Fives' back was pressed up against Rex's chest as he settled into bed. The ARC relaxed against the captain his thoughts keeping him from falling asleep. Kriffing Hardcase. The ARC never really thought about his and Rex's relationship before. They butted heads sometimes, and they kept each other in check. However, an actual relationship was never something he even considered because he didn't know where to start.
The forehead touches, the light kisses on the forehead, the tight hugs, the concerned looks, the fearful rage. It all meant something right? They never discussed it, but it was usually because they didn't have to. Now… now Fives was beginning to question each movement. Were they a couple and he just didn't realize it? Did he miss something? Echo was always good at reading in between the lines. Fives was too, but not with this stuff.
Rex's arm snaked around the ARC's middle as the blonde buried his nose in the back of the younger male's neck. Fives shifted slightly so that he was comfortable and closed his eyes trying to go to sleep. Kriffing Hardcase.
/—/—/
"They are what?"
"They have been gossiping about you and Fives," Cody repeated sipping on his cup of kaff ignoring the dried blood on his knuckles from Krell.
"About what," Rex asked his eyebrows almost up at his hairline.
"Rex. Please tell me you are not that oblivious," Cody set the cup down looking at his vod sympathetically.
"No! No I understand that, but what exactly are they saying," Rex waved his hand knowing exactly what Cody was talking about.
"You aren't being very subtle, vod," Cody replied leaning up against the small counter in the Umbaran mess hall.
"I didn't think I had to be subtle," Rex said cocking an eyebrow looking up at Cody.
"Di'kut."
"Shabuir."
/—/—/
Fives was stiff as a board as Rex and Cody gave their reports to General Skywalker and General Kenobi. Umbara was over. They were back on the Resolute. They were safe. Fives was very aware that Rex and Cody kept the information on his torture to themselves. Right they didn't want him being sent to Kamino for reconditioning.
The ARC gave his own report making sure to stick with Rex's and Cody's story about finding the comm system destroyed and questioning Krell about it only to be attacked by him. A glint in Kenobi's eyes told him that he knew that Fives was lying, but he never acted upon it.
When they left the command center he relaxed, but he was quieter than normal. He knew Rex and Cody noticed it. He wasn't really hiding it either. The last time he had been in a command center with a jedi he was tortured and then nearly killed.
He ended up disappearing into the training room. He nearly broke his hand due to the fact that he was hitting the punching bag so hard. He broke the chain on it eventually. Jesse got made because that was his job not Fives. Shinies stayed out of his way. They could see he was broken. They could see that Umbara had actually broken Fives. Fives the rebel; the fighter; the warrior; the ARC; the badass.
/—/—/
He woke up screaming for the first time. He scared the hells out of Rex and with Cody in a meeting it took all of the captain's strength to hold the ARC down so he wouldn't hurt himself. It had been a scream of pain. Pain that sounded like Fives was being ripped apart from the inside, and when he woke up completely he wouldn't stop shaking in Rex's hold.
Rex kept muttering small words of endearment and pressing feather light kisses to the ARC's temple. The captain rocked the brunette in his hold not once moving to put Fives back in bed. He understood. Sometimes people just couldn't fall back asleep after something like that. It hurt too much.
/—/—/
No missions for a few days. They were on leave until further notice. Fives was not complaining because now he could do this. The ARC was draped over Rex's lap allowing the captain to run a hand along his back tracing the scars and muscle lines mindlessly as he did a few reports.
Fives was making a purring noise in the back of his throat his eyes only half open. Rex was only half paying attention to the reports as he smiled down at Fives. When the blonde pressed down at the small of the ARC's back a low groan escaped the brunette. He enjoyed seeing him so relaxed. After Umbara Fives had been so jumpy and tense.
"You okay," Rex asked quietly just in case Fives had fallen asleep.
"Perfect," Fives answered his voice muffled from Rex's leg.
Rex laughed lightly the sound low and warm. Recovery from this was going to be difficult, but Fives was strong. Rex had faith in him, and if Fives tripped along the way he was gonna be there to help him up.
/—/—/
Umbara ARC finished! The next few chapters are going to be slow on action because I'm going to focus on character development.
Love you guys.
Sorry this one was short.