Together Again - A Wonderful Life [Shmi]

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Have I ever not delivered on what I said I'd do?" He teased back, shooting Shmi a massively cheeky grin in turn as they would get driving. It was true, no? He'd said he'd do something, and he pretty much always did it. Especially when it came to Shmi, and whether it was clean or dirty, he still delivered. This would be no different, he knew.

He shrugged his shoulders. Well, if that was what she wanted. To be frank, he knew of three places. The Moon Of Naboo, a cafe that [member="Validar Nigel Tine"] owned... A bar, and the steak place he liked to go to once in a blue moon. He was shocked he even knew of those three, to be frank. He really did need to get out more. "I think you'll like it, just try to make sure to cut it into smaller pieces a little more for your first outing. Trying to swallow a larger piece whole without being used to it is how you choke" He advised, chuckling in turn. "It's the spice, it's a bit overwhelming when you eat too much of the steak at once and you're not used to it, but it tastes great either way."

And then he would smile at her words. "I'm... Still pinching myself, really. And this might sound weird, but... I'm glad I was able to wake up next to you this morning. More then you know" He spoke softly.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She nodded, "You have..." wiping a piece of her hair back from her face, she noted his cheeky grin "Your adorable Josh. You have the best smile...whether its a smirk or just one big grin." She said giggling and shaking her head. She took a deep breath before turning back to him when he started talking about dinner. She nodded along taking note, "Definitely, I don't want to choke to death on a large piece of meat...especially if it's my first time trying it." she said, "Even you saying that makes me a little intimidated" she said chuckling.

"Though I suppose we won't know until we get there...I'm excited." She said softly, just looking off into the distance.

She smirked from where she was sitting, and when she turned back to look at him she rose her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. She loved his hair, "Why would that sound weird.."

Her voice got soft too.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Her words brought a big grin out of him, happy to know that she thought that of him, and happy that she valued him... "And you're just so wonderful" He would tease, taking the first moment he could take his hand off the wheel to playfully ruffle her hair before returning to the wheel. "I couldn't imagine my life without it being the way it is now... With you. I don't know what I'd do if I went without you now" He would admit, letting out a breath.

He almost tried to stop her when she talked about not wanting to choke on a large piece of meat, especially on her first try, but he decided to not say anything, having to keep from bursting out into laughter. He'd just let that one go... But he would nod his head after a pause, taking a breath. "Well, we'll find out soon, no? And, of course. I suppose it'd be well, weird to find it weird... But I've never been in a relationship like... This, before? If that makes sense?"

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She shook her head, and then rolled her eyes after he ruffled her hair. She proceeded to fix it after, running her fingers through it while she smiled. His next few words caused her to stop what she was doing and looked over at him. She began to tap on his thigh, "Stop, pull over for a sec." She said looking at him, though her voice was calm as she said.

If and when he did, she would move closer to him and press her lips against his. Her left hand came up and caressed his face while she continued her display of affection. She didn't know how else to respond to what he said, it obviously struck a cord because this was her reaction. She felt the same way, it was almost as if she was whole now. Her career as a Jedi gave her meaning and purpose but when she and Josh became an item it was as if she found more to discover about herself, and she owed him for that.

She withdrew for a second to take a breath, and she ran her hands through his hair again. "I don't know what I'd do without you now either...and i don't want to think about." She smirked before she scooted back over to her spot, and they'd begin to talk again.

"Yeah...I get where your coming from in a way. I've never been in a relationship period...which isn't the same of course, but it's still new to me"

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Being a Jedi had been his life for as long as he could remember, but the last handful of years, he'd begun to wonder if that was it for him. Or if there was something more to this life for him. He didn't feel... He didn't know... Whole, he supposed. For the longest time. It always felt as though something was missing in his life. A hole, a void, that just wasn't being filled. Promotions, taking up more responsibilities, even simple pleasures or relationships didn't fill that void. And yet, when he and Shmi became an item, more and more, as time went on... It felt as though that hole had been filled. He didn't understand why. But it made him happy to know that he was... Well...

Whole.

He would pull over when asked, and look over at her with a curious tilt of his head, before being pulled into a long kiss, met with passion that he returned in kind as he would bring up a hand to play with her hair a little. As the kiss broke, he would smile a tad and nod. "I hope this never ends" He spoke softly, before returning to the wheel.

"I've had a few in the past, but... This feels... Different somehow, I guess" He would admit as he'd get driving again. "Almost like unlike anything else I've done in the past, this has... Purpose. A future. A future I can clearly see."

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She giggled to herself, "It won't..." She said before she returned to her side of the speeder and he continued driving. At least she didn't plan on it, and who would? She thought that her hoping allowed the possibility of it ending live, and that's something she didn't want to even give life. Still smirking after their brief display of affection she looked over to him as he picked up where there conversation had ended.

Yeah, he knew more about these things than she did. "Well i'm happy you see a future with me..." she said smiling while looking ahead and her hair slightly blowing in the wind. "I haven't the chance to date anyone before...or share moments like this, but I'm glad I get that chance now. It's really been the best times I've had, ever." she said still looking off.

"Its just...its such a contrast to a life strictly full of service. And of course I see a life with you as well..."

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Well, why wouldn't I see a future with you?" He would tease back as he would grin back at her for a moment before continuing to drive. "Huh, by how you do, I wouldn't think this would be your first time" Was the next joke that came from him, and of course a laugh would follow, because of course it did. It wouldn't be Josh without jokes and laughter and all that.

"Still... I've been really happy that we decided to do this. It's given me a chance to really look back at my life and see what was missing, and to spend all this time with you" He would admit softly. "The last part there being the best part" He added, another laugh escaping him. The speeder would soon arrive at the house, and once parked, he would stretch out as he would exit, helping Shmi out of the speeder by the hand again.

"Let's get this all in the house and make some awesome-frickin breakfast, aye?" Josh would crack, shooting her another grin. He would motion for HK to come over and help them out, they had brought back quite a bit after all.

It was going to be hilarious watching the combat droid help bring in groceries.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She grinned back and shrugged her arms, she tucked her lips to hide the rest of her smile before covering it with a hand. She rolled her eyes at his joke and began laughing, "Oh whatever...I'm a novice at this." She responded, "I just happened to have a good teacher..." she said looking him up and down before giggling to herself.

A slight tilt of her head followed by a warm, and sweet smile. She looked at him in awe, "Awwee. Your such a sweetheart." She said blushing slightly. When they arrived home, he opened the door and helped her out. She'd take his help, "Thanks." then she make her way around to gather the groceries to bring into the house.

All she could was laugh, "Yeah, I hear your stomach all the way from over here." She reached out and patted his belly, sticking her tongue out at him before grabbing a few bags.

She was walking past HK when he came over to help, "Hey HK!"

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

A chuckle escaped him at that. “A good teacher, huh? I didn’t realize I gave kissing lessons” He would crack. “And here I was thinking I only had one student for that sort of thing. I’ll have to investigate that one further” Josh would joke, grinning in turn. Once they arrive at hone, he would motion for the HK unit to help with loading the amount of groceries, seeing as they’d gotten enough to fully restock since they’d here a good while.

“You are going to be staying here for an extended period then, if these are not going on your ship, Master Dr-3t3tazazzzzzzsssssrrr-agonsFlame?” The droid would manage to inquire, even as the static and other assortment of noises continue to make it’s speech difficult to pick out in some parts. “Of course” Josh would remark in turn as he would grab some things from the speeder. “Shmi and I have decided that we’re going to be spending more and more time here.”

The droid would look from it’s Master to the Jedi Master who had given him a greeting but he had thus far ignored. “Does this mean that you and Master Labooda are now in a marital engagement, Master?” Hk would ask the Jedi as he would tilt his head as he would look toward the HK Unit. “Well…” He began, motioning for HK to pick up the bread from the speeder. “Let’s just say we’re together, and have a family together in mind. Plus she’s going to be living here with us for no on so you’d best get used to her” He remarked. “While it’s not all official yet the answer… Is yes. Hopefully, anyway.”

“As you wish, Master” Hk would respond dryly as he would pick up the bread and bring it into the house.

Once the groceries were all packed up, Josh would begin sorting through the fridge.

"So anything you wanted in particular?" He would inquire. He was hungry indeed...

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She glared at him with a playful grin forming on her face before she turned her head in the opposite direction. "Oh I bet you will..." she said responding, under her breath but enough to where he could hear. She ran in and dropped the groceries off on the counter before walking back towards the door. She overheard Josh, and stood there for a moment with her arms folded as she leaned against the frame to the entrance of the home. She smiled.

She had just walked up to the ground when HK asked about them being in a marital engagement, she looked to Josh to answer that question. She slowly picked up a few bags with a smirk across her face, she wondered how he'd explain this one. She smiled, and took off with the last of her bags before the two of them would.

When she got in and the others did as well, she help unpack things while Josh could sort them where he wanted. She turned and leaned back against the countertop, playfully she said "Well...Could I have you?" she began to laugh.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He laughed at her response to her asking what she wanted to make for breakfast. "We'll see tonight" The Jedi would joke as he and HK would load everything into the fridge and other areas. "I suppose space bagels couldn't hurt, cream cheese to supplement, maybe with some bacon as a side dish?" He would suggest, shrugging his shoulders. It wasn't the heaviest meal, bagels, but the bacon would certainly help supplement that. Not the healthiest thing either, but eh. They would figure out what was best on the regular schedule later on. For now, he was just hungry.

He'd remember that comment though. And probably take the idea for himself when it seemed applicable. But for now, he would begin to get the bagel bread and cream cheese ready for one part of the breakfast for them, in case she was good with the idea. If she suggested something else, well, they'd talk about it. But might as well prep just in case.

"You're fine with that?" He would inquire toward her, making sure she was alright with the idea first, or suggested another.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She laughed right with him, happy she could get him to smile. She always liked his smile, in all their forms. She nodded slowly while she looked at him, "That actually sounds perfect, considering the fact we're going swimming. That should at least kill the hunger and keep us from cramping up." She said holding her stomach.

She moved closer to him and looked at the last of the stuff he was putting away. "I'm completely fine with that." she said smiling and looking up at him before shyly turning her head and pacing around the kitchen. she finally stopped and poked him in the back before backpedalling to the opposite side of the room and propping herself up on the countertop.

"So when are we going to have another sparring session?" She said with a playful yet alluring smirk. "Perhaps this time with sabers..."

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Sound strategy. When did you learn cooking strategy alongside combat strategy, Miss Labooda?" was the next wisecrack to fall from his lips as he shot her a grin, sneaking another peck on her lips when she came close, before she could move away, a playful little cackle escaping him at that. Stretching out, he would then throw the bagels into the toaster while he got started on the bacon, placing the cream cheese on the counter, before motioning for her to come give him a hand with the steps required (Because the writer has totally forgotten most of them).

While she had been on the counter though, she might have noticed an old newspaper in front of her. It was definitely old, at least by a few years. It was the one right after the one posted when Coruscant had fallen to the One Sith. The headline in particular read "Former Supreme Chancellor Philip J. Halen Killed During Invasion Of Coruscant."

But why would he have that lying around?

At her question, he would stop what he was doing and shoot her a playful little smirk. "And here I thought you preferred to wrestle around with little clothing on" He joked. "Or did you get enough of that after the spar?" Josh would then crack wise once again. "Sabers will do. Unarmed is nice, but sabers are our specialities... Let's just try not to tear the entire house down, aye?"

He would move forward to sneak another kiss on her cheek, before whispering in her ear. "And perhaps while we're there, we'll discuss that other type of kiss I promised you..." He would whisper, an alluring tint to his voice as he would reach over and playfully grope her rear end, just teasing her all the while.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She playfully shrugged her shoulders, "I just picked a few things up I guess..." She winked at him before he kissed her, and she returned the affection before she moved away towards the opposite side of the kitchen, just a few feet away. She did notice the newspaper, at least this time she did. It had obviously been there for a while but last time they were in here she didn't even see it laying there. Picking it up, she glanced it over before looking up at him motion for her to come over.

"Wow...this was...so long ago. Seems like yesterday that all of this went down. You still have this?" She said looking up at him, holding it out for him to see when he would turn. When he grabbed it, if he grabbed it, she would proceed with the bacon. She reached around him to wash her hands before she proceeded to lay out the strips of meat on a nearby plate.

When she looked back up at him he gave her that smirk, and she immediately began to smile. "I think you prefer wrestling around with very little clothing on more than I do...it was fun, and I wouldn't be opposed to doing it again. I have to get you back anyway..." she said giggling to herself. "Right...I intend to keep this house up as long as we can." She laughed.

She perked up her cheek when he went to kiss her, his whisper provoked the obvious reaction. She turned slightly red, and felt his grope which only added to it all. "Perhaps we will...now behave yourself mister."

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Well, I'd certainly appreciate any pointers. I'm too simple of a cook, I need to learn a bit more so I'm not eating the same things every single day" He would admit with a laugh. "I got a bit too focused on the Jedi job, and the simple stuff, that I never really... Well, you know. Focused majorly on cooking besides just how to survive. Whoops" He would add, scratching his head in embarrassment. He'd hinted at this before, but it was good to reaffirm that he was going to need a bit of help to work out the kinks that his life of a one-track mind for so long had brought about. Though when she would bring up the newspaper, he looked it over a moment, realizing just what it was. He didn't bother taking it, the look was enough to know.

"Mmm" He responded, checking on the bagels after he turned away from her, frowning as soon as she couldn't see his face. It held significance, but... Well, the question was, what was that significance? Though when he turned again, he'd smirked at her comment before, and chuckled in response to what she said afterword about wrestling around. "Get me back? Oh really now?" He would tease as he had gone over to her.

Of course, with them now at home, he had no problems with being as flirtatious with Shmi as he pleased. So in accords to her comment? He would lean in and whisper once more.

"Feel free to bend over and I just might" He added quietly with a wink before hearing the bagels pop, moving to grab the plates.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

"I guess being stationed somewhere for long periods of time, i've just observed and picked up skills here and there. As you know, a lot of the work took place with many volunteers from all over..." She shrugged her shoulders while she spoke, continuing to lay the strips out before closing the bag back up and wiping her hands. She noticed before that he didn't take the paper, so she just sat it down...

"Mhmmm" she said smiling when he mentioned her getting him back, yeah she needed to get him back. She was determined to do so. Wiping her hands she turned to him placing a finger over his lips, "Shhh stop it" She said giggling, her other hand had the paper in it, and she playfully swatted him on the shoulder.

"So are you going to tell me why you still have this...?" She then held it up, "I sensed your reaction even though you tried to hide it from me.." She looked at him, when he turned around at the pop of the bagels she grabbed the plate of bacon strips and proceeded with the process of cooking them.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Fair point. Hopefully I can pick up a few things from you. I'd hate to make you do all the work should we want a bit of variety in the house" He responded with a light chuckle. But he was serious. Sure, being housemates meant they'd each split their duties on the day to day, but Josh really didn't seem keen on having Shmi do all the work, or most of the work, for something as essential as that. Not because he didn't trust her, but because it didn't seem right to make her do that. He wanted to be better to be better for her, if that made sense. Even if he'd need her help to learn to do so.

But he would start laughing, truly, when she would swat at him for his flirtations. "Hey, we're alone in the middle of nowhere. Who's going to judge? And if they do judge, why would we care?" He joked. "We can always put HK into sleep mode if he does."

"I heard that, Master!" Came from outside, and that brought a burst of hysterical laughter from the young man.

But the frown returned when Shmi would flat out confront him on the newspaper. There was no hiding it from her. She could sense, and she could sense damn well. He let out a sigh, and scratched his head once he'd put the bagels down on the plate. There was no hiding from her... And well, if they were going to spend the rest of their lives together... There shouldn't be anymore secrets.

Hesitantly, he would place a finger on the picture of the late former Supreme Chancellor.

"Chancellor Philip J. Halen" He spoke quietly, his eyes lowering as he wasn't able to meet Shmi's.

"He was my father."

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She smiled and bit her lip, an innocent shrug followed "Maybe we can learn from each other..." she nodded slowly. As much as he wanted to be better for her, she wanted just as bad to be better for him. She always felt that she was playing catch up with Josh, while he's had more experience in the area of relationships, at least more than she did. She just wanted to make sure that she was interesting enough for him...

He laugh after she swatted him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed herself up by her tippy toes while he explained that they were alone. It was true, they were within their own space...so yeah what did it matter? She began to laugh when HK shouted back. Then she released her hold on Josh.

His frown would indicate that she was right after all. She felt kind of bad that he held things back from her, she wanted his trust. She knew that wouldn't come easy but...she was trying. He pointed to the guy on the page, yes she knew the name and the incident but anything specific she hadn't an idea. She looked up at him when she spoke the mans name, and knew something was wrong when he didn't make eye contact with her.

When Josh revealed him to be his father, she was speechless. Quickly, she started rustling the paper around in her hands as she started to put it back. Her own gaze fell...and she felt extremely horrible. "I'm sorry...I..I shouldn't have asked." She walked over and placed the paper down where it was previously. She took a deep breath and stared at it for a moment.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

It seemed they were in a mutual state of mind then. That would likely benefit them in the years to come, should there be years to come. Oh who am I kidding, clearly there'll be years to come, with the way these two were going. It was funny though... He had far more experience in the way of relationships then Shmi, but Shmi had been far better then any of them. Shmi hadn't been needy or demanding, or bossy. Shmi hadn't run off to go stowaway on ships and steal from people despite the fact she didn't have to. Shmi hadn't made it dubious as to whether she had been loyal or not. She also hadn't been moonlighting as a Sith Knight or anything like that. And of course, Shmi hadn't gone and been found sleeping with another man in Josh's bed, for the sake of a sexual favour to get herself a drug fix.

... Okay, apparently his standards had been very low until now. That or Shmi was just a gem in a pile of bantha poodo. But he was quite happy to be with her, and had no thoughts of going anywhere else.

But soon enough, the topic would turn to the revelation of his father, and he took a deep breath. "No, no need to apologize. You didn't know, and you were just concerned about me" He spoke quietly. Really, after all these years of being stabbed in the back, and finding out that most people -really- didn't give a chit about him... He was glad at least someone had some concern for him. "I found out he was alive all these years shortly after he resigned as Chancellor. It turns out that he never forgave himself for causing us to be in the situation we were in, so forsook his own name and tried to earn it back in his eyes for years. He apparently didn't know I was alive either until around the same time I found out" Josh would admit. "I... Didn't get much time to spend with that reunion. The One Sith attacked Coruscant a few weeks later, and he was among those who had been killed. There wasn't even much left of his body. The building he was residing in had been levelled by an explosion during the attack."

He let out a breath. "There was so many things I wanted to ask him. But I never got a chance to. So now I've lost my parents all over again and I've been trying to come to grips with that since" He would admit. "It's... It's not easy, I'll admit. I had finally started to make my peace with losing my parents, only to find out my dad had been alive all these years. I got my hopes up again, and... Well, now I'm right back where I started, trying to make my peace all over again" Josh spoke softly, obviously having a hard time talking about it.

Finally, he seemed to decide to drop the subject, spreading the cream cheese on the bagels while he let Shmi work on the bacon. He would replace the topic soon after with one that he seemed to enjoy much more, sneaking a chance to give a cheeky little thwack to Shmi's rear end after a few moments of casually checking her out from behind. Once he'd finished the bagels off, he'd put them to the side and lean over to whisper in her ear.

"I wasn't kidding about us being alone" He teased, smirking once more. He wanted to forget his pains for now. These were meant to be happy times. And he really did enjoy teasing Shmi and making her hot and bothered. Besides, he couldn't be the one to take the initiative all the time, right? He figured if he riled her up enough, she would be far more comfortable with acting on her urges without his needed to start it up all the time himself. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, which looked rather hilarious considering their height difference. "I really will kiss you there if you want me to... Amongst other places..." He whispered with a teasing, albeit alluring tone, as he would trail a handful of kisses along the back of Shmi's neck. And just for the coup de gra? He would playfully tap his tongue to the back of her neck just for a moment, before releasing his hold and letting her finish up while he pulled away and went to grab the drinks.

"Orange juice, milk, coffee, water, apple juice, any of those work?" Josh would casually call back to Shmi as though he hadn't just gone out of his way to flirt up a storm with his present flame. Was he trying to rile her up more then he usually did based on their prior conversation, or was he just trying much harder to forget his sorrows and get back to a happier frame of mind, the one he'd been in before the topic had been brought up before? Perhaps both? He knew that these were to be happy times, not those of sadness. And he did feel bad for dragging down the mood as he had.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

Her eyes shut close, and her head shook. The Invasion of Coruscant was by far one of the worst engagements, and she was there fighting...protecting youngling as the temple was razed. It always stuck in the back of her mind...sometimes she'd even dream about it. Her heart broke for Josh, because to her he deserved the world and she just wanted to be the light for him. Her hand came to caress his cheek, while her other hand would rest on his chest.

Yes, she would like to discuss it further, but only if he was ready. More and more he was opening up but she'd learned before not to push the subject. "I'm so sorry Josh..." she lowered her head to rest on her hand which was attached to his chest. "I'm..." he dropped the subject and went back to making bagels, this was before she could finish her phrase and she was left there in that pose for a minute. "Here..." she sighed and decided to drop it as well...knowing him and knowing they'd revisit it at some point.

A few minutes went by, she continued with the bacon having got to the point of frying it in a pain. It didn't take long, but she was making quite a few strips so.

Then came another hit to her backside, she shook her head while giggling to herself. Then she felt his presence over her, then he wrapped his arms around her and she brought her hands up to cling to his forearms. "I think...you.." well her words trailed off as she felt comfortable in his grasp and under the shower of affection he gave her just now. "Maybe we should stay in..." she said giving in...on the fact that his charm was working in getting her riled up and the point that he wouldn't behave anyway.

She turned to look at him when he released her and went to get drinks, "Coffee would be fine..." well she'd check him out too.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]