#Cody just wants Obi-Wan to be safe

[frostbitebakery]

Loud.

part one two three

“You’re impossible!”

Obi-Wan harrumphs back at Cody with feeling. The way they’re running it’s equally impossible to sign or code tap. He engages the lights on his gloves, squeezes his fingers in a rhythm and the code appears in short and long lines on the back of his hand. Which he gladly shows to Cody. “You’re one to talk.”

“Dogpiling Grievous was a calculated move,” Cody huffs back, skids to a halt at a maintenance door that Obi-Wan almost missed. While Cody types in the emergency sequence, he carefully gets his message ready.

“You’re bad at math,” Cody reads blandly when he turns around. “Very funny.”

“Careful,” he signs, fingers stiff and unwieldy as the nervousness crawls through him. Setting in his knees, making them weak. A clump in his stomach. Stiff, clumsy hands.

“You know you can change your mind any moment,” Cody says, catches his eyes and Obi-Wan sinks into the warmth. “We can stop whenever you need.”

“No.”

Cody waits for him to continue but he can’t even nod or move. The gap between their fingers feels insurmountable.

But he wants this. Needs this, on a level deeper than the trust he has in Cody.

“Shadows don’t trust easily,” he wants to say. “I do even less.” His trust is forged in pain and loss and bittersweet victories. And faith.

“I like hugging,” his fingers confess and he feels stupid for the brief moment until Cody’s face lights up.

The mask digs into his face where it’s smashed against Cody’s shoulder. Cody’s arms feel safe and unhesitating and so sure it unlocks Obi-Wan’s knees and stomach and fingers and he’s hugging back with eyes closed.

For the first time in a long, long while he wants his voice back. He doesn’t know what he’d say. And perhaps it doesn’t matter. Just the urge to pull off the mask and move his mouth—

soft lips press against his temple just over the edge of the mask, gentle fingers tap on his hand in code, “I hear you.”

You really do, don’t you, Obi-Wan thinks, watches his own hand tap in the same rushed rhythm. One short, one long, two short.

“I hear you,” Cody signs back, forehead against Obi-Wan’s brow.

Three long.

Obi-Wan never lost his voice.

Three short, one long.

Not with the people that matter.

One short.

“Me too,” Cody whispers. “Ready?”

The catches on the mask hiss as they open.

.

“You’re impossible!”

Obi-Wan harrumphs back at Cody with feeling. The way they’re running it’s equally impossible to sign or code tap. He engages the lights on his gloves, squeezes his fingers in a rhythm and the code appears in short and long lines on the back of his hand. Which he gladly shows to Cody. “You’re one to talk.”

“Dogpiling Grievous was a calculated move,” Cody huffs back, skids to a halt at a maintenance door that Obi-Wan almost missed. While Cody types in the emergency sequence, he carefully gets his message ready.

“You’re bad at math,” Cody reads blandly when he turns around. “Very funny.”

Obi-Wan squeezes out another message.

“It was also very hot,” Cody reads. And pauses.

Obi-Wan imagines the blush hidden by the helmet vividly and smiles.

He’s ushered with no further comment into the maintenance closet which bears entrance to some shortcuts across the Malvolence. He looks at Cody in question who shrugs.

“I briefly saw the holoprints in one of the war rooms.”

Yes. One of the many reasons this infatuation is turning into something warm and bright and unbearably sweet. Cody is making himself a place in Obi-Wan’s heart like he’s coming back home.

“We’re almost there, Sir,” Cody says suddenly, relief palpable in his voice. Master Windu must have finally reached him on comms. “Understood, Sir. No more shenanigans, Sir.”

Obi-Wan’s shoulders shake with laughter.

.

“The mask helps me breathe,” Obi-Wan explains, head held high under Cody’s gaze. Getting out of breath could possibly suffocate him. Too dry or humid air is painful. With the exact parameters of what his body is able to handle, the healers had settled on a mask to protect him when he runs too fast. “Or other strenuous activities,” he adds with a slight smirk.

Cody shakes his head at him with a fond smile that tingles in Obi-Wan’s chest pleasantly. His thumb caresses the web of scars going from Obi-Wan’s bottom lip. “Can you feel that?”

“A little bit.” Not much at all, when it comes down to it. Kissing has become unimportant to him out of necessity. Few people had wanted to kiss him in the first place when the scars had still looked fresh. He’s lucky his jaw hadn’t needed to be replaced, so he’s not complaining.

It had been difficult nonetheless. To work around the muteness, the way his body had been changed. He’s learned to put more importance into other gestures than kissing on the mouth.

Cody’s forehead rests against his once more, catching his hand and slowly stroking the palm, up to the fingertips. “Thank you for trusting me.”

Gestures like Cody’s.

.

“I didn’t expect to see you there,” Cody says as they settle into the rescue shuttle. “General Windu said we had reliable intel to do a hit and run on the Malvolence.”

Obi-Wan waves his hand, palm empty before a flick of his fingers reveals the data stick.

“Information retrieval,” Cody asks, voice changing from vocoder to his usual timbre as he lifts his helmet. “I imagine there was a lot of useful data to harvest.” The shuttle is rocked as the warship explodes. “I should’ve saved my sweets ration,” Cody murmurs, eyes reflecting fire and bone-deep satisfaction.

“You’re dying for a fabricated war,” Obi-Wan doesn’t sign. The intel he managed to get his hands on is enough to connect the missing senate funds with Serenno’s newly acquired wealth from another angle and make it waterproof.

Destabilizing a whole galaxy for— for shits and giggles. Obi-Wan sits on his hands, shuts himself up so he can think.

“The Dark Side has clouded their vision. Hundreds of senators are now under the influence of a Sith lord called Darth Sidious,” Dooku’s voice grates through his memory. Obi-Wan hadn’t been able to tell him just where he could store his lightsaber for safekeeping so his erstwhile grandmaster had taunted him with the truth, in hindsight.

Anakin.

The signs rush out of his hands, too fast for Cody at first. He repeats himself, trusts that Cody, brilliant, brilliantly fast Cody, will get it.

The helmet is back on Cody’s head, lights flickering on, antennas adjusting their angle.

“General Windu, this is Commander Cody using emergency frequency 2-Esk-5-0. Immediate contact with General Bilaba required. Immediate removal from battle of General Skywalker required. Use of force strongly encouraged should he resist.”

Obi-Wan crosses the small distance, waving his hands before using the quick battle sign for “deliver message”.

“General, Master Shadow Kenobi has a message,” Cody says, doesn’t pause as he translates to voice even though his back goes ramrod straight. “Chancellor is the Sith. I have proof. Ani must be kept away from him.”

.

“Some call them traitors,” Cody whispers, “but I’d rather turn a blind eye and let them run than watch them step into blaster fire because they don’t want to fight with every fiber of their being.”

“You’re a good man,” Obi-Wan signs, hands held up a bit so Cody can see. He hadn’t wanted to meet Obi-Wan’s eyes for the confession, had chosen to press him close under his chin instead. “You’re a good man,” Obi-Wan taps out on Cody’s chest so he can feel his words, too.

[panravenc]

i am sick and miserable; it is therefore my duty to bring out the sick!codywan headcanons into the light:

sick!cody:

has never been sick before, what is this sorcery? clones do not get sick, you see; except for when they do, apparently

he tries to push through it, but as soon as he visits the medbay for some pain-relief, the medic orders him bed rest

he does rest, but he also barricades himself because he does not want the illness to spread more than it already is: it is risky enough to have him and the few of ghost company who also have contracted the virus down, he is not risking the rest of his men

he is miserable. he has never suffered like this before, a blaster bolt to the chest would be easier than the combination of the killer headache, the cold, the bone-deep pain and a sore throat that has rendered his voice useless

childishly, he wants obi-wan by his side. he would like his batchmates too, but the presence he longs for the most is his general. there are tears gathering in his eyes and it is humiliating, can this sickness kill him instead?

gets immensely relieved when the door to his quarters opens and it is, indeed, obi-wan carrying with him medicine and a bowl of ration-soup

contrary to his feelings, he scowls and tries to scold obi-wan for risking himself when the 212th could be left without command

sadly, his voice still does not work. that means cody has to settle for glaring at obi-wan; it is not very effective, considering the state he is in

as much as he grumbles, as obi-wan takes care of him, he starts to feel better. he does not want to admit it, but knowing obi-wan is by his side makes bearing the illness easier

he feels weak and hates it. he feels useless, seeing obi-wan take care of him, and hates it even more; hates that he cannot smooth the stress out of obi-wan's frown, that he cannot reach out and reassure his general, that he needs rest in the first place and therefore cannot share the burden weighting on obi-wan's shoulders

and he hates how despite it all, he wants obi-wan's careful, gentle hands on his forehead; how he wants to keep hearing his general's voice in that soft, reassuring tone; how warmth spreads all over from his heart to his veins and his body relaxes under obi-wan's care, because it is obi-wan and that means he is safe

he tears up a bit. he feels sleepy, cotton-like thoughts filtering through his head, a daze that does not alarm him for obi-wan is still with him

he feels loved and cared for and weak, and he hates it, but he loves it; and despite how unwell and miserable he is, he wishes the tenderness of the moment could last forever

and he cannot help his hand reaching out and grabbing obi-wan's with it as he curls up and presses both against his chest, too many sensations leaving him tired and spent

and he falls asleep, safeguarded by his general and a golden, bursting and blooming feeling taking over his heart

when he wakes up later, obi-wan is sitting by his bunk, and their hands are still linked together

sick!obi-wan:

this man will never admit to being sick. he is in denial. he cannot get sick, he is a general and a jedi, he has work to do

unfortunately for him, he is, indeed, sick

and weaving it off to say it is just "a bit of a headache, really, dear, no need for theatrics" is not going to cut it when his fever is reaching dangerous temperatures

which cody discovers by accident by pulling obi-wan into a swift keldabe kiss before going their separate ways

obviously, that was before cody knew obi-wan was sick. no separate ways, no sir, they are going straight to the medbay

the worst patient award definitely should go to him

he is miserable. obi-wan has suffered through colds before, and this is a thousand times worse. he is cold, has bone-deep pain, is shivering in places he did not know could shiver, has a killer headache, and a sore throat that's made every word out of his mouth hurt. the force has forsaken him

his dramatics go up to a thousand

he is ordered bed rest by the medic. unlike cody, he decides that means to work from his bed instead of standing, and cody has to confiscate his datapads

and since he apparently needs a babysitter, it is cody the chosen one for such privilege. this leads to bickering to the most of obi-wan's current abilities; which, to be honest, are not exactly brag-worthy considering his predicament

it is rather humiliating that his commander is getting him to bed, but his legs have decided to give up on him, so there is not much choice there, really

spends the time insisting for his commander to go back to work. that he will be fine if left alone for five minutes

but cody refuses each time, and takes care of him even if rather clumsily, comming the medic back and forth for instructions, and really, this is not doing any favours to the crush he is harbouring for the man

cody does not leave. he does not move from his side, a hand on his forehead taking his temperature in regular intervals, awkwardly asking if there is anything else he can do to make obi-wan feel better, and oh

because obi-wan is sick, and miserable, and in pain, and probably also half-delirious from his fever, but love expands across his chest like it was always meant to, a golden place reserved for his hard-working, steady and beautiful commander

and obi-wan dislikes asking for help. not for others, or when he sees he may not be able to help out someone alone, but he does not like asking for himself. it leaves him feeling useless, and brings out vulnerabilities from years past he has always thought himself over of

yet, it is in that instance, that when cody asks once again, "is there anything more i could do to help, sir?" he reaches out, holds out for cody's hands, arm too weak to do much but tremble, and when his own is held between cody's, he asks: "stay?"

and cody stays. when obi-wan wakes up next, cody is there. and cody keeps being there, attending obi-wan's needs and supporting him, as he gets through the sickness and until he is healthy again

and for a moment, obi-wan wishes cody would forever stay there, by his side, no matter where the war takes them or the years of peace he longs for afterwards

that is all folks! hope you enjoyed this. i tried my best but i truly could not get cody and obi-wan out of my head, and since i am bed-ridden with sickness and despair, i want the boys to at least get some comfort, too.

talking about comfort, i am tagging @codywancomfort :) i hope it qualifies? i feel like cuddling while being sick definitely falls into the category of comfort.

love y'all,

―pau.

[miss-musings]

"I Say We Take Her With Us": How TCW's Waxer & Boil Prefigure Hunter & Crosshair in "The Bad Batch" Series

A running joke in the TCW/TBB fandom is that all the clones have Dad Genes™️. Outside of Jango Fett himself, the first indication we have is Waxer and Boil's dynamic with Numa in "The Clone Wars" Episode 1.20 "Innocents of Ryloth."

In revisiting the episode recently, it struck me how much Waxer and Boil's initial reactions to Numa and their eventual bond with her feels like a template for Hunter and Crosshair's dynamic with Omega in "The Bad Batch" series.

Like Hunter, Waxer bonds with Numa very quickly and takes more initiative when it comes to her safety. He's also more comfortable with physical affection -- patting her head, booping her nose, putting a hand on her shoulder, etc.

Like Crosshair, Boil argues to leave Numa behind when they first encounter her and isn't as concerned about her well-being. He does eventually take a liking to her, promising to keep her safe. Unlike Waxer, Boil isn't physically affectionate. He doesn't initiate any shoulder touches, etc., and he seems caught off-guard when Numa does.

In the end, both clones form a deep bond with their "little sister," even if their dynamics with Numa play out differently. Just so, Hunter and Crosshair both form a deep bond with Omega, although their dynamics with her play out very differently thanks to a variety of factors.

While this is the gist of it, let's take a look at Waxer and Boil as characters, including their interactions with Numa in TCW 1.20 "Innocents of Ryloth".

(NOTE: If you've already seen the episode and have a good understanding of the plot and characters, I recommend you jump down the "Prefiguring Hunter & Crosshair" section.)

Waxer & Boil in "Innocents of Ryloth"

Character Introductions

Even before they meet Numa, we get a pretty good idea of who Waxer and Boil are as individuals.

As their gunship flies toward Ryloth's surface, Obi-Wan and Cody tell the clone troopers to keep an eye out for the locals and avoid damaging their settlements.

Boil, who was carrying heavy artillery, puts it down after Cody tells them they can't use it. He then remarks to Waxer:

Boil: If we're here to free the tail-heads, the least they could do is get out of our way.

Already, we see that Boil has a shoot-em-up kind of attitude. He wants to go in guns blazin' and get the job done, and he doesn't like that consideration for the locals is putting a damper on his fun.

He's also maybe a bit racist??? (Tail-heads sounds like a racial slur to me, and I've seen other comments agreeing with that assessment.)

Waxer seems to take this in stride and later, when Obi-Wan says their squad needs to disable the enemies' guns, Waxer says:

Waxer: Here we go again.

I know it's an iconic "Star Wars" line, akin to "I've got a bad feeling about this," but it's still worth noting.

The two go with Obi-Wan and their brothers to take down the guns, with Obi-Wan commenting how Waxer and Boil "wanted action," implying he overheard their earlier comments on the gunship.

The two help Obi-Wan take out gun towers and then infiltrate the village, which is deserted. They're then ordered to help scout the village.

Obi-Wan, to Cody: Send your best men to scout ahead. Cody: Will do, sir. Boil, Waxer, come with me. Boil: I guess we're the best.

The way Boil delivers this line, it sounds like he's halfway between proud and uncertain. He probably appreciates Cody's vote of confidence in them, but is also wondering if it's because they happened to be nearby because Cody didn't explicitly call them "the best."

As the two are scouting -- both before and after they leave Cody -- Boil has his gun raised. He's ready to aim and fire at a second's notice. Meanwhile, Waxer has his blaster lowered to his torso. He's not as tightly wound up as Boil is.

As the two walk through the village by themselves, Waxer starts asking Boil questions about what might've happened to the residents, whether they were killed, etc.

Boil notes that there are no bodies, so they were likely driven from their homes.

So, even before meeting Numa, we've got a decent idea of who these two soldiers are.

Waxer is more caring and compassionate. He's definitely not as trigger-happy or aggressive as Boil, but he still does his job well.

Boil is more practical and by-the-book. He's ready to spring into action, and takes his job as a soldier seriously. He also might be older/higher-ranking than Waxer, as Waxer seems to defer to him in some cases, and Cody calls to him first.

Meeting Numa

While scouting, the two hear a sound and investigate it. They find a little Twi'lek girl, whom we later learn is named Numa.

Boil, as he sees Numa: Ah, it's just a little girl. Waxer: Well, what are we going to do with her? Boil: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Why do we have to do anything? We've got a mission to finish.

Looking closely, Boil actually lowers his blaster first, realizing who/what Numa is. But, he also sounds a bit disappointed that he doesn't get to shoot something.

Waxer immediately starts worrying about her well-being and what their duty of care is in this situation. However, Boil believes their responsibility is to complete the mission, starving kids be damned.

Waxer doesn't back down, though:

Waxer: We should do something. I say we take her with us. Boil: You can't be serious. She'll only slow us down.

Again, Boil is focused on completing the mission, while Waxer is concerned about Numa's safety.

A probe droid comes into the vicinity, and Numa cowers. Boil thinks it's because she's afraid of them, but Waxer notices the droid and realizes the truth. The three then hide, and the droid leaves.

The droid worries Boil, who says they need to keep moving. However, Waxer presses him for a third time that they need to do something about Numa. Boil reluctantly agrees to Waxer's plan to take her with them, and bends down to grab Numa. She bites him, and he calls her a "tail-head."

Waxer correctly deduces that Numa is afraid of them, as she probably assumes they're droids. He takes off his helmet, showing her he's human:

Waxer: It's alright. See? I'm flesh and blood, just like you.

The two then notice that Numa looks hungry. (The captions say Boil takes note of this, but based on the audio, I think it's actually Waxer. Waxer doesn't have his helmet on, but Boil does, and the line is delivered by someone who isn't wearing a helmet.)

Anyway, Boil takes out a ration and hands it to Waxer, who hands it to Numa. While Boil might be older/outrank Waxer, he's apparently letting Waxer take the lead in this particular situation after Numa initially bit him.

As Boil also removes his helmet, Numa calls them "nerra," which we later find out means "brother." While they're unaware, it's an indication that Numa already trusts and respects them.

Waxer tells Numa their names, but Numa continues to call them "nerra."

Boil, as he puts his helmet back on: Oh, you made a friend. Mission accomplished. [sighs] Can we go now?

I find it interesting that Boil says Waxer made a friend, when Numa was calling both of them "nerra." So, while he didn't know what "nerra" meant, he only acknowledges her bond with Waxer and not himself. Once again, he's only focused on completing the mission. He doesn't give a crap about this kid beyond answering Waxer's complaints that they need to do something with her.

Waxer stands and puts his helmet back on, as he prepares to follow Boil. He calls to Numa, who seems reluctant to leave.

Boil: Look, she doesn't even want to go. Little monster was fine before we came along, so let's MOVE.

Boil has finally convinced Waxer that they don't have any more responsibility toward Numa. She'll be fine as-is. Waxer takes one last look at Numa before following Boil out into the street.

Following Numa

Later, Numa follows the two through the streets of the deserted village. Waxer immediately notices, looking back at her, but keeps walking.

Waxer: I wonder what happened to her family. Boil: They're probably dead. Hopefully, she'll survive this mess.

Again, we see that Waxer is concerned while Boil is practical to the point of being cavalier. However, that last line makes me think Boil is starting to ... warm up ... to Numa. (Sorry, I had to.) He's definitely not on the same level as Waxer is... yet.

Waxer continues to focus on her well-being, especially with the context that she's likely an orphan. (We find out later that she's not, but they don't know that yet.)

Waxer: So, what happens to her? I mean, after we leave. Boil: I don't know. Ah, don't get any ideas. We're not taking her with us.

I do wonder who the "we" is that Waxer mentions. Does he mean his company specifically, or the clone army in general? I imagine, from context, it's the former.

I also find it funny that Boil preemptively shuts down Waxer's idea of taking her with them. He must recognize that Waxer's Dad Instincts™️ have kicked in -- probably because his have too but he's fighting them, unlike Waxer.

The two realize that Numa is no longer following them, and Waxer says in a very disappointed tone:

Waxer: She's gone. Boil: I'm sure the little biter will turn up.

Out-of-context, "little biter" sounds like it could be a term of endearment. I wonder if Boil meant it that way, but knowing his personality, he probably meant it more literally.

The two then turn around and see that Numa snuck in front of them, as she stands directly in front of Waxer. He kneels down and affectionately boops her on the nose, which makes her giggle.

Boil's a bit thrown off by the fact that she was able to sneak up on them, considering they're trained soldiers.

Numa then starts pulling Waxer, calling him "nerra" again, and pointing down the street. She runs off, clearly wanting them to follow her.

Waxer calls after her, telling her not to go that way because "that's where the recon droid went."

Boil: Waxer, let her go. Waxer, running after Numa: I'm not just gonna let the droids get her. Boil, running after both of them: I'm just trying to keep you alive! I'll be darned if I know why.

Once again, we see that Waxer's priority is Numa's safety, as he runs after her without hesitation.

Boil, like before, is focused on a combination of following orders, completing the mission, and keeping his brother safe. So, he runs after both of them.

As Waxer catches up to her, he pats her on the head affectionately.

Boil, catching up to them: Good, you caught her. You know, I have binders if we need them. [defensively] What? ... What are we doing here anyway?

Boil almost talks about Numa like she's a prisoner in their custody -- how Waxer "caught" her and how they should put binders on her. Yikes!

He's clearly getting tired of dealing with Numa, partly because she's a child and partly because they can't communicate with her. He's also getting tired of Waxer throwing himself after Numa, when they still have a mission to complete.

Comforting Numa

Numa leads them inside a destroyed house, which Waxer assumes is her home. He's sympathetic to her plight, calling her a "poor little thing" who "lost it all."

He spots a small tooka doll on the ground and gives it to her. Numa starts crying, and he comforts and reassures her by putting his hand on her shoulder.

Waxer: It's OK now. We're here to help.

Numa embraces him and continues crying. He doesn't really know how to react, but ends up reciprocating the embrace by putting a hand on her head.

Finally, Boil approaches them and kneels down too.

Boil: Don't cry kid. We'll keep you safe. I ... I promise.

Numa then embraces him and seems to stop crying. Like Waxer, Boil doesn’t know how to react to being hugged, but pats her on the back.

For Boil, this is clearly a turning point in how he handles Numa. We see later that he's still not happy about having to take care of her, but he has definitely softened toward her, after seeing what she's gone through.

He took the initiative to comfort her. He didn't need to. Waxer seemed to be handling the situation well enough. But, Boil apparently felt compelled to act too.

I imagine that, for a soldier like Boil, making a promise is no easy thing. He wouldn't have told her that if he didn't mean it, so I think -- like Waxer -- he finally let his Dad Instincts™️ kick in. He's not fighting them anymore.

And what's more is he actually one-ups Waxer in a sense. He makes a promise to take care of Numa, which Waxer never did. Waxer just said they were there to help. The wording was more general. But, Boil promises to keep her safe. It's more specific, and could be seen as more comforting: "We're here to help" vs. "We're going to keep you safe."

Side note: I do wonder if Numa is able to understand some Basic, because she gives Boil a meaningful look when he makes that promise AND she stops crying as he directed.

Protecting Numa

While they're still in Numa's destroyed home, the clones' communicators start flashing. Boil is upset, saying they'll be punished for failing to complete the mission and/or report back on time.

Waxer wonders how they're going to explain Numa to their company. He starts coming up with white lies they can tell to avoid getting into trouble.

Boil: We can try. But, mark my words: this will end badly.

Both Waxer and Boil, but more so Boil, are concerned with possible demotion/punishment.

However, they at least don't seem to be arguing about what to do about Numa anymore. They both just start leaving the home and apparently assume Numa will follow them, because they don't physically or verbally have her come along.

When they get outside, both clones take a defensive stance when they realize something's coming. Numa hides behind Waxer, telling him of the danger, before running back into the house.

The two start fighting the creatures attacking them.

Boil: You see what happens when we don't follow orders? [grunts] Waxer: Let's get out of here.

Despite having some change of heart, Boil is still preoccupied with following orders and completing the mission. He is still very much a soldier, even if his Dad Instincts™️ have kicked in.

They barricade themselves inside the home, with Waxer holding the door while Boil shoots at the creatures. Numa opens a tunnel in the floor. Waxer helps her with the heavy stone while Boil puts down cover-fire, until all three escape safely.

When they come out of the tunnels and rejoin their company, they tell Cody they "got sidetracked." Numa, who's holding onto Boil's hand, then peers out from behind him at Obi-Wan and the others.

When Obi-Wan approaches her, she continues to hide behind Boil. Meanwhile, Waxer explains that Numa knows her way around the tunnels.

When Obi-Wan asks in her language, she says she can lead them through the tunnels and even pulls on Boil's hand to come with her.

Numa then leads Obi-Wan, Waxer and Boil through the tunnels to where the other villagers are being held prisoner.

Obi-Wan hands Numa off to Waxer. When he later indicates for the two clones to follow him, Waxer puts Numa down and Boil gestures for her to stay quiet. Numa even mimics his hand gesture as she watches the two clones follow Obi-Wan.

After Obi-Wan frees the villagers, Numa reunites with her parent, and Waxer and Boil help Obi-Wan take out the enemies' main guns.

When the two clones get injured, Numa runs to them. This causes the other villagers to come out and join the fight against the droids.

Just as the tactical droid is about to fire on Obi-Wan and Numa, the villagers swoop in and save the day.

Leaving Numa

As Obi-Wan's company prepares to leave, Waxer bids Numa farewell first. He kneels down, puts a hand on her shoulder and then pats her head.

Waxer: See you later, little one.

Again, Waxer is more comfortable initiating physical affection than Boil is. He's also intentional about getting down on her level to say goodbye.

As Waxer walks off, Boil calls to her:

Boil: Hey, Numa. Stay out of trouble.

At some point off-screen, the clones found out Numa's name. I'm assuming Obi-Wan translated for them. So, it's significant that Boil calls her by name, now that they know what it is.

Boil also recognizes Numa has a penchant for getting into trouble, and tries to warn her against it.

Numa then runs to Boil, who's standing, and hugs his leg. Boil reaches down and puts a hand on her shoulder/back.

Like before, he's not as comfortable as Waxer with initiating physical affection, and he's still not very good about receiving it either. But, he's adjusted well enough.

Boil: Don't be afraid. We'll be back.

Both Waxer and Boil tell Numa this isn't the last time they'll meet. They really did form a strong bond with her, and while it's not clear when they would have a chance, they plan to return and see her again.

As Boil walks away too, Numa looks sad to see the clones go. Her parent comforts her. She calls out "nerra" to the clones several times as she waves goodbye.

Waxer, to Obi-Wan: Sir, what is that she keeps calling us? Obi-Wan: "Nerra." It means "brother."

The two clones then exchange a brief look with each other before turning back to Numa. Waxer waves goodbye, and the two clones walk off into the proverbial sunset with the rest of their company.

I think, in that moment, they were really struck by how Numa viewed them. They probably assumed "nerra" meant "friend" or something similar. They probably had no idea it meant something as powerful as "brother."

Clearly, Numa bonded with them so intensely and trusted them so much, she viewed them as family -- even as far back as their first conversation, when they took their helmets off and gave her food.

Remembering Numa

While we don't get many more appearances of Waxer or Boil, we do see them again in Seasons 2 and 4.

In Season 2, Boil has a picture of Numa on his helmet; and Waxer also has one on his helmet when he dies in Season 4.

It just goes to show how fondly they both remembered her. They literally painted her on their helmets, as if to say, "Heck yeah, we're Numa's brothers!" I can imagine them proudly talking about their “little sister” anytime someone asked about the design.

It's also implied that, at some point during or after the war, one or both clones returned to Ryloth to visit her.

When we see Numa in "Rebels," she's wearing 212th armor and even has Boil's name in Aurebesh on it. I know it's probably more of an Easter egg/headcanon, but I like to think Boil survived the war and returned to Ryloth to see her. It would explain how she got the armor and why his name is on it.

Plus, as I said, Boil is a soldier. He's not going to make promises flippantly. If he said "We'll be back," then I believe he’d follow through if/when he had the chance. I'm sure Waxer would've too, if he hadn't died on Umbara.

The three of them really had a special connection that lasted the rest of their lives.

Prefiguring Hunter & Crosshair

If it wasn't clear already, Waxer and Boil's dynamics with Numa -- both as a group and as individuals -- are very similar to Hunter and Crosshair's dynamics with Omega later in "The Bad Batch" series.

In both cases, two clone brothers are presented with a relatively helpless girl. One insists they have to help her, while the other is against it, believing their priority is their job as soldiers.

Even some of the dialogue is similar, with Crosshair and Boil both continually emphasizing how they need to "follow orders" and "complete the mission." Even Boil's "let her go" is similar to Crosshair telling Hunter:

Crosshair in 1.15: You want to protect the kid? Then let her go.

Ultimately, both sets of brothers decide their responsibility to their "little sister" is important, without forgetting their duty to each other, their other brothers and everyone else who's counting on them.

Similarities Between Boil & Crosshair

These two are definitely the more aggressive brothers in their respective duos. They both seem to have an affinity for heavy weaponry, and are always looking for an excuse to shoot something. Trigger-happy, in a word.

They're both also very practical and mission-driven. They're completely focused on their duty as soldiers. They're constantly bringing up their need to “complete the mission” and “follow orders,” even if it means leaving a girl to fend for herself. They also mention, at least once, their duty to keep their brothers safe as well.

Also, Boil and Crosshair criticize their brothers' paternal instincts when they initially meet their respective "little sisters". They protest taking her with them and/or bothering with her at all.

Later on, both Boil and Crosshair seem to generally care about their sisters' well-being, but not to the same degree as their brothers. They don't want to see her get hurt, but they also don't want to be around her either.

However, perhaps despite their best efforts, they ultimately give into their Dad Instincts™️. For both Boil and Crosshair, this seems to be when their respective "little sisters" are in great distress and/or danger.

For Boil, it's when he sees Numa crying in her ruined home, realizing just how much she's lost and how desperately she needs comfort and protection. For Crosshair, it's when he and Omega are imprisoned on Tantiss, when she has no other physical or emotional support system.

After their respective turning points, Boil and Crosshair seem to be more open to and comfortable around their "little sisters." They don't mind her displays of physical affection (holding hands, hugging, etc.), and do whatever they can to help and protect her.

Ultimately, both Boil and Crosshair have flavors of the "grumpy man who's actually a giant softie" trope, which is why the scenes of Numa hugging Boil and Omega hugging Crosshair hit similarly (at least they do for me).

There's one more specific thing I find interesting with these four characters: Boil and Crosshair calling their "little sisters" by name.

While Waxer was arguably closer to Numa, we never see him call her by name. He just calls her "little one," even after (apparently) finding out her name off-screen. But, Boil specifically calls her "Numa" in their final scene together.

Throughout TCW 1.20, Boil calls Numa "tail-head" and "monster" and "little biter." While I wonder if the latter was meant with some affection, the former two are definitely mean-spirited.

In the same way, throughout TBB Season 1 and 2, Crosshair calls Omega "a child" or "the kid" or his brothers' "little sidekick" in a demeaning way.

But, in Season 3, Crosshair only calls Omega by name. While his brothers and other characters often refer to Omega as "kid" or "the kid," Crosshair never does after Season 2. She is "Omega" from thereon.

Waxer and Hunter (and the others in CF99) can call Numa and Omega "little one" or "kid," because we know they mean it in an affectionate way.

But, Boil and Crosshair don't have that luxury, because they've only employed nicknames disrespectfully.

It also shows just how much both characters' attitudes have changed when they call their "little sisters" by name.

Finally, it's worth noting that while Boil and Crosshair were initially "against" Numa and Omega, respectively, their "little sisters" don't hold grudges.

In fact, even though they bonded with Waxer and Hunter more quickly and (arguably) more closely, the girls still consider Boil and Crosshair their "brothers" all the same. The girls hold them in an equal (or near equal) degree as they do Waxer and Hunter, despite Boil and Crosshair initially rejecting them.

Similarities Between Waxer & Hunter

Unlike their brothers, Waxer and Hunter are characterized as being more compassionate and caring from the get-go, even before meeting their "little sisters."

When he sees the devastation on Ryloth, Waxer wonders about the residents, whether they were killed, etc.

Meanwhile, throughout TBB 1.01 "Aftermath," Hunter lets Caleb Dume escape Order 66 and then lies to protect him. He also refuses to kill the civilians on Onderon, and starts to see the Empire for what it really is.

This is also a small thing, but we get parallel scenes of Waxer and Hunter noticing a probe droid that their brothers didn't.

In general, both Waxer and Hunter push back on their brothers' more cavalier attitudes toward people in danger/need.

Waxer repeatedly tells Boil they should do something about Numa, and then continues to worry about her well-being while she's following them.

In "Aftermath," when Hunter sees Crosshair trying to kill Caleb and then complaining they didn't kill civilians, he calls him out on it. He also generally confronts Crosshair about his obsession with "following orders," when that was something CF99 never worried about in the past.

Then, after they find out Omega is a fellow clone, Hunter insists they need to return to Kamino for Omega despite the dangers.

When meeting their "little sisters," Waxer and Hunter seem to be naturals with kids -- at least compared to their brothers.

They intentionally get down on their knees and talk to them at eye-level. They address them calmly and respectfully. Waxer takes off his helmet to show Numa he's not a droid. They try to make their "little sisters" feel safe and comfortable, despite the stressful situation.

Once their "little sisters" are with them, Waxer and Hunter very naturally switch into Dad Mode™️. They look out for them, protect them, give them reassuring head-pats, shoulder-touches, and so on. Weirdly, though, neither are very good with hugs initially, but they get there eventually.

On top of being more immediate, Waxer and Hunter's bonds with their "little sisters" are arguably much stronger than their brothers'.

Numa seems to be more comfortable around Waxer, especially initially, despite calling both clones "nerra" after they took off their helmets. Again, it's possible that she understood some of what they were saying, and realized Waxer was trying to help her while Boil really wasn't.

For Omega, she spends more time with Hunter early on, as Crosshair was separated from his family due to the Empire enhancing his inhibitor chip. Thus, she develops a very strong bond with Hunter very quickly. Even with Tech, Wrecker and Echo around as well, Omega and Hunter's bond is special.

Overall, Waxer and Hunter seem to be the "default" or "go-to" brother when Numa and Omega are in trouble.

Finally, I also find it interesting that the last gesture of farewell is Waxer and Hunter's.

Even though both Waxer and Boil turn back to look at Numa after finding out what "nerra" means, only Waxer decides to wave back at her.

Similarly, in the TBB series finale, the epilogue shows only Hunter saying goodbye to Omega. Even though both Omega and Hunter acknowledge the other brothers' role in her life, that final moment is theirs.

Just like Numa with Waxer, Omega bonded with Hunter first. So, it feels fitting that her final scene should be with him.

Final Thoughts

It's been fun rewatching "Innocents of Ryloth" and seeing these proto-versions of Hunter and Crosshair. I have no idea whether the TCW/TBB writers did that on purpose, but even if not, it makes for an powerful parallel.

Obviously, there are some major differences. Numa's parent was still alive, while Omega never had a proper parent to begin with. So, Hunter and his brothers arguably had an even greater responsibility to Omega than Waxer and Boil did to Numa.

Also, while Waxer and Boil definitely stayed in the "brother" category, as Numa's parent was still alive, Hunter (and his brothers) crossed over into the "dad" category in Omega's life.

Unlike Waxer and Boil, Hunter & co. took care Omega for years rather than a day or two. They provided for her; they taught her; and they cared for her physically and emotionally from the TBB series premiere to the epilogue.

If given the opportunity, I'm sure Waxer and Boil would've gone back to Ryloth and checked on Numa. Maybe, after the war, they would've even stayed long-term and kept an eye on her like a big brother or uncle might. Again, they bonded with her so strongly that they drew pictures of her on their helmets. They really thought of themselves as her brothers, and ran around battlefields representing her even months after meeting her.

As fans have joked about: put a Jango Fett clone in the immediate vicinity of a kid for a decent amount of time and they will turn into a Dad™️.

Doesn't matter if they're being mind-controlled. Doesn't matter if their priority is to follow orders. Doesn't matter if they're set to be shipped to another world once this mission's done. Doesn't matter if this is literally the first kid they've ever seen in their lives (except fellow clones).

And, even if they don't get enough "incubation time" around the kid to turn into a dad, they will -- at minimum -- turn into a Nerra™️.

[unexpectedtechnicality]

4 Times Cody Felt Obi-wan Use the Force, and 1 Time it Was Someone Else

This is the first time I’ve published a fic! But I got very excited for Cody day and quickly finished up this little wip I had going.

Rating: T to be safe, Cody gets pretty injured at one point, but nothing is very graphic.

Light Codywan, about 4,900 words.

I’m very new to this, please let me know if there’s anything I should be tagging!

1.

Rex, Cody decided, was a liar. Rex had fought on Geonosis. He claimed the jedi were astonishing warriors, brilliant strategists, excellent all around. 

Well, maybe the problem wasn’t Rex’s integrity. After all, he hadn’t met his general until after the Battle of Geonosis. And he had never met Cody’s for that matter.

Not that High General Kenobi wasn’t an astonishing warrior, brilliant strategist, or seemingly excellent all around kind of guy. Just…Skywalker had gotten it somewhere, and “somewhere” was starting to sound a lot like “Kenobi.”

The original plan had been solid. Cody honestly couldn't have improved upon it. The problem had come when the charges went off early, cutting off their narrow rock bridge back to the Negotiator and stranding Cody and the general on the other side. 

Technically that wasn’t the general’s fault. But if they had left a few minutes earlier…

“I’ve got an idea.”

Cody’s musing was interrupted by the general, who was staring off the edge of the cliff into the mist. 

“Sir?”

“The canyon leads back around to the rendezvous point, it’s just a few kliks further.”

Cody stared at him. He couldn't really mean–

The general looked up serenely. “We’ll have to jump.”

Cody peered down into the mist. The ground was not visible. “Sir, we have no idea how far down it is.”

“It’s perfectly alright Commander. Just a slight detour.”

Sensible, Rex had said. They’re good leaders, they think things through. Cody was never listening to a word his brother said again. 

Blaster fire sounded somewhere behind them. Kenobi smiled. “Now or never, Commander. I’ll go first, wait about 10 seconds and then jump.” 

Before Cody could protest, he was gone. Kriff. His general had just committed suicide rather than be taken by the enemy and expected Cody to follow. This couldn’t be what the Kaminoans meant when they said good soldiers followed orders. What the kriff! 

“Jump, Commander!” The general’s voice floated up from below, almost like it was too far to be heard properly. Had he even heard it at all?

A full platoon of droids appeared behind him. Cody glanced at them, weighed his options, cursed his short existence, his general, and Rex for good measure, then jumped.

He plummeted through the mist, tense, waiting for the crunch of his bones against the rocky floor. But before he could reach the bottom, the air seemed to condense around him. It was as though time slowed down. The mist thickened, and it nearly felt like he fell softly into a net, like he was still in drop training. Something felt familiar about it. Like someone he knew, or–

The mist cleared and there, a few feet below him was General Kenobi, hand outstretched and brow furrowed in concentration. Gently, he lowered Cody until his feet were on the ground, and the strange feeling surrounding him dissipated.

Kenobi grinned. “See? Perfectly fine.”

Cody could only nod vaguely, slightly stunned. “Yes….ah, sir.”

“Now come on, we don’t want to keep our men waiting, do we?”

Cody smiled, and despite his bucket still being on his head, it felt like Kenobi knew. “No, sir.”

2.

Cody jolted awake, his comm blaring. It was his off shift, and they were slow traveling through neutral space. What could have possibly happened in the few short hours he had to sleep? He scrubbed a hand over his face and glanced to his left, where his chest plate was floating next to the lumpy pillow from—

Hang on. 

Suddenly very awake, Cody surveyed the room to discover that something had happened to the artificial gravity on the ship and he was now floating in the middle of his quarters surrounded by his own armor and meager belongings. 

Just great. 

I’m assigning every man in maintenance to latrines for a month if this is someone’s idea of a practical joke. 

Cody located his comm, floating a few meters away near the door. Angling himself that way, he kicked his feet and swam the best he could with his arms. After a few minutes, he managed to grab it and stop the infernal beeping. 

“Go for Cody,” he snapped. 

“Ah! Commander, sorry to wake you. We have a bit of a…situation.”

“You don’t say.”

He could practically hear the smile in Kenobi’s voice. “Yes, well, if you could meet me on the bridge?”

Cody rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir.”

Putting on his armor proved to be quite a challenge when all of it was floating in a different corner of the room. Cody ended up kicking off every wall, and the ceiling several times just to get kitted up. It took far longer than normal. Every time he wasn’t intentionally moving, he was drifting. 

Slapping the control for the door while speeding at it was probably not the best strategy, but luckily it opened before he could slam into it. Then Cody began the arduous task of propelling himself to the bridge. Eventually he settled into a bit of a rhythm: kick off a doorway or wall, attempt to “swim” the right direction, then give up and desperately flap about until the destination was reached. Rinse and repeat. 

The way to the bridge passed the mess hall, as well as several busy corridors. He passed brothers who seemed to be moving with ease through the space, tumbling slowly through the air, gliding from one doorway to the next. He passed Waxer and Boil as he flailed his way past the mess, both of whom took one look at him and burst out laughing. 

KP for a week shut them up quickly enough. 

When the bridge was finally in sight, Cody had just about had enough. The door slid open to admit him, presenting one of the strangest things he had ever seen. 

The bridge was the picture of order. Officers floated near their work stations, calmly anchoring themselves with one hand or foot tucked into a chair or railing. As he watched, an engineer pushed off the central holo table and soared gracefully to the hyperdrive console, inputting numbers from above with ease. 

At the center of it all, floating upside down with his robes billowing around him like a flower, was General Kenobi. When he saw Cody, gripping the doorway for dear life and gaping beneath his helmet, Kenobi smiled and lifted a hand, beginning to slowly turn himself upright to his usual spot on the walkway. 

Cody gave himself a little shove, aimed for his typical spot next to the general, and crossed his fingers. 

“Good to have you, Commander. As you can see, we got into a minor skirmish with a passing neutral envoy. We came to a temporary truce, but I’m still in discussion with them to see if they will continue to attempt to blow us out of the sky. One of their shots knocked out our artificial gravity.”

Cody was struggling to keep himself near the general. His initial push had gotten him nearly where he wanted to be, but he was drifting forward. He tucked in slightly, trying to roll himself back.

“I would like your opinion on a plan of attack should it be necessary. Over half the battalion is on rest right now, and I’d hate to rouse them.”

His roll had failed. Now Cody was drifting upwards to Kenobi’s right, slowly turning away from him. Letting out a frustrated groan, Cody attempted to twist himself back to rights. 

“One option would be to— Cody?”

“Sorry, sir. Give me a minute.” He renewed his twisting efforts with more vigor. How was Kenobi staying in one place when— oh. The kriffing force. “General, uh. Would you mind—?”

“Oh! My apologies Cody. Yes, one moment.”

A light, warm pressure materialized at his right hip, then his left, and he began to turn to face the general and drift down to stand next to him. It was almost as if someone had put their hand– no, not someone. Kenobi. It was most definitely Kenobi’s hands resting comfortably at Cody’s waist, and now anchoring him to the floor. He turned to look at the general, and found his face much closer than expected, eyes seeming to bore right through his visor.

Cody felt his face heat under his bucket. “Uh. Yes. Thank you, sir.”

The general cleared his throat. Was it Cody’s imagination, or was he blushing too? “Of course, commander. Can’t have you floating away, now, can we?”

Force-Kenobi’s hands stayed comfortably at Cody’s sides the rest of the battle, and Cody…found he didn’t really mind. 

3.

His ears were ringing. Cody blinked, trying to clear his vision. What—?

There was a blast somewhere to his right. Instinctively, he tried to curl up to protect his head. Fire erupted across his left side, shoulder to knee, ripping a ragged scream from his throat. He flopped back onto his back, gasping for air. He must have been hit by a blast earlier. No way to tell how long ago.

“There!”

A med speeder pulled up next to him, and Neat, one of their junior medics hopped off.

“Don’t worry commander, we’ve got you.”

Last I remember Obi– the general was by me. The thought sent adrenaline spiking through his veins, pain forgotten.

“Neat.”

“Sir?”

“The…the general, he–”

“He’s safe, sir, please don’t move.”

Neat began running a scanner down his side, but Cody needed visual confirmation on Obi-wan. Obi-wan. He had asked him to call him Obi-wan, alone in his quarters, just a week earlier. If something had happened to him before Cody could figure out—

“Cody!”

Obi-wan came skidding to a halt next to their little party and dropped to his knees beside Cody. “There you are,” he panted. “Neat?”

Neat scowled. “He won’t lie still,” he griped, as Cody pushed up on his elbows to check if Obi-wan was hurt. “Sir, please—“

Finishing his once-over of Obi-wan (a few scratches and bruises but otherwise unharmed, unfairly he seemed to be glowing slightly in the setting sun), Cody finally let himself relax. “Sorry, Neat. Go ahead.”

As Neat did his scan, Obi-wan sent him a slightly reproachful look. “You took the brunt of the blast, Commander, not me. I’m perfectly fine.” He glanced at Cody’s side, brow furrowing.

The pain was starting to creep back, like several hot pokers lined up against his side. Cody leaned his head back against the ground. “Had to be sure. Couldn’t remember.”

Obi-wan frowned, looking even more worried, and the scanner beeped to indicate a finished report. 

Neat swore. “There’s a lot of shrapnel in his side. He’s loosing a lot of blood. I need to remove what I can to staunch the bleeding now and then get him back to base to get the rest out. Possibly put him in bacta.”

Cody was starting to get worried. He tried to look down at the wound, but Obi-wan stopped him with a gentle hand under his chin. “It’ll be fine, Cody.”

Cody. They’d agreed no first names during battle (though Cody wasn’t counting the sanctity of his own mind, the one thing that was truly his own), if Obi-wan was calling him Cody, it was bad.

“General, I’m going to start operating, I might need you to help hold him down.”

Obi-wan shifted, taking Cody’s right hand in his own and holding tight. “Ready.”

Cody braced himself, but when Neat first started prodding at his knee he couldn’t hold back the grunt, gripping Obi-wan’s hand and twitching away from the pain. Neat waiting half a second, then started back in. Every touch felt like a brand, or like the time he had picked up the wrong end of a smoking blaster as a cadet. There were tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. 

Obi-was rested his arm across Cody’s chest to keep him still.

Neat continued his field surgery. “This one’s in deeper. Take a breath, commander.”

Cody tried to do as he was told, but it was like a lance shot through his thigh. He bucked against Obi-wan’s hold, and Neat swore again as everything was jostled.

“General,” Neat pleaded. 

“One moment.” Obi-wan shifted, moving so Cody’s head was resting on his knees. “I’m going to try something different. Cody?”

Cody nodded, hissing through his teeth, trying to ride out the pain. He watched above him as Obi-wan closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath.

The strange sensation of the air solidifying around him that Cody was beginning to recognize as the force surrounded him. A warm feeling, like a heavy, plush blanket pressed down around him. Experimentally, he tried to shift his right leg, and found that aside from breathing, he couldn’t move at all.

It’s should have alarmed him. But the soft, warm feeling wasn’t suffocating…it was comforting. It felt familiar, like the net had, and the hands when the artificial gravity had been broken. Like he was wrapped in a blanket of Obi-wan, or his presence, or something. He vaguely registered Obi-wan telling Neat to continue. Obi-wan rested one hand on the side of Cody’s head, cradling his face, the other supporting the back of his head, and Cody let himself relax into the touch.

The pain was still there, in his leg, now moving up toward his hip, but it seemed…muted. He blinked up at Obi-wan, the picture of serenity.

Alright?

If he could have, Cody would have jumped at Obi-wan’s voice in his head. But it just seemed…natural.

Yes, he thought.

Sorry, I should have asked if this was okay. I was worried.

It’s okay. It’s…nice, actually.

Neat had reached his side now, the familiar cool feeling of bacta covering his thigh. One tug made Cody flinch, and the force-blanket pressed down a little tighter, like he was wrapped up in a bedroll.

The warm, safe feeling was still present all over, but it was starting to condense in one spot, right at the base of his skull, under Obi-wan’s finger. A little bright spot, almost like someone had turned on a light in his brain somehow. It felt right though, especially in his slightly woozy state, so Cody didn’t question it.

Obi-wan and Neat were talking above him, but Cody couldn’t quite make out the words. That was alright, he thought. They would take care of him. Obi-wan said something that almost looked like “sleep.”

A nap didn’t really sound bad. Maybe he’d just shut his eyes for a few minutes. Obi-wan smiled down at him.

I’ll be there when you wake up.

And he was. Everything back to normal. The blanket-feeling was gone. But if Cody really concentrated, he could still feel that little spark in the base of his skull. The little spark that felt like Obi-wan.

4.

At this point, Cody wasn’t even surprised when he and Obi-wan were separated from the rest of the men during the battle. This time, it had been a strange feeling in the force that Obi-wan had insisted on following, leading them through a strange cave system in the middle of the gigantic jungle that may have once been a temple of some kind. It had allowed them to sneak behind enemy lines and take out the tactical droid, allowing the 212th to finish the battle with relative ease, however, the feeling had also gone away quickly after, and Cody was beginning to think Obi-wan did not, as he claimed, remember the way back.

“The left tunnel. I’m sure of it.”

“Are you sure we haven’t been this way before, sir?”

“I thought we agreed on first names when we were alone, Cody.” Obi-wan set off down the left tunnel.

Cody snorted, but followed him, helmet clacking against his thigh plate where it was clipped at his hip. “We did. However we are technically on duty, and you’re being a stubborn bantha. Sir.”

Obi-wan turned with an expression of mock outrage. “Me? Stubborn? My dear commander, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Have you no faith in me?”

He gestured in front of them, and sure enough, there was finally light at the end of the tunnel. Cody just shook his head, smiling.

They emerged into the massive, muggy jungle and Cody immediately booted up his comm and nav, which hadn’t been working in the caverns anyway. The map of the surface he had downloaded popped up, with the little orange beacon marking their base. Several kliks away. 

“I thought we entered the caves just a klik from camp?”

Obi-wan frowned. “We did. Where are we now?”

Cody lifted his arm to show him. “You’re sure you didn’t get turned around in there?”

“Of course not, clearly the caves changed,” Obi-wan said primly. “Well, I suppose we could go back in.”

“Absolutely not. We are staying out here and following the route back. It’s the same distance, just with sunlight.”

They walked in companionable silence through the giant trees for a while, stopping every so often to check the map. They must have passed at least a dozen trees with trunks so wide Cody couldn’t see the other side before he broke the silence.

“Obi-wan, can I ask you something?” The other man nodded. “A little while back, when I was injured and you…helped Neat operate, I think something else might have happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“While you were…talking in my head, it started to feel like there was…a spot. A light? A little patch of warmth, right at the base of my skull. And afterwards, when I was out of bacta, it was still there. It is still there. At first I thought maybe it was something medical, but Neat scanned me again and said everything was normal. The more I thought about it, the more I tried to…interact with it, I guess, the more I realized…it feel like you. Like you inside my head somehow.”

Obi-wan looked pensive. “Fascinating.”

“Do you know what it is? It doesn’t feel harmful.”

They waded through a small stream, and Obi-wan offered Cody his hand to pull him up onto the far bank.

“In the Jedi Order, master and padawan pairs typically form a force bond. A link that lets them communicate directly with each other, often feel what the other is feeling, form a deeper relationship with that person. Usually, it’s only possible for someone force sensitive to form bonds.”

Cody pushed a branch out of their way as they climbed over some roots. He could see where this was going. “But clones aren’t force sensitive, so…that’s not what this is.”

Obi-wan hummed. “I’ve heard of a few rare exceptions. The force is in all things, Cody.”

After a few minutes, Cody worked up the courage to ask. “Do you feel anything? In your head?”

“It’s difficult to tell. I do feel quite strongly about you, but I can feel you externally in the force. I also have several other bonds. Anakin and I never fully dissolved our training bond, and I have a small bond with Ashoka as well. I have a different type of bond with Quinlan, and sometimes I can still feel the remains of my bond with Qui-gon. I suspect it would be easier to tell if we communicated through the force but you and I never seem to have the need,” he said, smiling gently at Cody.

Cody smiled back, and some of the anxiety he hadn’t even realized he was feeling melted away. He glanced down at his map. “Should be just over this ridge.”

They came over the top of the hill together, and Cody had to bite back a groan of frustration. In front of them was a downed tree, one of the super massive ones with the unimaginably wide trunks. The sun was going down. They didn’t have time to go around, and the trunk was so high Cody wasn’t sure they could climb over. His mind raced, trying to come up with a solution.

“Ah,” Obi-wan said, surveying the surrounding area. “I suppose we have to guess which was is shorter. We went left before, this time maybe we go—“

“Throw me.”

“I’m sorry?”

Cody grinned. “We go straight over. I run, and jump, and you throw me. Then you leap over after. We use the force.”

Obi-wan grinned back. “I don’t always say I believe in destiny, but surely Cody, you were sent to me straight from the force. Ready?”

Cody backed up, setting his stance. He was going to aim right for the center of the span of trunk in front of them. He nodded to Obi-wan, then took off running. Once he had reached top speed, he leapt into the air, and watched the trunk fly closer to his face until—

A warm, sweet smelling breeze, like freshly brewed tea swept him up, carrying him up, up, and over the trunk. He was so high the LAAT/is at the base below him looked like small animals, surrounded by swarms of tiny ant-troopers packing up to fly back to the Negotiator. Laughing, Cody did a somersault in the air as he flew over the tree, then spread his arms like he was parachuting and let the Obi-wan-wind carry him all the way to the ground, where he tumbled into the grass, still giddy.

A moment later, Obi-wan landed, cat-like, next to him, and helped him to his feet, laughing and pushing wind-swept hair out of his eyes. 

“You’re right commander, that was much more fun than going around.”

+ 1

Cody crept through the hallway, blaster pointed ahead of him. A light flashed on his HUD, Boil checking in. Waxer was due in 5 minutes, then Wooley. They’d set up a rotating check in system as they fanned out to scour the seemingly abandoned ship they’d been sent to investigate. If you asked Cody, splitting up was just asking for trouble, especially since no one was with his trouble magnet of a general. But it was the quickest way to get them out of here, so he’d acquiesced. 

Something rattled behind a door as he passed. He sighed, then pressed himself up against the wall, out of sight, and keyed the door open. Nothing jumped out, so he peeked around the corner.

It was a medium sized storage bay, and he was suddenly very thankful his door was obscured by crates, as he could hear vague voices coming from somewhere else in the room. The door slid silently shut behind him as he slipped in, trying to find a vantage point to see who was there through the crates.

He found a reasonably defendable spot in the corner and considered updating his men, but when he brought up his comm system it was like there was some sort of interference. Strange. No matter, they had his last location and his next check in was in only a few minutes, so someone would come join him eventually.

Through a gap in the crates, he could just make out two figures, one in a cloak and speaking to another cloaked figure who– oh. One figure, one hologram. Strange. They’d found no sign of crew aboard this vessel. He turned up his mic, trying to make out what they were saying.

“...plan has worked perfectly. They’ve already arrived,” the hologram was saying.

“Then they will soon be dead,” the other replied, and Cody’s blood ran cold. He suddenly had a very, very bad feeling about this mission. He knew that voice.

“I will leave you to your work.” The figure standing in the cargo bay removed her hood and knelt, confirming Cody’s suspicion.

Ventress.

Kriff. He had to get out of here, or signal his men, Obi-wan. He checked the time. His check in had passed two minutes ago, they’d be getting worried now. Slightly frantic, he tapped at his comm, willing it to work. What was the point of the kriffing antenna on his shoulder if he couldn’t get through? He remembered what Wolffe had looked like when he visited him in the med center after his encounter with Ventress. He couldn’t face her alone. 

The crates surrounding him suddenly blasted away, leaving him exposed in his little corner. Cody looked up to find Ventress stalking straight towards him.

“Poor little clone, where did your friends go?”

Cody leapt to his feet, blaster already primed to shoot, when a wall of pure something slammed into him, forcing him to drop his blaster and throwing him against the wall behind him. Immediately he scrambled to get up, but Ventress threw one hand out, and a freezing cold vice closed around his throat, lifting him off the ground.

He clawed at the invisible grip, but there was nothing there. He choked, straining to get a breath, but it was pointless. She dragged him through the air, until he was just a few inches from her face. Cody’s bucket floated itself off his head, flying away and clattering to the ground somewhere. The pressure on his neck eased ever so slightly, and Cody sucked in as much air as he could before it tightened again.

“Aren’t you a handsome one?” Ventress crooned, tracing one fingernail down his scar in a grotesque facsimile of how Obi-wan sometimes did when– focus, Cody. “Now. As much as I’d love to just kill you and get on with it, you know what part of the ship our dear Kenobi is on, don’t you?”

Cody tried to jerk away from the clawed fingers tracing his temples, but found the ice cold vice had spread to his entire body. He could breathe now, barely, but he couldn’t move even a single muscle. It was nothing like when Obi-wan had used the force around him before. That was…gentle, personal, it felt safe. This was anything but. Never before had Cody understood the raw power force users had at their disposal. It wanted to rip him limb from limb. Fear gnawed at his stomach. If only his comm had worked–

“Somewhere in that head of yours, we just have to find it.”

In his head. That was it! Desperately, as Ventress bared her teeth, Cody reached for the last warm spot on his being– a force bond, Obi-wan had called it. HELP, he thought, OBI–

Pain like he had never felt erupted from his temples, and he vaguely registered Ventress laughing as twin ice picks drove themselves through his skull, behind his eyes, in his brain, in whatever it was inside him that made him, him. 

Cody screamed, frozen in the air, no way to escape as she tore through his mind, looking for whatever it was she wanted, Cody couldn’t remember any more. There was only the freezing, burning pain.

It could have been hours, could have been minutes, but without warning, the pain stopped, and Cody found himself flying through the air and into the far wall. Pressure like a million duracrete bricks immobilized him a few feet off the ground, limbs splayed out like a pinned bug. Blinking the haze out of his eyes, he was confronted with two blurry forms whirling around the room; red and blue lights flashing. As his vision finally cleared he could make out Ventress, locked in combat with–

Thank the stars, Obi-wan. There was a fierce expression on his face as he met Ventress blow for blow. As Cody watched, Obi-wan glanced his way for a split second, then went back to the fight with renewed vigor. Unable to do anything, Cody found his eyes drifting shut.

He woke a short time later when he tumbled to the ground in a heap, the force holding him to the wall having vanished. Obi-wan was hurrying over to him from across the room, Ventress presumably having run away. Cody groaned.

“Full evac, effective immediately. I’ll meet you back at the ship with the commander,” Obi-was was saying into his comm, several tinny “yessirs” echoing out of it. 

“Cody, are you alright?”

Cody carefully felt along his throat with one hand. “Fine, I think. How–” he grimaced. His body felt like one giant bruise. He was still freezing. “How did you find me?”

Obi-was smiled wanly. “You called. I suppose it is a force bond, and does work both ways, though I can think of several other ways we could have tested it without you being in mortal peril.”

“I’ll try to remember that for next time.”

Obi-wan shook his head, reaching one hand out to the side. Cody’s bucket flew into it like it was magnetized, and Obi-wan carefully fit it back over his head, then gently pulled him to his feet. Cody half-expected Obi-wan to call on the force and simply levitate him back to their ship, but instead he hefted Cody’s over his shoulder and wrapped his own around his waist. His other hand came up to support Cody’s chest.

Cody leaned into him as they trudged back to the ship, letting Obi-wan take a fair amount of his weight.

“For the record,” he said, “I like it much better when you’re the one throwing me around with the force.”

“Careful commander,” Obi-wan teased, raising an eyebrow, “If someone hears you say that they might get the wrong idea.”

Cody glared at him, and concentrated all his effort on lifting one arm to smack him lightly in the chest. Obi-wan laughed, and Cody felt the world slide back into place around him.

“But yes, Cody, I much prefer that also.”

[the-greatest-8]

Obi-wan has had visions before, even when he was in the creche. It was a simple fact by now. Master Yoda had even offered comfort before, after a particularly difficult one. Obi-wan was well aware the risk of reading too far into them- because that simply wasn't how they worked. 'Always in motion, the future is.' Obi-wan knew this.

However- Obi-wan had one vision, one, that he hoped so desperately would become true. It always started the same, he would feel so light, so free- It was a comfort he has clung to in his darkest moments. He would be in bed, warm, and content. He would hear the sound of rustling next to him, before arms would wrap around him. Obi-wan always remembers how he sinks into, how he'd fall back asleep. That's how the vision always ends. It was never enough- not enough information.

Obi-wan wanted so deeply to know how to make that vision real. He knew it wasn't proper; He was just a man though, he tried so hard to follow all the rules- but oh, how he wanted. That feeling never left, even during the war he was in now. If anything, it made him wish even more, for a warmth to keep him grounded around all the deaths. Around all the sorrow after battle, Obi-wan just wanted to feel safe, like in the vision.

It wasn't often, he wouldn't mope, not when he was needed at his best. It was moments like this, however, when the desires in him felt suffocating. The last mission him and his men went on was successful, very successful. Morale was high, and so a stop into town to celebrate was made.

Obi-wan had been corralled into joining, as had Cody. It was enjoyable, even, he drank plenty with his men as they all laughed and told stories. Obi-wan was even sporting a buzz, he was happy, he had realized. Here, with his men, next to his loyal Commander. It made him pause for a second, surprised. Cody, vigilant as ever, took notice and sent him a look, feeling questioning in the force.

Obi-wan smiled at Cody, "I'm fine, Commander, I simply was surprised at something." Obi-wan said exasperatedly. Cody hummed, "If you don't mind me asking General, what was it?" He asked, and sipped his drink. Obi-wan huffed, "I just realized I'm enjoying myself, that's all my dear." He says. Cody smiled then, a soft expression that momentarily made Obi-wans heart flutter.

"I'm glad, sir, we've all noticed you've been tense." Cody said, his worry in the Force being replaced with a soothed, content feeling- and the gentle flames of fondness. Obi-wan almost stuttered, his face flushing slightly. Obi-wan felt warm, his heart raced while he worked on keeping his face straight.

The Force was entirely unhelpful, almost mockingly it made him more aware of how soothing Cody feels to him. Obi-wan decided then he was far to sober for this, and ordered another drink. He doesn't remember a single thing after.

Obi-wan awoke feeling warm, and content, surprisingly without a hangover too. He must have filtered his blood through the force before bed, he thinks distantly. He was sleepy, not entirely certain what woke him, so he just let himself feel. He was floating in soft feelings, he felt light and free, his troubles seemed all the more distant. Obi-wan doesn't remember feeling like this, not in a long while at least. Obi-wan hears rustling next to him, and before he can panic about another person in his bed, strong arms wrap around him and pull him close. "Go back to sleep, General.." a half asleep Cody mutters, before he fully succumbs to his rest once more. Obi-wan pauses, his heart thudding in his chest, and face ablaze.

Obi-wan decides this is a dilemma for future Obi-wan, and sinks into the embrace. He fleetingly thinks about his vision, but is unable to put more thought into it as he drifts off once more. A smile on his lips.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Authors note-

Honestly I'm not sure I'm happy with this one. Maybe I'll try again later, but I had to write my idea down or I wouldn't be able to to remember it lol. Hope you like it 😊.

[rochenn]

Literally ALL of your wips sound completely fascinating but im particularly interested in your rebellion codywan 👀

REBELLION CODYWAN!! This is such a fun trope and I really want to put my own spin on it :D I find the Tatooine setting to be very limiting in regards to what you can do, so imagine it's roundabout five years post-O66 and Tatooine becomes compromised. Fuel reserves have been detected under the surface, which of course the Empire plans to extract, and hence Obi-Wan + the Lars family are evacuated via Bail Organa who caught wind of the upcoming trouble. Coincidentally, this is also the time Cody finds himself joining the cause.

The Rebellion is still a flimsy baby thing at this point. Kinda just a loose web of agents and safe houses and cells that sorta have the same goal but also hate each other. Obi-Wan and Cody end up in the same safe house while Obi-Wan tries to figure out where to send the Lars family next. I think an alternative title to this fic could be "what if you and your long-lost comrade meet again but you're also in a spy thriller", because Codywan works best for me when they're both under enormous amounts of stress :D

I'm still deciding who to involve. An earlier version of the networks seen in Andor is very tempting, especially if you bring them into contact with Bail's network (which contains Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and the like). I think many people would like to recruit Obi-Wan to do anything besides guarding Luke. Many people would also like to recruit Cody.

Lots of stuff happening. Lots of tension. Lots of things to clear up and to navigate. Once again my idea of a simple romance fic has grown a plot thicker than the Earth's crust

[leapingbadger]

When You Least Expect It - Chapter 21

Summary: Obi Wan wrestles with his new reality and what that means for him and his family.

Read on AO3

Excerpt:

Obi Wan sighed as he came downstair having slept most of the morning away. Cody was still in bed, grumbling halfheartedly about getting up with him and rolling over and falling back to sleep. The door to Anakin’s room was ajar, his soft snores emanating from within.

He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen, sighing again as he realized their unfinished dinner from last night still sat out like a still life. What would the title be? “Family Crisis”? “Failure”? He ran his hand through his hair, desperate to clear the evidence before his brother surfaced. The last thing he needed was Anakin losing it again.

He sat for a long time at the table, wondering how he could possibly make things right. Ahsoka was scared to come home to the one place she was supposed to always feel safe. Obi Wan thought that perhaps that was the hardest thing of all. That in failing Anakin, he had failed his little sister so readily and now he was torn. He didn’t know how to get Anakin the help he needed and make Ahsoka feel safe at the same time. Could they even live in the same house at this point? If push came to shove, he knew he would have to choose Ahsoka’s wellbeing over Anakin’s, but the thought of kicking out his brother when he was clearly in need made him want to vomit.

He heard a creak on the stairs as he finished stacking the dishwasher and was relieved when Cody’s broad frame walked into the room. He’d thrown on sweatpants and a hoodie and even with all his swirling emotions, Obi Wan couldn’t help but want him.

“Morning.” Cody said groggily, wrapping his arms tightly around Obi Wan and peppering his cheeks with kisses, before finally meeting his lips. “How’d you sleep?”

Obi Wan could have lied, but what was the point? “As well as can be expected, I suppose.” He said instead.

Cody nodded knowingly, his grip on him tighter. “We have two free tickets to New Zealand if you want to run away.” He said with a chuckle.

Obi Wan threw his head back and let out a laugh so surprisingly genuine it gave him pause. “I would go anywhere with you, Cody. But I think we have to fix this before we can do that.”

He nodded. “I know. I was thinking maybe this summer though. When school’s out…”

Obi Wan hadn’t given the tickets a huge amount of thought, what with everything else going on. “I still have the kids, Cody. I can’t just…”

“I know. I know” Cody said casually. “Look, we have plenty of time to figure it out. I just…I had a pretty awesome dream. Would love for it to come to fruition one day soon.”

“A normal dream or a…different kind of dream?” Obi Wan asked, his eyebrow raised playfully.

Cody grinned, dragging Obi Wan closer by his hips. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” He purred, his lips hovering enticingly close.

“Oh, I think I would.” Obi Wan said, his hands training underneath Cody’s sweatshirt, feeling his warm skin and the happy trail leading to the waistband of his pants.

Cody licked Obi Wan’s bottom lip playfully and smiled. Obi Wan felt the familiar electricity bursting through him at Cody’s touch and wondered if sneaking down to the basement was a possibility when he heard heavy footsteps on the stairs.

He braced for impact, his body suddenly going ridged. Cody noticed, pulling him closer, his lips finding his ear and kissing it gently. “I’m here.” He whispered.

Obi Wan didn’t think it was possible for his brother to look worse than he had curled up on the bathroom floor, but somehow, he did. His eye was completely swollen shut now, the faint yellow bruising of just a few hours ago taking on a purple mottled hew. The scratches on his face were no longer bleeding but were pulled tight with every emotion that flickered over Anakin’s face.

[aspentreewrites]

and when all the flowers are rotten and all the cannons shot

Chapter 7

Pairings: Codywan

Tags/Warnings: (spoilers for this chapter!!) slow burn, force bond shenanigans, angst and pining, explicit sexual content

Description:

The truth of the matter burrows deep into Cody’s skin, settling into the home it’s long-since made for itself there, nestled tightly amongst the other secrets he harbours that are too shameful to ever speak aloud.

He digs his fingers into his temples, breathing in heavy lungfuls of the steam-drenched air as if it might reverse the realisation that now weighs upon his heart like lead.

This is no longer just some passing infatuation.

He’s in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

(or: an account of the relationship between one Marshal Commander and his General from in the midst of a war.)

Link to read on AO3 here!

✷✷✷✷✷

A/N: I'm so nervous for this one to go out lol. Lots of pressure riding on this one!! I hope you enjoy, every comment, like and rb is so deepy treasured <3

Thanks as always to @whenyourfavouritedies for beta'ing this chapter!!!

Wordcount: 13.7k

Prev chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

✷✷✷✷✷

Obi-Wan is finally removed from the bacta tank by the time the evening comes, much to Cody’s relief.

The once life threatening wound has already healed significantly, leaving only a jagged, pink scar etched into the Jedi’s side. It’s nothing to be mournful about - just another marking to add to the collection of near-misses. Proof that despite everything, even the venerated General Kenobi is still just a human.

The fragility of it all is not lost on Cody. 

He does his best to keep his eyes firmly down, feigning interest in the datapad in his lap as Helix checks over the damage. He’s seen Obi-Wan shirtless before, many times in fact, but looking feels… loaded, now that he’s come to terms with the longings of his heart that he’s suppressed for so long. Cody’s eyes blur as he reads the same sentence on the report over and over, not quite taking any of it in, but at least successfully stalling for time until Helix has had time to redress the Jedi loosely in his robes and it’s safe to look up again.

When he finally does, Obi-Wan’s eyes crinkle warmly at the corners.

The sensation nestled deep in the recesses of Cody’s mind unfurls, as if it were a yawning and stretching animal, awakening from a deep slumber. It grows warmer with each passing second, a pleasant stirring that seems to suffuse throughout his entire body, soothing each nerve ending and bleeding the tension gently from his body. 

Cody returns the smile, allowing a gentleness to fill his gaze that he’s usually far too disciplined to let show through. He waits for Helix to leave the two of them alone before he finds it in himself to speak, carefully placing the datapad down on the bed beside him.

“You look like shit.” 

Obi-Wan barks out a startled laugh that quickly turns into a cough, grimacing briefly at the pain in his side. Even as his hand flies up to cover the fresh scar, he manages to give Cody an exasperated grin.

“Usually when someone nearly dies, people say nice things to them afterwards,” he complains, but there’s a fond sparkle in Obi-Wan’s eye that tells Cody that he’s glad to not be coddled by him. The Commander offers a small shrug, unable to disguise the affection that creeps into his tone as he replies.

“You know I wouldn’t lie to you, General, even if the truth’s a little less convenient.”

That earns him another chuckle. 

“And I am forever appreciative of it, my dear Commander.”

Obi-Wan shifts in the bed, swinging his legs over the side and stretching himself out slowly, a soft grunt escaping his lips. Cody watches him carefully, taking note of the bags under his eyes, the way he clearly suppresses a yawn.

“Are you sure you don’t need more rest?” he asks gently, not wanting to push.

Obi-Wan snorts at that. “Hardly,” he protests. 

The indignation in his tone is an immediate reassurance to Cody. He truly must be alright then - he’d recognise his particular brand of stubbornness a mile away. “I’ve done nothing but rest for the past few hours,” Obi-Wan adds, shaking his head as if trying to clear the lingering fog of unconsciousness. “I’m a little sore, admittedly, but the bacta has done its job.”

His gaze turns to Cody then, raising a brow as his eyes sweep over his form, as he often does in the field when searching for injury. Seemingly satisfied that there are none to be found, he lets out a quiet hum.

“I suppose I should apologise for the needless dramatics earlier,” Obi-Wan says, his lips curling into a small smile. “But it seems you managed just fine without me, hm?”

Let it be known to the Galaxy that Commander Cody is much too proud a man to ever preen. It would be unbecoming - an affront to the cool, casual air of power that a man of his caliber is meant to exude.

He can perhaps admit to sitting up just a little bit straighter at the proud tone of his General, though.

“I did my best, sir,” he replies, noting how a small strand of hair has fallen over Obi-Wan’s face, out of place from its usual neat facade. A brief daydream overtakes him - imagining what it would be like to be allowed to reach out and smooth it back into place. 

Cody quashes the thought as soon as it rises, shoving it aside violently. Obi-Wan nearly died today - the least he can do is keep his thoughts respectful. He smiles over at his Jedi, trying to inject some humour into his tone. “Could hardly let you die on my watch, could I? It’d be a stain on my record, at the very least.”

Obi-Wan huffs out a soft laugh, settling back against the pillows of the medbay bed. “I don’t recall all that much from before my rescue, I’m afraid, but what I do remember is thinking that you looked rather dashing with my lightsaber in hand like that.”

Cody feels a blush creep up his neck, finding it difficult enough to deal with his General’s Gods-damned flirting at the best of times. He clears his throat, doing his best to give the impression of nonchalance. He only flounders for a single beat, to his credit. “Your lesson paid off, it seems,” he responds, as coolly as he can manage. “I have a full report about the mission, and… and the encounter with Maul, written up. I’ll send it your way when you’re well enough to work again.”

Not the most subtle redirect, but the Sith’s name does the trick to distract Obi-Wan from continuing with the flattery, at least. 

The General nods, running a hand through his dishevelled hair, the motion revealing a smattering of silvered strands that seem to grow in number day by day.

“Of course. You’re...” Obi-Wan’s expression shifts to something unreadable, his brow pinching slightly as he searches for the words he wants to say. “You’re truly alright, Cody?”

The sensation at the back of Cody’s consciousness prickles with a feeling of concern, of… protectiveness, if he’s reading it correctly. He can’t quite parse why. 

Obi-Wan tilts his head, and the internal disquiet grows with the other man’s movement. It wriggles a little in Cody’s brain, demanding his attention. 

“... Commander?” the Jedi prompts. 

Cody blinks, realising he’d fallen quiet for longer than he’d intended to. “Sorry, I… yes, I’m alright,” he assures quickly. Obi-Wan doesn’t look particularly convinced. 

For a brief few seconds, Cody wars with himself, the undoubtedly helpful yet incredibly strange presence that’s been occupying his head since this morning the sole focus of his attention once more. 

He doesn’t want to cause Obi-Wan further stress, but maybe, Cody thinks to himself, now is as good a time as he’s going to get to share his concerns before Helix makes good on his threat this morning and shares them for him.

“Ah… well, maybe there was something I needed to talk to you about,” he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Obi-Wan nods slowly, his expression sympathetic.

“About Maul?” he asks.

“Not… not quite, no.”

That seems to surprise the Jedi, but he nonetheless gestures for Cody to continue. 

Right. Trying to explain all of this without sounding insane. Cody feels his brows knit together as his gaze falls to his lap.

“There’s… something,” he begins slowly. “An experience I can’t explain. It’s as if there’s a living being, or a– a consciousness, sharing the back of my mind.” He looks up at Obi-Wan to see his eyes have widened a fraction, and scrambles to reassure him. “It’s not harmful– at least I think it’s not– it helped me, earlier.”

Obi-Wan blinks, taking in a breath. “How so?” he presses, voice hushed yet audibly urgent.

“It led me to you,” Cody replies. “When you were in that ravine. I just… I just knew where you were, and that you were hurt. It told me.”

A myriad of emotions flicker over the Jedi’s face, so fast that Cody can hardly read them all - he certainly, however, picks out some colours of surprise, and… horror. It’s over as soon as it begins, and the Jedi schools his expression to neutral, staring ahead towards him as blankly as he would to a politician during a negotiation. 

The feeling in Cody’s mind shuts down without warning, and he flinches. He’s left reeling for a few seconds at the sense of loss, having gotten used to it over the course of the day.

It all feels unsettlingly, jarringly quiet.

Obi-Wan clears his throat. “I… see.” 

Before Cody can question what’s happening, Obi-Wan stands abruptly, a few of his attached medical devices beeping indignantly at the sudden movement. The Jedi startles, glancing over to them in surprise as if he’d somehow forgotten that he’s been hooked up to them since waking. He waves a hand to shut them off with the Force distractedly, then neatly straightens his robes as if this all were a normal course of action for him to take. 

“My apologies, Commander, I suddenly remembered I have a meeting to catch,” he claims, his tone and manner excessively stiff. He offers a small bow of his head - formal, stilted. “We shall have to continue this discussion later.”

He rips away the attached medical devices, rather inelegantly at that - his hands are clumsy and fumbling, so at odds with his usual, refined behaviour. If Cody wasn’t so effectively stupefied into silence right now, he’d offer to help.

Cody just about manages to close his jaw and collect enough of himself together to call after the Jedi before he makes it to the door. “Sir–”

Obi-Wan turns sharply, blinking as he sees Cody holding his lightsaber in an outstretched palm, an expression of pure bewilderment on his face.

A beat passes between them in the close quarters of the medbay room, punctuated harshly by the various noises from the machinery around them.

“I still have this. From… earlier,” is all Cody can say, unsure if there’s any correct way to tell your Commanding Officer that you know that his excuse of a meeting is utter banthashit because you have his schedule memorised like the back of your hand, and not only that, but you know that he knows that you’ve seen through the lie, because you both know each other too well to be able to get away with something like this. 

For some unfathomable reason, the two of them decide to keep up the charade.

“Ah,” Obi-Wan says, rather sheepishly, stepping over to retrieve the weapon. His movements are cautious, and Cody almost feels as if he’s dealing with a skittish animal. “Thank you, Cody. I…”

They stare at each other for a very long moment as the unfinished sentence hangs in the air. Cody offers what he hopes is a supportive smile, and Obi-Wan sort-of manages to return it. 

“I’ll come to your quarters once I’m done,” the Jedi says.

And with that, Cody watches him hastily retreat from the room, left to unpack that utterly bizarre interaction.

Obi-Wan isn’t usually the type to turn tail and run from a difficult conversation - not unless it’s Anakin, needling him about something far too personal - and even then, he’s never once seen him lose his composure quite like that.

Cody sighs, gathering up his datapad, attempting to reach out to the whatever-it-was in his head, but finding only cold silence in answer. How brows furrow. Did Obi-Wan shut it off with the Force, somehow? How? Why?

It’s pointless to wonder about it all now, he supposes. All he can do is wait until later.

He can only hope that ‘later’ doesn’t wait too long to arrive.

_____________________________

The knock at the door he’s been anxiously awaiting comes at 9pm, sharp. 

Cody has been expecting it, whiling away the excruciating hours of overthinking with pacing back and forth, taking the occasional break to answer incoming missives. 

Despite how ready he’s been to hear it, the sound still makes him jump.

“Might I come in?” the muffled voice of the Jedi sounds from outside the room.

It would be categorically humiliating to make it obvious that he’s been on edge, waiting by the door for him, so Cody strategically waits a handful of seconds before stepping over. His plan of action is clear - the intention being to exude an air of calm and confidence, but when he presses his hand to the door panel to reveal the Jedi standing stiffly outside, Cody feels a sense of unease prickle over him that he knows he lets show, even if only for a few seconds.

Unable to find the casual, yet professional tone he’s been reaching for, he simply stands back to allow Obi-Wan to enter tentatively into the room. Cody can’t help but notice the way his expression is held carefully neutral, his back ramrod straight. A few pieces of flimsi sit neatly ordered in his hands, though he can’t make out the text written on them from here. 

The door swooshes closed behind Obi-Wan, but he remains in the entryway, as if he might not be permitted further. 

Cody frowns. The tension etched throughout his Jedi’s frame is clear to see. He’s reminded of what it was like when he was a newly deployed soldier, unsure of where they stand with one another. 

He knows he hasn’t done anything wrong, but something must have happened to create this chasm between them, and he has absolutely no idea where to start in addressing it. He hates it.

“Obi-Wan, whatever’s going on, I–”

Cody stops short as the Jedi winces, holding up a hand to interrupt him.

“Please, Cod– Commander, let me say my piece.”

The words strike Cody directly in his chest, squeezing his lungs until he fears he might choke. Did Obi-Wan really just stop himself from saying his name?  

He nods, numbly, not trusting himself to speak.

Obi-Wan takes a moment to gather himself, holding Cody’s gaze searchingly. The blank expression gives way to one of regret.

“I have been labouring under a misapprehension,” the Jedi begins, in a tone so carefully measured that Cody feels his heart sink even further - there’s bad news to be shared here, and for whatever reason, he’s the cause of it. He forces himself to bite down his questions, feeling like a cadet about to be told off for insubordination by one of the long-necks. Instinctively, he feels his shoulders tense.

“An incredibly selfish one at that,” Obi-Wan continues evenly. “The notion that my emotions would not affect my duty.”

The Jedi waits, anxiously searching Cody’s face for something, but the Commander is only able to muster confusion in response. It’s the wrong answer, evidently, as it only serves to make Obi-Wan withdraw further, unable to make eye contact now.

“This ‘feeling’ you described earlier,” the Jedi explains cautiously. “I… I know what the cause is, Commander. Furthermore, I believe it is my fault.” 

Obi-Wan shifts, looking down to the floor as he collects himself to speak again. He looks almost like a child, caught out for rule-breaking.

From the adjoined ‘fresher, a single droplet of water splashes into the bowl of the sink. 

Both men startle, their heads whipping around to the source of the sound. One of Obi-Wan’s hands twitches towards the lightsaber at his belt, and Cody feels a near-hysterical laugh try to bubble its way up his throat, though he just about manages to force it down. This isn’t how they act around one another - it never has been! - this is absurd.

After a moment so ridiculous, they’d usually laugh at one another, or one of them would at least make some form of joke to break the simmering tension.

They remain quiet.

Cody watches with his heart in his throat as Obi-Wan looks back at him again, the Jedi’s words seeming to fail him anew.

“It’s… something to do with the Force?” Cody prompts quietly, trying to help his General out, even if he knows that he won’t like what’s coming. Obi-Wan nods.

Quiet again. Cody decides to push. “And… something you have control over.” 

The guilt in his Jedi’s eyes answers the question without need for words. Obi-Wan sighs heavily, the weight of it almost enough to pull Cody down with it. 

“There is… something known to the Jedi as a ‘Force bond’, Commander,” he says finally, running a weary hand through his hair. “It develops between Force users who are… close, in any manner of speaking. Most of the time, they are deliberately cultivated, such as between Master and Padawan. I have one with Anakin, as I did once with Master Jinn.”

Obi-Wan glances down to fiddle with the papers in his hand, suddenly unable to meet Cody’s gaze again. “In some cases, however, they form as a result of happenstance; camaraderie, kinship, or… other such emotion, causing two people to be able to sense each other through the Force - to be in each other’s heads, in layman’s terms.”

When he looks up at Cody again, his shame is palpable.

“I shall not dance around the topic as I have up to this point, because to do so would be to insult you further. This ‘feeling’ you’ve been experiencing is me.”

All Cody can muster to say after the revelation is: “Oh.”

Obi-Wan’s presence. 

In his mind. 

That would explain the inexplicably familiar sense of warmth that it carried along with it, Cody supposes, and also the fact that it’s withdrawn from him now, behaving in line with Obi-Wan’s whims. 

Truth be told, he’s feeling rather flattered at the whole affair - it’s solid proof of trust between them, at the very least, but that fact doesn’t entirely put his mind at ease. If it’s that simple, then why is Obi-Wan so uncomfortable with it all? If it’s just about working together effectively, then why is he looking at him like that?

His brow furrows as the Jedi gives him a moment to process, feeling rather like he’s missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

“But– sir, I don’t understand,” Cody starts carefully. He wants to step closer to his friend, to offer comfort, but he assesses the situation, reminding himself of the razor-thin line they seem to be walking on tonight, and holds himself back: Obi-Wan is still standing as far away from him as he reasonably can in the doorway, clearly still wary and on edge - whatever’s left to come is something big. Now is not the time to approach.

“You said that this bond forms in situations of camaraderie,” Cody continues. “Surely… surely then, all Jedi Generals are forming Force bonds with their second in commands. Surely this is normal.”  

He sees the way Obi-Wan steadies himself before responding, and instinctively feels his hackles raise. Here comes the crux of the issue.

“Simple brotherhood is not why this particular bond has formed,” the Jedi responds slowly, as if forcing the words out. “No, this connection through the Force was created because I…”

There’s a weighted pause before he continues.

“... because I have rather ill-advisedly gained feelings for you, Commander, and I foolishly believed that with your lack of Force sensitivity, you would not be able to sense me in turn.”

The words are spoken in a detached, even tone, and they lance through Cody’s chest as effectively as a blaster bolt.

Something strangled escapes his throat as all of the air leaves his lungs in one fell swoop, staring ahead wide-eyed at his General. Obi-Wan pauses patiently to give Cody the chance to speak, but the Commander can’t quite figure out how to do so.

What?

“For this reason,” the Jedi resumes after a beat, softer now, “I did not take the proper precautions to sever the bond as it formed. I selfishly allowed it to grow, and–” he winces, his eyes briefly flicking to the floor before he meets Cody’s gaze once again. “And now here we are, I suppose.”

Cody’s heart pounds wildly in the silence that follows, unable to think, to breathe, to move, in the wake of such a world shattering confession. 

Speak, for kriff’s sake, say anything–

The Jedi finally crosses the space between them, carefully and professionally pressing the papers he’s been holding into Cody’s hands. The Commander takes them in his trembling grasp, acting entirely on instinct.

“Sir–” he tries, desperately.

Obi-Wan’s answering smile is stiff, covering a sadness that his eyes can’t quite hide. He inclines his head in a small nod that carries a finality that has Cody’s insides churning. “I can only apologise for my behaviour. I think you’ll find these papers will put things to rights - but if you’ll excuse me, I fear I have embarrassed myself enough for one evening, Commander. You’ll forgive me for retreating and preserving what is left of my dignity.”

Cody is left reeling, with his mouth agape and his heart hammering, as the Jedi sharply turns and heads out of his room.

“Wait, I–!” 

But the door is already closed. 

Cody’s eyes fall to the documents in his hand, frantically skimming the text as he scrambles to process any of what he’d just heard.

It’s a transfer request. To another battalion. 

Obi-Wan’s references are already filled in - all Cody would have to do is sign, and he’d be under another General’s command. Obi-Wan thinks he’d want to leave…?

Stars, Cody feels sick.

Without giving a second thought to solidify any type of plan, he drops the stack of papers, letting them scatter across the ground behind him as he rushes out into the winding hallways of the Negotiator. He catches a brief glimpse of Obi-Wan disappearing around the corner, and his legs carry him forwards without any conscious input.

“Obi-Wan–!” he calls as he gives chase, not caring in the moment that it would cause a scene if any of their men were to see him behaving with such disregard for propriety, using their General’s first name, no less, to shout for him as he scrambles through the ship. 

Cody the Commander might be concerned about such appearances; Cody the man, however, can’t find it in himself to do anything but run.

Thankfully, he doesn’t pass by anyone on the way - not that he’s sure he would have stopped even if he did. When he finds himself outside Obi-Wan’s quarters, Cody doesn’t hesitate. His hand flies up to the controls, letting himself in without announcing himself.

Decommisionable offence, CC-2224, the soldier in him screams. What the hell are you thinking?

Pursing his lips, Cody presses on regardless and pointedly elects to ignore the alarm bells in his head demanding he fall in line. They’re a little past the threat of pulling rank, now.

Inside, Obi-Wan jumps as his Commander enters, evidently distracted enough in his own turmoil to not be able to keep his senses in the Force as sharp as he usually would. From his position sat on the edge of his bed and the dishevelment of his hair, he must have just been holding his head in his hands.

“Cody,” Obi-Wan says, and it sounds raw, like a desperate plea. Gone is the diplomat from mere moments ago who looked as composed as he does whenever he has to deliver a difficult mission briefing - instead, he looks, well, human.  

Cody only ever catches glimpses of him like this, late at night when they’re both far too exhausted to keep working, or first thing in the morning during long campaigns. It’s a rare occasion for his Jedi to allow himself to look this distressed, and Cody’s heart twists painfully in his chest to be the cause of his strife now. He wants to fix it. He has to fix it.

Obi-Wan rises from where he was sitting, his shoulders tense and his expression anxious. “Please, just allow me a few moments alone. I don’t know what else there is to say.”

The door slides shut behind him, and Cody crosses the room. The words tumble out of him before he consciously makes the decision to say them.

“I’m in love with you.”

The confession burns his lungs to ash as it leaves him, scorching his throat and destroying the professional reputation he’s worked his whole life to build, and yet a part of him - a deeply selfish part - is so utterly relieved to have it off of his chest. 

Whatever happens, it’s in Obi-Wan’s hands now. At least Cody no longer has to hide. At least it’s been said. 

“Cody…” Obi-Wan’s face falls, and he looks nothing short of pained as he turns his head away. It looks like that’s the last thing he wanted to hear. “It doesn’t matter,” he grits out. “It can’t matter.”

Cody, not for the first time today, just wishes he could understand. He takes another step closer, forcing himself into Obi-Wan’s eyeline, wanting - needing - to see his face. “Why not?” he asks, so incredibly aware of each boundary he’s breaching by refusing to step away. Nervousness tunnels through him, pleading with him to bolt, to back down and apologise for pushing so far, but he forces himself to stand his ground.

When there’s no response, he finds himself reaching a hand out, though he’s not entirely sure for what.

Obi-Wan catches his wrist gently before it can make contact. He lets out a soft, shuddering sigh, the only sound that fills the quarters for a few heartstopping moments. Cody barely dares to let himself breathe.

“It can’t matter,” Obi-Wan repeats in a murmur, his voice tinged with regret, “because I fear I might have influenced you to feel this way by taking advantage of my position. Please, Cody, you must understand.”

His eyes finally meet Cody’s again, letting him see all of the remorse present there. He doesn’t yet drop his wrist, stroking a thumb over the pulse point absently. The action sets the Commander’s nerves aflame.

Swallowing thickly, Cody tries his best to find his voice. “You’ve never taken advantage of anything, Obi-Wan,” he tries to assure him. “I…”

“I kissed you,” Obi-Wan interrupts in a hoarse whisper. The self hatred in his eyes is clear to see, and Cody can’t stand it. He wishes he could chase it away. “On… on the mission, while we were undercover,” he adds quietly, as if Cody might not remember. 

It’s a ludicrous suggestion. How could he ever forget? Memories of that kiss have haunted Cody’s mind like a spectre since the moment it happened, visiting him in the dead of night and leaving him aching, and all too alone. He’s tried to find peace with it, but it remains - the phantom of an impossible reality left lingering on his lips. Even so, he can’t bring himself to regret it, even if Obi-Wan does.

The Jedi closes his eyes briefly, shaking his head as if willing away the same echoes from his mind. 

“There were other options that day,” he explains softly. “I saw them retroactively, once we’d returned home, and I linger on them now, Cody. We didn’t have to… and yet, in the moment, I asked you to. Told you to.” His jaw ticks, his frame taut with tension. “I worry that I saw it as the only option because I had lost myself in my feelings for you, and that it then… affected you, to some degree.”

Cody frowns, trying to make sense of the logic being presented here. “That… you thought that the kiss influenced me?”

“I sensed your feelings afterwards, Cody,” Obi-Wan replies pleadingly, insistent, as if he wants his Commander to see him for the monster he believes himself to be. “I know it was… confusing for you. And then on top of all of that, I’ve pushed a Force bond upon you, without your knowledge.” 

He finally drops Cody’s wrist, his arms falling limply at his sides. 

“You barely get anything of your own,” he murmurs. “The Galaxy takes endlessly from you and your brothers, without giving you any say at all. The thought that I would remove your agency in this matter…” His lips press into a thin, bitter line. “Know that I am deeply ashamed of my actions, Commander, and I shall endeavour to make up for them once you have transferred, on that you have my word.” 

“No,” Cody replies without thinking, his hands coming up to gently grasp Obi-Wan by the shoulders. “Stop– just, stop talking for a moment.”

Obi-Wan takes in a sharp breath as Cody touches him, but nonetheless falls quiet, meeting his Commander’s gaze as they stand close. Cody wants to bend his arm - to bring their bodies together, to squeeze the air from between them and show Obi-Wan, without needing to fight for the words, just how much he means to him.

But he can’t. Not just yet.

Cody’s hands involuntarily flex on Obi-Wan's shoulders. The air between them is cold against his cheek, and Cody could swear that the scant space between them expands like ice. 

The thought of leaving the battalion - his battalion - after all of this, because of some misplaced guilt, is absolutely unthinkable. Cody’s not the best with words, and Force knows that Obi-Wan’s racing thoughts will be outpacing him even now, but he has to try and make him see.

“You’re wrong,” Cody says firmly, hoping that Obi-Wan can hear the conviction in his voice. He’s never been more certain of anything in his life. “The kiss didn’t change anything. I’ve wanted you since…” he trails off, unable to pinpoint the exact moment. He never can, if he’s being honest with himself. At least some part of him has ached for the touch of his Jedi since the moment they first met.

“... for the better part of the war effort,” are the words he eventually lands on. “The kiss was… just the first time I truly acknowledged how deep it ran. The first time my shields failed me.” 

He tries to smile, though he feels his throat constrict painfully, a stinging sensation gathering at the corner of his eyes. Why is this so damn hard? He feels terrifyingly vulnerable, his ribcage pried open and his heart bared naked, desperately hoping that it won’t be ripped apart for his trouble.

Still, Cody tries his best to hold himself steady. He has far too much pride to flee now. “You can even ask Rex, he figured it out well over a year ago, now. The kiss changed nothing, Obi-Wan. You changed nothing.”

Obi-Wan blinks, his expression turning to something altogether helpless as his words sink in.

“I still– I should never have–”

“I don’t care,” Cody insists, shaking his head emphatically. “Do you hear me? I don’t care. You made a tactical call, checked in with me first, and I said yes. I am not some delicate flower, Obi-Wan, so stop treating me like one.”

The Jedi’s mouth falls firmly shut at that. Cody waits for the truth of his words to visibly register before continuing. “I have wanted you - forgive my language - so much that it kriffing hurts, and it’s been this way for far longer than just these last few weeks. So please, even if nothing comes of any of this, you have to know that any emotions you felt from me were real. Are real. I can’t let you keep being ashamed of something that isn’t your fault. Please, believe me on this.”

Obi-Wan’s helpless expression remains, wide-eyed and blinking slowly, only now it’s begun to mingle with something perilously close to hope. “Cody,” he whispers, an undeniable sense of longing underpinning his words, even as they’re spoken with hesitance. “These are… dangerous sentiments for us to share.”

The warning registers for Cody, but he’s so close to casting it aside. If Obi-Wan wants this too, then he’s not sure he has the self control to hold back. Not anymore.

Maybe a younger version of him would hear the reasoning in the statement, enough to retreat now and put a safe distance between them - a version of him that’s less abraded from the endlessness of war perhaps, less filled to the brim with bone-deep exhaustion - but Cody’s not that man anymore. He hasn’t been for a while.

If Obi-Wan’s expression is anything to go by, they’re both currently facing the same battle.  

Tentatively, Cody shifts one of the hands at Obi-Wan’s shoulders, slipping it up to cup his jaw instead, running his thumb gently over the Jedi’s cheek. The skin is soft against his own calluses, and he savours every moment that he can steal now, before they inevitably come to their senses.

In all truthfulness, he doesn’t know where any of this boldness has come from, but the way that Obi-Wan leans into the touch has his confidence only growing.

“Can I…” Gods above, they’re standing so close. “Can I feel you again?”

It takes a moment for Obi-Wan to understand what he’s asking. The bond has been a cold absence in Cody’s head since it was shut off earlier, and now, knowing what it truly was… he needs to experience it anew, even if just for a fleeting moment. 

The Jedi hesitates, searching Cody’s face. “Is that wise?” he asks, his voice barely above a breath.

“Probably not,” Cody concedes.

Obi-Wan huffs out something that might have been a laugh, were it not so nervous sounding.

After a few seconds, the warmth at the edge of Cody’s consciousness returns regardless - tentative, curious, hopeful. Cody reaches out for it internally, welcoming it, and it burns brighter in response. The light of it is like the sun, brilliant and intense and altogether blinding, and Cody basks in it unabashedly.

Obi-Wan’s eyes flutter closed.

“Cody…” he breathes - not a warning or a plea this time. An invitation. 

It does not come naturally for Cody, born and bred for the purpose of war, to be tender. But he supposes that now is as good a time to start learning as any.

After only a moment’s hesitation for the sake of strategic analysis, he presses his hands to Obi-Wan’s chest and gently pushes forwards, walking him back to the wall. 

Obi-Wan allows the movement easily, his eyes alighting with warmth as Cody stops in front of him.

“... I don’t want to make you break your Code,” Cody murmurs, sincerely. 

It’s the last thing that’s making him hesitate. The Jedi Order is everything to Obi-Wan - Cody could never forgive himself if he were to become a wedge between his Jedi and the life he has dedicated himself wholly to.

Obi-Wan offers a rueful smile in response. “I’m afraid that ship has been sailing the stars for some time now, my dear.” His gaze softens at the look of concern in Cody’s eyes. “It’s alright.”

Cody waits for any sign of wavering conviction in his Jedi’s eyes, experimentally reaching out to search the bond they share to get a sense of the truth. 

Obi-Wan must sense what he’s trying to do, as Cody quickly finds his senses flooded with nothing but him, raw and bared and open, the Jedi sharing himself entirely. 

It steals the Commander’s breath from his lungs, and he has to close his eyes to help him focus on it all. The intimacy of the act - the uninhibited trust - has his heart beating out of his chest, and Cody finds that he instinctively knows how to send a wave of gratitude to him in return.

He finds his answer easily, whispered directly into his mind like the gentlest of caresses.

Obi-Wan is being truthful. He would be willing to risk the consequences.

Cody withdraws from the intensity of the bond, taking in a clarifying breath as he finds his senses properly returned to his body. Obi-Wan has been watching him calmly, and offers a serene smile as he sees that Cody is present again.

“Hello,” he says.

“Hello,” Cody responds. 

For a few, very long seconds, all they do is look at one another.

“This is a mistake,” Cody says softly, supposing that they may as well acknowledge it, now that they’ve come this far.

“Undoubtedly so,” Obi-Wan agrees.

Neither of them make any move to break apart.

Cody’s eyes flick down, unbidden, to the Jedi’s lips. He remembers, with perfect clarity, in fact, what it was like to taste them - a fact that does not serve to sate his hunger for them in any way. In fact, it’s rather the opposite. He’s thought of precious little else in his presence in recent weeks. 

A frown tugs at his brow as Obi-Wan placidly awaits for him to move. It occurs to him all very suddenly that he doesn’t have a battle plan here.

A fond smile plays at the Jedi’s lips, his eyes sparkling in a gentle amusement, even as they appear a little misty.

“The look you’re giving me is rather reminiscent of the way you look at briefing reports, darling. Am I something to be analysed so?”

The sweet epithet causes a shiver to run down Cody’s spine, the part of him that is floating, still in blissful disbelief melting at the sound of it from his Jedi’s lips. 

The part of Cody that is very much in the present, however, scowls. At least, it's intended to be a scowl - the usually composed Marshal Commander worries briefly that it might look more like a pout.

“I’m just… trying to remember,” he mutters. At Obi-Wan’s quizzical look, he sighs, feeling his shoulders deflate. So much for romance.

“I wasn’t lying. On the mission, when I said I don’t have experience with…” 

Any of this, Cody’s mind finishes for him. 

Even in the event of the one kiss they have shared, Obi-Wan had very much initiated it all. Now, here, with the Jedi bracketed between his arms against the wall of his quarters, it hits Cody like a deeply unsettling lightning bolt that he doesn’t actually know what to do next. 

Obi-Wan, to his relief, doesn’t mock him or roll his eyes - not even a gentle, needling comment as Cody might have expected. Instead, he just nods, his hands drifting up to hold the sides of Cody’s face. 

“Allow me to help, then,” he suggests, and it’s all Cody can do to manage a short nod.

Obi-Wan leans in ever closer, the two sharing only a whisper of breath between them. One beat passes between them, then two. Why isn’t he moving?

“I rather think,” the Jedi posits, “that you should probably close your eyes. That’s how this type of thing normally goes.”

Cody flushes, exhaling sharply as he realises he’s just been staring like a fool. “Right,” he says. “Of course.”

He lets his eyelids fall shut, trying to ignore the way his heart is rabbits wildly at the sound of the pleased little hum Obi-Wan lets out in response.

Cody, try as he might, can’t quite stop himself from letting out the nervous rambles that have been clamouring to spill forth.

“I suppose that if we’re going to be partaking in such a lapse of judgement, then we should at least be doing it correctly.”

It’s a weak attempt at a joke, but Obi-Wan chuckles anyway.

“A ‘lapse of judgement’, is it?” he queries, his breath stirring over Cody’s lips. The Commander fights not to tremble with the anticipation of it all, keeping his eyes firmly and tightly closed.

“A mistake. You said it yourself.”

He hears Obi-Wan’s smile without the need of seeing it, sensing it in that small recess of his mind where the Force bond has made a home for itself. 

“Perhaps so. Still, it is one I am eager to make. Relax, Cody, this is meant to be pleasant,” he chides softly, pressing his thumb gently into the furrow of his brow, encouraging the tension to ease.

This time, Cody can’t help the shiver that runs down the length of his spine.

“I’d argue this is more like torture,” he protests, and Obi-Wan sends a gentle rebuke of exasperation through the bond. Cody knows implicitly that it was accompanied by a roll of the eyes.

“Relax,” the Jedi repeats, and Cody forces himself to let out a slow exhale, trying as best as he can to manually bleed the tension from his body. It’s hard when it feels like he’s burning up from the inside out - and worse, he’s certain Obi-Wan feel it through the bond.

A soft murmur of “better,” from Obi-Wan doesn’t serve to help the situation, but Cody doesn’t have the time to work himself up again about it because his Jedi’s lips are suddenly very much on his.

Finally. 

Where the undercover kiss in the hotel corridor was a red-hot wildfire, all-consuming and torching everything in its path, this one is a flickering candle - tentative, soft, and exploratory.

Still, it burns.

Each brush of their lips is a revelation, and it's one that Cody can feel himself getting drunk on. He keeps Obi-Wan boxed in tightly against the wall, trying his best to make up for his lack of experience with the intensity of the emotion he pours into each movement, calling on his tenuously remaining threads of discipline to help him take it slow. 

They have time, he reminds himself. They have time. It all seems to be working well enough in his favour, if the way Obi-Wan melts against him is any indication.

When they finally break for air, Cody laughs. He can’t help it. He’s never felt a blossoming joy like this, something he can cradle in his hands and call his own - separate to the GAR, separate to the vode. This moment is entirely his.

Obi-Wan gazes back at him all the while like he’s something precious, like he’s the lucky one here, and it makes Cody’s chest constrict violently. Their Force bond bursts with emotion that Cody feels ill-equipped to give voice to.

He opens his mouth to try regardless, when the sound of a ringing comm makes them both jump. Cody can’t quite fight back the urge to groan, but Obi-Wan only chuckles, offering him a soothing pat on the arm as he extricates himself from the Commander’s hold.

“An inevitability, wasn’t it?” he comments, stepping easily across the room to where his comm-link sits on his nightstand. Cody follows behind, sinking down onto the edge of Obi-Wan’s bed with a rueful smile.

“I suppose it was. We’re lucky if we go five minutes without some fire or other starting behind our backs.”

“So it would seem. Waxer,” Obi-Wan greets calmly into the small device. “Sitrep?” Cody would be almost offended by how composed the Jedi is coming across if he didn’t have a direct window into the fact that his heart is pounding just as wildly as his own is.

He waits patiently as Obi-Wan listens to whatever it is that requires their urgent attention. There’s no feeling of particular worry developing through the bond - and Cody, quietly, marvels that feeling the Jedi’s emotions like this is something he can even do now - so he takes a moment to simply watch the man next to him, coming to terms with the idea the events of today might actually be real, and not some kind of hallucination.

He’s still not entirely convinced he won’t wake up at any moment.

“Re-routing our course would most likely be the wisest course of action, then,” Obi-Wan muses into his comms. “I’ll leave that for you to sort out, logistics-wise.” He pauses, his eyes flickering over to Cody for a beat. “While you’re here, actually, Lieutenant - the Commander and I are engaged with creating battle plans for the upcoming campaign. Would you be able to take point for all incoming non-urgent issues for the next few hours?” A small smile flits over his face as he hears his answer. “Ah, that’s incredibly helpful of you. Good man.” 

The lie slips so smoothly from Obi-Wan’s lips that Cody almost believes it himself for a second. He raises a brow as the Jedi returns to him, reaching out to pull him closer by his waist.

“If I had known we were working on battle plans, I would have brought my datapad with me,” he comments dryly, feeling his heart flip at the casualness with which Obi-Wan leans down to steal a quick kiss from him. If this is how it’s always going to be between them from now on, Cody is more than content with getting used to it.

Obi-Wan smiles, a teasing lilt making its way into his voice as he settles down beside him on the bed. “I’m sure you can manage without it. You’re a very capable man, Commander.”

They sit like that, just the two of them, sharing casual touches and lazy kisses as they just… talk, for what feels like hours. They only disentangle from one another, briefly, to make up two mugs of tea a little ways into the evening. It’s almost painful in its domesticity, but more than that, it just feels so remarkably right. Cody isn’t entirely certain why they haven’t been doing this the whole time.

Cody tells Obi-Wan of all of the moments over the months when he thought his yearning might be the undoing of him; Obi-Wan, in turn, tells him of the times he’s felt the same. Neither men are particularly prone to bouts of sentimentality and softness such as this - especially not since the war has sanded them both down to harbour such sharp edges - but this moment has been a long time coming. To not give themselves over to it completely would be a waste.

Finding out about the particular type of sanctity and importance that a lightsaber carries for a Jedi is the biggest surprise for Cody. He nearly chokes when he finds out that he’d practically propositioned his General mere weeks into the war effort. The only saving grace is that Obi-Wan seems far more amused than offended at his mortification about the faux-pas. 

Eventually though, Cody recovers enough from his embarrassment about the whole affair to have his interest piqued. 

Up until this morning, he’d been as Force sensitive as a rock, and where the ins and outs of the mystical power his General wields had been mere intellectual curiosities before, it feels imperative now to be able to understand it properly in light of recent events. 

He has far too much to ask, and thankfully, the Jedi has an unending well of patience from which to give his answers.

“The kyber crystal inside it isn’t sentient, no,” Obi-Wan explains, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he answers Cody’s latest question. “It’s more that it… resonates with my emotions - it’s a microcosm of my own Force signature.”

Cody hums thoughtfully at that, reaching out to carefully pluck the lightsaber from where it sits on Obi-Wan’s nightstand. He turns the weapon over in his palm with a new appreciation, considering the information he’s just learnt. It mirror’s Obi-Wan’s emotions, his preferences and desires… Cody runs an admiring finger over the cool metal of the hilt, noting the way the Jedi seems to suppress a shiver at the action. 

“Can you feel it now?” he asks, glancing up to Obi-Wan. The Jedi nods.

“Not quite as acutely as I could a person,” he replies, a tinge of amusement colouring his tone. “But yes. I would describe it… like a purring tooka, perhaps, whenever it sits in your hands.” Obi-Wan huffs, folding his arms as he leans back against the wall. “I daresay it’s happier with you than it ever is with me.”

“You can feel it specifically when I touch it?” Cody queries, awe tingeing his voice.

“In a manner of speaking.”

Cody pauses, taking stock as an idea slowly begins to take form. Carefully, keeping his eyes on his Jedi all the while, he brings the hilt of the lightsaber up to his lips and presses a slow, open-mouthed kiss against the casing, a far cry from the chaste touches they were sharing earlier.

“What–” From where he’s sitting on the bed, Obi-Wan stiffens. His usual eloquence seems to fail him, instead only managing a single, owlish blink. His cheeks flush furiously, and Cody would be certain that the Jedi Master would be thoroughly scandalised at such an action, were the bond between them not immediately flooded with unfettered arousal. 

He wonders if he may have actually broken the proud Negotiator. It certainly looks that way from here.

Cody raises a brow, enjoying the sudden turn of the tables that this move has afforded him. For once in their little games of flirtations, he’s not the one on the back foot. 

“Hm?” he prompts, tilting his head innocently. “Was there something you wanted?”

Obi-Wan blinks again, and swallows thickly, his adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. The Commander grins, bringing the weapon to his lips again. 

“Cody,” the Jedi warns. Low, dangerous.

Cody gets the sudden, very strong impression that if he does that again, Obi-Wan might actually jump him.

Well, never let it be said that he’s a man who doesn’t commit when the situation calls for it.

He allows his breath to ghost over the base of the hilt for a moment (something that seems to be causing Obi-Wan’s breath to stutter on each inhale, and Gods does the power of it all go to straight to Cody’s head) before he finally closes the distance to kiss it again.

A startled laugh is forced out of him as he finds himself, rather suddenly, pounced upon by the High Jedi General, the lightsaber clattering out of his hand and to the floor as he’s effectively pinned on his back.

“That is,” Obi-Wan huffs indignantly, “incredibly inappropriate behaviour.”

Cody finds that he rather doesn’t mind being in this position, though he absolutely doesn’t intend on being kept here for long. Obi-Wan is rather pretty, all flustered like this and trying his best to sound stern. “Oh?” he returns, knowing very well that his tone is just provoking the other man further. “Are you planning on court-martialing me?”

Obi-Wan’s eyes narrow. “I very well might.”

Now that’s a challenge if Cody’s ever heard one. Swiftly, he hooks his leg over Obi-Wan's hip, pressing his advantage by forcing his body over and up so that he can gain a more tactically favourable position. His wrists find the Jedi's and hold them fast, keeping them still over his head as his thighs box him in.

Obi-Wan lets out a rather undignified squeak as their positions are so suddenly reversed, attempting to look affronted even as the Force bond betrays him - his heart is hammering just as hard as Cody’s, and it’s worse now that he’s the one pinned. Cody can’t help but smirk. Very good to know, indeed.

It almost reminds him of their hand to hand sparring, except in those situations, Obi-Wan seems much more keen to actually escape.

An expression that can only be described as petulant crosses Obi-Wan’s face, and he wriggles fruitlessly in Cody’s hold. “Using the bond to determine–” he trails off momentarily, choking on the words as his flush gets stronger. “--to figure out that is cheating,” he declares.

Cody is positively delighted to have discovered this side of his Jedi. It is, in his mind, the best outcome - he would have happily slotted into any dynamic the other had wished, simply for the pleasure of getting to be with him, but to have a man of such composure and strength, both of will and physicality, pinned under him and whining for the effort… It’s a rather intoxicating experience indeed.

For a brief moment, Cody wonders just how much more mileage he’d get with a few feet of silken rope. He feels a shiver run through him - now that’s an enticing thought - but for now, he refocuses his attention on the man beneath him in the present moment. There will be time for such exploration later, if he’s lucky.

He dips his head lower to brush a feather-light kiss over Obi-Wan’s jaw, and the veneer of irritation falls away rather rather quickly, along with a shaky exhale of his name.

Along with it, Cody feels struck with an unexpected rush of vulnerability. He knows what he’s doing here well enough in comparison to just sharing kisses, and he can act cocky and confident along with the best of them - but, kriff, he doesn’t just want this to be a quick fuck. He wants this to be good. This is too important for him to fumble now.

It’s impossible to hide his sudden burst of insecurity from Obi-Wan - even without the Force bond, they could always read each other far too well. With an ease that betrays just how much he was letting himself be overpowered, he slips a wrist out of Cody’s hold, reaching up to run his fingers slowly through the coils of his hair. His hand settles at the base of his neck, tangling in the strands there. “It’s alright, darling,” he murmurs softly, searching Cody’s gaze with a reassuring smile. “We don’t have to.” 

Cody implicitly knows that he means it too, entirely with no judgement attached. Stars, he’s too good to him. Cody closes his eyes.

“I want to,” he replies, letting the sincerity and vulnerability bleed through his tone. “It’s just…” he sighs, and leans down to press his forehead to Obi-Wan’s, taking a moment to ground himself, to breathe the Jedi in. It’s more calming than it has any right to be. “… fuck, you mean so much to me. You know that.”

Obi-Wan’s expression softens further. “There is no possible existence in which you could disappoint me, Cody,” he says. “Though perhaps we should take it a little slower to start with. As… enjoyable as this arrangement is,” he adds, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Cody smiles, his heart aching with just how full it feels, and carefully rolls onto his side, freeing Obi-Wan in the process. The Jedi turns over to face him, and he leans in to gently capture his lips in his. 

“Probably for the best,” Cody admits between kisses, relieved that they’re both on the same page, “but next time–”

The grin that splits the Jedi’s face is blinding. “I very much look forward to it. But for tonight…”

A soft hum escapes Cody as Obi-Wan leans in to press a kiss to his neck, his breath hitching as he feels the rasp of his beard scrape against the skin there. Cody takes the opportunity to map out the other man’s frame over the top of the many layers separating them, taking a moment to lament that this would be much easier were he bedding literally anyone else in the Galaxy. Damn the Jedi for their insistence on their unnecessarily complicated uniform.

Obi-Wan must sense his woe, as with a soft chuckle, he pulls back just enough to untie the front of his robes, giving Cody better purchase to begin removing them. In response, the Jedi gives an insistent tug on the bottom of Cody’s shirt, clearly not wanting to be left too far behind.

The rush of pure emotion that Cody feels through the bond when he reaches up to pull his shirt over his head makes his head swim. He blinks ahead at Obi-Wan as he tosses the fabric onto the floor behind him, entirely unsure what to do with the sheer admiration he feels directed towards him.

“You’ve seen me shirtless before,” is all he can think to say, a little dumbfounded. Obi-Wan shakes his head.

“Yes, but hardly in this context, my dear,” he counters. He reaches out to run his hand over the Commander’s bared torso, skating his fingers over the dips at his ribs, his thumb smoothing over an old, long-forgotten blaster wound from his training days. There’s a sense of reverence involved in the movement that Cody isn’t sure he deserves. 

Obi-Wan grins, looking up at Cody through his lashes, a boyish mischief in his eyes. “And besides, what makes you think that I don’t usually have this reaction to seeing such a glorious sight? I’m just better at hiding it when we spar.”

Cody snorts, resuming his cardinal work of divesting his Jedi of his clothes. “You– you’re going to have to sit up so I can–”

Obi-Wan nods, already moving to accommodate Cody’s impatient hands, removing his tabard and shimmying out of the tunic underneath. Cody temporarily pulls away to take the thick fabric in hand for a moment before it can be thrown away as carelessly as his own shirt - it may be just wool, but unlike with Cody’s, this is Obi-Wan’s armour. 

Cody may not be Mandalorian - not properly - but the Vode took on some of their beliefs, all the same, and made them their own. 

Protective garb is sacred. Obi-Wan’s robes, with all they signify to the Jedi too, are even more so. Reverently, Cody takes a moment to fold them neatly and place them upon the bedside table. When he turns back to face the Jedi, he nearly forgets how to breathe.

Stars above.

It’s Obi-Wan’s turn to flush now as Cody brings all of his attention to him.

He brazenly lets his eyes roam the Jedi’s form, taking all of him in and desperate to memorise it as best as he can. 

Ginger hairs curl at his chest, and Cody reaches out a hand to card through it, the marks and freckles he’s shamefully admired for so very long during sparring sessions so different now in this context, intimate and up-close. Cody is incredibly aware that he is finally - finally - no longer barred from looking, and he takes full advantage of the privilege, drinking in the sight of the Jedi as if he may never get another chance.

Obi-Wan’s skin is dusted by a litany of scars earned from a lifetime of battle, near-fatal misses and friendly duels and accidental nicks alike. Two of them, crossing neatly over his chest and under the pectoral muscle, are the result of medical procedure rather than combat, he’s been told. Cody traces the line of them with a touch that borders on devout, his heart pounding as Obi-Wan shivers lightly in response.

“You’re beautiful,” Cody whispers, his mouth dry as it hits him that this is all very real. “I…” he blinks as his eyes catch on something else, just over Obi-Wan’s shoulder. 

He stops in his tracks, all previous thoughts halted in an instant. Shit. He’d forgotten…

Cody swallows, his heart dropping violently.. “Let me see,” he requests quietly.

Obi-Wan shakes his head, trying to shift how he’s sitting so that Cody can’t see his back, but the Commander is quicker, placing a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder to still him so he can take a proper look. Obi-Wan sighs, but relents.

His stomach feels like ice as he takes in the sight of the marred, jagged flesh left by the repeated, cruel lashings. No other scars have healed quite as wrongly as these, left for days without any form of treatment, bacta or surgical. Cody’s lungs choke him for a different reason, now.

“Cody,” Obi-Wan says softly, as if trying to soothe a distressed child. “It’s in the past.”

Cody’s expression twists. A Jedi may be above such concepts as revenge and retribution - but he is not a Jedi - he’s free to hate the Zygerrians for what they did, and he does so without shame. “In the past,” he repeats, the words coming out hollow. “It’s been barely three months.”

“And I am at peace with it,” Obi-Wan asserts gently, and Cody feels a sense of truth filter through the bond to him. He swallows thickly, his eyes glued to the scars. He hasn’t actually seen them before now - for a long time after that fateful mission, the Jedi had been covered in bandages and bacta patches whenever they sparred, and then after that came their undercover mission, in which Cody specifically had made every effort to not so much as glance in his shirtless General’s direction. 

It just hadn’t come up before now.

“I… I just…” Cody feels the weight of it all come crashing back. He remembers - he’s not certain he can ever forget - that feeling of terror when the report first came in. It was succinct; a single line that made Cody feel like the ground was falling out from under him and subsequently searing itself into his memory:

Kenobi, Skywalker, Tano, and CT-7567 in enemy captivity: hold operations until more orders come through.

The week that followed was hell.

Cody had spent practically every second of each day glued to his datapad, waiting for the next piece of news to come in, feeling utterly terrified and useless when nothing did. 

It was only when the ships had returned home, unexpected and unannounced, that Cody had remembered how to breathe again. He recalls the way his body shook as he read the mission reports, and if he thinks too hard about it now, it still does.

He tears his gaze away from the remnants of the lashings, meeting Obi-Wan’s eyes.

“I thought I was going to lose you,” he confesses in a whisper, his voice thick with emotion. 

And Rex, his mind supplies for him. He thought he was going to lose his little brother at the same time. Cody curses softly under his breath in Mando’a.

Obi-Wan’s expression softens, and he turns to face Cody once more, shielding his view from the memories of that time. “Darling,” he murmurs, cupping Cody’s face and leaning in close. “Now is not the time for dwelling on such things.”

Cody allows himself a hesitant smile and swallows past the lump in his throat. He’s right, he knows. He exhales slowly, trying to let go of the residual anger that courses through him. He won’t let it poison this moment.

“Convincing,” he says after a beat, allowing his fingers to thread once more through the coppery strands of the Jedi’s hair. So smooth and straight, unlike his own - he has no idea how the other man manages without it falling into his face all the time.

A wry smile twists the corner of Obi-Wan’s mouth. “Well, they do call me the Negotiator for a reason.”

That elicits a genuine smile from Cody. “You know damn well you hate that title.”

“True. But I am rather good at being persuasive.”

When Obi-Wan kisses him again, Cody knows that it’s a tactical manoeuvre more than anything - a trick to drag his focus forcefully to the present. The dull scrape of blunt nails over his scalp makes that point abundantly clear, but all the same, knowing that he’s walking into the trap doesn’t make it any easier to avoid. He groans into the kiss, pulling the Jedi impossibly closer.

The Jedi tilts his jaw, coaxing Cody into deepening the kiss, and Gods Cody never knew that just kissing alone could ever feel this good. Perhaps the drink usually numbed him, or perhaps his previous partners just didn’t have their heart in it either, but this, comparatively, is divine. Cody could drown in this feeling, and be content with just this forever, even if they never went any further.

Stars, though, is Cody thrilled that they get to go further.

He’s acutely aware of his inexperience as his tongue brushes against Obi-Wan’s, but for the first time this evening, it doesn’t translate into worry. He’ll learn. They have time.

They continue like that for as long as Cody has patience for, and then he presses Obi-Wan back into the mattress below, his breath ghosting over the Jedi’s ear as he tries to keep his impatience in check. Slow, he reminds himself. They're taking this slow.

“How do you want this?” he murmurs, taking delight in the way the stoic General seems to have turned into a puddle in his arms. It’s an ego boost, to be certain, but Cody hopes he can hold it together - he has, after all, much more affection to shower him with before the night is over.

“I– ah,” Obi-Wan pants softly, his thoughts scrambled even through the bond. It gets worse as Cody scrapes his teeth over the shell of his ear. “I’m flexible,” he manages to get out, a pleasing flush having risen to his cheeks as Cody pulls back to look down at him, “but I tend to prefer being on the, ah– receiving end, as it were.”

Cody grins. “Works for me.”

His hand slips to Obi-Wan’s thigh, squeezing the muscle there gently, before drifting up to cup the clear evidence of his arousal. The Jedi hisses, gritting his teeth as his hips jerk upwards a fraction. Cody raises a brow, a smirk flitting across his features. 

“Someone’s sensitive,” he comments, adding a little pressure with his palm. He’s rewarded with a strangled gasp from Obi-Wan, his nails digging into Cody’s shoulder, hard.

Near instantly, Obi-Wan eases his grip with an apologetic look. “Forgive me, I… it’s been a while.”

Cody shakes his head, dipping low to mouth along the Jedi’s neck. He continues to work his palm along his clothed erection, eliciting a soft whimper from Obi-Wan. The sound is sweeter than music, and he idly wonders how long he can draw it out for. He’s hoping to conduct a whole symphony, if the Jedi will allow it.

“I can take it,” Cody murmurs with a low, appreciative hum. “Grip onto me all you like.”

Obi-Wan huffs out a strained chuckle, his head tipping back against the pillow. “You may regret saying that, my love.”

My love. Cody lets out a shuddering breath, redoubling his efforts. It’s not long until a sheen of sweat has broken across the Jedi’s brow, writhing and gasping below him, and finally, finally, Cody moves to unbuckle the other man’s belt, tugging down the last of the fabric shielding him from view.

… Holy shit.

Cody takes a moment to just appreciate the debauched sight beneath him. Obi-Wan lays flushed and wanting against the sheets, hair mussed up and breath unsteady, his cock sitting heavy and hard below a mass of red curls, precome drooling lazily from the flushed tip already.

He looks like a painting. A fallen angel - beautiful and ethereal and sinful and Gods above Cody wants to fuck him until he forgets his own name. 

Obi-Wan’s eyes widen suddenly, sucking in a sharp breath. “Force, Cody, you can’t just think things like that–”

Cody realises belatedly that he must have been channeling all of his thoughts, unfiltered, through the bond. He can’t find it in himself to pretend to be bashful about it, grinning down at the Jedi. “Sorry,” he lies, reaching for his own belt and relishing in the way Obi-Wan’s eyes darken, following his movements. “I’ll have more of a mind for propriety going forward.”

“Propriety,” Obi-Wan repeats dryly. “Yes, I’m sure you’re very–”

His words get cut off with a strangled ‘oh’ as Cody pulls himself free of his smallclothes, and the Commander has to smother the way he wants to preen in response to the sheer lust the sight stirs in his Jedi.

He dives down to drink in Obi-Wan with a kiss, a harsh curse slipping from his lips at the sensation of their cocks sliding together between their bodies, already slick with sweat and precome. He reaches between them to take them both in hand, pumping along the lengths of them in a slow, languid stroke.

The sound it elicits from the both of them is pure filth, moaning and panting into one another’s mouths - Cody suddenly finds himself incredibly grateful for how out of the way the General’s quarters are from the rest of the bunks, otherwise they’d almost certainly have been overheard by now.

Cody twists his wrist, squeezing lightly, and Obi-Wan’s hand shoots out to grab Cody by the arm. 

He stills his movements immediately, looking down at Obi-Wan with a question in his eyes. The Jedi exhales slowly, and Cody can feel him trying to tether himself to any thread of control he can reach. 

“Sorry–” Obi-Wan starts, his voice hoarse. His eyelids flutter, gazing up at Cody through his lashes. “Just, this will– this will be over far too quickly if you keep doing that,” he breathes. Cody nods in understanding, chasing away his apology with another kiss. At this point, their lips are bruised and swollen to the point of discomfort, but neither of them care.

“Tell me what you want, then,” Cody implores in a whisper, withdrawing his hand to skate his fingers slowly up and down Obi-Wan’s side. “I’ll give it to you. Anything.”

The bond thrums with the heady promise of his words, and he knows Obi-Wan can feel his dedication to him, his admiration, his love. He’d follow him into the fires of hell, if he asked - but Obi-Wan would never demand something like that from him. Paradoxically, that fact only adds to his certainty of the notion.

Obi-Wan swallows thickly, looking once again entirely helpless at the force of it all. “Cody… I do not deserve such devotion from you, darling. I fear I never have.”

Cody hums. “You have it regardless. Now,” he nips lightly at Obi-Wan’s neck, promptly soothing the sting with the flat of his tongue as Obi-Wan’s hips buck deliciously against him. “What can I do for you, cyar’ika?”

“A-ah, well,” the Jedi stammers, reaching up to trace a feather-light finger over the scar at Cody’s temple. “Your earlier suggestion through the bond was rather tempting - if you’re still amenable.”

Cody can’t help the way he fondly rolls his eyes at his tone. “So very formal of you,” he teases gently, prodding the Jedi playfully in his side.

“What else do you expect me to say?” Obi-Wan returns indignantly, carding his fingers through Cody’s curls. It’s a pleasant feeling, but not enough to distract Cody from his goal. 

“I don’t expect anything. But it would be nice to hear you say it,” he replies, amused by the way Obi-Wan seems to fluster under the request.

“... Fine,” he acquiesces, though he tugs gently at Cody’s hair in lighthearted protest. “I want you to-- Stars - I want you to… to fuck me so hard that I can’t comfortably walk tomorrow.” His nose wrinkles, affronted by the crudeness of his own words. “Happy?”

Cody chuckles, pressing a chaste kiss to the tip of his nose. “Very.”

Reluctantly, he pulls back to sit up, sparing a quick glance around the room. “Not to delay us any further, but… I don’t suppose that you have anything that could help with that endeavour, do you?”

Obi-Wan hums, his brow suddenly creasing as if he’s trying to solve a puzzle.

“There’s a tube of bacta in my bedside table?” he offers after a moment of thought.

Cody levels him with a flat gaze. “Bacta,” he repeats.

The Jedi folds his arms, attempting exasperation, but the amusement in his eyes is clear. “Oh, my deepest apologies for not having anticipated needing to pack lube for what was supposed to be a two day trip in which I was not expecting a bedmate. My mistake, Commander. It won’t happen again.”

“A good Jedi is always prepared, so you always say,” Cody replies sagely. Obi-Wan swats at his shoulder with a laugh.

“Bedside table,” he reminds him, aiming for a reprimanding tone but smiling too much for it to be at all effective. “Before I get impatient.”

A snort leaves Cody’s lips as he reaches over to root around in the drawer. “Yes, sir, General, sir,” he quips, amused at the grumble that elicits from the Jedi. Swiftly, he retrieves a small tube of bacta gel and unscrews the cap. It’s a little thick, and probably colder than would be ideal, but it’ll do the trick. 

“Allow me,” Obi-Wan suggests with a glint in his eye. He plucks the tube from Cody’s hands, depositing a generous amount in his palm and setting straight to work in applying it to Cody’s cock. The cool sensation combined with the heat of the touch causes Cody to nearly double over at the waist, unable to control the sharp hiss of pleasure that leaves him. 

“So beautiful,” Obi-Wan praises softly, running his free hand over the flexing muscles of his torso, watching appreciatively as Cody’s body tenses and ripples under his ministrations.

“You’re one to talk,” Cody manages to say through gritted teeth, reaching down to nudge apart Obi-Wan’s legs and settle between them as the Jedi finishes preparing him. “Are you relaxed enough to…? I don’t want to hurt you.”

Obi-Wan nods, allowing Cody to hook his legs over his shoulders, his breath stuttering as a feeling of anticipation settles over the both of them, echoing in the bond. “I have the Force to aid me,” he reassures him. “I’ll be fine.”

Cody nods, taking a moment to line himself up.

This - this is the moment when he always wakes up from the shameful dreams he’s kept secret for so long, hard and aching and empty. The exquisitely tortuous feeling of the head of his cock catching on Obi-Wan’s entrance tells him that by some miracle, this is all very real.

“Eyes on me, cyare,” he commands softly, nearly losing all composure as Obi-Wan turns his lust-filled, lidded gaze onto him. “That’s it. Fuck, okay, I’m gonna–”

Inch by inch, he begins to push in, and Obi-Wan’s fingers twist in the sheets hard, his eyes rolling back from the pain and the pleasure. “C-Cody– ah!” 

A broken curse in Mando’a leaves Cody unbidden as he bottoms out in his tight heat, burying his face into Obi-Wan’s neck and panting as the Jedi keens and arches beneath him. The bond pulses with arousal, feeding back each other’s emotion to them and intensifying every moment twofold.

Cody reaches out for the bond, needing to feel it, just as Obi-Wan does the same…

… and the galaxy stops existing around them.

All of a sudden, they are one singular being rather than two, their souls merging and entwining for one precious moment. Cody is, all at once, filled and stretched and clawing at his own back as Obi-Wan is him, sinking into that sublime heat that connects them. Two minds, impossible to tell apart. 

Each breath in is a revelation, their heartbeats synching as if they were always built to become this together - two halves of a perfectly harmonic whole. To put a word to it, it’s euphoria. 

Cody - or maybe Obi-Wan, it’s impossible to tell which sensations are coming from him and which aren’t at this point - gasps as he adjusts to the feeling. He has never quite understood what the Jedi meant by the ‘light’ and the ‘dark’ - hells, he couldn’t even conceptualise what the Force in general felt like before this morning - but now, he knows it, so clearly it’s almost blinding. 

Obi-Wan is the Light in all of its clarity. It flows through him, through the both of them, like a beacon, amplified by the sheer elation he’s experiencing. It’s a transcendental, religious experience, and he’s certain that he feels a tear slip down his own cheek, even as he sees himself brush it away from Obi-Wan’s skin. Reality is melding, the distinction between the two of them becoming nothing but an unimportant footnote in the overall experience of their coupling.

It’s been hours, days, months - though most likely only minutes - and Cody realises hazily that they’ve started moving together without even realising. He withdraws from the bond just enough to gain a sense of himself again, giving his lover a shaky smile as he cups his face tenderly. 

“Obi-Wan,” he whispers.

“Cody.”

It is not the pounding-into-the-mattress that he had intended to give him earlier, but it is nonetheless the most breathtakingly intense moment of connection in Cody’s life. He feels the way warmth and tightness have begun to coil low in his stomach, and he knows he’s getting close. It’s a little fast, perhaps, but he knows he can’t restrain himself for much longer - not after that. 

With a gentle hand, he reaches between them to squeeze at the base of Obi-Wan’s cock, feeling it pulse in his palm. He wants them to come apart together. He needs it like he needs air.

Obi-Wan throws his head back with a low moan, needy gasps and whines leaving him with each steady thrust of Cody’s hips. Cody ups the pace, just slightly, but keeps it as controlled as he can. 

They’re both teetering on a knife’s edge, set off by each other, and he’s keenly aware that it won’t take much to send them toppling over.

“That’s it, mesh’la,” Cody croons, pumping his hand with a little more urgency now. “I want to see you come for me.”

He feels Obi-Wan tighten around him, the Jedi’s eyes snapping open with a broken gasp of something that sounds suspiciously like “I love you,” and just like that, it’s all over for Cody. 

His hips stutter, driving deep inside as they cling to one another like a lifeline, utterly lost in all but each other as he spills into him with a desperate cry.

It feels like hours later when his scrambled thoughts return to him and his limbs finally obey his desire for movement, pulling out with a soft grunt. 

Obi-Wan hisses softly at the loss, lazily flicking his wrist to call a towel to him from across the room with the Force. He wipes them both down swiftly before tossing the cloth away and pulling Cody close. The Commander is more than content to be held, not feeling any particular need for words in this moment. After sharing something like that, what more can be said, anyway?

The afterglow is - somehow - even lovelier than the sex itself. Obi-Wan’s arm is slung over his side, his face buried into his neck and their legs tangled together as they bask in the blissful endorphin-led haze that settles over them like a warm blanket.

More eloquent men than Cody might write poetry about such things, coming up with pretty descriptions for the intimacy, the satisfaction, the peace that suffuses his very being, but all he knows is that he feels…

Happy.

Uncomplicatedly, blissfully, happy. No threat of this being ripped away from him at any moment, no fears that he’s going to wake up tomorrow feeling cold and hollow… he presses a kiss to the top of Obi-Wan’s head, and the Jedi lets out a contented sigh. 

After a few minutes of luxuriating in the stillness that follows, Cody clears his throat quietly, breaking the silence.

“Obi-Wan,” he starts hesitantly. The Jedi stirs sleepily, nodding for him to continue. “Did I hear what I thought I did? When you…?”

Obi-Wan raises his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “That depends,” he replies. “What do you think I said?”

Cody rolls his eyes fondly. “You’re impossible.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“By myself, mostly.”

A light laugh leaves Obi-Wan’s lips. “Very true.” He shifts, pressing his forehead to Cody’s chest and taking in a deep breath. 

For a long moment, Cody wonders whether or not he’s going to get an answer when the Jedi speaks again, his voice barely above a whisper. “Yes,” he confesses, his vulnerability bleeding through into the single syllable. “I said that I love you.”

Cody closes his eyes briefly, his heart swelling in his chest.

“Good to know,” he murmurs, pulling Obi-Wan impossibly closer. The Jedi hums, reaching over to pull his duvet over the both of them.

“It is, isn’t it?”

They doze for a while, though Cody is reluctant to actually let himself fall asleep. This moment has been a hard won victory, and he doesn’t want it to be over just yet - though he knows that he’s fighting a losing battle with both his mind and his drooping eyelids. 

With how tired he is, even allowing himself to blink is starting to become a game of chance. 

“Cody,” Obi-Wan starts, his fingers idly drawing patterns over his side. “I’ve been wondering… if that anomaly in your brain scan - the ‘blip’, as Helix called it - is connected in any way to this latent Force sensitivity,” he murmurs, his words softened with sleep.

Cody presses a kiss to his lover’s forehead, his eyes winning the battle against him and slipping closed as he lets out a noncommittal hum. “Perhaps. But I’m not really Force sensitive. I can just feel you.”

“We don’t know that for certain,” Obi-Wan counters. “I’ll need to run my tests again. But regardless, perhaps an obstacle has been dislodged, or…” he breaks off into a yawn. “... We can talk about it in the morning. We should really get some sleep.”

“Mm.” Cody cracks open one eye with a herculean effort. “You should know I have no intention of leaving the battalion,” he says.

Obi-Wan smiles. “I’m glad to hear it. I would think this was a rather elaborate way of saying goodbye, if you were.”

Cody huffs out a tired laugh. “It’s…” he pauses, feeling that earlier sense of vulnerability rear its head again, though he doesn’t allow it to take hold like last time. “It’s truly alright if I stay?”

“I would prefer that you did, but please don’t feel pressured on my behalf,” Obi-Wan responds diplomatically, but Cody feels his arm around him tighten at the mere suggestion he might leave. He grins, settling down into the bed with a sigh.

“In that case, I’m not going anywhere,” he promises quietly, and it’s his turn to yawn now.

“Good.” 

With a wave of the Jedi’s hand, the light in the room flickers off. 

In the quiet that follows, Cody focuses on the sound of his Jedi’s breath as it slowly evens out, allowing it to lull him into a sense of deep peace. 

“I love you,” he whispers into the darkness, half-certain that Obi-Wan is already asleep.

“I love you, too,” the voice in the darkness whispers back, and Cody wonders if this is what it feels like to be whole.

next chapter

✷✷✷✷✷

Taglist (let me know if you'd like to be added!): @mitth-eli-vanto

[paracosm-draw]

Promptober Day 9 - Warmth ☄️

Tags : medical terms, injured Anakin, naked bodies, no smut

~~~

They were in the middle of the battlefield, rain pouring from the sky and making the ground muddy and slippery. All around, the fast bolt of the blasters pierced through the downpour, illuminating briefly the masks and faces of the Republic army.

Obi-Wan was on the front line, fending off shot after shot with his lightsaber to allow his men to progress. He was almost blinded by the rain dripping on his face and pooling on his eyebrows, hair stuck to his temples and neck, his damped clothes rubbing unpleasantly against his cold skin with each movement.

He was pushing away another battle droid when the Force shifted suddenly, twisting and straining the bond he shared with Anakin with such strength he fell on his knees, gasping for air as his chest clenched violently. The Force howled in agony around him, tossing him around as if he were a blade of grass in the midst of a hurricane of emotions, images and sensations flashing through his mind so fast he couldn't tell if they belonged to him or not.

Fear. Anger. Pain. Regrets. Pain. Pain. Pain. Solitude.

It lasted for what seemed to be an eternity, pulling at Obi-Wan’s intangible energy from all sides and so hard he was sure he was going to break. Then, as suddenly as it started, everything withdrew, every feeling, every sound, every image and he was left breathless and disoriented in the middle of the chaos. For a terrible, gut wrenching second he thought that the steady and familiar thread uniting their soul had been severed, teared apart and his heart stopped beating at the implication.

No.

“Anakin…” He breathed at the same time a strong pair of hands lifted him from the ground and put him back on his feet.

“Are you okay, General ?” Cody’s concerned voice asked from behind his helmet.

“Anakin.” He said again, still shaken to the core by what he just experienced. “Where is Anakin ?”

The clone frowned behind his mask, noticing the Jedi’s blemish face and wide eyes. He was too well trained to ask useless questions, especially as they were right in the middle of the fight and totally exposed, so his brain moved on to the next sensible thing to do now : take cover.

“He was just next to the cliff last time I saw him.” He answered, pulling Obi-Wan by the arm and shielding him with his own body until they were safe behind a large rock. “Do you want me to comm him ?”

“I don't know.” Obi-Wan swallowed, unable to think clearly. “I-”

“General.” Cody put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly, the gesture grounding Obi-Wan a little bit. “What happened ?”

“I can’t feel him anymore.” The Jedi whispered. “I think something happened to him”

Cody stayed silent for a while, letting the sounds of the blaster shots, the explosions and the screams fill the space between them as he calculated a change of plan.

“Alright.” He said eventually, typing something on his commlink. “I’m coming with you.”

Obi-Wan knew that removing two men from their forces, let alone a Jedi, was not a strategic choice at all. But the visceral terror that gnawed at his guts right now prevented him from feeling guilty about it. All that mattered was Anakin.

Reaching the cliff took more time than Obi-Wan had anticipated. They still had to fight their way until there and the whole time the Jedi was projecting his life Force around to try to find Anakin’s signature somewhere, anywhere. But he remained untraceable.

They searched all along the cliff’s edge, screaming for his name in the chaos of the battle, asking everyone on their way. Cody even checked the bodies lying in the mud, aware that Obi-Wan would refuse to even think about that eventually.

“General.” He called after several minutes of vain research. “He could have fallen down the cliff.”

Obi-Wan swallowed and walked to the edge, looking down at the river rushing a dozen of meters below.

“General…” Cody approached carefully. “If he fell… You have to consider the possibility that he didn't-”

“No.” Obi-Wan interrupted him. “He’s alive. He has to be.”

“There’s a lot of rocks.” The clone replied quietly but not unkindly. “Such a fall would severely injure anyone. If they’re lucky.”

“Anakin is not anyone.” Obi-Wan replied stubbornly. “I’m going to find him. You don’t have to come with me.”

Cody shook his head and put his blaster back in the holster strapped around his waist.

“I’m not leaving you alone.”

They find Anakin a mile away down the river, his body laying on a flat rock, face down. Obi-Wan runs to him, panic wrapping around his throat and suffocating him as he notices blood all around him, mixing with the rain.

“Anakin !” He chokes, letting himself fall by his side and wincing when his knees hit the hard ground for the second time today.

Gently, he grabs him by the shoulders to turn him on his back, dreading what he’s about to discover.

Anakin’s face is stained with blood that still drips from his forehead, sticking to his curls and damping the collar of his tunic. He probably hit his nose hard enough to make it bleed too, as well one of his lips and he has small contusions on his cheeks and jaw. He’s pale, so frighteningly pale.

Obi-Wan presses his fingers against his pulse point while Cody kneels on his other side, doing the same thing on his wrist. It takes a few excruciating seconds for them to feel something, a weak fluttering pulse that makes Obi-Wan’s eyes sting with pure relief.

“He’s alive.” He breathes shakily.

“I’m calling for a ship.” Cody says immediately, getting up again to comm one of the pilots.

Obi-Wan quickly checks Anakin’s body for other obvious injuries in the meantime. He doesn’t seem to have any open wounds but he doesn’t dare move him in case he risks making things worse. What if his spine is damaged or he suffers from internal bleeding ?

The only thing he allows himself is to place his hand on his cheek, pushed by the imperial need to feel him, to make sure he’s alive and breathing. His heart sinks when he notices how cold his skin is. Without thinking, he removes his own robes to lay it on Anakin’s body. It’s a useless gesture but he can’t stand the idea of his golden, always warm boy being frozen to the bones.

“It’s okay.” He whispers, gently pushing Anakin’s drenched curls from his still face. “You’re going to be okay. Just stay with me.”

When the ship arrives, Anakin is picked up on a stretcher and taken away to the tiny medical unit it carries. Obi-Wan silently blesses Cody for having the presence of mind to ask for a medic, gaining precious time for Anakin’s life. They don’t have a lot of equipment but they have enough to stabilize him until they’re back to the base.

The doctor asks them to help remove Anakin’s clothes while he puts an oxygen mask on his mouth and nose. He checks his vitals again, not satisfied about the results.

“He's unresponsive.” He says with a frown. “He might be in shock. He’s also hypothermic and injured, so we will have to act according to an order of priority.”

Obi-Wan nods, swallowing around the lump in his throat.

“I’m going to put him on warm fluids to help his body fight the shock and hopefully help him heat up a little bit.” The man explains quietly. “Then I'm going to take a blood sample to see if something's happening inside. If everything is fine, we’ll have to find a way to get his temperature back to normal, or at least, decent.”

“How ?” Obi-Wan asks.

As far as he knows they only have a limited stock of blankets and no heating pads.

“With the most wonderful and efficient source of heat I know.” The doctor answers. “Human’s heat.”

“Oh.”

Obi-Wan blushes slightly without knowing why. His gaze falls back on Anakin, so pale and so cold under his thin cover.

“Um, okay. I can- I can help with that.” He says with his steadier voice. “Just tell me what to do.”

“For now, wait until he’s stable.” The man replies, focused on putting a catheter on the inside of Anakin’s arm. “Then undress and hold him tight.”

Obi-Wan can’t help but blush fully at the blunt, clinical way the doctor states the whole thing. As if it’s a usual life-saving procedure. Maybe it is. Obi-Wan is no doctor after all.

He watches quietly as the man fusses around Anakin, branching him to a little bag of fluids and to a little machine monitoring his heart and respiratory rates as well as his temperature and level of oxygen. When he’s done, he looks over to Obi-Wan and gives him a nod.

“It's your moment.”

“Okay…” Obi-Wan approaches the bed hesitantly.

“I’m giving you some privacy.” The man says, gathering Anakin’s wet clothes to go make them dry somewhere. “I’m coming back in half an hour to check on him. Call me if something goes wrong in the meantime.”

“Understood.” Obi-Wan nods. “Thank you.”

When he's finally alone in the tiny medical room, the unit separated from the main room of the ship by a thin curtain only, he starts peeling off his soaked layers, realizing how cold he felt too now that a part of the adrenaline had worn off.

Anakin is still immobile on the small bed, just as pale as the sheets. Obi-Wan hesitates to keep his underwear but the fabric is as drenched as the rest of his clothes so he decides against it. His modesty is no match against Anakin’s life.

Taking two more blankets on his way, he slips by his side into the bed, shuddering when his cold skin presses against Anakin’s even colder one. After putting the extra blankets mostly on Anakin’s side, he wraps his arms and legs around his still, freezing body and holds him tight as the doctor asked.

At first it’s very unpleasant, Obi-Wan shivering in their shared wet coldness and thinking they were never going to warm up ever again. But after a while, the blankets start to do their job, preventing whatever warmth Obi-Wan is producing from escaping and progressively raising the temperature in the tight confines of the bed.

Later, Obi-Wan feels warm enough to stop shivering, and exhaustion starts numbing his mind and body, making him close his eyes without noticing.

When the doctor comes to check on Anakin, he finds them both asleep, Obi-Wan carefully but tightly wrapped against the younger Jedi in a protective, life-saving embrace.

Even later, when the sun starts to fall on the system, Obi-Wan is awakened by light movements against him. Emerging with difficulty from the deep slumber he fell in, he lifts an eyelid and he’s faced with Anakin's confused face and fluttering eyes.

“What happened ?” He murmurs.

“You fell from the cliff.” Obi-Wan replies in the same tone. “You almost died. But I found you.”

Anakin frowns and manages to pout.

“Didn't fall. Been pushed.” He mumbles.

“You managed to reach the shore.” Obi-Wan says. “Do you remember ?”

Anakin shakes his head.

“I only remember the cold. I was so cold. Never been that cold in my entire life.”

He frowns again then, slightly raising his head to take a look around, then at Obi-Wan, then under the covers.

“Why am I naked ?” He squints. “Why are you naked ?”

Obi-Wan fails pathetically against his own body when he tries not to blush.

“The doctor said you were in hypothermia. Someone had to keep you warm.”

“It was a life or death situation.” He adds for good measure.

“I see.” Anakin smirks, making the blush on Obi-Wan’s face spread to his chest. “Thank you for saving my life, then.”

“You’re welcome.” Obi-Wan mumbles, trying to hide a part of his face in the pillow.

“I’m still a bit cold, though.” Anakin grins. “I could probably still die.”

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes, the heat coming from his face probably enough to keep Anakin warm for the century to come.

“Come here.” He grumbles, opening his arms wider, and Anakin loses no time snuggling against his chest, almost ripping the wires monitoring his health. “Careful, you’re still in a bad state.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The younger Jedi whispers against his neck, closing his eyes again.

Obi-Wan can't help but smile, slipping his fingers in the mass of golden hair curling on his head.

“How are you feeling ?” He asks.

He can feel Anakin smile against his skin, his fingers tightening around his waist. His heart is beating peacefully against his own. Beating, pumping life into his body. Obi-Wan has never heard a more beautiful sound.

“Warm.” Anakin answers.

[vodika-vibes]

So, I know that I tend to headcanon that Fox and Wolffe are in the middle of the command batch, age wise, but what if they were the babies.

And what if this was a fix-it AU.

Like—

Fox and Wolffe are twins, yes, but Wolffe was decanted first, and so Fox is the baby of the Command Batch. And while he's just as capable and clever as his brothers, even more so in some ways, they can't help but worry about them.

And so, to ease their anxieties, Fox volunteers to take the Triple Zero posting. It might not be what he wanted, but the relief on his brothers' faces makes it worth it.

Fox learns, within a week, that Triple Zero might be a more dangerous posting than anything else. The jedi might have banned decommissioning, but the Guard don't have a Jedi to protect them, and so they are subject to the whims of the senators around them.

Three shinies are decommissioned before Fox manages to come up with a list of rules to keep his brothers safe from decommissioning. But there are no amount of rules that will keep them safe from the people of Coruscant...or from Palpatine himself.

Fox starts to pull away from his batch-mates. He finds it difficult, if not impossible, to lie to them. The scars from Palpatine's lightning are both hard to hide and slow to fade.

Slowly, the Guard gains the reputation of thinking that they're better than their deployed brothers. They stop getting invited out with their batch-mates and stop getting as many comms.

Fox tries not to take it personally.

As time goes on, Fox gets better at lying to his brothers. At talking around the truth. At hiding scars he has no business having.

And then Fives dies.

Or, well, Fives "dies".

Confronting the Chancellor without going through Fox first was dumb. An ARC should have known better.

In any event, Fox is used to faking the deaths of younger brothers and giving them new names and CT numbers. He's never had to do so in front of a witness before. But needs must and all.

Rex blames him for Fives' death. Fox doesn't blame Rex for that, and for the safety of all of the brothers whose death he faked, Fox can't tell Rex the truth.

It's not until Cody and General Kenobi come to confront him that Fox cracks. And even then, he only cracks because Fives happened to be in his office at the time.

Cody wants to rip Fox's head off for keeping secrets. That much is clear, but Obi-Wan sits across from Fox and listens to his story. Listens and watches and asks questions.

And once he hears everything, he nods slowly, and retreats to the Jedi Temple, where he proceeds to tell the Council everything.

And while they could fight Palpatine, expose everything he's done, the council decides to do the smart thing.

They gather up all the jedi and all of the archives and all of the artifacts, as well as all of the clones, and they vanish.

The only Jedi left behind is Anakin Skywalker, who was left a note informing him that the council would never ask him to pick between his wife and the family he's making and the Jedi, and that they hope he lives well and lives happily.

They even toss in a couple of copies of baby books for him.

This doesn't fix everything, Palpatine still tries to turn Anakin. But he gets caught trying to murder Padme, and they and the twins end up having to go on the run. And Palpatine still starts his Empire, but this time there are thousands of Jedi and hundreds of thousands of clones who are willing to fight back.

[yandere-wishes]

I just found a love in your almost cult yandere clone tropes and their cyares with the Jedi blessings. I mean damn you (later than ever). I'm imagining Cody and Rex and the bad batch. Or just Cody sharing with 😉 .

You made sprout the cult follower in me.

Here at Yandere-Wishes HQ, we try to inspire the inner cult follower in all our fans. We want the dark, deranged side of all our clients to shin through and someday even start cults of their own. 💜💜

I'm very sorry for how all over the place this is, tried to section it off as best I could. I'm still incredibly jet lagged😭😭

I think the reason behind the Jedi giving their blessing so freely to the clones comes from an inner yearning to be loved. The Jedi know their place in the universe, know that a sentiment-free life is what they must endure. Still, if those around them can be happy, then (in a selfless way befitting a Jedi) they can be happy too. Although I'm rather curious as to what would happen if say Anakin or Obi-wan fell for the cyare of their commanders. 

Personally, I think Rex and Cody would definitely share a darling. Same with Echo and Fives (and maybe Tup too). Maybe if you REALLY  want to lean into the cult aesthetic Anon, then what if each squadron has its own cyare?? A darling shared amongst all of them (That's a lot but I'm kinda only referring to the relevant troopers from each squadron 🤣🤣) it would be super cute if all her dresses were in said squadron's colors. Kinda like a personal cheerleader for them. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself here lol. 

🧡💙Being Cody and Rex's darling.

💙They're both very busy men. Constantly being deployed to the front lines. Always busy with some mission or another. They've tried to make sure at least one of them is with you, so you're never alone. It doesn't work, there are always long periods of time when you are trapped in isolation. 

🧡I truly believe that Rex and Cody's cyare wouldn't really "feel" like a "cyare", per se. Sure she doesn't have any freedom and is never permitted to make any decisions on her own. But they treat her so well, give her anything she could ever want, and they never hurt her in any way. 

💙Rex and Cody are both strict, not much leniency coming from either one. They have strict rules for they're cyare, under the pretext of keeping her safe. They've seen and experienced all the cruelties of the galaxy. And they don't want ANYTHING to ever hurt you. 

🧡Cody is more affectionate. More open with embracing and kissing you. Rex is much more reserved, stiffer. Yet he can't help but melt whenever your lips push against his. 

501st sharing (Rex, Fives,Echo, Tup, Jesse, Hardcase and Kix)

It's honestly exhausting belonging to all of them. Constantly being pulled in every direction. Sure the 501st is one of the gentler squadrons per se. But they are smoldering, constantly wanting to touch you in some way. It also doesn't help that regardless of the mission one of them is left behind to "watch" you. Not so much out of a fear of you running away but more out of concern for your well-being. I wonder what would happen if Anakin began to develop feelings for this particular cyare.

As for the bad batch I've yet to watch it (Although I've only heard good things) So I can't make a full observation just yet. Although I'd like to think that Hunter and Wrecker are on the "tougher" side, using force to make their cyare submit. Tech falls more into the stalker category. Take all this with a grain of salt, these ideas will 100% change once I've actually seen the show. 

.... All this aside can you imagine Obi-Wan and Cody sharing a darling?? Or even Anakin and Rex sharing a darling?? I mean every cult needs its leader right 😉😘

[yellowocaballero]

hello i am here to gush. genuinely obsessed with all of your fics but this time ab star wars specifically bc i got into clone wars recently and CANNOT stop thinking ab roleswap AU. both the regular and no chip versions make me so fucking insane. i have never encountered a parent/child relationship that breaks my heart quite like that one. the fact that literal-solider-raising-a-kid-in-an-active-war is the LEAST fucked up part ab their dynamic is incredible. also i love thirty with my whole heart

Aaaahhh thank you!!! This ask is so appreciated lmfao. I am VERY CLOSE to being done the No Chip rewrite (I have decided to rewrite every story in the AU and add another one, because I'm insane) and I'm struggling so hardcore with the last story I need to complete before I finish. I want to share them with y'all so bad because a few of them are really freaking good and people need to witness it. I will take the encouragement and hopefully it shall help power me :)

Regarding the insane Cody & Obi-Wan thing: it has to break your heart. Originally, the gulf between them was due to their difference in stations, social status, and personhood, and Cody's unwillingness to close that gap even if Obi-Wan waned him to. But in no chip the gulf is pretty much 100% shitty decision after shitty decision after shitty decision. There are huge themes of cycles of abuse, authoritarianism, and toxic masculinity, and although the effects of these things are a problem in almost every clone, it's definitely worst in Obi-Wan and Cody.

Cody feels helpless, I guess. He has zero control over his life. He can lead the GAR, he can lead the Imperial army, but no matter how much power he tries to take he can't fill that pit of helplessness-induced despair inside of him. He can seize power again and again, he can exert control over Obi-Wan's life more and more, and he can justify everything terrible thing he's done by saying that it's to keep the people around him safe, but he knows that there's no way to do that. The heartbreaking part is that he cannot protect his kid and his family. He'll never have the power that he thinks a father needs to have, the power that Jango had and that he coveted so much. And that his endless struggles to do the impossible causes 80% of problems in the story.

There's a recurring motif in the story about how love can ruin (This Is Star Wars.). I can't really say if Cody's a good person or a bad one, but I can say that love has made a ruin of Obi-Wan's life.

Thirty loves you too. I also love Thirty. I'm doing the Ben POV rewrite now and he's gotten so insane.

Thank you for the encouragement! Please subscribe to my channel so you can see when the story is finally posted. I am vaguely ballparking that it's 200k words, plus the Ben POV rewrite. Snippet of the Order 66 story under the cut :) What I like about the O66 story is that this snippet is cute out of context and very horrifying in context!!!

Another nightmare came. 

They didn’t get any less scary. The terror was the same, again and again. Obi-Wan thought he was going to die three times a month at least, he faced down armies of battle droids again and again, he had come face to face with a Sith. Maybe these things used to be scary, but Obi-Wan was fourteen now. Nothing freaked out fourteen year olds. Look at Quinlan, he didn’t give a kriff about anything. 

The nightmares never changed. They were just as scary as the very first time. But Obi-Wan knew that everyone was sick of dealing with them, so he had convinced Master and Grandmaster to just ignore them when he woke up in the middle of the night again. Fourteen year olds did not make three people wake up just for one nightmare, and Obi-Wan had to shape up.

Cody said it was always okay to wake him up. And clones didn’t need that much sleep. And…and Obi-Wan’s soul was really convinced that he was going to die, that one day everybody was going to die, and somehow Obi-Wan ended up knocking at his cabin door at 0100. 

Regret hit instantly. Cody opened the door almost as quickly as regret, blinking down at the sleepy and terrified Obi-Wan wearing his robe over his sleep clothes. Obi-Wan second-guessed all his life decisions. 

“Uh,” Obi-Wan said, “wanna hang out?”

Cody, still wearing his day armor, leaned backwards and obviously looked at the clock. Obi-Wan started sweating.

Then Cody looked back at him, shrugged, and stood aside. “Alright. If you stay quiet, you can stay as long as you like.”

And then Cody let Obi-Wan into his room.

Cody had been inside Obi-Wan’s room over a dozen times, but the other way around felt different. Clones were insanely private people, and although Obi-Wan’s newfound access to the barracks had opened up a world of wonder and mystery, certain people still remained enigmas. Cody was one of them. For somebody who was so dominant in Obi-Wan’s life, he didn’t actually know a lot about him.

The cabin didn’t help. It was completely bare, with one trunk at the end of his bed containing his personal belongings and identifications. It was the same trunk every clone had, probably with the same personal belongings and identifications. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. He was at least hoping for wall-mounted heads of vanquished enemies. What he deserved for thinking Cody might have a personality. 

The reason why Cody was still wearing his armor became quickly evident. His small desk bolted to the wall was piled high with formwork, and the softly glowing white lamp evidenced how Obi-Wan had interrupted him in the middle of his midnight formwork. 

Obi-Wan squinted judgmentally at Cody. Cody refused to be ashamed. Obi-Wan squinted further, insinuating that shame was the only appropriate emotion to feel when you were up at 0100 doing formwork. Cody abruptly looked very frightened. 

“When did you get so good at that?”

“I pick up some stuff, you know.” Never would Obi-Wan ever admit how much. He shucked his robe and carefully hung it up on a peg next to Cody’s bucket, bouncing over and depositing himself on Cody’s cot. He’d never seen such neat corners. “Can I help you with your formwork?”

“I have it handled. Take the cot and get some rest.”

Obi-Wan looked dubiously at Cody. “Then where are you going to sleep?”

“I already slept.”

“You liar.”

“I only lie if it’s important.” Cody sat down at his desk, swiveling the stool back and re-asserting his focus over the formwork. He picked up a stylus, only to halt hard. “Do you…want to talk about it?”

What was there to say? It was just the usual. Death, destruction, a million voices crying out in pain before being silenced. It wasn’t anything Cody hadn’t heard before. That Obi-Wan hadn’t felt before. Yet Obi-Wan still couldn’t beat it. 

“Don’t take any vacations to Alderaan,” Obi-Wan said wisely.

“I don’t take vacations.”

“You’re fine, then.”

“Go to bed.”

Obi-Wan embraced the slightly surreal experience of snuggling under Cody’s thin blanket and tightly fitted sheets. Cody turned the lamp low, leaving a single dim star shining in the cabin’s darkness, and soon Obi-Wan heard nothing but the omnipresent hum of the ship’s atmo control and the creaking of Cody’s stool. 

“...Cody?”

Cody spoke without looking up from his work, implying his complete lack of faith that Obi-Wan would stay quiet. Harsh but fair. “Yes, Commander?”

“I seem pretty stupid, right?”

Cody continued signing the formwork, completely unphased. “Not at all. The future’s a scary place.”

Obi-Wan pulled the thin blanket higher, trying to bundle up in it. It was such a thin and scratchy blanket. He was literally a Marshal Commander, why didn’t he have nicer blankets? Obi-Wan had a soft and fluffy one brought over from the Temple. 

“Are you scared of it?”

A little wryly, he said, “I’ve been reliably informed that I’m not afraid of anything.”

Obi-Wan would absolutely believe that, but Cody didn't sound as if he did. “Then what are you scared of?”

Without pausing, almost absentmindedly, Cody said, “Something happening to you.”

Oh. Wow. Obi-Wan pulled the blanket up higher, close to his ears. “Really?”

For the first time, Cody halted. He looked up, staring at the wall. Obi-Wan couldn’t see his expression, but he spoke slowly and strangely. As if he was surprised, or had come to a belated realization. “I…suppose so.” 

Alright, Obi-Wan had to feel guilty now. He had really thought that Cody scolded him for doing dangerous things because it was against regs. “Sorry for jumping off a cliff with that rocketpack Rex stole.”

Cody leaned back a little, running his hands through his hair. He didn’t turn around, and Obi-Wan had a hard time reading his microexpressions. The dim light cast him in a strange glow, a shadow against the dark. “I - remember that. I remember watching you jump off that cliff. I didn’t even see the pack. I just saw you, and…I’d never felt like that before.”

“Felt like what?”

“Petrified,” Cody said distantly. “Like my galaxy was in its last second before neutron collapse. I think I’m scared of that feeling too.”

“I promise not to jump off any more cliffs,” Obi-Wan said, truly distressed. “No more cliff-jumping for me, I swear.”

Cody just huffed a silent laugh. He bent back down over his formwork, but his heart clearly wasn’t in it. “Maybe I’m just scared of you, Commander.”

“What? Me! I’m not exactly going to turn Sith and start commanding a droid army, you know.”

“Goodnight, Commander.”

Obi-Wan didn’t say anything.

He quickly slid off the bed, trotted over to Cody, and gave him a very tight and very awkward hug from behind. Cody froze. Obi-Wan released him, trotted back to bed, and slipped back underneath the covers.

“Goodnight, Cody.”

[tennessoui]

For the WIP game! Teeth/Tooth?

[send me a word and if it's in one of my wips, i'll reply with a snippet!]

thank you for sending this!! i am currently writing a short ficlet for the pretty bird series to get into the zone for writing the next chapter of vowbreaker, so this is from that!:

“Ada Tarrontal’s pregnant,” Anakin reports, tossing the bloody rag he’d been running over his knuckles onto the bartop. “Who?” Ahsoka asks, leaning her elbows up on the bar and frowning at Anakin. “Is she famous?” “Is it yours?” Cody drawls from beside Obi-Wan’s stool, because even when Obi-Wan’s on edge and the world is on thin ice, Cody Fett seems to know that he’s safe from harm. It infuriates Anakin to no end, the reminder of the bond those two share, the place Cody holds at Obi-Wan’s side no matter, despite, always. And they’ve been colluding so much together lately, it’s unnerving. It makes Anakin want to stamp his foot, curl his hands into fists, and beat something bloody and still until whatever beast inside of him is temporarily satisfied. But he’s just come back from doing that, on Obi-Wan’s orders, and the man hasn’t even looked up from his work, so Anakin decides on another course of action completely. He bares his teeth at Cody and says, “She’s a girl in my class. And I don’t think it’s mine, but I guess you can never be sure these days.” That gets Obi-Wan’s attention. The pen in his hand gets laid carefully down next to the papers in front of him as he raises his head to pin Anakin in place with his eyes. "Oh?"

[itsgoldleaf]

WIP Wednesday!

(If you saw me just post this from my art blog by mistake no you didnt adlfsfhadhas)

I’ve not posted for a while (in general or in here) due to, basically, the horrors, but I really want to get more involved again in codywan fandom, because by god it’s the most comforting safe space around, right? I was really afraid that codywan had faded for me recently, but it turns out it was just anxiety LOL. I am happy to confirm the hyperfixation is alive and well in 2025 and I’m not going anywhere!

This is from one of my CWFKB pieces(!) and it’s technically still a wip as I’m still editing the last bits of it (so the below may get tweaked in the final version ahah). The context is: pure vibes no plot, post-war, they are sickeningly in love (so, y’know, on brand for them) 😎

“You look happy,” Cody murmurs. He is unraveling as he points out the miraculous, he is deconstructing. The Cody from the war is unbuilding himself mote by mote and rearranging into the Cody of what comes next. The same atoms, the same sinew and bone and scar, the same man, but reconfigured now into a vessel that can contain love without fear of shattering. He doesn’t need to twist around his devotion, he can open his arms and heart and fill the the galaxy with it. They can have and have and have and nothing is going to spoil it. They survived not having each other for so long. They will survive this too.

“I only hold a mirror to you, my darling.”

Their mouths both trip on a laugh, tight-lipped, caught in time. Obi-Wan speaks often in the purplest prose, and he saves the worst of it for Cody.

[codywanfirstkissbingo]

Codywan First Kiss Bingo 2025

Can't get enough of Cody and Obi-Wan's first kiss in any universe and situation? Well then we'd love to have you play our bingo!

How to Play

Once you've filled out the form to register, we'll email you your shiny bingo card. Every card is a shuffled assortment of prompts that will look something like this:

Below are all the rules you should know about before you join.

General Rules

We're sure you are familiar with the rules of bingo, but just to be certain everyone is on the same page, to get a bingo you must fill three prompts in a row. That row can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Fill all the prompts on your card and that's a blackout!

Get as creative with your kisses as you want, but they MUST BE A FIRST KISS between Obi-Wan and Cody in some capacity. 

Prompt fills should be new works, meaning that they should not be part of an ongoing work-in-progress that has not yet been posted as a complete work. Sequels and prequels to already-finished works are welcome! 

Posting Dates

Participants have the February 1 to February 14, 2025 to post bingo fills! Sign up around the time of this announcement and you will have a long creation window before posting time rolls around.

You are strongly encouraged to post to our collection on ao3 and we love to see your posts on tumblr, too– if you’re posting on tumblr, please tag us on main (not in the codywan community, but on your main blog) using @codywanfirstkissbingo AND tagging your post with #CWFKB2025.  We don’t want to miss anyone if tumblr drops the ball in our notifications.  Using #CWFKB2025 gives us another way to find your fill .  

If you’re posting on AO3, we will reblog your fill if you make a Tumblr post with the link,  @ us and tag your post with #CWFKB2025. We’ll be checking the AO3 collection when tracking fills and making round-up posts with bingos and blackouts, so your fills will be included there– but we will not cross-post every individual fill on AO3 as its own post if the creator has not made a tumblr post we can reblog to share.

If you posted only on AO3 and don't see comments or follow up from any of the mods in your AO3 prompt within 24 hours, please drop us an ask here or send us an email.

When posting on tumblr and/or on AO3, please be sure to include a screenshot of your bingo card with the prompt fill indicated so we know which square you’ve filled! We will not count a post as a valid fill if there is no picture of your bingo card, but if your tumblr post has your bingo card and links over to AO3 for the actual fill, then you don't have to post it twice.

Specific Rules

Fic: 100 words minimum per prompt fill. To be clear, the kiss itself does not have to last 100 words, though we'd be delighted to see that.

Art: One drawing per fill (digital or traditional). Different drawings can be on the same canvas/page if you so wish. Go wild with your compositions.

Podfic: Same requirements as fic. You can collaborate with someone writing a fic specifically for the event or find an existing fic that fills your prompt.

Fanmix: One song per fill- we'd love to see what songs give you codywan first kiss vibes. Try to match lyrics to your prompt but instrumental songs are cool too.

Other: Send an ask with your inquiry! We're more than happy to discuss expanding the fanwork pool to maximize creativity.

Ratings

You can post any work with any rating, but please abide by the appropriate rating/archive warning/tags on AO3 when posting there. When posting on tumblr, please warn for potentially triggering content in the tags and the header to the post, so readers can filter as needed. 

Anything spicy or explicit should go under a read-more tag.

Please also use a read-more tag if you’re posting a fic that is longer than a drabble (100 words) so we’re not clogging people’s dashboards.

To help make this event safe for Codywan fans with any kind of photophobic issues, we do specifically request that you tag any and all flashing imagery with #flashing. If you're unsure what constitutes flashing, please see this article, or err on the side of caution for any image with: moving stripes or checkered patterns; strobe light, lightning, or explosion effects in any image or video; images of flickering light/sunlight on leaves/water; very fast cuts between images in a gif or video; rapidly moving images in an animation or gif set that stop and start or “stutter;” sparkle text or similar moving text effects; and images in an animation, gifset, or video that are in high color contrast to each other (for example, a gif set that cuts pink Barbie gifs with black & white Oppenheimer gifs to create a fast-moving contrast between the two styles.) 

To make this event accessible for Codywan fans who are low-vision, have visual processing disorders, or who otherwise find their fandom experience strongly enhanced when art, photographs, and photomanips have Alt-Text captions, we strongly recommend that you consider adding Alt-Text to your posted image on tumblr, so that Codywan fans with screen-readers can enjoy your post along with everyone else.  This post at Perkins School for the Blind gives you some tips and tricks– the description doesn’t have to go into every detail a seeing person would see, but an example might be: “A full-color digital drawing of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody kissing under mistletoe.  Both Obi-Wan and Cody are smiling, and little cartoon hearts are floating around them.”

The CWFKB mods' decision is final on whether your post/entry requires a flashing warning; they will contact you to ask you to update your tags if you haven’t already noted in your tumblr or AO3 post that your fill contains #flashing content. If you are not willing to use the flashing tag, even after being contacted by the mods, the mods have the right to decide that under-tagged flashing fills will be disqualified from the event.

Finally– with exceptions for the #NSFW or #spicy and #flashing tags on tumblr– you have the right to choose not to warn readers in accordance with AO3’s “choose not to warn” option, but posters whose tags or ratings are deceptive or misleading versus the actual content may have their fills disqualified.

When in doubt, please contact the mods! We will also contact you about any fill where the tags or ratings raise a concern or where something just isn't clear. Please keep an eye on your email after a fill, because that will be one of the ways we will contact you.

Combining Prompts

This is a low stakes event and we just want people to have fun! If you want to combine prompts that's totally fine, but we ask that you give each fill its own scene within the larger work. This means there should be a separate kiss for each prompt, even if the 'scene' is a series of types of kisses all in a row.

Swapping Prompts

Nearly have a bingo but there's that one pesky prompt in your way you don't vibe with? Go ahead and swap it with another prompt on your card!  All the prompts are randomly selected and not handpicked for participants; we understand there's a chance some of the prompts may not inspire you, so we allow ONE and only ONE SWAP PER CARD. Use the swap, codywaners!  Use the swap!

Free Square

The free square can be whatever type of kiss you want. It can be a repeat of a kiss already on your card, or something else altogether-- just make it clear in your post that you are using the free space.

Behind the Scenes

This bingo is modded by tumblr users @dontbelasagnax @lttrsfrmlnrrgby and @notthestarwar, who brought you #CWFKB2023.  This year we are also joined by the amazing helpers @picktheonesthatlast @biscuityskies @nhyhu and @bluemaskedkarma.  

Our adorable profile picture was drawn by @anaclastic-azurite!

You can actually find the public inception of this bingo event right here!

If you have any further questions after reading our rules, our askbox is open!

[leapingbadger]

Nightfall on Utapau - Chapter 5 - Nighttime on Tatooine

Read on AO3

Cody was surprised to wake under the covers of Obi Wan’s bed. Perhaps the Jedi had levitated him on to the bed in the hopes he may be more comfortable. Although Cody didn’t think he could exist on a higher plain of bliss than he already did.

The room was dark, the twin suns having fallen sometime while they were…occupied.

Half of his body was on top of Obi Wan’s, their legs entangled, his head resting on the Jedi’s chest. He lifted his head slightly, feeling Obi Wan’s soft breathing as his chest rose and fell. He had fallen asleep with Obi Wan many times during the war, usually collapsing into a heap after a battle or draped over a desk while finishing flimiwork. This was definitely better though.

Being in Obi Wan’s orbit brought his memories flooding back. He smiled to himself at the thought of his brothers reaction to his current situation. They all knew he had a crush on the General, teased him mercilessly about it when they could. He smirked with the realization that the Jedi had had a crush on his too, and it had come to fruition in the most amazing way.

As Cody stirred the Jedi’s arms closed around him tighter. He placed a kiss on the top of his head and snuggled so Cody’s head rested in the crook of his neck.

“Thank you for finding me, my love.” Obi Wan said sleepily.

Cody kissed the Jedi’s strong chest, tracking his way up to his slightly parted lips. “Thank you for sending that message.” He said, placing a chaste kiss on the Jedi’s, pink, plump and perfect lips.

“Hmm,” he groaned, shifting sideways so both arms were wrapped around his former commander. “I wondered at the time if it was selfish. To put that on you.” he said, his voice stronger as his eyes fluttered open as he looked down at Cody.

“It saved me, Obi Wan. In every way.”

Obi Wan smiled, his blue eyes sparkling in the dark. “It’s actually Ben, now.” The Jedi said awkwardly, a grimace on his face. “A necessity of the times, I’m afraid.”

Cody reached up, tracing a hand through the Jedi’s hair, then tracking a finger over his eyebrows, down his nose and brushing his lips gently. “It’s nice to meet you, Ben.”

Ben smiled and leaned down, kissing Cody deeply, his arms squeezing him tightly as he did so.

“Maybe I should change my name as well.” Cody said with a smile.

“I would certainly recommend it, if you wish to stay.”

Cody noticed that the Jedi suddenly looked nervous.

“If?” Cody asked with a smile, propping himself up on his elbow so he could see Ben better.

“My life will never be safe, Cody. I will always be a target, I will always be at risk, and if you choose to stay here, so will you.”

Cody laughed, “Ben, I’m a deserter from the imperial navy. I may not have as big a target on my back, but I still have one. I spent six months crossing the galaxy just to find you. The only question is, do you want me to stay?”

Ben sank down so they were nose to nose. “I would love nothing more than to have you by my side for the rest of my days.”

Cody couldn’t contain his grin. “Well, that makes two of us.”

Ben’s hands closed over Cody’s jaw and pulled his lips to him. Cody sank into his strong embrace, drinking in the taste of his Jedi.

When they finally pulled apart, they grinned at each other.

“So, what will it be, my love?” Ben asked, his fingers mindlessly tracing circles on Cody’s arm.

“I actually had a different name a long time ago, but it got lost in translation, somehow.”

“Oh?” Ben said, his eyebrows raised as a smile crossed his lips.

Cody held out his hand to the Jedi, “Hello Ben, I’m Kote.”

Ben grinned, taking the proffered hand and kissed it. “Glory.” Ben said. Cody nodded, his cheeks turning pink. “You certainly are that, my love.” The jedi said.

Cody felt a rush of warmth spread through him and leaned into Ben once more.

“I’m afraid I have something to tell you.” The Jedi said, his voice suddenly serious.

“Hmm?” the contented commander said.

“I am in love with you, Kote.”

“I am in love with you too, Ben.”

The next few days and weeks passed in a blissful domesticity that was strangely familiar to their time during the war. Instead of going over battle plans or filing reports they were discussing supply runs and security details for Ben’s young and distant ward.

Ben had told him soon after his arrival what had happened after Utapau. The fight with Anakin, the fate of the Jedi, the death of Senator Amidala, and his duty to protect their children. Kote knew how much Ben cared for his former padawan and how broken he was by his death. His desire to watch over Luke was a noble one and something Kote took upon himself as well, with the utmost seriousness.

Kote was surprised to realize he had been with Ben for over a month. They had slipped into a routine of love and adoration that seemed to erase all the time they had been apart. It was funny that on this desolate planet time ceased to exist. They were suspended in their own bubble, unphased by the galaxy around them.

There were moments, flickers of who they had once been. Ben was still General Kenobi, in all but name. Kote was still a Marshall Commander, it was built into his blood. Occasionally his thoughts would go to his brothers still fighting, still working, still trapped in the machine of the Empire. Guilt would sometimes consume him as he sat on the sofa, arm draped around his love, warm and happy and safe. But duty had kept him trapped, enslaved. Only in escaping that had he become who he was truly meant to be.

***

Ben grabbed a mug as a trilling noise sounded from the bedroom. He smiled to himself as he moved through the house, setting the mug on the floor as he pushed the trunk off the loose floorboard.

He sat down on the floor and answered the holocomm with the press of a button.

“Hello, my friend.” Bail Organa said with a large smile. “I am sorry it has been so long. My work has taken on quite the duality of late. The months have flown by.”

“No need to apologize, old friend. It’s nice to see your face.” Ben said as he picked up the cup.

“Is that caf you’re drinking, Ben? I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Ben? Did you hear that noise?” Kote asked as he strode out of the fresher, a towel secured around his waist, water still dripping from his hair to his chest. “Oh,” he said, aware he was in view of the comm.

Ben chewed on a smile as he took in Bail Organa’s shocked face through the comm.

“Cody, how lovely to see you again.” Bail said with an eyebrow raised to Ben. “Breha,” he called off camera over his shoulder, “I owe you fifty credits.”

“For what, my dear?” she asked, her pretty face swimming into view of the comm and taking in the Jedi and his sheepish looking former commander. “Excellent. I hope you are both very happy.”

Ben chuckled, “Your caf, love.” He said, handing the mug to Kote before turning back to Bail.

“I see quite a few things have changed since we last spoke.” Bail said with a grin.

“You could say that, yes.”

Ben failed to hide his smile. Something he had been struggling to do for the last few months. There was a time when he thought he may never smile again. Kote had changed all of that.

Kote excused himself, his cheeks burning, as he walked past the comm to get some clothes. When he was covered, he came back to sit next to Ben, his arm nonchalantly draped over the Jedi's knee.

Ben was contented, feeling Kote’s warmth next to him as they chatted happily with the Organas. He felt a pang in his chest as little Leia toddled by with Breha chasing after her. Kote seemed the sense it, intertwining his fingers in his and squeezing. Whatever the feeling was, it slowly faded away and was replaced the glow of Kote’s force signature.

Just as they were getting ready to sign off, Breha handed something to Bail.

“Ah yes, Cody. As you’re...um…here. We found this shortly after you left us.” He held up a scratched and damaged holocomm.

Ben’s eyes flicked to the commander who looked like he had seen a ghost.

“I…I didn’t even realize I lost it.” He said, avoiding Ben’s gaze.

“Well, it was quite broken, but one of our men was able to get it working again. It looked like a private message, so it hasn’t been watched. I’m happy to send it to you, if you’d like.”

“Is that…” Ben started to ask.

Kote nodded with a smile. “Thank you, Bail. I appreciate it but I don’t think I need it anymore. Perhaps you could destroy it for me?”

“Are you sure, love?” Ben asked quietly.

Kote turned to him and smiled. “Yes. I don’t need it anymore. I have you.”

Ben grinned and waved a distracted goodbye to their friends. With the comm back in its hiding spot they could continue on with their day.

“You’re sure you won’t miss your comm?” Ben asked as he made the bed.

Kote shrugged, “I may have…memorized your message.” He said sheepishly.

Ben grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” he said, crossing to the other side of the bed, his hand reaching to his former Commander's neck and pulling him into a gently kiss. As usual Ben body seemed to glow with the warmth of Cody like he was somehow imbuing him with his force signature. 

Kote looked exceedingly embarrassed now, pink patches appearing on his cheeks and the tops of his ears.

“My dearest friend…” Ben started to recite. Kote’s eyes grew wide and a grin spread over his lips. “…my dear Commander, I have loved you since the moment we first met…” he continued, his lips tracing down to Kote’s jaw. “…all those years ago on the bridge of a shiny new venator...” The Jedi’s lips continued down his neck. “…I fell deeper with every grazed hand, smirk, stern look and insufferable sigh...”

“You couldn’t have done this before I had a sonic?” Kote asked with a sigh.

Ben chuckled as he continued on to Kote’s chest, he lifted up his shirt, his lips gently tracing every scar he could find, “would you prefer I stop?” he asked in a low, gravelly voice.

“Don’t you dare.” The former Commander said with a purr.

The bright morning sunlight shone through the window of the small, unremarkable house in the middle of the desert, on a backwards world in the outer rim. Where a former General and his Former Commander remained, together.