I'm looking for a place to start
And everything feels so different now.
Just grab a hold of my hand
I will lead you through this wonderland.
-Yellow Light, Of Monsters and Men
He tugged on the plush fibers of the carpet, if Obi-Wan (Master, the world was foul in Anakin's head) found him, he would be scolded. Obi-Wan always scolded Anakin; when he slouched, when he talked too loud or too fast, when he didn't pay attention. But right now, even Obi-Wan didn't have enough time to be mad at him, he was too busy with the rehearsal ceremonies he had to attend while they were still on Naboo.
Anakin didn't want Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan didn't want him. Anakin wanted Qui-Gon and Qui-Gon was d-d-
He wasn't going to cry. He wasn't going to cry.
"Ani?"
Anakin tilted his head up and saw Padmé staring down at him with an amused expression on her face. Or at least he thought so, it was a little hard to tell with all the makeup. "What are you doing up here?" she finished.
He looked back at the carpet, "I was in everyone's way."
"I know the feeling."
Anakin's brow scrunched. "No way!" he exclaimed, "You're–" perfect "–you!"
She laughed and knelt down beside him (which proved to be more challenging than Anakin would have thought due to her costume), "Want to know a secret?"
He nodded enthusiastically.
"I was elected by my people, but I'm really more of a figurehead– it means that others keep making decisions for me," she explained, her eyes on fire, "They think I'm too young– I am, but I'm interested in politics to help people, not host parties."
"Oh," Anakin didn't think he'd ever understand politics, he went back to tugging on the carpet, "Obi-Wan treats me the same way, like I'm just a kid."
He could tell she was thinking, you are just a kid, her eyes had that sort of fake sympathy in them that adults had sometimes. He grimaced with irritation, even Padmé didn't take him seriously.
"Hey, cheer up," she ruffled his hair, "Want to know another secret?"
"Sure," he kept up his straight face, though proud that Padmé trusted him with all this information.
"Someday, when you're all grown up, Obi-Wan will look at you and he won't see the little kid he sees right now, he'll see a Jedi, a hero, and he'll be proud of you."
Anakin scrunched his brow, mulling over this newfound information.
"And then, when you're all old and grey, you'll think back to right now and wish you could be 'just a kid' again."
"Are you sure?"
"I swear."
