The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟓𝟕

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Astrid visited Anakin's room to see if she could talk to him about the latest events, but when she creaked open his door, she found only Artoo in his room. Astrid smiled at the astromech as he darted towards her with an excited squeal. 

"Artoo!" she greeted warmly as she patted his domed head. "It's good to see you. Can you do something for me?" 

Artoo gave an enthusiastic beep that sounded something along the lines of,  yes!

Astrid smiled as she told Artoo, "When Anakin comes back to his room, can you tell him to meet me outside in the temple courtyard? Tell him to go to the far right side of the courtyard in the shadows there." 

Artoo gave another beep, and Astrid patted his domed head once more before departing the room in the direction of the courtyard. She didn't want to be caught lingering outside Anakin's room. 

Many of the Padawans trained in the courtyard when outside, but Astrid figured most of the Padawans would be training indoors today in the training arena since it was blisteringly cold outside. Sure enough, the courtyard was fortunately deserted, and Astrid shoved her hands into the wide sleeves of her chestnut brown Jedi cloak as she slipped behind a tree in the far right corner of the courtyard. 

She waited there for perhaps another hour, cheeks red, her hands and toes having long gone numb before she spotted Anakin walking across the courtyard. His face was disgruntled and his stride was stiff as he headed in her direction, and Astrid wondered if he was in an upset mood because of the recent news. 

Anakin caught sight of her as she rounded the tree, and a smile blossomed across his face, replacing his frown. He began to jog towards her, and despite the eyes that could be on them from inside the temple, Astrid ran out to greet him with a grin. 

She would always run to him. 

They collided into each other's arms, and Astrid inhaled his familiar honeyed scent as his arms wrapped tightly around her. She let out a contented sigh as his delicious warmth enveloped her. She'd been standing in the cold for far too long. 

But soon enough, he drew back, and his warmth was replaced by the frigid cold. The cold reminded Astrid of the day when the two of them had embarked into the caves to obtain their kyber crystals in Ilum. 

She smiled bittersweetly at the memory. 

But then Anakin was grasping her hand and tugging her behind the tree out of sight of any prying eyes, interrupting her thoughts. When they stopped out of sight behind the tree, Anakin kept ahold of her hand as he bent down to kiss her. Astrid sank into him as she deepened their kiss, his mouth warm and soft against hers. With the blessed heat of his touch, Astrid finally began to thaw. 

"Have--have you heard the news?" Astrid asked him when they parted, inhaling the frigid air into her lungs in an attempt to catch her breath. 

Anakin nodded and replied, "Chancellor Palpatine told me, himself." His gaze suddenly darkened, and he spoke in a low voice, "The Jedi Council want me to spy on him now, and with this new decision to have the Council report directly to Palpatine, I will be hard pressed to give them information."