Ahsoka didn't visit him the next day. Nor the following. Fives only later found out she had been assigned on a mission to General Kenobi and 212th. She'd been deployed long before his awakening and hadn't returned since. Maybe it was for the better, Fives thought. Detoxification might have been the most effective way to clear his heart and mind. He got a chance to compose himself without her constant presence quickening his pulse. In fact, it was a gift of sorts. So Fives should've politely said 'thank you' to the galaxy and be happy. But somehow, he wasn't.

Fives was given a week off. His injury wasn't anywhere near life-threatening but his shoulder needed time to recover. He spent an additional day of supervision in the medbay before being dismissed and after the next 24 hours, he was back on Coruscant with the rest of the Torrent Company. But unlike his brothers, he couldn't get into the safe arms of routine. He knew that any attempts to sneak into the training rooms would end in a long lecture from Kix about being irresponsible with his health. Nonetheless, roaming pointlessly wasn't doing him anything good either.

Fives wasn't used to walking around and resting. It seemed more exhausting than an outright campaign. He tried to keep himself busy however, without access to the gym, his options were limited. Most of the time he spent on rehabilitating the defective limb and bothering Kix. But even the medic's patience wasn't infinite and when it finally ran short, ARC had to fend for himself. Boredom was no good for his creative mind, especially now when he was struggling to keep his wandering thoughts in check. Even silly pranks did little to keep them from going sideways. No matter how many distractions, in the end, his thoughts always went back to her.

"...I'm telling you, they were shooting like some kriffing shinies." Jesse said as he was finishing up the steak from his plate. "Are you listening?" He stopped to point a fork at Fives, who was pecking at his meal.

The mess was overflowing with troops. Loud chatter was mixing with the clutter of cutlery into an overall commotion which could give one a serious headache. But surrounding turmoil wasn't the reason behind Fives' poor concentration.

"Sure I am." ARC asserted. "But you might want to repeat the last part before further questioning." Jesse rolled his eyes, knowing that the last part probably meant the last fifteen minutes.

"What happened to you? You've been grumpy all week." Jesse commented, reaching for his steaming mug of caff and a sugar bowl. Fives didn't answer, he just wearily watched as Jesse poured another spoonful of sweetener into his drink. "And unusually quiet. This isn't like you." He summed up and brought the drink to his lips. Jesse barely managed to take a sip when his face twitched in a grimace and the content of his mouth returned to the cup.

"Just bored." Fives replied calmly before taking another sip of his bitter caff.

"Swapping sugar with salt, really?" Jesse asked, wrinkling his nose at the nasty aftertaste. "That's low, even for you." He remarked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What can I do? Maybe my talent also bled out after the gunshot." Fives retorted sarcastically but couldn't deny that he felt like he was missing something. Or someone.

"Your sanity certainly did." Jesse grunted, still grimacing at the salty taste in his mouth. "Either way, I have to go. Try not to do anything stupid in the meantime."

Fives simply hummed in response. Jesse collected his tray and rose from the chair when loud coughing and spitting simultaneously came from different directions in the mess.

"You have too much free time on your hands." Jesse muttered, shaking his head. Fives smiled bitterly. A few curses flew past his ears as he slowly finished off his drink.

Fives stretched his stay in the mess hall to the limit, but when it deserted completely, he realised how long he'd been staring at the cold steak. Eventually, even he had given up hope of finishing the meal and decided it was time to finally move. Not that he got any place to attend. Everyone else was out on drills or patrols, leaving Fives on his own. But if he was going to waste the next few hours, he might as well do it anywhere other than on a hard bench.

Fives was in no hurry. He took the most indirect route to the barracks but even that couldn't last forever. His slack footsteps echoed through the empty halls as he passed row after row of bunks. Fives was strolling lazily until he halted in confusion. A small figure was splayed across his bed, with legs curled on the cool flooring and face buried in his sheet. Fives' mouth dropped involuntarily. Ahsoka's presence was so unexpected that he truly didn't know what to do. He didn't expect Ahsoka to be on Coruscant, all the more in the barracks, right on his bed. Although lekku obscured her eyes, he could tell by her steady breathing that she was asleep. How long had she waited for him to drift off right here at the foot of his bed? Fives tried not to linger for too long on that thought. That Ahsoka came to his bunk, waiting for him.

Although Fives stood still as if frozen in carbonite, Ahsoka began to stir. Her head swayed slightly before slowly rising from her folded arms. Fives quickly moved from his spot, feverishly hoping that he didn't come off as a creep staring at her while she slept.

"Oh, you're back." Ahsoka yawned into her hand. She rubbed her eyes but her gaze was still a bit blear.

Funny, Fives thought, he should be the one saying that line. Ahsoka acted as if she wasn't the one who had just returned after a week of disappearance. Fives didn't vocalise his remarks; he suspected that Ahsoka was still too sleepy to notice the irony of the situation.

"If I'd known I had a welcoming committee, I'd have come earlier." Fives said while sitting on the floor beside her, mirroring her pose.

"But where'd be a surprise in that?" Ahsoka asked cheekily, trying to stifle another yawn in the process. The outcome was rather poor, but Fives' mind was dead set on the word 'endearing'.

He noticed a linen imprint adorning her cheek with yet another marking, which meant she was clinging to his bedsheet for quite a while. Did she come here straight from the mission? The snow-white bandage wrapped around her hand signified that she'd at least seen a medic.

"What happened to your wrist?" Fives asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Would you believe me if I told you I fought a rancor bare-handed?" Her eyes lit up in a flash, playfulness covering any traces of sleep.

"No." He said deadpanned. Ahsoka gave him a look.

"Why not?" She asked accusingly.

"Because I know you were on Kashyyyk recapturing the eastern coast." Fives answered without batting an eyelid. However, Ahsoka's eye-markings flew upwards in marvel.

"How do you know all that?" She asked genuinely surprised. Kriff. Of course he checked where she was sent to. As an ARC trooper, he had a few more accesses to GAR data. Not to mention connections in other legions that also came in handy. He probably shouldn't use it for such purposes but Fives couldn't just accept the fact that she was elsewhere. Trying to cut off his feelings had its limits and that was it.

Fives was so angry at his slip that for a moment he forgot he really had to answer her somehow.

"You know, gossip and…stuff." He mumbled vaguely, praying she would drop the topic. His hand automatically flew to the back of his head, giving his awkwardness away.

"These are some very detailed and surprisingly accurate gossip." Ahsoka replied in an even voice. She started casually plucking at her bandage but her eyes were staring intently at Fives as she asked. "And what other rumours have you heard about me?"

Damn it. Could she not be so straightforward for once? Fives suddenly got hot and he wasn't even wearing his upper armour. How was he supposed to hide his affection in such conditions? He had to cut the topic before she would dig out anything more.

"Various," He admitted. "but none included a rancor." Ahsoka held his gaze for a while. Neither of them blinked as if they were competing who will last longer like they usually do. But this time their rivalry was about something else and Fives' fast-beating heart told him he was losing. He could only hope for her mercy.

"Then I guess I'll have to start those myself." She said lightly, finally breaking their eye contact. Fives used this opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief as discreetly as he could. "So, how was your recovery?"

"I feel better." Fives replied freely, content from the change in the subject.

"You do look better." Ahsoka remarked confidently without a moment's hesitation. Yeah, that was definitely a less embarrassing line of the conversation. Fives' mouth went dry as, unlike Ahsoka's quick comment, her eyes took time to travel from his chest back to his face. He intended to break the tension that was growing just like the blush on his neck.

"Even better than usual? I wasn't sure that was possible but-" Fives went on but Ahsoka punched him in the shoulder before he couldn't finish. "Ouch." He clutched his arm and put on a most hurt face, even though the blow was light as a feather.

"Be happy I didn't aim at the sore one." Ahsoka said cheekily.

"Well, doesn't matter 'cause now they both are sore." Fives retorted in a resentful tone, still clenching the spot where her fist had brushed his shoulder. Ahsoka snorted at his performance and Fives' lips curved into a grin.

"Ok, so what did I miss?" She prompted briskly. "Fill me in, apparently I don't have as good informants as you do." The subtext was prominent, she was openly mocking him, but Fives decided to ignore it.

"Where to start…" He faked deep reverie. "I got Kix pissed at me-" Fives started reciting.

"Not the first time." Ahsoka slipped casually.

"Won ten credits in sabacc, " He bent another finger as he enumerated. "but then lost twenty."

Ahsoka snorted before encouraging him to continue. "Go on."

"I've slept eleven hours in a row," Fives bragged.

"That's impressive." She nodded appreciatively.

"Swapped sugar with salt-"

"Wait, really? It's just lazy."

"Jesse said the same thing." He said thoughtfully as if solving some puzzle.

"Smart man." Ahsoka stated simply. Fives eyed her steadily, slightly pursing his lips.

"Is there something you wanna add?"

"Nope." Ahsoka shook her head light-heartedly. "I think that was clear enough." She was looking at him obliviously until Fives rolled his eyes. "And did something happen that didn't entirely concern you?"

"I thought you wanted to hear the very essentials."

"Ah, yes. Then I guess I'm all up to date now." Ahsoka huffed a soft chuckle. Fives grinned broadly but then his eyes fell on her hand as she started fidgeting with a snip of dressing again.

"Don't play with your bandage." He scolded her; however, the fabric had already loosened and unrolled onto his mattress. Fives sighed. "Sometimes you're really helpless. You know that, right?"

"I'm just making sure Kix doesn't lose his job." She countered, clumsily grabbing and trying to fix the dressing.

"Don't even try stealing my position as his favourite patient." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I thought the post was vacant ever since you broke your leg while chasing on the wheelchair." Fives had already a snarky comment at his lips but after Ahsoka's second failed attempt to tie the bandage, he instead reached for her hand.

"Show me that." He said gently. She raised her gaze, slightly surprised but stretched out her palm to him.

Fives gingerly held her forearm and was delicately wrapping fabric around her wrist, careful not to cause her any harm. Even though his fingertips were merely touching her palm, Fives couldn't be more glad he wasn't wearing gloves. He knew he shouldn't be taking that much pleasure from it, but couldn't help the warmth spreading in his chest as his fingers brushed over her skin. Though a bit reluctantly, he finally squeezed and finished tying the bandage.

"All good." Fives said, expecting Ahsoka to withdraw her hand. Only that she didn't.

"Thanks." Ahsoka said softly before falling silent. Fives wanted to read something from her eyes but couldn't as she was staring down at the mattress where their palms still touched. He frowned, worried that he somehow messed up. Her mood or her dressing. Ahsoka's fingers slightly twitched, further deepening his anxiety, but then she slowly, almost carefully, slipped her hand into his. Fives' heart thudded loudly in his chest and he suddenly became painfully aware of his every shuddery breath. "Fives?" Ahsoka whispered, drawing his attention. His subconsciousness was screaming at him but once their eyes met, all of his concerns evaporated. Without much, or indeed any, thought, he tenderly ran his thumb over the back of her hand and felt her tighten her hold on his. Fives wasn't sure what for, but his lips parted and-

"Commander, you're back!" A loud shout echoed in the hall once the door opened with a slam. Fives and Ahsoka immediately jumped from each other as troops filled the hall.

"Hi, Tup." She turned to the man and greeted him a bit frantically. Fives was fighting his quick heartbeat and creeping blush but one glance at Ahsoka confirmed he wasn't the only one.

So far quiet barracks were now filled with noisy chattering. Most of the Clones occupied the bunks around them to take part in the conversation.

"What's with sitting on the floor?" Jesse asked, taking a spot on the opposite bunk between Tup and Ginn. "Fives forgot his manners?"

"Wait, so you're telling me that these-" Fives indicated the closest beds in wonder. "are meant for sitting?" He finished with a theatrical gasp and smirked once Jesse rolled his eyes.

"Di'kut." Jesse spat.

"No, for real. Wish I'd known sooner." He raised his hands innocently before putting his elbows back and the mattress behind him.

"For kriff sake, just shut up." Tup sighed, before addressing Ahsoka. "You were gone for a while. I heard you were assigned somewhere with 212th."

"Yeah, I already know the rumours spread quickly in the barracks." She side-glanced Fives with a smirk. "No worries, 501st will always be my favourite." Ahsoka assured and the cheering swept through the hall.

"What happened to your wrist?" Havoc asked from the upper bunk.

"She fought rancor bare-handed." Fives answered before she could open her mouth. All eyes turned to him, including Ahsoka's and these were the only ones that mattered. He winked at her and she let out a chuckle. Despite the weight of confused stares on them, neither bothered to assist with any kind of explanation.

When the commotion settled in, Copper started talking about their latest patrol but Fives wasn't listening anymore. His first instinct was to scold himself. He had this big resolution to humble his greedy heart and all of his efforts went for nothing the moment he saw her. All right, maybe he didn't exactly put all his might into stifling his affection but he wasn't a Jedi, he couldn't just let go of his feelings. Not get attached to the extraordinary woman who meant so much to him. And damn, was this the happiest he'd been since last week. She was making him happy. How the hell was he supposed to let go of his attachment when Ahsoka had become the centre of his life?

The girl laughed beside him and he felt his lips automatically pulling upward at the sound of it. Then the thought occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, it was okay to savour such moments. That secretly cherishing her every smile wasn't treason to the Republic. Fives was Ahsoka's friend first and foremost - he'd never do anything to harm or disrespect her. He just had to stay by the right side of the line. And as long as he keeps his feelings to himself, everything should be fine.