Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Anakin woke up in a good mood.

He had a day off from training, so he took his time rolling out of bed, enjoying the feeling of being wrapped up and cozy in his blankets. Once he did get up, he dressed in less layers than usual, settling into a casual and relaxed style more reminiscent of a civilian than a Jedi. 

Obi-Wan was already in the kitchen when Anakin wandered in, making tea and caf and pulling out ingredients for their breakfast. Anakin moved forward to hug him with a yawn, mumbling a good morning into his Master's collarbone. He heard Obi-Wan laugh gently into his hair.

"Good morning to you too, Padawan," he said, voice soft. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhmm. But now I'm cold," Anakin mumbled, and Obi-Wan huffed.

"I'm not turning up the thermostat for you, go grab the blanket off the back of the couch. And how do you want your breakfast?"

They spent the rest of their routine in quiet harmony, making omelets and relaxing, telling stories and laughing over their plates. As they were finishing up, Anakin's comm chimed, and after reading the message he gave his Master a big smile. 

"I told Padmé I had a day off and she said she's cleared her schedule for a few hours so I can go and see her," he told Obi-Wan excitedly. "You don't mind, do you Master?"

"It's your day off, Anakin, spend it how you like," Obi-Wan answered easily. "I'm sure Senator Amidala will keep you out of trouble, she's quite capable."

Anakin lightly smacked him in the arm for that one, moving over to get his boots on and messaging back that he would be right over. "It's your day off too Master, technically, so you better not work while I'm gone," he said threateningly. 

"I won't," Obi-Wan said honestly, opening his arms easily when Anakin moved to hug him again in goodbye and bestowing cheek kisses his Padawan absolutely basked in. "Drive safe. Try to be back for dinner, alright? I worry about you otherwise."

"I will," Anakin said, smiling as he pulled away and walked to the door. "Love you, Master!"

"Love you too," Obi-Wan called back, and Anakin was on his way.

Padmé was just as excited to see him as he was her, and they had a wonderful time together eating a fancy lunch, venting about their respective problems, watching a holofilm with her handmaids, and all together playing a game of charades that had Anakin laughing until his cheeks were all red (especially at Dormé's inexplicable impression of a bounty hunter).

Towards the end of the their time together, he escorted his best friend back to the Senate Building so she could prepare for the gala they were hosting that night, and they planned to meet again as soon as possible. Anakin noticed that he felt a little sick as they flew over, but dismissed it as just something he had eaten and promptly put it out of his mind.

On his way out, Anakin decided he should stop by the street market and see if they had any new or exotic flavors of tea for Obi-Wan to try; his Master always loved that, though his enthusiasm was always making it harder to find ones he hadn't already tasted.

He was so distracted thinking as he descended the levels back towards his speeder he nearly ran face first into the Chancellor himself. And he doesn't dislike the man, per se, he barely knows anything about him. But Obi-Wan doesn't like him, which makes him cautious, because Obi-Wan is the nicest person Anakin knows and he wouldn't distrust people if he didn't have a good reason. Part of it is politics, Anakin thinks, even though he doesn't really understand that stuff. But he also vaguely knows that Obi-Wan had stopped the Chancellor from seeing him a lot when he was younger, saying it would interfere with his training.

But Obi-Wan wasn't with him, and he could handle himself, so he put on a polite smile and shook Palpatine's hand and said "sir" like he was supposed to. 

"Anakin, my boy," the man enthused, and Anakin has to fight back a frown because if he's anyone's boy, he's Obi-Wan's. "It's been far too long, I thought they must have been keeping you under lock and key."

"No, sir," Anakin replied. "I've just been focusing on my training."

"Oh yes, I'm sure," Palpatine wrinkled his face unpleasantly. "Is Master Kenobi treating you well? He's always been jealous of you and your power, I'm afraid."

There's no fighting back the frown this time. "Master Kenobi is very good to me," Anakin bit out. "I learned everything I know from him, and it's an honor to be his Padawan." He suddenly realizes he feels bad, it's worse than before, he's sweating and nauseous, and his next inhale makes him dizzy. "I should be getting back to him, actually, it's late" he fumbled awkwardly, interrupting whatever the Chancellor had been about to say even though dinner isn't for a while yet. 

"Nonsense, won't you come sit in my office? We-"

"No," Anakin said, and it sounded a lot harsher than he had meant it to be. He can feel tears building in his eyes, he needs to leave, he can't be here having a breakdown in front of the man in control of the literal Galactic Senate. "I'm sorry sir, thank you for offering, but I really should be going."

He thought the Chancellor got an ugly look, but it passed so quickly he couldn't be sure. "Another time then? I've been meaning to speak with you on the Jedi, my boy."

"Sure," Anakin smiled weakly. He's internally panicking; he knows what his anxiety and panic normally feels like, and this isn't it, but it's definitely making everything worse. He feels like he's detaching.

Palpatine moved away with his entourage, but not before he patted Anakin on the arm and made him feel weird. Anakin stumbled back the other way, where the hallway was silent. All the senators must've been readying for the gala now. He doesn't know what to do, he can't make it back to the Temple like this. But everything feels wrong and he wants to be in his bed cuddling with his Obi-Wan, and just imagining how safe that would be makes him sob a little.

He collapsed into the first door he came to, and when it swings shut he's left in mostly darkness. He dropped to the floor, dimly realizing there are inactive cleaning droids behind him, but he doesn't care. He touched his own face, feeling the tracks of tears and snot forming on his fever-hot cheeks, and floundered for his comm. 

When he finds it he hits the first number that pops up, knowing it's Obi-Wan he calls the most frequently.

Thank the Force, Obi-Wan answered quickly. "Anakin?"

"Master," Anakin wobbled back. Now that he was hearing his Master's voice he felt like he was sinking further faster and faster, like he couldn't think anymore, and it was dark and he was alone and he couldn't do this. "Can you- can you please come get me?" he begged, hiccuping a little as his breath starts catching and he cries in earnest. He feels so sick and small, he can't-

"Where are you?" Obi-Wan sounds immediately concerned. "Anakin, what's happening? Are you still with Padmé?"

"N-no," Anakin sniffed. "Master, please."

"I'll come to get you, I promise I will," Obi-Wan said, still sounding distressed but seemingly trying to work through it for Anakin's sake. "But I need to know where you are, okay? Is there anybody with you?"

"N-no," he gasped. "It's dark, I- please, I'm scared-" he dissolved into wailing tears.

"Breathe, Anakin, breathe deeply for me, everything's going to be fine," Obi-Wan promised, shaken. "Just stay on the line for me darling, okay? I'm going to come get you, I'll find you. Alright, dear one? Can you hold on for me?"

Anakin didn't really manage to answer, curling up as tightly as possible, eyes squeezed shut while he cried. Obi-Wan kept talking and he tried to focus on his voice, but it just kept reminding him that his Master wasn't actually there with him, which made him even more upset. It was dark and cold and he was scared and all he wanted was Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan had been having a relatively uneventful day. After breakfast with Anakin he'd gone to the archives to read, and while eating lunch Master Windu had asked if he wanted to walk around the gardens and look at the new growths for the season. Obi-Wan had of course agreed immediately.

His bond with Anakin had rang with positive feelings all morning, laughter and contentment from hanging out with his friends. However, just as he and Mace were entering the last part of the garden, his padawan's force signature seemed to be darkening very suddenly. Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks and tried to reach out. He got no response, which was even more unusual; Anakin was always happy to communicate with his master and would usually press their signatures together eagerly when given the chance. Obi-Wan tried again, only to pull back in alarm when Anakin darkened further, their bond swimming with the beginnings of despair and panic.

"Obi-Wan?" Mace was looking at him with concern, having also stopped when he realized the other was no longer walking with him.

"It's Anakin," Obi-Wan answered, frowning. He pulled out his comm and started to call his Padawan, only to blink in surprise when it started ringing of its own volition.

The following call about broke his heart, and he looked at Mace with wide eyes throughout, knowing this wasn't normal behavior for Anakin in the slightest. The worst immediately flashed through his mind; what if he'd gotten kidnapped? What if he was trapped somewhere, what if he was hurt?

Mace had beckoned a few other Masters over and they were waiting expectantly to help. Obi-Wan looked at them gratefully as he spoke, feeling like he might cry himself from the amount of heartbreak and anxiety his padawan was feeling. They moved quickly to exit the Temple, Obi-Wan still trying his best to soothe Anakin over the phone the whole time. He dimly registered Mace asking the other Masters to get with Padmé, search the lower levels, check the outer parts of the Temple and a few further civilian areas on the way to the senate building; Obi-Wan and Mace himself would actually enter the building since that seemed to be where Anakin's uncharacteristically weak force signature was emanating from.

Once they got there, Mace started at the top floor and Obi-Wan started at the bottom, speaking intently into his comm so as to discourage any senators or others from speaking to him. Anakin had stopped speaking back to him a while ago and was just crying, the high pitches making his master wince, even more worried now.

Obi-Wan rushed down the hallways and up the stairs, frantically looking into all the rooms as he went. "Almost there, just hold on a little bit longer for me Ani, okay?" he said anxiously, still moving and scaring quite a few senators and other personnel on the way. 

"Obi-Wan, down here!" Mace called; he must have come in from the other side of the hallway and was now standing outside a closet door. Obi-Wan immediately dashed towards him, recognizing the muffled sobbing and hurriedly opening the door.

Anakin was curled on the floor in a fetal position, his comm clutched in his hands and his knees pulled up to his chest, crying so hard it sounded painful. Obi-Wan dropped to his knees and reached for him, internally celebrating when he reached back instead of flinching away or not responding.

"I've got you, I got you," Obi-Wan murmured, dropping their comms and letting his padawan cling to his neck and clamber into his lap. He pulled them back until he was resting against a wall, the mess that was Anakin barely contained in his arms. He heard Mace alerting the other Jedi he'd been found behind him.

"Shhh," Obi-Wan whispered, rocking them back and forth. "Shhh, we're right here, you're okay, you're safe." He was worried Anakin would make himself sick if he kept crying like this.

"This looks like a drop," Mace murmured, crouching next to them. "And a bad one too. We need to get him back to the Temple."

"It is a drop," Obi-Wan whispered. His caregiver instincts were going absolutely haywire. "His class presentation is early." He took a moment to breathe deeply, trying to calm himself down. Typically, when a Padawan was approaching the presentation age, they would be kept around other Jedi they trusted at all times so that situations like this didn't happen. Early presentation was rare, especially for littles, and it was intense and could sometimes have a permanent effect on their regression in the future. The fact that Anakin had first dropped in an unsafe and relatively unfamiliar environment was incredibly negative.

"Obi-Wan?" Mace prompted.

"Give us another minute," Obi-Wan requested, patting at his padawan's back. Mace was right, he knew. But he wasn't ready to get up just yet.

"Alright." Mace stood. "I'm going to arrange us transport and have some supplies sent to your quarters, and then I'll come back and get you."

"Thank you, Master Windu."

Soon Anakin and Obi-Wan were alone again in the dark, and Obi-Wan cradled the little close, still making hushing noises. His pants were getting damp, he realized, and he grimaced, not from disgust but from the realization of how scared and uncomfortable Anakin must have been. The poor thing was probably getting a rash. 

"I'm so sorry," Obi-Wan whispered. "I'm sorry baby, it shouldn't have happened like this. But we'll get you home soon, okay? We'll get you all clean and comfortable, I promise."

Anakin had calmed down a little- he was still crying but in shorter bursts, leaving him to hiccup and snivel into his master's shoulder. Obi-Wan held him and bounced him gently, humming softly until Mace came back and told them he'd secured a transport back to the Temple.

"Alright, sweetheart, come on," Obi-Wan muttered, hoisting them both to their feet. Anakin whined unhappily into his shoulder and wriggled against him at the movement, and Obi-Wan quickly shifted him to his hip and pressed his head gently back into the crook of his neck. "None of that, honey," he said, firm but not unkind in the slightest. "Just stay right there."

It turned out to be Bail Organa who'd lent them passage back to the temple, and he nodded and smiled at them as they passed, waving off their words of thanks generously. 

"It's nothing, really, just get that little one home safe, alright? And come back for dinner and drinks sometime, Breha would love to have both of you."

"We appreciate your discretion," Mace told him, and Obi-Wan assured him they'd be back when they had the time. 

Once he had sat down besides Mace in the cruiser, Obi-Wan shifted Anakin sideways in his lap so he could see him properly. The poor thing's face was red from crying, he looked exhausted, and he was still sniffling, hands curling pathetically in his master's robes. Obi-Wan couldn't resist cooing at him, leaning down to kiss at him everywhere he could reach.

Mace glanced over from where he was piloting, and though he said nothing, Obi-Wan could tell he was just as affected by Anakin's pitifully adorable face.

"We're almost there," he told the baby in his lap, nuzzling at his head, trying to lessen the fear still strung in both their bodies. "Then we'll get you settled, hmm?"

Anakin whimpered back at him, and Obi-Wan tucked him close again, laughing a little in disbelief. "You're so small. Isn't he, Mace?"

"He is," Mace agreed. "You might have your hands full with that one."

"Like I didn't before anyway," Obi-Wan snorted, and they shared another laugh.

"In all seriousness Obi-Wan," Mace said, still smiling a little, "You're a great caregiver, he's lucky to have you. What happened today was nobody's fault."

"I know," Obi-Wan sighed, watching out the window as they pulled up to one of the quieter temple drop-offs and calming down a little more at the sight of home. "I only hope I can prevent more things like this from happening in the future."

"You won't be doing it alone," Mace replied, holding out his hand to help them both out of the ship. "You know all the Jedi are happy to help."

Obi-Wan smiled softly. "I do."

They carried on down the hallways in relative silence, Anakin limp in Obi-Wan's arms. Passing Jedi greeted them and waved; they smiled back but didn't stop to talk. The sun was getting lower in the sky outside, everything washed golden by the light.

When they reached Obi-Wan's and Anakin's shared quarters, the package of little supplies was already waiting for them. Mace bent to pick them up while Obi-Wan readjusted the little on his hip so he could open the door, gesturing Mace inside ahead of him.

"I'm going to run us a bath, if you don't mind," Obi-Wan told the Jedi Master.

"No, of course not," Windu said briskly, laying out items from the parcel with quick efficiency. "I'll put out a mat and some clean clothes, try to have dinner ready by the time you're out. And here, take this." He handed Obi-Wan a pacifier. 

Obi-Wan blinked. "You're going to make me cry if you keep this up."

"Go take a bath, Obi-Wan," Mace grumped, and Obi-Wan laughed as he left the room, the tension finally fully leaving his body.

In the fresher, he set Anakin down and carefully popped the pacifier in his mouth, humming again to keep him calm while he started the bath and stripped off his own clothes. Once he was done, he turned his attention to the little, wincing when he saw his chafed inner thighs.

"We'll get you taken care of, don't you worry sweet pea," Obi-Wan whispered, moving to pick the baby up again. Anakin sagged against him, clearly beyond tired, and Obi-Wan felt like his heart was crumbling into a million pieces. Their bath was quick, Anakin blinking slowly at him as he struggled to stay awake amongst the bubbles. 

Once Obi-Wan had gotten them both clean, he drained the water and dried them carefully. He found himself worrying incessantly that Anakin was going to slip and fall on the tile floor and resolved to get a fuzzy rug as soon as possible, wondering why he hadn't thought of this before. He then re-dressed himself and moved to open the door, grabbing some bacta for Anakin's legs on the way, and left the room, smiling when he saw the mat and changing materials Mace had put out.

Anakin was quiet and soft while Obi-Wan pulled on his diaper, tended to his rash, and dressed him, too tired to do much but hold his pacifier in his mouth. Mace came by to check on them just as Obi-Wan lifted Anakin back into his arms, announcing dinner was ready and he'd also mixed up a bottle for Anakin.

"Won't you stay and eat with us?" Obi-Wan asked, frowning. "It's the least we can do after all of today."

"If that is what you wish," Mace graciously replied, and they settled at the table for a quiet meal, Anakin still half dozing and chewing very slowly as Obi-Wan fed him, pausing to wipe off his chin every once in a while.

After they'd eaten, Mace insisted on helping them clean up before leaving, and assured Obi-Wan he'd be in touch over the next few days to make sure they were settling into their new dynamic and had access to all the information and supplies they needed.

"Thank you for all your help, Mace," Obi-Wan said, smiling sincerely as he stood with Anakin cradled on his hip. "I'm not sure what we woul'dve done without you." 

"Of course. And call me if you need anything."

"I will. And have a good night- may the Force be with you."

"You as well, Obi-Wan," Mace paused awkwardly before bending down a little. "And to you, Anakin."

The little peeked out shyly from Obi-Wan's shoulder, one arm lifting to give a very tiny wave before he hid himself away again. Mace laughed as he exited, and Obi-Wan shared in his delight, giving Anakin a gentle, affectionate squeeze. 

"You're too cute for your own good, do you know that dear one?" Obi-Wan mused. "And this is only your first day... I can't imagine who you'll manage to charm in the future."

After he'd brushed both of their teeth and made sure Anakin was in clean pajamas, he pulled out the stuffed animal that had been included with the package of little supplies and got them both into his bed. He couldn't help cooing again at the sight of his Padawan settling down into a blanket, eyes already half-closed. It was unreal how adorable he was, this did not bode well for Obi-Wan's future. How was he going to ever say no to that face?

He prayed to the Force that today hadn't hurt Anakin too badly. He would have to give both of them time to recover- it had been hard on him too, how afraid he'd been. The transition would be difficult. But for right now, all he had to do to take care of his little was to settle in beside him and cuddle while they both fell asleep, and he would always be grateful for that.

Chapter Text

Anakin was in the refectory having lunch when he felt it.

His patterns of regression were very irregular and he never knew when he was going to slip... like right now. Luckily, he had regressed enough at this point that he could recognize the signs, and as long as he was with other Jedi he should be fine. He'd been seeing a therapist to overcome the bad experience of his first drop, one meant specifically for incidents like that, and it had helped both him and Obi-Wan a lot. They were still dealing with some parts of it, but ultimately they were both at a place where they felt a lot more comfortable, and he wasn't panicking now even though his primary caregiver wasn't with him.

Speaking of... sighing, he fished out his comm and called Obi-Wan; his Master was teaching classes of younglings for the day, but he'd also explicitly told Anakin to call if he needed, that it wouldn't be a bother.
 
"Hello?" Obi-Wan's voice crackled a bit as he answered, presumably stepping away from his class.

"Master, hi." Relief filled Anakin at just the sound of his voice. "I think I'm slipping." He cringed a little as he said it, still not entirely used to this sort of thing, but he knew Obi-Wan would've seen right through him if he didn't just come out and say why he had callled.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... y'know, slipping."

Obi-Wan hummed consideringly for a moment. "Well, we have two options then. Either you come to me, or you find someone else to take care of you until my classes are over."

Anakin thought about it. "Is there anyone with you except the younglings?"

"Masters Yoda and Mundi, yes."

The thought of being little in front of those specific two people made Anakin feel physically ill.

"Calm down, Anakin."

"Sorry. I think... I think I'll just find someone else for right now."

"Is there anybody near you you're comfortable with?" Obi-Wan's voice was gentle.

Anakin scanned the refectory. "Um, Master Fisto is in here. Maybe I'll just see if he's busy." Kit had always been kind to him. He'd been the one to teach Anakin to swim when he first came to the temple, and was very patient despite the time it had taken for Anakin to even put one belligerent toe in the water.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Obi-Wan sounded more concerned now.

"I think so, they can always call for you if things go south."

"That's true," Obi-Wan sighed, voice still carefully soft. "I worry about you. Call me back if you need to, okay? And for the record, Yoda and Ki-Adi wouldn't have minded, you know that."

"I know, just... well, I don't know." Anakin flushed, he felt stupid. He hated this part.

"Anakin."

"Okay, okay, I'm going. I'll see you later?" He was growing smaller and more nervous by the second, fidgeting with his comm.

"Of course. May the Force be with you."

After they hung up, Anakin got up, put his plate away, and cautiously approached Kit where he was finishing his meal, holding a book in the other hand. The Master looked up with a smile. 

"Padawan Skywalker, what a lovely surprise. What can I do for you?"

"Uh," Ankin tugged on his robes, feeling tiny and uncomfortable where he stood. "I- um- I'm slipping," he mumbled. His face felt hot with sudden shame and embarrassment, and he kind of wanted to cry.

If Kit was surprised, he didn't show it. "Here, sit with me for a second," he beckoned, and Anakin obeyed, still avoiding eye contact. "Anakin, are you saying you would like me to act as your caregiver for right now?"

"Only if you're not busy..."

"Well, lucky for you I am not," Kit smiled. "Just give me a second to finish up here and then we can go get your stuff, alright?"

"Okay," Anakin whispered.

After he had finished eating and cleaned up, Kit led Anakin through the halls of the Temple easily. He requested the code to the quarters early in case Anakin had dropped too much by the time they got there, and Anakin obliged, feeling more comfortable with how normal the Master was making the situation seem. 

As they got closer, Kit must've noticed how Anakin started walking closer and closer to the his side, and held out his hand in offering. Anakin took it happily, feeling better and able to settle down properly.

In his and Obi-Wan's quarters, Kit helped him change- talking to him in a progressively more playful voice the whole time- collected all of the supplies they might need, and fixed up a snack before lifting Anakin effortlessly, making sure he was comfortable in his arms before leaving. "I think we'll go to the gardens," he mused. "We can have a picnic, and you can nap by the ponds, how does that sound?"

He kept talking, making up a spy game as they walked. Anakin babbled quietly back the whole way, hiding his face but waving shyly at the Jedi who stopped to talk or called his name as they went by. 

The gardens were quiet and serene, and they found themselves on the banks of a lovely deep blue pond, some fish swimming lazily in its depths. Kit put down a blanket over the already soft grass and they ate together, Anakin resting against his side. He was well-behaved for the most part (he did throw a bit of a fit when the fruit came out, but Kit distracted him) and after eating they both lay down, Anakin to nap and Kit to meditate. 

Kit drifted in the Force for a while as the little beside him dozed, basking in the peace exuded around them. It was a privilege and an honor to be asked to act as a temporary caregiver, he reflected, something that took a lot of confidence. He was very glad Anakin had asked him, and it pleased him to know that the Padawan considered him trustworthy. When Anakin had first come to the Temple, he'd been somewhat difficult to work with (not his own fault, of course, but due to his upbringing), and Kit had honestly thought that Anakin disliked him. They were past that now.

When he felt the Padawan in question stirring next to him, he pulled himself out of his trance. Anakin yawned up at him, rubbing his face sleepily. "Did you have a good nap?" Kit asked. He reached out the pat Anakin's head gently, and the little reacted very well to that, pressing his head up with a drowsy smile and a slurred "mmhmm."

"Here, come cuddle with me and I'll give an update to your Master, huh?" Kit encountered no resistance as he pulled Anakin onto his lap. The little was warm against him and slumped into his neck in a way that suggested he felt very safe there, which made Kit even happier, the caregiver side of him utterly content.

Obi-Wan responded quickly to Kit's update message with a heartfelt thank you and told him he'd be on his way soon. By that time Anakin was already wiggling and squirming a little. "Easy," Kit said. "Let me just change you and then you can run around and play, alright?"

"Play?"

"Not yet, but yes, as long as you stay near me. I think Obi-Wan would have my head if I lost you."

Anakin laughed loudly at the mention of Obi-Wan as he was laid down, enduring his change with only a little bit of huffing and whining before Kit set him loose.

He ran around the trees for a while, poking at leaves and bark and playing with the taller strands of grass. When a long stream of butterflies starting winding overhead, Anakin giggled delightedly, reaching his hands up towards the sky. 

"I thought I heard a little rascal over here," someone said, amused, and Anakin gasped happily at the sight of his Obi-Wan. He immediately got up and tried to run to him, but tripped and fell halfway there. There was a second of silence before his face crumpled and he started to cry, his Master immediately bending to swoop him into his arms.

"Oh no, baby, did you fall? You poor thing, huh?" Obi-Wan cooed, rubbing their cheeks together. "Chin up, Anakin, you need to show me where it hurts so I can kiss it better, hmm?"

Obi-Wan had been around younglings all day, and while he did love each of them dearly, it was special to get to be Anakin's caregiver. He had been a stubborn and fearful child, and though he'd grown into his own sweetness under his Master's careful hand, it still hurt Obi-Wan to remember how skinny he'd been as a nine-year-old, how he flinched at every touch. But now, as a little, he could express his more innocent and vulnerable side freely, knowing he was safe, instead of hiding it away. And that was now one of the greatest joys of Obi-Wan's life, to see that and be a part of that.

He set the little down and waited patiently until Anakin, still weeping, pointed at his knees, before kneeling to kiss at them exaggeratedly. "There now, do you feel better?"

There was a pause where Anakin appeared to think about it, his tears slowing down, before he nodded slowly.

"I know you do," Obi-Wan laughed, hugging him. "You're my strong little boy, aren't you?"

Kit handed him a tissue to wipe off Anakin's face, which Obi-Wan accepted with a smile. "How was he today?"

"Wonderful, actually, no problems at all. We had a nice time."

"That's good to hear," Obi-Wan murmured, tucking his Padawan back into a firm hug. "Thank you again for watching him, it means a lot."

"Of course," Kit said. "You can always call me if you need someone."

Obi-Wan looked jokingly offended. "Kit, are you trying to steal my baby from me?"

"Oh, absolutely."

They laughed and talked more while they packed up and headed back into the living areas of the Temple, Anakin occasionally interjecting with muffled clamor that usually had nothing to do with their conversation, though they humored him of course. Kit had to politely decline Obi-Wan's offer to stay for dinner due to a prior arrangement, which made Anakin's face turn grumpy, but he did promise to come by tomorrow, which cheered the little right back up.

The rest of the evening was spent quietly. After they ate, Obi-Wan read while Anakin played around with small wooden building sets, constructing little ships and boats. They then took a bath, where Anakin had his first real tantrum of the day because he didn't want to put on his pajamas (or any clothes at all, really) but it at least had the benefit of tiring him out before bed. Once they were finally cozy and under the covers, Obi-Wan read a short storybook and then called lights out.

"Goodnight, sweetheart, I love you so much," he whispered, gently shuffling the covers and situating them both in the new darkness. "Sleep well."

Anakin mumbled something back, incoherent except for "love you," and Obi-Wan melted a little, though he did make a mental note to speak to Anakin's therapist about him not talking very much while little, even for his class age. But that was a problem for tomorrow, one that they could face together, with the rest of the Jedi behind them.

Chapter Text

Anakin still hadn't quite got around to the idea that he was classified now. It had caused a lot of changes in his life: going to therapy, adjusting his training curriculum to reflect his designation, and spending a lot more time with Obi-Wan, who was now his caregiver as well as his Master.

The physical affection was very nice, at least. It's not that Obi-Wan had been unaffectionate before, he had always been happy to hug and kiss him, but the new prolonged cuddling and sleeping in the same bed gave Anakin a strong feeling of safety and security. The first morning he had woken up with his Master- not in little headspace anymore- he was worried it'd be weird, but Obi-Wan didn't pull away, just kissed him on the forehead and asked how he'd slept. When his morning breath drove Anakin to get up ("hey, you don't smell so good yourself"), Obi-Wan called after him how he should deal with his little clothes and diaper as he changed out of them, and though Anakin blushed furiously he was glad for the instruction.

He'd made the mistake of telling Obi-Wan in the beginning that he was embarrassed to be a little, and his Master got sad and made him an extra therapy appointment where all they talked about was equality and self-love and the role of shame in society. Anakin is slowly coming around to the concepts. He doesn't outright hate himself, but he does catch himself being wistful for the times before his presentation or resenting his little headspace for making him feel unproductive or useless. He's been informed that these thoughts are valid, and that he should meditate on them and process them, practicing mindfulness. He's also been connected to more little Jedi, who helped show him how they were still extremely valuable in the Order as a whole and how they managed their lives.

Definitely one of the worst things he's had to deal with is suffering from presentation sickness, where his body hasn't adapted to or regulated his mental regression yet. It's exhausting and his hormones are frankly going haywire, even when he's big.

Today he and Obi-Wan had met up with Quinlan Vos and Aayla to train sparring, and Anakin was beyond tired. He still smiled and joked with his friend, but he was a lot less energetic. And he knew everybody there could tell, because the matches were relaxed, not very high difficulty. When he and Aayla were benched so their Masters could spar while the Padawans observed, Anakin settled his head on Aayla's shoulder, and she put her arm around him, murmuring that she felt bad for him and she couldn't imagine how hard it was to present early. 

Obi-Wan and Quinlan were going easy for their spar too, keeping their eyes on their two Padawans. Once they were finished, they bowed to one another respectfully (as respectfully as those two could get towards one another) and came back over.

"Lunchtime, I think," Aayla's Master said, grinning at her. "Hey kid, you alright?"

"I'm fine, Master Vos," Anakin said, yawning a little as he got up to give Obi-Wan a slightly sweaty hug. "I am hungry though. Can we get lunch too, Master?"

"Of course," Obi-Wan reassured him, soft as he always seemed to be these days. "We're not doing anything else intensive today either, just Archive research. I'll even let you take a brief nap in the library beforehand, if you behave."

Anakin laughed. "Don't spoil me too much Master, it'll go to my head."

"Everything goes to your head already," Aayla interjected teasingly, and they all bickered playfully on their way to the refectory and throughout their meal. 

The Jedi library had an area with couches and beanbags and plush rugs, and Obi-Wan sat Anakin down there to nap after finding a book for himself to read recreationally before they started research together.

"Hopefully you'll feel better soon," he mused, letting Anakin curl against him and under his cloak as they got comfortable. "I had a very mild case of presentation sickness myself, and that was bad enough, so I can't imagine how you feel."

"You had presentation sickness?" Anakin seemed surprised. "I know it's possible for caregivers, but for some reason I didn't think you would."

"I did, yes, but luckily it passed fairly quickly."

"...what did it feel like, presenting as a caregiver?"

"An insatiable need to take care of everyone, little or not. Qui-Gon was sick and tired of me," he laughed at the memory. "Pretty much what it says on the tin. What about you?"

"I guess you could say it's an insatiable need to be taken care of," Anakin mumbled shyly, and Obi-Wan smiled, running quiet hands through his Padawan's curly hair. 

"Sleep, alright?"

"Okay."

Obi-Wan loved Anakin so much sometimes it really did hurt his chest a little bit to think about. Anakin had been the thing keeping him going after Qui-Gon died, needing Obi-Wan to take care of him, so they'd very quickly formed a strong bond. And it had only been strengthened when Anakin presented as a little, but there was fear that came with that too, and other unprecedented complications. 

A few nights after it had happened, Obi-Wan had had a nightmare he still couldn't quite get out of his mind. He had been holding Anakin's hand, moving through a crowd with him. The crowd kept getting thicker and thicker, and he was desperately trying to keep holding on, but at one point he heard a cry and Anakin fell away. He had turned around but Anakin wasn't there, and the crowd began to sweep him away even as he had frantically searched and shouted.

He'd woken up with a start, sitting up and breathing hard. And Anakin hadn't been with him that night, he'd gone to sleep in his own room. So after taking a moment to reorient himself in the darkness, Obi-Wan was up and heading down the hallway to check if he was alright. He could barely think of anything in that moment, just thinking with horror that Anakin could be hurt in someway somehow. 

Of course Anakin had just been sleeping, but through their new bond he'd sensed Obi-Wan's distress and started to regress automatically to comfort him, waking up just as surprised as his Master had been. It was a rough night for the both of them, and something they'd had to discuss extensively with their therapist. 

Obi-Wan took the most comfort in just having Anakin near him and knowing he was safe and sound, like he was right now. They had been playing, Obi-Wan lifting Anakin above his head from the floor and watching with delight as he giggled and flailed, but eventually they'd settled into just laying on the floor together. Anakin was dozing against Obi-Wan's chest. The little was wearing nothing but his diaper and a pair of shorts, so Obi-Wan had pulled up his own shirt so they could get more skin-to-skin contact; it was always good for bonding between caregivers and littles. Anakin was baby-soft against him, and Obi-Wan found himself falling asleep too, lulled by the comforting weight atop him and the gentle sun warming the carpet from the window. 

He woke up to shuffling, and when he opened his eyes found a blue pair staring sleepily back at him. It made him laugh, jostling Anakin, and for that he got a pout around the pacifier.

"Good morning," Obi-Wan teased quietly. "How did you sleep?"

Their therapist had told him to encourage Anakin to speak as often as possible when in little space, given that it was something he had apparently struggled to develop with. Obi-Wan made a point in asking him questions now.

"Good," Anakin said. He paused. "...Mast- Master?"

Obi-Wan froze a little underneath him, a little horrified. Anakin hadn't ventured to call him anything in his little space yet, beyond the day he presented, if that counted. He was usually so quiet, so Obi-Wan hadn't thought about it. But now that he did, being called Master... made him uncomfortable in several ways he thought distantly he should meditate on.

"Oh, no, baby," he said softly, reaching up to pat Anakin's head gently. "You don't have to call me Master right now, okay?"

Anakin's face scrunched. "Then what?"

Obi-Wan hesitated. Anakin hadn't had a father figure growing up as a child, and the only "masters" he would've known were slavers. After they'd first met, it had even taken a while for the both of them to get to the point where he could comfortably associate the word "Master" with teacher, and Obi-Wan could feel okay being referred to that way by a former slave. But when Anakin was little, Obi-Wan wasn't his teacher, only his caregiver, and something about the formal title in this situation rubbed him wrong, even if he knew his Anakin said it with affection.

"Whatever you want to call me, honey," he settled on saying, still uncomfortable but trying not to show it. "It's up to you."

That apparently made Anakin upset, and he started to cry, burying his face in Obi-Wan's chest and hitching sobs that shuddered his whole body.

"Anakin," said Obi-Wan, alarmed. "Anakin, sweetheart, it's okay-"

"I don't know," Anakin sobbed, fisting his hands in Obi-Wan's robes and rocking unconsciously to soothe himself. "You call me sweet names but I don't- I don't have one-"

"Hey, hey, and that's fine, that's okay," Obi-Wan soothed, running his fingers through his Padawan's hair. "You don't have to come up with it right now. If you take more time it'll be extra special, right?"

That made Anakin pause, and he pulled back a little, sniffling. "Special?"

"Yeah! Don't you think I'm special? Don't you think I deserve a really great name you spend a lot of time coming up with?" Obi-Wan asked, leaning up to bounce Anakin and making him giggle. "Master is boring, isn't it? Aren't I cool?"

Anakin stopped crying, giggling more. "Okay. Special."

"That's the spirit," Obi-Wan hummed, secretly glad to have avoided a full-blown tantrum. "Why don't we eat, huh? I bet you're hungry."

They went about their night without another mention of it, but Obi-Wan wondered what he would come up with.

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Obi-Wan was humming absent-mindedly to himself while he drained the bathtub in their quarters and helped Anakin out, watching the little try to catch the last bubbles as they swirled down the drain. It had been a fairly normal evening for them, though he fully expected a tantrum when he tried to put Anakin into actual clothes. Force forbid the apparent torture of wearing things, Obi-Wan thought to himself sarcastically as he pulled soft towels down from the rack on the door. Still, he wouldn't trade it for anything.

He was in the middle of patting Anakin's hair dry as gently as possible when his boy suddenly pulled back, pushing the towel away with his hands.

"Hey!" Obi-Wan scolded. "Enough with the attitude please, Mr.-"

He stopped short when he saw Anakin's face. He was staring blankly, brows furrowed, and Obi-Wan frowned. "Are you okay?"

He didn't move.

"Baby?"

Nothing.

"...Anakin?" Obi-Wan tried again. "Are you with me?"

His Padawan slowly came back to himself, blinking slowly and finally turning his head. "Master?"

Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. He'd never seen Anakin's transition in headspace like that. Usually it was the opposite, him regressing, which typically just involved a period of quiet snuggling while he adjusted. He normally went back to being big while he was asleep or doing another activity.

"There you are. How are you feeling?"

Anakin's whole face twitched and shuddered, and his only answer to the question was opening his mouth to take a hitched breath. Obi-Wan realized in horror he was crying.

"Anakin?!" He asked, admittedly panicking a little. "Are you- do I need to call someone?"

"No, no," Anakin sobbed, hurriedly wiping at his eyes. "Sorry!"

"Honey, just- no, come here-"

They had to do an awkard shuffle of arms before they could properly hug, both still damp from the bath. Anakin was fluttering in his arms like a small, scared bird, hair clean and soft against Obi-Wan's cheek. It suddenly hit Obi-Wan how bizarre they must look, both wearing just boxers with a towel on the floor between them. He had to fight back the equally strange urge to laugh, taking deep breaths instead to try and settle them both.

They didn't speak for a while, not until Anakin's sniffs had quieted. "I'm s-sorry Master, I got snot all over you."

"It's okay," Obi-Wan promised, gently running his hands over Anakin's tense shoulders. "It's fine. Are you okay?"

"Uhm," Anakin squirmed. "Uh. Can I get dressed?"

"Oh, yes, of course, I'm sorry-"

After another round of awkward shuffling while they both pulled on their pajamas, they finally made it onto Obi-Wan's bed. Anakin looked hesitant to get on at first, as if he would be turned away just because he wasn't regressed, but Obi-Wan firmly tugged him in and guided him to cuddle like normal. Being able to bury his face in his Master's shoulder seemed to make Anakin more comfortable, but his body still wasn't relaxed when he began to speak, voice muffled.

"I'm really sorry for scaring you, Master, I didn't mean to."

"I accept your apology, Anakin," Obi-Wan said patiently.

After a few more moments of expectant silence, Anakin whined. "Master, this is embarrassing!"

"I know, I know," Obi-Wan soothed. "But we need to talk in case it happens again, right? And then we can move past it. You know I won't judge you harshly."

Anakin whined again. "That's just it!"

"Sorry?"

"I got sad because you were taking really good care of me and I feel like I throw so many tantrums but you've never hit me or anything and you do literally everything for me and-"

"Whoa, slow down," Obi-Wan interrupted, alarmed. "Anakin, I would never hit you, you know that, please don't say that."

"I do know!" Anakin shouted, frustrated. "You're such a good caregiver and it makes me feel horrible because I take up so much time and you're way too nice to me, there's no way I deserve all that!"

"Anakin!" 

They both lay in shocked silence for a second.

"I can't be a very good caregiver at all if you could possibly believe any of that," Obi-Wan huffed finally, sounding truly insulted. "We've been over this, I love you, and I'm a caregiver, sweetie, I want and I need to take care of you. It's not a chore, I love doing it, I would choose to do it any day over having less of you in my life. It's not a question of you deserving it. And I just want to say again that I would never hit you, not when you're little. I may want to when you're big sometimes-" that startled a laugh out of Anakin- "but never ever when you're having a tantrum, those are normal and healthy for littles. Okay?"

"Okay," Anakin said, already crying again.

"Oh, Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed, rolling over to gather his shaky Padawan into his arms. "What brought all this on, hmm? Do we need to make an extra therapy appointment?"

"Maybe," Anakin admitted quietly. "I mean, we've been over all this before, I just. I feel like I'll never get over Tatooine."

That brought on fresh tears, and Obi-Wan was very upset at that too. Littles in the slave industry were typically... he didn't even want to think more about that.

"Thank you for telling me," he whispered. "I know this has been hard for you. But you're doing very well, I hope you know that. And the Order is going to keep fighting for people like you, this is a safe place."

"Thank you," Anakin whispered shyly after a few seconds, pulling away; he had seemingly reached his emotional limit. "I think I want to sleep now, I'm really tired."

"Of course," Obi-Wan said immediately. He was immensely glad they'd had the conversation and it felt like healthy progression of their relationship, but he wasn't about to force Anakin to talk more. "Let me get you some water."

Once Anakin had rehydrated and wiped off his puffy face, they got back in the covers again, this time in total darkness. Anakin was finally relaxed, and Obi-Wan thanked the stars that he didn't even seem hung up on the idea that they were sharing a bed when he wasn't regressed. Small blessings.

"We can take a bit of a break tomorrow," he murmured, shifting a little to get more comfortable. "Visit the hangar, maybe."

Anakin's sleepy, happy hum made him smile, and they drifted off more peacefully than they'd first got in.

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"Aayla, stop!" Anakin laughed as she held up yet another sparkly shirt to his torso. "We're here shopping for you and Darra!"

"But it's more fun to shop for you," the Twilek insisted, grinning back. "You're a cutie, just own it." She winked, and Anakin practically hid his red face in embarrassment. 

"Come on Aayla, listen to Anakin," Ferus sneered from nearby, and Anakin turned his head to scowl at the ruined moment. "I'm sure he's not allowed to buy anything without Obi-Wan holding his hand anyway."

Darra whacked him in the arm. "Be nice, Ferus, it's not that fucking hard-"

"For Force's sake-"

"No, it's fine," Anakin muttered, shoving the sparkly shirt back into Aayla's chest and turning to storm out. He heard them calling after him but didn't turn back, shouldering his way through the people thronging the street outside and deeper into Coruscant.

Ferus and him had never gotten along well, but ever since Anakin had presented he'd been especially insufferable, constantly making snide comments about how Anakin couldn't be trusted on the battlefield ever again and asking horrible questions like how did it feel to wear a diaper. Anakin knew he had his problems, and plenty aside, but he didn't think being insulted for something out of his control was exactly fair. And bringing Obi-Wan into it- the absolute best caregiver- was just awful.

He walked aimlessly, not really worried about where he was going but just trying to release his anger. That was something he had been working more on recently. He didn't want to go back home to Obi-Wan with this sort of feeling in his heart. 

It was later than he realized by the time he slowed to a stop, and he definitely should've been back at the Temple by now. Obi-Wan was probably worried sick; Anakin had left his comm in Darra's bag, not wanting to carry it on him while dressed casually. 

He turned around, realizing with a sudden thrill of sickness that he didn't really know where he was. But instead of panicking, he took a deep breath to calm himself and reorient. I am a Jedi Padawan, this is within my control. I just have to retrace my steps. He told himself.

He started back, cringing a little the later it got. Obi-Wan was going to kill him...

"What happened?" Obi-Wan demanded into his comm, frowning severely. He had been eating dinner with a few other Masters when Aayla had called, and they were all looking at him in concern where he had walked a few steps away from the table. "He's- what?"

It was with great agitation that he returned to the table to clean his plate. "Ferus and Anakin got into an argument on an outing," he informed his fellow Jedi. "And now my Padawan is apparently out wandering the streets of Coruscant without his comm or anything. Alone."

They all winced in sympathy and immediately started offering to help him look, but he politely turned them down. "His Force Signature right now is indicating he's fine and still big, he's a little closed off but I should be able to find him. Just be sure to scold Ferus for me when he gets back, alright?"

With that, he put on an extra cloak to ward off any chill and headed out into the streets.

Anakin was doing fine- great even- until it started to rain.

He had been afraid of the rain for a long time- still was, a little- because of how little he'd seen of it as a child on Tatooine, and this time was no different. 

He ducked to the side of the street under an awning, hugging himself and wishing he had dressed in more layers. Seeking out Obi-Wan in their force bond told him the man was coming for him, and he recieved a rush of emotions from worry to sadness to relief to frustration for reaching out.

Anakin felt disgusting all of a sudden. What was he doing right now but proving Ferus exactly right? He couldn't do anything without Obi-Wan, he was a useless human being and probably a worst Jedi besides. He shrunk in on himself, feeling gross and blinking back tears, wishing he had never told Aayla that he would be happy to go shopping with her. Normally he loved shopping, but right now all he could imagine was being in bed safe and warm.

Luckily he didn't have too much more time to wallow in his thoughts before Obi-Wan found him. His Master didn't say anything at first, just hugged him tight, and they stood together under the awning for a few moments like that, heedless of any passerby. 

When Obi-Wan drew back he cupped Anakin's face in his hands, lightly brushing under his teary eyes. "Oh, Anakin," he sighed. "Let's get you home."

"You're not mad?" Anakin wobbled.

Obi-Wan took off the cloak on his shoulders to wrap it around his apprentice, pulling up the hood and tugging the sleeves down for good measure. "No, dearest," he murmured. "I will discipline you to an extent, only because I wish you had made better choices for yourself and your safety and there must be consequences for this sort of thing. But this is a natural part of growing up. And we can use it as a learning experience, hmm?"

"Okay," Anakin whispered, letting himself be led through the streets. He cried quietly the whole way back to the Temple, trying and failing to stifle the movments of his bottom lip and the sniffles he was producing. Obi-Wan squeezed his hand soothingly, sending love and understanding through their bond but also giving Anakin a space to feel and express his emotions. 

Once they were back in their rooms at the Temple, Obi-Wan started to dry them both off. "Will you tell me what happened now, dearest? I want to hear your side of things."

"Ferus was making fun of me for being little," Anakin hiccuped. "And he's been doing that and he said a mean thing about you too and I just got really mad." 

Obi-Wan's face softened. "And I promise you he'll be punished for that," he murmured. "I appreciate that you didn't fight him, sweetheart, and tried to control your emotions instead. But you know that you also did some things wrong, right?"

Anakin nodded reluctantly. "Shouldn't have run," he muttered. "Scared you. I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," Obi-Wan promised. "And you know that none of what Ferus said is true, right?"

Anakin hesitated. "Can I... Felm?" he said hesitantly.

Felm was the name of Anakin's therapist. Obi-Wan's heart broke a little, but he nodded. "We'll be seeing him tomorrow, I promise. Then we can talk it out okay?" 

Once he got a yes out of Anakin, he added, not unkindly, "I am still going to put you in time out. And you have to apologize to Darra and Aayla too later, understand?"

Anakin didn't even throw a tantrum, just whined a little, which honestly made Obi-Wan question if he was making the right decision disciplining him. But it had to be done, he couldn't just let this behavior slide, especially with how much danger Anakin would've been if he'd slipped while in the lower levels. He would comfort Anakin after his time out was over, and during their session with Felm later. This was for the little's own good and Obi-Wan's future sanity.

They took a bath together afterward to warm themselves up, Anakin fully regressing very quickly. That was probably partly Obi-Wan's fault; when a caregiver was stressed about something, their little was much more likely to regress. But Anakin needed it too, so Obi-Wan was very gentle with him.

During dinner there was a knock at the door. "Coming!" Obi-Wan called as he gently wiped off Anakin's chin. "Hold on one second, okay baby?"

"Okay baba," Anakin mumbled, and Obi-Wan paused for a second at that, his heartstrings pulled. But he didn't want to make a scene over it and make Anakin think he didn't like it, so he just quietly patted his head before heading to the door.

Darra and Aayla were on the other side, fidgeting nervously. They smiled at the sight of Obi-Wan and he smiled back. "I assume you're here to see Anakin?

"We just wanted to check on him, if that's alright with you, Master Kenobi," Darra answered, both her and Aayla relaxing the tension that had been in their shoulders. 

"He's regressed right now, so I'll have to ask him beforehand. He may not want to see you, I'm afraid, but we'll see." Obi-Wan told them realistically.

"Of course, that's fine! Whatever makes him comfortable."

Obi-Wan made a mental note as he headed back inside to congratulate Quinlan and Soara; they had been doing something right while raising their padawans, that was for sure. And he knew without a doubt Siri was probably tearing Ferus a new one right about now... 

He crouched down by Anakin's chair so they were eye level, careful not to startle him too much. "Hey, honey. Some friends are here to see you if you want to see them, just Aayla and Darra. But we're going to do whatever you're most comfortable with, okay?"

Anakin's face furrowed as he considered it, and Obi-Wan stayed silent to give him time. Eventually, the little nodded hesitantly. "I wanna see them."

"Alright, come on then," Obi-Wan smiled, scooping him up. "But just let me know if you get overwhelmed, okay? They truly won't get mad at you if you change your mind, I promise."

Aayla and Darra looked absolutely delighted when Obi-Wan reopened the door with Anakin on his hip, but at the same time Obi-Wan could tell they were trying to control their expressions so as not to alarm the baby.

"Hi Anakin," Darra said. "We wanted to come check on you and see how you were doing."

Anakin, half hiding in Obi-Wan's robes, just blinked at her.

"And we wanted to apologize," Aayla said gently. "For how everything went down."

More silence.

"Ani," Obi-Wan whisper-prompted, and he finally emerged a little bit.

"I'm okay," he said very quietly. "Thanks."

"We're really happy to hear that-"

"And we'd love to hang out again soon if you want, we could have lots of fun-"

Anakin, back to trying to bury himself in Obi-Wan, just nodded, apparently decided that was quite enough for the night. Obi-Wan took the hint.

"I think it would be best if you girls run along now," he said gently. "We need to go to bed soon."

"Of course, sorry!" 

"Have a good night, Master Kenobi, and we love you, Anakin!"

Obi-Wan wished them well and waved fondly after them, bouncing Anakin lightly on his hip as he closed the door again. "Good job, babydoll, I'm proud of you for that," he praised, and Anakin hummed sleepily back, resting his head on his master's shoulder. "Oh, bedtime, hmm?" Obi-Wan laughed, secretly relieved. He felt exhausted from all of the emotions of the day, and he knew he and his little needed quiet time safe together to process.

He brushed both their teeth, got them in clean pajamas, and got them in bed as quickly as possible, making sure they were getting as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. Anakin curled against his chest holding his stuffed animals, legs tangled with Obi-Wan's, and they rested quietly in the dark before Obi-Wan remembered.

"So," he murmured, petting his little's hair. "I'm your baba, huh?"

Anakin, half-asleep, peered up at him. "Baba," he affirmed, and Obi-Wan felt warmth spreading through his chest until he thought he might explode, whispering fervent "I love yous" into their force bond until it went dormant with sleep.

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