"What, Kay?" Jyn finally asked irritated. The droid had followed her mostly silent and staring for the better part of an hour, while she checked on Awn and gave the poor woman some more injections before waking her up to get some water into her. The woman had refused food and fallen swiftly back to sleep and Jyn didn't have the heart to wake her again. Then Kay had followed her on her rounds checking electrical panels, which had become a habit since whatever it was had crawled in and started kriffing up the wiring, and now he was pacing her as she headed for the cockpit to relieve Chewie.

"I did not say anything."

"I'm asking more why you've decided to become my shadow all of a sudden."

"I am making observations to adjust my calculations to make better predictions about your future actions."

"Why?" Jyn asked and almost immediately wanted to take it back. Whatever insane reasoning was rattling around the droid's circuits she was probably better off not knowing.

"You convinced Cassian to take care of his most pressing organic needs with less punching and more subtlety than I had heretofore given you credit for having. You also had previously unaccounted for medical knowledge, which was applied accurately and in a way in which Cassian would accept."

"I'd hardly call that medical knowledge," Jyn argued feeling inexplicably embarrassed by the droid's comments. "I'm used to difficult patients. Hell, I am one, and if you think Saw wouldn't have walked around with a mostly severed limb hanging on by only a tendon and continued to claim he was fine then you didn't know Saw."

"I did not know Saw Gerrera."

Jyn waved that away. "Beside the point. Cassian just needs to think taking care of himself is his own idea and not about pity."

"You gained nothing by convincing him of such. You do not need him to accomplish anything currently."

Jyn stopped at that and turned on the droid. "Do you honestly think I use him that way?"

K-2SO stared silently for a moment and she could almost hear his circuits working. "You needed him to gain your freedom and survive on our original missions. You also needed him and the followers he brought to take on your suicide plan on Scarif. You also needed a bed when you were inebriated and his was closer, or so he said. Besides your past records that intelligence compiled, which further imply you only cultivate associations that are helpful to obtaining your goals, this is the observational data I have been able to collect on your and Cassian's relationship. It does not predict your current concern."

"Kay, it's complicated."

"I find human relationships often are."

"Cassian and I may have started out using each other as means to an end, but it isn't like that anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because," Jyn started and then found she didn't think she had the proper words to explain. How had things changed? Had they even changed for him? She could only speak for herself, but she thought he considered her a friend. He willingly spent his time with her and Bodhi when they were on base together. He'd come back time and time again for her and welcomed her home. "He's my friend and I hope he considers me the same. I want him to be safe and happy. I care about his wellbeing, like you said he cares about mine."

"Why?"

"Why do you?"

"He is my reprogrammer and my purpose."

"Cassian said your reprogramming made it so you have a choice of following him. Why did you choose to stay?"

"Because he offered me that choice," Kay said simply.

Jyn smiled. "He offered me that choice too."

"Humans cannot be reprogrammed."

"No, but we can change. I'd been on my own only caring about myself for a long time, Kay. I could have gone back to that once Scarif was over. Cassian didn't force me to pick the rebellion, to stay. He said he'd support anything I chose to do."

"And you chose him?"

She should correct him, point out that it was the Alliance she chose, but it didn't ring entirely false in her ears. "Yes, Kay, I chose him. I guess he's a bit of my purpose too."

K-2SO tilted his head at her. "This is helpful to my statistical analyses. There is a 98.75% chance you will continue to look after Cassian's wellbeing in the future."

"Why only 98.75?" she asked with grin.

"I have factored in love."

"What?"

"Humans behave abnormally when they feel what they describe as love, were you to do so there is still a statistical chance that that person may take priority over Cassian. However, as you are not overly welcoming to other sentients the chances of you experiencing the love emotion are low. As it is in Cassian's best interest that you do not, I would encourage you to continue being hostile to new potential mates."

Jyn groaned and stomped away. "Cassian definitely kriffed up your reprogramming somewhere. How do you come up with this stuff?"

"I could explain the mathematics, but I fear they would be over your head."

Jyn ignored him and nodded to Chewie as she entered the cockpit. The wookiee gave her an acknowledging grumble and vacated the pilot seat intent on his own bunk probably. She threw herself down in the seat and tried to ignore the droid hovering at the entrance. She hated piloting shifts in hyperspace. There really wasn't anything to do but hang out and be on hand if there was some sudden emergency. It was so boring. K-2SO surprised her by taking the co-pilot chair. "What are you doing?"

"You generally display signs of aggravation, most likely brought on by boredom, when I come to relieve you from your shift. Cassian has shown similar symptoms in the past. He found it helpful when I kept him company on-shift, as I do not require sleep. I thought to offer you the same."

Jyn wasn't sure she wanted Kay for company, but she was sure she wasn't going to be rude to one of the nicer gestures the droid had made since being rebooted. "Thanks, Kay."


Jyn woke with a yawn and stretched in her small bunk. She was grateful they'd be back on base soon. The Falcon had become a second home, but the bunks weren't exactly spacious. She glanced at the chrono and figured she'd slept through Kay's shift and most of Han's. When she'd gotten off shift herself she'd made the rounds to check on Awn again, waking the woman up and helping her to the 'fresher. The short trip had tired the Lieutenant out and she'd promptly fallen back asleep when Jyn got her back to the bunk, but her fever was still down so at least that was good. Jyn had swung by Cassian's bunk next, but he'd still been sound asleep. She'd been unable to stop a grin when she noticed the newly named Rogue curled up in the bed beside him.

Jyn got up and wandered out to the lounge and smiled when she smelled caf brewing. "Is that fresh?"

"Just switched with Chewie," Han said. "Figured I'd make a new pot."

"Pour me a cup?" she asked sliding into a seat.

He brought a mug over to her a few minutes later and slipped in to the seat beside her. "How are the patients?"

She wrapped her hands around the warm mug and shrugged. "As well as to be expected. Her leg is still mangled and the fever is low but controlled. She needs an actual medic, but I think she'll make it to base. I'm going to check on her again once this caf kicks in."

"And your boyfriend?"

"Would you stop?" she asked rolling her eyes. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Fine, is Captain Stiff Pants ok?"

She glared and sipped her caf. "Cassian, will be just fine."

Han stared down in his mug for a moment. "I'm sorry about the wrench."

Jyn shook her head and squeezed his arm. "For all we know I was the one that left it lying around. It wasn't your fault. Cassian overreacted."

Han snorted and touched his bruised cheek. "You can say that again."

"Cut him some slack. He'd been trapped in a decrepit building for days with his partner getting worse and worse and then had to run through a firefight before having to survive one of your takeoffs. He may possibly have been under a little stress."

"I think it had more to do with you being in danger than any of that."

Jyn didn't respond to that. There was nothing to say other than to deny it, to point out that Cassian didn't call her an affectionate nickname like Ali. Instead she just sipped her caf in silence.

"Kid," Han started softly. He nudged her shoulder with his and she glanced at him. "He cares. Trust me."

Han could be sweet when he wasn't trying to impress anyone. She gave him a quick smile and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know. We're friends."

"No, kid, we're friends. Whatever you and Captain Punchy are is different."

She smacked his arm and downed her caf. "If he'd wanted something more than friendship he has had plenty of opportunities to make that known. It's not what he wants."

"I doubt that man has ever allowed himself to acknowledge he wants anything," Han said with a serious tone he didn't often get and a shrug. "Anyway you can do better than him. You don't need a stuffed shirt nagging you about putting wrenches away. Maybe that's our thing. What does he know? Maybe we enjoy a rousing game of dodge the wrench. Maybe you just scored 10 points and pulled into second place."

Jyn laughed. "Second place behind you, I assume?"

"Yeah, Chewie is shit at dodging wrenches," Han agreed with a grin. "Given in the end we'll have to let him win."

"Obviously, devoted as we are to our arms staying attached to our bodies," Jyn nodded sagely and Han laughed as he went to retrieve more caf.

"Top off?"

She gave an agreeable grunt and held her mug out. He poured and set a box down on the table in front of her. "What's this?"

Han looked vaguely embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck as he sat back down. "Happy birthday."

"Birthday?"

"Did the droid get it wrong?"

"K-2SO?"

"Yeah, he mentioned your birthday once a couple weeks back when we were celebrating Kes'."

Jyn was genuinely puzzled, sure she'd never mentioned her birthday to anyone. She hardly even thought of it. The last time she'd celebrated it had been with her parents on Lah'mu. She honestly had to think about the date today as birthdays often came and went without her even noticing till later. "No, he was right. I'm just not sure how." She looked back at the non-descript brown box and reached for it cautiously. She wasn't any more used to getting gifts than she was celebrating birthdays. Tugging the lid off she reached inside to pull out a stretch of black fabric and a small blaster. She lifted an eyebrow at Han and he shifted uncomfortably.

"You said you might have to go back to Corsucant," he explained. "You couldn't hide a blaster in your waitressing clothes when we were there. You'd have to switch to a skirt, but then you could fit the blaster in the thigh holder underneath."

"Can you even kill anyone with this?" Jyn asked looking over the blaster. "It's so small."

"Fits its owner," Han joked. She elbowed him in the side. "And she kills things just fine."

Jyn grinned at that, made sure the safety was on and took aim across the room. It'd be better than nothing and it was more thoughtful than she often gave Han credit for. "I don't think I've worn a skirt since I was a little girl."

"You'll have to convince the princess to take you shopping."

"Can you imagine?" Jyn asked with a laugh. She scooted out of her seat and strapped the belt and attached thigh hostler on over the sleep shorts she hadn't switched out of yet. The blaster nestled comfortably on the inside of her thigh. "How does it look?"

Han grinned and stood to circle her. "Looks good. Though it sort of loses its purpose on top of your pajamas."

"This is how I'm sleeping now," Jyn announced putting her hands on her hips with a grin.

"Not sure that's going to set the proper mood for your dates."

"What kind of men am I dating who don't find a thigh holster and a tiny blaster hot?"

"Fair point."

"Thank you, Han. I love it."

"Yeah, well whatever," he responded gruffly, which just made her grin harder. She caught his arm and tugged him into a rough awkward hug. "It was nothing, kid."

She squeezed once feeling his arms come up to return the hug quickly and released him. As she stepped back she spotted Cassian at the entryway of the lounge with Kay flanking him. "How you feeling?"

"Better," he said staring over her shoulder like there was something interesting on the wall.

"Caf?" Han offered. Cassian nodded and Han went to grab another mug.

"You should sit," Jyn said shifting to give him access to a seat.

He waved her away. "I need to check on Lieutenant Awn anyway."

"I can do that," Jyn offered. "You should rest."

"Jyn, I'm fine." His tone was tense and she debated arguing, but figured it wouldn't get him to sit any faster. He moved to take the offered mug from Han and she noted he was at least moving smoother.

"I got some water in her the last two times I checked on her, but so far she's refused any food. She could probably use some more medicine and the 'fresher again."

"I've got it," Cassian said with a nod. "Thank you for looking in on her." He drank the caf down quickly and headed off towards Awn's bunk. "Kay, stay here."

"Can you support her on your own?"

"Yes, I've got it." The droid stared after Cassian, but didn't follow.

"Kay?" Jyn asked sweetly. The droid's head swiveled to look at her.

"There is something wrong with your voice. Are you sick?"

"No," she said dropping the fake sugary sweet tone. "How do you know when my birthday is?"

"It is included in your medical files."

Jyn froze processing that for a second. "And when and why were you in my medical files?"

"I gave myself access," the droid said with no hesitation. "I needed them in order to best fulfill Cassian's command of keeping you safe. You also have the tendency to claim you are medically sound when you are not."

"Did Cassian tell you to go in my medical files?" Jyn asked trying to keep her tone neutral.

"No." She relaxed at that. "The parameters of Cassian's command were vague, so I have pursued the fastest and best methods of achieving a favorable end result."

Jyn sighed. "You have so many boundary issues."

"I do not. My optical sensors provide optimal depth perception and 3-D mapping. I know the boundaries of any given space much better than any human."

Jyn considered testing out her new tiny blaster. The droid would probably survive one teeny tiny hole.

"Why were you and Han Solo embracing?" the droid asked interrupting her internal debates. "We have discussed you avoiding situations which could induce feelings of love."

It was too damn early for this. At least she had two cups of caf running through her system. It was like having a child, well at least what she assumed having a child would be like. "Friends hug, Kay. It's not a sexual thing."

"Cassian is your friend, isn't he?"

"Yes?"

"You do not spontaneously embrace."

No, she supposed that was true. Then again hugging people was new in her life. Bodhi and Han were easy. Bodhi was always quick to initiate contact with her and Han quick to accept whatever was offered. Cassian and her were different. Touch was limited to missions, fights, injuries, or alcohol. Cassian and her hugging was a Death Star on the horizon and their last moments. Casual touch wasn't something she knew how to do with him. "It wasn't spontaneous," Jyn defended suddenly embarrassed, which was silly. It wasn't like Cassian ever indicated he wanted something like that anyway. "Han got me a birthday present and I was thanking him because I was happy."

The droid seemed to think about it and then nodded. "Understood. A hug once a year is unlikely to lead to romance."

Yep, she was going to shoot him.

"Jyn?" Cassian asked returning. "Do you have any liquid rations? I want her to eat something, but I don't think she's going to keep much down."

"Yeah, hang on. I think we have some nutrition pouches." Jyn darted off to grab them and followed him back to Awn. She wasn't in the mood to continue with Kay.

She quickly found she wasn't much use. Cassian was gentle and effective, getting Awn to eat and drink a bit before helping her to the 'fresher and back to bed. "We're almost back to base," he said tucking Awn in and pressing a cool pack from the med kit to her forehead. "Just a little while longer and we'll get you actual medical attention."

"I don't know," Awn said with a weak smile. "You're doing ok." Cassian grimaced at that, and Awn wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "It wasn't your fault, Cassian. I'm going to be ok. I already feel better, promise."

He dropped his hand over hers and hung his head and Jyn suddenly felt like she was intruding. She started to back out of the room, but the moment broke and Cassian stood. "Keep resting. We'll be there soon." Awn was already blinking tiredly up at him and drifting off. Jyn shuffled into the hallway with Cassian behind her.

"Hungry?" Jyn asked for lack of anything else to say.

"Sure," he said distractedly trailing her back to the lounge. He sat down next to where Kay had positioned himself and she grabbed some rations for him. She could hear Han talking with Chewie up in the cockpit. "Thanks," he said glancing up at her. A frowned creased his face. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh," she said blushing and reaching down to unhook the leg holster she'd forgotten she was sporting. "Han got me a leg holster and a small blaster. I just wanted to try it on."

"Why?"

"It is her birthday," Kay supplied.

"It's your birthday?" Cassian asked looking up sharply. "I didn't know."

"I didn't even remember," Jyn said with a shrug. "Kay told Han apparently."

"You didn't tell me."

"I did not know I needed to," the droid said. "It came up in conversation during Kes Dameron's birthday. You've been off-planet on a mission."

"It's not a big deal," Jyn said waving him off. "I didn't expect anything. I haven't celebrated my birthday since I was a little kid. Saw didn't think things like birthdays mattered."

"May I?" he asked gesturing towards the holster and blaster she now held in her hands. She nodded and handed it over watching as he removed the blaster and examined it. "It's good quality. Should pack a punch despite its size. You should still test it in the range on base before taking it out." He ran his thumb over where a serial number had been filed off before passing it back to her.

"Don't worry about that. I learned that lesson a long time ago."

He raised an eyebrow and Jyn tugged her shirt aside to reveal an old blaster burn scar on her right shoulder. "Bought a shady blaster when I was seventeen and didn't test it out. Got in a fight and the thing shot once and then promptly died. I'm lucky I got out with just this."

Cassian lifted his right hand to show a scar on his palm. "Almost blew my hand off with a faulty blaster when I was ten. Happens to the best of us."

Jyn grinned and twisted rolling her shorts down slightly to show the back of her left hip. "Bet you can't guess how I got this one." A jagged white scar ran along her hip for about two inches.

"Knife fight?"

"Nope, try again!"

"Shrapnel?"

"Dancing."

"Dancing? How in the world did you get a scar from dancing?"

Jyn laughed and turned back around to him. "I was thirteen and me and another boy were bored of making bombs. Some song came on the HoloNet station we had on and he asked me to dance. I said I didn't know how and he said he'd teach me. Needless to say he didn't know how to dance either. Spun me out and lost my hand and I ended up slamming into the edge of a table with a jagged metal edge that ripped me open. Had to get stiches since we didn't have any bacta on hand. Saw was pissed."

Cassian laughed. "Did you get better?"

"Obviously, it's just a scar."

"No, I meant better at dancing."

"Oh, no. Never tried again." Jyn said with a rueful little smile. "Saw sent that boy off to a different partisan cell the very next day. Said he was a distraction. I never saw him again. It was a silly thing to do anyway. What use would dancing have ever been to me?" She shrugged. "I just, at the time I still remembered sneaking out of my room when my parents thought I was asleep and finding them dancing in the living room. I was made for fighting though, not dancing. Saw was right, I should have known better." Silence shifted over them and Jyn suddenly felt like she'd kriffed up. She'd meant to tell a funny story not bring them down. Usually her dancing scar got a laugh, no one asked what happened after.

"First time I tried to drive a speeder I was in it five minutes before I wrapped it around a tree. Don't have any scars to prove it other than mental ones of embarrassment though."

Jyn laughed and shot him a grateful little smile. "I'd have paid good money to see that."

"To be fair I was eleven and it was a small tree."

"I'm not sure that makes it better. Shouldn't a small tree have been easier to avoid?"

"It was that or a herd of bantha. I still say I made the right choice."

Jyn laughed. "Do I even want to know where you were and what you were doing that that was a choice?"

"It's a long story."

Jyn slid back into a seat and grinned. "I've got time."


Jyn finished her last set and grabbed the small towel to wipe some sweat from her face. The only nice thing about exercising on Hoth was that it was the only real time you were ever warm. They'd landed a few hours ago and she'd grabbed a quick dinner in the mess on her own before deciding to get in a workout before bed. They hadn't been reassigned yet, so she was looking forward to a couple days on base even if it was cold. She nodded to Shara across the room as she tugged on another layer to exit into the hallway. She was ready to shower, feed Rogue who she'd kept cooped up in the Falcon for now much to Han's displeasure, and then pass out.

"Hey Jyn!"

She turned and saw Skywalker striding towards her still in his flight suit clearly back from practice flights. "Hi, Luke. How are you?"

"Good! I didn't realize you and Han were getting back today. Is he around?"

Jyn snorted internally at that question. Of course he was around, where else was there to go on Hoth? "He and Chewie went off together. Not sure where they ended up," she said instead. "Pretty sure he had plans to find the princess and drive her insane later."

Luke grinned at that. "I'll check command. Captain Andor was just looking for you in the hanger. I bet you can still catch him if you head that way now."

"Oh, ok," she said surprised. Luke gave her a friendly wave and darted off and she headed towards the hanger. She'd expected Cassian to stay in the med bay with Lieutenant Awn for the rest of the night. The woman couldn't possibly have been released yet. The worrying thought that complications had caused the woman to die had her picking up her pace. She ran into him in the hallway leading to the hanger. He didn't look bereft. "Is Lieutenant Awn ok?"

Confusion worked its way across his face. "I believe so, why? Did you hear something?"

"No, its just Skywalker said you were looking for me and I thought you'd be in medical."

"Oh," he said looking faintly embarrassed. "No, she's fine. The medics said she needed to go in a bacta tank. There really wasn't anything I could do or any reason for me to stay. I'll see her during visiting hours tomorrow if she's awake."

"Oh, good." There was nothing else really to say to that and she wasn't the one who had sought him out so the conversation stalled out. They shuffled to the side of the hall as a team of rowdy mechanics pushed by and Jyn shifted uncomfortably.

"Are you busy?" Cassian blurted out suddenly and it was so awkward and out of character for him that she frowned.

"No, I was just going to shower, feed Rogue, and go to bed."

"Oh, ok, I don't want to mess up your plans," he said actually physically retreating from her space a step.

"Cassian, those things hardly count as plans. Did you need me for something?"

He shifted on his feet and ran a hand through his hair. "I was hoping you might have an hour free."

"I'm free now if you don't mind me a little sweaty."

"Ok, yeah," he said. "Um, this way." She followed him down the maze of hallways to a small training room and wondered if he wanted a practice session. He opened the door and she slipped past him inside.

"So what's up?" He glanced away uncomfortably again and it took a moment for Jyn to realize he was nervous. She'd never seen Cassian nervous before. Pre-mission jitters, legitimate worries and concerns, but never just awkwardly nervous. What in the hell could make him act like this? Other than if maybe he had to tell her something he didn't think she was going to want to hear. Her mind ran through one awful scenario after another ranging from him getting engaged to Awn for real, to him getting assigned to a deep cover op that would take him away for years, to Bodhi being injured or killed on his current mission. "Cassian, what is going on? What's wrong?"

He must have heard the panic in her voice because he focused on her again and looked apologetic. "Kriff, sorry, nothing is wrong." So he was engaged then. The next sentence came tumbling out of his mouth so fast she almost didn't make it out. "I just thought since I didn't get you a birthday present, and you don't have to if you don't want to, but I thought I could maybe teach you to dance, but only if you wanted." She stared at him in surprise and he rushed on. "It was a stupid idea, I know. I just. It's not like there's a shop to get you a gift on base and I thought about getting some alcohol from the cantina, but then that seemed like a gift for someone you don't know very well and I thought of this, but it was dumb. Sorry. Do you want to go get a drink? My treat."

"Cassian," she started and he turned and headed for the door. She jogged forward a step to grab his arm and stop him. "How do you even know how to dance?"

He shrugged. "Standard intelligence training. You can't fake being an Imperial and attend fancy parties and not know how to dance. You don't have to. We can just go get a drink."

"I can get a drink anytime," Jyn said shaking her head. She tried not to grin too broadly, but with her worst fear alleviated it was sort of cute that cool, calm, collected Captain Andor had been nervous to ask a girl to dance. "But just remember when I break your toes that this was your idea."

He laughed at that and the tension rolled out of him. He crossed the room to find a HoloNet station on the dinged up little audio unit, before launching into the basics.

Her prediction proved to be pretty accurate. She was a terrible dancer, but Cassian was a patient teacher and she was stepping on his feet significantly less by the end of the hour. A slow song came on and he shifted her closer, drifting across the small training room with slow shuffling steps that were much easier to match than the formal dances they'd been trying. Jyn gave into the impulse and tucked her head against his chest and followed his lead.

"Happy birthday, Jyn." She hummed a little acknowledgment and reminded herself to check with Kay to find out Cassian's birthday. Cassian spun her out in a slow twirl and back into him. Maybe she was made for dancing after all.


A/N: Fluff is what I love and fluff is what I write. My birthday is on Tuesday so this chapter was beautifully timed. Fulfill my birthday wishes by telling me what you think (yes, I'm shamelessly asking for comments as a birthday gift).