Chapter Text
Fire swirled around him, black smoke billowing and burning his lungs. He choked, trying to breathe, to cry out for help, anything. He was helpless to watch as Anakin paced in front of him, lightsaber in hand, his eyes a scorching yellow. A dark figure stood behind him, robes pulled low over a shrouded face, the Sith Lord whispering to Obi-Wan’s apprentice in low tones.
“Anakin stop this!” Obi-Wan tried to scream, but his words seemed to slur, his mouth felt so dry, his lungs had too little air left in them. He tried to take a step forward, run to Anakin, something, but his legs felt frozen in place.
“You deserve this Obi-Wan, you’ve brought this upon yourself!” He shouted back, but didn’t stop his pacing.
“You can turn back now, Anakin, come back with me, you don’t have to do this,” Obi-Wan managed to grit out even as tears stung his eyes.
“ Yes I do! It’s the only way, Obi-Wan!”
“Obi-wan. Obi-Wan!”
The Jedi awoke with a gasp, sitting immediately upright in his bed. His eyes darted every which way, trying to get his bearings as he took in his surroundings. Instead of being met with the sight of his dark quarters on the Vigilance,or even his own comforting room in the Jedi temple, pale, sandstone walls bounced around what little light was in the room, as the cry of the desert wind blew outside the lone window.
“It’s alright, you’re safe now. You were having a nightmare,” Rex whispered to his right and everything seemed to come back to Obi-Wan in a whoosh. He was no longer on Mustafar, he was on Tatooine, looking out for the boy. He had made it out alive, now on a mission to do whatever he could to protect Anakin’s son, perhaps the last hope for the Jedi, and Rex - strong, loyal, wonderful Rex - had risked his own life to come find him. He had stayed with him. Somehow the Force had let them stay together after everything
“I’m sorry, love,” he whispered back, letting out a shaky breath as he lay back on his pillow. An arm snaked around his bare chest, long fingers coming to rest in the dip of his neck right above his clavicle.
“Was it the same as last time?” The clone enquired, pushing his chin up against Obi-Wan’s shoulder.
“Yes,” Obi-Wan knew he didn’t have to elaborate, that Rex would understand. He’d had the same dream over and over for months now. He stared at the ceiling as he wrapped an arm around Rex, hand idly rubbing patterns on the blonde’s back. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“You don’t have to apologize, cyar'ika. I’m here.” Rex somehow pulled him closer, his buzzed hair tickling along Obi-Wan’s clavicle. The Jedi was suddenly overwhelmed by just how much he loved this man. Rex had always seemed to be there when Obi-Wan needed him most, and the Jedi had tried everything in his power to do the same.
“Thank you, Rex…for everything. For coming to find me. For staying here with me,” Obi-Wan murmured as he rested his cheek against the clone’s temple, beard brushing up against the short hairs there.
“I’ve always had your back, and I always will,” Rex rolled over then, fingers caressing the Jedi’s skin slowly as he propped himself up on an elbow to gaze into Obi-Wan’s eyes, caramel meeting deep blue, “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Obi-Wan lifted his neck up just as Rex leaned down, and they met in the middle, lips coming together in a precious embrace. They held each other the rest of the night, finding solace in each other, breaths syncing, heartbeats matching pace, together as one. Whatever the future held for them, whatever happened next, they would do it together.