#oh dear oh no oh Padmé what have you done

[wileycap]

Beings Suffering From Extreme Sleep Deprivation Should Not Attempt Turning To The Dark Side

There he was. Anakin Skywalker, the prize jewel of the Sith... even if he did not know it yet. Sitting in the office of his friend, the Supreme Chancellor.

All the pieces were now in place, and the only thing left to do was to reveal his identity to Skywalker and let him break down. The satisfaction that permeated the form of Sheev Palpatine was so great that he nearly forgot that his parents had named him Sheev.

But not for long. Distaste prickled up his spine. Still, they were entering the glorious morning of a Sith Empire that would never see night. Or, rather more accurately, the night would be neverending. And the metaphors would be better - he would hire (and by hire, he meant enslave) the greatest poets to compose endless lamentations for the suffering he was about to unleash.

Skywalker sat in the chair, looking listless. The nightmares Palpatine had sent had done their job well - it seemed like he had hardly slept. His thoughts were sluggish, his resistance gone, and his terror absolute. Terror for his "secret" wife, who he feared would die in childbirth.

And while the "visions" were far from genuine, oh, Palpatine intended to make sure that Padmé Amidala would.

With the death of his wife, Palpatine's control over Anakin Skywalker would be perfect. And, in ten or twenty years, thirty even, the boy would become his new vessel. After all, the plans of the Sith were measured in the millenia, and Sheev Palpatine had no intention of planting trees in whose shade younger generations might sit. No. He intended to sit there himself, chasing off the whippersnappers so they might get sunburnt. (He really needed to consult a poet.)

But the creation of his Empire was a far more immediate goal, and a very worthy stepping stone indeed. And since all it would take was a push, he had better get to administering said push.

"Dear boy, I don't think I've ever seen you look quite this... disturbed," he intoned, perfectly miming the tones of a concerned grandfather. "Not - and I am terribly sorry to bring this up, but I can't help but be concerned - not even... not even when your mother died."

There. Skywalker was an easy instrument to play. A veil of concern, a dash of "you can tell me anything." A hint of his past trauma, which so neatly (almost as if by design) connected to his current fear. Even calling attention to Skywalker's sorry state served to remind him that the structures he could depend on were now shaky and unsure, ravaged by war.

Palpatine briefly entertained himself by wondering what the boy might think of the sheer amount of planning that had been put into his fall.

"Mom?" Skywalker asked, voice groggy and wide eyes betraying his shock.

And said nothing more, just gaped at Palpatine, as if he were about to pull Shmi Skywalker out from under his robes. Idiot boy.

"I'm terribly sorry for shocking you, Anakin," Palpatine said, suffusing the room with his phony concern. "I know it must be horrible to think about, especially in these... present circumstances."

Well, he'd thrown subtlety out the viewport, but that would certainly get the job done.

Skywalker did not respond. He was blearily gazing into middle distance. And Palpatine was running out of time - Skywalker needed to fall now, before Kenobi could return from Utapau and somehow pull him back from the brink, again.

So, subtlety? Subtlety would die the same death it always died in Skywalker's presence: a sudden one.

"Actually, I've called you here on an important matter," he said, injecting some urgency into his tone - no longer a grandfather, but a concerned statesman. "I now have every reason to believe that Senator Amidala and the Delegation of Two Thousand are planning a coup."

"Huh?" Skywalker said, attempting to sit up. "Padmé's planning..."

And then his train of thought appeared to slip away again, and he resumed his vacant staring.

"Yes." Palpatine gritted out. "Padmé Amidala, your wife, is planning a coup."

"Oh. Yeah, she's good at politics," Anakin mumbled, offering Palpatine a tired smile. "I'm sure she'll do a good job."

"A coup against me." When nothing more than a "hmm" was forthcoming, Palpatine continued. "And it appears she has allied with the Jedi Council."

Skywalker suddenly stood up, ramrod straight. Finally, Palpatine thought.

"What?"

"I'm sorry you have to find out this way-"

"No, no, this is great! She's finally hanging out with my work friends! Now she'll know what it feels like!" Skywalker shook his head. "Like, it's only fair, right? I've sat through a ton of formal dinners and stuff. And Bail is okay, I guess, and Mon, and Fang Zhar is kinda funny, but... they're so boring. Treaty this, agreement that, 'what do you think, Master Jedi?'"

Skywalker started pacing. "Yeah, but who's laughing now, Padmé? I hope she tries to take them out for lunch. Then she'll get to see twelve Jedi Masters meditating to discern which restaurant the Force is pulling them towards."

He turned to Palpatine, as if to explain. "And that takes hours. You wanted lunch? Sorry, it's dinnertime and also tomorrow, and the spot they picked, which, by the way, is always the one Yoda wants,-" and, to the Sith Lord's horror, he launched into an imitation, "'mmm, great darkness I sense within the Jundland Buffet, perhaps to Stewcruiser, we should instead go', but when we finally decide to go to Stewcruiser, it's closed on Taungsday, and the whole thing starts all over again!"

And at that, Skywalker sat down with a huff.

"Indeed," Palpatine said, no longer able to keep the coldness out of his voice. "The inefficiencies of the Jedi are... vexing."

"Tell me about it," Skywalker mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

"But rather more pressingly, they are planning a coup." Palpatine said, rather icily.

"Yeah, right," the boy said, looking a bit shamefaced. "Sorry."

"It is no matter," Palpatine replied, still eyeing the Jedi. Skywalker made no move. "What do you think about the coup?"

"Oh, yeah, uh. Like I said, I'm sure she'll do a great job. Sorry, I don't really... pay attention to politics."

Palpatine opened his mouth. And then closed it again. "A coup is a bad thing, Anakin."

"Uh-huh," Skywalker said, clearly paying no attention, and that was just about the limit of Palpatine's patience. He hadn't set the entire galaxy ablaze to be uh-huhed by the boy.

It was time to go for the throat.

"Anakin, I'm going to kill your wife." He said, enunciating every word as clearly as he could. He needed to provoke the boy into fear and anger, which would feed his guilt and shame, which would lead him to the Dark Si-

"Oh, okay. Good luck."

"What?!" He hissed. "I just threatened to kill your wife!"

"Yeah, but..." Skywalker scratched at the back of his neck. "I mean, she's been in like, twenty battles. She can handle herself."

"She is eight months pregnant!"

Skywalker actually shrugged. "The med droid said she can keep doing her usual activities for as long as she feels able. And no offence, but you're kind of... old."

"Old? I am the Lord of the Sith, young fool! I possess powers your feeble mind can't even comprehend!"

Something had gone blank in Skywalker's eyes, but Palpatine was far too angry to notice. "I orchestrated this entire war! All of this is my doing! I planned for your mother to die, I corrupted the Tuskens myself, I was behind Kenobi faking his death, beh-"

And that's about as far as he got, because a sky blue blade had just passed between the spot his head occupied and the spot that was occupied by his body, and had kindly suggested to the two that it was time to part ways.

"Chancellor, Sith Lords are a specialty at the Jundland Buffet," Anakin muttered, turning off his saber. He tried to hook it back on his belt, but apparently somebody had taken his usual hook, and the handle fell to the ground. Sighing, he called it up with the Force and shoved it into his boot for safekeeping, when a thought struck him. "No, that's not right. How did Obi-Wan say it..."

And then he commed Obi-Wan, because that seemed like the thing to do. After a long wait, a small, blue Obi-Wan appeared, looking harried. Before Anakin could compliment him on his new size and color, Obi-Wan was already talking way too fast, something about killing Grievous.

"Hey, Obi-Wan, uh. I killed the Sith, but I-"

"What?" Obi-Wan's voice had a lot of static in it. He should really get that checked out. "Sorry, Anakin, did you say you killed the Sith Lord?"

"Yeah, anyways, back when we were fighting Dooku, you said something about Sith Lords and a specialty, and, uh, is it a specialty dish somewhere? And can we go there next time the Council has lunch? I'm getting really sick of Stewcruiser."

"Anakin. When was the last time you slept?"

"Oh, uh, two weeks ago or something."

There was a heavy, staticy sigh from the other end of the comlink. "Alright, Anakin. Turn the comlink around and show me the Sith, and then I'll guide you through cleaning up the pieces of the duelling droid you dismantled this time, and - oh Force, is that the Chancellor?!"

"Uh-huh," Anakin nodded, forgetting that he wasn't in view of the receiver.

"Don't uh-huh me, Anakin! Did you kill the Supreme Chancellor?"

"Yeah, he was the Sith?" There weren't any more words coming through the comlink, so Anakin figured it was safe to continue. "He said that he orchestrated the whole war and he was the Sith. Also, for some reason, he moved out here to the desert, and that's weird, because I don't think it's gonna agree with his complexion."

There was more silence from the comlink. Anakin remembered to turn it so he was again visible to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan appeared to be frozen.

"Are you... disappointed?" Anakin asked, after a while.

"No more than the usual amount," Obi-Wan sighed. "Go take a nap."

"Oh, good," Anakin smiled. And then frowned. "Wait, what do you mean, 'the usual amount?'"

[elizabethwydevilles]

Sola: Padmé!

[Sola and Padmé laughingly embrace]

Sola: How are you?

Padmé: Anakin, this is my sister, Sola.

Sola: Hello, Anakin.

Anakin: Hello.

Padmé: And this is my mother.

Jobal: Hello. You've made it just in time for dinner. I hope you're hungry, Anakin.

Anakin: A little.

Padmé: He's being polite, mom, we're starving.

Ruwee: Well you've came to the right place, at the right time.

Jobal: Honey, it's good to see you safe. We were so worried.

Ruwee: Dear...

Jobal: I know, I know, but I had to say it. Now it's done.

Sola: Did you know Anakin, you're the first boyfriend my sister has ever brought home?

Padmé: He's not my boyfriend! Anakin's a friend, we've known each other for years. He's a Jedi assigned to me by the Senate to protect me.

Jobal: A bodyguard? Oh Padmé, you didn't tell us it was that serious.

Padmé: It's not, I promise. I'm not in any danger.

Ruwee: Is she?

Anakin: Yes, I'm afraid she is.

[Jobal looks concerned sighs lightly at Padmé]

Sola: Why haven't you told us about him?

Padmé: What's there to talk about? He's just a boy.

Sola: A boy? Have you seen the way he looks at you?

Padmé: Sola, stop it!

Sola: It's obvious he has feelings for you.

Padmé: [while looking through the window at Anakin walking with her father in the garden] Anakin and I are... friends. Our relationship is strictly professional.

[Padmé's eyes linger on Anakin, until her and Jobal's eyes meet. Jobal smiles at Padmé; somewhat exasperated Padmé turns back to the window. Her expression turns contemplative.]

[starbeltconstellation]

So I gotta ask, do you have any headcannons(or cannons I guess since you're the author) about Melanie and Anakin that you can share without spoilers to much.

I'm going through Rewrite the stars withdrawal lol

Awww, thank you so very much for the ask, dear! (And so sorry again about your Rewrite the Stars withdrawal. 😭 Things have been crazyyy in my life. My bro was in the hospital for a while, but he’s okay now though. Also just me fighting my never ending depression spells 🙃). 😅😂

I would be happy to offer some “head” canons! Or canons, technically, as you said. 😂 Lol.

Essentially, this has become like one big, long SW meta analysis and meta analysis on my SW fic, Rewrite the Stars, and Anakin and Melanie’s characters. Sorry for the long response. 😭 I got really into explaining my thoughts. Haha.

I’ll put this under a read more, as it’s VERYYY long:

I’ll just say that the entire reason I started this story is because well, I wanted a fix it fic of course. 😂 But also just because I wanted to write this kind of grand, epic tale in general, just like Star Wars is supposed to be.

A lot of fics I’ve seen like this completely demonize the Jedi most of the time and blame them for their own genocide. And the ones that don’t, also flip it the complete opposite way around and demonize Anakin to where he’s nothing but a cackling demon who kicks puppies for fun (and well… would he do that AFTER the prequel trilogy when he’s in his emo Darth Vader era? Probably. 😂 But he wouldn’t be CACKLING while doing it. He’d be very bitter and callous about it, because Anakin likes to take out his anger on the world when he’s in pain, so by GOD the entire galaxy is gonna be in pain along with him).

But anyways, I’m kinda getting off track.

My point is: the whole reason I started my SW fic is because I wanted to write the type of epic, grand tale of a fic that I’ve been looking for that treats all of its characters with love and respect while ALSO still calling out their flaws and allowing them to grow. That includes everyone: Anakin, Padmé, Ahsoka, Barriss, Mace, Obi-Wan, Dooku, Satine, etc—EVERYONE.

I feel like fandom has become this toxic environment where if you’re criticizing a character, then… (le gasp 😱)… you don’t really LIKE themmm. (Untrue. 😂).

I love, love, LOVE Anakin. He is my hot, insane, child killing bastard of a mans.

… But I also hate him too. 😭😂

I HATE what he’s done and what he believes in after the war and how he just wallows like a child in his pain. I HATE how selfish he is (while at the same time heavily relate to his fear of death and losing those he loves to them dying/growing older). And I also HATE how damn close he was to making a better choice, but he DIDN’T, because in the end, it didn’t MATTER if Anakin technically knew the ‘right’ way to act. He purposely went against it, because he was just too selfish to let go of Padmé (he kinda did a self fulfilling prophecy with her death, but we’re not gonna talk about that part right now), and so he decided his happiness meant more than the entire galaxy, and burned down his childhood home like a school shooter and helped genocide his friends just for the CHANCE to save his wife.

And all of this, in the usual fics I’ve seen, can somehow be undone, just by changing a few little moments in Anakin’s life where he doesn’t get his feelings hurt: ie; Obi-Wan faking his death, Ahsoka leaving the Order/being framed by Barriss, or Mace/Qui-Gon/whoever-the-fuck-you-want-to-say being assigned as his Master instead of Obi-Wan.

And just… no. 😂

As shown through this wonderful SW blog here:

Anakin doesn’t do what he did because, oh, “This, this, and THIS happened to him”, and if you take that away and help him avoid it, he’ll suddenly change and be all warm and fuzzy inside and won’t burn the whole fucking galaxy just because HE cannot handle Padmé (MAYBE) dying and leaving him alone (when he wouldn’t even really BE alone, but Anakin also clearly puts Padmé/romantic love above all else. He might care for his friends and family, but he’d throw them all under the bus if it came down to the wire between them and Padmé). This is something I will go into in the fic as Anakin slowly starts to take a look at himself as he realizes: “wait… wtf? Do I even KNOW what Rex does outside of work? 🤔😨” for him to realize that he’s so obsessive over one person… that everyone else is slowly becoming put to the wayside.

Stopping one or two little things in Anakin’s life during the Clone Wars isn’t going to magically make him see the light and not be a currently ticking time bomb.

That is not how change WORKS. Not REAL change anyway. All of the fics I’ve seen written, usually hand wave a lot of Anakin’s misdeeds and flaws away, and pretend like if you hold Anakin’s hand through certain parts of the war and help him avoid THESE certain moments, that he’ll suddenly just magically become a better person who understands what being selfless and less greedy actually means.

That… is not true change. TRUE change is Anakin HIMSELF realizing slowly but surely as the war goes on that he’s slowly becoming someone he doesn’t recognize in the mirror anymore (*cough* Mel line drop from upcoming chapter? 👀✨ *cough*). TRUE change is Anakin HIMSELF working through his flaws and inner demons, before he gradually begins to realize with a sense of sickening horror that he has been WRONG: ie; massacring an entire Tusken village down to the last child while never telling another soul except Padmé about it and whistling happily to himself without a care in the world as the war rages on.

TRUE change (as you might’ve started to guess from the most recent chapter of my fic) is Anakin HIMSELF slowly but surely starting to question his actions, by comparing them to other people he respects and cares for.

Which brings us to your question on “headcanons”.

The entire purpose of the relationship between Melanie and Anakin (besides me living vicariously through her 😂) is that they are a MIRROR for each other.

Melanie and Anakin, while very different, aren’t COMPLETE and total opposites. There are purposeful parallels between them: their moms, their care of droids, their fear of losing those they love to death, and the PURPOSEFUL CHOICE GIVEN TO MELANIE BY THE SHOPKEEPER 👀 that parallels the choice Anakin is given at the end of ROTS by Palpatine himself in their choice to help the galaxy or be selfish and choose themselves/their own wants instead.

There is a quote I have based their relationship off of. I will share it here (if you are still with me, because I know I ramble a lot 😅😂):

People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake.

—Elizabeth Gilbert

-

Melanie and Anakin are meant to have parallel journeys, even though their personalities are very different. But it’s more than that: their fatal flaws are in direct conflict with each other.

Anakin’s fatal flaw is: greed/selfishness.

Melanie’s fatal flaw is: fear/judgement.

BUT as they are forced into working together… the more they interact with each other… the more their fatal flaws are FORCED to be challenged by the other.

Anakin’s more selfish nature is challenged more and more by just being in Melanie’s presence and watching how she acts with complete compassion and selflessness in certain situations, which makes him slowly start to look at himself internally and take a look at his own actions and thoughts, gradually beginning to realize how selfish he’s slowly become without even realizing it.

Melanie, in turn, has the purposeful flaw of judgment, which can make her self righteous at times (even if she IS correct most of the time 😂), and also the flaw of fear, which as readers have seen, makes her a bit more cautious than she should be in her actions on trying to outsmart Palpatine to save the galaxy.

It’s kind of ironic: just being AROUND Anakin slowly begins to challenge Melanie’s fatal flaws (since she was completely fucking terrified of him the very first moment she realized she was in the SW universe and realized Anakin/Darth Vader was real now 😂). She sees things in such a black and white way at first, but as time goes on, Anakin’s need to be gentle with her and prove himself to Mel, makes her question her judgment with him, which allows her the ability to give him a chance. In turn, just being in his PRESENCE challenges her other fatal flaw on fear, since he’s a walking nightmare PTSD trigger for her pounding heart (and not always in the fun way 👀💓❤️‍🔥☠️😂).

Anyway, my point is that they aren’t just meant to be together romantically to be TOGETHER. It’s because I have purposefully tried to develop a romantic slow burn relationship that comes with my story to weave itself against the original theme of Rewrite the Stars, which is this: TRUE change and atonement/redemption.

Anakin physically CANNOT get closer to Mel, until he forced himself to take a step back and give her some space. If he wants to get anywhere with her, he HAS to start looking internally at himself to try and change and be more gentle with her.

Melanie, in turn, CANNOT outsmart Palpatine and win the war without Anakin’s help and working together with him over the next three years of The Clone Wars. She HAS to get past her judgment and allow herself to swallow her terror enough to give him a chance, because she NEEDS him to win.

This is a chess match between her and Palpatine, remember? And if you lose the king, you lose the game.

ANAKIN is the king. 👀

I bet you can’t guess what chess piece Melanie is. 😂 Lol.

Anyway, I feel like I’ve done a whole lot of taking in circles (sorry about that 😅), because I wanted to go ahead and explain my whole process for this fic while I had the time, so I can also refer this post if I ever need to again.

Now! Getting into some more FUN Stuff:

Idk if you’ve looked up my fic on Wattpad, but I have a lot of cool graphics posted there from my mind and from other artists/authors that have gifted me such wonderful cover art ( @shoniwake ! 👀✨❤️), and in a certain subsection, I have a whole playlist page dedicated as a type of ‘outline’ for the entire story of my fic (fair warning, it’s a lot 😅), just because I think it helps me with planning stuff out.

I won’t tell you all of them, of course. But I’ll share a few of my favorite songs that I always think are the PERFECT songs for Melanie and Anakin’s relationship and their slow burn romantic development. 😭🥺💔❤️💕✨

Innocence by Nathan Wagner

Stronger Together by Lou & SQVARE

Now I See by Lou & SQVARE

-

I love these three songs so much, because of their theme of two people coming together as a team and/or learning to open up their hearts to the other and to help the other person the see world in a different way. 🥹❤️💕

This is basically what I want for Melanie and Anakin. Their relationship isn’t just about having a romance in the story (although that’s part of it. Haha 😂💕). It’s about how their relationship meshes in with the rest of the themes of the story: TRUE change and growth into something better.

Melakin is purposely written to be in direct contrast to Anidala (which is still written with care and not erasing their genuine affection, by the way! I think it’s extremely lazy writing to write a canon relationship OOC just to prop up your OC’s own), which shows the difference between a more healthy developing relationship that is based on genuine care and respect (Melakin) and in contrast with one that is more based around idealizing the other person/ignoring their faults and putting them up on a pedestal that is sure to lead to disappointment (Anidala).

This is, as you know from reading the fic, slowly starting to be shown in how Anidala acts with each other in their trash fire (in my opinion! Don’t kill meeee! 🙌😂) of a marriage, which has them basically talking past each other/not really caring about anything that isn’t SPECIFICALLY RELEVANT to the other person (ie; them. Not anything with their family or job. Just THEM. Because while the love is genuine, it’s also eerily obsessive, which was GL’s whole point of them being star crossed lovers that burn out from their own flawed choices in regards to being together and trying to have it all).

This is also shown in my fic with Melakin vs Anidala contrasting each other in Anakin’s choices and how he interacts with them. Anakin REMEMBERS stuff about Mel’s life and choices that really he has no need to care about, but he does anyway. In contrast, there is a scene in the latest chapter of my SW fic where Anakin forgets a very… important member… of Padmé’s family 😭 (If you know, you know 👀🫣😬). 😂

I guess what I’m saying is is that I’m trying to not PREACH to the readers of my fic. I’m trying to write scenes that SHOW them what I believe to be true in regards to Anidala’s toxic relationship/the Jedi being scapegoats that everyone cruelly blames for their own genocide/how the Jedi culture might not be how THE READERS want to live, but it doesn’t change the fact that it IS a valid culture/way to live, and it doesn’t deserve to be eradicated just because you don’t understand/like/agree with it.

I’m trying to lead up into the themes and lessons of my fic as I go along, is what I’m saying. 😂 Which is a really heavy feat, considering how long it’ll end up being as a grand, epic tale. 😩

And a big part of the theme of my SW Fic: genuine change and growth into something better than you were before (ie; TRUE redemption) cannot happen to Anakin as easily as some of the time travel fix-it fics/other fix-it fics I’ve seen written on A03 before. Changing a few little things so Anakin doesn’t have to deal with a few moments in his life is not GENUINE and TRUE change. What that is is essentially placation. It’s PLACATING and CODDLING someone dangerous, which allows them (for the MOMENT) to calm down, because they are generally happy and have the things they want and aren’t under stress like Anakin was in the ending of ROTS when there was nobody there to hold his hand for him to ‘guide’ him in the right direction.

For TRUE change and redemption to happen for Anakin, he has to admit to himself that he was WRONG.

He has to ADMIT and ACKNOWLEDGE that actions he has taken are horrific (the Tusken Massacre), and accept people’s/the Jedi’s judgment on it without becoming defensive and acting like he’s being unfairly attacked and punished for something not that big of a deal. He has to ADMIT and ACKNOWLEDGE that his thought process has slowly but surely become corrupted over the years without him even realizing it, whether that’s from the war or Palpatine stroking his ego or from the trauma of his childhood making him cling to things too hard—it doesn’t really matter. He has to RECOGNIZE that he has become someone over the years that he can’t even recognize in the mirror in relation to that little nine year old boy on Tatooine (about how selfish he has become), and what he can do to change that.

I know some fans will think I am attacking Anakin and that I hate him or something (and well… I DO hate him… but I also love him 🫣☠️❤️😂), but that is not the case. I LOVE Anakin’s character and truly relate to him on such a deep level in terms of how terrified he is of losing the people he loves to death. I can recognize myself and some of my worst fears deeply in him.

However, at the same time, I can also acknowledge that Anakin’s trauma from his childhood (from slavery/his mother dying in front of him), has essentially made his entire personality completely self serving. Because yes, Anakin can care about other people. He cares about and loves his friends. He’d do anything he could to keep them from harm (at least in TCW era 🥶☠️), but the hard truth is… he doesn’t think of his relationships and saving them from death in terms of what his LOVED ONES deserve or what THEY will lose if they die. He thinks about it in terms of what HE will lose if they die.

He straight up says it in the scene with Mace and then the scene with Palpatine: He NEEDS to keep Palpatine (who he KNOWS is an evil Sith Lord) alive, because it’s the only way he can keep Padmé alive. HE can’t live without HER.

There’s genuine love there. I am not denying that. Anakin isn’t a cackling villain like Palpatine (it’s the whole reason Anakin CAN be talked into coming back to the Light Side by Luke, whereas Palpatine would melt Luke’s fucking face off without hesitation if he tried). He cares and loves his family and friends and wife and kids… in a TOXIC way. In an OBSESSIVE way. In a way that is essentially all about HIM: ie; selfish.

Example 1:

Out of context, this sounds very romantic and simply just a reasonable amount of worry. But in relation to all the other things Anakin will end up saying while referring to Padmé as essentially a possession, I’m placing it here anyway as perhaps a sign of his darkening thoughts.

Example 2:

Yes, yes, I knowwww… some of you ladies will be like: 🥺💔 at the sad murder puppy moment. And I suppose it’s still very evil wet cat bastard level/blorbo of him in a intoxicating way for people who want to feel loved—at the same time, he’s essentially saying: look, man, I don’t care if I gotta murder some kids and betray my friends and descend the galaxy and Republic into darkness (which I know my wife will be fucking horrified at). It’s very important that I DO NOT have to deal with this pain, okay?? 😭 Everyone else can be in pain, but not meeee. I’ll crush and stab my friends in the back just so I won’t be left alone from my wife dying.

Very sad. Very wet cat villain blorbo of him.

And yet—VERY selfish and evil. 😭🤷‍♀️👀😂

He’s essentially saying—fuck the galaxy. Let me get mine, and I’ll go home. ☠️

Example 3:

This one’s pretty obvious. By this point, he’s lost his shit. His mind’s already cracking at the seams as he tries to keep justifying the actions he’s taken, which will eventually lead into his 20 year long dissociation where he essentially goes, “Nahhh, that wasn’t meee. That was DARTH VADER. Anakin didn’t do that, because ANAKIN is still a good person (he mutters to himself over and over like a maniac at night in his emo villain lair), whereas I AM THE DARK INCARNATE. 😌🖤” so he doesn’t have to admit to himself that HE—yes, THAT he, Anakin fucking Skywalker—has become an actual terrible fucking person with no heart. 🤷‍♀️😭😬

I don’t see why this is so hard for SW fandom to get. It’s a METAPHOR George Lucas uses to say Darth Vader killed Anakin (and also just a way to plug up the plot hole of what Obi-Wan originally told Luke in the first movie). It doesn’t mean that Anakin’s consciousness is sleeping inside Vader’s head like a fucking cat. Lmao. 😭

Not only would that not make SENSE in terms of how GL wrote it, but it also just essentially makes Anakin’s ‘redemption’ (I don’t really view it as a true redemption. More like just the Christian version of salvation for his soul by the skin of his teeth. Although GL did say Anakin was redeemed in the eyes of LUKE only, because he said some crap about being redeemed in the eyes of our children) all but useless. 😭 You can’t say on one hand that Darth Vader’s ‘redemption’ is the most iconic one of all time, while at the same time saying on the other hand that “Anakin never did any of those things. It was DaRtH VaDeR! 🤪🤪🤪” because then you’re essentially absolving Anakin of all of his crimes while on the Dark Side, and if Anakin is absolved of all of his crimes… then wtf is there TO make him the most iconic ‘redemption’ of all time??? 😭🤷‍♀️ I mean, like—what IS there to ‘redeem’ at that point??? Ya can’t have both, kids. Lol. 😂

This is also essentially what Anakin wanted in terms of his relationship with Padmé and the Jedi Order. He wanted it ALL. He wanted BOTH. Sureee, he TALKED about quitting the Jedi Order eventually after the war to be with Padmé in a little space cottage. But could he WALK THE WALK? Could he really give up the thrill of chasing an enemy, or the twitch of his fingers in reaching for his lightsaber? 😑🤔 Me myself has some doubtssss.

He wanted it ALL. He wanted to be married while ALSO having the strength and power that came from being a Jedi Knight. He didn’t WANT to choose. He even SAYS it.

Example 4: Essentially this SW meme

He doesn’t want to CHOOSE. And it’s why it’s BS when it’s argued he was put in this position by the Council’s rules on marriage, because it’s LITERALLY just like a vow of a priest at a Catholic Church. They can’t marry either, just like the Jedi Order. BUT (unlike what fandom likes to believe), the Order isn’t some cult, and you are free to leave at any time (and hell, they’ll even build a statue after you leave, apparently, if the one they built of Dooku that’s in the Archives (I think) is anything to go by), just as a priest is free to leave the Catholic Church at any time. Because it’s a COMMITMENT to that place. And people might think it’s dumb/stupid/not like it—or even understand it! And you don’t HAVE to like something from a religion/culture/belief, or understand something, to still respect it (another theme drop for the next chapter of my SW fic? 👀😂).

So, what some people will probably wonder is—“But, Starbelt! (Le gasp 😱) Then how is the Jedi culture going to be respected in my fic, if Melakin is still endgame at the end of their slow, slow burn?”

And to that question, I say, “I am not a by-the-book-to-the-very-LETTER interpreter of the Jedi Code (although I’m not saying the code of an entire culture is gonna be ‘changed’ for legit one person/couple. Lmao. 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️😂), but I AM a Jedi lover who is of the belief that—even if you don’t completely AGREE or even UNDERSTAND the Jedi Order and their code—it shouldn’t matter. It shouldn’t be difficult to respect it. It shouldn’t be difficult to not scold a culture on their beliefs, while essentially saying that belief is the reason it is ‘good’ for The Force/galaxy that they were genocided as a ‘clean slate’. 😬🤦‍♀️☠️”

What I WILL say, is that I am going to explore the Jedi Order and the different interpretations of the Code and The Force in general in this fic, and what that means in terms of coexistence, instead of the frankly childish notion of just painting an entire culture as emotionless and wrong in their beliefs, like they are some kind of stuck up, snooty and rich culture that ‘deserved what they got’. 🙄🤦‍♀️😬☠️

-

ANYWAY, back to my point with Anakin, and how my fic is trying to complete the most massive and epic of all writing tasks: making Anakin slowly change and grow out of his greed and selfishness into a better person in such an organic way, that perhaps may one day be compared with the likes of Zuko’s redemption from ATLA (I know, I knowww. Pretty high hopes for myself. Lol. 😂).

So, essentially, in the original “timeline” of ROTS, Anakin is freaking losing it, and since nobody is there to hold his hand, he descends right into the core selfishness that is buried inside of him, where he basically just decides, “Fuck it,” and throws all of his morals out the window so he can keep himself from the pain of losing Padmé (ie; it’s really about HIM and his fear, and not about Padmé deserving to live and see more beauty in the world) by cutting off Mace’s hand to stop him from killing Palpatine, because—in Anakin’s OWN words:

Example 5:

Like… 🤷‍♀️😭.

People like to sing “Lalalala,” and plug their ears by pretending Anakin is just so shocked in this scene (le gasp 😱) that Mace is being so UN-JEDI-LIKE, and that it just convinced him that the Jedi Order truly has been ‘corrupted’. 🤦‍♀️🙄

Now see… that might hold some water if Anakin literally didn’t scream “I NeEd HiM! 😡” at Mace like an unhinged five year old, which literally PROVES that the only reason Anakin wants Mace to keep Palpatine alive and not to kill the guy yet is because he needs to learn the super-secret-Dark-Side-magicy way of how to save himself from the pain of losing Padmé to dying in childbirth.

… Because like some may recall, Anakin LITERALLY beheaded Dooku himself all but like… what? 12 hours ago? 😭🤦‍♀️

Essentially, this meme:

So, essentially, what I’m getting at here is: Anakin is a goddamn hypocrite. 😂

Now, in relation to my SW fic? What I essentially am TRYING to accomplish, is to have Anakin slowly CHANGE HIMSELF as the war goes on and he interacts more with Melanie and witnesses her compassion, while in turn comparing her actions to his own.

Melanie isn’t supposed to ‘fix’ or ‘change’ Anakin. Anakin is supposed to be INSPIRED to change from how he grows to care and admire Mel’s choices and who she is inside her heart as the Clone Wars rages on.

I do all of this, so in the HOPES that when he is presented with this scene again, it makes perfect sense to all readers of my fic that his choice may become different—essentially choosing for ONCE, a more selfless route, out of no expectation that he will gain anything in return (that only happens with Luke like—20 years later—and it’s not like he had many other options at that point. 😭🤷‍♀️ Lol.).

(And as I said—MAY become different… 👀 After all, Melanie still has a long way to go before the end of the war… 👀)

But yeah—that’s my plans with my SW Anakin x OC Fic, Rewrite the Stars, and how I’m planning it and Melakin’s relationship to go. I placed a big feat on myself. 😂❤️💕

-

If you wanna see some of my like… ideas/notes on what I have planned to eventually place in there somewhere, I will show you a few things, because it’s not really SPOILERS, since I already talk about the Jedi genocide a lot anyway (it drives me up the wall when SW fandom refers to it as ThE FaLl Of ThE jEdi 🤪🤪🤪). Guess it makes it easier to blame them all for their own deaths that way if you refer to their genocide and slaughter as a “fall”. 😭🙄 Idk. 🤷‍♀️

I also have some stuff with the history of Churches splitting into different factions (ie: The Great Schism of 1054), which I will be weaving in as a parallel at some point. 👀👀 I will not explain why, as that would be too spoilery, but I’m sure some of my more in depth analysis readers on my work could guess if they thought about it hard enough… 👀

There are also some comparisons on the Jedi genocide in the SW universe, and how it parallels the Air Nomad genocide in the ATLA universe pretty much to a T in terms of how fast it all happens in one day, and also how any survivors were hunted down and lured out with relics of their own culture, not to MENTION just the fact that both of these cultures are just non-western inspired in general (seriously, what is with people and killing monks in Temples? Lol. 🤷‍♀️😂). It’s also just an interesting comparison in general, because where the ATLA fandom usually is quite sympathetic to the Air Nomad genocide, on the other hand, the SW fandom is so nauseatingly nonchalant and cruel about the Jedi Order’s genocide that it’s almost downright weird. It’s almost like the SW fandom has this THING about never calling the Jedi’s “Fall 🙄” what it actually was—a horrific genocide. I swear to Godddd, SW fandom must be allergic to the word. 😂🤦‍♀️

I also threw in the ‘Hero’s journey’ thing I’ve been using for Melanie to try and make her a relatable protagonist, while also still having her own character arc along with Anakin’s. It was really important to me that she had her OWN arc away from Anakin, and that she had more connections and relationships in the SW universe than just him. Not only does it weaken her character if she had been made to be all about HIM, but it also just makes a certain… choice… 👀… with The Shopkeeper (her antagonist who parallels Palpatine, Anakin’s antagonist) hit all the more harder, because saving the ENTIRE GALAXY isn’t even about saving ANAKIN at all for her. Not at first, anyway.

Instead, from the very beginning, it’s all about how Melanie grows to care and feel compassion for the people she meets in the SW universe and becomes friends with, and how she cannot turn away from them and leave them behind to die, when she has knowledge that can help change their fates. It was SO important to me that Anakin is not even on Mel’s RADAR at first. She doesn’t hate him or anything. She doesn’t want him dead, but it’s not really about SAVING him either (if that happens along the way, it’s a happy bonus for her). Because—as you know—she’s TERRIFIED of him in the beginning, and just plans to avoid him like the plague.

And in doing so, she grows closer to others in the SW universe: Ahsoka, Rex, Yoda, Fives, Obi-Wan, all of the other clones, etc. ALL of that is so important for a certain choice she makes with The Shopkeeper (which I won’t spoil for any new readers who may stumble across this post and want to read my work 👀😂).

So, essentially, my fic is a grand, epic tale, that our main protagonist, Melanie Bains, is going on to save millions of lives in a galaxy far, far away from death and suffering.

No pressure, huh? 😂😬

That’s definitely going to crack and fracture at Mel’s psyche as time goes on… 🥶 The weight of such a feat on one’s shoulders essentially all alone becomes overwhelming. 😓💔 (*Cough* Hint for next chapter? 👀 *cough*).

So I’m really trying to follow that ‘Hero’s journey’ format. I already have her character arc outlined with a clear beginning and end. I just have to find the will to write the thousands and thousands of words to get there to that point. 😩😭😂

It still makes me so happy how many people relate and enjoy Mel. 😌🥹❤️💓🥰

Some planned themes I am going to weave in as the story goes along:

Example 1: Genocide

Air Nomad genocide propaganda from ATLA:

Jedi Order genocide propaganda (Not sure if it’s from before or after Order 66. Either way, it’s meant to rile the populace up against them and demonize the Jedi as ‘other’, like emotionless wizards that are barely human and aren’t capable of true compassion since they’re a ‘cult’ and not from ‘true’ familial structures, unlike the ‘good ol’ regular populace with their attachments 🤪’) from SW:

Example 2: Church factions splitting up/The Great Schism of 1054

Example 3: Hero’s Journey (Mel’s character arc)

-

… Now, moving past that long meta ramble, here’s some more songs from my playlist on Wattpad for Melakin’s developing romantic relationship and it’s slow, slow burnnnn. 👀💓❤️‍🔥😂

Borderline by Florrie

Let Me In by Michael Corcoran

The Chain by Ingrid Michaelson

Minefields by Faouzia & John Legend

Unlike the previous songs in the earlier part of this meta post, THESE songs are more about Melakin struggling to open up to each other. I’ll admit, a lot of it is more focused on Anakin trying to get Melanie to open up to him, because he doesn’t understand why she’s acting so terrified of him at first.

The one song that’s more about both of them trying to find common ground is “Borderline”, which is meant to be them both reaching out and trying to meet each other halfway. 😊🥰🥺❤️💕

And if you’re wondering what my favorite song is out of all of them?

It’s the “Innocence by Nathan Wagner” song. WITHOUT a doubt. It’s the PERFECT Melakin song that is basically what the whole arc of their relationship is supposed to be. 😭🥹❤️💔💕

Whew, that was a long post! So sorry about that. 😅😂🤷‍♀️ I just got really into talking about my fic and my writing process. I think this has even helped me with motivation! Losing hyperfixations is a bitchhhh. 😖😖

The only other thing I will add is this to hopefully ease your and everyone else’s minds: I may have to go on hiatuses every now and then because of writer’s block or a family/life problem like the recent one with my brother being in the hospital for a while. BUT! No matter WHAT, I will NEVER abandon this fic. It is literally gonna be my damn life’s work—I swearrrrr. 😖✊😂

To end this long SW meta off, I’m going to link another two great Pro Jedi SW meta posts from the wonderful Pro Jedi blog I mentioned earlier. Feel free to check it out if you want, because it’s a lot of Mel’s thoughts on the Jedi, and part of the problems she has to find a way to solve as the war goes on by trying to keep the Jedi in favor of the public’s eyes:

-

To any new readers that stumble across this and are curious enough to check out my fic:

Tags:

@ensomniaa

@heartfairy

@fangirlteallie

@xreadersunite

@shoniwake

[hawkeykirsah]

Codywanbingo Fill 1

So, it’s been months since I got my alternative professions bingo card for the @codywanbingo​ but I finally got hit with inspiration (thank you, @glimmerglanger​!) for the first prompt fill today. Enjoy this Modern AU with Obi-Wan meeting his niblings’ kindergarten teacher for the first time!

Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Commander Cody Prompt: Teacher Words: ~750 Rating: G

Ficlet and card under the cut!

Obi-Wan pulled into the school parking lot and cast a quick glance at his watch. He had made it just in time to pick up his brother’s kids. 

Letting out a slow breath, he pulled the key out of the ignition and got out of the car, making his way over to the side entrance leading to the kindergarten after checking his trunk to make sure he had car seats along for the twins. He did, luckily. He wasn’t sure what he would have done otherwise.

As soon as he opened the door to the building a cacophony of noise crashed over him.

He passed through the din of high-pitched kids’ voices excitedly showing their parents or grandparents or other legal guardians their creations of the day and the sound of rubber boots thudding down the hallway to a classroom further down. Padmé had been so kind to tell him both the name of the twins’ teacher and the room they were in.

The door was open.

“Oh no!” a voice with an Aussie or Kiwi accent, Obi-Wan wasn’t quite sure which, called out theatrically from the inside, “I have been overwhelmed! The minions of evil are too powerful!” Squeals and delighted laughter followed as the man groaned and fell silent.

Obi-Wan peered inside, intrigued. Some children stood in a circle around a lump of bodies in their midst. The teacher, Obi-Wan presumed, at the bottom and five children, his niece and nephew among them, trying to pin him to the ground.

“Mister Fett! Mister Fett! You can beat them!” a black girl called, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You’re stronger than them! You just gotta get up!”

“You think so?” came a muffled voice from the floor.

“YES!” shouted the kids in the circle.

Smiling, Obi-Wan watched transfixed as the conglomerate rose off the floor until finally the man stood, three children clinging to his arms, and one to each leg. His smile froze as his eyes took in the orange henley pulled taut by broad shoulders and let his gaze trail slowly downward. He swallowed.

The man—Mr. Fett—turned, the children still holding on for dear life, and looked over at the door and then up. Obi-Wan swallowed again, mouth helplessly dry, because this was the handsomest man he had seen in a while.

“Okay kids, looks like time’s up for today. Everybody double check their seat to make sure everything is cleaned up!”

Other adults pushed past Obi-Wan, greeting the teacher as they went in to gather their children. The man greeted back, excusing himself from one parent, and made his way toward Obi-Wan.

“Can I help you, sir?” Mr. Fett asked, coming to a stop in front of Obi-Wan, a serious look on his face.

“Ah,” Obi-Wan said, eloquently, while his brain tried to kickstart, “yes, pardon me. I’m here to pick up Luke and Leia.”

The teacher lifted an eyebrow. Clearly that was not enough information

“My name is on their pick-up list. Obi-Wan Kenobi,” he went on. “I probably should have said that first.”

A smile broke out on Mr. Fett’s face and by the gods, Obi-Wan clearly needed to get laid if he had so much trouble thinking around an admittedly extremely handsome person. “No worries. Had to check, though, just to be safe.”

“Yes, of course,” he replied, smiling back. “I’ll be picking them up every Tuesday for the next few weeks and possibly on some days in between as well.”

“Uncle Obi!” Leia called, barreling into him, Luke following immediately behind her. They had their bags slung over their backs, ready to go.

“Well,” Mr. Fett said, warmth suffusing his voice and a smile tugging at the scar curled around his left eye, “I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other then.”

“Yes, certainly, I look forward to it,” Obi-Wan blurted, cursing himself internally as soon as the words left his mouth. “I’m sorry, we need to get going. Until then, Mr. Fett,it’s been a pleasure meeting you,” he said, making a hasty retreat before he could make more of a fool of himself.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” came the reply, “and the name’s Cody.”

Their eyes met one more time before Cody turned away to talk to the woman from before and Obi-wan ushered the twins toward the exit. 

Perhaps, he thought, watching the twins buckle themselves up, he could pick them up more often. And perhaps, just perhaps, he could get to know Cody a little better.

[piecesofeden11]

Dear Creator Letter

Since I'm delving into the realm of participating in exchanged, I figured it was time for a Dear Creator/Dear Santa Letter so I can link to it in Sign Ups <3

Dear Santa,

welcome to my little corner of the interwebs! Thank you for taking the time to craft a little something for me. It means the world!

I'm pretty easy to please, actually. Apart from a few heavier topics, which I'll list further done in my DNWs, I'm open to just about anything.

Pairing-wise, I'm open to any constellation between Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé. Pining is fun, oblivious love is amazing, jealousy is awesome, too! I love a good A is in love but sees that B and C are so happy so A is holding back. Meanwhile, B and C are actively planning to finally get A in on the action. Or just A's perspective without the happy end (heartbreak can be good, too!)

I'm absolutely fine with all levels of rating, smut is always welcome but by no means a must! Fade-to-black or no naughty content at all, is fine!

I also don't mind any form of AU, be it modern, western, spanish inquisition (didn't expect that) or otherwise! Feel absolutely free to go nuts!

Oh! And if you want to have Luke and Leia thrown in there for adorable family time, absolutely go for it! <3

The only lines I draw are heavy subjects such as rape, non-con, assault, heavy kinks beyond light bondage (blindfolds and such are a-ok). Those are just not my cup of tea.

I hope this was somewhat helpful to you, dearest Santa! I cannot wait to read/see what you come up with, I'm sure it'll be epic!

Until then, may the Force be with you!

Eden

[rainintheevening]

Realizing it is really fun to leave asks in people's boxes so...

What are your favorite Anakin and Obi-Wan head canons? Why do you think Anakin and Padme fell in love? *chins hands, waiting with excitement*

Ooh, thanks! Love these questions!

Anakin and Obi-Wan headcanons? Oh, dear, where do I stop? XD

-The first time they hugged was on Naboo, after Obi-Wan told him how Qui-Gon was dead. Obi-Wan was steady, but he definitely had tears in his eyes, and it hurt to see Anakin’s excitement over the space battle drain away so swiftly. Obi-Wan was crouched down to talk to him face-to-face and Anakin threw his arms around Obi-Wan’s neck, surprising Obi-Wan, before Obi-Wan hugged him back.

-Anakin and Obi-Wan can sense each other's lightsabers like their own. (Anakin stronger and more accurately, of course.)

-They have each picked up the other's lightsaber on the battlefield and used both at least once.

-They've slept together a lot. During his first year at the Temple, Anakin would end up going to Obi-Wan’s room in the middle of most nights for various reasons. They had some of their best and most honest conversations in the dark, curled up together in Obi-Wan’s bed. It became less common as he got truly settled in, and then stopped altogether when Anakin hit his teens. But after the war started, they started... drifting back together in the nights. Especially planetside, they would lie back-to-back, and sleep much sounder that way. Oddly enough, Obi-Wan was the one most likely to turn over and curl into Anakin’s back. But during war nights they never talked.

-Anakin taught Obi-Wan how to make the one sweet thing his mom had been able to afford to make: sun cookies. It's the simplest cookie imaginable, but Obi-Wan can tell what it means for Anakin to have some bit of knowledge to share. There were a few times that Anakin was either very sorry for something he'd said, or super grateful for something Obi-Wan had done, and snuck off to the Temple kitchen to make some for his master. Obi-Wan also got into the habit of making them for Anakin’s birthday.

-Obi-Wan once called Anakin’s escapades 'shenanakins' sarcastically, but Anakin actually liked it, and used the term to annoy him. (The term spread through the 501st and 212th, till it was in the lexicon of the entire 3rd Systems Army.)

-The first time Anakin truly lost his temper with Obi-Wan, when he'd been at the Temple about half a year, he lashed out and accidentally threw Obi-Wan across the room into the wall. Obi-Wan didn't force Anakin to look at his resulting bruises, but he didn't try to hide them either. Anakin insisted on nursing him for the next day or too, to apologize. The incident scared him badly and he was careful never to strike out at Obi-Wan in anger again.

-They both smile involuntarily at the sound of the other's laugh.

Okay, you can stop me anytime...

I think about Anakin and Padmé far less, I'm afraid.😅 So what I think about them falling in love is drier and less interesting. I'm still developing my takes on them. But here's something:

Well, little boys always fall in love at first sight. Padmé didn't see that as a possibility till she met the awkward 20-year-old version.

Padmé reminds Anakin of the best of his mom, mixed up with a love of danger that fits with his. Anakin is, well, a hot mess and that is totally Padmé's style.

I think one of the most fateful moments for them is when they have that 'diplomatic solution' and 'aggressive negotiations' exchange in the arena on Geonosis. To me that is when Anakin went, "I want this. I want all of this. I want the excitement of being with her, AND of being a Jedi."

Basically, they fell in love because they each had the right screws loose to attract the other. Which is part of what doomed them, of course.

But I do think, if they'd had time, if the war had ended, and the secrets had ended, and they put in the work, they could have built a really good marriage. And that's what we write fix-its for. :)

Also: Galloping grasshoppers, but 'That Would Be Enough' from Hamilton is maybe the best Padmé to Anakin song ever. Almost cried, listening to it for the first time today.

[sanerontheinside]

themoosejthm replied to your post: yo let’s play a game which Senator would burn for...

for the lulz: Padme Amidala and her comms are all her gooey love love messages to Anakin. BECAUSE SUBTLETY

*cackling* dammit Padmé XD 

[mithrandirl]

“Hmm… So— hmm…”

Barriss liked to describe herself as a quick thinker. Somebody who could look at a situation and assess it with a cool head. She was having a hard time coming up with a logical explanation for what she was witnessing right now though.

“Hmm,” she said again.

"Are you gonna keep hemming and hawing or are you gonna help me out of this? We don’t have all day here, Offee," Ahsoka snarled between gritted teeth. Though that may have been because of the position she’d wedged herself in more than any frustration directed at her friend. Nothing about Ahsoka screamed comfortable right now. "And you owe me for that time with the worms."

That got Barriss’ attention. “You mean the time I told you to kill me, is that the time you mean?” she huffed petulantly. “You know what, fine, whatever, we've moved on from that. But what the—" She stopped herself from cursing just barely, and took a deep breath. Ahsoka is a dear friend, she reminded herself. A dear, dear friend... "What is going on and why are you—" She waved a hand around.

"In Rex’s quarters?"

"Well, yeah, that. But also—"

"Stuck in… what is this, a footlocker, a crate? Well, I don’t know what I’m stuck in here. That’s kind of the reason I called y—"

"Okay, yes, and—"

“The dress, yeah. Is it ugly? Padmé said it was in fashion but I kind of don’t believe her. I haven't actually seen it yet because of the, you know, the blindfold—"

"Ahsoka! Why are you in a— a ball gown! And a blindfold?! And what is wrong with your—” She wanted to just indicate Ahsoka’s whole person at this point because there wasn’t one part of her that she could say was normal. In the end, Barriss decided on just waving at her from top to bottom again, even knowing that she couldn’t see it. “What is going on?!"

"Oh." A sheepish smile crept onto her face, and Barriss imagined she would have avoided eye contact if, you know, she was looking at Barriss in the first place. "Well, it's a long story..."

.

"So you stepped on a poisonous plant on your last mission— which plant was it again? You know I took that botany course a few years ago—"

"I don't know what kind of plant it was, Barriss."

"Well excuse me for trying to get all the—" she grunted with the effort it took to shove Captain Rex's desk back into place, "facts straight while I help you cover up your crimes!"

"Sorry, sorry! I really don't remember what the healer said the plant was called. All I know is that my leg went numb where I stepped on the plant thing—like really numb, like I still can't feel it—and I lost my vision. Both temporary they said, and if Rex hadn't gotten me the antidote right away it could have been worse."

"Okay, that explains the blindfold—wait, no it doesn't. Why do you have a blindfold on?"

"Oh, well, my vision came back already, but my eyes are still really sensitive to light. And I kept squinting at everything and couldn't go outside without getting a massive headache so finally they just gave me this." She slapped the side of her head where a piece of thick black cloth wrapped around her lekku and covered her eyes.

"Mhmm. "

"Still can't feel my leg though. Not looking forward to the pins and needles if it's anything like when your limb falls asleep and then it wakes up again, you know what I mean?"

"And the ball gown?"

"Oh, well, I was out dress shopping with Padmé before this. There's some big formal thing she wants me to go with her to. Sounds lame, if you ask me. But Skyguy said I had to since I'm not cleared for any sort of work yet."

Barriss paused in her task of righting the various 'pads and miscellany of objects the Captain kept on top of his desk. "And you're still wearing the dress you bought?"

A timidly guilty look passed over Ahsoka’s face then. "I guess I didn't actually buy this one. I should probably return it once we're done here... Don't give me that look! It was a stressful afternoon!"

"You don't know what look I was giving you and it wouldn’t have been quite so stressful if you didn’t leave an embarrassing comm message for your captain detailing your massive crush on him..."

Ahsoka crossed her arms, but encased as they were in the great puffy sleeves of the dress, she could only manage to grab opposite wrists. "I have a vivid imagination. And I thought we agreed not to bring that up again. I told you, it was an accident. I didn't know I'd called him. I lost my comm in all these fluffy layers of the dress... Are you done with the desk yet?"

Barriss sighed as she picked up the last pen from the floor and set it in a cup with the others. "Yes."

"Good, now lets steal his personal comm and get out of here."

"How do you even know his comm is in here? Wouldn't he keep it with him?"

"Because he's in an all-day training with the other Captains and he always leaves his personal comm in his room when he’s on duty."

"Mhmm."

"Look, can you just get it? It's in the second drawer on the right, the key is wedged in the seat cushion of his chair where it's ripped a bit."

"You couldn't even get the key out before you toppled everything over in the room?"

"I'm blind, okay? I tripped on the footlocker by the door and lost my balance because—"

"You can't feel your leg, I know."

"Thank you, now can we hurry it up? I don't know what time it is but I feel like it's getting close to end of the training."

"Training let out at 1600 and I took my personal comm with me today."

Even though she had a blindfold on, Barriss knew Ahsoka's eyes had widened to saucers, probably because Barriss' own eyes were wide with a mix of horror and humor. This definitely made up for the brain worms.

"Captain! Didn't see you there," Ahsoka said loudly. It might have been smooth if the situation was... well, not what it was.

"Yeah, I got that."

Barriss finally stood from where she had been kneeling next to the desk chair and looked curiously at the key she'd just fished out of the cushion. "Ahsoka, you can probably manage the situation from here, right?"

Ahsoka's lips were pursed so tightly that it looked painful. She gave a tiny, furious shake of her head, which Barriss ignored.

"Excellent." Barriss stepped around her carefully and brushed past Captain Rex still frozen in the doorway of his own quarters, pressing the key to his desk drawer into his hands as she did so. "Captain," she acknowledged formally.

"Commander Offee," he replied automatically, and stepped aside fully so she could exit.

"See you later, Ahsoka! Make sure to tell Captain Rex all about—"

Ahsoka's indignant screech of embarrassment and rage was the last thing Barriss heard before the door slid shut. She smiled to herself, satisfied that she could be of help to a friend in need, then walked down the corridor with a new spring in her step.

[nanagoswife]

Noticing You, Noticing Me

Chapter Eight

Summary: More soft moments between reader and Obi-Wan as they enjoy being back together

W/C: 3.5k

Warnings: Not smut, but there is some intimacy? Not really though? Idk😅

- - -

Apparently, everyone knew about Obi-Wan’s arrival except for you. Anakin and Padmé were just the ones who participated.

As you walked through the halls, basically clinging to his arm, he laid his free hand on top of one of yours as he told you.

“I had also been talking with Anakin these last months, albeit, not as often as I was with you.” He paused to smile at you, gently squeezing your hand. “When I found out of my plans to come here, I wanted to find a way to surprise you. Then, Anakin came to mind.”

“Let me guess. You asked Anakin, then Anakin asked Padmé, and then Anakin told you what she had said.”

Obi-Wan smirked. “Sometimes I forget how well you know your brother.”

A small sense of pride filled you with that.

“But yes, that’s what happened. Of course I had first written to your parents about a few things. They were more than happy to hear that I could make my way over after so long. I think it was something about how their daughter was quite taken with me.”

He looked down at you with that cheeky smile once again. You shook your head and giggled as you lightly pushed him, only sending him slightly off balance.

His laugh filled the halls as he regained his steady pace.

“I do believe that she is quite taken with the prince of Coruscant. The princess couldn’t be happier.”

Obi-Wan’s crystal blue eyes stared into yours while he smiled. Slowly, he brought the two of you to a stop in front of one of the windows. The light of the sun reflected perfectly in his eyes.

When he turned to face you, both of your hands ended up in his one. Although you loved the feeling, you took one hand away to bring it to his cheek. A small giggle bubbled its way out of you at the feel of his beard as he leaned into your touch. The well trimmed hairs were scratchy but in the most delightful way.

Your eyes couldn’t leave his even if you wanted to. The sight of him like this held all of your attention as you slowly dragged your hand down to rest on his chest.

The fact that both of you were leaning in went hardly noticed. It felt so natural that you paid no mind to it. It was only as you were that few centimeters away from the other’s lips that you realized, but you didn’t pull away. No, this was something the two of you had come so close to once before, yet it now had a different meaning. This was more deserved than before.

You were so close until footsteps could be heard from the other end of the hall. Obi-Wan huffed out a sigh of annoyance but didn’t make any movement to pull away from your proximity.

“We really need to find a more private place,” he whispered, causing you to chuckle,

“If I remember correctly, not even that worked, Obi.”

All he did was groan and roll his eyes as his shoulders slumped. “You unfortunately make a good point, my dear.”

You chuckled before the person arrived in your area. When you turned to greet them, it was Varlo. Maybe it was your eyes just playing tricks on you, but he seemed absolutely miserable. More than he had been in the last two months, anyways. Apparently not having the popularity that he used to have was weighing on him more than you had thought.

“Good afternoon, Varlo,” Obi-Wan greeted with a bow from just behind you. As he did, you saw that a small piece of his hair fell out of place. He did nothing to put it back, though, as he stood up.

“Prince Kenobi,” he greeted briskly with a stiff bow.

He seemed rigid in his greeting. Had something gone wrong in a dispute? You weren’t super into the politics of your kingdom as he was, so you didn’t know what possibly could make him like this.

Varlo’s jaw seemed tense, like he was clenching it.

“Is everything alright?” you asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. You could feel Obi-Wan shift uncomfortably behind you. Whatever was going on with Varlo was unsettling him just like it was for you.

“Hm? Oh, yes, I apologize. Just something occupying my mind. Anyways, I really came here to find you to tell you that our parents are putting together a small feast in honour of your arrival, Prince Kenobi.”

“Please, call me Obi-Wan. And thank you. I’ll be sure to thank them later although it’s highly unnecessary.”

“Oh but it is,” you cut in, flashing him a smile.

Obi-Wan chuckled. “Alright, alright. If you say so.”

“I’ll leave you two be. But, Y/N, I should mention that mom is putting this together. So, be prepared,” Varlo said with a playful smile.

You knew exactly what he meant. Whenever your mother would go into planning mode, she always made it the best. If it weren’t for the fact that Obi-Wan had told them before arriving, you would’ve assumed they only had a day's notice. In that case, it would be more toned down. Knowing that she had known well in advance, well, it would be extravagant.

Both you and Obi-Wan said your goodbyes to your brother before he turned away.

“Well, what shall we do until dinner?” Obi-Wan asked when your brother was far enough down the hall. Before you answered, you brushed those few strands of hair back into place.

“Have you unpacked yet?” You turned to look at him, seeing him shake his head no. “Why don’t we do that, then.”

His smile grew even more before offering you his elbow. “Sounds like a plan.”

-

At first, Obi-Wan felt a slight bit awkward. The last time he had a girl in his room, that wasn’t his mother, was Satine. Nothing had happened between them other than simple conversations.

With you, he was a little nervous. He wanted a life with you. Unlike with Satine, he felt like he could see himself with you for the rest of his life. Every part of him was drawn to you in a way that he had never felt in his life.

As the time went on though with you helping him where you could, it felt just as natural as everything else. Obi-Wan could feel himself relax more and more as the time passed.

By the time he had finished, you were sitting at the foot of the bed. Despite his insistence, you refused to make yourself more comfortable further up the bed. Instead you stayed where you were, intently listening to his ramblings. Some were stories from your time apart, others were just simply him muttering his thoughts.

Nothing changed though. You sat and listened, occasionally chiming in at certain details.

Once Obi-Wan was done, he sat beside you. It didn’t take long to find your hand so that he could intertwine his fingers with yours.

“So,” he started, “did that take all the time we had or is there still time?”

You giggled as you leaned against his shoulder. “I’m sure we have some time. Besides, who says we can’t be fashionably late?”

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in curiosity. “Is there something your brilliant mind is working up?”

He watched as your cheeks flushed as you smiled coyly.

“Not really. But I did have an idea for after dinner.”

“And what might that be?”

You looked up at him, your cheeks burning an even darker shade than before. You opened your mouth to talk, but closed it before looking away again. It confused him.

“Darling?”

“Never mind,” you said quietly.

“If you think I would say no to whatever your plan is, I’m sure you’re wrong,” he said encouragingly. His free hand came up and turned your face towards him with his index. “What is it?”

When you stumbled over your words, he let his fingers trail along your jawline before cupping your cheek. It was a gesture to comfort you in your doubt, and it seemed to work. He could feel as the tension in your shoulders eased. Even the grip you had on his hand relaxed.

“I- I was thinking maybe… we could come back here after. Together,” you said. Quickly, you continue before he could react, “Not to do anything like, you know. Just to… sleep. And I was wondering if we could read that poetry book that we never finished that night because it was so beautiful and-”

Obi-Wan gently hushed you with a soft call of your name before you’d go into an endless ramble. “Yes,” he said in a breath. “Yes to all of it. Whatever you wish.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

He felt you relax further against him. Almost on instinct, he wrapped an arm around you to pull you closer, pressing a kiss against your temple.

“Now, shall we head down to the feast your mother has put together?”

Chuckling, you lightly pushed off of Obi-Wan to sit up. “Are you sure you’re ready? She never goes halfway with these sorts of things.”

“Always.”

-

“Ok, so I may have underestimated what Queen Breha had planned,” Obi-Wan said with a sheepish chuckle.

What your mother had planned had even surprised you. All of the servants had been dressed in their best. The dining table was set to feed three times the amount of your group. The seven of you hardly made a dent in it all.

When it came to decorations, you would’ve thought that you would’ve been serving every king and queen there was. Yes, you were a part of a royal family, but you had never dined in such a fancy setup. You had thought your normal setup was over the top, but you were dead wrong.

Even Obi-Wan had seemed overwhelmed by it all. The enthusiastic call from your brother had distracted both you and Obi-Wan from your surroundings.

Apparently, despite actually arriving in time, the two of you were the last to arrive. Everyone else greeted you enthusiastically when you sat down after Obi-Wan pulled out your chair.

Varlo didn’t though. Like he was earlier, he had seemed preoccupied. That kept up during the whole meal. You didn’t pay much mind to it as your parents, Anakin, and Padmé all started a conversation lasting the whole meal.

Once you were all stuffed to the brim, Varlo had left. He said that he had something to attend to, yet he wouldn’t say what.

For the rest of you, the conversations continued as the servants all cleared the table without incident. Even if there were, it wouldn’t be a huge deal. Most of them you knew quite well, and so did your mother. They were all good people who strove to do their best in their role. You always smiled whenever you heard how happy they really were.

“Even I underestimated what she would do,” you replied, squeezing his hand gently as you walked down the hall to the sitting room that contained the poetry book.

Normally, your arm would be linked with his, but you didn’t feel like being that formal. You guessed he felt that same as he reciprocated the action without any protest. If he had said anything about it, you were sure that it would only be about how his thoughts were going down the same path as yours.

When you had gotten to the room you needed, you told Obi-Wan to wait as you quickly ran in to grab the poetry book. After you did, you resumed your hand holding all the way to your room first to change and grab some things.

You had disappeared behind your changing screen as he observed your room. There wasn’t much in your room. A few books on the shelf beside your desk, the satchel which held all of his letters that sat on the floor still next to your desk, your bed, and your changing screen.

Everything was going well until you were unable to undo the back of your dress. No matter how hard you tried, each attempt was met by failure.

There was no other choice other than to ask Obi-Wan to help.

Stepping out from behind the screen, you saw him looking out of your window. He had one arm across his chest while his other elbow rested against it as he stroked his beard. It looked as if he was lost in thought only to briefly smile to himself.

“Obi,” you called out. You hated to break his train of thought, but the longer this took, the longer it would be until you could get on with the night’s plan.

He turned towards you, looking slightly confused when you were still in the same lavender dress as before.

“I can’t get it undone, and I… I was wondering if you could help,” you said as you looked at the floor. It felt strange asking this of him. At the same time, it thrilled you. Nervousness took over in the end.

Obi-Wan walked over to you, taking your hands in his. He gently squeezed them in a silent question asking you to look at him. “Only if you want me to.”

You nodded. With a comforting smile, he led you back behind your screen. Turning around for him, his hands worked on the ties at your back. Each lace up your back slowly loosened as he made his way up, letting his fingers graze against your back.

As he made his way up, you couldn’t stop the shiver that went through you as his hand ghosted the bare part of your back. When he was done, he placed his hands on your shoulders, finger slightly under the material of the dress.

The sensation was one you had never felt before as his hands began trailing outwards, bringing the fabric with it. A part of you wanted him to continue, but you knew it was better when he had paused his gentle caresses.

“I’m sorry. I- I’ll let you get changed.”

“It’s alright, Obi,” you said as you turned to face him. “And thank you.”

With a shy smile, he went back to the main area of your room. A part of you wished you could’ve continued, but now wasn’t the time for that. Hell, you hadn’t even kissed yet.

Either way, you pushed it aside as you finished getting ready. Your sleep gown was much more comfortable than your dress. You wondered what Obi-Wan would think of the light blue gown that flowed more and was far less constricting.

-

When you walked out after changing, Obi-Wan’s breath hitched for what felt like the hundredth time today. He knew night gowns were nothing special, but you just looked so… beautiful.

The simpleness of it caught his eye immediately. Yes, you looked amazing in all of your day gowns, but this was just a new level he didn’t know was possible.

He must’ve muttered something about it because your cheeks turned flushed as you took on a demure stance.

Finally gaining some sense, he cleared his throat before speaking, “Shall we continue the evening?”

You nodded, walking over to him before taking his hand to make your way to his room. Although it was no secret that the two of you were together, you had to make sure you weren’t seen. People would most likely assume that something other than what you truly were doing would be happening.

The only people that were told were Anakin and Padmé. They had told you that they would make sure that no one saw either of you. Specifically in the morning. The plan was that Anakin would make sure the hall was clear as Padmé would come get you and escort you to your room. Of everyone, they knew that Obi-Wan wouldn’t take advantage of you. Plus, with your friend knowing of the night you and Obi-Wan had first read this book, she was quick to believe your true plans.

Thankfully, the hall was clear all the way to his room.

Obi-Wan had removed his jacket rather quickly, exposing his white tunic that lay underneath. There was a small area where his chest was slightly exposed, revealing hairs there that matched the colour of his beard.

A small part of you wanted to have the kind of courage that he did and unlace the top of his tunic for him, to feel some of the skin on his chest. That courage wasn’t there. Not a single part of you could muster up the ability to ask, but you didn’t need to. Obi-Wan had caught the way you were looking at him.

Taking a few steps to close the distance between you, he took your hands in his.

“It’s alright,” he said, placing one of your hands on his chest near the ties. “You can if you want. You don’t have to.”

His voice was quiet and soothing. That courage you thought you would never have? It was there now, slowly crawling out as he encouraged you.

Along with his comforting words, you moved your fingers to where the lace laid. With a shakiness, you brought your other hand up to help undo the knot. Before you could start untying it, he placed his hand on top of yours, squeezing gently for comfort.

“Relax,” he whispered. “You don’t have to do this. Stop whenever you like.”

As he took his hand off of the two of yours, the final bit of courage filled you. Slowly, you untied the lace, loosening it until even more of his chest was exposed.

For a moment, you let your fingers graze over the exposed skin and hair. The golden curls on his chest made you smile as you briefly rubbed his chest.

This time, you gained even more confidence as you then let your hands glide down to his torso. Something in you wanted to see more, to feel more, but you weren’t sure if it was the best decision.

When your hands reached his waist, you stopped. Looking back into his eyes, nothing but warmth and sureness radiated from them.

“Go ahead. Like I said earlier, anything for you.”

You let out a shaky breath, gaining even more reassurance from Obi-Wan as you looked in his eyes. So, you let your hands clench the material of his shirt, pulling it up until he lifted his arms, letting the shirt fall to the ground.

You let your eyes explore the surface of his skin, noting every scar until you reached out to trace them all. He told you how many were from training, others from a battle years ago when a random group who wanted to dethrone his father attacked.

-

He worked hard to keep his breathing controlled as your hands explored the surface of his skin. Despite this, Obi-Wan knew that if you felt over his heart that you would be able to feel it racing.

As you traced over his scars, he couldn’t help but let his eyes fall closed. The thoughts that began to run through his mind were becoming intrusive. He didn’t want to rush into anything with you, though. What he didn’t want to do was scare you off and that meant having to keep this all under control.

Plus, he didn’t want to wreck your reputation. Something like this could ruin you, and that’s not what he wanted. You were doing so much good for your people. If they thought any less of you than they do now, he wouldn’t know how he would live with himself.

Instead, he closed his eyes so that he could quell the feeling of desire he felt for you. It was working too, until you reached his shoulders, trailing towards his collar bone.

Nothing could keep his breathing from picking up. The closer you came to his collarbone, the more he felt his want for you. But he wouldn’t let it happen. Not unless you wanted to, and you already had said that you wanted this to be purely just an innocent night. Just reading and sleeping.

So, he shifted slightly, taking a sharp intake of breath as your hand traced his collarbone.

-

This exploration lasted a few minutes as you looked over his freckles that were scattered across his shoulders. Obi-Wan took a deep breath as you traced his collar bone, shifting slightly.

“I-I’m sorry,” you said, pausing your exploration. “Did I go too far?”

“What? No, of course not,” he said quickly to reassure you. “No, it’s just… maybe we should read now.”

Nodding, you went over to the bed. Obi-Wan joined you not long after.

After getting settled under the sheets, the two of you went into a familiar position like the night in front of the fireplace. Only this time, you didn’t stay awake long, falling asleep against Obi-Wan’s bare chest.

Everything, his warmth, the sound of his voice, the comfort of the bed, it all made you drowsy. Obi-Wan noticed and encouraged you, “Go to sleep, my dear. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

- - -

@stardancerluv @where-fantasy-meets-reality @jaydenwoo @madmax2003 @mackycat11 @generousrunawaydonut @imabeautifulbutterfly @animalgirl05 @blondekel77 @thereluctantherosrose @cosmicsierra @badbatch-simp24

[jasontoddiefor]

If you’re still doing those short number/ship things, I’d love number 5 with Obikin

5. one night stand and falling pregnant au + obikin

Anakin is trans bc it’s pride month.

Anakin had always been a little careless, a little reckless, determined to show the world his teeth and bloody knuckles, let them know his name. He knew his behavior had worried his friends and family for the longest time. Hell, Anakin had fallen in with a bad crowd when he was younger, still aching for the sky, and thinking that maybe they could fix him.

It had taken a bit too long for him to learn there was nothing to be fixed, that he was whole as he was, perfectly flawed and human.

He’d built himself up from the ground again, one step at a time, therapy, a stable job in the field he’d actually done his degree in, a small apartment he loved.

Staring out of his kitchen window, Anakin sighed, as he watched the families on the street below go about their days. Technically speaking, Anakin was supposed to be at work as well, but he’d called in sick. He’d have to go back to work tomorrow. His boss would be understanding if he just explained the situation, Kit was nice like that, but Anakin didn’t want to waste another day indecisive. Deadlines, stress, and pressure helped Anakin get things done, and he definitely needed to finally write that stupid email.

He looked back at his laptop where his half-written email was still taunting him.

From: a.skywalker@/gmail.com To: o.kenobi@/uni-coruscant.com Subject: That One Saturday at Outlander

Dear Obi-Wan Kenobi,

I’m sorry I’m messaging you via your university account, but I didn’t have your phone number and this was the only way I could think of contacting you. My name is Anakin Skywalker, we met a couple weeks ago at the Outlander bar. I’m writing you concerning ????

The possibility of having a child. That is related to me.

Remember how we had sex and totally used a condom yeah

Concerning im pregnant??? Real good skywalker

At least we weren’t drunk and consenting adults?

My sister yelled at me for sleeping w/ her lit proferssor by the way

I haven’t had a stable relationship in years how do you feel about co parenting a baby in like 7 months

Oh my god I don’t even know if I want to keep the baby

I figured this out like 2 days ago. Do you, by chance, have any bastards running around and experienced this movie clichee situation and can tell me how we should advance

OKAY ALSO LIKE how was I supposed to know you were Ahsoka’S literature professor???? She called you like Old and you’re NOT

There’s a book about this exact dumbass scenario I’m sure

Bet you sleeping with cis guys never results in a problem like this.

Call mom????

Padmé has a business degree she could write this for me

I fucking hate emails

Hi, I’m pregnant, it's yours, and, as you can tell by the bullet points of whatever the fuck I should write here, slightly freaking out

Would you be amendable to meeting up? My phone number is 0171 3982733 if you prefer communicating via text.

Kind regards,

Anakin Skywalker

Groaning, Anakin shoved his laptop away from him. How could this possibly be so difficult? Informing a random attractive one night stand of the consequences of their actions should not disrupt him so.

“Or what do you think?” Anakin asked his cat out loud. Threepio only purred in exchange when Anakin began to pet the anxious rescue cat. He had definitely sensed that something was wrong with Anakin lately, sticking close to him and snuggling up to him even more than usual. The cat’s antics at least brought a smile to his face.

“Come here,” Anakin said and, as if understanding him, Threepio promptly walked closer to Anakin.

Across his laptop.

Hitting all kinds of keys.

Anakin turned as white as a sheet as his drafted email suddenly disappeared from the screen.

“Oh, no, no, no,” he muttered, stood up from his chair so quickly that it clattered to the ground, startling Threepio so badly that the cat rushed away. “Oh, no. Please just be deleted, please just be deleted.”

Anakin pulled up his email window again, and there, sitting accusingly in the sent messages box, was his email.

Successfully delivered to one Obi-Wan Kenobi.

He was so screwed.

[primasveraas-writing]

i've heard them calling my name

Anakin Skywalker faces five people after the second great betrayal of his lifetime.

Inspired in part by @naberiie's "thirteen minutes".

WORD COUNT: 1803

XXX

1

Anakin Skywalker isn’t dead, but he is dying.

It hurts, and he is used to the pain, the ache in his lungs, and the throbbing in what remains of his limbs. He’s used to the grief and the guilt and the sorrow.

What’s new is the light flooding him, overwhelming his mind and senses. What’s new is love, the feeling returned after an eternity of bitterness and hatred. What’s new is his son, so much smaller than Anakin in his mechanical suit, dragging him through the hangar, and the determination and compassion that flow from him; Luke the bright epicenter of his suddenly recentered galaxy.

But dying sounds like a horrible, raspy breath, and the wheeze of a failing ventilator.

And love sounds like: “I won’t leave you here. I’ve got to save you.”

Dying is dimness creeping in at the corners, quickly enough to scare Anakin, to rush his goodbyes.

Love is the blue of his son’s eyes, and the kindness shining in his face that reminds Anakin so much of Padmé.

He thinks of his wife, and of his daughter who he never knew, and of his son, and he mourns them all in a second, because the darkness is closing in, and his consciousness is fleeing him as is air, and again Luke desperately promises not to leave him, and Anakin exhales for the last time and his son’s voice is the last thing he knows.

2

There is incredible darkness and Anakin does not know nor think until a voice calls out his name and recognition blossoms with a burst of light flooding the void.

“Obi-wan?”

There is shame, deep and consuming because Anakin has betrayed his son, but he was a brother long before he was a father, and he has ruined Obi-wan with no chance of salvation like there is for Luke, and-

“Master, I’m so sorry- so very, very-”

Obi-wan says his name again, and tells him that there is more, that there can be forgiveness and immortality, and Anakin wants but he does not deserve, but he wants to see Luke again and meet his daughter and Anakin has always been selfish despite the Jedi’s teachings.

And if Obi-wan is truly offering him this chance- Obi-wan, with his fair logic and pragmatism- then maybe he does indeed deserve this, even if all others, Anakin included, do not think the same.

“I failed you, Master.”

Silence. Then, the light ripples, and there is his master, and he is smiling gently, and he shakes his head.

“And I failed you, Anakin. You needed more from me than I ever offered, and I am sorry for that.”

“After all I’ve done-”

“You did what no other Jedi could, in the end, and that is as the Force wills it.”

“I wish-” Anakin’s voice catches. “I wish it were different.”

“As do I.” Obi-wan looks sad now, and that is familiar, but he opens his arms and steps closer to Anakin. They embrace, there is love and comfort between them, things that Anakin has not allowed himself to miss in thirty long years.

When they part, Obi-wan regards him for a long moment, then speaks again.

“I still have much to teach you,” he says slowly, and Anakin nods. This has not changed, even now. “You will see others who have missed you as I have. You will find forgiveness and anger in unexpected places, from those living and dead, but, my dear padawan,” Obi-wan smiles now, a true contentedness painting his features, “you will know peace again. That is what you deserve.”

3

His mother is before him in the emptiness, as if from a dream.

Anakin Skywalker is decades old and a Jedi Knight and a war hero and a tyrant and a Sith Lord and evil personified and the Chosen One, and he sees his mother and runs to her.

Her embrace is warm and tight, and he knows her from the way his head buries into her neck, and the length of her arms around him, and the faint smell of spice on her tunic, and every inflection of her voice as she murmurs his name, and calls him my son, and says how I’ve missed you, and he sobs into her, pulling them both to their knees as he does.

“Mom,” he gasps, and all the shame hits him anew. He is his mother’s son, his selfless, compassionate, angel of a mother, and he is a monster who turned against everything she believed in.

“I love you,” she tells him, and he ducks his head, unable to meet her eyes. Instead, he shakes his head, letting hot tears slip down his cheeks.

“Come now,” she chides, wiping the wetness away with her sleeve. It’s as if he were four again, and he had just scraped his knee, rather than-

“I don’t deserve you, Mom,” he chokes, and although he needs her, it’s true.

“No,” Shmi’s tone is firm and resolute, “it has always been my job to love you unconditionally, Anakin. I’ll not stop now.”

“I did such terrible things-”

“Yes. And I forgive you for them.”

“How? How can you?”

“You are my son,” she says, and she cups his face in her hands and smiles at him, and he knows warmth and love with startling clarity once more. “And you have earned my forgiveness and always deserved my love.”

Anakin sobs again and hides in her shoulder, and Shmi holds him close until the cries subside and he is nearly calm again.

“There is more,” she advises him after a long while, and her warmth and love are still there but Shmi is very serious. Anakin’s throat dries, and he knows they are thinking of the same person.

“Not yet,” she says. “Soon."

“How can I-” the words die in his throat, and Shmi presses a kiss to his brow and looks him in the eye.

“She lived and died for you, Anakin. That love does not mean nothing.”

She smiles at him, her crow’s feet wrinkling, and her love is familiar and good and palpable, and then she, and everything, disappears.

4

There is a beautiful woman, with dark hair and eyes, and a short frame. Her features are sharp, but not harsh or unkind, except in the way that she looks at Anakin, which is with a mask of anger, her mouth set into a stern frown.

His wife’s name is on his lips, but there are differences, slight, but noticeable, and he realizes it’s because one woman aged while the other died, and when Sabé speaks, her voice rings out clearly in the tone of a queen with no time for mercy or forgiveness.

“You killed her.”

Anakin cannot breathe nor reply, so he nods instead, and stares at his feet.

“She was my life, and she died because of you, your selfishness, your rage. I worried from the second she married you, that you would be the death of her, and I was right.

“She let her love consume her, and so did you, but your love was poison,” Sabé spits. “You never deserved her.”

“No,” Anakin whispers. These are not the thoughts that made Darth Vader, but these are the ones that fueled him.

“I buried her. I loved her and I lived for her, and I brushed her hair and dressed her in her funeral gown and I tried to seek vengeance, and years later, a monster came to Naboo to find answers as I did, and I wondered why you didn’t kill us.”

“Because you look like her,” Anakin is still quieted by his shame. “Because I couldn’t destroy what was left of her.”

“I would have killed you then if I knew. I wanted to kill Vader with my bare hands, but you- you betrayed her. Death wouldn’t have sufficed for you.”

“I deserve that,” Anakin says, clear and loud. Sabé doesn’t disagree, but she regards him for a moment, studying his face, her own features still set in anger.

Then: “She forgives you.”

“What?”

“She wants to see you.” Sabé sighs and confusion overtakes Anakin’s shock, his heart pounding in his chest. “She loves you.”

“I love her,” Anakin blurts, and he tries not to shrink under Sabé’s scrutiny. “I love her still.”

“So do I,” Sabé says bluntly. “Which is why you’re seeing me first.”

“To berate me?” It makes sense to Anakin, although he has not particularly enjoyed this conversation, but Sabé seems amused, her eyes glinting.

“To tell you that you have served a penance. To show you that many will not grant you forgiveness.”

“Do you?” He suspects the answer, but the question

“I love Padmé. I follow her lead.” Sabé tilts her head to the side. “Though I keep my own reservations.”

She smiles faintly at that, then she is gone.

5

Padmé stands three feet before him, and she smiles.

Anakin staggers forward and stumbles, sinking to his knees. Tears are already streaming down his face when he murmurs her name, mixed with apologies and said like a prayer.

“Anakin,” Padmé says, and she holds him, tangling her fingers in his hair. “Oh, Anakin.”

He breathes her in; he still remembers the scent of her perfume and the softness of her hair, and the way her body fits against his own larger frame, and the gentleness of her touch and her voice, and he has loved her since he was nine years old, and through war and darkness and villainy and death, he has not stopped loving her.

“I love you,” she tells him, and presses a kiss to his forehead. Anakin sobs, cradling Padmé against him, and begs her again for forgiveness. “I love you, Anakin.”

“I should have- I-”

“I know,” she says, and her tone is firm. “In the end, you have made things right. That is what matters to me”

“Our children,” he whispers. “Luke saved me.” He finally looks up at her, sees the warmth in her brown eyes. “He’s like you, Padmé.”

“I believed in him as I believed in you.” His wife smiles again. “I always did.”

“I missed you,” he breathes, and Padmé squeezes his hand.

“I missed you, too. I waited so long to see you again.”

“I’m here,” Anakin exhales, shaky. “All I wanted was to be with you again.”

“I have you now.” Padmé leans in, kissing him, then rests her forehead against his.

“Now I am complete.” Anakin echoes his mother’s words from all those years ago, and he knows they are true.

Padmé rises with him, wrapping both her hands around one of his, and reaches up to kiss him once more. He holds her with his free arm, never wanting to leave her embrace, and content in the fact that he does not have to let go.

[wileycap]

PALPATINE: My dear boy. The only thing that we are discussing right now is what you want.

ANAKIN: Hm. Okay, world peace for Padmé, a Best Jedi mug for Obi-Wan - no, that's not me being bitchy, he literally will not accept a bigger gift...

PALPATINE: Yes, you shall have it all. Just -

ANAKIN: Oh, I'm not done. A billion... no, you know what, a trillion credits for Ahsoka, rights for the clones plus backpay and overtime for the war, full rights to their own genetic code, a special vode-only tribune that will investigate Kaminoans and natborn officers for sentient rights violations...

PALPATINE:

ANAKIN: ... slavery is to be abolished across the galaxy, I and any vode who want to join me will be sanctioned by the Republic to hunt down slavers, starting with Tatooine, hair cream for Windu - okay, that one is me being bitchy - and, well, I guess I'd want a fleet of the absolute best ships for me. As a treat.

PALPATINE: I see. Are you done?

ANAKIN: I guess. How soon can you deliver?

PALPATINE: Well. As it stands... it might... take some time.

ANAKIN: That's cool. You can get all the legal stuff done tomorrow, just call in a special session of the Senate, but I get that commissioning a fleet will take some time. I didn't even give you a list of models or anything.

PALPATINE: ... yes. I can't help but to think that you're disregarding your wife's safety here.

ANAKIN: Oh, no. I'm being smart.

PALPATINE: You are?

ANAKIN: Yup. Padmé is a completely healthy woman. Her pregnancy is very low risk. So, if she's going to die in childbirth, it's got to have something to do with the war, right? If we end the war, there's no danger to Padmé.

PALPATINE: Have you forgotten what I told you about Darth Plagueis the Wise?

ANAKIN: No, but if I use Sith Magic to save her, she's probably going to turn into a zombie or something. Trust me, Chancellor, I've seen it before.

PALPATINE: I'm afraid to ask, but where have you seen zombies?

ANAKIN: Eh, you can check my mission reports. Anyways, if you just hand me your credit chit, I can get to buying Obi-Wan that mug, giving Ahsoka the trillion and all that.

PALPATINE: Well, I...

ANAKIN: And if you don't want to go through with this, I'm definitely going to murder you right now. You being a Sith Lord and all that.

PALPATINE: Oh.

ANAKIN: Yeah.

PALPATINE: Well, here's my credit chit.

ANAKIN: Thanks, Sheev! Just one more question. What are you getting out of this?

PALPATINE: ... I'm going to declare myself Emperor and bring about the age of the Sith.

ANAKIN: Okay, that's cool.

PALPATINE: It... is?

ANAKIN: Sure. I mean, you basically are an emperor already, and we have freedom of religion. Just make sure that your Empire is strictly democratic, or else Padmé's going to be mad at me.

PALPATINE: I... what? The purpose of an Empire is to do away with democracy! Cut away the rot of bureaucracy!

ANAKIN: Chancellor, do you remember the conversation we had just now about me murdering you?

PALPATINE: Yes, but you hate the Republic too!

ANAKIN: I know, but work stuff can't come between me and Padmé. One of the rules of a successful marriage. Anyways, get it done. I gotta go buy a mug and some hair cream.

-------------------------------

BREAKING NEWS!

PEACE! Supreme Chancellor / Emperor-Elect Sheev Palpatine has announced the immediate cessation of hostilities between the Republic and the CIS along with a slew of other groundbreaking proposals. The Supreme Chancellor stated that with the death of General Grievous...

The Coruscant Herald spoke with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, also known as the Negotiator.

"I've got this mug." said Master Kenobi, before launching into a protracted rant about the state of our democracy.

"I got back from Utapau, and Anakin tells me that he 'kind of' turned to the Dark Side. How do you 'kind of' turn? But now we have galactic peace. But we also have an Emperor. Well, in three days we will have an Emperor. But the Emperor is going to have less power than the Supreme Chancellor has right now, and they're the same person. Not to mention that he's the Sith. My entire life has turned into a philosophical nightmare on whether the ends justify the means, and it's all being personified by this blasted mug." ...

Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo had a brief conversation with the Herald.

"Well, I think of it like a retirement present. A lifetime achievement award. He is an older man, and no doubt he'll abdicate in due time. This will be an interesting footnote in the history of the Republic." ...

Spokesbeing for the Shmi Skywalker Foundation, Anakin Skywalker spoke at length with our reporter.

"Well, we at the Shmi Skywalker Foundation offer only two things: freedom to slaves and death to slavers. And sometimes imprisonment to slavers, because Obi-Wan and Padmé were pretty adamant about that. And also financial aid, legal aid, housing, therapy, et cetera. For the freed people. So I guess we offer more than two things, but they're all good things."

"Sheev? Sheev is great. A nice old man. I think he's going to abdicate in, oh, three years or so? [Editor's Note: Transcript is garbled due to the Emperor-Elect coughing suddenly.] [...Yo]u need a glass of water, Sheev? Get him - yeah, one of you red guys, get him a glass of water. You're not a young man anymore, Sheev. Yeah, I think he'll abdicate within three years."

Emperor-Elect Sheev Palpatine declined to comment at this time.

[becauseallhellseeisme]

Star Wars Re-watch Part 3

1. Obi-Wan (uneasy): "Flying is for droids."

2. Obi-Wan, as R4 gets decapitated: *C-3PO voice* "Oh dear."

3. Obi-Wan jumping out of his ship (that is still scratching across the floor) in a sexy way, igniting his lightsaber mid-air.

4. Palpatine: "Kill him. Kill him now."

The look of terror on Dooku’s face: Master?!

Palpatine (Sidious slug voice): "Do it."

5. The dialogue between Anakin and Padmé still feels super constructed.

6. Palpatine (to Anakin at the opera): "Sit down." (To the others, sounding more commanding) "Leave us."

Not suspicious at all...

7. Padmé: "Oh, Anakin, what are you gonna do?"

Aka what have you done?

8. Mustafar appears on the screen. Me, an intellectual: Hello, mount Etna.

9. Anakin entering Mustafar: yas, walk the Vader walk.

10. "Obi-Wan upon seeing the dead younglings: "Who? Who could have done this?"

😭😭😭My poor little baby! I am so sorry.

11. Padmé 🤝 Obi-Wan

being scared of the person that they love the most

12. "I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I'm doing it for you." Hayden, the nerd, who studied James Earl Jones' speech patterns for Vader.

"The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me."

13. Padmé is not pregnant enough. She barely looks half-term.

14. Obi-Wan walks over to Luke's family like Dumbledore when he drops off Harry Potter on his family's doorstep.

[waukrife]

So uh...there’s this au that’s very near and dear to my heart (also very wip and unlikely to ever see the light of day) that I like to affectionately call ‘for once this is someone else’s problem’ or alternatively, ‘au in which Dooku is based’. 

Essentially, Anakin kills Dooku. Woo! Yeah! That’s fantastic he saved the chancellor why does he feel so awful, he’s a terrible Jedi, he might have just saved the republic, oh god but can he save Padmé, the chancellor can help, he cares despite everything he’s done, he’s a terrible Jedi, they’d hate him if they knew, most already do, he only has Padmé and the chancellor but he might have just saved the republic- ad nauseam, he’s in a bad place. 

But not for long, because one minute he’s holding crossed sabers, red and blue, where Dooku’s neck used to be, and the next he’s stood in his room. In the temple. Something about the space feels unfamiliar- he hasn’t stayed here for almost a year, between his berth on the warship, and Padmé’s apartments when he has leave. Regardless. He’s more concerned about how less than a minute ago, he was somewhere Not Here. He turns off the red saber and tucks it away into his belt, holding his own at the ready. ‘Weird Force Shit’ has followed him around his whole life (and before it, besides). All he can do is look around, and if there’s some trap? Well, he’s ready to spring it.

A long time ago (and yet not so long ago at all), Obi-Wan, freshly and traumatically bereaved, becomes Sith-Killer, Knight and Master in one moment, although all he wants is to be called Padawan one more time. He’s fought to keep Anakin, to get to train him like Qui-Gon wanted. He can’t afford to ruin this. He’s not an easy child, if any are- earnest and defensive alternatingly, somehow both shy and brash, loud and very quiet. Confusing for a young man who barely met him before he had the duty to raise him slammed onto his shoulders by his own Master’s dying wish. Their first morning in the temple, he wakes up his new Padawan, and applies himself to making breakfast. But then he turns around and his Padawan isn’t there. He goes to open his bedroom door and check on him, but the door swings open. Only...that’s not his nine year-old charge.

Anakin stands in the doorway, aghast. That’s not his master. At least, not as he remembers him from yesterday. It’s like he’s stepped directly into a memory from his first days at the temple. This isn’t how his visions normally work- the air feels pleasantly cool, the atmosphere peaceful and the force calm, rather than the burning, screaming fear that haunts his nightmares and shows him only war and guilt and death. He doesn’t think he can bear to see Obi-Wan die. Or, if this is only a normal nightmare, not a ‘gift’ of the Force....maybe that could be worse, to see him scream and reject him, as much as he would deserve it. The Tuskens, his wife, now Dooku. Which of his crimes would this imaginary Obi-Wan hate him for. He almost wants to ask, to get the dream over with and wake up, or break out of the vision and stagger home. But ‘Obi-Wan’ is looking at him like he’s a stranger. Maybe that hurts more than hatred or heartbreak ever could.

Obi-Wan stares at the stranger standing on the threshold of what would be Anakin’s room, and what used to be his and Qui-Gon’s kitchen. He’s holding a lightsaber, blue but humming discordantly in the force, in a metal hand. The other is flesh, fingers clenched into a fist at his side. He’s dressed like a Jedi, but he looks too near to Obi-Wan’s age for them to have been strangers. Whoever he is, he’s stood with his weapon lit, between Obi-Wan and his Padawan, and tension, strong enough to barely be restrained by proficient shields roils around him. Obi-Wan himself hasn’t had a chance to meditate since Naboo, and the sudden charge to the atmosphere unsettles him. He ignites his own saber.

Then, of course, Anakin turns his saber off and says something that alerts Obi-Wan to the true weirdness of the situation. This isn’t some strange intruder- it’s his 9 year-old Padawan replaced with his 22 year old Padawan. Surprise! Except they still don’t know how this happened, and whether his own Anakin is out there somewhere in the future (for the sake of the galaxy I, for one, hope not- Anakin isn’t that fussed because oh the chancellor will take care of him until the jedi can solve this- you can see how this could be terrible) or just...gone (also terrible, I will have to make up a suitably happy resolution for this issue because all I want is a time-travel fix-it goddamnit, don’t make me consider the implications.)

Before they can start to figure things out, they have some interpersonal issues (“I’m taller than you and I’m only nine!”) and other issues arise (“MASTER DOOKU cut off your hand!?!” “Wait what’s a ‘seppie’?”). Before they can really start to think about this like the (nominally) mature Jedi adults that they’re supposed to be, Obi-Wan just gives up. He frogmarches Anakin to accost Dooku and make him explain himself Force-damnit.

Somehow this turns into a fix-it fic Dooku redemption style? I have not considered this in much depth at all but I just want him to weaponise his private school debate society boy vibes against some deserving corrupt tories for once instead of maiming teens, calling people plebs and practising menacing expressions in his floor length mirror. 

[ashthewaterghoul]

“My Dear- A Obitine One Shot”

Obi-Wan stood in the Mandalorian throne room, two Mandalorian soldiers behind him, another two in front. Also in the room was Prime Minister Almec, Kenobi’s long time enemy Maul and his brother Savage. Forced to her knees by the throne was Obi-Wan’s love, Satine. She was scared, it was obvious, but her blond hair against her pale complexion couldn’t be described by Kenobi as anything other than beautiful.

“Your noble flaw is a weakness shared by you, and your duchess.” He used the force the raise Satine off the ground, making the force tighten around her neck, she grasped to release the non-existent hands choking her. Obi-Wan could barely bring himself to watch. “You should have chosen the dark side, Master Jedi. Your emotions betray you. Your fear, and yes, your anger. Let your anger deepen your hatred.” Though Kenobi didn’t like to admit it, Maul was a highly skilled dark side user, Obi-Wan lived his life strictly by the Jedi code, but whenever he saw Satine…

“Don’t listen to him, Obi-“ Satine managed to gasp to him

“Quiet.” Savage cut across her.

Although Obi-Wan may not have access currently to his lightsaber, there was a perfectly good one just a few feet from him, the legendary darksaber. He could grab it with the force, get Satine and run, run from the people who wanted her dead, just like old times. He just needed to stall him long enough.

“You can kill me, but you will never destroy me. It takes strength to resist the dark side. Only the weak embrace it, and it’s lust for revenge!”

He reached out and the darksaber was in his hand. He ignited it and ran in front of Satine. The Mandalorians started firing but Kenobi deflected each bolt back, when he had enough time, he used the force to push everyone in the room back. He grabbed Satine and the both crashed through one of the tall windows behind.

It was a long fall ahead, Obi-Wan tightly pulled Satine against him and the other hand was outstreched ready to call upon the force to lighten the blow of their landing.

Kenobi managed to let them both gently glide the last few metres of the fall. They landed far down into the city. No red and black clad soldiers to be seen, thankfully.

Satine still had her arms tightly around Obi-Wan’s neck.

“Satine, we really must move.”

“Oh, yes, of course. There are old mining tunnels under the city, we can use them to get to a private hangar.”

“You know best, my dear, please lead the way!”

After some precarious navigation, they reached a slimy entrance to the tunnels.

“It would’ve been good if you managed to keep the helmet.” She said

“Why? So no one would see us?”

“No, it would block out the smell.”

Satine had failed to mention these tunnels had been repurposed as garbage disposal.

They went through the tunnels until Satine pointed up towards a grate.

“Here.” She said trying to lift it, Obi-Wan helped her and they got up to a bright hangar with state-of-the-art ships.

“Right, we need a hyperdrive, a good comms system and one that’s not easily tracked or detectable.”

“This one!” Satine pointed towards a small white freighter, they both ran on board.

“I suspect that as soon as we take off, we will be fired at, so lets programme the navi-computer now.” Kenobi said.

“Yes, definately a General.” She said “Coruscant?”

“You’ll definately be safe there.”

After a few tense moments, the ship beeped to indicate it had finished programming their flight path. They engaged the engines, the deflector shield and weapons system and took off. As soon as the hangar doors opened, their eyes and ears were bombarded with battle. Obi-Wan swerved and snaked through the oncoming blaster fire, the occasional hit would jolt the two but they managed to regain their composure quick. When they were finally clear, Satine pushed the leaver forward to jump to hyperspce. The two let out a sigh of relief as they looked at the blue space swirling in front of the cockpit.

“Obi.” Satine said turning to face him. “I truly am grateful to you for going against the council and coming for me, I know it couldn’t have been an easy decision for you.”

“Satine, it doesn’t matter what the council said, for you, I would practically do anything.”

“How much trouble will this get you in?”

“A lot, I imagine. But as a Jedi, I have a duty to help and protect those who need it.”

“And as duchess, I have a duty to my people, and I’ve abadoned them.”

“No you haven’t, if you stayed, you would’ve been killed, then you could do no more.”

“Do you think the senate could help?”

“They would most likely have you swear your loyalty to the Republic for that.”

Satine hung her head, silently letting tears run down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry, my dear, I’m sure somthing can be figured out.”

Satine flung her arms around Obi-Wan’s neck and held him tightly, having almost lost her, he savoured the affection they could show for eachother, without anyone seeing.

After they had emerged from hyperspace and landed, they immediately had to go their seprate ways once more, Satine to the senate and Obi-Wan to the council. A fews hours of beration had no affect on Obi-Wan, he could not and would not regret saving Satine. He was sitting in his quarters, meditating on his bed searching for clarity when the door opened to welcome Obi-Wan’s old padawan and his own padawan, Anakin and Ahsoka.

“Master, rather bold move you made. I think we’re rubbing off on you.” He said

“Yes, well what would you have done if it were Padmé?”

Anakin’s eyes widened but he sighed, hung his head and said “The exact same.”

“I thought as much.”

“This was at the visitor’s entrance of the temple, by the way.” Ahsoka said handing a box to him.

“Thank you, Ahsoka.”

He opened it to reveal his lightsaber, no notes or name, just his saber.

“You lost it?” Anakin said

“Yes, and you might as well get it out of your system.”

“That weapon is your life, Master.” Anakin and Ahsoka said in unison.

“Obi?” said a familar voice from the door.

“Satine? How did you get in here?”

“Skyguy, I think it might be best if we left right now.” Ahsoka said

“Yeah.” They both turned and left.

Kenobi ran to Satine and hugged her, taking in everything he could about her, the softness of her hair against his face, the texture of her clothes, the scent of her perfume. When Obi-Wan saw her face fully she was talking about what happened in the senate, but he could only pay attetion to her face, her piercing eyes, her defined cheeks and small, slender nose. He came out of his daze.

“Obi, I-”

Satine was cut off by Obi-Wan pulling his love towards him and meeting his lips to hers, the clarity he recived was that he should take a page out of Anakin’s book. When the two parted, Satine said:

“You really mean it?”

“Yes, really.”

“But you’re a Jedi.”

“They need not know, my dear.”

View all my one shots here

[sonoftatooine]

Whumpay 2021

DAY 14: SLAMMED INTO A WALL

Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Sheev Palpatine

Warnings: Physical assault

Summary: When Palpatine reveals himself as a Sith, Anakin makes a different call. It doesn’t go well.

***

Anakin felt the back of his head connect sharply with the Chancellor's ornate carved wall as he was slammed backwards from the strike he had been about to deliver and pinned beneath the crushing force of Darth Sidious' will like a butterfly trapped on display in a collector's glass case. He saw stars, his still lit lightsaber slipping from his hand and drawing a burning score across the blood red carpet below him as it fell to the ground. Groaning in pain, he tried to fight against the agonising, unrelenting Force grip that held him in place, but Sidious' power was absolute, indomitable. It was as if he were throwing his own power against an impenetrable wall, like the spews of lava falling harmlessly against the shields of a facility on Mustafar, and no matter how he struggled, he could not escape.

Sidious. Palpatine. The kindly Chancellor Palpatine who had always had time to spare to listen to him ever since he was a young child, no matter how trivial his conversation must have seemed to a man who was in charge of the entire galaxy. Palpatine who kept his secrets. Palpatine who had goaded him into killing Dooku, who had revealed himself to be the Sith Lord at the heart of the war that he had lost so many good men in, that had both built him up and whittled him down to half of what he was. Palpatine who had lied to him, had used him for as long as he could remember, along with so many others who he had pretended friendship with. The Jedi. Padmé. He snarled like a cornered anooba as the man approached him, wishing that he did not have the same face, the same gentle smile that he had worn before he had revealed the truth. He wished that he would snarl and rage back, show his true colours. Not look upon him with such unaffected disappointment, even after Anakin had tried to attack him, even while he held him prisoner against a carved stone wall that had probably cost more than Anakin himself had when his value had still been counted in wuipipi.

“You poor, deluded fool.” Despite his words, Palpatine's tone held more pity than anger. “To think that you could strike me down. As if I would ever allow it.”

A twinge in the Force and Anakin's lightsaber was flying into the man's outstretched hand. The old Sith held it up, examining it from all angles before turning off the blade with a smirk. Anakin fought down the urge to shudder. He remembered Obi-Wan's constantly repeated maxim. This weapon is your life. His life in the hands of a Sith. Oh Force—

“I have to admit, this was not the eventuality I expected,” Palpatine said conversationally, as if he were merely remarking on how cloudy Coruscant was this time of year. “Accounted for, yes, but I did not actually expect to have to use any of my contingency plans. Well done, Anakin—you've surprised me.”

“Do I get a prize?” Anakin gritted out.

He let out a yelp, more from shock than pain, as Palpatine drew back and struck him sharply across the cheek with the hilt of his own lightsaber. He felt his skin split, a trickle of blood trailing down from the cut left on his cheekbone.

“I had expected you to run to the Jedi Council,” Palpatine continued, calm and calculated as ever, seemingly unaffected by the sudden violent act. “They would come to enact their little coup and you, wracked with fear for your dear little wife, would rush to stop them and, in the process, seal your fate. But perhaps you don't care as much about Padmé as I thought you did. No matter. There are other ways to get you to turn, and as for the Council, they shall come of their own volition anyway.”

Padmé. Oh, Padmé. He had forgotten about the knowledge Palpatine claimed to possess in his rage. All he had been able to think about underneath the haze of fury was all the pain and the suffering that this man had caused. Of Ahsoka, forced to grow too soon, and nearly condemned to death for a crime she did not commit, framed by a former friend, beaten down by the war that he had orchestrated. Obi-Wan who looked more worn and tired and sad with each day that passed. Rex who had been bred for and lost so many brothers to a sham war as if they were nothing but pieces in a galaxy-wide game of dejarik. And worst of all, Padmé. Padmé who had worked tirelessly towards a pointless goal, trying to bring peace to the galaxy when all the former mentor she had once relied on as Queen—who had used her as a girl to gain power for himself—wanted was violence. Padmé who had spent most of her pregnancy stressed and alone whilst he was trapped fighting in the Outer Rim. Padmé whom the Sith Lord Sidious had tried to have killed under the guise of Count Dooku and the Separatists. Would she die now, not because she had become the target of a Sith Lord, but because her husband had acted with his usual recklessness and tried to strike before he had thought through the consequences of his actions? Or worse, would his actions give Sidious a reason to target her yet again? Had he, in his impulsive rage, doomed his dreams to come true?

“Fear not, Anakin.” Palpatine's lips twisted into a cruel smile, as if he had known exactly what it was he was thinking. Through his haze of panic, Anakin thought he could see a hint of yellow seeping into his eyes. “I will ensure that your wife and child are...taken care of.”

Dread pooled ice-cold in Anakin's stomach at the glint in the man's eye. Oh, Force, he meant— No, no—

“I'll kill you!,” he snarled. He pushed against the man's Force grip with all his might, reaching out in the Force for anyone who would listen, trying to warn them, call for help. “I'll kriffing kill you before I let you touch them. I'll—”

He was cut violently off as the Force wrapped around his throat in an iron grip. He sputtered, gasping for air.

“We both know you cannot stop me,” Sidious said. His voice, instead of the soft-spoken, cultured tones he usually associated with the Chancellor, came out as a dry, vile croak. “Had you submitted to me, I might have considered sparing your little family, but as it is...perhaps the loss of your...attachments will better demonstrate to you the value of the Dark Side.”

“Kriff...you!,” Anakin managed to gasp out around the pressure on his throat. Black spots were appearing in his vision, but he fought past them. Padmé was in danger. Padmé and the baby. He couldn't— He wouldn't— “The Jedi... The...the Jedi will...stop you...”

Sidious laughed, an awful cackle that set Anakin's teeth on edge. His grip tightened.

“No, they shan't.” Anakin's vision filled with darkness. “Sleep, Anakin. You will find the galaxy much changed once you wake.”