Aeris kept her eyes on him as he smiled just a little and with a voice that we deeper than usual, told her that he had never intended to keep it from her. She could feel that he meant it, and his eyes were apologetic and filled with love. His eyes stayed locked on hers as he leaned into her touch, and she could feel that he believed her, and that he wasn’t going to ask more of her than what she was comfortable with. She hadn’t been angry, only sad and disappointed that he hadn’t come to her before, but when he looked at her like that, how could she not forgive him?<br/><br/>She was happy that he’d returned her kiss and had not shied away or seemed upset by all that she had said. She gave a somewhat embarrassed smile when he tapped the plate to remind her to eat. She wasn’t used to having to be reminded of that. She obediently took a bite while he explained that he wouldn’t stop her from taking the Force Sensitives, but he would continue to help train them in the Force.<br/><br/>He also told her that he wished to send word to the Jedi each time they were on a world where there were children strong in the Force. She had no objections to this. She may not agree with the Jedi on everything, but the fact was that they had saved her when she was a child. If they hadn’t, there was no telling what might have happened to her. She probably would have ended up dead at the hands of her father or drowned in darkness after she’d taken his life and become a far worse Sith than the one who sat before him now. Neither option was particularly pleasant.<br/><br/>Instead, the Jedi had taken her in and brought her together with a group of people she could truly connect with and learn to love and trust, and the one person who meant everything to her. Perhaps they couldn’t prevent her inevitable fall into darkness, but she hadn’t flailed and jumped in headfirst only to be swallowed and lose whatever good had been inside of her. None of them could know what any of these children were really going through, but if his actions might save even one child like her, it was worth it to her to allow it.<br/><br/>She returned his kiss softly, her hand resting on his cheek as he told her he wouldn’t hide anything from her anymore, that he only wished for her happiness. She smiled back at him, “Good, then we have a deal,” she told him softly, happy to give him what he wished, and to no longer have to worry about him hiding anything. An agreement between the two of them wouldn’t ease all of the tension between the four of them, but at least the agreement would give them peace among themselves, and remind them that even if they were technically on opposite sides, they didn’t have to be enemies and work against each other.<br/><br/>“I love you, too,” she replied sweetly, her green eyes seeming brighter, happier, filled with love and less burdened. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and a grin before she continued to eat, humming as she did. The food wasn’t particularly special, but instead she hummed because she was happy, and everything tasted better in light of that.<br/><br/>Once they’d finished their food, she stood to finish dressing. She put her boots on first, then her belt, the armored gloves, and then the armor piece over her shoulders. Finally, she clipped her sabers, which were now connected in their double-blade form, to her belt and then grabbed her cloak, which she didn’t don yet. She took his offered hand and headed for the lift. He stopped on the next deck down to drop the plate off in the mess hall and she continued down to the shuttle’s hanger bay.<br/><br/>She was the first one there, so she approached the soldiers to tell them that they would be needing a shuttle down to the planet once they dropped out of hyperspace. While they prepared, she donned her cloak and leaned casually against the side of the shuttle, waiting for the others to arrive.<br/><br/>-------<br/><br/>Jax had chuckled when An had suggested that they both might need new clothes. “Maybe,” he replied as they had both finished dressing before they headed for the mess hall. He could tell that she felt uncomfortable, and he wished he could take away that feeling and stop the looks she was getting—or was it that they were getting? Even if some of the looks were directed at him, he couldn’t care less. He did, however, care for her sake. Still, there was little they could do right now without making the situation worse, so he just kept close to her to offer his support and blocked her view of at least most of the others in the room, as if he were shielding her from their gazes somehow.<br/><br/>He had left her side only to secure their table, and he kept her in his line of sight as he did. He watched the exchange between her and the cook, although he couldn’t hear what they were saying. Soon she was heading towards him and taking a seat at the table with him. She at close enough to him that their thighs were touching, but he didn’t mind the closeness, so he just glanced at her and gave her a small smile.<br/><br/>It seemed that they both had things on their mind, but neither asked the other what it was that was bothering them. Instead, they ate in silence, trying to finish quickly so that they could meet up with the other two in the hanger. Jax finished about the same time she did, despite having a lot more on his plate. He rose with her and followed her to the bin where he placed it along with the others. “Ready?” he asked before heading out of the mess hall and towards the lift, opting to wait until they had stepped out before offering her his hand, if she wished to take it.<br/><br/>As they were stepping out, he almost ran right into Jek. “Sorry,” he apologized with a nervous chuckle before side stepping so that the other man could get by. He was carrying a plate, so Jax guessed that he was just here to drop it off. He didn’t linger in the doorway long before heading towards the lift. He guessed that it wouldn’t take long for him to drop off the plate, so there was no point in blocking the doorway to wait. He was happy to hold the lift for the other man, though, if he wished to ride with them, as long as An didn’t mind.