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“What do I have to do?” Zekk said between clenched teeth. He had tried everything to make her see that he could protect her. He could love her and treat her right, not abandon her and break her heart like Fel did.Jaina shook her head, her long hair falling in front of her face and concealing her guilty eyes. Those beautiful eyes that Zekk could drown in if only she’d let him. They weren’t supposed to be here. The council had advised them to spend time apart to ensure that their Killik bond would dissipate. But he’d been lonely without her, the only joy he felt recently was when she’d accepted his invitation to meet up.Everything was planned to a tee. He’d reserved a table at a nice restaurant, he’d picked her up in the nicest car he could afford to rent and even blew his savings on the expensive piece of jewellery sitting on the table between them. But when he’d asked her to be his, she’d said no. Again.“Will you at least say something?” He pleaded with her while trying to ensure his voice didn’t carry over to the other guests at the restaurant. He at least still had his pride.“What do you want me to say?” Jaina finally looked up at him, a fire blazing in her eyes. While he wasn’t as connected to her as he had been in the months before, he knew that she was simply channeling her sadness into rage.“I want you to talk to me,” Zekk said, softening his voice to let her know he wasn’t on the offence.Jaina snorted, releasing a world of bitterness with it. “Oh, you just want me to talk? How’s this?”As if to make her point, she picked up the velvet box which housed the necklace he had spent a fortune on. The precious stone at the centre of it all glistened as she glared at it. She looked at it as if it were the plague. His heart sunk even further than before.“I don’t want to be with you. I don’t want to date you. I don’t want to date anyone,” Jaina started, unable to meet his gaze. “I’ve told you this before and yet you keep pestering me about it and, honestly, at this point I don’t know what else to do or say to make you understand that.”Zekk shook his head, “That’s not true?”“Who are you to say that?” She scowled at him.“You still love him,” Zekk told her simply, “I know because I felt it for myself.”Her brows furrowed as she finally looked at him, “What?”“Jag. You still love him.”She blinked, once, twice. A wave of anger washed over him as she seethed. The knuckles of her hand turned white around its grip on the box. He almost regretted saying it.But Jaina didn’t say anything else. She put the box down gently and slid it towards him as she breathed a deep sigh. Then she got up and left. He didn’t go after her.It wasn’t how he wanted the night to end, but he should have predicted this. It didn’t matter what he did or how much he tried to improve. She would never want him because she wanted someone else, someone else that she couldn’t have. He understood her deep desires more than he understood his own. He experienced it as if it were him. He felt every kiss, every caress, every touch that she received simply because she dreamt about it enough. And in those dreams, Zekk knew what it was like to be with Jagged Fel. He knew what it was like to be caught in his embrace, to be carried away with love. She made it hard for him not to. Even now when he was longer connected to her, he was cursed with the memories that she had unknowingly shared with him. The feelings that were shared with him.So, he tried his best to change those memories. To make her- and himself- forget about Jagged Fel. He had hoped the pilot’s disappearance would make that easier, but it seemed that neither he nor Jaina were going to be freed any time soon.“Stang,” Zekk cursed to himself, no longer caring about upsetting the other patrons. If he couldn’t make Jaina change her mind about Fel then he’d have to do something himself. Fine then, he’d give her what she asked for. He’d stop trying and stay away from her like the council wanted, and he’d get over her- and Jagged Fel- himself.-
Legacy of the Force, Exile
Jaina stormed into the training room, walking briskly past him as she went to choose a practice saber from the rack. They had planned to spar this evening before she had been called to a meeting by the grandmaster himself. Neither of them knew what it was about but Zekk had to assume that it must have been something she didn’t want to talk about.“Let’s get started then,” He said, raising his saber towards her in an gesture of invitation.She lunged at him without warning, their blades crashing together as he deflected her attack. He sensed her leg coming up for a disabling kick but he misjudged its target as she instead swept his right leg, leaving him off balance as she pointed the tip of the blade in his face. He fell to one knee, concealing his embarrassment as she had beaten him in mere seconds.“Alright, alright, you mean business,” Zekk said with a comforting chuckle. “I’ll take this more seriously.”Jaina looked a little puzzled, as if she hadn’t been thinking about him all. “We have a new mission.”“Oh,” Zekk raised a brow, “You weren’t planning to tell me this before we sparred?”She ignored his sarcasm. “We’ll be searching for Alema Rar.”He frowned. Alema’s troubles were a sore point for him. It could have been any of them going down the path that she was on. It wasn’t really her fault either. Her sanity had abandoned her, leaving her only with the dark side and the remnants of the Killik Hive Mind.“Okay,” Zekk said as he stood up, towering over her diminutive form. “Why would that upset you?”The fire in her eyes dimmed, and through the Force he felt guilt rise to the surface of her aura. “Jag is alive.”Eyes widening, Zekk couldn’t contain his shock. “He is? So he just deliberately didn’t answer any of your calls.”“No,” She shook her head, finally deactivating her blade. It seemed all the fight in her had disappeared once she allowed guilt to wash over her. “He was stranded on Tenupe all that time. For two whole years, he was there and I never tried to find him.”“That’s not your fault. The chiss wouldn’t give us an update on anything related to his situation.”“It doesn’t matter,” She sighed, sitting in a cross-legged position on the training mat. “Anyway, he was eventually found by his family.”Zekk mimicked her position, “That’s good news. What does this have to do with Alema?”“They exiled him,” She said with a great deal of pain seeping through, “He has nothing now. No family, no position, no support.”The old him would have been elated at the news. He would have rejoiced that his competition had been knocked off his high horse and forced to be just like him. Zekk had no name, no family, no wealth. He had become who he was by hard work. He should have been happy that Fel would have to learn that so late in life.But he wasn’t the old Zekk. He was the Zekk who had vivid memories of Jag Fel’s love who couldn’t help but feel the same kind of guilt that Jaina felt. It wasn’t fair at all.“That’s…harsh. Was it because of Lowbacca?”Jaina nodded. “And us. It happened because we made a promise to him, one that we couldn’t keep.”“Don’t blame yourself, Jaina,” Zekk sighed, resisting the instinct to lay a hand on hers. She always rejected any affection from him even though he had sworn to her that his feelings for her were in the past. Which was true. He just didn’t know how to get rid of the very unwanted feelings she had transferred to him.“Regardless of who’s to blame, you better get used to accepting and dishing some out,” Jaina commented dryly.“Uh, why?”“Because Jag’s the one running this mission.”Shaking his head, “No, wait-““He is,” Jaina interrupted him. “It’s his last assignment by his clan and Uncle Luke has already agreed to help him out. By assigning us to working with him.”No, no, no. His mind raced at the possibilities. Jaina didn’t need him back in her life confusing her. She didn’t need to be burdened by any more guilt. And he didn’t need to be reminded of the memories that he’d worked so hard to forget.It wasn’t fair at all.-He had to applaud himself for sleeping that night. After what he’d learned, he expected to be bombarded with dreams about trips to Mon Cal, conference room trysts, and a teary eyed breakup under the Hapan Sun. Instead, he slept without incident just as he’d managed to do for years.That was until he’d reached out to Jaina in the room next to his. He couldn’t see her dreams exactly, but he knew that she was dreaming about him. He knew what it felt like to dream about him. Usually, he’d have woken her up and reminded her about the meeting, but he didn’t want to disturb her peace. And the dream she was having, definitely felt peaceful.He’d gotten dressed in his usual Jedi garb and made his way to the conference room where they were supposed to meet. On the way, he’d swallowed down the embarrassment that threatened to show on his face, reminding himself that it wasn’t his feelings- they were Jaina’s.The door slid open, revealing the man plaguing them both. He looked different from how he remembered. His hair had grown longer to frame his face, a change from the short cropped style he was used to. He also had grown a full beard that Zekk had noted to be kept neat. The man stood to greet him, his face was impassive as usual but his green eyes were piercing in a way that made Zekk want to look away.“Jedi Zekk,” Jag said curtly, holding out a hand for him to shake. So, he was going to play this cordially.“Jagged Fel,” Zekk replied in the same dull tone that Jag had given him. He stretched out his own arm to meet the other’s man. But then their hands touched and it felt like a spark of electricity had rushed through him. As they exchanged a firm shake, Zekk realised that this was the skin that Jaina missed so much. This was the grip that Jaina yearned for. Which meant that he now had a tactile memory to match the rest.“I assume Jaina is right behind you,” Jag commented, not letting even the smallest emotion show on his face.He shrugged. “No, actually. I left her still sleeping.”Jag checked his chrono and frowned, “Well then, she’s late.”“Okay, so?”“So, she shows yet again a disregard for not only the mission but for us. It’s basic decency.”“Oh, relax.” Zekk said with a roll of his eyes, “You aren’t in the military anymore.”That seemed to get a reaction out of him. Fel’s eyes hardened and he could be seen visibly swallowing his anger. “You’re right. Forgive me for caring about the mission.”“I won’t,” Zekk said defiantly. He wasn’t sure what was taking over him, but he had an overwhelming urge to argue with him. “Because it has nothing to do with the mission. You just want to get one over Jaina.”“Really,” Jag wondered aloud, “Is that what you think?”“Yes. If you really cared about the mission, you’d set your bitterness aside and brief your new mission partner. Instead you want to whine about her being late.” Zekk took a step forward, delight bubbling up into him when he noticed their sizable height difference.Jag didn’t shrink, but he did compose himself once more. “In that case, forgive me for not keeping my bitterness in check.”Zekk was surprised that he didn’t take him on further. But he could tell that Fel wanted to be anywhere but here. He wanted nothing to do with Jaina and that included Zekk. It brought a smile to his face to know people saw them as a package deal.“Morning,” A soft voice said before he could reply. Zekk was surprised he hadn’t heard or sensed her come in.Jaina was dressed in her brown robes, her hair still messy from the night before as if she’d rushed to get here as soon as she woke up. Usually, she’d take five minutes to do a simple braid. Instead, it looked as if she’d run a brush through it no more than twice before making her way down. She was still so beautiful though, her hair had grown past her clavicles and the ends sat comfortably past her chest. She looked like a goddess almost, at least she might be mistaken for one had she not put on the drab uniform that most Jedi wore while on duty.Beside him, he didn’t know what Fel was thinking, but he had an inkling that he felt the same.“Sorry for being late,” Jaina said more confidently this time, her eyes on Jag’s. “I overslept.”He simply nodded, “It’s not a problem.”Liar, Zekk thought but didn’t say anything else. They each took a seat and proceeded to listen to the plans that Jag had already drawn up. Jaina added her piece, explaining to him any parts that he missed out on.“We’re going to get an office,” Jag said once they’d ironed out some details. “Just a small space to house any equipment and for us to get any work done.”“Nice,” Zekk commented, “Are you giving us office hours too? Do we have to be there at the crack of dawn every morning?”Jaina frowned at his tone. She had asked him not to be harsh with Jag, but he didn’t want the other man to think that he could boss them around with that chip on his shoulder.“No,” Jag replied simply. “I don’t really care what you do and where you do it as long as you show up for meetings and do your part.”“Good,” Jaina said, clapping her hands together, “I wouldn’t mind having hours but a little informality never hurt anybody.”Jag snorted, “You maybe.”She froze at his comment, unsure of how to proceed. Zekk didn’t like it. Usually Jaina would fire back mercilessly. She’d unleash the quick wit of Leia Organa and the wanton disregard of Han Solo back at him since he wanted to verbally spar. But instead she froze.So Zekk spoke up instead. “Well, we have lives to get to. I can see why you wouldn’t understand that.”“Zekk!” Jaina scolded him, “That’s not necessary at all.”“Isn’t it?” Zekk fired back as he pointed a finger at the shorter man. “So he can be shady but I can’t”“Does it fucking matter who’s shady or not?” Jaina looked away from in disgust. “As long as we accomplish the mission, I don’t care who wants to speak their mind. And you shouldn’t either.”Jag remained silent, rather amused at the exchange. It made him angrier to know that Fel enjoyed seeing her berate him.“Fine, so be it,” Zekk leaned back in his chair with arms folded across his chest. “But I’d hope you intend to give him the same lashing when he acts up.”Jaina rolled her eyes, “Okay, clearly this meeting is over and it’s time to act like children.”“Oh, please continue,” Jag said, his amusement plain on his face, “I don’t mind witnessing another lash or two.”“Not you too,” Jaina glared over at him. Her patience was growing thin.“There it is,” Jag pointed out as he stood up. “As much as I’d love to stay for me, I have work to do. Enjoy your lives, or whatever the tall fellow said.”With that he gathered his belongings, maps and datacards that he’d just been using, and left the conference room.“He’s a pain in the ass,” Zekk said.Jaina sighed. “I know.”-Fel was good for a little competition. Whether it was for exercise, coming up with the best plan or seeing who could make Jaina’s composure crack first. He didn’t mind that Jag ran the task force informally. It allowed them to get moments like this where Zekk could prove himself as the superior man.Jag was quicker with his pushups, but Zekk knew that he would have the stamina to do more sets. Jag didn’t have to Force to call on when he got tired, and Zekk felt no remorse for doing so if it meant he could outdo on this occasion.He wasn’t sure when exactly he and Jag started these little workout competitions. The office that they were assigned was mostly filled with exercise equipment so it made sense, but the goal had never been for the two of them to start this as a daily routine. One morning, he and Jaina had come into the office an hour earlier than usual and found Jag having an intense workout session. Zekk had noticed just how intently Jaina had stared at Jag’s body as he exercised and- well, yeah, Zekk knew that’s exactly why he started working out with him.But the rivalry was the part he didn’t understand. If the goal were simply to impress Jaina, why would they keep it up even when she wasn’t around?Jag had finished his set, moving to sit on the floor as he took a long swig from the water bottle he’d just opened. Zekk resolved to do another set of push-ups to prove that he could do more than Jag. But every time he lifted himself up, he was greeted with the view of Fel’s toned chest. Zekk wasn’t jealous- (maybe he was a little jealous)- but he’d found himself staring whenever he could. He’d seen Jag shirtless countless times since they started this routine, but it was like every time he felt brought back to one of the memories he’d gained all those years ago. Through Jaina’s eyes, he’d seen every inch of Jagged Fel, and had dreamt of him too many times to count. While he hardly those dreams anymore, the sight of his bare chest was enough to spark the memory- and Zekk didn’t know what do about that.“Whew,” Zekk let out a long breath as he finished his set. He grabbed the towel to his side to wipe the sweat off his forehead as he mimicked Jag’s position.“That’s odd,” Jag commented, his expression unreadable as always.“What is?”“The number of sets,” Jag said, “You did eleven sets, which is both odd in the sense that it is an odd number and that sets usually come in even numbers or numbers like three or five. Eleven is odd.”Jag was a very strange individual, Zekk mused. “Right. I’m surprised you’ve been counting my sets.”“I wasn’t,” Jag said as he stood and moved over to the pull-up bar. “But I know I did ten sets and you did an extra one after I finished mine.”So he was watching him too. “Huh, didn’t realize,” Zekk lied easily, even thought that’s exactly what happened. Jag didn’t say anymore. He made a small leap to grab hold of the bar above him. After adjusting his grip, he began to hoist himself up smoothly. Zekk’s eyes finally wandered from his chest to his arms. With this exercise, Zekk was able to fully appreciate the definition in his biceps and shoulders-“What are you staring at?”Zekk turned to his side to see Jaina had found herself beside him. He was embarrassed she’d caught him staring. “Nothing. I was just staring into space.”Jaina smiled, following the path to his previous gaze. “That isn’t like you at all.”“What would you know?” Zekk bit back before he could compose himself. He didn’t want Jaina to know the thought he was having.She looked taken aback and through the Force he could feel how his tone had hurt her. Stang.“Jeez, okay. Never mind,” Jaina said as she scooted over to put some distance between them.Zekk wanted to apologise but he didn’t want to bring it back up. Jaina had gotten into the habit of watching them workout. Her interest lay more in the view than any rivalry between them. But she wasn’t going to sacrifice an hour of sleep to see it all the way through. Instead she usually showed up at the tail end, watched for a few minutes and then got to work along with everyone else. Today though, he’d forgotten about her and let her catch him off-guard. It wouldn’t happen again.-Zekk had expected the two to fight. He’d imagined Jaina losing her composure and blasting him with a litany of curses that would put him in the place he’d deserved. But Jaina wasn’t as fiery as he’d remembered. She had grown cold, distant and numb. He supposed that helped her to subdue the reactions he knew would be bubbling up inside her.Fel had a way of being subtly antagonistic. His face gave away nothing, and neither did his tone, but he’d always have a response ready. Even just a comment that would imply that something Jaina did was incompetent or poorly done. And the worst part is that she’d just take it without complaint. Yes, he knew that guilt consumed her but he refused to believe that Jaina should subject herself to misery simply because Fel got dealt the short stick.“If you can do that by tomorrow, we’ll have smooth sailing,” Jag said. He was standing before the table at which Jaina sat in front of the schematic chart that she’d already edited twice. He pointed to the corner of the chart as he continued, “If she finds cameras here, she’ll know she’s being watched too early and leave.”Jaina gave an exasperated sigh, “I accounted for that in the first draft and you didn’t like the cameras being so far away from the entrance.”Jag shrugged. “Hmm. Can you go back to that one?”“Sure,” Jaina said through clenched teeth. “Whatever you say boss.”The tension was thick, and Zekk found himself chuckling in amusement. Jag didn’t share in his humor as the older man frowned at him. “You didn’t even attempt a draft.”Zekk shrugged. “Why would I? I wouldn’t be doing multiple drafts that accomplish the same thing just on your whim.”“Leave it alone, Zekk,” Jaina said quietly as she stood up from the chair. Sweeping the maps in front of her up into her arms, she turned to make her over to her desk. She didn’t even spare him a glance as she practically stomped by him. It frustrated him that she was so unwilling to take out some of that rage on Fel.Jag simply resigned himself to the desk that he preferred working at. Zekk kept his eyes trained on him as he asked, “Why make her do it if you know exactly how you want it done? Just do it yourself.”“If I were to do a task because I was the one who could do it the best, then you two would never have anything to do,” Jag replied with his eyes trained on the datapad before him.“Oh please,” Zekk rolled his eyes, “Give up the martyr act. If you didn’t need us then you’d have laughed in Master Skywalker’s face and went about your merry way. You can’t get to Alema Rar without Jedi.”Green eyes glanced up at him, “Is that so?”The man’s tone was laced with sarcasm, so much that Zekk wanted to smack him in the face for acting so unbothered. “She’d kill you so easily even if you could. Jaina is your best chance of killing her and you know that.”Jag was silent for a moment. “Is she?”“Yes,” Zekk doubled down, finally rising from his own seat to stand before Jag’s desk. He bent slightly at the waist so that his palms were flush with the desk top and so his eyes could be in line with Jag’s. As he looked deeply in them, he saw a flash of something soft, something that he’d seen before in his dreams.“She was practically born a jedi,” Zekk added, forcing himself to hold Jag’s steely gaze. “And despite your disdain for her, I think you know that.”At this point, Jaina had long since retreated to her corner, not caring for Zekk’s defence of her honour. She’d long grown tired of the sniping between the two men and instead chose to stick to the mission. That was exactly what Zekk hated. Jaina was never one to back down to anyone, but when it came to Jag she always let him say whatever he wanted, treat her however.“I do,” Jag agreed simply. That incensed Zekk further.“Then start acting like it,” Zekk straightened, towering over the seated man even more than usual.As Jag annoying raised his brow once more, Jaina finally spoke up, “Give it a rest, Zee. There’s not a soul more than stubborn than Jag Fel.”There was a change in both their auras. Jag was amused but also enamoured to hear Jaina hear his name. Jaina was slightly embarrassed but her words more out of adoration for the man than disdain. That was something Zekk would never be able to understand. How could two people claim to hate each other but then hold each other in such high esteem?“If it makes you feel more busy,” Jag started with his eyes once more trained on the datapad, “You can go pick up lunch.”“Oh, now I’m the delivery guy,” Zekk rolled his eyes.“Well, you’re not doing anything now, are you?”He was right. Besides, maybe some lunch would distract him from finding ways to snap at his annoying mission commander.-There was silence between them as Zekk ran out to get the food, but Jaina always found herself hyperaware whenever she was around Jag. She was getting tired of the toeing the line between wanting to throttle him and constantly feeling guilty about hurting him, but most times she ended up deferring to the latter. Deep down she knew that she’d wronged him and no matter how stubborn she was, her guilt always won over.“I’m sorry about Zekk,” Jaina said softly, breaking the silence.Jag didn’t look up as he replied. “Why are you apologising for him?”She didn’t know the answer. Perhaps because she believed Zekk was acting this way out of misguided jealousy of her past relationship with Jag. Maybe it was because she didn’t want him to defend her.“Because it’s unnecessary.”“You don’t have to do that.” Jag finally sent a glance her way, “You’re not responsible for his actions.”The same way she wasn’t responsible for Jacen’s. Or Lowbacca’s. Or anyone who else who fucked up the mercy that Jag had bestowed upon her Jedi friends during the Killik crisis. Yet, he still hated her for it. He only did it because of her.Jaina nodded, once more deferring not to argue. She would have liked to call him out too for the fights he’d pick and for the unnecessary things he’d say to her Jedi companion, but as of right now she’d prefer to disappear in air if she could. Silence fell among them once more and Jaina found herself working on her draft. She didn’t mind being ordered to to do the same thing over and over again. It took her mind off the doom and gloom that always haunted her.Jag’s deep but calming voice interrupted her peace. “I wonder if the tall one got lost.”“Hungry?” Jaina asked. She hadn’t eaten since morning but she didn’t have much of an appetite.She caught a glance of a grin spread across his face as he said, “Of course.”“That place always takes long,” Jaina reassured him, referring to the Corellian restaurant that Jag had insisted on trying.“You could have mentioned that before we ordered.” Jag leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head and shutting his eyes. She had to tear her eyes away from looking at his body. Although her mind was not set on him, she couldn’t control her heart.“I didn’t have the heart to,” Jaina answered honestly. “I wanted the Corellian stew as well.”Jag smiled softly, that same half-smile that always melted her heart. “Do you think it’s genetic?”“Hmm?”“Wanting Corellian stew,” he clarified, “It’s probably in our genes.”“That would mean you’re more tied than I am,” Jaina said with a soft laugh. Although he was raised in some kind of half-Chiss-half-Imperial combination, he was full-blooded Corellian by both lines.Jag chuckled, “That I would be. But I think Corellian genes are stronger than Aldreraanian.”“Oh?” Jaina challenged him, “But I look more like my mom than my dad, so how does that work?”“That’s what you think. Trust me, I can sense the Corellian.”“Okay, Jedi,” Jaina smiled, “I can’t beat that.”An awkward silence fell over them. Jaina was too afraid to say anything that’s ruin the comfortable conversation that they’d finally managed to have. In the past, he had been somewhat of her best friend. Someone who she could tell anything- and she had. Even after the war when they’d parted ways, she’d have never hesitated to tell him anything. But she’d ruined everything-She noticed that he was looking at her intently, frowning. She turned her head away so she couldn’t see his disapproval. A nasty bubble formed in her stomach, small but present and threatening to grow. All she could do was go back to her task.His gaze eventually fell away as they both declined to be the one to speak next. Things between them would never be the same and they knew it. But there was a small voice inside her that told her that they both wanted it.-Once they’d finished up for the day, Jag had left as he usually did for his apartment somewhere in the city that he’d pointedly not told them where. Jaina insisted on going for a walk and Zekk found himself with her. She had her head hung down almost in shame. It made him hate Fel even more.“Stop that,” Zekk said as they passed by a quiet, well-lit park. “All the despairing.”Jaina scowled at him. “Stop trying to be my knight in shining armour. Silver doesn’t suit you.He flashed her a grin, happy that her feistiness hadn’t gone. “Oh, I’m sorry for not letting that stuck-up soldier treat you like crap.”“You’re not letting anyone doing anything,” Jaina shot back, “Except letting yourself act out of emotion.”“Someone has to defend you if you won’t defend yourself,” he insisted, stopping in front of her as he turned to face her head on. Jaina frowned at him for interrupting her walk.“Jag really doesn’t bother me.”“But he should.”“Why?” Jaina challenged him, her hands now set on her waist in the way she always did when she was about to school him.“Because you don’t deserve it,” Zekk stood his ground. “And don’t try to convince me otherwise.”Jaina held his gaze with fiery eyes. “I think you care more about what Jag thinks more than I do.”He snorted. “Impossible.”“Obviously,” Jaina finally redirected her gaze to the park’s jogging trail as if distracted by the prospect of turning a walk into a run. “You should meditate on the reason why.”“I’m not in love with you, Jaina,” Zekk clarified for the thousandth time. He didn’t know how many times to tell her.“Never said you were,” Jaina spared him a glance as she started a quick stretch. As she bent at the waist to touch her toes to lengthen her torso she added, “But at this point I’m starting to think you’re in love with him.”Zekk froze, stunned by her words. She had to be joking. Thankfully she didn’t bother to follow up her remarks and instead gave him a wicked smirk before taking off at a jog, not bothering to invite him. Clearly she no longer wanted his company. But leave it up to Jaina to drop a bomb before, quite literally, run away.No way was he in love with that annoying pilot. It wasn’t his fault that Jaina had contaminated his mind with the memory of him as a sweet lover with a soft but firm touch. Or the soft lips that hardly smiled but knew exactly how to-Zekk shook his head, upset that after all these years Jaina’s shared memories had to confuse him. But he didn’t think he’d ever known that kind of love until she’d unknowingly shared that with him. Sure, he’d have passing flings with women, some that he’d actually cared for, but he’d never truly been in love. And certainly never with a man.He hadn’t ever thought that how he felt about Jag was organic, but just him amplifying Jaina’s obvious ones. There was no denying how much she still cared for him and he would never claim not to be annoyed by it. But did he feel anything for Jag himself?Annoyance, yes. But something else? He didn’t know.-
Legacy of the Force, Sacrifice
The death of Mara Jade Skywalker sent a chilling two-fold message to the Jedi and their allies. The first part was that even the strongest among them wasn’t invincible and the second that Alema Rar was far more dangerous than they’d thought.The thought had left a bad taste in Jag’s mouth as he’d come to wonder if he was the man for the task. He knew he didn’t have the resources to find the fallen jedi himself, but now he had to add to that that he would be unable to kill her alone- and that meant he wouldn’t be able to restore his family’s honour.It was exactly as Zekk had said. His best chance was Jaina Solo, and that was the last thing he wanted. She’d just lost her aunt and with each passing day, she’d lose her brother more and more. He could see the stress building up inside her and he didn’t want to compound on that by expecting any more of her. But Jaina had already declared that she was to focus only on hunting Alema Rar. She’d chosen to forego grieving with her family to do so. That, Jag didn’t like, even if it got him closer to his goal.Nevertheless, they were on their way to Ossus where they expected to find the mad woman and put an end to her once and for all. Jaina insisted that once they did, she’d alllow herself rest. But Jag knew that even if they managed to track Alema down and neutralise her, that Jaina would shift the goal post to something else. And that something else was most definitely her brother.Jag fixed his focus to the radar of the shuttle he was currently piloting, ensuring that everything was as it was when he’d allow his mind to drift. After they’d departed Kavan, Jaina had locked herself in the one sleeping quarter’s that the ship offered. He and Zekk had no issue with allowing her the space, but it meant that the two of them were left with only the main cabin and the cockpit. Since the pilot’s chair wasn’t the most comfortable place to sleep, Jag had hoped that by leaving the cabin to Zekk, the other man would have slept and then allowed Jag a chance once he’d woken up.As he switched the craft to autopilot and made his way to the cabin, Jag was quick to find that that wouldn’t be the case at all. Zekk was currently seated on the durasteel floor, directly in front of the sofa as he downed what seemed to be his third ale of the night. He lifted his head as Jag walked in, scowling as if he’d been caught.“I didn’t think getting drunk was how Jedi prepared for battle,” Jag commented as he moved to take a seat beside his reluctant comrade. Zekk merely lifted the case to allow Jag to take a bottle for himself. Jag hesitated, but he knew he needed something to take the edge off. It wasn’t as if being around the pair of Jedi was ever comfortable for him, but these last few days were particular tense. They both suffered a great loss and he hadn’t known how to console them or make things easier.Jag grabbed a bottle, allowing Zekk to pop open the cap, before taking a long swig. The beer was bitter, probably something cheap that Zekk had gotten before the left Kavan. But as the liquor went down, he felt a buzz develop in his head. The two drank together in silence for a few minutes. It wasn’t until Jag had caught up when he noticed the other man staring at him.“What is it?”Zekk’s brows furrowed as if he were trying to solve a puzzle, “Your lips don’t look soft.”…What? “What?”Zekk shook his head. “Jaina’s thoughts, not mine. She’d say your lips are soft, but from my view they look cracked and dry.”“My lips are not cracked. Or dry,” Jag defended himself with a frown, his brain slowly processing what Zekk had said.“Just saying,” Zekk shrugged, “I don’t see what she saw in you.”Jag didn’t like how he felt hearing that, but he also barely understood what was going on. “What did you mean by Jaina’s thoughts?”“Hmm?”“You said you got it from Jaina’s thoughts not yours.”“Oh, right.” Zekk took another long sip until the bottle had been nursing was empty. “When we were joiners, I mean.”Gross, Jag thought. “What do my lips have to do with that?”“Never mind,” Zekk rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t get it.”Jag looked away, his eyes fixed on the ale that had prevented him from understanding. But he didn’t want to hear about Jaina’s time as a joiner. It was when she’d betrayed him-“But my god, you two were like rabbits,” Zekk said, the words dripping with disgust, “Just sex non-stop.”Finally, Jag’s brain got the idea. “Oh. Oh.”“Did you two do anything else?”“Yes,” Jag didn’t know why he was taking this conversation on but his mouth was moving faster than his brain, “We didn’t have nearly as much sex as you’re making it sound.”“So, you’re saying that that’s just what Jaina would think about?” Zekk said, snorting at the idea that Jaina was hyperfixated on her past sexual encounters with Jag.“Well- I don’t know what she’s thinking about,” His brain begged him to stop, “But we were definitely not like rabbits.”“Damn,” Zekk laughed, “I guess the few times were just good enough for her to never forget.”“It wasn’t a few times, either,” Jag said before he could end the conversation.“Oh, boy.”Jag finally let himself think for a moment. “What was it like?”“What?”“Seeing those things…as a joiner,” Jag clarified, although he himself was forced to learn exactly that while on Tenupe. As much as he’d resisted, he would mildly feel the effects from the very same rogue jedi they were hunting down now.“It’s not just seeing them,” Zekk started, his tone suddenly serious. “It’s hearing it, feeling it. Hell, it was akin to experiencing it firsthand.”“As if your mind isn’t your own,” Jag mumbled.Zekk turned to look him in the eye for a moment before his gaze fell uncomfortably onto Jag’s lips once more. “Your lips felt soft.”Jag blinked a few moments before looking away from the jedi. He needed to finish this ale before the conversation went any further. When he swallowed the last ounce, he realised that Zekk’s gaze never left him.Uncomfortable, Jag coughed. “What was that?”As if it were an answer, the taller man leaned down. Their faces were close and Jag could feel Zekk’s breath against his skin. It was cool, tinged with the scent of the cheap ale they’d both had way too much of. But Jag didn’t move, nor did he want to.They stayed there for a minute, neither doing anything. Jag knew that he didn’t make the first move, but he accepted when Zekk’s lips fell onto his, quiet and unmoving but still very much against his. Zekk’s lips weren’t soft either, Jag noted, they were dry from all the alcohol. But he didn’t mind.As quickly as it started, it ended. Zekk moved away, leaning back against the cushion once more with his eyes closed as he muttered, “Sorry.”“What for?” Jag asked despite knowing.“I just wanted to check for myself.”“That’s okay.” Jag found himself saying. He wasn’t any different now than he was a few minutes ago, but he did know something new.“Is it?” Zekk opened one eye and glanced at Jag, “You sure ‘bout that?”Jag found himself smiling at the ridiculousness of it all. He thought of what Jaina would say if she saw and found himself laughing. Would she be jealous? Disgusted? He figured it’d be more likely the former. Though, he wasn’t sure who exactly she’d be jealous of in this situation.“I’m sure.”-
Airspace over Ossus
Finding Alema had been a bust, and even worse she and Jag ended up stuck on the planet for two weeks as her brother held the children there hostage as a way of blackmailing the Jedi into joining his war. The thought made Jaina sick, but she had focused on keeping the young ones safe and getting rid of the troop that her brother had sent. It lost them two weeks worth of tracking Alema Rar and the team’s mission had suffered from it.But what else could she do?Jag sat across from her, lost in his own thoughts as he’d been forced to stay with her in the cabin while Zekk took his turn in the sleeping chamber. She knew Jag would want to be anywhere else but with her so she moved to take up the stiff pilot’s chair instead of ruining his day. He’d seen enough of her over the last few weeks anyway-“You don’t have to leave,” Jag said, “I won’t bite.”She scowled at him. You seemed to be thinking about something serious. I didn’t want to disturb that.""It’s not serious, and even if it were, I don’t see how you just sitting there could disturb me.”“What were you thinking about?” Jaina asked. She wondered if he’d come up with a brilliant plan to find Alema Rar in the next hour.Jag took a moment to answer, “Just about the last time I sat here with someone.”She didn’t know what he was referring to. “I see.”“What would you do if I kissed you right now?”Jaina froze. Where did that come from. “I’d remind you that I don’t want you or Zekk pestering me over exactly that.”“No, no,” Jag shook his head, his mind still seemingly far away, “Forget about that. What would you do if someone sitting here with you suddenly kissed you?”She was offended that he’d take the conversation here. She’d told him time and time again…“You’re the only someone here,” Jaina reminded him. He still never looked at her, and through the force he seemed confused. That made two of them.“Yes, but,” Jag finally met her gaze as he realised he was getting nowhere. “Never mind.”Jaina didn’t want to let it go, though. He’d managed to raise her temper and she was determined to let him have it. “Don’t never mind me. You have no right to ask me that shit when I’ve told you to stop multiple times-“Jag put his hands up defensively, “Jaina, I was not trying to flirt-““Really?” Jaina’s eyes narrowed his way, hoping he could see exactly how angry she was for trying to trip her up with this romance nonsense. “How is that anything but flirting. Enlighten me.”Sighing, Jag put his hands down in defeat. “My apologies, then. I won’t do it again.”“Good,” Jaina added for good measure, although she was surprised he’d give up so easily. Jag retreated to himself once more, lost in thought with that same confused aura that she’d sensed before. She hoped he’d figure it out without annoying her along the way.-Things between them never became awkward. Zekk beat himself up everyday for getting drunk and making that mistake, but Jag had never brought it up or even given him shit for it. They’d continue to work together, this time without the fighting and more like comrades. It was nice. Zekk found himself less irritated by Jag’s quirks and more amused. As much of a blunder as kissing Jag Fel was, it gave him a new found clarity.He'd never been attracted to a man in his life. He didn’t even think he was organically attracted to Jag. But the fact remained, whether through his connection with Jaina or not, he was attracted to him. It was a scary thought, but acknowledging it made sense of his actions. It was the same reason Jaina and Jag insisted on antagonizing each other- they were too attracted to each other to act sane around the other. And the same was true for him when it came to Jag.It didn’t help that Jag wasn’t acting weird around him since. He simply let him explore his curiosity then continued to pine over his ex, leaving Zekk to process this new found feeling. He was used to emotion trying to overwhelm him and having to push it aside for the good of everyone else. Being attracted to Jag meant nothing in the grand scheme of things- he’d still choose Jaina over him in a heartbeat. What sucked about it was that Jag would do the exact same. At the end of the day, Jaina was the prize. She’d kill him for referring to her like that but it simplified the complex relationship the three of them had. In reality, they were hurt and broken people, driven solely by a sense of duty instead of personal ambition.Zekk had never been chosen in his life. He didn’t have the privilege of parents, a home or even a name. On the streets they called him Zekk, so that became his name. At the Shadow Academy, he’d been given power to fill the void that his loneliness provided. He’d done the right thing by becoming a jedi, but the right thing wasn’t always the one that made you feel fulfilled. It dulled him, made him quieter, more meek. But it was the right thing.His feelings for Jaina were so complicated. He was attracted to her and had even been in love with her at one point. But she’d never returned his feelings, and that rejection left a permanent resentment towards her for it. He was supposed to be her friend, but it was always him who had to compromise for her. And that was something he’d grown tired of over the years. Honestly, Jag’s presence is what revitalized his interest in her- and now he knew that it was less about competition as it was displacement. His false memories of Jag left an impression on him, one that lit up a previously burnt out flame within him.He wasn’t afraid of it, though. It didn’t matter if he were gay- or bisexual- because Zekk himself didn’t matter. He wasn’t anyone special. And neither was Jag. Both nameless men chasing after an uninterested broken women. He could laugh at the irony. They truly had a better chance with each other than with her. Or maybe that was just Zekk. Jag definitely had a better chance with Jaina than he.Nevertheless, it wasn’t something Zekk wanted to act on. He was happy to leave it alone.So, when Jag finally confronted him about it, he didn’t have any explanation planned. They were alone, something that happened a few times since the incident. But this time Jaina was definitely gone for awhile, having convinced Kyp Durron to train with her for the evening. Considering she was currently set on training to death- literally- and he had given up on trying to stop her, this was the perfect time for Jag to confront him without Jaina finding out.“As joiners, my connection with Jaina made it such that her mind felt like mine,” Zekk started, unsure if the answer would satisfy the other man.Jag nodded. He was currently seated across him on an outdoor picnic bench under a large Kashyyk tree. The Jedi were currently based here, holding out until Jacen Solo would be able to smoke them out and punish them for deserting. Jag’s face was impassive as always, giving nothing away.“You mentioned that.”“Well, it left an impression on me,” Zekk continued, “Almost like a suggestion that I could be attracted to you, so when I was sufficiently drunk enough I tried it out.”“And?” Jag prompted him, “What were your findings?”Zekk looked out to the wild grass ahead, wishing he could disappear in it. “I suppose I am. Attracted to you, that is.”Jag remained silent for a moment. “Well, I don’t blame you.”“Seriously?” Zekk laughed, “Pilot bravado is something else.”Jag gave him a soft smile. “Sorry, just wanted to lighten the mood.”“It worked,” Zekk finally looked at his eyes, relieved that the other man held no contempt in them. “But it doesn’t mean anything more than that. So, don’t get ahead of yourself.”“What about Jaina?” Jag asked.“What about her?”Jag shrugged, hesitating as he tried to find the right words. “I suppose I’m asking if you’re still interested in her or if it’s just me.”Snorting, Zekk rolled his eyes. “I’m not interested in you. But even if I were, why couldn’t I want both of you?”“I suppose human beings can be fickle,” Jag nodded in agreement.“I know you love her,” Zekk said, silencing Jag’s protests as he continued, “But I love her too. That doesn’t change because she transferred her attraction to you to me.”“Right.”“How was the kiss for you?” Zekk asked curiously. “I understand if it made you uncomfortable.”Jag shrugged, “Not uncomfortable, no. Unexpected, yes, but not uncomfortable. Your lips were definitely drier than mine.”That got a laugh out of Zekk but it was more a release of the nervous energy he’d held hoping that Jag didn’t hate him for what he did. It was…nice.Neither man said anything for a while. A warm breeze swirled by, picking up the leaves at their feet as if to fill the air while they both figured out what to do next. For Zekk, he felt a stir in his stomach. A quiet voice whispered to him that it was the perfect time to redo the experiment, especially since they were sober this time. So, he put exactly that to Jag.Jag looked at him like he was crazy, then his brows furrowed in consideration. The first time didn’t count if they were drunk. The only way to know for sure would be to try it again sober. Jag stood up as if to leave but then he simply walked around the table and sat directly beside him, their thighs touching. Jag’s hand came up to clutch his neck in a possessive grip. Before he could complain, Jag’s lips were crushed against his in a much stronger kiss than he’d initiated before. But Zekk didn’t mind. When it came to being with women, there was a sense of caution to take with them. Be gentle, he always said, as if he’d break her. But Jag Fel was a well-muscled man, albeit short, and there was no need hold back. His own hand moved to pull Jag closer to him as their lips moved against each other. Jag was a good kisser, just as he remembered (Jaina’s memories, not his). The only thing he wanted to know was why the hell would he want to kiss him too.Foolishly, Zekk pulled back. He allowed his confusion to show on his face. Jag gave him an exasperated look. “I thought you wanted to do this.”Zekk gave him a gentle nudge as if to get the man out of his personal space. “That didn’t mean you wanted to do this. What? Are you attracted to me too?”“No,” Jag said easily, “But you said Jaina put the thought in your head and you chose to act on it. You put the thought in my head, and now I want to see it through.”Zekk swallowed, unsure where this would go. “I see. It’s going to make things complicated.”“Jaina doesn’t have to know,” Jag suggested. “She doesn’t care for either of us that way.”He refrained from telling Jag that Jaina dreamed endlessly of being in his arms once more. “So, we’re each other’s consolation prize.”“Do you want to try this out or not?” Jag asked impatiently. “I only have about five more minutes of curiosity in me before I find something else to do.”Zekk couldn’t argue with that. Five minutes would just have to do.-
After the events of Legacy of the Force: Fury
She was on the wrong path.In her heart, she had known that she was exhausting herself on a pointless crusade to prove to herself that she was ready. To prove to herself that she could die. It was a defence mechanism she had often defaulted to when stressed. Instead of fight or flight, she’d prepare herself to die. Jag had shown her exactly why she couldn’t do that. If she was going to face her brother, it couldn’t be done in this state. She needed clarity of mind in addition to strength of her body, and for that she needed to take a break.So, when Alema Rar had finally been dealt with, she allowed herself a day to meditate. What came to her was at first distressing- memories of bad times, death and destruction. But by sifting through that she was unable to unlock memories of good times, too. Her childhood with her brothers, running around the streets of Coruscant with Zekk, and finally sweet, tender moments with Jag. That’s what made her happy. The people in her life who she’d pushed away.She had a day before she was due to go in search of Boba Fett. Zekk had been messed up mentally from the Sith Meditation Sphere which he’d allowed in just to save her. She swallowed the pang of guilt knowing that he’d accepted the dark side only to save her and now had to suffer because of it. Jag was hurt physically, but quickly recovered. She was relieved that he’d accepted friendship from her- genuine friendship, the kind that she’d missed from him in particular. In both these cases, she wanted to give back to both men, to give them what they wanted to make them happy. But she couldn’t please both.Zekk had been avoiding Jag since he’d been tainted by the dark side. But she didn’t want him to hide forever, knowing that those feelings would only fester into something nasty. So, she gathered the two reluctant men to follow her on a hike through the forests of Endor. It was meant to be something of a bonding trip, but the whole time the two men remained quiet, exchanging weird glances that Jaina couldn’t decipher.What the hell happened between them? She hoped they hadn’t fought.There was a calm river flowing adjacent to the trail. Jaina smiled at the sound of the free flowing water, opening herself up to the Force to enjoy to life that thrived around her. If Jag and Zekk wanted to be miserable jerks, that was their problem. She needed this for herself.But as she felt the Force flow through her, she caught a sense of embarrassment from Zekk and something strange from Jag that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She turned to face them abruptly, startling Jag who stumbled backwards into Zekk. As the two men collided, Jaina felt something else in the Force and she finally understood what it was she was getting from Jag. He was keeping a secret from her.“Get off,” Zekk grumbled as he caught himself from falling, his hands steadying Jag by the waist. Jaina noticed Jag flinch at the touch, hurrying to scurry away from the other man.Jaina’s hands fell to her hips as she tried to figure them out. “Alright, what’s going on?”“Nothing,” The two men said almost immediately. They looked at each other briefly, silently asking and answering a question between them. Jaina couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Whatever it was, they had their own agreement about it and it deliberately excluded her.“It’s clearly not nothing,” Jaina insisted. “Now, spill.”“Really,” Jag started despite knowing that Jaina could sense his pathetic attempt at a lie.But before he could continue, Zekk blurted out, “I kissed Jag.”Her brain didn’t process it at first. The words just didn’t really compute. First she was wondering if he meant that she could kiss Jag or if he could kiss her. But as Jag’s face began to flush and Zekk’s eyes widened as he realised what he’d said aloud, Jaina finally understood.Zekk heaved a sigh, his expression like a child just caught stealing sweets before bedtime, while Jag moved to sit on the large rock adjacent to the river, resting his weight as if he carried the galaxy on his back. Jaina simply watched them for any sense of what the hell had been going on when she was way too into herself to realise.“Technically, I kissed Zekk too,” Jag was saying, taking a moment to glare at Zekk for his loose tongue. “But we agreed that it wouldn’t be best to tell you.”Jaina finally found words. “Why exactly are you kissing?”Zekk moved towards her, his eyes filled with apology as he explained. “It’s kind of a long story.”She listened quietly as he did. He went through everything, his jealousy of Jag during the Vong war, her bombardment of his mind with their romantic trysts, his confusion about these feelings. Jaina’s face gave nothing away until Jag chimed in to explain how the two men had at different times taken things into their own hands to explore just how much she’d complicated their feelings. They’d both insisted that at the end of the day, the most attractive thing about the other was their connection to Jaina.“Explain that,” Jaina asked.Zekk shrugged, “I think mine is pretty self-explanatory.”“And for me,” Jag said, “Well, I guess I can’t use the Force as an excuse but I suppose my competition with Zekk got me, well, a little bit excited.”Suddenly, Jaina found herself laughing. “So, the two of you have the hots for each other and want to use me as an excuse.”“Pretty much,” Jag nodded.“Then why are you kissing without me,” Jaina started with a grin, “If I’m the buffer then I should be in the middle, yes?”Zekk raised a brow, “I didn’t think you’d want to be.”Jaina considered her words carefully. “Listen, I told you guys that I need to handle my brother before I consider any kind of relationship.” The two men nodded. “But clearly you two are losing it and I need to intervene.”“Ah, yes. Dr. Jaina, how are you going to cure this case of mid-life bi-curiosity?” Jag said, his tone entirely too serious for Jaina to know if he were joking.“I didn’t even think you’d know the word bi-curious,” Jaina snorted.“I saw it on the holonet,” Jag said, confused as to why she’d change the subject.“Anyway,” Jaina brushed him off, “I do have the solution, but I don’t know if you’re ready for it.”“What is it?” Zekk asked.Jaina took a few steps closer, fixing her face as she broke the news. “You guys need to have sex.”The colour left Zekk’s face as Jag’s mouth turned down into a frown. Well, she did warn them that they wouldn’t like to hear it.“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Jag spoke while Zekk seemed lost for words, “Truthfully, if I’m having sex with anyone here, well, you know exactly who I’d like that to be with.”Jaina gave him an apologetic smile, “You can want both of us, you know. Just do it once and get it of your system.”“Absolutely not,” Zekk finally said. “Jaina, you’ve honestly escalated this to a level it didn’t need to get to.”She shrugged. “You can hate the message, but don’t shoot the messenger!”Jag, however, had his hand on his chin as if thinking it through. “Actually, she has a point.”“Not you too,” Zekk turned his disapproving glare to Jag, “That is the last thing I’d ever do.”Jag finally stood, completing the circle formed by the trio. “Is it?”“Yes.”Jag pointed to Jaina, “Even if she were in the middle?”Silence fell over them and Jaina finally tuned back into the sound of rushing water and chirping birds. It should have been peaceful but the tension between them had become suddenly palpable. Her heart actually raced in anticipation at the thought and she couldn’t believe that of all of them, it was Jag who suggested it.“A threesome,” Zekk said, the word coming out as if it were a slur, “You’re saying we should have a threesome.”Jaina held up her hands, hoping it would relieve some of the excitement pooling inside her, “No way, I told you guys I’m off-limits right now.”“A threesome,” Jag said, as if he’d never heard the word. He may very well never have. But to Jaina’s ears, his low voice seemingly echoed through her skull, tempting her to consider it. He turned back to Jaina, “You said you were the buffer.”“Not like that!”Zekk shook his head, “Let’s just dead this. Pretend we never said anything.”She’d love nothing more than that. But she knew that it would never end here. She’d sort of inadvertently caused this and felt an obligation to help them out. But not this kind of obligation. She’d never done anything like this before. But then she remembered the uncertainty of the future, the knowledge that she’d be walking towards what could be her death. If she didn’t handle this now, she could leave these helpless idiots to make matters even worse.She ignored her better senses and folded her arms across her chest. “I’ll do it.”“See?” Zekk started, pointing an accusatory finger at Jag “You should have never suggested- wait, what?”“I’ll do it,” Jaina said, more firmly this time.Jag looked at her skeptically, “I was mostly joking, Jaina.”“Mostly!?” Zekk exclaimed in disbelief. Jag merely shrugged.“Okay, listen up,” Jaina started, “I’m not fucking either of you in a forest, so here’s what we’re gonna do.”The two men listened keenly. Jaina never knew the power she had over them until now as both their protests magically ceased. “We have our good old ship in the hangar bay. Tonight, we take off, chart a course following Endor’s orbit, set it to autopilot, and whoever shows up gets to relieve a little sexual tension.”On any other day, Jaina would have expected them to say no, but she knew she had them hooked. Regardless of what the other thought, the message was clear- neither men wanted to be left out if she’d be there.-“You’re not seriously going to go.” Zekk asked, moving to sit beside Jag on the rock, now uncaring about being close since Jaina had left them. She’d said her piece and then continued her trek on her own, not wanting to deal with “repressed middle aged losers” as she so kindly put it. Beside him, Jag kept his usual boring facial expression as he shrugged.“I still don’t know if she was serious,” Jag admitted, but he didn’t seem as shaken up by the prospect as Zekk was. He took a moment to glance at his comrade, taking in the sight of him. He was handsome, Zekk thought, but he wouldn’t know the first thing to do about that. Beyond acknowledging his attraction, he knew nothing else about acting on it. This idea of Jaina’s would never work.“I still don’t know if you’re serious,” Zekk shot back. This was Jag’s fault for encouraging it and now he was claiming it was a joke.The shorter man tilted his head, glancing at Zekk as he spoke. “We opened this can of worms, it only makes sense we see it through. Even if it’s uncomfortable.”“Let me just make sure I’m understanding,” Zekk started with a shake of his head, “You want to have sex with me?”Jag visibly cringed. “No.”“Then why would you even entertain the thought!”“Because,” Jag explained, “I care about you both, whether or not you want to believe it.”Zekk felt something warm flutter in his heart. He stomped on it, refusing to swoon at the thought of Jag caring about him. But he knew that Jag had somehow wiggled his way into his heart. They’d been through so much together, fought together, and even shared a set of false memories with each other. Regardless of how stuck-up, stubborn or arrogant as Jag was, Zekk liked him- loved him, even.“That doesn’t mean we need to have a three-way.”“It doesn’t,” Jag agreed, “But Jaina wants to.”Now, he was confused. “It was your suggestion…”“You may be a Jedi, but I can read Jaina like a book.” A smirk came to Jag’s lips, “So, I simply said what she wanted to deep down to save her the trouble of having to come to terms with that herself.”“Jag,” Zekk inched away so her could turn and face him directly, “You’re going to have to break that one down for me.”Jag laughed, something that he did so rarely but always managed to sound warm in Zekk’s ears. Jag put up one finger as he began to count, “Her response to learning about our secret endeavours was to ask why we’d do it without her.”“Two,” Jag continued, “She strangely called us repressed despite us figuring this out on our own. She has a habit of projecting, as I’m sure you know.”“I do,” Zekk agreed, “But that’s just speculation. I didn’t feel anything from her but surprise.”Jag tutted at him, shaking his head in disapproval, “You Jedi become overly reliant on the Force and forget to use your basic human intuition. But I suppose since you only have her joiner memories to rely on, you wouldn’t have known her tell.”“Her tell?” Zekk raised a brow.“When Jaina’s aroused,” Jag said matter-of-factly, “When I said the word threesome, she clenched her teeth.”“Which means?” Zekk had to be sure before he agreed to this.Jag looked at him in exasperation, as if Zekk was supposed to read his mind. “She tightened up. Full body muscle contraction. Which is her tell.”“Jag, if you’re wrong,” Zekk started before the other man cut him off.“I’m not. After that, she damn near ordered us to get on that ship tonight. It doesn’t get any clearer than that,” Jag said in a bored tone as he finally stood up from the rock as if he had finished a day’s work. Zekk remained seated, still in doubt about what was to come.“But-““None of that, Zekk,” Jag waved him off, “She needs this, especially now.”He couldn’t argue with that. If it meant satisfying a deep desire of Jaina’s, that would be no issue for him. But he needed to know what this meant for him and Jag- where did they stand. Was this a threesome for Jaina or was it a threesome for them?“Jag,” Zekk stood up, surprising the other man as he moved into his space. He placed one hand on the man’s shoulder and squeezed. He needed him to understand. “I can only do this for one reason, and it’s not for Jaina’s sake.”“What’s that?” Jag asked, comfortable with Zekk’s hand on him.“The reason, is that you want me too,” Zekk admitted, staring deeply into Jag’s eyes. It was the first time he’d allowed himself the view. Of course he’d seen Jag’s eyes before, but he hadn’t taken a look into the window that revealed someone’s soul. In this moment, he could see just how beautiful Jag’s eyes were, something that he’d once seen through Jaina’s eyes but now was able to see with his own. While Jag was still uncertain of his own feelings, he’d maintained eye contact and Zekk could only hope that he saw the same that he did.Finally, Jag looked away. “I- I’m not sure.”Zekk smiled. “What are you thinking right now?”“That you’re in my personal space,” Jag said first, “And that I don’t mind. That…that a part of me wants to do this because you’ll be there.” His eyes closed as he let out a deep sigh, allowing denial to leave him. “That I don’t know what to do about the fact that I liked kissing you and this idea is like an opportunity to do it again.”Zekk’s hand moved up from his shoulder to cup Jag’s cheek, delighted when Jag leaned into it. “I want that too.”“But it’s easier to want Jaina. Easier to understand,” Jag said as he moved closer, leaving only an inch between the.“So let’s make it easier,” Zekk whispered before closing the gap and taking Jag’s lips with his own. The birds around them chirped, the river continued to flow and the sun still held its shine around them. They held each other gently as if the moment were sacred. Zekk felt passion, urgency, fear and desire all in one- and through the Force, Jag was open to him and allowed him to know that he felt the same.-She’d asked for some time alone. The ship was currently in atmosphere of Endor, the excuse was given that the three of them needed to discuss their team going forward. There was no way for anyone to predict what they were really up to. But Jaina had asked them to allow her to fly for a bit, clear her head while they waited for her in the cabin.She looked out into space through the viewport, amazed at how vast and endlessly it stretched. It never ceased to amaze her that someone as small as her could exist in it, how she could be something important. The Sword of the Jedi mantle haunted her since it had been bestowed upon her, even more so that she came to believe it signalled her destiny to commit fratricide. It frightened her, giving her the desire to retreat to herself and even die before she could. A great tragedy it would be to die before fulfilling one’s destiny, but then she wouldn’t have to go through with it. She’d be blameless.But Jaina had never been helpless, no matter how much she felt like she was. Power was always at her fingertips despite it being something she feared. Her desires felt like pathways to darkness as she wresstled with her ability to control it. But she was only human and she would always want.She loved Jag. She loved Zekk, too. She hadn’t realised that this entire time she had wanted them both. Her natural instinct to deny herself had blinded her from that reality. But the moment Jag suggested she have them both at the same time, her eyes had been opened to that desire. Even more so, she had known that the two had gotten closer recently- how close, she would have never guessed, but it still mattered that the two people she loved the most loved each other. So, it worked out for her that they had been open to exploring their sexuality. It was something they all needed. The ability to just let go of others’ expectations and just do something you actually want was foreign to them. If only for one night, they could hold each other, judgement-free, then maybe Jaina could finally have something for herself in this life.Satisfied with her choice, Jaina set the ship to autopilot annd made her way to the cabin. As the door slid open, she could feel the nervous, but excited energy in the room. Zekk held most of the nerves while Jag was harder for her to read. But together, there was a calm understanding that the two men clearly had come to without her.“I don’t have anything sexy to wear,” Jaina tried to joke. Jag smiled while Zekk continued to twiddle his fingers from where he sat on the lounger in the corner. Jag stood, walking towards her with the confidence that always made her feel secure. He stopped in front of her, eyes looking her up and down so intently that she began to blush.“I think this will do,” Jag said softly as he took her hand into his, giving her a reassuring squeeze. For a moment, the clock turned back ten years and she was with the man that she’d have given up everything for. He was still that man, just older even if not wiser, and she found that he still had he trust.He led her over to the lounger where Zekk sat, taking the seat beside him as he pulled her into his lap. She happily went with him, settling with her thighs firmly straddling his. But she turned her head so she could see Zekk, his eyes glassy with desire- and fear- as he watched. She reached out to him, and they were quickly locked in a kiss. Zekk’s hands came to hold her head as he hungrily kissed her. She felt Jag’s hands come to her waist, squeezing just enough to remind her that while she was enjoying Zekk in her mouth, she was still tangled up in him.“Mm,” Jaina found herself moaning, leaning more into Zekk’s kiss. It had been a long time since she’d had the pleasure, but he wasn’t disappointing her anytime soon. She felt herself be pulled away. It was going to be hard giving them both attention.But before she could have the pleasure of Jag’s tongue in her mouth, he was turning his head to capture Zekk’s mouth with his own. The sight was something that she had never imagined…but it was so hot to see the two men that had been driving her crazy for Force knows how long kiss. It was passionate, hungry…and beautiful. Jaina felt their desire as clear as she felt her own. She didn’t know when it happened, but these two wanted each other just as much as they wanted her. And that made her want them even more.She took the chance to unbutton her blouse, freeing herself from the garment that now proved too hot. She could feel her arousal deepen, just as she felt Jag become hard under her. She paused at removing her bra, reaching over to palm over Zekk’s growing erection, pleased when he responded with a high pitched mewl that was almost swallowed by Jag in turn. She made herself heavy, pressing herself flush with Jag below who also audibly responded. Even though they were quite wrapped up with each other, they’d still crumble in her hands.Jag tore himself away from Zekk, and all three were mesmerised by the string of saliva that connected their lips. But all eyes soon fell to Jaina, who once more flushed at their attention. Devious smiles formed on both men’s faces, leaving Jaina to wonder exactly what they’d planned in her absence. As if to answer that question, Jag lifted up her up by her waist and easily transferred her into Zekk’s lap before standing up. His hands fell to her shoulders, gripping tightly as she was encircled at the waist by Zekk’s arms. They had her trapped- and she liked it.Jag gently massaged her shoulders, his strong hands sending a chill down her spine as she sensed the mischief brewing around her. His hands moved up to run through her hair, combing along her locks until he suddenly grasped her hair in one quick stroke, yanking her neck back until her eyes were fixed on the durasteel ceiling above. Before she could protest, Jag came into view above her, an obvious smirk painted on his face as he spoke.“Is this what you wanted?”Her eyes darted from side to side but she was unable to see anything else from her precarious position. She couldn’t even nod, and Zekk held onto her arms tightly as he held her in place. She felt herself get even wetter at the thought that these two men had clearly devised a plan- and it all centered around her.“Yes,” She managed to get out. Her voice was strained, her voicebox stretched along the length of her neck. Jag tightened his grip as if to prove a point, that they were in charge and she was to simply allow herself to enjoy it. He’d always known that about her- that she needed to just let go sometimes and he was always happy to provide that for her.“Good,” Zekk said, his hands sliding up to cup her breasts through her bra. She felt her nipples harden, eager to be touched, but Zekk simply continued to tease her. “Did you like watching us kiss?”Her eyes still fixed above, Jaina had no choice but maintain Jag’s steely gaze. “Yes.”She saw Jag smile, but her vision was growing hazy what with her stuck in this position and the persistent throbbing in her pussy distracting her. Jag released his grip, “I knew you would.”Jaina would have fallen backwards if Zekk hadn’t been holding her. She didn’t realise she had lost control of her body while Jag held her. Before she could reorient herself, hands were on her once more. Maybe it was Jag, but two hands were reaching around to unbutton her pants and lower them beneath her ass. Another hand, this was probably Zekk’s, was reaching into her panties and her throbbing cunt was finally touched. His fingers stroked between her folds, his thumb gently pressed against her clit.“Please,” Jaina moaned as he refused to press any deeper and give her the pleasure she so desperately needed.“Any room?” She heard Jag ask, but she wasn’t in a position to understand what he meant until she was being drawn closer to Zekk, almost flush to his body as she felt another body behind her. Well, the first thing she felt was Jag’s dick, but the rest of him was soon flush against her back. She’d never been grateful for Zekk’s long legs until now seen as he could accommodate them both on his lap.“Tight fit,” Jag laughed softly in her ear as his hands now took Zekk’s previous positons on her breasts. Her bra was off in the few seconds which she could only attribute to Jag’s dexterity as a pilot. He was less gentle than his comrade, his fingers coming to pinch her nipples until she let out a whimper that satisfied him. “Good girl.”“She likes when you’re rough?” Zekk asked as he finally slipped one finger in her. She found herself grinding on it, desperate to have anything inside her after too many years without. It was as if as Zekk withdrew his finger, Jag was squeezing her nipples, and as he released them Zekk was thrusting his finger back into her. They were in perfect sync, a detailed plan set in motion.“She likes when I do what I want,” Jag clarified, “Could be rough or not, she wants anything she can get.”Zekk chuckled, “So, I’m learning.”If she weren’t currently overwhelmed, she’d have smiled at the familiarity between them. Without even knowing, they had established a rapport so comfortable that they could casually discuss her sexual likes and dislikes. But she didn’t have long to think about it when Zekk added another finger, abandoning his perfectly timed sequence with Jag to thrust into her at a faster pace.“Oh,” She moaned, her head falling back to rest on Jag’s shoulder as she struggled to keep herself up. She was rewarded with Jag’s mouth laying soft kisses to her neck, just the way he knew she liked it. While his lips were gentle, his hands continued their firm assault on her nipples, tugging, twisting, stroking haphazardly in a pattern that was impossible to predict. She felt her pleasure build to that point of climax and without warning, as Zekk reached that point deep inside her, she felt herself let go, and her orgasm came as an explosion overwhelming every sense at her disposal- including the Force.When she came to, her hazy gaze noticed Zekk’s soft smile, then she felt Jag still pressed against her back. He was no longer playing with her nipples, but he still cupped her breasts firmly as he continued to suck on her neck- that sensation threatened to push her over the edge once more but she knew that there was a lot more to come before the night was over.“I-“ Jaina’s voice croaked as she started, “That was incredible.”“We know,” Zekk replied smugly, “Do you need a break?”As if on cue, Jag paused his glorious work-much to her dismay- as they waited for her reply. She took a moment to assess her body. Her nipples were sore and aching, her legs were like jelly, her pussy still throbbing, but her head felt clearer after coming. She could finally put her own plan into motion.“I don’t,” Jaina said but before the two men could continue she nudged Jag to let her off and they were soon both standing in front of Zekk. “But I want to do something else.”Zekk raised a brow. “Sure, what did you have in mind?”She turned around, wrapping her arms around Jag’s neck as she leaned into him for a kiss. Before their lips could met, however, she stopped a hair's breadth away, whispering in a conspiratorial tone, “Jag?”“Yes?” He answered her, dutiful as he’d always been. His dick was rock hard against her abdomen where it desperately begged for her touch. Yes, Jag liked to be in control of everything- but he liked to please her more and that was exactly what Jaina had planned to exploit.“I think Zekk wants to come too,” She said, her voice now laced with innocence, “Can you please help him out?”Jag’s eyes searched hers, but she knew that he’d never turn down the chance to make her happy. “Of course. What do you want me to do?”To answer him, Jaina turned around to kneel between Zekk’s legs. She felt his nervous energy from earlier return as she slowly unzipped his pants, her hand teasingly moving to pull his cock out. She wrapped her fingers around it, nnoting the sharp breath he inhaled as she did, and gave it an experimental jerk. Tightening her grip, Jaina looked over his shoulder towards Jag, “Suck him off.”Truthfully she didn’t know if this was going to work, and for a moment she thought he would say no, but without protest Jag was kneeling beside her and nudging her out the way. Jaina gave him a wicked smile, proud of his open-mindedness as she guided his hand to cover hers tightly grasping Zekk’s cock.“You do it for me,” Jag said with a wink, “So I’ll do it for you.”This was not the time for her heart to flutter at Jag’s smooth lines, so instead she nodded and removed her hand. Standing back up and finally removing all her clothes, Jaina sought to give Zekk some sorely needed attention as she slipped on to the couch beside him. From the corner of her eye, she saw Jag’s hand deftly move up and down along Zekk’s shaft and it finally dawned on her that as a man Jag probably knew exactly what to do- with his hands at least.“Fuck,” Zekk breathed out. If he had been nervous about this before, that was now out the window as she saw his hips thrust up, begging for more. Jaina kissed the corner of his mouth as she moved unbutton his shirt. Her fingers lightly scratched at his chest, pleased that he reacted to her touch. She glanced back to see that Jag was staring at her, waiting for her to guide him further.“Step one of giving a blowjob, put your mouth on it,” Jaina told him, allowing sarcasm to drip through her tone. Jag rolled his eyes at her, but it was all the motivation he needed to part his lips and take Zekk into his mouth. Jaina was once again aware of her dripping cunt as she watched Jag slowly wrap his lips around the other man’s dick, taking in the head first before going a little further. Beside her, Zekk threw his head back in pleasure, muttering quietly to himself as pleasure seemed to take over his body.“Good job,” Jaina praised him, “Now just do whatever feels right.”Jag was good at everything, and while Jaina never thought it’d extend to this, he seemed to be a natural. He kept one hand on the base of Zekk’s cock, a tight grip to keep them grounded while he took his time learning exactly how to suck, how to lick the underside, and just exactly how to drive the other man crazy. She couldn’t be prouder.“I think I’m gonna come,” Zekk moaned. She responded by plunging her tongue once more into his mouth, ensuring that he felt them both as he reached his peak, just like she had the pleasure of them both when she reached hers. It made her prouder to see that it only spurred Jag to continue. She felt Zekk tighten up, a deep groan escaping his mouth into hers as he came. Below them, Jag had removed his mouth but he enthusiastically milked Zekk’s dick as he released.Jaina continued to kiss him as he came down form his high, and when she was sure that it was over she left a final peck on his lips as she softly caressed his cheek. He melted under her touch, his eyes shut closed as she softly left kisses along his brow and cheeks. She heard Jag move, but in this moment she was happy to just be here with Zekk. She had never been able to give him what he wanted and for that she had suffered from a gnawing guilt that constantly plagued her. She knew she may never be able to completely give herself to him, but she could only hope that this moment would be enough.“Shit,” Zekk finally breathed out as he came to. “You two are a powerhouse together.”“Don’t have to tell us,” Jag said. Jaina became aware of his presence beside her on the lounger as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, “Aren’t we?”Jaina found herself smiling as she leaned into his arms. “Yes, we are.”It was then she realized that in all of this, she had yet to kiss Jag. It was something that she had missed more than anything else. She had yearned earnestly for him in the years since they’d parted- it was the reason she had bombarded Zekk with her memories so much that they were in this position now. Withdrawing her hand from Zekk, she allowed herself to be taken by Jag into his arms. Their lips crashed together, tongues entwining in a familiar dance. She felt her heart swell with a love that she had so deeply repressed, bursting with joy at the chance at being free. Jag cradled her head gently in his hands and through the Force she knew that he felt the same relief that she did. They had always been in love with each other- and no matter what happened in the past, that hadn’t changed.“I love you,” Jag whispered so quietly that only she could hear. Jaina tried to keep back the tears that formed as she heard the words, but it was a useless effort. She buried her face in his neck as she tried to regain her composure, allowing him to hold her as emotion overwhelmed her.“Your turn,” She heard Zekk say to Jag and it reminded her that they still had business to attend to. She gathered herself quickly, giving Jag another quick kiss as she moved off his lap. Zekk had that mischivous glint in his eye from earlier and from that she knew that the two would like to complete their plans.“That was a nice interlude,” Jag said as he joined them in standing, “Ready to get back into it?”Giving herself away to them? Jaina nodded eagerly and without question.“Excellent,” Jag said, finally ridding himself of his troublesome clothes. Jaina realized that she’d been naked in front of them the whole time and hadn’t once felt self-conscious as she thought she would. But soon enough, Jag was also naked and Jaina’s mind couldn’t think about anything else.Zekk held onto her waist from behind as Jag’s hands found their way back to her nipples, teasing them in the way that always drove her crazy. She moaned loudly, uncaring about decorum as she knew it would only encourage them. One of Jag’s hands moved up to her chin, holding firmly as he fixed her gaze on him.“Look at me,” Jag said, and there was no doubt that it was an order, “And don’t take your eyes off me.”Jaina nodded although restricted by Jag’s tight grasp. He soon released her once he was sure that she wouldn’t disobey him and gave her an approving smile. Then, Zekk was carrying her away to the bed chamber around the back, lifting her by the waist until she sat flush at the edge of the bed. He traced two fingers down her belly, painfully slow around her clit, until he was able to insert two fingers into her once more.“Yes,” Jaina found herself begging, “Please, Zekk.”“It’s Jag’s turn,” Zekk reminded her, curling his fingers inside her as he teased her most sensitive spot.As if on cue, Jag was beside him as he gently pressed Jaina back until she was lying flat on the mattress. Zekk withdrew his fingers, ignoring her protests, as he moved to the side and allowed Jag to take his place. Jaina’s excitement was now spilling over as she kept her eyes trained on Jag’s which were dark with desire- desire for her.He hoisted her legs around his waist as he positioned himself at her entrance, taking his time to tease her with the promise of fullness that never came. Jaina tightened her legs around him, hoping it’d encourage him to finally take her- just as she’d wanted for far too long.But instead of giving her what she wanted, Jag shook his head as he leaned down to hover over her. “Ask Zekk.”Jaina’s eyes darted to the man who lay on his side beside her, a wicked grin plastered on his face, but Jag quickly snapped his fingers above her to remind her where she was supposed to look. “Ask him for what you want.”It took the last of her concentration to keep her eyes fixed on Jag’s as she opened her mouth to beg, “Zekk- please, please- Can he please fuck me?”She couldn’t see his face but she knew he was enjoying this more than anyone else. Jag merely stared at her, his gaze unwavering as he waited for the other two to come to an agreement. Jaina desperately wanted him inside her, his cock was so close, but she knew he had the willpower to resist until Zekk said the word.“Okay, go ahead,” Zekk said flippantly. Before Jaina could rejoice, Jag was slamming into her in an easy glide given how wet she had been. Jaina’s eyes rolled back as he filled her, her walls tightening around him in a familiar grip as if it had missed him. But he was pulling out of her as quickly as he came in, leading to the most pathetic mewl out of her that she’d ever heard.“Eyes on me,” Jag reminded her sternly. Cursing herself and wondering how she’d keep this up, Jaina obediently opened her eyes, once more locking gaze with Jag who simply smiled.“Good,” Jag said as he entered her once more, setting up a slow rhythm that allowed her to feel every inch of him as he moved with her. Jaina felt herself slip, falling deep into a trance that seemed to be controlled by Jag’s eyes. This was the man she loved, and he was inside her, fucking her so deep and so good that she felt her muscles contract in pleasure-“Alright, break time,” Zekk’s voice was saying, and Jag’s cock slipped out of her, leaving her throbbing and on the edge with no relief.“No,” Jaina cried, her arms moving to wrap around Jag’s waist as if to pull him back into her. Jag’s eyes twinkled with amusement- she had no choice but to look as he enjoyed torturing her, otherwise he wouldn’t give her what she wanted.Jag had been holding himself up by his arms but he found himself rolling over, accepting the embrace that Zekk offered as the two began a slow but passionate kiss. Jaina didn’t get how she was supposed to keep looking at him if he all but rolled over to someone else, but she knew what she had to do if she wanted him back.“Zekk,” Jaina called out, her voice breathy and desperate, “Zekk, please- I need it. I need him.”Jag broke the kiss, glancing back at Jaina and smiling when he saw her still obeying his order to keep her eyes fixed on him. He glanced back to Zekk who seemed to be making up his mind.“We’re busy here, don’t you see?” Zekk teased her, laying another kiss on Jag for emphasis.“I know-“ Jaina started, “But I need this, Zekk. Please.”“Alright,” Zekk relented easily. The point was to make her beg, to have her admit how much she wanted this. How much she wanted them. And she’d been brought to the point where she had no pride left.This time, Jag rolled onto his back. He pulled her on top of him, hands on her waist as Zekk kindly positioned his dick once more at her entrance. Keeping her eyes on his, Jaina pleaded with him to ease her suffering. She couldn’t take her eyes off him but she was rewarded with the sensation of him penetrate her, her walls enveloping him even tighter than before as if to keep him locked this time. Jaina’s jaw dropped, mouth open in pleasure as Jag thrusted up into her, relieved that he knew she barely had the strength to ride him. Zekk was holding her up too, his mouth coming to attach to her neck as he sucked a bruise into her skin.It only took a minute or two until she felt her climax approach again. As if sensing it, Zekk brought his hand in front of her to palm her clit, providing that extra push she needed to orgasm. Her breath caught in her throat as her entire body spasmed, more powerful than it had before. A cry left her throat as she did, and she found herself grinding into Zekk’s hand as her walls squeezed around Jag’s dick, milking her orgasm for every last bit of pleasure she could get.“Jaina,” Jag was saying below him, his eyes filled with urgency, “I’m going to need you to let go so I can pull out.”“Don’t,” She said without hesitation, wanting nothing more than having him finish inside her. Letting go was the last thing on her mind. But Zekk was fast and he pulled her off Jag as the man released, his warm come splashing her abdomen, marking her as his. She’d settle for that at least.Zekk cradled her in his arms, laughing softly as he said, “I’m afraid we can’t afford any accidents right now.”She didn’t understand him at first, but once blood came rushing back to her head she got the idea. This was one night of fun, and they didn’t even need to suffer any long term consequences for it. Especially when she had her destiny to fulfill.The thought was sobering, but she pushed it aside to appreciate what had just taken place. Jag was looking up at her with unyielding adoration while Zekk held her so lovingly. These were her best friends and they had loved her so thoroughly that she had managed to forget- even if it were for a short time.They’d cleaned her up with a damp towel, lovingly smiling at her as they took care of her. They settled together on the small bed, her wrapped up in Jag’s arms and him in Zekk’s. If the goal was to relieve sexual tension, they’d definitely achieved it. But they all knew that the complicated relationship they had had only gotten even more tangled up. Jaina wasn’t naïve enough to think that this three-way agreement was meant to last- and she also knew that at some point she’d still have to choose.But tonight was theirs- a shared achievement of love and understanding. They slept peacefully, leaving the problems for tomorrow.-
EPILOGUE
Legacy of the Force, Invincible
It had been years since Zekk had allowed himself to be attracted to anyone who wasn’t Jaina, but since experiencing the liberation that was attraction to Jag, he’d found himself much more open to new experiences and new people.Taryn Zel hit him like a high speed rail. He didn’t believe in love at first sight- but he definitely believed in lust at first sight after meeting her. And he had enjoyed her enthusiastic interest in him in return. He didn’t feel left out of his trio with Jaina and Jag, but he couldn’t deny that the time would come when the two would officially rekindle their relationship. Nothing else had happened since that fateful night. Jaina had gone to Mandalore and he and Jag had kept each other company- platonically- as they had managed to resolve their curiosity and differences to finally become true friends.But he had to move on, something that he’d told himself to do for years now without any success. He was ready to move on from Jaina and her whilrwind of emotions that eventually turned him on to Jag. While he was happy to know that he was attracted to both men and women, he was ready to go out on his own unshackled by his attachment to Jaina.So, when Taryn Zel asked him to run away with her, spontaneously and in the climax of a war, he said yes. He trusted Jag to take care of Jaina, to love her and protect her from the storm coming her way. He had the choice to be his own man, independent of anyone’s influence and free of the bitter resentment that was weighing him down. And he made that choice, for himself only.-
1 year after the death of Darth Caedus
Jaina closed her eyes, curled up against Jag in front of the cozy fireplace that his luxury suite afforded him as the Head of State of the Imperial Remnant. It’d been one year exactly since she’d killed her twin, but while her physical injuries had healed, she continued to suffer psychologically. She had fulfilled her destiny- but that was the bittersweet nature of prophecies. In order to be free from its burden, she’d lost a part of herself in the process. It was also a year since Zekk’s disappearance- she refused to believe him dead- and all search parties had been called off, even the privately funded ones that Jag had commissioned.She gripped his shirt as the mental anguish washed over her. There were flashes of her brother in front of her, eyes yellow and filled with hatred that changed to cold, dead and unmoving. Her heart ached at the flashbacks that haunted her, her punishment for committing a heinous sin. Despite being physically well, she felt a deep pain in her bones as if she were still injured. It was a psychosomatic pain that no hypnotherapist had been able to cure. The dark side of the Force laughed at her through her suffering, mocking her decision to follow the Light as it tried to pull her into the abyss of despair. But before she could succumb to darkness, Jag was holding her tighter as he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. It was a reminder that he was there and that he always would be so long as she needed him.Jaina had long struggled with depression. Hopelessness had all but consumed her for most of her life, so much so that she struggled to imagine her life beyond the present. While that wasn’t something that he could ever cure, she wanted to be with him for every moment that she lived. And since she wanted to be with him for a lifetime, it meant she needed to live.“I love you,” Jaina whispered to him, her eyes still flashing horrific images before her as she tried to ground herself in reality.“I love you too,” She heard his voice say, warm and full of reassurance that he would hold her through what was going to be a difficult night. He would be with her through the good days and the bad. She didn’t doubt that he would do anything for her, do anything to please her and make her feel whole.There wasn’t anything more she could ask for. But if she could, he would certainly provide.-