#Poor Rex having to deal with everyone's BS

[z-socks]

Who's Older?

We all love our Domino Twin boys, but a very important question remains: who's older? TW: very brief clinical mention of fetus termination “That’s Bantha osik and you know it!” 

General Anakin Skywalker couldn’t help but sigh as he caught wind of the argument still going on. Fives and Echo had been at it since leaving Saleucami and appeared to have yet to resolve the matter. He cast a look at Rex who seemed so exhausted he almost felt bad for making him deal with it. But these were his men and they couldn’t risk a petty disagreement getting in the way of their next mission. 

“Alright, boys, what’s the problem?” Anakin asked, approaching the ARC troopers with Rex only a few steps behind him. 

“This di’kut thinks he’s older than me,” Fives accused, shoving his shoulder into Echo’s. 

“I am older than you,” Echo insisted. 

Anakin stared at them in disbelief. This is what was causing such a stir? 

Rex sighed beside him. “Not this again,” he muttered. 

The ‘again’ worried the general. If this was an ongoing issue, he’d have to put an end to it once and for all, no matter how trivial and petty it was. 

“Echo’s number is lower. I think that makes him older,” he offered. 

The three Clones stared at him. 

“Or not?” 

Rex stepped in. “Our numbers come from our growth-jar tree designation. But not all infants on a tree are decanted at the same time. Like, if a fetus is terminated, the jar is emptied and a new embryo takes its place.” 

Well that was all very informative, but not helpful in resolving the matter. Anakin crossed his arms. “Why does it matter who’s older?” 

“It’s a matter of principle. We’re twins, sir,” Fives answered. 

Anakin raised a brow. “Is that some kind of joke?” 

“No, sir,” Echo replied. “Split zygote. A rare but not impossible anomaly.”

Fives cut in, “Like Rex’s hair.”

The captain glared at them.  

“All that means is Echo here got moved to a different jar,” Fives went on. 

“Thereby making me the oldest.”

“Transfer is not decanting!” 

“I left the jar first!” 

“To go to another jar!” 

“Okay, okay, stop!” Anakin sighed, understanding Rex’s exhausted look from earlier. “Echo, Fives is right.” 

“What!?”

“Ha!” 

“If we’re going from decanting-“

“The general agrees with me!” Fives cheered, throwing an arm around Echo’s shoulders and tussling his hair. “You lose! I’m right! Ha! I won! Against you. In semantics!” 

Echo growled, shoving out of Fives’s grasp and grappling for him, the argument turning into a physical fight until Fives escaped and ran off, Echo running after him, still belaboring his point, now with rather colorful language. 

Rex rested a hand on the general’s shoulder. “Rule number one, sir. Don’t pick a winner.” 

Anakin shook his head. “It’s a dumb argument.” 

Rex offered him a small smile. “Just hope you never have twins, sir.”