•°. *࿐FORCE BOUND.
xliii. CHILD OF WAR
❛ i'll slip away into the sound / the ghost of
you is close to me / i'm inside out, you're underneath. ❜
GONER // TWENTY ONE PILOTS
BOUNCING THE CHILD IN HER ARMS, Eisha and Wolffe began their way back to regroup. The latter hadn't stopped pouting since the Padawan found the Twi'lek child.
Frowning at them, he begrudgingly began to slowly smile at Eisha's grin as she pulled funny faces that caused the baby to giggle as she bounced her about in her arms. Shaking his head, he resumed his frown, "You're not keeping it."
"Why not? I kept you," Poking her tongue out at the Commander, the child in her arms gurgled at her expression, "And, not 'it', Blaidd. I've already told you."
Exasperatedly rolling his eyes, he corrected himself nonetheless, "Okay, you're not keeping her. Happy, now?"
Facing Wolffe, she grinned, "Immensely."
Pulling his helmet off, he allowed her to see his slightly irritated expression. But, she still grinned at him, and it caused his face to immediately soften. Shaking his head, he placed a hand on her back, "Let's just get back. Kriff knows how we're going to explain this."
"Hey! No swearing around the baby," Playfully scowling at Wolffe, he just glared at her. Sending one down to the giggling child in her arms too for good measure, as she pointed a small finger to the aggravated clone. Looking back up at Eisha, he caught the pointed stare she gave him, violet eyes twinkling in amusement at his vexed attitude.
Throwing his helmet back on to escape her gaze, he kept one arm safely around her, whilst the other clasped his blaster firmly. Hurrying forward, Wolffe pulled her along, "Come on, Pitat."
"We're coming, Blaidd." Gently rocking the child in her arms, she sent her a motherly smile, "Aren't we, Fiolet?"
"Oh, no." Halting at the name, Wolffe snapped his head to her, "No, you are not naming her." He rapidly shook his head, "Pitat, we aren't keeping her."
Sulking, she lowered her gaze from the Commander, pulling her best pout as she caught his gaze, "It's just until we can find her parents, Blaidd. Besides, it suits her." Gesturing to the baby Twi'lek's purple skin tone, as well as her deep violet eyes as they opened and stared curiously at the Commander.
Cringing under his helmet, he stared back at the kid, 'Do all babies look this weird?'
Honestly, he couldn't find what all the fuss was about, right now.
Sighing, he kept walking, twirling his blaster in his hand as he grumbled, "Fine." A small smile soon graced his face, however, at Eisha's cheer.
Walking forward, he fondly rolled his eyes as she softly whispered to the now sleeping baby, "Don't worry, Fiolet — he'll warm up to you, eventually. You just gotta keep at it. That's what I did, and—"
Freezing on the spot, she called the Commander back, "Blaidd, stop moving."
Glancing back at the Padawan, he sighed deeply as he walked back over to her, quickly recognising that look on her face again. Standing before her, he crossed his arms at her expression, "Right. What're you sensing now, Angel? I swear if it's another kid, I'll—"
"Get down!"
Pulling herself and Wolffe into the alleyway beside them, Eisha threw the Commander against the wall — she really was stronger than she let on. Tucking herself and Fiolet against him, she glanced over at the recon droid surveying the area before resting her head against the Commander's chest. Hushing the child in her arms, Wolffe peaked out to see the droid himself as he wrapped a protective arm around Eisha and the child.
"Shh, hey it's okay," Stroking the baby Twi'lek's small lekku, Wolffe aimed his blaster at the droid. Her gaze snapped to him. Swiftly bringing his arm down, she shook her head as she hissed, "Don't."
Softly sighing, he nodded. Putting his dual blasters away, he cast a glance at Fiolet as she slept peacefully once more. Keeping his arm around her waist, he led her out of their hiding place, "We need to get back."
"I couldn't agree more," She hastened her pace to keep up with her Commander's rushed strides. He wanted nothing more than to keep both her and the Twi'lek child out of harm's way — even if he did have his reluctance about the kid.
'Plus, it's only until we reunite her with her parents, right?'
But, as Wolffe gazed back to his Captain tenderly whispering to Fiolet as she rocked her in her sleep — he couldn't help but feel his heart tug at the sight. They just looked so content together, practically picture-perfect to Wolffe. Smiling, he tightened his hold on her, and Wolffe couldn't help but imagine what their life could've been.
If he wasn't a clone. If she wasn't a Jedi. If it wasn't forbidden.
He brushed the thought away — it was pointless to think about it. Still, he couldn't help it.
Cautiously reaching up to the Twi'lek, Wolffe lightly brushed his finger against her small hand; his thumb almost three times the size of her own hand. Chuckling at Fiolet, he missed the grin that filled Eisha as she watched him interact with the infant.
She failed to stifle her giggle, however, when Fiolet wrapped her small hand around his thumb.
Tensing, he anxiously glanced to the Padawan — only to find her giggling at his absolute terror of a small baby holding his thumb. She could only imagine how priceless his face was under his helmet, right now.
At her laughter, Fiolet woke, staring at the Commander and holding his thumb as best she could in her weak grip. Eisha grinned at Wolffe, "I think she likes you."
Eyes widening, he could only stare incredulously at the infant, "S—she does?"
Nodding, she held her out to him, "Do you want to hold her?"
Switching his gaze from the baby to Eisha, Wolffe's face contained further bewilderment, "N—no. I don't think that's a good idea, Pitat. I'll probably drop her, or she'll cry or—!"
Eisha's laugh broke off his words, fondly shaking her head at his panic. Holding Fiolet out to him, she instead said, "Hold your arms out."
Despite his worries, Wolffe wasn't going to pretend that he didn't want to at least try as he nervously extended his arms out to Eisha. Passing the kid to him, Eisha adjusted his arms, muttering gently to him as she did so, "You need to support her head, Blaidd."
Carefully following her instructions, he now held the infant securely, a shaky sigh escaping him as she stared up at him. With a toothless grin on her face, she reached for his thumb again. Quickly giving it to her, a breathless chuckle left him as her small hand wrapped around his thumb; looking up at Eisha only to see her watching the two with a bright smile.
Lightly stroking the Twi'lek's head, she smiled, "See. Told you, he'd like you." Lifting her eyes from Fiolet to gaze into Wolffe's visor, "I'm always right."
Earnestly shaking his head, he sighed, "Sure, Angel." Looking back down at the child as she fell fast asleep in his arms, "Whatever you say."
'Maybe we could keep her if her parents aren't here. But, that's a big maybe.'
And, a 'maybe' that he down-right refused to admit to Pitat.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
"Captain? Commander? Are you there?"
Hearing Cody's voice on her comm, she looked away from pulling funny faces at Fiolet. Fiddling with the comm link on her arm, she answered, "Yeah. Yeah, we're here, Cody."
"You didn't meet us back at base, what happened?"
Glancing at Wolffe, and how he awkwardly rocked the infant to sleep, Eisha resisted the urge to laugh. Gnawing on her bottom lip to hold her giggle, she replied, "We, uh, we ran into a small problem. But, we've got it all under control." Pursing her lips as Wolffe desperately looked to her for help, "Sort of."
"What do you mean sort of? Do you need help—"
"You'll see, Codes." Eisha cut off the comm link, raising a brow to Wolffe as Fiolet grew restless in his arms, "What did you do?"
"Nothing! She just decided to start wiggling about, and—" Eisha giggled, causing the Commander to grumble under his breath, "Just help me, please."
Taking her back from him, she instantly began bouncing Fiolet in her arms; the baby gleefully giggling as she did so. Feeling Wolffe's unsure stare in her direction, she grinned at him as she comforted, "You did really well, you know?"
Perking up at that, he smiled and wrapped his arm around her as he gradually grinned at her compliment. Gazing up at him, she joked, "Can't wait to explain all of this to Cody."
"I can."
Giggling at that, if possible, Wolffe's grin widened. Rubbing her shoulders comfortingly, they grew closer to the base.
"...We're still not keeping her."
"Blaidd!"
✧˖*°࿐Hi!
The only thing going through my head this entire chapter was, "Put that thing back where it came from or so help me!" Which is just Wolffe being Wolffe :)
Anyways, how are we all feeling today? :D
And, thank you all so much for the 8.1K reads!! And 580 votes now; absolutely insane!! I love all your comments too, they really make my day reading them all, and saying hi! <3
Okie dokie, see you all tomorrow :))
-iss <3
FIRST PUBLISHED:
LAST EDITED: 21/02/2023