Private Abloom

[Alicio Organa]

LAKE CABIN
NABOO

Amani and Alicio had once talked about, if they had no responsibilities, no limitations, where they would want to live. Alicio had chosen Alderaan, to no one's surprise. Somewhere with autumnal weather, a warm home with a fireplace, to snuggle up with the love of his life. But Amani had chosen a planet neither of them had ever been to before; Naboo. She'd imagined a cabin, mild, peaceful, with a pond full of fish and waterfowl. Trees on one side, a field of flowering color on the other.

So, when choosing the location for the newlyweds' honeymoon, a week where they were supposed to have no responsibilities, no limitations, Naboo immediately came to mind. Alicio had spent hours looking for the perfect conditions that Amani had described, and had surprised her with a nearly-perfect lakeside cabin.

If only the forest were a mile closer.

Amani's ship touched down in a designated landing pad, a short walk away from a rustic resort, and the perfect angle to take in the natural beauty around them. A field of multicolored wildflowers stretched out as far as the eye could see, the dark shapes of taller greenery in the distance. In front of the cabin was an expansive lake, cattails sprouting around a simple wooden dock, a congregation of ducks dipping their heads under the water to sift for food, chirping to each other in a truncated staccato. The nearest town was an hours walk away, only a few minutes by ship, in case the couple wished to go out together.

The Count, wearing casual blacks, made sure he was standing aside his Countess when the ramp lowered, revealing the vibrant golds and greens and browns to them at the same time. It took his breath away, though not quite as much as the sight of Amani beside him did.

"Wow," was all he could muster, a growing smile threatening to overtake him.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Organa.

Amani had been processing the name since the wedding. She was a married woman now. Much of it felt surprisingly the same, yet at the same time, it was as if a whole wide world of potential had opened itself up. A life to spend with her true love. A family. A reason to grow old. Despite so much build up, it all only began to really hit her after the ceremony. Excitement, elation, nervousness, and a million other emotions. But from now on, there would always be someone to share in it with.

Amani stepped out of the ship in a light, airy sundress, relishing in the simple transition from stark metals to resplendent fields. She gasped in awe at the sight of their countryside retreat, "Ohhh, it's perfect~" As perfect as she imagined possible, at least. And that was more than enough. She took her husband's hand and basked in the sunlight, the band of her ring brushing cooly against his fingers.

"You found this?" Amani asked in disbelief as they began their stroll towards the cabin, a field of flowers on one side and a vast azure lake on the other.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Amani and Alicio walked hand-in-hand down the ramp, stepping into a world of vibrant color together. It almost didn't seem real. Like a dream they were sharing. A blessed, technicolor dream. Amani's utterance of 'perfect' was only met by a dazed nod, as if he could barely believe it either.

"You found this?"

Alicio rose from his stupor, shooting a glance down at Amani, eyebrow raised as if to say 'of course'. "Is it that surprising I could find somewhere nice?" The pair picked their way across a dirt path, navigating between resplendent flowers and water that shone like sapphire.

They stepped up to the cabin, and with the wave of a security key, the door opened, revealing a spacious interior, accented with rustic baubles and knotted log walls. "Multiple rooms, close to town, fully stocked kitchen..." Alicio seemed particularly excited about that. "...Only one bedroom, though... I don't think that will be an issue~." He smirked, wrapping an arm around his beloved.

"Honestly, I'm used to keeping an itinerary. Not having anything planned is... new." He smiled. "So... What do you want to do?"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani grinned turned teasing, "Noooo… I'm just surprised you found something this… fitting!" It was an almost exact match to her description of an ideal Naboo home. Other than the forest, most notably, but given how much everything else fit into place, she could hardly complain.

The entrance alone was inviting, and stepping inside they were greeted with a warm, storybook homestead. Bigger than their apartment, but still quaint and cozy. Amani's eyes lit up as Alicio listed off the amenities, and snorted at his comment on the bedroom situation, "Hasn't been an issue for a while~" She nudged him in the side.

Similarly to her husband, Amani was often keen on having a plan ahead of trips like this. But the lack of an itinerary was oddly freeing. Just… doing what they wanted, when they wanted. She dwelled on the many possibilities for a few moments, "Maybeeee… We could go relax at the lake? Do some swimming?" They would practically have a little corner of it all to themselves, not that she had any plans to swim very far out from the beach in a body of water that vast.

Hoisting her bag off her shoulder, Amani wandered the space until reaching the bedroom, and set her things down , "Spend the day out and about. Save the cabin for the night in…" She smirked, an alluring promise laced into her words.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Well, it took me a good amount of searching, and it isn't exactly perfect," Alicio returned, running a hand through his hair sheepishly. "Buuut... I think it was worth the effort."

The Organas took in their home for the week, Alicio in particular opening the refrigerator and a few cubbords to see what they were working with. He smirked knowingly at Amani as she elaborated upon their 'bedroom situation'. "Is that right? Then I suppose we can make due for the week," he teased, grey eyes flicking impishly down to her.

Finally walking into the bedroom, and dropping off their stuff, Alicio considered their options. It was intimidating, with so much to do, and no set plan. 'Go with the flow' was not the Count's usual modus operandi. He was thankful for Amani's suggestion of the beach, giving them an objective. Of course, her second suggestion had him looking forward to after the beach. "We could watch a movie, see what wine they have lying around..." He let the rest of the night's plans remain unspoken.

"Beach it is." Alicio collected a few towels, sunscreen, his favorite black beach umbrella, and a datapad, which he tucked under an arm.

He waited for Amani at the door, to change and gather things, if she needed.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani cast a disagreeing look, “It’s close enough to perfect,” She popped up and gave him a kiss to further show her appreciation. It even had the little pond outside! With ducks! It doesn’t get any better than that.

Amani hummed playfully as they organized their things, and bumped Alicio with her hip, “Don’t spoil the surprise~” He seemed equally content to let it simmer, then began to gather what they needed.

For her part, Amani changed into her new swimsuit, and hopped out of the bedroom with a beach bag in hand, “Whatcha think?” She asked, tipping the brim of her sun hat. After everything was ready, Amani slipped out the door first, her feet pattering against the dirt trail which gradually transitioned into sand. They came to a small cove, secluded and buffered against wind by the gentle grassy hills flanking it. Their own little private bay. Amani practically swooned, “This keeps getting better and better.”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio pressed his lips to Amani's gently, their first kiss of the day, with the promise of more to come. Perhaps their stay there would be a bit more perfect than he gave it credit for, after all.

With their passions on the backburner, the pair of them got dressed for the beach. For his part, Alicio changed into a pair of normal black swim trunks, opting to leave his shirt on for now. Staring on as Amani revealed her outfit, one could imagine the hearts overtaking his eyes, as he nodded with a growing smile. "Very cute," he conceded, hesitating at the doorway to let her catch up, before they made their way to the beach.

"...Agreed."

The beachfront was just as inviting as Alicio could have hoped it to be. Golden white sand, out of sight of any onlookers, the perfect location to relax, and be themselves. The Count wasted no time in pitching the umbrella, laying out a few towels, and holding up the sunscreen with a raised eyebrow. "Safety first," he said, smirking. "Unless you want to spice up our night in by adding a few sunburns to the mix."

If Mirialans even needed sunscreen (they lived on a desert planet, after all), Alicio was more than happy to help Amani out. Otherwise, his fair, bordering on pasty, complexion needed all the protection it could get.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani smiled and bit her lip, then curtsied with what little flair the swimsuit allowed. With their necessities in tow, they were off to the beach. It was as if it were laid out this way just for them. Picturesque and serene, without another soul in sight. Sometimes it was easy to forget just how dense Coruscant was, after being there for so long. She made a mental note to really slow down and appreciate this time they had.

Their little pocket of shade was set up, but wasn't complete without a little protection. Sunburn-prone or not, UV rays were no joke. Amani pointed in agreement, and snatched the sunscreen bottle, "Shirt off, pretty boy." Once he obliged, she would squirt a glob of lotion into her palm and rub her hands together, before first applying to his chest.

"I didn't learn how to swim until I first joined the Jedi. Training stuff," Amani chuckled, "On Tython, the closest body of water was an hour away, by the village. And I was always too nervous to try when we went, anyway." She moved on to his back and neck, making a little massage out of the process (partly to be nice, but also because she wanted one in exchange). The last was his face, and once finished, she playfully left a dollop of sunscreen on the tip of his nose, "All covered up! Don't forget to reapply every two hours~"

Expectantly, Amani handed the bottle back, then slid her arms through the straps of her swimsuit and laid down on the towel.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Shirt off, pretty boy."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Pulling off his black shirt, Alicio revealed his bare torso to the Naboo air, laying back on the towel with a contented sigh. He tried not to shiver too much at the feeling of cold sunscreen, or Amani's hands, on his skin.

"Jedi have swimming lessons?" Alicio rolled over to his stomach, smiling as the Mirialan's palms and fingers dug into his shoulders. He needed that. "Sounds like fun. Unless it was resistance training, in which case... my sympathies."

With a dappling of lotion on his nose, Alicio chuckled, happily taking the bottle, and returning the favor. After a moment of thought, the Count swung a leg over Amani, straddling her to get the perfect angle for a back massage. "I learned when I was young. At a community pool on Balmorra." It was one of the few idyllic memories he kept of his youth. "My mother taught me. She held onto me in the shallow end, helped me keep my head above the water."

There was an obvious melancholic edge to his voice, but not as much as when he'd talked about his family in days previous. His parents may have been gone, but he did have family. Amani. "Though it certainly took me a long time to figure it out. And... generally, I still just like watching the waves, rather than swimming in them."

"Though I'm more than happy to make an exception today."

After a few minutes of making sure Amani was well protected from the sun (going above and beyond the call of duty, at times), The Count finally stood up, and offered a hand to her.

But once he helped her up, a mischievous glint lit his eye. "Well, now that that's out of the way... Last one in's a stinky bantha!" Alicio spoke the words quickly, playfully pushing Amani away from the lake, and bolting towards the water.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Jedi have swimming lessons?"

“Sure. Jedi have to be ready for all kinds of physical challenges,” And considering many jedi started their careers at a young age historically, it was among the basic life skills taught to younglings. She chuckled, “Some of it was also resistance training, yes.”

With Alicio properly shielded from the sun, the two of them swapped places. Amani rested her head in her arms and got comfortable. Though as she felt Alicio shift onto her, she peeked open an eye and shot him a sly smirk, before shutting her eyes and listening to him speak. Amani always enjoyed an opportunity to dream up vignettes of little Alicio through his stories. The image of him flailing about in the water as his mother lent a guiding hand got a soft, adoring chuckle from the mirialan.

“You and me both…” Amani agreed with the Count’s sentiments, a contentful sigh slipping through as he dug into a tense muscle, “Wait- Riiight there…” Perhaps ‘accomplished masseur’ should be added to Alicio’s résumé.

Regretfully, the work was done soon after. Amani rolled around and hopped up with her husband’s help, only to immediately find herself caught off guard, “Wha-? Hey!” She stumbled back, then stumbled forward as she tried to recover from the shove, nearly tripping in the sand to catch up. Amani hit her stride at the last second, and resorted to leaping at Alicio in a final push to close the distance. Her arms latched around his shoulders, sending them both toppling into the water. Who technically got in first? Amani could not tell, but she quickly resurfaced, coughing up some accidentally-inhaled lakewater, then laughing, “Cheater!”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

His ruse had worked. It seemed as if he would be able to leap into the water first, claim victory over their first impromptu competition of the trip.

At least, until it was made entirely obvious that Amani was still far faster than him. They tumbled in together, neither quite able to tell which had won the race, both now drenched in lakewater.

Alicio broke the surface, laughing as he saw Amani aside him. "All's fair," he chided, flicking a bit of water on her, before traveling out to chest-deep water. He turned to wait for her, an infuriating grin on his face. "You'll just have to be a bit quicker if you want to keep up~!" Disregard the fact that he had no idea who'd actually won.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Yeah, yeah," Amani pouted, slapping the surface to splash him back, "You're supposed to let me win," Of course, in her mind, she was the real victor of that little race anyway. She waded out, following Alicio to deeper waters, and draped her arms over his shoulders from behind, "Guess you'll just have to find some other way to make it up to me~" He could have this victory. She had better ways of gaining the advantage over him.

Amani let go and dipped onto her back, floating idly beside Alicio as she stared up into the cloudless sky, "...Think anyone would mind if we just stayed here forever?" She sighed, knowing better than that deep down. The galaxy was holding its breath, waiting for the push that would bring this war to a close. It was on the horizon. Amani expected to feel more giddy about it. But there was still one final hurdle to cross before they had a chance and peace and quiet. At least here, it felt like none of it mattered.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio sputtered a little as Amani splashed water in his face, wiping his eyes without wiping the grin off his face. "Mmmm... I'll think about it..." He smirked at her, before heading for deeper waters.

Of course, her wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and murmuring a few sweet nothings, was a bit of revenge all on it's own, as Alicio found the slightest of blushes. "IIIII'm sure we can work something out."

"...Think anyone would mind if we just stayed here forever?"

Alicio tilted his head, watching as Amani floated aimlessly on her back. He frowned sadly, before crouching leaving just his head and shoulders above the water. "Well... Let's say we did." He found a smile, reaching out his fingers to let them graze Amani's.

"We would have to get jobs in town. You could apply at the hospital, and... I could run for city council." Alicio found himself looking up too, admiring the uninterrupted azure sky. "We could spend every weekend here, swimming until the sun goes down. Then, we could lay on the beach, counting the stars until we fall asleep..."

"No worrying about the Alliance, or the Jedi, or the greater Galaxy, no responsibilities, just... us." It sounded like the perfect life. Alicio brought the drifting Amani close to him.

It would never be. But they could still pretend.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Mmmm... I'll think about it..."

"You better, for your own sake," Amani teased, finding further enjoyment at the warmth rising in Alicio's face. She gave his cheek a kiss, before dipping into the water, where deep thought took her.

The Count entertained the idea, painting a picture of a different universe, a different time, where they did just that. Amani continued to stare blankly at the sky, but in her mind, she felt as if she were watching an entire lifetime play out. The two of them working in the community, raising a family, and growing old. A peaceful life.

Amani grazed her fingers against his, before raising them up to brush his cheek, "Doesn't sound so bad…" She searched his eyes for some inkling of truth to it all. But they both knew it was just a dream. That's what dreams were for, though. Something impossible made real, if just for a little while. That's what this trip could be, "Maybe one day…" Amani's arm sank back to the water surface. It wasn't all a farce, at least. They still had a life together; A future ahead of them. There just might be a few more bumps in the road.

"…What do you wanna do after this?" Amani muttered, leaving the decision to him. She made the first choice, it was only fair he get to next.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Maybe one day…"

Alicio caught Amani's hand before it could fully slip away, holding it tight. "We will," he commanded the universe, as if his words would rewrite their destinies. "One day, we will."

Perhaps when the galaxy didn't need senators and Jedi anymore.

And if not, if their responsibilities continued to chain them down... then they would still have each other. And that would be perfect, too.

The question of what to do next got Alicio to ponder, swimming in a lazy circle as he thought. "Well, I would love to check out the town. Find a café, maybe send a few messages..." No. They were on their honeymoon. No working. "Um, I mean... see the sights. I think I heard something about a firework show this evening."

He smirked. Nice save, Organa.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"You know just what to say," Amani smiled sweetly. They could make it through anything, as long as they were together. She believed that much.

Her hands clasped together, laid over her stomach as she continued to float, pushed around ever so slightly by Alicio's gentle ripples. He suggested a trip into town, which sounded appealing enough. Naboo had beautiful architecture, and would no doubt have some lovely places to visit. As soon as he suggested sitting down to send a few messages however, Amani immediately raised a finger, silently reprimanding him. They had a pact to not let work interfere in their honeymoon. They had already gotten too close to that territory with their previous conversation.

The Count was quick to remind himself, and made mention of a firework show instead. Decidedly better than sending work-related holomail, "Sounds lovely. We can grab some food and tour the town beforehand," Amani flipped backwards in the water, resurfacing with wet hair matted over her face. She snorted, and flung the heavy mop aside, causing it to hit the water with a smack.

"Then we can head back here, and have the rest of the evening all to ourselves…" She hummed, and started swimming beside Alicio.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Secretly, Alicio had been looking forward to sending those messages.

He enjoyed his work, to an extent. Sure, it was demanding, often unrewarding, and always complex and stressful. But when he was able to make a difference, there were few things that compared to the rush of elation he felt. The only thing that blew that feeling out of the water was the woman swimming next to him.

Which was why he didn't let it get him down too much.

Stifling a snort of laughter as Amani emerged with hair obscuring her face like a horror movie monster, Alicio continued her thought. "I like the sound of that."

Then, her continued thought earned a naughty smile from the Alderaanian. "And I really like the sound of that."

After a healthy amount of time swimming around and splashing at Amani, Alicio finally found himself on the beach, tucked securely underneath the umbrella, resting with his hands cradling his head. He spoke with the calm cadence of someone completely at peace.

"Anything you want to do before we head into the city? Anything at all?"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

The couple spent a little longer swimming around, goofing off, and just enjoying each other's company, before they headed back to shore. Amani knelt down on a towel, tucking a few things into her bag before laying down on her stomach. The weather was perfect; The warmth of the sun, balanced by the refreshing breeze of lake water. She let herself silently bask in its pleasance, before Alicio spoke.

Amani shook her head, "Just dry off," The thick mass of sopping black hair being the most stubborn under the circumstances, "And make sure there's no sand left on my butt," She shifted around, dusting off some of the grains that had adamantly clung to her lower half since coming out of the water, "Other than that, I'm happy to go when you are."

Sooner or later they were appropriately dried out, and more or less sand-free. Amani picked up her things, and began the short jaunt back to the cabin, where she could change back into her old outfit, rather than walk around Naboo in a swimsuit all day, "Lead the way, Your Excellency. Whatever you wanna see first. We taking the ship there?"

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Unfortunately, it seemed that sand did get everywhere.

Alicio was still grumpily picking it out of his hair by the time they had made it back to the cabin. Alicio changed quickly, returning to his casual blacks, that would denote him as a simple tourist, rather than visiting royalty. "Let's take the ship," he said after a moment of thought, letting his eyes trace Amani as she made herself seen again. "The fireworks will be in the evening, and I'd rather not walk an unfamiliar path in the dark."

Offering to take the Mirialan's hand as they walked out towards the ship, Alicio seemed to shrink a little. "Well, there's probably lots to do. No carnival this time, last I checked, but maybe we can go dancing. Or there is a massage parlor I heard about. Or there's this art gallery..."

Alicio stopped himself. This was what happened when there wasn't a schedule. He wanted to do everything at once. He smiled. "Mmm... I'd like to go dancing, I think. After we stop at a café. Maybe there's a club in town?"

The Count stepped into the ship, happy to take the copilot's chair. "How does that sound?"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Good call," Amani said. An hour-long walk during the day wouldn't be so bad. An hour-long walk at night was a bit more discomforting. Better safe than sorry. She took his hand as they made their return to the ship, nodding along to each of Alicio's suggestions. The possibilities were endless, as he quickly proved, making her smile.

Amani plopped down in the pilot seat and activated the ship systems, "Dancing sounds great," A rare sentence coming from her, but he had given her a reason to love it, "We've got several days here. There'll be time for everything else," No need to rush their honeymoon. It could be at their own comfortable pace.

By ship, the ride was hastened to mere minutes, passing over verdant Naboo countryside until the town rolled into view. They dropped into an open landing pad on the outskirts, and just like that were back out and about. People milled through the streets, granting a bit of liveliness to the area, but it was far from packed, "Wanna look up some suggestions or just stroll around until we find a place that looks good?" Amani's stomached growled audibly as she took his hand again. The mirialan shot him a guilty smile, before laying her cheek on his shoulder.

Alicio Organa​