70. Outside (1/1)

rila: because i thought it'd be awesome to

ing in barriss. :3 and barriss, it's true that rex follows regs, just not as solidly as cody does. :3 does this make any sense at all i think it does but hey

disclaimer: i've had friends like that. you know, the ones that smile at you after you've finished talking to someone you like and they're like, 'i saw that~'

word count: 572

chapter description: it was not that they did not notice — but a sense of duty that kept it at a distance.

she knew.

she would have been blind not to — though she was not around ahsoka constantly, she managed to find herself in her friend's company enough to see it. it was not blatantly obvious, which, in hindsight, relieved her — there was the code to think about, after all, but the fact that it was there at all both concerned and amused her.

it was as if, she mused, ahsoka thought that no one saw the way that she looked at him — and perhaps no one did, given the fact that there was no reason to be paying such close attention to where the young togruta's attention wandered, but after watching her friend's attention slip away for a third time, she followed the line of vision and found herself watching one of the clones.

it was one in particular, one with closely shaven hair that had been dyed blonde — captain rex, if she recalled correctly. her attention shifted back to her friend, observing the way that ahsoka watched him. she could not read the emotion in ahsoka's gaze, but she noted the smile — soft, affectionate — that was aimed in rex's direction.

barriss, curious and concerned, nudged her friend. "ahsoka. if you stare like that any longer, you'll put holes in his head." it was not like her to tease much, but it was worth it to see the chevrons of ahsoka's montrals darken to an interesting shade of near-black, markings on her face

ight white as she averted her gaze.

"i was not staring," she defended, "just...observing." her tone was light and casual, trying to play off her embarassment. barriss smiled, and then the gesture faded when ahsoka's attention returned to the clone captain.

"ahsoka." ahsoka turned once more, and she caught barriss' gaze, the small smile that had pulled at her mouth fading into a flat line as she sighed, bowing her head.

"i know," she answered, and then repeated, as if to convince herself, "i know." she stood and barriss followed suit, moving to depart from where they had been resting after a sparring match. she paused, and out of curiosity, glanced back in the direction of the captain who had caught her friend's attention.

he was staring in their direction, though not at her. his gaze was focused on her companion, and she watched as it diverted just before she stepped through the door. barriss frowned. the attraction was far from one-sided, something she noted, but could not be allowed to flourish.

nothing would come of it — nothing could come of it. it could remain as glances when the other was not looking, but nothing more. ahsoka was a jedi, she could not go against the code. rex was a soldier who adhered to regulations.

both were bound by duty.