our broken promises ~ a.skywalker

Chapter 33: Corellian Ryshcate

KORA'S ANTICIPATION BUZZED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL CHARGE IN THE AIR, crackling with excitement long before the first rays of Coruscant's sun dared to pierce the horizon. Anakin's promise of a formal date had left her restless through the night, her mind spinning with anticipation. The idea of spending time alone with him, away from the weight of their Jedi duties, sounded amazing.

Anakin had casually mentioned swinging by her quarters sometime before dawn to whisk them away to his secret spot. Kora couldn't help but wonder where in the galaxy he planned to take them. It definitely couldn't be some public joint, not with the press hounding their every move. But where on Coruscant could they find some privacy? The planet was like one big, bustling metropolis, and finding a secluded spot seemed like finding a needle in a haystack.

She briefly toyed with the idea that maybe Anakin was thinking of the underground levels. But no, even he wasn't that wild. As she scanned through her wardrobe full of Jedi gear, she half-jokingly thought about raiding Padmé's closet again. But then she laughed it off. This wasn't some fancy dinner date at a swanky joint. It was just gonna be them, probably wolfing down some grub at some low-key place.

But still, she couldn't help but overthink.

A sudden, insistent knock on the door jolted Kora out of her whirlwind of thoughts. Her heart raced with a mix of anticipation and nervousness, for she knew all too well that only one person could be standing outside. With a quick shake of her head to clear her mind, she smoothed down her loose hair and made a determined beeline for the door.

As she swung the door open, her suspicions were confirmed in an instant: there stood Anakin Skywalker, his infectious boyish grin lighting up his features. Behind his back, his hands concealed a container that piqued Kora's curiosity. What surprise did he have in store? Anakin's playful gaze swept over her disheveled appearance, and he couldn't help but tease, "You didn't sleep, huh?"

In response, Kora playfully nudged him aside, her hand resting lightly on his chest as she made her way out of her quarters. "I could say the same for you, sandboy."

Suppressing a laugh, Anakin leaned in close, mindful of the other sleeping Jedi in the vicinity. His voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper as he murmured into Kora's ear, "I'd have the same response. Now, hurry up, or we'll be late."

Kora scoffed at the accusation of her tardiness but paused before retorting, "Wait, late for what?"

He hummed knowingly and Kora suddenly felt like she was missing out on a large secret.

As Kora and Anakin wandered through the unused spaces of the Jedi Temple outskirts, they stumbled upon a forgotten corner where a sleek blue speeder rested, gleaming softly in the dim light filtering through the dusty windows. It was a no-roof model, designed for swift and agile maneuvering through the cityscape of Coruscant.

Anakin's eyes lit up at the sight of the speeder. He grazed his fingers across the pristine vehicle. "Ah, this brings back memories," he remarked, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "I've borrowed one of these before. Jumped out of it once, too. Obi-Wan nearly had a heart attack."

Kora paused to look up at him with wide eyes. Somehow, the idea of Anakin pulling such stunts didn't surprise her; she just felt fortunate he caused Obi-Wan's heart attacks and not hers. "I'd actually murder you if you did that to me."

"I'll keep that in mind," he sent her a wink. He hopped into the pilot's seat and began messing with its control panel. Mere seconds later, Anakin activated the speeder, the engine humming to life with a soft purr. "Come on, let's take this out for a spin," he urged, motioning for Kora to hop on beside him.