Come Morning Light

🥹😭🤗

come morning light

Obi-Wan cuts Anakin’s hair, ahead of the victory celebration on Naboo. [AO3]

Besides the intermittent chirps of Nubian early morning birds, quiet snips of the scissors is the only sound filling the small space in the fresher. 

On the stool, the boy is remarkably quiet. Slanting pale light falls into sun-bleached locks as they fall off his shoulder and onto the floor. Anakin watches it with downcast eyes, in a stillness Obi-Wan already knows is uncharacteristic of him. 

Perhaps he hadn’t had much to sleep either last night, after Qui-Gon’s funeral. As for Obi-Wan, it would have felt disdainful to lay his head down on a pillow and close his eyes, after witnessing Qui-Gon being laid to rest on the pyre. He had instead spent the night in deep meditation, which afforded him strength and resolve enough to carry on through the day, but not much more. Focus on the boy, Obi-Wan thinks to himself. Now that morning has come, it’s time to move on. Your vows will guide you now, if the man you made them to cannot. 

It’s still a couple of hours until the victory celebration, and they’re up early to put Anakin into the shape of a new Padawan, in preparation for it. There’s already a set of new robes laid out on the bed inside the room, which they’d apparently struggled finding, given Anakin’s small size. (Starched and cream-colored, Obi-Wan imagines it sitting stiffly across the boy’s shoulders.) The other part of it is, of course, the haircut. It’s something he’s done for young Padawans before, but this is different. Much too different. 

Having cleared away some of the mop, Obi-Wan pauses, and carefully parts a strand of hair just above Anakin’s right ear, tying it off with a ribbon. Anakin doesn’t know, and Obi-Wan doesn’t think about how it wouldn’t be touched for another ten years, until Obi-Wan is the one to cut it off again. 

After repeating this with another tuft at the back of his head, the clips of the scissors resume. Obi-Wan leans in close, combing through the remaining bristly locks— surprisingly soft now, having been cleaned of sand and battle smoke— and methodically cuts it down to even lengths. His hands do not shake, though it feels as though they should. The task is monotonous enough that Obi-Wan’s mind drifts, and he has to wonder why he can’t chase away the flashes of Qui-Gon’s body on fire, looking down at this boy. 

Finally, he combs out any loose clumps, and comes around to kneel in front of Anakin. Their eyes meet. Neither speaks a word, but they both feel the light shifting around them, like it could encase this moment forever. Obi-Wan goes on. He unties the strand by Anakin’s ear, and nimbly weaves it into a short braid, which comes to rest just above his shoulder. 

When it’s finished, Anakin tries to run a hand through his hair, only to be met with its abrupt end. He looks bewildered for half a moment, before his hand goes to the ponytail, the braid, and he looks up at Obi-Wan with a hesitant, but genuine smile. 

“It’s just like yours.” 

Obi-Wan matches his expression, and nods.

“Come on now,” he lays a hand on his Padawan’s shoulder, and gently guides them out. “It’s time to get ready. The Queen will be waiting for us.”  

😭 how can a short story do so much damage ::sob::

Obi-Wan cradles Anakin’s head in his hands, petting the soft curls now caked in dirt and debris. “What have you done? Oh Anakin how could I let this happen to you…” He pulls his old Padawan closer, pressing him against his trembling body. Now was not the time for tears, he had to figure out how to help Anakin.

Anakin looked up at him, his eyes blurry from the pain. "It's not your fault, Obi-Wan...." he managed, a harsh cough tearing from him. His eyes closed almost involuntarily as his former Master held him close.

"never...your... fault.." he whispered, his voice trailing off as he passed out in Obi-Wan's arms.

His last conscious thought was; 'well... at least if I die here... Its in His arms....'

Then darkness took him, and his body went limp in Obi-Wan's arms.

Desperate Dialogue

"Please, don't leave me alone!"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

"There is no other option."

"I don't know what else to do."

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"Please, I really need your help."

"I need you in my life!"

"This is extremely important for me!"

"I'm desperate, I really need this!"

"Just play along, please!"

"No, no, no, please no!"

"I will do whatever it takes!"

"Please, just hear me out!"

"Stay with me, please!"

"You hear me? I love you!"

"Come back, right now!"

"No, no, don't leave me here!"

"I can't do this any longer, I just can't!"

"What can I do to make you believe me?"

"I'm desperate, ok? Please, just help me this once."

"I need to show them that I'm serious about this!"

"We won't make it out of here if we don't work together!"

"The moment you turn around, our deal is done!"

"I really need you to do this for me."

"You can't leave me, I won't allow it!"

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Well...I'm glad he won, but disappointed he wasn't actually present.

Not me signing up for a free trial of YouTube TV so I can see if Timmy gets a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Wonka...I mean ::cough:: so my kid can watch if her favorite gamer gets an award.

Can y'all imagine what he'd look like slimed?

MISS CELINE DION YOU ARE SENSATIONAL

Acolyte 1x08 spoiler under the cut

VINDICATED!!

Acolyte fans:

Is anyone else out there hoping for a Yoda or Yaddle cameo? We know they are alive during this period. The split second scene with Ki Adi Mundi was just not quite enough.