Work Text:
“Did I hear that correctly?” Obi-Wan keeps his voice low as he steps around a corner, settling back against a column. The top had been shattered at one point of the bombardment leaving behind a jagged scar through the dark stone, but shadows pool at the base, giving them a modicum of privacy. “There’s not enough beds?”
Cody nods, his gaze wandering to one side where the faint swell of voices can be heard, too far away to pick out any individual words or distinguish which clone is speaking. Hesitation is clear in the shift of his jaw as he presses his teeth together, too composed to curl his lips back in reluctance to believe what Obi-Wan is freely offering to him.
It is a habit the Jedi has noticed over his time of fighting alongside the clones and it cut just as deep as it had the first time he became aware of their mistaken belief that certain things -- be it items or activities -- aren’t meant for them.
They deserve as many good and wonderful things as the universe contains.
Obi-Wan stretches out and hooks his fingers around the lightsaber clip on Cody’s belt, pulling it gently and encouraging him to step forwards. Cody chuckles, a low rumble through his chest that echoes in Obi-Wan’s mind, but complies, slipping into the space Obi-Wan has made for him. He is warmer than Obi-Wan expects, a shiver slipping up his spine at the difference in temperature and he considers tucking his hands onto the expanse of Cody’s stomach rather than keeping them folded in his robes. To touch and to hold is a blessing he isn’t about to waste.
“Sir?” Cody’s eyes are dark and Obi-Wan is reminded of the caf the other man favours, dark and strong and sweet. Obi-Wan is uncomfortably aware of the ash he must have smeared over his face earlier and can feel the grittiness around his eyes when he blinks, the world distorting into a shimmering film.
“Sorry, Commander.” Obi-Wan smiles and sees Cody relax in fragments, a loosening of his shoulders, the shift of his chest as he breathes deeply for the first time since they landed on the planet. “Please fill me in on the situation.”
“The rooms we have been given are appreciated, sir,” Cody begins and Obi-Wan’s fingers twitch with the urge to smooth away the crease between his brow. They were well-matched in a way Obi-Wan had never considered possible and the lingering distaste towards their reluctant hosts is a shared one. The rooms were not given freely and it was only the space provided, not supplies. “But after going over the numbers and doubling up, we are coming up short a sleeping bag, sir.
“The medics and current patients are stocked and provisioned with the extra supplies we loaded after the previous battle so there is no concerns with them. The rest of the men are all willing to share and have paired up already but--”
Obi-Wan nods, finishing Cody’s sentence. “But you are a Commander which holds its own problems when it comes to situations like this.”
Previously, Cody had shared with Rex. They were a similar rank, but that isn’t an option here.
“If you are willing,” Obi-Wan begins and Cody pauses, his breath catching in his throat for an instant before it restarts, falling into a familiar rhythm. “I have been given a room, with a bed. You could share with me.”
He waits and watches Cody’s gaze sharpen and focus on his face, feels it slip over his eyes and down to his cheeks, tracking every faded and obscured freckle before it dips to his lips. Their relationship isn’t new, but it is not general knowledge outside of their unit and that is something Obi-Wan is deeply grateful for. This would be a step in an uncertain direction and Obi-Wan can feel the ground tip beneath his feet as he sees Cody straighten and nod.
It is a small gesture, only noticeable by how close they are tucked together in the shadow of the pillar, but Obi-Wan’s chest floods with warmth, the tightening bands of worry he had only just realised where there loosening all at once.
“I can meditate and let you have the bed,” Obi-Wan says.
Cody tips his eyes skyward, a sigh escaping from him even as he reaches out to hook his fingers through Obi-Wan’s, squeezing gently. “Sir. We are both going to share the bed. You need to sleep as well.”
His free hand cups Obi-Wan’s face, his thumb shifting to smooth over the soft skin beneath Obi-Wan’s eye which he knew was dark from exhaustion. “Okay?”
Obi-Wan sighs, tilting his head into Cody’s hand and letting his eyes drift closed. He is tired and Cody is home to him. “Okay.”
Cody rises onto his toes, the heat of skin settling against Obi-Wan as he draws closer, and brushes a kiss against his lips, dropping back down before Obi-Wan can respond. “I’ll see you later on, sir. I’ve still got checks to complete.”
A chill settles against Obi-Wan’s skin as Cody steps away, his flesh prickling in waves down his spine but he nods, tucking his hands back into his sleeves, as Cody turns and walks away, his back straight and every step measured and exact.
⁂
“Sir.”
A hand blocks Obi-Wan’s view of the datapad, cutting off the sharp words for blurred reality, and he blinks, feeling his lids scrape over dry eyes as he glances up and up.
Cody’s grin is wide, wide enough to reveal the dimples carved into his cheeks, his scars folded by the creases next to his eyes. Obi-Wan’s gaze skims over his clothes, a looser version of his standard blacks but still able to be worn under his armour if the need arises. What has caught his thoughts as neatly as if it had been a baited hook, and Obi-Wan glances back down to check, is Cody’s bare calves, his shorts cutting off at the knee. One leg is bandaged, a flash of white amongst the muted greys of the crates and boxes that line the walls.
“Yes, Cody?”
“Bed.” Cody’s voice is soft, an almost reverent thread running through the single word. His hands are steady as he reaches down to pull Obi-Wan to his feet, his thumbs smoothing over the back of Obi-Wan’s hands causing an echo of his touch when they part.
Obi-Wan’s stomach flips, nerves and anticipation twisting through him like standing in a shuttle waiting for the first shot. “Bed,” he confirms, glancing over to it.
It is slightly larger than a standard single bed, the only untouched object amongst the debris that surrounds it and he bites the edge of his tongue as he considers it. The blankets are standard army-issue but one of the clones had sewn the outline of a sunburst in one corner. Each stitch was exact in the same orange they had used for their armour and layered to give the illusion of depth. It is a thing of beauty made out of nothing.
“Would you prefer to sleep next to the door or to the wall?” he asks, glancing at Cody out of the corner of his eye.
Cody’s hands tighten at his sides before they relax once more, his gaze drifting over to where his pack lies at the foot of the bed. The scent of new paint lingers in the air and his freshly painted vambrace lies on top of his supply kit. He had described it before as being close to meditation for him, the almost ritualistic cleaning and repairing and painting of his armour.
“Next to the door,” Cody says, his gaze darting back to Obi-Wan, his breath pausing as he waits for confirmation.
“That’s fine with me.” Obi-Wan tips his head back, feeling the strain in the base of his neck before he stretches out to twine his fingers through Cody’s. “I’ll get in first, shall I?”
Cody’s blush is immediate, a tint beneath his darker skin and he tucks his head before he nods, shifting his stance wider to ground himself. Obi-Wan leans down to brush a kiss over his cheek, twisting to kiss him properly and capturing the surprised huff Cody makes. His hands settle on Obi-Wan’s waist, his fingers curling against the soft material of the Jedi’s sleep clothes as Obi-Wan cups his face, smoothing his hands against the scratch of stubble on his cheeks and the wisps of curls that graze against his hold.
“It’s going to be okay. And if it isn’t, we can adjust,” Obi-Wan murmurs into the scant space between them when they part, tasting Cody’s worry lessen, the sour feeling retreating from pinching at the inside of his cheeks.
“I shouldn’t be this worried about it.”
“It is a new situation. It’s a natural response and you are only human, my dear.” Obi-Wan kisses him again because he can and the knowledge sparks warmth in his heart.
Stepping away feels like a loss despite it’s temporary state and Obi-Wan climbs into the bed, settling himself against the wall. He tucks the other blanket behind himself so he isn’t pressed against the cold stone and pulls back the cover, exposing a space for Cody to climb in. The cooling air nips at the exposed skin on his arms as his sleeves slip down but he ignores it all, choosing to focus on the way Cody’s throat bobs as he swallows, his eyes widening as he stares at Obi-Wan, the colour lingering on his cheeks.
“Care to join me?”
Cody stumbles as he steps forward, a break in his perfectly crafted control and Obi-Wan grins.
The mattress sags as Cody climbs in, settling first on his back, staring up at the cracks in the ceiling before he glances over at Obi-Wan, biting at his lip as he tries to find the words he was searching for. Obi-Wan waits, watching Cody’s eyes grow heavier as his breathing deepens, sleep beginning to overtake him despite his nerves.
“Is it okay if I face the door?” Cody asks, his words so careful Obi-Wan falls in love with him all over again.
“Of course. Let me know when you are settled.”
The blankets tug and catch as Cody shifts over onto his side, drawing his legs up so they are curled to one side of him, rather than stretched out. His feet, freezing and bare, brush against Obi-Wan’s legs before Cody twitches and pulls them away as if any contact would burn him. He sighs as he curls up, pushing his head further into the pillow before he nods, his curls rustling against the fabric. “I’m good.”
Obi-Wan moves closer, barely an inch, but it is enough for Cody’s feet to settle against his legs and stay there and for Obi-Wan’s vision to become nothing more than dark hair fluttering with every breath. He is impossibly warm this close to Cody, luxuriating in the warmth the other man gave off. “Is this okay still?”
Cody sighs, his voice thick and slow with sleep. “More than okay.”