OBIKIN STORY: "Oblivion Gin"

Chapter 1

The relief.

Feeling Obi-Wan dodge danger—again—is better than anything. Even sex. Anakin never experienced a sexual release with his ex-wife, Padmé, that felt this good. Knowing that Obi-Wan wasn't safe and now he is...

He's safe.

Obi-Wan needs to stay safe. He needs to because Anakin loves him so damn much. He needs to because Anakin needs him. Anakin needs Obi-Wan's presence to function just as his physical body needs his heart to function, and so Obi-Wan just needs to stay safe, he just needs to, and—

There is no emotion, there is peace.

No one is taking me away from Obi-Wan.

No one is taking Obi-Wan away from me.

Being in love with Obi-Wan is like cutting himself. It only hurts Anakin. And telling Obi-Wan how he feels would be like cutting him too. He would bleed-out disappointment, betrayal and shame. It's unthinkable —that his own Padawan fell in love with him. Anakin's emotional treachery would ambush Obi-Wan like a krayt dragon. It would actually be more merciful for Anakin to just let a krayt dragon ambush Obi-Wan. Anakin would rather give up flying forever than face that inevitable rejection.

Anakin knows that he is Obi-Wan's favorite being in the galaxy. He knows that Obi-Wan would die to protect him. But Obi-Wan is not attached to him. If Anakin were to die, his Master would feel the loss, allow it to flow through him, and then release it into the Force like a butterfly he'd caught with the intention of one day setting free. After all, that is exactly what Obi-Wan did with Master Qui-Gon, Siri, and Satine. All three died in Obi-Wan's arms, and yet he continued performing his duties without missing a beat.

Obi-Wan only has one attachment—he is attached to being a Jedi. The Order alone owns his life, love, and loyalty.

If he learns Anakin's truth, he will not blame Anakin. Obi-Wan will only blame himself. He'll believe that he failed his Padawan. Failed as a Jedi. Failed the Order. Failed Master Qui-Gon. His duty will compel him to sever their desecrated bond, to tell the council, and then they'll be separated. No more "Team Kenobi and Skywalker." Hells, Anakin may be forced out of The Order into a boring, mundane life, and Obi-Wan will continue on fighting for The Republic without him, and unspeakable things will happen to him while Anakin isn't there to save him, and what if he dies a horrible death all alone and—

There is no emotion, there is peace.

No one is taking me away from Obi-Wan.

No one is taking Obi-Wan away from me.

If anything ever happens to Obi-Wan, Anakin will tear the galaxy to shreds until he finds a way to bring him back. So, for the welfare of the galaxy, Obi-Wan's safety on this mission is paramount.

The three Jedi battle on as the droids continue advancing from all sides, not letting up even for a heartbeat. The ceaseless bombardment forces them to fight at lightspeed.

While Anakin's feet sink deeper into the sand, his mind sinks deeper into the Force. He surrenders his reflexes to its will. Innumerable stun charges pinpoint him at once, and he senses where each one is headed before they've even discharged. Deflecting them comes as natural as breathing, and yet he's drenched in sand-saturated sweat. As physically fit and full of 'Chosen One' fuel as he is, his heart feels like it's gonna 'go crabby' and burst next. Anakin's legs, his arms, every muscle in his body, aches like he's been battling for days.

Obi-Wan and Fisto are beginning to tire, too. Anakin can feel it. Their growing fatigue adds to his own, weighing him down like a burdensome cloak. They can't keep this up for much longer, can't continue dodging, deflecting and destroying without fail. Eventually Anakin is going to miss a blast, or Obi-Wan will miss, or Fisto will. One of them, or all of them, will be stunned into convulsing heaps of flesh.