***Mature themes in this one. I cannot express this enough: just because a character chooses to act a certain way does not mean I agree with it or think it is acceptable behavior!
Nyx sat across from Ahsoka at a small booth at the bar on level 1315. The timing had worked out perfectly; she could mend her relationship with her boyfriend while keeping an eye out for Barriss.
Anakin was outside, waiting for Ahsoka's signal. Once she found Barriss, Anakin would go after her. Hopefully, she wouldn't blow her cover with Nyx. He still had no idea who she was, and knowing his opinion about the Jedi, she wanted to keep it that way.
She took a sip of her drink. It occurred to her that she had never asked exactly what it was he did for work. Or if she had, she didn't remember.
"What was your project?" she asked.
"A presentation, of sorts," he said. "About some of the research I've been doing. I had to run some errands yesterday, so it's a good thing you left."
"What kind of errands?" She got the sense he wasn't telling the whole truth, and she really hoped that "errands" didn't mean something else. He was furious with her when he found out she had kissed Lux, and to think that he could've been doing the same thing behind her back didn't sit well with her.
"I had to pick some stuff up on Myrkr and deliver it to my boss in person."
"Oh," she said. She knew he wouldn't want her to press further, so she let the subject drop.
"Where have you been all day?" he asked. "I stopped by the shop, but it was closed."
The shop had been closed for a while now. Ahsoka didn't have time to worry about fixing speeders until Barriss was off the streets and behind bars. "I was actually at a funeral today," she said.
He raised an eyebrow. "That had to suck. Who died?"
That wasn't very considerate of him, but she didn't say anything about it. "A good friend's brother. He's taking it pretty hard."
"That's tough," he said. "Did you know him well? His brother?"
She shook her head. "I met him, but we weren't close or anything."
"That's good, right? Less sad for you, anyway."
"I suppose. I'm really worried for my friend, though. He's lost his entire family now to murder, one way or another. His life hasn't been easy. He carries a lot of anger in him, and when it gets to his head, he doesn't think clearly. I don't want him to blow up and do something he'll regret like he did when his mother died."
He ordered another round of drinks while she spoke. "Poor guy."
Ahsoka looked around the room, still not sensing Barriss's presence. It had already been at least an hour. She'd done everything Barriss wanted, and if this turned out to be a wild Bantha chase, Ahsoka was going to be very mad.
She glanced around. There wasn't anyone that looked like it could be her.
"You looking for someone?" Nyx asked.
"Not exactly," she lied.
He shrugged and scooted over in his seat, gesturing for her to sit beside him. She slid out of her seat and sat next to him. It sacrificed her view a little bit, but she could still sense if Barriss came.
His arm crept around her waist, pulling her closer. "You seem... tense today."
"Do I?" she said, forcing her attention back to the present.
"Yeah. What's on your mind?"
She didn't know how much to tell him about the case or what she'd been up to, but it was comforting to see that he cared that she was upset. "There's just a lot going on right now. I've been helping out an old friend with some things lately, and it's been stressful."
"I understand," he said. "Maybe it would help if you stayed at my place instead of that other awful apartment you have. It's gotta be more comfortable sleeping in a real bed than that lousy excuse for a mattress you have."
She hadn't told him that she moved in with Anakin, so he was under the assumption that she still lived in the small junky apartment. While she appreciated the offer, there was no way she was going to move out of the Amidala-Skywalker apartment. "Thanks, Nyx, but I think I'll stay where I am for right now. Moving in the middle of everything seems like a lot."
"Come on, you can't have that much to move. Your place is pretty small. Seriously, I have a ton of room for you."
"Really, I'll be okay." She hadn't ever moved in with a boy before, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that step yet.
He smirked. "Your loss, then."
He bent his face closer to hers, and she could smell the alcohol in his breath. He brushed his lips across her jaw, his hand cupping the back of her neck.
She didn't stop him as he brought his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. His breathing was hot and hard, his touch possessive. Her hands sunk into his hair as she slid into his lap as best she could without bumping the table. She kissed him hard, opening her mouth against his.
Kissing Nyx wasn't like kissing Lux. Everything about Lux was polite and proper, much like Lux himself. When Nyx kissed her, it was raw and untamed, always burning with desire. This kiss was no different.
She probably should've been paying better attention to her surroundings, but the effects of the alcohol she'd consumed were starting to take a toll on her judgement. She pulled away, realizing her mistake.
"I'm going to use the 'fresher," she said, peeling herself off of him. She needed a minute to refocus without him there to distract her.
When she came back, Nyx had ordered more drinks.
"I don't know if I can stomach another, Nyx." That was a lie. She was tipsy, sure, but she knew that she was still a few away from her limit.
"Just try this one. It's some tropical something. Thought you'd like it." He raised his glass filled with the identical drink. "It's good stuff."
She sighed and took a tip. It definitely had a fruity taste to it, and it definitely wasn't the worst-tasting thing she'd had to drink that night. "Yeah, okay, I do like it."
As they continued talking, Ahsoka was finding it harder and harder to pay attention. She had a growing headache, and the noise in the bar wasn't helping.
"You okay, Ashla?" Nyx asked. He must've noticed that something was wrong.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I think," she said. The noise around her was muddy, and it was becoming harder and harder to hear Nyx. No, something was definitely wrong with her. "Actually, on second thought, we should probably go," she said. "I don't feel well all of a sudden."
"Okay," he said. He helped her up and through the crowds of people to one of the rooms in the back. He set her down on the small cot in the corner of the room and locked the door behind them.
Ahsoka felt dizzy. What was going on? The fruity drink churned in her stomach. She thought they were going back to Nyx's place, but this was someplace new. It looked like there was another person there, too, but she couldn't tell who it was.
"Nyx, what...what are..." she trailed off. Her eyelids were heavy, and it was getting harder and harder for her to focus her eyes.
"Just a little fun before we leave, of course."
She could taste the remnants of whatever that drink was as his lips sloppily collided with hers. He pushed her back on the bed and kissed her harder. His hands gripped her body, digging into her skin.
"Stop it," she whimpered, trying to get him off of her. It wasn't that she didn't want him to kiss her; in this current moment, she knew they had both had too much to drink. She wasn't sure she even wanted to go where he wanted to take their relationship, but by the way he grabbed her wrists and held them above her head, she knew he didn't care what she thought. It was impossible for her to fight back.
"I told you we were going to celebrate!" He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the other side of the room. "So I'm gonna celebrate."
Her eyes widened with understanding. He must've slipped something in her drink, and like an idiot, she'd drank it.
"Get off of her! This wasn't the deal!" The other person in the room yelled desperately to Nyx. She could tell that the voice was female and familiar, but she was too far gone to attach it to a person she knew.
"No, it wasn't, but you're not exactly in a position to make demands right now," Nyx spat back.
At least whoever it was tried to help her. She used his momentary distraction to try to push him away again, but her arms felt heavy, like she was moving through water. "Leave me alone," she croaked as he pushed her back down to the bed. She was helpless to defend herself, and clearly the person watching them wasn't going to do anything to help.
She tried to call out to Anakin through the force. He was still waiting for her to give the signal, but she had a feeling that probably wasn't going to happen anymore.
Help, she called out weakly, hoping he would hear. Master, I need you.
Nothing. He couldn't hear her. Her heart sank as her eyes fluttered shut, knowing that she was on her own.