Mud | Obikin

10.

I lie in my bed and stare at the ceiling, listening to the shower sound.
The sense of impending doom that has been following me since Geonosis has retired somewhere in the corners of my mind. I'm empty-headed, light.
Life still lacks meaning, though this morning I don't care.

Anakin comes and sits on the bed, wet hair dripping over his tunic. "I was hoping for you to reach me in the 'fresher."

"Blessed youth. Old men need rest."

We exchange a half smile. I say that I should be discussing last events with the Council right now.

"Master Kenobi missing a meeting. They'll take you for dead." He bites his lip. "I know you're going to beat yourself; just, don't be too harsh. You did nothing wrong. Blame me for everything that makes you think differently."

I answer that it looks like an entirely good idea.

A lot is still to be said, so we wait, hoping for the other one to start. Despite having spent out lives together, today we don't know how to behave. We linger, knowing how difficult it will be to get back to this point after we've parted.

A loud, impatient knocking awakens us. I put a bathrobe on and open the door.

Quin pushes me to the side and walks in. "Where the frick were you? This is the last time I cover your ugly ass with the Council. You better have a good reason for this, and this reason is better to be that you scored with..." He seizes me and frowns. "Man, do you ever get dressed? Anyway, they're not buying the loose cannons story and want us to poke our noses into Corellian business. I said you would've been thrilled."

His frowning intensifies when he realises I'm not alone. Anakin is slouched against the kitchen wall and greets him with a small movement of his head.

I hear the gears in my friend's brain clicking, so I remind Anakin he has something urgent to do. He pretends he hasn't heard me and asks Quin who the Council is suspecting.

"Not sure. They believe there must be an accomplice, probably someone inside the Embassy. If you ask me, they became pretty paranoid, seeing dangers and conspiracies everywhere. Exactly what terrorists aim to achieve - this demonstrates they're winning, if you needed proof." He turns to me with a beaming smile. "We're going to have a lot of fun. All you have to do is put some clothes on."

"Hanging around with you, I usually risk to get killed a bit too much to have fun," I say, entering my bedroom to get dressed.
My concern is similar to the one I'd have leaving two unsupervised Rancors in the same room. When I come back, Anakin is gone, and I do not dare ask Quin what they've been talking about.

We take a speeder and, naturally, my friend insists on flying it himself, making me wonder why cocky, ruthless pilots are such a constant in my life.

"You don't have to tell me what's happening if you don't want to. It's not my business, after all," he says the moment we take off, continuing before I can thank him for his considerate attitude. "I'm going to torture you until you tell me, you di'kut."

"Look ahead, please."

"I'll look ahead when you answer me. You don't skip a meeting with the Council if you're not dead or severely wounded."

I cover my face with a hand. "What do you exactly want me to explain?"

He avoids another speeder with a sudden manoeuvre, without stopping talking, "Point one; Shaali, details. Point two; missed Council meeting, reasons. Point three; Skywalker in your quarters with wet hair and an 'I've got a secret' expression all over his face."

I sigh. "Shaali is a lovely girl and a skilled Knight, this is all I can say about her. I'm sorry I left you alone with the Council; I've been feeling unwell this morning. Anakin came to talk about his Padawan. Hope all your curiosities are sated."