Work Text:
Wooley groaned as his back hit the mat in the training room.
"You did well, trooper," Cody praised him as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "But you still have much to learn."
"Care to show us more, commander?" Crys asked as he helped Wooley get back up. “I’m next in the line to get my ass kicked by you.” He grinned.
“Sure,” Cody answered but at the same moment his chronometer beeped and Cody immediately changed his mind. “Not today though,” he added. “I have a strategy meeting with General Kenobi in thirty minutes. I don’t want to be late or appear there reeking of sweat and blood.”
“Oooh, your weekly date with the General,” Waxer cooed and was rewarded with a hit on the back of his head with an open hand. “Hey!”
“Stop making up things, lieutenant.”
“I’m just commenting on the reality, commander!”
Cody looked like he wanted to hit him again but he looked at his chrono again and sighed.
“Keep training. I need to get ready for keeping you all alive,” he finally answered and the mood in the room immediately soured. When they were almost playfully training in the safety of the venator it was easy to forget that in a few days or weeks, they would return to the battlefield.
And the next training might not happen with the same line-up.
“Say hi to the General from us!” Wooley said trying to lighten the mood and Cody chuckled, which the younger trooper counted as his personal victory.
***
It wasn’t a date—or at least they weren’t calling it a date. Their regular meetings started as what they were supposed to be: strategy meetings. They discussed the best ways to go through the missions to ensure the smallest potential losses.
It evolved.
At some point, Cody started appearing in the general’s quarters without his armor which was the highest symbol of the trust he placed in the general. Later he stopped being the commander and for a few hours he could be just Cody, and the general became Obi-Wan.
And Cody supposed the strategy meeting shouldn’t include a meal and a glass (or two) of moonshine. Or falling asleep with his head on his general’s shoulder.
Or holding hands while talking about the future, wishing the war would end soon.
He looked in the mirror the last time, making sure his hair was neatly smoothed (another thing he probably wouldn’t do before the strategy meeting with anyone else) and he left his quarters with a datapad under his arm. He entered without knocking, as he was asked a few meetings earlier and Obi-Wan greeted him with a smile as soon as the door whooshed open.
“Cody!” he exclaimed happily. “I have just got tea ready, so I’m glad you managed to be on time.”
“Nothing pressing to do today before our meeting,” Cody answered as he took his seat on one side of the table the General had in his quarters.
“So you could rest a little I suppose?” Obi-Wan offered him a cup before sitting on the other side of the table.
“I spent some time in the training room with my brothers,” Cody admitted. “I’m not good with resting you know? It always feels like… I was neglecting something. Or someone.”
“And you’re neglecting yourself, my dear,” Obi-Wan answered. “You need to take care of yourself, Cody.”
“Says the one who wouldn't go to sleep because the Force will keep you alive.” Cody snorted. “I guess we match perfectly like this. Two people that would give everything to others while neglecting themselves.”
“Maybe that’s why we were matched like this. Not militarily, but I do agree we understand each other in a way I wouldn’t think when I first met you. But… We keep each other alive. We care. Something that doesn’t come easily in wartime.” Obi-Wan closed his fingers around Cody’s and Cody squeezed his hand. It was hard, conversations like this, reminded them they were only pawns on the battlefield, controlled by the Senate, the Chancellor, and the Jedi Council. There were orders to be followed, battles to win, and people to save.
“Cody?” Obi-Wan asked, worry clear in his voice and Cody realized he didn’t answer.
“Sorry.” Cody looked away. “I was just… thinking.”
“A credit for your thoughts?” Obi-Wan’s voice was bright.
“Not worth that much.”
“Anything that makes you stop in your track like that deserves to be listened to. Was it a good thought?”
“Not really. I was just thinking about how little we can do on our own. Like… How many people can tell us what we should do and that we have to listen? Because they are higher in a hierarchy than us.”
“That is true.” Obi-Wan nodded. “There are orders we can ignore. But we can do things they don’t tell us, the good things. And sometimes the little things matter, love.” The last word slipped out of Obi-Wan’s lips and he stopped suddenly, looking at Cody. “I’m sorry, I…”
“So it is a date,” Cody answered with a cocky smile.
“What?”
“Before I came here, Waxer said it was a date. I told him he was wrong but it made me think. So is it?”
“If you want it to be.” Obi-Wan visibly relaxed.
“I want it to be a date. You know, considering how the meeting went for the last three months, I think they already are. I don’t think Rex is drinking moonshine with General Skywalker when they discuss their strategy.”
Obi-Wan snorted.
“No, I don’t think Anakin would like it very much.”
When they were talking like this they, probably instinctively, moved closer to each other over the table and suddenly their faces were closer than ever before. Cody held his breath, waiting for Obi-Wan’s move.
“I really want to kiss you right now,” Obi-Wan said quietly.
“Well, what is stopping you? I’m not opposed to the idea,” Cody breathed out lightly and Obi-Wan leaned closer, their lips almost touched…
The alarm bleared loudly and they jumped away from each other, startled by the noise. The siren and lights were a definite sign something was wrong and Obi-Wan grabbed his com to contact the bridge.
"What's the situation?" He asked.
"We're under attack, General!" Boil answered, shouting over the sound. "It's Grievous' fleet!"
"We'll be there as soon as possible," Obi-Wan answered, and he turned off the com looking apologetically at Cody.
"We'll have to postpone our first official date until we're no longer under attack, my dear commander," he said.
"I've waited long enough," Cody answered and he moved close to Obi-Wan kissing him quickly on the lips. It was just a peck, really, as quick as it should be when they were supposed to be halfway to the bridge, but they deserved it nevertheless.
"Find me after the battle if you want more, general." Cody grinned before running out of his room to grab his armor and get ready for the upcoming battle.
Obi-Wan touched his lips and smiled before grabbing his lightsaber and moving towards the bridge.