Private Bazaar of the Four Winds

[Zaiya Ceti]

Aris Noble

Oh, he was really confident, wasn't he? It was cute. Not just because of the banter but also because he thoroughly enjoyed eating. Seeing him enjoy his food and light up at the savory taste was well worth it.

"Hmm...we can bet an item or a request. Which do you prefer... " she began, only to give him a wry grin, mischievous cyan iridescent hues rippling over her skin. "Since you know... you're gonna lose."

With a hand gesture, she motioned for him to follow her. Time to try another stall!

“Which one did you like best? The beefsteak or the kebab?”

Up ahead was a steam bun vendor. They had savory ground Bantha steamed buns, sweet red bean, ground shaak roast and chive, tuber and cheese, and a spicy peno cheese version.

 

[Aris Noble]

"Looser has to cook the other's favorite meal for them."

Aris nodded once. If she wasn't going to choose, this was the best choice in his mind. They'd both already spoken about their love for food, so it'd be a fun way to at least learn more of each other, right? He took another bite, smiling happily as he did. This one. "This." He motioned to the one he was currently still chewing. He certainly preferred this one the most. He chewed and swallowed before glancing to the nearby vendor. Steamed buns. He could smell it, over the scent of meat in his hand. He finished off the skewer before taking Zaiya's hand to pull her along.

"These next!"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

“Deal!” Zaiya replied with an excited bounce, gleefully finishing up the kebob before pondering what steam bun to get. Honestly, even if she lost - which she totally wouldn’t - making Aris Noble ‘s favorite meal was a massive win in of itself. They’ll be able to chat as she made it and then eat together. Maybe play a game after?

Really, it would be a great hang out time regardless.

“Alright, let’s talk buns,” Zaiya murmured in conspiratory tones once she finished swallowing and cleaned up her hands with the napkin. Leaning close, her joy and excitement radiated from her body, colors dancing in her musing.

It was a great idea to share.

“Do you like spicy food?” She asked, eyeballing the cheese and spicy pepper one.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris was momentarily surprised by the sudden drop in her voice. What was- Was there a problem with buns? It took a moment before he realized she was just being silly, and he smiled. Grinned, even. Their bet had been confirmed, so now it was just time to focus on the food. He glanced over the buns, letting the scents fill his mind. His brow did twitch, just a little, as he caught the spicier scent.

"I can.. Try it, yes. We should get one of each."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Zaiya gave a giggle, "I like the way you think!" With a delighted shoulder shimmy and a ripple of a golden glow, Zaiya excitedly turned to the Houk vendor.

"One of each, please!" She took her satchel carefully counted out the credits, and paid for them since Aris paid for the previous treats. Turning towards Aris Noble , she said as an afterthought, brightening in a flash of teals and bright yellows, "Oh, we should get something else to drink too!"

While the Houk joyfully began to grab a steam bun of each, Zaiya turned to Aris, "Is there something you don't like to eat?"

 

[Aris Noble]

"Spicy things, usually. I overtaste a lot of the spicier food so it just.. Burns, rather than taste okay."

He understood the purpose of spices, but his tongue couldn't handle it to say the least. Maybe one day. He helped to gather up the buns, keeping them on a tray of a sorts so they could continue to explore. And drink. Drink was going to be very helpful if the spicier bun turned out to be pushing his limits with it. He glanced to one, the one that smelled of meat, and grinned just a little as he plucked one up to take a bite. And hummed his delight almost immediately. It tasted good. Really good.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Zaiya's eyes widened, her hues shifting in alarm. "Oh! Okay, then yeah, let's grab something to drink first before you try the spicy bun," she immediately suggested to Aris Noble , her voice filled with concern. But her worry quickly melted away as she watched his delighted expression and heard his hum of pleasure as he savored the ground bantha bun.

"You really enjoy eating food. I like it," Zaiya remarked, vibrant, luminescent tones dancing over her skin in affirmation. "I can tell it makes you happy. Content."

There was a brief pause, and then Zaiya flushed, grabbing the Shaak roast and chive bun, an embarrassed coral tone painting her patterns as she realized her words might have sounded strange. "Sorry if that sounded weird," she apologized, then immediately took a massive bite out of the bun to keep her mouth occupied before she could say something awkward again.

 

[Aris Noble]

"You second guess yourself a lot."

Aris took another bite of his bun, watching her. The drink was going to help a lot with the fact he couldn't handle spice all that well, but he was more focused on how embarrassed she got, again, about how weird or forward or something she sounded. It didn't make a lot of sense in his mind. There was no reason for her to feel that way, at least with him. At least in his mind.

"It didn't sound weird. How's the bun?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Aris Noble 's words hit home for Zaiya. She was indeed prone to second-guessing herself, a fact that only deepened her embarrassment. The coral hue of her markings darkened as she chewed, cheeks puffing out from the large bites of the bun. The savory taste of the Shaak roast and chive bun offered a distraction, but she was still blushing.

After swallowing, Zaiya shifted on her heels, gathering her thoughts before responding. She glanced down at her bun, finding solace in discussing its flavors. "This is really tasty," she began, describing the blend of chive and shaak roast spices, offering it to Aris. "It's not spicy as in hot spicy, just really flavorful. I think you'd like it too."

But her need to explain herself persisted. "Yeah, I do second-guess myself a lot," she admitted, her tone tinged with self-awareness. "Sometimes what I say or do might come across as weird to others, and I don't want to make them uncomfortable." She gestured to her face with a self-deprecating chuckle regarding the color-shifting or her need to stay close.

"I tend to wear my emotions very openly, you know? It's not because I mean it in a strange way, I just can't help but express what I'm feeling or thinking, whether it's fascination or concern." Perhaps, she reflected, it was her innate connection to the Force all this time that allowed her to pick up on and respond to others' emotions so readily.

 

[Aris Noble]

"That makes sense." Aris nodded slowly. It was one thing for her to visibly wear her emotions, another for her to just be open about them anyway. Still, she did second guess a lot of things, even after what he said. Was that just because of how she was raised? Was this because of her life away from her people? He leaned over, stealing a bite of the chive fulled bun as he watched her again. Really watched her, the colors that rippled over her skin. He'd learned some things just by interacting with her, but should he learn more? Actually try to learn what they all meant?

Or should he not, less that actually make her uncomfortable?

"You don't make me uncomfortable. So.. You don't have to doubt yourself with me. And if you do, I'll just remind you that you don't have to, until you can believe it." Aris nodded once. That would have to do. He plucked up another of the buns, this one veggie filled, and took a bite.

"This one's really good too."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

As Aris Noble leaned in to take a bite of the bun, Zaiya's grin widened, her iridescent blue eyes sparkling with joy. She was thrilled that Aris felt comfortable enough to share food with her just like that, not at all perturbed by his close proximity.

When Aris assured her that she didn't make him uncomfortable, Zaiya's cheeks flushed with a mixture of abashed happiness, her light blue hues deepening in vibrancy. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to her, and her patterns shimmered with a soft golden glow, reflecting her uplifted spirits. The longer she spent with him, the more comfortable she became.

"Okay... thank you, that means a lot," She confessed with a shy smile, adding, "You don't make me uncomfortable either. I like you and I think you are a lot of fun." He was slowly giving her a bit more confidence. Allowing her to express herself a bit more freely without the fear she had in the past of making someone uncomfortable with her desire to get closer. With a playful sway, she rocked back on her heels, taking another bite of the bun with renewed enthusiasm. This time, the Lovalla teenager fully enjoyed the savory flavors as they danced on her tongue, and her skin radiated with an even brighter luminescence.

"It is really good!" she exclaimed in agreement, her voice filled with excitement as she gave a little shoulder shimmy, the bangles on her wrists chiming softly. Taking a cue from Aris, Zaiya leaned in with a mischievous grin, stealing a bite of her own. With a mouthful of bun and a muffled giggle, she covered her mouth and gave a waggle of her brows. Teal darkened the pale blues in mirth, and the colorful girl gave a hum of pleasure. Yup, freshly seemed bun, ground meat, perfectly seasoned and fluffy as a cloud.

Swallowing, she admitted, "It is hard to pick a favorite... and we still have a few more buns!" she mulled aloud, amber tones of contemplation dancing over her skin as she tapped her chin.

"Okay, let's go get that drink and try the rest before we look for something else. Do you want to try something sweet or continue with the savory or salty, tangy route?"

 

[Aris Noble]

There was a long, quiet pause as Aris suddenly realized that, perhaps, he could have in fact been the one to make her uncomfortable. Throughout all of their talks he hadn't even considered that his own forwardness could be. Was he even being forward? Too much? He ended up snickering as he watched her take a bite. He'd figure that out, eventually, if what he was saying was actually too much. But for Zaiya and him? It seemed to work fine.

He wasn't about to start second guessing.

"I think one of these is.. Blue bean paste? I believe it's supposed to be sweet." A dessert, by what the sign had said. He shrugged indifferently before glancing around to find a place to sit with her. They needed to sit for all of this.

"Drink. I think they have buba tea? I think that sounds good to try."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

"Okay, let's polish off these buns and then grab some buba tea," she proposed, twirling gracefully on the ball of her foot before playfully nudging him with her shoulder. Despite the significant height difference, she didn't hesitate to engage in a bit of playful banter with Aris Noble now that he told her she didn't have to doubt herself with him.

As they continued to share these moments, Zaiya's demeanor exuded joy and contentment, the vibrancy of her skin only continuing to brighten. Her increased physical closeness and playful touches conveyed her comfort and enjoyment of Aris's company. It was clear that she was having a wonderful time.

"Then we can find a cozy spot to enjoy the rest," she suggested, already looking forward to the next part of their little adventure. It was a simple plan, but it promised more delightful moments together, and Zaiya couldn't wait. Especially for the part where the satchels of powdered color were tossed around.

"I think I remember passing an area that had a bunch of seats." Zaiya added from earlier, when they had bought their first round of buba tea earlier.

"So tell me more about your family. What are your siblings like? Are they close to your age too?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Buba tea was certainly something new for Aris. The milk tea earlier was good, so.. Was this one going to be just as good? Slight changes in taste were quite a bit for him. At least they weren't spicy, though. He glanced to Zaiya, trying to gauge how she felt about the addition that was put in as he finished off another of the buns. Well half of it, before casually offering Zaiya the other. A different meat. Fish, he figured.

"Vera is close to my age. I think she's technically older? We decided to share her birthday since I didn't know mine, but she does like to say I'm her little brother." Was it because Vera was shorter? Maybe. He didn't put much thought into that at least. "Colette's the oldest. I don't talk to her enough. Then there's the triplets. Aeryn and Adam are really close. We're sure they have a Force Bond only twins can have. Aurra though, she doesn't seem to have a connection to the Force. And then there's Eryx. He was just born."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

As they strolled along in search of a Buba tea vendor, Zaiya graciously accepted the bun that Aris Noble offered. With a curious expression, she took a bite, quickly identifying the flavor as fish. Chewing thoughtfully, her focus shifted to Aris and the intriguing details he shared about his siblings. The idea of having so many brothers and sisters seemed both grand and surreal to her.

A pensive frown crossed her face, casting her patterns in a deep amber hue. "Wait, why don't you know your own birthday? Your parents should know, right?" she asked innocently, unaware of the potential sensitivity of the topic for Aris. But that was the nature of friendship - navigating the unknown territories of each other's lives, never quite certain which questions might touch upon something uncomfortable.

 

[Aris Noble]

"I wasn't born, I was made."

Aris tilted his head. Had he not explained that? He might not have, but he wasn't bothered by the admission. Instead he lifted up his tea, sipping it gently. It was certainly a different flavor. He didn't mind it, by the smile on his face.

"The tea is good."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

The concept of cloning wasn't familiar to Zaiya. So when Aris Noble said he wasn't born, but was made, made Zaiya cant her head in mild confusion, soft grey hues rippling over her mottled spots and patterns before melding into a dark amber tone of contemplation. "Oh, like your parents transferred you into an artificial womb because something happened?"

At least Zaiya was familiar with the utilization of lifesaving cybernetic or medical devices to increase the chances of survival of fetuses. Since Aris didn't seemed bothered, she only assumed that could be the case. She also took a sip of the tea and nodded in delight. "It is good! Hmm... I'm not sure which tastes better, this one or the milk tea from earlier?"

Just will have to drink some more to find out.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked slowly. There was a pause, confusion. Transferred into an artificial womb? He didn't know how exactly that worked, it wasn't something in his studies, but the surprise was mostly that she didn't seem to understand what he was saying. "I'm a clone. My father made me when he was much younger, and I awoke about thirteen years ago when I wasn't supposed to. Him and my mom decided to adopt me because of it. Technically I wasn't supposed to be alive."

It was a fact he felt nothing actually about. For him, it was no different than just being born. For him it was just a moment, and one he probably wouldn't remember as he grew older more than the facts he was listing. But for his parents? It was everything. "I like the milk tea more, myself. This one is slightly more bitter, and it just.. Stands out, to me."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

​

Zaiya gave a few blinks in a double take, her colorful head tilting to the right as she processed that bit of information Aris Noble told her. A clone? she'd heard about them before; in her history and biology courses, they went over them, but she hadn't ever met a clone before.

It was surreal. Not because it was odd for Aris to be one but more because Zaiya was surprised. Then again, how does one even know if one is a clone or what would be a tell for that?

"Oh." The medley of colors shifting over her expression indicated that Zaiya was thinking a lot. "A clone of who?" Aris said that his father made him when his dad was younger—"Wait, like a clone of your dad?"

Then, to top it off, he casually mentioned that he wasn't even supposed to be alive. That.... was such a scary and awful prospect! Yes, she just met Aris, but she hoped to become really good friends.

No, wait, that is such a greedy thought, Zaiya. Aris should be alive because he has the right to be alive, not just because you want to have a friend.

Abashed embarrassment at her selfish thoughts made Zaiya flush, and she took a sip of her tea to gather her bearings again. "Yeah, this one is a bit more bitter... maybe it is type of tea?" she followed up, only to then go back to the topic of him being a clone.

"... Does that mean that technically... you are exactly like your dad?" now she was curious.

"In everything?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris nodded. He was indeed a clone of his father. He looked back to his tea, smiling as he sipped that again. For him, the tea mattered far more than what could have been, what he was, any of it. He was enjoying tea with a friend, exploring new foods. He hadn't been happier than now, short of being with his family. "I think it's the lack of milk, compared to the other. A lack of sweetness to offset the bitter."

He paused, though, before glancing back to Zaiya with a brow raised. "Usually, yes. But dad made me different from him. His body was really.. Ruined, by his upbringing. He made me with the intent that I'd be what he thought was perfect at the time, so he could have a new body."

Zaiya Ceti