((DISCLAIMER: THIS IS THE RAW BOOKS, MOSTLY UNEDITED. THE CUYANIVERSE COLLECTION HAS THE BOOKS IN ORDER AND BETAREAD. I SUGGEST YOU START THERE))
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"Rex, that's a kyber crystal."
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Ahsoka loved Rex. Forget the jedi code, she loved him more than...
The funeral pyre for the former master Obi-Wan Kenobi burned bright in the darkened rooms above the catacombs. Rex stood next to Ahsoka as Yoda spoke the last of his remembrance speech. Anakin stood at the head of his former master, a dark look in his eyes. Ahsoka slipped her hand into Rex's and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"I'm worried about Anakin." She murmured. Rex looked down at her. "He hasn't said a word more than he has to since it happened." Her lower lip trembled slightly. Rex couldn't hug her here, no matter how bad he wanted to. He settled for resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself, Ahsoka." She ducked her head, fighting the tear back once more. They were silent for the rest of the ceremony after that. Cody stood across the pyre, his owned pained eyes meeting his brother's. He watched Cody take a shaking breath and ket it out slowly. He nodded at Rex.
When the stone lid was placed on the ash-filled coffin and lowered into the catacombs beneath them, the gathered jedi and clones, and even a few civilians, pulled off the hoods that covered their heads. Ahsoka tugged her own hood off, and reached up to yank off Rex's. Jedi and their strange traditions.
"Excuse me, captain. May I steal your Commander for a few seconds?" Rex turned to see Commander Offee looking at him expectantly. Rex nodded and stepped back.The commander put a hand on Ahsoka's arm and lead her off to a corner of the room.
Rex surveyed the room again and noticed Cody was missing. He headed off to the clone barracks and found Cody in his rooms. He had one of Jesse's signature silver flasks in his hand. Rex sighed and sat next to his big brother. Cody offered him the flask and Rex shook his head.
"I'm good." Cody shrugged and took a swallow, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand roughly. Rex put a hand on his shoulder. "You know that's not going to help anything." He nodded at the flask. Cody grunted.
"Maybe not, but it makes me feel better." Rex raised an eyebrow at that. Cody noticed and looked almost affronted. "Hey, according to chemistry, alcohol is a solution. Science doesn't lie." He took another drink. "Also, it's just one bottle, and a small one at that. What harm can it do?"
Rex laughed bitterly. "A lot, since it's one of Jesse's. I know from experience. I think he likes to spike it with rubbing alcohol." Cody choked and coughed.
"Wait, mister uptight here has hit the drink before?" Cody laughed. Rex made a face.
"That's the only part you're concerned about?"
Cody shrugged again. "Gives you a buzz fast and I'm not blind yet. You didn't answer my question."
Rex sighed and hid his face in his hand. "Yes, once, after Umbara. I don't even care how hungover I was afterwards, Ahsoka took care of me. The worst part was when I lost a drinking contest to a little girl."
Cody began laughing even harder this time, and took another drink before he continued. "Cav beat you?" He giggled. Rex took the bottle from him and set it on the desk.
"Yeah. It could've been water for the effect it had on her. Actually, because Fives was reffing, it probably was. Or very watered down at least. I don't think he would let her drink the real stuff. He kinda adopted her after prank night." Rex smacked Cody's hand away as he tried to reach for the bottle. Cody harrumphed and glares at him.
"C'mon, Rex, let a vod drink." He reached for it again, and again Rex slapped his hand away. He picked up the bottle and held it out of his ori'vod's reach.
"You'll thank me later Codes." Rex taunted, going into the refresher and dumping it down the drain. Cody grumbled.
"I traded good contraband for that." He slugged Rex in the shoulder a little too hard. Rex winced and rubbed the spot. "Sorry, vod." Cody apologized.
"It's alright. Ahsoka decided to teach me to use a jetii'kad in case of emergencies. Apparently that means beating me up with a stick while I try to score a single hit on her." Rex took off his funeral cloak to reveal fading bruises on his arms and shoulders.
Cody laughed. "Wow. That's gotta be the strangest date I heard of. But... just remember what I taught you about your 17's. Don't point it at your self, don't point it at your brothers, and don't try to catch the shiny lights that fly through the air." Rex rolled his eyes.
"I think it might be the glowy end in this case." He smirked. Cody shrugged and opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked at the floor, suddenly remembering why Rex was here in the first place.
"Ori'vod?" Cody didn't respond. Rex put a hand on his shoulder and he flinched, looking up at him.
"Hmm? Oh. Sorry." He blew out a long breath. "Just thinking." Rex nodded.
"Ok." He stood to leave. "Well, don't think yourself into a bottomless pit. We don't need to know the meaning of life just yet." He turned to go, but Cody caught his arm.
"Thank you."
Rex smiled. "Always, ori'vod."
He left Cody's room and headed back to his own to change. The robes were much easier to get out of than to get in. He wasn't sure what to do with them afterwards, so he just folded them up and left them in a pile on his desk.
He sat on his bed and let out a long sigh. Oh a whim, he opened up his locker and pulled out his kyber crystal. Why him? Why had it chosen him? He was a soldier, and a clone at that. Did he even count as human? The door slid open.
"Rex?" Ahsoka came and sat next to him. She pulled her knees to her chest and leaned against him, closing her eyes. Rex wrapped an arm around her.
"Yes Cyare?"
"I... Anakin is pulling me away for a few days." She said softly, curling up into an even tighter ball. Rex blinked.
"What do you mean?" He asked carefully. Ahsoka made a strange trilling sound in the back of her throat that would be almost impossible for a human to replicate.
"He's taking me to go with him to track down master Kenobi's killer." She said eventually after she finished... chirping? Trilling? Rex assumed that that was her native language.
"He can't do that! You're still on medical leave from Kavado, let alone your adventure with death watch." Rex glared at the floor. Ahsoka put a placating hand on his arm.
"It-it's not a military or even an order from the jedi council. It's something he asked me to help with as a friend." Rex looked up to meet her gaze. "Not as his padawan, Rex, as his friend. I can't just... I have to..." she sighed and slumped against him.
"Ok. I take it that this isn't something I can come along on?" She shook her head. Rex set his crystal down on his bedside table and took her small hands in his own. "Just... be safe." He told her, holding her gaze steadily. She rested her forehead on his.
"I will."
A/N - The daily updates are back! I have been tagged by @AmythystKries, a reader that has been with me from the beginning.
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