bakerstreet | Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

SECRET relationship;

The fact that you're in a relationship with this person isn't public knowledge. Actually, no one knows about it except for the people involved. Maybe you guys are just private like that; on the other hand, it may be a necessity to keep things a secret from others. Maybe you're both team mates, and others on the team would give you grief, or you're not suppose to be dating, or you're not the type to usually date and you're only testing the waters. Perhaps it's the combination of you two, possibly an odd couple, that would bring some controversy or some teasing. Or, you know, you could not want to deal with friends and relatives being busybodies. Your reasons are your own.

Are you content with stealing moments to be together as a couple? Do you want to make your relationship known and the fact that you can't drives you batty? Remember, there are lots of benefits to dating in secret. You can be yourselves completely, away from prying eyes, and get to know each other better as potential longterm romantic partners. In a way, it's ideal.

...still, do you ever wish you could scream from the rooftops how much you care for your significant other?

how to play.

★ Comment with your character, preferences, and information.
★ Reply to others.
★ Play out stolen moments (◡‿◡✿), secret dates (◕‿◕✿), secret handholding (⊙‿⊙✿), and secret kissing ( /)w(\✿)!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh yeah?

Well-- maybe after you're a knight, you can come with us on another mission again!

[She knows Luminara disapproves of Anakin and his methods. Inwardly she suspects that's why she and Barriss never get to do anything together anymore.]

Maybe when I'm knighted, we can go on missions together!

[The height of romance, as far as Ahsoka is concerned.]

[that sounds nice to barriss, too — ahsoka as her travelling and problem solving companion instead of master luminara — but she can't figure out how to articulate just how nice that could be. so she just smiles at ahsoka again, reaching out to idly pat the togruta's thigh.]

I don't know how long I could keep up with your level of excitement or danger. But that would be... nice, I think, if this war would ever hurry up and end. Master Skywalker will probably insists he needs you until then.

Anakin's not the boss of me. [She pauses.] Well. I guess technically he is. But he won't be once we're both knights!

[Emboldened by the physical contact, Ahsoka leans in a little closer unconsciously.]

It'd be fun, right?

It would be. We seem to just miss each other a lot lately.

[the lean is confusing for a moment, earning a blink before barriss accepts it, rubbing her thumb over the side of ahsoka's tight-clad leg with something that must be affection. it's not born of attachment, though. she's being very careful of that.]

I'm just thinking of how close your Master always seems to want Master Kenobi. I sense it'll be much the same for you even when you've become a Knight.

[If Barriss found the lean-in confusing, Ahsoka finds the hand on her thigh positively mystifying. And torturous. Keep it together, she desperately thinks at herself, even as her stomach does a weird flip-flop. But Barriss is touching her leg. Barriss is touching her leg. It's such a small, relatively innocent gesture, but coming from Barriss it's enough to send Ahsoka's brain into immediate overdrive. She can feel her face heating and her brain short circuiting.

Ahsoka looks nothing so much as like an animal caught in the headlights.]

Oh. Um. Yes.

[Intelligent, her brain provides.]

Well, I mean... [What were they talking about again? Right. Missions. Anakin.] I'm sure you'd be welcome to come with us...? [She finishes lamely, and her voice sounds unnatural even to herself.]

[barriss needs to move her hand. she knows this, but she can't, because something inside her isn't quite within her usually firm control. ahsoka is always a nice thing to look at, fitting colours and naturally attractive patterning that barriss, with her intentional designs, can't help but find fascinating. but she's exceptionally nice to look at now, all vibrant stripes and wide blue eyes.

every youngling was taught to avoid passion and attachment but it was no secret that so many of them dabbled with it, curiosity and hormones getting the better of them briefly as they reached sexual maturity for their species. it happened, they learned not to do it, it didn't happen again. but barriss has never felt that same draw— or if she had, she hadn't been able to recognize it as such until now, which seems like a bad thing.]

If... if the Council wishes, yes. Our duties must come first.

[but she's not moving her hand.]

[Her mind races through a million possible replies. She could pretend to be oblivious. Make some dumb joke about the council and laugh about it, moving into a different position. Get rid of this weird sudden tension in the air. It was never like this before, was it? ... But she finds she doesn't want to dispel it at all. Rather, Ahsoka is seized by the sudden thought that she's never wanted to kiss anyone so much in her entire life.

So she does.

It's quick-- innocent. Impulsive. A little bit clumsy, and a little bit shy.

When she pulls back a split second later, she finds herself gripped by a sudden spike of anxiety. What if she read the situation wrong? Can she still laugh this off?]

[usually, her reflexes are impeccable. right now, barriss learns, they are slow and stunned and by the time she's realizing that ahsoka is kissing her — kissing her just like they shouldn't but in a way that feels alarmingly right — ahsoka is no longer kissing her. barriss mourns the brevity of the kiss before she can stop herself, wishing she had been quick enough to press back, even a little.

but ahsoka's sharp anxiety is brighter than barriss's own hazy regret and that has her focusing on ahsoka, keeping that hand on her thigh while the other reaches across them to settle on ahsoka's bare shoulder, accidentally brushing her fingers against one lek in the process.]

Ahsoka...

[She sees the dismay on Barriss's face, but she interprets it as pity. That's the last thing she wants. She cringes inwardly. When Barriss touches her shoulder, she starts as if burned.]

I-- no, sorry, it's okay. I know. I shouldn't have done that.

[ahsoka's little flinch has barriss pulling both of her hands back to her own lap, not wishing to cause further discomfort. she cares for ahsoka (but she isn't attached, no) and the thought of doing something to put a gap between them makes barriss's stomach turn. they see each other so little as it is; their time together is precious.]

No, you shouldn't have. [she lets out a breath, watching ahsoka for a moment, uncertain.] But it was... nice.

[Ahsoka just looks at Barriss then for a moment, one eyebrow raised, puzzled. She knows she shouldn't ask. She should just leave it at that, let the matter drop with her dignity still intact. But the words are out of her mouth before she can stop them.]

"Nice"...? Nice how? Nice like you're trying to spare my feelings, or nice like you want to do it again?

[she doesn't want to answer that. she really doesn't to answer that, because the honest answer is an incriminating one and barriss is, fundamentally, both an honest person and pretty decent at following the jedi code. except now, apparently, when she's not sure how to put her best foot forward without being filled with regret afterward.]

Nice like I would like to do it again if it were at all appropriate, which it isn't.

[there, honest and only slightly chastising. it seems like how master luminara would have handled something like this, although she can't imagine her master ever being tempted this way.]

[A traitorous flurry of hope blooms in Ahsoka's chest at that moment. She leans right into Barriss's space all of a sudden, expression cheeky.]

What? Why not? I mean-- it's just kissing, right? It's not like the Code forbids that.

[ahsoka is far too close and barriss's face is far too warm as she struggles again for words. this is so foreign to her that she doesn't even know where to start.]

N-no. Not necessarily. [since she has to concede that much.] But kissing and romantic feelings could be a tempting path toward passion and attachment and if we ever wish to become Jedi Knights, Ahsoka, we must be mindful of these things.

[Ten times more cavalier than she feels:]

Who said anything about romantic feelings?

Nobody, of course! It was a generalization.

[barriss, right now, is the emotional equivalent of a field mouse who has nowhere to dart too for safety, quickened heart rate and all. force help her.]

So then there's no problem! Right?

We probably still shouldn't be kissing.

[Oh. She's being pushy, she realises.

Ahsoka pulls back then, suddenly awkward.]

... Oh. Well... yeah, of course. ... You're right. My bad. Um-- sorry.

[barriss watches ahsoka a moment, then looks away, letting out a breath as she focuses on the wall ahead of her.]

I'm sorry, too. But the path of a Jedi must be a careful one.

[Well, that went about as well as could be expected. But she still doesn't want Barriss's pity, so she stands.]

I should go. I still have-- things to check up on.

Yes, of course.

[she can't look at ahsoka, as much as she wants to. but she stands, too, to give a curtsey of farewell, without her eyes ever getting too close to the other padawan's face.]

Thank you for the book, Ahsoka. And the kiss.

[Ahsoka's lekku darken again, and she nods once even if Barriss isn't looking.]

... Right. No problem. Um-- I'll see you later.

[Because she does want Barriss to know that things are still okay between them. She just needs time to recover herself. So with that, Ahsoka makes her escape.]

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Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

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