"Karking hell." Jesse grunted and threw the cards from his hand onto the table with a frustrated huff. He leaned heavily on the back of his chair and crossed his arms, joining other already folded brothers. Tup sympathetically patted him on the shoulder but it did little to heal his damaged pride.
They've been sitting around a small table for several hours now. So far, despite the fairly repetitive formula of gameplay, every match started with a new rush of confidence and rivalry. But at this point, each outcome seemed to be inevitable and this tie was no different. Loud curses echoed through the chilly barracks as one brother after another conceded, unwilling to lose any more credits to their ecstatic Commander.
"What do you say, Fives? Give up?" Ahsoka asked dashingly, raising one of her eye markings.
Fives looked up from the cards in his palm to the girl in front of him, then back to his handful. Either the pack lacked good cards or he lost his luck. Chances that he would win with what fortune gave him were short but Fives couldn't back down. Not again. Not for the sixth time in a row.
"You wish." He said boldly and cast his last four credits to the golden pile in the centre.
"The opposite, actually. I'm quite fond of taking your credits." Ahsoka answered slyly. She sent him a piercing look and Fives felt the temperature in the barracks rising a few degrees.
"You should look for another hobby 'cause that ain't gonna happen." He retorted quickly.
"Alright, enough." Kix cut in. "Just show the cards already."
Fives locked his gaze with Ahsoka. They stared intently at each other without blinking, testing the opponent. He noticed the faintest glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes, giving him hope that maybe not everything was lost. But then her lips twitched in a smirk and when they simultaneously slammed their cards on the board and collective sighs sounded around him, Fives realised how futile those hopes were. Ahsoka grinned broadly revealing white fangs and leaned forward to sweep all the credits from the centre of the table. Her eyes were shining just like the golden coins in her palms.
At this rate, Fives will go down the drain. Ever since the arrival on Hoth, they've been stuck in the base, waiting for the storm to pass. But if anything, it only seemed to strengthen, burying the compound in the next layers of heavy snow. Hoth had always been far from holiday paradise, definitely not Fives' first choice for a vac, but this time it surpassed his worst expectations. A strong wind was violently hitting the base's walls, frost damaging their equipment and sharp icicles threatening to fall on anyone who'd dare to put a foot outside. There was no way of seeing past the tip of your nose, all the more to search the territory that they've been shipped here for. Boredom was getting to everyone, so playing such games became a routine for them. However, this one was particularly favoured by Ahsoka.
"This can't be a coincidence." Jesse shook his head.
"It is not, I call it abilities." She answered. Fives didn't think it was possible but her grin widened even more.
"Come on, just tell us how you're doing it." Tup pressed.
"I'll tell you how." Fives pointed an accusing finger at her. "She's cheating."
"Snips is cheating? First time I've heard of it." Skywalker's sarcastic voice sounded from behind them. The man was approaching their assemblage with a steaming mug in his hand.
"I was not!" Ahsoka denied vehemently as Anakin stood beside her and teasingly poked one of her montrals.
"You wouldn't have won if it weren't for these mind tricks of yours." Fives said suspiciously as if she was some kind of a wizard. Which, frankly speaking, wasn't that far from what he'd thought when he'd first met her.
"I wasn't reading your mind." Ahsoka wiggled her fingers at him to emphasise that it was not how her powers work. "Not my fault you're bad at bluffing." She said lightly, shrugging her shoulder. Fives almost laughed at that - if only she knew anything about the sham he was playing to keep his feelings in hiding.
"Alright, then let's make a bet." Fives challenged.
"Why would I?" Ahsoka tilted her head. "I already have all your money." She smirked at the pleasant clink of credits in her hand as she tossed them brashly.
"Oh Snips, that's only what a righteous Jedi Knight would do to defend their honour." Skywalker spoke in his mentoring voice. Brothers huffed a laugh and Fives looked at the General with a mix of gratefulness and awe at his manipulating skills. Anakin nodded, smiling knowingly and took a sip of his drink. Ahsoka noticed their nonverbal exchange and looked up at her master.
"Traitor." She threw accusingly. "Conspiring with a terrorist against me? What happened to the master-padawan solidarity?"
"Was lost when you split on me to Obi-wan for skipping the briefing." Fives watched with amusement as they bickered. The pout Ahsoka made after Skywalker's comment was particularly endearing.
"Fine." She eventually conceded. "What's the bet?" Although it was Ahsoka asking the question, everyone turned to Fives expectantly.
"Good, old-fashioned race." He announced with a gleam in his eyes.
"And that's a challenge because…?" She dragged the last word prompting him to continue.
"The trick is we both will be blindfolded. And you can't use the Force." Fives ended confidently, not missing the way her face slightly tensed at the last part of the terms.
"Fives! That's an excellent idea." Skywalker commented, tapping Ahsoka vigorously on the shoulder before she could reply. Doors to the barracks suddenly opened and Anakin called before the fazed Captain could properly walk in. "Rex! Good you're here, I have a special assignment for you."
"Yes, sir?" Even if Rex was surprised by the overly enthusiastic reception, he didn't let it show.
"I want you to prepare an obstacle course in the hangar."
"Are we holding drills, sir?" Rex asked, slightly taken aback.
"No. More of a…" Skywalker stopped, looking for a word. "...an experiment." He concluded with a mysterious smirk.
"You're doing it just so you can make fun of me." Ahsoka sighed beside him.
"No. I genuinely believe that's a good concept of training." General's voice became more solemn. "You might find yourself in a situation where you can't rely on the Force, cuffed in the Force-suppressing binders, for that matter." He explained seriously and took a long sip of his drink to emphasise his point. But as soon as he lowered the mug from his mouth, his expression shifted. "Also the holos of you blindly thrashing around will be priceless." Anakin was grinning widely and the troopers bursting into laughter only caused his grin to broaden.
"I knew it." Ahsoka muttered under her breath and began plucking at the furry cuffs of her coat. She hadn't parted with the fluffy garment since they set foot on this snowy planet, even though they spent most of their time within the base's protecting walls. Fives didn't have many objections, he silently admired how the fur collar emphasised Ahsoka's neckline, occasionally tickling her skin and making her wrinkle her nose in a sweet manner.
"Alright, I'm gonna set the details with Rex." Skywalker made up his mind. "And I want it to remain secret until the race, so you both have equal chances."
"Sure, Master." She raised her hands defensively and got up from her seat. Fives followed her to the opposite side of the barracks where they couldn't hear the General's muted masterminding.
"So, the most important part." Fives stood directly in front of the girl and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked seriously at her, extending the dramatic pause. "What are the stakes? I'll admit I don't have many credits left, but-"
"Whatever." Ahsoka cut in.
"Whoa, that's the spirit." He retorted sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"No, I mean whatever. A wish." She clarified. "The winner can ask a favour."
"That's interesting." Fives rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So what? Everything goes?"
"No." Ahsoka said after a moment of reflection. "My lightsabers - they're out of the contest."
"Ok, fine. Then the same goes for my blasters."
"Oh no! What a loss!" Ahsoka gasped dramatically, placing her palm over her chest.
"I know." He stressed, playing her own game. "But you've got nothing to worry about, you won't win anyway." He consoled her, nodding patronisingly. Ahsoka let out a theatrical sigh so Fives decided to finish sealing the deal. "Back to the terms, that's it? Just no to the sabers?"
"I guess so." She answered though a bit uncertainly. "I don't think I can foresee any of your devious concepts of punishment and preserve myself from it."
"Yeah, probably you can't." Fives chuckled lightly.
"Okay, so it's on." She held out her hand which Fives squeezed without hesitation. Keeping in mind how easily he could get carried away by simply holding her palm, after one solid shake he'd intended to withdraw his hand. He couldn't let himself drift off into fantasies in the middle of the crowded barracks. But Ahsoka's grip was firm and she didn't seem to loosen it.
"Are you trying to crush my hand? I'm not sure if winning by walk-over is what a righteous Jedi Knight would do." Fives remarked teasingly. His voice was light and casual, leaving no doubt that he was joking but it still made Ahsoka immediately let go of his hand. Although this was exactly what Fives wanted to happen, he still felt an unpleasant chill, and the abashed glimpse in her blue eyes didn't help.
"Snips!" Skywalker called from afar and Ahsoka's head snapped in that direction. "Come on, we have a council meeting to attend to."
"Right." Ahsoka answered but it was so quiet that even Fives who was standing a step away barely heard her. "See you at the match." She said; this time her confidence was back in her voice along with a smirk as she added. "Unless you'll chicken out."
"Not in my vocabulary." He called after her in farewell.
Ahsoka caught up to her Master, bumping into his shoulder as soon as she fell into his step. General quickly got even by jostling her so she nearly met the doorframe, but they both fell into laughter afterwards. Fives watched the display with hands clasped behind his back, not averting his gaze from striped montrals until they disappeared around the corner. Yet he didn't move from his spot. Instead, he tightly clenched his right fist, hopelessly trying to keep the lingering warmth of Ahsoka's palm inside his own.
The news of their contest spread widely so in the afternoon probably half of Torrent Company was squeezed into the hangar, anticipating to watch the engagement. Fives was waiting outside, leaning on a chilly wall with hands crossed over his chest. Despite the locked entrance he still could hear the turmoil behind his back. His encounters with Ahsoka usually attracted few spectators but after days of being trapped in this frosted facility, for troopers, it was pure Games. Such events were nothing new to Fives but the electric rush of adrenaline didn't cease coming and pulsing inside his veins. The feeling only intensified when the other contestant appeared at the end of the corridor.
"You came." Fives greeted her without budging. He watched in delight as Ahsoka confidently strolled towards him, her lightsabers bouncing on her tights with each step. "I've already started wondering whether you backed down."
"Not a chance." She stopped in front of him and placed her hands on her hips. "Anakin promised great holos, didn't he?"
"He sure did." Fives chuckled, pushing himself from the wall. "After you." He courteously held out his hand letting her through the door first. Ahsoka accepted the gesture, sending him a sweet smile before stepping inside.
Fives was a few inches taller than Ahsoka (even allowing for the montrals), something he often liked to remind her of, but right now that advantage didn't count for much. The troopers gathered in the hangar effectively obstructed his view, keeping the course out of his sight. Fives had to admit that he hadn't expected that much attention from the men. The crowd was so dense that not even tiptoeing helped; they had to fight their way through to the front line.
"Wow Fives, it's amazing." Ahsoka said in awe, spinning her head at the surrounding crowd. "Look how many people came to see you fail."
"Don't get jealous." Fives chided. "I'm sure Kix is here for your sake - to patch up your ego once I win." Ahsoka opened her mouth to retort, probably with some sarcastic comeback, but it remained unspoken as they emerged from the crowd and an enormous construction came into their sight. She was still staring agape when Anakin spotted them and raised his hand above his head presenting the structure as if there was any possibility that they might have overlooked it.
"Finally! How do you like the course?" Skywalker greeted them excitedly and without waiting for a response, informed them. "You have 40 seconds to memorise it and it starts..." Anakin glanced at his chrono. "Now."
Fives and Ahsoka went along opposite sides of the course, watching it carefully. A seven feet tall wall, some poles and hurdles, a ladder, then a few more hurdles. Rex really did his best. It looked more like an ARC drill on Kamino than a friendly duel. Fives concentrated hard on remembering each obstacle - it was no longer about winning but rather not making a fool of himself. To lose a bet was one thing but to fall limply on his face in front of the entire battalion was quite another. Before Fives managed to estimate the distance to the shooting range at the end of the track, the time was up.
"Who makes the better shot, wins." Rex announced once they returned to the starting line. "Simple as that." He summed up matter-of-factly.
"Snips, remember what I taught you." Skywalker said seriously. He took Ahsoka by her shoulders and bent to meet her eyes.
"That standing too close to running engines will end up setting your robes on fire?"
"Yes. I'm sure it'll save your life one day." General answered with all conviction.
"I can't see how it applies to this situation." She frowned sceptically at her master.
"It doesn't." He straightened up, his voice casual again. "But since you couldn't resist sassing me then my only advice is to smile as you fall." He smirked, waving a holoprojector in front of her eyes. Fives snorted loudly and to avoid the murderous gaze Ahsoka was sending his way, he addressed Rex in the sweetest tone he had.
"Captain, don't you have a few words of encouragement for me?"
"No." Rex answered impassively as he walked past him, missing the hurt look Fives cast in his direction.
"You got this Fives." Jesse mentored as he firmly grabbed Fives' shoulder. "You can do this."
"We're all waiting for you to fail, though." Kix added deadpan.
"Thanks guys, I knew I could count on you." Fives answered wryly.
"No problem, now turn around." Medic ordered, pulling out a black fabric and urging him to take his position next to Ahsoka at the starting line.
"No peeking." She warned him with a band already covering her eyes.
"No reaching to the Force." He reminded, looking at her for the last time before dark fabric obscured his view.
Fives needed a while to get used to the lack of vision. He was now able to focus more on the sounds around him, the men's chatter and the clink of betting credits became more distinctive, but unless Jesse intended to throw insults at his sorry ass before he could crash, he saw no good use for that sense.
"Alright, on my mark." Skywalker announced and all the murmurs in the hangar silenced, making Fives more aware of his fast-beating heart. "Ready." Fives splayed his feet, his best foot forward, every muscle on standby. "Go!"
Fives broke into a run. General's voice still resonated in his ears as he was already jumping over the first barricade. He climbed up the eight-foot ladder but instead of using the bars on the way down, he just skipped it by jumping from the top of it. Without a pause, he raced to the row of hurdles, each one higher than the previous but Fives was just getting started. He focused on the distance between the obstacles and the estimated leaps he had to take to reach the next one. His calculations had been raw and hurried but till now it was doing the trick. Four more steps and he jumped over the pole, then rapidly fell to the ground to pass under the next one.
When he stepped onto a narrow, uphill, tortuous board he quickly realised he won't be able to sustain such a pace. With his eyes blindfolded it was harder to catch his balance and running on the, after all, stationary bridge felt more like dancing on a thin rope. Fives decided it was better to go slower than fall from it. The crowd erupted in loud gasps of admiration and cheers but based on his lousy treading, Fives figured it was because of Ahsoka. Not that he was surprised, that's what he did most of the time - was in awe of her.
Finally getting off that circus imitation of an obstacle he could move on to the next challenge. The only problem was that locating it wasn't that easy. He extended his arms, searching for a rope to climb on. He must've looked like a complete di'kut waving his hands in the hope of coming across it and the laughter echoing in the hangar only confirmed his suspicions. When his fingers finally brushed the line, he grabbed it firmly and pulled himself up. Climbing wasn't really a problem - he trusted in the strength of his shoulders. And any fear of heights couldn't be fueled by the increasing distance to the floor since Fives had no idea how much further to the bell on the ceiling. The higher he climbed the more the rope was swinging. He reached his hand above his hand for the umpteenth time when a high-pitched ringing sound came to his ears. Except that it wasn't his bell. Fives greeted his teeth and tried to go even faster. When he finally hit the bell, Fives decided he neither had the will nor time to climb down - he already was falling behind. He slid to the floor accompanied by a blast of air tossing his fringe. When his feet hit the ground he couldn't be more thankful for his gloves, because, even with their layer of protection, he still felt the unpleasant effects of the harsh fraction. Either way, he would have to express his gratitude later; the race wasn't over yet.
As Fives tore forward he was running the course in his mind too. Vault a hurdle, bend under a pole, then jump over two seven-foot walls. Except there were three of them, and the last one abruptly hit his chest. If a breath-taking pain wasn't enough proof that he bumped into a hard surface then the burst of laughter behind his back served as a certain confirmation. Fives wanted to embody his discontent towards his brothers by displaying a middle finger but decided that race was his first priority. After colliding with the wall, Fives lost momentum, so getting past it wasn't so easy, but he was too well motivated to give up now. He jumped and hovered on its edge, pulling himself up. He intended to swiftly fly past the wall but was more likely to roll over it. He only hoped Skywalker didn't get that on the holo.
Fives never thought he would greet gymnastics rings with such relief. His arms were already slightly worn out but at least he didn't need his eyesight to come through these. His biceps burning and fingers still sore from the rope, he firmly pushed forward. After a moment he fell into a rhythm and started swinging on every second ring. When his palms had no more rings to hang onto, Fives jumped to the floor and raced to the table.
He almost stumbled onto the counter, his breathing ragged but as soon as his fingers swept over the stray parts of the blaster, they automatically found their right place. He knew by heart every curve and dent of the cold metal and when the last part popped into place with a metallic clink he raised the weapon. Its weight in his grip was so familiar and reassuring that he didn't even think of correcting his stance nor dwelling on his aim. He just pulled the trigger. But there were not one but two gunshots. The sound of bolts piercing the durasteel shields snapped his mind out of its trance. The race was over. His chest was still waving from both the exertion and adrenaline. Fives took a deep breath and lowered the blaster, the other hand raised to pull the blindfold off his face.
The lights in the hangar didn't seem that harsh before the race but now after uncovering his eyes, his first instinct was to shut them. Squinting, Fives strained his eyesight to look at the target. There was a still blazing red hole, about two inches to the right from the centre. Not bad. Fives turned around to Ahsoka. He followed her gaze to her board, but despite sweeping his eyes over it, he didn't spot a shot mark. Frowning, Fives traced ring after ring until the very bottom of the last hoop which was jagged. Drawing such an unequivocal conclusion shouldn't have been difficult for the ARC's sharp brain, but being consumed by emotions, the realisation only hit him when they were surrounded by spectators and a loud scream rang out in the hangar.
"Fives won!" Jesse shouted in Fives' ear and he was flooded with friendly pats on his back and shoulders. He barely regained his sight but might have lost his hearing from the overwhelming ripples of cheers. A few hands ruffled his hair when others smacked him for making them lose their money in bets. Fives didn't mind either.
As much as he appreciated his brothers' enthusiasm he really wanted to talk to the girl standing a few steps away with her arms crossed over her chest and a smirk on her beautiful face. Fives kept repeating his thanks at the congratulations while slowly but surely excusing himself from the mass. Ahsoka was waiting for him, her eyes fixed on his silhouette long before he emerged from the crowd.
"Looks like you won this one." She commented as he approached her. There was no malice in her voice, only calm observation.
"Just like that?" He asked, questioningly raising his eyebrows. "You're not going to object to the unrighteousness of the competition?"
"I'll fill the file of complaint later." She chuckled softly. "Either way, my congratulations." Her hand twitched forward as if to reach out to him but suddenly froze midway between them. It hovered awkwardly in the air for a second until she shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. Ahsoka quickly curled her fingers inward and hid her palm behind her back as if clasping her hands was what she had intended from the start. "It was a good match." Ahsoka smiled kindly at him, but Fives couldn't shake the feeling that the gesture was slightly strained.
"Of course, as always." He affirmed surely, confused by her behaviour. "Already looking forward to the next one." Fives continued, relieved to see the tension slowly leaving Ahsoka's body. "Especially when the prizes are so valuable." He smiled slyly, remembering what the stakes were. Fives was about boasting some more of the infinite possibilities he was in possession of but, noticing the General was coming their way, he didn't get the chance.
"That's what I was trying to tell you, Snips." Skywalker called briskly as he hung his arm over Ahsoka's shoulders. "Always aim higher." He mocked, tightening his hold.
"That's a surprisingly good piece of advice, Master." Ahsoka admitted, wriggling herself out of his embrace. "Must be your first one. Now you both have reason to celebrate."
"Oh Ahsoka, don't think so low of yourself." Fives admonished her gently. "You should also take some credit. Our victory wouldn't have been possible if not for your sacrifice." Anakin's smile slowly stretched into a broad grin at Fives' remark but Ahsoka didn't share his enthusiasm. Her mouth dropped open, before quickly pressing together into a pout. She squinted dangerously and pointed two fingers at her eyes then at Fives', silently telling 'I'm watching you'. It was her only courtesy before leaving.
"Good job, Fives." Anakin praised sincerely. "Not only did you defeat Ahsoka in the race but also left her speechless. Sometimes even I can't do that."
"Thank you, sir." Fives answered, trying to remain serious.
"Though, I'd advise you to get out of here before Rex starts looking for a prey to clean up this mess." Anakin smirked at Fives and also set off to the exit. Skywalker really was on his counselling streak because not a minute passed when Rex's voice echoed in the hangar.
"Alright, show's over! Move it!"
Fives was stubborn but he could recognise good advice when he heard one. Tidying after the chaos they'd always caused was the least fun part of their games. He swiftly excused himself from the hangar, cautious not to stand out too much, because in a clash with fierce Rex, all his money was on the Captain.