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I wanna hold your hand
“Echo,“ there was a pause on the line, “when do you think you will be coming for a visit?”
Rex was hopeful, Echo having gotten back to his family after working with Rex for a longest of whiles just a few rotations ago. But the Captain really missed his ARC.
Rex’s Echo.
Yeah, Echo had been that for a while. Echo belonging to Rex and him alone. A rather blissful time it had been, too. But then they had wanted him back. His new family, Clone Force 99 and so Echo had gone back to them. Again.
And so, Echo had left. Left Rex.
“Well, guess I could come over in a few days. The last of the houses for the clones residing here should be completed by then and I could come get the vod’e designated for Pabu. So yeah, I think can make time for a visit then.” Echo sounded positive enough.
Echo had been helping out like the rest of them had in building all those new houses for the clones Echo had helped to liberate and then settle on Pabu.
“I would like that, very much.”
Rex and Echo had been chatting over the comms almost daily after Tech with the aid of Echo of course, having setup a powerful and most secure network for the clones across the galaxy to communicate through.
“Yeah?”
Echo having had his doubts about how serious the two really had been after Rex having quite easily let Echo leave after the Batches having pester him to get back home, where Echo, in their opinion belonged. With them but of course. The Bad Batch claiming ownership over the ARC.
“Of course Echo. I do miss you. Very much so.” Rex voice was suddenly low and heavy with feeling. “I just… well… I do miss you … a lot.”
There was a spell of silence hanging over the open line. Neither of them speaking only dwelling on the meaning of their words just spoken.
“So, you miss me? A lot?”
“Always Echo, always.”
It was clearer perhaps now, what they meant to each other. After the absence and then having worked together for so long and then becoming partners again, lovers even and well again, Echo having left. Left Rex.
“You know, you could always come here… on a more permanent basis.”
It was true, the clones were almost all liberated by now and there were plenty of experienced Clone Commanders in the Clone Rebellion to take over the reigns from Rex. The Captain certainly having earned his retirement.
“I… know Echo, it’s just… “
In Echo’s mind, an excuse. But he did not want to pressure Rex either..
“They need you.”
“Well…”
A spell of silence fell over the line again.
“We’ve all earned the right to retire, even you, Rex.”
Even if Echo and the team were still helping out here and they did consider themselves retired as soldiers by now.
“Heh, guess we do.” Rex fell silent again. “Perhaps you could persuade me?”
Echo’s expression changing suddenly. As now, he had finally gotten absolute confirmation of Rex missing him dearly. Something of an obvious thing if should have been, but, yeah… Rex was also now suggesting Echo could be the one to persuade for Rex to take up on the leisure filled life and retire.
“So, if I do that, manage to persuade you, and all you’d consider moving to Pabu?” Now Echo really was hopeful, having his cake and eating it too option on the table.
“I would, yes.”
There was no doubt on the words whatsoever. To either of them.
They both felt giddy suddenly.
“Hey, maybe I can leave sooner, you know to visit you and all.”
They both chuckled at that, the hopefulness of being reunited again and perhaps for good this time, well it felt good. Very good.
“I’ll be here Echo love, waiting for you.”
“Cause you missed me.”
“Yes. That and so much more.”