Two Halfs of One Warrior • Obikin/Vaderwan One-Shots

Use My Body To Break Your Fall, Part 2

Anakin comes to in a bed. He opens his eyes and groans automatically at the bright lights overhead. A figure moves into his line of vision and Anakin blinks blearily at it until it resolves into a shape that makes more sense. Still not a lot of sense, but more than before.

After all, what’s Commander Tano doing here? Where’s Obi-Wan?

A vibroblade to the gut couldn’t have jolted him more than that thought and the cascade of memories that accompanies it. Obi-Wan--their fight--the battle--Anakin had never been more afraid than he’d been when he saw that lightsaber swinging towards Obi-Wan, so of course he’d pushed him out of the way, would have given anything to save the other man’s life, even if it meant losing his own. Even if it meant losing his--

He looks down at his body, where his right arm should be resting against the mattress. Instead there’s nothing there at all, only bandages wrapped neatly around the--the stub. He has to stare for a couple of seconds, trying to process everything.

Kark. His mom is going to be so mad is the first hysterical thought to run across his mind.

He has to close his eyes. It would be embarrassing to cry in front of a war commander over the loss of a limb, when she’s seen so many people lose their lives in absolute senseless violence. And he’s okay now. He has everything important. He has--

“Obi-Wan!” He practically yells, eyes shooting open to frantically look around the room for his Sith lord. Why isn’t he here, next to Anakin, holding one of his hands--uh, his only hand--telling him that he’s being so very brave and so very good and he’ll be okay? Had he been hurt after Anakin passed out? Is he--is he--

Anakin can’t even bring himself to think about that option. He reaches into the Force with his mind to find the bond connecting them together. It’s there, still intact, but there’s something off about it. He tries to follow the line to wherever Obi-Wan is, but he runs into something that feels like a durasteel wall, blocking him completely from his master.

He comes back to himself with a gasp, turning pleading eyes towards Ahsoka. “Where is he? Do you have him?” he demands in a wild, intense voice.

Maybe he can stage a...a breakout. He doesn’t really know much about breaking highly dangerous sith lords out of what is a probably heavily secured cell, but he’ll figure it out as he goes. Maybe he can find a spare clone trooper armor, put it on, pretend to be one of them until he can get on--on guard rotation, then...then just walk in and get him and leave? It feels like a plan where a lot of things go wrong, but the idea of leaving Obi-Wan behind wherever they are now is just unacceptable.

He catches sight of a strangely heartbroken expression that flashes across Ahsoka’s face. It makes Anakin pause to reevaluate. What if Obi-Wan had died? What does Anakin know about bonds anyway? Maybe the disconnect he’s feeling across their bond is actually because Obi-Wan isn’t around anymore at all. Anakin feels his throat closing up at the possibility, and suddenly he has to know. For better or for worse, he has to know. He reaches over to grip Ahsoka’s forearm with his left hand.

“Is he... gone?” he asks, voice a near whisper. He can’t bring himself to say dead out loud, but the word haunts every corner of his mind.

Ironically, his body has never felt more alive, his heart pumping double-time and his breath coming in uneven gasps. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if she says yes. He’s never had to live in a galaxy without Obi-Wan Kenobi before. The idea of such a future is unbearable.

Ahsoka nods once, lekku twitching in distress. She can’t even look him in the eyes, instead staring down at her hands twisting the hem of her shirt.

But to be fair, Anakin’s not sure he wants to be looked at right now. Maybe never again.