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Rex walked to Cody’s room with two cafs. Although his ori’vod was avidly against all social interaction, Rex would not give up. He saw his brother all fourteen days that he had been here and he was loving it. For so long he thought he was the sole survivor of the control chip. He hadn’t heard of any of his other brothers escaping the clutches of the empire even though he’d been looking. During the first year of the empire, he and Ahsoka went around each city trying to find his vode with no luck. They had no method of fixing them at that point, he didn't even know if they could fix them, but Rex didn’t care. He just wanted to find them. He went from having thousands of brothers he could speak to and relate to to being the last one conscious. He had never felt so alone.
To add to the loneliness, he and Ahsoka had split up for a few month stints to stay safe. They were too recognizable together and both of them would be killed by stormtroopers or the sith. They had no resources, no help, and no information. It was a miracle when he found a knowledgeable medic for their cause. She happened to be in cahoots with Breha Organa who pointed them to General Kenobi. He and Ahsoka were finally together when they found out Obi-Wan was still alive. He kept her calm during their three day journey to Tatooine for the reunion. It was there they met Obi-Wan, Senator Amidala, Anakin’s step family, and Anakin’s two children. It was definitely a shock. Rex knew his general was married to the senator, and he knew the senator was pregnant, but he had heard that both the child and Anakin died the night of the order. They couldn’t believe the story they heard: Anakin joined the Sith and was hunting jedi. They joined the effort to keep the twins safe from Vader and the empire and they never looked back.
It wasn’t too long after that that the rebellion was born.
They were all a mess at the start. The twins were infants at the time which only added to the high stress. He was adjusting to natborn life. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan were adjusting to hiding their power. Padmé was adjusting to life as a mom and a life without a career. It was hard and they all struggled, but they had each other. They spent each day working together and they got through it. Cody was currently at that stage of adjustment and struggle and Rex would be damned if he didn’t help him. They were family and family always helps each other.
He knocked on Cody’s door. Cody’s room was his. Rex never entered without permission and he never overstepped. Cody needed to own things and he needed to be in control of the things he owned. So even though Rex sometimes wished that Cody didn’t dress in all black or didn’t hide away in his room, he didn’t say anything. Control was important for a man who never once had it in his life. That was one of the first things Rex grabbed onto at the start of being his own person and it was important for Cody to have it too.
Cody opened the door and gestured for Rex to come inside. Rex handed him his caf which Cody accepted without saying anything. He closed the door and the two sat on the couch. Cody had not decorated at all, and Rex never would have expected him too, but it made the standardized room look so different from the ones Rex was used to. It seemed so empty in here and definitely not welcoming or calming. Maybe Rex should ask if he could add some personal touches. Maybe that could help.
“So this morning I woke up to the strangest dream. It was still during the war and we were on this planet where every lifeform had three heads, no arms, and two legs. At first it seemed weirdly normal and then I looked down and realized that I had four legs. It was so confusing.” Rex filled a lot of their time together speaking about random, unimportant things. Cody never said much while he did this, but he never kicked him out either so Rex kept talking. Somedays Cody nodded along, others he sat there and fidgeted with his hands. Rex never mentioned it. He was there to help Cody through this, not point out his faults.
“Then suddenly the scene changed and I was on top of an x-wing. I could still breathe and I was standing up straight without being knocked off which I thought was weird but it was also normal for dream me, you know.” Rex watched Cody nod. His ori’vods eyes were stuck on his hands. For Rex’s entire life, Kote was always the strongest of them. He was the most stable, he always knew what to do, and his strength soared above the rest. He was the best during every mission and Rex always looked to Kote whenever he needed help. He had never seen his brother like this: unsure, unused to his surroundings, quiet. Until now Rex didn’t know Kote could look like that. It hurt his head and his soul.
But Rex was a patient man, anyone who worked under Anakin Skywalker had to be patient, so he was willing to sit here and talk about absolutely nothing for days on end. Cody needed to be around people and he needed to be in a low stress environment. Rex would be there every step of the way and would stay even after his bother seemed ok. To Rex's knowledge, they were the only ones free from the control. They had to stick together.
“So I wake up in my room right and for a moment I completely forgot my dream and then it comes right back to me. And all I do is just lay in my bed like ‘what the fuck’.” Rex heard Cody scoff which made him smile. He looked over to see his brother slightly more relaxed than before. Rex felt pride in himself. He could finally help his brother just like Kote did on Kamino and during the war. It wasn't enough, and it definitely wasn't close to all the things Kote did for him, but he wouldn't give up. That wasn't even an option.
“Then what happened?” Cody’s voice was small and quiet. Rex had heard that tone in shinies or other vod during the war, but never Kote. No, Kote was the best of them. He never got affected by things the way the rest of them did. It sounded so stupid in Rex’s head now. Of course things affected Cody. Of course the war took its toll on its strongest soldier. Why hadn’t he realized that before?
“I got caf and then I came to see you. I had to share my dream with my ori’vod.” Rex knew that Cody liked to feel useful and needed, even when going through hell. So Rex spent each day making his brother feel useful about simple things he knew his vod could handle. And each day Cody appeared slightly better.
“Gedeteya’ Rex’ika.” Kote said. Rex tried not to smile too wide.
“Kih'parjai.”