Ukatian Dream

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Roman never imagined he'd have a Jedi enclave mostly to himself. The Ukatian compound was larger than he'd expected, a place that practically dared him to run across them like a kid again. And he had.Upbeat, shamelessly indulgent music spun from a battered old player he'd scrounged up. Roman moved with a looseness he rarely allowed anyone to see. Arms flailing, socks sliding, he spun through the main chamber, laughter bubbling up somewhere between his teeth and his chest. He had no real plan, no thought to tomorrow, just a moment to feel alive in a place that had held too much silence lately.
He'd even carved out a small space for himself here, though he'd brought almost nothing but his presence. A neatly folded blanket, a trunk in the corner, and a few small keepsakes. For a man like him, it felt almost decadent.
Another slide across the floor, socks squealing faintly against the stone, brought him face-to-face with her. Cora. She was hovering nearby in her chair, a mug of steaming tea balanced in one hand, her eyes fixed on him with an expression blending amusement and surprise. Roman froze mid-slide, his balance faltering. The music blared on, but the air suddenly felt too sharp, too full of heat creeping up the back of his neck.
He cleared his throat, scrambling for a robe he'd left draped across a chair. He wrapped it around himself in hurried motions, as if it could somehow erase what she'd just witnessed. "Didn't think you were back yet," he managed.
Quieter, steadier, his familiar tone returned. He tugged the robe tighter, shook his head once, then crossed the room toward her, leaving the music to play on in the background. "You shouldn't be sneaking up on me like that," he muttered, though the words lacked any real bite, more an attempt to mask his embarrassment.
He pulled out the chair across from her, sitting down with deliberate ease, grounding himself again. His eyes lingered on her cup of tea before flicking up to her face, softening despite himself. "How've you been holding up?" he asked. "Are the injuries still giving you trouble?"