#''Quinn comes to xir quarters fully expecting to be punished and feeling he deserves to be''

[dragonheart-swtor]

WIP Whenever

For once in my life I have something written ahead of time! \o/ (Not that I don’t always appreciate the shove to get some writing done, genuinely xD)

I was tagged by @sleepswithvillains​, thank you so much for the tag! No-pressure tags: @swtorcompanionsgoofin​, @sith-shenanigans​, @opalxempress​, and anyone else who wants to!

From the setup for a WIP smutfic with Zavi and Quinn post-reunion, wherein Quinn, uh, apologizes for failing his lord. (Snippet is fully SFW.)

Quinn found xir in the cockpit, not actively piloting but lounging in the pilot's seat skimming through something on xir datapad. He cleared his throat slightly, and waited; it took xir almost a full minute to finish what xe was reading and glance up at him. He bowed. “My lord, I beg an audience.”

Lord Akros arched an eyebrow ridge at the formality. “Speak.”

He dipped his head. “My lord, I wish to apologize again. Our conversation has been at the forefront of my mind since we left Dromund Kaas – I cannot forget it.” He swallowed hard. “If there is anything I can do to redeem myself, anything at all, I hope you will ask it of me, my lord.”

Now Lord Akros set aside the datapad, turning in xir seat to face him. Xe regarded him for a moment, then stood. “You are a funny thing, Quinn,” xe sighed. “You know repeating an apology is meaningless to me, so you did not come to me to apologize. And I do not think you came to me for redemption, either.” Xe raised xir chin. “So what do you really want out of this?”

Quinn's face burned, and he lowered his eyes to the floor, unable to meet xirs. “I – I apologize my lord, I did not mean to -” He cut him self off to take a breath, and sank slowly to one knee. “I failed you again, my lord, after I swore you my faithful service. I – I submit myself to your judgement, and to whatever consequences you see fit.”

Xe was silent for an uncomfortably long time, deliberating or wondering or simply making him wait for the sake of it. Quinn squeezed his eyes shut under the inspection, skin crawling. His skin had been crawling ever since their reunion on Dromund Kaas – it felt wrong, to simply return to xir service as if nothing had happened, for his failure to just be forgotten.

At last, Lord Akros let out a long breath, not quite a chuckle. “So that's it. Punishment.”

He shivered despite himself at the word, at how it fell across xir tongue, but said nothing, not daring to either confirm or deny.

Xe trailed xir fingers along his jaw, tilting his face up ever so gently to make him look at xir – the gentleness of it made him tremble more than if xe had slapped him. “I had considered how best to reprimand you for your transgressions,” xe mused, “but I never imagined you would come to me asking to be punished.” Xe smiled a thin smile. “Perhaps I should have.” Xe released him and brushed past him, and for a moment he thought xe would leave him there, but – “Come,” xe commanded, and Quinn stood and turned to follow xir.