Private Stars In Their Eyes

[Aris Noble]

"He's somewhat explained the runes to me. It's like.. Focusing the mind. They inherently don't do anything, but they focus your mind on the intended effect and your belief in it is what makes the Force react to how the Rune works. It's a lot of how the Sith runes work, apparently. But that's about all I get of it honestly. A lot of those concepts go over my head."

If dad had time, then yeah, Aris would certainly have Zaiya talk to him. If the runes could help, all the better. But right now it wasn't rune talk. He raised his hands, idly flexing his fists. It helped she knew soft to solid, at least.

"We'll work on just basic enhancements. Strength. You just need to focus on yourself when you lift, and.. Lift." He stepped over to a rather large rock as he spoke, and sure enough, he just lifted the whole thing without so much as a struggle. He'd walk it over to set in front of Zaiya, nodding once to it. "From what I read, that feeling you get with the Force, focus it on what you want to accomplish, and do it."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

It would be so cool to pick Aris's dad's brain about the runes, but Zaiya wasn't sure how to even approach him. She'd never really had the chance to talk to him, and she knew Kahlil had been Shan's master, but they were both always busy. It was one of those connections she hoped to make someday, if the opportunity ever came up.

For now, though, she had a new skill to learn how to use the Force to lift... this massive rock?

Zaiya shot Aris an amused look, her right eyebrow arching up as he plopped it in front of them with the ease of dropping a pebble.

Of course, he would make it look easy.

"Just… lift?" This was starting to remind her of the way Shan Pavond taught her to shift from soft to solid, which had been, well, painful. He'd made her punch a slab of wood over and over until she could harden her fist with the Force. She still remembered the bruises and bloody knuckles from that lesson.

But trying to lift a rock without knowing how to properly channel her strength? Yeah, that sounded like a fast track to a pulled muscle or worse.

"For my back's sake, maybe you could explain it a bit more step by step. Like, what do you feel when you're lifting it? What's going on in your body when you are summoning the Force to help you lift it? Actually... wait a second," Zaiya paused, a ripple of orange and blue dancing over her mottled spots. She had an idea.

Zaiya glanced around the area, spotting a rock about the size of her fist. Perfect. She picked it up, feeling the rough edges against her palm.

"Strength isn't just about lifting," she said thoughtfully, holding up the rock.

"It's about control, too. Crushing, as much as lifting. So how about you walk me through it, step by step with how you crush this rock, so I can actually get what you're doing and not just end up injuring myself before I get the hang of it?"

She chuckled, her skin rippling with light golds and blues that signaled her playful mood.

"I'd rather not pull a muscle and have you carry me out over your shoulder like a sack of starch potatoes." It was one thing to use the Force to telekinetically use one's will to move something or lift it, another to understand how one can tangibly strengthen one's body beyond what it is normally capable of.

 

[Aris Noble]

Crushing and control? Aris raised a brow some, confused by what exactly the one had to do with the other. But, at the same time, maybe it did? For him he had to control himself not to crush things. But his strength wasn't normal. Right. With that in mind he took the rock she'd given him and nodded once. With it in his hand he'd curl his fingers around and focused.

"As funny as it could be, you're right. Don't need you getting all hurt. For me, it's all about controlling my strength so I don't break the rock. For that, it's a lot more.. Focus. Feeling the tensions in my fingers, realizing how strong I can be. I don't summon the Force to do these things. I just, push it down, I suppose? So for you, you'd be doing the opposite. Where I'm trying to keep my strength from breaking things, you're trying to find the strength to break things. Like with Soft to Solid, but instead of making yourself tougher, focus your mind on being stronger. Make sense?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

"Yeah, you'd probably start commenting on why I don't just lift it while I'm over here struggling," Zaiya teased, her skin flickering with playful teal. Aris had this way of seeing things so logically, like every problem had a straightforward solution she just hadn't thought of yet. And yeah, maybe he was right most of the time, but still. Lifting a rock with the Force was a little more complicated than he made it sound.

But she appreciated that he got what she was trying explain. Focusing on crushing a smaller rock, rather than attempting to lift a massive one, seemed more her speed.

She gave him a subtle, pleasantly surprised nod as he explained it further, her lips curving into a half-smile. His explanation on how to access the Force and try to break the stone was actually very thoughtful.

"Wow, that's a pretty good explanation, Master Aris," she said with a smirk, reaching for the rock he offered. The joke was lighthearted, but she meant it. There was something impressive about the way Aris controlled his strength -- never too much, never too little. He was always balanced, always in control. And that made her wonder... what would it take to break that control?

Her skin rippled with the colors of her thoughts, shifting like sunlight on water as she mused on the idea. But she quickly refocused on the task at hand.

"Okay, so, focus on finding the strength to break this thing," she murmured, staring down at the rock in her hand. "Not about making myself tougher, but making my grip stronger."

It sounded simple, but the Force was never just simple. At least not for her. It took patience and control -- something she still needed practice with.

With a playful glint in her opal-blue eyes, she glanced back at Aris. "Think I can make the stone bleed first, or is it going to make me?" she joked, her grin widening.

Then she took a deep breath, centering herself. "Okay. Let's find out."

Zaiya closed her eyes, letting the world around her fade as she turned her focus inward. The colors on her skin, which were always in constant motion, began to slow, becoming a gentle, soothing rhythm like the tide rolling in and out. She imagined herself back on Glee Anselm, floating on the ocean's surface, weightless, as she'd done when learning to form a Force Orb. It helped her focus.

She felt the Force around her, its steady pulse, its endless flow. Drawing it inward, she guided that energy through her body, down her arms, and into her hands. She just needed to channel it, to let it give her the strength she needed.

The Force could make anything possible, right?

She focused harder, feeling the rough texture of the rock in her palm. If she could tap into the Force, strengthen her muscles just enough… maybe she could crack it.

Of course, the Force had a wicked sense of humor -- or maybe Zaiya was right, she had tough luck applying the Force to her own body compared to Aris, who could do it like breathing.

Either way, it was a flop. Seconds passed, and Zaiya's knuckles went white in her attempt to squeeze the rock to try to get it to crack. Even her brows furrowed in concentration. One second, two... three.

A sudden hot puff of hair blew from Zaiya's lips, blowing the long bangs away from her face as frustration tinted the edges of her mottled spots to lavender. Her eyes snapped open.

"Well, that didn't work."

 

[Aris Noble]

"Yes, but also you should probably do both, actually. If you put too much strength in it and your body can't handle it, you could hurt yourself." Right that was actually a problem. Still, she seemed fine enough to start. So, he watched. Aris stayed pretty silent the whole process, just watching as she squeezed the rock with all her might. It didn't help he couldn't feel the Force and couldn't really tell what she was doing.

Really, the only good thing was that she seemed to understand what he was saying. Not that she got it enough to actually crush the rock. He smiled softly before nodding.

"No, it didn't, but you seemed to have an idea on how it works. Keep practicing. Once you can influence the Force enough freely, it'll be easy. It's one of those things I can't really describe, but the moment it clicks it'll be easy, you know?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

Zaiya was already glaring at the stone in her fist as if it had personally decided to foil her attempts to crush it. She could feel the stubbornness building up inside her, that flutter of annoyance tinging the edges of her mottled spots in lavender. Then Aris spoke up, offering more clarity to toughen up her skin as well to prevent injury.

"Oh. Right." Zaiya blinked, surprise flashing across her features, her rosy golden skin shifting subtly as if agreeing with Aris's suggestion. Why hadn't she thought of that? It was obvious now that he mentioned it.

With a new wave of determination, Zaiya prepared to try again. Her skin, now a deep saffron with flecks of cerulean luminance, seemed to shimmer with renewed focus. Her brows drew together in concentration as she steeled herself. If this didn't work, she'd have to come up with a different strategy.

She shut her eyes, centering her thoughts on the stone in her palm. It was easier for her to use the Force to harden her skin -- she had the knack off that at least -- but strengthening herself at the same time was a whole other challenge. It required balancing multiple layers of Force application, something she hadn't really tried before. Not like when she learned Curata Salva, the healing technique she now kept in a passive state, allowing the Force to flow through her and maintain her endurance. That, at least, was second nature by now.

But this? Crushing the rock while simultaneously reinforcing her skin? It was pushing her limits in ways she hadn't anticipated. That wasn't bad -- she needed to do that. It was just frustrating that this was a part she struggled with compared to using her senses. She felt the familiar tug of the Force, its energy swirling around her, and she took a deep breath, channeling it through her body. The weight of the stone pressed into her palm, solid and unyielding.

And while she certainly succeded in toughening her skin to prevent injury on her hand, Zaiya still couldn't quite get the strength portion of it. Her knuckles went white again, and no matter how much she squeezed the stone, it remained unyielding.

Or maybe in Zaiya's imagination, taunting her.
Once again, the Lovalla teenager snapped her eyes open. Nothing.

 

[Aris Noble]

Doing two things at once was difficult, wasn't it? He watched Zaiya struggle again to crush the rock, though it seemed she was able to harden her skin in the same moment. He hummed aloud as she opened her hand to reveal the uncrushed rock. "You're thinking of it as two separate things, right? Making yourself tough and strong as two separate things. Make them the same thing. They are, technically. A rock isn't just hard to touch, it's dense, heavy. Don't think about them as two different things, and maybe it'll work better? Dad says the Force is a lot of belief."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

"You and your father make it sound easy," Zaiya laughed, though there was no frustration behind it. Just determination. Aris always made everything sound so simple, like bending the Force to your will was second nature. For him, maybe it was. For her? Not so much. She was still getting the hang of it, still wrapping her head around how to combine abilities, let alone mastering them. Two years of training wasn't enough to make the complex feel effortless.

Her mottled spots shifted from its usual soft irridecent blue to a thoughtful amber, the colors swirling as she mulled over what Aris had said -- make them the same thing. Combining powers like it was no big deal. Her theory and practice didn't always line up, and it showed in the way her brow furrowed slightly.

"Yeah, I know. The Force is about belief," she admitted, her voice quieter now, more reflective. "But you can do this without even thinking. Did you ever have to train yourself to use the Force in different combinations, or did it just... happen?"

Her irridecent opal blue eyes studied Aris, genuinely curious. Was it something that came naturally to him, or was it just years of practice that made it seem so effortless?

 

[Aris Noble]

"I think it is easy for him."

From what he'd seen of his father's abilities, it certainly seemed effortless and easy for the aged Master. Was it just practice? Was it something more? He wasn't sure, but he also knew he'd never be able to fully understand himself. "I don't feel it at all. Even when I heat myself up, it's not like I feel the Force more than just.. My body. I can't really explain it in a way that will make sense and I know that, but, I'm hoping it does anyway, you know?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

"It does, but it also doesn't," Zaiya admitted, her brow furrowing as she turned Aris's explanation over in her mind. It made sense why he saw it that way -- he couldn't feel the Force like others did, so to him, it probably just felt like his body doing what he wanted. But the way he explained it didn't quite land for her for how to do it herself.

Her frown deepened, and she tilted her head to the right, lost in thought. A soft ripple of color rolled over her skin, the patterns of her mottled spots and stripes shifting as her emotions churned. Zaiya's skin always betrayed her thoughts -- when she was calm, the hues softened, but now, her contemplation sparked a pulse of light.

"Huh... actually, I have an idea," she said suddenly, a spark of curiousity flickering through her as a thought began to brew.

Zaiya's connection to the Force was more about sensing its flow than directly controlling it. So why not use that to understand what was happening with Aris? Maybe if she could feel what was going on inside him, she'd get a clearer picture.

"Here, hold this." She handed him the small stone she'd been fiddling with, her hands brushing his briefly. Stepping closer, she clapped her hands lightly to dust them off, rubbing them clean on her tunic. Griminess wouldn't do for what she was about to attempt.

"I just realized -- I've never actually sensed you using the Force before. Not actively, at least. Your Kyber Crystal sure, but not you. " Zaiya's eyes glimmered with curiosity as she spoke. She could always see how others used the Force on the outside, or when they actively meditated, but Aris? He did everything internally, and that made him harder to read.

Normally, she would've been more hesitant about touching him as freely -- something about it always made her a little self-conscious and as they had discussed back at the Hapes Gala, she'd been trying to maintain a balance between being his friend and not getting too clingy -- but now, her mind was focused on the training, on figuring out how to bridge the gap between them. She didn't hesitate this time. Stepping even closer, her fingers hovered near his face before attempting to gently cupping his cheeks. Her skin flushed briefly with a soft pink hue -- an emotion she couldn't hide -- but she kept her focus.

"Okay, what if you do what you'd normally do to break the stone with the Force?" Zaiya said, her voice steady as she gazed into his green eyes -- focus. Never mind how her fingers tingled with anticipation, waiting for his permission to sense the flow of energy, hoping this would be the key to unlocking what made Aris's connection to the Force so unique.

"I can resonate with you and also feel what's going on inside your body and through the Force at the same time. Maybe that'll help me understand."

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris sort of just, watched Zaiya as the gears turned in her head. The focus she displayed, the thought process she was going through as she spoke aloud to give him some insight in just what was going through her mind. He knew what he said couldn't make sense to her. He was different, he knew. He didn't so much feel anything as he held back his strength or increased his temperature, nothing more than the fact he was weaker. Or hotter.

But she had an idea how to see it for herself. To put feeling where he couldn't describe it in words. He smiled softer this time around. There was no fluster from her, no overthinking or assuming as she had before whenever she wanted to let their emotions bare to one another. I was moments like these, when she was her most confident and focused, that brought quite the..

He wasn't sure what this feeling was, but he liked it. Was this what made her fluttery?

He let her in with a nod, pushing those thoughts aside in favor of scientific discovery. He wanted to help her learn, so, the rock. As Zaiya would focus on him she'd realize that unlike how she was trying to use the Force to enhance herself, the flow of it in Aris was already strong. Constant. He didn't use the Force because it was always there, always active, always at it's strongest to make him at his strongest. He was actively lessening that strength, stiffening the flow in his arms, his hands, focused to make sure he didn't accidentally hurt Zaiya as she held his hands.

But the dampen faded as he closed his hands together. It was little more than a slow clap, but the rock cracked, splintered, and finally shattered into a fine powder as his hands closed.

"Did that help..?"

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

Zaiya closed her eyes, focusing intently on Aris as he held the stone in his hands. She reached out, letting her fingers brush his skin, and immediately, she felt it -- a connection, a resonance, like a door swinging open between them. Through that touch, she could sense the steady flow of the Force within him. It was surprising. Interesting.

Aris was right, He just... was.

Unlike her, who would always try to call on the Force to try to enhance her abilities when it didn't involve empathic senses, Aris didn't need to try. The Force in him wasn't something he tapped into -- it was a constant presence, always there, always active. Zaiya realized that Aris wasn't using the Force... not as much as he was actively trying to reign it in, holding back its natural strength. It flowed through him like an ever-present, powerful and unrelenting current, one she felt him purposefully dampen it.

She could feel how he carefully lessened that flow, stiffening it in his arms, focusing in his hands. But that restraint faded as he brought his hands together. Slow, simple, but effective as the rock was shattered into dust.

So this is what Aris meant. He had to constantly control himself because the Force wasn't just strong in him -- it was overwhelming. Always there, always waiting, like it was ready to burst out if he didn't keep it in check. Now, Zaiya understood why Aris had to be so careful. Why he had to restrain himself so much. And... why he might sometimes be tempted to see how far he could push it.

She opened her eyes, feeling a shimmer of colors ripple across her skin, her emotions painting her like a kaleidoscope of thought and awe.

"Yeah… it did," Zaiya finally replied, her voice quiet as she pulled her hands back, breaking their connection even though her fingers twitched, wanting to linger. She met Aris's gaze, her colors shifting to a soft swirl of pale admiration.

Wow.

"You're right. The Force is always there with you. Always trying to make you as strong as you can be. And I could feel how you're trying to hold it back. That's... a lot of control," she admitted, with no attempt to hide the admiration in her tone.

Lowering her multicolored head, Zaiya gently took his hands in hers again, dusting off the remnants of the shattered stone. And once again, that resonance sparked between them, but this time it was softer, warmer. Aris could feel her admiration, her gratitude for letting her try this -- and something else too, a fluttering sense of joy that seemed to tickle the senses like a playful breeze.

"You're pretty awesome, Aris," she added, her voice lighter now, a hint of teasing in it. "I'm almost jealous of how you can do that."

The Lovalla teen glanced back up to meet his gaze again, giving her nose a little amused wiggle as her eyes crinkled in mirth. Her skin bloomed with amused cyan tones, the green of envy never quite taking hold, replaced by a playful swirl of colors as her patterns danced with the lighthearted feeling that bubbled up inside her.

 

[Aris Noble]

Oh. She did understand it. Understood how he handled it. He smiled. And yet, there was something more to it, to his smile, that almost leached through. Might have, actually, since he wasn't really thinking about what that emotion was. There was vulnerability in being understood. Most didn't get just how much control he had to put into everything just to make sure he didn't break something or harm someone else. Joy was all he could feel. Joy that Zaiya had understood him. Joy that she of all people could.

"I know, I'm pretty cool. Don't be too jealous though, I think you're pretty cool too."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

Zaiya let out a snort, rolling her eyes playfully at Aris's quip. The cyan hue rippled across her skin, a joyful reflection of the warmth she felt from him -- and the tingly mix of embarrassment and pride from his compliment.

Pretty cool, huh? A flush of pink edged with a golden shimmer flickered over her patterns, betraying the small thrill of being acknowledged.

"I have my moments," she said with a grin, her fingers still playing with his before she let go, the connection between them breaking.

"But being told is nice," she admitted, her blush deepening slightly. She quickly moved on, glancing around for another stone. "Okay, let me try what you did. Maybe that'll help."

Zaiya spotted a stone a few feet away and bent down to pick it up, returning to her spot next to Aris. She took a breath, focusing. This time, she tried to follow his lead -- imagining the Force not as something she had to consciously control piece by piece, but as a flow already inside her. She was the channel, the guide, and she had to let it do its work.

As she reached out with the Force, she could feel it, strong and steady, coursing through her. The stone in her hand seemed to hum under her touch, and for a moment, she thought she might actually crack it. But no, not yet. The strength wasn't quite there. Still, she could feel the difference -- it was working. She was getting closer.

Opening her eyes, Zaiya hummed thoughtfully. "Okay, so I didn't break it, but I did feel the Force flow through me better this time. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. Just need a bit more practice, and I'll have it down."

She glanced over at Aris, her skin flickering with soft citrines flecked with blue in calm determination, a small smile on her lips. "Thanks for showing me."

 

[Aris Noble]

And like that, the connection was gone. Aris paused for a moment, his smile softening, shrinking. He liked how that felt, it turned out. He really shouldn't, he knew it, but he did. He slowly flexed his fingers before he settled himself down. Mentally, at least. For now he watched her take up the rock and squeeze, try to break it. Again, she was unsuccessful, but she did seem to have something figured out.

"I'll always help you where I can, Zaiya. You should keep working on it, it'll help a lot I think. Especially with everything that's been happening. .. You doing okay? Vera ran into some monster made by a kid our age."

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble


As Aris reassured her, Zaiya's iridescent blue eyes softened, a little bubble of joy swelling in her chest. The warm, golden glow of that giddy, tingly feeling danced across her skin, turning the soft mottled spots into a rosy hue that brightened her expression in a lovely blush. For a moment, everything felt lighter, more hopeful.

But then Aris asked that question. The one that could drain the color from her in an instant.

You doing okay? Vera ran into some monster made by a kid our age.

Zaiya froze, her rosy-golden skin paling in an instant, shifting into a dull pewter flecked with pale yellows, the telltale signs of fear creeping through her patterns. Her eyes widened in alarm, the name 'Vera' striking a deep chord in her heart.

The idea of something happening to Vera...

"Is Vera okay? When did she run into a monster?" she blurted out, her voice tight, betraying the worry and concern flooding through her. She couldn't keep the hitch out of her voice because -- if she was being honest -- she wasn't okay. Not really. Not after what had happened back in Echnos City.

Just thinking about that sent her fingers tightening around the stone in her hand in impulse with enough strength this time to cause her knuckles to go white, and pressure to send a tiny little spider cracks through it. Minor success... but at what cost? It.. hadn't been the right kind of emotion or use of the Force to fuel enhancing her strength. Startled, Zaiya glanced down and blinked rapidly, befuddled, only to snap her attention back to Aris.

Zaiya was still wrestling with the emotional fallout from the Phobis Device. The way it had forced her to relive her worst memories, mixing the pain of her parents' deaths with the terror of feeling lives being snuffed out through the Force. It had left scars, not just on her heart but on her spirit. And then there were Kasir's words -- the Sith's bitter, cutting words that had dug into her, making her doubt everything. Doubt her abilities, doubt her worth.

Her skin shifted again, dark, inky patterns rippling through her, reflecting the tangled mess of guilt and failure she hadn't been able to shake. Zaiya remembered the chaos of Echnos City -- the panic, the civilians she'd tried to help turning on her in fear, the lives she couldn't save. She'd felt each one slip away, sensed their terror through the Force as the Sith had claimed them, and she had been powerless to stop it. Powerless to help.

The memories still haunted her, lurking in the back of her mind, a constant reminder of everything she'd failed to do. And now... the idea that Vera, might have also faced something like that? It was too much.

She wasn't sure she could handle losing anyone else.

 

[Aris Noble]

"She's fine- Zaiya?"

Aris blinked as he watched the colors shift so rapidly. Alarmingly. He hadn't seen her like this, ever. Frustrated, sad even after everything that happened on Tython before. But this? He was frozen in his usual unsure motions. He didn't know what to do, how to help her, how to do.. Anything right now. She wasn't just upset. Broken. maybe?

After a moment he reached up, pulling her into a hug. A tight hug, at that. He didn't think it through, didn't let his thoughts cloud the action. He just, felt like he should hug her.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

Relief washed over Zaiya when Aris reassured her about Vera's safety, but the way his expression shifted -- his green eyes blinking rapidly with concern when he said her name -- made her stomach tighten. He was looking at her, really looking, as if trying to see beyond the surface. His green eyes searched hers, unsure.

Zaiya could feel her emotions flickering across her skin, broadcasting every thought; every painful memory was etched across her skin. The fear that twisted her inside, the haunting image of the Sith, the lives she felt snuffed out in the Force, and her own helplessness were laid bare. She quickly cast her gaze to her feet, nervously rolling the cracked stone in her hand. She wasn't sure how to talk about it, not when she hadn't even figured out how to deal with it herself.

"It's fin -- " She tried to excuse it, but her words were cut short by the sudden force of Aris's embrace. Zaiya's eyes went wide as his arms suddenly wrapped around her tightly, pressing her arms awkwardly between their chests. The surprise made her freeze, but the surge of emotions hit him like a tidal wave. She could feel it -- the anxiety, the overwhelming guilt, the crushing weight of her failure, all the fear she'd been bottling up. And now, Aris was feeling it too.

Her skin flared with bright silver glints of bioluminescence, alarm flashing in her as she realized she hadn't been able to block her emotions fast enough. Everything she'd been trying to hold in was spilling over, crashing into Aris. But at the same time, she didn't want to pull away. There was a comfort in his hug, a reassurance she hadn't even realized she'd been craving. His concern, his warmth -- it made her lower lip tremble, and she blinked hard, fighting the sudden sting of tears.

Zaiya swallowed, trying to push down the knot in her throat, but she didn't know what to say. There were no words that could capture how she felt -- how lonely, terrified, and trapped in her own mind she'd been. The memories of that moon, the way the Phobis device had ripped open her deepest fears and forced her to relive them, still haunted her. She had been so lost in that darkness, so terrified of being alone. If Iris hadn't found her...

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady herself in Aris's arms.

 

[Aris Noble]

It wasn't fine, that much was clear. Aris tightened his grip, carefully, around her. He didn't really get it, didn't really understand what he was supposed to do now or here. This was probably something she needed to work through with her Master, or maybe a therapist? That side of it, he'd leave to the adults. To help he process, to help her feel better.

He hoped they could help her feel better.

This, though, hugging her while she trembled, he could do.

"It's-"

Aris didn't have words. But it didn't stop him from holding her anyway.

Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

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Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Aris Noble

There were a million things Zaiya wanted to say, but somehow, none of them felt right. Words seemed too small for the weight of everything inside her, too fragile to carry the storm of emotions swirling through her mind. Yet, as Aris tightened his arms around her, pulling her into his chest, she realized that maybe she didn't need to explain anything. He didn't have to say the perfect thing or even fully understand what she was going through. He was just… here. And for now, that was enough.

Zaiya tucked her head against him, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest, the warmth of his breath brushing the top of her hair. She could sense the hesitation in him, like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure what. But that was okay. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the solid weight of his presence -- it made her feel grounded, safe. He couldn't erase the hurt. That would take time, conversations with Iris, maybe even Cora or Lossa. But right now, wrapped in Aris's arms, Zaiya felt a little less lost. A little less broken.

"This is enough," she mumbled, her voice muffled against his robes. She rubbed her nose into the soft fabric, taking a deep breath as she allowed herself to relax. The dark, inky tendrils of fear and guilt that had stained her skin began to recede, their grip on her emotions loosening. She wasn't okay yet. But she was better.

"This is more than enough, Aris. Thank you," she whispered, her heart twisting in ways that made her feel both grateful and vulnerable. Aris didn't always show his emotions, and sometimes he struggled to understand them. But when it mattered -- like now -- he always seemed to know exactly how to reach her. How to see past the walls she put up and offer her the comfort she needed.

And that made everything harder. It made it impossible to tell herself she shouldn't get too close to him, especially when being close to him felt so right.