Staring, Cody wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing.

This was one of the last things he had been expecting when he had entered the lounging room behind Senator Amidala’s office, the space where she entertained guests and made less official negotiations possible.

Or well, he knew WHAT but the why was kinda escaping him.

Anakin however perked up when the captain and the commander stepped in, waving his gloved mech hand at them since his other was resting on the table beside him, his fingernails glittery blue as he sat reclined back in an upholstered chair. “Rex, Cody! Hey, you’re here.”

In front of him, in a similar chair that had obviously been dragged closer, Padme Amidala sat with the Jedi’s feet in her lap, completely focused on painting the nails on the left foot, the other already finished.

Those too were also covered in glittery blue nail polish.

She gave an absent greeting, clearly wanting to focus on doing her job correctly.

“What’s going on here?” Rex managed to get out, voice strained and Cody could just feel the way the other was tempted to go for the blaster.

Technically, she was touching the Jedi.

But this seemed…

Harmless.

And Anakin Skywalker looked happy, so this wasn’t some kind of feminization kink or humiliation thing, not with how content he looked and Cody had seen both Obi-Wan and Anakin with painted nails before actually.

“Nail painting?” Anakin glanced at the preoccupied senator then back at them. “Padme tries to make sure that when I’m on Coruscant, no one else can request me. Bail tries to do the same for Obi-Wan. But we were kinda bore-”

Senator Amidala let out a huge snort. “You were bored, I was doing my paperwork.” She sniffed delicately before straightening, smiling happily as she picked up the polish bottle from the table and screwed the brush in.

Anakin rolled his eyes. “Okay, so I was bored. I forgot to bring my tech this time. Excuuuuse me.” He pouted at her.

‘They’re friends.’ The realization hit Cody like a hammer and he felt something deflate inside him.

Relief maybe.

Because for the first time since this entire thing started, they have allies, allies with power that can keep the Jedi safe.

Or at least do SOMETHING.

Finally, the Senator finishes up and pats Anakin’s foot, smiling at him before turning her eyes to Rex and Cody. “Please, take a seat. I apologize for not offering sooner but I was never really good at painting nails and I need to focus when I do it.” She sighed slightly.

Grabbing chairs, the two troopers did as told, settling down as Padme lifted a piece of white machinery from the table. Turning it on, it lit up in blue and she held it over the nails she had just painted.

If Cody was to take a guess, it was something to make the nail polish dry quicker likely.

Rex was still vibrating a bit, most likely the leftover rage and adrenaline more than anything and clearly Anakin realized it by the way he sent the captain a concerned look.

Thankfully though, he said nothing as Amidala instead started talking. “Bail and I, along with a few of the more agreeable senators have been trying to get rid of the…” She trailed off, her eyes twitching a bit before she sighed deeply. “The servitude the Jedi order has to the Senate. Unfortunately the Senate moves slowly and quite a few are very unwilling to give up on it.” Amidala stated bitterly, staring down at Anakin’s feet on her lap, tilting the machine in her hand lightly to turn the light.

Cody and Rex exchanged glances as Anakin made his focus his own finger nails, studying how they glittered in the light.

But his ears were red, a sign of his humiliation.

“Is…is there anything we can do?” Cody finally questioned.

That got him a wry smile along with something steely in Amidala’s expression, her eyes darting to Anakin before back to Cody. “Well, unless you have power in the Senate or storm it, I don’t think so.” She stated in a light tone.

Cody felt his breath catch a bit.

She knew.

Or at the very least she suspected.

And would work with the clones since she gotten Anakin to invite them here to this private moment.

That was… a surprise, Padme Amidala’s ideals for peace and justice were strong.

But what was happening to the Jedi order, to the clones and to many of the outer and middle core planets were injustice. Injustice that the Senate did not move to aid or fix. “I see… you help the Jedi then?” He glanced at Anakin too.

Perking up at that, Anakin nodded. “Padme tries to take our slots as best she can. She can’t always help or even help everyone, neither can Senator Organa. But they try, they and a few others.” He grinned happily.

‘Can’t always help.’ The word stuck with Cody and he could spot the Senator hand curving almost protectively around the bump of Anakin’s ankle, as if she could shield the bigger man from the threat other Senators posed.

Can’t always meant that some had asked for Anakin.

Looking at the Senator, Cody waited until she lifted her eyes to meet his. Only then did he give a vicious smile, watching how her eyes widened in surprise before she matched it.

The Troopers had an ally with teeth.