Based on Temuera Morrison's cover of Can't Take My Eyes Off You (originally by Frankie Valli)
Dedicated to @leapingbadger: Thank you for your continued support and wonderful comments! And for the lovely work of yours that you've shared 💛🦝
“That was the very… enthusiastic Hardcase and Jesse! Next up, we’ve got Gregor, and it looks like… Commander Cody is on deck!”
Cody’s eyes narrowed as he slowly turned to look at the booth full of his brothers. He’d gone to the bar to pick up the next round, and now there was at least one vibroblade in his back.
He focused his eyes on each man in turn, despite the light haze from the alcohol. Bly and Wolffe, he noted. He was going to kill those two in particular. Fox, Ponds, and Rex’ika looked innocent enough, but they were the ones with decent sabaac faces.
He lifted the tray the waitress had set before him, thanking her with a light nod, and took it back to the table of troublemakers.
Cody plopped back down next to Rex and knocked back the whiskey he’d gotten himself.
“Maker, Codes,” Fox deadpanned. “And I thought I had a problem.”
“Yeah, I thought you were supposed to sip that kind,” Rex agreed, looking far more concerned than the rest of Cody’s batch.
“If you jagyc’kovide are going to make me sing via public pressure,” he grumbled over Gregor’s mostly on-key singing. “I’m going to need at least two more.”
Bly barked out the bright laughter that earned him his name, and even Ponds cracked a smile.
Cody sighed as Gregor carried out the last few notes of his song. He knew that, despite all having nearly the same voice, some of the vode were better singers than others. He also knew that he was relatively okay.
Just as he went to stand, Bly practically climbed over Rex’s lap to shove Cody out of the booth.
The announcer called his name and loaded the song his bastard brothers had picked. At least it’s one I know, Cody thought.
He took a deep breath and sang, closing his eyes to ignore the hooting and whistles from his table.
You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you
You’d feel like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
The renewed shouting from his table drew his attention. As he opened his eyes, he realized–to his absolute horror–that General Kenobi had actually accepted the boys’ invitation for the first time.
Cody nearly stumbled over the lyrics and briefly contemplated darting for the nearest exit, but decided that would ultimately be far more embarrassing.
At long last, love has arrived
And I thank God I’m alive
You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you
General Kenobi stood at the table with General Skywalker, greeting each man in turn. Cody felt like he must be starring in the latest batch of horror holos the men were pirating as he watched a shit-eating grin spread across Fox’s face as he pointed up to the stage, and Kenobi’s eyes followed.
Cody was fairly certain that he was going to spontaneously combust, face aflame with embarrassment, but then his General smiled widely as they met eyes.
Something in him–call it stupidity or three glasses of whiskey–kicked him. This is your chance, it whispered. If he feels the same, he’ll tell you. If he doesn’t, it was just a stupid song your brothers picked.
He locked his eyes onto Kenobi’s, trying to keep from getting lost in the ocean-blue, even across the room.
Pardon the way that I stare
There’s nothing else to compare
The sight of you leaves me weak
There are no words left to speak
He tried to put every ounce of his heart into the song. Kenobi’s smile hadn’t faded. It was hard to tell in the low light of the bar, but Cody could swear Kenobi’s cheeks had darkened.
And if you feel like I feel
Please, let me know that it’s real
You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you
In a moment of bravery, he hazarded a wink before moving into the chorus.
I love you, baby
And if it's quite alright, I need you, baby
To warm those lonely nights
I love you, baby
Trust in me when I say
Oh, pretty baby, don't bring me down, I pray
Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay
And let me love you, baby, let me love you
Cody could definitely see a blush across Kenobi’s cheeks now as he moved closer to the stage as if under a spell. A part of him felt a little smug. He let himself grin as the song slowed down for the last verse.
You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you
You’d be like Heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
At long last love has arrived
And I thank Gods I'm alive
You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you
The patrons of the bar that had been paying attention clapped for him, but it all turned to white noise as he stepped down from the stage to stand face to face with his General.
“General,” he said, though it barely carried over the regular club music that picked up.
“Commander,” Kenobi answered, though Cody mostly read it on his lips. “Will you accompany me outside?”
“Of course, sir,” he answered.
He could feel all the nerves he should’ve felt over the past three minutes weigh down on his shoulders with each step to the exit.
The doors slid open, fresher air bursting into his face. Kenobi took a few steps out of the way of a few inebriated clones singing an old marching song. He paused as he looked around, noting the several passersby near them.
Kenobi scowled, then took Cody by the hand, leading him around the corner into an alleyway.
Cody felt his cheeks warm as he fully sobered, all bravado long gone. “Sir, I’m sorr–”
“Were you– I mean, you were looking at me, but– Cody, were you singing to me?” Kenobi breathed, turning to face him.
“Sir,” he mumbled, finding himself unable to form any further words.
“Don’t call me ‘sir’, not right now.”
Cody nodded gently, watching Kenobi carefully as he turned away and started pacing.
“Force, I can’t– no, I won’t put you in an uncomfortable position like this,” he said eventually.
Panic filled Cody’s mind. It had to be now; he could feel it in his bones. “I’m–”
“My Commander,” Kenobi finished for him. “And I’m your General– your commanding officer.”
Cody scowled. “But–”
“This is entirely inappropriate,” Kenobi continued. “Please, just go inside and enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“I just–”
“If you want a transfer or- or want me to leave, I will have it handled. Otherwise, please,” Kenobi finally turned to him, gently holding the sides of his arms. “Please, just forget that any of this happened.”
“Obi-Wan!” Cody half-shouted, startling both of them.
Obi-Wan looked stunned. “You’ve never used my given name before.”
Cody suppressed a smile. “I’m not in an uncomfortable position, and even if I was, you didn’t put me in it. I don’t care if you’re my commanding officer, I don’t want a transfer or to forget a single second of any time I’ve spent with you.”
Obi-Wan’s expression melted. “Cody…”
“Because I was singing to you, Obi-Wan,” he said. He stopped resisting all the urges he’d had from the moment he met Obi-Wan. His hand cupped Obi-Wan’s face gently, his thumb brushing across his cheek. “Maybe it’s a terrible idea, but… I don’t want to let that stop us.”
“Cody,” Obi-Wan breathed. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying…”
“I am.”
Obi-Wan smiled and let out a quiet huff. “If you are, then– Cody, this is… It’s dangerous, especially for you.”
“Do you love me?” Cody asked, trying to keep his voice even despite the way his heart was pounding in his chest. “That’s what I’m saying, cyare. I’ve loved you from the moment we met.”
Obi-Wan looked like he could melt. “Yes, I do,” he whispered. “I love you.”
The grin didn’t fade from Cody’s face, even as their lips met.
Thanks for reading! - River
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Content: Concussion/TBI, OC Clone Medics, Cody is a bad patient, so is Obi-Wan but he's not the focus here, I don't know if this is how the Force works ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, mutual pining, silly men
Mando'a Guide
Bev - needle, spike, pin; pronounced "bayve"; used here as a trooper's name
Cody had been staring at the ceiling for nearly an hour. He hated being concussed. How exactly was he meant to run a war if he was all but strapped to a medical cot and banned from using a datapad?
If nothing else, Cody was nearly bored out of his mind. He’d never been good at resting. Hells, he even got twitchy after too long at parade rest.
But per his chief medical officer’s orders, he was to “stay in this cot for the next twenty-four hours, or–so help me, maker–you won’t be able to get out of it again”. And per the General’s orders, he was to “listen to the medic, Commander, as he tends to be right about these things”.
His concussion didn’t make it easy to bite back the near-automatic comments calling his General hypocritical. Or traitorous. Or so kriffing pretty, with his hair glinting like copper and a smile that shone like a thousand stars, even while he was covered in dirt and debris.
It was a good thing Cody hadn’t opened his mouth.
He could hear the faint beeping of the vitals monitor attached to him quicken.
“Commander?” the medic assigned specifically just to watch him said, looking up from his own work on his datapad. Lucky. “You alright?”
“Fine, Bev,” he nearly groaned. “Just… antsy.”
Bev nodded. “Wish there was something I could offer you to do, but you heard Stat’s orders.”
“You don’t need to remind me,” Cody sighed.
“Bev, is this trooper behaving properly?” came General Kenobi’s voice as he appeared in the doorway. He’d gotten the chance to clean up, his dirty and torn robes traded out in favor of new ones, his ginger hair darkened slightly by dampness. “I know he tends to be a terrible patient.
Bev started to stand at attention, but the General waved him off.
“Yes, sir,” Bev said.
“Really?” Kenobi gasped. “Are you sure?”
“You don’t have to sound so surprised, General,” Cody said, rolling his eyes.
“You never cease to surprise me, Commander,” the General said, smirking at him for a precious moment before turning back to the medic. “Bev, would you mind giving us the room?”
Bev looked like he wanted to melt onto the floor. “Sorry, General,” he breathed. “You’re not to be left alone with the Commander. Stat’s orders, sir.”
Cody stifled a laugh.
“Did he mention a reason?” the General scoffed.
“Yessir. He said that the likelihood of you staging a jailbreak was too high for the Commander’s current condition.”
Cody snorted.
“Oh, hush, you,” General Kenobi threw over his shoulder. “Perhaps we can come to some sort of a compromise. May we have the room if you stand guard at the only exit point?”
Bev thought about this, staring hard at the General for a moment, then at Cody.
“Stat’s break is over in twenty minutes,” he said. “Think you can talk about… whatever you need to talk about by then, sir?”
“Oh, yes, I imagine that should be sufficient,” Kenobi relented easily. Cody was fairly certain that it was longer than he would’ve haggled for.
“Alright,” he finally said, standing to move to the door. “But if Stat comes back angry, I will throw you under the LAAT, sir.”
“I would expect nothing less,” the General grinned.
They watched as Bev left the room, the door sliding shut behind him.
“Well then,” General Kenobi said, turning back to Cody, who was already halfway out of the bed. “What are you doing?”
Cody froze. “Sir?”
“Get back in that bed, Cody,” Kenobi chided. “What are you thinking?”
Cody stared at him. “Honestly, sir, I thought you were staging a jailbreak.”
The General chuckled as he came closer, gently prodding at Cody until he returned to the resting position he’d been ordered into.
With the General standing so close to him, Cody could smell the warm, woodsy scent of the General’s soap. He longed to lean closer to breathe it in as he pressed soft kisses against his collarbone, to taste the GAR regulation toothpaste not on his own tongue, but on–
“Commander,” Kenobi said, breaking Cody away from his forbidden fantasies.
“Sir?” he hummed, still blinking away an imagined image of his General writhing beneath his touch.
“Your thoughts are rather…loud.”
Cody froze. The heat that had been slowly leaking into his veins flooded his face and neck instead. “Sir, I-I cannot apologize enough.”
“Cody–”
“The concussion must be affecting my mental shields–”
“Cody.”
“–But there’s no excuse to be thinking such inappropriate– Stars, sir, I–”
“Commander, please!”
The rest of Cody’s rambling apology died on his tongue as he met the General’s eyes again. Minute amounts of relief flashed through him as he saw the soft smile on his lips. The smile widened as Cody shoved down another thought about the action he’d like to take with those lips.
“Cody, please don’t be so upset with yourself,” General Kenobi said kindly. “You’re not the first trooper I’ve accidentally… overheard.”
Cody wanted to crawl into the nearest trench and stay there until he either died or went mad enough that he didn’t feel embarrassed about anything.
“I am curious… You mentioned mental shields,” the General continued. “I thought all clones were Force-null.”
“We are, sir,” he nodded. Okay. This was okay. He could talk about training. That was normal. “General Ti attempted to teach many of the CC’s to create mental shields in case we were to be captured by Sith. It proved to be exhausting to teach so many of us, even with General Ti’s seemingly endless patience.”
“Have you been shielding the whole time we’ve known each other?” General Kenobi asked, voice barely louder than a whisper.
“I– well, yes, sir. I have,” he said awkwardly. “I didn’t want to run the risk of distracting you.”
He let the second thought, “because my mind cannot shut up about how kriffing pretty you are,” go unsaid.
The General was quiet, only breathing out a quiet “I see,” while staring at the far wall, his hand absently stroking through his beard.
If the General heard Cody’s thoughts about his beard, he showed no obvious response.
“I-I’m sorry, sir,” Cody said, cringing internally at the awkward tone. “I can try to find a way to strengthen them.”
The General finally turned back to him, moving to perch himself on the edge of the bed. “No, that’s– that’s not necessary, Cody. If you want to keep your shields and that makes you most comfortable, please do, but… but just know that you don’t need to hide from me.”
The General gave him another smile, sending the warmth returning to Cody’s chest. The things Cody would do just to see that smile.
“General, I–”
“Perhaps you could call me Obi-Wan,” he said, reaching out his hand to rest on top of Cody’s. “I do call you Cody, after all, and I’d like to think, if nothing else, that we’re friends.”
That was the final straw. Cody was dead. He had to be. He didn’t know if he believed in anything happening after you died, but he must have done something in his minuscule life span right. How else could he possibly end up sitting here, with the only person he ever had loved–or ever would love aside from his brothers–even showing the smallest hint of reciprocation?
“Yes, si– Obi-Wan,” he breathed, terrified that if he was any louder, the beautiful visage of Obi-Wan sitting before him, smiling at him–for him–might fade away. “We are. Ah, friends, that is.”
Obi-Wan–maker, he loved the way that sounded in his mind, let alone from his mouth–smiled again and ducked his head a little. “That’s good to hear.”
“I, um, can you still… hear me?” Cody asked, unsure what he’d rather the answer be.
Obi-Wan shook his head. “Not at the moment,” he said. “I put my own shields up in case you’d prefer your thoughts to remain private while you heal.”
Cody nodded. That was likely for the best. He sort of felt like he wasn’t entirely in control of his thoughts at the moment. He didn’t care for it, even if he hadn’t spilled some of the thoughts he wouldn’t normally let see the light of day.
“And it’s not exactly like hearing, per se,” Obi-Wan said. “It’s more like putting your ear against a wall to hear into the next room. I’d get parts and pieces rather than everything exactly as it's being said.”
He had that look that he often got when he was crafting a lecture in his mind. Obi-Wan seemed to enjoy explaining how different the universe was for him as a Jedi, and Cody loved listening to him.
“What if I wanted you to hear it?” Cody heard himself saying before he could think better of it. “To hear everything?”
Obi-Wan’s eyes snapped back to him, brows almost disappearing beneath the flop of hair that tended to fall in his eyes.
Kriff it, he thought, though his body was already in motion,
Obi-Wan gasped lightly as Cody brushed the hair away from his eye, letting Cody’s hand gently caress his cheek before returning to his own space.
“Are you certain that’s what you want?” Obi-Wan whispered. “I’ve heard that it’s rather intense for Force-null individuals, and can be confusing if you can’t separate your own thoughts from–”
“I’ll hear you?” Cody hummed. He couldn’t think of anything he’d want more, aside from Obi-Wan himself as a whole.
“Well, yes,” Obi-Wan chuckled nervously. “It’s more like a comm than a listening device.”
“Yes.”
“Cody–”
“I want to,” he clarified, then added, “If nothing else, it might make strategy meetings more efficient.”
Obi-Wan laughed, the bright sound reaching down to Cody’s soul. “Ever the commander,” he murmured fondly.
Once Obi-Wan had guided him into a comfortable position, he’d started quietly counting up to ten, then back down again, his voice soft and his tone even, until Cody felt like he was almost drifting off to sleep.
As if he were in a dream, Cody found himself standing before The Negotiator’s bridge, taking a deep breath before stepping through the threshold, following after Alpha.
“General Kenobi, sir,” Alpha said. “This is CC-2224, your new commander.”
Cody felt as though the ship and everything within it came to a halt.
General Kenobi turned as Alpha addressed him, his eyes–maker, they were so blue. Cody wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anything so blue–moving from his brother to him. His lips quirked up into a polite smile, but Cody thought it was beautiful nonetheless.
“A pleasure to meet you, Commander,” General Kenobi said. “Though I’d prefer a name rather than a number, if you do.”
“Kote, General,” Alpha smirked.
“It’s Cody, sir,” he replied automatically. “Alpha likes to mispronounce it.”
“Cody,” the General said, smiling around the word.
Cody was certain that if all he could hear for the rest of his life was the way General Kenobi said his name, he could die a happy man…
Obi-Wan was alone, legs folded beneath him on the small sofa, eyes closed while he meditated. A gentle tapping at the door pulled him back to the moment.
He pushed himself up, hands brushing at his robes and smoothing the light creases.
He keyed the door open to reveal Cody, still locked in on whatever report he was reading on his datapad, but holding up a ration bar.
It was the one with the orange wrapper. Obi-Wan often wondered if they were Cody’s own favorite, or if he just knew they were Obi-Wan’s.
“What is it?” Obi-Wan said, gesturing vaguely towards the datapad and taking the ration bar.
“Inventory,” Cody answered. “General, can you explain why you approved a fifty-pound crate of tooka kibble?”
“Yes, I imagine I could explain,” he smirked. “Though I doubt you’d like to hear it.”
Cody glanced up from his datapad, those warm brown eyes half-glaring at him. But there, behind the facade of annoyance, was that glimmer.
Obi-Wan had noticed it the first time they’d met; there was something in the Commander’s eyes that hinted at a blazing fire within him, driving him. He’d seen it in almost every trooper he’d encountered, but that look in Cody’s eyes… Obi-Wan couldn’t place how or why, but it always struck him as different from the others…
“It’s you,” Cody whispered, surprised to hear it come physically from his mouth. His eyes fluttered open, his face less than a foot away from Obi-Wan’s now.
“What is?” came Obi-Wan’s soft reply.
Cody leaned forward, letting his cheek brush against Obi-Wan’s.
“That fire in me? It’s you,” he murmured. “You are the best person I know, Obi-Wan, and just getting to know you pushes me to be better. Because…”
Obi-Wan’s breath caught.
Because I love you, came Cody’s thought, bursting forward through the Force like water through a broken dam.
Obi-Wan let himself be overwhelmed by the flood of Cody’s love for him. And I love you.
Thanks for reading! - River
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Content: everyone in the 212th are both Cody and Kenobi's wingmen, brotherly teasing, listen they are openly flirting in this one and Cody is being a disaster about it all, someone give Rex an award for dealing with this man
For @literallyjustanerd, based on this post
Mando'a Guide
shebs - ass
vod - brother/sister/sibling
Kote - glory; used here as Cody's real name before it was simplified to 'Cody'
taylir gar kovid olar bal jii - keep your head here and now
ibic linibar gar mirda - this needs your mind
ori'vod - big brother/sister/sibling
jetiise - Jedi (plural; singular is jetii)
“Come on, General!” a shiny shouted, not noticing Cody’s presence. “Kick his shebs!”
Cody leaned a little to see through the crowded troopers. On the practice mat he saw two men; one trooper, down to just his blacks - Boil, by the looks of it, and General Kenobi. He was in a simple tunic, plain colors, like most of his clothing. Sweat was dripping down his face, but he smirked as he spoke quietly to his opponent.
Cody suddenly felt that the room was far too hot, and his armor was too constricting.
“Sir,” one of the shinies near him squeaked as he noticed his commanding officer.
“Easy, vod,” Cody chuckled, waving him off. “Just here to watch.”
“Uh, yessir,” the trooper said awkwardly before turning back to watch the spar.
Cody stalked quietly behind the captive audience that encircled the mat, finding himself to be similarly enraptured with every movement the general made.
With the chaos of the battlefield and the stress of command, he never had the chance to truly witness the prowess for which his general was known.
It was certainly something to behold. The way he dodged Boil’s every move reminded him of a dance. The wicked, cocky grin plastered across his face reminded him–
“Commander!” someone shouted, fortunately before he could finish the thought.
Waxer rushed to him. “You’re up next, Kote,” he informed him with a wide grin.
“Not on your life, Wax,” he deadpanned, ignoring the stir of longing in his gut.
“C’mon, it’ll be’- ooh!”
Waxer’s urging was cut off by the way Kenobi slammed Boil into the mat, quickly wrapping him up in a hold that had Boil tapping out.
Waxer laughed, running over to help Kenobi pick his brother up from the mat. “You just won me thirty credits, General!”
“Glad to be of service,” Kenobi chuckled, idly wiping some of the sweat from his brow.
Time seemed to slow, the cheers and laughter from the gathered vode faded out. Right then, for Cody, there was only him and the general in this room.
Kenobi’s face was flushed from the effort, drops of sweat dotting his skin. He grasped Boil’s forearm with a grin, laughing lightly at something Waxer said.
He was brought back to the present by a rough hit to his shoulder.
He scowled at the offender.
“You should take a holo,” Gregor chuckled. “It’ll last longer.”
Cody smacked his arm. “Kriff off.”
“–suppose, if he’d be interested,” Kenobi said, coming up in front of him. His brow cocked as he eyed Cody with such an interest that he felt the tips of his ears go red. “Would you, my dear Commander?”
Cody blinked at him. “I’m sorry, sir?”
“Well, Boil and Waxer here have me quite convinced I should challenge you next,” Kenobi said with a smirk that made Cody feel like his heart was about to beat right out of his chest.
“I- I couldn’t, sir,” he said quietly.
“I can’t see why not,” Kenobi chuckled, then leaned in closer to him. Cody prayed to any supposed maker out there that the General couldn’t hear the way Cody’s breath froze along with his heart. “I’m reluctant to think that you’d be scared.”
Boil and Waxer sucked in a breath. Their eyes darted between their COs.
Cody huffed something like a laugh, already beginning to remove the armor from his arms. “Never, sir,” he smirked.
By the time Cody had shucked the last of the plastoid pieces from him, the General had toweled himself off and was getting a drink.
“Ready, General?” he asked. “To lose that is.”
Kenobi chuckled again. “Losing is no displeasure, my dear,” he grinned. “As long as I’m losing to you.”
If that hadn’t already stopped Cody in his tracks, what Kenobi did next certainly would have.
Just as Cody turned to face him, General Kenobi was freeing his arms of his tunic, tossing it off to the side in a messy heap.
While Cody was still breathless, Kenobi dropped into a starting stance, his arms held before him at the ready. He smirked and Cody was certain he was about to embarrass himself by going completely lightheaded before their match could even begin.
Taylir gar kovid olar bal jii, Kote, the echo of Alpha-17’s snarl rang through his mind. Ibic linibar gar mirda.
He readied himself, then nodded to Kenobi.
For a few moments, they only circled one another, both oblivious to the shouts and cheers from the watching crowd of soldiers. Cody would feign an attack, testing Kenobi’s reactions, and Kenobi moved swiftly enough that Cody was sure that he was at least partially relying on his connection to the Force.
“Care to actually make a move, General?” he smirked.
“Only should you stop teasing me, my dear,” Kenobi chuckled back.
Cody scoffed lightly, then shifted the position of his left arm, giving the General an opening.
The General took the opportunity, jabbing a sharp right hook in his direction, forcing Cody to take a step back, only to find they’d gotten closer to the edge of the mat than he’d thought.
His ankle rolled beneath him–sending a twinge of pain up his leg–but he managed to catch himself just in time to block Kenobi’s incoming hit.
Kenobi smiled as he looked Cody up and down. “Impeccable footwork,” he purred. “You could make an exquisite dancer.”
He nearly froze, if not for the growl of his ori’vod in the back of his mind, but offered his own blows toward his General.
The General parried them somewhat easily, moving back across the mat with the same grace that always somewhat distracted Cody on the battlefield. He wouldn’t let it now.
Cody kept on the offensive, hurling his fists towards Kenobi.
“Come now, Cody,” he said, slightly breathlessly. “You’re not going easy on me, are you?”
“What would make you think so, sir?” he asked just as he managed to wrap his arm around Kenobi’s neck, spinning and pulling Kenobi’s back tightly against him. “What do you believe I’ve done wrong?” he hummed into the General’s ear.
“No need to pull your punches, Commander,” he told him, his voice dropping dangerously low. “You know I can take more.”
Cody heard his own breath leave in a quiet huff and the next thing he knew he was on his back, his General over top of him.
Kenobi grinned at Cody’s shock ever so briefly before changing back into that somewhat cocky look of determination.
“Yield,” he whispered.
Cody stared at him for a moment, then made a… tactical decision.
He let his eyes drop to Kenobi’s lips, his tongue darting out to wet his own.
Kenobi gasped softly, his cheeks flushing an even deeper red than they’d been from the exercise.
That was his opportunity.
Cody flipped their position, flattening Kenobi’s chest against the mat. He wrapped his arm beneath the General’s with his hand on the back of his neck. His leg wove into Kenobi’s, pinning him firmly down.
“Ah, alright!” Kenobi muttered, struggling to free himself from the Commander’s grasp. “You got me– I yield,” he said, a bit louder to let their audience–that Cody had all but forgotten about–know the match was over.
A long beep sounded over the ship’s PA system, signaling the shift change. Cody could hear them leaving, laughing, bickering, and groaning about the coming work.
Cody rolled off his opponent, pushing himself up to his feet. Kenobi flopped onto his back and Cody got a proper look at him for the first time since their match started.
He was dewy with sweat, the fringe of auburn hair sticking slightly to his forehead. His face and ears were still tinted pink, though he wasn’t sure of the cause. It seemed the rest of his body was spotted with far more freckles than his face was, which was the realization that forced Cody back to reality.
“Good effort, General,” he smirked, offering a hand.
Rex: damn codes
Rex: havent seen you spar like that in a minute
Rex: gregor sent me the holovid
Cody: I can’t say I’m surprised by that.
Rex: no sound though
Rex: does kenobi always talk that much??
Rex: my jetiise say he does
Rex: curious about his smack talk
Cody: I’ve updated the spreadsheet.
Rex: cody you cant be serious
Rex: cody
Cody: Those are all perfectly reasonable suspicions.
Rex: skywalker talks shit all the time when we spar but not like THAT
Rex: no suspicions explain him talking to you like that
Rex: actually you know what
Rex: there is no heterosexual explanation for this
Cody: Don’t be ridiculous, Rex. You’re supposed to talk me into rationality, not feed into my delusions.
Event: While sparring in the gym, the boys goaded General Kenobi into challenging me. He proceeded to remove his shirt before we began and made comments throughout, including the following (verbatim): “Losing is no displeasure, my dear, as long as I’m losing to you.” “Impeccable footwork. You could make an exquisite dancer.” “No need to pull your punches, Commander. You know I can take more.”
Rational explanation: General Kenobi flirts with all of his opponents.-Distraction technique?-His idea of trash talk?-Is he just like that?
On reviewing the described event, Rex has requested I redact the former with the following comment: “There is no heterosexual explanation for this.”
Irrational explanation: General Kenobi meant what he said in exactly the way he said it
Additional notes: Is it actually an irrational explanation to assume he means the things he says?
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Cody had been hunched over his datapad at his desk for far too long, eyes endlessly scanning the seemingly infinite list of reports, documents, and maps. The light of his datapad was giving him a headache.
There was a knock at his office’s door.
“Yeah?” he called, not looking up from his datapad. “What do you need?”
“Not much at the moment, Commander,” Obi-Wan Kenobi smiled as the door slid open. “I thought you could use a pick-me-up while we review our plans.”
Cody thought he might’ve snapped his neck with how fast he straightened up.
“Apologies, General,” he said. “I was expecting Lieutenant Waxer before our meeting.”
“That’s quite alright,” the General said dismissively. “I’m early, but I brought you some tea.”
The Jedi offered a warm smile with the warm mug and Cody felt his face warm in response.
“Thank you, sir,” Cody muttered. His heart rate was elevated. That was just from the startle the General gave him, right? It definitely was not because the General was the most beautiful person Cody had ever seen.
“Of course,” the General said, sipping from his own mug, the picture of professionalism. “This is an Alderaanian blend; a gift from Senator Organa.”
Cody nodded as he took a sip. It was somewhat fruity with some kind of spice. It wasn’t bad, but Cody preferred caf anyway. “It’s very good. Thank you, sir.”
General Kenobi smiled and nodded, simply moving on to begin discussing the upcoming campaign.
Cody: It would be crazy to think that it was anything more than a kind gesture, wouldn’t it?
Rex: …
Rex: youre asking me if i think it would be crazy to think that your general gave you a cup of tea because hes in love with you
Cody: Yes.
Rex: and i thought you were the SANE one in your batch
Event: Brought me a cup of tea before a review of our battle plans for Ryloth operation
Rational Explanation: The General was extending a gesture of goodwill and cameraderie to build unit cohesion
Irrational Explanation: Acts of service are the General's love language and he wants to show me he will take care of me
Additional Notes: The tea was not from the standard ration packs and seems to have come from the General's private supply
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Content: the end of the war, clone rights are sentient rights, clones making their own government, a clone cadet accidentally parent-trapping Cody and Obi-Wan, Rex and Padmé getting so excited, both of them finally making a move
For @literallyjustanerd, based on this post
Mando'a Guide
Ara'gotenir Tolase - Clone System; essentially the government for the clones
Tsad'alor - group leader; something like a senator
verd'ika - private (like the rank, although is often used affectionally for a child as "little soldier)
orikih - tiny
aar'ika - little pain, sting
Gar cuy ori'jaon'yc bah ni, ratiin - You are important to me, always
jetii'dral - the Force (lit. Jedi power)
Ni kar'taylir gar suvarir mando'a, ner jetii - I know you understand mando'a, my jedi
The celebrations lasted several weeks. The ceasefire, peace agreement, and reintroduction to the Republic on the last CIS planet meant an official end to the war, almost exactly five years since it had begun.
And with the end of the war, the Senate passed the Clone Rights Bill unanimously, and included provisions for housing, work, and back pay, which no one outside the Senate knew about. Cody would never forget the sight of millions of brothers crying out in joy because they were finally free. No, he wouldn’t forget that for the rest of his life.
Cody was free, though he tried not to think about it very much.
The GAR wouldn’t be dissolved completely, but used for aid missions, security forces, and other projects as needed. The clones would be paid for their labor as well as a sum of credits for their service in the war.
Cody chose to remain in what they’d named the Ara’gotenir Tolase–though they usually just called it the AT–as a representative for those previously under his command. Really, they’d become something of a miniature Republic.
Cody tapped away at his datapad, sipping his caf.
“Tsad’alor Cody?” a small voice called from the doorway of his office.
He looked up to see a cadet, maybe only four or five. “Hello there. What can I do for you, verd’ika?”
The kid fidgeted, looking down at his boots.
Cody smiled and rose from his seat. “Why don’t you come in and sit down?” He gestured to the small seating area next to his desk. It was used more often for him crashing on the couch after working all night than it was for company, but he was happy for the change.
“Yessir,” the cadet said as he did, sitting somewhat awkwardly on one of the chairs, and Cody tried not to cringe at the way his “orders” were immediately followed.
“Try to relax,” he instructed as he sat on the couch. Not directly next to the boy, not far away. “I’m not a Commander anymore. You don’t have to use my rank or my title. You can just call me Cody, if you want.”
The kid nodded, but seemed to find the fabric of the chair far more interesting than Cody.
“What’s your name, brother?”
“I-I don’t have one,” he mumbled after a moment. “My… my batchmates call me orikih.”
Cody nodded. “But do you like to be called that?”
The boy shook his head immediately. “No, sir! I hate it when they tease me just ‘cause I came outta the tubes all shrunk!”
Cody’s brows lifted. He hadn’t expected the outburst.
“I’m sorry, si– um, Ori’vod,” the boy muttered.
“No need to apologize, verd’ika,” he smiled softly, scooching to the edge of his seat. “Can I let you in on a secret?”
It was the kid’s turn to look surprised. He nodded eagerly.
Cody leaned in closer, making a show of looking over his shoulders around his empty office. “I was the little one in my batch and–”
“Really?”
“Yes, I was very orikih, too,” he grinned. “But that’s not what my batchers called me.”
The cadet watched him with wide eyes. Cody felt his heart warm even more than it had when the boy had come in.
“They liked to tease me by calling me aar’ika,” he chuckled.
To Cody’s surprise and his utter joy, his little brother laughed. It was a wonderful, musical sound that he hadn’t heard in some time.
“They call you ‘little pain’?”
“They did! Alpha-17 even did for a while.”
The kid’s smile faded as he returned to his quieter nature. His brow furrowed a little, the same way all their vode did. “How did you make them stop?”
He smiled gently. “I won’t lie to you, verd’ika,” he said, very seriously. “They didn’t stop for a long time. Our batch’s twins–Fox and Wolffe–they’re more stubborn than an entire herd of banthas put together, but I did have someone on my side.”
Curiosity lit the boy’s face again. “Who?”
“It was Prime, himself,” a new voice called from the doorway. “And he gave him a new name: Kote.”
Cody nearly broke his neck, turning to see General Kenobi, leaning against the door frame. It had been nearly a year since he’d seen his old General in person, not that Cody had counted. Cody felt like he’d been sent back in time. Kenobi looked all the same and all different. His eyes still sparkled that electrifying blue, his beard still sat neatly around his face, and his lips still pulled in a small smile. He’d grown his hair out though; the auburn locks were tinted with gray at his temples and fell to his shoulders, the top half tied back.
And Cody was just as taken with him as he’d ever been.
The cadet seemed unsurprised, however, merely looking over and smiling. “Prime?”
Cody pulled himself out of his stun to grin at the boy again. “The very same.”
“Did you ask Tsad’alor Cody your questions, dear?” Kenobi asked. “He’s very busy taking care of you and all your brothers, so we mustn’t take up too much of his time.”
“Master Obi-Wan, he told me to just call him Cody,” the boy chastised.
Cody and Kenobi hid their matching grins.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry. Just Cody, then.”
The boy sighed. “I asked Master Obi-Wan if the slowing treatment hurts and he said he didn’t know because he didn’t have it but I really want to know because I… a-and I know we have to be brave because we’re soldiers, but I’m scared, Ori’vod”
Cody’s heart just about broke in two. “I know big things like this are very frightening. I was nervous before I had the treatment and I–” he cut himself off; he didn’t want to frighten the kid with tales of the procedures the first few generations had undergone at the hands of the Kaminoans. “I’ve been through a lot of scary treatments. But our vode jah’ade are the best of the best and the jetiise who look after you all are the kindest there are.”
The boy nodded, but still seemed apprehensive.
“We don’t always need to be brave, vod,” he continued. “We don’t need to be anything we don’t want to be. Mhi cuy mav jii.”
“Mhi cuy mav jii,” the cadet repeated slowly. It was something many of the clones had taken to saying, like a quiet remembrance for their past and a hopeful prayer for their future.
After another moment, his eyes lit up. Cody recognized that particular spark. “Cody?”
“Yes, vod?”
“I know my name,” he breathed. “Mav.”
Cody smiled, letting all his pride bleed into it. “It has been so wonderful to meet you, Mav.”
Mav smiled back at him, but then he pounced, wrapping Cody in a tight hug. “Vor’e, Cody!”
Mav ran over to the General, beaming up at him.
“Mav is a good name,” he told him. “It suits you, little one. Will you wait for me in the hallway?”
“No, no,” Cody stammered. “You haven’t, at all. I guess…”
Kenobi stepped a little closer to him. “You guess?”
Cody held his breath for a moment to keep from sighing. Kenobi was wearing the same fragrance as he had that night at 79s. Warm, hints of some kind of spice, and all too easily flooding his senses and pulling him closer.
“I, um– I guess I’ve fallen out of the habit of receiving your compliments, sir,” he managed. “They’re not unwelcome, of course, just… unexpected.”
Kenobi smiled and chuckled. Cody could feel his heart hammering against his ribs.
“Cody, I-I feel I must tell you something,” he said, his smile fading slightly. “I couldn’t tell you during the war, and by the end we so rarely saw one another.”
“Yes?” Cody whispered. He felt like he couldn’t breathe.
Kenobi bit his lip, glancing away, but quickly closed the short distance between them. His lips pressed softly against Cody’s cheek for a moment, then near his ear.
“Gar cuy ori'jaon'yc bah ni, ratiin.”
Cody’s mouth opened with a soft gasp as Kenobi pulled away smiling. Somehow, his mind was simultaneously blank and overflowing with thoughts.
Kenobi nodded a goodbye, then left to find Mav. Cody had spent the last year ignoring the ache of missing General Kenobi, but it came in full force as he watched him walk away, chatting with one of his little brothers.
He kissed him. High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Negotiator, a Jedi Master and member of the Jedi Council kissed him? Of course, it was only on the cheek, but it was so soft that he could only really describe it as tender.
His shaking hand touched his cheek–where General Kenobi kissed him–just at the end of his scar.
Wait. Wait, did Kenobi–
He replayed the moment in his mind, trying desperately to focus on what happened after he kissed him.
“Gar cuy ori’jaon’yc bah ni, ratiin.”
General Kenobi spoke mando’a, and fluently at that. No mispronunciations, no hesitance.
Cody moved to his desk, flopping down in the chair and tapping the comm unit to call Rex.
“Hey, aren’t you at work? What’s up?”
“Rex, does General Kenobi know mando’a?”
The line was quiet for a moment. “What?”
“Does Kenobi know mando’a?” Cody repeated.
“Am I a kriffin’ holonet search?” Rex scoffed. “Why would I know that?”
“Ask Skywalker, then,” Cody huffed.
“Cody, Anakin’s not–”
“Come on, Rex, I can hear his tubies in the background.”
Rex snorted. “The natborns call them babies, Codes. Anakin’s not here, but maybe Padmé will know.”
Cody heard the comm unit click against something and Rex’s retreating footsteps. He could hear Rex and Amidala’s voices, but couldn’t make out the words.
“I’m doing very well, thank you, Cody.” He could hear the snarky grin in her voice. “Now, you want to know if Obi-Wan speaks mando’a?”
“Yes,” Cody breathed. He felt like he was very close to the edge of something, but he couldn’t tell if it would be better to stay that way or to simply fall.
“Well, it wouldn’t surprise me,” she said. “That man collects languages like they were rare antiques.”
“That’s an understatement,” he heard Rex scoff in the background.
“And he did spend a year on Mandalore protecting our friend Satine,” she continued. “I’m sure she taught him some mando’a… between everything else I’m sure she taught him.”
Cody’s mind whirled as Rex laughed loudly in the background and Padmé chuckled.
“When did he…”
“Oh, it was years ago, long before the war. They hadn’t even found Anakin– actually, I’m not sure he’d even been born.”
Cody felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs. “He… understood mando’a… the entire time?”
“He never said anything?” Rex asked. “The vode talked around him like they did with everyone and he never mentioned it?”
“Kriff,” he said simply. “Oh, kriff.”
“What is it?” Padmé asked. “I thought that would be nice.”
“Rex, do you remember that night we went to 79s and General Kenobi bought us drinks?”
The comm was quiet. “Yeah, yeah, Gregor and I left to give you two some space, but you never told me everything that happened that night. All I know is what you put on that damn spreadsheet you had.”
“I’m sorry, what spreadsheet?” Padmé asked, her voice filled with delight.
Cody heard Rex mumble something about "you and Ahsoka" and “later”.
“I gotta go,” Cody mumbled.
He heard them answer, but he couldn’t quite process anything beyond the short tone that indicated the end of the call.
Cody sat in his office, brow furrowed, waiting for his brain to actually start working.
Rex: cody
Rex: when was the last time you looked at your spreadsheet
Cody: What? I stopped adding to it after that night. You know that.
Rex: yeah okay but when did you look at it
Rex: codes you still there
Cody: Yes; I was thinking. I believe I looked at it near the end of the war, right before we shipped off to rebuild Christophsis. Why?
Rex: you might want to look at it
Rex: like now
Cody: Why?
Event: My dear, oblivious Commander left his datapad unattended on his desk with this document still open
Rational explanation: Cody is once again overtired from working so incredibly hard (as he is wont to do) and simply forgot to power down the datapad, too distracted by his sense of duty and work ethic, as admirable as they are detrimental to his sleep
Irrational explanation: The Commander shares in my affections but is simply so oblivious to my (rather obvious) signals that he feels the need to rationalise our interactions instead of accepting that we are, and indeed have been, flirting
Additional notes: In regard to the above: it meant everything and more to me, my darling x
Cody was getting out of the taxi before he even realized he’d gotten up from his desk.
He’d accompanied the General to the Jedi Temple on several occasions, but he’d only come here alone once for his Deceleration treatment. Even then, Rex was already there, waiting for him.
Their security was far more lax than Cody thought it should be, though he assumed their jetii’dral would alert them better than any other system would.
“Hello,” a soft voice called. “Can I help you find where you’re going?”
He looked up the flight of stairs before him, his heart warming to see a familiar face.
“Why, Cody,” General Ti smiled. “It’s been some time since you last visited.”
“Too long, Gen- Master Ti,” he agreed.
“You look like you’re on a mission,” she hummed. “Is there anything I can help with?”
Cody felt his face flush slightly. “Actually, I’m looking for Gen- Master Kenobi.”
She smiled and gestured for him to follow her. “I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you that Obi-Wan keeps a fairly regular schedule these days.”
“Not at all,” Cody agreed. “During the war, he always said our schedules were like ‘organized chaos’.”
Master Ti laughed lightly. “Yes, that does sound like him. Well, there’s only a few places he would be at this time; I’m sure we’ll find him quickly.”
Cody followed her through the halls until they got to an area labeled “Crèche”.
A stern looking Togruta met Master Ti as they entered, but soon they were surrounded by cadets and younglings, all clamoring for Master Ti’s attention.
“Alright, alright, I promise I will look at all of your lovely drawings,” she laughed, quieting the kids. “But first, I need your help. Our friend Cody is looking for Master Obi-Wan.”
“He was with the little ones!” one of the kih’vod shouted.
“Kybuck Clan,” an Initiate added.
Ti looked back towards Cody. “Do you know where their room is? Master Kiish can show you–”
“That’s alright, Masters,” Cody grinned. “You both seem to have your hands full here.”
He waved goodbye to the cadets that had been watching him and continued down the hallway, passing grand doors with elaborate designs with the symbols of the different creatures the clans were named for until he came across a Kybuck.
He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The rooms were circular, connected to one another in a way that reminded Cody a little of Kamino, but much warmer. And drier.
Little scraps of flimsi covered practically any surface of the main room, colorful drawings of just about anything a young mind could imagine. They were scribbled and hard to make out, with scrawled lettering Cody could hardly read. His smile grew as he looked at them all the same.
He heard a soft sigh and approaching footsteps.
“That’s the last of the down for their naps,” Kenobi said, pulling his robe back on. “I’ll be back tomorrow for–”
Kenobi looked up, his eyes widening when he saw Cody and not whatever jetii he’d been expecting.
“Hello there,” Cody whispered.
Kenobi gathered himself quickly. “I must admit I’m surprised to see you again so soon.”
“A good surprise, I hope,” Cody smiled.
Kenobi nodded. “A good surprise, indeed.”
Kenobi led him back through the crèche, pausing every so often to talk to the various little ones who ran up to him.
“You’re quite popular around here,” Cody noted, then added nervously “We can talk another time–”
“No, please,” Kenobi said quickly. “I’d like to talk now.”
They were quiet as Kenobi led them up to his room. It was neat and warm, and Cody felt comfortable there almost immediately.
“Would you like some caf?” Kenobi offered after insisting that Cody sit down at the small table.
Cody chuckled. “You actually keep caf in here?”
“Anakin visits,” he hummed with a shrug. “And Ahsoka is studying for some exams. Do you still like it black?”
“Actually, I haven’t had as much since the end of the war,” Cody admitted. He could feel his cheeks warming slightly. “I’ve been drinking more tea lately.”
Kenobi lit up, his smile widening as he turned back to face Cody. “Do you have a preference on what kind? Force knows I’ve got a variety.”
“You pick,” Cody smirked. “I trust your good taste.”
Kenobi nodded and quickly turned away, but Cody could see the tips of his ears tinting pink.
As he sat there, watching his former General as he utilized the small kitchenette, he realized that he had no plan.
He was a Marshal Commander in the army. He made thousands of battle plans and decisions for two and a half years. He’d spent his entire life before that being trained for it. And yet, he’d read the addition from Kenobi and the only thing he’d come up with was to find Kenobi. He could practically hear every ori’vod and trainer he’d ever had berating him.
“So you take care of the little ones these days?” Cody piped up as Kenobi brought the kettle and mugs over.
“When I can,” he nodded. “I’m still on the Council and I do go on missions when needed, but I’ve always enjoyed working with the younglings.”
Cody smiled as he took a sip of his tea, recognizing the taste of spiced fruit. “This is from Alderaan, right?”
Kenobi smiled. “It is,” he confirmed.
“A gift from Chancellor Organa?”
“Yes,” Kenobi said, seeming somewhat bewildered. “How did you–”
“This is what you brought me before Ryloth,” Cody said.
Kenobi’s face turned red. “I… I can’t believe you remember that.”
“Of course I do,” he smirked, leaning towards his former General. “It’s like I told you, ‘you’re too important and too beautiful for me to forget anything about you,’ remember?”
Kenobi was speechless and Cody found that he loved being able to have this effect on him. He reached across the table, easing Kenobi’s mug from his hand and replacing it with his hand.
“Ni kar'taylir gar suvarir mando'a, ner jetii,” he breathed, locking his gaze onto those beautiful eyes. He watched as his cheeks turned so red he might’ve thought they’d catch fire. “And I know about your addition to my… stupid spreadsheet.”
“You do?” Kenobi whispered.
“I do, sir,” Cody admitted. “I’ve been such a fool. I thought I was imagining things or that it was just wishful thinking.”
“You didn’t imagine any of it,” Kenobi said. “In fact, there was a lot you didn’t include on your list.”
Cody chuckled. “Of course there was.” He squeezed Kenobi’s hand lightly, his thumb rubbing across his scarred knuckles. “Can you ever forgive me for how oblivious I’ve been?”
Kenobi smiled widely, setting Cody’s heart on fire. “There’s nothing to forgive, Cody.”
“I need you to know that I still feel the same as I always have,” Cody said. “Even when I pushed you away, trying to act professionally. I was and am completely in love with you. And I always will be, Obi-Wan.”
He’d never dared to say the General’s first name aloud, but the feeling of it in his mouth was addictive. He watched Obi-Wan tremble slightly.
“Oh, Cody,” Obi-Wan sighed. He stood, pulling Cody from his chair and closer to him. Instinctively, Cody wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan’s waist, pulling him tightly against his chest.
“I’ve been waiting so long to hear you say that,” Obi-Wan said, his hand gently cupping the side of Cody’s face. His thumb traced over the end of his scar. “I’m in love with you, Cody. You’ve had my heart from the moment I met you.”
Together, at last, they closed the space between them, their lips meeting softly, yet full of passion and heat.
When they pulled away they were breathless, simply smiling at one another.
“What now?” Cody whispered. “I love you and you love me, so what’s next?”
Obi-Wan smiled, pressing another soft kiss to his lover’s lips. “Whatever we want, my dear.”
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Content: Anakin being like who tf is 'cody'???, references to clones building a still a la MASH, Cody's a smidge horny in this one
For @literallyjustanerd, based on this post
Mando'a Guide
Kote - glory; common headcanon that it's Cody's real name
“Cody.”
Cody wasn’t sure he could ever get used to General Kenobi using just his name. He’d always found the General’s voice… acoustically pleasing, but something about him saying his name just felt–
Maker, he thought. Pull yourself together, Kote.
“Anakin, I’ll reconvene with you in my quarters; Cody and I have a… morale issue to discuss,” General Kenobi smirked as he waved away his former padawan.
“Cody?” General Skywalker raised his brow at his old Master, before turning to give Cody a suspicious glare.
“Sir?” he barely managed.
“I thought we could discuss the… new plumbing that one of the officers discovered in the barracks.”
“Of course, sir,” he nodded, starting to walk through the ship by his side.
Cody actually was paying attention to what General Kenobi was saying, but he couldn’t help how his mind focused so hard on the sound of his name dropping from the General’s lips.
“Ultimately, I think it should not be something of which we’re supposedly aware unless it becomes a real issue,” the General shrugged.
“I agree, sir,” Cody nodded.
“Very well. If you’ll excuse me, Cody, I’ll be in my quarters meditating.”
Cody’s heart pounded against his chest. He nodded.
Cody: Rex.
Rex: cody
Cody: He’s stopped calling me Commander at all. He has exclusively used my name for three standard days.
Rex: so what
Rex: skywalker and tano do that with me all the time
Cody: He’s dropped the formality of my title entirely, Rex. Speaking of General Skywalker, did you notice the odd looks he gave me at the last briefing?
Rex: yeah he was mumbling too but not sure what
Cody: I’m fairly certain he doesn’t like it when General Kenobi refers to me only by name.
Rex: yeah probably
Rex: i dont know man
Cody: Maybe I should keep track of these interactions somehow.
Rex: i guess if you want
Rex: wait
Rex: damn it
Rex: youre going to make a kriffing spreadsheet arent you
Event: Has begun referring to me exclusively as ‘Cody’ instead of ‘Commander’ whether we are in private or in company
Rational explanation: The General is trying to establish trust in himself among clones by affirming our individuality
Irrational explanation: The General feels that our relationship is close enough that formalities are not needed and has taken to using my name as this is the closest intimacy we could display publicly without consequence
Additional notes: General Skywalker seems to have picked up on the change too, and has been giving me accusatory looks whenever the General refers to me by name
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It wasn’t that Kara was bored, exactly. She had numerous holovids and novels on her datapad, but they weren’t quite as interesting as the man sitting in the pilot’s seat.
The ship didn’t really have a galley, so they’d taken to eating their meals in the cockpit.
Well, she had anyway, and she was beginning to believe that Fox never removed his helmet. Or at least, not in front of civilians.
It piqued her curiosity, though. Her sample size was limited to about four troopers, and the other three had their helmets stowed on their belt or under their arm when she’d met them.
Regardless, they were halfway through their hyperspace jump, and she hadn’t seen the man eat or drink anything. Of course, he could have been eating and drinking when she wasn’t nearby or maybe when she was sleeping, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
“Commander?” she hummed from the copilot’s seat.
“Yes?”
She smiled, pleased that he had stopped calling her ‘ma’am’. “I’ve been curious about something, but I’m not sure if it’s impolite to ask.”
A small nod.
“Do most troopers keep their helmets on around civilians?”
If she hadn’t known better, she might’ve thought he’d been frozen in carbonite. When he finally started moving again, it was so slow she almost missed it.
So achingly, agonizingly slowly, he raised his hands to his helmet.
“No,” he said quietly, then he lifted it off.
A few curls fell in front of his eyes, which he quickly tried to brush to the side, revealing intense brown eyes that searched her like a puzzle he couldn’t quite put together. A long scar stretched over his nose and the tops of his cheeks.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He blinked a few times, his brow furrowing so minutely.
“I did nothing to warrant any thanks, ma’am,” he said after a moment.
“You trusted me,” she countered. “And you can put it back on if you prefer, but I like seeing you.”
And there was the tiny tilt of his head she was growing to like.
Fox
“Do you mind if I call you ‘Fox’?” she asked, as though she hadn’t just turned his understanding of the natborn world on its head. “You hadn’t mentioned a preference, and I didn’t want to be disrespectful.”
He continued just staring at her, unable to open his mouth.
Her eyes narrowed, scrunching up her nose slightly, smile still present. Fox felt as though the air had been punched out of his lungs. Kriff. He was starting to understand Bly and Cody’s tipsy discussions about the differences between “pretty” and “cute”.
“All I ask is that you consider it, at least,” she continued, her gaze drifting back down her datapad. “It seems we’re going to spend a considerable amount of time together, and I’d like it if we could be more akin to friends than a Princess and a Commander.”
She didn’t continue after that, and he couldn’t seem to open his mouth to tell her that she could call him “you stupid bastard” for the rest of their time together, and it wouldn’t bother him. Or that he would like being near her in any capacity, so if being friends is what she wanted, he’d happily go along with it.
Even if that’s all she ever wanted to be with him. Di’kut, he hissed at himself because she was a Princess, and—while he might be of a high rank—he was just a soldier. That was all he’d ever be.
