Welcome home.

[imthepilot]

With Galen finally being released from the Infantry today, Bodhi has pulled out all the stops to make sure their rooms are ready. The bar has been very helpful, providing him with everything he needs to make it work for them.

The rooms are large and airy, open planned living and dinning. Thick carpets and warm colours make it homely and comfortable.

The bar has made sure Bodhi's kitchen has all the appliances he's use to and a big pantry. All the lovely hardwood benches and lots of storage.

The bedroom faces out onto the balcony, just as the living room does, giving them a view of the lake and the gardens. There's an office and workshop for Galen too, ready to be set up the way he wants it.

And a bathroom with a water fresher big enough for two, and of all things - a spa bath.

The balcony has been lined with pots, one wall lined with climbing frames, ready for creeps, flowers and climbing legumes. The kitchen window is also lined with little pots of fresh herbs.

Bodhi opens the door for Galen, biting his lip and hoping Galen likes it.

Comments

[galen_erso]

Galen stands in the doorway and stares.

"That is -- that is a really lovely place to live in the bar has given us. I haven't lived like this since..."

Not even on Coruscant. There was never this much space, this much green on the city planet. Not even in the most expensive arcologies.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi hesitates, misunderstanding Galen's hesitation. "Is it- too like what you had with Lyra?"

[galen_erso]

"Oh no, we could never afford anything this wonderful," Galen says. "This is -- this whole place is so green and lovely and luxurious. Waking up in the morning with a view like that..."

He turns to Bodhi, and smiles.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi's shoulder lower in relief. He takes Galen's hand very gently. "This is ours. It's not the future we hoped for but... we have this. And we're together."

[galen_erso]

"What are the herbs on the kitchen window sill?" Galen asks, because he has to start getting familiar somewhere.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi starts listing the herbs, touching the leaves and picking sprigs and offering them to Galen to smell. He relaxes into it, comfortable on his element.

[galen_erso]

Galen rubs some of the leaves between his fingers, tastes them even, asks what worlds they are from.

"I think this one would make a refreshing tea as well," he ventures when he likes one plant especially.

[imthepilot]

He answers gladly and without hesitation. "Lemon Balm. It's an Earth plant. The infirmary staff give it to me, to help me sleep. It makes a very good tea. And it keeps well dried out."

[galen_erso]

"Hey, my instincts for plants aren't quite completely withered yet," Galen says, grinning at his own terrible pun. "I like the idea."

He puts an arm around Bodhi.

"I may have other options to offer, to help you sleep," he adds, his smile turning softer.

[imthepilot]

Galen's puns never fail to make Bodhi smile. "No, your instincts are still budding."

Bodhi leans into Galen's arms, wrapping his arms around Galen in return. "Just having you here will help. Just like it did on Eadu."

{ooc: sorry, I don't know why this didn't send.}

[galen_erso]

"I hope I don't snore too much," Galen says, looking into those lovely brown eyes as he pulls Bodhi closer.

[imthepilot]

"You don't snore." Bodhi buries his face in Galen's neck. "And even if you do, it just means I can hear you breathing." And that's more comforting than he can say.

[galen_erso]

"You'll know you're not alone all through the night," Galen says, softly.

[imthepilot]

"I'll know that you're real. And that you're here. With me." And that he's not alone any more.

[galen_erso]

"Yes, I guess only real people snore," Galen says. "Or make these sudden hissing sounds like snakes rehearsing a speech."

[imthepilot]

"I don't do that, do I?" Bodhi asks, a little worried.

Myrrh pads in from the balcony, Kyber following her, chasing her tail. Bodhi smiles at them.

[galen_erso]

"Oh no, you don't," Galen says. "Lyra used to, when she had a little too much to drink. It always amused me, especially if we had been flinging grand plans around over whatever we had been having, with whatever friends had dropped by."

Pause.

"They have their own stairs?"

[imthepilot]

That's dreadfully sweet and makes Bodhi smile. "I can imagine the pair of you hosting great parties."

Bodhi shakes his head. "No, I think they were sunning themselves. There's a little table outside, if we want to eat out there. Myrrh likes to sleep on it. They have their own door, so they can come and go as they please."

[galen_erso]

Galen takes a step outside, pulling Bodhi with him, and picks up Kyber who had been peering at them from the balcony railing.

"They are free creatures," he nods. "And yes, we sometimes had parties for our friends and fellow researchers when somebody special was in town and we could all catch up. At that time, we still thought Krennic was a friend. Or at least I did."

[imthepilot]

Kyber purrs happily and headbutts Galen's chin. "I don't think Kyber's quite ready to be free without someone to keep an eye on him but Myrrh seems happy enough to do that, when we're not around."

"You wanted to see the best in someone you liked and trusted." Just as Bodhi trusted the rebels to rescue Galen.

As promised, there's a little table for two out in the sun, where the flowers will cover the walls when they're grown. Little violet flowers already showing.

[galen_erso]

"Yes, so I did," Galen says. "But I turned out to be horrible wrong."

Beat.

"Bygones, though. What are those flowers called?"

He's still holding and stroking the kitten.

[imthepilot]

"So was I." Bodhi mutters, as much to himself as to Galen.

"Royal violets. That's what my grandmother called them. They were from her home world." He touches the clumps tiny flowers. "They're the same colour as her eyes."

[galen_erso]

"So you had them in NiJedha," Galen nods. "It's good to know more survives of that city than just three people."

[imthepilot]

"I was taking to the Guardians about her. I wanted to show Chirrut what violet was." The memory is tinged bitter now. "The bar happily gave me a sprig of flowers when I asked. Their scent is very soft but... it reminded me of better times."

[galen_erso]

"Why did he have to know about purple in the first place?" Galen asks.

He is still quite awed by Chirrut, never mind that the man hates his guts. The blind warrior monk deserves a lot of respect.