Private What Is Love?

[Iris Arani]

Being a Knight was freeing in some ways. Mostly overwhelming, though. Incredibly overwhelming. All that newfound freedom and having to fend for herself wasn't something she was used to, and lead to a lot of just fumbling around. Except, she could always ask for help if she needed it. Or wanted it. Right now? Probably more of a want than need that brought her outside Valery's home. With the new freedom came opportunity to ask herself questions she didn't think about before.

Like what she wanted to talk to Valery about today. Not as a Jedi, but.. Well. It was a question she'd ask her mom. And Valery was her mom, in her eyes anyway.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

Valery plopped down on the couch in her new apartment, one much smaller than the home they had on Cularin, but one they needed now after the move. As much as she would have loved to stay on Cularin, it was so far out that Vera would have to be alone there too often, and it was something she didn't want for her daughter. This way, she could be home quicker and spend as much time as possible with the little girl.

Today, though, Vera was with Yula again while Valery had been traveling between Cularin and Coruscant to bring everything they needed over. But to make the long days a little more fun, she had also scheduled a moment to talk and catch up with Iris, who mentioned that she wanted to talk about something. She wasn't quite sure what, but she took any opportunity to talk to her former Padawan she could get.

It was still an odd feeling to her, after all. To no longer be her Master.

When Valery eventually felt Iris' presence approaching the door, she was quick to rise and opened the door so she could greet the young woman with a bright smile, "Good to see you again, Iris. Come on in, I've got tea ready if you'd like, and just make yourself comfortable."

​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Hey ma- uh, Valery." Valery wasn't the only one not used to it. Still, Iris snickered a little before making her way in. She looked around for all of two seconds before just plopping on the couch with a sigh. Stared off. Then went right into why she was there in the first place.

"How do relationships work?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

Much like Iris, Valery couldn't stop herself from snickering at the greeting. It was a relief to know that she wasn't the only one having to adjust, but some things also never changed. As usual, Iris plopped down on the couch and made herself comfortable the way she always did.

Valery really hoped their relationship would always stay like this.

"You know, I don't think I mentioned it yet, but the long hair looks good on you," Valery said after joining Iris in the living room. She placed a tray with tea and snacks on the table, plopped down herself... and was immediately hit with a very direct question that nearly got her to choke on her tea.

"That's... quite a question you're asking," Valery began curiously, "There are a lot of different stages to one, and not all relationships are the same. Is there something specific you're wanting to talk about? I can go on a long rant about them, but... I feel like you're asking for a reason?"

She paused a moment, "Is there someone you like?"

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[Iris Arani]

"Does it? I've been keeping it so short of so long I'm not even sure if I should let it grow. I mean, I did, but.. .. Thank you, I mean." Compliments. She was still learning how to actually accept those, even now. She smiled none the less, though cocked a brow as Valery seemed to be taken by surprise. Was she not supposed to ask a question like that? She thought that over for all of a second before she shrugged.

"Not really. At least, I don't think so. I thought I liked Kai, but.. Yeah. Y'know how that went. I'm just.. Curious. You seem real happy with Aldric. And you were with Kahlil. And Amani is with Alicio. So.. I guess I just wanna know what it's like."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

"It does but take good care of it. I can give tips or I'm sure Briana would love to as well." She chuckled but hair styling wasn't exactly the reason they were here to talk today. Iris wanted to know more about relationships, and while Valery hardly considered herself an expert, despite her long relationship with Kahlil, she was more than happy to offer her perspective.

"Mhmm, if there's a click and a relationship works out it..." she paused a moment and smiled. "Few things bring more joy than that. Your partner becomes a very crucial part of your life and you really want to be with them. At the start especially, you'll be constantly thinking about them and wanting to be close." Her own smile easily gave away that it was what she was going through at the moment herself. She had yet to introduce Aldric to Iris or her Padawans, but it was being planned.

"As for how they work or keep working, there's a lot to it. There needs to be trust, responsibility, and good communication about both the good and the bad things, and both you and your partner need to put in equal effort to make it work. But a lot of it is also just... experiencing it. No amount of reading or advice can really cover it all and capture the depth of what you'll feel."

"But as long as you talk to whoever you like and are open with them about how you feel, you'll get through the bumps along the way together."

​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris nodded slowly. That.. Wasn't her relationship with Kai. Too much sadness, too much bitterness. Too many secrets. She hummed in that line of thought. Was there anyone like that she really wanted to be around? See a lot? Yeah, there were a couple sure. But.. Not like Valery was suggesting.

Right?

"How do you know what it feels like?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

That was the real question.

"It's... hard to describe with words, but one of those things you'll understand when you feel it if that makes sense?" It was probably confusing, so she scratched her chin and gave it some thought. "With someone you love or are falling in love with, being near them is something that will affect you greatly."

"You'll feel this heat in your stomach and chest, and they can literally draw your breath away just by talking to you. It can be nerve-wracking, but at the same time you don't want it to end..." she looked down and smiled a little to herself, as she used her own recent memories of the trip to Nar Shaddaa with Aldric Laurent to try and put it to words.

"Sometimes it sparks almost instantly, as it once did with Kahlil, and now with Aldric as well. But sometimes it can take time to really develop those feelings too."

She paused and smiled a little more sheepishly.

"It's complicated."

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[Iris Arani]

"Complicated is probably the only thing I understand about any of that." Iris let out a sigh, frowning as she tucked her knees up to her chest. Got real comfortable on the couch. She smiled after a moment, though. Watching Valery. Just the colors alone spoke volumes.

"I see them. Those kinds of emotions, I mean. I think there's a couple people who might have some kind of crush on me. Or just want to sleep with me. Those colors are pretty obvious. .. You really like Aldric, huh?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

Valery nodded and smiled reassuringly in response to her comment about it being complicated. There was really no easy way to explain it all and truly help someone along outside of the basics and make sure they could see red flags. Experiencing it would teach her so much more.

"A crush on you, hm?" she then asked, both with motherly protectiveness and happiness in her narrowing eyes and tone, "Well, don't rush into anything, and make sure you're comfortable. Definitely avoid the ones just wanting to sleep with you." Especially for a first romantic coupling, she wanted Iris to experience actual affection.

Valery then set some tea on the table and picked up her own glass for a sip.

"You really like Aldric, huh?"

She almost choked on her tea, and made sure what slipped out from between her lips at least ended up back in her cup, "Uh, yeah, I really do." Was it that easy to tell, even though he wasn't here? "He's already very special to me. I... should have probably known that you could see that so easily." She chuckled and set her tea down on her lap.

"But that also means you know what it looks like in your world of colors, right? Maybe it can help you when you're exploring these things yourself."

​

 

[Iris Arani]

"You don't really hide it. For a Master when it comes to love you're no different than a teenager."

Especially with the choking on her tea. Iris just had a smug expression this time, coyly watching the older woman from where her face was somewhat hidden by her knees. Though the smile did dim a little.

"I don't see myself. Or at least, I can't read my own colors. They're there, but.. Yeah. I can't see them like I can see yours and others."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

"Heyyy, I'm not that bad," Valery said, her gaze narrowing a little when she was compared to a teenager. In a way, Iris was right — Valery had never been allowed or able to open herself to her emotions for romantic purposes, so Kahlil was essentially the first experience, and while amazing, it was pretty unusual in how it all formed. Aldric was quite different, although it all was progressing quite fast too.

"Maybe I am that bad."

With a shake of her head, she snapped her focus back to Iris, who she wanted to help. This wasn't about her, so she didn't want to linger there too long. Iris would have her chance to judge and be smug again very soon, anyway.

"Well, you might not be able to see your own colors, but you'll know how others feel about you. How genuine it is, and if their intentions are really what they seem to be. As for you, allow yourself to take some risks. It can be hard to find the perfect match instantly," she said in an attempt to encourage her. "Sometimes you have to fall a few times along the way before it gets better, but that's just part of life and love."

"If you never try, you'll never win. So do your best to follow what you feel deep inside when you're near people you like, and just experience it all."

​

 

[Iris Arani]

"You are that bad."

Iris nodded once, still snickering from behind her knees. Watching the thought process across Valery's colors was far funnier than she expected. Funnier and.. Wholesome? It was a part of Valery's life Iris had always seen, but never spoke to her about. Too young or just, not that curious. Not so much now.

"Mm.. I'll think on it. I'm not in any hurry just.. Really curious."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

Yeah, go ahead and rub it in.

Valery grumbled a little and shifted over, wrapping an arm around Iris to pull her close. But right after, she jabbed a finger in the woman's side to test how ticklish she was with a sudden attack. She then grinned and let go of her, so she could focus on Iris' situation again.

"That's a good mindset to have. Sometimes when you're not really looking too actively, you'll find just the right person. Just... be aware of red flags, and don't be afraid to take some risk." She offered Iris a warm smile, "Then one day, I'll get to tease you about your new crush, hm?"

She was going to enjoy that immensely, knowing that her Padawans were likely going to take every chance they had to tease her about Aldric. Especially with the upcoming introductions.

​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Tease me? I doubt I'll be as school girlish as you are." Iris took up her own tea, calmly taking a sip with an all too smug expression. Oh how the tables had turned. For the time being, she'd absolutely keep teasing Valery about it all. Asides, it felt more.. More. A new part of their relationship that made her feel that much closer to the woman who had always been her mother.

"What do you mean by risks, though? What kind of risks have you been taking with this Aldric fellow, mm?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

"Yeah yeah, rub it in while you still can," Valery said with a slight roll of her eyes. She wasn't always overly girlish, but romance definitely made it very obvious. Perhaps it would be the case for Iris too when she really found someone she clicked with. But whether it would or not, she could count on some payback from her old Master.

It was something Valery loved about their relationship. Iris was actually like a daughter to her, so she was going to get that kind of treatment. Her partner would have to pass the Val-test and so much more if they hoped to survive.

"The risk can be as simple as just... making the first move. If they say yes or feel the same way, you'll be happy but if they don't, then it might be embarrassing. But it can also just be trying to go on dates and give people you want to know better a chance. It can work out amazingly well or be the most awkward thing ever."

She then smiled a little nervously and tugged some hair behind her ear, "With Aldric, I infiltrated this new Casino on Nar Shaddaa to extract intel on a crime lord. So... because I already liked him... I made our cover that we were a rich, married couple, and got him to dance with me like most others would there. When he dipped me as the music faded, I took my risk by kissing him." And the rest is history.

She just wondered if these were details Iris wanted to even hear...

​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris squinted. Just a little.

"You used your position of authority to put him in a position where your advances could be the most effective?" On the surface that sounded absolutely terrible abuse of authority. Then again, the colors didn't suggest anything nefarious. But that was just another thing Iris could tease her former Master about. She grinned after a second of that serious expression.

"I'll keep that in mind, though. Have fun. .. Yeah. I can do that, I think."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

Valery chuckled and shook her head, "I know you're teasing, but no. I have no authority within the SIA, so he actually outranks me. But on undercover missions like that, nobody pulls rank and you work together. The cover story worked because I just played a pretty wife with not much else to her - easy to remember, and impossible to poke holes in. His cover was something related to the work he did on Azbrian, so he was knowledgeable on it." She nodded a couple times.

"He also didn't mind the story at all," she said with a waggle of her eyebrows. Iris wasn't as easy to traumatize with details like that as her other Padawans, but was always worth the shot to tease. "My advances were effective because I chose the right time to take some risk, and because he already felt strongly about me as well."

"Maybe my spicy dress helped, too."

She then nodded to Iris' final statement with a smile, "Mhmm, and get yourself actively out there. Go for a night out or invite someone you're interested in to have dinner with you, even if it's just casual at first."

"You banished Carnifex from your mind, so I'm sure you can do this as well," Valery added with a grin.

​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris snorted again, shaking her head. "Spicy dress huh? That's the secret?"

Iris was all just giggles at this point, about it all. Well, at least no laws were actually broken, but to think Valery had to defend herself. The verbal spar was heavily on Iris's side if she was able to force her former Master to the defensive. Her laughter died down just a little as she hummed in thought. Shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll see what happens, I guess. Dates are.. Interesting. I've hung out with plenty of people. Are spicy dresses what makes something a date?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | Apartment
Tag | Iris Arani

"You're enjoying this a lot, aren't you?" Valery asked but she couldn't help but laugh a little at it herself. A few years ago, she could have never imagined their relationship to be like this, and now they were able to talk and laugh about the silliest things in life. In this case, she was the target but one day, the roles would be reversed.

She looked forward to that day.

"No, a cute or spicy dress is just to add some tension to what's already supposed to be a date. The idea of a date is that you're there for each other, with the idea of growing the relationship and, if all goes well, for it to grow beyond friends. To really develop those feelings we talked about earlier."

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