Favorite Liar pt. II
“-Why wasn’t somebody with him?!” Commander Cody’s voice boomed throughout the medical wing, “Where was the medical droid?!” It wasn’t often that the commander lost his temper, but he’d come into Obi-Wan’s room, flowers in hand, and when he saw his Jedi on the floor- How long had he been there?! Why hadn’t someone found him sooner?! He’s a Jedi, he should be treated better than this- It wasn’t often the commander lost his cool, but when he found Obi-Wan barely holding onto his breath-
Part I here
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Cody had arrived at the temple, flowers hidden in his helmet that he held tightly beside him as he walked. He had rehearsed what he was going to say all morning. He was going to apologize, he was going to say he was sorry, he was going to tell Obi-Wan he loved him, that he never should have yelled, that he hadn’t seen Obi-Wan in so long and it sucked- Cody was coming to apologize, but he walked in and found Obi-Wan lying lifeless on the ground and Cody couldn’t breath. His breath had gone with Obi-Wan’s, his heart stopped as he felt desperately for a pulse.
Cody dropped to his knees, pulling Obi-Wan close, “No, I just got you back, no, no,” He muttered as he felt for a pulse instead of for his breath, ‘Sometimes, when you’re sleeping, I have to check your pulse because your breath is so slow-’ Cody shook his head at the memory, his heart was slow, but Obi-Wan was still alive. He flickered with relief and his heart got the better of him, Cody pressed a kiss to Obi-Wan’s cold cheek, “My love, be okay, please be okay,” He whispered, giving Obi-Wan another kiss before picking him up and setting him in the bed. Cody looked down at him once more, moving a strand of hair out of Obi-Wan’s face, Cody lingered there a moment, even bruised and swollen, Obi-Wan was more beautiful than the life a star provides. All the gentleness of Cody’s love washed away as he turned around, rage came crashing down, “Who was watching General Kenobi?” He boomed thunderous, voice dark and dangerous, ready to kill.
Medic droids came filing in, surrounding Obi-Wan. Immense exhaustion was all Cody was drawing out of them, it was as if they seemed reluctant to tell Cody anything, he fantasized about pulling his blaster out, he meant business. He was going to fight for his love, and they were going to corporate. Cody knew his duty as a soldier was to com another Jedi- Anakin, but Cody wasn’t ready to hide all his emotion away, he wasn’t ready for Skywalker to come in and take over care, Obi-Wan was his, and Cody would take care of him until his dying breath. “-His wounds will heal with time, he just needs rest-” The droid rambled on, something about a bacta tank, about an NG tube, something about giving him time. Cody nodded, his anger had subsided and as the droids left, his love came running back.
He came back into the room and closed the door, walking over to the bed, smiling upon the sight of Obi-Wan, giving Cody his best smile. “You sure know how to make me worry,” Cody spoke quietly, he wanted to run into Obi-Wan’s arm and shower him in kisses until he couldn’t breath.
“Yes,” Obi-Wan resigned, scared of a fight, “I was trying to make it to the chair, I was certain I would make it…” Obi-Wan’s voice trailed off, it hurt to speak, he didn’t want to. He wanted Cody, he wanted to tell Cody that he was sorry, that he never should have done it; Obi-Wan had rehearsed it in his mind a thousand times, he was going to apologize, he was going to tell Cody that he loved him, that he had been such a fool. He was going to apologize but as Cody leaned in for a kiss, all his worries flickered away, he pulled Cody into a hug, “I’ve barely seen you,” Obi-Wan whispered, “I miss you.”
Cody held him tightly, hiding his face in the side of Obi-Wan’s neck, so sweet was his love, his love, no one else’s, Obi-Wan was his and he’d been a fool to push him away. “I came back, Obi, I was coming here to you, I was coming home-” Cody rambled, “Obi, I was coming home to you-” Cody had felt a grief far greater than the word when he heard Obi-Wan had died and he hadn’t the chance to fight for him, that he hadn’t had a chance to trade his life for his, but it had been a lie, the worst lie, but Obi-Wan was back and Cody couldn’t stay angry, for he loved Obi-Wan too much. A liar he may be, but Cody’s favorite liar he was.
“-Anakin must be coming soon,” Obi-Wan spoke, Cody knew how much pain it must cost for Obi-Wan to speak. Cody pulled back, sneaking one last kiss as he stood straight, falling back into rank, Commander; General.
“Yes, I had the droids notify the council of your incident, I am certain they told General Skywalker.” Cody confirmed. He had held onto his worry long enough, now he had to give into duty. “As soon as the droids were wrapping up, I had ‘em notify them.” Cody added as Obi-Wan nodded, closing his eyes as he sensed Anakin’s and Ahsoka’s movement throughout the temple. The two might’ve talked about frivolous things as they waited for the two to arrive. Neither one would risk getting too close. For as soon as Obi-Wan entertained the idea of embracing his love, he remembered their duty, their oath, and he was duty-bound. But when he looked at Cody, his life was his, why couldn’t he hold him whenever he wanted?
“-Master!” Anakin came running towards him, Ahsoka closely following. Ahsoka climbed onto the bed, giving Obi-Wan a hug, “We had no idea, I’m so sorry, had we known-” Anakin gritted his teeth, why did his anger have to ruin everything? Why couldn’t he just be better? “I’m sorry, Master, I was so angry, I should’ve been understanding,” Anakin held his arms open for a hug.
Obi-Wan smiled as he held the two of them, “Anakin, Ahsoka, I am sorry, I cannot find words to express how sorry I am for hurting the two of you.” He spoke softly, terrified to say the wrong thing. Ahsoka shook her head as she held him tighter. They just got him back, Anakin just started to smile again, he just started to joke again. They couldn’t lose Obi-Wan again.
“I don't care about that anymore-" Ahsoka cried as she hugged Obi-Wan tightly. Even when angry at Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Anakin only ever missed him, their anger fell to exhaustion the moment they saw him. Obi-Wan held his two padawans tightly, he'd missed them so much.
They laughed and joked to pass the time, Cody had passed by them to wait in the hall. He had to deliver a private message to General Kenobi when he discovered him on the floor, yes, no need to clarify beyond that.
Anakin heard Cody shuffle, he'd turned to look. Anakin wouldn't have thought anything of it, Cody probably had a message he needed to deliver to Obi-Wan, yes, that was why he was at the temple. Anakin wouldn't have thought anything of Cody's lingering, up until Anakin scanned the room, that is. For he'd found something curious. His stare lingered, the commander’s helmet on the ground, white lilies tucked inside. Anakin turned, he’d had enough of all this deception surrounding Obi-Wan. “Commander,” Anakin’s voice boomed thunderous, Cody's head turned as he stiffened to attention. Anakin tilted his head ever slightly, a deep, crimson darkness shining in his eyes, a clever grin on his face and malice in his tone,
"Why were you here?"
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because sometimes there are invisible tests and invisible rules and you're just supposed to ... know the rule. someone you thought of as a friend asks you for book recommendations, so you give her a list of like 30 books, each with a brief blurb and why you like it. later, you find out she screenshotted the list and send it out to a group chat with the note: what an absolute freak can you believe this. you saw the responses: emojis where people are rolling over laughing. too much and obsessive and actually kind of creepy in the comments. you thought you'd been doing the right thing. she'd asked, right? an invisible rule: this is what happens when you get too excited.
you aren't supposed to laugh at your own jokes, so you don't, but then you're too serious. you're not supposed to be too loud, but then people say you're too quiet. you aren't supposed to get passionate about things, but then you're shy, boring. you aren't supposed to talk too much, but then people are mad when you're not good at replying.
you fold yourself into a prettier paper crane. since you never know what is "selfish" and what is "charity," you give yourself over, fully. you'd rather be empty and over-generous - you'd rather eat your own boundaries than have even one person believe that you're mean. since you don't know what the thing is that will make them hate you, you simply scrub yourself clean of any form of roughness. if you are perfect and smiling and funny, they can love you. if you are always there for them and never admit what's happening and never mention your past and never make them uncomfortable - you can make up for it. you can earn it.
don't fuck up. they're all testing you, always. they're tolerating you. whatever secret club happened, over a summer somewhere - during some activity you didn't get to attend - everyone else just... figured it out. like they got some kind of award or examination that allowed them to know how-to-be-normal. how to fit. and for the rest of your life, you've been playing catch-up. you've been trying to prove that - haha! you get it! that the joke they're telling, the people they are, the manual they got- yeah, you've totally read it.
if you can just divide yourself in two - the lovable one, and the one that is you - you can do this. you can walk the line. they can laugh and accept you. if you are always-balanced, never burdensome, a delight to have in class, champagne and glittering and never gawky or florescent or god-forbid cringe: you can get away with it.
you stare at your therapist, whom you can make jokes with, and who laughs at your jokes, because you are so fucking good at people-pleasing. you smile at her, and she asks you how you're doing, and you automatically say i'm good, thanks, how are you? while the answer swims somewhere in your little lizard brain:
how long have you been doing this now? mastering the art of your body and mind like you're piloting a puppet. has it worked? what do you mean that all you feel is... just exhausted. pick yourself up, the tightrope has no net. after all, you're cheating, somehow, but nobody seems to know you actually flunked the test. it's working!
aren't you happy yet?
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