white noise.

Vestir Kano. 26. Zelosian. ( NAVIGATION. | rp blog )

[vestirkano]

PERSONALITY MOODBOARD | VESTIR

[vestirkano]

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin‌:

“I know better than to do a lot of things, Verehaan.” There are several instances that come to mind, and each and every one of them incites either a rush of belated panic or the desire to crawl into the ground and never resurface. “Hasn’t stopped me before. Unfortunately,” his voice lowers, words trailing off into a mumble, “Trusted you with my life and look how that turned out.” (Of course, valuable here is highly debatable. But in any case, the chances of him revoking that trust are low at best, regardless. Of everything. He’d do it again—will do it again.)

Aerith twines and untwines the cord around his finger, rhythmic, methodic, as he turns over the idea of a few weeks to themselves. And though it may not be under the most ideal circumstances this time, these chances to breathe, to really take in journey and the destination bring him back to a night on Jedha, cold and dark as ever. Promises of I’ll do what you ask of me, I won’t get in your way, it won’t be forever. The start of a search for something beyond the life he’d fallen into. A hushed laugh sounds at the memory, abrupt.

“Where are you taking us in the meantime?”

He holds back the “your funeral” response that almost came out as a knee jerk reflex. If Aerith wasn’t so obstinate, he wouldn’t be as fun to be around. Vestir will never open those floodgates and admit it out loud. He gets enough shit from his companion for the minor shit he does on a daily basis. 

He leans back in his chair; his leg unintentionally bumping into Aerith’s. “You’re annoyingly unstoppable sometimes. I’ll give you that, Aer,” he says, trying to buy himself time to answer the question. He drums his fingertips against the table.

He has no fucking idea where to go. There are still territory disputes and skirmishes while the Sith lords are on their conquests. The Mid Rim worlds may be less risky. He still had contacts on Bothawui who can help tell him where it’s safe to travel and take jobs. Technically, it remains as neutral ground as far as he knows. “How ‘bout Bothawui again? It’s not that far away and I think you’ll like Drev’starn. We didn’t have time to explore the city last time we landed there.”

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin‌:

“Was wondering how long you planned on holding onto that. I could feel it on you.” It is ever-familiar, thrumming low and dull, a song he’s known so long, he can’t remember not knowing it. There is another there—familiar, yes, but less so. They intertwine easily, harmonize. Across entire star systems, he’d felt it, known it, if only for a fraction of a fraction of a second. “Creepy, right?” A small smile etches itself into the corner of his mouth.

Aerith takes the crystal from him. And it is near-instantaneous the wave of calm that spreads through his veins. The kyber is warm as he turns it over in his hands, fingertips dragging over its raw edges. It breathes the faintest glow. “If I were to let anyone keep it, it’d be you. You know kyber screams when it doesn’t belong to you? And yet it’s never done that in your hands. Thank you for looking after it.”

Aerith speaks and his voice holds Vestir’s attention even if Vestir has mixed feelings about the content. He doesn’t have enough faith to completely believe Aerith. He doesn’t know enough to dismiss the kyber factoid either. The people he’s met from one end of the universe to the other all share the same opinion about him. If this crystal is actually sentient, why would it be an exception? 

“You know better than to trust me with valuable items,” he reminds. The fact that it’s returned in one piece now doesn’t mean much. The thought to sell it crossed his mind right before he took on odd jobs. Several times. If he believes in the crystal’s properties, he’d say it scared him out of following through. At the edge of the temptation, he felt the fear behind the possibility of Aerith not coming back with Vestir to the ship if he found out. 

His stare travels from the crystal back to its owner. “This ship drains less fuel than the last one. We’re not in need for more credits any time soon. I’m still pretty exhausted. Probably won’t take a new job for a few weeks so I can recover.” 

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin‌:

Aerith leans forward now, elbow against the table, chin resting in the palm of his hand. The fingers of his other tap idly against the surface. He mirrors Vestir’s expression more out of habit than intent—eyebrow quirking, Aerith meets his eyes for as long as Vestir will allow.

“Then I’m a mark now? Exciting. Too bad there were no credits in it for you at the end, yeah? He reaches out, stilling Vestir’s cup. Drags it toward himself for no other reason than to “spite” his companion. “All you wound up with is me.”

“Obnoxious,” he chuckles dryly. Vestir barely recognizes this ship without its dead droning and cold draft now that Aerith is with him. The aspects that vexed him are easily ignored now.

“I hate jobs that don’t pay but I guess I made an exception.” Before the cup gets too far out of reach, he snaps forward and stops its movement by pressing his hand over Aerith’s. “Thievery suits me much better.” Aerith should consider himself lucky since Vestir hasn’t stolen anything from him yet. In that moment, that thought jolts a realization that causes him to pull his hand back.

He fumbles with digging his fingers underneath his collar. Once he found the thin cord around his neck, he pulls it out and over his head. He presents it before Aerith. The cord is securely wrapped and tied to a metal clasp around a kyber crystal. “I also hate giving things back but here. This is yours.”

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin‌:

”Oh, is he now? Forgive me; I must have missed the memo.” He drives a playful kick, barely a nudge, into Vestir’s shin. His eyes narrow. “Don’t test me,” he says.

But with a slight shake of his head, Aerith’s demeanor shifts. His expression softens, his posture, too. 

Getting Vestir to admit to anything that tells of vulnerability is like pulling teeth, and he is no stranger—has resigned himself—to this fact. Their time apart did not change that. Especially now that they’ve settled back into each other’s rhythms. That doesn’t stop him from at least trying to get what he wants.

“So when you went on an aimless hunt across the galaxy, that was solely for my respect? You have it. You know that.”

Vestir’s left brow quirks up. In midst of their banter, he can hear Aerith’s sincerity adding weight to his words. He stops spinning his tea cup and glances up. That type of sincerity is supposed to inspire listeners to mirror it. Vestir runs his tongue behind the edge of his teeth, knowing he isn’t going to rise up to the challenge. 

“Could’ve fooled me,” he says without an ounce of truth in his voice. He returns to spinning his cup with his index finger. “It wasn’t aimless. You know there’s a method to what I do. That’s why I’ll always find a mark. It’s unacceptable for me to lose a mark.”  

Behind every mention of “a mark,” the word “you” lingers on his breath. He exhales slowly and shifts in his seat.  

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin‌:

“If this dream doppleganger is anything like his real-life counterpart, yeah. Or is he also suddenly hot shit?” Aerith bites back the smile the threatens to break out, maintaining a neutral expression.

“We don’t have to start criticizing my tea brewing methods to divert from the fact that you need me. You can admit it; it’s okay.” He follows suit, downing the rest of his own tea. And maybe Vestir is right—it errs on the side of too bitter this time. Still.

“Hey, he is hot shit,” he blurts a little too loudly, too quickly. He spends no time thinking about whether he should reign his tenacity back or not. Putting up a front for Aerith would be a futile use of time and energy. Instead, he flicks a tiny wad of his napkin at Aerith’s head.

“All I need from you is some respect while you’re awake and asleep. I don’t think I’m asking for too much.”

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin‌:

Aerith’s head cocks at the harmless threat Vestir makes in return.

“That dream doppleganger of yours sure can try. Sounds like incredibly poor planning, though; don’t you think he’d be fucking himself over?” Their knees collide beneath the table as Aerith stretches himself out, relaxing into his seat. The look he offers Vestir is a pointed one. “I mean, what’s he gonna do without me?”

Cheeky little shit. Vestir scoffs, “Oh yeah? You’re suddenly hot shit in your dreams, huh? So much that my dream doppleganger would be screwed without you.” It sounded ridiculous. He knocks his knee against Aerith’s. 

He downs the tarine tea in a final swig and scrunches his nose. “I trust your devious mind would find some way to torture him. Maybe you can start with over steeping his tea.”

[vestirkano]

“I see they haven’t killed you yet."

    「 — @nevakhan | 39__ BBY | TBD LOCATION 」

“Yeah. With no help from you. I always knew your kind were cowards but malicious? That’s disappointing.” The fact that he could speak about the incident was an improvement. He never wanted the title of a Jedi hunter that others in his profession always boasted over. But her actions brought him close to holding an open auction for her head and saber. 

“Disappointing but not surprising,” he said with disgust.

[vestirkano]

aerithlylin:

     「 — @aerithlylin | 3954 BBY | Vestir’s Ship 」 

“Yeah, Force knows I could ruin you if I wanted to at this point.”

Aerith’s gaze drops, surrendering beneath the caustic stare Vestir shoots him across the table. Instead he diverts his attention to the remnants of tea in his cup, sends it into an idle swirl. A faint laugh sits low in his throat.

“Don’t worry, Verehaan. I wouldn’t dream of it,” Aerith assures him.

These words from anybody else’s mouth would sound like a threat. Vestir knows how quickly he could spring from his seat just to press his blade against another speaker’s throat. With Aerith, Vestir remains where he is. His hand covers up the soft lift of the corner of his mouth. 

“I can’t promise my dream doppleganger wouldn’t kill you if you do dare to dream of it. I’d be powerless to save you, Aer.” He shrugs nonchalantly. 

[vestirkano]

“Watch your back. And your front. And the rest of it, too.”

    「 — @tenordo | 39__ BBY | TBD LOCATION 」

Vestir snorts. “Just because I called your gun by the wrong name doesn’t mean I’m a rookie. I know.” It’s both familiar and strange. He expects his old team to be right behind him if he turns his head. Clasps and straps would be undone and done again as Kal adjusts his armor. Fixer clacks away on some buttons, doing his nerdy slicer thing. But the room remains silent.

He glances at his new (and temporary) partner. “Would it make you feel better if we go over the game plan again?”

[nm-6]

got caught giving a fuck. embarrassing.

[vestirkano]

smerks

“The fuck do you want? Don’t ever look at me again.”

[vestirkano]

“If you’d like to go somewhere and quietly fuck yourself, I’ll be waiting patiently for your return.” ( from liora )

    「 — @lioravirai​ | 3954 BBY | Nal Hutta  」

Vestir usually doesn’t make it a point of priority to set foot on someone else’s ship and look smug. But for Liora, he does. “Just direct me to where you sleep then,” he says, looking her straight in the soulless voids of her eyes.

With Aerith already retreating back to his room, the air sits uncomfortably between Vestir and Liora. In the span of the universe, there are people who are much less skilled to keep themselves and someone else alive. Alternatively, there are also people who are much less obnoxious to be around. He glances at her out the corner of his eyes and immediately meets her hard, judgmental stare. Fuck off— He holds the remark in his mind to prevent a fight. He owes her one or whatever. 

“So, uh. Are you staying on this world for much longer?”

[sugaglos]

Visit Original Link

“ You must’ve made some kind of mistake I asked for death, but instead I’m awake The devil told me “No room for cheats" “

[actiasteeth]

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for.”

“Why me? Why now?”

“I just wanted to see what it was like. In case I die.”

“Didn’t die, I see.”

“I won’t see you for a long time, will I? I might never see you again.”

“You knew this. You chose this.”

“Never flinch. Never fear. And never, ever forget.”

“If it’s death you seek, there are easier ways to find it.”

“Not. A. Fucking. Word.”

“When all is blood, blood is all.”

“The brighter the light, the deeper the shadows.”

“It is basically your fault.”

“I can help with that. If you need it.”

“Fuck off. And take your trouble with you when you off with the fuck, _____.”

“I can kiss that better if you like.”

“Something is wrong. This is wrong.”

“That was heartless.”

“I know you not at all. And I trust you even less.”

“Apologies. Did I give the impression I was asking?”

“Shut up, you blackhearted little shit.”

“You should be dead…”

“You don’t owe me thanks.”

“You’d best grow some eyes in the back of your head, _____. You’d best start sleeping light.”

“A traitor’s just a patriot on the wrong side of winning.”

“Nothing is where you start. Own nothing. Know nothing. Be nothing.”

“Not all that is dead truly dies.”

“I can think of no finer torture than to have power absolute over all but your own.”

“Those who call the Dark… well, eventually it calls back.”

“I don’t need you worrying about me, _____. This place has danger enough to kill us both.”

“I can’t say I’m sorry to hear that.”

“You didn’t think I asked you to sneak out just because you seemed like good company, did you?”

“It may be sad. It may be wrong. But it is also true.”

“We both knew it was too good to last.”

“You will learn right and wrong have little meaning here.”

“This place gives much. But it takes more.”

“I know who I am. What I am. I’ll never forget. Never.”

“Never let your face tell a secret your lips should not.”

“… I’m not going to like it, am I?”

“I see they haven’t killed you yet.”

“Sometimes weakness is a weapon. If you’re smart enough to use it.”

“Watch your back. And your front. And the rest of it, too.”

“They will kill you, _____. Unless they break you. And then, they will kill you anyway.”

“I don’t know what to believe. I was hoping you could teach me.”

“It matters not what you are. Only that you are.”

“If you can’t hurt the ones who hurt you, sometimes hurting anyone will do.”

“If you’d like to go somewhere and quietly fuck yourself, I’ll be waiting patiently for your return.”

“Apologies. I appear to have misplaced the fucks I give for what you think…”

“Too many questions. Not enough answers.”

“Fuck you, then. Keep your secrets.”

“We’re the same, you and me.”

“The wolf does not pity the lamb. The storm begs no forgiveness of the drowned.”

“_____, I could kiss you…”

“Love makes fools of us all.”

“I don’t like being used, _____.”

“Know me so well, do you?”

“I know how you feel about me.”

“I don’t need your fucking pity, _____.”

“I want what’s best for you, don’t you see that?”

“You don’t belong here.”

“Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“Sometimes I wonder what you’re doing in a place like this, _____.”

“You never belonged here, _____. You deserve better than this.”

“Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit. You’ve got one chance to live and that’s by telling me what I want to know, understood?”

“Perhaps here is not the best place to speak of it?”

“You owe me answers. I think I’ve earned them by now.”

“I didn’t want it to be like this, _____.”

[vestirkano]

「 shots fired 」

     「 — @ixuinivix | Late 3955 BBY | Metalorn  」

Vestir should’ve pressed his contact, Gunieo, to give him a photo too. Prior to the crash, he wouldn’t let himself be this sloppy. The incident stripped him raw of his confidence, his time, and his health. He had a rusty pistol on him and a knee that still ached. Better not to push his luck so he could he conserve his strength. The excuses he made for himself formed a mask for him to wear. Anything to give him the hope that he would return to the old Vestir Kano.

The journey started with getting his hands on something more heavy duty than what he had to work with currently.

Of the people who were carrying concealed firepower on them, half were useless and named Techno Union as the manufacturer. The other half repeated led him to the canyon grounds where he nearly lost his head. He spent the rest of the day bartering with a Jawa, as one does, to get the pint-sized punk to set up a meeting for him and Trigger. The negotiation had cost him a few parts he scavenged off Jakku.

"Go to the dirt road three blocks down from the hotel.” “Stand beside boulder.” “When someone shows up, don’t speak. They’ll speak first.”

Easy enough. The winds nipped at Vestir’s skin and even penetrated through his boots. Again, the sloppiness gnawed at him. The soft crunches of gravel underneath someone’s steps was within earshot. He turned his head and his mouth dropped.

The sheer misfortune.