Disclaimer: Star Wars and all of its characters belong to George Lucas. Yes, you heard that right, they're not mine. not at all.
"I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna be looking in your eyes"
Westlife – "I Wanna Grow Old With You"
In that moment the galaxy didn't exist. Nothing existed – only them. They were the epicenter of everything. All that mattered was that they were together, lying in the soft, lush grass with multicolored followers surrounding them. All that mattered was that their bodies were pressed close together. All that mattered was that they were free to kiss and cuddle, to hold each other close, without the fear of being torn apart by the cruelty of Fate.
Their short leave was an extremely needed break after the past few months of never-ending war, pain, death, destruction, and fear.
Anakin ran a hand through his lover's hair, smoothing back errant strands of copper-tinged hair. His eyes were soft, brimming with an overpowering love that enveloped him whole. They were twin pools reflecting the clear skies above them, warm and tender. His had was warm against his lover's cheek, his lips pliable and the kisses gentle.
"I almost lost you this time," he whispered softly into his boyfriend's ear.
"I know, Anakin. I'm sorry—"
"You're sorry?" Anakin sighed softly, nuzzling against the other man's neck. "Don't be. It's not your fault. It's mine, Obi-Wan. It's mine…"
Obi-Wan pulled Anakin back away from him to look his young boyfriend in the eyes. "Anakin, listen to me. It wasn't your fault. There's nothing you could have done."
"But you almost died!"
"Such is the nature of war, Love." Obi-Wan leaned forward, rubbing his nose against Anakin's. "It's all over now though." He kissed the tip of Anakin's and went off to play with one of Anakin's golden curls.
"I should have been able to protect you, I should be able to always protect you…to save you."
"But you can't, Anakin. Sometimes…things just happen. You can't control the ways of the Force."
"I can't loose you!" Anakin held Obi-Wan closer, clinging on to his love as though afraid that if he dared to let go Obi-Wan would simply disappear.
"Ani…oh my dear little Ani. You can't stop death, Love. We all die at some time."
"If you die I come with you!"
"Anakin…"
"And if the Force does separate us, I will be there holding you like I am now," Anakin muttered into his shoulder. "I swear."
"Don't swear anything, Love."
"No, I will. I swear that I'll never let you die alone. That I will always be there. I will save you, or die trying, or—"
Obi-Wan's lips on his cut him off. But through the Force the promise to always be there still echoed plainly and soothingly.
How could this happen? It wasn't supposed to happen! Why, why, why…
Anakin Skywalker stood at the large viewport on one of the evacuation transports, his eyes never leaving the doomed planet before them. He had known from the very start that it was a bad idea for them to separate.
It had been a simply evacuation mission, really. Arena was on a collision path with an asteroid and he, Obi-Wan, Aayla, and Quinlan had been sent to lead the evacuation. Obi-Wan had said that it would go better if they split up.
Obi-Wan had taken the quadrant of the planet in which the humongous asteroid was due to land.
And had somehow missed the last evac ship.
All flyable ships had been launched into the evacuation and now Obi-Wan was stuck on that blasted plane, without any chance of escape, and with the asteroid fast on its way.
Anakin's heart clenched painfully. His eyes dropped to the homming beacon signal displaying on his commlink. He turned, ready to bolt for the hanger, ready to get into his fighter and go after Obi-Wan. Force damn the odds of him actually getting there in time. He was met with the resistance of Aayla and Quinlan.
"No, Anakin, no," Aayla urged softly, taking a firm hold of his arms. "There's nothing you can do…nothing."
"I will! I have to! I'll die trying. Let me go, Aayla! Let go of me, damn it!"
"Anakin," Quinlan reasoned desperately. "Obi-Wan wouldn't want this."
"I doubt Obi-Wan wants to die ether!" Anakin spat. Anakin struggled against his colleges, his mind screaming desperately for Obi-Wan. Somehow he finally broke away from the other two Jedi. He sprinted for the hanger, using the Force to enhance his speed. He jumped into one of the Jedi fighters, and was out of the hanger in seconds. The only thought on his mind was to get to Obi-Wan – pronto.
The small Jedi fighter spiraled toward the doomed planet, its pilot pushing it mercilessly to its limits. Anakin's vision was a blur. He only saw what he needed to see, his coordinates and those of the homming beacon signal. Everything else came instinctually. He was in a race against a flying rock – how silly really, The fighter burst through the atmosphere and Anakin looked around the exposed terrain for any signs of Obi-Wan.
He landed only when he finally had Obi-Wan in sight. The shadow of the asteroid and its debris was already on them. Anakin launched himself out of the cockpit and sprinted toward Obi-Wan. They flew into each others arms.
"Why did you come here?" Obi-Wan demanded against Anakin's shoulder. "Why, Anakin?"
"I had to save you! Come…we can still get out of here!"
The asteroid was now blocking the sun. A rain of rocks was starting around them.
"It's too late, Anakin."
"No!" Anakin pulled Obi-Wan's arm, trying to lead him to the fighter.
"Anakin…" Obi-Wan held him closer. "Anakin, I don't want to die jammed into the cockpit of a fighter. I wanna die holding you in my arms."
"Obi," Anakin whimpered, nuzzling the crook of Obi-Wan's neck.
"Remember you promised…promised that we'd die in each others arms?"
Anakin nodded mutely. The blonde wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan, his lover's smaller form fitting perfectly in his arms as it always had. Anakin looked up into Obi-Wan eyes. Their eyes met the bond between them opened to the fullest extent.
The earth beneath them shook. Rocks fell around them, the darkness deepened. But nether Jedi cared. They were together in this moment. Nothing existed. Only they existed in the galaxy. The light and warmth of their love blocked out all else.
"Kiss me," Obi-Wan whispered against Anakin's lips.
And Anakin obliged, granting Obi-Wan one last, long kiss. All their love was encompassed in that moment. That last moment.
One last breath.
One last look into each other's eyes.
One last kiss.
They faced the darkness together.
Obi-Wan, I swear…