A/N: Just another warning that this is an Obi-Wan/Anakin story. There will be sex, swearing, and possibly dark themes included.
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POV: Anakin Skywalker

All of my dread, all of my anger, all of my hate burned with the most heated ember known to mankind as my boots sank into the light sand and a breeze, laced with more sand, blew past my face, stinging my eyes. It was a feeling I knew all too well, but that didn't mean I enjoyed it. Of all the people who could've gone on this mission, why did it have to be me? I'd protested before the Council, only to receive a verbal lashing from Master Windu, which silenced me to grit my teeth angrily.

Everything in me wanted to scream so loud that I burst my own eardrums, but I had to keep calm, at least for now. I could survive the waking nightmare of this planet I'd once called my home. I could survive the burning sensation of the twin suns, of the sand getting in my eyes, lashing at my face. I'd manage. After all, they expected me not to be able to remain composed for the duration. I, as always, was determined to prove them wrong, so I vowed to hold my tongue. That didn't mean I couldn't internally curse at the fact that I hated this planet.

I hate Tatooine. I hate it with all of my heart and soul.

"Well, that was a pleasant trip. Don't you agree?" I grimaced at the older man as he stepped off of the ramp, standing on equal footing with me, though he was slightly shorter. "I know this isn't how you wanted to spend the next few days, Anakin, but I will be handling the negotiations portion of the mission. You're here-"

"To translate. I know. It was in the briefing the Council gave us before we left Coruscant, Master." He could sense my anger, my hatred. He wanted to put an end to it, but I knew he wouldn't act on it. He was too afraid to. He knew what had transpired here less than three years ago. He knew of the revenge I'd taken on the Tusken camp for what they'd done to my mother and he knew that my mother was killed.

I stepped forward, only to be drawn back by his surprisingly strong hand. He never tried to hold me back with this amount of strength unless it was urgent, so I gave in and halted under his grip. "Anakin, listen. I know how you're feeling. I can't say I understand it, but I can feel it." Feel it, sure. He could never know how I truly felt though. The bit of anger and hatred he saw flash through my eyes was nothing in comparison to what was boiling within me, what I kept locked away from him with my barriers. I only let out as much as I absolutely needed to, and what I absolutely needed to release was the bare minimum.

I nodded curtly, wanting him to let go, only to be pulled back again. "Master-"

"Stop resisting, Anakin. I know you're hurting. I know you too well by now." This much was true. He'd seen everything there was to me because I trusted him more than anything. He'd asked about Padme repeatedly and I'd given him the same, honest answer as many times as he asked, yet he still didn't believe a word that slipped out of my mouth. "This, albeit an assignment, is a retreat, Anakin. This is a way of getting closure for the past. You need closure. You need to let go of all this anger, all this hate. It's unhealthy and very un-Jedi-like."

Typical Obi-Wan. If he didn't draw comparisons between me and the Jedi, it just wouldn't be a normal day. Everyone knew I wasn't one to abide by the many rules of the Council. I felt because I wanted to feel and I felt whatever I wanted. I formed attachments, knowing full well that it was forbidden. Perhaps it was just that that drove me to break nearly every rule that had been recited to me time and time again while I trained, while I fought, while I did everything I was told to by the Jedi. I did things in a very unorthodox manner, but I did it my way to get the job done and they never seemed appreciative of that.

"Can we just get this over with?" I ground out. I didn't want to be here any longer than I needed to. It wasn't an insult to him. I didn't mind his company. In fact, his company was welcomed with open arms. I just wished we hadn't been forced to spend time together on this wasteland.

I haven't had the privilege of seeing my former Master for several weeks now and it pained me, though I didn't know why. Things between Padme and I had ended abruptly and it hurt us both, but we'd agreed that it had to end. We mutually agreed that so much time apart did nothing helpful for either of us and that our duties had to come first. That in itself was a first for me. I never wanted to put my duties first. Perhaps it was because I'd spent so much time with her that I'd learned to admit that I needed to focus on them rather than focus on my emotions and feelings.

Nowadays, I barely felt anything. I resented the Council for their evident distrust in me. They'd kept me on lockdown, though they didn't call it that, for nearly a month because of my actions on Mygeeto. What I thought had been helpful had, in hindsight, been very detrimental. By advancing my forces, I'd ended up slaughtering nearly a quarter of the population. My instigation of the droid army had caused a bridge and several buildings to collapse, thus making the loss of lives, ground, and the battle my fault. I had been ordered by Master Mundi himself to stand my ground and wait for reinforcements, but I felt like we'd lose our advantage by waiting. I should have waited.

I blinked and the thoughts I'd been drowning in seemed to fade as my eyes locked with Obi-Wan's. I wasn't sure if he'd spoken, but he was looking at me so patiently, a hint of sadness tainting his patience. I apologized, forcing my eyes to remove themselves from his all too patient ones. "Anakin, I'm sorry."

That's all he could say and it was enough. His apologies were always heartfelt and sincere. That, in turn, reassured me that he really meant it. There were times when he'd accuse me of not meaning it when I told him I was sorry, but I'd tried to let him see that I was just as sincere as he could be. "Why am I here? Why not Senator Amidala or someone else? Why me?"

I sensed something odd, but it vanished in a flash, almost as if it knew I felt it and knew that I would pursue it one way or another. "Anakin, I-I..." he trailed off, his nervousness breaking through his own barriers and rolling off of him in waves. "I requested that you join me." I cocked an eyebrow and my lips curved into a smirk at the light rosy coloring of his cheeks. I couldn't explain it, but something in me was hungering for a source I just couldn't determine yet. He babbled on and on about how he didn't want the company of anyone else. He said he missed me. He actually said that.

"I missed you too," I admitted. I hadn't wanted to say it, but I felt like it. I had missed him. Something flashed across his eyes and, that too, I could not explain.

Without further ado, he led us into the town and away from the port. My fingers flexed oddly. It wasn't a flex out of anger, out of anything like that. It was as if they were twitching. It felt like my fingers wanted to take control for once. I forced my thoughts away from my human digits and looked at my Master. His auburn hair was tainted by the sand that had drifted into it. He could have pulled his hood up, but he chose not to. He barely wanted to wear the robe as it was, but he concealed his lightsaber within it, so I suppose it was a necessity.

I had a robe on myself and I walked behind him, watching as he glanced over his shoulder occasionally to make sure I was still right where I should be. That hunger came and went with his fleeting glances and it concerned me. I'd never felt ... No. I had felt like this before, but it had been years since I'd felt this in his presence. We stopped abruptly and I peered at him, a question in my silence. "Anakin, you must listen very closely to everything that's said." He acted as though I were a child who needed further instruction on something that was obviously very important. It always pissed me off when he did that to me. "He's willing to bargain with us in exchange for information on the whereabouts of the Separatist leaders the planet is harboring. Every detail is crucial and pertinent to our mission."

I gave him a very blunt, "I know," and received a startled glance moments prior to him leading us into a small hut. This hut was almost identical to the one I'd lived in as a child. The only difference was that this man was evidently very wealthy. His home practically glistened as the door opened to reveal its golden interior.

A Toydarian similar to Watto glided into the room, startled by our sudden appearance. "Ah'chu apenkee?" he cried out, his hand reaching for a blaster. I glanced at Obi-Wan briefly, receiving the nod that allowed me to proceed.

I held my hand out, silently asking him to stop his hand from advancing further. I introduced myself with, "My pee kasa Anakin Skywalker. Dolpee kikyuna." I motioned towards Obi-Wan and announced him simply with, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

He nodded and immediately realized that we were not a threat to him. I told him that we were friends. We weren't exactly friends, but I suppose we could have a friendly transaction. Obi-Wan wouldn't have it any other way. Damned negotiator. "Uba sanuba charra mon." Great, now we'd pissed him off. I shot a glare in Obi-Wan's direction, wondering who the hell had told him there would only be one of us. Obi-Wan gave me an innocent, confused look and I sighed. "Bargon wan chee kospah."

"Anakin, what's he saying?" Obi-Wan whispered, leaning closer to me as my expression showed dismay.

"He expected you to come alone." He looked up at me, clearly not knowing that that had been one of the agreements the Council made. Then again, that didn't make sense, unless they had intended on my coming here alone. "And now he said there's no deal."

"Anakin, plead with him. We need his information."

I sighed and turned back to the Toydarian."Bargon u noa-a-uyat. Ting cooing koo soo ah." I pulled my credits out and shuffled them around in my hands to show him that I meant what I was saying. The price we'd pay to get what he had to offer was the least of our worries. We just needed him to be willing to work with us.

He grunted and shook his head. "Make-cheesay." He looked at me pointedly, clearly angered by the fact that I kept pushing to make this deal happen. "Echuta." I was taken aback by his language, though I should've known better. We were dealing with scum, therefore, we received his scum mouth as well.

"Well, we royally fucked up," I said bluntly, casting a glare in Obi-Wan's direction.

"Why? What's he saying?"

"Well," I said, sighing, "He's not going to make an exception for us since we've gone against what was supposedly arranged and he told me to go fuck myself too."

"Anakin, watch your mouth." I rolled my eyes at him and he continued, his stare hardening as it shifted from me to the Toydarian. "Can you translate for me?" I nodded, my annoyance as clear as day. "We're willing to make a bargain much greater than was promised if you work with us." He looked at me and I repeated everything he'd said in Huttese. "I-"

"Maya Jeedai," he hissed. "Dopa-maskey."

I shoved aside the cloak that hid my lightsaber and pulled the metallic hilt into my mechanical hand, igniting it and holding it directly to the Toydarian's pudgy neckline. Obi-Wan gripped my right shoulder in one firm hand and, as odd as it was, my hip in the other. I glanced over my shoulder to see him staring at me, concerned. "Tell him we'll come back tomorrow. You look worn out, Anakin." He kept my eyes locked with his own until I obliged, deactivated my azure blade, straightened up, and told him we'd return tomorrow morning. My former Master's hand lingered on my hip until I turned away from him and began to storm out of the hut. I could sense him following me and I eventually did stop to ask him where we were going, only to realize how stupid I sounded as he answered with, "Our ship, Anakin."