Remember What We Were

Fifteen

"Pooja look!"

"Ewwww, Anakin's naked again!"

"Lower your voices will you?"

Anakin dove for his trousers on the nightstand. But as he reached over his bed with his left hand- leaving his prothstetic arm to hold his weight- the robotic arm gave out and he tumbled onto the floor. He let out a yelp of pain as Pooja and Ryoo watched is concern.

"Oh no!"

"Anakin got all broken!"

"His boo boo came back!"

"Auntie Padme, come quick!"

Anakin's eyes bulged as he lay in a crumbled heap on the floor. "No, Ryoo! Don't get Padme!" he begged. Ryoo paid no attention. She called again and then Padme was in the doorway.

"Girls what's- Anakin!" Padme immediately turned her head around. Anakin, now standing, realized he had only his boxers on. He felt his ears burn from complete embarrassment as he snatched up his trousers. "I'm really sorry about- I didn't think they would- can I have a minute?" he stuttered. With her face toward the hallway, Padme desperately tried to sustain laughter. "No no, I'm sorry. I'll be in the kitchen..." she said quickly. Anakin watched her leave and then turned to Pooja and Ryoo who were staring up at him with bright, innocent smiles.

"What are you two looking at?" he asked as he hastily pulled on his trousers.

******************************************

After getting dressed, Anakin entered the kitchen. He looked down at his metal arm in frustration. Blasted scrap of metal he concluded, looking at the hand, now ruined from falling off the bed. The wrist joint had suffered the most damage. Its socket hung askew and the wires dangled helplessly. It would take hours to fix!

Padme was at the counter. She jumped at his presence, then turned her attention to the shuura fruit she was slicing. "I'm sorry about Pooja and Ryoo," she said softly. His face still warm, Anakin continued toward her. "I guess it's my fault for leaving the door open," he said with a chuckle. Now leaning on the counter, Anakin watched Padme cut the fruit in front of her. She did it so gracefully... Then again, she did everything gracefully.

"Anakin, your hand!" she gasped suddenly. Anakin blinked and then looked down shamefully at his prothstetic mess of a hand. "Oh. It's just a little bent up," he assured her. He hated the hand more and more every second. Padme studied the hand intently; her brown eyes reflecting the silvery surface of the arm. Anakin stood frozen as she hesitantly touched the prothstetic.

Her hand was warm. Even when damaged, the nerve sensors picked up Padme's body heat as good as his real hand would have. Bringing the hand closer to her, Padme held it gingerly in her palms. Anakin took a deep breath as his heart beat accelerated.

And then she flinched. Or maybe it wasn't a flinch- it was more like a quiver. But the nerve endings picked it up and Anakin began to pull away. His stomach knotted as he imagined how repulsive the hand must have been.

"Sorry! I know it doesn't feel right. I just-"

Padme's eyes softened as she stared at him. Her hands remained over his right hand. "No. Don't," she insisted, pulling his arm back toward her.

"But doesn't it feel... wrong?"

"No. It felt... Right..."

Anakin furrowed his eyebrows. How wasn't Padme sickened by the contraption hooked to his arm? How was she seeing past it? She took a step closer, her hands still clasped around the mutilated metal wrist. Now he didn't need the nerve sensors to feel her body heat raidiating inches from his own skin. He took in a short breath.

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

Palo. Anakin jerked around to see the young man standing in the doorway, glaring harshly. "Good morning Palo," Padme said calmly. Anakin felt a burst of pride when he relaized that Padme still had her hands folded over his. When she didn't let go, he took the opportunity to vex Palo even more.

"Sleep well, Palo?" Anakin asked merrily as a smile crossed his features. Palo stood stiffly. "Just fine. Thank you," he replied through a bitter voice. Anakin looked back at Padme who he could sense was growing more uncomfortable by the second. She finally let go of his hand and returned to cutting the fruit. "I was just preparing some shuura to make a tea," she said carefully. Anakin smirked at Palo.

"Did you hear that Palo? Shuura tea: Your favorite."

******************************************

As the morning drug on, the downpour outside did as well. To Anakin's pleasure, the thunder had subsided, though the constant beating of heavy rain wasn't much better.

Anakin looked down at his prothstetic hand which he had managed to repair just in time for breakfast.

"Did you enjoy the art gallery?" Jobal asked Padme when everyone sat down to eat. Padme smiled softly as she sipped her shuura tea. "It was very interesting..." she answered vaguely. Ruwee smiled warmly at his daughter. "Palo's work is quite something. He's very talented." Palo flashed a grin at the complement. "Thank you, Ruwee. I would like to think my paintings came close to the beauty of the woman that inspires me to paint them in the first place; Padme!" he said with lavish expression. Jobal held her hand to her heart. "Such a charming young man."

Sola cleared her throat loudly. "Anakin, what did you think of the gallery?" she asked with emphasise. The attention turned to Anakin, who was surprised at the sudden spotlight. "Well, I don't know much about painting..." Palo smiled in relief. "Of course you don't-"

"But..." Anakin started again, not wanting to miss a chance at upstaging Palo. "I think Palo is a remarkable artist. However, I'd have to say that his work doesn't do his inspiration justice," he added, glancing at Padme. Palo set aside his fork. "And what is that supposed to mean?" he inquired.

Anakin took a breath. "Padme shouldn't be idolized for how she looks. While she is beautiful, I don't think it's fair. I'm sure what Palo means to say that her personality can account for his inspiration just as much as her beauty. Don't you think Palo?" he asked, eying the artist.

Palo twitched. "Of course. I merely meant that-"

"Auntie Padme is turning all pink!"

The whole table turned their attention to Pooja who had a tiny index finger pointed at Padme who was indeed turning pink. "Will you all excuse me?" she asked as she stood up and dashed out of the room.

Ruwee smiled awkwardly at the now silent breakfast table. Ryoo and Pooja were the only two eating away. Anakin felt his stomach flip. His desire to one-up Palo had made things worse, it seemed. He had ruined another chance with Padme and only further annoyed Palo. No one was winning at the moment. After a minute, Sola finally broke the deadly silence.

"Would anyone like more tea?"