"So help me, Cassian Andor, if you poke me one more time, I'm going to break your ribs!"
"Did you know you're kind of bitchy when you're injured?"
The laughter that follows is short-lived for everyone involved after your attempt to punch his shoulder leaves you both in pain. While rubbing his arm dramatically, Cassian looks back at you and you quickly close your eyes. You clutch your ribs as if the blaster wound is the only thing causing you grief, but the dusting of red on your cheeks threatens to reveal you as a liar. He begins to fluster over you again, checking your bandages, and it's all you can to do to resist leaning into Cassian's hands.
—
Despite his stubbornness, your stomach drops every time you make him laugh. Despite his icy temper, watching him dance drunkenly with the other pilots feels something like homesickness. Despite his relentless honesty, his friendly hand on your shoulder only sparks a desire to learn the texture of his skin. Despite everything, you had somehow fallen for the asshole.
—
"Y/N. Hey! Are you alright?" Cassian says, his hands and words soft on your face.
You open your eyes. He is less than a foot away, thumbs resting against your cheekbones as he searches your eyes for pain. For a second, for the moment you allow yourself, you are breathless and the world is hanging on an edge. A gentle push, not even enough to disturb your ribs, would close the space and-
"I'm fine, Cassian. It's just- you know- I just- it's ok… Don't worry. You patched me up pretty well… for a pilot."
You manage a weary smile at the end, which he returns, but you can tell that it's not reaching your eyes. You lightly grab his shoulder to help yourself up, using it as an excuse to make space and leave (although you'd also be lying if you said you didn't just want to touch him as well). You pace around, trying to stretch yourself without breaking anything new, while Cassian climbs back down to the helm to check on Kay-Tuesso.
After awhile, you look down at your blood-spattered and sand-caked uniform to find that you are audibly filthy. You had been able to hear a slight crunch for some time, but in your tired state it had taken you a couple minutes to realise why. Your uniform was beginning to crust. Rolling your eyes at your own obliviousness and the ridiculousness of the whole situation, you walk slowly to one of the storage units. The clothes there are coated in dust, but you decide that is preferable to becoming trapped in your own suit. The opening of the hatch causes you to scramble to cover up before the call of Kay-Tuesso stops you.
"Are you dead yet?"
"Not yet, K2, though thanks for your concern."
"Cassian made me check you were still breathing."
"How unreasonable."
"My sentiments exactly."
"Sorry, I think I'm going to make it this time…. You don't need to look quite so disappointed… Oh, and I'm changing, so can you two give me a minute?"
"No."
"Thanks, buddy."
The hatch clicks shut and you begin to cut/peel/break off your ruined clothes. Using the fresher ones as rags, you wipe the worst off your legs. Pulling on the one-piece flight suit you found, you unsuccessfully try to pull it up to your shoulders but the pain in your ribs brings tears to your eyes. So, instead you tie it at your waist and reason that there must an old jacket somewhere that you can use in lieu. You're tentatively cleaning around the bandage on your ribs when the hinges of the hatch behind you creak.
"K2, I said give me a minu-"
Shit, shit, shit.
It's Cassian.
You're standing there half covered by a flight suit (this is not the problem) and less than half covered by rather bloody underwear (this part is the problem). He's just standing there, halfway through the opening, with his mouth hanging slightly ajar. You're too in shock to do anything but stutter and flush.
"I- my clothes- blood! There was- I- I told K2 to t-tell you. I- shit."
Cassian doesn't respond but he does start blushing. Not a cutesy red tinge that colours his cheeks. Nope, this starts vibrantly at his face before travelling to his ears, dipping down his neck, and it even caresses his collarbone. His eyes are darting, looking nowhere in particular, but they just keep landing on you.
"Y/N-"
It's at this moment he moves and the hatch falls open with a loud ringing. It gives you both a small reality check.
"Oh my- I'm so sorry! K2 said- well, fuck! Never mind, I-"
"No, Cassian, I should hav-," blinded by panic, you try to cover yourself with the flight suit.
The pain from the movement itself partnered with the sharpness of the action is dizzying. The room literally spins momentarily until your skin burning and a pair of hands holding you steady brings you back.
"Slow down, Y/N. I've got you."