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Anakin Skywalker was given orders to storm the Separatist base earlier that morning. He strategized his plan of action only a few hours previous. Him and Y/n L/n would separate from Ahsoka and the Troopers and move around back to give Ahsoka a clearer opening of entry. Anakin always looked forward to splitting up with Y/n. It gave them time to spend together, away from everyone, which they didn’t normally get. He loved fighting alongside her. Not only did it provide him the ability to make sure she was safe, but they worked well together. They were a great team.
Currently they were crawling up an elevator shaft, but Anakin couldn’t complain too much because at least he got to be close to her.
“You comfortable back there?” He grunted to the girl riding piggyback on him. He felt her legs tighten around his waist and smirked a little.
“I keep telling you I am more than capable to climb by myself, Ani.” She snipped.
“And I keep telling you that this way we move at the same speed, and I don’t have to worry about you falling.” He replied, using his mechno-hand to pull them higher as it had better grip against the rungs of the shaft.
“I wouldn’t fall. You’d catch me.” Y/n grumbled into his shoulder.
“Yes, of course, but this way I don’t have to catch you. You won’t fall at all.” He grinned.
“Oh whatever, you’re so protective.” She sighed, looking around them for threats.
“Does that bother you?” Anakin asked softly. He knew she loved him, but sometimes he worried that he was too much to handle. That she would leave him, not want him anymore.
“Never, sweetheart. Never. It might get annoying sometimes, but I know you act out of love.” She gave a soft kiss to the back of his neck, tightening her arms around his neck like she was mimicking a hug.
“I love you.” Anakin whispered, pulling them both up to the floor they needed to be on, and setting Y/n down.
“I love you more.” Y/n replied cheekily, voice low in case anyone was around to hear them. He narrowed his eyes, sending a wave of love and affection to mean “I love you most” through her mental shields.
Together they moved as one, steps feather light going from room to room trying to find the control panel they needed to disable. By the fourth room of having nothing, Anakin was starting to feel a cold lick of dread up his spine. Something wasn’t right. ‘Somethings wrong’ the Force screamed at him. He just didn’t know what.
Anakin crept up closer to Y/n’s side. If anything were to happen, he’d grab her to make sure she was safe. Preferably they both get out, but he knew for a fact that she would. No matter what.
“Ani, do you feel that?” Y/n’s voice was soft as she leaned back into him, fitting herself between him and his robe for only a moment before she pulled away again.
“Yes, stay close.” He reached out to tug her back into him, as they both moved slowly forward. They still had a mission to completed. At the end of the hallway were double doors. It was obvious that that was both where the control panel was, and the danger they were both furiously sensing.
Anakin stepped casually around his girlfriend, making sure that he would be the one to enter first. He could tell she was upset by that fact, by the way she scrunched her nose.
“Are you ready?” He asked before he kicked in the door.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She replied wearily, pulling out her lightsaber. He did the same but reached out to grab her by the wrist.
“Hey, we’re gonna be fine. You’re with me remember?” He quickly leaned down to kiss her temple and immediately moved to kick in the doors. Just as they suspected, the room was littered with droids that immediately began firing upon seeing them.
Y/n immediately moved into her Ataru attack, while Anakin starting to swing with Shien. They spun around each other, always having the other’s back. One thing Anakin loved about his girlfriend, besides everything, was how graceful she looked with her ‘saber. She looked like a butterfly of destruction, striking down anything in her path.
She was behind him, taking down two droidekas, when Anakin felt a spike of danger call through the force. He whipped around to face her, just in time to see a rogue blaster bolt being fired towards Y/n’s side. Too fast to stop, Anakin moved quickly in front of Y/n taking the bolt to his chest. Anakin cried out at the sudden heat spreading through his body. Having no time to be injured, Anakin took out the droideka that fired it, clearing the room of all enemy droids.
Within seconds Anakin noticed three things that he hadn’t before. One being that there was blood quickly oozing from his wound that he reached up with his flesh hand to touch. Two, was that Y/n was calling him. Number Three was that he was going to die.
No longer able to stand, Anakin stumbled, only to feel Y/n’s hands and body holding up his weight and begin to lower him to the ground.
“Oh Force, oh Anakin, Anakin this is bad, I don’t know what to do, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry this is all my fault.” Y/n continued to apologize as she moved herself under him to support his head.
“You need to- to shut down the panel.” Anakin grunted, feeling the pain spread throughout his body.
“The panel isn’t as important as you, maybe I can heal you.” Y/n’s voice was frantic as she moved to cover his wound. Anakin grabbed her hands with his to stop her.
“First the panel, then me. It should only take seconds.” Anakin tried to give her a supportive smile, but it came out more like a grimace. Y/n hesitated, but he lightly pushed her high to get her to move. Ever so softly she took his head out of her lap and placed it gently on the floor.
Anakin did not know if it was only seconds, minutes, or hours. He felt himself close his eyes and mentally drift, going in and out of consciousness. He suddenly felt himself being jostled, once again being placed in Y/n’s lap.
“No, no, no Anakin you can’t close your eyes. Please don’t close your eyes. Focus on me. I’ve already commed for medical, they should be here soon please don’t close your eyes.” Y/n teary voice said from above him. He cracked his eyes open to see her tear-stained face, he still thought she looked beautiful. Her hair was messy, sweat dripped down her temples, face puffy from crying, but she was ethereal.
“Talk to me, tell me something. Anything. Please just stay with me.” She begged, pulling him closer, keeping his hand pressed against his wound. He turned his face into her stomach, inhaling her smell.
“Anakin,” she shook him, “you have to talk to me.”
Anakin once again turned his head to look at her and raised his flesh hand to cup her cheek. She was sobbing but reached out to cover his hand with hers. He could see that her tears were starting to mix with the blood from his hand, but he could only focus on her eyes. Her eyes.
“I wanted to marry you.” He whispered, arm shaking from the strain of holding it up.
“Then we will, we’ll get married. Anything, anything you want.” Her voice cracked.
“We’re on a forest planet and it’s raining. Your dress is beautiful, and you’ve done your hair the way I like.” It was getting harder to speak, but Anakin wanted to bring her comfort. He wanted her to have what he always wanted her to, a beautiful wedding.
“You- you look so handsome. You even tried to tame your hair, but it didn’t work. And-and Obi-Wan is there.” She choked out, shaking hard.
“He’s the officiator,” He laughed, “Ahsoka is there too, in a stupid bridesmaid dress that we forced her into.”
“She’s the flower girl.” Y/n smiled.
“Our vows are beautiful, and when you say, ‘I do’ it’s the happiest moment of my life.” Anakin could feel himself growing weaker, tired, dying.
“No, when you say ‘I do’ it’s the happiest moment of my life. And when Obi-Wan says that you can kiss me, that’s the second happiest.” Y/n leaned down to brush her lips against his, nuzzling his nose. He could hear her comm beeping, signaling where they were for the med team. He knew they wouldn’t make it on time.
“I love you; I have always loved you, sweetheart. With everything I have and everything I am.” Anakin’s voice got quieter, and he knew that it was time. Y/n kept his hand held up to her cheek, which made him happy. It was a good death all things considered, he decided. He saved someone he loved, and he gets to die being held by her. He just wished they had more time. He wanted the wedding they described, and he wanted to grow old together. They had both planned to leave the Order after the war, and he regrets that he will not get to live that life with her. The life he longed for.
“Anakin,” Y/n sobbed, she must have realized that was his goodbye, “Anakin please just a little longer. They’re almost here. Please don’t leave me, my love. I love you too much. I can’t live without you. Don’t leave me here without you!” But Anakin could not hear. He stared into her eyes as his vision grew black around the edges, drawing in until he could only see her iris’s, and then eventually nothing.
When Ahsoka and the med team arrived three minutes later, they saw General Skywalker on the floor, with General L/n crying over him. And when she looked up, she had a bloody handprint left behind on her cheek. Just like the one left on her heart by her lover.