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#maybe padme shows up every once and a while. his longing isn’t overwhelming. it’s not rushed lust.
engagemythrusters · 11 months
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okay okay okay.
So the truth about Anakin is that everything around him shapes him into who he is. That’s true of every person. His decisions are made based on what he thinks to be true, and what he thinks to be true is heavily influenced by Palpatine. And what isn’t influenced by Palps is directly manipulated into him. And he is likewise influenced by Obi-Wan and Padme and his past.
His choices and decisions, being based on all of these things, could easily have gone wholly different had his sphere of life been changed even in little ways. If he had talked less to Palps. If he had opened more to Obi-Wan. If Padme hadn’t been away for ten whole years. If his mother had been freed. If… well, you get the picture.
And that’s very interesting. Because, again. This is true for all of us. Little things truly do make us.
Anyway all this to say I want some small thing to change the whole story of Star Wars for a fun Anakin Is Not As Fucked Up (But Still Pretty Fucked) AU.
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phoenixyfriend · 3 years
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That One Fucked-Up Rexwalker AU
OKAY so people showed interest in this! Cool! This is... actually you know what, yeah, this falls into dead dove territory. It's kind of angst with a happy ending? At the very least it's hurt/comfort.
Warnings: rape as psychological torture by an enemy party, later dubious consent by parties that are at least trying to make it consensual but the situation makes it difficult to navigate
This was inspired partially by the first chapter of this collection by @the-writing-mill, which features Obi-Wan getting absolutely railed by a fucking machine set up by droids who don't understand consent. I got to thinking about the set-up and slid sideways into a slightly different context.
So Anakin, in all his shitty luck, gets captured, as one does. Whoever captures him has strict instructions to avoid physically damaging him or permanently fucking up his connection to the Force, because they'd like to use him as a weapon eventually, but to play around with his psychological damage in whatever way suits.
We'll say it's Ventress, who vastly prefers horrifying physical damage for torture, or killing/hurting people's loved ones in front of them, and now has to get creative to deal with Skywalker, because for whatever reason, she only managed to get Anakin and not any of his friends.
Obviously, Palpatine is the one saying 'don't damage the good.' She doesn't know that, though, just that Dooku said His Sith Master said to leave Skywalker intact for later.
So the easy route to psychological damage is, well, rape. But she's not into him, and there aren't really any other sentients in her little torture castle, but last she checked Skywalker is really needy? She's picked up on the fact that this guy really loves Having people.
She handles it: strip him down, strap him down, and get a fucking machine involved. Naked and cold and with a pipe leaking from the ceiling. Let a protocol droid keep an eye on things so he doesn't have some kind of permanent physical damage, but basically just have him unceasingly fucked for like a week, sometimes edging and sometimes forcing and sometimes just really digging into the oversensitivity, whether he's awake or asleep or what. Nothing but air and metal, and sometimes Ventress when she comes by to taunt him. There's magic involved to up his sexual craving without making it any easier on him.
It's fucked up but he does get saved! Eventually!
Ventress did her job, didn't enjoy it, and doesn't care that he's gone. She has people to kill, okay, she's bored.
So, you know, Anakin needs time to recover. He doesn't try to argue that he doesn't, at least partly because he's having trouble standing. He'll be fine! Stop worrying, guys! It's fine!
It's not fine, everyone tells him, because that was fucked!
It takes a while to get back to Coruscant. It's normally a few days, but there's a disruption on the hyperlane they'd use, sooooooo they're stuck.
Anakin tries to make some calls to Padme. When the calls connect, she helps. Obi-Wan was part of the rescue team, so he's there to do what he can, but Anakin keeps flinching away. Ahsoka is helpful because Anakin's hindbrain reads her as Not A Threat, but nobody's telling her what kind of torture Anakin was dealing with, because she's Designated Baby.
Anakin is alternately overwhelmed by physical touch and craving it, and the fact that he just got the Force back isn't helping.
(It later comes to light that the reason he flinches from Obi-Wan and Ahsoka is because they've got the Force and a person with the Force approaching for that week meant Ventress, and that's--not great. And it's just a LOT and REALLY BRIGHT after his time in the Force-nullifying cuffs.)
So Anakin spends a lot of time alone, craving people while being deeply unnerved by the ones he's most able to ask for that sort of thing (his master and padawan). Rex is one of a handful of clones that volunteer to check in on Anakin until they get to Coruscant. He's not the only one who walks in on Anakin shifting uncomfortably and looking red in the face, but he's the one that actually asks about it.
Anakin, with some prodding, does not admit to the problem. He does, however, admit to a different problem, and asks if Rex would be okay with a hug, or maybe putting an arm around Anakin's shoulder, or--actually, no, this is stupid, forget he said anythi-- Rex sits down next to him and pulls Anakin into his side and just lets Anakin relax into him.
Anakin starts shivering. Shuddering. Crying, after a while. Rex lets it happen and tries not to panic, just rubs an hand up and down Anakin's arm.
They don't really talk about it, but Anakin does end up cuddling with Rex for a few hours a day while they try to get everyone home, and Anakin's kind of on enforced medical leave, so he can't really help until Obi-Wan comes up with a solution that gives Anakin a job directly.
Rex finally gets an answer to why Anakin keeps looking uncomfortable and close to tears but embarrassed about it. He doesn't, for the record, press for that answer. Instead, he accidentally walks in on Anakin three fingers deep in his own ass and whining into his pillow.
Which is. Awkward.
Obviously.
Turns out whatever Ventress did to him has him feeling incredibly empty without something to plug him up! It sucks! He hates it! He's been trying very hard not to submit to this need, but it's still there and he needs to be filled up and just snapped and had to do something about it!
This is, as you can imagine, not a comfortable conversation for anyone, but Rex tries to cheer him up with "Well, Jedi have stipends, right? You can probably find, uh, a toy, right? Once we're back on Coruscant? Or the Senator...?"
Anakin doesn't want Padme to know.
Anakin is also near tears but that's. Well. Rex is used to that by now.
(Anakin isn't using shipboard fabricators to make a dildo or plug because have fun explaining that on the expense report!)
So Rex is in this awkward position of having to comfort his recently-more-traumatized-than-before superior officer, whom he just walked in on furiously and tearfully masturbating due to said trauma...
And Rex is pretty much just like "Dude, please call your wife and have her talk you through the... whole... thing... I'm just, I think you'd probably feel less upset about having to fill yourself or whatever if she was talking you through it?"
They drop the subject for a bit, but Anakin is still Fucked Up in many ways, including new and exciting ones, and it turns out he hasn't been sleeping! And only sleeps if there's someone he trusts nearby!
So obviously Rex volunteers because fuck it, it's not like there's anything about his General he hasn't seen yet, right? So, yeah! Sleepy cuddles! Intended to be platonic!
Rex wakes up hard and flushed and with a very much still asleep Anakin grinding his ass against Rex's crotch.
Which, under significantly different circumstances, he'd not be upset by... But given literally everything going on, um. No?
Rex has no idea what to do, so he just kind of lays there and tries to shift away so his back is pressed to the wall and Anakin isn't accidentally trying to fuck himself in his sleep. Which works.
For about fifteen minutes.
And then Anakin is whining and shuffling back and Rex just tries to wake him up like Dude, You Don't Actually Want This, You Told Me You Don't Want This
And they separate and avoid each other and shower, and Rex leaves to go do Things while Anakin continues to try to meditate away what trauma he can before they get back to Coruscant for extremely long mandated therapy.
Rex shows up that evening to cuddle again, but Anakin tries to turn him away because He Can't Be Sexually Assualting His Friends In His Sleep, so he should honestly just sleep alone, right? Right, okay, bye Rex, Anakin is so sorry about this morning--
And Rex interrupts that he's not actually upset about it, he's just upset about Anakin being in this position, and Anakin doesn't actually want Rex so that's kind of upsetting, and Rex would be very open to this later after the war when they're not in a position to fuck up their entire legion with a change in dynamics--
And this goes back and forth for a bit before Rex realizes that Anakin does actually want him, and did before this whole Situation happened, and Anakin realizes that Rex is interested in him and NOT just trying to 'do his duty for his Jedi' or whatever.
And anyway, it turns into some very sweet lovemaking every night where Anakin gets to fall asleep with a cock in his ass, filled with cum, with Padme's blessing, until they get to Coruscant and he can find a plug for the nights they're not together (and also some therapy).
When Obi-Wan finds out they're fucking, he's actually furious and ALSO unsure of which one's taking advantage of the other.
Initially assumes Rex is taking advantage of Anakin's recent emotional traumas. Anakin protests that he asked Rex for this, and Obi-Wan is asking in horror if Anakin ordered one of the soldier under his command to do this, and it all just kind of goes very poorly.
Everyone means well. Nobody really succeeds at it.
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winterskywrites · 6 years
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Regular Reinvented love, Padme (and maybe Anakin) find Obi-Wan’s lack of knowledge about his birth family disturbing. Surely someone in his bio family must have seen the couple’s wonderful partner on the holonet and want to meet their family member. Obi-Wan just has a bad feeling about this... too bad his feeling was right. (Family snafu)
I apologize for how long this took. This can really only be loosely defined as a “snafu” (it’s more of an awkward family reunion), but on the plus side it’s pretty long! This takes place a while into the future of the Reinvent Love ‘verse; it’s been about four years since the events of Melt Your Headaches, Call It Home.
“We don’t have to do this, you know.”
“If we’re encouraging our students to keep in contact with their families, we should do it too,” Anakin says firmly. “I can’t, but you can.”
Obi-Wan crosses his arms tightly over his chest. “It’s a bit late to keep in touch. They haven’t seen me for over forty years.”
“Imagine if you hadn’t seen Luke and Leia for forty years,” Padmé says. “Would you still want to see them again?”
“You know I would,” Obi-Wan replies, sounding irritated.
“So your parents will want to see you,” Padmé states. “Anyway, we’re nearly here. It’s a bit late to turn around now.”
“I’ve never been to Stewjon before,” Anakin says, looking out the window of the ship. “It looks like a nice place.”
“It’s a small planet,” Obi-Wan says. “It’s not even part of the Senate. They may be… overwhelmed at having the Empress here.”
“We’re not coming here in any official capacity,” Padmé says. “You’re coming here because this is where your parents live, and Anakin and I are coming with you because we love you.”
“Anyway, we did send a message ahead,” Anakin adds. “So they’ve had some time to prepare.”
Obi-Wan huffs a little and stares out the window. Anakin and Padmé share a look. Obi-Wan has pushed back at every opportunity, trying to either cancel this trip or delay it as long as possible. He’s been masking his feelings from his bond with Anakin, but Anakin can still tell that he’s nervous. He supposes it makes sense, but it’s no reason not to make this trip.
“Here we are,” the pilot calls from the front of the ship as they descend over the landing pad.
“Come on,” Anakin says to Obi-Wan, grabbing his arm and pulling him over to the ramp. Padmé takes Obi-Wan’s other arm and follows. “Let’s be sure we look good for their first look at us.”
“Anakin-” Obi-Wan groans, but the ship lands, and before he can say anything else, Anakin uses the Force to lower the ramp.
The second it opens, they’re immediately hit with a wall of noise. People are cheering loudly, there are banners everywhere, and there’s loud music playing. After a moment, Anakin realizes that the people are chanting something. A moment later, he realizes what it is.
“Our Jedi is back! Our Jedi is back!”
“Sounds like everyone is pretty excited to see you,” Anakin says, nudging Obi-Wan with his elbow. “Come on, let’s go out and greet your adoring public.”
Obi-Wan looks tense, and his jaw is set so firmly Anakin’s surprised his teeth haven’t cracked, but he allows Anakin and Padmé to lead him down the ramp. The cheering only gets louder as people get a good look at him. Anakin notices that there are a few signs with Obi-Wan’s face on them. He wants one.
The crowd parts as they get to the ground, ushering them in the direction of a huge outdoor pavilion. Anakin can see a few people standing inside, including a woman wearing a regal-looking gown and an older couple.
It takes a few minutes to reach the pavilion. Once they do, the regal woman steps up to them, a soft smile on her face. She’s young, probably a few years younger than Anakin. Her gown is gold and red, and she has a gold crown nestled in her blonde hair. Her lips are painted gold as well, and there are gold tattoos curling around her eyes. Anakin recognizes her from the holos Padmé showed him when they researched Stewjon.
“Welcome,” the queen says, her brown eyes warm. “It’s an honor to have you visit our planet, Empress Amidala, Knight Skywalker.” She looks at Obi-Wan and her smile widens. “Knight Kenobi, we’re so glad you’ve come home.”
“We’re grateful for your hospitality,” Padmé says when it becomes clear that Obi-Wan isn’t going to reply. “I apologize for myself and Knights Skywalker and Kenobi. It’s been a long journey.”
“Of course,” the queen replies. “I’ll have an attendant bring you to your rooms. I would only ask that you meet two people first.” She gestures, and the older couple steps forward. Anakin immediately recognizes them, even though he’s never seen them before. The family resemblance is obvious.
“These are Shel-Aja and Jan-Char Kenobi,” the queen says. “Knight Kenobi, these are your parents.”
Anakin can feel Obi-Wan’s flicker of panic through their bond. He clearly hadn’t expected to be faced with his parents this early. None of the panic shows on Obi-Wan’s face, but Anakin knows him well enough to read it in the stiffness of his bow.
“Obi-Wan,” Shel-Aja says, her voice reverent. “You’ve finally come home to us.”
“I’m honored to meet you,” Obi-Wan says. His voice is too much like a politician, like the Negotiator, and not enough like a son meeting his parents for the first time. Anakin shoots Padmé a quick look, hoping for damage control.
“We’re so happy to meet you,” Padmé says warmly. “We’ve all been so excited to come. We hope to spend a lot of time with you after we rest.”
“We apologize that our third couldn’t be here,” Jan-Char says. “But someone had to watch the shop, and we didn’t meet Kyr-La until after you were born, so she insisted that we go without her.”
“Your third?” Anakin asks.
“On Stewjon, relationships traditionally take the form of a triad,” the queen says. “I have two wives, and Kyr-La is Jan-Char and Shel-Aja’s partner.” She smiles. “Many were pleased when you announced your partners, Knight Kenobi. Family is very important on Stewjon.”
“Family is very important,” Shel-Aja repeats, smiling at Obi-Wan, who offers her a too-bland smile in return.
Padmé and the queen share a quick look. “I’ll have someone lead you to your rooms,” the queen says. She snaps and a servant comes up quickly. “I hope you’ll enjoy your time on Stewjon.”
“I’m sure we will,” Anakin replies with a smile.
Obi-Wan bows again, and Anakin follows suit. Padmé inclines her head at the queen, who inclines her head back. For a moment, Anakin thinks Shel-Aja is going to try to give Obi-Wan a hug, but thankfully, she refrains. Instead, the servant is able to lead them away in peace.
Their rooms, which are in the guest wing of the queen’s palace, are expansive and elegant. They consist of a sitting room, a bedroom, and a small room that is either an office or a dressing room. “This is nice,” Anakin says, looking around. “Stewjon seems pretty nice, doesn’t it?”
“It is nice,” Padmé agrees. “And the queen is lovely.”
Obi-Wan is conspicuously silent. “What do you think, Obi-Wan?” Anakin finally asks.
“I need to meditate,” Obi-Wan says. Before Anakin or Padmé can say anything, he disappears into the office/dressing room and closes the door behind him.
Anakin and Padmé share a look. “That could have gone better,” Anakin finally says.
“Do you understand why he’s so upset?” Padmé asks. “Are all of the Jedi like this?”
“None of the other Masters have been able to visit their families,” Anakin replies. “But Obi-Wan’s never been back to Stewjon. Plo has been to Dorin, and Luminara has been to Mirial. Maybe that makes it easier for them.”
“It could also just be that he’s Obi-Wan,” Padmé says dryly.
“Could be,” Anakin agrees.
Padmé looks at the closed door. “Do you think he’ll be okay?”
“I think he will be,” Anakin says, but he’s shooting glances at the door too.
They rest until dinner, which is a strained affair. Obi-Wan is charming, but in the way he is with strangers or political opponents he’s trying to win over, not in the way a son should be with his parents. Shel-Aja, Jan-Char, and their third Kyr-La all want to speak with Obi-Wan, of course, but Anakin and Padmé try their best to steer him towards the queen and her wives instead, as subtly as they can. Obi-Wan, for his part, seems more comfortable with them as well. Talking with planetary leaders is, somewhat ironically, more natural to him than talking with parents, especially his own.
After dinner, they all retreat into the queen’s sitting room. Anakin finds himself embroiled in a conversation with the two queens consort. The queen is talking with Padmé, and Obi-Wan finds himself faced with his parents.
Clearly, Anakin thinks to himself, this was by design.
Calm down, he sends to Obi-Wan through their bond, feeling his tension. They just want to get to know you. They’re happy to meet you.
I know, Obi-Wan sends back, but his tension doesn’t decrease. Even while caught in his own conversation, Anakin can tell that the atmosphere between Obi-Wan and his parents is strained. Anakin can only half focus on what the queens consort are saying to him, which thankfully seems to amuse them rather than irritate them, and he can see that Padmé seems distracted as well.
By the time it’s finally deemed late enough that they all disperse for bed, Obi-Wan is incredibly tense, which is bleeding over through their bond and making Anakin tense, which is bleeding over into the air around them and making Padmé tense. For a moment, Anakin wonders if perhaps they should have taken Obi-Wan’s advice and not made this trip, but then he remembers how thrilled Shel-Aja and Jan-Char were when they saw Obi-Wan for the first time, and he can’t really bring himself to regret it. He knows how much it would mean to him to see Luke and Leia again, if they were ever separated like this. He already misses Luke and Leia, who are staying on Alderaan with the Organas, and it’s only been a day.
“Your parents seem lovely, Obi-Wan,” Padmé says, apparently giving up on subtlety.
“I suppose,” Obi-Wan replies mildly.
“What did they want to talk about?”
Obi-Wan’s gaze skitters sideways. “They want to take me to their family house. Apparently, it’s where I was born and where I lived for the first six months of my life.”
“That sounds lovely,” Padmé says. “Maybe you could go with them tomorrow. Anakin and I have to meet with the queen, but you could go.”
“We do?” Anakin asks.
Padmé shoots him a glare when Obi-Wan isn’t looking, but her expression smoothes out quickly. “I forgot to tell you. The queen asked to see us while she and I were talking in the sitting room. Apparently, her wives like you quite a bit.” Padmé smiles at Obi-Wan. “She likes you too, but she knew that your parents would want to spend time with you.”
“I could go with you,” Obi-Wan says. “Shel-Aja and Jan-Char didn’t specifically ask me to go with them tomorrow.”
“We only have a week of time off,” Padmé says. “Getting here takes almost a full day, so we really only have five more until we need to head back to Coruscant. I’m sure your parents will want to spend as much time with you as possible.”
Obi-Wan’s lips thin a little, but he doesn’t protest. “In that case, I should get some rest. I understand that people traditionally rise with the sun on Stewjon.”
“We should all get some rest,” Padmé says. “The bed is more than big enough for three.”
Obi-Wan is mostly silent as they all get ready for bed. By silent agreement, Anakin and Padmé settle at his sides when they climb in, giving him the middle space. Obi-Wan opens his mouth to protest, but Padmé rests her head on his chest and whatever words he intended to say are silenced. Anakin nestles against his side, one arm draped over Obi-Wan’s stomach. It takes a while, but finally, the tension leaks out of Obi-Wan’s body. He isn’t quite asleep, but he’s close.
Anakin accepts the victory and falls asleep.
Obi-Wan gets somewhat more relaxed the longer they stay on Stewjon, but he never fully loses the tension in his shoulders. Anakin and Padmé push him to spend time with his parents as much as possible, sometimes with one or both of them there but often alone. As a result, they end up spending a lot of time with the queen and her consorts, all of whom turn out to be completely charming. Anakin finds out that one of the consorts is pregnant by the other, who’s transgender. All three women are very excited about the prospect of a baby. They’re also all willing to teach the tourists all about Stewjoni traditions, so Anakin ends up learning more than he expected. They even teach him a bit of the native language of Stewjon, although most of their conversations are spoken in Galactic Basic.
Anakin also gets to spend time with Obi-Wan’s parents, although he actually ends up spending more time with Kyr-La. She normally tends to hang back a bit while Shel-Aja and Jan-Char are spending time with Obi-Wan, as do Anakin and Padmé, so the three of them end up spending time together. She’s a lovely woman, and very maternal even though she doesn’t have any children. After Obi-Wan went to Coruscant to become a Jedi, his parents never had another child. Anakin wonders if that’s part of the reason why they seem almost fixated on Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, for his part, is still too stiff around his parents, but at least he’s not avoiding them anymore.
The visit passes quickly, and before they know it, the last day comes and Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan attend their farewell dinner in the queen’s banquet hall. It’s a huge, sumptuous meal, augmented by good conversation. Anakin has to admit, he’s a bit sorry to bid farewell to Stewjon, even though he misses Luke and Leia almost more than he can bear.
“We’ll be sorry to see you leave,” the queen says as the final course is taken away. “We hope you come visit again soon.”
“We’re sorry to go,” Padmé says. “We’ll come back as soon as we make time.”
“Of course, you’ll want to see Obi-Wan as soon as possible,” Shel-Aja says amicably.
Padmé blinks, looking a little thrown. She shares a quick look with Anakin, then Obi-Wan. “Do you mean you’ll want to see Obi-Wan?” she asks slowly.
Jan-Char laughs. “We won’t have to worry about that! He’ll be right here with us!”
Padmé’s eyes widen a little. She shoots a look at Obi-Wan, but he looks as confused as she does. “I think there’s some sort of misunderstanding here.”
“Obi-Wan is staying, isn’t he?” Shel-Aja asks, beginning to look a bit confused herself. “We were told he was returning.”
“For a visit,” Padmé says. “He’s not…”
“I’m going back to Coruscant with Anakin and Padmé,” Obi-Wan says. “This has always been the plan.”
“But you said you were returning,” Shel-Aja repeats.
Suddenly, Anakin thinks he understands. “Does that mean something else in your language?”
The queen seems to understand at the same time as Anakin does. “In our language, if we say someone is returning, it is permanent. Does it not mean that for you?”
Padmé’s mouth drops into a little O. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. For us, it just means coming back to a place we’ve been, but it doesn’t mean permanently. It can, but we didn’t-”
“You’re leaving us,” Shel-Aja says, staring at Obi-Wan in horror. “You’re going away again.”
“I have a life on Coruscant,” Obi-Wan says. “I have partners, we have children-”
“You have parents here!” Shel-Aja cries. She jumps to her feet. Anakin can see the tears in her eyes. “How can you leave us?”
“Shel-Aja-” Jan-Char tries, but Shel-Aja ignores him, dashes at the tears on her cheeks, and flees the room.
“I apologize for my wife,” Jan-Char says, quickly standing. Kyr-La is standing as well. “We’ll go-”
“Let me go,” Obi-Wan says.
The entire table seems to freeze. Are you sure? Anakin asks him mentally, and in response, Obi-Wan lets Anakin feel his resolve. He’s clearly still a little uncomfortable, but he’s determined to do this himself.
No one says anything. Obi-Wan takes that as agreement. “If I may?” he asks the queen, standing and offering her a bow.
“Go,” she allows, and Obi-Wan leaves after his mother.
The dinner is finished, and the atmosphere in the dining room is tense, so everyone removes to the sitting room. It’s not really any less tense in there, but one of the queen’s consorts strikes up a conversation that ends up involving the whole room. It’s nothing serious, but it’s just enough to be distracting.
Obi-Wan and Shel-Aja don’t return for almost an hour. Shel-Aja has the clear signs of tear tracks on her face, and Obi-Wan doesn’t look particularly comfortable, but something about them makes Anakin think their conversation went well. He offers them a smile, and Obi-Wan just barely returns it.
Shel-Aja goes to Jan-Char and Kyr-La, dismissing their questions and offering only small nods. Obi-Wan sits between Anakin and Padmé. Both of them know that he’s not going to want to talk about it until they reach the privacy of their room, so neither of them bother to try.
“Well,” the queen says after a moment. “It’s been a long day for all of us, I’m sure, and tomorrow has an early start, so I think it’s time for all of us to turn in for the night.”
“That’s a good idea,” Padmé agrees. She stands and drops into a light curtsey. Anakin and Obi-Wan follow her example and stand, bowing. “Goodnight, everyone.”
The walk back to their room is silent, but the second the door is closed, Padmé pulls Obi-Wan into a tight embrace. “Are you alright?” she asks.
“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan replies, but he’s holding Padmé as tightly as she’s holding him. “I- Shel-Aja and I talked. She was expecting more of me than I was expecting to give.”
“But you’ve got things settled?” Padmé asks, finally taking a step back, although she doesn’t fully release Obi-Wan.
“I think I do,” Obi-Wan replies.
“We can always come back to visit,” Anakin says. “Maybe next time we can bring Luke and Leia.”
A slow smile curls across Obi-Wan’s face. “I think I would like that.”
The next morning, there are hugs all around as Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan go to their ship to return home. Shel-Aja is especially clingy, but Obi-Wan seems to tolerate the hug more than he ever has before, even going so far as to hug Shel-Aja in return. Anakin would almost say he enjoys it.
Leaving is bittersweet, Anakin reflects as he looks out the window of the ship. Stewjon is receding in the sky, growing smaller and smaller as they fly away. Soon, they’ll make the jump to hyperspace and the planet will disappear from view. Anakin’s thrilled to be going back to Luke and Leia, but…
“Stewjon was lovely,” Padmé says. “I’m glad we came.”
“So am I,” Anakin agrees.
Both of them look at Obi-Wan, but he’s still watching the planet through the window. It’s not until they jump to hyperspace that he turns back to them. There’s a small smile on his face.
“I’m glad we came too.”
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