The actual party should only be the first 5 minutes or so of the episode, all we see is Anakin having a great time, regaling an attentive audience with many (exaggerated) stories of his heroics

We see shots of Ahsoka and Rex both looking very uncomfortable and unhappy at the edge of the crowd, maybe involved in some uncomfy looking conversations, always keeping an eye on each other and trying not to get too separated. They make each other feel safe.

Maybe it's on the journey back to their temporary accommodation? A hotel or something? I dunno

Maybe it's not until they get back to said accommodation

Rex and Ahsoka are still close together (even though it's only the 3 of them now) looking drained and unhappy, Anakin sat opposite them telling them how much everyone loved him, how it was so nice to be appreciated and get to relax for once

"So, how was it for you guys? I told you it wouldn't be so bad, though I barely saw you the whole night. Off telling stories of your own?"

Rex looks at the floor and we hear a muttered "It went about the same as I'd expected actually"

Ahsoka manages to look Anakin in the eye but only briefly before gazing out the window "You should have let us stay here Master Skywalker."

(That's odd in itself, they've been together for a while now, and Ahsoka NEVER calls him Master Skywalker. Occasionally 'Master' on it's own, but never his full title, its faaaar too formal for the brother/sister relationship they have at this point. Its normally just Skyguy.)

Anakin’s face falls, I can imagine him actually getting kinda annoyed at this point. Because they never usually get opportunities like this?? They got to dress up and be people instead of soldiers? They were being celebrated?? Why aren't they being grateful for this honour?

"Fine then. Why was it so terrible?? I'm dying to know Snips, Rex."

I don’t know who goes first. Maybe Rex? Because he had been watching what had been happening to Ahsoka all night and he did as much as could to protect her but he was Just a Clone. He figures she probably doesn't wanna talk about it to her Master, and he feels the need to protect her now that he's actually in a position to do so (even though she also spent the whole night trying to protect him).

So half the episode is focused on Rex. Telling Anakin what had happened to him over the course of the party, how no one respected Clones. He can't count the number of times he heard the phrase "just a clone" over the last few hours, he lost count after the first 30 minutes.

We see flashbacks of people asking insensitive questions, asking if clones feel pain, if he felt any emotion at all, being referred to as "It", and even "cannon fodder" by a particularly cruel senator.

(We see Ahsoka start to get angry in his place, about to yell at the senators and representatives, but Rex holds her back subtly, and the flashback fades before we hear her say anything. It's important to show the audience that Ahsoka was there, and defending him, but not the point of the story.)

We see him have to smile through conversations as he explains to Anakin that "I couldn't have retaliated, I couldn't Do Anything. They already saw me as Just A Clone, so they weren't exactly gonna ascribe any importance to what I had to say. And if I retaliated? All it would have done is confirm every bad thing they thought about me and my brothers, and then the next clone that comes along gets treated even worse than me."

He's clenching his fists and he hasn't looked up since he first started talking. At some point over the (very one sided, as soon as he noticed how genuinely distressed Rex looked, Anakin resigned himself to listening and not interrupting) conversation, Ahsoka had put a hand on his shoulder

Maybe Anakin makes a mental note, Rex is usually NOT a touchy person, but if he's allowing (and leaning into) physical comfort?? He must be pretty distressed.

(Before ya’ll get excited. This is NOT Ahsoka/Rex. They're just bros)

Maybe another couple of flashbacks, someone "jokingly" saying they don't know why Rex is being honoured, the mission only succeeded because he followed the orders of his Jedi, like he was meant to, he was just there to execute the vision of a higher lifeform, and had nothing to do with the actual victory.

At "higher lifeform" Ahsoka clenches her teeth, and the hand on Rex's shoulder tightens

At "higher lifeform" Anakin shouts, the first time he's made a noise since Rex first started talking:

"What? That's so ridiculous!! These guys know that you save my ass more than I save yours right?? And that you come up with at least half of the tactics we use??"

"Respectfully sir, they don't. And this is.... pretty normal actually. Like I said, the gala went exactly as I expected it to. The only people to really interact with the clones consistently are the Jedi. Pretty much everyone else thinks we're... things. Like droids."

Anakin looks very much defeated at this, slumping in his seat. He hadn't really thought about it before, the clones are a part of his life, they're his friends, they have names and favourite colours and opinions and ideas better than his sometimes (most of the time). The idea that the rest of the galaxy doesn't see them that way is... odd, and very much heartbreaking to him.

Rex goes on, he's thinking at this point that if he's gonna explain, he should explain fully

"One of them even..." he sighs. Clenches his hand. Coughs. Turns a little red, and looks away, even further from eye contact than he was before. "One of them quite forcefully requested I.... serviced him. "You're just a clone" he said. Apparently that means that's my duty or something. Especially since I don't feel anything, physically Or emotionally. Ahsoka saved me from that one."

(Maybe at that he and Ahsoka make brief eye contact, nodding at each other, Rex giving the hand on his shoulder a little pat, before she turns her head away again. Her hand remains.)

Anakin is fuckin Furious at this. He stands suddenly and starts pacing, he keeps going to say something and realise he doesn’t have the words. The Darth Vader theme plays briefly before he stops and sags. Sits back in his chair, looking at the floor,

He knows there's no point ranting or raving, Rex and Ahsoka don't need to hear what he thinks of it because they think the same, and he's starting to realise that it would be cruel to extend this part of the conversation any longer.

Quietly, "I'm sorry, Rex. I had no idea that not everyone sees you and your brothers the way I do. I'm really sorry."

Maybe that makes Rex smile a bit. He KNOWS he's friends with his general, but after such a shitty night, it's nice to be reminded

"It's alright sir. There's nothing you could've done about it anyway, nothing's gonna change the minds of that kind people. I know what me and my brothers do is important, and we know what we fight for."

Anakin seems to regain his anger at this a bit

"Yeah but Everyone Else should know as well!! It's their ungrateful asses that you're-"

Rex cuts him off with "I know sir, it's fine, really. Besides, it coulda been a lot worse."

Anakin sits back at this, it hadn't been said, it hadn't even been implied, to be honest Rex had been trying to keep the attention on him, but the "a lot worse" had reminded Anakin that Ahsoka has been very,,,, subdued through all of this. Her hand remains on Rex's shoulder, and she's obviously been listening, going by her small movements and barely-there facial expressions (she had witnessed all of this after all), but still, she stared out the window.

Rex notices that Anakin’s attention has shifted and

"It's late sir, let's just forget it and head to-"

"Snips?" Anakin interrupts him

She sighs, looks at Rex, nodding slightly. She knows he would've stood up to the general if she'd wanted him to, at the smallest shake of her head he would've demanded that it really was too late. That the two of them had an early briefing, that they needed to head to bed.

But she figures Rex has told his half. Now it's her turn. The next half of the episode is Ahsoka's explanation.

At her nod, Rex takes the hand that had been on his shoulder and holds it between his own, loosely, she could pull away anytime she wanted and it would look natural, but she had helped him through his explanation, it's time for him to help Ahsoka through hers. His turn to gaze out the window, paying attention, but not wanting the eye contact.

While Rex had been sorta hesitant, Ahsoka jumps right into it. She's angry but she's resigned, and she's been dealing with this practically her whole life (whenever she left the temple, anyway). If her master, who was practically her big brother at this point, didn't understand, or brushed it off like so many others had, then he simply wasn't worth the respect she originally thought

(which was what she was scared of I suppose. That Anakin would be like everyone else.)

She holds her head up high and looks Anakin directly in the eyes, her face neutral, but hardened, hoping for the best, but expecting the norm:

"I'm a young woman master. Who is also a Jedi, who is also a commander in the Grand Republic Army. People don't like that."

At this we see flashbacks of conversations where Ahsoka gets spoken over, politicians who have never even touched a blaster, trying (and failing terribly, unknown to them) to explain battle tactics to her. Men calling her "sweetheart" and "girl", condescendingly asking about broken nails and makeup and clothes.

She tells the story of a particular representative asking what it was like to "watch the great Jedi at work, whilst she twiddled her tails in the background?"

At this Anakin is once again furious:

"The plan was your idea!! We would've been Screwed if you hadn't been right in the middle of it shouting orders!! You told them that right??"

She responds swiftly, her tone biting:

"And what do you think would've happened if I had? What exactly, Master, do you think I could've said in that moment, to change their minds? To alter a lifetime of thinking like that? They think I'm a child. They think I'm a weak little girl who's far too stupid to know how to put on my own clothes, let alone come up with complex battle tactics on the spot, in the middle of a firefight. There's no changing their minds"

Anakin clenched his teeth, he really has no response. What could she say? Nothing that wouldn't get her laughed at even more

"But it's fine. I'm used to being underestimated. I'm small and I'm young (I'm gonna say this is late in the series, Ahsoka is 17ish, still young, but not a child) and I'm a girl. Hell, YOU underestimated me when we first met."

(Anakin cringed slightly at that, he doesn't think about their first meeting often, but up until now he'd thought about it with fondness, now he thinks about how annoying it must have been for Ahsoka, to once again be underestimated by someone only a few years older than her.)

"It's fine. It's not like I'll ever meet these people on the battlefield. And if I do? I'll have them beat before they have even a second, to laugh at me."

At this she looks down, and her voice drops, likes she's talking to herself, rather than her master. He hears it anyway.

Next time she speaks, her voice raises in volume once again, back to normal, but she keeps her eyes on the floor. Her feet shuffle slightly, and her hand visibly tightens in Rex's, searching for comfort (he provides without a split second of hesitation, squeezing in return)

This worries Anakin, Ahsoka, whilst very physically affectionate, was NOT one to seek comfort, or burden others with her problems. So he sits and listens, quietly thinking that the worst is yet to come (he's right).

"That wasn't even the worst part. I'm used to it. I mean I'm used to the rest as well but it's just so much worse in a crowded party and everyone had had a few drinks so it was even worse and I just wasn't-"

"Snips?" His voice is quiet, she was breathing deeply, and her hand gripped Rex's increasingly tight. Her eyes were widening, and she looked a little panicked.

At his quiet reminder that he was there, and everything was calm and quiet and OK, she relaxed. She took a deep breath and relaxed her hand in Rex's (though didn't let go) but she still doesn't look up

"Like I said before, I'm a young woman. Wearing the only dress I have, at a crowded party full of drunk politicians who always get what they want. It was a little... handsy... in there. People think they can take what they want. I didn't drink anything the whole night because I was scared to go to the washroom alone, it wasn't like Rex could come with me. I almost overheated because I was scared to go out into the balcony alone. We tried to find you at one point but..."

She hesitates at this. Rex is visibly angry, eyes furrowed, glaring out the window, but not Once, does he release, or tighten, his hold on Ahsoka’s hand.

(I just want this to be really emotional ya’ll. I need my bros being bros and protecting each other, but also the reality of 20ish year old Anakin, the chosen boy who was also buds with the Chancellor himself, to not understand (but desperately Want to) Rex's and Ahsoka’s troubles).

"But?" Anakin prompts. He is unimaginably furious at this point, not even trying to hide it on his face, but being gentle with his words and actions, he's gotten a lot better at controlling himself and he KNOWS that Ahsoka is not the one who deserves to meet the other end of his anger right now

"The group of guys you were with, telling some story about man eating plants to. They had already mentioned that they were gonna try find me after the party for a... "little fun" they said. And they had been the... touchiest... of all. I didn't wanna encourage them or anything so, we went to the other side of the room and just waited it out for the rest of the night."

I can imagine her voice sort of trailing off at the end there. Maybe in the beginning montage we see Anakin telling said story to said group of guys? But this time we see it further zoomed out? Anakin and the group just in the background, with Ahsoka in front looking kinda scared but mostly uncomfortable? And Rex by her her side looking angry? Before they turn and walk in the opposite direction.

That's the end of her story, her recount of the marvellous party they'd just got home from, and she sort of deflates as she realises what she's just talked about. It's normal for her, but it's not something she was ever planning on having a conversations about, least of all with her Jedi Master.

When Anakin realises she's finished, his hand sparks, and he looks down in surprise, to realise that he's clenched it so hard that he's damaged the wiring without noticing. It's fine for now, but he'll need to get it checked out at some point in the next couple of days.

But overall, that does nothing to calm him down. He's in a range of anger that he's never been before. So powerful that even Rex can feel it, despite him not having a lick of force sensitivity.

(The next day, Anakin receives a transmission from an off-world Obi-Wan, asking if he's alright, because he'd felt something strong, and bad, and he's sure he's just being paranoid but wanted to check in, just in case)

So Anakin is quiet, and still, but breathing deeply and clenching his hands and jaw, and how dare they? How dare people talk to his captain like that and how dare they underestimate his Padawan and how Dare they lay a hand on her? How DARE they talk to him about what a smart and capable pupil he had, moments after treating her like an object to be played with? How DARE they??

He forces out a breathy "Ahsoka I am... so sorry. I had no idea it was that bad. I mean Padme has mentioned a few things before but you're just a kid, I mean you're a Commander, I guess I thought everyone took that at face value and gave you the respect you deserved. I'm so sorry that I was wrong about that."

He's more sad, than angry at this point, looking up at Ahsoka. She slowly raises her eyes to his, a small smile on her face, all three have tears in their eyes. For Ahsoka and Rex, it's from a slow build up of stress and fear and annoyance and offense and resignation, over the last few hours. For Anakin, it's the sudden realization that people he cares very deeply for, are being treated this terribly, right in front of him, and he hadn't noticed it, and it had been happening so long, that they were resigned to it.

(No one notices the slip up when Anakin had said "Padme", or if they did, no one mentioned it.)

Maybe the episode ends there? Maybe it ends with a flash forward to Anakin scaring the shit out of those guys (with the Vader theme playing of course)? Maybe it ends with them all going to bed? Maybe they all fall asleep on the same sofa? Ahsoka and Rex kinda still need a comforting hand, and Anakin never wants to leave them alone again.

But we know, through flashforwards, or implications in future episodes, that Anakin talks to Padme about moving for legislation that protects the rights of the Clones. And that every chance he gets, Anakin forcefully talks about his confidence in his Padawan, how She regularly outsmarts him and saves his life, about how she is a wonderful learner, fighter, and tactician, and the army would be in bits without her (and his Clone Captain).

~

I dunno man. This is super heavy. But I just really wanna read something where Anakin, young, humanoid (is that what they call it in star wars? I've no clue), chosen one, friends-with-the-actual-godman-Chancellor, Anakin, realises that life is VERY different for his Padawan and the clones. Yeah, when it comes to BIG things like the war, and the council, and his marriage, he experiences a lot of shit, and has big problems. But in the small everyday life he has between the war, he's got it very easy, in a way that the other two don't. I also think it could add to the reason he fell to the dark side. No one can be stupid and judgemental to people HE cares about if HE is in charge, building a new empire in exactly the way he wants it to be.

Rex: 

- He’s very shy about it. - He takes a long time to kind of process the way he feels, you know? He doesn’t want to ruin things or upset you, so he makes sure what he’s feeling is absolutely real before talking to you about it. - When he finally manages to pull you aside, his throat’s dry and his voice cracks and he has a hard time spitting out the words.- Eventually, he says “I think I’m in love with you.” 

Fives: 

- The two of you flirt nonstop in like a buddy-buddy kind of way, but over time Fives starts to realize he genuinely has a crush on you. - He has ROTTEN timing though, and right when he decides to tell you how he feels, you all get caught up in the middle of an ambush. - Fives is impatient though , and he doesn’t want to wait. - So over the sound of battle he just shouts “HEY! I LOVE YOU!” 

Echo: 

- He’s a lot like Rex in the sense that he really takes time to process the way he feels, except he probably takes way too much time. - He AGONIZES over his feelings. - Probably won’t get a confession out of him tbh, rather you’d need to coax it out of him yourself. - In the middle of him stumbling over his words and trying to confess his feelings for you, you just grab his cheeks and kiss him. That does the trick. 

Cody: 

- Cody has no time for funny business. - He comes up to you all self-confident and is like “Would you want to have dinner sometime?” - It’s only after you say yes that he starts to panic. - He’s a huge mess during the dinner. Trying to be suave but spills the wine while he’s pouring it for you, apologizes like crazy until you squeeze his hand and tell him it’s okay.  

Thanks for sending this in, anon! Requests are still open!