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Utapau. A hellish planet with hellish dust, hellish droids, hellish winds and well, the only way to describe it was just that.. Hellish. 

The deafening blaster fire of droids and clones alike ring around the walls of this certain crater that homes the battlefield playing in front of his eyes. Cries of fallen vode echo through his ears like a siren, only comforted by the equally deathly cries of frying droid parts. 

It’s a combination of all these things that causes Cody to take his helmet off for a second to just breathe, just think, see if there’s an easier way out of this.

Now, he really should have kept his helmet on, it probably would have made the impact of a lightsaber falling on his head a lot nicer. It feels as if something shatters in the right side of his head from the impact, it fell that hard and fast.

“Kriff this stupid Jetii and losing his lightsaber mid-battle.” Cody sighed. Leaning down, he handles the lightsaber with much more care than its owner as he clips it to the loop on his belt, put there specifically for occasions such as this. 

He sighs out of frustration. “”This lightsaber is your life”, he tells Skywalker all the time and yet the dumb hypocrite can’t even follow his own words and statements. He’s a stupid hypocrite and he’s going to get himself killed. He’s lucky he’s stupidly attractive or I would have knocked some sense into his stupid pretty head by now.” He grumbles, returning to his blaster and aims it at the seppies like his life depends on it, which it does.

“Commander would now be a good time to inform you that your communicator is in fact on?” He hears from inside the helmet now protecting his head. Panic is all he feels.

“ Oritsir , Kriff, PLEASE tell me that General Kenobi has his comm off, Boil.” Well, this is a great way to get decommissioned. Accidentally admit you may or may not find your General attractive in front of your entire battalion and maybe said General.

“You’re alright Commander, he’s too busy with Grievous at the moment.” Boil replies after a second too long. That was probably intentional as well, just to panic Cody even more. The di’kut .

Right. Well, crisis over. Back to the task at hand; the few hundred battle droids currently headed directly for Cody and the few troopers surrounding him.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the few troopers who weren’t mid-battle -namely Helix, Wooley and Crys- decided to make a big deal of the little slip up in his language.

“Ohh~ He admits it to himself at last!” Helix, probably. He always did have that hunch on this situation that he implied to Cody every check-up in the medbay since the Rako Hardeen situation. Admittedly, Helix was probably rightfully suspicious after that. Cody didn’t handle that situation well at all.

“What makes you think he’s just admitted it to himself?” Wooley interrupts. Cody feels betrayal. He always had a soft spot for Wooley, and was sure his brother knew it too. This is how he decided to repay that? “We don’t exactly know what goes on in the Commander’s quarters after hours.” Snickering laughter follows that comment. Damn you Wooley. What an aruetii . 

“Was anyone recording that? It would be a lovely post-war gift for the General.” Some trooper intercepts, probably Boil. Cody’s not really paying too much attention anymore. Too busy worrying about the droids trying to cause his demise.

“It might be recorded in logs actually.” That certainly got Cody’s attention. Unfortunately, it was mid-roundhousing a B1 unit. Cody can safely report that it was not his smoothest moment, as he was soon swept off his feet, only managing to survive due to the blaster in his hand aimed directly at the droid.

“Nobody will be downloading anything or sending it to General Kenobi at any point in time. That is a direct order.” He spoke quickly, making sure to keep at least a quarter of his brain in battle.

“Welp. Can’t exactly disobey orders before said order has been made.” Cody’s going to kill Crys. 

Just as Cody thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did.

“Would someone like to explain to me why I just received a file by the name of ‘CodyisinlovewithKenobi.exe’?” Cody may as well throw himself into the pits below at this point. It would save him the stress of decommissioning.

“I think there’s enough context in the file itself sir.” He’s going to die, he’s going to die and take Crys with him.

“That’s enough, please. Sorry for the informality of my vode General, now can you please come down here and get your force-forsaken lightsaber? Before I have to inform Skywalker of your hypocrisy.” That should divert the General’s attention, just a little.

“Cody please, I just killed Grievous, cut me some slack.” He could hear the eyeroll in Kenobi’s accent alone. 

Not long after that sentence was spoken, Kenobi came riding down the canyon on- Cody has no idea what the hell that is. He did look good doing it though, which Cody was going to make sure he didn’t say out loud this time.

Cody took his helmet off once again, doing a little spin just for the fun of it, looking up at his General with a smile he couldn't help. Rex calls it his ‘gay for general smile’.

 “I believe this is yours, General.” Kenobi looked down at him, with an almost matching look on his face. 

“Thank you, Cody. I’ll try not to lose it next time, no need to inform Anakin.” With a wink and a tap to the side of whatever the hell kind of creature he’s hitching a ride on, Kenobi flees the scene once again. The helmet returns back to its rightful place on his head.

“That was gay.” Helix. He’s going to severely harm that medic and make him take care of his own injuries.

“Shut up Helix.” It’s all he can say for now, as the familiar noise of his comm going off on his arm band sounds. 

“Noooo- don’t silence Helix. He’s right, that was super gay.” Crys, again. That man is triple dead.

“Crys, please focus on the task at hand. Please. I need to take a comm and I’m not going to put up with your osik whilst I’m mid-call.” He’s going to make these idiots clean the entire ship once this battle’s done.

Just as Cody’s about to take the call, -Chancellor Palpatine, he reads, how odd- Boil comes in with the worst sentence he could have said in the middle of a battle with General Kenobi on call. 

“No, the call can wait. We need to discuss your extremely obvious crush on the General, Cody.” Kriff these guys. Honestly. He answers the call from the Chancellor, absent-mindedly looking up at the General, hoping to god that his comm was turned off.

“Chancellor Palpatine, sorry for the wait. What did you need?” The Chancellor looked a little bit different at the moment, as if he had gone through the world’s biggest dehydrator. Oh well, who’s he to judge what the Chancellor deems a glow-up. With that smile, he’s quite clearly happy.

“Commander Cody, Execu-” Cody didn’t hear whatever the Chancellor had to say after that, because the worst thing to ever happen, happened.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say Boil?” Kriff. Osik. Oritsir. He might as well start packing for Kamino now, because there’s no way he’s not getting decommissioned after this.

“Commander Cody? Did you hear me?” Double Kriff, the Chancellor.

“Excuse me, Chancellor, there’s been a situation, I’ll have to call you back, uh- byeee.” Oh- He just hung up on the Chancellor himself mid-order. He’s so dead. Never mind, there are more pressing matters at hand. Like the fact that Kenobi heard that, and is now looking down at him from the ledge he and the weird lizard thing are perched on.

Well. The cliff looks real nice right now. But his quarters on the Negotiator sound better. He’s gone through too much mental strain. He needs to call his batchmates, he needs mental support.

“Well Boil. Since you’re so keen on giving out information right now, you’ll be fine being temporary commander whilst I go the kriff to sleep. You’re all hurting my head too much for me to continue. I’ll be in my quarters if you need me. Fuck you all.”

All he heard before logging off was the muttered words of Crys:

“In more ways than one in Kenobi’s case.” 

That’s it. Crys is being sent back to Kamino.

-

Bly, Wolffe, Rex and Fox pick up rather quickly considering they’re all on missions. Bly’s literally connected by his helmet, as he walks with Secura on Felucia, Wolffe is in a plane, Rex is literally bringing Maul back to the temple and Fox- well Palpatine is a piece of work himself.

“Ok. Let me get this straight.” Fox pauses, trying to wrap the situation around his head.

“Cody’s not.”

“Nice one, Bly!” Wolffe yells from over his comm. Turbulence heavy in the background. He pauses for a minute before responding again. “Oh, General Buir says he finds Bly’s comment amusing as well.”

“General Koon’s in this call? What the hell, Wolffe?” Cody responds, quite offended that Wolffe would be so much of an idiot to let his Buir- Jedi- General- whatever into this very private call.

“He’s not, I just had my volume up unnaturally loud so both calls could hear it. It’s not like that anymore.” How is Wolffe not deaf by now? Cody has no idea. 

“Right, anyway. Is there any room for a commander in any of your battalions? Rex’ika? Do you need help? Please? I would prefer Skywalker’s Mynoc-osik crazy stunts over this pain any day of the week.

He can hear Rex’s grin through the call more than see it. “Sorry Codes, but I fear that the Resolute is packed full right about now.”

Betrayed yet again, and by his favorite brother too. The galaxy is a cruel mistress. 

“Have you tried not running away before hearing Obi-Wan’s answer? I feel like you might want to hear what he has to say after this” Was that- yes that was definitely General Tano’s voice coming from his comm.

“Are even private vode calls not sacred now? You’re all just letting your Jetii Generals listen to them?” Cody huffed out, throwing his hands in the air. This was definitely not his day. Or week, if he were to be honest.

Okay, maybe it was not his life in general.

A chorus of snickers sounded through the comm at his question, one unmistakably belonging to the young Jedi- but not anymore- Ahsoka.

“Secura says hello by the way!” Cody wasn’t even surprised at all anymore. Out of any of them having their General hear their calls, Bly would definitely be the one to let General Secura listen in on it. 

“Why did I even call you” He should have known that they would tease him relentlessly over this. Why did he think that calling his di’kut brothers would help him?

“Because you adore us and crave our infinite wisdom?” Rex speaks up again, his comment causing Tano to start laughing. Cody can see clearly in his mind how she’s probably doubling over and holding onto Rex’s shoulder to steady herself. 

“That’s it. Fox. Fox’ika. My favorite vod. Do you need a new addition to the Guard? I can absolutely help relieve paperwork off you.” 

“I could use one, but tell me, where would be the fun in that? Besides, do you really think it to be wise to suddenly transfer to work with the person you hung up on mid-sentence? One that is currently the most powerful person in the galaxy might I add?” Fox is landing on the idiot brother list too. All of them are.  Cody is so done with them all. With everything. Might as well just call a long neck now and personally schedule his decommissioning. 

“You’re on your own ori’vod. Time to face your crush before you die alone and sad” Oh Cody is so pushing Rex off a ledge the next time they have a joint mission together. 

“What’s wrong with dying alone and sad? Better than dying surrounded by idiots. Which I have no doubt will happen to me specifically.” Fox speaks up again with that lovely dry humor of his. At least he hopes its humor.

“Not everyone can’t stand interacting with anything that isn’t a Tooka cat Fox” Wolffe speaks the loudest of them all, clearly still trying to hear himself over the loud engines of his jet.

“They are better company than you lot, that's for sure. All I need in life is Tooka cats and caff. Oh, and for the Chancellor to kindly drop dead already” The last comment causes a stillness in the conversation.

“What? He looks like he got into a competition with a raisin on who can have more wrinkles and won. I wouldn’t be surprised if he just got a heart attack and collapsed on some stage right then and there.” Fox’s tone is nonchalant as if he was speaking of the weather on Coruscant and not wishing death to the Supreme Chancellor himself.

“Not that I disagree, force knows most vode hate his guts, but shouldn’t you be watching yourself Fox? Especially considering you work with him daily?” Bly asked what Cody was about to ask anyways, glad to have them distracted from his own situation for at least a few minutes.

“Oh please. I’m not in command here for nothing. You think those stuck-up politicians actually notice us? I’ve gathered more blackmail just standing on patrol than when actually sneaking around to listen in. Most will casually speak their opinions with us mere steps away. Besides, the audio and video of our barracks in the Senate has been looping since we got here, just in case.” Cody can hear the smugness in Fox’s tone

“That’s politics for you. I can’t imagine how Senator Amidala deals with that on a daily basis. She’s way too good for them. Just listening to some of the things that happen behind closed doors when she visits exhausts me” Rex mumbled out and Cody knows he’s probably rubbing his temple now.

“From what I’ve seen, Amidala and Organa are the only true ones for us. If not for them, I doubt anyone would even be thinking about making any pro-clone rights votes or discussions. Not with the Chancellor being so set on making more soldiers for his war.” Wolffe spoke up again with what was definitely a quiet growl, his name holding up even after years of the incident that gave it to him.

“You tell me. These two are the only ones to address a vod that’s in the room. They’re yet to make any complaints against my men too. I’m pretty sure only other one that hasn’t made a stupid complain like ‘walking too close to me’ or ‘not adressing me properly with my full title of blah blah blah’ is Senator Chuchi, but she’s here too rarely to even count her.” Fox huffed out and Cody knew he was probably unintentionally puffing out his cheeks in a pout like he used to do when younger.

For a second Cody thought he was off the hook and would be able to quietly slip out of the comm and into his room to sleep away the day and pretend that it was all a nightmare. That is until Rex spoke up again in a tone Cody recognised as ‘Rex is about to make Cody want to strangle him’. 

“We get it. We all hate the politics and nat-borns associated with it with a few exceptions. But let's not forget the true reason we’ve all been gathered here today. Which is Cody being a useless homosexual and refusing to face General Kenobi, who absolutely likes him back. ” Rex will for sure adore his trip back to Kamino with Crys.

There’s another round of quiet snickers through their group and Cody is torn between throwing his comm against the wall and burying himself in the thin blanket from his bed or coming to their missions one by one so he can kill them himself.

“Yea Kote . Don’t tell us you’re blinder than Skywalker thinking his ‘secret relationship’ with Amidala is secret. You’re better than that! Where’s the glory you’re supposed to be.” Ouch. Now that was a low blow from Bly. 

“Okay first, Bly I am wounded. No one can be more dense than Skywalker himself. It is physically impossible. Second, I think you have no right to talk considering we’ve yet to hear you admit you’re crushing on your own General.” On most days, Cody wouldn’t have gone for the General Secura card, but they’ve been on his nerves for what feels like a century now and he’s all out of patience or politeness.

“Never said I’m not in love with her. And if you hoped to turn the situation away from you again, you should know she walked ahead a long time ago and is hearing nothing of our conversation.” If Cody could see Bly right now, he knows that little osik would be grinning wider than a Tooka.

“Just stop acting like a shiny fresh out of Kamino and talk to the guy. For force’s sake you’re both supposed to be one of the best in the GAR! Yet here you are, acting worse than hormonal teenagers, no offense General Tano” Wolffe’s comment earned a quick ‘none taken’ from their General-but-not-really-anymore and a murmur of agreement from other vode. 

“He has a good point ori’vod. I mean have you seen the way General Kenobi looks at you? I swear I could make a ‘Cody and Obi-Wan being in love and making bedroom eyes at each other for 40 minutes or more’ compilation just from the missions we were together on alone. If I had the access to cameras on your ship or planets you were sent to it would probably be thrice as long!” Rex officially surpassed Crys on the list of which brothers Cody will murder and bury somewhere far, far away. Actually probably not.. Crys did this all in front of Kenobi.

“Ladies, gentleman and gentlefolk, the highest ranked clone in the galaxy!” Bly added with a snicker.

As if his situation wasn’t bad enough, the galaxy decided to treat its favorite person to torment with something truly horrid. Worse than most of what has happened today, beaten only by General Kenobi hearing Boil’s comment.

There was a quiet ‘ping’ from one of his brother’s comms and then, to his absolute and utter horror, his own voice sounded through the call, familiar words ringing through the sudden silence.

“ ”This lightsaber is your life”, he tells Skywalker all the time and yet the dumb hypocrite can’t even follow his own words and statements. He’s a stupid hypocrite and he’s going to get himself killed. He’s lucky he’s stupidly attractive or I would have knocked some sense into his stupid pretty head by now. ” 

It would have been bad all by itself, but the recording just kept going. It covered the entire conversation up to the moment in which Cody answers the Chancellor. It cuts off for a second then, only to resume just as General asks what Boil just said and Cody hangs up on Palpatine himself, who never gets to finish what order he needed them to execute. The sound continues up to Crys’s awful “Kenobi in more ways than one” comment and then cuts off.

There’s silence again as his brothers take in most of the conversation. Even though Cody might have told his vode the general story, he did omit a few tiny details. Most of which being the relentless teasing from Helix, Boil, Wooley,and Crys.

“45 minutes or more” Rex finally breaks the bubble of silence in which the group found themselves. He sounds way too smug for Cody’s liking. 

“ Me’ven? When you said you hung up on the Chancellor I didn’t expect you to cut into the middle of his sentence vod!” Wolffe yelled over the sound of his engines, the Mando’a expression of shock fitting right into what every brother must be feeling right now.  

“You really ‘uh- byeee’d the High Chancellor Palpatine himself. I’d say I can help fake your death and relocate you under a different name, but the scar might be a dealbreaker on that account.” Fox added. At least they seemed to be having a good time over Cody’s suffering.

“ Nu kyr’adyc shi taab’echaaj’la Kote. It's been good knowing you.” Bly added with absolutely no real remorse whatsoever 

Cody finally got to his quarters on their ship and, ignoring the new wave of chatter from his comm, dropped right onto his bed. He really needs some time to think. Leaving the call still open with his brothers talking, he took off his bucket and put it on the bedside table, staring up at his ceiling to clear his mind and rest. 

-

“Well, it appears Commander Cody is out of service.” Palpatine spoke, slightly annoyed at the fact a clone of all people had the guts to hang up on him mid-order.

“Chancellor, with all respect, I have to ask what we’re going to do about the several unconscious Jedi on the floor? Also, Mace Window just flew out that Windu- wait that’s not right…. Anyway, he landed on someone’s speeder and he looks as pissed as a Zillo Beast. Also, you’re a sith lord? When did that happen?” Palpatine sighed at all the questions of his idiot future apprentice. He’ll have to beat the stupidity out later, right now it’s time to focus on the matter at hand.

“I’ve always been this way, young Skywalker, and you will join me.”

“What if I, you know… Didn’t want to?” Palpatine stood, shocked, at his future apprentice. Did it not work? All his manipulations? His mansplaining? Acting like a Malewife for his innocent disguise? Was it all for nothing?

“Well, you do want to, to save your wife.” Skywalker furrowed his brows.

“Why? We went to the doctor's ages ago and everything was fine… We’re having twins. They’re so small too, my babies. Anyway, I don’t need the Sith, I’m too much of a girlboss for you guys. Though, maybe learning some of the darkside would be good, for you know… Balancing the force reasons. You know, both kind of have to exist for balance.” Palpatine did not have to listen to Skywalker’s monologue or internal crisis right now, he needs to get a move on killing all the Jedi.

“Ok? I’ll take that as a yes, my young apprentice. Now-” Just as he was getting started, Skywalker rudely interrupts his speech.

“Sorry, I already have a master. He’d be pissed if I got another one.” This bitch-

“Kenobi will soon be gone, once his clone commander re-comms me. After that, you and I can rule the world as Master and Apprentice, ensuring the safety of your wife and children.” Palpatine smirks to himself at remembering the family card, a fine addition to his manipulation tactic collection.

“But my family is fine- Also my wife won’t let me rule the world. She thinks I’ll run a dictatorship. Wait- what do you mean Obi-Wan will be gone? I need him? Who will pay my taxes? Who will tuck me into bed when I have nightmares?” 

‘Is this man serious?’ Palpatine thinks to himself. “Your wife will?”

“No, she doesn’t deserve all that boring stuff. But yes, I suppose you’re right, she could tuck me in at night.” Skywalker brings a hand to his chin in thought.

‘I never liked Amidala, but by force, I feel bad for her right now.’ Palpatine moves back to his comm, calling back CC-2224. “Hush, Anakin, I’m on the comm now.”

The comm rings for a few beats before it is answered by a clone, with no facial scar, but with awfully blonde hair that can be picked up over the hologram. 

“Sorry Chancellor, Commander Cody is currently unavailable at this point in time. He’s too busy panicking after we exposed his crush on General Kenobi.” … What? What is going on there? First Palpatine gets hung up on, and now this?

“EXCUSE ME?!” Oh, force. Is this seriously where he loses all his hard work on manipulating Skywalker against the Jedi Council? Because a clone has a measly crush on Kenobi?

“Oh, hello General Skywalker. I said Commander Cody has left to go panic over General Kenobi finding out he has a crush on him.” Who is this clone and how fast can Palpatine send him back to Kamino?

“Is it requited?” ‘ No, no force please no. Let it be a measly fancy of a foolish clone’

“Yeah it is actually. General Kenobi nearly fell off the cliff when he heard it. Also, have you seen the way they look at each other? Only one word for it sir, and that word is gay .” Palpatine looks at Skywalker, nerves going off like crazy. Maybe this could work? Skywalker could get mad enough at Kenobi to join the dark side this way.

Skywalker has no distinguishable look to his face. All was silent, as the room awaited Skywalker's answer. Even Kit Fisto, who had now woken up,  anticipation clear on his face. Clearly, the order placed bets. Finally, after a while, he spoke up.

“Excuse me.” Was all he said, as he walked towards the exit, giving a simple salute along with “good day Master Dilf- I mean Fisto.” as he left the room.

Well. Maybe he’ll kill Kenobi or something? 

Oh well, so much for Lord Vader killing younglings.

-

How on earth Anakin got to Utapau so quickly is beyond even him. Only about an hour after he left the Senate building, he was within range of leaving hyperspace for the planet. He has a theory that the sheer emotion bubbling inside him had something to do with it. 

On the bright side. This will be good practice for the day the twins arrive if he’s off Coruscant.

Utapau, sadly, is very much like Tatooine. Except it’s not sandy, it’s dusty, and if there’s one more thing Anakin hates more than sand, it’s dust. He hates the sneezes it causes. 

Good. Let the planet make him mad. It’ll make Obi-Wan feel his wrath even more.

‘How could he. How could he not tell me? We’re in the same boat now, we have another thing in common! This is stupid.’

Anakin landed on the cratered planet of Utapau, in the middle of the 212th’s operation,  letting his wrath engulf the area.

“KENOBI!” He yelled, putting even Maul to shame with the amount of rage in his tone.

The clones, ever so smart, evacuated the nearby area.

His master came not long after. A look tied between shock and confusion plastered on his face, Boil right beside him, Crys just ahead, looking confused in a different way.

‘That’s odd, where’s Cody?’ Skywalker thought to himself.

“General Skywalker? How the kriff did you get to the outer rim in an hour?” Crys questioned, reasonably.

“Several broken laws, probably” Kenobi muttered quietly enough for Anakin not to hear it. Hopefully.

“You. No matter how right you are about that, you don’t talk to me. Not now. Let me have my moment.” Anakin took a deep breath in, preparing himself for his next hissy fit.

‘Ah. So he did hear what I said. Lovely.’ With the best ‘politician charming smile’ Obi-Wan could muster in front of a very pissed-off Anakin, he spoke.

“What is it that you need, my dear padawan?”

“OH! So now I’m your dear padawan? Kriff off Kenobi. We have tea together, every single time we meet on the Resolute. I have to endure that leaf water with ZERO sugar -even though it tastes good- whilst you and I spill the metaphorical tea. NOT ONCE, during my HOURS of suffering, did you mention the fact you had a crush on your commander! YOUR. COMMANDER. Do you understand how serious this is?” Anakin bore his eyes into Obi-Wan’s soul, waiting for answers. 

His master stared back, a bit confused, but the redness of his cheeks betrayed his thoughts, showing that what Anakin said was true, at least to some degree.

“Uh- Pardon? How did you come across that knowledge?” As Obi-Wan said it, he turned briefly around, downright glaring at Crys, who was now whistling and pretending to be cleaning up some droid parts.

Anakin, quickly taking the opportunity, spoke the name of the clone he disliked the most, the one who stole his favourite tooka plushie and gave it to a slave girl they freed. “I got this very important knowledge from Wooley. He’s the culprit.”

Said clone looked up at Anakin in offense mixed with horror.

“Liar! You’re just mad about the tooka plushie still! General, it was Crys, I swear. I heard him say Skywalker’s name an hour ago after Cody stormed off to talk with “da boiz” as he puts it. Don’t tell him I said this but the name makes them sound like a pre-teen wannabe boyband.” Change of plans. Wooley can live after that insult. Anakin is 100% using that on Rex next time he hears him join one of those calls.

“Ok, I admit it. Wooley is right. It was Crys.” Oh well, at least when Crys gets sent back to Kamino, he won’t have to be blinded by the mess of blonde every time he joins the 212th on a mission.

“As much as I adore our little jabs at each other, I wish to go back to the question at hand. Anakin, how did you go about finding this out? And be truthful please.” Obi-Wan asked, disbelieving Anakin would tell the truth that easily.

“Seriously, it was Crys.” He confirmed, pointing to the offending clone. “The Chancellor wanted to talk to Cody but apparently he was panicking so Crys answered and updated us.” Of course, he wouldn’t trust Anakin now. Salty old man-

“THE CHA- the chancellor? You’ve heard about it while with the Chancellor?” Obi-Wan looked a bit panicked now, for some reason. He never did trust the man, though why, Anakin had no idea. Maybe he figured out Palpatine was a Sith Lord before everyone else? That would just be another thing he apparently hid from his ‘dear padawan’!

“Oh. Yeah. That’s a whole thing. I walked in on him having beaten the shit out of three Jedi, and as I came in he threw Master Window out a Windu… Ah kriff I did it again. Anyway, apparently he’s a Sith Lord and he wanted me to be his new apprentice but I said no, because he can’t pay my taxes and tuck me in at night, and Padme and the kids are fine. Also, Cody had hung up on him earlier, so the Chancellor wanted to call him back for some reason, and then Crys answered and here we are.” That was a lot to say.

Obi-Wan blinked, clearly trying to wrap his head around everything that had just been thrown at his face. Even Anakin could admit that it was a lot. Then, through the force, he felt anger coming off his master, which in itself was never heard of as usually, he was an oasis of peace. Well, unless Anakin accidentally broke his teacups again.

“You’re telling me that the man that has been talking with you ONE ON ONE since you were a KID, is actually a Sith Lord? Ah. Nevermind that. Yes, I admit I might hold a bit of an- admiration towards Cody but I don’t see how that could be a prob- wait, did you just say kids.” All at once, instead of anger, there was a giddiness in the force, Obi-Wan’s face lighting up like a star.

Smartly, the clones backed away from the conversation, leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin to speak privately.

“First, yeah, he’s a Sith Lord, so what? I said no, we’re fine. Second. He admits it at last. Finally, we can talk about being in love with people we really shouldn’t be. And thirdly, yes. Padme is pregnant with twins.” 

He smiled proudly at the end of his sentence, not giving a shit about the laws because Obi-Wan would be a hypocrite to attack him for it now.

Obi-Wan paused, probably to think through his next words.

‘ Okay, one thing at a time or we will get nowhere with this’ He thought to himself.

“Anakin, that is wonderful news! I’m proud of both you and Padme! But why did you hide it? If you already know it’s twins, it must have been months since the pregnancy started! And what do you mean ‘we shouldn’t be in love with’. The rule might be there, but not even Yoda follows it, padawan mine.” Obi-Wan spoke softly, smile small but genuine as he took a few steps closer to Anakin to put his arm on his shoulder. 

“Bitch you literally confronted me about it ages ago during a mission with Clovis. Now it’s ok?”

“Anakin, you were being a toxic menace I had to say something! Besides, I know that attachments and love look the same to you, but they are not. I thought I taught you better than this.” 

“Apparently not! So technically this is all your fault! Anyways, off-topic. You’re gay, you’re an idiot, go talk to Cody because I think I just heard a scream from your ship. Please, though, do it somewhere with holocameras. I need to have evidence for Ahsoka.” 

“I will not take responsibility for you getting manipulated by an old sith. Besides, how did you even hear a scream? My ship, if you haven’t noticed, is in space right now. And absolutely not. If I don’t get any holos of your ‘secret’ wedding, about which the ENTIRE council has been betting might I add, then you don’t get to see a love confession that I am NOT making anyway.” Obi-Wan crossed his arms and hid them under his robe, lifting his eyebrow in the classic ‘disapproving father’ look.

“It’s the Tatooine in me, Obi-Wan. I’m built different. I hear shit. Also just ask R2 for a holo, he was there.”

“We will need to have a talk about you ‘hearing shit’. Those can be visions or dead Jedi trying to communicate with you, you know that right? And before I go, tell me, was your wedding maybe just after Dooku cut off your hand? I need to prove something to Master Windu and Master Yaddle.”

“Yes. Anyway, enough betting, more un-hetero-ing. Go to space and get that clone ass or something, I don’t know. I’ll take care of everything down here, including Crys’ transfer to Kamino.” Said clone, looks up at Anakin in genuine fear. He looks like he might cry. Heh, Crys.

“Crys stop eavesdropping, I’m kidding.”

“Anakin, there is really no un-hetero-ing to be done if there was barely any hetero there in the first place. Have you seen the way I sit at council meetings? And I better be the godfather to at least one of the kids or I’m disowning you.” Obi-Wan said over his shoulder, already walking over to the ship Grievous wanted to escape in. Might as well use that one to flex his win.

Man. One day his master’s going to kill Anakin’s last brain cell. Padme’s going to be so mad when that happens.

- 

Cody didn’t need to be force sensitive to know someone just boarded the ship. He was currently in the small gym-like area of their flying vesel, occupying one of the training rooms. His nap helped soothe some of his nerves over the entire situation, but he still needed a more reliable source of calming himself down.

And that source was, of course, punching the ever loving osik out of the punching bags that hung from one corner of the room. He’s throwing his punches and kicks for what is probably over an hour now when he hears the almost silent footsteps down one of the halls. 

Now, normally he wouldn’t be able to hear something as silent as that, but with the ship being empty as the whole 212th is down on Utapau, even the slightest noise echoes through the entire place.

He stops his training, huffing quietly to catch his breath, sweat drenching his gym clothes and making the already thin shirt he’s wearing stick to his torso. He takes a second to brush his sticky hair away from his face -it’s getting long now, he should probably get Helix to cut it before its past the allowed length- and turns to the door to listen in to the footsteps.

Even in the stillness of the ship, they are unnaturally quiet, which already excludes it being most of his brothers. Although they all can sneak through enemy territory easily, none of his vode would try sneaking on a ship they feel relaxed in. The Vigilance was no Negotiator and they were still getting used to the change -it might look exactly the same as their previous ship, but it certainly didn’t feel as homely yet- but their footsteps on it were always sure and even. These were quiet and almost hesitant, breaking the rhythm every few steps as if the person walking was stopping for some unknown reason.

It couldn’t be an intruder either. The ship was equipped with a system that would notify Cody if the person was not registered in the ship’s files as an ally or crew member.   

No, these footsteps were very familiar to the clone commander. He had heard them many times before, quietly pacing the control room as their creator tried to figure out battle plans and strategies. He had heard them walk right beside him as they went to one of their rooms and burned through hours worth of paperwork. The same ones that would sound just before he’s hit with a blaster shot, followed by a lightsaber redirecting it away.

Cody would know from anywhere that the person whose footsteps he is hearing belong to no other than General Kenobi himself.

He sighs quietly to himself. He had hoped that he’d be able to stay on the ship for a few more hours before Kenobi comes to tell him that he’s either being transferred to a different general or sent back to Kamino for re-conditioning. Or decommissioning, but he knows General Kenobi well enough that he’s sure the Jetii would never do such a thing. 

Cody grabs a towel he left for himself before the training and dabs it gently against his face to get rid of the sweat clinging to him, mentaly preparing himself for what he is about to hear and what he will say in response.  Hopefully Boil will be chosen as the new 212th Commander. Force knows he deserves that position if Cody’s out of the picture.

The door opens just as Cody starts wiping the un-scared side of his face and General Kenobi walks in, albeit a bit slowly. If Cody didn’t know Kenobi for as long as he did, he would have thought that the General is as calm and relaxed as one can be.

But he did know Kenobi for three years now. Three years of fighting, planning and living side by side. Sharing space both on the battlefield and in private, when it's just them, their tea or caff and endless piles of forms to be signed or filled. Cody can see clearly that his General, although wearing the perfect mask of calm, is anything but that.

The small twitch of Kenobi’s fingers is cleverly hidden under his robes and the beard works wonders to play any expression off as neutral, but nothing can hide the stiffness of his shoulders, the almost perfectly mechanical steps and the guarded look in his eyes. Maybe normal people would be fooled easily enough, but not verde and especially not an al’verde that Cody is.

General Kenobi’s eyes finally land on him, still standing in the back of the room near the punching bag, four others already on the floor and broken with whatever stuff that was inside of them making a mess on the tiles.

The Jedi makes a sound at the back of his throat, one Cody cannot describe though it sounds quite close to a quiet whine, and then turns his head, the pale skin easily exposing the reddening cheeks.

Cody tilts his head to the side, putting the towel around his neck. He blinks in confusion at the General that stopped walking and now stands frozen in the middle of the room, looking anywhere but at Cody.

‘Maybe he just doesn’t know how to break the news to me? He’s probably uncomfortable being in one room with me after all of this, but still refuses to let anyone else be the one to tell me’ Cody, every bit as oblivious as he is hot, thinks and decides to take Kenobi out of his misery and start the conversation himself. It’s the least he can do for the man after everything he did for Cody’s vode. 

“It is alright General. I understand and will get ready shortly, sir.” He says, voice even, trained to not betray any emotions when those are unwanted, even if his heart is screaming at him that this is his yaim, that the crew and battalion are his aliit, that he cannot leave everything behind, not now, not ever.

But there’s no point in going down that rabbit-hole. It was not his to decide, especially not now when he had destroyed it by running his stupid mouth and not checking if his comm is open before thinking out loud.

General Kenobi turns to him again, visible confusion on his expression as he makes a quiet ‘eh?’ that he’d probably call uncivilized if he was in public.

“Get ready? Cody, what in the galaxy are you talking about?” Kenobi finally speaks and now Cody is confused out of his mind too.

“Sir, I assumed that because of the- things that had happened, you’d be  requesting a new Commander and either transferring me to a different flagship or sending me back to Kamino, sir.” It’s been a long time since Cody used ‘sir’ in sentences directed at General Kenobi in private, but he figured it would be easier on the Jedi if he referred back to the formalities they abandoned over two years ago now.

“What- Cody why would you even think that? Of course I’m not sending you back to Kamino! Or transfering you away for that matter!” Whatever froze Kenobi stops keeping him rooted to the spot he was in and he marches forward to Cody, putting both of his hands on the clone’s shoulders.

“Well… I thought you’d probably not want to deal with the possibility that what our troops said was true, given the Jedi Code and all that.” Cody turns his head away when speaking, his words too loud for his own ears, even if they were said merely above a whisper.

It shouldn’t hurt this much to say all of that. To admit to himself that Kenobi wouldn’t even glance at him in that way because he is loyal to the code and his culture. And Cody respects that, understands just how important one’s culture is, especially when it is all you have keeping you from being meat droids. But still, is it so wrong of him to selfishly wish Kenobi would just lean forward and kiss him right then and there? When this was the only thing he ever actually wanted to be selfish for other than keeping his vode as far from fighting as possible? 

‘It is’ His own voice in his mind told him. ‘He is a Jetii and you’re a simple clone. He is important, you are expendable’

“Cody”

His name is said so softly, so beautifully as two pale hands move from his shoulders to his cheeks, breaking him out of his thoughts. Kenobi’s fingers gently trace the scar marking his face.

“My dear, if I took everything the people said as hard truth, I’d never be deemed as the negotiator. Especially when it comes to something as subjective and open as love. I didn’t watch the file. Couldn’t bring myself to-” Kenobi pauses for a second there, gorgeous blue eyes boring into Cody’s own as if to make sure he is listening to everything his General is saying. Cody is. Eating every word up with the same focus with which he listened to battle strategies or reports. “-to breach your privacy like that. You’ve been by my side for years now and I don’t want to lose you over something as simple as a rumor.”

Cody blinks, unsure what to say to such a statement. He doesn’t have to answer though, as General Kenobi continues on, albeit a bit shyer, his cheeks yet again turning that shade of red Cody wishes he could see every day for the rest of his short existence. 

“Besides, even if those were to be true, it wouldn’t be a problem-”

Cody holds his breath, suddenly worried that even the sound of his exhale would cause Kenobi to stop and take back his words. They’re really close right now, so close in fact that if he were to move his head forward a bit, their foreheads would touch in a keldabe kiss.

“It wouldn’t be a problem because I-”  

A loud, shrilling sound breaks them out of whatever moment they were having. Kenobi jumps back, as if burned, pupils that were blown wide mere seconds ago now back to regular and darting down to the communicator at the General’s belt right beside his lightsaber. 

Cody buries his disappointment as deep as he can, trying to ignore the quiet hope that shattered with the comm’s beeps. Whatever Kenobi was going to say, he’s sure it wasn’t going to be what he hoped for. His General was probably going to reassure him that he wouldn’t think less of him just because of a crush and that he wouldn’t treat him any differently. Kenobi is an amazing person like that. One that’s out of Cody’s reach and clearly going to stay that way.

General Kenobi unclips the comm from his belt, eyebrows rising in surprise as he sees that it’s an incoming call from the Jedi Council itself. If there’s one thing the Council never does, it is call unannounced, unless it's an emergency of gigantic consequences or a mission of similar stakes.   

He glances up at Cody, giving him a worried look and taking a moment to think if he should take this call in private. But it clearly seems to be important and wasting precious time going to his quarters is a bad idea.

Without giving himself more time to doubt his decision, Kenobi answers the call.

Mace Windu flickers to life, expression grave. 

“Master Kenobi, Marshall Commander Cody, we need your help.”      

“Master Window- I mean Windu.” Windu’s eyebrow lifted, questioning the slip up with no words. “My apologies Master Windu, it appears Anakin’s idiocy has messed with my brain. It’s contagious, I swear, Ahsoka is the same.” Window nodded at Kenobi in understanding.

“Ah, yes, Skywalker. I have to say his slip-ups are- amusing at times. However, what I am about to report is no laughing matter. We’re pulling all Jedi back to Coruscant. It appears Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord we were looking for. Myself and 3 other Jedi went to confront him, we barely made it out alive. Skywalker came in at some point, though I don’t know what happened to him-” Kenobi cut him off before the story took up more time than necessary.

“Anakin is here with me on Utapau. He broke a few hyperspace records doing so, and has explained it all to me. Is there anything else we need to know?” Hologram Mace nods.

“Yes, actually. We found out he planted chips in the clone’s head’s and planned to use that to kill all Jedi, though it didn’t work. As I said, we’re pulling all Jedi back to Coruscant to help fight back the incoming droid invasion Palpatine has sent upon us, estimated to arrive in a cycle. We think only the temple will be attacked, but it’s still important to get the civilians out of the surrounding area.”

Chips? Control chips? So all this time, every battle fought, every moment of their lives, the clones -Cody included- have all just been a ticking time bomb waiting for Palpatine to set off? Was Palpatine going to use the order on him before? 

Cody suddenly feels very sick in the stomach. 

Could he have killed General Kenobi? Also Fox and the rest of the Guard, they’ve been around Palpatine the entire war. All the times Fox lost his memories, or the times he came back from a shift with a major headache, was that all the chips? 

“End of the war, this is. Very important, all the Jedi are here, it is.” The voice of Master Yoda can be heard coming from next to Master Windu.

“I’ll round up all my men and Anakin, and head back to the temple immediately.” Kenobi goes to hang up on the call, before remembering a certain someone. “Oh. By the way. You should probably make sure Senators Amidala and Organa are safe. For both the sake of both Anakin and the greater good of the clones.”

The Council seems to take Kenobi’s words into consideration, before their thoughts get interrupted, yet again. “Oh and by the way. I was right. They did get married after Geonosis. You all owe me 100 credits. Each.” With that, Kenobi leaves the call and turns to Cody, smirk on his face falling at the look on his Commander’s face.

“Cody?” Said man’s head shoots up, eyes wide and full of unshed tears. “Cody, are you ok?” Kenobi’s hands come to rest on the shoulders of his Commander, left hand wiping away the tears that have now fallen down his face.

“Fives, Fox, Tup. All of them, all of them had to suffer the effects of that chip. Fives died for that exact reason! He warned us! We called him crazy for it! Fox too, he lost his memories more times than I can count after meetings with Palpatine, and we all turned a blind eye to it! We were all just ticking time bombs for the Chancellor to set off. I could have- He called me to give the order when you were on that cliff. If it had gone through I could have-” Cody doesn’t get to finish his sentence, as Kenobi pulls him in for the biggest hug he’d ever received in his life. 

“It’s ok. Nothing else happened. We can help Fox, we can avenge Fives and Tup, I’m still alive and breathing, as well as most of the other Jedi here today. We’re ok. You’re ok. We’ll get it out once all this is over.” 

Soft words whispered into Cody’s ear calmed him down immediately, as they both took a minute to calm down from the news. Both ignoring the fact that they’re at the end of the biggest war in a long time.

“Man, this day has turned out to be so stressful. I’m beginning to understand why Fox already has grey hairs.” Cody joked, earning chuckles from both parties.

“As much as I would love to stay like this, we do have a war to win. What do you say, Commander?” 

“Well General Kenobi, I say I’d follow you wherever you’d have me.” Smiles graced the faces of both men, as Cody headed to his quarter’s to change back into his armour. Kenobi staying behind.

“Man, I don’t know how the hell I survived him looking like that.” 

-

They arrive at Coruscant after half a cycle. Anakin wouldn’t reveal how he made it there in a mere hour. All he gave away was: It’s a dad thing. Which confused a lot of clones.

Anakin managed to get in contact with Ahsoka and Rex’s portion of the 501st, who had joined up with the other half on Coruscant. Ahsoka had successfully handed Maul over to the Council to await trial, and would be meeting the 212th and their Jedi once they arrived on world.

Flying into the temple felt iffy. The whole place had a dark aura surrounding it. It had never felt like this. Not even when people like Ventress, Savage and Dooku had still been around.

It’s funny, how one man can have this much impact on the world.

The force surrounding the temple cries out warnings, the once comforting place preparing itself for an attack. Anakin seems the most affected by it, though he does have a bigger connection to the force than anyone else in the order.

As soon as their ship docks, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Cody and the 212th are greeted by the stressed out figure of Ahsoka, with Rex standing next to her, trying to comfort the Togruta.

“Master!” She calls, the second Anakin was off the ship, throwing her arms around him and hugging him so tightly that escape from her grasp was impossible. 

“I felt this weird disturbance in the Padawan bond, like, you were gone for a second. I thought you had died! I’m so glad you’re ok though Skyguy.” Anakin returns the hug, smiling softly into the montrals of his former padawan, glad they kept the bond up so she knew he was ok.

“I’m ok Snips, but we’ve got to go to the Council now. Where are they meeting? I highly doubt they can fit thousands of Jedi in the council room.” Rex walks closer to the duo, clearing his throat in a silent way to say ‘split the kriff up so I can talk.’

“General Skywalker, nice to see you again. To answer your question, they’re meeting in one of the main hallways. General Windu decided that it would probably be the best place to fit everyone. You know, give everyone 1.5 metres of breathing room.” 

“Right, anything else Rex?” Obi-Wan questions, he and Cody finally inserting themselves into the conversation. 

“Yes, actually a message from Senator Amidala. She asked me to make sure you both knew she was safe, and that Ahsoka and I have escorted them to the medbay area. Them as in her, and Senator Organa.” 

“Ah, so the Council did take my request seriously. Good.” Obi-Wan nods, a content smile on his face as Anakin turns to him.

“Why’d you ask the Council to do that?” He asks, right eyebrow raised.

“Because Bail is a dear friend of mine who I’m hoping will become the next Chancellor after we take down Palpatine, and Senator Amidala, as much as she can handle herself, is nine months pregnant with my future nieces or nephews. I would hate for them to get injured.” He smirks, walking away from the group towards the meeting area the Council had picked, Cody close behind.

Ahsoka turns to look at her former Master, betrayal on her face. “You bitch! You didn’t tell me!”

Rex taps her arm in a slapping manner. “Language, Commander Tano.”

-

The Council meeting in question, was less formal than expected for an event called by the great ‘High Jedi Council’, but things today seemed to be getting less and less formal anyway.

“Alright! ALRIGHT! Can everyone for the love of the force PLEASE calm down.” Master Window- Windu. Anakin really has to fix that. Master Windu yells to the crowd of panicked Jedi and Clones in the main hall. “Mother Fuckers.” Said Jedi mutters under his breath, as the questions keep coming.

“Who’s the Sith Lord?”

“Why are they attacking Coruscant?”

“How do you suppose we evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from this area?” 

“What about the clones? Can we trust them?” 

“Are their chips still in place?” 

“What about the Younglings? How do we protect them?”

All of these questions were giving both Anakin and Obi-Wan major headaches. Even though the questions weren’t aimed directly at the duo, they were still aimed at someone in their general direction, which was enough to have the same effect.

“The Sith Lord is Chancellor Palpatine, like the debrief I sent out to you all stated, most of the answers to your questions are in that holomessage I sent out to you all. If you took five minutes out of your days to read it, a lot of this can be resolved and we can get onto the plan of defence.” The hall went pretty quiet at Windu’s words. Some of them pulling out said holomessage to read.

“Before we begin. I must ask the location of a few Jedi.” Kit Fisto walks into the limelight, his injured leg looks to be almost healed. “First off. Where is Master Plo Koon?” The crowd murmurs, until one clone pushes to the front, Wolfpack, from the paint of his armour. 

“Hi! Yes. General Buir- I mean General Koon found out about the clone control chips, and is currently on Kamino terrorising the Long Necks. He says he should make it back in an hour, travelling back about the same speed Skywalker did to get to Utapau. The only explanation he gave me for you was: It’s the power of the dad, don’t question it any further.” Anakin’s head shot up at that. A smile gracing his face as he points to the clone.

“I get that now! That’s funny!” The crowd of Jedi murmurs in confusion, as Dilf-Fisto continues.

“And General Secura? Her commander seems to be missing too.” Nobody speaks up.

“They’ll turn up eventually. Master Kenobi, Knight Skywalker, if you will.” Windu moves out the way, directing for the Master/Padawan duo to take his place.

“Right, to answer your prior question about the clones. Yes, we can trust them. We have always been able to trust them. However, please for the love of the force, do not let them take any calls from Chancellor Palpatine, or rather, Darth Sidious. Secondly, I will ask any Jedi who have any less than a year and a half of battle experience in this war to split in half. Half is to head to the upper-middle levels of the temple and protect the Younglings. Half is to help evacuate any surrounding civilians. This rule includes Padawans.” Obi-Wan explains, his voice projecting well over the crowd.

“We expect for the droids to be deployed above from a separatist dreadnought. Sidious wouldn’t want to risk Coruscant, he needs it for diplomacy. Therefore, as long as we stay on the temple grounds, we should be good-'' Anakin continues, though gets cut off quickly by a healer heading up to him, running from the direction of the medbay.

“Master Skywalker, it’s Senator Amidala.” She states, head bowed towards the floor.

“What? Is she ok?”

“Well yes sir, but you see, she asked me to come and get you. She’s in labour, you see.” 

Anakin’s eyes went as wide as moons. Seriously, if he turned towards Obi-Wan, the man bets he could see his reflection in them. 

“Holy shit, I’m going to be a dad. Do you hear that Jedi Council and literally everyone else? I’M GOING TO BE A DAD! Kriff I need to go. Uh- good luck everyone! Have a nice fight, may the force be with you, blah blah blah, HOLY SHIT I’m GOING TO BE A DAD!” Anakin, ever the simp, runs off stage as quickly as possible, leaving an extremely confused crowd of Jedi and Clones.

“I would like to formally state, that I did not teach him those manners.” Obi-Wan yells to the crowd, trying to distract them from his former padawan’s outburst. Just a little. 

The ground shakes with mighty tremors, the few bits of light the windows brought in going out, and the sound of metal clanking filling the room.

Oh no. The droids are early. 

-

Chaos is what follows that revelation. Clones almost bump into each other as they rush about to check their gear and make sure they’re ready for battle. Cody, just to be safe, sends a message to every single clone to remind them to only answer comms from fellow brothers or their Generals and no one else.

Jedi, though more gracefully, are also panicking. None of them even think about stopping to release their emotions into the force and calm down. Not when the entire temple shakes again from what is definitely an onslaught of droids. 

Cody watches as three groups are created. One of which goes deeper into the temple to hide and protect the younglings. Another goes out through one of the more secret passages, probably to take care of the civilians. The last group, one of which Cody is a part of, makes its way to the main entrance, ready to make a final stand.

The air feels heavy and still around them, as if even the force itself was holding a breath in worry at what was about to happen. The Marshal Commander has no doubts that this will be the bloodiest battle as of yet, probably rivaled only by the first battle of Geonosis. Cody was lucky to have been injured at that time and not taken part in it. Now, he’ll have the displeasure to see what it was like.  

He walks at the front of the group, just behind the Jedi Council, other Commanders right beside him to lead the troops. Rex looks determined as he shoves his bucket onto his head, unclipping the two small guns from his belt and gripping them tightly. Cody follows his vod’ika’s lead and puts his own helmet on, mind already going into ramikadyc.

‘This is it. We’re going to end this kriffing war right here and right now. Palpatine better hope I don’t get my hands on him or his death will be long and very much painful’ He thinks to himself, cold focus sharpening his every sense as the entrance finally comes to view.

Mace Windu takes one last look at everyone behind him, giving them a silent nod. He takes his lightsaber from his belt, purple blade igniting and lighting up the surrounding area. One by one other Jetiise do the same. Blues, greens, yellows, cyans and many other shades color the entire place in an almost rainbow glow. They bounce off the plasteroid armour the clones are wearing and mix with the already colorful markings.

“For our home” Mace Windu calls out, echoed by the Jedi and Clones alike.  

With a battlecry the Jedi Master rushes forward into the already gigantic numbers of droid forces, taking the blunt of the blaster fire onto himself. In a few seconds, the only indication that he’s there is the occasional flash of purple and the sound of metallic bodies hitting the ground.

Without a moment to waste the battle begins, Jedi and Clones mixing with droids as their flanks get broken up. Cody is right in the middle of the fight, keeping the entrance in his line of sight and making sure no droid gets even within 50 meters of it. Those who try are quickly shot down or, if they’re close enough, drop-kicked into oblivion.

He knows Rex is somewhere in the mix too, probably keeping close to Ahsoka as the duo is a formidable force when together. He himself is searching for General Kenobi, but it's hard to find one blue saber when surrounded by hundreds of similar shades all darting around the battlefield. The 212th is not far from him either, taking upon themselves a goal similar to Cody’s, keeping any lucky clankers that get past him from getting much closer to the temple.

Bly’s legion is at the front, though it is missing both their Commander and General. They’re doing fine though, keeping in tight formation to stop the droids from singling them out. Part of the Wolfpack that was on Coruscant is joint with them, yellow being broken up by the occasional greys.

A Temple Guard flies above Cody’s head, -no doubt using force to launch themselves above the battlefield like that- landing right by a struggling Jedi and helping them fend off the superdroids. A padawan and master stand back to back, two green lightsabers cutting through B-1’s like butter before a group of commando droids breaks them up. The padawan cries out her master’s name as the Jedi gets cut down, their saber falling out of their hands and landing on the ground.

Somewhere there’s an explosion and Cody only has a second to mourn the group of vode that gets flung into the air before he’s yet again focusing on a new group of clankers trying to get deeper into the temple. He blocks out the screams of beskar’ad, Jetiise and vode alike dying around him, only a few goals rooted deep in his mind. Protect the temple. Don’t let Palpatine win. Live to see Anakin being an insufferably proud father.

There’s a ping from his comm and he glances down in between punching one droid and kicking another, his eyes settling on the caller’s ID. The Chancellor, again. He dares to take a look around, worried, but none of the troopers pick their communicators up, continuing to fight with their Jedi. Cody has never felt more proud of his brothers.

Before he can go back to his job of defending the entrance, his sight settles on what is definitely a civilian. He almost does a double-take when the shady-looking man books it across the battle to get to one of the fallen clones. 

Cody sees red when the man starts to try and pry off the jetpack from the corpse’s back. Those were very expensive, so most clones could only dream of having one. Only a small handful had them at a time, even if most were trained for the usage of one. To see that someone would use such a grave situation to try and steal something from the body of a person trying to protect them from harm almost made Cody put a bullet through that man right then and there.

Instead, he calls Wooly over, who takes over his position with a quick salute, before making his way over to the guy. Luckily for Cody, and unluckily for the man, he was still wrestling with the way the jetpack clips to the armour when the clone Commander got to him.  He freezes, looking up at Cody with horrified expression, before deciding that whatever money the jetpack would go for wasn’t worth it. He stands up quickly, scrambling to turn and almost tripping over debris and bodies in his haste to get back into the safety of the lower levels.

Cody lets him go, looking down at the body lying at his feet. Though he feels horrible about it, he knows that the jetpack will probably be very useful to have, especially with how much is at stake. With a quick remembrance to the fallen brother Cody recognised as one of Gree’s men, he skilfully unclips it from the corpse and snaps it to his own back instead, the weight not really hindering him as he fends off a few droids that try to use the situation to their advantage.

Cody uses it to get around the battlefield, helping any party that is struggling with their sector or is overrun with clankers. His heart falls at the sight of what is probably hundreds of slain Jedi, Masters, Knights, and Padawans all lying on the ground with bullet wounds or slashes from the commando droids. The only uplifting thing is the thousands of destroyed droids littering the floor too.

Another missile flies past Cody, who barely manages to fly out of the way, and lands in the middle of a bigger fight containing about 10 Jedi and what is definitely over 50 droids. After the smoke clears there's only scattered bodies and a gaping hole where they used to be.

A group of droideka roll through the carnage, stopping in front of a group of clones. His brothers open fire, but the shields don’t even flicker under the assault. The droideka fire back, leaving the still smoking corpses as they move on to the next group.

Cody lands back in his previous position, Wooley thankfully still alive and holding his ground rather well, supported by the rest of the 212th. They say nothing about the jetpack, too engrossed in the fight to even dare break their concentration. Not when it would cost them their lives. Cody joins in, his blaster fire ringing out in sync with theirs as they mow down row after row of B-1’s and B-2’s. As much as he wishes to say it’s going well, they’re going to lose if the Wolfpack and General Koon don’t show up soon.

A shine amongst the rubble catches his eye as another explosion shakes the ground. Now, he should know that it’s probably a lightsaber from a fallen Jedi, but something makes him take a closer look at it. The handle is the familiar silver, with a round cylinder in copper and black detailing. It’s Kenobi’s. 

Without much of a thought, he jumps towards it, gloved fingers curling around the weapon and smoothly clipping it to his belt. He backs up to his battalion, though his eyes are now darting around the battlefield in evergrowing panic. Of course his di’kut of a General would lose his weapon even during such an important battle. One would think that he’d try twice as hard to keep himself armed from the never-ending onslaught of droids but no, of course not! 

“I’m going to kill him. He’ll survive this and then I’ll kriffing strangle him myself” Cody mumbles out, eyes finally settling on the familiar storm of ginger hair and beard. It causes a few of his troopers to snicker as he realises that, yet again, he forgot to turn his comm off. It’s almost nostalgic, how that little mistake led to everything that’s happening right now.

All in all, Kenobi seems to be doing just fine, fighting with both the force and a blaster he must have picked up from the ground. So much for Jedi being above such ‘uncivilised weapons’. 

Cody debates letting Kenobi fight on and focusing on his own battle, but then another missile is fired, right in the direction of his General. His Jedi must have exhausted himself as he is backed into a corner, clearly unable to use the force to protect himself from the oncoming doom. For a second Cody sees a battle from merely a few days ago, when he was in the exact same situation. Staring down a missile, unable to do anything as it hurtled towards him at a horrifying speed. Kenobi had saved him then, cut it right in half, and told him to get down as he deflected the oncoming shots.

Cody doesn’t think if it’s a good idea or not. His body moves almost on its own, jetpack flaring to life. He flies through the air, right towards the oncoming projectile. He’s not going to let his General die. Not now. Not ever. Not if he has anything to say about it. Something pushes his hand down to his belt, telling him to grab onto the silver object clipped to it. He does so, gun abandoned somewhere as he ignites the blue lightsaber and faces the missile. He doesn’t know if it's his skill alone, or if something is helping him at this exact moment, but he makes a clean arch with the blade just as the projectile is about to hit him. It’s cut in half, the two pieces falling harmlessly to the ground as he lands on the ground with gritted teeth. 

He turns back to Kenobi, who is staring at him with mouth agape, pupils blown wide and cheeks the deepest shade of red he had seen them yet.

“Force, I love you” Cody hears Kenobi mutter out and his mind short circuits. It’s thanks to muscle memory alone that he even manages to deflect the shots away from both of them, still using his General’s lightsaber. 

Kenobi freezes too, realising he had said it out loud and Cody heard it. He looks like a dugar dugar caught in headlights. Clearly, this wasn't meant for the Commander’s ears. 

Cody can’t help grinning under his helmet, a sudden warmth spreading through his chest as he realises that his General does feel the same. The conversation they had just before the council called comes back to his mind as he finally figures out that what Kenobi was going to say during that moment would have been exactly what he secretly wished for.  

Before Kenobi can start doubting himself over his words and take them back Cody speaks.

“If I didn’t have this stupid helmet on, I would have kissed you right now” Whatever filter he had keeping his feeling from flowing out when around Kenobi is finally gone and he can’t help the smirk forming on his face as the Jedi turns redder, if thats even possible. He debates for a second doing what he did on Utapau, but that would be a terrible idea.

“Oh. Oh, my dear. I take it that whatever the troops were saying about your feelings was true?” General Kenobi gets up from his half crouching position, picking up the blaster that Cody had dropped and joining his side, taking out the droids while the Marshal Commander deflected the shots.

“Absolutely. I guess I should have blurted it out sooner huh?” Cody chuckles quietly, cutting a super droid in half with one fluid motion of the lightsaber. He would have thrown in a wink at Kenobi’s smittened expression, but sadly, the bucket was a must for now.

“I want you to know that this is the most attractive thing I have ever seen, tied only with you after one of your training routines” Whatever filter Kenobi had must have also gotten reduced to atoms, and suddenly Cody is glad for the protection of his helmet as he quickly darts his head back towards the droids to pretend like the words weren’t doing something to him.

“Not to be the Echo of our Battalion, but sirs, your communicators are in fact on” Boil speaks up and Cody knows he is grinning right now.

“Anyone got a recording of that? Would be a nice post-war present for Rex’s compilation” Crys echoes, reminding everyone why he’s the little osik of their group.

Cody laughs, full deep laugh that leaves him needing a second to catch his breath. For once, he doesn’t want to kill Crys and Boil for breaking the moment. Not when it had helped lead to this. Kenobi takes care of any droids getting too close to give him the time he needs, eyes unbelievably soft when looking at him.

“I have nothing to hide, boys. Just wait until the battle’s over Cody. Then I’ll have all the time in the world to show you the extent of my affections.” As a foretaste Kenobi turns to Cody, leaving a quick kiss on the plasteroid where Cody’s mouth would be. He swiftly swaps their weapons and takes his Soresu stance, lightsaber yet again in his hands.

“I’ll hold you to that, Obi-Wan” Said Jedi beams at Cody’s words and the duo jumps back into the fray of the battle fully, backs pressed against each other as they wreak havoc amongst the droid forces.

They go through the entire battlefield, fighting beside many familiar and unfamiliar faces. General Windu helps them deal with the annoying group of droideka. Rex and Ahsoka flank the battalion of B-1’s that were smart enough to try and focus on the duo. Master Yoda steals their kills with a gremlin giggle, jumping around like a maniac who should have never been handed a weapon of mass destruction. Master Mundi meets his unfortunate end trying to fight off a group of super droids and they take quick revenge by destroying them a few moments later.

Though the battle isn’t going terribly wrong, their group is slowly dwindling in numbers and they are getting surrounded from all sides. Whether the droids figured out they needed to kill everyone first to get into the temple or simply got new orders remains a mystery, but soon the remaining survivors find themselves in a droid circle. When all seems lost and they get ready to make one final stand, an unmistakable sound breaks through the blaster fire and explosions.

The sound of ships coming out of hyperspace.

Several starfighters and gunships break the atmosphere, raining hell on the droids that break their formation when faced with a new threat. There’s a loud howl from all of the comms the clones have and the troops cheer, realising who had finally showed up.

“Apologies for being late Master Windu. I needed to make a short pit stop before the temple to sort out a few details with the Kaminoans” General Koon’s voice calmly mentions right after the howling ends.

He is in one of the starfighters himself, directing the front assault with Commander Wolffe in one of the LAAT/i’s that followed right after the first wave of ships. The Wolfpack jumps down when the height is low enough, most landing right on top of clankers to finish them off. 

Soon, all of the droid forces were reduced to scrap parts with the help of air cover that had also made sure no more clanker-filled ships would come. For all that they knew, the battle was won. All that was left now, was getting rid of the demagolka behind all of this. Though that can wait for a few minutes at least while everyone mourns the losses and patches up the wounded.

Cody turns to Obi-Wan, grabbing him by the waist. In one fluid motion he rips his helmet off, dipping his Jedi and kissing him right then and there. Obi-Wan’s beard scratches his chin, but his lips are soft, parting to deepen the kiss. He runs his free hand through the ginger hair, while Kenobi holds onto the back of his armour and neck. 

There’s a loud cheer unmistakably coming from the 212th and 501st, along with a few loud whistles and ‘OooOOoo’s. There’s even the quiet clang of credits being exchanged. Seems like Skywalker’s love life wasn’t the only one bet on.

Cody ignores all of that though, his entire focus on the gorgeous man he had in his arms, the one he was kissing. One he was allowed to kiss now, whenever he wanted. He almost groans when they finally part to catch some air, breaths heavy and eyes half lidded as they stare at each other. 

“Force I love you” Obi-Wan repeats the words, one hand coming to rest against Cody’s scar, fingers gently running along its length. 

“I love you too” Cody answers, the words feeling just right to say. He could finally freely admit to his feelings and he was going to take advantage of that fact. “I love you so much you have no idea”

He peppers Obi-Wan’s face with kisses. First on the cheeks, then forehead and nose, finally coming back to the jawline hidden under the beard and those gorgeous, slightly swollen now, lips. 

His Jedi -and oh how right does that feel to think too, his Jedi, his Jedi, his Jedi- laughs while Cody does so, the sound melodic and deep, sending shivers down his spine, and oh- Cody is looking forward to the future where he gets to hear this sound every day. 

Whoever gets to deal with Palpatine better do it quickly because Cody already has many, many plans involving his Jedi lover, any surface flat enough, and maybe what is definitely a misuse of the force if Obi-Wan’s willing.   

-

Anakin Skywalker. Jedi Knight- not Master, General of the 501st Legion who had a knack for slightly psychopathic battle plans, padawan to Obi-Wan Kenobi, former-Master to Ahsoka Tano, husband of Padme Amidala, and now father to his precious little kyber crystals, his baby girl and boy.

They were born smaller than usual, as twins do. Both of them fit into his arms as they make small cooing noises up at their father, their mother watching from a distance in fondness.

“Got any names in mind?” Padme asks him, her voice no more than a whisper due to all the screaming from labour. It took a lot of energy out of her to deliver the twins, but seeing them come into the world was well worth it.

“Only for the girl. I felt for sure it was going to be just one girl before the appointment last month. So I only really thought of a girl's name.”

“And that being?” Padme chuckles quietly to herself as Anakin hands her the boy, who opens his small blue eyes up at his mother.

“Yes, Padme, my darling, my moon, my stars, meet our baby girl; Womp Rat.” Padme bursts into small giggles at the obviously satire name choice.

“Ani, surely you’re joking right?” She looks at her husband, face falling at the serious expression on his face.

“... Anakin. You’re joking… Right?” He waits for a second, before bursting out into quiet chuckles, his wife rolling her eyes at his antics. “You’re insufferable.” 

“Apologies Padme. I wouldn’t really burden our girl with such a name. No, I thought the name Leia suits her wonderfully. Could translate to “Child of the Skies” in some languages. Which suits the name theme.” Padme smiles as she looks up at the baby girl in Anakin’s arms. 

“Well, thankfully I had names for both in mind. What about Luke? It means light giving in a language from a planet I went to on a diplomatic mission years ago.” 

“Perfect.”

Anakin gently hands Leia back to her mother, her cry for her father not lasting long after she’s given to her mother. He takes a moment just to observe them. They’re obviously not as cute as the holonet hypes newborns up to be. They just came out after all. But they’re his. From their little noses, to their little toes that barely peak through the fabric covering them.

“I can’t wait for Obi-Wan to meet them, or for Ahsoka to meet them, or Bail, or Rex, or literally everyone. I want the whole world to know how adorable they are.”

“Please don’t recreate that one scene from that one holomovie with the wild tookas, where they raise it up above their animal kingdom for all to see.” Anakin looks at her with mock offence. Folding his arms and raising an eyebrow at her.

“Padme, please. We have two children, I couldn’t possibly recreate it… Unless-” 

“Anakin! No!”

“I’m doing it, and you can’t stop me.”

“Anakin.”

“Ok fine, I won’t.” The ‘when you’re around, I won’t’ went unheard from Padme as she looked down at her twins in joy.

“Ah. A lovely family moment. What a shame it would be if something were to- happen.” Palpatine spoke from the doorway, red lightsaber igniting and highlighting his wrinkled face.

“Sidious. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Anakin spoke, his tone becoming colder than ice.

Luke and Leia began to shiver and cry. The bright light that was their force signature flickering from the cold of the dark-side.

“Skywalker. This is your last chance. Join me, or face the consequences of your… Unwise choices.” Palpatine grins a horrid grin at the end of his sentence, yellow eyes gleaming with evil.

“Bitch, the only unwise choice that’s possibly going to have any consequences, is the choice to kill you and deal your dead body. I don’t want to have to carry your smelly ass to a furnace once you’re dead.”

Palpatine sneers, red lightsaber at the ready. “Say goodbye, to your dear children and wife then, Master Skywalker.”

“Actually. I only ever made Knight.” He retorted, blue lightsaber igniting to counteract red.

They exchange hits, a dance of two blades clashing parades around the room. Push and pull, push and pull. One never really gaining power over the other. Not until…

“I don’t even understand why you’re protecting those rats. I mean look at them.” Palpatine mumbles. It doesn’t go unheard.

“Oh no you didn’t you crusty ass raisin looking white flower covered little shit. Nah, I’m not dealing with you anymore. You have chosen death.” Anakin, summoning all the new force powers being a new father has given him, channels both the power of the light and the dark side of the force. Or as he likes to call it. The power of Fatherhood.

Palpatine’s final expression was shock, before he was stabbed in the chest by Anakin. He fell to the floor with a thud, before all the life left his crusty ass body.

“Get Girlbossed bitch.” He murmurs, before picking up Palpatine’s hidden comm, trying to get into contact with Cody. Much to his anger, the ass didn’t pick up.

He tries Fox next, but sends him a message this time, realising that they were probably on the lookout for calls from Palpatine.

‘Fox, I fucking girlbossed Palpatine. Come get his ass. Through him out a Windu or something.’ The message read, he sent his coordinates along with the message, before dropping the comm to the floor and heading back to his wife.

Anakin missed the eager reply of: ‘Kriff yeah! Burning time!’ from Fox.

“Anyway, where were we?” He asks, smiling down at his wife, who looked way too tired for any of this.

“Ani did you just kill The Chancellor?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I know you two were both from Naboo and you spent some ti-” He doesn’t get to finish his apology, not before he’s cut off.

“Oh no. I was going to say good job. You did us all a favour actually. He was an asshole.” She deadpans, looking back down at the twins with a smile.

“Oh. In that case. Let’s continue… They’re so cute!”

-

Anakin walks out onto the former battlefield. Kicking some droid parts as the last of the clankers fall. 

Padme had told him to come out to the battlefield to help everyone clean up. Because apparently killing a Sith Lord isn’t worth shit.

He smiles at the surrounding clone/Jedi celebrations. Luminara and Fisto were off to the side with their Commanders and Troopers, throwing droid heads against each other with practised accuracy.

Plo Koon (when did he arrive?) along with the Wolf Pack were all giving out celebratory hugs, Commander Wolffe accidentally biting his Lieutenant in the process… Somehow?

Vos was nowhere to be seen. But knowing him, he’s probably out bothering Fox and the rest of the guard. What they’re doing with the Chancellor’s body, Anakin doesn’t want to know.

And his amazing battalion- wait, where is the 501st?

Anakin looks around and notices the lack of both his men and the men of the 212th. Did they really lose that many men?

He glances around one more time, only to see Boil and Crys running towards a large forming crowd in one of the corners. Ok. That’s odd.

As he approaches the crowd, Anakin starts to see what all the hype’s about. And immediately regrets leaving his family. He didn’t need to see his older brother figure, his FATHER figure, kissing the Marshall Commander of the 212th attack battalion today. Nope, that was not needed.

Good for them though. Anakin felt for sure his former Master would have taken at least another year to admit to anything.

“Excuse me! Would Mother and Father dearest like to kindly split up the act?” They split apart immediately, only seeming to REALLY take in the crowd they’ve gathered just now. How embarrassing for them.

“Anakin. How kind of you to finally show up.” Obi-Wan snaps. Dusting his robes off casually.

“Sorry Obi-Wan. I was too busy Girlbossing Palpatine.” Obi-Wan looks to him in a mix of shock and confusion. The entire crowd follows suit.

“Sorry, Anakin. But how exactly did you do that? I thought you were with Padme anyway.” The confusion only makes Anakin feel more accomplished. 

“He tried to kill my kids and wife. So I brought out the good old power of Fatherhood and killed the raisin.”

“Ah, yes. A good tactic indeed, Skywalker.” Plo Koon nods as he and the Wolfpack gather nearby too.

“Thanks General Buir.” Anakin replies back. Because who doesn’t love and look up to Plo Koon.

“Anakin. Please circle back to the important thing.” Obi-Wan requests, placing his hands on his former padawan’s shoulders. 

“That being?”

“The children. The twins. Padme. How are they?” He smiles, eagerly awaiting news.

“Amazing. Come meet them!” And so. In the normal nature of the disaster lineage, Anakin grabs Obi-Wan and Cody’s hands, dragging them back to the Halls of Healing. He pauses for a second to look for a certain bleach blonde clone and Togruta pair, finding them perfectly located on the way there. He stops suddenly, causing Cody and Obi-Wan to crash into each other.

“Sorry about that. Here, hold hands for a second, I need to get my Captain and Ahsoka.” He places the hands he was holding into each other in a rush, and heads off towards the sibling duo. Ignoring the disgusting display of affection that even though he caused, he still despised.

Ahsoka and Rex are both covered in dust, something that will wear off when he drags them to the Halls of Healing, and their smiles look weightless, something Anakin will take in a lot more later.

“Ahsoka! Rex! Come meet my kids. Please hold hands first, I need to drag you both.” They do as instructed, albeit, a bit confused.

“Uh, why can’t we just take one of your hands each Skyguy?” Ahsoka questions, head tilted sideways like a stray tooka.

“Because, I have Codywan over there, and they’re probably never going to let each other go.” He tilts his thumb to point behind himself, whilst reaching for Ahsoka’s hand.

Rex and Ahsoka look at each other, before turning their heads to the pointed direction, faces contorting into shock, then joy on Rex’s part as he opens his free palm face up.

“Yeah, Yeah, I know. I’ll pay you when both hands are free.” Ahsoka grumbles, snapping out of it as Anakin begins to drag them.

The Halls of Healing thankfully didn’t receive much more damage other than the odd lightsaber mark on the wall. Padme is still lying where Anakin had left her, her face calm as she hums a lullaby to the two bundles of joy in her hands. 

Anakin practically bounces over to her with the biggest grin, giving her a forehead kiss and finally letting go of the two excited pairs. She weakly smiles back at him, strength still returning after what was long few hours of labour.

Understanding easily that Anakin wants to show the group his pride and joy, Padme carefully hands him the two children, who are weirdly calm for now. Probably because the force has never felt lighter, now that Crustpatine is gone and not clogging it up with his musky stench.

Taking his two little sunshines, Anakin turns back to the romance duo first, letting the two take a look at the kids.

Obi-Wan, as Anakin figured he would be, is obviously immediately charmed, eyes as soft as when Anakin drew him that one picture with crayons. He’s pretty sure his former Master still has it on his fridge in the Temple. With gentleness usually unseen from Obi-Wan, he picks Luke up. The newborn opens his eyes, looking up at the Jedi with his bright blue irises. He giggles happily, small chubby hand reaching out to grab a much longer finger. 

Obi-Wan practically melts when it happens, bringing the child closer to himself as a protective instinct washes over him. “If anything happens to these children I’m falling. I will kriffing destroy anyone who even looks at them wrong”

Anakin just nods at that in satisfaction, watching as Cody picks up little Leia, who scrunches her face up at him and then reaches for the side of his face. Two very small hands touch the scar with a quiet coo. “Good. You won't have the chance to if I do it first, but good” 

Ahsoka grumbles something under her breath like the true little sibling she is, pouting that she didn’t get to hold the children first. She’s very much here too! Along with Rex! Those are her niece and nephew and she wants to hold them too. Thank you very much!

 Rex isn’t happy with being forgotten either, but he takes it better than Ahsoka, instead focusing on Padme and making sure she doesn’t need anything to drink or eat. 

Suddenly Obi-Wan speaks up with a humm and a smile that can only mean something bad or chaotic, usually both, is about to be said or done. “I want one of these”

Cody freezes mid making a funny face at Leia, brain refusing to process the information he was just given. Before he can drop the kid, he quickly hands her to Ahsoka and then turns to look at Obi-Wan with a mix of horror, confusion and absolute and utter panic. 

He can’t be serious right now, can he? They’ve been together for what? Like 20 minutes give or take if counting from the moment Kenobi slipped up and confessed after the missile accident. Cody has no idea how to take care of children either! He’s been made to fight in a war for kriff’s sake, not to be a father! How would he even do that? Can he even do that? Can the clones even legally adopt children? Would the child even want a clone father? 

“Cody my dear, are you okay?” Obi-Wan calls out, only to go unheard by his beloved, who looks like his brain might have fried.

Ahsoka almost doubles over in laughter, keeping herself together only for the sake of the child in her arms. Rex doesn’t have to worry about such things and barely manages to keep himself standing as he slaps his knee and almost chokes on his own wheezes.

“I think you broke him General” He manages to say in between breath takes.

After what must be a good minute or two Cody just blinks once, turns to Obi-Wan with a blank stare and promptly collapses into the nearest chair.

“I am not ready for fatherhood” He mumbles out causing another round of laughter from everyone involved. Even Padme, who is mostly taking pity on the poor clone, makes a few chuckles.

“Oh dear. I think I did broke him. Cody I didn’t mean right now! Force knows we need to help Anakin and Padme with adjusting to new lifestyles fit for childcare!” Obi-Wan is half lying. He might have meant he wants a child right now. Just a little. But he can wait for- a few months, just so they can wrap the war up and get the clone rights going.

Cody nods weakly, letting out a quiet huff. “Never scare me like that again”  

While that’s going on, Ahsoka glances down at Leia in her arms, turning to Rex so he can see the kid too. 

“Look at her! She’s so precious! So little! So fragile! I could squish her cute little cheeks!” She practically squeals out, giving the clone Captain a feral grin.

“Please let them take after Padme and not Anakin. I can’t deal with four chaotic gremlins” Rex mumbles out, looking up at the ceiling with a mock prayer. “Force give me patience”

Ahsoka scrunches up her face in offence, mirroring the expression that Anakin is also wearing. “What is that supposed to mean?! And isn’t it supposed to go ‘Force give me strength’?”

Rex gives them both an unamused stare and raises one eyebrow. “If the force gave me strength, you’d both be dead” He states, picking Leia up from Ahsoka’s hands. It's his turn to hold the adorable baby now.

“Not cool Rex. Not cool. I thought we’d be closer after everything we’ve been through” Anakin dramatically flops onto the bed beside Padme, laying his head on her legs and putting his hand to his forehead. “I saw you as my brother!”

Ahsoka mirrors that dramatic flare too, collapsing right beside her former Master and leaning her head against his chest, arms sprawled out across the bed, though making sure to avoid accidentally poking Padme. “So did I Rex, so did I!”

Rex rolls his eyes. “Deal with it”

Shifting his hold on Leia so can use one free hand to motion at the disaster lineage in all its glory, he smiles down at the little one in his arms. “Can you believe what I have to put up with?”

Anakin and Ahsoka stick their tongues out at him.

Leia coo’s happily, arms reaching out to grab at Rex’s face, which he gladly allows by lowering his head a bit and bringing her up. She immediately latches onto his blond buzzcut, trying and failing to catch onto the hair. After a few seconds of that she pouts and starts to fuss, turning her head away from him.

Rex chuckles quietly and hands the kid back to her father, Anakin having gotten up and shoved Ahsoka down onto the floor. Leia stops fussing the moment she’s back in his arms, small eyelids dropping as she fights sleep.

Luke is doing much the same, still in Obi-Wan’s hands, who was letting him grab onto the beard and pull at it without so much as a flinch. 3 years of war does that to your pain reflexes, Anakin supposes. 

“I believe it's time we give the little ones and their mother a moment to rest.” Kenobi says while handing Luke back to Padme, who smiles at him gratefully. 

“I believe so as well. I’ll stay here with my wife if you don’t need any help” Anakin proposes so in a tone clearly meaning to convert that no, they do not need any help he can spend time with his lover without any more interruptions. 

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes at that but nods. It might be wise to keep the hot-headed Knight away from the politics and the aftermath of killing the most powerful person in the galaxy. 

“Very well. Enjoy your stay Anakin. We’ll take care of everything outside. I’m sure the council has already explained the situation to the public.” Anakin waves as Obi-Wan, Rex and Ahsoka leave the room, the Jedi Master gently leading Cody away who’s still mumbling something about ‘making sure they won't get pregnant’, whatever he means by that.

-

“ Mesh’la, are you sure this is a good idea?” Bly asks, turning in his pilot’s chair to look at the twi’lek in the second seat, biting his lip. “What if something happens while we’re gone?”

Secura laughs softly, one hand reaching out to hold his own while the other holds a much smaller, barely a year old twi’lek-clone hybrid on her lap. Bly’s still amazed how she hid the pregnancy. 

“I just took leave when I started showing and put a pillow over myself when in holocalls for meetings. Then kept her hidden in my quarters with med-droids when Quinlan couldn’t babysit. ” Is how she explained yesterday. But Bly feels he’s missing some more information.

“Relax love. They’ll be fine on their own for a few days. I won’t let our little flower’s first birthday be spent hidden away without parental love.”  Aayla huffs out, her lekku twitching, tied away from the grabby hands of their ever-curious kid.

“If you’re sure, then I trust your judgement.” Bly, ever the simp, decides, shifting in his seat. The blue flow of hyperspace passes by them, casting a soft glow onto the ship they had ‘borrowed’ from the Temple’s private docking bay. Aayla assured him it’s fine and so, he wasn’t going to complain. 

“Bur!” A happy giggle calls out, catching the clone Commander’s attention again. He turns back to his beloved, smiling softly as their child holds out the chubby little hands and practically demands to be picked up.

“Almost my kar’ta. It’s buir. Repeat after me. Bu-ir” Bly strokes the very short lekku on his child’s head as he says so, trying to get the first word said to be buir.

Aayla watches as he does so, a content look on her face as she shifts in her chair to take a short nap. She did spend the last 5 hours or so in one position, trying to keep her little star entertained in the vast space as they travel to Ryloth, her homeworld.

“ Bwoil!” Is Bly’s response, along with a toothless smile and hands grabbing at his cheeks over the yellow paint on them.

He rolls his eyes fondly, patting the little head of his little one.

“One day” He mutters to himself, answered by another butchered try in saying the word. “One day.”

Bly kisses the twi’lek hybrid on the head and turns to take out the small carrier they bought just for this occasion. He puts the kid in it, gently closing the lid and muttering a quick “I’ll be back soon”

With the child secure and away from being able to cause chaos, he turns back to his lover with the fondest look in his eyes. As gently as he can so he doesn’t wake Aayla by accident, he picks her up bridal style. Her head falls to rest on his unarmoured shoulder, him only wearing the undersuit so he can cuddle her without the plasteroid in the way. 

She looks so peaceful, so beautiful that he can’t help the smile that grows even wider on his face.

Barely 3 years ago he was finishing his training on Kamino, thinking of himself as expendable and dreading the moment he meets his Jedi General and is proved to be just that. Now here he is, with the most gorgeous woman in the galaxy by his side, going to her homeland that is now free of Seperatist occupation, so their child can see it too.

He couldn’t have asked for a better life.

Bly slowly makes his way deeper into the ship, stopping in front of an automatic door that slides open to reveal a bedroom-like room.

It’s of simple design, with one double bed in the middle of the room, two cupboards at its sides and a fancy shaped lamp on one of them. To the right, there’s a door to the fresher while on the left, to the closet.

Bly walks in, going straight for the bed. He shifts his hold on his beloved so he can move the covers back. He lays her down and she subconsciously grabs the pillow on his side and snuggles to it, letting out a content sigh. 

He laughs softly and covers her up, leaning down to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. Oh how he managed to get her out of all people to love him, he has no idea, but will forever be grateful she chose him.

“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum ner cyare.” He says to her and, even sleepily she replies with the same in her native tongue.

Turning around to let Aayla sleep, Bly leaves the room and goes back to the bridge, content to spend the next hours entertaining his baby.

-

“HEY! GET BACK HERE!” Anakin yells, Ahsoka hot on his heels, Obi-Wan trying to keep up but failing as he fumbles with his lightsaber.

Stupid piece of metal liking Cody more than him.

A man had broken into the temple. Old, wrinkly like Palpatine, but not Palpatine. He looks like the farmer version of Dooku. Never mind those details, however, when the most important thing about him is the child he’s carrying in his arms.

“Grogu! Hang on tight kid!” Ahsoka yells as she dives at the old bat who dares steal a force-sensitive child. Sadly, she misses.

They were just meeting with the now Acting Chancellor Organa, who was helping clean the temple of droid parts, when the old fool dropped in out of nowhere and stole the kid.

The man heads straight for the platform that surrounds the drop to the lower levels of Coruscant. Obi-Wan knew what he was going to do. He had seen Anakin do the same thing when they were chasing that bounty hunter Fett hired.

He speeds up, lightsaber now tamed and clipped to his belt, and aims to go for the old man’s legs. It was a better idea in his head, because it didn’t work, the man dodged just in time and now he’s plummeting down to certain doom. Down what Anakin and Ahsoka have dubbed as “the hole to hell.”

“Obi-Wan! Aim for a speeder!” Is all Anakin offers before heading back to chase the old man.

Man. Really? Plummeting to his death and all the advice he gets is “aIM fOr a SpeEDeR” Yeah no shit. Apparently, that’s all he can really do in this scenario, not receive force help from another Jedi whilst the other goes after the guy.

His lineage is going to end in shambles. Force help the twins.

A republic transport is what he sets his eyes on. Pulling the energy of the force to slow down and land on the shuttle safely. 

That -also- doesn’t go entirely to plan, as he only slows down enough to land inside the shuttle, inside the shuttle meaning he fell through the roof.

Clones look at him with curiosity. All Coruscant Guard, he notes.

“Yet another happy landing.” He mumbles to himself, as he sits up in pain, raising his head to see the bucket of Fox, and the face of Quinlan staring back at him.

“Obi-Wan.” He nods, albeit cautiously.

“Quinlan.” He returns the nod.

“General Kenobi.” 

“Commander Fox.” There’s definitely something going on in here. “What are you all doing?”

“Oh we just came back from the furna-” A clone attempts to reply, but gets decked by a vode. 

“Obi-Wan. Shouldn’t you be… I don’t know? Making love-eyes with your Commander or something along the lines of that?” Quinlan asks, face plastered in a smirk, but clearly implying he leave, which, how the fuck is he supposed to do?

“I wish. No, I was chasing somebody who stole a youngling of Master Yoda’s kind, and managed to fall down the platform and into this shuttle.” He pauses for a second, to take in the ash covering some of the Guard’s armour, the bag of suspicious looking gray dust, and the faint smell of charred flesh and… is that Palpatine’s perfume?

“What the kriff did you do to the Chancellor?” He questions, raising an eyebrow at his idiot friend and Fox.

“Kenobi. I don’t question half the things you do. I expect the same of you concerning myself, the Guard, and… Ok Vos doesn’t count, we don't actually like him very much.” Quinlan looks offended, but seems to eventually take it as a compliment.

“Well that was better than what he said to me yesterday. These clones are mean Obi, how did you manage to fall for one? Especially the one that you did! Fox showed me old recordings of the man. Even I’m intimidated a little. Actually no I’m not. Wait, maybe I am. Wait. I don’t know.”

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes, and moves to open the shuttle door.

“Wait, what are you doing Obi?” 

“I think literally falling to my death would be better than this.” He deadpans, slowly leaning out of the shuttle until he’s once again falling.

“Should we help him?” Fox eventually asks, not wanting to receive any more shit from Cody. The Fives situation has left permanent mental scarring. Never again.

“Nah. He’ll be fine.” Vos answers, shutting the door and turning back to the ashes. “Now let’s head to the kitchens so we can bake these into cupcakes to give to the remaining Seppies… And maybe some of the Wolfpack.”

“Why the Wolfpack?”

“Because imagine the looks on their faces when we tell them.”

Fox considers the answer a moment. “Yeah. Sounds good.”

-

Cody, the poor man, the poor, poor, tired man, helps his brother file the reports of the battle of the temple. Rex, who looks almost as bad as he does, slams his head face first on the table.

“Why does the disaster trio always decide to run off and do the fun stuff, but leave us here to do the boring stuff?” He questions. Tilting his head up to look at Cody. 

“That’s the thing. They don’t think.” Organa comments as he walks in. Cody has to agree. Ahsoka is probably the only one who can be reasoned with.

“Don’t tell Kenobi I agreed.” He mutters, going to pick up another holopad to read over Rex’s work.

“Why do you still call him Kenobi, and not his name? Is it like- a bedroom thing or are you just an idiot who can’t break routine?” Wolffe cares to input, smiling deviously with a broom in one hand and a droid head in the other.

“Kriff off Jaws.” He quips, looking down at his now buzzing comm. ‘General Psychopath’ it reads. “It’s Skywalker.”

“Put it on speaker, I want to yell at him.” Rex asks tiredly.

“HI Cody! I have bad news and worse news! Bad news, we lost the kid. No clue where he went. I have a small feeling that he’s going to end up on Arvala-7 for a while and then some random Mandalorian is going to find him and they’re going to be father and son. No clue why.” Cody rolls his eyes, his annoyance at Skywalker turning into concern as he notices the lack of Obi-Wan.

“Continue along please Skywalker.”

“Ah, right. Worse news; I think Obi-Wan just fell to his death down the Hole to Hell. You know. The giant hole that goes down to the lower levels? Yeah he fell down that and hasn’t come up yet. The fool probably missed a speeder.” Just as Cody begins to panic about that, he receives yet another call request. Thankfully, from General Kenobi.

“Skywalker, I am going to commit mass homicide on you and everyone you love. This is your formal warning.” He hangs up, not before watching the sheer panic form on Skywalker’s eyes. He’ll have to apologise to Amidala for the stress he knows Skywalker will cause her in the near future, probably trying to retreat to Naboo.

Obi-Wan’s figure appears a second later. He’s sitting on a kriffing satellite dish.

“Hello my dear. It appears I am stuck.” He starts, giving a sheepish smile.

Cody sighs, pinching the top of his nose. He’s been doing that a lot lately. At least he hasn’t gone gray from the stress yet, unlike Fox.

“Send the coords. I’ll come help you out in a second.”

“Thank you my dear~”

“Yeah, shut up.”

-

“I’m leaving you here for an hour next time if it happens again.” Cody states, as he offers out a hand to Obi-Wan, who accepts it with little grace.

“No you’re not. You love me too much to do that.” He smiles cheekily, booping the place on his helmet where the nose is supposed to be as he walks onto the shuttle. 

“Seriously debating that right now.” Cody murmurs, shutting the door and taking a seat next to Obi-Wan and the droid driver takes off. 

“You wound me.” The idiot places a hand on his head and falls dramatically onto Cody’s lap. Cody places a hand through his hair, sighing loudly enough that it gets picked up through his helmet.

“Not my issue. Stay wounded cyar'ika, this is nice.” 

The two stay like that until they arrive back at the Temple, hearts happy and smiles present.

Unlike Skywalker and his family, who have swiftly fled to Naboo.