A bit of fluff, courtesy of Chirrut.

Reward

"I had been thinking about joining up with the Alliance for some time, but when that handsome captain showed up doing the recruiting – done deal, folks!" The girl wasn't even embarrassed by her remark, but considering that the others in her small group of new female recruits were all murmuring in agreement, there wasn't any reason for her to be.

"Got that right," another girl chimed in. "I was looking to join anyway, but once I laid my peepers on him, nothing was going to stop me. Pity there wasn't a…oh, I don't know, 'welcome aboard kiss' from the captain?" She grinned broadly and the others giggled enthusiastically.

Chirrut had learned long ago that people tended to think a blind man could also neither hear nor think, and so they said and did much in his presence they would not have otherwise. That likely was the explanation for the conversation he was overhearing between these young ladies. He had been relatively sure they were discussing Captain Andor, and one finally actually let a name slip to confirm that. It was very clear their focus, at the moment, was more on interpersonal relationships than fighting against the Empire.

Chirrut grinned as he climbed to his feet. Baze often chided him for his mischievous streak, but he couldn't resist. No one would be harmed with this little prank he had in mind, and it might even have a desirable outcome.

As with everyone else he approached, Chirrut was upon them before he was ever noticed. "Ladies, a good day to you. You are here to learn hand fighting with Sergeant Erso, I take it."

They mumbled an acknowledgement, his presence subduing them slightly. "Excellent. She is a very good teacher and I am sure you will learn much. I could not help overhearing some of your conversation just now. Perhaps you would like incentive to excel in your training?"

"Excel? What do you mean?" the twi'lek asked hesitantly.

"Just that I am acquainted with Captain Andor. If you like, perhaps I could arrange for him to give the winner of each match a kiss."

His mind could imagine what his eyes could not see: their uncertainty, tinged with wariness; their glances between one another for reassurance; the slight hope in their eyes that this might actually work.

"You could talk him into that? He seemed kind of reserved," one asked skeptically.

"He is, but the Captain is always eager to see his recruits get a good start on their training. I am sure he will cooperate."

More whispers ensued among them, until finally one asked, "What is a 'win'? I mean, this is just training, so how would we know who won each match?"

"Quite simple. The first step in training is assessing a person's skills. Each person attempts various moves and either succeeds or fails with them. All you need to do to win your match is to take Sergeant Erso down and pin her to the mat for five seconds."

That they were even considering this as a possibility told him that none of them had yet seen Jyn fight, else they would be more cautious. Instead, they all agreed to the challenge, entreating him to promise to make good on the bargain. He assured them he would.

Just then, Jyn began calling the group together and Chirrut settled back to enjoy the show.

"What's going on? I saw you talking to the recruits – are you helping Jyn with training?" Cassian sat down beside him.

"In a manner of speaking, I am." Chirrut explained what he had told the young ladies.

"Chirrut!" Cassian hissed. "Why would you tell them something like that? I am not going to be some prize to be handed over to the victor."

"Victors – plural. I said the winner of each match. Relax, Captain, you won't have to make good on my promise. Jyn would be the most surprised of us all if any of them could even come close to defeating her. Your kisses are safe from the young ladies."

Cassian's tension eased, slightly, but he decided to stick around and watch the matches so he didn't get any more rude surprises today. Not that he doubted Jyn's skill, or thought the recruits could defeat her, but there was always the off-chance something might happen unexpectedly.

It wasn't the first time Cassian had watched new recruits train, but it was the first time he saw the female recruits being so aggressive. The young men usually were the ones convinced they knew how to fight and had little to learn, until their trainer showed them otherwise. As a general rule, though, even if the women already knew some fight techniques, they tended to enter the training ring with more caution, and more willingness to learn something new. These four clearly thought their aggression would make up for their lack of skill.

If Jyn was at all surprised by it, she gave no indication. She'd fought plenty of people who thought they were better than they truly were, and she seemed to enjoy showing them how very wrong they were. Cassian could truly say she was one of the best hand fighters he had ever seen, and that was saying something. As such, it didn't take her long to dispatch the four young ladies and send them limping from the mat.

When the class ended, Chirrut chuckled and slipped away with the departing students, but Cassian waited to walk back to quarters with Jyn. "Nice job. You're getting better at not sending the recruits to the medbay after their first training session."

She laughed. "I was tempted with those four young women. They were rather full of themselves. It's the ones like that which are particularly satisfying to take down."

Cassian couldn't repress his smirk, both at the truthfulness of her statement and in remembering Chirrut's prank.

He suddenly realized Jyn had come to a halt and was several paces behind him, so he stopped and turned, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Okay, so what is it?"

"What is what?"

"You. You've been grinning like a loon since we left the training room. Why? What's going on that I don't know about?"

Despite finding it amusing, it was rather embarrassing to explain to her, but he did anyway, knowing how persistent she could be. "I don't know why Chirrut would do something like that. At any rate, no harm done. But that's why they were so determined in their matches with you."

Jyn started walking again, in silence and not looking at him. As they neared her room, she glanced slyly up at him and commented casually, "Well, then, I suppose this means I have something to look forward to later, when I collect on the prizes for all those matches I won." Wicked amusement danced in her eyes, and a moment later she stepped into her room, closing the door between them.

For several seconds, Cassian simply stood staring blankly at the door, astonished by her response. And then slowly a tiny smile tweaked at the corner of his mouth. Maybe Chirrut's offer wasn't such a bad idea after all, if Jyn really intended to collect.