In the End {1}

~ Lunch Break ~

~months prior, on Coruscant~

Ahsoka could hardly pay attention during the briefing. The 501st was going to the Abrion sector. There was an important Separatist information center on the Scarif system that they were tasked with capturing, and that's all she needed to know. Anakin would fill her in later.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the events of last night out of her head. The way he kissed her, the feeling of their bodies together... 

She smiled at the thought. Taking her friendly relationship with Lux to the next level had been a dream of hers for so long, and now that it was finally happening, she wasn't really sure what to think.

As soon as the briefing concluded, Ahsoka and Anakin walked out into a small atrium in the Jedi Temple. When the door closed behind them, Anakin pulled her aside.

"What's with you today?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Your focus is all over the place."

"Sorry, Master," she said, sighing. "I guess I'm just tired."

"How late were you out last night?"

She shrugged. "I wasn't looking at the time."

Anakin shook his head in disappointment. "Do I even want to ask about what you and Bonteri were doing out that late?"

Ahsoka did her best to keep her voice even. She was a terrible liar, and her master knew it. "Nothing, Master. Just catching up."

"Uh huh. You just saw him a few days ago. What could you possibly have to catch up on?"

She felt her face heat up. She knew Anakin could see right through her. "Well, I mean, we're friends. We were just spending time together before I had to come back because I have no idea when I'll see him again."

"And you're positive it had nothing to do with your feelings regarding that particular Senator?"

"Of course not," she reassured. Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe a little, but it was fine. Purpose comes before feelings. I know that. I made it to the briefing on time, so why does it even matter?"

"Because you left your focus back at his apartment, Snips. You didn't pay attention to a thing said in that meeting, and did you think I wouldn't notice that you didn't go back to the Temple last night?"

To be honest, no, she didn't think he'd notice. It wasn't uncommon for her to have to wake Anakin up for these meetings, so she assumed he'd be asleep for most of the time she was gone and would be too preoccupied trying to get himself to the meeting to notice her absence. "How did you–"

"It doesn't matter. I'm not going to ask for details because, in this case, the less I know, the better. Be careful, Ahsoka. You're lucky you were assigned to me instead of some crazy rule-follower."

"Like Obi-Wan?" she joked as Obi-Wan walked by. That would hopefully change the subject.

"What?" he said, stopping next to them.

"We're just talking about how jealous you are that you aren't coming with us on this assignment, Master," Ahsoka said. "You're really missing out."

Obi-Wan shook his head. Sometimes Ahsoka wondered what it was like when Anakin was a Padawan. The two of them must've been one heck of a dynamic duo.

Now was probably the best chance she'd have to leave the conversation without Anakin getting on to her about where she was headed. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some grub and pack my stuff. Master, Rex and I will be on the bridge patiently awaiting your arrival by tomorrow at 1800 hours."