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Eli had hoped for a peaceful trip to the market; a quiet walk, chatting with the neighbours, a cool breeze. Actually, all he wanted was the cool breeze. Instead he got a fierce sun and some asshole almost running him over with a speeder because for some reason he thought that Eli had slept with his son during his brief stint in the Navy (he had).
Eli moved his bag from one shoulder to the other, eyeing the damp patch in disgust. He made his way through the market, passing numerous stalls, brushing through hanging sheets put up in a desperate attempt for shade. A twi’lek yelled at Eli to buy his pottery, a toydarian fluttered over and waved found under his nose, zabrak offered him fortunes he could only dream of. Eli waved them all off. He had just come to the market to get some fabric for his Ma, nothing more.
He was distracted by the sound of a fist on wood. Old man Lucas was the next stall up, and he was getting angry at his customer. Eli could not see the man but he could hear him speaking sy bisti to a purple faces Lucas.
“For the last time, I ain’t doing business with you” The old man wipes his forehead. “Fuck me, it’s warm- oh, good afternoon Eli”
“Come on Lucas, you speak sy bisti well enough” Eli says. He grins at the old man, forever the haggler. “You ain’t being welcomin’ to your customers?”
Eli turns around and sees- oh. A Chiss. Eli blinks, his cheeks getting impossibly hot. The Chiss stares at him unabashedly with bright red eyes. He wore thick heavy furs despite the blistering weather. A line of sweat ran down the Chiss’ sharp cheekbone. His skin was a beautiful dark blue. The Chiss had long hair, carefully braided back out of his face. In his right hand was a small woven sack.
“Hello” Eli says. He swallows. The Chiss cocks his head to the side.
“I don’t need to be dealing with him” Lucas scowls, pointing his fingers in the Chiss’ face. Eli is not sure if he imagines it, but he hears a small hiss.
“Come on Lucas, that ain’t-”
“Tough Eli, I have had enough of them lot in these parts” Lucas grabs his wares from the small wooden table. He storms off, his boat kicking up dust.
The Chiss stood, his face sad, the bottom of his trousers all covered in dust. Eli dares himself and sticks his hand out.
“Would sy bisti be better?” Eli says gently.
“I do not speak basic” The Chiss says. His accent is thick. He shakes Eli’s hand tentatively.“I do not understand, I have goods to trade for”
“I-” How to explain to the Chiss that no one at this market was gonna be happy to trade with him?
The Chiss took a deep breath. “I cannot come back empty handed- what is your name?”
“Um- Eli, I am Eli. Eli Vanto”
The Chiss inclines his head. “I am Vurawn. I cannot come back empty handed, it came at great cost to come here”
“I am sorry” Eli hesistates. “What do you have to sell?”
Vurawn lifts his small sack. “These are my wares” He wipes the sweat off with a fur sleeve. “Oh my it is warm on this planet-”
“Look, if you don’t take off that coat, you are gonna drown in your own sweat” Eli says. “I am sweating just looking at you, and I am one flush away from needing to take off my shirt”
“This is simply the hottest planet I have been on, I don’t know how anyone can stand it” Vurawn mutters under his breath. Eli laughs a little. Vurawn slides the heavy fur jacket from his shoulders.
Eli looks down and his eyes widen. “Oh. You’re pregnant?”
Eli was no expert in pregnancy - his cousin a couple of months ago had ratty twins but he himself was at no risk of creating any of the fuckers if you know what i mean - but Vurawn looked like one loud noise would bring that baby shooting out.
Vurawn looks down as if he barely notices it. “Hmm? Oh yes, right. Of course”
“No wonder you are glowing” Eli smiles. Then freezes.
Vurawn blinks. “Pardon?”
“I don’t know what I just- Stars, you need to sit down” Eli grabs Lucas’ folding chair and places it near Vurawn. “Here”
Vurawn frowns. “Alright…It is okay to sit here?”
“Please, Lucas ain’t coming back” Eli says. “Please, sit down. This heat could take down a horse, and I am not prepared to deliver a baby today. Or ever”
“My thanks” Vurawn sits on the wooden chair and places his sack on the table. Eli perches on the stall table next to it. “What do you trade, Eli?”
“Oh me? Nuthin’” Eli says. “My lot ships goods places, but other people’s goods. We don’t create anything ourselves, we just make sure other people’s stuff is keep intact and not stolen. What do you have in there like?”
“This” Vurawn takes a wooden box from the sack and opens it.
“Oh” Eli gasps. He had never seen anything like it. Pearls coloured the softest blue, the brightest green, the deepest purple. Woven in necklaces, twisted on earrings, placed on rings. He picked one ring up slowly. A plain metal band with a pearl of stunning blue and palest white,
“They’re beautiful” Eli whispers.
“I think so too” Vurawn says softly.
“Where do these come from?” Eli’s thumb brushes the pearl.
“These pearls come from an oyster that is native to my planet, it does not exist anywhere else” Vurawn says. “And yet that… the merchant refuses to even listen to me”
“Yeah well, Lucas is an asshole” Eli breathes. “But these are gorgeous. Truly gorgeous”
“Try it on” Slim fingers take the ring from him and slide it on his middle finger. Eli’s eyes meet Vurawn’s own.
“It looks nice on you” Vurawn’s fingers brush the inside of his wrist. Oh no, one more flush. Eli’s gaze is swimming and he looks away before he melts.
“Papi?”
A bundle of fur bolts over to Vurawn. Eli jumps up.
“Papi!” The small blue child grabs Vurawn’s arm.
“You have more children?”Eli asks.
“I have five” Vurawn says, before touching his stomach. “Well, six”
“Six…”
The little child tugged Vurawn’s arm and began speaking very quickly. The language was garbled and harsh, Eli could not catch a word of it. Vurawn’s eyes darkened. He replied back to his child, his mouth a thin line. The child tugs his arm again and points into the crowd.
Vurawn says something and while Eli has no idea what language he is even speaking, he knows it is definitely a swear word.
“I apologise for the interruption” Vurawn stands quickly and winces. He reaches to pack up the box. “It appears one of my children has bit…something. Most likely a human child. I do not know for sure. But I am afraid we must leave at once. I cannot be having authorites chasing me home”
“You have to leave?” Eli asks.
“Indeed” Vurawn closes the wooden box. “All the fuel burnt and for nothing” He grimaces as he puts the box into his sack.
“I’ll take them” Eli says hurriedly. Vurawn looks confused.
“You do not have to” Vurawn says, picking up his fur coat. The child zooms around his legs. “It is my own fault for making my way here. I was a fool to come, my bondmate was right. No one appreciates art these days, least of all humans”
“I do, please, I want them, honestly” Eli hurriedly scrambles for his credits. “How much can I give you?”
Vurawn looks at him pitifully. “In my planet we do not deal in money, only goods”
Eli’s face fell. “Oh.. look, what if I go buy something, and then-”
“It is no matter, dear Eli” At his words, Eli could not help but jump slightly. “But it is kind of you to offer” Vurawn turns to leave.
“Wait!” Eli scrambles and slides the ring off his finger. “This is yours, don’t leave without it”
Vurawn takes his hand and curls his fingers forward, closing it around the ring. “Keep it”
“I couldn’t-”
“Consider it a gift, dear Eli” Vurawn gave him a small smile. “Now, please, I must leave you. I need to go find the rest of my children before they began waging war on behalf of the Chiss Ascendancy.”
“”It was nice meeting you” Eli says softly. The heat or madness or beauty overtakes him and he lifts Vurawn’s hand and presses a kiss to the back of it. When he looks up he is pleased (relieved) to see Vurawn’s eyes gleam slightly.
“It was a pleasure to meet you too, Eli Vanto” Vurawn nods his head. He turns and says something to the small child currently babbling away in their harsh tongue.
Eli watches him leave, small child hanging onto his right hand tight.