Courting a Captain

Zavvi strode through the Taris spaceport, grinning to herself. As much as she hated the planet, the Twi'lek could not turn herself away from the Republic's cries for assistance and the promise of credits. The glory and praise for helping Governor Saresh carve some civilisation into this death-filled planet was also worth it.

The Captain had to head to Nar Shaddaa now, though, and the Governor had no more work for her to do, so now was the time to leave.
As she and her companion Corso made their way to their hangar, she noticed he seemed a little unsure of himself, and thoughtful, and this made him lag behind somewhat. She paused, looking to him.
"You alright, Corso?" She asked, and he appeared to be startled out of his thoughts.
"Hm? Oh!" He shuffled a little, looking shy. "When we get back on board, I, I'd like to have a word with you, Captain."
"Can't you say it here?" He shook his head, unwilling to venture further. "Alright. I'll just have a word with Risha and make sure the Skylark is ready to go." She raised an eyebrow slightly, wondering why he was reluctant to say here, but he had his reasons. And Corso was a loyal and trustworthy man proving in battle by her side, so Zavvi didn't mind allowing his request.
Corso nodded. He didn't know and never asked why the Captain's freighter was named that. As far as he knew, it was named after a bird in a bedtime story Zavvi used to enjoy. It was a pretty name, though he never quite understood why she named it after the sky when it was in fact a starship. But, who was he to judge, after all? His weapons were all named and if her Corellian XS freighter mattered that much to her that it earned itself a name, than that was fine by him. He smiled softly at the memory of when they'd found it in a Coruscant hangar. She'd left his side in a sprint, and he could have sworn blind that she called it her 'baby', resting her cheek against the metal. She'd made sure to move it to another Coruscant starship hangar and had shooed him away, though the mercenary had lingered just outside the doors and found her gently re-painting the name onto the side; it seemed like Skavak had either let it decay or he'd deliberately scabbed it off. He'd found himself smiling and silently watching her, and she never did notice him hanging around.

---

They were finally leaving Taris behind, and Zavvi didn't give a toss. She was just happy to get away from all the rakghouls, pirates, toxins and copious amounts of death that was there.
After speaking to Risha and getting the details for what she needed to do on the Smuggler's Moon, (just Zavvi's kind of place) she went to look for Corso. He seemed elusive, until she went to the bridge and noticed him wrapped up in his own little world, pacing back and forth, and muttering quietly. Odd, but interesting; she was curious about what the Mantellian had to tell her, which would make him act this way.

As she stepped out of the doorway, he quickly pretended he'd been doing nothing at all, straightening up and licking his lips nervously. Zavvi gave him her most earnest of looks, to encourage him; he was nervous, but trying to keep his cool, and was succeeding quite well.

"I don't...quite know how to do this with a lady like you, Captain." Her eyebrow raised. "Court you, I mean. On Ord Mantell, we had rules about that sort of thing. With my fiancée, I got permission from her father first, then we had a few chaperoned dates between our families..."
Zavvi was startled; a fiancée?! When did this happen? Her brow furrowed as she confronted him, but kept her tone cool to hide her sudden boiling emotions. She felt she'd been slapped upside the head with this brief announcement. He couldn't already be taken, surely?
"Since when do you have a fiancée?" She asked cautiously, though there was a slight darkness to her tone that she couldn't hide even if she tried.

Corso's face fell, and she could see a hollowness in his eyes, immediately regretting prodding him. She was about to backtrack, but he spoke up, his voice raw and dejected.
"I never saw her, after my family died." He looked away, and Zavvi's heart twisted with pain. "My whole world, blew up and I just...ran." His closed his eyes tightly, almost forcing himself not to cry. "I wish I'd let her down more gently."
"Corso..." The Twi'lek licked her lips, tried to tread carefully. She was cross he hadn't told her, but her sympathy went out to him; how could he stick to being engaged with a woman when the rug had just been ripped out from under him? "Corso, is she still...?"
"I don't know." He was miserable, finding his boots immensely interesting. "I...I'd just got over my family...I just kept runnin'. Workin' with Viidu never gave me much time ta linger too long in the past."
Zavvi nodded softly, sad to peel open old wounds on the Mantellian. But she needed to set some rules.
"Corso, if we ever find her alive, I'm gonna make you apologise. I hope you know that." He swallowed hard, and nodded, bringing his head back up.
"Yes, Captain. It's only right." The human shuffled uncomfortably. "But I don't know if the separatists got her too..."
"There's no use worrying about what could be and what if. If she's alive and she comes looking for you, we'll deal with her as she comes. If she doesn't, we don't. But don't be so nervous about it. What's done is done." The Captain looked honestly into his eyes, her green gaze meeting his brown. He tilted his head in the barest hint of a nod.
"I guess so, Captain." It was almost a whisper, and Zavvi decided it would be for their benefit if they moved from this depressing subject. But then a small shy smile played on his lips, and she could see the warm light beginning to shine back into his eyes again. "But, you know...she wasn't even in the same galaxy as you."

The smuggler was going to tease him but his comment caught her completely off guard, and she became aware of her mouth hanging open and quickly shut it. She was no doubt flattered, and felt her face warm, but not yet blush. She pulled herself together, not willing to let him shunt off course, a cheeky grin toying on her lips.
"Chaperones, though? That's so cute..." He straightened, and she caught a flicker of defiance in his eyes.
"I know it's old fashioned, but there's a reason people do things that way. You get to know each other with no pressure, keeps you from breaking each other's hearts."
Zavvi twinged at the last part, hoping that it wasn't too visible, but judging by his expression, it was. Did he think they'd been forced together by a twist of fate? That she'd break his heart? The spacer had broken a few hearts in her journey without batting an eye, but now, to only think about it happening to Corso made her chest hurt. She wasn't going to change much for him, but she'd not wanted to sleep with another man since, since...She couldn't remember. Zavvi could flirt, dance on the edge of a man's desires, yet actually doing the deed had no appeal any more. It was as if she was holding out for him somehow...
"I'm not going to try and break your heart, Corso." She said carefully, watching his reaction, and he seemed somewhat relieved and yet awkward.
"I never meant to say you would." He apologised, and Zavvi nodded; it was a misunderstanding, but it still bothered her a little.

"I know it's different here, but..." He swallowed, and the smuggler could have sworn his words sounded suspiciously like they'd been rehearsed beforehand. "Captain, may I have permission to seek your hand?"

Zavvi eyed him, thinking of her response. She would at laughed anyone else that had asked her this, but Corso...his old fashioned, gentlemanly ideas were almost a guilty pleasure for her; she wouldn't dare admit it anyone, not even the man himself (yet). Weren't they already courting, though? He'd also responded to her flirting, mostly with blushes and an awkwardness she found adorable, but he'd teased her back too, and would drop the odd hint every now and then. He was not as skilled as some of the more suave men she'd encountered, but it wasn't Corso's way. And she liked it.

The Mantellian was looking hopefully at her, and she could visibly see the anxiety in his warm eyes. As soon as she smiled with the same warmth, hope was kindled within them. Zavvi neared him briefly, and his gaze was glued to hers, as if he was mesmerised by her.
"If that means: roses, love letters and sneaking kisses before we're supposed to, I'm all for it." She scooted back, almost in a tempting manner.
A grin tugged at his lips; there was his Captain alright, down to a T. And the fact she'd accepted made him almost feel giddy and a tiny bit shy.
"Well, I'll work on the roses and the love letters. The rest, I, I think we can manage." He answered her, his heart beating a little faster.

As if on cue, they moved slowly towards each other, almost in a trance. Both could not believe they were going to do this, but there was no time to think, no time to question as time in the galaxy slowed to a crawl. The human found his hands gently settling on Zavvi's waist and her back, one of her hands sliding around his waist, the other resting on his chest, and they moved close, eyes closing as their lips touched.
As they shared their first kiss next to the swirl of stars that was the galaxy map, Corso found that he really didn't want this to end, to let his beautiful Captain out of his arms. The touch of her against him thrilled his nerves, even though they were still clad in their armour and many layers apart. It took a great deal of willpower to pull away from her soft lips, though the look on her face as he opened his eyes, moments before she did made it worthwhile. For a split second, he saw Zavvi in a state of bliss and he silently resolved that he would see that look again.
As she opened her eyes, he favoured her with a smile that put Zavvi so at ease that she didn't care about anything except for the man in front of her. Riggs gently leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, just under her headband. She gently reached up, letting a dreadlock brush over her fingers, and letting him gingerly touch her lekku, enjoying his delicate touch against her head-tails.

Just for this moment, they were safe. They had no fears, no regrets, no need to hurry off anywhere. They had each other, and for now, that was enough.