Flint and Evander were cleaning out their rooms at the Yavin base. It had been two years since The destruction of the second Death Star and the Empire was officially dead. All of the Rebels has been stripped of criminal status and the Jedi were no longer being hunted. Luke Skywalker had even pledged to begin building the Jedi Order again.

"I still can't believe this is happening," Flint remarked as he threw a tattered backpack over his shoulder. "The New Republic."

"Has a nice ring to it," Evander replied with a smirk as he also slung his backpack over his shoulder. "After you," he said as he held the door open for his friend. They exited their room one final time and smiled. They had the rest of their lives ahead of them.

"Are we actually doing this?" Flint asked with skepticism.

Evander laughed. "Looks like it. Synyc and Corr should be meeting us out front."

Flint nodded and smiled.

The two of them had decided to use their sum of reimbursement from the New Republic to go travel the Galaxy. They didn't really know where they were going exactly, but they had a ship and plenty of credits. They could fly forever if they wanted to.

Standing in the sunshine outside the base was Synyc and Corr in the midst of a lively discussion about God knows what, that is, until Evander and Flint showed.

"Got everything?" Synyc asked, pointing to the bags.

"Yeah, mom," Evander replied with a mocking smile. Flint elbowed him in the ribs.

Synyc laughed. "I only ask because I was your commanding officer and it's sort of still my job to make sure you clean up your mess."

Flint laughed. "He's a slob. I wouldn't count on it."

"Yet I'm somehow gonna miss that," Synyc said with a sad smile.

"Hey, we'll be back in a like, I don't know, month and a half? Two months?," Evander said with some reassurance as he glanced at Flint for a sort of approval. Flint just looked confused as to why he was looking at him.

"What he means is he'll miss you, too," Flint said with a slight chuckle.

Synyc smiled. "I figured." He and Evander stepped towards one another for a quick hug, and Corr gave Evander a handshake. Even after all of this he was still being the polite boyfriend.

"Take care of him, will yah?"

Corr laughed and smiled. "Always."

"I'll call you, okay?" Evander said to them as they began to walk away, turning so he was walking backwards to face Synyc and Corr.

"Every day, mister!" Synyc called after them.

"Every day!"

"I'm holding you to that!"

Evander laughed and then he and Flint turned to walk forward towards their ship. That poor ship had been through hell and back. From the beatings it took exploring uncharted planets, the Clone War, and then the war against the Empire, it was a miracle she would still fly.

"So," Evander said as he dropped his bag with s thud and walked to the cockpit. "Where to?"

Flint smiled. "Where it all started."

"Corascaunt?"

Flint shook his head. "Tython."

"What do you mean 'where it all started'?"

Flint chuckled a bit, forgetting for a moment that not everybody has his brain. "It's the birthplace of the Jedi Order."

"You can't be serious?" Evander asked as he started the ship's engines.

"Why not? I know we aren't Jedi anymore but the planet is barely inhabited," he explained. "There's so much lore and mystery, not to mention I know the ancient language they used to speak there." Evander looked over and saw his lips curl into a soft smile. He looked over and they locked eyes. "I've always wanted to go there. I know so much about the place, it fascinates me, but I was never able to see it as a Jedi."

Evander always fell for that smile. How could he resist? He smiled. "Tython it is."

They stopped the next day at some moon to stock up on gas and supplies. It was one of the nicer moons, complete with a full grocery store and a rest stop.

Evander leaned his elbows on an old school shopping cart with actual wheels as they browsed the endless shelves of food.

"Let me know if you see any cereal," Evander said as he tossed a few packages of bread into the cart.
"I desperately need to restock."

Flint laughed. "I'll keep my eyes peeled."

They continued on, grabbing the basics they would need. The ultimate plan was to use their own food for uninhabited places and find food on populated planets.

And of course Evander got all the cereal he could fit into the already stuffed cart.

When they returned to their fully refueled ship, Flint got to stocking the fridge and cabinets while Evander kept flying. Flint joined him in the cockpit shortly after.

"That felt really good," he remarked.

Evander arched an eyebrow. "What, stocking the fridge?"

"No, going into public and not being shot at or a wanted criminal."

Evander laughed. "Oh yeah, that!"

Flint laughed at his sarcasm and sighed. "Can you imagine telling Clone Wars-era us that this is what would become if our lives?"

Evander shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Nope. This is fucking crazy." Flint just hummed in agreement. "You wanna know the thing I wouldn't believe, most?"

"What's that?"

Evander smiled at his lap. "That you ended up being the most important person in my life."

Flint smiled shyly from ear to ear, a slight blush covering his cheeks. "I wouldn't believe it either... But I don't want it any other way."

That night they both made dinner together. Evander put the ship in autopilot through a Hyperspace lane.

Flint was too busy monitoring their sandwiches on the stove-top to notice Evander's admiring gaze from his side.

Evander grabbed two plates from the cabinet above him and then went to stand next to him. Their shoulders brushed, making them both blush unconsciously. They could both sense it in the Force.

"Looks good," Evander said, leaning into his side s bit more, pretending to be interested in the food he was cooking.

Flint looked over, their noses just inches apart, but neither of them were nervous. "Thanks."

A thought crossed both of their minds, but neither acted on it. Instead, Evander just smiled briefly and went to grab a glass of water. Flint had to take a few deep breathes, but he went back to his cooking.

They ate in comfortable silence with the Holo-net playing over them. They were watching to the news but Evander changed it to a comedy when his childish brain couldn't take the adult stuff anymore. It didn't interest him a whole lot.

Flint insisted Evander get a few hours of sleep before him since he'd been flying all day. Evander fought it but eventually gave in, knowing that arguing with someone as analytical and intelligent as Flint was a lost cause. So he trudged down the tiny hallway and walked into his old room. The last person to be in here was Jolie. He actively avoided it. It was still a sore spot. His dear friend had died saving the Galaxy, after all. That tends to leave a mark.

Evander stood there in the dark for s few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. He contemplated just going to another room, but he knew he'd need to move on eventually. It had been almost six months, and he was actually in a decent place, but it didn't take much to send him into a spiral. The memory of one of his dead friends was definitely something that would do it.

Instead of leaving and showing what he categorized as weakness, he grabbed an extra pillow and blanket from the closet and laid them down on the floor.

After what felt like hours he fell asleep, the usual nightmares repeating in his head. He saw Jolie as a Sith assassin and later dying, never redeeming herself. He saw Synyc dying in battle and Corr breaking his heart. He saw his old master dying at the hands of pirates. The horrifying scene of Alda sacrificing herself. He saw Flint leaving him behind. In short, he saw his worst fears. It didn't bother him like it used to, though, because when he woke up he got to see his best friend. Evander liked to think of him like a soulmate — as if they'd be together forever.

"Why are you on the floor?" Flint asked him softly as Evander opened his eyes. Flint always sensed when Evander was having nightmares and he was always there to help him, even if he wasn't exactly sure how.

Evander sat up. "Just some... bad memories in that bed... you know?"

Flint smiled sadly. "I know. Go sleep in my room, just come find me when you wake up in the morning."

Evander shook his head and began to stand up, his eyes as drowsy and foggy as ever. "No, no, I'll fly for the rest of the night. You rest."

"I'm not budging on my answer."

Evander rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll come take a nap in the cockpit if you really wanna fly. At least I'll already be there if something goes wrong."

Flint smiled and held his hand out to pull his friend off the floor. "Deal."

Evander had quickly passed out in the co-pilot seat with his feet up on the dashboard. Flint could sense through the Force that he was pretty content, or at least more content than before. It made Flint smile. When Evander was asleep he looked so innocent. It was as if the worry lines on his face just disappeared all together. They were both in their early early thirties now, but they'd experienced enough for a lifetime — and it showed. Yet there was still something so childlike about Evander. He still has the sense of young wonder that too many lacked. Flint often wondered how he still had it after everything that had happened.

In that moment he realized two things. How weird it was that he was just watching his friend sleep, and that he wanted this friend to be more than that. So he made a decision to text someone for advice like a gossiping schoolgirl.

Hello, Synyc. I apologize the the late hour but I need help.
-Flint

You don't need to sign your texts messages, I know it's you. What's wrong?

I think I'm having feelings.

Yeah I need more than that. What feeling exactly?

Feelings for someone.

Ok. Why do you need help then?

What do I do about that?
This person and I are already friends. Is there a way to change the status of our relationship?

Yeah, of course there is

How do I do that?
This person means a lot to me and I'm afraid I'll lose them forever if they don't feel the same.

Can you stop calling them "person"? We both know who it is
Flint?

What?

It's Evander right?

...yes.

I called it! Months ago I called it! You just need to find a good time to tell him how you feel. He won't abandon you, I promise

Are you sure?

Positive. Just tell him. I have a good sense for this stuff

Alright. Thank you, Synyc.

Anytime

Goodnight.

Night

Flint pocketed his holo-phone and glanced over at his friend again. He knew in his heart that he would never get tired of seeing his face.