Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Darth Irrej]

"Is it? The Sith code doesn't say anything like that, does it?" She shrugged, "Besides, do you *have* to be a Sith?"

He nearly clutched his metaphorical pearls and said, "But that is my heritage!"

[Layne Hoshin]

"Mine too," she said, "So what? My ancestors were there at the start of the Sith. But when they came back to interact with the living world, they did not recognize what the Sith had become... things change. People change. I was nobody. Born on an insignificant outer rim world. I became a slave. An animal. Then I became Sith. And then a Jedi. And now... now I don't know what I am. But I know that the Sith, Jedi... these are just... extremes..."

"...I was not a good Jedi, or a good Sith for that matter. And let's face it, you are not like other Sith yourself. Why cling to it?"

[Darth Irrej]

"Well what would I do, I mean, being a wealthy socialite and incredible writer who abhors people is all I know," he said.

"Besides being a Dark Lord! Muhahahahahahaha... ahem."

[Layne Hoshin]

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself after all this. Assuming I live through it, that is. I think I'd like to just... live... for a while. Maybe go where the Force takes me, instead of always chasing down this or that. Just take things day by day. See what happens, instead of letting everything be dictated because I can't let go of the past and chasing down the future because of it. Just live. Just be."

[Darth Irrej]

"Then we can do that, together, hand in hand," he said offering his hand.

[Layne Hoshin]

She found herself letting out an exasperated half-chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

She'd never really loved someone, other than in the familial sort of way; and even then it was *complex*. He'd just been a one-night stand following a near-death experience.... But then, she might *actually* die in the days ahead, and everyone else seemed to be hooking up and some of those pairings seemed just as ill-advised as this one. He'd written that terrible novel with her likeness and then it got turned into a holo and it was a whole thing... but he also ran a pirate blockade with the intent of rescuing her which she didn't think anyone else would do for her. He was awkard and overly dramatic... but he'd also stuck to that whole 'honor' thing when she'd gotten drunk and nearly threw herself at him.

No, she didn't love him of course. But that was a consequence of her upbringing and trauma creating an inability to form seemingly meaningful connections with people, despite part of her being desperate for them.

She reached for the hand, though she stopped half-way, letting the air hover there instead of retracting it.

"I'm not... an easy person to like. I'm not necessarily whatever version of me you've built up in your head and written down in novels, you know that right?"

[Darth Irrej]

"Then we shall have to discover this new person together, and then rule the galaxy or just retire to a quiet place, whatever," he said.

[Layne Hoshin]

Well, if this was going to blow up in her face like last time, she would not have the excuse of pain medication or alcohol this time.

"...This is stupid but... why not. Everything else is stupid these days, might as well join in."

She took his hand.