Cyare (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

72

That day was one of the longest Ahsoka could remember. She didn't want to leave Rex alone for too long, not with how vulnerable he was to the darkside. She checked on the younglings often, though. The coolant system and hyperdrive were online. The only problem was that they didn't have the power to take off.

And the only way to get that power wad from Hondo's base. Ahsoka shivered, remembering the cold, sadistic twist of Rex's lips as he had choked the sith. Not that Ahsoka hadn't wanted to do it herself.

Rex was resting. He had stayed up most of the previous night in getting to her, and the taxing drain of the darkside of the force had sapped his strength. He clung to her, and she held him tight as he alternated between sleeping peacefully and wrestling horrible nightmares.

Ahsoka had commed Anakin, but there was no response. While looking through mission reports, her heart sank. Grievous had bombed the surface of Duros with toxins, killing millions of the inhabitants and rendering the atmosphere toxic to both human and Duro alike.

He was alive, but how many men had died from those bombs?

As if sensing her worry and concern for the men, Rex flinched and curled inward on himself. Another nightmare. Ahsoka stroked his head gently, humming the lullaby he had sang to her on Onderon. Her vocal chords weren't meant to sing in basic, otherwise she would've. Rex twitched again, cold sweat breaking out across his body as he mumbled incoherently.

Ahsoka pressed at his mind, trying to comfort him, and he settled back down. It didn't last, as his brows furrowed and his jaw clenched and unclenched. His eyes snapped open with a tremulous gasp as he scrambled, forgetting where he was for a second.

Ahsoka shifted so he was leaning against her. He burrowed his face in her neck and whimpered slightly. Ahsoka rubbed his back reassuringly, muttering little nothings into his ear. He took a shuddering gasp.

"I hate this. I can still feel it... feel him." He whispered against her neck. Ahsoka gave a long suffering sigh.

"I know. The hyperdrive and coolant systems are fixed. We just need the fuel to take off." She murmured against the side of his head.

"Which we have to get from Hondo, which will probably turn into a rescue mission for that putrid pirate." Rex sighed and yawned, sliding down her a little so his head was leaning against her shoulder. Ahsoka kissed him on the forehead.

"I don't like it either." She whispered. Rex hugged her a little closer, closing his eyes. They sat like that for a couple seconds, almost long enough that Ahsoka was beginning to think he had fallen asleep. Rex sat up with a jerk, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"When do we leave?" He asked. Ahsoka blinked.

"We?" She asked incredulously as Rex swung his legs over the side of the bed and began to collect the scattered bits of his armor.

"I'm going with you." He said flatly. "After this last time I am not letting you go in alone. And the younglings are staying here, along with Master Huyang. That leaves me." He tugged on his boots and stood. Ahsoka grimaced in exasperation.

"And you call me stubborn." She complained, tugging on her own gauntlets and shoes. Rex smiled and kissed her on the cheek before bending over to fasten the plates along his shins and thighs.

"I'm only stubborn because you are, love." He smiled before snapping his chest plate into place. Ahsoka just smiled and shook her head, helping him secure his back plate and pauldrons.

Her hand lingered on his chest plate and they locked eyes for a second, Rex's dark smeared but still sharply focused. Ahsoka's big and anxious. All trace of rueful humor was gone from her face.

"Are you sure you're up for it?" She asked, Rex leaned his forehead on hers, reaching up to cup her cheek. His thumb stroked the white markings and dull scars absentmindedly.

"Truthfully, no. I'm terrified of seeing him again... terrified of what I'll do if I have the chance." He whispered, his other arm snaking around her waist and pulling her closer. Ahsoka closed her eyes, fighting down an unspoken pain. "But," Rex continued, "I have you. You keep me grounded."

Ahsoka snorted into his chest. "Oh the irony." She said, voice muffled by the armor. She looked up at him with a dry smile. "Jedi aren't allowed to form attachments, yet it's our love that keeps us alive, or from falling."

Rex laughed, the first time since early that morning. Ahsoka chuckled too. They stayed like that for a second before Ahsoka broke the silence.

"Rex?" She asked tentatively.

"Yes, Cyare?" He asked with a slight smile. She pushed against his rigid plating.

"Can you let me go? Your armor is smushing me." She said gently. Rex flushed and untangled himself from her.

"Eh, yeah. Sorry, love." He took a slight step back from her, rubbing his neck sheepishly. Ahsoka smiled and rolled her eyes at him. She pulled him down for a bruising kiss that left him breathless before taking his helmet from the floor by the table and handing it to him.

"Let's go see the kids progress. Have any of them completed their lightsabers?" She asked, dragging him down the hallway. He grinned behind his visor.

"All but Kantooni have finished theirs. She seems... hesitant." He reported. "All of them know about my being... well... like them." He moved faster and fell into step beside her.

"I've sparred with Petro and Kantooni, after they pestered me a considerable amount." Ahsoka shot him a look and he instantly raised his hands in surrender. "We used practice blades." He said defensively. Ahsoka relaxed slightly and shook her head, elbowing him in the ribs.

"I dare say you're warming up to the idea of kids." She smirked at him. It was Rex's turn to roll his eyes.

"These kids maybe, but I don't want any of our own yet. Although I guess you're the ultimate decision maker in that department." He conceded. Ahsoka threw her head back and laughed.

"It takes two to tango, love. But I agree. After the war." She glanced up at him. "After these constant battles. Maybe I can ask Senator Amidala to move to give you basic rights." She smiled at him. Rex paused.

"You'd do that? For all of us?" He asked, stunned. Ahsoka smiled.

"Well, the senator would be doing most of the hard work, but if we're gonna make soldiers with the capacity to think and feel emotion, then their sentient and deserve civilian rights, at least outside of wartime." She stopped at the commissary, and Rex followed her in. He took of his helmet and took the apple she tossed to him. She pulled out a small cut of raw nuna.

Rex made a face at her choice of food. "As much as I love you, I am not kissing you until you brush your fangs." He said with a grimace, biting into his fruit. Ahsoka flashed him a bloody grin, sitting across the table from him.

"So. We're rescuing the pirate?" Ahsoka said. Rex's shoulders slumped.

"We need him to help us get the fuel. Caedus has a grudge against him. More so than us. He's gonna be in a bad way when we find him." Rex pointed out. Ahsoka sighed.

"I know. We'll leave at sunset in a couple hours, that'll get us there by full dark." She planned. Rex nodded.

"I'll tell master Huyang before we go. It's about..." He trailed off to glance at the chrono on his commlink. "Three hours before sundown. That should be plenty of time to get everything together." Ahsoka nodded. Rex sat back and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't wait to get off this kriffing planet." He sighed. Ahsoka grunted an agreement tearing into her meat.