Private Hell of a Season

[Colette]

Life day was a while ago now, with emphasis on life given all that had happened.

Colette sat on top of a cliff, not too far from the enclave but well outside of earshot from any of the usual eavesdroppers. Her presence on the planet had been a bit more consistent in recent weeks. Came with the territory. While the child wasn’t hers it had still caused something inside of her to go numb. Like a slow realization that either Corazona was early to the beat or Colette was about to start seeing a lot more of her friends settle down and start families.

The idea hadn’t really crossed her mind yet. At least not to any greater extent. There was still too much to see out there. Still too many types of worlds she hadn’t yet trailed across or even caught glimpses of.

But, that was her. Today wasn’t about her, it was about Makko. As Colette dangled her feet over the cliff’s edge she looked to the six-pack by her side and eagerly awaited the man’s arrival.

The second she noticed his presence she would glance over her shoulder to greet him and motion for him to sit next to her and simply enjoy the view and the silence for a moment. All things considered, despite the ‘nobility’ and their presence, Ukatis was a remarkably beautiful place.

“Glad you could make it.” She said and handed the man the first beer from the pack. “I haven’t… Really planned anything. It’s been a while, and I know how Cora is doing, so I figured I’d check in with you too.”

“How have you been, Makko?”

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

Colette

"Ooo beer," went Makko.

He grinned and stepped sharply up to the edge of the hill. He sat down and there was a click and hiss as he opened a beer.

"It's been a while, didn't need to plan anything," he said

It had been a long time since they spoke properly. It had taken years for him to be able to think back to their early missions and not feel anxious over the memory of get getting shot.

"I got some sleep the last few nights," he said, by way of explanation of how he had been.

He smiled to himself and enjoyed the breeze.

"You met Luciana?"

 

[Colette]

Makko Vyres

A small but hearty laugh parted Colette's lips into a grin.

"Yeah, she was practically thrown into my hands so that Cora could get some time to take care of herself." She said and shook her head.

The winds carried a slight nip to it. Colette let in a deep breath and exhaled with ease.

"I guess you're never quite ready for that first child, huh?" She turned to look at the new father. The fatigue was unmistakeable, but he didn't seem to mind it that much. Or maybe he had just gotten that good at hiding it.

"Used to see the men of my old clan do this when someone became a father for the first time." She motioned her head towards the pack of beer. "Always wondered what they were doing. What they were talking about. Just two men, a cliff, and the rolling hills."

Colette put her own beer to her lips and took a gentle sip.

"Swear it was the closest I ever saw some of them come to crying."

 

[Makko Vyres]

"I guess you're never quite ready for that first child, huh?"

"That first child. Makes it sound like its first of many," Makko laughed.

"Cora has a lot of siblings as you know," he said, "But I think we'll wait a little while before we think about number two."

He looked out across the gentle Ukatis countryside. No matter what this place had once meant to him, it was a pleasant place to raise a child. It was their home.

"So how have you been?" Makko asked suddenly. "You look well, what have you been up to?"

 

[Colette]

Makko Vyres

Yes, that first child. Colette mirrored her friend's laugh and shook her head. And yes, Corazona had a lot of siblings too. Not to mention the 'burden' of nobility and what-not. There was not a doubt in her mind that there would be at least one more child around eventually.

"I've been good." Colette shrugged and grinned. "Been traveling a lot between worlds, hunting and such. Population control, mostly."

"Feels like I've taken a bit of a break to look after myself. After the Alliance fell apart I had a…" Her lips thinned, pulled to the side as she tried to find the words. "... A lapse of judgment. Pushed people away that I shouldn't have."

"All better now though," She said and looked back at Makko. "And just in time too, it seems!"

 

[Makko Vyres]

Makko took a slow pull from his beer, his gaze fixed on the sharp drop of the cliff. The height did not bother him; he had spent enough time on narrow ledges in much less scenic places to feel at home here.

"Hunting, huh?" went Makko. He couldn't actually remember the name of the world she'd come from. He knew she'd had a less technological upbringing. The polar opposite to his own childhood.

"Pushed people away, did you? I've been there."

He glanced over at her, his expression softening into something resembling pride. He didn't enquire further. She'd tell him more if she wanted to.

"It takes a fair bit of grit to admit you were wrong. I am glad you found your way back. With so much going on, it's nice to see a familiar face."

"Im teaching at the enclave here. Stick around and I'll make you cover some classes."

 

[Colette]

Makko Vyres

Yep, hunting. Colette nodded.

Her head tilted, she gave the man a surprised glance over her shoulder. Makko Vyres as a teacher rather than a field agent or consort-of-the-princess. She supposed fatherhood did change priorities a little. There was really no denying that.

"I've been staying for the last few weeks." She shrugged. "I can cover some classes if you want the sleep."

"… Or just a moment for yourself." Her beer found her lips. Colette took a sip and looked out at the landscape again. "I think Cora wanted to hire me as a nanny. I don't exactly mind. Everyone needs a break every now and then."

 

[Makko Vyres]

"A nanny?" He shook his head, taking a long pull of his own beer. "Well if she managed to talk you into it..."

He shifted his weight, his boots crunching on the loose grit of the ledge. The offer of covering classes hit a different chord. He had spent his life looking over his shoulder. Having responsibility over the younglings was very different.

"If you're going to over classes, I'm going to take you up on some morning slots."

He looked out over the drop, his expression turning uncharacteristically contemplative.

"Just don't go teaching them any bad habits. Adding to the ones I'm already teaching them would probably be too much," he laughed.

"You enjoying it here?" he asked. "Taking things slow?"

Colette

 

[Makko Vyres]

"A nanny?" He shook his head, taking a long pull of his own beer. "Well if she managed to talk you into it..."

He shifted his weight, his boots crunching on the loose grit of the ledge. The offer of covering classes hit a different chord. He had spent his life looking over his shoulder. Having responsibility over the younglings was very different.

"If you're going to over classes, I'm going to take you up on some morning slots."

He looked out over the drop, his expression turning uncharacteristically contemplative.

"Just don't go teaching them any bad habits. Adding to the ones I'm already teaching them would probably be too much," he laughed.

"You enjoying it here?" he asked. "Taking things slow?"

Colette

 

[Colette]

Makko Vyres

It wasn't exactly hard to convince Colette to help out with the smallest ones. She had always had a knack for childcare, raised for it even. Difference now was that those days it was going to be her only path in life, and now it was just one of many choices she had chosen to make by herself.

She shot the new father a questioning albeit amused look as he tried to sell her on taking the morning passes as if it would be worse somehow. She already woke up at dawn, there would be no objections from her.

"I think so, yeah." Colette nodded. "I've gotten to know the area around the temple pretty well. The fresh air is a huge bonus. And I have you and Cora here who are essentially my oldest friends."

"In terms of enjoying things and taking it slow, I couldn't really think of a better place." She shrugged and took a sip from her beer and let out a deep sigh. "What did it feel like?"

She turned to look at Makko.

"To realize you've got a child now?"

 

[Makko Vyres]

MAKKO

Makko grinned. It seemed like he was going to get cover for the morning classes without even a little bit of bartering.

"Well.... At first there was some confusion and panic. Did Cora tell you what happened?" Makko asked before he started to recount the story.

 

[Colette]

Makko Vyres

Another sip, another grin and a laugh.

"Yeeeaaahhhh…" Colette grinned through a very long breath. "The king of Naboo in an elevator."

"Like I say when others ask: if this was anyone other than Cora I wouldn't have believed it either."