The first thing Anakin does after they set out for Coruscant is lock himself in the fresher. The orange light flickers slightly as he struggles to move around in the tiny space, but he's grown used to it over time.
Now, he looks at himself in the mirror, both hands pressed against either side of the sink. His heart beats quickly from the creature returning his gaze.
He looks like, well, a Togruta. Tall horn-like montrals that twist backward at the very tip. Blue and white stripes stretch from the top of the montrals to the bottom of the three lekku.
The white part bleeds into the skin of his face, making him look a little bald without his bangs to hide behind. That, or any Togruta jewelry he so often sees on Ahsoka and Master Ti.
The only thing to give his white skin any definition is the red markings alongside his face. They start just below his bottom lip in a triangle that cuts upward to the edges of his head like the bottom half of a heart. Then, they slip out along his cheekbones and follow his eyebrows to his forehead, where they meet in a wide 'M' shape. Two vertical, red dots line up between his eyebrows.
It's an...interesting shape. He can't decide if he likes it or not, but it's different enough to make him feel vulnerable. It makes his brow line stand out -as well as his scar-, something he never noticed much before now. And it practically points out his cleffed chin. Another thing he didn't care about until now.
Funny how simply losing his hair and getting marks on his face can make his entire self-image change.
He checks for things he knows Ahsoka had next. Sharp fangs that he can just barely notice if he stares long enough. A reinforced jaw that will lock shut if he bites down hard enough. Slightly different padding to his fingers and palm, like he's been made for climbing rough trees and hand-to-hand combat. He knows his feet will look much the same.
Cautiously, Anakin begins to undress. He watched more stripes appear along his shoulders and down his chest. By the time he's gotten everything but his pants off, he's mapped out the few changes in his biology.
No hair anywhere, which he half expected. White skin turns dark from the scars on his body, especially leading to his prosthetic. It's strange to see how white can change with damage. He's used to the dark pink lines that meet metal.
Now, for the final step. Anakin takes on a deep breath, steadying himself for what he'll see next -and whatever possible outcomes there are. With his eyes closed, he reaches down to the hem of his pants, gathering everything, then slowly pulls away.
It takes another full minute for him to actually look.
Both hands fly away from himself, the band snapping back into position. Then, after a moment, he looks again.
Different. Not...too different. But different.
He almost doesn't want to take in the details, if only to save himself from the reality. And yet, he doesn't look away.
"Is it..." His voice is no more than a whisper. "Sharp?"
A knock at the fresher door makes Anakin jump, nearly falling into the open shower he planned to use. "Sir?" Kix calls. "Are you ready for that check-up?"
Right. The check-up. And Anakin knows there's no way he can get out of this, even with force suggestion.
"Um, give me a minute!" He calls back, rushing to gather his robes from the floor and throw them back over his body. He's just finished tying the leather belt when Kix knocks again. "Okay, okay!"
With one final look at himself, Anakin decides he's had enough exploration and steps back out, ready to get this check-up over with.
Ahsoka falls onto her cot with a heavy this. Anakin does the same across their shared room, his skin still shiny with sweat.
That sparring session was exactly what she needed to get over this...weirdness. Something to connect her back to her body and the force properly. And after a good ten-hour nap to finish off their hyperspace travel back to Coruscant, Ahsoka will be back to normal.
But the relief is short-lived when the press of hair clears her exhausted mind. She tried to ignore it and curl up against her pillow, but the hair pulls. She itches her scalp with a frown, then huffs when her fingers get stuck.
Honestly, why do humans have so much hair?! In their head, under their arms, all along their legs, and even between them too! It's gross and she hates the feeling as her legs rub together. Like sleeping with a bunch of little needles.
"How am I supposed to sleep like this?" Anakin's voice echoes from his side of the room. Ahsoka turns toward him, barely able to see his deep frown through the dark. Do humans really not have to see in the dark? That doesn't seem very safe, given the things that sneak up at night.
"What?" Ahsoka asks eventually, once her eyes have adjusted.
Anakin goes to lay down again but sits up again soon after. "These...things!" He huffs, grabbing his right lekku. "They're in the way! I can't sleep on my back or either side!"
Is that his problem? Ahsoka snorts and Kay's backdown. "Just get used to it, I guess." If they were on Coruscant, he could get one of those pillows made special for lekku and montrals, the ones with a little dip in the center. But they're not, so he'll live.
"Some help you are." He huffs at her again, then his cot squeaks as he lays down.
This time, Ahsoka's the one to sit up. "Well, what about this hair? It's pinching and getting all messy." She tried to push it from her face but it doesn't do much.
"Get used to it." Anakin snaps back, not even bothering to turn toward her.
She glared at him. "Your hair wasn't like this." She knows this much at least. Every time he laid down, his hair just fell into place. It wasn't thick and fluffy like hers. It was straight, if slightly curled.
"Yeah, because my hair texture's different. Go to bed."
She really should throw something at him, but she doesn't. He may be a stubborn ass, but he's a stubborn ass that can make her stay up all night doing dumb Padawan assignments.
"What's your problem? Other than the lekku." She asks instead, hoping that enough prodding will get her a real answer.
He sits up this time. "I'm bald!" He whisper-shouts, as if anyone else is in the room. "Look at this!" She sees him move but can't make out what he's doing in the dim light. "Seven whole fingers long! That's a big kriffing forehead!"
She rolls her eyes, leaning down again. "Really? You're worried about your forehead?" Of all the things to stress about.
"Yeah! Because it's huge! It looks like my hairline's receding!"
"I don't even know what that means."
There's a long pause. Then, "How about this. If I tie up your hair, you get me one of those headband things to cover my forehead. Deal?"
Ahsoka crosses her arms. "Master, it's a cultural thing. You make them out of the bones of your kills."
"Bantha! You came back with five after going shopping with Barris!"
Well, he got her there. "Fine. Fix my hair and I'll get you a headdress."
"Deal." Flicking the lights on, Anakin leaves to gather his hair supplies and Ahsoka waits on her cot, blinking from the sudden light. When he returns, she rolls her eyes again at the pile of items. "Sits here." He points in front of his cot and she does as she's told, facing away from him as he sets his things out.
"You're lucky I care so much about my hair." He says, gathering the pile of fluff into his gentle hands. She still winces at the pull. "Any other guy would give you some three-in-one hair wash and call it good."
Ahsoka isn't sure what that's supposed to mean, so she doesn't respond. Instead, she finds herself lost in the feeling of a brush untangling knots and then simply passing through. Then, as he applies some kind of gel or cream, she relaxes at the feeling of him sectioning off a few parts, using a hair clip to set it aside, then begins braiding the sections.
"I thought you had a different hair texture." Ahsoka says after a few braids are finished. She inspects them carefully, admiring how smooth they look.
"I do. But I'm friends with Padmé and you know how she is."
"But isn't her hair straight too?"
"Sure, but she has a lot of braids and complex hairstyles. Not to say this is exactly the same." As if on cue, she feels his fingers slip and he starts again. "But the cream helps."
About four braids in, Anakin gathers up the majority of her hair and ties it up top. "That's all I can do right now. Any more and mg fingers will fall off."
Ahsoka turns toward him, her own hands reaching at the braids and large puff of hair at the top of her head. It's still pulling, but at least it isn't in her face. And the braids on either side of her forehead felt closer to a headdress than actual hair.
"Thanks, Master. I'll get looking for that headdress once we get back to Coruscant." Maybe she could find him a blue one, to match his lightsaber. Or maybe not. It could blend in with his montrals.
Maybe this can be fun.
"Thanks, Ahsoka. I...I hope I wasn't being mean." He looks down, slowly gathering his supplies again.
"It's alright. We're just uncomfortable right now."
Silence passes between them until Anakin stands to put his supplies away and turn out the lights. Ahsoka stumbles back to her own cot, barely able to see anything at all on her way. Then, once they've both settled into bed again, she can't help but smile. "Night, Skyguy." She whispers, knowing he can hear her.
"Sleep well, Padawan."
It's different and new. Ahsoka doesn't like most things about their situation, but at least it's not all bad. And while it's strange to see her master as a Togruta and not feel the usual closeness she does with her people, at least it's still him.
And now, she can share some of her Togruta culture with him too. Headdresses and hunting instincts. Her favorite meaty snacks.
Yeah, maybe this isn't all bad.
If no one can visualize Anakin's markings, I'm sorry. I tried to describe them as clearly as I could but it's not something to easily get across. Just know it's kind of supposed to be like Vader's mask, but more subtle.
If you're really interested, google Togruta markings. There should be an image with various types but one will fit the description.