#cody carries the title of marshal commander

[starsspin]

i saw a tik tok being like rex has the same level of power or pull as cody, despite the fact rex doesn't carry the commander title AND IM SORRY BUT NO THATS NOT CORRECT

[halzore]

For @nelba, I hope you have a wonderful 2021 and a nice and snowy rest of 2020. I had a lot of fun writing this little scene, with hopefully a clone you like!

Tagging @starwarssecretsanta and thankyou @lilhawkeye3 for organising this and bringing some extra seasonal cheer in a pretty tricky year

disclaimer I cannot write titles for Shit, please excuse me while I scream.

Word count: ~2000

Warnings: So much fluff I think i just suffocated.

Without further ado:

FOX^2

“That’s it. Get up.” Thorn had burst into Fox’s office, irritation etched on the man’s features. Fox’s head barely moved from the mountain of data pads, focus tuning out his brother’s arrival.

“Get up!” Thorn repeated. Fox looked up from his work, vexed by the interuption. “You’re going on the beat.”

Thorn was flurrying around the room, trying to dismantle the precarious pile of data pads and bother Fox into moving. Fox was not buying it.

“I’m not going on the beat.” It was a statement, matter-of-fact. No one would have argued with Fox. Except for Thorn. Thorn turned around to his brother, copping the determined stare and matching it with a grin. He waved a paper in front of Fox’s nose.

“According to this signed override form from Marshall Commander Cody, you are.” Thorn was too proud of himself, a shit-eating grin beaming across the room at his peeved brother.

“I’ve got paperwork, I can’t go.” Fox gestured at the scattered data pads, in a last ditch attempt to rid himself of his persistent co-commander.

“You. Are. Going. On. Beat.”Thorn had marched himself around the back of Fox, lifting him up by the shoulders, out of his chair, dragging him along behind. “Now.” Thorn thrust him out of the door and locked it from the inside.

Fox stood in the hallway, he had not had enough caf for this. He turned to the locked fort calling through it.

“Thorn, I need my helmet.”

~~~

The beat was pretty quiet, it usually was. Fox had to admit that it was nice to have some air, even though Coruscant wasn’t particularly well known for the freshness of it’s air. Leaning against his speeder, he absent-mindedly listened to his police scanners as he scanned the streets for miscreants. His mind wandered to the pile of work sitting back at headquarters, making little lists of what he had to fill in and when. He was so far away in his work that he didn’t see you barrel down the street.

Your feet were carrying you as fast as they could, your running form weakened by the small bundle you held close to your chest. Your eyes were fixed on the little nose pointing out of the material, it’s round eyes peering up at you. You didn’t notice the plastoid covered man getting closer and closer until you rammed into his chest plate.

Your chest was heaving, bent over, one hand holding the bundle to your chest the other placed firmly on you knee. The clone trooper hovered for a moment, his bucket turned towards you in intrigue.

“Uh, ma’am” You looked up at the clone.

“Ah shit..” You bundled your little friend closer to your chest and turned away from the officer. Fox looked at you, his eyes scanning trying to sus out the scene although you couldn’t see that.

“What have you got there.” Fox carefully enquired. Your face had guilt written all over it, eyes searching desperately in the Courscanti air for an answer, when none came, you squared up to the officer, trying to give off an air of confidence.

“I can explain.” You unwrapped the little bundle you had been clutching at your chest. A little red snout popped out, followed by two dark but inquisitive eyes. The red fur wrapped around the little creatures face, except for it’s chin and chest, where it was contrasted by a crisp white.

“You see, I was walking down the alley behind my work, and I saw a rather dodgy gentlemen.” Fox was half-listening still looking incredulously at his own namesake. “I saw him try to palm this little beauty onto some back-street crim, and I knew the little guy was in trouble.”

“So you stole a fox, off an illegal smuggler.” Thorn was definitely never going to hear the end of this.Fox would never let Cody get away with this. The commander of the Courscant guard, back on beat for one day and this. “What were you going to do after that?” Fox took a deep breath as you wriggled on the spot, your face settling in a nice cringe.

“You see, I hadn’t thought that far…” You trailed off, your eyes focussing around back the way you came.

“And…” Fox prompted

“And that.” You pointed at the angry man walking unnaturally fast towards you and the clone, before you wrapped the fox up again, turned on your heels and began to run away from your pursuer.

“Hey! Wait!” Fox called after you, he drew his pistol and set it to stun. He sent a blue ring towards the angry man, before turning around to catch up with you. You were a decent runner, but not good enough to outrun the likes of the GAR’s finest. A strong hand grabbed your free arm. “Wait.” He said more softly now. Fox took his helmet off and clipped it to his belt.

You let out a laboured sigh, admiring the clone’s handsome face.

“Thankyou.”

“Just doing my job,” He stretched out his armoured arms towards you. “How about you hand me that little guy and I’ll keep your little vigilante action to myself.” You gave the clone a little blush as you handed over the fox.

“What’s your name trooper?” Your hands, now they were unoccupied, hand gone to fidgeting with your hair.

“Fox.” A shocked silence followed.

“Your joking.” You scoffed at the man before you. “No way.” Fox’s mouth gave a little uptick, a smirk. “You’re serious” An amused disbelief shone in your eyes as you began to laugh at the wild situation you had gotten yourself into.

The fox wriggled in Fox’s arms. You took a step back admiring the image.

“Well, Fox, there is no way this day can get any weirder, so I must ask.” Fox’s eyes were trained directly on you as one hand scratched the head of the animal in his arms. “Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow?”

Taken aback by the question, and by the ease of the deliverance of the question, Fox took a moment to regroup. He seemed to mull it over for a few moments, all the while your stomach was doing flips and you swore that your heart had got loose of it’s casing. Fox looked at you again, a small smile creeping across his features.

“Yeah sure, why not.” You beamed up at the man, before writing you comm channel onto a little slip of flimsi you found in one of your pockets.

~~~

Fox stood in front the mirror in the barracks. Behind him, Thorn and Thire were gossiping as usual.

“I can’t believe it was a Fox.” Thorn shook his head. “It could have been any animal in the galaxy.” “Nice hair, ori’vod” Thire chuckled, earning himself an approving punch from his brother. Fox looked in the mirror, his hair slicked in an unnatural way. Why did this have to be so hard, why did Thire say that Fox’s hair was too unkempt for a lady. Fox sighed, wondering if he should bail. He didn’t want to, but going out for dinner, in public, without his armour, sounded worse than going on the beat.

At least you would be there, the little firecracker he had met for fifteen minutes. Hopefully that would make it worth it. Behind Fox, Thire and Thorn continued to chat shit as Fox continued his scrutiny.

“Would you two shut up and help me out.” Thorn and Thire looked at their older brother. “Would she like this?” Fox asked as he moulded his hair into the sixth new hairstyle fo the night. Thire grinned, Thorn facepalmed, before releasing their critiques.

~~~

He was standing outside the restaurant you had picked for what seemed like an eternity, his eyes peering into the streetlight lit night, searching for your face. He was beginning to wonder whether you had stood him up, when you came walking purposefully over to him.

You looked amazing, your hair was done differently than last time Fox had seen you, a semi-formal outfit that was dazzling. You looked ethereal.

“Wow…” Fox’s mouth was agape, ogling at your presence.

“Your jaw is supposed to close there buddy,” you gave his chin a gentle push to where it was supposed to be. “Sorry I was late, the taxi service is so unreliable around here and I didn’t want to walk.”

“I’m just glad you made it.” Fox smiled a little, before you lead him inside.

The restaurant was like a little garden, surrounded by pot plants of every colour and variety. Creeping vines crawled up perfectly placed metal bars that separated the tables into their own little private areas. There were a few wooden seats up by the bar, all of which were filled by humanoids and aliens of all species. The restaurant was bustling, a lively electric energy that buzzed through the place. You and Fox found your seats that you had booked earlier, they were over, just off from the bar.

Both you and you clone date regarded the menus, scouring for options to suit your culinary needs. It was after the second drink you shared with Fox that you noticed something was wrong. A blue Twi’lek man sat on the end of the bar in silence, glaring at the back of Fox’s head. You nodded you head over Fox’s shoulder and he glanced in that direction quickly. The Twi’lek noticed, moving up from the bar and over to your table. Fox instinctively reached for his pistol and cursed when he couldn’t find it.

Fox had stood up now. You as well, waiting for the tense scene to unfold.

The Twi prowled forward, disdain emanating from his entire existence. He moved in closer to Fox and you could see him shift his feet to a better stance. There was a stone cold silence, charged with a violent static. All the patrons and staff had turned to look at your small corner of the restaurant.

The Twi didn’t move, Fox waited with bated breath. A sound, followed by a wet sticky substance landing on his face.

“Republic scum.” It was a deep grumble from the Twi. He stood a head taller than Fox, who didn’t move, trying to diffuse the situation. Anger bubbled up from within you, a distaste settling in your mouth causing a sour expression on your face. You cracked you knuckles, took a deep breath, walked around the table, never breaking eye contact with the Twi and placing yourself between Fox and the irritator.

“What did you say?” You voice was low too, carrying danger. The Twi returned your glare.

“I asked you a question,” you repeated. Again, the Twi didn’t respond. You moved right up close to the blue alien, to the point where you could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“I said, Republic Scum.” The Twi’lek repeated.

“Brrrr. Wrong answer.” You broke the tension, by sending your knee straight into the man’s groin. The restaurant descended into chaos as the Twi tumbled to the floor. You felt a hand wrap around your arm and pull you towards the exit. All the action blurred together until you were out in the street just you and Fox.

You walked along silently for a few minutes.

“Trouble really has a knack at finding you doesn’t it.” You blushed, it wasn’t the first time someone had said that to you.

“No.” You corrected. “Unfortunately, I seem to find trouble. Thanks for getting me out of thier.” Your tone turned apologetic. “I shouldn’t have done that, put you in that position I mean.”

Fox turned to look at you.

“I’ve never had a civvie stick up for me like that before.” A sort of sadness settled in your chest at the revelation. You slipped you hand into Fox’s entwining your fingers as you kept walking.

~~~

Fox wished he didn’t have to let go of your hand as he made it to the front door of your apartment. Despite the event of the evening, you had grown on him quite a lot.

“So I guess I should say goodbye.” He stood close to you, hand still in yours.

“Only you have to, or you could come in? I could make you a hot chocolate.” A small smile played on your features as your eyes seemed grow wider in plea.

“One hot chocolate sounds good.” Fox conceded.

He settled on the couch as you babbled away about your family, friends and life whilst bustling in the kitchen, making the hot chocolate. Steam poured off it as you brought it into the room. You placed one in Fox’s hand before plonking yourself next to him on the couch. You drank in a comfortable silence as you watched the speeder’s whizz past in the coloured lights of a coruscant evening.

“Ah, you have a bit of froth there.” You reached up, a little tentatively, to wipe some from underneath Fox’s nose. Your cheeks reddened as your hand came to rest on Fox’s cheek. Fox put his drink down on the table in front of him and reached up and placed his hand over yours. “Thanks for a wonderful night Fox.” It was quiet, nervous, the vigour from earlier in the night vanishing in the midst of the butterflies in your stomach.

“We will have to do it again sometime.” Fox leaned, the tip of his nose tickling yours. An unspoken invitation, an energy, Your heart pounded in your chest as Fox brought up both his hands to cup your cheeks. You lips met in a tender moment, savoured by the both of you. Fox pulled away.

“I really have to go, but I’ll see you soon, that’s if you want.”

You offered him a warm smile. “Of course I want.”

You followed him to your doorframe, where you wrapped him up in your arms. “See you soon Fox.”

~~~

Fox walked into the barracks with a huge grin. Thorn ran to catch up with him.

“So, how was it.”

“Perfect.”

Thorn began to ask a number of intrusive questions. Fox ignored him. Nothing could ruin this night for him. A thought crossed his euphoric mind, he reminded himself to thank Thorn. Maybe he should go on the beat more often.

[evabellasworld]

Hear the Wind Sing

For @the11tailedlovesclones, this is my gift for you as part of the @starwarsfandomfests event. Thank you to @lilhawkeye3 for organising this event. I really enjoyed it so far.——————————————————————————————

Summary:  Fox and Riyo were relaxing underneath an ancient tree, wondering about the past and the future of their family they're building.

——————————————————————————————

AO3 Link

Stepping onto a dead leaf that was laying on the ground, Commander Fox was walking down a fresh, muddy road, holding Riyo Chuchi's hand. With a plain white T-shirt and his khaki pants, he gazed at the paddy fields to his left, with the young stalks standing still on the murky water, filled with eels and occasionally leeches.

This wasn't the first paddy field that Fox has seen throughout his life. The first one was when he had to safeguard Riyo from danger. At that time, they hadn't confessed their love towards each other due to the circumstances at that time. It was a day after the whole fiasco at her parent's house that they both realized their feelings towards each other.

Even then, both Fox and Riyo had to hide their relationship from the public, despite a few of them learning their secret. The Jedi who accompanied them were the first to figure it out but promised not to tell anyone about it. His brothers and sisters, Thorn, Stone, Thire, Yves, and Lip knew about them as well but decided to not say a word, though they nudged him about it.

It was difficult to have a love affair in public since he was a clone trooper while Riyo was a senator, and kissing in front of everyone would not only ruin both their reputation but also their career as well. Riyo would have been fired and shamed in public while Fox, on the other hand, would either be decommissioned or euthanized or both.

He heard stories about how his brothers were caught fraternizing with their lovers and were never seen or heard again. His sisters, on the other hand, had it worse. There was one clone who ended up pregnant and as a result, both the mother and the baby were terminated by the Kaminoan government.

Disgusted and angry at them, Fox finds himself cursing the Republic for not only treating them like slaves but also restraining their rights to lead normal lives such as falling in love with someone. Since clone troopers were only manufactured to fight to their death, love isn’t in the manual, but that doesn’t stop soldiers like Fox to lead a private life with Riyo.

It was risky, but breathtaking at the same time for Riyo. The romance novel that she read when she was younger, titled ‘My Dirty Secrets,’ was about an office clerk who met a homeless man down the streets and found a spark between them. As time goes by, they both have a love affair and have to keep their relationship a secret from the clerk’s snobbish family. They both didn’t live happily ever after in the end, as the male lover was found dead in the streets, leaving behind his pregnant lover.

The novel made Riyo tear up and astounded at the same time, as she would read it again and again, just to feel poignant. She dreams about having a secret lover one day and wanting one desperately after finding out her parents were once secret lovers as well. 

Their relationship was scandalous at that time since her father was a rice farmer while her mother was the daughter of an aristocrat. Both sides of the family did not approve of the relationship and did everything they could to end their relationship but in the end, they relented and the rest was history.

Who would have thought that Riyo would repeat history by falling in love with someone that society would never approve of? It's almost as if her parents taught her that love knows no boundaries and accepting of each other's flaws. She wouldn't be dazed if the child that she's carrying in her womb would carry on with the tradition of loving someone that is contrasting from what others expect. Who knows?

“Beautiful day, isn't it?” she smiled, noticing her newly-wed husband gazing at the rice fields. 

“Yeah, it really is a beautiful day,” he smiled back, shifting his attention to Riyo, who was squeezing his hands. “Just like you and the baby.”

She chuckled, covering her thin lips. “The baby isn't born yet, dear.”

“Well, how long do I have to wait until our child is ready?”

“Around 27 weeks,” answered Riyo. “Are you this impatient to see the baby?”

He scratched the back of his black curly hair as if he was caught red-handed for stealing candy from a jar. “Yes, I am impatient to meet our child. It's just that, well, I have been preparing day and night on what to do when the baby comes out and what I say to her when I meet her and such. I-”

“Alright, I get it,” Riyo stopped him there. “You're just excited for the baby, I know. But you don't have to stress on every single detail about our child, you know. All you have to do is to go with the flow, that's all.”

He let out a sigh. “I know, I know, but I just can't help it, especially when it comes to something that is unfamiliar to the both of us, you know.”

“Fox, you took care of kids before,” she placed her hand on his shoulder. “I know that you will be a good father to our daughter. I have faith in you.”

Fox could only press his lips on her forehead as he gave a slight nod. “I'll try my best, Ri. I promise.”

“Glad to hear it,” she gleamed as they both continued walking on the road, rubbing her belly. 

For the past four months, she did everything she could to conceal her pregnancy from the public. Whenever she zipped to the bathroom due to morning sickness, she would claim that she was reapplying her makeup and adjusted her hair to avoid suspicion from her colleagues.

Fox was ecstatic to hear that he was going to be a father, but at the same time, he was nervous. With their relationship in secrecy, there is no way people can know that Riyo was carrying his baby. If they ever found out, their relationship would be doomed, just like the lovers in 'My Dirty Secret.' 

With Palpatine forcing him to work extra hours in his shift, he felt guilty for leaving Riyo all alone in her apartment, throwing up inside the toilet bowl. A normal husband would be ready to assist his pregnant wife whenever she needed his help, but not in his case. 

Riyo continued going up and down in the Senate, pushing herself to make sure Republic bills that would benefit the public would be passed while dealing with her dizziness that would creep from time-to-time.

Fox would check in every few hours and would massage her sore shoulders and back to soothe her dizziness. If he was lucky, he sneaked in a ration bar, which she craves a lot. 

She hated those rations for being too bland and chalky for her taste, but suddenly loved them when her favourite womp-rat stew was nauseating for her. Even those Pantoran milk cookies made her lose her appetite, but at least his brothers and sisters have an excuse to hoard for themselves, much to the Marshal Commander's annoyance.

Hyewon especially would stuff everything in one go while Yves just hides the extras in her secret pouch and eats them as a midnight snack. The worst culprit was Thorn, who had a sweet-tooth among the Coruscant Guards. Not only would he put a few teaspoons of sugar and cream, but he also poured a quarter of a jar of cookies inside the coffee, giving Fox a heart attack.

He loves his siblings very much, but at the same time, he has the urge to just smack them on the head for being dumb, which Riyo finds their bickering rather humorous. Though he doesn't admit it, he does miss them and would call each other every week just to check in with them.

Last he heard, Lip left a toxic relationship with her lover after a year, granting her full custody of her daughter. Thorn, like Fox, settled down with his lover on Coruscant. Thire, on the other hand, replaced him as Marshal Commander and served under the Republic military, this time, being paid for his duty, along with Commander Stone.

His batchmates, Wolffe, lived together with Cody, Tori, Mayyah, and Rex in one cabin, leading a life outside the military, though Tori supported her Jedi General whenever she could, since they're still young and coping with the aftermath of the war. He would like to have a reunion with his siblings one day, but for now, he'll have to catch up on some lost times with Riyo.

As they settled down underneath an enormous tree, with a tyre swing hung on the thick branches, Fox found himself surrounded by a field of pastel pink tulips, which were swaying back and forth with the cool wind. He could only gasp as he began to count every flower that he's gazing at right now. 

He was speechless. Likewise, he had seen pictures of tulips in the HoloNet, he had never looked at them, or even touched them in his life. “Ri,” Fox stuttered. “This is amazing. I've never seen anything like this before.”

She grinned, sitting on the swing like she did when she was a child. “I always come here to either play with the swing or climb all the way to the top.”

“You can climb?” Fox raised his eyebrows, his hands on his waist. 

“Yes, dear,” she chuckled. “I climbed this very tree all the way to the top and pretended that I was on top of the world. It was one of the best memories I had growing up.”

He smiled as he stood in front of her, rubbing his hands on her belly. “Sounds like fun, to be honest.”

“Oh, it was fun. I even sneaked out here in the middle of the night just to see those stars in the sky. You'll get the best view here.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes. One time, I ran out of the house late at night and climbed all the way to the top of the tree, and guess what? I witnessed not one, but two shooting stars passing by Pantora. Isn't that exciting?”

“What's a shooting star?” Fox asked, who had never done such a thing in his life before.

“Well, it's a star that glides in the sky that grants you a wish if you ever see one.”

“A star that grants your wish? Does it work?”

Riyo nodded. “In a way, it works, though it's rare to see a shooting star in the sky.”

“So, what did you wish for, dear?”

“Well, I wished that I lived happily ever after with a brave knight, and a bright future.”

He let out a snort. “Looks like you only got your second wish to come true, no offense though.”

“Actually, all my wishes came true,” Riyo held his hands, glancing at his deep, brown eyes. “You are the knight that I wished for when I was a child.”

His eyes widened at her words. Surely, she couldn't have wished to be together with him, since they have never even met yet. She was probably imagining a gallant knight that she read in fairy tales, who had shining armour and a handsome look, which admittedly, Fox has none of those. “And how am I the knight that you wished to live happily ever after?” 

“You perform your duty well as a soldier, you protect those who couldn’t protect themselves, and on top of that, you have honour and kindness, and I’m proud that you swooped into my life, commander.” 

He could only hold back his tears as he kneeled on the emerald grass, pressing his forehead against her forehead. His hands were gripped around his waist as Riyo clung her arms around his broad shoulders, feeling each other's hearts drumming in rhythm.

“I'm proud to have you too in my life, To, though I feel that I don't deserve you.”

She raised one of her eyebrows, wondering what he meant. “Fox, don't say that. You deserve good things in your life after what happened in the last four months.”

He could only frown as he recalled what happened on that very day in the Senate building. “Yeah, I remember like it was yesterday. I could never forget it, no matter how much I've tried to move on.”

“You can tell me anything, Fox,” Riyo assured him, even though she already knew what happened back then. “I won't judge you, I promise in the name of the goddess Loona.”

“It all started when I received an order from the Chancellor,” he began. “He informed us that there was a rogue clone who was on the run. According to him, he tried to kill the Chancellor, and we were ordered to hunt him down on Coruscant.”

“So we did. Yves, Duke, Hyewon, Chae, Eren, and Jay, we all had our blasters loaded. We set them to kill since the Chancellor ordered us to do so.”

“But when we confronted him in the warehouse, I just couldn't do it. I had my fingers on the trigger, but I couldn't bring myself to kill him, Riyo. Even though I barely know Fives, he was my vod'ika. I didn't want to take my younger brother's life. Instead, I just let my blaster drop from my arms and sobbed like a child.”

Fox paused for a moment, wiping the tears off his face. “General Skywalker and Rex were there, comforting me. Fives just watched as I told them what the Chancellor ordered, and the next thing I knew, I ended up pointing my blaster at the Chancellor, with General Skywalker and General Windu threatening to step down from duty.”

“And the rest was history,” Riyo concluded, brushing his cheeks with her gentle palms. “I'm glad that you did the right thing, my dear. I know that you wished that you could have acted sooner to eliminate the Chancellor, but your actions have saved the Republic and the galaxy, and for that, we thanked you for your bravery.”

He pulled her closer as he rested his head on her chest, letting his tears carry the rest of their conversation. “I hated him so much, Ri. All those years, he ignored my brother's and sister's pleas against the abuse inflicted upon them, he let them die as they begged for his help to send more troops, he even made us a property that is replaceable. He-”

“It's alright, Fox,” she whispered in his ears, rubbing his back. “He's already gone. The war is over and your brothers and sisters have the freedom to pursue their own life without restraints.”

Riyo took a deep breath as she faced him, never letting go of each other's grasps. “It's hard to live with the traumas after the war. It's hard to face your own personal demons that torment your head. I know it's hard to forgive yourself for not being able to save your siblings from death, but I know you can go through this.”

“You're the strongest man I have ever known, not because of your muscles or the ability to shoot with your weapons, it's because of the way you faced obstacles in your life, Fox. You've dealt with abuse, you've dealt with overworking, you've dealt with prejudices from senators and civilians, and yes, it is torturing. But you know what, you're not alone. You can bounce back from the pit, you can grow to be a better person, I know you can.”

“Thorn believed in you, Wolffe believed in you, Tori believed in you, your brothers and sisters believed in you, and I believed in you. I know you feel alone, but you're not. We'll always be there for you, no matter what.”

Fox could only smile as they let their foreheads touch. Riyo was right. He is not alone in this battle against himself. His friends and family are there to support him through the hard times. Recovering from pain is a difficult path, as there are no right or wrong answers to heal. 

But he can get through this. He will live long enough to witness his child having a family on their own, and he will live long enough to watch Riyo's hair turn grey. As long as Fox and Riyo heat the wind singing their love stories to their children and their children, everything is in safe hands.

[tragedy-for-sale]

Innocent Victim of Your Brother

I'm running out of good title juice

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Right now, Commander Cody was not the Marshal people looked to in a time of crisis, he was not the man who gave good advice and seemed as if he'd lived a thousand years in one. He was not a strong soldier now, no, he was a boy forced to be a man who tearfully took the words of his enraged, battered brother. He took every scream without screaming back, every punch without punching back, feeling his skin break and bleed and still refused to fight back.

Cody had been trying to comfort Rex over the horror he and his men endured. But Rex wasn't having it, "You weren't there!" He'd screamed with his entire heart behind it. Cody had to stay silent, for he wasn't there. He wasn't there to catch Rex as he took the helmet off a dead brother that they'd shot. They'd shot each other. Cody couldn't imagine that sinking feeling, and he certainly didn't want to. He knew Rex was mad at him for not being there, "For sending Waxer and everyone else to their deaths!" Cody was a Marshal after all and, "Should've done something."

So Cody left, giving Rex the space he thought he wanted, Cody walked to a briefing room, setting aside his helmet and sitting down, crossing his arms as he stroked his chin. He didn't know what to do, he tried not to think of Rex's words, Cody knew his brother didn't really mean anything he had said, Rex was mad and didn't know how to deal with the thought of taking the lives of their own brothers. And Cody, who was along side his general, who was far away from Krell's intentions, couldn't help Rex. For the first time in his life, Cody's intentions to help others around him only brought them pain.

So he sat alone, teary eyed in the briefing room as the memory of Rex screaming at him replayed over and over in his mind. He felt his hot, bruised face throb and hr realized he needed to come up with an excuse for it. As he thought, he started to drift to sleep, he did fall asleep for he jumped and came an inch from punching Obi-Wan's own bruised face. "G- general!" Cody exclaimed as his fist collapsed, caressing the man's face instead, "Sir, oh I'm sorry, you, heh, you scared me" Cody chuckled as he watched his General put his hand over Cody's, sitting next to him.

"It's quite alright Cody," Obi-Wan spoke as he pulled his robe off to cover Cody, "What's on your mind, Commander?" Obi-Wan asked Cody, he didn't look to the Commander, he kept his eyes staring hazily at the empty room. Cody pulled the robe over him, smiling softly due to the robe smelling like the General and the warmth that was lingering on it. Cody let out a soft sigh, he knew Obi-Wan came in here because he could sense Cody's dismay.

He looked over to the Jedi, who was staring off. Cody's throat went dry as he tried to come up with a way to explain all he was feeling along with his face, "I can't explain why, but Rex is mad at me for what happened." He told Obi-Wan and watched as the Jedi turned to face him in curiosity. Both knew what happened wasn't Cody's fault, but only one of them knew why Rex was blaming Cody. Now they both had made a conclusion as to why Rex would blame Cody for something that was not in his control. Perhaps because that's how it always was, blame it on a clone, it's a reason not to give them actual rights, to keep them in chains as broken slaves of the Republic. Or because Rex felt guilty, that he should've trusted his gut from the start, he shouldn't have been so damn careless, he should've done something. But because he didn't, men died, and it was his fault.

So maybe he blamed Cody, because Cody would let him, Cody would take the hit and shatter like glass. As the shards of Cody's broken self fell to the ground, he'd let Rex stomp and kick at the pieces as Cody would pick up those pieces of himself time and time again, everytime Rex knocked him down and hurt him, Cody would let him. "Cody, what happened wasn't anyone's fault but Krell, we all know this, Rex knows this," Obi-Wan spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. He knew Cody already knew this, so he didn't know why he was so distraught.

"I know, sir," Cody mumbled as he fiddled with his hands, his stomach twisting and turning as he tried to sort his thoughts, but Rex's state had thrown the Commander so much. "I know Rex knows that too, but part of him blames himself," Cody begun to explain, he looked to Obi-Wan and found himself reaching out and pulling Obi-Wan closer to him in a hug, burying himself in his shoulder, "And that part blames me because I always let him," Cody gripped Obi-Wan as if he'd disappear if he didn't, the Jedi only held his Commander in the same manner, it seemed to calm the poor man.

"Why do you let him blame you, Cody?" The Jedi asked as he stroked Cody's hair. Obi-Wan could sense Cody's emotions bobbing up and down like a buoy during a storm. "Rex is grown, I'm sure you could tell him the truth in which he knows deep down" The Commander already knew all his General was saying, but he let him speak because it felt nice to have someone explain his thoughts aloud, because it made it seem more official to the clone.

"It doesn't matter that he's grown, Obi-Wan," Cody pulled out of the hug and looked into his General's tired, gentle eyes, "He's my little brother, and I've always picked him up, he's so emotional and I know that if I forced him to carry all his feelings by himself, he'd drown, I have to help my brother, even if I break in the process, for his sake." Cody's behavior made immediate sense to Obi-Wan after his explanation. He himself had never related to anything more in terms of caring for a brother. Anakin and Rex both had become so entwined in their emotions and felt everything so deeply. The poor men couldn't handle their emotions without their older brothers.

Obi-Wan had often found himself letting Anakin scream and cry as Cody must've for Rex. Everything fell into place and though neither of the two spoke, their expressions clearly said what they didn't. But Obi-Wan could sense Cody's unstableness grow, so he pulled the hood on over Cody's head then pulled Cody to him in another hug, "Cry, Cody, it's alright," Obi-Wan hushed as he rubbed Cody's back. He felt the man collapse in his arm, turning his face so it was hidden in Obi-Wan's neck and let out a small whimper, "Don't hold it in, Cody" Obi-Wan didn't want Cody to feel like he had to catch himself, so Obi-Wan held Cody and spoke,

"I'll catch you"

[starwarsfic]

Odious.11

Originally posted September 8, 2020

Summary: Obi-Wan's first audience with the Emperor after the day the world fell apart.

Details: Sidious/Obi-Wan. Imperial Consort Verse.

CW: Lots of consent issues.

xxxxxx

Obi-Wan had spent three months on "Imperial Center" before finally seeing Sidious. He'd prepared dozens of speeches, came up with countless bargains in his head, but when he finally was marched through the residential wing of the palace, to Sidious' rooms, his thoughts faltered.

It was one thing to face him when he was running off of adrenaline and outrage, it was another to do it now. Dressed in the black outfit that had been laid out for him, the heavy cloak not even a comfort for how close fitting and stylish it was.

When he'd seen his own reflection, he'd looked more like a Sith himself than a Jedi. He'd almost thrown off the clothing, dug into the closest for something lighter, but then his guards had been knocking and it had been time to go.

His steps faltered as they neared the door to Sidious' rooms, not enough for most to notice. Cody, no matter how twisted his mind, was not most.

"Your Grace?" Obi-Wan tried not to flinch from the title.

"It's fine, Commander," he murmured, giving a tight smile, then pausing. "You're Commander of my Guard now, Cody, it's quite the demotion from Marshall Commander. I'm sorry."

He watched Cody's face, it was not the emotionless mask he'd seen on some of the troopers during that day, but without the Force he had no way of telling how sincere anything he saw was.

"Protecting you has always been important to me. To us," around them others nodded, "and the war is over. This way all of us get to stay together."

Obi-Wan could tell he was included in the "us" and his heart ached. "But surely you want to do something more with your lives. I remember how, hmm, unsatisfied many were at assignments to the Coruscant Guard."

Cody gave a half shrug, the movement so familiar. "Some of it is boring, but it's better than losing people. We're being treated better now than the Senate ever let us be."

His surprise was probably palpable and Boil, on Obi-Wan's other side, took pity on him. "Food's better, the barracks here at the palace has more room, we get a stipend, which isn't much but way more than getting no pay at all in the GAR."

That wasn't what he'd expected for them. He'd thought they'd continue being slaves, the Sith had already taken advantage of slavery whenever they could.

"Your Grace?" Cody pulled him back from his thoughts with a questioning motion towards the door.

Nodding, Obi-Wan braced himself and continued forward, the elite guard that Sidious had opening the doors.

"We'll be out here waiting to escort you back."

"Thank you, Commander."

Obi-Wan fought back a shudder when some of the nameless red garbed guards fell in behind him, taking over for his own guards now that he was inside Sidious' territory. They carried Force pikes and Obi-Wan had no doubt they knew how to use them. He might be able to still take them out, his training surely more diverse, but to what end? He had no idea what the streets of Coruscant were like now.

They let him go through the next doorway alone, into an ornate (and very black and red) sitting room. At least, he supposed, Sidious wasn't starting this in the bedroom.

"Obi-Wan," the voice was recognizable, but somehow different, and when he turned to face Sidious he couldn't hold back the gasp that made him chuckle. "Yes, I thought I might surprise you."

He'd expected the black clothing (though Sidious had certainly worn a great deal of that before) and the yellow eyes (Obi-Wan didn't know if he'd been hiding them behind an illusion or truly drawing so little on the Force before), but the rest....

"How?" he managed.

Sidious, and even though Obi-Wan had been cut off from the Force by the cuffs on his wrists he could sense him and knew it was truly Sidious, took his arm and led him to the couch, where a tray of tea and sandwiches waited.

"Essence transfer is an ancient Sith technique studied by many of us. I had meant to wait longer before focusing on such things, but, well, I must consider you." The long fingers of one of his hands played through Obi-Wan's hair.

"But, that just puts you into another body...?"

Sidious chuckled. "I did have access to what were perhaps the foremost cloners in the galaxy."

That made sense, everything falling into place. Sidious could have been cloned at any point, really, with as secretive as Kamino had been, perhaps even on another part of the planet. Fast aging could have gotten him to this point--older than Obi-Wan's body, but younger than he had been. The clones might not even need any training, could, for all Obi-Wan knew, be kept unconscious the entire time.

Sidious was virtually immortal, as long as he could get his spirit to one of these clones in time (because Obi-Wan had no doubt there were more of them, perhaps a few stored around the Empire, even, just in case he traveled).

"Yes, I can see you understand," Sidious laughed, the sound setting Obi-Wan on edge. "I've always loved your mind."

Obi-Wan took the time to gather his thoughts, sipping his tea and wishing desperately for full access to the Force.

"I can feel you. In the Force. Despite," he held up a wrist, showing off the black bracelet inscribed with Sith runes, the inside lined with bleeding kyber crystals that screamed in the back of his mind.

Taking the hand as though it had been offered, Sidious turned it, seemingly basking in the sight of the cuff on Obi-Wan. "It's an ingenous device, I found the plans in an old scroll--cut off from the Force entirely for too long and there is the risk your sensitivity might fade. But these allow you to feel their creator, myself of course. They...simulate a bond, of sorts."

He smirked and the something shifted in Obi-Wan's mind--Sidious had been shielding well before, now he opened himself out to the false bond and all-but flooded Obi-Wan's mind with his Darkness. The worst part was, alone as he had been in his head, he almost welcomed it.

Just as quickly as it had started, Sidious shielded himself again and Obi-Wan could think. He was breathing hard, eyes wide, hands shaking.

"You...does this...will I never get the Force back?"

"Oh, my love, don't fret. I have complete control over just how strong these are. I'm sure you'll prove yourself worthy enough to have a controllable level of the Force soon enough." Sidious' smirk made it clear that Obi-Wan would have to work for that.

Taking a breath, reminding himself over and over again that he was more than the crude matter he inhabited, Obi-Wan gave a practiced smile. "I'm sure I will, my dear."

[junker-town]

Fantasy football 2017: 2nd-year breakout candidates

We sifted through all of the 2016 rookies and made a list of 12 players who could break out in their second fantasy football campaign.

Fantasy Football is back everyone! Championship-level team owners are looking for that extra edge every season, and that means finding players in later rounds with high value. Rookies are covered at large, but sometimes players in their second season make enormous jumps in play after a year of experience. Some start on the bench while others are thrown in the fire their first year. We sifted through all of the 2016 rookies and made a list of 12 players who could break out in their second fantasy football campaign.

Quarterbacks

Carson Wentz - Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles look like they have struck gold with Carson Wentz after a promising 2016 campaign. The second-year quarterback showed flashes of brilliance last year, particularly during the first half of the season. Wentz failed to reach 20 fantasy points in 10 of his final 12 outings, but that could be attributed to not having Pro-Bowl tackle Lane Johnson due to suspension and a lack of receivers who can create consistent separation. According to Pro Football Focus, Eagles receivers dropped a total of 36 passes in 2016, only to be surpassed by the Raiders’ receivers with 37 drops.

The front office recognized this problem and addressed the wide receiver position the first few days of free agency with signings of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. According to PFF, for comparison purposes, Jeffery has had 19 drops in 323 catchable targets in his career. Dorial Green-Beckham, Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor had 20 drops on 165 targets in 2016 alone. If Jeffery returns to 80 percent of his full potential and can beat some 1-on-1 coverage, I look for Wentz to break out this season by finishing as a mid-tier starting quarterback option in later rounds.

Jared Goff - Los Angeles Rams

When you are as terrible as Jared Goff was last year, the only direction you can go is up. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft struggled, to say the least, in his rookie campaign but I expect him to turn it around this season to make him a plug n’ play/injury insurance quarterback in deeper leagues. I believe general rookie mistakes, horrendous coaching on the part of Jeff Fisher and the rest of the staff, and the lack of overall offensive line talent did not set Goff up for success and caused his poor play.

This is a new season, and the Rams have a brand new coaching staff that will surely take them in a more positive direction. Sean McVay brings in a new style of play calling that will open up some easier throws for Goff. With an upgraded offensive line and multiple additions in the receiving core, I look for McVay to unlock Todd Gurley’s potential that was hindered by Fisher running him up the middle every play last season. If the Rams can generate a consistent running game, they have the defense to keep them in most of their games, which will give Goff ample opportunities to prove he can be a fantasy asset dependent upon the matchup.

Cody Kessler - Cleveland Browns

Cody Kessler will make the list as my long-shot breakout candidate at quarterback this season. Last year when healthy, the USC product held his own with 2,720 passing yards, 17 TDs and 13 interceptions behind a below-average offensive line. That changes in 2017 because the Browns will boast one of the best offensive lines in the league after making some big additions this offseason.

Three new offensive line additions combined with the return of 2016 first-round pick Corey Coleman, Kenny Britt from the Rams, and rookie tight end David Njoku (who was a NCAA high jump champion in college) will give Kessler multiple weapons he did not have last year. The Browns will be much more competitive in 2017, and I have a feeling Kessler is going to be one of the reasons why. Like I said, this "breakout" season is a long shot, but I do not think it is inconceivable for Kessler to be a spot filler on bye weeks or be picked up as a "play-the-matchup" type player if catastrophic circumstances hit your team.

Running backs

Paul Perkins - New York Giants

The Giants backfield is a bit of a mystery going into 2017, and that is why Paul Perkins is a breakout candidate on my list. The UCLA product began getting touches midway through 2016 and he started the final two games of the season, including the Giants Wild Card Game. In an interview with WFAN, head coach Ben McAdoo said that Perkins will be the starting running back on first and second downs. It looks like they have Shane Vereen, who missed most of last season due to injury, penciled in as the third-down back.

I love Perkins’ upside this season because Vareen is a question mark with his injury history and there is not a veteran like Rashad Jennings to lean on. According to NumberFire.com, after the team’s bye week in 2016, Perkins saw his offensive snaps per game increase from 12.5 per game to 27.5 as the season progressed. The only question mark on his value comes from the team’s lackluster offensive line. The unit was not very good in 2016, and I don’t expect it to be much better in 2017. They did add Brandon Marshall opposite Odell Beckham Jr., so that should bring some defenders out of the box and possibly create some favorable run match-ups for the O-line. Perkins has a lot of value as a RB2/Flex player that you look for in the mid to later rounds.

C.J. Prosise - Seattle Seahawks

C.J. Prosise was an ninteresting player last season in the limited action he played for the Seahawks. The RB/WR tweener is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. He gashed opponents for big plays on his way to 172 yards on 30 carries (5.7 YPC) while also racking up 17 receptions for 208 yards (12.2 YPC, 11.5 per target) over limited touches in six games.

The concern for Prosise remains his health. He missed 12 games for the Seahawks his rookie season and missed multiple games for Notre Dame is his senior year with the Irish. Seattle should be able to ease him back into the fold with a healthy Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls heading into the season. I do not see Prosise as the bell cow back in this offense, but Seattle will certainly put together a package around Prosise’s versatility. He is a bigger, stronger, and faster version than Darren Sproles or Danny Woodhead and I expect him to be used similar to the way those two players are utilized.

Wide receivers

Josh Doctson - Washington

Another potential receiver breakout candidate is former TCU Horned Frog Josh Doctson. The 2016 first-round pick struggled to find his role in a very crowded and talented receiving core. He will surely get more opportunities in 2017 following the departures of DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. That pair combined for 135 catches, 2,046 yards, and seven touchdowns on 216 targets in 2016, which will need to be made up by Doctson and free agent signing Terrelle Pryor.

Doctson should have a leg up on Pryor having already been in the system for a season. The Redskins offense is loaded with weapons that should create favorable matchups across the board. With Jordan Reed demanding double teams and Pryor’s size creating mismatch problems for defenses, I think Doctson will feast on favorable 1-on-1 matchups in a breakout sophomore season.

Corey Coleman - Cleveland Browns

Coleman has a chance to really break out in year two after showing flashes of success on a horrendous 2016 Browns team. He had seven catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns in his first two games before suffering a broken hand prior to Week 3. The Browns improved their offensive line this offseason and will have a top-10 unit if they stay healthy. Any sort of consistent running game should open up the middle for Coleman to work.

If you haven’t caught on to the theme of most of my breakout candidates, most have a significant receiver in their offense from 2016 moving to another team. For the Browns, it was Pryor who signed as a free agent in Washington. Coleman will have ample opportunities and targets opposite Kenny Britt. The Browns will be a much-improved team in 2017, and I think Coleman will be one of the bright spots the team will be building around in the future.

Michael Thomas - New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints may have had a bad record the last few years, but that is not because of their offense. The Saints led the league in total yards and passing yards in 2016. Second-round pick Michael Thomas was a large reason why. Thomas racked up 78 catches for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns in just 15 games. His impressive rookie campaign was the second-most catches by a rookie receiver in NFL history, behind only Anquan Boldin’s 101 in 2003.

The reason I think Thomas can take his game to the next level and break out this season hinges on the departure of Cooks, who was traded to the New England Patriots this offseason. Cooks was a large part of the offense (1,173 yards, 8 TDs) and the Saints will need to make up his production, which will lead to an increase in targets for Thomas. Look for Thomas to be featured even more in New Orleans’ high-flying offense as it tries to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Malcolm Mitchell - New England Patriots

Mitchell should be looked at in very late rounds and deeper leagues. The Super Bowl champs will be defending their title with even more weapons than last year. All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski will be returning from a back injury in addition to the acquisitions of Dwayne Allen and Brandin Cooks. Combine that with Julian Edleman, Danny Amendola, and the running backs the Patriots utilize and you see how many weapons Tom Brady has at his disposal.

The reasons I like Mitchell as a breakout candidate revolve around the fact that most of the Patriots’ elite weapons play on the inside of formations and will command most of the double teams. Mitchell, who is an outside receiver, should always be in 1-on-1 coverage. Brady knows this and will get him the ball when the time is right. Mitchell gained Brady’s trust toward the end of the season and finished with 32 catches for 401 yards and four touchdowns, including six catches for 70 yards in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win. I think he will build on his impressive rookie campaign during 2017.

Tight ends

Austin Hooper - Atlanta Falcons

Austin Hooper will round out my list by stepping in as the starting tight end for new Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. His rookie campaign ended with 19 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns for the NFC champs. He also chipped in three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl 51. Atlanta’s offense is a well-oiled machine that will not be slowing down no matter who is calling the plays. Hooper should be the beneficiary of favorable coverage with defenses having to key on the Falcons running game and All-Pro receiver Julio Jones. Dependent upon your draft style, if you are in need of a tight end in later rounds Hooper could be a streaming option.

Hunter Henry - Los Angeles Chargers

Henry appears on our potential bust list, but he could very well be a significant boom or bust player in 2017. He had a strong showing last season for the San Diego Chargers, finishing the year with 36 catches for 478 yards and eight touchdowns on 54 targets while splitting time with Antonio Gates. Gates is also returning this season, but at age 37 the likelihood he can match his earlier production is low. The now Los Angeles Chargers will have Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen returning from his ACL injury and they drafted All-American receiver Mike Williams with the No. 7 overall pick. That added firepower will open up coverage over the middle for Henry to take advantage of during his sophomore season. If he can shake Gates in the battle for targets, his upside is tremendous.

[morganas-pendragons]

take my hand, i’ll keep you close | obi-wan

in which i cannot do short titles anymore, sorry 

requested by @karasong​: may i please request an obi-wan/reader where they get stuck in the rain and he’s upset about it but the reader takes the opportunity to dance in it and he can’t help but smile, and then they dance together? 

made this a female reader, i hope it’s okay!!!

this is 100% a steal of can i have this dance from high school musical and no, i’m not sorry - and yes, it’s the planet from the scene where anakin eats bugs in the cartoon nope i’m also not sorry for that either 

tagging: @obiorbenkenobi​ // @dressed-up-heartbreak​ 

This was so not the way he wanted to spend his day. It was supposed to be a relatively easy mission to Nelvaan. A relatively easy mission in which the two of you were scoping out the area for General Grievous, who had supposedly been spotted in this sector and had been.. well.. evasive for the most part. 

Now here you both sat tucked away in a hidden area waiting for Anakin who had gone maker knew where. Obi-Wan was asleep to your left, head resting in your lap as you both tried and failed to sleep in one of the most beautiful storms you’d ever seen. 

Fortunately for you, you loved storms. How can you not love that in which you are the living embodiment of? 

  “You’re staring again.” 

Water dropped from a nearby overhang and dampened the hood of his cloak as he nestled deeper into it. “How can I not?” You marveled. “We’ve been here for a kriffing month. I’m tired of sitting around and doing nothing while Anakin traipses around out there.” 

  “We’re not doing nothing. We’re waiting for... ah.. relief.” Which basically meant i’m gonna whine here like a child in the créche because i’m not getting my way until the actual relief did come. 

You gently laid his head back on the wooden bench the two of you had been sitting on and shed your robes and saber beside him before taking one last look at the brewing storm just outside your refuge. “Yeah, well.” You replied swiftly. “I’m looking for relief. I’d like to not be a Jedi for five minutes. You wanna join me?” 

He sunk deeper into his robe and harrumphed in reply, crossing his arms over his chest before turning his head away from you. Obi-Wan had grown up on Coruscant which had a mildly temperate climate anyways, which means he wasn’t nearly as accustomed to weather like this as you were. It made him, well.. grumpy. 

It was kind of cute. 

“No. You enjoy yourself.” His expression softened briefly for a moment as Obi-Wan looked you up and down before curling back against the wall. “You deserve a relief.” 

Your heart sank. This war had barely started and yet you knew it would have a long-lasting effect on his heart. Maybe even his soul. It wasn’t like he wasn’t a walking tragedy already with how much suffering he’d endured since Naboo and before. 

  “So do you.” 

With that, you ventured out into the dark. Obi-Wan watched as a brilliant crack of lightning consumed the darkness of the sky that spread out before him - illuminating your figure in an aura of white light - before he allowed his eyes to shift away from the growing storm and back to you. 

You. In all your silver tongued, quick witted, sharp skills with your mouth and saber and a knack for absolutely demolishing the enemy before he could fully conclude his terms of surrender negotiations with the opposing General. You’d lost your clone squad months ago - the reason why, you’d never said and he absolutely understood why once he saw your nightmares firsthand - but after that, you were a force to be reckoned with. Fighting alongside you put him at ease. 

However, this was a different type of ease. This was peace. Seeing you out there in that storm and spinning without a care in the world made his heart clench as he suddenly realized why he was so drawn to you. You were what he wanted when the war was over. You were safety, security, assurance, goodness... 

You were what The Jedi should’ve been. Would never be. Maybe he should’ve aspired to be more like you. 

  “C’mon, Obi-Wan!” You yelled across the clearing. It was relatively clear of any droids and there was no one in sight outside of the clone scouts on the perimeter on the outskirts of the siege, which meant that the two of you were alone. “Stop being a kriffing buzzkill! Come dance with me!” 

Ah. One problem. He didn’t know how to dance. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi wanted to be at home in The Temple in his bed. He wanted a warm meal and companionship and lightsaber training with Anakin, he wanted to not be in a war because this wasn’t the purpose of Jedi. They were peacekeepers. Not soldiers. 

Maybe for a moment. Maybe he’ll drop The Negotiator and The General for just a moment to allow himself the ability to be just.. Obi-Wan. A man. A human man who, no matter how much he denied it, had desires. A heart. 

They seemed to all revolve around you. 

You looked like a girl. A woman who had never had the opportunity to do things normal girls did. A girl soaked to the bone by the chilling rain that poured down from the skies as they broke open and cast the world in darkness. Despite that, there you were, your Force Signature the brightest light in an otherwise bleak world. 

So he followed you - followed your light - into the dark. 

Boots caked with mud and robes dripping wet with the chill of the rain, Obi-Wan ventured into the open and for a split second allowed himself to forget about the war. He forgot about the clones who had died and the Jedi who had followed them, he’d forgotten about the threat of the Sith and The Chosen One and just allowed himself to exist. Just for a moment. 

The real part - the part where he lived - was birthed whenever he met you across the gap. 

  “C’mon, Obi-Wan.” You mused. Your voice was just barely audible enough to be heard over the rumble of thunder that resounded ahead. “Take my hand. What are you afraid of? A girl?” 

It’s not the girl. It’s falling in love with the girl he was afraid of. 

  “I must confess, my dear-” Obi-Wan went scarlet as your brow rose and you again motioned with a flick of your gaze to your waving fingers that were gestured out towards him. He rubbed the nape of his neck awkwardly as you waited for him to continue. “I am unsure of how to dance.” 

  “Well, lucky for you..” You took his left hand in your own and laid the other one against the swell of your hip, nearly visible through the sheer fabric of your tunic. It took every ounce of his self control to not allow his eyes to travel below your shoulders. “Well, fortunately for you, I grew up amongst the wealthiest people on Alderaan. I spent much of my adolescence learning the art of dancing. You just happen to have the perfect partner.” 

Ah. That he did.

  “We have no music.” He argued. 

You tilted your chin up to look at the blues of his eyes. “You don’t need it,” You said. “Follow my lead. I’ll keep you close.” 

Take my hand, take a breath, pull me close and take one step 

Obi-Wan was nothing if not a quick learner. He listened to the words of your songs as if they were the same words spoken by Master Jinn, by Master Yoda, by his crèche teacher all those years ago. He wanted to learn what you were trying to teach him. 

Keep your eyes locked with mine 

And let the music be your guide 

The mud beneath your feet became forgotten and the rain nothing but a numbing chill as you allowed yourself to sink into the familiarity of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the warmth that was his Force Signature. His hand at your hip, the piercing blue of his eyes that never left yours, the way he moved in perfect sync with your movements. 

He fought and danced the same way he moved. Gracefully, beautifully, and with the perfect poise. Little did Obi-Wan know that this specific song - a confession of hidden feelings - was meant to be a way for the possibility of more to bloom. He had to be willing to take it. He had to want it as badly as you did. 

Now would you promise me, that you’ll never forget

To keep dancing wherever we go next? 

On a ridge overlooking the clearing the two of you occupied, Marshall Commander Cody smiled to himself as he peered through the haze of rain that fogged his scope. There was nothing he’d wanted more then his General to be happy for the moment they’d met. Even through the scopes, Cody could see that happiness he so often denied himself very much came from you. 

it’s my catch of lightning, the chances of finding someone like you 

The longer you danced, the more vulnerable the gaps in your shielding were. Being around Obi-Wan and repressing your feelings for so long even after knowing each other for a short amount of time had been difficult, to say the least, but now that you were in the middle of either the best or worst choice you’d ever made, you wanted him to see it. You wanted him to see you and how you’d dreamt for the future. 

A future that always, no matter how hard you tried to ignore it, somehow included him. 

It’s one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do

And with every step together

We just keep on getting better 

The galaxy talks about Kenobi and Skywalker. But will they talk about you two? The perfect partners? The calm to his chaos? The warmth to your chill? How you were always at his back on the battlefield, and how he carried you across a war zone - bloody and bruised and dying - to get you to the Cruiser because he’d rather risk his own life then lose yours? 

Can I have this dance... Can I have this dance? 

  “Do you feel it?!” You yelled over the pouring rain, arms outstretched as he’d grown so much more confident in his abilities that Obi-Wan was spinning you around the same way you’d spun yourself before you started. You didn’t see the way he grinned. The way his Force shined because of your joy. 

  “Feel what?” 

  “Free!” 

Oh, no mountain's too high and no ocean's too wide 'Cause together or not, our dance won't stop

Neither of you had realized how much time had passed as the rain slowed to a drizzle and the sun began to peer over the forest around you. You were too enraptured with each other. 

Let it rain, let it pour, what we have is worth fighting for You know I believe that we were meant to be, yeah

  “Your thoughts of the future are beautiful.” 

You steadied your hands against his shoulders as he nudged your cheek with his nose while you continued to hum as daylight shone over you both. “They’re only beautiful because you’re in it.” You murmured. “If you want it - want that future - come take it.” 

  “We have a war to fight.” A brutally true reality. “Are you sure there will be an after?” 

It's like catching lightning The chances of finding someone like you

You pushed wet robes off his shoulders and ruffled his hair to where it hung just over his brow bone. Disregarding the precise calculation of each movement of his feet, Obi-Wan tossed all care into the wind and took both of your hands to rest against his face.

It's one in a million, the chances to feeling

The way we do

  “As long as we stay together, there’ll always be an after.” 

And with every step together

We just keep on getting better 

  “Be with me. Not just now, but when we’re on the battlefield and when we win the war and when we leave The Order to find our after.” The two of you slow to a stop, and he nodded and nodded and nodded again to show you that he meant it, and before you could help yourself - you were kissing the living daylights out of Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

So can I have this dance?