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Bodhi Rook sighed, looking at the ship’s viewpoint while they landed in Horsian Prime, the huge buildings shining around the ship and he maneuvered to the hangar in the Senatorial Building. He’d been off-planet for a long time, working for the Senate in whatever mission they needed him on, and now he was finally back.
“Eager to land, Rook?” His co-pilot, a green Twi'lek named Kooth, asked with a grin.“Any specific reason for if waiting for you down there?”
“Oh yeah!” He laughed, tapping some buttons in the control panel without even needing to look at it anymore. “I promised this girl I'd spend some time with her when I got back, and she’s been bugging me about it to me ever since I left.”
“Rogue Guardian, you're clear to land on platform 62.”
“Copy that, landing pad. Heading to platform 62.”
“Well, Captain, let's get this over so you can go see your girl.” Kooth mumbled, patting Bodhi’s shoulder with a laugh. “Force knows it's not good to keep them waiting.”
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It took precisely four seconds for her to slam against Bodhi’s legs, after his feet were out of the ramp and touching the platform.
“Uncle Bo!” She exclaimed, giddily. “You're back! I knew you would be back! You promised me you'd come back and now you're back!”
He laughed at the eager girl and picked her up in his arms, pressing a noisy kiss into her cheek, making her giggle.
“I swear you grew up so much since the last time I saw you.” He mumbled, tugging the tip of her braided dark hair with his free hand. “You are huge!”
“Of course I am!” She said, a mix of outrage and pride only the little girl could manage. “I'm already 4 years and a half. I'm a big girl now.”
“Now, come on Hope. Let Bodhi at least breath before you tackle him.” Bodhi was so distracted with her that he didn't notice her father approaching until he was already standing right next to them.
“He is breathing just fine, Papa.” Hope responded, lifting her nose to him defyingly in an act that was so Jyn that made Bodhi stare as Cassian laughed at his daughter. Even though Hope had taken mostly from Cassian, from her dark colored hair and warm brown skin to her thin face, sometimes she reminded Bodhi of Jyn, with her small nose, bright green eyes and fierce attitude.
“Of course he is, cariño.” Cassian mumbled at his daughter. “How was your job, Bodhi?” He asked, as they exchanged a one arm hug.
“Same old, you know.” Bodhi half shrugged. “A lot of diplomacy and a lot of flying senators around.”
“Mama said most of the Senator are kriffing idiots.” Hope supplied, making her father roll his eyes at her.
“You can’t say that kind of things out loud, Hope!” Bodhi said, trying to hide the amused tone in his voice. “It’s not nice.”
“But Mama said it!”
“Well, Mama is an adult and she said a lot of things.” Cassian said. “That you can’t keep repeating, alright?”
“Alright.” Hope nodded dutifully. Cassian smiled at her but , away from the girl’s line of sight, rolled his eyes at Bodhi which meant they had this conversation before.
“Where is Jyn?” Bodhi asked, passing Hope from on arm to another and looking around.
“She got caught up with some problem with new recruits, said she’d meet us home.” Cassian answered. “Can we go?”
“Papa promised he’d get us ice-cream before we get home.” Hope added. “You’re coming with us, right?”
“Yeah, just…” he eyes the twi’lek leaving the ship, a bag on his shoulder. “Everything good, Kooth?”
“Everything good, cap.” Kooth responded with a thumbs-up. “Go have your fun with your girl.”
“Alright, what was that thing about ice-cream I just heard?”
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Jyn was laying on her back in the living-room sofa of her and Cassian’s apartment when they arrived, head bent back, her brown wet hair making a puddle in the sofa’s arm. She seemed to be asleep, one arm draped to cover her eyes and the other dangling from the sofa side.
Hope disentangled her hand from Cassian’s as soon as the door slid open and rushed to her mother, tossing herself in Jyn’s chest, getting a “oof” and a grunt out of her mother.
“Mama, mama! We’re back!” She said, settling herself onto the short woman’s stomach. Jyn rubbed her face with her hands before smiling to her daughter.
“I can see that, starshine.” She mumbled, patting the girl’s dark hair and sitting up. “Come on, up with you.” With a silly smile, Hope jumped from her mother’s lap to stand on the sofa, her shoes long forgotten near the door. “Well, look who’s finally decided to show up around here!”
“It’s good to see you too, Jyn.” Bodhi smiled, as she came towards him and enveloped him in a hug.
It hadn’t taken much time for the three lone survivors of Scariff to bond together, becoming some sort of a family, over their scars and horrors. Even after they were able to find a replacement body for K2 and even after it became clear that Jyn and Cassian’s feelings for each other were not the brotherly type Bodhi had for them. They were family, the three of them. Four, if you consider the sassy droid. Five, with the bouncy child, jumping up and down the sofa. Their family of five people.
“Well, it took you long enough.” Jyn poked her finger into Bodhi’s chest one last time before turning to Cassian and pressing her lips to his in a quick soft kiss. “I set the table, but I didn’t dare to touch the food, unless you want to eat something burned.“
Cassian just laughed, kissing the top of her hair before mumbling “I'll do it.”
“You know, there is a 48.6% chance that you will fall down and hurt yourself if you continue jumping on the sofa like this.” K2 metallic voice resonated as he stood in the corner of the room, turned to Hope.
“Kay, enough.” Jyn mumbled, patting his chassis. “Hope, down, come on. Go wash your hands before dinner.” The little girl frowned as her mother placed her on the floor and made a face to K2 before moving on to the fresher. “Can you help her, so she wash herself on the sink?” She asked with a smile that was between apologetic and amused.
Bodhi just laughed as he followed Hope into the fresher while Jyn made her way into the kitchen, placing her arms around Cassian’s waist and leaning her head against his shoulder blades as he cooked.
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“How come Cassian can cook so well if he lived for 25 years of his life under military rations?” Bodhi wondered out loud as they all set around the dinner table. Cassian had cooked something from his home planet that smelled amazingly and tasted even better.
“Don’t wanna know.” Jyn shrugged. “As long as he keeps cooking, I’m good. I don't need to know.”
“You would starve if I didn’t cook for you.” Cassian pointed at her with his fork.
“Exactly We would never want that!!” She answered, waving one of her hands as to put emphasis into it. “Ah, Bodhi! I left some bed cushions and a pillow on the sofa so you can sleep on it.”
“Guys, you really don’t have to do this every time I'm on planet.” Bodhi intervened. “I can sleep just fine on my own apartment.”
“Bantha crap.” Cassian must have poked Jyn with his foot under the table because she shot him a exasperated look before turning to her laughing daughter and adding. “You can't repeat that.”
“I won't, Mama.” She responded seriously, swallowing her giggles.
“We know you don't sleep well when you're alone on your apartment.” Cassian offered.
“Every time you sleep there on your own you just look like kr…” she stopped at the look Cassian gave her and sighed. “Like you had a terrible night of sleep.”
“Honestly guys…”
“I can sleep with Mama and Papa and you can sleep in my bed.” Hope offers happily.
“That's really sweet cariño, but I think uncle Bodhi won't fit in your bed.” Cassian said, offering a smile at the little girl.
“Plus, we got that sofa that gets bigger just so Bodhi can sleep on it, remember?” Jyn told her daughter, as if it is the simplest thing in the world, but tears prickle Bodhi’s eyes. No matter how long it passes, it still took him by surprise how much he’s part of Jyn and Cassian’s life.
“Guys, I don't want to intrude, really…” he babbled, but Jyn interrupted.
“Don't be ridiculous Bodhi. You're family.” She smiled sweetly at him, before adding. “Now, it's settled. And if I hear you mumble this nonsense about intruding again I swear to the force, I'll throw a glass or something at you.”
“At least let me clear the table then.”
“Alright, you help me. And you,” she said, standing up and going to Cassian, wrapping her arms around his neck, planting a kiss on his cheek. “You’re going to learn this new game Hope was showing me yesterday, right?”
“Yes Papa! It’s really fun! Mira, dejame mostrarte.” Hope jumped from her chair and started tugging her father’s hand. Cassian exchanged a glance with Jyn and pressed his lips to her and got up to follow his daughter to the living room.
Bodhi and Jyn worked side to side in a peaceful silence for a while, her washing the dishes as he dried them.
“You know, maybe if you had someone to share your apartment with…” She begun after some time.
“Not again, Jyn.” He growled. “We’ve talked about this.”
“You’ve never been serious with anyone since Luke.” She mumbled, turning back to the sink to stare at him. “Maybe it would be nice for you.”
“Me and Luke broke up in friendly terms, years ago.” He said. “I just haven’t found anyone I find interesting, that’s all.”
“I just worry about you, you know?” She mumbled, bumping her shoulder with his. “You’re family, we just want to see you happy.”
“Don’t worry about it, little sister.” Bodhi smiled, listening to the sound of Cassian and Hope playing in the living room, taking softly in Festian. He thought how he missed them every time he was away, and about how they always gave him a home. He imagined waking up in his cold apartment alone and afraid, and then imagined waking up to Hope poking him in the morning, a bright smile on her face. His family. “I’m happy.”