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In the wee hours of the night, closer to morning, Anakin was startled from his project by the soft knock at his door; spanner still in hand, he went to answer it. There were only two people that it could’ve been in the first place, so he wasn’t overly surprised to find it was Ahsoka on the other side. “Trouble sleeping, Snips?”
She looked worn as she stood there, eyelids heavy and arms clasped over her chest to ground herself. “That easy to tell?”
“Well, it is the mechanic’s hour,” he huffed a laugh, gesturing her into his room with the spanner, “Rare to find someone other than me clanging around this late.”
Ahsoka laughed too, a thin sound but sincere. “I think that’s why I came over.” She gathered some bolts that rested atop his bed and moved them to a low table nearby before seating herself in their place. “Knew there was a pretty good chance you’d be up, too.”
It was true enough—insomnia was an old friend of Anakin’s at that point, and both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan knew the fact well. “Something on your mind?” He put the spanner back on his desk in favor of grabbing his stool, dragging it in front of Ahsoka before sitting down.
“Not really.” She flopped over on her side, half-sitting, half-laying. “I think that might be the problem.”
Anakin folded his hands between his knees, “Not sure you’re making sense, Snips.”
Her eyes pressed briefly closed as she nodded in agreement. “I know, I just—” A small, frustrated sound.
Leaning forward he put his hand on her shoulder, concern shading his voice, “Hey, don’t force it.” His thumb brushed into her skin soothingly. “Just take your time.”
Ahsoka laid her hand over his. “This last deployment we had,” she began eventually, “I think it’s the longest I’ve been away. Now that I’m back...”
He nodded, understanding immediately. “Things feel off.” A beat, then he gave his head a little shake. “Snips, we’ve been back for over a week.”
Snorting, the corner of her mouth tipped up in a rueful grin. “I was really hoping it would sort itself out.”
Anakin rolled his eyes and gave her shoulder a little shove, “Move over.” He watched as she pulled her legs up and rolled before sliding in next to her, crowding her against the wall where it met the bed. When the tighter space alone seemed to comfort her he pulled her into his arms, tucked her easily under his chin; he could feel more of the tension start to ease out of her as he smoothed his hand up and down her back. “It’s just because it’s so quiet,” he murmured eventually.
“Never thought I’d miss all the random creaks and clangs of the ship,” she agreed softly.
“And open,” he continued, “You know you’re safe here but it doesn’t feel that way.” Sympathy tinged his voice, “You’re not used to it anymore.”
It was something he’d heard the other Jedi in the field talk about, had experienced himself to an extent. But for him the uncomfortable wariness wasn’t completely alien. Instead it almost felt like coming home, back to the way he’d felt as a child on Tatooine, back to the nights he’d spent in the quarters he’d shared with his mother. Anakin didn’t let the painful thought linger, focused instead on Ahsoka. It must have been so much worse for her; the Temple had always been her home, to have that taken away… “I’m sorry.” His voice was low, reverberating gently through her montrals with their closeness.
She shook her head carefully before pressing it closer against his chest; a few breaths passed between them before she fell in sync with him. It wasn’t the first time she’d done something like this, but it was usually to help block out noises rather than find one. “I used to hate it when the Council would keep me back from deployments, or call me back earlier than the rest of you,” she murmured eventually, “But now…” Ahsoka let out a heavy sigh, “Maybe they were trying to keep this from happening.”
“Agreeing with Master Windu?” Anakin asked with exaggerated concern, “You really are doing badly.”
He heard another snort of her laughter, felt the heel of her hand thump his chest—it was a good sign. After another moment she asked, “Could I stay for a while?” Her voice was quiet, actually sounding drowsy rather than just exhausted this time. “I think it’s helping.”
“Of course you can, Snips,” he murmured, tightening his hold a bit, “As long as you need.”