Private Je Ne Sais Quoi

[Amani Serys]

Commercial District Promenade, Galactic City

---

Coruscant was becoming an increasingly regular haunt for Amani. With a return to the Jedi came a return to the Core, dividing her attention further than it had been in years. She wasn't very well going to abandon all her former pursuits, but now they effectively had to be triaged to accommodate.

Today was one of the rare opportunities where she didn't have to worry about either kind of business. Or, technically she did, but recent events had finally convinced her to at least try making occasions for herself. It went pretty well the last time, after all.

The thought made her grin as she awaited Valery's arrival. She somehow had the time to be a wife, and a mother, and a leading Jedi Master, and still squeeze in an afternoon for Amani. So if anyone could convince her it was alright to take a day off (other than a certain Alderaanian Count), it was probably Val. Amani would be happy to get the chance anyway.

There was a lot she wanted to talk about.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

It wasn't often that she was able to take entire days off to just relax — between her duties and family, there wasn't nearly as much time to spend on other things as she would like. But Amani had quickly grown from a Jedi she respected greatly, to a dear friend she cared about, so making time to meet up outside of Jedi work was something she'd always look forward to. And with some encouragement from Kahlil Noble to take days to herself like this, she quickly found herself very excited to meet with Amani on Coruscant for some lunch, shopping, and whatever else they'd decide to do.

She had left behind all her Jedi gear, pulled on some jeans, a shirt, and a cool leather jacket, and with a quick commercial ride to the large Capital of the Alliance, she was well on her way to having a great day.

After a taxi ride from the spaceport to the promenade, she stepped out of the vehicle and spotted Amani, who she greeted with a warm smile, "Heyy! You look a lot better than last time," Valery said with a big smirk before she walked over to pull Amani into a brief, friendly hug. The last time they met, Amani was still injured but despite that, she did save Valery's life... which she fully expected to be used against her as well.

"How have you been?" she asked before gesturing over to one of the large shopping streets that held tons of little cafes and restaurants as well, "You want to grab something to eat and drink while we catch up?"

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani heard the voice before she caught sight of the woman through the crowd. They met halfway, exchanging a pleasant hug as they did, "I could say the same about you," She beamed, giving Val a once-over up close. Amani herself was dressed in a casual jumpsuit, with a jacket over top; Some of the few 'normal people' clothes she actually had, which had really only become a concept for the Mirialan during her Outer Rim sabbatical.

"I'm great, you?" This wasn't just a casual use of 'great' for the sake of pleasantries; Amani actually felt like life was going especially well right now. It was a high of a feeling, in stark contrast to all the pain brought by events like Tython. But things were on the up and up, and an optimistic outlook on the future finally felt earned.

Hopefully it would actually stay that way for a while.

"Sure! I haven't eaten anything all day," She kept light, fully anticipating they'd be grabbing lunch somewhere, "Know anywhere good? I'm still trying to figure this place out."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

"Right? No shrapnel in my leg this time," she chuckled and looked Amani over once, taking note of not only the civilian clothing but mostly the way she came across. It was a stark contrast to how she had seemingly felt during their last mission together, right after Tython. Now, there was an incredible warmth to her smile, which also showed in the way she spoke.

It brought a brighter smile to Valery's lips too.

"I'm happy to hear it, and I've been pretty good, just busy but I shouldn't complain," she said before she looked around to get an idea as to where they were. For how often she had visited Coruscant, she knew surprisingly little about good restaurants or places to grab lunch. She just picked this place because it popped up on the holonet when she searched up what others recommended.

"Hmm, you know... I actually have no idea," she shot Amani a dumb grin and gestured to a row of cafes up ahead, "I'm sure it won't be too hard to find a place where we can get something simple though." With Amani hopefully right beside her, she began to walk and went into one of the cafes she picked at random — it looked rather fancy though, and that drew her in. She wanted to treat her friend to something good today.

After finding a table inside, she sat down and smiled again, "So, what has got you smiling so bright today? Work treating you well or just in a good mood?"

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani kept pace as Valery began her perusal of the promenade. She did some idle surveying of her own, but was quickly reminded that none of it meant anything to her. Val settled on a locale it seemed; Relatively fancy, at least as far as lunchtime cafés go. She smirked a bit, "Just something simple, huh?"

Amani had absolutely no intentions to take advantage of the whole 'saving Val's life' thing; It was her job to take that role, and on top of that, the Jedi master was a friend. In that sense she almost wanted to refute the idea of going somewhere that looked nice, in the event that Val feel compelled to 'pay her back' somehow. But she seemed content with her choice, and if nothing else Amani could just get one of the cheaper selections.

They sat down in short order, and she blinked before she registered Valery's line of questioning, "Is it that obvious?"

She wiggled a bit in her chair, deciding on what to say, "As of last week, I am… officially… seeing someone!" Amani broke into a smile, resting her cheeks on her palms. She looked to Valery for a reaction, unable to hide her schoolgirl giddiness. Clearly it was an exciting experience, more than some fling or a casual date.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

"Okay, not simple but it looks great," Valery chuckled and after sitting down with Amani, a waitress quickly approached to ask if they wanted a drink while they looked over the menu, "I'd like some tea, please," Valery told her before Amani was given a chance to ask for something she'd like. After she placed her order, and the waitress left, Valery grabbed the menu but still looked at Amani.

"I know that you do your work without needing a reward or even recognition, but today it's all on me. I'd just like to say thank you, and well, I'm stubborn with these things so don't try arguing it," she said with a smirk, but there was some truth to it as well. Her husband especially knew that side of her.

Then the conversation shifted to what really interested Valery, and that smirk from before only grew brighter, "Very obvious..." she said as she leaned forward, over the table while Amani seemed to get all giddy over something. She had never seen the Mirialan like this before, but it was very amusing.

"As of last week, I am… officially… seeing someone!"

Valery blinked, took a second to process it, and then slooowly leaned back to sit upright in her chair with the most smug grin she could muster, "Oh reeaaally?" she smiled brightly, "I'm so happy for you! But you have to tell me now... who is the lucky guy or girl?" There was a big chance she wouldn't know them, but she was simply too curious. "And how did you two meet?"

She needed the details!

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

"Oh, I'll have a… coffee, black." She hardly even registered the waitress at first, offering a sheepish smile as she left.

"Mmmhmmm…" Amani hummed, face now shifting to a knowing smirk. It was Val's plan all along, as expected. Still she didn't contest the matter, merely accepting the fact and trusting herself not to indulge. The question turned to her attitude anyway, which quickly took precedent.

"Oh reeaaally?"

Amani giggled excitedly at Valery's reaction, "I know! And thanks, it's-- he's really great." She took a moment to compose herself a little better, and cleared her throat before she spoke again, "Well, after Tython I was working at one of the refugee camps that had been set up. He helped me out one night, aaand we talked a bit, and it turns out he was the guy running the whole thing."

Another detail struck her, and she broke her daydream-like state to look at Valery, "Actually, he told me you'd met before. Alicio. Alicio Organa ."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

"I know! And thanks, it's-- he's really great."

Valery was all smiles and leaned forward to rest her chin on her hand, the elbow on the table. She listened with sincere interest, and it was as if Amani's excitement rubbed off on Valery as well. She loved to hear about these things, and to see and feel the happiness of a friend was always amazing.

"Well, after Tython I was working at one of the refugee camps that had been set up. He helped me out one night, aaand we talked a bit, and it turns out he was the guy running the whole thing."

No way, it can't be- Valery thought as the pieces of the puzzle were coming together. Sure, there were plenty of people involved in the refugee crisis, but right after Tython, and a guy running one such camp? She blinked and when the name finally dropped, Valery just blankly stared at her friend for a moment.

But after she processed the fact that it was indeed Alicio Organa , she smirked, "Going after Royalty, hm?" she winked teasingly and sat up straight for a moment while she chuckled, "But that's amazing, he's cute and definitely has his heart in the right place. A good dancer too — you should ask him to show you the Alderaanian Waltz," Valery said as a memory of the gala on Coruscant flashed through her mind.

"Have you two gone on a proper first date already? Or just worked together and held hands?" Yeah, she was definitely teasing a bit, but how could she not? It was just too funny and adorable.

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

"In my defense, I didn't know when we first met." Amani panicked briefly, quick to prove her innocence before realizing that Val was merely teasing. She laughed a bit before aburplty stopping as the master mentioned his dancing skills, "He is?"

"Ohhh, I'm a terrible dancer, though." Considering how naturally graceful and acrobatic Amani was, something about moving to music was a shockingly difficult challenge for her. The thought of making a fool of herself in front of the bigwigs brought a twinge of nervousness.

At least if they were both bad, then they wouldn't even have to bother with it.

She ran over the events leading up to the moment in her head, her thoughts disorganized and rapid-fire; Her cadence quickened with every sentence as she barfed out the stream of consciousness, "So, well, I mean we had like, a date-- But it wasn't like, a date date? Or it wasn't supposed to be a date date. He invited me to this celebration they were hosting at Sanctuary City, and we spent all day there. And it was awesome! Then he showed me this big garden they made for Tython, and it just- something like-and then it all-I kissed him! And he kissed me! And we kissed a lot actually, and at the end of the night I called him my boyfriend and he called me his girlfriend. Sothatswhatthatmeansright?"

Amani looked at Valery expectantly, with some blend of happiness and sheer perplexity. Of course that's what it meant, but she was still looking to the more experienced of the two for confirmation. Some part of it still felt too good to be true.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

"He is?"

"Mhmm..." she nodded a few times and smirked, "Surprised me as well, but he has the elegance for it. I think you'd do fine too though, the Alderaanian Waltz is more like, a group dance. It's not too technical, and besides... he can lead it for you," she smirked playfully and turned her eyes to her right, as the waitress appeared and put their drinks on the table. She smiled in gratitude but quickly looked back at Amani, who was about to bombard her with the whole story.

To any outsider, it would feel like incoherent rambling, but Valery followed along perfectly, and only nodded a few times throughout the story to acknowledge specific bits. When she mentioned they kissed though, there was a quick and excited "Oohhh" from Valery, accompanied by a grin from ear to ear. It reminded her of how she met her husband, and what they were up to that day.

Maybe best not to share?

"Yep, now it's all official," Valery said with a big nod after Amani's question, "I'm surprised you got him to kiss you on the first date date as well — he always seemed more reserved, timid, and that he'd take his time," Valery paused and leaned forward again, almost as excited as Amani was herself, "So he must really like you, it's a good sign!"

"Now the real fun begins."

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani blushed, and shrugged sheepishly when Val affirmed that Alicio must have really liked her. Another obvious assessment, but one that was nonetheless nice to hear from an outside perspective. “I mean, technically I already kissed him the first night we met. I-It was just on the cheek when we said goodbye but hey it mighta softenedhimupabitwhoknows-” She was talking out of the corner of the mouth now as she took a sip of her caf, “But- Ow! Every time, I swear.” Apparently for Amani, Jedi teachings in patience never extended to hot beverages.

She set the drink down and scooted forward in her seat, the speed of her mouth now settling back to more manageable levels, “But, we’re trying not to rush things too much. Just… enjoy it, y’know?” Her gaze turned to the large window in front of them, watching as people passed by, “The real fun, huh?” It seemed hard to beat the magic of that night, but she looked forward to any and all attempts to do so.

“I’ve never really… gotten this far, before. It’s… exciting… and a little intimidating.” Amani admitted. Not by Alicio himself; It helped that they were both more or less coming in on the same page, and if anything, Amani probably had more experience than he did. But every little detail, good or bad, felt magnified a hundredfold. She drummed her fingers against the counter before looking back at Val, “What was it like when you met Kahlil?”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

"On the first night you met already? Hmm, clever," she chuckled and seemed to agree with the idea of softening him up. But Valery didn't want this all to be about teasing, and offered a sincere smile while she continued, "It may have played a small part, but I think it's mostly that you two just match really well." She raised her cup carefully to her lips and went for a small sip, unlike Amani who burned her tongue on the hot coffee.

Valery flinched after seeing it, but it was hard to hide the big grin on her face — it was quite adorable and amusing to see the Mirialan like this. Especially when their first meetings had been in what most people considered extreme scenarios. The contrast was very interesting.

"Oh for sure, never rush these things," Valery said after she placed her cup down, "Both of you should be comfortable with the pace, and as long as you communicate well about it, I'm sure it'll stay very exciting. The real fun is getting to know each other even better and spending a lot more time close together." And some other things, but her smirk covered that part pretty well.

Amani then asked about her meeting Kahlil Noble , and for the first time today, Valery went a little quiet and stared at the table for a moment. When she looked up at Amani again, her lips curled back into a smile, but a much softer one, "We met during one of the most difficult times of my life, not long after I came out of stasis. I wanted to find my old Enclave on New Cov again, or well.. what remained of it," she explained.

"I met him on the planet, and we agreed to travel together because he wanted to learn more about what it meant to be a Jedi..." she paused for a moment and wrapped both hands around the warm cup of tea that still rested on the table, "Finding the ruins was very difficult to me, but he comforted me, and even got clawed open by a wild beast to protect me while I was going through some old chambers there." She blinked. "I form Force-bonds very easily with people I spend time with, but never like what happened there. We uh, spent a few days and nights there, and well..." she blushed a little, "Let's just say things happened pretty quickly."

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani smiled faintly when Valery said they matched well. That much was clear to her early on; A night that started as two strangers brought together by a tragedy, became a chance for two like-minded people to commiserate, and confide in their burdens. It was a connection that resonated so deeply because she had never truly felt one like that before.

Her advice reassured Amani further. It was natural to be nervous, but thus far she and Alicio had largely been on the same wavelength. She blushed a bit at Val's knowing smirk, but soon became engrossed in her own story. The image of Kahlil and Valery meeting for the first time was cute, and it became her turn to smirk when the Jedi master reached the end.

"Not one to take your own advice, huh?" Amani teasingly snickered. Clearly it had worked out for the Nobles, which made her feel all the better about how quickly she and Alicio had moved things at first.

The Mirialan shifted in her seat, taking a more cautious sip of coffee. Her expression grew pensive, and a little concerned, "...What if I mess it up? Do something wrong or… say something that hurts him?" A deeper issue seemed to tug at her heart, and she cast her gaze away from Valery as she continued, "I haven't… told him about the whole-- My struggle with the dark side."

"He asked me why I left the Jedi and I brushed off answering him," He assured her there was no need to justify herself, but in truth she had no idea how he'd react to something like that. That path was a complicated one, and some were willing to forgive with redemption, while others saw it as a permanent stain on one's character. Regardless, the fact that she kept it from him the first time was causing her a great deal of discomfort, unwarranted or otherwise. "How do I-- What if he doesn't like the answer?"

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

The smirk and teasing snickering were to be expected, and Valery accepted it with a big grin of her own, "In most cases, I wouldn't have moved as quickly with a relationship. But there was just something about him..." she paused and subconsciously chewed on her lower lip for a moment. Her eyes then turned back to the Mirialan, the smirk still very much there, "I'm glad we did what we did back then, and I couldn't be happier about how I found love." Her smile was a bit less playful, and a lot warmer now — she could honestly talk about this stuff and how happy she was with him for hours. Valery had always been a bit of a hopeless romantic, and with the way things worked out, her dreams really had come true in a way.

Right now though she wanted to focus more on her friend and her new relationship, which excited her a great deal as well. But there were always challenges in relationships, and it seemed one was already bugging her, "Making mistakes is part of it, and being able to get through them together strengthens the relationship," Valery began before the real depth of her worries surfaced.

"Whether he likes it or not, it's an important part of your past, of you as a person. If you don't tell him, you're going to feel this weight on your shoulders, and it will only get more difficult the more you push it away," Valery said before taking a sip from her tea again, "He really likes you, Amani, so I'm sure it's not going to be a problem. But if you want this to become a serious thing, I suggest being very open about these things."

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

“I knowww. You’re right.” Of course she was. Amani understood that much, “I will tell him. It’s just… hard to say.” The truth is that her sincere heartache over the matter was proof that she really liked him too. And how much she wanted this to work. It was something the Mirialan seemed to mull over in silence for a few long moments, until the faintest hint of a reassured smile tugged at the corner of her lip. Who was she kidding; She didn’t just like him. Amani was head over heels.

They could tell each other anything. Of that much she was certain. “Thanks, Val.” Amani took a long sip of her caf, “Next time we meet, maybe I’ll talk about it.” The sooner the better, although she didn’t want to spoil any events they might plan by dropping all that baggage. Hopefully she’d recognize when the time was right.

“I dunno how you do it.” Amani smiled and shrugged, “All of it. I feel like I’d fall apart trying to do everything you do."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

Yeah, she really was totally crazy about him.

It didn't take an expert to see that, but Valery was still very excited and happy over it. She just couldn't stop smiling, so after taking another sip from her tea, she reached across the table and gently placed her hand over Amani's for a second, "I know you'll find the right time for it, and it's going to be fine." Knowing Alicio a little, he was likely going to be very supportive, so if anything, she'd have his help to go through difficult times related to her past, if they were to show up down the line.

Much like her relationship with Kahlil, there were times when they needed to be each other's support pillars.

"How I do it?" Valery blinked and looked at her tea for a moment, "Well, I'll be honest with you — it's not as easy or comfortable as it might seem. I've been through times where I got home so stressed and tired, that I ended up crying into my pillows." There was a bit of embarrassment in her smile now, but she didn't mind being honest about these topics. It would hopefully show Amani that it was completely normal to struggle to balance all these things.

"But when I came home like that, I wasn't alone, and that helped me. He helped me get through it. You're probably going to experience some of it yourself, although without the parental stress... for now, anyway," she smirked and raised her cup of tea back up to her lips. "And you'll have him to help you, and he'll have you. It's going to make it all worth it, no matter how hard it'll get."

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani’s smile warmed with Val’s reassurances, the master’s hand over hers sealing the deal on her worries, at least for now.

In contrast, Valery’s admission to the burden of her position had Amani taken aback somewhat, pouting at the thought of her crying from sheer stress. It wasn’t a surprise that it was a challenging collection of roles to take on, but she had always seemed so poised and in control that the reality behind the curtain had never quite registered with Amani until now.

In the end, it only made her feel more connected to Valery. Nobody was perfect. And for as much regard as she held for the Jedi master, she would never hold her to those impossible standards. The mention of her husband’s support made it resonate all the more, although the tease of parenthood nearly made her choke on her coffee, “Yeah, definitely too early to be worrying about that.” She gestured down at her lack of fancy clothes, "I'm more concerned about fitting in with the company he keeps," When Alicio told her that he was going to take the Senate job, it occurred to her that she may very well be accompanying him to certain events and/or meetings. And political high society was far out of her element.

Valery's words had sparked another line of thought, which she then rounded back to, “How’s your daughter? I oughta see her one of these days.”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

The reason she had shared something about her own vulnerable moments was that she wanted to make sure Amani knew that no matter how strong or confident someone was, it was okay to also struggle sometimes. Not that she believed it was a lesson the Mirialan needed to learn, but having seen Amani push herself through bad injuries to still help people after Tython, Valery knew she was the type to hold herself to high standards.

Much like Valery, she didn't want to give in to anything and keep helping people no matter how tough things got. It's a trait she can appreciate, but one that could lead to disaster as well.

"I'm sure you'll fit in just fine, you're very kind and easy-going. Just don't let the politicians rub off on you too much," Valery said with a playful smirk that turned into a bright smile at the mention of her daughter. If there was one thing that could make her smile instantly, it was her little girl.

"Vera is doing great, and settling well into our new home," Valery said while she held the cup for warmth, "Next time we meet like this somewhere, I can maybe bring her along. Or if you ever want to come visit, I'm sure she'd love to show you her room as well," she chuckled, clearly still very happy.

"But I think next time, I'd love to see both you and Mr. Organa~" she said with a sing-song voice to make it clear that she'd definitely be teasing them if it were to happen.

Amani Serys ​

 

[Amani Serys]

"Eugh," The thought of turning out like the bureaucrats made roll her eyes in mock-disgust. She was unable to stay that way for long though, as Valery's adoration for her daughter was palpable enough to make Amani smile as well, "Love to hear it. Sounds like fun either way." Kids had always been a soft spot for her. She doubted Vera would be any different.

Amani was in the middle of another sip of caf when the waitress came back, "...Oh yeah," She quickly scanned the menu once more, having forgotten to do so completely over the course of their conversation, "Uhhh- Oo, just the covado salad for me, please," She settled on the dish she was already familiar with, which also happened to be one of the cheaper options.

Once the waitress took Valery's order and left, Amani hummed back, "Iiii'm sure we could arrange that, too~" it would be nice to get more opportunities like this, and of course she wouldn't say no to spending more time with him as well.

"Free time is hard to find these days. But he and I will both be spending a lot more time in the Core, and Coruscant especially, so maybe it won't be so impossible to schedule some more things in the near future."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Appearance

Location: Coruscant
Items: Necklace

Right, they were here to eat lunch.

Valery had been so invested in their conversation that she forgot to check the menu as well, so when the waitress arrived she offered a somewhat sheepish smile and quickly looked over the menu, "I'll uh, take the Endoran chicken sandwich," she said with a warm smile, after which the waitress left to prepare their meals.

Fiery eyes then turned back to Amani as she heard her hum in response, "That would be great. Maybe I'll drag my husband along for it, and I'll see about introducing you to Vera sometime as well. I definitely don't want my Alderaanian royal friends to have to entertain her all day with me," Valery teased with an emphasis on calling both Amani and Alicio royalty now. "She's super sweet, but very energetic so she's a handful sometimes."

Yeah, she totally had that from her mother — Valery was once exactly like that as well.

"So..." Valery then began, a smirk already creeping up on her lips, "Do you already have ideas or plans for your next date with him?"

Amani Serys ​