The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟓𝟎

How long had Anakin been gone?

It felt as if time had blurred in the time she'd been throwing up since he had left, so Astrid wasn't sure if Anakin had been gone for just two minutes or for an hour.

Suddenly, the door flung open, startling Astrid enough that she nearly tossed the bucket into the air, which wouldn't have been very good. She looked up from her spot on the floor to see Anakin stepping into the room, and he halted at the sight of her on the ground, face pale and sweaty with the bucket of vomit settled in her lap.

His eyes widened in surprise before he rushed towards her, and he crouched beside her as he asked, "Are you okay? You weren't like this when I left you earlier." His voice was slightly hysterical, rising in both volume and pitch with concern and alarm.

Astrid gave him a feeble nod and said, "Yeah, I'm okay. I think I just ate something bad, that's all. It should clear up soon."

His brow furrowed with concern, and he retorted with slight accusation in his voice, "Is this the same cold you had when you returned to Coruscant a month ago? Palpatine told me he saw you. He said you looked faint."

Astrid scrunched her nose up as she said defensively, "I-- I was fine!" She scrambled for words for a stronger defense, but she could only muster up, "Why would Chancellor Palpatine tell you that? How did that topic even enter the conversation?"

Anakin only shrugged before he answered, "He brought it up. Not me." He moved the bucket out of her lap as he suggested gently, "How about you rest on your bed? The floor doesn't look too comfortable."

Astrid allowed him to help her up to her feet and into the bed. She pressed her face into the cool pillow as he fretfully and gently draped a couple of sheets over her. A fresh wave of nausea passed over her, and she squeezed her eyes tightly against it.

Oh, she was in so much trouble.

Anakin must've noticed her grimace because suddenly the bucket was hovering just below her, and Astrid turned her head above it just in time to dry heave over it, all of the contents in her stomach long since emptied.

Anakin brushed her sweaty hair out of her face with gentle fingers as he murmured, "It's okay. Just let it all out." Astrid was too weak to tell him she'd already emptied it all out, and instead, she simply flopped back onto the bed, her eyes fluttering closed as she pressed a hand to her stomach.

She heard Anakin move away from the bed, and a moment later Astrid felt something wet and fabulously cold settle on her forehead. Her eyes drifted open to find Anakin arranging a wet cloth on her forehead.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He only nodded before prompting with giddy anticipation, "Guess what I heard?"

"What?" Astrid asked weakly with a tired smile at his obvious excitement.

Anakin pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat in it before leaning his arms on the edge of her bed with his head resting on the top of his hands. "Palpatine told me the end of the Clone Wars is approaching. He thinks the final battle will be in the Outer Rim."

His blue eyes were alight with excitement.

Astrid managed a smile. Two months ago, she would've been overjoyed at the prospect of fighting in the final battle, but now, the thought worried her. Because now she had two to worry about in a fight; her own life and--