candor1 | Open RP Post

From:

The bedroom. The only and only bedroom. Their bedroom. The thought of sharing it was more than enough to set her nerves on edge all the more. But by the time he returned, she had at the very least schooled her expression into something resembling composed.

She nodded her understanding as he gestured toward the door, only glancing over her shoulder once, as if to ensure that Joreth was indeed following.

"You've done some exploring, I take it? I've always wanted to, but - "

Well. She had grown up very sheltered, not entirely of her own volition.

From:

candor1

(How would she react, later, when he tells her he'll sleep on the couch…?)

"A bit." (A lot.) "I've only been here a few months. …You?"

From:

shiningstardust

(She would raise an eyebrow, to be sure, but ultimately ... she'd feel relieved that he wasn't expecting her to jump into anything - physically - that she was not yet ready for. Then again, her sense of pride might insist that she insist that they were both adults, and it was a large enough bed so as to afford them their own space. It would depend.)

She felt like a stranger to her own home, and she shook her head no in response. "Not by myself, no. I've really only ever accompanied my - ah, the Director on occasion. Sneaking away for a night was not always an option."

That ... might have been a little too much information, and Jyn cringed inwardly to have offered it unbidden.

From:

candor1

He may have picked up on that, 'cause he didn't push it. "Were you born on Coruscant?"

From:

shiningstardust

She was grateful when no follow-up question arrived - at least, not one that dealt with a subject that she didn't wish to expound upon. "Vallt, but for as long as I can remember, I've lived here. And you? You said that you've only been here a few short months."

And now, married. It was probably not any duty that he had been expecting when he was assigned to Coruscant.

From:

candor1

"Corellia." A Core planet, Imperial, but one that kept dreadful records. Any holes in his background check would be dismissed with the usual disdain for the place. "Spent more time on Carida, though." The best lies were close to the truth. Jerón Andor had been enrolled at the military academy and taken toddler Cassian with him. Until the riot that killed him and delivered Cassian to the Separatists.

Don't think about that. Cassian guided them fluidly through the currents of crowds, never straying far from Jyn, never encroaching on her space. "So really I should be asking for your dining recommendation?" …Okay, possibly pushing a little, there, after all.

From:

shiningstardust

"Corellia and Carida, I'm familiar", she repeated, nodding her understanding. She had never been, but she was familiar through her studies - both sanctioned and not. After the death of her mother and her father's subsequent stationing elsewhere, Krennic's ward was only brought out to impress those that needed impressing, this whip-smart next generation of the Empire's finest young minds.

What else did she have to do with her time, after all, except study and dream of someday making an escape?

But she didn't want to think about that now, didn't want to feel as though she was still as trapped now as she had been then. She just walked, tentatively enjoying the company, even though the streets were sometimes difficult to navigate. Joreth seemed to be able to do it just fine, and she easily followed his lead.

She huffed out a breath that might've been considered amused, her lips lifting slightly in a wry little smile. "Not unless you're keen on wearing dress uniforms, no."

From:

candor1

"No," he agrees at once with an inside-joke kind of grimace. "Definitely not."

(Is that wholly in character for rank-climbing Sward…? …It's fine, it's justifiable. Anyway, too late now. Just move on.)

He reached out to lightly touch her elbow, to guide her to the archway he'd been seeking. A sit-down restaurant Grendreef had introduced him to; perfectly suitable for an Imperial couple of their station, but also with an outdoor informal area, and a widely held disinterest in being on duty (for their purposes: less likelihood of being monitored).

From:

shiningstardust

Jyn raised an eyebrow slowly, her lips soon following, lifting into a tentative little smile. That was a bit unexpected from a man that she assumed was very interested in rising in the ranks as quickly as possible. That was why he had agreed to marry her, wasn't it?

She almost wished that they could have had a chance to get to know each other in a more organic manner, but at least they were making an effort now. He could have been dismissive and uninterested, but it seemed as though he was at least marginally interested in making th effort, and that ... that was a good sign, wasn't it?

It's not like Jyn would have known, she'd grown up so sheltered and hidden away from everything, after all.

She followed along, glancing at the surroundings, the people milling about. It seemed casual and comfortable enough, and far more preferable, at the moment, than their new apartment. She wasn't ready to be alone there just yet.

"Do you come here very often?"

From:

candor1

"This is the third time," he said. "Both others, I was accompanying the Admiral." He was courteous to the server who came to seat them, who led them to a table in the outdoor area, off in a corner where they weren't surrounded by other patrons. Cassian pulled out Jyn's chair for her, but, again, treated it more like an inside joke with his tentative smile.

From:

shiningstardust

She nodded her understanding, turning her attention to thanking the server as well. The outdoor area was nice enough, comfortable, and luckily, not so crowded as to make her feel hesitant about spending time there. She shared a quick smile as she sat, sighing once she had settled. "Well, then, I'll have to trust you when it comes to what's good."

From:

candor1

"Oh, don't do that," he said—outwardly: lightly, still smiling.

(While inside: that hit him hard. I'll have to trust you.)

Seamlessly: "But personally, I like the Alderaanian specials."

From:

shiningstardust

"And why is that? Should I be afraid that you'll lead me down the wrong path?", she asked, meant mostly as a tease, but with a genuine curiosity coloring it as well.

She had learned, after all, that even the most innocuous statements had meaning.

"Hm. Alderaanian, alright. I'll take that into consideration."

From:

candor1

Not if I can help it. Any more than I already am…

"I wouldn't want to limit your options," he said.

From:

shiningstardust

Jyn blinked - once, twice, surprised by the statement. It may have been off the cuff, but it had caught her off-guard, anyway. She hadn't really been given many options before, even when it came to food. So although Joreth might not ever know, even if Jyn kept it to herself, she was touched.

"Very kind of you", she managed, nodding. "Much appreciated."

From:

candor1

Clearly, the conversation had turned beyond dinner for both of them. He smiled more slightly and nodded back, and focused for a while on the menu, to give them both space.

From:

shiningstardust

The silence was a bit awkward, but Jyn supposed that was probably to be expected - they were still little more than strangers, after all. But this was a situation in which she had to think and choose her words carefully, this was not something that she could brush aside and treat like it was nothing important. This was the man she'd be spending the rest of her life with.

After a bit, Jyn glanced away from the menu, clearing her throat softly.

"What are you thinking?"

From:

candor1

He glanced back up at her. Knee-jerk reaction, to answer with what he was considering ordering, died as he met her eyes.

He didn't want to lie to her. More than he absolutely had to. (Which was already so much.)

But moment to moment… see if he couldn't.

"That this is all out of order," he said, just as softly. "A first date usually happens before the wedding."

From:

shiningstardust

Jyn appreciated being told the truth - and Joreth seemed very truthful in his reply to her. Moreover, it was reassuring to know that she wasn't the only one that was feeling that way.

That ... was as good a place to start building a foundation as any, wasn't it?

Maybe she should have left well enough alone. Maybe she should have waited for another time entirely, but -

"Why did you agree to it?"

From:

candor1

Why had he… in and out of character…

"I nearly didn't," he said, slowly. "I agreed to consider it because… it showed a level of… honor, I guess, from the Admiral, and I wanted to show I recognized that; because it solidified the relationship he wanted with your guardian, because it would be good for my career… but those things are only why I agreed to meet you at all.

"I agreed to go through with it because…"

This was hard. He couldn't be absolutely certain he wasn't just saying it to distract her. …Even though it was what was ultimately true… but he had a harder time trusting himself when he actually wanted…

"…because when I saw you," he said, not hiding his difficulty, "I hated the idea of you being married off." At all? "To anyone else."

From:

shiningstardust

Jyn was expecting a diplomatic and entirely practiced answer - surely it was a question that it was anticipated that she would ask at some point.

So, the first portion of his answer was not surprising in the least. She knew that his marrying her was definitely a step in the right direction when it came to furthering his career. She knew that a match between them would forge a relationship between the Admiral and Krennic -

But she wasn't expecting the raw honesty that was to follow. She hadn't anticipated the way that the answer pulled at her heart and stole some of her breath. "You don't even know me."

Surely, he was aware of her reputation, even if he couldn't know how well-founded those rumors were. But he didn't know her, not even a little, not at all.

From:

candor1

"I know."

He shook his head, not looking at her. "I know.

"I didn't say it was a good reason. But you asked."

Don't I know you? Don't you feel it too? The mirror?

Not as payback. Just more honesty. Wanting to know—even though he had a horrible feeling he already did. "Why did you?"

From:

shiningstardust

Jyn ducked her head, breathing out a noise that could have been a chuckle, albeit not all that joyful. "I did ask, yes", she replied, taking a moment to take a breath before glancing back up, her expression apologetic.

He had been honest with her, now it was her turn to be honest with him.

"I didn't have a choice."

She wanted to apologize, but instead, she let her glance fall to the table once again. She felt ashamed and guilty, and hardly even knew why.

From:

candor1

"I'm sorry."

If she looked up at him, she'd see him meeting her eyes, face completely open. He meant it.

From:

shiningstardust

Jyn did look up - after a moment - slowly, nodding her appreciation. "It's not your fault."

Not his fault, not his doing, not his responsibility. And maybe Jyn didn't want to get into specifics, maybe she never would, but at least he had an idea, an understanding of why she was making a concentrated attempt to try to get to know him.

"I hope we might know each other someday."