Private 15 Years

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery blinked at the gentle boop to her forehead, momentarily stunned as her train of thought derailed. She blinked a couple more times as if resetting her entire system, then looked up at him with a soft laugh. "You know that gets me every time," she murmured, her fiery amber eyes shimmering with warmth as she reached up to lightly swat his arm in playful retaliation.

As he spoke, her smile softened, and she tilted her head slightly to one side. His words resonated deeply, and they brought a warmth to her heart that was almost overwhelming. He always had this way of grounding her, of reminding her why she loved him so fiercely.

"I wasn't trying to dig at anything or suggest you regret anything," she said gently, her voice soft and full of affection. "I know you're at peace with your past, and I love that about you. It's just… I love you so much, and I love hearing your stories. Every piece of who you are, even the parts I didn't get to experience with you."

She sipped her cocoa, the sweetness warming her as she glanced toward the market stalls for a moment, then back up at him. "I guess I just enjoy learning about you, even after all this time. There's no deep reason behind it." Her smile widened, playful once more. "I promise, I didn't mean anything by it. Just a curious wife."

Valery nudged his side lightly with her elbow, her grin playful but her amber eyes reflecting all the love and trust she felt. "Though, to be fair, I might just be trying to collect teasing material to finally get you back~"

Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Then don't ask me if I miss it." Kahlil chuckled, leaning over to kiss the top of Valery's head this time around before he looked back around the town. "Every time you ask, it feels like you don't trust that I want to be where I am with you, that I'd rather go back. I don't want that, nor would I ever." He reached up, ruffling her hair just a bit. Mostly because of the threat of teasing him. A grin full on formed as he leaned over to get more eye level, mischief in his eyes.

"You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that to find something to tease me on, though."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery's playful demeanor softened at Kahlil's words, and she glanced down at her cocoa for a brief moment, her fiery amber eyes shimmering with a mixture of guilt and understanding. His kiss on her forehead drew her gaze back up to him, though, her expression melting into something warmer, something filled with love.

"I know you'd never want something else," she murmured, her voice quiet but sincere. "I trust you completely, Kahlil. With everything I am." She reached up, her fingers brushing lightly over his arm. "I just… sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me. I'm sorry."

Her lips quirked into a small, sheepish smile, and she looked back up at him fully, her tone growing lighter again. "But I don't ever want you to think I doubt how much you love being here with me and the kids. You're our everything. You always will be."

When he ruffled her hair, though, her soft expression turned into a mock scowl, and she reached up to bat his hand away. "Hey! You're messing it up!" she protested, though the grin tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement.

As he leaned in closer, mischief gleaming in his eyes, Valery arched a brow at his challenge, her own grin returning in full force. "Oh, is that right?" she teased, leaning in just slightly herself, her fiery gaze locking with his. "Don't tempt me, Master Noble. You know I thrive on challenges."

She straightened up, smoothing her hair dramatically as if to reclaim her dignity, then sipped her cocoa with a playful tilt of her head, "I can totally take you on."

Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"You will try, my love. You will try."

Kahlil only gave one last chuckle before he turned his gaze back to the winter wonderland they were in. He stopped messing with her hair to instead take her hand, squeezing it gently. He knew how much she loved him, there was never any doubt of that in his mind. He took up his own hot chocolate in his other hand, sipping it gently.

"You can always be curious about my past, but that doesn't mean you have to ask me if I miss it, is all."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery's fiery amber eyes softened at Kahlil's words, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return. "I know," she said quietly, her voice warm but understanding. "It's possible to miss parts of the past — the people, the memories, the bonds — without wanting anything to change, though. I think about my old friends from before stasis sometimes. I miss them, but…" She paused, her gaze lifting to meet his. "I wouldn't trade anything in my life now for it. I love you, Kahlil, and I love our family more than I ever thought possible."

Her smile lingered, her eyes glimmering with the depth of her affection. But then, a playful gleam crept into her gaze, and she straightened slightly, drawing in a slow, deep breath. For a moment, the air around her seemed to shift, the Force swirling like a gentle breeze before it swept across the snowy landscape.

Behind Kahlil, a mound of snow suddenly burst upward, the icy flurry cascading over him in a comically timed ambush.

Valery took a quick sip of her cocoa, her expression one of feigned innocence as she stared off into the snow-covered trees. Deliberately avoiding eye-contact. "Hmm?" she murmured casually, her lips twitching ever so slightly as if suppressing a grin. She made a valiant effort not to meet his gaze, though her glowing cheeks betrayed her amusement.

"I have no idea how that happened. Must be the pregnancy hormones..."

Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Mm?"

Kahlil similarly feigned ignorance as the mound of snow that was to consume him just froze overhead. He continued to walk beside her, sipping his mug as if nothing had happened. The moment he wasn't below it any longer, it continued it's path back down, leaving him unaffected. She wasn't going to surprise him easily. "What's going on with your hormones again?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery squinted at Kahlil, her eyes narrowing with mock suspicion as he continued his feigned ignorance. "What's going on with my hormones?" she repeated, her voice dripping with playful disbelief. "Oh, I'll tell you what's going on."

She leaned closer, her free hand darting out to gently poke his side. "They're telling me you're in trouble," she teased, though her grin betrayed her amusement. She poked his side again for good measure, even though she knew full well he wasn’t ticklish.

"Trouble," she added, emphasizing the word with mock seriousness, "With a capital T."

As they walked, the playful banter softened into a comfortable silence, broken only by the crunch of snow under their boots. Soon, the stone path up the mountain came into view, its edges framed by the glistening white of freshly fallen snow. The wooden gateway loomed ahead, its weathered beams dusted with frost.

Valery slowed her pace, her fiery gaze lifting to take in the breathtaking sight of the Dawn Temple on the plateau above. Snow blanketed its ancient walls, and the soft light of the winter sun reflected off the icy peaks surrounding it. The memories hit her like a wave, washing over her with bittersweet clarity.

"The Dawn Temple," she said with an innocent smile, "Do you think those wolves still live in the caves?"

Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"You say I'm in trouble."

Kahlil let out a bemused sigh as he looked up, realizing just where it was Valery had been walking with him. He was content with just wandering, but she had a goal, huh? "They probably do. Which is why we're turning back towards town and not heading in that direction, mm?" He squeezed her hand as he took another sip of his hot chocolate, more gently pulling her away from that path. Give her an inch, and there was little chance the gremlin in her wouldn't want to explore the temple.

He saw it in her eyes earlier.

"Now how about we make new memories, rather than keep living in the past? I'm here with my beautiful, pregnant wife after all."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery smirked up at him, the fiery spark in her eyes betraying the playful mischief brewing just beneath the surface. "Oh, Kahlil. You do realize how dangerous it is to be in trouble with me, don’t you?" She gave him a teasing grin and a small, gentle bump of her shoulder against his.

As he started to guide her away from the path leading to the Dawn Temple, she pouted dramatically, though her amusement was impossible to miss. "No fun," she quipped, sticking her tongue out at him. "But fine, we’ll leave the wolves alone… for now."

Her expression softened as he mentioned making new memories, the warmth in his tone melting away any trace of resistance. She nodded, squeezing his hand gently. "New memories it is," she agreed, her smile filled with love.

But then her smirk returned, and a mischievous glint lit her eyes. "Let’s start with this," she said, releasing his hand and taking a few quick steps back. In the blink of an eye, she reached down to scoop up a handful of snow, the Force aiding her as she launched a flurry of powdery white missiles in the air.

These wouls cover both of them in snow. Perhaps a way to get him by also taking herself down, or maybe a chance to get cold, so she needed to be warmed up again~

Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"No fun she says."

Kahlil full on laughed as he shook his head. Yvaine certainly would be born in fire if it was safe, of that he had no doubt. Fire and independence. His children really were the luckiest to have her as a mother, as someone to look up to. Someone not afraid to be herself, but still mature. Smart and beautiful, kind and strong and- His thinking paused as he and her both were covered in a flurry of snow.

She'd gotten him.

He then lifted her right up in his arms, calm as ever in expression. "Oh no, looks like we need to go back to the cabin now rather than explore the town. Can't have you getting sick after being covered in so much snow."

She was the one in trouble.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery's triumphant laughter rang through the snowy air as the flurry of powder blanketed them both. She threw her hands up in mock victory, her grin wide and playful. "I win!" she declared, her voice overly smug. Through their bond, she could sense the warmth of his thoughts about her, the love and admiration he carried so effortlessly, and it only made her smile grow softer for a moment before the laughter took over again.

But her victory was short-lived.

With an effortless motion, Kahlil scooped her up into his arms, his expression as calm and composed as ever. Valery's laughter turned into a playful gasp as she squirmed slightly in his grasp. "Help! Someone help me!" she called out dramatically, her voice carrying more giggles than genuine distress. A few villagers paused, chuckling at the spectacle as they watched the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order being carried off by her equally formidable husband like a mischievous child caught red-handed.

Still grinning, Valery let her head fall against his chest, her fingers lightly gripping the fabric of his coat. The warmth of him seeped into her, banishing any lingering chill from the snow. She looked up at him, her fiery eyes twinkling with affection. "Smart and beautiful, kind and strong, huh?" she murmured, her tone teasing but soft, her words brushing against the connection they shared.

Her grin melted into something tender as she added, "I love you, Kahlil."

Then, with a playful pout and a sparkle in her eyes, she added, "And… I request mercy. Please don't make me regret my snowballing victory."

Her laughter bubbled up again, though it was quieter this time, as she nestled closer to him. Snow might have been her weapon of choice, but Kahlil's warmth was always her favorite place to land.

Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Oh I love you too, Valery Noble."

His dangerous smile softened just a tad as they entered the cabin. There was no room for doubt on that fact. Their love was theirs, endless and whole. The smile, though, did return shortly after as the door closed. It was because he loved her that there was no room for mercy. "You might regret it, you might not. That's for you to decide for yourself. But there's no mercy to be had. I'd never disrespect my wife in that way."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of warmth as Kahlil's words wrapped around her heart like a soft embrace. For a moment, everything else melted away, and all she felt was the deep connection they shared, a bond forged through love, trials, and triumphs over the years. But then, his smile returned, carrying with it a mischievous edge that made her heart skip for entirely different reasons.

No mercy.

Valery's gaze narrowed slightly, a fiery spark of playful defiance igniting within her. As the cabin door clicked shut behind them, she let out a soft laugh and wiggled out of his arms with surprising grace, her boots landing softly against the wooden floor. She spun to face him, a wide grin spreading across her face as she waggled her brows in challenge.

"No mercy, huh?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock seriousness as she stepped backward, the fire in her eyes unmistakable. "Well then…"

She gave him a slow, deliberate once-over, her lips curving into an amused smirk before she raised her arms and stretched dramatically, almost tauntingly.

"Happy 15 years, babe," she purred, taking another step back. Then, her grin widened as her playful spirit took over completely. She turned on her heel and darted across the cabin, her voice carrying over her shoulder like a siren's call.

"Now come get me~"

The laughter that followed was pure joy, a sound that echoed through their cozy retreat as Valery dared him to take up the chase, her heart pounding with excitement and love.

Kahlil Noble ​