Companions

(#007)

"Anakin, that is enough!" The yell was like sand against the meat of Barriss' throat. She was not a woman accustomed to expressing her frustration in such a rough tone, but it was becoming quite clear that when in the presence of Anakin Skywalker, such measures were often needed. As a Jedi healer (and Mirialan), Barriss commonly kept inappropriate behavior controlled; she had rarely fallen victim to such seductions even in adolescence. Anakin, however, was destroying all of her self-control with his childish antics. "You are behaving like an absolute HUTT."

Anakin kept his eyes on the table as new cards were dealt to him. "Hey, I take that personally." There was a playfulness to his sharp tone, though it didn't seem to extinguish Barriss' suddenly sour attitude. He could feel the thickness of her irritation. Really, it should have made him feel bad, but it only goaded the teasing.

"As it was intended." Pouting so publicly was out of place for Barriss. She knew she was being just as childish as the young Jedi Knight that sat across from her, but this marked one of the few times when she didn't care. Let Luminara find out and chastise her. Somebody needed to learn how to control this beast of a boy.

The game was being called again. Barriss Offee grumbled and grabbed the cards dealt to her, mulling over the choices that she was presented with. Truth be told, Sabacc wasn't being kind to her this afternoon; she'd had no playable hands. Still, Anakin's luck was seriously irking her. "How have you managed to win four games in a row?" she grumbled, randomly discarding two cards that gave her no more chance of winning than the others.

"Perhaps the Force likes to play a good game of Sabacc every now and then and is finding favor in me." A brow lifted as he sifted through his hand. His eyes shifted from card to card, a smile stretching his boy-ish lips as he chose a pair to reject. "You'd better watch out, Barriss: this might be game number five for me." As a means of taunting, Anakin looked up and caught Barriss' eyes.

In turn, she glared wildly at him. "Heed my warning, Skywalker: the Force doesn't take kindly to cheaters." He responded with a soft chortle, stirring Barriss' aggravation only further. "One doesn't need to have knowledge of your frequent aversion to rules to be able to smell the truth." Was she even making any sense? Anakin had managed to rile Barriss up to the point where she was now simply spouting insults without consciously formulating them first.

His grin widened. "So now I smell like a Hutt as well?"

"Yes, and should you continue such deceit, you may start looking like one, too." More cards were dealt; Barriss automatically joined them with the ones that were currently in her hand without so much as looking at them. "In fact, I think you're turning green this very minute."

"Ha-ha, Barriss. You're just sore because you're lo--"

A violent-looking female Rodian interrupted the friendly banter. Huttese sputtered from what could barely be called a mouth, and she gestured just as animatedly. Barriss sensed the vexation as the Rodian shouted, though she did not understand the language itself. Anakin, however, laughed the harsh-sounding words off. "All right, all right. I think I've played my limit for today, anyhow.

"Come on, Barriss. We should probably head back to the temple, now." Anakin folded and pushed himself from the table, standing up. While waiting for his comrade-of-the-moment, he eyed the winnings that he had earned. Jedi had no need for personal possessions, and that included money, which he had certainly won a lot of. Still, a few credits here and there wouldn't lead to greed, and a few credits were what he slipped into the pouch that rested securely beneath his tunic.

"And what do you need credits for, Skywalker?" Barriss skimmed Anakin as she approached him. The tone of her voice indicated that she was still incredibly miffed (He really had cheated, and she knew that.), but when Anakin tilted his head at the sound of her voice and looked into her eyes, he saw a curiosity. She had the horrible habit of worrying about him. He knew that while Barriss respected him, she thought that he was reckless and occasionally disrespectful. This might prove to be one of those times.

Anakin shrugged, adjusting his tunic. "Missions have called for purchases in the past." His voice was professionally nonchalant.

The curiosity turned to skepticism; her eyes darkened. "And what mission do you plan on venturing off to, Anakin? I have heard nothing of the sort." The pair of them were as close to siblings as Jedi could get. Perhaps Anakin knew somewhat of such an attachment thanks to his past, but this was a feeling almost foreign to Barriss. She had never known her mother, but Luminara had become what she imagined one to be like. There had been times when battles just came too close for comfort, and she would later dwell on what it would be like without her master; her mentor. And now there was Anakin... He was troublesome, overly ambitious, arrogant, and had a disregard for tradition. He was physically strong, but aside from the moments when he chose to be stubborn, he could be so weak mentally. There was a need in Barriss to protect him; to prevent any harm that may come to him.

But he didn't see that need. Instead, he simply saw somebody else who just didn't understand what he was going through. That triggered his defenses. "A good Jedi prepares for the future," he snapped, avoiding her gaze and blocking his mind of the image of Padmé.

Barriss didn't pick up on the change in energy. She was too focused on the realization that she was being unnecessarily hard on him. Slowly, her expression and attitude softened. "You are right. Although," she paused, giving him a playful nudge, "I still say that you smell like a Hutt. Have you showered recently, Anakin?" A small smile twitched at the corners of her lips.

Though no longer in the mood for such antics, he humored Barriss. Anakin crinkled his nose. "Oh, I think you are mistaken, Barriss. I'm sure that smell is coming from you." Her eyes widened along with her smile. She bumped into him with more force, barely offsetting his balance. "Is it a new perfume that you are trying out? Return it and ask for double whatever you paid."

"Choose your words carefully, Anakin. Just think of how Master Obi-Wan would react if he knew how poorly you were treating a woman."

"A woman? Ah, you are disillusioned even further, Barriss." Thick laughter erupted from the pit of Anakin's stomach. It was so strong and hearty that even when Barriss playfully punched him in the shoulder, it didn't falter; so strong that when both of them exited the cantina, when the door was firmly shut, the patrons that remained inside could hear it over the distance and loud chatter.