(no subject)

[imthepilot]

{From here}

Bodhi takes Galen's hand and walks back through the door and back into the base. The cerebration is in full swing, happy shouts echoing from the hall. They run into only one other person on their way to Bodhi's room. The young lieutenant who had escorted Galen earlier.

Nika salutes, eyes drifting from Bodhi's face to their joined hands and back again. "Sir, Dr Erso."

"Lieutenant." Bodhi acknowledges, his voice a tense growl. Ready to deck the young man for a word out of place.

Instead the young man stutters shyly. "Sir?" He starts uncertainly. "I hope- have a good night, sir. You- you've earnt it."

Bodhi relaxes a little, resting his metal hand on the youth's shoulder. "As have you, lieutenant. Now go and enjoy yourself."

The boy nods, freckled cheeks warming with a blush. "Sir, yes sir." There's something about the way he steps aside to let them pass, watching them go. A crush perhaps? Or something more like hero worship?

Bodhi doesn't speak again till they're inside his room, the door firmly closed.

Comments

[galen_erso]

"Forwards," Galen says. "Trying to to back will only hurt us."

[imthepilot]

"I don't have full control of my future. I surrendered that when I joined the Alliance. And the war isn't over."

[galen_erso]

"We both have significantly more freedom than we had on Eadu," Galen says. "That gas to be enough for now."

[imthepilot]

"We have more openness, yes. But I could be called to the front tomorrow. Or ordered to another base. And you've offered the Alliance your services too."

Duty could override everything.

[galen_erso]

"Then we would have to meet when we can, between assignments and always a little worried for each other," Galen says. "As we did before. With the one difference that we won't have to hide it. I can live with that."

[imthepilot]

How is it Galen can always be so positive. Always so able to see the bright side. When all Bodhi can feel is-

Fear.

Fear that loving Galen is a weakness for him. He could be the Alliance general, the strike team leader. Because he had nothing left to lose. Because he'd lost it all already.

But now. Now he has Galen.

Or Galen has him. He really doesn't know for sure.

He isn't sure of anything any more.

[galen_erso]

Nothing is sure any more. The Alliance has won, and the Empire is defeated. The world is radically different now.

Galen holds him close and kisses him.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi accepts the kiss before pulling away. "We should get cleaned up. I'll have to report in first thing tomorrow. And there will be paperwork." For the man he shot earlier today.

[galen_erso]

"Okay," Galen says. "I guess that was ten minutes."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi gives him a brief squeeze of apology before getting up. He doesn't mean to rush but he is starting to feel like a caged animal again. Needing to move. Needing action to keep him from pacing inside his own head.

"Officers' quarters have their own fresher." He gestures to a door off the room. Rank has some advantages. "There's water too." Not that he uses that much. It reminds him too much of Eadu.

He ducks into the fresher and pulls out a spare personal toiletries kit. Given Galen arrived with nothing but the clothes on his back (which Bodhi destroyed) and a handful of drawings and the like (which are with someone else now), he won't have anything of his own.

"I'll arrange for clothes and the like for you in the morning.
He hesitates as he hands the kit to Galen. "You don't have to stay here. If you don't want to. If you'd prefer your own room-"

[galen_erso]

Galen stands and stretches.

"I'd prefer here, if you'll have me."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods. Whether in assent or acknowledgement, it's hard to be sure.

As Galen's stands, Bodhi gets a better view of the damage he did. The bruises on Galen's hips. He looks away, worried by them. By how much he enjoyed putting them there.

Instead he turns his back and ducks into the fresher. Not closing the door so it's up to Galen if he wants to follow and share.

[galen_erso]

He follows, stretching and groaning a little.

"I'm not as young as I was, but perhaps they'll let me exercise," he says, looking around in the fresher.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi frowns, looking back over his shoulders. "They will. Or they'll hear from me. All the recovered scientist will be free to use the facilities on the base. The mess, the gym. Unless they show cause that they're looking for trouble. No-one will stop you from going outside either, as long as there's someone with you. You're not a prisoner here. Your access to vital systems and sensitive information may be restricted but that's for everyone's protection."

He hates what that implies about Galen's time on the Imperial facility.

[galen_erso]

"Gym sounds good," Galen nods. "Something to start building myself up again. And the holo archives, to get some honest history of the last few years.

[imthepilot]

"I'll make the arrangements." After a moment's hesitation, Bodhi runs the water shower. After all, the memories can't hurt him now. "Medical will want to check you out. They'll be able to provide assistance with anything your body has been lacking. And if you want, there are some very good running tracks through the forest."

[galen_erso]

"Running outside sounds good, too," Galen says. "Once I get a project once more, I'll have to spend enough time inside again."

[imthepilot]

"No, you won't." Bodhi says, a hard edge to his tone. "Even if and when Mon Mothma finds a project suitable for your skills, you'll still work out, still spend time outside. And you will eat. Even if I have to reprogram an integrator droid to remind you. You need to look after your health."

It comes out as orders but the care and concern behind it is evident

[galen_erso]

Galen smiles, a bit sheepishly.

"There are experiments that I can't leave alone," he says, "but I'll do my best. I'd love doing some of it with you, though."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi offers Galen his flesh hand, squeezing softly. "I can't promise you anything. Except that I'll be with you when I'm able."

He gestures for Galen to turn around, taking up a cloth and washing his back. Tracing Galen's own new scars. "Eadu?" He asks, touching them lightly.

[galen_erso]

"Yes," Galen says. "The Alliance attack bowled me over, and I got a bit damaged. That's probably why you thought I was dead. Jyn was there, and then everything went black, and I woke up on an Imp ship with Rochin hovering."

[imthepilot]

"She was furious." Bodhi washes Galen's back gently, "She blamed Cassian, our rebel captain. He'd been ordered to kill you but at the last minute chose not to. But because of the crash, he lost contact with the Alliance. They sent the strike team to do it, believing we had been lost."

Even after all this time, there's an undertone of bitter anger in Bodhi's voice. He settled his own score with Draven after the Battle of Yavin.

[galen_erso]

"But he still came with her to fetch the plans from Scarif, and died there?" Galen says. "I wish I'd had the chance to know her as a grown woman. She sounds awe-inspiring."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods tightly, touching his engraved metal wrist-joint out of habit. "It made him realise how much he'd done in the name of the Rebellion that was abhorrent to him. Following Jyn to Scarif was his redemption."

Bodhi muses silently for a movement before answering. "She was. She died a hero. She's remembered as the bringer of Hope at a time when the Alliance was fragmented and fractious. Her sacrifice galvanised them."

[galen_erso]

"I'd rather have my Stardust than the public memory of a hero," Galen says, "but as that's not an option, I will do my best to help remember her in order to inspire others."