Private Family Ties

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry your luggage?" Aiden asked with a teasing grin. She had been oddly secretive about her luggage from the moment she had started packing, so he knew something was up with it. For that reason alone, he'd offer to help her carry it, seemingly just to be a helpful boyfriend, but all he wanted to do was figure it out, and tease her about it. Both because it was funny to poke a little at her, and because he enjoyed the distraction. They were currently on their way to visit his parents, and while that should have been the most normal thing in the Galaxy, it wasn't.

His history with his parents was... complicated.

Up until he left for the military, Aiden's relationship with his parents had been very good. But after the events on Selvaris, he had kept contact minimal beyond some updates to make sure that they knew he was still alive. He just couldn't handle the thought that his own Mom would have seen him the way he was after the ambush, and the more he had pushed back meeting her, the more difficult it became.

But now, he had someone with him he could lean on, and he finally felt like both their lives were in an upswing after another series of unfortunate events. At least, he felt like he could show his mother a genuine smile this time.

"Are you nervous about meeting them?" Aiden asked with a tilt of his head, "My Mom will love you, and my Dad will... well, he's fairly stoic. I'm sure he'll be supportive, though," Aiden said with a dip of his head.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek
​

"I already told you I've got this," Briana responded with a touch of exasperation, her grip on her suitcase handle growing firmer as she tried to project a sternness in her expression. She thought it was convincing, mostly, despite the traitorous mirth that danced at the corners of her lips. "I'm more than capable of handling my own luggage."

It was an unusual stance for her. Aiden's nature often led him to insist on carrying the heavier loads, an act that she normally allowed with an appreciative smile. But this wasn't an ordinary situation. During her outing with Valery a few weeks back, she'd picked up something special with this very day in mind. A secret that was hers to reveal when she was ready, and one she intended to keep until then. No matter how much he prodded and pushed.

Briana did, however, take a step closer to him — twining her free hand with his and giving it a squeeze. She'd known him long enough to recognize his tics when he was nervous, even when he covered it up under the guise of playful teasing. Making the decision to come home after years of isolation wasn't easy, and in her own way, she understood. Away from his family, Aiden could maintain the illusion of unchanged normality, a world free from disappointment or expectations. Away from them, he could preserve the memory of the eighteen-year-old who had left his family, unscathed by the trials of life.

Though Briana couldn't predict their reactions, from the fond stories that Aiden told her, she could tell his parents held a deep affection for their only son. She couldn't fathom a circumstance that would cause them to turn him away and was certain they'd just be happy that he'd survived and was coming home to them now.

Still, she played ignorant of his anxieties for his benefit, trying to make this reunion easier on him by using small, meaningful actions to try and convey her support. To let him know that she was here for him and that he wasn't alone, regardless of what happened during their visit.

"Are you nervous about meeting them?" Aiden asked with a tilt of his head, "My Mom will love you, and my Dad will... well, he's fairly stoic. I'm sure he'll be supportive, though," Aiden said with a dip of his head.

"A little bit yes, but it's nothing I can't handle," Briana smiled. Though in truth, her nerves were on edge as well. The Sal-Soren name was as respected as it was feared on Corellia, and the recent controversy with her father was far-reaching.

While she hadn't spent as much time with her father's family as she had with her mother's, she knew them well enough to know that most Corellians brimmed with an unmatchably fierce pride, one that was unknown to other peoples of the galaxy. Often times, they were just as strongly opinionated as they were passionate. Despite Aiden's reassurances, she couldn't suppress a flutter of worry. How would they react to their erstwhile son bringing home the daughter of a known terrorist? She pushed out the thoughts, meeting his gaze with warmth and affection. "Besides, I'm more excited to meet the people responsible for raising such an amazing person."

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

"Mmhmm," Aiden almost purred when she got defensive over her luggage. It had never been an issue to her before that he'd offer to carry things for her, so he knew something was up. Not that he'd voice that aloud. He much preferred to play along with this little game of hers and see where it would go. Knowing her, it would be the kind of surprise he wouldn't want to miss. It made him almost tempted to just take the luggage from her to find out. But, for now, he controlled those urges.

Patience is a virtue.

"We're almost there," Aiden said after a few minutes of walking. Briana had shuffled closer to take his hand, and while Aiden tried not to make it too obvious, he appreciated it. He had asked her if she was nervous, and it only made sense that she would be a little anxious, but none of this was easy on him either. He knew that Briana knew this, so he only loved her even more for not prodding him about it. Some things were better handled quietly, with knowing gestures.

Aiden squeezed her hand in return and smiled to let her know.

"I'm glad you're excited. They're good people and I'd like for you to get along with them." Not that he had any doubt about it. Briana was naturally very likable, and his parents could tell a good partner from a bad one. Everything was going to be alright, and realizing that just made all of this more exciting.

He was coming home again.

"You'll get to see my old room, too. Knowing Mom, she left it just the way it was when I left for the army." He smiled for a moment, then blinked and internally panicked. Before taking Briana up there, he'd have to go through it himself. Remove some old posters and... things.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek​

There was a particular glint in her eyes that was impossible to miss when he'd made the comment about his old room, head angling just enough to be able to glance up at him through her kohl-stained lashes.

"Oh, I'm definitely looking forward to that," she teased, a hint of amusement lacing her words. "I vaguely recall what teenage Aiden was like, so I'm guessing there will at least be some posters of starships and...famous pilots, perhaps?" The smile she gave him was nothing short of feline, noting that brief flicker of internal panic that passed over his features. There was a strong temptation to pull at that thread some more and unravel it. Yet, she opted to let the moment breathe and linger in that playful tension. It was their way, after all. A means to navigate the complex emotions that landed somewhere between eager anticipation and taut nerves.

As they walked, Briana took in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood, trying to imagine what it was like for Aiden to grow up here, playing in these streets with his friends, organizing make-believe battles and climbing trees, filled with freedom and simple joys. A stark contrast to her more sheltered, regal upbringing.

There'd been carefree moments, of course, but they were few and fleeting. By the time she was ten, she'd given up her keepsake chest to her aunt, Alora Ee'everwest . A ritual all heirs of the Ee'everwest family performed at the age of investiture to show that they'd accepted their childhood was over. It wasn't long after that when she delivered her first formal speech. The idea of growing up in such a private and quiet way was foreign, and Briana hoped they would have a lot of stories to tell her, ones that might make her come away with a deeper understanding of him.

Nearing the Rennek household, Briana took a deep breath, steadying herself.

They'd faced down Sith and assassins, stood firm against overwhelming odds. Coming home to his parents, no matter how daunting, was just another challenge for them to overcome together. "Ready?"

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

"I know you are," Aiden said, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, rather than his lovely girlfriend. He could feel that teasing smile she had even without looking, begging him to turn his head, just so she could rub it in a little more. He shouldn't have allowed his momentary panic to flash into his eyes. Now that it had, there was no way she'd let it slide. He wouldn't have either, if he had been in her position.

Though, the mention of posters did have his emerald gaze shift right into her feline smile, "Well, I'm pretty sure I removed most of them before I left." Most of them. There was one that came to mind that he may have forgotten to remove. It had been his favorite at the time, so during the clean-up of his room, he had decided to remove it last.

But... had he? Maybe his Mother had after all these years? He really hoped she had.

With Briana allowing the tension of the moment to rest, for now, Aiden focused on the environment as well. Some things had changed, but much of what he saw felt familiar. The little park bench underneath the tree he used to climb. The candy store at the corner of the street that all the kids used to run to after school.

Even his favorite game store was still there.

But all of those memories paled in comparison to what he felt when he saw it again — his old home. "There it is," Aiden said with a smile and a light squeeze of her soft hand. "Let's go greet them." He looked confident as always, despite the nervous tension underneath the surface, and stepped forward with fingers intertwined. Once at the door, Aiden knocked three times, and froze when the metal door slid open not even a second later.

She had been waiting.

Aiden's Mom looked older than he remembered, but her beautiful blonde hair and those green eyes he inherited were much the same. She smiled with a small wrinkle at the corners of her lips, and threw her arms around her son's neck. Aiden remained still for a moment, his body shaking and his heart pounding, but raised his arms to return the hug. His eyes lifted from his mother's shoulder to glance down the hallway into her home.

But no matter how long he looked, he saw no sign of his old man.

"I've missed you so much," his Mom said with a shaky voice. "And who is this beautiful young woman you brought with you?" she asked with a teary smile.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek ​

"There it is," Aiden said with a smile and a light squeeze of her soft hand. "Let's go greet them." He looked confident as always, despite the nervous tension underneath the surface, and stepped forward with fingers intertwined. Once at the door, Aiden knocked three times, and froze when the metal door slid open not even a second later.

Each knock somehow seemed to coincide with each beat of her heart, time standing still on the porch of Aiden's modest home. Once the door began to slide open, Briana forced a steadying breath to fill her too-tight lungs.

When his mother appeared in the doorway, Briana couldn't help drawing the immediate similarities in appearance between Aiden and his mother: same brilliant emerald eyes, same golden hair. There was a warmth to her, one that reminded her of her late mother, but, a weariness too.

As they stood there, Briana noted the tension in Aiden. It was like a thrumming chord in the Force, vibrating with a mixture of apprehension and uncertainty, but as she watched his mother fall on her sons neck with joyful tears, she could see and feel the rigidity in him loosen and eventually acquiesce to the embrace.

Her full lips parted in a gentle smile then, giving his hand a final squeeze so he could properly embrace the mother he hadn't seen in years. There was a simple and full kind of joy in seeing the ones you loved, happy.

"I've missed you so much," his Mom said with a shaky voice. "And who is this beautiful young woman you brought with you?" she asked with a teary smile.

Briana felt the weight of his mother's eyes fall on her and stepped forward with the graceful fluidity that her Jedi training and noble bearing afforded her, "I'm Briana," her hand extended towards her, "It's a pleasure to meet you finally, Aiden's told me so much about you and your husband."

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

"It's very nice to meet you, Briana." As much as his Mother wanted to keep holding onto her son, she pulled away and turned to Briana to properly meet her. Now in front of the young Jedi, she took both of Briana's hands and lifted them to around waist-level, her own palms up while Briana's were facing the ground. She offered an almost motherly squeeze and looked straight into Briana's eyes, as if she was somehow able to look into her soul that way. "I'm Naiya, and I'd like to welcome you into my home." Her smile somehow brightened even more when Briana mentioned how Aiden had spoken of her. With Briana's hands still in her own, she looked at Aiden.

"I always knew you'd find a lovely woman eventually," she teased, and Aiden just rolled his eyes.

"Teaming up already?" He asked with a grin, and his Mother chuckled in response. Oh yes, she was, and she couldn't be happier right now. It showed without a doubt — from that embrace, to her smile, to the look in her eyes whenever she focused on Aiden and Briana.

This was a dream coming true.

Though, once the moment passed, she realized there was something to what Briana said that she needed to explain. It turned her expression somewhat grim, but she forced herself to speak. "There is something we must talk about, dear. It's... about your father." The sudden dullness of her eyes sent a shiver through Aiden's spine, and he found himself struggling to look his own mother in the eyes.

"Alright, why don't we head inside?" He looked at Briana and held his hand out just a little. He didn't want to believe it, but he already had a feeling where this was going.

He knew why his father hadn't appeared just yet.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek​

Briana's gaze lingered on Naiya as she felt the comforting, motherly squeeze of her hands, causing a sort of warmth to soak right through her. There was a lot a person could tell from someone's eyes. They were the souls interpreter, unconscious, but almost always faithful. Naiya's held nothing but genuine kindness and a touch of mirth, as if she understood the nerves Briana was trying too hard to hide and found them endearing.

It was a welcome change from the calculating stares that were prevalent in the circles she'd grown up in. Usually, the more charming someone was, the more they tried to seem genuine, the more dangerous they were. The more they were trying to hide. Though, she'd long come to realize that was mostly a trait that dominated the upper classes.

With Aiden's mother, there was an absence of pretense; someone whose nobility laid in simplicity. It was a refreshing change of pace, and one that unexpectedly stirred something deep in her —made her realize, perhaps for the first time, the depth of what she'd lost with her own mother. Teyla had been graceful and beloved by many, yet to Briana, she had always seemed like a distant figure, with standards so high that they were impossible to reach. In Naiya's simple, heartfelt gestures, Briana saw a glimpse of the maternal affection she'd longed for.

She returned the gentle pressure of Naiya's hands with her own, adding a gracious smile. "Thank you for having me, it means a great deal to me, to be welcomed by you."

"I always knew you'd find a lovely woman eventually," she teased, and Aiden just rolled his eyes.

Briana's brows rose and her cheeks slightly heated. She was accustomed to the directness that characterized most Corellian's, but it still took her unawares from time to time. Still, she managed to recover quickly enough, her head inclining towards Aiden. "I'm fairly certain I was the one who found him," she grinned, "He just had the luck of being in the right place at the right time."

"There is something we must talk about, dear. It's... about your father."

At the mention of his father, there was a noticeable shift away from the lightheartedness of the previous moment, a painful throb of grief that echoed in the Force. It was a particular ache that'd become too familiar to Briana, one that she'd come to know intimately over time.

Aiden seemed to catch it too.

Briana observed it in the deep inhalation he took, in the subtle stiffening of his stance alongside hers. There were no words necessary; it was an understanding that transcended speech. When Aiden extended out his hand to her, Briana took it without hesitation, her grip both steadfast and gentle.

When the roles were reversed, he'd been the anchor she needed. Now she would be his.

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

"Well, it was the wrong place at the right time, really," Aiden playfully corrected, though it was an honest response as well. She had literally saved his life that day, when she pulled him out of the gutter and brought him home to be patched up. How he had gone from that sad, pathetic state of being to having her around his arm, he didn't know. But it had given his life a new purpose, and whenever he looked in the mirror, he no longer felt ashamed.

That man — the whistler — was gone.

Naiya, however, raised an eyebrow way up and squinted at her son, "You haven't been causing her any trouble, have you?" she asked, and Aiden gulped. He had fought Devourers without pissing his pants, but an angry or suspicious mother was on the top of his fear-list.

Maybe just underneath an angry Briana.

"Well, no. I mean, yes?" He shook his head and sighed. "Not as much trouble as she caused me, though," he dared without looking at Briana to deny her the ability to shoot him a death glare for it. The only thing she'd see was his lips twitching up into a shit-eating grin.

A grin that faded immediately when the topic inevitably shifted to his father. He had wondered about him ever since he arrived, and especially after he hadn't made his way over. Deep in his heart, he perhaps already knew at this point, but it wasn't until the group stepped into the empty home that the pain was starting to creep up into his heart.

Aiden's grip on Briana's hand tightened just a little.

"Mom? What happened?" Aiden asked, even before they could reach the living room.

Naiya remained silent for a long moment, her back turned to the couple, and finally turned around with a sad smile. She gestured at the couch and lowered herself in a seat opposite of it, "It's a long story, Aiden, but your father is no longer with us anymore."

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek ​

Naiya, however, raised an eyebrow way up and squinted at her son, "You haven't been causing her any trouble, have you?" she asked, and Aiden gulped. He had fought Devourers without pissing his pants, but an angry or suspicious mother was on the top of his fear-list.

Maybe just underneath an angry Briana.

"Well, no. I mean, yes?" He shook his head and sighed. "Not as much trouble as she caused me, though," he dared without looking at Briana to deny her the ability to shoot him a death glare for it. The only thing she'd see was his lips twitching up into a shit-eating grin.

"Mmm, is that so?" Her eyebrow arched in challenge. "Because from where I'm standing, every moment with you has been an absolute delight," the sarcasm in her voice was clear as day, "As easy-going as it'd be to have one of those misunderstood Krayt Dragon's for a pet." A playful smile crossed over her features, the banter bringing a genuine laugh to Briana's lips, the sound mingling with the soft rustling of the leaves in the evening breeze. It was a moment of lightness, a reprieve from the weight of that unknown feeling that loomed just beyond the threshold of the house.

Yet, as Aiden's mother mentioned his father, the answer to that feeling she'd had since their arrival, was finally given direction.

The joyful light in Naiya's eyes dimmed, replaced by a shadow of grief that mirrored a pain that was all too familiar to Briana, eliciting a shiver to shudder down her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature. Aiden's hand sought hers again, his grip a silent plea for support that she was more than happy to provide for him.

Together, they were two halves of a whole, each the other's strength when the world threatened to overwhelm them.

As the three of them stepped into the hollow silence of the house, the air seemed to hold its breath. The walls, once filled with the echoes of a family's love, now whispered of absence and loss. Naiya's words confirmed the dread that had slowly begun to wrap itself around them and take root: Aiden's father was gone and the finality of her statement hung heavy in the room. Her fingers curled around Aiden's hand and held a little tighter, her gaze briefly shifting from Naiya's sorrow-etched features to the quaint details of the living room as they came to sit on the couch together.

The room was a testament of a life well lived, full of memories, with holo-pictures lining the walls, each capturing a frozen moment in time—a younger Aiden, full of mischief and laughter; a proud father with an arm around his son. The contrast between those joyful snapshots and the present sorrow was a poignant reminder of the fragility of life.

Only the creaking of Naiya's chair as she sat, drew Briana's gaze and attention back to the present. "I'm so sorry for your loss, for both of your losses," Briana said, moving a little closer to Aiden where she could squeeze against his arm. "But, we have no where to be and are willing to listen, to whatever you'd like to share with us." The words felt inadequate, but they were all she had—what could one say in the face of profound loss?

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

Aiden was all smiles and his mother even snorted in response to Briana's reaction. He loved this feisty side of hers that wouldn't ever shy away from a challenge. His mother, naturally, could instantly see why the two matched so well because of it. But the joyful challenges and playful teasing were only a brief distraction from a topic that had hung in the air since they arrived. Looking around, Aiden had seen all the pictures — the memories.

But his father wasn't here, and he wouldn't have ever missed this by choice.

Aiden's skin grew pale and his hand felt cold to Briana's touch. He looked at his Mother with distant eyes similar to those he obtained during the war. Even now, many years after the ambush on Selvaris, he was losing people close to him. But his father? He hadn't expected that at all.

"What happened?" Aiden asked his tone not nearly as gentle as Briana's, and with every spoken word it threatened to break apart. He felt tears stinging in his eyes but forced them from falling.

"I... don't know everything," Naiya admitted. "He was murdered, Aiden. By people who knew him. People... he knew, as well." Talking about her husband's death brought back that pain in her heart she was trying to suppress. Unlike Aiden, she couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks.

"Murdered?" He sat with a rigid posture and didn't realize he was squeezing Briana's hand a little tighter. Uncomfortably tight, perhaps. "Have they found the people responsible?" He dared ask.

"No, they haven't."

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek ​

It was a struggle for Briana to keep from wincing as Aiden's grip tightened on her hand. But she managed—barely—to keep her expression schooled. She was determined to be Aiden's anchor in this moment, ensuring he felt a comforting presence without overshadowing his need to process his emotions. The way he'd done for her, when it'd felt like the world was crumbling beneath her feet, when she saw both of her parents laying together in a lifeless embrace — Cybelle hovering above them. Time had stood still that day. She couldn't feel her body, could barely breath as a white haze crept over her vision and everything faded into an ashy blur.

A look she recognized in Aiden's expression now, that mile-long stare. The same one he'd often worn early on in their relationship.

Nudging a tad closer, Briana enveloped his hand with her free one, drawing slow, soothing circles over his knuckles. Each swirl silently conveying her unspoken promise: "Everything will be alright—I've got you."

With a voice tinged with both caution and care, she turned her attention towards Naiya. "Can you at least tell us what you do know?"

Briana tried to make sure she tread lightly, wary of potentially aggravating either of their pain, especially with his mother. They'd only recently met, and she didn't want to seem like she was over stepping any boundaries. "My... family... has connections," Family, being a term she used very loosely. Briana rarely had anything to do with Banaj or Flor unless it was absolutely necessary, but if it meant helping Aiden in some way? Briana would bite her tongue, swallow her contempt, and shake hands with the devil himself. "And they might be able to help, maybe even bring the people who did this to justice."

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia

​

"I've learned that his past is more complicated than I could have ever imagined," Naiya admitted with a sigh, "But I know very little that could help you, I'm afraid." She looked at Briana and the way she comforted her son. Despite having to share this terrible news, she could feel some warmth, seeing the affection and gentleness between them. Right now, he needed that. Aiden had always gone quiet whenever something happened, so he needed someone to help him confront the pain.

Once, it had been Naiya herself who could make him open up. Now, it was her.

Looking back at her son, Naiya continued, "Your father was on his way home from work when he was attacked. They only found a poisonous dart in his neck, but it had no connections to any known group or organization. The investigation is still in progress, but they haven't found anything."

The hopelessness settled back into her eyes.

Aiden reached up to rub his own eyes and temples before he drew in a deep breath, "I'm sorry," he said. "For not being here when you needed me. When Dad needed me." He frowned and looked between his Mother and future wife with a saddened expression. He wasn't blaming himself for the death of his father, but he wished he could have been there to stop it.

Or, at least, that he had been here to support his mother.

"You're here now, darling. That's what matters to me most," Naiya said. Aiden looked at his Mom, unable to keep the tears from welling in his eyes, and gave her a simple nod.

"I'm going to need some time to think."

Naiya nodded, "Why don't you two bring your things up to your old room? Stay here for a day or two."

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Aiden Rennek​

Briana battled the urge to let her delicate features slip into a frown, managing instead a solemn nod.

She'd been hoping they could tell Aiden's parents, plural, about their engagement, and this cruel twist of fate that'd snatched away not only that possibility, but the chance of any sort of closure or accountability in regards to those who'd done this, was a bitter draught to swallow, one that left a heavy, unspoken ache in the air between them. Even Aiden's words to his mother came out flat — and she would have been able to tell even without the Force, that this revelation was eating a hole straight through him. How could it not?

Aiden had always been good in his heart and in his soul, in ways that she knew a good majority of people in the Galaxy were not. Even when he did his duty for the Alliance, he tried to never kill on whim, but always carefully considered the lives he had to take and the people in his care, strongly defending what and who he loved. That he could not have been here for his family when they needed him was a low blow, and when his gaze turned to her with that saddened expression — Briana could barely abide the pain she saw reflected there. Couldn't stand the absence of the grinning, winking, and swaggering that she knew so well.

It's not your fault, there wouldn't have been anything you could have done.

Briana tried to project through the Force, or at least the feeling of that comfort. Wanting to do something, anything, that might chase away that look.

"Thank you, Naiya." Briana began, trying to keep her tone as casual as possible. "What do you say Aiden? You want to stay here, instead?" They'd originally intended to get a hotel room, not wanting to be too imposing, but perhaps staying here with his mother would be better for all of them — most of all for Aiden.

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Corellia
​

Aiden clenched his jaw and forced his teeth together. Not because he was angry, but to stop himself from breaking down in front of the two women he cared about most in the Galaxy. He knew that neither of them would blame him. They wouldn't think of him differently if he broke down and cried over the loss of his father. But something deep within made him want to keep himself together, at least for now.

His emerald gaze shifted from pictures of the family on the wall back to Briana. She looked at him with a caring smile that pulled on his heart strings so much, that he felt his control slipping away. She never needed to say a word for him to know that she'd be there for him.

Through good times and bad times.

"I'd like to stay here," Aiden said with a voice on the verge of falling apart. He placed his hand atop Briana's knee and squeezed, not to offer comfort, but to ask for it. He rose to his feet, unsteady and without focus on anything but maintaining a semblance of control. His eyes then shifted to his mother, who looked at him with worry in her eyes. Still, he smiled and dipped his head.

"I'll get our stuff. I'll be right back." Aiden didn't wait for them to respond, knowing he'd finally fall apart, and silently excuses himself to collect their bags from the back of their vehicle.

Naiya turned to Briana after she watched her son leave and frowned, "Please make yourself at home here. I'll handle dinner and anything else you two might need." Right now, she understood that her son needed time alone with his fiancee.

Briana Sal-Soren ​