The Sunday Morning After (Completed)

[DarthHERA]

Her head was pounding and some idiot was operating a vaccum or cleaning machine somewhere out in the hall way.

The light of early mid-morning streamed in through the window and Hera cracked open one eye. The harsh glare stabbed right through into her head and she expelled a low groan.

Sitting up groggily, the Sith Master stretched her long tanned legs out of the sheets and yawned loudly.

A movement beside her jostled her slightly and Hera turned her sleepy eyes onto the inert form beside her.

"oh.....thats right..."

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus had woke up a bit earlier to the sound of a vacuum. His companion from the night before had yet to wake up. After groaning loudly, Silus had pulled his pillow over his head, adequately muffling the background noise as he dozed back off.

He was now sound asleep again, motionless, save for a slight shiver due to his bare feet hanging out from under the sheets...

[DarthHERA]

Nudging him in the leg with her toe, Silus Xilarian remained lost to sleep.

Hera looked around the room, trying to recall where it was they had actually ended up. The night before she had been making her way down one of the many busy pedestrian-overpasses in Central Coruscant City when she had bumped into the Shadow Squadron Pilot. They had met once before, aboard Taylor Millards beleagued ship and fought side by begruding side against the Yevethans. They had gotten to talking - at first exchanging rude japes at each others fighting prowess, or lack thereof, which had escalated to taunts of prowess of another nature.

Dinner and some drinks...quite a few, to be sure...later they had made their way to where they were now.

She thought for a moment Silus was snoring.

A harder jab with her foot brought the toussled blonde head to jolt up sharply.

[Silus Xilarian]

The nudge to Silus' leg brought him from his slumber rather abruptly, as he sat straight up. His head shot left and right for a minute. It wasnt til now that he'd stopped to think of exactly where it was they were....

Where are we???

Silus looked around more closely to his surroundings as the alcohol he'd drank the night before invaded his senses in the form of a hangover. It had taken a minute to catch up, but now his head was pounding mercilessly

I wished they'd shut that damned vacuum off!

[DarthHERA]

Hera listened for a moment.

"It is off."

She got up from the bed and padded across the floor to the fresher.

"Get up. Im hungry, and you're buying breakfast."

[Silus Xilarian]

Just call em and order, I'll handle it

Silus plopped back down and jerked the pillow over back over his head. A thought crossed his mind as he laid there. He rolled over and draped his arm over the side of the bed. His weapons were there..."I musta been at least halfway lucid when we got here", he thought to himself as he rolled back over.....

What time is it?

His muffled voice came from underneath the pillow as he tried to "will away" the harsh hangover...

[DarthHERA]

For an answer, Hera threw Silus' clothes at him, landing just after he placed the pillow over his head.

"Its 9.30am by that chrono on the wall. The restaurant downstairs (she was assuming there was such a place below) will serve breakfast till 11 am most likely. We better hurry."

She stepped into the refresher - it was an old fashioned one that utilised water. Hera loved those kind. She closed the door behind her and contemplated which way she would have her eggs.

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus sat back up again, his clothes landing in his lap....

You're bringin' me breakfast?

Silus smiled a little at the thought...

That's sweet of you...

Silus slowly plopped his feet off the side of the bed, rubbing his head a little before getting up to walk to the fresher...

[DarthHERA]

The water was hot and the cubicle inside was steaming - it was doing much to clear the fog that covered the nights events from her mind.


A tug on the door made Hera look down at the secured latch.

"Forget it Silus - I was here first."

The door shook harder and she laughed, managing to gurgle some of the water as she did so.

After what seemed to Silus like an hour (he was sure she would use all the hot water) Hera shut the fawcetts off.

She opened the door and humid wet steam billowed out to hit Silus in the face. Tucking the white fluffy towel about her, Hera kissed him on the nose as she passed him as he now got to step into the cubicle.

"Make it quick, we only got about 15 mins. I hope they have bagels."

[Silus Xilarian]

The kiss on his nose, and Hera's comments didnt even register. The shower door was open now, though the prospect of hot water seemed slim.

Silus got in and turned on the faucet. Surprisingly, there was hot water left. He had no intentions of hurrying himself, as he stood in front of the shower head, letting the warm water splash off his face and shoulders. It was relaxing, and helped ease his headache a bit.

Fifteen minutes later, Silus had made no attempt to end his shower. The hot water was still going, and his headacha hadnt left completely. Slowly Silus turned around, letting the warm water cascade on his aching shoulders and back.

This could definately take awhile....

[DarthHERA]

Within 15 minutes she was dressed and lacing up her thick heavy boots.

As she sat in a chair tying the laces, she spied Silus's weapons laying on the carpet half tucked beneath the bed.

Getting up from her chair, the sound of the water still running in the refresher signalling it would be some time yet before Silus was out, Hera crossed over to check out the weapons, picking up first a blaster, and then with even more interest, his lightsabers.

[Silus Xilarian]

It just wasnt fair. Not fair at all. Hotel showers. One minute, nice warm water, next minute, its spittin icicles at Silus. This was more than enough to bring him to his senses....

Silus quickly lept out of the shower, snagging a towel on his way out. Due to the sudden cold of the shower he'd just exited, he was shivering immensely, to the point it was all he could do to keep the towel around him.

Silus walked back out to the bed, where Hera had taken a special interest in his weapons. Ignoring this, Silus snatched up his clothes, flinging them on as fast as he could, to combat the cold front invading his body.

After getting his clothes on, Silus plopped down beside Hera to put his boots on, looking over curiously as he did....

So whatcha buyin for breakfast.......

[DarthHERA]

She had taken a moment from looking over the weapons, to watch appreciatively as Silus donned his clothing and shook the water out of his wavy blonde hair.

She smiled crookedly at him. "Niiiiice."

Silus certainly was good to look at, and she was feeling in a particularly playful mood.

Then added, lifting the sabers "Weapons, I mean, they're nice."


She handed them over to Silus as he asked her about breakfast.

"Im thinkin its gonna be lunch by the time youre done getting all pretty and such."

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus grinned as he laced up his boots...

Breakfast, lunch...Its all the same...

Silus looked over to Hera for a moment...

Besides, I thought you liked it when I get dolled up for you....

[DarthHERA]

"Oh, I do" she laughed easily "I just dont like it when you look better than me."

She crossed over to where Silus sat and pulled him to his feet by his shirt front.

"Im hungry - and I dont like to be kept waiting."

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus put his arms around her waist as Hera brought him to his feet. He smiled at bit as they drew closer. He leaned over a bit and whispered into her ear...

I dont like to be rushed..

Silus planted a small kiss on her neck before he drew back, returning his gaze to her eyes...

[DarthHERA]

Hera's grin broadened as she looked back into Silus' eyes.

If he started that all over again, she'd end up being a whole other day later returning to base than she already was.

"Well, sometimes we dont always get what we like, eh Silus"

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus' eyes lit up a little at her comment, and the smile on his face tugged at the corners of his mouth a little more....

Why Hera, you're such a quick learner

Silus tilted his head slightly to the right as he leaned in a bit closer.....

Theres also a compromise...Hang around long enough, and I may show ya what it is

Silus' face was mere centimeters from Hera's...

[DarthHERA]

"Compromise" was not a word Hera was fond of...but in this case, she would make an exception.

"Oh? And what might that be, flyboy?"

[Silus Xilarian]

I thought you'd never ask

The distance between the two was now non-existant as Silus kissed her. After a few moments Silus drew back....

Interested?

[DarthHERA]

"Well...I dont know. I had my heart set on bagels.."

She shook her head in feigned torment between the two choices.

In her mind she was already agreeing that her Base could last a bit longer without her presence.

She ran a finger along his lips and tapped them lightly, "Im a little interested, I suppose.."


**It was sometime later, as they sat across from each other at a small restaurant that was decorated like something from an Elizabethan novel. Hera was tucking heartily into a steak smothered with mushrooms with her knife and fork, finally having gotten Silus out of the room and down for something to eat.

Suddenly she stopped and smiled at him. She thought abstractedly that she had done alot of smiling the past 24 hours..it was most unusual for her.

"You're not like I thought you would be, Silus. I didnt like you when I first met you on Millards ship, you know."

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus smiled a little and took a drink of his water...

Is that the reason you shot me

The scar on his left arm had nearly faded away. He wasnt angry at her about it. It was a confusing situation for everyone, and she had more than made it up to him....

Or did you start to dislike me afterward?

[DarthHERA]

"No, I shot you because you were in my way..."

Continuing in between mouthfuls, "I didnt like you, because you stayed in my way. Lucky for me though, you lived through that battle." She grinned at him. "To think what I would have missed."

[Silus Xilarian]

I'd hate to see you in traffic....

Silus grinned a little.

Im just glad that I decided to let it slide, or we would have both missed out.

[DarthHERA]

"Let it slide? You're lucky I was a bad shot that day."

Hera laughed as Silus shot back a smirk as if to say, "Just that day?"

This was where they started the night before. The bragging, the one-upping.

"Well, we both got lucky by the looks"

She finished her meal and ordered another rum. Leaning back well contented in her chair like a big happy cat.

"So, where you off to next Mr. Xilarian? More Shadow Squadron missions I guess...?"

[Silus Xilarian]

Not really sure what Millard's got lined up for me when I get back...

Silus shrugged a bit and finished off the last of his steak...

We are supposed to be getting a larger hangar back at the Castle though, so we'll have room to work on our TIE's

[DarthHERA]

She nodded. Time was not your own when you were a part of a military squadron of any sort. It came with the territory.

"How long have you worked for Millard?"

[Silus Xilarian]

A few months now, but I more or less work with Millard

Silus grinned a little as he finished off his water. Though he would ignore the fact that he was recieving pay, and was an officer inferior to Millard....

The whole "he gives the orders and I call him Sir" thing...just doesnt really do it for me......

[DarthHERA]

She crossed her legs and swung her foot languidly back and forth, eyeing Silus between sips from her rum.

"Ah....we have a proud young upstart among us do we?"

She smirked at him, she could have picked a mile away that he was a tad arogant and that taking orders sat awkwardly with his personality.

Her eyes glinted with amusement.

"Maybe you should call him sir...you may even learn a thing or two..?"

As the server passed, Hera motioned for the check.

[Silus Xilarian]

Been there, done that....It didnt work out before, wont work now...

Silus smiled a bit, not only at Hera, but at the thought of his original stint in the Empire...

Besides, Taylor brought me in for my skills, not my behavior....

[DarthHERA]

Her smile broadened.

"You have other skills I should know about?"

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus grinned......

A few...If you play your cards right, you may even get to see 'em put to use....

[DarthHERA]

"Well now - you've never seen me play sabaac, obviously." She gave him a wink.

"But fun and games will have to wait for another day. Unlike you, Silus my dear, I have a harder taskmaster than Taylor Millard. The mighty credit waits for no man - or woman."

She unfolded herself from her seat and got up.

"I need to return to my Base. I am already way overdue."

She leant over the table and gave him a very long and energetic kiss.

"Lets do this again sometime."

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus leaned forward as she leaned over the table, letting a finger slide lazily across her jawline as they kissed...

Id love to......

Silus smiled as he got up behind her...

I'll see you back to your ship "Madame DrenKast"

Silus eyed her playfully as he gathered his coat, and left money on the table for the check....

[DarthHERA]

The fact Silus paid was not lost on her - she had intended to do so herself, but it was nice to be treated to dinner. She couldnt remember the last time that had happened.

"No need to see me to my ship. Im a big girl, I can kill by myself and everything." (Sith humor, one not always appreciated)

[Silus Xilarian]

Silus nodded his head a bit...

Then its a good thing I said that I will see you to back to your ship, rather that I need to....

[DarthHERA]

"Ok then, if you insist."

She pulled her cloak up around her and smiled at him.

"You have a stubborn streak."

[Silus Xilarian]

I like to think of it as polite

Silus winked as he pulled his coat on and offered his arm...

Shall we?

[DarthHERA]

Polite?.....Now there was a concept.

Hera threaded her arm through his, and the server watched on as they walked together from the restaurant.