imthepilot | Welcome home.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

galen_erso

"Now I am here to give you something to structure yourself with," Galen says. "Among other things."

Pause.

"What was the best bit among Teja's people?"

From:

imthepilot

"Yes." And for that, Bodhi is very grateful.

He takes a moment to answer, leaning back against the bench with an arm still around Galen's waist, the purring kitten between them.

"The complete lack of judgement. They didn't care when I'd done. Or how low I'd gotten. Even when it was too much and I just needed to cry, they didn't mind. The children asked all sorts of questions about where I was from and what it was like. But never why I was sad. They just accepted me. A man from the stars who had died and come back from the other side with their king. It never bothered them."

From:

galen_erso

"They sound like good and kind people," Galen says. "How many children were there?"

From:

imthepilot

"They were. Just... living. Simple, happy lives." Bodhi smiles at the memory. "At least half a dozen in that group. It shouldn't like there were other groups, other farms. They reminded me of the packs of kids on Jedha. Only they were all healthy, fed and well loved."

From:

galen_erso

"And they liked your stories?"

From:

imthepilot

"Very much. The adults too. One of them was a singer. He wrote songs about people's adventures. He asked if he could write one about me. About us and what we did. He sang it for me, just before I came back. It made us all sound like heroes from some old legend." He looks into Galen's eyes. "And you."

From:

galen_erso

"So when you bring me," Galen says, blinking rapidly a few times as he looks into Bodhi's eyes, "they will know me already as that man from the song?"

From:

imthepilot

"And they'll know you died a hero." Bodhi answers, "And that I love you."

From:

galen_erso

Galen leans his face against Bodhi's hair and says nothing.

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi just holds him for a moment, unable to form words. Kyber purrs all the louder for being held between them. Then scrambles up onto Bodhi's shoulder to attack his ponytail.

Bodhi chuckles and pulls the kitten back down. "I asked the bar to add an extra room. As an office or workshop. Or whatever you want. I haven't set anything up in there. I figured you'd want to do that."

From:

galen_erso

Galen blinks his tears away and reaches for the little cat to scratch the soft ears. "Both," he says. "Some place where I can learn and make things. That will be good."

From:

imthepilot

"I'm pretty sure there are some bookshelves in there. The bar will copy anything you ask for to a datapad but there's a whole library of paper books too." He says, trying to distract himself from his own tears.

From:

galen_erso

"Paper books!" Galen breathes, leaning in to kiss Bodhi's damp eyelashes. "There must be so much space here, if they can afford that."

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi shudders softly, breathing a sigh at the kiss.

"When you're settled in, I'll show you the library. It's massive. Biggest collection of paper books I've ever seen. Space doesn't seem to be an issue here."

From:

galen_erso

"How do they do that?"

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi takes Galen's hand and presses it to his heart, letting him feel the beat and flutter of it. "I died. You died. And yet, this." Their beating hearts. "I'm not sure this place has the same rules as the rest of the universe."

From:

galen_erso

"It can break the rules like the Force can," Galen says, softly. "Like the kyber can. Something we shouldn't let the Kyber-named cat-child know, though."

He breaks enough rules, natural and man-imposed, without the firm knowledge that he is officially allowed and meant to.

To say nothing of the rule-breaking, kyber-eyed monk.

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi manages a smile. "I suspect cats are naturally immune to rules."

He sets Kyber down and takes Galen's hand, leading him to the bedroom. The bed is spread with a thick comforter the colour of the hanging that was on Galen's wall on Eadu, bright and warm. There's a painting in the wall, of Jedha City.

From:

galen_erso

Galen looks around.

"This will be a good place for us to heal and remember," he says. "To love our memories after we have mourned our losses."

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi pulls him into a long, slow kiss. Tender and loving. "Thank you, for being here. For... making a like with me here."

From:

galen_erso

"Thank you, my love," Galen replies, "for getting that life ready for us, after our lives ended."

From:

imthepilot

"I wish I could say I organised this. I just asked and the bar give it to me. My first room wasn't this nice."

Myrrh pads in, hoping up on the bed to curl in a ball on the pillows.