Fortress Vader

Sixteen - Ardor

"How wildly inappropriate," I say with a grin, not feeling uncomfortable. I don't know if it's because I can't see his face or if he just has a likable personality.

"Eh, you won't see me again, I'm not worried about your fire anymore."

"That makes me a little sad, Lieutenant," I say with a sly smile.

"I suppose I could help you get laid."

I shake my head and stand. "I don't need help, thank you." I have the urge to playfully shove him.

"So you have a fuck buddy, or a boyfriend then?" I stop and cock my head at him. I'm aware he's overstepping, but I have more pressing concerns.

"Fuck buddy?"

"Yeah, like uh, coworkers with benefits. Since you're stuck here."

My face burns red and I cast my eyes down. I'm stuck here, Yellow Eyes isn't. For the first time, I imagine him with other women and damnit, it hurts.

"Oh, so boyfriend," he says, noticing my struggle, apparently.

I shake my head quickly. "No."

"But you look like you just realized something awful." The thought was so sudden and shocking I guess I couldn't hide it.

"Why are you prying?" I ask with a mock commander's stance.

He chuckles. "I'm helping you work through your thoughts. I take it you do not share with your security team."

"Not really, but there isn't much to share."

"Sure there is. Come on, I'm a guy. Ask me a question. Let me help you." The desire to smile is strong. Something about this guy makes me comfortable.

"This is weird."

"Yeah, so?"

I chew on my lip while I think about it. "Do guys, do they need sex like every day?"

"Uh...I mean they do not need it, no," he says dryly. Even through the helmet, I can hear his dripping tone.

"Want it?" I clarify.

"Sex? Not necessarily. To come? Preferably." I drop my head in my hands to hide my red cheeks.

"Stars," I mumble.

"You asked. Why, is someone asking too much of you?" He laughs at the thought.

"No. I'm not with anyone, I'm thinking about the past. I had wanted to be good enough. To be the one he went to when he needed something. But he could get what I offered from anyone, anywhere." I don't know why I'm admitting this, but I need to talk about it, I suppose. Maybe because I won't see him again, I feel he's my best option.

"And you're wondering if you should have offered more?" he asks, his voice dry and suddenly a bit cold.

"That wasn't an option, I don't think. No," I mumble and tug at my collar. "I think I'm just feeling the jealousy," I scrunch up my nose at the word. "But it's ridiculous because he was never mine. It's just, picturing someone you're into with their hands on another person is incredibly uncomfortable. Kind of irritating my brain would conjure it up at all."

"Well you say he wasn't yours, but were you his?"

"Yes."

"I meant were your hands around other people."

I look at him, giving him a skeptical, almost horrified look.

"No. I think he would have killed me."