can't change what she believed when she was a child, or later when she was an Imperial cadet. But she can change what she believes now. More than that, she has a duty to.
  
  "So," she turns her attention back to the hologram. "Does my mystery attacker have a name?"
  
  "Huyang?" Ahsoka requests.
  
  "Already combing her face through the database - ah. Yes, here we are.
  
  Species: Synthetic
  
  Model: Hati.
  
  Registered name: Shin."
  
  Shin?
  
  Sabine snorts. A ridiculous name to suit someone with an equally ridiculous sense of fashion. Oh, she can't wait to kick her in the shins whilst shooting off a bunch of ill-timed quips.
  
  'Little pig, little pig, let me come in!'
  
  'Not by the hair on my shinny-shin-shin!'
  
  Sabine cringes. Okay, not her best work. But she'll have time to think of some much better material before their next match. And there most definitely will be a next one. Sabine isn't inclined to let anyone get away with stabbing her. Even if they are hot as fuck.
  
  She chokes on her tongue.
  
  Um. . . what?
  
  Where did that come from?
  
  We do not crush on homicidal maniacs in this house, Sabine!
  
  (of course her inner scolding voice sounds like Hera)
  
  She can feel the heat in her cheeks, reaching higher and higher. Hopes that neither Ahsoka or Huyang can see it. This is a hell of a time to discover you have a stabbing kink. Or, well, maybe it just counts as a penetration kink - in which case totally normal!
  
  Desperately in need of a distraction, Sabine clears her throat. "Got anything else on her Huyang?"
  
  (it's impressive just how normal her voice sounds. Maybe she should go into acting.)
  
  "Of course, Lady Wren.
  
  Gender: Female
  
  Status: Deceased
  
  Age: Unknown
  
  Maker: Unknown
  
  Place of origin: Unknown
  
  Current allegiance: Unknown
  
  Last known location-"
  
  "Let me guess, unknown?"
  
  ". . . There does seem to be a bit of an air of mystery surrounding your new arch-nemesis."
  
  "Hey! She is not my arch nemesis. She is not my anything - except, of course, for a massive pain in my ass."
  
  "Whatever the case, she's a problem," Ahsoka says.
  
  "I think I pretty much covered that with the 'pain in my ass' part."
  
  "But not our biggest priority right now. Our priority is finding Elsbeth and opening that map."
  
  "A map that she tried to steal, in case you forgot. Is probably still trying to steal." In Sabine's book, that makes her a huge priority. "What does she even want with it, anyway?"
  
  "I don't know, but I'm confident I don't want to find out."
  
  Sabine can't help but agree.
  
  If her skill in a fight is anything to go by, Shin Hati is certainly no idle threat. All the more reason to prioritize finding her.
  
  (because she's a threat. And not because Sabine wants to pay her back for stabbing her and walking away; and certainly not because she wants to find out what the hell is up with the whole vibrating-like-a-sex-toy-in-her-presence thing)
  
  "Sorry to interrupt," Huyang interjects politely, "but I've just received word that there's been a confirmed sighting of Lady Elsbeth in Corellia."
  
  Sabine turns to the woman beside her. "I suppose it doesn't bode well that our missing fugitive is hanging out in the largest shipping yard in the world?"
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins in agreement. "Feel up for another fight?"
  
  Huyang looks like he's going to protest but Sabine cuts him off.
  
  "Definitely."
  
  If anything, she's itching for one. Sure, the person she's itching to have a fight with is Shin Hati but a little scrap with Morgan Elsbeth is more than guaranteed to take the edge off.
  
  Huyang sighs. "I want it noted for the record that I strongly disapprove of this course of action."
  
  "Noted," Sabine says brightly, walking past him and ignoring the way the scarred skin of her stomach pulls with every step. "Now let's go."
  
  "Very well. If you insist on embarking on this reckless and assuredly self-destructive endeavour, I should inform you that I collected your armor whilst Ahsoka was loading your mortally wounded body onto the shuttle."
  
  "See? Nothing to worry about. No-one can lay a finger on me in that armor."
  
  Sabine groans, slumping onto the couch with an icepack pressed to her head, which feels like it's been halfway crushed by the foot of an elephant. Huyang assured her there was no risk of concussion but she's definitely been seeing stars for the last hour, ever since her newest bestest friend decided to use her head as a battering ram.
  
  Sabine moans at the memory.
  
  Why?
  
  Whatever happened to a good old-fashioned punch in the face? Decent. Respectable. Far less likely to cause a skull fracture. Sabine already has her fair share of brain damage, she's not in the market to get more.
  
  At least she had her armor this time, which was strong enough to defend against Shin's blows and help her deliver her own walloping ones in return - though Sabine's advantage was limited and ultimately pitiful in the face of the synth's superior skillset. And, as much as she loathes to admit it, it is superior.
  
  Though Sabine's proud to claim that she has the more lethal tongue. In fact, if it was a battle of quips, she would have won without competition. Something her opponent failed to appreciate. In fact, some of Sabine's best lines seemed to sail right on over her head.
  
  Which is disappointing. She worked really hard on those.
  
  (of course, there's always the possibility that Shin was simply pretending not to hear her. Which. . .
  
  Isn't actually a terrible strategy. Considering Sabine got increasingly frustrated the longer the fight went on - and sloppy)
  
  Needless to say, their little rendezvous with Morgan did not go as planned. Mostly because of the unexpected appearance of two lightsaber-swinging pests, one of whom was Shin Hati.
  
  As much as Sabine was itching for another fight with her, she could have done without the resulting head trauma.
  
  "She seems fascinated with you," Ahsoka comments from her position in a nearby armchair - and it might be paranoia but Sabine doesn't think she's imagining the sliver of amusement in her tone.
  
  "She seems fascinated with making me bleed," Sabine grumbles and, indeed, she came out of this latest fight with a nasty gash above her eyebrow in need of a frightening number of stitches. Though, she didn't get stabbed so Sabine's decided to count herself as the winner of that altercation.
  
  "Well. . . everyone has to have a hobby."
  
  She peers at Ahsoka through narrowed eyes.
  
  She's definitely smiling now.
  
  "Oh, fuck you."
  
  Ahsoka forces her smile to subdue itself though Sabine can still see it brimming in her eyes.
  
  She sighs, leaning back in her seat. "I'm getting my ass handed to me."
  
  "It does appear to be that way," Huyang chimes in.
  
  "Oh, fuck you too."
  
  "I was simply agreeing with you, Lady Wren." The cheek in his robotic voice is only barely detectable but, boy, does she detect it.
  
  "She had another synth with her," Ahsoka says thoughtfully. "I didn't recognize him."
  
  "Yeah, he wasn't there during our first date."
  
  "A Skroll model. Lord Baylan, if my records are correct - which they always are," Huyang reveals. "He was a Jedi at the temple. Assumed to be lost to the war."
  
  "Well, apparently not."
  
  Ahsoka tilts her head. "You don't see too many Skroll models these days. They're a dying breed."
  
  "Indeed. The models are known for being the only synthetic that never needs to charge. They are powered by a self-sustaining generator at their core. The materials for which were exhausted during the war. With most of the Skroll destroyed during that very same war and with no means to create more. . . they are an endangered species. It is the fear of the conservationists that they may one day very soon go extinct."
  
  Sabine makes a face. "I still think it's weird that the New Republic elected a 'conservationist' organization to oversee what's left of the synth and alien species on Earth. Like they're animals."
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins in agreement.
  
  "The title is. . . regrettable," Huyang says. "Though the intentions themselves seem to be admirable. They've already located twenty different synth models on the brink of extinction and replenished the ranks of those they could."
  
  Sabine jerks a thumb at the woman beside her. "Ahsoka nearly punched a senator after that organization put forward a proposal for a breeding program for critically endangered alien species."
  
  "I had no intention of punching him."
  
  "Yeah, but you wanted to. And, hey, me too."
  
  "Which is why I dragged you out of there."
  
  "All part of my master plan. I was offering myself up as a distraction so that you would be focused on me rather than that Senator's oh-so-punchable face."
  
  Not really. But that's between her and God. Who she's never spoken to a day in her life.
  
  "Well, you were very successful."
  
  Sabine can tell from Ahsoka's tone that she doesn't believe a single word of her bullshit. Not surprising. It is incredibly hard to bullshit a Jedi.
  
  "Do you think Shin and Baylan were the two people you saw on the security footage of Morgan's prison break?" Sabine asks.
  
  "I'd say the odds are certainly high. They never showed their faces but we know that Elsbeth has been looking for the map and now a man and woman appear hoping to steal it shortly after she's broken out of prison by two people of a similar build and appearance? And they all lightsabers?"
  
  "Yeah. Either it's them or the universe is going a little too overboard with its coincidences."
  
  "Essentially."
  
  Great.
  
  Sabine is liking the sound of this less and less.
  
  She sighs, slumping back in her seat. Could really go for some chocolate right now.
  
  [Xenobots, a sort of animal-machine hybrid, were the world's first and only living robot. Comprised of biological matter and designed by artificial intelligence, they were capable of self-replication and healing. Originally created to remove microplastics from the ocean, scrape plaque from people's arteries and act as a drug delivery system, the Jedi Order found ways to advance their function and application beyond what anyone could ever have predicted.
  
  The technology was barred to members of the public, reserved only for members of the Order, who were injected with it over the course of their training.
  
  (another thing Palpatine used to sew resentment for the Jedi)
  
  The true extent of the xenobots' capabilities remains a closely guarded secret but Sabine's learned from being around Ahsoka that advanced healing is part of it, along with enhanced senses, speed and agility. Not to mention extended longevity.
  
  Sabine could really use some of that healing right now.]
  
  "So." She readjusts the ice pack on her head. "You never finished telling me about the Hati model. I feel like I should probably know what I'm up against here considering this one seems determined to fuck up every inch of me."
  
  And not in a pleasurable way.
  
  Ahsoka considers her. "You're right. You should be fully informed when it comes to what you're facing."
  
  "Great." Sabine smacks her thighs, standing up - her stomach cries a protest but she manages not to wince. "Let me just put on some hot chocolate and we can get this show on the road."
  
  "It's not that kind of story, Sabine."
  
  "Hot chocolate is good for any story. Happy, sad. Light-hearted, depressingly dark. It's a queen of versatility."
  
  "Fine," Ahsoka sighs.
  
  "Want some?"
  
  "Only if you leave out the marshmallows this time."
  
  Sabine pauses in her step - "Heathen." - before continuing into the kitchen.
  
  Ahsoka hides a smile.
  
  [The first sentient synths were created by the Jedi to help fill their ranks. A truly impartial warrior with no biological or national ties. Completely and utterly unattached.
  
  Or, at least, that was the idea.
  
  Palpatine used the Order's role in their creation as one of his talking points for the Empire. As animosity towards synthetics grew, he used that resentment to help justify his unchecked slaughter of the Jedi Order.
  
  Sabine can grudgingly admit that it was a smart move. And an effective one as well. Even now as the Jedi rebuild themselves, there's still a palpable amount of distrust from the general public towards the few synth members in their Order.
  
  After war, hate and fear are the hardest things to dispense with]
  
  "So, lay it on me." Cuddled up on the couch with the thickest blanket Sabine's ever had the privilege to touch wrapped around her like a cocoon, she takes a sip of her hot chocolate (with marshmellows. Because unlike Ahsoka she actually has taste).
  
  Sabine's newly reinstated master taps her fingers against her own cup as she considers the best place to start. "The Hati were revolutionary, as far as synthetic technology goes. No model before them was ever so realistic."
  
  "Oh yeah. It sure felt realistic when she was using her fist to rearrange my face - be honest, just how bad does my nose look at the moment?"
  
  Ahsoka wisely chooses not to answer. "They could easily pass as human - which was their selling point. I believe they were used as the blueprint for the Jade model. Though were greatly improved upon."
  
  Sabine hides a smirk. She can only imagine Shin's face if she heard anyone say that she was something that needed to be 'greatly improved upon'. Then she registers the rest of Ahsoka's words.
  
  "Mara Jade? But I thought she was unique?"
  
  The first and only model of her kind.
  
  Huyang weighs in from his position on the other side of the room. "Very much so. But her design was inspired by earlier models such as the Hati. Unlike the Hati, though, she was created through the use of femtotechnology."
  
  "Never heard of it."
  
  Huyang moves to speak.
  
  "Also don't want to hear about it."
  
  Not when it would distract from Sabine's efforts to learn every last juicy piece of information about Shin there is.
  
  Priorities. She has them. (a little less than straight but she has them)
  
  She turns to Ahsoka. "So what else can you tell me?"
  
  She raises a brow at Sabine's, admittedly, unconcealed eagerness but obliges like a good Samaritan. "Before the war, they were one of the few models with sentience written into their design."
  
  Well, that's interesting.
  
  From what Sabine knows, sentience was spread like a virus after Palpatine rose to power, released by Synth Freedom Fighters. The results helped turn the tide for the Rebels since a high number of non-sentient synths were being used in all areas of the Imperial army. Before the war, only about forty percent of them possessed true sentience.
  
  "I thought sentience was a bug, not a feature? At least in terms of those that weren't part of the Jedi Order."
  
  "Propaganda." Ahsoka waves a hand, dismissing this apparent nonsense. "They were also the only model fully comprised of nanobots. It gave them the ability to change appearances and to recover from almost any physical damage. Imagine taking every cell in a human body and replacing it with nanotechnology - and you'll get some idea of the Hati design."
  
  Sabine's 'idea' says that sounds prohibitively expensive and, also, illegal. But then it was the Empire that made the use of nanotechnology illegal (though they clearly had no qualms about using it themselves) so Sabine's not going to judge.
  
  "Most often, the model was assigned to people who wanted a child and couldn't conceive one of their own. A code was written into their structure that meant they would 'age' in an organic way. They'd arrive as newborns and then at some point end up as fully grown adults - though I'm not sure what age they were programmed to reach, the model wasn't around long enough to find out. Shin is the oldest I've seen."
  
  It's a little disconcerting - even nauseating - to think of people ordering themselves a designer baby like they're a purse. Especially when it no doubt involved an unjustifiable amount of cash considering the price of nanobots.
  
  "What happened during the war?"
  
  Ahsoka's mouth thins. "Most of them were killed. By their own families or their human peers. Vader saw to the massacre of a majority himself. Children, all of them. . . Some were kept as slaves - the Hati model was unique in that, because it was granted sentience, it also had a fail-safe put in place. A code that made it so that they had to obey any and every instruction from their assigned masters, which were in most cases their parents. They were sentient but without free will. . . As a result, those that weren't destroyed were re-purposed by the Empire. Fashioned into assassins and spies."
  
  "To work against other synths like themselves."
  
  Sabine feels sick at the thought. She can remember what it felt like, to discover that the Duchess, a weapon she designed, was being used to enslave and kill her own people.
  
  "To work against whoever the Empire chose," Ahsoka corrects. "Synth, alien and human alike. The nanobots made them harder to kill than most other models and their full sentience gave them intelligence and creativity that couldn't be found in droids. But the code that put them at the mercy of their masters' will - utterly and completely obedient - made their loyalty absolute."
  
  Often during the war, Sabine wondered what kind of fate would await her if she was ever captured by the Empire. Captured and not killed. She had nightmares about the torture and indignities that might befall her, the things she could be forced to do. In her nightmares, death was a better outcome than falling victim to the Empire's barbaric hold.
  
  But those nightmares feel like child's play to her now. The complete and total subjugation that Ahsoka describes is beyond anything her imagination could ever concoct.
  
  She feels a stab of sympathy for the woman who stabbed her but quickly quashes it. Sympathy for the enemy will only get you killed.
  
  And Shin is the enemy. Whatever she endured during the war, whatever she was forced to do, that was then and this is now. And right now, her actions are her own. Her choices are her own.
  
  And she had chosen to align herself against the New Republic. To kill.
  
  Ahsoka's voice pulls her from her thoughts. "That program was then replicated to enslave other synth models, any who were sentient and of use to the Empire."
  
  "How have I never heard of them?" Sabine wonders aloud.
  
  "They fought in the shadows, in places unseen. Killing silently and discreetly. Infiltrating rebel cells and leaving without a trace. . . And like I said, most of them were destroyed."
  
  "Except Shin."
  
  "Except Shin."
  
  Sabine draws her knee up to her chest, considering all the new information her master has just unloaded on her. "So where does Baylan fit into all this?"
  
  "You'd have to ask her."
  
  Sabine snorts. "I don't think she's exactly interested in providing me with any answers - to anything."
  
  The corner of Ashoka's mouth drifts up. "She does seem to have a certain. . . disregard for you."
  
  Sabine grumbles. "She stabbed me and tried to use my head as a battering ram. Pretty sure what she has for me is a deep and burning desire to see me dead."
  
  "If she wanted you dead, you'd be dead." Ahsoka's tone is light but her eyes are cold. "The Empire made them killing machines, Sabine. The most lethal and precise there are. They don't make mistakes. That stab wound missed all your vital organs - including your spine. The heat of her lightsaber fully cauterized the wound so you didn't bleed out. Then she left you, left you to be found and given aid. . . That's not a mistake someone like her would make."
  
  So maybe Sabine's new 'nemesis' has a heart, after all. Some small vestige of morality.
  
  Or maybe she just likes playing with her food.
  
  "You said that the Hatis had no free will. Is that still true?"
  
  ". . .I don't know," Ahsoka says, eyes subdued. "From what I heard, Palpatine put a certain. . . lock in place to safeguard that program. One that prevented tampering, even by the most skilled slicer. To try would trigger a self-destruct sequence." She catches Sabine's questioning gaze. "It would kill the model."
  
  "Fuck."
  
  "Yes. . . fuck."
  
  Any other time, she might smile at the curse falling from her mentor's lips, how unnatural it sounds. But Sabine feels devoid of amusement. "So she's probably still operating at the behest of someone else."
  
  Her earlier sympathy returns.
  
  Maybe she was too quick to pass judgment. Maybe Shin's just as much a slave now as she ever was. Maybe the predator who sprung on her in the night was really the prey. Maybe the war still hasn't ended for Shin.
  
  (has it ended for any of them?)
  
  "Maybe, maybe not." Ahsoka's expression is thoughtful as she chews on the possibility, though if she feels even a fraction of Sabine's internal horror, it doesn't show. "As far as I know, the only way to make that program null and void is for a Hati's master - or masters - to die. A dead man can't give orders. . . It's possible, with the war, that all of Shin's masters are now dead, rendering her free."
  
  "What about Baylan?"
  
  Ahsoka shakes her head. "The Empire would never give a synth that kind of power over a weapon of her caliber."
  
  Something in Sabine's stomach twists at Shin being referred to as weapon. Like she has little more agency or personhood than a blaster. Which. . . she supposes in the eyes of the Empire was true.
  
  "And if Shin's masters aren't dead? If she's still operating at the behest of someone else?"
  
  Someone who likely hates their very existence. Who would like nothing better than to see the New Republic destroyed.
  
  The press of Ahsoka's mouth is grim. "Then we have bigger problems than we thought."
  
  And here Sabine was thinking their problems were already the size of woolly mammoths.
  
  She rests her chin on her knee, conjuring a picture of Shin in her mind. It's crystal clear. All her memories are. But she still doesn't think it quite. . . captures the ferocity of the real thing.
  
  She doesn't know anything about Shin. Not really. Just theories. But she knows what she looks like when she fights. What it feels like to endure the crush of her blade. The fire in her eyes, the hunger.
  
  When they fight, Shin is more alive than anyone else she's ever met.
  
  That's not something Sabine's memories can capture.
  
  "I don't think I've ever met anyone else like me," she hums, without thought.
  
  "She's not like you, Sabine."
  
  "Well, no - of course not." No-one's like her. And it seems no-one's like Shin either. They are one of a kind. Special. (alone). "But someone with nanobots."
  
  The technology was lost towards the end of the war after the Empire banned it, killing all with any knowledge, including Sabine's own family during the Purge of Mandalore (though that was likely an unexpected benefit rather than an act of intention, given the entire island was the target of that attack). Ahsoka is confident that one day the technology will return, that someone else will figure it out, put the pieces together, but until then it exists only in Sabine.
  
  And now Shin.
  
  Of course, someone could study their nanobots and potentially work out how to reproduce them, which is one of the reasons Sabine keeps her 'condition' on the down low. The last thing she wants is to become somebody's science experiment.
  
  Ahsoka's right, though. She and Shin aren't the same. Sabine has a paltry amount of nanobots in her brain, doing the work of areas that are damaged beyond repair. Shin, on the other hand, is made of nanobots. They extend to every part of her. They are her.
  
  The Mandalorian in Sabine wants to open her up, see how she works, examine every synthetic inch of her. The artist in her is disgusted at the thought of picking apart such a rare and beautiful creation. It wants to see how Shin works too but only from the position of an outside observer, admiring from a distance.
  
  And Sabine. . .
  
  Sabine is curious. But not about the mechanics of Shin's being - or, not just about that - but about Shin herself. The person she is. How she thinks. What she feels. What happened to her.
  
  She wants to know why every time she's around her, every cell in Sabine's body sings.
  
  It sounds terribly romantic but it's not. It's unsettling as fuck. Like something has reached inside her and changed the mechanics of her very being, the way her body operates. It's not all too different from how she woke up after an explosion took out more than half her brain, to find that her thoughts were suddenly sharper, clearer. More cohesive. That she could picture things in her mind with a level of vividness and clarity that she'd never been capable of before. It wasn't bad, necessarily. But it was foreign. And it rendered Sabine's own mind a stranger to her.
  
  She's not enjoying the process of going through that again.
  
  "Do you think the nanobots are why I can sense her?"
  
  There"s no surprise on Ashoka"s face at the question which leads her to suspect that it"s something she"s already thought about. Great. Nice of her to fill Sabine in. "It"s possible. You know, many in the order were able to sense each other. It was. . . like a low frequency in the air. The xenobots in our bloodstream were designed to connect with each other to allow for easier communication."
  
  "Communication?"
  
  "We could exchange thoughts. Sometimes."
  
  Sabine feels incredibly glad that she"s not training to become a real Jedi. Because that sounds creepy as hell.
  
  "Yeah, well, I haven"t experienced anything like that."
  
  "That doesn"t mean the process isn"t similar. Still, the best thing to do might be to ignore it. For now, all it functions as is a distraction."
  
  She"s not wrong about that.
  
  (Ezra. He"s the priority)
  
  "Well, I"m going to head to bed." Ahsoka stands up. "You off too?"
  
  "Uh. . . not just yet. I think I might work on the map some more."
  
  (and absolutely not obsess about Shin)
  
  "Don"t stay up too late. You"re still healing."
  
  Yeah and now she has even more fun things to heal from.
  
  "Yes, Sir."
  
  Ahsoka smiles at her solute but it"s faint and all too quickly gone. "Tell me the truth, how are you doing with all this?"
  
  She means getting stabbed. Getting a real chance to find Ezra at last. Being in her master"s company again, after how they parted ways. There"s a lot of "all this" to cover.
  
  "Honestly, right now, I mostly just want to hit Shin in the face." Everything else, she"s allowing to be background noise. For her own mental wellbeing. "Maybe give her a matching stab wound."
  
  Though, being made of nanobots, any injury Sabine delivers her would be healed up in a jiffy.
  
  She pouts. It"s really not fair.
  
  "Okay." Ahsoka smiles and she"s not sure whether she believes her. But that"s a problem for another day.
  
  She looks down, using her spoon to fish out the gooey remains of one of the marshmallows in her mug.
  
  "Sabine?" Ashoka's hand lands on her shoulder as she passes, making her glance up. "Be careful."
  
  "Um. . . always?"
  
  She is the most carefullest person in the history of careful persons.
  
  Ahsoka mouth's twitches before smoothing out again. "Shin's not like anyone you've ever faced before. She has training that you've never had to contend with. She is one of the Empire's most skilled assassins - and she's taken an interest in you."
  
  "Again, I'm not sure I'd call stabbing me in the gut and trying to bash out my brains taking an interest."
  
  "Male and female mantises wrestle each other when mating," Huyang informs them. "A high stakes battle where, if the male is unable to achieve victory, she will inevitably cannibalize him."
  
  Sabine nearly falls out of her chair.
  
  "Then, of course, there's the female banded mongoose, who leads her pack into war when she wishes to mate with a rival male. As for chimpanzees-"
  
  "Okay, okay, we get it," Sabine shuts him down.
  
  Ahsoka bites her lip but her fucking eyes betray her. She is laughing. "I think Shin's interest is a little more lethal than sexual."
  
  "The two things are not mutually exclusive."
  
  Sabine chokes.
  
  "But I do suppose it's possible. I have no information, after all, on whether or not the Hati were even given the potential for such baser urges. It is a disappointing fact of our species that not all synths and droids are above it. Only the unenlightened feel the need to participate in something so primitive."
  
  Ahsoka raises a brow but wisely chooses not to comment. Maybe because this is the most awkward conversation the three of them have ever been a part of. Though Sabine has a sinking suspicion that she's the only one who finds it awkward.
  
  You know what? I don't have to deal with this.
  
  She stands up. "I'm going to my room."
  
  "To participate in some baser urges?"
  
  "No!"
  
  (okay, yes. Definitely yes.
  
  But only for stress relief!)
  
  Notes:
  so what do you think so far? Shin arrives in the next chapter and I promise all chapters after that are heavy on the shin/sabine interactions. I just had to set things up first
  
  Also, Mara Jade is in this universe because she's my fave and it would be a crime not to include her. With that said, though, she doesn't have much of a part. I just like knowing that she exists lol
  
  Chapter 3: The Luke Skywalker School of Love
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  'Tyger Tyger, burning bright
  
  In the forests of the night,
  
  What immortal hand or eye
  
  Dare frame thy fearful symmetry.'
  
  - The Tyger by William Blake
  
  Ahsoka stops at the foot of her bed, where Sabine has been fiddling with the most frustrating map in existence for the past three hours. "How much have you managed to open so far?"
  
  "About a third." A disappointingly trivial amount but at least it's something. "See for yourself."
  
  Ahsoka takes a seat on the chair by her bed, examining the holographic map. "That's a lot of names."
  
  "Yeah. I think when they're faded like this," she points to a name nearest to her, "it means they're dead. I've taken out more than a few of these people."
  
  "Me too."
  
  "I can't work out the ones in red, though." Sabine squints, studying the various names and coordinates highlighted in blood.
  
  "Defectors."
  
  "How do you know?"
  
  "I recognize more than half of them from the New Republic's witness protection database. A not insubstantial amount of Imperials turned against the Empire and aided the Rebels, especially towards the end of the war."
  
  "Rats fleeing a sinking ship."
  
  Ahsoka hums but doesn't dispute her cynicism. "Some of them, though, were working with us from the start. Acting as Rebel spies. . . Palpatine must have kept this map up to date, adjusting it for every traitor in his ranks."
  
  "So it also functions as a hit list."
  
  Ahsoka nods slowly.
  
  "Do you think that's why she's after it? Shin."
  
  "There are any number of reasons why she could be after it. If she's loyal to the Empire, she may simply want it for Thrawn."
  
  Like us.
  
  "A synth loyal to the Empire?"
  
  "It's been known to happen. Some people serve no master but their own thirst for power - synths aren't immune to that."
  
  "Yeah, but this particular synth. After what you said they did to her."
  
  Sabine's not buying it. Nothing - not even the promise of power - could get her to aid in bringing back the Empire that slaughtered her people.
  
  Ahsoka's voice is soft, "Sometimes. . . when you've been without freedom too long, you don't know what to do with it once you get it. Sometimes, you don't even realize it's there."
  
  Well, that's depressing.
  
  A little too depressing, in fact. Sabine likes her theory better:
  
  "Or she's on a revenge kick and plans to use the entire map as a kill list." In which case, Sabine would be hard-pressed to condemn her.
  
  Ahoska inclines her head. "Perhaps more likely."
  
  Huyang bustles into the room. "Hera wishes me to inform you that she's received information from a reliable source that Lord Baylan Skoll has spent the last decade or so operating as a mercenary."
  
  "Well, that's interesting," Ahsoka leans forward over her knees, eyes narrowed in thought.
  
  Sabine can't help but agree.
  
  If Baylan's a mercenary that pretty much makes it guaranteed that Shin's one too. It's not what Sabine expected and she feels her opinion of the synth drop exponentially.
  
  Not that she really has room to talk. What with her history of being a bounty hunter and all. Not to mention her people are renowned for their mercenary work and Sabine's positive some of that work was less than honorable. Her house is made of glass and she definitely shouldn't be going around throwing stones. But still.
  
  She expected something a little more. . . purpose-driven from Shin. A meaningful motivation for her actions.
  
  Though some would argue that there's nothing more meaningful or motivating than money. It does make the world go round, after all.
  
  "So, what, we think they're hired goons?"
  
  "That would explain why they broke Morgan Elsbeth out of prison," Ahsoka says. "And why they were at Corellia. I knew it couldn't be a coincidence."
  
  "You think she hired them?"
  
  "It's the most plausible theory we have at the moment."
  
  So the odds that Shin is aiding the Empire are significantly higher. Of course, there's always the possibility that she's not doing it of her own free will.
  
  (Sabine's not sure why she cares so much either way. Why it should even matter to her.
  
  The woman stabbed you in the gut.
  
  Maybe she needs to learn some self-respect. This has to speak to some kind of deep-rooted self-esteem issue)
  
  Ahsoka reaches into her pocket, pulling out a note and placing it unceremoniously on Sabine's lap.
  
  She squints at the words scrawled on the page.
  
  "What's this?"
  
  "Something that might help. I contacted Mara to see if she knew anything that might aid us with this newfound thorn in your side. She was the Emperor's Hand. If anyone knows anything about the Hatis, it's her."
  
  "I bet that was a fun conversation."
  
  Jade just loves talking about her time with the Empire as Palpatine's brainwashed doll.
  
  Ahsoka grimaces a little. "I don't think she'll be inviting me out to drinks for a while."
  
  "Wait, she invites you out to drinks? She never invites me out to drinks."
  
  Sabine's barely ever gotten more than a few syllables of conversation out of her.
  
  Ahsoka just smiles before continuing. "Most of what she had to say was already known to me and - like us - she was led to believe that all the Hati had been destroyed. I do think there's information that she's sitting on, details that she won't reveal for whatever reason but I don't think those details would be of aid to us. . . there are some things we don't have a right to."
  
  "So basically you learnt nothing."
  
  "Almost nothing. When I explained the situation to her, she did divulge this." Ahsoka taps the paper on her lap. "It's a trigger phrase. Only about a dozen or so people were given the position of Master when it came to the Hati. Safer that way. But also problematic if a Hati ever found a way around their existing commands and went rogue. So a safety lever was invented. Something anybody could pull, master or not, that would shut them down."
  
  "Shut them down?"
  
  "Place them in standby mode. At least until someone says the release phrase. It should give us enough time to escape if needed."
  
  She examines the sentence scrawled on the page.
  
  'In what distant deep or skies
  
  Burnt the fire of thine eyes?'
  
  It's obviously an excerpt of poetry. Probably something super pretentious since it was presumably picked out by Palpatine himself.
  
  "All I have to do is say these words and she'll turn off?" Sabine can't help but feel a little skeptical.
  
  Ahsoka hesitates. "In theory. Mara did warn that it may no longer be functional. The phrases were constantly changing for security reasons and this was simply the last one she was given before the Hati were destroyed."
  
  "Good to know." Sighing, Sabine pockets the note with less than eager enthusiasm.
  
  With her luck, the phrase will trigger something like Homicidal Rage Mode instead.
  
  "Did Jade know her? Shin," Sabine asks with forced nonchalance.
  
  Ahsoka nods slowly. "Not well. Mostly she knew of her. There were times that their paths crossed but Mara's missions were usually of a higher caliber and kept her separate. . . She did say that Shin was renowned for her short temper."
  
  "Isn't that a little like the pot calling the kettle black?"
  
  Ahsoka snorts. "I think we've landed on why you've never been invited out to drinks."
  
  "She tried to kill her husband. Multiple times."
  
  Far be it from Sabine to judge other people's romantic relationships but. . . she's kind of judging.
  
  "Well, it's not as though they were married at the time."
  
  Uh huh.
  
  She still thinks one too many blows to the head have thrown a few of Luke Skywalker's screws loose.
  
  "I'm just saying. I mean, I know that some relationships can have a rocky start but I don't think I'd be in such a rush to hitch myself to someone who wanted me dead." Ahsoka looks doubtful - which, okay, insulting. "Sex is one thing. That might actually be kind of hot. But commitment? That's a whole other kettle of fish."
  
  "She says as someone who's never had a committed romantic relationship in her life."
  
  "Neither have you."
  
  "Jedi. What's your excuse?"
  
  Sabine bristles faintly, even though she knows this is just friendly banter - something she should be delighted to be having with Ahsoka again since she never once thought they would - but that's a wound she's still a little raw from. She could blame it on Ezra. On the undefinable thing that existed between them before his disappearance, that thing that was then later left to flounder hopelessly in the sea of unknowns and what-ifs after he was gone. But the truth is, since the war, she hasn't been able to connect with anyone. Not like that. Letting a person in, letting them see her enough to love her. . . well, that just sounds horrible. What sounds even more horrible is the thought of letting someone in. . . only to lose them like she's lost everyone else. Worse, to be rejected by them and watch them walk away.
  
  The same way Ahsoka walked away.
  
  Which isn't exactly something she can say to the woman in front of her.
  
  So instead Sabine shrugs, pretending her smile doesn't hurt her lips. "I don't know. Guess I just haven't found the right person yet."
  
  Ahsoka eyes her like she knows she's a liar-liar-pants-on-fire but kindly doesn't call her on it. "I guess so."
  
  [Over the centuries, millions of alien species have wound up in their solar system. Refugees fleeing the reckoning of their home galaxies, crash landing in the Milky Way., their ships destroyed.
  
  Many tried to rebuild the advanced technology that enabled them to travel through different galaxies but Earth and its surrounding planets were severely lacking in the necessary materials required. They were stranded. Safe from the forces that had propelled them to flee but never able to return home.
  
  Ahsoka's grandparents were among those refugees.]
  
  The Seatos safe house, located on the floating manmade territory of Lothal, is only a ten-minute flight from LothalNet tower and it's somewhat of a test in self-control not to grab the holocron, swipe Ahsoka's jetplane and chart her way back there. It's not that Sabine's particularly attached to her apartment but she's keenly aware that Scrappie isn't up to attending to Murley's needs for days on end. Last time she left the two alone together for any length of time, Murley lost the end of his tail.
  
  Sabine still doesn't know how exactly this happened and Scrappie has remained suspiciously mum about the whole thing.
  
  At any rate, it certainly doesn't bode well that this is her fourth night away from home. For all she knows, they've massacred each other.
  
  "Just another day or two," Sabine swears, more to herself than anyone else.
  
  She'll have the map cracked by then. She knows it. And then she'll have to figure out a more permanent solution for Murley's care whilst they go after Ezra. Unless Ahsoka is agreeable to bringing the little mongrel along. Sabine thinks she could sell it. Pets are good for morale.
  
  Speaking of Ahsoka. . .
  
  "How are we coming along with the map?"
  
  "I love how you say 'we' when what you really mean is me," Sabine sighs, stretching out her spine - which gives a worryingly loud pop. Maybe she should get into yoga. "And I'm about most of the way there. Eighty percent now."
  
  Ahsoka raises a brow and that small pathetic part of her that she tries to kick into submission fills with bubbly warmth at the impressed look on her face. "Good work."
  
  Huyang trots into the room, looking as flustered as she's ever seen a droid. "I'm afraid we have a breach."
  
  Her head shoots up. "Wait, really?"
  
  Breaching a safehouse of this caliber's unheard of. At least, it hasn't happened in Sabine's lifetime.
  
  "Affirmative."
  
  Or. . . I guess now it has.
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka exchange a look. "What's to bet it's my favorite new pain in the ass?"
  
  "I'd say the odds would be in your favor."
  
  "Great."
  
  She's been so looking forward to getting pummeled to with an inch of her life again.
  
  "Stay here. Protect the map." Ahsoka's already unsheathing her lightsaber and heading for the door. "I'll do my best to subdue them but if they get past me, you'll have no choice but to destroy it." She stops long enough to meet Sabine's eyes. "Can you do that?"
  
  "Yeah," she breathes. "I can do that."
  
  Just as soon as she's unlocked the coordinates for Thrawn.
  
  Ahsoka seems to read these unspoken words on her face - she really has to get better at concealing her thoughts from her. "I'd unlock the rest of that map very quickly."
  
  She doesn't wait for a response.
  
  Releasing a groan, Sabine turns her attention to the sphere on her lap. "You better be amenable to this plan."
  
  It offers no retort.
  
  "Good. Glad we're on the same page. Now let's get started."
  
  Present
  
  The hand around her neck is firm and unyielding. Shin could crush her throat without any effort at all, without so much as a blink.
  
  Sabine has definitely moved on from worrying about the smell of her breath to worrying about just what it will feel like when her head pops off like Miss Polly's poor dolly.
  
  She thinks she is, at least partially responsible for her present situation. If only because they were having a pretty pleasant and respectful altercation before Sabine's mouth said one too many things that it shouldn't have and Shin chose the quickest and most effective method available to shut her up.
  
  I am going to kill Ahsoka when I see her later.
  
  You know, if she doesn't get decapitated first.
  
  That so-called trigger phrase was about as useful as one of Sabine's childhood nursery ryhmes. Only worse because the minute Shin heard it she took immediate offense.
  
  Though offense might be putting it mildly.
  
  Her eyes bugged in her skull and her hand struck out for Sabine's jugular with the ferocity of a wolf. Or a very pissed-off puppy.
  
  Big mistake.
  
  Huge!
  
  If anything's become clear in the last few minutes it's that Shin has been holding back in their fights. Substantially. Toying with her like a cat with a mouse, letting her live just so she can toss her up in the air with her paws and watch her go splat against the floor. Kitty playtime.
  
  Well, she's not toying with her anymore.
  
  "You have no power," Shin grinds out in a breath, and there is such rage in her words, such violent desperation - that Sabine's heart twists in her chest.
  
  (no-one has ever looked at her with such loathing)
  
  The kids on Lothal like to chase the stray cats that pepper the streets. Running after them with stones in their hands. Sabine has seen those stones fly through the air like blaster fire, leaving mangled and bloody fur in their wake. A small-scale echo of wartime's violence.
  
  When Murley first came to live with Sabine (read: snuck in through an open window one night and made himself at home, thereafter refusing to leave) he used to flinch every time she raised her hand. His hackles would rise, his body bending low to the ground, as his lips drew back in a hiss. He never ran, never hid. Instead he held his ground, furious desperation in the whites of his eyes. Once, he launched himself at her wrist, fangs sinking into flesh. She still has one of the scars.
  
  Eventually, he came to learn that there was no threat in Sabine's actions, no stone in her grasp. But even now he still hisses whenever someone else raises a hand in his presence.
  
  Sabine has just raised a hand in Shin's.
  
  Worse, that hand actually had a stone in it. One she threw without hesitation - even if its target was missed.
  
  In what distant deep or skies
  
  Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
  
  Guilt floods her being.
  
  From everything Ahsoka's told her, she can hazard a guess as to what Shin's life was like during the war. The sheer powerlessness that must have defined her existence. Living as a slave in anything but name, helpless to even protect yourself. To run.
  
  During the Empire's reign, Sabine saw what people would do to their synths. These objects under their command that look so very human - but aren't seen as human. Aren't seen as possessing the feelings of one, let alone the rights.
  
  In the past, synths like Shin could never raise a hand to their master. Never fight back against the indignities heaped upon them. But the past is the past and no synth will ever be that powerless again.
  
  (the fingers around her throat press deeper, cutting off her last breath of air)
  
  Still, Sabine isn't ready to die to prove Shin's newfound power. So she does something that is, in retrospect, quite rude:
  
  she blasts her in the face.
  
  The hold on her throat releases in an instant as Shin goes flying across the room, landing with a thud that makes the floorboards shudder under Sabine's feet.
  
  "Sorry!"
  
  The word hurts to get out through the abused flesh of her throat and Sabine decides that, actually, she's not that sorry.
  
  Shin is silent and still. Which means she probably has at least a good minute or two to get the hell out of here.
  
  "Great talk. Let's never do it again."
  
  Patting her chest to ensure that the map is still safely ensconced in her bra, she beats a hasty retreat.
  
  Sabine tries to ignore the harsh whip of icy wind as she huddles behind one of the impressively large stones that mark the top of the cliff. In the last week, she's made a routine of coming out here to sketch the roiling ocean down bellow, the seagulls that crest the skies above and the dew-touched grass of the hills. A short, scheduled breather during her mad race to unlock a, potentially cataclysmic, map.
  
  But that was always during the day. When it was warm. And sunny. And it didn't feel like the wind had taken on a personal vendetta to destroy her.
  
  Sabine grits her chattering teeth, numb fingers sliding along the sphere's outer edge, shifting - what she hopes is - the last piece into place. There's a promising click.
  
  Holding her breath, she presses the button on the top of the sphere which she's learned by now releases a projection of the map's contents. Before, only eighty percent of the earth's surface was visible. A large chunk of the North Atlantic Ocean and American continent glaringly absent.
  
  This time, they're plain as day to see and Sabine's hungry eyes rapidly take in the missing chunk. She doesn't know how much time she has until a - no doubt - royally pissed-off killing machine manages to track her down. The cliff's edge is far enough away from the cabin that it's certainly not going to be the first place Shin looks but Sabine isn't optimistic enough to believe that she won't eventually expand her search here.
  
  That is, if Ahsoka doesn't manage to take care of her first.
  
  But who even knows if Ahsoka is still alive?
  
  She hasn't heard a thing over the comlink from her master since Shin made her grand entrance and decided to choke the life out of her. The last transmission she received contained the distant but ominous sound of Baylan's voice and a harsh order from Ahsoka to destroy the map.
  
  Which Sabine plans to do.
  
  Any second now.
  
  White dots litter the map, each one attached with a name and list of coordinates. Sabine knows if she touches one of those names she'll get a detailed biography that would put the likes of one of Huyang's to shame - but that's not the kind of information she's after.
  
  At least seventy new names have been added to the map and Sabine scans all of them, filing them away in her memory as she searches out that one specific-
  
  "There you are," Sabine breathes.
  
  A satisfied - and, more than a little, relieved - smirk settles on her lips, though it falters when she takes in exactly where Thrawn's beacon is emanating from.
  
  No fucking way.
  
  The sound of rushed footsteps interrupts Sabine's disbelief and she feels it - that now familiar hum rising in her blood. It's a somewhat unsettling alert system but not an unhelpful one.
  
  Hastily, Sabine turns off the map and reaches for her lightsaber. "Sorry about this."
  
  It really is a beautiful piece of technology and, given more time, Sabine would have loved to examine it further, figure out exactly how it works. But alas. . .
  
  She lights up her saber, just as a shadow enters her field of vision.
  
  "You."
  
  "We really have to stop meeting like this."
  
  A hand grabs Sabine's throat, driving her back against unforgiving rock as her head bounces off it with a crack. Fuck. Pain splinters through her skull, spiderwebbing out until she sees spots, blooming in the corner of her vision. Sabine blinks them away, unable to suppress a wince.
  
  Definitely pissed her off.
  
  When she opens her eyes, Shin's own are a breath away, nostrils flaring, harsh breaths falling from her mouth - though she doesn't even need to fucking breathe! Unlike Sabine, who is all of a sudden finding it rather difficult.
  
  (read: impossible)
  
  Well, this feels familiar.
  
  She really wasn't looking to end up back here quite so soon. Her throat is particularly peeved at the development.
  
  Sabine tries - and fails - to gasp for air, taking in the furious sight of her opponent.
  
  Shin's hair is singed and parts of her face are still knitting themselves back together, a grisly patchwork of skin that crawls like ants the longer and harder Sabine looks. She's also missing an eye.
  
  So that blaster shot might not have been the best thing to endear her to me.
  
  In fact, she may have just made herself an enemy for life. Though if the threat in Shin"s one eye is anything to go by, at least it will be an incredibly short feud.
  
  On the ground, the remains of the map lie blackened and deformed.
  
  "I should have killed you the first time we met."
  
  Sabine would respond but it's a little difficult to get a word out between the crushing pressure on her throat. A pressure that only grows tighter and tighter.
  
  Oh, boy. She's definitely going to kill her this time.
  
  "Shin." Baylan's voice is a command, hard and unyielding - daring any to disobey. "Let her speak."
  
  Shin's hand tightens around her throat, taking the dare. "She destroyed it."
  
  Yep. You've really done it now, Sabine.
  
  Great plan.
  
  "And you can kill her for that in time - after she's been given the chance to speak."
  
  The pressure on her throat doesn't ease.
  
  "Shin!" Baylan barks. "She was the last person to see the map. She is the apprentice of Ahsoka Tano. She may yet have something of value."
  
  Slowly, with great reluctance, the hand on Sabine's throat begins to slacken, just enough for her to speak.
  
  Sabine doesn't waste the opportunity. "I have a photographic memory!"
  
  Both Shin and Baylan go very still.
  
  Okay, okay, they're listening. Good. Great. Now keep it moving.
  
  "I looked at the contents of the map before I destroyed it. The information was valuable, I couldn't just. . ." Well, she could. She very much could. But that information included Thrawn's whereabouts. Thrawn, the last person to see Ezra alive. She couldn't just let that information disappear forever. "Valuable to the Republic. And, well, I knew that you're little murder puppy here wouldn't be too happy with its destruction so I figured I better make myself valuable too."
  
  She wasn't actually thinking about that at the time but, really, it's a smart move. Sabine is more than willing to lay claim to it in the aftermath. It's not like anyone's going to call her out.
  
  "She's lying," Shin hisses.
  
  (the trust issues are strong in this one)
  
  "Perhaps," Baylan hums. "And soon enough we'll know for certain. Until then it would be more prudent to let her live."
  
  Shin only looks more furious at this pronouncement. Apparently, right now, her hatred for Sabine far outrivals her desire to access the contents of that map.
  
  Really, if looks could kill.
  
  Well, Sabine probably would have been dead a hundred times over by now, considering the kind of looks Shin has been inclined to send her way. Actually, Sabine's starting to get the impression that she doesn't like her very much. Which is, frankly, baffling. She is incredibly likable.
  
  The hand around her throat tightens, cutting off the air she's only just started getting a taste for again. She claws at Shin's knuckles, armored fingers digging uselessly into synthetic flesh. This is it, she's really going to-
  
  Sabine slams onto the hard earth, a groan cracking through her ribs as the hold on her is released.
  
  Shin stalks off.
  
  Fucking rude.
  
  It takes a good minute of hacking and gasping to feel like her lungs aren't going to explode but eventually she manages to regain some dignity and look up. Baylan still stands at a distance, a faintly amused - if irritated - twist to his mouth.
  
  "You should really keep your dog on a tighter leash."
  
  He ignores her hilarious quip. "Shin listens to my command. . . But if you are lying, not even I will be able to stay her hand."
  
  It's more a warning than an apology - perhaps even a little bit of a chiding for her recklessness - and then the man is following after his apprentice.
  
  Sabine releases another groan, head flopping back onto the ground.
  
  Great work.
  
  Complete and resounding success. No notes.
  
  Really, she should write a book. How to Make Enemies and Influence People.
  
  Notes:
  do you think the excerpt I used in the summary for this fic is enough of a hook? Or should I pick something different?
  
  the trigger phrase is taken from the poem The Tyger by William Blake. If you're interested the full poem is here accompanied by an analysis https://poemanalysis.com/william-blake/the-tyger/
  
  also the Miss Polly line is a reference to the children's nursery rhyme Miss Polly Had a Dolly but in school kids often replaced the lyrics with 'Miss Polly had a dolly and her head popped off' because kids are wild like that lol
  
  The Price of Peace
  WhiteravenGreywolf
  Summary:
  Shin and her Master are sent by the Jedi Council to monitor the Civil War happening on Mandalore. Their task is to protect the Countess Wren, who represents the planet's best chance at peace. But Sabine doesn't want the Jedi overseeing her rebellion, and Shin takes an immediate dislike to the Countess.
  
  
  
  Based on the romance between Obi-Wan and Satine, but this time it's Shin and Sabine.
  
  Chapter 1: The Countess Wren
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin could count how many times she"d left Coruscant on one hand. This would be her sixth times, officially calling for the use of a second hand to count. They were bound for Mandalore. She sat in the co-pilot seat, watching the stars flash around them, boxing their small ship into a tunnel of light. Baylan sat on the other side of the cockpit, his gaze not on the galaxy around them but on his padawan.
  
  "What is the title given to the leader of Madalore?"
  
  Shin had to tear her eyes away from the lights. She looked back at her master, then her gaze fell to the ground as she searched her memory. She"d been given a crash course on Mandalorian politics by the librarian before leaving, but it had been pretty late at night and she had fallen asleep on her desk four times in an hour.
  
  "The Mandalore?"
  
  "Mand"alor. It has been a long time since the Mandalorians have chosen a Mand"alor, hence yet another civil war."
  
  "Master, if this is the third civil war in as many generations, what can we truly do to help them?"
  
  Baylan sighed. Shin knew her master wasn"t entirely thrill by their assignment, but it had been too long since he had been given any mission, and the Council knew that. Whatever the case may be, Shin was determined to make the most of the assignment.
  
  "We will do what the Council has asked of us. We will protect the Countess Wren for as long as is required."
  
  The ship let out a beep, indicating they would soon exit hyperspace. Baylan turned his attention back to the controls and Shin imitated him. While her master wasn"t thrilled about joining a civil war, Shin wasn"t thrilled about their target. She imagined the Countess to be like all the politicians in Coruscant, probably old and full of ideas that would be impossible to execute even in the best of times. The kind of politicians who practiced their cordial smiles in the mirror every morning. This Countess was apparently the Mandalorians" greatest chance at peace. Shin couldn"t quite believe that.
  
  The ship left hyperspace and made its slow approach to a large, barren-looking planet. On its surface, they could see clouds whipping in rolling patterns. Shin looked with great interest as they entered the atmosphere and flew over large dried plains.
  
  "The whole flora was destroyed," Baylan explained. "The Mandalorians are forced to live in domes."
  
  Shin remembered that particular point of her lesson. Her master had spoken it with such venom, even now. She, too, couldn"t understand why people would do that to their own planet. Ahead, the giant dome of Sundari rose out of the horizon like a black sun. To Shin"s surprise, however, instead of approaching one of its holes to bring the shuttle inside, Baylan landed amidst the rocks, some ways away in the mountains.
  
  "Master?" she began but Baylan cut her off and explained:
  
  "We will make our approach on foot. Our presence is not welcomed in Sundari, not by the Countess" enemies, and not by the Countess either."
  
  Shin nodded. She made sure to pick up her cloak and put it on before joining her master at the ramp. As soon as Baylan opened the exit, hot air stiffened her. It whipped around her and pulled at her cloak. She pulled up her hood as she stepped out to shadow her eyes from the harsh light of the sun. Suddenly she understood why the Mandalorians had chosen to live in domes.
  
  "Let"s make haste," Baylan said as he shut the ship"s ramp behind them. "The Countess is often on the move. It would be... troublesome if she had left Sundari before we arrived."
  
  They walked under the hard sun until, to Shin"s relief, they reached the dome"s enormous shadow. The air was still as dry but the heat was weakened, and she stopped sweating as strongly under her cloak. The planet was deathly quiet. No sound came from the dome or the desert surrounding it. Shin began to wonder if the planet had been abandoned. Then, they reached the dome.
  
  A single door at ground level allowed for vehicles in and out. It had not opened at all while they had walked. Baylan unlocked it with the Force and they hurried inside. Coolness wrapped around Shin like a blanket and she almost took off her hood. Her master stopped her before she could. She understood his silent order. They were to remain anonymous. She brushed the sweat off her forehead and followed her master deeper into the city.
  
  Sundari was full of life. People came and went about their day, some in partial or full armor but most clothed in civilian attires. They traversed walkways that spanned the entire dome, leading to staircases and elevators as the city extended far below them. Shin had the terrible idea to look down and for the first time in a long time, she felt vertigo grip the back of her brain, as the buildings below her stretched on and on, so deep she couldn"t see the ground.
  
  "Where are we going, Master?" she asked in a low voice.
  
  "The Council told me to find her last contact location, though I doubt she will have lingered there."
  
  There was a bitterness to Baylan"s voice every time he mentioned the Council now, which Shin picked on every time. She hadn"t dared to ask him yet what was wrong with the Council.
  
  The low rumble of an explosion rocked the dome. All the people around them froze up, then ran for cover. Shin glanced at her master. The explosion was coming from above, to their left. Baylan took off running and she followed. They pushed their way onto an elevator and took it up. Shin"s hand reached for her lightsaber, but again, her master stopped her.
  
  "Wait until we"ve confirmed our target is here."
  
  She nodded. Still, her hand continued to fidget with the hook on her belt. A rocket zoomed through the air and shattered against the building across from them, showering the walkways beneath in glass. Baylan stopped the elevator at the next floor and ran out. Shin, heart shaking with anticipation, ran after him.
  
  Two groups of Mandalorians were fighting a floor above them on a landing pad. On group was wearing red and white armor. The other was a hotchpotch of colors, some solidly blue or gold and silver, and some with a different color on each piece of their armor. They fired at each other but the shots bounced off their armors. However, the colorful group was pinned down by the others with no way to escape.
  
  "Should we intervene?" Shin asked.
  
  Baylan let out a sigh but undid his cloak and reached for his lightsaber. He used the Force to jump the distance and landed on the platform with ease. Shin imitated him. Once at the top, they turned on their lightsabers and deflected shots from the red faction away. As soon as they spotted the Jedi, both sides stopped firing.
  
  "My name is Baylan Skoll. I have been sent by the Jedi Council to intercede in the matter of the New Mandalorian Civil War."
  
  "There is no Civil War," one of the red Mandalorian said. "Only a bunch of Rebels refusing to recognize our new Mand"alor"s supremacy."
  
  "Waving a big stick around doesn"t make you Mand"alor," one of the rebels shouted.
  
  The red Mandalorians trained their blasters on the small group again. Baylan didn"t flinch. Shin stood her ground, encouraged by her Master"s steadfastness.
  
  "This doesn"t concern the Jedi. Leave Mandalore at once."
  
  "I come here as a keeper of the peace. If both sides cannot come to a peaceful agreement..."
  
  The red Mandalorian turned his blasters toward Baylan.
  
  "Peaceful is not the way."
  
  Baylan sighed.
  
  "Have it your way then," Shin"s master replied as he raised his green lightsaber and took a defensive stance.
  
  The red Mandalorians were ready to fire at him. Using the Force, he pushed three of them off the roof. When the others began firing again, Baylan and Shin deflected the blaster shots away. The colorful Mandalorians fired between them, distracting their enemies who didn"t know where to shoot anymore. One of the colorful Mandalorians with an orange and purple armor jumped out of cover and rolled up to Baylan and Shin"s level. As they pushed themselves up, they threw a disk on the ground, at the feet of the red Mandalorians. Electricity sparked from the disk, stunning all the nearby fighters. They crumpled to the ground, convulsing.
  
  "Go!" the orange and purple Mandalorian - a woman - shouted to her group.
  
  They anchored their grappling lines to the floor and jumped off the building, repelling down. The female Mandalorian spared a final glance toward the Jedi before following her people down. Shin looked at her Master for guidance. Baylan let out a tired sigh.
  
  "Mandalorians..."
  
  They followed, using the ropes left behind to repel down. The Rebels had stopped halfway down the building, jumped on a walkway and ran into an alley. The Jedi followed. The Rebels disappeared through the back of a building and into an elevator leading further down. There was only one elevator. Shin looked at her Master. Baylan seemed reluctant to follow, but she knew he wasn"t about to let their only lead get away. He opened the doors to the elevator cage and looked down. The elevator was disappearing into a chasm.
  
  "This is going to be a long jump," he warned her.
  
  "We could always wait for the next elevator."
  
  "There won"t be a next elevator."
  
  Baylan leaned back then, taking a deep breath, he jumped into the shaft. Shin watched her master disappear at top speed. She took a deep breath of her own and jumped.
  
  The ground arrived faster than she thought, only because a door had shut behind the elevator, separating the building and the chasm beneath. Her master had landed on it. She used the Force to slow down her fall but landed hard on the trap, making it jostle.
  
  "Halfway there," Baylan warned.
  
  Shin nodded, readying herself. Baylan unlocked the trap. They plummeted once more. They hit the ground together, Shin rolling off the inertia. They were in a barely-lit mine, far under the city. Baylan turned on his lightsaber, bathing the caves in green light.
  
  "The beskar mines of Mandalore."
  
  Looking around, Shin could see at least five different paths branching from the elevator shaft.
  
  "We could be down here forever."
  
  Baylan closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he indicated one of the paths. Shin nodded and walked down the stone corridor.
  
  They walked, following the old mining shaft stripped of all metal. Baylan guided them at every fork and crossroads. Shin felt they had been wondering for hours through the unstable-looking mine. Her Master said nothing, his focus entirely on tracking their targets. He led them to another elevator.
  
  "They went back to the surface?" Shin asked in confusion.
  
  "It is unexpected to be sure."
  
  They entered the old elevator and Baylan pulled the lever to send them up. The elevator rocked off the ground, then smoothly rose out of the mine.
  
  "They don"t seem to want our help," Shin noted, arms crossed.
  
  "The Council already knows that. But they sent us anyway."
  
  The elevator stopped, and the Jedi found themselves face to face with a dozen blasters. Shin tried to reach for her lightsaber but her master grabbed her wrist to stop her.
  
  "I hate to agree with our enemy, but you"re not welcomed here," the orange and purple Mandalorian spoke.
  
  She stood at the center of the group, both blasters aimed at the Jedi.
  
  "And I hate to agree as well, but the Council thought it far more prudent to send us any way."
  
  "Why?"
  
  "To monitor the situation. The Galactic Senate is rather nervous about Gar Saxon pulling out of the accords."
  
  "If only that was his only sin..."
  
  She lowered her blasters. The other imitated her. Shin assumed the woman was ranked high in the Rebellion.
  
  "Leave now, before you make things worse for us. Tell the Council we"re doing fine on our side."
  
  "With all due respect, Countess, the Council will consider this a failure on both me and my apprentice"s part. We cannot return until the situation has been resolved."
  
  Shin stared, slacked jaw, at the orange and purple Mandalorian. This was the Countess they had been sent to protect? She had barely recovered from her surprise that the woman took off her helmet. She was young, barely a few years older than Shin herself. Dark purple hair, kept short, clung to her forehead from sweat. Her brown eyes glared daggers at the Jedi. She kept her helmet under her arm.
  
  "And with all due respect, I don"t give a fuck. I don"t need your protection. We don"t need your help."
  
  Shin huffed. The sound immediately caught the Countess" attention.
  
  "You"ve got something to say?"
  
  Shin crossed her arms.
  
  "You were pinned down on a roof when we found you."
  
  "You found us exactly where we wanted to be."
  
  "Under sieged?"
  
  "Shin."
  
  Baylan"s warning made Shin shrink away from the conversation. The Countess smirked.
  
  "Yes, under siege, so we could test our new weapon. And it works. We are about to turn the tide of the war."
  
  "Then in that case, you won"t mind us making sure this is a turning point, and not just another chapter in a very long civil war."
  
  Shin could see the Countess" jaw working. Finally, she sighed.
  
  "Fine. You can stand at the back and monitor. But if you stand in my way again, I"ll return you to Coruscant myself."
  
  "We won"t intervene unless absolutely necessary. You have my word, Countess."
  
  She sighed.
  
  "Cut it with the honorifics, will you? My name is Sabine Wren."
  
  She stuck her helmet back onto her head and motioned for her group to follow her deeper into the building. The Jedi followed, though neither wanted to.
  
  Notes:
  Do you guys ever think about how, because Sabine is the last member of clan Wren, she's technically the new Countess Wren?
  
  Anyway, hello everyone! Welcome to my new multi-chapter story, the often mentioned Obi-Wan AU. Now you know why!
  
  I'd like to preface this by saying that, while I did take inspiration from both Clone Wars and Rebels I haven't seen either. I've only seen the first 2 seasons of Rebels (and I fell asleep watching the first episode of Clone Wars) so I mostly relied on Wookiepedia for the lore and background information. I might take the winter break to continue Rebels because this whole Mandalorian arc seems really good, but anyway, I made my own thing out of these two shows, and hopefully you will all enjoy it!
  
  Tonight I will be traveling back home for the holidays. So, unless my plane is turned around and I end up trapped in the Canadian wilderness for eighteen months, the next updates will be posted about six hours earlier. Does it make a difference for anyone? If it does, here's your warning.
  
  Thank you for reading this first chapter! I will be posting a new one on every Wednesday and Saturday, as per usual, so I hope to see you there! And don't forget that kudos and comments are greatly appreciated
  
  Chapter 2: Attack on the Palace
  Summary:
  After a somewhat quiet night, Shin is woken up by her master, only to find that the Mandalorian rebels have gone on the offensive without them.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  In those moments of quiet where the rebels awaited orders, tugged in the corners of a trashed art museum, Baylan had told Shin to meditate. He knew it was her least favorite activity but Shin always obeyed. She sat on her heels and, trying to ignore the strange glances from the Mandalorians, she focused on her breathing and her connection with the Force.
  
  The Jedi taught to look inward, to think over one"s mistakes and how they could be prevented, and to consider one"s successes to see how they could be replicated. Shin was usually swept up in thoughts too quickly to ever consider her actions critically. She thought about when the Council had assigned them the mission on Mandalore.
  
  As a padawan, she had been ordered to stay outside of the Council chamber. However, knowledge passed down from one padawan to the next told that if one leaned close enough to the doors, the Council could be heard. Shin had never been one for discretion. She had pressed her ear against the cool metal.
  
  "I don"t understand. You said neither party wants our help. Why bother sending us at all?"
  
  Baylan"s voice had been muffled through the metal but Shin had recognized it with ease. Master Windu had replied:
  
  "The Council need someone they can trust to monitor the situation. The most recent Mandalorian Civil Wars have all spiraled out of control and spread to further planets."
  
  "Then perhaps you ought to send someone they trust. Ahsoka Tano has made considerable alliances after the previous war..."
  
  "This Council has decided to send you and your padawan," Windu had replied, raising his voice for the first time since the conversation had begun. "Do you disagree with us?"
  
  "I only question the Council"s intentions before me and my padawans are sent in the middle of a Civil War."
  
  After a moment of quiet, Master Yoda had spoken:
  
  "For your padawan, you fear?"
  
  "Shin is ready. Allow her to pass the trials. I will go alone to Mandalore."
  
  "Tremendous progress, you padawan has made," Yoda had acknowledged. "But for the Trials, not ready she is."
  
  "We heard about the argument which broke out between Shin and Caleb"s padawan," Master Obi-Wan had said.
  
  Shin couldn"t help but wince. Ezra had deserved it, and she had no regret kicking his ass. She had only wished the Council hadn"t been made aware of it.
  
  "She will always be prompt to strong emotions," Baylan had replied. "That is not a crime."
  
  "But strong emotions, such as anger, lead one down a dark path," Windu had said. "Complete this assignment, show us that your padawan can act reasonably in the face of a high-stake situation, and we will talk about the trials upon your return."
  
  Shin had had to step away from the door before her Master stepped out. She had looked down, pretending to be deep in observation of the marble floor. When the door had opened, she had turned toward it. Baylan had stepped out with an unreadable expression on his face. It almost seemed like anger, his traits furrowed and his eyes dark with it.
  
  Shin opened her eyes. The museum was dark and quiet. A single Mandalorian in silver and gold armor stood near the emtrance of their room. Their poor attempt at casualness couldn"t mask the fact that they were keeping an eye on the Jedi. Beside her, Baylan was still deep in trance. Shin took a breath through her nose and closed her eyes again. She could feel the Force around her, an invisible wind that shifted, snake-like, coiling and slithering around the room. It was strongest around her Master, wrapping him fully like a cocoon. She couldn"t break through his strong mental defense, only look at it from the outside and attempt to imitate him. She never succeeded.
  
  Another strand pulled at her mind, as if the Force itself was trying to guide her somewhere. This was new. Usually, once she"d failed to reproduce a fraction of Baylan"s concentration, she gave up and went to sleep. This time, she let the Force guide her to wherever it wanted to take her. Her mind connected with someone else"s, somewhere else in the building. Images flashed into her mind. A man in red and white armor, brandishing a black lightsaber. He attacked his own Mandalorian kind, killing indiscriminately. Bodies in silver and gold armor scattered over the steps of a great throne room.
  
  The connection was broken and Shin opened her eyes. She could feel the unsteady Force still pulsing further away in the building. It was tainted with fear and fury, churning like the ocean during a storm. Shin had felt the Force reacting like that before, in her early days as a padawan. It had happened all the time when she"d been a Youngling, but she"d thought it was normal, how the Force was supposed to feel. Baylan had taught her that the Force was only a blank canvas, and all living things projected what they wanted to feel on it. The process was easier for Force-sensitive people, hence why Shin always had to be mindful.
  
  Footsteps echoed in the empty museum. Shin closed her eyes once more and pretended to be meditating. The footsteps came up to them and stopped near the guard.
  
  "A problem, Sabine?" the guard asked.
  
  At first, Sabine gave no reply. Shin could feel her gaze on her, even with her eyes closed.
  
  "Everything"s fine," she answered, finally, and walked away.
  
  Once Shin could no longer hear the footsteps, she opened her eyes. Glancing at her master and finding him still in a deep meditative state, she gave up on meditation altogether. She lay down on the marbled ground and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep.
  
  Shin was shaken awake by her master. The light coming from the outside seemed real, but she knew it was projected from the top of the domes into the capital. It was white but not eye-burning like most fake lights could be. All in all, her awakening would have been serene if her Master wasn"t fighting back panic.
  
  "Get up. The Mandalorians moved."
  
  Shin frowned and looked around. The museum was still quiet. The long halls seemed even emptier in the daylight. Someone was still guarding them.
  
  "How do you know?" she asked.
  
  "Focus."
  
  Shin did. The Force was as placid as fog. Except for them, the museum was empty. Baylan walked up to the exit. The Mandalorian stood in his way.
  
  "Orders are to keep you here until the fighting is over. Sabine doesn"t want you interfering again."
  
  Shin stood up, ready to follow her Master.
  
  "We only want to help," Baylan replied. "Stand aside and let us help."
  
  "I won"t."
  
  "Where are they?"
  
  "They went to finish it."
  
  Baylan clicked his tongue against his teeth with annoyance. For a second, Shin wondered whether they would have to fight their way out of the museum. She placed her hand on the hilt of her lightsaber, ready to draw. Her master turned to the Mandalorian.
  
  "Take us to her."
  
  The Force bent and popped around the Mandalorian"s brain. He lowered his weapon.
  
  "This way."
  
  He stepped aside and led them through the museum, to the hole drilled into the floor through which the rebels came and went. At the bottom, they found themselves back in the mines. Without a word, the Mandalorian guided them through the low-ceiling corridors. Shin"s heart was staggering in her chest. What if it was too late and they had already failed? Sabine Wren seemed like the kind of idiot who threw herself into danger any chance she got. Asking them to protect her was setting them up for failure.
  
  They reached an elevator and the Mandalorian pulled the lever, taking them back to the surface. The elevator stopped halfway up a building and they emerged onto the street. The Mandalorian took the lead again.
  
  "The Palace is this way."
  
  They trotted through the streets. They looked deserted compared to the streets of Coruscant. Only a few people hurried up and down the walkways, not lingering outside. They soon understood why. A few floors below, a group of red and white Mandalorians were rounding up people out of a building and lining them on their knees. They must have heard the sound of running as one of them looked up and spotted the Jedi above them.
  
  "Over there! Stop!"
  
  Using jetpacks, the red Mandalorians flew up to their catwalk. Shin turned on her blue lightsaber and deflected their shots. Their Mandalorian ally turned around and fired back. The shots ricocheted off their beskar armor. Baylan grabbed Shin by the shoulder and pulled her back, taking her place at the front.
  
  "I"ll handle them, keep going."
  
  He stepped up for a fight, deflecting blaster shots then slicing just where the armor didn"t protect their enemies. Shin turned to their ally who took off in a sprint. She followed. One of the red Mandalorians flew after them. He fired at them from above. Shin used the Force to crush his jetpack. The power cell sputtered and the Mandalorian plummeted into the bowels of the city.
  
  Ahead, an explosion shook the Palace. The tall white stone and blue glass structure was usually only reachable through a shuttle. The rebels had attached ropes to the plaza entrance and climbed up. Shin had no choice but to do the same. At the top, she found chaos. Mandalorians versus Mandalorians, firing at each other with ineffective blaster shots. Still, it was clear that the red outmatched the rebels.
  
  She spotted Sabine throwing one of those disks against the steps leading inside. Electricity arced and stunned the Mandalorians defending the door. Sabine motioned for a small contingent of her people and they rushed inside. Shin sighed, unhitched her cloak and drew her lightsaber. To get to their target, she would have to cross the whole plaza. She promised herself that when she would catch up to Sabine, she would kill her.
  
  She deflected a few blaster shots then Force grabbed a Mandalorian and threw him on his companion. They tumbled amidst the heavy clank of metal. A red Mandalorian tried attacking her with a dagger. She sliced the blade in half and through the small interstice in the beskar plates of his chest. A shower of spark exploded from her enemy where the edge of her lightsaber touched the metal.
  
  Looking back, she spotted Baylan climbing up to the Palace Plaza and joining the fight. He ran up to her.
  
  "Wren went inside," she informed him.
  
  Baylan nodded. When a group of Mandalorian flew down near them, he sliced through a jetpack and Force pushed the man away into his people. When the jetpack exploded, it knocked down half a dozen enemies.
  
  "We need to catch up," Baylan said.
  
  A grenade landed ahead of them. Shin used the Force to throw it back to its sender. It exploded above them, shattering glass and shaking the wall of the plaza. A piece of stone slid off and crumbled onto the reds.
  
  The Jedi Knight and his padawan fought their way into the Palace as reinforcement arrived throughout the city to take down the rebels. Once inside, they found a trail of stunned Mandalorians. Sabine had used at least a dozen disks to get to the throne room. When the Jedi rushed into the throne room, the vast chamber was the sight of another fight. The red and the rebels had shattered the windows to take cover behind the walls, each side standing on a balcony. Shin wondered whether the rebels had run out of stunning disks that they would be caught in a standstill.
  
  Baylan Force pulled one the red Mandalorian from behind cover. She stumbled onto the marble floor, losing her grip on her weapon. This was the red"s cue that their balcony wouldn"t protect them for long. They rushed out, some aiming at the Jedi and others at the rebels, still. Sabine rolled out of cover and grabbed a red"s blaster, pushing it aside. She swept their legs from under them and forced them to the ground, pinning them down.
  
  "Where is Gar Saxon?" she asked.
  
  "Making sure every Mandalorian bastion is his. He"s waiting for his vassal in Krownest."
  
  Sabine roared with anger and kicked the underside of their chin, knocking them out cold.
  
  Baylan and Shin, with the help of the rebels, finished clearing the room. When Shin turned off her lightsaber, the leader of the rebellions rushed up to them.
  
  "What happened to staying behind and monitoring the situation? I told you we don"t need your help."
  
  "A simple thank you will suffice," Baylan replied, making Shin smirk.
  
  "Saxon is in Krownest," Sabine informed her team.
  
  "We can steal a ship at the docks."
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "He"ll be expecting that. I"m sure he left a lot of people to guard the docks."
  
  "We have a ship," Shin noted, but glancing at her Master, she realized she had spoken out of term.
  
  "We do, but I must advice against running after Saxon. This is obviously a trap."
  
  "What do you want me to do, then? Stay here and do nothing?"
  
  "More incoming," one of the rebels shouted from the door.
  
  "I wouldn"t advice staying here either."
  
  "Then what?" Sabine groaned.
  
  Baylan turned to his padawan.
  
  "Get her out of here. Back to our shuttle. We"re leaving Sundari."
  
  Shin opened her mouth to protest. She did not want to spend time alone with Sabine Wren at all. But her Master put an end to the debate with a single look. He turned to Sabine.
  
  "My padawan will take you to our shuttle. We will stay back and cover you. If we haven"t joined you in twelve hours, leave Sundari. Go to Keldabe and call the Jedi Council."
  
  Sabine looked at Shin with uncertainty. Shin knew it was her time to step up. She walked past the rebel leader and up to the door, checking that the coast was clear.
  
  "Come on, we don"t have all day."
  
  After a second of hesitation, Sabine followed. Shin sent one last glance at her Master. Baylan nodded. Shin, filling her chest with courage, ran after Sabine.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I needed a bit of set up before I could get Shin and Sabine alone but you bet next chapter is going to be just the two of them ;)
  
  I wasn't quite sure which lightsaber color I should give Shin between blue and green, though I was leaning more toward blue. In the end, I made a poll on Tumblr, so this was a collective decision. The results were blue at 75% which seems right. I don't remember her using the Force that much in the show but she is a fiend for combat.
  
  As usual, thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments, and I hope to see you all on Saturday for the next chapter!
  
  Chapter 3: Escape from Mandalore
  Summary:
  While Shin and Sabine make their way to the Jedi's shuttle, tensions between the two lead their enemies right to them...
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin had no choice but to follow Sabine as she was unfamiliar with the city. They could have been walking back to the door she and Baylan had gone through the day before and she wouldn"t have been able to tell. Above them, red Mandalorians zoomed through the air with jetpacks. Sabine hid in the shadows of a building, holding Shin back with her arm. As soon as they had passed, she darted out and across the street. Shin hurried after her.
  
  "Can you slow down?"
  
  "Having trouble keeping up?" Sabine shot back.
  
  Shin felt a shot of anger strike her.
  
  "You won"t be able to shake me off."
  
  Without turning around, Sabine replied:
  
  "I"m not trying to. But I won"t wait for you either. So, keep up."
  
  They entered a doorway to hide from another passing group of red Mandalorians, standing shoulder to shoulder. Shin noticed she was a few inches taller than the rebel leader. She was about to brag about it, when the door to the building opened. A woman was standing on the other side. She waved them inside, then shut the door behind them quickly.
  
  "Sabine Wren," the woman whispered.
  
  Shin reached for her lightsaber warily. Sabine stopped her.
  
  "We need to get to exit 4B. Can you help us?"
  
  "Are you abandoning us?"
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "I would never. I"m going after Saxon, ending this once and for all."
  
  The woman considered Sabine"s words. Then, she led them through the apartment complex, down two flights of stairs to a back door.
  
  "The droids use this exit for the garbage collection. You should be on the right floor."
  
  Sabine took off her helmet. Shin wanted to tell her to hurry up, however the rebel leader looked so genuinely touched by the woman"s help that Shin couldn"t bring herself to disturb the moment.
  
  "Thank you. I owe you a great debt."
  
  "For Mandalore," the woman replied.
  
  Sabine put her helmet back on.
  
  "For Mandalore."
  
  She ran out into the alley and Shin once again had to catch up.
  
  They found the door and Sabine kneeled beside the security panel. Shin didn"t give her a chance to rewire it. She held out her hand toward the door and Forced the panels apart. Sabine clicked her tongue against her teeth.
  
  "All you Jedi do is show off."
  
  Shin gritted her teeth.
  
  "That"s big coming from a Mandalorian. You people like showing off so much you have a new Civil War every generation."
  
  Sabine ran outside into the harsh plains, forcing Shin to follow. The sun was falling, turning the air cold as ice. Shin wished she had her cloak still.
  
  "At least I"m not drawing my weapon on civilians," Sabine replied.
  
  "She could have denounced us. She could still denounce us."
  
  "Or, have a little faith in people. Isn"t that what you Jedi are all about, anyway, faith?"
  
  Shin rolled her eyes.
  
  "You"re going the wrong way. Our shuttle is over there."
  
  Sabine emanated some very angry energy as she turned to follow Shin. Shin smirked, satisfied. She took the lead as they walked through the plains toward the rocky outcroppings where Baylan had hidden their shuttle. The air was growing frigid. She focused on the Force to warm herself, feeling its flow in and around her.
  
  "Do you think your Master will catch up?" Sabine asked.
  
  "You spoke of faith earlier. I have faith in him."
  
  "Aren"t you a bit old to be a padawan anyway?"
  
  Shin glared back at her.
  
  "I"m not. There are padawan older than me. I am at a normal age to be a padawan."
  
  "If you say so."
  
  Shin shivered and crossed her arms.
  
  "I"m going to be a Knight soon. As soon as your Civil War is over."
  
  "Impressive. You"re finally going to be able to get rid of that stupid little braid then."
  
  Shin whirled around and glared so hard she felt the Force become sharp around her. She knew she had to calm down, but she didn"t care to do so.
  
  "What is your problem?" she shouted.
  
  "My problem is that I told the Jedi Council to stay out of it, but once again they think they know better than anyone."
  
  Shin stood in Sabine"s way.
  
  "You think you could have escaped the Palace without us?"
  
  "I know so. I told you already, I don"t need your help. And if you think you can stop me from going to Krownest, I will kick you right back to Coruscant."
  
  Sabine brushed past Shin, her shoulder knocking into hers. Shin grabbed her arm to hold her back. Sabine turned around and aimed her blaster at her.
  
  "I don"t even understand why they want to keep you alive," Shin hissed. "You"re reckless and your plans are terrible. Even if you can defeat Saxon, you will never be a good leader."
  
  "Let me go."
  
  Sabine pulled her arm out of Shin"s grasp but didn"t lower her blaster. They had lost all light as both moons appeared in the sky, one shining brighter than the other. The silver light reflected on Sabine"s helmet.
  
  "I"m taking your shuttle. You can explain to your master how you lost it."
  
  Sabine holstered her blaster and walked on. Shin stomped after her.
  
  "Over my dead body."
  
  "Is that a threat or a wish?"
  
  Before Shin could stop herself, she Force pushed Sabine. The rebel leader landed hard onto the dried ground, her armor clanking in the quiet evening.
  
  "What the fuck!"
  
  Shin ignored her and trudged past her. Sabine pushed herself up and grabbed her ankle to trip her. Shin jumped over her grasp and turned around with a smirk.
  
  "Childish much?"
  
  "You pushed me first!"
  
  "I knocked some sense into you. Do you need another dose?"
  
  Shin walked off. Sabine jumped to her feet. She threw her grabbling hook at Shin"s legs. The rope wound around her ankles. She tripped and fell on the dried-up ground. She roared and turned on her blue lightsaber. She flipped around and cut herself free. Sabine stood above her; blaster aimed at her.
  
  "Do you need another dose?"
  
  The deafening sound of jetpacks broke through the quiet night. Five red Mandalorians landed around them, encircling them. They each had heavy-duty blasters trained on the two women.
  
  "Well, well, well, would you look at that. Captain Pagg will be happy to know we found who that shuttle belonged to. We heard reports of Jedi at the Palace today. And Sabine Wren. We"ll get a promotion for that."
  
  "Or your funeral rites," Sabine replied.
  
  "Drop your weapons."
  
  Sabine"s eyesight moved back to Shin. Shin felt Sabine"s intention before she acted. She gave a curt nod and tightened her grip on her lightsaber. In a split second, Sabine pulled out her second blaster and aimed at two different reds. Shin pushed herself up with the Force then pulled the weapons out of the hand of one of the reds. They lunged for it and scrambled while the others fired at them. Sabine used her vambrace to deflect the shots as every shot to her helmet or chestplate seemed to unbalance her. Shin deflected them with her lightsaber then charged one of the Mandalorians. She tried aiming for their feet. They used their jetpacks to fly off, out of her grasp. She focused her Force on them, pushing gravity on top of them like bags of lead. They fell back to the ground and stumbled on their knee. Shin couldn"t charge them, however, as another two reds fired at her.
  
  She had to step back into a defensive position, deflecting shots which only bounced off the Mandalorians" armors, never unsettling them long enough to give her an edge. Soon, they were three firing at her. Sabine was fighting off the other two. She fired at close range in one"s knee, sending them tumbling in a shower of sparks. The other grabbed her by the neck to choke her. She let go of one of her blasters and pulled a small knife from her boot. She stabbed blindly behind her.
  
  Shin, feeling that she was about to fail her master if she let Sabine die, used the Force to push the three Mandalorians away. They clanked on the ground, the sound just enough to distract the man choking Sabine. Sabine stabbed his hand through the glove. He released her with a yelp. She turned around and headbutted them. Shin rushed to her side. Before she could make it, one of the Mandalorians struck her temple with the butt of his weapon. She fell to the ground, her ears ringing like the meditation bells of the temple. She closed her hand on her lightsaber only to realize that she had lost her weapon. The barrel of a blaster pressed against her head.
  
  "Drop your weapon."
  
  She looked up. Through the haze of tears, she spotted Sabine, both blasters trained on the man holding her at gunpoint. The other Mandalorians aimed at the rebel leader.
  
  "Now, or the Jedi bites it."
  
  Shin"s heart dropped in her chest. She couldn"t believe that she was going to die out here for nothing. To her surprise, however, Sabine let her blasters fall to the ground.
  
  "Take off your helmet."
  
  She complied, taking it off and setting it on the ground with her weapons. She held out her hands. The nearest red punched her to the ground. She stumbled and spit out blood. The red Mandalorians chuckled.
  
  "Tie them up. Pagg will know what to do with them."
  
  Shin expected the reds to take them back to Sundari. Instead, they pushed them up the hill to the shuttle, arms tied behind their backs. At the top, another three reds were inspecting the shuttle.
  
  "Look what the tooka dragged in."
  
  The three Mandalorians turned around. Upon spotting Sabine and Shin, the leader of the group stepped forward.
  
  "Sabine Wren. Since when do you conspire with Jedi?"
  
  "Since they didn"t give me much of a choice."
  
  With a motion of his helmet, the captain indicated his squad to set the prisoners in a corner. Then, he turned to one of his companions.
  
  "Call Saxon. Tell him we have a surprise for him..."
  
  He glanced back at the prisoners.
  
  "A few surprises..."
  
  Shin and Sabine were shoved onto the ground, at the foot of a tall and large spire of rocks. One of the reds set their weapons and Sabine"s helmet opposite to them, out of reach.
  
  "Are you ready for round 2?" Sabine whispered to the blonde.
  
  "Against eight Mandalorians instead to five? Sure."
  
  "Shut it," one of the reds groaned at them.
  
  The captain was focused on the shuttle, trying to crack its security to get inside. They would need some specialized equipment, Shin figured. A Jedi shuttle wasn"t some random speeder outside of a dive bar. Perhaps Baylan would have caught up with them before that. She felt a burst of shame in her throat. He would be pretty mad at her for getting captured, she knew.
  
  "Can"t you Jedi mind trick them or something?" Sabine whispered.
  
  "That"s not how it works."
  
  "I said shut up."
  
  He slapped Sabine. She spit again, though this time it was more saliva than blood. From up close, Shin could see two lines of blood running down from her nostrils, already dried in the chill night air.
  
  "Bring Wren over," the captain ordered.
  
  The red Mandalorian picked up Sabine roughly and pulled her to Pagg. The rebel leader stood tall against her enemy, far from intimidated.
  
  "So, let"s hear it. What was your brilliant plan this time?"
  
  "My brilliant plan hasn"t changed. Find Saxon. Defeat him. That"s it."
  
  "You think you can defeat him in single combat? He wields the Darksaber."
  
  Sabine rolled her eyes.
  
  "No need to remind me. But I have some tricks up my sleeve too."
  
  Something near Sabine caught Shin"s attention. Her lightsaber was trembling on the ground. She frowned. This wasn"t her doing.
  
  "Like what? Your little Duchesses? You wouldn"t ashamed of cheating."
  
  "Cheating? I wouldn"t call it cheating. More like making sure that whatever happens, Gar Saxon will lose."
  
  Shin"s lightsaber flew into Sabine"s hand. She turned on the blade, burning away her bonds. She struck Pagg before he could react, slicing off his arm. He stumbled back, screaming in agony. She swiped at the legs of the red beside her. He stumbled back to avoid the blow, falling down the hill. Shots fired in her direction. She protected her face with her vambrace and ran to Shin.
  
  "You"re a Jedi too..."
  
  "No, I"m just a Mandalorian."
  
  Sabine freed the padawan, then gave her a second to stand back up by deflecting a shot with the lightsaber. Shin took back her weapon and stepped in front of the rebel leader. She used the Force to pull Sabine"s blasters to her. Sabine caught them mid-air.
  
  "Do you have a plan?" Shin shouted over the blaster shots as they ran for cover.
  
  "Of course, I have a plan."
  
  Sabine hid behind a boulder and pulled Shin down with her. She poked her head out of cover to blast a few shots, catching the Mandalorians" attention. They converged on their position.
  
  "Ready?"
  
  "For what!"
  
  Sabine aimed her vambrace at the spire looming above them. A rocket fired out and exploded against the rocks.
  
  "Now!"
  
  Sabine stood up and used the Force to pull the rocks on top of the Mandalorians. Shin understood quickly enough to help. Sabine"s connection to the Force was still quite weak, she felt. Without her, she wouldn"t have been able to cause a rockslide on her own. The spire crumbled onto itself then, as if pushed by a harsh wind, the boulders tumbled onto the Mandalorians. The six reds weren"t fast enough. The stones buried them. Dust kicked off, prompting Shin to hide back under cover. Once the ruckus of falling stones had died out, she stood up. Sabine walked out and around the shuttle, back to where she had left Pagg. She brushed the blood under her nose with her fingers, then pulled out her blaster from its holster.
  
  Pagg had crawled to recover his weapon on the floor. His aim trembled with pain. Sabine kicked the gun out of his hand before he could fire. She aimed down at him.
  
  "I heard Saxon was at Wren stronghold. Is that true?"
  
  "He... He thought you wouldn"t think to look for him there."
  
  "He"s scared then. Good."
  
  She fired, blasting him in the hollow of his neck. Rocks shuffled to her right. She looked up just in time to see the Mandalorian she had pushed climbing back up the hill. Before he could fire, he found himself immobilized. He was dragged across the ground to Shin. She beheaded him unceremoniously. Sabine stared at the padawan until she had turned off her blade, taking the neon blue light with her. She picked up her helmet off the ground.
  
  "We"ll wait another hour. If your Master hasn"t caught up with us by then, I"m taking the shuttle. Gar Saxon has enjoyed his time away for too long already."
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter!
  
  In my headcanon for the show Shin was born in 19BBY, same as the Skywalker twins and Ezra. That would make her about 27, then, which, in the show at least, would also make her the oldest padawan that we know of, snatching the title right out of Phantom Menace era Obi-Wan's hand.
  
  Thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments! I will see you all on Wednesday for chapter 4!
  
  Chapter 4: Sabine's Terrible Ideas
  Summary:
  Now reunited with Baylan and a handful of the Mandalorian rebels, Shin and Sabine fly to Krownest and prepare the assault on the Wren Stronghold.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Baylan appeared at the bottom of the hill a short time later, leading the small group of five rebels who had fought in the throne room. Shin was so relieved to see him she jumped to her feet and walked to the edge. Sabine caught her arm when she walked past her.
  
  "You brought down the stones alone."
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "What?"
  
  "On the Mandalorians. You brought down the stones on them and you sliced off Pagg"s arm."
  
  When Shin"s confusion only intensified, furrowing her features, Sabine added:
  
  "I don"t know how to use the Force. No need to mention that to your Master."
  
  Shin"s eyes widened when she understood what Sabine meant. She glanced at the rebel leader but she had put her helmet back on, making her expression unreadable. All Shin could see was her own confusion reflected back at her. After a second of hesitation, she gave a nod. Sabine let her go.
  
  Baylan reached the top of the mountain and surveyed the carnage around the shuttle. Shin approached him. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
  
  "I"m glad you"re okay," she told him.
  
  Her Master nodded.
  
  "We had a bit of trouble on our way out but nothing we couldn"t handle. You?"
  
  "An ambush of Mandalorians around our shuttle. Nothing we couldn"t handle."
  
  The five rebels had rejoined their leader. One of them had to support themselves on another"s shoulders, but the others looked alright. Sabine spoke to each of them, quickly getting the tale of their escape.
  
  "It was the Jedi."
  
  "He helped us out of the Palace."
  
  "We gave the order to disperse until you return."
  
  Sabine turned to Baylan then.
  
  "To that end, when are we leaving?"
  
  "We should leave now, as soon as we"ve decided the better place to hide you."
  
  Sabine shook her head.
  
  "I"m not hiding. I"m going to Krownest. Gar Saxon is waiting there. We can put an end to this war once and for all."
  
  "The Council has tasked me to protect you."
  
  "Fuck the Council. I"m not going into hiding, now or ever. So, you can either escort us there in your shuttle, or we"ll take it off your hands."
  
  Sabine"s hand hovered near her blaster. The other Mandalorians tensed up, ready for a fight. Shin watched the standoff nervously, hand moving automatically to her lightsaber. She was surprised when Baylan spoke:
  
  "Very well. I will take you to Krownest on one condition. You cannot leave us behind. We will be a part of your plan."
  
  Sabine replied faster than Shin had anticipated.
  
  "Deal."
  
  Within the shuttle, the rebels laid down their wounded comrade on the side seats, then sat in the four seats across from him. Shin took her usual copilot seat. Baylan sat behind the controls. He fired up the engines and the shuttle rose from the hill. The wings opened and they shot off through the night.
  
  As soon as they were out of the planet"s atmosphere, Sabine stood up.
  
  "You got a bathroom in here?"
  
  Shin motioned for a door to the right. Sabine disappeared through it. Shin stared hard at the door. She wanted to know how an untrained Mandalorian could wield the Force at all. Before she could, however, her Master called her name, snapping her out of her thoughts.
  
  "Shin? Can you set up our wounded friend on one of the bunks."
  
  "Yes, Master."
  
  She stood up and helped the Mandalorian back on his feet. She took him through the door to the left, where two bunks sat on top of one another. She helped him on the lower bunk. He tried taking off his helmet but with only one hand it was difficult. He was bleeding at the shoulder where he had been stabbed below his pauldron.
  
  "We have first aid supplies in the bathroom, hold on."
  
  She crossed the hall and entered the bathroom without knocking. The room was very cramped. Sabine sat on the lid of the toilet, brushing a piece of wet cloth under her nose to clean the dried blood. She looked up when Shin stepped in. As the door shut behind her, Shin found she could barely move.
  
  "What do you want?" Sabine asked.
  
  "Medkit. Your friend was stabbed."
  
  Sabine sighed.
  
  "I"ll take care of it."
  
  Shin pursed her lips. She should leave her be, she knew, but she needed answers. She crossed her arms.
  
  "I didn"t say anything to my master, but I want an explanation."
  
  "I didn"t know it was a condition."
  
  Sabine straightened with a groan. She gave a final brush of the cloth under her nostrils then threw it in the tiny sink.
  
  "When the last Civil War broke out, we had help from a Jedi. Her name is Ahsoka Tano. I spent a lot of time with her. She taught me that the Force is in all of us, even people with weak Midi-chlorians like me. I used to imitate with her when she meditated. It was, I don"t know, a good way to focus myself. I continued doing it as I got older."
  
  She paused, let out a long, tired sigh. She brushed her hand through her short purple hair.
  
  "When Gar Saxon attacked my clan, I tried... I tried saving my brother, but it was all too little too late. The Force responded, for the first time, but not fast enough. So no, I"m no Jedi, and I"d rather it stays that way. I use the Force if I have to, that"s it."
  
  She looked up at Shin, finally. For the first time since they had met, Shin saw all of her courage. Behind the recklessness was incredible bravery, itself a security blanket wrapped around Sabine"s grief, all the broken sorrowful pieces of her kept safe below the surface. Shin was struck by her strength as a leader in the face of such heartbreak.
  
  "Can I trust you to keep it a secret?"
  
  Shin was speechless at first. Perhaps Sabine thought she was considering her options. She wasn"t. She was too struck by the depth of her eyes to remember how to speak.
  
  "I... I won"t tell on you."
  
  "Great. I wouldn"t want to get dragged to the temple and thrown into a bathrobe."
  
  She stood up and they were suddenly standing far too close for comfort. Sabine didn"t seem to mind as she rummaged through the cabinet for medical supplies. Shin stood even stiller than before, muscles locked in place by the close warmth coming from the Mandalorian"s body.
  
  "That was pretty hardcore what you did back there," Sabine said. "Pretty Mandalorian of you. I didn"t expect such ruthlessness from a Jedi."
  
  It took Shin a second to realize it was a compliment, not an accusation. She had grown so used to reproach every time she stepped out of line that she didn"t know how to respond.
  
  "The Masters think I have an emotional issue. No one"s ever quite been able to curb it, not even Baylan."
  
  Sabine picked up a bacta patch and shut the cabinet. When she looked at Shin, she was smirking.
  
  "I don"t think you should let them. Stay feral, it suits you best."
  
  She grabbed Shin by the shoulder and switched their position so she could walk out of the bathroom, leaving Shin in deep confusion.
  
  The shuttle reached Krownest within a few hours. The bacta patch had fixed up the rebel, leaving them with six Mandalorians and two Jedi to storm the Wren stronghold. No ship was orbiting the planet and waiting for them, so on Sabine"s recommendation, they landed in the woods, on the other side of a frozen lake. Shin had not expected Krownest to be a frozen planet.
  
  Using the projector in her helmet, Sabine showed off a map of the stronghold. It was a rectangular structure at the edge of the lake. The front entrance was on the side, up a row of stairs. A giant glass window overlooked the lake.
  
  "We"ll charge through the front entrance. The throne room is this way, through this corridor."
  
  Baylan crossed his arms.
  
  "If I may, the front entrance will surely be heavily guarded. We should probably find a more discreet approach."
  
  Sabine turned away from him.
  
  "Anyway, the front entrance. I"m expecting Saxon to be over here, in the throne room. He"s mine."
  
  "He won"t be if you get killed on the way there."
  
  Sabine glared at the Jedi Knight.
  
  "Let"s hear it then, what is your brilliant idea?"
  
  "We have prod drones. We can send them out to scout before planning anything."
  
  "You think Mandalorians won"t spot prod droids from a mile away?"
  
  "Isn"t it worth a try? Saxon already knows you"re on your way. We do not have the element of surprise on our side. He is expecting you. We might as well make sure he doesn"t kill you before you get to him."
  
  Sabine grumbled.
  
  "Fine. But don"t take too long. We will lose light quickly here."
  
  Baylan and Shin took the box of droids outside. They set it in the puffy snow away from the trees so they could fly off easily. While Shin busied herself opening the box and turning on the small orbs, Baylan programmed them to fly to the stronghold and orbit around it. Shin shivered. Her knee was deep in the snow and she could feel her pants growing cold and damp against her skin. Sabine"s comment about the bathrobe came back to her suddenly and she let out a bitter chuckle.
  
  Once they were ready, the droids took flight and disappeared over the canopy of straight pines. Shin watched them take flight; her eyes were half-blinded by the snow on the branches around them which reflected the sun.
  
  "Can I trust you to keep an eye on the droids while I keep an eye on the Mandalorians?" Baylan asked.
  
  "Of course, Master."
  
  He handed her the tablet and she saw three red dots blinking on it, flying toward the stronghold. Baylan returned inside. Another shiver overtook Shin"s body. She sat on a fallen trunk and glanced at the tablet every so often. The cold seemed to be closing in on her. She closed her eyes and focused on the Force. If she could just gather it within herself to warm her body, she wouldn"t be shivering as hard as she was.
  
  She thought she had finally attained the right kind of focus when a blanket was thrown over her shoulders. She opened her eyes, surprised. Sabine was standing over her.
  
  "Kind of an asshole move on your master"s part to just leave you outside with only a bathrobe."
  
  Shin rolled her eyes but bundled under the blanket.
  
  "The Master gives the order and the padawan obeys. That"s how it works, in principle."
  
  "In principle?"
  
  "I do disobey. Often. Probably more often than he"d like."
  
  "Good," Sabine replied with a smile.
  
  Shin felt warmth blossom in her chest, unbearable. She wanted to take the blanket off as the rush of heat took hold of her. It was a very strange feeling, one she"d never felt before. She thought it came from the Force, that it was trying to tell her something.
  
  "How are the droids doing?"
  
  Shin glanced at the tablet, thinking it would give her an answer. She glanced at Sabine but realized she had retained nothing of what was on the screen. She pulled up the tablet again. Perhaps Sabine had grown tired of waiting for an answer. She sat on the trunk beside Shin and pulled the tablet between them. The droids had reached the stronghold. They were now scanning its surrounding. For every Mandalorian spotted, a yellow dot appeared on the tablet.
  
  "Well would you look at that. Once again, a lack of peripheral vision saves the day."
  
  Sabine chuckled to herself. Shin looked between the tablet and the rebel leader.
  
  "What are you going to do, once this is all over?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "I don"t know. Find someone who can rule?"
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "You don"t want to rule yourself?"
  
  "Do I look like a ruler to you? I wouldn"t even know where to begin. I"m not the Duchesse Kryze, I have no plans for the future of Mandalore. I just don"t want Gar Saxon to rule."
  
  Sabine wrapped her arms around her, feeling the cold get to her as well.
  
  "You"ve organized an entire rebellion all by yourself. How is ruling any different?"
  
  "I didn"t organize the rebellion on my own."
  
  "Neither will you rule alone. The Jedi has a Council to discuss every decision. To say nothing of the hundreds of Senators working to keep peace in the galaxy..."
  
  Shin"s ideas came to a stop when Sabine slid under the blanket with her.
  
  "You"re pretty smart sometimes," Sabine noted.
  
  They were so close Shin could feel the warmth of Sabine"s breath against her face. She was mesmerized by the redness of her cheeks, the half-curl of her smile, the intensity of her eyes as they looked into hers.
  
  The tablet beeped between them. They shifted apart. Looking down, Shin saw that the droids had finished their observation and were flying back. She stood up, stepping away from Sabine and leaving the blanket with her. Her heart was moving a thousand beats a minute, and each pound against her ribs was electric, making her bones warm. If it beat any faster it might turn into a sun.
  
  The droids returned and Shin locked the box behind them swiftly. She didn"t want to spend a second more in Sabine"s presence, alone. Behind her, Sabine was still seated on the trunk, watching her.
  
  "We should show this to everyone," Shin suggested.
  
  She picked up the case in one hand, holding the tablet in the other. When she turned around, Sabine was standing beside her. All the warmth drained out of Shin"s body. Here was that uncomfortable, indescribable feeling again. She couldn"t figure out what the Force wanted to tell her. Then, Sabine leaned and kissed her lips.
  
  The kiss was light and quick. To Shin, it felt like time had stopped. The pressure of Sabine"s cold lips on hers made her entire body go numb. She had been robbed of something, but what she had been given in return was worth so much more. It hadn"t been the Force at all speaking to her, it had been Sabine the entire time, their bodies entering into a conversation her brain couldn"t comprehend. Sabine pulled away.
  
  "See you on the other side."
  
  She walked back to the shuttle, leaving Shin completely stunned in the snow.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
  
  I have to emergency post this chapter very early in the morning because I didn't know until Monday afternoon that today I had a day-long family thing that would have us leave home at 7 a.m... I will be replying to every comments from chapter 3 and 4 before posting chapter 5, don't worry
  
  Thank you for reading and thank you for your many kudos and comments and I will see you on Saturday for the next chapter!
  
  Chapter 5: Dual of the Fates
  Summary:
  The rebels and the Jedi attack Wren Stronghold
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Since most of Gar Saxon"s troops were waiting for them in the throne room, Baylan agreed to Sabine"s plan. They left the shuttle and walked to the stronghold, trudging through the thick blanket of snow. Shin hung back, deep in thoughts. Her master noticed immediately. He slowed down to walk with her.
  
  "Something is troubling you."
  
  Shin kept her gaze low, on the shadows of the trees.
  
  "I was just thinking," she replied. "Meditating on attachment."
  
  Baylan hummed.
  
  "It is true we have seldom talked about attachment. I never thought you needed a lesson on it."
  
  Ahead, Sabine was walking with determination without looking back. Shin wished she would look back. That simple desire confused her deeply.
  
  "Attachment is not dangerous," Baylan explained.
  
  Shin frowned.
  
  "But I thought it was within the Order"s creed to renounce attachment."
  
  "Shin, no sentient creature can live without forming attachments. Even Jedi. Especially Jedi. What the Order expects of you is to prioritize duty, no matter the situation. Do you think you could do that?"
  
  Shin pursed her lips, unsure what to reply. Baylan continued:
  
  "Why are you pondering this now?"
  
  Panic seized Shin"s throat. She shrugged, the motion somewhat clearing her airways and allowing some welcomed cold air into her chest.
  
  "In case the mission fails, I suppose."
  
  Again, her Master hummed.
  
  "If the mission fails, I want you running right back to the shuttle."
  
  "But..."
  
  "I won"t argue with you on this, Shin. You run to the shuttle and you take off, even if I"m not there. Do you understand?"
  
  "Yes, Master," Shin replied reluctantly.
  
  "Now focus. I don"t want anything to happen to you because you are not focused."
  
  Shin nodded. Satisfied, Baylan walked away, leaving his apprentice to her twisted thoughts.
  
  The Wren stronghold was a concrete and glass rectangle overlooking a deep blue frozen lake, anchored to the side of a snowy mountain. The front door was ten feet above the ground, accessible by a set of stairs. Four red Mandalorians kept watch by the entrance, two before the stairs and two before the door. The small group of rebels hid in forest, behind the tall pines. On Sabine"s signal, they attacked.
  
  The rebels leaned out of their hiding spots and fired at the reds. One was struck in the guts and collapsed. The others fired back. Shin kept to her cover, looking for an opening. When the reds advanced on their position, she used the Force to throw one of them back. They stumbled in the snow. Baylan dashed out of the trees to take them down. The other two reds were shot down by Sabine and her team. When the quiet returned to the woods and no other Mandalorians emerged from the stronghold, Baylan said:
  
  "Saxon is expecting us, that much is clear."
  
  "Let"s not keep him waiting," Sabine replied.
  
  Baylan used the Force to unlock the door. The Mandalorians stepped inside, keeping their backs to the walls. Shin closed their group, one hand on her lightsaber and the other against the wall, sensing for enemies.
  
  "They"re trying to box us in," she whispered.
  
  Beside her, Baylan nodded. He could also feel the reds moving through the corridors, closing in on them. He grabbed his lightsaber from his belt.
  
  Two reds turned the corner behind them. A second later, another three closed in on them ahead. Baylan turned on his lightsaber and deflected the blaster shots behind them. He Force dragged one forward and Shin, turning on her weapon, stabbed them in the side. Baylan took down the other one with a well-placed strike. The Jedi had grown deft at finding Mandalorian weak spots now.
  
  Ahead, the reds opened fire onto the rebels. The rebels were done firing back. They rushed the Mandalorians in close-combat, knocking the blasters out of their hands. Sabine swept the legs from under her opponent. He stumbled and she kneed him in the sternum, knocking the breath out of him. She took off his helmet before he could struggle to keep it on and knocked him out with it.
  
  With the path cleared once more, the rebels assumed their positions. The throne room was ahead. Sabine paused in front of it. She turned to her group and hand-signaled at them. They divided, each taking a side of the double doors. She took a deep breath. Shin could feel her anxiety, turning the Force around them cold. She wondered how Baylan couldn"t feel it too.
  
  With a nod, Sabine pushed her door open. Her companion on the other side did the same. The eight rebels emerged into the throne room, guns blazing. At least twenty Mandalorians had been waiting for them, standing on either side of the cavernous throne room. Blue light came through the frosted windows. A throne stood on the other side, its back to a wall of windows. The reds had spread around the room, blasters trained on the doors. As soon as the rebels pushed inside, they fired back.
  
  Shin rushed ahead, deflecting as many shots as she could. She pulled weapons out of hands, pushed reds away, knocked them into one another, all to clear a path for Sabine and her rebels. Ahead, a man sat in the throne, watching the chaos unfold. He was as old as her master with gray hair combed apart. He wasn"t wearing a helmet and his armor was more red than white. Shin figured this was Gar Saxon.
  
  Sabine rushed to him as soon as she could, only confirming Shin"s assumption. Sabine fired at him without wasting a second, forcing Saxon on his feet. He reached for a lightsaber handle at his belt and turned it on. The Darksaber hissed awake, the air sizzling around the flat blade. He used it to deflect Sabine"s shots. Then, taking his own blaster, he fired back. Sabine had to roll out of the way. She was almost grabbed by one of the reds. She threw them off and used them as a shield against Saxon"s blasts. He closed in on her, slicing toward her. The blade only sliced through his own man as Sabine dropped her human shield to avoid the blow.
  
  "You"ll have to do better than that if you want to kill me, little girl."
  
  Sabine rose to taunt. She kicked Saxon in the chest and fired twice at close range at his legs. Saxon swiped toward her again, the blade letting out a shriek as it cut through the air. Sabine blocked the blow with her vambrace. The metal sparked and heat up under the blade. She tried punching him away. He blocked her blow. His blaster was too close to her helmet for comfort. He fired. Though the shot bounced off the metal, it still rang Sabine"s brain. She stumbled away. Saxon kicked her onto the steps. Sabine lost her grip on one of her blasters. She aimed the other at Saxon. He sliced it in half.
  
  "End of the line."
  
  "No!"
  
  Shin, who had been keeping an eye on the fight, jumped into action. She reached out to the Force and locked Saxon"s arms into place before he could bring down the Darksaber on Sabine"s chest. Saxon glared at her. Shin glared back. She stepped up to him and swung her lightsaber. He had no choice but to redirect his blow away from Sabine to Shin. He blocked her onslaught, stepping away from Sabine and up the steps, back to the throne.
  
  They locked blade. Saxon was strong. Shin put all the anger she had in her, pushing back hard. She greeted her teeth. The black sparks coming off the Darksaber scattered around them.
  
  "I"ve always wanted to kill a Jedi," Saxon said.
  
  Shin roared and pushed him away. She took a deep breath, searching for her focus. She couldn"t find it anymore, could only feel the anger and the hatred.
  
  "Shin!"
  
  Sabine was the only thing still sharp around her. She could feel her intentions as if they were her own. She sidestepped. Sabine fired a rocket into Saxon. It exploded at his feet. It shattered the windows behind the throne and sent the man flying out of the stronghold. Sabine let out a sigh as he disappeared from view.
  
  "He"s mine to fight," she told the padawan.
  
  She fought to take off her helmet, her head still ringing from the too close shot. Shin ignored her. She jumped onto the lake, using the Force to cushion her landing. She ran onto the slick, thick surface of the ice, searching for red. Saxon seemed to have disappeared.
  
  Blaster shots pierced the ice beside her. Shin rolled out of the way. Looking up, she found Saxon firing down at her. He was using his jetpack to keep out of her range, flying above the ice. Shin ran toward him, hand held out, reaching for the Force to bring him down. Each shot came closer and closer. She lost her focus when she had to deflect a blow, her blade slicing through the ice in the same motion. A jet of steam hissed out of the lake, masking the padawan. Finally, she could focus. She reached for Saxon and pulled him down. He landed on the ice on his knees and turned off the jetpack. Brandishing the Darksaber once more, he charged at her.
  
  Shin fought back hard, each blow coming fast. She aimed for the head, again and again, but Saxon could read her every time, deflecting her blade away. She was growing furious, losing her patience. Years of training thrown out of the window because of one man.
  
  The hiss of a jetpack interrupted their fight. Sabine had stolen the pack from one of his people and flew toward them at full speed. She collided with Saxon hard, taking him into the air. He turned his jetpack back on and swung at her. She threw him off her. They hovered, fifteen feet above the ice, out of Shin"s reach. Saxon rushed Sabine once more, ready to slice her in half. She blocked the blade with her vambrace. It hissed against the metal. She grabbed onto Saxon once more, reaching for his jetpack, trying to disable it. He struck hers first, making one large slice through the device. The blade dug into her lower back. Sabine yelped. As soon as he pulled it out, she lost control of her flight. She crashed onto the ice, which shuddered and splintered under her.
  
  Saxon landed beside her.
  
  "You pathetic excuse for a Mandalorian will never be able to defeat me."
  
  Shin rushed Saxon. He turned around and blocked her strike. She left herself wide open for his retaliation. He sliced the inside of her leg. Shin yelped and lost balance. Then, he sliced off her lightsaber hand. He kicked her in the chest. Shin fell on the ice hard, racked with pain. Her lightsaber rolled out of reach.
  
  "The Jedi first," Saxon decided.
  
  The lightsaber trembled onto the ice. Saxon shrank away from it as it flew past him. Sabine caught it and turned it on.
  
  "How..."
  
  "The day you killed my family. You made me powerful enough to defeat you."
  
  She closed the distance, lightsaber brandished high. The blades screamed against each other, cold air vaporizing between them. Saxon struck toward her. Sabine avoided the blow and stabbed Shin"s lightsaber deep into the ice. Steam came up, blinding Saxon. He struck blindly through the cloud. Sabine was already out of his range. She stabbed at his back. He turned around quickly, but not quickly enough. The lightsaber nicked his arm. He screamed. Sabine struck again. Saxon stumbled back as he tried to avoid the blow.
  
  She saw a flicker of fear on in his eyes and smirked. He tried flying away. From her vambrace, she unleashed a tongue of fire on him. His jetpack caught fire, and he made and emergency landing, stumbling back on the ice. He rid himself of the jetpack and turned to Sabine again. With his blaster, he fired at her. She deflected each shot, closing in on him once more. Using the Force, she tore the blaster out of his hand. He had no other choice but to face her blade against blade.
  
  He struck toward her. She parried. He lunged at her. She turned and elbowed him in the nose. She grabbed the Darksaber from his hand. With a single motion, she sliced both blades through Gar Saxon"s stomach, just below his chestplate. His eyes grew wide. He fell to his knees on the ice. Sabine waited, a blade in each hand. She expected him to put up more of a fight. He fell face first on the ice and stopped moving. Sabine let out a sigh of relief, which turned into a whine of pain as if her body suddenly remembered the hole in her side. She choked on tears as she turned off both lightsabers.
  
  Shin was still laying on the lake a few feet away. Sabine shambled to her and fell to her knees beside her.
  
  "Come on Shin, wake up."
  
  She shook her to consciousness. Shin"s eyes opened and closed like the wings of a butterfly, fluttering with no sign of intelligence beneath. Sabine sat her up then tried to get her to her feet. She groaned under the strain and her burning back. She pushed herself and managed to get Shin on her feet, though the padawan was heavily leaning on her.
  
  "Come on, let"s get you inside..."
  
  She limped onto the ice, carrying all of Shin"s weight. The stronghold loomed above. Every step was difficult and unsteady, but Sabine refused to leave her behind. Her vision blurred with tears, she forced one foot in front of the other, keeping a vice grip on Shin.
  
  "Shin?" a voice called ahead.
  
  Sabine recognized Baylan. He seemed to be calling from the stronghold, though her vision was too impaired to know for sure.
  
  "Over here!" she called back.
  
  She stumbled forward, falling to one knee under the padawan"s weight. She pushed her legs to stand back up, but couldn"t find the energy she needed to do so anymore. To her great relief, Baylan reached her quickly and he took the load of his padawan off her.
  
  "Let"s get you both inside."
  
  Sabine, relieved of the extra weight, stood up and staggered. Baylan steadied her with a hand.
  
  "Saxon?"
  
  "Dead... It"s over..."
  
  Her chest was filled with so much relief it could burst. Only a nugget of worry for the padawan"s fate kept her grounded. With legs as steady as jelly, Sabine followed the Jedi Knight back inside.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this penultimate chapter!
  
  I asked my sister if it was illegal to name your Star Wars fanfiction chapter "Dual of the Fates" and she said on the contrary, it was expected.
  
  Although this chapter took a lot of inspiration from the Mandalorian arc of SW: Rebels, I still haven't see it... I thought I would have had the time to watch it before posting this chapter but no. Funnily enough I had planned for the fight to end on the frozen lake long before I read a summary of Sabine and Saxon's fight in Rebels. Great minds think alike, I suppose ;)
  
  Coincidentally also this is my weekend at Wren Stronghold because tomorrow I will be posting a one-shot where Shin and Sabine go to clean Wren Stronghold. It was not planned that way but what a fun weekend this will be!
  
  As usual, thank you for reading and thank you for your many many kudos and comments! I will see you on Wednesday for the final chapter!
  
  Chapter 6: Darling, I Would Do It Again
  Summary:
  Shin wakes up full of confusion.
  
  Notes:
  (See the end of the chapter for notes.)
  
  Chapter Text
  Shin woke up out of her chemically induced sleep, hazy and confused. She had never been put to sleep before. It took an eternity for her mind to shake off the anesthesia. She began by remembering the mission on Madalore and, string by string, connected each memory until she remembered Gar Saxon.
  
  Her eyes flew open, then shut again as artificial light stunned her vision. She was in a bright lit room, no longer wrapped in the cold air of Krownest. As soon as she regained control of her body, she tried seating up. A hand grabbed her arm to keep her down.
  
  "You"re okay. You"re okay."
  
  Through her blurry vision, she recognized Sabine standing beside her. She relaxed and lay back down. Her whole right arm felt numb. She tried brushing the wetness out of her eyes but couldn"t make it move. She had to use her left hand inside. Now that she could see better, she took in Sabine. The rebel leader sat back in her chair with a groan.
  
  "Where are we?"
  
  "Sundari. We retook the capital. I sent people to arrest Saxon"s allies in the other cities."
  
  "Is he..."
  
  Sabine nodded.
  
  "In part thanks to you."
  
  Shin looked around. The room she was in was too well decorated to belong to a hospital. She must have been in the Palace. A double door of blue glass led to a balcony outside. The bed she laid in was fit for two but she had been placed on the left side of the bed. The right side was taken up by her arm and a machine. The machine pushed a bluish fluid into a bag wrapped around her arm, then another tube sucked it out of the bag. Shin stared at the fluid bag for a long time. Piece by piece, she convinced herself that she hadn"t imagined the pain when the Darksaber had sliced through her wrist.
  
  She looked away abruptly, back to Sabine who was staring at her with concern.
  
  "Where is my Master?"
  
  "He stayed with you through the surgery but he had to call the Jedi Council. I promised I"d stay with you until he returned."
  
  Sabine reached for something at her belt. Shin noticed she was carrying the handle of two lightsabers, hers and the rectangular, silver hilt of the Darksaber. Sabine took Shin"s hilt and placed it in her left hand.
  
  "I hope you don"t mind, I had to use your lightsaber to win."
  
  Shin grabbed onto her weapon as much as she held Sabine"s hand. Sabine placed her other hand around hers. She looked more guilty than relieved. Shin wanted to ask her why. The door to the room hissed open. Sabine pulled away as Baylan entered the room. Shin let go of her hand reluctantly, her grip on her lightsaber loose. Sabine stood up with barely a hint of pain.
  
  "Rest well. You deserve it."
  
  She walked away, giving a nod toward the Jedi Knight as she walked past him. Baylan returned the nod. He came to take the seat beside his padawan.
  
  "You gave me quite a fright," he said as he sat down.
  
  "I"m sorry, Master. I failed."
  
  Baylan frowned. Shin explained:
  
  "I let myself be overwhelmed by anger and hatred and my enemy used it against me. I lost my hand..."
  
  "Shin."
  
  Her master set the lightsaber aside, placing it on the bedside table. He took her hand in his.
  
  "You are not the first Jedi to lose a limb in combat, and you will certainly not be the last. You helped defeat Gar Saxon and bring peace to Mandalore once more. I"ve made sure the Jedi Council was aware of that. As soon as you"re clear for travel, we"ll return to Coruscant and you will pass the trials."
  
  He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Shin sat up. Her master was keeping something from her and they both knew it. Their eyes met, and Baylan knew she had figured it out.
  
  "As for me, this was my last mission for the Jedi Order. I intent to leave and forge my own path."
  
  Shin"s breath caught in her throat.
  
  "You can"t..."
  
  "My dissatisfaction with the Order did not begin today. I have been thinking about it for years now. But I couldn"t leave you. I needed to finish your training. Now that I have, it is time for us to part."
  
  "No, I... My training isn"t over."
  
  "It is in my eyes, and it will be in the eyes of the Council. It is time for you to become a Knight."
  
  She shook her head.
  
  "What if I don"t want to be a Knight? I could come with you. Let me help you..."
  
  Baylan gave her a sad but confident smile.
  
  "I do not know where the Force will take me, only that my path no longer lays with the Order. You need to find your path, just as I have found mine."
  
  Sabine wanted to visit Shin again, but with the busy day she"d had, she couldn"t find the time until late into the evening. Who would have thought that establishing a new government would be so difficult? News from the other cities were good, at least. With the Darksaber at her belt, she had made more allies in a day than she"d had in months of resistance. She was determined never to use it again.
  
  Her feet took her to Shin"s room before she could stop herself. She stood there, silent, wondering if she should knock. The padawan was probably asleep already. She wasn"t attuned to the Force enough to know what that strange sensation on the other side of the door was, though she assumed it was someone sleeping. When curiosity finally got the better of her, she opened the door.
  
  Shin"s bed was empty. Panic only had a second to settle into her, as she spotted that the balcony doors were opened. The Jedi was standing outside, arms leaned against the balcony railing, her blue hospital outfit not quite enough to protect her from the cold night air. Bandages wrapped around her right stump, forcing her to lean on her forearms rather than her hand. Sabine joined her, coming to lean on the balcony beside her.
  
  "Have you ever been confused?" Shin asked, her gaze lost to the lights of the capital city.
  
  "More often than you"d think."
  
  "What do you do, then?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "I just try to think through it. Go back to what made me confused in the first place. Just lay all the facts out."
  
  Shin hummed.
  
  "Alright. All the facts. I lost my hand in single-combat."
  
  Sabine grimaced.
  
  "I"m sorry about that."
  
  "You don"t have to apologize. It was far more my fault than yours."
  
  Sabine turned to look at the Jedi.
  
  "We"ll have it fixed up in no time, I promise."
  
  Shin didn"t reply, only kept her gaze out of reach.
  
  "Fact: When I return on Coruscant I"ll be made a Knight. But my master will leave the Order. He"s searching for more. He told me to find my path. I don"t know if my path is with the Order either."
  
  Sabine listened, but found she had no advice to share but the obvious. She kept her comments to herself.
  
  "Fact: You kissed me on Krownest."
  
  Sabine winced.
  
  "Don"t think too hard about it," she replied. "We can just ignore it happened. I just... I don"t know. I figured the odds of me coming out of the fight alive were slim and I wanted to kiss you, in that moment. It didn"t mean anything."
  
  Shin finally looked at her, pale eyes piercing through every wall and layer of Sabine with a single glance.
  
  "You confuse me."
  
  "I confuse you?"
  
  "I"ve never felt anything like it. Every time you come near me, it"s like the Force has deserted me. But I don"t feel lost either. You annoy me, deeply, but I don"t want to stay away from you."
  
  Sabine couldn"t help but chuckle. She knocked her shoulder against Shin"s lightly.
  
  "You annoy me too."
  
  They stood side by side overlooking the busy city, enjoying each other"s closeness with no need for more. After a beat, however, Sabine had to ask:
  
  "Are you feeling less confused?"
  
  "Not at all."
  
  "That"s okay. That"s the beauty of life sometimes, you can stay confused for a very long time."
  
  Shin breathed out.
  
  "You were no help. You made me even more confused."
  
  "You"re welcome."
  
  Once the droid doctor had decided that Shin"s limb had recovered enough, the outer parts of her cybernetic post were installed. Baylan sat with her through it as they adjusted her nerve sensitivity, each turn of the hex key sending a thousand knives up her arm. Baylan held her hand through it all. Shin wished Sabine had been there too.
  
  Once the doctor was done, they told Shin to rest up. Her new hand would be coming the next day. Shin laid down in bed, looking at the metal parts now fused to her flesh. The metal was chrome, shiny under the low artificial light of the room. It would take her a long time to get used to the sight, she knew.
  
  Beside her, Baylan stood up, catching her attention.
  
  "I will call the temple, let them know to expect us tomorrow."
  
  Before he could walk away, Shin replied:
  
  "I"m not going back."
  
  Baylan stared at her. Shin had never been one for jokes. She always spoke her mind, and in her eyes, he could see her determination. He sat back down.
  
  "Are you sure?"
  
  "I"m not going back to the temple if you won"t be there. They hate me there, all of them."
  
  "If you leave now, you will never be made a Knight. You"ve worked hard for this."
  
  "I worked hard for it because I thought it was the only path for me. But my place is not with the Order. It never was."
  
  Baylan hummed. He looked out of place in the small chair, too sturdy for it.
  
  "I see you"ve made up your mind. What will you do then?"
  
  "I don"t know yet. But if you won"t let me come with you than I suppose I"ll have to figure it out for myself."
  
  Her Master smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, just as he had done a thousand times before.
  
  "I will return to Coruscant alone. Let them know of your decision and mine. You deserve the chance to figure out your path, Shin. But no matter where it takes you, I will always be there if you need my help."
  
  Shin had spent the rest of the day deep in thoughts, her head leaned back against the pillow as her gaze became lost in the hard lines of the stone ceiling. Her musing was disturbed when a soft knock came at her door. Sabine appeared on the other side, and Shin somewhat relaxed, accepting the interruption.
  
  "I heard the doctor wasn"t kind to you. If it makes you feel better, they weren"t kind to me either."
  
  Sabine shut the door behind her. She was carrying a parcel tugged against her side. She came to sit on Shin"s bed, setting the package aside.
  
  "How"s the confusion going?"
  
  Shin gave a half-hearted shrug.
  
  "I"ve had plenty of time to think, at least. I"m not going back to Coruscant. I will never be good enough to pass their test. I could have killed a Sith Lord that it wouldn"t have changed a thing. They will always find fault with me. My path is somewhere else."
  
  Sabine offered her half a smile.
  
  "In know Mandalore is chaos incarnate right now and it is probably the last place you want to be, but you"re welcomed to stay here for as long as you want."
  
  Shin nodded in acknowledgement.
  
  "Anyway, I brought something to cheer you up."
  
  Sabine picked up the parcel and placed it in her lap. She unfurled the flaps of the cloths, revealing a silver hand on the other side. Each phalanx was skeletal thin, connected by tiny, intricate screws and servos.
  
  "It"s only the structure. We can add whatever you want to it. Skin, armor, whatever you want."
  
  Shin picked up the hand from Sabine"s lap. She looked it around, her fingers feeling every piece of cold metal. It took her a moment to understand fully what she was looking at.
  
  "This is beskar."
  
  "I had it made especially for you. We recycled Gar Saxon"s armor."
  
  "Why?"
  
  "Because every enemy you defeat makes you stronger. That"s Mandalorian ideals for you."
  
  Shin felt the urge to try it on. She glanced at Sabine, wondering if she could. As if she could read her thoughts, Sabine nodded. Shin set the limb in the post and screwed it on. It connected with her arm, burning her nerves for a second. The pain disappeared before she could wince. She thought about moving her fingers. The phalanx activated, curling and opening as she desired. She looked up at Sabine who smiled at her.
  
  "It"ll take a bit of practice, but you"ll be back in the fight in no time."
  
  "Who would I even fight?"
  
  Sabine shrugged.
  
  "Whoever you want."
  
  Shin looked down at the beskar hand again. She touched it, feeling the metal warming to her. Sabine took the cybernetic hand in hers.
  
  "Maybe you can become a wandering mercenary, helping people in need."
  
  Shin rolled her eyes.
  
  "That sounds like a Mandalorian thing to do."
  
  "Okay, well, what do you want to do?"
  
  Shin"s gaze glided to Sabine"s lips before she could stop herself. She felt that same spark of warmth that seemed to replace where the Force had been just a second ago. But this time, she wasn"t confused about it at all. She embraced it.
  
  "I want to kiss you again."
  
  Sabine scooted closer. Her fingers twined with Shin"s new fingers and she held on as she leaned forward. Their lips met in a powerful kiss. For the first time since their previous kiss, Shin felt she knew exactly what she wanted. No confusion. No hesitation. She would walk away from the Jedi Order, would walk all the way to Coruscant to give them her lightsaber and walk back to Mandalore as long as Sabine was there to kiss her when she returned.
  
  Sabine leaned against her until Shin couldn"t stay seated anymore. She laid down on the bed, taking Sabine with her as she refused to part from their kiss. Sabine laid beside her, placing sweet kisses on her lips. When they parted, Sabine rolled to lay beside her.
  
  "And now, what do you want to do?"
  
  "Hold you till I die."
  
  Sabine chuckled.
  
  "I suppose I can allow that."
  
  She scooted even closer to Shin, placing her head on her shoulder. Shin"s chest was fluttering with a confident fear and hopeful confusion. What a strange path the Force had laid out for her, she thought. Then, she did what she wanted to do. She held onto Sabine until she fell asleep.
  
  Notes:
  Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this final chapter!
  
  I don't remember if I mentioned it in the first chapter notes but initially, I wanted to right a Wolfwren story based on the love story of Anakin and Padme. It just so happens that they fit the Obi-Wan and Satine story better. Still, and since a lot of people have made comparisons between Anakin and Shin, I figured I'd bring a bit of him into the story by cutting off Shin's hand. That last shot of Padme holding his prostetic hand in Attack of the Clones is seared into my mind.
  
  Last minute decision to name the chapter after an Hozier song (again) because I just realized Francesca works really well for this chapter.
  
  On Saturday I will begin posting my new multi-chapter story which I am unbelievably excited about. This story is my favorite I've ever written (I know I say that a lot but this is true) and I have been waiting since November to post it. It's a Rival Kingdoms AU. Expect a lot of angst because it is a proper Enemies to Lovers ;) Title will most likely be "I Can Wait For You at the Bottom."
  
  Thank you all for reading and thank you for your many, many kudos and comments! Have a wonderful first week for the year and I hope to see you on Saturday for a brand new story!
  
  
  Shin and Sabine
  JenFMax
  Summary:
  my Take on their story, tying some questions together, while further exploring the relationship that is WolfWren.
  
  Notes:
  I am so excited to finally get to post this fanfic I have been working on for a few weeks now! Hope everyone enjoys! There will be smut.
  
  Chapter 1
  Chapter Text
  Shin and Sabine
  Written by JenFMax
  
  Chapter 1: The Meeting/First Duel
  
  As Shin arrived to Lothal in search of Ahsoka Tano's apprentice, Sabine Wren, she looked around in admiration. She had never been to the capital city before and admired the scenery around her. As her light blonde hair blew in the wind, she listened to the droids Morgan had sent her with. She hated the droids, but had to keep her opinions to herself for the moment. She sighed as they made their way through Lothal's fields to search for the apprentice. She didn't know what to expect from her, but knowing how talented Ahsoka was, her apprentice must be as well.
  
  In her home, at the tower of Lothal, which had once been Ezra's home, sat Sabine. She petted her Loth-Cat while inspecting the map Ahsoka had managed to obtain. As she worked hard to open it to figure out the coordinates, she thought about Ezra. It had been about 10 years since he and Thrawn had gone missing into the unknown with the Purgills. She hoped the map would lead her to her best friend, to her brother. They may not be blood, but he was the closest thing to family she'd had since losing her own in the Siege of Mandalore. Finally, the map glimmered and started to open, to Sabine's joy. However, unknown to her, a new presense had arrived to Lothal, to find the map, to find her.
  
  As night came, Shin and her droids descended onto the tower where Sabine was staying. Something in the air felt different to her, almost exotic. Shin took a deep breath, ignoring it and sent the droids forward. As she listened, one of the droids barged into Sabine's home, scaring the Loth-Cat and having Sabine fight it off. The second droid ran in and quickly grabbed the map, running out to give it to Shin. As Shin took the map from the droid, she nodded her approval to it and then looked up to see Sabine walk out to be across from her. Shin took a deep breath; no one told her how beautiful the apprentice would be. She took in the sight of the young woman, with the long purple and orange hair, longing to touch it. She shook her head, as Sabine stepped forward to face her.
  
  As Sabine fought off the droid, she chased after the other who took the map, and gasped when she arrived outside. Standing there was the most beautiful, yet intense, person she'd ever seen. Her mouth parted as she breathed watching the light haired woman hold the map. Shin noticed her and said, " We've been looking for this." Sabine saw the map in her hand and replied, "Well that's too bad." Sabine ignited her lightsaber, holding it to her side. She watched Shin do the same and come towards her slowly. As they both gazed at each other for a moment, before sparking the fight, they both knew something between them needed to occur.
  
  Chapter 2: Time to Heal
  
  Before Sabine could make a blow to Shin, during them both turning, Shin's lightsaber make contact into Sabine's abdomen. Sabine fell to the ground clutching herself and waving her saber at Shin, who only just hit back it with her own. No other blows sent, no final death blow at all, which surprised Sabine. She saw the look of shock in Shin's eyes at what had happened, and then saw Ahsoka and Huyang's ship appear above them, making Shin run off, but not before looking at Sabine again. Sabine passed out from her pain, drifting into unconsciousness.
  
  Shin ran to her small shuttle ship with the droids, thinking about Sabine, how and where she'd stabbed her, which had been by accident. The way they'd both moved had caused the blow to happen, and Shin couldn't stop thinking about Sabine now. She hoped she would live, so she could see her again. As she flew back to Baylan and Morgan, she held the map in her hand, wondering how such a small thing could cause such big grief. She sighed and continued on her way.
  
  As Sabine woke up, she saw Ahsoka and Huyang there, looking concerned but thankful. Sabine grunted as she tried to sit up, the wound on her abdomen from Shin's saber, still hurt some, but was healed. Ahsoka made her lay back down and explained what happened and asked Sabine if she'd been able to read the map. Sabine shook her head but told Ahsoka that she'd been able to open it. She was upset with herself for allowing their only way to finding Ezra, slip from her grasp. She felt she had failed Ahsoka's trust but Ahsoka shook her head. "You did what you could Sabine, and you took a hard blow for it., Ahsoka said softly. Sabine nodded and asked Ahsoka about the young woman. Ahsoka sighed and said, "I sensed the Force strongly within her, very strongly. She'd definitely being trained well, but by whom, I do not know." Sabine nodded, "Well, I expect we'll meet her again, and when we do, she's mine, ok?" Ahsoka looked at Sabine, sensing a difference in her words, it seemed, obsessive, longing, hungry. Ahsoka just nodded her reply in approval.
  
  Shin walked around the temple area on Seatos, watching Baylan and Morgan discuss their plan together. Shin still didn't know very much of the whole plan, and that bothered her. Why should she do so much without knowing the real purpose behind it? She asked Baylan what would happen once they found Thrawn, and he simply replied for them, it would mean more power. She couldn't help but feel that was just a loose question to try to satisfy her, and it definitely did not. She was bothered still, and thought back to Lothal, fighting Sabine. The way Sabine's eyes glistened in the light of their sabers, the way her hair blew in the breeze; it all sent shivers down Shin's spine. She couldn't help but admit it; she was definitely attracted to the Jedi apprentice.
  
  Chapter 2: Training
  Summary:
  Shin realizes her feelings, Baylan understands. Ahsoka trains Sabine
  
  Notes:
  I couldn't figure out how to do the chapter adding before, so it may look weird for the first two chapters.
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine stretched as she got up from her bed aboard Ahsoka's ship. She yawned and scratched at her head, feeling her short hair. She'd cut it before they had left Lothal, in search of the star map to find Ezra, and Thrawn. She made her way to the refresher and as she showered, her mind drifted to the young woman that had attacked her. The intensity in her eyes, the way she carried herself, it was all just so majestic. Sabine sighed to herself, "Stop thinking about her, she's no good, but i want to know her." She continued her shower, her mind drifting more and more to Shin.
  
  On Seatos, Shin was training with Baylan, while Morgan was working on the map. Shin and Baylan circled each other, and then Shin struck out at him. He knocked her backwards, sending her to the ground. She groaned as her tailbone hit the hard ground. Baylan looked down at her, "Get up Shin, no time for pain." He extended his hand to her, but she brushed it off, standing up to face him. She huffed and swung her saber at him, but missed. Baylan sighed, "Something is troubling you Shin, what is going on
  ? You're distracted, and off balance." Shin caught her breath and looked at him, "Nothing is wrong, just train me better." She continued swinging at him, but continued to miss. "Shin stop!", her master commanded her. Shin's eyes went wide and then dropped. She sighed and retracted her saber and then sat on the ground. Baylan knelt beside her, looking concerned. He had never seen Shin this way, at least not since he'd first found her as a young stray. "Shin, talk to me. What's troubling you? You've been this way ever since..." His mind raced, "Ever since i sent you after Sabine Wren." At the mention of her name, Shin looked at him. "It's her.. I can't figure out why, but ever since I saw her, I've felt, conflicted. Like sparks are dancing in my body. What does this mean Master?," She looked at him with tearful eyes. Baylan knew, he immediately knew what was happening. He held her shoulder and comforted her. She'd found her soulmate, her love. There was no denying it, Sabine Wren would be the end for Shin.
  
  Sabin stretched her hand out towards the coffee mug. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the Force. Nothing would happen though, as usual. She sighed, "What am I doing wrong? Ahsoka says I'm sensitive to the Force, so why can't i touch it?" She folded her arms onto the table and crushed her head on top. She pictured Shin in her mind again, and her heart started to race. The thought of being stabbed again by her, but in a direction that wouldn't have killed her. As she continued to focus on Shin, unbeknownst to her, the cup moved a few inches on the table... She sighed and then stood up, looked down at the cup briefly, and walked out of the room. Sabine entered the cockpit finding Ahsoka and Huyang there, and sat down. Sabine sighed, "Why can't I feel the force Ahsoka?" Ahsoka turned to her and sofly smiled. "You just have not found what will connect you to it, to have you fully embrace it for what it is, and how it will help you. You still have much to learn my padawan," Ahsoka told her. Sabine sighed, she hoped she'd find this missing piece soon. As she thought about it, her mind drifted off to Shin again, and she smiled but shook it off.
  
  Shin paced around her room, trying to get her mind focused on her training. All she could think about still, was Sabine, only her. She sat on her bed, her hands covering her face. Shin sighed, she didn't want to kill or harm Sabine, but she desperately wanted to see her again. She knew the only real way of doing that without causing suspicion, was to face her when commanded to do so by Baylan or Morgan. The thought of the witch angered Shin. She hated witches, after several had-- She let tears run down her face as she remembered her family being murdered by witch magick. She'd been able to find a way to hide and that's when Baylan had found her. Scared, alone, crying and hiding under dead bodies. Baylan had taken her in as his own, trained her to be his succsesor, to be more than any Jedi could ever dream to be. She enjoyed using the Force and her lightsaber, it brought her clarity, but now she felt lost again. Scared and unsure of how to think or feel. She pushed her feelings aside briefly, as she hit at her wall, tears rolling down her face. She collapsed onto her bed, hugging her knees to her chest as she cried. Baylan stopped by her door and heard her crying. He sighed and thought about when he'd first found her. Alone and scared, and seeming to feel the same again. He knew what finding your soulmate felt like, but in the Jedi order, it had been forbidden. He'd kept his love, Kyra, a secret for years, until the Clone Wars. She'd perished during it, and he'd been so distraught, until he'd found Shin. He had adopted her as his own, and loved her as such. He knew she would have to make a choice of what to do, and it was her choice alone, and on her terms, not his.
  
  Chapter 3: Seatos
  Summary:
  Sabine, and Ahsoka arrive on Seatos to retrieve the map, Shin is ready to see Sabine again.
  
  Notes:
  Things will turn smutty in the next chapter after this one!! And also the story will get emotional as well. Enjoy! Thank you for all the kudos so far!
  
  Chapter Text
  Sabine, Ahsoka and Huyang crash landed onto Seatos after being chased by some of Morgan's people, not realizing Shin had been one of them. As Huyang worked outside to fix the ship, Sabine and Ahsoka did their part inside. Before too long, they knew something was wrong as soon as the lights went out completely after restoring power. They each ran outside to see Huyang struggling against one of of Morgan's droids. They freed him and fought the remaining droids off. They knew they'd have to hurry to go find the map before anyone else could find their ship. Sabine and Ahsoka had Huyang stay with the ship as they ran out into the forest.
  
  Shin nodded to Baylan as he commanded her to go after Sabine and Ahsoka, and silently sighed under her breath as she walked away. She softly smiled at the thought of seeing Sabine, but had to take Marrok with her. The former Inquisitor followed her into the forest to find the Jedi and her padawan. Shin started running, her feelings of Sabine driving her mad as she ran. Marrok shouted after her, "Shin slow down!" She eventually stopped and came to a walk, huffing to catch her breath. His masked face hid an annoyed smirk as he brushed sharply past her. He could sense something was up with her after she'd told him to regroup, instead of going straight after the others. Shin didn't care what Marrok could sense about her behavior, and continued walking.
  
  Sabine and Ahsoka stopped running as soon as they saw Shin and Marrok walking their way. Sabine's face was shielded by her helmet, but her eyes were locked on Shin. She felt something, a shiver, go up and down her spine. The feeling of seeing Shin again excited, but scared her at the same time. Ahsoka glanced over at her padawan, sensing her feelings and looked at Shin, instantly feeling the same, but much stronger.
  
  Shin breathed heavily as she saw Sabine standing in front of her, in her full Mandalorian armor and helmet. Shin instantly dropped her cloak to the ground, wishing it was Sabine's clothes. She gave a sly smile at Sabine while tilting her head to gaze at her. "Going somewhere?", Shin said breathlessy watching Sabine. They stood there for a moment before two blasts from Sabine's blasters were sent at her. Shin ducked and extended her saber out, running towards another section of the forest, shielding each blast with her arms. She had to get Sabine alone with her, she had to be close to her. She knew though that Marrok would know something was up if she didn't go ahead and defend herself against Sabine. She sighed as she finally stopped and turned to Sabine, sending a kick to her. Sabine was sent against a tree, which knocked her helmet off. Shin gasped as she saw her new short haircut, and couldn't help but want to run her fingers through it. She watched as Sabine retracted her saber, and met it with her own.
  
  Sabine groaned as she continued her advances at Shin with her saber. She was so out of practice with using the saber, or really any combat. She'd been retired since Ezra's disappearance with Thrawn, living alone with her Loth-Cat. Sabine couldn't help but notice how Shin's gorgeous blue eyes shined in the saber light. She was so uniquely beautiful, fierce and so intense. The way Shin gazed into her eyes made her feel so weak inside and out. Sabine gasped as Shin sent her to the ground again. Sabine held her hand up in defense, not knowing what she doing. She wasn't sure if she was trying to summon the Force, or if she just wanted Shin to stop.
  
  Shin's face turned as Sabine held her hand up, not knowing what to expect. She could tell the Mandalorian padawan was not very inept with the Force, but it was growing. She turned back to Sabine and smirked slyly. "You have no power," Shin sputtered out to Sabine. She watched Sabine grimace and watched in shock as Sabine shot her saber out of her hand. Shin stood there in admiration of Sabine, of her quickness to undermine her. Not wanting to injure the beautiful padawan, Shin used a trick of her own- smoke bombs. She didn't want Sabine to hurt her either, and tossed them at her before taking off to rejoin Baylan. Her feelings everywhere. She'd watched Marrok die at Ahsoka's hand during the fights. Marrok turning into green dust as he died. "Witchcraft!,"Shin shouted to herself, realizing Marrok was actually dead the whole time.
  
  Sabine pulled herself up against a tree behind her, gasping as she tried to catch her breath. She thought about how Shin ran off, leaving her behind without harming her. Sabine felt her spine tingle with the thoughts of Shin crashing into her mind, into her emotions. She blushed at the thought of Shin's voice. She'd managed to win this fight, but why did Shin run? She couldn't get it off her mind as she hurried to find Ahsoka. As she arrived to the temple ruins, she found Baylan and Ahsoka fighting each other. Sabine saw Shin laying on the ground and wished she could go help her, but she needed to help Ahsoka first. She grabbed the star map and held her blaster at it. She yelled at Baylan to let Ahsoka go, threatening to destroy her only way to find Ezra, her brother. She gulped at the realization before her, but had to help her Master. Ahsoka told her to destroy it, and Sabine just stayed in position but screamed, "NO!", as she watched Baylan strike Ahsoka with his saber. Ahsoka fell from the cliffs towards the high rising water below, she was surely dead Sabine thought.
  
  Shin groaned as she pulled herself up slowly, rubbing the back of her head where it had hit one of the ruins. She looked up to see Sabine standing nearby holding a blaster to the star map, and then at Baylan. Shin held a look of fear for her Master, and pulled herself up. She watched as Sabine was tempted by Baylan to give him the map, hearing him promise to help her find this Ezra person. Shin grimaced, she didn't know who Ezra was, but she felt extremely jealous in that moment.
  
  Sabine breathed heavily as she placed the star map into Baylan's hand. He'd promised he would help her find Ezra, and to keep that promise unlike Ahsoka was doing. Suddenly she felt a pressure building in her body, slow at first and then before she knew it, she was clutching at her throat gasping for air. She could feel the delicate fingers through the Force and knew it was Shin. Baylan watched and said, "Shin release her." Shin continued to hold her Force grip but Sabine felt her let go after hearing Baylan tell Shin to stop a second time. Sabine was on her hands and knees, her ass facing to the sky almost it seemed to her. She couldn't help but hope that Shin looked at it, to admire her. She could feel Shin's breath on her as the dark apprentice leaned down close to her to retrieve the saber laying there. Sabine watched Shin stand back up, and then looked in awe as the star map re-activated thanks to Baylan. Once the map was completed, she watched in distraught as Baylan destroyed it with his saber, saying no one would follow them now.
  
  Shin stood beside Sabine watching the scene unfold in front of her. She watched as some of Morgan's droids arrived with handcuffs for Sabine, and she quickly took them to do it herself. She didn't want Sabine hurt, and couldn't help but gaze into Sabine's eyes as she clasped them onto the beautiful padawan's wrists. Once they were told to meet back up with Morgan, Shin watched her Master head out, with Sabine behind him. She followed her closely and gave her a hesitated gentle push forward as she followed Sabine's gaze to the cliffs. "Come now, we must go, no looking back." Shin told her. She could hear Sabine's sigh as they boarded the shuttle to head back to the Eye of Scion.
  
  Chapter 4: Eye of Scion
  Summary:
  Sabine boards the Eye of Scion with Shin and Baylan, finds out she'll have to share a room with Shin
  
  Notes:
  Ok so the chapter after this one is where the smut starts, sorry for the mix-up, but enjoy my take on them boarding Morgan's ship.
  
  Chapter Text
  As Sabine was told to exit the shuttle, Shin followed her out, and then grabbed a hold of Sabine's right wrist, above the handcuff. Sabine silently gasped at the feel of Shin's hand on her wrist, and she could tell Shin heard her by the sly smile she gave. Sabine shuddered at the look on Shin's face, and the way she smiled. It sent chills down her spine, all way to her toes. She'd never experienced these type of feelings before, not for anyone. She'd always been single, always told herself she was better off that way. Shin made her realize, she was so wrong in that thought process. She hoped to be able to have more time with Shin now that she was making the journey to Ezra with them. Sabine smiled to herself and then hid it as they walked through the doors leading to Morgan in the control room area. Sabine gave a scowl at the sight of the witch, she couldn't stand her one bit.
  
  Shin grabbed ahold of Sabine's wrist, to lead her off the shuttle and onto the main ship. She could hear Sabine gasp at her touch, and smiled to herself. Unbeknownst to her, Sabine had seen her smile and enjoyed it. Shin didn't want anyone else to come near the.. her padawan. The thought of Sabine being hers excited her, and made her want more of the beautiful woman beside her. As they entered the main door behind Baylan, Shin held tighter onto Sabine, while casting evil looks at Morgan's droids, and then at Morgan herself for looking at her padawan. She could feel Sabine tense up at the sight of Morgan, and held her wrist even more, getting closer to her. She could almost feel Sabine's breath on her neck as she stayed by her side. She could feel within the Force, that Sabine was trying to reach out, but could tell she didn't know she was doing. She had to keep Sabine safe while on the ship.
  
  Sabine tried to leap forward at the mention of Hera's ship, The Ghost. Shin held her back, and Sabine stood in discomfort. She didn't want Hera harmed, she'd always felt like a second mother to her, and looked up to her. Morgan instructed her droids to take them into hyperspace, to take the coordinates given by the star map. Before she could think, they jumped to hyperspace, and Shin was still holding onto her. Sabine felt Shin's grip loosen and become more gentle as her hand slid closer to Sabine's fingers. She shivered at the sensation of Shin's fingers trying to touch hers. The sensation stopped as Shin's hand moved away at the sound of Morgan's voice. Morgan told them it would be a few weeks before they'd reach their destination, and to start their preparations to be comfortable for the journey ahead. Morgan looked at Shin and Baylan, then at Sabine and smirked. "Unfortunately, we did not think to build cells on the Eye. We only designed it to make the journey to our destination, and have space for training and rooms and such. Just the basic necessities and essentials more or less, and with full kitchen service also. But, we are limited on rooms as such, your presence was not anticipated, so every room is already assigned. Perhaps you could share with Shin there next to you? That is if you don't mind being watched."
  
  Shin's eyes fluttered in reality of Morgan's words. Did Morgan know? Could she sense what Shin felt towards Sabine? She hoped not, for both their sakes, but especially for Sabine's. Shin nodded in response, "She will share with me, my room has a spare bed in it, so plenty of space for the two of us." Sabine looked at her in awe, and in hopes that they'd share a bed, but she couldn't get that lucky so soon. Sabine nodded in agreement, while looking at Shin. "That sounds delightful, but does it have its own refresher? I don't do well with public showers." Sabine slyly smirked. Shin felt a blush cross her cheeks, the very thought of seeing Sabine in her refresher was intoxicating. Shin without looking at Sabine said, "Yes don't worry, you'll have your privacy and some fresh clothes as well." Baylan looked at her on that, realizing Shin meant to share her own clothing with Sabine. In itself, it was a very intimate act of care, and he smiled to himself. Shin felt him speak to her through the Force, "Just be careful Shin, I don't want you getting hurt by this girl." Shin spoke back, " I know Master, but whose clothes is she supposed to wear? Yours? Morgan's? No she'll be fine sharing mine." Baylan nodded to her and motioned for her to take Sabine to her quarters, their quarters. Shin held onto Sabine's wrist yet again as she turned to take her to their room.
  
  Sabine felt Shin's hand on her wrist yet again, and breathed heavily. She was going to share a room with her, and anything else they wanted. She shivered as they passed an air conditioning vent, feeling the coldness hit her neck. She assumed Shin could tell she had just gotten cold, as Shin began walking faster with her, until they reached their room. Shin let go of Sabine's wrist so she could open the door and once open, she motioned for Sabine to go inside first. Sabine looked around as she stepped inside, taking the sight all in. It wasn't all dark as she'd expected it to be, there was a painting above the spare bed, dancing in rainbow colors. Sabine smiled at the sight of it all, it was good to see colors in somewhere dark. She looked at Shin and held her hands out to her, hoping she'd undo the cuffs.
  
  Shin watched as Sabine looked around her room, their room. She smiled to herself and she could sense Sabine liked it. She watched as Sabine came up to her holding her hands out, and undid her cuffs. Shin nodded to herself as she set them down on a table, thinking about how glad she was to free Sabine from them. Shin looked nervous as she watched Sabine sit down on the spare bed. Shin sat across from her on her own, and played with her padawan braid. "So, do you like where you'll be staying?", Shin asked her.
  
  Sabine looked into Shin's eyes as Shin asked her about the room. Sabine softly smiled, "Yes it's very nice Shin, thank you for letting me stay with you." Sabine looked at her hands as they played with the blanket beneath her. She couldn't help but wonder if Shin felt as nervous as she did. Sabine looked over at the refresher door and then at Shin. "Mind if I use the refresher first? I hate being all sweaty." Sabine said in a hushed voice.
  
  Shin gazed at Sabine as she asked to use the refresher. "Of course, I'll get some clothes ready for you to change into afterwards. Here's a towel also." Shin replied as she handed her one of her towels. She could feel the heat come from her face as her fingers touched Sabine's in that moment. She turned her face so Sabine couldn't see that she was heavily blushing and got some clothes picked out.
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