When he first meets Luke, he feels like he's the only person that doesn't immediately take to the kid.
When Cassian thinks back on it, he knows why he was wary, and it wasn't just because he had spent more of his life being a spy than not.
It's because the kid is just so darn happy. So hopeful, despite everything he's seen and been through Luke just seems to smile and glow through it all. Dammit, even his hair was still in place after being ruffled up in that sweaty helmet.
That wasn't the Rebellion he knew, that wasn't the struggle he had grown up in. For Cassian it's been all dirt and blood and hunger, long nights without sleep and even longer days without a single human to talk to.
But Jyn had brought him over, and he couldn't refuse her anything.
"This is Luke Skywalker," she had said, and smiled through her tired eyes. "He helped to vanquish the Death Star. Luke, Cassian, Cassian, Luke."
The kid's mouth dropped open before he seized Cassian's hand, shaking it between two of his own.
"Gosh, I'm so glad to meet you! I can't believe what you did - none of this could have happened without you," he glanced over at Jyn. "Without all of you."
Cassian nodded.
"I'm sure you would have done the same," he said, in place of silence.
And then the kid had been swept off by some others, and there was more cheering and celebrations, and that was that.
The team had asked for private, not public, honors. That was something they had almost agreed upon unanimously, and even when Cassian stood amongst the crowd, watching Luke, the smuggler and the Wookie get their medals he was glad that it was them and not him.
He had stood after the ceremony looking out over a balcony at the Rebellion base stretched out before him. It had seemed so strange, too strange, after all he had lived through, to be celebrating with such shameless abandon. The joy seemed alien, unsettling.
Jyn stood by his side.
"I'm going to cook some food for us tonight, with Bodhi," she was saying. "I'll do the meat, he'll do the vegetables. Baze has been giving me all kinds of sauce recommendations."
Cassian smiled. They had clung to each other, that ragtag group that had been through hell and back from Jedha to Scarif, and in truth, he was glad for it. Bodhi still had nightmares about it in the early hours of the morning, and having the team around was the best thing for him, for all of them.
He felt Jyn squeeze his hand.
"I'm going to get a head start with the food," she said. "And to give me some time if I need to call Kaytoo for some help."
Without a word he pulled her in for a hug, and she returned it tightly for a few moments before she was gone and Cassian was left standing on the balcony alone.
"You're restless," said a voice.
He turned around. It was the Skywalker kid again.
"I can feel it," Luke said.
"We're all grounded so that we can recuperate," Cassian said. "It's out of my hands."
"Grounded means no more missions, yeah?" Luke asked.
Cassian nodded.
"So just don't go on any more missions," Luke suggested, as though it was all so simple. "Doesn't mean you need to stay cooped up here."
The captain raised an eyebrow.
"I know Jyn wants to learn how to fly an X-Wing," Luke said casually. "If you ever want help with that, you can always ask Artoo for a hand. Or I'm sure your friend Shara could help you out too."
"...Thanks," said Cassian hesitantly. "And... And I know I didn't say it earlier but, thank you. The, er, the Death Star."
Luke smiled and patted his shoulder before walking away.
"You know," the young pilot said, turning around for just a moment. "I know you don't care that you're a hero, but when I was growing up, it was the heroes that helped keep me going. There are lots of kids out there today who will grow up free and hopeful because of you. You're still making a difference, even if you aren't out there blasting the enemy to pieces. Give yourself a break, captain."
Cassian heard Luke walk away until the sound of his footsteps had long faded.
He took a long, deep breath. A most beautiful golden light had begun to shine over the horizon, peering in amongst the trees. If he wasn't mistaken, he could just about hear the sound of Jyn arguing with Kaytoo about how long they should be cooking the meat.
Cassian smiled to himself. A proper, full smile that reached up to his eyes. Maybe later he would ask Jyn if she wanted to fly with him.