Work Text:
“Ani, are you sure you’re okay?”
Anakin rolled his eyes. “Mom, for the millionth time, I’m fine.”
Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at him, swallowing her cereal before speaking. “No, you’re not. Your eyes look all weird, you’re angrier than usual, and that’s saying something because you’re you, and you stayed out super late last night which normally wouldn’t be so weird, but I get the feeling it’s relevant here.”
“I’m fine!” Anakin growled. “God, why do you have to be so nosy?!”
Anakin stormed out, barely remembering to grab his backpack.
He didn’t have time for his little sister’s suspicions and bullshit.
School was starting soon, and like hell was he going to be late for the first day of his senior year.
---
“Ani!” Padme shrieked excitedly.
Anakin grinned, opening his arms wide and catching her when she jumped up into his embrace. “Hey, Pads. How was summer at your grandma’s?”
Padme rolled her eyes, still smiling. “So boring. I missed you so much! And my sister spent the whole time out with some friends she managed to make on the first day there, so I had like no one to talk to.” She ranted, continuing to do so as they approached the school.
Anakin loved her voice, he could listen to his angel talk for hours and never get tired of hearing her.
“So, how was that road trip?” Padme suddenly asked. “The one your family was going on with Obi-Wan and his Dad?”
“Oh, it was great!” Anakin smiled, launching into the tale. But he deliberately left out two very important details, one because he wanted to surprise her, and the other because…
How does one tell their best friend they got bitten by a werewolf?
---
Padme gasped. “Obi-Wan!”
“Obi-Wan?” Anakin paused in his story, following Padme’s eyes to where Obi-Wan stood, talking to a tall girl with very light blonde hair. Huh.
Obi-Wan turned at the sound of his name, face lighting up at the sight of his two best friends. “Anakin! Padme!” He said his goodbyes to the girl, rushing in their direction. Good riddance to whoever she was.
They both hugged Obi-Wan at the same time, not letting go for a very long time. When they finally did, Padme hit Obi-Wan with question after question, not giving him enough time to answer any of them. He and Anakin shared a fond look which almost immediately turned into both of them blushing and smiling sappily, which of course their best friend noticed.
Padme trailed off from whatever question she had been asking, eyeing them both suspiciously. “Okay, what the hell is going on here? There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“You didn’t tell her?” Obi-Wan furrowed his brows.
“Wanted it to be a surprise.” Anakin smiled, a bit shyly this time.
Obi-Wan snorted, grabbing Anakin by the waist and pulling him in. Anakin stumbled a bit, not really expecting that, and put his hands on Obi-Wan’s shoulders for stability. Their lips met, and half a second later, Padme’s squeals could be heard from anywhere in the entire school.
“Finally!”
---
“Anakin, we have to talk about it eventually.” Obi-Wan insisted. They were sitting on Anakin’s bed, Padme having just left about five minutes ago.
Anakin glared at his boyfriend. “No. Fuck you.”
“Buy me dinner first.” Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, smirking like the little shit that he was.
Anakin’s face went red, smile unintentionally forming without his consent. “Stop…”
Obi-Wan laughed. “Ani, seriously. That night was…”
Anakin sighed. “Obi… I really don’t even want to think about it, okay? It was bad enough I had to experience it, but talking about it or thinking about it only makes me feel like I’m reliving it. Please…”
“Alright, dear one.” Obi-Wan’s face softened as he agreed, pulling Anakin in to his side. “But you know we have to eventually, preferably before the next full moon.”
“Yeah…”
---
Logically, Anakin knew he wasn’t alone in this. He knew Obi-Wan had been with him, and he knew Obi-Wan had an identical scar in a different place to Anakin’s own. He knew that in just two weeks, they would both be experiencing very significant changes in their lives.
But it didn’t make him feel better.
Because he also knew that they could never tell anyone else. He knew that they would be a danger to their own families, and not just on that one night every month, but every day if they lost control for even just a second. He knew their lives would never be the same, and not exactly in a good way.
---
All week, everyone close to them had been pestering the both of them for answers. All week, Qui-Gon and Shmi and Ahsoka had been giving them worried looks at their respective houses. All week, Padme and Rex and Cody and Aayla and Quinlan and Luminara and Barriss had been giving them the same looks at school.
It was driving them both insane.
So, they decided to go camping in the woods next to the town for the weekend, just to get away from it all for just a couple of days.
---
“This was a great idea, we should do this next week too.” Obi-Wan mused, staring up at the stars through the open area between trees. They had chosen a small clearing for their campsite, and it was perfect.
“Yeah. Next week, and then every weekend after that.” Anakin agreed easily.
Obi-Wan laughed. “Well, it can’t be that often either. People may get suspicious, or want to join us.”
“Fine… how about… every full moon?” Anakin asked tentatively.
Anakin heard rustling, and turned to face Obi-Wan who was now laying on his side staring at him. “So, are we finally going to talk about it? Are you ready now?”
“Yeah, I think I am.” Anakin sighed. “It’s easier here, in the wild, to feel okay and ready for anything.”
“Yes, it is…” Obi-Wan also sighed, but less tiredly and more happily.
Anakin turned his full body, so they were laying facing each other. “Okay. Let’s talk then.”
---
“So, how was camping with Obi-Wan?” Ahsoka smirked.
Anakin raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her, already irritated even though he’d only been back in civilization for maybe half an hour. “It was good.” He said testily.
Ahsoka dropped her spoon back into the bowl, the clattering noise hurting Anakin’s highly sensitive ears, which he was still getting used to. “Oh, come on! I thought for sure you’d be less pissy after spending enough time with him, but you’re still just as grumpy, aren’t you?”
“I am not grumpy.” Anakin scowled, crossing his arms.
“You are the very picture of grumpiness, Skyguy.” Ahsoka sighed.
Anakin rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He left the room, stomping his way up the stairs, and slamming the door behind him.
---
“Ani…” Obi-Wan sighed. “Darling, what is it this time?”
Anakin pouted, opening his arms in a request for a hug which was granted immediately. “I don’t wanna be here anymore. Can’t we just run away and live in the mountains or something?”
“Maybe someday, but not until we’ve at least graduated first, baby.” Obi-Wan rubbed a hand up and down his back.
Anakin blinked, pulling back slightly to look his boyfriend in the eyes. “Okay, what?”
Obi-Wan snorted. “My dad’s been much the same, hasn’t changed a bit. Chances are it will get better before we graduate, but if it doesn’t I’m getting the hell out of here.”
“I love you more than anyone else in the universe.” Anakin said, awestruck. “You are my favorite person in all of existence.”
“Wow, thanks…” Padme’s voice said sarcastically behind him.
Anakin pulled out of Obi-Wan’s embrace, hating every second of it, and turned to face his best friend. “Uhm…”
Padme sighed. “Don’t bother, I know what you meant. So, how was camping?”
Obi-Wan eyed her warily, before shrugging and seemingly deciding it was safe to answer. “It was good. Nice to get away from, well, uhm…”
“From all the questions? The worried looks? Concern from everyone who cares about you?”
Anakin grimaced. “Yeah… that…”
Padme rolled her eyes. “Come on, class is starting in ten minutes. We have to get inside.”
She walked on ahead of them before either of them could even produce a response. Oh, if only she knew. Anakin wondered how differently she would react to everything they had been doing, had she known the true reasons behind it all.
But they may never be able to tell her.
---
“What do you mean you’re going again? Why?” Shmi asked, narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion.
Anakin frowned, crossing his arms. “Well, we enjoyed it so much last time, that we’re going again. It’s not like it’s going to be every weekend, but right now we both need this, and we need it soon.”
“Has Qui-Gon decided to allow Obi-Wan to go again?”
“Qui-Gon doesn’t have a say anymore.” Anakin raised an eyebrow. “Obi-Wan turned eighteen on Wednesday, remember?”
Shmi raised an eyebrow right back at him. “Well, he still lives under Qui-Gon’s roof.”
Anakin scoffed. “For now…”
“What does that mean? No, you know what, it doesn’t matter. We never see you anymore, so you are not going anywhere this weekend, you’re staying here with us.”
Anakin began to panic. He couldn’t do that, he couldn’t stay here during his first transformation! “Mom, please, I can’t be here. Obi-Wan and I… well we just have to do this, please!” He was done being confrontational, it was now a matter of the safety of those he loved.
Shmi gave him a strange look. “Fine… but only because I know that look, and I know you. You’re desperate to do this, for some reason, and if I don’t let you then you’ll just sneak out or something and do it anyway.”
“Thank you!” Anakin sighed in relief, surging forward to hug his mother, which judging by her flinch was shocking to the poor woman. “And I promise, we’ll do some kinda family bonding or whatever next weekend, I won’t make any other plans.”
Shmi smiled at him. “Okay, Ani.”
---
“Don’t be nervous, baby.”
Anakin laughed, a bit hysterically. “How can I not be nervous? How are you not nervous?!”
Obi-Wan shrugged. “I’m sure it will hit me soon, but I need you calm by then so that you can calm me down. We’re useless if we’re both panicking.”
“Okay…” Anakin plopped down onto the ground next to Obi-Wan and tried to breathe. “How much longer?”
Obi-Wan checked the countdown on his phone. “Twenty minutes.”
“Oh, god.” Anakin started panicking again.
“Hey, Ani, look at me.” Obi-Wan grabbed his chin and turned Anakin’s head so their eyes could meet. “You’re going to be okay, we both are. In some weird way, this is actually normal. Apparently, there’s people out there who do this every month, and if they can do it then so can we.”
Anakin took a deep breath and let it out.
Obi-Wan was right.
---
Anakin looked down at his arms, seeing the blood in his veins turn dark. He breathed in the wild forest air, feeling it throughout his body, surrounding him, penetrating him. The call of the wild had never been so strong, but he wasn’t afraid of it anymore. He welcomed it. His eyes did a strange thing and suddenly everything was sharper, and Anakin knew the wolf was taking over.
Obi-Wan reached over, grabbing his hand, and holding onto it for dear life. They smiled at each other, before looking up as one. The full moon shone brightly, smiling down at them.
Everything seemed to swirl around for a second, before going dark.
---
Anakin barked happily, running through the woods. He weaved around the trees and bushes, panting as he was chased. Obi-Wan growled, catching up to him, and Anakin tried to laugh only to have it come out as another bark.
Obi-Wan finally caught him, jumping up and pouncing. They rolled around in the grass, tails wagging, and teeth bared playfully. It turned into a fight for dominance, which Obi-Wan won.
As they lay there, finished with their fight, and caught their breath, Anakin admired the wolf next to him. Reddish fur, slightly smaller than him but no less intimidating, and bright grey blue eyes. Just like when he was human, but different.
Anakin himself had light brown fur, almost blond, and he assumed his eyes were the same as his human form as well but there was no way to tell out here. He would just have to ask Obi-Wan tomorrow. Well, if they could even remember what their wolf selves did when not in wolf form, that is.
Obi-Wan got back up, growling playfully before bolting. It seemed the chase was back on. Anakin smiled, feeling more free than he had in his entire life.
---
“You did not!” Anakin laughed, shoving Obi-Wan’s shoulder.
Obi-Wan shoved him back. “Did too! I won that chase, don’t even try to deny it.”
Anakin shook his head. “Only because I let you.” He smirked.
“Oh, really?” Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at him, grinning.
“Yeah, if I had wanted to win, I could’ve easily. But I’m a nice wolf, so I let my mate win that one.” Anakin insisted, smiling.
Obi-Wan stopped walking, turning to him. “Your mate?”
Anakin blushed. “Well, that’s what it’s called isn’t it? For wolves?”
“Yes…” Obi-Wan trailed off, biting his lip to hide a smile of his own. “My mate…”
Anakin grinned, grabbing Obi-Wan’s hand and swinging it as they continued walking to school. “We need to find out more about this. Like, is there a way to officially become mates, or do we just start calling ourselves that?”
“There’s probably a way. But how would we even find out?” Obi-Wan asked curiously.
Anakin shrugged. “Don’t know. Usually I’d say Google it, but I don’t think that will help much in this case.”
Obi-Wan laughed. “No, I can’t imagine that it would. But it could be a starting point.”
“True… I mean we do have to start somewhere, I guess.” Anakin nodded.
“And that’s not all we need to learn about, either.” Obi-Wan pointed out.
Anakin hummed. “No, it’s not. Okay, then let’s start researching today after school, at my place.”
Obi-Wan smiled. “Let’s do it.”
This wouldn’t be easy. None of it would. They would have to keep it a secret from everyone.
But, Anakin thought, as long as they had each other they’d be fine.
They were in this together, for better or worse.