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Someone had cracked the mirror in the barrack toilets again. From fox's position in front of the mirror, the two new cracks in the mirror ran along his nose and across his hairline. Right where his roots were growing.
His ginger non-regulation roots. At this point fox was debating if his curls were worth the upkeep needed or if he should just buzz it all off like Rex.
Before he could debate further, the door opened revealing Thorn who must of just gotten off his shift a few minutes after Fox.
"Hey Fox"
"..hello"
Thorn walked towards the sinks, now standing next to Fox. He looked at fox then towards the mirror.
"Someone cracked the mirror again"
"I know" Fox replied still staring down his reflection.
"Who do you think broke it? Me personally, my credits are on Thire."
Thorns eyes meet Fox's in the mirrors reflection and then travel to his hairline with a bored expression.
"You're roots are growing in again"
"Hm"
"I can touch it up again when I do my hair if you want?" Offered Thorn, causeing Fox to finally peel his gaze off his own reflection and turn to face Thorn. Now looking at him Fox notices how grown out his dark roots are against the pale blonde of his dye job.
Fox always thought it was a bit funny how Thorn dyed his hair in order to stand out in his own form of self expression whereas Fox dyed his hair in order to fit in.
To hide.
"I was actually thinking about buzzing it off" Fox replied, now not quite meeting Thorns gaze, "just seems like it would be less hassle for everyone involved."
"Less hassle?" Questioned Thorn looking a bit shocked at fox's suggestion. "But I thought you liked it when I dyed your hair" continued Thorn in an quieter tone.
"I do" Fox explained in a soft tone as he moved to take thorns hands in his, "I like that you want to spend time with me" Fox gave thorns hand a gentle squeeze and continued, "I like that it allows me to spend time with my brother" Another gentle squeeze. "I like that I get to help you with your hair aswell." A final more firmer squeeze but no less gentle.
Fox and Thorn both stood quietly, Fox still holding Thorns hands. "So.." Thorn started "if it's not a problem with me, the brother that normally dyes your hair...." murmured " how's it a hassle to you, you're hair? Because it's not a problem for me and the only people that know about your hair in the guard are me, you, Grim and Stone and they don't count here seeing as they don't help with your hair..." he trailed off.
Fox looked off to the side, avoiding Thorns gaze and catching his own in the cracked mirror. "Fox, please I just wanna help you. Just tell me what's wrong brother."
"I.m De...ct...ive" mumbled Fox.
"What?"
Fox raised his voice, "I Said I'm defective!" He repeated still not taking his eyes off the mirror, slumping and trying to remove his hands from Thorns but Thorn just held on tighter.
"Fox...I...look I know that you're hair—"
"It’s not just the hair" Fox continued to look into the mirror taking in the features he shares with is siblings. The rounded jaw, dark skin, brown eyes, the way his hair curled.... and then counting all the defects the kaminoans have pointed out over the years "it's the hair, the freckles..... my brain. I just.....want to be standard. The same as everyone else. Just not broken" he finished sounding slightly choked by emotion
Thorn stood in a stunned silence still holding onto Fox who was trying to losen his grip. Thorn knew that Fox had some self-esteem issues, anyone targeted by the kaminoans did, but he didn't think it was this......bad.
That his big brother was in such pain without him and his siblings not noticing. The kaminoans had always scrutinised his 'defective' siblings so harshly. The kaminoans judged every clone so no one was ever safe but 'defective' clones especially. He had also noticed the fox had stopped trying to wiggle his way out his grip and was now looking at the floor, looking at anywhere that wasn't Thorn.
"Fox" Thorn called softly gently squeezing his hands as fox had done to him earlier. Fox was still looking away but gave a small squeeze back. "Fox, please look at me."
Fox turned to look at Thorn. Both brothers now looking face to face. "Fox........Fox how long........how long have you felt like this." Fox squeezed thorns hands while taking a minute to think. "What part?"
"The broken one"
Fox was silent for another moment and than answered "since deployment." Thorn looked saddened at the answer but not surprised and fox felt like he failed as a brother somehow. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Asked Thorn.
"Not really" replied Fox.
"Do you want a hug?"
Fox tried removing his hands from Thorns grip again and this time Thorn let him. "Are you sure? Because I don't want to make you uncomfortable—" Thorn captured Fox in hug cutting off further protest.
"You don't think Grimm is broken for his eyes do?" Thorn asked quietly while holding fox close. Grim had sectoral heterochromia which caused the inner ring of his iris to be a lighter shade of brown than the rest of his iris, and while not very noticeable to natborns or even some other clones it was glaringly obvious to the kaminoans....
"no, of course not" whispered Fox. Grimm was a scary competent CMO who cared for all his gaurd siblings and did his best with the medical supplies given, his heterochromia had no bearing on his worth as a medic. "And what about what about Blondie?" Continued Thorn.
Blondie was a shiny recently brought into the guard who was as thier named implied, blonde. A natural blonde like his little brother Rex. "Dose blondie's hair mean their broken?"
"No" and Fox know the answer was no because a sibling like Blondie can't be broken. Fox's littlest sibling who was all smiles despite kamino and asshole senators. His little sibling who collected thrown out stickers and sticks them to the barrack walls and the caff machine and the medbay in order to brighten it up.
"So if Grimm and Blondie aren't broken for their 'defects', or any of the other guard or even any other clone, then nether are you"
Fox began to shake in Thorns hold, wrapping his arms around him and hugging him back. And for the next while they just held each other. Not worrying about the senate, the chancellor or 'defects'.
After a while, Fox began to pull back from the hug and Thorn let him, both now standing face the mirror once more. Another moment of silence has gone by when Fox finally says in a rough voice, "I know you said I wasn't broken or defective........but.............I think I'm going to buzz it off."
"...ok"
"ok?"
"If you're really sure then yeah, ok, it's your hair and I shouldn't stop you if you really want it" replied Thorn.
"Huh" Fox looked down from the mirror to the sink. "Would you mind helping me cut it?"
"Of course brother, let me go get the clippers" Thorn backed from the sink and headed back to the door to get to the bunk room, leaving Fox alone momentarily.
Fox looked up back into the mirror, taking in his reflection once more while waiting for Thorn. He dragged his gaze around the mirror counting the cracks including the two new one's, then he catched something he had never noticed before. A little faded sun sticker up in the right coner over one of the cracks.
Fox couldn't help a small smile on his face from it. "GOT THEM!" announced Thorn as he stepped back into the bathroom cause Fox to jump slightly, turningto face him. "Gods Thorn!"
"Heh. Sorry, Fox didn't mean to scare you" Thorn apologised sheepishly while walking towards Fox. Now standing behind fox with the clippers.
"You ready?"
Fox turned back to the mirror and looking silently for a moment and then replying determined.
"Yeah, I'm ready"