Umgul City

Cipriani Arms Apartments

He had kept his gaze onto her the entire time he spoke and the entire time she had been looking at him. Forcias didn’t exactly know how to define how he was feeling when it came to her and he certainly could not say right now that it was love. Hell, what was love to him really? He was a neophyte when it came to emotions when it came to love. One thing was for sure though, he deeply cared about her. Even if that emotion was born to begin with from their physicality, even if they never talked much, he really did care about her and he couldn’t deny that fact.

Today though, the had talked, they had stopped themselves from jumping straight to her usual rough and tumble and he had found out that she actually felt the same way as him. She didn’t want to let go and he certainly wasn’t going to let go either. He could settle for that, for now. . .

Growling playfully when she pushed him back against the couch after she had kissed him, he knew that by now she really was doing that on purpose and he could not help but to follow her figure as she left a trail of her clothing towards the bathroom. His eyes did darken and that familiar surge of lust rose inside of him as he continued to watch her silently.

"You are a tease," Said Forcias as he quickly executed himself finding that bottle of wine and their glasses to follow her. "You know that right." It wasn’t just her actions, it was her words too and he knew that she would definitely make up for those seven weeks they were apart, whether it was today or the two following weeks, provided that he wasn’t called.

Later, Forcias was peacefully sleeping onto her bed with an arm around her. He couldn’t deny the fact that she kept him grounded in a way and having her there by his side was comforting. When he slowly opened his eyes, he found her there sleeping on his chest. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingertips. He stayed silent, he did not want to wake her up at all but he knew that he was holding onto her as if his life depended on it.

Since apparently she had two weeks off, maybe it was time for him too to take some leave although he knew for a fact that ultimately someone would refuse that categorically unless he asked the one who was factually the one in charge of all of them. He knew though that it would cause another breach and somehow that perspective downed his mood. Sighing softly, he gently moved Lucy as to not wake her up and he got out of the bed after finding his pants to at least put those on and he made his way towards her bathroom to splash some water on his face before glancing at the mirror with a determined gaze.

He knew though that he would have to ask a question first to Lucy to ultimately take a decision on whether to ask something to Mace or not. . . For now, he’d wait.

Unless. . .

Returning to her bedroom, he slowly and gently got on her bed and purposely laid on top of her pecking her neck teasingly as if to wake her up. "Lucine. . ." Forcias murmured softly as he rubbed her sides gently and only when he was sure that he successfully awakened her did he ask. "Was there any consideration of you leaving Umgul during your two weeks of leave?" He had his arms on both side of her face to stay up and to keep looking at her and even though right now their position wasn’t really helping him.

He needed to know, he wanted to know if she had actually made any plans other than this.

Lyov is settling their bill when Helaine notices Umgul's CFO and her party enter the restaurant. "You'll never believe who has just arrived," Helaine says delightedly in her childish, breathy voice.

Lyov thanks their server before turning to follow his Zeltron apprentice's gaze, easily determining who she refers to as the Mist Order and Mist Government are two circles that they have long hoped to connect with. Circumstance has thus far made such a connection difficult to make and seem circumstantial rather than intentional as Lyov prefers, and he wonders if the opportunity he has sought has arrived without the need for him to actively create it.

Proving that her thoughts are not far different from her master's, Helaine suggests cheerfully, "We should invite them to our little party this evening."

Agreeing without feeling the need to voice it aloud, Lyov stands and holds his hand out to help Helaine up from her chair, and after she has wrapped an arm around his waist they make their way over to the table where Crystal, Elikapeka, Ljiljana, and Franz are seated. Helaine and Lyov have had years to perfect their social personas, both inhabiting their respective roles as completely and competently as the most talented of actors. Lyov is the very image of an idle, rich socialite from his casual yet impeccable clothing to his well-bred but informal bearing, and Helaine is the embodiment of a beautiful and charismatic, but not terribly bright, flighty socialite. Both master and apprentice are also skilled in the art of concealing their presence in the Force, and do so routinely when in public to offset the chance their Force sensitivity might be revealed. An Epicanthix, Lyov is immune to Force assisted mind reading, while Helaine is a skilled telepath that has honed the art of maintaining a screen of thoughts that match her social persona in the event any might endeavor to scan her thoughts.

Waiting to approach the table until the group has completed their toast, Lyov speaks first, smiling apologetically as he begins to say, "So sorry to interrupt. . ."

Patting Lyov's chest, Helaine interrupts him with a girlish giggle, "Oh, Lyov, do please don't be so stiff," and then speaks to Crystal and the others excitedly, "We saw you come in and I said we just had to come over and say hello."

Lyov, his expression at once apologetic for and amused by his companion's exuberance, looks to each of those seated as he says, "It is a pleasure to see you all again."

Cipriani Arms Apartments

Chuckling briefly while shaking his head at Lucy’s response, Forcias rested on his back momentarily before looking back at her with a knowing expression while one of his eyebrows was raised. "Maybe I wasn’t really pinning for a conversation to begin with." Said Forcias teasingly although his expression softened as he kissed her right back. Normally this was usually the part where he would be kicked out of her place or that he would usually split, but not right now and clearly not today. She was on leave and he was a different matter, he could revisit that in a moment hopefully. . .

Rising from the bed, he followed her into the kitchen considering that she was starving and so was he, now that he thought about it, but they never really shared breakfast together and now he was watching her gathering the ingredients from the pastry. He really wasn’t good at this thing at what they had right now, so he did not know really on how to first react or that maybe he should have done that thing that he would see briefly in holo-movies, the man would wake up the woman with a breakfast in bed. Right. . . Like he was the kind to do that automatically. Because really, he never had a serious relationship before.

Rubbing his face with one hand to clear away that sense of inadequacy; Forcias moved over towards her and placed his hands on her waist while shaking his head to reply to her question. "Not really no." He finally replied verbally about her latter question before pushing away from her and leaning against the kitchen island just to watch her momentarily in silence. He glanced at the ingredients on the kitchen island and smiled. "Do you need any help?"

It was a genuine offer; he would help with whatever she wanted him to help her with. He was grateful though, that much he was, she was preparing breakfast for them both, at least he assumed he was part of that. Standing upright though as he recalled her response earlier that she actually wouldn’t mind leaving Umgul, Forcias had decided on the spot that hopefully he could get that leave. Lifting his finger up to give him a moment, he walked back to his personal effects and grabbed his holocom device before putting a shirt on too considering that he was going to hail someone he had that much respect for soon. . .

Going back towards the living room, Forcias began to input Mace’s private frequency hoping against hope that she wasn’t too busy currently.

Hang on, Forcias. Came Mace’s reply after the transmission was linked and that she could be heard fuddling a few buttons. Okay, go. Mace’s image finally appeared right before him and she was standing there, wherever that was but she looked fine, wearing a variation of her usual black outfit.

"Sorry for hailing you while you are in the middle of some-. . ." Began Forcias but he did not carry on since he saw her hand being lifted and her shaking her hand soon enough with a warm smile.

If I were that busy, Forcias, I wouldn’t have answered your call, so now what can I do. . . Mace began to say before lifting her head slightly on the side with a very noticeable smile. She must have felt that his aura was currently exposed and she understood the moment she turned her attention to her side as if she was looking at someone, listening to a person or maybe in this case reading a person’s mind. Do whatever you want Forcias, consider me officially putting you on leave while Lieutenant Lyn is on leave as well.

Forcias furrowed his eyebrows, not that he was complaining currently because he really wasn’t, but really. . .

"But what about Honoros?"

I will deal with Honoros, besides Ayla, myself and Horsea all unanimously agreed that he is acting unreasonably and it isn’t because the five of us are only the ones attuned to the Force that we must follow the old code.

Forcias, just go and do whatever makes you happy, just remember that I have never asked all of you to stop living on a day to day basis. Understood?

Blinking once and sighing softly before nodding slightly albeit reluctantly, he was aware that he was going to cause another dramatic insurgence he guessed but right now he was given the clear and he could do whatever he wanted.

Good, say hello to the Lieutenant from me and you two enjoy your leave. Vos over and out.

And Forcias was deadly silent right now, he did not know how to react and he certainly did not know what to think currently but either way he was given carte blanche right now. Mace had relieved him from his duties while Lucy was on leave too. Muting his com after the image had faded, after his talk with Mace, Forcias looked in the kitchen’s direction to see Lucy there, he knew that she had heard everything and therefore she would know who actually were the three people that he had been referring to before; the ones that were standing up against the General.

"Any places, you want to go?" Asked Forcias after he had finally retrieved his voice to speak. "Look, I really am not good at this, and I really have so many things to learn still because I have never been in this kind of relationship, so I am clueless and I certainly know that sooner or later I will mess up, but what I do know is that, I want whatever makes you happy right now. . ."

When Ljiljana seeks confirmation that she has correctly remembered her and Lyov's names, Helaine bubbles, "Just so," cheerily.

Lyov, modestly smiling with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders that suggests he finds the situation amusing when Crystal mentions having read about him and Helaine in the news and expresses her hopes to repay them for the bottles of champagne, lifts his right hand and waves it from side to side as he says, "Reciprocity would defeat the spirit of the gift, Miss Kayne, and is not at all necessary."

Lighting up as though the exchange between Lyov and Crystal has given her an idea, Helaine taps the Epicanthix's chest softly with a hand as she smiles and says to Crystal, "There is something you could do for us, now that you . . ." Shushing Lyov when he begins to protest, Helaine continues excitedly, "It's not even for us exactly. We're hosting a benefit dinner this evening, you see. We'd be delighted if you," she waves her hand to include everyone at the table in the invitation, "would all attend. Bring as many of your friends as you'd like, in fact. We'd just love to have you all, and it's for such a good cause too. All donations will be going to a fund Lyov has established for aiding homeless children."

Lyov, smiling with a hint of apology for his companion's behavior, says, "It would be an honor to have you all in attendance. Assuming, naturally, the lack of forewarning does not prohibit you from doing so?"

Helaine, bouncing excitedly, coos, "Do say you'll come!"

Cipriani Arms Apartments

"Fair enough." Replied Forcias with an amused expression. He was really seeing a different side of her, not that he was complaining, but it really was different and he had to admit that he found that cute and girly. He nibbled his lower lip when she called him her clueless dope, and he couldn’t deny that it actually made him chuckle and roll his eyes playfully.

Well then, here was to them figuring it out together and she really didn’t care where they ended up going as long as she was with him. Forcias arched his eyebrow with still that amused expression on his features when she asked him if he had ever been to Naboo. Right, she really did not know that he had actually been there when she was.

Standing up from his seat when she was at the fridge, he placed his hands on her waist before squeezing it gently. "I wouldn’t mind Naboo," He told her thoughtfully before adding on with an amused and seductive tone. "Like I wouldn’t mind seeing you by the beach but instead of that surfer you were with, I’d really love to be the witness of that," He leaned down and kissed her neck before even giving it a teasing nibble and releasing her.

"So I was there when you were. . ." Forcias grabbed the container of muja juice that indicated that he was fine with that. He placed it on the table and looked back at her with a devious expression. "And yes maybe I am admitting that I was definitely checking you out in your bikini and that I wished that the guy was me." Chuckling at the thought before shaking his head and finally sitting back down on his seat where his plate was laid out.

Yes, he might have been clueless, and yes he might not know what he was doing but one thing was for sure, what he saw from her on Naboo really did precipitate him talking to her that evening during Crystal Kayne’s birthday and that he had willingly followed her back here to her apartment wanting exactly what he wanted.

Glancing at the plate right before him, he poured the juice into their glasses and began to eat while he continued to look at her very mischievously. "I am not going to say, as long as you are there, I am just going to say that as long as the clothes are optional when we are together then I can perfectly work with that no matter what the location is."

In any case, he wasn’t also looking to go to this or that destination because he had seen it all mostly; all he now wanted was some break wherever that might have been he didn’t care at all. It could be here, it could be anywhere, whatever really. He never really had a break, so it was a big difficult for him to make those kinds of decision when he just did not know.

"Thanks for this, by the way." He said as he glanced at what he was eating before smiling at her warmly. "Also I was told to say hello to you by Master Vos." Actually there were two of them so he detailed which one. "Mace, and that you and I should enjoy our leave since I am on leave as long as you are."