Session export: Notorious
When Cole left, he had been irritated again. Another mysterious message from Evelyn that had made the man visibly on edge and pissed. Still, he went, leaving his work and Sofila with the confirmation hed be back within four or five days, transport depending.
He had, arrived on Ga'ia last night. Cole had texted, as he normally did, before whatever.. it was.
When Sof’s phone rang it was from him the next day, with no text prior.
The phone was answered but there was an immediately crashing noise. It sounded like she may have fallen over.
“Oh! Kis- Kar- FRACK.” It felt like her heart was going to pound out of her chest. He barely, if never, calls.
“Cole?”
“Sof.” Cole’s voice sounded off. Still him, definitely him but there was a almost choked sound to it.
Wherever he was was quiet.
“I.. uh. Frack.” He exhaled, going quiet for a moment. “I’m ok. I just- Graham’s alive. I think.”
There was no words as Sofila stayed completely still. She was in an awkward position that by no means was comfortable but what Cole just told her was more shocking that her body had veto'ed the fact she was going to be in pain soon if she didn’t move.
Panic spread. Did he had a blaster to his head? Was this a hint!? What did the kark that white-haired schutta had done to him!? Wait, did they ever even discuss what word they would say together if they were in trouble?!
Kark me.
“Cole. Um. I… am happy to hear that.” He could tell by her voice that she was extremely concern and maybe thinking the worse things. Like a knife to his neck.
“Where are you? D-Do you need credits?\”
“What? No.” Credits…? There was a small scratchy noise, one that shed recognise as him scratching his beard. “I have my chit on me.”
There was a moment of silence before-
“I’m in my hotel room. Alone. I’m safe, Sofila, I’m not in danger. It’s okay.” another briefer pause, his voice shaking as he more muttered than actually spoke, “I think this is real.”
If Cole could feel emotions through their devices, she was squinting very hard.
Yet, it was the poor wall at their home that was getting the brunt of the suspension. Though if he was scratching his beard… usually captives would bond their hostages.
“Oh.” The shake in his voice. Kriff. And she can’t do anything to help him. Ga'ia was a two day trip alone and if he was in his hotel room, he may be coming home soon and was waiting on something. It was rare that Sofila was quiet and yet, here she was, confused and overwhelmed. What the kriff was she suppose to say after receiving that message?!
“I…” She trailed off.
“Tell me something I don’t know.” There was another scritchy noise and then the sound of Cole moving, a small thud. Then a sigh, that barely came through as if he held the comm away from himself to do it.
He’d curled up in a corner, in the privacy of isolation, something he’d watched Zuza do sometimes and while it didn’t really help it left him able to watch the only entrance to the room while remaining somewhat hidden.
“It doesn’t have to be.. serious. Just, anything.”
Something he didn’t know. Sofila found herself buffering as she had a hard time trying to think of something he didn’t know. Anything. He already knew her regrets. He already knew her joys. He even knows many karking embarrassing stories thanks to the family visits that he tags along sometimes.
There was some rustling noises and shift of furniture as Sofila tried to get up from the awkward position she was in and sat on the couch.
“So… I’m banned from making hot chocolate with family. I heard about spicy hot chocolate and I tried to make it.” She started off with hesitation in her tone, but as she dug into the story more, she became more herself, even gesturing.
“But of coooourse my younger self didn’t understand that some spicy things should not go together. Let me tell you, I thought it was actually pretty good but no one liked it.” Sofila chuckled before adding, “I could make it again.”
Cole let out a soft scoff, relaxing slightly despite the story being inherently silly. He hadn’t known that. And it wasn’t something he could come up with and certainly wasn’t something that could be planted on a whim.
“I’ll try it. I won’t gurantee I’ll like it.” He replied after a moment, calmer. Almost.
“I.. I’m still going to start coming home tomorrow. Plans haven’t changed, Gr- He has a place to stay. I’ll probably come back soon though so… Well I don’t know. I don’t know.” A silent pause passed, and when Cole began to speak again his voice shook, “He never died, Sof. And our father knew. He knew.”
Sofila’s eyes immediately went to the ceiling. Oh how badly she wanted bring that karker back to life just to put him back into the ground again, painfully.
This wasn’t about that.
How could he-
“I’m sorry, Cole.” There was a bit of a pause before she added, “He can stay with us for a few days if you two want.” She wasn’t sure if that would work for them. She figured that maybe it could help them reconcile and work things out.
Cole squeezed his eyes shut. Did he want that?
Of course he did. But then this- this person would be near Sofila. And- it was Graham but what if-
This was real.
“I think he wants to stay on Ga'ia a little longer.” He spoke slowly, having to focus. Focus on her voice, on the wall behind him pulling his shirt up ever so slightly. The way the seams pressed into his skin. “I’ll come back for him, if we do that. We. Should do that. Corvo will need to see him. Zuza, frack, ill have to-”
Another shuffle.
He mumbled, as much to himself as to Sof, “One at a time.”
“Yea!” Sofila’s cheery voice came through.
“Exactly. One step at a time, so which first step do you want to do? Hardest or easiest?”
“First step is getting home. I’ll… We can work it out from there.”
A week had passed quickly, two more days of travel with another two days of travel later and Cole was back on Kasiya. With Graham.
He hadn’t slept much the previous night, sitting in the cockpit beside the pilot-droid and allowing himself to rest his eyes as they broke atmosphere and descended. He’d already packed.
The thudding around somewhere behind him indicated Graham had misplaced something.
Still, it wasn’t long before the two departed the shuttle. They walked amongst the bustle of the port, Cole deftly leading the way until his apartment building came into view. Hopefully Sofila hadn’t stressed herself out too much. He’d texted her an ETA and she’d replied fairly typically but this had been… a weird week or so. Very weird. Every time he glanced sideways and saw Graham still beside him it… was still weird. Less frightening or paranoia inducing than it was but still weird.
“Here.” He commented, gesturing ahead so Graham knew to slow and soon the two made their way up. Cole unlocked the door, leading the way in and letting Graham come in behind in, prepared to close the door and lock it once the way was clear.
“Hi!” Sofila peeked around from the kitchen
“Ramen is ready! I’m- Oh! Kist!” Sofila ran back into the kitchen for a moment. When the guys entered, she turned around and fingerguns Cole, “I remembered to do mild and extremely spicy broth separately this time, so! Which one did- Oh! Sorry! I’m Sofila Armis.”
Cole nodded at the fingergun, closing the door behind Graham who smiled. He seemed at ease, though for Sofila with years of noticing Cole’s tells, there was an air of nervousness around the man. Standing far taller than Cole, tattoos trailing up his arms, Graham Farrow wasn’t sure what to do with himself.
“Graham Farrow. Though, well, you knew that.” He chuckled, glancing behind him to Cole who just blinked before working on taking his shoes off.
Graham cussed, backtracking to take his own shoes off.
Cole, seeing that that was over called to Sofila, “I’ll just do the mild broth, Sof. Thank you.”
“Hey!” Sofila shouted sternly.
“We do not do foul language in this house!” She tried to look serious as long as possible but failed as she laughed. This was her lame way trying to break any tension or nerves. She nodded at Cole wanting mild.
“I’m just karking around, do you want mild or spicy?”
Graham froze in place for just long enough to start to panic. Then, a sigh of relief coloured with laughter escaped him, leaning back with one shoe off.
“I’m too old for that man.”
Cole scoffed, “Yeah.”
And then dodged Graham kicking at his metal ankle, the two glaring at each other very briefly before Cole seemed to recollect what was going on and withdrew again. His expression metered out, nervous but somehow still calm. He came up beside Sof, nudging her very gently, before entering the kitchen.
Graham stuck his tongue out at Cole’s back once the youngest Farrow crossed the room. He finished taking off his boot, placing it beside the others, “I’ll try spicy. How in danger am I?”
Sofila chuckled watching them. She almost leaned down to kiss Cole on the cheek but realized that maybe it was too soon. She also wasn’t sure if he would be okay with display of affection in front of Graham
When he asked how much danger he was in, she grinned at him. It was a friendly and mischievous one.
“Well, I don’t know how well you usually tolerate spice, but the majority do recommend eat ice cream afterwards to lessen the fire in the hole later.”
She went into the kitchen and started to make Cole’s bowl first, in case Graham changed his mind.
“Uhhhh..” Graham considered his options, glancing at Cole but getting nothing. Typical. “I’ll live. Thanks for making dinner, its… good to meet you.”
Cole grabbed a pair of glasses, filling each with water while running the caf maker.
Graham continued,“He mentioned you a bit, not much but, yeah. Its good to meet ya. Though- wait how long have you two been..” he gestured between them, waving his hands somewhat erratically trying to indicate what he meant.
“It’s nice to meet you too!” Sofila grinned as she set the bowls down on the table. She also provided chopsticks and forks, not sure if Graham knew how to use them.
Sofila froze when he asked how long they had been together.
She doesn’t even remember their anniversary and birthdays are a struggle! Even her own!
“Uhhh…”
Cole chuckled from behind her, waiting patiently for his mug to fill with caf.
“Two and half years. Or so.”
“Frack. That’s a bit.” Graham whistled, then sat down in front of one of the bowls at the table, waiting patiently. “Cole told me literally nothing about you two, other than the thing with his leg so…”
Hazel eyes peered up, somewhat cheekily but also evidently curious. And…. maybe a bit nervous yet. He glanced back to Cole periodically.
Cole, who was admittedly watching him like a Nexu.
Sofila winced as she looked a bit guilty. She cleared her throat.
“Yea…” She whispered. She hated that Hector and Cole had to lose it just to get the piece out. She wished that it was her limb instead of theirs. After all, it was her fault that she had brought nothing but misery-
No, it’s not my fault, I tried. The influence was strong.
Sofila then shrugged as she sat down, “Not much to say. It’s like any relationship. We laugh, we joke, we share some hobbies, we argue, we have sex…” She gently nudged Cole’s non-fake foot with hers when he sat down to keep him from so intently staring at Graham.
Graham saw the guilt ans regretted it, especially when Cole’s eyes had narrowed but kist he didn’t know. But the moment passed, and she moved it on. He didnt need to be told the last bit. However he for once didnt say the first thing that came into his head.
Cole glanced to her at the nudge, forcibly easing up and gently bumping his knee against hers. Fine.
It was Cole who added on, “We used to do more missions together but our jobs are more seperate now. Outside of Brotherhood exercises specifically or larger scale issues within Taldrya, its been quieter. Mostly.”
Graham nodded slowly, “Taldrya being part of theee Brotherhood, right?”
When Cole nodded, Graham hummed briefly, “The whole secret society thing is kinda crazy. It and all the folks you mentioned you guys are fighting, it sounds like a conspiracy theory or a kids book.”
Sofila chucked to herself and then sighed.
“I mean, I’ve never heard of them myself till Buir signed my siblings and myself up. Some of us started in Selen.” She took a bite and then swallowed.
“Some of us started a bit later. Not all of us… was ready. My siblings and I, along with our buirs, we went through a lot.” Sofila shrugged.
“Then Selen just wasn’t for us. Cole got a job oppitunity here so we moved.”
“It was good timing considering you threw a dart for where we wanted to move.” Cole commented, gently amused as he watched the memory return to Sofila.
Graham shook his head, smiling, “Well, hey, sounds like a nice gig at least.”
“It has its perks.” Cole commented neutrally.
Sofila groaned.
“Kark, I forgot. That was pretty amusing. I guess since you got the job so quick, my brain sorta blended the two.”
Sofila took another bite of her spicy ramen and grumbled under her breath, something something asshole guy that doesn’t even work there, something something.
“Asshole?” Graham caught on it, then watched a tiny twitch to Cole’s eye occur.
“Sooooo there’s a story here.”
“Not really-” Cole stopped, spotting Sofila’s sudden onset glare and paused. He met her gaze, then looked down at his plate, “I handled it.”
“So hes dead?”
“No.” Cole sighed.
“It is…. more complicated than that,” Sofila herself sighed.
“We can’t exactly kill people that are assholes and schuttas anymore. Especially with someone so high up, if we do such thing, our lives would be ruined. It’s… not worth it.” Sofila grumbled as she poked around the half boiled egg with her chopsticks for a moment before eating.
Then she glanced to Graham, “so, how’s the spicy ramen?”
Graham raised an eyebrow, glancing between them but then shrugging slightly to himself as the conversation paused.
Hed made reasonable progress on the Ramen, though if anything could be said, the growing flush in his cheeks was still growing.
“Its really good.” He answered quickly, with enthusiasm, “Might kill me by the end but frack itll be worth it.”
“We have ice cream, don’t worry.” Sofila grinned as she looked to Cole and then Graham, back to Cole.
What the frack should she talk about? ‘So what was it like being raised from the dead-’
“Did you two set up something see Corvis?”
Graham looked at Cole who froze in place.
After a moment cole lowered his spoon, “I hadn’t yet.”
“We didnt talk about it yet, to be fair.” Graham rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’ll talk to him after dinner?” Cole glanced to Sofila. Theyd been hosting Corvo semi regularly, seeing him as he got settled on Kasiya himself. It was still weird for Cole, seeing him.
“You can.” Graham had more soup, his cheeks turning a light pink, “I dont have any plans, though if you could make sure he doesnt try to kill me…”
“We need to tell Zuza too.”
Graham’s expression became far more somber, “Man I don’t.. know…”
Sofila winced as she gave both of them an apologetic look. She thought they would had this conversation for the last two days on the way here. Though, knowing Cole, he may have spent majority of that time staring at Graham.
Sofila tried to ponder if Zuza would be upset or excited. If anyone Sofila had killed came back to life, that would’ve been bad. Then again, they were friends, not enemies.
Seesh. This was very complicated and she felt bad for both Cole and Graham.
“I think a drink is an order.”
“Kark yeah.” Graham intoned, though the pink in his face was steadily progressing and a shine was starting in his eyes. He’d made it through most of the bowl.
Cole had finished, picking up his own bowl and checking Sofila’s to see if she was done before taking them into the kitchen. “She doesn’t hate you.”
“Zuza doesn’t hate anyone.”
There was a momentary silence, Cole frowning into the sink as he placed the dishes there before shaking his head, “Then it’ll be fine.”
Graham, realising the trap of his own making he’d walked into, bit the inside of his cheek. “Double drink?”
Sofila grinned as she got up and grabbed ice cream from the freezer and placed it on the table.
“Didn’t know which you like so I got a bit of everything.” THere was four ice creams. Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, and cookies n cream. Sofila headed back to the cabinet above the fridge and opened it, there was drinks there.
“Hmmmm, which one, Cole?” Sofila asked since the majority of the drinks were Cole’s favorite while she had fruity flavored drinks but weak, in the fridge.
Graham seemed a bit unsure of what to do with himself. He sat a little straighter, looking over tbe ice cream options.
Cole turned from the sink, looking in thr cupboard and coming up behind Sofila to look at the labels. And how much was left in them.
“The whiskey should be fine. You still drink that right?”
“Yeah.” Graham chuffed, scooping a conservative amount of strawberry ice cream.
“The one with the blue label, then.” Cole pressed a quick chaste kiss to Sofila’s cheek. He wasn’t comfortable in front of Graham but it mattered to her and it was their home. It was fine. It was… It was a shame he couldn’t bury his face un her hair and be done for the day. It was fine.
He moved away, setting the dishes to soak.
Sofila smiled at Cole as he pecked her at the cheek. The gesture was appreciated but he didn’t have to. She brought the whiskey bottle over to the table and got out two glasses along with an ice tray.
“Knock yourself out.”
She sat down and also started to get scoops of strawberry ice cream. Of course the ones that would go to blows for fresh fruit would pick that ice cream.
Sofila, for the first time in a long time, didn’t even know what to talk about. How much of their past can she bring up? She wasn’t sure on both of their thoughts on their father. Though Cole still seemed to… think differently of his father than Sofila.
Sofila assumed it was because she had a different upbringing.
“So, I know no hurry and what not, but have you considered where you may be eventually permamently living at?”
Graham leant back in his seat and shrugged, placing a spoonful of icecream in his mouth. He let the spoon rest there fkr a moment, the icecream melting slowly before he swallowed it and tapped tbe spoon back into the bowl.
“Depends on where the pits are around here. The legal ones,” Graham added that on hurriedly, spotting Cole twitch in the background, “At least I know where abouts you guys are so I can stay nearby if I do hop about. Ive got people who wouldnt much appreciate my ass… well.”
“Disappearing on them.” Cole spoke dryly, having walked over and just starting to sit down. He took some cookies and cream ice cream.
“Mm.” The elder of the three nodded, “Been messaging with them so, its fine. They know im doing something family wise and considering the last family thing they were aware of happening with me… They keep checking in.”
“What.. family thing?”
Graham paused mid spoon-scoop, “Uh. Our… father… tried to call me. Bout a year after I left. Well, tried. He did call me.” He paused, watching Cole carefully.
Not that there was much to read. The cogs were turning in Cole’s head but he was.. hiding. The lack of immediate reaction was somewhat unnerving. As was the prolonged eye contact which had Graham staring down into his icecream.
Sofila had a mouthful of ice cream when her eyes darted to Cole just in time to see that twitch about the pits and heard Graham quickly tack on the ‘legal’ ones part. She sheepishly grinned to Graham if their eyes met. Cole was the Director of OSI now, after all.
Sofila blinked and glanced over to Cole. She couldn’t get a rid of him. If he was upset about it, she didn’t notice. Yet that prolonged eye contact… hmm. Maybe just a tic of his? Sometimes he did that without a meaning underneath it.
Should.. she change the topic? She already tried and look where that ended up.
With a deflated sigh, she grabbed Cole’s glass, poured herself a drink, knocked it back, poured some again, and passed it to Cole.
She made a face. Cole wuld know she’s not a fan of his drinks and prefer fruitier ones. So for her to do that…
Sofila cleared her throat and got a bite of strawberry ice cream.
“You can ask me anything, I would give you my entire life story, but it might end up going from A to B to Y to D to K, then a A point 1, Z point two…” Sofila grinned. She’s aware that she’s hard to stay on track sometimes.
Graham cleared his throat, taking the change back onto topic. Normal things.
“Well hey, yeah, how did you two end up living here yourselves? I know Cole said he got a job here but that sounded like it was an after thing right?”
Cole noticed Sof knock it back. The nervous strain to her smile. She was stressed, trying to balance them. Him. Compensating for his lacking. But how was he supposed to just… frack. Frack! He forced his gaze off of Graham, taking his now empty glass in his hand and pressing his fingertips into the cool areas of it. Listening, he was always listening, but trying to divert focus. This wasn’t fair on them.
“We… weren’t really happy where we were.” Sofila grinned sheepishly, unsure how much Cole had told them about their life on Selen. She got up and took the empty dishes and placed them in the sink. They can be taken care of later. She started to put away the ice cream.
“So, we used my datapad and bring up a huge holoprojector of the star chart right? Then we had it sorta, spinning? as if it’s a glob, then I threw a dart. Oddly, out of all empty spaces it could’ve had landed it landed on Kasiya.” She then shrugged as she closed the freezer door. “We moved here and immediately he already got a job. I don’t know about you but that’s a sign of good times coming.” She glanced towards the men. “We can move to a much more comfortable area.” She tilted her head with a smile and went into the living room.
“Damn, that fast?”
Cole nodded, taking a moment to start speaking, “Got lucky with Anderson moving up. He heard we were moving into the area and offered his old job to me. Its… nice.”
“Nice.” Graham repeated, starting to speak as Cole stood up.
“Im going to get changed ill be back in a minute.” The younger Farrow stated, pushing his chair back under the table and giving Sof a small reassuring if strained smile as he passed her to go into the bedroom.
Graham took a moment before he stood, watching the bedroom door close as he stepped out into the living room.
He was quiet for a moment, a somber look in his eye. The silence lingered, before he turned and wrapped Sofila in a hug.
“Thank you.” He mumbled, “For keeping him here.”
Sofila squinted after Cole but she had a guest to keep entertained. And maybe it was for the best for Cole to get a breather. She turned to ask Graham if he wanted to get a breather but was met by a pair of arms. She tensed because it was a surprise but she relaxed and return the hug.
Her brows furrowed but not that Graham can see that.
“I’m.. confused. He seems to like the apartment? Did he complain? Should I find another one? Maybe closer to his work?”
Graham laughed slightly, somewhat hollow but gave her a slight squeeze.
“No. Not- I mean.. alive.” He let out a short breath, “He didn’t say it directly, never does, but- he said you stopped him when I asked. That you were the one reaching out to him when hed managed… yknow. Im sorry, probably shouldn’t bring it up but I had to say thank you.”
He pulled away, visibly awkward and trying to find words. He was still speaking quietly, glancing to where Cole had disappeared.
It wasn’t hard to guess that Cole would be uncomfortable with this being discussed.
Sofila was surprised and shocked that Graham already knew about this. That also meant Cole was … making progress. Slow, but little steps at a time. She gave him a smile and even to this day, she wondered how they stayed together. He tried to do… that when she was under the influence of Scimitar. Not heavily so, but it was the beginning.
“He… saved me too. And I don’t mean what he did to give up his leg for.”
Graham smiled awkwardly. That was strange to hear.
“Really?” It wasn’t truly disbelief in his voice, though he seemed surprised. He ruffled a hand through his hair, “I’m… well. I’m glad. He explained the leg, generally, but he didn’t talk much about you. Wouldn’t say your name, even, for most of the trip back. Even still, he… got across how much you mean to him. It’s good he was able to help you.”
Sofila blinked when she found out Cole wouldn’t even tell him her name. She knew who was Graham for the longest time, so why wouldn’t he tell his own brother-
Her brows furrowed for a moment.
“Mm, yea, maybe one day when it’s… easier, I can explain a bit more.” She smiled at Graham warmly and tilted her head towards hte direction of the couch. She sat down and quickly change topic so it wouldn’t seem awkward or weird when Cole comes out.
“Any hobbies? Besides fighting.” Sofila added, knowing all too well what she was once like.
-# still kinda is
Graham took the hint. He nodded, happy that hed communicated what he had without making Cole uncomfortable and sitting down in a chair.
“Hobbies? Kist, I practice hair stuff I guess?” The eldest Farrow chuckled, “I do braids for when I’m fighting and apparently being able to braid hair is a cool trick with the ladies. And the guys if they’ll sit.”
He winked.
“I dunno, I play hologames a bit. Work out but thats for fighting too. Watch stuff on the holo…” he leaned back into the seat.
“Is there much to do around Kasiya? Whatever you two get up to, yknow?”
“That is pretty cool, depending on hair, I can see some ladies being impress-” She caught the wink. There was a moment of blank stare followed by a soft ‘oh’. Sofila could never focus long enough for hologames. Heck, sometimes holodrama was a bit a struggle but if it captured her attention, hoo boy, it really captures her attention.
“He does join things but not much. I mainly go out running. Climbing. Sometimes orbit jumping. Have you ever orbit jump?” She grinned.
“Want to try?”
“Orbit jumping?” Graham raised his eyebrows, excitement in his eyes but a healthy dose of caution tempered the reaction soon after, “How often do you it?”
“Whenever she can.” Cole commented, stepping out of the bedroom. His face was still slightly damp, having clearly just washed up a little bit too. Instead of the near-professional outfit he wore normally, he’d slipped into a still nice but more comfortable pair of pants and one of the hoodies Sofila had gotten him. This one was a dark maroon.
Graham looked quite surprised.
“Since when-” He paused, looking at Sofila, “Fracking stars, you’ve taken the stick so far out of his ass.”
“Schutta.” Cole grumbled, though lacking any real venom as he sat down. His cheeks had flushed slightly however, mildly embarrassed but committing.
Sofila looked at them in confusion. Stick up in his ass? The name calling wasn’t unsual. She was just trying to pinpoint to why Graham was suddenly surprised.
She looked over at Cole, trying to figure it out. He was wearing his pants and the hoodies, what was so different-
Oh. She recollected to how he used to wear before she was trying to slowly introduce more comfortable clothes. A lot did not work out but it was good he wore it. Even when Graham was here.
This earned a happy and warm smile from Sofila.
She glanced over to Graham and sheepishly scratched her cheek.
“It… took a bit,” the Mirialan admitted.
Cole grumbled quietly, nothing audible but certainly miffed.
“He’s been wearing the same outfit for over a decade, you’re a miracle worker.” Graham was grinning, pausing for a moment and considering, “I might try orbit jumping. Not gonna lie, you’re gonna have to run me through how the kark that works without you splatting.”
He chuckled, albiet a smidge nervously.
“Oh no,” Sofila chuckled, now amused.
“We are not jumping right into that if you never experienced it. We’ll have to go slow. Cliff Diving. Sky Diving, the cute things. Then we can orbit jump!” Sofila grinned, now getting excited at the thought.
Though would she even be a good teacher?
“Erm, I could find you quailified teachers…”
“Y'know, stepping up to it makes sense. Been ages since I climbed at all, really, so that’ll be fun.” Graham nodded, leaning back into the chair. “I don’t like you calling sky diving cute though. You’re dangerous.”
It was a moment after that, that Cole raised an eyebrow at Sof. His cheeks were still pink but taking the distraction up quickly, “You aren’t yet? I thought you got approved for that.”
“It is cute though! Just a small little thing.” Sofila pouted for a bit before she blinked at Cole and then shook her head.
“I passed the training for my own things, there’s no way I’m going to try to teach it- can you imagine? I may forget something important and then they go splat.” Sofila then remembered something as she glanced towards where the kitchen was and back over to Cole with a mischevious grin. Quickly, she hopped up from the sofa, grabbed Graham’s hand and yank him.
“Got something to show you!” With that, she went over to their ‘extra’ fridge for one purpose only. She opened it and there was different candied as well caramel apple of different flavors.
“I am totally getting one or three or-” She stopped before Cole made a comment.
“Two,” Sofila grumbled under her breath but then shrugged as she nabbed two and then shouted towards the direction of living room, “Cole, which of the apples do you want?”
Cole hummed, wanting to defend her but not wanting to be delusional. She is a forgetful person, it wasn’t incorrect.
Graham made a short surprised noise as he was grabbed, though provided no resistance as she dragged him over. He had wondered why they had a second fridge.
This had not been on thr list of potential reasons.
Cole leaned over the side of the couch, considering for a moment before answering, “That more cinnamon flavor one? If we have any left.”
Graham blinked several times before stage whispering, “What the frack kind of magic did you do to him. He wears hoodies, hes eating actual snacks-”
“I ate snacks-”
“Like twice a year!”
There was an audible grumble from Cole’s location.
“Seriously. Not even Zuza made that- wait is that weird to bring up?”
“We sure do!” Sofila replied as she grabbed it for Cole and then two others.
Then she looked to Graham as she smiled, practically beaming and then laughed softly. It was… weird knowing how much she seemed to change him. Only if Graham knew how much he changed her too.
She was more grounded. More settled and content instead of feeling lost. She even felt lost before the Scimitar-
Her thoughts were gone when he brought up Zuza as she quickly looked to Graham, “not at all. I’m aware she’s his first love and still loves her. It’s okay, I love her too, just not in … that way.” Sofila grinned.
“What matters is the right now.” She winked at Graham before leaning back to give Graham room on the apples.
“So we got that amazing spicy hot chocolate candied apple, two of the sour candied apples left, um, regular caramel, oh, there’s white chocolate caramel mixed.. caramel with … looks like pecans and the other one is hazelnut I believe…”
“Okay cool.” Graham exhaled with mild relief, looking a little confused at her wording but shrugging it off.
“Ooo ill try a hazelnut.” He grabbed one, stepping backwards out of the way, “Why… do you have so many?”
Sofila nodded as she closed the fridge door. She made a turn towards the living room and froze.
“I may eat about four per day?”
She fully expected Cole to completely call her out on that. More like six or eight.
Cole scoffed from the living room. Hed got the holoplayer up, scrolling for background noise but turning just enough to directly raise an eyebrow at Sofila.
Graham chuckled, “At least its more apple than sugar?”
“When shes 6 in and bouncing off the walls…” Cole shook his head, smiling despite himself, “Im amazed we have any left, truly.”
Sofila gave Cole a massive ‘cheese’ smile when he looked over to her with an raised eyebrow.
Then she smirked mischievously and quickly hid it, “So what’s playing?”
Not that she had been buying some apples off on the side….
Not that he wasnt notified about all the random deliveries.
He maintained the poker face, she enjoyed the ‘secret’ and he had no investment in breaking the ruse.
“I dont know. This is the first thing that came on, I cant tell if its a drama or a documentary yet. Theyre on Coruscant.”
“Ugh, a bit surprising. I guess people are attach to things that could be worse than we live in. It’s not so bad but the xenophobia…” Sofila winced as she remembered one of her missions. She took a bite out of her candied apple.
Graham leaned on the doorway to look at the holo. “People just like drama. Ive seen folks in the pits watch fighting pit dramas and Im like, dude? But they just like it.”
Cole shrugged, handing the controller to Sofila, “I’m hoping we can nip the local issues in the bud soon at least. The last thing we need is some bullshit rebellion just for the sake of it from some asshats making up their own problems.”
Sofila grumbled as she took another bite off of the apple and tilted her head towards Cole, wondering why he gave her the remote. Sofila groaned at hearing of the possibility of rebellion.
“I hope not…” Then she sigh as she flipped through the channels.
“Though I kind of get watching another person drama. Some people use it as a way to forget their own, I guess…” Then Sofila mischievously grinned for a moment, “Drama are better than horror I suppose.” She nonchalantly took another bite of her apple.
Cole rolled his eyes, biting his with an unimpressed look.
Graham raised an eyebrow at Sofila, looking between her and Cole as he chopped on his apple.
“I’m guessing Cole still hates those…”
“She enjoys my frustrations with them far too much.”
A shit eating grin spread across Graham’s face.
“So yes.”
Sofila returned the grin, only for it to be hidden behind the almost fully eaten apple.
“Very much, yes. I only do it verrrrrry rarely. When we’re in the mood.” She paused for a moment. It had been awhile since they were in that kind of joking mood. She distracted herself by finding ‘Galaxy Ninja Warriors’.
Cole side eyed her, though a ghost of a smile betrayed the play frustration. He was more at ease though, relaxed into the couch he couldn’t help the sprinkle of paranoia that accompanied the exhaustion. He focussed on the show as it came on, a contestant grasping a floating bar.
“We mainly watch more low stakes holos.” He spoke after finishing a mouthful of apple.
“I’m… huh.” Graham interrupted his own surprised with more of his own apple. “Wind down stuff right? Makes sense I guess. I just throw on random frack, Im not usually paying that much attention to it anyway. Do it while doing other things.” He waved his non sticky hand dismissively.
“Oh? Like what?” Sofila asked innocently.
“Uh.” Graham blinked. “Braiding I guess?”
Cole leaned his head back against the couch, looking over suspiciously though keeping one eye on the show, “You guess?”
“I dunno, when I’m getting ready in the morning, y'know?” He waved the apple around, a foot tapping, “Or getting ready for bed and… I dunno. I only turn it on myself if I’m just hanging out on my own, if other folks put it on that’s their own thing but I just like the extra noise.”
Sofila couldn’t help but chuckled to herself at the differences of Cole and Graham.
Yet, there were similiarties too. Just like Asani and her. While she has other siblings, Asani and herself were the closest one out of the bunch. Despite them not having the same parent, it pleased Sofila to know blood or adopted didn’t matter, siblings were siblings.
She let out a soft yawn.
“I think I’ll go to bed.” She then got up and went to the hall closet, getting the spare blanket and pillow and set it by the couch for Graham to sleep on.
Cole had shrugged, making a small noise to confirm hed heard but… falling quiet. Tired. Until Sof got up.
“It is around that time.”
It wasn’t a bad call, really. A little early for them, but it had been a long ass day. As she left the room, he worked on standing up, grunting quietly. Frack he wanted the damn leg off.
“Jeez dude you sound old already.” Graham teased, though glanced down. Worry tinged his expression.
“You would know wouldn’t you?”
Graham stuck his tongue out at Cole, standing up as Sofila placed down the bedding and offering a sheepish grin. “Thanks.”
Cole had rolled his eyes, walking off into the bedroom. As soon as he had his pants off, he detached the prosthetic. Wearing it for days in a row, even while sleeping at points, had been a miscalculation.
“If you get hungry or whatever later, fridge is yours.” Sofila grinned as she turned and went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She rose an eyebrow as she watched Cole’s body slightly relaxed when he took off his prosthetic. Her eyes squinted at him for a moment, considering if she should bring up to when was the last time he gave his partial leg a break.
That wasn’t important right now.
Her voice was soft and low, so even if Graham for some unknown reason and she doubts he would, decided to evasdrop, he wouldn’t be able to hear her.
“Are you alright?”
The holo in the living room still played, though it quietened a few moments after the door closed. There was shifts of movement as Graham went and made use of the bathroom before bed.
Cole didn’t watch the door directly, but he still listened. Instead, he watched that tiny frown pulling at Sofila’s brow, her concern visible. He shook his head ever so slightly.
“Overdid it.” He massaged the stump of his leg passively, though it’d take a few days of minimal use of it to get rid of the ache. Never mind the soul level exhaustion that he didn’t quite want to talk about. Not right now. It was easier to focus on the physical symptoms, the less familiar ones. “I’ll be okay. No meetings planned for this week, I’ll be able to keep it off at work.”
“I-” Sofila quickly closed her mouth and reconsidered. Cole was the smarter one, maybe he actually know what she really meant and wasn’t ready? It was hard to tell sometimes.
“Will you be able to sleep while he’s here?” She asked as she started to change into her pajamas.
Cole watched her change for a few seconds, admiring before balancing on his leg to move the blanket aside to sit, finishing undressing to his boxers.
“I didn’t sleep well last night. I will be able to, but-” He cut off, expression unchanging but the tension returning to his shoulders enough for her to notice the hesitation. “Situation normal. I’d offer to sleep on the couch so I don’t wake you up but… Well.”
He made a small gesture to the door, glancing at it as if it would’ve popped open before shifting to lay down. Cole was quiet for a little longer, adding on with a frown, “I am glad he’s back.”
Sofila crawled into the bed with Cole as she wrap her arm around him. She heard him and then a small smile as she looked up to him.
“I’m glad you are.. just… one hop at a time?” She grinned, slightly mischievously. She was obviously worried but wasn’t going to push it or argue at the moment. It had only been a few nights he was struggling. As long he wasn’t falling backwards, she was going to be here as much as she possibly could for him.
Cole pulled the blanket up over them both, turning to face her and wrapping one arm around her waist. Closing his eyes to the scent of her hair when he pressed his cheek against the top of her head. To the calloused palms of her hands resting on his skin.
Despite it all, missing her and the corny joke, the ghost of a smile made it to his face.
“I missed you.”
Sofila grinned as she hoped that him being home and around her may help with his sleeping.
Alas, she knew that sometimes it did. Other times… not so much. Graham being here may not help with his habit. She protectively wrapped him closer to her for a moment.
“Missed you too, cyar'ika.”
They fell into quiet, Cole relaxing into her slowly as sleep took over his form.
The night was far from peaceful, but there was only one startled awakening from Cole. It had taken him a few seconds to reorient, finding wherever Sofila had wiggled off to and reclaiming his hug, but it wasnt the worst.
The house was quiet and after a while he eventually drifted back off to sleep. Until his alarm chimed, it was remarkably quiet for such a thing despite waking the man in an instant. Cole rolled over, swiping away the noise off of the datapad. He only took a couple seconds to lay there before getting up to do his usual morning routine, quiet so Sofila could return to sleep if she wanted.
Sofila, true to her morning hating self, grumbled as she buried deeper in the blankets. Then she extended her arm out of the covers, grabbed Cole’s pillow, and snatched it towards her. She miserablly attemped to wrap her body aroud the pillow due to her height but it didn’t stop her from attempting.
There was a few minutes and then she suddenly sat up, covers slipped off of her and her curly hair pointing in all directions.
“We have a guest-” She reminded herself as she plopped back onto the pillow. She started to wake up and gave herself a few more minutes before she hops out.
By the time she recovered from waking up, Cole was dressed and placing his hidden holster into his jacket. He secured it, then with a reluctant grumble grabbed his cane from the bedside. The last task before leaving was pressing a kiss to her cheek, brief and somewhat rough with him being unstable.
“See you later.” He murmured, heading out of the bedroom.
Graham was blearily awake, offering a half hearted wave as Cole went by. He watched the cane for a long few moments but opted to not comment on that. He was still half asleep anyway, whatever.
“Youuu work now?… dude…”
“Ill be home fairly early.”
“Cool.” Graham sighed softly, settling back into the sofa and closing his eyes. Warm and c o z y.
Sofila murmured to let him know she heard him and slightly pouted.
“Love you, be safe.” She called out. Now slightly awake, Sofila rubbed her eyes and stepped out. She saw Graham was on the sofa and ‘looked’ to be asleep.
Sofila squinted. She started to wonder just how much the brothers were alike? Asani and Sofila were light and heavy sleepers in a way. They are light when it’s needed but when they sleep? Boy they really are heavy.
Could be that Graham is an extreme light sleeper like Cole? Half of her was tempted to throw a pillow to see what happened but that would be rude. She barely knew the man. Instead, she attempted to silently make her way to the kitchen.
As she passed by, Graham opened one eye and peered her. Unfortunately right in time to make direct eye contact. He shut again, hoping she hadn’t actually been looking.
He didnt know why but hey, who can blame a guy?
Sofila rolled her eyes. What was he, a toddler pretending to be asleep?
Though, it was a bit amusing. Cole wasn’t the type to do that.
Well, at least she knew he was awake.
“If you want breakfast, I would get up.” She muttered, a bit grumpy in the mornings as she made her way into the kitchen and started to get some things out to prep.
There was an audible grumble, but a minute after she started in the kitchen there was movement from the couch as Graham got up. Hed taken off his shirt to sleep, in a comfy looking pair of pants with krayt dragons patterned across them. He stretched, one arm over his head and then the other, rubbing his eye wjth his palm before entering the kitchen.
His tattoos ranged across his torso, covering certain areas more thickly than others. The only place they didnt have some coverage on was the scar that crossed the entire width of his stomach. The tattoos curled nearby, looking intentionally thought out but no ink had been placed into that scar.
He washed his hands, blinking slowly and only partially with it as he asked, “How’s it goin’?”
Sofila glanced over and saw his tattoos.
How was it that Cole and him are different side on the same coin?
Then again.. Asani and herself…
“Eh. I hate mornings,” Sofila honestly replied with a grumble as she got out onions, bell peppers, cheese, and eggs.
She rubbed her eyes and blinks.
“Bacon or sausage?”
“Mmm I’m great.” Graham sleepily responded, shutting off the water. He paused in place, closing one eye for a few seconds before looking at Sofila.
Then the pan.
Then clarity hit, “Oh- Sausage. Please, thank you. Can I help?”
He gestured to the vegetables.
Sofila stared at him.
Oh. Right. Sausage. She grabbed them and then nodded.
“That would be nic-”
Then she paused and realized something and burst out laughing. A pure from the belly laughter.
Graham had picked up the vegetables, pulling them closer and leaning over to grab a chopping board. He had it in hand when Sofila began laughing, freezing for a moment before slooooowly continuing. He placed it on the counter beside the veggies, then grabbed a knife.
Her laughter was quite infectious, drawing a albeit confused smile from the man.
“Yeah really?” He asked, assuming he missed something that was said and rolling with it.
It took her awhile to be able to string together a sentence. Because every time she tried, she giggled.
She managed to continue to make breakfast. She got out another pan for Graham for the eggs and vegetables.
While the sausage was frying, she finally was able to say something.
“I see why Cole is so patient with me.”
Graham worked on chopping the vegetables. He was messier than Cole about it, but still clearly knew what he was doing at least. He made a pile for each vegetable as he finished with it, making it accessible to her without risking her fingers.
When Sofila finally got herself calmed and spoke, Graham gave a short laugh. “Yeaaaaah.”
A moment passed and he chuckled again, shaking his head “I wore him down for ya, what can I say?” A teasing grin crossed his face, glancing over to her before focusing back on what he was doing.
“Preeeetty sure you might’ve.” Sofila then let the sausage cook as she opened the fridge again.
“We got… bunch of juice, milk, water, and… caf?” She called out as she grabbed the juice for herself.
“Also, how did you sleep?”
“Water will do for me. And I slept fine, I’m a bit long for the couch but it ain’t the worst place I’ve slept.” Graham answered, giving a sleepy grin. He continued chopping the vegetables, letting the pause sit for a moment before narrowing his eyes. The thought processed before he asked with a chuckle, “Coles still addicted to caf then?”
Sofila closed the fridge and got a glass instead as she pressed it against the fridge’s system and the water was being poured into it. She then set the drinks onto the table.
“I hear you. About the worse places.” Sofila smiled and then groaned.
“You have NO idea, although, he’s a lot better about it! I get kind of… pouty and grumpy when he starts using it as a subsitute to stay up. I try to find the line when I can be worry or leave him be. It’s hard sometimes.” Sofila heavily sighed as she started to crack the eggs.
“Eh, better than booze. That… was well, yeah.” Graham shrugged, waving a hand dismissively before going to wash his hands again, done with chopping “He had a doctors check up on one of his stints, back then y'know, and he had to go back the next day to get an actual realistic reading for his blood pressure. Was crazy. Not that I was much better.” He chuckled, doing his best to not think too much about it. He offered a genuine to smile to her, tilting his head.
“Finding the line at all is impressive, I wouldnt worry too much. He… seems better.”
Sofila does a small cringe when he had brought up the booze. While Cole doesn’t go crazy but when he had a rough day, it’s a rough day.
Though she didn’t mind. He wasn’t falling into bad habits.
It seemed that Graham was sort of also trying to avoid talking about the past and their father? She wasn’t too sure. She didn’t want to disrespect him as he was her guest but she was already having the man chopping vegetables.
“Oh, that should be good, thank you.” Sofila pointed out as she started to make the omelettes and seasoned it up.
She bit her lower lip for a bit.
“I think my biggest struggle with him was…. all I can say if Trevor was a live I would want to kill him but he kept…” She huffed as she tried to figure it out. Defending him? Not wanting to soil his name?
Graham dried his hands, mulling the comment over. Hed noticed it, or more so ran into the brick wall of that problem, on the way here. Hed gotten an answer though…
He sighed, crossing his arms over his stomach. It made sense shed want to know and Cole sure as shit wasn’t liable to open up wide about it. And really… he wanted to talk to about it, this was the shit he couldn’t tell the psych.
“He looks like him.” The words hung for a moment, before Graham shifted in place and continued talking.
“I actually got it out of him, why he does that. He did it before too, to a lesser extent cause I was in that loop still but- hes… From what he said, hes afraid that if we were really raised as horrifically as we were, what does that make us. And he didnt say it but I know he was thinking monsters. Cause we were.” Graham sighed again, a sadness in his eyes, “Trevor did a great job of making us into that while also never being good enough. I got mad about it, at myself and then Trevor, while Cole… well. He’s better. But he was wrapped up deeper trying than I got, fracker still blames himself I think.”
Sofila noticably grimaced when Graham said that Cole looks like Trevor. She did remember the first time she saw the images and Cole was the spitting image of Trevor.
It didn’t affect her as it does for the boys considering she had never met him. But maybe it was a hint. That if he looks like him, he should be him.
Frack that.
“You two aren’t monsters…” Sofila’s voice dropped. Very soft and a tone of sadness to it.
“I wouldn’t be with Cole if I thought he was a pure monster. I… don’t know how to help him see that.”
Graham huffed a short laugh, “We aren’t anymore.”
He didn’t know how much she knew. At least some but… well. That wasnt exactly his place, not unless she asked.
“I don’t know either. Not really sure its something you can help with much, other than just being there. You’ve already done a lot, so… he’ll get there. If my ass did, he can.” Graham smiled, trying to be encouraging. “He actually shows emotions now. On his face!”
Sofila chuckled softly as she sighed before looking over to him.
“Are you doing okay? Really.”
Graham’s smile faltered, tilting his head this way and that before answering.
“Really? This isn’t my best days.” He shrugged, leaning back against the counter. It was cold, making him jerk forward ever so slightly for a moment before leaning back again. He placed his palms to the counter’s edge, holding on lightly, “I’ll be ‘right. I’m about as relieved as I am messed up about it. I thought he was dead too. But yeah, that ain’t your mess to help with. Much as I appreciate the thought.”
His smile returned, slightly lopsided and genuine. “I’m not handling it alone, not entirely. Though if folks could stop trying to stab me that’d be great. So far its been everyone but you and I can’t imagine Zu…” The smile drained away entirely. He crossed his arms over his stomach, over the scar without thinking of it, “I got friends who know I’m going through it.”
“Dangerous mindset.” Sofila pointed out as she filled up the plates with the sausage, eggs combined with the vegetables and cheese. She placed the plates on the table before toasting up some bread and put them on the plate when they were done. She then grabbed her drink and sat down.
“Sometimes famous last lines, the whole ‘not my mess’ I mean. I know I wasn’t there when … it all went down. I know I didn’t grow up the same as you two.” She sighed as she poked the eggs with the fork.
“I get not trusting anyone but sometimes handling things alone can be the most dangerous.” Sofila grumbled as she remembered trying to handle the fact that she was angry all the time.
Not my fault but still… She still doubted herself. Yes, she was better and still had moments but what if that’s really her?
“As for Zuza, I don’t know. I think she’s the type to forgive easier than me.” Sofila raised her eyebrow as she took a bit of the eggs when he said he got friends who know he’s going through it.
She gave him a smile and then swallowed her food.
“I’m glad you have support. Sorry if I’m a bit moody or confusing.. I really hate mornings. Though, Cole had me looking forward to them sometimes.” She grabbed her glass to sip her juice.
Graham waited until Sofila was about to sit before following suit. He listened, eyes glazing slightly at some point trying to catch up.
He… Oh. Hm. It took a minute, using eating to pad the time as he worked it all out, using a wrist to rub at his eyes, still struggling himself to be awake.
“I suck at mornings. I function but…” Graham chuckled, “I’m not good for much for the first half hour or so unless its instinct yknow? Getting dressed, breakfast. New concepts or plans or what are we doing today Gray?, nope!”
He gave a short laugh, eating some more. Then sighed slightly.
“Ive not handled anything alone in a long time. Except meeting up with Skylar and Evelyn I guess. But… thats why I wanted to do it. Can’t exactly tell a normal person I have a higher kill count than most murderers they know the names of in jail. Or a doc. They know ive got a kist stained backstory but… yeah. Theyre there for me, support me, but they don’t know.” He hummed, realising hed started to ramble and leaning back in his chair. Was there a good way to wrap that up without her getting into his stuff? Not that he didnt want her to but they only met yesterday and this is Cole’s girlfriend.
“Me and Cole always had each other. Took me a bit to break into trusting other folks. Its… nice.”
“I’m glad. I wish… Cole can see it’s not so bad. At the same time, I get it. If a trust gets broken, it really hurts.” Sofila sighed as she took a sip then decided to change topic in case he didn’t want to linger.
“Is Evelyn really a schutta? Why did you even hook up with her?”
“From what little he did mention it’s… He sorta locked up even worse than he was when I was around.” A flash of guilt crossed Graham’s expression, biting his lip for a moment before letting the comment about Evelyn draw a chuckle from him. Graham’s shoulders relaxed, shaking his head.
“She’s a hard ass but she’s not…” He hummed, considering, “I mean I dunno her that well. But, from what I’ve gathered, she’s not a bad person. No worse than me or Cole. And even if she was, it was a one night stand. Very drunk one night stand between two people who’d only met once before, and me and Cole scared the frack outta her for it. If anyone was making a bad decision that night it was her. I’m just glad she… even told me about everything after. She didn’t have to.”
Sofila gave him a small smile, “yea, I guess that’s fair. I’m glad she did too.”
She shifted the topic back to Cole, “Cole being worse when you died- Oh. Sorry-” Sofila grimaced.
“When he thought you died, it … sort of make sense but… I don’t know. He really has improved so much since we met and he’s trying. He’s stronger than me.”
“The… scars. He said most of them happened not long after… that.” Graham poked at the remnants of his breakfast. “He had a couple, the one under his eye and his hands obviously. Fracker has a habit of catching knives, same with his knuckles and the big grenade one y'know? And his back… Frack yea his whole back is- I got used to that but I guess he had more than a few.”
He rubbed his face with his hand, scratching through his beard for a moment before leaning back.
“I’m glad he’s trying, I guess is my point. I won’t get all sappy on you again about… that but… He was fourteen when all his nightmare frack started. Barely slept for years, he got paranoid but never. Never anything like that, y'know? He’d shoot the walls and I’d have to hunker down until he woke up enough I could get the damn thing off of him without getting killed. Or he’d zone out of conversations because he was watching exits. But he never…” Graham sighed, “I’m getting sappy, sorry. He’s stronger than me too, if it’s any comfort.”
Sofila chuckled as she sighed. It was nice to know that she wasn’t alone in this.
But… does Cole feel alone?
“In a way… I’m glad you’re around and that you two found each other. It’s.. a whole mess, yea, but in the long run? This… could help Cole. And you too. You both didn’t really have…” She bit her gum and grumbled under her breath. She didn’t want to kick Graham.
By the stars, she was suppose to be a host! She cleared her throat before taking another bite.
“I’m sure you have questions for me? If any of my siblings were dating, I would put them in a hot seat faster than you can blink.”
“We didn’t have anyone we could trust. Corvo maybe but, him and father…” Graham shook his head, “No one else. It does feel a bit like I’ve got my left hand back, even if it tried to throttle me first.”
He smiled in amusement, at himself then Sofila, “I mean, I’d like to know about you. I know you like extreme sports and hate mornings, thst you make Cole smile even when you’re not looking. But I dunno, its Cole. With how paranoid his ass is, I’m more surprised he actually let his guard down enough to be with anyone. If you hadn’t been together uh… years? At this point, I’d be questioning your sanity not verifying you.”
Sofila stared at him in surprise. It was hard to make Cole smile sometimes.
“He… smiles when I’m not looking?” She started smiling and her shoulders had relaxed somewhat.
“Years? I think yea… well, depends, before or after I got possessed?”
“He did it like twice yesterday. Little ones but y'know-” Graham chuckled, waving a hand as he shrugged the same shoulder.
The smile waned at the mention of her possession, unsure really how to meter the timeline around it. “I honestly don’t know how long you’ve been together. Like I said before, he’s not really told me much. Couldn’t even tell me your name until we were here. He’s very protective of the folks he cares for. Kinda almost annoyingly so.”
“I’m very surprised about him not telling you my name. I .. wonder if it’s because how we met. I went through a lot and didn’t accept my name for awhile so I was called Sagitta.” She pushed her empty plate aside and grabbed her glass of juice.
She looked to the ceiling as if she was thinking.
“We’ve been… I think it’s almost three years? Yea, three years together.”
“I think its.. also as much wanting me to not be able to track you down and kill you if I wasnt actually me.” Graham mused, “He almost uh, cut my throat on the flight back because I got too close while he was zoning out and he freaked out. So that’s where he was at..”
He rubbed the back of his neck, fluffing up his hair a little.
“Three years. Well shit that is quite a bit.” A short laugh followed, “How did you two even meet?”
Sofila laughed as she grabbed her plate and then his. She placed them into the sink before grabbing her glass and filled it up with juice. She also topped Graham’s glass.
Sofila tilted her head into the living room where they can sit down to be more comfortable than the kitchen chairs.
“I…. have a fear of storms. More so the sounds. Happened to meet him and he was able to help me through my fear. We went back to a hotel and well.” Sofila smiled as she remembered the whole ‘whoops, I tripped’ and spilled on his shirt.
Which, of course, Cole caught on quickly.
“Then we concidencly met again at a mission. After that, we found out we were staying at a same location. I bothered him. Talked his ear off. Trained with him.”
Graham mumbled a thanks as she topped his drink up, not realising the move out of the kitchen at first and arriving a little belatedly to a chair.
He hummed at the story, then found himself chuckling, “Didn’t bother him that much clearly. Probably took his guard down a couple notches straight away with your fear. I’m… well kist I’d hope you know by now he’s the same way. Hates lightning, never been hit by hit but… didn’t need to be.”
He tried to bounce away from the topic for Cole’s sake yet… didn’t know if she’d want to know more. He ran his hand through his hair, smoothing out the ruffled spot.
“That’s cute though. Why’d you latch onto him though? I know why he did to you, the man has a type.” A grin crossed Graham’s face.
“Yea,” Sofila sighed heavily.
“I’m also aware of his situation with electricity. I didn’t know when we first met… but later on, yea.”
Sofila grinned and then it changed into a frown.
“I did wonder about that too! I thought about it and realized, I was on my own. I came from a huuuuge family and loud, chaotic, environment. He’s the one that gave me attention. I didn’t… want to be alone. As cheesy as that sounds.”
“Nah. I mean my ass being here is from that. And I wasn’t even fully alone y'know? Just… also not fully not-alone.” Graham shrugged a shoulder, his smile becoming smaller but warmer. “I’m glad he was able to help you out. That you two found each other.”
“The… well. Yeah, you know. I hate thinking about it. Did he tell you I was the one who found him after he got out? There was a fence and he’d broken his foot getting out and I dragged him up and over it. Carried him rest of the way.” Graham grimaced, “Trevor had me press the button to drop bombs on that place. One of the few things I still reckon he did right. But yeah- frack. Said I didn’t wanna talk about it and then-”
He sipped his juice, grumbling to himself.
Sofila smiled, “I’m glad too.”
She listened to him and it took her a moment to process her own feelings. Would she had nuked the place too? Kark, yea. But it was Trevor-
She can’t be a karking hypocrite.
Despite swirling emotions, she caught that he had called him Trevor. Not dad. Not father.
The disconnection had started or was already there.
Maybe it was just Graham’s habit of talking. Her jaw tighten as she remembered Asani being injured as they both tried to fight off a bounty hunter that was after Sofila.
Then a soft chuckle with a heavy sigh.
“I hope I’m not being too forward, but I’m glad your father is dead. I don’t think I would be okay if he was still around and… doing what he did to you both.”
“Oh yeah frack no.” Graham straightened up, pulling a face. “I mean, I didn’t want him to die but-”
He raked a hand down his face, sipping more of the juice before placing it onto the coffee table. Missing the coaster though visibly distracted as he did so.
“We were his little soldiers. He did love us, in his own way, but it wasn’t… I dunno. Sometimes it was. He tried sometimes. We got the sex talk alongside how to pull a bullet out of a wound. Like… literally the same day. I’d beat his ass myself if I saw him, I think. I don’t know. I got a chance to talk to him and I just… shut the comm off. I don’t know if I regret that.”
He sighed softly, leaning back into the chair. “He called me a year after I shoulda died. Haven’t told Cole that yet, I don’t know if he… I don’t know if it’s worth hurting him like that.”
“No, I get it-” Sofila tried to reassure him on the fact that he didn’t want him to die, die but knew that what he did to Cole and Graham was wrong.
Sofila stared at him for a moment when he had brought up that Cole doesn’t know that Trevor had tried contacting Graham a year after his supposed death. She winced.
“I… I don’t know..” When they weren’t even in the dating stage, Cole made it very clear he hated lying or things being hidden from him. But this?
“Obviously don’t tell him outright but if it comes up…. I am sure you already know.”
“He almost broke my jaw once when we were teenagers cause I lied about not taking up a bounty. I know.” His hand had been on his cheek anyway, but without thought rubbed at what must have been the spot.
Graham tapped his foot, “How… was he when he found out about Myla? That was pretty much the only lie I ever actually… managed to keep from him. He almost got me but, well. He was in recovery for some of it, enough, at least. His back, yknow-”
Graham waved generally at his own back, sinking further into the chair, “I’ll tell him at some point. When we’ve not recently argued Trevor, namely.”
Sofila winced as she stroke the glass with her thumb. It was her way of keeping her focus. Grounded.
Texture.
“He… was really hurt. He understood why but it still hurt him.” Sofila paused for a moment before glancing back over to Graham.
“Did you fear that Cole would’ve become like Trevor?”
Graham paused for a long moment, expression grim. That silence spoke the truth of it well enough, his foot tapping restlessly against the floor. Still, the man found his words eventually, despite feeling as if the wind was knocked out of him.
“I didn’t fear it at the time. But… yeah. That was part of it. I didn’t want her raised like we were, even before I understood how bad it really was. If there was a chance he’d tell our father, I couldn’t risk it.” He let out a long sigh, though it was a quiet thing with tiredness sustaining through, “He tried to be like him, when we were little. Then he tried to be… what Trevor wanted us both to be. Anything to make the old schutta proud. I didnt want to think he’d… but-”
Graham bit his lower lip, feeling guilty despite himself.
Sofila set her glass down and got up as she walked to Graham and sat next to him.
She pulled him into a hug.
Graham initially tensed, not overtly reacting as Cole often would at a sudden touch but… not expecting it. By the stars he didn’t expect it. The last week or so of stress bubbled up dangerously at the contact, yet he leaned into it despite himself. Nearly being killed three times, the accusations, proving himself, sleeping rough for the first time in years, sleeping poorly thanks to all of that, it all built up overtop the worries like that. The worry that Myla would.. still be in danger- He shuddered, wavering on the line between containment and letting himself have a small cry but… The main thing that grounded him out of it was that he was still karking shirtless.
It didn’t stop him from returning the hug, but it pulled Graham back from that edge for the moment, only a small sniffle and a shaking breath betraying what almost occurred.
When he pulled away, that shakiness remained in his laugh, “I probably shoulda put a shirt on, eh?”
Sofila blinked, there was a moment of ‘pretty eyes, head empty’ before she looked to his chest, raised her eyebrow, and back up to him.
“I’m… sorry,” the Mirilan gave him a sheepish smile.
“I have so many siblings, I just… don’t care about that. Did Cole ever tell you how many siblings I have? I have uh- well last I checked it was eight. Nine? Maybe nine. I’ll have to ask Buir to see if I got anymore siblings…”
“Frack me, do your parents do it li- O-oh.” The remembrance that Sofila was a Mandolarion hit a few precious seconds too late. He laughed, the previous shakiness still audibly present, “Mando. Right.”
There was a second pause. Mildly awkward but trying to work out why that-
“I dunno.” Was the very honest wave off, glancing over toward his backpack and the folded pile of clothes. Graham got up, making the split second decision to at least commit to the statement and put a damn shirt on. “Do your parents often just grab random orphans or is.. less…”
He waved a hand before bending over to pick up the shirt
“Oh. They do. A lot.” Sofila started to have the thousand yard stare. But when he talked, it helped bring her back to Earth.
“It’s… honestly yea. that’s what I thought. That they see someone young in need and just scoop them up. I had no idea that Buir is actually my bio father until… threeee years ago?” The way Sofila extended the word three, made her unsure if she was pronouncing it correctly.
“Huh.” Graham hummed, pulling the shirt on over his head and getting it properly on himself. He checked after for the label, concerned before thankfully seeing he had put it on the right way.
“Frack. Growing up with just Cole was intense enough. We got into fights about kist all the time. Maybe it’d have been different if… well.” He chuckled, nervously, moving on again. He wanted to talk but felt himself hopping back and forth. How much did she know? How much would Cole be pissed at him mentioning to her?
How much should he tank Cole being pissed so she knew that stuff? He moved on anyway, for now, still pushing back the overwhelm of emotion.
“I can’t imagine having eight or so other kids rushing around when I was that small too. How’d you… did he just never mention you were his blood or…?”
Sofila raised her eyebrow when Graham changed the topic. She started to wonder what was up with that.
“It wasn’t all of us at the same time, sometimes. We’re different ages. Asani was the one I was raised the longest with. Buir made sure that we all knew we were his kids. I guess I just… never thought about him being my biological father after what my-” Sofila winced.
She became quiet before sighing heavily.
“I’m just glad I’m not related to my stepdad, who I thought was my father.”
Graham’s expression turned grim, recognizing the wince. He’d seen it in others enough.
“Well, I’m immediately glad you’re not related to him either now. Though- Frack your family is weird isn’t it?” He chuckled slightly, sitting down on the couch. “Can’t say I know too much about Mandos but it always seemed a bit complicated from what little we glimpsed. We did our best to keep beskar out of any of our trade deals. Never know who knows who.”
“We can be a bit complicated, yea.” Sofila chuckled.
“Though Buir didn’t really follow the old ways that much. As you can tell by being able to see my face. So it was less restricted. I am surprised you guys were able to get beskar… but then again some Mandalorians I’ve met were… questionable at best.”
“Able to get it sure, but every piece was a death sentence. None of it was there because a mando was willingly involved, they were either grave robberies or taking them off the body’s while they were still warm.” Graham spoke casually, shaking his head after a moment. “Wasn’t worth the trouble. Only reason we bothered with the drug flow was so no one else could get under foot. People want their drugs accessible at the corner, folks who want beskar under the table are usually rich or stupid enough to travel for it.”
He leaned back into the cushions, mulling the conversation over in his head. “I… If there’s anything you want to ask me, I just don’t know what you know. I’m not bouncing around on purpose I’m just-”
Graham gestured, indicating ping ponging. It had been long enough since waking up, espeically with food and a drink down him, that he was awake but it was easy to bounce around still.
“You don’t have to avoid asking me kist about Trevor or mom or… whatever else. I just dunno- yeah. Like I said. Don’t want to just be repeating crap for you and getting us both riled up for no reason.”
“Yea… some.. Mandalorians are rather.. touchy about beskar. Our Clan isn’t like that. Well. We try to.”
Sofila blinked then chuckled softly as she sighed.
“I still have a pretty bad temper so it may be best not to. Unless we’re climbing or something so I have some kind of physical exertion to take it out on.” Then she grimaced and glanced away. Her hands started to rub her arms.
“I try not to get emotional about it. I just… want to listen for him. Of what he went through. But… it upsets me so much that I just start yelling or lose it. I’m a lot better now but… It’s Cole. He can tell my tells from a mile away under my mando helmet.”
“And the moment you get stressed about it he shuts down harder than an emergency airlock.” Graham nodded slowly, huffing a short frustrated breath. “Or he used to, at least. You know more than I’d have thought you would already. I obviously don’t know anything I left, but anything before that I know pretty well. I was the one who pulled him out both hostage situations he got into, he got me out of my one. I probably don’t know everything, sure as shit gave him more space when Zuza came around.”
He chuckled, looking at her warmly if with a gentle worry.
Sofila laughed softly and sighed.
“Well. I think he realized the damaging effects of it. So I Just… try to wait and he just tries to talk more. He’s really better about it than we used to be in the beginning.”
She glanced and met with Graham’s gaze, “I hope you see it, but he had come so far. I’m really proud of him.”
“I can.” Graham nodded, confirming it with warmth.
“It really is weird seeing him emote at all. The only time he would is when things were really bad before. Either nightmares or when he was so injured he couldn’t hide it. Or if he got too drunk but… after that happened once or twice he learned his limits. Trevor actually picked us up from one of those nights, I was too far gone to carry Cole’s ass and he’d started babbling on about… frack. What- Oh that was it! How much he hated our helmets. He was real intent on explaining exactly why they sucked. Only time we ever heard about it. But yea, four left feet- Or would it be three- Well no he had.”
Graham grimaced, teeth baring for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m still not used to that.”
Sofila laughed softly at hearing the story.
“He doesn’t really get drunk much. It’s a habit for him now, I suppose.” Then she grinned.
“It was an adjustment for us for a while too, especially when we tried to-”
Then her cheeks turned muddy brown.
“Right. Never mind. Um. More juice?”
Graham let out a bark of a laugh simultaneously with the darkening of Sofila’s cheeks. It was not information he wanted to know, but it was still funny as frack. A relief for the lightsided side of things.
“Sure sure. Great topic switch. Tell me though, has he face planted doing something stupid yet?” A shit eating grin had quickly formed.
“Yes, onto me,” Sofila emphasized the me by slighty gesturing to her chest.
Graham opened his mouth, then snorted, dipping his head to cover his face partially as he started laughing. He got his breath enough to cough out, “Do- don’t call yourself stupid hun.”
Sofila gave him a playful smirk.
“You’re going have to try harder than that to get ammo on Cole.”
“I have ammo, its just… old.” He waved his hand, eyes alight with amusement, “Bringing up that he shot me once isn’t as funny when hes still kiiiinda considering doing it again.”