Title: into the fray
Author: patientalien
Challenge: SWMININANO
Prompt: Anakin Skywalker
Word Count: 300
Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker (mentioned)
Rating: PG
Summary: Ahsoka is almost more like her master than she realizes (but not quite)
"Ahsoka, wait on the ship," he had said, almost flippant.
It's as if he doesn't trust her. He does, she knows (hopes) he does, but he's so kriffing stubborn. Like she's a kid. A youngling. Like she's hasn't proven herself a thousand times over. Like he just wants to leave her behind.
Ahsoka glares at his retreating form, scowling deeply, resisting the almost overwhelming temptation to follow him and damn the consequences - it's what he'd do, after all, and she is nothing if not a good student.
She doesn't think he realizes what he's teaching her. Most of the time, she doesn't notice herself, unless someone points it out to her. Someone like Luminara, whose mild-mannered Padawan probably never gets into the kind of trouble Ahsoka finds herself in (because Luminara would never Force choke someone to get a confession from them, would never open a holocron for a bounty hunter to save Barriss, would never threaten and whine and throw tantrums when she feels the slightest bit out of control).
The war has forged them both, Ahsoka knows, but she knows that come peace time, she will survive, adapt, flourish in whatever way she needs to in order to continue as a Jedi. She wonders, watching him run into battle, if he will ever be able to say the same.
She doesn't think so, and the realization makes her turn away, tears in her eyes. Sometimes the knowledge of how fleeting stability and comfort is weighs her down and she can't face him. He is fickle and selfish and the most selfless man she's ever known. The contradictions are maddening, and she can't imagine serving anyone else.
Even if she doesn't want to wait on the kriffing ship. She takes a breath, and follows him into the fray.