A/N My lack of updates is both inexcusable and unforgivable, and yet I ask for both. *gets down on my knees* Please...
Also please check the A/N at the end!
Asajj sipped from her cup of caf, not looking at Maul once while he related the events of the last several days. The caf she had given him was drained before he had even begun speaking.
"You know,"Asajj began as she moved to sit on the small sofa she had, "I never pegged you for the fatherly type."
"I couldn't just abandon him."
"Like your mother left you?"
"My mother had a choice." Asajj was the only one who ever dared mention his mother. Even his Master never spoke of the vile woman. "Anakin's mother didn't. If Sheev hadn't found me-" Anakin squirmed in Maul's arms.
"What happened then doesn't matter right now. You are sitting in my apartment with a newborn instead of taking him to the crèche. Why?"
"You know what will happen there. Even if there caretaker doesn't hold any prejudices, so few humans make it to apprenticeship, let alone to become a knight and lord." He took a deep breath. "I'm going to raise him, but I've barely gotten any sleep the past few days and I need to talk to the council and get him papers and then I have to-"
"I'll watch him. For now." She stood and carried the two empty mugs, "Don't expect this to become a regularity. I'm only doing it because of Dantooine."
"Thank you, Asajj."
"Let me change out of my sleep clothes and then you can go and talk to the ever so humble council. I'm sure they will love it that their shining knight has elected to be a stay at home mother."
Maul rolled his eyes and stood. "Just as they were when you rejected taking an apprentice."
"This Council does not take you decision to adopt lightly, however we have no legitimate reason to prevent it either. If you are able to acquire legal documentation within a reasonable period of time, we will support your decision. However, if you do not acquire legal guardianship within 90 days, we will reconvene to decide whether to bring him into the crèche or to send him to become a ward of the state."
Maul bowed, "Thank you, Masters," and was dismissed from the room. He couldn't believe it. He had expected much more resistance, but then again he still had to acquire all of the legal documents for Anakin. That would be no small task.
He sat patiently, waiting for his number to be called. The level of restraint he had to use was far greater than he'd like. The Tholothian next to him was constantly sniffling and wiping her nose on her sleeve. How barbaric. There was a perfectly accessible box of tissues available for public not even ten metres away. Maul had been trying to keep him calm, but it was no simple task, not to mention the stares he'd received. Children hid behind their parents, babes were held tighter in their mother's arms, husbands sat a little closer to their wives. If there had been another chair available, he was certain the Tholothian would've moved long ago.
The population of the stifling room shrank and grew until finally his number was called! His quick motion to stand nearly flipped his chair over and into the Rodian who'd been on his right. A quiet apology was muttered before he moved to the desk. A neon pink Zeltron sat behind the clear plasti-steel barrier. Her eyes widened as she looked up from her holoscreen.
"I'd like to register a birth and file for adoption," he sighed, "Please."
A/N Would you prefer have the next chapter be about Maul's trials in acquiring legal custody for Anakin, or skip that to do some of the more important plot points? I may ignore your suggestions, but I do appreciate them! So much appreciation! You all are beautiful and I love you! Free cookies for everybody! You all are so amazingly patient!