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Unlike the other Senators, Anakin Skywalker wouldn’t drop his morals because of a political crisis that started stirring in the galaxy. If anything, it motivated him to prove to everyone that he would go as far and do as much as he could, even if he had a blaster pointed at his head. He hadn’t come so far for nothing, it was clear, but there was something behind those sharp blue eyes that you couldn’t quite figure out.
For some reason, you’d presumed dealing with Anakin would be easier, that he would be more rational about this whole thing, but he seemed to be doing his best to keep putting his life at risk rather than backing down until the threat was gone. Backing down to preserve your life and continue your job later until everything is safe sounded a lot more effective. Maybe there was something else affecting Anakin enough to cloud his thoughts.
Either way, your job was just to keep Anakin safe while Obi-Wan looked for answers. An easy job, in theory, but it could be quite challenging with the grumpy Senator refusing to talk to you.
Another point Anakin seemed to neglect. Whether he liked it or not, you were following orders in escorting him around in Naboo, and your presence also had a political weight, making things more complex than simply ‘playing guard to strip Anakin from his individuality’. Anakin was a smart man, so he knew that, certainly, no matter how he acted like he didn’t.
Thankfully, things seemed to ease down a little after Anakin settled down in Naboo, reluctantly accepting your presence among his guards and companions, and doing his best to be diplomatic. Things didn’t need to get worse than they already were.
“Naboo is lovely, isn’t it?” Anakin approached you deliberately, incredibly enough.
The view from the balcony of the lake country house was unlike anything in Coruscant, no matter the angle. The gardens in the Senate building or the Jedi Temple felt like sad little attempts in comparison.
You nodded. “A very lovely planet, indeed. Your planet is very pleasing, Senator.”
The atmosphere heaved, and Anakin twisted his mouth while his gaze fell to the ground. “It is… not my planet.” The words were almost inaudible under the soft breeze that blew the curtains and slipped between the tree leaves, causing the reflection of the sky to tremble with the soft waves on the surface of the lake that could be viewed from the balcony.
Well, now you could presume the kohl that lined his eyes wasn’t only a fashionable choice.
Silence stretched, something seeming to hang in the air, and anything seemed good enough to break the silence, but Anakin spoke up before you did.
“Shouldn’t you Jedi be… constantly training or meditating?” Anakin raised an eyebrow, giving you the same cetic look he gave every Jedi, and you almost missed the undercurrent air of teasing in his tone. “Or maybe investigating things around here with your… I don’t know, Force sense tingling about those things?”
Covering a chuckle with a cough, you shook your head. “I don’t neglect my connection with the Force, Senator, don’t worry about it. Regarding your other concern, investigating is not my primary focus here. I am guarding you, but Obi-Wan is dutifully conducting the investigations in Coruscant.”
Anakin’s hand lingered on the railing of the balcony, golden rings shining under the dimming light of the setting sun. “Honestly?” He sighed heavily. “All this waiting is maddening. I’ve been trying to finish a few articles and texts for the Senate and the Committee, even if I’m not sure if I will ever step into my office again, whether because my life will be taken or because of something else.” His jaw tightened, but his gaze remained distant.
“Because once this is over, once the questions are answered and the responsible is found…” Anakin turned to face you, his blue eyes tinged with a new sense of intensity, searching for any weakness or other sign on your face. “I want you to know, Jedi, if anyone tries to use this as an excuse to undermine my authority in the Senate, to strip me of my hard-earned seat… There will be consequences.”
There it was, for you to witness firsthand. The same intensity that consecrated Senator Skywalker’s fame and strength in the political domain of the galaxy, and Anakin clearly deserved all the respect—and fear—that followed his name. Determination came from him in waves easily felt through the Force like a constant disturbance in otherwise calm water.
“I didn’t claw my way up, fight my way through the ranks, earn the trust of my constituents just to be brushed aside like some kind of political pawn.” Anakin’s voice cut through the quietness not sharply, but smoothly and firmly. Perfectly polished through the years in stuffy, formal rooms and facing difficult personalities. “No one will take anything from me,” he said. “No Chancellor, no Jedi, no one.”
Something about that intensity stirred something in your chest, sending your heart fluttering wildly. Hopefully, your face didn’t mirror how dumbstruck you felt when realizing the effect that Anakin had on you.
There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity.
The Code worked as a good mantra, slowly clearing your mind, though it would take more than that to dissolve the storm that threatened to form in your chest. “As a Jedi, I contribute to a greater good that you participate in, Senator.” Maybe slow, measured words would prevent your voice from wavering or sounding strained. “Master Obi-Wan and I are very well aware of the corruption that lurks in the Senate, just as we are conscious of the people who do actually work for the common good. None of us wants you to be stripped of power, so we are doing our best to extinguish the threat. Not only for your job, but because no one deserves to be hunted like this.”
Anakin’s stance remained, and it became an empty shell of a threat, because the frustration that shook the Force faded into something a lot quieter. Despite the reluctance written all over his face, his feelings were a mix of surprise and contentment, while he still digested your words.
“Well…” Anakin cleared his throat. “I have to say, Jedi, that’s the most direct thing anyone’s ever said to me in a long time. And I mean that in a good way,” he said carefully, and coming from Senator Skywalker, that was a great compliment, even if his gaze never met yours.
With a new air on his features, Anakin approached, taking a deep breath. “I appreciate your honesty and your support. It means more than you know. I won’t let anyone, no matter the title, stop me from doing what I believe is right. If you are like your Master, I know you will be there to have my back, even if it means going against orders.” Something in those sharp, blue eyes felt like a threat, and it caused you nothing aside from excitement. “That means no lying to me, no secrets, no hidden agenda, just two people working together to keep the Republic safe and the people from the Outer Rim protected.”
The more time spent around Anakin, the more layers revealed themselves. Unlike everyone thought, he wasn’t stubborn just because , nor did he seem to act exclusively on his feelings or by impulse. Anakin’s demeanor often betrayed the complex range of emotions inside him, and his objectives were always in mind, though his way of working around things could lead people to think otherwise.
How were you supposed to resist the urge to see what’d unravel? Both of what Anakin would become and of what he would do. All those nuances and complexities that left you wanting more.
“Certainly, Senator.” The words were enough, followed by a firm nod from Anakin as he held your gaze, so you took the opportunity to change the subject into something lighter. “How had your day been, Senator? If it comforts you, none of this… situation has reached the public. The investigation keeps running under secrecy.”
“It has been a day of waiting, as it’s not new.” Anakin ran a hand through his hair as he turned to face the balcony’s view again, hoping to find comfort in the familiar scenery. “Waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the next attack, waiting for Obi-Wan to find some answers.” His shoulders tensed up gradually. The sunshine hit Anakin’s rings just right with the way his hands curled around the balcony’s intricate railing to the point his knuckles turned white. The gems on the gold metal shone.
“I am not a patient man, Jedi,” Anakin’s voice assumed that professional tone again. “I have never been one to just sit around and let things happen to me. I’m used to being the one making things happen, pushing forward, fighting for what I believe in. It’s always been either fight or die.”
Only Anakin’s closest friends knew about his story, and even the planet he came from was unclear, just with the knowledge that he was from somewhere in the Outer Rim. After spending more time with him, it was clear Anakin only acted in public when really needed, shouting made him fidget, and he always justified his actions as much as he could so that there wouldn’t be misunderstandings or wrong accountabilities. Despite the signals, you chose not to think further about the subject.
“But now, I’m just… waiting. And it’s driving me mad,” Anakin exhaled sharply. “I feel like I’m stuck in limbo, my life on hold until this threat is eliminated.” He rubbed his temple before pressing his lips together into a smile, and his blue eyes now had a shade of gray that mirrored the storm raging inside him. “I suppose that’s what they call ‘making politics’, isn’t it? All this waiting is because of politics.” His lips pursed with distaste.
Anakin’s frustration was tangible through the Force.
“I am sorry about it, Senator.” You couldn’t offer a lot, but perhaps the words would resonate with Anakin just the way he needed them to. “I can only try to imagine what it is like. On the other hand, I think you deserve to clear your head.” Advising Anakin to rest felt, somehow, wrong, or at least like he would get offended at the thought of resting while his life was at risk. “Such a beautiful planet. Whether you take a break or not, it won’t matter until everything is solved, but it’ll surely matter to your nerves and perception.”
Though the frustration didn’t go away completely, the defeat and acceptance seemed to tone it down. His feelings were like the sky right now, with the golden sun hanging low on the horizon, painting the sky in a myriad of warm colors while the dullness and darkness of the falling night chased it. At least something seemed to calm Anakin enough.
The senator took a deep breath, then nodded slowly. “I suppose you’re right. A break wouldn’t hurt,” he said finally, facing you. “Maybe fresh air will give me the fresh perspective I need right now.” Anakin pushed off the balcony railing, straightening up. “Tell you what, Jedi, let’s go for a walk, hm? A walk through the gardens. I promise you’ll like them.” He stood by the balcony door, looking over his shoulder. “Coming?”
Force . Had Obi-Wan been there, he would be shooting you a look of disapproval right now.
It felt like one of Naboo’s gardens alone had more life than all of Coruscant. The Force was a lot more intense there, pleasingly so. The flowers’ fragrance was something far from the metallic, smoky scent of Coruscant, which matched its appearance so well. Unlike in Coruscant, there was no rush, no urgency, no nagging anxiety to be at the right places at the right time.
The sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the trees hit Anakin’s clothes just right. The layers of the thin, flowy fabric seemed to glow when the sun hit them just right, making the pastel colors gain a more vibrant tinge without erasing how delicate it was. They were connected to his necklace, also to his arms in long sleeves that waved with the calm breeze.
“You know, for someone of the Force , you don’t seem to have much of a direction sense,” Anakin said with mischief dancing in his eyes.
You blinked a couple of times, raising an eyebrow at Anakin. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Anakin breathed, “you seem just as out of your element as I am. I would have thought a Jedi, especially one tasked with guarding me, would have some kind of… I don’t know, Force sense about where to go or what to do, no matter the situation. However, from where I’m standing, it seems that you’re as lost as I am, whether it’s about wandering these gardens aimlessly or in this whole situation.”
As much as you wanted to discuss and prove Anakin wrong, there wasn’t really anything you could say in your defense. You had—and wanted—to be there for Anakin, but not knowing what was going on in Coruscant gave you a feeling of unease. Obi-Wan often felt like a north, and he wasn’t there either. Maybe something was coming, and you’d never know until it happened. What if you weren’t ready?
Well , Obi-Wan was one of the wisest people you knew, and one of the few you trusted. If he believed you were ready for this, then you probably were, or a bigger scheme was already planned, which wouldn’t be too far from reality, considering how well prepared your Master could be.
“ Jedi .” The voice cut through your thoughts.
“Every new challenge is a chance to learn new things,” you replied in the same beat. Anakin’s eyes carried a little displeasure when they met yours, and he kept observing you even after you looked away again.
Anakin scoffed, shaking his head to himself, as he kept walking down the garden in slow steps, half lost in thoughts, half lost in nature. “All this Jedi thing, of living the moment, but also being part of a bigger thing. And then there’s the Force. As much as I try to understand, this whole Jedi…” He caught himself before he could say the wrong word, waving his hand in the air as if the universe would send him a more suitable option. “… philosophy is quite complex, but if it makes sense to anyone, I guess I can respect that.”
It was funny, to a level. Anakin wasn’t disrespectful or condescending—even if his behavior could be mistaken for arrogance—, but rather amused and playful, even if he never had the patience to learn past the basic, superficial notion of what the Jedi were.
“Maybe that’s why we make such a great team,” the Senator continued. “Someone so centered like you with someone so impulsive like me.” He looked over his shoulder, batting his eyelashes lightly. “Opposites do attract, huh?”
You quickly averted your eyes, hoping you could also avert the feeling that stirred in your chest. “The universe does tend to look for balance, even in the little things.”
With a pause, Anakin considered your words. “You might be onto something there.” He ran his fingers along the leaves and flowers of a bush, and the sunlight hit his rings just perfectly, lighting the metal and the gems. “Maybe that’s what I need. Just don’t go getting any funny ideas, Jedi.” A genuine smile tugged on his plump lips. “I’m still not a fan of all that mystical, Force-wielding thing, but I can appreciate a good partner when I see one.”
A soft chuckle escaped your lips as you nodded. “Well, I could suppose someone so pragmatic and grounded like you, Senator, would be cetic about it.” You caught up with him to look down at the flowers that had caught his attention. “Please don’t take it personally, Senator. I respect your views.”
Anakin waved a hand dismissively. “I know I am not the easiest person ever, even more so with this reputation going on. Still, I mean it when I say I appreciate having you around, Jedi. Your perspective, your patience.” He paused, looking at the colorful flowers and plants that lined your path. “I don’t think I ever truly appreciated the beauty of Naboo, maybe not until now. I am always too focused on the bigger picture, on the problems that plague the Outer Rim and the Republic as a whole. Becoming a slave of the mind is just that easy.”
A contemplative silence followed, and Anakin’s complex myriad of emotions manifested itself once more. Part of you wished you could turn off the Force sense sometimes. You knew too much about certain things.
“Maybe there’s something true to the saying about stopping and smelling the roses,” Anakin spoke up again in a lighter tone, suffocating those heavy feelings. “Perhaps that’s the secret to being a good governor, a good politician? Even if there’s any secret at all, it’s probably been forgotten due to disuse.” He chuckled at himself. “Don’t tell anyone I said that, Jedi.”
And you couldn’t help but chuckle along with him, shaking your head lightly. “Oh, too late, Senator. I am already selling stories about you to the press.”
“Very funny,” Anakin scoffed, unable to keep the smile away from his lips while rolling his eyes. “They should’ve sent a less sarcastic Jedi to be my babysitter. Now you’re just going to be insufferable about this.”
Your grin widened. “Oh, please, Senator. You aren’t that much different.”
“That may be true to a level,” Anakin conceded, “but it takes audacity to threaten selling information about a Senator.” His dramatic motion of superiority made you laugh. “Well, I must admit you’re not what I expected from a Jedi guard. I am glad you are here, even if your idea of stress relief is mocking me mercilessly.”
The compliment made you feel that funny sensation in your chest again, and you didn’t suppress the soft smile that tugged on your lips. “If it works, it works,” you stated with a brief nod.
A soft breeze blew through the leaves, causing the fabric of Anakin’s gown to move gently under the golden sunlight, soft pastel colors matching the garden flawlessly. Your attention had Anakin following your gaze to his clothes, before he looked at you again, with a playful smirk gracing his face.
“Don’t you like my fashion sense? I thought pastels and warm colors would be perfect for Naboo.” He did a little twirl, seeming to have fun in the way his garments fluttered with the breeze. “I figured if I had to be stuck here, I might as well blend in with the local scenery.”
You nodded, observing Anakin more openly now. “They suit you well, I must admit. Your team did a good job coming up with those clothes.”
Pride lit up Anakin’s expression as he turned to face you again, grinning. “Why, Jedi, are you saying you like the way I look in pastels? I thought you were supposed to be above such trivial matters as fashion and appearance.”
“Oh,” you breathed a chuckle, “I am above trivial matters.” Or at least you liked to believe so. “But that doesn’t stop me from recognizing when something is aesthetically pleasing.”
Anakin’s grin widened with your words, and he gave you that look while stepping closer again, until he was less than a foot away. “I’m flattered I meet your high standards of aesthetically pleasing, Jedi,” he teased. He reached out and plucked a delicate flower from a nearby bush, seeming to consider it, twirling the flower between his fingers and bringing it closer to his nose. After studying it with a critical eye, Anakin tucked the flower behind your ear. “There. Now, you match the scenery, too. Quite the picture we make, hm?”
You paused a little when the flower almost fell, allowing Anakin to secure it behind your ear, before you nodded slowly; his eyes followed the flower with your motions, but both of you seemed to relax simultaneously when it didn’t fall.
“I suppose we do,” you conceded, feeling something spark in your chest at the way those loving eyes followed you. “Thank you, Senator.”
“You’re good company,” Anakin mumbled softly. “I almost forget about all the stress and danger lurking around when I’m talking with you like this.”
There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity.
“I am not supposed to be good or bad company, Senator. I am here to do my job and keep you safe,” the words came in a single burst, a thoughtless attempt to distance yourself and please the image of a disappointed Obi-Wan that your mind summoned easily. You softened your words with a small smile, hoping your playfulness was convincing under the Senator’s constant analysis. If Jedi diplomacy required learning how to read people, you could only imagine how developed those skills were on a Senator. “To keep you in line, even,” you added, as a last resource.
Anakin laughed, rolling his eyes. “Keeping me in line? Jedi, I’m a Senator. I’m not to be kept in line. I’m the one supposed to be setting the example.” He took the flower back from behind your ear, and you didn’t know whether to feel disappointed at having it taken away or to be thankful to feel his fingers grazing your skin once again.
“How’s that fair, Senator?” You clicked your tongue. “Taking away the flower you just gave me.”
“Oh?” Amusement played in Anakin’s eyes. “Do you always get this close to the people you’re assigned to protect, Jedi? Or am I just special? Because I have to say, I’ve never felt quite… protected before.”
The words vanished from your mind when Anakin looked at you. Did he know what happened to you whenever he used that look? Did he enjoy seeing it happen?
You took a deep breath in a futile attempt to recompose yourself and cleared your throat. “I must be doing something right.” Now that you looked at him, it was clear that Anakin was a lot closer than you’d predicted, but you couldn’t pull away from him now, right?
Anakin licked his lips subconsciously, his gaze falling for a moment before meeting yours again. “Maybe you are, Jedi, maybe you are,” he murmured with an air of challenge to his voice, tracing your jaw with his index finger and winking. “The thing is, you’ve been pleasing me quite a lot, and I think that’s what matters the most right here, right now, hm?” The lack of reaction encouraged Anakin to get closer, until his breath fanned over your face and the Jedi Code vanished from your mind. “And I am so thankful for that, Jedi.”
Your lips felt dry, and you mirrored his motion, licking your lips as well. Maybe the air was thicker, or something about Anakin had your lungs weak. For someone who wasn’t Force sensitive—and criticized it every opportunity he got—, he surely knew how to strip you bare of your mental walls at his will. As if being able to do it wasn’t enough, he made sure to put it to the test whenever he could.
“You see,” Anakin continued, coaxing you closer with something as simple as his finger under your chin. “I can not let your efforts go unrecognized, so it’s only fitting I do something to demonstrate my appreciation, don’t you think?”
The fact that you would overthink again was predictable enough for Anakin to act immediately. His lips were on yours before your next breath, and it felt just right . All the doubts, debates, and apprehensions in your mind were silenced with something as simple—and desired—as the feeling of Anakin’s lips pressing to yours. They tasted sweet, like a fruit from Naboo he had had with tea and insisted you tried it as well. The fabric of his gown was soft under your fingertips, warm.
How wrong it was, but how good it felt. Anakin’s hands gently cradled your face as he kissed you with all the affection in the world. Despite everything that’d been going on, all the attacks, the worries, the tension, Anakin still managed to make you feel like you weren’t only a Jedi, and it was exhilarating, all exciting and terrifying at the same time. What if this ruined your focus? Were you betraying the Jedi? Your Nature? You…
Anakin deepened the kiss as if sensing the right moment he needed to pull you from the sea of overthinking, and he did it annoyingly easily. “Don’t be shy,” he mumbled against your lips, nuzzling your nose, before he gave you pecks. “Does it feel good? Let me know if you’re liking it.”
“Yes,” you whispered before you knew it, nodding and leaning into Anakin’s touches, seeking more, wanting more. Whatever he was doing, he could continue doing it to you as much as he wanted, for as long as he wanted. Something played in Anakin’s eyes as he looked at you in a way you never even dared to imagine being worthy of. “I like it. A lot.”
A wide grin tugged on Anakin’s lips before they were pressed to yours once more, and you slowly found yourself getting lost in the small details. How Anakin’s lashes brushed against yours, the scent of his breath as it fanned on the space between your nose and your upper lip, his thumbs caressing your cheekbones. The gentle breeze of Naboo carried the scent of flowers and made his gown graze your skin gently. No sounds of malfunctioning ships, lightsabers, drones, or the incessant murmur that always permeated the Senate building.
“Do you like it?” You asked Anakin. You also cared about his feelings. He had to know that.
“Of course,” Anakin said almost immediately, his assertiveness making your heart flutter. “Even if you don’t exactly know what you’re doing, but…” He glanced at your lips. “I can change that.” A grin tugged on his lips as he caressed your warm cheeks.