Private Catching Up

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Valery's apartment
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Tag: Aayla Shan

Catching up with Aayla had been something on Valery's to-do list for a little while now, but they both were busy women so this wasn't always the easiest to arrange. But when the message came that her friend was pregnant, she could no longer justify pushing it back any further, and an invitation was sent to Aayla to invite her over to the apartment on Empress Teta.

Kahlil was out there doing Jedi business, so it was just going to be the two of them and well... Vera was home, too. Aayla had been crucial in keeping the young Noble safe during her pregnancy, but she hadn't actually seen the baby yet.

"Mommy's friend will be here soon, sweetie," Valery said as she sat on the couch with Vera, who was happily playing with some of her toys. Soon, she'd be old enough to go to school, and that was a terrifying thing. Then Jedi training too...

Valery sighed softly to herself, "Time is flying by too quickly."

Then, she simply waited for her friend, excited to see her again.

 

[Aayla Shan]

Empress Teta, she hadn't been there in quite a long time, this time opting to fly her Fat Cat Stealth transport instead of her interceptor. It had checked out, and wasn't tampered with in anyway, a true gift from the Elysium Empire. She had made a note to stop by there at some point, and perhaps thank the Grand Admiral personally at some point, though she would get through her pregnancy first. Aayla walked with a backpack with a few changes of clothes on her back, and held a cake in her hands. Still safely in her first trimester, she wasn't to the point of being bed stricken.

Knowing her she would need to be tied to a bed to actually pay attention to such a Doctors order anyway. Someone held the door for her, and she would eventually be at Valery's turning and using her shoulder to bump the chime for her apartment, simply waiting for an answer after that. She made sure her face was visible, as her hair was dyed black at the moment, and probably not what Valery was expecting.

"Heeeey"

She cooed at the camera attached, grinning in excitement to say Valery as well.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Valery's apartment
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Tag: Aayla Shan

"Mommy! Dada!"

Valery chuckled as Vera responded to the doorbell ringing. It meant Aayla was there but to Vera, the noise usually meant her parents were coming home, so that's likely why she said what she did. "One moment, sweetheart," Valery said as she got up and looked at the camera feed to make sure it was her friend.

Black hair, huh.

With a grin of her own, she opened the door and almost instantly stepped out to pull her friend into a hug, "Hey you, it's been too long! Hope you've been well? And what's up with the hair?" Oh yeah, the questions were coming quick, and Valery's grin did little to hide the excitement.

 

[Aayla Shan]

She had to pull some acrobatics to not smush the cake, and would take the hug with a grin. By the Force, she couldn't tell Valery had a child at all. Save for the little girl surely lurking about nearby.

"Hey you, it's been too long! Hope you've been well? And what's up with the hair?"

She shook her head, looking up at it as if she was surprised herself, before breaking out into laughter.

"Trying to look like you. Kidding, it was for work before I figured out.. You know"

Aayla's eyes scanned to the left, inadvertently looking inside the apartment. Her eyes rested on Vera and she gasped aloud.

"Who is that? Is that Vera?"

Aayla asked in surprise, not even thinking twice about entering and placing the cake down on the counter before crouching down in front of mini-Valery.

"You look just like your Mommy..."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Valery's apartment
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Tag: Aayla Shan

Valery chuckled at the joke and pulled back from the hug, clearly still happy judging by the smile on her face. But that's also when she noticed the cake, and began to smile more apologetically — she had almost crushed it. Before she could say anything, though, Aayla had looked past Valery and spotted a little Noble inside the apartment.

"Mhm, that's her," Valery followed Aayla inside and just watched the woman get closer.

"You look just like your Mommy..."

It was as if the word alone triggered something because Vera started squealing and flinging around her arms a little. She was always an energetic little kid, much like Valery once was.

"She does have my eyes, but I have a feeling she'll end up more like her dad," Valery smirked and walked over to Vera to gently lift her up and cradle her into her arms. "She's extremely fond of him."

Then, she had a thought and looked over at her friend with a smirk, "Would you like to hold her?" Valery then asked as she offered her daughter. "Get some practice in before it's too late~" she teased, as her eyes went down to Aayla's stomach.

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla burst out into laughter at Vera's glee, glancing back up at the table with a curious gaze before her silvers rested back on the youngling. She put a quizzical, curled finger under her chin as if she was deep in thought about something.

"I think YOU should ask Mommy if you can have some Chocolate cake, do you like Chocolate?"

Then, she had a thought and looked over at her friend with a smirk, "Would you like to hold her?" Valery then asked as she offered her daughter. "Get some practice in before it's too late~" she teased, as her eyes went down to Aayla's stomach.

She fell back a step briefly, almost like she had forgotten about that. Though it was very slightly beginning to show. She couldn't even manage the response, only staring at Valery with widened pools of mercury. A few accepting nods given instead, she carefully held Vera, smirking and feeling a sudden influx of warmth, maybe even excitement. Aayla was just grinning like an idiot at that point. It was hard to believe she was going to have a miniature her running around...

She just hoped her kid wasn't like her when it came to following directions, or she was going to be in for it. Though Aayla wouldn't worry about that right now. She was on vacation! Not entirely happy about it, but thankful for some time to reflect without being necessarily responsible for whatever lunatic Sith had their designs and plans set this year. Speaking of which, she had a few things to question Valery on. And a few to congratulate her on. Beyond that, she also had some troubling news for Valery, though she regretted having to inform her now. It could wait.

"Cake?" She asked Valery, then turned to Vera, leaning back as she held her for a better look. "Cake?"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Valery's apartment
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Tag: Aayla Shan

Valery was all smiles as Aayla laughed and messed around with her daughter a little. So much so, that the comment about chocolate cake completely went over her head. Vera, naturally, was just grinning, nodding, and flailing her arms about in excitement. She sure liked the idea of chocolate cake, it seemed!

Wait what-

The brunette blinked as the question about chocolate cake finally registered, and her first thoughts went to the absolute mess her daughter would make when given such a treat. But... seeing her little girl smile made her heart melt instantly, so when she handed her over to Aayla, she also decided chocolate cake was going to be fine.

Actually seeing Aayla holding her daughter quickly made her smile wide again too — her friend was awfully quiet all of a sudden, and the big grin on her face likely showed how excited she was to have a kid of her own. Which also reminded her...

"Chocolate cake will be fine, but not on the couch," Valery said with a dip of her head before she glanced down at Aayla's stomach. Almost instantly, a smirk began to form and she began to look her friend over the way she once had when Valery was getting visibly pregnant.

"Hmm... you're going to need some new clothes soon. Before it's too late," she teased. Of course, nothing was really visible yet but it was just too much fun to mess with Aayla.

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla offered Vera a surprised gasp, smiling at the little girls own glee. Though would move to give her back to Valery before turning and glancing around the kitchen.

"Plates?"

She asked, turning back to Valery to await the response.

"Chocolate cake will be fine, but not on the couch," Valery said with a dip of her head before she glanced down at Aayla's stomach. Almost instantly, a smirk began to form and she began to look her friend over the way she once had when Valery was getting visibly pregnant.

"What?"

Aayla asked innocently, smiling as she stood there. Brimming with excitement but containing it well. Not wanting to seem too giddy although she was.

"Hmm... you're going to need some new clothes soon. Before it's too late,"

"Yeah, yeah I wasn't even thinking... We can talk about it later. Some of what what I got is probably not the best conversation for eating, or uhm... Tiny penguins?"

She tried to sneak that bit past Vera, while also letting Valery know they indeed had some serious conversation afoot. If Valery offered her the location of the plates, she would've cut a slice for everyone, and doled them out accordingly. Only giving Vera a sliver, aware she likely wouldn't eat too much. Then sat at the dining table, becoming slightly somber, but also maintaining the image of happiness for Vera's sake.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Valery's apartment
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Tag: Aayla Shan

At Aayla's gasp, Valery rolled her eyes but the woman's lips were still curled up into a smirk — how couldn't they be? One of her closest, most-trusted friends and her daughter were laughing and smiling, so she was joining them in their fun. But now that they decided on chocolate cake, Valery took back her daughter and gently swayed her around while Aayla grabbed some plates.

"What?"

Aayla asked innocently, smiling as she stood there. Brimming with excitement but containing it well. Not wanting to seem too giddy although she was.

Valery waggled her brows in response and just grinned at her friend, clearly excited about it all too. Of course, she hoped Aayla's pregnancy was going to be a lot easier, but she felt quite confident about that — she had her partner close, and much like Valery, she also had friends who would help take care of her.

Valery was definitely one of them.

"But yes, let's talk about it later," she added, noticing the shift in the way Aayla spoke, and judging by what she said, a less pleasant topic was going to come up. It didn't bother her much to help Aayla with those things, but she certainly didn't want Vera to be in the room with them.

"Let's go eat our cake, and then I'll bring Vera to bed for her nap." With the girl in her lap, Valery sat down and made sure Vera didn't make a complete mess out of herself and her clothing. While this was a tough task, the little Noble managed to get through her cake and when all was finished, Valery licked her thumb and began cleaning up her little girl's cheek.

"Do you and your partner have a place where you'll be staying already? Or still in the process of sorting everything out?"

 

[Aayla Shan]

They ate, and Aayla enjoyed her time, small talking Valery about the little ins and odds of her adventuring so far, although business sat at the back of her mind. There were things to talk about, and things she wanted to get off her chest. Master Dragovalor had taught her to expel emotion, rather than quell it. Expelling her emotions didn't always have to be in violence, although she had fallen for such tropes in the past.

Valery waggled her brows in response and just grinned at her friend, clearly excited about it all too. Of course, she hoped Aayla's pregnancy was going to be a lot easier, but she felt quite confident about that — she had her partner close, and much like Valery, she also had friends who would help take care of her.

Damn, the woman had seen her at some of her most desperate moments, and she still smiled at her that way. Had she ever told Valery at one point she had a huge crush on the woman? No, not at all. She would probably never admit that, seeing no reason too. Even then it never started as a physical thing. Just her persona. How she carried herself. What Jedi wouldn't aspire to that? She was like Romi Jade, or Master Sinvala... Even Master Ayres, may the Force rest her soul.

Yet herself... Aayla felt a certain sorrow for having to be the barer of bad news, but when the council okayed her leave of absence, the Shadows had some stipulations, and this was one of them.

She didn't finish her cake.

There were a few bites left when she rested the plate down, still keeping up appearances for the youngling. Having a sudden waking fever dream of some criminal bursting in the apartment. Worst mistake you've ever made, Schutta...

"Do you and your partner have a place where you'll be staying already? Or still in the process of sorting everything out?"

She almost didn't catch it, but her silver pools would snap on Valery's own eyes of fire well after she spoke.

"No, no... Uhm. I haven't really... I haven't really thought of bothering him with it. Not yet anyway. I was thinking of going on vacation actually. I was hoping you would join. Canto Bight? The beaches are amazing."

Aayla said, nodding a bit after speaking, clearly, she had been thinking of it for some time.

"I'll get some swimwear before I start bursting out of my clothes."

Aayla watched Valery clean Vera's cheek, then her eyes faltered to the remnants of her cake. This life was a hard one. And yet she persisted. Master Sakadi had dented her pride inadvertently. Or perhaps on purpose, who knew.

"Though I suppose that would be lacking discipline... And structure."

She repeated the words she had heard not even a week prior, so taken aback that she didn't realize she had said it aloud. Staring at her cake, and trailing off mentally.

Valery Noble