#again haha

When he arrived on the planet, on Mustafar, the first thing that Anakin thought of was the old legends the pilots in Watto’s shop had told him of hell. How it was full of fire, how people went there to be punished for their sins.

How hell was full of rivers of fire, how far it was from the warmth of God.

He didn’t believe any of it as a child, and laughed it off as the pilots trying to scare him.

But as he stated out, out at the rivers of fire, his body felt cold. And he felt alone.

He hadn’t told Padme the full plan- he hadn’t told anyone. Despite her worries, she wasn’t to be involved. It would only make things messier for him, and he was only supposed to be faking his death to Obi-Wan, not actually dying.

So when Padme’s ship landed on the platform, Anakin knew that he was in for a twist that he hadn’t prepared for.

He would never hurt her, but he needed her to stay back. Stay behind. He needed to know where Obi-Wan was, what Obi-Wan was doing, and if he would be coming.

“Step away from her, Anakin.” Obi-Wan commanded from the top of the landing ramp.

Anakin didn’t move.

“Step away.” Obi-Wan demanded as he approached.

“Or what?” Anakin snapped, annoyed and frustrated at the situation.

“Ani-“ Padme began, but he shot her a warning look.

This was between him and Obi-Wan.

“Padme,” Obi-Wan said, his tone cautious.

She stepped away, and Obi-Wan and Anakin began to circle each other.

Anakin bit his lip, looking around and away from Obi-Wan, trying to think of how he could use his surroundings to his advantage.

He looked over at the ledge of the platform, knowing that it lead down to a glass beach beside a river of lava.

And then he jumped, the noxious fumes filling his nose and his lungs as he landed next to the river of fire.

And a moment later, Obi-Wan landed behind him, his blade drawn.

And so, Anakin drew his as well, hoping that he didn’t accidentally get himself actually killed.

But it was hard to focus with the fumes filling his lungs and the sweltering, all consuming heat. His mind was racing, his movements distracted and Obi-Wan took the first opening that he could, knocking Anakin back so that he fell next to the river.

He could feel the heat beginning to burn his body, the gas beginning to burn his lungs.

But Anakin didn’t get up, he wasn’t even sure if he could, seeing as to how he could sense that he now had several broken ribs, and instead continued to lay there, even when Obi-Wan was shouting things at him from above.

He could hardly hear it over the sound of himself gasping for air.

Each breath burned and stung, but his surroundings faded in an out, growing dimmer and dimmer.

He heard a voice tell him that he loved him.

He let out a sob.

“We don’t have any other options.” Mace had told him again that night.

The air was cold on Coruscant, and still as if the planet were holding its breath.