Cyare (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

43

Lux frowned at the holomap of the city, tilting and turning it to observe all angles.

"Turning away an attack from our own base was one thing, but mounting an offensive will be an entirely different struggle." Steela addressed the gathered rebellion soldiers. Anakin watched from the shadows behind Lux, leaning causally against the wall and still managing to be as dramatic as possible in typical Anakin style.

Fives was standing next to Saw on Steela's right, looking almost bored as they discussed strategy. Rex was sitting on a overturned crate on the opposite side of Steela, and Ahsoka leaned on the wall next to him.

"How are we going to get in the city?" Jaiscon piped up, looking intently at Steela. Steela hesitated, but Lux spoke up in her stead.

"I have an idea, but it won't smell pleasant." He said. Saw groaned.

"Please not the sewers. Please not the sewers." He begged. Lux smiled faintly.

"No, not the sewers." He glanced over at Ahsoka for a second before continuing. "The droids were much stupider than we had anticipated. If we pretend like we're returning from a hunting raid, we can enter here, at the main gates." He tapped a section of the hologram and it lit up red. "It's the busiest, so if we get stopped, the mob behind us will help pressure them into letting us through."

Steela frowned. "I've encountered hunting parties. They normally are much smaller than four dozen people." She pointed out. Lux gave a sly grin.

"That's where the unpleasant smell comes in. Some of the local fauna, when gutted, have an internal cavity big enough to fit up to ten people comfortably, and when have we cared about comfort?" There was a chorus of chuckles from the assembled rebels. "The carcass will prevent them from detecting life forms. We just need a couple people to drive the wagon." Lux finished.

Steela actually looked impressed. She punched Lux on the shoulder. "You may not be a soldier, but you have the mind of a tactician."

Lux grunted and staggered. "Thanks."

"Alright everybody, you heard the plan. Lets get us some beasts." Saw turned and yelled at the rebels. Cheers went up as everyone filtered out the door. Anakin and Fives went with them, but Ahsoka made no move to go with them. Rex looked up at here.

"Thought you would jump at a chance to hunt." He said with a small smile. Ahsoka didn't move, staring dull-eyed into the space where the hologram had been. Rex touched her arm. "Ahsoka?"

She gave a start and looked down at him. "Sorry, what?" Rex sighed and slid over on the crate. Ahsoka sat down next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm going to be ok, Ahsoka. You don't have to worry about me being alone here for a few hours." Rex rubbed her arm soothingly. Ahsoka snorted.

"Are you kidding me? It's when I leave you alone that you get in the most trouble."

Rex scoffed. "You're the one who gets into trouble. I just try to stay with you so you're not in trouble alone."

"I am not the one who gets in trouble!"

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"... Yeah I do have a tendency to get into trouble." Ahsoka admitted. Rex wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll work on PT while you go kick seppie butt." He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I feel sooo much better that you will be doing strenuous work unsupervised. I will kill you if you hurt yourself." She growled. Rex shrugged.

"Would you rather me be going with you?"

Ahsoka paused, laying her head in his shoulder. "I wish you were going with me because you were never hurt in the first place." She whispered, her voice catching as her eyes suddenly misted over.

"Ahsoka, you kept me alive on Naboo. I know you did your best." He pressed his forehead against hers.

"But you needed better."

"I'm sitting here, aren't I?"

Ahsoka pulled one of his hands up and held it between them so they both saw the trembling in his fingers. "I should have done better."

Rex moved his hand from the space between them to cup her jaw gently and draw her into a kiss, long and soft and sweet.

"I love you." He whispered throatily against her lips. Ahsoka's tears spilled over, running down her cheeks and wetting his.

"Kriffing hells you two! Cool it, we don't need a mini captain or commander running around yet!" The voice of a cheeky ARC trooper cut through the air, startling Ahsoka so badly she bit down and cut Rex's lip on her fangs.

Rex jerked back and Ahsoka whipped around to face Fives, growling deep in her throat. A trickle of blood ran down Rex's face as he put a hand to the cut. Fives saw the blood and grinned.

"I knew you liked to eat knives ori'vod." He crowed. Rex rolled his eyes.

"More like the knife tried to eat me." He muttered just loud enough for Ahsoka to hear. She choked slightly at that.

"Thought you were 'hunting beasts.'" Ahsoka snapped at Fives. Fives shrugged.

"General Skywalker sent me to inform you that if the rebels do well on the upcoming assault that me and him will be returning to the Resolute. You two have the option to stay as advisors, but would be prohibited from engaging in combat unless it is absolutely necessary." He recited. Ahsoka tightened her grip on Rex slightly, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Yeah, we'll stay." Rex answered for the both of them. Fives rolled his eyes.

"Uhg. Please turn down the couply-ness a bit. It's blinding." He groaned. Ahsoka laughed at that and pulled Rex down for an exaggerated and messy kiss. Fives made a gagging sound. "Nasty. Feel free to take your sweet time in getting back aboard the Resolute."

He spun on his heel and hightailed it out of there. Rex growled under his breath about sanitation duty for a week, and Ahsoka stood. She kissed him once more, soft and lingering on his cheek before she walked to the door.

"You were right. I do jump at the chance to hunt." She said over her shoulder as she glanced back at him. Rex just laughed and shook his head.