Ask Coruscant Only Stars Shall See

Corran Velt

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A slow, shaky exhale escaped from Corran's lips as he stood before the door of the luxury suite. He had been here before. Stayed the night in fact. But this evening it felt like he was facing down a raging gutkurr all over again. How would she take the news? Would she toss him out? Slap him? Or worst of all, the silent treatment. Oh, he wouldn't be able to stand the silent treatment from her. There was no other option though. He had to tell her. Who else did he trust enough to let them know? If something bad happened, she would want to know where and why. What consequences followed before and after that... the blond ranger could only guess.

With hesitant courage, a single finger rose and pressed the doorbell button of Doctor Ilana Morata's Coruscant apartment. As if on instinct, the young man straightened his shirt and made sure his jacket wasn't laying weird. A final run of his hand through his hair smoothed out his blond hair. Well, as smoothed out as it got anyway. As much durasteel discipline as he had, his hair never seemed to obey. Corran cleared his throat and tucked his hands into his jacket pockets nervously. She would understand, wouldn't she? For his sake, he hoped, she was in a good mood.

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Dr Ilana Morata

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When the bell rang, pale fingers stilled. Even through the door, she could sense the young man, the anxiety, the anticipation. Was it something from work? Something to do with the endeavors of MC? Perhaps even something personal?

With a quiet sigh, she placed her palms on the desk, and slowly rose, wincing slightly to the ache growing in the base of her spine. In the last few weeks, the pressure was uncomfortable; standing now was both a relief and a discomfort, depending on how long she stood.

Long white hair was pulled back and left loose over her shoulders; an off-white knitted dress followed the curves of her body, and she could feel the stirring of the little one as she rose. Absently, her hand rested over her stomach. It wasn't extremely noticeable, but to someone as slender, it was hard to ignore. Pulling on a jacket over slender shoulders, she padded to the door, amber eyes meeting those of blue.

Before he could speak, she leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to his cheek, and wrapping her hand in his. Possessive, perhaps, a small sliver of it... but she had waited a long time. Too long, it felt like.

"Come on in."

Her voice was a low rasp in his ear as she stepped back, allowing him in. Giving him time and space to release the weight from his shoulders... and whatever kept him so tense.

She could be patient.


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Corran Velt

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Prepared as he could have been, it didn't amount to anything when the door slid open. Powerful, resplendent golden eyes froze him in place. Hair as white as the first snow of winter drifted over her shoulders. Corran's mouth opened only slightly, attempting to speak, but none came. So much had happened since their last meeting and seeing her again was more paralyzing than he realized. His face only ceased being stone when soft lips pressed against his cheek, forcing him to close his mouth and his face flush pink. An ethereal, icy hand guided him into the apartment and no power in the universe would have stopped him from obeying her wish.

Corran practically floated inside the abode and shut the door quietly behind him. His eyes pulled away from her entrancing stare down to her hand. Would these powers of hers ever fade? Not the Force abilities. The magic she cast on him so easily. A sky-blue gaze rose to drink in the Arkanian's beautiful face. A instinctual grin slid across the young ranger's face. "Ilana, it's so... good to see you," he said with something like relief and exhaustion in his voice. There was no greater oasis in the galaxy than whenever he was with her.

As he glanced about her person, taking in the aura of comfort she so easily provided, it was only then that the blond ranger realized the subtle changes in her appearance. Corran's brow furrowed and his mouth dropped open again. He withdrew his hand from her grasp and hesitantly pointed to her belly. "I... I can't believe it." It was small. A tiny bump. But life was being created there. Before, at the hospital, it wasn't even noticeable. Now he could see it. The reality settled on him like a weighted blanket smothering his whole being. "That's our... our..." Corran stuttered, clearly overwhelmed by the development.

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Dr Ilana Morata

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Something was wrong. Even though he seemed to relax at her touch, there was something in the back of his mind, a hesitancy which grated on her senses. She had become more attuned to his emotions; hesitation, a low level of anxiety, but affection, too, warm and gentle. She would withhold questioning for now; whatever held him back would come up sooner or later.

At his gesture to her stomach, a hand lightly rested over the curve there, giving a faint, wry smile. She could never quite believe it either; waking up each morning, and feeling the small Presence there. A warmth, an assurance. A link between her and the man that was her weakness. That was someone she would fight to protect with every ounce of herself... and yet the one person she couldn't protect.

"Our child, yes," she rasped quietly, hand lightly resting over his own. "You can touch, you know. We won't suddenly shatter." Here it was. The faintest glimmer of warmth, a hint of affection. The Arkanian doctor was many things, but cold wasn't strictly one of them. She was still unsure if seeing him like this, this way, was real or not. Much had changed between them, and she was still uncertain where she stood in his life.

She would give him a few moments to collect himself, and to wrap his head around procreation again, before stepping back, nodding to the chaise lounge. Ahead, wide windows opened to a sprawling vista of the ecumenopolis. She supposed, in its' own way it was a charming view, but she preferred another view. One lush with life, nipped with an edge of cold. A place with a sprawling lake glinting in moonlight--

She cut the thought off before wistfulness would take root in her features, instead stepping back towards the couch.
"What would you like to drink? And what brings the honorable Corran to my humble home?" Her voice was light, easy; a hope to banter, for him to relax if he wanted.

A moment for him to smooth the proverbial feathers.


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Corran Velt

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Words blew past his ears like an autumn breeze. He couldn't hear her. All of the young man's senses faded as his stare focused on the gentle bump on Ilana's midsection. All the wonders of the galaxy - black holes, super-massive stars, mystical Force powers, and unknowable space beasts - paled in comparison to the mystery of life being formed. A sentient being was growing there. A vessel of all the emotions, dreams, ambitions, and vices of a whole person. While his ears could not hear, Ilana's touch of his hand offered it all. Corran glanced at her features, nervousness in his gaze, before settling back at her belly. His hand reached out and delicately placed his palm against the bump. It was... warm. He had expected a snowy chill. A smirk of disbelief and indescribable joy appeared on his face.

It was only when the blond ranger realized the awkwardness of the moment when he finally withdrew his hand; clutching it into a loose ball. Following his Arkanian host's nod, Corran shuffled into the lounge. The windows offered a breath-taking view of Coruscan't skyline. Artificial lights danced with the natural stars above. Like the night sky reflected on itself. Normally he preferred the urban. The civilized. But it wasn't the place his mind wandered to now. A gentle steam that flowed to a placid lake. Trees where only the rarest of birds could reach. How quiet it all was. Only Ilana's question pulled him away from his thoughts.

He opened his mouth to pass on a beverage but words got caught in his throat. His mouth felt parched. The lieutenant cleared his throat lowly, "Water, please, if you would." The second part is what made his voice hesitant. Their relationship had began with a great many secrets. Now they told each other everything. If there was anyone Corran absolutely trusted in the galaxy, it was her. Why was this so hard? "Ilana..." He began quietly, his hands anxiously rubbing together like he was washing his hands of the current moment. "I'll be going away for awhile. On a mission." He steeled himself, blue eyes staring at the woman he loved. "A small team of rangers are going to Nar Shaddaa to... to infiltrate a Sith base there. I was... selected to join them." Admission usually felt like a weight off his shoulders. Not this time. It only felt heavier. A constrictor squeezed around his neck. Corran gulped all the same.

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Dr Ilana Morata

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She stilled with his hand over her stomach. For the first time in a long time, it felt like a suspended moment. Her breath caught in her chest, and there was a sudden, rushed feeling. At his features softening, the glimpse of the man, she felt a rush of warmth in her chest. A fierce pride, and something else. Something deep, bright, and when he pulled his hand away she exhaled quietly.

If she hadn't been so startled at his sudden drawing back, she would have missed it. Like a flutter, but definite. There. A real movement, and for a moment, golden eyes widened in shock. She reached as though to bring his hand back, but he already moved away, and for the briefest of seconds disappointment gleamed bright in golden eyes, before she subdued it, swallowing it back.

The movement had to be her imagination.

She paced to the open kitchen, getting his water, and bringing her own cup of tea along. She was about halfway to the room when his words registered, and for a moment, she stared at him. Frozen.

He was going. A small team, Rangers. The words knocked woodenly in her senses, and at first she merely stared at him, heat seeping into her palm from the still very warm tea mug.

It was the sting from the heat that brought her back, with a faint twitch of her lips, she paced quickly over to the sofa, placing down the water and the mug, then cradling her stinging palm in her own touch. She swallowed once, eyes looking down at the coffee table. How it reflected the glinting lights of Coruscant, and the ships' lights above.

"...I see."

Her voice was low, quiet. Even more raspy than usual. Immediately, memories from their recent past flooded to the surface. Coming in to hear him scream. The horrible, dying laughter of the Sith. Losing her arm anyways, and feeling again the phantom pain of the Force Lightning searing into her flesh. Her cybernetic hand tightened, ever so slightly, in her lap, as she closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe.

She wouldn't be able to save him or protect him, there. He knew it, they both knew it. If something happened to him again, it would tear her apart, and that thought shook her far more than she was willing to admit. For a moment, her hand pressed against her face, over her eyes, and then she exhaled slowly, willing her heart to slow, but the anger still boiled to the surface. The pain.

Hadn't he fought enough? Didn't they have enough to deal with, with politicians slinging mud on the Rangers and Sith running rampant through the galaxy? Didn't he feel any anger at being sent out, again, to find more of the galaxy's scum on one of the worst planets of the Outer Rim, if not the galaxy? She knew, rationally, it was out of his power to really say no. Now more than ever, it felt like, he had to serve the Rangers.

She couldn't protect him forever.

She slowly lowered her hand, and forced her gaze to meet his. A light hand rested over his; despite it looking almost exactly like the real limb, the cybernetic one couldn't literally feel his warmth, but it was there all the same, like a phantom tingle. Her throat ached slightly for some reason, but she spoke past it, her voice surprisingly calm, level.

"Call me at least once a week, if you can do it securely?" she rasped quietly. "And... be safe. Please." So much undercurrented that voice. A quiet need, to make sure he'd come back safe. A want to have him close, but an understanding. She wanted him there for their child as well. But she wouldn't say these things directly; she just would hope he'd understand somehow, like he seemed to.

Especially the words she struggled the most to say.


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Corran Velt

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Apprehension was in the air. He could feel it. Ilana stopped her movement from the kitchen abruptly. Her golden eyes seemed both to be boring into him and fogged over; not focusing on anything in particular. Corran could only stand there, nibbling on his lower lip in grueling anticipation of how she would feel. Seconds felt like hours. Only a cloaked grimace signaled that the Arkanian was not entirely shocked into passivity. Blue eyes followed each padded footstep towards the sofa, looking for any hint of what to expect. Only when she sat down and near-silently spoke did the blond ranger finally exhale. He didn't realize he had been holding his breath this whole time.

Despondence seemed to enshroud her. It could have been Corran projecting his own insecurities or worries, but no one could deny the weighted look about her as she quietly held her white hand with the faintest pink in one palm. The young man didn't need to be an empath to know something was bothering Ilana. He took a few cautious steps toward her, stopped to scan over her body language one last time, and then finally sitting next to her. Almost close enough to rub shoulders, but a sliver of space kept them apart. An urge to put his arm around her shoulders, to embrace her, bubbled up in his chest but another part didn't want to disturb the placid waters. Ilana was processing and a little patience was all it might take.

A chilly hand came to rest over his own and golden eyes peered into his sky blue. The cybernetic hand still felt like her, but he knew it wasn't. It had been sacrificed to spare his life. Just like everything else Ilana had sacrificed for them to be together. He was asking her to sacrifice again, to be without him during such a sensitive time, and be strong on her own. Ilana's calm, even reply took the young man off guard. He blinked in near disbelief. How could she still be so... so... caring? His shoulder finally pressed against hers. A closeness that displayed his own deep affections and heartful bond to her. "I'll contact you as often as I can," Corran promised, " and I'll be safer than ever." His gaze looked dutiful and filled with the promises he was making. "I even had new armor built. With a helmet! No more toxin to knock me down." A slight smirk dawned on his face for a brief moment before settling back to seriousness.

He drew closer still, pulling his hand out from under hers and instead intertwining their fingers. The blond ranger scanned her features, not really looking for anything, but to memorize them. "It's important that I do this. The Sith are too great of threat to the galaxy." His head shook once. "Too great of danger to you." Corran glanced down to her midsection. "Too great of danger to... to our child." None of this was comforting. Sometimes the weight of the truth was heavy, but had to be said nevertheless. This was how he felt. "If you don't hear from me, or anyone from the Rangers for too long, I need you to send help." Determination for her to understand shown on his face. "Other Rangers, the military, even Lorcan. Whatever it takes. Because I won't be dead and I'm coming back to you." The grasp tightened on her hand. He made an oath and she knew how he was about his code.

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Dr Ilana Morata

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At his closeness, his warmth, she felt herself wanting to lean into it, to feel it against her. How long would it be before his warmth would become a memory? A few weeks, months?

Years?

She forced herself to stare at his features, drinking them in. At the scar on his forehead, that nearly bisected his face. A flash of memory sparked to the fore again, of his convulsing and guttural scream, but she forced herself to listen, to pay attention. She had no other choice when he was that close; he had that effect on her. That want to close distance and just hold him close. She managed a thin smile at his smirking reply of a helmet, but it was almost merely a faint lift of the corners of her lips.

It fell apart at his serious words, though. And though she couldn't feel the touch of his hand twining with hers, it was like she almost could. Before, she would have scowled at such protective instincts; she had little value to her own life. But now, every morning, every day, there were two people she woke up for, that gave life value and meaning. Especially after those long dark months before, which threatened to drag her under and become the very thing he hunted now. He still had no idea how close she was to taking the offer from Hal and falling down that path of darkness.

How she didn't do that, she still had no idea.

Losing him would eat away at an even bigger part of her heart than she was comfortable admitting. She loved him, plain and simple. She remembered the sharp ache of losing the first time and second time. There would be no third time.

Her thumb lightly caressed his, a gentle brush.
"I wish I could be useful."

Golden eyes stared into those of blue, and she swallowed, forcing her gaze to remain clear, steady. But a small tear slipped, perching on white lashes like a crystal, and she internally scowled. She had been able to keep perfect control of her emotions before, but now it felt like that control was slipping.

Her other hand grasped his, and brought it to her stomach again. And this time, he would feel it too. A shift. A small movement, but noticeable for his own touch.

"If anything happens..."

Her voice was low, quiet, as she leaned in slightly to close the distance a little more.

"There is no corner of the galaxy I would not hunt down to find you. And there would be no safe corner for the Sith to retreat to should they harm you at all."

Her voice was low, soft, but those eyes were almost bronze, so dark in their determination. There was a time she thought she'd nearly lost him, and she wasn't going to relive that again. Her lips lightly brushed his cheek, a gentle caress.
"There's no one else for me."

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Corran Velt

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Little seemed to matter more over time. Where brushing hands, smiles, or hugs seemed to dull with time and common occurrence, the opposite was true with Ilana. Her thumb caressing his own caused a warmth to flutter in his chest. How embarrassing would it be if Ilana ever found out she had that kind of effect on him? A touch of ice could melt his resolve away. Eyes of amber pierced into his own, powerful but unsteady. At the mere sight of a single tear-drop, Corran's mouth parted slightly in genuine surprise. Had he hurt her? Were his words too blunt or indifferent to her own feelings?

The young man opened his mouth to comfort her, but a strong grip snagged his palm and propelled it towards her bump. Corran's gaze instinctively followed as well, locking onto her belly in both curiosity and uncertainty. For a second, there was nothing. He glanced up to try and find the answer in her countenance but nothing readable was there. Then something, no, someone moved inside her. The blond ranger sharply inhaled in shock. He splayed his fingers wide on her stomach, as if willing his touch to be felt back. Miraculous. Only Miraculous could describe how it felt. The young man was practically glowing. The baby... their baby was saying hello.

Returning his gaze back to Ilana's face, he was welcomed by a dark promise. Lieutenant Velt could only absorb the quiet words that held incredible intensity. Her eyes even seemed to embrace the shadow. In her golden eyes, he could see the fiery phoenix that had saved his life. Fear did not grip his chest like it would others. No. He loved it.

A peck to his cheek forced a pleased huff from his nose. Those little things again. He would never tire of them. Not of her. Corran could only grin and nod his head. "I feel the same way, Ilana. There is no woman in the galaxy that makes me feel like you do. I trust you entirely. That's why I can tell you about this operation. The risks it demands." The man's fingers brushed her bump tenderly. A galaxy more safe for their child to be born into. With great reluctance he withdrew his hand from her torso and rested it on her thigh. "I... wasn't planning on asking this," Corran shyly said, with some bashfulness clearly welling up in his face, "But... could I stay with you tonight?" His shoulders slouched momentarily, but sprung up with renewed energy, "For a few nights. I want to stay with you until I have to leave. Would that be... alright?"

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Dr Ilana Morata

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To see him react was bittersweet, in many ways. Everything was new; adjusting to a new life, learning to slow down, settling into something she hadn't expected to have. At his question, she paused. Him... to stay here? Why would that need her permission in the first place?

"Of course,"
she rasped quietly, curling fingers against his own lightly. "My place is yours, Corran. But.. why would you think it wasn't?" Amber eyes stared up into those of blue calmly, waiting for his answer. She was just glad he was here, that he wanted to be with her.

The warmth of his touch was welcome. When she hadn't thought she was cold before he was thawing her out, melting out the chill. Did he even know the effect he had on her?


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Corran Velt

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Shyness receded like morning tide when the Arkanian agreed almost without hesitation. Her fingers wrapped around his in a chilly, but soothing touch. He had expected some sort of resistance. When was the last time they had spent time together longer than a night? Starfall didn't count; it was involuntary. The hospital shouldn't count because one of them had to be their forcibly. On the other hand... Ilana had been there of her own free will. Night after night as a sentinel. But... that still wasn't the same. Was it?

Like the evening tide, bashfulness returned at her question. Corran wanted to avert his face but her golden eyes captured his attention; a tractor beam of power and beauty. "I... I..." He stuttered, wilting under her powerful gaze. Gently, not at all rashly, the young ranger pulled his hand away from hers and rose from the couch. "It's rude to... to assume things!" Even the words sounded like they were made up on the spot. He marched to one side of the sofa, topped and rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, it's your place and I've only been here once before." Corran turned around and walked past Ilana again to the other side of the couch. "A-a-a-and I sleep kind of messy. I sprawl, you know? I take up space." The young man passed by again. And again.

He was pacing.

The empath would feel a curious mix of emotions. Nervousness was there. Excitement rose to meet it. They didn't clash but danced together. Mixing in a hue of anxiety and suppressed eagerness. From one side of the seating fixture to the other, he processed feelings into words.
"I felt like I would be intruding."
"Maybe... Maybe you'd see me as clingy."
"After a few days I get annoying. Ha. Mom says that."
"I'm not... not use to being around someone that often."


Halfway through another lap the blond man froze in front of her. He blinked a few times before slowly turning his head woodenly to look into her face. A trembling sigh escaped his lips. Corran carefully sat down next to Ilana, as if the furniture would shatter like ice. All what he had spouted were layers. Layers that had to be mined through to get the truth. He held his hands together in his lap like a man about about to pray. "Living together... even for a little is a big step in a relationship." Corran's blue eyes rose to meet hers. "I'm scared you wouldn't want to take that step."

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Dr Ilana Morata

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Golden eyes watched as he paced back and forth, his voice seeming to rise with the anxiety and eagerness, his hands animated and his gaze turned away as though looking her in the eyes was difficult. She watched him pace back and forth calmly, hands folded in her lap as he began processing everything. She would give him time and space to let everything out, and layer by layer his words fell through, each one perhaps, to him, a valid concern.

When at last he settled in, sighing, she waited still further, amber eyes calmly staring him down.

Each of his concerns was valid, heartfelt, and genuine. She didn't need empathy to know this to be true; she could see it, written plain as day. And a few years ago, it would have been something she distanced herself from almost immediately. She wasn't keen on becoming close; the ties and bonds of organics was a world still utterly alien and foreign to her on multiple levels. She didn't have the past to rely on; hookups weren't a good track record.

Her fingers lightly rested over his forearm, her voice light, soft as she spoke to him once more.

"I do, though. And I welcome your sprawling." The faintest hint of a smile touched golden eyes, but she waited for a word from him. Any sign to see he understood that she understood, and what was more, wanted him. Wanted him there, with her, even if only for a few days.

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Corran Velt

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Uncertainty had tightened his chest like a vice. Being honest had never been a problem for him. Consequences didn't often frighten Corran either. It was just that... Ilana was different. Her opinions held extra weight. Her views influenced his own. Her wisdom and intelligence made up for his lack. Ilana had made a place for herself in his life and a rejection would sting. A refusal a harm to their relationship. The relationship the young man cherished a great deal. As a nervous fear crescendoed, a soothingly cold hand rested upon his forearm.

A small gasp escaped Corran's lips. He glanced down for a moment to her lithe, wintery fingers before gliding back up to the Arkanian's face. Her nearly imperceptible smile coupled with the words he dreamed of hearing, caused him to sigh in visible relief and joy. "I'm really glad to hear that. Really," the blond ranger said with a smirk. "And you like my sprawling, huh? We'll see how you feel after a few nights." He playfully chuckled before giving his head a small shake. Happiness was so easily created by the little things Ilana said. Poets, song-writers, and philosophers had tried to capture the feelings of care, love, and bonding for centuries and none of them described how she made him feel with a word. Still, that long-engrained work ethic didn't sit comfortable staying over with no dues paid. Corran wagged a single finger towards his Arkanian partner, "Only rule is that I get to make breakfast every morning." Blue eyes descended to her bump once more. "I mean... if you can keep it down. I don't know how any of this works."

Her belly was like a super-massive star. It generated an undeniable gravity. No; not it. They. There was a person there. A being that could move. Corran felt it. Wonder gleamed in his eyes. Their child was alive and growing; brimming with unlimited potential and immense promise. The Velt family line wouldn't parish in darkness like his father. Paternal instinct gripped his thoughts. Their child could be anyone or anything. He wanted to meet them so very much. "What are they like?" Corran asked, finally looking up from Ilana's belly, "Do they... have a personality?"

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Light fingers glided lithely against his arm, a gentle, slow touch. More to affirm him than anything else; he seemed to be so uncertain of how she was feeling, she had to remember he wasn't always certain of how she felt. Though really... she wasn't entirely certain herself. She perked a brow at his condition, and full lips twitched slightly. "Very well. But I wash when we're done."

At his words, though, her hand ghosted over the shape of her stomach, withdrawing from his arm.
"It's... getting easier now," she confessed, eyes lowering a beat. "But this is the end of the first trimester; things will be easier in some regards." Amber eyes regarded his calmy once again while she spoke. Leaning back against the couch, eyes half-shuttered as she relaxed.

He wanted to know what they were like? Her lips twitched slightly, as she could feel the slight flutter of movement again. She was tired already but seeing him this curious, this enthused, was... touching.


"They don't have a personality quite yet in a sense..."
she replied finally, her voice a low, soft rasp. "But a presence. A... curiosity? They seem to be content." She had a feeling about the gender, but she wasn't certain how much to reveal yet. Instead, she regarded him with a warm stare. "They seem happy at your voice. They move."

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Curious. Content. The father-to-be hung on every word. Every scrap of detail that Ilana would share about the child. Corran visibly began to smile. Ilana's dulcet voice made it all that much sweeter. Angelic even. He tilted his head to take in the Arkanian's features in full. If he didn't know better, the blond ranger thought he could see similar feelings of approval in his lover's countenance. Perhaps it was just that pregnant glow everyone talked about. Despite all their time together, reading Ilana was not an exact science. Anticipating the weather after living somewhere was the closest way he could describe it. Instinct provided the best answer. That feeling before rain. A sense of winter's first chill. This was how he read her feelings.

A glint of warmth in her amber eyes supplied a look into the stoic woman's true feelings in the moment. Delight evolved into exhilaration. Blue eyes gleamed at Ilana's noticeable bump. "They seem happy? You really think so? What do they feel like when they move?" Questioned poured out of him. "I can't wait to meet you. Do you know that? You're gonna be so great." To anyone else, Corran would look like he was holding a conversation with Ilana's midsection. Excitement overwhelmed him and he placed both his hands on either side of the mother's bump and pulled his face close. "The galaxy won't be ready for you."

The exhilaration began to drain from his face slowly as it dawned on him what he'd just done. Corran bashfully slowly rose to sitting upright and withdrew his hands, fingers curling into his palms, and placed them on his thighs. Apologies were clear in his expression. Embarrassed didn't begin to cover it. With the rush of paternal glee fading away, fatigue returned to the fore. He had come here exhausted from everything that had happened since returning to Coruscant. Soon he'd be whisked away on the most daring mission of his life so far. Corran cleared his throat gently, "It's... getting late. I'm sorry for... waking you." His gaze struggled to meet hers. "Do you think we should... get some rest?"

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Dr Ilana Morata

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Her face flushed a pale rose at his sudden questions, but she didn't move as he leaned forward. At the lightest touch of his hand she felt movement again, and a sudden warm feeling surged in her chest.

Happy.

She gasped shallowly at the sudden, sharp sensation, a hand over her chest as she felt it fade, but.. it was strong. Intense, almost, but not from her. No... from the child. A sharp sweetness, a reaction so visceral she couldn't help the sudden, dazed smile that touched her lips.

"When they move... it feels like the softest brush," she murmured. But... He was moving away, retreating again. She felt a brief, short surge of frustration at his apologies, at his shyness, and had to swallow it back, instead of forcing herself to inhale and exhale slowly. "You didn't wake me," came the raspy reply. "I needed to take a break from work anyways."

Ah, but there was the hesitation, the shyness still.

She moved almost without thinking, but there was that feeling again. That warmth, that need to be closer and be touched again. So her fingers ghosted against his jaw, then his throat as she moved forward, then, pressing the lightest of kisses over his lips, white hair slipping over one shoulder as though to curtain the touch.

"Stop saying sorry," she murmured throatily, golden eyes staring down into those of blue, "because there's nothing to be sorry for. We have a child, and... I am yours." Another kiss, this time slow. If he wanted to pull away, he would have the opportunity to. "It was... welcomed, your touch. You are wanted." This time, there was another brush against his cheek, this time with her cybernetic hand as she tried to close the gap between them.

"I feel fine. But the little one is restless now."
She murmured again, her hand moving away to settle over one of his. She wanted him to be comfortable, but she felt... unsettled at his sudden shyness. Was it something she said?

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Corran Velt

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Subtle, visible relief expressed itself by the uncurling of his hands and softening of his tense shoulders. As much as the concern about disturbing her rest had been a deflection from Corran's own bashfulness, it was comforting to know he hadn't actually woken her or kept her from sleeping. He didn't know much about pregnancy but sleep was probably hard to come by. Even with all their history, the blond ranger was still cautious around Ilana. Blizzards on Hoth were easier to weather than the chill she casually exuded upon others that garnered her mild disfavor. But fear didn't compel him.

Uncertainty did. What was too much for the ever-feeling empath? Did his outburst of joy harm her? Annoy? They had come so far together and becoming a man that was bothersome to the Arkanian... concerned him. The doctor was so often composed and restrained. Something he both envied and loved about her. Under all the professionalism and discipline was an energetic (and around her) jovial boy. Corran knew that. He just didn't know if she did.

Frosty snowflake touches brushed against his jaw. Corran softly gasped as natural instinct in surprise. He blinked to focus his vision and was immediately met by a paralyzing golden stare. A gentle caress of a kiss softened the stiff posture, but he remained silent as Ilana admonished him. The young man felt incapable of breaking eye contact; prey hypnotized by feline eyes. Admonishment gave way to reassurance. This woman of ice warmed his heart like no other. He could feel the emotion in her voice. Wait. What? Curiosity was interrupted by a longer kiss and Corran welcomed it by kissing back tenderly. When they separated, it felt too soon. It always felt too soon.

The Arkanian's artificial hand laid against his cheek. He tilted his head against it affectionately. Such immense sacrifices. Few people deserved to be harmed like Ilana had been. Their daughter required them both to be alive and well to have a shot at a good life. Corran understood that much and he himself would have to take less risks. As hard as that was to admit. The young man's hand reached up and grasped Ilana's before it fully hovered over his own. "I'm glad that you're fine. Sorr-" Corran winced, "I mean, I must rile up the baby. A good sign I'll be the fun parent." A teasing glimmer sparked in his eyes.

A heavy sigh signaled the retreat of that boyish energy. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then attempted again. "At times like these I'm grateful you can see my feelings or read my thoughts or... whatever." An anxious chuckle briefly interrupted the blond ranger. "I'm just... worried that you'll end up disliking me some day. Cross a line somewhere. Push your buttons. A whole universe of people who could love you are out there. I can't help but think I might screw it up by my excitement or antics." He paused for a beat, letting the words settle in the air. Jersan Velt always said to end bad news with some good news. Was this bad news? Didn't matter - he'd stick to motherly advice. That boyish grin weakly came to life at the edge of his mouth. "I do like how expressive you've been. It's... nice." Corran gave Ilana's hand a light squeeze. "Is that the new normal for you?"

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Dr Ilana Morata

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He would kiss back. He was a boy, known across the galaxy. Sweet-hearted, tender in the heart of things. But there was bitterness, anger. The galaxy scarred him too; it never let anyone just live. She knew this. He knew this. Even here, there was a hunger, a wave of anger that simmered deep in her bones. Nothing was sacred, and yet here he was, touching her back. Somewhere, there was awe in blue eyes, and she felt a fierce stab of anger. She'd tear down anything that would want to close those eyes. She had to exhale slowly, forcing herself to meet that gaze.

At his mention of being the fun parent, her lips quirked up in a slight smile.
"You might just be," came the low murmur. But yet, he was anxious. About his excitement? His... antics? Her lips parted for a second as though to speak, but she hesitated. Contemplating it.

"... I didn't live, before," she murmured quietly. Her voice skimmed in the air, a soft confession. "You... are yourself around me. You aren't afraid." Golden eyes settled on him, her left hand skimming over his pulse, watching it jump a moment. He was always so warm, so ready to embrace and touch back. "I could break you. You could even break me." Gaze traveled up to meet his again. "Yet you... want to be here. You puzzle me because around you I live. I feel." White brows tilted slightly, and she exhaled.

"Our child, now, as well... I lived for years like the dead. With you, I want to survive."
The last word was whispered almost harshly, but a smile touched her lips, determination glimmering like a light. "That's what you've done. Stay. I don't... want to go back to that." He wouldn't understand, perhaps. She lingered on the fringes, unable to understand what drove others. A starving hunger to understand what drove others to do what they did. But she could start grasping it. And now she wanted more.

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Corran Velt

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Arresting high-class criminals on the Smuggler's Moon while undercover. Scaling the walls of a black-market medpack production safehouse. Surviving together after splashing down on an unchartered world. Fighting against Sith among the flames. All those memories held strong in Corran's heart as the day they happened. Today would be another moment just as powerful. He couldn't move; didn't want to move as Ilana opened her soul to him. Entrancing was too muted of word. Ilana hadn't lived before him. Ice was her aura. Frost her touch. And yet... the boy from Commenor, just by being himself around her, had helped pull the discarded Arkanian into a second life. A real one.

Just as he had aided in discovering this will to live within her, Ilana had given Corran much more in return. Life was work. Life was duty. Personal matters were fleeting and shrinking compared to the growing demands of Rangerhood. The Velt family was dying out. Only two of them left and a dangerous galaxy between them. It was a life but a dull, empty thing. A blank canvas dabbed in grey. An endurable, acceptable existence. But the ethereal woman that sat before him added so much to it. Each kiss added vibrant colors. Each touch, like the one on his pulse, provided depth and detail. Each golden stare offered texture and tone. Ilana added to the blond man's life in such a jovial and moving way.

That's why he smiled. As serious at the Arkanian's confession had been, it was met with equal happiness. A grin so wide that it bore a top row of teeth and wrinkled the corners of his eyes. Shyness had retreated entirely. Corran scooted closer, facing her, until his knee pressed against hers. A warm hand laid upon her thigh and the other took her hand tenderly. "You speak so darkly. So grim." His voice a gentle tease. "We won't go back to that. I'll stay for you. For our child we'll raise together. Because you can't get rid of me." Corran playfully squeezed her thigh. "I'm not as good with words as you are, but I hope you can feel the truth in mine. The... the things you read that I cannot speak." Sky-blue eyes searched her features. To take in everything. Not for any reason but to enjoy seeing her. "Don't be afraid," the stubborn young man whispered, "I'll be here."

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Dr Ilana Morata

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She exhaled slowly, feeling her other clenched hand relax at his gentle words. They were tender, gentle, and for some reason, she felt the prickle of tears in the back of her throat at the words. She swallowed again and looked into his smiling face, a few tears slipping free.

"I'll hold you to that," she murmured thickly, feeling more tears start to drop, and her face flush in mortification as she sniffled once, trying to stem the sudden overwhelming urge to cry. "I'm sorry, I just..." she flushed, swiping at her cheeks, then shook her head. "I don't know why, I just feel so..." she took in another shuddering breath, then tried wiping off her cheeks again, skin turning rosy as she could feel mortification rising in her chest.

Finally, she exhaled, shaking her head once.


"The galaxy blessed me with you, Corran. And I'll h-hold you to that."
It was still hard to speak a clear sentence, but she still managed a thin smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm just very tired, and starved... I haven't eaten in a while, would you mind if I ordered something in tonight?"

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