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~*~
Cody hates this. He hates it. This mission isn’t finished. The Togruta colonists of Kiros are still missing, for all they know why the colonists disappeared now. They have a rescue to plan, a massive one. And yet, GAR command is ordering him to take the 212th to assist in a battle elsewhere while his general stays with Skywalker, Rex, and the 501st.
Perhaps he’d feel better about it if their plan wasn’t so…absurd isn’t a strong enough word. He doesn’t doubt that his general and Rex are competent enough to find the colonists. But sending Skywalker as a slave owner and Ashoka as his supposed slave? Terrible, terrible idea. Possibly one of the worst anyone has ever had.
Not that they asked Cody’s input on this one; he’d been in a holoconference about the campaign he and the 212th are being sent to join. His general filled him in on the plan afterwards. He suspects his general knew what his reaction was going to be, so it was just as well he hadn’t been there.
Still, he just can’t shake the feeling that this is all going to go horribly wrong. Maybe it's paranoia so soon after…after Krell. Maybe he’s just too on edge at the thought of his general, Rex, and the 501st being so far away. In time, that karking bastard Krell and everything he caused would be a distant ache and not the raw, gaping wound it currently is for all of them. Maybe six months from now a mission like this wouldn’t feel like a blaster ready to shoot Cody right in the chest. But right now it does and Cody hates it.
~*~
Obi-Wan can’t shake the bad feeling that settled in his chest as soon as he heard Cody was to be sent away while he stayed with Anakin and the 501st to find the Togruta colonists. The worst part is that he isn’t sure if the bad feeling is about his mission or Cody’s. He meditates briefly while he waits for Cody’s briefing to end after he and Anakin finish their plans. It doesn’t help.
Cody’s own unease only makes it worse. If Cody also feels unsettled about this, then Obi-Wan can only assume the Force is really trying to tell them something.
He just wishes he knew what that something is.
But there’s no time. Cody and the 212th must leave within the next hour, which means Obi-Wan needs to go over to Anakin’s current flagship. He knows his former Padawan misses the Resolute. He knows he’d miss the Negotiator were it to be lost. It’s odd how their ships have become home thanks to the war.
Then again, maybe it isn’t odd. They spend more time on their ships than at the Temple. They spend more time with their troopers than with their fellow Jedi.
“Everything ready, general?”
Cody’s voice drags Obi-Wan from his thoughts.
Forcing a smile to his face, Obi-Wan replies, “Nearly, my dear Cody.”
Cody’s helmet is clipped to his belt, giving Obi-Wan a view of his scarred, but beautiful face. It’s almost as beautiful as his sun-bright and warm Force presence. Obi-Wan could burrow into that forever, if Cody let him.
Obi-Wan very firmly pushes those thoughts away. This is not the time. They both have missions to prepare for.
“You alright, sir?” Cody asks, ever perceptive and so very in tune with Obi-Wan.
With a soft sigh, Obi-Wan admits, “Just a bad feeling about this mission. Nothing too unusual these days, I’m afraid.”
Grimacing, Cody shakes his head.
“No offense, sir, but whenever you mention a bad feeling, things get really bad,” Cody points out. “So do me a favor and stay close to Rex. You don’t want him to have to tell me he let you get hurt on his watch, do you?”
Obi-Wan chuckles, equally touched by the care and amused by the teasing.
“Of course, my dear. I wouldn’t want to put Rex in such an unfortunate position,” Obi-Wan promises.
He tries to focus on the warmth of Cody’s presence, to let it push the bad feeling away.
It doesn’t work.
Cody notices.
“Anything I can do?” Cody asks.
Obi-Wan wishes he could say come with me. He knows, because he knows Cody after all this time, that Cody wants to do just that. But they both have their duty, their mission. They must carry those out. It’s who they are.
It’s part of why they’ve both kept the constantly simmering, most certainly mutual, feelings between them quiet. They have a war to fight. They have their duties. Those have to come first. If they both survive, they could talk about them.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan doesn’t want to wait. The last time he had a feeling this bad…people died. And the idea of it being him…or worse Cody…and this thing between them never getting even a moment…it's unbearable.
Impulsively, Obi-Wan closes the distance between them. Then, before he can second guess himself, he presses a kiss to Cody’s lips. It’s gentle but full of feeling.
And entirely too fleeting.
“Goodbye, my dear Cody,” Obi-Wan says quietly as he pulls back.
~*~
This is so damned unfair it makes Cody sort of furious. Of all the karking moments…
“Damn it, Obi-Wan, if this turns out to truly be goodbye forever the Force better be prepared to deal with ME about it,” Cody growls.
He means it. He doesn’t know how he’ll fight the Force itself but he WILL find a way if he loses Obi-Wan now.
Obi-Wan smiles.
“I’m sure the Force takes your threat very seriously,” Obi-Wan teases. Sobering, he adds, “But I too hope that isn’t the only kiss we will ever share.”
Cody yanks Obi-Wan into a gentle Keldabe.
“Come back to me, General. That’s an order,” Cody insists.
Letting his eyes close for a moment, Obi-Wan murmurs, “Yes, sir, Commander.”
With a huff of a laugh, Cody steps back.
“You’d best get going, sir. I don’t trust General Skywalker not to leave without you. And you know Rex can only rein his general in so far,” Cody says.
And they both know so far means not at all.
Obi-Wan nods sharply. “Very wise, Commander. I shall see you after we both complete our missions.”
Cody forces himself to walk away, vowing to the Force as he goes.
If this is the last time I see him, I will find a way to make you regret it.
~*~