afterglow {Anakin x Reader}

21. we'll both get out.

"What kind of tea is that?" She questioned, eying the cup curiously.

"Something herbal. Helps you sleep." I placed the cup in front of her as she continued to inspect it.

"Well why aren't you having any?" She now questioned me.

"Because I don't need it right now." I shrugged, leaning against the counter and crossing my arms.

"Well that's not fair. You can't just drug me. You have to have some too." She argued, the line between her brows coming back as she furrowed them.

I rolled my eyes playfully, smiling. "I'm not drugging you, (y/n). I'm helping you sleep."

"Don't care. Grab a cup." She crossed her arms now.

"(y/n), come on, drink the tea." I tried coaxing her, but she shook her head again.

"Anakin, grab a stupid cup." She demanded, making me sigh before grabbing a stupid cup.

Once I had a cup poured for myself, she smiled and happily took a sip of her own. I scoffed, rolling my eyes and taking my own sip as we both silently ate the cookies and drank the tea.

"So you said we are going to the market tomorrow, does that mean I actually get to come this time?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

"I guess it does. But you have to promise you'll listen and stay close." I side eyed her, watching her roll her eyes but nod anyways.

"I will, I will." She sighed, "We should get some flowers too, they might brighten the place up a bit." We both looked around as she said this.

The house- or mansion more like it, was nice. It was decorated nicely, it had nice fixtures and paints and wallpapers and stuff. But I think she might be right about the flowers, because despite how nice it looked it didn't really feel too homely. It felt a little bit like a museum.

"Okay, but nothing obnoxious. Something simple." I grumbled into my cup.

"You find everything obnoxious though." She laughed.

"No. I find R2 very entertaining." I smiled back sarcastically, watching her smile and roll her eyes.

"You're the only person I know who doesn't enjoy human company. What's with you and droids anyways?"

"I don't know. I've always been good at building them and fixing them, same with ships. I can pretty much fix and fly anything, it all just comes easily to me. It's easier for me to understand than people." I shrugged, watching as she eyed me curiously.

"You said you were from Tatooine, right?"

I know where this is going.

I sighed, "I don't really like talking about it.. But yes. I was a.. slave." I cringed, a sick feeling taking over as I thought about it. I hated thinking about that sand box. Nothing good ever happened there, and the only good thing that was there is dead.

"I'm sorry, Ani. We don't have to talk about it at all, I just want you to know that I am sorry you had to go through all of that. I couldn't imagine what it must have been like." She spoke softly, all of her features softened.

I turned to meet her eyes, seeing the sincerity in them. "I got out." I shrugged.

There isn't really much that can be said about it. No amount of apologies can make up for everything that happened, as much as I wish it could. And even if they did, they apologies I needed would never come from the people who should be giving them.

I heard (y/n) sigh, setting down her empty cup in the sink before washing it. She took mine as well, washing it before putting them away. She tossed the empty biscuit container out, cleaning up our mess.

"Come on." She mumbled, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the stairs.

"What are you doing?" I questioned, not really quite sure on what she was thinking right now.

"You're going to sit with me until I fall asleep." She mumbled as she pulled us into her room, letting go of my hand before she went to the bathroom to get herself ready for bed.

I decided that I should probably do the same so I quickly went over to my room to do so, changing into my usually sweat pants that I wear to bed and brushing my own teeth. When I got back to her room, she was already crawling under the blanket, getting settled. I walked around to the other side of the bed, resting my head up against the head board as she laid there.

"Do you ever feel like even though you got out.. You're still there?" She questioned, nearly whispering.

I looked down at her, thinking. "That's exactly how I feel." I mumbled back, allowing myself to sink further onto the bed so that I could meet her eyes.

We laid down under her covers, facing each other as the light from the moon was the only thin illuminating her face.

"Sometimes I think that even though I was able to get out, and get away from them.. I never really found a way to escape that torturous nightmare." She mumbled, her eyes and face were blank like she was deep in thought.

"Being a Jedi is kind of like it was growing up. Always having limitations, having to follow stupid rules. You step one foot out of line, and you're punished. Always having to do as you're told, no questions asked. It's like I never really stopped being a slave, I just got a new master." Her eyes snapped to mine, a pained expression on her face.

Her eyes scanned my features for a few moments, "Why haven't you left?" She questioned.

"Because I can't." I sighed, "I'm their precious Chosen One. They need me, because some stupid prophecy says that one day I will bring balance to the Force by destroying the Sith. As much as they fear me, and feel a need to control me, they need me."

"They fear you?"

I nodded, "Everyone usually does. Especially Master Windu. He's always had it out for me, he's never liked me. He never wanted me to train. He said I was too old when I first got there, and that I already
had too many attachments. He said I had too much fear. And fear and attachment is what leads a Jedi to the dark side." I remember that day as clearly as I see (y/n) now. I can still feel how awful it felt to be told I wasn't good enough for them.

"But Qui-Gon fought for me, and after he died Obi-Wan did. I trained under him since then. He's the only father I have ever known."

She smiled softly now, "I'm glad you had Obi-Wan. I know he loves you, even if you Jedi aren't allowed to feel those kinds of things." She poked fun, making me smile a bit.

"I know. It's an unspoken secret." I sighed, feeling tired the longer I laid here.

She hummed in response, closing her eyes as she cuddled further into her pillow. I watched as she began falling sleep, her muscles relaxing as her breathing became soft and even. I felt my own eyes start to close. I know I shouldn't fall asleep here, and part of me thinks she got me here on purpose, so that I would fall asleep next to her. But I couldn't bring myself to get up and leave, I wanted to stay in this little bubble as long as I could.

"We'll be alright, Skyguy. We'll both get out."