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Jyn Erso woke up to Cassian sleeping next to her. She examined him, the way he looked about five years younger, how his breathing was deep and even. He only ever got that relaxed around her. It was nice that he trusted her that much, loved her so much that he could sleep peacefully in her presence. She knew that she was usually sharp and unpleasant to be around, but he never seemed to mind. Instead, it rather seemed like he soothed all of her sharp edges in a way no one else could.
She turned to her side to gaze at him. Again, he didn’t wake. Ten years ago, he would have woken at the slightest movement. Actually, ten years ago he would have slept in the cockpit rather than with her in the cabin. But after Scarif, they clung together in that way that only shared trauma could bring out, and they rarely slept alone after that.
After Scarif, she started bringing him caf before meetings and he made certain she came with him on every mission. He would make them meals while on their ship, spicy and colorful, and she would do the dishes after. He bought her a plant light after she complained about how cold space was, and they struggled to keep their succulent, Agatha, alive. Cassian had nearly killed it with overwatering, and Jyn had stuck her freezing toes to his skin in retaliation, all while lecturing him from her plant guide.
It went on like that for the rest of the war, life together aboard Rogue One somehow steadily getting more domestic even as missions became more dangerous and desperate. There was a steadiness to watering Agatha once a week, to sharing meals together, and to shared caf while pouring over data.
And then it was over. The golden boy managed to kill the Emperor of all people, and the power vacuum left behind was Leia’s playing field. Jyn told Cassian that she was done fighting, but would stay with him while he helped rebuild the galaxy.
And so life on their little ship continued.
She rather liked her life now. She could sleep in if she wanted, though that was rarely successful. She spent too many years on high alert to ever sleep more than a few handful of hours at a time. But she could eat when she wanted, however much she wanted, and what she wanted. For the most part at least.
She liked that at dinner they would sit across from one another so that they could tangle their feet together under the table. She liked that he would talk about his work with her, even if he was no longer allowed to discuss specifics. She didn’t mind. She liked that espionage wasn’t part of her day to day life anymore, much happier to actually go to school and experience something approaching what she thought was normalcy. And she enjoyed not having to fight to breathe the next day.
Jyn shuffled closer to Cassian and traced his face with her fingertips, starting with his brow and gently sliding over his cheekbones. He shaved his beard off again for a public appearance, and she missed it. She liked the gray hairs and well-trimmed look he usually wore. While it did make him look a bit older, she felt it suited him better, a call to their early days of getting to know each other. And, whenever asked, she always told him he looked distinguished and handsome and how else would his aides develop crushes if he kept shaving his beard?
She smiled, fingers now in his hair, when his eyes fluttered open.
“Hi,” she said.
“Good morning,” he said, lips quirking into a fond smile.
“I love you.” She shuffled closer until she was pressed against him.
“I love you, too,” he said, and wrapped his arms around her to pull her in close.