Author's Note: Enjoy the romance and fluff while it lasts. ;)
~ Amina Gila
It's strange, being here in the center of the Republic like this and going to the Senate of the organization he so long opposed. It's late in the day by the time Lux finally finishes up with his Senate work for the day – honestly, it's earlier than usual – and heads out into the waiting room outside of his office.
"Got any time right now?"
The familiar voice yanks him out of his thoughts, and he spins to see Ahsoka standing there.
"Ahsoka!" Lux exclaims. He hasn't seen her since back on Onderon. It's been a while since then. "I'm glad you were able to come."
"I'm glad you finally came out of that office," she snips, grinning at him, "I was here to see Padme, so I figured I'd drop by to see if you were available."
"You can feel free to call me any time," Lux replies with a smile.
"So, what do you think of Coruscant?"
"It wasn't what I expected," he admits, "It's... a lot busier than Raxus."
"Raxus is newly a capital, and much smaller," she offers, "I can imagine being here takes some getting used to if you haven't lived here your whole life."
Right. Like Ahsoka did. "I can't imagine what that would be like," Lux grimaces. Onderon had many trees and wildlife, and that's what he's well accustomed to. Coruscant is the exact opposite in every way.
"It's not so bad," Ahsoka chirps. They move over to the window, standing side by side as Lux watches the passing traffic for a few moments. "How the Republic Senate compared to the Separatist one?"
"There's... way more people, so it does take a lot longer to get anything done," he admits. Now that he's joined the Republic, he can see all over again the corruption that his mother wanted to avoid. He can see why she wanted to start over. But with Dooku leading the Separatists, they're far more corrupt than the Republic, and staying neutral isn't going to work. "The Republic has a lot of problems, and I can see that a lot more clearly now," he admits, "But I think it can be fixed." At least he can hope so.
"Yeah," Ahsoka agrees, "I've never understood much about Senate stuff, though, so that's probably something you want to talk to Padme about."
Lux chuckles. "Yeah. It's good being able to see her again, too."
"How well did you two used to know each other?" she inquires curiously.
"My mother was like her mentor. I suppose she could've been a lot like an older sister if I'd actually known her for long enough."
"Oh," Ahsoka replies, "Master Anakin brings me here to see Padme all the time, so we're pretty good friends."
"So I figured, from your illegal trip sneaking onto Raxus," he deadpans.
"Yeah, don't mention it."
"How have things been... with the Jedi?"
"The same old," Ahsoka responds, "We're going to be leaving on another mission for Cato Neimoidia soon, and I doubt we'll be back for a while."
Lux reaches over, taking her hand, and she squeezes his in return. "We could still send messages, if you ever have time. Just take care of yourself."
"You too. And don't become like Padme."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Putting her Senate work above anything and everything, including any reasonable sense regarding her own health and safety."
He laughs. "I guess that will depend on if Onderon needs it."
"I've been thinking about... Well, us," Ahsoka says finally, voice dropping as she throws a glance over at the door.
Lux won't deny the eagerness that flares inside of him at her words. He has a sudden feeling about what she's about to say. "And?" he prompts.
"If you want, of course, I think maybe we can... We can never tell anyone, but..."
"If you're certain you want this," Lux replies, moving a little closer to her in spite of it, "Since I thought it wasn't allowed for Jedi?"
"It's not," Ahsoka replies, "But I don't... It doesn't matter. Not if no one will ever know." If that's how she feels, then he's certainly fine with it. It's what he wants, to be something more than just friends, even if the Jedi Code prevents her from having it. He doesn't want to stand in the way of Ahsoka's duties, but if it's what she wants... he won't deny her.
He doesn't hesitate more than a moment to close the distance between them again, kissing her.
***
It's been a long time since Anakin had time to spend alone with Padme, even here at the Senate. "Sometimes... I wish we could just leave together," Anakin murmurs, wrapping his arms around Padme. She rests her head against his chest, slipping her arms around him.
"Sometimes I do too," she murmurs. Hopefully, they aren't about to get interrupted again any time soon, like what almost always seems to happen. "I wish things could be like they were back on Naboo... when there was no war or politics. Just me and you."
"As I recall, the politics of that time were escalating to unimaginable levels at that point?" Anakin teases.
"True, but there were still those moments," Padme replies.
"Yes," Anakin agrees.
As much as Anakin might want to leave, it isn't really an option right now. He's thought a lot about leaving the Order, and it's something he's wanted to do for a long time – especially after the Hardeen incident – but there's too many other things to consider right now, the most major being the fact that he's not going to leave the war and the 501st. The galaxy needs him right now, and he won't leave it, no matter how much he craves to. Besides, he wants to keep helping people, and he won't be able to do that if he's not a Jedi. He knows he'll never find true peace in the Order either, though. "Maybe we can consider it," Anakin suggests, "After Ahsoka is a Knight. I can't leave until she has been Knighted."
He would never leave Ahsoka like that, not for any reason. She's his padawan, his responsibility, and even more than that, his little sister and something of a daughter. No matter how much he cares for Padme, he would never do that to Ahsoka. He would never leave her for someone else to finish training. Well, that is assuming that she wants to stay in the Order in the first place. She's mentioned it numerous times before, and he has to wonder. If he left, would she leave too? Still, it's not a position he wants to put her in. If she wants to leave, it should be by her own choice. He's not going to do something that would press her into making that decision.
And besides all of that, he's not ready to leave Obi-Wan. He can't. He doesn't even know how or where to start living. He knows it's something that he'll need to deal with eventually, but he isn't ready for that. Not yet.
"If you really wanted to, I'm sure Ahsoka would come with you," Padme points out.
"I'm not going to push her into leaving," Anakin replies. "The Order is her life, even if I'm not sure how satisfied she is with it, anymore."
"She's spoken to me about it before," Padme replies, "I know she's not happy with a lot of things anymore." Ever since the Hardeen incident. She doesn't mention that specifically, for which Anakin is silently grateful. It isn't a topic he ever wants to discuss. "Where is Ahsoka?" she asks after a moment.
"She wanted to go see Lux," Anakin replies. Of course she did. Every time she has time when at the Senate she goes there, and Anakin is beginning to think something has happened with them.
He remembers his talk with Ahsoka about it after Onderon. "I just can't help it," Ahsoka told him, "I know I shouldn't, but I can't make it stop. I don't want it to stop." She'd seemed afraid of his disapproval after that, but all he could offer her was that he thought she should wait longer to think about it.
"If you truly want to make this choice, Ahsoka, I won't dissuade you. But you must know what it will mean. Do not rush into this."
"I know, Master," she'd said, and they had left it that.
"She's been with him a lot lately," comments Padme with a knowing smile on her face.
"Yes, she has been," Anakin agrees, "I've been around Lux to see how much he cares about her." He's not really worried about their relationship in that regard. He doesn't think that Lux would ever do anything that might hurt Ahsoka, even if he's obviously going to be cautious.
"Lux is a good person," Padme replies. "He has what she needs, I think."
"He is," Anakin agrees. Speaking of which, he should probably go see what's going on with them. They don't need someone else to be stumbling in on them.
Padme nods. "Good idea. My next appointment will be starting shortly anyway."
As always. "See you later, Angel," Anakin sighs before he slips out of the office, heading for where Lux's office is. Through his bond with Ahsoka, he can sense how she feels almost hyper.
Anakin steps into the room to see Lux and Ahsoka standing next to each other. He has an arm around her, and she's hugging him back, head resting on his shoulder.
Both of them jump sky high at the sudden intrusion, and Ahsoka practically teleports across the room, montrals blushing furiously. "Hey, Master," she splutters frantically, in a pathetically failed attempt at covering up what he just saw. And really, if she hadn't panicked, and if he didn't know her so well, he could just as well have assumed they were only close friends.
"Master Skywalker?" Lux blurts in greeting, practically squirming.
"Calm down," Anakin advises, trying his best not to laugh. "I have no intention of telling anyone."
"I, um – I know?" Ahsoka splutters, in a frantic attempt to recollect herself.
Doing this means that she's technically breaking the Code, but he can also completely understand it, and that makes things... complicated.
"If you intend to do this, you need to... try being a little less suspicious?" Anakin points out.
"We um... weren't expecting anyone to come in," Lux supplies, still looking decidedly embarrassed.
"That is my point. You need to be a lot more careful than this." He might okay with their relationship, but it's still forbidden for Jedi, and he'd rather not dwell on what could happen if Ahsoka was found out. "And you need to strictly act like nothing more than friends when you're around anyone else."
"I'll keep that in mind," Ahsoka replies, giving him a slight nod. Probably because she really wasn't expecting a speech from him as to how to keep a relationship totally against the Jedi way a secret.
"Now," Anakin says, "We still have some things to take care of here. You can go on ahead. I'll be there shortly." Ahsoka gives him another odd look but slips out of the room without argument.
Lux eyes him, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "You want to talk to me?"
He knows how much Lux cares about Ahsoka, and their relationship doesn't really bother him, but that doesn't mean he isn't going to be on the safe side. "Yes, I do," he agrees, "About Ahsoka."
Lux shifts. "I know it's not allowed for Jedi," he begins hastily, "But she wanted it, and..."
"I don't disapprove of your relationship," Anakin reassures him, because he doesn't. If anything, he's glad. Ahsoka seems much more content then she is in a while, especially since the Hardeen incident. "I've seen how much Ahsoka cares about you," he continues after a moment, "I don't want her to be hurt by it."
"She won't be," Lux promises earnestly, and Anakin can tell that he means it.
Anakin nods, smiling faintly at him. "Good luck with your new Senate position, by the way. If Onderon ever needs assistance again, I'll be happy to help."
"Thank you, Master Skywalker," Lux says.
***
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ahsoka inquires, hurrying to catch up with Padme as the Senator as she walks through the living room into her bedroom on the other side of the apartment.
"No, thank you," Padme replies, "Everything is pretty much ready, but you could check the perimeter again to make sure there aren't any threats."
Padme invited Ahsoka over to her apartment for the afternoon since she was going to be hosting a meeting with a number of different delegates and Senators from multiple systems here at her apartment. Ahsoka remembers far too well one of the last times this happened, when one of the so-called handmaids was actually a bounty hunter in disguise. They don't need something like that happening all over again. So, since she had time anyway, she came over here the first chance she got.
Padme disappears through the doorway into her bedroom, and Ahsoka hovers in the entrance, watching her. Reaching out with the Force, she doesn't sense any disturbances, so she opts to just observe for now. She'll check the security again one last time before any of the delegates and other arrive.
From her position in the doorway, Ahsoka watches as Padme starts going through her clothes, looking for another set to change in to, apparently. Really, how can she even stand having so many different types of clothes to pick from? And why change them in the middle of the day anyway?
As a Jedi, clothes have never been of much importance to her at all. Just like... get dressed and get moving. Seriously. Not that she's going to insult Padme's clothing taste, but just saying.
The Senator continues shuffling through a pile of clothes on the edge of her bed, and then something very familiar catches the Tograuta's eye. A pair of clothes that is much too big to be Padme's... and definitely isn't hers anyway.
Is that seriously one of Anakin's Jedi robes?
What in the world would that be doing in Padme's apartment, not to mention her room?
Was she imagining things? Padme keeps on moving as though it were nothing at all, and it's already covered up in a second so she doesn't even get the chance to have a second look at it.
But if she really saw right, then the only thing that could mean is – But like what? Ahsoka has seen Anakin and Padme interact plenty all of the time, but she's never had any reason to think that they were anything other than very close friends. They are, right? Right???
She frantically thinks through all the times she's seen them interact before. The thought of Anakin feeling like that towards someone, not to mention actually acting on it is just – way too weird to think about for one second longer.
Has she really been that blind towards how Anakin and Padme feel towards each other? To be fair, it's not like Ahsoka ever really thinks about those things. As Jedi, it's simply not important. She never thought about it until recently, especially after meeting Lux. And it's just... She's so confused right now.
Anakin wouldn't break the Code like that, would he?
Or was she imagining that robe in the first place? Is she just imagining all of this? She has no idea, and – and – She can't imagine Anakin doing that. She just can't. But...
"I'll go check out the perimeter again," Ahsoka tells Padme finally before slipping away. Staying there for one more second thinking about this is going to make her head explode. Maybe literally. So instead, she'll just get back to her much more simple Jedi duties that won't require her to rethink over the possible relationship between her master, her brother... and her sort of mother, if that's really the word she should use on Padme.
***
It's going to be the last evening they still have on Coruscant, before they head away again, this time to reinforce the Republic forces already on Cato Neimoidia.
Anakin can just be grateful that he was able to find the time to come over to Padme's apartment for the last time tonight. Who knows when he'll be back. She invited both him and Ahsoka over here for dinner. And he might be able to stay here after that, once Ahsoka leaves for the Temple.
Even as the conversation continues, Ahsoka seems rather distracted, occasionally glancing between him and Padme with a contemplative and almost confused look on her face. Seriously, what is up with that anyway?
Anakin shoots her an odd look, and she returns her focus back to eating for a moments, only to start glancing between him and Padme again a few seconds later. Did she notice something? He and Padme have always done their best to act like nothing more than friends, but... The thought of her knowing doesn't bother him as much as it would have before Lux.
As soon as the meal is over, Anakin pulls Ahsoka aside. They really need to get whatever this is cleared up. "Is something the matter?" he inquires, "You seem... distracted."
"Oh," Ahsoka blurts, and her montrals promptly start flushing, "I was just... uh – like – are you and Padme – um – I mean – !"
He fights the instinctive urge to tense when someone mentions anything about that. He knows Ahsoka wouldn't turn him into the Council if she found out, but that doesn't mean the thought of anyone else knowing makes him comfortable. One wrong slip up and he'd be thrown out of the Order. Everything he ever worked for his entire life would be ripped away and destroyed. Maybe he's considering leaving the Order someday, but that doesn't mean he wants it to happen like that. Especially not in the middle of the war.
"You want to know about me and Padme?" Anakin deduces.
Somehow, that only seems to make Ahsoka's montrals start flushing even more furiously. "I thought I saw your robe – I mean ugh, nevermind," she stutters. Oh. Oh. Well, that explains a few things.
Time to have the most awkward conversation ever with his little sister. This is honestly a conversation he never thought he'd have with anyone ever, at least not until maybe after he left the Order. "Padme and I... we... married at the beginning of the war," he explains sheepishly.
"Married?!" Ahsoka yelps, eyes wide.
"Yes," he agrees, pointedly lowering his voice in reminder. They don't need someone overhearing this conversation. Not even one of the handmaids, though Anakin's pretty sure at least some of them already suspect anyway.
"Oh... I – uh..." He's not surprised she's completely speechless.
"We should go back to the others before they wonder what's taking us so long," Anakin decides finally. He doesn't need to add that she has to make sure not to tell anyone. Especially after things with her and Lux, she already knows as much, and Anakin knows she'll guard his secret as carefully as he is, if not better.
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