Star Wars One-Shots

I Don't Like Sand

Author's Note: I wrote this because I wanted to explore a headcanon about why Anakin hates sand so much and what exactly it reminds him of. This isn't the kind of thing I normally write about, so... be warned, I guess. :')

It's canon-compliant, and the ending... isn't exactly happy like most of my canon-compliant one-shots. xP

WARNING: Implied/attempted rape/non-con.

~ Amina Gila

"I don't like sand," Anakin had said. Padme never questioned why he said it, or what might have prompted the comment. And then, during a vacation day on a Nubian beach, he can't help but say it again. "It's coarse, and rough, and irritating... and it gets everywhere."

The sky is a beautiful, cloudless blue, the day warm, but not too warm. For Anakin, it's actually somewhat cool, but he doesn't mind too much as long as everyone else is comfortable. It's only a couple days after he and Obi-Wan retrieved the cure for the Blue Shadow virus, and now, the two of them, along with Ahsoka and Padme, both of whom are still recovering their strength after being infected, have been granted some leave time.

It will be at least a week before Padme and Ahsoka are recovered enough to return to their normal duties. Padme had been grumpy about it initially, but Sabe had promised to cover for her, so instead of moping about being denied the ability to work – not that Anakin could blame her if she did, because he thinks he might have done something similar in her place – she decided to arrange a vacation for them.

And so, here they are at the Naberrie estate in Lake Country. Right now, they're going down to the beach, something Anakin is admittedly wary about. He's prepared, so he doesn't think he'll have a problem being in the sand, but he can never be too certain. If it was only the two of them here, they might be holding hands while walking, but they're not, so Anakin is forced to treat Padme as nothing more than a friend. He doubts Ahsoka notices anything; as for Obi-Wan... well, they've never talked about it, but he suspects sometimes that his former master already knows about his relationship with Padme, albeit probably not their marriage.

He can feel the sand beneath his bare feet and shivers slightly before dropping to the ground beneath a shady tree. All of them are wearing clothing which is more suitable to the beach, which in his and Obi-Wan's case, means wearing only their inner robes and no boots. Padme is wearing a fancy swimming dress of sorts which he's never seen before, and Ahsoka has donned something similar, something which Padme loaned to her.

"Don't mind me," he calls to the others as he lays back on the sun-warmed ground, half in the sun and half in the shade. He lets the sunlight warm his face as he closes his eyes, soaking in the sheer peacefulness of the Force here on Naboo. It's almost like meditating. And to think that all of this life and happiness could have been destroyed – eradicated – had he been any slower.

Pushing those dark thoughts to the back of his mind, Anakin opens his eyes again, turning his head slightly to look at his family and friends. Maybe after the war is over, Anakin can invite the 501st to take a vacation like this. "Are you sure you want to stay there, Master?" Ahsoka chirps, wiggling her toes in the sand. She's never been to a place like this before, and Anakin can sense how fascinated – and delighted – she is by her surroundings.

He hums an agreement. "I don't like sand," he replies, keeping his tone level so that no one will pick up on the shivers of unease which creep up his spine when he talks about it. Sand holds far too many bad memories for him to ever enjoy it the way some people do. "It's coarse, and rough, and irritating... and it gets everywhere."

Ahsoka snorts, her laughter echoing across the beach. The sound makes Anakin smile, because she's still a child. She should get the chance to be happy, to grow up without having to worry about the Clone Wars. It's not fair to her. He smothers the thought, unwilling to indulge in dark thoughts while in such a beautiful place. "Don't be silly, Master," she says teasingly, bending down and scooping up a handful of sand, letting the grains trickle through her fingers. "The sand here is smooth and fine... It's not irritating. I could sleep on it!"