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“I sense some mild trepidation in you, little one,” Your Master comments as you try to keep yourself from rocking back and forth on your feet. It’s a nervous tick that you’ve worked hard to control over the years, with your Master reminding you now and again with a gentle flick to the forehead. But now, that built up energy is vibrating through you and spilling out the edges, bleeding into your force signature. You’re not all that surprised that your Master picks up on it.
“What’s it like?” You ask, giving in and bouncing on your feet as he turns to give you his full attention. His gaze flickers down to your feet before shifting back up to meet your eyes, amusement dancing in his features. “You’ll have to be more specific than that.”
“Alderaan,” you shrug. “Living on a ship for a few days. Political meetings. All of it.”
“Goodness, that’s certainly a lot of questions,” Obi-Wan teases, signing off on the cargo loads being put on the ship. It was your first off-world mission- or to be more accurate, he had an off-world mission and he deemed you ready enough to come with him. You had finished the last of your written exams just a week prior, and were beginning to drive him a little crazy with the way all your energy was now concentrated on him. (Although it seems he’s only made you more excited with this trip.)
It wasn’t your first time off Coruscant. You weren’t born on Coruscant, but he’s fairly certain you don’t recall anything of your birth world, as is the case of most Jedi. You’ve been to the ice planet of Ilum once before, when you went to find a crystal for your lightsaber. But a few hours in the cold Crystal Caves in Ilum weren't exactly on the same level as three weeks on Alderaan.
The trip itself would take a week one way, and it’s the furthest you’ll be from the Coruscanti temple than you’ve ever been before.
“Alderaan is known as the planet of beauty, rich with culture and festivities,” he tells you, and you nod. You already knew that. That was basic information on the planet that you had read in his mission file- the first one you were authorised to read. (Not that that’s ever stopped him from showing you his previous mission reports.)
“Alderaan has fields and many trees. The main city is located in a fairly mountainous range, so you’ll have a pretty view of the-“
“Monsters. Lots and lots of monsters,” Anakin cuts in, approaching you in what Obi-Wan can only describe as a strut. He has this look on his face, a look Obi-Wan knows all too well.
“Shut up, flyboy,” you snap, elbowing him when he slings his arm around you.
“Obi-Wan, didn’t you tell her? Sure it has mountains and oceans, but what’s hiding in them?” He says conspiratorially. Anakin wiggles his eyebrows at you, and you shove him off with an “eugh”.
“I wouldn’t lie to you,” he grins, risking a glance at Obi-Wan.
You shoot back a “I’m not an idiot, Anakin,” the same time Anakin tells you he’s “Just telling you to watch out for the monsters.”
Obi-Wan, who has long since grown accustomed to the child-like behaviours exhibited by his two Padawans - especially when they were in each other’s proximity- simply turns back to finishing up the approval of additional cargo.
In his heart, he keeps a little thought to himself, about how he’s grateful. He’s grateful for the fact that his two Padawans are loyal not only to him, but to each other. It helps Obi-Wan rest easy when he’s away, knowing that you’d make Anakin slow down and that Anakin would protect you with his life (while bringing a little excitement into your activities).
For all of your indignant grumbling, however, once Anakin has gone up the ramp and is well out of ear-shot, you turn back to your Master. You tug on his robe sleeve to let him know you want to tell him something, waiting till he finishes up.
“Yes, little one?” He turns, leading you up the ramp and into the ship. You’re quiet until you’re in his bunk, and he shuts the door.
“It doesn’t really have monsters does it?” Your voice is small, unsure, and Obi-Wan smiles at you reassuringly, sitting on the small bench. It never failed to amaze him, how you were so utterly brilliant, and yet so innocent.
“No, Anakin was just being a tease,” he tells you, the back of his hand brushing against your cheek. You nuzzle against it absentmindedly, and he lets you, allowing you to read his datapad over his shoulder. You’ve kicked off your boots, and you're tucking your toes under his leg, seeking out some warmth. The energy that swirls around the two of you is serene, peaceful. It feels like home.
Which is why Obi-Wan can immediately feel the mischief approach, but you seem oblivious to it.
“Wow, cozy, can I join?” Anakin chirps from the doorway, and you roll your eyes, dropping Obi-Wan’s hand and turning to face him. Obi-Wan flexes his fingers momentarily, the air around it too cold compared to your missing warmth.
“Ask Padme, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind,” you deadpan, smirking as he stutters to a halt beside you. Obi-Wan pointedly ignores acknowledging that comment, choosing instead to continue reading. You move to perch on the armrest, pouting a little at him. Impatient to catch his attention again, you jiggle your legs, the vibrations running through the sofa.
He glances at you, then glances at you again, and then once more when your position doesn’t change. Anyone else would think you were simply reading his datapad. He knew better.
Obi-Wan hesitates before raising his hand, pressing it to your cheek again. You practically melt against his touch, your body quite literally dipping to lean against it, and he chuckles.
“By the Force, you’re like a little lothcat,” he muses, thumb stroking your burning cheek. You drop your gaze, fiddling with the edge of your robes. Pretty little thing, he thinks, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“‘M not.” You protest softly, and then you’re letting out a surprisingly loud shriek when Anakin’s fingers dig into your sides.
And then you’re somersaulting off Obi-Wan’s seat and trying to smack Anakin with your bare hands and then he’s chasing you and you’re screaming and running right back to Obi-Wan.
“Master, Master-Master,” you’re begging, darting behind his seat and maneuvering around it as Anakin continues stalking towards you.
“Anakin,” he says warningly, and you dive onto the sofa and try to shield yourself with the sleeve of his robe. Obi-Wan lifts his arm to make it easier for you to try to hide behind him, still scrolling through the articles.
“Favouritism,” Anakin gasps accusingly, pointing a finger at Obi-Wan. In response, the older man sighs, running a hand over his beard.
They hadn’t even taken off yet. They had been on the ship for five. minutes.
“He’s bullying me,” you whine, glaring at Anakin over Obi-Wan’s shoulder. You shift his arm so his hand can rest on your thigh, effectively pulling you against his side and shielding you from Anakin. (It’s a lousy shield, he thinks, but oh well.)
“Don’t you have things to do other than teasing her?”
“Nope, and I’m bored,” Anakin shrugs.
“Only boring people get bored,” Obi-Wan deadpans. “Leave my girl alone, Anakin.”
“Your girl, is she?”
“Thank you, peanut gallery, you may go now.”
“Okay, okay,” he mock salutes, taking exaggerated steps towards the door as you watch him with narrowed eyes. He pauses, hand on the doorframe. He turns back to the two of you, and Obi-Wan narrows his own eyes at the glint in Anakin’s. When Anakin speaks, it’s to him, although his eyes are on you.
“I’ll leave you and your kitten alone.”
You splutter angrily from behind Obi-Wan’s arm, glaring daggers at the now closed door. Obi-Wan waits for you to calm down, a smile tugging at his mouth when he glances at you out of the corner of his eye.
Just for fun, he gives in, and brushes his fingers against your cheek again. You freeze almost comically, letting him touch you softly. When it becomes obvious he’s not moving his hand away, you lean fully into it, and Obi-Wan grins.
“You’re enjoying that, aren’t you, kitten?”
And Obi-Wan really can’t help but burst into laughter when you deadpan with a flat “meow”.
———
“Does it have beaches?” You breathe, leaning forward almost expectantly. Obi-Wan chuckles, steering you by your elbow towards a seat. “Yes, Alderaan has beaches-“
“Awesome. Does it snow?”
“On the mountains, yes-“
“Can we see?”
“I’m sure we can spare some time,” he tells you, settling in next to you.
“Oh?” Anakin chimes from his seat across you. He leans across the table conspiratorially. “Really?”
“Yes,” Obi-Wan responds, narrowing his eyes. You gasp as you flick through the various articles on Alderaan.
“They have lavender fields? Like the colour?”
“I think it’s a flower,” Anakin responds, kicking his feet onto the table.
“Off,” Obi-Wan orders, ignoring the protests of “I’m an adult!” that arise from his former Padawan.
“Oh, can we see the lavender fields, please,” You plead, not really waiting for an answer as you click onto the next exciting piece of trivia.
“Yeah, Obi-Wan,” Anakin teases, popping a nut into his mouth. “Can we see the lavender fields?”
“Feet off.”
———
You’re gipping his arm, eyes wide as you take in the wide array of colours in front of you. Obi-Wan has learned that you adore gardens, so full of life and colour as opposed to the mechanical drab that was the Coruscanti landscape.
Obi-Wan distantly thinks you deserve to have grown up somewhere pretty, like Alderaan, or Naboo, or any other planet that was half as beautiful as you were. He would give you a better life, a safer life, a prettier life, if given the chance.
“It’s so green,” You breathe, and he grins.
“Well, go on then,” He murmurs, detaching your hand from his arm and gesturing for you to run off. Instead, you grab his hand, lacing your fingers with his almost absentmindedly. Muscle memory, perhaps, from the little cuddles he’d give you in the privacy of your rooms.
You tug him along, and he follows dutifully, his eyes trained on you.
“It’s interesting,” Senator Organa muses from the steps a distance away. Anakin pauses, waiting for him to go on.
“Master Kenobi is usually in such a hurry to get back to Coruscant. Although this time…” he gestures to where Obi-Wan was trailing leisurely behind you, a soft lovestruck smile on his face. “This time he seems to be in no hurry at all.”
“It’s her first off-world trip,” Anakin finds himself rushing to Obi-Wan’s defence, and he wonders if this is the panic Obi-Wan feels when he covers up for him. “She wanted to look around so…”
“Of course,” Senator Organa concedes with an understanding smile, turning to leave.
“Do give my regards to Senator Amidala.”
———
Obi-Wan leans his head back, exhaling slowly and letting all the tension from the mission ease out of his body.
There was something… different about this mission, he contemplated. He wasn’t filled with the usual dread, and wasn't as tired. He thought, and thought, and thought. The deep abyss that would have by now made its home in his chest where his heart was wasn’t there this time.
Obi-Wan raises his hand to touch the center of his chest, but his fingers nudge against a head of hair.
Hm.
Well then, Obi-Wan muses, letting the girl snuggle impossibly closer to him. His arm around her tightens, his other hand brushing the hair away from her face.
Maybe he didn’t feel like his heart was missing, not when she was sleeping so peacefully in his arms.