Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to Disney and is the intellectual property of George Lucas; he created the sandbox. I'm making no money off of this and am simply destroying the sandcastles.

In honor of Valentine's Day: A crack!ship companion story thread spawned by the "First Kiss: Variations On A Theme" Thread hosted by laloga. Vignettes by me about First kisses between unlikely couples... some of which you will see more of, some of which you never will. Accepting suggestions; you never know what the Muse might like ;)

Vig 1 - Fives / Ahsoka

Vig 2 - Aayla / Bly

Vig 3 - Katooni / Petro

Vig 4 - Ahsoka / Bane

Vig 5 - Asajj / Obi-Wan [My submission to the "First Kiss: Variations On A Theme" Thread hosted by laloga; link in my profile.]

Vig 6 - Echo / Riyo Chuchi

Vig 7 - Lux / Shaak Ti [not your typical kiss; part of the collab fic "First Impressions Crack!Pairings" between LadyZelthePen, Amaryllis Complex and myself; link in my profile.]

Vig 8 - Gregor / Ahsoka

Vig 9 -

Vig 10 -

Last First Kiss

Author's Note: This is post TCW and Order 66 and an 'excerpt' of a longer, in progress story that's almost finished being written. Fives and Ahsoka are a lot of fun as a pairing ;) Song title borrowed from the song of the same name by "One Direction"

….

Watching Fives talk to the dancer from across the room, his smile a sexy come-hither look that Ahsoka could never remember being turned her way, was like getting punched in the gut.

Rex had been gone for over seven months now. Seven long months where her only comfort had been the company of Fives, his friendship… and the memory Fives had gifted her to cope with the loss. A gift that had been more of a curse than a blessing of late.

What he'd done for her in the aftermath of Rex's death blew her away; at the time she hadn't understood just how precious a gift it had been. The last six weeks, having finally accepted Rex's death, that he was gone for good, she'd found herself dreaming more and more about the former ARC and what they'd done. What he'd done; selflessly giving her the complete memory of being made love to, just once, by Rex, and never asking her for more.

Except it hadn't been Rex that had made love to her, for all the man in her dreams had worn his face initially. Lately, since she'd unexpectedly caught Fives with a Torgutan dancer who looked suspiciously like herself, her dreams had changed. Rex no longer featured and Fives had claimed his place. The place that should have technically been his all along since Rex had never touched her and it had been Fives who'd made love to her in those early days.

Since reaching the point of accepting Rex's death, Ahsoka had started noting more and more details about Fives, but this one, this quirk of his irritated her the most. He was a flirt - a horrible flirt - and would go out of his way to chat up the most beautiful of the dancers in the cantinas and clubs they frequented.

Except he wouldn't stop there, and Ahsoka admitted that every time she watched him disappear with another floozy, a hard knot clenched in her gut and burned like bile in the back of her throat. She well recognized the emotion, though she'd denied it at first only to later concede it bothered her.

A lot.

And she was jealous. Fives had made love to her; shouldn't that have counted for something? How could he just… shaking her head, she knew how. He'd been the one to tell her that he expected nothing further from her after their one night together; that it had been about her and Rex. That Fives hadn't been a part of the equation; Ahsoka knew better now.

She knew how tenderly he'd held her, loved her, compared to his other bed partners; she knew it had been atypical behavior for him. That bothered her but not as much as the realization that she yearned to repeat the experience.

Repeat it, but not; this time she didn't want Fives to encourage her to think about Rex; she wanted Fives to be the one holding her, loving her and know she knew it was him. To know she wasn't imagining another man's arms around her; she wanted to look into his eyes, his face, and watch

Somewhere, between recovering from Rex's death, healing emotionally from the loss of what she'd had and never been brave enough to take and accepting the shift in the Galaxy with the fall of the Republic and the Imperial regime now taking its place, Ahsoka realized she'd been quietly building something unexpected and wonderful with Fives without really building it. Somehow, since being on the run together, Ahsoka had begun thinking of Fives as hers, but as a feeling she'd never given voice to.

It had resulted in the now, with Fives across the room, buying a drink for some stranger as dread swelled within her chest, knowing what inevitably happened next.

Next he would share a drink with the woman, make her laugh, flirt outrageously and compliment her on her eyes and her hair. Then, when she was open to suggestion, he would make it, tilt his head towards the back rooms with a smile that promised a good time and eyes that sparkled with suggestion.

I can't do this again, she realized with a start, already on her feet and halfway across the room before the drink had touched the lips of the woman Fives was speaking with. I can't sit there and watch him proposition another woman for a round of meaningless nothing.

As Ahsoka drew near, she heard the rumble of Fives' baritone voice, lilting and teasing, as he lifted his glass to the woman and touched the rim of it to hers. The woman returned the gesture with a smile and a short little laugh that grated on Ahsoka's nerves as they both drank.

Unthinking, as she drew close, her hand reached out to cross between them both and grasp Fives' drink, drawing both of their gazes. Never looking at him, Ahsoka smiled pleasantly at the woman and took a sip from Fives' glass. The harsh liquor burned down her throat, but she refused to cough, swallowing it down with a nod to the woman.

"It's always a pleasure to meet Fives' new friends; I'm Ahsoka, and you are?"

"Sherry."

The human woman cast a look at Fives in question, but Ahsoka answered the unspoken Who is she? question that was plainly visible on her face. Again, Ahsoka spoke without thought, not even really conscious of what she was saying as she turned to look at Fives.

"I'm his intended."

His amused expression somehow remained in place as the impact of her words exploded within the depths of his gaze. He took his drink back and tossed the contents back before pushing the glass away but never broke their eye contact. "So it would appear."

"So is this a couple's thing, then?"

Ahsoka laughed, glancing back at 'Sherry', "Thanks for keeping him company; he didn't know if I'd be able to make it tonight."

"Hey," Sherry smiled with a wink, "I'm easy if you want an extra playmate."

"Not tonight, Sherry," Ahsoka offered apologetically, "right, Fives?"

"Right," he seemed to have lost his ability to formulate anything but an agreement with her. "Some other time."

Sherry looked from one to the other, shrugged and then slid off her stool and walked away, glass in hand. Fives stared down at her, and Ahsoka stared right back. "Not that I'm complaining about spending my time with you, Ahsoka, but I did have other activities planned for this evening."

"I know what you had planned to do with Sherry, Fives." Exhaling, she was struggling to release her jealousy, fairly proud of herself for having chased Sherry off and not scared her off.

"You caught me, 'Soka."

"I remember what it was like."

His lips curved, but there was a shadow of wounded caution in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Memorable with Rex, was it?"

"Fives."

"I'm glad," he turned away, towards the bar and motioned for another drink - which was promptly slid his way.

Ahsoka stepped in, placing her hand on his wrist and preventing him from tossing the drink back. "Fives," she waited until he glanced her way, her words barely louder than the background noise of the cantina. "I wasn't thinking of Rex."

"He's the only man you've ever been with, Ahsoka," Fives made to shake off her hold, an edge to his words she didn't quite understand, "why wouldn't you be?"

"You and I both know that's a lie."

He laughed once, shaking his head, and succeeded in breaking her grip as he turned away. "Sure; whatever you say."

"Can we go someplace else, Fives? There's something I want to say to you."

"So say it."

"Not here."

Not only was the atmosphere wrong, but she could see Sherry watching from across the room just looking for the opportunity to jump back in. Anywhere private would have done, and this was far from private.

Fives must have seen something when he glanced at her for his lips thinned before he looked around the cantina. His fingers visibly gripped the glass tighter before he finally nodded, placing his drink - untouched - on the bar. "This place has lost its allure anyway; let's go."

They exited the Cantina side by side, both vigilant for tails and informants; those who would have dearly loved to capture a deserter and a Jedi for the bounty offered by the Imperials. By unspoken agreement, they returned to their ship, Fives waiting until they were safely on board and in the cramped main area before turning to her.

He sprawled in one of the booth like seats at the small table, his expression guarded. "Now that you've effectively trashed my plans for the night, what's on your mind, Ahsoka?"

It wasn't the opening she'd hoped for. "I..." Staring at him, watching him, watching her, what little had been there of her courage fled. There was no Sherry now to justify her actions and emotions; no Sherry to take the focus off her.

"You... what?" he sounded amused, though he looked the furthest thing from it. "You said it was important Ahsoka - and you did just scare off my playmate for the night."

His words acted as a trigger, loosening her tongue, her words coming out sharper than intended.. "You shouldn't have gone after her anyway!"

Fives straightened, his fingers tapping a stacato beat against the table top as he regarded her for a moment. "What I do with my personal time is none of your business; I don't belong to you."

You should. The silence between them for the heartbeat it took her to answer was laden with her unspoken thought. "You've had a different woman on the last dozen planets we've visited, Fives; don't you think that's a little much?"

"Only a dozen," he sounded aghast, "I'm slacking off!"

"You want to have more women?"

"Jealous, Ahsoka?"

"Yes!" She snapped, taking them both by complete surprise. The word escaped before she could censor it and, once it was out, there was no reason for him not to hear the rest. "How do you think I feel, Fives? I watch you pick up these women and take them back to your room. I can hear what you do together through the wall! I'm not an idiot, Fives; I remember what you once did to me, for me, and it's killing me!"

"Once is just never enough for anyone." Fives was shaking his head and getting to his feet, his tone caustic. "I'm not Rex, Ahsoka; I can't give you what you want."

With an inarticulate cry, she launched herself at him, driving him back and onto the edge of the table. "I don't want Rex, Fives; I wasn't thinking of Rex, I was thinking of you! I love you, you, di'kut!"

The shock on his face registered for a split second as Ahsoka reached up and hauled his head down, sealing her lips to his. Putting every ounce of her frustration into the lip lock, her nails dug into the hinge of his jaw as she pressed herself tightly, intimately against him. Hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, her breasts flattened against his chest, Ahsoka let the rapid tattoo of her heart slam against his, using touch to convey the truth behind her declaration.

Fives' reaction was all but instantaneous. His lips, firm as hers met his, softened a fraction, his head tilting to kiss her better even as they parted to suck her tongue into his mouth. His arms enveloped her, crushing her against his body, his hands splayed between her shoulder blades and across her backside.

The kiss was frantic, almost desperate, as Ahsoka tried to make him feel what she was feeling, buoyed by his response, his-

Fives suddenly tore himself away, his hands darting up to grab hers and wrench them away, pushing her to arm's length.

The loss of his kiss and his hard body against hers made her whimper, eyes wide, as she stared at him uncomprehendingly, gasping for breath. Surely she hadn't misread the passion in his kiss just now? The reaction no male could hide when pressed so tightly against another body? "Fives... what-"

"No."

"No?" Still reeling, Ahsoka shook her head as she tried to clear it; the one kiss she'd shared with each of her other suitors had never done that to her. "But-"

"I won't be your substitution for Rex, Ahsoka."

"Rex? You think I'm..." it was the dose of reality she needed to clear her head. "Rex is the furthest thing from my mind right now."

"I don't believe you."

Hardly the reciprocation she was hoping for. Even as that hurt, she couldn't say she blamed him as she stood there, staring into his eyes. Everything he was feeling was guarded, but the hurt her kiss had caused was plain to see. In his position, she decided, she would probably have been skeptical too. "I know you don't," even admitting that hurt, "but I am going to find a way to show you, Fives."

"How?"

"I don't know," she admitted, her gaze intense. "Last time we kissed, you pretended to be the man I wanted in an effort to help me. You don't have to pretend anymore; I don't want to kiss a memory, I want to kiss you."

"Ahsoka..."

"After everything we've been through, everything we've done, I know I'll have to prove myself. I know I'll have to show you, to make you understand that I mean it." Looking at him earnestly, she struggled to find the words as to why this was so important to her. "You... know what happened with Rex. You know I waited until it was too late, that I never said anything about how I felt for him; that I was a coward - we both were - and never got our chance."

Fives flinched with her words.

Despite his reaction, Ahsoka pressed on; she needed to make her point - to make him understand. "I don't... I can't risk having that happen with you, Fives. I know what I feel and if it takes some time so you can believe it, that's okay; I just... I can't keep going the way we are without saying something. Watching you with those girls is... well," she flushed, but didn't look away, "I want what they have; I want you for myself."

He was silent for long minutes, guarded, and her heart nearly stopped in her chest. "I won't sleep with you, Ahsoka."

She cracked a faint smile, relieved despite herself. "Sleeping wasn't what I had in mind."

Fives shook his head. "I don't..." he paused and started again. "It would destroy me if you called me... if you called me his name at the wrong moment."

The vulnerable moment was completely unexpected and Ahsoka swallowed hard, touched he'd trust her with such a personal revelation. "Fives..."

He shook his head. "I can't."

"I will never," she swore earnestly, "call you Rex again, Fives; I would never be able to mistake you for him, even if I wanted to, now."

"I want to believe you."

"Then let me prove it. Give me a month," she pressed, unwilling to conceded defeat; she wouldn't lose him now! "One galactic month to prove that I really do I love you, Fives; that I will never, ever call you by someone else's name again."

"One month."

"Let me try." Apparently she wasn't above begging to get what she wanted. "Give us a chance, Fives."

"I mean it Ahsoka; no matter how much I want you to touch me, or I want to touch you, I won't sleep with you until I'm sure."

Her lips curved. "Is all contact out? Because I don't think I can keep my hands to myself now that I know you want them on your body as much as I want yours on mine."

"Let's just take it slow, okay? We're friends first; let's build on that."

"So I can still hug you."

"And I'll probably kiss you," he conceded, "I won't be able to stop myself now."

"Good," her staunch rejoinder was accompanied with a mock scowl. "I'd hate to think I'm the only one who's going to go slowly crazy this month."

"You're sure about this?" He searched her features and she nodded, her expression softening as she strove to let him see she was in earnest. "If we do this, there's no going back, 'Soka."

A shiver raced through her; she loved his nickname for her and the way it sounded on his lips. "The only thing I know for sure is that I want this to be our very last first kiss. Whatever else comes out of it, I want all those new experiences to be with you, Fives. You and no one else."

Exhaling, Fives finally cracked his first, real smile since the cantina. "You love me, huh?"

She nodded.

"Then let's give this a shot."

fin