A Path Less Taken

Chapter 25 - Lack of Subtlety

"Keep doing that," Padme said, before dragging his lips back to hers. Nor did she notice the split second of hesitation. But soon he was kissing her back, hands going to her legs as he kept her steady. Padme gyrated her hips slightly on Anakin's front, and he groaned out a moan. He knew what that meant. The time for formalities was over.

If you were to look at the Togruta walking in the streets of Alderaan, you could almost see the storm cloud floating over her head. She didn't look unhappy. On the contrary, her face betrayed nothing. Ahsoka had mastered that particular skill. It was the eyes.

The eyes alone spoke volumes. They were practically screaming, "Mess with me, and you'll lose a body part." So people that caught the look in her eyes backed away a little while looking at her, making sure to give the Togruta a wide berth. Some people would chalk it up to a monthly problem. Some would say relationship problems. Rex would definitely put money on the second one.

"Loosen up. You look like you're about to slaughter the entire street," he told her.

"I'm perfectly loose," Ahsoka said evenly.

"Anyone who has looked you in the eye has given us a wide berth since we've been walking," Rex said, his tone flatter than a hubcap. "You're more tense than a war zone. The point of me getting you out of the house was so this would stop, but I see it hasn't helped at all."

"I was relaxing in my own little way," Ahsoka reminded him, her stare unnerving him a bit. He was starting to understand that phrase Owen told him about not pissing off women.

"Cutting down trees practicing saber techniques does not qualify as a relaxation technique. That counts as practice. And an environment lawsuit waiting to happen," Rex told her.

"It usually works. I was about to try meditation until you suggested this," Ahsoka said.

"It's an opportunity for you to get out. And stop thinking about the fact that Anakin hasn't come back. There is entertainment beyond him, you know. Not quite of that caliber, but there is," Rex said with a small smirk.

"I can assure you, it's not definitely not about that," Ahsoka said, her tone even while giving him a look of slightly annoyed exasperation.

"If you say so," Rex said just as evenly. He read through that lie as soon as it came out of her mouth. 'Not about that' his cloned ass.

Since when did you ever hear Ahsoka Tano say the word "assure" in such a tone?

Ahsoka looked towards him before shaking her head and dismissing the question she was about to ask him. It was almost like ever since they arrived on Alderaan, Rex acted like he knew something she didn't. There was just this sort of vibe about him. And the look in his eye... there was a type of gleam in it when they treaded the subject of Anakin.

Speaking of the man in question, he wasn't back from his trip to Coruscant. Rex said he'd be back sometime this evening, and dark was almost about to hit. It seemed talking wasn't what he and his wife were getting up to. Maybe they were making up. She was kind of happy at the idea, but for the most part, her stomach churned like she ate a live Hutt. It was unsettling. It was a feeling she never felt before in her life, and she couldn't quite trace it.

"Hey, we could watch the speeder races," Rex suggested, throwing her out of her thoughts.

"That doesn't sound bad. It's not like I don't have plenty of money to bet," Ahsoka said, a small smirk donning her face.

"Ah, yes. You love to flash around how much more money you have compared to us poor folk," Rex said with a grin before he donned this really bad posh tone. "'Shall I take your... ahem, sabers madame? I assure you, after many decades of faithful servicing, this is very much a first for me.'" The act made Ahsoka break out into the first real laugh she had in the past few hours, and it got Rex smiling too.