"Anakin!" a voice hissed from behind Obi-Wan. He turned, sensing his friend turning beside him, and saw Luke.
"What are you doing out of the hospital?" he asked, trying to hold back frustration.
"I-I don't like being in the hospital for long periods of time," Luke said, "I get bored, and it feels like the walls are closing in."
"You're claustrophobic?"
Luke shrugged, walking out of the alley he had been hidden in, "Only when I'm there for a longer period of time. I don't like feeling trapped."
Obi-Wan nodded.
"Can I stay with you, please?"
"Where's your friend?"
"I…I gave him the slip. He wanted me to stay in the hospital longer, so when he went to go get food, I slipped out. I left him a note saying I'd be looking for you," he stumbled, and fell to his knees.
Obi-Wan offered him a hand, and he took it and yanked himself back up. Obi-Wan was surprised to feel deep calluses, and a great deal more strength than he would have expected from the short, skinny boy.
"I'm really sorry, I just couldn't take another minute in there."
Obi-Wan sighed, and Anakin walked up to the young boy, "I understand. Here, lean on me."
"We should take him to Padmé and find a way to communicate with his friend."
"Padmé?" Anakin asked in confusion.
"She's nearest," Obi-Wan supplied, watching Luke trip again.
"Oh, right," Anakin nodded, and Obi-Wan watched in amusement as he lifted Luke in his arms like a baby and cradled him there. Luke didn't protest, happily nuzzling Anakin, as though they'd known each other their whole lives.
Obi-Wan turned away, uncertain of what to think. Slave or not, Anakin was getting a little more attached than made sense. Who am I, a Jedi, to question affection? Anakin is much better with attachments than I am.
He followed behind Anakin, watching Luke slowly fall asleep on his shoulder.
"He's grown very attached to you, hasn't he?"
Anakin shrugged, dislodging Luke for a moment, and patting his head when he didn't reawaken, "Other than the smuggler, I might be the only person who's ever given him affection. When I asked, he gave me a list of people he claimed were his friends, but I think he might have made them up."
"Anakin, you're acting parental. He's only a couple of years younger than you are."
Anakin squeezed the boy tighter and turned around, "Obi-Wan, when you're raised a slave, you don't have much of a childhood. You freed me, so I've had a bit of an opportunity to catch up, though I'll admit that being a Jedi isn't quite ideal. Luke hasn't, so I'd like to let him have the experience of being protected."
Obi-Wan pondered the words while Luke squirmed silently in Anakin's arms, apparently trying to block his ears, without the knowledge that he had hands.
"Look, it upsets him when people get angry," Anakin explained softly.
Obi-Wan blinked, "I suppose you would know better than I."
Anakin nodded, "I would. Thank you. Here, maybe if you carry him too he'll bond with you as well."
"No, thank you. I'm managing quite well without his affection. Aren't you the same man who said an apprentice would only slow him down? Doesn't that apply to him as well?"
Anakin frowned, "No, as a matter of fact, it doesn't. Besides, I like him as much as he seems to like me."
"Anakin, the Council will not be pleased to hear of this."
"Let them be displeased, I care more about Luke at the moment."
Luke made a soft sound of contentment, and Obi-Wan had to admit that it was easier to care for the helpless child than the Council at the moment.
"He's cute, I'll grant you that."
Anakin smiled and opened his mouth to answer. Then he noticed the body in his arms again and frowned, "You're right. I'm being too parental. He is nearly as old as me. Maybe you should take him, so that I don't get any more attached."
Obi-Wan smiled, "If you think getting me to carry him will be that easy, you should think again."
Anakin grinned and adjusted his grip, "I guess that was optimistic."
"Well, here we are," Obi-Wan said, entering the codes for Padmé's apartment.
"Obi-Wan? Anakin?" Padmé asked, her face projected from the lockbox.
"Yes, please let us in."
The door opened, and Obi-Wan was met with Padmé's confused expression.
"Anakin made a friend along our travels, but he needs to rest, and he won't stay in hospital. You were closest when he found us, and he couldn't balance on his own two feet, so we brought him here. If you would let us call for transportation, we'll be on our way as quickly as possible."
Padmé turned to look at Luke, who yawned, and huddled closer against Anakin.
"Is he injured?"
"Yes, but recovering."
She looked at Obi-Wan for a moment before turning back to Luke and Anakin, "You may as well keep him here until nightfall. He doesn't look harmful, and he may as well get a bit more rest before traveling any farther."
In Anakin's arms, Luke squirmed again. Obi-Wan turned to look at him for a moment before nodding, "He seems to be getting restless."
Padmé showed them to her room, and Anakin carefully put Luke on the bed, tucking him in carefully. Padmé took a seat beside him.
"Who is he?"
"He's a slave. He told us his name is Luke Solo, and he's with his cousin. Who, by the way, I should call. It's a bit hard to believe, though, because his friend is cut and dry a smuggler. We met them in the Outer Rim," Anakin explained quickly.
Padmé passed him a comlink, "I have the hospital's number on speed dial."
Anakin blinked, "You do?"
"I spend time with you, don't I? It seems like every time we get back from a mission, we're in desperate need of emergency care. Usually for you. Dial," Padmé commanded.
Anakin sighed, and made the call.
"You've done that for him?" Obi-Wan asked, amused.
"For you as well. One or both of you is always half dead by the time we get home," Padmé said sharply, "It's not frivolous, it's the most logical solution I could think of."
Luke yawned and blinked up at Obi-Wan, "Hi, Ben. Sorry! I mean Obi-Wan."
"Please tell me Anakin doesn't have you harassing me about that now too."
"I- well, yes. I'm sorry."
Obi-Wan forced a smile, "It was unfair, I agree. I'll apologize to him once he's finished calling your friend."
Luke smiled, "He's calling Han?"
"We wouldn't leave him in the hospital, thinking you'd been kidnapped. We all know what that feels like," Padmé supplied, casting a glare at Obi-Wan.
"What, I did something wrong months ago, and suddenly it's Beat on Obi-Wan day?"
Luke gave a weak laugh, "Do they do this to you often?"
"Relatively speaking."
Padmé raised an eyebrow, "Relative to what?"
"Relative to how many times you let me get away with a single slip to moral conduct?"
"Who are you?" Luke asked Padmé.
"My name is Padmé Amidala, I'm the senator for the human population of Naboo."
"Oh! Hi, I'm Luke S…solo. It's really nice to meet you," Luke smiled, and reached a hand up to shake.
Padmé accepted, then turned to Anakin, "Have you made contact with his friend?"
"He's my cousin," Luke interjected.
Obi-Wan shook his head, "We know he's not your cousin, Luke. There's no need to lie to us."
"I—," Luke shuddered, dragging himself up against the headboard, "I'm not lying! Han's the best cousin in the universe, the best cousin I could ever hope for!"
Anakin took Luke's hand, "I've made contact. He'll be here soon," he turned to Obi-Wan, "Obi-Wan, be kinder, he's been through a lot."
Luke rolled away from Obi-Wan, towards Anakin, "I have. Thank you so, so much for understanding."
"It's all right Luke, it's nothing to be ashamed of. But I know how hard it can be, I was a slave too, and I couldn't find the courage to tell you back in the hospital."
"No!" Luke shouted, biting his lip hard enough to make it bleed, "That's not it at all! I—," he broke down, sobbing, into Anakin's arms.
Obi-Wan watched as Anakin cradled the sobbing boy, wondering where he'd found the ability to comfort him so effortlessly. It must be something he learned back on Tatooine, he must have been comforted by his mother so many times it's second nature.
"I saw what your master's done to you, and trust me, I've been through it as well. I promise he'll never find you again, though. You're safe here. Obi-Wan says I'm already acting paternal," Anakin smiled in an apparent attempt to put the boy more at ease.
Luke turned his chin up to look into Anakin's face, "I… I've never had a dad before."
Anakin smiled down at him, "Age difference aside, I'll be your dad. Until we can find yours, at least."
"I-I'm not sure that's a good idea," Luke said, looking down at his hands, then up at Obi-Wan, who had the strangest feeling that there was something he was supposed to be understanding from the boy's strange behaviour.
"Is he—," Anakin gulped, "Is he the one who sold you into slavery?"
Luke closed his eyes, and Obi-Wan saw him start to cry again.
Anakin gave the boy another squeeze, not commenting on the boy's fear, not asking again what it was for, as Obi-Wan was dying to do. One encounter with a slave, and suddenly Anakin's the gentle one?
Han entered the room and stared, clearly speechless, at the sight before him. Obi-Wan took a moment to take the scene in again, so as to fully understand Han's amazement, and almost laughed at the sight that met his eyes.
Padmé had joined Anakin on comforting Luke, and while Anakin supported Luke, Padmé held his hands and spoke to him softly, taking over for Anakin, who seemed to be having some sort of relapse and was crying as well. As Obi-Wan watched, she began to direct her words at him as well.
"Suddenly I feel very insensitive," Han said.
"As do I," Obi-Wan agreed.
