~months prior-
Ahsoka sat in the copilot's seat of the Twilight with her feet up on the controls, much to her master's disdain.
"Ahsoka, we're going to drop out of hyperspace any second now. Are you sure you're up for this mission?"
"Absolutely, Master," she said. "It's going to be a refreshing break from all the action for a change. I'm already relaxed."
Anakin rolled his eyes. "Don't get too relaxed, Snips. We still have a job to do."
She put her feet down and sat up. "I know, but I really don't think there's going to be too much action on this one. That already happened, remember?"
He sighed. The light signaling that they were about the drop out of hyperspace flashed, and Ahsoka couldn't help but smile. It was going to be an interesting couple of weeks, for sure.
They landed the ship, and Ahsoka put on her cloak.
"Remember," her master said, "Purpose must come before feelings. Just because we're here for a while without a lot of action doesn't mean you need to create some to fill the void."
She crossed her arms. "Don't worry, Master. Beating you at Dejarik is plenty exciting."
As they disembarked, a couple of familiar faces were there to greet them.
"Master Skywalker and Commander Tano, welcome back to Onderon! We're so grateful that you're here," King Dendup said.
Ahsoka smiled when her eyes met Lux's who stood beside him. He looked the same as when she'd seen him last: the floppy hair, dreamy eyes, calming smile...
"Isn't that right, Commander Tano?" Anakin said, elbowing her subtly.
"Oh, um, of course."
Anakin gave her a disapproving look. She made her best apologetic face. Purpose must come before feelings. She hadn't even been on Onderon for five minutes and she was already letting her mind wander too far.
"It's settled, then," King Dendup said. "Commander Tano, you will stay with Senator Bonteri, and Masted Skywalker will stay in the palace with me. Our leadership will be vulnerable to Separatist assassination plots until we become official members of the Galactic Republic. That is why it's essential for both of you to lay low. Understood?"
"Of course," they said in unison. Anakin smirked, and Ahsoka blushed.
"Ahsoka, remember what we talked about," Anakin said. "I'm just a call away if you need anything."
"Yes, Master. We'll be careful. I promise."
"Senator Bonteri," the King said, "Do make sure your guest is well taken care of. She has done Onderon a great service."
"Yes, your majesty. I'd have it no other way."
It didn't take long for Ahsoka and Lux to reach the cottage they would be living in for the next few weeks. It was not too far from Iziz, but it was far enough removed that it was quiet. The cottage sat on a small lake surrounded by trees. It was smaller than Ahsoka thought it would be, but it looked like it had been recently built.
The ride to the cottage had been silent. The awkwardness between them was still very present. Ahsoka wasn't sure if it was because of what happened to Steela, or maybe it was just the premise of the assignment. Being Lux's personal bodyguard seemed a little overkill, but Ahsoka would never turn down an opportunity to spend more time with him.
It was pointless for her to try to deny her feelings for him anymore. Yes, she was a Jedi, which meant she couldn't act on them. However, her master had reassured her that it was normal to feel that way, especially at her age.
"I understand, Ahsoka, I really do," he had said. "It's something many Jedi struggle with. Believe me, I wish it were easy, but you have to put your purpose first. Sometimes, that can be the only way to see past your personal feelings."
He knew she had feelings for Lux, just like she knew he had feelings for Senator Amidala.
Lux dangled the key in his hand before opening the door. He held it open and welcomed her inside. "Home sweet home," he said. "I'm really glad you could be here, Ahsoka."
"Me too," she said. "I'm going to bring my things upstairs and check the double check the security. Then, I'm all yours for the next few weeks."
He smiled. "Perfect. I invited someone over later tonight for a small housewarming party. I think you're going to like him."
"Oh, am I?" She said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
"If it's Saw, I'm kicking him out," she joked.
"Hey!"
"Kidding!" She grabbed her bag and ran up the spiral staircase.
She opened the first door on the left and stepped inside.
Her room was larger than Ahsoka anticipated. The walls were a shade of rosy pink, complementing the white furniture. The bed was a matching shade of pink with rose gold accents. A the bookcase in the corner was filled with old notebooks and journals.
This definitely beat her room at the temple.
After putting her things away in the dresser drawers, she changed out of her Jedi uniform and into some more casual clothes for the remainder of the evening. She thoroughly checked the cameras and alarm system to ensure that there wouldn't be any surprises if anyone came near the cottage. Once she was satisfied, she walked outside to the patio and sat in one of the swinging benches.
Shortly after, Lux, having changed as well, came outside and sat beside her.
"The weather is beautiful today," he said.
Ahsoka gave him a once-over. He was wearing shorts, which took her a few minutes to get used to. His t-shirt was tight on his upper body. She could definitely tell that he'd been working out. She smiled, in spite of herself. That boy had no idea how he made her feel.
"Yeah, it's nice out," she said.
"Ahsoka, can I ask you something?" Lux asked, rocking the swing slightly.
"Anything."
"Well, I figured that since we're going to be spending a significant amount of time together over the next few weeks, it's only fair I ask if–"
The doorbell rang. "Ah, that must be him," Lux said, standing up. "You know what? Forget what I was saying. It's not important anyway."
That definitely meant it was important. What did he want to ask her? She made a mental note to bring it up again later.
When Lux opened the door for their guest, Ahsoka didn't know what she expected to see, but the person standing before her certainly weren't it. There was a guy, around 25 by the looks of him, and he looked almost like an older version of Lux with his floppy brown hair and cool gray eyes. But there was something else about him that Ahsoka couldn't put her finger on.
"Hey, Jaryn! So good to see you!" Lux said, giving the man a hug.
"It's been too long," Jaryn said.
Lux welcomed him inside and closed the door. "Ahsoka this is Jaryn. He's my older brother."
Ahsoka's mind stopped. "Your older brother? I didn't know you had any siblings."
"Good," Jaryn said. "That was the idea." He extended a hand, and Ahsoka shook it. "Pleasure to meet you, Commander Tano."
"Nice to meet you too," she said hesitantly. "Ahsoka is fine."
"Our parents didn't exactly agree with all of Jaryn's decisions, especially during the war," Lux said. "They cut him off at the beginning of the war after be decided to support the Republic instead of the Separatists. We kept in touch, though."
"Wow," Ahsoka said. "I had no idea. Do you work within the Republic?"
He nodded. "I work as a mechanic for Jedi star fighters and Republic gunships. Nothing too fancy, but I enjoy what I do. I was actually just promoted, and I'll start working on projects within the Temple next week."
"That's fantastic!" Ahsoka knew that civilians had to pass a series of difficult entry tests and a thorough background check before being allowed access to the Jedi Temple, so she had no doubt that Jaryn was very good at his job. "Who knows? Maybe we'll run into each other some time."
Lux smiled. "King Dendup better hurry up with the paperwork so I can go live on Coruscant with you two. I'd hate to miss all the fun."
Conversation flowed naturally for the rest of the evening. Lux was right; Jaryn was very nice. Ahsoka could definitely see the resemblance between the two brothers in the way they talked and some of the facial expressions they made.
Ahsoka sometimes wondered what it would be like to have a brother or sister. Usually, she'd feel upset that she didn't have a blood family, but then she always remembered that she had Anakin, who was the best brother she could ever hope for.
It was late by the time Jaryn was ready to leave. After putting on his shoes and coat, he gave Lux a big hug.
"I'm gonna miss you, little bro. Hopefully we'll see each other again soon."
"Of course we will," Lux said, smiling. "Love you, man. Have a save trip home."
Jaryn turned to Ahsoka. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Commander." He glanced back and forth between Ahsoka and Lux. "Do you mind if I speak with you outside for a moment?" He asked her.
Ahsoka followed him outside on to the patio while Lux went inside.
Jaryn ran a hand through his hair. "Ahsoka, there's something you should know. Several things, really."
"Oh, okay," she said, unsure of what he meant.
"Lux has no idea what I'm about to tell you, so you have to promise me you won't say anything to him."
This was going to be interesting. "Yes, of course I promise. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to say that what Lux told you about my past is wrong. He doesn't know the full truth. On the night of my first birthday, a Jedi was here on Onderon. He identified me as force-sensitive and tried to convince my parents to let me come to the Temple to be trained. My father reluctantly agreed, but my mother was very against it. She went behind my father's back and paid the Jedi a handsome amount to leave our family alone, and my father was furious that the Jedi took it.
"From that point forward, he believed that the Jedi Order was corrupt and had no business leading a war. That's why we joined the Separatists. I didn't know about this until I was older. When my parents told me, I was mad and decided to pursue my own path closer to the place I really belonged, and when I left for Coruscant, my parents cut me off. I don't want to tell Lux because I don't want to ruin the memories he has of mum and dad."
Ahsoka was silent. Jaryn was force-sensitive? Did that mean Lux was force-sensitive, too? "I'm so sorry," she said, unsure of what else to say.
"Don't be. What's done is done. I'm telling you because I want you to keep an eye on my brother. His midi-chlorian count was never tested because he doesn't seem to demonstrate any Jedi traits, but I still wonder sometimes, you know? I just don't want him to get into any trouble. If the Separatists find out about me or it turns out he is sensitive, we could have a problem. He's the only family I have left. I need to know that he's in good hands."
"I completely understand," Ahsoka said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And trust me when I say that as long as I'm alive, I won't let anyone hurt Lux."
"Thank you, Ahsoka." They shook hands, and he turned to leave. Before he could get down the steps, however, he paused and looked back at her.
"Lux talks about you all the time. I'm sure you can sense it, but you mean a great deal to him. After tonight, I can tell that he's important to you, too. A word of advice: I know the Jedi have a strict code, but that code doesn't define you. Stay true to who you are and what you feel." Without giving Ahsoka a chance to respond, he walked down the stairs and mounted his speeder.
Had her feelings for Lux been that obvious? She hadn't bothered trying to hide them through the force because she didn't think Lux or Jaryn would notice, but clearly she was wrong. And if Jaryn was encouraging her to follow her heart, could it mean Lux felt the same way?