Chapter Text
Finally back on Coruscant, Jesse had only one thing on his mind - getting blackout drunk with his friends. So the second they were clear he got out his greys, just like Fives and Echo, before moving over to the fresher for a quick shower.
“Looking out to get laid, huh?”
Fives grinned at him, while Jesse just rolled his eyes. Of course he would not say no to a good fuck, but thats not what he had in mind.
“Nah, just wanting to spend a night out with my favourite brothers.”
Grinning, he splashed some water at Fives, who giggled and reciprocated immediately. Echo meanwhile just shot them a few judgy glances while washing the dirt and sweat off. Not as if his serious expression could prevent Jesse from knowing that his younger brother was just as happy to be here, safe and sound, than him or Fives. Echo just showed it differently, wore a serious expression despite smiling on the inside. Or something like this. Not as if Jesse could do some jetti osik, but he was perceptive, and Echo’s posture was way too relaxed for him to actually be mad or annoyed.
“Come on, wanna get to 79th as long as they still have free tables!”
Fives grinned, already in his greys, while Jesse closed the seals of his uppers- in comparison to his younger brother he was far less excited, or at least showed it much less. Maybe because he absolutely did not intend to do anything stressful tonight - just a few drinks with his brothers and then a good night of sleep. Nothing dangerous, nothing to get put into the drunk tank again.
Last time he ended up there with an annoyed Echo and Fives, who shamelessly made out with a vod from the 212th. Not like Jesse minded, really, but trying to sleep was difficult with a raging hard one and… well. Fives. Who was never quiet, and especially not during sex. And then, still hungover and tired, Rex had been mad at him for not stopping him setting the container on fire??
Not as if Jesse could do anything to stop Rex from committing crimes if he had really set his mind to it, so it was completely unwarranted to be mad at him for not even trying.
So tonight he just wanted to relax, get drunk, maybe do some dancing but nothing to stress him. No vandalism, no arsonism, no shooting or blowing things up.
And the second they entered the bar he realised that a calm night might be even possible - in one of the darker corners sat two corries, red armour even visible from the entrance. Corries at 79th were usually bad news, just their presence usually stopped their vod’e from drinking too much, yelling too loudly and doing all the dumb things drunk soldiers like to do.
So on a normal day Jesse might’ve been pissed, but tonight? Great news.
After all he was not just a brother here, he was also one of the highest-ranking officers the 501th had right now.
Rex, Skywalker and Commander Tano had disappeared, a malfunctioning ship that just randomly flew somewhere, great. Not like Jesse actually worried, his General, Captain and Commander were more than competent. With them were Commander Bly and General Secura, a few other brothers… they should get along just fine. But Jesse would be damned if the first thing Rex had to do after returning to triple zero was bail out hungover brothers. No, nope, definitely not happening.
“Urgh, Corries…”
Fives rolled his eyes, of course he did.
“Come on, they’re just doing their job…”
Echo, the voice of reason, as always.
“And they stop you from ruining your liver, be grateful to them.”
In front of them Kix appeared, grinning wide, two glasses already in his hands. Next to him stood another brother, an expression that was both neutral and judgemental, indicating that…
“You’re hanging out with corries?”
Seriously, could Fives think for a moment? Was that so hard? Maybe don’t insult your friend's friend, at least don’t do it while he is standing right in front of you.
“Yep, that's Carrion. My batchmate. So behave, we have some catching up to do.”
With that Kix and the medic, Carrion apparently, moved past them towards a table close to the door.
“I didn’t know Kix had a batchmate in the guard.”
Echo mumbled, and Fives nodded.
“Yeah, I mean, sure, medics rarely get deployed with their batch, but still. I thought, I don't know.”
Jesse groaned before stepping towards the bar to order three beers. Batchmates in the guard - not his favourite topic. Not when Ranger and Mismatch had been dead since Geonosis, leaving him with Tirol and Missio. Tirol and Missio, karking corries, to whom Jesse hadn’t talked since Kamino. And who were the only batchmates he had left.
But they had each other, so he heavily doubted that they would ever like to talk to him. Not like Kix and that Carrion guy, who apparently tried to keep in touch despite the major differences in their deployment.
“And here you go, have a nice evening.”
The barkeeper smiled while collecting the payment for the drinks that Echo had already grabbed. Probably to prevent Fives from spilling them on their way to their table, or whatever.
“What ruined your mood, ori’vod?”
Fives was still smirking, but a slight twitch in his lower lips indicated at least a tiny bit of concern. Urgh.
“I have batchmates in the guard too, but don’t want to think about them, and Kix reminded me of them. So…”
Jesse shrugged, trying to keep his facial expression calm and detached. But he was no corrie so it most likely looked like a pathetic attempt of composure.
“Oh, yeah, well, mine are all dead except for Echo, so. Maybe talk to them before it's too late?”
Fives tried to sound uplifting, but managed to do the complete opposite.
Kriffing sithspit, don’t remind me of our potential dead, urgh.
“Let's change the subject, shall we? Don’t wanna talk about them.”
With that Jesse grabbed one of the glasses Echo had previously placed on the table and took a few long gulps. So much for a fun, relaxed night out. But getting wasted had been part of the plan all along.
“Well, then let's discuss something different. Like, eh…”
Echo was already seated, now chewing his lips to figure out a topic that was not heavy with cloudy, complicated feelings. Of course it was FIves who came up with one, announcing with a smirk:
“Well, let’s figure out how I can get laid tonight. Firstly, what pick up line should I use?”
Jesse snorted amused, Echo rolled his eyes, but the expression in his eyes was fond and filled with love. Of course Fives was intending to get laid, Fives who never said no to a good time.
“How about “Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?” or “My love for you is like diarrhea, I just can't hold it in.” I mean, can't be worse than your usual attempts!” Jesse suggested with a grin, while searching the bar for a potential hook up.
While doing so he noticed that the corries had doubled, and another vod was sitting with them. Huh. Kix and the corrie medic seemed to have a good time too, smiling and laughing like vod’e do. Thanks to the corries though the bar was unusually empty, leaving only a few candidates for Fives. At least for now.
“Those are the worst, Jesse! Nobody would like to touch my ass after just having talked about diarrhoea!”
Fives groaned, dramatically rolling his eyes.
“Can you believe that Echo, he wants to ruin my one chance of happiness! What if I meet the love of my life tonight and you destroy it with diarrhoea!”
“With it, he means the hookup. I doubt you can destroy a person with diarrhoea, unless you somehow infect them with it.”
Echo took a sip from his beer, smirking smugly before leaning back.
“Have you seen the guy in civvies at the bar? Maybe he’s willing to let you shit on him or whatever you’re into.”
Fives groaned and bumped his elbow into Echo’s side, before turning around and looking at the man. He was a brother wearing a dark red shirt and dark pants, a blaster was attached to his left thighs and he seemed to be chatting with the barkeeper.
Huh, so probably a regular, maybe an ARC or even commander class.
“Ey, Jesse!”
He turned around to look at Kix, who had a tense expression on his face.
“Hostage situation on the lower levels, I am assisting Carrion, please take care of the boys, yeah?”
Kark, hostage situation? Tonight? And Kix wanted to assist?
Probably reading his expression, the CMO added:
“I am helping the potential victims, it's safe, don’t worry.”
Nodding slowly, Jesse mumbled “Take care, alright?”
Before watching Kix run out, one of the Corries from the table in the back and Carrion with him. So… apparently the Corries actually did work on occasions and did more than lick senatorial boots? Who would’ve guessed?
Tirol would, or Missio.
Not helpful brain, stop annoying me please.
Jesse leaned back before grabbing his glass and drowning it, which earned him a concerned expression from Echo and a smirk from Fives.
“Don’t worry, he’s got it. Kix is smart, it will be fine. Just, I’m getting another round. Don’t break anything while I’m at the bar?”
Nodding, Jesse pushed his empty glass towards Fives so that he could leave it at the bar and save the barkeeper some work. The poor women probably had better things to do than collect sticky glasses around the bar.
Echo next to him was quiet, they both watched Fives walk up towards the bar, buying a few drinks, before starting to talk to the guy in civvies. So he was really trying to hook up with him, huh?
“I bet he’s absolutely not into guys like Fives.”
Echo commented, tone dry, but his hands clenched around the glass.
“Jealous?”
“Not as if you like to watch Kix with that Corrie…”
Jesse sighed, before sliding closer to Echo so that there is no way anyone could hear him as he mumbled: “It's not that I have a problem with Kix and Carrion, it’s just that I miss my batchmates, and seeing that Kix is still in contact with his makes me sad. So, you know, not the same.”
Echo just shrugged, while watching Fives and the guy at the bar laughing, the latter leaning towards Fives who let his arm rest on the stranger's hip.
“I guess, probably. And it looks like Mr. Civvies is actually into guys like Fives.”
“Guys like Fives?”
Jesse snorted, while taking a sip from Echo’s unfinished drink, earning him a frown.
“I mean, Fives is all for lightheaded fun and all that. That guy looks like he is into serious things, so…”
Fives walked back towards them, holding the stranger's hand and dragging him with him. While Fives smiled wide his company wore a more serious expression, still friendly and curious, but also careful and maybe slightly nervous. So… maybe Echo was right, the stranger did not look like he would be into guys like Fives.
“Vod’eeee that's my new friend Sheev, he’s like, super cool, and we’re hanging out together now!”
Echo snorted, before burying his face in his glass to hide his expression. No surprise, obviously his younger brother was not too keen on meeting new people, particularly not new people Fives tried to fuck.
The new guy, apparently named Sheev, placed his red cocktail on the table before sitting down next to Jesse with a polite smile, facing Fives and Echo,. “Nice to meet you, what are your names then?”
Echo cleared his throat and set the now empty glass back onto the table.
“I’m Echo, and that's Jesse. You already know Fives, so…”
Sheev nodded, taking a long look at them, before leaning back, slightly more relaxed. “Nice to meet you. I guess you’re 327th or 501th?”
“501th, how do you know that?”
Fives looked at him with wide eyes, probably surprised, while Jesse regretted not asking for a couple of shots too. Seriously, how could his younger brother be cunning and clever in battle while also being an absolute dumbass out of it??
“Only two larger corps on triple zero, I fear.”
Sheev grinned, while his fingers drew circles into the fog on his glass and listening to Fives:
“You’re right, I should’ve guessed. We’re 501th, just returning from saving Commander Bly’s ass! See, the battle on Quell was going really bad for the 327th and General Secura sent out an emergency call asking for assistance, and we went in with the Resolute.
I mean, I’m not a pilot myself, but you should’ve seen all the flying clankers the seppies got out, we were just running around trying to repair whatever we could, put out some fires…”
“Fires?”
“Yeah, if our vod’e were lucky they managed to crash inside the hangar, and we tries to get them out of the wrecks, put out the fires, all of that.”
The new guy nodded slowly, adding, before taking a sip from his glass again:
“Thank the force you arrived to save the day.”
Fives nodded, leaning in a bit closer to add with a smirk:
“Sadly, we lost our Captain on the way, he’s half across the galaxy now. So we’re all on our own. No one here to interrupt us, or come with regs.”
Clearing his throat, Echo grabbed Fives's glass to drown it, groaning. “You’re so bad at flirting, seriously, who taught you this could work?”
Sheev laughed at Fives’s frown, before shaking his head with a smile.
“Don’t worry, it is rather amusing… Need another drink, Echo?”
Jesse had not realised how tense he was until he finally leaned back to just watch his younger brother’s and their new friend. Meeting people had never been Echo’s strong suit, but the other didn’t seem to be too bad. At least he didn’t exclude Echo for the sake of flirting with Fives, and also was polite enough to show at least some interest in their lives. What more could you expect from a random vod at a bar, really?
“Ey Jesse, you heard that? Sheev can get us into one of the bars at the lower levels, apparently they are clone friendly as long as we stay out of trouble, wanna go there?”
After spacing out for a little he came back to a content looking Echo, smirking Fives and softly smiling Sheev, all waiting for his answer.
“Eh, I… haven’t listened? Sorry?”
“No problem, Fives was saying…” Echo started, just to get immediately interrupted by his best friend “-wanna go somewhere else? Bit boring here, with the Corrie over there?”
A look around the bar underlined his point, it looked exactly like a space to spend a calm evening in. Like a place Jesse would enjoy a lot, but apparently Fives and even Echo were up for a little more action and… well, Jesse liked seeing his little brothers happy, so he hummed approvingly while fishing for a few credits. He might not be rich, but tipping was important, especially when considering how low the prices at 79th were.
“Drinks are already paid?”
“Yep, Sheev invited us.”
“So that's how he got you to like him, huh?”
Fives’s and Echo’s smirks were audible, especially with the smugness in the latters tone.
“Oh come on, and I thought it was my natural charisma…”
Sheev laughed, before getting up from the table and offering Fives a hand:
“If I may?”
“You may.”
That was- well, perhaps the first time Jesse ever saw Fives flush, while Sheev led him a few steps away from the table, smiling softly. Echo snorted, but seemed more laid back now. Maybe because he had decided that Sheev was worthy of Fives, or because he didn’t think that they had a chance with each other anyway. Either way, Echo followed his brother out of the booth, took a few of the empty glasses and walked over to the bar.
Good boy, really, that kid made Jesse more than proud.
Not like Fives didn’t, Jesse hated favouring brother’s over each other, just in this moment the love he felt towards Echo was overwhelming.
“Thanks, vod’ika…”
Jesse mumbled to him, while he placed the other glasses onto the counter, plus a few credits.
“No problem, Fives seems occupied anyway.”
Following his gaze, Jesse could watch Sheev and Fives laughing, with the latter leaning closer towards him, whispering something into his ear. And Sheev actually turned slightly red at that? Huh, maybe Fives flirting was not as bad as expected.