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“…Fives?” Anakin asks hesitantly, walking into the ARC’s room. Since his return from training, it had been much easier to hide visits as simply wishing to speak to his men. Which, yes, he did quite often…
But not today.
Returning home from the Citadel had been difficult in its own right, with so much work to do, and Fives had been almost immediately rerouted.
This was his first chance alone with his partner in that time.
And Anakin needed to check in on him. Because Fives had lost his only living squadmate. He knows how bad that makes some of the men get.
It’s a relief already that Fives is even back and alive.
“Can I come in?”
Fives is sitting on his bed, just in his blacks. Anakin can see the slight outline of bandages underneath.
“Sure, cyare,” he says. Anakin sighs, sitting down next to him.
“It would be stupid to ask if you were alright,” Anakin says. “So… can I help?”
Fives scoffs.
“Not unless you can bring Echo back,” he says. “Guess I’m the last Domino standing… wonder when I’ll fall…”
Anakin sighs again, reaching out and putting his hand on Fives’ shoulder.
“I wish I could,” he says. “Echo was a good man, and he was my man, but… the Jedi can’t bring back the dead.”
“They could end the fighting.”
“I know.”
“A Jedi bought us.”
“I know.”
“They could free us.”
“With effort.”
“Why don’t they?”
And that’s… that’s the question. Anakin contemplates it every day and every night and every moment his men are near.
He’s leading a slave army.
He should free them.
It’s not… it’s not that he does nothing. There’s Protocol Usk and he never forgets to check incoming men for reconditioning, but…
It’s not enough.
It can’t be enough.
Not while his men aren’t free.
But this isn’t about him.
“Fives, I don’t know,” Anakin says, honestly. “They’re scared. The Council. They preach fear as something evil but it defines their decisions.”
Fives just scoffs.
“Kriff this war,” he says. “All it does is hurt people.”
Oh…
“Usk?” Anakin asks.
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Freedom. Safety. Echo not being left behind without a care or a funeral…” Fives trails off. “He deserves better than that. He was one of the most loyal troopers, the smartest, too. And how long before he’s forgotten?”
“As long as we’re alive,” Anakin says. “And as long as we can tell his story.”
Fives sighs.
“I still can’t believe he’s dead,” he says. “He’s… he’s gone.”
Anakin finally leans in fully, wrapping his arms around his love, and Fives instinctively curls into him, in turn.
He’s shaking, obviously on the verge of sobbing.
“He’s gone,” Fives whispers. Anakin just holds him.
And then Fives is crying for real, and all Anakin can do is hold him.
“It’s okay,” he says even though he knows that it’s a lie. “I’m here, Fives. I’m here.”
And they don’t truly let go of each other even as they lay down. Anakin is still fully dressed, but he doesn’t care. His love needs him, that comes first.
And, eventually, they both drift off to sleep, still tangled together.
Anakin is woken up about an hour later. Some jolt in the Force that tells him he should go. He groans as he stretches, sighing.
Just as he opens the door, Rex is on the other side.
“General?” Rex asks. Anakin sighs.
“I was checking up on him,” he says. “I know what it’s like to watch a loved one die right in front of you when you can’t… can’t do anything. He wasn’t in the best shape. Might be better if he wakes up with someone he trusts.”
Rex raises an eyebrow.
“Like you, sir?” he asks. Anakin just sighs again.
“No,” he says. “I probably should go, anyways. He needs a brother.”
Rex nods.
“Of course, sir,” he says. “See you tomorrow.”
Anakin sighs, walking past Rex and out into the hall.
“Yeah,” he says. “Tomorrow.”