Work Text:
————————————
————————————
”Liar…”
The way Anakin uttered that single word was like a dagger to Obi-Wan’s heart.
”Anakin, please-”
”NO! I’m not listening to you! Do you have any idea how hard we took your… your-,” Anakin could not even muster to utter the word death in his Master’s presence. His non-artificial knuckle was white, as his fists clenched together hard. He spat out the last few words, hurt and hate evident. ”Me, Ahsoka, Satine, and many others… All of us were heartbroken. How could you?!”
Obi-Wan was staring at the ground. ”It pained me to put you through all of this-,”
”LIAR!”
”-but I made a choice, Anakin. I choose to put all of our personal feelings aside, to save the life of the Supreme Chancellor. To save Palpatine – your friend.”
They both fell silent.
Letting the words slowly sink in, it was like those last ones begun to jerk some sense back into the emotionally distraught Anakin. His hurt blue eyes hid beneath his brown bangs, suddenly acting as if he was truly in shame of this childish outburst, considering what more that had actually been at stake.
None spoke for a long time.
The air was dense with raging emotions, almost vibrating from anticipation of what was to come. Forgiveness, or rejection.
After some moments of individual thoughts, Anakin broke the silence, his voice a mere whisper. ”Would you do it again?”
At first taken by the question, Obi-Wan looked alarmed. But the true answer was actually not hard to decide on.
Obi-Wan sighed, placing both of his hands on Anakin’s shoulders, searching for the proper words. ”If a temporary heartache for a limited group is the price to pay, in exchange for saving a life; the latter a loss which would cause permanent grief and repercussions for many… Then yes. It’s a choice I would make again.”
Anakin’s azure irises were a storm – pain, confusion, hurt, relief, anger, surprise, joy. Impossible to know where they would settle.
Finally, they landed on some mix of frustrated relief, a sad smile simultaneously spreading over his face. ”Obi-Wan… Why do you always have this annoying way with words; being able to justify and make sense of everything, in a simple sentence or two?”
The older returned the smile, but it still did not fully reach his eyes; orbs sparkling mischievously, but not as brightly as usual. ”What can I say… I am relieved, that you now see why I acted the way I did. Thank you for understanding, Anakin.”
The latter snorted and crossed his arms. ”Oh, don’t thank me yet! You owe me a month of lunches – the more expensive kind, I must add – before you are fully back on my good side again!” His playful frown turned upside down, as he placed an arm over his Master’s shoulders. ”Buuut, jokes aside… I am glad that you are alive and well, old man. I truly am.”
”So am I, Anakin. So am I...”
The two shared a warm smile, before a hard nudge from Anakin’s elbow into Obi-Wan’s side sent them both into a much needed shared laugh, while they headed towards the food court, for the first of many exclusive lunches, now on Obi-Wan’s treat.
THE END