We're Different Than the Rest

Chapter 16: The Gala

21 BBY
9 Months After Geonosis

.oOo.

The persistent beeping of Aayla's alarm woke her up at 0600. (6am). Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she woke up. She used the force to turn off the annoying alarm, since she didn't want to move from Bly's warm embrace.

"Do we have to get up?" Bly asked sleepily.

"Sunrise is in fifteen minutes."

"So we have thirteen?"

"Sure."

Bly pulled Aayla closer to himself. "You're warm."
Aayla chuckled as she tucked her head under Bly's chin and breathed in the scent of G.A.R. regulation soap.

"You are too." 

"We didn't fall asleep like this." Bly spoke up after a few minutes of silence.

"If you mean our position, then you're correct."

They had fallen asleep on opposite sides of the very large bed. They had woken up in one another's warm and comforting embrace. Aayla's head was tucked under Bly's chin, and Bly's arms wrapped around Aayla's waist. 

"So thank you, Captain Obvious." She said with a smirk.

"Sorry, I don't know who you're talking to but I am Sanu Kno."

"Well sorry my dear Mr. Kno."

Bly laughed. "Thank you."

"Of course. What time is it?"

"0612." (6:12am)

"Time to watch the sunrise!" Aayla jumped out of bed.

"Don't go!" Bly whined. "It's cold."

Aayla grabbed Bly's hand and dragged him to the balcony to watch the sunrise. He notice her shivering and slipped a blanket from inside over her shoulders.

"Thank you."

The sunrise painted shades of pink, orange, yellow, and purple across the sky. Light clouds floated high above the horizon, and the silhouette of the mountains against the morning sun reminded Aayla of her days as a padawan traveling the galaxy.

"Beautiful, isn't it."

"It is."

Aayla could sense Bly admiring something, but she didn't know that the something was her.

.oOo.

The breakfast banquet was small compared to the upcoming gala. Bly counted twenty-six Separatists. I could take them all out right now.

Aayla leaned over to Bly and whispered. "I know you could but that would blow our cover." She smirked as she backed away, knowing someone was watching.

The rest of the banquet was uneventful due to its quick ending.

.oOo.

Aayla and Bly were stuck in their suite for another seven hours until the gala began, left with almost nothing to do. They spent the first two hours watching a holo-movie that, in their opinion, was rather interesting. The third hour they played Battleship on a holoboard, which was an easy game to play due to their experience in battle. About two hours before the gala, the pair decided to start getting ready.

Out of all the outfits Bly had been given, this was his favorite because it matched his armor. His pants and suit jacket were black, like multiple other suits he had been given. His shirt was plain white and fairly simple with only buttons. His favorite part of the outfit was his tie, it's color matched the gold of his armor, as did the color of his pocket handkerchief. Getting into his outfit had taken a few minutes longer than he thought due to its complexity, and the makeup to cover the tattoos on his face.