I love your follower celebration idea. It's so sweet. I would love to put in a request.
Narcissus and yellow orchid, I'll let you choose any clone, bevause they all deserve love. And it can be that after months of unrequited love, f!reader is trying to move on, and he finds out about it.
I don't know. Something like that.
Please Watch Me
Summary: You've had a crush on Jesse for ages, but he doesn't really know you exist, so you're planning on moving on. Only, when he finds out, he takes issue with it.
Pairing: ARC Trooper Jesse x F!Reader
Word Count: 2592
Prompts: Narcissus - unrequited love, Yellow Orchid - New Beginnings
Warning: Jesse is kind of an idiot in this, but it's not malicious
Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni
A/N: So this was going to be a Fox fic, because I love him so much, but then I made myself sad about Jesse, and this was born instead. I hope this is close to what you want! ❤️
You learned, a long time ago, that life isn’t fair.
And you’ve, mostly, accepted it.
It’s why you agreed to join the GAR at your parents' loud encouragement. It was never your dream. But you’ve come to accept that most people don’t get to live their dreams.
It’s…fine.
You like your job well enough.
Or, well…you like the view, if nothing else.
Your gaze drifts from your datapad, which is running a diagnostic on a malfunctioning alarm, over to the group of men on the other side of the room. Your eyes linger on one man specifically.
ARC Trooper Jesse of the 501st.
Kind and handsome and charming…and so far out of your reach that he might as well be on Kamino still.
You glance down at your datapad, and sigh softly. As per usual, the diagnostic is moving at the pace of a teenager who has school that day. Nothing for it but to wait until it’s done, you suppose.
You slump against the wall, and allow your gaze to drift back over to the clones on the other side of the room.
It looks like they’re doing hand to hand combat this morning. Which has two perks for one. One, watching them spar is always interesting, though you never have the time to actually watch them. And two, they tend to spar shirtless and you’re something of a simple woman and enjoy the sight of very attractive shirtless men.
All of them. Not just Jesse.
You glance at your datapad again.
30%. You’re going to be here awhile. You should have brought a book.
You slide to the ground and balance your datapad on your knees, splitting your attention between the slowly rinsing number, and Jesse on the other side of the room.
You’ve been completely enamored with him for months now. Ever since the first time he came into your “office”, which is really just a small corner of the hanger sectioned off with crates to give you the illusion of privacy, and asked you for help updating his onboard computer since he was having a hard time with it.
You ended up having to replace the whole system, but he sat with you until you were done, cracking jokes and sharing easy conversation, until you managed to replace the whole system and run the update that he needed.
The crush started out small, just a little thing that you thought could be ignored.
But it wouldn’t. The more you watched him interact with the world around him, the stronger the feelings grew. Until you were laying in your cot late one night, staring at the ceiling, realizing that you loved him.
And Jesse.
Well, he didn’t know you existed.
Or, if he did, it was in the vague way that all of the men in the 501st knew you existed. As Tech Support.
It. Sucks.
And sure, life isn’t fair, and you’ve come to accept the fact that you’re probably going to get stuck watching the love of your life fall in love with another person, and you’ve promised yourself that you’re going to be happy for him.
Still, it would be nice if life was a little more fair.
Just a little bit?
You glance at your datapad again. 35%.
At least it’s not running backwards, that happened in the med-bay the other day and you just about ripped your hair out…and then verbally tore the entire Medical team a new one for downloading a virus on a military computer.
Rex promised that it would never happen again, when he came to save the medical team from your ire, but you have doubts.
After all, it always happens again.
You fold your legs and absently open a game of solitaire over the diagnostic screen.
Now that you’re thinking about it, maybe it’s time for you to make a change. Not with your career, you signed a contract and you’re stuck for at least 6 years, but with your personal life.
You can’t keep pining over Jesse, it’s not healthy. And you’re young and reasonably attractive, surely you can snag a date with someone?
Right?
The only problem, of course, being that whenever you consider someone to date, the only face that pops in your mind is Jesse. Which is wholly unhelpful. And you refuse, refuse, to try and get over Jesse by using one of his brothers.
That’s not fair to anyone.
You suppose you can always go to a club when you return to Coruscant. You are paid decently well, so you can afford a proper clubbing outfit, and a hookup might, maybe, help you get over Jesse?
Or, it’ll make everything so much worse.
You consider the idea for a moment as you absently move cards across the screen. It’s not a terrible idea, all things considered. You still have some friends from college who keep in touch, and they have been nagging you to go out with them.
And you have been neglecting your social life, what with the war and being assigned to the Resolute.
And your friends will be thrilled to go dancing with you.
Yes, this is an excellent idea. Maybe.
Eh. Maybe not. But it can’t hurt.
Anything is better than pining over someone who isn’t interested, after all.
“How’s the security system looking?” General Skywalker asks as he looms over you, a look of amusement on his face as he sees the card game.
You switch tabs, “Can’t tell you. The diagnostic is still only at 43%.”
“Slow system,”
“GAR standard,” You reply dryly, “It’ll get sorted, it’s just going to take time.”
Anakin sighs, “Of course. Well, we’re heading back to Coruscant anyway, Snips has some lessons she needs to actually sit for.”
“Do not miss those days.” You quip.
“Amen to that,” He glances at you, “Are you alright? You looked sad.”
“Ah, just…thinking.” You reply. You’re quiet for a moment, “I haven’t been on a date since my ex cheated on me in college, and I’m thinking of maybe putting myself back out there.”
There’s a noise from the other side of the room, and both you and General Skywalker look up to see Jesse laying on his back with Tup standing over him, both of them looking surprised.
“Well, good luck with that. I have to go…manage.” General Skywalker says with a sigh.
“Sounds like you have the harder job.” You murmur as he walks away. You look at your diagnostic one more time, and then sigh, and go back to your game.
At this rate, you’re going to be working until midnight.
Jesse is having something of a week.
Not a good one, either.
He rubs the back of his neck as he paces in Kix’s office. He is deeply, deeply agitated and he knows why. After all, he was fine until he heard her say those words.
“-I’m thinking of putting myself back out there.”
It had been startling enough that Tup managed to get one up on him and ended up beating him in the spar. And if he’s going to be honest, he’s still a little shell-shocked.
She can’t go out on a date. She just…she can’t.
“Jesse.”
It’s not allowed. Or it shouldn’t be allowed. She needs to stay near the barracks. Where she’ll be safe. Where he can keep her safe from the creeps on Coruscant.
“Jesse!”
Or, if she doesn’t stay near the barracks, she should at least go to places that are safe, like 79s where he can threaten his brothers if they bother her-
“JESSE!”
He jumps when Kix’s shout jerks him out of his increasingly spiraling thoughts. “What?”
“You’re going to pace a hole in my floor.” Kix says, irritably. “Sit. Down.”
Jesse obediently drops into a chair.
Kix glares at him a moment longer, and then he nods, “Good. Now. What is your problem?”
“You have a shit bedside manner, Kix.”
“It’s you. Get over it.” Kix rolls his eyes, “Why are you so anxious?”
Jesse eyes his brother, and then his shoulders slump, and he quietly says her name.
“What, did she yell at you for downloading a virus, because she’s not going to stay angry for long.” Kix says.
“No. She wants to start dating.”
“And? What’s the problem with-” He stops and looks up from his datapad to stare at his brother. “Oh. Oh. Vod, I’m sorry.”
Jesse grimaces, “I was dumb.” He admits.
“Well, at least you know. How were you dumb, though?”
“I got comfortable. She watched me when she thought no one was looking. And I thought…well, I thought she would wait for me.”
“Why the hell would she do that? Have you ever actually spoken to her before?”
“Yes!”
“About something not work related?”
“I…Not really, no.”
“Then why should she put her life on hold for you?” Kix asks reasonably.
“Stop being logical and tell me how to keep her from dating people who aren’t me!”
“Talk to her, you utter idiot.”
“What if she says no?”
“Well then, you’re SOL aren’t you?” Kix says, “Because if you think for a moment that I’m going to let you ruin her life because of jealousy-”
“What! No! I would never!”
“Good.” Kix turns back to his work, “Anyway, you should go talk to her.”
“Uh…”
He turns his glare onto his brother, “You’re not really going to make me do this, are you?”
“...do what?” Jesse asks warily.
“You are. You’re lucky you’re my favorite brother.”
“Wait-”
Kix gets to his feet and drags Jesse to his feet, before he propels him out of the room. He pushes Jesse down the hall, into the lift, down another hall, into the hanger, and then into the small room where she works.
“Wait, Kix-” Jesse hisses.
She turns her wide, confused gaze over the pair of men, “Is something wrong?” She asks cautiously.
“No.” Jesse says quickly.
“Yes.” Kix says at the same time. He pushes Jesse into the only chair in the room, and then claps his brother on the shoulder, “This is for your own good, vod.”
“What are you-?” Jesse doesn’t finish his sentence as Kix cuffs him to the chair, and then leaves the room.
She stares at Jesse wide eyed, her hand pressed over her mouth, “Um…hold on, I’m sure I have a set of lock picks in here-”
“You…why would you have lockpicks?” Jesse asks, so startled at her comment that he can’t even be upset at the situation.
She ducks her head, and Jesse just about melts when he sees the adorably shy look on her face. “I, well…I was bored, and I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to learn how to pick locks.”
“That’s…”
She ducks her head a little more, and Jesse wonders what person told her that she should be ashamed of herself, and he wonders if he can meet them and introduce them to his fist.
“It’s weird, I know-”
“It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard in my life.” Jesse says determinedly.
Her head snaps up and she stares at him in surprise, “You…adorable?” She asks with a cute scrunch of her nose.
“Yes. Adorable. In fact, everything about you is adorable. How do you do that?”
“I…I don’t-I mean, I’m not doing anything special-?” She says shyly, “Oh, lockpicks…” She turns and digs through a drawer.
“You don’t have to do anything special. You just are.” Jesse says as he watches her dig through her things. He hesitates a moment, “Any guy would be lucky to have you.” He adds, sounding deeply pained.
“Found it!” She holds up a ring of lockpicks, and then offers him a slight smile, “And…not any guy.”
“Name one.”
“General Skywalker?”
“He doesn’t count seeing as he’s married, try again.”
“Like, all of your brothers who look right through me like I’m invisible?” She offers as she kneels next to him and starts working on the cuff.
“They have bad taste, all of them. Have you seen some of their tattoos?” Jesse asks.
“Says the man with the Republic cog tattooed on his face?”
“I have amazing taste,” Jesse says with a grin, “Have you seen my other tattoos?”
“I…have, yes.”
His grin widens, “Like I said, they all have bad taste, try again.”
She sighs and straightens once he’s free, “Okay. You.”
Jesse rubs his wrist, but keeps his gaze locked on her face, “That’s not true at all.”
She blinks at him once, and then again, “I beg your pardon?”
“Alright, so…I have a confession.” Jesse starts as he leans back in the chair, not wanting to crowd her, “I knew about your crush on me.”
Her face flames, and she presses her hands over her face, “I-”
“Can I finish before you say anything, please?” Jesse asks, his voice gentle, and he waits until she nods before he continues. “I knew about your crush, and I knew about you watching me, and I loved it.”
She lowers her hands to watch him.
“I suppose I got…spoiled. I assumed that you would always be there, and that’s on me, not on you. So…so hearing that you want to start dating again-” He trails off and shakes his head with a wry quirk of his lips. “It was something of a punch to the gut.”
“I…sorry-”
“Hey, no. No, you don’t have to apologize. It was a well needed punch to the gut.” Jesse says, “I never spoke with you, and part of that is because we’re both so busy, but part of it is…well, I’m something of a jerk sometimes.”
She tilts her head, her arms folding in front of her stomach, “Jesse…what are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying,” Jesse pauses, “Begging, pleading…don’t take your eyes off me. Please?”
“Jesse-”
“I want to…to take you dancing and to the movies and out to dinner and…and buy you flowers. And I know that you have every right to tell me to kriff off but I’m really hoping that you won’t.”
She hesitates, “This isn’t just some joke that you’re playing on me, is it?”
“No, never. I wouldn’t do that to anyone, but least of all you.” Jesse says.
There’s quiet for a moment, and then Jesse speaks again, looking both eager and hesitant at the same time, “So…so what do you think? Can you give this idiot one more chance?”
She sighs, gentle and quiet, “Jesse, I didn’t actually have any hope of finding someone else.” She admits, “I’ve been in love with you since the first time you came in here.”
“I know.” Jesse smiles slightly, “I don’t know if I love you. I’ve never been in love before. But I know the idea of you with someone else makes me unbearably sad.”
She ducks her head with a small smile, “I don’t mind waiting until you know for sure.”
“Does that mean you’re willing to be my girlfriend?” Jesse asks.
She glances at him and nods her head slowly, “But…you’re not allowed to ignore me anymore.”
“Never again. This is a new beginning for you and me. A better start.” Jesse stands when he sees the small smile on her face and he reaches out to lightly brush his fingers against her cheek.
And then he leans in and presses his lips against her forehead.
She doesn’t react for a moment, and then, slowly, she wraps her arms around his waist. “Do…do you want to stay and watch a holo with me?” She asks, her voice soft and hesitant.
“Cyare, nothing would make me happier.”
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