Chapter Text
Obi-Wan watched as Anakin rolled around restlessly in his sleep. The younger boy‘s face was scrunched up and he was sweating through his clothes. It was probably that dream again, the one about the Jedi temple. A mournful sigh escaped Obi-Wan‘s lips as he ran his hand through his Padawan‘s short hair.
Despite being exhausted enough to just fall over and sleep for the next year or so, Obi-Wan gathered his strength and sent feelings of calm and safety through his Force Bond with Anakin.
After a couple of seconds the younger boy stopped moving around and his body visibly relaxed, but his face was still pinched and Obi-Wan could still feel all the negative emotions his Padawan unconsciously projected in the Force.
There was nothing more he wished for Anakin than to find the strength to let the negative emotions associated with that terrible day go and find peace, but he knew how hard it was. After all, he too couldn‘t help but think back on that day again and again.
It would be unfair towards Anakin to ask him to forget everything that happened while Obi-Wan himself couldn‘t do it.
Then again how could anyone in his position just forget and move on with their life. Not even Jedi Master Windu, who had always been vocal on his opinion of Jedi who acted too emotional, would be that detached to just continue on with his life.
Although attachments were strictly prohibited in Jedi Order, no Jedi had been truly following that rule. They might not have loved in the conventional way, but they all cared for each other in their own way even if those outside of the Order couldn‘t understand their way of love.
The people outside of the Order never understood the Jedi and it wasn‘t something that bothered Obi-Wan or the other Jedi, but it still hurt that so many people were ready to believe in the Empire over the Jedi Order, which had always been ready to help the Republic and the people outside of it.
What hurt more was that his own Padawan couldn‘t understand the way of a Jedi. Anakin started his Padawan training at the early age of nine, making him one of the youngest Jedi Padawans ever. That training only lasted about three years, so it made sense for Anakin‘s behaviour. It made sense for him to question his teachings when the little boy's whole world got turned upside down.
Obi-Wan just hoped that one day Anakin would be able to find peace, a life where he didn’t have to look over his shoulder all the time.
Maybe one day the Jedi could come back out of hiding and force sensitive children like Anakin would be able to live a normal life.
The Jedi Knight was pulled out of his thoughts as something — no someone bumped against his arm.
He looked down towards Anakin, who fortunately was still asleep, and saw two tiny blue and white montrals peaking out from underneath Anakin‘s blanket.
A smile tugged at his lips as he pulled the blanket down to see two comically large eyes stare back at him.
At least his Padawan and him weren’t completely alone, he thought to himself and based on the calm expression on Anakin‘s face, he too appreciated their company in the form of a togruta youngling.
・・・・・── .✦.──・・・・・
Anakin was moving through his morning katas. Despite there being no Jedi Order anymore, Obi-Wan made sure to keep up with Anakin’s lessons. That way a part of the Jedi could live on. Not only through himself, but also through his Padawan.
However, that wasn't the only reason he continued training Anakin.
Sooner or later the younger boy might be in a situation where he is on his own and Obi-Wan hoped he would be able to protect himself if it came down to it. Anakin was unusually strong in the Force, so it was only a matter of time until someone recognises the fact and tries to hurt him or report him to the Empire.
Teaching Anakin how to suppress and hide his Force presence was a lost cause. He lacked a certain tranquility that one needed for hiding their presence in the Force and similar exercises like meditation. Although, he was never good at the latter so maybe it wasn't due to the storm that has been ravaging in his mind ever since the attack on the temple.
Besides, Anakin liked doing katas and learning lightsaber duelling and Obi-Wan liked teaching him.
Today they were taking it easy. Anakin would just be doing his morning katas while Obi-Wan would be watching him from his spot on the Meadow and occasionally correct his Padawan‘s form.
The wind was ruffling his hair as he observed his student. It wasn't a feeling he was Obi-Wan to.
Although he had become a Jedi Knight years ago and didn't need to shave his head anymore, he still kept it short for the coming years. Nowadays a clean haircut was the last thing on his mind and having been living in hiding for a few weeks his hair naturally grew longer. It felt quite pleasant, even grounding in some way. His Master's hair used to reach past his shoulder, so maybe he should let his hair grow out too. It certainly would save him some time by not having to trim his hair every once in a while.
Well at least one of their troupe didn’t have to deal with the nuisances that comes with having hair. Seeing that Anakin was having no trouble doing his morning Katas, Obi-Wan shifted his attention to the young togruta next to him.
Ahsoka was sitting with her legs crossed on the grass, her eyes following Anakin’s movement, but her mind seemed elsewhere. Usually Ahsoka would intently watch Anakin, being in awe and asking Obi-Wan if someday she could master Anakin’s skills and Obi-Wan usually didn’t have the heart to tell her that she probably won’t get to hold much less fight with a lightsaber. The Empire was no doubt watching Illum to prevent Jedi or force sensitives to get their hands on Kyber Crystalls.
Stopping that train of thought, Obi-Wan turned to the youngling next to him. Ahsoka being as young as she was, didn't know how to shield properly, so it wasn’t really hard to sense that something was troubling her.
Gingerly laying a hand on her shoulder to gain her attention, Obi-Wan asked, “What's on your mind, my dear?”
Ahsoka looked to the ground, obviously avoiding eye contact. “I miss Master Plo,” she timidly admitted.
“I–” he started, but nothing else came out.
Oh how Obi-Wan dreaded topics like these. Ahsoka was six, nearly seven, but still much too young for everything that has happened this past month. Does she even comprehend what has happened? Does she know that everyone she knew including Master Plo was dead? Does she understand death?
Those questions haunted Obi-Wan.
He didn‘t want to be the one to explain to her what it meant to be dead and that she would never see the people she thought of as a family, since she entered the Jedi Temple, ever again.
Obi-Wan didn‘t know Master Plo well. He knew that had been a Council member and one of the more laid back members according to Qui-Gon. Master Plo was also the one who found Ahsoka.
The Kel Dor also had a close relationship to Ahsoka. Based on the stories she told about the former Jedi Master, it wasn‘t a typical finder and foundling relationship, but more like a relationship that was bordering on attachment. Something that was strictly forbidden in the Jedi Order and yet one of its own Council members chose to disregard that rule.
“I'm sorry, Ahsoka. I don‘t think we are going to see Master Plo for a long time. You should focus on the people who are currently with you, like Anakin. And someday, when the Force thinks the time is right, you‘ll meet him once again,“ Obi-Wan didn‘t say how he hoped it would be a long time until their reunion.
When Ahsoka didn‘t reply, Obi-Wan pulled the young togruta closer to him and tried to soothe her with his presence. It wasn‘t long before she smushed her face against his arm and gripped the Jedi Knight like he too would one day disappear and never return.
Obi-Wan twisted his torso, careful to not shake Ahsoka off and brought his free hand to her hand, gently petting her back lek.
Ahsoka didn‘t cry, which wasn‘t really a surprise. Younglings were taught early on to control their emotions and while it wasn‘t frowned upon the children to cry or express their frustration in another way, Jedi Masters in the creche encouraged the Younglings to release their emotions into the Force.
“Did the stormtroopers get him?”
That was the last thing he expected to come out of her mouth so suddenly. So with dumbfounded expression he asked, “What?”
“When the stormtroopers attacked the temple. I felt him through the Force, he was worried about something“ —about you, Obi-Wan thought, but didn’t say it— and then I lost my connection to him,“ she admitted before adding „It hurt.“
Her shoulders started shaking like she was about to cry, but still not even a single tear left her eyes. Obi-Wan pulled her in closer in a desperate attempt to comfort her. Not a single class in the Jedi Temple or even one of Qui-Gon‘s complicated lessons prepared him for this. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Anakin deactivate his lightsaber and walk towards them.
His Padawan plopped to the ground with a frown on his face and a stare indicating that his thoughts were elsewhere. Ahsoka‘s state had obviously an influence over him.
Anakin laid his hand on her shoulder and gently stroked the tan skin beneath his hand with thumb. It was so like Anakin to help someone else first, even though he himself was also hurt.
Obi-Wan put a hand around his Padawan‘s neck and pulled into his awkward hug with Ahsoka before resting his other hand on the valley between her montrals, which looked more like two small bumps compared to the elegant and pointy montrals of Master Shaak Ti. Ahsoka leaned into his touch, calming down a little.
They were both young, so young. Ahsoka was younger than when Obi-Wan took in Anakin as Padawan and Anakin was far too young for even too young to be a Padawan in the first place. Obi-Wan didn't know how to take care of her, Force he didn't even know how to properly care for Anakin, but he'd rather die than let any more harm come towards the two of them.