A/N: The poem referenced is "The Tyger" by William Blake, one of my favorites.
It wasn't uncommon for Anakin and Obi-Wan to have the same dream at the same time. It was quite useful when Anakin was little. Obi-Wan would wake from Anakin's nightmare and could comfort him right away. He could vanquish the monsters and make his son laugh at their ridiculous demise. So Obi-Wan felt a tremendous amount of guilt whenever the monsters were his own.
Obi-Wan watched behind a wall of red, unable to pass. He stood helplessly as General Grievous took apart Anakin, a finger here, an ear there. Anakin's eyes pleaded with Obi-Wan. Kill me! Grievous cut off Anakin's arm. His scream was bloodcurdling.
Obi-Wan sat straight up, heart pounding. Anakin was there beside him, where he'd fallen asleep earlier. He reached for Obi-Wan in the dark, saying, "Father..."
Upon hearing him, Obi-Wan turned and ran his hands all over Anakin, feeling his sides, his legs, his face.
"I'm all here," Anakin said, a bit hot, but not wishing him to stop.
Obi-Wan slowed his examination, but he had to make sure. His hands grazed over the muscles in Anakin's arms, from shoulders, down to elbows, then tapering to his wrists. He intertwined his fingers with Anakin's. All ten accounted for.
Obi-Wan settled down by Anakin's side, one hand still locked in his. Anakin put his other arm around Obi-Wan and pulled him tighter against his body. They drifted off without another word.
Anakin opened his eyes and saw his father still clinging to him. He moved slowly so he wouldn't startle Obi-Wan, and brushed strands of hair out of his face. He rubbed his thumb across Obi-Wan's cheekbone and still the man didn't stir. Anakin moved a light hand over Obi-Wan's shoulder, down his back as far as he could reach, and up again in an echoing arc. The sleeping form offered a mournful hum. Maybe we could stay like this all day. He pressed Obi-Wan snug against him once more.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan's eyes flew open. He looked at the clock on the bedside table and blurted, "You're going to be late for school!"
"Do I have to go?" protested Anakin.
"Yes!" Obi-Wan untangled himself from Anakin, meeting quite a bit of resistance. "We can't act like anything happened last night—"
"Alright, I'm getting ready."
"I'll drive you."
Anakin threw on some fresh clothing and they were out the door. He walked into English halfway through the class.
"How kind of you to join us, Anakin," said Mr. Clovis. Anakin tried to determine what was strange about Mr. Clovis' smile as he took his seat. "We could use a fresh perspective on this poem. Will you read it to us?"
Anakin stared at the blue-tinged projection of the poem in midair, wondering what lengths Mr. Clovis would take to embarrass him. He cleared his throat and read, "Tiger, Tiger, burning bright, in the forests of the night. What immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful symmetry?" It had hypnotizing rhythm, and when Anakin was finished, he wanted to read it again.
Then Mr. Clovis asked, "What emotion stands out the most to you?"
"Passion," he answered, and regretted it right after. Mr. Clovis grinned like he just found a naughty magazine. A few kids snickered.
"Thank you," Mr. Clovis said pointedly, directing his gaze at the troublemakers. "That's a perfect description, Anakin."
When Mr. Clovis had moved on to themes of light and dark, good and evil, Anakin pulled on his hood and set his head down. Just for a moment... It had taken longer than he'd thought to deal with last night's mess. He pictured it all over again.
Anakin was captivated by the sound of his lightsaber. Obi-Wan had taught him methods of defense and that was all Anakin had used the lightsaber for—training, sparring—never against a real threat. And neither of them had practiced in a long time. Now it felt good in his hand, powerful, and he didn't doubt that it was what General Grievous deserved.
Piece by piece, Grievous was reduced to hunks of metal. Anakin had no reserve. He hated the monster for tormenting Obi-Wan so. When he had slashed a dozen times through, he picked up the armored remains and stuffed them in a trash bag until no more would fit.
Mopping up the blood was a little different. Anakin just reminded himself it wasn't Obi-Wan's. Well, most of it.
Someone tapped Anakin on the shoulder. He raised his head and saw Ahsoka looking at him with concern. "Class ended," she explained.
"Thanks," Anakin replied, grateful it was her and not his teacher.
Ahsoka offered a sympathetic smile. "I think you missed the project explanation. Wanna be my partner?"
She still wants to be friends after yesterday? Anakin couldn't believe his luck. "Are you free Saturday?"
Obi-Wan drove home in silence. Except for what was rolling around in the trunk. He knew, yes, he knew who it was, and that he was dead, and couldn't hurt him. So he tried to focus on Anakin. The pavement before him blurred and Obi-Wan only saw Anakin loading body parts into the car. He hit the brakes as a stop sign almost rolled past. Clang—thud—clunk. Obi-Wan got out and threw up on the side of the road.
Anakin headed down the stairway as a hundred others shoved and shuffled past to leave Coruscant High. He watched his feet so he wouldn't trip. Something was off about his boots. They weren't the usual black on the toe, but looked sort of glossy. Blood.
After scanning through the crowd, Anakin located the nearest bathroom and took them off right away. He yanked paper towels out of the dispenser and started scrubbing. They couldn't risk a drop of evidence, or the motel's reputation would be ruined, and their lives would be ruined—
Two boys entered the bathroom, if you could call them that. The taller one hardly fit through the doorway. The other was Maul. Anakin had seen them together at lunch, co-conspiring, acting like twins.
"What have we here? A pretty boy polishing his shoes?" Maul jeered. His brother laughed loyally.
Anakin was unaffected. "Do you two always go to the bathroom together?" he retorted.
Maul's face contorted into a grimace of zigzagging red and black. He only ever liked jokes that were his—any sass directed at him or Savage was unacceptable. "Pretty boys have no place here," Maul warned.
"I can see that," said Anakin, looking them both up and down.
Savage's fingers curled into fists. Maul stepped forward till he was almost nose to nose with Anakin, who refused to budge. Savage followed. "I think you need to learn your place," Maul said, reaching the low, melodic depths of his voice. The best part of the day came in moments like this. He met Savage's eyes with a telling glare and slipped out of the way.
With his focus on Maul, Anakin didn't see Savage coming. His fist struck Anakin's face with staggering force and Anakin crashed into a stall. Savage picked him up with ease and threw him into Maul's arms. Anakin was motionless with pain for a moment while Maul decided what to do with him.
"Brother, would you hold him for me?" he asked with a grin.
Savage complied eagerly. Maul let him go, and Anakin gripped the sink for support. Savage caged Anakin's hands with his own brutish yellow ones from the other side of the sink. Maul watched for signs of fear that wouldn't come. Anakin knew this wasn't life or death. For him, anyway.
Finally, Maul's scrutiny found a fitting target. He twisted Anakin's braid between two fingers. As if he were revving a chainsaw, Maul yanked three times over. Anakin couldn't contain his agony this time. The thin locks of hair were torn from his scalp. Savage released him when he saw Maul was satisfied, and they both turned to go. It all stung bitterly. Anakin held out both arms and hurled them against the bathroom wall.
Savage hit the floor with a thud and slumped over unconscious. Anakin kept Maul suspended, choking him. Maul clawed unsuccessfully at his throat. A vicious snarl lit up Anakin's face. Why hadn't he done this earlier? Some part of his training that was stubborn or patient or careful, maybe. It couldn't live up to this feeling of power—could it? A voice came to him, quiet and calm, somehow heard over the rush of blood in his ears. Let go of your emotions...
Anakin freed Maul, marching up to him as he fell. He snatched the braid out of Maul's hand as the Dathomirian struggled for air. "This is mine." Anakin grabbed his boots and walked home after that.
Anakin closed the door behind him as quietly as he could. He shrugged on his robe, careful to hide his face. Now if he could sneak upstairs…
"Anakin?" called Obi-Wan.
Blast! Anakin followed his father's voice and found him in the family room.
"I thought you'd be home an hour ago," said Obi-Wan, equal parts worry and inquiry.
"The bus was late," Anakin lied.
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow and reached for the hood.
"Father—" Anakin caught his wrist and moved away.
"Ouch!"
He watched Obi-Wan rub his wrist, its colors a mosaic of black and violet and red. "I'm sorry," Anakin said, and revealed his eye looked much the same.
Obi-Wan's expression was heartbreaking. Guilt and anger and sadness all at once; a parent's failure to shield their child from the world. "Anakin," he breathed.
Tears threatened to wash over Anakin's face. He knew this would be worse, but Obi-Wan would notice sooner rather than later. He took the little braid out of his pocket and placed it in Obi-Wan's hand.
Obi-Wan hugged him then, and Anakin cried. It was their bond, and he'd worn it since he had enough hair to braid. "My darling boy," Obi-Wan soothed, one hand at the small of his back and the other lifting Anakin's head off his shoulder, "Who did this to you?"
Anakin confessed what had happened as Obi-Wan wiped his tears away. It was clear his son would be in as much trouble as his attackers if Obi-Wan went to the school's principal. And there might be questions about Anakin's background. Obi-Wan had enough enemies as a former Jedi, and Anakin didn't need any more trouble.
Obi-Wan looked at Anakin thoughtfully. He pulled the band out of Anakin's short ponytail and ruffled the hair. "Maybe it's time you grow it out, hmm?" Obi-Wan ran his fingers through Anakin's hair and across his jawline in one smooth motion. "I think it will suit you." They smiled at each other. Obi-Wan went to get some ice for his eye.
In a quaint wooden chair, Anakin did his homework while Obi-Wan fitted the new linens to each motel room. Actually, Anakin wasn't getting much done. He'd thought he just wanted to be near Obi-Wan, which was perfectly understandable to the both of them. But Obi-Wan was... distracting.
Anakin watched him twist and stretch, the contours of his body clear under his clothes one moment and gone the next. Obi-Wan smoothed out the wrinkles in the fabric, fingers splayed, the soft whisper of skin on sheets severing the silence. The next sheet was thrown into the air and floated slowly down. Obi-Wan carefully lined it up at the head of the bed and tucked in each side, letting Anakin see him from all angles. He was so charming, and completely oblivious. Anakin was tempted to give him a little push. Would he fall on the bed, face first? Would he ruin the unblemished smoothness of the sheets and have to do it all over again?
Obi-Wan unfolded the comforter and glanced at Anakin, who ducked behind his notebook. He opened his mouth to say something when a car pulled up just outside.
Obi-Wan's best guest-greeting smile fell as he saw two policemen exit the all-black car. They were nearly identical, and approached the porch with matching gaits.
The officer with short, clean-cut hair said, "I'm Sheriff Cody, and this is Deputy Rex."
Obi-Wan shook their hands. "Obi-Wan Kenobi. How can I help you?"
Rex started looking around casually while Cody did the talking. "We're just checking on the old General's Motel. Heard it was under new management. Is everything going as planned?"
Obi-Wan ran a nervous hand through his hair and answered, "Ah, yes. How kind of you to stop by."
Sheriff Cody's brows furrowed. "What happened to your wrist?"
"Oh, this?" Obi-Wan looked at the bruises like they were nothing. "Slammed it in the car door." He shrugged stiffly. "Clumsy me." Rex popped his head in Motel Room 4, causing Anakin to join the others outside.
Cody looked at Obi-Wan earnestly from head to toe before deducing, "You don't look like the clumsy type."
He laughed slightly. "Is that a compliment?"
Anakin looked incredulous. Are you flirting with him?
Hush, Anakin.
"I think there's something for that in the car," Cody said. He rifled through the glove compartment and pulled out a roll of gauze, then motioned Obi-Wan over.
Anakin watched with growing jealousy as Cody wrapped Obi-Wan's wrist. He was supposed to be the one taking care of Obi-Wan! Deputy Rex blocked Anakin's view and asked, "Where'd you get the black eye, kid?"
He gritted his teeth and didn't reply.
"Wasn't your old man, was it?"
Anakin was quick to respond then, mouth wide and voice loud, "No! He'd never hurt me. And he isn't old!"
"Okay, okay!" Deputy Rex put his hands between them. "You would tell me if he did, right? It's my job to protect you now that you live in Coruscant."
Anakin nodded and tried to look around Rex. The Deputy rubbed his forehead as he weighed the options of staying quiet or asking the boy another question and having it dodged by an emotional outburst.
Obi-Wan sat in the officers' car with the door open until Cody had finished with the gauze. "There," Cody smiled and helped Obi-Wan out of the car. "That should help it heal."
"Thank you, Sheriff." His smile highlighted his round cheekbones.
Cody turned to Anakin when the boy raised his voice, then back to Obi-Wan. "Your son?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan admitted. "Anakin, come here."
Curious, Cody asked, "Are you married?"
"Widowed," he replied softly. Anakin stood by Obi-Wan and crossed his arms, defiant expression locked in his eyes and jaw.
Cody quirked an eyebrow at him before telling Obi-Wan, "Alright, we have to be on our way."
"One more thing," Rex said, pulling a portable holovid out of his belt. "Have you seen this man?"
A miniature Grievous flickered to life in his palm. Obi-Wan forced himself to study the image for a few seconds.
"No," he determined. Anakin shifted minutely closer to Obi-Wan and also denied seeing him. "Sorry we couldn't be of more help," offered Obi-Wan.
"No worries," Cody said, and Rex shot him a look, but they got in the car anyway and drove off.
Petulant, Anakin teased, "Seems like you were the one to arrest the officer."
"Anakin, this is serious. They're already looking for him." Obi-Wan went back inside and started pacing. "We need a plan."
Anakin closed the door behind them. "A plan of distraction is definitely an option."
Obi-Wan huffed. "If you aren't going to help—"
"I already have an idea," Anakin interrupted. He went through his backpack and pulled out a map of the town.
Obi-Wan's stern expression didn't disappear.
Anakin placed a hand on his chest and pushed him onto the bed playfully, delighting in his surprised, "Anakin!" Obi-Wan tried to sit up and Anakin tackled him. He laced his arms and legs with Obi-Wan's as the man sighed.
"I just made the bed."
Anakin rubbed his nose against Obi-Wan's, small smile on his lips. "Ready to hear my plan?"
Obi-Wan surrendered, worry lines gone. He answered in a low voice, "Tell me."