Work Text:
2/?
“Anakin, do you remember Naboo?” Anakin’s burning body was cradled in his arms, the man in his hands had gone from screaming to crying and whimpering. The fire had destroyed what was left of his nerve endings, his lungs singed and his throat blackened, but Obi-Wan didn’t give up hope, just yet. Somehow Anakin managed to croak out a “yes” and Obi-Wan smiled through his tears;
“Do you remember what you said to me as we watched the sunset? Do you remember taking hold of my hand?” Anakin nodded, his eyes screwed shut now, the pain becoming a little too much. Obi-Wan stroked the blackened cheek of his former padawan and soothed him;
“You said this was the happiest you had ever been, happier than when you won the pod race on Tatooine, happier than when you were released of your slavery, happier than when you met Padmé.” Obi-Wan’s voice was beginning to break now, and when he couldn’t carry on Anakin tried instead. The words came out as broken and fragile, the man using the last of his strength to speak;
“I said…I…l-ov…” He tried, and Obi-Wan felt his own resolve crumble, he didn’t care that the ground was burning his skin, melting through the cloth that covered his legs. He didn’t care that his tears all but evaporated as they fell, he didn’t care about any of that. What he cared about was in his arms.
“You said that you loved me dear one, do you remember?” Tipping his head forward, he placed a kiss on Anakin’s charred forehead;
“I love you Anakin Skywalker, don’t ever forget that.” With one last hush, with one last trembling smile, Obi-Wan left Mustafar. He left Anakin burning in the rubble, he left the last trace of the man he loved, but he would never forget the first ‘I love you’ when they were the happiest.
The happiest they ever were, and ever would be.