#maybeeeeeee

Fox was still next to him, his eyes closed despite having protested the idea so much. The lights of Coruscant bounced off his armor, danced over the surface of the senate roof, and otherwise kept Quinlan's attention much better than the distant stars or muted noises of speeders below.

That was why they were here. Quinlan had managed to convince Fox to sneak on top of the senate roof under the guise of wanting to meet before their mission tomorrow. And he had wanted to meet, and they had talked a little (about Quinlan being sure he had packed good snacks and nothing ridiculous to wear, which he was mostly honest about, as he didn't think Fox could look bad in anything); but this moment was his end goal. He had ensured the Commander would be off duty for it, that there would be nothing to threaten the chance for a moment of peace. He had asked him to trust him, as the Jedi held out his hands to boost Fox up. And after Fox threatened to throw him off the balcony instead, he had relented, had admitted his trust without ever saying a word.

As he already had many times before, Fox let Quinlan guide him to another hair-brained facet of life.

He began to smile, watching Fox’s head tilt slightly further back and his face becoming more relaxed. Like some form of meditation even if he knew Fox would protest ever attempting such a thing.

Stubborn clones. Brilliant fighters, loyal men, and faithful people, which made for stubbornness in the best way. The way Quinlan could so easily begin talking with, worm his way into joking with, and eventually earn enough trust to convince Commander Fox to follow him up here.

Here, where they could steal a moment of peace in a galaxy so determined to destroy it. On the roof of a building as corrupt as it was good, above a city so large it had levels to its streets, where the leader of the Jedi shadows could try to offer the head of the Guard a moment just to breathe.

And as he watched Fox’s back bend and shoulders raise, felt the way his carefully guarded Force signature spread out and rest at the edge of his senses, Quinlan let his eyes shut again.

‘Please… don’t take him from me.’

The thought crossed his mind more like a prayer, some small hope that he hadn’t done too much wrong to be allowed this small joy. That perhaps the Force could grant him this one thing. However this relationship so new played out, Quinlan could at least be able to keep the Commander's careful friendship.

No matter his feelings, his wish was to stay long enough to see that familiar face live a life of peace they had never known.

And that in some way, selfishly, he could be a part of it.