A/N So this was beauty in an accident. XD But I was inspired to write this by a few stories about Neyo found elsewhere, which is where I got a lot of the information for this. The personality for him here is canon, and is as quoted: "Neyo became one of the coldest and most unfeeling clones in his training class, adopting a laconic, almost morbid personality." So he's icy cold here. But sorta melts a bit without meaning to. But you'll see that in a mo. The mention of Dred Priest. *Angry-Face* This dude is- *Destroys couch*. He was a Mandalorian trainer on Kamino, and worked with promising troopers to become sort of ARC based commanding units. BUT he was well known for "Fight Circles'' where he would make his cadets fight, even to death. His cadets came out either messed up in the head, or morbid. SO I HAVE A THEORY AS TO WHY NEYO IS COLD AND THAT IS IT!!!! So, yes. Onto some hurt and comfort and fluff and pain and Neyo and Rex and yes I just killed grammer. Sue me. Enjoy!
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Neyo glanced at his datapad, drumming his fingers against the side as he read the information on the screen.
They were going on a mission to Umbara.
Recon.
Adi had ordered him to gather information about the terrain. But as the report wasn't filed after Krell... Well- there were only eye witness accounts.
Which meant she wanted him to ask Rex.
Not 'wanted'. She ordered him to.
Neyo had finished reading the messages and placed the datapad down on his desk. Then he leaned back in his seat, scowling slightly as it groaned. He had been meaning to fix that.
He had heard about the disaster of Umbara. Where a Jedi had pitted the 501st and 112th against each other. Brother against Brother. A dangerous spark came to the commander's eye.
Umbara hadn't surprised him. Sure- it had angered him. The safe and familiar anger. But nothing else. The Jedi were never to be trusted. He had always faulted Rex and... Cody against it. They cared for their General's too much. Any full-grown Jedi wasn't to be trusted. In truth, the Jedi could do whatever they wanted to the Clones. So they should be ready for whatever that entails. That was the problem with the 212th and 501st. They actually thought they were worth something.
Glancing at the Chronometer on his wrist, Neyo sighed as he saw his scheduled meeting with Rex was coming close.
Well, this will be fun.
Neyo rolled his eyes in morbid sarcasm. He hadn't talked to Rex.... in years. And that was only small talk. But he had purposefully avoided Rex. He didn't want to talk with that-
Then Neyo's comlink chimed, the alarm he had set so he could get moving. Stretching from the long hours of paperwork he had just finished, he rose.
He didn't love to ask Rex about what happened at Umbara. He knew what happened. But he put into the necessary for the job category.
Picking up the datapad once again, Neyo tucked it under his arm, and walked out of the door; Preparing for an awkward conversation.
...
Neyo wrapped his knuckle on Rex's office door. It was late- so no one was in the halls.
After a few seconds, the door opened slowly. And Neyo raised a brow. Rex looked exhausted, still. And it had been a month since Umbara.
Dark circles rimmed under his eyes, and there was a dead look in them. His shoulders were slagging slightly, and he was leaning against the door frame. Whatever had happened, it clearly took its toll on his batchmate.
No. He's Not my batchmate.
Neyo pushed that old anger out of his mind, dipping his head sharply.
"Rex."
"Commander," Rex said, sounding as exhausted as he looked.
"You look like death boiled," Neyo said bluntly, looking him up and down with unhidden distaste. Unlike usual, Rex didn't retort with a snarky remark that would get him out of the situation, but instead Rex simply stared back at him tirerly.
"Let's start," Neyo snapped. He didn't have time for tiredness. He had a job to do- and he better well get going. Stiffening to attention briefly, and with more effort than it looked like Rex had, he turned back into his office, Neyo following closely after. The lights had been dimmed as not to strain the eyes, but there still wasn't enough light to see the whole room in. There wasn't much to see anyways. Every office was the same.
Rex led him into the centre of the room, gestured for him to take a seat, then walked around the side of the desk, slowly lowering himself into his chair with a small, audible grunt.
And If Neyo had been anyone else, he would have sent Rex to get some rest immediately. But he wasn't anyone else- he was a Marshal Commander. So he sat back on the chair in front of Rex's desk, waiting from the Captain to get comfortable.
Then the room silenced.
"You know why I'm here, Captain," Neyo said formally. The late hour was no excuse to be lazy. Rex nodded. " The 91st needs to know the Umbaran Terrien for a scouting mission. We have no formal report- so General Gallia wished you to inform me of what we're getting into."
"Of course, Sir," Rex nodded once again.
Even from the little that he now knew of Rex, he did know what the flinch at 'Umbara' meant. He also knew the tightness in Rex's shoulders, the way he gripped his hands together, and the way his expression didn't alter in the slight.
This man was trying not to break.
Begrudgingly, Neyo felt both pleasure, and respect rise at that. He was a soldier, afterall. That was his job.
Ignorant to his thoughts, Rex leaned forwards, pressing a button on his desk that was attached to a holoprojector. Since this was in Rex's office, they didn't have the luxury of a full holotable, but that didn't matter as much; only the information mattered.
The bright blue light shot out from the projector, bathing the wall in it's cool colours.
"We have a vague image that we combined from multiple views from helmet cams," Rex gestured to the wall, standing, and walking over to the brilliant map.
Neyo frowned impatiently. "If you have a map, why didn't you just say so?"
Curse him if he's wasting my time...
Rex shook his head. "We did tell General Gallia, but there are multiple points on this map that are inaccurate, or aren't represented correctly here."
Leaning back in his chair, Neyo gestured for him to continue.
"General Gallia informed me the area you are recording," Rex started again, both hands neatly behind his back. "The surrounding area is 90 clicks by 80 clicks-"
Neyo inwardly grimaced at the mass territory they were to be sweeping. The Rennaconce corps had the fun job, didn't it? Surfing the territory before and after a battle. Plenty of chances to see the rotting corpses of brothers, didn't it.
"-Including the bases that we captured upon entry," Rex continued. "Fortunately, there are main pathways that the- Umbarans use."
The Marshal Commander didn't comment on the pause.
"The most prominent runs from this point," Rex turned to face the map fully, pointing to one significant divot that was behind a large opening of rock, presumably cliffs. "To here," Rex pointed to another point a ways up the map. "And it branches off many times along there."
Holding up his hand for a moment, Neyo gestured to the entirety of the map.
"I can see that," Neyo said, close to snippily. "Where is the map wrong? And where is it inaccurate?"
"I'm almost there, Sir," Rex said, stiffening slightly. "The main difference is that There aren't any huge rock structures. These points on the map or large flora, Sir."
Neyo gave a sharp nod.
"Continue."
"The largest difference is near- here," Rex paused at the last word, jabbing the holographic image.
Curious, Neyo looked at the place to see what caused the pause. To him, it just looked like another piece of map. A denser part of the map, to be sure. More flora. But nothing different.
"Captain?" Neyo queried when Rex didn't move from where he was pointing. "Captain!" Neyo barked after another moment.
Rex jerked, wide-eyed blinking out of his thoughts.
"You were Saying?" Neyo said sharply, looking at him coldly.
There was a time for memories.
This wasn't it.
"Sorry Sir," Rex blinked slightly, completely unlike him. Brushing it off to tiredness, Neyo simply gave him a hard glare.
Clearly gathering himself back together, Rex cleared his throat, turning back to the map.
"The more compact fauna makes it more difficult to see any threats, such as Sarlaccs that litter the floor a small way aways."
Glancing down at the datapad in his hand, Neyo quickly jotted down notes on the Sarlaccs. There were a few ways that there could be protection from those beasts, but not many ways. Then Neyo realized that Rex had stopped talking again. Looking up again, he saw that Rex was staring at that point on the map again. Dead-still.
Neyo growled under his breath. "Rex!!"
But there was no movement still. Then the datpad that Rex had been holding suddenly dropped out of his hands, smashing to the ground spraying glass everywhere.
"Kark Rex!!" Neyo shouted, springing up to avoid the shooting glass that was close to piercing his uncovered top. "What the KRIFF-"
But the captain was still unmoving. Then, slowly, Rex sank to the floor, head low.
Close to shouting angrily at him, Neyo stopped himself as the captain started shaking, then put his head heavily in his hands.
He was crying.
Neyo blanked, hands still outstretched in an angry pose. He was... crying?
Suddenly a flashback filled his mind.
"You should be in bed," 1010 [Fox] crossed his arms, which now matched his legs, and then started glaring at him. At the end of their 4th cycle, 1010 was the one who had now taken control, assuming the position of leader. This was before... Dred Priest- 8826 was innocent at this time. Completely different to Neyo. 8826 was dead. But not back then.
"I want to see what 2224 [Cody] is doing!" 8826 remembered whining, pouting. "Why should he get to stay up later than us! We're in the same growth cycle! He's our batchmate!"
1010 looked unblinkingly back at him, and 8826 scowled back at him.
"I don't need you!" 8826 insisted again, turning on heel stubbornly, before running off, ignoring 1010's insistent words.
Skidding down a corridor, he stopped in front of one of the doors that he knew 2224 would probably be in. Without waiting to knock, 8826 burst into the room, only, to his disappointment, to find the room dark.
"Dang," 8826 scowled, stomping his foot on the white floor.
Then there was a small noise, like a cooing of a dove. It wasn't empty after all.
"Hello?" 8826 called into the darkness. There was a small sniff. 8826 was listening for the noise this time, and pinpointed where it was. Not saying anything else, 8826 crept over to the very corner of the room, where there was a small hidden point where none of the Kaminoins could find them. Wiggling in that small gap, 8826 lifted his head up as high as it could be in that space.
"Hello?" He asked again, curious as to who was hiding.
There was a louder sniff.
"8826?" A small voice whispered, and 8826 recognised it as 7567 [Rex]. 8826 blinked.
"What are you doing here?" 8826 asked in surprise.
7567 whimpered, and 8826 could feel that 7567 had pulled his legs up tighter across his body.
"Hey..." 8826 said slowly, not quite sure what to do. He wasn't the one to help 7567. 2224 did that. "What's wrong?"
7567 sniffled again. "I-I can't do this."
"Do... what?" 8826 asked in confusion.
"Pass Training," 7567 buried his head in his legs. "I c-can't-"
"You have to," 8826 said automatically, frowning. "We're soldiers."
That was rather rich for a 4 year old.
"But-" 7567 cried, but 8826 cut him off.
"There is no question about it!" 8826 exclaimed, completely blinded by the horrible statement. "We have to do it! Or you'll be reconditioned!"
7567 cowered away from him, whimpering. 8826 shook his head, completely ignoring his batchmate before grabbing his wrist.
"We should go to bed," 8826 siad firmly, ignoring 7567's blubbering as he crawled out of the hiding hole, 7576 in toll. Coming out of the small hidey hole, he pulled his brother into the light. His Vodes eyes were red, and his cheeks that still hadn't lost all of his baby fat were splotchy and tear streaked, and now his chin was wobbling slightly.
It was only then that 8826 felt guilt well up in him, and he opened his mouth to apologise, but 7576 pulled out of his grasp angrily.
"You're MEAN!!" 7576 cried, then he turned on heel and ran out of the door, only to slam into another brother.
There was 2224. And 2224 instantly looked down at 7576 and pulled him into a hug.
"Hey, hey, hey," 2224 soothed quietly, holding his brother's crying body to him. 2224 had always been 7576's favourite brother. "What's wrong?"
7576 was sobbing too hard to now speak, so vaguely pointed at him.
8826 looked to 2224, wide-eyed, trying to tell him that he didn't mean it, but his brother just held 7576 tightly.
"Come on," 2224 soothed once again. "Let's go talk."
7675 nodded, rapidly wiping away his tears before they both walked out of the door. 8826 was left, a deep sinking feeling in his chest. He had never been good at this.
With a grimace, Neyo snapped back into the present, where Rex was once again crying. This time Cody wasn't here though. And he, once again, had no idea what to do.
No.
Idea.
When was the last time he had comforted a crying brother?... Neyo couldn't remember.
For a moment more, Neyo was frozen. Then, like any good Commanding Officer, he crossed out the wrong thing to do, and settled with the other option. Neyo slowly stepped forwards, the shards of glass creaking and groaning under his boots. Ignoring the noise, Neyo took two more cautious steps before he stopped just short of Rex. Nibbling his lip for a second, he dropped down to one knee in front of Rex.
Rex was sobbing now, his entire body quaking with the full-force of them. Neyo may as well have not been there.
He thought he knew how bad Umbara was. For Rex, a soldier and commanding officer to break down like this... Neyo could hardly imagine.
He should tell Rex to stand up. Order him to do it. Tell him to wipe his tears, and get on with it. Be a Commander. To Man up.
That's what he told his other troopers.
But for some reason, he couldn't say those things. It wasn't like Neyo had a huge Conscious, but even to consider saying it left a heavy weight on his chest.
But there's something about banishing pain that you caused, that is infinitely harder.
Snapping at Rex wouldn't help.
It would break him more.
Sitting fully on the floor, Neyo lowered his head slightly, brows furrowing. He tried to gather up all his knowledge, but finding no emotion that could help him, he simply mirrored what he had seen with his brothers.
"Rex?"
Rex only choked on another sob, and for one moment, there was only Rex gasping for breath. And Neyo waited, secretly hoping that this was over. Praying that this was over.
"T-there-" Rex suddenly gasped, shuddering. "I-It was there-"
He jerked, burying his head further in his hands.
This really wasn't like Rex.
He wouldn't show this much emotion in front of most people.
Especially him.
"I-I killed them-" Rex choked. "T-there-" He moaned again, and Neyo was left stumped.
Neyo glanced down at the floor, struggling, then looked up again, and hesitantly reached forwards with one hand to clasp Rex's shoulder.
The Captain jerked, tensing completely.
"S-sir?" Rex said quietly, taking a sharp breath.
Neyo's mouth opened, but nothing came out. Mentally cursing all the bloody words he knew, he couldn't think of one thing to say. Rex seemed to think of that as a bad sign, and cowered under his touch.
"I-it's just-" Rex whispered, trying to slowly pull away from his grasp but ultimately failing. "I was there. G-general Skywalker left to go. A-and General Krell was left in-charge. We fought and I-I didn't see. I didn't see how he hated u-us. I-I guessed but t-that didn't-"
Neyo just listened, as Rex didn't seem to try and pull away again.
"And it-" Rex sucked in a sharp breath. "W-was t-there I- Killed them. Brothers!"
The younger man shuddered, and more tears poured forth. Then, some hidden instinct that Neyo had buried himself sprung up again, and regardless of anything else, he pulled Rex close, into his arms. It felt wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong. Every instinct in his body told him to run, to get out of there. To not turn back.
But then that disappeared when Rex pushed himself forwards, clutching at Neyo and burying his head in his chest, sobbing into him.
"I've got you," Neyo heard himself murmur, holding his younger brother. It was baffling. Why was he doing this? He for sure didn't know. But for some reason, he was here, helping Rex. He didn't feel anything. Not the love that 8824 once felt for his brothers. But it was something. Reaching slightly to the comm on his wrist, he sent a small alert to Cody. "I'm here." He said softly, hugging Rex like he should have, when they were in their 4th cycle.
And he softly whispered soothing words to Rex until the young man stopped his tears, and drifted to sleep, still clutching at him.