Work Text:
Anakin couldn’t help but love and hate winter. He loved that night was longer, letting him actually have a chance to see the stars. On the other hand, seasonal depression was a ripe bastard.
During the first week of December it was Anakin’s night to close. He worked as a mechanic at his friends’ uncle’s shop. His friends Rex and Cody had helped him get a job at Jango’s Complete Car Care when he had fallen on hard times. Right after he had graduated high school his only living relative, an uncle named Sheev, died in a workplace accident. He had been the one taking care of Anakin, but that ended when the man had been electrocuted and then fell several stories off a roof.
As he locked the doors for the night he heard a loud crash on the road outside followed by a loud squeal of wheels taking off into the distance.
By the time Anakin got to the street, all he could see was a Toyota Camry on the side of the road. The back end of the car had been crushed. The only sign of a second car was the mud track where the other car had backed out before dashing off.
Going around to the front of the car Anakin was able to see that the driver of the car, an attractive man who appeared to be in his early 30, was at least conscious. The man looked over at Anakin and flirted, “Have you fallen from heaven to rescue me.”
Of course, the man’s first response to being in danger was to flirt. “Listen pal, if you arent injured can you please get out of you car.”
The shook himself and carefully extricated himself from the car. After he was fully clear Anakin caught the troublemaker, and helped him sit down a cars length awake from the collision. Anakin quickly had his phone out on speakerphone and calling for help. “I am outside Fett’s Car Care. As I was closing up for the night there was a hit and run outside my shop. Can you send someone over.”
“Is anyone injured there?”
Anakin heard the man give a muffled, “Only my pride.”
He responded to the requisition from the emergency dispatcher, “I have one person who was driving the car that got rear ended. He got out safely, and the electric car has been turned off so there was no possible electric car fire.”
The voice across the phone line responded, “Someone is on the way, you are just on the edge of police departments, so it will be 10 to 15 minutes before anyone gets there. Do you want to stay on the line, or just call back to the non-emergency number if anything else happens. If it is life threatening, call 911 again.”
As Anakin hung up the phone, the man asked, “Are you going to stay to wait with me or do you have somewhere to go to?”
Anakin thought of his bland apartment, with his evening plans of getting drunk before going to bed. Staying had the lure of the attractive man and the idea of giving his liver at least a break for one day. There really wasn’t a choice, “I’ll stay.” With that Anakin turned to go grab something from his truck parked out back.
He heard the handsome man complaining, “... says he’ll stay and leaves.” On his way back Anakin heard the man mutter, “At least he is pretty. ”
Anakin couldn’t help but retort, “I went to grab blankets out of my truck. You want the second one or do I keep both?”
“Sure, I’ll take one darling. Names Obi-wan.”
Anakin couldn’t help but gesture to his name, embroidered on his work shirt. “I’m Anakin.”
“Could have sworn it said Angel.”
Anakin couldn’t help but grin. “That had better be flirting.”
Anakin found he was enjoying tossing quips back and forth with the man. He couldn’t resist cosying up to the man. Sitting next to him and talking of pleasant nothings as they waited for the police to come.
Once the flashing blue lights were in sight down the long road, Anakin gave the man’s hand a squeeze, and shifted away. He didn’t want to get in trouble depending on how the cops reacted.
Anakin couldn't help but circle the car and assess the damage. Since It had been rear ended right in the exhaust. A costly spot to have hit. Additionally, the way the car was sitting there looked to be more structurally damaged, and with the two back wheels pointed in different directions, the car’s axel was damaged too.
Anakin couldn’t help but yell, “what year is she?”
Obi-wan yelled over from where he was talking to the police officers. “ A ‘12”.
Anakin headed over to where Obi-wan was and waited to ask, “do you remember where you were at for mileage.”
“178,000 as of last week i think.”
Anakin sighed and patted the car on the bonnet, “She’ll be totalled. Shame. But even if not she’d never ride the same again.”
“She served me well.”
With that the police came back over, “Do you remember anything about the car that did this to you. “It was red i think. With the dark and the accident it is hard to remember.”
With that the officer turned to Anakin, “Sir, I am Officer Windu, Did you see anything. I know it was said you work here.”
Anakin couldn't help but sadly shake his head. “No. I was locking up out back when i heard the crash. By the time I got over here I couldn't get a good look at it.”
“Do you happen to have any cameras watching the area.”
“I’ll have to ask my boss Jango. He is the only one with access to the cameras. He’ll be here tomorrow and I can get you the information.”
“One last thing. You are all set to drive that back to your place of residence where you can have an insurance adjuster come look at it.”
Anakin couldn't help himself. That hunk of junk was not fit for the road. “No.”
Officer Windu couldn't help but be offended, “I beg your pardon.”
Anakin straightened himself. This was his expertise. “No. That isn't driveable. The back wheels are pointed differently. It will break before it gets anywhere. He will wheel it here and it can wait. There are enough other death traps on the road, letting this one would be trouble.” Anakin turned around to face Obi-wan, “Here is what you are going to do. Together we will push your lump of used to be a car into the lot here. I’ll give you a lift home. Tomorrow you go and have your insurance get you a rental to be in. Meet me back here to sign the forms as you wait for the adjuster. If it can be fixed we would be the ones to do it.”
Obi-wan stretched, giving in to Anakin’s expertise, “You argue a good plan.”
“Your other options were a tow or walking.” With that the two of them pushed the camry into the lot. Once they had gotten the rest of the information needed for the police report, Officer Windu left.
The next day
Anakin hated clopens with a fiery passion, but this time he was at least looking forward to seeing more of Obi-wan. The man did not disappoint. He was there promptly after the shop opened getting the paperwork done for his car.
Obi-wan was even more gorgeous in the morning light. The dawn light emphasising his scruffy beard. Anakin didn't realize he was staring with his mouth open until Obi-wan came over. “Do you need my autograph anywhere?”
Anakin couldn’t help but grin as he handed over the necessary papers, showing the man where to sign. “We won’t know if it is totalled until after the insurance company looks at it. Once that is done we estimate the repair.”
“How long will that take.”
“A week or two depending on which insurance carrier you have.”
Obi-wan slipped a card over to Anakin with his number on it. “Once they come by, can you call me.”
Anakin, confused, explained that “You’ll hear from the insurance when they know the next steps. No need for me to call you.”
Obi-wan just smiled, “I know that. I’m an insurance broker. I want you to call me.
“Why. You should know what you need.”
“Are you single.”
“Yes.”
“Want to change that.” This time when Obi-wan slid Anakin his number, the man kept it.