501's barracks had a tendency to be loud. With dozens of men packed in one hall with impeccable acoustics, it was hard to preserve silence. Even the majority of night cycles were filled with soft rustle and hushed conversations. Now, however, no one dared to utter a word as the sounds of gunshots filled the place.
The room plunged into darkness as the end credits rolled on the screen. A minute passed before Tup shook off the chills and played the next episode. Fives wouldn't go as far as calling himself a 'Breaking Dagobad' enthusiast but could appreciate a good cliffhanger when he saw one. He would almost have felt anxious about what would happen next - almost, that is, if they hadn't had four more episodes to go that night.
The over-stylized theme song sounded from the speakers and Fives was sure its words would bore themselves into his brain by the end of their marathon. He sank further into the leather couch in the last row of their makeshift theatre. Every member of Torrent Company who wasn't currently cursed by the graveyard shift was crowded in front of the series projected on the wall. Those who didn't make it in time to get themselves a seat on one of the sofas had dragged the mattresses from their bunks, claiming every inch of available space. There was, however, one person who would have got the best seat, no question asked, yet still didn't make an appearance.
Fives glanced gloomily at the spot beside him, now taken by Druz. He had been guarding it for Ahsoka, warding the intruders off with his wit or kicks in their shebs. But even Fives couldn't fool himself to no end, and after three hours of his hopes slowly waning, he finally gave it up. After all, this was neither the first nor would it be the last time duty kept her away from him.
Two pursuits, four explosions and one particularly painful dialogue later, the door to the barracks opened, letting a thin ray of light inside before swiftly closing shut. Ahsoka cast a quick glance at the screen and moved quietly further into the room. Fives had been bombarded with exhilarating plot twists for the past few hours, yet nothing had surprised him more than Ahsoka's arrival. She must have come straight from the meeting, a datapad tucked under her arm, and fatigue bending her shoulders a few inches. Still, in a surprisingly short time, she pinpointed Fives' location and moved in his direction. She started to weave through people scattered all over the place, whispering apologies for interrupting the showing until she halted right in front of him.
"You made it." Fives greeted her awkwardly, mindful that his last words to her were somewhere along the lines of 'You're beautiful'. And judging by the dark shade of Ahsoka's lekku chevrons, she was thinking about the same thing.
"Thanks for saving my seat," she remarked sarcastically.
"I didn't think you'd come," he admitted, still staring at her like the moron he was.
"The amount of faith you have in me is crushing. Now, move over."
Every man on the couch shifted to make room for Ahsoka, yet that still wasn't much. So when she crowded into the half-a seat, swinging her legs over the sofa's arm, Fives distinctly felt her frame pressed against his body.
"Okay, so what did I miss?"
Fives couldn't answer right away as he just missed a heartbeat. They were so close that he could feel her shoulder moving with every breath she took.
"I had a shift in armoury and my hands are a bit sore," he pouted, stretching his fingers conspicuously. "But the supper was quite good."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "I meant in the show."
"I can't believe you care more about fictional characters than your friend in flesh and blood. But if you must know, they just flew from prison to Rodia where Sham got shot, only to be resurrected in the next episode."
Her eyes narrowed as she seemed to be mulling over his words, "Who?"
"Sham Cyone," he repeated but Ahsoka's eye markings remained furrowed. "Bounty hunter from Corellia? Brother of the protagonist?" Fives continued explaining, but she still looked just as confused. "Have you ever seen any of it?" He asked sceptically.
"I might be behind a tiny bit more than those seven episodes…"
"You're bringing disgrace to the whole Jedi Order right now," Fives shook his head with disappointment. "But I'll help you restore your honour."
"Thank the universe," Ahsoka said ardently. "Otherwise, my future knighthood would've been in question."
Fives smirked. "Okay, focus." He casually slung his arm over the seat back behind Ahsoka, leaning in for a conspiratorial chat. "See this Zabrak guy? He got a tip that the fugitive's in that bar. Bet he'll eventually get touchy-feely again and help them escape."
"Wait, that's the bounty hunter? But wasn't he the owner of the repair shop?"
"It was two seasons ago. Priorities change, keep up." Ahsoka snorted at the mock seriousness in his voice. "He's my favourite, I even know his favourite liquor. Watch, he'll ask for Revnog in three, two - " He didn't finish the count when Zabrak placed the order to the barman. Fives theatrically pressed his palm on his chest, right over his heart. "Sorry, just…every time he drinks that, it makes me so emotional." He dramatically wiped away the nonexistent tear from his cheek.
"You poor thing, how come you didn't prepare any tissues?"
"You think I'm a fool?" He raised an eyebrow in fake resentment. "I just donated them to those more in need." Fives nodded towards Tup and Brody on the couch in front of them who were too absorbed by the show to even hear him. "And what did you bring for the movie night?"
"Apparently not enough patience." She rolled her eyes.
Fives chuckled. He tried to stay silent and let Ahsoka enjoy the show in peace, but he didn't last long. Just ten minutes later, as he predicted, the bounty hunter started to realise that he had much in common with his captive. However, the captive-selling dilemma displayed on the actor's face didn't actually captivate Fives.
"Lousy acting, I shed more tears on Rex's lectures."
"Yeah, your sorrow a moment ago was really convincing," Ahsoka said without taking her eyes off the screen.
"My sorrow may be fake," he said wryly. "But trust me, the pain is real."
Ahsoka burst into laughter, quickly trying to swallow the rest of her giggles as Tup and Brody turned around, throwing accusing glares.
"Sorry," she whispered sheepishly and once the men turned back to the movie, she slapped Fives hard on the shoulder.
"What was that for?" he huffed.
"For making me laugh."
"You'd rather I make you cry?"
"Watching you trying to put together any paperwork already does."
"Ouch." He put on a hurt look, struggling to suppress laughter. "Truly, your words hurt more than your fists. And here I was, nothing but helpful to you this whole thirty minutes. You make me lose faith in good deeds."
"Okay okay. I take that back." She yielded, still keeping her voice low. "I don't want to be the one to crush people's hopes so let's stick to the belief that good is rewarded."
Fives chuckled. He leaned closer and whispered by her montral, "Then how exactly am I gonna be rewarded?" Words barely left his lips when Ahsoka shuddered against him. He looked at her, surprised, "You cold?"
"What? No! Just— Just watch the show," she grumbled eventually, crossing her arms over her chest.
Fives watched her from the corner of his eye and wondered whether the colour on her cheeks was the reflection of lights cast by the projector or if it was a blooming blush that made her complexion darken. But from then on she seemed utterly absorbed in the show and refrained from the usual banter, keeping things more civil between them for the rest of the showing.
Finally, the last episode ended with guards surrounding Sham Cyone's hideout and the screen turned completely black.
"Alright, lads." Rex's voice sounded in the barracks and the light lit up brightly, causing whines of displeasure. "Enough of your screen time," the captain said and the men, though reluctantly, moved from their seats.
"Come on," Fives nudged Ahsoka lightly with his shoulder. "I'll walk you." He got up from the couch first and extended his hand to her. Ahsoka took his palm and even when she was on her feet, her palm lingered in his hold for a while longer than necessary.
Officers' cabins were just one floor up, yet they strolled leisurely through the empty corridors, engaged in light conversation. Eventually, they stopped in front of her closed doors that didn't seem to be opening any time soon. Ahsoka's gaze, instead of on the keypad, stayed on the wall behind Fives. He watched in confusion as she bit down on her lip, visibly weighing something in her mind. Then her eyes flew to him.
"I wanna be with you," she said suddenly, causing Fives' heart to freeze. A fierce blush spread over Ahsoka's cheeks as soon as she heard herself. "I mean— I want to stay with you for the night –um, not the night." She corrected herself frantically, her lekku stripes black. "I don't want to leave you. Alone. 'Cause we…the nightmares… That is—"
"Ahsoka," he came to her rescue, aiming to end the mix-up before it would end him. They both took a deep breath. "I'm fine. I really am." He reassured once her abashed look turned into an incredulous one. "Thanks to you, too. So you can stop worrying now."
"But if won't be able to fall asleep or…wake up in the middle of the night, don't hesitate to—"
"I won't. Really, you have nothing to worry about. And it's actually getting closer to morning than anything."
"Still, you can call me," Ahsoka pressed, starting to sound more like her usual confident self. "No matter the hour."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Text me when you get back," she commended.
"Ahsoka, it's ten minutes away. I think I'll manage to find my way."
"And yet you escorted me here. Do you think I'm not capable of finding my way?"
"Of course not. It was just a courtesy of mine." He did a twirl of his hand as if he was bowing on a court.
"Then give me another one and send me a text."
"Since you're asking so nicely."
"Who says anything about 'asking'? I haven't heard the word 'please'."
"I heard one just now," he remarked with a smirk, much to Ahsoka's displeasure. But before she could try to snap back, he said gently, "Sleep well."
"Yeah, you too." She held his gaze for a moment longer before keying in the password. The door opened with a gentle swish, yet she stopped in the doorframe, watching him go. Fives was already at the of the hall when she called after him, "Text me!"
Fives barely crossed the barracks threshold when he reached for his comm and typed 'Don't send a search team, I'm back', expecting a teasing reply. In a matter of seconds, his comm buzzed, a small screen displaying a short message,
'Sweet dreams, Fives.'
His heartbeat quickened right on cue. Which was silly, Fives thought, 'cause these were simple bedtime wishes. Quietly, he settled into his bunk and let his head sink into the soft pillows. His thoughts were too occupied to recall when was the last time he felt a mattress under his back.
The search team indeed proved to be unnecessary as Ahsoka found her way to his dreams with ease. And these were the sweetest dreams one could ever imagine.
The alarm rang way too early for Fives' liking. But when he opened his eyes, he realised that most of the brothers were already in a somewhat awakened state. Apparently, his sleep was too deep to be disturbed by the conversations going on around him or by the clanking of men assembling their armour. So that's what it was like when you're not lying restlessly, waiting for sunrise to come after nightmares shook you awake. It felt strange, almost surreal. But Fives had no doubt he would quickly get used to peaceful nights. It was just like he had told Ahsoka - he was fine. And she was the only person he could give credit for that.
Fives tossed the blankets away and sat on his mattress. He had the most standard day ahead of him. Routine drills, maintaining the equipment and a shift in the hangar. Walking into this role felt good. Safe. For once he was content with the break from the front lines and wasn't going to complain. Not even about the maintenance duties.
Without thinking, Fives donned his armour and joined the procession of men heading towards the mess. He passed the common room couches when a blue blinking caught his eye. Halting in his tracks, Fives reached for the datapad abandoned on the sofa.
"You forgot somethin', mate," Fives called out to Jesse, who had been sitting there just moments ago.
"Ain't mine," Jesse replied over his shoulder.
Fives turned the device in his hand. "It's Ahsoka's." He muttered as he recognised the sticker of an owl-like bird – a convor. "She must've left it yesterday."
"Then return it to her," Jesse replied, considerably less hooked by the matter than Fives.
Yeah, of course, Fives could do that. He'll simply return it. Or… He looked at the datapad again, then turned to Jesse.
"Don't wait for me," he said, already heading back to his bunk. "I might be late for breakfast."
Half an hour later, Fives hurried through the halls. His self-assigned task took longer than he anticipated but each time he glanced at the datapad in his hand, he was wholeheartedly pleased with the results. Lost in his thoughts, he was brought back to reality by a voice calling from behind.
"Fives? Aren't you supposed to be having breakfast?" Ahsoka asked, catching up with him in the corridor.
"I'm on my way there." He replied, waiting for her to reach his side.
"Oversleeping on the first day?" She raised an eye marking. "You slept well, I presume."
"You told me to, so I didn't have much choice."
"If only you'd listen to me so obediently in other situations," Ahsoka remarked with a smile. "For real, though. Any nightmares you'd want not to talk about together?"
Fives breathed out a soft laugh at her wording. "No, not anymore, " he assured her, noting the subtle signs of relief in her expression that were no longer a mystery to him. "But I'm still keen on not talking about other things together."
Ahsoka grinned, "Great, I'll make a list of topics."
"And how was your night?" he asked, returning the favour.
"Bit lonely," she said casually.
Fives felt like he should've laughed at her joke, but it didn't exactly sound like one. He cleared his throat and extended the datapad to her, eager to change the subject. "I've got somethin' for you."
"Thanks." Her eye markings flew slightly higher as she took the device in both hands. "I didn't even realise I lost it."
"I hope to see extra points in my performance review for serving as your personal assistant."
"I'm just going to a meeting with Rex, so I'll praise your merits for the Republic right away."
"Can't wait for my medal," he saluted halfheartedly once they stood at a fork in the corridor. She returned the gesture and moved towards the bridge. Fives watched after her, wondering silently when she would notice the little changes he made in her datapad. As it turned out, he didn't have to wait long. Just as he was returning from morning drills, the implications of his little project were about to become tangible.
First came the music. An annoyingly merry melody filled the corridor before he could even spot Ahsoka's figure. But once he did there was no doubt that she wasn't exhilarated by the improvements he had made. Fives didn't let himself get intimidated by her glare and spoke up brightly, "Commander, so glad to see you—"
"What is this?" Ahsoka shoved her pad right in front of his face.
"I believe they call it datapad but I'm not up to date with youngster's slang."
"Funny," Ahsoka said but her voice was far from amused. "Fix. It." She emphasised each word with a tap of the datapad against his chestplate, then jammed the device into his hand.
Fives tapped on the screen to unlock it and a tacky 'Jawa's Fashion' ad appeared, blocking any other functions and starting the cheerful jingle from the top. The words 'Jawa trends, the choice of the wise, in every wardrobe, a sparkling prize' echoed in the corridor. It worked just as he intended, but for dramatic effect, he turned the device over in hand to view it from both sides as if looking for any defects.
"It works perfectly fine to me." He said casually, though had to keep his voice louder so as not to get jammed by the song. "You have a wonderful taste in music by the way." He complimented her with a dashing smile.
"I can't decide what I hate more – you or that song," Ahsoka complained. She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. Fives waited calmly for her next move, his head bouncing lightly to the next lines of the jingle, 'Hoods and robes, a sandy chic, Jawa fashion, unique mystique'. Ahsoka huffed in annoyance and snapped, "Ugh. Just give it back."
"But you just told me to take it," he said with innocent confusion.
"And now I want you to return it." She reached out to snatch the device from his hand but Fives raised his arm in time, high up and out of Ahsoka's grasp.
"Now you're only saying this not to cause me inconvenience." He smiled sweetly as Ahsoka practically hung on his arm, trying to drag it downward.
"Is this convenient to you?" She countered as she was nearly climbing on him, her fingers trying to pinch him in vain as he was covered in armour.
"The sacrifices I make for friendship," he murmured with a flirtatious smile that cracked as Ahsoka flicked his forehead.
They became tangles of limbs; Ahsoka's hand on Fives' face, pushing him away while Fives manoeuvred datapad out of her reach. They kept dancing around each other when someone else's steps sounded in the corridor. Both of them froze in their ridiculous position and looked at Jesse, waiting for his reaction. The man silently eyed the performance he walked on but his face wasn't disturbed even by a shadow of a surprise.
"Carry on," Jesse shrugged his shoulders, unbothered, before continuing on his way.
Ahsoka seized the opportunity and immediately moved to snatch the datapad. Still, Fives effortlessly swapped the device into his other hand.
"Not that I don't enjoy this," he said with a smug smile. "But I got drills in twenty minutes." He was looking straight into Ahsoka's eyes which were mere inches away from his. "How about rescheduling it afterwards? I can squeeze you in between my other appointments."
"You moron, give it back!" Ahsoka jumped higher to reach his hand and once again missed by millimetres. This time, however, she ended up leaning heavily on Fives, throwing him off balance. His arm instinctively closed around Ahsoka, pulling her along with him as he stumbled backwards. His back pressed hard against the wall while Ahsoka fell flat against his chest, her hands resting on his torso. Fives wasn't even surprised when his heart started pounding loudly in his ribcage. He uncertainly looked down at her, expecting to hear more epithets, but despite her agape lips, Ahsoka remained silent. She was breathing quickly, her eyes betraying emotions he couldn't quite name yet.
As if she had snapped out of a trance, she suddenly huffed with frustration and pushed herself away from his hold. All amusement evaporated from him and he watched cautiously as Ahsoka angrily smoothed her shirt. Fives' heartbeat was still racing and he didn't even try to fight when Ahsoka grabbed the datapad from his hand.
"Watch out, Fives," she warned. "Cause I will take my revenge." She turned on her heel and left the same way she came - angry and accompanied by the merry melody.
For the whole day Fives was treading carefully, suspicious of everything and everyone. He didn't know how far Ahsoka would go with her revenge or when the strike might come. Brothers, on the other hand, took full advantage of this situation. He couldn't walk ten metres without someone sending him a full sympathy look, offering condolences or pats on his shoulder as if he was experiencing the last hours of his life.
"Commander looked really pissed," Tup had said at the dinner table. "Don't worry, though. I will say something nice at your funeral."
Fives soon got bored of those jokes, especially as he safely finished his evening shift with no damage to his health or pride. Eventually, he decided that Ahsoka must have given up on the prank and gone on with her life as a normal adult would. He went straight up to his bunk, wanting nothing more but to collapse onto the mattress. Only that he couldn't.
"What the— Where's my bunk?" He asked, staring at the empty space where, more often than not, his bed stood.
"Kriff, Fives," Jesse said tiredly from the upper bunk. "How many times do I have to tell you to watch your stuff?"
Fives rolled his eyes. He turned to see if anything else was out of the ordinary when he noticed that the silence in the barracks was uncanny. Apart from Jesse's careless demeanour, all gazes were fixed on him. The air was almost buzzing with excitement, and Fives couldn't shake the feeling that he was the cause of it. There was no doubt who was responsible for the mysterious disappearance, but at the moment he had to act prudently so as not to make a fool of himself, and that ruled out rummaging around in search of his bed. Though he might have been left with that option, hadn't he caught Tup's quick glance at the ceiling. Fives followed his gaze and looked up.
"You've got to be kriffing kidding me…" He cursed, staring at his bed attached in perfect order, pillows and all, eight feet above him. Wild laughter that must've been suppressed for the last hour, finally erupted filling every corner of the barracks. "Be honest," Fives turned back to Jesse who was reeling with laughter. "How long did it take her to set this up?
"Not even half as long as you're about to be taking it down."
Fives supposed it was true. He moved to get the ladder and to the delight of the crowd, he climbed its rungs. He reached out for the pillow first but the moment his fingers brushed against it, he got swamped in a cascade of confetti. The music roared, nearly throwing him off balance. It took him a moment to regain his stability before he ran his hand over his hair to brush away the confetti that already covered the floor in a thick layer. He picked up the piece of paper from his shoulder and realised he was staring at a picture of himself dressed in Jawa clothes. Fives snorted. Ahsoka really had perfected it down to the smallest detail. As the abnormal adult she was.
It had taken two hours to get the bunk down and twice as many men who'd gotten themselves some great deals before they'd even agreed to help. But when it came to cleaning up the mess, Fives was on his own. Once the last piece of confetti made it into the trash bag, he rose to his feet, knowing that there was only one more thing left to do that evening.
Fives straightened as he faced the closed door of Ahsoka's room. He held proudly a tray full of sweets he bartered with Tup in a hurry a few minutes ago. It was yet another thing he got in debt after using help with getting his bunk back on the ground. But showing up at Ahsoka's doorstep at this hour was already on the verge of impoliteness and he didn't want to top it with coming empty-handed.
Making sure that the platter would be the first thing she noticed, he knocked on the door. He'd managed to take one quick breath before Ahsoka appeared at the entrance. Her hands were crossed over her chest as she eyed the tray sceptically.
"What is this?"
"An offering for peace," he said and Ahsoka threw him a suspicious glare. "Or a bribe. Depends on your definition."
Her eyes flickered to the pastries, then she looked back at him. "No tricks?"
"It's just me being generous," he promised. Ahsoka tilted her head in a silent 'come-in'.
One step in and he got immersed in an intense, crisp scent of myrrh. The regular lights were off as a row of candles lit up the room, pouring it with warmth. The flames glimmered faster as Ahsoka crossed the room.
"Oh, good," Fives said. "I thought you were hiding here for fear of my pranks but it's just you performing rituals."
"You know how it is, conjuring ancestors and stuff."
Fives smirked. He took a look around the place, unsure where to sit. Because, unlike Ahsoka who spent hours each day in the barracks, Fives rarely visited her room. There simply had never been a reason to.
"Tea?" Ahsoka asked from the table where the kettle was already humming.
"Caf?" He countered.
"It's past nine hundred, Fives. Get a grip."
While Ahsoka busied herself with brewing the tea, Fives used the opportunity to look around the room. The layout didn't differ much from what he had seen in Rex's cabin. A bed with plain sheets stood against one wall, a table where Ahsoka was preparing tea by the other. In the centre was her desk, despite being laden with GAR's paperwork, it maintained an almost morbid meticulously. Each stack of files lined up to the edge of the tabletop and even the burning candles were arranged according to height. Careful not to disturb the order of things, Fives placed the tray on the countertop.
There weren't many decorations, a very Jedi-like interior without relics of the past that one might get too attached to. Above her desk hung a picture of the sea at night, and on the nightstand lay several worn books with multiple tags poking out from each one.
But one thing did stand out remarkably in this small temple of neatness. Above her bed was a whole collage of convor images, both printed and hand-drawn. If Fives didn't know Ahsoka better, he'd have thought she was obsessed. It wasn't really in her character to fixate on something. Sure, whenever she found a new favourite song or movie she would pester him until they both got tired of it. But this was different. More profound and personal. Fives never found out why convors were her favourites. Especially as it wasn't about the convors but rather this particular white-green one. The same that was plastered to the back of her datapad. The convor image marked most of her stuff by now but Fives couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when it started.
"Here," Ahsoka said, pulling him out of his thoughts. A cup clinked against the desk as she placed it down before taking a seat on her bed. "So you finally admit your defeat and surrender?"
"Surrender? No." He pushed the chair away from the desk and turned it so that they were facing each other. "I'm being the bigger person and offering the truce."
"But it's you who started this in the first place."
"Let's not be petty." He took a sip from his cup, trying to discern the flavour. "I have to let you know, though, that it did take me two hours to clean your junk up."
"You have to admit it was fun."
"I'm sure others enjoyed it." He said, relishing the proud smile that appeared on Ahsoka's face. "But I was thinking… How about we seal our treaty with one last prank?"
"I'm not sure… How do I know I can trust you and you're not just trying to set me up?"
"I brought you these," Fives tilted his head towards the tray.
"I knew it was a bribe." She said, mirroring the grin he was wearing. "Okay, I'm in." Ahsoka eagerly took her datapad from the bed stand to make notes. "And yes, mind you, it's working just fine now. I fixed it."
"I never doubted that."
They talked for a while, exchanging their ideas for the prank, each next one bolder than the previous. By the time they managed to settle on the concept, half the tray's contents had already been gone.
"See how nice it can be when you're not trying to turn my life upside down? Literally," Fives shared his observation.
"I don't know. I enjoyed those moments," Ahsoka said and Fives sent her a pointing look. "But yeah, this is nice, too." She admitted softly, putting the datapad aside. She leaned forward on her arm and looked around the room before locking her gaze with his. "With all those candles it's almost romantic."
The glimmer in her eyes combined with her voice going to a lower register, made Fives shudder. He felt his heartbeat quicken but tried to steady his voice before asking with a hint of tease, "Does this count as our second date?"
"A cup of tea in my room?" She raised an eye marking at him. "No. You'll have to try harder than this."
Fives didn't get if they were still joking or if she actually encouraged him to ask her out. To ask his commander out – oh, how barmy did that sound.
"Well, I asked for a caf." He murmured, playfulness layering his voice.
"Well, you can't have everything you ask for," she continued with a shadow of a smile.
Fives didn't answer. He kept looking into Ashoka's beautiful eyes, which waited expectantly for his retort. Yet he stayed silent.
This banter was just a joke, Fives knew. But when looking at the person he loved so deeply, someone within arm's reach yet so elusive, the remark struck a chord within him. Fives didn't dare ask. He was willing to plead and beg but it would still amount to nothing. He didn't crave everything - he just wanted her. Fives could give up on every other wish that had ever crossed his mind. It didn't make him modest; this single desire made him the most greedy version of himself. But his devotion would make him sacrifice everything for Ahsoka.
He felt as if a weight had fallen on his chest, but for the sake of both of them, he forced himself into a light tone. "So, where were we with the plan?"
It took two more cups of tea to stitch the plan up. By the time the course of action was finally settled, the candles in her room had almost gone out. The fire flickered violently as it verged on drowning in melting wax.
"Guess it's time for me." Fives stood up from his seat. "Got to rest for the big day."
Ahsoka walked him to the door where Fives turned to her, unsure of how to say his goodbye. He opened his mouth to crack a joke when Ahsoka took a step closer. She reached out her hand towards him and in no way Fives was able to decipher her intentions as she gently brushed it over his shoulder. Holding his breath, he watched bemused how her hand fished out a piece of confetti from between the armour plates. Only when she withdrew her hand did Fives breathe again. He cleared his throat, but it did little to rid the hoarseness from his voice.
"I liked it that way," he said but Ahsoka just smirked.
"You sure you don't need an escort?" She asked sweetly. "It can be dangerous out there. From what I gather, you had trouble finding your bunk last time."
"Bully," he huffed, trying to calm his nerves. It was ridiculous how her mere presence and that sly smile of hers could send his heart racing. "But with our truce established I don't think I have anything to be afraid of."
"Oh don't pretend that you feel such respect towards me."
"I'm not sure 'respect' is the right word. 'Terror' sounds more like it," he said, earning a punch on his shoulder. "That's precisely what I'm talking about," he pointed out and Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "See you tomorrow."
"Don't be late."
"Please. I'm a professional." Fives took a final glance at Ahsoka as if trying to take at least her image with him. Yet it wasn't enough 'cause the door barely shut behind him and he missed her already. Perhaps Mantessa had its upsides after all; at least there, he didn't have to part with Ahsoka for the night, as they both slept under the same tree.
Fives mulled over the lost routine for the rest of his walk through the solitude corridors. Exactly ten minutes later, just when he stepped into the barracks, his comm beeped.
'I hope my authority still works and you'll sleep soundly.'
Fives smiled to himself. Maybe this new habit wasn't too bad either.
Fives stood in front of the refresher's entrance, observing as it gradually submerged underwater. The water level had already risen past his waist yet he still wasn't quite satisfied. He shifted his hold on the hose and leaned against the wall, watching in awe how the surface stayed in place despite the door being wide open.
"Are you sure this isn't too much?" Ahsoka asked by his side. Her hands were outstretched but she didn't look much troubled with the fact that she was holding tons of water simply by the sheer power of her will.
"Nah. Rex's been saying for ages that barracks look more like they're on water rationing than getting cleaned."
"Talking like that makes you sound resentful."
"Then…we're just setting an exhilarating surprise. How does that sound?"
"Better," she grinned widely. Fives looked back at the 'fresher and wished the water would flow faster. At this time of day, the barracks were deserted, but not for long. Fives and Ahsoka took advantage of the dinner break to put their plan into practice, as neither minded missing a meal for a greater cause. But to make it work, they had to be quick.
"Hurry," Ahsoka warned as her eyes darted to the entrance. "I think I heard someone."
Fives turned down the water and closed the refresher's door so Ahsoka wouldn't have to keep it in place. He hurriedly coiled the hose and barely managed to shove it under Brody's bunk before Ahsoka pulled him by the wrist.
"Come on," she rushed, and they stumbled out into the corridor through the back exit, avoiding whoever entered the barracks.
"In 'ere." Fives pulled her into the nearest cupboard and closed the door behind them before anyone could notice.
To say the cabinet was narrow was an understatement. Ahsoka's back was pressed flat against the door yet Fives hadn't managed to widen the separating them distance to more than a few inches. He was leaning over her, his left hand positioned next to her head to prevent himself from falling forward. Their breathing was heavy, but whether it was a result of the run or the sudden proximity, Fives couldn't really tell.
An abrupt noise made them both flinch. The sound could only be described as litres of water pouring down a rapid stream onto the durasteel flooring. A string of curses that followed soon after left little doubt as to who was the lucky person caught in their joke.
"FIVES!" They heard Rex's roar from the corridor.
"Why does he always instantly assume it's me?" Fives asked, offended.
"Because it is always you," Ahsoka replied.
"Just me?" He murmured, raising one eyebrow. "Then I guess I must've imagined a certain Togruta holding tons of water. Kriff," he cursed quietly. "That does sound made up," he admitted and Ahsoka laughed loudly. But just then, Fives heard footsteps so he quickly pressed a finger against her lips to hush her. He leaned further to glance through the crack in the door and with a held-back breath, he watched the captain storm down the corridor. Only when the hall quieted entirely did he let out the exhale. Fives turned back to Ahsoka and met her wide-open eyes. Once his gaze fell on his finger still pressed against her soft lips, the realisation dawned on him what exactly he had done.
Fives moved his finger away, but couldn't do the same with his gaze fixed on her lips. They were inches apart. The cupboard was so narrow that he couldn't give her more space even if he wanted to. And he certainly didn't want to. The only thought left in his head pleaded to close the little distance there still was. It would be so easy to tilt his head and brush his lips over hers. Ahsoka's warm, shallow breaths ghosting against his mouth made him even more desperate. Against any reason, Fives' eyes narrowed and his chin rose slightly higher.
A hiccup escaped from Ahsoka's mouth and her palm immediately flew up to cover her mouth. Fives snapped from his trance and embarrassed shifted his gaze back to her eyes. They stared at each other - Ahsoka still hiccuping and Fives trying to fight the rising blush. He was so consumed by Ahsoka and her wide eyes that he didn't hear the steps that stopped in front of the locker. The key panel clicked and the door on which Fives was resting his hands along with whole body weight, escaped from beneath his palms.
A gasp broke from his throat. Fives barely managed to put his hand behind Ahsoka's head to cushion the fall when they hit the floor. His heart felt like it was about to escape his chest when he realised he was lying directly on top of Ahsoka. She hiccupped loudly and he quickly rolled to the floor next to her only to meet a pair of boots. Fives looked up along the dripping armour until his eyes reached Rex's beaming with fury gaze.
"Um…" Fives hesitated as water droplets fell onto his face. "...surprise?" He said weakly and Ahsoka echoed him with a hiccup.
Rex wasn't surprised to see the two of them behind the prank; neither was Fives when he got punished with dishwashing duty.
"I thought you two had grown out of these," Rex remarked as he stood by the door and watched them work. Ahsoka, as a commander, was under no obligation to accept Rex's detention. And the captain didn't really give her one. But, according to her words, she was doing it to serve as an example of integrity to Fives.
"And let you suffer from empty nest syndrome?" Fives asked dramatically.
"We're naughty but not cruel, Rex," Ahsoka said solemnly.
Rex rolled his eyes. "Better put in the work. I'll be back in an hour to check the progress." He gazed over the enormous stack of dirty dishes with content, "Maybe two hours." He added with a smirk before leaving them alone with their sponges.
Fives grimaced at the plates surrounding him and reached for one with a sigh, not wanting to prolong the detention to three hours. Then a cloud of foam hit his chest.
"A a a," Fives warned. "Rex barely left and you're already acting up? Want me to call him again?"
"You really are childish," Ahsoka rolled her eyes.
"Am I now?" He raised an eyebrow. He scooped some foam and threw it back at Ahsoka. She slowly brushed it off herself and shot him a mischievous smirk.
Fives didn't have a chance to react before she seized a hose and sent a stream of cold water at his face. He instinctively shielded himself with the plate he was holding, while grabbing his own hose. The floor was quickly covered in puddles and the walls got stained with soap, which certainly did not help to shorten their detention. A distant vision of cleaning that mess crossed Fives' mind but any worries went down the drain as Ahsoka managed to take over his hose. She leaned in close, her bright laughter ringing in his ears as she poured water under his collar. His hair was drenched and his body shivered, but it didn't matter. This was the one battle he didn't mind losing.