Rexsoka Week 2021 Day 4: It Happened Once In A Dream

12 Days of Rexsoka Day 2: Just Like old times/Memories

Hey guys! I'm sorry for not posting this on actual day two. Finals are happening here at school and I've been really busy. I'm going to continue posting these as I have time to finish them, but don't expect them to be on the actual day.

Day 2: Just Like Old Times

"Rex!"

Rex jerked up, banging his head against the bottom of the speeder he was attempting to fix. He cursed as he pushed himself out from under the thing. He looked up at who had interrupted him.

"Sorry." Hera said with an apologetic smile.

"It'll be fine. What can I do for you?" Rex asked, rubbing his head.

If it had been Ezra or Sabine, he would have assumed foul play, but he knew that Hera hadn't meant it.

"Are you up for another supply run? We're running low on medical supplies, but a contact has agreed to drop some off for us." Hera said.

"Sure." Rex said.

It'd be good to get out and get something done besides the busywork of building up the base.

"Thanks!" Hera said. "I think that Ahsoka'll be up for it as well."

"Commander Tano?" Rex asked with a snort. As if the Commander had time.

"I thought you'd be pleased." Hera said with a raised eyebrow. "I can ask her."

"What?" Rex asked. "No, don't bother her-"

Ahsoka didn't go on simple supply runs. She had far more important missions and half the time she was away on her own Jedi business.

"I don't think she's got another mission." Hera said. "And since it's you- well, I don't think she'll say no."

Hera winked and Rex flushed. He didn't know why he got embarrassed whenever people alluded to his closeness with Ahsoka.

Well, maybe he did. Maybe it had something to do with those emotions born during the Siege of Mandalore, emotions he had smothered during his years on Seelos, emotions that had burst into bloom again when he'd seen her again.

Rex shrugged at Hera.

"Well, if she says yes, I won't complain." He said. "Though Zeb's a good enough replacement."

Hera nodded and left, presumably to find Ahsoka. Rex looked back at the speeder and contemplated going back to work on it. He probably wouldn't be able to concentrate. Thoughts of Ahsoka tended to be distracting.

Rex shook his head hard. What was he doing, thinking of his Commander like that? Not only was he too far beneath her, he was an old man now. She deserved someone who could last her more than a few years.

It would be good to go on a mission with her. They hadn't had too much time to catch up since he'd returned to the Rebellion. It'd be just like old times.

He continued to tell himself that as he sat in the shuttle, waiting for Ahsoka to board. She came into the cockpit and smiled at him, blue eyes twinkling as she met his gaze.

"We ready to go?" She asked as she took the co-pilot's seat.

Rex nodded. He turned the engines on, feeling them rumble beneath him.

"Didn't think you'd be able to make it." He said. "Commander Sato's usually got you doing more important things than supply runs."

Ahsoka shrugged as Rex guided the shuttle out of the hangar and into the sky.

"I needed a break." She said. "And we haven't had a chance to sit down and talk since you've gotten back."

Rex glanced at her. It was true. They'd had a short time alone after their reunion, but it had been mostly questions to make sure the other was okay and Rex getting answers about the Rebellion. He knew at the time that the moments they had were precious and going to be rare from that point onward. He'd been too afraid to let them proceed naturally.

"You're telling me that there's nothing else you could be doing besides humoring an old man?" He asked.

The ship jumped into hyperspace. Ahsoka turned to him with a frown.

"Don't call yourself that." She said. "You're four years younger than me."

"Tell that to my knees." Rex replied.

He felt his body's age every time he stood, moved, or even woke up in the morning. His mind, though, felt far younger than his fifty-five year old body.

Ahsoka continued to give him a disapproving glare and Rex sighed.

"All right. I won't." He said. "This still isn't a great use of your time."

"I think I can decide that." Ahsoka said, a smile twitching at her lips.

Rex met her gaze for a moment and her blue eyes seemed to stun him. He swallowed hard and turned back to the controls.

Just like old times. He told himself. That's all it's going to be.

He could feel Ahsoka's curious gaze on him.

"Rex?" She asked. "Are you all right?" "I'm just fine." He said. "This'll be just like old times, huh? The two of us on a mission."

Ahsoka cocked her head.

"But it's not like old times." She said softly.

Don't say that. Rex thought. It needed to be like old times. Times where all he felt for Ahsoka was fondness and his love for her was that of a friend.

"Oh?" Rex asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"We didn't go on missions too often by ourselves." Ahsoka said. A nostalgic smile graced her lips. "I think Anakin avoided it, to be honest."

Rex blinked at her.

"Why?" He asked. "We make a good team."

"I know." Ahsoka said. Her lekku and cheeks were darkening into a blush. "Maybe too good of a team."

So the General had seen what Rex had tried to ignore for those years before the Siege: Ahsoka's massive crush on Rex.

"Ah." Rex managed.

Ahsoka's eyes were distant.

"I wish it were just like old times." She said. "With the 501st, and Anakin, and Obi Wan."

Rex nodded his head. The loss of his brothers and Generals spiked his heart, as fresh as the day the Tribunal had crashed.

"I did have other duties I could have been doing." Ahsoka went on. Rex jolted as she put her hand on his. "But, Rex, you're the only person I have left."

Rex didn't quite trust himself as he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes again. She was staring at him with an intensity that made him shiver.

"Anakin was probably right in not letting us go on missions together." She said. "At least for my sake."

She leaned forward, their faces closer than they ever had been. Rex's heart began to pound against his chest as if he were facing his first ordinance drill.

"I think he'd be right to do the same now." She said.

Rex found himself nodding, breathless. Ahsoka smiled.

She kissed him.

Not like old times. Rex thought vaguely as he pressed back. It wasn't a bad thing.

Mobile Google Docs is a COWARD.

Regarding Rexsoka Week 2022

Hey everyone who follows me on Tumblr!

I totally plan on participating in Rexsoka Week this year, but unfortunately the actual week of it lands right on my finals week. So I will have those stories up, just not for a week or so after the actual week. Sorry to keep you guys waiting, but I kind of have to graduate college.

Oh, is it time for the pre-season 'the season is terrible' dreams? I had at least 3 before season 2. One was that the season was actually a board game.

I dreamed the first trailer for The Bad Batch s3 dropped and we found out they recast Dee Bradley Baker. Each bad batch member had a different voice actor and the characters sounded NOTHING like the previous seasons. It was so bad. I was genuinely so upset I considered not watching the last season. I was like "really you're gonna let us down THIS HARD on THE LAST SEASON"

Rexsoka Week 2021 Day 1: Boredom

I finally worked up the courage to post my fics on Tumblr for Rexsoka week. I’ll be posting every day for each prompt. These will all be SFW, but I’ll let you know if there’s anything I think might be a problem.

Today’s is just a drabble. Some will be longer, but I don’t think any are shorter than this.

Here we go!

Day 1: Boredom

Rex had imagined the end of the war countless times. He had imagined cheering and shouts of joy. He'd imagined new lives for his brothers and change. He'd imagined rest.

It hadn't been any of that. Instead of cheering, his brothers had been silenced. Instead of new lives, the clones were worked until their usefulness ran out. Instead of rest, they had been given pain.

Rex tried not to dwell on any of that. He tried to focus on his life with the few brothers he had left on Seelos.

Unfortunately, that left him with another unexpected result of the end of the war: boredom.

"What's the matter, Rex?" Gregor asked cheerfully.

Rex looked up from his work on upgrading the cooling system; Seelos could get hot.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You keep sighing over there." Wolffe said.

"I guess I'm a bit bored." Rex confessed.

"Bored?" Gregor asked. "How're you bored? You've been busy all day!"

"You manage to find the most to do out of the three of us." Wolffe said. "Just today you've recalibrated the steering, checked the legs, and now this."

Rex shrugged and refocused on his work. He was bored, there was no other way to describe it.

He had never been bored in the GAR, especially with Commander Tano around. She had made writing and reading reports enjoyable.

No, that was a lie. He had been bored, when she wasn't there. The time after she had left the Order had been wrought with boredom, but not at the level Rex felt now.

He wished being bored wasn't so painful. It was a gnawing at his heart, making him lie awake at night. He tried to relieve the symptoms by thinking of the Commander, but it always seemed to make it worse. Probably because he knew if she were here, things wouldn't be so dull. 

If the Galaxy were free and he didn't have his brothers to look after, Rex would take a ship and just go. He'd probably go wherever Commander Tano was. Yes, that felt right.

But as it were, he had to learn to live with his boredom. That aching, tormenting boredom that felt like a piece of his heart was missing.

Yes, that was the word.

Boredom.

Check it out and my other on going Rexsoka fics on my A03!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/34125910/chapters/84903028

https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExecutiveCucumber/works

TechPhee Valentine's Weekend - Day 1

Not Beyond Repair

Rating: T

Summary:

TechPhee Weekend Day 1: And if you have a minute, why don’t we go talk about it somewhere only we know?

There's a room in the Archium not many know about, a place to repair the ancient wonders Phee liberates. Tech is fond of it: for the work, the company, and the help he himself receives.

For @techpheeweek

ANs: Hello! This takes place in an AU where Tech is CX-2 and he was recovered after Hemlock dies in Canon, though I suppose a good part of it takes place BEFORE that happens.

One Week After Arriving on Pabu

“Got a minute, Browneyes?” 

Tech looked up from his datapad. He sat in the shadow of the Marauder, where Phee had joined him. The self proclaimed liberator gave him a smile as she leaned against the ship.

“Do you truly mean a minute, or do you need my assistance for longer?” Tech asked.

Phee laughed.

“You got me there.” She said. “I’m thinking an hour, maybe?”

Tech nodded. 

“I can spare the time.” He said.

He got up and dusted his legs off. He was wearing his armor less and less as their time on Pabu continued.

“What can I assist you with?” He asked Phee.

“Just wondering if you could fix something.” She said. “Gotta get to the Archium, though.”

“Very well.” Tech said.

He followed her through the bright sunlight to the beginning of the many, many sets of stairs on Pabu. 

“Here.”

Tech blinked as Phee tossed him a Jogan fruit. She winked.

“I heard your stomach rumble loud as a hyperdrive.” She said. It had? Tech had not noticed. “You like Jogan, right?”

He did. A far more pleasant breakfast than a ration bar. They climbed together in silence for a while. It was broken occasionally by islanders calling greetings to Phee and occasionally to Tech. Despite the sun, the temperature was temperate, and many of the inhabitants were out enjoying the fine weather.

“Where’s the rest of your squad?” Phee asked as they reached the bottom of the wall that separated Upper and Lower Pabu. “Didn’t see them on the way up.”

“Lyana took Omega to explore the shore, Hunter is watching them, and Wrecker is continuing his fishing lessons.” Tech listed off.

“Leaving you to just waste away, huh?”

“Hardly. I know how to keep myself occupied.” Tech looked up at the long way still ahead of them. “And the climb to the Archium will certainly do so.”

Phee glanced at him and grinned.

“We could take your shortcut.”

Tech paused, thinking of when he had grabbed Phee and grappled to a higher level. He thought of that incident often, though he was unsure why.

“It would be unnecessary.” He decided. “We are not racing against a sea surge.”

“Well then, we’ll just have to endure the stairs.” Phee said. She looked at him, watching him eat the last piece of Jogan. She waited for him to swallow. “Race you.”

“What-”

Phee began sprinting up the steps. After a brief moment of surprise, Tech found himself rushing after her. Wrecker and Crosshair tended to be the most competitive of their squad, but Tech had been known to be tempted by challenges.

Despite her head start, Tech slowly closed her lead. She glanced behind her and eyes widened.

“Not- fair!” She puffed as he passed her.

He kept a comfortable distance between them, though his legs and lungs began to burn with each footfall. He was in exceptional shape, but prolonged step climbing was a challenge. This was certainly the case as the stairs became increasingly steep the further they climbed. He was surprised with how well Phee kept up.

And was even more surprised when she surged forward and past him on the last set of steps. She reached the top mere seconds before he did, turning and grinning with hands on hips.

“I win.” She said.

“You were holding back.” Tech said as he joined her.

“Nah, more like I got a second wind.” Phee said, her breathing labored. “Though I was enjoying the view.”

Tech blinked.

“Of my back?” 

“A little lower, but yeah.”

It took Tech a moment to parse her meaning, forgetting for a moment that backsides could be considered attractive, but he felt his face heat when he did.

“Oh.” He said.

Phee laughed.

“Sorry, Browneyes.” Though I might call you Longlegs now; you’ve got quite the stride.”

Tech decided she was teasing due to the wink she gave him. He nearly had told her that he preferred Browneyes.

“Was there a reason for that display?” He asked, following her across the courtyard.

“Fun.” Phee said. “I’ve decided you boys, not to mention Omega, have not had enough in your life.”

“We have had fun.” Tech protested, thinking of Wrecker’s shouts of joy when scrapping droids.

“Fun that doesn’t have anything to do with fighting.” Phee said.

“I enjoy flying.” Tech pointed out.

“Yeah, but you fly like you’ve constantly got bogies on your tail. This way.”

She did not take him to the main entrance as he expected. Instead, she veered to a nook on the side of the Archium. 

“This place isn’t only for displaying artifacts.” She said, opening a door that was nearly camouflaged against the wall. “It’s meant for repairing them too.”

The room inside was lit with a low, soothing light. While not small, much of the space was occupied by stone shelves or what looked like work tables. The shelves were filled with artifacts. Some were obviously damaged, which led him to conclude that they were all in need of repair. The wall that was not festooned with shelves was hung with ancient looking tools.

Tech sneezed as Phee kicked up dust by moving into the room.

“Sorry.” She said. “Not many people know about this room, and I don’t come as often as I used to.”

She traced her finger through the dust on a near work table.

“Shep’s wife, Jora, used to come work here all the time.” She said. “When she passed- I got a little too sad to visit. By the time I felt like coming back, I’d dumped so many things in here that I didn’t know where to start.”

Tech identified where he would start: an interesting orb that seemed to him that it was supposed to open. Phee took a breath and turned back to Tech.

“Anyway, I picked something up on my last trip for one of our new refugees.” She said. “But it’s not working and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. Mind taking a look for me?”

She gestured to a complex object made up of bronze gears lying on the table. Tech stepped to it and studied the contraption.

“A music box.” He decided.

“Yeah, that’s what he said. I promised him I’d get it going. He’s been having a hard transition.”

Tech took a seat. He found the head of a lamp and turned it on.

“I will see what I can do.” He said. “Which, I imagine, is repairing it.”

Phee laughed. Tech was finding he liked it when she did.

“Thanks, Browneyes.” She scooted a seat close to his. “Wanna hear how I got it?”

He did.

Two days before the mission to Tantiss

Tech hurried towards the Archium’s workshop. He was late; Phee would have been waiting for him and he had failed to inform her of his delay.

“There you are.” Her familiar voice said as he entered. Though, he felt her voice was becoming something more than familiar. “I thought you left an hour ago.”

“I was briefly tasked with a more urgent project.” Tech reported.

Phee, sitting at their normal work table, grinned at him.

“One of the kids needed a toy fixed, huh?”

Tech adjusted his goggles.

“Well, yes.”

His skill with repairs had spread around the island, and a young boy had approached him on his way to the Archium. It had been a simple, but time consuming fix. He had had to take apart the boy’s battered toy speeder to get at the power source. 

“You’re almost as popular as Wrecker now.” Phee said. “Well, sit down, let’s get going!”

She seemed excited, so Tech sat next to her. Lying on the stone surface was a tiny bird. It seemed to be made of segmented porcelain painted with tones of orange and violet. 

“It’s from my home planet.” Phee said.

Tech looked to her, surprised. She had told him that it was nearly impossible to find artifacts from her homeworld and she had not yet done so. He picked it up and examined its glossy surface. 

“I assume you will tell me about it in detail.” He said. 

“Only if you want to hear.”

“I do.”

Tech gently prised a panel off, exposing the mechanical insides. 

“It's based off of a pendulum lark.” Phee said, leaning in to watch his work. “It's said that no one needs a clock on my planet because the larks sing every hour, on the hour.”

“Fascinating.” Tech said. He finished removing the shell and began the careful dismantling of the device. “I assume they do this even with seasonal changes.”

“Yup.” Phee was excited; even Tech could tell. “My planet has eight moons and the larks could tell the time by their movements. When my people started leaving the planet, they recorded the lark and started building these as time keepers.”

Tech nodded, examining the tiny speaker. Phee paused in her explanation, a rarity for her.

“I haven't heard their song in years.” She finally said softly. 

Tech looked up at her. She was staring at the pieces of the bird and she gently brushed a piece with her finger. 

Tech wanted her to hear the song again. 

“I am sure that I will be able to repair it.” He said in an attempt to console her. 

Phee smiled. 

“Of course. I've got perfect faith in you.”

He worked for a moment more, studying each piece.

“Got an idea of what's wrong?” Phee asked.

“Yes.” Tech said. “The wiring from the power source is corroded. The voice coil for the speaker is broken as well. A simple repair.”

He glanced at her.

“In fact, you did not need me to mend this.” He said. “Your mechanical skills are more than sufficient to perform the repair.”

He froze as Phee put a hand on one of his.

“Maybe. I probably could have fixed a lot of the artifacts you’ve worked on, in all honesty.” She said. “But- I wanted to share this one with you.”

Tech looked at her. He could not read her expression and yet- his heart began to pound quickly in his chest. 

She wished to share something she felt so strongly about with him. He realized how intimate a gesture it was. And he realized that he was glad she did.

“I- would like to hear their song.” Tech said. “With you.”

He found he could not take his eyes from her lips. He became very aware of their skin touching and how close her face was to his. 

“I might just kiss you, Browneyes.” Phee said.

He very much wanted her to. 

She didn’t. At least, not at first. She leaned down.

“Can I?” She whispered in his ear.

Tech nodded, breathless from anticipation.

The kiss came.

He hadn’t known what to expect. He had no experience in the matter. In the past, he had wondered at the act of pressing mouths together. He knew lips were sensitive, but it still seemed odd.

It was not odd.

It was exquisite.

For a moment, the shock of the experience froze him, leaving him to just allow Phee to move her lips against his. Then, without his usual confidence, he pressed back. Why had he not researched this? He felt so ignorant and incompetent.

But Phee just applied more force and slid her hand up his neck into his hair. It must have been sufficient.

For a moment, he merely enjoyed the sensation and his closeness to her. Then- then his exceptional mind betrayed him.

What- what did this mean? Was this mere animal attraction? What would their relationship be moving forward? Did he wish to be in a relationship? Was he doing any of this correctly? What exactly did she feel for him?

Did he love her?

Anxiety became the clearest of the tangle of emotions in his chest. He pulled away from Phee, his heart pounding for a new reason.

“Hey.” Phee said, removing her hands and holding them as if afraid to touch him. “Hey. Are you all right? Kriff, I’m sorry-”

“I-” Tech forced out. He had never been so lost for words. “I do not- I need to think-”

“I understand.” Phee said quickly. “I get it. I’m sorry for pushing.”

Then she was gone. A small part of him wanted her to stay. Most of him was just confused and overwhelmed. The emotions were too strong. Did all beings feel like this during courtship? He tried to sort through his reaction, but doing so dug a pit in his stomach.

He did not understand.

A distraction. He needed to focus on something else. He forced himself to look at the work in front of him: shining pieces of porcelain scattered around their mechanical insides. He swallowed as the confusing emotions surged again. No, this would not do.

He got up and left the workshop with a steady stride he did not feel. Perhaps- perhaps Omega would like a flying lesson.

Six weeks after the destruction of Tantiss

“Gotcha.”

Tech looked up from his work and immediately looked down again. Phee was leaning against the doorframe of the ragged, burnt hut he currently occupied. He tightened his lips to a line and tried to focus on the cooling unit he was repairing. He heard Phee take a step in.

“You sure like tinkering in odd places.” She went on. “I’m surprised you managed to escape your family.”

Tech bit back the reply that it had been difficult, though he doubted he’d be able to get it out regardless. His brothers and sister tended to keep him on a short leash since they’d come back. But he could not bear to look at Crosshair’s residual limb for even a moment longer.

“You know you can come to me if you need a break from their fussing, right?” 

It almost made Tech laugh. As if she fussed any less. As if he could bear her kindness after all he had done. They were in a reminder of that: a blackened, uninhabitable, shell of a building.

A moment of silence passed.

“So you’re gonna stay here.” Phee said.

Tech gave her a nod. More silence. He heard her walk closer and felt her crouch beside him.

“You got a minute?” She asked. “I know you’re busy helping rebuild-”

Helping rebuild? No, he was atoning for what he had done, in some miniscule way.

“But I think we need to talk.” Phee finished.

Tech continued working. Talk? He could barely speak on his more functional days. What manner of conversation could he engage in that would be of use? Even if he could, how could mere words help? What he felt, what had happened to him, what he had done was beyond verbalization.

So he shook his head. She didn’t say anything. Then she placed her hand next to one of his. When he did not draw away, she took it. He stared at their entwined fingers. Touch had become common from her since his return.

“We’re worried, Browneyes.” She said. “Can we just try?”

Tech swallowed. He knew they were worried. Crosshair had no jibes for him. Echo checked in far more often than he had before, asking after Tech specifically. Hunter made sure someone was with him at all times. Wrecker constantly asked if he was well, even when it was obvious he was not. And Omega- Omega, who watched him always, who cried for him when she thought he couldn’t hear, who stubbornly pushed him towards things she believed would help him.

He did not want them to worry. Perhaps knowing that he had tried would ease their anxiety.

So he nodded.

“Thank you.” Phee said. She pulled at his hand. “Come on.”

Tech considered resisting. They could converse about his status here as well as anywhere. But Phee put her other hand on his. It felt- nice. He let her tug him to his feet. She led him out of the crumbling house and into the sunlight.

He did not miss her subtly click a button on her comm. Likely informing the others that he had been found.

She led him up the many steps up the island. They had to stop to rest a few times. He was still recovering from the wound Hunter had given him. His cybernetics had been damaged as well. They still worked, allowing him to move and live, but not as efficiently or painlessly as they could. Unfortunately he could not yet stand them being touched, even by his own hands.

The cybernetics ached as they reached the top of the island. The Archium loomed over them, casting its shadow across the courtyard. Phee took him straight to the building, but ignored the main entrance. Good. Tech did not wish to see his brothers’ armor, donated after their return from- that place. More accurately, he did not wish to see the empty space beside them where only his shattered goggles lay.

Only when Phee guided him to the side of the building did his addled mind realize where she was taking him. She ushered him into the workshop.

He paused at the threshold, taking the dusty workbenches and low, soothing light in. The room seemed untouched from when he had last been there. In fact, the pieces of a mechanical bird lay on the workbench. He remembered taking it apart, Phee telling him what it was. He remembered what had happened afterwards.

“Remember how full this room used to be?” Phee asked. “How many broken things were on those shelves?”

Tech nodded, letting her distract him and bring him a few steps further in.

“You fixed dozens of artifacts.” Phee said. “Some easy, some hard. But they were all here, just waiting for you.”

She stepped in front of him. He closed his eyes, unwilling to meet her gaze. He felt a delicate touch on his cheek, fingers against his skin.

“Can you imagine if they ran and hid, not giving you the chance to help?” She whispered. “They’d never be whole again.”

Tech saw the metaphor. “I- am a human.” He managed. “They are not as easily restored.”

“True.” Phee admitted. “But we’re not exactly strangers to challenges.”

Slowly, as if to give him time to pull away if he wished, she put her arms around him. He did not wish to. He let her and even raised a hand to touch her arm.

“It feels undeserved.” He said. “After all I have done.”

Phee held him tighter.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I feel the guilt all the same.”

It was- easier to speak here in this quiet room, just to her. She let go.

“Look at me.” She said. “Please.”

Tech opened his eyes and managed a moment’s eye contact before looking at her ear instead. She did not scold him.

“You did all this, fixing so much, without being asked.” She said. “No pay, nothing.”

“You and the rest of the island gave us a home.” Tech said. “It was the least I could do to repay you.”

“We didn’t ask to be repaid.” Phee said. “You like helping people. You’re a good person.”

She took his hands again.

“A good person who was hurt badly and wasn’t able to make the decisions he would have.”

“I know that.” Tech said. “And then- I look at Crosshair. I see the damage the Imperial troops I brought did to Pabu.”

He hated how his emotions, once so firmly under control, ruled him now. 

“And every waking hour you've tried to fix it.” Phee said. 

Before Tech could reply, Phee sighed and touched his cheek again. 

“I know you won't be able to change the way you feel right away.” She said. “All I'm asking- all we're asking is for you to try.”

Tech felt himself nod. He could try. 

Phee smiled at him. It seemed to ease the heavy emotions in his chest. Yes, he would try. If only to inspire more smiles in her, in his family. 

He looked to the disassembled bird on the workbench. There was another way to make her smile. 

And- among all the other sources of guilt from his time as CX-2, there was one from before. It was time to undo the regret he'd carried from their last interactions. 

He drew his hands away and took a step towards the workbench. He glanced back at Phee, who raised an eyebrow. 

“I wish to hear its song.” Tech explained. “With you.”

He would find the words for a true apology later. For now, it was enough to sit with her here. 

He was like this bird, he decided, taken apart and broken. But not beyond repair. Especially with a mechanic as skilled and determined as the woman holding his hand.

ANs:

Kind of a loose interpretation of the prompt, with a focus on the ‘have a minute’ and the ‘somewhere only we know’ being the repair room.

So this was originally just the final scene, with the previous two scenes just referenced to. And for once in my life, I decided I wanted more than just angst, so I wrote the other two scenes out. As a result, I think there might be a bit of a disconnect between those two first scenes and the last one. Ah well. The Archium Wookieepedia page mentions that it’s a place to repair artifacts and I knew that Tech needed to be involved with that. 

Tech’s reaction to the kiss comes from my own reaction to being kissed for the first time. He will actually be able to process it one day. And you know, he’s actually in love with the person kissing him. He’s just a lil overwhelmed. Plus, it’s an explanation on part of why he’s so awkward when she says goodbye.

Day 2 and 3 might come late, because this one took longer than I expected. I SHOULD get those written. I’ve got ideas for them both. Unfortunately, the idea for day 2 is a bit long. Ah well.

For once I am too tired for any extensive ANs. Oh well, I might add more later.

Stay safe, remember to review, and I’ll see you later!

Executive Cucumber's (sorta) thoughts about the Bad Batch 03×10 & 03x11!

Spoilers under the cut

All right guys, I'm not doing my full list of thoughts. These episodes were really, really emotional for me for many reasons and I do not have the emotional energy to do my usual dives. I'm stepping away from the fandom in general for this week. Honestly, for my mental health, I just do not need to be around Fandom discourse right now. I've already left the pertinent subreddits and hopefully I'll survive.

But my brief thoughts!

So, I majored in the Humanities in college. I saw and read a lot of amazing art. But there was a category of art that I like to call, 'this was beautiful and poignant and life changing, but I never want to consume it again.'

These episodes fall under this category. They were art, and they were excruciating.

I also am still firmly in camp 'CX-2 is Tech.' Because it actively makes The Point of No Return less tragic if it is not him. Part of the reason I was sobbing during it was that it was TECH who was being so cruel, destroying the home he'd nearly had, destroying HIS ship, nearly killing his brothers.

And it's Tech, who gave Omega her first comm, who loves her, who would die to keep her safe, who takes her comm and takes her back to Tantiss.

Plus, who the heck else says 'domicile?'

(On the plus side, he gets his revenge on Cid)

My heart is broken for Omega. I hate that she has to make this choice. I KNEW she was going to sacrifice herself. If anyone says 'the Empire did nothing wrong' to me, even as a joke, they're losing a finger.

I dread how the rest of the Batch are going to confront each other about this. Crosshair was also the only one who would let her do this. In a positive way.

...I loved seeing Phee.

I wish I had more to say about Identity Crisis, but I spent that episode trying to overcome my disappointment that it wasn't about Tech. It was still an exceptional episode, regardless of my expectations.

But I do want to say, Cad Bane takes a lot of kid jobs. What's up with that? Weirdo.

Anyway, happy birthday to me! I get: Omega getting taken and Tech destroying everything he loves. Yaaaaaaaaaaaay.

12 Days of Rexsoka Day 3: Force Bond/AU

I'm determined to get these out, even if they're late.

Okay, so since my other fics are basically Force Bond central, we're going with an AU. I'm usually not a fan of crossovers, especially when it's the characters meeting each other. For some reason it just doesn't click for me. However, I do enjoy imagining what kind of roles the characters would play if they were in another fictional world. You know, like when people assign Hogwarts Houses to characters. I decided to try that with the Mistborn Universe, by Brandon Sanderson.

Here's what you need to know if you aren't familiar.

There are two classes, the noble class and the skaa. The skaa are slaves, owned by their god-emperor, the Lord Ruler, and basically leased out to the nobles. The nobles, for the most part, see the skaa as subhuman, killing them without remorse. Nobles also fight amongst each other quite often.

The world is dying, in a way. The sun is red, ash volcanoes spout ash into the sky which falls to the earth, and plants are mostly brown and sickly. At night, mysterious mists come out that react to the world's magic.

If you have noble blood, there's a possibility that you are an Allomancer, which are the magic users of the world. The powers are used by ingesting specific metals and 'burning' them to get specific powers. Most Allomancers only have one power, called Mistings. Mistborn have all of them. The following are the known Allomancer powers at this point of the world's history.

Atium: rare God metal that allows the Allomancer to see into the future a few seconds. Makes on practically invincible.

Brass: Allows Allomancer to soothe emotions, called Soothers

Bronze: Allows Allomancer to find anyone burning any metal, called Seekers.

Copper: Allows Allomancer to hide themselves from Allomancers burning bronze, called Smokers.

Iron: Allows Allomancer to pull on any source of metal, seen by blue lines connecting the metal to the Allomancer's chest. If the metal is lighter than the Allomancer, it will fly to them. If the metal is heavier or stuck into something, the Allomancer will move, called Lurchers.

Pewter: Enhances Allomancer's physical abilities, like their strength, reflexes, and speed. Can also help overcome wounds and heal somewhat quicker, called Thugs.

Steel: Allows Allomancer to push on any source of metal, seen by blue lines connecting the metal to the Allomancer's chest.. If the metal is lighter than the Allomancer, it will fly away from them. If the metal is heavier or stuck into something, the Allomancer will move, called Coinshots

Tin: Enhances all five senses. Allows Allomancer to 'pierce' or see through the mists, called Tineyes.

Zinc: Allows Allomancer to riot or rage emotions, called Rioters

You have to have noble blood in order to have Allomancy. Skaa Mistings are not supposed to exist, and are hunted by the Lord Ruler's priests, the Steel Inquisitors.

That should be everything you need to know!

Day 3: AU

Ash fell from the sky.

Rex looked up, squinting against the dark flakes. It began to dust the stone walkways of the keep wall. It wasn't a good evening for the ash. A ball was being held at Keep Kenobi, whose main attraction was a mostly outdoors ballroom. They had a canopy they could draw over it, but Rex could think of at least one nobleman who would throw a fit over it. Lord Skywalker, one of Lord Kenobi's adopted scions, would be one of them. Skywalker was kind, as far as noblemen went, but Rex was part of his personal guard and would have to listen to the man complain well into the night. Lord Skywalker seemed so much less composed than the rest of the noblemen. It made Rex wonder if the rumors about him were true: that Lord Skywalker had skaa blood in him.

Rex shook himself. He was skaa. It wasn't his place to wonder about his betters. That lesson had been literally beaten into him during his training under House Kamino. Most skaa soldiers were from the noble house. They dealt not in goods, but in flesh, training the Final Empire's soldiers.

"No! Not tonight!" Lord Skywalker's voice rang out from somewhere inside.

Rex shared a covert look with his brother, Cody, who guarded the same door as Rex. In a moment the young Lord burst from the door, staring into the sky in disbelief.

"By the Lord Ruler!" Lord Skywalker swore. "Damn ashmounts! Not tonight!"

It was only a moment before a slender young woman with dark skin and sparkling blue eyes followed him out. Rex straightened at the sight of her. She deigned a smile to both Cody and Rex. Rex still hadn't gotten used to her friendliness after the few weeks she had been there. Lady Tano looked up at the sky and shrugged.

"It happens almost everyday, Anakin." She said. "You're just upset because Lady Amidala is going to be here and you wanted everything to be perfect."

"No." Lord Skywalker grumbled.

Lady Tano gave an exasperated sigh.

"Whatever you say, Anakin. I'd better go get ready for the ball. I suggest you get over yourself and do the same."

She turned with a grace that Rex swore wasn't natural. The rumors were that Lady Tano had been sent here by her previous patron, Lord Koon, because she was a Mistborn, to be trained under Lord Kenobi and Lord Skywalker. They were apparently Mistborns too, but watching Lord Skywalker storm back into the keep like a petulant child made Rex wonder about those rumors.

To Rex's surprise, Lady Tano stopped before entering the keep again.

"Anything out of the ordinary?" She asked Rex and Cody.

Rex blinked and glanced at Cody. Lady Tano had a teasing lilt to her voice. Rex knew better than to respond in kind.

"No, my Lady." Rex finally said.

"Keep up the good work then." Lady Tano said.

She left, Lord Skywalker complaining after her.

Rex waited until they were out of earshot before turning his head slightly to Cody.

"What was that about?" He muttered.

Cody shrugged.

"I guess not all nobles are like House Kamino."

It was dark soon and the mists came. Rex shivered in them. Even House Kamino's harsh training had not completely removed the fear of the mists from its skaa soldiers. It didn't make sense, seeing as Rex, along with almost every other soldier under their 'care', had been taken at a very young age. Rex barely remembered his mother. He wasn't even sure that Cody was his full blood brother. Not that that mattered. Rex considered many of the soldiers he had trained with his brothers.

The limelights soon were lit and Rex could see the carriages begin to roll in. He recognized most of them; most bore their house's colors and crest. He spotted Lord Koon's, Lady Amidala's, and Lord Organa's. Good people, at least by noblemen standards.

Music began drifting up from the open pavilion that Lord Kenobi used as a ballroom. The ash fall had stopped, so no canopy was needed. From up on the wall, all Rex could see was vague colored shapes that represented the couples.

Rex's stomach growled. He wouldn't have a chance to eat until the night's festivities were over. He was used to it. House Kenobi was in fact far more generous in feeding their skaa than House Kamino had been.

He watched the swirling bright colors below him. Ball nights usually meant the guards could be a bit lax. Any Mistborn that would want his lords dead was probably at that ball.

The hours passed slowly. Rex vaguely wondered how they could keep dancing for so long. He didn't see the appeal.

A noise behind him made him jump. Both he and Cody stepped back, readying their spears at whoever was coming through the door.

It was Lady Tano, dressed in a sparkling maroon ball gown. Rex relaxed as she slipped out of the door. She was bearing a large tray, filled with pieces of bread stuffed with meats and cheeses.

"Lady Tano?" Cody asked. "Is there something you need?"

"I'm more concerned about what you need." She said. "Obi Wan told me that ball nights are long for the guards. I'd figured you hadn't had anything to eat."

She proffered the tray. Rex and Cody stared at it. Questions lay on Rex's tongue, but even with Lady Tano's friendly demeanor, he didn't dare ask them.

Lady Tano rolled her eyes.

"Obi Wan said it was okay." She said. "All the other guards took one. Go ahead."

Rex finally lifted one off the tray and bowed his thanks. Cody followed suit. Lady Tano's smile widened.

"You're Cody and Rex, right?" She asked.

Rex blinked in surprise. Lord Kenobi and Lord Skywalker knew their names, but it had taken far longer than a few weeks to get them right consistently. Rex nodded again.

"Have a good night then, Cody and Rex. Hopefully the ball won't last much longer." She said.

She turned, most likely to find the next set of guards.

"Why aren't you still at the ball?" Rex burst out, then winced.

Lady Tano turned with a dark expression. Rex swallowed, but ready to be punished for speaking out of turn.

"I don't care for much of the company down there." She said. "And I don't care to pretend to."

It took a moment for Rex to realize her anger wasn't directed at him. She was glaring down at the bright lights and swirling colors.

"I understand that we have to keep the Houses from war, but-" She shook her head. "Tolerating scum like Dooku and Krell is too much."

Rex watched her expression. Even with her brow furrowed in frustration, she was beautiful. Rex found himself wanting to stare for a long time.

Then he remembered what she was, and more importantly, what he was. He looked down.

She sighed and turned around again. Once again boldness hit Rex.

"Have a good night, my Lady." He blurted.

She looked at him and broke into a genuine smile. Rex's heart fluttered oddly.

"Thank you!" She said, as if he had given her a lovely compliment. "Good night!"

Rex watched her go. Lord Kenobi and Lord Skywalker were good masters, but there was something different about Lady Tano. It was almost as if she cared.

Rex found himself thinking of Lady Tano often, especially on quiet nights like tonight, as he led the midnight patrol. In the weeks following the ball, Rex tried not to let himself get too attached to her. Lady Tano made it very difficult. She was constantly around, talking to the guards and servants. She seemed genuinely interested in their lives. Rex had tried very hard at first to be terse with her and give little information, but she was beginning to crack him. He was still waiting for the day that she proved her noble status.

Lady Tano never visited too late at night. Rex guessed it was because she was out training as a Mistborn. Rex had never seen one before, but he had heard plenty of rumors. They were supposed to be gods among men, able to kill with a look, and virtually invincible.

A crash sounded above. Rex and his men looked up. As if called by his thoughts, two dark figures had burst from a window and were flying towards Rex's patrol.

Rex gave a shout, readying his men. They moved into position. The first dark figure landed in front of them on the wall, tassels floating around them. Rex's suspicions had been right: a Mistborn. The figure wore no hood, and Rex recognized the man as Lord Maul Talzin. The man turned a crazed eye towards the group of soldiers. Rex was thrown backwards by his breastplate, skidding across the ground. Most of his men followed him. Out of the corner of his eye, Rex saw one of the guards go over the side.

"Jesse!" Rex roared, trying to get to his feet.

"No!" A new voice shouted. It sounded like Lady Tano.

The second figure had landed. The mists swirled around her and from over the side, Jesse rocketed back up. Rex scrambled to catch him as his fellow guard crashed back onto the wall. Rex glanced back at the two Mistborn. The second was definitely Lady Tano. Had she Iron-pulled Jesse back up?

Lady Tano rushed at Maul, two daggers gleaming in her hands. Maul laughed openly and dodged gracefully out of the way. Rex watched them duel, uncertainty freezing his limbs. Should he help? Did she even need help? Where the hell were Lord Kenobi and Lord Skywalker?

As the battle progressed, it became clear that Maul was the stronger Mistborn. Rex realized that Lady Tano was struggling against her foe as well as keeping his attention away from his patrol. She was backing up farther and farther away down the wall. Rex looked down, one of their spears at his feet.

She had been kind to him, kind to his men. But could he risk-

Lady Tano cried out as Maul scored a hit. Rex didn't think as he grabbed the spear, hefted it, and hurled it at the dueling pair. Then, burning the steel he shouldn't have been able to use, he pushed. The spear flew down the length of the wall, like an oversized arrow. It hit its mark. Maul froze as the spear pierced his back. Lady Tano took the opportunity to slash Maul's throat.

Maul fell.

Lady Tano paused only for a second before hurrying back towards the patrol. Rex felt cold. He'd revealed his secret, the power he wasn't supposed to have. There was a difference between being kind to skaa and accepting a skaa Misting. If he was lucky, Lady Tano would just kill him right then and there. If he wasn't, she would call the Steel Inquisitors to take him away.

Rex bowed his head as Lady Tano grew closer. He waited for her angry words or even her blade. She rushed past him to his groaning squad.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked. "Jesse? Are you hurt?"

Relief washed over Rex as he heard his men assure her they were all right. They had been disorientated by Maul's Steel-push far longer than Rex had. Had they realized what he'd done?

"Go inform Lord Skywalker and Lord Kenobi what's happened." Lady Tano said. "I must speak to Rex."

Rex listened to his men's armor clank as they ran off. He could feel Lady Tano's eyes on him.

"You're lucky he wasn't burning atium." Lady Tano said. "Otherwise that would never have worked."

Rex stayed silent. Lady Tano came closer.

"It was you who helped, wasn't it?" She asked. "You were the only one up. Only an Allomancer could have made that shot. Are you a Thug or a Coinshot?"

Her voice- it wasn't angry or aggressive. Just curious and thankful.

"Coinshot." Rex found himself muttering.

He chanced a glance upward and found Lady Tano studying him. She didn't seem offended by his existence.

"Do you know who in your family is noble?" She asked.

Rex hesitated. She was probably trying to out whatever noble was failing in his duty of killing his half-blood bastards. No matter. Rex's father was dead.

"Lord Jango Fett." He said.

Lady Tano cocked her head.

"Huh." She said. "He always seemed more efficient than that."

Rex snorted. If only she knew the amount of half breed bastards Jango had left behind. Rex knew of at least four other Mistings from Jango's line. Cody was a Smoker, Wrecker was a Thug, Crosshair was a Tineye, and Hunter was a Seeker. Rex knew better than to let Lady Tano know that.

It was silent for a long moment after that. Rex clenched his fists. Was she or was she not going to turn him in?

"Lady Tano-"

"Do you want me to teach you?" Lady Tano interrupted.

Rex stared at her.

"What?" He asked. "You're- you're not going to have me killed?"

Lady Tano's expression darkened.

"No." She said. "No, Rex, I'm not."

"Will you tell Lord Kenobi or Lord Skywalker?" He asked.

"Not if you don't want me to." She said.

She held out her hand.

"Let me teach you." She said. "You have a wonderful gift."

Rex hesitated. If any other nobleman found out-

He looked into her earnest, beautiful eyes.

He took her hand.

The mists were Rex's home. He wondered how he could have ever feared them as he fell through the air. Of course six months being forced to fly about in them desensitized one to the swirling white mass. Rex pushed against a blue line, forcing himself higher into Luthadel's night. The cool air rushed past his face. Ahsoka flew parallel to him, mistcloak tassels streaming behind her. She flashed a grin at him.

No, the mists alone were not his home. Being in the mists with her was home. They arced over buildings together, pushing in sync. Suddenly she veered off to the side, disappearing into the mists. It was an invitation. Catch me if you can.

Rex immediately changed course, pushing on an iron gate below to follow her trajectory. Part of him wished for the abilities of a Tineye, to pierce the mists, but that would take away some of the challenge of the game. He didn't know if he wanted that.

She was better than him, of course, but he was improving quickly. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to match her. She had an unfair disadvantage of being able to Steelpush and Ironpull. The mists streamed by him. They hid the ugly, dirty shame that was Luthadel. At night, Rex could almost ignore the suffering of the city. Ahsoka and Rex's lords did everything they could to alleviate the misery of the skaa here. Rex loved her for that.

"Rex!"

Ahsoka's voice bounced around the mists, seeming to come from everywhere. He managed to see her silhouette far above. He pushed on a few more lines to reach her, and pushed on something below to join her.

He burst from the mist into a field of white. He looked around, disorientated, until he saw Ahsoka. She was hovering in the air, pushing just enough so that she neither fell or went up. Rex quickly balanced himself as well. He followed her gaze, which was trained upward.

"Stars." She whispered.

Rex could barely see the pinpricks through the hazy sky. Ahsoka had told him about them, but most nights it was too clouded by the ash to see them. Rex stared at them. What exactly were they? What made them burn? Why-

He noticed with a jolt that Ahsoka had drifted closer to him. Her relaxed posture as she looked up belied the intense effort and concentration it would take to float over to him.

Rex took in her face, captivated by the enraptured look there. She always made the hardest things look easy.

"I wish we could see them every night. I wish the world wasn't this way." Ahsoka said. "The ash, the noble squabbles, the way the skaa are treated."

She closed her eyes for a long moment. Rex realized that tears were streaming down her face.

"Ahsoka." Rex said.

She turned to look at him. Her eyes were so blue. There was no color that was that vibrant in nature.

Rex fought against years of training and being told he was less than those he served as he lifted his hands to her face. Those beautiful blue eyes widened as he touched her. He prayed he wasn't making a mistake as he used his thumb to wipe away some of her tears.

"Things have changed. You changed them. Things are better for the skaa in the lands you and the lords control. You made them better."

She continued to stare into his face. He had nothing more to say, but he kept his hands on her cheeks.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Lord Ruler, he loved her.

He lifted her face slightly. He heard her breath catch as he lowered his head. He pressed his lips to hers.

She wrapped her arms around him and together they lowered slowly back into the mists, where they belonged.

I hope you enjoyed, even if you're not familiar with Mistborn. (I highly recommend Brandon Sanderson, start with Mistborn: The Final Empire)

The next one should be out in a couple of days. I'm so close to being done with the semester.

And, well, it didn't end happily for everyone...

i know it’s been while since since the bad batch ended but i still felt empty and i don’t know what to do. yes it was like 3 months ago, yes it ended happily, but what do the creators expect, for me to move on????

This is me. All the time now. So many emotions AND THE BLOODY SEASON HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET.

i am having an overwhelming amount of anxiety over bad batch season 3 coming out. but i’m also having a lot of excitement too.

bc i’m very much “FUCK YEA WERE SO FUCKING BACK” but at the same time it’s “do i really wanna be back after that?” idk im very scared and excited at the same time. im very much “we all live or we all die” rn bc i i can’t stand the idea of them not being all together :(( it breaks my heart i just love them too much

i’m also very sad abt leaving clone wars era bc i love the clones sm.

idk just feeling a lot of emotions rn and it’s very overwhelming and it’s very scary but bad batch season 3 so i’m chilling