Work Text:
Cody was on leave. He wanted to find some place to chill, but it was hard to find a place that would accept a clone. He didn't really want to be around all his brothers, and all the other troopers. So he desperately needed a place that was totally separate from where they were.
So he was wandering around, looking for some place that was clone friendly where he could unwind in peace. He was just so tired. Missions after missions.
Always on the go. It didn't help that he and Obi-Wan made an efficient team that were the best choice in many cases. They just couldn't catch a break much of the time.
Cody heard the noise of fighting. He wandered into the alley way and frowned. Several people ganging up on a single man.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Instead of arguing or trying to talk, these people just attacked him.
Cody fought them off one by one until they were all down.
It was only then that he realized just who they were beating up.
"Vos?" he asked incredulously.
Quinlan squinted up at him. "Cody? There's two of you, you know." He pushed himself up.
"What happened?"
Quinlan waved a hand. "I screwed them over doing my job once and they've held a grudge since. I wasn't checking my drink often enough and they got something in there and now everything is spinning."
Cody frowned. "Are you hurt?"
"Just bruises I'm sure." Quinlan rubbed his jaw and hissed. "Very painful bruises."
Cody helped him stand. "Well... need my help making it back to the Temple?"
"No... Dex's," Quinlan decided. "I need food and he's safe. Temple is a lot further."
Cody sighed. That did sound like the safest option. He grabbed Quinlan's hand. "Let's go."
Quinlan grinned at him. "I knew you liked me."
Cody rolled his eyes. "Come on, I'm not going to leave you being pathetic here all night."
Quinlan laughed and followed him out of the alley and down the street. He did not let go of Cody's hand.
Cody kept an eye on him.
For being drugged, Quinlan was surprisingly steady on his feet. Unaffected. ...considering he said he had some bad bruises, it was strange Quinlan was still walking semi normally at all.
"Why are you so casual about being drugged?" Cody finally had to ask.
"Oh, it's nothing unusual. I'm usually a bit better at spotting it and all that but it happens. I could purge the drug but that's a pain and exhausting and better to let people like those idiots think they won than purge the drug and disappear. Thanks for jumping in, though."
"No problem... didn't even know it was you."
"Ouch," Quinlan joked. "But good for you, stepping in for someone who could be a stranger."
"I don't like seeing people get hurt."
"Neither do I. That's another reason I like to let the drugs work if I'm not on a mission... Keeps their focus on me and they're not gonna take failure out on some innocent person."
"Even if it means you get hurt instead?"
"Yeah. I'm used to getting hurt. Comes with the job."
"I can tell you're used to it. I was wondering how you were able to function like you weren't touched by drug or injury at all... that's generally only accomplished by experience."
"I've got lots of experience. Almost as much as Obes."
Cody recognized the nickname for Obi-Wan. Which meant... "He's got way too much experience. Almost as much?"
"He's got bad luck. I mean we don't even usually believe in luck but that's the only way to describe how everything always seems to go wrong around him."
"What about you?"
"Eh, it's not as bad, and my missions have a lot more room for going wrong. If they go wrong, it's within expectations but not usually within my control. Obi gets missions that go wrong in the strangest of ways. Like a storm making all his efforts for nothing. Or some random enemy of anyone involved showing up out of nowhere."
"...yeah that sounds about right," Cody admitted.
They were quiet for a bit.
"The bruises do hurt, though. I think I got some bad ones on my back. Need to make sure they didn't hit anything important. And my arm is throbbing from something. Possibly broken... or a really bad bruise."
Cody squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"I'm going to take a look when we get to Dex's."
"Okay."
It started raining. Both of them looked up, then at each other.
"...I'm not running."
"Neither am I. Walking in the rain isn't that bad. As long as it's not a downpour."
"True." Cody glanced at their hands, still holding on, but decided not to mention it. Quinlan did seem to be taking some measure of comfort and steadiness from it.
Quinlan started humming, swinging their arms back and forth. "I do like the rain, you know. It's nice."
Cody nodded. "As long as I don't have to be out in the rain I don't mind it. Not having a choice makes it so much worse."
"Oh yeah, it absolutely does."
They arrived at Dex's.
Dex greeted them happily and ushered them to a booth.
While he got them food and drinks, Cody started gently poking at the bruises.
Quinlan hissed at a few of them, and one of the ones on his back made him jump.
"Definitely get the one on your back checked out... and your arm. I can't tell if that's a bruise or a break. Otherwise... just bruised."
Quinlan smiled. "Thank you.”
Then they waited for their food and chatted.
Cody tried to focus on the conversation, but his mind kept wandering to how nice it had been to hold hands while walking in the rain.
Quinlan for his part, seemed shyer, and more uncertain. But he was talking more about himself than he ever did.
Cody finally understood why so may seemed to like him. He was a great Jedi, underneath it all. He wished he could spend time like this with Quinlan more often.
He walked Quinlan back to the Temple. Quinlan was doing much better, as the food helped combat the drugs.
It was still raining, and they held hands.
Cody enjoyed the touch, enjoyed feeling a little like they were dating.
Quinlan hugged him. "Can we go on a real date sometime?"
Cody sputtered for a moment as his brain stalled. Once he collected himself, he had only one answer.
"Yes."