I Just Thought Of A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Au Where During Umbara It’s Rex That’s

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

Right Hands of the Republic

Summary: Sabé and Rex have the worst jobs in the world.

Pairing: Background Anidala

Word Count: 3.8K

Warnings: None

Authors Note: It’s finally done! After months of inactivity! Big thanks to @transfetts for helping me edit this one! And a special shout out to @royalhandmaidens for helping me run with this idea, and being an incredible person to bounce off of ❤️

In all honesty, Sabé wasn’t sure if her day could get any worse.

Her life had been threatened before. That was easy to deal with. She had played the seven-string hallikset in front of millions of people. That was also easy, although in a different way. Sabé had fought the Battle for Naboo in the most uncomfortable outfit she’d ever worn, with a headpiece that weighed down her neck and made her look like a child wearing an oversized bonnet.

But standing here. Looking like an idiot next to the stiffest Trooper she had ever met? Today definitely took the cake as the worst day of Sabé’s life.

Sabé had never actually met a Clone Trooper before. Sure they were everywhere on Coruscant, they were practically everywhere in the universe, but Sabé had never actually met one before. The Coruscant guard didn’t really talk much, and she had only ever interacted with them as Padmé, not as Sabé.

But as soon as she saw Anakin and his trooper outside Padmé’s senate chamber, Sabé knew she would be spending some quality time with a Clone.

“General Skywalker,” Padmé started, and even with her hood covering her eyes, Sabé could practically see that dreamy look in Padmé’s gaze. Ugh. “How unexpected.”

Anakin wasn’t supposed to be back for weeks. He had returned from Umbara after a misunderstanding on the battlefield. Rumor had it that the GAR had suffered immense casualties and every available Jedi had been needed to finish the assault. Sabé wasn’t sure what was propaganda and what was the truth yet, but it seemed messy regardless.

And yet here Anakin was anyway. Sauntering through the senate halls as if nothing had happened and he wasn’t keeping the galaxy's biggest secret.

“Well you know how it is,” He says with a smirk, “I bring word from the Frontlines. I was hoping I could give you an update on our progress.”

What he really meant was, “We should both neglect our responsibilities and make out in your office and make Sabé super uncomfortable.” Or at least, that’s how Sabé heard it.

Playing third wheel was bad enough, but playing third wheel to a secret marriage between the dumbest Jedi and her best friend was possibly the worst way to spend an afternoon.

“Ani, you know I-“ Padmé starts, but he interrupts.

“Just a moment of your time senator,” He grabs at her hands gently, holding them near his chest. “Please?”

And Sabé knows then that Padmé is sold.

“Alright,” Padmé sighs, but she’s smiling. A lovesick type of grin that spreads warmly across her face. “Sabé, would you mind waiting here for a moment?”

“As you wish M’lady.” Sabé says. She actually did mind. A lot. But doing things she didn’t want to do was part of the job.

My hands are yours.

“Rex, why don’t you keep Sabé company for a bit? I’ll be right back.” Anakin winked as if to say “I won’t be right back”.

It took all of her Amidala training to hold back the eye roll.

And thus they stood.

And stood.

And stood.

Being a handmaiden meant a lot of standing around and waiting quietly. Standing behind Padmé as she addressed the Senate. Standing behind Queen Amidala as she addressed the senate.

It was a lot of senate and a lot of standing still. Sabé didn’t mind that. She liked listening and observing. What Sabé didn’t like was listening to her best friend fawn over a Jedi while she waited outside with a stranger.

Although the stranger probably didn’t like hanging around with her either.

Captain Rex hadn’t moved once. Hadn’t even addressed her. He stood at attention, armor faded and dented as he gazed silently ahead. He looked like he had seen better days. The paint was chipping off his arm brace and there was ash on his chest plate.

They must have gone straight for the senate building as soon as they had returned.

He was probably just as exhausted as her. And frustrated. Sabé let out a silent sigh. She was being unfair again. Not liking Anakin shouldn’t mean not liking his trooper.

So, Sabé takes a deep breath, without even moving, and tries to apply that “warmth” Yané always tried to teach her.

“So, see any good holovids latey?” Is the only thing she can think to say. Padme was a master at conversation, and although she had spent almost eight years imitating her, that was the one trait Sabé could not crack.

“I don’t have time off to watch Holovids.” His voice is mechanical under his mask, crisp and echoing.

It wasn’t like they were trying to be subtle or anything.

“Oh.” Is all Sabé says before they fall back into an uncomfortable silence. He seems to pity her though, for Captain Rex tries to start up conversation again after a few moments.

“Do you think we’ll be able to leave soon?”

As if it is the will of the Force, suddenly there's laughter coming from Padmé’s chambers.

“No.” Sabé responds.

And suddenly there’s a crash, like a window shattering.

Forgetting her formalities, or her own embarrassment, Sabé instantly turns and slams into the door, forcing it open. The Captain is right behind her, blaster drawn. He almost runs right into her.

Padmé and Anakin are staring out a window. Anakin is leaning out, as if trying to see something. Padmé turns.

“Sabé. It was a reporter. I left my window open.”

Her heart drops.

Reporter. Open window. Secret affair.

Ruin.

Anakin seems much less panicked than Padmé, straightening himself and shutting the blinds. He looks… relieved? But Sabé has no time to untangle the map of his soul right now.

“What did he look like?” She asks firmly. There was little time for her to act, and she couldn’t waste a second.

“Dark hair, silver speeder bike. He was wearing a blue media jacket. Heading down to the lower levels.”

“Understood.” Sabé turns instantly, already planning the best route in her head. He would have had to take-

“Now wait just a minute.” Anakin. A minute is not something we have, Sabé wants to yell, but she keeps silent. “I’m not going to let Sabé go alone. She’ll never be able to catch that guy by herself.”

Yes I could. Sabé thinks. But still she keeps silent.

“Rex. Accompany Sabé. I want both of you back before we ship out.”

“Understood Sir.” The Captain stands at attention before quickly turning to Sabé.

Great. The one thing worse than being slowed down by Anakin, was being slowed down by his right hand. He had no idea how she operated. And he stuck out like-

Well he stuck out just as bad as a velvet robbed handmaiden.

“Whatever you wish, m'lady.” Sabé says, secretly hoping Padmé will side with her and deny Rex. But of course, she doesn’t.

“It would be helpful to have another person come along.” Padmé says instead, “Just hurry.”

Sabé gives a soft bow before turning on her heel and racing out of the room, the sound of clanking armor following her the whole way.

The Naboo garage was filled with glimmering starships and speeders. Sabé’s personal speeder was not counted among them.

“I’m driving,” Sabé says as she turns on the machine. “You can sit behind me.”

“Right.” He clearly didn’t like handing off leadership, but it seemed he was wise enough to take the metaphorical and literal backseat when he had to. The engine of her speeder roars to life as Sabé settles in the front with Rex quickly following suit.

“You’ll be able to see better than me if you use your scanner to try and spot him,” Sabé yells over the engine.

Her hair was wiping wildly now, flying loose from her hood and into her eyeline. What she would give for a hairpin.

“He’s probably klicks away by now.” Rex says, and Sabé hears the mechanical clinking of his rangefinder shifting into place as he scans the city.

“That’s why I asked you to use your bucket, genius.” Sabé says before pulling into the busy skylanes.

Sabé didn’t like Coruscant. It was too busy, with too many people and too much pollution. And the Underworld was the worst part. Between the smell of burning fuel, the rattling metal and the horrid smell of endless garbage disposals, everything about it made her skin crawl.

But whatever Padmé asked, Sabé would follow through.

“You seem to know your way around.” Rex says.

“I make it my business to know.” She replies. Just because Padmé wanted Anakin’s clone to tag around did not mean Sabé had to like it.

“Right.”

They fall into the motion of the city. With the wind tugging her hair loose and ringing in her ears, Sabé almost misses Rex’s shout.

“I found him! There!” He points over to her left. The reporter in question is six lanes over, blue jacket whipping wildly in the wind. Camera strap around his neck.

“Hang on!” She yells, before pulling a completely illegal six lane change.

Pulling up as close as she can, Sabé tries to settle herself even with the reporter, bikes side by side.

“Pull over and give me that camera!” Sabé yells, and the reporter turns to her with a wild look.

“On whose authority?” The reporter yells back.

“The Grand Army of the Republic.” Rex doesn’t yell, but the speakers in his helmet amplify his voice enough to be heard over. Sabé wasn’t exactly sure they were officially acting on behalf of the GAR, but it seemed to scare the reporter enough to give him pause.

“You’re in possession of private property!”

“I’m in possession of the story of the century!”

“Like hell you are!” Sabé screams.

He was drifting dangerously close now, his bike almost brushing hers. Normally, the auto navigation system would prevent them from getting this close to another vehicle, but Sabé had rewired it months ago in favor of more subtle routes.

He’s still yelling at her about “stories of the age” and “secret affairs” as she reaches out with her right hand and tries to grab his camera. He pulls back, but he could only move so much with both hands on the handle.

Almost-

And suddenly Sabé’s right hand slips off the steering.

And everything moves in slow motion.

Sabé’s bike tilts left, falling straight into the reporter’s. There’s a crunch from her bike, and the engine spits fire and sparks. The speeders are locked together now, her pedals caught in his.

The reporter has this terrified look on his face, and Sabé seizes that split second and rips the camera off the chain around his neck.

And then her bike falls.

And she falls.

And Rex falls right after her.

In the back of her mind, Sabé vaguely hears Rex yelling something along the lines of, “not again” but all she was really processing, was that she was falling to her death.

But instead of dying, Sabé finds her fall cut short as she crashes into a large speeder hood.

The group inside gasps in horror, and reaching as fast as she can, Sabé tries to grasp at the driver's hand, or the windshield or anything, but within an instant, she slips right off. Her sleeve catches on the side of the vehicle and tears in half as she falls again.

And lands directly onto another speeder.

This one is smaller, and buckles under her weight. Dripping off the skylane. The driver lets out a scream, and shakes her bike.

“I won’t be robbed by some crazy lunatic!” She cries.

“I’m not trying to rob you!” Sabé yells over the commotion.

“Liar!” The driver screams, and keeps shaking her bike. Sabé’s grip slips, and she can feel herself falling.

“Stop, stop! I just want to get down!” She manages. But the driver won’t hear it, and gives the bike one hard shake.

And Sabé is falling again, but the fall is quick, as she lands straight into a dumpster.

Despite the gross cushioning, Sabé hits the bottom of the bin with a sick crack, and instantly knows she won’t be sleeping on her left side for a while.

Ow.

Against the will of her body, Sabé pushes herself up and stands. She had to find that reporter, and she had to get out of that terrible, terrible smell.

Climbing over the edge of the bin shouldn’t have been hard, normally Sabé could have scaled a wall in seconds. But her vision was slightly blurred, and not being able to use her left shoulder was a hindrance. Standing on trash bags, Sabé boosts herself over the edge and stumbles out and onto the alley floor.

Her dress is in shambles. The left sleeve had ripped clean off, as had her hood. The once perfect ombré is now stained with mysterious green and brown liquid from the dumpster. Not to mention the pieces of trash that got stuck to the velvet.

Sabé knows her hair is flying free now and dreads the thought of her reflection. If her grease stained and scratched hands are any indication, she isn’t pretty.

Rex is laying on the ground a few feet away, trying to push himself off his stomach. His pauldron has a crack down the middle and several small pieces of his armor are missing. And so is his helmet.

Rex has a thin cut across his face, spanning from his left eyebrow to his chin.

He looks.

Really young.

Younger than she had expected.

It was probably foolish of her to assume he was older than her, Sabé knew most clones were only around ten, with accelerated growth. But she had always assumed he would look like her father or something. All grey and set lines. But Rex appeared no older than Sabé herself. Sure he had a giant cut across his face right now, but she could see past that.

He looks like a kid. Well, teenager. Well. He looked her age. But still. Young.

Too young.

Sabé supposes to most people he would seem handsome. Maybe in a boyish way, that would make the school girls on Naboo giggle, but to Sabé he just looks like-

Like a boy, covered in dirt, who really didn’t want to be here.

“Did you see where the reporter fell?” Sabé asks. Her voice cracks as she speaks, and she can feel an invisible weight sitting on her lungs. Her left rib is definitely cracked.

“No.” He groans. Without his helmet, Rex’s voice was drastically different. “But he can’t have gotten far.”

Sabé studies around them, Rex was right, the reporter couldn’t have fallen that much farther than they had, their bikes were practically locked together-

There.

Crawling off a trash heap, the reporter looks just as stunned as Sabé feels. Although she hoped she was holding it together better.

“Stop!” She shouts.

Sabé groans, and despite her aching limbs, she runs after him. He’s not fast, but in her current condition, neither is she.

Stumbling loosely, Sabé runs until they’re side by side. She doesn’t have enough energy to even yell at this point, so instead she reaches out for the camera and almost-

Suddenly Sabé feels a sharp tug on her hem, and she’s janked backwards, stumbling into Rex. He yelps, and they both tumble onto the pavement.

“I had him!” Sabé says sharply, pushing Rex aside. Red flames tug at her vision.

She just wants to go home. This was stupid, and she had better things to do. And why would Padmé make her run around with some knockoff Anakin-

“I’m sorry.” Rex says. “I guess I’m not quite used to your fighting techniques. I should have been paying closer attention.”

“Oh.”

Maker, she was an idiot.

Rex isn’t Anakin, and this wasn’t his fault. She is a spy and he is a soldier. And while she was playing lone wolf, he was trying to offer support, and she had ignored him.

Maker.

“No I-“ Sabé pauses, and looks at him. “That was my fault.” She can’t find any other words, and mercifully, Rex seems to accept her half apology and changes the subject.

“Fighting General Grievous was easier than this.” He mumbles under his breath.

“You’ve fought General Grievous?” Sabé says.

“Yeah, and it hurt less.”

They both pause. They had crossed a bridge. Both of them serve as the right hands of the ridiculous people they love but can’t see past the end of their noses.

And they’re both exhausted.

He laughs then. It’s an overtired laugh interrupted by a harsh cough, but it’s a laugh. And it makes Sabé laugh too.

In the dim streetlights, Sabé lets herself breathe. And relax.

“This is ridiculous!” She says suddenly, muffled between coughing giggles. “We look ridiculous, and this mission is ridiculous and our friends are ridiculous.”

With a huffed laugh, Rex forces himself to stand, and offers Sabé his hand.

“Let’s get him this time.”

As it turns out, they don’t have to look far. Less than two klicks away, the reporter stands over a garbage can, vomiting. Camera held limply around his neck.

“Surrender your camera, or face the consequences.” Rex says, standing over the reporter as he hurls. He sounds so serious, Sabé tries not to laugh.

“Just take it.” The man mumbles. “Dear maker, just take the kriffing camera.” Reaching around his neck, the reporter unclips his camera and holds it out limply.

Sabé reaches forward and rips it from his hands, cradling it to her chest.

“Thank you for your service, citizen.” Rex finishes, nodding his head politely.

“Whatever.” The man mumbles, “Just leave me alone.”

“All this for a holo.” Rex says. He’s got a playful tone, despite his knee guard missing and all the pieces of trash in his hair.

But Sabé ignores his quip, and wanders to a more secluded part of the alley. She scrolls through the memory files, passing moments and memories and gossip and-

There.

They look ridiculous. Sabé thinks, but she knows that’s not true.

They look happy. Even through the lens, their warmth is captured.

Padmé’s warmth.

The way she looks at Anakin is so warm.

So loving.

Sabé lingers for a moment, holding the camera gently between her hands. Staring.

“My hands are yours.”

Then with all the power she can manage, Sabé throws the camera down and smashes it against the pavement.

Sparks fly and bits of metal shatter this way and that, kicking up dirt and muck. The flickering metal almost looks poetic.

Almost.

Rex is silent for a moment, staring at the unceremonial end, and Sabé can’t seem to find her voice.

Something in her chest ached. It’s probably a displaced rib, Sabé reasons, but she knows that isn’t really it.

Thankfully, Rex seems to know how to defuse uncomfortable situations.

“We should call someone to pick us up.” He huffs, gaze pointed at the endless levels above them. “I’m not walking back.” Sabé almost laughs.

“Can we eat first?” She asks instead, trying to swallow the strange tears caught in her throat, and rolling her aching shoulder.

“Yeah I could eat.”

“Do you have any money?”

“Nope.” He says with a grin, offering her his arm like they were leaving a charity ball and not crawling out of a dumpster.

That makes Sabé laugh. But she links her arm into his anyway and punches him in the shoulder, ignoring the way he winces.

“Fine. We’ll just charge Senator Amidala’s card.”

“You have access to the Senators bank?”

“Sometimes I AM the senator Rex.”

“Right. Sometimes I forget that.”

Sabé laughs.

“That’s the whole point, dummy.”

The diner they find looks almost as disgusting as they do.

Filled with flickering lights, unkempt floors, and more than a few blaster marks, the establishment doesn’t even react when a beaten up clone trooper and a crazy girl in half a dress show up and ask for a table.

The corner booth smells a bit like garbage, but Sabé reasons she also smells like garbage, so in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a big deal. At least she could eat.

“Their wedding kinda sucked.” Sabé says, voice slightly muffled in between bites of her sandwich.

“I’ve never been to a wedding.” Rex responds, taking another bite of his cushnip. He had a weird taste for someone whose main diet consisted of ration bars.

“They suck. Never let your best friend talk you into attending one.”

“Noted.”

“It was just me, and two droids.” Sabé swallows, “Have you ever had to make conversation with two droids at a secret wedding?”

“I’ve had to make conversation with undead Genioshians.” He tries, pointing his fork at her.

“That’s not the same.”

It’s silent for a moment, Rex still pointing at her, and then they both burst into laughter.

Uncontrollable, over tired laughter. Sabé only stops when her arching chest can’t take it anymore.

“Why are you blonde?” She interrupts suddenly. “I thought all clones were Jango Fett, well, clones.”

“What?” He breathes, coughing at the end, and staring at her in disbelief. “I help you chase a reporter 30 levels, and all you want to ask is ‘why are you blonde?’ That’s the best you can do?”

Sabé tries to laugh again, but her chest hurts so much she stops herself.

“Do I really look that awful?” Rex reaches up and pulls another piece of trash from his blacks.

“Yes.” Sabé says with a smile, “You look ridiculous without your bucket.”

Rex rolls his eyes, pointing at her again.

“You’re the worst.”

“I know.”

Something catches his eye, and Rex glances out the diner window.

“There’s our ride.”

Outside, a Republic landspeeder settles into the parking lot recklessly. There’s an ARC trooper in the driver's seat, white armor painted the same blue as Rex. A member of his battalion no doubt.

Quickly rising, Sabé settles the bill, and follows Rex towards the trooper.

She wants to get out of this hole as quickly as possible. And shower. Twice.

“What happened to you?” The ARC trooper asks, and Sabé can’t tell if his tone is genuine concern or teasing.

Or perhaps both.

“Not now.” Rex mumbles, as he brushes past the trooper and practically falls into the back seat of the landspeeder.

“Hi.” The trooper turns to her now, and even through the helmet's voice altering, Sabé can hear his tone dripping with charisma. She gives a half laugh, but it sounds more like a wheeze.

“Hi.” She responds, “I’m Sabé.”

“I’m Fives.” He replies, “Hang out in the underworld often?”

“Can it, Trooper.” Rex yells from the landspeeder. His head is leaned against the seat, and his brow is furrowed, as if this happens all the time. “Just get us back to base.”

“Yes Captain.” Fives says with a loose salute, but he nods at Sabé, and she swears he winks under his helmet.

Carefully maneuvering around her bruises, Sabé settles into the backseat beside Rex.

“You know.” Sabé starts, “If I’m going to be a third wheel more often, I wouldn’t mind serving with you Captain.”

“It’s been an honor Sabé,” Rex says, and then pauses, “but in all honesty I could never do this again and be just fine.”

Sabés cracked rib hurts too much to laugh.

Sad Rex imagines time

1. Rex wanting to get away from everyone because he’s stressed but doesn’t have anywhere to go where he won’t be bothered so he hides in a storage closet at the end of a lesser used hall.

2. Rex is naturally blond and when he was a cadet his batch was all normal, so they kinda shunned him and bullied him because being defective is highly frowned upon in clone culture.

3. I headcanon that Rex had a little brain damage from being yeeted every 2 seconds over 3 years which caused his chip to not work properly. Rex probably also suffers from chronic pain from all the injuries he’s sustained and then had healed in a matter of days because of bacta tanks.

4. Imagine after Fives death and it’s only Kix and Jesse left, Rex tries to make new friends with some shines, and then he sees them all die in their first battle and he gives up on trying to make new friends.

5. After Tup and Fives deaths the information on how they died is classified and Rex isn’t allowed to tell Jesse and Kix how they died so they get into an argument about it and end up not speaking to each other for a long while. Its not until much later when Jesse request for ARK training that start speaking again, but they act like their walking on eggshells when their around each other. Jesse only wanted training because he promised Fives a long time ago he’d look out for Rex if anything happened to him, and he doesn’t want Fives to come back and haunt him because he didn’t keep his promise.

6. Once on a mission Rex had to be left behind because they were ambushed and he got injured in the process. Nobody was able to go get him because they had to keep moving and Rex was captured. The whole time he was captured he didn’t think anyone would come to get him because he was just one clone.

7. Cody and Rex fought over Fives case, Rex somewhat believed Fives was right, but Cody didn’t believe it at all. Things got heated and things they didn’t mean were said, what ended it was Cody suggesting Rex was too emotionally unstable and threatened to send him back to Kamino. Rex was quite taken aback by this and left without another word, but they didn’t speak at all after that and then order 66 happened and they lost contact completely.

8. As a cadet Rex’s trainers were harder on him and would give him lower scores than the rest because of his blond hair which made him defective. This caused Rex to have a lot of anxiety as a cadet, as he was constantly threatened with decommissioning for not having a high enough scores.

9. He feels really guilty about dogma, like really guilty. It should have been him to pull the trigger but it wasn’t, and now Dogmas gone and he feels it’s his fault. He understood how Dogma felt, obey orders or face being decommissioned, it’s how he felt back at the beginning of the war. He would have taken Dogma under his wing and showed him it was ok to lighten up a little. But Dogmas gone, and it was his fault.

10. Has a phobia of wide open spaces, since he grew up on Kamino and in an in closed area his whole life, so when he suddenly placed in the vast expanse of space it didn’t sit very well with him.

11. Rex and Anakin were friends but were never close until ahsoka left. Rex felt that it was only the loss of ahsokas company that brought anakin to seek his presence. He just felt like filler for ahsoka.

12. Clones don’t get sick easily, their immune to most known pathogens, but Rex can get so stressed his body can’t take it and he becomes ill.

13. Rex has major survivors guilt way before order 66 happened but after the order it got much worse.

14. Rex and Wolffe fought too. Wolffe was upset and thought ahsoka had betrayed them and had killed their brothers, but Rex knew she would never. When it came out ahsoka wasn’t guilty things were awkward between them. Wolffe and Rex were close since they’ve known each other on Kamino.

15. Ahsoka never said goodbye to Rex when she left and he was upset about it because he felt he didn’t mean enough to her to warrant a fair well.

Sorry for being angsty city on main, Im sad and my favorite trope is hurt no comfort because I need therapy. Anyway, feel free to add your own!

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. 

For the WIP ask, I want to know more about Fox shoots Rex. 😭

Thank you for asking about it 💗 Believe it or not, that one actually ends up being a fix-it, eventually. It's a canon divergence fic that takes place during the chip conspiracy arc, except that in this, Rex manages to break the Force Field Fives had set up to restrain him and Anakin just as the Coruscant Guards arrive. He puts himself in front of Fives, trying to deescalate the situation, but takes the hit for him instead.

The moment he realized that he shot Rex, and that his blaster wasn't on stun, Fox is devastated by what he's done. And it only gets worst, because when he sees Rex fall, Anakin just loses it and force-chokes Fox. The only reason he doesn't just kill him is Fives, who breaks his concentration, shouting about how they need to get help for Rex.

Thorn takes advantage of it to drag Fox away. Not being able to stay by Rex's side makes it even worse for him and he just breaks down. This time, Fives lives, because Anakin won't let anyone come near his trooper after what happened to Rex. It also leaves Fox fearing the repercussion the Coruscant Guard will ineluctably get for failing its mission. He's so shaken and scared that he doesn't even dare send in the report of how arc trooper Fives wasn't neutralized.

Thorn tries his best to comfort him, but it's not enough to counter how much he now hates himself. No one in the Guard has ever seen him being so miserable. And when Cody asks to see him, Fox is convinced it's to tell him Rex died because of him. However, things turn out better than he expected.

Since Rex wasn't the original target Fox was aiming at, the blaster shot wasn't fatal, even though it left him with a big injury. When Cody heard of Rex getting hurt, he came to see him, along with his General, and they found Fives waiting by the captain's side, who explained them all about the chips, and about Palpatine being the Sith Lord. Also, since Anakin's outburst had many witnesses, Obi-Wan now knows his padawan has gotten dangerously close to the Dark Side, as well as the rest of the Order, who then make sure he gets help, so Vader never comes to be.

So the war is over, and Fox gets to hug Rex and to apologize a thousand times for hurting him.

angstpril day 4: he’s not heavy, he’s my brother

oh dear, oh dear. have some Umbara (derogatory)

(tw: major character death)

“Sir!” Waxer skids to a stop, out of breath. “I’ve found the platoon leader. He’s still alive.” The forest shivers around them, imaginary enemies blinking red eyes in the distance. 

Cody hates it here. “Who is it?”

Waxer swallows and his face pales. “It’s—” he clutches the helmet in his hand tighter, duraplast creaking in his grip. “It’s Rex.”

Keep reading

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.

For the clone hc thing uhhhh because of the blue shadow virus, Rex's immune system had been compromised leading to him getting sick easier then other clones, but he hates to admit it when it happens so he tries to power through the sickness. It falls to torrent (mostly Kix) to bully him into resting when this happens XD

Protocol 57: Get The Captain To Rest

Summary: Rex’s immune system has never been the same since the Blue Shadow virus. Cue Torrent company holding an intervention.

Pairing: None

Tags: sick rex, caring brothers, torrent company being the best vod, rex is very loved, but also stubborn when he gets sick

Word Count: 922

A/N: This was fun to write! Mando’a translations at the end. Headcanon submitted as part of this post.

|| Masterlist || Tag list ||

Rex gave a disgruntled sniffle as he walked down the halls of the Resolute, shivering lightly even under his full armour. In one hand he held a datapad and a stack of flimsi reports, in the other, a handful of tissues.

Ever since he contracted the Blue Shadow virus the previous year, Rex found he fell sick more often than most of his brothers, and that it hit him harder when he did. But, he was a soldier. He was the Captain of the 501st Legion and he had work to do. He wasn’t about to let a little sickness get in his way. They were at war, for Force sake!

Unfortunately, his vod’ikas had other plans.

----

Jesse was first to spot their ori’vod looking, well, for lack of a better word, osik. If it hadn’t been for the puffy eyes and coughing, the stumbling would have given him away. He tapped a few buttons on his wrist comm, tapping through to Five’s private comm link.

“Fives, we’ve got a protocol 57, spread the word.”

“Damn it, again?”

Fives responded almost immediately with a chuckle, and Jesse could hear shuffling on the other end, then a few beeps and Echo joined them. Before long, the rest of Torrent company was on the comm.

Fives chuckled as he and Echo made a quiet escape from the training room,

“Right, let's have a clean sweep this time, eh vod?”

Dogma laughed,

“Don’t worry, we got this. 34th times a charm, right?”

Tup elbowed him, and Fives continued.

“Echo and I are on point, we’ll run interference at the armoury and push him up to the bridge. Hardcase, you find him and get him to us.”

Jesse rolled his eyes as the rest of his brothers recited their jobs. “I’ll get word down to Kix. Good luck di’kuts.”

Jesse rolled his eyes as the rest of his brothers recited their jobs. “I’ll get word down to Kix. Good luck di’kuts.”

----

Rex was idly rubbing his temples as he headed for the mess hall, too engrossed in his datapad to notice Hardcase approaching him at first. Engrossed may be the wrong word, when really he was just trying to make the words stop moving.

“Captain…” Hardcase jogged to catch up with him. “Sir, are you alright?”

Rex snapped out of it, turning to face the trooper. He cleared his throat, balling his tissues in his palm.

“Hardcase, I’m fine, why do you ask?”

“You're headed for the mess and lunch finished an hour ago.” He nodded to the empty mess hall, beginning to guide him away and down the brightly lit hallway. “Are you sure you’re alright? Echo was looking for you to oversee an inventory in the armoury but I can help him if you’d like. I think Kix is still down in medical if-”

“That won’t be necessary. Thank you, Hardcase.”

The man just shrugged and clasped his hands behind his back. “I have the next training session, I’ll walk with you to the armoury, Sir.”

Rex loved all his vod, really, he did. But he did not have the energy for Hardcase right now. Still, he powered through, nodding his head.

Hardcase did. not. stop. talking. and gesturing energetically the entire time. He saluted the Captain as he stopped outside the armour, where Fives and Echo were conveniently just leaving, standing to attention.

He gave them a wink and left them in the company of their now exhausted Captain.

Rex waved his hand to put the arc troopers at ease, nodding inside the inventory and coughing.

“You needed me to do an inventory?”

Echo shook his head, “It’s alright Sir, Fives assisted me.”

“Are you alright, Captain? We can handle the bridge report this evening, why don’t you turn in early? You must be exhausted-” Fives tried, maybe they’d get lucky.

“I’m quite alright, boys.” Rex said suspiciously. “Why do you all keep asking if I’m alr-”

Rex cut himself off with a rather large sneeze, followed by a coughing fit. Fives grinned, giving Echo a look behind his ori’vod’s back.

“I think Tup was looking for your Sir, you might want to catch him on your way to the bridge, it seemed important.”

Rex suppressed his complaints and rubbed his temple, nodding. “Thanks vod.”

He set off again, and Echo was straight on his comm.

“Dogma, he’s all yours.”

----

On his way to find Tup on the bridge, Rex caught Dogma sprinting at the other side of the hallways, a stack of flimsi in his hand. Rex wasn’t in the mood for this, groaning and rubbing his temples.

“Dogma, what did I say about run-”

“Sorry Sir, I wa- wooooah-”

Dogma skidded to a halt in an attempt to salute his Captain and ‘tripped’, landing on the cold durasteel floor and clutching his ankle.

Rex kneeled beside him, shaking his head with a sigh. “Dank farrik, not again. Come on, let’s get you to Kix.”

Dogma let Rex help him up and limped all the way to the medical bay where Jesse was standing with Kix, grinning.

Kix just rolled his eyes and shooed Dogma away, who promptly stood on his perfectly uninjured feet and joined Jesse at the door.

“What the-”

Kix pointed to the nearest cot. “On the cot, Sir, you look like bantha shit.”

Rex opened his mouth to protest, and was hit with a fit of coughing. Scowling, he resigned himself to his fate and climbed up onto the cot. He shot a look at Jesse and Dogma, standing smugly in the doorway wearing matching smirks.

“Di’kuts.”

Jesse and Dogma just grinned as Hardcase, Fives, Echo and Tup’s heads appeared one by one, sticking around the doorframe.

“We love you too, ori’vod.”

---

Vod’ikas - little brothers

Ori’vod - big brother

Osik - shit

Di’kuts - idiots

Vod - brother

Dank farrick - fuck

Curses, Cocoons and Clones: part 5

When everyone woke up they starting to process of packing and heading to the ship so they can leave this god forsaken planet.

Poor Rex and Fives ended up in the pockets of Cody after a long argument of how to transport them. Rex was grateful that they were in separate pockets. The jostling bumped caused him to hit his antenna which sent bursts of nausea and pain through his head.

The mud leftover from the rain wasn’t helpful to their travel. Many of the men slipped, much to their dismay. Ahsoka got one of her boots suck and had to walk the rest of the way with her boot filled with mud.

When they got to the city everyone was tired and hungry. The ship was in the heart of the city. The smell of food that floated in the air made Fives’s mouth water. In vaguely Fives could hear someone mentioned getting food for the rest of them and he agreed.

He was hungry, tired and sore. It was getting to the point the cotton that was left in Cody’s pocket for lighting fires was looking appetizing.

Fives reached out and picked a piece of the cotton. He was so hungry-

Rex finally noticed on what he was doing “Wh- Fives what are-“

Too late, he had eaten half the cotton piece that was in the pocket. Which is seriously impressive since it was bigger then his current size.

“Did-did you just eat half of the cotton”

“….no….”

“I’m calling Kix.”

Several hours later after checking Fives for potential food poisoning. Kix concluded that their diet had changed in the process of transforming and allowed him to finish eating some of the cotton with some moderation. The rest of the crew went to get some clean up. General Kenobi went to get some local food for the rest of them. Rex refused to try to eat the cotton and waited for the food to arrive despite the rumbling that Fives could hear.

The food, when the general came back was flavorful and full of spices. Fives even with the food he already ate chowed down. Rex ate even more with the rice and mild sauce being his favorite. Anakin folded up some bread and put some meat and rice just for them. Kix was careful to see what they had in case it upset their bodies just in case.

When the meal was almost finished, Kix and Jessie bickered over who gets the last piece of flatbread. Fives didn’t have the heart to tell them that Cody and Ahsoka was enjoying it watching them fight.

Fives and Rex where sitting on the edge of the table quietly watching the others. The size difference was….unnerving. Fives hoped that a night’s sleep would help before his emotions start get the better of him.

…………….

Hello!

Uhhhhhh happy mermay? I started this part along with Maelstrom last week cause I forgot it was going to be mermay on the day I planned to post. So I had more done with this rather then Maelstrom for mermay…. So here’s moth au instead!

 Curses, Cocoons and Clones: prologue.

Yes this a ANOTHER version of the Moth Au. BUT it’s so cool so I can help myself >:D

The 501st and the 212th for once seem to have luck on their side.

Sure, General Kenobi would argue it was the will of the Force, but honestly Rex didn’t give two shits about what the force did as long there was results.

The recent battles have been better with the campaigns lasting short and they getting their victory swiftly.

Cody although, was uneasy. He had pulled Rex and a few other men to prepare for the worse. Rex was thankful that Cody’s cautious nature have saved many life’s of the Vode but he wished that he would enjoy the quiet. Nevertheless he did not argue with Cody.

Their newest mission was a few of the 501st and 212th was to aid the cleanup of a battlefield that happened on a planet near the Outer rim. The senator of that planet was a stuck-up pain in the ass. However his planet was near an important hyper-space route that the Republic could not afford to lose. So here was Rex and his men riffing through the hot and muggy forest thigh deep in muck.

Commander Ahsoka Tano and General Kenobi were in the lead with the men in tow. The Commander was voicing the complaints of Rex and the others to The General who seem seem to on the fence to be amused and exasperated.

Rex wondered to himself on how that man deals with Skywalker and Tano as a duo. Force knowns how how many times he’s been thrown with their force abilities. He respects him for dealing with one and one-in-training adrenaline addict.

“Sir we are picking up a structure up ahead.” Kix who had hauled himself on a tree into order to get some signal. “There looks like a storm is coming up, so we should probably hold up in there for now.” The general said tiredly. Indeed the fog was uncomfortably thick and it seeped into the cracks of Rex’s armor soaking his blacks. Ahsoka and some of the men perked up that idea.

The hike up to the building was longer then anticipated. Jessie, tripped over a lose root and fell on top of Kix causing them both to be soaked to the bone in mud. Fives and Ahsoka managed to get their shoes stuck and had to fish them out. The rain started earlier then what the radar had signaled. By the time they got there, everything and everyone was covered in a thin layer of mud and wet saved for Kix who landed facefirst when Jessie pushed him.

The building was old made of cracked stone with vines growing of them. Rex noted that the wood that lined the structure was made of living trees growing into the infrastructure. “Interesting.”General Kenobi mused touching the wall. “What is sir?” Rex asked,

“This place…. Feels like an old temple”

“I feel it too.“ Ahsoka chimed in “it’s feels like that temple on the mission with the-“

“I thought we agreed not to discuss that mission-“

“Where Master Obi Wan got stuck dealing with an oversized bird that chased him into a tree and Anakin tried to help only for him to have to climb up that tree.” She finished attempting to hide a grin. Kenobi sighed and half heartedly rolled his eyes.

“If I remember correctly, you also were on that tree by the end of that mission.”

Rex zoned out as they chattered. There was a weird feeling in his gut that something was going to happen. Maybe it was the writings on the walls, or maybe it was the creaking of the trees that almost sounded like whispers either way he was sure the 501st’s winning streak had just ran out.