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In Riyo Chuchi’s year-long tenure as senator of Pantora, she had never before been more exhausted than she was at this moment. For the last week she had been scrambling from meeting to meeting, drafting countless bills she couldn’t seem to get right, and practically grovelling for support from other senators. Oh the tales she would be able to tell her younger self of the true reality of being a senator. Changing the world, one sleep-deprived day at a time.
She leans back in the desk chair that seems to have become an extension of her body to stare up at the blank, empty ceiling. By now, night had already fallen across Coruscant. The pot of caf she had brewed a few hours ago was now completely empty and the mug on her desk had grown cold. In the back of her mind, she knew that she’d be better off going home to get rest and recharge for the upcoming days ahead of her. There was just so much work to be done; her people deserved better and if her sanity had to be sacrificed so they could live better lives, then so be it.
The memory of Pantora made her heart burn with homesickness. If her mother had seen her like this, she would have dragged her out of their house and forced her to go on a walk with the family Loth-cat to help clear her mind. It had seemed like light years had passed since she had last felt that sense of calm.
Stopping her work now couldn’t hurt that much, could it? It was unlikely that she would be struck with a burst of genius that would help her finish the bill she had been attempting to draft. With a quick glance at the chrono on her desk, her mind was made up.
A good walk around Coruscant is what would ease the stress on her mind, she was sure. There was a park not too far from here that she’d grown quite fond of. It would be perfect. Of course, she doubted that Commander Fox would even consider the idea of her wandering its paths on her own. She’d have to call in for a pair of troops to escort her. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing.
Just as she’s about to request a pair of troopers to be her escort, a loud knock resonates through the durasteel door of her office. It surprises her and she jumps in her seat, though she is quick to recover a moment later.
“Come in, please!” she calls out.
The door slides open to reveal none other than Commander Fox. To an unknowing eye he may look just as alert and attentive as always, but she knew him better than that. From the way his shoulders were ever so slightly slumped and his hands were held loosely at his sides, she could tell he was tired too. It seemed like she wasn’t the only one who had had a long week.
“Commander Fox, so lovely to see you!” she called out to him.
“The same to you, senator Chuchi. I was just coming to see when you would want your security detail to be ready to escort you back to your apartment,” he responded.
Her heart grew warm at the thought of him caring about her enough to check on her, although she knew to quickly squash that idea down. It was his job to check on her and make sure she was safe. He had no other obligations to her beyond that. Just because she considered him to be her friend, although she wanted to be so much more, didn’t mean that he felt the same way. And she would never dare to push him like that.
“Now would be perfect, actually. I was just about to call them myself.”
“Very well, ma’am.”
“Fox, I do believe we’ve been over this before a million times. It’s just the two of us in here and I know you get my office and all of the other Senator’s offices scanned weekly for bugs. Just Riyo is fine, I want you to feel comfortable around me.”
He clears his throat and shuffles his feet for a moment, “My apologies, Riyo. It takes some time to get used to.”
Before she can even stop herself, she blurts out, “I’ve got all of the time in the world for you, Fox.”
Oh, Maker. Would a day ever pass when she didn’t make herself look like a fool in front of him? She doubted it. Not for the first time she dreads the fact that his face is hidden behind his helmet. He was so much easier to read without it on.
Thankfully he chooses to ignore her blunder and continue their conversation, “I’ll just call your guards up now then.”
He had distracted her for so long that she’d forgotten why she had just been about to leave herself.
“Fox, wait a moment, please. I suppose I should ask you first. Would it be alright if the troopers escorted me on a walk before taking me back to my apartment? It’s been a long week and I could use it to help clear my head.”
It was a seemingly simple request. Still, Fox could use as many of his men with him as possible. A planet with a population of a trillion was not easy to look after, that much she was sure of.
He nods, “That’ll be fine. I’ll just let them know.”
The communicator on his vambrace lights up as he begins to speak into it, “Jek and Rhys, please report to Senator Chuchi’s office immediately.”
“Thank you, Fox. I appreciate it.”
“It was nothing, Riyo. I’ll wait with you until they arrive.”
“My thanks again,” she says to him, “So, how has your day been?”
He sighs heavily, an answer all on its own, “Not too much action today, thank the Maker.”
She laughs a little at him, “We both know that just means you were cooped up in your office all day filling out paperwork.”
Despite not being able to see his face she can hear the smile in his voice, “You know me too well, Riyo.”
She smiles softly at him, “That I do. Which is why I am going to demand that you’ll return to the barracks soon, Fox. I’m afraid neither of us can continue to simply live off of caf and sheer determination for much longer.”
He chuckles at that, a sound that she never grows tired of. She hopes he’s smiling too, even just a little bit. The small hint of a smile she saw grace his face a few months ago has forever engrained itself in her memory.
“I’ll do my best. It’s been a tough week on Coruscant.”
She laughs at him, “You say that every week, Fox.”
“That’s because it’s true every week.”
She laughed once more before allowing a comfortable silence to fill the space between them. It was a shame that he was so overworked. She wished that there was something she could do to help him. No amount of bills or advocacy would magically diminish the amount of datapads stacked onto his desk at every hour of every day.
Yet maybe there was a chance that she could step in as his friend now. It certainly didn’t hurt to try. He would probably appreciate some time to think on a walk just as much as she would. She was simply looking out for his well-being as her friend and the fact that they would be spending time alone had absolutely nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing.
‘Well, Riyo, it’s now or never,’ she thinks to herself.
“Commander Fox, I was actually wondering if you would instead be willing to go on that walk with me before you escort me back to my apartment?”
He stills in the doorway. She really hoped she hadn’t messed this up. Their growing relationship had been the light in her darkest days and she’d do anything to keep a hold of it.
Riddled with anxiety, she can’t help but begin to ramble out of desperation, “I know you’ve had a hard week, as you always seem to, and I know that going for a walk helps to clear my mind. I do understand if you’d rather stay back and get your work finished, but I would very much appreciate your company.”
Before she begins to ramble more, he turns to her. Despite not being able to see his face, she can see a change in his body language, clear as day. He’s far more relaxed and at ease now that he had been a moment ago.
“I would like that, Riyo. Please.”
Her cheeks could barely contain the smile that graced her face, “Okay! Just let me grab my things, I know exactly where we can go.”
He nods and turns to step into the hallway. Faintly, she hears him turn his comms on to stop the troopers from coming up to her. Her mind is buzzing so much she can’t even decipher their words. All she can focus on is that she’ll be getting to spend more time with Fox.
She grabs her coat and shoves a few datapads onto a random shelf. The mess on her desk can be a problem for another day. All of the problems that had been weighing her down only moments ago seemed to have faded out of existence.
Stepping into the hallway, Fox is facing her in a relaxed sort of parade rest. Maker how she hoped he was smiling under that helmet as much as she was.
She grabbed a hold of his right arm and led him to the lift, “Come on, Fox. Try not to miss your paperwork too much.”
He scoffs at that, “I’m sure I’ll miss mine just as much as you will yours.”
A warm laugh bubbles out of her throat. After all the time they had spent together, his personality had slowly begun to shine through. It made her heart jump to think he showed parts of himself to her that only his brothers had ever seen.
As they waited for the lift to come to their floor, Riyo attempted to calm the pounding of her heart. There was no reason for her to be this nervous. Or excited. Friends shouldn’t feel this sort of way about each other.
She had never anticipated her night ending this way and she couldn’t be more overjoyed at the turn of events.
***
Fox liked to believe that even as crazy as his job may be, he was always prepared for whatever may come. Rude citizens, spice trafficking, and the countless assasination or kidnapping attempts on politicians had just become a part of his daily life. Nothing new to him.
But going on a walk with Riyo Chuchi, the woman who more often than not has consumed his every waking thought for the last year? May Jango watch over him and prevent him from doing anything stupid.
Riyo had given him the coordinates to a small park in a fairly quiet part of the city-planet for their walk. He hadn’t ever heard of the place before, although given the nature of his job, that was usually a good thing. It was nice to know there was somewhere on this planet, no matter how small, that was shielded from the crime that devoured the rest of it.
The speeder ride was thankfully quick and they soon pulled up to the park. There weren’t any other speeder bikes around, which meant he was truly alone with Riyo now. He let her climb off first before shutting off the bike and getting down himself.
He wasn’t really sure what to expect the park to look like, all the same it completely took his breath away. It was stunning. Small, glowing lamps hanging from the low branches of trees illuminated the intricate paths in a white glow that shone throughout the darkness. The trees were the deepest, liveliest shade of green he had ever seen in his short life, a color that he would now swear to be his favorite. Flower bushes of every shade lined the path leading towards them, inviting them to come inside. There was even a small creek, the sound of running water resonating in his ears like a gentle lullaby.
“This whole thing got commissioned a long time ago by the citizens of Coruscant as appreciation to the Senate for its work in maintaining galactic peace. Every flower, every tree here was sent from planets across the galaxy as thanks for upholding the peace. That peace may be gone now, but I figured you deserved to see it too, considering all of the work you do to protect the little peace we all have left,” Riyo said when she noticed him staring.
His heart swelled at her kind words. It was a sentiment not shared by many, that the clones truly did work hard to protect the planet and keep it as peaceful as possible. It certainly wasn’t an easy job and at times he was jealous of his brothers who got to serve on the frontlines with the Jedi. It was other times like this, when he knew he never would’ve had the chance to meet Riyo, that he is grateful to be stationed on Coruscant. He’d willing face a thousand mobs if it meant he could remain by her side.
“Thank you, Riyo,” he finally snaps from his thoughts and responds to her, “that means more to me than you know.”
She hummed in response and turned to glance at the treeline, “Skyscrapers don’t exactly compare to the natural beauty a planet can have.”
“Not even a little bit. This place is breathtaking,” he responds.
He couldn’t help admiring the scenery for a few moments more before turning towards where Riyo was standing by his side. To his surprise, a pair of golden eyes were watching him. Caught staring at him, she quickly cleared her throat and turned away, a purple blush rising onto her cheeks. He pretended to ignore it and made to remove his helmet. It wasn’t fair for him to be the only one aware when one of them was blushing. Setting it into the crook of his arm, an action that had become almost second nature, he offered his other arm to Riyo.
“Come on, I’ve got a feeling it’s even nicer on the inside.”
She smiles warmly at him and slips her arm through his, “Oh, I promise you, Fox, it is.”
As they walk, Riyo tells him the names of all the different trees and flowers around them. Never would he have thought there could be so much variety. Fox is enormously glad to have been able to take his helmet off so he could appreciate the true colors of this place. As long as he lives, he’ll never forget it. Every word that falls from her lips he carefully listens to. It’s clearly a subject that’s important to her, and that makes it important to him.
“Well, now comes the hard part,” she chuckles as she finishes telling him about the flowers, “You have to pick a favorite one. Just one.”
He laughs lightly, “And how come I can only choose one? Can’t they all be my favorite?”
“Just like how all of your brothers are your favorite?”
He opens his mouth to respond but she interrupts him, “That does include Thorn, you know.”
For the first time in far too long, he truly laughs at that. It’s a full on belly laugh that he would almost be embarrassed to have Riyo see if he trusted her any less.
She smiles brightly at him and waits for his laughter to die down to finish speaking, “Yes, you have to choose a favorite flower. I’ll tell you mine, if that makes it any easier.”
As kind as it is for her to offer, it’s unnecessary. He knew his favorite the moment he saw it. The Pantoran moonflower. Its rich blue hues matched Riyo’s skin and the golden center matched her eyes. Each petal was such intricate it almost seemed impossible for it to have been created by any force of nature. The petals shaped a crown around the head of the flower that rivaled that of any ruler he had ever met. To say it was stunning would be putting it lightly.
Now, he only has to decide if that’s the answer he gives her or if he makes it up. He doesn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. At the same time, she always insists that he be truthful with her.
He takes a deep breath and points at the flower as they pass it, “The Pantoran moonflower. It’s perfect. I was drawn to it as soon as I saw it.”
‘Just like you when I first saw you,’ he thinks but forces the thoughts out of his head.
Riyo’s grip on his arm tightens ever so slightly, “That’s my favorite too. It’ll always have a special place in my heart that none of the others can compare to.”
He nods and allows them to be lulled into a comfortable silence. Riyo clearly knows the paths well, expertly weaving them down the most scenic routes, although he doubts there could be an ugly spot in a place like this.
As she leads them around a turn, the canopy of trees above them suddenly opens to reveal the night sky completely speckled with stars. He’s always enjoyed being able to tilt his head up and look at the galaxy around him, to be able to see the far off planets that his most beloved brothers are stationed at. He hopes they’re able to find a moment of peace as well. To be able to look up and appreciate the beauty of the universe that they’re sworn to protect.
“Do you know any constellations?” she asks, looking up to admire the stars as well.
“No, can’t say that I do. Wasn’t included in Kaminoan teaching.”
Riyo scoffs at him, “What do they even bother teaching you at Kamino then, hmm?”
He can’t help but chuckle at that, “Ah, nothing too important. How to hold a gun, sparring, methods, the best way to keep a senator out of trouble, especially the Pantoran ones. The usual things.”
“Of course. Completely.”
They twist down one more path that opens to a lone tree. It sits on the top of a small hill that overlooks the rest of the park, its leaves hanging low to the ground as they gently blow in the wind.
Riyo smiles when she sees it and her eyes light up, “Best place in the galaxy to curl up with a good book is right up here.”
“I’m sad to say I left my reading glasses back at the barracks.”
“Well then, I guess you’re stuck having to talk to me.”
Her grip shifts from his arm to his hand, intertwining their fingers like the branches of the trees. She pulls him up the small hill to rest at the base of the tree. Leaning her back against the rough bark of the tree, she turns to smile at him.
“Thank you for coming with me, Fox. I appreciate it more than you can even begin to imagine.”
A warm blush grows across his cheeks, “It’s me who should be thanking you, Riyo. I never would have gotten the chance to see this if it weren’t for you.”
She tilts her head up to look at the stars through the tree’s branches. He can’t seem to find it in himself to turn his gaze away from her. The white glow of the stars in her golden eyes entrances him. He couldn’t look away even if he wanted to.
Before he can question himself, he leans forward and gently presses a kiss against her cheek, just below the markings that he’s always been entranced by.
As he pulls away, he sees a shy smile grow across Riyo’s face that he can’t help but return.
She looks right into his eyes and he swears she can see right into his soul. A delicate hand lifts to gently caress the side of his face and he leans into her touch, his eyes never leaving her golden ones.
“You know, for the Marshal Commander of the Coruscant Guard, I thought you’d have better aim than that,” she whispers to him in a soft voice, full of the love and warmth he’s always wanted from her.
Ever so gently, she pulls his face down to press her lips against his. He feels his helmet fall out of his grip and fall down the hill, but he doesn’t find it in himself to care. He presses his lips against hers just as gently, wrapping his arms around her waist to bring her closer. Her soft, warm lips move into a smile against his.
She pulls away from him and he chases her lips, still craving her touch. How many nights had he dreamt of this moment for it to now be happening to him? So many and yet none of them could possibly compare to the real feeling of her body pressed against his. Her fingers twist into his hair to gently cup the back of his head.
Finally, he pulls away from her to catch his breath, as much as he doesn’t want to. Her eyes are bright as they gaze back at him, an entire galaxy’s worth of stars shining in them.
“I think you’ll have to take me here more often,” he manages to say, voice ever so slightly raspy.
“Don’t worry, Fox. I planned on it,” she responds before pulling him towards her again.