Anakin moved swiftly through the crowd of beings. He dodged tentacles and snouts, horns and shiny shoes in an effort to make it across the room.
He kept his eyes down, knowing that stopping for short conversations would only turn into draining encounters with people he didn't know or care about.
Padmé called it socialising, but he preferred to call it torture.
He hadn't wanted to come to this ball in the first place.
The entire ordeal was uncomfortable. From the restrictive suit, the infinite social cues, and even trying to park outside, he hated all of it.
It had been Padmé's idea- something about neutralising the presence of the Jedi by having a number of them attend these events.
He'd tried to avoid being roped into it, but she'd managed to convince him this time by promising to arrange a trip to the lakehouse. She even said she would tell the Council that she supposedly needed him for a week to act as her security at an off-world conference.
And now, here he was.
He just had to survive the evening, and a week of lake-side paradise was waiting for him.
Anakin was just glad that he was able to bring Ahsoka along, if only to have someone around who wasn't raised with silver platters and nannies.
Except, Ahsoka had managed to sneak away, right under his nose, as a diplomat started telling him a painfully long story about how he once rescued a Princess from a team of hijacked cleaner droids.
It was unlike Ahsoka to leave his side at events like this, as her species and gender often put her at risk of being leered at, or even grabbed- though, thank the Force, nobody had tried to touch her at this particular event.
He punched the last person who asked him where he bought Ahsoka from during a diplomatic mission with Obi-Wan.
Fair to say, those negotiations went to shit.
Ahsoka's absence was even more peculiar tonight as she'd been attached to Anakin's hip since she returned from Wasskah.
Everyone thought she was alright in the aftermath. Rig Neema said she recovered faster than expected from her physical injuries, and after just one week of leave, Ahsoka was cleared for active duty.
Anakin wasn't so sure if she was ready to go back to the field.
It wasn't like the first night she was back, when he found her sitting on the fresher floor, staring blankly at the wall. She wouldn't talk to him, and she was covered in blood that wasn't hers.
He'd helped her get cleaned up and get settled on the sofa with a hot meal and bacta for her multitude of cuts and gashes. She'd needed a sleep-suggestion to get rest that night.
It had taken a few days of minimal activity until she seemed back to her usual self.
She visited Jinx and O-Mer in the Halls of Healing (they had both been assigned Masters who didn't frequent the front lines), she was attending her classes, and she no longer had a dull look in her eyes.
However, that didn't mean everything was perfectly fine.
Ahsoka had been unusually clingy, wanting to follow him around like a shadow all day and night. She would sit outside the Chancellor's office whilst he had meetings inside, and even pulled her sleep mat onto the floor of his quarters so she didn't have to be alone at night.
Obi-Wan was sure that these behaviours would blow over soon enough. Once Ahsoka processed that Wasskah was over and she was safe, she would be back to normal.
Apparently, Ahsoka had broken the behaviours tonight.
And it had him worried.
Anakin checked all of the usual hiding spots. She wasn't in the small alleyway that led to the kitchen, or attached to the wall like she did when she was overwhelmed. She wasn't with Padmé either.
Disorientated and unaware as to where his Padawan had run off to, Anakin touched his earpiece and murmured, "I need eyes on Tano."
Around the perimeter of the room, the red-armoured clone straightened and surveyed the area for orange skin and blue-tipped montrals.
Having a hundred eyes looking for Ahsoka was easier than doing it alone, but Anakin had a sinking suspicion that nobody in the room had seen her.
Even with so many species in one place, she would typically stand out.
Then, his comm crackled, Commander Thorn's voice reaching him. "I saw her approximately seventeen minutes ago, General. She said she was headed for some fresh air."
"Which exit?" Anakin asked.
"East."
"Copied." Anakin pulled the earpiece out, letting it dangle by the cord out of his collar.
He didn't want Fox to send a search party after the girl. She'd already been hunted once in the last month.
He moved swiftly towards the east exit, following the corridor through the building. It was quieter out of the main hall, the noise of conversation and music blending together.
Large arches lined the corridor, allowing a cool breeze to blow through the building whilst providing a stunning view of Coruscant's skyline. Far in the distance, speeder traffic whizzed past and luminous signs illuminated the fanciest casinos and clubs.
Beneath the arches, the roof stretched downwards. He was so high up that he couldn't see the streets below, but as he briskly walked along, Anakin caught a glimpse of white and blue through the arches.
He pulled to a halt, his heart thudding in his chest.
Ahsoka was sat on the edge of the roof, her knees pulled up to her chest. She was facing away from him, her gaze on the expansive city that her seat had a view of.
Looking around, Anakin swung his legs through the arch and tediously gained his footing on the tiled roof.
"Snips?" He called out, worry seeping into his voice. His hand was outstretched, like he was prepared to grab her with the Force at a moment's notice.
Ahsoka's shoulders hunched, she turned her upper body around to look at him. In the moonlight, he saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes. Yet, she smiled.
"You look like you've seen a ghost, Master."
"Forgive me," Anakin said dryly, stepping down the tiles to reach her. "I didn't expect to find my Padawan sitting on the edge of a roof."
Ahsoka turned back to the city, "I used to find places to sit outside the Temple as a youngling. Master Plo always told me off for it."
"It's not very safe," Anakin commented, reaching her side. He carefully sat down, being subtle as he looked his Padawan over. She seemed okay enough, besides the fact that she'd opted to sit on the roof.
"Nothing we do is very safe," Ahsoka replied, resting her chin on her knees.
Anakin couldn't exactly argue with that.
In the past few days, they had gradually discussed the details of Wasskah that Ahsoka hadn't mentioned in her report to the Council.
She told him about the infected wounds that the other younglings bore, how Jinx had often become delirious from dehydration, particularly in the evenings.
At night, Kalifa would wake up screaming, only for O-Mer to clamp his hand over her mouth because being too loud might lead to their base being discovered.
Ahsoka had overheard Garnac say that he would nail her hide to his wall, and then she had to return to the base to tell O-Mer and Jinx that their friend was dead.
She told him about the guilt she felt, knowing she survived whilst Kalifa was killed.
Anakin couldn't do much for her except listen. Nothing he did could erase what happened on that planet. He suggested she see a Mind Healer, but Ahsoka had adamantly refused.
Maybe he needed to make her an appointment anyway.
Ahsoka shivered now, goosebumps lining her bare arms. Padmé choice of dress didn't have anything in the sense of sleeves.
Silently, Anakin removed his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She gave him an appreciative smile, "Thanks."
"Why did you come out here?" He asked quietly.
Ahsoka looked away, obviously embarrassed. "It was too busy, too many people."
"You could've told me," Anakin said, nudging her arm. "I was sick of it too. You didn't have to worry me half to death by sneaking away."
It wasn't as if she had never gotten overwhelmed in that situation before. Her montrals were sensitive, even if they were attuned to the deafening noise of battle.
Typically, Ahsoka would tug twice on his sleeve when she'd had enough. He would escort her away, asking a clone to bring their speeder to the back entrance. They would get milkshakes on the way home, and she would apologise for not being able to handle it.
Anakin always assured her he didn't think any less of her.
She'd had to do the same for him after Maridun, when he was still weak even after a day and a half in bacta. He'd practically clung to her as she moved them through a bustling crowd. He didn't remember much of that night, only telling Ahsoka that he was okay and he just needed rest, not a medic.
"I'm sorry," Ahsoka apologised, but she crept close enough to be touching his side. "I didn't mean to; I thought you'd had enough of me."
"Hey," he put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "When I've had enough of you, I'll tell you. Alright?" He waited for her to nod. "Until then, I am delighted by your presence. Do you think I would've asked you to come if I wanted a break?"
She shrugged, resting her cheek on his shoulder. He rubbed circles on her arm, letting the silence stretch until she felt like talking again.
He'd make sure to tell Obi-Wan that they shouldn't be made to go to these events. They didn't get enough leave as it was. Sure, it wasn't exactly a mission, but it still used a lot of their energy.
"I meant what I said on the landing platform," Ahsoka said, her voice partially muffled by his shirt. "I wouldn't have survived that place without your training, Master."
He squeezed her tight for a second, letting the warmth fill his chest. He was insanely proud of his Padawan for holding up in that jungle without his help, but the compliment to his teaching made him feel fuzzy inside.
"I can give you the skills," he said, "but the ability to apply them under pressure, that comes from within."
Ahsoka shifted, worming her arms around his middle so she could squeeze him close. They didn't get many moments like this. There was no time for comforting embraces when Ahsoka first returned from Wasskah, too many prying eyes.
When she had been all but unresponsive in their quarters, Anakin had held her up to get the blood and dirt off her skin. It was necessity, not comfort.
But here, they weren't General and Commander.
They were hardly Master and Padawan.
They were Skyguy and Snips.
"I've learnt from the very best," Ahsoka said, letting him go after a few more seconds. "Can we go home now?"
Anakin smiled, "Sure."
He hadn't heard a better idea all night.
He put his earpiece in again, "Commander Fox."
"Go ahead, General," the clone replied after a few seconds.
"I'm ditching early," he said as an explanation, winking at his Padawan. "Have Organa's driver take Senator Amidala back to her apartment."
"Of course, sir," Fox replied easily, "Have a good evening."
Padmé's ride home sorted, Anakin stood up and extended a hand to Ahsoka. "Shall we?"
"We shall," she grinned, the familiar sparkle in her eyes as he helped her stand on the slanted roof.
"I know a shortcut." He told her, looking off the edge of the roof. "We're not far from Dex's, you know."
Ahsoka smiled, catching his drift, "Master Obi-Wan wouldn't approve."
"You think so?" Anakin raised an eyebrow, "Well then, we better not get caught. Ready?"
Ahsoka matched his position, ready to jump at his word. "The last one there pays the bill."
"You're so on!" He let go of her hand, "On three. One… two-"
"Three!" Ahsoka leapt, springing to the next rooftop with ease.
Anakin laughed from his belly, "Cheaters never win, Ahsoka!"
And he jumped after her.