#// and obi-wan gives him plenty of material to do it with

[battlekilt]

Ahsoka "Anyone but Anakin" Tano

Rexwalker humor—

After she discovers the relationship between Rex and Anakin, Ahsoka lets Rex know just how she feels.

"Anakin, really? Rex, I'm disappointed."

Rex tried not to wince; that hurt. "What's wrong with him—"

She opened her mouth.

"—Don't answer that."

He ignored her utterance of, "We'd be here all week."

And he glared at the addition, "All month," Cody barely got in under his breath. Impressively, he kept his focus on the tactical readout, which Rex thought he was too focused on to pay attention to Ahsoka's reaction.

The Captain sighed, adjusted his helmet, and dared to ask, "Why disappointed?"

"Rex, you could have had ANYONE else but him."

Without thinking, he grumbled, "Doubt it." Which earned him several cast looks his way of incredulity and exasperation. Even Commander Cody looked away from the comfort of his topographic rendering of the city they were about to storm.

Someone said, "Rex, you fool." It might have been the Marshal Commander, who was already looking once again at the holoprojection.

Besides the point that he didn't want anyone else, Rex's curiosity won out, "Oh, like who?"

Hands on hips, Ahsoka said without hesitation, "Master Obi-Wan."

Cody's head was raised so fast it might have gotten a crick in his neck, "Not if the bastard wants to live." The implication was heavy in his tone: 'Not my vod'ika.'

Obi-Wan, who had somehow managed to ignore the exchange, even his suggestion, looked at his Commander with pinched brows, "Cody, that's mutiny. You'll be executed!"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Cody had made clear that over the years he had begun to construct a creative list of ways to dispose the bodies of obnoxious Jedi Generals who flirted too much, didn't wear their armor, and overall tested the patience of their Marshal Commanders.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, but stayed out of their dramatics. Cody and Obi-Wan were always entertaining, particularly when Kenobi got in the mood to irritate his Commander further and see how far he could push the man without testing the creative disposal list.

"Master Secura," She blurted out.

Rex... actually contemplated it. "She's... one of General Skywalker's crèche... uh... vod'e, right?" Keep expectations low: he's a Clone, Jedi nonsense still confused him as much as the dead-language of Gree's beloved extinct races. "Would that... make him uncomfortable?"

"It isn't about him. It is about you doing better."

Cody, ever helpful and suggestive in his own right, offered a rare stamp of approval, "Commander Bly wouldn't mind."

Obi-Wan looked at the reports on their up-coming battle, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

Under his breath, the Commander muttered, "I knew your hearing was going, you old man."

While Obi-Wan glared playfully and fondly, an expression ignored by its target: Cody, Ahsoka tossed out another name, "Vos!"

"Annoying General Kenobi is more Cody—"

"Don't you dare. While I'll go for lunch to dig up dirt on General Kenobi... no. Just... No."

Obi-Wan carefully handed Ahsoka a datapad. Which, when looked at, revealed to be the current roster of active Jedi Knights.

Rex wished he hadn't peaked.

Looking far too eager to help, Ahsoka thanked him.

Anakin came up out of no-where, and stood somewhere behind Rex's right pauldron. "What's going on?"

"Cody's contemplating my murder... again." "I'm always doing that."

Rex answered, "Ahsoka is going through the whole roster of Jedi Knights to suggest alternative... partners of interest than yourself."

Anakin blinked, then looked at his Padawan, "Are you starting with just the Knights or Masters?"

"I was just going to go in alphabetical order."

"Might want to narrow down the ages."

Cody's deep voice pointed out, "There are no twelve-year-old Knights."

Once more, he was ignored, "Aaijcolt, Afarbet?"

"Ahsoka."

"No, you're right—I don't think that many tentacles would be your thing... and the ability to share an oxygen-rich environment might be important..."

"Commander!!"

Obi-Wan had come to peer over her shoulder to take a sneak peek at the next offerings, "Oh, that's a nice one. It's always rather charming with me. We've had tea a few times," after a thought, "Well, I had tea. It... ate their algae. But still, It has always been a good companion, and Its translator's voice is rather soothing."

Together, Anakin and Rex cried out, "Obi-Wan!" and "General Kenobi!"

"Onto the next—"

[x-authorship-x]

Say what you will about Qui-Gon - and fandom definitely has a lot to say about him, most of it unfounded by the source material and exaggerated as all hell based on misinformation and a desire for Obi-Wan whump - but if you look at the actual books and the movie without bad faith blinders on, there's no denying that he loves Obi-Wan so very much. He's pretty bad at outright saying it, and Obi-Wan is insecure enough that he often tends to assume the worst, so there's plenty of miscommunication between them especially at first, but Qui-Gon does love him. A lot. And tries to be better for him, to work past the untreated trauma that Xanatos gave him.

He's obviously not prefect, and quite often it's like "please, just talk to each other! It'd clear up so much so fast!", but this trend of Qui-Gon being cold and dismissive of Obi-Wan is just objectively wrong. I know you've never read the books, and am unsure if you've watched The Phantom Menace, but just. The look he gives Obi-Wan as he's dying, so full of love and affection as he tenderly brushes his cheek as his last action. The way he talks about Obi-Wan in the books, awkward and fumbling and scared of screwing things up but still so willing to try, because Obi-Wan is worth it to him. Whatever faults he has, however he's screwed up, the one thing he did not do was fail to wholeheartedly love Obi-Wan.

And personally I find that makes Obi-Wan's heartbreak over losing Qui-Gon even more impactful. Sure it's sad if he's mourning someone who didn't care back, but to lose someone who was basically his parent and who genuinely loved and cared for him? To have him die in his arms and, judging by the look on his face, open up the training bond to send him all the love that he didn't have the breath to say? It would have been gutting. That kind of loss is much more devastating (to me, at least). And given some of the adopted parent-child feelings you've given Shisui in the past, I feel like it'd be more interesting to you too? Might be off the mark on that though, in which case, sorry for the unprompted... character assessment? Or whatever this is. Midnight thoughts I thought you might be interested and wanted to share.

Oh hello! I'm gonna assume this is prompted by my tag that says something along the lines of "qui-gon critical because I can't miss a chance to take a shot?"

I picked 'critical' instead of 'bashing' or even any of the 'bad parent'/'A+ parenting' tags because I'm deffo not gonna just toss in a load of salt about qui-gon being a useless cold bastard haha, no it's more like you said about the sheer lack of communication and also the frankly terrible rollercoaster of Obi-wan's padawan years. I agree that there was a great deal of love and care between Qui-gon and Obi-wan but they're a classic case of the problems in Yoda's damned lineage... I genuinely think it would kill them all, on the damned SPOT, to try and say the word "love" aloud

Like.... EVERYONE GO TO THERAPY and also family counseling whilst you're at it

Qui-Gon is just.... his relationship with Obi-wan just had So. Many. Moments. And you want to just... just say sorry, say that he's doing well, say that you're trying, say that you trust him and you're proud and you'll be there. Oh, you can't because that's attachment? Hate to break it to you, IDIOTS, but avoiding saying the words that match the fucking actions - as if the Darkside is waiting to pounce from above - is the same as covering your face and thinking you'll win at hide-and-seek.... deluded!

ANYWAY sorry I got a bit passionate there, I like to pick up canon's nonsense ideas about emotional constipation, nod sagely, and then toss them in a wood chipper :)

There won't be qui-gon bashing - just judging, which no one is safe from - since I can't even commit to bashing Kylo Ren and him I really do hate 😂

And you're not off the mark at all, Anon, you've got my number because.... yeah, I can never ever resist platonic feels and Obi-wan's relationship with Anakin especially is going be a tear-jerker of tenderness

[phoenixyfriend]

Disaster Lineage on SpaceTube

With help from @atagotiak.

AU where Anakin, to destress during the war, starts making SpaceTube videos (Ahsoka likes video editing and uses this for practice, she's very excited to help).

But all of them are Knife Guy style of slightly threatening ASMR that goes in strange directions without ever being actually ominous but still make you feel like there's SOMETHING about to just. What.

Less knives and more... Weirdass junkyard electronics. Something more to do with droids or engines, while still providing plenty of opportunity to just go ham with polymers and whatnot.

Ahsoka: You're cool if I put these up on the holonet, right?

Anakin: Sure, if there's nothing that indicates who we are or where we're going. Opsec is important!

Ahsoka: Great!

[several months later]

Mace: Knight Skywalker, please tell me you're not the one giving people nightmares about old-fashioned radios.

Anakin: I'm what?

Anakin knows what's in the videos before they go up, specifically for the aforementioned opsec reasons, but he didn't know people were getting nightmares about it.

Ahsoka's also been playing director and keeps telling him to do something The Weird Way, so he knows she's going with 'no voice, just exaggerated ASMR' and absurd tangents to get things they could have just bought at a store, but he didn't know they were getting popular or were that unnerving.

Obi-Wan has established himself as a weirdass nerd. Often lit but occasionally zoology and also biology (brainworms anyone?) so he maybe also helps with weird stuff. He does a guest spot on the channel showing how to do an old-fashioned book-binding but it's done in the same "how the FUCK did that make an adhesive???" way as Anakin's.

(No faces, but they know it's a different person, because Anakin always wears gloves. His prosthesis is too distinctive to show. There are many, many theories about this.)

Snips specifically challenges them on how to explain something using minimal words (like how knife guy will explain why a certain process works with one chemical and another chemical, but that it works best with both chemicals plus heat, using only visuals, their chemical names, and a hardness meter).

Every dozen or so videos there's a completely voiceless GoPro helmet video of Ahsoka doing parkour through a major metropolis. Usually she does Coruscant, but sometimes she does her runs through a big city that any person with some disposable income or a job that requires travel (or, say, the daughter of someone who does long haul space trucking and tags along on school breaks) could feasibly end up in. Between that and the staggered upload dates, nobody can parse that she's following army deployments.

(She can't do it in the Wild because if she does that, someone might be able to doxx her as part of the 501st based on the vegetation.)

The Council does find out but like. As weird and confusingly ominous as it all is, at least it's a safe and harmless way to de-stress without breaking the code. Very "let the kids have their fun."

The 501st clones start their own channels (still going through Anakin or Rex or one of the scouts for OpSec) doing similar Silent Horror Crafting and lbr I feel like at least one of the guys in demolitions WOULD be, specifically, Knife Guy. They can't share any REAL weapons, obviously, but stupidly weird knives? Hell yeah.

Hardcase would be the equivalent explosives guy, but... all the same sharing a step by step way to make unconventional explosives is much much worse than sharing how to make weird knives. Sure the information is probably already available but lets not make it more available. A weirdass chocolate knife is no more dangerous than a normal kitchen knife.

So he goes "Well, I know a decent amount about materials engineering, nobody cares that much about knives, and the general can tell me if anything I use is impossible for Coruscant Civvies to get."

Ahsoka's videos always end with her stepping somewhere she can cast a shadow against a wall and give a thumbs up. There's just enough detail to confirm she's a Togruta, but she's wearing gloves and full sleeves so they don't even know her skin shade or anything.

Just shadow on a wall, giving a thumbs up.

That's probably the channel profile image. One of these, just with montrals:

There are debates on whether the three sets of always gloved hands are the same person and/or what species they are. Four sets, bc there's at least one clone contributor.

I feel like, after the war is over (we are going for a HAPPY ENDING), and opsec is no longer quite the worry it was, they do a video of three side-by-sides that all play into each other (e.g. Ahsoka's runs involve picking up ingredients that she passes into the next frame just as Anakin needs them, the weird tiny oven that Anakin makes in part one of his video is passed along to be used for the baking of an adhesive for Obi-Wan's bookbinding).

And then the final bit is the screens melding as Ahsoka runs into the workshop they'd rented and the three of them posing at a mirror with whoever the clone cameraguys for Anakin and Obi-Wan's projects were.

FINAL REVEAL but only after the war is over.

There's a lot of screaming from people who were adamant that ONLY A JEDI could make that speeder jump because THEY WERE RIGHT.

After the big reveal there are now group parkour runs where Ahsoka takes one of her usual paths and lets Anakin and Obi-Wan go ahead of her so they're on camera. One time they land on a speeder for a few seconds, and Aayla leans out of the window below to give them a grin, just to make it clear that she volunteered to help with the bullshit.

Anyway, Knife Guy Anakin rights.

[hellotherekenobi]

───high and dry.

summary: no one can predict what day will be their last, and you don’t want any regrets. it looks like now is as good a time as any to tell obi-wan all you’ve wanted.

tw: angst, mentions of death and injury.

ONESHOT. ⟶ 2,375 WORDS.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

There were plenty of feelings you didn’t enjoy. Disappointment, heartbreak, when you step in a puddle with your socks on. Maybe that last one was the worst, but nothing compares to pain. Real pain. Throbbing pain. The kind that leaves your fingertips tainted red as you try to steady your breaths and keep a clear head. The kind that leaves you with that one dreadful question no one should have to answer: am I going to die?

Yes, says the voice in your head. Yes, if you don’t move. It’s a fiery feeling that bursts at your side when you try to move an inch to the left, something that rips a yelp from your throat that you couldn’t have kept down even if you had tried. It burns but you don’t stop. You keep moving, dragging yourself along the wet ground, nails digging into the mud, until you’re beside the hole. That damned hole that you fell down. Though, that was an understatement. You were pushed down.

Despite the rasp, you call out. Help! Was anyone still there? You couldn’t care less at this moment if the person who remained standing on top was the very same person that ran you through, you just called out with all the might you had and hoped that if anyone would hear you, it would be Obi-Wan.

There was a thud only moments before that came after the sizzle of a lightsaber, and you knew that someone had won the fight. The question kept poking at your mind as you called out, but you were already as good as dead even if a threatening face dropped down to greet you. You didn’t take care to the other question that promised to tear you apart at the answer; if Obi-Wan was the victor or victim. Was he already dead? You’d rather waste away if it were true.

Then came another sound, of someone inching down the hole as small clusters of dirt sprinkled from beneath their boots. You moved your head to the side as you waited, hoping for good. A single slither of dirt came crumbling down as the figure dropped to their feet a little further from where you sat, grunting at the impact. They were weakened from the fight, no doubt, but it was only until they called out your name did you know who it was, and your questions were answered.

“Obi-Wan!” you groan, voice barely loud enough.

You try to move but the effort is too much, being poked by that fiery feeling yet again.

He rushes to your side, skidding along the mud to kneel beside you and raise a hand above your wound. “Oh Maker, no.” he breathes, something unsteady.

“I should have blocked it,” you say.

Obi-Wan shakes his head. “You couldn’t have.”

“I could have fought harder.”

“You fought well.”

“Not well enough.” it’s almost a groan when you say it. Obi-Wan shushes you but you don’t let him. “It doesn’t look good for me.”

“Stop.” he emphasizes, seeing as you ignored his attempts to quieten you. “You’re going to be fine.”

As much as you wanted to believe that, the chances of you being fine were much too slim to get your hopes up. There was only two outcomes of calling for help and one of them was not surviving this. Now that Obi-Wan is here, you’re wondering if you should have simply rolled over and accepted fatality. You couldn’t bare to actually look at the damage, but you know that even calling it a scratch wouldn’t lighten the mood. It was deep. Too deep.

He assesses your wound with more concentration, as if it had changed since the last time he looked. The only thing that changes is how much blood continues to seep out. You’re sure you’re covered in it, coating the ground as well. Despite the amount, Obi-Wan doesn’t give in. He keeps trying to push against the odds.

“If I can just stop the bleeding,” he starts, and you know it’s going to be your turn to shush him.

“Obi-Wan...”

“Keep it wrapped,” he continues. “Then get you out of here.”

“Obi-Wan,” it’s as firm as you can say it. “Look at me.”

He hesitates at first, breathing heavily as if he needs to catch up from all the words he just spoke. You notice the way he’s shaking, ever so much that you’d have to know him well to spot it. You do know him well. You know him well enough to realize he’s affected by this much more than you, and he’s going to crumble unless he can steady himself. But he manages to meet your eyes, however slowly, with that boyish fear lurking beneath the cerulean.

“It’s okay,” you whisper. He shakes his head again. “It’s okay.”

“No, no.” the tears start now, welling in his eyes and threatening to fall. “Don’t leave—don’t leave me.”

It’s not a pretty sight when your hand finds his cheek, painting his skin a deep red. That’s all of you.

“I can’t,” he chokes out. “I can’t... not again.”

He doesn’t make sense, but you don’t voice your thought. The injuries you’ve sported from your other missions haven’t always been small, but you’ve outlived them. Being in a situation as life threatening as this can be counted on one hand, and even that would be excessive. You’ve always bounced back. This time, though, the springs are feeling worn out.

“I can’t lose you too.” he whispers, a tear spilling down his cheek.

“Oh, Obi-Wan,” you breathe, bringing your hand down to grab at the fabric of his tunic, silently cursing at yourself for this very moment and how it had to happen. “I’m so sorry.”

It was like when he was a padawan, wasn’t it? When he had fought beside his master, yet it wasn’t enough at the time. The way Qui-Gon had been slain, it was like how you were attacked—lightsaber pushed into your side. Obi-Wan’s worry and trembling attempts to assure your survival was an instinctual defense mechanism, all because of what he experienced as a boy. Oh, Obi-Wan, you think. Oh, my sweet Obi-Wan. I’ll be brave for you.

“No, not again.” you assure him, swallowing thickly. “My cloak. You can wrap the wound with that.”

You barely have the strength to point over to it, where it lays soaking after it had fallen down the hole much earlier than you had. Obi-Wan hurries to grab it, folding it to thicken the material and have the cleaner side outward.

“Can you sit up?” he asks you.

You sigh, knowing how the fire is going to return again the moment you move, but nod regardless. Obi-Wan scoops a careful arm under your body to tilt you forward and though you try not to curse, the longer you’re in this position the more it stings and you cry out.

Obi-Wan’s quick to return you against the wall, voice rising out of fear. “I thought I could move you.”

“Yes, but I never said it wouldn’t hurt.” the last word comes out in a hiss. You would explain to him that it was because of the pain and not because you’re frustrated, but you doubt he cares about being offended at this point. Honestly, neither should you. “Keep going.”

Though he grunts at your response, he moves you forward again to quickly bring the cloak around your abdomen and wrap what he can before resting you back. The cloak feels tight wrapped around you, but it doesn’t seem to bother your wound. You don’t mention it. Instead, you reach deep within your trouser pocket to pull out your comlink, slick with your blood.

“Since yours broke,” you say, pushing it into Obi-Wan’s open hand.

The comment manages to earn a raspy chuckle from him, though his smile doesn’t stay for long. “I go through too many.”

“Yes and cloaks, too.” when he gives you a look, you crinkle your nose at him. “Such the drama queen.”

“I can’t help it,” it seems to be a half-minded comment before he flicks the comlink open, trying to hide the squeamish look on his face as he pounds a finger down on the button to call, but you catch the way he stares at the blood.

He speaks into the comlink firmly, asking for aid. There’s a rough static acting as a reply before it hisses once and a voice, barely audible, begins to speak. Though Obi-Wan tries to inform the other person as best as he can, there’s too much feedback to get a clear sentence through. He tries again, then again, then once more before a whine screeches out of the speaker and it sends Obi-Wan into a soppy rage you’ve never seen before; slamming the comlink shut as he cries out.

“Hey,” you start, just finding your voice by the end of the word. “It’s okay.”

“They don’t know we’re here,” Obi-Wan bellows. “How can this be okay? I—I’m not a medic. I can’t... I can’t help you.”

The air stays quiet as you wait for Obi-Wan to take a breath, watching the frustration fade from his jaw first and then his brows. You would always tell him that he was not a very good liar because of those eyes of his and the way his brows arch or furrow. You’re the only one who knows me like that, he had told you. You had hoped to know him more before this day came.

“Hold me.”

“What?” he asks, and there’s that boyish look in his eyes again.

It’s what you need right now. Even if it were a silly thought, being held by Obi-Wan could cure any disaster. If there ever were a time to be selfish, it’s now. So, you simply nod your head at him, letting him know you meant what you said, then he’s moving beside you and wrapping an arm around your shoulders to gently lower you—head rested on his lap.

This is it, you think. The perfect place to die. He was still warm, unlike you who was growing colder each minute. He held you comfortably and intimately, something you yearned for since the day you realized just how in love with him you truly are. It’s perfect. You’re in the arms of the man you love.

His hand seeks out yours, holding it tightly. “There’s so much left for us. All the things we always wanted, they’re still waiting for us. So you can’t leave. Okay? You have to stay.”

His words are softer, slower. Not frantic like they had been before. You don’t know if the change in tone is because he believes the words he says or if he’s accepted what you already have. It’s only now, with those words, that it starts to sink in just how unfair this is. You had promises, but what good were they now?

“You’re right,” you say, feeling the tears prickling. “There’s so much... so many things we still haven’t done. So many words I haven’t spoken. So, I’m going to say them now... if you’d listen.”

Obi-Wan nods, moving closer if it were at all possible. “Tell me.”

Licking your lips, you need to coat these words. “I promise... to love you... and to cherish you, til death do us part.”

A sob breaks the flow of your words, both from your own lips and Obi-Wan’s. It rocks you both, shaking down your spine and to your toes. It feels like it rocks the earth as well, and you can barely keep the tears back when Obi-Wan begins crying in earnest now, letting out all of the pain he was holding back to keep him sane. You’d feel the pain too, but your body is numb. It’s been numb for a while and you wouldn’t dare tell him. You just cry with him over the promise you both made to each other and won’t be able to keep—his promise to love you completely, like you love him, and to share a name, share a heart, share a home. All of it is broken now. There’s no hope left.

It was a dream you two shared, of living a life away from the Order and away from the war. A life you could both grow old together in, where your story would be shown in the grey hairs and the wrinkled skin. The stories that could be past down from your children to theirs. The love you share would coat the stars, but your heart will rest between the sparkles until he could meet you again in the next life. Maybe it will treat you kinder.

The image in your head of saying those vows to Obi-Wan properly, somewhere warm and secluded, sits behind your eyelids when you close them, starting to fade in his arms as his cries reverb. You watch the scene where you take his hand and slip the ring on his finger, smiling as bright as the flowers he had picked out. You see his hair shining golden in the sunlight, an iridescent happiness that swells up in his chest as he says I do. You watch him lean to you closer, pressing his lips to yours in a kiss unmatched from all the others. But you feel it too. Now, in this moment outside of your dream, you feel Obi-Wan’s kiss, and you realize when his tears touch your cheeks that he’s giving you the kiss that will last forever, if now was the only time he could promise it.

Without the strength to kiss him back, you let go. You let yourself slip away. You ready your course to the stars to watch over him. Now or never, and now until forever. Though, the stars prove out of your reach when you hear something, and it’s when Obi-Wan’s lips pull away from yours do you recognize the sound. It’s your comlink. It chimes and you can hear Obi-Wan’s voice spring to life, almost washing you over and reviving you, and suddenly your senses awaken when his hand touches your cheek and his voice opens your eyes.

“They’re coming, darling. Hold on.” he smiles, something confident. “And I promise, I’m going to marry you.”

taglist: @penfullofwordsaheadfullofstories @alwayssleepingforreal @yelenacbelova @immoral-rose @bloodybunnyuwu @princessxkenobi @mythandmagik @i-cant-hear-you16 @pradahux @inukako @whyiminlove @cosmicsierra @dxnxdjarxn @voidmalfoy @darthkenobii @iamtracyz @chogisss @nectav @disastereyebags @hellolitty @stareyeddie

[anna-pixie]

padawan -> obi-wan kenobi {part three}

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

hello!! i have written and rewritten this part a lot, and i still can’t decide whether i am completely happy with it, so honest feedback is encouraged!! ty all so much for your love on the last part, i hope you enjoy <3

summary: you and obi-wan head out on another mission, but something has got him in an awful mood (lmk if you guys figure out what his mood is about before the next part!!)

pairings: obi-wan kenobi x reader

warnings: mentions of sex

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

“Y/N, when you said you were serious about your training I expected I would see you there on time each morning.” The familiar lilt of Obi-Wan’s voice jerks you up from your incredibly deep sleep. You wipe away the drool from the corner of your mouth and gaze around your room with bleary eyes. 

There’s nobody there. 

Then a knock sounds from your door and you realise that your Master is too respectful to just barge into your room without permission. 

“Come in, Master.”

You hear the hiss of your door sliding open and smile sheepishly as your favourite bearded face peers around into the unhomely expanse of your room. Unlike the Jedi Masters, padawans weren’t encouraged to decorate their rooms. That’s a privilege earnt through time and experience. You’re thankful that you went to bed wearing a large jumper last night, though as you stretch the material exposes your stomach ever so slightly. 

“I broke my datapad yesterday…” You trail off, knowing that this is the third one you’ve gone through this year, “I didn’t have anything to set an alarm on.” An innocent smile graces your lips as Obi-Wan sighs, sitting next to you on your unmade sheets as he returns it with his own wry grin. 

“Whatever am I going to do with you, Padawan?” You know your Master well enough by now to be able to tell what he is feeling by the tone of his incredibly expressive voice, and thankfully right now he doesn’t seem too annoyed by your lack of care for your datapad. However, you also know that you’re treading on very thin ice, that you’re going to have to start putting a lot more effort in unless you want him to give up on you like everyone else has. 

It’s been a few weeks since you met Ahsoka which gave you the motivation you needed to get back on track. To say it’s been a hard few weeks would be an understatement. You’re up every morning before the light, fighting and learning and meditating with Obi-Wan. The two of you spend a lot of time together alone in the mornings and evenings when most other people in the temple have already retired to bed, but a lot of your time in the day is shared by Anakin - he thinks it is a great idea to train you and Ahsoka together. 

Now that was a kick in the teeth. 

You like Ahsoka, you really do, but it’s so humiliating to be trained alongside someone so much younger than you. Especially in front of the man you’re head over heels in love with. And, as another cherry on top of the cake of your shit life, the senate has been quiet as of late, which means Padme has plenty of free time to come and oversee your training sessions. Keeping an eye on the Jedi Temple, she says, but everyone sees the smiles exchanged between her and her Jedi. It makes you feel queasy. 

How are you supposed to focus on training when your biggest distraction is hanging in front of you everyday?

You have to give it to Obi-Wan, he tries his best to steer you away from the pain caused by seeing Anakin and Padme together. He stands directly in your eyeline when he knows they are near each other, so that you can’t see anything except his smiling face. When Anakin suggests lunch with Ahsoka and Padme, Obi-Wan regretfully informs him of the non-existent prior engagements the two of you have with a sneaky smile your way. 

With all the hardship of the past few weeks, you’re happy with how close it has brought you and your Master. 

“Can we just leave it for today, Master? Please.” You flop back down onto your bed, your eyes remaining on Obi-Wan as you send him your best pleading, doe-eyed look. 

“Sadly, we’ve been called away to war so I’m afraid that isn’t an option. It seems as though this is going to be a long operation. We’re first needed in Umbara, it seems as though General Krell has been executed by the clones. After that we go straight to Mandalore.”

“The clones executed a Jedi General?” Your voice is high as you stand up, heading over to your small closet and quickly rifling through your clothes to find something that would hold up for a few days. 

“It appears that he was a Separitast sympathiser. He turned two clone units against each other, forced them to kill their own.”

Your eyes are wide as Obi-Wan continues to explain the situation awaiting the two of you on Umbara, and your heart clenches as you think about what the Clones must have been gonig through during their time there. You know attachments are forbidden as a Jedi, but you can’t help the close relationships you have formed with some of the soldiers. Captain Rex is like a brother to you. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

An hour later, you’re holding onto the bar above you as your ship takes off in the direction of Umbara, Obi-Wan looking more jittery than you’ve ever seen him as he paces around next to you. 

“You okay, Master? You seem shaken up.”

“I’m fine, young one.” He dismisses you with a shake of your head, “Come with me, we may as well get some training in whilst we’re enroute.” He doesn’t say anything else, just turns away and heads out of the bridge with not so much as a glance back to make sure you’re following him.

What on Alderaan is going on with him?

His mood doesn’t let up during training, you’ve never seen him come at you so relentlessly. If it wasn’t for the fact that they knew you so well, the passing clones would probably assume that the two of you were fighting to the death in your training room. 

A cry escapes your mouth as he knocks the saber from your hand, as it clatters to the ground and rolls somewhere you don’t bother to look for, you expect him to stop. However his saber remains active, and he seems to be in a trance of sorts as he swings for you once more, only stopped from making contact with a part of your body when you swing your leg out from beneath you, causing the two of you to fall to the ground with a low grunt from him. His saber falls from his grasp in the same way yours did, and you work on figuring out how to calm him down as his body cages yours into the ground. 

The only noise in the room is the sound of you both breathing heavily, and when your eyes finally look up and meet his again you almost feel as though he has used the force to steal your breath away from you. His blue eyes capture yours, not letting up as his gaze seems to only darken the longer the two of you lay there. 

You can’t help but be reminded of a similar situation you found yourself in with Anakin a while ago, the two of you ended up tangled on the ground after a round of playful sparring. It was all heavy breathing and dark looks and you remember that all you could think was how much you had wanted him to kiss you in that moment.

So why, Maker tell, do you have the exact same feeling now? You thought that your crush on Obi-Wan had been a silly, fleeting thing back when you first began training under him. You didn’t think it would return with a vengeance, your mind silently asking him to lean down further as you struggle to pull your eyes away from his own. When you and Anakin has been in this same situation, you had hoped that he was going to kiss you, so it was humiliating when he finally tore his gaze from yours and pulled himself away from you with an awkward cough. 

You think that Obi-Wan will do the same. Of course he will, he’s the most rule abiding Jedi you’ve ever met. 

That’s why, when you feel his lips being placed softly on yours, you think you’re just hallucinating. It takes your mind a moment to catch up to what is actually occurring, your eyes fluttering shut as he pulls away and then presses his lips to yours with more fervour once he realises that you aren’t going to push him away. 

The hand that almost struck you with his saber minutes before reaches up, holding onto your jaw whilst the other keeps him steady on top of you. He breathes heavily as he kisses you, your breath minging as you savour the feeling. This isn’t your first kiss, you had snuck out to the clubs of Coruscant before and kissed random boys before, but this was different. This was your first kiss since you had fallen in love with Anakin. All those nights you had spent dreaming, hoping, praying that he would be the next person you kiss. Yet here you are, your lips moving feverishly against your Master’s as you thread one of your hands into the long hair at the nape of his neck. 

You must stay like that, basking in the feeling of each other for a good few minutes before a loud bang from the corridor snaps you both out of the spell you had fallen under. Obi-Wan quickly gets up, sticking out his hand to locate his saber, unable to look you in the eye as you slowly rise from your position. Your mouth tingles and your eyes are wide as you stare at the side of Obi-Wan’s head. 

He smooths his hand over his beard and mumbles a quick, “That shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry, Padawan.” before leaving the room hastily. You flinch at the way he says the word Padawan, like he is reminding you both that what you just did was not only forbidden but also extremely morally wrong. You’ve never been one to care about such trivialities, but Obi-Wan is definitely a fair bit older than you, to say the least. 

As you catch your breath and find your lightsaber, you think to yourself that it’s good that you were interrupted, because if you weren’t then you might’ve been found by a soldier who would’ve reported what he saw back to the council. You ignore the part of you that wishes you would have continued, that thinks of how well your lips worked together and how at home you felt with his body on top of yours. And most of all, you ignore the part of you that wonders if him kissing you had anything to do with his sudden mood change since departing for the trip.

The rest of the journey is slow and quiet, you take some time to meditate and gather your thoughts, knowing you’re in no state to be dealing with anything important right now. A soldier offers you something to eat but you have to decline, with the way your stomach is turning you know you won’t be able to stomach any food. 

Obi-Wan seems to have retired to somewhere quiet on the ship, you don’t see him until you touch down on Umbara. The capital has been captured now, and that is where you will spend the night before heading to Mandalore, however you must first deal with the execution of General Krell at a nearby facility that was taken by the clones. 

You walk silently alongside your Master, an awkward tension in the air that is an extreme change from your usual playful banter and general good moods. As you approach Captain Rex and his troopers, he shoots you an inquisitive look, which you quickly brush off with a whisper that you’ll talk to him later. 

The situation is resolved quickly, you and your Master both know you can take Rex’s word for the events that transpired, and you make sure Krell’s body is properly taken care of. 

“We’ve only got one spare speeder on us, General, so Y/N will have to ride with one of the boys.” Are Captain Rex’s departing words before his gunship takes off towards the capital, leaving you, Obi-Wan and a few more troopers to travel back via speeder. 

“You can ride with me, Y/N.” A clone who is about to depart shouts over to you, though your attempt to walk in his direction is thwarted by a sudden, harsh grip on your forearm. You turn quickly, shocked to see Obi-Wan shake his head, gesturing over to his own speeder instead. 

“She’ll ride with me.” 

The trooper offers no argument, simply saluting the two of you before speeding off towards the capital with a trail of dust in his wake. 

You notice that Obi-Wan still hasn’t directly addressed you since the incident on the ship, so you stay quiet whilst climbing onto the speeder, waiting for him to say something. A squeak leaves your mouth when you’re pushed forward, Obi-Wan’s large body enveloping you from behind as he reaches past you to grab hold of the handles, and you’re off before you can even think about what is going on.

“We need to talk when we get back.”

Are the first words spoken to you, and the last, because he quickly falls silent. Though, you can’t help the warmth that spreads through you when his chin rests on your shoulder, his beard scratching your cheek oh so slightly. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Dinner in Umbara is a quick affair, you scoff down what you can, not talking as much as usual due to your preoccupied mind. Obi-Wan disappeared after you both briefed Master Windu who is still back at the temple, and you wonder if he is off meditating somewhere, trying to reconcile for the ‘mistake’ that the two of you made. 

You’ve been fighting your own inner turmoil about the situation since it happened earlier that day. Once you finish your food, you retire back to the uncomfortable bed in a tiny room at the top of the large building, assuming that Obi-Wan has decided to forgo the conversation and ignore you altogether. 

As you lie on the hard metal, your mind wanders over the past few months. You wonder how Anakin would react if he knew you and Obi-Wan had kissed. Would he be angry? Jealous? Happy? Deep down you know you would want him to be jealous, you would want him to be angry at the thought of any other man having you in the way that he wants you. 

But he doesn’t want you in that way, you remind yourself. Does Obi-Wan even want you in that way? You know he is a well revered man, and nobody can deny how good looking he is. If he really was looking for a romantic, or even just sexual, connection he could probably find that anywhere - why would he get that from plain old you?

A pang of sadness hits your gut as you think about him regretting the kiss, returning to Coruscant and finding another girl that he would rather betray the Jedi code in order to be with. And with wide eyes and a whisper of ‘oh no’, you realise that this is exactly how you felt when your feelings for Anakin started growing stronger. Just what did that kiss stir within you, surely your years old feelings for your Master haven’t suddenly resurfaced, right?

A knock on your door startles you, that deep in thought you hadn’t heard anyone approaching your rather isolated room. 

“Y/N?” It’s Obi-Wan. 

“You can come in, it’s open.

He slides the door open, his actions sheepish and small and not at all like the overly confident man he usually is. It pains you to see him like this, stumbling and second guessing everything he does. 

“You shouldn’t leave your door unlocked when you’re not on Coruscant, anything could wander in.”

“Sorry, Master.” You’ve shuffled to the edge of the bed now, Obi-Wan sitting beside you, mirroring the exact position you were in when he woke you up this morning. Before everything turned into a mess. 

“I… I’m so sorry, Padawan. I abused my position as your Master and I never should’ve even thought about doing something like that with you. Especially after you confided in me about your feelings for Anakin, I don’t want you to think that I’m taking advantage of your vulnerability.” His voice is so shaky that you barely recognise it, and a wave of sadness hits you when you realise that he must’ve been carrying this burden of guilt around with him all day. 

“Obi-Wan, it’s fine. You didn’t force yourself on me, I was completely on board when it happened, in fact I quite enjoyed it. I know it was wrong, against the code or whatever, but I won’t tell anybody. Please don’t feel guilty.” You make sure he keeps his eyes on you, a delicate touch on his cheek to keep him faced your way. A sigh emits from his mouth and your heart swells in your chest when he leans his head into your hand, seeking your comfort. 

“I’m tired, Y/N. This war, I’m beginning to feel it’s toll.”

“There’s no shame in admitting you need a break, Master, but it’s not just tiredness that is eating at you right now. I know you, there’s something else going on. You can tell me. Is it something to do with Umbara, Mandalore, anything?”

“Thank you for your concern, Padawan, I’m quite alright.”

“Don’t do that, Obi-Wan.” Your voice wavers this time, “Don’t use that title as a way to brush me off. Yes, I’m your Padawan, but I hope that by now I’m also your friend.”

“Jedi aren’t supposed to have friends, Y/N.”

You scoff, removing your hand from his face as you turn away from him, not wanting to look at him as he lies to you. 

“I was always jealous of him, you know.” He speaks again, after a few minutes of slightly uncomfortable silence. 

“Of who?”

“Anakin.”

You turn back, your interest peaked as he looks at you. You swallow, a blush coating your cheeks as you note that his eyes are as dark as they were before. Before he kissed you. 

“What reason could you possibly have had for being jealous of him? Oh, Maker, don’t tell me you’re in love with Senator Amidala.”

He chuckles, “No, little one, I was jealous of him because he always seemed to have your attention when he cared so little for you. I wanted you to look at me the way you looked at him.”

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

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[glimmerglanger]

naming colors (codywan soulmate au)

Sometimes you see a picture and it strikes you with inspiration and you spend the rest of the day writing a you-only-see-grey-before-your-find-your-soul-mate au and then you end up here, where I have, with an au where nothing hurts and everyone is happy. (background pairings)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody was told he’d never see colors.

It wasn’t anything personal, not a flaw with his genetic structure. None of his brothers would ever see colors, according to the Kaminoans. Their progenitor, the man they’d all been based on, had found his fated one, had been able to see colors, but she was years dead by the time they were created.

So, none of them were ever going to see colors. The Kaminoans hadn’t even bothered trying to explain the concept of color. None of them were ever going to see the world in anything other than shades of grey, so what would have been the point?

Cody didn’t think much about it. It was just how things were, and, as far as they were taught, plenty of other people went their whole lives without seeing color, either. Finding your fated one was a rare thing, a precious thing, and Cody’s had died before his genetic material was first introduced into a growth matrix.

Or so he thought, without question, until the day his shuttle landed in the hangar of the Negotiator.

He’d waited his entire life for that moment, and felt… not nervy. But full of anticipation. Unsure what to expect, really, despite all the years of training. He’d heard a little about the General he’d be serving. He’d heard plenty about the front where they were to be sent. His mind was full of discussions that needed to be had, busy with plans for battle, as he walked down the ramp, helmet under one arm, his brothers forming up behind him.

He took a breath of the recycled air as he stepped down into the hangar and hesitated in midstep, not even sure why. His skin tingled all over, all at once. He felt warmer.

“Well, hello there,” a voice said - a perfect voice, one that sounded sweeter than anything he’d ever heard before - and he turned, feeling as though the air around him had suddenly grown thick, catching at his skin. And a - a man was approaching the shuttle, and--

Cody froze into place, because he’d been told he’d never see colors. None of his brothers were ever going to see colors. He didn’t even have words for colors, but-- but the world was changing, in front of him, starting with the eyes of the man who had jerked to a stop as well, staring at Cody with eyes that were sharp and clear and Cody needed to know what color they were immediately.

He watched the colors spread, staining the man’s skin, his beard, his hair, his armor, the world beyond him.

Cody was afraid to blink, afraid if he closed his eyes for even a second, the color would wash out again. That whatever was happening was only his… imagination, perhaps. A hallucination. He took in a breath and an itch raced down his spine, warmth flooded his chest and gut.

He heard his helmet clatter to the ground, but it sounded like it came from far away. He moved without thought, crossing the distance to the man - to General Kenobi, some distant part of his mind was yelling - not sure what he planned to do once he got there.

He was moving on some kind of strange auto-pilot, as though his legs and arms had decided they knew what to do and that they weren’t going to wait for his mind to catch up. General Kenobi was staring at him, equally unblinking, expression pole-axed as Cody reached him and--

And curled an arm around him, because it seemed very important that he not go anywhere. They were of a height with one another, he noted, head bowing without thought, so he could--nuzzle against the General’s neck, breathing in deep as Kenobi tilted his head to the side, making a little choking sound in his throat.

He smelled so good, perfect. Cody made a sound, pleased, when Kenobi put a hand on his shoulder, sliding his palm up, skin brushing the back of Cody’s neck, and he didn’t know what was going on, but he cared less and less with each passing heartbeat.

Someone was making noise, close by, but it was very hard to care. Not when he could rub his cheek against the side of Kenobi’s throat - scent marking, a distant little part of his mind, one that had been paying attention back on Kamino, informed him - and then press his mouth to skin.

It felt natural to open his mouth, feeling Kenobi gasp at the drag of teeth over skin, and there was no thought to anchoring a hand in Kenobi’s hair to hold him still, and--

“--Commander!” someone yelled, almost right in his ear, and there were hands, pulling at him. He snarled, the expression feeling strange and utterly natural, all at the same time, right into the face of one of his brothers. He could hear the sound coming out of his chest and it was totally unfamiliar, low and deep.

His brother tripped back a step, hands up, but there were more of them, including one speaking into a radio, saying, “--don’t know, but he’s attacking General Kenobi, sir--”

Which was ridiculous, he’d never let anyone hurt Kenobi, and-- and two of his brothers were trying to pull Kenobi away. Cody didn’t truly recall throwing the first punch, later. He didn’t remember much of anything that happened over the next sixty seconds, until one of his brothers apparently decided to de-escalate matters by hitting him in the back with a stunner.

#

Cody woke up in the medical bay, with restraints around his wrists. He tugged against them, scowling and attempting to put his memories into some kind of order. It was difficult to focus on that when he opened his eyes and found the world all in color.

He really had stepped onto the Negotiator and had the impossible happen, then. He twisted his arms against the restraints, and said, “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Ah, you’re awake,” a medic said, wandering over to him, looking a bit awkward. “Do you… mm. Do you not remember?”

“I remember.” Cody remembered the way Kenobi had smelled, the way his skin had tasted. 

The medic nodded, making a note on the pad he held. “Do you know why you attacked General Kenobi?”

Cody blinked at him, taking in the color of his hair, his eyes, his skin. He craned his head to look down at himself, wishing there was a mirror around. “I didn’t attack him,” he said, offended that they’d even suggest it. He tugged on the restraints again.

The medic made a little noise. “According to reports--”

“That wasn’t an attack,” someone said from the doorway. Cody looked up, frowning at the tall man leaning there. He had dark eyes, hair in yet another color Cody didn’t know. Something about his scent bothered Cody, which was… odd. He couldn’t recall caring much how people smelled, before.

“General Skywalker,” the medic said. “I heard that he tried to bite General Kenobi. That’s--”

“Not an attack,” Skywalker said, frowning at Cody. “Was it, Commander?”

“I’d never hurt him,” Cody said, indignant and irritated. “And if anyone else did, I’ll…” He trailed off, uncomfortable with the anger in his chest. He’d not really experienced anger before, either. It was an unpleasant feeling, all hot and sharp inside his skin.

The medic shifted, looking uncomfortable. “General, I don’t think you heard me. He tried to bite--”

“Master Obi-Wan, yes, I heard. And Obi-Wan wasn’t really trying to fight him off, was he?” Skywalker seemed… frustratingly calm about this enter thing. And Cody still didn’t like the way he smelled. He scowled. “Force,” Skywalker said, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Force, did they tell you anything about fated ones on Kamino?”

Cody glanced at his brother, who shrugged back at him. “Not really, sir. We don’t have one.”

Skywalker heaved a sigh and looked at him. “Surprise,” he said. “You do.”

#

Cody listened to General Skywalker’s explanation, half-sure he was dreaming. When he finished, the medic said, “I don’t see how this could be possible. We were told our progenitor’s fated one died long ago.”

Skywalker shrugged. “You’re not your progenitor,” he said, like an explanation for how Cody had taken one look at Obi-Wan and known that Obi-Wan was his. “And you can see colors now, can’t you, Commander?”

Cody nodded. They’d released the restraints around his arms while talking, and, while it was taking effort, he was resisting the urge to stalk off and find Kenobi. He got the feeling it wouldn’t be difficult. There was a tugging inside him, urging him to get up and go. He ignored it.

“Obi-Wan, too,” Skywalker said, shaking his head. “Since he saw you. So…” he gestured out to the side. “That’s pretty conclusive.”

“Why isn’t he telling me all this?” Cody asked. He wanted to be where - where Obi-Wan was, but he’d woken up in the infirmary, alone. And hadn’t they been taught that the Jedi didn’t have attachments? Perhaps Obi-Wan wouldn’t want him, even if they were fated, perhaps--

“He’s trying to give you some space,” Skywalker said. “He said this would probably be a lot for you to take in. Also, Commander, with the way you reacted, I’m…. not sure he’d have the chance to explain anything.”

Cody remembered the warmth of Obi-Wan’s skin, the taste of him, the ache in his jaw. He said, stiffly, “I wouldn’t--if he didn’t want--”

“I know,” Skywalker said, looking to the side. “Believe me, I know you wouldn’t do anything to him. He’s your fated one. You couldn’t. But he wasn’t protesting, was he? Honestly, we’re probably lucky you got stunned. If you hadn’t, you two would probably still be in the hangar, making everyone uncomfortable.”

Cody thought about that. He’d gotten a crash course in, what, exactly they’d been gearing up to do. He felt heat prickle across his skin and a fresh wave of bitterness that he’d been interrupted. Some of it must have shown on his face, because Skywalker cleared his throat and said, “Anyway, he wants to give you a chance to think about what you want, without him… confusing the issue. It’s considered polite to let both people think about it, if possible, before...”

Cody frowned at him. “Did you… think about it, sir?”

Skywalker blinked, looking taken about for a moment, and then flashed him a grin. “I thought about it for years. I found my fated one when I was nine.”

Cody blinked. “I’m not much older, sir.”

“Yeah. I was about half your size, though. I didn’t have… uh. Urges. It was almost six years before I even thought about wanting to bite her.” Skywalker leaned back on his chair. “Obi-Wan’s worried about it, though. It’s why he wants you to have plenty of time to…” He waved a hand. “Decide if you want to go somewhere else for a few years. Or whatever.”

Cody didn’t know how to tell him that the distance didn’t really help. Or that he didn’t want to go anywhere, except to wherever Obi-Wan had hidden himself away. He only nodded and tried to think clearly. “It’s up to me? They won’t… send me away?”

Skywalker blinked and shook his head. “Oh, no,” he said. “Not unless you want to go. Separating fated pairs is bad business.” 

Cody took some comfort in that, but had to press onward, had to ask, “But the Jedi…?”

“Not even the Jedi argue with that,” Skywalker said, with a fast little smile. “I should know. So, just… think about all of this. Obi-Wan’ll give you time.”

He made to step back, and Cody straightened. “Wait,” he said, swallowing hard, “wait, I don’t - I don’t know the names for any of the colors I can see.”

“Ah,” Skywalker said, something soft crossing his expression, his smile turning into something gentle. “Well, I can help you with that.”

#

Obi-Wan had blue eyes. He had reddish hair. Copper, Skywalker said. He wore cream robes. He had a blue lightsaber. Cody hoarded all the names for these parts of his fated one, held them tight and repeated them, over and over.

He read all the information that could be found regarding fated pairs, regarding what they’d be to one another. He’d been trained to be nothing if not thorough. To be in control, to assess a situation before charging into the fray.

He could leave. Board a transport, watch the Negotiator fade into the distance. They’d send him to another General, if that was what he wanted. Some pairs did, he read. Some people couldn’t bear the thought of the intimacy of a fated bond. They didn’t want the risks that came with it.

A surprising number of people left their fated one and never looked back, if they didn’t spontaneously bond the instant they met, the way Cody and Obi-Wan nearly had. Perhaps it was a way to protect their hearts or their freedom or…

Cody wasn’t sure.

He had no intention of going anywhere.

#

“You’re not alone,” Skywalker said, the day Cody finished reading absolutely everything he could get his hands on regarding fated ones, the expectations on him, what it would mean for them both. He glanced up.

“What?”

Skywalker fell into step beside him, grinning, “To see colors. Word is General Secura’s Commander took one look at her and threw her over a shoulder. They haven’t been out of her quarters in two days.” Cody hesitated in midstep, and Skywalker continued, “I wouldn’t think about trying it with Master Obi-Wan.”

Cody was already thinking about trying it with Obi-Wan. Throwing him over a shoulder had a certain deep appeal. He said, “Thank you for letting me know, General.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Skywalker called after him, when Cody turned, heading for the lift that would take him further into the ship, falling the call in his blood.

#

Cody found Obi-Wan in one of the Negotiator’s cargo bays, frowning over a ship that appeared to be mostly in pieces. He looked up as soon as Cody entered the large space, blue eyes catching the light and widening, copper hair falling forward over his forehead.

“Commander,” he said, the other troopers around him glancing between them, expressions openly curious. He turned back to the troopers, keeping his gaze on Cody, and continued, “I think that’s enough for the day. We’ll discuss the finer points of fighter repair in greater detail tomorrow.”

The troopers filed out, and Cody exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing, just a bit. He hadn’t liked the way they stood around Obi-Wan, an issue that - according to the literature - would only get worse, at least for a time, before their connection settled.

“How are you feeling?” Obi-Wan asked, shifting to straighten up the area. Cody took a step closer, breathing in deeply and feeling his pulse speed up.

“Good,” Cody said, and his voice came out hoarse. It was, he realized, a little startled, the first thing he’d actually said to his fated one. There’d been no words between them, before. Nothing but their connection. 

“I’m glad to hear that,” Obi-Wan said, clearing his throat. His accent was smooth and perfect and Cody hoped, vaguely, that he got to listen to it everyday for the rest of his life. “I trust Anakin spoke with you about…” He gestured, vaguely, out to one side.

“Being fated,” Cody supplied, and watched a flush climb up Obi-Wan’s throat just from his voice. It hit him, low in the gut. “He did.”

Obi-Wan swallowed, heavily. “Good, that's… Well.” He cleared his throat. “You don’t have to make a decision now, obviously, you may take--”

“You get to make a decision here, too,” he cut in, taking another step closer. Obi-Wan shifted to face him, breathing coming a little faster. The appeal of him wasn’t as overwhelming as it had been that day in the hangar, when Cody had been in no way prepared for it, but it was still there, a powerful pull on each cell of his body. “What do you want?”

“I…” Obi-Wan wetted his bottom lip, his gaze dipping and then jerking back up. “Don’t want to influence you, Comman--”

“Cody,” he interrupted, and another step brought him close enough that he could reach out and touch. He didn’t, but his fingers twitched with wanting to. “Call me Cody, please.”

“Cody,” Obi-Wan said, and his name had never sounded right until that moment, never before been spoken the right away. His resolve, what remained of it, crumbled to dust, and he moved forward, hand curled against Obi-Wan’s neck, dragging himself to a stop with his mouth a breath away from taking the kiss he wanted so badly.

Obi-Wan panted against his mouth, blue eyes wide, hands clenched around Cody’s arms. Cody blinked, wrestling to regain some meagre measure of control, enough to rasp, “I know what I want. What do you want?”

“The Jedi are taught to believe that a fated bond is a blessing of the Force,” Obi-Wan said, quietly, which wasn’t an answer.

“So I’ve heard,” Cody said, drowning in the temptation of him. “I need to know what you believe.”

“I believe,” Obi-Wan said, quietly, “that I have been waiting for you to kiss me for days.”

Cody shivered, closing the last of the distance between them. He’d never kissed anyone before, never wanted to kiss anyone before. He felt half-starved, groaning when Obi-Wan shifted, changing the angle to something slick and good and--

Cody needed him closer. Everything else fell away, dropping to some sub-level of importance that could not even be measured, it was so minuscule. He curled an arm around Obi-Wan, wondering, absently, why the kriff he’d thought putting on his armor was a good idea, exactly, when all he wanted was to get as close as it was possible to be.

He pushed, just a little, and Obi-Wan gave ground, walking backwards until there was nowhere else to go, until they found a wall. He thought maybe they should speak more, discuss-- but it was so kriffing hard to care.

He didn’t know about the will of the Force, not in any way, shape, or form. But he knew it felt right to shift his attentions down the line of Obi-Wan’s throat, Obi-Wan tilting his head to the side in accommodation, his pulse beating against his skin as Cody tasted skin and sweat and--

And he could feel Obi-Wan’s arm around his shoulders, cradling him closer, even as Obi-Wan rasped, into the overheated air between them, “Wait.”

Cody froze, teeth brushing skin, aching all over. He wanted to just… bite down. His jaw burned with the urge. But he’d been taught control if he’d been taught anything. He swallowed convulsively, hands gripping at Obi-Wan’s tunic, at his thigh; somehow, he’d hitched Obi-Wan’s leg up against his hip, pressing between his legs and it was a kriffing pity he couldn’t feel anything with the armor in the way.

“Not--” Obi-Wan cleared his throat; his voice still sounded ragged when he spoke. “Not in the cargo bay, we may be… engaged for two days, that’s--”

Cody snorted, shifting enough to kiss his perfect mouth. He’d thought, for a beat, that he was to be sent away. And while he wanted to seal their connection, to take what fate had set forth and confirm it, he could wait until they were somewhere besides the cargo bay.

Perhaps.

If they hurried.

“Alright,” he said, drawing back after a kiss that left him feeling half-drugged. Obi-Wan’s blue eyes were so wide and warm. He looked pleasantly stunned, as well, when Cody bent, pulled him forward, and straightened, Obi-Wan’s weight across his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Obi-Wan demanded, when Cody curled an arm up to keep him steady, hand closing around his thigh again.

“Going somewhere not the cargo bay,” he said, turning, the layout of the Negotiator etched into his memory. He’d, maybe, been obsessively thinking about the fastest way to get to Obi-Wan’s quarters from anywhere on the ship.

He put the knowledge to very good use.

[magicalforcesau]

Dancing With Ghosts in Your Garden~ Chapter 18 - Year 2: February

(ao3 link)

In lieu of the incident with the sleeping draught, all prefects were mandated to enroll in Professor Palpatine’s brand new weekly Potions seminars. As the misstep with the Vitamix potion along with Maul’s nearing presence showed, it was ideal that all prefects be properly trained in the event that professors were once again subdued. This, they felt, combined with Professor Fisto’s ongoing dueling club, would prepare them.

Obi-Wan’s doubts of how prepared they could possibly be for something so unpredictable grew stronger with each day. Although he was already enrolled in the advanced potions class, he would never deny the opportunity to learn more. If anything, it would at least offer more practice.

“Given that it’s February, I figured it best we start with a common favorite amongst the masses of troublemakers,” Palpatine’s shoes clicked on the ground as he paced at the front of the room.

From what Obi-Wan understood, Palpatine didn’t receive any punishment for the accidental sleeping potion brew. Yoda had, of course, received a rather scathing howler from the Ministry at his supposed flightiness, of which he took the blame for. It seemed Anakin had stepped up and claimed it was he who accidentally knocked the draught in the already brewing potion.

That all certainly added up and did not help Anakin’s reputation amongst his peers.

“Any guesses to what that would be?” Palpatine asked, eagerly taking in the small crowd of Hogwarts’ best with expectant eyes.

Because this was a class full of prefects, each were considerably decent students and wanted to learn. There were exceptions, Obi-Wan realized as he looked over to a nearly snoozing Zeb, but they were outliers.

“Love potions?” Breha Organa said rather dreamily. Obi-Wan didn’t need to turn around to know she’d been looking at Bail as she said it.

“Right you are, Breha!” Palpatine smiled, “Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in the world, at that. Many of you and your students are for the first time diving into the wondrous and mysterious landscape that is romance. Some of you aren’t even aware that you are.”

Did he look at Obi-Wan on purpose? No, that would be silly. Palpatine always took care to rove eye contact throughout the classroom. It was a sufficient method of maintaining focus and Obi-Wan knew this, but he still shifted his gaze immediately elsewhere like he’d been caught copying homework.

“Love and potions aren’t all that different, really.” He continued, “The right and organic combination makes a fruitful and prosperous brew. The wrong and inauthentic combination is bitter and not made to last.”

“And if you’re not careful, you could end up with a wrinkly, scrawny little creature.” Zeb added knowingly, earning a few chuckles throughout the group.

“As if you’ve got anything to worry about there.” Caleb muttered, and much to Zeb’s dismay, acquired a more popular response.

“Boys, please.” Palpatine chastised, “I don’t want word to travel that Gryffindor’s prefects lost them points.”

“Cody would have an aneurysm,” Satine whispered and Obi-Wan only nodded in response. It was no secret to either of them that their friend was less than pleased with how bleak Gryffindor’s odds of obtaining either the House or Quidditch cup were becoming. If he heard that Caleb and Zeb worsened those odds, neither would be awaiting a very pretty conversation.

The troublesome two seemed to recognize this and justly shut their traps.

The class turned back to Palpatine, who seemed rather satisfied with the change in their mood and circled around the cauldron at the center of his desk. From it, emerged a pink fog that resembled a cloud at sunset and judging by the smile its scent drew from Palpatine, it smelled as pleasant as it looked.

“A love potion manufactures the deepest desires from the person who ingests it, manifesting them all at once in an intoxicating fashion that causes them to see the intended target in a different light.” He said almost reverently, “Ironically, it’s called a love potion, when it should really be called an infatuation potion.”

“That’s because you can’t build love from a substance.” Satine muttered from beside him. “Try as some might.”

Obi-Wan stared at the cauldron. He’d heard of amortentia. Evidently, a cheap ineffective version was sold at Zonko’s in Hogsmeade, though he never took much care to notice. He didn’t know much about love, save for the fact that it seemed highly unlikely for anything to recreate something as complicated as attraction.

She raised her hand, “Professor? Aren’t love potions banned at Hogwarts?”

“That they are,” Palpatine said with crossed hands, “Though that’s not to say they haven’t been smuggled in before.”

“Why would they do that?” A familiar high pitched voice from the back called.

Despite his interest in the subject, Obi-Wan couldn’t resist snapping his neck in turning to see none other than Anakin Skywalker sitting at the back desk, looking incredibly small in stature next to Onaconda Farr. Farr, in his defense, looked just as confused by Anakin’s presence as Obi-Wan felt.

“What are you doing here?” Obi-Wan asked him, “This is supposed to be for prefects only.”

“Not to worry, Mr. Kenobi, I did grant Anakin permission to attend.” Palpatine answered before Anakin could muster up a smart response, “Anakin shows a real knack for potions and given the circumstances, I would say it’s best that he be included whenever he could be protected.”

Obi-Wan slumped back in his chair, feeling properly admonished. It wasn’t that he didn’t think Anakin was capable. It was quite the opposite, actually, but there was an order to these things and learning advanced spells before one was ready did not seem indicative of a sound idea. Anakin needed to learn the building blocks still, whether he believed it or not. Despite his talent, he knew there was an absence of maturity to handle heavy source material. Dueling was one thing, as there was an obvious precedence for it right now and it was typically taught to some degree during second year anyway. Teaching Anakin about love potions felt more like giving a dog a steak and telling him not to eat it. He could try to convince everyone that he was over his crush on Padmé all he wanted, but it simply wasn’t true.

“To answer your question, Anakin,” Palpatine continued, “When someone is too blind with desperation to see reason, they will do just about anything to acquire what they want. A love potion, while sounding frilly and fun, occludes all rational thinking from the person it's given to.”

“And typically, it’s not ingested voluntarily.” Satine added.

Obi-Wan frowned, thinking of the potentially dastardly effects such a tool could provide for a desperately lovesick person. It was no different than being under a curse, in a sense, because the poor sap trapped in such a state had no agency whatsoever.

“How does one tell if someone is suffering from the effects of a love potion?” Fenn Rau asked.

“Why, you see them every day in young and happy couples as you walk through these halls. They’re starry-eyed, flushed, unspeakably happy, practically in a trance.”

“How are we to tell the difference then?” Obi-Wan asked.

“These features tend to be a good deal more exemplified and elongated.” Palpatine said, “For instance, while the honeymoon phase is technically normal, it’s really not meant to last. There’s also known to be loss of memory in the person as the potion begins to fade. We advise that you all keep an eye and see if you notice any excessively clingy and almost controlling couples.”

Obi-Wan thought about his parents, finding it very hard to believe they ever had any semblance of a honeymoon phase. They were so professional all the time that he’d rarely seen them even smile in the other’s presence. Of course, he was always splitting up sneaky couples that tried to sneak off to snog, so he supposed he did have some experience witnessing what Palpatine was referring to. Part of him was having a difficult time reconciling with the fact that it was their ancient potions professor who was explaining to them the complexities of romance.

“Because of the dangers that this possesses,” He waved a little pink vial around for all to show, allowing the light to catch it in a way that made it sparkle, “I believe it’s important that you understand these properties quite well and that you take care not to share this information outside of this room.”

There was a warning tone to his voice that was rarely used and Obi-Wan swore everyone sat up even straighter, though he doubted that was possible for Satine, who already appeared quite alert.

“It’s okay to take notes, of course, right?” Hondo asked from the other back corner of the room opposite to Anakin.

“Yes, but-” The older man did a double take as he whipped back around, “Hondo, what are you doing here?”

Obi-Wan thought it was fairly obvious what Hondo was doing and why he was suddenly so apt to take notes. He hadn’t thought to say anything when he originally saw him, seeing as if Anakin was invited, maybe he’d thought to include another unexpected guest. Hondo was possessed for a significant amount of time, after all.”

“Just trying to perfect my recipe is all.” Hondo had the gall to shrug, “What’s so wrong about that?”

“You mean besides intruding upon a meeting where you are not welcome and admitting in advance that you intend to sell an illegal substance throughout the school?” Palpatine asked, “I suppose we could discuss your time management skills, seeing as you have plenty of potion’s homework that you could be catching up on.”

Reading the room for a change, Hondo sighed like a great disservice had just been done to him, “You can’t fault a guy for trying.”

“Actually, I can. 15 points from Slytherin.” Palpatine crossed his arms, “And I expect your essay on Felix Felicis on my desk tomorrow morning.”

“My tutor isn’t going to like that.” Hondo grumbled as he walked by Obi-Wan, “He’s not even finished my Charms presentation.”

“Why would you say that to us?” Satine hissed, knowing full well that they were now going to have to look up the legitimacy of Hondo’s new “tutor” in their dwindling free time.  

“I’m honest to a fault!” He shrugged as he fully exited the room and was promptly locked out by Palpatine. He even took the effort of using two padlocks to secure the job. To be fair, Hondo was quite slippery.

“Now,” He said as he clapped his hands together once, “Why don’t we get to the important part? Brewing!”

***

This was a colossal waste of his time, skills, and resources.

While Sidious normally enjoyed when the school devolved into chaos, he did not appreciate when it stood in the way of his plans. Right now, his former apprentice was the obstacle that could feasibly destroy everything he’d worked tirelessly to achieve, all before it could truly start.

He knew he should have killed him when he had the chance, but Azkaban just seemed all the more fitting for the murder machine to waste his days away at the hand of his own failure. He would not make that mistake ever again.

So, it seemed Sidious’ own interests aligned with the rest of his colleagues: get rid of Maul. It felt peculiar- to be on the same side as the enemy, but if he wanted to defeat them, he needed this loose cannon of a pawn to be decimated before it was too late.

And through it all, the putrid “open-minded” community only served to remind him why they needed to be brought to an end. In what world would enlisting the Potions professor to teach love potions be useful? How he managed to seem convincing, he was unsure, because there was no greater waste of time than the frivolous pursuit of love. Well, unless it was being manipulated as a fulcrum for change.

Even with as little soul as he had remaining, if any, he still found the smell of amortentia to be utterly arousing. They certainly wouldn’t enjoy to know what he smelled when he breathed in amortentia: fire, ash, rubble, stained blood.

They should be barricading, sending students out in troves to hunt the demon down, and utilize the muggle-borns as bait in a trap to be sprung. Maul couldn’t resist the hunt. He knew such instincts never changed, not even from the waning sense of purpose that Azkaban reduced men to.

Instead, here he was, giving a pointless lecture on the dangers of love potions. After which, they’ll have another practice dueling session with snowballs. It was pitiful. At the very least, they should be using stones. Children needed to learn pain at an early age. They needed to become so familiar with the sensation that they found home in it. In the hearth of that home, is the power that exists from within. Only then, can they prevail.

He glanced to the back corner of the room and felt his lips twitch. Between this year and the last, Skywalker was becoming quite acquainted with pain. He grimaced as he took in the rest of the lot, noting how soft they all were as they nervously discovered what attracted them when they leaned over their brewing cauldrons. At least he’d been able to kick that waste of blood Ohnaka out. He was spared of that particular headache, especially when just looking at the boy angered him to no end when he considered how deeply that botched experiment failed. Truly, that family couldn’t do anything right- not even when under hypnosis.

He had no doubts that Maul was scoping out the land, realizing just how weak these wizards had gotten since he was in school- that his lessons from Sidious had always reigned supreme and that no one stood in his way, save for Yoda and Sidious, himself. That would be disastrous if anyone witnessed a reunion between the two. They would know instantly.

Then again, if Sidious were to capture and kill Maul, he would only further his popularity amongst the simpletons that allegedly “ran” their community. Perhaps, there could be salvaging of this wreck. Tyranus need not be the only one to pull strings in the wake of Maul’s drama. It was only fitting, since Sidious was the marionettist and this was to be his show.

Not only that, but such a feat would certainly impress the boy, who clearly had a sound reason for disliking Maul. While Sidious loathed the concept of needing to work towards the trust and approval of a child, understood that in due time, it would be worth it.

Even if such a boy nearly killed them all with his own klutziness.

Sidious breathed a steadying breath, just barely turned away from any possible lingering gazes.

He moved over to his desk and opened the top drawer. He needed a drink.

***

Satine, like many of the curious girls in her year, had done fair research on the subject of amortentia. Apparently, it had ruined its fair share of marriages as well as mental health states, making it completely illegal to produce for private or public subsidization. It seemed, curiously, only the aurors could do so with Ministry approval. That, much to Satine’s confusion, was the case for many subjects.

“Because I would hate to have a bunch of little zombies in my class, we’ll just be smelling the potions today.” Palpatine announced.

Despite her knowledge that amortentia affected everyone differently, she still wasn’t quite expecting the drunk-like sensation that filled her up from head to toe as she took a deep breath in from the fumes that emanated off the surface. Everything around her seemed to move in slow motion and her chest rose and fell with the relaxed notion of falling asleep, except she simultaneously never felt more stimulated in her life.

She’d never known that you could smell so many wonderful things at once yet still differentiate them for what they were and more importantly, how it got her flushed in a way that made her shift in her seat.

New books, homemade apple pie, crisp fall air, the lingering remnants of a minty aftershave wrapping around her like a scarf…

She started out of her reverie, blushing too mad to even consider looking to her left no matter how curious she suddenly was. Her heart was beating out of her chest and if she wasn’t absolutely certain of the potency of amortentia, she’d have the decency to be more embarrassed. Instead, she willed herself to calm down and refused to breathe through her nose any further, no matter how warm she felt when she had.

While none of what she witnessed was news to her per say, it wasn’t like she made a habit of lollygagging and daydreaming in the middle of a classroom setting. It was quite disarming to be so vulnerable yet also so close to what (or who, for that matter) was driving her crazy to begin with.

“Problem, Mr. Kenobi?” Palpatine was suddenly standing in front of them, which was at least a little bit of a distraction.

A ringing in her brain wanted desperately to ask him what he smelled, but she felt herself frown deeply when she noticed Obi-Wan was leaning with his entire face in his little cauldron, trying desperately to catch a whiff. Surely, if he got any closer, he was going to accidentally inhale the potion through his nose.

“I might have brewed it incorrectly.” He muttered, echoing a bit from still having his head in the cauldron.

“Let me see,” Palpatine urged him to lift his head and under normal circumstances, Satine might tease him for the little creases that the rim brought to his face.

The professor raised his nose to the fumes that still wafted through the air and smiled dreamily. She wondered if they would ever know what he was seeing when he inhaled the scent. It was none of their business to ask, but she really couldn’t picture Palpatine being in love with anyone.

“No, no, it’s perfectly correct,” He said with the airs of residual glee, “Why?”

Instead of giving him a straight answer, Obi-Wan turned to Satine, “I think I need you to move.”

Any previous concern, as per usual with Obi-Wan, was replaced with a scalding sort of annoyance only reserved for him, “What? Why?”

As she held her own special adverse reaction to him, he had one for her that matched. His eyebrows furrowed as he gestured to his cauldron. Sometimes, he was far too serious for his own good, “As lovely as your perfume is, you don’t need to go so heavy-handed with it! I can’t smell the potion.”

Satine, who initially believed they were going to get into an argument, found that she had no points to be made, because all that came out of her mouth was a little puff of air. Palpatine, if she had the eyes to spare him a look, was equally as surprised, even if not nearly as emotionally invested in such a rebuff.

“What?” Obi-Wan finally asked, growing more annoyed at not being in on the punchline.

Everyone else was suspiciously quiet too, much to Satine’s growing unease, but she could hardly spare a thought other than to say, “I’m out of perfume, actually. I sent Copikla home yesterday so my mum could send me a new bottle.”

Instead of being annoyed, the clouds seemed to clear, if only a little bit, and he flickered back to the potion, “But how-”

“-It smells different to everyone.” Palpatine, who looked between the two of them with his face stretched in discomfort and eyebrows raised beyond physics, clarified with a tone that was clearly meant for only them, “Based on what the individual finds attractive.”

All of the color seemed to wash out of Obi-Wan’s charmingly embarrassed face as his mind worked rapidly to wrap his head around that answer. Even though she hadn’t breathed in her potion again, Satine still swore she was suddenly feeling the effects of it.

“I- Well,” He tried to formulate a response, but to his credit, he had just admitted that he was at the very least attracted to her perfume (which she made the mental note to stock up on more frequently), in front of the entire class of prefects and Anakin.

“Oooooooh Obi-Wan likes perfume.” Anakin, while completely missing the point and a big teasing opportunity, shattered the tension that previously froze the entire room and everyone burst out into a fit of needed laughter. Even Obi-Wan laughed, though nervously, as he flashed Satine the occasional glance here and there through lowered lashes, as if trying to gage her reaction to this accidental admission.

She smiled. Clearly, it was to her benefit to read ahead of him.

“For what it’s worth,” She said in the midst of the uncontrollable chatter that erupted thanks to Anakin’s offhand comment, “You smell nice too.”

He blushed, which she found she quite liked the shade of pink on his face, “Thanks.”

It didn’t address the underlying implications, just as neither of them seized the moment to do so on Christmas Eve. She found it was just as frustrating trying to guess what was going on inside of his head as it was waiting for him to do something about the things she did know.

As much as she wanted the cat to be fully out of the bag, she knew the middle of Palpatine’s potions class wasn’t the time or place.

***

“I believe it’s a mistake to have any more Hogsmeade trips this year,” Qui-Gon said to his other heads of house and to Yoda, who was staring quite pensively out the window, “Not when we know what we know. It’s quite possible that Maul has an entrance to the school if he truly is behind what happened to Bultar Swan.”

“We have no real proof that he is, though.” Shaak Ti said, “It certainly doesn’t seem like his style.”

“While I know the usual term “innocent until proven guilty” is our mantra, I think we should consider being more hesitant with Maul.” Qui-Gon said.

“I agree,” Windu nodded, standing firmly next to him, “Though having more students out of the school would allow us a proper amount of time to sweep the school and see if he had any secret entrances.”

“We have that same opportunity at night.” Qui-Gon said.

“You know this school shifts and changes between night and day,” Palpatine said warily, “It is ever-moving and Bultar Swan was attacked in broad daylight in a common room.”

“Why are we not interviewing more Ravenclaws then?” Windu asked, “We’ve got to do something! Skywalker’s mother is missing and we all know that boy isn’t going to lay down and allow for speculation to simply rise without doing something foolish.”

“I don’t appreciate your assumptions of Anakin.” Qui-Gon said, “He’s a bright, even if impulsive boy, who is going through an unspeakable grief.”

“No one twice his age should have to endure what he’s going through,” Shaak Ti said kindly, “Let alone as young as he.”

“I’m not saying he has no reason to act out.” Windu raised his hands, “I’m merely stating that it is only a matter of time before he takes matters into his own hands.”

“That would make it easier for Maul, unfortunately,” Palpatine agreed, “Perhaps we should motion to shut off the Floo network?”

“Done that, I have.” Yoda spoke up, “Because used it, he did.”

“For what?” Qui-Gon asked eagerly.

“Unknown location, he accessed.” Yoda mused, “Unregistered through the network, it is. Talk to Dooku, I suspect.”

Palpatine frowned, “That can’t be good.”

“No, it can’t.” Windu agreed, “Can you extend your protective charms to Hogsmeade, Yoda?”

“Do that, I did, after we woke up from the sleeping incident.”

“Oh, so it’s safe then.” Shaak Ti shrugged, “The dementors haven’t detected Maul on the inside and he was last seen on Diagon Alley.”

“I’m sure this is quite exhausting for you, Headmaster.” Windu acknowledged.

It was true. Extending his powers over an entire settlement as well as the castle at all times would have drained any normal wizard to death. Yoda, as it were, was not a normal wizard. Even still, it was visible on his worn features that he was exhausted.

“Safe, the students should be,” He said instead, “But careful we will still be. Search the school we will for secret entrances while they are gone, we will.”

***

“Are they gone yet?” Anakin asked, ducking up from where he’d been digging furiously through his trunk. Rex who was sitting on the window sill keeping watch over the massive gates of Hogwarts nodded slowly.

“Yeah I think so,” He confirmed, stretching his arms above his head and yawning, “I dunno mate, don’t you think a nice Saturday in might be nicer than trying this again. Don’t you remember what happened last time?”

“Psh!” Anakin waved a hand, “Well we’re certainly not trying anything like that again. Although I would like to get another look at that sword.”

“I figured you’d seen enough swords in your short life,” Rex rolled his eyes, “Didn’t Dooku intend to sacrifice you with one?”

“It was still cool, but I’m not really trying to go to Hogsmeade, just give off a good impression.” Anakin shrugged before he pulled out his nicest T-Shirt, swiftly pulling the one he had been wearing off and switching them out, “Well how do I look?”

“The same but in green,” Rex deadpanned leaning his head on his hand, “If all we’re doing up here is playing dress up then I’d much rather get this show on the road.”

“Oh come on,” Anakin checked himself out in the dingy mirror on the back of the door. He was really hoping he’d run into Padmé; he thought she’d like it. He’d already seen her leave, but overheard her talking to her friends about Rabé meeting them later and taking the tunnels. His mum had bought it for him over the summer and he tried to push past the rising feeling of sadness, “We had to wait until all the prefects left anyways, I’m not really looking to be caught and dragged back here by any of them and especially not Zeb, who was eyeing us up pretty hard at breakfast.”

Rex shuddered, “Definitely don’t need him tossing us through the portrait hole again. It’s not our fault that the rest of the second years left without us!”

“I’d hate to see what happens if we’re caught alone of our own accord,” Anakin grinned, despite the true statement, such a thing wouldn’t stop them, “Well, let’s go before Windu gets here to babysit.”

“Right,” Rex grimaced, standing up and grabbing his wand. Anakin grabbed his as well, throwing it into his robe, it was much too cold to go around without it, and they headed down and out of the common room. He really hoped no one would snitch on them.

The two traversed the halls carefully. Keeping quiet for once to listen for approaching footsteps and ducking into a few empty classrooms to avoid the ghosts lurking around the otherwise empty halls. It took much longer than they’d have liked to make it down to where the tunnel’s entrance would begin. Luckily, the map showed Rabé’s little figure moving in that direction too, marking a bit of a clear path. She would lead them straight to Padmé.

Anakin’s heart rate increased for more reasons than being caught.

He thought better of it. Obi-Wan would probably kill him on the spot if he slithered out of the tunnel and into Hogsmeade. Not to mention, Maul was lurking around in the area looking for him. Maybe, if they caught up with Rabé in the tunnel, he could simply give her the necklace to give to Padmé.

It didn’t sound incredibly indicative of his house in terms of bravery, but he knew at least Obi-Wan would approve of his method.  

“Almost there!” Anakin grinned at Rex, but almost had his head knocked clean from his body when Rex grabbed his robe and yanked him hard into an empty classroom, “Wha-?”

“Shh!!” Rex was very much alert and his eyes narrowed as they both heard footsteps echoing off the walls. The footsteps paused just outside of the door and Rex cursed under his breath as a shadow moved towards the entrance. Rex glared at Anakin for a few minutes before mouthing, ‘You owe me!’ and straightening.

“Mr. Fett?” Palpatine’s confused voice echoed off the stone walls, “What are you doing here? And all alone?”

“Sorry Professor,” Rex gave Palpatine a rather over the top concerned look, “It’s just, I haven’t seen Anakin since breakfast and he did mention he was thinking about coming to see you.”

“To see me?” The professor sounded a little more surprised than Anakin thought he should, but perhaps he was trying to avoid looking like he picked favorites, “Well I certainly haven’t seen him. I’ll keep an eye out, but I’m going to need to escort you outside with the other second years.”

Anakin winced, of course even Palpatine wouldn’t be willing to overlook a student wandering the halls without an escort. He’d have to bring Rex back something good from Hogsmeade.

“Alright, thank you Professor,” Rex nodded, although he didn’t look very thankful in Anakin’s opinion.

Their footsteps faded away, but still Anakin waited a minute longer before darting from the classroom himself.

He wandered the empty halls, being extra careful to listen and flicker his eyes to the map. Rex was a little more perceptive than he tended to be. Anakin certainly didn’t want to get caught, but at least he knew what story to go with if he did.

Finally, he reached the entrance of the tunnel, looking around carefully, he quickly slipped inside and hurried to close the entrance, plunging him into complete darkness.

Anakin pulled his wand out, lighting it with a, “Lumos Maxima,” They’d been working to improve their maximizing skills in charms recently and Anakin felt it was paying off. The tunnels were rather boring and unremarkable. He remembered them being pretty long, though he’d never made it all the way to the end the last time.

He took his time, kicking away rocks and humming softly. He still didn’t want to give his position away if there was someone scouting the tunnel for mischievous students, but boredom without Rex crept in fast.

He paused a moment at an odd noise and listened hard. It was a soft shuffling noise and despite the echo, it sounded like it was coming from behind him. Could it be another student trying the same thing he was? Unlikely, most of the houses were pretty locked down outside. He wasn’t sure why the professors had been so insistent on a supervised snow day, but most students went for it.

That left the possibility that he was about to be caught.

Letting the fear of boring evenings in detention spur him on, he picked up the pace until he was running rather swiftly. With the way his wand was swinging, the light bounced around enough to make him motion sick so he gave it a quiet, “Nox,” not letting up on the speed of which his shoes pounded the ground.

He slowed when he nearly tripped over something lying on the ground, but wasn’t quick enough to avoid running right into someone.

Anakin fell backwards with an, “oof,” He tried to catch his breath for a moment, “Sorry, Rabé,” He said softly standing up, “While I’ve got you, I’ve got a question for you. Lumos.”

His wand tip glowed again, revealing him face to face with a student’s face frozen in a scream. This was not Rabé. Anakin stumbled back, tripping on what felt like the fabric of a scarf, before he saw the glint of eyes reflecting the light off his wand.

Yellow. Bright yellow eyes narrowing as they realized they’d been caught. Anakin felt his heart leap in his chest. Fear filling his lungs, causing him to nearly choke on a scream. He heard the eyes take a step forward and he scrambled to his feet and fell into a sprint. His wand light faded as his concentration waned and he shoved it into his robes.

He shouldn’t be running from Maul, because that’s who it was, of course. He’d vowed revenge even if Qui-Gon always gave him that sad sort of look when he said it. He should be back there giving that kidnapper a piece of his mind. He was the Chosen One, it was his job to save everyone and take down the bad guys.

Even as these thoughts played in his mind, he continued to sprint, fear pushing him into overdrive. He nearly screeched again when he ran full tilt into something human knocking them both to the ground.

“Bloody hell!”

“Rex!” Anakin was relieved to find someone he knew, but it wasn’t enough to stop the adrenaline that had him back on his feet and pulling desperately on Rex’s arm to get him to move, “We have to go now!”

“Great, I just escape Palpatine only to get caught again. Who is it? Windu?” Anakin nearly growled at the slow pace Rex was moving at.

“It’s Maul! We have to go!” That was enough to get him moving.

They didn’t stop to even breathe again until they burst from the wall and right into Professors Palpatine and Qui-Gon who nearly got bowled over.

“What-” Qui-Gon looked ready to start a lecture and Palpatine even looked like he was ready to dole out a few point reductions, but Rex cut them off quickly.

“Anakin saw him!” Rex was pointing his wand at the entrance to the tunnel like Maul was about to come out right then and there for a fight.

“Saw who?” Palpatine asked head tilting to the side in curiosity and Anakin nearly spat the name out as he joined Rex in his battle stance.

“Maul.”

***

The deafening screech that stretched from Hogwarts through Hogsmeade with painful clarity was one that very few students attributed meaning to. It wasn’t unreasonable that students, particularly younger ones, immediately leapt into disorder, running hither and yon, terrified they were about to be dive-bombed. It was a horrible sight to see, even if it didn’t make his job all the more difficult.

Designed with the vocal cords of mandrakes, the emergency siren was only used in times of utter duress and was a means of warning students and faculty to return to Hogwarts at once. Historically, it hadn’t been officially sounded since the early twentieth century. Even still, prefects were always trained on what to do in the event of hearing the siren.

All the training in the world still didn’t fully prepare Obi-Wan for the very real visceral reaction that the ear-splitting sound brought. Of course, he could not spare a single moment to think, a tough reality for a Ravenclaw, and immediately moved forward with what he’d been taught: gather his house, ensure they were all in company, and get them back to the school.

While not given a direct message with it, everyone seemed to share the same thought as he did. There was only one true reason that the archaic alarm would be used right now accompanied by the dementors that jetted across the sky: Maul was close.

Not only close, but likely in their midst.

Shop owners wasted little time in evacuating their premises and battening down the hatches, effectively snuffing the warm glow of Hogsmeade in a singular swoop. His brain was busy scanning the hysterical crowd that was amid constant motion, searching for every and any blue-robed student that he might come across. It occurred to him now that there was perhaps more meaning to the explicitly placed Hogsmeade dress code than the professors led on to. It certainly made rounding up students a lot easier when they were color-coded.

Moving around on the ice-laden stone walkways? Less easy. He’d not only had to catch his own balance in his haste, but many other wobbly students. Even Satine’s elbow was caught by him a time or two, of which she spared no time to thank him, though he knew otherwise she would. She was just as stern as him in their mission, practically grabbing students and sliding them across the way to the huddle of other students, hardly blinking in the process.

It was with this goal in mind that he was able to develop a razor focus that practically tuned out the alarm. That, or the pounding in his ears did a decent job of it. Silently, he found the space to be relieved that Anakin was safe back at the castle with the other younger students.

It couldn’t have taken more than a couple of minutes to successfully corral all of the students that lingered about. It wasn’t as though any of them truly wanted to sneak off, after all. The horror on everyone’s faces spoke volumes of their concern.

Each of the prefects did their headcounts rapidly, trying not to dawdle for a moment longer than necessary, all praying they reached the same number they started with. He felt capable of breathing again when Ravenclaw reached that quota. Gryffindor prefects, it seemed, had forgotten to include themselves for a moment, which briefly induced a panic that was quickly assuaged by an irritated Mace Windu.

Perhaps it was a bit presumptuous to be relieved that Mace Windu and Kit Fisto were the supervising professors that day, but it certainly helped their odds to have experienced fighters of dark magic alongside them. The sky grew dark above them, not from the descending sun, but from the mere presence of the dementors swarming together like an ominous storm cloud.

No one looked back as they were ushered down through the storm cellar beneath Honeydukes, which remained open only at Windu’s order.

“Move quickly, don’t linger, don’t stop, don’t pause!” He ordered in a booming voice that didn’t even need to be amplified with a charm.

While Gryffindor’s prefects had nobly volunteered to lead the charge of students down and through the tunnel, the others remained on the side, performing last-minute counts to ensure all made it safely while urging them to hurry it up. No one seemed to have a problem with performing the latter, but some were getting a little rowdy in the process.

“Hey, hey, this is not an excuse to push or shove!” Satine chastised a few overeager Slytherins, “The only way this works is if you work together!”

She was right, of course, but Obi-Wan believed it was falling on deaf ears. They were terrified and rightfully so. Perhaps they shouldn’t have allowed the Hogsmeade trip to occur in the first place with everything going on. It was almost like they were trying to lure Maul in. If that was the case, it was a very sadistic choice.

Padmé Amidala as well as her friends had been some of the last people to filter in, surprisingly, and tears stained their cheeks.

“Keep it moving, ladies!” Kit Fisto ordered.

“We can’t find Rabé!” Sabé, the girl who looked most like Padmé, cried.

“I’m sure she’s here somewhere.” Windu said, “Slytherin house reported no missing students based on their earlier count. Now GO!”  

“She came later!” Padmé insisted, pushing back against the hands of Fenn Rau, who was trying to make them descend down the ladder. “We never saw her!”

“Then maybe she never came at all?” Satine tried.

“She came.” Padmé looked between both of them, “I know she did! She wouldn’t flake out on us like that. What if something horrible happened to her? What if-”

“-We can explore these possibilities back at Hogwarts.” Windu said, “If she is indeed missing, I will waste no time in coming back for her. I promise you.”

“That is already a waste of time!” Sabé protested, “What if she’s hurt?”

“I cannot risk all of you, including these prefects, for one possibly lingering student. I need to get you back to safety. The tunnels will be locked behind us.” Windu said and waved his wand to provide a gust of air, sending all of the girls down the tunnel against their own will. Satine looked horrified at the choice and frankly, so did Windu for a moment, before he began insisting the prefects follow.

For Obi-Wan, time began to slow down as his brain methodically and almost mechanically traced back through that day, desperately trying to recall if he’d seen Rabé. She stood out among Padmé’s friends in that she was the only Slytherin and yet it was still odd to see them apart. Before the alarm had turned the world on its head, it had been a rather mundane and peaceful day at Hogsmeade. The weather had been nice, if not quite nippy. He’d popped into Tomes & Scrolls with Satine while Cody lingered around Spintwitches, but none of them bought anything. If they had, surely, it would have been lost in the chaos with many other student’s purchases.

He’d debated getting a box of every flavor beans, since Hondo said he had a game of Russian Roulette, but with the beans, brewing. Cody seemed interested and it sounded like less of a consequential gaming experience than Hondo’s usual ventures. He wasn’t afforded the opportunity to go into Honeydukes, but…

Obi-Wan felt his heart stop altogether in his chest. He hadn’t gone into Honeydukes, but he almost did. And who was lingering by the butterbeer stand when he was busy deliberating with Cody?

Rabé.

He’d only caught a glimpse of her for a fraction of a second before he turned around. Clear as daylight and standing at the far end of Hogsmeade. There were other Slytherins around her, but like Padmé, her hair was always intricately woven and this made her stand out.

Where did she go so that none of her friends saw her?

“She was here today,” Obi-Wan lurched forward, grabbing Satine by the arm on instinct.

“How do you know?” She began to ask, eyes searching his own with growing concern.

“I saw her.” He said and then shoved against the stream of students that were still pouring down the tunnel.

“Ben,” It was her turn to grab him, “Wait!”

He didn’t wait, though. Instead, he slipped out of her grasp, which had been firm enough to take his robe with it, and pushed through the crowd. Windu, never the slouch, noticed him instantly and his eyes widened as he realized what Obi-Wan was trying to do. Unlike Padmé and the girls, he didn’t give him the opportunity to stop him, instead lunging forward and falling into an immediate sprint out the door- the cold wind whipping his face so hard that it caused tears to freeze in their wake.

He vaguely heard his name shouted from behind him, but he could only think of finding Rabé before it was too late. It might have been impulsive and it was definitely foolish, but he wouldn’t be able to leave with a clear conscience unless he did everything in his power to bring every student back safely. He understood that the professors needed to do their duty, but Obi-Wan was to be an auror someday. Running into the line of fire was surely a requirement of such a field.

All he could think of was how he knew what it was like to be forgotten. If there was even a small chance of preventing someone else from befalling that fate, he had to try.

Running across the slick stone walkway proved itself to be even more difficult than walking had, but Obi-Wan was utilizing the forward motion that the ice provided him for acceleration. The sky above him was almost completely black- as though Hogsmeade was at risk for being sucked into outer space. Suddenly, the cold that Obi-Wan felt no longer seemed to be as a result from the climate.

He’d studied dementors a good deal over the years and objectively understood how they drained a person from their hopes and dreams, removing the parts of them that basically made them human, but he realized then that he never really knew. He wasn’t even the target for these dementors and just being in their presence made him feel like all color was depleting from the landscape.

He forced himself through it, focusing on the task at hand and what purpose that gave him. He decided to slide by the (now closed) butterbeer stand at the end, where he’d last seen Rabé. After all, it was entirely possible that he was the last person to see her alive. That certainly didn’t give him much comfort.

He turned his head from side to side, trying with a last stitch effort to see if she’d taken refuge in one of the closed shops. The keepers were kind and would more than likely house a lost student during a crisis such as this.

As dread pooled deeper in the pit of his stomach and his body struggled to fight off the shaky chill that climbed its way up his spine, he dared to look up, noticing that the dementors were no longer searching, but swarming. The snowfall only seemed to thicken, which was rather unfortunate as Obi-Wan had to swipe his arm over his eyes several times to continue seeing.

They congregated at the Three Broomsticks- in front of which, Obi-Wan did not stop, but in his haste, did meet the bloodshot amber eyes of none other than the Dathomirian known as Maul. In their midst, Obi-Wan found he would rather embark on a lengthy stay with a dementor than look another second into the killer’s eyes. He was leaning back in his seat with casual aplomb and raised his stein of butterbeer as though in cheers or celebration, selling the chilling lack of regard for life with a cruel smile curling his black and red lips.

It was if he was saying, “I’ve won.”

Obi-Wan swallowed thickly and averted his gaze immediately, understanding that this might be his final moment. If that were so, he would use it wisely.

“No, you won’t.”

Maul’s smile broadened, resembling the actual devil as he did so.

Yes, Obi-Wan was definitely about to die.

However, the moment ended as quick as it started, for once the dementors dive bombed past Obi-Wan and straight for Maul, he flipped a galleon into the air and caught it, allowing himself to disappear to whatever rock he dragged himself from before.

Obi-Wan only thundered forward until he arrived at the end of the limits of the town, sighing deeply and wincing at the wreath of frost that circled his head as he caught his breath. He was immensely cold and with nothing to do about it and worse, began to feel quite defeated. Part of him wanted to rationalize that Rabé did likely go back to the castle. However, whether it was intuition or simply an unknown magic in the air, he could practically feel the presence of another.

Then, from the corner of his eyes, he noticed something poking out of the snow- just next to an old townhome, and drew closer. His steps were heavy and without hopeful anticipation as he regarded the gray fingers breaking through the massive snowdrift.

He knelt down slowly, and raised his wand to blow away the piles of snow and ice and used his hands to remove the last remnants on his own. Attached to the outstretched hand, which served as much as a warning as it did a signal of distress, was the petrified gray face of Rabé.

***

“You have to go back for him!” Satine demanded as she was practically carried by Fisto all the way back to Hogwarts. It had been the only way they were able to prevent her from slipping after Obi-Wan in a panic-induced gut-reaction. She believed he was an idiot for running off the way he did, but that wasn’t to say she didn’t understand the feeling.

“The dementors are mobilizing, Satine!” Windu turned on her with fire in his eyes, “Had Mr. Kenobi not been so uncharacteristically impetuous, we wouldn’t be here.”

“And there would still be a lost child out there!” She growled, not usually one to ever speak to a professor so brazenly, but this was Obi-Wan they were talking about, and she would always be a bit irrational when it came to him. “It doesn’t seem like anyone really cares about that though!”

“Not care? I would lay down my life for every single one of you. Do you think it pleases me to know that not one, but two students could be suffering at the hands of that animal on my watch?” Windu said hotly, “But I cannot jeopardize the dementors potentially catching a murderous sociopath. Obi-Wan would not want me to do that!”

She knew deep in her bones that he was right, but she didn’t take to it any better, instead feeling bile rise up her throat- only subdued by the way it seemed to constrict at the wretched thought of losing her best friend. The cold weight of pure dread settled on her chest, evaporating her fury and nearly suffocating all logical thought.

Nearly.

She turned on her heels back to Ravenclaw house, who were staring at her with a mixture of sympathy and shock. Satine knew she had the capacity to lose her patience, but she tried to always do so with some semblance of professionalism.

“We’ll go find him ourselves then!” Cody, equally as heated as she had been, raged alongside Echo and Fives. All were still dressed for the winter and had their wands at the ready.

“You will do no such thing.” Professor Fisto pulled Cody back by the arm, “Headmaster Yoda is the only one who can save your friend now.”

“What was the point of teaching us all that stuff if we aren’t going to use it?” Cody fired.

“In the event that there is an inescapable situation, Cody.” Fisto said, “I commend your bravery, but there is a line between courage and stupidity.”

“So, that’s it?” Echo chimed in, “We’re just going to run and hide every time a bad guy comes knocking on our door?”

“Yeah, you’re supposed to teach us defense against the dark arts!” Fives added, “I’d say Maul qualifies.”

“Maul is much more than any of you can understand or handle.” Windu’s voice no longer spoke with anger, but from a deep place that teetered on remorse and pity. There was a defeated look in his eyes that Satine would never forget, as though Maul had already won.

“Glad you’ve all been effectively wasting our time then.” Cody snarled, “Propping us up and making us feel as though we’re really doing something all year. What has all of this been? Some show for the Ministry?”

A few other Gryffindors pooled around him and it occurred to Satine just then that if Cody hadn’t been so set on pursuing Quidditch as a career, that he’d make a mighty fine commanding officer. People rallied behind him. They believed in him.

She just wished that call to order wasn’t coming from a place of wishing to fight a dark lord.

“Cody, I highly recommend that you stand down.” Fisto said, “I get that you’re upset, but we need to remain calm. Take your brothers back to the Great Hall and wait for further instructions.”

Cody was teeming with anger- she could tell just looking at him and for a moment, she feared he was going to act brashly. Windu seemed to think the same thing judging by the appraising look he gave him.

He didn’t move, but he did send Echo and Fives back with the Gryffindor prefects and the rest of the house. The other houses and their respective prefects trickled afterwards, each going to the Great Hall for what was surely to be another lockdown.

“Great, another sleepover.” Fives huffed as he went.

“Yeah, telling ghost stories by candlelight altogether will surely keep us safe.” Echo complained under his breath.

“I thought I said-” Fisto began.

“-I’m not leaving until Kenobi is found.” Cody said, “Dead or alive.”

“Don’t you dare talk like that.” She seethed, grabbing his attention instantly and Cody, to his credit, did appear riddled with guilt at her reaction.

“Sorry.” He muttered.

“I expect this level of irrationality from Cody.” Windu said and eyed Satine, “But not you.”

“I’m not leaving either.” She said, clutching Obi-Wan’s robe tightly between clenched fists, “Consequences be damned.”

Where she thought there would be retribution or even more yelling, there was not. Fisto, of the two of them, actually appeared more upset. Windu, instead, nodded slightly. It seemed he understood that this was a battle he would not be winning today.

Satine scanned the area, remembering someone very curious to be missing from the pack. As if it were possible, more horror gnawed at her nerves, “Where’s Anakin?”

That was Maul’s whole purpose for scouting out the school, right?

Windu grimaced, “He did try to sneak out to Hogsmeade earlier.”

Her eyes widened, “But he’s alright?”

“It is to my understanding that young Skywalker is with Professor Jinn.” Palpatine swerved around the corner, dark cloaks flowing behind him dramatically as he reconvened with the professors, “Any update on Maul?”

“No,” Windu said tartly, “But seeing as our students have been debating on staging a coup, it might have been useful to have your presence, Professor.”

The tension, as it was, seemed unbreakable.

“My apologies, Professor Windu, but I will say these students have the right to be upset. All of our efforts to protect the school have thus far failed.” Palpatine said.

Satine also couldn’t blame everyone for being upset. In their effort to make everyone feel safe, they only propped them up with delusions of grandeur. There was a fine line to walk between keeping the student body informed and propagating debilitating fear- at least in this predicament.

“You’re here now.” Fisto said, “That’s what counts.”

Satine wasn’t so sure, but then again, Maul hadn’t broken in yet.

“Surely, it’s not wise to have students so close to the entrance.” Palpatine said.

“Yes, well, it also wasn’t wise to allow Anakin so close to your Vitamix potion.” Windu countered, “I guess we’re all doing things a bit differently right now.”

Palpatine seemed properly slapped by that, because there was little argument that could be brought up to counter the comment. That was, indeed, what happened and it left the school wide open for possible attack.

“Yoda should be back any minute.” Fisto paced the floor, his wet boots making a squeaking noise as he did so, “And hopefully, he has good news.”

“If not?” Cody asked.

“If not, we might have to help him and if that’s the case, you two will stay back.” Windu ordered.

Even Cody didn’t argue with that logic.

Not but a moment later, erratic banging came from the metal door, growing more desperate as the seconds went on. Palpatine leaned forward as if to open it and Fisto grabbed his wrist before he could perform the charm.

“There’s a password.” Fisto said.

“And why would Maul just come knocking on the front door?” Palpatine scoffed.

“Maul is anything but conventional.” Windu reasoned.

Cody and Satine looked between each other as the three professors deliberated. They were beginning to understand why it sometimes felt like it took forever for anything to get done. No one could agree on the simplest things.

“What if it’s Ben?” Satine stepped forward, “You’ve said it yourself that the tunnels are blocked off now.”

“Yoda would have found him and brought him back by apparition.” Fisto said.

“And if he didn’t?”

Windu opened his mouth to respond, but then from a familiar voice, “HELLO THERE? IS ANYONE THERE?”

She glared between the three professors, who were all a bit dumbstruck as they hastily moved to open the door. As it swung open unceremoniously, her heart resumed beating as Obi-Wan Kenobi, pale, drenched and speckled with snowflakes, practically fell through the entryway.

She moved on instinct rather than thought and caught him in a tight hug, combatting the sharp chill that traveled up her spine at his frigid body with the warm relief that he was alive. She only removed herself enough to tightly wrap his robe around his shoulders before pulling him closer.

“Get him some blankets!” Windu ordered while Palpatine was simultaneously brewing a warm beverage from thin air. Satine, for her part, could not let go.

“N-nice t-to see you t-too.” He shivered and did not reject the warm contact.

“You’re an idiot, Obi-Wan Kenobi.” She muttered into his shoulder, but it really didn’t have as much fire as she would have liked it to- not when he looked so pitiful with wet hair in his face, teeth chattering, and a nose and cheeks red from the cold.

“I’m aware.” He said.

“You could have been killed!”

“I know.”

“And you really couldn’t have at least brought your robe with you if you were going to go running off on a deadly mission?”

“You’re right.”

“Stop agreeing with me!” She leaned back and glared at him.

“My apologies,” He smiled ruefully, but it faded almost instantly, “All the trouble I’ve caused, I’m afraid it was for nothing.”

“What do you mean?” Fisto cut in.

“I saw him.” Obi-Wan’s voice was hollow when he said it. His eyes became downcast as he reminisced, “And Rabé. I couldn’t move her on my own… She was frozen in carbonite.”

Windu cursed, scrubbing a hand over his bald head, “And Maul?”

“Gone.” Obi-Wan said, “He used a portkey before the dementors could get to him.”

***

The dementors separated like parting clouds, allowing for remnants of dwindling sunlight to cast a yellow beam onto Hogsmeade. Even with the sunset behind it, the usually buzzing and quaint town looked barren without the lively folk that inhabited it. It was to their best interest to hide, of course, and he knew that once this awful storm passed, they would return again. Yoda moved slowly through the snow, feet unbothered by the crunch of the ice beneath him.

He had no doubt that Maul was here, but held equal assurance that he no longer was. His protective charms were supposed to stop people from getting in, not out.

He grimaced as he knelt to the Slytherin girl’s motionless body- frozen in time with a horrific expression painting her features. She would need to join the growing group that took up beds in Madame Nema’s hospital wing. He just hoped with everything in him that they could make this right.

It tugged at his heart that children always seemed to be the ones to suffer for the choices of adults. This one was not excluded as Yoda and the other professors deemed that it would be safe.

It should have been safe.

He cursed as he thought back to the extensive lengths he’d gone to in protecting the school. He was exhausted, constantly firing off on all cylinders to keep this place safe. Even Hogsmeade hadn’t been exempt from his reach.

Well it had, but it seemed the small window of Maul’s murder in Diagon Alley to Yoda waking up from the botched Vitamix potion was the hole he’d crawled through. The dementors hadn’t detected him, which was a whole other concern that he would need to investigate at a later time.

There were so many ways that they failed.

Yes, well, this girl’s parents will not enjoy a meager response like that, so he ought to think of something better. Either way, he would not be sleeping well for his hubris. Maul might not storm the castle with his being there, but he was not above dancing around it. He was boxed out for now, but there was only so much that could be done. He had managed to convince them to disallow apparition for the time being without Ministry approval. This combined with the monitorization of the Floo network, limited Maul significantly.

However, there were always portkeys, which was the most secure way for a person in hiding to quickly transport. You didn’t need a license for it and you didn’t even leave a trace on your wand in the process.

It seemed Maul was getting significant joy from toying with them by instilling fear. It was just like a dark wizard to play on people’s emotions as such.

And yet…

He looked back down at the girl with a different sort of befuddlement. Not that he was complaining, but why hadn’t he killed her? Was it because it would have drawn too much attention for his liking? That didn’t seem right, though, because he had no problem murdering the guards at Azkaban or that store owner on Diagon Alley. Why utilize this mysterious alternative method now?

It hadn’t been the first time, obviously. There was the first official occurrence in December, not to mention the carbon remnants found in Shmi Skywalker’s flat, and Obi-Wan and Satine’s discovery at the Shrieking Shack.

Maul had certainly developed a predilection for the long con in his time locked away in Azkaban. Yoda would say it was out of character if he didn’t understand how much a man could change from trauma. He’d seen it in his own face and he’d seen it in many other’s. Maul didn’t want to mess up this time. He wanted his target and he wanted it done right.

But why Anakin Skywalker? Surely, Maul didn’t buy into the Chosen One prophecy. And if he did, why the sudden malevolence towards the boy? Nothing from the ancient texts seemed to make any reference to Maul in the slightest. It wouldn’t have affected him in Azkaban.

Would it?

As Yoda waved his wand once to lift the casket of carbon from the ground to float aimlessly behind him, he turned back towards the castle, realizing not for the first time that the more he learned, the more he had to ask.

***

“We were worried you became a popsicle out there,” Cody said as he took off his own robe and coat to also wrap around Obi-Wan. They all sat in the Great Hall with the rest of the student body, each positioned on their own sleeping bag as they faced each other. Despite having been inside for over an hour, Obi-Wan still clutched the blankets that were given to him tightly and didn’t reject Cody’s addition to the pile.

“I’m sure he was more concerned about seeing Maul.” Satine said.

“I’m sure he was.” Ventress sauntered by with her trademark smirk painted on her black-stained lips.

“Come off it, Ventress,” Cody scowled, “Kenobi wouldn’t lie about such a thing. Dementors were there too.”

“They’ve been here the entire time, Fett.” Ventress said, “How many false scares have there been? I’m beginning to believe it’s all conspiracy, myself.”

“It’s that level of thinking that’s going to get someone seriously injured.” Satine said, “Or worse.”

“Maybe then someone will start to take legitimate action,” She sighed almost dreamily, like she was fantasizing about the possibility.

“And I suppose Rabé basically turning to stone was just nothing.” Cody barked.

“A pity, truly.” She inspected her fingernails, which were actually quite noticeably jagged and cracked with chipped black polish, “Have we not noticed that every victim has been pureblood? You don’t hear the Ministry talking about that, of course.”

“What are you getting at?” Satine growled.

“I’m just saying, Duchess,” Ventress displayed her best pout, which coming from her, still had all the appearances of a cat ready to pounce, “I would hate to see a group marginalized by their blood type.”

“Listen here, Ventress-” She clutched his sleeping bag tightly and was surely ready to fire off on a meaningful tangent of her own, but was interrupted by the sound of barreling footsteps coming their way.

Anakin and Rex came sprinting down the aisle and slid onto their knees towards where they sat. Anakin, for his part, skidded right into Obi-Wan and nearly knocked him over by the velocity at which he traveled.

“Where have you two been?” Cody asked.

“We were with Qui-Gon!” Anakin said and looked around to Obi-Wan, “Fives just told us about what happened at Hogsmeade and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Obi-Wan’s heart melted at the thought of Anakin’s concern and ruffled his hair, “Not a scratch on me.”

Anakin nodded in relief, “That’s good. It’s crazy that we both saw Maul today and he didn’t even do anything to either of us!”

Obi-Wan, Satine, Cody, and the briefly forgotten Ventress all snapped their attention towards Anakin in surprise.

“I’m sorry, what?” Satine was the first to speak.

“When and where did you see Maul?” Cody followed shortly behind.

“And you lived?” It was unclear whether Ventress was surprised or disappointed.

Obi-Wan, in all fairness, was still processing the small twelve year old boy, who presumably alone, faced the bloodthirsty killer that had it out for him. He knew he must have looked horrified, because Anakin’s own worry seemed to grow by just looking at Obi-Wan.

“I’m okay!” He said first, knowing that this was the most important thing, “And for the record, it wasn’t my fault.”

“It was a little your fault.” Rex winced.

“Rex! You’re supposed to be on my side!” Anakin whined.

“What did you do?” Obi-Wan pinched his brow.

“I already told Qui-Gon and he promised me immunity and while I don’t know for sure what that means, I’m pretty sure it means you’re not allowed to get mad.”

“That’s not what it means.” He said.

“Well, then, who’s got a decent ghost story to share?” He tried, looking around to each of them, “Ventress? I’m sure you’ve got some just by looking in a mirror every day.”

“Anakin…”

“Fine…” He sighed, “I… Might have sort of tried to go give Padmé her Valentine.”

“Of all the foolish and impulsive things to do!” Obi-Wan roared instantly.

“You said you wouldn’t get mad!”

“No I did not!” He snapped, “Do you not realize how incredibly dangerous that was? And the kind of risk you were putting yourself at? What would have happened if he had gotten you? I swear, I know you’re young but you need to think in terms of the long-”

“-Mate, not sure you are in the best position to be giving that lecture today.” Cody said, “Seeing as you also ran right into Maul’s clutches.”

“Yeah, really!” Anakin defended, “I heard all about what you did!”

“To save someone!” Obi-Wan rounded on his friend, “Not to retrieve a pretty trinket for a girl I fancy!”

“Based on your taste that’s a good thing.” Ventress scoffed.

Satine, who was admittedly calmer than Obi-Wan, frowned and looked at Anakin, “What happened?”

“If I’m allowed to continue.” He said pointedly before going on, “I wasn’t actually going to go to Hogsmeade. Believe it or not, I’m not completely stupid.”

“You just said-” Obi-Wan’s voice cracked.

“-Ben, let him finish.” Satine admonished.

“Thank you,” Anakin nodded and the kid really had the nerve to look smug, “I wasn’t going to Hogsmeade, but Rabé was and believe it or not, I get nervous too sometimes. I wasn’t sure I would have the nerve to give it to her in person, so I was going to ask Rabé if she could give it to Padmé for me. So, I used the map to follow her, obviously, and was never going to leave the tunnel system. But then about halfway through, I saw him.”

“Maul?” Cody asked in awe.

“No, the boogeyman. Yes, Maul.” Rex rolled his eyes.

“Seems like the same thing to me,” Ventress yawned, clearly unimpressed, “Seeing as Maul can’t be in two places at once, I would say one of you is lying.”

“I’m not lying!” Anakin asserted and looked to Obi-Wan, “And he’s not either.”

“Rabé didn’t just turn to carbonite on her own.” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin’s eyes widened, “He got Rabé too?”

“What do you mean too?” Satine asked.

“I mean, Tiplee was also frozen in carbonite down in the tunnels. I only managed to get away because I must have caught him off guard. I ran as fast as I could.” He patted his pockets, “Dang! I think I dropped the map in the process. Again.”

“Seriously, no more of those for you.” Satine said.

“Not like it’ll be of much use now that Yoda is closing the tunnels again.” Cody said.

“That’s horrible.” Obi-Wan frowned and stroked his chin thoughtfully, “But I wonder why he wouldn’t have come into the school.”

“He’s afraid of Yoda.” Ventress scowled, “Everyone knows that, but clearly, he’s a fool to be leaving all of these little clues around.”

“There’s got to be a bigger plan at play here.” Satine said.

“Like what? Two Maul’s?” Ventress rolled her eyes, “I could see the creep going after Skywalker as that is clearly his primary intent, but Kenobi? Who would bother to go after someone who cowered at his own shadow at one point?”

The particular incident that Ventress was alluding to happened when they were only five years old, he might add, but even in his head it didn’t pack the same impact that she wanted it to. Instead, Obi-Wan flashed her a disapproving look.

“Rabé is a member of your house.” He pointed out, “I didn’t see you running back to save her.”

“Actually, I didn’t see you at all.” Satine added.

Ventress, nonplussed, rolled her eyes dramatically, “Good to know the two of you are still conjuring nonsense that would rival The Quibbler, but if you must know, I was tutoring in the library.”

“Wait a second,” Obi-Wan allowed some of the blanket to slide off of him when he sat up straighter, trying his best to suppress a shiver that immediately followed. He was grateful that Satine set it back into place, “Don’t tell me you’re Hondo’s tutor.”

Ventress furrowed her brow, “Be wary of the tone, Kenobi. My marks often rival your own.”

She wasn’t wrong. Horrible personality aside, Ventress was an exemplary student. Like him, she sort of had to be, given the reputation their respective families upheld.

“I wasn’t underestimating your intelligence,” He said, because he wasn’t a total fool, “But I never took you for a good samaritan.”

“Surely, he’s paying her.” Satine groaned as she leaned back on her hands.

“I don’t need the money, muggle-born.” She hissed.

“Since when has galleons been his only form of currency?” Satine shrugged, “Everyone has a price, is all I’m saying.”

“Fools,” Ventress shook her head as she walked away, “All of you.”

“Yeah, well, when you turn to stone, it’ll match your heart.” Anakin said and stood up, “I’m going to go apologize to Padmé.”

Obi-Wan watched him sadly as he walked over to where the crestfallen group of usually chipper girls huddled together. At least they were able to comfort each other in this trying time. Obi-Wan looked to Cody and Satine, who were both wearing a considerable amount of concern on their features.

He knew their responsibilities as older students and prefects, alike, were only going to rise as the fear and sense of danger increased. Anakin had nearly come to his end if he hadn’t been so quick on his feet. He supposed those dueling classes did have their uses if implemented properly. As it were, Maul would likely not make the same mistake twice.

***

The atmosphere was much more subdued than most Quidditch mornings. Even Cody found himself sitting quietly across from where Obi-Wan was falling asleep over a plate of pancakes. Ventress was the only one not subdued, she was glaring around at her team, snarling at anyone not paying attention to her. He didn’t think she’d get very far with an attitude like that. As captain, sometimes the best thing you could do was read the mood of your teammates.

Obi-Wan’s head dropped forwards almost landing in the syrup before Satine managed to pull him back without even a glance over. He blinked, looking around like he hadn’t even been aware they were in the Great Hall in the first place.

“Might want to eat something, mate,” Cody suggested, gesturing to his plate that he seemed surprised was loaded even if he had done it himself.

“Right,” He did so without another word. Satine looked fairly volatile this morning, having woken up extremely early for a morning patrol so there wasn’t much conversation for them to be had. He was tired too, having been picking up a few patrols of his own. Palpatine’s accidental sleeping potion may have been an unfortunate idea, but a few extra hands that could take on prefect duties were still welcomed. It’s not like Cody could say no after watching his friends be run ragged.

“You sure you’re going to be awake enough to stay on a broom?” Cody asked as they both watched a piece of pancake fall slowly off his fork. Obi-Wan just nodded looking up with a sigh.

“We’re all tired,” He nodded towards where Koth had passed out at the breakfast table. Aayla and Cin were awake enough to doodle on his face so it maybe wasn’t the entire team, “Hopefully this will make for a short game.”

“Hopefully,” He nodded, but he wasn’t sure he was honest in his statement. Ventress was looking especially poisonous this morning and wouldn’t take anything sitting down, “Maybe we shouldn’t be playing anyways.”

Obi-Wan and Satine both looked at him like he’d just grown a second head and he met their looks with a glare.

“Who are you and what have you done with Cody?” Kenobi squinted at him as if checking to make sure he hadn’t been cursed.

“I think hell must have frozen over,” Satine added with a nod, “I never thought I’d hear Cody Fett, not want anything to do with Quidditch.”

“Hey! Woah!” He shook his head quickly, “I never said that.”

They both raised an eyebrow at him and he rolled his eyes.

“Even I am not enough of a sports fan to look past the elephant in the room,” He jabbed his fork at them, “Maul’s close and we’re just going to take the whole school outside? Again? Plus, morale is down,” Instead of gesturing to the two obvious examples in front of him, he pointed to Koth, who had just woken up and hadn’t figured out why everyone was laughing at him yet.

“When you put it that way...” Obi-Wan flicked his eyes to the professors, who were desperately trying to keep warm inviting facades. He took a sip of pumpkin juice.

“Why go through all this trouble for such a barbaric game anyways,” Satine glowered, “We need a break from potential violence not more.”

Cody knew explaining the dynamics of Quidditch would not change her mind any so he kept his own thoughts to himself on the matter. He thought of Quidditch as a much needed break most of the time. But it was hard to deny the fact that only a few people would be having a good time today and that wasn’t how he felt a healthy Quidditch environment should be.

The screech of an owl alerted everyone to the arrival of the morning mail. It was always a little hectic, but it didn’t stop them from being able to spot one of their three owls if it chose to show up. The only owl Cody could recognize was a large tawny one. Well manicured and, if memory served, sharp talons. Obi-Wan barely avoided getting his letter dropped on his head, his hand flicked up to catch the falling parchment with deft precision. As most letters from his parents, he was careful to shield it so Satine couldn’t see, something that always had her frustrated despite knowing that it was fair given the nature of these letters.

Obi-Wan read the whole thing in lightning speed, eyebrows furrowing the further he got, although he nodded before swiftly depositing it on the table next to his plate. His owl swooped down again landing on his head causing him to wince.

“Alright message received,” He tried to pick up the pesky owl, but it looked rather indignant to be manhandled. Still because he was gentle and fed him a bit of breakfast, the owl allowed itself to be set on his arm, “Tell them they’re early,” He tried saying it quietly enough so neither of them would hear, unfortunately they were both rather intune to his voice. If an owl could show emotions, which Cody had, up until this moment thought untrue, Obi-Wan’s owl would look almost melancholic for a moment. A hard thing to do for a bird that had permanent angry eyebrows colored into its feathers.

It took off in a hurry, nearly taking off a few heads as it went and disappeared back into the flock it had arrived with.

“What did they say?” Satine asked, as she usually did, but he just shrugged.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” He gave her a smile, but she frowned.

“That never makes me feel better,” She told him sternly. He just shrugged.

There was a loud pop and they all looked up to see Palpatine and Qui-Gon standing at the head of the Great Hall, the two of them would be escorting both teams outside and to the pitch. It was best to have an experienced teacher at the helm and who better than those who had earned their titles as Heads of House.

Obi-Wan stood swiftly, accepting their well wishes and good lucks, before falling into line behind Eeth. Satine was watching them leave with narrowed eyes and Cody wasn’t sure what was going on, but she certainly looked much more focused than earlier. She slid her hand across the table, snatching the note from where he’d left it, clearly for the trash pile, and spread it open.

“Should you do that?” He asked even if he was curious himself, he wasn’t about to get accused of reading other people’s mail.

“It’s a suspicious piece of parchment I found unattended,” She lied as she peered down at it. Her nose scrunched up in disgust as she read it just loud enough for him to hear.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,

As you are about to turn 17, we remind you once again of your duties and expectations. In one year you will turn 18 and we’ll discuss then your future. Despite your best attempts to undermine our plans we will do what we can to work around your failure.

Don’t expect a gift this year, you received one last year and we’ll be happy to give you one when you turn 20. Consider continuing to go to school despite your constant disappointments gift enough.

-Mother”

Cody felt the grip on his fork tighten as he stared a hole through the paper. A correspondence with Obi-Wan’s family really was never pleasant, but did they have to be so outwardly despicable? What surprised him most was the excitement lighting up Satine’s eyes as she read the letter over again.

“Brilliant!” She grinned and he practically snapped his fork in half.

“What’s so brilliant about those two bastards continuing to tighten the noose around his neck?” Cody growled and Satine looked up, having the decency to look aghast.

“Oh heavens no,” She looked sick at the thought, “That’s not what I was referring to at all. How could you think-?”

“-How could I not? Maybe hell is freezing over,” He ran a hand down his face as she rummaged around in her bag before shoving plates and goblets out of the way, nearly toppling a few over. She set down a massive book-like object with a white exterior and silver rings. It was full to the brim with pages and she opened it up excitedly.

“It’s a binder,” She told him at his look before moving on to what must have been the important thing at hand, “You know how Ben’s rather dodgy about his birthday?” Cody nodded, “Well I’ve been tracking him ever since 2nd year,” She flipped around in the binder and Cody could see so many color-coded graphs it made his head spin.

“You did this? For what?”

“If he won’t tell us, I’ll find out on my own,” She glared sternly at a picture of Ben that blinked up at her from the page, “That’s what I told him,” She flipped through it, pointing at various sections, “I was able to surmise that his parents tend to have a letter pattern. They only send him mail on major holidays or if he’s done something they disapprove of.”

“When is that not the case,” He muttered.

“I was able to narrow it down after a few years to February or March,” She was in the back of the book now where a calendar full of crossed out dates sat, “It was confusing, sometimes they sent him a letter end of February like this one,” She waved the letter at him, “Sometimes it was in March. This is the first time I’ve been able to read one,” She grinned proudly tucking the letter into the back pocket for evidence purposes.

“What good does that do? They didn’t say what day it was,” Cody studied the calendar in interest.

“It does a lot of good!” She pulled a fancy highlighter from her bag, “He said they were early, meaning it can’t be any of these dates,” She ran her finger through most of the month. They only had a few days left until March though, maybe she’d figured out the month, “Most importantly!” She looked at him face as serious as it was when she was taking her OWLs, “They said they got him a gift last year-”

“Yeah a ruddy gift,” Cody frowned, “What good is an antique quill if it doesn’t even work?”

“I agree,” She said impatiently, “That’s not the point. They said they’d get him another one when he turned 20. He turned 16 last year-”

“Your point?” Cody was beginning to get lost and would rather she hurry up her point than leave him thinking.

“He doesn’t have a birthday this year at all!” She announced and Cody straightened, staring at her in shock.

“Well that’s not possible!” He declared, “Everyone has a birthday once a year! Even those who don’t care much like Kenobi.”

“It is possible!” She grinned proudly drawing a line on her calendar right between the 28th of February and the 1st of March, “He was born on February 29th! A leap year!”

Cody blinked. That actually made a lot of sense. Kenobi wasn’t a liar and he was sure he’d asked about specific days and been told he was wrong. He’d only seen Kenobi get a birthday present their first year (a pack of gobstones) and their fifth year (the aforementioned broken antique quill). Cody had just figured they wouldn’t ever figure it out unless he told them himself, so he usually just tried to get him a good Christmas present every year. He had noticed Satine had started to give him a present around this time of year, but now they had the exact day.

“Does this mean his parents use that as an excuse to never get him anything?” He frowned and Satine angered instantly.

“I’m almost shocked they haven’t forgotten the date themselves.”

“So,” Cody looked at the little highlighted line indicating the fruition of 5 years of work, “What are we doing about it?”

***

“I still say we should have gone with March 1st,” Cody said from where he was balanced rather precariously on a ladder taping the end of a streamer, “Then we’d be celebrating him having turned 17.”

Satine, who was holding onto the ladder to make sure she didn’t have to take anyone to the hospital wing today, glared up at him, “Absolutely not! He has a February birthday, we’re celebrating it in February. Otherwise he’s going to assume we’ve forgotten it!”

“He doesn’t even know we know it,” Cody rationalized, but came down from the ladder anyways to admire his work with her.

“Alright,” She looked down reading her list. She’d had years to plan this event, he’d never had a party before that she knew of and she wanted it to be perfect, “We’ve got the streamers and the balloons. The guests have been told what time to arrive...” She checked off the boxes as she went, “Can I trust you to go and get the cake without dropping it?” She looked up at her friend and he grinned giving her a thumbs up.

“Oh yeah definitely,” It didn’t instill in her a lot of hope, but he was at least eager to do it.

“Alright go, but hurry!” She checked the time off the clock in the corner. “They’ll be here soon.”

“On it!” He saluted her and raced out the door.

Satine observed her surroundings once more. They’d chosen an empty classroom rather than something elaborate like the Great Hall or too intimate like Qui-Gon’s office. She’d gotten approval, Qui-Gon was to arrive any minute now to supervise. He’d been the only professor she could think of that would understand how important this was to do. She was sure if she’d talked to Windu or even Headmaster Yoda, she’d have gotten shot down before she even began. Qui-Gon knew about Ben’s family though and like her, seemed to want to give him the best experience he could.

There was a spot for the cake on the teacher’s desk as well as plates, utensils, and napkins. The ceiling was practically drowning in streamers of all different colors and balloons were floating around aimlessly. Her and Cody’s presents to him were sitting in a neat pile on a couple of tables pushed together. She hoped he’d get a few more, but hadn’t explicitly said anything on the invitations. It was rather short notice after all.

“You’ve done a wonderful job,” She turned to see Qui-Gon in the doorway. He was holding a colorfully wrapped package which she gratefully took from him placing it on the table next to the other.

“Do you think it’s too much?” The last thing she wanted to do was overwhelm him, but she’d learned over the years it was hard to figure out what would.

“I’m sure we could all do with a little cheeriness,” He said in lieu of answering. Maybe he didn’t know any better than she did.

It didn’t take much more time before the students she’d invited began to arrive. The entirety of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team poured in along with Stass. They’d been a little downtrodden at being beat so terribly by Slytherin, but seemed happy enough to be there. The clones were the next to arrive with Anakin in tow. Anakin proudly added his gift to the stack before going back over to Rex.

Cody arrived again, loudly kicking in the door gingerly holding the cake. It hadn’t gotten squashed which she was thankful for. Behind him was Breha and Bail, both levitating trays of food and a bowl of punch, letting them settle into place on a row of desks.

More prefects appeared as well as a few other students. Hondo had seemed rather pleased to have been invited, but Satine was a little worried about what he had possibly brought as a present. Soon the room was pretty full and Satine shushed everyone as well as she could without shouting.

“Alright I’m going to get Ben,” She announced, “Be ready.”

“Yes ma’am!” The Fett’s all saluted her and the others in the room nodded keeping their chatter to a minimum.

***

Obi-Wan was growing a little concerned. Satine had been the one to ask him to meet her in the library, but she had yet to appear. He’d kept himself occupied with his textbooks, but he was tempted to go out and look for her. It was no sooner than he closed his textbook and stood that she rounded the corner looking rather flustered.

“Sorry I’m late,” She panted as she flipped her hair back and out of her face. It was down today, which was becoming a bit of a rarity and he smiled.

“It’s no trouble,” He said sitting back down, “Was there something in particular you wanted to work on? I’ve already finished my essays, but I can help you with yours.”

“Actually,” She was fidgeting nervously and he gazed up at her in concern, “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if we went on a walk first.”

“A walk?” That was an unusual request.

“Yes I- I just think it would be nice, don’t you?” Well, he was hard pressed to deny her anything. Especially something as simple as a walk around the castle.

“Alright,” He agreed, sliding his text book back into his bag. She was scrutinizing him and he looked down to make sure his clothes were straightened, because the last time he’d gotten that look his fly had been undone. Rather embarrassing.

He looked up again, starting in surprise, when he felt a hand in his hair. She gave him an apologetic look as she stepped back.

“Sorry, your hair was messed up,” She told him and he felt his face warm slightly, but she just coughed awkwardly and started walking. He ran to catch up.

He couldn’t help, but to run his own hands through his hair, just to ensure that it wasn’t still a mess, “It’s fine Ben,” She told him as she walked just far enough ahead to force him to follow her path.

“I didn’t think you minded much if it was messy,” He said instead of removing his hands.

“I don’t, I just-” Satine cut herself off with a shake of her head. Obi-Wan was confused, but let his hands finally drop to his sides.

“Well alright?” He wasn’t sure what else to say. She was acting off and he couldn’t pinpoint it. Maybe she was upset? But she didn’t look it. Even if she was, the library was perfectly quiet that evening. His heart beat a little faster in his chest as he remembered another time the two of them had been alone, the Christmas party. Did she- were they going to talk about it? He wasn’t sure he knew what to say about such things.

“Ben?” He looked up at his name and she was frowning at him, “Are you alright? You look pale.”

“I’m completely fine,” He confirmed, “Are you?”

“Yes?” Maybe they were both acting a little off this evening.

“Good,” He smiled at her and she returned it easily.

She turned then and walked towards the door of an empty classroom, disappearing inside. What on earth could she want with him in an empty classroom?

He refused to lose her though and quickened his pace until he was pulling the door open only to be assaulted by many loud cheers. It took him a moment to register what they were saying in the first place.

“Happy Birthday!”

His birthday? He blinked, taking in the scene. Many of his close friends were there, his Quidditch team, Anakin, Qui-Gon. All of them were standing there watching him which made him more than a little nervous. The ceiling was decorated in nearly every color of the rainbow and it was complete with balloons. He gripped the strap of his bag, unsure what was expected of him. He certainly had never had a party for himself before.

“Happy Birthday, mate!” Cody appeared in front of him practically dragging him into the room and pushing him towards the professor’s desk. It broke the tension in the room and chatter resumed much to his relief. There were less eyes on him.

“Uhm, thank you,” He managed a smile.

“Look at your cake! We had it made special.”

He looked down in surprise at a white cake decorated with 17 silver candles. Written in delicate blue icing was, “Happy Birthday Obi-Wan!” He’d never had his own birthday cake before, but he’d seen them when Satine or Cody had celebrated theirs. It was kind of them to think of him, he just wished he knew the proper way to respond. The parties he attended usually had scripts to follow and he had never been instructed for one like this.

“It’s chocolate,” Satine’s hand landed right next to his on the desk and he looked up catching her eyes, “I know it’s your favorite.”

“It is,” he agreed almost solemnly.

“Do you like it?” She asked and he nodded quickly, his face heating up, how rude that he hadn’t immediately offered them a thank you.

“Yes of course! I- Thank you,” He told them both seriously, “I’m sorry, I’m just not at all sure how I’m supposed to react.” Satine’s eyes flashed sadly at him for a moment before it was gone and she smiled at him softly, bumping her fingers into his.

“You can react however you’d like,” She assured him, “Yell at me that you hate it for all I care,” He took a step back and nearly tripped over Cody at the insinuation.

“Absolutely not, I’ll treasure it!” He vowed with a stern expression and she laughed a little, it was a sound he quite liked.

“Don’t treasure it too long,” Cody warned him, “Because after we sing to you we’re all going to eat it.”

“Sing?”

Neither of them answered, but he found himself pushed into the professor’s chair and everyone seemed to gather all around him. He felt his face get warm and he hoped it wasn’t too noticeable. Both Cody and Satine were lighting the candles on the cake and right when they were done a rather off-key rendition of “Happy Birthday” was sung and shouted at him. There wasn’t much for him to do except sit there and try to look less uncomfortable. When Fives and Echo finally finished drawing out the last “you” Satine told him to make a wish and gestured for him to blow out the candles. It took him two attempts and he wondered if he looked as foolish as he felt.

Soon, however, everyone was preoccupied with their slices of cake and mingling with one another. Obi-Wan had to admit despite his embarrassment of having so many eyes on him, the cake was rather good. It was certainly his favorite kind from the Great Hall and he was quietly delighted when Satine offered him another piece.

“You know today’s not my birthday,” He told Satine as she sat down next to him cutting into her own slice.

“I know,” She smirked, “I know that your birthday isn’t today or tomorrow, but is actually February 29th. Despite what anyone else may say about this though, is that it’s still worth celebrating even if the day won’t appear again for a few more years.”

He blinked at her, shocked. He knew she’d been interested in figuring out his birthday, but he had assumed she’d dropped it by now, “How did you find out?”

“Years of observation,” It wasn’t a helpful answer, but he had to admire her intelligence in getting this far, “So am I right?” She leaned in close to him, her eyes searching his for the answer.

“Yes,” He answered quietly.

“Kenobi!” Hondo nearly knocked him into his cake when he slapped him on the back, “Why have you not shared your birthday with me before! Hondo gives fabulous presents that one would not wish for in their wildest dreams!”

“Ah thank you Hondo,” He peeled Hondo’s arm off his shoulders. He was fairly sure Hondo was correct in his assumption that he definitely wouldn’t have wished for whatever lurked in Hondo’s present in any of his dreams.

“You’re welcome, my friend! Only the best for one of my closest associates,” He winked at him before waltzing away back into the crowd. Obi-Wan watched him go as Satine stifled her laughter.

“I assumed you’d want to open your presents later?” She asked.

“I have presents?” He looked around the room until he spotted them and blanched. There had to be at least 10 sitting there in a pile just for him, “I can’t accept that,” He looked at her with wide eyes and she narrowed her eyes.

“It would be ruder for you to reject them,” He looked between her and the presents. A catch 22.

“I’m not opening Hondo’s in front of anyone,” He decided and she laughed again.

Suddenly there was a loud crash and they both looked up to see Anakin sprawled out on the floor. Obi-Wan’s heart flew into his throat thinking of a similar event at the last party he’d gone to at this school. Before he could run over there though, Anakin was sitting up with a dopey smile on his face. He giggled.

Obi-Wan let out a sigh of relief, but something still didn’t seem right. Anakin had Qui-Gon’s help to stand up, but he wobbled. He looked a little bit like he was drunk, but he doubted Satine or Cody would spike the punch at his birthday party. Cody seemed to have a similar guess because he took a sip of his own punch and frowned.

“Don’t you think,” Anakin giggled so hard he almost fell down again, “Don’t you think that Miraj Scintel is the most beautiful girl you’ve ever met?”

The room went silent.

“She’s really beautiful,” He said again giggling wildly. He tripped and Qui-Gon just barely managed to catch him.

Half the room broke out into laughter, it was a ridiculous sight, but Obi-Wan was more worried about what the cause of this was. Qui-Gon was too and immediately slapped a cookie out of Hondo’s hand.

“Someone’s snuck a love potion in,” Satine said standing up, looking particularly mad.

“Miraj Scintel by the sound of it,” Cin Drallig raised an eyebrow as they all quietly set their food down.

“Must have been after you Kenobi,” Fives pointed out, “After all this is technically your party.”

“Me?” He barely talked to the girl and found her quite detestable, they were as different as they came.

“It’s possible any of you were the target,” Qui-Gon frowned as he picked up Anakin to keep him from getting anywhere.

“Hey put me down! I need to go tell Miraj Scintel that I love her!” Anakin cried, “Rex, do you think she’ll like me back.”

Rex was looking at Anakin as if he were contagious, but he just gave him an awkward nod and a, “Sure mate.”

“I’ll take him to Madam Nema,” He told everyone and gave a steady gaze at Obi-Wan, “He’ll be fine. In the meantime I’m sorry, but it looks like we’ll have to cut this party short.”

Before long the room had thinned out leaving just Obi-Wan, Satine, Cody, and a mess to clean up.

“You don’t have to help, Ben,” Satine said with a sigh as she pulled out her wand, “It’s your birthday after all.”

“And leave you to do all the work? I don’t think so,” He stood beside her as they both pulled the streamers off the ceiling with their wands. Cody made short work of sending all their food back down to the kitchens. The three of them moved the desks back to where they were meant to before collapsing together at a section of desks in the center of the room.

“Who knew a party would be so much work?” Cody complained as he picked a bit of streamer out of his hair.

“I did,” Obi-Wan answered quietly, “I really appreciate the thought, but I’m not sure I like having all the attention on me.”

“The point of a birthday party is just to be around those that love you,” She told him, “Yeah it’s a little embarrassing being sung too or opening presents, but there are some things in life you just have to accept.”

“I’m not sure,” He would really rather not make such a big fuss about something as mundane as the day he was born. Satine gave him a rather scathing look for a moment before sighing deeply and reaching into her bag.

“Do you remember when I was late coming back to school?” She asked them.

“Only every day,” He complained and Cody just nodded. She sized them both up before pulling out her wallet and, as if it was physically painful for her she pulled out a thin white card.

“I was late because I was getting my driver’s license,” She set the card down in front of them, revealing Satine in rather bad lighting. On the right was a list of identifying information and quite interested, Obi-Wan picked it up to look at it.

Cody immediately had broken into a fit of laughter, catching the end of Satine’s fiery glare, “It looks like a mug shot!”

“That’s why I wasn’t too interested in telling anyone!” She snatched the card out of his hands and Obi-Wan just blinked looking over at her.

“What’s wrong with it? You look lovely,” That comment just made Cody laugh harder and earned him Satine’s glare as well.

“It’s a bloody terrible photo!” She shouted shoving the thing far back in her wallet and stashing it back where it belonged, “The point is,” She emphasized, “Sometimes you have to suffer through some embarrassment in life, I doubt having a birthday party is as terrible as having that as an identifying picture.”

“I don’t see what’s so bad about it,” He looked between Cody and Satine. It showcased her hair and although she wasn’t smiling, in it he could see the softness in her eyes.

“You are unbelievable, Obi-Wan Kenobi!” Satine’s face had gone red, “I show you the worst picture of me forced to exist and you still think being sung too is worse?”

“Let’s open presents!” Cody changed the subject quickly, shoving a shoddily wrapped gift into his hands and trying to whisper, “Come on mate, open it! She already has a mugshot, what’s going to stop her from murdering us.”

“Cody!”

[wutroows]

admiring (luke skywalker x reader)

pairing: luke x reader (romantic, super fluffy)!!  request: (hey pls message me if you got this, tumblr eats my asks way too often) HEY HEY HEY, how bout a lil luke fic where he catches the reader admiring his x-wing shortly post-ANH on Hoth, and he teases the reader that they might like his ship more than him? details/specifics up to you :> requested by: @g1sunstreaker a/n: i’m finally getting around to all of my requests! this one has been sitting in my inbox for a little while and now i’m finally writing it, i’m excited. luke is one of my favorite characters, he’s really adorable so thank you for sending this in and giving me an excuse to write for him- 

luke skywalker’s crush on you was completely, and totally obvious to leia and han. the two of them also had feelings for each other (both of them finally acting on it on the falcon prior to the destruction of the death star). leia loved teasing him about it every now and then, knowing full well you thought of him the same as he did you. han didn’t know that, since leia promised you that she’d keep your secret from the two of them. if han knew, so would luke. those two were practically best friends now. 

luke was practically a celebrity now with the rebels, and he was suddenly a well known, inspiring face to the galaxy. but with that fame came the target on his back from the empire, which he decided to ignore. he was here for a good time, not a long time. 

his x-wing definitely needed repairing after the destruction of the death star, and he knew it. he was going to ask you to help him repair it as a makeshift ‘date’ without him saying the words ‘would you want to go out on a date with me?’ to prevent his heart from pounding out of his chest. it seemed like that didn’t go very well as he chickened out right after walking up to you. 

unbeknownst to luke, you already wanted to fix up his x-wing anyways. it was beautiful to you, more beautiful than the other x-wings in the hangar for no reason at all. they all looked about the same, but you assumed you liked this one more because it belonged to luke. 

the rebellion’s base was on hoth, the icy, freezing planet home to plenty of terrifying creatures. you couldn’t remember the last time you went outside other than for helping someone else do something. luke had liked it. he told you he grew up on tatooine, a sandy dust planet in the outer rim. he told you he hated it there, but when obi-wan had asked him for help in the task of getting leia out of the death star with han. obi-wan didn’t make it, and that fact shook luke down to the bone. he felt guilty about it, but he couldn’t let his death get to him.

you’d heard of obi-wan kenobi before, of course. he was a famous jedi knight during the clone wars. you could’ve swore he died before you were born but knowing that obi-wan protected luke with all he had left in him earned him a newfound respect for him. if you were able to ever meet obi-wan, you’d be sure to thank him for keeping luke alive for you to meet. 

leia, being your best friend, told you all about her being saved from the death star. she was saved by luke, han, and chewbacca, the incredibly tall, imposing looking wookiee. luckily, he was one of the sweetest souls you would ever meet. he was fiercely protective of his friends, and now, that included you. 

it felt weird being included in their little quartet. you thought they would solely stick to themselves before but right as they arrived and became official members of the resistance, they were constantly away from each other and meeting new people. han, of course, flirting with everyone he met even if he did have a liking towards leia. 

you knew why you liked luke. he was kind, you could see it in his eyes. his heart was full of compassion and love, he was determined to defeating the empire and seeing the end of darth vader no matter the cost. he would set his life on the line to protect anyone, and that was only the first part. his personality was lovely, and he always found a way to make those around him laugh.

his physical features were only a bonus to the beautiful personality he had. his eyes were so loving as they maintained eye contact with you whenever you talked. you could’ve swore his eyes sparkled whenever he talked about something or someone he loved. leia told you his eyes sparkled like that whenever he talked about you, but you refused to believe her and shook it off anyways. there was no way you could make luke look like that.

he always had a smile on his face, and his eyes crinkled upwards whenever he did so. you loved being able to make him smile. luke was single handedly the most beautiful person you’d ever seen. 

the smile on your face grew as you worked quietly on said persons x-wing. he didn’t have to ask you to do this, you wanted to do it yourself. he was practically an angel to you, always being kind and polite whenever he asked you for something. you wanted to pay him back for all of the things he did for you for fixing and upgrading his x-wing. hopefully he’d like it.

you wiped the sweat off of your forehead, and stood up off of the stool you’d pulled next to your work space. you backed away from the x-wing and crossed your arms, staring up at it with curious intent. what else could i do to better it? you asked yourself, chewing on your bottom lip in thought. you quickly walked a circle around it, admiring it from all angles. it was perfect.

you sat down your materials on the table. they weren’t actually.. yours. they were luke’s. you figured he wouldn’t mind you using them to repair something that belonged to him. you made sure they were all in good condition before placing them in the toolbox. 

you heard someone clear their throat from behind you, and you turned around in shock. it was luke, a beautiful smile etched across his features. the smile you knew you fell in love with. “luke!” you laughed, awkwardly, scratching the back of your neck. “what are you doing?” he asked you, taking a step towards you as you turned back towards his x-wing, desperately trying to hide the growing blush on your face.

“you don’t like my x-wing more than me, now, do you?” you heard his tease, and your eyes widened. you chuckled, breathless at his statement. “no, no, of course not.” you told him. “i like you a lot more than i do anything..” you mumbled under your breath, your eyes closing to avoid his gaze. “what was that?”

“nothing! nothing.” 

at this point, the hangar bay was completely empty. it was the middle of the night, when you thought luke would be fast asleep, but here he was, standing beside you. you took a peek at him, and his eyes caught your gaze.

“say.. y/n. what would you think about.. i don’t know, going on a date with me?”

is he seriously asking me this right now? alright, play it cool. 

“that would be.. nice.”

“what planet do you want to go to?”

“luke!”

[padawanlost]

ani seems pretty adept at certain physical/material skills (piloting, fighting, mechanical engineering) & has weak spots in some immaterial/conceptual skills (emotional processing, politics). however, he DOES possess plenty other immaterial skills like ingenuity & leadership. so i was wondering: do you know if there's any particular evidence of material skills/hobbies he's NOT good at? (like idk baking or juggling or whatnot XD)

I know the fandom is filled with headcanons about force-sensitive character being bad a mundane task but, though I love them as much as the next person, there’s little evidence to support such claims in the lore. most daily tasks were performed by droids or they that the technology to avoid them altogether. Things like cooking, cleaning, fixing things or shopping were not explored by the canon. and when they were, thanks to the dexterity the Force gives them, force-sensitive can perform them well. The power that allows them to handle lightsabers, also allow them to perform most skills with ease. Anakin, being so powerful and a former slave/mechanic, could perform then better than most. 

The only Jedi I can think of ever being considered ‘bad’ at that sort of stuff is Obi-wan, who is a terrible cook. Anakin’s difficulties were always emotional. He can handle a kitchen, he can fix things, he can sing, he can draw and he’s athletic. 

The good thing is that none of these makes him a ‘perfect’ characters. Anakin’s ability to be great at everything he tries, only serves to isolate him or influence his behavior (like make him overconfident).

[norcumii]

I get to blame @dharmaavocado for this. See, the tags here:

god look at his little smug face see this is why time travel aus fascinate me because just imagine cody adn rex going from dgnified jedi master obi-wan who is a hot mess but like a stately hot mess to this shit with his babyface and his sass come on COME ON I need it sw: galaxy far far away

....Yeah, so I couldn’t help myself. Under a cut because it ended up longer than intended, and only accomplished with the cheerleading of the ever amazing @dogmatix and @deadcatwithaflamethrower. <333

Gen time travel (I know, I was shocked too) under the cut, mostly just the setup for shenanigans, plunnie is TOTALLY up for adoption. ^_^

*****

Cody had once thought that Rex making friends with Kenobi was one of the most frustrating things to have ever happened to him, and he was responsible for most of an army in a galactic wide war. Somehow, all the weird shit in the whole damn war seemed to happen to either the 212th, the 501st, or both.

Cody knew this for a fact: most significant incident reports passed by his desk at least once – the joys of rank, and effectively outranking even most Jedi. That was due to a certain ridiculous Jedi taking on leading more of the damned war than he actually could, but that was why he had Cody around.

Sometimes he wondered how the Order had even survived before they had clones around. Probably not well. 

He shook the mental bitching off, because as entertaining a distraction as it could be, it was probably time to get worried about their actual situation. He and Rex had gotten separated from everyone else - Rex chasing after Skywalker, Cody having paused to grab someone’s lightsaber and robe that he’d dropped, again, and in the process he’d fallen far enough behind he’d just gotten swept up in Rex’s...thing. 

He hadn’t even grabbed Kenobi’s shit due to the Jedi not being able to get them: the ability to rub someone’s nose in the moronic behavior was all the reason he’d ever need. 

But then the Seps had sent in some kind of bombing run, forcing him and Rex to take cover in what he’d thought was a cave, but a few feet in it was more obvious that it’d been carved and reinforced by sentients once upon a time. Probably good, given they’d had to retreat further in as the bombs got closer. 

Helmet lights picked up nothing moving beyond dust and spiders, nothing strange pinged on their HUDs, and the only weirdness was that both of them had fuzzy interference on visuals for the same 2 seconds. They came out the other end of the tunnel awhile later, long enough for sounds of fighting to have died off, leaving nothing but that peaceful, too quiet air that made hackles rise because shit had to be going down soon. 

That quiet was broken by two figures hurtling out of the trees and blurring past them at Force-enhanced speeds, dark cloaks billowing out behind them. Cody swore, wasted a moment to share a look with Rex, then they took off after stupid fucking Jedi. 

After all, if the Jedi were running like that, there was either something very nasty with lots of teeth and/or explosions right behind, or something very fun with lots of fighting ahead. Always best to follow Jedi going hell bent for leather. 

They didn’t even make it a few meters before the shorter figure skidded to a halt, whirled, and ignited a lightsaber. The taller one kept going, as the Jedi in an unfamiliar battle stance called out with a very familiar voice, “Friend or foe?”

Oh what the FUCK. Cody stared, trying to squelch down a kneejerk flare of anger at a ridiculous babyfaced Jedi. Last time he’d seen the General clean-shaven like that had been after the Hardeen fiasco, and he was still very pissed about that.

Thankfully Rex was in front of him, less personally furious about Hardeen-related bullshit, and holding up his hands. “Friends,” he called out, though he sounded more than a little off. Cody didn’t realize why until the General eased up, lightsaber less pointed in their direction and better illuminating his face.

Oh FUCK. ‘Baby-faced’ was right. This wasn’t the General. He was young, somewhere in the twenty range maybe, though Cody had never been good at sorting out ages for natural borns. There was a scrawniness to him that was bizarre, a softness that he’d honestly never even imagined for all that he knew the General hadn’t sprung forth, fully aged and already being....Kenobi. He’d been a padawan at some point, and judging by the long braid hanging over his shoulder — 

....Oh no. Cody moved on autopilot, punching Rex in the shoulder. “I am never auhorizing your stupid gods-awful bullshit reading material ever again,” he hissed across a private channel. He allowed himself a moment to wallow in resentment of a fucked up galaxy, ridiculous Jedi bullshit, and the unfairness of the worst holonovels in the entire GAR getting dumped on his head. 

Then he pulled himself together. “We’re with the Order,” he called out, shifting to show both the robe he carried and the lightsaber at his hip. 

The shiny that was Kenobi straightened up further, but damned if he didn’t look miffed. “I thought they couldn’t spare any backup.”

“We’re not backup,” Rex said before Cody could stop him. “We have no idea why we’re here.”

“Less socializing, more running!” a woman’s voice called out from where the other Jedi was, though it didn’t sound right to have been that person. Kenobi leveled a glare in that direction, huffing a sigh. 

“Easy for you to say, you’re getting carried the entire way,” Kenobi muttered, then gestured. “Come on!”

This, at least, was familiar. Charging headlong through entirely the wrong kind of forest for the planet they had been on, chasing after their damnfool Jedi, following their lead to just miss trees and other obstacles. 

By the time they ducked into the crumbling, roofless walls of what had once been a small house, Rex was showing signs of Skywalker’s more aggressive fighting style that involved less running around all the damn place. Cody had spread the word that most 501st should be getting in more practice with endurance running, but he was willing to admit that everyone needed to sleep sometime. 

Didn’t stop Rex from giving him a knowing glare from where he was leaning against a wall, catching his breath. 

The taller Jedi finally held still long enough for Cody to get a good look. Older human, long brown hair starting to go gray, typical Jedi Master beard, entirely too tall, and carrying some woman. She was around Kenobi’s...new age, blonde hair in a braid — 

Oh no. Cody’s brain tried to short out again, because he recognized Duchess Satine Kryze when she was glaring him in the face. The big Jedi let her down, and she just ramped up the hostile look at them. “You’re dressed like Mandalorians - what kind of Jedi would do that?” she asked, suspicion practically radiating off of her. 

In the end, the problem was that ‘with the Order’ apparently didn’t translate as ‘affiliated with the Jedi’ instead of ‘Jedi.’ But they were a lot more likely to deal with weird shit like blasted time travel than the ordinary person, had more authority than two random clones-who-shouldn’t-exist-yet-if-this-did-involve-time-travel, and had reason to be carrying around a random lightsaber and Jedi robe. 

He allowed a second to consider the headache about trying to explain that, and instead answered, “Corellian.” He’d heard plenty from the General about how that branch of the Order basically did what it damn well pleased, most often accompanied by Kenobi’s polite, genteel version of whining ‘why do they get away with all this shit while I get yelled at for it?’

All told, there wasn’t even a noticeable pause. However, at the exact same moment Rex chimed in with “Agricorps.” They shared a look — the Jedi probably couldn’t read the body language to suss out Cody’s glare, though Rex sure as hell could — and Cody cleared his throat. On the plus side, it did explain only the one lightsaber.

“We’re trying to blend in,” he tried. Habit had him removing the bucket, Rex following his lead. It was interesting to watch the reactions: no recognition, which was probably a good thing; mild curiosity on the older Jedi’s face; a funny, unidentifiable blink from Kenobi, and surprise for Kryze. 

“You’re twins?” she asked, getting a twitch out of Rex.

“Same father,” Cody declared, staunchly not making eye contact with him. 

“I didn’t think the Corellians sent many to the Agricorps,” Kenobi said, and it was starting to get under Cody’s skin that he couldn’t tell what was off about the General. Kid. Whatever. But something had turned odd about how he’d been looking at Rex, who just lifted his chin in challenge. 

“Nothing wrong with the Corps, and nothing shameful about making sure everyone gets food and taken care of.” Great. Now Rex was sounding odd - not defensive, but...cautious. Like he genuinely cared about farming and the like. Cody had nothing against logistics and those who made sure the army kept marching, but the way Rex sounded it was — 

Oh. Rex had to have intel he didn’t: given the chain of command, Cody tried to maintain a bit more distance from Kenobi. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the man, he just didn’t need to know his life story. If nothing else, he didn’t have time to be confidant and amatuer counseling along with everything else. Was one of the reasons the frustration from Rex making friends was worth it. Let him deal with that sort of thing, with the bonus that there was enough difference in rank that Rex could call him on his shit without it causing issues later. 

Cody coasted through introductions (“No titles, please. Like I said, we’re trying to fit in.”), paying more attention to potential plans. They were indeed on Mandalore, there was still a civil war going on, and Jinn and Kenobi were trying to keep one of the last members of House Kryze alive - in spite of some of her own best efforts, given how she didn’t have a solid grasp of tact quite yet. 

They either had to find some way back, or find some way to sabotage the war to keep it from ever happening in the first place — that would be harder, since they couldn’t just assassinate Dooku and consider it a done deal. There were politics involved, galaxy wide politics that weren’t in Cody or Rex’s skill sets, and he’d never made any kind of study about the history involved. Rex might know things; he read anything that held still long enough for him to download it onto a datapad, but it wasn’t like that was common reading material sitting around the barracks. 

There was the uncomfortable thought that once Kryze was an established power — or figurehead — she might be a useful ally. 

Meanwhile, they just had to stick to pretending to be Jedi — less the moving things with their minds Jedi, more the good at fighting and intuition type. It wasn’t like the Jedi would be able to do more than suspect things were hinky without a blood test, after all, so it was just a matter of avoiding that. 

He knew Kenobi had spent a year running around Mandalore protecting the young Duchess, and given what they did know about history and combat, they could handle this. Whatever weird fuckery their Jedi had inadvertently dragged them into, they could handle this. 

“So how long have you been on the run?” Rex asked, dragging Cody’s attention back to the mess at hand. 

Kryze let out a melodramatic sigh and flopped back against the wall. “Two entire weeks.”

…no, no they were pretty well fucked. 

~end

(Though you KNOW that at some point Obi-Wan loses his lightsaber, and Cody just sighs in resignation and passes him the one clipped to his belt, because that’s just how things go. Obi-Wan, however, Does Not Know What To Do With This.)

[sabinemorans]

Finally-Part 2

Jedi Obi Part 2, flirting, heading to SmutTown

Your words hung heavy in the air as you and Obi-Wan stared into each other’s eyes. Feeling desire pooling the longer you looked at him you opened your mouth to speak again but jumped, when instead you were suddenly berated by a droid. R4 was back from sweeping the area and with some beeping and whistles reminded both of you that it was late. The two of you looked embarrassed, both having forgotten the droid’s presence completely during your confessions. Even if he hadn’t been there for the confessions themselves at least one of you should’ve remembered he was with you and would be returning. You could tell chagrin was all over your face as you thanked R4 for the time reminder and were relieved to see the same look on your Master’s face.

It wasn’t just embarrassing to have forgotten your trusty droid, but if this had happened at the Temple? Maker you didn’t want to think about it. The Jedi being sexual creatures was an open secret among themselves and just a rumor around the galaxy. It wasn’t uncommon for them to have lovers but since you and Obi-Wan were still Master and Padawan....

You’d just have to be more careful with your affection and kissing.

Kissing.

Kissing!!

You and your Master had been kissing!

It was crazy, you thought as you reluctantly pulled away from his tight embrace. How had the kissing even started?

You had been setting up camp to wait for the person you would be escorting back to the Republic. The Separatists were aggressively moving from planet to planet, intimidating and forcing people to join their cause or even worse-finding those who agreed with them. Individuals who disagreed with the Separatists were fleeing as safely as they could and the Jedi had been helping them already when the Republic (namely a certain Senator with pull in the temple) had asked you and Obi-Wan specifically to help Talia Daruli, a Togruta with sensitive information.

She was very paranoid you had been told so you and your master had set up camp at her approved coordinates and settled in to wait. Talia was designated to arrive in the morning and you had been just sitting in comfortable silence as you often did when...when...

When he’d pointed out a rare constellation to you! That was right! You were pulled from your memories at Obi-Wan assuring R4 that the two of you would be sleeping soon.

“He’s very insistent,” he says with a sigh that’s meant to come across annoyed but instead is affectionate. “Apparently we don’t get enough sleep.”

Noting the blush on your cheeks even in the firelight and your wide smile he tips his head curiously at you, an eyebrow quirked quizzically. “Everything alright little one? Something you’d like to share?”

He knew what the endearment did to you, he’d known ever since the first time you were injured more than a scrape on a mission and he’d fussed over you even while lecturing. “You must be mindful little one, let the force tell you where your enemies are coming from. But you did very well, now hold still for the bacta spray. Don’t worry. I’m right here with you.”

You’d flushed even redder than you’d been from the exertion of fighting so many droids at once and had squirmed (barely!) on the medbay bunk and he’d given you a similar expression to his current one. Ever since then when he wanted to tease or drive a point home he would use it, and you both loved and hated it. Right now though it was welcome, a perfect nickname for the romantic moment you had shared.

“Ohhhh i was just remembering how we’d gotten to this point,” you said lightly, gesturing to your standing position under the constellation he’d pointed out and what you’d ended up doing. You doused the fire slowly and then took his hand, rubbing little circles into his palm. “How you’d seen the stars and told me of the goddess they apparently represented, telling me her legend reminded you of me...”

Obi-Wan smiled in the moon and starlight so widely you thought his face was going to crack! He chuckles softly and pulls you close again, your foreheads touching.

“Yes...and then we broke,” he whispered, nose against yours. He swallows hard and hugs you a little tighter to him as if you’ll be taken from him, as if he’s trying to shield you from everything that stands as a threat to your happiness.

You nod softly and stroke his beard soothingly. The positivity you put into the force around you was noticed, and he relaxed considerably before kissing your nose.

“And we apparently lost track of time,” you joke, tugging on his robes to lead him to the tent. “Come, before R4 fusses at us again.”

You enter the medium sized tent first and take off your boots, then your outer robe. All you needed to sleep in was the layer on top of your tunic and your trousers even in the cold dessert. The blankets you’d brought would keep you plenty warm and as you watched Obi-Wan disrobe as well you had the notion that you might even end up sweating during the night...you had said you were ready to show him how much you loved him? Didn’t you?

“Goodnight R4!” You call, and get an answering whistle of goodnight. You reach out and touch Obi-Wan’s hand before he can pull his blankets over his body to stop him. The material of the tent is thin enough to be illuminated gently by the moonlight and it only serves to make this moment even more romantic than you could’ve dreamed. Well perhaps not, you had imagined the two of you in field of flowers on a planet like Naboo before but this moment was better. This was real. 

When R4’s powering down noises were complete you got off your twin sized mattress and pushed it a few inches over to Obi-Wan’s where the two melded together to become one until they were taken apart. A very apt thing for the situation at hand. Now sharing a bed for the first time Obi-Wan pulled you close to him, both of you kneeling and brushed his lips against yours. This time it was you who felt like buckling are the soft sensation and your hands fisted in the lapels of his inner robe. This was really happening...you and your master...finally.

“I’m ready too..” He says with his hands cupping your face gently as if you might break in his hands. You hear him swallow, gulp really and his next words come out slightly breathless. “To show you how much I love you...May I?”

Obi-Wan’s warm palms slip from your cheeks to the lapels of your inner robe, mirroring your hands on him and you bite your lip as you think. He was waiting with bated breath, waiting for permission to touch you and start the next phase of your relationship but you found you couldn’t say yes.

You shook your head but didn’t give him time to react before you were pinning him down and swinging a leg over his hips. You sit just below the belt of his robes and he gasps in surprise. His eyes shine as they look up at you with such awe, and then such excitement. You were running this show and nothing, nothing with anyone else had ever felt so good as removing your robe to reveal your under tunic and feeling your Master’s eyes burn with lust as you removed that as well.

Chest bare for him to admire you lean down and swipe your tongue across his lower lip again, this time earning a choked moan in response.

“I love that noise you make Master,” you purr, body scooting down his until your nose is nuzzling against the bulge in his trousers that twitches hard at the attention. You hear him suck in a breath and his legs open automatically for you. So inviting it makes your mouth water just to be near it.

“I wonder what other noises you can make.”

@ohdeargodnotyouagain @sailorsquadgoals @justagarbagecompactor @penfullofwordsaheadfullofstories @skywalkerssolo @thisainttheway @ezraslittlebirdie

[phoenixyfriend]

Anakin and the Jedi Babies: Where There’s a Whill, There’s a Windu

Context: original post, chrono

(Summary of the AU: Disaster lineage got tossed back in time. Anakin stayed 21-ish, but Obi-Wan and Ahsoka got deaged, took new names for time-travel reasons (Ylliben and Sokanth, or Ben and Soka) and have been officially adopted by Anakin.)

----------------------

“You’re attached.”

“You’re just now noticing?”

Master Windu eyes him for a few long moments, and then joins him on the ground. Anakin can’t help but smirk. There’s something gratifying about having respect from the man, in this life.

“The other members of the council are concerned.”

“And you aren’t?”

“I am, but for other reasons,” Windu says.

Anakin doesn’t meet his eyes, doesn’t even respond for a long minute. He just looks out over the Room of a Thousand Fountains, spread out below them like hundreds of jungles pieced together in a jigsaw of flora. It’s been his favorite room in the Temple since he was a child, and it’s always overwhelming.

“Most of them have accepted that you adopted them because of Mandalorian customs, and that you stayed where you were due to the will of the Force,” Windu continues. “But they are… uncomfortable with how blatantly your attachments show.”

“Mandalorians are loud and refuse shame. It rubbed off.”

“You said you would kill for these children.”

“I’m their father. That’s kind of expected.”

Windu’s expression is tired. A little tired of stress, but mostly tired of Anakin’s shit. “You know what I’m trying to get at.”

“Do I?”

“Skywalker.”

“No, I’m serious. I need you to spell this out. I’ve had a million slightly-contradicting lectures on this topic, and I’ve been told pretty clearly that I misinterpreted a solid half of them. If you want a constructive conversation, you can’t be vague. I’m thirty-three years old and a father of two, Master Windu, so yes, I’m attached. What you mean by that word is going to change where this conversation goes.”

It’s gratifying to see the Master actually think it over.

“Ylliben’s tattoos have been causing the most recent stir,” Windu finally says. “They nearly all relate to family, whether new or old, and the symbolism is concerning to those who are already upset about the Mandalorian upbringing. They worry that he’ll remain too tied to people he grew up with, and unable to maintain neutrality in future diplomatic ventures, or at risk of a fall if one of the people he’s seen fit to memorialize is injured or killed. The assume a similar state of mind may be applicable to your daughter and yourself, especially given the off-color jokes about how possessive your children are about each other.”

“They’re worried about emotional immaturity,” Anakin summarizes. He offers a wan, unimpressed grin. “They do realize he’s fourteen, right? Nobody’s emotionally stable at fourteen. The hormones are out of whack.”

“I’m aware,” Windu grinds out. “And I’m aware that your histories, of war and all such things, make your ties much stronger, but you can see why the Council worries, especially those who are wary of the memories your children carry but won’t explain. I’m the only one you’ve told, Skywalker.”

“Plo and Depa know.”

“Plo and Depa aren’t on the council.”

“Yet.”

“Skywalker.”

He relents. “It’s not about Mandalore, Master Windu. It’s about Tatooine.”

Windu lets that sit for a few moments, and then sighs. “I don’t know enough about Tatooine to parse that.”

“Shmi and I are former slaves,” Anakin says, as bluntly as he can. “I was freed at nine, she at eleven, and for all that we are free, we’re not freeborn. We were born slaves, and raised slaves, and we were freed too late to forget that life. The way we think is always going to be affected by the way we grew up. That applies to all sentients, more or less, but it’s… the slave mentality is completely at odds with Jedi teachings, because Jedi teachings can only be taught in a safe environment.”

Windu nods slowly, and says, “That does make sense, but it’s… forgive me, but that’s why we don’t normally take children older than four.”

“From the perspective of teaching cultural values, that makes sense,” Anakin allows. “Teaching a Jedi child that’s cared for with communal resources that they do not need material things to be happy is fine; trying to convince a slave child of the same, someone who grew up being told they do not deserve material things, and that their owner can take anything at any time, including family? I lived that life, trying to adjust to ascetic Jedi values that coincided poorly with slave rules. I know exactly how poorly that transition can go when the person caring for the child doesn’t know how to handle the points of conflict.”

“Do you regret joining the Jedi?” Windu asks.

Anakin shakes his head. “My Jedi master, bless him, cared, and tried very hard, but he wasn’t ready to handle a kid like me and in hindsight, I know that. He needed grief counseling, and I needed therapy, and neither of us was getting it. I don’t… I don’t believe anyone in the Temple would have known how to handle a kid like me.”

“But you don’t regret it.”

“I was meant to be a Jedi,” Anakin says, as firmly as he can without getting unnecessarily bitchy about it. “My struggles with the Code aside, I was meant to be here. But the Temple doesn’t have any resources for children who come older, and I think… I think you do need that.”

“You just outlined why a child can’t follow the Code if they come from a different enough background,” Windu says.

Anakin shakes his head. “No, that’s not—I think a kid like me can learn to be a Jedi, if a little unconventional, if they’re taught correctly. The desperation to cling to anyone and anything you have can be unlearned. It takes time and effort, but it’s possible. Soka and Ben are good at balancing Tatooine care with Jedi control. If you talk to Ben, you get an entire philosophical breakdown about it, but I’m more concerned with the child psychology, because that’s what could have broken me.”

Windu frowns. “You’re building up to something.”

“I think the Jedi need programs for children found older who can’t become full Jedi,” Anakin asserts. “Even those who cannot reconcile what they absorbed growing up with the Code and Jedi tradition… they, we, need guidance. The Council tried to reject me for being too old, and now that I’m grown I understand why, but… Master Windu, what do you think would have happened to me if I hadn’t had my Master to fight for me, and had been turned away?”

“We’d have looked into placing you back with your mother and, upon finding out that she was still enslaved, secured her freedom,” Master Windu says. “Qui-Gon Jinn had taken responsibility for you, and thus you were a ward of the Temple until such a time as you were safe again. It would have been cruel to keep you from your mother if we were not to raise you a Jedi, and crueler still to allow you to return to slavery.”

“And you think I’d have been safe with her?” Anakin asks. He needs Master Windu to understand this. “You think that would have ended well?”

“You don’t?”

“Ventress,” Anakin says. “Maul. Aurra Sing, even.”

Windu considers that. He looks across the grand, green room of the garden, and finally speaks. “You think you’d have been found and corrupted by a Sith.”

“I’d already helped Naboo win a battle. I was a powerful child with no support system in this respect, eager to please,” Anakin says. “Ventress and Maul both got twisted into Sith Apprentices. Aurra Sing was just a bounty hunter, but… even if the Jedi had never found me, and the Sith remained unaware, do you think I’d have ended up better than Sing? Or would the pressures of slavery have led to my Fall anyway, eventually slaughtering my owner, the Hutts, the entire system of Tatooine’s hells?”

Windu rubs a hand over his forehead. “I understand what you’re getting at.”

“It’s not just me,” Anakin says, as carefully as he can. “Even without the Sith, there are plenty of Force-Sensitive children in terrible situations that are liable to Fall just because of how power is wielded by those at the bottom. Refusing to take on students who are already at risk… the Jedi are meant to monitor Force users to prevent Sith and other dark-aligned people from harming the galaxy. It’s one of our primary duties. If the Jedi are allowing darksiders to rise just because of an age limit…”

“I get it,” Windu says, just a little aggressive. “I understand. Give me a minute.”

Anakin tries to wait. He’s older now, he can do that. He can be patient.

He tries to convince himself that it’s true.

“You have a point,” Master Windu finally allows. “And with the knowledge that the Sith are out there, still, it’s a more salient point than most would think. The EduCorps already has a subdivision for teaching meditative techniques to low-level force users who need to learn shielding but aren’t sensitive enough to be Jedi, or are just too old, but I see your point about encouraging a program for powerful Force-Sensitives that aren’t discovered early enough to integrate into the community in full.”

“And a more comprehensive Search pattern for the Outer Rim?” Anakin suggests. He shrugs at the look he gets. “What? You’ve seen my midicount. I was on Tatooine for almost a decade, and the only reason anyone found me was that Qui-Gon had to crash a ship in the middle of nowhere. I’m sure the Force led him to me, given all the coincidences, but that’s still a solid nine years that nobody did, despite how I apparently ‘shine like the sun’ or whatever.”

“Humble.”

“The last time I took a midichlorian test on a portable counter, it literally broke the device. That’s not arrogance, that’s just absurd.”

Windu looks exhausted by the comment. Anakin can’t bring himself to feel too bad about it.

“What about Jedha?” Anakin suggests instead. “Jedi find the kids, but if they’re too old to be Jedi, we could coordinate with one of the temples at Jedha to see about having them raised in the traditions of the Whills? They’re a little less orthodox, aren’t they?”

“In some respects,” Master Windu says. “More constrained in others, but… it’s a possibility. Most of the overlooked children, yourself included, are from parts of the Outer Rim that aren’t part of the Republic, Skywalker.”

Anakin shrugs. “And many of them would have been happy to be found and collected by a Jedi, even if they couldn’t become Jedi. Not the Dathomiri, since they’ve got their own thing going on, but… from what I know about Ventress, she actually did have a Jedi Master before the situation on Rattatak became… what’s the word… untenable? He died and she was left alone, and she’d been a slave already and it just… did not end well for her. But that was a planet overrun by pirates and warlords, and would have been approved as a planet the Jedi could help without it being a weird colonialism thing… if the Senate weren’t made up of cheapskates, at least.”

“Skywalker.”

“My name isn’t actually a reprimand, you know.”

“You’re not supposed to just say that,” Windu groans, running a hand over his face. “The Senate’s choice in funding is not optimal, but insulting them in that way, even in private—”

“They’re assholes,” Anakin says, and doesn’t let his humor show. “Except my late wife, but she’s not part of the Senate in this time, so I feel no shame in accusing the entire shitshow of being cheapskates.”

Windu looks about ready to push him off the ledge.

“You’re never allowed to go on diplomatic missions, are you?” Windu mutters.

“Unless it’s to Mandalore,” Anakin clarifies. “Also, never send me to Tatooine. Ever. Please. I kriffing hate that planet.”

“I’m going to assume you have plans to kill a Hutt if we ever send you to—”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” Windu sighs. “I’ll discuss this with the Council, see how they feel about reaching out to Jedha for your suggestion regarding the Whills.”

“And you’ll tell them not to worry about my kids?”

“Skywalker, they are never going to stop worrying about your family,” Windu tells him.

“That’s fair.”

[wallisjewellie]

Deleted Obi-Wan and Padmé scenes

Interesting information about Attack of the Clones (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0121765/trivia):

“According to producer Rick McCallum, a scene was shot with Obi-Wan and Amidala swinging from one area to another, much like Luke and Leia in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), but the scene was cut.”

In case anyone is interested, the ANH scene can be watched here: https://youtu.be/VrbvWt5kerw

And it made me thinking.

It is often argued that Obi-Wan and Padmé have little screen time together with actual interaction happening between them. In fact, quite a number of their scenes were omitted during the post-production phase. Some are small, yet clearly discernible. For example the one where they meet after a decade of being apart.

The AOTC original script depicts it as such (http://nldslab.soe.ucsc.edu/charactercreator/film_corpus/film_20100519/all_imsdb_05_19_10/Star-Wars-Attack-of-the-Clones.html):

“OBI-WAN

It's a great pleasure to see you again,

M'Lady.

PADMÉ

It has been far too long Master

Kenobi. I'm so glad our paths

have crossed again... but I must

warn you that I think your

presence here is unnecessary.

OBI-WAN

I'm sure the Jedi Council have

their reasons.”

The lines indicated with bold letters are left out of the film.

But when one revisits the final scene (https://youtu.be/Wm593Vhs3bI), the editing is evident from 1:07 to 1:11. Padmé’s lips keep moving (“I’m so glad our paths have crossed again...”), but she is muted, and we transition right to the part where she turns her attention from Obi-Wan to “Annie”.

It is bad editing. Only if Obi-Wan’s mouth was not moving at 1:12... He is probably finishing the sentence with “...have their reasons” at the end, and hence why Padmé’s attention is focused on him as well as why there is a more serious expression on her face. Otherwise why would there be such a sudden change in her mood? Literally a moment ago she was beaming at Obi-Wan. But then she calls his presence “unnecessary” by using some unfortunate wording, and the face she makes at 1:12 is probably the reaction to Obi-Wan’s polite, yet valid comeback.

When it comes to ROTS, the loss is far more substantial, and not only by the omission of the infamous scene where they kiss and embrace each other (from 1:03 https://youtu.be/xd5qQRXhoLI), which bit, in fact, can be found in the original script (https://thescriptsavant.com/pdf/StarWarsEpisode3RevengeOfTheSith.pdf):

“187 EXT. CORUSCANT -PADME'S APARTMENT-VERANDA- AFTERNOON

The cockpit of the sleek yellow Galactic Speeder opens, and a HOODED FIGURE emerges and walks onto the veranda. An ALARM GOES OFF deep in the apartment. The FIGURE stops before a security curtain that protects the veranda. C-3PO enters the veranda and approaches the FIGURE.

C-3PO: Hello, might I help you . . . Oh, it's you, Master Kenobi. Come in, quickly.

The security curtain disappears, and the FIGURE lifts his hood. It is OBI-WAN. The alarm stops sounding.

OBI-WAN: Has Anakin been here . . . ?

C-3PO: Yes . . . right after the attack on the Jedi Temple. PADME comes down the stairs in a robe. THREEPIO leaves.

PADME: Master Kenobi . . .

She embraces Obi-Wan.

PADME: (continuing) Oh, Obi-Wan, thank goodness . . . you're alive.

OBI-WAN: The Republic has fallen. Padme . . . The Jedi Order is no more . . .

PADME: I know, it's hard to believe everything to which we've dedicated our lives is gone.

OBI-WAN: I believe we have been part of a plot hundreds of years in the making.

PADME: The Senate is still intact, there is some hope.

OBI-WAN: No. Padme . . . It's over . . . The Sith now rule the galaxy as they did before the Republic.

PADME: The Sith!?!

OBI-WAN: I'm here looking for Anakin . . . When was the last time you saw him?

PADME: Yesterday. [...]”

In the end we have this scene from “When was the last time you saw him?” in the final product. Sad.

And we have also been denied the scene where Obi-Wan and Padmé have a candid conversation in her apartment. It had been shot, then did not make the cut. You can have a glimpse at it here from 6:40 to 6:44: https://youtu.be/5ihqDETf324

In the script it looks like this (https://thescriptsavant.com/pdf/StarWarsEpisode3RevengeOfTheSith.pdf):

“94 INT. CORUSCANT-PADME'S APARTMENT-LIVING ROOM- EARLY MORNING

PADME and OBI-WAN sit on one of the couches. OBI-WAN: Has Anakin been to see you?

PADME: Several times . . . I was so happy to hear he was accepted on the Jedi Council.

OBI-WAN: I know ... he deserves it. He is impatient, strong willed, very opinionated, but truly gifted.

They laugh.

PADME: You're not just here to say hello. Something is wrong, isn't it?

OBI-WAN: You should be a Jedi, Padme.

PADME: You're not very good at hiding your feelings.

OBI-WAN: It's Anakin . . . He's becoming moody and detached. He's been put in a difficult position as the Chancellor's representative . . . but I think it's more than that. I was hoping he may have talked to you.

PADME: Why would he talk to me about his work?

OBI-WAN studies her.

OBI-WAN: Neither of you is very good at hiding your feelings either.

PADME: Don't give me that look.

OBI-WAN: I know how he feels about you.

PADME: (nervous) What did he say?

OBI-WAN: Nothing. He didn't have to.

PADME is a little flustered. She stands and Obi-Wan follows. She walks to the balcony.

PADME: I don't know what you're talking about.

OBI-WAN: I know you both too well. I can see you two are in love. Padme, I'm worried about him.

PADME looks down and doesn't answer.

OBI-WAN: (continuing) I fear your relationship has confused him. He's changed considerably since we returned . . .

They stand on the balcony and look off at the early morning city. OBI-WAN starts to leave. PADME stays looking off into the distant city.

OBI-WAN: (continuing) Padme, I'm not telling the Council about any of this. I ... I hope I didn't upset you. We're all friends, I care about both of you . . .

PADME: Thank you, Obi-Wan.

OBI-WAN: Please do what you can to help him.”

And has anybody noticed that the promotional stills seem to be out of sync with the visual seen in the film? Well, probably because some parts of the material already filmed were discarded.

Such as these ones (https://thescriptsavant.com/pdf/StarWarsEpisode3RevengeOfTheSith.pdf):

“228 INT. POLIS MASSA-MEDICAL CENTER-NIGHT

The TWINS are being delivered as BAIL ORGANA, YODA, ARTOO, and THREEPIO watch. OBI-WAN is in the operating theater with PADME. He takes her hand.

OBI-WAN: Don't give up, Padme.

PADME winces from the pain. The MEDICAL DROID is holding the BABY.

MEDICAL DROID: It's a boy.

PADME: Luke . . .

PADME can only offer up a faint smile. She struggles to touch the baby on the forehead.

MEDICAL DROID: ... and a girl.

PADME: . . . Leia.

R2-D2, THREEPIO and BAIL ORGANA watch from an adjoining space.”

“230 INT. POLIS MASSA-MEDICAL CENTER-NIGHT

OBI WAN leans over PADME and softly speaks to her.

OBI-WAN: You have twins, Padme. They need you . . . hang on.

PADME: I can't . . .

PADME winces again and takes OBI-WAN's hand. She is holding Anakin's japor snippet.

OBI-WAN: Save your energy.

PADME: Obi-Wan . . . there . . . is good in him. I know there is ... still . . .

A last gasp, and she dies. OBI-WAN studies the necklace.”

A smaller one, but might be of great significance if one thinks about either the Rebel Alliance subplot or the nature of Obi-Wan and Padmé’s relationship. (https://thescriptsavant.com/pdf/StarWarsEpisode3RevengeOfTheSith.pdf)

“195 EXT. MUSTAFAR-LANDING PLATFORM-DAY

[...]

PADME: I was so worried about you. Obi-Wan told me terrible things.

ANAKIN: What things?

PADME: He said you have turned to the dark side . . . that you killed younglings.

ANAKIN: Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me.

PADME: He cares about us.

ANAKIN: Us??!

PADME: He knows . . . He wants to help you.

ANAKIN: Is Obi-Wan going to protect you? He can't ... he can't help you. He's not strong enough.

PADME: Anakin, all I want is your love.

ANAKIN: Love won't save you, Padme. Only my new powers can do that.”

The clip from the film can be watched here: https://youtu.be/J8QLKWvVK14

From 1:28 to 1:31 there is again an odd transition as a result of getting rid of the lines “Is Obi-Wan going to protect you? He can't ... he can't help you. He's not strong enough.” Anakin’s facial expression, of smugness and and condemnation, makes more sense in this context.

And from 3:24 to 3:28 there is another line missing:

“ANAKIN: Because of Obi-Wan?

PADME: Because of what you've done . . . what you plan to do. Stop, stop now. Come back! I love you.

ANAKIN: (seeing Obi-Wan) Liar!

PADME turns around and sees OBI-WAN standing in the doorway of the Naboo Cruiser.

PADME: No!

ANAKIN: You're with him. You've betrayed me! You brought him here to kill me!

PADME: NO! Anakin. I swear ... I ...

ANAKIN reaches out, and PADME grabs her throat as she starts to choke.

OBI-WAN: Let her go, Anakin.

ANAKIN: What have you and she been up to?

OBI-WAN: Let her go!”

So, there you go. I think there could have been plenty of opportunities for them to end up in more scenes together, but whatever. Even according to Natalie Portman “All of [Obi-Wan and Padmé’s] relationship developed off screen, so between Episode II and Episode III [they have] sort of become friends, to the point where he feels comfortable coming to [Padmé] and telling [her] things that are very personal.”

Also, do we know if Obi-Wan and Padmé met between TPM and AOTC? We know for sure that Padmé and Anakin didn’t, but then the film remains silent on Obi-Wan who is referred to as an “old friend” of Padmé’s by Palpatine (http://nldslab.soe.ucsc.edu/charactercreator/film_corpus/film_20100519/all_imsdb_05_19_10/Star-Wars-Attack-of-the-Clones.html)

“PALPATINE

I realise all too well that

additional security might be

disruptive for you, but perhaps

someone you are familiar with... an

old friend like... Master Kenobi...”

[ageofgeek]

For the ask meme, Rey SKYWALKER uwu

You bet!

How I feel about this character:

Light of my life. Rey of sunshine. Feral sand baby in a long and proud tradition of feral sand babies in the GFFA.

I remember watching TFA for the first time and being struck by how sweet Rey was, but also how that sweetness could turn to burning anger very quickly. She reminds me a lot of Anakin and Leia, in that way. For all my problems with the sequel trilogy, Rey was one of my favorite characters in it, and she (and TFA in general) really got me “back into” Star Wars as a fandom, circa 2015.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

I’m a slut for OT3s (and the Star Wars trios in general are just my jam - platonic or romantic, I love them all), so I love JediStormPilot (Rey/Finn/Poe).

I’m also still very Soft™ for Rey/Finn. I really connected with them in TFA (which continues to be my favorite ST movie), and I find them really cute and pure.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Basically all of her relationships with the OT trio. Han and Leia being her Space Mom and Space Dad was great, and I really wish we could’ve gotten more of their interactions. Same with Rey & Luke’s relationship - I loved the snark that we got from them in TLJ, but I really wish we could’ve seen more.

OH, and how could I even forget Chewie and the droids (mostly R2 and BB-8, but I also liked her affection for D-0 in TROS).

My unpopular opinion about this character:

I don’t know if this is exactly unpopular (it certainly is in some areas of the SW fandom), but I reallyyyyy don’t like R*ylo. That kiss was the most disappointing part of TROS for me (possibly the most disappointing part of the ST in general).

Similarly to that, I don’t like how Rey was so willing to “give Ben a chance,” especially in TLJ. I’ve written about this before, but I felt like she would’ve been much more unforgiving towards him, considering how she had bonded with Han. This also goes with the personal parallels I’ve made between Anakin, Leia, and Rey being the more fiery, passionate ones, with Obi-Wan/Padme, Luke, and Finn being their more forgiving and peaceful counterparts.

Tl;dr - I think Rey should’ve been angrier, haha.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

I wish they hadn’t pushed the R*ylo angle.

I wish that they hadn’t made her the granddaughter of Palpatine (I was actually totally fine with her being a “nobody” - plenty of Jedi weren’t Skywalkers or born from the Force itself. Also, as I just showed in my recent post, I’m totally on board with Rey being an honorary Skywalker).

Mostly, I wish that her training and development as a Jedi had been given more focus in TLJ and TROS. We never really learned too much (at least not in the movies) about what Rey thought of the spirituality of the Jedi, or of her actual connection to the Force.

So I hope that we do get some more material on Rey in the future - either in the form of comics or novels, or even a TV show.

Thanks for the ask - this was fun!  Send me more characters, folks! :D

[sl-walker]

Sort of fascinating thing

Like, I will be the first person to say that Maul’s not traditional military material, etc.  But this link has a list of one guy’s opinion of what makes a good officer (in this case lieutenant, which he is), and it’s downright amusing.

Lead From The Front

Maul: Yes, definitely.  When he’s not in front, it’s only because there’s someone who’s honestly better suited to lead than him.  IE, Castle handling the overland nav on Bravo-984, or Misty leading the underwater expedition.  But even in those cases, Maul’s picking up as much as he can; carrying the heaviest weights, etc, just to save his squad stress-injury if he can.  He’s kind of side-ways an embodiment of it; instead of unilaterally leading, he more does so by example and consensus.

Obi-Wan: Yes, he is often right in front.

Anakin: Yes, he is also often right in front.

Put The Troops First.

Maul: Yeah.  Before mission or Republic.  If it comes down between a failed objective (even one that could save lives!) or a dead Blackbird, he’ll drop the objective any day without hesitation.  But even beyond that, he pretty much doesn’t take a breather until he knows they’re all safe, cared for, looked after, so he’s sure got at least half of that right.  Maybe even all of that.

Obi-Wan: Not so much.  While I don’t think he’s anything like heartless, objective does come first for him.

Anakin: Same as Obi-Wan.

Lead Through Your NCOs.

Maul: Heh.  Maybe a little too much.  But Shiv’s got more voice in that squad than it seems Cody or Rex has in their much larger units.  Maul absolutely relies on Shiv to not only be the direct bridge between his words and the rest of the squad, but also frankly to fill in the gaps where he has no idea what he’s doing.

Obi-Wan: HA!  No.

Anakin: HA!  Hell no.  Those two both act very unilaterally; you see them give a lot of orders, but you don’t see them collaborating with their subordinates, really.

Training Is Your Number One Priority

Maul: Yep.  Be it teras kasi or asymmetrical tactics, Maul’s a far more natural teacher than he is commander.  Training is where he shines particularly brightly; he’s exacting and asks for hard work, but he’s patient as all hell and just as quick to praise as correct.  And man, he never abuses a student.  He never rose his voice or berated Savage in canon, once Savage was his apprentice; if that poor crazy bastard wouldn’t do that, a more sane Maul sure wouldn’t ever mistreat one of the people he’s teaching.  Be it his squad, Bail learning a lightsaber form, or Commander Half-Pint, the one thing you’ll never see is any abusive or berating ‘training’ methods from him.

Obi-Wan: Not so much?  It’s all mission and objective; I don’t see him training with his men.

Anakin: Also not so much.  He leads them, he encourages them, but he’s not really among them.

Inspect What You Expect.

Maul: This is where he falters; he generally trusts his squad to bring their best to the table, so he doesn’t worry much about inspections or otherwise, be it of equipment or gear or weapons.

Obi-Wan: Very likely better about that, but not by much.

Anakin: Very likely also better about it, by some measure more.

Know What You Do Not Know (And Do Something About It).

Maul: What he knows, he does; what he doesn’t, he’s absolutely non-pretentious about learning.  First briefing, he outright tells them he’s green and has little experience in a military setting.  This also manifests in his willingness to share the spotlight, collaborate rather than dictate and teach rather than preach.  Some of this is a lack of self-confidence, but some of it’s just plain common sense.  Maul has plenty of prickly spots in terms of pride, but appreciating skill isn’t one of them, even when that skill isn’t his.

Obi-Wan: >.<

Anakin: >.<

Guard Your Integrity.

Maul:  Pretty honor-bound and therefore pretty unassailable, at least within his own circle of loyalty.  He’s honest, even if -- like confessing about his relationship with Obi-Wan -- it takes some time for him to come out with it.

Obi-Wan: False surrenders, anyone?

Anakin: >.<

Understand the Roles of the Other Leaders.

Maul:  Yes and no.  He follows Obi-Wan, but not always blindly.  He does not actually appreciate most of the command structure of the GAR, but who can blame him?  But he does understand how important Shiv is, as sergeant, and definitely does not take that for granted.

Obi-Wan:  He does a better job than many, but not so much good.

Anakin: Are you kidding.

Learn to Make Do With Scarce Resources and Personnel.

Maul: Damn skippy.  Obviously.

Obi-Wan: Yes, he can.

Anakin: Yes, he also can.

Remember to Have Fun and Never Lose Your Sense of Humor.

Maul: Pretty good at that, yeah.  He doesn’t get a lot of humor, but he also doesn’t grudge anyone theirs.

Obi-Wan: With other Jedi, sure.  With his troops?

Anakin: With other Jedi, yeah.  But he’s always still somehow apart from almost everyone.

Anyway, the interesting takeaway is how much of that stuff Maul manages to be.  I still don’t think he’s quite military material, but it’s food for thought, anyway.

[roxannepolice]

Thoughts on Reysabella's monolouge and why there’s always been a red light in my head about this trilogy

So, a few hours ago I made a few hysterical posts regarding the last force bond scene in Jedi the Last, among others saying I really hope it's all heading for dark!Rey. As I already mentioned, her monolouge in that scene gave me strong Isabella from Measure for Measure vibes and she's a character I really dislike. Basically the scene reestablishes Kylo as dastardly villain and Rey as an unfaltering maiden of light, which is the interpretation so many view as the right one. Regardless, the play isn't of the official Disney-LF material, so it's not like there's room for hysterics as it being an argument against reylo or bendemption. As I also wrote, the scene upset me esthetically above all. But I had to ask myself, why did it rub me the wrong way, why did it give me a sensation of a needlessly false note in an otherwise good opera? At first I told myself - as you pointed out, you dislike characters like Isabella, you're entitled to do so but don't let your preferences cloud your judgment. But then I realised something more - one of the reasons I dislike such characters is exactly having grown up on Star Wars. 

What followed was a flood of realisation why ever since TFA I had this red light at the back of my head that this trilogy may break into some dramatic sh*t before the end, why interpretations of the last fb such as above were leaving me esthetically upset, why this entire trilogy, while excellently complementig the symphony the entire saga makes, seemed to me to have a... not exactly false note, but a too loud trombone? some misplaced arias? some keys that could have been better? too few instruments? those details that can make sense in the overall composition but it’s impossible to tell before the music’s over.

And then it dawned on me - this trilogy is that of doubtless believing. Or rather it seems to be. And more importantly, that’s what many viewers want it to be.

Now I know that at a first glance it’s very much what Star Wars has always been about but I’d object. When the characters and themes in hitherto saga are analysed it becomes apparent that doubtlessness, feverish belief is far from being complimented, as I’ll elaborate below.

First of all, OT. Now, the political subplot of OT seems pretty doubltess, but I wouldn’t say it has always been so. Back when the movies where being aired, viewers hoped, most probably hoped very surely and well groundedly that the Rebels will win - but that’s the basic hope we all have that good triumphs, it didn’t have that vibe the sequels have to them that vanquishing evil empires is *Moriarty voice* WHAT STAR WARS DO!!! Turning to the personal plots. Luke is easily the runner up to the title of the most doubtful protagonist of all time, second only to Hamlet. He tries, not does or does not, impossible to him everything is, he can take Obi-Wan to Mos Eisley but not any further. When he goes to face Vader in RotJ he does so fully bracing the idea that he can never come back. When he goes to the Cloud City, he does so half admitting Yoda and Obi-Wan probably have a point that he’s not yet ready to face Vader - but he just can’t leave Han and Leia. Overcoming his self doubt is a great and positive step in his journey. But, it is exactly when Luke develops a sort of overconfidence in himself, up to the point of thinking he can creep up on someone at night and read their thoughts, that he fails. Leia is in many ways an opposite of Luke, she’s a very unfaltering believer, she always knows right from wrong and she’ll always fight the latter in the name of the former. And while her struggles pay off politically, sequels introduce an unpleasant concept that it came at a price of her motherhood. When her child shows himself to be not simply a ball of light, she freaks out and has her miracle working brother who magically saved their father exorcise the darkness before it lays eggs. And on the other hand, there’s Han. A self proclaimed scoundrel who’s actually the good guy, nothing short of a walking self-doubt. Sadly, his is the case where too much doubt brought failure. But neither was he fervently believing in anything else.

Turning to PT. In terms of politics, it’s obvious prequels are far from hero worship. Liberty dies in thunderous applause, Palpatine becomes emperor according to every democratic rule, jedi asses are dragged like hell. Doubts galore. What about characters? Anakin is a serial monofidelist. First he fervently believes in the jedi order, then as firmly in Palpatine as a leader, and finally for a short while in himself to eventually have nothing left to believe in and spend 20 years as an empty shell. So, Padme? Yes, Padme firmly believes - in freedom, human (alien?) rights, peace, general welfare, democracy - but not republic or its representatives. She doesn’t believe in the republic beacuse there’s nothing to believe in, she can methodically explain to Anakin why this system works, there is no supernatural connection between republic and freedom in her head, that’s just how society and politics work. She also has little hesitation to call a votum against Valorum, is a leader of opposition in the senate and finally wonders outloud if the republic hasn’t become the exact evil they wanted to fight - to which Anakin of all people accuses her of talking like a seperatist. And finally, Obi-Wan. Again, apparently firm believer and undeniably, he has a couple of axes mundi that he just believes in - the light side, democracy, jedi beacuse not necessarily jedi order... I’d also say he really believed in Anakin to be the chosen one, which I think is - alongside their friendship, another of his few axes mundi - why his fall hurt him so much. But other than that? I’d say his serene confidence is far from fervent belief, he has no problem letting Anakin continuously break the jedi code (imagine if Windu had better knowledge of where little padawans come from...), when Han mocks the idea of the Force he just confidently has him watch Luke train with the ball - compare that to Darth Anakin force choking a man for a similar “offence”. 

Turning to ST. There’s something almost grotesque about TLJ spoonfeeding us how dire Resistance’s situation is at the end of the movie and audience just going yeah, yeah, sure, they’re good guys in Star Wars, if they don’t win now you’ll give them another trilogy. As for characters - well, that’s exactly where interpretations differ. Of all mainest characters, Finn is the one most indisputably having had some sort of epiphany, a turning point in his perception, even if he hadn’t have time to maul over what DJ told him about war as business and Rose stopping his kamikaze. But as far as Rey and Ben are concerned - well, exactly, are their stories from doubt to different certainties, as some believe? If we assume TLJ was a journey from point A through some sidetracking to point A only more firmly - which is basically what Renperor throwing a tantrum and Reysabella expressing outloud Resistance’s moral superiority during the last force bond imply - then indeed, some trombone sounds out of place in the overall symphony. Now, Kylo Ben is arguably the character that had a word “conflict” put next to him most frequently, and it basically depends on whether this assertion is correct that he’s either a broken abuse victim or a cold psychopath the only sure argument right now is that latter makes a boring story. But Rey... Rey’s a believer. More, she’s a denier. A believer capable of wasting over a decade of her life in the name of denial. New puzzle pieces take time to make her reconsider the picture: no no, Luke, you’re wrong, jedi were awesome. No, you didn’t fail Kylo, Kylo failed you. Liar, she calls Kylo fun fact: Obi-Wan to Dooku telling him senate is controlled by a sith lord: I don’t believe you; Anakin to Padme on Mustafar: liar when he tells her his version of the Dolorous Night - even though a part of her knows that what he said is closer to truth than what Luke told her. When she goes to Supremacy she does so firmly sure she’s right and Luke’s wrong. Now, of course, she progresses through the movie, but, interestingly enough, the hesitation before the third act isn’t adressed as firmly as it should be at the end of the second movie - if it is in fact acknowledged. AotC ends with Yoda informing everyone there was no victory, only a beginning of clone wars. ESB makes a fine case of Luke quite quickly calling Vader father and painfully asking Obi-Wan why didn’t he tell him the truth. Rey seems... exactly, back in the place she was, only more firmly. 

Case in point, to a naive eye it appears Rey had something of a paradoxical perception twist, and that was her only twist in the entire story - she changed her perception to find out her older perception was right. And that of course applies to Kylo Ben, and him alone. For many, even the truth about her parents shouldn’t be a table turner which expresses our escapist society disturbingly well. But more importantly, it’s not a misinterpretation. I know there are plenty of excellent meta explaining how Rey isn’t actually as firm in the last fb, but tbh, an intuitive impression is probably the right impression in a blockbuster. The actual question to ask is what does this firmness mean in the overall story.

Too high minors, too low majors, too self assured this allegro con brio seems.... Is it to establish a new key? Maybe.