maskormenacelogs

Valentines day is a new concept to Hera. Mostly because it seems almost silly, to have a holiday centered around love. In all the shops there's displays of vibrant red and pink hearts, chocolates and flowers and expensive jewelry that's hardly practical at all.

But she's almost... happy, that they're on a world so peaceful that one could indulge in silly holidays like this.

"Kanan, love, I'm home." She calls out when she opens the door to the shared apartment. Ren and Ashley seem to be out at the moment, so it's just the two of them for now.

"In the kitchen," he responds cheerfully, the roses sitting on the table just waiting for her to spot them.

"I was gonna say this is a celebration for Dooku's downfall but I don't think I really need an excuse, anyway," he adds, tasting the sauce he's got simmering on the stove. Not bad.

"Celebration for Dooku's downfall, certainly coincides with this earth holiday." She laughs from the hallway, only to pause in the doorway of the kitchen when she sees the roses on the table.

"Oh, Kanan, those are beautiful." They look soft, like velvet, and she takes off one of her gloves to touch the petals. Flowers were always such a rarity for her, barely blooming in the desert of her homeworld. Too busy on Lothal to ever really appreciate them. So it's nice, to be able to look at them up close, to feel the softness of the petals and the delicate sweetness of their scent.

"And whatever you're cooking smells delicious." She moves behind him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her forehead into the square of his back.
"Good to be home."

He can't keep the grin off his face, even if he wanted to. He does love doing things for her - just nice, pointless, silly things.

"They're called roses, I guess it's tradition. They smell great, that's for sure."

He pauses in what he's doing, to cover her hands with his. "Happy Valentine's Day?"

It's been a long, long time since they've had the freedom to do such pointless, silly things. Her recent journey back home has reminded her of this. Every moment, taken with appreciation. Everything they could never have back home a blessing. Even something as simple as waking up beside him, both of them alive and unhurt and happy is enough.

"Happy Valentine's day. When you get a moment, I can show you the roses." Because she wants him to feel them, too. The softness of the petals, the delicate way they curl in on each other. How beautiful and rare it is for her to see.

There's a gift in her pocket for him, as well, although she isn't sure she has the courage yet to give it to him.

Carefully, he sets the spoon aside - it's nearly done, the pasta is still cooking but the sauce is just simmering.

"Show me," he says, turning to her. "The florist said they're a deep red color." He offers her his hands, trusting her to guide him.

"They are." She leads him by the hands to the table, slowly guiding his fingertips to the roses.
"They're like the color of the salt on Krayt, underneath the layer of snow. Remember when we got stranded there?" She laughs softly, guiding his fingertips over each petal, tracing them towards the middle.

"It's a series of petals, all one on top of the other. Like a cluster of leaves about to fall apart, really."

"Not a place I'd want to be stuck again," Kanan remarks offhandedly, tracing the petals delicately with his fingers.

"Beautiful and fragile, they seem like. But I hear they also have thorns, so they're tougher than they look," he adds.

"Hey, at least we both had good company." She smiles, tracing her fingers down the back of his hand. For a moment, just a moment, she wants to stay right there. Keep this night frozen in time. No risk of being sent back home, no war, no rebellion to fight.

Just them. Together.

"... Kanan, there's something that I..." She's not sure what to say. Something that she'd been thinking about. That she would make time for their relationship alongside the Rebellion. But that's in a different world, a different galaxy. Here, things are different.

"... I love you." She decides, because she needs to say it again. She can't wait to say it. Not anymore.

Kanan raises his eyebrows slightly, turning his head to her in an automatic sort of gesture, to look at her even without seeing her. He doesn't have to see her with his eyes to know what she looks like, her brow slightly furrowed as she debates what to say.

"I love you, too," he says, never not amazed and humbled when she says it. The little box is a lump in his pocket, and he swallows.

"I've been thinking," he adds after a moment. "That is - about us."

Hera takes his hands in hers, holds them in her own as she smooths the back of them with her thumbs. Her eyes looking at his, meeting him in a way she knows he can see. They've always been in sync like that, the smallest of gestures, the most subtle of movements.

"Yes?"

She's been thinking about them, too. About how this place is what they can never have back home- not until the war is won. And how... How she doesn't have to wait. How she's tired of waiting.

There's a ring in her pocket, a promise to be true to each other- that's all they need, right?

Kanan is tired, too. Tired of waiting for a day that may never come, for one or both of them. He clasps her hands gently, squeezing them.

"We both know anything can happen, any time. Here, back home, doesn't matter," he says quietly. "That's always been true, but it just feels more true than ever before. I don't want to waste any of the time we have, however long it ends up being. I want -"

He releases one of her hands to fumble in his pocket for the little box. There it is. "If we have a day or a week or a century, I want to spend it together. Marry me?"

It takes her by surprise. Really, honestly, it shouldn't have, because Kanan was always the one to make the first move. She had always been more cautious, always had a filter on her feelings, always kept the level head.

But he holds out a box, and she knows what's inside. It's the same that's inside the box in her pocket, and she knows the answer before he even asks the question.

Her hand moves to his chest, then his chin, pulling him down ever so slightly into a kiss. Lingering for a moment because at that instant, she feels like her heart could explode.
"Yes- of course-! Of course I will!"

He feels lighter than air, like he could float away on a cloud of happiness. The only thing keeping him grounded is her hands, her lips.

"That was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be," he murmurs into the kiss. "Earth has some weird traditions."

"What can I say, love?" She asks as she gently cups his face, keeps him close even as she pulls away. She stands on her toes to press her forehead to his, eyes closed as she enjoys the warmth between them.

"I'm ready for this. I'm done with waiting.

I know that... Normally, I would want to wait. But after coming back..." Her brow creases slightly, the smallest shake of her lekku betray her anxiety.
"Even if it's just a day. I want nothing in the galaxy but to spend it with you. Whatever we're going to face, we face it together."

Kanan nods. "I'd wait, if you wanted. I have waited. But I'm not gonna pass up any chance I get, either."

He wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "I love how much of a fighter you are. I love how dedicated you are. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I wouldn't trade you for anything. Just having you in my life is so incredible. And we can have more, here. We can have - whatever we want. For us."

Her hands move to his back, keeping him close. Eyes closed as she keeps their chests pressed together, hearts beating in time. They can have so much more here than they could at home, and part of her feels guilty for thinking that.

But he's right.

This world is peaceful. Stable. There is no war to fight, only skirmishes. And even those don't carry the same penalties behind them.

"You've always been my voice of reason, you know." She smiles softly. "Always by my side. I don't know what I'd ever do without you." Slowly, she reaches down into her own pocket, pulling out a box.
"We have the rings. We just need the vows." Hera laughs softly.

"I'm not sure what it says about us that I'm your voice of reason," Kanan points out with a little laugh. He still doesn't really think of himself as particularly responsible, despite everything.

He slides his hand over hers, touching the box with a smile. "We always were on the same wavelength, huh. I'm not sure how we should do it, though. How do your people do it?"

"You've always kept me grounded." She admits, looking down at how their hands are pressed together.
"Made sure I didn't lose focus of what was important. Not just the rebellion, but us. Our family."

There's a long pause, then a sigh as she frowns.
"Quite frankly, how my people do it is almost impossible here. We're supposed to have our marriage officiated by one of our clan's leaders. My father isn't here, and unless you're counting Obi-Wan..." Which might be... Alright.

"... We'd say the traditonal vows and share blood between us, tying our hands together to tie our clans together. It's a simple, if intimate affair- the celebration after, however..." Marriages between clans could be a huge affair with days of celebrating.

"After we say our vows, I add you to our... Our Kalikori."

Kanan hums thoughtfully at her explanation. "Well, we can do the vows, if you want," he points out. The Kalikori - he knows that's still a sore spot. On display in Thrawn's office back home, no doubt, the smug bastard. Nothing any of them can do about it here.

"But, we've got plenty of time to think about it, and decide exactly what we want to do," he adds. "Whatever you want. We can learn about Earth customs if you want."

"... Does Obi-Wan know Ryl?" She has to ask, because honestly if it's supposed to be someone from their 'clan', the only option is Obi-Wan. As for the Kalikori... Maybe that's something she can do on her own. Make a new one. One just for them.

One representing their family on the Ghost.

"We can. We can take as much time as we want." She leans up to kiss him, cupping one hand to his cheek.
"... Now come on, we should eat. It smells delicious."

"I have no idea, you'd have to ask him," Kanan says with a shrug, and smiles into her kiss.

"Oh man, the pasta... it's probably overcooked..."

Oops. He laughs a little and kisses her again, because the damage is done, anyway. "As long as you still love me."

Hera can't help the laugh, pulling him into another kiss. The damage is done, and honestly? She doesn't care about the meal. She cares about this. Here. Now.
"We could just get a pizza. Curl up on the couch and watch a holodrama." Something so simple they could never have before this place.

"I can do pizza," Kanan says with a laugh, turning to get the food off the stove. "With pineapple."

He loooooves pizza. "And one of those silly romantic comedy holodramas," he adds. The action ones are tough for him to follow and aren't usually accurate anyway.

"Boyle recommended this holo called 27 Dresses?" She has to admit, she has a weakness for the silly rom-coms. Like the problems are so minute in them as to be comical. While Kanan's cleaning up the kitchen, she orders a pizza- with extra pineapple- and tries to find the movie.

And when he's settled on the couch with her, she'll take his ring from the box, gently take his hand in hers. Sliding the ring made of wood and meteorite on his finger.

Kanan has to agree with that. Nothing truly bad ever seems to happen in romcoms - just people being idiots about stuff, which is nice. Relaxing.

And he's found that there's almost nothing he loves more than just doing this with Hera - sitting around, leaning into each other, talking about everything and nothing, without worrying about what tomorrow might bring.

He smiles as she slides the ring on his finger, and he mirrors the gesture with the little ring he got - the gems in leaf shapes along the band, because it reminds him of her - in his mind, she's always the green of spring.

"I love you," he says, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Then her lips.

If Hera is honest with herself, this is all she needs for them to be considered married. They've pledged vows to each other- maybe not so many words, but promises. Whatever they face, they face together. No matter how the Force might pull them apart.

"I love you, too." She replies softly. She knows- she knows it takes so much for her to say it. That she prefers to speak with actions rather than words. But in this life, in this moment, it comes so easily from her lips as she's kissed again.

"... We don't have to do a big ceremony, you know..."

Kanan hums slightly, arms sliding around her waist to pull her close.

"We can do whatever you want," he murmurs. "Jedi don't exactly have wedding traditions. So we'll - I don't know, make something up, if you want."

"... Maybe we could ask the network?" Because if they can't do it the Rylothi way, if there is no Jedi way, then maybe they can do it the Earthling way.

"Mm... But for now, let's just enjoy the movie."

"Mm, maybe," he agrees, settling in comfortably.

"I wonder if there are actually 27 dresses in this holo. You'll have to count for us."

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