Private The Road Less Traveled

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

The soft murmur of cascading water filled the Room of a Thousand Fountains, a melody that should have been soothing, but to Azzie, it only made the silence heavier. She sat cross-legged on the cool stone, watching the ripples in one of the smaller pools, the gentle waves lapping at the edges, dissipating into nothing.

It had been over a year. A year since she had woken up in a galaxy that had long since moved on without her. Nine hundred years. Nearly a millennium of history, of war, of progress and loss, and she had missed all of it. The faces she had once known, the people she had fought beside, the world she had understood—all gone. Sure, she had come to terms with that fact, at least for the most part, by now, yet so much still wore down on her.

Azzie had spent the past year trying to catch up, trying to make sense of it all. But no matter how much she learned, no matter how many holos she watched or history texts she studied, the weight of time pressed down on her. She had tried, over and over, to find her place. To shape herself into someone this era could understand, someone it could use. She had fought alongside them, trained with them, and laughed with them. And yet, at night, when the silence pressed in, she still felt like an echo of something long gone.

Her thoughts shifted to Aadihr Lidos , his shimmering aura and gentle attitude, and she immediately pressed her face into her knees. He'd become her best friend, one of the rare few that knew almost everything about her. There was so much there she didn't even know how to unpack, let alone figure out if she had the ability to. The distant guilt that went along with it pressed on her chest.

She had failed before. More times than she could count. She had failed friends, failed herself, failed the people who had believed in her. And here she was, struggling to figure out if she was even meant to be here. If she could be useful. Uncertain, she remembered Master Mak Manto had referred to her. He'd pressed how that was a good thing, better than believing she knew everything there was to know. Here and now, though , it still felt raw, like the beginnings of a tailspin she couldn't quite figure out the path of. The nightmares and the nagging whispers only seemed to make it worse.

It felt as though the universe had just been less complicated when she was a rebel.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

The gentle murmur of cascading water wove through the Room of a Thousand Fountains, a melody of tranquility meant to soothe the restless mind. Yet, as Valery stepped into the chamber, she could feel the weight pressing down on her Padawan, heavier than the silence itself. Azurine sat alone, cross-legged on the cool stone, watching the ripples in the water with a gaze that seemed fixed on something far beyond it. Something unreachable. Something lost.

Valery didn't speak right away. She didn't need to. Instead, she moved with a quiet grace, her steps light, deliberate, until she lowered herself onto the stone beside Azzie. Close enough to be a presence, but not so near as to intrude.

Only then did she offer the small cup in her hands.

"Tea?"

Her voice was soft, warm, carrying the steady certainty that she always seemed to hold. She had come prepared, knowing her Padawan well enough to understand when silence spoke louder than words.

Valery cradled her own cup, letting the steam curl gently between them as she gazed out over the shimmering pools. The air smelled faintly of greenery and water, fresh and alive, yet Azzie sat here as if she were stuck in something far older — something deeper than even time itself.

"I know that look," she finally said, a small smirk playing at her lips. "It's the look of someone trying to carry too much alone." Her fiery eyes flickered toward Azzie, searching — not demanding, not pressing, just offering.

"You want to tell me what's on your mind?"

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azzie stared into the rippling water, the steady pulse of the small pool mirroring the chaos in her chest. It had been over a year since she'd found herself in this galaxy, this new reality, and yet it still felt like a lifetime. A year of learning, of fighting, of trying to fit into a world that had long moved on without her.

Valery's soft steps barely reached her ears, but she could feel her presence long beforehand, so she didn't flinch when her master sat beside her. She wasn't sure what she expected—maybe the quiet company was all she needed in this moment—but the weight in her chest didn't lift as much as she would have liked. Focusing on the ripples in the water, she watched them spread out and dissipate, much like the thoughts that swirled in her own head—here, then gone, without leaving any mark.

Azzie didn't answer immediately. Her fingers hovered over the offered cup before she eventually toom it, feeling the weight of it, the heat that promised something more than the coldness of the stone beneath her. She could almost taste the bitterness of it, but there was something else in the offer—an unspoken understanding. Her violet eyes shifted from the water in front of her to the cup of tea, a small and dry wisp of a smile crossing her lips even if she didn't drink it.

"Do you ever feel like you're an echo of something long forgotten?"

Her gaze moved toward the dark reflection in the pool, that question left hanging in the air. That flicker of herself staring back, someone caught between two worlds: the rebel who fought so fiercely and the Jedi who tried, failed, and kept moving forward. "It's just… so complicated now." Her voice was a rough whisper, as though saying it out loud might unravel something too fragile to expose.

The words had spilled out before Azzie could stop them, frustration laced into every syllable. She didn't even realize how tightly she was gripping the cup until she forced herself to loosen her hold. Her gaze drifted to the water again, watching the ripples, the way they faded into nothing. "And then there's Aadihr," she added, voice quieter now, almost reluctant. "I don't even know what to do around him sometimes. He's—" She stopped herself, pressing her lips into a thin line, unable to find the right words to follow. Instead, she gave an exasperated sigh and hung her head.

She wasn't even sure if she was looking for an answer. Maybe she just needed to say it out loud. Maybe she just needed to be heard.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery listened in patient silence, her gaze never leaving Azzie as she spoke. The words carried weight, pressing down with a familiar heaviness — one Valery understood far too well.

An echo of something long forgotten.

Valery exhaled softly, her fiery eyes drifting toward the water, toward their reflections wavering in the rippling pool. "I know that feeling," she murmured, her voice carrying the steadiness of someone who had lived through it. "When I first woke up from stasis, I felt like I didn't belong anywhere. The people I knew, the world I fought for, everything was just… gone. And I wasn't sure if I was supposed to find a place here, or if I was just meant to fade away like an old memory."

She let that settle, watching the way Azzie's fingers tightened around the cup, the way her shoulders curled inward ever so slightly as if trying to shield herself from the weight of her own thoughts. I did the same thing, Valery thought. Pulled inward. Kept everyone at arm's length.

"That's why I spent my first year alone, even though I had already met some good people," she admitted, glancing back at Azzie. "Meditating, searching, trying to understand what I was supposed to be. But it wasn't until I let people in that things really started to make sense. Kahlil—" her lips twitched, her gaze softening ever so slightly, "He was the one who finally pulled me back. Showed me that I wasn't just some remnant of the past, but someone who still had something to offer."

Azzie hung her head then, frustration and uncertainty pressing down on her small frame. Without hesitation, Valery shifted, wrapping a warm, steady arm around her Padawan's shoulders and pulling her into a gentle side hug. "You're not an echo, Azzie," she murmured, her voice quieter but filled with certainty. "You're still you. Maybe the past will always be part of you, but that doesn't mean you don't have a place here, right now."

She gave Azzie a small squeeze before tilting her head slightly to glance down at her. "And Aadihr?" A smirk tugged at her lips. "I may not know every detail, but I do know one thing — when someone makes us stumble over our own words, they're usually worth figuring out."

She squeezed her shoulder one last time before pulling back just enough to meet her gaze. "You don't have to figure all of this out alone, Azzie. I'm here. I'll listen. I'll help however I can."

Then, with a slightly playful smile, "Even if that means giving terribly awkward advice about boys."

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azzie let out a short, breathy laugh—half amusement, half exasperation—as Valery's last words settled between them. The warmth of her mentor's arm around her shoulders lingered even after she pulled away, an anchor against the storm of uncertainty roiling in her chest. Her fingers tightened around the cup, knuckles turning a shade lighter as she wrestled with the thoughts screaming in her head. "I guess I thought that if I just threw myself headfirst into this..." The words trailed off, and she shook her head, finding the laughter that escaped was something she couldn't stop. Like so much in her life, she'd just dove right in stubbornly without a second thought.

"You don't have to figure all of this out alone, Azzie. I'm here. I'll listen. I'll help however I can."

"I was on Ord Providence with Braze , Aadihr Lidos , and Master Jasper Kai'el when it went to chit." She admitted, letting it come out like she'd been holding it in for too long. "I was supposed to be able to help. That was my job... but—I don't know what happened completely. I just know that someone was in my head, and I couldn't keep him out." She kept her eyes glued to the cup in her hand, unable to meet her master's gaze.

"And I... I've been having these nightmares ever since the rebellion on Iridonia." Azzie didn't even know how to describe them, her biological hand moving quickly to grasp the talisman around her neck. It was as though even the recollection of them brought his voice back into her mind, along with the insidious whispers that never seemed to fully go away. She pulled her knees up to her chest, finally taking a sip of the tea that tasted too comforting.

The idea of solitude had always been tempting, a space where she could try to unravel the knots of uncertainty twisting inside her. Maybe that type of meditation would help. If she spent time alone, really alone, she could find the clarity she so desperately sought. She had never been one to thrive in isolation, though, so was that truly the best thing for her? Valery had spent a year in isolation, but it wasn't until she let others in that she found her way forward.

"Even if that means giving terribly awkward advice about boys."

Her hand froze, mid-sip, which she nearly choked on. "What? No! No, he's not—" Her face burned despite herself, and she gritted her teeth, willing the heat away. Valery wasn't wrong; he did make her stumble over her own words sometimes, and that was annoying. "He just... kind of weaseled his way into becoming my best friend somehow, and he acts like a farking idiot sometimes. That's all! Yeah..."

The pitch of her voice, however, was littered with a conflicted defensiveness. A tangled ball of emotions and thoughts tightly knitted together. It was terrifying in a way she wasn't prepared for. Her heart wasn't supposed to race when he smiled; her breath wasn't meant to catch when his fingers brushed hers. So she had tried to shove the feeling down because if she didn't name it, if she didn't acknowledge it, then maybe—just maybe—it wouldn't be real, not again.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery watched Azzie carefully, noting the way her fingers tightened around the cup, the tension coiled in her frame. The words had been weighing on her for a while — that much was obvious. She had been carrying this alone, trying to push through it like it was just another challenge to overcome.

But this wasn't something she could just push through.

"Azzie," Valery said gently, her voice steady. "That's not something to take lightly. Do you remember anything? Their voice? Their presence? Anything distinct?" Mental intrusions weren't just passing inconveniences. They left echoes, deep ones. It explained the nightmares, the way she held onto that talisman like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

"The nightmares — are they always the same?" Valery asked. "The same voice? Same images?"

She had seen what things like this could do to Jedi if left unchecked. If Azzie was dealing with something deeper, something that had left a scar, Valery needed to know.

And then...

Valery smirked the second Azzie choked on her tea.

"Oh?" she mused, raising an eyebrow. "Just your best friend, huh? Just a silly idiot who...." she gestured toward Azzie, grin widening, "Makes you blush so hard that even I can feel the heat from here?" She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin in her palm, amusement flickering in her gaze.

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Of course, Azzie remembered. She always remembered. The nightmares weren't just the same—they were worse because they came in unsuspecting waves, haunting her no matter how much she tried to outrun them, no matter how often she gripped the talisman to keep herself grounded. She wasn't sure what was harder to deal with sometimes—the terror that gripped her in the visions or the dread that followed when she woke from them.

She ran a hand through her hair, giving a light tug at the roots as it was released. "The nightmares came first... It's not necessarily every night either, just reoccurring, I guess?" She didn't necessarily know how best to explain it, wracking her brain for the right words. The presence was not something she recognized as someone or something specific, but she could at least attempt to describe it. "It felt like staring into the heart of a black hole—dark, cold, and consuming. And under the robes, he only had an upper body with one red eye and one purple one." Hell, that wasn't much to go on, but it was all she had to give.

But then, just as the heaviness started to settle again, Valery's smirk cut through it. As thankful as she was for the lifted air, Azzie quickly felt the heat rise to her cheeks, the warmth spreading from her neck to the tips of her ears. She averted her gaze, focusing intently on the swirling patterns in her tea. "That's not—I'm not blushing!" She caught herself, eyes flicking to the other woman's raised eyebrow, then back to the cup in her hands, as if it could hide her growing embarrassment.

"I think he might have asked me on a date...? And I think I said yes...? I don't know if he meant something else or what, but I don't—" The words stumbled over each other after a period of silence stretching longer than she would have liked, failing to form a coherent sentence. She eventually just cut off with an exasperated sigh. How could she explain the depth of her feelings when she herself was still trying to understand them? Aadihr had become like an anchor in this galaxy, his presence a constant source of comfort and stability. With that comfort came a gnawing fear—a fear of failure, guilt, and history repeating itself.

It had to be the tea, right? That's what Azzie would tell herself, at least. The tea, and maybe the way her emotions were running wild from all of the convoluted things that led her to this exact moment in the first place.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery listened intently, her expression softening as Azzie described the nightmares, the figure in the darkness. The weight of it was evident — not just in her words but in the way she held herself, in the way her fingers tugged at her hair as if trying to ground herself in something real.

"Dark, cold, consuming."

A presence with one red eye, one purple. Valery's brow furrowed slightly, filing the details away in her mind. "You're not facing this alone, Azzie," she said gently, her voice steady with quiet certainty. "We'll figure it out — together, a;right?" There was no room for argument, no hesitation in her tone. If something was haunting her, if something had left a mark, Valery wasn't about to let her carry that burden on her own.

She let the words settle, let the moment linger just long enough for Azzie to feel their weight. But then, with a slow smirk, Valery leaned forward slightly, a mischievous glint returning to her fiery gaze.

"But first," she said, tilting her head, "You, my dear, are going on that date."

The blush was still there, creeping up Azzie's neck, and Valery thrived on it. "Oh, you definitely like him," she teased, her smirk widening. "And if he asked you out, then he definitely likes you too. So, no overthinking, no questioning — just go and have fun."

She tapped a finger against the table as if settling the matter. Then, with a thoughtful hum, she leaned back in her chair. "Actually… we should get you something nice to wear. You could show up in your usual outfit, sure," she mused, waving a hand, "But imagine his face when he sees you in something new. Something that makes his brain short-circuit for a second."

Valery grinned, already entertaining the idea of dragging Azzie out for shopping. "Come on, it'll be fun. We find you something amazing, and you get to completely blow him away." A wink. "It's a win-win."

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azzie felt the warmth in Valery's words linger, the promise of together sinking deeper than she wanted to admit. Master Valery's unwavering certainty cracked something within her, loosening the tight grip she held over her own fear. She gave a silent nod, wishing she had more information she could pass on, but she didn't have a name to put with the visage. Only fear, anger, and consuming darkness.

"Oh, you definitely like him,"

"I don't—! I—" she immediately cut herself off, chewing on her lip in a mix of frustration, confusion, and so many other emotions she didn't dare put a name to. The heat across her cheeks had become impossible to ignore, and she quickly buried her face in her free arm to try and escape it and Valery's smug expression baring down on her.

"He's just... I don't know, he's gentle and soft-hearted and still has enough of a sense of humor to put up with my chit..."

The truth—the part Azzie wasn't ready to admit, even to herself—was that a small part of her wanted to see what Aadihr Lidos 's reaction might be. Not that he could see in the usual sense, of course. The Miraluka's force sight gave him awareness of people and objects, but details like colors and textures were lost to him. The whole idea of dressing to impress someone who was technically blind was enough to break her guard. Before she could stop herself, she was chuckling to herself, her violet eyes looking off into the distance for a split second as if lost in the thought that had her laughing despite herself. "I know he doesn't look it half the time, but it's not like he can actually see what I fully look like anyway."

She remembered his explanation of how his 'vision' worked, which still continued to fascinate her. Yet, the thought lingered. Aadihr might not see the way others did, but he always seemed to notice her. The way his head tilted when she spoke, the subtle amusement that danced across his features whenever she got particularly animated. Then there was his smile—warm, knowing. Like he could read every little flustered crack she tried to cover up.

It kept popping up in her mind, no matter how much she tried to bat it down. It was so damn obvious that it made her stomach tighten. She did like him. His gentle presence that had become a tether, tightening and growing with every second they spent together, only confirmed that. The beginning blooms of a bond she had never meant to create.

Oh, son of a sarlacc.

The realization didn't hit her like a punch to the gut. It was a slow, creeping horror, dawning in agonizing clarity. Her brain scrambled for some kind of denial, some reassurance that this was anything but what it seemed. But no—every memory, every fleeting glance, and every damn heartbeat told her otherwise. She had told herself a hundred times that she wasn't in love. But that was a lie, wasn't it? Worse, she had told it so often that she almost believed it. Almost. Now, there was no running from it. All she could hear was the pounding of her own heart, the relentless echoes of the past.

Because the last time she had let herself feel like this, it had ended in ruin.

"They, uh... both have that starlight-colored hair..." Azzie muttered under her breath, unable to hold back the dry and guilt-ridden laugh that went with it. The pain that filled her eyes came in bits, threatening to go over her and drag her into a pit. This was why she'd shoved it all down, pretending it was nothing. "What if I'm terrified...? I... the last time I felt—"

A shudder ran down her spine, recalling the hell she'd been put through. The force woven in her soul had been wounded by a bond so brutally ripped out, and it nearly killed her. She didn't have to describe it; Master Valery had been there through the whole thing. Despite it being a year ago now, despite the loss having dulled significantly, this tangled confusion and fear persisted. "What if I'm just... not supposed to feel like this...?"

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's expression softened again, the teasing smirk fading as she watched the realization dawn in Azzie's eyes. It came slow and painful, a crack widening until there was no holding it back — and Valery didn't try to stop it. She didn't cut in, didn't rush the moment. She just listened. She felt it. The fear. The weight of the past. That quiet ache Azzie had tried so hard to keep hidden under layers of sarcasm and self-deprecation.

When the silence finally settled between them again, Valery reached across the table, resting her hand gently over Azzie's. No pressure. No push. Just a grounding presence, warm and steady.

"You are supposed to feel like this," she said softly, but with the conviction of someone who knew. "Everybody should feel this way at some point in their life. That warmth in your chest, that ache in your ribs, that flutter in your stomach — it's not weakness, Azzie. It's not a mistake." Her thumb gently brushed across Azzie's knuckles. "It means you're alive. That you're healing. That you're still capable of love, even after everything."

She paused a beat, then let a quiet smile curve her lips.

"You know... I used to wonder if I was meant to feel it, too. The Force pulled me out of stasis after thousands of years, into a war I didn't understand, surrounded by people I didn't know. I thought I was lost. Alone. And then..." Her gaze softened even more, her thoughts drifting to the memory of him — of Kahlil Noble . "...I met the man I love more than anything in this galaxy. And because of that love, I have beautiful children who mean the entire universe to me. I have a life I could only ever imagine for myself."

She looked back at Azzie, her eyes shining with that same warmth.

"I didn't see it coming. And I didn't want to feel anything at first. But I'm so, so glad I did. Because beautiful things can come from it. The kind that reshape your whole world." She gave her hand one last squeeze and then leaned back with a gentle smile.

"Maybe you were meant to meet him. Maybe this isn't the past repeating itself — maybe it's the Force offering you another chance. And you don't have to be afraid of that. Let yourself feel it. Let it grow. And if it ever does start to hurt..." She nodded. "You won't go through it alone this time. I'm here. Always."

Valery chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood again. "Besides, someone has to tease you a little about the cute Miraluka you're so crazy about~"

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azzie sat frozen, Valery's words lingering in the air like a half-forgotten melody. The warmth of the Jedi Master's hand still ghosted across her knuckles, grounding her even as her thoughts tried to spiral. Alive. The word clung to her ribs like a stubborn ache. The Force had a cruel sense of humor. Or maybe Valery was right. Maybe it wasn't cruel at all. Maybe it was offering her a choice. A second chance. There was no such thing as a coincidence...

"Besides, someone has to tease you a little about the cute Miraluka you're so crazy about~"

She could've sworn she felt her soul leave her body. Okay, so maybe the way he smiled—that soft, subtle smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth—made her heart skip a beat. And maybe the way his voice lowered when he spoke to her, careful and intentional, sent shivers down her spine. And sure, she might've caught herself lingering on the memory of his hand brushing against hers, the warmth that seemed to linger long after the touch had passed. The memory of the Aadihr's laughter flashed through her mind. That ridiculous grin. The way he saw her without seeing, like every layer of bravado meant nothing to him.

Azzie groaned internally, her head falling into her hands again. Karking hell.

The heat across her face intensified as though she'd just spent hours under the Tatooine suns, complete with a furious shade of red. "Am I the only one who didn't see it?" She scoffed, though the sound lacked its usual bite, "Or do you always play matchmaker like the galaxy's nosiest mom?" The teasing smirk that followed held only warmth.

She didn't know where it would go, this thing with Aadihr—whatever that happened to be—or if she was even capable of giving it a real chance. But for the first time in a long time, she wasn't sure she wanted to run away from it. "Don't, uh... don't laugh, but I've never actually been on a date. Well, not a real one anyway."

Azzie wasn't sure if it was courage or stupidity, but she finally spoke the words that had been stuck in her throat. The admission hit harder than she'd expected, and she felt her face flush even more, a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability crashing over her. She'd had plenty of one-night stands in her life, but love was different. The last time... there had never actually been any time for such things, and she had to settle for the rare unspoken moments and the ever-present bond shared. Valery was right, though. Maybe it wasn't too late, and the past didn't have to repeat itself.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery let out a quiet, knowing laugh — the kind that came from being very, very guilty and not at all sorry about it.

"Oh, I'm absolutely a nosy mom," she said without missing a beat, her smirk curving just a little more mischievously as she leaned forward again. "Have you seen my kids? I've earned the right. And besides, I only meddle when I know it's worth it." Her gaze narrowed slightly, teasing but warm.

She let the teasing hang in the air for a moment before softening again, more genuine now — the playful grin shifting into something more thoughtful.

"For what it's worth… my first real date? I was thirty. Kahlil took me to a beach world, and well, I won't say much more than that." Her eyes sparkled a bit, that memory still vivid, still warm. About nine months later, Vera was born.

She leaned her chin into her hand now, eyes glinting with quiet amusement.

"Now," she began, voice dropping into that dangerous tone, "You want some advice? Tips? Outfit suggestions? Jedi-friendly places to go where you probably won't be spied on by tiny droids I didn't totally plant for surveillance purposes?"

A wink. She was joking. Probably.

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

"May the force help poor Vera the moment she shows any hint of interest in someone." Azzie muttered with a quick laugh before chugging the last of her tea like it was Corellian whiskey. The ceramic clunked a little too hard against the stone she'd been sitting cross-legged on as she set it down, a quiet clink that betrayed her nerves more than she liked. Her heart was doing that annoying thump-thump thing again, like she'd just run wind sprints on Iridonia in full armor.

A beach world. Stars, Valery had said a beach world. She could barely suppress the shudder crawling up her spine. Please, Aadihr, she thought with a silent grimace, literally anywhere else. A cave full of mynocks, kark—take me to a spice-fueled poetry reading on Nar Shaddaa for all I care. Just… not the ocean.

Her mind was already spinning again, but she forced herself to focus. Sarcasm spilled from her lips as she spoke, "I farking hope not. How am I supposed to admit that on a date? 'Hey, before we go, small thing—I'm mortally terrified of open water; I hope that's not a dealbreaker.' Yeah, that'd be a killer opener. Real smooth."

She didn't know what Aadihr had planned, if he had anything at all, and the thought of picking something on the spot felt like a kind of emotional whiplash. She could ask him, of course, but would that be cheating? Or maybe it would be sensible?

Why is this so hard? Her mind raced through scenarios she had no intention of sharing. She'd given so much advice, helped others navigate their love disasters, but for herself? She had nothing but blank space, a vast empty pit where her usual confidence just didn't seem to fit. Azzie let out a nervous laugh, her face flushed as she fidgeted with the edge of the Ukatis talisman hanging around her neck.

"I don't even know where to start. How does one even do a date? I don't exactly have much practice except from books, but those don't really count. I don't know if I should show up in something casual or—" She waved her hand in frustration, unsure whether to keep talking or just leave the subject altogether. She half wished someone could just wave a magic wand and make the whole thing go smoothly. Especially when she was only just now putting some of the pieces of her tangled thoughts together.

Azzie looked back up, exhaling through her nose and absently fidgeting with some of her loose raven hair that wouldn't seem to stay where she wanted it to. The uncertainty gnawed at her like a sand flea with one hell of a vendetta. It wasn't just nerves. It was the fact that he'd asked. That he'd looked at her—her, with all her scars and sharp edges and fire—and wanted to spend time. Real time. The kind with no training sabers or emergency comm alerts. That mattered a lot more than she knew what to do with.

"I'm going to have to tell him about the bonding thing, aren't I..." Though her words were shaped like a question, her tone spoke it as a matter of truth. A spark of bittersweet sadness flared in her eyes. She barely understood it herself—how she was somehow the catalyst for these intense threads of connection that she didn't even know were being formed until it was too late. Even now, she already felt that tug she had tried so hard to just ignore. One thing she knew for certain was that he deserved to know to make a proper decision on whether or not he wanted to stick around.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"Actually," she said with a grin. "Vera is interested in someone, and I'm already dying not to poke my nose in. I promised I'd let her handle it herself, but it's so hard." She grinned over the top of her tea, eyes sparkling. "Being a nosy mom is a full-time job, and now I've got to suffer in silence? It's cruel, honestly."

But the grin softened as she leaned forward again, catching the subtle tells — the flushed cheeks, the nervous fingers fidgeting with the talisman, the weight that settled over Azzie's shoulders when she spoke about the bond. Valery saw all of it. And didn't judge a single part.

"Well," she started, straightening a little, "As for what to wear? Depends entirely on what you're doing. Casual setting? Stick with something that feels like you, but maybe a touch more intentional. If it's something more formal, you could look at dresses."

"But the outfit doesn't matter half as much as this — just be you." She shrugged gently. "He already likes you. Enough to ask, enough to care. That's not nothing. You don't have to put on some version of yourself you think someone else might like better. You've already caught his attention by being exactly who you are."

She took a slow sip of her tea and then rested it on her knee, more serious now.

"As for the bond… yeah." Her voice gentled. "If it were me? I'd bring it up. Doesn't have to be heavy. But being open with someone you're thinking about building something with — especially something real — that's not a burden. It's a gift. You're letting them see the truth. Giving them the chance to understand you. And honestly?" Her brow lifted slightly. "It might make the connection deeper because you show him that you trust him even with those facts about you."

Valery smiled, warm and full of quiet certainty.

"And whatever happens — I'm proud of you. Putting yourself out there, letting someone see all the parts of you… that's harder than most people realize. But you're doing it. That means something."

Azurine Varek ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Understanding

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

For a moment, Azzie was completely distracted from her racing mind by the notion that Vera had actually developed feelings for someone. So much so that she practically did a double take. Vera 'love is gross' Noble had caught feelings? Her mouth could have become a flytrap with how wide it had fallen open, her surprise laced through her violet eyes. It took everything in her not to laugh at the thought, even more so not to break down and start begging for information like the equally nosy, obnoxiously curious older sister she was.

"As for the bond… yeah. If it were me? I'd bring it up."

She figured she would have to ask about it later, shifting her weight on the stone and fingers tightening around the cup nestled in her hands before eventually setting it down. She looked down into the glassy surface of the fountain's water as she listened to Valery’s words; the reflection of her horns and eyes ghosted there. It should've been easy. She was loud. Brash. Passionate. Unapologetically stubborn. Fiery. Her fingers tightened around the teacup, eventually unsure if she was ready. But then again, when had she ever been ready for anything?

"It's so stupid..." She muttered under her breath, not necessarily referring to the concept itself, but how it seemed to turn her into something she wasn't used to. "I still don't get why it happens to me like this... I wasn't even trying!" Throwing her hands into the air, she let out an exasperated growled exhale, bringing them back in to run through her hair and lightly tug at the strands.

"I wasn't even trying; I never have, and it just happens anyway. I can already feel it, like he's nearby somewhere. And I don't know what to do about it. It just farking happened for some reason. What if he hates me for it? What if he never wants to see me again...?" Azzie's words rushed out in a jumble, as if the floodgates had opened the moment she started speaking. She didn't understand it, which only drove her frustration further. She had actively avoided the idea of love, actively refused to acknowledge it. Somehow, Aadihr Lidos had chiseled his way past all of that, and it drove her mad in a way she both hated and deeply admired all at once.

"I know I have to; I just... don't want to lose him..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. The idea of having to watch him walk away was like a fist tightening around her heart.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery didn't speak right away. She let the words hang there — raw, tangled, spoken between gritted teeth and with fingers twisted into hair. It was a kind of truth Valery knew too well. The vulnerability that didn't come in tidy lines or quiet confessions, but in stormy, crashing waves that broke past defenses and left you blinking in their wake.

She reached over, slowly, and rested a hand on Azzie's shoulder. Not to stop her. Not to fix anything. Just to be there for her Padawan.

"It's not stupid," she said gently. "It's normal."

"You didn't try, and that's exactly why it happened. Love — real love — doesn't show up because we chase it down. It finds us. Often when we least expect it, and especially when we're not ready." Her voice softened further, her eyes steady and warm. "It's terrifying, Azzie. I know. Letting someone close enough to hurt you, close enough to matter… it takes more strength than most people will ever understand."

She gave a small squeeze of reassurance.

"But it's also the most worth it thing in the galaxy. And you don't need to pretend you're not scared. You're allowed to be." Her head tilted, voice lowering. "But don't let that fear make the decision for you." Valery leaned back slightly, watching her now with the kind of quiet pride only someone who truly saw the struggle could hold.

"If he walks away after seeing the real you — the full picture — then he was never the one. But if he stays?" Her smile grew. "You'll have something built on truth. On trust. On something earned. And that's what lasts."

She paused, then added with a teasing edge, "Also, for the record? If he does walk away, I'll just have a chat with him." Her smile curved sharper. "Very polite. Very Grandmasterly. Maybe slightly terrifying."

A wink.

Azurine Varek ​