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Obi-Wan sighed as the holo call with the Jedi Council finally ended. He wasn't sure whether he felt more tired or angry. He knew it wasn't the best idea to be so empathetic towards his troops (and his commander) but he couldn't just release his anger and heartbreak into the Force and act as if nothing happened. His soldiers, his troopers, and not only his but Anakin's as well, were tricked into killing their brothers by someone who was once a Jedi master. Two betrayals hurt even more. He took off his robe and went outside, where his commander – Cody, he corrected himself - went as soon as Windu dismissed everyone except for Obi-Wan.
Cody was leaning against the wall of the building, helmet off, staring into the cold darkness of Umbara.
"I'm not in the mood for the lecture on how I'm not supposed to smoke," he spoke, his voice heavy with emotions. Obi-Wan didn't even realize he had a cigarette between his fingers, not lighted up yet.
"I wouldn't dare to comment, especially not tonight," Obi-Wan answered, "Would you mind… Sharing with me?
"I only have this one," Cody sounded much harsher than he wanted to, but the anger was just there, burning his insides.
"I see," Obi-Wan's voice was quiet and he sounded almost guilty. "I'll leave you alone, then, commander.
"Wait!" Cody said quickly because suddenly he felt terrified of being left alone again. "We… We can share. But in a different way. If you want to."
"What way?" Obi-Wan looked curious. Like a tooka, Cody thought when Obi-Wan turned his head to the side.
"Alphas sometimes snuck in cigarettes, especially for CC's batches. We... savored them, saved for the harsher times. And even then we shared them. It's something we learned from Alphas. It's… close. Intimate, even." He looked straight into Obi-Wan's eyes.
"How did you do it?" Obi-Wan asked not turning his eyes away
"It's easier if I show you."
Obi-Wan nodded, and he watched Cody lighting up the cigarette. He dragged on it and moved incredibly close to his general. Their noses touched and Obi-Wan instinctively opened his mouth and in the same moment Cody exhaled the smoke, into his mouth. Obi-Wan coughed and Cody shook his head with a soft smile.
"Inhale when I exhale," he whispered as he moved away to drag on the cigarette again. He didn't ask if Obi-Wan wanted to continue.
He didn't have to.
It took them two more rounds to fully synchronize their breathing so they could swap the smoke without errors. Their faces were probably closer than they were supposed to be. At some point, Cody just pressed his lips against Obi-Wan’s and only then he inhaled the smoke.
Finally, the cigarette end fell out from between Cody's fingers, but he didn't move back, their lips still touching. Suddenly a sob shook his whole body and Obi-Wan instinctively embraced him, bringing his head even closer, his hand at the back of Cody's neck. He felt a salty taste of tears against his tongue and suddenly he felt like crying himself. But he didn't move away because Cody was pushing against him even harder, their lips almost crushing.
It wasn't romantic. It was barely a kiss, not even deepened, just the lips touching for much longer than necessary to exchange the smoke. Later it wasn't about the smoke anymore, as it wasn't even there. It wasn't about love. It was just about feeling something. Anything.
It might have been their first kiss if any of them needed to name it, but it wasn't going to be the last. Because the war wasn't over and its atrocities were only going to get worse.
But they had each other. And in moments like this, it was enough.