“It stinks in here…”

Theron turns to my voice, and blinks. “Hello to you too, Crim.”

“Greetings, and I have to say Theron: You stink.”

“I do not,” answers the King of self denial, “I just haven’t had a chance to shower…”

I frown as he turns back to his computer screen. He’s focusing on the latest data from recruiting Aric Jorgan. I see a fresh glass of whiskey next to him, and the remnants of laundry. I quietly go to look through it. “You know,” Theron comments, “the frequencies I’m getting from the Gemini droids and the signal Scorpio keeps sending are similar…”

“Theron Shan,” I say and slowly turn to him, “How many red jackets, brown shirts, and brown pants do you need? Add in different sizes? Seriously, what the karing kark?”

Theron looks at me with a blank face, in between shopping whiskey. “Well, when I joined the SIS as a just-turned-18 adult, they said keep it simple. Same outfit keeps it simple.”

“You’ve been wearing the same outfit since you were a teenager?” I face palm, and shake my head. “This fashion crime can’t continue.”

“What are you, the fashion police?”

I walk up and tower over him: “I’m gay! Part of being gay is being the fashion police: Clothing, hair, make up, and even nail polish up for scrutiny. It’s the way of the gay!”

“And what are these laws? How am I breaking them?”

“First, same outfit since you were a teenager. As a spy, you shouldn’t be such an easy target by wearing one and only outfit.”

“Good point…”

“Second, covering every inch of skin, but your neck? Akise, you’re built like deity. Why not show it off?”

“Well, you’re the first to describe me like that…”

I add, holding up three fingers, “And how can we live together if our fashion senses clash?”

Theron widens his eyes at that, “Li-live together?”

I step back- Kriff! I said too much! I wanted to wait till dinner tonight, or perhaps tomorrow after a night of passion, but maybe it’s time to just press on: “Well, we’ve been together for a few months and it’s nice to have sleepovers but being the outlander gets lonely, and I’m guessing from the whiskey, lack of laundry, and showering that Rhonda could be better with you too and I’m babbling.”

Theron chuckles and gets up. “You wanna live with a borderline drunk who breaks fashion laws, walks away from his own father, and can’t even shower?”

I walk up to him, eyes on him slowly. “Malcom is giving you **** again? Thought you two weren’t speaking?”

“We are if he demands to know why I’m dating a man from the Sith species. I mean bad enough I’m with a man…”

“Yet he can **** a Jedi, and sit in his *** while Arcann beats the Republic senseless without consequence, right? It’s that why you’re here drinking,” I lift up his head, “instead of sleeping.”

“Partially,” he says and he turns around and sits back in front of his computer, “Teffith, one of my good friends from my SIS days died. She and I haven’t spoken in years, but it’s hard. It seems everything in my old life is slipping away.”

I grab a chair and sit next to him. “I’m sorry Theron. And I’m sorry you’re in here, instead of telling me this. You know you’re not a **** buddy, right? I care about you…. What’s going on in your life?”

“I know,” Theron whispers quietly, “yet I dunno. I’m more used to one sided caring, my side being the one sided part.”

“Well,” I said, “old life, your friend’s death, and Malcom are a sign from the force: time for a fresh start!”

I get up and start disrobing myself. He raises an eyebrow, watching me, “I like fresh starts…”

“Good, but don’t get ideas: You won’t shower unless I’m in the with ya. You won’t get new clothing unless I go with you to get them. So shower, and call 2V to come get your laundry!”

Theron sighs and gets up to follow after, clothing being discarded piece by piece. Under the warm water, I make sure to scrub every last bit with my claws, soap, and shampoo/conditioner. Theron sighs on occasion during the ordeal, but we are mostly in silence.

“So,” he eventually says as I rinse off his body, “You want to live with me?”

“I do,” I nod for emphasis, “it’s lonely at the top, especially when I have to go home to my apartment after a long night with you.”

He gulps and looks down. I glide my claws down his neck, and he shivers. “I don’t know if I’m ready for such a big change. Got to understand I don’t want to lose.”

“I know: What if Arcann puts me back in Carbonite?”

“More like scary of you get sick of me watching you, or I over protect you, or wash you out with whiskey?”

“Then I’ll come back, grip you by my claws, and lock you in with my ridges until you know I’ll never let you go.”

Theron looks in my eyes, and answers: “Can we start with two days a week? One week in your quarters, the other in mine?”

I grin and nod. “And then we increase it to three days, and then perhaps decide who’s quarters?”

Theron nods, and steps out of the shower. He looks at himself in the mirror while the ceiling fan dries us. He slowly comments, “Blue… I do like Blue. And black. I think I’d look good in those colours.”

“Excellent, start,” I say with a smile, “could make a list …”

Theron glances at me, and grins sheepishly, “I… That’s all I’ve got.”

“It’s all I need.”

New Clothes:

Muscle Shirt

Open jacket