Chapter Text
He had been prepared for a Padawan.
Cody had been prepared for another idiot Jedi to trail after and keep alive, he had been prepared to learn about Togruta biology in case of an emergency, he had been prepared for a sister.
Anakin and Rex had not.
So when he found the little (tiny, really) girl sitting alone that night, he wasn’t about to brush it off.
She had propped herself up against a tree trunk, one leg jutted out while the other was curled into her chest. She stared off into the distance where Cody spotted the 501st and their General around a fire, laughing at a joke Rex had probably made at someone’s expense. The look in her eye was something he usually saw in the shinies, glossy, unwavering.
He pretended not to notice her flinch when he approached. “Ahsoka,” He said quietly, ignoring rank. They were both commanders anyway, it’s not like it mattered.
She let her other leg rest on the ground again as she fixed her composure to make it something a little more convincing of ease. “Hey Cody.”
The fake smile hid nothing.
“Why aren’t you with your gang?” Ahsoka chuckled at the description of her legion.
“I’m just tired. Don’t think I could joke around if I wanted to.”
“Bull.” She stared in his direction as he sat down next to her, assuming the same position as she had previously. Her gaze stayed fixed on him in waiting. “I’m not a Commander right now. Talk to me, ad’ika.”
She huffed at the use of the clones’ new favorite nickname for her. “Doesn’t matter.” Cody groaned. He looked her dead in the eye like an older brother might, gently demanding she take her statement back. She sighed. “It’s just hard. Hard to fit into all of… This,” She gestured to the fire again. “This- this pre-made dynamic. I’m not a part of it. Every time I try, everyone goes quiet. Master Skywalker’s okay, he doesn’t ignore me, exactly, he’s just distant when I’m around. Everyone’s happier when I’m not a part of their little family group.”
Cody continued looking at her for more clarity, vowing to listen if she needed to say more. “I’ve been here a month and they still go tense when I walk in.”
She pulled both knees into her chest, a sign that she had finished talking. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that clones love their family. They accept their generals, and occasional commanders, with pleasure.” Ahsoka sunk in on herself at his words. “ However ,” He interrupted. “This batch has never had a sister.” She lifted her head a little at his words, to which Cody was grateful. “I think they’re nervous. Unsure of how to go about this. It’s not that they don’t want you, it’s that they don’t know how to care about you.”
The girl looked at him with eyes that once again reminded him just how young she was. No older than seven (he stopped to do the math), fourteen for nat-borns. “The General’s still getting used to you too, remember. He’s probably more welcoming, but it’s still hard; he wasn’t prepared for you.”
“ He didn’t want me ,” She whispered.
Cody was quick to shut her down. “He might not have wanted you then, but he’s taken you on now. He’s willing- he just wasn’t prepared for this like my General and I were.”
Ahsoka tipped her head. “You were?”
“You were going to be Kenobi’s Padawan, weren’t you?” Realizing what he meant, she smiled slightly. It was small, but it was genuine, and he would take it. “He basically just told me ‘get ready for another jedi to give you headaches,’ before walking away.” Ahsoka couldn’t help but laugh, a snort that turned into full blown laughter. It was music to his ears, it meant he’d successfully cheered up a vod, at least a little bit.
He caught the tail end of her Master glancing at her, probably some force osik he didn’t understand. Either way they met eyes and he gave a nod to the General, the man returning it.
“Thanks, Codes,” She said quietly. She already looked more loosened up, her arms draped over her knees instead of hugging them protectively, a soft look that held a hint of a smile, and something in the way spoke to him. “Maybe I should have been Master Kenobi’s Padawan, then we would have had to do some sort of competition to see who gets to keep the rank of Commander,” She joked.
Cody smiled at the girl’s banter, before happily returning it. “Well what would we compete in?”
Ahsoka thought for a moment, biting her bottom lip in a smile. “Well, ‘who can fit through the smallest space,’ I think. That way I’d have some sort of chance.” She paused, continuing to think. “Ooh! Or a lightsaber battle. I’d wipe the floor.”
Cody laughed at her obvious excitement. “Well, I’ve had to use General Kenobi’s lightsaber more than once, you might have met your match.”
“You have?” She squealed, eyes wide in waiting for the story.
“Oh yes, there was this one time, on this Outer Rim planet-”
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Anakin looked over at the sudden spike of joy he felt from Ahsoka’s side of their still-forming bond. He pinpointed it from behind him, where it didn’t take long to find her sitting with Obi-Wan’s commander, laughing about something he’d said.
The two met eyes, and with a solemn look on his face, Cody nodded. A simple greeting that told him more than a look should be able to. She was content. She was okay. She wasn’t before, but she is now. He’d have to ask him about it later before their joint mission was complete. Ahsoka settled slightly, and he watched her staring intently at the Marshal Commander as he told her something, likely a story. She laughed along, from what he could tell. She was too far away to really hear anything.
But she was content. That was all that mattered.
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When silence fell between the two Commanders, it was Cody who spoke up first. “Would you like me to talk to Rex? Remind him of a few things?”
Ahsoka seemed to contemplate his offer. He knew she might say no, after all, it was a bit of an odd problem to have, however detrimental. But he knew whether or not she said yes he’d probably still slip his vod a glance to tell him to get his osik together and talk to his new little sister.
“If you don’t mind. I’m getting kind of sick of sitting twenty feet away from everyone when they’re talking.”
Cody chuckled, already standing up and offering her a hand. “Can do, Commander. You wanna go try talking to them now?”
She shook her head. “Not tonight, Anakin snores and I want as much sleep as I can before he comes in the tent to ruin it.”
He laughed one of those laughs that made him forget they were in a war for a moment. “Sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow, vod’ika.” Ahsoka smiled, a real smile that she didn’t cover up with her hand, showing off the fangs he didn’t know she had.
He’d have to remind Rex not to mess with her, too.
Chapter 2: Let it be Known That Rex is an Idiot
Summary:
Rex is an idiot, and is ignoring his new Commander.
Maybe not on purpose, maybe not even to his knowledge, but Cody was going to call him out on it anyway.
Notes:
this was supposed to be the dumby title and i would change it later, but then i was too lazy to come up with a new one. sorry ig?
here's a lil part two for Abc123 who left a comment on "big brothers make it okay" saying they'd like to see the conversation between cody and rex.
oh and TAGGING IN HTML IS KRIFFING HARD AND I'M NOT EVEN TRYING. this is being gifted to Abc123, but i can't gift a single chapter to someone, so this is the best i can do?? i'm sorryyyy
enjoy :D
Chapter Text
“Rex, you are a di’kut!”
Everyone else ignored the 212th Commander, yelling across the hanger bay, for they were brothers after all. And the declaration was made between two brothers multiple times a day. Just usually not so loudly.
Rex stopped, handing off a data pad to one of the workers. “And what makes you think that?” He asked nonchalantly. “And say it. Again. For the third time this month.”
Cody pushed away the thought of Rex actually counting how many times he’d been called an idiot and responded, “Your vod’ika’s hurting.”
“My-” He tipped his head, brows furrowing. “My vodika? You’re going to need to be more specific.”
He ran a hand over his face. “Ahsoka, vod, you’re ignoring her.”
“I’m not ignoring her, she’s my Commander, I-”
“No, be quiet and listen to me.” Rex’s mouth snapped shut. He may be demanding and fierce, commanding of respect, but Cody was still his older brother. And could probably beat him to a pulp. “On the last campaign she was sitting alone, watching all of you because she knew you wouldn’t talk to her.”
Rex shifted on his feet, brow furrowing, in shock or guilt he couldn’t be sure. “That’s what she said?”
“She told me you still freeze when she’s around. She wants to be close with everyone, I can tell as much, but you lot aren’t allowing it.”
The man bowed his head in defeat. “I didn’t know, Codes.”
“Which is why I’m telling you. So you can get your osik together.” Cody clapped a hand to his shoulder before walking on, throwing over his shoulder, “And for force’s sake, she’s your sister, accept it.”
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“Um, General?” Rex asked, gripping his hands behind his back to avoid fidgeting. He really shouldn’t be this nervous, he was just trying to find Ahsoka, and there was nothing strange about that.
Anakin turned around to face him with the hints of a smile on his face. “Ya Rex?”
He squared his shoulders, shoving away any discomfort or nervousness to the back of his mind. “Where’s the Commander?”
The General didn’t bat an eye. “Mess hall, I think. Probably sulking over homework,” He snorted. In a moment he was gone again, and Rex was left on his own to walk to the mess.
He was right, Ahsoka was in the mess, pouring over a data-pad with a cup of caf clutched tightly in one hand and an absolutely exhausted look on her face. She seemed to look optimistically up at him when he walked towards her, intent on making it to his destination at her mostly empty table. (Empty except for the flimsi notes, textbooks, and data-pads laid out along one half.) “Sir?”
She grinned slightly when he stopped at the table. “Hey Rex, just trying to finish my homework. What’s up?”
“Can I sit?” She nodded eagerly and her grin turned to a full smile, shoving books away so he could land next to her instead of across the table. “I had some mission reports to finish and wanted to know if you wanted help with yours, since, well, you don’t have much for experience.”
Ahsoka visibly slumped in relief and moved her books aside to work on it. “ Please , I’m so lost and Anakin’s busy.”
Rex internally smiled. Maybe he could be an older brother to one more sibling.