Private Frustration

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

It was a good thing that the kids aren't home.

It had been a while since Valery felt this frustrated coming home from a mission. A Padawan had been caught in Mandalorian territory whilst having no reason to be there, the Mandalorians themselves are blowing it way out of proportions and, of course, their war path felt like betrayal. They had been allies, and Valery had even helped them protect their own worlds on several occasions, from Rothana to their plague spreading between worlds.

But now it felt like none of those efforts mattered anymore, and it frustrated her more than she had imagined.

So after her shuttle settled down close to home, Valery stepped out not as the wife or mother coming back home, but very much still as the Jedi Master. Her usual separation between duty and personal life had not been working, so it was the warrior coming home. With a thin line of dried blood on her cheek, a cut shoulder and a few bruises, she opened the door and looked around.

"Honey, I'm home," Valery said, unable to hide her true feelings in her voice.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

There was a crash, but not from inside. Out back Kahlil was sparring, if it could be called that. In reality he was just beating up a bunch of the training droids the Epicanthix utilized here and there when there weren't others around. He probably could've found a living sparring partner if he wanted to, but at the moment? No. He was pretty annoyed. Very annoyed. Politics was a system he actually knew and understood, but he absolutely despised how the people behind it tried to keep it.

Frilly words and constant bickering did nothing but delay. Politicians were so involved in their own little game they forgot people were starving, dying, being enslaved, for every second they chose to delay a choice. He couldn't say he hated it, but he certainly didn't like it in the slightest.

Another throw of a droid sent it crashing into the ground as he let out a sigh and stood up. Brushed off his hands in the process before glancing to the front. Valery.

And she was just as annoyed. He chuckled a bit. Seemed neither of them were having the best of days. "Outside, love."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery heard something crashing against the ground, and for just a moment, she believed he had broken something inside. A flash of annoyance passed through her, but only until she realized that it was coming from outside. She walked through the house, her steps heavy and her mind a chaotic whirlwind, and followed the sound of his voice to find where he was sparring. Or, well, destroying some training droids it seemed.

"Long day?" Valery asked while she was so caught up in her own frustration that she didn't even give him a kiss like she usually would. Her voice was equally cold and full of tension, and her eyes lacked the softness they should have after coming home.

"We got the Padawan back but I have no idea why she was out there. And the Mandalorians? They're just throwing it all away and for what?" She sighed heavily and moved her hand up along the side of her arm, right until she felt her cut shoulder. "Got cut by a poisoned blade but I threw him around and nearly killed him after it. Someone I considered an ally not even that long ago." She sighed and brought a hand against the cheek that had been grazed open by another sharp blade.

"How was your meeting?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

They weren't destroyed.

But they could certainly use some repairs. Kahlil frowned deeper at the news. War it was, then. There was no hiding from that now, not that he expected anything else. It was still frustrating. Worse, though. "Some of the Senators thought it might be appropriate to hand over the Jedi who went to get back Lily to the Mandalorains as a peace offering. Oh, in between talking about outright controlling the Order. Sith politics are easy. I despise this system that makes it so easy for those seeking to disrupt everything to be allowed."

He wasn't blind. He knew they wanted to make tension between the Jedi and the Senate. But he was certainly not about to cave when the Senate themselves seemed to have no issue with such disruptions.

"It's a mockery."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

They look pretty destroyed to me...

is all Valery was thinking when she looked down at fhe droids again, before meeting his gaze. She squinted a bit to make it clear that's what she thought, though her focus shifted immediately when he brought up the meeting with the senate, and in particular, the part about being handed over to thr Mandalorians.

"... they wanted to sacrifice me? After everything we've done for the Alliance?" Valery usually wouldn't care about people not respecting the work she did, but today everything was frustrating and it showed. Her hands balled into fists by her side and her jaw clenched hard.

"I can't believe that nobody seems to learn from the war that didn't even end that long ago. Now we're thrown right back into one and so many will suffer because of it."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"All of you. Alicio kept his cool far better than I could." Or perhaps it was because Alicio Organa just knew how to play that game. Perhaps he should ask for some lessons. .. Not that he wanted to. Politics weren't a game he wanted to play. He reached out, gently touching Valery's cheek before letting out a sigh. A long, tired sigh. "I was hoping the triplets wouldn't have to grow as Vera did with war, but there's nothing we can do now, but be ready."

Then the tenderness left as he smirked.

"The droids are not broken, though."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"That's what upsets me the most," Valery said as she leaned into his hand settling against her cheek. There was even an attempt at a smile, but the anger in her eyes was overwhelming. "We got kids again because there was finally peace, and now they might go through everything Vera had to go through as well." She let out a defeated sigh and looked up into his eyes for strength.

As frustrating as it was, she knew they could get through it together. Their family was so much stronger now. That comforting thought made the tension almost fade from her body again. Almost.

He just had to bring up the droids again.

"...No. They are on the ground, damaged and not moving. You destroyed them, and I might not have your tech skills, but I know when a training droid is done for." She narrowed her eyes and gave him a dangerous grin for it.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil's eyebrow twitched. She was really trying to say they were broken, huh? He glanced towards them before shaking his head. They still functioned. That's all that mattered. But she was going to make that a problem, huh? He forced quite the smile. "They're very much still functional. A couple of tosses and some punches isn't going to end up destroying them. They're training droids. That's their purpose."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Oh yeah? Make them get up then," Valery said with a huff while she poked his chest with her index finger and waited. "Your punches and throws aren't exactly normal, and they are clearly damaged because of it." If he wanted to argue about this, he found himself the best sparring partner in the Galaxy.

Her stubborness was going to persist until she was proven to be wrong.

To somehow make her point come across even more, she pushed off against his chest a little and narrowed her gaze. There were only a few ways this could go now.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He glanced towards the droids before motioning for them to get up. They did, albeit barely. But still, they stood. Wobbled. Kahlil let out a sigh before raising a hand. The Force flowed freely around him as a rune along his spine lit up. Without a shirt it was clear just how bright it was. What were battered droids seemed to revert to when they simply weren't. "Fine, they get a break. You don't."

Kahlil just grinned, staring down at her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery had a smug grin on her face when she watched the sparring droids struggle to get back up. Sure, they managed eventually, but they were-

Wait, he's not wearing a shirt.

She only realized it now, as he raised a hand and ignited a rune that illuminated his torso. Valery watched his muscles flex as a result and felt a wave of heat pass through her body. Her breath hitched, her cheeks turned a shade red, and then he also raised his hand for a spar? She was excited now.

"Fine, they get a break. You don't."

A split-second after he spoke, Valery launched herself forward and threw several powerful punch combinations at his face, but especially at his bare body. She just couldn't help herself and sought to land an uppercut in his abs. Predictable, perhaps, but with enough power to break the ordinary man in half.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He'd already won. Kahlil could see that much in the blush on her face. Even when she came rushing towards him he already knew. Her punches came, but he weaved right though them. Her intent was as plain as the emotion on her face. And he didn't even counter attack, not with his fists anyway. A punch came and he turned to catch her wrist and just throw her with her own momentum.

"C'mon, you can do better than that!"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

It was almost pointless.

Valery didn't know why she still got so flustered over her own husband but it was not working in her favor now. To her, it just meant the spark of the relationship was still there and still so immensely strong - right now she just needed to get herself composed and not staring at his bare body for at least a few minutes. She could do a lot more of that soon.

"Yeah? Well have it then!" Valery shouted before throwing a hand forward and summoning the Force in an attempt to send him flying across the backyard, and hopefully straight into the fence around the perimeter. If he wanted her to really go at him, he was getting it now.

"Not beating me today, love!" She called out while she rushed him and hoped to follow up with a powerful kick for his face.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil leapt back with the push, still smirking even as he found himself thrown towards the fence. Which he landed on feet first before just leaping for her from it as she charged at him. He reached out to catch her kick rather calmly in his hands before he landed and just swung with the full intent of bringing her right to the ground. "Oh, there's no chance for you today Valery!"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

There was a flash of frustrated anger in her eyes when he surfed along her telekinetic blast and casually landed on top of the fence. She knew that, between her frustration and being incredibly flustered by his appearance, it would be impossible to really beat him. But the smirking and overly calm exterior on his part made her want to go until she couldn't stand anymore.

"I'm wiping that smirk off your face, babe!"

Valery threw her kick, but to her surprise, he caught it with ease and he wasted no time - she was smashed onto her butt and back, and groaned out in pain. But this time, she was not going to let him just throw her around again. She phased to make him lose his grip, and used her immense flexibiliy to whip her leg back around very suddenly with the heel of her foot coming right for his cheek.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Oh now that was different. Kahlil raised a brow as the grip he had on her ankle as gone. And her foot came flying right for his chin. It might've worked if he wasn't so focused on winning, at least. Normally. He pulled up his arm to catch the kick on it much to a bruising degree. And still grinned. He pulled his other hand down. She'd already decided the Force was fair play, so why wouldn't he do the same?

The Force flared as he ignited a rune below her. Something fast and simple before it tried to freeze her right to the ground.

"You're not. You started this, and I'm going to finish it."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

While her kick didn't hit the intended target, she still knew blocking it must have hurt a bit. Those were the small victories she'd have to take out of this, though she wasn't giving up yet either. She landed after her kick and Kahlil tapped into the Force himself to create a rune and pin her down to the ground below her. Valery just looked at him with a grin, and her voice echoes through their bond.

<Freezing a pyro?>

Flames ignited around her limbs and torso to melt the ice and fire her up a little more. She wasn't going to turn them against Kahlil because it was still too much to her, but she was ready to give him a good fight this time.

Without stretching an arm or moving a muscle, she suddenly pulled on his legs with the Force, hoping to off-balance him before quite literally pouncing on top of him with a great leap into the air. Maybe she couldn't punch him out, but she was great at restraining people.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

<It slows you down.>

He was already prepared when she broke free and leapt towards him. A different sequence of runes had etched themselves into the ground around him, and even as he fell back with his legs pulled out from under him he grinned wide. She leapt for him, but the runes flared bright as he simply laid out on the ground looking as relaxed as can be. Why? Because he was also pretty good at restraining people.

Chains formed to fully restrain Valery even midair.

"Checkmate."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Epicanthix Colony

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery blinked.

She had managed to knock him down by pulling on his legs, and every part of her plan had gone so smoothly up until the moment she was going to pounce on him and finish it. But here she was, suspended in the air because of chains he had summoned with his runes. She had been so caught up in her attack that she didn't even notice, or maybe she had been too distracted by a lack of shirt on his part.

Even now, looking down at him on his back, she couldn't stop herself from staring...

But there was also panic in her eyes. She tried to move to cover her sides in case of a tickle attack, or shield her face if he wanted to punch her anyway. She couldn't do a thing, however, so she smiled sheepishly and put up a smug grin.

<...I'm technically the only one still standing.>

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Except you're just floating there. Helpless."

Kahlil raised a brow from where he was sprawled out on the ground, still casually resting with his hands behind his head. It was a view he could get used to, if he was honest. And he was a very honest man. With a grin he stood up, crouched so he was eye level with her to reach up and touch her cheek before pressing a kiss to her lips. "I've won this one." He tapped her cheek before standing up.

A grin, far too sly, already crested his lips.

"Unless you want to keep struggling. Then I'll just win in a different way."

Valery Noble