a/n: i was waiting in a (very long) line. naturally, mother nature decided to gift me with ✨rain✨n my phone got wet 😃
so let's begin :)
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Anakin Skywalker stepped quietly into his and Ahsoka's shared quarters. It was late, nearly midnight. The only thing he wanted was nothing more than to be in the comfort of his bed for a good seven hours.
Before that, though, he needed to make sure that his apprentice was asleep. She needed her rest. Ahsoka was still young, still oh-so-innocent. She was so easily scarred by the cruel, hideous scenes of the battlefield.
Anakin gently slipped the door open, attempting to sense whether or not she was resting, to no avail. It was often difficult to find out since the girl shut him out before she went to bed every night.
Normally, it would take him a few minutes to make sure everything was alright, but today, it was no longer the case. He didn't even need the Force to realize that something was wrong. Harsh, uneven breathing echoed around the room walls, accompanied by quiet sobs.
"Snips," The Knight breathed as he took a knee beside her, "what's wrong?"
Ahsoka did not respond immediately.
"I- I can't enough peace to sleep soundly at night," she finally admitted, sniffling. "All those ghastly deaths during the war... they haunt me. How are you okay with such loyal troopers — brothers — dying for you, day by day, one by one?"
Anakin had always known his Padawan was close to many of the clones. He wholeheartedly agreed with her point of view. The truth was, he wasn't okay with it either. Not at all.
"Can I have a seat?"
The young Togruta obliged, rolling over to give her Master some space. She felt the bed dip. "Look," Anakin sighed, taking both of her hands in his, "I'm not okay with this either, and I completely agree with you. I felt the same way as you did when I first started fighting for the Republic. I couldn't sleep. It worried me; this simply wasn't human. In fact, it still worries me. Nobody likes this any more than you do. You are not alone."
It was barely audible, but Skywalker heard a minuscule sigh of relief escape the exhausted girl's lips. "That's good to know," Ahsoka answered, reveling in the delightful sensation of warmth, safety, and protection Anakin always radiated. "But can you promise me one thing, Master?" She inquired, still troubled.
"Of course."
"Promise me," the Padawan whispered, "that you will fight for those clones. You will fight alongside them, and defend them to the best of your ability."
"Don't worry," he reassured her soothingly, "I promise." Patting his Padawan's head affectionately, he stroked her lekku gently. "Go to sleep, Snips. Mi b'dhem ye, 'Soka." Anakin knew how much a simple phrase in Togruti meant to her. He knew how much she valued these promises.
Ahsoka yawned, her soft intake of breath letting him know she'd used up all her energy. "Mi b'dhem ye, Anakin," she replied softly. As he made to get up, however, he felt a weight suddenly resting on his thigh.
"You're more comfortable than my pillow," she muttered drowsily, already beginning to slip in and out of consciousness. The young girl was nearly asleep; never in a million years would Anakin ever sacrifice his sister's already limited serenity. There wasn't much of it as a civil war raged on, and he'd vowed to make sure she was alright. He made sure that she would stay alive.
Skywalker smiled down at her fondly. He let Ahsoka shift into a comfortable position on his lap, then wasted no time in drawing the blanket snugly over her body. He remembered a specific tactic his mother often used to help him calm down during his Tatooine years. People craved physical contact. That, he knew for sure. Humming a calming song aided the process tenfold. It acted as reassurance to the one in need, being there as a grounding device.
The lyrics of the first song that came into mind began to drift from his mouth.
"If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea, I'll sail the world to find you."
Ahsoka edged closer to Anakin instinctively, wrapping her arms around him.
"If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see, I'll be the light to guide you. We'll find out what we're made of, when we are called to help our friends in need."
He hugged back."You can count on me like one, two, three, I'll be there. And I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, two, and you'll be there, 'cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeah."
Anakin could've sworn he heard her softly harmonize the next line. "Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah."
The harmony slowly faded away, and Ahsoka moved no more. She was sound asleep.
"If you're tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep, I'll sing a song, beside you. And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me, every day I will remind you, oh. We'll find out what we're made of, when we are called to help our friends in need..."
It wasn't long before Anakin himself found his eyelids turning heavy, sleep finally taking him as well.
***
A/N: hey y'all, i finally updated! so sorry for the long wait, life has been very hectic. also, was this chapter fluffy and well-written enough?? i feel like it's not that great for some reason, or am i just judging myself again?
- Jazzy