Fireworks
Author's Note: This is a gift for SunriseMcAsh on ao3. It's also for the Obikin 2023 bingo. :)
~ Amina Gila
A light breeze whips past Anakin, lightly rustling his new padawan braid. His back presses against the wall of the Temple behind him, hand curled around the decorative railing of the... ledge outside the window that he and the other padawans are definitely not supposed to be standing on.
It's evening out, the sky only lit by the constantly passing traffic far above. It's nothing like Tatooine.
Everything at the Temple is strange. It's so big and the people are so different, and Anakin still has no idea how to get used to it. He had countless friends on Tatooine and here, there's no one. Everyone here is Jedi, freeborn. They weren't slaves. They aren't... anything like him. He might go to classes with the padawans surrounding him, but he doesn't really know them.
They hardly even talk to him. He never had a reason to think about what the other children his age would be like, never really thought it would be different than Tatooine, until now. Half the time, they're either curious about why he's here at all because apparently, he's too old to be here, or they outright ignore him. Or make fun of him.
Most of all, he misses Mom. He never knew becoming a Jedi meant he would have to leave her behind. Maybe it wouldn't, if she was free, but he keeps being told that he can't form attachments to people, and that means he's supposed to let her go. Anakin doesn't even understand what that means.
Mom is the only person he's always had. How is he supposed to not care about her? Why would that interfere with anything using the Force? He doesn't understand, but he doesn't understand pretty much everything about the Temple. It's so lonely and different, and it never stops hurting, the constant aching knowledge that he has no idea when he'll see Mom again. Or even Kitster or Wald.
And Qui-Gon is gone. Maybe Anakin hardly knew him, but it sends another sharp wave of grief through him, every time he thinks about it.
All he knows is that he still really wants to be a Jedi. It's all he ever dreamed about, what he wanted to be his entire life so he could help people. And he still wants to do that, no matter how much it hurts. Once he's bigger, he can go back to free Mom. She promised him they would see each other again.
But now he has to focus on becoming a Jedi, first. And he doesn't think breaking the rules like this is a good way to go about it. He barely knows Master Obi-Wan, and he doesn't want to make him mad.
It's only been a few weeks, and Obi-Wan's... usually nice and Anakin cares about him already, but he's still getting used to it. He thinks they both are because he knows they both still miss Qui-Gon all the time.
"Hey, at least we won't miss the show tonight," a Twi'lek padawan says eagerly, entirely ignoring the fact that they really shouldn't be out here.
"What's to miss?" asks a Rodian, rolling his eyes, "It's just a bunch of noise and colors."
"You're just jealous you missed it last year."
"I am not. Jedi aren't jealous."
"Then why'd you come along, if you don't care?"
The chatter filters in as they joke with each other. None of them even glances at him – it's each other that they know.
Anakin's only half sure why he agreed to come out here in the first place, but everyone was talking about "fireworks" and saying it would be beautiful, and since he was there, he'd... gotten dragged into it. He was curious, too, until he realized what it would entail.
All he does know is that apparently these "fireworks" are being let off – whatever that means – because it's the Coruscant New Year tonight, though what that's supposed to mean, he doesn't really know. Except that the Jedi don't have time to celebrate it, but the padawans want to see this anyway.
"Are you sure we shouldn't go back inside?" Anakin speaks up finally, trying to hide his nervousness. He's only been at the Temple for a couple weeks now, and he's already breaking rules.
An Iktotchi padawan looks at him like he just grew horns. "Don't be a scaredy-tooka. The show hasn't even started yet."
Anakin's gaze darts nervously back to the door, debating going in anyway. But if they aren't afraid, then – (They weren't slaves, though. They're freeborn. They actually belong here. They probably wouldn't be hit if –)
BOOM!
He jumps, gaze snapping to the sky to see a bright flash of red, green, and blue, in a nonsensical circular pattern he can't make sense of because explosions shouldn't look like that.
He's heard too many explosions before, back on Tatooine. Sometimes late at night, there would be. And sometimes –
The other padawans start cheering, right as another explosion rings out.
And suddenly, all Anakin can see in his mind's eye is that one time on Tatooine that he did see someone blown up, very graphically in public. Well, it happened several times but there was something about that time that was the worst.
He still remembers the feel of the hot air whipping across his face, as he watched that group of slaves blown up in front of them, and the other slavers were laughing about it, and his mother told him not to look but he couldn't stop, couldn't tear his eyes away from it, anyway. And he'd been so afraid of that – that would happen to one of them one day, that they'd –
And he's disobeying rules right now, which is always a bad thing, and –
More explosions ring out, and all he can hear is the others' giggling, and Anakin jerks away from the railing, clambering awkwardly back through the window – he has no idea why this window can open, because that's true about practically none in the Temple; maybe it was once for a different purpose – and stumbling a few paces away, leaning against the wall as he struggles to catch his breath.
But breathing at all is nearly impossible right now, especially when he can still faintly hear the noises from outside.
"Anakin?"
He starts again, at the sound of Obi-Wan's voice, looking up sharply to see him approaching.
Oh.
Oh no.
"What are you doing out here?" Obi-Wan asks. He doesn't sound angry, but that doesn't mean anything. Anakin has no idea how he gets when he's angry, no idea if he's going to hit him or not but that's what everyone does and –
"I –" Anakin scrambles to find his voice, which is nearly impossible when he can barely breathe.
Another firework goes off in the distance, and Obi-Wan's gaze jumps to the window, where he can very obviously see the other padawans balanced precariously up against the railing. "You were outside, weren't you?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.
Anakin scrambles for an answer, but his mind isn't working fast enough right now. Which is stupid because he's always been good at lying. But right now, he just wants to run. But he can't run away from his master, not really, only from other people's and –
Obi-Wan steps past him without waiting for a response, approaching the window and calling the other padawans to get back inside. None of them seem overly enthusiastic about it, but they grudgingly clamber back in the window.
"I should hope you are all quite aware of how dangerous that is," he scolds, "You could easily fall. That is simply for decoration, not for standing on."
"But Jedi aren't supposed to be afraid," one of them objects, sullenly.
"That doesn't mean intentionally endangering yourself, and putting yourself in a position where you would have to frivolously use the Force to stop yourself if you did fall."
It is a very long drop, practically down to the very base of the Temple. That part of it hadn't really bothered Anakin, but he just... does his best to stay silent and invisible in the back of the group.
"Now, if all of you really desire to watch, there's plenty of places you can do so without sneaking to places where you shouldn't be. At least, for those of you who don't have classes to be attending."
Which Anakin does, because he's still so far behind in everything, and he has to catch up. He usually does extra schoolwork later at night in Obi-Wan's room so his master can help him – considering that he's so far behind, he doesn't fit properly into any specific class group – and that's where he really ought to be.
He'd be able to think a whole lot clearer, though, if he couldn't still faintly hear the explosions, and if his heart would stop hammering so loudly, and –
There's movement up ahead in the hall, right before a female Nautolan Knight approaches. It's Eemmi Dawaci, Anakin remembers, one of his teachers.
She says something to Obi-Wan who moves down the hall ahead of them, to talk to her.
The Iktotchi padawan pauses in the hallway, the moment the masters are out of eyeshot, turning to glare at Anakin. "You didn't need to tell on us."
What?
"I didn't," he denies. He would never get someone in trouble with masters, intentionally. Even if they're freeborn, so he... doesn't think they'd be hit, unlike him. Maybe. He still doesn't fully understand how any of this works.
"Sure you didn't," he sneers, "That's how your master knew where to find us."
Anakin feels the tiniest spark of anger, mostly because he just wants to be left alone right now. He can't stop remembering that – that day on Tatooine, and – "He was passing by," he replies, "And we shouldn't have... done that, in the first place."
"How would you even know?" scoffs the Rodian padawan, "You don't even know how to read."
Anakin jerks, the words stinging hard. On Tatooine, that didn't matter, because he only had to read minimally, but it's one of the countless things he's behind in here and none of the others have any problem with that. He's trying to be good at everything because he has to be. He has to be useful. Can't afford to mess up and fail any more than he ever can. And he already feels like he is half the time because he has to sit around studying because he's so far behind everyone else. He can't even do anything as an actual Jedi yet.
The Iktotchi padawan scoffs. "How can you be a padawan if you can't read?"
The indignation and desperation flares hot and tight in his chest. "I can beat both of you at 'saber practice already," he shoots back, which is good, considering that they had years of training that he didn't have. He's still learning how to use one, but the Force responds to him in a way it does to no one else.
"What good is that when you don't know a thing about being a Jedi and you never will? You don't even belong here."
"The boy is dangerous. They all sense it. Why can't you?"
The Iktokchi padawan shoves past him, and Anakin shoves him back, hard.
Not that it does anything to take the sharp sting off the words, or the reminder crawling under his skin of how even now he's still nothing. But he can't be nothing, or he's going to be useless to the Jedi, and he can't –
The padawan shoves him back, and Anakin punches him. The boy hits him back, and they're in a flailing pile of fists on the floor in seconds.
But this at least is something he's good at because he had to be. Getting attacked happened all the time on Tatooine, and he maneuvers himself on top of the other boy quickly enough. Even if he was punched in the eye hard enough that he can already feel how badly it's swelling.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's voice calls, sharply.
Anakin freezes, heart rate picking up, instantly. It reminds him just a little of when Qui-Gon had interrupted his fight with Greedo on Tatooine, but that was different because he was Qui-Gon,and he wasn't Anakin's master. Not like this, anyway.
He rolls off the other padawan, and they both stand, the other boy still glaring at him.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demands.
"He hit me for no reason," the Iktotchi padawan whines.
What?
"He said I –" Anakin hesitates. He can't voice the sheer worthlessuselessness that made him feel, especially with how terrified he is that it's true.
"What?" the other Knight asks, approaching too now.
"That I'm not a good Jedi," he mutters.
And the last thing Anakin wants to deal with is both of them. He doesn't want to deal with this at all right now. He just wants Mom and wants to get out of here, and if they beat him up – which they probably will, considering all he's doing is breaking rules and he's so useless already, unlike the other padawans – it's not like he can crawl into bed next to Mom anymore after it's over.
"That's not a reason to be fighting. For either of you. Both of you know that," Obi-Wan replies, firmly.
And running is stupid, but Obi-Wan takes a step closer to him and the panic that floods him is almost entirely illogical and Anakin spins around and runs.
He hears Obi-Wan faintly calling his name, and he definitely should stop, but now that he's started, he doesn't much want to stop and find out what will happen.
Except, he has absolutely no idea where he's going or what he's even planning to do now. The first place anyone will go is back to his room and he just –
Why did he even think running in the first place was a good idea?
But he wants to be found even less now. Anakin pauses in a presently empty hall after a few moments, trying to catch his breath. He's feeling just the slightest bit lost right now, and if he kept walking he could probably find his way back to where he ought to be right now, but –
Anakin pauses at the large entranceway to another room, recognizing it immediately as the large Banquet Hall, though he has no idea what the Jedi would ever use such a thing for. It used to be a library, he remembers Obi-Wan telling him on his first tour through the Temple, but they converted it for some reason.
It's as good a place to hide as any, especially when he doesn't want to be found right now – even though that's just going to make everything worse – so he quietly tiptoes inside, gaze darting around the expansive room.
The place itself is... beautiful, with a star map of sorts charted on the ceiling, in a way that makes it look very much like stars in the night sky. Something he wishes he could still see on Coruscant, but it's always too bright here.
There's a sudden noise in the hallway, and Anakin scrambles to the wall closest to the door, where someone passing by won't see him. The noise fades a moment later, but he's still anxious, and...
His gaze lands on the pillars on one side, close enough together that it would be nearly impossible to get behind, but it shouldn't be hard for him, with how small he still is. It's the perfect place for a hiding spot, and Anakin approaches it quietly, squeezing himself between the beams until he's in the tiny, dusty space behind them.
Except there's... something different about the wall back there.
There's another part added to the wall, along with two names written on it, almost as though someone engraved it a little messily, personally, which is... odd. Anakin's not quite sure what to make of that.
The names are also a little too long for him to try to decipher – he tries not to the remember the mocking 'you can't even read' – so he turns away, sliding down to the floor to conceal himself entirely, wrapping his arms around his knees and resting his head on them.
His eye is still hurting, and he probably has a lot more bruises than that from the fight, not that it's a big deal.
Being back here makes him feel just the tiniest bit safe, gives him just a small moment to calm down, even if he knows it won't last forever.
**w**
Obi-Wan is more than a little frustrated, as Anakin disappears around the corner at the end of the hall. He's half a mind to give chase, but that would be pointless. He'll catch up with him later, and... try to address such behavior.
It's rather unusual for Anakin period, because he's usually very... obedient, so he's mildly surprised the night's been playing out the way it has, so far.
If he wasn't a Jedi, the reason he got in a fight with the other padawan would be understandable, but it's a behavior Obi-Wan strongly needs to discourage.
Eemmi deals with the other padawans, having some final words with the Iktotchi boy, before she turns to him. "Obi-Wan?" she asks. He only knows her as a distant acquaintance really, but he can still tell that there's something meaningful in her gaze.
"Yes?" he asks.
"If I may ask, how has Anakin been settling in? I've seen how... different he is from the other students."
Obi-Wan sighs. "He's a good a student, but he is... not having an easy time. He came late, and I know he often misses his... mother. He struggles with his emotions, and he's behind in a lot of classes, even if he's making good progress in catching up. But he usually behaves better than he has been tonight."
Eemmi nods, something thoughtful in her gaze. "I have had experiences with slaves in the past, in some of my more extended missions," she replies, "More than I think many have."
"I haven't," Obi-Wan admits, and he's loath to admit out loud that he doesn't know how to do something, least of all training a padawan,when it's something every Jedi does and he promised Qui-Gon he was going to do it. "And I know with how late he came it won't be easy, but Anakin needs to learn to fit in and move on from his past."
"Because of his past, especially as a slave, that... may not be as easy as you think," Eemmi replies, "He always is going to be different. He needs to learn to be a Jedi, but it's never going to be the same for him as it is for us, and I would say you have to... teach accordingly."
Obi-Wan has to wonder that, too, but he doesn't really know how to do that. Qui-Gon would. He wishes so much that his former master was still here. He knew how to handle Anakin. Obi-Wan feels lost, more often than not. He feels like he's disappointing the boy, and he doesn't know what to do about it. "Do you... have any suggestions?"
"You need to... encourage him," Eeemi replies, "He needs it more than other padawans. For slaves, not being good at what they do means they'll be punished. It means that they're... worthless, expendable, and even if he knows he won't be hurt here, it's still... a subconscious mentality. What that other padawan said to him and the way he reacted to it likely indicates that this is... something that he frequently thinks about. He needs to know it's not true. At least, he needs to know that you believe in him, so as long as you are his master. Maybe you need to guide him to become like the rest of the Jedi, but the fact remains that he isn't right now, and we can't truly understand how deep running the... problems he has are, but you need to be encouraging to him."
Obi-Wan genuinely has no idea what to say to that. Dealing with Anakin's past is like facing a... something he can't even begin to understand. He can't imagine what Anakin went through, constantly fearing being hurt.
He knows there's times the boy seems almost insanely jumpy, and is he... afraid that Obi-Wan's going to hurt him? He doesn't quite know how to feel about that.
He doesn't know how to begin addressing Anakin's fear of not being a good enough Jedi, especially knowing that he had problems with that once himself. And until he got past that, he wasn't able to start properly connecting with the Force. But the basis of those thoughts isn't exactly the same, from what Eemmi is saying. It's not something he entirely knows how to deal with. Qui-Gon did. Obi-Wan wishes again more than ever, that he was still here. "I'm not surprised that he... struggles with how good of a Jedi he can become, but until he overcomes those fears, he will not be able to connect with the Force properly," Obi-Wan points out.
"I know many of us deal with that at some point," Eemmi replies, "I did once, too. But the fact remains that Anakin's issues stem from something... else. He needs... reassurance. I think that's the only way he'll be able to start working past it. And if he knows he's not the only one with similar issues, if he's actually able to connect with people around him, it would also help."
So he knows, but he has no idea what to do about it. "None of the other padawans really communicate well with him, or him with them."
"Then at least he needs to be able to connect with you," she replies, "I... would suggest at least trying."
He has to try, but he has no idea how to go about such a thing, and he's already half certain it won't go anywhere. But he can't fail. He promised Qui-Gon, and he...
He already cares for Anakin, even if he's still getting to know him and doesn't quite know what to think of him yet. He has to at least try to make him into whatever Qui-Gon saw in him.
"I will," Obi-Wan agrees finally, though he's still frantically trying to figure out how to do such a thing in the first place, "But first, I'll have to find him."
"I'm sure he'll turn up soon enough," Eemmi replies, "I believe he's expecting you to be angry with him, which is why he ran. He needs to see the... opposite."
That's probably true. His frustration over the incident is gone now anyway, replaced with frustration over how he's supposed to handle any of this in the first place. But he'll have to figure it out, and fast. "Thank you for telling me this," Obi-Wan adds as an afterthought before he turns to go.
Now, he needs to start by trying to find Anakin.
**w**
Anakin has no idea how long he's been sitting here, squeezed behind the pillars, when he finally hears someone coming. No, no. He doesn't want to... But he's genuinely too tired now to even try running again, and to afraid, too. He'll just stay here and wait for whatever's about to happen.
He doesn't have to reach out with the Force to sense that it's Obi-Wan.
"Anakin?" his master calls, and he can hear footsteps drawing closer.
There's no point in hiding back here anymore, even if now he just wants to cry.
Obi-Wan's coming closer anyway, so he reluctantly climbs to his feet, feeling the slightest bit shaky as he scoots out from between the pillars, gaze trained on the floor. Which he can mostly only see out of one eye, because in the time he's been back here, it's been swelling badly. It's probably black and blue by now.
"I didn't expect to find you out here," Obi-Wan says, sounding... not quite amused exactly, but it's close enough. For... some reason?
"I'm sorry," Anakin mumbles, not looking up. He's definitely failing terribly as a Jedi if he had to make his master come all the way out here to get him. The fact that he hasn't hit him – yet – is genuinely more confusing. Maybe he wouldn't feel so bad about messing up so much if Obi-Wan would hit him for it.
"It's alright," he replies, tone almost soothing, which just throws him entirely.
Anakin looks up just the slightest bit, more confused than anything else. He starts slightly when a hand unexpectedly touches his shoulder, but the touch is oddly gentle.
Anakin doesn't really understand why he's being like this suddenly, but he won't take it for granted.
"You know, the last padawan to go back there may have been me," Obi-Wan comments, gaze lingering on the pillars.
Anakin blinks, more confused than before. "What?"
"Long ago, there was a time I... questioned if I would become a Knight," he replies. Something about his tone almost seems uncomfortable, but Anakin can't fully sure.
But Obi-Wan – what –? "Why?" Anakin inquires. "Didn't you always know what you were gonna be?" Unlike him. All the others were taken very young, they weren't slaves, weren't – struggling and failing, and useless.
"I knew I was supposed to be," Obi-Wan replies, "But once I became a padawan, it was different from what I expected. It took an... unsanctioned excursion out of the Temple for me to realize that the fear of not being able to become a Knight was what was stopping me in the first place."
That... he didn't know any of that. Obviously. But he never imagined Obi-Wan could have issues like that. He always seemed so perfect. But that – "You ran away from the Temple?" Anakin asks, eyes wide.
He nearly chuckles. "No, not exactly. I gave myself a mission that... Master Qui-Gon didn't end up coming along on, and it turned out for the best."
Qui-Gon...
Pain lances through him sharply, thinking about him again. "Didn't he help you?" Anakin inquires, tentatively.
The grip on his shoulder tightens, almost unnoticeably. "He did," Obi-Wan confirms, "But it still took time for me to settle in my... path."
Anakin doesn't really know what to say to that. It really wasn't what he expected to hear, but somehow the knowledge that he wasn't the only one who feels like this makes it a little easier. Makes him feel less useless. Just a little. "What was your life like before you... came to the Temple?" Anakin asks, uncertainly.
"I can't say I really remember," he replies.
"So you were always a Jedi, then," Anakin realizes. Though, he still apparently had difficulties, but... "But you weren't a slave or anything like that. Maybe that's why the Council says I was too old to be trained." Why everyone seemed to think so but Qui-Gon, actually.
"I know you have... difficulties, Anakin," Obi-Wan answers, "But for how late you came, it's... natural. Whatever the other padawan said you to about how you... aren't a good Jedi, isn't true. You might be behind, but you're making very good progress, and I believe that you... have the potential to become a great Jedi. It's not something you can rush. It's something that will take time, but I believe you can do it, just like Qui-Gon did."
Anakin just gapes at him. He – what? It spreads a warmth through him, as much as it confuses him because Obi-Wan's never acted like that before. "You... mean that?" Anakin asks, almost disbelieving.
"Of course, I do."
"That's not what you said before." Anakin shouldn't upset him, but he doesn't fully understand where the sudden change is coming from.
"The boy is dangerous. They all sense it. Why can't you?"
He doesn't even understand why Obi-Wan had been so angry that he was there – except that he was getting in the way of whatever he had with Qui-Gon – but the words still hurt, burn almost unreasonably.
Obi-Wan's expression twitches a little, to something that's not quite a wince. "I didn't mean it," he assures, "I was upset, and it... wasn't a conversation you needed to overhear."
Then why was he yelling about it as though Anakin wasn't standing practically right beside him? He doesn't really know what to say to that, so he says nothing.
Obi-Wan steps back, gaze drifting around the room again, and Anakin doesn't miss the unmistakable traces of longing in his gaze. As though he's thinking about something from another time, from...
Qui-Gon.
Anakin is almost certain of it because he feels that same desperate longing.
Maybe Obi-Wan isn't the master he was hoping for, but he still cares about him – he's the only one Anakin even has anymore – and maybe they can take care of each other like he knows Qui-Gon would've wanted.
"You... miss him," Anakin says, quietly.
Obi-Wan glances down at him, nodding.
Anakin reaches out hesitantly, taking his hand.
The Knight starts ever so slightly, looking down at Anakin's hand – which is ridiculously tiny compared to his own – as though he was just handed an unidentifiable foreign object, before he squeezes it back. Anakin doesn't let go, and after a moment, Obi-Wan lightly tugs him towards the door. "I believe there's matters we need to attend to, like your schoolwork, but we'll start with... dealing with your eye."
It still hurts, and it's swelling badly, but he's had worse. "Why? It's fine."
"I rather think some ice would do it some good," Obi-Wan replies.
"What's that?" Anakin asks, trotting after him, still holding his hand. If it's some type of treatment, he doesn't think they need to waste it for no reason.
"What's ice?" Obi-Wan repeats, sounding almost incredulous.
Is that something else he's supposed to know about? "I never heard of it on Tatooine."
"Well, then why don't you wait and see?"
Hmm. Fine. He has other questions he really wants to ask right now, anyway. "Master, did you know someone carved on the wall behind those pillars?" He's pretty sure that's not allowed, but it's not like he would know.
Obi-Wan pauses, glancing down at him. "Yes, I did. I believe I may have been the first to see it in decades, actually. I went to the planet on my unsanctioned mission."
Seriously? "What was it like?" Anakin asks, perking up.
"It's a long story. Perhaps I can tell it to you after you're done with your class work for tonight."
He feels a small thrill of excitement at the possibility. "Okay!"
Anakin bounces ahead of Obi-Wan, skidding to a stop when the Nautolan Knight rounds the corner.
"Eemmi?" Obi-Wan asks, seeming slightly surprised.
"Or there's something else you two could do, just for the night," she suggests, almost amused for some reason.
Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow. "What?"
"What about watching that fireworks show?"
"That does define as excitement seeking if there's no reason –"
Eemmi huffs. "I know. But I think he could use the night off."
Anakin blinks. Him? Why would he? He doesn't have time for that, especially after he spent all evening breaking rules.
Obi-Wan hesitates a long pause, before deflating. "Well, Anakin? What do you say?"
What's he supposed to say? This isn't something they're supposed to do, but the Knights are apparently offering it to him? Is it a test or is Eemmi serious? But then he remembers those explosions and – "They're... loud," Anakin says, squirming, "It's –"
Something shifts in Eemmi's expression that he can't make sense of. "And it reminds you of... things," she says.
How does she know that?
Obi-Wan seems confused, but Eemmi doesn't offer to explain. "Well, I'm sure there's somewhere you can go that you won't have to hear it, but you can still get a good view."
"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," Obi-Wan grumbles, though he doesn't seem overly annoyed. He gestures for Anakin to follow, and he hurries after him.
The offer is strange, but Anakin is admittedly grateful. After what happened earlier, he's so worn out, even if that doesn't excuse him from doing his work and he knows that. He's a little wary about watching this show after what happened earlier, but –
He doesn't want to say no if he's being offered this.
They stop somewhere briefly for Obi-Wan to get ice for his eye, and it only takes him a moment to realize that it's frozen water. Which is so cool.
Literally, and he rubs it all over his face just for fun.
"... You're supposed to keep it on your eye to take the swelling down," Obi-Wan interjects.
Fine.
Anakin deflates a little but does as he's told. He shouldn't be wasting or playing with water, anyway. It does seem to help a little with the swelling, before long.
They head for one of the upper halls in the Temple, once that's taken care of. The walls up here are too soundproof to hear anything, but the windows are almost floor to ceiling, giving a good view of the Coruscant sky.
Outside, Anakin can see bright flashes of colorful light in the sky, and it is beautiful, now that he doesn't have to hear the explosions, or be afraid of how he's breaking the rules.
"What are they?" he asks, bouncing over to the window, pressing his hands on the sill as he stares up at the sky. "How do they do that?"
"They're explosives," Obi-Wan replies, "Designed for different colors when they go off."
"It's so wizard," he breathes.
"Yes," he agrees dryly, "I suppose."
Something between them feels easier now, or maybe it's that Obi-Wan feels less like a master Anakin has no idea how to connect with or – or anything. It actually feels a little more like he can talk to him, or at least he hopes that's true.
Either way, the thought of being at the Temple for the indefinite future, with no one but Obi-Wan, feels a little more bearable now. More like he can handle it, even if he still misses Mom terribly.
It feels more like he actually belongs here, maybe, like he actually has a future as a Jedi.
Final Notes: Reviews are always appreciated! ^-^
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