Eyes Met on a Battlefield
Ahsoka heard about soulmates, how meeting them fills your dull worlds with color. She even heard of some some Jedi who met their soulmates, however due to their rules the romance couldn't go anywhere. Most Jedi never want to meet their soulmate because they say it's painful to stay away once you know them. The Jedi prefer to break the relationship, break contact before any further attachments had the chance to form.
Ahsoka never expected to meet her soulmate. Especially on a battlefield.
The moment her eyes met those of Barriss Offee her once gray world exploded with color. Ahsoka's mouth dropped open, shock very evident on her face. Barriss however had no reaction at all, other than blinking rapidly a few times, most likely to adjust her eyes to all the colors.
"You alright Snips?" Anakin nudged her with his elbow, breaking the Padawan's eye contact.
"Yeah! Yes. Uh... it's a pleasure to meet you Master Luminara. And you Barriss." The two merely nodded.
The next hour was spent talking strategy. but Ahsoka could barely focus on it. Her focus was split between taking in the new colors around her as well as her soulmate. She would look away whenever the fellow Padawan would meet her eyes.
It was supposed to be a simple mission all in all. But no, nothing is ever simple as far as Anakin is concerned and nothing ever seems to go Ahsoka's way. A few bombs and explosions away and Ahsoka and Barriss found themselves burred beneath the rubble.
"You don't suppose we can lift this do you?" Ahsoka asked with a small smile despite knowing the answer.
"Doubtful." Barriss leaned against the rubble, her feet touching Ahsoka's in the small cramped space. "This might be a mercy from the Force. After it's cruel joke."
Ahsoka frowned, "What do you mean?"
Barriss glanced toward her, "Us. Us being... soulmates."
"Why?" Ahsoka felt rather hurt by that comment, did Barriss already not like her? "We're both Padawans. We don't have to..."
Barriss huffed "Do you realize that this means for us Ahsoka? Usually Jedi leave their soulmate soon after they find them. They sever any connection they may have. It hurts them."
"But... we don't have to do that. Like you said, we're both Padawans. We don't have to avoid each other." Ahsoka reached over and touched Barriss's hand. The Mirialan flinched but didn't pull away. Not that she could move any farther in the first place.
"Exactly!" Barriss grit her teeth, she sounded very frustrated, "We can't avoid each other. So this..." She glanced in the space between them, "... connection will only grow. Meaning that it will only be more painful when we have to be apart. That is, if we don't meet our end here, which is highly likely."
"My Master wouldn't give up on me. He won't give up on me. And I'm not giving up on you. Not when I just found you." Barriss breath hitched as Ahsoka intertwined their fingers.
She looked back into Ahsoka's eyes, she saw the hope in them. Hope that she lacked but wanted to have. "You... it's admirable that you believe that." Barriss didn't want to say anything more on the matter, she leaned her head against the wall and waited. But instead of being embraced into the Force, they were rescued.
Ahsoka was right. About Anakin at least.
However Barriss didn't dare to dream of a future with Ahsoka. To do so would only make things harder. To do so would be to deny that their relationship could only end in a tragedy.