71. Breathe (1/1)

rila: swing life away by rise against. 'nough said.

note: be honest, my lovelies. is the quality of these going down? i feel like they are...*pokes them* mrr. i mean, i like them, but they're just not...eh.

disclaimer: i seem to have this habit to look up the most bizzare things. it amuses me at times and then others i'm like, "...what am i looking at?"

word count: 331

chapter disclaimer: inhale, exhale. repeat.

inhale.

though she had been through plenty of battles, anxiety never failed to rear it's ugly head just before touch-down. it was made better when she could throw herself off the edge of the platform and sail towards the ground, banishing the emotion with the stomach lurching sensation of falling.

one hand curled around the safety strap above her, ahsoka's gaze slid from one helmet-covered face to the next. she could not be quite sure if any of them returned her gaze, the laati silent. moments ago, there had been conversations and jokes to release tension.

now, with red light covering them all, the jokes and humor had ended. there was an unspoken tension, one that made ahsoka's skin crawl and made her want to say something, anything, to

eak the silence. she did not handle silence well, it unnerved her.

shifting her weight from one foot to the other and shifting hands on the safety strap, ahsoka's gaze swept back over the gathered soldiers. they would be depending on her, relying on her orders for the battle ahead. and though she had gotten better at it, it only added to her anxiety.

her gaze came to a stop on a familiar white and blue helmet, and she blinked as he dipped his head once in a sharp nod. it was an unspoken reassurance, his presence one of familiarity in the absence of her master.

exhale.

swallowing, ahsoka returned the nod and offered a small, tentative smile.