Private The Sun and the Sea

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"He'll be here shortly, Vera," Valery said after looking over at her daughter, who was sitting on the couch and watching some holo-tv. The nursery droid had been instructed to keep her inside until the babysitter arrived later this evening, but first, she was going to meet Aldric. They'd then leave in the evening here, which helped them arrive at an appropriate time on Dorumaa, a resort moon where she had arranged their vacation on a large tropical Island through Tropix Resorts. It had been a long time since she spent time away for a vacation like this, so she was really looking forward to it.

"Mom?" Vera then asked while her eyes were still glued to the screen.

"Hmm?"

"How long will you be gone?" she asked, which got Valery to blink. "A few days, a week... not too long, sweetie," she said with a soft smile, but she did feel a little bad about leaving Vera behind. She was definitely going to come along on a future trip, but for now, she had to have some alone time with Aldric too. Vera had also started her youngling training, and constantly pulling her out was a bad look for someone on the Council. "I'll miss you." Vera finally looked over, and Valery quickly walked over to pull her into a quick hug. "Will miss you too, sweetie."

After a warm embrace between mother and daughter, Vera suddenly perked up. "Ring!" she called out. "Hmm?" Valery seemed surprised but then sensed it — Aldric was approaching. "Ah, he's here!" She took a deep breath, tugged her shirt into her pants because it looked attractive, and fixed up her hair while she waited for him to ring first, so it didn't seem like she had been waiting at the door like a crazy woman. The Force just made it easier to feel him approaching, that was all.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric pressed the bell, and ran a hand through his hair one last time as he waited. Practiced his smile. Straightened his clothes. And was mid-sigh, mentally chastising himself for worrying too much, when the door opened. "H-hello," He managed to shift into a pleasant grin.

This was perhaps the most nervous Aldric had felt since reuniting with Valery. Life or death missions gave him less concern than meeting Vera. It was a big step in the relationship, given everything that had happened. He wanted to make a good impression with the young girl, especially if things were ever going to evolve further. Aldric had already accepted the possibility that he would never truly replace Vera's father. And to an extent, he didn't really want to anyway. Kahlil deserved to keep a place in his girl's heart all to himself. Aldric just hoped she could find a spot for him in there as well.

"Can I come in?" He asked, straightening his collar again. He felt like he was acting weirdly formal considering he was speaking to a woman he had been seeing for some time now, but it wasn't necessarily because of her as much as it was the girl behind her.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"Hey!" Valery exclaimed excitedly after she opened the door and looked him up and down. They had both been roughened up during their last mission, but none of that was visible anymore. It still wouldn't help him get out of the massage he promised though, but she had a feeling he wouldn't want to.

"Yeah, of course, come in..." she couldn't stop looking at him, and the second the door closed and they had a moment of privacy, she stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his neck, and locked lips for a long kiss. After it broke, she glanced at his luggage and patted his coat, "You look great. And uh, leave it all here and come inside. Vera is waiting and... I have a gift for you as well." Her eyes were burning with love, and once he had taken off his coat, she took his hand and pulled him into the small living room, where Vera was waiting and staring at them.

Valery blinked, having never seen such an intense look in her daughter's eyes before - it was cold and without emotion, as if she was ready to kill. Maybe she heard the kiss? After looking at her mom and Aldric for a few seconds, she smiled and waved, "Hello!" she called out happily as if she hadn't just given them both a death glare seconds earlier.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric smiled reactively on seeing Valery again. Whatever his concerns, that part never quite changed. "Thanks," He stepped in, and was immediately pulled into a kiss. He melted into it, pulling her in by the waist. When they broke it, he stood a little taller, staring back, "You too," He put aside his suitcase and jacket, leaving just a smart yet casual button up and pants.

"A gift?" He let her lead him in, and almost immediately was met with the sight of a young girl on the couch. Vera. She stared at him with a look that seemed unbecoming of a child her age, leaving Aldric quite taken aback, given this was the first he'd ever actually seen her in person. Was his demise going to come at the hands of this five year old?

"...Hello," He raised a hand in greeting, "I'm Aldric." The man liked kids, but he was now suddenly realizing he didn't necessarily know how to talk to them. Especially not this one.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"Mhmm, something small but I think you'll like it," Valery said with a warm smile, moments before they entered what should have been a normal living room, but looked like something more akin to a demon's lair with the way they were glared at. That atmosphere luckily changed quickly when Vera smiled and introductions were made, though.

"I'm Vera," she exclaimed, but she wasn't entirely sure what to say or think either, so Valery moved over and sat down beside her daughter, before wrapping an arm around her. "Aldric and I met a few years ago and worked together, but as you know already, he is very close to mommy now," she began with a careful tone.

"Mhmm..." Vera hummed, her eyes shifting from her mother to Aldric. "Mommy said you're a spy, like in the movies!"

Valery chuckled and shot an apologetic smile in Aldric's direction. He was much more than a spy, but it was way easier to explain it to a five-year-old that way. "Do you shoot bad guys?" Valery blinked again and smiled sheepishly in Aldric's direction. Much like when she was little, Vera had quite a wild imagination.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

As soon as the glare disappeared it was like Vera was a different person. Aldric wasn't sure whether to be at ease or expect something worse to spring out of nowhere. But the girl was quick to charm him, and he became a bit more relaxed, though still a bit stiff as he came to sit beside Valery.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you, Vera. Your mom talks a lot about you," He grinned, looking between the two of them. From the get-go it was clear they cared very deeply for one another, not that it should come as any surprise. Their bond as mother and daughter was a powerful one, strengthened even further by everything they had been through.

Aldric chuckled, "Yes, just like the movies. Sometimes," Her follow-up made him blink as well, and for a few moments his mouth hung open, unsure of how to phrase his answer to such a young child. "...If I have to," He pursed his lips and nodded. It wasn't the kind of thing he took any sense of pride in, but it was simply a fact of his job that things weren't always quick and clean. "It's all about keeping the good people safe," The agent quickly added.

"So, Vera, are you in school?" Aldric returned a question of his own, both out of genuine curiosity and an interest in talking with this five year old about something other than death.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"Really?" She asked, clearly happy to hear that her mother talked about her. It wasn't something she really doubted, as they were extremely close, but Vera cared a lot about what her mother said, did, and how she felt about her. But that more loving smile turned into a very excited grin when Aldric confirmed what he did for work. The orange part of her eyes had that sparkle he had seen in Valery's a thousand times before, and she was almost bouncing in her seat.

"That's so cool!" she exclaimed and looked at Valery to see her reaction. Of course, her mother was just all smiles and even blushing a little. This was going better than she had expected, and the reason started to become more clear to her when Aldric carefully answered her follow-up question.

"It's all about keeping the good people safe,"

"I saw," Vera said, drawing a somewhat surprised look from Valery, "Vera...?" she asked for clarification. Vera looked at her mom for a moment, then to Aldric, and nodded. "You kept mommy safe. I saw it." Valery instantly seemed to catch on to what she meant — Vera could see visions very clearly, and maybe had seen something about her mom and Aldric working together.

Then, as if that revelation wasn't special, she smiled and began to answer his question, "Mhm! At the Temple too. Mom showed us how to use a lightsaber!" It was pretty clear that she really loved that part of her training.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"Mmhmm," Aldric hummed knowingly. Seeing Vera get so excited was infectious, making him grin in turn. Things were going well, in fact he'd already almost forgotten about the death stare she had given him earlier.

"I saw,"

That made him blink. Even her clarification left him curious, "You… saw?" Something Force-related, Aldric could assume that much. It might as well have all been magic to him. "A lightsaber, huh? Sounds exciting. Do you have a favorite class or teacher?" He smirked at Valery, "Other than your mom?"

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"Visions," Valery tried to clarify when she noticed his surprise. "She can see visions of the past, present, and future quite regularly, especially those tied to things or people close to her." It ranged from her stuffed animals to her mother, whenever she went back into the war or other assignments. It wasn't too surprising, then, that she had seen something related to their missions together.

"Mhm, I do! Amani is my favorite but she is very busy, like mom." Vera nodded and Valery just smiled — her Mirialan friend has had a huge impact on the little girl's life, so she loved being able to learn from her when they weren't just messing around. "Auntie Yula is no Jedi but she teaches me things too."

Valery chuckled and turned her gaze from Vera to Aldric, "She's already better with tech than I am." Not exactly setting the bar very high, but it got Vera to giggle.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"Huh," Aldric raised a brow curiously. That made sense, then. Well, it all still sounded like magic, but as far as magic goes, that at least explained how she knew. He wasn't much one to question the Force, he'd already seen proof enough of just how real it was.

The mention of Amani got a knowing nod from Aldric, "I've met her. She seems very nice." Amani was one of the first that Valery introduced Aldric to, and she seemed pretty sold on their relationship early on. The mirialan was supportive of Valery's happiness, and it showed in their meeting. Yula he had yet to interact with, but the title Vera gave her made him curious, "Auntie?"

He chuckled at Valery's admission to her lack of tech skills, which Aldric himself was already quite familiar with, "It's a useful skill to have. Maybe I can teach you a couple things I've learned some time." He probably wasn't quite the expert Yula was, but secret agent work had given him some very useful tips and tricks.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"She's one of my best friends," Vera confirmed with a big nod. More recently, Amani had actually been helping babysit as well, and Vera always looked forward to that. It made not seeing her mother every day so much more bearable, and as a young kid, she made no attempts to hide that happiness.

On the topic of Yula, Vera just nodded and Valery chimed in to explain, "During my pregnancy, I stayed with Yula in her apartment, and she has been a huge help ever since. She's like family to her." Yula and Amani especially had made a huge difference in her being able to move forward in life again. It's why they were sitting here now.

"Mom can learn with me!" Vera then said as Aldric offered help learning tech skills, and Valery just started laughing, "Maybe. I have sort of accepted that it's just not for me, but who knows." She shot Aldric a wink and finally turned to Vera, as an important question came up in her mind.

"So Vera, what do you think of Aldric?"

It remained quiet for a moment, and Vera looked at her mother first, then to Aldric, back to her mother, and finally to him again. She began to shift on the couch, so she sat on her hands and knees, and crawled over to him. Her special eyes shifted to his and she showed a beautiful smile, "You made mommy smile again," she said before she tried to wrap her little arms around his arm for a tight hug.

Valery felt her lips tremble and looked down at her lap for a moment, as she felt tears of happiness building up within her eyes. He really had made her happy, and so had Vera — they both meant everything to her.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric just grinned at Vera's unapologetic happiness. It was nice to know she had other strong and supportive women in her life, and that Val had friends so ready and willing to help. It made everything all the better for them both, and he, unsurprisingly, cared greatly for the Nobles' well-being. Vera's suggestion of a group lesson got Aldric to start chuckling as well, "Can't hurt to try." Then, came a much different question.

"So Vera, what do you think of Aldric?"

Aldric blinked, and instinctively straightened up a bit in anticipation. He stared back at Vera as she seemed to get a bit closer, and her multicolored eyes stared back. Then, suddenly, a smile.

"You made mommy smile again,"

The agent's jaw dropped slightly, at a loss for words, and he just looked down at the little girl hugging his arm. Then over to Valery, who was already getting emotional. Hell, so was he. Aldric felt his own eyes getting a bit wet. Vera's acceptance and appreciation meant a great deal to him, and knowing everything they struggled through, he was grateful to have earned it. "Thank you, Vera," He said, pulling her a bit closer with his other arm, "That really means a lot to me."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

While it was difficult to see, Vera was a little emotional as well, mostly because she felt her mother's emotions and even those of Aldric. She was very sensitive to it all, but she lacked the control Valery had to suppress or handle it carefully - she was still learning those things. So when Aldric pulled her a little closer, the hug shifted from around his arm, to around his waist for as much as she was able to reach around his larger frame.

He made her mother happy, and so he made her happy too.

But after a few seconds or so, she looked back and smiled at her mother with an outstretched arm to call her over. Valery shifted towards them and wrapped her arms around both to lengthen the hug, and have a moment together. "I love you, little star," Valery whispered before she kissed the top of her head. "Love you too, mommy," she answered while tightening the hug.

"Why don't you go get his gift? You helped me pick it, after all."

Vera bounced up with joy in her eyes instantly and grinned, "Okay!" She said before she jumped off the couch and sprinted away, leaving them for just a moment. "I'm so happy that she likes you already. She's a good kid, but not always easy," Valery said with a loving smile and a chuckle. "Now I really know that everything is going to work out~"

It was not long after that Vera returned with a small box in her hands, and offered it to Aldric - his new sunglasses waiting inside.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Valery shifted in beside them, and Aldric gladly widened his hug to accommodate them both. For a few moments he shut his eyes and just lived in the tender moment. The exchange of love between Val and Vera only made his grin wider.

The mention of a gift made his eyes flutter back open. As far as he was concerned, that embrace was the best gift they could offer, but he was appreciative of the extra gesture all the same, "Did she now?" He smiled, freeing the girl from his arms to retrieve the present. "Yeah. I'm… really glad," He agreed, unable to wipe the smile from his face, "She's a very sweet girl."

Vera returned not longer after, and Aldric leaned forward with a look of feigned surprise, "What's this? Just for me?" He took the box in his hand, and opened it up to pick out the pair of sunglasses, "Welllll, isn't that nice? And just in time for a trip to the beach, too" He chuckled, before putting them on, none the wiser to its other features, "How do I look?"

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

"She really is a sweetheart," Valery said with that motherly love in her tone, and the way she smiled made it all the more clear. This going so well was a relief, and very few things could have made her happier. Their relationship was only going to grow from here, so after this vacation especially, they could take more and more steps together.

Vera returned soon after with the gift and nodded as she handed it over, "Mhm! For you!" she grinned and watched Aldric open it, curious to see his reaction. Valery just smiled and watched him put them on, after which she spent a moment taking a good look at him. Finally, she nodded in approval, "They look great on you and..." she leaned in close as if she was about to kiss him, only to tap a small logo at the side of his glasses.

A hud appeared for only him to see, detailing the various scanners he could choose, as well as the camera and database access. "Useful in the field as well." She winked and leaned back a little, incredibly happy and even more excited for what was to come next.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric leaned forward, and did the same, expecting a quick kiss. Instead, the lenses lit up with a display as the scanners activated. He craned his neck back in surprise, "Woah, hello…" Then after a few seconds, realizing the applications, he smirked, "How about that?"

He tried out the infrared option just to test it, and soon found his vision displayed in an array of red, yellows, and purples. Aldric turned it off a moment after, "Very useful. Thank you very much Vera. And Val…" He leaned in, daring to offer Valery a quick kiss in front of her daughter. Hopefully not too much of a test of their built-up goodwill.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

(phone posty)

"Fancy huh?" Valery asked with a big grin while she watched him test out some of its features. "The SIA helped with the tech implementation, and made sure it has everything you could possibly need. Vera here helped pick the design."

Which made her smile all the more brighter when he seemed to like it a lot, and even thanked Vera for the gift. "You're welcome!" she called out happily before she watched Aldric lean in closer to her mother.

She had of course seen Valery and Kahlil kiss many times before and that felt normal to her. But there was the risk of this being too much public affection for her at this moment, which is why Valery had been a little scared to make the first move. But as their lips locked for a brief but loving kiss, Vera just sat still and watched. Smiled, even.

Vera had accepted him.

Valery came out of the kiss blushing and reached for his hand to hold it and interlace fingers for a moment. Then, she looked back at Vera, "We'll soon get going but you'll be good to the babysitters, hmm? We'll be back soon and maybe set up a trip with the three of us...?" She looked expextantly at Aldric

"Yayy! That would be fun!"

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"Very fancy," He added, "It's great." Aldric gave them both another appreciative smile before leaning in for the kiss. When they pulled back, he spared a glance to Vera, who not only hadn't killed him, but even smiled. It made his smile widen even further.

Valery linked their fingers together, and he gladly reciprocated, looking between the two girls and eagerly nodding at the next suggestion. Vera seemed quite happy about it too, "That sounds wonderful. We'll have to mark it on the calendar," Aldric checked his timepiece, then looked up at Valery, "As much as I'm enjoying this, we probably should get a move-on if we want to get there on time." Turning to Vera, he smiled again, "It was really nice to meet you, Vera. I hope we can see each other more, soon."

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant | Dorumaa

​

Outfit: Casual jeans and shirt tugged into them.
Appearance: Link
Weapons: None
Tag: Aldric Laurent

Both Valery and Vera smiled when he agreed about going on a trip with all three of them soon. It would allow them to bond even more, and build up a relationship that could last forever even more. But for now, it was just going to be the two of them — a vacation to enjoy the fact they got through recent missions, and be happy in each other's company.

"Yeah you're right, let's get going," Valery said before she turned to Vera, who clearly loved the idea of spending more time with Aldric. "Next time I can show you my room!" She called out happily, which got Valery to chuckle. She then leaned in close, picked Vera up, and kissed her forehead, before gently pressing her cheek against Vera's for a brief moment between mother and daughter. "See you soon, sweetie."

She set Vera back down, took Aldric's hand, and walked out towards the door while Vera waved at them until they were gone. With their stuff packed, the two would soon board the civilian shuttle leaving for Dorumaa, and take a seat by one of the windows on the side of the shuttle. "Hey uh, this might seem random but I was meaning to ask something..." she began to get his attention.

"After our recent mission and even just back at home with Vera, I could really feel what you were feeling. I'm used to bonds like this but I've only ever developed them with Jedi. With your own connection being stronger, I was wondering if you feel anything?" It was completely fine if he didn't, but if he somehow did feel something because of her, she wanted him to be ready for certain things.

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"I'm looking forward to it," Aldric smiled at Vera, genuinely excited at the prospect. He had earned her approval, but she had won him over completely. "Goodbye Vera." One final wave, and they were off.

In short order their things were packed, they took their seats, and the shuttle was rising to take off for Dorumaa. Aldric stretched his legs and looked out the window, when Valery's voice pulled his attention away, "What's that?"

He blinked and pondered the question, unsure of what exactly he should've been expecting to feel. Though the fact that he was so readable did make him blush just a little, "I… don't know," Aldric said at first, pursing his lips, "I'm aware that my midichlorian count is considered above average, but it's not something I can really take any control over. That said, there are certain… sensations or… I don't even really know how to describe it, that come up sometimes. A gut feeling when making a decision. Or that tingly feeling you get when it seems like someone's watching you. Stuff like that. That's all connected somehow, or at least, that's my understanding of it."

Aldric shrugged, and thought harder on it, seeming to recognize a familiar sensation in that moment, "I doubt it's quite the same level as what you felt, but, in that moment, everything felt… I don't know, amplified." He couldn't really describe it any better than that. For all he knew, it was little more than confirmation bias. But her mentioning it made it register a little stronger after the fact, "Is that sort of what you're looking for?"

Valery Noble​