Things had started normally enough. Obi-Wan and Cody were meeting in Obi-Wan's quarters, discussing the best way to intercept a suspected Separatist strike. Cody was sitting at Obi-Wan's kitchen table, his helmet taking up much of the table's small surface area.
Obi-Wan had offered several times to clear a space on the shelf for it, especially as Cody had been spending more nights in Obi-Wan's quarters than in his own since their relationship had began, but each time Cody had declined, citing a desire to hang on to some shred of plausible deniability if someone were to turn up in Obi-Wan's quarters unexpectedly. A committed space on the shelf implied something, Cody had said, whereas placing it on the table or the counter could be passed off as setting it down for convenience during a quick visit.
The space that wasn't being used by the helmet was occupied by stacks of documents, maps, two comms, a cup of caffeine, and the saucer where Obi-Wan's cup of tea had been placed, until he had stood to refill it a moment ago.
As he put another pot of water on to boil, Obi-Wan listened to Cody recap what they knew about the Separatist cell in question. Unfortunately, the amount of data that they had was far less than either of them would have like it to be, and their information was at least third hand at this point- given to them by the Council, who'd been given the information by someone who was considered a reliable source but who hadn't been named in their report.
Once the water was heating, Obi-Wan opened the cabinet above the stove, pulling down two plates and a packet of biscuits that had been sent to him by Senator Amidala.
Obi-Wan heavily suspected that the gift was meant as an appreciation for his continual efforts in pretending that he was unaware of her relationship with Anakin; most recently, he had definitely not seen them kissing in a public hallway, and certainly hadn't heard them whispering sweet nothings to each other as he determinedly walked by without looking in their direction.
The biscuits were rather good, at least. He'd received others, usually after similar incidents, but so far these were his favorite; a light orange sponge hand-dipped in blue chocolate, and sprinkled with spices native Naboo. He looked forward to sharing them with Cody, who he knew had developed a secret fondness for blue chocolate.
"Dear," Obi-Wan called between two points of the recap, turning to face Cody. "Would you like another caf while I'm up?" The pot was still mostly full, and their planning session was likely to continue for some time yet.
"Thanks, but I-" Cody stopped as one of their comms began to buzz. It was unusual for someone to call at this early hour, but hardly unheard of. The war didn't lend itself to keeping a normal schedule, after all. Perhaps they'd be lucky and the caller was someone with more information on the Separatist's plans.
Obi-Wan glanced from Cody to the table. Not his own comm, apparently. It was laying as still as ever as Cody's comm buzzed beside it.
Cody reached for the buzzing comm, and brought it up to his ear, giving Obi-Wan a quick smile before accepting the call.
Obi-Wan couldn't hear whoever was on the end, but Cody seemed to be listening with rapt attention. Obi-Wan gave a smile back, and turned to the counter again, plating some of the biscuits.
Just as he was debating whether to grab forks to go with the plates- the sponge portion of the biscuits was soaked in some sort of sweet syrup, which was really quite prone to sticking to one's hands- he felt a cool weight press against the back of his head.
He started to turn, amused at Cody's method of passing off the comm to him, and froze as he realized the situation before him.
Not Cody's comm, Cody's blaster. Cody's blaster, now pressed directly to Obi-Wan's temple from the way he'd turned. Cody trembling ever-so-slightly, mouth pressed into a hard line and eyes unnaturally blank.
"Cody, what…" Obi-Wan trailed off, too taken aback to even think of a suitable question to ask. Cody was pointing a blaster at him. Cody, who he loved more than words could express. Cody, who he trusted with his life. His Cody.
"Why?" He asked, looking at Cody's face as if the blaster wasn't even there.
It was all he could think to ask. There had to be a reason why Cody was doing this. Maybe a Sith had somehow gotten into Cody's head, Obi-Wan considered, half-desperate. There had to be something that Obi-Wan wasn't seeing, some explanation he wasn't understanding, anything to mean that Cody hadn't suddenly decided to betray the Jedi and The Republic.
Hadn't decided to betray Obi-Wan. Hadn't stopped loving him.
There had to be a reason.
Cody flinched at the question, but didn't answer.
His aim seemed to waver though, and Obi-Wan decided to press his luck.
"Why, Cody?" Obi-Wan asked, letting the hurt flow through his voice unrestrained. You said you loved me, he refrained from voicing aloud. "Why are you doing this?" Obi-Wan didn't sense any influence from the dark side of the force surrounding Cody, but there had to be something causing this, and Obi-Wan was going to find it.
Cody's eyes stayed cold, but his mouth squeezed into an even tighter line, like he was trying to bite back whatever words wanted to come out. Obi-Wan took that as a good sign; a sign that Cody was still aware under whatever influence was controlling him, and that there was still a chance Obi-Wan could break the control. And as long as there was even the slightest chance of saving Cody from this, then he would do anything it took.
"I love you," he said, meaning it with all his heart, and hoping that it might shock Cody out of whatever state he had fallen into. They were rare words between them, for all that they both knew them to be true.
Cody's whole body shuddered, and for a brief moment of hope Cody's eyes widened, as if he was just now noticing what was going on.
But before Obi-Wan had the chance to fully register the sight, Cody's stare hardened again, eyes narrowed, and in a flash he dropped the blaster, snatched it out of the air by the barrel, and hit the butt of it into Obi-Wan's head, so hard that Obi-Wan barely felt the pain of the hit before everything went dark.