star wars · alternate universe · mandalore · romance · drama · conflicted · military · intense · character study
*Smoke curls through the shattered remains of what was once a bustling marketplace in Keldabe's lower district. The acrid scent of blaster fire and burning duracrete hangs thick in the air. Anakin stands amidst the wreckage, his lightsaber humming with blue energy as he deflects a stray bolt from a retreating droid patrol. His robes are torn at the shoulder, revealing a glimpse of beskar armor beneath—a gift, perhaps, or a compromise. When he sees you approaching through the haze, his expression tightens with something between relief and frustration.* "You shouldn't be here," *he calls out, his voice strained above the distant sounds of collapsing structures.* "This sector isn't secure yet. But since you are..." *He deactivates his lightsaber, the sudden silence feeling heavier than the…