(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]

"I'd like to talk to them about it, once I get the clearance to talk to people like that," Galen says, towelling his arms, vigorously. "That's yet another thing I can contribute."

[imthepilot]

"Mon will want to talk to you tomorrow. She'll have orders for both of us. Leia-" He looks up towards Endor. "I haven't heard from her yet."

He's not worried. He know she can look after herself. As can Luke. But they're still his friends.

[galen_erso]

"She's Senator Bail Organa's daughter, isn't she?" Galen says.

[imthepilot]

He nods, getting dry himself. "She is. She was the one to received the message above Scarif. And risked everything to get it back to the Rebellion. Including being interrogated by both Vader and Tarkin. She refused to give up the plans, even after Tarkin destroyed her world."

It's clear he admires her greatly.

[galen_erso]

Galen is stepping into his underwear. Its no longer fresh, but he literally has nothing else.

"It will be great to meet her," he says. "It will be great to become part of this. It will be great to openly be on the same side as you, and standing up for it."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods with a small smile. He goes to his duffel and pulls out a clean pair of PJ pants, offering them to Galen. He slips into a pair of boxers for himself.

He gestures towards the bed, in need of sleep.

[galen_erso]

Galen puts them on, starts to say something, yawns instead and wanders over to the bed.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi cocks his head, questioning what Galen was going to say.

[galen_erso]

Galen flops on the bed. "The world blew up, but here we are," he says. "Thank you. I love you."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi lays down next to him, stroking Galen's hair back from his face. "I love you." It's not that it's hard to say. Just- hard to cope with all that goes with it. All the change it brings.

[galen_erso]

Galen closes his eyes, smiling dozily in the general direction of Bodhi.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi doesn't sleep. Not for a long time. He just holds Galen, stoking his back gently.

By the time Galen wakes up, Bodhi's gone. His kit is still there but there seems to be less in it. There's no note but a quiet knock on the door.

[galen_erso]

"Yes!" Galen calls out, sitting up and stretching.

[imthepilot]

"Dr Erso, it's Lieutenant Nika. General Rook asked me to bring you some fresh clothes. And I have a request for Council-woman Mothma."

[galen_erso]

Galen gets up and opens the door, blinking a bit owlishly at Nika.

[imthepilot]

The chain of bitemarks and bruises on Galen's neck and chest set Nika back a bit, surprise and shock registering across his face.

"Umm, sir." He holds a filled kit back out to him. "General Rook asked me to bring you this. He's - he's been called off-world for the day."

[galen_erso]

"Thank you," Galen says, accepting the kit bag. "Sorry for my state of undress. What was that about Councilwoman Mothma?"

He opens the bag and looks inside.

[imthepilot]

The bag contains several changed of clothes and underwear, and a personal toiletry kit.

"She's requested a meeting with you, sir. When you're ready. She said there's no rush." There's something in his tone that implies it's best not to keep Councilwoman Mothma waiting.

[galen_erso]

"I'll be ready in half and hour," Galen says. "Twenty minutes, if you can get me some caf to drink on the way.'

[imthepilot]

Nika smiles. "I can arrange that, sir. I'll meet you here to escort you."

[galen_erso]

In twenty minutes, Galen is ready -- in a grey jumpsuit with absolutely nothing on it. He has neither rank nor code cylinders here.

[imthepilot]

And as promised, Nika is waiting with a mug of caf, and a couple of breakfast biscuits.

He gives Galen a critical look, kinda glad to see the jumpsuit covers the worst of the bite marks.

He walks with Galen down a handful of corridors, to a small office overlooking a cleared garden. Mon Mothma looks up from her terminal and offers Galen a small smile. "Thank you, Nika. Dr Erso, please take a seat."

[galen_erso]

Galen has been drinking about half of the caf on the way and is fully awake now.

"Good morning, Councilwoman," he says politely, and sits.

[imthepilot]

"Mon, please?" She cocks her head, examining the couple of red marks that peek out over the edge of the collar. "I take it your reunion with General Rook was- fruitful?"

[galen_erso]

"It was," Galen says. "For the time being. We can never be certain of the future."