Chapter Text
Rex didn’t like him.
And if it wasn’t for his trained sense of self-control and the fact that Ahsoka stood at his side, Rex would have even been tempted to laugh.
As highly as Ahsoka had spoken of Lux Bonteri, Rex had made him out to be some dark, lean, chiseled young man—someone who would make every head turn. After all, if he was worthy of Ahsoka’s admiration, then he must be something special, right?
Yet Lux managed to completely subvert his expectations. He was a pretty boy— handsome by a woman’s standards, Rex guessed. Though he wasn’t exactly the best judge of what females found attractive. Lux’s pasty complexion led Rex to wonder whether he had ever before spent an extended period of time out in the sun. His brown hair hung an unkempt length past his ears. He had the build of someone who spent most of his days at a desk or behind a podium, his schedule broken only by bureaucratic meetings and banquets.
He didn’t belong anywhere near a battlefield.
Rex wasn’t one to judge solely on appearance, though. When you shared the same face with hundreds of thousands of other men, you learned pretty quickly to look past one’s exterior.
Regardless, Lux had a few things working against him.
First, he had been a Separatist. Although Lux had since abandoned the Alliance, Rex naturally regarded him with extra suspicion.
Second, Lux had taken Ahsoka’s compassion in rescuing him from Dooku, and flipped it on its head. The only thanks he had given her was a stun, essentially kidnapping her to gain control of the ship.
Third, he had conspired with known Mandalorian terrorists on Concordia, and endangered Ahsoka’s life in the process. Anyone who decided to form relations with Death Watch was stupid at best, no matter the circumstance.
Fourth, he had forced himself on Ahsoka—which, though it was illogical, irked Rex more than anything else. Lux had kissed her, unprovoked, without consent. Rex understood it had been a diversion tactic, but that hardly mattered. It only reinforced his already poor perception of the boy.
So no, he didn’t like Lux Bonteri, and had more than enough justification for it. But he was determined not to let it show, for Ahsoka’s sake.
That was why, when Ahsoka pulled him aside to introduce him to the young senator, Rex nearly choked on his own words.
“Rex, this is Senator Lux Bonteri,” Ahsoka said. “Lux, this is Captain Rex. He’s been by my side since…well, forever.”
Rex clasped his hand, silently noting that he had the handshake of a diplomat—easy, loose.
Like a noodle.
“It’s, ah…” Rex cleared his throat. “It’s a pleasure, sir.”
That was a lie.
“Likewise, Captain.”
So was that.
The young politician’s eyes narrowed as he studied Rex. It was almost comical, watching a silver-spooned amateur diplomat size up the captain of the 501st. Lux released Rex’s hand after one shake and took a step back. He peeled his attention away from Rex and turned to Ahsoka, his distasteful expression vanishing in a second, replaced with a congenial smile.
Textbook politician.
“Ahsoka, would you excuse us for a moment? I would like to get acquainted with Captain, er—”
“Rex,” he finished for him.
Lux flashed him a testy look.
“Yes; Rex.”
Ahsoka glanced at Lux, then Rex, then back again.
“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll check in with Master Skywalker. We need to be moving out soon anyway.”
Ahsoka cast Rex one final wary look before rejoining the rest of the group. When she was far enough out of earshot, Lux resumed a skeptical expression and defensive stance, arms crossed over his chest.
Oh, this’ll be good, Rex thought to himself. But he maintained his stoic exterior, for Ahsoka’s sake. He would try to give the kid the benefit of the doubt. Rex wasn’t going to screw this up—unless Bonteri did first.
“I know your kind. I know what you are capable of.”
So, Lux was just as much of an osi’yaim as Rex had suspected.
In fact, his venomous, dehumanizing tone reminded Rex far too much of Krell. The realization sent a livid heat boiling in Rex’s core.
“My kind , sir?”
“It was your people, your so-called ‘brothers,’ who murdered my father,” Lux spat, stepping closer. “Let me be upfront with you, Captain. You are here out of necessity. If I had known the Jedi were bringing along a clone, I would have objected from the start. But as it is, you’re already here, so I will take your direction as it pertains to the mission. However, I am entrusting you with my people and the fate of Onderon, so I will be watching .”
Rex ground his teeth, imagining how karking good it would feel to smack that snobby look off Bonteri’s face. But he couldn’t do that—though he so, so wanted to.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t put the arrogant bigot in his place.
“Listen, kid,” Rex said, dropping professional formalities, “I’m not going to waste time arguing with a thick-headed big shot. If you want to stay alive in this war, drop the attitude, or you’ll be the first body we drag off the field.”
Lux’s eyes widened a fraction. Then he set his jaw and scowled. If Rex had to guess, he wasn’t used to being addressed so bluntly.
But Rex wasn’t finished yet.
“And another thing”—he leaned in, clamping a hand on the senator’s shoulder, causing him to wobble under the pressure. “Commander Tano is more than capable of kicking your shebs . But she’s too nice for that. However, I am no Jedi. Pull another stunt like you did on Concordia, and I swear that me and the general and a legion of men just like me will personally beat the sh—“
“Hey, boys!” Ahsoka’s voice called out, turning from her conversation with Anakin and Obi-wan. “We’re moving out.”
Both nodded in acknowledgment and waited for Ahsoka to divert her attention elsewhere. Rex’s gloved grip still rested heavily on Lux’s shoulder.
“Lay a hand on her and see how far you get before I kriffing blast it off.” Rex fixed him with a dead-serious golden-brown glare. “Got it, sir?”
For a moment, Lux’s face flushed with surprise and fear—enough to indicate to Rex that his intimidation tactics had done the trick. Pulling away, Lux brushed off his shoulder and walked away, defeated at his own game.
Leaving Rex to smile to himself, while also seriously questioning Ahsoka’s taste in men.