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sticks-and-souls · 2 years

Text

Off Duty

@foxiyoweek Day 5: Leadership. AO3 link here.

“And so then I said, ‘Actually, your account doesn’t supercede everyone’s here!’”

Riyo realized belatedly that Senator Drythe believed his comment to be some kind of punchline and she forced out a simpering laugh.

He was so in her personal space that it was taking a constant, conscious effort to not lean to the far side of her dinner chair. Worse still that her political strategy for the evening dictated that she now tilt her head towards him and ask a follow up question. She had serious reservations that if their faces got any closer the frustrated screaming in her head would verbalize itself.

The Chancellor’s dinner was a prime opportunity for her to make friends with the swing voters on the relief bill scheduled for next week. If Pantorans were forced to narrow their meager rations again, her people would begin to starve. She needed to convince more senators that the Republic funds were worth the resources to feed her people while the war blocked their supply routes on her outer rim planet. Didn’t Republic politicians understand that saving people from the Separatist control was actually pointless if they died of starvation during the process? Not enough of them did.

Which brought her to Senator Drythe. Wealthy, influential, tenured senator of cush, inner-rim Fenlaith. When she had discovered he would be her dinner partner at the beginning of the evening she had believed herself lucky. More than an hour into forced laughs and batted eyelashes as he monologued his favorite political exploits, inching ever closer to her, and she now wondered if suffering through this would fail to reward her with getting a word in at all.

To just royally top off the entire debacle, the Chancellor had taken precautions against the increased frequency of bounty hunter attacks and ordered that the safety of the dinner guests be overseen by the Coruscant Guard rather than just the Senate Guard. Her “lucky” seating arrangements had her positioned directly across and slightly to the right from where none other than Marshal Commander Fox was standing guard. He and his squad stood unmoving at textbook attention around the perimeter of the cozy dining room but she knew he was taking in every detail. And given that the last time they had both had a moment off at the same time—regrettably more than three weeks ago—they’d spent it entwined in a state of dishabille with one another, she felt relatively confident that at least a portion of his attention was on her and her dinner partner.

“You know, Riyo—can I call you Riyo?—,” Drythe angled his body towards hers, his knee finally making contact with her own under the table. “I bet there’s more to you than that quiet face suggests.”

She forced her expression from becoming wooden. This is hell, she thought. I have literally died and I am now in hell. Goddess, please forgive me my past transgressions.

“Please, Senator, I could—”

“—Call me Gerek,” he interrupted.

Do it for your people! She screamed internally. “...Gerek, ” she said aloud, fluttering her gaze at him, “I could hardly have been elected Senator of Pantora without the capacity to speak passionately on their behalf.” Like I literally did in front of you and the rest of the Senate just this afternoon. “Being the voice of—”

“Oh ho! Of course! That reminds me of my own election! It was against the leader of a very vocal extremist group and…”

-----

Riyo closed the door to her apartment gently with a soft click before leaning exhaustedly against it. Three hours, she thought, staring emptily at her ceiling. Three hours of self-debasement and political flattery and for what?

With a disgusted sigh, she pushed herself from her door and set her keys on the dining table.

Marris, her handservant, came swiftly around the corner. “Welcome home, Senator, did you have a nice evening?”

“It was...awful,” she responded. She felt exhausted with shame and humiliation. “I’m going to take a shower.” As if water could wash away what she was feeling. I can pretend.

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Marris followed her into her bedroom and waited for her to sit at her vanity. “Was no one willing to listen?” she asked, as she began to remove Riyo’s hairpins.

Marris had been employed by Riyo’s family for years before Riyo had been elected senator and moved to Coruscant and, despite being younger than her own mother, she exuded maternal comfort. The loose outline of her suffocating evening in the presence of Drythe came tumbling out to Marris’s sympathetic tutting. “...and then we were two of the last people to leave because he literally would not stop talking.”

Her dress came off next and Riyo caught a whiff of Drythe’s cologne as Marris helped lift it over her head. “Ugh,” she gagged. “Bag it for dry cleaning.”

Marris was clearly holding in a smile but her eyes remained full of compassion. “That he found you such a captive audience, I’m sure didn’t hurt your goals for the bill. Maybe it will look different in the morning.”

Riyo managed a weak smile before stepping into the bathroom and starting the hot water. She hadn’t mentioned Fox to Marris because she wasn’t sure Marris knew how serious their relationship had become, but having omitted him from her tale made the gnawing guilt when she thought about him that much more noticeable now. As if not even mentioning him meant his feelings really didn’t matter. She wanted to message him. She should message him. But what would she even say? Sorry I flirted with a powerful creep while you were forced to watch for hours? Sorry you must now think I’m a disgusting flake with horrible taste in men? Would he even respond?

If she had been the one forced to watch him flirt with someone else all night while she held her tongue, she would have been a mess. Every layer that she uncovered of Fox revealed a new reason that he kept distance from the people around him. Her heart physically ached at the notion that she might give him reasons to doubt her too. I’m so, so sorry.

She tried to force her thoughts away from him. Maybe Marris was right and this would all look better in the morning.

The real problem was that Marris was right about all of it and it was her own damn reaction that was what was wrong with the night. She should be thrilled about her evening with Drythe. Through the lens of her career, the evening was a resounding success! Acknowledging this only increased her frustration and she took a slow breath of the steamy shower air to try to ease the tightness in her chest. Building his ego was seventy-five percent of the battle and this was, technically, exactly where she should want him. Some politicians don’t like to talk about work during “social hours” and this wretched evening will hopefully have made him more receptive to her when she could—ugh—talk to him again tomorrow during working hours. Her whole body rejected the idea and she squeezed her eyes shut. I can’t. She wrapped her arms around herself as the hot water beat heavily down on her. Maybe she wasn’t as cut out for this as she thought.

She had been raised to be a politician nearly her whole life and few circumstances had penetrated the thick skin she had developed, but this felt different and she suspected it had everything to do with Fox. In fact, she’d never had a problem with the social maneuvering required of being a politician until she’d begun falling—really falling—for Fox. She just so strongly admired how he was so direct and steadfast and action-oriented that she couldn’t help but look at her own world of manipulation, subterfuge, and endless talking as shameful by comparison. She’d seen firsthand how the meandering crawl of Senate productivity directly disadvantaged the very soldiers that allowed them to maintain this body of government. For her to then participate in lavish dinners that encapsulated the entire wretched process in full display of said disadvantaged clones, who were her personal friends, made her entirely complicit. The shame she had been experiencing all evening piqued as she was finally able to name it.

She shut the water off, still undecided on whether to call him, and wrapped her massive, fluffy towel around herself. My duty is to my people, not to my heart, she reminded herself. She could hear her mother’s sternly practical voice echoing in her mind, “Love is a luxury, Riyo, and your actions always need to serve those you lead before they serve yourself.” The sigh that issued from her lips was lonesome, leached of the frustration that had dominated her evening. If betraying Fox and betraying my heart saves the life of even just one of my people, I must do it. Whether she felt good about it didn’t matter; her feelings, hanging in the balance of the lives she advocated for, couldn’t tip the scales.

From the bathroom counter, her comm blinked with a message waiting. The banner notification only informed her it was from Fox and she felt a nervous jolt pulse through her. Rip the band-aid off, Riyo, she steeled herself. Delaying the inevitable doesn’t change it.

It was a single line from him: “Are you ok?”

Riyo stared at the message, nonplussed.

Am I…ok?

For the umpteenth time in their new relationship, Riyo tried to interpret tone and intent from a Fox text and failed.

Like…ok with myself after being a slimy politician all night? Ok with the fact that a patriarchal creep high on his own power decided to make me his next acquisition? She could feel her pulse rising again. Totally going to sleep fine knowing I’ve betrayed your trust and proven myself a farce in front of your brothers?

As far as interpreting it as a breakup text went this was a bit of a stretch. She tried reading it with emphasis on different words and ended up with interpretations ranging from questioning her sanity to passive aggressive commiseration. Perhaps she just needed more information.

She drafted and then immediately deleted three incomplete responses on the grounds of being overly deflective, projecting her own insecurities, and finally for just being a paragraph that could be summarized as “inconclusive politician speak”.

She stared at the blank text box in frustration. Get a grip, Riyo. The answer to all of your questions is the same. Maybe instead of wishing you were as direct as him, you just do it.

“Not especially, no.” she typed. She stared at it for a moment before quickly hitting Send.

His reply came in less than 30 seconds later: “My paperwork can wait until morning if you want me to come up.”

Riyo felt a lump building in her throat. He hates leaving paperwork for the morning.

Because she was alone, she let herself feel the jumble of vulnerable emotions that swirled through her chest. Of hope: that maybe he cared enough to hear her out, that maybe he would think she was worth it. And also fear: that her hope was wrong and he would end it, or that it wouldn’t matter because this was her life and however repulsed either of them felt over her flirting with Drythe again tomorrow didn’t change the fact that she would do it because Pantora needed her to.

She sat on her bed and looked down at her comm without really seeing it. She closed her eyes. The nervousness at what their meeting would entail didn’t override the yearning to see him. Even if it all fell apart the minute after, she knew she would open the door and for just a second would feel a promise that nothing else mattered but them.

“Ok”, she sent him back.

“Be there in 15.”

Putting her comm aside, Riyo took a deep breath and sat up straight to clear her mind of the nerves and relief. The decision had been made and whatever happened now, happened. She marched to her closet with purpose. First she had to get dressed, and that was happily a problem that she had a lifetime of experience to help her prepare for.

-----

Riyo was waiting patiently at the breakfast bar, composing her statements in her head, when she heard Fox’s quiet knock. She had opted for comfort and worn soft, loose-fitting pants that still snugly fit her at the waist and ankles, and a similarly soft, sleeveless shirt, whose deep purple color was a pleasant accent against the blue and pink of her skin and hair. She swallowed down the swarm of bees that erupted in her stomach and internally repeated her just-before-a-Senate-presentation-You-can-do-it! pep talk.

She opened the door and was rewarded with the moment she had predicted for herself. She met his kind, serious eyes, and for a single breath, the whole world melted away.

She wordlessly invited him over the threshold and the moment broke. Her nerves flooded back in the void left behind.

“I ought to ask you how your evening was,” she said, softly as she closed the door behind him and followed him into her living room, “but all I can say is how completely and utterly sorry I am.”

He stopped abruptly and turned around to look at her. A slight crease in his forehead marred his soft expression.

Her nerves cranked up to eleven and she distantly wondered how this was somehow so much worse than the first time she had presented to the entire Republic Senate.

He took a breath to say something and—Oh, Goddess, anything to stave off this moment for longer! A spike in adrenaline made her cut him off.

“Please—I know we knew this might happen, but the reality of it, I can completely understand, is rather different from how we envisioned it might go.”

In the pause where she went to take a breath he looked like he might interject again, so she continued wildly on. “I can only imagine how awful this must be for you, to have to stand idly by while I subject you to the harsh realities of what my job must require of me—”

“—Riyo,” he finally interrupted. “Riyo!” He reached out as if he was going to hold her by her arms but changed his mind at the last second.

She closed her eyes so he wouldn’t see her hurt. He reserves the right to not touch me after all I’ve put him through.

“Riyo, what happened?” He looked so confused and concerned and she didn’t understand. “Are you ok?”

“Am…am I ok?! That is the lowest priority right now! Are you ok? You had to watch the whole thing!” How did he not understand what he had been forced to witness?!

Confusion lingered but his expression shifted and he reached out again. “Ok,” he said. “Ok. Come here. Can I hug you?”

She stood frozen for a moment, while her ideas of what she wanted and what she deserved arm-wrestled at the forefront of her mind. Haltingly, she took a stuttering half-step towards him.

Fox did the rest and wrapped his arms fully around her. She took a deep shuddering breath into the chest of his soft shell uniform and closed her stinging eyes around his comforting scent. She could tell she was clinging to him but he held her back so tightly that she didn’t let up. She felt like he was keeping all of the pieces of her together in one place.

He took several deep breaths and rubbed his hand in soothing motions up and down her back. She felt him plant a soft kiss on the top of her head and the lump in her throat expanded until it was all she could do to still breathe around it. She focused on the cadence of his breath; on how rooted he felt in this room, in her life, in himself.

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, with deep breaths and calming touches. When she finally felt like the lump in her throat was small enough that she could speak around it, she mumbled “I don’t deserve this much affection from you,” into the solid safety of his chest.

She felt his lungs huff out an infinitesimal chuckle that she may not have even detected were she not pressed so tightly to him.

“And why is that?” he responded. She could so clearly picture the fractional pull of the wry smile that she heard in his voice.

She took a small step back so she could see his face to have this conversation with him. So his embrace wouldn’t shelter her from her responsibility or respect for him.

“Because you had to watch my despicable behavior this evening,” she said, solemnly.

“At dinner tonight?” he asked, an eyebrow lifting.

“Yes, at dinner!” her shoulders lifted defensively. Her discomfort intensified now that they were addressing it head on.

“You were very uncomfortable,” he stated.

“Yes, but that’s not the point! You were the one who had to watch the entire debacle unfold before you while I flirted with some power-jacked, pompous asshole, as if I have no regard for you or myself or anything but my own political power!”

The temporary peace that she had achieved in his arms dissolved with the admission. Somehow he was still emanating calm—concern even! How was he still looking at her like she was worthy of this care?

He reached out to her again and brushed his hand ever so lightly through her hair, coming to rest behind her ear. His expression shifted and she struggled to discern his minute expressions. He looked vaguely amused, but that couldn’t be right. He...he looked like he knew a secret that she didn’t.

Abruptly, his proximity became distracting. His hand behind her ear was sending feathery tingles down her neck that were warring for her attention from not just her anxious emotions, but also the important rhetoric she had composed.

“Very well,” he murmured, patiently. “Explain it to me. Why…,” and he leaned down and planted a kiss on her neck, just below her other ear. “…did you feel the need…” here, he placed a kiss to the side of her throat, “…to flirt with the senator?” He pressed a third kiss in the hollow between her neck and her collarbone.

The feather light tingles had morphed into full butterflies that were cascading down, down, deep inside her and Riyo was certain he could feel her pulse jumping erratically. Unwilling to pull away but equally unwilling to abandon making her case, she took a breath that she was pleased only hitched once and mentally reorganized her tumbled thoughts again.

“The relief bill on the floor right now, I…I need it to get passed. Pantora is one of the planets that would receive aid and…and we need it. All of my people won’t survive another ration cut, some of them will starve.” She sounded like she was pleading but at least she didn’t sound anxious or defensive anymore. She also felt a stir of confidence. He was far less upset than she had feared he would be, maybe she could convince her arguments to him. I’m sorry. Please, please understand.

Fox was tracing his thumb ever so gently against the line of her jaw but he seemed to barely notice it. He was flooding her with the full force of his attention.

“He hasn’t decided his vote yet,” she persevered. She was not so immune to the jaw-tracing as he seemed to be. “And he has so much influence that, if I can convince him to vote for it, he may convince others to vote in favor as well. And maybe if I can’t convince him to vote for the bill itself I can convince him to vote for me.” She felt like she was starting to babble but she couldn’t seem to stop. “So if he sees me favorably he may vote for something that I’m in favor of either because he thinks it will make me like him, or because he’ll want me to vote for something that he wants, and so I…” she trailed off. Talking about any more details of the horror show he had witnessed first hand wasn’t going to make them any different.

“Well, that seems very reasonable,” he responded.

What! Reasonable? She couldn’t understand why she had taken up both sides of the argument but she took a breath, ready to argue anyways.

“Riyo,” he beat her to it this time, but his tone was still reassuring and steady and his expression had returned to its usual seriousness. “Why do I let myself get pulled in every direction and run myself ragged with my workload?”

It was so impossible to think with his thumb still tracing lightly along her jawline, but the answer was obvious. “Because your brothers would pay the cost if you didn’t.”

A subtle softening in the seriousness of his expression indicated he was satisfied with her answer.

“So,” and he went back to slowly planting kisses down her neck, “we both do…what duty requires of us…to take care of the people we lead.”

She knew he was right, she knew that that’s why she’d stayed the course for the entire miserable dinner, but the gut-turning slimy feel of self-loathing was so rooted that not even his seduction was drowning it out completely.

“I hate that my duty feels like I have to betray a part of myself that I want to give only to you.” The confession bypassed all of her mental filters but as soon as she had whispered it into the silence of the room she felt the truth of it like an epiphany.

He stilled for a moment before straightening and meeting her eyes with the most curious expression. Somewhere between confusion and realization and on top of it all was a vulnerability in his eyes that she’d never seen on him before.

“Riyo, you don’t look at anyone else, the way you look at me.”

His words seemed to sift gently through her, untangling her anxiety and twisted emotions as they floated down to where the guilt and shame festered at the base of her stomach. Her brain felt fuzzy as it tried to catch up to the soft release of tension that was echoing through her. I don’t look at anyone else the same…? What does… that…

She reached out to him as if his face held the answer. Perhaps it did. Her thumb brushed against his cheekbone, wanting to ease the worry in him that didn’t seem to exist, wanting to promise him—promise his heart, which had been steadying her through his deep, beautiful eyes, that she would protect it. That she loved him as much as his eyes told her he loved her—…Oh.

Relief bloomed so quickly it tightened her throat and tears threatened. How did he do it? She had so many layers and masks that were wrapped so tightly around her. She’d spent her entire life learning how people interacted with whichever one she decided to present outwards, and yet he could somehow see her through all of them. Like they were nothing but one of her silk shawls and she was a bright light.

A small, pure laugh escaped her and she pulled him to her with both hands into a firm kiss.

Pulling back, she rested her forehead against his and smiled freely into the small space between them. The tears that she had been fighting all night finally squeezed out as relief, taking the last of her regret and shame with them.

“I love you,” she said. “Only you.”

Fox smiled one of his rare smiles, that was like the sun dawning across his whole face, and said, “You don’t have to worry that I don’t know that.”

And she felt so lit aglow that perhaps she was made of light after all.

-----

Later, she floated in the quiet space between sleep and awake, listening to the calming, steady cadence of his breathing in slumber.

Maybe she could do this. Maybe she could shmooze and flirt and even beg for her people, if it ever came to that. As long as her true self could live here, in this moment alone with him, then maybe she would be ok.

------------------------------------

Thanks for reading!! I actually started writing this one-shot for Foxiyoweek last year but then my ideas for them had morphed into a full on long-fic so I abandoned ship thinking this scene would make it into that story. That story, however, is not ready to start getting posted yet (soon though, I hope), and I really wanted to participate in @foxiyoweek this year (snuck it in riiiiiight under the buzzer). Tagging @ladysongmaster in case this applies to clonetober2022 as well!

I have to give a special shoutout to @amukmuk, @muguathepapaya, and @wixiany for (indirectly) introducing me to foxiyo as a ship last year and for doing a lot of good work for this fandom this year! Your content keeps me invested in this ship and I hope you guys like this :)

#foxiyo #riyo chuchi #commander fox #foxiyoweek2022 #foxiyo week #clonetober2022 #clonetober #star wars #the clone wars #sw the clone wars #tw:sexual harassment

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sporadictreewhispers · 2 years

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#sw #star wars #commander fox #my art #click for quality #clonetober2022 #starwars the clone wars #commander fox tcw #commander fox fanart #clone troopers #clone wars fanart #srry its low quality I gave up lol

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aeligsido · 2 years

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[Clonetober 2022] Day 1 - Kamino/cadets.

Characters: Alpha-17, CC-1010 | Fox, CT-7567 | Rex. Additional Tags: Parent Alpha-17, Tired Dad Alpha-17, Feral CT-7567 | Rex, CC-1010 | Fox is a little shit, to be fair the whole batch are little shits, we love them like this, humor, fluff. Content Warning: none.

Alpha-17 stares at his brats with a frown. They all look up at him innocently — as if they've ever been innocent for one day in their life before.

"What," he starts, "is this?" He gestures at his hand, where a blond CT is hanging on. By the mouth. Because he's biting him and not letting go.

Alpha-17 is blaming Wolffe for this one.

They're still trying to look innocent and blink as if they don't understand what he's talking about.

"What do you mean?" say Fox, because of course he'll talk for everyone. "He has always been here."

Alpha could fight. He could punish them. He could bring in the Kaminoans or the Prime.

Alpha-17 is too tired to deal with this.

Plus, the blond brat looks kind of cute. In a biting kind of way.

"You know what? Sure, you can keep him."

Curse his tender heart.

#writing #my writing #fic #my fic #clonetober2022 #drabble #star wars #twc #alpha-17 #commander fox #captain rex #i love dad alpha don't @ me #he's just doing his best #he loves his kids so much

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dragonrider9905 · 1 year

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Got Spirit, That One

CT-2224 sat at the table with CT-5576, CT-1010, and CT-3636, smirking over a drink of hot liquid.

“Whatcha looking at that’s got your attention, 2224?”

CT-2224 nudged his head over at the blond kid sitting alone at a table, playing disinterestedly with his food.

“Ya see that one? He’s got real spirit.”

“What’s so special about him?” 3636 asked.

1010 rolled his eyes. “ That mischief maker? No one can pin anything on him because no one has any evidence of anything or eyewitnesses, but we all know he’s responsible.”

5575 laughed, “Mischief? That one? He’s always so serious and studious though! Plus, if the rumors are true, they kinda had it out for it.”

“He’s quiet.”

“There usually the ones you have to look out for.”

“Not just that,” 2224 broke in, “there’s more. I’ve seen him step in between a fight more than once.”

“How is that special? We do it all the time.” 5576 crossed his arms.

“Because he doesn’t just join the fight, dikuut, he actually stops them.” 1010 deadpanned.

“I think we should ask him to sit with us.” 2224 contemplated. “He has a hard time sometimes because of his hair. Some of the others, not to mention some of the Kami's, don't like that it's different. We set the example around here boys, what do you say?”

It was true; most of the other clones really looked up to the four cadets among a few others as leaders. They were set apart, respected, for their leadership and combat skills at such a young age. Recognizing this, they sort of took upon themselves the responsibilities of the ori’vode. Seeing qualities they practiced themselves reflected in another immediately drew 2224 to the cadet.

Most didn’t mind the kid’s hair, after all, he wasn’t the only one with the abnormality, but there were a few that would find room for fault with it. The Kaminoans mostly turned a blind eye because of his exceptional progress in all other areas. Some, though, said he was defective and tried hard to prove it to erase the dis-similar clone. Among the clones themselves it was overlooked…until it became a target for bullies.

CT-2224 remembered this kid. He had a firm jaw and always stood his ground. 2224 stepped in once when a trainer was bullying him. When it came to other cadets, he wasn’t like the others that would cower in the face of a bully or hit back immediately. No, this kid was smart. He’d try to get out of the bullying by smart comebacks then strike his opponent. And he usually only needed one. But when it came to the trainers, that was another story entirely.

The trainers were a give and take situation. Some just taught and disappeared. Some were good teachers and mentors. Some were cruel in every aspect except the useful information they’d pass to the boys for their survival. The level of cruelty would vary from just training sessions to training and personal encounters.

This was one of those times.

2224 had seen him around but never like this.

The boy was on the ground heaving for air, lip bleeding, defiance in his eyes and fist clenched, but 2224 saw something else in the kid for the first time ever. Fear. And that is when he stepped in. The boy nodded his solemn thanks back but that was it. For a while.

The kid kept popping up here and there, and each time 2224 would become more and more impressed. He never had to step in again, and often wondered if it would be welcome. After all, the blond could take care of himself…but it was nice to know you’d have backup.

Then came the incident and the rumor.

It was said one of the bounty hunter’s threatened one of the cadets from this kid’s batch and he took it personally. Everyone liked this cadet. He was kind and good humored. The blond was often seen sitting with him and talking to him.

It was said that the bounty hunter took the cadet by the throat and held him over the tumultuous waves of Kamino. In the middle of the night, the bounty hunter’s room was broken into. All his things were taken and he was cuffed to his bed in his pajamas. Nothing was ever recovered. His ship was also damaged in the engines and wiring. And no one knew who did it–though it was rumored it was the blond menace.

2224 smirked again, remembering. He had to give it to the kid. He was fiercely loyal. He wouldn’t mind having another friend like that.

————————

CT-7567 peaked over his tray that was still mostly full, even though he’d been sitting there for a good twenty minutes already, and saw a group of cadets heading his way.

He groaned and rolled his eyes.

Not again.

“What do you want.”

He kept eye contact with the food. He really wasn’t in the mood today. He swore if one of them said the tiniest thing out of line…

“We saw you were sitting alone. Can we sit with you?”

That got his attention real fast.

“Um, sure.”

7567 took in the group. One, the leader he presumed, had half a smirk on his face while he took a seat next to him. The jovial one with a stupid grin on his face took his other side. The grumpy one sat across from him and the other cadet with the disinterested face sat next to him.

“I’m 2224,” 7567 turned to shake his hand and then recognition crossed his face.

“Oh, you’re…”

“This,” 2224 continued in a light tone, “dikuut is 5576. The sour-pout…”

“Hey.”

“Is 3636. And the other sour-pout is 1010.”

1010 rolled his eyes.

“I’m 7565. Soooo why are you here?”

2224 laughed. “Because we want to be. We’re vode, remember? Why are you sitting by yourself? You usually sit with another cadet during this meal before the next class, if I’m not mistaken.”

7565 made a sour face. “He’s…he has a medical appointment.”

“Ah, fun.”

2224 made an understanding face while the other three didn’t mind sharing their disgust. “Is it Mistress Kai?”

“Yup.”

“Poor trooper.”

“Yeah.”

No one liked Mistress Kai. She was the worst critique of them all and the itchiest finger for decommissioning. No wonder the kid was upset today.

“Say,” 2224 continued, “after classes and training today, want to hang out?” He clapped 7567 on the shoulder. “I’m getting kinda tired of these three and could use an ally against them. What do you say?”

7567 smirked and extended his hand for a Mandalorian handshake. “Sounds like a deal.”

“Good, I finally have someone with wits on my side.”

3636 growled and shook his head. “Don’t let 2224 there,” he nudged his head in the boy’s direction, “lead you astray. He’s a wiley one. So. Much. Trouble. If you can talk his language, talk him OUT of the stupid-ass idea he has for our training session. I’ll be forever indebted to you.”

“Language.”

3636 ignored 2224.

7567’s eyes sparkled and he laughed. “I’ll try, 3636, just for you.”

1010 shrugged. “Here I was thinking you were orderly and rational like me. Please don’t tell me I’m the only one in the group with a sense of discipline.”

7565 shrugged back. “I’ll guess we’ll have to see.”

1010 actually cracked a smile. “I’ll hold onto my hope then.”

5576 looped his arm around 7567. “This is going to be a fun friendship, I can tell, and I already can’t wait.”

To tell the truth, 7567 couldn’t wait either.

————————

Cody ran down the halls of Kamino out of breath, darting in and out of rooms and pushing past vode as they were bustling into each other, prepping to head out for the first time ever. There was one particular vod he had to find before it was too late.

Blast this white armor. We all look the same.

He paused thinking about what he just said.

Cody was running out of time and was getting desperate. He headed to the hangar next.

“Rex! Rex! Where are you?”

He turned and still nothing.

“Rex, answer me you…”

Cody couldn’t finish his sentence. Fear gripped his heart. After all this time and training, the moment they were waiting for was finally here. The Jedi came and a whole garrison was heading to Geonosis for their first battle ever. Cody wasn’t assigned as he still had some training left to do. He was appointed Marshal Commander (him?!?! He still couldn’t believe it.) With that came extra responsibility and school…but Rex…Rex was assigned to the garrison to ship out. Cody just needed to say goodbye. To wish him luck. Force forbid he wouldn’t be one of the ones never to return.

Cody knew Rex was proud to be chosen to represent the clones in this first monumental battle and Cody was happy for him. He just wasn’t happy that he couldn’t go with him.

A blond haired emerged from a sea of dark, pushing past his brothers to where he stood.

“Cody!”

“I know you don’t have long, kid,” Cody grasped him by the arms, “I just…be careful. Okay? I want to see you back here in one piece.”

“I’ll be fine, vod.” Rex replied warmly.

“I know, just…” Cody spaced out, looking over Rex’s shoulder.

Rex’s small smile disappeared and he shook Cody. “Hey, vod, I’ll be back. Even though you’re not going to be there to protect me, I can handle myself fine.”

Cody smiled and ruffled the few curls he could of Rex’s shortly buzzed hair, “I know, kid, I taught you well. Everything you know, I taught you, how could you fail?”

Rex raised an eyebrow and his smile returned. “Sure. Whatever.”

A noise had both their heads turning.

“I, uh, gotta go.” Rex said disappointed. He was excited and afraid. Cody could tell and Rex knew it, so he didn’t even bother trying to hide. Cody always knew anyway. He was his ori’vod. Rex hoped he would live to come back and tell Cody all about it, what he saw and did, but there was no guarantee in war.

Without a second thought, Rex pulled Cody into a keldabe.

They stayed like that for a few moments, neither moving or wanting to break the spell of the moment.

Cody felt Rex shift back but he gripped him into a full hug. Protecting this kid for so long, and now he had to go. Cody wasn’t ready to let Rex grow up just yet though. He always knew it would happen but, when the moment came, he couldn’t just accept it.

“Come back, little brother. That’s an order.”

“Now I have to. I can’t disobey the great Commander Cody.”

Cody knocked Rex on the backside of his head with a chuckle.

“Dikuut.”

“Good to know you care.”

“Nah, not at all. I just need someone to save me from Gregor’s antics and Fox’s and Wolffe’s grumpiness.”

Rex smiled and turned to go.

“I’m going to miss you too. See you, vod. I’ll be sure to tell you all about it. Don’t have too much fun without me. ”

Rex placed his helmet on his head and turned to go, vanishing in the sea of white.

Cody smiled fondly and proudly at his brother. He was going places, that Rex, and he was so happy he could be there for him in those moments.

Cody was glad he sat at Rex’s table so long ago.

#captain rex #commander cody #commander wolffe #sw tcw #commander fox #captain howzer #(mentioned)#brothers #clonetober2022 #fluff and humor #mischief Rex #Rex is serious but also a troublemaker #brotherly banter #fanfic #star wars

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not-that-syndrigast · 1 year

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Hunter and Crosshair remind me of something but i cant place it (maybe they remind me of myself...)

For me they grew up especially close as young kids, obviously the batch was always close but i can just see them attached by the hip all their not very long childhood long, partially because hunter always was the leader, partially because Crosshair was not very fond of other clones even.

Also; i feel like crosshair never quite fitted in, when i first watched clone wars with my sister she thought he wasnt even a clone, a nice unique thought at first but then again, wouldnt he like to fit in? Be like his million perfect brothers? He acts self-confident but is he?

And i guess, even in his batch he didnt feel like he belonged 100%, his big brother hunter was there but something missed, still crosshair took great importance to hunter (obviously never admitting it)

And then hunter left with that random kid. His closest friend, his brother had left him behind. He didnt want to kill them but he wanted them to be on his side and he thought he would atleast fit into the empire, that the empire was the missing thing.

Or hes just a bastard and i am projecting 😋

#crosshair #the bad batch #bad batch season 2 #hunter bad batch #clonetober2022 #clone wars #star wars #headcanon #Crosshair deserves better #arc trooper echo #bad batch tech #wrecker bad batch #omega bad batch #Sad batch #crosshair headcanon #Clone brothers #Why am i making myself sad

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tussilagoart · 2 years

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For those of you who took their time to find all the clones. Here’s the checklist!

And yes. All names are in Aurebesh. Can you translate them all?

#sw the clone wars #clones #clonetober2022 #tcw #clone art #the clone wars #star wars art #Star Wars the clone wars #art #fanart #the clones #sw fanart #star wars #my art #tussilagoart #clonetober

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derickbatista31 · 1 year

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Buzz

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laz-laz-ace-pilot · 2 years

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Saw the prompts for Clonetober and had to give the were(creature) prompt a go!

Echo? It's me... it's Fives!

When the brother you thought was dead is actually alive but... different to how you remember.

#clonetober2022 #arc trooper Fives #arc trooper Echo

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karlyanalora · 2 years

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The Way You Shake & Shiver

Read on AO3

The Coruscant Guard has Force Visions every night. From who or why they’ll never know. But when they close their eyes, they see General Anakin Skywalker leading their brothers in blue against the Jedi Temple, leaving bodies in their wake. The General’s eyes are yellow.

And if it isn’t him they see, the abomination of cloth and steel that calls itself Darth Vader haunts their dreams. They see the crimes he commits through their own eyes, and yet they never move to stop him. They watch him snap the necks of those they love and those they hate.

They tell no one, of course. But sometimes you can see the symptoms…

Dogma’s gone. Tup may have been folded into Torrent, surrounded by brothers who know and love him, but nothing will change that fact. Rex sometimes sees Tup, smiling wide, turning to share the moment with someone who isn’t there. He catches the flash of bone-deep hurt on Tup’s face before it blends into a more subdued, tight smile.

Tup’s got batchmates in the Coruscant Guard. It’s his first leave on Coruscant and he wants them to be there for his first visit to 79’s. But none of them can make it. They’ve all got patrol, no free time at all, and Rex knew Fox was a hard taskmaster, but this was insane.

“Come on, Fox,” he scolded. “Let them have one night off, you hardnose.”

Fox is more grim-faced than ever, arms tightly folded over his chest. His mouth is a hard thin line. “You called me to complain about scheduling?”

“Tup’s lost his whole original squad. He could use some time with his batchmates. Surely their desks won’t complain if they’re gone for a few hours.”

Fox looked like he wanted to say something, but changed his mind. “Fine.”

Rex grinned, “Thanks, Fox. Knew I could count on you. It was lovely chatting, but duty calls.”

There’s a glimpse of disappointment on Fox’s face and Rex feels a flare of anger. What does Fox have to be disappointed about? He’s got the nice cushy job where no one ever dies. It’s not Rex’s fault he doesn’t have time for lengthy chats over the holo. And it’s not like Fox ever reaches out.

The anger quickly vanishes at Fox’s tender smile. “It was good talking with you. Talk again soon?”

“Maybe if you can bare to part from your desk for a while, sure,” Rex teased. “You’ll know where I’ll be.”

Still, Rex wasn’t expecting Fox to accompany his shinies to 79’s. It’s nice, talking with his older brother as Tup caught up with his batchmates.

“Mind if I sit here?”

The whole table fell silent. The CG shinies were openly staring. They’re probably gobsmacked to meet the Hero With No Fear in person since they have time to watch all those holovids. Honestly, Rex is miffed to see Anakin here. You come to 79’s to get away from it all, including the Jedi. But he’s not going to tell Anakin that.

“Sure,” Rex shrugged and Anakin slid into the end booth.

The shinies are craning their necks to get a good look at him, but Rex noted they looked a bit pale. Fox leaned forward to stare intently into Anakin’s eyes. “They’re blue,” he said evenly.

Anakin frowned. “Um, yeah?”

Fox leaned back and casually swirled his drink. The silence stretched on and Tup looked back and forth between his brothers and his general, just as confused as Rex.

“Don’t everyone talk at once,” Anakin joked. He frowned again and gestured to one of the shinies. “You alright, trooper? You’re shaking pretty badly.”

Now that Rex was looking, he could see all shinies were shaking. “Nothing sir,” the one stammered out. “Just cold.”

Anakin was getting agitated. “Look, don’t lie to me. This place is roasting even by my standards, so what-”

“We’ve heard rumors, sir,” Fox said smoothly, “of a new Sith on Coruscant.”

“Nonsense!” Anakin said. “We’d know if there was.”

Fox shrugged. “They’re just rumors, sir. A humanoid made of black metal and cloth with a strange helmet who reminds you of Grievous when he speaks and has a red lightsaber. Calls himself Darth Vader. Do you know anyone like that?”

Anakin shook his head. “Is that what’s got you all worked up? There is no ‘Darth Vader’.”

Fox rubbed his neck. “Of course, sir. Forgive my men; ghost stories always seem more real after a shift in the lower levels.”

Rex and Tup both know that’s not it, but Anakin seemed content with the explanation. “I’m sure there’s ways to make a stolen lightsaber red, but the thing you’ve got to look for is the eyes. The Sith, they’ve got yellow eyes.”

The shinies started to shake even worse and Rex rolled his eyes. What a bunch of scared tookas; good thing they were Guard. They’d never last a day in battle.

From the corner of his eye, Rex saw a disgruntled Obi-Wan enter the bar. The rest of the patrons were starting to get annoyed by the incursion into their sacred space and Rex desperately hoped Anakin would get the hint. Obi-Wan spied them and shouted over the din. “Anakin. Meeting. Now!”

Anakin rolled his eyes and stood with a groan. “Pleasure meeting you all, but duty calls.” He left his drink at the table and Rex wondered if he was going to have to pay for that. The whole table watched Anakin leave and slowly conversation returned.

“Be careful with that one,” Fox said softly. “I’ve got a bad feeling about him.”

Rex bristled. “Anakin is a good general.”

Fox sighed. “You always were loyal. But tell me, if his eyes ever started to go yellow, would you still follow him?”

“They won’t.” Rex said, biting back his anger at the suggestion.

“Alright, alright,” Fox placated. “It wasn’t a fair question. We’re clones; we’re supposed to follow orders. You don’t, you’re dead and everyone you knew gets put through the wringer.” Fox stared at his hands. “I just wonder at what point you stop and say, ‘No, I won’t.’”

“If it’s wrong,” Rex said firmly.

“But how do you know if it’s wrong if you’re general holds all the cards?”

That hit too close to home and Fox knew it. Rex stood abruptly. “This conversation is over,” he growled out. Tup jerked his head up to look at him, confused, and Rex forced a smile. “Duty calls, but you boys have a fun night.”

Rex was halfway to the door when Fox called out. “I love you, Rex.”

Such words of brotherly affection weren’t all that uncommon at 79’s, but Fox hadn’t been drinking. “Love you to, you sheb.” Rex yelled back. There was drunken laughter all over the bar in response. Rex’s looked back at Fox one last time to see Fox watching him with despair, his hands shaking with the telltale signs of an adrenaline crash.

#whumptober2022 #no.7 #the way you shake and shiver #star wars #fic #clone wars #clone trooper tup #captain rex #commander fox #anakin skywalker #clonetober2022 #night out

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