Far Away

Trust

Anakin watched his wife in awe as she hummed, pinning up her hair while looking in the mirror. She hadn't realized he was there until she turned around.

"Anakin! How dare you sneak up on me like that!"

"I'm sorry." He leaned against the doorway. "I can't help it."

"And what do you mean by that?" She walked over to him and twirled a strand of his hair in her fingers.

"I have to take the time to admire you. You're the greatest, most beautiful woman I have ever known, and you always will be."

"Really?" Padmé asked, grinning. She laced her fingers around Anakin's and looked up at him.

Anakin laughed and gave her a quick kiss. "Yes, really. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

"I figured." Padmé stepped away from him back into the bathroom. "Sadly, General, I have to finish getting ready for work. Big vote today, and it's on me to decide whether or not the Republic should support the citizens of Shili with food and other supplies."

"Would you vote 'yes' if I said I would?"

"Depends. If it was for Shili, then yes."

"That's what I meant."

"Hmm. Really." Padmé stepped closer to Anakin again and looked up at him, smiling a small smile. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Anakin's, but quickly pulled back to the sound of something falling in their bedroom. "What was that?"

"What?"

"You didn't just hear that noise?"

"What noise?"

"Something just fell in the bedroom!"

"No, nothing fell."

"But-"

Anakin looked into Padmé's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"General Skywalker, I think there's someone here," she said, returning to her senator-tone of voice.

"Padmé, no one's here." Anakin walked back into the bedroom and spread his arms out, showing her no one else was in their apartment.

She tremulously tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and stepped into the bedroom. Anakin came up behind her and gently put his hand on her hip, but she pulled away quickly. She looked at him, breathing fast. "Stop scaring me!"

"I wasn't! What's wrong?"

She relaxed and collapsed in his arms. "I don't know." She kissed his shoulder. "Anakin, I'm scared. I'm...worried."

"You seem jumpy. There's no reason to be scared, okay?"

"There is. Lately, I've been so scared about someone finding out about us. What if..."

"No 'what ifs,' Padmé. Live in the along. No one knows about us, and we're a happy, married couple. I'm telling you, it's okay."

Padmé set her head on his chest and sighed. "I just wish we were...that we were allowed to love each other. Then we wouldn't have to keep this a secret anymore. We wouldn't have to hide anything. We could be with each other anywhere, or kiss each other, or hold hand in hand, or-"

"Or just be husband and wife anywhere."

Padmé smiled a little and sat beside him on their unmade bed. "Ani, you're always my precious husband."

Anakin lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "You're always my beautiful wife." He held her face in his hands. "I'm just saying. If we could look like we are married."

"You know, it's not so bad being married in secret once you realize you are able to even be married."

Anakin nodded. "You're right. We can actually get away with it."

Padmé laughed. "Anakin, you make me feel like such a rebel."

He smiled and kissed her slowly. She reached behind her, but Anakin pushed her hand down gently and continued to kiss her.

Padmé cried out, which made Anakin pull back quickly. She started to laugh soon after.

"Anakin, your hand was pinching my back!"

He smiled. "Good, I thought it was something worse. Sorry."

"It's okay."

"Wait, where's my-"

Padmé held his glove that went over his artificial hand and waved it around. "Right here."

"Oh." He took it and slipped it over Padmé's delicate hand. "Looks good on you," he joked.

Padmé laughed. "I don't think so."

"Sure it does! See?" He fastened all of the buckles and straps.

"It's a piece of you with me, I guess. That's why I like it."

"Speaking of, where's that old necklace I made you? I want to see it again."

"It's still beautiful." Padmé lifted the charm off of her chest and showed it to Anakin.

He held it and laughed. "I remember when I made this." He let go and collapsed on the bed, spreading out over it. "Ah, this is what I want to be doing everyday."

"Me too. I always think that when I'm sitting at my desk."

"Then we would be...fat."

"Yeah, right. You wouldn't be, but I would."

Anakin shook his head. "Other way around."

Padmé rolled her eyes, laughing. "You're ridiculous."

"You're adorable."

"You're handsome."

"You're beautiful."

Padmé smiled and collapsed on top of Anakin. "I. Love. You."

"Hey, you know what's weird? I love you too." Anakin shook his head. "Such a coincidence."

"I know."

They laughed and kissed each other. And continued to be lazy instead of do what they really should've been doing.