"I don't know why you're so worried vod," Rex comments as he counts plates and cups before setting them on the table in the dining room. "It's just dinner with the family."
Cody eyes him from where he's standing against the counter with his arms crossed. Rex had been nearly unbearable when he'd come home from his date just a few nights ago.
"Well?" Rex's voice greets him the second the front door shuts.
"What?"
Rex raises an eyebrow and a smirk graces his lips. Cody rolls his eyes and kicks off his shoes.
"How did the date go?"
Cody nearly jumps out of his skin at his buir's voice. He hadn't expected him to still be up at this time.
Jango Fett stood a few feet behind Rex with an interested look on his face. His son hadn't ever really been interested in someone. Not for a long time. So, to hear that he had gone on a date was fantastic.
Now, he wanted details.
"It was great." Cody supplies, watching their faces fall. Cody sighs and slumps a little. He makes his way to the couch and sinks into well-worn cushions. "It was perfect." It's the honest answer this time and his blinding smile is aimed at Rex. "You did good."
Rex pumps his fist in the air and scrambles to sit next to his brother. Jango follows at a more sedate pace. Once his father and brother are both on the couch with him, he tells them what happened.
"Honestly, there's not much to tell. I don't think I took my eyes off him more than once. Maybe twice." Cody thinks back. "He's the most amazing man I've ever met. He's gorgeous and kind."
"And?" Both Jango and Rex question at the same time. Cody rolls his eyes and nods.
"We kissed."
Rex and Jango reach across Cody and high-five each other, then clap him on the back. There are hugs and 'congratulations' coming from the other two, then his father says the one thing Cody had hoped would happen later in his relationship.
"They're coming for dinner."
Cody's mind screeches to a halt at his buir's words.
"Tatugir?"
Jango and Rex exchanged glances.
"Sha'kajir," Jango repeats for Cody. "Gar cyare bal kaysh ade."
"Are you worried?" Rex asks, a concerned look gleaming in his eyes.
"Doesn't that seem a bit too soon?" Cody questions his father. "I just went on one date with him. Isn't that moving a bit to fast?"
Jango and Rex share a look and shake their heads.
"No."
"'Course not."
So, here he is. Supervising Rex as he sets the table whilst Jango prepares the meal with Boba clinging close to him. Kix is upstairs cleaning up after work. Cody's glad it's only a small gathering. He's glad it's not with his cousins and their families.
He doesn't want to scare Ben off.
"Is there anything else we need to know?" Jango asks once he finishes the last part of dinner. Everything's ready. They're just waiting for Ben and his kids.
Cody had already told them about the accident. They know he sometimes uses a cane and sometimes uses a brace. They know his left hand shakes and they know he's not fond of cars. They're sure to not ask about Ben's departed husband.
"I think you know everything."
Boba rushes to the door when the bell rings. Cody's close behind him.
"Ben." Cody greets once the door is open. His face pale, but Cody assumes it's from the car ride over. He can see Satine in the car behind them and waves at her. The woman waves back, points two fingers at her eyes then at his, waves with a bright smile, and drives off. Cody shakes off the "I'm watching you" she sent him and smiles at Ben. He's got a cake in his right hand and Ahsoka hanging onto him in his left arm. Anakin is watching his father warily, and Cody understands why.
Ben's not using his cane. Cody notices the brace and how Ben's trying to keep his weight on his left leg but seems almost to tip with the added weight of Ahsoka. But, Cody's fears are quelled when he notices the cane in Anakin's hand.
"It's just in case." Anakin stage whispers to Cody. Ben rolls his eyes at his son and quirks a smile at Cody. Cody leans over and gives him a peck on his cheeks. When he pulls away, he finds a slight flush gracing Ben's face.
"Don't leave him out there all day, vod!" Rex yells from inside the house. It earns a soft laugh from Ben and a sigh from Cody.
"Let me take that," Cody says, grabbing the cake from Ben's hand. Rex is close behind him, waving at Ahsoka. Ahsoka regards the man warily and turns her head to her father.
"It's alright. He's nice. I'll be close by." It doesn't take much more than that for Ahsoka to be practically leaping from Ben's arms and into Rex's. The other man isn't quite prepared for the 3-year-old to throw herself at him, so he yelps and scrambles to grab her. She ends up hanging upside down in his arms. Rex looks at her with fear in his eyes and Ben laughs. "I should've warned you. She likes new people and hasn't quite grasped the concept of being calm."
"I don't think she ever will." Anakin muses beside his father. Ben gives him a playful flick and Anakin winces, rubbing his ear. "Hey!" Ben raises an eyebrow at him. "Sorry." He mumbles, eyes on the floor.
"Didn't you just tell me not to leave them out there?!" Cody yells from inside the house. Rex flushes and gestures for the remaining two members of the small family to come inside. Ben nods gratefully at him as he limps into the house.
Kix comes fumbling down the stairs, exhausted from work but eager to meet his brother's crush.
"How long have you worn that brace today?" Kix asks once he's on the first floor. He eyes the red-head carefully.
Ben flinches at the sudden question, not noticing Kix rushing down the stairs.
"Uh-" He doesn't have an answer. Truthfully, he's not sure. Though, he supposes that's why he has Anakin.
"Too long." The boy supplies. His father sends a betrayed look at him and Anakin just smiles at him in return.
Ben would like just one outing where the people he meets don't spend the whole time worrying about him. This is supposed to be a dinner with Cody's family. He doesn't want them concerned with him the whole time.
"I'm alright." He states, smiling kindly at Kix. "Though, I'll be sure to tell you if I'm not." He compromises and it seems to work as Kix relaxes his stance. His eyes continue to stay trained on the man, but Ben's gotten quite good at ignoring those looks.
"You're gonna scare him off before he meets everyone." Cody declares, glaring at his family as he does so. He wraps an arm around Ben and steers him to the table.
Anakin sets the cane down next to the couch and rushes to meet the family as well.
"This is Rex," Cody starts, pointing out each person in turn. "He's my twin," Cody adds quickly. "Next you've got Kix and Boba." Cody points at both and Ben commits them to his memory. "Kix is a few years younger than me and Rex. Boba's 14-years-old." Cody turns to his father next. "That's our buir, Jango."
"What's a boo-ear?" Anakin asks, and Ahsoka laughs from her spot in Rex's arms.
"Anakin-" Ben starts but is stopped by Jango.
"Buir means father." Jango supplied with a patient smile. "Earlier, Rex called Cody vod which means brother."
Anakin nods with a contemplative look on his face. Ben smiles down at him and ruffles his hair.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." He replies, then realizes he never introduced his family. He fumbles his words a few times before speaking. "I'm Ben. These are my children, Anakin and Ahsoka." Ahsoka perks up a bit more at her name and she smiles at her dad who smiles back. "Anakin is 9 and Ahsoka's 3."
"Three!" Ahsoka squeals as she holds out 3 fingers. They almost jab Rex's eyes but he just laughs and nods.
"She's a little behind with words," Ben mumbles and can't help but feel it's his fault. He pushes the thoughts away as soon as activity picks up around him.
He's pressed into a chair that Cody pulled out for him, then pushed in. The Fett family sat in their seats. Within seconds, dinner begins.
Mando'a translations: Vod: Brother Buir: Father Tatugir: Repeat Sha'kajir: Dinner Gar cyare bal kaysh ade: Your beloved and his children
