Another older short drabble-fic that I've decided to upload! (Just because I've been feeling things, what else is new.)
I'd like to point out that I've made some assumptions about the amount of time that passes between 'The Lawless' and 'Sabotage'. If my assumptions are incorrect, we'll pretend this is just-slightly AU.
"Anakin."
"Leave me alone," he grunted as he continued deflecting bolts from the twenty training droids that were activated. He needed to focus, on him and his lightsaber, not the fact that Ahsoka was gone.
Obi-Wan didn't move. "Anakin, you've been here for six hours. It's nearly 4 in the morning," his old master said, but Anakin didn't budge except the deflect another two bolts in a single motion.
Anakin growled in frustration at Obi-Wan's lack of understanding. "What part of 'leave me alone' don't you understand?" he exclaimed, deactivating the last of the droids and watching with grim satisfaction as they all fell to the ground.
"I know you're upset, Anakin, but—"
"Upset?" Anakin echoed, whirling around to face Obi-Wan. "You and your kriffing Council expelled her, without even a fair trial! You didn't believe me or her, despite everything she did for the Order! Ahsoka is—gone now, because the Council, once again, made a stupid decision without investigating everything properly."
"The Council was not unanimous in the decision to expel Ahsoka," Obi-Wan answered after a few moments, voice level. "You know that, Anakin."
"That's not an excuse," Anakin said, deactivating his lightsaber and putting it on his belt. He walked over to the bench and picked up his commlink and towel, keeping his back to Obi-Wan.
"I wasn't making an excuse, Anakin. I couldn't…"
"You couldn't what?" Anakin shouted, turning around once again to face Obi-Wan. "It was your idea in the first place that I should get a padawan, and look what happened! Look where it got me and Ahsoka. Are you happy now?"
"I failed you, Anakin," Obi-Wan said finally. Anakin blinked. What? "I did what I could to help you and Ahsoka, but I couldn't…I didn't…"
Anakin squinted at Obi-Wan, whose head was down now. The training room was dim and since it was night, no light filtered through the windows. Very rarely was Obi-Wan at a loss for words, Anakin realized. There was a slump to his shoulders now and in the dim light he was pale. Anakin took a few steps forward. Up close, he could see that Obi-Wan's face was dotted with sweat, despite it being comfortably cool in the training room. "Master?" he whispered, feeling knots form in his stomach.
"I failed you, Anakin," Obi-Wan repeated slowly. "And Qui-Gon and Satine and Ahsoka, now."
Satine? Anakin remembered that Obi-Wan went to Mandalore a few days before the bombing in the Temple's hangar. He came back the day after it happened, but between everything that happened with Ahsoka, Anakin never had the time to ask what happened on Mandalore. Obi-Wan didn't say anything, so he'd assumed…
"What happened on Mandalore?" Anakin asked.
Obi-Wan shook his head and remained silent for a few long moments. "Maul was there. He took over the government and placed the planet in a state of civil war," he said finally, his voice a whisper.
"What about the Duchess?"
Obi-Wan swallowed. "She's…" He blinked slowly and rubbed at his forehead. "She's dead," he said finally. "It—Maul…he wanted revenge. And he…" He trailed off again, and took a deep breath. "She died in my arms," Obi-Wan whispered hoarsely. His eyes and face were a perfect Jedi mask, but the dryness in his voice betrayed emotion that ran deeper than Anakin ever realized.
Anakin's eyes widened. He remembered meeting Satine, remembered her strong desire for pacifism, her strong beliefs and ability to lead. And Obi-Wan loved her, despite all that he said to convince him of otherwise. But now she was…? He couldn't imagine losing Padmé the way Obi-Wan had lost Satine. Just the thought of it was too painful.
"I'm sorry," Anakin murmured. Obi-Wan didn't reply, and his eyes were still lowered to ground. "Let's go back to the apartment, then," Anakin suggested. Now that he's stopped moving for the first time in six hours (apparently), his muscles were beginning to ache terribly.
Obi-Wan nodded slowly in agreement, and they began to walk out of the training room. "I am sorry, Anakin, about what happened today," he said.
"I know," Anakin answered. "I know."