Private From War to Forever

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate
​

Spoiler: The Letter

To: Miss Briana Sal-Soren
From: Admiral Izah'zore, Galactic Alliance Military Command
Subject: Missing in Action – Lieutenant Aiden Rennek

Dear Miss Sal-Soren,

It is with deep regret that I must inform you that Lieutenant Aiden Rennek has been officially listed as Missing in Action (MIA) following the battle at Sluis Van. During the intense conflict, we lost contact with several units, and despite extensive search efforts, Lieutenant Rennek's status remains unconfirmed.

Please know that we are continuing recovery operations, and the search for survivors is ongoing. You will be informed of any new developments as soon as they arise. We understand how difficult this news must be, and we offer our full support during this time.

The bravery and dedication Lieutenant Rist showed in the service of the Galactic Alliance exemplifies the highest standard of our forces. His contributions in the defense of the Alliance will never be forgotten, and we remain hopeful for his safe return.

If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support officers.

With deepest sympathies and continued hope,

Admiral Izah'zore
Galactic Alliance Military Command

​

​

Aiden lay still in the medbay, surrounded by the soft hum of the medical frigate, his body worn from battle but his mind more restless than ever. He could feel the tension in his muscles, the ache of the wounds still healing beneath the bandages and bacta patches. But the pain was secondary to the weight on his heart.

It had been over a week since Sluis Van. Over a week since everything went wrong. The attempt to capture the shipyards had turned into a brutal loss, and in the chaos, Aiden had gone missing, presumed dead by many. It wasn't until his recovery by the Alliance forces that they realized he was still alive, though barely. Now, staring at the ceiling of the medbay, he couldn't help but wonder about his men. How many had survived? How many had fallen? His thoughts lingered on the faces of the soldiers who had fought by his side, the camaraderie they had built shattered by the ruthless onslaught of the enemy.

He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He should have done more. He should have been there for them. But the injuries had taken him down too fast, and now, all he had were questions and no answers.

And then there was Briana.

The thought of her tugged at him with a different kind of ache, one far deeper than the wounds on his body. She had been on his mind every day since the battle, her face flashing through the haze of unconsciousness. What had she been going through, not knowing whether he was dead or alive? She had already been through enough with him — their relationship forged through the trials and uncertainties of war. He hated the thought of her worrying, of the fear she must have carried when he had gone missing.

He heard the soft footsteps of medics outside the door, a reminder that she could arrive at any moment. His heart pounded a little faster at the thought of seeing her again. Aiden swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on the door now, waiting. He had a million questions for her, but right now, the only thing that mattered was seeing her, feeling her presence.

Maybe she'd have answers about his men. Maybe she'd be able to tell him that some of them made it out, that they hadn't all been lost. Or maybe she'd just hold his hand, and for a little while, he could forget about the war and the pain, and just focus on her.

For now, all he could do was wait.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

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

Briana's boots clicked against the polished floor of the medbay, her long strides fueled by a mix of anticipation and dread. The letter had come as a shock, a punch to the gut that had left her breathless. For months she'd been with Lossa, desperately searching for Zeriana, dropping every responsibility to bring her cousins daughter home. But after doing everything they could, they'd come to nothing but a litany of frustrating dead ends.

In her own realization that nothing else could be done in the present, Lossa absconded. To where, Briana wasn't sure. Coming home to Naboo exhausted and her senses dulled by despair, she'd hoped in the least she might find Aiden. Instead, she'd found that damned letter.

The ground beneath her had been shaky, but after that, it gave way entirely.

Great loss was no stranger to Briana and she'd tried to weather it for as long as she could. But many sleepless and empty nights followed, until time began passing without her having much awareness of it, to the point that it seemed as if it'd stopped entirely. A suffocating fog closed in around her, to the extent that Briana knew she could undertake any venture, complete it and come back to herself, only to find the world unchanged, and everything just as she'd left it a moment before. Indefinitely frozen.

Everything that'd seemed important, just suddenly...wasn't.

Then after several weeks, the news she'd been waiting for finally arrived and a spark of hope flared to life in the midst of that all-consuming darkness. Aiden, her Aiden, was alive.

Unadulterated joy surged through her weary bones, hope restored...

Albeit short-lived, immediately countered by the devastating update that followed.

Aiden was gravely injured and racked with fever, his body broken in ways that even the talents of the Alliance's finest, doubted they could mend.

The possibility of his loss, of a future without the man who'd become her anchor, hung in the balance, a sword of Damocles poised to fall at any moment. Cold dread seized her, wave after wave of nausea washing over her as the pulse of her own lifeblood ebbed in her temples, each beat a countdown to a potential future she could hardly bear to contemplate. She might have shouted at the medics then, maybe screamed, but she couldn't quite remember, the chaos of the moment blurring together.

The waiting game started all over again. Either they would be successful, or Aiden would die.

Briana knew, from what she'd been told knew that even those with the Force would struggle under the consuming ravages of what he'd been through. Bones needed to be rebroken, nerves repaired, skin grafted, all while trying to fight off the raging fever that'd taken hold from an infection. Fear gripped her then. Even someone as strong as Aiden might not make it through this battle.

She kept a bead on his condition, receiving reports and any new updates, encasing herself in what little security she could find in the day to day tasks to keep herself distracted until something affirmative came through. If she could not help Aiden directly, then she would find other ways to be of use.

Until the doctors whispered in her ear those words she'd been longing to hear.

Aiden was finally awake.

After so much touch and go, the worst of it seemed to be over. Briana promptly excused herself from the tail end of an overdue review of the newest initiates at the Jakku Enclave to make her way to the medical frigate where they'd taken Aiden.

The click of her boots stopped in the doorway of his room. His body was folded in sheets, antiseptic and clean, well shaven, hair cut haphazardly by a nurse after it got too straggly for her tastes. The forest green of his military uniform was replaced with white cotton scrubs, his strong chiseled cheeks slightly sunken.

All of the familiar markers of the man she knew were there, but there was a gauntness to him that made him look like a doppelgänger or ghost of some sort.

She felt her throat go dry over the assesment, but quickly tried to cover up her reaction to his condition by fixing him with a withering stare, making a concerted effort to appear as wry and unruffled as ever, but one lingering glance at her face and Aiden would know better. A kaleidoscope of emotion twisted and turned beneath her otherwise taut demeanor, expressing the relief, longing, adoration, and love that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Why is it that, whenever I'm not with you, you're getting chased, stranded, stabbed, or nearly killed?" a small smirk broke the tension at the corner of her mouth, crystal blue eyes misting over, dignified brows knitting together in an effort to keep her brimming sentiments at bay.

Then, without much more ceremony, Briana crossed the space that separated her from Aiden, leaned down and kissed him.

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate​

Aiden's grip on Briana tightened as he held her close, his fingers trembling ever so slightly against her cheek. He hadn't realized just how much he'd needed this — the feel of her warmth, the touch of her lips — until it was happening, grounding him in a reality that felt almost too good to be true. As their kiss broke, a kiss he wanted to linger forever, his forehead gently pressed against hers, and his breath shuddered in a mix of exhaustion and overwhelming emotion.

"Bri…" His voice cracked, betraying the flood of emotions he'd been bottling up. He closed his eyes for a second, trying to collect himself, but the sight of her there — alive, whole, and safe — shattered the last of his restraint. A tear slipped down his cheek, followed quickly by another, and a broken chuckle escaped him. He quickly brushed at his eyes with his thumb, as if trying to hide the evidence, but he knew there was no holding it back.

She knew him too well.

"I told myself I wouldn't cry," Aiden whispered, his tone half-joking, half-apologetic. But even as he spoke, his smile wavered, and he shook his head slightly in disbelief. "I just… I couldn't bear the thought of not seeing you again, of not being able to hold you."

He let out a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the sight of her face, the way her crystal blue eyes seemed to shimmer with emotion, threatened to overwhelm him all over again. "You know… I think I've figured out the solution to all our problems," he murmured softly, his voice dipping to that familiar tone of playful seriousness. "You'll have to never leave my side again." He ran his thumb over her cheek, as the corners of her lips tugged up further into a grin.

Oh, how sweet that idea sounds right now.

"Briana, I love you," he said quietly, the words carrying the weight of everything he felt. "And I'm sorry for worrying you. I never want you to go through anything like this again." He leaned in closer, pulling her into an embrace that had her chin gently settle on his shoulder. His warms wrapped around her, and he just enjoyed the steady rhythm of her heart.

His own still beating faster and faster.

His eyes, still brimming with tears, searched her face when he pulled back again as if trying to memorize every feature, every detail. Slowly, he lifted his hand, brushing his fingers through her hair, and tucked a stray strand behind her ear. The touch was gentle, reverent, as if he were afraid she'd disappear if he wasn't careful.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

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

Briana let her forehead rest against Aiden's for a moment after the kiss, letting herself just be as her mind churned in time with the hum of the frigate—closing her blue eyes as she took in the steady sound of his breath, the warmth of his presence in the Force. Everything that had felt frozen, trapped in stasis for weeks, seemed to melt in the space of that instant.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Aiden quickly wiping away tears, apologizing as if he had something to regret. It was a rare vulnerability from a man who had always been so confident, so sure. And it hit her harder than she expected. Her heart clenched, torn between love, relief, and the haunting fear that always seemed to linger just beneath the surface. But Briana had long since mastered the art of setting her own feelings aside for the sake of others, especially for the people she cared about most.

Gently, she reached up and wiped away the tears he missed, her thumb brushing across his cheek.

"You know, if you really wanted me to stay by your side all the time, you could've just asked. No need for all this drama." She attempted a smile, leaning into the roughness of his palm as it cupped her cheek. Humor had always been their go-to when things got too real—laughing at the chaos because, sometimes, that was all they could do. But beneath the light tone, there was fear. Real fear. She had been scared for him. Scared for them both.

The galaxy was always on the brink of falling apart, and they danced on the edge of it, pretending it didn't matter. How many times had they almost lost each other, only to shrug it off later like it was just another Taungsday? Every moment apart was a gamble. She knew that. He knew that.

"I love you too, you know." Her voice softened even more as she took his hand from her face, twining her fingers with his, giving them a gentle squeeze. "But Aiden, you don't get to apologize for worrying me. That's part of the package deal. You run headlong into danger... and I pace around the medbay and threaten to punch a nurse if they don't give me an update every five minutes. We've had this conversation before—we both knew what we were getting into with our kind of work. I'm just glad you came back to me."

But the question remained. What if he hadn't come back? What if this had been it? What if she'd had to face one more loss—after her parents, after Romi, after Zeriana, after Sid? The pain of the question, 'what if', was always there, lurking. But tonight, in this moment, she let herself hold on to him, to the relief of him being alive.

For now, that was more than enough.

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate​

Aiden held her hand gently, his thumb brushing soft, lazy circles against her skin as he listened. Briana's touch had always had a way of grounding him, of making all the chaos of the galaxy seem distant and unimportant. His gaze traced every contour of her face — from the way her brow furrowed slightly as she spoke, to the subtle smile that lingered at the corners of her lips.

"You're right," he finally murmured, his voice low and thick with emotion. "It's just… I've lost so many people already. Friends, family… and I know that's part of our life, part of what we signed up for. But every time I'm out there, every time I come close to losing you… I realize how much I'm not ready for that." He squeezed her hand a little tighter, as if he just held on hard enough, he could keep her safe forever.

His voice wavered slightly, the vulnerability laid bare in a way he rarely let happen. "So, just… indulge me, okay? Let's pretend, for the next few days, that none of it matters. No missions, no responsibilities. Just us." He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers, the warmth of her skin a stark contrast to the cold fear that always lurked in the back of his mind.

"How does that sound?" he asked, his smile returning, softer and more genuine now. He raised an eyebrow playfully, his eyes glimmering with that familiar mischievous light. "I'll cook your favorite meal, and..." he sighed playfully, knowing he might regret this, "We could go shopping or do anything you like. As long as it's just us two." Aiden flashed his signature, Corellian grin, and looked her in the eyes.

Every time he did, it took his breath away.

"Oh, and maybe keep the nurse-punching to a minimum? I don't want to get kicked out of the medbay for inciting violence." His attempt at humor was an attempt to lighten the moment, to pull her — and himself — away from the heavy thoughts that threatened to pull them under.

"They've been good for me. So far."

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

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

There was something raw in the way he looked at her now, something unguarded, and it unsettled her. In part, because she knew exactly what he was feeling. That same feeling of losing him forever had gripped her in the dark, gnawing at the edges of her control since the day she found out he'd been missing. And it hadn't let go. Not even now, not entirely. Not until every last cord and wire tethering him to this bed was removed, and maybe not even then. Briana doubted the feeling would ever really leave her.

That unshakable dread had rooted itself too deeply.

"I'm not ready for that either," Briana conceded, her voice wavering as her own hand tightened around his, as if she thought he might get sucked into the vacuum of a black hole, never to be seen again, if she let go. But even in that tight grip, Briana felt the space that always seemed to hang between them. No matter how close they were, no matter how tight they clung. That unspoken understanding that they were always one battle, one mission, one step away from losing it all lingered like an unseen specter.

She hated that space. Hated that even in this moment, after everything they'd been through, that was still something neither of them could control.

"So of course I'll indulge you. Every time, I'll indulge you." She said softly, her tone gentling as she spoke. It wasn't often that she allowed herself to bend in moments like these, but for him, she would. She'd let herself believe the lie. Let herself get lost in a fantastical, fleeting dream with him. "No missions, no responsibilities. Just us," she murmured, repeating his words like a promise she desperately wanted to keep. But for how long, who could say?

The galaxy wouldn't wait. It never did. But that didn't mean they couldn't steal this moment for themselves, as fragile and temporary as it was.

She smiled more fully when Aiden began listing all the things they could do together, his boyish charm slipping through the weariness. It made her heart ache, knowing how far he still had to go before he'd be able to indulge in any of those activities. His injuries would take time to heal, and she knew better than to push for quick recoveries from wounds like these. But the sentiment was there, and for that, she loved him all the more.

Carefully, Briana moved closer, her body tucking in as close to his as she could manage without disturbing the various cords and wires still attached to him. She leaned her head gently against his shoulder, finding comfort in the steady rhythm of his breath. "Or," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "we could just go home and hold each other for a while. Forget about the rest of it. I don't really need any grand gestures, or distractions... as nice as those can be sometimes. All I want is to be with you."

Her gaze shifted to look up at him, meeting his eyes with a glimmer of amusement. "And don't worry," she added, a tired, playful smirk curling her lips. "I'll try to keep the nurse-punching to a minimum. But no promises."

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate​

Aiden's eyes softened as he listened to Briana's words, the familiar pull of emotions swirling within him. He liked the idea of just being home to hold her. To focus on nothing but her, and the life he wanted to build with her. But they had been dancing around another fragile dream of theirs for so long — a dream that always seemed just out of reach. But right now, seeing her so close, feeling her warmth against his side, he found the courage he needed.

He wanted to take a step forward.

With a deep breath, he reached for her hand, gently entwining his fingers with hers. His thumb traced over the delicate ring on her finger — the one he'd given her during his proposal. A small, wistful smile tugged at his lips as he slowly began to swirl it around her finger, the gesture both loving and contemplative.

"We've been waiting, haven't we?" he murmured softly, his voice laced with a quiet intensity. "Waiting for the war to end, for things to settle, for the galaxy to finally give us a break." He paused, his gaze lifting to meet hers with a determination that made his heart race. "But I don't want to wait anymore, Briana."

The weight of his words lingered between them, heavy with unspoken longing and promises unfulfilled. "We keep pushing our wedding back because of everything going on, but… I want to be yours, completely. I want to be able to say we're together forever, no matter what happens."

He took a steadying breath, his thumb gently moving the ring around her finger. "I like the idea of no grand gestures and distractions, but why don't we make one exception? Bri. Let's get married," he whispered, the sincerity in his voice wrapping around them like a protective cocoon. "No more delays, no more excuses. Just us, like we always wanted. I don't mind where we do it, what we'll wear and who will attend. I just don't want to wait any longer."

If something were to happen to him, he'd have at least seen her walk down the aisle.

He leaned in closer, his forehead resting against hers again, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. "When we're out of here, we'll go home… and we'll make it official. I love you, and I want to spend every day proving it, as your husband."

Aiden's eyes shimmered with a mix of love and hope as he waited, holding her hand tightly as if letting go would mean losing everything they'd fought so hard to keep. "What do you say?" He asked, unaware that some of the nurses had overheard and were looking at them.

He couldn't care less — all he cared for was her.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

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

Briana held Aiden’s gaze, his words settling around her shoulders like a warm blanket. For months, they’d danced around the idea of marriage, always waiting for the “right” time—when the war settled, when things felt less chaotic, when the galaxy wasn’t on fire. But Aiden was right, that moment wasn’t coming. It never would. There was no perfect time for love. Not in their world.

And maybe that was okay.

It seemed like only yesterday she’d watched her brother and Cybelle take the leap, throwing caution to the wind and marrying in the middle of all this madness.

At the time, she’d been hesitant, worried they were rushing into things with so much unresolved pain hanging over them. Romi’s death, the Sith’s occupation of Tython, Zeriana’s kidnapping, Lossa disappearing to look for her—all of it had weighed heavy on her heart. But now, looking at Aiden, Briana was beginning to think they’d had the right idea. Maybe she was the one holding back for the wrong reasons. Maybe, in the middle of all this chaos, love wasn’t something to put on hold—it was something to seize. Something to fight for, to make the most out of what was in front of her. And what was in front of her was the man she loved, offering her a future she wanted more than anything.

A future she was done waiting for.

Briana smiled softly. “You’re right,” she said, her voice steady, but laced with the emotion that’d been building since he’d spoken. “We have waited long enough. Maybe it’s time to stop trying to plan everything down to the last detail and just… let it happen.”

Her heart raced as she spoke, the decision solidifying in her mind. It wasn’t impulsive, not really. They’d been engaged for almost six months. They’d been through battles, separations, close calls, and each one reinforced what they already knew—they belonged together.

“I want this,” she continued, her voice softening as she leaned closer. “I want us.”

There was happiness in her words, true happiness, but it was tinged with the quiet sadness of knowing her family wouldn’t be there to see it. She wouldn’t have Brandyn standing beside her, Blaire teasing her about the dress, Lossa smiling in the crowd, or her father to walk her down the aisle. It hurt more than she’d ever let herself admit, but she wouldn’t let it stop her from moving forward. She couldn’t.

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but her smile didn’t falter. “I’ve been ready to marry you since the day you asked. If you want to make it official now, then let’s do it… we don’t have to wait until we’re home, we’ll make a stop at whatever planet is closest and find a way.”

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate​

Aiden's breath caught in his throat as Briana's words sank in, his heart pounding with a mixture of disbelief and exhilaration. She was saying yes — yes to the life they'd always wanted, yes to building a future together without waiting for the galaxy to finally find peace. His smile widened, a bright, almost boyish grin that lit up his entire face as he held her gaze.

"Bri…" he murmured, his voice a little hoarse from the rush of emotions swelling in his chest. He tightened his grip on her hand, drawing her closer as if to reassure himself that this moment was real. "You're my everything.

Gently, he cupped her face with his free hand, his thumb brushing tenderly along her cheek. "We'll find a way," he continued softly, his gaze locking onto hers with a fierce, unyielding love. "Whether it's some little chapel on a backwater planet or under the stars of an empty field, I don't care. We'll make it happen, just the two of us… just like we imagined."He leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her lips, pouring every bit of love and commitment into the gesture.

With a soft sigh, he leaned his forehead against hers after the kiss broke, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Let's make this official. Today, tomorrow, the moment we're out of this place… I don't want to wait any longer. I just want to be yours." He desperately wanted to leave this hospital, too, but he knew that he needed some time to recover.

And he wasn't about to face her wrath for an attempted escape. The upcoming wedding would give him the hope and strength he needed to recover.

Already, the thought of standing beside her, exchanging vows and promising his life to hers, filled him with a sense of warmth and purpose. He couldn't care less about the war, the battles that awaited them, or the galaxy's constant chaos. All that mattered now was the woman in front of him and the life they were about to start together — no more delays, no more obstacles. Just love, pure and simple.

He looked at her with a mixture of love, determination, and excitement. "So... will you stay here until they kick me out? I've been bored out of my mind and I'm pretty sure I'm driving the nurses crazy." Speaking of which, one of them walked in not a moment after he said as much, a smirk tugging at her lips as she looked between him and Briana.

"We won't have to keep him much longer, so he'll be on his feet before you know it."

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

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

Briana let out a small, amused breath at Aiden's boyish grin, the warmth in his eyes matching the gentle stroke of his thumb against her cheek.

It would be dishonest to say she'd never imagined their wedding as something more complicated—something more than just the two of them. In truth, she'd always wanted the grandiose ceremony and dress, a beautiful venue packed full with their friends and family, their vows exchanged in the ancient Naboo dialect, blessed by her families patron Goddess. Preferably, somewhere near the lake.

But life had a way of shifting priorities and Briana had finally realized it didn't really matter.

Not the ceremony, not the expectations, not even the lingering question of how her family might react to her running off to get married without them. Sure, there was that nagging voice in the back of her mind—what if they disapproved? What if they were hurt because she hadn't waited for the right time for everyone to be together? She could already picture the quiet disappointment, the tension that it might cause in already strained relationships. Yet, most of that concern was fleeting, quickly drowned out by the warmth spreading through her like fire, igniting every nerve, every breath—melting away anything in their surroundings that wasn't him. They should have done this sooner.

"Well, chapels don't really do it for me," she admitted, letting her nose touch his so he might feel the stretch of her smile like a trace against his mouth. "But under the stars? Yeah...I think I can get behind that."

Her mind raced ahead as they continued to lay there with one another, jumping to what marriage might potentially look like for them.

She'd thought about it before, of course, but every delay made it easier to push those thoughts aside and ignore. They weren't exactly the peaceful, domestic types, and marriage was often deeply rooted in the idea of growing old together. Would they get that chance? To grow old? To make a family of their own in the process?

She couldn't say for sure, but for the first time in a long time... Briana was ready to be a Sal-Soren and jump into the dark, headfirst. "Of course, I'll stay. I'll try to see if any of the nurses are willing to talk to me, and if I can't find out when you can be released —"

A sudden voice cut through the room, and Briana's head snapped toward the door, only now realizing they'd had an audience. The nurse, with a knowing smirk, stood just inside, clearly amused by the intimate scene.

"We won't have to keep him much longer, so he'll be on his feet before you know it."

Briana felt a subtle heat rush into her cheeks, but tried to meet the nurse's smirk with a raised brow, her posture shifting ever so slightly. "That's uh, good to hear," she replied, not-so-smoothly, "The sooner he's back on his feet, the better. Is there anything I can do in the mean time, to help the process along?"

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate​

Aiden's soft chuckle deepened as the nurse stepped closer, her eyes sparkling with playful amusement. She caught the slight blush on Briana's cheeks and couldn't resist her reply, "Keeping him entertained is definitely helping," the nurse quipped, giving Aiden a sidelong glance before continuing with a wink. "But if you want to really pitch in, you could make sure he doesn't try to sneak out before he's officially cleared."

Aiden raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Come on, I'm not that bad," he replied, grinning mischievously. "But with her here, I suppose I could tolerate staying a little longer." His gaze softened as it landed back on Briana, the teasing words not quite hiding the affection that brimmed just beneath the surface.

The nurse smiled, clearly amused by their back-and-forth. "Lucky for you both, he's almost ready to go. Just a couple more checks and then he'll be free to get into all the trouble he likes — outside of this hospital," she added with a chuckle.

Aiden let out a dramatic sigh of relief. "Finally," he mused, his tone light. "Maybe we'll be under those stars saying vows even sooner than we thought." Aiden leaned back into the pillows, still holding Briana's hand as his mind began to wander to moments filled with love and a promise of the life they were about to begin together, "We just need to find the right planet. Naboo? Maybe someplace neither of us have seen before?"

The nurse, still by the door, shook her head with a grin. "Alright, I'll be back later with the doctor for your final checks. Then you'll be cleared to leave." She offered the couple a smile, then turned around to depart. Aiden watched her go, then turned his full attention back to Briana again, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a gentle, reassuring gesture. "So," he said, his voice soft, and his smile bright, "What will it be?"

A pause, before he smirked.

"If we make our escape now, we could pick up our wedding clothes."

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

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

A forced laugh bubbled up her throat at the nurse's playful admonishment, trying her best to ignore the feeling of jealousy that tugged at the inside of her gut her when she noticed the woman's gaze lingering on Aiden a touch too long and a touch too interested. "Thank you for taking such good care of him," she replied, her voice strained as she attempted to sound genuine. The last thing she wanted to do was piss off the people in charge of getting her fiancé released. "I promise to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble—for your sake and mine."

"Much appreciated. He's a bit of a handful," she said, casting a mock-stern glance and fluttering her eyes at Aiden, causing the muscle in Briana's cheek to set as that flutter of annoyance more firmly took root, distracting her enough that she barely registered Aiden's question about where they should get married. Luckily, it didn't progress much further. Whether the nurse sensed she'd overstepped in her teasing, or merely had other patients to attend to, she bid them both farewell, promising to return with the doctor to discharge Aiden later.

"She was certainly... familiar." Briana harumphed in observation to herself, trying her best to keep her voice down.

"So," The feeling of Aiden's thumb brushing softly across her knuckles dispelled the tension that'd coiled between her shoulders, coaxing her back from the edge. "What will it be?" It took a heartbeat for his question to pierce through the haze of jealousy that'd fallen over her earlier, trying to remember the conversation they'd been having before Nurse Chummy distracted her.

"Maybe we'll be under those stars saying vows even sooner than we thought. We just need to find the right planet. Naboo? Maybe someplace neither of us have seen before?"

"Oh," she said, a laugh escaping her lips, softly shaking her head.

"If we make our escape now," he continued, Briana noting the look of mischief behind his green eyes. "we could pick up our wedding clothes."

She fixed him with a look, a delicate brow arching at him as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I'll marry you with a clean bill of health, or not at all Rennek." Her eyes softened as she added, "But, as for the place... There's a beautiful planet nearby here called Mythara that's supposed to have beautiful scenery."

​

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Medical Frigate​

Aiden's laughter rumbled softly as Briana's tone shifted, the faint tension in her shoulders giving her away despite her playful words. His green eyes sparkled with mischief as he gently squeezed her hand, his thumb continuing to trace light patterns against her knuckles.

"Jealous of the Nurse, are we?" he teased, his grin widening into a full smirk. "Don't worry, Bri. She might be good at patching me up, but no one has a shot at taking your place." Aiden let the words linger, knowing full well that his teasing would draw some kind of reaction. He could already see the slight narrowing of her eyes, the hint of a retort forming on her lips.

Was he in trouble?

"But Mythara, huh?" He shifted gears, his tone softening as he rolled the planet's name over in his mind. "Sounds like the perfect backdrop." He tilted his head to the side, his smirk returning. "That is, assuming I get a clean bill of health, of course. Wouldn't want to risk being left at the altar just because I snuck out of here early."

Leaning closer, he softened his teasing with a gentle kiss to her knuckles, his gaze meeting hers. "Mythara sounds perfect, Bri. I'll follow you wherever you want to go, as long as it makes you happy." He had no strong feelings about where to get married and what the ceremony would look like.

All he cared about was that it'd be the best day of her life.

Briana Sal-Soren ​