The floor was freezing under Anakin's bare feet, and he shivered. Steady, he reminded himself. He was a Master now, he had to be in control. It was his job to hide his own insecurities behind shields, to present the tranquil exterior his Master had shown him. Because this was important, this was traditional. As… unconventional as his entrance into the Jedi Order had been, Obi-Wan had made sure he had experienced all the coming-of-age rituals in turn. It was his way of reminding the young boy that he was wanted, that he did belong here with the Jedi, regardless of the whispers that lived behind Archive shelves. And Anakin wanted nothing more than to give Ahsoka the same privilege, to take full advantage of their small moments of peace, without the threat of death hanging over them. Moments where they could be Master and Padawan, rather than General and Commander.
Which brought them here. Ahsoka was waiting for him, kneeling on the cold floor of their shared quarters, trembling hands folded neatly in her lap. She was meditating, or attempting to, if her scattered, effervescent signature was any indication. Without a fully formed mental bond to serve as an anchor, Ahsoka's anxieties and eagerness threatened to sweep both of them away. The elder Jedi planted his feet deeper into the floor, grounding him in the ever-flowing currents of the Living Force. Old memories of his own nervous energy surfaced, and he couldn't help but smile. Breathe in, breathe out. Both of them were fidgeting, robbed of the familiar weight of their lightsabers, but this ceremony demanded they set them aside. A Jedi needed no weapon in this life, only the steady thrum of a beating heart inside their chest.
Releasing all hesitation, Anakin entered the room, crossing it in long, slow, strides. Another deep breath, and he took his place kneeling behind his Padawan, placing gloved hands on her shoulders. Familiar pressures of both flesh and mechanical brought her back to the present moment, reassured her that she was wanted. Since that fateful day on Christophsis, Anakin regretted his initial rejection of her. It had been needlessly harsh, and left a dull ache in her memories, a flicker of doubt that he hoped to snuff out with this promise.
They breathed together. In… out… in… out… until sapphire and blue-grey eyes met in the mirror set before both of them. Well, it was less of a mirror and more of a reflective piece of scrap metal Anakin had dug out of a trash chute and cleaned to a brilliant shine. The mental image of her Master sifting through the 501st's garbage made Ahsoka giggle, until she remembered her place and ducked her head, berating herself for breaking the solemnity of the moment. Anakin chuckled and nudged her, urging his student to were no Council members here to nitpick their protocol. This was a happy moment, their happy moment, and it didn't matter if others approved.
"Ahsoka Tano."
Her head snapped up so fast she nearly hit him in the face with her lekku.
"I claim you as my Padawan Learner. I vow to guide you and instruct you in the ways of the Jedi. No hardship will you face abandoned. No victory will go unseen. I will be there along your path, from this day until the sun rises on your Great Trial. Only then will you travel alone, to become a full Knight of our Order, as long as the Force wills it. In that, I have no doubt. Do you accept these promises, knowing they are given freely, without reservation?"
Joy, pure and unfiltered, sang in the Force as Ahsoka let the meaning of the words sink in. Many nights she had laid awake, wondering how it would feel to hear the vows from her someday Master. Now she had. It felt like happiness and relief and right.
"Anakin Skywalker, I accept your claim as my Master. I will listen and learn all that I can from you. No lesson will I ignore. No challenge will I not face. From this day until the day the sun rises on my Great Trial, my place will be by your side. I will always strive to be a worthy apprentice-"
Anakin tightened his grip, and leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
"You never have to prove anything to me, Snips. No one else can take your place. Never doubt that, okay?"
She blushed again. "Okay, Skyguy." Anakin sat back and allowed her to finish.
"Do you accept my promises, knowing that I give them freely, without reservation?"
He grinned. "I accept, Ahsoka."
Now the whole room seemed to glow as the happiness in both of them expanded, filled in the cracks that old wounds left behind. The Force was so proud of its children, taking a leap off a new precipice and trusting that the other would be there at the bottom to catch them.
Slowly, deliberately, Anakin reached into his pocket and pulled out a strand of beads, feeling Ahsoka's breath catch in her chest. He took a moment, twisted the strand around his fingers before holding it up for her.
"Each bead represents a member of our lineage. Yoda, Dooku, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, myself, and now you. Each a Master, each a Learner. All connected by the threads of the Force. As you get older, as you learn and teach, we'll add more beads, more connections. This braid is a symbol of your rank, yes, but it's also a record of your journey, and everyone who will help you along the way. Take care of it, as they have cared for you."
At Ahsoka's enthusiastic nod, Anakin attached the beads to her headdress with nimble hands. Ahsoka closed her eyes, willing time to slow, and a long, sweet silence followed. Regardless of what happened next, their destinies had been tied together.
As usual, the younger Jedi couldn't keep quiet for long, spinning around to face her Master, smiling, eager to start this new path, no matter what they were to face. She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head.
"Thank you for this, Master Skywalker." She said sweetly, mischief glinting in her eyes.
Anakin folded his hands and returned the gesture. "You're welcome, Padawan Tano."
The ceremony was ended. By a traditional bow, followed by a non-traditional pillow-fight.