Saka wanted to talk it out after cooling down. But Kaya made it clear she was going to ignore him. He figured it would end in a day or two so he let it be.
"What did I do?" Saka hits the cafeteria table with his fist low to it.
'One week of the silent treatment and he cracks. I owe Leia and Nao two silver strips.' Dux sips his soda.
"Listen since you're not going to get it yourself I'll tell you." Dux sighs taking pity on him. "You defended her." He says bluntly.
"Why is that wrong? I did that all the time when we were kids." Saka looks at him confused.
"Key word there is kids." Dux sighs pointing it out. "She's a teen and a Mac Tire."
"So?" Saka looks at him confused.
'Oh the poor idiot.' Dux sighs heavily for his friend's ignorance.
"Listen carefully, for Mac Tires at the age of fifteen we start trying to find our place in the pack and for us that's Starfleet. Her place was being questioned and then…" Dux starts to explain.
"I jumped in stopping her from dealing with it herself." Saka sighs getting it.
"Well that's half of it." Dux takes a bite of chicken.
"What's the other?" Saka lifts a brow sipping his soda.
"Kaya has always been the Omega. Always too shy or skittish. Now she wants to prove that's not where or who she is anymore. And YOU stopped her from proving that in front of her future pack." Dux points his spork at his friend.
Saka looks down at his food at that. He's starting to understand what he did wrong.
Meanwhile in the garden, Kaya is still fuming about what happened.
"I mean he just jumped in!" Kaya huffs stabbing at her food.
"Like he used to." Naomi looks over a book as she eats.
"I mean I'm not some helpless pup." Kaya's ears twitch.
"Anymore." Leia sips some soda.
"Will you two stop that!?" Kaya howls red in the face.
"Well… you did use to be pretty helpless." Naomi closes her text book looking over at her.
"And the boys looked after you." Leia adds finishing her soda. "Can you really blame Saka from doing what he used to do?" she eyes her.
"Well… I still don't like it." Kaya pushes her cheeks a bit red.
"Why not try talking to Saka? Tell him that bothered you instead of leaving him in the dark." Naomi suggests.
"Maybe." Kaya ponders with downed ears.
As the bell rings they head off for classes again. Hours later in the library for free study, Kaya reads some Irish poems by a windowsill seat. The glass warm from the sinking sun.
'Let's see…' Luke looks around for a book.
Seeing something from the corner of his eye he turns to see Kaya asleep with a book on her lap. The setting sunlight dancing on her red hair. Her tail swaying in her sleep.
'She's so cute.' Luke chuckles to himself.
"Kaya." Luke whispers shaking her lightly. "Kaya time to get up."
"Mmm mint." Kaya smiles as her eyes sleepily open as she sniffs the air then sees Luke close to her. "Luke?!" she pops awake.
"Quiet." A student shouts a look as she takes a book from a nearby area.
"Sorry." They nod.
The girl huffs heading off with her material.
"I didn't mean to startle you, but free period is ending soon. So anything you want to read will have to be checked out or stay." Luke glances at the clock on the wall.
"No I'm sorry. This spot was just so warm and comfy, I doze off for a bit." Kaya stretches as she stands, book in hand. "What's the next class? Robotics?" she sees the book in his hands.
"Oh no, this is for me." Luke rubs the back of his head a bit. "Next would be… well dinner."
"Oh yeah." Kaya looks at the last glimmers of light. "What about tomorrow? What do we have?"
"First it's science with O'Brian. Force training with Windu. Then… oh yeah gym with Kyra." Luke tries to recall the schedule.
"Oh yeah, Nao has been dreading the hover ball game." Kaya walks with down the hall with him.
"Sports has never been Nao's fortay." Luke chuckles a bit.
"Look at that. Are they dating? Wow." Students' gossip and whisper as they see them pass by.
Arriving at the cafeteria Saka seems to be in a foul mood again. Seeing them come in together all happy just reminded him he's had little time with her over those years apart. Luke on the other hand, he got plenty of time with her. Sure they grow up on Voyager, but that seems like so long ago now.
Kaya still wasn't very happy him so dinner was pretty quiet. Some chatter but not much.
The next morning Saka wakes up early to go for a morning run. He needed to clear his head. While running around campus he hears music coming from the gym. Peeking in, he sees Leia dancing about to the music.
"What are you doing here?" Leia stops looking over by the bleachers.
"I thought you didn't have the force." Saka comes out of his hiding spot.
"Not much but enough for protection." Leia sips her water. "So? What are you doing here?" she eyes him
"I heard the music and well…" Saka sighs. "H-how mad is Kaya?" He rubs the back of his head.
"She's not 'mad.' She wants you to understand she's not weak." Leia sighs a bit heavily cooling down.
"I do know that." Saka motions to himself a bit load.
"Do you?" Leia gives him a sharp look.
Saka opens and closes his mouth. Him reflecting as he rubs his arm.
"What do I do?" Saka looks at her reflectively, clearly wanting to make amends.
"Do NOTHING." Leia emphasizes the word. "This is the place where we have to learn to stand on our own. But also depend on others, learning that balance will be hard but we gotta try and let those around us make their own calls." She explains.
"But Luke…" Saka starts.
"Gives her space to fall." Leia cuts him off hands on her hips. "Let her fall and rise on her own. When she wants or needs help she'll come to us. But she won't come if you don't give her the space to grow and shine. Just watch, she'll surprise you."
"I'll try." Saka sighs slightly.
"Start with the hover game. Face us girls with all you got, do that and things should get back to normal." Leia sips her water again.
"I can do that." Saka nods with a small smile.
"Good, cause you're going to need to against us." Leia smirks heading off.
"Like us guys are going down easy princess." Saka huffs playfully walking back to the dorms with her.
Leia playfully pushing him. Saka shoving her back the whole way.