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As Plo Koon made his way down to the refectory, the dim lit halls of the temple were all but abandoned, spare for one or two nocturnal Jedi passing by who naturally preferred to be awake at this hour. So when the Kel Dor opened the refectory doors, he hadn’t expected to see Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano sitting slumped over a table in the middle of the room.
"Skywalker," Plo said, brushing a hand over the young Knight's dark blonde curls, once he made it over to the single occupied table. Other than the Master and Padawan pair—who, Plo now realised, were both fast asleep—the room was empty, filled only with the sound of soft snores and the occasional clang and mechanical whirr of service droids cleaning up in the kitchen.
Anakin slowly shifted under the Jedi Master's clawed hand before he sleepily sat up, rubbing his eyes. Plo moved round the side of the table, to where Ahsoka was leaned over, her head resting on her arms, which were folded on the surface in front of her.
"Little 'soka?" he whispered, running his fingers over the young Togruta's white and blue striped lekku. Ahsoka shifted, blinking sleepily, before sitting up and rubbing her eyes; mirroring what Anakin had just done moments before. Plo would have laughed if the room wasn't so quiet. Those two had become so alike that even in sleep they seemed to reflect each other’s actions. It brought a warm feeling to his heart.
"M'ster Plo?" Ahsoka slurred, groggily. She squinted up at the Kel Dor for a moment, before her eyes drooped shut and she settled her head back down against the table with a sigh.
Plo smiled under his antiox mask as he once again stroked Ahsoka's lekku. It seemed these two must have just come back from a mission and were too tired to make it back to their quarters after they had come down to the refectory to have a late night snack.
"Come here, little 'soka," he said, as he lifted Ahsoka out of her seat and into his arms. Ahsoka settled her head on his shoulder with a content hum, before her breaths deepened and she seemed to fall back asleep. Plo then moved round to Anakin's side of the table and helped the sleepy Jedi up to his feet, keeping a gentle hand on his back as he silently guided them out of the refectory.
Since it was very late, and since Master Kenobi was away on a mission, Plo decided it would be best to take the two Jedi back to his quarters with him. Carrying a sleeping Ahsoka in his arms, and guiding a practically sleepwalking Anakin by his side, the Jedi Master made his way through the marble halls, up the stairs and all the way to his apartment door.
Inside his quarters, Plo helped the two younger Jedi get settled on the couch. When he came back after retrieving a few blankets and pillows from the other side of the room, Plo found that Ahsoka was now lying partly on top of Anakin, hugging his legs, while Anakin had laid down with his head resting on the arm of the couch. Anakin’s eyes were closed—he was already falling back asleep.
"Rest now, young one," Plo whispered, slipping a pillow under Anakin's head, gently carding his fingers through his curls. Anakin let out a soft hum, then with all the gentleness the Kel Dor could muster, Plo carefully lifted Ahsoka off of Anakin’s legs and layed her across the other side of the couch, tucking the other pillow snugly under her lekku. He draped a few blankets over the pair, taking care to tuck the fabric in extra tightly around the Togruta's shoulders; it was something he had always done for Ahsoka whenever the girl would come to his quarters to rest.
"Goodnight little 'soka," he whispered.
Then, as the gentle sound of the young Master and Padawan's deep and even breaths filled the darkened quarters, Plo reclined in the chair across from the sofa and sunk into a deep meditation, waiting for the sun to rise as his children the young Jedi slept in peace.