Island

Rex notices that the new Commander isn't doing her paperwork, and that his General is the one hording it. That can't last and no man can do all that work by himself.

Island

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is an old one shot from Fictober 2017, day 2. Out of all the fictober fics I wrote, this one still gets notes on it so I figured it was worth it to post here to AO3.

Rex only pauses for a moment before pressing the chime, then as he waits he takes his bucket off and clips it to his belt. He’s put on and taken off his bucket more than is proper in the last ten minutes, but even he still gets a case of nerves now and then. He’s just glad to not have instructors smacking at his hands every time he does it these days.

The door finally hisses open. General Skywalker is seated at his desk, a cup of cold kaf at one elbow and a pile of seemingly endless pads and pages cluttering the rest of the desktop. Far more reports then he should have. Well, at least that is the theme that Rex was going to address anyways.

“How can I help you Rex?” Anakin’s normally light tones are rough and slow.

“First you can delegate those,” Rex waves a hand at the general mess, “and then you can get some actual sleep before Kix gives you a detox.”

When General Skywalker scowls or snarls on the battlefield, it is terrifying. Rex has often thought the droids lucky since they don’t have the emotional capacity to be afraid of the madman coming down on them. In private, Anakin’s scowling is somehow softened. It makes him look younger than he is, more like he did at the First Battle of Geonosis than a formidable knight.

“If that’s all you’re here for, you can see yourself out.” Anakin scowls down at his work.

Fucks sake. Rex sighs and takes a seat on the tiny metal chair meant for visitors. Anakin’s office is impressive in the sense that they found the space for it on the ship. It’s tiny, barely wide enough for someone to slip past the desk and just long enough to fit the two chairs, desk, reclemator, and sink. Behind Anakin’s hunched back is a door to his private quarters which are equally unimpressive except for the private fresher attached to it. The office is supposed to be a place the General can meet with high ranking officials and take his private coms. In reality, as soon as a second body is in it the whole room feels like a play house. Rex puts that to good use and folds his arms on the desk’s surface. He leans forward a hair and lets his flash training take over, absorbing all the information he can in seconds.

He picks the most obvious one and carries on when Anakin’s response is to double down on his sulking. “Requisitions? Rotation roster? Sir, Tano should be doing those.”

Rex lets it sit for a moment as Anakin works his jaw. “You know, I don’t see you taking over my duties. If you’re interested, it’s all about setting the PT schedules and working on supply logistics tonight.”

Anakin finally looks back up at him with a glare. “You can handle it Captain.”

Rex taps his fingers and nods. “So can she, you just have to give her the chance.”

“She’s new and doesn’t know what the hell she’d be doing.” Anakin mutters into his kaf.

Excuses, always excuses! Rex fights the frown off his face and leans forward a little more. “Then teach her, or have me teach her. Kid can do it.”

“Yeah, but she is just a kid!” Anakin says from the wise old age of twenty one. Rex is unimpressed.

His General is a good man, but he’s still just a man. Unlike clones who are designed to mature quickly physically, mentally, and emotionally, Anakin has to do it the old fashioned way. Rex might only be twelve but compared to him, the General is also just another kid with his brain still forming all its lobes and centers. Skywalker is the youngest General in the war, keeping up with Jedi who are easily his senior twice over. Despite the outcry over giving a kid that kind of power he’s done remarkably well. Rex has been proud to watch this kid General grow into his position, to mature so quickly with each passing month. It’s baffling to watch him repeat all the actions that had cut him so deeply a scant few years ago.

Skywalker wants to be an eopie, so be it. Rex will pull out the big guns. “So send her back.”

“What-no!” Anakin’s whole face transforms, something like nervousness seeping into every line. “I can’t send her back Rex, you don’t know what they’d do. Jedi don’t take failure lightly.”

He doesn’t rise to the bait, he’s pretty sure that the Jedi don’t mind wipe or slag failures the way the Kaminoans are so fond of.

“Fine, keep her but don’t undermine her because you have issues. She’s the Commander of this unit and if you keep this up, not a single one of them men out there are going to follow her orders. After all, their General says she’s just a kid.” Rex finally leans back as Anakin winces. Oh good, progress at last. “Look, if nothing else, save yourself some rack time and have her work her way up to it. But in the next three weeks, she better be doing her duties or it will be noticed.”

“You’ve made your point Rex.” Anakin is leaning back now, rubbing at his face in exhaustion.

“Have I? You may be a big fancy General, but you can’t run this outfit by yourself. You need to trust the rest of us to help.” Rex swipes up a few datapads. “For instance, these are mine you two credit asshole.”

There’s that boyish grin, then one that means trouble. “Rex, I was just trying to help you get some rest.”

Rex stands, a small smirk in place. “Of course sir. This was about my well being and not you trying to avoid thinking about anything else.”