The trip home was silent aside from her quiet directions. Jyn kept her hands on the heater and watched the snowflakes outside blur by.

"Think they'll close the store tomorrow?" Cassian asked.

"As much as I wish they would, I don't think they will. I need the money, too. I run pretty close to the wire on my budget."

Cassian grunted in reply. She pointed to her complex on the right, and the old car turned in, sliding slightly on the pavement.

"Tell me about your story before you leave." Cassian said quietly.

"Oh, um. Well, the guidelines are for a supernatural horror story, word count is 10k or less. So the protagonist needs to face against something supernatural, and it needs to be scary. But this is for a horror webzine, so the stereotypical stuff wouldn't fly."

"Doesn't need to be particularly inventive to be scary." Cassian said. "Keep it simple. Remember, things that don't even seem scary to you could be terrifying to others."

Jyn blinked. It was the most words she'd heard out of her companion at once. And he was completely right, she was overthinking it.

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks. And thanks for the ride." She bundled herself out of the car and into the frigid lot. He gave her a half smile and waited until she let herself into the building before pulling away through the slush.


The next morning dawned clear and cold, with a good few inches of snow accumulated on the ground outside her window. Jyn hummed as she floated around making her coffee. A story idea had struck while she was making her tuna-and-bean-delight last night, and she couldn't wait to get it down in writing after work. It was Friday, and payday, the best combination of days her schedule could make. She'd work a half day, write for a couple hours, grocery shop on the way home, maybe borrow a DVD from the library as well.

When she went outside to wait for the bus, Jyn was completely derailed by a familiar car parked outside her building.

"How did you-" She started.

"I didn't." Cassian said, taking the cigarette from between his lips and stubbing it out in the snow.

"Do you always-"

"No, my roommate gave it to me on the way out the door." He hopped over an iced-over puddle and came up on the walk to toss the butt into the outdoor trashcan.

"I see." Jyn said. She went to the passenger door. "No judgement."

"How's the ankle? Cassian asked, sliding in the car beside her and bringing with him a waft of cigarette smoke and cologne.

"Tender, but I can get through today just fine."

They waited at the entrance to the complex for the city bus to drive by. With the toasty heater on her feet, Jyn couldn't really be irked at her transportation upgrade.

"So I had an idea last night. You were right, it was simple. I had the epiphany while I was making my dinner."

Cassian grunted in reply, which Jyn took to be a sign to keep going.

"A guy moves into this house, and everything's going great until he starts hearing weird skittering sounds in the walls. He decides to set some traps around the house, but catches nothing. He gets more and more paranoid as he gets less and less sleep, and everyone starts to think he's going nuts. One night he calls a neighbor in a panic, sounding like he's fighting something. They refuse to help him at first, then start hearing gunshots from the house. They decide to come in, and can't find him anywhere. Only a little puddle of blood in the upstairs bedroom. And coming out of the puddle is one set of tiny little paw prints."

Cassian did a double take at her as she finished, eyebrows disappearing into his hair.

"You thought of that? Dios mio, that's fucking terrifying."

"Rats don't bug me, I think they're kind of cute. That's why I thought of that as the supernatural force."

"Can't wait to read it." Cassian said, rubbing his face.

Jyn didn't really have a reply to that. He wanted to read her work? What was that about? Were they friends? Well, if she was in his car accepting a ride they should be, right? They'd known each other two days and he was showing mind-blowing generosity.

Thankfully they pulled up to Ben & Jerry's before she had to think of a reply.

"It's my half-day today, so don't come back for me or anything. And I don't work tomorrow so don't do that either. Um, Have a good day at work." Jyn said.

Cassian nodded at her before pulling back into traffic. Jyn watched him go a moment before going to unlock the store and begin opening.


The day progressed rather quickly, even though the lines were long and they ran out of Phish Food entirely. Her replacement came in at 5:30, and Jyn almost ran for her computer to start working on the story.

When inspired, she could knock out 10k story in only a matter of a couple hours. She'd finish the draft and send it on its way so she could get it off her plate as quickly as possible. Her agent would be angry, but this was the pattern of her work recently, so she'd probably be happy to hear from Jyn after total radio silence. Maybe the bonus would get her a few months of internet at her apartment.

Jyn was so engrossed in her work that she almost didn't notice Cassian slide into the seat across from her.

"You've been working for some time." He said.

"I have to get this down on paper, I don't have internet at my place and I want to send it off tonight." She replied, barely looking up. Cassian grunted in reply and quietly ate his Chocolate Therapy.

"Done." She pronounced some time later, slumping back in her seat with a heavy sigh. Cassian snapped his eyes away from the window to fix her in his dark gaze. His bowl of ice cream was scraped clean.

"My agent is going to be excited I finally had something done for her." Jyn said. She tapped the keys, sending the draft off in an email. With any luck it would be back the next day with minimal edits and she would be one step closer to that bonus.

"My break is up." Cassian said. "I'll see you later."

"Bye." Jyn said softly, watching him leave. It was raining out, and the tan jacket she'd always seen him in was instantly soaked. He should have something more waterproof if he was always outside... She could look at Wal-Mart when she went for groceries. Maybe they'd have a sale-

Jyn shook herself. What was she thinking? She had to budget, she had to stay organized. Just because she was getting a bonus soon didn't mean she could splurge like this on someone who was practically a stranger...

A stranger who had given her rides to work and nursed her injury, who had shown her more kindness in two days than anyone else she'd known, all without expectation of return. She was a fool if she didn't plan to reciprocate in some way.

She packed up her laptop and bag, bundling herself up in her coat and scarf before heading out to the bus stop. The bus would be by in only a couple minutes, and there was still plenty of time to transfer to the bus that would take her to Wal-Mart, do her shopping, and commute home.


An hour later in Wal-Mart, Jyn found herself staring at a rack of men's coats, debating with herself.

The sign said 38.99. Her heart said yes because it was perfect. It was a dark tan like his old one, but actually waterproof and insulated. She could picture Cassian in it. But her bank account was sending her red flags. Yes, she could technically afford it. But she wouldn't be able to put nearly as much money aside as was her routine. She'd have to completely re-do her plan.

But the writing bonus. But the Ben and Jerry's Christmas bonus. But she shouldn't actually be such a Scrooge for once. She'd paid her price and denied herself the extra comforts of life over and over just to make her dreams a reality someday. Cassian deserved something nice, Christmas was coming, and she should let herself be generous for once.

Before she could talk herself out of it or argue with herself any more, Jyn grabbed a jacket in his size and tossed it into the cart, walking to the checkout to seal the deal.


It was Wednesday before Jyn saw Cassian again. Christmas was practically knocking down the doors, keeping her hands full scooping as last-minute shoppers came to grab their presents and stop for a sweet treat. The movie theater was likewise flooded with families flocking to see the new blockbusters. She didn't even notice Cassian in between the rushes until his warm hand was there taking the cup of Chocolate Therapy out of her own sticky one.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." She replied, feeling a smile creep onto her face in spite of herself.

"Can I try Cherry Garcia?" A blonde teenager piped over whatever Cassian was going to say. The bell on the door tinkled and four more customers swept in.

"I'll come by at close." Cassian said softly, putting a dollar in her tip jar.

"Thank you." Jyn shot over her shoulder as she sampled the Cherry Garcia. She quickly lost herself in the melee of orders, keeping her occupied until well after close.

Jyn turned the door sign to "Closed" before surveying the messy restaurant. Drained was an understatement for how she felt at the moment. She was a half an hour late closing this time, the floor was a mess, and her whole body ached.

She'd just fetched the mop from the back when she noticed Cassian waiting at the door. She unlocked it, letting him slide by before re-locking it again. He let out a low whistle at the mess.

"I know. It was a bad one today." She sighed. Cassian peeled a sodden napkin off the nearest table and threw it in the trash can before sitting down and watching her.

"What did your agent say about the story?" He asked.

"Loved it, actually. It came back with only a couple notes and went out to the publisher. Should see that bonus on Friday if I'm lucky."

"Perfect for last minute Christmas shopping." Cassian said. Jyn snorted in derision as she wrung out the mop.

"I don't have anyone to shop for, besides you." She said. When she turned back to the mop bucket their eyes met. His expression was dark and confused.

"What?"

"Why would you do that?" He asked quietly.

"Do you want to know what it is or do you want to wait until Christmas?" Jyn asked, her stomach flipping nervously. "I haven't given someone a gift in a long time so I'm not sure how things work."

"I can wait." He said, eyes flicking down to his feet. Jyn turned back to mopping, her stomach still doing weird movements. What did that mean? Did he not want it? Would he try to make her take it back? Should she take it back? What was she supposed to do? What if-

"I'm sorry, I was caught off guard." Cassian said. His eyes flicked up to her and back down to his feet again. "We barely know each other, I didn't think I would be on your Christmas list."

"I mean, you're the only person I know. So... yeah." Jyn felt tears spring into her eyes, so she turned away to hide them. "Sorry if that made it weird."

Cassian sighed and got to his feet, hopping around her mopped spots to snag a napkin off the counter and offer it to her.

"I've made you cry again, I'm sorry. Can I help with the store so you can get home?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I'll finish mopping, do the counters and tables, and go count the bank. It'll be fast."

"I'll mop." Cassian said, trying to take it from her. Jyn pulled away.

"I got it." She said softly. "I'll be quick."

Cassian put his hands up in surrender and retreated to his seat. After a moment he pulled out a battered iPhone and began to play some soft Spanish guitar music. Jyn paused in her mopping to listen.

"I like this."

Cassian nodded and let his gaze drift out the window. Jyn swayed a little as she mopped, the delicate guitar making her stress melt away a little. She gave a little spin, careful not to slip on the mopped floor again.

"Are you a dancer?" Cassian's dark eyes were on her again, watching her sway with an unreadable expression.

Jyn flushed, falling still and focusing on her work.

"Absolutely not. I have two left feet."

"Don't stop on my account. If you enjoy it, dance."

Jyn's cheeks still felt hot, so she went back to work, embarrassed to dance more. She dumped the mop bucket and got out the sanitizer. As she wiped down tables, the music changed to a tango with a soft beat underneath it. Cassian tapped his foot to the beat, still staring out the window at the slowly falling snow.

Jyn came to Cassian's table and reached out to wipe it off, when a gentle touch to her hand stopped her. Cassian tapped just the tip of his finger against her skin, which sent a shiver down her spine. He then reached out his hand to her.

"Dance with me?" He asked.

"Um, I..." She stammered. He stood up, hand still out. Jyn's heart thumped as their eyes met. She tentatively took his hand, letting the rag fall on the floor forgotten.

Cassian's other hand brushed her waist, barely touching her skin. It was the closest she'd been to a man in a very, very long time. The scent of his cologne washed over her.

"Is this okay?" Cassian said in her ear.

"Yeah." Jyn breathed, relaxing as he gently began to sway them to the beat.

"Can I pull you closer? I'll guide you." Cassian said, breath tickling her hair.

"Yeah, yeah. That's fine." Jyn's brain had long since halted cohesive thought. He pulled their hips close, steering her through a basic tango step. Jyn giggled in spite of herself.

"Holy shit, I'm... dancing?" She laughed.

They flowed through a couple more basic steps, floating around the store. Then Cassian pulled away and lifted his arm, twirling her like a ballerina. As he brought her back in close, the music began to slow for the end.

Without warning, he wrapped an arm around her waist and dipped her low, causing Jyn to squeak in surprise before relaxing. It was just like when he'd caught her the week before, holding her like it was nothing. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines, because his dark eyes were searching her face in a way she hadn't seen before.

The music stopped, and they stared into each other's eyes. Jyn's eyes darted down, embarrassed, getting stuck on his soft lips. For the smallest moment, Jyn actually thought he was going to kiss her and bit her lip in anticipation before she knew what she was doing. She'd only seen this kind of thing in the movies.

Cassian cleared his throat and let her up, the spell broken as his face became unreadable once more. Jyn deflated a little inside, and tried to school her face to be as impassive as his.

"I'll, um, I'll go count the bank." Jyn covered, scooting away around the counter so that he wouldn't see her embarrassed flush.

"I'll get the car." Cassian growled, clearing his throat again. The bell above the door signaled his exit.

Jyn leaned on the office desk in the back, trying to get her body under control. She'd just almost had a fairytale moment with a guy she'd only met last week. Was she losing her mind? What the hell had just happened...?