Private Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives

[Aris Noble]

"He's not anymore, from what I heard. He went to focus on his schooling to be a doctor."

Which was weird that Colette didn't know. Or was it? He didn't really get the whole dating versus not dating versus having once dated versus marriage versus whatever it was he was feeling for Zaiya. He paused his sipping at that last thought before frowning deeply.

"I don't get relationships. Did you know that for Zovalla it's physically tied to their well being? To the extent that if they're separated for too long, they die. Their colors dim and they die. They're not supposed to have feelings for non-Zovalla either, since that level of bond is something they can only form between each other. Or at least that's how it's supposed to be. It's- I think Zaiya might form something like that with me." He paused for a moment. He knew it, deep down, that she was in her own way forming such a bond. It didn't change how alarming it was.

"Is it.. Wrong for me to want that? I- Don't want her to, because we'll never be able to always be around each other. But I do, because- .. I don't even know why I just- .. I'm rambling."

There was mild surprise in his voice at the admission. He was rambling. He'd never rambled before.

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

Her head twisted ever so slightly to the side as her brows sunk in confusion. Nobody had told her that Shan left, and given that it was part of the exact reason Colette had chosen to end things it made sense that he wouldn't tell her.

But he had said it was in years, not…

Colette let out a sigh of frustration and shook her head. This wasn't about her, this was about Aris and Zaiya. She looked at the bundle of nerves across the table and gave him a warm smile.

"She told me about it, yeah." She nodded at him. "I think you're smart to be cautious. If that bond is formed, and if being apart can cause death, then you need to make sure you understand what that means."

And he was like… Fourteen, right? Who in their right minds would do something like get married at fourteen?

"But, if you worry that she is forming this band, you will also need to tell her with very precise words that you are scared of being the reason she might die if you haven't already. This can't be one of those moments with soft words that people in the galaxy likes to use. You have to be upfront, honest, and just tell her exactly what you feel and why."

 

[Aris Noble]

"Okay. That I can do."

He finally set down his drink, instead reaching out to take up a fry to munch on. "What about you, though? You were- upset. About Shan, I think? something with him, given how you sighed. Do you want to talk about it?"

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

Colette let out another sigh.

"It was why we broke up. I didn't want the same thing he wanted. He wanted a house, some kind of… Orphanage." She sighed, yet again again. "I support being a doctor, but I don't like the idea of being able to 'own' land, or with not being a Jedi first."

"I… Take my duty as a force sensitive being very seriously. My ability to use the force means I have to be there for others before myself. Not as a doctor but as someone who can do what many others can't."

 

[Aris Noble]

"Part of what we're taught as Jedi though is to not use the Force where we don't have to, right? Isn't him becoming a doctor just giving him the knowledge and tools to heal people without the Force first?"

That's what he was focusing on. The idea of owning land being a problem, or the orphanage, any of that, he had no real opinion on. Logic, he could do. Colette and Shan were happy. Neither were miserable when they stopped dating. That was all that mattered.

".. What is it, to be with someone like that?"

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

This was her brother and yet she had to keep from getting angry — undeservedly so — at him for pointing out a truth. Her eyes shifted to the side. She felt the way they wanted to roll at his words but kept from doing so.

Anyone could become a doctor, extremely few could become the best healer there was. The force didn't just shuffle bones and marrow back into place willy-nilly, to heal someone with the force was quite literally to ask the architect of a creature to please put something back together good as new and he had decided that he wanted to forsake that for the sake of making play-believe that he wasn't unlike most others in a galaxy where such a feat was nothing short of a miracle. It was wasteful, it was despicable, and more than anything it meant that she was left alone without one of the people she admired the most in this order.

"It's painful." Colette sighed and looked back at Aris. "And beautiful too."

"You live a life together with someone, and you get to know each other really well. It means learning about who they are when no one else sees. It also means the parts you didn't want to learn about."

"I'm not really the best to ask. I wasn't even aware of any of this until Shan came along."

 

[Aris Noble]

"That's more than I know."

He could ask their parents, but, part of him didn't want to? What a weird thought. He'd always ask mom and dad anything, but there was some emotion churning through his head at the idea of asking them. What was it? He wasn't sure, but it was one he'd eventually handle so he could ask them. Painful and beautiful, though. That seemed like an accurate definition.

"Do you miss it?"

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

"Of course." Colette mumbled with a frown. "Shan understood me, he just didn't want what I wanted. I would have still been with him if it wasn't because it'd be wrong to hold on to something like that. Something you knew would just lead to pain for both."

"We're still friends, we still talk — or talked. I want nothing but the best for him, even if everyone else seems to assume I would be in tears or something." She shrugged and took a bite of a fry. "He's a good man. He deserves all the happiness in the world. I just can't give him what he will want in the long run."

"Children. A home. Something stable. I don't want that."

"... I want to struggle and strive for tomorrow. I want to forage just enough food to live another day. Go thirsty and hungry with a purpose. I enjoy constantly being on the road. I want to see sights and vistas that no-one else will ever see. I don't want to have a home, I want wherever I am to be home."

"Saying you own something is bad for the soul. It locks you in. It makes you care more about it than anything else. I don't want that."

 

[Aris Noble]

"It sounds like you both made the healthy choice, then." Logical, but not cold logic. What they wanted for their lives was too different to properly share their lives. He couldn't think of a compromise of it either. It'd be to a point that it'd hurt them both.

"Do you hope to find someone, anyway, though?"

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

"Of course." Colette nodded and looked at her plate of food. Still too much for her, but she'd manage the burger at least.

"I never really thought it was for me, you know? But Shan showed me wrong." She frowned and grabbed another fry. "My people, where I was from, were very into uhh… I think people out here call it you-genes. Eugene? You-gencks. It's… One of those stupid big words."

"I still have that drilled into my head, but somehow he slipped past all of that. If someone else can manage that as well, then… I don't know? Maybe?"

"Why do you ask?"

 

[Aris Noble]

"Curiosity. I don't really get these feelings or what they mean. The fact you don't either is relieving." He glanced to his now empty plate before he reached again for his drink, humming in thought. In truth, he still didn't know what to think. Or do now. He was happy to have her here with him, eating lunch, talking. But he wasn't the best conversationalist.

"So.. What'd you think?"

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

A cough parted Colette's lips.

"I think the grease is going to disagree with me on the way out." She groaned as she began to move over and grab the last piece of burger from her plate. "It's great, but I just… It's so much, and I can't just waste food."

She felt her throat grumble for a moment and she looked over at Aris.

"You want some more fries?" She asked. "A growing boy always needs their fries, right?"

"Right? Please?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked in surprise. Then, actually laughed. This wasn't a side of Colette he'd expected. Not wasting food, absolutely. But to think she'd rather eat it all now than store it for later. He reached over, taking up the fries to munch on just to avoid that reality. For her, of course, not because he could still eat a few fries even though it'd break his allotted diet.

"Since you asked so nicely, sis, I suppose I can."

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

"Love you, brother." Colette beamed a happy smile at Aris. "I know we could take it with us, but soggy fries are… Not my thing. We could have gone to McYoda's if we wanted that, eh?"

She reached her greasy hand across the table with her palm facing up. An invitation for Aris to grab it, a very rare offering from Colette who was ever so reserved to being touched, and especially when it came to having her hand grabbed.

"I really appreciated that you brough me here, okay?" She smiled. "We should do it again."

She squeezed the kid's hand and let him go before taking one more sip from her waning drink.

"Maybe if I find a new sushi place I'll show you how to eat raw fish!"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked in surprise, but smiled as he reached out in turn to hold her hand. He knew how rare this was from Colette. He didn't say much in response though, mostly because he was always quiet. But still, he smiled and nodded his head in agreement.

"I think I'd like sushi. I bet there's probably a place here in Niv Hani that serves it."

Colette

 

[Colette]

Aris Noble

"Oh, it's great! I can eat twice what I ate now if it's sushi." Colette spoke eagerly, her jaw clenching ever so slightly as her mouth began to water. "The fatty fish, the gentle spiciness of the green paste… And don't forget the pickled ginger, or the soy."

"And the chopsticks, too!" She didn't notice the way she gave off a little happy dance in her seat. "We are going to have A LOT of fun that day."

"And then if you like it we can do it again, and again. Like sushi siblings!"