After a short while of searching, Obi-wan and Anakin had come upon the small world of Tenara. It was a beautiful place with friendly locals. Immediately they had become all but enamored with the locale.
With its lush forests and endless planes, both of them felt more at home than perhaps they ever had. They settled in the off skirts of the world's major city, buying up a small farm where they grew enough crops to get by. Anakin was able to open up a small mechanic shop. It just so happened that the town had been in dire need of someone with his kind of technological expertise.
Even more alluring about the place, was the fact that it had been nearly untouched by the war. They had not allied themselves with the republic, nor did they have anything the separatists truly needed. Apart from the occasional scuffle with pirates of which the locals had taken to be adept in defending against, the place was balance personified, shining with light.
Even better yet, no one here knew who they were. It was a difficult task, to find a place where they could achieve this level of anonymity. For much of the war they were the talk of too many holo casts- the negotiator and the famous hero with no fear. Obi-wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker had been names on the lips of nearly every republic citizen at one time or another. But here, they were able to leave their old lives behind, taking only their love and each other with them into this new place.
Anakin had known instantly what he wanted to do, and he excelled at it. To the townsfolk he quickly became a local hero, fixing things that would have bankrupt small farm owners to replace. Often times all he asked in return was a future favor that most likely would go unpaid, or even to share a meal as friends.
Obi-wan had been less decisive on his future career. It was somewhat ironic, how he tended to their garden with such care most days. Once upon a time he had been assigned to the agricorps, all those years ago when he had been an overly proud youngling. Now as an adult, quite humbled by experience he was back where his journey had started, tending a garden just as Anakin was off tinkering in his shop, this time as owner rather than slave boy.
Anakin had insisted he had been the best teacher, and encouraged him to open a small school. The thought had terrified him, to be honest. Shaping young minds was something he had thought he was rather poor at. In spite of the happiness they had found together, he still felt a twinge of blame. He didn't want to taint any young minds, although Anakin had encouraged him and repeatedly expressed that he was overthinking it. After all, it was completely within his character to do so.
It might have been easier if he were able to outwardly use the force in whatever pursuit he might have taken, but it would have frightened the locals. Both men took to only visibly using the force within the closed doors of their home. There were tales all around town about the evil Jedi, how they ruined entire star systems, stole people's children.
Obi-wan and Anakin were not jumping at the bit to reveal themselves. Even though they were not truly Jedi, the townspeople would not discriminate. In a place such as this with such simple minded people, it would sooner be that their home was torched and that they would be driven out of the town, than for anyone to change their long held beliefs. Simple people such as these feared the unknown. It was not so much something either of them held against the locals, but such was the life of any commoner. They could hardly hold it against them.
So when Obi-wan had set his intent on a career, Anakin had been nervous to hear of it.
"Are you sure?" Anakin asked, dishing up both of them a portion of that nights dinner as be brought both plates to the table.
"Yes, I'm positive. I don't have to use the force to be a healer. I want to help people. Besides, there is a need. The nearest doctor is a day's ride away." Obi-wan explained, pouring the both of them a cup of his favorite tea. He was now able to grow the tea leaves himself, leaving the product even better tasting than he ever imagined. Though now as they had been settled here for nearly three months, he had become accustomed to it.
"But you will end up using the force. Someone is going to notice eventually." Anakin said, stabbing one of the cooked vegetables with a fork with a worried expression on his face.
"I will be careful. You know me, master of caution." Obi-wan said sarcastically, making his husband laugh for a moment before he spoke in earnest.
"Obi-wan, i'm serious. I know you love it here. I do, too. I know we would survive if the town found out we're force sensitive, but you would be devastated." Anakin said compassionately as he shot his husband a warm look of concern from across the table.
"You use the force all the time when you fix things. How is this any different?" Obi-wan said, captivated by the other man's gentle gaze.
"Inanimate objects can't tattle on me, can they?" Anakin said in a chastising manner.
Obi-wan took a breath. "I promise, no one will find out."
"Well there's no talking you out of it, is there?" Anakin sighed, then smiled. "Perhaps you should be called master of determination instead."
Obi-wan raised one brow, then looked over at Anakin passionately. "I can think of other things I would rather be master of," he said with a small smile that made Anakin bite his lip.
Obi-wan stood up, rounding the small table as Anakin watched, then leaned down to kiss him. A stray hand reached down, brushing between his thighs causing the man to gasp. "I would call you master of distraction then," Anakin said between kisses. "Because as much as I like what you're doing right now," another kiss, another more invasive hand gripping him through his leggings. "I still don't approve of your choice."
Before Obi-wan could come back with a witty remark, there was a brisk knocking on the front door. Obi-wan drew back a bit, fixing his clothes and hair to be presentable as Anakin did the same.
"At this hour?" Obi-wan remarked. "Who could it possibly be?" He glanced out the window, seeing no one, only a small space craft a few meters out.
"Only one way to find out," Anakin said, standing, crossing over to the front door as Obi-wan hung back in the kitchen, listening.
As Anakin opened the door, Obi-wan could sense his shock through their bond. Hearing no words, only a breathless silence, he rounded the corner, looking on at who might be standing at their front door so late in the night.
"Hi, masters," Ahsoka said both happy and sad all at the same time as she presented a small bundle in her arms. Aside her, master Plo also holding something equally small and fragile resting in the crook of his elbow.
They were children. His children. Anakin didn't have to hear them say it to know the truth of it. He could feel them now, strongly through the force. They couldn't be more than a few months old by the size of their small bodies. Through their bond he could feel Obi-wan instantly understand as well, without a word needing to be said.
"Their mother died shortly after a speeder crash," Plo said in sorrow. "There was simply too much internal damage."
"Padme?" Anakin asked, a certain amount of guilt in his chest at the thought, though he already knew.
"Yes." Plo confirmed. "They had no father on record, though she insisted they were yours on her deathbed. Since their force presence is so strong, the council thought it most likely to be true."
"I-I don't know what to say…" Anakin stammered, tears beading in his eyes for the news, for the children, his children. He didn't even know their names. For Padme to meet with such an untimely end. He always did feel guilty about the way things had ended between themselves. He had hoped they might come to have some closure in time. Clearly now that would be impossible.
Obi-wan placed a consoling arm around his waist, providing a strong yet gentle and soothing presence. Anakin was thankful for it. Ahsoka handed over the small thing in her arms to Anakin. Wrapped with care in several layers of blankets was a peacefully sleeping little girl.
"Her name is Leia." Ahsoka said softly, not to wake the child.
Then Plo handed over the other bundle into Obi-wan's arms. The man was clearly flustered, he had no idea how to care for a child, let alone a newborn. But the tiny life that had been placed in his arms immediately melted the reservations in his heart. Instantly he was in love.
"This one is Luke," Plo said.
"Well perhaps I won't be going to work as soon as I had thought," Obi-wan said softly, a few tears beading up in his eyes. Anakin had always talked about having children. Obi-wan was never so sure he would be any good at it.
But the small precious things that had just been handed over to them were absolutely perfect in every way. They looked like their father, also like their mother. As much as Obi-wan had nearly hated her at a time, if she could bring something as wonderful as these children into the world, the children of his husband no less, he could only thank her.
"If the time ever comes that they wish to train at the temple, or if you ever need someone to watch over them, don't hesitate to contact us." Master Koon said, donning the hood of his cloak over his features.
"We'll keep it in mind, master." Anakin said with thanks, looking back down with wonder at the two small infants they held in their arms.
Ahsoka and Plo turned back to their ship with a polite bow. "You're welcome to come inside and have a bite to eat if you want," Obi-wan offered. "We've just finished making dinner. And there's tea. I've grown the leaves myself," he added with just a hint of pride.
"Thank you for the kind offer Obi-wan, but we must decline. We have urgent business that calls us to be elsewhere."
"As you wish, master." Obi-wan said acquiescently. "We hope to see you again sometime soon. Come visit us sometime, won't you?" Obi-wan added, mostly speaking to Ahsoka. She turned to give a smile, one undercut with things unspoken.
The two Jedi walked off into the night, as Obi-wan and Anakin closed the door to their home, two precious little souls in their arms. Both of them completely stunned by how their lives had completely changed in the span of an instant.
As the twins still slept, Obi-wan handed over Luke so that he could devise a makeshift crib from a small basket and blanket. Once he had, Anakin set down the two of them aside one another. Both of them still sleeping soundly. It nearly made Anakin nervous that they should be so still.
Once they were all tucked in, Obi-wan placed the basket on the low sitting coffee table that sat at the center of their simple dwelling. The two of them sat back in silence on the sofa as Obi-wan had brought them both their cups of tea to sip on.
Anakin felt slightly uneasy, afraid to ask Obi-wan how he was feeling, really feeling. The fact that his ex-wife had been pregnant with his children felt like a slight to his husband.
Before he could motivate himself to form words to ask the man anything, Obi-wan put a warm reassuring hand on his knee. "Don't think like that," he said, a shade of hurt in his voice.
Anakin looked over at his husband with a sorry expression. "Please, I may be incredibly in love with you, and slightly jealous at times, but these children are a blessing. I'm not such a monster that I would be jealous of innocent younglings, no matter who their mother was." Obi-wan said on the edge of offense.
"I'm sorry," Anakin said, suddenly feeling a little guilty. "It's just after all that we've been through-"
"Stop," Obi-wan said, the stir of old painful memories churning in his heart. "I love you. You are always talking about how much you wanted to raise children, and here they are. They're a gift. I can only feel thankful for them. Even thankful for Padme, bringing them into this world." Obi-wan said sincerely, not an ounce of malice in his beautiful heart. "It's incredible how much they look like you. They're perfect. Just like their father."
Anakin was struck by Obi-wan's words, as he had nothing to say in return. Instead he curled up next to him, looking on at the twins who lie sleeping so peacefully.
"They're ours, Obi-wan." Anakin said warmly with a smile as he nestled into his husband's shoulder.
"Yes," Obi-wan answered. "And they're beautiful."
-Fin-