Private Destressing

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

"Is that so?" Valery asked Vera with a raised eyebrow. It was her mother's expression that immediately made Vera realize she messed up, and she was very quick to turn to Colette. Not to blame her for it, but to plead for her help. Angry Mom was far too scary, and Colette seemed like she could handle it.

Valery turned her gaze to Colette as well. She could tell the girl was scrambling to talk her way out of it a little, but she knew that Colette wouldn't actually bring her child somewhere dangerous.

Or else she'd really be in trouble.

"You can take her camping as long as I know where, and when to expect you two back home. I'd also like an update on when you arrive, and you'll have to tell me if anything happens." Yep, she was protective alright, but she felt these were fair demands to make of a young child.

"Where are you thinking about taking her for the camping trip?"

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

And there she had three hundred thousand demands for something as simple as walking into a forest and setting up a tent. Some part of Colette felt for Vera and the way that she was so tightly monitored. The difference was that Vera had already been taken once before, and that was not to mention the constant danger her parents threw themselves into.

"Well, there is a pretty big forest just outside your home." Colette said and shrugged. "Familiar, easy to reach if something happens, but far away enough that we could get some time to ourselves and our lessons."

"Should be far away enough from civilization that none of the bigger animals are around, and those who would approach are of no real danger to us." Colette was, after all, somewhat capable of innately understanding animals as was evident on their first trip to New Cov. "Not that we were planning on going this moment. There's still some time to tire the little ones out, maybe rest for a few more days, and then head out."

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

The forest out here, huh?

The motherly side of Valery liked that idea a lot, but as Colette made the suggestion, she picked up on her pouting daughter as well. Vera really wanted to explore more of the Galaxy, go on adventures, and share those fun times with people like Colette. So, even if it was hard to let go, Valery let out a soft sigh and dipped her head.

"You can camp in the forest here, but you can take her somewhere else too. Just not... something like New Cov." She snickered, and even Vera seemed to understand that. But the idea of exploring something new was exciting, and it showed in the way the young Noble bounced up and down a little.

"Can we go to Kashyyyk and see the Wookies? Or maybe Endor! Or Yavin IV and we take down the Massassi!" Vera grinned but Valery squinting at her made the younger girl smile sheepishly.

"But yes, for now, let's just enjoy the park, hm? I think the little ones want to go down the slides." Except for Aurra, of course. She just wanted to stay with her mother.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"So I can take her somewhere around here or somewhere else, as long as it is not like the places around here." Colette looked confused as she shifted her attention between Vera and Valery. "But, yes, we have a lot of time to figure out where."

"... Although Kashyyyk will probably have to wait until you're a little bit older. I've read the wookies live in trees for a reason."

The park was right up ahead. Colette let in a deep breath as she prepared herself for the next part.

"So, who goes first, huh?" She asked as she turned back towards the triplets. "Aeryn?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

Valery's eyes slowly narrowed at Colette, "You know what I meant. You can take her camping on other planets, as long as those planets aren't way too dangerous for a young kid. I trust you but... Vera's my little star." She smiled and reached down to ruffle Vera's hair. The young Noble had been pouting a little at her mother's protectiveness, but the loving gesture was still met with a warm smile.

She could understand not being allowed to camp on New Cov.

"Aeryn and Adam like going together," Vera said with a smile, "If the slide is big enough." Which a few at this park were, so the little ones could safely slide down together if they wanted to. Side-by-side, of course.

"Can you and Vera handle those two together? I think I'm going to sit down at the bench over there and read Aurra her new book. I also brought snacks and some drinks with me, so come on over if you want something."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"Uh huh." Colette mumbled rather amused by Valery's reaction to having holes poked in her statement. "I understand you."

Aeryn and Adam began to reach for Colette to grab them and the padawan obliged with a happy smile. One got to ride her shoulders for a moment before being put down on the ground next to their sibling who was taken care of by Vera.

"Yeah, we got it." She said and nodded to Valery. "We'll be over by the big slide."

Ah yes, the big slide. It was a big metal tube in silvery chrome that was fit for nearly one and a half full adults. It was like riding down a worn down wacky mirror and in truth Colette could see why the kids liked it so much.

"So," Colette reached for Adam to help lift him up to the start of the slide. "Vera," She grunted as she lifted the boy. "You go to the front, I stay here and help them get up faster."

She then helped Aeryn up as well. The ride wasn't long, it was just cumbersome to run back and forth. She could have a comfortable conversation with Vera without the need to raise her voice. Really, Vera was just there to make sure the kids came out on the other end as well.

"We ready?" Colette asked. "Think we have two really anxious kids waiting to go…"

She waited for Vera's confirmation.

"Aaaand, go!"

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

"Duck!"

Valery chuckled and gently poked Aurra's side after they made it over to the bench, "That's right. What about... this one?" she pointed at another animal, and Aurra squealed, "Tauntaun!" Her favorite — she wasn't ever going to get that one wrong. But getting to point it out also made her happy each time, as she showed by kicking her feet back-and-forth on her mother's lap. This kind of simply joy was something Valery could never get tired of.

And why she loved having little ones around her so much.

"Okay!" Vera meanwhile called out to Colette before she rushed over to the front of the slide to wait for her siblings. "I'm ready!" She then added, and it didn't take long before the little ones appeared, squealing and flailing their arms about. Vera giggled, picked them up and placed them back down, so they could waddle back over to Colette to go again.

And boy, they wanted to go again a lot.

"I think they're getting tired, Colette!" The two triplets were out of breath, both on their backs in the grass. They were smiling and clearly very happy, but they had lost a lot of their energy.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Pant.

Pant.

Pant.

"Oh yeah?" Colette exhaled with a chuckle. What was this? Round twenty or fifty? "Bet you they aren't."

Colette lumbered on over ever so tired towards the kids on the grass.

"Hey, Aeryn. Adam." Colette panted as she leaned over on her knees to find strength. "Come on," She said and flicked her hand over towards their mother. "First one to make it back to your mother gets to ride my shoulders on the way back home."

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

Vera blinked twice and looked down at her siblings — they were already crawling again, so perhaps Colette was right. It left Vera without any ideas, but luckily Colette knew exactly what to do. Make anything a competition, and the Nobles would immediately jump on it. So, without any second wasted, they began to run towards their mother. It seemed like they were about equally as fast, but when Aeryn noticed this, she flung her arm out and gently pushed her brother.

But enough for him to topple over with his child-like center of gravity. Aeryn made it to Valery, and Adam started crying after sitting up in the grass again.

"Hey, don't push your brother like that," Valery picked Aeryn up and set her down on the bench, rather than her lap. Aurra looked annoyed that reading time was ruined by her gremlin siblings, but she accepted it quietly.

Valery then stood up and walked over to Adam, though Colette and Vera were going to get there first.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

That bait worked every time. Challenge accepted, the kids ran and…

Oh no.

Ohhh no.

Colette sighed as she slowly made her way over to the crying Adam and knelt down next to him with a warm, comforting smile as she planted her butt on the grass in front of him.

"Let me see that." She said and grabbed hand. It wasn't really hurt, at most a scrape but even that was pushing it. But, kids were kids, and their pride were rightfully more fragile than most. "Ah, it'll buff out, but for good measure…"

Colette rubbed her hands together and put them around the injured hero's hand to warm it up before she let in a small breath and gently blew air over the surface to cool it down again.

"See?" She smiled. "Good as new."

Adam sniveled and Colette shuffled around on her butt until her back faced him. She gave her sides a few quick pats.

"Come on, big guy." She said and patted them again. "Up you go."

"I think we're all getting a bit tired, hm?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

Adam stopped crying as soon as Colette sat down in front of him, and just sniffed with tears in his eyes. When his hand was taken, his mouth fell open a little and he curiously looked at what she was going to do. Mom could heal ouchies with a kiss, but she had her own way of healing him? A gentle smile tugged on his lips when he felt the warmth around his hand, and then a giggle as she blew over it.

He sniveled one last time, then crawled his way back up to his feet. He waddled over and put his arms over her shoulders to hold on, while his little feet came around her sides. She'd have to hold onto him for it to work, but with very little effort, she was standing with Adam up on her back.

"Thanks, Colette," Valery said as soon as she reached them. "They can get a little too competitive sometimes." She glanced over her shoulder to look at Aeryn on the bench, only to notice the little Noble walking over. She blinked and stepped aside to let Aeryn handle this.

"Sorry, Adam," she said with big pleading eyes — she meant it. Adam blinked, then nodded at his sister and waved at her. She would accept him being able to be carried home, and just reached for her mother's hand instead.

"Let's take them home. It's time for a nap for the little ones, and I'll start making dinner."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

To some extent Colette figured she had been groomed for this type of role when she had been back home. As an outsider she wouldn't ever really be the mother, always a caretaker. While her society had a greater equality than most, it was still flawed. This was just one part of that. No point in being mad about it.

Colette folded Adam's legs into a comfortable hold and stood up from the ground.

"No problem at all." Colette smiled at Valery. "Children are just as much children out here as they are back home."

"I think dinner sounds great."

"What are you thinking?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

"That may be so, but you're very good with them." Better than some parents were with their own kids, that was for sure. It pained Valery to know that not every family was as warm as her own, but it also warmed her heart to see people without kids be so gentle and loving with them. Of course, in this particular case, she was a little biased.

This was about her own babies.

"I'm thinking bantha steak dinner for us two and Vera? Something a little easier for the little ones." They were getting to that age where they'd be getting more and more proper foods, and it wouldn't be long until they'd no longer be breastfed at all. Just another step to her little kids growing up.

It was sometimes the hardest part.

"Maybe we'll eat in the living room, and we can play a board game together?"

 

[Colette]

There was a brief moment when Colette seemed confused at what Valery was saying about how good she was with children. To her it was just how you went about it. She strove to treat them both as firm and fair as she would to any other equal. With the exception, of course, that some of their actions were made based on emotions they didn't really understand yet.

With Adam on her back she felt the way he leaned against her shoulder. He had reached the point of deep, slow breaths, and Colette knew very well that crying led to this sense of relief and tiredness. Given this she made sure not to take any heavy or sudden steps but rather eased in and out of each one that she took as if to try and lull him deeper into a sleep.

The kid was clearly struggling against it though now that he was on top of the figurative world while riding on her back.

"Sounds great," She almost whispered back to Valery as she spoke. "Me and Vera can help with the salad on the side. After that, maybe a round of that game you showed me last week."

"I mean, after the kids have been put to bed."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

"That sounds perfect," Valery said with a smile before she noticed that Adam was falling asleep on Colette's back. She was ready to take him over and bring him home, but seeing how Colette adjusted, she decided against it. If Colette wanted help, she would never be too afraid to ask. But right now, she seemed to be in her element and Valery liked the idea of her bonding with the little ones more and more.

They'd have someone to look up to besides their parents this way.

"I've also been thinking about the coming days. We don't have to head back into missions yet, but it'd be nice to be out there somewhere, hm?" Valery asked as their home appeared up ahead.

"Is there a place you'd really like to visit? This would be a good chance for it."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Perhaps what Colette enjoyed the most in all of this was the feeling of merely being human, and being useful to those around her. With Adam on her back she could feel a lot better about herself knowing that someone so small depended on her. It was stability and comfort.

"I want to see that cave we visited again." Colette spoke ever so gently. "And, uh…"

She exhaled with a bashful sigh.

"I want to go home. See the deserts of my people again and show you where I'm from."

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

"Really?" Valery sounded a little surprised that she wanted to go back to the cave of all places. But then again, it was quite beautiful there, and the memories of their first trip weren't so bad either. But what Colette told her after her sigh made a lot more sense, and brought a smile to Valery's lips.

Not long ago, she had gone back to Keshi herself — her own homeworld. It only made sense that Colette wanted to make a similar journey. She had spent far more time on her homeworld than Valery had as a child.

"I'd love to go with you, so let's do that first. We can go back to the cave on the way back." She wanted the focus to be on what seemed more meaningful to her. "Is there anything I should know before going that you haven't told me about? If we run into people there, I'd want to be on my best possible behavior."

Accidentally insulting Colette's people wouldn't be a good first impression, after all.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"Just be yourself." Colette shrugged. "We see through the act whenever someone tries to pretend they are from around, and we don't take offense all that easily."

It was the moment they stepped through the door and the warmth of being home kicked in that Colette found herself slouching just ever so slightly as she gently nodded her head for Valery to pick up the sleeping boy on Colette's shoulder.

"I think the crying did wonders for him." She said and felt like her legs were a thousand times lighter just from not having to carry him any more. "We've certainly seen it works for me."

Because naturally Colette had been crying in the last few days. To her people it was just another part of wading through something that had been difficult. It was a sort of salve that helped to ease someone into any new form of existence that came through change, and Colette had seen a rather violent change that she had not been ready for. She didn't grieve or fear these changes, at least not in any way that she could recognize, but there was certainly no denying that she felt some kind of pain.

"It would be nice to go home, bu then…" Colette frowned. "It's kind of scary too."

"What if I don't recognize it? Or worse, it doesn't recognize me?"

 

[Valery Noble]

Noble Home

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Tag: Colette

"That should be easy enough." She wasn't exactly ever fake to people. But in certain cultures or on some planets, particular things could provoke a lot of aggression, and knowing those things was important even to non-Jedi visiting. Her people being fairly straightforward and direct was a blessing, and not too surprising either. Maybe that's why Colette was as blunt as she was — an amusing thought she decided not to share right now.

"Yeah, I'll take him," Valery smiled and stepped closer to take Adam off her back. She cradled him against her chest with his head popping just over her shoulder. It didn't wake him at all, so he was likely very tired. "I think it works for anybody, but yeah... he's fast asleep."

Which was a good thing — the triplets could be difficult at night.

"And don't forget..." she reached out to place a hand on Colette's shoulder, "It's okay to cry." She wasn't sure if she really needed the reminder, but she felt it was important to say. Too many people tried to suppress their emotions, and even Valery often had. But it would always made things worse in the end.

"I let that fear about my homeworld hold me back from going too, and ended up regretting that when I did finally visit," Valery then said. "Even if things changed, and even though you've changed, it's important to see it for what it is. It is and always will be an important part of you."

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

The warmth in that touch of Colette's shoulder was like a comfortable burn against her skin. Like if she had kept the perfect distance to a campfire. She felt her attention set on the floor with a timid smile as she listened to Valery continue before she looked up, nodded her head and smiled wider.

"I love you, Valery." Colette said and gave the mother a gentle sidehug so as to not risk awakening Adam.

"You've been good to me."