Private Moving towards a brighter Future

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"Vera?" Valery asked as she opened the door leading into the backyard.

"Hmm?" Vera hummed in response while she kept playing.

"Amani will be here any moment. You can keep playing, but at least come say hi, okay?" Valery requested of her daughter, who perked up when she realized who was visiting, "Amani?!" she called out excitedly. "Okay!" She plopped back down in the grass with a grin and continued the little story she was creating with her toys and lizard pet. Valery just chuckled and stepped back into the house, maneuvered around some boxes, and began preparing a few snacks.

Their home on Cularin had been very peaceful and the memories she had here with the family were amazing, but that also made it difficult to stay here. It wasn't the only reason they were moving though — Cularin was also quite far away from the core, and without a father at home to watch over Vera constantly, Valery wanted to bring her daughter a little closer to where she worked, so it was easier for her to travel between the Temple and her home.

She just felt bad that Vera would already have to say goodbye to all her new friends.

Today, though, she was focusing on something a little more fun. Amani was coming over to help with the move, but they also had quite a lot to talk about. Valery wanted to tell her all about Aldric and how good she has been feeling because of him, and Amani seemed to have something to talk about as well when they last talked over the holo-call.

It was going to be a good day and one of the last at her little home within the Cularin forest.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

When Amani heard that Valery was looking to move out of their home on Cularin, she was glad to lend a hand. They needed another excuse to just talk for a bit anyway, and this was something she could do to help on top of that. The mirialan had done everything she could to help and support her friend through such a difficult time, and she saw no reason to stop now.

That said, Valery seemed to be doing better as well. It was great to see, and given how their conversation over comms had gone, there was a bit more to it than that. She wasn't going to make any assumptions yet, but Amani was increasingly eager to see just what in particular might have changed…

Her ship descended into a clearing outside of the Noble residence, and in short order was making the jaunt to the front entrance. It was a nice house, but it wasn't hard to fathom just why they might be ready for a move. On top of more practical reasons, it no doubt held many lingering memories. It was bittersweet, but an understandable transition into the future. Amani inhaled, and gave the door a few knocks.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

Knock, knock, knock.

Valery quickly set down a few plates with small snacks and rushed over to the door, opening it up before pulling Amani straight into a tight embrace, "Hey you!" she said with a smile so warm, Amani likely hadn't seen it in quite some time. She was completely different from the night she visited for support, and even from the weeks that followed after that.

Her old self was burning brightly again, but something seemed even more hopeful about her.

"I'm glad you're here! Please, come in," she said before guiding her friend inside. The door was closed behind her and within the Noble home, she'd find a fairly peaceful little place. It wasn't overly small but it wasn't big either, and the decorations made it all feel quite cozy.

"Can I get you anything to drink? I've got some snacks on the table, too. Make yourself at home," Valery continued, clearly very happy to see her best friend again.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

The door quickly swung open, and Amani hardly had time to react before she was pulled into a hug, “H-hey Val~!” the mirialan replied, a bit taken aback as she returned the hug with a few pats. In just a few short seconds, it felt as if the Keshian was the complete opposite of what she had been that night after Kahlil’s death. Her progress had been noticeable in the time since then, but even this felt quite different by comparison. It was a confusing, but very exciting development, and Amani couldn’t help but grin.

She stepped in with Valery’s offer, and gave the nice, cozy surroundings a scan, “No, no, that’s okay,” The healer waved a hand, though she found herself looking a bit longer at the snacks laid out. Maybe just a little…

But more importantly, Amani seemed to be looking for something, which she had yet to find, “Where’s my best little teammate at~?” She said a little bit louder, hoping she might draw Vera out.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"She should be-"

"Amaniiiiii!"

Valery blinked as Vera's scream echoed through the house, and the sound of little feet rapidly approaching reached the pair of Jedi. With her arms outstretched, the 5-year-old came sprinting from the backdoor, through the hallway, and straight for Amani to greet her best-ever teammate with a big hug.

"I missed you!" she exclaimed while her arms wrapped around the Mirialan.

Valery could only watch with the biggest smile, and gave them plenty of time to catch up a little before she began to speak, "Come on, let's get inside and sit down. I got some snacks," she said, knowing exactly what response that would get out of Vera, who looked at her mom with big eyes.

She followed along happily and dug right into some of the food her mother had prepared. "I hope the trip here wasn't too bad. I know it can be a bit long with how far out we are," Valery began as she settled down on the couch.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani squealed, and immediately spun around with her arms outstretched, “There she is!” She hugged the little girl tightly, picking her up as she did, “Heyyy Vera~” It was impossible not to grin widely with her around. Of all the immensely cute kids in the galaxy, Vera was the cutest, “I missed you too. Give your pet kitty a name yet?” She asked, referring to the stuffed tooka they had won on Pasaana.

As they moved further inside, Amani plopped Vera back down and joined Valery on the couch, “Nooo, it was nothin’,” She waved it off, “I got used to much longer trips when I was working the Outer Rim.” Sometimes work took her from one end of the galaxy to the next. Never without something to do.

A beat passed and the mirialan slapped her hands on her lap as if to mark a transition, “So, you begun packing anything already, or just getting started?”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"Mhmm! Ellie," she said with a nod of her head while Valery chuckled and watched lovingly. She never had a childhood like this, where she could think about toys and imaginary friends to play with. It was one of the big things she pushed for with Kahlil. To make sure Vera could feel like a normal kid as well, and not just a Jedi or the daughter of Jedi.

After sitting back down, Valery watched Vera grab a few snacks before her attention shifted to her friend, "I'm glad to hear it, but feel free to eat and drink as much as you'd like. Gotta replenish a little after long trips, hm?" she chuckled.

"So, you begun packing anything already, or just getting started?"

Valery nodded, "Most of the important things are in boxes, just a few necessities we still use here haven't been packed. But all of the boxes still have to be moved into the Bastion, our ship, as well. Then, we're off to... somewhere." She had no idea where exactly they'd be able to find something, but until then, the Bastion would be plenty big of them both.

"Before we get to all that though, how have you been? It sounded like you wanted to tell me something last time we spoke over the holo?"

​

 

[Amani Serys]

"Mhmm! Ellie,"

"Oooo, that's a very pretty name. I like it."

Afterwards they settled on the couch, and Amani answered Valery's rhetorical by snatching a snack for herself. She listened, her gaze meandering across the room and noting some of the empty spaces where things had seemingly been taken out and packed away, "Thinking of heading to Coruscant, or… somewhere else?" It wouldn't have been Amani's first choice of living space, but it was undeniably convenient for her work. Not to mention that was where Alicio Organa had planted his flag as well. Speaking of…

"Before we get to all that though, how have you been? It sounded like you wanted to tell me something last time we spoke over the holo?"

The mirialan blinked, then a grin tugged at her lips, unable to be subdued, "I'm doing good. Things have gone pretty smooth lately," She started, dodging the more obvious reason for her excitement at first. That said, those smaller things, like a lighter workload and a bit of peace and quiet around the temple, were quite positive changes in their own right. It was the kind of thing that never stuck around for long, but that just meant all the more reason to enjoy it while it was there. "But more importantly… Alicio and I… moved in together," Amani shrugged, blushing a bit, "And it's been really nice, actually."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"Likely a small apartment on Coruscant first," Valery said, which made it all sound like quite a downgrade. From a decently sized house at the edge of a beautiful forest on a peaceful planet to a much smaller apartment on a busy world like Coruscant. "Just so that she's closer to me. But I hope to find something better with time."

Well, time and she wanted to find something that kept her close to a particular SIA agent, but that was a topic for later.

Right now, she wanted to first learn what had gotten Amani so excited, and when she made it clear, Valery's smirk couldn't be wider. "I'm so happy for you two!" she exclaimed. "Those are big steps to take, so I'm glad to hear that everything is going so well." She could still remember when she discussed living together with Kahlil, and especially those first few months it was so exciting.

"Just know this — there will be some times where you feel like strangling him when you live together, but it always gets better if you two talk things out." She figured Amani would be able to handle all of that just fine, so the warning was mostly in jest. The idea of Alicio having to deal with this angry healer was just too amusing.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

"Mm. Good enough start as any," Keeping Vera and her work closeby was undoubtedly going to be important in these early days. Valery had a lot of duties on her plate, and it wasn't like she could just fly all the way back to Cularin each night.

As focus shifted around to Amani, she smiled bashfully, "I know! We had that little wine night we were talking about~" Her brows waggled a bit, leaving just enough of an implication as to what else they got up to that night without directly saying it, "And had a long talk about… where to take things next, basically."

Now, the two lovebirds were practically inseparable. Which had a great many perks, but as Valery was quick to point out, "Just know this — there will be some times where you feel like strangling him when you live together, but it always gets better if you two talk things out."

Amani chuckled, and nodded, "I think we've got that covered. But it's always good to hear from an outside source." It felt like there were very few secrets between herself and Alicio now. She was confident that whatever came their way, they'd figure out how to deal with it together.

"What about you? Things been okay over here?" Amani subdued her choice of words, but the hint of curiosity was still there in her tone, trying to figure out just what exactly Valery had been getting up to as of late. She took another snack, her expectant look never quite leaving her friend's face as she did.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"Yeah, not really looking forward to another apartment, but if it means being closer to Vera..." she looked at the little girl, who was still snacking on something she snatched off the table, "Then it's worth it," she chuckled and let the conversation shift to what was most important.

The smiling, the eyebrow waggle, and what they had been talking about — Valery knew exactly where things were at now with Amani's relationship, and the grin on her face did little to hide that. "Mhmmm," she hummed teasingly, "That sounds fantastic though! You two are such a cute couple, and I can just feel that it's going to last."

It was almost strange just how important it was to her, but Amani had quickly become her best and closest friend, so her happiness was as important as her own. To see her smile and be so excited about taking all these steps with Alicio, who she was very fond of too, was just amazing.

"What about you? Things been okay over here?"

Valery turned a lot quieter for a moment, and she seemed a little nervous as a blush crept up on her cheeks, "I've been good, and I uh, met someone. Someone I really, really like." Her eyes briefly shifted to Vera, who wasn't paying attention at all, grabbed a couple of snacks, and looked up, "I'm going to play outside!" And with that, she ran off to do just that.

"He's an old colleague of mine from the SIA days, and I met with him to talk him into rejoining. But... a uh... lot happened since."

​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani shrugged in agreement. Apartments were nice for cost and convenience, but not much else. Especially with a family. Her studio was effectively just a tiny place to sleep in between working hours. Alicio's wasn't huge, but it was definitely an upgrade. Maybe one day they would have something a little different…

She couldn't stop her grinning as Valery teased, but after a beat passed, she added more quietly, "Yeah… me too…" Now that they were living together, Amani felt a little more comfortable letting things throw at a natural pace, but it was impossible not to at least envision where things could go next, and continue to go in the future. They both loved one another deeply, and it was hard to see it heading anywhere but up.

But all focus on her own lovelife immediately went out the window, as Valery began to speak of some developments of her own. Vera, still so easily able to grasp her attention, was given a brief nod and smile, "Have fun!" Before Amani leaned in towards Valery, eyes practically bulging out of her head with curiosity and excitement.

"WHO-" She shot, nearly cutting Val off as she finished speaking, "You are telling me literally everything."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

Happy with what she had gotten out of Amani and her relationship, and with Vera now a safe distance away to play and not overhear the conversation, Valery finally felt it was a good time to start talking about her own developing relationship. Amani seemed very eager to hear about it too, judging by the way she leaned for-

"WHO-"

Valery blinked and began to chuckle, "His name is Aldric Laurent, I... doubt you know him?" she shook her head. "Anyway, he and I worked together in the SIA years ago, and he retired to live quietly on a farm on Azbrian. I talked him rejoining, and we... sort of really clicked, very quickly??" she smiled sheepishly.

"We got some new suits made, tested some weapons and gadgets, and I asked him to grab lunch, which he accepted!" she said, trying hard not to squeal from just pure happiness. "Then we decided to go on an undercover mission together to infiltrate a Casino on Nar Shaddaa, and well, I-picked-this-really-cute-dress-and-we-danced-and-then-I-Kissed-him and..." she stopped rambling to draw in a deep breath. "He's just so... perfect, Amani. I've never felt such chemistry with someone before, and he's just... so sweet, and strong and.."

She realized she was about to go off about him again, blushed a much deeper red, and smiled awkwardly at her friend. "We also maybe, kinda sorta ruined a hotel room, a little."

That was a lot.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani shrugged. Unsurprisingly, she didn't know the man by name, but now she needed to know every detail. As Valery spoke of things moving quickly, the mirialan raised her brows. It quickly became clear just how well things had gone, and even more surprisingly, just how head over heels Valery was about it all. Amani found it amusing and painfully adorable to suddenly see her on this side of things, like they had switched places from when she had first shared her relationship with Alicio.

The mirialan flushed with excitement, soon dropping her jaw as the end of her story took an even spicier turn, "Valeryyyyy…" She scoffed, "Oh my goooosh, I didn't realize you were so…" She trailed off, letting her eyebrow work do the talking for her. "But, that's so exciting! I'm really, really happy for you! You deserve it. Seriously."

"...Gotta any pics of him?"

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

Even though she was rambling and getting really caught up in telling her friend everything, Amani's reactions didn't escape her completely. She was listening intently and really made it feel as if the roles had been reversed. It was very amusing, but nothing could quite beat the reaction to the last part of the story.

The spicy part.

"Valeryyyyy…"

"Listeeeen," Valery said with a chuckle and flushed cheeks before rolling her eyes a little at the eyebrow waggle. "Yeah yeah, I know... but I really wanted to go slow, you know? I told myself to not rush into anything and take it one step at a time." Her tone alone made it clear that her plan didn't really work out well. "But he's just, perfect, for me. We clicked almost instantly, and just the way he looks at me..." Valery was practically melting in her seat all over again.

"But yeah! It's very exciting, and I will still go slow with some things. I got pregnant within a year of meeting Kahlil, and we got married not long after. I do want to go slow on that front and enjoy some dating, but other than that..." she smirked and waggled her own eyebrows. No more hotel rooms were going to get ruined, but they'd find other places and ways to have fun.

"...Gotta any pics of him?"

Valery blinked and narrowed her eyebrows for a second, "Yeah... one sec, though." She grabbed her datapad and shifted so Amani couldn't see the display. "Nooo. Nope. Not that one," she muttered softly while she swiped through her gallery. Finally, she settled on a picture where she planted her cheek against his and forced him to smile into the camera with her. Afterward, she showed one of just him too. "He's so hot, Amani, and I can just feel he's husband and father material too." Many younger women didn't care about that yet, but her smile and blush made it obvious that she found it very attractive.

"I just gotta... take it slow. Date for a long while, take small steps forward..." she looked at her friend. Pls, help.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani rested her cheeks in her palms, listening to Valery completely fawn over this new man in her life. Things had moved quick, but it seemed that they were enjoying themselves plenty, and that was all any of them could really ask for. Fooling around was a lot different than running off to marriage, so they still had time to go through things at their own pace.

She angled her head just a bit as Valery pulled away her phone, but relented to sparing her glances as it quickly became clear why. Amani just snorted and shook her head as her friend took her sweet time scanning through an apparently vast array of mystery photos. When at last Valery had one to present, the mirialan's eyes widened, as did her smirk. Aldric was practically yanked into the photo, with a grin that seemed more like a plea for help than anything else. But even through a smile forced for the sake of taking a picture, there was a charm to it, and that's not even mentioning his rugged features.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Amani leaned in closer, stars forming in her eyes before she blinked to rein it back in. "Yeah, I'd say so~" She raised her brows. Zaddy material, more like, but if he could be both then all the better. Given that Valery already had a kid of her own, it was one of those qualities that was going to be imperative for anything in the long run.

"And that's fine. It's what Alicio and I did," Until constraints seemed to push them into rushing things further, but it all worked out fine. Amani didn't feel like anything came at an inopportune time, or at a time when they weren't ready for it, "Just keep it natural. Don't feel like you have to force anything. If Mr. Hottie Hot Laurent here really cares then he'll be all along for the ride as much as the milestones."

"Go on some dates. Have fun. Shoot, leave Vera with Alicio and I if you need babysitters for an evening. We'll keep her company."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"Mhmm~" Valery said, her eyes narrowing slightly at Amani's reaction to the picture she showed. "He's so perfect for me but I'm really scared I'll be like... too much for him to wanna deal with. If that makes sense? But it's just hard to not be excited because I haven't felt this amazing about someone in like... ever." She rambled again but her emotions bleeding out into the Force probably said it all.

She was a little afraid that she'd scare him off.

Luckily, Amani's advice seemed to get through to her, and she offered a smile, "You're right, I just need to be myself, and take things at a comfortable pace for us both. I really hope that it can all work out because I don't think I'll ever get another shot like this. Every woman in the Galaxy would dream of a man like him, but somehow I got lucky enough..." she blushed, and her words were genuine. As far as she was concerned, she was the lucky one of the two. He had everything a woman could dream of and more, and she couldn't be happier.

"Go on some dates. Have fun. Shoot, leave Vera with Alicio and I if you need babysitters for an evening. We'll keep her company."

"Really? You two would that for me?" Valery smiled brightly, almost with teary eyes, and shifted over to pull Amani into another hug. "I'd really appreciate it. It's hard to find the time, but I really want to show him that I'm serious and that I want him in my life. Thank yooouuu," she said as she squeezed a little tighter.

​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani listened with a gentle smile as Valery rambled about her concerns. She had been through a lot, and even a more 'normal' experience would still be enough to leave someone nervous about a relationship they're excited about. But even more so given all that Valery was dealing with. It was understandable, but the Mirialan wanted to assure her it was unwarranted, "You'll be fine, Val. You're amazing, and if you've hit it off the way you say, then he knows that too."

She rested a hand over the Keshian's own, "I think you two sound adorable. Just keep it going, and you'll do great." Her brows then furrowed as she continued, "And are you kidding? He's the lucky one here. You're Valery Noble! Sword of the Jedi?" Amani said as if to remind Valery of her own status, "One of the greatest Masters of both our time and a time before? And my best friend," She winked. "You two are gonna be like, the hottest couple in the galaxy."

As conversation came around to the question of Vera, Amani doubled down with the nod, "Of course! I love spending time with Vera. And Alicio needs the practice," She chuckled. The Count didn't dislike Vera, obviously, but had himself proclaimed to be 'bad with kids'. She didn't quite agree with him to that extent, but all the same. Besides, if their relationship was ever to grow to that stage, might as well get some of the experience ahead of time…

Amani let herself be pulled into the hug, sighing contently and squeezing her friend back, "Anytime, Val. I mean it when I say you deserve it. Go get 'em. " She pulled away, chuckling before she added, "Y'know, when we don't have to worry about moving all of your belongings."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Cularin | Valery's home
Tag | Amani Serys

"I really hope he knows..." she said while she shifted around in her seat, barely able to contain all the feelings she had for him. It was ridiculous that she even doubted it at this point, and deep down, she didn't really. It was just irrational fear to experience loss or a broken heart again. But that quickly subsided when Amani placed her hand over her own and encouraged Valery both about the relationship and her status within the Galaxy.

It drew a faint blush onto the Keshian's cheeks, and a very grateful smile followed.

Finally, it shifted into a smirk and she spoke again, "You're my best friend too," she said, playfully ignoring the comment about being the Sword or one of the greatest Masters. Valery cared far more about her friendships and relationships. "And I think Aldric and I will make a great couple. If it goes all the way, I... just couldn't be happier. I just need to keep him on his toes a little, and make sure he keeps giving it his all too," she joked a little with a grin, even if there was some truth to it. Sometimes relationships start amazingly but lose their spark fast.

Not with him, though. She just knew it.

The conversation then shifted to Vera, and Valery couldn't stop herself from chuckling over the comment she made about Alicio, "Oh yeah? Well, Vera loves him so I'm sure they'll have fun. After our little trip to Pasaana, she made a lot of drawings of the fun times she had. I'll ask her to bring some when she visits you two."

"Anytime, Val. I mean it when I say you deserve it. Go get 'em. "

Oh, I'll get him, alright, she thought, and only her smirk and faint eyebrow waggle gave that away a little. "I will, and yeah... the moving is going to suck. But once it's done, we can really take another step forward."

​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani raised her brows and nodded, as if to silently say 'he knows', still unable to help but be amused by seeing Valery in this state. It was cute, and in some ways a nice reminder that they were all just people with problems. Even Jedi like the two of them. Her cheeks darkened, and her smile turned more bashful as Valery called the mirialan her best friend. It wasn't really in doubt, but it was one of those things that was always nice to hear all the same, "Mmmhmmm," Valery's excitement was undeniable, and for Amani that was a good enough sign for now that things were going to go well.

Otherwise, she'd have to beat this Aldric over the head herself.

"Awww," Amani mewled over the thought of Vera drawing the fun times they had together. Knowing she liked Alicio so much would be a nice nudge for him as well, "I would love that. We'll have tons of fun with her over."

Inevitably the conversation moved back around to why Amani was here in the first place, and she looked around once more before shrugging, "Maybe we should get started on hauling some of this stuff? If you're ready." She took a bite of another snack, wiping the extra bit from her lips, "You and Aldric got anything else on the schedule yet?"

Valery Noble​