Private Lifetimes

[Tansu Treicolt]

Nuvar Hollow Refugee Camp | Ukatis​

The thing about everyone knowing who you are means that everyone seems to know where you are. Which made finding Cora, the coordinator of the camp, relatively easy. Claws, paws and fingers all knew which direction to point to set the pair of helpers on the right path.

Butterflies bounced around her organs — nerves or excitement — a natural side effect of feeling starstruck. She'd been in a room or two with Cora, but never met her. Apparently Talsin didn't share the same distanced awe: The Princess of Ukatis had been a part of his childhood, in the same circles of nobility.

Hence his suggestion for the introduction. Cora remained one of the few nobles he trusted and revered, and therefore, as a woman of the court, could be a helpful source for Tansu (or so he said). Of course Tan had taken offence to the suggestion, inferring it as a means of rinsing the backwater right out of her blood.

Regardless, she was still keen to meet the woman behind the generosity of the refugee camp and so much else.

"Did I get that dirt outta my braid?" Tansu asked Talsin one final time, and thought it best to just twist her hair into a low bun and pin it out of her face just in case anything was out of place that she couldn't see. She'd been working with some of the more agriculturally inclined citizens up until now, setting up raised beds for personal veggie gardens. Remnants of ash and dirt still clung to her pants, extra so when she smeared her palms down her thighs.

There was nothing more she could do to prepare for a proper salutations; they were at the tent adjacent to the primary healing set up. Where many onlookers promised Cora would be. Talsin had promised to introduce them so it wouldn't be entirely out of left field.

Tansu stepped forward, ducking beneath the fold and lifting her voice before Talsin could do the honours: "Hello, miss Cora?"

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Corazona von Ascania | Talsin Lota
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[Corazona von Ascania]

At the sound of her name, Cora looked up from the patient she'd been tending to. Sprawled on the cot was a Togruta male, his arm in a freshly tied sling.

"Yes," she answered while rising, a quick glance to the nearest nurse all that was needed to have the young woman take over. Cora passed her a datapad, one that already had an app for converting pain medication dosing in alien species pulled up.

"Are you hurt?"

The blonde before her was regarded with an exhausted kind of scrutiny. It wasn't unkind but it wasn't exactly warm, either - niceties were spared as Cora quickly swept her gaze over the woman's face, then her torso.

No obvious signs of distress, some dirt, no blood, not holding herself strangely, no-

It took a few moments for her to clock the figure flanking this woman. A familiar one. Cora blinked from her triage stupor, stunned for a long moment.

"Talsin? Talsin Lota? Goodness."

How long had it been? Probably more years than she'd thought. While they hadn't stayed in direct contact, the pair of nobles occasionally flitted about the fringes of the other's life.

"Oh my," she sighed. Her shoulders relaxed a little, but she held out on deflating entirely. "Please tell me that you two haven’t come as patients."

Tansu Treicolt Talsin Lota

 

[Talsin Lota]

Tansu Treicolt | Corazona von Ascania

Talsin hung back and allowed Tansu to approach first.

But it was nice to see Corazona after such a long time. She was older, but they both were, he supposed. She looked... severe. In a way that Talsin didn't quite remember. They had been in touch even during her first marriage, a horrid affair, but after her husband's death they kind of drifted apart. Not because of any particular reason.

Just responsibilities that dragged them away into different directions.

"Corazona? Corazona Von Ascania? Gracious." Talsin responded in kind with a witty smile, inclining his head towards his childhood friend. "No, luckily nothing like that." He assured her gently, setting his hand on Tansu's shoulder.

"We supported the initial evacuation. When Tansu found out that you were leading the camp and that I actually knew you from our childhood, well... I couldn't not promise to make some introductions." Squeezing Tan's shoulder. "Speaking of- this here is Tansu Treicolt, my girlfriend and partner."

"Tan? This is Corazona Von Ascania, Princess of Ukatis, and in our youth one of my closest friends."

He left out the part where they had been promised to one another. Machinations from both their fathers, which fell through in the end. He had already informed Tansu of this privately, because Talsin didn't want it to come out... awkwardly in the middle of the conversation.

With the introductions done Tal took a notable step back to allow the two a moment.

Instead Talsin stepped up towards one of the refugees, the one that Cora had been with a moment ago. He was not a doctor, of course. But they had slept alright and Talsin had enough energy in the tank. Soon enough both Tan and Cora would feel the strenght gathering in the Force next to them, as he began to channel the Lightside to take the edge off of the first patient.

While they chatted, he'd busy himself with that, until they wanted some input from him.

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

"No, no, ain't hurt —" and then Cora swept into realization and an exchange of mutual recognition happened between the childhood friends.

And it was a good thing Talsin warned her ahead of time too, because it would have been extraordinarily uncomfortable for everyone in the room if it had been uncovered in real time. Mostly a flurry of questions and all the big feelings Tansu always felt when faced with the realities of court life. None of it ever made sense to her. Like ever.

Even how long it had taken for Talsin to be able to introducer her as his girlfriend in public. She'd understood the big deal behind his apprehension once he'd done it though.

"Hi, yes, I'm Tansu." Hand out for a hearty shake. "I'm so glad to meet you for real." She felt she should half-bow. Or curtsey. Awkwardly, she did a mix of both. A quick bend of the knees and a dip of her head. "I've only heard wonderful things about you, if you ever need a publicist, Talsin'd make a mighty one.

And we've overlapped a bit here and there and, yeah, when I found you were in charge here it all made sense. We're happy to help, with whatever you need. It's mighty wonderful Ukatis can open itself up like this for all these people."

She paused and looked around, feeling a little sheepish. "Didn't mean to interrupt neither. It's...real busy in here."

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Corazona von Ascania | Talsin Lota
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[Corazona von Ascania]

"Dowager Princess," she corrected. Tension was supplanted by surprise, which slowly waned into something a little more warm.

Cora's shoulders eased. Her brow relaxed. The smile she wore was still tired, but genuine.

"It's good to see you again, Talsin. And," she met the extended hand halfway with metallic fingers, "a pleasure to meet you, Tansu. I only wish we could've had introductions under better circumstances."

Cora's lips pursed just a bit, trying to stifle her bubbling amusement at the woman’s awkward curtsy-bow. "Wonderful things? Ah," a pair of finely manicured blonde brows lifted, "he’s always been good at spinning the unfortunate into something more positive."

Tal was quick to excuse himself, keeping at the periphery of the conversation. For a few moments, Cora's gaze followed him, watching as he interacted with the Togruta.

A subtle current shifted in the Force, flowing towards the Duke.

Cora turned back to Tansu. "Would you mind helping me unload some bacta?" She motioned toward a stack of nearby crates. In lieu of lifting - she'd already been yelled at once today for tending to the dying whist pregnant - the blonde waved her hand, and one of the topmost crates floated to her feet.

Prying off the lid would reveal rows of identical bacta canisters.

"This used to be a supply tent, but the infirmary overflowed here about two days ago. Oh, here-" she paused to hand Tansu a small datapad. "Scan each carton, that'll help pull it into our system."

Procuring a datapad of her own, Cora retrieved a canister and held it to the device's scanner. A small beep registered, and she set the bacta back into one side of the crate. "Even in the worst of times, the galaxy can be generous. We've got supplies coming in from all over, but it takes a while to organize everything and take count of what we still need."

Cora lifted her head, offering Tansu another smile edged with fatigue.

"I'm glad that you two came here, truly. It's one thing to take a blade to the Empire, but most don't stick around to clean up the mess left behind."

Tansu Treicolt Talsin Lota

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

"Are you suggestin' that bein' engaged to Lord Lota an unfortunate affair?" Tansu teased, giving a roguish grin in Cora's direction. Thankfully at this point, Talsin was out of earshot. But Cora looked so downtrodden that the urge for levity was more reflexive than anything; and her lack of filter only compounded the readiness to joke. Her tone dropped conspiratorially: "Should I be worried?"

But she happily moved along to the request to inventory bacta. Better her than Talsin, given his allergy to the stuff.

"Got it, thanks." She followed the motions Cora demonstrated, double-checking the first three to ensure the numbers were updated accordingly with each scan of the codes. Back on the homestead, inventory was taken by branding things. This was significantly less dangerous a task.

"One of those so much but never enough situations hm?" Another canister, another beep.

"Thank you, we're here to help. Sucks that it has to be done at all, y'know what I mean but.." she wrinkled her nose.."Taking a blade is an interesting way to phrase it." She squat next to the create to get more comfortable for her task, rather than stooping over awkwardly. "Ain't these people here because of successful defences?

Seems like the Empire is both making the mess and taking the blade to us."

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Corazona von Ascania | Talsin Lota
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[Corazona von Ascania]

Tansu's teasing injected just enough mirth into the tent for the corners of Cora's mouth to lift. It was a subtle smile, but one that reached her eyes.

"So much but never enough," she repeated, the fatigue in her tone punctuated by the atypical rhythm of beeping scanners as they worked. "Certainly sums this sort of work up. All we can do is all we can do."

Where Tansu squatted, Cora knelt. Dirt and grime no longer bothered her as much, but some habits died hard.

"I just wish more Jedi saw the value in relief work," she admitted. "That it can be just as important as fighting."

There was, perhaps, an underlying thread of frustration exposed by the worn edges of her tone. With the way the galaxy was, it was hard to know which would help more at any given moment - igniting your saber against darkness, or extending a hand to those left thrashed in its wake.

"It feels like the Alliance has been on its back foot ever since-" she squinted here, filing through memories of recent ground operations. Many of which had, unfortunately, resulted in some sort of resounding loss. It wasn't pretty, but war never was. "Woostri. Or maybe Tython." Perhaps if she hadn't spent so much time among the trees, she'd have seen signs that the forest was beginning to collapse far earlier.

"I'm glad that the defense of Atrisia went as well as it did. I was on the…"

Again, she trailed off. The faster she worked, the slower her thoughts seemed to come. Cora waved a bacta canister as if that would somehow conjure up the words she was looking for. "The Death Star. It's hard to tell how things are going elsewhere when your entire contribution is confined to a dark hallway.

"But," she continued, "I think we managed to knock them off kilter. They've been quiet since then – hopefully that put a stop to their chain of invasions so that we can get back onto our feet."

Cora glanced over to where Talsin was working with her patient. One corner of her lips lifted as she lingered on a fond memory of a gala long ago. She couldn't recall where it had been, only remembering his gentle mannerisms and the pleasant sound of his voice. "Something tell me that he hasn't changed much since we were kids," her gaze flicked back to Tansu, "and that's a good thing."

Tansu Treicolt | Talsin Lota

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

"Not to be controversial or nothin', but I'm surprised to hear you wish for more Jedi to see the value in providing relief.

I," she winced and hitched a thumb in Talsin's direction — who'd serendipitously found another patient to work with a little further from the bacta duty she and Cora paired on.

"We" she corrected, "Have been part of a bunch of relief missions. And I'm starting to feel like there's gotta be more than showin' up after the fact. Like there's a way to prevent an after the fact altogether.

But that's just a feelin'."

Package after package beeped through the inventory and Tansu shifted to make room to slide another box in front of her and repeat the process with a fresh batch. Beep. Green. Beep. Green.

"I dunno how to explain it." She shrugged. Given this was her first meeting with Cora, she wasn't hyper aware of the nuance behind the princess' trailing thoughts and slow-to-connect sentences. She simply categorized it as a busyness symptom.

"Yeah?" Tan perked up at the idea of little Talsin and little Cora. How different their childhoods had been from her backwater corral. "I always imagined him as a pompous troll. Kind of how he was when I met him." A fresh grin cracked. "You have stories that prove otherwise?"

Just as Tansu finished her leading query, a Ukatan swept in, trailing the sharp, clean scent of fresh-cut herbs, arms full of a half-open crate. The source of the smell.

Tan wrinkled her nose at their sudden sharpness and blinked up at the woman who stood in front of Cora.

"Highness, my apprentice finished with the tinctures. There are leftover ingredients, where should these go?"

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Corazona von Ascania | Talsin Lota
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[Corazona von Ascania]

"Really?"

Cora followed the jerk of Tansu's thumb toward Talsin, now leaned over an elderly Chiss man. From this angle, she could just see they greying at his temples.

"I've seen so many Jedi come out of the woodwork when it's time to fight, then disappear when it's time to clean up."

Cora frowned, but it was meant for herself. She'd spent her time in the Order trying to cultivate Jedi who weren't solely focused on combat - had that, in the end, been a mistake? The Order was in tatters. The academy, gone. So many lives, gone.

Had her own perceived righteousness contributed to their downfall? It wasn't bacta and bandages that would defeat the Empire, as important as they were.

Cora turned back to Tansu. One brow lifted. "I think you have more than just a feeling." And then-

"Pompous troll?" she snickered, caught off guard by her own imagination. Kindly Talsin with an ogre-like underbite and large, hairy knuckles was certainly a sight.

The sharp, pungent scent of medicinal herbs cut through the antiseptic bacta. Normally pleasant, but now the herbaceous air turned her stomach.

Cora tilted her head away and to the side, one hand drawn over her mouth as she forced herself to swallow thickly. A low, slow exhale forced the air from her nose before she righted herself and turned back to the healer.

"In the back, please," she motioned for the far end of the tent. "There are some empty sachets on top of the ration crates. Once they're portioned, they can go into freeze."

The healer swept away, and Cora reached for the scanner.

Beep.

"Well," she began, trying to gather her thoughts on a more pleasant recollection, "he was very good at chasing away bothersome suitors." Her lips pursed in the suggestion of a smirk, but good humor reached her eyes. "There was one particularly troublesome young Lord who ended up tripping into a champagne tower when he couldn't take 'no, I don't want to dance with you' for an answer."

Tansu Treicolt

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

"I think there's probably woodwork dwellers on both accounts." Tansu admitted, gesturing to herself.

"And I think it's good people come to defend, and gather to repair afterwords — but my feelin' was more on the offence. Like something could be done to get ahead of the repercussions of defending our own worlds." Her nose scrunched, as if wrinkling up her face would help iron out her thoughts. Make the words smoother.

During the exchange, Tansu continued to work — until she noticed Cora's discomfort.

"Are you alright?" She asked, rising from her crouch to offer…. a hand? It wasn't clear what she could do other than give Cora the chance to not conceal her discomfort. Sometimes permission to be big and open was all people needed. Tansu had been raised that way, but Talsin and his ilk, not so much.

And she’d follow up on the Talsin stories afterwords — priority was on the level of concern for the vague discomfort of their hostess.

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Corazona von Ascania | Talsin Lota
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[Corazona von Ascania]

"That would be ideal," Cora hummed, low, thoughtful, and perhaps just a little somber with regret. "If we had the resources. But the Jedi," lifting a hand from the scanner, she waved it absently, "are scattered. Someone – or something – would have to draw us all back together."

The loss of Coruscant had cut her deep, but the abandonment of the core had cut her deeper. She tried to remind herself that everyone had their reasons, but it still turned her stomach to-

Instead of politely ignoring her discomfort, Tansu had noticed. Cora could name a dozen aristocrats that would've simply turned their gaze elsewhere. She offered Tansu and her hand a smile, the line of her lips a little taut as her stomach rolled again with less vigor than before.

"I'm not ill, please don't worry." Cora waved her had again, this time a little more insistent. Her awkward smile warmed, as she imagined Talsin on the receiving end of Tansu's concern. "Just a little bout of...oh, I'm not certain if it can be called morning sickness outside of the morning."

Tansu Treicolt

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

"Uh?"

Morning sickness. The universal language of I am pregnant. Heroines in books always fell to a fateful, tell-tale ill as soon as they woke up. The sudden, desperate urge to maintain privacy while trying to find a receptacle was a trope any enjoyer of the silver screen knew. Tansu's eyes widened with this precious information, let the implications sink in, and completely override her filter.

"Cora! Oh! That's so exciting! I hardly know you but I just know you'll be a wonderful mother." Her words flooded out, barely maintaining a conspiratorial hush — was this a secret? Tansu could hardly be trusted with them.

Hands clapped over her mouth in a poor attempt to prevent her from rushing forward. They stayed little movement. Her need to bound forward and wrap her arms briefly around the tired-looking princess overcame her ability to constrain herself.

"You and your husband must be so thrilled! Congratulations! Eee!

Do you know much about it? Due date? What you're having? Oh my god, that's so exciting! Pregnant." She said the word as though it glistened on her tongue, sparkling with promise. And then, before her brain could catch up with her mouth: "I can't wait to be pregnant! It's so special!"

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Corazona von Ascania | Talsin Lota
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[Talsin Lota]

Tansu Treicolt Corazona von Ascania

Talsin was happily moving around from bunk to bunk.

Assisting with Force Healing where needed, offering some kind words otherwise. Sometimes just offering some emotional support was almost as good as offering actual healing. It also allowed him to tune out the conversation between Tansu and Corazona. Primarily because he wanted to give them some privacy, so they could get to know each other without feeling like he was observing.

"Oh well, I do believe-" Squeezing the old hand and about to offer some of those kind words. But then he paused, froze and glanced back over his shoulder.

"I can't wait to be pregnant! It's so special!"

The shocking words took him out of it entirely.

He looked at Tansu, then to Cora, then back to the old grandma who was grinning at him like he was an idiot. Then back again to Tansu. "Um." Talsin squeezed her hand. "I apologize, but I will return in a moment, thank you."

Then he practically glided towards Tansu and Cora.

"Um. Tansu... do you... can we have a word?" Apologetic smile to Cora.

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

So swept up in the delight of Cora's news, indirect as it might have been, Tansu had forgotten that there were others in the tent. And when her brain caught up with the context of her tongue and their environment, and what she might have said out loud, she pinked.

"Oh, I mean, I didn't mean to make that about me at all, I just meant that it's such a wonderful thing, family, and —" Here she was, meant to meet a princess and make a good impression so she could have a friend at the courts and she'd overreacted so starkly that —

​

"Um. Tansu... do you... can we have a word?"

She almost winced. Had he heard? Surely he'd been too far away to overhear. But it just took one look at his expression, forcibly placid, and the elder woman's behind him, extremely entertained, that she realized she had not been as quiet as she thought she might have been.

Sheepishly, she let Talsin guide her for a more private exchange.

"Sorry, I thought that I'd beena smidge quieter. I just got real excited, you know how it is." Now she winced. "You..you didn't hear nothin' specific...did you?"

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Talsin Lota | Corazona von Ascania
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[Talsin Lota]

Tansu Treicolt Corazona von Ascania

His mind had been filtering everything before that line that was now etched in his brain. It's why Talsin hadn't congratulated his childhood friend on her pregnancy, otherwise he would have.

Talsin didn't leave the room with her. Instead just took them aside, between the supply walls and as she quickly spoke Tal lashed his fingers into hers.

Looking down at her and his expression was imminently goofy.

He let the words wash over them but didn't respond after she was done. Instead Tal smiled and leaned in a little.

"Did you mean it?" Talsin murmured quietly, words just for them.

"Do you want us to have a baby?"

Ever since that option inserted itself in his skull a few minutes ago it was all that Talsin could think about.

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

The unseen, subliminal conversation that routed through their tether was some kind of stresser like Cora is right there. But there seemed to be an urgency to what Talsin needed to know and it stopped Tansu from becoming overwhelmingly embarrassed for her misspeaking.

"I—"

They'd never really talked about it, had they? Both from large families— maybe it had been something assumed. But to for him to speak out loud "us have a baby" in a sentence was the bluntest, most beautiful thing she'd ever heard him say.

"Yeah I meant it cowboy. I didn't mean to say it outright like that but.."

She squeezed his hands, meeting his lean in with her own rise to close the distance.

"I think the galaxy could use a little more you."

They could talk about the awfulness of their timing later. They had Sith to slay. Refugees to reinstate. Things to do. But at the very least he knew all of her heart.

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Talsin Lota | Corazona von Ascania
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[Talsin Lota]

Tansu Treicolt Corazona von Ascania

Absolutely horrible timing.

Talsin couldn't find it in himself to care. His goofy expression turned positively warm, one might almost say sappy.

"And more of you..." Tal said softly, squeezing her hands.

He was about to kiss her there and then, but paused and seemed to remember where they were. Talsin glanced about and noticed that every person he had healed or spoke to was currently doing their best act of Oh, I am not here, jolly good. I am just part of the scenery, see?

Then the noble man seemed to make a decision.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Ignoring the whooping and cheering from those that had been pretending to be furniture just a moment ago.

"Then we will have to really start trying... I wouldn't want to keep you waiting."

Suddenly he paused, blinking, as his brain caught up with his mind.

"Wait, hold on! How did you two get on this subject anyway?"

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

​

Tansu felt utterly boneless—her brain blanking as every cell in her body lit up like a beacon at the unexpected gesture. His kiss echoed the depth of joy she'd seen in his eyes, and she felt a flush of pleasure warm out from the wrap of his arm around her waist all the way through her cheeks. It was a heady, reckless rush to be in love and be loved like this.

She tittered, doing her best not to feel deeply inappropriate. This was Talsin's arena though, and if he was loose enough to simply enjoy the concept of a family together then she could too. And maybe laughter was the best medicine if those he'd been tending to found it in their spirits to collude in the same merriment.

"You seriously only heard the one bit you weren't supposedtuh?" She asked, shaking her head at the absurdity of boyfriends and their selective hearing.

Rather than risk sharing Cora's news again for ears not meant to hear, she shared the information — I think Cora's pregnant — through their tether, gently using her fingertips to direct his chin toward their hostess.

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Talsin Lota | Corazona von Ascania
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[Corazona von Ascania]

"Oh-"

Out of all the reactions Cora had expected, Tansu's trill of excitement wasn't one of them. Exhausted, faintly nauseous, and caught off guard, she could only stand rigidly still as the embrace came, paralyzed by the exhilaration of it all.

There were questions to answer, but they simply bounced off of her skull, landing somewhere among bacta canisters and clusters of herbs.

"U-uh-" stuttered the princess. Though her own nature had softened over the years, Cora was still something of a blueblood. "Yes, we're...oh, it's too early to...y-you want to…?"

Fortunately, salvation came in the form of Talsin. She answered his smile with a wobbly one of her own, then took the space to gather her thoughts. At the very least, she had the sense to politely look away when the pair kissed. Talsin's question drew her back, and she found Tansu's fingers curled beneath his chin, directing his line of sight into her own.

Cora took a deep breath, steadying her expression. "I did tell Tansu that I was suffering from morning sickness," she confessed with an awkward little smile. One hand came to rest over the flat of her abdomen as her gaze tilted to Tansu. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to freeze on you. I just didn't expect the excitement, so let me say it plainly; I am nine weeks pregnant, and we're not yet certain what we're having. But," she added, "my husband and I are looking forward to meeting this little one."

Tansu Treicolt Talsin Lota

 

[Talsin Lota]

Tansu Treicolt | Corazona von Ascania

Compared to Tansu Talsin didn't leap up in joy or sweep her up in a hug.

But after squeezing Tan's hand, Tal did close the distance between him and Cora. His hand settling on her shoulder, gentle. "I know we have not been as close as we once were. But I am happy for you." He said softly, warm, eyes keeping hers. "And if you need support, or a listening ear, or if you ever feel like throwing the tea cups out of the window out of frustration, you have my ear."

Then a glance over his shoulder to Tansu with dimpled smile.

"And I suspect Tansu would like to support you as well, if her reaction had anything to say about it."

Back to Cora.

"Seriously, that's great." Only then letting go of her shoulder. "Please do let us know if we can help with anything."

Then he'd step to the side, realizing he had taken the moment between Tansu and Cora, gracefully giving it back to them. Returning his attention to the care of the patients.

Who seemed to be giving him meaningful smirks and chuckles.

They weren't forgetting so quickly the kiss shared between them.