darkforcerising | OPEN POST

"This isn't guilt." Well, not just guilt. "He took a light saber through his spine. That isn't a simple thing to recover from. That he lives is what matters most to me, but I am concerned about his long term mental and physical health." And short term if Anakin woke up still in that tank.

"Your concern is justified. But people do recover from spinal injuries," Bail said. "Have faith in him as well."

"I have a near endless amount of faith in him. It has nothing to do with the state of his spine." He was worried, but - he loved Anakin regardless. "I'm all right, Bail. I"ll stop worrying when he's awake and we know what we're looking at, but I'm not writing him off."

Never, that. At least never again.

"Whatever the prognosis, you won't have to manage it alone. The both of you." He wished there was more he could say to reassure his friend, but it really was just a waiting game now.

"I know." He smiled, tiredly. "I can't tell you how grateful I am to your friendship." Which was - maybe he was learning to use words for emotions. "And I'm sorry. I know I'm being rational and not, and that's a very difficult state to navigate. That you even try is... above and beyond."

"It's what friends do, actually," Bail said warmly. "You are never an imposition." By now, he'd figured out that the Jedi had some ideas about relationships that he didn't agree with. And from what he could tell, Obi-Wan might be trying to disentangle himself from those teachings. He assumed patience was the best way through that.

"I believe that you believe that. I just wish I was more able to do things that were more useful to you in return." He was trying, actually, to figure out how people who weren't Jedi worked amongst themselves. Without disliking the Jedi, because....

Well, lots of reasons, including a sincere love for so many of them who were gone now.

"I understand the work you're doing. I'll forgive you needing my help with it from time to time. You never need to pay me back." Of course, Bail's generosity was more about their friendship than it was simply because of the Rebellion. But he bet that would be harder to explain to Obi-Wan.

He accepted that - with some work and checking his first impulses and went with a statement of feeling, and fact, instead. "I hate feeling useless."

"I can honestly say I know exactly what you're talking about," Bail said with a soft, consoling smile.

"These are always hard moments to wait through. If you need company, I'll stay the whole time."

"I need both the company and sleep. Given your marital status and dignity those are probably at odds, but I'm sure we could arrange alternating?"

Bail was too good for... nearly everyone. The degree of his loyalty and ... stability were impressive. Nearly awe inspiring.

Not all of Bail's skill was natural ability. Bail was privileged with a stable upbringing and thorough emotional education and a stable support network, and a planet's worth of wealth.

"What do you want first? Company or sleep?" Because he didn't need sleep he could stay with Obi-Wan's schedule.

"Company, though I intend to sleep in Anakin's room regardless. Perhaps retiring to there for a while and you can leave when you like." He couldn't - probably - make any kind of request for Bail to stay or go or conform to his schedule, not really.

"After you've finished eating," Bail said. "We can go back in." And he would stay as long as Obi-Wan needed him.

He looked down at his plate and was surprised to realize that yeah, he'd stopped eating.

He shook his head slightly and resumed, with a little bit of speed. "Thank you."

It was going to be a short conversation before he fell asleep sitting up, waiting on Anakin to wake up.

It felt like both a minute and an eternity had passed since he'd shut his eyes.

He was aware of sounds first - a machine beeping, but slowly. As he focused on it, became more attuned to it, the speed of the sound quickened.

It was still yet more time before he opened his eyes. He was vaguely aware that the Force was a thing, a thing he couldn't do more than passively feel. And it was odd, because that fact should seem odd to him, or alarming, but he didn't care, actually.

He felt... fine, just as he was.

Opening his eyes and taping that sense was just as slow for him as sound had been. Nothing came into focus for what seemed like forever. But when the shape and pattern of the ceiling did make sense to him, it was unfamiliar.

And age and a day later he could move his eyes just a fraction to the side and there was Obi-Wan. He tried to smile, but he didn't have control over more than his eyes just yet.

He smiled slightly when he noticed Anakin's eyes on him. "You were badly injured and you're still under the influence of quite a few drugs." Orienting Anakin was important he thought.

He reached out and slid his fingers over the back of Anakin's hand, then curled his fingers lightly around it. "Welcome back." He loved Anakin. He hurt for Anakin, but he loved him so, so much.

The best Anakin could do was curl his finger slightly at the pressure of Obi-Wan's hand. The warmth was inviting and reassuring.

It took him a while, but he eventually managed the word, "Where?"

He started to sweep his thumb back and forth along the side of Anakin's hand in a slow, steady, rhythm.

"We're on one of Bail's medical transport ships. You're safe."

Each minute he was awake, the fog around his mind and the weight on his limbs lessened. He could return the touch in kind, though the movement of his thumb is much slower than Obi-Wan's.

"What's the-" his voice was getting better, too. "Damage?"

"You were in bacta for quite a while. The life threatening damage has healed." He was slow, steady, patient, quiet, and warm in the force and tone. "There will probably be another surgery and possibly some sort of implant required for your spine. I'm sorry."

"Oh?"

He wasn't exactly surprised. Though his memories were a bit fuzzy about everything that had happened, he did remember he'd been stabbed.

He tried moving his legs - which until now he'd not even thought about, and he couldn't do it. He tried just a toe. Also couldn't. They must have him stabilized him to prevent any further damage.

"Spine? that's ... new."

And he was too drugged up to be worried about it.

But Obi-Wan...

"You?"

"Me?" Of course Anakin would ask about him, even drugged to the point of not caring about being unable to move his legs. "I'm tired and worried about you, but I'm perfectly fine." Well, perfectly physical fine but even emotionally he wasn't in trouble. "Glad you're awake."

"You worried... isn't fine," Anakin said. He really wanted to touch Obi-Wan's face and tried lifting his hand. He wasn't really able to make it very far.

"It is." He smiles, just a little. "Because I'm worried because I love you, and loving you is fine." He takes the hand when it starts to reach, does the lifting for Anakin and presses a kiss in the center of his palm.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject