Anakin sulked. They were on a planet devoid of most advanced technology, the food tasted funny and the bugs were actually finding a way into his mechanical hand.
"Shit," he swore and clenched his hands. That, of course, wasn't the only thing bothering him. Every time he saw Padme he tried to convince himself that he loved only her. Away from her, though, she became a fond memory, something akin to a childhood crush. He felt like an awful person, pretending to love her when he really loved...
"Anakin? Are you alright?"
Anakin jumped a little as his former Master sat down on the log beside him, offering a small smile.
"You're frustrated. Why?"
Anakin sighed. "It's the lack of technology, sir. Even on Tatooine things weren't this primitive."
"There's more."
Anakin was about to lie, but decided against it. "My hand isn't working like it should. The humidity is destroying the circuitry. That and the bugs."
"Ah, you mean the wonderful things we ate for dinner tonight?"
"WHAT?"
Obi-Wan smiled maliciously. "These people seem to base a lot of their foods off the bugs they collect here. There do seem to be a lot of them..."
Anakin was feeling a little queasy. "That's so gross..."
Obi-Wan laughed and patted Anakin on the shoulder. "Look, in this jungle no one will be able to locate us. I've been talking with the village leaders and they say that there is a world outside this jungle where you can see the sky and not just the canopy. I'm trying to negotiate a way out of here. Don't worry. We'll be out of here before you know it. I promise you that." With that, he stood again, and Anakin looked up at his silhouetted form.
"You need to rest, Master. We won't be able to survive in this jungle if you're tired."
"You need rest, too. Can't have the Chosen One die because of lack of sleep."
Anakin laughed softly and watched Obi-Wan leave. His heart ached. He wanted to tell him so bad. Soon, though, it would just be him, Obi-Wan, and the jungle. No one to stop him from telling what he wanted to tell. No one to get in the way. A small smirk formed on Anakin's lips.
"Well, I suppose I might as well get a little sleep..."
Or at least, what rest my body gives me, thought Anakin. He took off his cloak and curled up against a large sheltering log, letting his mind drift into unconsciousness.
Obi-Wan sat down on a log across from where the sleeping Anakin lie, and constrained his sigh. This was going to become more awkward as time went on. Usually there was too much going on for there to be any time when they are truly alone, but he had a feeling that they would be alone together for a long time. He'd been hiding how he felt about Anakin for a while now. He knew that Anakin would most likely sense something and confront him. The question was would he tell Anakin the truth? He bit his lip hard as he gazed softly at his once apprentice. He wanted to reach out and touch his face, to feel the difference between the smoothness of his cheeks and the vastly different texture of his still-healing scar.
Then again, there were a lot of things in his life that he had wanted to do and had restrained himself from doing. This would be another one of them. No matter what he thought of the young, dark, handsome man across from him, he would stay focused on something other than his feelings for him.
It was going to be a long, hard road.
Anakin opened one eye enough to see Obi-Wan's feet across the clearing from him. A surge of recklessness flowed through him and he wanted to wake up and tell him how he really felt...but the feeling disappeared as soon as quickly as it had surfaced. He didn't want to alienate his mentor, his Master, that way. But, damn! Obi-Wan really has no idea just how sexy he is, Anakin thought, desperate and annoyed at the older man's obliviousness.
I'll tell him, he decided with resolve. When no one is guiding us, when we're away from this pathetic excuse for a civilization, I'll tell him. Even if he reacts in a way I don't want him to, he'll be stuck with me, so maybe I can bring him around...
With a small, satisfied smirk, he fell asleep for real, watching with his lat conscious moments as Obi-wan found the most comfortable piece of ground he could to sleep on.