Kissed by Fire: Cal Kestis

Chapter 28

BD-1 was worried. No, he was beyond that. When he unplugged to find Cal's bed empty, he didn't know what to think. He had searched every nook and cranny of the Mantis trying to find the boy. They were almost to Ilum, and he needed to get his butt up and ready to go find one of those kyber thingies for his broken lightsaber. BD shook his head. Leave it to Cal Kestis to break a lightsaber of all things. Even so, the little droid was extremely concerned for his friend. He had never seen Cal like this before. It was almost scaring him, but he knew the young Jedi wouldn't back down so quickly, especially with the Empire hot on their tail to find the holocron.

There was only one room left in the ship he hadn't check. BD-1 rushed in, saying Bweep boo beep! Trill whir boop boo... He paused and quieted down when he saw the scene in front of him. Approaching them slowly, he watched as Cal snuggled closer into Y/n at the draft from the door opening. BD flew up to the bed, standing on the mattress and looking them over curiously. If BD had a mouth, he would've been grinning. He tilted his head back and forth, both of them looking oh-so-content laying by one another. It looked like the perfect puzzle pieces finally connecting together.

He tip-tapped his feet in excitement upon seeing the two of them curled up into one another, both with restful and peaceful looks upon their faces. BD did his best to keep his trills as quiet as possible, but it was becoming hard. His humans were learning to accept their emotions, finally, and he couldn't be happier about it! Unfortunately for him, his beeps had caught the ears of Cal, who blinked his eyes open and sighed when he saw BD standing by his legs. Y/n was close to follow in waking, the boy beside her sitting up so he didn't obstruct her or make her uncomfortable. Looking down at the droid, Cal shook his head with a lighthearted smile and said, "You can't leave me alone for long, can you, buddy?"

Bweep bo-bzz BD stated, causing Y/n to laugh gently.

"Yeah, he was worried. Can you blame him?" she repeated the droid's words, who nodded along with her until her face became solemn. "How are you feeling?"

"I should be asking you that," Cal responded, his eyes only flickering to her side.

"We both know bacta heals quickly, as am I," she fired back at him. It was true, her wound felt little to no pain at all. "But I am serious, Cal. How are you?"

The truth was, he still felt awful. It was akin to a constant pounding in the back of his head, reminding him of everything he had seen just two days before. Everything that had been done. Everything he had done. "I'm... better," he answered for her, but he could tell she didn't believe him. "Really, Y/n. Last night helped... It helped a lot."

Y/n nodded her head at his words, playing with the edge of her blanket as she observed his stance. He was scared still and she could understand why, but that guilt was what she wanted to relieve him of. She wanted him to know that not everything terrible that had happened in his life was his fault. It was out of his control. He was a child when the Purge struck the Jedi Order. She wanted to help him through it all. But, for right now, she knew it was best he worked his way through it alone. It was his fight to face, his battles to win, and his war to overcome.

Speaking once more, she lightly said, "I just want you to know that we're all here for you on this ship." He tilted his head in light confusion as BD-1 came to sit on his leg. "Cere, me, BD, even Greez." A gentle laugh burst between the two of them. "Especially Greez. He's a big fuzzy ball of emotions behind that 'Greezy money' face."

"He is, isn't he?" Cal nodded along.

She put a hand on his shoulder, a comfort he'd soon learn he would come to miss. "Whatever happens on Ilum, or the next time we go to Dathomir, we've got your back. And remember, don't hesitate to come to me if you need to talk."