A Cold Start - Anakin x Reader

a matter of interpretation

I had been training with Anakin for a whole week now. Since the strange moment between us in the first session (that Obiwan bumped into), something had changed though. So much so that none of us had dared to look the other in the eyes since. What was more, we both kept our verbal communication to an absolute minimum now and only exchanged the very few words that had to be spoken.

But I wasn't complaining about that. In fact, it helped me more than it did any bad, because not talking also meant no harsh orders, no foul jokes, no harassment, no arrogance- no distraction. So without any of that, we were simply going through with the exercises that had to be done and focused on solely that -and nothing else.
I could proudly say that the condition of my body had significantly improved and my strength was fully restored by now, all thanks to the daily training that had never been more effective.

Obiwan stopped by every day to check on us and our progress. He had been very pleased with us, especially in the last two days.

"I'm very impressed to say the least. With both of you. You have recovered exceptionally fast!", he had complimented us while Anakin and I were standing there awkwardly and in silence. Although it was just Obiwan who was talking to us, I couldn't reply to him as freely as I usually would. At least not with Anakin present, and it seemed that he felt the same way with me being there. So when Obiwan then looked at me, expecting some sort of reaction, I just nodded and forced myself to smile at him.

"I have to say, it is very strange to see you both so quiet and even more strange not to see you bickering. But I like it for a change, keep it up!", Obiwan had said before leaving us to it.

--

Right now I was lying in my bed, replaying all the training sessions in my head that had filled the most part of our days over the past week. Every now and then, like many nights before, my mind drifted off to the forbidden: to the very first training session that ended with me trapped between Anakin and the window; that ended with his face dangerously close to mine and a whispered remark by him that offered multiple ways of interpretation.

"And where's the fun in never breaking the rules?", he had said.

Breaking what rules? Just the rule of not using the force for that part of the session..?
Or breaking the rules of... the jedi code?
I quickly shook my head and opened my eyes to cut off that hideous thought. What was I thinking? This was so wrong in so many ways and I was seriously disgusted by myself.

And still, no matter how often I tried, I couldn't help but wonder what that one moment between Anakin and me that day could have developed into, hadn't it been for Obiwan who interfered.
Or wouldn't there have been any particular developments and I was just imagining things?

Yes. Maybe. But maybe not. After all, the... potential of that moment- or at least its intensity- must have had a similar effect on Anakin and must have given him similar ideas. Otherwise, he wouldn't avoid looking me in the eyes or stop being a jerk toward me like he normally would be.

All these crazy thoughts kept me awake and it didn't help to know that the person all these thoughts were revolving around was lying in his bed just meters away, behind the wall that was separating our rooms.
It must have been way past 3 am when I finally drifted off to sleep.

--

The next morning, as I was just about to make my way to the training room that was reserved for us, I received the message that the council wanted to see Anakin and me. So I turned in my heels and instead headed for one of the highest floors of the temple where the jedi council chamber was located.

Slightly out of breath, I entered the circular room. Master Yoda was there, master Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi and of course Obiwan. They were all sitting in their seats. Master Plo Koon attended the meeting holographically. The rest of the council was absent.
But someone else was missing still- Anakin.