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Research was something that Jyn always had to do so while reading up on the Organas background, she also searched for Cassian Andor. He wasn’t too hard to find, at least his past. In the archives of a Mexico City paper, she found a smiling picture of a young Cassian alongside an older chef who beamed through the image, Guillermo, who trained him. After that, there were a few mentions of him at restaurants and then he became a byline.
One article, one quote brought up his intense brown eyes as he talked about the food with her, the pleasure with which he ate. To every meal we bring our history and expectations of what it should taste like. Where we eat adds to all of these by saying this is how your food will taste. As a food critic, I have to be aware of all of those factors but also leave myself open to the surprises a great chef can create. I do that in my first bite, that first bite I close my eyes and simply taste.
Jyn shifted on her feet, she thought she’d worn the right shoes for this job, but apparently staff in a fancier restaurant did as much standing as she did on bodyguard duty. At least the Organas were an easy job, the senator Bail and his daughter Leia stayed in one place and were smart enough to not talk about anything sensitive over their meal. Tonight it was only Leia and her date, who was boring her. Leia had one of the best neutral faces that Jyn had ever seen, only with time could you pick out when she was having an awful time. Jyn enjoyed getting to see Leia let loose on someone.
The hostess whispered something to another waiter and Jyn moved to bus a table and listened in, “I know it's him. I took his order at Ash, he’s definitely a reviewer.”
As she moved past them, she saw the table they were nodding towards and recognized the profile, Cassian, but now he’d been found out. Secrecy was as much a part of his job as hers. Maybe she could make this work for her and for Leia, who was using her steak knife with great force while her date droned on about budgets. On her way back to her spot, she leaned down to Leia and said, “Want out of here?”
Leia nodded and stood up to go to the ladies, then Jyn waited a few beats before following after her. As she walked, she passed Cassian and pretended to trip to get her close enough to say, “The hostess knows what you do but not who for.”
His eyes went wide as he heard her and he met her eyes for a moment, before dropping his napkin. They both moved down to get it and she found herself close enough to smell his cologne, “I can create a diversion.”
He shook his head as he sat back down, a line of worry between his eyes, “Thank you but you don’t have to do that. It wouldn’t help.”
Jyn frowned as she stood up, gesturing to a door, if your cover was blown, the idea was to get out quickly, “Do you want another one?”
Thinking of covers, that felt weak but she’d heard it said in restaurants before.
“No, I’ll be fine,” Cassian smiled at her, though it seemed tired. Jyn wondered how often he’d had moments of being found out but couldn’t leave. She went to meet with Leia and thought about his answer, maybe leaving would make him obvious.
In the bathroom, Leia gave her a perceptive look, “Who is he and can I make a scene?”
“Someone I know who I thought needed help but doesn’t need it. You can if you want or just cut the date short,” Jyn said with a sigh as she leaned against the wall.
Leia nodded and gave her arm a sympathetic pat, “Okay, I’m going to end my date, good luck with yours.”
Then she walked out with a smirk and Jyn followed as she heard Leia calmly telling her date off. As she passed Cassian’s table, she felt a brief touch and he met her eyes and pressed something into her hand. She flinched slightly then saw the pleading look in his eyes and grasped the paper.
Then she went to fade into the wall until Leia had the last word, opening her hand to read the note, she couldn’t believe he gave her a note. It made her feel young, she’d never had anyone pass her notes growing up. He’d written: Dinner at Maz’s tomorrow, 7:30? Thank you for trying.
She smiled to herself and glanced up to meet Cassian’s eyes and nodded to him.
Cassian was trying not to be nervous but he couldn’t remember the last time that he went on an actual date and the only times he’d met Jyn before were unusual. It was hard to imagine that of all the people in the universe, she actually wanted a date with a restaurant critic. Maz put a beer in front of him and ruffled his hair, he was sitting down so she didn’t have to lean up, “Stop worrying, you told me she said yes. Don’t make more problems than you have, you’re always doing that.”
“I’m not, just waiting,” Even saying it, he knew he didn’t sound convincing.
Maz sighed and leaned down to gently tug at his collar, “Undo another button. Be more informal.”
Cassian ran a hand through his hair before undoing one button, “Is that better?”
“Yes, now you look like you’re on a date. Breathe, this isn’t a test,” Maz said as Jyn entered.
Cassian stood up, she looked beautiful in a flowy red top over jeans, “Over here.”
Jyn walked towards him with confidence and noted all the details around her before she stopped as Maz smiled at them both then walked off, “Who’s that?”
“Maz, she owns the place. I worked here for a few years,” He said as he pulled out her chair.
“So I should expect to be dazzled.”
“Expect to enjoy yourself,” His kind of cooking had never been spectacular, delicious but not what attracted attention. At first he’d thought that was wrong but now he knew, he preferred not being in the spotlight.
Maz returned with chips and three salsas, “Start with these and you should get him to cook for you. That will be a treat.”
Cassian blushed at the compliment, cooking for Jyn would be incredibly intimate, he cooked for friends but hadn’t for anyone he liked in a long time, there hadn’t been anyone, “Only if she wants me to.”
“I think I do,” He could almost feel the way Jyn was watching him as she answered, “But for now, I want to try the best thing on your menu.”
Maz gave a nod and a grin, “For you too, Cassian?”
“Yes, everything you make is delicious.”
“Flatterer,” Maz said with a laugh as she left.
“I like her, she acts like an aunt,” Jyn said as she watched Maz walk off.
“She is in everything but blood. I would come here while I was working at a three star restaurant nearby and then stayed. She and Guillermo taught me that our food was worth being proud of.”
“Why wouldn’t you be proud of it?” Then she paused and Cassian looked into his drink.
“Because not every kind of food gets thought of as worthy of write ups and stars. That’s why I write about everyone I can. Which sounds like an interview answer,” He was thinking too much.
“That’s okay. I don’t know what people talk about during dates.” Then she smiled and laughed and Cassian felt butterflies in his stomach.
“I don’t know either, so let’s talk about what we want to. Can I ask what you do?” Cassian offered instead, that seemed like it might be a better start.
“Usually I’m watching over Senator Organa who takes more risks than you would expect,” Jyn sounded happy as she talked and he’d seen how he and Leia worked together at dinner.
“She pays attention, so do you. And thank you for last night. I’ve had it happen before, usually what happens is they spend the rest of the meal on their best behavior,” Not like when she’s discovered and people try to hurt her.
“You weren’t going to get in trouble?”
“Not in the way that you might have, but it was nice to know I could have had a quick way out. I always have to stay until the end, that’s the only way to be fair,” Which meant that he’d eaten his share of bad meals.
Jyn gave him a thoughtful look, he wondered what she saw as Maz returned with their first course of her beautiful ceviche. For a time they both ate and as Jyn was scooping up the last bits of fish she said, “A job’s a job, but I’d hate not having an exit strategy.”
“I’ve worked a lot of long shifts in restaurants that don’t believe in breaks. If the line’s busy, then that’s where you have to be. Now I only have deadlines hanging over me, not an angry chef,” Which suited him better.
“And the words you write matter,” She said it quietly and Cassian shrugged as he didn’t completely believe that.
“Yes, I can help someone get a good meal and a lovely evening,” Sometimes he did get nice comments for recommending a restaurant.
“That’s not always easy to find,” Jyn said with one of her quick smiles as dessert arrived.
Cassian found himself watching Jyn’s lips as she ate her flan and looked down at his own plate but for a moment she met his eyes with a smirk. Maz didn’t set a bill down, but did grin at him as she set a little bag down on the table, “Some cookies to take home with you.”
“Thank you,” Jyn said as she ate her ast bite, “I really enjoyed this.”
When they both stood up and he handed Jyn the cookies, he wasn’t sure what to say or do next. He didn’t want to do the wrong thing and presume too much. She took his hand and started for the door.
Outside, he turned towards to face Jyn, he would follow her lead. She looked up at him then shifted them a foot over into a darker spot and kissed him, he pulled her close, smiling into the kiss. Time slowed as he leaned against the wall, feeling all of her tight on him. Jyn leaned back, taking a breath as she shifted a piece of hair out of his eyes, “Next time you make me dinner and breakfast.”
Then she kissed him again before turning and disappearing into the crowd, then his phone chimed. He almost dropped it, but there was a text from a new number: Won’t be long. With a wink beside it. Cassian saved the number as Perfect Date (J), he didn’t want to get her in trouble if anyone tried to ask him anything.