White Holes [Cassian Andor] [5/10]
Warnings: None Pairings: Cassian Andor/OC Summary:
Captain Cassian Andor was an Officer of Rebel Intelligence for the Alliance. An emotionless tool. There was nothing more to his life than following orders and working for the Resistance. Hell! His only friend was an Imperial droid named K-2SO. So what happens when he is struck by a love at first sight and meets Dr. Lya Stryker? Will their story have a happy ending? (CassianxOC)
My fanfiction: M A S T E R L I S T
With blank eyes the Doctor hung her lab coat upon a hook by the door. She removed the medical mask that covered her face and exhaled feeling exhausted. She looked at the clock above her head which hung on the dull wall of the medical ward
“Time of death?” One of the other doctors asked.
“10:17 she read.” She began removing her surgical gloves. Her eyes briefly lingered on the soldier who had just passed. She didn’t make it. She had simply become another number, a toll from the war.
Lya had become accustomed to it. Death was a part of the world in which she lived in. It wasn’t rare to lose a soul on an odd day, sometimes even illness was beyond medical skill.
She left the room and returned to her small office Lux and Adair, her apprentices, followed behind her with somber expressions.
“Another goner,” the doctor mumbled, her features collapsed in an upsetting frown. “Got anything else for me tonight?” She ran an anxious hand through her permanently messy hair.
This had been the 3rd loss of the day, it had been a particularly harsh day. An X-Wing caught on fire barely managed to crash back on Yavin 4, four where injured, three didn’t make it.
Both apprentices exchanged a look before shaking their heads.
“Don’t look so glum now,” Lya began as she walked around her desk and began leafing through some loose papers on her desk. “Death is a part of life. A part of our cause. As dark as it is, it is important that we respect it and those whom she calls.” Adair’s thin lips stretched into a frown and he looked down at the ground.
“How do you do it?” asked Lux, both of her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
Lya wondered if it had been too much for them. It was important to desensitize them to death. Lya shook her head slowly, “Not much one can do, just remember and honor our passed ones and get ahead. Life goes on with and without them, without us.”
Both apprentices remained grim to the tender subject. She knew they had both lost loved ones to the cause. It was rare for an anyone not to have suffered a casualty in this war. The Doctor looked at her medical agenda and realized that her other patients of the day were all in observation. Other doctors were on call tonight.
She actually had some time off.
“How about this?” Lya suggested as she began removing her white lab coat. “How about we go to the Cantina? Lighten up a bit?” She offered with a small smile.
It wasn’t returned by either.
It was late in the evening by the time that they arrived to the Cantina. Both Lux and Adair weren’t looking any more cheerier. Lux’s gray eyes were glued to the table, she had barely touched her drink. Adair remained stoic his elbows resting on the table, his eyes blank.
Lya looked down at the water she was drinking before allowing an exhausted sigh to escape her lips. The loud music wasn’t helping either.
“Oi!” She stood and snapped her fingers rudely catching the attention of one of the irked bartenders. “Brandy?” She said raising both of her arched eyebrows. Demanding for the strong beverage to be served to them.
A few moments later…
Almost collapsing over the table the Doctor leant over and attempted to be louder than the band’s lively music. There were two empty bottles of Jogan Fruit Brandy.
“Listen!” She raised her voice “Do you feel better now?” She drunkenly slurred. Her violet eyes were filled with concern for her students.
Adair held on to his head he toyed with his thick curls as he attempted to keep his head leveled. Lux, however, remained in her dazed state. Her eyes showed only sadness despite the many drinks the Doctor had forced on her.
“Lux you need-“ The doctor suddenly lost her voice.
She was about to suggest she needed yet- another drink.
From across the room a tall figure caught her attention. It was an imperial droid. There were few around Yavin4, it was K-2SO. Alongside him was Captain Cassian Andor. He wore a brown leather jacket and his beige civilian clothes underneath.
“Fuck!” She exclaimed slamming her hand on the table accidentally spilling whatever was left in the bottle of brandy on the table. She caught the attention of several wandering eyes in the Cantina. The spilled mess quickly consumed the small space. They all looked at the usually composed doctor oddly. Her behavior was extremely out of character.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She cursed as the panic surged through her. She nervously ran a hand through her messy hair which was held in her typical hairstyle a low hair bun.
Despite the fact that her elbows and arms were now soaked with the strong smelling liquid Lux didn’t move, she didn’t even flinch. The distracted Doctor didn’t even notice. Adair however looked at her with concern. She attempted to clean the spilled drink with the few napkins which were lying around the table. “I’m going to get more napkins,-” Lya announced.
“Are you OK?” Adair touched Lux’s arm gently.
“-If anybody asks you’re my boyfriend.” The Doctor tossed over her shoulder.
Adair looked at the Doctor who had already ran off confused. In a split of a second his attention returned to the pixie haired woman sulking next to him.
Lya almost leapt over the bar counter. “Napkins please!” She called out again slapping her hand against the counter. The busy bartender only flashed her an annoyed glance before nodding his head and heading out to the back to conveniently take his cigarette break. The Doctor tapped her fingers anxiously on the wooden counter. It was then that she felt a presence stand next to her. She fought the strong urge to turn, remaining rigid and faced the many bottles that were lined up before her. She held her breath. She knew this would happen.
Cassian had seen her from a far, his heart had stopped. There was no way he could miss her. She was being obnoxiously loud in an attempt to speak louder than the band that was playing. The Cantina was a dark place, everyone minded their own business. It was moist and the wood creaked with every given step. It was rare, but often times couples would stand up and dance.
Cassian noted how nervous she became and how she spilled a bottle of who knows what. He saw her standing at the bar looking particularly stiff.
“Cass?” K-2S0 questioned his distraught partner. The droid saw were his friend’s eyes lay and if the droid could’ve held a disappointed expression he would’ve. “I’ve got a bad feeling about th-“ Before the droid finished speaking his friend had made a run a for it. “Oh dear.” He had no choice but to follow.
"Fancy seeing you here," he said with his thick accent. He wore a casual façade. Playing it casual he reached over the counter pulled a bottle with golden liquor and poured himself a drink in a small shot glass from the bar. His eyes momentarily darted towards her in order to attempt and read her stern expression.
She felt her blood begin to boil, her stomach churning uneasily. "Listen-" She snapped turning to face him with one single accusing finger. She regarded him, his beard had been trimmed neat, his hair was shaggy and reached just above his shoulders, his dark eyes were like two new moons resting upon her. He wore his civilian clothes and a brown leather jacket.
"The Cantina is big enough for both of us, so why don't you take your drink-" She said raising up the shot glass with golden liquid in her hand. "Take it!" She tossed her head back and downed it in one large gulp. She hissed as the foreign liquid burned her throat and coughed. The stirrings inside of her made her feel nauseous.
"And get out of here?" She placed the shot glass on the table clumsily as she attempted to hold herself with grace. He looked at her and noticed her attempt to maintain her usual distant poise. He couldn’t help it, the smallest of grins grew on his face.
"I would love nothing more than that, but you just finished my drink-“ he paused for a moment debating if it would be fun to push her buttons. “-fea." He said with a broad smile while pouring two shots on two different glasses this time.
Lya narrowed her eyes, she had heard that word before.
"Did you just call me..?" She said taking one of the drinks in her hand, she was unsure of the word’s meaning. She looked at K-2S0 expecting an answer.
"In Captain Andor's native tongue the word fea translates to the equivalent of ugly," Kaytoo provided insightfully without shame.
Cassian chuckled at the incredulous expression on the Doctor's face. "How dare you-" She said inching closing to him. She threateningly raised a hand, inebriated, ready to strike- He caught it midair and brought it to his chest holding it close. The other casually sipped his drink.
Lya could feel her cheeks burning from the embarrassment. Her face resembled a frowning tomato.
"Quit hitting on me!" She protested not moving an inch. With a cool smirk Cassian took a sip from his drink. "It seems like you're the one trying to hit me, fea."
She knew he didn’t mean it by his playful expression. Still it was irksome, he was irksome.
"-Stop calling me that!" She fumed attempting to fruitlessly slap his chest with the hand he was holding on to. His grip only became tighter around it.
"Just so you know- I have a boyfriend. A very serious one at that and if you don’t let my hand go--" She tugged at her hand. Wearing a sly grin he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles.
"He-He- He is going to turn you into Ewok shit!" Her head cocked to the side as she looked at him with her wide azure eyes. "Really?" He pretended to be surprised nodding apprehensively. He took another sip of his drink.
"Looks like he's busy," He said looking over her shoulder. She turned her head and saw that Adair and Lux were engaged in full lip lock.
'REALLY? NOW?'
With pursued lips she turned to face him. She hadn’t realized how close they were standing to each other. With her free hand she took the free shot and clinked her glass against his before they both downed it.
"What is this anyway?" She grimaced at the awful taste.
"Tequila, a delicacy from where I'm from." She could feel his free hand snaking around her waist. Now, he was getting too close for comfort. "I'll teach you how to properly appreciate it one day."
"As if!" She exclaimed. "I'm-I'm-" She was interrupted by K-2S0.
"Your behavior, Dr. Stryker, is continually unexpected.” It spoke.
"I'm out of here!" She finally pulled away, ignoring the droid’s statement. Bending over the bar she reached the first towel she could get her hands on and scrambled away. "Hey!" The bartender caught sight of this just in time.
Lya could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she rushed to the table where she had been sitting with Lux and Adair.
"Peachy timing to get together you two," She grumbled sarcastically as she began a fruitless attempt at drying the table. The younger woman bit her lip bashfully and slightly shrugged. The other held a lazy grin on his face as he rubbed his thumb over her freckled hand.
"I mean- it's about time!" Her mood suddenly shifted as she beamed happy for the new couple. Lya suddenly felt an arm drape around her shoulders. “Yeah- tell me about it,” Cassian added in his husky voice.
“Who the hell invited you?” She glared at him, not flinching under his touch. The Captain took a sip from his second tequila and pointed at the Doctor's male assistant.
“You invited me over here when you said that that child was your boyfriend."
"Hey!" Lux protested with her whinny voice on behalf of her young partner.
"-Poor judgement, impaired motor function, glassy eyes, slurred speech, Dr. Stryker's BAC is 0.08%."
"Judgy aren’t we Kaytoo?" Lya turned and slapped her hand over what would be the robot's mechanical thorax.
"Be nice," She felt a pair of arms wrap around and hold hers from behind. "I can’t compute why the Captain is so infatuated with you," K-2S0 replied.
"K!” Cassian growled out. The Doctor couldn’t help but snigger. The sniggering made her feel nauseous, she swayed slightly bending over.
"Alright-" Cassian said taking away the wet rag that she held on her hand. "-I think we should."
She had the most odd feeling aching in her stomach, rising to her burning throat.
"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," The bartender stood before the group with both of his hands on his hips. His half lidded, tired eyes bored into the Doctor. He dragged the stench of cigarettes with him.
"I don't need to-" The Doctor began.
Lux cringed at the sudden stench. Adair only face palmed bringing a shameful hand to his face. For a moment he couldn’t believe that this woman was his mentor. Cassian's fingers danced as his grip tightened on the Doctor's shoulders. Her head lolled over and she wiped the left over bile from the edge of her wet lips. The Captain pursued his lips in an attempt to choke down a frustrated chuckle, he could feel the warm puke coating his military rebel boots.
"Lovely. Left over Gorak." Kaytoo added commenting on the Doctor’s previous meal.
"What am I now? A packing Eopie mule?" K-2SO complained as he carried Lya's lab coat, her barf covered boots and a massive bottle of water that they had picked up on the way.
"No," Lya muttered. "Cassian is my Eopie mule," she laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck tighter. Cassian looked back with a smirk and bounced her on his back even higher. Lya felt her stomach churn. "Quit doing that or I'll throw up on you."
"You already did." He said with a humorous huff.
Considering she had already thrown up on him, he was in good spirits. Then again he had rolled through worse substances in the past.
"Then I'll do it again," She jokingly threatened as she leant forward and whispered into his ear. He held her legs from under her knees steadily.
"I think I'm the one that's going to be sick," K-2S0 droned sarcastic as ever.
The trio suddenly stopped before the small home that Dr. Stryker called home. It had once been part of a massive tree. Parts of the tree still had lived and held masses of bountiful branches at its top. It was close enough to the medical ward that one would be there in minutes, yet far away enough to be able to disconnect yourself from ugly truth of the rebellion. Around these areas, it was just the rainforest and your soul.
"Key is on top of the door frame," the doctor mumbled intoxicated. "Really?" Cassian tossed back as he reached for the key. He couldn’t believe how careless she was.
"Would you like to know the odds of an enemy breaking in?” The droid offered.
“Did you program him to be as unbelievable annoying as you?” The Doctor poked at Cassian. “They are unbelievably high." K-2S0 announced.
"Shut up," she mumbled. "You know I can look after myself K-2."
"Right. Just like right now," the droid finished with a. jab at her obvious intoxication.
She simply narrowed her eyes at him. She didn’t drink alcohol often. She should’ve watched over her low alcohol tolerance more cautiously.
As soon as the door opened both humans were hit by the strong scent of herbs and flora. Cassian didn't expect her home to be so- homey?
He wanted to take off his boots and just sink into the pyramid of pillows that sat on top of a sofa chair in the corner of the room.
It was definitely better than the military quarters which he inhabited.
There were countless of pillows, blankets and throws all around the small living room. Several couches, fit into the small room. Her kitchen was just as small with several teapots and tea cups on the sides. The living room had a large shelf which weighted with the knowledge of dozens of medical books and scrolls. He found it odd that there was only a low table in the kitchen and instead of dining chairs, pillows surrounded it. Vases and jars with some dried and living flowers and herbs also decorated the room. A part of Cassian felt pride when he saw the flowers he had given her dried up and shriveled in one of the vases. Regardless of it all she had kept them.
There was a large door like cave carved into the woods of the tree which he figured was her bedroom. Cassian gave K-2S0 a knowing look. "I'll wait here," the droid tossed all of the doctor's belongings by the door.
Cassian stepped into the bedroom which consisted on a messy mattress on the floor. Just like the rest of the home the room was cozy, filled with pillows, blankets and throws to spare. The walls were decorated with dried herbs and flowers which hung upside down. The Captain couldn't decide if she kept all these plants for aesthetic or for actual medical purposes. He didn’t bother in turning the lights on. They wouldn’t be here long.
"Alright off-" he said. She simply starred at him remaining unresponsive."-because you're heavy." He added with a hint of humor.
She smiled and clumsily hopped off his back. She didn’t remove her arms from his neck, she tugged at his leather jacket and pulled him back to sit on the mattress. She stood on her knees and fully embraced him from behind. She would’ve let go, however, she hadn’t felt this much comfort in a long time.
"You're very, very drunk-" He noted, not complaining about the embrace.
"And you're very, very lucky. I won't be this friendly next time you see me."
"This is what you call friendly?" He chuckled. "Can I be your friend then?"
"No," she scoffed with a small laugh. "You're my Eopie mule," she added with a good hearted laugh before placing a small kiss on his cheek. Turning to her with a lazy smile he grabbed her face in his rough hands.
"I'll be whatever you want me to." His dark eyes flickered to her odd purple ones. "Friend, mule-" they landed on her lips. "Lover." His voice trailed into a whisper.
"Are you going to kiss me again?" She asked holding her breath. He brought her face inches closer to hers. Their noses barely brushing.
"No-" He said in a serious tone, she looked at him with a strange look. "Because you smell like throw up," he grinned. She couldn't help but smile at him. Regardless he leant forward and planted a brave kiss on her temple. He sat there for a brief moment. Holding her close his lips rested against her temple as they both sat with each other in the darkness.
"I can't promise you I'll keep you safe," Cassian began.
"I can't promise you I'll be there,
I can't promise you a future together,
I can't even promise you I'll come back…" Lya held her breath. She felt something in her chest clench. Regardless, she didn't fear from his touch. Instead eased into it resting her head against his. She couldn't pinpoint the root of the emotions that were beginning to consumer her. Perhaps it was the alcohol. "-But…"
"What I can promise you is that-" He reached for her cold hands bringing them to his lips. "Out of the many lovers you will have and have had, I can promise you that none of them will even come close to loving you like I will."
He looked at her eyes with longing. She felt breathless.
"You don't even know me," she huffed as her mind processed what Cassian Andor had just declared. This was madness, it was absolute insanity. They didn't know anything about each other.
He wasn't lying to her. Cassian was a tool for the Rebellion, a high ranking officer, a threat to his enemies, a spy, a weapon. He had more than a handful of targets on his head.
His enemies would not hesitate in hurting him or anyone within close affiliation to the Captain. Both had already had a brush with that problem.
The life they had both chosen in devotion to the Rebellion, was a lonely one. Death, fear and the uncertainty of tomorrow clouded their subconscious fears and plagued their lives.
Cassian wouldn't always be here. He'd be out, in a distant galaxy, working for the cause they both believed in, risking his life on the line for a better future. Pretending to live a double life. He would have to act stone cold in the face of fear and pretend as if his the Doctor was just some other medic.
Her inebriated state allowed for a small laugh to escape her lips, "Cassian, you don't even know me," She breathed, her head slumping to the sides from the alcohol she had consumed.
"Then let me." He didn't waste a breath in pleading. His fingers stroked her face and she leaned into his tender caress.
She paused for a moment, looking at the looking of longing in his deep eyes, they pleaded for her. She knew he wouldn't give up. She didn’t know if he was truly infatuated with her, if he would change his mind next week or if anyone else would ever care for her the way he claimed to do. She decided that the odds were that they would both die young martyrs. She made her decision.
"Fine then." She said filled with pride. "I'll give you a chance to disappoint you," she said with a stunning smile.
"I look forward to it," he returned the smile, his hand ran through her messy hair tucking a lost strand of chestnut hair behind her ear.
Let me know what you think! I always appreciate feedback! FIRST: Chapter I PREV: Chapter IV NEXT: Chapter 6