#cloneflowerficevent

Your reluctance to Tech coming with you was simply from a place of feeling, precisely, your feelings for him. He made you both nervous and giddy but you knew nothing would ever come from it. So, instead you just relished in the time alone with him.

A few minutes later, Tech halts, his attention fixed on a cluster of vibrant orchids nestled among the greenery. “There,” he points, “those orchids might have some medicinal properties.”

You walk over to the orchids, marveling at their beauty. “Good eye, Tech. These could be promising.” You carefully gather a few specimens, making sure not to damage the stems and petals. Tech goes ahead and takes your scanner, beginning to analyse their chemical composition.

You crouch down beside him, looking at the scanner, curiosity piqued. “Can you tell me anything about them?”

“It states here that orchids have been known to possess a variety of medicinal compounds. With any luck, these might help mitigate the symptoms the others are experiencing,” he explains. Truthfully, some of his words go in one ear and out the other because you can't help but quietly admire him.

He turns his gaze to you, his eyes curious. “Do you believe these orchids will suffice?”

You snap out of your reverie, clearing your throat and looking down at the pile of scattered petals. “O-Oh, of course,” you say swiftly, helping Tech gather some into his backpack carefully.

You look back at the orchids, the soft mix of pink and purple flowers filling your senses. “These are so beautiful. Seems a shame to pick them.”

Tech looks at the flower and thinks for a moment. “I suppose they are nice on the eyes, yes.”

The next few moments feel like a dream as you watch Tech pluck a small strand from the bush. Your skin grows warm as he takes a hold of your chin with his thumb and index finger, turning your head towards him. Breath catching in your throat, you watch as he brushes your hair behind your ear and tucks an orchid into it. “I hope this will suffice,” he says softly.

You blink at him, taken aback. Where had that come from? Had he hit his head? Your silence lingers, and Tech suddenly realises his gesture was nothing short of flirtatious. “We,” his voice squeaks adorably, and he quickly clears his throat, “we should head back to the ship.”

You nod, still processing what just happened. “Yes, of course.”

As you walk back to the ship, the orchid in your hair has you recalling back to Tech did. His gentle words, his lingering touch on your skin… it was lovely. Tech walks beside you this time rather than behind, his usual composed demeanor slightly rattled, and you can’t help but smile at the thought of the brilliant, logical man having a tender, spontaneous side. Just for you.

You steal a glance at Tech, and your eyes lock. He looks slightly flustered, the tips of his ears turning a deep shade of red. As the Marauder comes into sight, you decide to take a gamble and stop. “Tech?”

He stops too, looking at you with curiosity. “Yes?”

“Thank you for coming with me. I know I already said that before, but I really appreciate your help.” Your voice is soft, and your fingers fidget nervously behind your back. “And for the flower in my hair… it was sweet of you.”

Tech smiles, taking a step closer. “You asked for my help, and I gave it. There is nothing to thank me for,” he says. His eyes flicker to the orchid in your hair and then back to you. “I apologize if this is forward, but I have always secretly favoured orchids. Both for their medicinal properties and, as you said before, they are beautiful and…” He trails off, his fingers flexing as he takes a deep breath, “and so are you.”

Your heart feels like it might burst from your chest, and your eyes glisten with unshed tears at his sweet words. Does this mean he likes you back? The possibility makes your heart race. But it could just be Tech being straightforward, yet you had never seen or heard him act this way with anyone else.

“Really?” you ask, the question sounding silly instead of just thanking him.

“Yes.”

You realize that you both have stepped closer to each other, your chests almost touching as he gazes down at you with gentle eyes. His gaze flickers from your eyes to your lips, but he’s nervous, and truthfully, so are you. Tech isn’t easy to read sometimes, making it hard to decide if he wants to kiss you or not.

You can feel his ragged breath on your face, his posture straight and stiff. So, you take the lead, standing on your toes and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. You let it linger, smirking as you feel him take a sharp inhale of breath.

When you pull back, you gauge his reaction. He’s bewildered and quite in awe. Eventually, he breaks out into a grin, and reading the situation correctly, he places a hand on your cheek and slowly leans in. His nose brushes against yours, and his lips are about to meet yours until…

“Are you two back?” A voice calls from the ship, and you both jolt back, alarmed. You look to see Wrecker coming into view, rubbing his tired eyes. “Any luck?”

A wave of relief washes over you both, thankful that the intimate moment wasn’t fully interrupted, but both a little disappointed it didn’t happen. Tech gives you an apologetic look before following Wrecker, who retreats back inside.

That afternoon, you make a remedy with the orchids and hand cups to each of the batch, making sure they drink it all and monitoring their progress through the rest of the day. By the fourth hour, they are looking better than before, and you feel immense relief.

You and Tech don’t have time to speak about what happened that day, but when he is asleep in his bunk, you notice you still have some leftover petals. So, with a small thought, you retrieve his helmet and begin placing the flowers along the edges of the visor, scattering them along the top.

The next morning, your heart swells and you realise you’re completely smitten with him as you see Tech wearing his helmet, the cute still flowers adorning it. He doesn’t seem to mind them at all.

Tags: @littlefeatherr @Kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @Jesseeka

@theroguesully @ladykatakuri @padawancat97 @staycalmandhugaclone

@ko-neko-san @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog

@pb-jellybeans @nunanuggets @sleepycreativewriter @erellenora

@ezras-left-thumb @the-rain-on-kamino @lamiliani

@tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi

@greaser-wolf @tinyreadersmur r @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420

Being a florist had always been your dream. 

You loved everything about flowers ever since you were young.You had the luxury of traveling to several different planets and systems because your parents were traveling merchants, so you got to see the local flora of different places all the time. You started asking for seeds you could buy or, if it were possible, you’d dig up some plants to take home with you. As you got older, you planted the seeds in a big garden, dreaming of one day selling all these exotic plants you’d collected over the years and sharing them with other people. 

Over your years as a florist, not only had you learned various facts and lore about the plants and flowers you collected, but you had also learned the language of flowers and the meanings or symbolism behind a lot of them. It was fascinating to you how many different meanings were behind each flower, especially when there were so many. You knew which ones represented friendship, courage, fidelity, hope, love…there were a plethora of meanings and you enjoyed each and every one.

When it came time for you to leave home as an adult and start your own life, you continued traveling the galaxy and eventually, you decided to settle on the island of Pabu, a peaceful paradise where you could settle down with a place of your own with your own garden and where you could finally live your dream as a florist. The mayor of the island, Shep, thought that having a florist on the island was a wonderful idea. You were able to open your stall and show and sell all the flowers you collected. You even had little pamphlets that you printed and had on display on your stall for people to read and learn about the different flowers you had as well as the flower language and meanings behind each one.

You thought your life was already perfect...until a certain someone came into your life.

A small family of Clones had been on the island off and on for some time and you’d caught sight of them before. They piqued your curiosity, having never seen Clones on the island before. It wasn’t until they decided to permanently stay on the island that you got to see them around and got to know them more…especially one in particular.

Hunter.

He was probably the dreamiest, most handsome man you’d ever beheld, which was saying a lot considering the many planets you had been to and the numerous men you had seen. You had heard about the sort of person he was, kind and helpful, and you'd seen proof of that in the way he had aided the people of the island multiple times. You found yourself watching him from a distance whenever you saw him either on the streets or in the colonnade. That was kind of a problem because there were a few times he caught you staring and you had to quickly look away, the heat rising in your cheeks at being spotted. Though, you could’ve sworn there were times where you caught him looking your way, too, which only made you even more curious. Though, it was probably just your imagination. There was no way someone like him would be interested in a simple florist woman like you.

The first time you’d gotten to see him up close in person and talk to him, he was out walking with his younger sister, Omega, and their lurca hound. They were passing by and Omega had spotted your stall. She was excited by all the different, exotic blooms you had and wanted to look at them. The way she ran over, her eyes wide with amazement, made you smile.

“I’ve never seen flowers like these before!” she exclaimed, her eyes scanning the many that you had.

“If there are any you want to know about, feel free to ask, young lady,” you said to her. “I’ve gotten several of these from different planets and I can tell you a few fun facts, too.”

That made Omega even more curious. She pointed to an orange, star-shaped flower with a red center. “What is this one?” she asked.

You peeked over to see which particular one she was referring to and then answered, “That’s the Damsel flower. They grow on Endor and here’s an interesting fact about them: they can spray pollen that makes their victims shrink into the size of an insect.”

The kid’s eyes went wide. “No way!” 

“It’s true,” you said with a nod.

Then she pointed to a set of black flowers you had in a vase. “What about these ones?”

“Those are black Fire Lilies,” you told her.

“And these flowers?” 

“Those are Sachi blossoms. I found them on Chandrila and it’s believed that their petals resemble the same shape as canary-moths.”

“Oh wow! Ooh, what about--”

“Omega,” her brother spoke up, stepping closer behind her. “Don’t overwhelm the lady.”

You turned your head to look at him and you chuckled. “I honestly don’t mind. I’m thrilled when I get to share my knowledge of flowers with people, especially children.”

“Well, Omega here definitely loves to learn,” he replied, ruffling her hair and making her snicker. 

It was then Omega spotted another flower and leaned in closer to see it: a set of red flowers in an ornamental vase. “Ooh, what are these?” she asked.

“That’s called Queen’s Heart. They grow around the royal palace on Naboo,” you enlightened her.

As she continued admiring them, she commented, “I love the bright red color.” 

The lurca hound came over, sniffed the flowers and then gave a loud bark with a small hop, seemingly smiling as it wagged its tail. 

“Batcher likes them, too,” Omega added, petting Batcher’s head. Then she looked over her shoulder and said, “Hunter, do you think we can get these for our new house? I think they’d look great!”

He chuckled, putting a hand on his hip. “If that’s what you want, kid. I’m leaving the decorating to you.”

“Yes!” she said with an enthusiastic nod.

You grinned down at the girl. “An excellent choice. How many would you like?”

“I might take just one for now and see if I’ll need more,” she answered.

“Understandable. If you find you want more, you can always find me here,” you told Omega.

After giving them the total for the price, Hunter fished out some credits from a pouch on his belt and handed them to his sister. She gave them to you and you picked up the vase of bright red flowers, placing it gently in her hands. As she took it, she asked you your name and then thanked you after you told her. Then she briskly walked off with Batcher at her heels. 

However, Hunter stayed behind and watched her walk away, a proud grin on his face. “She's been excited about finding things for our new house,” he told you, folding his arms across his chest. 

“You guys are new here, right? Or, at least, you’re now staying on Pabu for good?” you inquired. It was then you happened to notice he was wearing normal civilian clothing instead of his armor like before. Another sign that he was adjusting well to domestic life on the island. Though, he'd kept his signature red bandana, which you figured was a must for his everyday look. Not that you minded. It was a good look on him.

He nodded. “It’s been a long time coming, but yeah…we’re here to stay.” 

“That’s wonderful. Pabu is an amazing place. I think you all will be happy here,” you replied.

A sweet smile directed at you crossed his face and you could feel yourself starting to blush. You shyly brushed a lock of hair behind your ear and turned away, pretending to be examining one of the displays on your stall to hide your reddening face.

“What brought you here?” you heard him ask. 

As you pulled out from a box some clippers and some flowers that needed thorns removed, you answered him while you de-thorned the flowers, “I traveled a lot through the galaxy, searching for all sorts of different and exotic flowers to grow and sell on various planets. In my research of rare flowers, I learned of the blossoms of the weeping maya tree and later discovered that there was one on an island called Pabu. I came here at first to study it and collect the flowers, but found right away that the people here were so incredibly kind and welcoming. It felt like a place I could call home, which was something I hadn’t had in a long time. It didn’t take long for me to decide that I would just settle here and finally pursue being a florist like I always dreamed of.”

“I guess it’s safe to say you really like flowers,” he commented.

You finished getting the thorns off one flower and gave him a nod. “I do. I really do. I’ve been fascinated by them my whole life. Now, I have my own garden full of so many different kinds and I love getting to share them with others.”

“You sell them to people…but has anyone ever bought any for you?” was Hunter’s next question.

You scoffed playfully in response, turning your attention to the thorns on another bloom. “Of course not. Who would buy flowers for the florist?” To you, it was a silly notion, but you thought it was still sweet of him to ask.

There was a brief silence as you worked and you almost wondered if Hunter was still there, but then you heard him ask, “Which one would you recommend? Or rather…which do you like best?”

Hearing that, you put down your clippers and the flower in your hand and looked around for the flower you wanted to mention. Then you came around from inside the stall and motioned to a collection in the front. “I love roses,” you told him. “As much as I love exotic blooms that vary in looks and colors, I'm a bit of a sap for simplicity. I have a few different kinds: Ithorian roses, Jade roses, Tarisian roses….” You trailed off as you came to a group of roses that were so deep red in color that they were almost violet or black. “These are my favorite roses, though. The Malreaux rose,” you said with a wistful smile, your fingertips lightly touching the petals. 

Hunter stepped closer to you to get a better look at the roses. “What can you tell me about them?” 

The combination of him being closer to you than he was a second ago as well as him genuinely wanting to know more about the flowers made your heart skip a beat. “Well...they don't have the greatest history,” you said. “They were developed on the planet, Vjun, by the Malreaux family, who were the richest family on the planet. However…there was a lot of Sith activity there and some very dark things happened, especially involving the Malreaux's, but I won't go too much into that. I just love their color. The rich, deep red is gorgeous.”

“I agree. I think I'll take one of those,” Hunter stated. “How much?”

You told him the amount of credits needed and he pulled them out of his pouch again, placing them on the counter of your stall. After that, he bent over and withdrew one of the deep red roses from the bin, examining it for a moment as he turned it a couple times in his hand. 

A pleased grin crossed his face as he gave a one word remark: “Perfect.” Then Hunter's eyes found yours before he did something that took you by surprise:

He held out the rose to you. 

Dumbfounded, you stood there, looking back between him and the rose, stuttering as you tried to respond. What was he doing? You didn't know what to say. 

Then he smiled kindly and said to you, “You said no one buys flowers for the florist…so then I will.”

You gingerly took the rose from him. “Hunter…I'm speechless. You didn't have to do that.”

“I know. I wanted to,” he replied. 

Flashing you a coy smile, he turned away and left you alone at your flower stall. Your eyes drifted down to the bloom now in your hands. You had held many a flower before, but knowing this one belonged to you and was meant for you as a gesture of kindness felt different and special. Knowing this, you couldn't help but smile.

A couple days passed before you saw him again. He returned to your stall a second time with Omega again and also with his other brothers, Crosshair and Wrecker. He caught your gaze just as you were finishing up with another customer and you felt your breath catch at seeing him. Though, Omega calling your name brought you back to reality.

“Good morning!” she cried out, running over to you. 

“Morning, Omega,” you greeted her. “How are those Queen's Hearts looking at your new house?” 

Excitedly, she informed you, “They look great, just like I knew they would! Though, I think we're going to need more.”

“How many more do you need? I've got a few more available,” you said back.

“Could we maybe get three?” she inquired, holding up three fingers. 

You let out a small chuckle. “Is that why you brought all three of your brothers with you: so they'd all have something to do?”

“Very funny,” Crosshair sarcastically commented with a smirk while Wrecker laughed in amusement. That even got a snicker out of Hunter, too.

With that, Hunter offered you the credits needed for the three vases of Queen's Heart flowers and set them on the counter. You expected to see the three Clone boys grab them, but instead, it was Crosshair, Wrecker and Omega who picked them up. 

“We'll leave you to your other business, Hunter,” said Crosshair.

“Don't take too long,” Wrecker added. “I'm cooking tonight and you know I like to eat right away.”

Hunter rolled his eyes slightly. “Yeah, I know. I'll be on time.”

Both Wrecker and Crosshair and even Omega gave him knowing and what seemed like teasing glances before thanking you and leaving just you and Hunter there. 

“What other business do you have to do?” you asked curiously. 

He turned back to you. “I had my own things I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Me?” 

“I wanted to hear more about your travels through the galaxy and the different flowers you've collected. Whenever you're free to, that is.”

You blinked in surprise. Hunter was actually wanting to spend time with you? Surely, you had to be dreaming…yet you knew you weren’t. Even though you wouldn’t normally close your stall for a while, you knew you couldn’t pass up this opportunity. 

“I’m free now,” you said back. 

You could tell he wasn’t expecting you to make that reply. More than likely, he thought you would say you would be available later. “Are you sure? Don’t you need to run your stall for longer?”

With a snicker, you explained, “That’s one of the perks to running your own business: you can pick and choose your hours.” You pulled out from under the counter a wooden sign that said “Gone on break! Be back soon!” and put it up where people could see it. When you looked back at Hunter, you asked him, “Would you like to take a walk while we talk?” 

“I’d like that,” he said with a grin. As the two of you started walking, he asked his next question: “What is the wildest place you’ve traveled to collect a certain flower?”

You chuckled. “Oh, now that’s quite a story.”

“One, I’d be delighted to hear.”

During your walk, you both got lost in telling each other stories about both your adventures in the galaxy. You regaled him with some fun tales of learning about plant lore on other planets and he told you some of his times during the Clone Wars. You talked as though you had been friends for a long time. With him, you felt comfortable and almost free; like you could be yourself and share anything with him without fear of judgment. There were times you’d see him smiling at you as you talked and it only made you smile more. You felt as though you could’ve talked to him forever.

An hour and a half had passed before you both returned to your flower shop. However, you were just about to thank him for the walk when his commlink started to chirp. Then you heard Wrecker’s chiding voice come through, saying, “Hunter…you’re late.”

Hunter groaned in realization. “I’m on my way,” he responded before putting it away. 

“I guess I kept you too long, didn’t I?” you questioned guiltily.

“It wasn’t you,” he said. “I didn’t keep track of the time. I was enjoying my time with you.” Then he still smiled at you as if nothing was wrong. 

“I enjoyed it, too,” you replied, smiling back.

Then he perked up and declared, “Oh, I almost forgot.” He walked a couple steps over to the bins of Malreaux roses, pulled another one out and proceeded to hand it over to you just like he did the first time. 

“Hunter…,” you said, once again in disbelief at his gesture.

After you took it, he declared as he turned to walk away, “You’ll find the amount of credits needed for the rose included with my payment for the Queen’s Hearts. I hope to see you again soon, (Y/N).”

Once again, he left you alone at your stall with nothing but a red rose in your hands and a smile on your face.

A few days later, you arrived at your little shop early in the morning to get things ready for the day and were pleasantly surprised to see a third singular Malreaux rose on the counter with some credits next to it.

Hunter had come by before you to leave you your favorite flower once again. 

Two times before had been one thing, but now it had happened a third time…which made you begin to wonder. Your thoughts drifted to your knowledge of the flower language, specifically to the meanings behind roses.

Roses of the red variety like the Malreaux rose were usually given as symbols of love, affection and desire.

Did Hunter realize this?

You had said that the Malreaux rose was your favorite flower, after all. Maybe he was just simply continuing to get that one because of that, but there was still something in you that thought maybe it was best if he didn’t. There were other people on the island that knew of the language of flowers, either from you or they already had prior knowledge of it, and if they saw Hunter giving you these flowers that were meant as a sign of affection and that wasn’t his true intention, then rumors could potentially spark from that. You didn’t want to put him in an awkward situation, especially since it was clear sometimes that he wasn’t entirely familiar with how to be a part of a society like here on Pabu, having been a soldier most of his life. More than likely, he was unfamiliar with these kinds of things and was just trying to be friendly.

Though…it would be amazing if he was expressing interest in you…but that was a long shot in your eyes.

Even still…that didn’t stop you from keeping the three roses you’d received from him in their own special little vase at home, one you kept by the front door so you could place the roses inside as you walked in. 

The next time you saw Hunter or were able to get him alone, you would talk to him about it and set the record straight.

As luck would have it, you saw him the next day as you were closing up. It had been a busy day for you, having had to make a few flower crowns for a group of girls. The mayor’s daughter, Lyana, had wanted a party with her friends and you had offered to make all of them flower crowns, Omega included. For you, they were easy to make and took no time at all. Lyana and Omega came to your shop, both of them still wearing their colorful blooms in their hair. Hunter followed not far behind them.

“Thank you so much for the crowns!” Lyana exclaimed happily. “They turned out great!”

“We’ve all gotten a lot of compliments on them today,” added Omega.

You giggled at their excitement. “I’m glad you love them. They look perfect on both of you.”

With a devious smirk, Omega commented to you, “You should make one for Hunter.”

Lyana laughed and Hunter gave Omega a teasing grin as well as a look that said, “Don’t even think about it.”

After chuckling yourself, you responded, “As hilarious as that would be, I’m inclined to think Hunter doesn’t want one.”

“Well, Wrecker definitely does. Will you make one for him then?” asked Omega.

“I can bring one by tomorrow,” you replied, amused at the image of Wrecker wearing a flower crown and already planning out what would look great on him. “Right now, I’m heading home for the evening.”

“Okay. Have a good night,” said Omega as she and Lyana waved you goodbye and ran off in the opposite direction.

Yet again, there was now just you and Hunter.

You pulled your shawl up over your shoulders and you heard Hunter ask you, “May I walk you home?”

Him being so charming certainly wasn’t making things easier for you. You were so crazy about him and you had loved the time you’d already gotten to spend with him before, even if it hadn’t been much. You knew you had to talk to him about the roses, but you didn’t want to yet. 

“You may,” you accepted, thinking that you could have your conversation later.

He grinned at you before gesturing out with his hand and saying, “Lead the way.”

You started to walk away and noticed at first that Hunter wasn’t next to you, but then he suddenly appeared beside you like it took him a second to catch up. Waving that off as just nothing, you were content to just walk with him back to your house.

“The crowns you made were impressive. All the girls loved them,” he told you.

“Thank you,” you said. “I’ve gotten pretty good at making those and I thought it would make their party more fun. I’m happy they enjoyed them.”

“Are there other things you like to do or make with your flowers?” he asked.

You answered, “I like making bouquets or flower arrangements for things like festivals or parties. The usual things like that.”

“Are they hard to make?” 

“Mmm…they were at first, but the more I practiced, the easier they got.”

“I’m glad. I would love to see what you’ve made sometime, if you have any.”

You smiled and blushed at the attention he was giving you. Like always, you convinced yourself he was just being friendly, even though it meant a lot more to you than he knew. “Sure. I’d be happy to show you,” you said back. 

A few minutes passed and you saw your house coming into view. Even though it was a short walk, it still made you sad that your time with Hunter was about to end for the night. You had the thought of maybe inviting him inside for some tea just so you two could continue talking and spending time together, but you figured that might seem too forward. You just didn’t want to say good night yet.

The two of you reached the end of the pathway leading up to your house and you couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that you needed to talk to him now about the roses. Hopefully, this wouldn’t make things too awkward, especially after a nice walk home with him, but it needed to be done.

You turned to face him and you asked him, “Hunter…why have you been giving me all those roses?”

His head tilted, confused. “It’s like I said the first time: you said no one buys flowers for you and I thought you deserved to feel special, so I figured giving you your favorite flower would be nice.”

“Yes, but…do you know the symbolism behind giving someone a red rose?” Your hands fidgeted nervously as you prepared to explain it to him. “Red roses are usually symbols of romantic interest, attraction and affection.”

He looked at you plainly for a moment before he sighed quietly and a content smile crossed his face. “Finally caught on, have you?”

Your head reared back slightly, taken aback. “Wait…you did know?” you asked in disbelief.

His smile only widened as he reached into one of his pockets and withdrew a folded piece of paper that you recognized and held it up for you to see.

“You…you took one of my flower pamphlets?” 

Nodding in affirmation, he explained, “The first time, I simply wanted to give you your favorite flower. Then I took one of the pamphlets when you weren’t looking because I was genuinely curious. It was just a happy coincidence that the kind of flower I wanted to give you to…express my interest and affection happened to be that same flower you liked.” He put the pamphlet back in his pocket, stole a look at your still shocked face and then turned away shyly. “I’m still new to things like this and I wasn’t sure what to say or how to say it, having been used to the language of war for so long…so I thought maybe saying it in a language you understood best would eventually get my point across.” His eyes returned to you, awaiting your response.

Your hand came up to your chest, feeling your rapidly increasing heartbeat beneath your palm. Surely, this couldn’t be happening. “You’ve been romantically interested in me…all this time?”

Hunter smiled ever so sweetly and bowed his head again.

A happy gasp escaped you and your hand pressed even harder over your heart. This was not at all how you thought this conversation was going to go, but you were not complaining at all. This was even better than what you expected. “Hunter, I…I feel the same,” you replied, your lips curving up into a joyful smile. 

That made his own smile widen even more, his expression softened and his eyes lit up in a way that you hadn’t seen before. He took a step closer to you and asked you, “There’s something else I wanted to give you each time I gave you a rose, but was afraid to. May I give it to you now?”

A bit puzzled but no less intrigued, you simply nodded your head.

You were slightly startled when you felt his warm hand take yours. He proceeded to lift it up and your breath hitched when he pressed the back of your hand to his lips, his gaze locked on you the whole time.

“For the first rose,” he said as he lowered your hand, but keeping it in his grasp.

After that, he leaned his head down and placed a soft kiss on your cheek, sending a small shock through your skin.

“For the second,” he said.

His free hand came up to cup your jaw and you couldn’t help but lean into his touch, overwhelmed with joy at what was happening. He tilted his head up and pressed his lips to your forehead, letting them linger a little longer there than he had on your cheek.

“And the third,” he said as he looked back at you.

Then he reached around behind him and, to your great surprise, he pulled out yet another red Malreaux rose that you somehow never noticed he had tucked under his belt. He must’ve snagged it as you both were leaving your shop, which explained why it had taken him a few seconds to appear beside you. Your smile grew and your cheeks hurt a tiny bit from how much you were smiling, but you didn’t care. This was a kind of light pain that you would gladly grow accustomed to. Though, instead of handing it you, Hunter tenderly tucked it behind your ear, letting his hand caress your cheek as it came down. 

Then, looking intently into your eyes, he spoke in a soft voice, “Then this is for the fourth rose.” 

A second later, his lips descended down onto yours, capturing them in a gentle, sweet and affectionate kiss, one better than anything you ever dreamed of. His hand that still held yours let go and wrapped around your waist as you placed your hands on his firm chest and kissed him back. You felt as though it were just the two of you alone on Pabu, sharing this wonderful moment. The way his arms fit around you and your bodies seemed to fit together like matching puzzle pieces felt more than right; it felt like you were destined to be together.

It felt perfect.

When he reluctantly pulled away, he said to you, his voice a gravelly whisper, “I know we still don’t know each other very well, but I would like for that to change. I want to know you, (Y/N). I want to know everything about you and the things that make you happy. I want to listen to you tell me about every flower you know of, the meaning behind each one and see how your eyes light up when you talk about your passion. I want to make you just as happy and smile just as much…if you’ll have me.”

“I would love nothing more,” you said back almost right away. “I want to know you, too, and I’ve wanted that so much since you first came to Pabu. I hope I can make you as happy as you’ve already made me with the roses alone.” Then you took the initiative this time by taking his face in your hands and bringing him down just a little to kiss him again, feeling him smiling against your lips. After a few seconds, you pulled back and inquired, “Would you like to come in? I don’t want to say good night yet. I can make us some tea and we can spend more of the evening together, just the two of us. I can even show you my flower garden out back, too, if you’d like.”

“I’d like that very much,” he replied. 

You tightly grasped his hand and led him along the path leading to your front door. You pushed it open and brought him inside your warm and inviting home, your other hand lightly tracing the petals of the other three roses Hunter had given you sitting in the vase by your door.

Being a florist had always been your dream and you had achieved that a long time ago. Since then, your new dream had been a relationship with Hunter and that was now coming true. 

The memory of your beloved coming into your life prompted you into taking a deep breath in the middle of the flower shop amidst all the people happily buying their bouquets of sunflowers or lilies, all flowers that were easy to find and renowned by everyone. It had been a rainy summer, that one, and it was the summer your life changed when you put it into perspective. The decisions you made, the people you met… you remember your man being the sensation. Everyone was talking about him and you’d heard his name mentioned and repeated days before you even got the chance to meet him, and surely enough, you also fell for Howzer’s charms when you first laid eyes on him. It was hard for you to fathom your luck—the sheer way in which the universe had smiled at you, told you yes, you may have this man to love and to hold.

A smile appeared on your face when the memory of when he’d asked you to be his came into your mind. The clouds had cleared on that day and you felt a warm sunshine on your skin. The breeze that day carried the smell of grass and flowers and the noise of children laughing and families going about. Donning a sundress and a cute little hat with sandals that matched it, you’d met Howzer underneath an oak tree whose green leaves looked radiant in the sunlight, and he’d arrived with a stunning bouquet of blue freesias. The way the blue shade matched the colors of his armor from his days as a soldier didn’t escape you, and that was when he’d asked you if you wanted to make your relationship formal. You’d never been quicker to say yes to anything, and those flowers remained on a vase at the center of your home for longer than any other bouquet had in your entire life.

Your mother’s words came to mind, of that one time she told you, “When someone’s flowers last that long, it means their feelings for you are really strong.”

But your heart also ached at the memory of how beautiful Howzer’s gesture was. Now that you were hitting the three year mark, you wanted to replicate the feeling in him, let him know that you’d also be willing to go over the top for him any time. And while most of your three-year-anniversary date had already been planned out, this part remained a secret.

In theory, since your flower endeavor was a secret, there would be no real consequence to you not going through with it. But you were unwilling to let it slide.

Then, as the florist came back around the counter from the back of the shop, you took a deep breath, feeling your pulse rise as you anticipated all the things she could possibly say to you.

“I have good news and bad news,” the florist said.

“Oh, maker,” your words shook from nerves as you exhaled your tension, but your tone remained kind. “Start with the bad news, please.”

“Well, I have two pieces of bad news,” the florist continued. “I have no blue freesias, and I have no freesia arrangements already made.”

You nodded. “Okay… what about the good news?”

“I have freesias in just about any other color. If you’re willing to work with that, just tell me what other colors you want and I’ll have an arrangement ready for you in thirty minutes tops,” she smiled at you.

Your heart sank, and the florist took notice.

“I don’t mean to make it worse,” the florist said, “but if you’d come around one hour earlier, I think you still would’ve found some blue ones.”

You chuckled, your laughter dipped in slight disappointment. “Yeah… an hour ago I was at a different flower shop, and they told me the same.”

The florist gave you a sympathetic smile. “I can work wonders, you know. Why don’t you let me mix some white, purple, and pink freesias and sprinkle in some golden motifs?”

A thought suddenly perched itself on your mind as you remembered the warm glow of the evening when your relationship with Howzer started. Everything had seemed so golden around you, and after all this time, that was one of the first things that you thought of when the memory came. The next thing you always seemed to think of was how beautiful the teal of Howzer’s armor looked whenever the ambience around him was so warm. The image was vivid in your mind, and your heart raced with joy as you thought of your handsome Howzer, in that perfect lighting, only belonging to you.

“You know what?” You smiled at the florist. “Do you have any yellow and hot pink freesias?”

“You bet,” she replied.

“Okay… do you think you could mix all the colors, but give the warm tones priority? And maybe we could keep the golden motifs.”

The florist nodded at you. “Give me a half hour and I’ll surprise you.”

A half hour sounded wondrous. In that time, you could go to the bakery next door to get some of the last things you needed before your anniversary date.

“You’re a hero,” you told the florist. “I’ll be back!”

*

The sun had started to go down on the sky, and the light it cast on the outside took that beautiful shade of gold you so loved. Despite the flowers not going according to your plan, the bouquet the florist got for you was still gorgeous, and if anything, it complimented Howzer’s signature colors. You had the whole thing planned out, figuring you could trust the kind florist to help you with one last endeavor to give the evening one more level of charm. You never wanted to be predictable when it came to Howzer, especially not when it came to a day as important as that one.

You were approaching the spot Howzer had chosen for your date. He had the tendency to not be predictable when it came to you either, and though it would have been sweet to have your date where it all began, Howzer chose a place that was new to you. At a park in a quieter side of the town, where there was grass, benches, tall trees, and even a fountain, and you felt the romance in the air from the moment you arrived.

You marched yourself across the park, feeling occasional blades of grass brushing against the skin exposed on your sandaled feet, and the gentle wind flowed in harmony with the skirt of your white sundress. You made your way towards the spot of the park Howzer had told you to meet him beforehand, and when you were at a short distance, you spotted him talking with two of his brothers. He saw you coming, as you could tell by the way his gorgeous brown eyes landed briefly on you only for him to gesture hurriedly at his brothers to leave, causing you to giggle softly at him. Howzer was a gentleman, but you loved it whenever your charm brought out his more clumsy side.

As you walked up to him, you took in every detail of Howzer. Though you weren’t at the same oak tree, the warm light of the evening matched the memory so well it might as well have belonged to you and Howzer already. As for your boyfriend, Howzer wore light brown pants and shoes that were a slightly darker shade, almost approaching a milk-chocolate color. His white shirt seemed to be made of a light, breathable fabric, ideal for days with such high temperatures and warm winds blowing, and the white shirt had thin cross-stitch patterns embroidered along the length of his chest in teal thread, his signature color.

A large grin plastered itself on your face as you took those last steps between Howzer and yourself, and your free hand went up to his shoulders as you leaned in and perked yourself up on your toes to greet him with a light kiss on his cheek.

“Hi, love,” you chimed.

“Hi,” Howzer smiled at you, his gaze traveling over your silhouette. “Wow, you are… you are stunning.”

You giggled and gave a little twirl on the spot. “Thanks.”

You then paused as you watched him standing there, his hands hidden behind his back as he smiled a tad nervously at you. You took that moment to take in the rest of the details around you: the red and white blanket placed on the grass, a large plate with grapes, hams, and cheeses, a wooden tray with short legs to safely hold a bottle of rosé wine and two slender cups, and series of warm fairy lights already powered on for them to grow progressively as the sun set. You smiled at the scene and set your basket of bread down on the blanket, your chest swelling with joy as you looked over at Howzer again, ready to tell him how beautiful the set up was.

But Howzer remained with his same uptight posture, hands insistently behind his back.

You giggled again. “Well? Aren’t you gonna kiss me?”

“U-Uh, right,” Howzer stammered, revealing one of his hands from behind his back. “Suppose I could just do this.”

“Mmm yeah, you could,” you chirped as Howzer bent forward and kissed your cheek sweetly. Smiling brightly, you turned your face to face him directly, and Howzer leaned in again to press his lips to yours.

You sighed dreamily, sinking into the familiarity and warmth of his lips, letting your fingertips travel up to brush the skin on the sides of his face. You’d memorized all of him, from the texture of the scar on his cheek to the lines of his face, the way he tasted and how he tilted his head first to the left and then to the right when he locked lips with you. You grinned into the kiss, pressing your lips harder to his before pulling away with a tiny smile.

“Happy anniversary, dear,” you whispered.

“Happy anniversary,” Howzer reciprocated with a serene smile.

“So,” you raised a brow at him. “Wanna tell me what you have back there?”

The clumsiness returned momentarily to Howzer as he stammered on his words. “Oh, r-right. Um…”

Howzer took a deep breath, returning to his regal, captain-like demeanor. He straightened his back and looked at you with confidence and affection, two traits that would have you swooning over him for days.

“I wanted to have a balance today, you know?” Howzer began. “I do want to commemorate this day three years ago under that oak tree when you said yes to me, but it’s been three years, and as much as I hold the past very close, I also want to acknowledge the fact that you and I, well… we have a future. We have a path to move forward in, and… hence the new place. But… well, maybe putting it that way, it’s not such a tragedy.”

You tilted your head, confused by his last sentence.

Howzer chuckled. “To have a piece of the day you and I became a couple, I wanted to get you the same blue freesias I got you back then.”

He slowly revealed what he was hiding behind him, and you stared at the bouquet of bright yellow, red, magenta, and light pink freesia flowers. The bouquet was balanced out with smaller white flowers that resembled chamomile, and it was wrapped in cellophane on the outer layer and thin bright pink paper on the inside, tied together with a neat teal bow. Howzer held the bouquet out to you, smiling charmingly at you, and for a moment, he resembled a prince declaring his love to you for the first time all over again.

You chuckled at him, dazed. “Let me guess. All the flower shops were out of the blue freesia flowers.”

“It’s uncanny how I was unable to find any today. It’s like they plotted to ridicule me,” Howzer agreed, but now he raised a brow at you. “How did you know?”

You giggled, your cheeks flushing with heat. With the best of timings, you spotted the florist walking up behind Howzer, and your gaze regrouped with that of your lover.

“Well, you’re not the only one who remembers vivid blue flowers that day,” you said, slowly walking up to him and kissing his cheek, letting your voice lower into a whisper as you told him, “close your eyes.”

Happily, Howzer obeyed. You skipped past him and went over to the florist, mouthing the words “Thank you” as you took the bouquet from her and took your position in front of Howzer again. You held the bouquet in front of your chest and smiled brightly at Howzer, your eyes sparkling.

“I know about the blue flowers because I wanted to get them for you too,” you said.

Howzer opened his eyes and felt his chest swelling with love at the sight of you holding the bouquet. You’d gotten the flowers in the same colors he had, and the golden motifs didn’t escape him.

“Darling,” Howzer sighed as he took the flowers from you. He chuckled softly, looking you in the eyes. “Well, great minds do think alike.”

“I guess they do,” you beamed.

Howzer set your bouquet down on the blanket next to the one he’d gotten for you. He rested them on your basket of bread and smiled at the way both complement one another, not unlike you did to him. Howzer then took your hands in his and looked you in the eyes, gazing into you with all the tender care he held for you.

“I love you,” he spoke softly.

Your entire chest fluttered, and your eyes glimmered up at Howzer as you blessed him with the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.

“I love you too,” you said before leaning in and letting him kiss you.

As you both pulled apart from the kiss, the gleam in your eyes turned excited.

“Now, can I please start eating that cheese?” You proposed.

Howzer laughed. “Help yourself. I’ll pour the wine and get the crackers.”

“No wine, no crackers, no bread,” your hungry side got the better of you. “Only cheese.”

Howzer kissed your cheek, pressing himself firmly into you and smiling into your skin with how much he adored you. You then took a seat on the blanket and grabbed a cube of rich, yellow cheese, plopping it into your mouth. As you savored it, you leaned your head back, taking a deep breath as you enjoyed the peace, the breeze, the whole evening. Hearing as Howzer opened the bottle of wine and poured the two cups, you reached for a grape and smiled, knowing you were in the middle of perfection.

Here’s to more years, you thought as Howzer took a seat next to you, handing you your cup of wine.

You clinked your glasses together, and then you leaned your head on his shoulder, smiling as you gazed into the sunset and enjoyed every second of your time with the man who made your days bright and your years sweet as the scent of freesias.

Thanks so much for reading! If you like this fic, please consider reblogging to support me!

The plan is to gain a lift from a well-known and rather immoral Senator who makes a predicted appearance at a high-end nightclub on Coruscant. You are the bait and your trusted colleagues in the 212th are the snare. The senator is known as Drelo Valde. He is a Theelin-Human hybrid with recognizable bronze skin and silver spots. He has a triad of horns on either side of his temples that shape a curly head of reddish-auburn hair that falls mid-length at his shoulders. This Senator has had a hand in toppling the economies of countless planetary systems, rendering them feeble and impoverished, ripe for oppressive claims of slavery distribution throughout the galaxy. When offered the opportunity to get your hands dirty helping the very same people who have been affected by his greed, you jumped at the chance.

Your speeder’s radiator was manually overheated as per the trusty sabotage of Waxer, causing a plume of smoke to fill the lot of the club. Upon the Senator’s exit, he takes notice of you and your troubles, introducing himself as your knight in shining armor coming to save you from this mishap. “Drelo Valde, at your service. Care for a lift, my dear?”

As part of the plan, he cannot resist putting his facade of kindness on display, wasting no time in approaching you in hopes that this little quest will be all over the holo-reels in no time. “Oh, no it’s fine! I have an agent arranging a replacement right now. Shouldn’t be too long.”

“Well, I could make the wait a little more bearable by transporting you to the dealership myself. I know just the way.” He proposes, extending his arm in hopes you’d take the kind gesture he’s offered.

“I suppose, if it’s not too much trouble.” You accept the offering, and he walks you to his enclosed chromium yacht, opens the door for you and helps you inside. He likewise climbs in opposite to you, leaving the velvet upholstery to be fully occupied.

The drive begins as expected. He pulls out of the lot in the club, ascends to the hovercraft lanes to follow the flow of traffic, although your stomach turns when you notice he takes an exit that brings you deeper into the lower levels. “Uh, I think we missed the turn.”

“I know a very reputable repair mechanic. I outsource him to do all my work. He’ll give you a great deal, I assure you.” The lower you travel into these decrepit levels, the more your gut begins screaming at you that this isn’t supposed to happen.

You keep traveling with him, trapped in his yacht with the light of the sky disappearing as you plunge into darkness. This course is not familiar to you. The path to the dealership was reviewed and revised repeatedly in your mind and you did not account for this deviation. Your nerves throb like alarm bells, sending twinges of discomfort from your chest down to each and every one of your limbs. The adrenaline in your blood is building for a massive dump of endorphins, preparing to help you persevere through whatever happens next. The thunder of your heartbeat is deafening. Your mouth becomes drenched with saliva, and you feel as though you could paint the control console with your insides. “Where are we going?”

“Trust me.” He grins at you suspiciously. “It’s just around this corner.”

The remote location he’s taken you to hasn’t a speeder in sight and does not look anything like a hovercraft dealership. It’s a tight fit of a landing when he parks his transport, affording very minimal space on this small platform connected to the main industrial-style infrastructure by way of a steel bridge, rusted and unstable in appearance. He doesn’t address you before exiting the craft. His demeanor has shifted from pompous and haughty to rigid and predatory. He circles the platform slowly and you feel his eyes burning into you every step of the way. When he reaches your side of the chromium trammel, he gives you an ostentatious smile through the transparisteel windows before deploying the release mechanism on the door. He opens it, stands between you and the only path in sight with that sickly grin still plastered on his face. “Come along, precious.” He orders through his teeth, flat and resolute as if this is just routine for him, meanwhile your entire world is about to come crumbling down.

Thankfully, you’re fast and agile enough that you evade his grasp as soon as you hop out and onto the pavement. You feel the burn of his clammy fingers as they scrape against your skin, only able to rip a piece of your blouse before you are already a few yards down the bridge. It’s creaking and rattling with every step, swaying from side to side. The turbulence increases when Senator Valde begins to hastily make his way towards you. However, you stop dead in your tracks when you are greeted by a medical droid awaiting you at the end of the path. Its red, lifeless eyes slice through your concentration on escape, and you are suddenly weighed down by the body mass of the Senator.

He yanks you by your collar, choking you momentarily as you cough through the constriction he’s put around your neck. Both arms are restrained behind your back and you’re being ushered forward, closer and closer to the droid. Once within reach of your legs, you lift your left foot up and plant a hard kick to the droid’s steel chassis, pushing off its frame and into Valde. He was not expecting you to be so daring and he stumbles backward, tripping over his own feet and falling flat on his back. 

The droid recovers, adjusts its posture and advances with a terrifying stoicism etched deep into its programming. One of its limbs clicks and whirrs, transforming an extension of its arm with a blinding mass of electrical volts. With every step, you can feel the temperature rise as it inches closer, threatening to stun you with its electrifying burn. Senator Valde regains his composure, adjusting his appearance with a brush of his taloned fingers through his hair, tucking it behind his horns. He chuckles, brushing your dusted footprint off his crimson and gold robes. He engages in direct conflict with you, grappling with your flailing fists as you fend him off while trying not to suffer a beating from his droid. He takes you down with a swipe of his foot behind both your legs, buckling you so that you fall and he’s able to pin you to the floor panels. You struggle and fight for your life, scratching him, biting him, threading your fingers into his hair to knock his skull against the supports of the bridge. In doing this, his horns dig into the meat of your wrists, causing them to bleed profusely when the razor-sharp features cut into you with the effort. Blood pours from your limbs and onto his face, further blinding him and you use this moment to shift your weight further beneath him so that the droid lands his beatings across his back and not on your face or arms. 

Senator Valde cannot withstand the intensity of the strikes, crying out in agony when the electric shock travels through him. Due to his contact with you, the current travels and causes you to also seize and thrash just the same. Though, the diffusion through his body impedes a lot of the paralyzing effects to take hold and you’re able to shove his dead weight off between painful blows from the droid.

Valde groans, his psyche swaying on a pendulum between consciousness. Positioning your dominant foot up and towards his stomach, you muster all your strength into hoisting him over the edge. The sudden displacement causes the droid to hobble, holding onto the rail of the bridge as the swinging grows more violent. You’re still on your back, crawling away on your elbows and towards the platform the chromium yacht is parked on. The droid tries to take another swing at you, but the recognizable piercing of a fiery sniper bolt breaks the sound barrier from a distance. The droid’s circuitry is fried instantly as it too falls victim to a long trip through the furthest depths, swallowed whole by the planet.

The darkened space is brightly lit up with sirens from local Coruscant Guard cruisers as well as the investigative squadron of the 212th. Amongst them, you can see Waxer zooming through the air in a determined path to reunite with you, a rifle seen amongst his wares.

You spring to your feet, running in the direction of the clones in order to clear yourself of this bridge that is subject to collapsing at any moment. With every step, you hear the iron creaking louder and louder until it ultimately snaps like a twig. The path in one direction was only a few yards, yet trying to reach it in time before the panels completely fall apart proves to be a true test of endurance and faith between you and the people around you.

The railing detaches from the ship’s platform and there is now a space between the bridge and the industrial infrastructure that is growing by the meter. At the last second, you search for Waxer amongst the chaos, realizing he’s traveling as fast as he can to your position. “Don’t look down!”

 You see him bob and weave through other speeders and transports, shuffling through his brothers in a plight to save you. The strobing flashes of light from the bigger ships surrounding you nearly throw you off course, but you reach the end of the bridge’s pathway and leap off of it, nothing below you but the smoggy atmosphere and a desolate trench.

Waxer’s courage is fueled by your own, kicking his speeder-bike into overdrive while extending his arm in a desperate reach for yours. That blessed contact is a double-edged sword, simultaneously thankful for your noble savior while cursing his name for putting you in this position. 

He pulls you up and onto his bike and you wrap your arms around his midsection as he returns to park on the platform that is now surrounded. Waxer helps you off and eases you into steady ground, giving you a moment to sit down and breathe. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

He begins looking you over, pausing with fright when he sees your wrists already painted with drying blood. You retract your arms with a noticeable fury, denying him this touch of security to bestow upon you. “Did you know he would take me here?”

“What? No! None of us did!” Waxer removes his helmet, showing you the genuine penitence in his eyes with every inflection of his speech.

The fleeting moment of attempted convergence disappears quickly when Obi-Wan’s shuttle approaches. He and a team of Coruscanti medical staff step off their levitating ship and onto the platform, robbing you and Waxer of any further conversation for the moment. He looks upon you, crestfallen and stricken with guilt for letting this happen to you. He stands in the shadows, putting his helmet back on so as to conceal his true emotions.

“You’re incredibly brave, you know that?” General Kenobi remarks to you. “If not for you, we wouldn’t have found out about this little operation.”

“You knew this was going to happen?” You try not to let the venom in your voice be known, but you have a feeling the General can feel it seething from every pore.

“No, we didn’t know any more than you.” He pauses, glancing at your wounded wrists then ordering his troopers to tend to you with a wave of his hand. “There were rumors this existed, but it was a fortunate turn of events that influenced him to take you to one of his many criminal headquarters across the systems. You were never in any real danger. We’ve been following you since you left the club with him, as planned.”

A fortunate turn of events? You were nearly killed, and he couldn’t have had anyone step in sooner? You are unwilling to continue the conversation, hanging your head and watching as your wrists get a healthy coat of bacta spray misted across the slash marks, then protected by a couple soothing med-patches until you are taken to the infirmary for proper treatment. 

“We have located the lair, General.” Cody announces aloud through Obi-Wan’s wrist comm.

“Excellent.” He responds. “Document everything you can and release all prisoners you recover.”

“Sir, yes sir!” Cody signs off and Obi-Wan directs his attention back to you and Waxer.

“Make sure she gets back safely.” He tells Waxer. “There are many people who would like the chance to thank her for her service. We ended up finding out far more than we would have in a formal interrogation.”

“Of course, sir.” Waxer salutes his General upon his departure, rushing directly to you as soon as they leave. Your wrists are painful, sore and inflamed. Your blouse is torn and dirtied and all you want right now is to shower and pass out. 

An additional transport is hailed specifically for you and Waxer while everyone else remains at the site for investigation. He helps you on board, but you don’t say a word. After making it to the Jedi Temple where you are afforded some time to yourself to clean up, you finally are able to process what happened back there, and the weight of how being pushed to your limits truly defines you. Waxer can only sit by and hope you will accept his apology when it’s offered, awaiting the right time to do so. Waxer leaves you alone in a private refresher, standing guard at the door while you wash away the torment. “I’ll be right outside. I’m not going anywhere.”

Alone at last, you peel the soiled blouse off your skin, careful not to disrupt the waterproof bandages around your wrists. You impulsively step into the enclosed shower still dressed in your underclothes, the gentle downpour pleasant as you’re eager to feel it, but the sight of red painting the tile at your feet is shocking to see so soon after the harrowing events.

Pulling your eyes away from the floor, you try to search for some semblance of stability in your features but are soon met with the very same shade splattered across your face when you peer into the reflection of the shower’s glass door. Your mind is paralyzed by flashes of the crimson and gold robes, a fanged maw baring teeth, so much blood…

“Hey, the water’s been on for a while now. Everything alright in there?” Waxer is growing concerned about the lack of activity in the refresher. He’s been closely listening for adjustments to the temperature, the noise of toiletries being used, but the sound has been dead and still for nearly twenty minutes now. “Hello?”

He calls but you don’t answer. You can’t even hear him. He calls out to you again and when you don’t respond, he changes his approach. “I’m opening the door. No one else is out here and I am not going to look at you. I promise.”

He enters the room and is taken aback by the foggy obscurity, having trouble locating you through the wall of steam. He doesn’t see you standing upright in the shower, searching lower towards the drain in fear that you’ve fallen and hurt yourself, but in contrast to his expectations, you’re merely curled up in the fetal position seated upright in the corner with your undergarments still on. 

“Oh…” Waxer whispers under his breath, opening the door to the shower slowly so as to not alarm you. Though, you still jump when you see that he’s here, having not even noticed that he came into the room, let alone the shower. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. They’re not here. No one is going to hurt you.”

Salty streams pouring down your eyes mix with the shower’s water, drenching you in sorrow. Your jaw trembles, petrified to speak your reality into existence. “I didn’t know I would be killing a man today.”

Waxer would do anything in his power to rid you of that burden, but he knows that a goal like that is impossible. Instead, he does what he can to make it easier to handle as best as he knows how. He cares not for his uniform appearance or indoctrinated presentability at this moment. Right now, all he cares about is joining you on the floor of this shower and holding you in his arms as the hydrating cascade cloaks you both.

Waxer cradles your head, hugging you to his chest as you bury your face into his neck. He holds you close, squeezing you into his space with a pertinent force that is almost suffocating. The resonance of the water falling upon his armor sounds like rain hitting the pavement. You’re mixed up with a whirlwind of emotions, anger, regret, devastation. All of which are battling with the need to feel loved and safe as you are here and now. “I know… I’m so sorry. I should have never done this to you.”

If this were anyone else, they would be telling you to get over it, sing you the song of collateral damage, but Waxer cannot deny the wrath he’s caused you, intentional or not. He takes full responsibility despite no one having a clue it would play out this way. In the back of your mind, you feel silly for being mad at him at all, but for now, the grudge is too powerful to let go.

You stay in his grasp for a few moments more, sniffling and sobbing through the shock. After a while, you lift your head. “I would like to finish up by myself… if that’s okay.”

Waxer pulls away from you, petting your face and soothing your stinging wrists with his thumbs before kissing both bandages, his soul patch below his bottom lip making a slight scratch noise when he touches the gauze. “Take your time. I’ll come and check on you when you’re done.”

He doesn’t even dry off, stepping out of the refresher and into the temple corridors with a sloshing of his water-logged armor to leave you by your lonesome.

Waxer kills some time and air dries by taking a walk amongst the grounds, picking a handful of planted flowers that fill the garden plots in the courtyards. By the time his dampness wears off, he’s accumulated quite a large bouquet of various flowers, the most prominent of which are bright red poppies. He feels proud of them. Their sturdy stems, healthy blooms and striking color ensures this to be a perfect token of apology.

Waxer enters your living quarters. You hear him walk through the narrow halls and travel back to your cozy bedroom where you’re sitting under the covers watching the news broadcasts about the senator you had slain. Waxer has a bouquet in tow but deviates from giving it to you for a moment while he turns the holoprojector off. “You don’t need to be watching that right now.”

“So, you’re the kind of man who uses flowers to do the work for you, eh?” The offense in your voice is loud and clear now that you both are alone with one another. “I don’t want them.”

“Look, I didn’t know that would happen. Please, you have to believe me.” He kneels at your bedside, still holding the flowers he picked in his hand, reaching for yours with the other.

“The way your General explained it, that was always a possibility. Keeping me in the dark was to ensure that he wouldn’t see through the ruse.” You argue back, acknowledging that Waxer is not completely at fault in this, but you would have appreciated a head’s up on what The Republic was really looking for anyway. “Next time, I want a full run-down. All possibilities, all variables, and a specific dossier with everything on the perp. Got it?”

“N-next time?” Waxer is astonished at your stipulations as this certainly proposes that you’re up for more missions of this nature.

“Now that I know what I am getting myself into, I want to prepare for the next one even better.” You confirm.

“Kenobi was right. You really are one of the bravest people I’ve ever met.” He smiles, pauses then looks down abashedly at the pretty poised poppies in his hands. “Though, if I’m not supposed to give you flowers when I’m sorry, when should I?”

You take them from his hands, spinning the blossoms to aerate the seeds and waft their rich, earthy aroma into your noses. Taking a single flower from the bunch, you place it securely behind Waxer’s ear, caressing his stubbled cheek and leaning in to kiss his full lips. Pulling away, you grin at the sight of his cheeks growing deeper in shade, almost mirroring the same vibrance as the flowers, thus substituting the horror you associated in this color with the radiance of nature’s treasures such as smitten blush and charming fronds. “You give them for no reason, Waxer. No reason at all.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deft fingers plucked a sprig of vegetation from its place among its brethren. With careful inspection for any signs of blight, the herbalist’s gaze fell to her escort. An impish smile curling her lips.

“Ser Wolffe, I’m inclined to warn you that if you keep that expression it may freeze.”

She was met with a humorless laugh, “Is that your way of putting a curse on me?”

“If I intended to do harm, I would have slipped my turmeric reserves in your wine skin while you slept.”

Her eyes drew to the skies overhead. The clouds granting a reprieve from the afternoon sun.

The clink of plate mail reached her ears, “Have enough weeds for your potions?”

The herbalist cast a sideways glance, “Medicinal herbs for my elixirs, and no, these would barely last your men a week.”

Silence enveloped the pair as she trekked deeper into the forest. Her armored shadow trailing behind.

The tranquility of their herb expedition was halted as the heavens opened up pouring rain onto floral and fauna alike. The pair slogged through the muck to their refuge, a cave hopefully abandoned of creatures. A firm grip on her shoulder halted her scurrying.

"Stay near the mouth."

His other hand drew his sword from its sheath. He stepped deeper into the cave, sword at the ready for any beast that called this cave home.

The apothecary peeled back the hood of her cloak. The material clinging to her from the downpour. Her satchel soon met the ground as gently as she could. The flora samples and vials of many elixirs and tonics softly clinking together. She freed herself from her cloak as he returned.

"It's abandoned. We can wait for the rain to pass."

With the issue settled, the knight took to gathering what dry wood that could be found. After attempts to coax a spark, the herbalist began to rummage through her satchel. Finding her target, she produced a sealed vial containing a ghostly white plant. The cork loosened with a satisfying pop, she tipped the vial onto the collection of wood.

"You have a spell for this,"

Her nose scrunched as she set to work with her flint and steel. Once. Twice. On the third strike, a spark finally fell into the moss setting it alight. The wood beginning to crackle as it began to catch.

"I'd prefer trusting in science over waving hands and muttering hexes."

The knight slipped his belt from his waist, resting his sword against cave wall. His chest plate was soon to join his weapon revealing a charcoal tunic. A lupine silhouette etched into the fabric with meticulous thread work.

Her gaze whipped away from his form in favor of her satchel. A metal pot being worked loose from its fastenings before she tipped over a few waterskins before she set to work on her mortar and pestle. A tincture of violet petals soon ground into a fine powder with her deliberate motions. The pot soon being warmed by the bed of embers as the powder was split between two cups.

He studied her ministrations. The soft scraping of stone on stone melded well with the crackling of the fire. It was not much longer before a steaming mug of the mixture was before him.

"It'll take the chill out, and allow you a night's rest."

At meeting his unwavering gaze, she took a sip from the mug before offering it once more.

"It's harmless lavender. It only helps."

He gingerly wrapped his fingers among the mug, savoring its warmth before he lifted the beverage. The scent he was only familiar with in large cites wafted towards him. Its delicate floral notes momentarily softened his vigilance.

The mixture met his lips and soon warmed his core only to spread outward as time passed. His muscles less rigid. A sigh allowed to leave his lips.

Perhaps some witchcraft would be a welcomed comfort. As long as she was the one to brew her potions for him.

Continuing your walk, your feet eventually tire, and you opt to sit on a nearby bench while Fox stands awkwardly beside you. “You can sit with me, Commander,” you suggest, patting the space next to you.

“I appreciate the offer, but I must remain vigilant to protect you,” he replies, giving you a nod and you can’t help but wonder what expression lies behind his helmet.

“I doubt anyone will attack me here,” you say, though Fox’s squared shoulders suggest otherwise. “...or do you know something I don’t?”

He clears his throat and gazes down at you, his eyes meeting yours through the visor. “All Senators are at risk, ma’am. However… your advocacy for Clone rights has made you a target in certain political circles.”

You shrug. “If they want to shoot me for it, so be it.”

“Ma’am, please don’t say that,” Fox winces, looking away and shaking his head. He seems to want to speak freely, but refrains.

“Thank you for protecting me,” you say gently, shifting your gaze to the vibrant flowers that soothe your nerves. “I can’t think of another Clone I’d rather have by my side to appreciate these gardens.”

Fox tenses beside you. “Y-you’re welcome,” he stammers, a rare but endearing lapse in his typical stoicism.

You both settle into a peaceful silence, though you wondered how Fox is faring. Often, you ponder whether he enjoys these quiet moments with you or would rather be back in his office. You recall the amusing sight of his brothers stuffing countless empty caf cups into a corner when you first visited him, and the strain in his voice and stiff body language betrayed his embarrassment over the discovery of his caf addiction.

You just hoped it wasn’t because he was exhausted.

“So,” you begin, snapping out of your worried thoughts, “you’ve walked with me in these gardens plenty of times now, Commander. Is there any particular plant, flower, or tree you like?”

Fox turns his head towards you, tilting it slightly, which you find unexpectedly adorable and you scold yourself mentally for thinking so.

“I’m afraid my answer will bore you.”

You give a wry smile. “I’m sorry, you probably have more important things to be doing, I’m sure.”

“Taking care of you is the most important thing to me,” he says almost sternly. The way he says it sounds almost desperate, not just dutiful. Realising this, he adds, “as it is my current job.”

Clearing your throat, you turn your gaze away, hoping he doesn’t notice the tips of your ears burning with a blush. “I see.”

He nods simply, but after a moment, he sighs slightly. “There is, uh, one flower that catches my eye every time we come here actually.”

You look back at him, surprised. “Really? Which one?”

“It’s over there in the corner to the right.” He nods in the direction, and you stand, asking him to show you.

He hesitates for a moment, unsure if you’re serious. But judging by your smile—something he has grown rather fond of—he nods and leads the way.

You stop in front of a flower bed filled with a mix of pink, purple, white, and red flowers—tall and breathtaking, and quite familiar to you.

“I believe these are Digitalis purpurea,” you say, leaning forward to inhale their delicate fragrance with a soft smile. “I can see why you like them, come to think of it.”

He nods slightly, pleased to have a name for the flower, even if he wasn't going to try to pronounce it. “Why’s that?”

“Well,” you say with a smirk as you turn to him, “it’s also more commonly known as ‘Foxglove.’”

“Oh, really?” he asks, genuinely curious, and you nod in confirmation.

“Quite the coincidence, don't you think?” you add, your eyes sparkling with amusement.

Fox seems taken aback, the irony not lost on him. “Yes, quite the coincidence indeed.” His voice is softer, and there's a hint of a smile in his tone that you wholeheartedly wish you could see.

Fox admires the flowers once more before his eyes drift to the ground where a small bunch had been either knocked or blown off. He bends down and picks them up, then without thinking, holds them out to you. “Would you like these?”

Your mouth gapes open slightly, looking at the outstretched flowers and then at him. “Oh,” you say pleasantly, reaching out and taking hold of the slightly battered and broken stems, “thank you, Commander.”

But you notice that he doesn’t let go at first, instead focusing on the way your fingers brush against his. You feel your heart skip a beat as you both look at each other, neither of you willing to let go. This had to stop. This was completely inappropriate. But yet…

“Senator, Commander Fox.” A voice interrupts you both, and you almost gasp as you quickly let go of the flowers and turn to see who has interrupted this—if you could even call it—moment.

“Thorn,” Fox acknowledges, his attempt to sound composed betrayed by the heavy rise and fall of his chest.

“You are both needed inside. I did try to comm you, but I, uh, must’ve not gotten the signal.” Thorn's tone carries a hint of amusement, and you feel a rush of nervousness and fluster. Did Fox feel the same awkwardness you did?

You glance at Fox, who gives a curt nod to Thorn. “Understood. We’ll head there immediately.”

As you walk back towards the Senate building, you can't help but replay the moment in your mind. The gentle brush of his fingers against yours, the intensity of his gaze behind his visor—it was so unlike the stoic Commander you had come to know.

“Thank you, Commander,” you say softly once the two of you were alone again, glancing at the flowers in your hand. “For the flowers.”

Fox nods, his voice steady but tone also softer than usual. “You’re welcome.”

Later that day, you receive word that you are needed on a different planet for urgent Senate business. As you prepare to leave, you find yourself thinking about Fox and the moment you shared in the garden. An idea forms in your mind, and you act on it impulsively.

Before you depart, you make your way to Fox’s office. It's empty, as he's likely out on duty. You place the flowers on his desk, arranging them neatly. Beside the flowers, you leave a small note:

‘Hopefully you will protect these like you protected me until I come back, Fox.’

And signed with your name. Not just Senator.

With one last glance around the room, amused to see his caf cups still there, you quietly slip out.

When Fox returned to his office that evening, confused with the days events and how he was feeling about you, he never realised he would experience missing someone. Yet as he reads the note you left and looks at the flowers, he does something strange. He pushes his steaming caf to the side and instead, lets the memory of you and the scent of the Foxgloves relax him.

He would not tell the others, but he could not wait for another stroll in the gardens with you.

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You loved when you and Clone Force 99 got to have some downtime and could just spend a little while on any planet you wanted. You especially liked it because it meant you could do more things with Wrecker, the loveable giant that had caught your eye and stolen your heart.

He was brave and courageous while also compassionate and incredibly sweet. He would be the hardest hitter in battle yet have the gentlest touch with you afterwards, which amazed you. It was pretty apparent that the two of you had a thing for each other with your constant flirting, but nothing official had ever been said. Sometimes, it felt as though nothing needed to be said. You both just knew; it felt like a natural thing between the two of you. He was always the one you could turn to for comfort and he would protect you without a second thought. You were always the one he could run to when he needed reassurance and you’d always know just what to say in any situation. 

It was inevitable that you would fall in love with him.

Eventually, your travels with the Bad Batch took you all to Naboo for a bit of shore leave, which made you happy. Naboo was a gorgeous planet and perfect for some alone time with Wrecker. Sure enough, practically the moment the ship landed and the ramp went down, Wrecker was taking you by the hand and pulling you with him out of the ship, running through the grassy fields. The others didn’t try to stop you. They knew better than that. 

After running a ways away, the two of you laughing merrily, Wrecker stopped and suddenly lifted you in the air, spinning you around. Your happy laughter only increased at being raised up in his strong arms and seeing him looking up at you with the most adoring look in his eyes. Then he lowered you down so he could hug you, enfolding his arms around you and you wrapped your arms around his neck in turn. A few seconds later, he just fell straight backwards onto the grass and proceeded to roll down a nearby hill with you still in his arms, the two of you still continuing to laugh and giggle in the most carefree way.

Once you both finally reached the bottom of the hill, you rolled off of him and stated through heavy breath, “Wrecker, did you roll down the hill on purpose?”

“Sure did,” he answered, turning his head to look at you. “I thought it’d be fun.”

“You’re crazy,” you said through a smile.

“I know I am,” he replied. He shifted onto his elbow so he could gaze down at you. “But you spend a lot of time with me, so that must make you crazy, too.”

“You got that right,” you agreed.

When you both sat up, you realized that you had rolled down into a field of wild daisies, so there was a beautiful ocean of white and yellow before you.

“Oh, these are beautiful!” you exclaimed, caressing the daisies beside you with your hands. 

“What are these flowers called again?” Wrecker asked you. “They start with a ‘D’, don’t they?”

With a small chuckle, you answered, “They do. They’re called daisies.”

“Ah, now I remember!” he cried. 

Looking around at all the lovely flowers surrounding you, you stated aloud, “I have to make a flower crown out of these.” You shifted around, leaning your back against Wrecker’s arm, and started collecting the flowers, stems and all, into a small bouquet in your hand. Once you felt you had enough, you started to twist and braid them together so you could make a flower crown. 

It was about a minute later when you heard Wrecker muttering quietly behind you. He was not normally a quiet person, which meant he was deliberately keeping his voice low. What was he doing? You leaned your head back a bit to try and hear what he was saying. 

“...loves me…loves me not….”

Your head tilted curiously. Was he saying what you thought he was saying?

Pretending not to notice specifically the words he spoke, you returned to braiding your crown and asked over your shoulder, “What are you doing, Wrecker?”

“Uh….” He hesitated a second before answering, “I’m just playing a little game I’d heard about.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah…where you pick the petals off a flower and, for each one, you say ‘loves me’ or ‘loves me not’ while thinking of…a certain someone…and whichever one you get on the last petal is the truth.”

You smirked to yourself. “I see. And you uh...have a certain person in mind?”

“I do,” he responded. Though, he went back to picking the petals again.

Warmth rose up in your cheeks, wondering if he was thinking about you, especially given his reluctance to give a name. Your hands busied themselves again with your flower crown. You had already made quick work of it and tied the two ends together, admiring your work for a moment while you listened to Wrecker mumbling. The crown was a little shabby, but it would suffice. The daisies were holding together well and you smiled at work.

Just then, you heard Wrecker let out a despondent groan. 

“What's wrong?” you inquired, finally turning around. 

He turned back, too, a disappointed expression on his face. “I got ‘loves me not’...,” he said dejectedly.

It was pitiful and a bit sweet seeing how sad he was over that. You couldn’t help but put a hand over your heart. He seemed genuinely upset by that and believed the result to be the truth, like he’d said. 

“Well…the petals aren’t always right,” you told him, trying to reassure him. 

“They’re not?” he questioned.

“It is just a game. The way you can find out for sure is you can always ask your special person if they love you,” you said.

“I can?” he asked. 

You gave him a nod. 

He looked back down at the petal-less daisy in his hands, fidgeting with the stem. Was it really that easy?

Then his eyes found yours and he went on to ask, “Do you…do you love me?”

A tiny gasp left your lips. He was thinking of you! Wrecker did love you back! You felt as though your heart was going to sprout wings and fly over to him. Even though you were always sure there was something more between you, it just was comforting to hear confirmation out loud.

With a sweet smile, you took the flower crown and proceeded to reach up and place it upon Wrecker’s bald head. He seemed slightly confused at the gesture, but he also didn’t seem to mind it. Then, with a joyful laugh, you finally couldn’t contain your joy and you threw yourself forward at him, your arms coming around his neck and knocking him onto his back with a loud “Oh!” 

You pushed yourself up so you could look into Wrecker’s surprised eyes and you exclaimed, placing your hands on his cheeks, “Yes! I do love you, Wrecker! The flower petals were wrong! I love you so much and I have for a long time now!” Then you placed a firm kiss on his forehead.

A wide, toothy grin spread on his face at your answer and he replied, “What a relief!” His hand then came up to the back of your head and he pulled you down to him, bringing you in for a loving kiss that sent explosions through your whole body. He pulled away a few seconds later and declared, “I love you, too. So very much.” Then he sat up with you on his lap and he pressed his forehead against yours tenderly. “I'm glad that petal game was wrong. If it was right, I don't know what I would do.”

“That's why it's just a game. It's just meant for fun and no need to take it too seriously,” you said, nuzzling his nose.

“Well, I enjoyed kissing you and thought that was much more fun,” he admitted with gladness.