Star Wars One-Shots

A Time Of Truth

Author's Note: This is a gift request for lucythelunatic on ao3. I really hope that you enjoy this one-shot! We wanted to include huuuugs, but we're dealing with two very stubborn individuals, soooo... Yeah. But they will hug at some point, I'm sure, once they sort out their issues, if that's any consolation. :'D

~ Amina Gila

In one universe, Padme manipulates Anakin into telling Obi-Wan about his visions of her death. It changes everything and nothing. The visions continue. Anakin still fears. And in the background, Palpatine continues his machinations.

Under other circumstances, Anakin may not have minded this. He only does because he knows why Padme is doing this, and he does. Not. Want. To. She's trying to rope him into talking to Obi-Wan, but he knows there's nothing his master can help with. No one can help with this. He doesn't even know what he could do. What could anyone do? But... he has to believe the Force will help him find something.

But talking to Obi-Wan is awkward after... their argument. Anakin hasn't seen him since, except in Council meetings, and he needs to talk to him about that and apologize, but he doesn't want to because – well, everything.

Padme's only invited them both to her apartment before when she has some important political something to discuss with them. They never have time to just be. She'd invite Anakin over with Ahsoka sometimes, but this is... he doesn't know, but he doesn't really like it. Or maybe he's reading too much into it.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan's voice breaks through the haze surrounding his mind. Is it the first time he's called him? He doesn't know; he's so unbearably tired, and he's trying not to zone out in the presences of other people, but it happens sometimes.

"What?" he asks, scrambling to cover his embarrassment.

"Perhaps this was not the best time for us to come here," Obi-Wan says to Padme. "Anakin seems highly unfocused."

Unfocused on what? What were they talking about when he zoned out? "I'm fine," he objects loudly, gut twisting uneasily at the thought of either of them knowing exactly how messed up he is. He doesn't – can't – admit that he's doing so badly. He can't let them know because it means something's wrong with him. He's a Jedi. A general. A Council member. He needs to be better than that.

"You're obviously stressed," Obi-Wan argues.

I wonder why, Anakin wants to snap back, but forcibly withholds the comment because he doesn't want them to argue again. Truthfully, the Council mission is half of it. He can't tell right from wrong anymore.

"There's more than you've said," Padme objects. "We both can see it. And I'm worried about you."

Why does she have to mention this now? He feels guilty, and he's not even sure why, but mostly uncomfortable. Padme shouldn't have to worry about him. Not when she's the one really in trouble. It's his job to protect her. "Why?" he asks hoarsely.

"To start with, you've hardly touched your plate," Obi-Wan replies with a very pointed look.

"I'm not hungry." He sounds like he's whining. He's not five anymore but somehow Obi-Wan is managing to make him feel like that, and he often does, not in a good way. His mother always made him feel young in that she just... cared for him like he was. Obi-Wan does it by making him feel stupid.

He's also annoyed Padme's intentionally playing on his emotions when Obi Wan is here because his master can't find out about... what they have. Even a few weeks ago, Anakin may not have cared as much as he does now, because he already accepted they'll never be what Anakin wants – Obi-Wan is always a Jedi first – but right now he's just so tired. He can't sleep at all and...