back to ur povvvv

Leaving the supply cupboard, I grabbed Rex's hand, pulling him through corridor after corridor, laughter trailing behind us. We only paused briefly to snag a few blankets, our excitement palpable. Once we reached the observation deck, we spread them out, the soft fabric contrasting against the metallic floor.

I knew it was a bit reckless, but I settled myself much closer to him than I probably should have. The warmth of his presence was comforting, and I could feel the electricity in the air between us.

Rex leaned back against the wall, a relaxed expression on his face as we both turned our attention to the mesmerizing blue streaks of hyperspace outside the viewport.

"Have you ever seen a purrgil before?" he asked, his voice low and steady, as if sharing a secret.

"Only in holovids," I admitted, my heart racing slightly. "I've always wanted to see one in person."

"Me too. They're incredible," he replied, his gaze fixed on the swirling lights outside. "It's like they're dancing through the stars."

As we sat together, I couldn't help but inch a bit closer, drawn to him like a magnet. I could feel the warmth radiating off his body, and the way his presence seemed to fill the space made it hard to focus on anything else.

"Do you think we'll spot one?" I asked, tilting my head to look up at him. Our eyes met, and I felt a flutter in my chest.

"Maybe. We'll just have to keep watching," he replied, a playful glint in his eyes. He turned slightly, so our shoulders brushed against each other. The proximity sent a jolt through me.

Minutes passed as we scanned the endless expanse of hyperspace, and with each passing moment, we shifted closer together. Rex's arm brushed against mine, and I could feel the warmth radiating from him.

Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of movement outside. "Look!" I exclaimed, pointing toward a flash of shimmering light.

Rex leaned in closer, and I felt his breath against my cheek. "Where?" he murmured, his voice just above a whisper.

"Right there!" I said, leaning toward the viewport, my heart racing. As I did, I found myself instinctively leaning into him, and he didn't pull away.

"Woah," he said, his excitement evident. A massive purrgil glided through the hyperspace trails. I couldn't take my eyes off it, but even so, I was acutely aware of how close we were.

With each heartbeat, the space between us seemed to shrink until I could feel his heartbeat beating in time with my own. I shifted slightly, and before I knew it, I was lying against his chest, the steady rhythm calming my racing heart.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I murmured, looking up at him, the purrgil's glow reflected in his eyes.

"Mesh'la," he replied softly, his gaze lingering on my face.

My brows furrowed slightly. That was what he and many of the clones called me, but it sounded like he was using the word just to agree with me. "That makes no sense. What do you mean?"

"You know I can't tell you that," he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

"I won't tell anyone that you told me," I countered, leaning a little closer.

"It wouldn't do me any good for you to know, cyar'ika," he said, his voice smooth yet teasing.

I groaned in aggravation, "Is it like a nickname, or does it mean something?"

"It means something—all of the words do," he responded after a moment's thought.

"Why won't any of you tell me? I won't be mad if it's mean or something."

"It's not mean, and that's why we don't want to tell you," he said, his expression serious yet playful.

"You boys are so confusing," I huffed against his chest, wishing I could see his face better.

"I'll tell you what one thing means if you promise not to let on that you know," he finally relented.

"I promise," I whispered into his chest, my heart racing.

"Cyar'ika, it means darling."

My heart fluttered, and my stomach filled with butterflies. All this time, he had been using that endearment, and I had been blissfully unaware. Now, every time he said it, I just knew I would get weak in the knees. It made me wonder what all the other ones meant. Were they more variations on the same thing? Something different entirely? Knowing now what it meant it made me long to hear him say it again.

"Y/N, you're all quiet. If you don't like it, I can stop. I can tell everyone to stop—"

"No, no. I'm just thinking about... things. You don't need to stop." I paused for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "I like it when you call me that."

I felt Rex chuckle beneath me. "What?" I asked, looking up at him, a hint of confusion in my eyes.

"Nothing, it's just that you've said that before."

"What, when?"

"79's, that night we met."

"Oh god, I barely remember anything from that night, and that does not help my peace of mind."

"Don't worry about it. You were just a, uh, friendly drunk. I know you didn't mean anything you said at the time."

I pushed my head into the crook of his neck, trying to hide my flushed face. "Don't say that; that makes me fear the worst."

He laughed softly, the sound vibrating through his chest. "Trust me, it was all in good fun. And besides, I don't mind you being a little friendly."

Feeling bold, I shifted even closer, my body instinctively curling against him. "So, if I'm friendly now, does that mean I can get away with more?"

"Only if it's with me," he replied, his tone teasing but sincere.

Just then, another purrgil danced across the viewport, its shimmering form reflecting the colors of hyperspace. I looked up in awe, but as I turned back to Rex, our faces were so close that I could feel the warmth radiating from him. His breath on my face and his eyes flicked between the viewport, my eyes, and my lips.

"Did you see that one?" I whispered, but my gaze was fixed on his lips.

"Yeah, it was stunning," he replied, his voice low, his gaze locked on mine.

"Y/N..." he started, his voice trailing off as if he were searching for the right words.

"What?" I breathed, my pulse racing.

"Nothing," he said, but I could see the flicker of something deeper in his eyes, a desire that mirrored my own.

I didn't want to break the moment. Instead, I leaned in a fraction more, and he mirrored the movement, our noses brushing against each other now.

"Rex," I murmured, almost a plea.

Just then, another purrgil swam by, and in a second, our moment broke. But as I settled back against his chest, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more than just a simple crush at play here. I was sure now that he returned my feelings in some way, but I had no clue what to do with that information. I lost myself in thought as he brought the hand that wasn't wrapped around me up to gently play with my hair. I sighed deeply, melting into him even more.

My eyelids began to droop as he ran his fingers through my hair, the rhythmic motion soothing me. "You're putting me to sleep... stop," I murmured, not really meaning it.

"No, you're cute sleepy, cyare," he replied, his voice low and warm. That was the last thing I remembered before drifting off.

---

A few hours later, the observation deck was quiet, the blue trails of hyperspace still flying by. Wrapped in the blankets, I lay comfortably against Rex, blissfully unaware of the world around us.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka, Fives, and Echo crept down the corridor, laughter muffled as they approached the observation deck.

"Are you sure they're in here?" Ahsoka whispered, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"Definitely," Fives confirmed, peeking through the small window in the door. "Look!"

Ahsoka and Echo leaned in, eyes widening as they spotted Rex and me snuggled together under the blankets.

"Aw, look at them!" Echo grinned. "They're so cute."

"Get the cam ready, Fives," Ahsoka instructed, stifling a giggle.

As Fives readied his comlink to capture the moment, the light from the screen illuminated our resting figures. I lay there in Rex's arms, completely unaware of the outside world.

"Okay, on three!" Fives whispered, excitement bubbling in his voice. "One... two... three!"

The cam clicked, freezing the moment in time. Then, unable to resist the urge, Ahsoka said, "We have to do stupid ones too!"

They shuffled closer quietly, careful not to wake us. Ahsoka quickly took a goofy selfie with Rex's relaxed face and my peaceful expression, then they repositioned for another, all the while trying not to laugh.

"Okay, this time let's pretend we're shocked," Fives suggested, mimicking a surprised expression next to Rex while Ahsoka dropped her jaw and pointed at the two of us for the picture.

Echo joined in, making a wild face as he leaned in closer.

"Now do a 'we just woke up' one," she whispered.

Fives made an exaggerated yawn, while Echo pretended to stretch in a ridiculous way. They captured it all—each goofy face, each burst of laughter, while Rex and I remained blissfully unaware.

---

I shifted slightly in my sleep, feeling the weight of Rex's arm around me, a protective gesture that made me feel safe. I blinked awake slowly, the dimly lit space coming into focus. I turned to look at Rex, still sound asleep, his features relaxed and peaceful. My heart raced as the memories of the night flooded back.

I began to stir, knowing we couldn't stay like this forever. The cozy warmth of the blankets and Rex's presence was tempting, but I had to return to the real world. My movement awoke Rex, who immediately pulled me back in as I attempted to rise.

"Don't go yet. I don't want this to end just yet," he mumbled into the top of my head. I obliged, settling back down for a couple more minutes, both of us reluctant to let go of the moment. But then the chime signaling breakfast interrupted our little bubble. I sighed, the spell broken.

"You go first," he said, clearly understanding that neither of us wanted to deal with a barrage of questions about why we'd been together in the observation deck.

Reluctantly, I nodded and slipped out from under the blankets, quickly fixing my hair and clothes and trying to shake off the lingering warmth of our closeness.

---

In the mess hall, Ahsoka, Fives, Anakin, Rex, Jesse, Echo, Kix, and Hardcase were all seated at the same table as I. Rex sat opposite Anakin, who was next to me. Throughout breakfast, we exchanged glances but didn't talk. I could see Ahsoka, Fives, and Echo trading looks, occasionally mouthing words before stifling laughter.

"What are those three on about?" Anakin leaned down and asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Who knows, Ani? They've probably found a new inside joke that we won't hear the end of for the next six rotations," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

Anakin smiled, finishing the last bite of his meal before getting up to return his dishes. A minute later, Ahsoka and I finished and followed suit. On our way to the long bench, Ahsoka elbowed me. "So, didn't see you and Rex after he ran off with you over his shoulder yesterday evening. Care to explain?"

I felt my face heat up. "Uh, yeah, we went up to the observation deck for a while," I said, keeping it vague. I wasn't ready to share everything, especially not in the bustling mess hall.

"Sure..." Ahsoka replied, setting down her plate. "Do I have any of that roast nuna in my teeth?"

I chuckled and took a quick look as she bared her teeth. "No, you're all good."

"Good." She smiled, then skipped off to rejoin Fives and Echo, who were whispering conspiratorially.

---

As the laughter and chatter of the mess hall buzzed around me, I felt a growing need to clear my head. The warmth of Rex's embrace lingered in my thoughts, and I couldn't focus on anything else. "I need to train," I muttered to myself, making up my mind.

I excused myself from the table, not wanting to sit idle any longer, and made my way to the training area. The space was primarily empty, after all there were only three Jedi on the ship to use this area. I unhooked my sabers from my belt, the familiar weight grounding me as I began my routine. I started up a droid simulator program.

With each swing, I let the frustrations and confusion wash away. I focused on my movements, the precision of each strike, and the balance of my stance. The practice helped clear my mind, but as I trained, I couldn't help but think about Rex—his teasing words, the way he looked at me, the warmth of his body next to mine.

Just then, Ahsoka strolled in, watching me with an amused smile. "Getting your head straight?" she asked, leaning against the wall.

"Something like that," I replied, taking a deep breath and switching off the program. "It helps to clear my mind."

"Mind if I join?" she asked, stepping forward and grabbing her sabers aswell.

"Not at all," I smiled, grateful for the distraction.

We squared off, and Ahsoka charged first, her movements fluid and graceful. I parried her attack, the sound of our sabers clashing echoing through the training area. "You're getting better!" I called out, and her grin was infectious.

"Thanks! I'm just trying to keep up with you," she replied, dodging another of my strikes and countering with a quick jab.

I laughed, ducking to the side. "You'll have to do better than that! Remember, focus on your footwork."

She nodded, adjusting her stance and moving more deliberately. The training became a playful exchange, with both of us teasing and encouraging one another. I felt the adrenaline pumping, and with each exchange, I could feel the weight of my earlier thoughts slipping away.

"Let's try something more advanced," I suggested, stepping back to give us some space. "How about we work on combinations?"

"Sounds good!" She said, her face lighting up. We began to practice sequences of moves, focusing on our coordination. I could feel my heart racing as we sparred, the rhythm of our movements synchronizing.

Ahsoka switched tactics and feigned an attack, spinning to the side and sweeping low. I barely managed to leap out of the way, laughter bubbling up as I regained my balance. "Nice one! Almost got me!" I said, grinning.

"Almost isn't good enough!" she teased, resetting her stance.

We continued to practice, and the competitive energy between us fueled my spirit. With each clash of our sabers, I felt more grounded, more in control of my thoughts.

After a particularly intense exchange, we both paused, breathing heavily. "Okay, okay! Let's take a break," Ahsoka said, raising her hands in surrender.

"Agreed," I laughed, lowering my sabers. "I definitely needed that."

"Me too," she replied, wiping the sweat from her forehead.