The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟏𝟗

❝𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏?❞ -- 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒌𝒚𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒓

❝𝑵𝒐, 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. ❞ -- 𝑷𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒆́ 𝑨𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒂

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

Glass littered the ground around the podracer, and Astrid realized the ceiling covering the cockpit had shattered during the crash.

A shot suddenly hit the dirt two feet away, and Astrid realized she wasn't completely shielded from the Tusken's shots from where she was ducked low near the cockpit. 

Astrid quickly dove for cover behind the engine to her right, only for her to stumble across Anakin, who lay slumped against the podracer, breath raspy.

His eyes drifted open as she skidded to the ground beside him and pressed her back against the engine, ducking her head low. She waited a moment for any more shots, but when there were none, she crawled in front of Anakin.

"Anakin," she breathed as she brushed his hair out of his face. The left side of his head was bleeding, leaving a portion of his hair matted with blood to his head.

She helped him up into a straighter sitting position, and he blinked rapidly as he winced. "Damn," he hissed. "This sucks. Did Sebulba get across the finish line?"

Astrid nodded. "He did. Obi Wan is getting the information from him. Do you think you can stand? How badly are you injured?"

Anakin glanced up at the arena in the distance before his gaze dipped back down to Astrid squatted before him. "I banged my head," he replied, wincing as he shifted. "And I'm a little scrapped up, well, everywhere, but other than that, I'm fine."

He paused before adding, "And I used all my energy to get Sebulba across the finish line. I don't have enough energy to run right now."

Astrid grinned as she remarked, "You won't be running. I have my skipper."

Astrid stood up just enough to peek over the engine, and she spotted the Tusken Raiders still waiting there on the cliff's edge. A shot rang out, and she quickly ducked back down beside Anakin. "They know we're stuck here," she told Anakin, and he nodded in agreement.

"Do you still have your lightsaber?" Astrid asked before spotting it clipped to his belt.

Anakin unclipped it with a shaky hand and handed it to her. He began warningly, "Now, Astrid, Obi Wan always says--" his voice shifted in imitation of Obi Wan's stern voice-- "this weapon is your life." His voice shifted back to normal as he continued, "So, by giving it to you, I am entrusting you with my life."

Astrid rolled her eyes playfully and remarked, "Obi Wan ought to talk. He allowed his lightsaber to be taken by Sebulba's thugs."

When Anakin only raised a brow expectantly, Astrid sighed and said softly, "Don't worry. I'll give it back. I won't lose it." She paused, and she couldn't help herself from adding with a laugh, "Not like how you lost the race."

Now it was Anakin's turn to roll his eyes as he chuckled. "That was on purpose."

Astrid laughed anyways, and she said, "On the count of three we're going to get up and run for my skipper near the cockpit, okay? You sit behind me and I'll drive, of course."

Anakin only shook his head in amusement before saying, "Alright." He nodded towards the lightsaber in her hand. "You know, I think it would make more sense if I am the one holding the lightsaber since my hands will be free, and I'm the one who is going to be more vulnerable to attack."