"What are we gonna do about Cassian?," Bodhi asked Jyn as the last students filed out of the makeshift classroom.
The beginners' group was an even mix of humans and other creatures of varying ages. Bodhi's intuition had been right - there was an increasing demand for flight training in the emerging post-Empire regime.
Although geopolitics were still far from settled, with spaceways becoming safer and commerce starting to free itself of the Empire's stifling grip, interplanetary transport was deemed to be a burgeoning industry in the next few years. Youngsters and older career-changers of all sorts (Bodhi didn't inquire too much into the shadier backgrounds) showed up at the school everyday, from all over the system, asking about the program.
Not that there was much of a program - Bodhi pretty much made it up along the way, and worked with what he had at hand. (So far they had only managed to source one beat-up but functional freighter for test flights; and one that was basically junk, but good enough to learn about parts and basic repairs. Thankfully, many students brought in ships they had borrowed, and the constant movement came in handy to cover up off-the-record operations). Bodhi was getting no complaints, though. He clearly had a knack for teaching, and students were eager to get flying.
The flight school was becoming so much more than a mission front to Bodhi. For the first time, he felt that he was building something worthwhile by and for himself. He was realizing he could actually be a leader and help and inspire others; and that others in turn respected him and recognized his contributions. Humble as the school may be, it was giving Bodhi a whole new sense of himself. He had mostly stayed out of the actual mission, except for maintaining the front and providing cover for people, finances, and ship movements as needed. Bodhi was glad to be able to continue supporting the cause in this role. Now that the Empire was done for, he was more than happy to leave the remaining violence to trained professionals - although he had to admit living with two of them didn't lack a certain appeal.
The school headquarters also served as the mission's headquarters. Jyn and Cassian passed off as administrative staff, and no one paid much attention to them as they hosted meetings, worked on strategy, or handled weapons and equipment behind closed doors. Everything else they could do after-hours.
Jyn had also taken to auditing Bodhi's lessons whenever she had the chance. At first she just enjoyed watching him talk so confidently and passionately; so impossibly handsome, knowledgeable, kind and patient with the students. Her mind would wander to all sorts of dirty places, and Bodhi could see right through it, but he let her stay and played along by remaining completely professional and unfazed, as he knew he'd reap the benefits later in bed.
But it eventually became more than that. For the first time, Jyn was hearing about things she never had the opportunity to learn before: math, physics, astronomy, mechanics… She couldn't exactly keep up with the class - her schooling had been even more rudimentary than the general public's, and Bodhi's lessons already assumed some amount of background knowledge. She started to feel intimidated and ignorant, at one point even wondering how Bodhi and Cassian could be with someone like her. She had finally confided her insecurities in Cassian, who managed to reassure her, and encouraged her to open up to Bodhi about her questions.
The first time Jyn stayed behind and approached him at the end of a lesson, Bodhi was sure he was getting some sort of cheeky innuendo. Instead, Jyn looked shyly from side to side, hesitated a bit, and finally asked, "So… why exactly is gravity different in different planets, then?"
It took a second for Bodhi to realize she was genuinely asking the question, but as soon as he did, he simply started explaining the concepts. As understanding began dawning on her, Jyn gradually eased up, and she started asking more and more follow up questions, which Bodhi answered matter-of-factly, no matter how basic, until her curiosity was satisfied. It took all he had to not pull her into his arms, overcome with tenderness for her.
Since then, Jyn had stayed for her after-school lessons as often as she could. Bodhi had come to look forward to her questions and her thirst for knowledge. It broke his heart to realize that, had she not been snatched from her family, she would have had Galen as a mentor, and she could have become a brilliant scientist or engineer of some sort, judging by how her inquisitive mind seemed to mirror her father's. He was sure she still could, if she wanted to. But he kept this thought to himself for now, and stuck to answering all of Jyn's questions as thoroughly as he could.
This particular day, however, when class ended, Bodhi had an agenda of his own. "What are we gonna do about Cassian?", he repeated.
Jyn thought for a moment and shrugged in a non committing way. "He's just stressed after the last mission nearly blew us both to smithereens. He'll get over it, Bo."
"No, it's more than that. He feels guilty for putting us at risk. He feels like he's failed us and the Alliance. He's getting really dark, Jyn."
"Well, he's being ridiculous. The mission was a success, we're all fine, it's been weeks, and most importantly, this is what we all signed up for. So what's the kriffin' problem?"
"Jyn," he shook his head in disbelief. Unlike their academic sessions, this conversation was quickly making Bodhi lose his patience with her. "He's training like a maniac. He's short with us. We haven't had sex in weeks. I miss him. And I'm- I'm afraid he's going to start cutting again, or worse..." Bodhi's eyes filled with tears without warning.
"Bo, I- I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry." She hurried to gather him in her arms. "You're right. You're right. I'm sorry. It's ok. We'll figure it out," she tried to reassure him, as she cradled his head against her chest.