#poor kix

[flashthescalesian-art]

Kix: No, this is not a mess. You know what I consider a mess?

Dirt: Your life?

Kix: I- well yes, but-

[masterjedilenawrites]

Rest

Kix x reader | 1.3k words

Content: hurt/comfort, light angst, fluff, caretaker's fatigue

Inspiration (from @rosemarynightmares): Someone should also tell Kix that always putting others first and neglecting his own needs is not what being a good, compassionate person is about, and that he's worth it.

To say Kix's feet were dragging on his way home was an understatement. He was one last braincell away from just dropping down on all fours and crawling the rest of the way. The med bay had been a revolving door of clones all day; injured, sick, drunk... and that was just the official problems. Off the record, he'd helped Tup study for a test, gave Fives some dating advice, and had even entertained a handful of young cadets lost on a field trip until Rex finally came to collect them.

He wasn't sure how he was still functioning as his heavy steps climbed the stairs up to the little home he shared with you. He paused at the door, keys hanging in the lock while he composed himself. He hadn't had time to message you earlier about how your day was going, though he'd meant to several times, even getting as far as having half the message typed out before inevitably getting pulled away before he could finish and hit send. You could've had a bad day yourself and he wouldn't know until he opened the door. He'd need to pull himself together to be prepared to help you in whatever way you might need this evening.

The door creaked open, an annoying reminder that he still hadn't found the time to fix that hinge since it first started acting up a month ago. The lights inside were off and the air held a sort of smoky sweetness to it. He guessed you'd lit a candle earlier, which would be a sign you were in a good mood if true. He couldn't hear you, but a brighter light glowed around the bedroom door to show evidence of your existence beyond.

That bought him some time. He could clean up a bit in the refresher first, maybe grab a bite to eat before going to see you. He decided to start in the kitchen, shuffling straight for the fridge and flinching at the light as he opened it in search of something of sustenance.

He didn't need to rummage for long to find a healthy snack, a fact he was ever-grateful for. The way you kept this home stocked, clean, and cheerful was one of many things that made him fall for you over and over again. Your love was in the details. He'd probably tear up right now if he wasn't so gosh darn tired.

No sooner had he stood, intending to heat up the little box of leftovers, than did he feel a pair of arms snake around his middle from behind. He didn't even have the energy to jump in surprise. He hadn't heard you come into the kitchen, he hadn't noticed the pool of light that now spilled from the bedroom door just a short distance away.

"Kix," you cooed against his back, pressing yourself to him as you always did.

He swallowed. He hadn't wanted you to see him like this. Not yet.

"Kitten," he replied, trying to strengthen his voice but not managing more than a breathless whisper.

Your arms immediately recoiled, choosing instead to grip his waist and turn him to face you.

"What's wrong?" You peered at him, eyes scrunched in the pale light of the fridge that still lay open beside you.

"Nothing. Missed you." Now he tried a reassuring smile. It took a lot of effort but he felt his features falling into place, and it almost worked. You almost backed off, almost let him get away with it.

But you knew him too well.

"Kix." Now your tone was sad. Pitying. He wanted to shake his head at you, tell you not to worry about him. But he couldn't quite get the words out. So you pressed on. "You were supposed to be home hours ago, what happened?"

"Nothing happened," he sighed and then caught himself upon your expectant look. He sighed again, hanging his head. "Everything happened."

The feeling of your hands rubbing the sides of his arms gave him that last bit of energy to properly share his day with you. From the mess of paperwork he walked into that morning to the back-to-back surgeries he'd volunteered for in the absence of the base's chief doctor. In his mind, he was justifying his efforts, merely listing out details of an otherwise ordinarily busy day.

"Sometimes I prefer the battlefield to the base," he ended his story with a breathy chuckle. He moved to shut the refrigerator door but your hands gripped his shoulders, preventing him from turning away.

"This is the fifth day in a row you've exhausted yourself." If he didn't know any better, he'd say you were chastising him now.

He scoffed. "I'm fine..."

"Kix," you insisted. "You have to take it easy. This isn't healthy."

He couldn't help but furrow his brows at that. "What am I supposed to do? This is my job. Someone comes in to get patched up, I can't turn my back."

"Fives talking your ear off about his date is patching someone up?" you challenged.

"He was nervous. I've never seen him off his game like that. I think this girl might be the one for him."

"He has plenty of brothers to get advice from."

"But he came to me."

"And you're allowed to say no."

"I can't."

There were tears in his eyes. He wasn't sure where they came from. He forced himself to turn and shut that damn fridge door already, plunging the kitchen back into darkness. It reminded him how tired he was, how badly he wanted to close his eyes. But at least now you wouldn't see how watery those eyes were right now.

You'd stepped closer to him. His eyes adjusted to the faint light from the moon coming from the small kitchen window behind you. It obscured your features, only highlighting the outline of your form as it drew close, but he knew what expression would be on your face now. He knew all the ways your face looked, like the back of his own hand.

"There's different ways to say no," you said softly. Your hands were now wrapping back around his torso, hugging him toward you. "It doesn't always have to mean you don't care, or that you won't help. Sometimes it just means you have some boundaries. Or that there's a better time than right now. You can't always put yourself second, Kix. You'll run yourself into the ground and then you can't help anyone. You deserve to take care of yourself, too."

You said the last part as you turned your face into his chest, pressing against him just a little firmer as if adding punctuation to your statement. He sighed, relented. The box of leftovers he was still clutching was promptly set onto the counter, and then he brought his arms around to rest onto you. He didn't have the strength to hold you back as tightly.

"If you say so," was all he could think to say.

You pulled back slightly, your breath ghosting along his neck. "And I'll keep saying it until you believe it, mister."

He made what was supposed to be a laugh, but came out more as an awkward huff. You finally left his arms all the way, grabbing one of his hands and beginning to tug in the direction of the bedroom.

"Come, lay down and I'll heat your food up. And then I'm calling out sick for you so you can relax tomorrow."

He followed you, no strength left to protest, and was soon laying on his side of the bed with your gentle hands tucking a blanket around him. You hurried off to get his food, but his eyes were already losing focus. He drifted off to sleep with your words settling into his mind.

He deserved this.

~ ~ ~

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[bibannana]

Kix *stands up*: Alright, I'm off to take a nap.

Jesse *confused*: A nap? You just got up.

Kix *blinks*: Yeah so?

Echo *frowns a little*: So, you can't take a nap now.

Kix *gestures to the group before him*: Sure I can. I have a feeling that you lot are going to cause some manor of injury and bodily harm that will have me awake for hours trying to fix.

Fives *disgruntled*: Hey!

Hardcase *hesitates*: How did he know?

Tup *wide eyed*: He's a mind-reader!

Kix *who just knows his brothers well*: No, no, I just use my brain.

[random-chaotic-bitch]

501st Incorrect Quotes

Fives: What if I mixed coffee into my rations mush?

Kix, passing by: What if you don’t?

.........

Jesse: I’m going to ask the Commander if I can use her lightsabers!

Kix, already going to prepare the medbay: Not this shit again...

...........

Tup: Hey Kix, how many pieces of candy is too much?

Kix, having a sinking feeling of what is about to happen: Anything over 15 in one sitting is excessive.

Tup, already in the other room: Jesse, I told you Hardcase had too much!

Kix: *screams in the corner*

[here-comes-the-moose]

Kix: Okay, everyone we’re going to 79’s but no getting crazy. *glares at Fives* Unlike last time.

Fives: Kix, you wound me, I have never gotten, nor will I ever get, “crazy.”

~Later That Night~

One of Kix’s Medic Buddies: Hey, isn’t that Fives?

Fives: *is twerking on the bar while clones cheer and the Twi’lek dancers throw money on him, before deciding to crowd-surf*

Kix, taking another shot: Kriff me.

[jinn-the-storyteller]

Kix is the last of the clones. All his brothers are dead.

They never knew what happened to him. Kix just disappeared. Jesse and Rex never knew if he was killed or kept alive, tortured or loved.

And Kix never knew what happened on the Tribunal. He never knew about Jesse being forced to try and kill Rex and Ahsoka.

He never knew about Rex having to bury all his brothers on that moon.

Kix never got to say goodbye to his family or his home. They were both just gone. Destroyed by the Empire. An Empire he never saw. Something he could never get his revenge on.

[toastoat]

the nightmare isn’t over until everybody wakes up

[rexismycopilot]

Ah, the universal kinky experience of having someone in your life think you are being abused because they accidentally see your bruises/markings.

As amusing as Anakin’s ‘I fell on a paddle, I fell on a paddle 30x’ excuse is the idea of Obi-Wan being called in because Kix is insistent that he will help make sure whoever has hurt Anakin is brought to justice and Obi-Wan trying to calmly explain that he intimately knows where the bruises came from and can assure Kix Anakin is in no danger as Anakin is dying of embarrassment and Kix is putting the puzzle pieces slowly together is having me living.

Good golly does kix need a raise lmao

omfg.

Okay. So let's imagine Anakin having to be examined by Kix and Anakin awkwardly trying his best to explain this, but it's just not happening.

And Obi might be away on an entirely different mission, but Kix is thinking to himself, "I need to bring this to someone and it should be Obi-Wan!"

And both "thank goodness" and "oh god i'm going to die" from Anakin because Kix is way too smart and puts those pieces together IMMEDIATELY.

Whatever little dignity Anakin had is completely gone.

And Kix just drops his head like, "I need you to still trust me and come to me if you're hurt. That's the only thing I care about right now."