#guys but seriously I half panicked because I got paired with journen who makes the most absolutely beautiful artwork I have ever seen

[ihathbenobiwankenobied]

Hello there! The extremely talented and amazing @journen and I have been working together for the @codywanreversebang event over the past several months! I am honored to have worked with Jurnee and I am so excited to share what we have been working so hard on! I hope you all love the art by Journen which you can find on ao3 and on Tumblr for the first chapter! Thank you in advance for reading!

orbit me slowly

Summary: 

In retrospect, perhaps Obi-Wan should have expected that Cody would keep his distance. After all, Obi-Wan’s last words to him hadn’t been his most… gentle. 

Wait for me. Until after the war, until the dust settles. Then– we can have everything we want Cody…anything.

(Or, after an injury leaves Obi-Wan down and out, he realizes that time isn't as unlimited as he once believed)

In retrospect, perhaps Obi-Wan should have expected that Cody would keep his distance. After all, Obi-Wan’s last words to him hadn’t been his most… gentle. 

Wait for me. Until after the war, until the dust settles. Then– we can have everything we want Cody…anything.

Obi-Wan had spoken the words months before, watching the sick turn of Cody’s features from hopeful to discouraged; it only took three sentences to ruin everything they had built.

Yet, Obi-Wan had to accept the disappointment, there was not another choice. 

Obi-Wan was used to disappointment anyway; it was a loyal friend, an ever-existing companion when everything and everyone else abandoned his side. Perhaps he had grown to be content with disappointment. 

Things had mostly returned to the way they were because Cody had finally agreed to wait, to hold out until it was safe.

For now, we will call it friendship. 

It certainly had not turned out to be exactly the type of friendship Obi-Wan had expected. There was an innate sense of fondness that shone its light over most of their interactions, but there was also a bitter coldness that followed so near behind Cody when they spoke. Cody often narrowed his eyes and looked away in a constant reminder of Obi-Wan’s request. 

Wait for me. 

It hurt Obi-Wan more than he cared to admit, tearing ruthlessly at his mind every night while he tried to sleep. He wanted Cody’s muscular arms wrapped around him and he wanted to feel every scar underneath the press of his fingertips. Obi-Wan wanted a reminder that he was himself, free from the shackles of the Republic, not a pawn disguised as a Jedi. 

Instead, he was confined to his quarters alone, blank walls enclosing him and silence ringing viciously in his ears. There, he often regretted that he ever asked Cody to wait; how much longer would it be before the war would finish? Days? Years? 

It could not be predicted. The more appropriate answer was too long. 

Then he had gone to Mandalore, and the person who he had not asked to wait , the first person who Obi-Wan had ever loved in the deepest sense of the word, was gone forever. It all happened in a moment, like the snap of one’s fingers or a lit candle suddenly losing its flame. 

Years of memories, and the slightest, smallest moments had flashed before his eyes as he had kneeled by Satine’s dying form. 

Gone now. No longer dying, but dead.

He reminded himself that she was gone. 

There on the ground, lungs struggling to take in her last breaths, she had looked as beautiful and regal as she always had since Obi-Wan had first met her during his teenage years. For a moment, Obi-Wan let his feelings escape past the tight hold he kept on them. With a shuddering breath and tears leaking from the corners of his eyes, the deep-rooted affection he kept trapped outside of the walls of the Force released for just one painful second. 

It had hurt more than any wound he had ever received.

It had been so long, nearly twenty years since their paths had crossed into romantic territory, and the deep regret had since faded, but there was a nagging at Obi-Wan’s heart that he had not felt in years.

To live one’s life as a noble Jedi was his mission, and he was sure of that, but he could not help but feel that his own purpose meant nothing to him if the ones he loved died on its behalf.

Is life too vulnerable, too short, to let go of the ones you care deeply for?

It was the newest question that plagued his mind far into the late hours of the night. He wished he could sleep, but contemplation was never one to leave him to rest. 

  A call for a briefing, only weeks after Satine had died in Obi-Wan’s arms, had led him to the same room as Cody for the first time since his return. 

Cody looked at him with some unreadable expression that looked to be a cross between pity and sorrow. Obi-Wan nodded at him, restraining the urge to bury his face in the crook of Cody’s neck and let out the building frustration that he had been burying deep inside of himself for weeks. 

He averted his eyes for a moment and cleared his throat. 

Things are not like that anymore. 

He found that he had to remind himself that things were not as they once were.  

Anakin and Rex were in attendance as well as Ahsoka and Mace Windu, but Obi-Wan’s eyes were only focused on Cody who had looked away after a brief moment of eye-contact that made Obi-Wan’s heart skip a beat. 

It had only been a second before Cody’s eyes were cast away from Obi-Wan’s direction and he seemed focused solely on Mace Windu who had begun to explain the objective of the newest mission. 

Obi-Wan decidedly did the same and cast his eyes on the Jedi Master. 

“We’re dealing with an unusual circumstance on Felucia,” Mace Windu began as he brought up a holo image of a Twi’lek that Obi-Wan had never seen before, “This is a bounty hunter named Spiron Holt who seems be stirring up trouble with the local farmers in the northern hemisphere. He has ties to Grevious; the Council believes he was sent to Felucia to draw out the Jedi. We are unsure of what is planned, but we are hesitant to send the 212th and 501st both into a potential battleground. There is a chance that Naboo will also require assistance from the GAR in the coming days.” 

Cody turned his head to make brief eye-contact with Rex and whispered something into the Captain’s ear. 

“Generals Kenobi and Skywalker as well as Commander Tano and Cody will be heading to Felucia, but we need to decide which battalion will be accompanying them.” 

Windu looked between Cody and Rex, seemingly waiting for them to decide for themselves whose men would go. Rex was the first to speak. “If I may say so, Sir, I believe that my men’s numbers have been depleted to the point where we could not adequately participate in active combat. We have too many men who are in Medical and I am sure that the 212th will be able to handle the threat.” 

Obi-Wan looked up toward Cody, watching a small hesitant upturn of his lips and the gentlest of nods. 

He is coming for me. 

Obi-Wan looked away before his own smile caught the attention of anyone else in the room, primarily Anakin. 

“It's settled then. The four of you and the 212th will depart at nineteen-hundred hours.” Windu closed the image of the bounty hunter and dismissed the briefing, exiting the room promptly, and leaving the three Jedi with the Commander and Captain. There was a beat of silence before Rex began a discussion about a new tactic with Anakin and Ahsoka.

Obi-Wan was left in loud silence with his Commander. 

“How are you, General?” Cody asked, hand hovering by his side for a moment before he clenched it into a fist and crossed his arms over his chest. 

Obi-Wan also crossed his arms tentatively over his chest, mirroring the stance that Cody had taken to. 

“Fine, all things considered.” Obi-Wan answered meekly, his heart pounding with sorrow as he attempted to wipe the image of Satine’s lifeless form from his mind. He did not expect Cody to understand what he meant. As far as Obi-Wan was aware, Cody thought he had been sent on a rather unsuccessful diplomatic mission in the outer rim; that was at least what Anakin had told him he had given as a reason for his absence. 

He shook the thought of Satine from his head.

I see more than enough of that in my dreams. 

Obi-Wan swallowed hard as he pursed his lips.

“Obi-Wan…” Cody started, taking a tentative step in Obi-Wan’s direction, “Are you– is everything alright?” Cody asked. Obi-Wan tried not to allow his nerves to show as he swallowed again. Cody narrowed his eyes and his lips remained in a tight line. 

“Yes, of course. Still… processing. The negotiations were difficult.” Obi-Wan answered stiffly, trying not to let on that there was more stirring in his chest than he cared to admit, “I will see you when we leave.” He nodded, almost as if that was enough to curb Cody’s concern, before he turned on his heel to slip away from the briefing room. 

Obi-Wan felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs as felt Cody’s gaze on his back as he disappeared down the hallway of the Temple. Obi-Wan wanted to look back, to let Cody press his forehead against his own and to lean into his touch. 

But, there was nothing that could fill the newfound emptiness that was constantly fixed in his chest. 

 Nineteen hundred hours came quickly and Obi-Wan pulled himself into the cruiser with as much confidence as he could manage. He had taken a stim– something he was not known to do often– with the hope that it would keep alive and prepared for the mission, but all it did was make him jumpy, his nerves barely able to handle its strong and immediate effects. 

“You’re unusually jittery. Did you have one too many cups of tea this morning?” Anakin smiled sarcastically as he pushed his shoulder against Obi-Wan’s. 

“Too few, actually.” Obi-Wan answered solemnly as he fiddled mindlessly with the hilt of his lightsaber. Obi-Wan let out a deep sigh and cringed at the way it shuttered as it came out. 

“Cody’s still not talking to you, I’m assuming?” Anakin said matter-of-factly as he stood to pace across the length of the ship. Obi-Wan eyed him with suspicion. 

“How would you know?” Obi-Wan asked dubiously, partially wishing that Anakin would drop the subject altogether. 

“I might have overheard him say something to Rex about missing you; apparently, you never commed him. You haven’t seen him, or spoken to him , in what– a month?” Anakin stopped and shrugged before he continued his pacing.

“Three weeks.” Obi-Wan muttered, almost surprising himself with the fact that had, indeed, counted the days. 

“Oh so you’re keeping track now?” It was meant to be teasing, but all Obi-Wan could think about was how many more weeks, months, years it would be until the war was finished. 

“Anakin, please . Just let it go.” Anakin just pressed a gentle hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder and looked at him with a more serious expression, his face shifting on a dime. 

“Obi-Wan, please. You need to talk to him.” I would if I could. That’s what Obi-Wan wanted to say. Instead, he fidgeted under Anakin’s gaze, hands clasping against one another as a reflex. 

“I already did Anakin, weeks ago. I made a decision, like I told… you know I am committed to the Jedi order, and Anakin, that is what is most important; duty. You understand this.” Obi-Wan had spoken to Anakin about his fleeting relationship with Cody, only out of an act of mutual trust. Anakin had not been too proud to acknowledge that he and Padmé were together when Obi-Wan had asked; Obi-Wan had reciprocated on a later occasion when Anakin had walked in on the two of them curled into each other's' arms in Obi-Wan’s bed Only a couple of days earlier Anakin had noticed him being a little too touchy with Cody on a night out at a Coruscant bar.

It had only been appropriate to inform Anakin, to set an example , when he had decided to not let things continue with Cody. Attachment is not part of the Jedi Code, Anakin, he had said, wishing the words were untrue, but knowing they were, I have made my commitment. 

“I know, Obi-Wan but not everything in life can be about duty.” Anakin said, matter-of-factly and with a hint of a fond smile that somehow made Obi-Wan feel even worse, although he kept his face void of that particular emotion. 

“But many things are about duty. My job , for instance.” Obi-Wan gestured with one hand to the surrounding cruiser and the various men under his command who roamed about. 

“Thank you for stating the obvious, Obi-Wan.” Anakin huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Obi-Wan with confusion before shaking his head and looking right into Obi-Wan’s eye with a seriousness that the elder Jedi had not seen in a very long time. “What has gotten into you? You’re so…” Anakin uncrossed his arms and placed a gentle hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder, “Are you alright?” He finally asked, although hesitation was evident in his tone. 

“It’s nothing. Not something you or I can fix.” Obi-Wan said, somewhat wistfully. Anakin was unsatisfied with the answer.

“I don’t plan on fixing anything. Come on, Obi-Wan, just spit it out.” Though Obi-Wan would usually just wave him off, shoot back a sarcastic comment, and turn on his heel, this time he felt compelled to say something. There were too many feelings weighing so heavily on his shoulders.

“I’m just worried that– Cody has been so distant. I never meant to hurt him, but I’m afraid the damage has already been done.” Obi-Wan felt his own words impact on Anakin as the younger Jedi’s eyes softened and he let his hand drop from Obi-Wan’s shoulder. 

“Obi-Wan… he’s just upset, I think anyone would be. He still cares about you, I know that much.”

“I know he cares, Anakin.” Or cared, I should say. Obi-Wan allowed his slight exasperation to lace his voice. 

“He’ll come around, Obi-Wan, he just needs a little more time. Just stop with the drama, please . You’re killing the mood.” Obi-Wan knew it was meant as a joke, something to lighten the mood, but it felt like an accusation, like he was being personally singled out as a miserable buzzkill. 

You did this to yourself, he reminded himself as he tried to shake his thoughts from his mind. Maybe if he just cared a little less and let Cody drift away, maybe then he would feel whole again?

“I know.” Was all Obi-Wan could muster up the courage to say back to Anakin. 

Anakin smiled, eyes soft once more, and he nodded once before turning away. He was unusually proficient in reading Obi-Wan’s body language, and supposedly, he could tell that Obi-Wan had lost the will to keep talking. 

Silence was what he needed, time to process and time to spend some time regulating his feelings through meditation. He closed his eyes, succumbing to the soft, somewhat glowing comfort of the Force.

The progression towards Felucia was mostly silent except for Anakin’s occasional quips that were continuously thrown towards Obi-Wan. He could barely fake a faint chuckle. 

Their arrival on Felucia was almost a relief to Obi-Wan; he could redirect all of his thoughts towards this newly relevant bounty hunter. 

They landed outside of a small tropical farming village that appeared to have been pillaged judging by the upturned food stands and various discarded items littering the streets.

The settlement was surrounded by tall dense trees that kept it secluded. The small huts that normally housed the Felucians, in some places, had been entirely decimated. Gardens seemed to have a similar fate judging by the upturned dirt and lack of vegetables.

 Several Chelonoids gathered in the center of the village, seemingly in deep discussion. 

“Looks like Holt has already been here.” Anakin muttered as they inched towards the center of the village. Obi-Wan noted the eerie silence that crept through the village, only sounds of the encompassing forest in the background. 

“It surprises me that one bounty hunter alone could do this kind of damage.” Ahsoka added as her eyes ran across the scene before her.

When they finally arrived at the Felucians, Obi-Wan could see their fear imprinted in their stances. No weapons to be seen, they clearly were feeling vulnerable to the outside world. 

“Please, leave us alone. Go away!” One of the creatures said in just a whisper once Anakin took a hesitant step forward. “He said he would stay here until the Jedi came. He said if we allow the Jedi to help us he would kill us all. Leave now!” The Chelonoid stood entirely still, voice filled with fear and eyes boring into Obi-Wan’s own. 

“Who are you speaking of?” Obi-Wan asked in the same hushed tone. He held up his hands, hoping it would be interpreted as a call for peace. 

“That bounty hunter!” The Felucian spat, arm extended toward the left side of the surrounding jungle, “And his army droids!”

Droids? What bounty hunter had an army of droids?

Then it dawned on Obi-Wan. Windu had been right, it was a trap; Spiron Holt must have been hired by the separatists. It would explain the extreme levels of destruction that spanned the length of the village, and the army of droids nonetheless. 

Obi-Wan turned to face Cody, Ahsoka, and Anakin and watched as the men of the 212th stood at attention. “Seems we may have a Separatist trap on our hands, we need to fan out and create a barrier around the village.”

Obi-Wan glanced around to make sure that none of the supposed droids had infiltrated the scene yet before he continued, “Ahsoka, take a few men and round up the villagers. Get them inside of the barn over there.” He pointed to one of the last remaining structures that had not been flattened. Hopefully, its brick foundation would hold up against an onslaught of blaster fire. 

“Yes Master!” Ahsoka said before selecting a group of troopers, and beginning her task. 

“Anakin, take half of these men and see if you can use whatever you can find as a blockade over there,” He motioned toward the side of the village opposite of the barn, “I believe– I sense that they are hiding somewhere beyond the brush in that direction. The rest of you can spread yourself along the perimeter.” There was a shuffling of men, some yelling, before everyone had been dispersed to their respective locations, that was, except for Cody who looked at Obi-Wan expectantly. 

“What about me, General?”

Obi-Wan considered him for a moment, before clearing his throat. “Wherever you think is best Commander.” Obi-Wan said. He trusted Cody to make the right call; he had always been intuitive. 

Cody only nodded, his gaze prolonged; Obi-Wan felt like he could feel the weight of the Commander’s stare through his bucket. “But stay out of the blaster fire.” Obi-Wan added, just before Cody had a chance to turn around, and hoped that Cody understood the subtext. 

Stay safe. Don’t get hurt. Do what you must, but stay alive. 

Cody turned, saying nothing, and marched toward a few shinys who seemed to have missed their instructions and were standing, weapons drawn against their sides. 

For a moment, Obi-Wan had to clear his head and refocus himself on the task at hand. There was a battle to be won, and a community to save; there was no time for distraction. 

He surveyed the surrounding area again while he reached out to the Force in an attempt to sense the locations of the droids– there surely could not be many of them. What stake would the Separatists have in sending vast amounts of their depleting droids to one tiny village? Yet, something in the Force told Obi-Wan that there was something more at play. 

Something is not quite right. 

Obi-Wan waited another moment, hoping for some clarity, but soon returned to physically watching the boundaries of the encampment for any movement in the distance, or ruffling of trees. 

All was quiet for a few minutes, but it was an eerie silence that left Obi-Wan hearing his own heartbeat in his chest.

Then–

“Sir, there is a battalion of twenty– no, fifty battle droids closing in on us!” There was a muffled yell of Waxer before the comm was cut short and replaced with Cody’s voice. 

“We don’t have much time, General, I’m requesting backup as soon as possible!” Cody’s normally metered tone was cut with an unusual layer of uncertainty that made the hair on the back of Obi-Wan’s neck stick up. He took a deep, shuddering, breath.

What? The clankers had all been coming from all sides of the village?

Obi-Wan realized, with impending dread heavy in his gut, that the village must have been surrounded all along. 

How did I not see it? There was nothing from the Force!

Then the blaster fire began, the sound of it radiating through the village with continuous flashes of red light as the last of the villagers crawled into the barn. Obi-Wan ducked behind a bit of rubble and pulled his comlink to his face while blaster fire chipped the rubbish next to him. 

“Where are they the most dense?” Obi-Wan asked, hoping there would not be an answer to the question at all. 

“Over here.” Cody said, already knowing Obi-Wan could feel his location. “I think they are coming in waves from this side. We can’t spare any men on the other sides though– we have no idea what’s coming.” 

Cody was right, if any trooper left their post, it would leave an opening. There only seemed to be one alternative solution. 

“I’ll see what I can do; if there are no spare troopers, I’ll come as a reinforcement myself.” Obi-Wan blocked another round of red blaster fire as it whizzed past him in his semi-exposed hiding place behind the remains of a destroyed hut. 

It was a calculated move, albeit dangerous, but Obi-Wan did not want to watch the blaster fire rain down on Cody. Sure, Cody’s armor would protect him from some of the damage, but the battle droids were dense and their fire would eventually eat away at even the best plastoid armor. 

There is no choice.

Using the other pieces of rubble to his advantage and raising his lightsaber to deflect the oncoming blaster fire, Obi-Wan started across the center of the village towards Cody’s location. 

But then–

Obi-Wan sensed it though a firm tug by the Force, one more powerful than he had felt in some time. 

There is an explosive, one of them must have an explosive!

His heart only pounded louder, loud enough that he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. 

Cody was still a quarter klick in front of him and he stood in a crouch as he aimed his blaster at the onslaught of angry droids. There were no other Clones surrounding him, seemingly distracted with their own hand-to-hand combat with battle droids to his left and right. 

Something in Force reminded Obi-Wan that those droids were not carrying explosives, it was the bounty hunter, Spiron Holt, right in the middle of the pack inching towards Cody’s vulnerable form. 

In real life, he looked taller and more daunting than he had on the holo image that Windu had displayed. His eyes, even from afar, seemed unforgiving, and he walked with no urgency and fear from within the pack of clankers. 

Obi-Wan’s breath hitched in his chest as his legs carried him as quickly as he could go. Obi-Wan could only call out for strength from the Force to move faster, to make it there before–

The Force had been warning him that day, like an alarm buzzing incessantly in his ears. Obi-Wan had tried to shove down the burning anxiety that had worked its way into his chest. The Force had been right, because there she was, Satine, helplessly imprisoned by Maul. There was that look in her eyes, like she knew it would be the end. 

Obi-Wan had attempted to ignore it, he wanted to chalk it up to fear.

He wished he had listened to the Force more closely that day, before Satine fell to the ground, never to stand again. 

–The recent memory throbbed against the inside of his head like a new wound that had just barely healed. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched, with eyes wide, as Sprion raised one of his muscular arms with a hint of a childish smirk painted across his face. It was a look of corrupted morality, the same one Maul had on the day of Satine’s death. Revenge. 

No! No Kenobi, you can’t let it happen again, you can’t–

He was by Cody’s side, screaming at him to run at the top of his lungs as the explosive hung eerily in the air; it almost seemed to idle as if time had slowed tremendously.

“Get back, Cody!” He screamed one last time with a raw voice as he watched Cody wince with hesitation. 

Obi-Wan extended one trembling hand towards the oncoming black bomb in the air, and the other reached out to press at Cody’s form with the Force in a sick attempt to push his body away from the onslaught of the inevitable explosion. It would explode– Obi-Wan knew that, there was no stopping it now.

He only waited for Cody to skitter to a stop in the dirt, almost a half a klick away, before he wrenched his other arm toward the explosive. 

It had lit up orange and red with the fire that expelled from its sides, angry and red and violent. 

Force help me. 

It was a desperate plea, but the Force held strong and he held back the ever expanding flames as his arms shook desperately with the strain. 

“K-keep going!” He yelled scratchily, hoping Cody would continue his evacuation. He did not stop and wait to see if Cody ran, instead, he compiled his efforts into using the Force against the heat of the then oncoming explosion. 

Then it sounded.

The explosion was painfully loud, leaving Obi-Wan to wince with the sudden pain to his inner ears and the violent ringing that followed. Before him, the bomb erupted into huge, vicious, roaring flames. The orange and red fire filled his entire vision as he nearly crumbled under the weight of the Force. He staggered backwards, his feet barely stable under his failing legs.

Just a little longer Kenobi, just until Cody has had enough time to get away. Please! He can’t be taken from me. I can’t live without him.

He pleaded with the Force, no– begged for strength, but it would not last. 

The exhaustion was settling into his arms and chest more quickly than he had hoped. 

What are my options? 

There was only one; the Force would give out, and he would have to run hoping that the flames would not consume him before he had the chance to escape the blast. With steeled features and his mind ringing with the same thought repetitively – you saved him, now try to save yourself – Obi-Wan let go. 

His legs carried him as fast as they could, but the fire licked at his arms and the side of his face as he looked back. He could feel the scalding flames against his cheek.

He realized, too late, that he would not outrun it; he did not stand a chance. 

He wanted to give up as his lungs began to fill with smoke. I made him cough loudly as his lungs protested against the fumes. In the distance he thought he heard the sound of someone yelling for him, but he barely had time to process the words before he felt his body lifted from the ground and thrown away from where the flames nipped at his flesh.

He landed harshly, every bone and muscle protesting as his form collided with the rough ground.

Body skidding to a stop with a thud and a resulting whimper of pain, Obi-Wan kept his eyes shut. He hoped that the rolling pain that pulsed through his side would dull, but it only grew harsher as the wind passed against the raw skin on his side. 

Kriff… it hurts…

He could feel the crack of a bone. Where– he did not know. The fire had managed to eat through the thin layers of his tunic and he could feel where his flesh had been so badly burnt by the fire. He wanted to scream, and maybe he did, but he couldn’t hear a thing, the effects of the explosion taking away his hearing temporarily. 

Everything became hazy before he could consider attempting to move, but somewhere through the smoke, he noticed Cody and Anakin looming ahead of him, their faces and eyes were fuzzy, and he tried to say something, to indicate that he was alive… he could be fine, maybe. 

Obi-Wan allowed himself to succumb to the darkness with some vague hope that he would wake up and see them both again. 

Force help me.

  Cody had noticed it only seconds after Waxer.

There appeared to be some metallic looking movement somewhere deep in the jungle. He should have been smart enough to know, in that moment, that battle droids lurking in the depths of a jungle, hidden from view, would not result in a pleasant situation. 

Battle droids were unintelligent and certainly bad shots, but they were harmful when their shots landed. 

He would have done the same thing if he were Obi-Wan. 

Logically, a Jedi was the only one who stave off an explosion for as long as he had. If Cody were a Jedi, he would have done the same, but Obi-Wan was not only a Jedi, not to Cody, and not to the other men.

He was a General, a brother all the same, and to Cody… he was something more .

Obi-Wan had thrown Cody, with the strength of the Force, across the dirt. Cody had laid in the dust, mind not quite wrapping around the fact that he had been tossed onto the ground. 

He got to his feet quickly, ready to charge, but it was too late. 

It did not happen in slow motion, it was quick. 

The bomb sounded, vibrating ominously in Cody’s ears, and Obi-Wan held it off with beat red cheeks and a look of utter determination that lasted for only a few moments before the force of the explosion bested him. 

The Jedi were strong, but explosives were often stronger. 

Cody watched helplessly, bucket disguising the flash of horror that ran across his face, as Obi-Wan ran, legs pulling him away from the flames for only a second. 

One brief second. 

Cody had held his breath. 

Then the flames caught up. 

For only a moment, one overwhelming moment, he had been by Obi-Wan’s side, ripping his helmet off of his head before pulling the singed fabric away from where it had nearly melted to Obi-Wan’s skin. There appeared to be little shards of debris littered throughout the raw wounds; the sight caused Cody to form a lump in his throat. 

Kriff. Fucking kriff.

Cody attempted to wipe at the tears that welled in the corners of his eyes. 

Obi-Wan’s face was cut in multiple places, his hair was a dirty wreck, and his skin was pale. His usually well-maintained appearance had all but disappeared, and it left Cody rattled. 

Obi-Wan’s arms seemed to have taken most of the damage, the red, burned flesh sticking out of the gaping holes in the arms of the tunic he was wearing. Cody could barely look at the destroyed skin, it physically made him feel sick, especially as small whimpers escaped past Obi-Wan’s slightly parted lips. 

Anakin had been there too, lurking somewhere by Obi-Wan’s side, but Cody had not realized until he looked up when Skull appeared with an oxygen mask and something of a frantic look on his face which was rare for the medic. 

To be fair, Skull held the life of a war General, a Jedi, in his hands. 

Anakin had the same look, the wild eyes of someone in shock, in horror. Cody supposed he probably had looked the same as he stared down at the corrupted flesh before him and the broken body of a man he cared for just a little more than most. 

Obi-Wan was awake for just a few moments, face contorting with pain, before Skull had arrived. His eyes had been filled with hazy tears that leaked down the sides of his cheeks. Cody wiped them away with a shaking hand before the salty tears fell into the cuts on his face. 

He couldn’t say anything, even when tried; his voice seemed to be caught underneath the lump in his throat. Instead, he stared with wet eyes. 

“I-It’s– Obi-Wan it’s going to be okay. We’ll– Skull!–  I– we will get you out of here.” Anakin’s voice was trembling as he attempted to reassure Obi-Wan, but clearly, the General was too far gone; none of the words would make a difference. Not only would the smoke-inhalation have gotten to him, but the sheer volume of the explosion had at least blown out his hearing for a couple of minutes. 

Anakin said something else, some assurance that Obi-Wan would make it out alive, but he did not seem to believe it. 

Perhaps Cody didn’t either. 

For a second, Cody forgot about the blaster fire whipping by his exposed head and the hundreds of clankers that surrounded the village. He forgot about the mission, and all of the little details and distinctions that made him a Commander.

Wait for me. 

Obi-Wan had asked Cody to wait, but Cody had taken it as a promise, because it was. And now– staring into the teared-filled, hazy eyes of his General where he was laid out on the ground, Cody felt like maybe that promise would not be fulfilled after all. 

“No, you wait for me.” Cody whispered, hoping Obi-Wan would hear him.