Work Text:
7/?
“This is why I hate flying! Flying is for droids!” Silence. Usually Anakin would have responded.
“Anakin! Do you copy?” Obi-Wan all but yelled through the communication link, straining to hear anything past the static he got in return. He had arrived safely on their destination planet, but Anakin had not followed. Stupidly, he’d allowed the young man to take his own fighter, allowing him what little freedom Obi-Wan was able to give, and now as static howled at him through the link, the Jedi Master was seriously regretting his choices. Having landed safely, he headed to the watch tower, looking out at the open sky.
The weather was vile as they’d flown into the atmosphere. The storm raged, rain poured and lightning lit up the grey sky. Thankfully, Obi-Wan had found a break in the clouds and had landed in one piece, but Anakin had not followed.
Obi-Wan’s hands were shaking now, and he tugged at his beard. If something had happened to Anakin he’d have felt it, but when searching the Force it was clouded by the storm. All he felt was the aggression of the lightning and thunder and his heart was pounding.
“Anakin! In the name of the Maker will you respond!” Yet, all he got in return was static and the distant growl of thunder. He turned at the sound of metallic footsteps and was greeted by a protocol droid, asking simply;
“Master Kenobi our long range sensors cannot find Master Anakin’s fighter. I am sorry.” Obi-Wan shook his head, and returned to the control panel before him. Panic made the man’s mouth go dry. The red dot that represented the position of Anakin’s fighter had blinked out of existence. With the speed of the fighter, and with the distance from atmosphere to the surface so short, Anakin should have arrived by now. The link still buzzed with static and Obi-Wan felt dread creeping up his shoulders.
Trust your instincts. That’s what Qui-Gon had said whenever Obi-Wan was conflicted, but even his instincts were confused. He simply had to wait.
Suddenly the com-link exploded with shouting. On first hearing it Obi-Wan could have mistaken it for shouts of pain or panic…but no. As the link became clearer he heard Anakin’s hoots and hollers of joy and elation. The roar of engines soon followed and looking up from the watch tower, Obi-Wan saw Anakin’s ships burst through the clouds. The exterior was scorched from the lightning and one of the engines was smoking heavily, but inside the cockpit was a grinning Skywalker.
In that moment Obi-Wan felt joy and extreme frustration in equal parts. Once Anakin’s yelling had subsided came the laughter, that mischievous laughter that existed purely to antagonise his Master. Anakin’s ship landed and Obi-Wan rushed to the hangar, fully intent on giving his Padawan a smack upside his head, but as soon as Obi-Wan saw his young apprentice all but bounce out of the fighter, Obi-Wan’s legs broke into an almost run and he pulled Anakin into a tight embrace.
“I am never, ever letting you take your own ship again. Do you hear me young one?” Playful laughter was all Obi-Wan got in return for a moment, before Anakin pulled back, grinning like a giddy child;
“I’m sorry Master. You weren’t worried were you?”