Candlelight

Chapter 5 - Progression

Ahsoka tracks Anakin to the training salles again the day after. She knew he'd be here, with how he always tries to work himself to the ground from the slightest failure. She's the same way, sometimes. She's heard that he's relearning a lot of things, and there's whispers going around the Temple already. Everyone knows something happened to him, though they don't know what, and she isn't spilling.

"Ahsoka," he says, pausing. He looks... happy to see her, warmer than he did yesterday, which she takes as a good sign.

"Hey, Skyguy." Does he mind that? She doesn't know. From the almost pained smile on his face, she doesn't think so.

"Why are you here?" he queries.

"You didn't forget anything important," she offers, in case that's what he's worried about.

Anakin looks almost relieved. "That is – good to hear," he replies. He's not looking directly at her again, which she doesn't get either.

"You look weird in those colors," Ahsoka says finally, at a lack of anything else to say, "I'm used to you wearing dark."

"I've worn black for twenty-three years," he replies, "I think it's time I wear a different color."

Ahsoka still doesn't know what to think about the fact that Anakin apparently was a Sith for many years in the future. It seems... impossible, but it clearly happened.

"I get that," she admits, "Though I still can't understand how that could have happened."

"The... future?" he guesses, and she nods. "It is a... long story," he replies finally. "I'm sorry I can't be the person you remember."

It cuts her, somehow – she didn't want to make him feel bad, but it was expected. Anakin always understands those things in ways that should be impossible – he knows... everything. He always knows what to say to her. And she thinks she needed to hear that. "It's okay," she shrugs, even if it's really not, but it's not fair to tell him that. "I still don't understand how you ended up back here."

"I don't either. The Force brought me here."

Ahsoka moves closer, and after a long moment of hesitation, Anakin reaches for her, taking her hand in his. "A lot... went down between us in the future," he admits at last, "You will never know it, but I... want you to know I am sorry for – everything."

She swallows back a sudden surge of emotions. "What happened?" Ahsoka inquires.

"I failed you," he says solemnly, "I... question if I am the master you need.

"I can't imagine having any other," she objects. And she can't – Anakin is important to her in a way she will never understand, but she can't imagine having any other.

"I know. I know." He looks away, but he shifts closer anyway, and she doesn't quite know what to think of his very odd behavior. It's not normal, even for him, though he does seem to have a hard time looking at her. "But what matters is what is best for you. I taught you to survive, and I would like to do so again – but I cannot imagine protecting someone again. It has never... ended well for either of us. In the future I lived, you... left the Order."

Ahsoka thinks the only thing that stops her vehemently objecting to such an outrageous possibility if he wasn't tracing his fingers over her hand and now, he's tickling her wrist because apparently, that's possible?

"I would never leave the Order," she replies sullenly instead, "I would never give up this way of life, and are you doing that intentionally?"

"Doing... what?" he asks, pulling away.

"Tickling my wrist!" She scrubs it with her other hand to try – and fail at getting rid of the annoying sensation crawling in her skin.

"I... was?" He looks almost amused, and she huffs.