[Lyseil Panteer]

Lyseil nodded. It really had been a different world back then. The awkward years of early teenage woes.

"I'm glad you did too," she said as she leaned away from the kisses for now, so she could look him in the eyes as she said it. "Being together like this now, I feel so much at ease. And having talked things out, I feel... so much less nervous," she admitted perhaps a bit too much right now, but a part of her needed to get it off her chest. "Not that I was nervous or worried before, but it makes everything seems so much easier now?"

She breathed in deeply and brushed a hand over his head, still looking into his lovely grey eyes. "I've cherished all these moments with you, and I always will. And I wish you all the happiness in the world, Niall."

[Niall Organa]

Closing his eyes, Niall nodded. It was a relief for him, too, in a way. It had been wrong of him to leave her in a state of uncertainty for so long. Better for both of them to resolve it, and enjoy one last night together, free of any worry. Under the stars of their home. It seemed fitting.

He opened his eyes as Lyseil ran her hand over his head. They grew wider as they locked with her gentle amber eyes. "Lyseil..." He said, almost wonderingly. "Thank you." His hand came up to stroke her cheek. "You deserve all the happiness, too." His lips quirked. "I'm not sure that Aly and I have a future, but if we don't, at least I know I can be happy, so long as I find someone half as amazing as you." His lips quirked. "A challenge, to be sure. But it's a big galaxy."

Niall leaned forward, his lips seeking hers with the same gentle passion as before. He knew they didn't have many kisses left. And so, he savored this one, every touch, every breath, every taste. There would be no regrets, not if they made the most of their remaining time.

[Lyseil Panteer]

"If she is someone you've fallen for, Niall, she must be an amazing woman. I am hundred percent certain of that!" Lyseil added with her natural exuberance, but with complete honesty as well. Niall would never fall for someone who wasn't deserving of his affection and love! "I hope I can meet her some day." In truth, she hoped she could be Alysele's friend too as much as Niall's.

As their lips met again with eagerness, she hugged him closely in a warm embrace. She loved Niall dearly, but with that love she also knew that it had to come with doing what was best for him, and her. For his happiness and her own. And so she kissed him again, each time with affection and care. Even pausing a little to rub her nose against his.

"There's been so many times I wanted to kiss you like this the past weeks... I'm glad I get to do it now."

[Niall Organa]

Niall laughed softly between the kisses, one after the other, returning them as eagerly as she gave them. There was no denying the joy that Lyseil brought him. It was not the same as the love he felt for Aly, but really, no other word would do. He grinned as she rubbed her nose against his, his grey eyes bright in the starlight.

"I'm sorry I made you wait so long." He murmured, breathing roughly, tilting his head up as she kissed his chin, his neck. "I very much want to make up for lost time." Past, and future; the kisses they might have shared, if things were different. Niall's passion grew, his lips parting as his arms wrapped around Lyseil, easing them both down. For a time, no more words were shared.

/fadetomakingout

..........

/fbi

Lying on his back, Niall looked up at the ceiling. Or, if he could pretend, the Alderaanian night sky. He breathed in and out slowly, his chest rising and falling. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, as one kiss had flowed into the next, and the next, but he found himself content now.

"Have you ever done this for real before?" He asked, his voice soft. "Lay out on a blanket beneath these stars?"

[Lyseil Panteer]

"Mm," Lyseil snuggled up into the corner of Niall's arm. Her lips felt warm and a little raw, but it was a nice sensation, just like how she could feel her face and neck flushed in red too. "A couple of times, but never like this. With a guy, I mean." She chuckled as she shifted in her position to better see the 'stars' above, her skirt revealing a bit of her legs as she did. "First time with these kind of stars," came the teasing remark.

"But it's lovely. Really-really. All of this." Sadly there wasn't too much left of the mystery alcohol though. Her hand sought his, and when she found it, her fingers delicately intertwined with his. "No one's ever done something like this for me."

[Niall Organa]

Niall murmured pleasantly as Lyseil snuggled against him, his arm cuddling around her. "I have, many times. It's something I loved to do, during summers at the lake house. It would be warm for hours and hours. You could look up at the stars, imagine all the places you could go..."

He smiled as her hand found his, squeezing it as their fingers entwined. "Sometimes it was with someone. I watched the stars with Luth once." The memory was not quite as pleasant, now. "And with Aly, quite often as children." He turned his head, kissing the top of Lyseil's head. "But this is the first time I've ever done something like this, too. You're special, Lyseil."

"You want to do the real thing sometime?" He asked. "Things will be different. But it'd still be nice." He suspected that even after this part of their relationship ended, they'd remain very good friends, after all. His lips quirked. "Besides, I still haven't seen you in a swimsuit, you know." He shifted, letting his leg brush against hers.

[Lyseil Panteer]

"Hmm... I'd like that, yes."

At the swimsuit comment, she squirmed a little sheepishly. "Ah... right... hmm... I suppose it is unfair that I have seen you in that tight swimsuit," Lyseil giggled softly, "especially with the pictu--- I mean, I can send you a picture of me in a swimsuit!"

GAH! WHAT DID i JUST SAY?!

[Niall Organa]

"It is a little unfair." Niall's tone was teasing, but his forehead creased as his mind caught up with the rest of what she said. "Wait... what?" He frowned, thinking about that. He remembered her fiddling with her datapad while he wore the swimsuit. And he remembered her swiping past something on her datapad awfully fast.

Niall shifted a little, the better to bring his face in line with Lyseil's. A smile was on his lips, and his eyebrows were raised. "Why, Lyseil Panteer." He said, nudging her with his legs again. "It rather sounds as though you have something to confess to me."

[Lyseil Panteer]

Lyseil shook her head, laughing. Goodness, how was she going to say this?!

"I... kinda took pictures of you in that swimswuit...?" she said with much embarrassement, her voice rising a few pitches near the end of the confession, before falling into another laugh. "Sorry. You looked so good in it... and well... guess the drinks made me a little bolder."

[Niall Organa]

Niall groaned, shaking his head, even as he laughed. "Oh, Lyseil." He said, shaking his head. "Oh my. I had no idea. How could you?" He broke into laughter, his body shaking against hers, unable to stop until he kissed her again, a laughing shuddering sort of kiss.

He sighed as they parted. "Well. I can't blame you. I..." He smirked at her. "I can't say I would have done the same. I am a gentleman after all." He nudged her playfully. "But believe me, I'd have appreciated the sight, if our positions were reversed."

"Besides..." He sighed. "The drinks made me bolder, too. I... kinda wanted you to see me. It was nice, the way you looked at me." A mild pang, then; his hand tightened on hers reflexively.

[Lyseil Panteer]

As he laughed, she joined in too. It was all silly and... they were both probably a little drunk by now. Eventually her laughter subsided too, after they exchanged a few brief kisses.

Lyseil gasped dramatically. "I didn't take you for such an exhibitionist, Niall Organa!" She almost broke into another bout of laughter. "I... did like it. I mean, I wouldn't have taken a picture if I didn't." A small snicker.

"So I suppose it's only fair if you get pictures of me in a swimsuit in return...?"

[Niall Organa]

The teasing managed to make Niall blush. "Not... generally, I'm not." He said, chuckling, burying his face in her hair. "That was a special occasion. I'd had a fair amount of alcohol." Not quite as much as he'd had now, he thought. "And the attention was rather flattering."

The question did give him brief pause, but after a few moments of consideration, he smiled. "That is only fair." He said, smiling. "And the Panteer family is nothing if not fair, right?"

The smile grew, just a little. "Besides, I would rather like to see you in a swimsuit. I've noticed that you have very nice legs, you know." His free hand reached down, teasingly brushing bare skin; not for the first time, of course. Their make-out session had gotten rather expansive.

[Lyseil Panteer]

"You did seem like you were enjoying yourself," she giggled, and began to mimic his voice, repeating what he had said while trying it on: "It feels rather... tight." Of course, that spurred on another bout of giggling, even more so when he teased the skin on her legs.

"A Panteer always repay their debts, yes-yes," Lyseil snickered and playfully pinched his thigh. "You'll probably cut the more striking figure in that swimsuit calendar, though. As you already have that poster-boy look nailed down."

[Niall Organa]

The imitation quite nearly made Niall snort with laughter. "In retrospect, I can't quite believe I said that." Niall said. "But, again, the alcohol. And, well, there was this girl I was rather interested in, there. That can make a big difference to a man, you know."

His eyes widened as she pinched his thigh; his fingers briefly teased hers in return before settling warmly on her skin, squeezing gently. "Mmm. I suppose I do have the posters, yes." His lips quirked. "Don't sell yourself short though, Lyseil." His tone was playful, but his grey eyes were intent. "Do you not realize how lovely you are? The way your eyes catch the light. The way your hair moves when you turn your head. The way you can brighten a whole room with your smile." His voice had dropped almost to a whisper. For a few moments, he was silent, holding her.

Niall smiled. "And that's all without seeing you in a swimsuit. Hmmm. If other people didn't use my datapad from time to time, I could set that image to my background."

[Lyseil Panteer]

"So that's what guys want girls they're interested in to hear," she snickered and took a deep breath to avoid another bout of laughter.

His praise and flattering words made her quiet. And embarrassed; she was still getting used to that kind of attention.

"Mmm... I'm flattered, and glad, that you think so. I get too caught up in the flaws about me I don't like. But please! Do not put a picture like that as your background! Not even I did that with the one I took of you!"

[Niall Organa]

To the first... Niall reddened, but otherwise decided to let it pass.

For the latter... chuckling softly, Niall leaned forward again, kissing her gently, tenderly, a kiss to ease her fears. "I won't. I promise." He said softly. "I would never risk your dignity like that, I assure you."

He cuddled her against him once more, gently easing her into his arms. "Do you really?" He asked softly. "Get caught up in your flaws? I had no idea. I suppose that can be the sort of thing it's easier to see in oneself than others." He gave her hand a tiny squeeze. "But remember. I like your hands."

[Lyseil Panteer]

"Thank you." Phew, that was a relief.

Saying that he liked her hands, she chuckled warmly and brushed her nose against his before giving him a small kiss. "And thank you. I'm glad you like them... Maybe I'm just being overly aware these days when I see these tough soldier women in great shape, especially the Mandalorians." In truth she was a little jealous of Sabine there. "I don't have much muscles to speak of, and I'm kind of weak and wimpy. Except my thighs... feels like everything I eat go straight there." And by everything she meant all the sweets and the pastries and all the other stuff that turned up in the command's office that made it look like a scene out of a police movie.

But at least she was being open about it, with a positive attitude still. They were sharing so much tonight she didn't mind telling him her weaker sides.

[Niall Organa]

"Mmm." Niall murmured softly. "I see." He chewed his lip thoughtfully for a few moments before giving Lyseil a smile. "Would it surprise you to hear that I feel the same way sometimes?"

He looked down at himself. His shirt was thin enough and tight enough that the lines his off well-developed musculature could be distinguished. He looked back up at her. "I'm the officer in charge of a unit of Mandalorians. There aren't many in the unit that I can outshoot. There's not a one that can't throw me around the room. And they respect strength more than anything else." He sighed. "Sometimes next to them I feel so hopeless as a soldier. And I'm their leader."

This time, he gave her a small kiss. "Not everyone needs to be a weapon. Nor should they be. You're brave, and you push yourself. Hard." He thought back to when she had been shot, a brief shudder passing through him. "That's enough."

His lips quirked then. "Besides," he murmured. "I rather like your thighs." His hand slid down her form to give her thigh a pinch this time.

[Lyseil Panteer]

The distinguished form of his athletic figure was something she had noticed. And did enjoy.

"Ah... I had almost forgotten for a moment there that you do have Mandalorians who follow your command." She could understand where he was coming from there. "I suppose they see your strength in that you're a good leader, Niall. You know when to trust others, when to delegate, and when to take command and make decisions." Lyseil wasn't thinking back at that particular incident right now. "I don't know how to do stuff like that myself."

The pinch made her squeak, before giggling. "Aha... no, I'm ticklish!"

[Niall Organa]

"It's true. I have other strengths. I do recognize that." He flashed her a quick smile. "I hope you recognize yours, Doctor Panteer." He punctuated the statement with a quick kiss. "Or soon to be. But I hope you take my meaning, regardless."

The squeak followed by the giggle, made Niall smile, his eyes narrowing wickedly. "Oh, you are, are you? Would you say..." His fingers pinched again, playfully. "-this is where you're most ticklish? Or perhaps here?" His hand evaded hers, dancing playfully up her flanks before crossing to her stomach. "Or maybe..."

Grinning, he let his hands move over her figure, tickling and teasing as they went.

[Lyseil Panteer]

"Noooo~!" Lyseil laughed as Niall pinched and teased her ticklish parts, especially the flanks where particularly weak to his attacks. At some point she stopped trying to stop him since he always managed to slip away, and began to retaliate instead!

[Niall Organa]

Niall was not quite so ticklish as Lyseil was, but he was far from immune to it. "Lyseil..." He gasped, his words cutting off in a wave of laughter. "That's, you, hey!" His dignity made him more vulnerable, in a way; Captain Alderaan did not collapse in a fit of giggles, after all. And so he mixed defense with offense, trying to fend her off while still teasing her vulnerable flanks.

Eventually, desperate measured needed to be taken. Niall did his best to pin Lyseil's hands to her sides. He pulled her tightly against him, even as his body still shook, waves of residual laughter passing through his body.

"Shall we call it.." Niall gasped out, his breath trembling, voice muffled by her hair. "-a draw?"

[Lyseil Panteer]

Lyseil was gasping for air as the tickling finally subsided, between brief aftermaths of the laughter. She was pinned, but at least the tickling had stopped.

"Yes..." she chuckled, "but I want it on the record that you started it."

Chuckling again, she squirmed in his grasp to be released.

[Niall Organa]

It was easy to tell the difference between ticklish squirming and squirming to get away; as soon as Niall felt the latter, he let Lyseil go. He rolled onto his back, still laughing softly.

"Very well." He breathed. "I admit it." He turned his head towards her, grinning. "I couldn't help it. When you said you were ticklish, something came over me. Call it my commander's instinct, maybe. Exploiting a tactical opportunity."

His grin softened a little, his eyes growing fond. "I don't often laugh like this, you know. Hardly ever, in fact."

[Lyseil Panteer]

"Who would've thought Captain Alderaan would take advantage of a poor lady in such a situation?!" she exclaimed dramatically before falling into another fit of giggling. Lyseil dabbed away the tears from laughing too much as she took a deep breath.

"Hmm? Really-really? You should laugh more, Niall. It's good for you!"