Chapter Text
Anakin sighed, and turned away to cough into his shoulder. They had just finished their briefing on Kamino, and now were discussing different ways that they could improve the security on the planet. He wished that he had grabbed his cloak before heading down to the surface- it was cold and had begun to rain again, but Obi-Wan had told him that it was urgent so he rushed down to help.
He didn't regret rushing to help, but he did regret leaving his cloak in his quarters. He could hear other members of the Jedi Council speaking, but his head was pounding, and it made it hard to concentrate. He had to resist the urge to massage his temples, and instead put his hands behind his back, holding them there. The light from the holograms seemed brighter and harsher than usual, but he grit his teeth and kept standing still.
The hologram cut off and he felt his shoulders relax.
"Well," Obi-Wan began. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" He asked, turning to smile at Anakin. He shrugged- not wanting to speak because he knew that Obi-Wan would immediately send him to the medical bay. Obi-Wan frowned, and Anakin looked at him.
He knew that look.
"Are you feeling alright, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked as they walked towards their starfighters. Anakin opened his mouth to respond, but instead of saying anything, he sneezed. Again, and again.
"I'll take that as a no, but 'I had to help with the mission because I could wait until after it's over before I head to the medbay.' Am I right?"
"I'd roll my eyes if it didn't hurt so much." Anakin replied.
"You sound horrible."
"Thanks." Anakin muttered while climbing into the cockpit of his starfighter.
"You should head to the medbay to get something for whatever you have, before you get any worse." Obi-Wan said, leaning against the wing of Anakin's star fighter.
"I already have the medicine from last time in my quarters." He replied while shrugging.
"That may be true, but this seems to be a problem every time we come to Kamino." Obi-Wan said.
Anakin shrugged again. "It's not a big deal."
"On the contrary, it is." Obi-Wan countered. "This could easily become something more serious."
Anakin sighed, and then coughed again. "Master, I know you mean well, but I really... just want to rest." Anakin said, surprised at how strained his voice sounded. Obi-Wan stood up straight, looking at Anakin with worried eyes.
"You'll head to the medbay if you start to feel any worse?" He asked. Anakin nodded.
"I'm serious Anakin, I don't want to find you passed out in your quarters with a high fever."
"I will, promise." Anakin said as he closed the cockpit and started the ignition sequence.
Once back on the ship, Anakin brushed past the numerous men that saluted him, and his padawan that was trying to waive him down.
"Master!" Ahsoka said as she followed him down the hallway.
"Not now, Ahsoka."
"Whoa, you sound really sick." This time, Anakin did roll his eyes, but then immediately regretted it.
"Don't get too close otherwise I'll pass my germs on to you." He said as he waived the door to his quarters opened. Ahsoka scrunched her nose and made a face.
"Ugh, no thanks." She muttered. "Let me know when you're feeling better so you can come train with Rex and I!" Anakin nodded, and then walked into his quarters, the door sliding shut behind him.
The first thing he reached for was his cloak, quickly pulling it over his arms and putting the hood up to ward off the chills. Next, he reached for the bottle of pills on the desk, popping them into his mouth and swallowing them dry. He honestly couldn't be bothered to go get a glass of water. Anakin then climbed into his bed, feeling the pressure shift in his head, and closed his eyes, hoping that he would feel better in a few hours
Anakin woke to someone pressing their hand against his forehead.
“I thought you said you would go to the medbay if it got any worse.” He heard Obi-Wan say, but his voice sounded like it was underwater.
“What?” Anakin whispered, slowly opening his eyes.
“You’re running a fever.” Obi-Wan said, his voice soft but stern. Anakin blinked several times, watching as Obi-Wan’s face came into focus. He didn’t feel any worse than he did before- just groggy, but that was probably due to the medicine. Obi-Wan sighed.
“Please don’t tell me you’ve been this sick the entire time and didn’t say anything.”
“Okay, I won’t.” Anakin said before turning away to sneeze. He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.
“Anakin.” Obi-Wan said as he sighed.
“How long have I been asleep?” He asked, running a hand over his face.
“About four hours.” Obi-Wan responded. “But you should keep resting. I told Kix that you weren’t feeling well, and he’s cleared your schedule for the next 24 hours.”
Anakin sighed. “You didn’t need to do that.”
“On the contrary, I believe I did.” Obi-Wan countered. “Anakin, you sound horrible. And you look like you haven’t slept in days.”
“It’s not- “Anakin began to say, but Obi-Wan held his hand up, cutting him off.
“If it wasn’t that bad, you wouldn’t be shivering while wearing your cloak inside.” Obi-Wan said and crossed his arms over his chest. Anakin sniffled, and Obi-Wan saw a change in his expression. He dropped his arms to his sides.
“Do you need anything?” He asked, his voice soft now, realizing that there was more going on than what was being spoken.
“A glass of water?” Anakin asked closing his eyes again. He heard Obi-Wan walk away but was startled when he felt someone shaking his shoulder.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Obi-Wan said as Anakin opened his eyes. “Here.” Anakin sat up, taking the glass of water, and the pills in his other hand. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You need to rest more. I don’t want to see you on the bridge for at least the next 24 hours.”
Anakin nodded.
“And you’ll say something if you start feeling worse.”
Anakin nodded again. Obi-Wan gently squeezed his shoulder.
“Well, then I shall leave you to rest. Your comlink is on your desk.” Obi-Wan said as he began to walk away.
“Thanks.” Anakin mumbled as he closed his eyes again, sinking back down onto the bed. He heard Obi-Wan say something in response, but he was already too far gone to make out what he was saying.
Anakin woke up sometime later. The first thing that he realized was that he felt gross. He was still in his robes from earlier in the day, and he was covered in sweat. The next thing he noticed was that he couldn’t breathe through his nose. His quarters were now dark, and he figured that Obi-Wan had probably turned the lights off at some point. He exhaled shakily and coughed into his elbow, sitting up in his bed. The pressure in his head shifted, and he closed his eyes, waiting for it to pass. Now that he was sitting up, he could feel the sweat on the back of his neck, and how damp his robes were. Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, he stood on his feet, and walked over towards the fresher that he shared with Obi-Wan.
He waived the door open and squinted at the light, bringing his hand up to cover his eyes. He dropped his hand and looked at himself in the mirror- Obi-Wan was right. He looked horrible. He brought a hand up to his face, feeling the heat that radiated off of it. His cheeks and nose were flushed, but the rest of his face was pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He sighed, and then turned to cough again into his elbow. But after several moments, he now was gripping the sink tightly with both hands as kept coughing, leaning over the sink trying to catch his breath.
He felt a hand rubbing small circles on his back and looked up.
“Did I wake you up?” Anakin rasped looking at Obi-Wan’s reflection in the mirror.
Obi-Wan sighed. “Yes, but it’s you that I’m worried about.” Anakin wanted to shrug his hand off of his shoulder, tell Obi-Wan that he was fine. He also wanted to lay down right then and there, falling asleep and having Obi-Wan stay with him. So instead he just stood there, blinking at Obi-Wan and sniffling.
“What time is it?” Anakin asked, running a hand through his hair, grimacing at how it felt.
“It’s a little past midnight.” Obi-Wan replied, still rubbing circles into Anakin’s back.
“You should get some more rest.” Obi-Wan suggested. “Why are you up?”
“Because I feel gross, Obi-Wan.”
“Well, you are ill.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m all sweaty and still in my clothes from yesterday.” Anakin said, gesturing at himself, a chill running up his spine.
“A shower and a change of clothes would probably do you some good.” Obi-Wan replied. “Although I imagine that you won’t be fit for duty after the 24 hours passed that Kix originally cleared your schedule for.”
Anakin cleared his throat. “Don’t say that.”
“Anakin, it’s been almost twelve hours already, and if anything, you look worse.”
“It’s been twelve hours?” Anakin asked, surprised.
“Yes, we should be back at the temple within the next 12. And you will be heading to the halls of healing as soon as we arrive.” Obi-Wan said, his tone stern.
“They’re just gonna give me some kind of medication that makes me sleep for over half of the day and tell me to drink lots of fluids.” Anakin grumbled.
“Yes, because you need fluids, and you need rest.” Obi-Wan responded, pinching the bridge of his nose with his other hand.
“I’m not tired though, just sweaty and gross.” Anakin responded.
“You sound like a youngling.” Obi-Wan said. “I’m sure that you will feel like resting again after showering and changing your clothes.”
“And what if I don’t?” Anakin questioned with a small grin.
“Honestly, Anakin, do you want me to sit with you until you fall back asleep?”
“Well… since you are offering…” He got a light smack on the shoulder for his trouble.
“Hey!” Anakin exclaimed, and then began to cough again. Obi-Wan’s expression immediately changed.
“Stop worrying so much. I’ll go back to bed.” Anakin said after he stopped coughing. Obi-Wan sighed and turned to leave the fresher. He turned back to face Anakin.
“I’ll know if you’re lying or not.” He said before going back into his quarters. Anakin sighed. He knew that Obi-Wan would probably know, but he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Obi-Wan staying with him. He felt his face heat up, and he looked at his reflection again, for once grateful that he had a fever so that it could hid his blush.
“I thought you said you would rest some more.” Obi-Wan said as he walked into Anakin’s quarters.
Anakin cleared his throat. “Couldn’t fall back asleep.” He said, his voice strained as he continued to stare at his datapad. He looked up as Obi-Wan approached him.
“But I am in bed though, see?” He said, gesturing at himself. Obi-Wan sighed.
“Scoot over.” Obi-Wan said.
“What?” Anakin asked.
“Just do it.” Obi-Wan said while rolling his eyes. He got on the bed, and put his arm around Anakin’s shoulders, forcing him to sink further under the covers.
“You still feel quite warm.” Obi-Wan commented as Anakin’s forehead rested against his shoulder and he reached for the datapad.
“‘s fine.” Anakin mumbled, his face heating up. Then he turned away to sneeze.
“Are you sure you want to stay here with me?” Anakin asked as he readjusted himself so that he was mostly under the covers again.
“Of course. Why would you ask?” Obi-Wan replied.
“Because I’m gross.” Anakin said while frowning.
“You aren’t ‘gross’, you’re sick.” Obi-Wan replied nonchalantly, tracing small circles on Anakin’s back again. Anakin felt his eyes growing heavier and heavier.
“Are you giving me a sleep suggestion?” Anakin mumbled as his eyes slid shut.
“You need the rest.” Obi-Wan replied.
“That’s not fair.”
“Go to sleep, Anakin.”Anakin sighed, and curled up under the covers, resting his head below Obi-Wan’s. He felt Obi-Wan shift his position, and then felt him kiss the top of his head. Anakin smiled, and drifted off to sleep.