It was a beautiful evening in the capitol.
Kyp Durron shifted his gaze towards the window but hardly acknowledged the magnificent view of the colorful city landscape.
Pacing back and forth in his living area, he took a deep, steadying breath and nodded to himself, "I'm a Jedi." He whispered, "I've been through so much crap, I can do this." He let out an audible sigh and shook his head. His heart was pounding beneath his chest; he could feel the rhythmic beating in his throat.
The nervousness spread throughout every fiber of his body and he tried a Jedi technique to calm his nerves. He felt nauseous when he let various scenarios of the evening cross his mind. He shoved the unwanted scenarios into the back and took yet another deep breath, "No time better than the present." He whispered, as he absent mindedly patted the pocket of his jacket.
He left his apartment with a smile on his face, the nervousness growing with every step he took towards the turbo lift.
Nelia Alden took another look at her wrist chrono and sighed inwardly. She was early, as usual. One of her many inconvenient habits, was being overly punctual. With this habit came impatience and this did not bode well when waiting.
Slowly she made her to the meeting place, a large public balcony that overlooked the Senatorial District. At night the view from here was breathtaking and now with the festivities going on, the night sky was alight with banners, light projections and still there was more than enough traffic to think half the galaxy had no where else to go.
She distracted herself with watching other pedestrians strolling past, most of them chatting loudly, eating or drinking – all in all, having fun. It was the first day of the New Year's Fete Week and it seemed to Nelia that the entire planet was celebrating. It wasn't every day that one saw all sorts of beings mingle together and at times like this she actually enjoyed being on Coruscant.
Again she glimpsed her chrono and grimaced. Fifteen more minutes of waiting impatiently because she didn't feel like waiting at her apartment. She started walking up and down the short walkway where she would be meeting up with Kyp.
Thinking about the older man made her smile.
She had met him almost four years earlier and quite by accident. Deep in thought and consulting her data pad, she hadn't been paying attention while walking and had bumped into him. She would never forget the first time she saw those beautiful, light green eyes; his smile as he picked up the data pad she had dropped and handed it back with a stupid remark.
Next time, watch where you're going…
But he had kept smiling and that's when Nelia had fallen head over heels for him. She had taken it upon herself to find out more about this mysterious, handsome man. Perhaps it had been fate or maybe just sheer luck, but the very next day she had passed him while walking to work.
"Seize the moment!" Her father had always said and she did. They started talking, with occasional flirting in between and Kyp had asked her out for lunch.
Nelia's smile widened as she thought back to the first few dates they had gone out on. She had felt like a teenager again; it had felt like an adventure, being together with one of the famous Jedi of the Order.
Nowadays she didn't much care about Kyp's occupation. It was the man he was, the man hardly anyone else really knew, that she loved with all her heart.
To pass the time she shifted her gaze back towards the mob of beings, watching a group of costumed children running around with plastic blasters and lightsabers.
She sighed as she let her mind wander, hoping that Kyp would arrive on time.
Kyp rounded a corner and hurried towards the meeting place where Nelia was no doubt already waiting on him. He caught sight of her, and he stopped in his tracks, watching her for just a single moment and asking himself – as he had done so many times in the past – what he had done to deserve such a beautiful and wonderful woman.
Dark curls framed a heart shaped face, her eyes reminded him of the darkest Corellian brandy and her smile could melt any man's heart.
He walked on, while trying to steady his radical heart beat with yet another breath of fresh air. Not even Jedi calming techniques were helping him much.
She was facing the other way, her attention drawn to something Kyp couldn't see. He smiled to himself as he slowly came closer, encircling her waist from behind and whispering in her ear, "Hello there, beautiful." He took in the sweet smell of her perfume and closed his eyes as she leaned against him.
He heard her chuckle as she turned around in his arms, pulling him towards her. Their lips met in a long, passionate kiss; the kiss of lovers who hadn't seen each other in several days, the kiss of lovers who knew they were meant to be together.
"Miss me?" Kyp asked as he held her at arms length, admiring her beauty.
Nelia nodded, her loving smile not once leaving her features, "Of course." She hugged him then, grabbing his jacket in both her hands. She felt content just holding him then and there and she wished this very moment could last forever.
"I was worried, too." She whispered and heaved a sigh of relief, "I'm glad you're back."
"Come on." Kyp took Nelia's hand and seemed not to be able to hide his grin, "I have a surprise for you." He pulled her towards the ever growing mob of beings and slowly they made their way towards a small park area at the outskirts of the Senate District.
They kept pace with the other pedestrians and took a short cut. It was suddenly eerily quiet and Nelia then really noticed how dark this region of the city could be and why she never ventured out alone.
Kyp stopped suddenly and without a word he gathered her up into his arms and kissed her again. She moaned softly as a shiver ran down her spine, her hands playing with locks of his dark hair, as his lips touched the hollow of her throat.
He pulled back and smiled at her, taking a hold of her hand and leading the way to where ever it was he was taking her.
A few people passed by but took no notice of them and as they arrived in the park area, Nelia was surprised to see the place almost empty. She followed Kyp further, taking in her surroundings, curiosity growing as they walked on.
A giggle escaped her throat as she caught sight of a large blanket laid across the grass. Kyp gestured for her to sit and he plopped down beside her.
He laid his arm across Nelia's shoulders and he was at a loss for words. Being with her seemed like moments out of a dream; how many times had he asked himself if all this was real?
Next to him sat a woman who didn't care about his past, who didn't care what people whispered behind her back.
Next to him sat the one person who could easily deal with his attitude but who could just as easily make him shut up in an instant.
It seemed so perfect.
Nelia noticed Kyp's lack for words and gave him a quizzical look, "Are you alright?"
He nodded and swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat, "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Nelia shrugged, "I don't know. You're so quiet."
Kyp chuckled and cupped her face in both his hands, leaning forward to place another kiss onto her full lips. "We have all the time in the world to talk." He whispered, the flashing colorful lights of the festivities reflected in his dark eyes.
Nelia jumped when there was a loud crashing sound from above and it took her a moment to realize that fireworks were starting up. Kyp's grin widened, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Playfully she pinched him in his arm. She grew worried instantly when she returned her gaze back to him. There was an austere look on his face, but his eyes told her a different story.
"Kyp, are you sure you're alright?""I love you." He suddenly said, while taking her hands. She already knew that he loved her, he'd stated so many many times before but something in the way he said it sounded different this time.
Her heart began to race.
"Since we've met, " Kyp continued, "you've irrevocably changed me." His eyes never left her face, "You've seen me at my best and you've seen me at my worst. You've never doubted me and you've always been there for me when times got rough."
Nelia blinked as she listened to the words Kyp was saying, her heartbeat accelerating.
"I know that you understand me, when others don't. You make me laugh and you make me reflect. You've stayed at my side all this time, waiting for me, even though I'm away so often. " He looked away for just a moment, his gaze shifting to the brightening sky as blue and green colors lit the hemisphere.
"I love you for all this and so much more." He continued, his voice only a whisper and Nelia tried holding back tears. "There is no doubt in my mind that we are meant to be with one another. And therefore I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a tiny, black case and held it out for her. When he flicked it open, Nelia held her breath. The tears she had been trying to hold back ran down her cheeks as she took in the beautiful piece of jewelry – a gold ring with a dark blue gem stone, her favorite color.
"Will you marry me?"
He slipped the ring onto her finger and she nodded, "Yes." She whispered and she threw herself onto her future husband, hugging him fiercely.
They shared a long kiss under a beautiful, colorful lit sky and knew that whatever came there way, they would make it together.