(Clone Wars) Captain Rex x Reader: Galaxy Between Us
Author’s Note: Started this because of that Justin Bieber song “Ghost of You,” and so here we are. Wow, did I miss writing for our favorite captain!!! It felt really good to write something for Clone Wars again.
Description: Reader is back home missing Rex, who is out protecting the galaxy with the rest of the 501st battalion. It had been a while since she heard from him, so she decides to do something out-of-the-ordinary.
Word Count: 2,206
Warnings: Some angst, some kissy-kissy.
There were a million and one things that reminded you of him. Sometimes, it was a scent in the air. Other times, it was some Republic propaganda posted on the front of buildings. Maybe it was a romantic holomovie, or even just the sight of a happy couple passing by you on the street.
Soldiers of the GAR that stopped by brought a mix of emotions. It was very hard to think about other tasks when you saw his face on each of them all day every day. And yet, greeting them when they entered the shop lifted your spirits. They were his beloved brothers, and taking care of them was your way of giving back to him. It was all you had left when he was gone, and you were sure to do your best.
As if these reminders weren’t enough, it wasn’t uncommon for your brain to throw a random memory into the forefront of your thoughts- just to send that familiar pang through your chest once again. You’d remember a time you made that stern face of his crack a smile. You’d remember a heart-racing kiss shared in private. Or a warm embrace before he departed for the latest assignment.
This time, it was a flower that caught your attention while you walked through the market on your lunch break. The white lily had a distinct blue stripe down the middle of each of its delicate petals. It was so reminiscent of a certain captain’s painted armor that you halted in your tracks.
You stared at it, shoulders slumped and head lowered, and already doing the math in your head to see if you had the funds to purchase the lily, but all you could see was the image of Rex standing tall and sure in his full armor.
“Excuse me,” you spoke up, glancing over with teary eyes toward the vendor. “I’d like this one, please.”
“That’ll be fifteen credits.”
You made the exchange and accepted the potted plant into your arms carefully like it was an infant. The trot home was a little cheerier than the schlep downtown first thing in the morning. The sun was shining, at least, and you carried another piece of him back with you. Of course, the plant would brighten the room, but it wouldn’t take the ache away like you needed. You still sat on your couch that evening, staring at it, wondering what Rex was doing at that very moment. Was it day there? Was it night? Was he in the heat of battle, or laying down on his bunk for some much-needed rest? Was he safe? Or did Skywalker have him in the midst of danger yet again with one of his wild plans that Rex was always telling you about?
Ugh. You wished you knew. It wasn’t uncommon for Rex to fall out of contact for days or even weeks, but the wondering still got to you sometimes.
Seven o’clock.
You’d been mulling over different scenarios for two hours.
Something had to change.
A thought came to you. It was so crazy that you almost laughed aloud at the prospect. But part of you grasped onto the idea and turned it over and over until it gradually sounded less insane. There were several obstacles you’d have to overcome to put the idea to action.
First, there was the matter of finding out where in the galaxy Rex was. He could be anywhere from a war-ravaged planet in the outer rim to a senator’s ship escorting them for official Republic business. The possibilities were endless. But there was a way to narrow down your search if you truly wanted. Without getting your hopes too high, you pulled out your comm device and started typing a specific frequency.
“Fives,” you greeted with a smile. “How goes it?”
“Oh you know, _______, just the usual ARC trooper stuff. Ya know, because I’m an ARC trooper now.”
You chuckled. “Congratulations, again, on your promotion.”
“So, what do I owe for the pleasure of this call?”
“Well, I’ve got a teensy favor to ask.”
“Anything you need.”
“I realize that this is highly confidential information, but…can you tell me where the 501st is?”
- - - - - - -
Your heart was beating a million beats per minute. Your skin glistened with sweat, and though you tried to put an end to the tapping of your foot, you still found yourself doing it repetitively the moment you stopped paying attention. Your carry-on bag was getting heavier by the second, but you were too worked-up to set it down.
If only the line would move faster.
You’d been waiting for fifteen minutes already while the traveler a few spaces ahead of you organized their paperwork. Surely, it wasn’t too much to ask that they had handled this stuff before boarding time? You took a deep breath, knowing full well the true reason for your impatience.
You couldn’t wait to see him. To see the look on his face when you showed up unannounced to where he was stationed. Things seemed to fall into place the moment Fives told you that the 501st was currently occupying a planet that had just been relieved of Separatist control. They were seeing to the planet’s recovery and maintaining order for a short time before another battalion arrived. Civilian travel to and from the planet had been opened up, which was perfect for what you had planned.
After ending the comm with Fives, you threw together toiletries and some clothes in an overnight bag before busting out the credits you’d been setting aside for some time now. Booking an off-world transport on such a short notice would be expensive, so you took the entire stash to be safe.
The arrangements had been made in a hurry, and after that, it was just a matter of waiting. Waiting to board the transport. Waiting to arrive at the station to get on another transport. Waiting to finally get to your destination and book yet another transport to wherever Rex was.
It was exciting, but also terrifying. There were a few negative “what ifs'' along with the positives. What if you don’t find him and get lost instead? What if something happens on the way? What if you get there and he isn’t happy to see you?
Your nerves were all over the place by the time it was finally your turn to board. You handed over your paperwork with shaky hands, but released a deep breath when you were granted clearance to go on. This was it. It was actually happening.
A few hours into the trip, you calmed down. The jitters subsided, and you were able to preoccupy yourself with some activities. Reading through an entire holobook was first on the list. People of all shapes and sizes surrounded you. Part of the journey was spent wondering what their stories were. Who were they on their way to see? Friends? Family? Or perhaps they were starting a new life elsewhere?
- - - - - - - -
“What a day,” you muttered to yourself as you studied the map on the board in front of you. You’d just arrived. The trip felt so long, but you’d do it all over again. You were that much closer to seeing Rex… There was just one more obstacle before you: figuring out where the heck he was on this planet.
It was plain to see that the place had been a warzone. The port itself was in bad shape with walls chipping and areas sectioned off with caution tape. There were cracks in the floors and even piles of rubble that hadn’t been cleaned up yet.
An unmistakable shade of blue caught your eye, and you tore your tired gaze from the map to follow it. It was a soldier from the 501st! You were ready to waltz right up to him to ask for directions when you saw another, but he was someone you recognized instantly.
“Jesse?”
He saw you and smiled, waving you over. You laughed in relief at the familiar face as you hurried over. “Jesse! Aren’t you a sight for sore-?” But your sentence was cut off when another trooper came into view. You saw the cropped, blonde hair first. He locked eyes with you and halted, mid-step.
“________?”
“Rex.” The stress of the trip melted away as he hurried over to meet you. Normally he was very careful about any sort of public display (he had a reputation to uphold as Captain), but he already had a gloved hand on your arm as if to pull you closer into his space while the other went to your shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, eyes wide. You’d never seen him look so surprised, and you had to admit, it added to your joy. You grasped the armor on his forearm and relished in the fact that the Rex in front of you was real and not just a memory.
“I wanted to see you,” you answered, blinking away tears.
“This is still technically a warzone,” he said seriously, as if you hadn’t realized that before showing up. You shook your head affectionately at him.
“Don’t tell me you’re not happy to see me.”
“Of course I’m happy to see you.” His eyes sparked as he drew in closer, and his voice lowered. “I mean, how could I not be? I’m just…I can’t believe you’re here.” He pulled back and turned to Jesse. The incredulous expression on his face was enough to make you chuckle. “So this is why you insisted I come down here?”
You followed Rex’s gaze toward his comrade, confused. “But how did you know? I didn’t tell anyone I was here.”
“Fives gave me a heads-up,” Jesse replied with a smirk. “He was worried about you coming out here by yourself, but didn’t want to spoil the surprise for Rex.”
You grinned back. “Thank you.”
He gave a shrug, and the mischievous smirk softened as he nodded his head in the other direction. “Now, why don’t you two get on out of here before you make a big scene? I’ll finish things up here.”
“Jesse,” Rex shook his head. He had that look on his face, like he was trying to be stern but could barely contain the slightest hint of a smile. That was the look he saved especially for his brothers at times like this.
“I know, I know. I’m awesome.”
Rex glanced around to make sure that there weren’t any bystanders paying close attention to your rendezvous. Just to be safe, he straightened himself up and spoke to you using his Captain voice.
“This way, Ma’am. I’ll help you find a place to stay.”
“Thank you, trooper.”
With his hand ever-so-lightly resting on the small of your back, he guided you through the port until you both reached the exit. Citizens were going back and forth, none paying you any mind. The rest of the city was in the same condition as the port, with collapsed buildings and ruptured roads. There were construction droids all over the place cleaning up the mess.
“What made you decide to come here?”
You glanced at his profile. His face was scrunched up in thought as if he couldn’t grasp what brought you here. “I missed you.”
“You missed me,” he repeated.
“Yes, I missed you. And besides, you’re always visiting me.”
He steered you down another street. This one, you noted, was empty. It was still abandoned for the most part since the disaster hit. You looked once more at Rex, wondering if he’d taken you this way on purpose. He slowed his pace until the two of you stopped at the street corner. Rex’s gloved hand reached up to tilt your face towards his. “________…” he whispered. “When I woke up this morning, I had no idea I’d be seeing you today. It’s wonderful.”
Your eyes fell closed as he leaned in, his breath fanning your face. “Oh, Rex. It doesn’t matter if there’s a galaxy between us. I love you.”
He closed the small space between you, locking his lips with yours. You would’ve thought that he couldn’t go another moment without kissing you by how fervently he deepened the kiss. His arms wove around your form, crushing you against his cuirass. You melted into his touch and poured your affection into the kiss. A million and one daydreams you’d had of this moment were quickly put to shame. Rex pulled away to gaze into your eyes. The sun was setting behind the buildings, casting an orange glow on the sky. Dust and other particles floated through the air. It was all so dreamlike that you nearly pinched yourself.
“Let’s get you settled,” Rex launched into protective captain mode. “I’d feel better if you stayed somewhere near the base. We may have the Seppies on the run, but there are still troublemakers out and about.”
You gently caught his hand before he walked away, giving it a squeeze to get his attention. With heart racing, you smiled.
“In a minute. I think I need another one of these first…” And you pressed your lips against his once more, not missing the way his eyes softened as you leaned in.