Febuwhump 7- Used As An Experiment, Rex

Hi! I'm sorta new to tumblr, so I hope I'm doing this right. Can I get a 'whatever' sickness prompt with Rex from tcw?

You did it just right! One story with Rex reluctantly accepting help coming right up.

Rex is an incredibly stubborn clone. He can ignore his own health in great extremes. But there is one symptom Rex cannot ignore.

Barfing.

Rex cannot handle vomit. Not when his brothers do it, not when he does it, not even when an animal does it. So when Kix normally has to drag Rex to the med bay, if the good Captain throws up he will show up of his own free will.

As he has this morning.

Kix gives him a wry smile. “I’ll get you a disposal unit, sir.”

Rex eyes the door mournfully, debating whether or not he can ride this one out on his own. Especially when he catches a whiff of the other unfortunate souls in med bay.

“I’ll give you a private room,” Kix adds.

Rex reluctantly surrendered to Kix’s tender care. But that does not mean Rex’s reluctance is over. Oh no, getting him in the med bay is only the first step in getting him to accept help. Rex was a self-sacrificing dikut, and since he was in a private room, Kix couldn’t see when he was getting queasy and needed another hypo.

True to form, when Kix comes to check on him, the captain is laying flat on his back. On the floor. He’d thrown up, tried to get a glass of water to rinse his mouth out, gotten extremely dizzy, ended up on the floor, and hadn’t been able to get up again.

Kix sighed. “This is what the call button is for, Rex.” He pressed it into Rex’s hand. “Use it.”

When Rex did use the call button, it was for a glass of water to rinse out his mouth and for Kix to bring him a new disposal unit.

Kix rolled his eyes. “Rex, you do not have to suffer in silence. If you even think you might vomit, call me. We have medicine to prevent that.”

Rex remained silent, further proof of his reluctance to show “weakness”.

Kix glared at him and Rex opened his mouth.

Kix didn’t let him speak. “The men don’t need me more. They’re getting better because they actually tell me all their symptoms.”

Kix stared pointedly while Rex desperately tried to avoid eye contact. At last, Rex cracked.

“Well, my nose has been a bit runny and my throat’s been sore this last week. My whole body ached, but I thought that was just the campaign. And last night I was freezing, so I might have a little fever.”

“39.5 celsius,” Kix corrected as he stood up. “You have Puffer Pig Flu, and if you’d come when your symptoms started, you would not be currently tossing your rations.”

“Thank you, Kix.”

Kix smiled. “Your welcome, ori’vod. Next time just let me help you sooner, okay?”

Rex nodded like a good little patient and Kix snorted. Like Rex was ever going to be anything but reluctant and stubborn about accepting help.

Cramps

It's Alastor's "time of the month", and he's afraid that people will find out. Of course, it's just his luck that his pad leaks... and Lucifer is the one to notice.

(This may be OOC, as it's based on our Alastor and Lucifer fictives)

Pairing: Radioapple (can be read as platonic, queerplatonic, or romantic)

Warnings: menstruation, internalized transphobia, T slur (said by a trans person + author is trans), smoking weed

this is the first fic we've written in a long time, apologies if it's bad lmao

-

Alastor sighs as he steps out onto the roof of the Hazbin Hotel. He leans against the wall and lights a cigarette, staring out at the city.

His smile slips ever so slightly as yet another cramp shoots through him.

"Ugh..."

Alastor quickly masks his pained expression as he hears a footstep behind him. He immediately recognizes the click of those heels.

"Hello, Lucifer." He turns to face the King of Hell.

Lucifer raises an eyebrow. "Alastor. I didn't take you for a smoker."

Alastor takes a drag from his cigarette. "Well, I am."

He turns away, wishing Lucifer would just leave him alone. He's in no mood to talk.

He silently curses as Lucifer leans against the wall next to him.

"You look even more tense than normal."

"And you're being even more annoying than normal." Alastor's annoyance is clear in his eyes, despite his unwavering smile. "Would it be too much to ask to be left alone?"

Lucifer raises an eyebrow. He recognizes the discomfort in Alastor's voice.

"Fine, then." He starts to leave, then turns back to say something else... but something catches his eye.

Alastor glances over at Lucifer. "What are you staring at?"

Lucifer clears his throat. "You, uh... got a little something."

Alastor's eyes widen when he realizes where Lucifer is looking. He immediately takes his coat off and ties it around his waist. "Leave me alone."

Lucifer nods and leaves.

Alastor is mortified. He tosses his cigarette and disappears into his shadow, appearing in his room. He goes straight into the bathroom and strips his pants off. His pad is entirely soaked.

"Damn it..."

He quickly fills his sink with cold water and dunks his soiled pants into it. He sprays some hydrogen peroxide on the stain and gently washes it out.

Alastor puts on some clean pants and a fresh pad. He's hanging the wet pants on the shower rod to dry when he hears the door open.

"So this is why you've been so pissy."

Alastor immediately shoves Lucifer out of the bathroom and locks the door. "Get out!"

Lucifer is too caught off guard to fight back. He just stands there, staring at the door.

Alastor leans against the door and sinks down to the ground, feeling humiliated.

---

That night, Alastor curls up in bed, unable to sleep. He's cramping too bad, and the painkillers he took aren't doing anything. He just lays there, in a fetal position, hoping he'll just conk out already.

A knock sounds at the door, and Alastor groans. He gets up, takes a deep breath, puts on a smile, and opens the door.

"Lucifer. I should have known."

Lucifer pushes his way into the room. Alastor simply collapses back down onto the bed, too exhausted to argue.

"Alastor, when are you going to learn to ask for help?" Lucifer sits on the bed next to Alastor.

"...I don't need help. You worry even more than your daughter does."

Lucifer sighs and pulls the blanket off of Alastor's face, revealing his pained expression. "The tears in your eyes tell me otherwise."

It's true, there are tears welling up in Alastor's eyes. He curls up completely, as if trying to hide in himself.

Alastor suddenly feels something being pressed against his abdomen. He flinches slightly, but then he realizes that it's... warm?

"What is this?"

Lucifer sits back down. "A heating pad. It'll help the cramps."

Alastor lays there for a moment, feeling that the heat is indeed helping. He's realizing how caring Lucifer is being, and it makes him feel... safe.

"...thank you."

Lucifer gently rubs Alastor's arm. "I just don't get how someone can be so stubborn that they just suffer in silence."

Alastor weighs his options. Should he trust Lucifer with his feelings?

"...fine. You want to know why I don't trust anyone?" He sits up and looks at Lucifer nervously.

Lucifer nods slightly.

Alastor takes a deep breath. "Do you have any idea how much power I would lose if people knew what I'm really like?"

"Alastor, what are you-"

"I only have power because I'm feared. Do you realize how many people would just look down on me if it came out that I'm a tranny that can't handle a period cramp?" Alastor stops as he realizes he's crying.

Lucifer gently takes his hand. "Take a breath. I'm not going to tell anyone you're trans, okay?"

Alastor hiccups and takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Why wouldn't you? Plenty of people would jump at the opportunity to take me down like that."

"Alastor, you should know by now that I'm not like that. Sure, I fight with you a lot, but I'd never out you like that."

Alastor just pulls the blanket back over himself and curls up with the heating pad. The hormones from his period are making him emotional, but he's already overwhelmed by how vulnerable he feels.

Lucifer just sighs. He snaps his fingers, and in his hand appears a blunt.

"Here. This'll help the pain, and call you down."

Alastor looks at it, taking a breath. "...well, alright..."

The two of them share the blunt, and Alastor quickly calms down.

"Thank you, Lucifer... I think I might be able to sleep now."

Lucifer gently tucks Alastor in, pleased that he managed to help him.

"Sleep well, Al."

IT IS I, THE CUDDLE PILE ANON. OK OK I KNOW I SAID THAT WOLFFE WAS MY LAST REQUEST BUTTTTTTT I HAD 2 IDEAS AT LIKE 3 IN THE MORNING sooooo basically one about the 501st (+Ashoka) and how they’d comfort Rex when he’s down. And another one were the 501st (+Rex maybe anakin) comfort Ashoka when she’s down. THEY’RE SUCH GOOD BIG BROTHERS 😭 in return for these 2 ideas, I shall gift you with my love and weird quotes my friends have said: “all I wanted was a 10 piece McNugg, I got spiritual enlightenment” “I know I’m not the sharpest kid in the shed…wait” preferably separate fics pls (when it’s convenient for u, YOUR HEALTH COMES FIRST GO DRINK WATER YOU FABULOUS AUTHOR) hey that kinda rhymed ok I’m done 🙃

So sorry I'm late on the first prompt, but finally here we are!

----------

"Uh oh, someone messed up."

When Fives is the one to freeze in the middle of a conversation, that gains the attention of the scattered 501st troopers nearby. Said newly minted ARC had been in the middle of a rousing story when he noticed that one of the medics decided to join the rest of the "plebs" willingly.

And not only a medic, Kix was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed.

"Whatever it was, it wasn't me!" Kix raised an eyebrow as Fives lifted his hands, and gives an amused snort.

"For once it's not your fault. Any of you see Rex?"

"Avoiding you again?" Echo asked, looking up from the manuals he'd been idly reading. "Told him you were going to start getting angry."

"I'm past that, I told him I need to monitor his BSV recovery, and I can't do that if he insists on skirting the medbay. Now, since you all clearly don't have anything to do, I'm pulling rank and ordering you to hunt down Rex and bring him to me."

"But we just got our game going!" Hardcase cried in dismay, he and Dogma crouched over a board game they'd been gifted some time ago.

"Aw poor guy." Kix deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "Tell you what, the man who delivers Rex gets some of the treats Plo gave me."

"Seriously?" Hardcase finds the game suddenly not as important, even Dogma side-eyeing the medic along with the very quiet troopers around him.

Kix shook his head.

"The man who brings me Rex gets to have their own mini-stash."

The medic isn't sure he's seen any room empty so fast, shaking his head with a rare chuckle as he heads back to his beloved medbay. It's not the best look to send an entire battalion after their commanding officer, but at this point Kix was tired of the excuses and his concern for Rex's health was overriding his initial trepidation. The BSV and the lives it took in the bunker had sent a ripple of fear through quite a few men, not even able to bury their brothers who had to be burned to ensure no trace of the virus could remain. They were trained to fight against all sorts of enemies, but one that was naked to the eye and deadlier than any clanker was...uncomfortable to think about, and most medics didn't comment on an uptick of their fellow batchers reading up on viruses and how best to combat them. Kix didn't have too long before he received a message, gathering up his mobile kit before heading out and towards where Rex had been found.

"He's buried in his reports." Jesse had found Rex hiding in a communications room, and Kix just nods. "Want me to keep guard?"

"No, I have a task for you."

When the door to his current hideout opens, Rex wants to curse.

"So, are we done hiding?" There's a clunk on the console behind Rex as the medic's kit is set down, and the blonde just remains silent as he fills out another report. "I need you to look at me."

"I'm busy." The excuse falls flat, and Kix scoffs.

"Who isn't. Do I need to pull rank again, or will you let me do the bare minimum exam?"

"......."

Rex gives in after twenty minutes of silence, the captain grumbling under his breath as Kix descends on him. Despite not being pleased with Rex and his evasiveness, he takes care to keep most of Rex's attention him himself rather than his medical tools. Rex hadn't said it out loud, which to be fair he couldn't as to remain the face his men looked up to and trusted, but being subjected to more than a few nasty tests after being liberated from the BSV had not helped him recover from the fact he could have died without being able to save anyone, let alone himself. Medbay's hadn't been much to him before, but now Rex started going out of his way to catch Kix and the other medics outside of the room, reassuring them as always yet avoiding simple things like his recovery assessment.

"You have been recovering nicely." There's a very small slump of Rex's shoulders, but the medic says nothing as he packs up his kit. "I'll test the blood I took, but you're lucky."

"Like I've been saying, I feel fine." Kix raised an eyebrow, pausing to shoot the surprised commander a glare.

"Oh you are nowhere near fine, but I did promise to try and be nice right now. I order you to report to the barracks, you've been holing up away from everyone, and it shows."

"I have reports to fill out..." Rex winces at how weak his protest is, but doesn't get much of a chance to say more when the door opens once more to reveal Ahsoka. "Really?"

"Jesse says you can't ignore me asking you things." The togruta smiled, and Kix can see the tension visibly leaving Rex as the togruta crosses the small room with a smile.

"Jesse is a traitor." Rex grumbled, but Kix doesn't need to Force to see there was no malice in his words.

"Maybe, but he's right. You haven't seen come to our sabbac nights anymore, and not even Skyguy has seen you outside of shift. So, I'm asking you to come join us scrubs for the night!"

"I'm sorry scrubs?" Rex's eyebrows shot up as Kix failed to hide his snort of amusement, a small grin cracking his impassive face for the first time in ages. "Let me guess, Fives taught you that?"

"Mhm! Although judging by the two of you, it doesn't mean regular troops does it?" Ahsoka grumbled as Kix just barked out a laugh, Rex trembling in the effort to hold his own in. "I'm so getting back at him."

"As long as it doesn't involve personal injury, I'll help." Kix shook his head in amusement, watching Rex place his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder.

"I have a few ideas myself." He tries not to focus on the way the Jetti preens when he gets to his feet, shifting close to him as the trio head out and towards the barracks, listening to some of Rex's surprisingly good prank ideas to use later on.

No one kicks up a fuss when Rex finally joins them for the impromptu movie night Echo and Dogma had set up, just joking with him and laughing about the movie that was more a sound board than actually paid attention to. They all knew it was just background amusement, just happy to see their commander letting loose for the first time since the BSV and enjoying his men's company, leaving the bunker deep in his mind for another night.

Break

*Warning: angst*

Wolffe always thought that Rex was a rock. A strong guy who survived to a precocious death in his young age, who struggled more than all the other ones to prove that he has the same abilities as his siblings whatever he looked alike, who endured more than one terrible loss during the war and stood still to help his brothers to stand up again. As the king he was named after, Rex always made the well-being of his fellows a priority over his own health and feelings. 

Actually, even him used his strong shoulder to surpass his pain to have lost everything - brothers and what was the closest to a father - in a second. And now, Gregor, that they had meet some weeks before, also climb on the unsheakable mountain he was to endure that he was no more than an empty shell with almost no memories of himself.

But he was wrong. One question was sufficient to reveal the deep crack in his heart. 

- How it was to lead the 501st? asked Gregor as he heard that this company has quiet a reputation. 

- It was a mess, answered Rex rolling his eyes over the sky. Especially with Hardcase…

He stopped, his amber gaze falling down to the ground, jaws closed. For the first time, Wolffe saw his brother starting to shiver a little. 

- But Fives and Jesse… he tried to continue with a trembling voice. 

He froze again and the silence wrapped them up into the cave they were sitting in for the approaching night. Rex finally got up and left them without a word, disappearing in the tall grass of the savannah below. Wolffe crossed Gregor’s stare.

- I’m stupid, he said sadly. 

- Wait here. 

The former commander of the 104th jumped on his feet and quitted the place, searching for his comrade. He quickly found him no that far from him, on his knees. Wolffe hesitated for a moment but thought that it was now his turn to be the big brother he has to be for him. So he walked towards the ex-captain and crouched in front of the sobbing soldier to reassure him. When Rex did realise he was not alone anymore, he tried to wipe away his tears but Wolffe stopped him. 

- It’s okay. I think you desserve the right to. 

- I… 

He swallowed his saliva, the pain stretching his features. 

- Thinking about Hardcase… then Fives and Jesse… I thought I could but…

- It’s normal, Rex. Don’t worry. 

Wolffe felt his own heart tightened up but he knew that he has no right, at this very precise moment, to be sad. He has to be strong, like this blond boy was for him before. So he smiled and squeezed gentily the shoulder of his brother-in-arms.

- I so much wanted to save them all… he avowed, a tear rolling down his cheek.

- We all wanted to. 

- I have failed, Wolffe. I have failed so much.

He was now crying for real but didn’t seem to notice it. The commander continued to smile. 

- No, Rex, you did your best. It was the war, you know. There was nothing we could do against this. 

- I buried Jesse. I buried them all…

A confession that broke him for good as he finally collapsed against his chest, bursting into unstoppable tears. Wolffe didn’t say a word and embraced him softly. Not so far from them, Gregor was standing by, watching them silently. He heard everything and looked more embarrassed than ever. The three of them stayed in that position for a long time before Rex took back the control of himself.

- Gregor… he must be worried… he said in a whisper.

- You know what? I think he will perfectly understand this. 

Wolffe smiled again. Even in the bottom of the deepest hole, the king still thought about the other ones before himself. 

***

I put a warning this time because I wish my brain put warning on what he is up to tell me sometimes. The other day, he offered me a soft and funny scene between Hardcase and Rex, but the sweetness finished into a deep sadness that still hurts me now. Damn you, brain! >_<

Sorry for the mistakes again. 

I've been thinking anout your winged!glinda HC's a lot,, can we get a hurt comfort one shot/drabble of elphaba preening glinda's feathers? 😔🙏

damn u really took me down a rabbit hole lmao. i ended up writing like 3k words of just sad, winged!glinda. but here's a snippet of her finally getting some elphie comfort!

(headcanon list found here)

///

‘Ready’ apparently comes two weeks later when an exhausted Glinda opens the balcony doors to let Elphaba in. Her wings are a tattered mess behind her, the result of a day spent flying against harsh, autumn winds. When Elphaba leads her to the bed, Glinda all but falls onto it, groaning into her pillows. 

She doesn’t realize she’s left her back open to Elphaba until the woman gasps loudly, hand flying up to cover her mouth. Glinda turns her head, curious, and her blood goes cold when she realizes what Elphaba is staring at. 

Usually, when Glinda is around people, she keeps her wings folded and tucked up, shielding her back from view and keeping her feathers away from wandering or curious hands.

But now, wearing nothing but a halter top and with her wings splayed to either side of her, the bare skin of her back is in full view, exposing the mess of scars and pink-stained feathers to Elphaba’s gaze. 

Glinda immediately tries to get her hands underneath her to push herself up, wings shifting to cover herself. She’s mumbling apologies under her breath, frantic and stuttering. She never wanted Elphaba to see what she had done. What her spell had caused Glinda to endure. 

“Stop, s-stop, Glinda, stop!” Elphaba cries. She’s trembling slightly, horrified by what she’s seen. “Just- please. Stop apologizing.”

Glinda glances over her shoulder with teary eyes. “I'm sorry. I never wanted you to see,” she whispers. 

Elphaba takes a deep breath, blowing it out carefully. “Can you show me again? Please?”

Glinda's first instinct is to vehemently reject the idea, but Elphaba is staring at her with wide, wet eyes, pleading and sorrowful. Slowly, Glinda lets herself fall back to her stomach, splaying her wings out and fighting against her instincts. 

It’s an easier fight than she would’ve imagined. A part of her…trusts Elphaba. More than she’s ever trusted anyone else. Her wings fall open willingly, even as her thoughts tumble over memories of sharp nails and harsh yanks, of cruel fists that pulled and twisted.

The first brush of fingers against her scars makes Glinda's skin twitch and her mind flash with a brief panic, but she manages to keep it subtle, breathing evenly, and after a brief hesitation, Elphaba continues her exploration. 

She doesn’t ask if it had hurt. She doesn’t ask why the feathers are pink. She doesn’t try and get Glinda to talk about the worst day of her life.

She just…runs her fingers over them, soft and gentle. She cards through the small feathers by the base of Glinda’s shoulders, and it’s such an overwhelming sensation that it practically makes Glinda want to scream. 

The human side of Glinda’s brain all but shuts down, and she collapses into the pillows, biting down on her tongue hard enough to bleed. Elphaba’s fingers are soft and sure, calmly raking through the ruffled feathers and gently starting to realign them. 

It feels heavenly. 

There’s a rumble building in Glinda’s chest as the pleasure washes over her. It’s not even sexual- it just feels good. Her mind is foggy and numb, her muscles relaxing and making her sink deeper and deeper into the sheets. 

“Glinda? This still okay?” Elphaba checks in. 

Glinda can barely remember what words are. “Mmhm,” she hums, snapping her mouth shut around what could almost be called a coo. Something warbly and soft, something happy. 

It’s like the world’s best massage, especially when Elphaba gains enough confidence to start working into the downy under feathers, rubbing through the softness right near her shoulder blades, coaxing Glinda’s wings to secrete the oil that will make them shiny and waterproof. 

Glinda wiggles in place, shivers running down her spine as Elphaba’s fingers glide through feathers that can’t help puffing up and settling down in waves as Glinda falls into the pattern Elphaba established. It feels so. Good. 

“Glinda?”

There are no words. Glinda can’t even think properly, swimming in a haze of pleasure. She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out except a pretty little trill. Elphaba laughs, startled but pleased. “You good, little dove?” 

The nickname makes Glinda melt, and she lets out another embarrassing trill. “Wow. You are really out of it,” Elphaba breathes, something awed in her tone. She keeps going, shifting the crooked feathers, smoothing the ruffled ones. 

Time starts to blur, and Glinda has no idea if it’s been minutes or hours. She feels so blissed out that Morrible herself could walk into the room right now and she still likely wouldn’t move. She’s an absolute puddle of limbs and feathers, her wings splayed over the bed. 

For the first time since Glinda got her wings, nothing hurts. Every feather feels right, nothing is misaligned, there’s no itch or sting or prickling awareness of something being wrong. No pain. 

Galinda feels completely, utterly, wonderfully content. 

“Stay,” she whispers to Elphaba, sliding further and further toward sleep, drunk on pleasure and finally feeling safe. She doesn't want Elphaba to leave, even as the woman shifts from preening her to just running soft fingers over the tops.

Elphaba's smile can be heard in her voice. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Okay, but consider: Rex is caught in a time loop on Umbara, as the only one

TW for Umbara's everything, except I traumatize Rex even further. I intend this to be something of a fix-it or at least hopeful, but like, there's implied suicidal thoughts and. lots of um. Heavy Angst. ask to tag please

The first time is horrible. Like. canon. Then he wakes up again at the beginning of the campaign and-

He's wary, and tries to tell himself that it's a dream. He knows it's not. He tries to change things but it doesn't end up too different than before.

He wakes up again. What's going on? He's still trying not to aggravate Krell too much, these lightsabers tearing through his men still haunting his dreams. He stands his ground more often than not but it's a dangerous game - again he loses.

He wakes up again. This must be some sick joke. Fives and Jesse - they know something is up. He tries to save as many men as he can, tries to stop the friendly fire before it can really begin - not much changes. It's him that kills Krell, but at what cost?

He wakes up again. He barely gets to his feet. He can't see themm all die again. He goes regardless, because what if he makes a difference this time? What if he manages to save them? The time loop is irrelevant as long as he gets another chance. He fails.

He wakes up again. Nothing works. He doesn't want to get his brothers killed, but he loses control of himself. Appo takes him aside, puts him on the side lines for this - they don't want to risk losing Rex. Everyone is worried. Rex just stumbles along like it's a fever dream. (If only.) Few things change.

He wakes up again. He just wants to scream. He tries a more offensive approach - Krell nearly loses his temper then and there. A part of him wonders if it would be better now than later, when even more have died. It sends the same as any other time.

He wakes up again. He doesn't have the energy to fight anymore. It's no use. But then Krell sends them against the 212th again - he snaps, he stops it from happening, and he directly confronts Krell once more. He refuses to back down. Krell reveals himself and - this time, Rex ends the day with a lightsaber through his guts.

He wakes up again. He can barely keep himself upright. He keeps feeling the phantom pains of his death - he keeps trying to push through. Nothing works out.

He wakes up again. He doesn't even try anymore.

He wakes up again. He can't do this anymore. He barely registers what's happening - he knows how it ends anyway. He struggles to separate this time from all the previous ones. He it hit by a stray bolt; Kix makes it to him just in time to see him die. At least this time he doesn't have to watch everyone else die.

He wakes up again. He barely speaks, drinks, does anything more than going through the needed motions to appear alive. He won't talk to anyone concerned about him. He can't do this anymore. However this ends - he just wants it to end. It doesn't.

He wakes up again. He shoots Krell on sight. Except Krell reflects the bolts back to him - Rex dies laughing and under the horrified gazes of everyone around him. What use is there in carrying on?

He wakes up again. His body refuses to get up. He doesn't care either way. Skywalker pries out of him what's up - it's a long and gruelling process, but the Force tells him that Rex speaks the truth. They try to change things, but even Anakin knows he can't just attack Krell like that. He still has a hard time actually believing it, too. He sends Ahsoka instead of himself and stays, and they end up with less casualties.

Then he gets called to the battle above the capital in an Umbaran fighter - he's the best pilot, after all. Rex stays, and it's going so well - but everything keeps gnawing at him, his living nightmares keep resurfacing, he crashes.

It's an Umbaran that hits him, but at least he now has an idea of how it might work. Maybe, if he's lucky, the time loop breaks when he saves them.

He wakes up again. Approaches Skywalker directly. Krell is greatly displeased when he sticks around and... it seems to work. And still, when Anakin is forced into the medbay, he sends them against the 212th. But Rex knows. He tells his men, has them marching without helmets on. They don't start firing and got to arrest Krell. This time, they have Skywalker on their side - and Krell still murders many of them, but only a fraction of the casualties of the other times. They execute him for treason - and with a Jedi on their side.

Then he wakes up again.

And for a horrible moment he thinks it's all starting again, it's not ending - before he notices he's still at the post they set up.

He stopped caring a long time ago, and as the realization hits that it's over and they made it and they're still alive he starts laughing and crying almost hysterically because... because they're alive.

And it's finally over.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CC-1010 | Fox, CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex Characters: CC-2224 | Cody, CC-1010 | Fox, CT-7567 | Rex, Blitz (Star Wars), Colt (Star Wars) Additional Tags: 212th Appreciation Week, Prompt | Magic/Mythology/Fantasy, Sirens, Sirens AU, CCs as Sirens, beginning of the war, Kaminoans Being Assholes (Star Wars), but they’re not actually given a chance to be assholes this time, 212th CT-7567 | Rex Series: Part 3 of Shon'laar, Part 9 of 212th Appreciation Week Summary:

The war has begun, and with the war comes new responsibilities. Not everyone is happy with their assignments, but the vode make do. And some force changes.

@212thappreciation for the Fantasy/Mythology prompt

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Clone Commander Blackout & CT-7567 | Rex, ARC-77 | Fordo & CT-7567 | Rex, Coric & CT-7567 | Rex Characters: Clone Commander Blackout (Star Wars), CT-7567 | Rex, ARC-77 | Fordo, Clone Trooper Coric (Star Wars), ARC Trooper Stec (Star Wars), Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano Additional Tags: Planet Teth (Star Wars), Post-Battle Of Teth, Post-Battle of Christophsis, Teth is its own warning, Battle of Hypori, there’s a lot going on ok, Alternate Universe, Jai'galaar Verda AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, No Beta we die like. like. everyone from torrent-, Author Is Sleep Deprived, The Author is Screaming Series: Part 3 of Jai'galaar Verda Summary:

Blackout received his Jaig eyes recently - only to learn that, apparently, he now is part of ancient magic. Fordo and his squad have been called in to save Jedi, but there is more than just one thing off about… well, everything, unfortunately. It just can’t ever be easy, can it? Rex has a lot to do, between the shriek-hawk in his head and the new padawan in his legion. Soon, both will be the least of his problems.

[You have to read at least Blue before this one - it’s a direct continuation.]

Deadcember Day 17: Dark Night

Ever since he was a cadet fresh out of the tube, CT-7567 has been different.

Yeah, the blond hair is a pretty obvious indicator, but there’s something else. Something below the surface.

CT-7567 was always slightly faster, slightly stronger, slightly smarter than his batchmates. He has the best scores in training. Sometimes he knows which one of them was about to sneak up behind him, even if they weren’t making a sound. All of these inexplicable things added up to an anomaly that the Kaminoans just barely missed, despite them keeping a very close eye on him because of his “cosmetic defect.”

And there was the Voice.

The Voice isn’t his inner dialogue or anything—CT-7567 knows that. He can’t explain how or why, but he just knows. The Voice helps him, will tell him to take a left instead of a right to avoid being caught if he was out past curfew, will tell him when to dodge in order to avoid being shot during a training sim.

During one sim, something went wrong and CT-7570 is killed. The Voice seems to scream in pain and it’s almost as if ’67 feels CT-7570 die.

Such an explanation seems ridiculous, but he can’t think of a better one, and it just fits.

CT-7567 knows that his… quirks are strange and unique (are dangerous, are defects) when he asks one of his closest batchmates about it.

“When ’70 was killed, did you… feel anything? Like, pain or something?” He asks CT-7583, who taken to calling himself Keeli.

Keeli looks at him strangely, as if he had suddenly grown a second head (CT-7567 has heard rumors of such defects, though if they ever existed, the Kaminoans would decommission them at the first sign of abnormality). “No,” his batch mate responds. “Did you?”

“N-no. I just… I felt bad after, I guess.”

Keeli wraps his arm around ’67’s shoulders, pulling him close. “Me too.”

Then Keeli pokes ’67’s side, and they devolve into giggles and roughhousing, the day’s events forgotten.

%#%#%

Sometimes, the Voice is less of a Voice and more of a Feeling, like the day the War begins.

By this point, CT-7567 has received a nickname—Rex. He was also bumped up to the command track. He felt slightly out of place, but CC-2224, who likes to be called Cody, took him under his wing.

Over the past two days, there have been whispers of a Jedi on Kamino. Rex knew they were true: he felt the Jedi as soon as they entered the atmosphere. They glowed, brighter than all of his brothers.

Though no one is exactly sure why the Jedi came, they all knew what it meant—the War was here.

The day they are deployed, Rex wakes up feeling tense, as if he’s in a training sim. There’s this sense of foreboding, and Rex wants to prepare, but he doesn’t know what to get ready for, let alone how to do so.

He’s walking back to his barracks after midday meal, his head pounding, when the announcement comes in.

They’re being deployed to Geonosis. This is not a drill.

Rex turns around and runs to the hangars.

%#%#%

On Geonosis, Rex dies countless times.

He’s never felt so much death, so much despair, and it takes everything he has to keep his blaster up and remain on his feet. He keeps fighting, even as brothers and Jedi alike are shot down right in front of him.

He knows his purpose, knows he was bred to fight and even die for the Republic, but he’s not sure he can take it.

%#%#%

Somehow, Rex had been made a captain—he even earned himself some jaig eyes (no matter how undeserving he felt of them) and was assigned to the recently-knighted Anakin Skywalker. They’re headed to their first deployment when General Skywalker pulls him into his quarters.

“I have a question for you, Rex,” General Skywalker begins. Rex isn’t sure what’s about to happen. Did he already do something wrong? Is he going to get decommissioned?

The General continues. “Have you… ever noticed anything different about yourself? Like you know someone’s about to come through the door even if you can’t hear their footsteps, or you can dodge faster than those around?”

Oddly specific questions, but he’s not about to lie to a superior. “Y-yes, sir?”

General Skywalker exhales and smiles. “Cool. I was like 90% sure that I was right, but I had to check.”

“Right about… what, sir?”

“Ok, what do you know about the Force?”

Rex stares.

“Nothing. That’s alright. The Force is like… an energy field. It flows through the entire universe, from the biggest galaxies to the smallest womp rats. Some, like the Jedi, are Force-sensitive, which means they can sense and use it. So basically, um… congratulations, you’re Force-sensitive!”

What.

What.

On Kamino, they learned about the Jedi, how they wield swords made of light and can move objects with their minds. The Jedi sounded mythical, god-like.

And here Rex is, learning that he’s got those same powers.

Oh kriff.

This is it. He’s done for.

“If you’d like, I’d be happy to teach you some stuff. Basic shielding, Force usage, and maybe even some saber training. How does that sound?”

Rex looks at General Skywalker. The man is grinning from ear to ear, not a hint of disgust or deceit on his face.

Trust him, the Voice says. Trust him.

…So he’s not getting decommissioned?

Rex considers the General’s offer. “Do… are you going to tell anyone?”

“No. If you wanna tell people, that’s on you, but I figured, well, if you didn’t know you were Force-sensitive, then it’s not normal for you guys. I don’t want you… getting in trouble or anything. And no need to call me ‘sir.’ Just ‘Anakin’ is fine, at least when it’s just us.”

Rex isn’t quite ready to do that, yet.

After all, he still needs to process that he can potentially move things with his mind.

%#%#%

The war goes on.

Brothers come and are just as quickly caught in death’s chilling grasp. The deaths don’t hurt as much, though, since General Skywalker Anakin taught him how to shield his mind. He’s also learned some basic Force applications. He’s not great at it yet, but he pretty much has the basics down.

He excels at lightsaber training, and enjoys it more than the other things he’s learning. Upon expressing this to Anakin, the Jedi smirks and admits to being much the same.

Despite his protests, Anakin is assigned an actual Padawan, a sassy togruta by the name of Ahsoka Tano. She’s fresh and far too young in Rex’s opinion (like he can talk), but she’s a fast and eager learner. She grows on him and the 501st far faster than he’d like to admit, and for all his initial reluctance, it’s clear that Anakin adores her.

While the Jedi is obviously largely responsible for teaching his Padawan, Rex imparts some of his expertise. Rex learns from her, as well; upon discovering his Force-sensitivity, Ahsoka eagerly contributes to his knowledge and training.

He forges bonds (figurative and literal bonds. Yet another thing you can do when you’re Force-sensitive, apparently) with both Anakin and Ahsoka, which strengthen with every battle fought. It reaches the point where their efficiency and effectiveness are almost unparalleled.

They win battle after battle with minimal casualties. On one memorable occasion, Rex has the opportunity to use his new lightsaber skills, to the shock and awe of his troops.

The tide is turning in the Republic’s favor, and an end to the war is in sight.

Rex isn’t sure what’ll happen to him and his brothers after the war, but he finds himself filled with hope.

And then Ahsoka leaves.

%#%#%

Rex fights battle after battle. He’s lost track of the planets they’ve been on, the brothers he’s lost.

Anakin is more irritable, more prone to giving in to his anger.

Coruscant is attacked.

Count Dooku is killed.

The war is nearly over.

And then—

“Execute Order 66.”

Good soldiers follow orders.

“Yes, Lord Sidious,” CT-7567 replies.

The Jedi are traitors, and they must be dealt with as such, and—

A piercing pain erupts to life on the right side of his head. He staggers, gripping his head. The Force screams and the pain grows and grows and grows—

It explodes in a flash of blinding white light.

%#%#%

CT-7567 Rex wakes up in… a medbay, though he is unsure where he is, exactly. The pain in his head has decreased to a dull throbbing.

His General returns with a new name, confined to a suit because of his former Master’s betrayal. The Jedi attempted to assassinate the Chancellor, Anakin Darth Vader tells him.

The Republic no longer exists and has instead been rebuilt into an empire. The Empire.

Some things stay the same, though. Rex remains at his General’s side, both on and off the battlefield. Vader continues to teach him about the Force, but his methods are far different.

The Force feels twisted and dark, but Rex ignores the unease stirred within him.

After all, he’s right where he should be.

%#%#%

One day, Rex tells Vader of the strange experience he had prior to waking up in the medbay.

“My Master attempted to enslave you,” Darth Vader growls. “Not to worry. One day, I shall possess the strength and skill to strike him down and take his place as Emperor, as is the way of the Sith.”

On the third anniversary of the Empire’s birth, Darth Vader does just that.

Unfettered by his Master’s demands, Vader cracks down on slavery, his justice swift and sure.

He rules with an iron fist, stomping out any signs of dissent, tolerating nothing less than complete loyalty and absolute perfection.

Rex remains by his side, as he always was.

%#%#%

Darth Vader becomes complacent.

Complacency is what gets one killed.

Darth Vader’s problem is that he never suspected his loyal captain, his eager apprentice.

Darth Adenn uses the Force to shove Darth Vader’s body off the throne, stepping on it as he ascends to his rightful place.

Even as the Force plunges ever deeper into the Dark, Emperor Adenn’s eyes glow like the rising sun.

[Adenn= Mando'a for "merciless"]

I just thought of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad au where during Umbara it’s Rex that’s injured and he’s begging Kix to leave him behind so Kix can keep outrunning the tanks. And Kix still tells Rex he sounds like General Krell but he’s more frustrated and afraid than angry. Kix manages to group Rex with the rest of the wounded and Rex orders Kix to leave them behind and initially Kix is like no Fucking way I’m leaving you all out here but Rex reasons with him that he’s the only medic with the company right now and he had to keep moving with the group and Rex would keep an eye on and defend the rest of the wounded. At this point Kix knows he’s right so he leaves with them with a bunch of supplies and keeps going with Torrent. At the end of the battle when their recovering everyone’s like oh Kriff where’s Rex?! Did we loose him?! Is he dead?! And Kix speaks up and tells them he’s with the wounded, which spurts Fives and company to try and go back and look for them but in the name of progress and sacrifice Krell forbids it. He temporarily promotes Jesse to captain because i think at the time he was Rex’s lieutenant but mostly because Krell liked Jesse’s attitude more than he liked Five’s. The rest of the arc continues the way it originally did but with Jesse and fives at the lead. Meanwhile, Rex and like 25 other troops are lost in a foreign environment in the center of hostile territory on a planet far from any republic system, dwindling rations and medical supplies trying their best to live off the land for weeks. Rex had found a cave for the men to hide out in and made a camp there. Since he’s the captain and one of the least injured he goes out trying to locate and contact the gar while finding food and supplies. Between encounters with natural predators and Umbaran squads he always comes back more injured than he left. At this time Anakin gets back and he’s also like umm where’s Rex?? When the 501st tells him what happened he’s pissed and immediately goes out into the jungle to find Rex. And he does, just in time too because Rex had gotten his legs caught in a trap and was too injured to walk or fight and was surrounded by enemy Umbarans. Rex and the others wounded are rescued and get shipped of to a medical station for a while. When they get back hella comfort ensues and torrent is never letting Rex out of their sight again. Over the next few months however it’s clear that Rex has developed a significant amount of trauma and ptsd from the experience and is finding it hard to integrate back into and function within the gar.