Obi-Wan swept into the infirmary and was greeted by the sight of Anakin standing proudly, chin jutting forwards. His defenses lowered for a moment and a look of shock came over his face. Anakin looked half dead.
Obi-Wan appraised his padawan's injuries. Anakin's face was dripping blood, so much so that the source wasn't easily discernable to Obi-Wan's trained eye. His jaw was bruised and puffy and his left eye had swollen completely shut. He was shirtless and his chest was bloody too. That, with the mottled bruises over his ribs ensured there was hardly a patch of bare, clean skin to be seen. Anakin's arm was already set in a cast. His expression was defiant, yet clouded.
"What happened?" Obi-Wan demanded, anger showing through the mask he'd just replaced. Anakin's jaw worked for a few seconds before he answered. Through their bond in the Force, Obi-Wan could sense Anakin's pain worsen.
"I got in a fight." Anakin mumbled stiffly without breaking eye contact.
"With what? A bear?" Obi-Wan was practically shouting. The attendant, a tall blue man, shot Obi-Wan a dirty look. Anakin pried his jaws open again.
"No, just Karbel." He'd named an apprentice a foot taller and twice as wide. "I started it." Obi-Wan rubbed his face with both hands.
"You need to stop talking and relax," the attendant informed Anakin firmly.
"He's right," Obi-Wan agreed, "sit down before you fall." Anakin obeyed. A strangled gasp escaped his lips as he strained his injuries. Obi-Wan glared at his apprentice before turning to the attendant and lowering his voice.
"How is he?"
"As well as can be expected," the man replied. "He sustained a compound fracture of his ulna. I've only just set the bone. Six of his ribs are either fractured or broken; thankfully they didn't cause internal damage. He has a fractured jaw and a concussion, and he's only just regained consciousness, so we'll have to keep him for observation. Less seriously, he's got multiple facial abraisons and possible damage to his cheekbone and orbital socket, but they don't look too bad." Obi-Wan was beginning to thank the man, when Anakin started throwing up. His barriers to the force fell and his consciousness overwhelmed the two men. Obi-Wan's whole world was reduced to Anakin's blinding pain. He dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, vision swimming. Anakin was making an inhuman noise that bored into Obi-Wan's head. The violent spasms of Anakin's stomach must've exacerbated his ribs and jaw. With great difficulty, Obi-Wan closed his consciousness to the Force and Anakin's anguish. When his sight cleared, Obi-Wan stood. The healer had moved much more quickly and was already settling Anakin into one of the beds. He glanced at Obi-Wan and they shared an awed and fearful look. Obi-Wan understood for the first time, what control it must take for Anakin to contain his power. The beginnings of fear stirred in his stomach. Obi-Wan immediately bore down on the feeling. Now was not the time.
"I've given him the suggestion to sleep," the attendant told Obi-Wan. "Wake him every few hours. He should be alright now." Obi-Wan nodded tersely. He sat in the chair next to Anakin's bed and studied his padawan's bruised face. The attendant had forgotten to clean the blood off of him. He'd left in a hurry after Anakin had screamed across the Force. Obi-Wan didn't blame him. He took the cloth from the bedside table and dipped it in the clean bowl of water the attendant had left. Anakin didn't stir as Obi-Wan began gently wiping away the blood and grime. He calmed himself as he worked, breathing deeply. He was a Jedi Knight, and he should know better than to get so worked up, he admonished himself silently. Obi-Wan meditated, continuing to dab Anakin's injuries. He wondered how he had failed so badly that Anakin had felt the need to start this fight, knowing there was no chance of winning. Obi-Wan let his consciousness brush against Anakin's and was startled when he felt the boy pull away. Though Anakin had tried to hide it, he had felt something like shame taint their connection for a moment.
Anakin woke up slowly. His whole body ached. He found that only one eye would open and his tongue probed swollen lips.
"Water?" he whispered. Someone supported his head as they tipped water into his mouth. Anakin swallowed gratefully, trying to ignore the shooting pains in his jaw. He drained that glass and another before being lowered back to his pillows.
"How are you feeling, little one?" Anakin shifted so he could see Obi-Wan better.
"No complaints," Anakin mumbled tersely.
"There's the Anakin I know," Obi-Wan remarked lightly.
"Where am I?" Obi-Wan's eyebrows drew together slightly.
"Infirmary, you were in a lot of pain and badly concussed. I'm not terribly surprised you don't remember. Now, you're going to tell me about the fight you were in and I'm going to decide what I need to say to the council. You caused quite a disturbance in the force yesterday, padawan."
"Sorry," Anakin mumbled.
"I know," Obi-Wan's tone was softer, but urgent, "now tell me what happened, Anakin."
"He-," Anakin looked away, his eyes prickling. He replaced the feeling with a painful scowl, "he said I was a slave, that I'd never be anything else. He insulted my mother."
"Your damned pride Anakin. You must learn to control yourself."
"He was right," Anakin whispered, hating the tears he shed. His voice was tight and low. "I am no better than a slave in this place." Obi-Wan recoiled as if Anakin had physically struck him.
"Anakin, is that really what you think of me? Another slave master? I have never treated you less than family Anakin, never punished you excessively or when you hadn't earned it. Why?" He was at a complete loss for words.
"It's not you, though you are my master," he sounded bitter, "Every moment I am told where to be, when to eat, when to sleep, when to breath, how to feel. It's just another form of confinement." He looked into Obi-Wan's level gaze. "They treat me differently. I'll always be just a slave to them. You keep telling me I'm supposed to be some sort of saviour, but I don't know how to do that. I don't know anything." Obi-Wan sighed quietly and considered his words carefully.
"Anakin, you are not a slave here. You have a choice in everything you do. You can choose to break my rules," Obi-Wan smiled gently, "which you often do. You can even choose to break the rules set by the council, though you could be expelled from the temple, but you've done that too. You did that last night when you fought Karbel." He wiped Anakin's tears with his thumb. "If this life truly is so abhorrent to you, you may leave at any time. I will not stop you, though I hope you will not go."
"It's," Anakin cleared his throat, stared at the ceiling, "it's not that I hate it. It's that I don't mind. I like the predictability, the structure. It's humiliating."
"You're upset because you feel as though, given your past, you should want to reject these things?" Anakin nodded. "Anakin, structure and discipline are tenants that many people choose to base their lives on, regardless of devotion to a cause. It's very- human of you. And after all, it is what you're used to. Try to accept these feelings and move beyond them, or they will control you, Anakin. This fight should serve as an example and a warning," Obi-Wan patted his shoulder affectionately and stood. "Now, I have to go see about getting Karbel expelled from the order." Anakin shot up in bed, regretting it as his head spun and waves of nausea overtook him.
"You can't!"
"I am going to," Obi-Wan replied firmly, "he's a bully and he's out of control. His master will likely also face sanctions for allowing this to continue."
"You'll make everything worse," Anakin gasped, holding his ribs. "They'll hate me worse now."
"Anakin, I would spare you this, but we cannot allow him to become a Jedi. Who will he be when he has no supervision? It cannot be allowed." Obi-Wan repeated himself as Anakin's shoulders slumped. Obi-Wan gently pushed him down onto the bed. "You need to rest and heal. This is my worry, not yours." He went to the door. "When I get back, I expect you to be sleeping. If you're out of bed, I'll sanction you too," he threatened before disappearing.