Bittersweet Devotion [Star Wars x Anakin Skywalker]

32.

"Your focus determines your reality." - Qui-Gon

For the first time in years, Rain awoke feeling rested. The weight of sleepless nights, of endless worry, seemed to have lifted, if only temporarily. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a brief, blissful moment, she forgot the darkness that had consumed her life. But as the haze of sleep faded, the memories of recent days returned, crashing over her like a tidal wave.

She had slept in the small quarters assigned to her at Echo Base, originally in a bed across the room from Anakin's. It had been strange, sharing a space with him after so many years, the weight of their shared history heavy in the air. They had begun the night apart, lying in separate beds, the silence between them filled with unspoken thoughts. But sometime during the night, Rain had woken to find him beside her, his presence a comforting warmth against the cold reality they faced.

At first, she had been startled, her heart racing with the instinctive urge to push him away. But as she lay there, feeling the slow rise and fall of his chest, she had relaxed, allowing herself to remember the man he had once been. The man she had loved, and perhaps, still did. It had been an unconscious decision when she moved closer to him, letting his arm wrap around her, holding her as if they had never been apart.

Now, as the soft light of the base filtered into the room, Rain watched Anakin sleeping beside her. His face, so peaceful in sleep, seemed a world away from the tormented man who had been consumed by the dark side. One hand was sprawled above his head, the other resting around her waist, keeping her close.

A small smile played on her lips, a rare moment of contentment settling over her. But it was fleeting. As her thoughts began to churn, darker realizations clouded her mind. The Emperor was still out there, a looming threat that needed to be dealt with. Her smile faded as determination took its place.

With dismay, she realised there was no other option. She would have to kill the Emperor.

Anakin stirred beside her, drawing her attention back to the present. The smile returned to her face as she watched him slowly wake, his eyelids fluttering as if he were fighting to stay in the warmth of sleep a little longer.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she whispered, reaching out to flick his nose gently with her forefinger.

He groaned softly, turning his head away with a smile that was both familiar and heartbreakingly distant. For a moment, he remained still, as if debating whether to pull her closer or retreat. Then, with a playful growl, he shifted, rolling them over so that he hovered above her, his arms braced on either side of her, careful not to press his full weight against her.

"Hah!" he declared with mock triumph. "That's for flicking my nose."

Rain opened her mouth to retort, but the words caught in her throat as Anakin leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. It was brief, almost tentative, as if he were testing the waters, unsure of how far he could push this fragile moment.

"And that... is for saving me," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion, his eyes searching hers for any sign that he had overstepped.

Before Rain could respond, a loud bang echoed from the direction of the door, jolting them both back into the harsh reality they were living in. Years of battle-hardened instincts kicked in, and they both moved quickly, muscles tensed and ready for a threat. But they stopped short when they saw Luke standing sheepishly at the entrance, his hands raised in surrender.

He must have tripped or knocked something over.

"Luke?" Rain asked, her voice laced with confusion.

"Rain... I—uh, I was just coming to get you for our morning training," Luke stammered, clearly embarrassed by the situation he had stumbled into. "And then I saw you two together... I tried to leave without disturbing you..."