Love Spreads (closed)

[Dae Jinn]

Trace Sha disappeared.

Gue was long dead.

Jeran had vanished.

Dae Jinn sighed as she lounged lazily under a tree in the Jedi gardens. She wore plain clothes - her designer outfits were becoming a thing of the past, as were her near-weekly trips to the salon. She didn't see the point to even trying anymore. The only "man" in her life was her six-year old son, Kwiet, and he adored her. But something was missing...

Sure, she had a fling with Kack, but that wasn't anything substantial. And now, there was no-one. She thought about all the Jedi that surrounded her, and how many she didn't know, and probably never would know. A very lonely exisitence, it seemed....

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian sits heavily onto one of the stone benches of the garden, rubbing her eyes with her palms and heaving a sigh. She's been so busy since the incident. Trying to duck and cover when guys walked by, taking care of her son, trying to keep in touch with her old master and maintain her training, all to no avail. She's tired. She has people to fal back on, sure. Wei's been a tremendous help, but that's all he really is, just help. Not quite a friend, and certainly not able to be more than that. She wishes she could meet someone spectacular, someone confident, and witty, and attractive...someone that would be just awesome.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae yawns, then notices the girl on the bench across from her. She looks like...well, like crap. Exactly how Dae felt. She smiled as best she could and gave the girl a half-hearted wave hello.

[Lillian Snow]

Lilly peeks at the woman across the way, smiling back hesitantly and returning the wave with the same sort of half-heartedness. Feeling like she should say something, Lillian spoke up.

"Um...Hi. It's nice out, isn't it?"

[Dae Jinn]

"Yeah, I guess so."

It had been long time since Dae has actually talked to someone who wasn't under the age of 6 or who didn't work in some kind of store. She felt a small knot in the pit of her stomach, something she wasn't entirely used to.

"I'm Dae, you are?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Oh, uh, Lillian."

She tucks some stray hair behind her ear, feeling embarrassed at having nothing to talk about. She fidgets for a moment with her shirttail.

"Have you been here long? I've never seen you before."

[Dae Jinn]

"A couple of months...I, er, don't really do much training."

"I don't really do much at all... She thought, getting to her feet and heading over to the bench. She sits beside Lillian, pulling her feet up underneath her.

"I joined the Jedi to start fresh, and I haven't really "started" anything."

[Lillian Snow]

"Start fresh?" Lillian doesn't understand what she could mean. "I joined to try and learn a few things...like self-confidence, and a bit of self-defense, and healing."

She doesn't mention the coming-and-going sickness that brought her to the temple's doors. She always feels so melodramatic and whiney when she explains that story.

"I've not learned or started much of anything either."

[Dae Jinn]

"Well, long story short, I used to be a Darksider. I was...involved with someone who wasn't, so I came here to try to find a different path. Unfortunately, that path hasn't really lead anywhere. And the man I was with is gone. So..." She half smiled. "I'm a bit lost right now. I only have my son to keep me going."

[Lillian Snow]

"Ah." The darkside comment passes over Lillian without so much as registering in her memory. She gets stuck on the fact that Dae has a son.

"I've got a little boy of my own. He'll be one year old, soon. He's napping right now; a close friend of mine is watching over him so I can get some time to myself."

[Dae Jinn]

"Kwiet is in school - not Jedi training; he wanted to go to a real school with his little girl-friend."

She laughs a bit. She has yet to meet Hana Forester, but she's heard enough about her from Kwiet.

"It must be nice to have someone you can rely on to watch him. I'm just starting to get some time by myself. It's...really lonely."

Dae shrugs, letting out a soft sigh. "You'reone of the only Jedi I've actually had a conversation with since I got here."

[Lillian Snow]

"I talk a lot to a few of the Knights and some other Padawans, but never in a friendly way. It always feels like mentoring or counselling or group therapy. It's driving me crazy. I don't want people to sympathize with me or help me out. I don't need that so much as just somebody who I can talk to normally."

[Dae Jinn]

"Then let's get out of here. I mean, we have someone watching our kids, and neither of us is doing any training. Let's take the day off and be "normal" for a change."

Dae stood, leaning back and stretching. She held out a hand to help Lillian up, "Come on, it'll be fun."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian takes the offered hand and stand with a smile that's part happiness and part relief. Fun. Normal. These are words she's wanted to apply to herself ever since her son was conceived.

"Okay, let's go do something!" She's not sure what they'll do, but anything's better than being here.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae holds onto Lillians' hand for longer than she'd thought she should...it had been forever since she had touched another person. She smiles a bit as they walk out of the gardens.

"What should we do? Go to Yogs for a drink? Go shopping? What do you prefer?"

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian lets Dae hold her hand, not minding it at all. She likes the attention; the last time someone held her hand they were trying to be helpful, and it was a little irritating.

"Let's not go to Yog's, going there's almost as bad as staying here. Let's go shop or something."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae raises a brow. "Are our fellow Jedi really *that* annoying? I know they're just trying to help, but you can tell them no every once and a while."

[Lillian Snow]

"No, not really, but I've been more or less confined to the Order for almost two years, carrying Titian, then giving birth to him and caring for him...I go out to buy things he needs and that's it. I jus want to get away from here for a while."

[Dae Jinn]

"Oh."

She really doesn't know what else to say. She's never been "confined" in her life -- not even when she was younger -- and she can't imagine what it would be like.

"Well, yeah. Today we'll try to get as far from here as we can then." :D

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian smiles a little and looks off into the sky with a smile.

"The farther the better!" she agrees, feeling a well of excitement rising in her heart. "Out on the town after two years. Oh it'll be so fantastic. You have no idea what it's been like."

The pair moves through the temple and exits into the street, standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to the GJO.

"Anywhere we want..." She says the words quietly and with a tone indicating that "anywhere she wants" is like some mystic place of paradise.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae leaned over, looking Lillian in the face with a mischievious grin. "That's right. So, let's get going."

The streets surrounding the temple are bustling with people. Dae grabs her new friend by the hand and starts to lead her across the street. "There has to be something fun to do in this town."

[Lillian Snow]

Lilly squeezes herself up against Dae, hugging her arm a bit as she lets a group of people pass by her.

"You'd probably know better than me..." she says, pulling away as the people thin out. "I imagine a girl like you would be out every night having fun."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae doesn't bother to let go of Lillians' hand, and laughs out loud as they continue through the crowded streets.

"Well, maybe before. I was starting to settle down, but you know how unreliable men are. Anyways, long story short, it's probably time I started dating again; it gets lonely, you know? And it's not like the GJO is crawling with hot prospects either."

Dae's thumb rubs against Lillians palm, something she does out of habit now. "I...I dunno. It's nice to be out with someone."

[Lillian Snow]

"I agree," she answers, fidgeting a little as Dae rubs her palm. "On all counts. I don't know many reliable men either, I should start getting out and meeting people..." she sighs softly. "And you're right about being out with someone. It is nice."

[Dae Jinn]

"Yep."

She lets go of Lillians' hand, walking up to a shop window. She starts fixing her hair a bit, frowning. "God, I'm a mess! Why didn't you tell me I looked like dren before we left?"

[Lillian Snow]

"I think you look great," Lillian answers, coming up beside Dae to check her own appearance. "I guess I don't look too bad, but I could look a lot better. At least my hair's combed."

She looks her clothes over; a simple t-shirt and pants, and finds herself mentally praying there there's no baby spittle or anything staining her clothes. That'd be so embarrassing.

"So...how old is Kwiet?"

[Dae Jinn]

"He's six, almost seven."

Dae adjusts her own shirt, fixing her bra straps then brushing off dirt that isn't there. "He really is a hand full. At least he's in school though; I'd hate to think what would happen if he didn't have something normal in his life.It can't all be playing Jedi hero."

She straightens up, looking at herself once more. "I mean, what would happen if he grows up and doesn't want to be a Jedi anymore? What kind of life can you have if you don't have an education?"

[Lillian Snow]

"I understand. I actually hadn't thought much about that. I wanted to fret over Titian's future for a while, but that let him make all kinds of messes in the present, so..." Lillian trails off, laughing a little. "I'll wait until he's able to at least speak before thinking of his school."

[Dae Jinn]

"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea."

She smiles as Lillian laughs. "You should laugh more; it's pretty."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian turns slightly red, looking to her sneakers so her hair will fall and hide her face.

"Um...thank you," she answers. "You've got a pretty voice. I like listening to you."

[Dae Jinn]

Lillian feels soft fingers curve underneath her chin, lifting her head. Even softer lips meet hers as Dae plants a small kiss on her, pulling her closer. Her fingers trail gently down Lillians' back before she pulls away, looking at her sheepishly.

"Sorry..."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian squeaks with surprise as Dae's lips caress hers, but the sound soon fades into silence as the girl relaxes, giving into the Dae's kiss and embrace. When the two part Lillian is bright red once more, her heart is pounding away at her ribs, and she is at a complete loss for what to say.

"D-don't be..." Lilly says breathlessly, hands fidgeting at her sides.

[Dae Jinn]

"Okay, I won't be."

Daes' smile quickly goes from sheepish to sly. She pulls Lillian closer again, this time kissing her a bit more...passionately. Dae seems to be obilvious to all the people around them, focusing on Lillian completely. Her body presses tightly to Lillians' as the kisses become more intense, before she pulls away again.

[Lillian Snow]

Lilly's more prepared this time. She'd been kind of hoping Dae would try again, and found herself pleasantly surprised that she'd tried again so soon. This time she leans into Dae a little, returning the kiss gently, almost timidly. When they pull back she sighs, smiling sheepishly at Dae.

"No one's ever kissed me like that before," she whispers.

[Dae Jinn]

"Well, that's a shame..."

Her fingers slip between Lillians, her hands locking together with the other girls. She smiles at her. "So. Did you still want to go shopping?"

[Lillian Snow]

"I...I don't even care anymore. Anything's fine."

She settles against Dae, feeling truly good and comfortable for the first time in a long while.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae gives her a quick squeeze, before pulling back and holding her hand. "Well, I'm hungry, let's go and grab something to eat, and then see where the day takes us?"

She gives Lillian a few more quick soft kisses as they walk along. "Heh, sorry...it's been a while since I've kissed someone."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian blushes at the kisses, fidgeting with her free hand. "It's been a while since I've had any kind of affection. Protective mentor-ness doesn't really seem to count."

[Dae Jinn]

"Well, that's really ashame. Everyone should been shown affection.." She sighed. "And I don't mean the friend kind, or the family kind. It's just not the same."

[Lillian Snow]

"No, it's not. But what am I going to do?"

Lillian sighs, not wanting to bring up her incident and bring more pity. It might...make Dae like her less. And for some reason Lillian can't figure out right now, it is really, really important that Dae like her as much as possible.

[Dae Jinn]

"Well..."

Dae gives Lillians' hand a reassuring squeeze. "This is nice...we could be, affectionate, with each other. If you want to."

[Lillian Snow]

"I do want to," she answers, squeezing Dae's hand back. She looks to her feet, thinking over the possibility of being affectionate with Dae, and then realizes something. "What will everyone else think of us?"

[Dae Jinn]

Dae let air pass through her lips. "Pffffft! I don't care what they think, and neither should you. You should always do what makes you happy, no matter what other people think."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian laughs a little.

"It sounds like a very devil-may-care lifestyle to me."

But would devil-may-care really be so bad? It'd be a nice change from her walking-on-eggshells attitude. Always being careful, always wary of others, being careful to not upset anyone, even if it costs her a bit of happiness.

"It sounds great."

[Dae Jinn]

"It is great. It's a bit hard to follow when you're a Jedi, but you can make it work if you try." She leans down and plants several more reassuring kisses on Lillians' lips. "You shouldn't worry so much."

[Lillian Snow]

"It's what I've been taught to do," she sighs after returning Dae's kisses. "Worry worry worry...worrying about my family, about my health, about my vulnerability, about my baby..." Lilly sighs again and hugs Dae tight. "And soon, about you, I imagine."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae runs her fingers through Lillys' hair gently. "Well, you shouldn't. The GJO is a safe place, with lots of good people who care about and protect each other. I'll protect you, so you shouldn't worry."

[Lillian Snow]

"From what?" Lillian asks, looking inquisitively into Dae's eyes.

[Dae Jinn]

"From anything. I don't know," Dae looked a bit flustered. "If something were to happen, I'd be there to help you through."

[Lillian Snow]

"It'd mean a lot to me if you were there for me. You could do so much that everyone else can't, or couldn't, or won't. You're special, Dae. Different from all the others I know."

[Dae Jinn]

"Well, I will be."

Dae didn't know what else to say, or do. "I'm not that special, Lillian."

[Lillian Snow]

"Oh but you are!" she insists, trying to think of how to tell Dae that she is, without saying why she is. She just is. "Don't think too much about it, Dae, just accept it. You're special to me, and you don't have to be special for anyone else. Just me."