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They march down the hall in sync, identical boots filled with identical feet attached to identical legs take identical steps. And yet. Fox’s steps manage to sound angry. Thorn glances at him out of the corner of his eye as if he doesn’t know it’s his fault that Fox is so mad. It’s not uncommon for Fox to be angry at him, Thorn takes great pride in his ability to make Fox angry actually.
Thire once told him he’s the bravest man he knows for continually pissing off the vod that everyone in the Guard agrees is the scariest fucker to ever be decanted. Thorn didn’t have the heart to tell him that Fox has a tell for when he’s actually angry and Thorn doesn’t think he’s ever not seen the slight curl on the corner of Fox’s lips as he scolds Thorn.
Besides, they all know that Fox allows Thorn’s insolence because they adopted each other as ori’vod and vod’ika immediately upon meeting. Thorn had been so angry when he found out they were getting a frontliner taking over as his superior and had taken it upon himself to prove to Fox that they weren’t as weak as the GAR thought they were.
Of course he’d decided to prove it by full body tackling Fox the moment they’d entered his new office and wrestling him to the ground. Instead of fear or shock Fox’s face had gone all fond and protective and since then neither of them, nor the entirety of the Guard, has known peace.
Often their fights are over something petty, like Thorn trading their ration bars to give Fox the better flavor in hopes of getting his ori’vod to actually eat or setting Fox’s comm on silent to allow him more peaceful rest.
This time though, Thorn thinks he might deserve Fox’s ire, he also suspects that this may be the first time Fox is truly angry at him. With his full kit on he can’t see for sure, but he can feel the lack of any smile in Fox’s words.
He didn’t mean for it to go this far. He really didn’t. He just wanted to give Fox actual time to recover. Fox still had a partially healed broken ankle and wrist from his last meeting with the Chancellor and was asleep when he received the request to report to the Chancellor’s office. Fox hadn’t even stirred as Thorn carefully slipped on Fox’s armor and reported to the Chancellor’s office in his place.
Thorn thought he’d been successful in his deception when the Chancellor hadn’t said anything during their short meeting but before he even made it back to Fox’s bedside they’d both had an official summons for disciplinary action to be delivered directly by the Supreme Chancellor for imitation of a commanding officer. Fox’s face had gone so pale as he read through the form that Thorn genuinely worried he was going to pass out right there. But he had just mechanically put on his armor, not saying a word and leaving Thorn to scramble after him down the hall.
They step into the office in sync and the Chancellor looks up with a creeping smile. The kind of smile that makes Thorn’s skin feel slimy and Fox shudder. Thorn tries not to think too hard about whatever painful memory passes through his ori’vod’s mind when he sees that smile.
At their entrance Senator Amidala stands gracefully from the guest chair across from the Chancellor’s desk and gives both of them a much more genuine smile. She moves to sweep past them when the Chancellor rises also and stops her with a gentle hand on her elbow.
“I insist you allow CC-2710 to escort you to your office. I would hate for any more unpleasantness to happen while you work to remedy this unfortunate circumstance.” The Chancellor says to Amidala, his voice is smooth and the perfect blend of worried and authoritative.
“Of course Chancellor. I appreciate your concern and support in such a difficult time.”
Thorn can’t focus on the way they are exchanging meaningless pleasantries, he’s too focused on the fact the Chancellor wants him to leave. It doesn’t make sense, he’s the one who broke the Chancellor’s stupid rules, and he got a notice to report for discipline too. Why would the Chancellor let him leave?
He doesn’t have much more time to consider it as Amidala is already making her way out of the office. On unsteady legs Thorn follows her out, stepping to keep time just off her shoulder. It feels anticlimactic. Thorn’s hands still shake with unnecessary adrenaline and his stomach is knotted tight with fear.
He only makes it a few steps down the hall before his HUD lets him know he has an incoming voice call from Fox. He frowns, maybe the Chancellor let him go too so they can wait for Thorn to get back? Surely Fox wouldn’t risk calling from inside the Chancellor’s office. The old man seems to have a sixth sense for that kind of thing. Still, Thorn isn’t about to ignore his ori’vod. With a subtle flick of his fingers he accepts the call and routes the audio through his helmet.
“Has he picked up yet?” The Chancellor’s voice comes through Fox’s helmet and Thorn feels his confusion grow.
“Yes sir.” Fox answers, voice void of any inflection.
“Good, we wouldn’t want him to miss out on the lesson.” Thorn’s steady march stutters as he processes the words. A part of him wants to abandon Amidala and rush back to the Chancellor’s office and beg him to punish Thorn instead. Thorn is the one who broke the rules. Fox wasn’t even conscious when Thorn made the decision. It’s not fair to only punish Fox.
“Are you alright Thorn?” Senator Amidala brings him back to the present and he hurries to compose himself.
“Yes sir. Sorry sir.”
“Kneel.” Silence rings through Thorn’s helmet and he silently begs for his ori’vod to just listen. The sound of metal on plastoid followed by a deeper thud of plastoid striking the ground breaks the silence. Thorn’s steps stutter again but thankfully Amidala doesn’t comment this time, Thorn doesn’t think he’d be able to keep his voice level enough to respond.
“Much better, look at you, on your knees where you belong.” Fox audibly grits his teeth and Thorn wishes again that he was actually in the office, not just hearing it second hand. It should be him kneeling at the Chancellor’s feet, him awaiting some untold punishment. Then the sound of Fox removing his armor comes through the comm. Fox’s ragged breathing doesn’t fade so presumably he at least leaves his helmet on.
Finally they make it to Amidala’s office, Thorn can’t help the relieved breath he lets out. With his obligation to her complete he should be free to return to Fox’s side and then he can beg for the Chancellor to punish him instead.
“Thorn, could you please stay and guard my office for a bit? I’ve got an important meeting and I am worried that my opponents could try to harm me and my allies again.” Amidala’s voice is kind and she phrases her orders like a request, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are orders.
“Yes sir.” Thorn agrees, fighting to keep his frustration from his voice. From the way Amidala’s smile sours he doesn’t think he quite succeeded. Hopefully she’s kind enough that she won’t decommission him for having an attitude. She doesn’t comment, simply stepping into her office and Thorn posts up outside her door. Without her direct supervision he lets go of his iron tight control on his reactions, letting his own breath come out more ragged.
“Now Commander, why don’t you tell me why I’m forced to punish you this time?” Thorn lets out an outraged little noise. It’s not Fox’s fault.
“I was complicit in the impersonation of an officer.” Fox grits out. He sounds angry and Thorn winces. Is Fox mad at him? It would be fair, it’s his fault Fox is in this position and Thorn isn’t even there with him to argue in his defense. He fucked up and now Fox is the one paying the price. Like always.
“Very good. Now, make sure you scream really pretty for CC-2710. We need this lesson to sink in for both of you.” Fox sucks in a sharp breath and that’s all the warning Thorn gets. There’s a dull thud and the breath leaves Fox in a woosh. After that the beating starts in earnest. Thorn is all too familiar with the sounds of booted feet striking non armored skin. Even without being able to see it he can tell when one of them lands a hit on Fox’s knee. He grunts but otherwise stays silent, either not giving the Chancellor the satisfaction of hearing his pain or not wanting Thorn to hear.
“You’re normally so much more obedient. I know you know how to scream properly.” The Chancellor actually sounds annoyed and Thorn tries to brace himself for what comes next. Thorn can’t identify the sound that follows, possibly some sort of electricity crackling, but whatever happens draws the first true scream from Fox’s lips. The scream fades to a quiet whimper as the crackling stops.
“Fox.” Thorn’s voice gets a strangled whimper in response and he winces. “Fox, I’m so sorry.” There’s not much he can do but at least he can make sure Fox knows that.
More crackling and then Fox is screaming again, the sound is shrill and uncontrolled and Thorn can’t help it. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I’m sorry.” Thorn isn’t even the one being tortured and yet his voice sounds completely wrecked as he babbles useless apologies. The crackling fades again and it takes longer for Fox to cut off his scream this time. The sound of booted feet striking flesh starts up again again, each strike earning a moan of pain now.
Then one of them makes solid contact and a wet sounding crack reverberates through the comm and Fox screams like Thorn has never heard before. Thorn doubles over and gags at the wet gurgling sound that Fox makes every time he tries to draw in a breath now, indicating that a rib has probably punctured a lung.
He’s going to die.
The thought strikes Thorn with sudden and startling clarity. He’s going to have to listen as his ori’vod dies and he’s going to have to live with the knowledge that it’s his fault. He gags again and fights to stay upright. He needs to at least pretend to be standing guard, no matter how forgiving Amidala might be she’s still a Senator and Thorn can’t afford to slip too much.
“I’m sorry Fox. I’m sorry, please be okay. Fuck, I can’t loose you. Fox, please.”
“It’s okay Thorn. Not your fault.” Fox chokes out, his words thick and almost unintelligible. Thorn sobs and clutches his helmet. Even when he’s dying Fox is trying to comfort him.
“How touching.” The crackling sound comes again and instead of the scream that Thorn expects he hears the heartstopping sound of Fox’s helmet hitting the ground. It’s followed by the sound of the seal being released and then the Chancellor’s voice comes again, much closer this time. “Hopefully you have learned the dangers of lying to me Commander. Now, CC-1010 will be waiting here for whenever you get off duty. I do hope it doesn’t take too long, I would hate to lose the Marshal Commander when I’ve finally broken him in just how I like.”
The call cuts out and Thorn heaves in a shuddering breath. He has to wait for Amidala to complete her meeting. If the Chancellor is expecting him to go and pick up Fox he can’t risk sending anyone else in his place. He just has to just hope that Fox can survive until he gets there.
Minutes creep by like hours, Thorn can just make out the soft titters of laughter from in the office. Everyone around him is completely unaware that Fox is dying just down the hall. Thorn shifts as another minute ticks by. Then another. After another minute Thorn starts praying to anything he can think of for Fox to be okay when he gets there. He prays to the manda, the Force, even Coruscant itself not that the planet has ever done anything for Thorn or his vod’e before.
Finally, the other senators shuffle out of Amidala’s office. She follows them to the door and smiles warmly at him. He barely registers her thanking him, he must choke out some kind of response because, mercifully she dismisses him and disappears back into her office. Then Thorn is off, racing down the hall towards his ori’vod.
The door slides open and Thorn finds Fox lying in a puddle of blood. Pink spittle coats his teeth and lips and he’s still out cold on the ground. For one, long moment Thorn thinks he isn’t breathing. In a flash he collapses at Fox’s side, his fingers pressing against his neck to feel for a pulse. He finds one, it’s thready and weak but it’s there. He lets out a relieved sob and gathers Fox gently into his arms.
Fox is alive. He’ll recover. He’s strong. Thorn carries him all the way to the medbay, one of his vod’ike joining him halfway there to help him carry his still unconscious vod. Distantly he notices the way his chest feels hollowed out, and the way his brain feels stuffed by cotton. It’s all secondary to making sure Fox gets medical treatment.
The medbay door bursts open and Peirce whisks Fox into the surgery bay. When Thorn tries to follow Ash steps in his way, one hand comes up the press against Thorn’s chest.
“Get out of my way.” Thorn croaks, his voice is ruined as if he’s the one who spent the better part of an hour screaming as loud as possible. “I need to make sure Fox is okay.”
“He’s in good hands Thorn, you need to go and calm down somewhere. Trust me and my team to take care of him.” When Thorn just fights harder against Ash’s grip his CMO’s voice goes hard. “You’ll just get in the way in there. We need all hands on deck to make sure he pulls through which we can’t do if we’re minding you as well. Get out of here and I’ll call you once he’s stable.” Thorn flinches. Ash has a point. He’s done enough to harm Fox, he shouldn’t do any more. He nods and takes a step back, then another, until he’s practically fleeing from Ash’s knowing look.
He makes it down the hall and around the corner before throwing himself into a nearby storage closet. Once he’s in the relative privacy offered by the closed door he allows himself to completely fly apart. The sobs he kept suppressed earlier finally bubbling over.
—
Fox wakes up cold. Even his foggy mind registers that that’s unusual. He associates the medbay with the warmth and comfort of a brother curled into his side. He frowns and cracks his eyes open, suddenly worried that he didn’t manage to make it to the medbay at all. That could explain why he’s so cold. The familiar ceiling confirms that he is in the private recovery ward in the medbay.
So where are his brothers?
With a clumsy hand he pats around the bed, searching for a hand or a head or anything really. Something warm and grounding. He lets out a little distressed noise when he doesn’t find anything and a medic appears at his side. Ash. He makes some adjustments to the machines beeping at Fox’s side.
“How are you feeling?” Fox struggles to sit up, and lets out a relieved whimper as Ash seems to read his mind and uses some pillows to prop him up against the wall.
“Where’s Thorn?” Fox asks instead of answering Ash’s question. He wants his kih’vod, Thorn gives the best cuddles. Ash grimaces and points to the floor. Fox leans over until he can make out the top of a familiar boot poking out from under his bed.
“He thinks you’re mad at him.” Ash says to explain the fact that Thorn is apparently asleep under Fox’s bed rather than on top like he normally is when Fox wakes. Fox wants that warmth and comfort. He wants that feeling of safety. Instead of saying that he makes grabby hands in Ash’s direction. Once again Ash reads his mind and kicks under the bed, waking Thorn up.
“Get your shebs on the bed and comfort your ori’vod.” Ash snaps. There’s the muffled sound of cursing as Thorn wiggles his way out from under the frame and he pops up with a tight grimace on his face. His eyes are red and swollen and Fox is certain he spent all night sobbing his eyes out.
“Fox, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to lie to the Chancellor. I should have listened to-”
“Shut up and hug me.” Fox interrupts him, stretching one arm in Thorn’s direction. Later when Fox feels less like he’s been run over by a bantha, repeatedly, he’ll have that conversation with Thorn. Right now all he wants is to burrow his face into Thorn’s hair and feel safe. The look of surprise on Thorn’s face is almost comical, Ash actually laughs once, sharp like everything else about him, before leaving them to it. It takes another gesture from Fox to convince Thorn to actually join him in the bed, and even when he does it’s hesitant in a way it never has been before.
“I thought he killed you.” Thorn admits once he’s fully settled. “I thought he killed you and it was all my fault.” Fox lets his grip go tight.
“Hush vod’ika. I’m okay. I’m right here. We’ll talk about it later, okay?” Thorn nods against his chest and carefully grips Fox back. Fox sighs happily and drifts back to sleep, content now that his vod’ika is where he belongs.