Chapter Text
It was near sunset as Anakin Skywalker wandered through the Jedi temple on Coruscant, his mind running through the past several days of long battles and near deaths. He and his padawan, Ahsoka Tano, had been on Ryloth, attempting to assist the Twi’lek with a shipment of provisions provided by the republic, when a separatist ambush flung the two Jedi headfirst into a nearly weeklong struggle. Had it not been for Obi-Wan and the 212th’s “speedy” arrival, it could have gone on much longer. After days of fighting under the intense Ryloth sun , a flight back to Coruscant, and a briefing with the Jedi Council, Anakin felt something he rarely felt in his youthful vigor. Anakin felt exhausted.
The Jedi heaved a sigh, stepping into the temple’s hangar bay. He was on leave for the time being, the council seeing fit to give him, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan a small break after the debacle of the prior days. It was a rare opportunity in the war, and Anakin intended to spend every spare moment with his wife, Padme Amidala. R2-D2 was already waiting beside the Twilight, Anakin’s personal ship (though Obi-Wan liked to call it Anakin’s deathtrap, due to the ship's less than stellar track record of breaking down, and occasionally filling the Temple hangar with smoke). “Hey Artoo, is she ready to go?” Anakin said, patting the little droid on his shiny metal dome as he passed. R2 trilled in enthusiastic assent, rolling up the ramp of the ship behind Anakin. The pilot seat was a comfort, a home to Anakin in any ship. The simple pleasure of getting to fly over Coruscant was enough to put him at ease already.
One shaky lift off later and Anakin was speeding over the Coruscant skyline, and from up here it was hard to deny it had its own kind of beauty. Some disliked the hustle and bustle of the planet, its surface completely covered in thousands of layers of skyscrapers, but Anakin loved the speed of the traffic, and the glint of the evening sun shining reflectively off the buildings, leaving the city in a sparkling orange and pink glow. It was a far cry from the plain, endless, desert he had grown up in. No, it was not like that place at all. This place reminded him of the temple, of his master and their early days together after the crisis on Naboo, and most of all, it reminded him of his wife. She lived and worked here, serving the republic as a Senator, representing her people back on her home planet of Naboo.
“Oh Kriff!” Anakin muttered, his train of thought making him realize he hadn’t even called Padme to let her know he was on planet, let alone on his way to home. He was already approaching the Senate apartment complex’s docking bay when he remembered she might not even be there yet.
He tapped a couple of buttons on his holocomm to Padme’s personal channel that she rarely used outside of speaking to Anakin. Immediately, as though she’d been awaiting the call, Padme’s face came to life, illuminated by the blue glow of the holo. His eyes swept her face, contentment washing over him. Padme was a soothing balm to any stress he could feel, her face soft and angelic in the soft blue. “Padme..” he breathed. She smiled warmly, “Ani…I’d heard you and Ahsoka were home finally.” Anakin could hear the relief in her greeting. She didn’t often voice her concerns about his participation in the war, her feelings about their duties to the republic kept her from doing so, but he knew that Padme worried while he was gone. “Yeah, just earlier today. I would have called sooner but-" "But you needed to brief the council first,” She said, an understanding look on her face. “ Don’t worry about it Ani, I’m just glad you’re back on Coruscant. Will I see you tonight?” Anakin smiled sheepishly, his eyes flickering away from Padme’s. “I’m actually already on my way, wanted to call to let you know I was going to be home when you were finished today.” Padme smiled at the word “home,” always taking joy in knowing Anakin considered her apartment such. “I’ll let 3P0 know to let you in.”
Her smile suddenly faltered, and though she regained her composure quickly, it’s enough for Anakin to pick up on. “Are you alright?” He asks, concern coloring his voice. She straightens and turns her head away, avoiding Anakin’s worried gaze “-Yes, of course. Yes, I’m ok. It’s just..” she chews her bottom lip, and when she looks back to Anakin, he recognizes in her eyes the tiredness that he feels. “I’ll be home late tonight.” She sighs.
She’d been working late a lot recently, Anakin knew this. The senate seemed to be constantly bickering regarding the war. Trade disputes, humanitarian crises, issues of continuing clone production, the allocation of republic funds. Each issue weighed heavily on Padme’s conscience, with no decision being a light one in her eyes. It was something Anakin loved about her. Her selflessness, her dedication to what she believed was right, and her fiery spirit which never seemed to dim. However, Anakin also knew the toll her work took on her in private. The parts she showed no one else, not even her most trusted confidants in the senate. The way she would come home, shoulders hunched and head hung low. It was something he hated to see, Padme at her most exhausted.
Anakin gave a comforting smile, “That’s alright. I’ll make sure there’s dinner and a bath waiting for you when you’re home, yeah?” She nodded, gratitude apparent on her features. “That’d be nice, maybe for dinner we could order that place by-” she suddenly looked away, speaking to someone “Yes, one moment Senator Organa, I’ll be right there.” She turns back, apologetic. “I need to go now. I’ll see you when I’m home, Ani,” she rushes out the words, shutting off her holo before he can even reply.