Chapter 10

Later in the afternoon, Ahsoka woke up from a nap she hadn't realized she had slipped into. That's been happening a lot lately, she thought. When she looked over at Rex, she saw that he had given up trying to stay awake too. He was frowning in his sleep. She wondered if that meant his head was still hurting. Her hurt was stemming mostly from her heart. At least the rain has stopped, she thought.

Ahsoka sighed. Well, this is why the Order tells you to avoid attachments, Padawan. You can't let this cloud your judgement or his. Master Skywalker will be here as soon as he can be. You can hold out until then. Food, water, shelter, warmth. Stay alive to fight another day. Stay alive to live another day.

Ahsoka sat up and crossed her legs for some much-needed meditation. She sank into the Force and let all of her anxiety and fatigue drift away. She communed with her personal perception of the Force until she felt renewed and refreshed. Then she settled back into her own corporeal frame and opened her eyes. Rex sat unmoving, looking at her softly. His head was tilted just a bit to the side, questioning. His back was to the wall, and his legs were spread before him in a V.

Ahsoka smiled slowly. Then she placed both hands on the ground, circling her hips up and over her folded knees. Slinking across the rocky firmament, she looked at him through lowered eyelashes and fluttered them, just a little. Her time with the Force had made her . . . loose? fresh? eager for some physical contact? She internally whispered yes to all of those questions.

Rex waited patiently for her to reach him. Once she did, he put his hands on her thighs and guided them across his. Stupid armor, he thought. Now's not the time for you. But we'll get to taking that off, I think. As she sat in his lap, his hands rubbed her slender thighs, creating friction and heat. Ahsoka, in the meantime, slid her hands up to card through Rex's short hair. She liked the feel of it on her hands, not knowing precisely what hair really felt like. Cupping the back of his head in both palms, she pulled him gently forward for a soft brush of her lips on his.

But Rex wasn't content with that. He wrapped her up in his arms, pulled her in, and crashed down on her mouth, claiming her as his. Her little demonstration across the cave had made his blood hot. He wanted more. Now. And as she wriggled in his lap, he knew that she agreed with him. His desire for Ahsoka was fueled not only by her little demonstration but by the certainty in her eyes. The hunger he saw there.

He explored her mouth with his tongue until his lungs begged for more air. But his hands had no such need. The slid along the edge of her top, brushing her shoulder blades and then skimming under her arms. She lifted her arms over her head, imitating the sensual writing of some Twileks she had seen in the Coruscant underworld. It made her feel powerful to take control of her own pleasure. Rex tugged, and the fabric slid dangerously low. He felt the top outlines of her nipples above the fabric with his thumbs. Ahsoka let out a moan.

From the deep contentment of her communion with the Force to this explosive carnal experience with Rex, Ahsoka almost got spiritual whiplash. Each had its glorious aspects, but only one of them was all new to her. She let her hands drift down to his shoulders and started to pull off his armor. She wanted to feel his skin, all of his skin. She tossed pieces of the white impediment behind her, heedless of how or where they fell. Her lips sought his out again as they continued to undress and touch each other.

Divested of his armor to his waist, Rex lifted Ahsoka up off of his lap and laid her gently down on his sleeping mat. Leaning over her, he trailed kisses down her smooth, flat abdomen, as he pulled his gloves off. When he touched her with his bare hands, the sensation shot right to his groin. She was so warm and soft and unlike anything in a Clone's usual purview. She was alive and unique. He continued to shed armor and underarmor until he was covered only minimally from waist to ankles.

Ahsoka watched him undress and kiss her from her vantage point under him. Her hips curled toward him of their own volition, arching to maintain contact. He was magnificent to her. Not even the scars she could see, and the battles in which he got them that she could name herself, marred his perfection in her eyes. He was all the things a lover should be. Attentive, caring, assertive, sexy. When he began tugging on her skirt and leggings, she helped him remove them by shimmying up and out. Now her top was nearly off and the only thing covering her below the waist were her panties. Rex laid down beside her, and they faced each other, claiming and devouring each other again.

His arm snaked around her and squeezed her butt cheek. So firm, even after her time convalescing. He massaged the muscle on one side and then the other. She sighed into his mouth. Rolling onto his back, he brought her with him. She sat up astride him and looked into his eyes. She smiled and reached out to touch his lips with her fingers. He, in turn, kissed the fingers one by one. Where did he learn to be so gentle, she wondered.

She had seen him take down battalions of droids, lead men to their deaths, stagger from exhaustion. But she had only imagined this side of him, imagined and hoped really. Her unexamined emotions bubbled to the surface. He affected her so profoundly. She could pick his voice out of a cacophony of the same voice. She looked for him whenever she doubted her leadership abilities. Ahsoka realized she was attached to him-desperately, lovingly.

She resolved to make this man feel like he was more than a human being born and bred to die. She would ensure that, at least for tonight, he was an individual deserving of pleasure and joy. Her hands dropped from his chin to smooth across his neck and chest, followed by her lips and lekku. She wriggled her pelvis on his, adjusting to the feeling of the hard cock so close to her. Ahsoka was a virgin, but she understood the mechanics of humanoid sex. And she had instincts as well. She sat back up.

Crossing her arms around herself, she grabbed the small fabric band on her chest and lifted it up over her head. It joined the pile of discarded Clone armor somewhere on the floor. Rex reached up to palm her small, perky breasts. The texture of his hands formed by countless hours handling much rougher objects provided substantial stimulation for Ahsoka's sensitive nipples. She writhed again, her head thrown back and jaw slack. Rex teased her with his fingers and pinched the little white nubs ever so gently, then a little harder as she grew accustomed to his touch. She leaned toward his torso, and he reached up to grab her delicious breasts with his lips. This time, she let out a sound halfway between a moan and a scream. He became even more aroused.

After suckling for a few more moments, Rex rolled them back around so that he hovered over her body. He pushed back onto his knees and proceeded to quickly disrobe. When his impressive erection came into full view, Ahsoka gasped and instinctually reached out to cup it in her hands. It was Rex's turn to groan as he struggled to remove the rest of the body glove and keep his cock in her hands at the same time. Once he was naked, he hooked his forefingers in the waist of her panties and pulled toward himself. The thin, white lines on the skin of her thighs were like arrows pointing in the direction of his ecstasy. Underwear one way, consummation the other.

Rex crawled back up her body, careful not to crush her hands still stroking him in fascination. Had she seen a male before, he wondered? Even if she had, he might not have been this . . . excited at the time. He slid to her side to allow her to explore. Propping his head up on his bent arm, he gestured with his eyes for her to be curious as much as she wanted. He would enjoy every second of her scrutiny and caressing. Biting her bottom lip, she looked up at him shyly and then couldn't resist sending her eyes drifting down again.

His skin is so soft, she thought. She didn't know what she had expected, but it wasn't this silkiness that nestled in her palms. And the dark curls that contrasted with his bleached head thrilled her too. She had no such thing on her body. She glanced up at Rex to catch him smirking at her. She smiled back and decided not to inflate his ego more. There would be time for exploration again. She didn't want to look like she was worshipping him. She lay back down next to him so that their chests brushed against each other.

He claimed her mouth again while his hand went exploring on its own. It slipped between her thighs and teased her labia softly. Ahsoka arched her hips and moaned into his mouth. She felt like he was lighting her on fire. Parting the sentries to her clitoris, he stroked down the length with one long finger. Ahsoka started to pant, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. He trailed upward again. Then in a slow circle and up the center once more. She clutched to his shoulders and tensed. With one more pass around the clitoris by his talented fingers, Ahsoka felt herself shatter in orgasm. She whined and bucked and dug her fingernails into his skin. He relished the feelings, watching her every movement and feeling his need growing almost unbearable.

After exquisite moments, Ahsoka's eyes opened again. She lay silently, not quite sure of what to do or to say. He leaned in to kiss her, negating the need for any words at all. She used her body to thank him for the pleasure he had given her. She willingly let him part her legs with his own. When she felt the pressure of his cock against the opening of her vagina, she again looked to his eyes. The look said everything-trust me, I worship you, I want this, I need you. She fell deeply into those looks as he entered her, slowly and steadily.

At first, a sting of pain, but his patience and care overrode the discomfort. Once he was sheathed inside her, he stilled to allow her to relax. She was so tight. He was fairly certain this was her first time, though he hadn't asked outright. But her willingness to trust him and to experience this act with him told him that she wasn't scared or ashamed. She wanted him as he wanted her. He drew back out of her slowly. She was very wet by now, which aided him in his endeavors.

As he set a slow pace, she alternately relaxed and tightened around him. They kissed with abandon now, joining themselves in any way possible. She wrapped her legs around him to pull him as closely as she could. He was strong and hard as well as gentle and soft. Such a mixture of contradictions, she thought. But all of them combined were sensual and satisfying to her.

She continued to marvel at him as he quickened his pace, losing a little control in the face of such stimulation. The Captain melted away, and he was just Rex. Just a man in the throes of sexual passion. He could allow himself a little leeway here and now. Their joining wasn't going to last very long this time, but he was sure that she wouldn't mind in the least. They were alone, for the foreseeable future.

Rex came saying her name against her ear. She clung to him and kissed him lightly on his neck and shoulders. He withdrew and rolled back onto his side beside her. He pulled her into his arms and held tight. Finally, he said the first words they had uttered in hours, "I love you."

She hugged him fiercely and buried her face in the hollow of his neck. In Togruti, she said, "Un'g'ata." In Basic, she repeated, "Beloved . . ." She let out a long breath, and kissed him lightly on the collar bone. She was content. It was a different kind of content from her time in the Force, but it was just as fulfilling.

Twilight was falling outside of their cave. Rex covered them both up in one blanket and pillowed his head on his loose arm. His head still ached, but other aches had finally abated. Ahsoka was his lover. It was more than he had dared to wish for. What tomorrow would bring, he didn't know. But for now, they had each other in all ways.