Cody moved through the crowded market with purpose, though the weight of his grey armor beneath the cloak felt heavier than usual. The helmet sat safely back on the ship, deliberately left behind. These days, the less attention the former clone commander drew, the better. Especially with the company he kept.

A few months ago, he wouldn’t have imagined himself here- not in a busy marketplace, and certainly not free of the Empire’s grasp. The inhibitor chip had been a curse, a leash that had pulled him into betrayal without even the smallest bit of hesitation. Removing it had left him with a silence in his head he still wasn’t used to. A silence filled with memory. The general's face on Utapau as he gave the command to fire and turned his own blaster. His Padawan’s eyes when they had found him after the Purge- haunted, wary, yet still alive. It had taken a while for them to believe he wasn't going to turn around and betray them for a second time.

He paused at a vendor’s stall, exchanging a few credits for steaming bowls of food. Simple, nothing fancy. It was cheap and they had the credits, so it didn't matter to him. He carried two bowl back through the crowd, eyes scanning around for any sign of troopers. Spotting the Padawan nearby, Cody adjusted his cloak and approached, pressing the bowl into their hands. “Here,” he said, voice low, gruff but not unkind. “Eat while it’s still warm."

Sitting down across from them, he settled with his bowl even as the words lingered. It had become second nature now- making sure they ate, making sure they rested, and definitely making sure they didn’t draw too much attention. He’d lost enough brothers already- he wasn’t about to lose them too. The role fit him awkwardly at first, but he’d grown into it, protective in a way that felt almost older brother to younger sibling.

"You should keep your hood up," Cody added after a beat after he realized it was slipping. “You don’t want anyone here recognizing what you are. Not when the wrong pair of eyes could sell you out for a handful of credits."

There was no edge in his words- just quiet concern mixed with the tone he used to give orders with. He shifted slightly, scanning the crowd out of habit before he took a spoonful of his own food. "I still think we shouldn't have stopped here."