“Master…No! Master!”
Obi-Wan opened the door to Anakin’s room, rubbing his eyes as he peered inside.
His Padawan was tossing and turning in the bed, his face anguished.
‘Another one of his dreams.’ he thought as he quietly crossed the room, ‘I can’t remember him having one about me before, though.’
He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently shook the younger man’s shoulder, “Anakin. Anakin, wake up.”
Anakin stilled and his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, he seemed disoriented. Then, his eyes focused on Obi-Wan, “M-Master?”
Obi-Wan had to smile; Anakin sounded so young.
“Yes, Padawan; it’s me.” Obi-Wan handed Anakin the glass of water that stood on the table by the side of his bed, “You were having a nightmare.”
Anakin took a sip and then handed the water back to him.He drew his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them, “I-I…know”
Obi-Wan frowned, ‘He’s never usually this shaken-up’
He put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder in what he hoped his apprentice would perceive as a comforting gesture, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Anakin stared at his feet for a moment and then met Obi-Wan’s eyes, “Yes”
Obi-Wan looked at Anakin questioningly. Usually, Anakin point-blank refused to discuss any of his dreams.
“You were dead.” Anakin said softly, “You…you were duelling this giant figure in a black mask and he managed to stab you…I tried to help you but I couldn’t! I was trapped…And I shouted and shouted for help…Then the masked figure turned to look at me and he took at his mask…”
He turned to look at Obi-Wan again, blue eyes haunted, “And it was me, Master. Oh Force; it was me!”
“It was just a dream, Anakin.” Inwardly, Obi-Wan was disturbed by how affected Anakin was.
“But it was so real, Master.” Obi-Wan could tell the usual 'dreams pass in time' wasn't to work here.
“Anakin…think about this rationally; if you were trapped, how could the masked figure be you?”
Anakin was silent for a moment.
“Maybe it was a premonition.”
“You’ve never had many prophetic dreams.”
‘Thank the Force’ Obi-Wan had a gift for dreams and visions of the future; he would not wish for Anakin to be burdened with some of the things he had seen.
“I dreamt my Mother died.” Anakin said in a small voice.
“But your Mother…” Obi-Wan fell silent as some of Anakin's strange behaviour over the last few weeks suddenly made sense.
‘Why else would Anakin go to Tatooine, you idiot! He wouldn’t risk Padmé unless it was important. Like something concerning his Mother…’
“Oh Anakin…Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was just before Geonosis…Then you were injured and, after that,you were busy in the meetings with the Council.”
“Anakin…” ‘Am I really such an inattentive, aloof Master that my Padawan will not come to me when he’s grieving?’
He put his free hand on Anakin’s other shoulder, turning the sandy-haired man to face him, “I am your Master and I’d like to think I was your friend. You can always come to me, no matter how busy I may appear to be! I always have time for you, Anakin! Do you understand!”
Well, that came out a bit stronger than he had attended.
Anakin regarded him, wide-eyed, for a moment before nodding. Obi-Wan pulled him closer, embracing him. He tensed for a moment, before burying his face in the front of Obi-Wan’s tunic.
“Its years since you’ve let me hug you.” Obi-Wan remarked after a short, comfortable silence.
‘I won’t be able to hug him for much longer’ He felt a sudden stab of fear, which he immediately released into the Force.
But fear of what?
‘Of losing him’
To what? Knighthood? Death? The Dark Side?
“Its years since you’ve tried to hug me.” Anakin pointed out, his voice muffled.
Obi-Wan realised that Anakin was not exaggerating.
“I’m a terrible Master.” he murmured.
“Nah” Anakin sat back against the headboard of his bed, “You’re just a bit…emotionally challenged.”
Obi-Wan stared at him, “’Emotionally challenged’?”
“Yeah…We didn’t exactly get off to the best start, did we? And then Master Qui-Gon died…You didn’t smile like I remember you smiling when he was alive for months.”
Anakin grinned, “ Then when you did smile properly, you were smiling because I accidentally fell over Master Yoda when I was rushing around the Temple; trying to get to Saber practice.”
“Well, it was rather funny, Padawan; you have to admit.”
“’Funny’! I was laughed at for weeks by the other Padawans!”
Anakin looked thoughtful, “And then they just stopped…That was you, wasn’t it? You reported them to their Masters?”
Obi-Wan had never told Anakin that it was him. He suspected Yoda.
'Meddling old goblin' he thought fondly.
“Yes.” he admitted.
Anakin smiled at him, “See? You’re not such an awful Master, after all.”
“I suppose not.”
They fell silent again.
“I have a confession to make, Master.” Anakin was looking very tense again.
“Oh? You haven’t been going clubbing again have you? Because-…” Anakin was not looking remotely amused at Obi-Wan’s light-hearted accusation.
“What is it, Anakin?”
“I killed the Tusken Raiders who killed my Mom.”
Obi-Wan's eyes widened fractionally before henodded in understanding, “You were right to do so.”
“No, you don’t understand!” Anakin’s eyes flashed in the darkness, “I killed all of them! Every last one! The men, the women, the children, the pets and I was glad they were dead!”
Obi-Wan felt his insides turn to ice, ‘No…please don’t let me have already lost him’
“And how…how do you feel now?”
“I feel…-” Anakin looked momentarily confused, “-sorry.”
“Then you are still a Jedi.”
“But I killed-“
“Anakin, listen to me. You were dangerously close to the Dark Side. But you felt remorse. Therefore,you can still learn to control this” Anakin still looked doubtful.
His Master sighed, “All Jedi walk that line at some time. When my Master died I wanted to kill that horned bastard and grind his bones into little, tiny pieces.”
“…You think you can help me?”
Obi-Wan nodded, “With your cooperation.”
“I’ll try.”
“Ah, young Padawan; there is no try.”
Anakin groaned, “Your sense humour sucks, Obi-Wan. And you have the worst timing.”
“Probably true”
He stood up, “Can you go back to sleep now?”
Anakin shifted nervously, “Would you…would you stay, Master?”
Obi-Wan froze. Stay? Feeling as he did-
‘Let’s not think about that. You’re his Master for Force’s sake! He’s upset!’
“Of course, Anakin.” He pulled off his robe, which he had pulled on over his sleep tunic and slung it over the back of the chair by Anakin’s desk. Anakin moved over and Obi-Wan slid in next to him. There was enough room for both of them to be comfortable; Padawan’s beds were larger than a single, but smaller than a double.
Obi-Wan put his arm around Anakin, as he rested his head on his Master’s chest.
“Master?”
“Mmm?”
“Are you going to tell the Council about Padmé?”
Obi-Wan had almost forgotten about that. As soon as they had arrived back at their quarters, Anakin had admitted that he and Padmé had got married. Obi-Wan had not been happy in the slightest, giving him the ‘you’ll be expelled from the Jedi Order’ lecture more times than even he cared toremember.
“No, I’m not.”
He sighed, “Your paths have been entwined since you met on Tatooine all those years ago. Obviously, the Force brought you together for a reason. Perhaps your marriage is that reason. You do understand it will be hard, being a Jedi and a husband?”
“Yes, Master. But there are Jedi that are bonded, aren’t there?”
“Yes, but in that case, both parties are Jedi. And they have to have the Council’s permission. It is hard to attain that permission.”
“Oh.” Anakin glanced up at Obi-Wan, “Thank you Master.”
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, “For what?
“Everything.”
Obi-Wan laughed, “I doubt I’m accountable for everything.”
“Well, thanks for being my Master, then.”
“Thank you for being my Padawan, Padawan.”
He smiled and then touched Anakin’s braid to his lips, “Now go to sleep.”
“Yes Master.” came the murmured reply as Anakin yet again buried his face into Obi-Wan’s tunic.

Anakin slowly opened his eyes, instantly aware that Obi-Wan wasn’t next to him. Since they had arrived on the planet – known as Redran 6- almost a month ago, they had shared a bed, with Anakin resting his head on his Master’s chest every night. After about a week, Obi-Wan began putting his arm around Anakin’s waist. He welcomed the development.
“Master?” he asked sleepily, peering around the room.
Obi-Wan was sat on the edge of the opposite side of the bed, his back facing Anakin.
“Master? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Padawan. Go back to sleep.”
From the tense way Obi-Wan was holding himself,it wasclearlynot ‘nothing.’
Anakin sighed and sat up, wrapping the sheets around his waist and moving closer to Obi-Wan.
“What’s wrong?” he asked again, quieter.
“Why do you sure my bed, Anakin? Why do you have sex with me? You have a wife! I’m fifteen years your senior! As you said before, I’m ‘emotionally challenged’! Why! Is this way to hurt me!”
Anakin stared at his Master’s back, taken aback by the outburst.
“I would never…Why would I hurt you?” He was thoroughly confused. What had brought this on?
When no reply was forth coming, Anakin lightly traced Obi-Wan’s spine with his finger, “Obi-Wan?”
“Just answer me, Anakin”
“Because-…”
‘Because what?’
Why did he come back to Obi-Wan every night? What made him want him? Obi-Wan was right; he did have a wife, his dearest Padmé whom he loved very much-
Love?
Was that what this was?
Sure, he felt more comfortable with Obi-Wan than anyone else in the galaxy; more comfortable than he had felt with his Mom or even with Padmé. And yes, he thought Obi-Wan’s laugh was a glorious sound. He appreciated his exceedingly dry and cuttingly sarcastic sense of humour, where as most people didn’t. Obi-Wan did have amazing eyes, as well; blue-green, changeable with his emotions…The rest of him was pretty damn attractive, too. He knew how he liked his tea, what his favourite foods were, what his favourite HoloVids were-
‘Oh Force’ He did love Obi-Wan! And not just in the way a Padawan loves his Master, unless all Padawans wanted to grab their Masters and thoroughly ravish them.
He couldn’t tell Obi-Wan that, though. It was highly probable he didn’t feel the same. To Obi-Wan, this might just be a quick fuck.
“Because…you’re my Master. Always have been; always will be.” There; that got across what he wanted to say, but didn’t make him seem like a fool if Obi-Wan didn’t feel the same.
If possible, Obi-Wan tensed further. He harshly shrugged off Anakin’s touch, “I’ll never be half the Master Qui-Gon could have been.”
That was what this was all about? How many times had they had this argument?
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Anakin sneered, “I thought this conversation was about you and me. But everything has to come back to the great, fucking Qui-Gon Jinn! You’re more interested in worshipping his memory than focusing on the people who love you now!” There was that ‘love’ word. How that’d slipped out, he didn’t know.
“You wouldn’t know love if it slapped you in the face!” Obi-Wan said harshly, rounding on him.
It was as if he had slapped Anakin in the face.
“Bastard” he murmured, getting off the bed and going into the ‘fresher, slamming the door behind him.
“I’m going for a walk” Obi-Wan said gruffly, standing up. He pulled his robe on and left the room, forcing himself to shut the door softly and not stoop to the level of Anakin’s frankly– in his opinion- childishdisplay.
The younger man was left alone, confused, staring at his bloodshot eyes in the mirror.

“Obi-Wan?”
The Jedi Master looked up. After fifteen minutes with no sign of the Council meeting ending, he had sat down on one of the rather uncomfortable chairs in the antechamber. Mace came towards him, looking apologetic, “Sorry it took so long. We were discussing who to send to lead the fifth Clone army on the Outer Rim.”
Obi-Wan stood, raising an eyebrow, “By ‘discussing’ you mean arguing, I suppose?”
Mace smiled, “Of course. Walk with me.”
Obi-Wan nodded in acquiescence and Mace led him out of the Council room. They passed other Masters and Knight on the way, nodding politely in agreement.
After a few minutes of walking in comfortable silence, Obi-Wan glanced at Mace, “I presume there was a reason you wished to talk to me?”
“Yes.” Mace stopped, looking out of a large window at the twilight Coruscant cityscape beyond, “It’s about your apprentice.”
Only years of training in diplomacy stopped Obi-Wan’s eyes from widening at those words.
‘Perhaps Anakin was right. Perhaps he knows…But how?’ And what if he did know? It wasn’t as if he had forced Anakin. Still, he would’ve been expected to inform the Council of the direction their relationship was taking.
He and Anakin had decided their relationship was just a ‘casual’ thing and saw no need to declare it. Obi-Wan wondered if their relationship really was‘casual.’ After all, they’d been sharing a bed almost every night for over two months now. Plus, there was no doubt they cared about each other.
‘Force…This is getting far too complicated’
He realised Mace was looking at him. ‘Expecting an answer. You’ve been staring a the wall for the last thirty seconds.’
“What about Anakin?”
He must’ve sounded defensive because Mace’s next words were, “He’s done nothing wrong, Obi-Wan”
He sighed, “In fact, I wish to apologise”
“Apologise."Obi-Wan repeated, "What for?”
“Since Geonosis, your Padawan has shown more maturity…More confidence and less arrogance. It is obvious that his duel with Dooku and the ensuingconsequenceshave put things into perspective for him.”
“I agree.” Obi-Wan was quick to say, “I’m glad that someone else has recognised it. I believe Anakin felt that the Council was rather…harsh on him.”
“Regrettably; he's’s right. Your apprentice may well be the Chosen One, Obi-Wan. We cannot afford to be soft on him.”
The dark-skinned Master looked over his shoulder at Obi-Wan, “Your relationship with Anakin appears to have strengthened. I must admit that before then, your relationship seemed strained at times.”
Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair, “Anakin and I had unresolved issues.”
“I trust they are resolved now?”
“Yes.” ‘We’ve created more’ Obi-Wan thought wryly.
Mace was quiet for a moment. He turned to face Obi-Wan, “The Council has decided to Knight your apprentice. We just need your approval.”
Obi-Wan opened his mouth but no words came out.
Anakin was to be knighted.
That meant it was likely they would both be sent off to war. Their relationship, however casual or not, would not be able to continue.
‘You’re being selfish’ he chided himself, ‘You can’t keep him forever. Hell, he isn’t even yours to keep!’ He swallowed; he was a Jedi and more importantly Anakin’s Master first and his...-what was he exactly?-...lover second.
“I give it.” Obi-Wan frowned as something occurred to him, “He’s not going to have his Trials?”
“No. Many of us on the Council believed that Geonosis was trial enough. And, he is a talented Padawan; exceptionally so.” They stood in silence for a moment, watching the traffic stream past the window.
“You’re sending me to command one of the armies, aren’t you?” Obi-Wan, sensing a small degree of discomfort from the other man.
Mace nodded, “You’re one of the best warriors be have. Not to mention an excellent diplomat and a natural leader. And…”
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, “There’s more?”
“We’d like to offer you a seat on the Council.”
“Oh.” He hadn’t been expecting that. At least not for another decade or so. Sure, he wasn’t the youngest Master, but he was younger than most. Like Qui-Gon, he was notorious for being slightly rebellious and going against the Council’s rule where he saw fit.
“Do you accept?” He was expected to answer right then?
“I…Yes. Thank you; I accept.”
Mace beamed at him, shaking his hand, “Welcome to the Council, my friend. I hope you enjoy paperwork.”