Pieces Between

A Side Story

*

Ahsoka tried not to drop the pie, which was warming through the hot pads in her hands.

"Well, don't you worry none," said her new neighbor, a young woman bouncing a now-screaming toddler on her hip, wincing a little from the volume and making small shushing motions at the squalling boy. "Folks 'round here just ain't used to new people. They'll come around. I've got to get this one to his nap, so you and that husband of yours just enjoy that pie," she smiled, trying to get the child to wave at Ahsoka. "Maybe he'll be in a better mood later," she added with a slight wince, when the child just got louder. "Good to meet you!"

"Yes, nice to meet you too," Ahsoka said, trying to keep the flush off her lekku. She watched the young mother and her child head back down the pathway leading from the little house she and Rex had been building piecemeal out of the prefabricated parts and planks of wood they'd been able to buy.

She supposed it made sense, for people to assume they were married. From what little she'd gathered about their new home, people married young, had a dozen kids, ate a lot of fruit, and were more than a little suspicious of outsiders. She breathed in the smell of hot pie, and tried not to juggle it from hand to hand. It would be good to have something not cooked over a campfire or pre-packaged. It was early days here yet, and they did not have many appliances.

She headed inside through the front door – or what would be the front door, once they put the door on. Right now it was more of a tarp that they pinned down at night. Rex was sitting in the middle of the floor, legs folded, with a dozen pieces of – something that would eventually be house – scattered around him. He was alternately scratching his head and trying to fit a couple of knobbly bits of wood together. Ahsoka resisted a chuckle at his befuddled expression, but allowed herself a small smile.

He could take apart a blaster and put it back together in seconds, but apparently pre-cut wood and a screwdriver were deeply puzzling. It was oddly cute, and therefore endearing. She resisted a sudden urge to kiss the top of his head.

"We have pie," she announced, and he looked up as she set it down on the somewhat uneven table they'd made. She poked at it, pushing some of the upper crust down enough to see what was inside. "Looks like more of the local fruit, some nuts and spices. At least someone's friendly around here," she sighed. Rex came to stand near her, and leaned down to smell it. He breathed in deep.

"Smells good. Should we have it for dinner?"

"Definitely," she grinned, then resisted flushing a second time. Deciding what was for dinner. It was weirdly domestic. He tilted his head, curious at her odd expression.

"What?"

Ahsoka shifted a little, sliding her eyes away from him and tried not to fidget. "She called you my husband," she said after a moment, looking determinedly at the pie. She wasn't sure how to go about discussing it. They both seemed to have shied away from talking about that portion of their cover story.

There was a very practical side to pretending to be married. It would fit them in better with the locals, cause less of a fuss, less rumors, and they needed to be as normal, ordinary, and boring a pair as possible. They had apparently caused enough of a stir just by arriving. It made sense to let the locals think they were whatever was most normal in the native culture. They would stand out less. It felt odd, though, when it came down to actually experiencing the situation.

They had never talked about actually taking such a step; they never could. It was impossible. Fruitless to even try.

Always hiding, somehow. Before the purge, they hid their relationship; now, they hid themselves.

She wondered what he thought of their neighbors' mistaken belief. Should they play along?

Rex's eyes were on her. She could feel his gaze, suddenly curious. His voice was quiet, low, when he said, "Have you ever thought of it?"

She looked at up at him, feeling a little embarrassed. He looked away under her gaze, but did not move. He was asking her seriously. She smiled a little. There was a tentative quality to the air, as they tried to broach the subject, with such uncertainty. There had never been a point in discussing it before. Forbidden. Now, they had received an odd kind of freedom. They had to hide themselves, but not their relationship. It opened new possibilities.

Ahsoka bit her lip. She had, on occasion, allowed herself a little daydream of it. It changed from time to time. They would always be somewhere in the Jedi Temple. Sometimes in the Council Chamber, with its beautiful skyline – if she was going to dream, why not dream big, after all? Other times in the Room of a Thousand Fountains with all its greenery. Rex in a polished uniform. Herself in traditional Togrutan wedding dress. They would have a few of their friends with them. Master Skywalker, and, once she realized the relationship between them, Senator Amidala was conjured to stand beside him. Master Kenobi. Cody and a few others from the 501st. Master Luminara and Barriss. Master Plo. In her mind, it was always perfect. No censure, just happiness for and around them.

It could never be. The dead would not return to celebrate such an event, were it ever allowed to take place.

The rest – their lives in that pretend future – didn't seem so different than how they had always been. They would still work. Still be a Jedi and a Captain who fought for the Republic. What she wanted was an acknowledgement of the feelings between them that already existed. The freedom to love freely.

"Yes," she said aloud, softly. Her fingertips were set lightly on the tabletop. "Sometimes."

Rex's arms slipped around her waist, and he bent down enough that his forehead could rest against hers. He said, quietly, "Then I'm yours."

This time, she did flush. She slipped her arms around his neck and pushed up onto her toes to rest her head on his shoulder. The thought of Rex being hers gave her such a thrill of happiness. It was not a feeling of ownership, but rather of belonging and welcome. Her partner and dearest friend. Who was also ever so delightfully handsome. She pressed herself against him, and returned the words in a whisper, soft, against his ear. "And I'm yours."

From her very close position, she saw his mouth curve upward into a smile, and could feel a rumble of laughter building in his chest.

Ahsoka was suddenly struck by how odd it all was, and didn't quite manage to repress a giggle. It was just so bizarre, and yet so right somehow, to be standing in the middle of the house they were building with their own hands, in a backwater no one had ever heard of, at the beginning of a strange and unexpected future. It was a far cry from anything she'd ever imagined, possible or not.

"So should we consider ourselves married?"

The laughter that had been growing in him burst out. She let out a small shriek as he suddenly scooped her up. "What are you doing?" she laughed, legs dangling loosely over his arm.

"I think we need to go mess up our bed," he told her, his grin growing rather wicked.

She couldn't stop laughing. "Bed? What bed? All I recall having is a blanket on the ground."

"Okay, then I think we need to go mess up our blanket on the ground."

She pretended to look thoughtful, and said, with mock seriousness, "Hm, yes, I too feel this sudden need. The blanket needs immediate attention." Then, she added, kissing his cheek, "My dear husband."

"My dear wife," he returned, with a smile so delighted that it lit up his entire face, then spun quickly on his heel, heading towards the house's only other room.

It was good to be home.

***

I needed my fangirl moment, dammit! XD Forgive the excess of fluff.

And this is the end of the story. (really!) I hope you've all enjoyed!

As always,

~Queen