The Ancient Homeland

18

It's been a couple of hours now since the sun had gradually risen on the planet Kashyyyk. And to be honest, it was quite boring resting in the back portion of the Mantis all alone.
Earlier, Cal had managed to put you back to sleep, him following suit shortly after; so you had gotten some sleep, and your injury was now on the scale of being somewhat tolerable. Since then, Cere had come into check up on you, making sure to flick your forehead in minor frustration at how you'd gotten yourself hurt so carelessly. Before she'd left, she had awkwardly patted your head in a relatively comforting way. The action did not fail to make you snort loudly and break into a round or two of laughs. Cere had obviously thought you were insane, so she had swiftly scurried out of the room after it had begun. When it was Greez's turn to check on you, all he really did was shout out to you from the kitchen, wondering if you were at least 'not dead', in his terms. You had replied with a half-hearted, "Never been better!", causing Cere and Greez to bark out a laugh of their own.
   Cal had left to explore and help the Resistance fighters for the day, sheepishly telling you before he had left that it perhaps killed him to see you in such a state, causing him to also scurry out of the room as quickly as possible, most likely in the hopes of you not being able to detect the lively blush that had swelled onto his cheeks. You had, but you didn't utter a word of it as he had hurriedly made his way out of the ship.

"Y/N!" You heard Cere call out from somewhere nearby, you weren't sure.
"Yes?" You called out tiredly, wanting to be over with this idiotic injury already.
"Cal's coming back with some painkillers from the fighters, would you want any?" Cere asked concernedly, now leaning against the doorframe of the room. You sighed and shrugged your shoulders, the action causing you to grimace slightly in discomfort as you remembered that there was still the now all-too-familiar bite in your back. You barely nodded your head in affirmation, letting Cere know that you would take the painkillers with a slight bitterness. As she left, you began to adjust yourself to try and soothe the immediate pain.

You sat there for what felt like hours, analyzing the books you had brought with you and mindlessly outlining the clutter of the makeshift infirmary room you were in to memory. Some of Cal's belongings were strewn precariously in certain corners, a jacket here, a map there; very few of the items were actually his, but they all seemed to emanate his touch. You certainly weren't going to lie this time if someone asked you if you had to resist the urge to get up and grab his jacket and just hold it.

   You decided you would do one more uninterested scan of the room before heading back to your book. As your unenthusiastic eyes surveyed the area with mild interest, a startlingly subtle flash caught your eye. In Cal's worn backpack, a familiar necklace peaked from one of its pockets. You smiled as recognition filled your mind. It was the necklace you had seen from Zeffo that was way too expensive to even think about purchasing. You had memorized how intricate yet simple the design had been, so even glimpsing a small portion of it caused you to recollect it.
   A blush crept onto your face at the thought of Cal even thinking of buying it for you. You needed to find out for sure though, not wanting to thank Cal endlessly for the sweet gesture and have it turn out to be something else. From your cot, you lifted the jewelry from the backpack with the Force, gradually bringing it closer to you as certainty began to fill your entire being. It landed softly in your hands, and a brilliant blush and smile erupted onto your face as you comprehended that Calmost likely had bought it for you.
"Y/N!" Cal's singing of your name split the silence as he trudged into the room with a brilliant smile and a skip in his step. "I have news!" He exclaimed excitedly, having yet to realize what you held in your hand. He pulled up the chair next to you and flashed a stunning smile, prompting your heart to melt into a puddle of positively infatuated goop. His adorable freckles stood proudly on display as he was winding up to excitedly explain whatever had happened. He paused before he could even speak because he must've felt your staring. At the rapid realization, he began to stutter and his cheeks began to heat up to a cute shade of pink.
   "W-what are you d-doi-" He began, but he stopped midsentence as his eyes dropped to your hands. It was your turn now to sheepishly grin as Cal's cheeks tinted an even darker shade of pink.
   "S-sorry, " you stuttered out, guilt abruptly overcoming you. "I saw it and it l-looked familiar..." You trailed off, hoping Cal wasn't mad at you. You bit your lip as dismay and guilt began to swirl inside you.
   "Don't be!" Cal quickly assured, placing his rough hands overtop yours absentmindedly. "I wanted to give it to you... I just... It slipped my mind and I'm sorry. You left an faint echo at the market stand, so I bartered with the shop keeper for it... He looks lovely but he's stubborn as hell!" Cal mumbled, a laugh soon overtaking his body as he finished his sentence.
  You smiled and grabbed ahold of Cal's arm while he was busy laughing. You pulled him into a delicate hug, soon beginning to hold him as tightly as possible.
    "Thank you, Cal, you don't know how much this means to me..." You softly whispered next to his ear. He held you just as tightly as you did to him as you said that, deciding to gently rest his face into the crook of your neck. At that, another blush unhurriedly crept up your neck and onto your face, for what felt to be the nth time that day.
    "Anytime Y/N... I'm here for you, and I could kinds sense how sad you got when you realized you couldn't get it, and so I just had to get you it for you." Cal mumbled, it coming out a bit muffled due to his position. You smiled and took a moment to breathe in Cal's scent, the intoxicating feeling swirling into your nose and settling in your stomach, a satisfied feeling proceeding to numb your fingertips and toes.
   You felt airy and light as you replied to Cal with a soft giggle, whispering back into his ear, "Thank you, and well, I guess I owe you now!"