Ahsoka Tano One-Shots

I Fell Down The Stairs

"I was at Obi-Wan's," Anakin told her, ordering his words carefully. "We... talked."

Ahsoka gulped. "About....?"

Anakin stepped closer. Ahsoka shuffled back. He stepped forward again, reaching out before his padawan could back away again. Gently, Anakin maneuvered her around until he could see the side of her head she'd been hiding, and his stomach twisted with nausea and hot fury.

Her lek was positively shredded, the wounds mottled with splotchy bruises and drenched in red. Anakin let his hand slide down her arm, hoping to squeeze her hands. But when he got to her wrist, she flinched so violently that he lost his grip.

Anakin's eyes darted down and his gut of knots tightened. One of her knuckles was twice the size it should be, the adjacent finger hanging at an odd angle. Bruises traced up to her wrist.

Anakin's mechanical hand tightened enough to lock. "Who did this to you?"

"Nobody," Ahsoka whispered, voice shaking. "I fell down the—"

"Tell me who did it," Anakin growled. "I know you didn't fall down the stairs."

Ahsoka flinched away. "I can't...."

"Ahsoka, I swear—-"

"No! You'll make it worse, you'll go down there and make a big show and everyone will see it and—"

"I'm trying to help you! Tell me who it was!"

"Or," came an accented voice, and Obi-Wan stepped around the corner, "you could tell me what the issue is, and I could have a conversation with some of your instructors, and Anakin could take you to the Halls of Healing."

Ahsoka hesitated, but Obi-Wan bent down and offered his ear. She steadied herself with a breath before whispering something Anakin couldn't hear, and Obi-Wan nodded.

"Take her to the Halls, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, giving Ahsoka's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'll take care of everything, my dear."

///

Anakin couldn't tell if it was bruising or embarrassment that had the blue of Ahsoka's montrals several shades darker than usual. The healer had stepped out of the room to find more supplies that would better cater to the sensitive Togruta headgear.

"Obi-Wan will take care of it," Anakin said for what must have been the millionth time. "He'll—"

"Do what?!" Ahsoka finally snapped. "Give me a chaperone to walk me to every class? Lock me up in my cabin until I go stir crazy?!" She reached up and tugged at the temporary bandages.

Anakin shook his head and tried to fight off the guilt pouring through him. "You're strong, Ahsoka. Very strong."

"Not strong enough," she muttered.

"You're not giving yourself credit," Anakin argued, pulling her wrist away before she completely ruined the thin bandages. "You could beat all those kids up."

"But–"

"You're fighting in a kriffing war, Ahsoka, you can take on a few younglings! And don't tell me they're bigger than you, that doesn't matter."

She chuckled, a deserpate, dry rattle. "The moment I hit back, they'll get me in huge trouble."

"No, they won't."

She gave him an exhausted look.

"They won't because I'm giving you permission to punch them until they're black and blue and red, got it? If any of your instructors get after you, just tell them to take it up with me. Trust me, they will, especially if it's Windu."

Ahsoka stared down at her little finger cast. "Really?"

"I promise," Anakin said, taking her uninjured hand and giving it a squeeze. "Punch those little gits as hard as you can."

///

Obi-Wan didn't completely agree with the whole punching situation, but he didn't object to it either. He simply assured Ahsoka that he'd spoken with all her instructors and that she wouldn't be blamed for defending herself. Something mischievous glinted in his eyes as he said it, and Anakin didn't hide his smirk.

Anakin waited on the edge of his seat all day while Ahsoka attended her daily lessons. He kept his comm on him, in case one of the instructors called him. But no calls came and the time crawled by.

When the door finally swished open, Anakin sprang to his feet. Ahsoka lingered in the doorway for a minute, hands tucked behind her back as Anakin looked her up and down. He saw no bruises, no burns, and no blood. But she still kept her hands hidden.

"Show me." Anakin stuck out his hand, and Ahsoka bearly hesitated before plopping her fingers into his palm. She looked nearly smug.

Her knuckles were a bit swollen and stained with faint bruises, but it was nothing a basic med kit couldn't fix. And Anakin knew exactly where these bruises came from.

Ahsoka grinned at him, effectively re-splitting a scabbed cut in her lip. "I beat them all up. You should've seen them run!"

"I bet it was rich."

"It was."

Ahsoka never "fell down the stairs" again.

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Words: 1,891

Published: 3/14/24

Speedy little disclaimer, please don't punch people, it will likely not solve your life problems :)

Requests are still not open (this also includes asking for second parts to anything from now on, unless I specifically say otherwise) but hopefully that'll change soon.

Hasta luego, peoples!