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[neverjedi]

I have quite a few old scars on my back.

The problem being that they weren't there yesterday.

This is not great news.

[Understatement much? At least his freak out is staying internal. Mostly. So far.]

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[neverjedi]

He stood back up and got ready again, hands positioned forward and out of the way. He shouldn't have felt as vulnerable as he did, he didn't think, so he ignored it.

"He's not the most personable person," he said, somewhat diplomatically. But he didn't really disagree, either.

[darkforcerising]

Anakin was quick about taking a bunch of pictures. He made a few adjustments to lighting and the angles he took. But overall it was easy given the smart phone technology. His goal was to get this done as quickly as possible because he knew what it was like to be this exposed - so many doctors poking his body of that he jet crash, he was used to it by now: for doctors. Anyone else... he'd be just as uncomfortable as Ben if they were taking pictures of his body instead.

"He told me my life was too easy and had no conflict and that it made me spoiled. That I'm thin skinned, too sensitive, and need to be coddled because of it."

He handed the phone back to Ben. "Do those work or do you want me to take more?"

[neverjedi]

"...He is aware that you are an Air Force veteran missing an arm, right?" He turned back as he said that, took the phone back, glanced at the scars and after a moment of silently looking closed the app. He didn't want to look that hard.

He went to pull his shirt on, though, trying not to be, again, hyper aware of his back.

[darkforcerising]

"Air Force vet, no. Missing right arm? Ya."

Anakin shifted so he wasn't facing Ben anymore, giving him some privacy.

"Some people deny your pain because it makes them too uncomfortable. Some people do it because they're just mean assholes. You'll learn to tell the difference..." Anakin shrugged. "Alec is just a mean asshole." He said it blandly, like he'd experienced it all before.

"Can I help you with anything else?"

[neverjedi]

It didn't take him long to pull his shirt back over his head and it didn't need tucked in. He put his phone back in his locker and closed it.

"Can I hug you before you go?"

[darkforcerising]

Anakin only paused for a second. He hadn't expected Ben to want that. It's not like they were overly physically expressive in their friendship. And he hadn't minded, touch was kind of a weird thing for Anakin now that he was still trying to re-navigate.

However, the circumstances being what they were, Anakin didn't really hesitate once the request fully register.

"Absolutely."

He stood up and crossed the distance between them. He didn't have anything more to say, just an honest, solid hug.

[neverjedi]

Ben had been hesitant and not really inclined toward touching Anakin, but once he finally got to asking and permission, he didn't hesitate, either. He wrapped both his arms firmly around Anakin and just gave him a hug.

It -

It was nice.

It actually did manage to ground him, hoped it made it clear to Anakin that there was a real friendship there and that Ben cared, no matter how complicated things were.

"Thank you," was all he said when he let go.