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It is peacefully quiet in their apartment. Riyo is cooking another mouth-watering pasta dish that will undoubtedly have him spending more time on cardio tomorrow and he is approving timecards for his men.
“I think you should talk to Cody.”
The tranquil ambiance is shot to hell like a bullet through glass.
“Excuse me?” Fox asks, setting down his phone and swinging his gaze to his fiance. His beautiful fiance. Her strawberry blond hair is braided down her back and she wears one of his shirts, undone, with an apron tied over top.
“You heard me,” she says, though she doesn’t bother to look over at him and where he sits at the breakfast bar.
“Yes, but why?”
“I have five bridesmaids. It would be awkward to have one of them walk down the aisle alone.”
“I’m sure Ponds would be more than happy to have a woman on each arm.”
At this, she does swing a golden glare in his direction. “Fox Fett. I have done my very best not to be a bridezilla through this whole process. But rest assured, this will be the hill I die on. Call your brother.”
Fox fidgets with his tie. “I can have one of the guys from work as a groomsman.”
“So you’re just going to ask all of your brothers and not Cody?”
“Riyo, our relationship has never been good.”
“Oh yes and I’m sure excluding him on the most important day of your life is only going to ease the tension.”
“Well, that sounds a touch self-important.”
She turns to face him fully, spoon brandished like a weapon. “I dare you to think of one other day that will matter more than our wedding.”
He counts on his fingers, “The day Palpatine got impeached, the day the wampas made the playoffs—”
She rounds the corner and wacks his bicep with the spoon. “I’m going to beat you to death, I swear!”
He darts around the breakfast bar to avoid her onslaught. “I’d wait till after we’re married. My life insurance policy has a lot of zeros.”
“Watching your life drain from your eyes will be priceless. Get back here.”
In the end, he lets her catch him and, in the end, he shows her just how priceless he can be.
~
Of course Fox is ultimately going to do what Riyo asked of him. The only issue is that Cody doesn’t exactly answer Fox’s texts, or calls really. So, he asks Rex for Cody’s address and shows up at his apartment one day after work.
And, because he knows he’s unbearable to deal with while sober, he comes bearing a six pack as well.
He knocks on the door and counts to twenty while he waits for Cody to answer. It is only when he is breaching thirty, does he think that his brother looked through the peephole, saw him, and decided to leave the door unanswered.
The door swings open. “How the fuck did you get up here?” Cody barks.
“I know the doorman,” Fox answers easily.
“Of course you do,” Cody grouses, but makes no attempt to move from the doorway.
“Are you going to invite me in?”
“Are you going to share the beer?” He motions to the six pack in Fox’s hand. Maybe he should have brought an entire case.
“Of course.”
Cody steps aside and welcomes him in.
His apartment is nothing like he had expected it to be. The entryway is painted a welcoming gray and the floor is gray and white marble. A pair of polished military dress shoes are on the doormat as well as a well-worn pair of slides. He follows Cody down the hallway and the space opens to a dual kitchen and living area. The massive tv is darkened, but there is a crockpot on the counter as well as a half-eaten bowl of what looks like chili.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your dinner,” Fox says.
Cody shrugs. “It was a late night.”
Fox nods and the conversation falls into strained silence.
“Do you need a bottle opener, or…?” Cody trails off, motioning to the six pack again.
“No, uh, they’re twist-offs.” Fox gently sets the beer on the kitchen table, hands one to his brother, and takes one for himself.
“Red ale. Nice.”
Fox doesn’t say that he got it because it’s Cody’s favorite, he just removes the cap and takes a healthy chug of beer.
“So why are you here, Fox?” Cody asks. With the scar, his face is stonier than ever. He looks like he can take his fair share of punches and live to still win the fight.
“Just wanted to talk, is that a crime?”
Cody holds up his hands in surrender.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean—Fuck.” He runs his hands through his hair. “I suck at this.”
Cody only nods and takes a drink of beer.
“I’m sure Rex told you that I’m getting married.”
“Well you sure as shit didn’t.”
Fox takes the punch and chases it with a swig of beer.
He doesn’t know what to say. He and Cody have never gotten along. Fox was always trying to provide and Cody was always right behind him, nipping at his heels, questioning his decisions. The words tumble from his lips before he can stop them.
“I wish I was the monster you think I am.”
Cody stares at him. “What?”
“You hate me and I know—I know I fucked up, but I was trying to be what you guys needed—”
“Don’t you get it?” Cody interjects. “I never thought you were a monster. I only wanted to help. We’re a year apart, Fox, and you would never let me share the burden. You treated me like a child.”
“You were a child.”
“So were you!” Cody’s voice booms across the chasm between them.
“You’re right,” Fox says, shifting his weight. “And I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
Cody knocks back the rest of his drink and sets the empty bottle on the table. “I’m sorry I quit offering to help. At one point I know I just became a pain in your ass.”
“Fishing you out of the drunk tank at nineteen certainly wasn’t fun.”
“I had just come home from AIT, cut me some slack.”
Fox only gives him a look that says he would never do such a thing and hands him another beer.
“So what did you actually want to talk about?” Cody asks.
“Will you be one of my groomsmen?”
Cody chokes on his drink. “You really want me up there with you?”
“Of course, you’re my brother.”
Tears well in Cody’s eyes. “Fuck you, Fox.”
He huffs a laugh, feeling tears brim in his own eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.”