Anakin is on his knees.
This on itself should be humiliation, should be the most obvious sign of defeat, of finally at admittance of being the force Jedi, of never truly surpassing Obi-Wan in anything by brutal strength. What of wisdom, what of listening to the living force and filtering the mud and fuss, what of true servitude, what of being....good... of being just.
There is nothing of this within Anakin. He is tainted with anger and hatred and jealousy. He needs to have, he needs to posses, he needs to be loved and to love, to love so completely it'll burn away all that hs should be. He is too damaged to truly be a Jedi, and Obi-Wan?
Obi-Wan Kenobi is perfect. All what a jedi should be, all that a man should be, all that...
A gentle hand caress through his hair. His Master is unmoving otherwise, standing straight and proper and in control. He shows no emotion on his face, within his force signature. He is a fine statue of a proper jedi and yet.... he embraces Anakin's head and lets him lean in, lean his face against his Master's tan robes.
Oh, oh to be close to him. Oh to be seen by him kindly. Oh, oh to be lov.....
The word die within his heart, the word is beaten and hallowed and used up till it's barely there.
If only it could be used by the man, if only... then Anakin would... surely it will fix him, them, everything. Right?
He reaches his hands up, would be prayer, he takes a hold of his Master's belt, holding upon i for balance, for stopping him from leaving.
His Master does not leave. His Master radiates a deep, reserve sadness through the force, strong enough to sip through impeccable shields. His Master looks down at him, Anakin can feel that. He does not dare look up. He will not live to see a rejection in those blue eyes.
He will stay here, within his Master's protective shadow, where he belongs. Where he should never left.















