dreams of home
A/N: Hi, guys! I'm so so sorry I haven't been posting, like, at all, but y'all should have seen my schedule the past month, on addition to the fact I'm obsessed with Teen Wolf right now. shadowdragon, I'd just like to say, thank you so much for this request, I apologise for taking so long, and also apologise for the brutal feels ahead. I hope you enjoy, and as always please send requests guys! Oh, and also, please leave comments, I love them.
It had been seventy-two standard rotations since Order 66.
It had been seventy-two standard rotations since the fall of the Republic.
It had been seventy-two standard rotations since the rise of the Empire.
It had been seventy-two standard rotations since the massacre of the Jedi.
And, it had been seventy-two standard rotations since Obi-Wan’s family died.
He stared out at the lifeless sands of Tatooine, as he often did. Each breath he took was heavy and rasping against the abrasive, sandpaper-like feeling of the inside of his throat. Every sip of water did nothing to quench his thirst and pain.
Instead of the empty desert he saw the rolling rivers of lava, the tears falling from burning orange eyes, the sight of fire eating away at flesh. The scent of burning skin and hot, thick air choked him as he sat, suffocating him in the last memory of his brother. The words that his brother had wailed, driving a knife through him and twisting over and over and over, sinking deep into his blood like acid.
Obi-Wan placed his hands in the sand in front of him, splaying out his fingers and feeling the grains fill the gaps between his appendages. He attempted feebly to ground himself in the tan earth, but all he could hear was Anakin’s final screams. The hot air of Tatooine taunted him as a reminder of Mustafar.
Thoughts of Anakin always led to thoughts of Ahsoka. Oh, Ahsoka. So young, somewhere far away near Mandalore, lifeless. The absence of knowledge of what happened to the Togruta led to endless, haunting scenarios of her death.
Most of the time she was on the ship, just leaving Mandalore, and Rex had appeared behind her, pistols aimed at her head. She’d had one moment to turn and see his face, mumbling a weak; “Rex…?”, before the Clone emotionlessly blasted her in the head, leaving nothing but the mutilated corpse of a teenager behind.
Obi-Wan had had plenty of time to meditate - not with the Force, no, he’d pushed that away - and yet he could never convince himself of one, inevitable truth. It’s all my fault.
He thought of Qui-Gon, and how if only Obi-Wan had been trapped behind the rayshield all those years ago, maybe the Jedi would still be alive. If only he’d been impaled by Maul, then maybe Qui-Gon training Anakin would have steered the brunet away from the call of the dark side. He’d never quite forgiven himself for watching the light fade from his Master’s eyes, and this only made it worse.
He couldn’t even find it in him to feel betrayed by Anakin. Instead, he felt as though he’d betrayed him. After all, it was his fault. His training had failed Anakin. He’d failed Anakin. No amount of meditation would ever change that.
Nor could he blame Anakin. Instead he blamed himself. He thought of Ahsoka’s crippled, cold, dead body. His fault. He thought of the Younglings in the Temple, some not even old enough to walk. His fault. He thought of Aayla Secura, of Kit Fisto, of Ki-Adi Mundi. His fault. His fault. His fault.
Thousands of Jedi, dead, because he couldn’t teach one small boy what thousands of others lived by.
Yes, everything was his fault.
He longed for the days, early on in the war, when the three of them were on Coruscant. His family, safe, unscathed, happy. He thought of Ahsoka in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, her hands in the water as she watched the fish swim against her fingers, the way she’d giggled and laughed. He thought of Anakin, leaning against a tree trunk, finally content during their break from all the fighting, breathing so deeply Obi-Wan wondered momentarily if he was asleep.
He thought of all the other Jedi - many he’d never even met before - happily living their lives before the war. He thought of Younglings, huddling together in big groups to talk and running around corners, tumbling over their own feet before bouncing back up. He thought of Padawans hosting huge games of hide and seek, and tag in the Temple’s many rooms. He thought of young Knights, training together and helping each other through forms. He thought of Masters, discussing their Padawans’ journeys and looking after them.
He longed for the days when Anakin was young where they’d play holochess and discuss tactics, or when they’d explore different planets. He remembered one time when Anakin had found a plant he considered the most beautiful thing ever, and insisted on taking it back with them to the Temple. He remembered even at the end of the war, spotting the blossoming, colourful flowers in the Knight’s room.
Obi-Wan wished he could have met Ahsoka before the war, when life was easier, happier, better. He had similar times with Ahsoka, though a lot fewer. He thought of times where he’d found Ahsoka reading, and spent afternoons listening to her thoughts on the literature. He remembered how happy she was when learning, when training.
Obi-Wan felt a lot of hiraeth for his home that once was. He knew now that he could never return to that home, and all he could do was hope that one day, he’d find a new home.
He glanced to the side, spotting the little curved top of Owen and Beru’s farm, where little Luke Skywalker was somewhere inside. He smiled softly, anchoring himself against the tidal wave of memories to the thought of his brother’s child.
He’d do his best to ensure that Luke got his home, some place where he belonged. Obi-Wan wished he could show Luke the Temple, alive and warm with Jedi. But the Jedi were gone, and this was the new life for Force sensitive children - hidden, frightened, cursed.
He thought of Anakin and Ahsoka, side by side, laughing.
Yes, that was how he’d remember his family - the family he longed for, the family he harboured such deep, raw, hiraeth for. One day, he’d join them in another life. For now, he would make sure Luke found his home, his hiraeth.
A/N: So, yeah, I apologise, for that, but also, don't regret it. I hope you enjoyed though, and please send requests + leave comments!!! I love you all <3, stay safe.