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Waves crashed against the steel foundations of the Tipoca City dome. The sound of rain battering the steel dome kept Fox alert as he snuck his way down a corridor towards the CT barracks. Every so often there was a clap of thunder, Fox imagined the flash of lightning that accompanied it, illuminating the dark churning water that was beneath their feet, only separated by a couple hundred tonnes of durasteel. There was a hypnotic quality in the sound of churning waves beneath him, he counted the seconds between one breath and the next, between one thunder clap and the next.
Fox continued further around the corridor until he saw a smaller frame standing just around the corner from the CT barracks, shifting their weight on their feet as they nervously glanced around the other end of the corridor for any patrolling trainers.
On nights like these, where thunderstorms wrecked havoc against the domes of Topics City, the trainer's took shelter in their allocated housing domes, branching off the main city dome. Fox had seen one before, back when Prime taught them things. It meant that Fox could see him.
He snuck up on the smaller vod that was lurking around the corridor and surprised him, grabbing the vod by his shoulders with a sharp " boo!" punctuated by a shake.
Rex yelped in surprise and whipped around to slap him across his sleep fatigues, getting a good hit in with a solid thud against Fox's chest.
" Chakaar! " Rex hissed, scrunching up his nose as he wiggled out of Fox's hands on his shoulders and looked around to see if they had gotten anyone else's attention. "You're such a piece of shit ."
"But I'm your piece of shit-" Fox responded in a sing-song voice as he threw an arm around Rex's shoulders and tugged him close to Fox's frame. "Come on, we're gonna miss it." He then said, grabbing onto Rex's hand to pull him along the corridor.
The sound of their boots thudded lightly against the Tipoca city floors, their footsteps quick but light as they traversed the empty halls.
Somewhere about four corridors down and one elevator ride down from Training Dome Grek there was a large, wall to ceiling window, thick acrylic plexiglass at sea level separating them from the aquatic world they grew up in. It towered over their heads and they could see the steel foundations of Tipoca City above them, foundation beams and all. With the window ending just at sea level they could see the waves, dark brackish water that rippled every so often when something large and shadowy drifted past.
Thunder clapped once more and Fox felt Rex jump, hand in hand as they stared out at the window at the crashing waves. The window was splattered with water droplets from the rain, mist spraying up from the sea as it collided with the support structures around them. Fox counted the seconds and squeezed Rex's hand,
Moments later lightning lit up the sky and illuminated Rex's young face, blonde hair and wide, awed eyes to Fox. It lit up the water and the waves, made them look menacing and powerful. Deep between them he could see, for a split second, the silhouette of sea creatures as they swam through the current, and then it was dark once more.
The water continued to crash against the city and Fox tightened his grip on Rex's hand to soothe his nerves.
This was his place in the middle of Tipoca City, amongst the waves and the stars and the rain. Amongst the millions of souls that gathered around them. Bringing Rex there was a big deal, he wanted to make sure Rex knew that, but he also wanted to give Rex a chance. They had all heard news that the Jedi had finally come to check on their troops, Kote had even seen him being taken to Prime’s quarters, this was the very last chance Fox had to give Rex the truth, to give Rex everything he needed.
If the jetii were coming for them he refused to let the chance of Rex being ripped away on the battlefield without knowing how he felt for him come to fruition.
"So?" Fox asked, waiting for Rex's response. The blonde finally blinked at the crashing waves, water eerily dark but hypnotic and he turned his head to look at Fox. “What do you think?”
"Every thunderstorm?" Rex whispered. “You come here every thunderstorm?”
“I do. Every thunderstorm.” Fox agreed as he stared back out at the ocean swirling around them, the water. He felt Rex take his other hand in his, turning them so that they were both face to face. “Since we hit three standard.”
Thunder clapped once more, loud enough to leave both their ears ringing, Fox’s mouth parted as he turned to Rex and took Rex’s other hand in his. Somehow, despite the storm raging around them, the ocean’s crashing waves, threatening to drag them under and drown them, Fox felt at peace, as if he knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it.
There was no fear.
No sadness.
Just, peace.
Happiness.
Fox was content.
“Rex, if the jetii need us-” The rest of Fox’s words were cut off by another clap of thunder, it felt like it was right above them, shaking right through their very chests and lungs. Fox squeezed Rex’s hands.
“Fox?” Rex looked up at him. The following lightning lit up his almond coloured eyes and Fox leaned forward to press his forehead to Rex’s. “What did you say?”
“If the jetii are coming for us-” Fox said, pausing to wait for the next thunderclap to pass them. With the next flash of lightning Rex looked into Fox’s darker, golden coloured eyes and saw that Fox was tearing up. “Then I want you to know how much you mean to me.” He said once the lightning had passed and they were plunged back into darkness, with only distant lightning flashes barely illuminating the brackish green-black ocean around them.
Even in the darkness, Fox could see Rex’s eyes tearing up. He huffed a chuckle and threaded his fingers with Rex’s,
“Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum Rex.” Fox said in the quiet of the corridor, accompanied by the sound of falling rain and the ocean waves crashing against Tipoca City. Rex pressed their foreheads together, as if he was riding any remainder of space between them. Their noses brushed, and then Rex’s lips were on his.
“Ni kar’tayl Fox.” Rex replied when he pulled away, punctuated by a flash of lightning that highlighted the few grey strands that were already lingering in Fox’s curls. Rex resisted the urge to let go of Fox’s hands to run his fingers through Fox’s curls. “Say the riduurok with me?”
“Anything jai’galaar’ika. You ready?” Rex nodded against him and Fox tugged him just that little bit closer before he started speaking. “Mhi solus tome.”
“Mhi solus dar’tome.” Rex said next, along with him.
They paused, with bated breaths as the thunder and waves wrocked the facility around them, feeling steady despite the swirling chaos around them.
“Mhi me’dinui an.” Rex said, Fox repeated it, searching Rex’s eyes in the split second flash that lit up his cyare’s face once more.
Just as Rex opened his mouth to speak, to finish the vows, Fox shushed him and pressed their lips together once more, interrupting him. “Mhi cuyanir.” Fox promised against Rex’s lips. “We will come back to each other, promise me Rex.”
“I promise, riduur, I won’t leave you.” Rex finally released one of Fox’s hands to tangle his fingers into Fox’s curls and tugged him down for a proper kiss. Fox’s free hand clutched onto the fatigues at Rex’s waist and hauled him close, leaving no space between them.
Thunder clapped once more around them and lightning lit up the corridor before plunging them into the safety of darkness in Fox’s safe space.
When the jetii came, if the jetii came, Fox knew at least Rex would always keep his promise.