Old Lives, New Friends

[Keilara]

Fable took two steps into the Med Bay and slumped against the wall, eyes closing in relief. She hated shots, with a passion. Just the thought of a needle sinking into her skin and putting some sort of foreign substance into her body made her nauseous and she could feel it flowing over her in waves. She hated this feeling, only a few things could make it come over her like this... and none of them were like vaccines.

"Damn..."

She could feel her knees starting to give out and mumbled under her breath

"What the hell kind of soldier are you. You can face guns, shoot like no tomorrow, you own a damned strill and yet a little tiny needle makes you so scared you're about to curl up on the floor and sob like a baby... Man up Fable..."

She took a deep, supposedly calming breath and lifted her head, brushing her hair off her shoulder and slowly, cautiously, opening her eyes.

Well, hell...

Her shoulders slumped as her eyes fell on the other person in the room. He was definitely tall, and seemed vaguely familiar though she couldn't quite place where she'd seen him. Taking another sighing breath and pulling her face into a neutral mask she stepped forward to meet him.

"Sergeant Fable Barris..." She held out her hand to him "Looks like we're both in the once place no Mando'ade wants to be and you look like you actually need it."

[Dire Wolf]

((OOC: found mah muse mefinks. I think its just the fact that I iz not typing on teh laptop no moar))

Checkups.

Mal hated them with a passion. Those blasted doctors had him cooped up in a kolto tank for the better part of a week... and yet they insisted on making sure that he was healing correctly. Wasn't Kolto some kind of wunder-material? He gave an angry sigh as he stood in the waiting room.

It was an amazing thing, Mal giving an angry sigh. The action tended to make the nurses go pale, the doctors nearly defecate their britches, and the patients prematurely urinate their sponge. Who could blame them, though? The beast (even by mando'ade standards) stood at about eight feet tall and weighed in at about four hundred pounds. Not to mention that he was now a war hero after Operation Reclamation. So yeah. People kinda noticed him a mite.

That is when he noticed a rather odd looking woman enter the hospital... she looked deathly afraid of the place. Mal was about to give a little smirk and walk over when she beat him to the puch. Malak couldn't help but tilt his head as she held out her hand to him... presumably to shake. Not many people were brave enough to do that... shake his hand. He noted that while he shook her hand lightly (comparitively of course.. this would feel far from "light" to her).

Barris. His late wife's old clan name. Was this really Fable? Fable Barris? Wow. That girl most certainly aged well. He hadn't seen Fable in.... well... since his wife was killed.

"Fable? Is that really you? Heh... I haven't seen you in... ten years now?"

She would most certainly be confused by his reaction. He sighed.

"Its Mal... Malak. Aly's husband?

[Keilara]

Fable winced and tried to cover it as she shook the mans' hand. His grip was brutal. He looked familiar, so very very familiar. It was hurting her head she was thinking so hard. Then he spoke and she remembered.

She must have been all of 9, about to turn 10 years old the first time she had met or rather seen the two. She and her brothers had gone with their father out to visit the couple living just out side the general village area where they lived. They had just moved in and her father wanted to welcome them. Aly had been nice, but Fable remembered seeing the giant out in a field nearby and that image had stuck with her for years. Until her brothers had died in fact and she returned to her clan to find even more death and destruction. Mal had been the first thing she say as she came out of the tree line, kneeling on the ground holding his pregnant wife... Fable distinctly remembered her being pregnant, she had just been hitting an age where things like that were particularly interest peaking.

A small smile crept onto her face as she tilted her head up to get a good look at him. "How could anyone forget you sir? You are a bit on the memorable side. And yes, it has been near 10 years now."

A voice called her name and a sudden wave of nauseating dizziness hit her as she released his hand and stumbled backwards a couple steps. She briefly closed her eyes against it and breathed deeply. Opening them again she took a step towards the exam room and stopped, turning back to Mal

"It would be great to catch up sir. It's been years I know for me, and as I hadn't seen you around when I was recruited, I'll assume for you too." A worried look crossed her face. "Just wait for me to come back?"

Fable cursed herself silently. Could she have sounded more like a frightened child with that question? She cleared her throat and continued, "I have to grab some dinner after this is all and I'd love to have you join me."

The doctors voice came again, more insistently and she frowned fiercely.

"Alright, keep your pants on... I'm coming..."

She disappeared behind a curtain and her voice raised, obviously frantic and it was obvious she was trying to cover it up.

"You hurt me giving me that and I'll punch you... In the face."

There was a moment of silence and then an exclamation from Fable before the sound of a fist meeting a face was heard. The doctor let out his own sworn exclamation and Fable came out from behind the curtain tugging her shirt back into place.

"I warned you, you bastard..."

Her face was pale, and her hands were shaking lightly. She just hoped that Mal couldn't see it. She made sure her shirt was in place, civilian clothes always made her a bit, iffy. Though her armor wasn't much heavier, it was the knowledge that it kept her safe that kept her from feeling as exposed as she did in civvy clothes. Satisfied that she was suitably covered again she looked up at the man who had waited for her and jerked her finger at the door.

"We gonna go eat?"

She hoped that her gruff manner was covering how much she wanted to just pass out... or curl up on the floor and sob like a baby, either would work and neither was acceptable.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal noticed the wince on her face as he shook her hand. He tried so hard to make his grip as light as he could... but "light" and "grip" wasn't exactly possible from a man of his stature. It was like trying to gingerly pin a bug inbetween a pair of battleships. Not possible. He couldn't help but wince as she called him "sir." That was only a formality, one that he honestly didn't even want while he was on duty.

"You don't have to call me "sir," Fable. And yes, I will wait for you... its not every day that I meet someone from the Barris clan."

The behemoth gave a reassuring smile to match the worried look that crossed her face. What didn't cross his mind was that she may have possibly had a crush on him, he viewed himself as outside any realm of attractiveness for that, especially so after that fiasco with Lia and the little aruetii. Of course, how could he be so idiotic? A woman actually liking him, he was beginning to believe that was possible until said disaster. A little smile pursed his lips as she asked him if he wanted to go and grab a bite to eat after she was done with her shots.

"I would love to, Fable."

Crystalline blue eyes washed over Fable's almost nymph like form as she walked over and disappeared behind the curtain. A big grin contorted the leviathon's facial features as he heard the little tussel between Fable and the doctor. He was liking this girl's spirit more and more. Then, she came out from behind the curtain. Normally, this wouldn't have caused a reaction either way from Malak...

... but she was without a shirt.

First and foremost, his eyes dropped to her chest, this was involutary, as he was a man and was chocked full of testosteroine. The rest of this happened a few scant moments after she reappeared, all simultaneously. His face flushed a beat red as the blood ran into his cheeks, and his eyes instantantly bounced over to a random point in space as he began to sputter apologies. A quick reply flew from his lips almost the instant that her query reached his ears.

"Sure."

His feet guided him towards the door almost as quickly as that reply flew from his lips. He gave a sheepish grin at her as he didn't step out, but rather held the door open so she could pass through first.

[Keilara]

Fable carefully moved past him out into the hallway. Her knees were still a bit shaky and she didn't want to do something embarrassing like trip and fall.

Yeah you do, don't deny it. 10 minutes in practically alone in a room with a man and you're all over him

She frowned internally at the little voice. She was not "all over him".

And that's why you walked out as you pulled on your shirt?

Well, alright, the voice had a point there. But it's not like she had consciously wandered out mostly topless. She was just used to dressing and undressing around other soldiers. That's all it was. It wasn't that Mal was tall, or sexier than she remembered...

Just keep telling yourself that...

She turned into the hall and her eyes fell on Kistra with a sigh of relief. A quick snap had the strill instantly at her side and she lightly laid her hand on its head as she recounted the last moments in the waiting room. He had seemed a bit... flustered. She shot him a quick look and took in the blush on his cheeks. A smirk briefly crossed her lips. Seemed the attraction went both ways and she could handle any leering. If she was right, the ends would definitely make it worth it. Now she just had to figure out how to get what she wanted.

"You're gonna have to lead the way. I can smell food, but I don't know that I can find it."

Fable turned to face him as she spoke and let her eyes give him a good slow look over. It would be a challenge, but hey, she was Fable Barris. Sometimes the hardest challenges reaped the best rewards. And the first challenge would be getting him to not see her as a kid. A small growl rose up in her throat at that thought. He'd better not be thinking of her as a kid regardless. She'd had more than her fill of that at bootcamp and in her training.

She pulled herself from her thoughts and quirked an amused eyebrow at the blushing giant in front of her.

"So we gonna go?"

[Dire Wolf]

Crystalline blue eyes slowly drifted downwards as Fable passed through the doors and out into the hallway. He took in the curves and archs of the Vahlan woman’s lithe form, shaking his head slightly at both her beauty and the ridiculousness of his actions. She probably loathed him for that little glance that he stole when she reappeared from behind the corner. “Ain’t you pathetic Mal,” a thought crept into his mind, “a woman absentmindedly walks around the corner without a shirt and you get all thinkin’ she likes you. Pathetic.”

Mal shook his head slightly, throwing those negative thoughts off like water off of a dog’s back. That was when he caught the little look and the brief smirk that contorted her facial features. That sight dispelled any of those bad thoughts and little voices that weren’t forced out by the little head shake. Fable confirmed just how wrong that little voice in the back of his mind was as she turned around and looked over him. He, naturally, did the same… and no, she most certainly was not a child.

He promptly followed her out into the hallway… and what he saw nearly made him jump out of his skin. A strill. Not that he was scared of the things, hell, he killed things twice as ferocious as those creatures. It was just a little… surprising… seeing one that was apparently tamed being pat on the head by the Vahla. It took him a few moments to get over the creature, he spoke when he did.

“Lets. I haven’t spent too much time on this planet… but I know a place.”

An amused curve arched his eyebrow to match Fable’s after he spoke. He proceeded to walk out of the complex, stopping at the door (and holding it open) for her to pass through. Let it never be said that the leviathon of the man was not a gentleman. After a few minutes of walking he came upon one of the smaller food places. He turned to the smaller woman and gave a little smirk.

“Here we are.”

[Keilara]

Fable arched both her eyebrows at the obvious shock when his eyes fell on Kistra. True, tamed strill were rare, but not unheard of. She absently let her fingers stroke the fur on the top of Kistra's head as he looked her over. It caused her to shiver, maybe the kid obstacle had already been overcome... She let loose with a little mental dance, score 1, Fable.

When Mal began to lead her through the compound, she snapped her fingers twice and Kistra fell in line 3 steps behind them. Fable gave Mal an appreciative smile as he held the door open, passing close enough to him that she nearly brushed against him.

Yea, proximity isn't obvious or anything there Fable... aren't you going to give him a bit of rough time? Leave him guessing at least a little? Part of the fun of the game is playing hard to get

Fable stopped just outside the doorway stepping next to him to allow Kistra to come through the door. She smiled internally, enjoying her proximity to him. Yes, he was tall, didn't bother her at all. She was nearly six feet herself so finding men who were comfortable with her height were as rare as men taller. He was strong, again not off-putting, she was in special ops, she had fought big strong men before, she was just better at being sneaky. In fact, so far on the physical end of things she was very much liking. No matter what she was on the battlefield, at home she was a woman and women liked to be protected and feel safe. And she absolutely felt safe with him. Yeah, he'd looked when she flashed him, but what red-blooded (or any blooded for that matter) male wouldn't? She'd have been worried if he hadn't. And personality wise, he'd so far shown he was definitely a gentleman, and that was something she had a lot of appreciation for.

Sighing lightly she followed him down the street. Gentlemen were definitely a plus. She was too far used to being looked askance at for her age or being treated like just one of the guys. It was nice to just be treated normally.

Fable was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't notice that Mal had stopped and promptly crashed into his back. Startled, she stepped backwards quickly, losing her footing and stepping on Kistra's foot. The strill let out a shriek and Fable stumbled sideways as her right ankle twisted sending her plummeting to the ground.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal's heart skipped a few beats as she brushed past him, and yet another slight blush flushed his cheeks a slight reddish color. If he didn't know any better he would think that the Vahlan woman liked him... he quickly shook off the thought. No. She didn't. "Fable was just acting like she normally would in any situation," or so he thought, "so stop thinking that she likes you, Mal. Just stop. Its pathetic."

Why was he acting like this? He was supposed to be a Captain in the great Mandalorian military for Force's sake! One would think that he wouldn't get so flustered over a girl who was just being a little flitry with him. His thoughts were interrupted by Fable crashing into his back, and the quick report of her strill as she stepped on its foot. He turned just in time to see her begin to fall, his movements were surprisingly dexterous and fast for a man of his stature.

A great arm spun around to stop Fable's decent to the tile as he quickly sunk to a knee to help avoid hurting her. Well, he had his own subconscious reasons for doing so (getting a little closer to her) but his waking mind had intended to avoid injury. Naturally, as his subconscious mind willed, him dropping to a knee brought them uncomfortably close... and at eye level.

"You alright?"

[Keilara]

Fable closed her eyes and braced for impact.

A moment passed.

Then another and she cracked her eyes open to find Mal mere inches from her. Her eyes scanned his face. He was so close that if she leaned up just a bit she could..

Woah girl... down...

Brilliant amethyst and crystal blue met as her eyes darted up from his mouth and she blushed a deep red that reached the tips of her ears. She was over-reacting. She had to be over-reacting. Her heart sped up as she raised her right hand to place it against his chest and push him back to stand. She paused just before she touched him

You really wanna push him away Fable?

Her hand dropped against his chest and picked at his camis. She didn't want him to let go, and she certainly didn't want to push him away. A frustrated sigh escaped her and her eyes fell to the hand restlessly messing with his shirt. She took another breath and raised her eyes to his once again, opening her mouth to speak.

"Mal...I..."

A whimper broke through her thoughts and she turned her head to see Kistra favoring the foot Fable had stepped on in her stumbling. A frown crossed her face and she reluctantly stood and stepped away from Mal, her hand sliding across his chest to his shoulder and down his arm, her fingers lingering as long as possible before she finally pulled away. Kneeling in front of the strill she carefully took its injured front foot in her hands and examined it.

Fable softly spoke to the strill when she was through, gently lowering the paw to the ground. "It's not broken Kistra. But it will be painful. You will wait outside for us. If you can't walk when we come back I'll find a way to get you to wherever it is we're going to be living."

As she stood a look of concern flashed across her face. She had no idea where her quarters were or how far away they were and the likelihood of Kistra being able to walk on that foot was slim. Though she had six other feet to rely on, Fable wasn't willing to risk something happening and Kistra damaging itself further. She sighed and turned back to Mal, clearing her face of any emotion. She would deal with it when they were through.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal peered deep into those twin violet pools that lie in Fable's head through those icy blue eyes of his. For a few moments he found himself enthralled in her gaze even as she hovered her hand over his chest in preparation to push him away. He could tell that she didn't want to move from the spot, and to be honest... neither did he. A faint smile broke out on his face as she shifted her amethyst gaze up to meet his own, his heart began to race in his chest as she uttered his name... he did the same.

“F-fable...”

He watched the beauty of a woman as she looked over at her hurt pet, frowning, and stepped away from him. The man couldn't help but stay locked in his position as she slid her hand across his chest, down his shoulder, and finally rested on his arm for a few moments before mournfully pulling away. Great lips curved upwards slightly as he heard her speak to Kistra –apparently the strill's name– and said that nothing was broken. Good. Enough pain has been caused in the 'verse on account of him, both directly and indirectly.

It took him a few long moments for him to even think to shift his gaze around the room, and what he saw was a small crowd just gawking at him. The side of Mal's face contorted slightly, normally he was used to people staring at his hulking form... but recent events (not including the catching of Fable Barris) had him a little high strung. A low snarl emanated from his throat just as he spoke.

“Go back to your drinks.”

They quickly did as he asked. Fable had already been looking at him, face stoic, by the time that he managed to shift his gaze from the gaggle back to her. Mal offered a warm smile as he guided her to an empty table, allowing her to sit down first before sitting down himself. The tones that were rampant in his voice screamed calm, cool, and even some underlying affection.

“So, what'll it be?”

[Keilara]

His snarl, if she were any less of a woman, or rather any worse at hiding things would have had her jumping out her skin. She peered around him to see what was going on and caught the tail end of a group of head snapping back to their own matters. A smile hovered on her lips and she laid her hand lightly on his arm for the briefest of seconds. Then it happened, he turned his gaze from the group back to her and smiled. A real smile. Warm welcoming, and her heart stopped.

Before she knew what was happening he had led her to a table and she had mechanically taken a seat, still trying to get her heart pumping again. She sat there a few moments just staring at him after he had spoken, a light blush on her cheeks, unable to comprehend anything but the knowledge that she really really liked the man sitting in front of her. Finally her head cleared enough to acknowledge he had spoken and she flushed in the dim light.

"I-I'm sorry Mal...I missed what you asked."

She forced herself to hold his gaze a few seconds even as she felt her face continue to heat till it felt as though it were on fire before letting it drop. Her fingers poked aimlessly at the top of the table as she grasped frantically for some sort of mental control over the feelings running freely through her. Her eyes followed her fingers as they traced patterns in the table.

[Dire Wolf]

A great brow quirked as a light blush filled her cheeks, coloring the sides of her face a slight lightish-red hue. Yep, Fable liked him. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out... and he liked her. The sides of the ori mando'ade's lip arched upwards at the thought... maybe a woman could find him attractive?

As said before, (just incase any of you readers have forgotten) Mal had viewed himself well outside of any realm of that sort. Especially after what little he thought he had with Lia was crushed. The man met Fable's amethyst gaze, almost seeming entralled by it during the short few seconds that she held it, not noticing the flaming red in her cheeks.

Yes, he lik-... no. He couldn't. She was only in for pain if he allowed it to go any further than this. It was coded into Mal's genes to destroy, kill, and pillage. Not to “like” women. No. Sure, he was married before this... but look at what that relationship wrought. Mal was doing this to protect her, to stop Fable from being hurt from this exchange. He would, after all, only live about another fifteen to twenty years... it just wasn't right to even think of getting in a relationship with someone only to leave halfway. A frown was cast across his face as he shook his head ever so slightly, sighing just before he spoke.

“Fable... I... I can't. I... I wish that I could... but you would only end up hurt or worse... and I have caused enough of that.”

His normally powerful voice was little more than a whimper, his words were full of pain and self loathing (for doing this, among other things.) Those words that he uttered killed him on the inside. He wanted to explain to her why he, quite honestly, didn't even want to entertain any “special” feelings for anyone... but he couldn't. No. He couldn't.

Malak's mandalorian armor was grey for a reason... and it wasn't because he liked the color.

Translation
ori = big

[Keilara]

Fable paused and listened to Mal speak. The whole world ground to a halt as she listened disbelieving to the absolute load of crap he was giving her. Did she doubt he meant it? Not for one second. The entire day she'd never heard him sound or look so small and fearful, but that made it even worse. What he was the only one who had experienced loss? The only one who had experienced disillusionment? Pfft...

A waiter walked by at that moment and she excused herself as she stood and took a plate off the tray he was carrying. Then without a word of apology, eyes blazing, she smacked the entire thing into Mal's head, a frightening smile crossing her face as she heard the plate shatter. Shaking off her dirtied hand she slammed her palms down on the table in front of her and stared Mal in the eyes.

"You listen to me Mal and listen well. The last time you remember seeing me I was 10 years old. All fine and well, but I bet you remember nothing of the last time I saw you. In fact I doubt you remember much of that time at all. You and your wife kept fairly apart from the rest of the village. My brothers went out on their verd'goten. Without me. First time the three of us had been separated and it was the last. The last because they died out there at Kistra's hands..." A haunted giggle left her "You got to help your wife fight, I've heard the stories, I was of course only ten and the tales of that battle were told, our dead honored as they should have been. But I was at a disadvantage Mal, I'm a Vahlan. I felt my brothers, Vahlans. I felt them die and knew I was too far to help them. I felt them die and could do nothing."

Frustrated tears rose up in Fable's eyes and she swiped at them furiously. She had never recounted the death of her brothers. Not since she and Kistra had returned that day and she'd had to explain to her father why her brothers' would not be returning home. And never once had she shed tears over them. It infuriated her that this now would drive her to tears.

"You idiot. Do you think it matters to me what you think you are? We're supposed to be in a briefing soon for something we both know we're not likely to come back from and you're worrying about hurting me? Or worse? What's worse? Killing me?"

She turned her eyes back to his face and suddenly just felt all her energy drain from her. Slowly she reached out a hand and brushed her fingers down his cheek

"You big stupid idiot. We die alone with honor, wondering what could have happened and regretting it never did, or we die together with honor, knowing what has happened and regretting nothing."

Her hand dropped to the table and she picked up a leafy something and flung it aside as she stepped out into the aisle. She began to leave and paused next to him speaking lifelessly, the voice of an experienced soldier,

"As I said, we have a briefing soon and I need to change. If you'll excuse me, sir."

Taking a deep breath, she bent slightly and brushed her lips against his cheek, then stood and quickly made her way out of the restaurant.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal was too busy looking down at the table as he spoke to her to notice that the mandalorian woman had stood up and grabbed a dinner plate. Suddenly, he felt something slam into the side of his face and shatter, jolting his head to the side from the force of the strike and leaving a series of cuts on his face where the broken shards eviscerated his skin. He just let his head hang in that position for a few moments until the incredibly loud slam of Fable's palms on the table nearly made him jump from his skin. The huge, but timid, man could barely meet the angry woman's fiery purple gaze before looking back down at the table.

He was hurting her so.

The big man did listen. Well. Pain tended to grab people's attention, even if it wasn't much. Mal blinked at the woman's rant about her brothers, his wife's final battle, and how she felt her brothers die... and he could tell that she wasn't only hurt at his statement, but also what she was dredging up. “Pathetic, isn't it Mal,” that little voice crept into his head again, “you are still mourning your wife... lamenting... trying to protect her from further loss... and she has her brothers dead.” Yes, he was pathetic. He was hurting her in the name of not hurting her... yes... he was a big idiot.

“Fa-... I...”

Was all that he had to respond to her, his voice was little... like a child's voice. That is how he felt: like a child. He glanced back up at her eyes as she brushed her fingers down his cheek, his eyes almost instantly darted back down to the table as she spoke to him again, flinging more insults. Again, he could only respond in that little child's voice. Then she left.

She left.

Every fiber of the man's being was screaming out at him to keep his arse on the seat, and feet planted to the floor. But he couldn't. Especially knowing that he hurt her so badly... especially for such an idiotic cause. Mal got up out of his seat and quickly tried to catch up with her. When he finally did the man looked down at his feet, then glanced up into her eyes just as he spoke.

“Fable... I'm sorry... I was trying to protect you... and hurt you in the process.”

A sigh escaped his lips. This was also against every fiber of his being. The man's voice once again became resolute, and powerful. No longer was it like one found in a child's voice.

“I am a big stupid idiot, Fable. A big stupid over-protective idiot. Please... don't leave. I...,” “am pathetic,” “don't want you too...”

He trailed off. The man wouldn't blame her if she slapped him and stormed off. Malak just wasn't built for this kind of thing.

[Keilara]

Fable had stopped just outside the door and stumbled over by Kistra, trying to stay on her feet when really she just wanted to curl up around the strill as she had so many nights when her heart was over flowing with pain and listen to the animal twitter and cry their story. But she couldn't; not here, not this very moment, and not in this place with all these eyes that could at any moment turn and watch her. It would have to wait till she found her quarters and got back from that briefing.

A sigh escaped her lips and she slumped against the side of the building, closing her eyes, and another tear streaked down her cheek. It was damnably annoying the things she was feeling. Tears, her lips tingled because she'd kissed him, her hand stung where the plate had shattered into her palm, her heart hurt from reliving the loss of her brothers. Then she heard his voice and winced at the pain she felt in her heart.

Yea, state the obvious Mal.. Of course you hurt me... Do I look like I'm enjoying myself...

She sighed and opened her eyes, turning to face him. He sounded so small... They were both idiots. When he started to speak again she moved to stand in front of him, resting one hand against his chest and raised her other hand, gently setting her fingers against his lips. A glare was quickly shot at them, that annoying tingly feeling was working it's way down her arm now and her proximity to him was making her blush again, with a grimace she realized she would have a harder time staying angry with him than she normally did.

"You are absolutely a big stupid over-protective idiot, and I am a stubborn, hard-headed woman who cracked you on the head with a plate and made you bleed." She sighed again and didn't resist the impulse to lay her palm against his cheek as she looked up at him, or the one that followed quickly after to make the stretch up to run her fingers through his hair. "I don't stay angry for long..."

She paused a moment, caught between the desire to turn the conversation back to safe and neutral ground or to make a move that would put her heart further at risk. Desire flashed briefly in her eyes before she dropped her gaze, turned and stepped completely away from him, shivering slightly at the loss of contact.

"W-we do have a briefing, and I would appreciate it if you could find it it you to carry Kistra. I would really rather she didn't walk and I'm still not sure where my quarters are. There is little in the world more precious to me than that animal, I trust her with very few."

[Dire Wolf]

Mal promptly stopped speaking after Fable laid one hand to rest on his chest and moved the other up to set her fingers against his lips. He could feel his cheeks heat up as the blood rushed them, flushing them a bright pink. She was awful close... and he wasn't sure how to react. Well, he knew how to react... but his body wouldn't let him. Wait. She made him bleed? His hand slowly moved up to the throbbing cheek, just barely touched it, and then moved it so he could look at it.

Yup. There was blood. It wasn't long before the throbbing turned into a pulse of pain that covered the entire side of his face. He could handle it, though, after all... he had definitely been through worse. Nearly dieing two or three times from the wounds that he had gotten during Op. Reclamation, being stabbed in the gut (and having the wound untreated for a good half an hour), and being shot a good ten times in the back happened to build on an already amazing pain tolerance. Before he was a tank for pain. Now he was a juggernaut for it.

“I can do that for ya. I won't drop her. I promise.”

He nodded slowly as she asked him to carry Kistra. The gentle juggernaut slowly bent down and gingerly picked up the multi-limbed creature, using his arms to support the front two legs and the hind-quarters. It would be more comfortable for the strill this way, and would give the creature more of a sense that he wasn't going to be dropped from about 8 feet up.

“I can take you there... and Fable, your quarters shouldn't be too far away from mine..”

The man kept his gaze on Fable as he turned towards the HQ, only breaking it once he began walking. If she didn't follow he would stop and wait for her.

[Keilara]

Kistra struggled and whimpered as the giant of a man bent and picked it up and Fable quickly tapped the strill once on the head to calm it. The animal turned it's head towards Fable, eyes widened in panic as it stilled, mournful whimpers escaping as it panted.

"You're fine Kistra. You know I wouldn't let him near you if I didn't trust him." She lifted her eyes to Mal's and smiled, "Thank you. Just give it a second a let Kistra sniff you out a bit. It'll let you know when it's ready to go."

A moment later the strill let loose a burbling sound and settled it's head on Mal's shoulder as he took off for the HQ. Fable followed closely behind him wrapped up in her own thoughts. She had her own doubts and fears now to work through. She was shaken, very shaken, by his out of the blue shift in emotions at dinner. A sigh escaped her, it was going to be a battle and she knew it. But she felt he was worth every second.