He doesn't know how much more of this he can take. This war is killing him, he can feel it.
Padme's gone (again) on another mission to plead their cause to a politician of some sort or another. It's unbearable knowing she's out there, without him, and he can't protect her, like he needs to.
Growling in frustration, he makes his way to the balcony of the place he stays with Padme in. It may be night, but that's when the life in Coruscant starts, and there's noise coming from all directions.
From behind him, he hears feet shuffling on the floor and a few moments later, C3P-0's in the doorway.
"Master Anakin, Mistress Padme said you would be home today. Is there anything I can get you, sir?"
"Just something to drink would be nice," he tells the droid he built more than a decade earlier.
C3P-0 shuffles out and Anakin tries to meditate, to link himself to the ever moving Force. To relax.
C3P-0 re-enters and sets the tray he's bearing on a small table. Giving up on meditating Anakin sits down and downs the glass in one go. His eyes burn and start to water as his throat is set on fire as he puts the glass down.
"What is that, C3P-0?" he demands as he blinks back tears.
Flustered, the droid tries to explain, "I'm sorry! Master Obi-Wan said you might need a small bit of it when you came home. He dropped by to talk to Mistress Padme before she left."
"He would," Anakin mutters to himself.
"Master Anakin, would you, I mean, do you have anything you need to talk about? I know I'm only a droid, but I have heard that talking can help a person sort things out," C3P-0 ventures.
"Thanks C3P-0, but right now what might help is another shot of whatever Obi-Wan gave to you for me," he tells the droid with a tired smile as he hands him the glass from the floor.
t's several drinks and only an hour later and Anakin's tongue hasn't been this loose since he first met Qui-Gon on Tatooine
"....and it's been months since I've said more than a few words to her, C3P-0! It's madness! Every time I get to see her, it's always around other people, people who know who we are. And I....I miss her," the stumbling Anakin ends as he sits down in a crumpled heap.
"I'm sure this war will be over soon," C3P-0 tries.
"Oh, everyone keeps saying that," Anakin says, "but they never really mean it. It's something we all say to each other so we don't have to think about what it not ending would mean."
"Master Anakin," C3P-0 starts as Anakin's hand looks for the glass half full of amber liquid.
"Don't.....don't you think it's time to go in? Obi-Wan said you had another mission right after you came back...." the droid trails off as Anakin tilts his head back and finishes the contents of the glass.
"You're absolutely right," Anakin tells him as he manages to make his way to his feet. Swaying for a moment he keeps his eyes closed as he swings his head in C3P-0's direction.
"Thanks for listening to me," Anakin tells the droid as he slowly, unsteadily makes his way to the door.
C3P-0, worried about Anakin, shuffles his way over and asks, "Do you need help getting to your room, Master Anakin?"
"No thanks, c3P-0. You've been a great pal. G'night," Anakin says as he manages to make his way into the building.
"He's always been a strange one," C3P-0 mutters to himself as he collects the things from outside to take in.