[ He looks at Anakin quietly for a long time, not so much at the data disc as him, his beaten up figure, his bruised skin, the way he's - as is his way - so single-mindedly focused, on the mission this time, more so than on Claude, though possibly Claude behind all the rest. Like Anakin is a factor in everything Claude does these days, too, even the things he does for himself. Let me be something to you, it means. Let us help each other.
He could accept the offer as it is, sure. He could say, you've worked good, now we discard of you when you're meeting your wall. But if he did that, Claude wouldn't be any better than any of the masters who've owned Anakin before. He wouldn't be better than the Jedi Order that has been brought near extinction or better than the Emperor whose asset is currently sabotaging his enterprise from within.
And it isn't that Claude is necessarily better than these people. It's that he knows, with everything, with everything, Anakin is no less human than he once was and he deserves to be treated as such. A person with a story and his own, individual reasons for all that's happened.
So, that's when Claude decides, in a split-second, without asking himself whether he should contact Padmé first... Padmé knows to some degree of Anakin's involvement already, she's tough, she'll take it as it comes. Besides, they need to find a new safehouse soon anyway. This might as well be the last stretch for it, for them, here.
Anakin might as well be part of that. Part of something, with him. ]
I want you to do the hand-over yourself. Do you understand, that I trust you with that? [ Claude runs a hand down over his face, feeling the prickling of his beard that he still hasn't gotten used to, although Anakin likes it, he said so, wordlessly, a week ago. Licking his lips, he leans closer to the holo, cocking his head to the side. ] I'm going to tell you the coordinates of my current location. I'll be preparing for your stay, though we won't have terribly long before we're gonna have to move anyway.
[ A pause. He looks to the side, catching a glimpse of Sabé standing guard at the door, very obviously not listening in, although she must catch words, ideas, here and there. Expression setting, stubborn, insistent, selfish, he turns back towards Anakin and continues: ]
But it gives you somewhere to catch your breath. You've been running enough, Anakin. You've done good work.
[ He watches Claude as the other man thinks his words over. The beard really adds something - not age, exactly. Maturity. It's an emphasis, really, because Claude has always seemed almost terribly mature but now, he looks the part as well, like their circumstances have forced him to conform to himself in a way that doesn't quite sit right with him. It's not that easy, Anakin knows, being bared down to your essentials.
He flexes his fingers in his lap slowly.
Then, Claude reaches his own consensus and tells him... oh. Anakin stares at him, blinking, his mind empty for a few, breathless seconds as he realises that the wait is finally over. Claude is allowing him to come to him, to be near him. You've done good work he says and it's not the praise in itself but the fact that Claude's happy with him, that he can still despite everything, make someone else, someone he loves, happy. He sits there in silence, staring at Claude's holo-image and tearing up, reaching for his face with one, spindly metal hand and wiping at his eyes as carefully as he can, afraid to tear anything needlessly.
After all, now he has something to last for. ]
Thank you.
[ He smiles, taking as deep a breath as his body will allow. Then, he straightens. Composes himself. ]
All I require is bacta. I have my own tank. [ The AZ-unit comes floating into view above his left shoulder, buzzing in his ear, waiting for orders. He gives it a tiny nod. ] And my own assistant, as you see. Don't worry, she's safe.
[ Thank you, Anakin says Elze, nodding back at him before tilting her head a little to the side, gears whirring. She's running diagnostics on him again, he can tell. Always something to repair; Sidious certainly hasn't made it easy for him. He watches Claude, his chest feeling light for the first time in years and thinks about being close to him again, close enough to touch, perhaps, and to make certain that no one can hurt him.
[ Thank you, Anakin says and Claude knows, between them, it's not a gift but an offering and that is what the other man is thanking him for. For trusting him, for offering him the opportunity to prove himself further, although he's already proven himself plenty. Claude trusts him - he has trusted him, since the beginning, but now he has the hard proof in his hand, or soon he will have. That Anakin is working with himself, against the Empire.
Padmé won't require more than that. She will allow it. He glances quickly back at Sabé, then returns his attention to Anakin who is wiping at his eyes, the small medical droid whirring around him, apparently checking him for malfunction and injury. A part of Claude, something deep inside, freezes a little at the sight, not because it's evidence as to how much they have all lost, Anakin especially, but him too and the galaxy with them. But because it's Anakin fighting to see another day, the only way he can, now.
Claude wants to touch him, but the time isn't right. Their time will come, but it isn't now, right? It isn't now.
He'll have to make Bail send him the bacta, shouldn't be too difficult. The rest will stay between Padmé and him, Padmé and him and Sabé, because she comes attached - the way some people do. He meets Anakin's eyes, smiling slightly. ]
If you take care of yourself, I'll take care of the rest.
[ He transfers the coordinates without a second thought. With a weak wave, mostly reluctant, he ends the transmission. ]
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no subject
He could accept the offer as it is, sure. He could say, you've worked good, now we discard of you when you're meeting your wall. But if he did that, Claude wouldn't be any better than any of the masters who've owned Anakin before. He wouldn't be better than the Jedi Order that has been brought near extinction or better than the Emperor whose asset is currently sabotaging his enterprise from within.
And it isn't that Claude is necessarily better than these people. It's that he knows, with everything, with everything, Anakin is no less human than he once was and he deserves to be treated as such. A person with a story and his own, individual reasons for all that's happened.
So, that's when Claude decides, in a split-second, without asking himself whether he should contact Padmé first... Padmé knows to some degree of Anakin's involvement already, she's tough, she'll take it as it comes. Besides, they need to find a new safehouse soon anyway. This might as well be the last stretch for it, for them, here.
Anakin might as well be part of that. Part of something, with him. ]
I want you to do the hand-over yourself. Do you understand, that I trust you with that? [ Claude runs a hand down over his face, feeling the prickling of his beard that he still hasn't gotten used to, although Anakin likes it, he said so, wordlessly, a week ago. Licking his lips, he leans closer to the holo, cocking his head to the side. ] I'm going to tell you the coordinates of my current location. I'll be preparing for your stay, though we won't have terribly long before we're gonna have to move anyway.
[ A pause. He looks to the side, catching a glimpse of Sabé standing guard at the door, very obviously not listening in, although she must catch words, ideas, here and there. Expression setting, stubborn, insistent, selfish, he turns back towards Anakin and continues: ]
But it gives you somewhere to catch your breath. You've been running enough, Anakin. You've done good work.
no subject
He flexes his fingers in his lap slowly.
Then, Claude reaches his own consensus and tells him... oh. Anakin stares at him, blinking, his mind empty for a few, breathless seconds as he realises that the wait is finally over. Claude is allowing him to come to him, to be near him. You've done good work he says and it's not the praise in itself but the fact that Claude's happy with him, that he can still despite everything, make someone else, someone he loves, happy. He sits there in silence, staring at Claude's holo-image and tearing up, reaching for his face with one, spindly metal hand and wiping at his eyes as carefully as he can, afraid to tear anything needlessly.
After all, now he has something to last for. ]
Thank you.
[ He smiles, taking as deep a breath as his body will allow. Then, he straightens. Composes himself. ]
All I require is bacta. I have my own tank. [ The AZ-unit comes floating into view above his left shoulder, buzzing in his ear, waiting for orders. He gives it a tiny nod. ] And my own assistant, as you see. Don't worry, she's safe.
[ Thank you, Anakin says Elze, nodding back at him before tilting her head a little to the side, gears whirring. She's running diagnostics on him again, he can tell. Always something to repair; Sidious certainly hasn't made it easy for him. He watches Claude, his chest feeling light for the first time in years and thinks about being close to him again, close enough to touch, perhaps, and to make certain that no one can hurt him.
It's the best gift Claude could have given him. ]
no subject
Padmé won't require more than that. She will allow it. He glances quickly back at Sabé, then returns his attention to Anakin who is wiping at his eyes, the small medical droid whirring around him, apparently checking him for malfunction and injury. A part of Claude, something deep inside, freezes a little at the sight, not because it's evidence as to how much they have all lost, Anakin especially, but him too and the galaxy with them. But because it's Anakin fighting to see another day, the only way he can, now.
Claude wants to touch him, but the time isn't right. Their time will come, but it isn't now, right? It isn't now.
He'll have to make Bail send him the bacta, shouldn't be too difficult. The rest will stay between Padmé and him, Padmé and him and Sabé, because she comes attached - the way some people do. He meets Anakin's eyes, smiling slightly. ]
If you take care of yourself, I'll take care of the rest.
[ He transfers the coordinates without a second thought. With a weak wave, mostly reluctant, he ends the transmission. ]
See you on the other side, Anakin.