(For @clone-appreciation on her birthday because she’s a wonderful bean who does amazing art and deserves nice things!!!!! It’s just a short small thing but happy birthday and may the coming year be ten times better than the last one!!!!!)
Rex didn’t get shore leave on Coruscant almost ever. But after about a week of wrestling with the decision, he’d gone to General Skywalker about this problem. He, of all people, understood being away from someone you really loved.
Not that the general would ever say that, of course, but Senator Amidala was something of an open secret with Skywalker’s men.
So - Anakin had wholeheartedly agreed to take Rex with him the next time he was called back to the temple, and gave the captain three days of free shore leave before they’d be back in the fray again.
So now, here he stood - straight and proud, hiding the nervous twisting of his stomach, standing on the front porch of Ilse’s apartment. He even had flowers he’d gotten for her. After one more deep breath, he knocked on the door, and the three heartbeats between then and when she opened it felt like an eternity.
She didn’t say anything at first, staring at him wide-eyed in total shock. And it struck him again, as it did every time he saw her, that she had to be just about the most beautiful sentient in the entire galaxy.
“Hello, love,” he said softly, his eyes starting to water a little bit. “Happy birthday.”
And then, of course, she burst into tears (which was distressing) and threw her arms around his neck (which was significantly less distressing).
Rex laughed out loud and wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up to spin her around right there in the doorway.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming home!” she said, sniffing and wiping her eyes as she smiled up at him. “How did you -”
“The how’s not important,” he murmured, looking down into her eyes as he stroked her hair back from her face. “What matters is I’m here for the next three days, and I have yet to properly kiss you.”
He was a little taller than her, so she had to lean up a little bit - but when she brought her lips crashing against his the entire universe felt right. What was a little war, when he loved her like this? He kissed her back lovingly, running his hands through her hair.
“Oh,” he said, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “I forgot to mention - your art is the latest thing on Alderaan. I’d expect lots of commissions pretty soon.”
“It is not!” she gasped, smacking his shoulder lightly. “Really? Seriously?”
He grinned, nodding as he kissed her forehead. “Absolutely really.
For a second she rested her head on the chestplate of his armor, and neither of them could seem to stop smiling at all.
Once more, he leaned down - and lifted her chin gently with one hand to kiss her again. “Happy birthday, Ilse.”
