Chapter Text
The Temple was amazing. Hunter had never seen anything like it. Full of life and light and beauty.
The way the elegant pillars towered. The way the sunlight streamed through the windows. The way laughter echoed through the halls.
It was peaceful. It was also huge, which made finding Sajaun when he woke up to find her not in their rooms tricky. He'd been wandering aimlessly through the halls, looking and hoping not to get lost himself, when a padawan had suggested he go to the cafeteria on the south side of the building that the clones liked to frequent when they were on the planet.
It wasn't a lead, but he was starting to get hungry, so Hunter headed that way. The spacious cafeteria sat next to an open-air veranda that looked over the Temple gardens, where the chance and initial played. It was beautiful.
Hunter could see why his brothers liked it. He could also see Sajaun.
She was sitting off in the far corner staring out at the garden, sitting with- blazes above was that- “Cody?”
Both Sajaun and Cody looked up at his voice, and Hunter was struck by how awful Cody looked. He had washed-out skin, blotchy cheeks, and heavy bags under his eyes. He was a wreck.
Hunter sank slowly to sit next to Cody, ignoring the smell of alcohol on him, “What's wrong?”
Cody's face cracked at the words, and to Hunter's panic, a few tears escaped his eyes, “Obi-Wan-” Cody cut himself off with a sob.
Hunter froze. Of course. Obi-Wan's faked death. Sajaun had been furious when she'd found out. But Cody was Obi-Wan's right hand . This would have destroyed him.
“I found him wanted in the lower levels,” Sajaun said softly, getting up. I brought him back here to ride out the hangover. I was about to comm you.”
Well, that answered why she hadn't been in their rooms that morning. Hunter nodded in response as she took her tea and quickly and silently slipped away. He wondered just how early she'd been up if she'd gone hunting for Cody, found him, gotten him back here, and gotten him a good deal sobered up already.
Hunter reached out and gently squeezed Cody's shoulder, “Cody?”
“He lied .” Cody hissed, listing to one side, voice angry even as tears dribbled down his face, “To me. I thought he was dead .” Cody's anger vanished as the grief came back, and he sobbed, “I thought he was dead.”
Hunter couldn't imagine. He carefully gave Cody more caff and rubbed his ori'vod's back as emotions wracked through his body in shakes. He didn't have words yet to soothe this betrayal, so he didn't speak. Cody drained his cup and watched numbly as Hunter filled it back up from the pot Sajaun had left.
“He didn't tell me,” Cody said finally, mostly even as he played with the handle of his mug. I mean, I get it. Orders are orders. But this.” Cofy finally looked up at Hunter, desperate for answers. How do I trust him again? How can I?”
Hunter fought not to freeze and tried to come up with a worthwhile answer. What would Sajaun say? No, what had he learned from her? From Cody? From life?
“It's okay to be angry.” He finally settled on, “You can't ignore the emotions behind that betrayal.” Hunter thought of the devastation he'd felt when 99 had died or the anger and horror in him when he'd learned of the chips. An emotion like that couldn't be ignored. It was dangerous to do so.
“But to trust again is just as tricky.” Hunter continued slowly, closing every word carefully as Cody listened intently to every word, “It's not blind faith. It's only as strong as the person you're trusting.”
Cody frowned, sipping his caff, “How so?”
Hunter frowned as he tried to express his feelings: “If the person you trust isn't going to hold up that trust, they're not trustworthy. It's only as strong as they are. Think about Kenobi. His character. What do you know to be true?”
Cody considered, “He's loyal—to us, to the Jedi, to the Republic. He believes in succeeding at any cost to himself but not to others. He values life—any life—all life.”
Hunter nodded slowly, “Those are the facts. They don't change. Now apply them to his actions.” Hunter leaned forward, “He acted to save a life, putting only his own in jeopardy. He did it to serve and protect the Republic first. He's never going to act outside of his charter. People don't do that. Trust that.”
“That doesn't excuse what he did!” Cody hissed, anger now dimming.
“It's not an excuse.” Hunter shook his head. It's an explanation. You know he's not psychotic, so all his actions must have a reasonable cause—a rationale. You don't have to have faith in him; trust his character. He'll understand.”
Cody snorted and shook his head, “Force. I'm not sure I do.” Cody met his gaze and then winced, “When I heard, I was numb. I don't know what to think. And then- it was all so much. But then Sajaun said it was all fake, and suddenly I was so angry .” Cody paused and shook his head, “I know why he did it. I just can't get over everything that brought with it.”
Hunter nodded, “Then don't. Exist with it. It'll go away eventually.”
Cody nodded before inhaling deeply and sighing, “When did you get all smart?”
“Had to be at some point when I left your sphere of influence,” Hunter said dryly.
Cody barked out a laugh before groaning, “Ack. Force . My head's gonna kill me. Stang. Ugh.”
Hunter snickered at his brother's discomfort as he rose to his feet, “Come on, Saj can only do so much to shove you being wasted. Just be glad she found you before Fox. Somehow, I don't think that would have gone over well.”
Cody finished the last of his caff before standing and looping his arm around Hunter's neck as they started slowly walking out of the cafeteria, “What do I say to him when I see him again?”
“That you're glad he's not dead. And that you're really hurt.” Hunter shrugged, “But after you've crashed in a bed for a few hours. Force you reek.”
Cody's chuckles echoed through the marble halls as they shuffled their way home.