Private Family Counsel

[Aselia Verd]

The holo took a moment to settle into focus. Aselia remained standing even after it stabilized, her arms folding and then unfolding again before she finally rested her hands on the back of a chair. She looked like someone about to deliver a tactical briefing, which only made the faint tension around her eyes more noticeable.

“Auntie, Quinn.”

She cleared her throat softly.

“Sorry for the short notice. This isn’t clan business. Everything is fine. Well, kind of. It’s more personal.”

The clarification came almost automatically, as if she needed to establish that boundary before she could continue.

“I did briefly consider calling Father,” she admitted, a small curve touching her mouth. “Then I imagined how that conversation would go.” She shifted her weight slightly. “‘You’re a Verd. Go get it.’”

The mocking approximation of her father’s voice carried a flicker of amusement that quickly faded into something more thoughtful.

“That’s not what I need.”

She paused, not dramatically, but as someone choosing her words with care.

“I’ve been working closely with someone. Adelle. You’ve met her, Auntie. She’s the one you cooked sweet-mallows for after that Osikla chaab meeting with the Imperial Confederation.” She drew in a steady breath. “We’ve fought together. I trust her. I respect her. I’ve spent a lot of time with her recently.”

Another pause followed, slightly longer this time.

“I’ve noticed that when she walks into a room, I’m aware of it. More than I am with anyone else. And when she’s hurt, it… sits wrong with me.”

Her brow furrowed faintly, as if she were evaluating her own reactions.

“I didn’t think much of it at first. I assumed it was just proximity. Shared experience.”

She exhaled slowly.

“It isn’t.”

Her gaze dipped briefly toward the edge of the table before lifting again.

“I’ve never been attracted to women before,” she said more quietly. “At least not in a way I recognized. It was never something I questioned because it never presented itself.”

She gave a small shake of her head.

“I’m not sure what to do or how to deal with it.”

Her mouth pressed thin for a moment, not embarrassed, just aware.

“I almost convinced myself not to call,” she admitted. “You both have enough to manage without me having a crisis. But I need some guidance. My siblings don’t have a great track record themselves.”

TAG: Srina Talon Quinn Varanin
Audience Tag: Adelle Bastiel Mia Monroe Sibylla Abrantes
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[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aselia Verd //: Srina Talon //:

Quinn's image flickered into view of the holocall. She was dressed in what looked like a fluffy robe, with her hair pinned back and a fluffy headband. It was obvious the young woman was preparing herself for bed or was just having a day or evening in. The call was unexpected, but with her recent appointment to the Eshan throne, she needed to answer Mandalorian summons.

Though she looked up the moment Aselia mentioned it wasn't clan-affiliated. So this was something more. But before Quinn could inquire further, Aselia began to speak. The words the woman spoke drew Quinn in as her attention was fully on her cousin. Quinn's head nodded along as the smile on her face widened and curled with mischief.

"So you like, have a crush on her?" Quinn asked blatantly, and to make it worse, she continued. "Do you think about kissing her? Wondering how soft her hair is? Does she have a nice butt?" The questions would ramble, almost flowing from Quinn's mouth as she bombarded the Mandalorian with several questions about this Adelle.

Whatever Quinn had been up to was now forgotten as she settled into her seat and leaned into the camera of the holocall further.

"Aselia! You have to change your wardrobe! You can't just keep marching around your armor. You have to do things to get her to notice you, get a haircut, maybe a little bit of makeup? A revealing top, show off your figure." It was obvious that as she leaned into the camera, she tried to eye up the redhead. Quinn needed to know what the woman was working with.

"Oh, I have this really cute top, it shows off your midsection and just the right amount of cleavage."

She paused.

"Wait, you've never been attracted to a woman?" The thought was curious; Quinn had always found herself attracted to women, and men had been only a passing thought in the past. Quinn wondered if there was a reason she was chosen to offer advice.

Flicking her short hair… if it wasn't pinned back, Quinn's smug little face mused over the possibilities.

"You just need to tell her, 'Hello, I find you very attractive and will allow you to take me out to dinner so we can see where this goes,'" Quinn would nod to add emphasis.

"Then from there, you bat your eyes and prepare for the date of your life."