Cyare (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

34

Rex sat upright on the bed, facing the door. He was getting stronger, but his arms were proving to be a challenge. Ahsoka was sitting by his side. Kix had given up on trying to make her leave. He shivered slightly, the air cool against his bare chest. Kix was examining the scarring and checking movement to make sure it wouldn't hinder him.

He sighed as Kix had him raise his arms up over his head, out to the sides, and touch his fingertips behind back.

"Kix, will you please get me out of the stupid infirmary?" Rex sighed and Ahsoka chuckled. "I'm fine aside from my hands, I swear!" Kix frowned and made a face.

"I can't keep you here forever, and your hands won't get better if you're lying in bed all day." Kix glared at him. "And I know you'd start tearing the room to shreds within minutes with out the commander by your side." Rex seemed surprised that Kix would let him go so willingly.

"Also, the 501st ships out tomorrow and heaven knows General Skywalker needs you to be his impulse control." Kix admitted. Ahsoka snorted a laugh.

"You got that right. Don't worry Kix, I'll watch the good captain for you." She chuckled. Kix rolled his eyes.

"Oh. One more thing." He pulled a long metal rod with a curved handle from the bottom of the medcart. Rex took one look at it and shook his head.

"Absolutely not." He growled. Kix glared at him.

"Your legs were in a bad way from atrophy to begin with, and being locked in a cage too small for you to even sit upright properly has caused issues with the joints and muscles." He dropped the cane into Rex's lap. "And I'm letting you go early as it is. So yes, you will use a cane for a minimum of two weeks. We will reassess then."

Rex curled his lip and opened his mouth for a sharp comment. Kix cut him off.

"If it makes you feel any better, I also give you permission to smack a certain ARC trooper for any pranks and teasing that will occur." He said tersely.

Rex huffed, but he leaned the cane next to him on the bed. "Fine. Anything else? A portable oxygen unit, maybe?" He grumbled. Kix shot him a flat look.

"Don't tempt me." He deadpanned. He gave Rex his shirt back and walked out of the room briskly, pushing the medcart in front if him. Ahsoka sat behind Rex to inspect the scars. His back and shoulders were riddled with them. Not just from the lightsaber wound, but from blaster shots, shrapnel, and what looked like whip marks.

Ahsoka traced the many overlapping marks. Rex shivered slightly at her touch. She ran her hand down the dark mark where the red plasma blade had touched his skin. She swallowed thickly and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. Rex turned and wrapped his arms around her.

"I don't think I've ever been that scared." She whispered, letting him hold her.

"I promise you I'll stay away from red bladed 'sabers." He assured her, setting her down and pulling his shirt over his head. Ahsoka kissed him on the cheek and stood.

"You'd better." She growled, but her tone didn't match the slight smile on her face. She extended him a hand that he managed to grab the first time. She grinned and pulled him to his feet. Rex grunted staggered a bit, but he stood. He glared at the cane leaning on the bed but grabbed it anyways, shifting his weight experimentally.

"Got it?" She asked, putting a hand on his arm.

"Yes..." He grumbled, still scowling. Ahsoka grinned and kissed him on the cheek.

"Stop frowning or you really will look like a grumpy old man." She quipped. Rex huffed sulkily, making Ahsoka giggle. "C'mon, Gramps."

Although Rex would never admit it, he was grateful for the aid in walking. He found himself leaning on it more than he thought he would, but his legs were still shaking by the time they made it back to Ahsoka's rooms. They would wait there for a couple hours then take a shuttle to where the Resolute was in orbit and prepare for their next deployment.

It would be good to get back. The Resolute was as close to a home as he had. He missed it's familiar walls and comforting atmosphere. Who knew when they'd be back on Corascant.

They made it back to her rooms and Rex stumbled back to the bed and sat with a grunt. His legs were trembling like he just ran five klicks. Ahsoka put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Rex put the cane on the floor and flexed his hands. They were also shaky, but for different reasons.

"Hey, I'm gonna pack. I have your armor and blasters, anything else I should bring?" Ahsoka asked, pulling a duffle bag out from under the bed. "You kyber crystal is in a special container in one of your hip pouches." She continued. Rex frowned.

"My backplate was in pretty bad shape, did you manage to get another phase I replacement?" He asked, catching his breath.

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, but Cody supplied a not too dinged up old one and Anakin fixed it up and repainted -OW!" She jerked her hand back like she had been stung and clamped her mouth around a bloody cut.

"What happened?" Rex asked, leaning forward to look.

"Looks like the mouse bot missed one of those pottery shards. Found it." She groaned, yanking the spike out of the fleshy part of her palm. She pulled out the first aid kit with a wince. Rex grimaced.

"Sorry."

Ahsoka dumped a generous helping of bacta gel on it and wrapped it up. She gave a chuckle.

"Don't be. You exploded a bowl, and I exploded your bacta tank. It's a miracle you didn't get cut." She said, giving him a slight smile. Rex's eyes widened.

"That's what happened to the tank?" He said incredulously. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"No. It blew up randomly at the same time I panicked. Absolutely no correlation between those two." She smirked. She started pulling clothes and robes from the closet and stuffing them in her bag. She hung her lightsabers at her belt and carefully set Rex's 17's aside.

"You want help?" Rex asked, moving to stand up. Ahsoka pushed him back down.

"I've got it. You rest. It's a long walk to the shuttle." She said pointedly. Rex rolled his eyes.

"Kriffing hells, you're worse than Kix. A little physical work won't kill me." He complained. "I'm not made of glass."

Ahsoka snorted. "Right now you kinda are." She turned back to the haphazardly stuffed bag and sighed. "Sorry, I know that you hate feeling useless." She passed him a datapad.

"Scroll through the reports of who did what over the last week." She instructed. Rex took the datapad gratefully.

Ahsoka went to the 'fresher and grabbed various toiletries. Rex scrolled through the various updates on the war effort and paused.

"Dooku abandoned Ventress for Caedus. She's gone back to Dathomir to join her people." He said, eyebrows lifting. "I didn't take her for the familial type." He said. Ahsoka came out of the 'fresher and dumped the miscellaneous necessities in her bag. She hesitated.

"That's not good." She said, paling. Rex looked up.

"Why?"

"Because Ventress is a nightsister."