Ignoring the fluttering black tunic and tabard hanging over the bush
beside him as he pressed the gauze pad to the others side, Obi-Wan
glanced up when Anakin hissed with pain. “Sorry, I wish I could
give you some painkillers but…” They both glanced at the medkit
resting beside Obi-Wan, only half full and clearly lacking in
anything that looked like pills or injections.

Even
the normal analgesic patch was gone.

Giving
his former master a shaky smile, Anakin breathed out laughingly,
grateful for the rather solid log he was sitting on with the tree
behind providing some support as he was feeling rather jelly like in
his bones. “So, care to guess, addict or just one of the padawans
trying to make moonshine again?” He got out in as joking a tone as
he could.

This
time however, Obi-Wan didn’t banter as normally, only focused back
on the injury Anakin sustained, the sunset sending the fading light
sparkling through his hair and brightening the gold in all the
copper.

‘I
guess I scared him this time…’ Anakin frowned, glancing up in the
sky where he could still see the explosion from the ship they had
taken the escape pod from, the sight of it dark and terrible in the
sky as they both knew that several troopers hadn’t made it to the
escape pods.

He
could only hope that most of the 501^st had made it out, as
selfishly as that was to wish but Anakin liked his men, knew them
personally, made an effort to know their names and their faces,
regardless how alike they were, he still made an effort and he knew
that Obi-Wan did the same too.

Hell,
he knew the 212^th almost as well as the 501^st,
because they were Obi-Wan’s men and he worked with them so much.

But
there would always be casualties, as awful as that sounded, that was
the truth of battle, always casualties.

Especially
in ambush and Anakin couldn’t help but grit his teeth as he watched
another explosion take out another part of the ship, sectioning the
tail end from the main part of the ship. Able to see it but not hear
it or do anything for whoever might be trapped on board.

And he
didn’t doubt some were trapped on board.

With
only the dept of space as their grave and ceremony, cold and empty.

Even
the mass cremations used for the troopers were better than that,
because at least then you could salvage the helmets, write their
names down… make a memorial out of one of the few things the
troopers could call their own without question as they customized the
armor and it was never reused for others.

Hell,
wearing another troopers armor without permission was an affront,
even civilians knew that.

“You’re
so reckless…” Obi-Wan whispered out suddenly, Anakin’s head
snapping to look down as the older man head bent low as he continued
carefully reaching around to bandage the gauze to Anakin’s chest.
“You just had to stay behind, to ensure more people got away, to
wait for me…” He breathed out shakily.

‘I
really scared him this time huh?’ Anakin stared at the red
hair fluttering in the wind, swallowing a bit before hissing loudly
when Obi-Wan tightened the bandages to ensure pressure to the wound,
the older man apologizing quickly before continuing working.

Swallowing
hard, Anakin hesitated before slowly reaching out and placing his
hand on Obi-Wan’s head. “I’m… I’m sorry Obi-Wan.” He
stammered out, biting in the rest he wanted to say.

That
he loved Obi-Wan.

He
couldn’t say that, regardless how true it was, he’d always love
his old master but he worried about a scolding about attachment.

And he
couldn’t promise he’d never do something like this again.

Because
he would, he would always try to save Obi-Wan.

Where
there was a Skywalker, there would be Kenobi and visa versa and that
would mean rescuing the other.

That
had Obi-Wan glancing up, his face softening a bit before he tied off
the bandage. “Just… look after yourself more Anakin, please? My
old heart couldn’t take it if I lost you now, not to mention the
others that are waiting for you to come home.” He chuckled weakly.

Grinning,
Anakin nodded a bit. “Yeah, you’re right, Ahsoka might get lonely
if I leave now.” He laughed, winking slightly as Obi-Wan rolled his
eyes and reached for Anakin’s tunic to help him into it. ‘And
Padme, my beloved angel…’ He let his thoughts float a bit before
grunting as the sash tightened a bit on his wound, Obi-Wan murmuring
a quick apology.

War
would never be pleasant and there were sacrifices… but at that
moment, Anakin found that as long as he could have his old master at
his side like this, he wouldn’t the mind moments like of pain, despite how
tired he was.