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"WHERE ARE THE POTATO CHIPS?" Arya yelled from the back of her Master's ship. Whenever her Master and she were flying somewhere for a mission she made sure his ship was fully stocked with their favourite snacks. Anakin and Arya were assigned as personal security for Senator Amidala. Padme had received multiple death threats and from what Arya had heard the newest developments were assassination attempts. Her Master had practically begged to be assigned to this mission because he was a close friend of the Senator when he was growing up. Arya had her suspicions though. From what she recalled from the whole almost outbreak of the blue shadow virus on Naboo, a few months ago Skywalker seemed especially concerned over the Senator.
"I RAN OUT OF THEM," Anakin yelled back. His snooping padawan always craved chips on missions and consequently, he did too. Anakin also may have hidden them under one of the control panels so Arya wouldn't find them. He continued flying the ship, navigating it into hyperspace, before setting it on autopilot to tinker with some of the small spare parts he had in his toolkit.
Arya joined his side shortly after as he walked to the small ledge at the side of his ship. He was fixing something again. She didn't quite know what it was but she knew that she had never seen him be so delicate with anything before. Arya pulled the small bag of chips from behind her robe and placed one in her mouth, "You lied." she said with a mouth full of chips.
Anakin snapped his eyes to study his padawan, his shoulders sank. "How in the galaxy did you find them? I thought I hid them well this time."
Arya giggled, "You thought wrong Master, you should know that nothing can separate me from the love of my life."
Anakin shook his head as a smile spread over his lips. He cocked a brow towards his padawan and asked, "Chips? Chips are the love of your life?" He almost lost his entire composure as Arya responded. "Did you really even need to ask?" Arya replied as she popped another potato chip in her mouth. "I'm surprised you aren't begging me for one right now." She said as Arya noticed her Master's lack of chips.
Anakin turned his head to look at her as she offered him one of her beloved chips. "As much as I enjoy chips I know they aren't very healthy, and for this mission, I have to be in tip top shape!"
Arya cringed at her Master's words. "First, shut up Skywalker. Don't say that in front of my babies," Arya said as she placed her hands on either side of the chip back to cover its non-existent ears. "Second that was the most toe-curlingy, mind-destroying, cringiest thing I've ever heard. And I would have lived a more fulfilling life if you had just never said that."
Her Master shook his head at her before continuing his work. He continued forming the metal into something that resembled a thin chain. He worked on it for a few more minutes as the pair sat in silence, the only sound breaking the serenity was his Padawan's crunch of chips. "Krift!" He said finally at his breaking point. "Can you chew any louder, I'm sure all the neighbouring galaxies can hear you."
"Jerk," Was her only response.
"I can't focus anymore Ar's, you're making too much noise." He groaned as he stood from his place at his workbench and snatched the bag of chips from his Padawan.
"No more for you," Anakin said as he tossed the bag into the garbage.
"NOOOO! My babiess!!!" Arya shrieked as she lunged for the chips.
Anakin sighed as she pouted over the loss of her snack. He turned around and walked back to his piolet seat, they would arrive at Naboo in thirty minutes and to him, time could not seem to pass by slower. He sat alone as he thought about Padme. He had not seen her for five months and he missed her dearly. Anakin wondered how she was and if she was safe at this moment. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang followed by another shriek from his Padawan. Anakin sighed as he trekked over to her.
"What have you done this time? Wherever you go trouble seems to follow." He said as he knelt down to inspect her injury.
"I was just looking at what you were working on, but then I might have dropped one of your tools and I went to pick it up, but then I bagged my head on the corner of the ledge." She explained with a pout.
Anakin chucked. "You're so dumb Ar's. I don't seriously don't know how you survived this long."
"Hey! It was a pointy corner!" She exclaimed as she pointed to the small cut on her forehead.
"You're fine. Stop being a baby over this." He said as he stood up and helped her onto her feet.
"I'm not a baby! I just got my first real injury with you and you didn't help me!"
"Arya, I'm not a nurse, and even if I was that cut is so small I doubt it even needs to be taken care of."
Arya shrugged and pushed past him to sit in the copilot seat. Anakin resumed his place at the front of the ship and navigated out past hyperspace. As he flew closer to Naboo Arya fiddled with her lightsaber. The silence between them was awkward and uncomfortable. That was until the padawan began to speak. "Have you ever been kissed?" She asked him.
Anakin took a double take as she looked over her to confirm that she really asked that question. He blinked back his surprise when Arya held the same expression as she had when she asked the question. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know, I'm just bored I guess and I want something to hold over your head," Arya replied.
"Oh I see," Anakin began before he stopped short. He didn't know how much he wanted to reveal to his padawan about his private life. He was sure that Arya wouldn't really care but he wasn't fully certain. "I have been kissed before," He confirmed.
"So are you telling me that my Master, Whineankin Skywalker has game?" Arya with a chuckle. "How old were you when you had your first kiss?"
"Nineteen," He replied simply. "And you Ar's? Have you been kissed before?"
"I have, it was a while ago though." She answered.
Anakin couldn't hide the shock that came with her response. He tried to cover it up but he was sure that his expression gave away his surprise. He didn't know how to respond. Anakin knew that Arya was indeed beautiful but she was also a child, granted she was seventeen but still, she was a child and he didn't want anyone taking advantage of her.
"Who kissed you?" Was all he could manage to ask.
He noticed the pink that dusted her cheeks and the small smile that graced her lips. Anakin didn't know why but her reaction made something churn in him. And he did not like it.
"Oh, it was just some other padawan. I think he might be Master's Mundi's."
This answer infuriated Anakin. "You wasted your first kiss on a friend of yours?"
Arya's expression turned to dismay. "You're mad?'' Of course, she wanted her Master to like her, because, despite his rude, arrogant, and mean disposition, he was ever so slowly withstanding her presence, in fact, he even began to find it comfortable. She wanted his approval more than anything.
"I just don't think he would be worthy. Plus Jedi aren't supposed to form attachments. It leads to the dark side." Her Master spoke.
Arya rolled her eyes, "Oh cut the bull crap, I know you can possibly believe that Master. I know you are for Master Kenobi and for Senator Amidala."
Anakin noticed that she refrained from including herself in the list of people she named. He didn't know how to feel about that or even how he should respond.
His padawan continued, "I know there's bound to have been someone who you were attached to who perished and I know that you must have cared for them deeply. I know I have. I don't believe attachments make us prey to the darkside, I believe that we all have a choice, a choice to do good for the benefit of others to seek to help, heal, and protect. But we also have the choice to let our evil desires take hold of us, if we crave power and selfish want we succumb to that evil desire. It's a constant fight between light and dark. Attachment makes us stronger. Because if we didn't love anything or anyone we would have no reason to continue fighting against the evil in our hearts. Attachment, love, it gives us all something to fight for."
Anakin's gaze was set on his padawan, and for the first time in the six months he had come to know her, he saw her. He saw who she really was, what she cared about. He saw her hopes, her passions, her beliefs and they were beautiful. She was beauti- No he told himself. No, she is your padawan. You cannot think such things he reminded himself. But the passion in her voice. The determination in her eyes, Anakin could never unsee it, even if he wanted to, Arya Kendrix, his padawan, was one of the most remarkable people he had ever come to know, and her story was just beginning.
He shook his mind of his thoughts and turned his eyes from her. He desperately tried to focus on flying, on Naboo, on Padme, but he couldn't. Anakin Skywalker was never known to be afraid, but for the first time in his life Anakin was afraid, he was afraid of himself, so when the inadequate small repose rose from his voice. "We are here."
Arya's shoulders slumped and she turned her face from her Master. His coldness returned after the months she had worked to break down his barriers. It was all meaningless. There was no longer any point in trying.