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~*~
The thing was, Fox liked Bail Organa. As in genuinely liked, and even respected, him. Admired him even. He had, even when the man was still just a senator and he was Commander of the Coruscant Guard. That was incredibly rare. The list of people, outside of his brothers, whom Fox both liked and respected was so short he could count them all off using his fingers and have several left over. That had always been true.
But the list of beings he’d been genuinely attracted to was even shorter. Even before Palpatine’s manipulations were revealed and the Republic came crashing down around their ears, Fox felt a great pull of attraction towards Bail Organa. But the man was married and a politician and Fox just a clone commander, so he’d kept his mouth shut.
Then it all went to hell and on the other side Cody was Emperor of all damned things, Fox ran his security, and Bail Organa…stood with them. He served as Cody’s Chancellor in all but name, barely batting an eye at the changes. Having gotten to know Bail better, Fox understood now that the calm from the early days had been a façade, but now he genuinely was that steadfast once more. Both parts of that were annoyingly attractive. Then Fox got to meet Queen Breha and realized that Bail wasn’t the only Organa he wanted. But the pair were so clearly in love. Fox would do a great many things. Trying to interfere in a love like that was not one of them.
Except the pair of them apparently hadn’t gotten that comm message.
Fox,
Breha is on planet for the Imperial New Years festivities. We’d like to invite you for brunch the day after New Years.
Please let us know if you’re interested.
Bail
Fox read the message again. And again. Breha didn’t spend much time on Coruscant and Cody leaned so heavily on Bail that he didn’t get back to Alderaan as much as he’d want either. Giving up any time they could spend together just to have Fox over for brunch. That. That meant something, right?
He thought back to the attempted assassination the last time Breha visited. Despite knowing Cody had been the target, Fox hadn’t been able to stop himself from worrying about Bail and Breha first. He’d trusted his men, Rex, and Obi-Wan to see to Cody in those first moments before he tore himself away from Bail and Breha. Fortunately, Cody hadn’t minded the delay. Fox hadn’t hesitated to escort them back to Bail’s that night, reassuring himself even further that they were alright. They’d seemed to welcome his attention, even offering to let him stay the night. He hadn’t taken them up on it, but he’d been tempted. There had been little signs since then that they were interested. The Good Alderaanian caf that kept showing up in his office. The little treats for his staff. Far too gentle smiles from Bail whenever they were in a meeting together. A few shared meals under the thinnest of work pretenses, most of which ended up involving a holocall with Breha.
Kark.
Were they…were they trying to date him? Was that what was happening? Was he in a relationship with Cody’s Chancellor and said Chancellor’s Queen wife?
Fox tapped at his datapad, opening up Cody’s schedule. He was in his office. Good. He’d had to put up with Cody’s relationship woes before his reconciliation with Obi-Wan. Now his annoying brother could return the karking favor. They were close enough to trust each other implicitly, but with distance enough that neither of them ever pulled any punches. They didn’t worry about sparing feelings. They’d never shied away from brutal honesty with each other and Fox knew that Cody wouldn’t start now.
~*~
Cody’s lips twitched in amusement.
“Why did I think you’d be helpful?” Fox grumbled.
Grinning like the little shit he still was, Cody replied, “I really don’t know.”
Fox groaned, slumping in his chair.
“I don’t…I don’t know what to do,” Fox admitted.
At that, Cody grew more serious. He leaned forward, pressing his forearms against his desk and studying Fox intently across it.
“Do you want to pursue something with them?” Cody asked. “Genuinely. Do you want it? Because you have my support if so. Bail’s a good man and Breha is wonderful too. They’d be good to you. Hells, they’ll be good for you. And I know you’ll struggle finding balance at first, but you’ll be good for them too.”
A little bit of tension eased from Fox’s shoulders at that. Hearing Cody so readily voice his approval was good. Things would be entirely too awkward for Fox and Bail both if Cody didn’t support the relationship. Assuming Fox wasn’t misreading everything.
“Go to brunch the day of new years and go from there,” Cody advised. “They asked you to come to brunch, not swear vows.” He paused. Shrugged. “Not that I’d try to tell you no if you wanted to swear vows with them. I’m just saying, you don’t have to have it all sorted out now. Do you think Obi-Wan and I figured everything out his first night back? Because if so, I have news for you.”
Fox snorted. The first several weeks after Cody and Obi-Wan’s reconciliation had certainly been interesting for all of them. They’d had a new normal to work out. They got there, eventually, but it wasn’t exactly easy to find the right balance there either.
“Maybe someday one of us will find a relationship that isn’t full of potential political complications,” Fox muttered.
Snickering, Cody replied, “Would be nice, but I have my doubts. Last word from Ryloth has Howzer moving in with the Syndullas. While not quite the same level of politician, at least you won’t be the only one?”
Fox snorted. Funnily enough, it was a rather comforting thought.
“Well, I guess I have a brunch invitation to go accept,” Fox said as he stood. “Maybe this new years will prove to be the least annoying yet.”
Cody grinned at him as he left the office.
Right.
It was just brunch.
Fox could do this.
~*~
It definitely was not just brunch, but in the end, Fox was very ok with that.
And his new partners were too.
~*~