Quinlan flops onto his cot in the tent he shared with his Commander, groaning as he does. Beast looks over at him curiously, but doesn’t stop cleaning his armour or asks Quinlan anything. Which is fine. Quinlan doesn’t need prompting. Unlike a certain redhead who needs not be named.
“Do you think Cody hates me?”
That got Beast to stop cleaning. Beast set aside his armour and raises an eyebrow, “Marshal Commander Cody?”
“The one and only.”
“Why would he hate you?” Beast was suspicious, which, Quinlan would like to be offended at, but Beast had been with him since the beginning of the war. Quinlan more than deserved the suspicion that he antagonized another person.
“He’s not reacting.”
Beast sighs, “Sir, stop being cryptic. That’s General Kenobi’s thing, not yours. What have you been doing to the Marshal Commander?”
“Flirting!”
“...” Beast doesn’t respond, instead he goes back to cleaning his armour.
“Beast-”
“Sir, I told you when Commander Bly got with General Secura. I will not be involved in your, or anyone’s lovelife.”
Quinlan had actually forgotten about that. Mostly because he didn’t really have a lovelife. But he nods, “I’ll go bug someone else.” Quinlan gets up and leaves the tent. It was the easiest option. He walks around the camp a couple of times, first looking for Obi-wan and Cody, both of who seem to be out scouting thankfully. The second time looking for Troopers who weren’t doing anything.
“Drark, Sung, I need to talk to you two.” Quinlan calls, the pair look up from their own conversation as Quinlan walks toward them and sits on a rock near the two.
“What about General?” Drark asks.
Quinlan pauses before launching into his own problem and instead asks, “You two don’t have a problem being involved in other people's love lives, right?”
Drark and Sung share a look, “Like, talking or-”
“Talking.” Quinlan cuts in, he doesn’t know how long Obi-wan and Cody are going to be gone and he’d like to talk before then.
Both Troopers shrug, “Fine.”
“Yeah, we’re fine with that.”
“Great. I think Cody hates me.”
“What does that have to do with your lovelife?” Drark asks.
“Yeah, I thought you were dating General Kenobi.” Sung adds.
“No. Want to, but no. I’ve been flirting with Cody, and he doesn’t really respond.”
“Sir, if you want to date General Kenobi, why are you flirting with his Marshal Commander?” Drark interrupts
“...I want to date both of them. Not important right now. Cody hasn’t been responding at all. Not telling me off, not reciprocating.”
Drark and Sung look at eachother before Sung begins, hesitantly, “Sir, does Commander Cody know you’re flirting with him?”
“Huh?” Quinlan was pretty sure he’s rather obvious with his flirting. Given that even Skywalker caught on to him flirting with Obi-wan.
Drark takes over, “It’s just, your flirting is sometimes…” Drark pauses and shrugs, “a lot of people think you flirt with Beast.”
Quinlan’s face twisted up in confusion and moderate disgust, “I don’t.” Beast was a friend, nothing more.And Quinlan didn’t want to be anything more.
“We know, Sir, but, the way you talk to the Commander makes those who don’t know Commander Beast very well think you’re flirting. If Commander Cody has seen how you interact with Beast, he might just assume that’s how you interact with all Commanders. Playflirting.” Sung shrugs.
Quinlan was now very confused. But before he could say anything, Drark states, “General Kenobi and Commander Cody are back.” Quinlan nods and stands up, and heads back to his and Beast’s tent.
But what Sung said was still stuck in his mind so, he asks, “Do I flirt with you?” Much to Beasts clear dismay.
“If you did I’d punch you.” Beast grumbles.
“Sung says it seems like I do to outsiders, that Cody might not know I’m flirting with him.”
“Sir.” Beast’s voice was hard and annoyed.
“Lovelife, got it.” Quinlan raises his hands and flops back on his bed, dropping the subject entirely. “How was the Sabacc game last night?”
----Time passes----
Obi-wan and Cody were heading back to Coruscant. Quinlan had said goodbye, and flirted a little bit with both Cody and Obi-wan, over holocall with Beast at his side. The 451st would be close behind them, a little under a day, but first they had to meet up with the 327th Star Corp. As they entered hyperspace, Beast pulled off his helmet.
“Sir, did you flirt with Commander Cody?”
“I thought you didn’t want to be involved in my lovelife?”
“I’m making an exception. Did you?”
“Yes?” Quinlan didn’t really see the point in the question. Was it not clear? Given Beast’s face, it might not have been.
“Sung is right. He doesn’t know you’re flirting with him.”
“How do you know that?” Beast looks at Quinlan like he’s an idiot.
“Sir, your flirtation to Commander Cody is only moderately more flirty than how you talk to me.”
Quinlan thought back, to both his flirting with Cody and his playful banter with Beast. And, he could admit, they are pretty similar. “Oh…” Quinlan wasn’t entirely sure how to proceed. Be more direct to Cody? Tone down the banter with Beast? Beast clearly doesn’t mind the banter now or else he would’ve told Quinlan to stop. Right? Beast did say he’d punch Quinlan if Quinlan started flirting with him, but would he? “You don’t mind how I talk to you, do you?”
“Sir, if I had a problem with you, you’d know it. But I would advise making it more clear to Commander Cody you’re romantically interested in him.” Quinlan scrunches up his face, unsure. “Sir?” Beast asks, clearly confused.
“I don’t want to... Flirting is one thing, Cody can ignore me, tell me to go to hell, or reciprocate. But if I outright… I don’t want to pressure him.” Quinlan knew that Jedi-Clone relationships weren’t that outthere. Hell, Aayla was in a very loving relationship with Bly, but, Bly made the first move in that relationship. According to Aayla at least. Which reminded Quinlan that he wanted to talk to Bly. A Jedi making the first move...it’s dangerous. The clone could feel pressured.
“Sir, it’s Cody. If he’s not interested, he’ll tell you to fuck off.” Beast rolls his eyes then puts his helmet back on. “I’m done talking about this.” Beast states, and starts to walk away, muttering, ”Way too much romantic bullshit.”
“I can hear you Beast. Oh, and remind me to talk to Bly when we meet up with Aayla.”
“Don’t care, and whatever.” Beast states at a normal volume, leaving the bridge.
