Private Payback

[Aiden Porte]

Corsucant
Jedi Temple
Kitchen
Dreidi Xeraic

He couldn't remember how many training sessions they had been through already. And while he was more than sure he was getting better. He still wanted to prove himself further and further along. And Dreidi was happy to oblige, or at least he hoped she was. He hadn't ever heard much complaints from her, other than the constant teasing that she gave him during their trainings. She was for all intents and purposes placed up there as one of his closest friends. Apart from the everyday 'thank you' while he wanted to do more for her. As a bigger thank you for training with him.

Aiden was quite the whiz in the kitchen, he wasn't as good as his mother but he was pretty good enough to entertain a few friends or in this case just Dreidi. He hoped to have a small little get together on Naboo one of these days, just a way for everyone to relax and just take a breath.

He was preparing all sorts of things, as he wasn't sure what she liked in reference to food. For dessert which was easily enough he had a pie baking consisting of jogan fruit. That was definitely going to be his crown jewel and also prepared a various array of food items. Now all he was waiting for was Dreidi to show up.

He hoped she was hungry, or at least hoped she would at least try the pie.

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

It was interesting to watch Aiden improve with his fighting capabilities. There wasn't much competition yet, she was still getting better all the time herself so it was clear the constant battling was helping them both. Through teaching, Dreidi was gaining more learning in the skills and could master techniques that were much more complex. However, it was nice to have someone around to chat with, tease with and just have someone she could call a friend. It was curious how much Aiden was polite and thankful about the whole situation. It wasn't like she was being paid to train with him or doing it for charity work and she repeatedly told him off for thanking her all the time. It was something that friends did and that was it.

Apparently he invited her to share a meal, she wasn't sure if he thought this might be some kind of date. Dating was something she had more heard about in songs, read about in books and seen in holovids but never really experienced it bar one time. Life was pushing her onto a different path and she never felt like she needed relationship like that, didn't help that she hadn't been around the most healthy of relationships. Her parents loved each other, but when her father passed, her mother abandoned everything and everyone, experiencing that. And seeing Asaraa's break up, just made her question if there was a reason Jedi of old forwent relationships.

However, she was sure this was just a pleasant meal between friends. That's always how they discussed themselves as. Friends. Yeah, that works. Adjusting her leather vest and checking her hair, Dreidi smiled and nodded her head. She looked ready for meal and was damn hungry for it too. Eating loads and still being very skinny, it was both a delight and frustrating. Some of the other female Jedi looked really cool with the buff figures. Arriving at the Temple's kitchens, Dreidi took a look around. This was definitely the place to meet a friend, yeah, she was glad she didn't over dress in beliefs of a date. Disaster averted. Poofing into green smoke, Dreidi teleported from where she was to exactly next to Aiden.

"Sup!" She shouted, in hopes of scaring him again.

 

[Aiden Porte]

Dreidi Xeraic



As time went on, Aiden was able to hone his abilities a lot more than when he first arrived. Given the fact that Dreidi was constantly trying to scare him, while it worked most of the time. Here lately he was able to hone in and pick up on her games, to that end he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sup!"

"Aha!" Aiden said with a big laugh. "Not this time!" Aiden said as he continued chuckling all the while nudging her with his shoulder. He set his things down quickly and then pulled her in for a big hug. The Padawan well known for his hugs, enough to put a smile on anyone's face. Granted there were some that perhaps weren't quite comfortable with it yet.

But, he didn't care. Hugs are love.

"I'm glad you came, I hope you are hungry." Aiden said as he went back to stirring and the searing of exotic meats that were in the Temple's kitchen. Granted he had some help from the local staff.

Nobody needed to know that though......

"How are you?! And you look incredibly pretty!"

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

Dreidi growled disappointedly, not being able to get Aiden was disappointing. She sighed and just looked around the kitchen. Her father had been a skilled cook, often making large, exotic meals with fabulous desserts. They were nothing super high end restaurant level but it had always been delicious. Dreidi's skills were liveable, she could survive off her own cooking but it was nothing special or exciting. Tilting her head, she took a look at the meal that Aiden had decided to prepare for her. Giving a little cautiously sniff since she wasn't sure how skilled of a cook Aiden was.


As she accepted his hug, she tapped a second after to end the hug. It took time for her to accept his hugs, and she wasn't one for big, long hugs. Felt awkward and she had no idea what to do during one. Breaking the hug, she nodded to some of the dishes, "well, seems you have been busy cooking. What is on the menu today then?"


She rolled her eyes when he called her really pretty. "I'm just dressed normally. Don't get all weird about it." She nudged him teasingly, "hope you aren't complimenting girls you actually fancy pretty." Dreidi commented as she leaned over and snuck a quick taste of some hot food. "Gotta go with beautiful, gorgeous, handsome might even work with some." Dreidi chuckled as she attempted to coach Aiden to flirt better with others.

 

[Aiden Porte]

The Jedi laughed and he shook his head nudging her back. "I'm not getting weird about it. A fellow Jedi can't tell his friend that she looks pretty?" The Padawan laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "How about I say you look amazingly beautiful." Aiden inquired with a raised eyebrow seeing how she would respond.

"And you better get used to those hugs! They gonna keep coming!" The Padawan laughed again, while he knew not to make things awkward or unwanted. So he knew when to draw the line with his hugs.

What is on the menu today then?"

"Well, we've got some Nerf steak, seasoned very well I might add." Aiden went down the menu and locked in on the other item he was making. "Endarian chicken pot pie, filled with seasoned chicken, space carrots and antarian peas." And there is a Jogan fruit pie in the oven right now." Aiden said with a big smile. He was quite proud of these items.

"Now, I had some help, and these recipes are not of my own making. Some of them came from the reopened Dex's diner in Coco town. And the Jogan tasty treat I learned from my master Solenne Abraxas ."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

The eye rolling was almost painful for Dreidi. There was a point where she thought her eyes would pop out because she had rolled them so hard. "Really? Really?" Dreidi asked exasperatedly with Aiden, it was clear the guy needed her help with flirting and communicating with women. "Okay, so I am sure that sounded super cool, smart and flirty in your head but was completely the opposite in reality. Complimenting a woman isn't just saying some sweet words and thinking that will work, well for some it might work. Take notice, show that you are paying attention and not just fantasising nasty stuff in your mind."


Dreidi listened to what he offered on the menu and her head tilted as she looked around and inspected the different items. "Interesting. Two main meal meats? If I was a girl watching her calorie intake you would be in big trouble," Dreidi teased. "Better off having done a starter, something similar, but complementary to the chicken. Beef and chicken don't always compliment one another."


"Instead of a big meal, if you want to impress with your skill in cooking, do a number of smaller taster dishes. Though that would involve a lot more work and skill in portion control." Dreidi mused like an expert food critic, though it was more her knowledge leaking from listening to her father talk endlessly about meal prep and how date night meals should go. "But anyway, that's just some advice for when you want to do something like this for an actual date. For now, this looks great, especially since training wiped me out today." Having done Force, Magick, sparring, archery and band practice all today, she was surprised she still had plenty of energy to go.

 

[Aiden Porte]

Aiden laughed even raised his eyebrow again. "But I'm not though, I'm just teasing. Besides, I've got no time to be flirting or anything like that. That sort of stuff just kinda goes past me." Aiden said with a small smile.

"I mean would it be cool, of course. But I just rather stay away from those types of emotions." Aiden could help but wonder, and he was also incredibly curious. As he set things to a low heat for the time being. "Would you like something to drink?" The padawan asked and then he started to ask the question that he was most curious about.

"You seem to have taken a strong interest in me learning how to talk to girls and such. Too big of an interest if I may so." He couldn't help but smile as he was teasing her again, but it was still incredibly funny.

"Perhaps you have crush on me?" The Padawan inquired. "I see where this is going." Aiden laughed again and then shook his head in jest. "I always knew it, Dreidi." He looked down as he set aside two plates and two glasses.

"I will take your food critiques to heart, if you admit you have feelings for me." He said with a small smile and he couldn't help but start laughing. "I'm just kidding, just gotta tease you Dreidi, since you do that to me all the time."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

At Aiden's offer for a drink, Dreidi poured herself a large glass of red wine. Pouring one for Aiden as well and sliding it over to him. She was surprised that he didn't think he had the time for flirting and romance. It was a similar and not too different a view that she held, it let her relax a bit more around him at the fact that he felt so similar to her. Perhaps it was good that she made friends and got out to see the galaxy and explored a bit more.


Then he went and ruined it all. The point vanished as quickly as it had formed. All the good will and closeness that had potential to be there dissipated instantly. Not entirely Aiden's fault, since she had teased him on romance and flirting and all that, but she never made it personal. She never suggested the hugging, compliments and all that was because he held some secret crush on her. In fact, ideas like those had been furthest from her mind, if only existing in deep fears that she would have an issue of letting him down.


However this? This was too far for her. She downed the wine and looked at him with no humour in her eyes. "Don't Aiden. I don't say things like that. I tease and might be playful with you but I don't go around accusing you of secretly liking me and stuff. That's not cool." Her energy was uneasy, she liked Aiden as a friend and enjoyed spending time with him but maybe that was a mistake.


"I don't date. I don't want to date you. I don't joke about dating you. I was just trying to help you since I thought you were a friend that might need help in dating if that was your interest." Dreidi stepped back, clearly looking for the way out. "Maybe dinner was a bad idea. Cause everything you just said was messed up Aiden. We're just friends." Her breathing was shallow as panic threatened to take over her.


No matter if he was teasing or not, it was clear Dreidi was triggered

 

[Aiden Porte]

Interesting.....

While Aiden with his talks with Solenne and about the topic of things like that. He began to wonder if he wasn't as overthinking in the feelings that related to love and relationships. The padawan had talked to his Master about that sort of stuff, more so asking if that sort of thing was worth it. He like her had his reserves, obviously given her words towards him. Which Aiden didn't get his feelings hurt by her words. It was on him that he put her in this situation. He just surprised that her thoughts were somewhat similar to his.

He wasn't every the type to ever want to put his friends in a uneasy place, while this was indeed unplanned. He still needed to show that he didn't mean what he said to hurt her.

"Okay!" Aiden said with an apologetic face and he even bit his lower lip slightly, in regret at his words making her feel like this. "I didn't mean to put you in that situation. That wasn't ever my intent." Aiden placed his hands together in an almost slightly pleading way.

"You are a very good friend to me. I promise I won't ever say something like that again." Aiden said as he reached for the wine bottle.

"Are we okay?" Aiden said with a small smile and still showing a look of apology. "More wine?" The Padawan inquired?

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

Aiden instantly apologised which was something was a relief and it seemed that he was sincere in his apology for his behaviour. Dreidi was wary though, she hadn't really been in a situation like this before and wasn't sure what to do. Her stomach rumbled in desire for food but her heart was thumping so hard in anxiety to flee and just never talk to him again. Eventually her stomach won out since her anxiety couldn't decide between fleeing and never looking back or just staying. She took the wine and sipped quietly from the glass as she sat down, not looking at him for the moment as she let her nerves settle.

When he asked if they were okay, Dreidi wasn't sure what to say. Should she lie? Should she be honest? Should she be optimistic? It was tough to say what would be best. "I don't know. Sorry I can't give a better answer for now, but I don't know." Dreidi sighed sadly, she wanted to still be friends.

"Lets just eat and go from there?"

 

[Aiden Porte]

"That's okay." And he didn't say that in saying that he didn't care, because of course he did care about Dreidi as a friend. But in more so that she could take her time and decide from there. The food was pretty much ready to go, other than the Jogan pie that he had still baking and he did a simple check on that and it was just about ten more minutes.

Aiden had set two plates aside and he placed some of the nerf steak and the Endarian pot pie on her plate. And then he set some on his plate as well. He set her plate down and showed her a small smile. "I really hope you enjoy it. This is my first time actually completely making anything."

He poured himself some more wine and poured her some more wine as well just to top it off, to be a good server.

"So, how was your day?" Aiden inquired, his mind going passed what just happened, doing his best to try and make things better.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

Swallowing hard, Dreidi looked around and sighed deeply. The fear was leaving her body and she couldn't help but feel some shame in her actions, it was not the best way to act and she was one to normally flip out and overreact like that. Her cheeks were unnaturally warm, a meek look on her that had rarely happened. She was not one to be embarrassed or flushed, but Aiden triggered the reaction to cause it on her. The wine that was poured was quickly drank as she needed it to settle her nerves and the smell of food was pleasant, harken back to memories of sitting with her family and eating together. Wringing her hands, she waited patiently for Aiden to take his place with his own food before she started eating.

"First time? Very ambitious for a first time." Dreidi commented, there was an attempt of a teasing tone but it was awkward and did not come out correctly.

When he asked how her day was, Dreidi sighed deeply since it was a clear attempt to make things better and to ensure that the friendship and closeness they felt was maintained but Dreidi couldn't look past what happened. It needed to be clarified and aired out, to remove the embarrassment and shame that she felt and the awkwardness held in the room. "I... Aiden..." Dreidi stumbled with what to say, she was never good at these things and it was why she didn't want to date or like to date.

"You are a handsome guy Aiden, and like, I like you a lot more than I thought I would or that I have thought about towards others." Dreidi said honestly, "but I don't date, I have no want to date and have no time. I don't even know if I am attracted to people, watched dramas and listened to others talk about love and attraction and that isn't what I feel, I want a friendship, I want people close to me but I like being alone for long periods of time." Dreidi was being more honest with Aiden than she had been with anyone bar her eldest sister.

Breathing out again, "I am not even sure if this is stuff you want to hear. I am just needing to say it because I don't want you thinking that I was like repulsed or offended at the idea of being attracted to you. I just... I know I don't want to date anyone, even if that person is someone I am very fond of and I do think is very attractive as a person." Offering a weak smile to him.

"Hopefully that helps? Maybe just stupid or whatever..." Dreidi trailed off as she idly played with her food using her fork.

 

[Aiden Porte]

He couldn't help but smile when she called him handsome, he hadn't received a compliment like that since he had been here. Granted people technically didn't come to the Jedi Temple to date or to receive compliments like that. That wasn't the reason why he was here. However, it was still nice to hear it.

"I appreciate that Dreidi, truly I do. And I'm sorry if I said put any pressure on you or made you feel a certain way. I do care about you, you are a good friend of mine. That is all....."

Aiden trailed off a bit as he took a deep breath before taking a sip from his cup.

"I'm kinda like you in that aspect, I know love for a friend and family. But for someone else romantically, I'm not sure if its something I ever want to experience. I've seen how people react when a friend dies. I couldn't even begin to image what it would be like if you lost someone you were in love with."

Perhaps as he got older things would change for him but for now he was just focused on being a Jedi and the greatest friend and support that he could for those that he could help.

"You are a very beautiful person Dreidi, as a good friend I believe I can say that." He said with a small smile as he took some bites of his food.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

She noted the smile at the compliment she gave him and shook her head. "Don't let that compliment go straight to your head. Still a bantha poodoo for the joke you made." Dreidi poked her tongue out at him with a smirk to let him know that while it was somewhat true, the worst of the awkwardness had started to fade. She finished the wine and started eating some of the food as Aiden mentioned his thoughts on the matter and she tilted her head.

"So, you are letting fear of unknown and the fear of losing someone prevent you from exploring that?" Dreidi was asking to make sure that she completely understood his meaning. "Fear of something isn't the way to approach it. And if you fear losing someone, just date someone who is going to outlive you." Another teasing joke as she shrugged. "I have only been on one date, it was with a guy I use to be in a band with. I was about 13 to 14, and it wasn't bad but wasn't exactly something I was keen on doing again."

Dreidi finished her meal. "If all that is preventing you from dating is fear, then you are holding yourself back and that could have bigger ramifications. If you hold no interest then that is perfectly fine, but never let fear take control because it will only make your world smaller and smaller till you have no one and cannot go anywhere. Trust me, nearly fell down that rabbit hole myself a few times." Dreidi finished the plate of food in front of her.

"Not bad for a first try but think there are some things that could be refined with some more practice." Dreidi assessed.

 

[Aiden Porte]

He laughed at what she said and he nodded his head. "Thanks." He said in a teasing tone back to her. He was really glad she had shaken off what had happened earlier. He truly felt bad about it and it looked as though things were going to be okay between them.

He listened to what she said about those sorts of feelings. And she did have a very good point. It would be something he would have to meditate on for a good while. He knew the emotion would bring about all sorts of things, great things. Perhaps he did have to train himself to let that fear go, but for now there seemed to be another mission at hand. As they both finished their meal it was time to do the dishes.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it!" Aiden said with a big smile, he knew that she was right and he had some things to improve on and he had nothing but time. "I will get better, next time we do this, you will be in shock." He gathered their plates and such and took them over to the sink to give them a wash and such. "The food will be spectacular." He said with a small laugh as he washed them then moved to rinse them off.

"So what do you have going on the rest of the day?" Aiden inquired as he looked back to Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

"Already think there will be a next time? A bit presumptive there Aiden." Her cheeky smirk was clear that she wasn't totally against the idea of doing it again. "Well, suppose you get the bad habits out now so when you do a real first date with someone you will blow them off their feet." Dreidi chuckled as she leaned back in her chair and sipped the wine slowly.

Shrugging, "not much planned. I might explore some clubs in the lower levels. Or detoxify the wine away and keep on study. Being a Jedi in the NJO is a lot different than the CIS and Ascendancy." Dreidi admitted as she thought about it some more. Not revealing that her exploration of clubs would be in search of places for her to perform and stretch her vocal muscles.

"How about yourself?" Dreidi asked curious, "got much planned now?"

 

[Aiden Porte]

He couldn't' help but laugh. "Yea, maybe I get a bit ahead of myself sometimes." He said with a small smile that followed. It was more out of wanting to see his friend again. This was truly fun, perhaps in the future he would invite the whole gang, cook for everyone.

"not much planned. I might explore some clubs in the lower levels. Or detoxify the wine away and keep on study. Being a Jedi in the NJO is a lot different than the CIS and Ascendancy."

"I can imagine, my father did some ventures with the CIS for a time. He told me a few interesting stories about them." Aiden cleared up a bit of what was left behind and stored away any excess food. She mentioned the clubs in the lower levels and that reminded Aiden of a while back.

"Hey, I remember hearing you preform in one of the clubs a while back. You were pretty great, do you do that often." The Padawan inquired as he took a seat back down and reached for his glass and took a small sip.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Coruscant
Outfit: Casual
Tag: Aiden Porte

Dreidi nodded her head, "well, definitely gotta work on your fighting. Cooking a good meal is all well and good, but not gunna beat a Sith with pancakes." Dreidi chuckled a little as she shifts and helped her friend collect items from the table and set them aside to be cleaned and placed back where they belong.

Looking up when he mentioned his father worked with the CIS in the past, Dreidi smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, CIS became a family to me. Home. Just living here on Coruscant, its different and the people feel distant at times. Like they know I don't fit their views." She shrugged. "Even though I am trying to understand things, it just seems to differ how effectively CIS and the Ascendancy approached things."

Her body stiffened when Aiden mentioned that he had heard her perform. Dreidi had been sure that she escaped anyone she knew at the event but it seemed that she had been mistaken. "Well, that was a mistake. I didn't get much positive feedback on the night so figured I wasn't good enough to work that kind of life." Dreidi admitted as she idly cleaned a dish, attempting not to linger on her failing singing career.

"What were you doing at a dingy club like that anyways?"