Omega pulled away, looking almost conflicted. 

“Meg,” you chuckled nervously. “You’re not here by yourself, are you?”

“No,” she said quickly. 

“Who else is here?”

“Well, everyone was home…”

You brushed her bangs out of her eyes, tilting her face to look at you.

“What’s going on, Omega?” you asked. “Where did your brothers go?”

“They went with Gregor,” she finally answered. “Except for Echo. He’s upstairs…”

“About time he visited,” you mumbled as you stood, quickly walking further into the house. 

“With Rex,” she finished.

You froze and your heart started to pound in your chest as you glanced at her over your shoulder. “Rex is here?”

She nodded. “They got in an hour ago. Echo brought Rex upstairs, and everyone else went with Gregor. He- he was– he’d been in bacta.”

You nodded solemnly, anxiety gnawing at your gut as you made your way to the home medical wing the boys had set up in their house. 

You choked back a gasp as you entered the room. Rex lay asleep on the medical bed, his midsection wrapped in layer after layer of bandages. You could see where the bacta healed cuts and bruises all over his body, leaving hints of yellow marks and silvered lines. 

Echo had pulled a chair to his bedside, his head in the crook of his arm. He seemed to be asleep. That’s probably why Omega stayed so quiet.

You turned your attention back to Rex, your hand brushing his cheek. “Oh, darling,” you whispered. “What happened to you?” 

“Mesh’la,” he sighed as his eyes fluttered open.

You startled a little, pulling your hand away and stepping back. He chuckled so softly you thought you’d imagined it. 

“Didn’t n- know you were here?” he breathed. 

You struggled to stifle a laugh; whatever pain medication Tech and Echo had him on clearly affected his lucidity. 

“I live here,” you told him. 

“Oh,” he hummed. “Oh, yeah. With- mmm… with Cross.” 

Your cheeks flushed. “Not- not with him. I mean, he lives here, too but I don’t n- I’m not–”

“Easy, mesh’la,” Echo chuckled. You hadn’t realized he was awake. “You deny it any harder, you might explode.”

“I just mean that we’re not–”

“‘S’okay,” Rex mumbled. “He- can take care of you now.”

“Rex–”

Echo called your name. “He’s barely lucid,” he explained. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“I do,” Rex protested, louder than he had been, and caused a coughing fit.

Echo jumped up to hold his former captain steady, who tried to wave him off. 

“‘M fine,” he rasped. “M–mesh’la, I know I didn't take care of you like I shoulda–” he coughed harshly. “If- if Cross takes- if he can take care of you–”

“Rex,” you finally stopped him.

He finally fell back against the bed. You sat on the edge of it, your hand coming up to cup his cheek. 

“Rex, I know you’re on some strong meds and I don’t know if you’re going to understand,” you said, biting your lip. “But you left me. You decided to go back and fight. You broke my heart to keep me away but I can fight with you.  Crosshair has been a good friend, but I’ve only ever wanted you. Ni- ni kar’tayl… gar darasuum, Rex.”

Rex closed his eyes tightly. “No, I-I can’t– ner runi ru'kel ash'amur ures gar,” he pleaded. “Ni linibar at cabuor gar, mesh’la. Gedet’ye.”

You couldn’t understand what he was saying; Crosshair and Tech had helped you learn how to tell Rex you loved him, but that and the couple nicknames they all had for you was pretty much the extent of your mando’a knowledge. 

But you did know that Rex tended to slip into using language exclusively when he couldn’t control his emotions. Whatever he was telling you, he meant it from his never-planted roots.

“Bic cuyir ori'shya cyarir par ni,” he said. “Gar cuyir ner oyu'baat.”

You glanced at Echo–his eyes sad and sympathetic–then back to Rex.

“I love you, Rex,” you whispered, certain that your voice would break if you spoke any louder. “I– I’ll leave you alone. I’m sorry.”

You left quickly, Echo calling your name. He caught up to you in the hallway, his hand on your shoulder.

“‘My soul would die without you’,” Echo said.

You blinked at him. “What?”

“‘My soul would die without you. I need to protect you, please,’” he translated. “‘It is more than love for me, you are my universe.’ That’s what he said.”

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Thanks for reading! - River

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