Rex woke up slowly, not even bothering to open his eyes as Ahsoka shifted on top of him. She hid her face in the crook of his neck and sighed a little before kissing him. She started to get up, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her down.
"Nope. Not yet." He growled, hugging her to his chest. Ahsoka giggled a little and squirmed, trying to break out of his hold.
"Rex, love, I have work. I have to get up." She laughed. Rex mumbled something in mando'a and rolled over, trapping her between him and the wall.
"And I haven't had time with my riddur in far, far too long." He complained, opening his eyes to meet hers. She smiled a little, stopping her squirming to melt into his hold.
"I know. We've both been busy." She mumbled into his chest. "And you're leaving in a few weeks anyways."
Rex sighed. "I know. Believe me, I know. Kriff, I'm going to miss you. I barely made it last time." He pressed his lips together. Ahsoka squirmed again, but this time only to free her hand and wiggle up so that they were eye level.
"But you did. And this time I'll be waiting for you get back." She whispered, leaning her forehead against his. Rex closed his eyes again and hugged her close.
"Rex?" She asked quietly, pulling away to look him in the eyes. "Please tell me you'll come back. I need to hear you say it." She whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.
"I'll come home, Ahsoka. I promise." He said solemnly. The tears spilled over, and she sank back down next to him. Rex wiped them away, brushing his lips against hers before releasing her and sitting up.
"Besides, your master would kill me if I came back with more than a scratch." He joked. Ahsoka chuckled and sat up as well and leaned against him slightly. They sat like that for a second in silence before Rex spoke up.
"Work, Ahsoka. Will Fives be alright on his own?" Rex asked a softly. "Or should I see if I can stay." Ahsoka got up and grabbed her bag from the previous day, having yet to put it away. She pulled out her uniform and changed into it quickly, smoothing out the wrinkles from spending the night on the floor in a plastisack.
"I'll check him over. Then we'll see." She said. Rex nodded.
"Ok." He blew out a breath as she opened the door and they made their way into the living room.
Fives was already awake, curled into a ball on the couch with his blankets tucked around him. Rex walked over and put a hand on his little brother's shoulder and he jerked violently. He gasped in pain as the movement sent spikes of agony up from his stomach.
"Hey, easy. It's just me." Rex soothed, rubbing gently at his back as his little brother carefully rolled over. Fives buried his face in a pillow with a soft whine. "Is something wrong?
"You mean other than the gaping wound in my belly? Not really. Just can't remember much before they drugged me and I hate it." He mumbled. "Am I gonna be by myself?" Rex glanced at Ahsoka who shook her head.
"No. I'll be here with you until Ahsoka gets back." He promised. Fives relaxed.
"Thank you." He whispered. Ahsoka left for work, and Rex stayed by Fives's side. He helped him get some protein drink in him, but Rex was getting nervous about how it was getting increasingly easier to lift him up to change the bandages. Fives grunted a little when Rex set him back down.
"Sorry, sorry." Rex apologized. Fives shook his head.
"No, just sore, really." He insisted. He opened he mouth, hesitated, then closed it. Rex noticed.
"What is it?" He asked, frowning. Fives fidgeted a little.
"How?" He asked. "How did you stop the bolt? Or push me out of the way on Naboo? Or help Ahsoka heal me?" He chewed his lip.
"The truth, please. I asked your wife and she said it wasn't her secret to tell."
Rex blew out a long suffering breath. Kriff. He had no choice. "I... uh..." He sat back on his heels and sighed. "Kriff. How am I going to say this?" He muttered to himself. "You know what? Screw it." He raised his voice a little. "It's easier to show rather than tell." He said, standing up and walking back to the bedroom where his armor and 17s were stacked neatly in the corner.
Along with his lightsaber.
It was currently in pieces, Ahsoka having been teaching him last night to get used to disassemble and reassembling his hilt. He collected the half put together pieces and went to the living room. Fives was actually sitting up on his own, leaning against the back of the couch with a pillow hugged to his stomach.
He frowned at the black and blue and chrome parts. "What's that?" He asked. Rex took a deep breath, sitting crosslegged on the ground in front of him.
"Something dangerous." He replied, already half in a trance. He sank deeply into the force, like he had when he was first building the hilt, and let the pieces rise into the air above his outstretched hands. Part of him heard Fives's soft gasp as they twisted and tumbled through the air, finally slotting into place. Rex tilted the hilt upright in front of him and opened his eyes, still so deeply in the force. The hilt powered on and the golden blade sprang to life in front of him, brighter than he had ever seen it before.
Probably the amount of pure power coursing through him and, by extension, his kyber crystal. His concentration wavered for a second and the blade shut down, as well as him dropping himself two feet to the floor with a very undignified yelp.
Fives laughed, a real laugh. Not a sarcastic or gallows humor chuckle, but a full on laugh as Rex climbed to his feet.
"Sure. Laugh it up. I've only been learning for a couple months." He complained. Fives's laughing turned into a pained yelping as he clung tighter to his pillow, but he was still grinning.
"Dogma owes me twenty." He gasped. Rex glared at him.
"Fives, nobody can know about this. There'd be no divine intervention this time. They'd dissect me and try to clone me to make force user troops." He said seriously. Fives pouted.
"Fine. On the other hand, ori'vod, everything makes sense now. The lightsaber trainings, your impossible saves, the reconditioning, everything. You have the force. And a lightsaber. Wow." He said admiringly.
Rex pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry for... well..." he trailed off. Fives sighed.
"Rex, we all keep our secrets. Like the fact that I have a firecracker stash for prank day. Or you having the force." He said. Rex frowned.
"You have a what now?" He asked. Fives just laughed.
"I won't tell if you won't ori'vod. Although your secret is admittedly much, much cooler than mine." He smiled.
"You have a stash of fireworks. On the Resolute." He said disbelievingly. Fives winked at him.
"Good luck finding it." He said, sliding back down the couch to lay down. Rex huffed.
"I could just look into your mind and find it." He said petulantly, pulling the blankets around his younger brother. Fives grinned.
"You wouldn't find them even then. I forgot where I hid then!" He crowed. Rex just rolled his eyes.
"Typical." He groaned.
"Hey, it works. I'll just ask Cav where it is." Fives laughed again. Rex stopped short once more.
"Cavalry knows? You gave an almost fifteen year old access to one of the worst forms of contraband?" He asked incredulously. Fives winked at him.
"I'm her ori'vod. Who am I to curb her ornery streak?" He asked. Rex just groaned.
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