TCW FebuWhump Prompts

Stay Strong For Others (But Do It For Yourself First)

Day 16 prompt: broken bones
I'm fucking pissed; I literally wrote this whole prompt only for it to get deleted and I can't undo this shit because I'm using this old phone rn cuz it was 1am in the morning and on my bed writing (my phone I use is charging lmao). Like wtf >:(
I rewrote it cuz I was gonna yeet this shit out the window but it was better to get things done.

Ahsoka kept her back straight and tried not to wince as sharp pain skittled across her chest. Black spots crowded her vision and she blinked them away, rubbing her eyes. The explosion she was caught in had thrown her on the ground hard, not giving her time to protect herself. She would get her treatment after she briefed the others, knowing that it was more important.

On her right, Rex was walking towards her, a smile adorned on his face as he waved. She grinned back, trying her best not to hiss as she twisted towards him.

His smile turned into a frown as he noticed a slight limp in her stride.

"You alright, little'un?" He asked, scanning her up and down for any differences.

She waved him off nonchalantly, cringing as her ribs ground together, pain shooting up again. She took a subtle deep breath.

"Yeah, just the adrenaline from last fight," she answered, making a show of pointing to herself."

"If you say so," Rex replied, looking at her skeptically but shrugging. They both headed towards the war room, where the briefing was going to take place. She could hold out a while longer.

Rex opened the door and they stepped inside. She could already see that the other clones were waiting, chatting with each other. They all stood at attention as Ahsoka walked up to the large projector in the middle, looking at the pictures. She started explaining routes to take and what to avoid, the others listening attentively. She leaned against the projector and gasped her ribs squeezed between the cold metal, stopping her explanation.

"Commander?"

Can't stop now. I have to do this.

Identical faces of worry and confusion clouded their faces as they stared at her, having seen her just silently whimper in pain.

"I'm alright."

She smiled at them and continued her explanation, not giving them time to answer. She saw double times the blue projections and she faltered, taking a deep breath through her nose and out her mouth, concentrating on releasing her pain through the force. She leaned on her elbows instead, giving space between her ribs and the holoprojector.

"I can take it from here if you want," Rex proposed, staring at her with decipherable concern.

"Nah, I got this. Can't have you and Skyguy saving the day without me!" She joked, the atmosphere lifting a bit.

The clones around chuckled and she laughed along, only for it to turn into hacking coughs as oxygen refused to travel to her lungs. The harsh movement caused her bone to scratch her lung, somewhat piercing it and she doubled over as agony pulsed again and again. She heard panicked shouts and felt an arm on her shoulder as her knees hit the floor, her body leaning over as she tried to breathe.

She didn't know she landed on her back until she opened her eyes to see multiple people, their eyes all blown wide in panic. She attempted to get up but found herself pinned down, the shouts growing louder. Her pain-filled eyes made eye contact with Rex's honey-colored ones that were screaming in repentance for not noticing it sooner and it was the last thing she saw before darkness overtook her.