Senator and Soldier

Devotion

Coruscant: 18 BBY
79's
Riyo Chuchi

    She arrived at 79's just as Clay did. Clay removed his helmet and approached her. He looked the same, but his armor had changed. It didn't look much like the clone armor he used to wear.

    "I'm glad you're back," Clay said.

    "It's surprisingly good to be back. There's something I need to tell you, though." Riyo quickly recounted the events of her dream...or vision.

    Clay drew in a deep breath. "That's amazing. I don't understand how that's even possible."

    "I don't either, but I haven't tried to question it." She thought for a moment. "Oh, in addition to saying that he missed you, Fox asked you to take good care of me."

    Clay chuckled a bit. "He made me promise that before. I don't break my promises."

    "Don't think of it as a burden. I'm just telling you what he said."

    Clay raised his eyebrows. "I've never thought of it as a burden. I..." he paused.

    "Yes?" Riyo prompted.

    Clay sighed. "Now probably isn't the time." He turned away.

    Riyo gripped his arm and pulled him back around. "If you're anything like Fox, when you say that, it means you intend to never tell me."

    Clay rubbed the back of his neck, then relented. "When I made that promise to Fox, it wasn't simply because he asked me to. It was because I wanted to. You, I," Clay bit his lip, then shook his head. "I could tell you two had feelings for each other before you yourselves did, I think. That's why I chose to keep my own a secret."

    "You remember that time when Fox chose to stop seeing you? I almost decided to tell you how I felt then, but after seeing how distraught you were, I knew I couldn't. I tried everything to get Fox to fix things with you until he did. I resigned myself to knowing that I would never tell you, either of you, how I felt. That resolve only doubled when Fox died." Clay smoothed some hair out of his face. "I was his best friend, and I like to think that I'm your friend. I don't want you to ever think that I want to replace Fox in your life. I would never do that. I just want to help you where I can. I can't promise that my feelings will ever change, though. They haven't during this amount of time, even when I knew and told myself it was never going to happen."

    Riyo remained silent after he finished speaking, simply trying to process it all. She met Clay's gaze after a moment. "Thank you for telling me and for respecting us like that. You didn't have to keep it a secret though. Fox wouldn't have been mad at you or anything."

    "Would you have been?"

    "No. It wouldn't have changed how we felt about each other, but it wouldn't have changed what we thought about you either."

    "I see." Clay turned to leave once more. "Well, I'm glad we got that sorted out."

    "Hang on." He paused and gave her a curious look. "I'm never going to stop loving Fox."

    "I know. I..." she raised a hand, cutting him off.

    "Right now, I don't know how I feel about future relationships," Riyo continued. "Maybe someday, when Corran is old enough to understand everything. I don't want to lead you on or give you false hope either, though."

    Clay offered her a small smirk. "I know and I expect nothing." He thought for a moment. "Well, actually, if you ever do decide to pursue a relationship again, will you keep my name on the Maybe But Probably Not List?"