Chapter Text
Ben fiddled with the comm, unaccountably nervous. It had taken him four tries to record the hologram to the Jedi High Council, but he had finally managed to arrange everything into a mostly coherent verbal report that included all the important things: the status of the conflict on Naboo, the queen’s request for Corps assistance, Master Jinn’s critical condition, and assurances of Anakin’s safety.
He had not mentioned anything about the dark warrior. He was pretty sure that information was sensitive, and the comm wasn’t encrypted. The Council was sure to send another Knight to Naboo to take over Master Jinn’s mission. He could report more details about the fight to them when they arrived, and they could relay that information to the Council more discreetly. So, though Ben wished he could apologize for his failure to adequately back up Master Jinn in the fight, leading to his injury, he would have to wait to lay his guilt before whoever the Council sent.
Still, he was hesitating over sending his report off. He wondered if he should have introduced himself a little more thoroughly than just, “This is Obi-Wan Kenobi, former Jedi Initiate assigned to the AgriCorps.” Maybe that wasn’t enough information for them to place who he was. He had told Padmé that the Jedi knew him, but it had been more than a decade since he had been just an unremarkable youngling in the Temple, and he had grown since then. Master Jinn was the last Jedi to see him before his ‘disappearance,’ and he clearly hadn’t recognized Ben as Obi-Wan until today. Probably the Council Masters wouldn’t know who he was until they looked up his records. He hoped that didn’t hold up verification of his report for too long. Master Jinn and Naboo needed help now.
Ben sighed. He almost regretted telling Padmé that he would take on this task for her. Maybe the Council wouldn’t recognize him at all, or maybe they would try to arrest him as a dark-sider and accessory to Xanatos’ crimes—Ben honestly didn’t know which would make him feel worse. But whatever happened, he would have to encounter the Jedi again, and he knew it would hurt—just like it had hurt when he walked into his tiny home on Tatooine to find none other than Qui-Gon Jinn seated at his kitchen table, a living reminder of everything he had lost.
Ben finally pressed the send button when he heard Anakin exit the fresher. He couldn’t keep stewing over this, and he was ready to finally feel clean again.
The fresher contained not only a sonic but a full-sized bathtub and shower. Ben groaned when he realized that his various bandages would prevent him from having a good long soak in a bath, a luxury he hadn’t had in twelve years, but at least he could wash up with real water. He stood in the bathtub as he sponged the sweat and blood from his skin, being careful around his injuries. He realized that Anakin had used the sonic, probably because he had never once had a water bath since he was a tiny baby. Ben perked up at the realization that he could introduce Ani to the concept soon.
Ben was pretty tired and eager to lie down by the time he finished, so he was just going to put the rest of the food in the conservator to save for tomorrow, but Anakin whined at him until he gave in and ate something. Of course, as soon as he took the first bite, he remembered how hungry he was, having been sustaining himself with only the Force for more than a ten-day now. Anakin ‘helped’ by insinuating himself under Ben’s arm tucked up against his side and wheedling more food into him until Ben had eaten probably enough for two meals. He could admit that he did feel a little stronger afterward though. Definitely strong enough to meditate before sleep, which made Ani whine again.
“Daaaad, can’t we skip meditation this one time? I’m tired.”
“No, Anakin, it’s important to do this now, especially after the difficult day we’ve both had. We’ll sleep all the better for it, you know.” Anakin gave a much put-upon sigh, at which Ben had to stifle a smile. His kid was cute when he was pouting.
Ben arranged himself cross-legged on the bed and patted his lap. Anakin brightened when he realized that Ben was going to let him sit with him, and hopped up to arrange himself in Ben’s lap, back against his father’s chest.
This position was how Ben had first begun teaching Anakin to meditate when he was two years old. It allowed Ben to wrap his arms around the kid in a gentle hug to calm his fidgeting and help find stillness and allowed Ani to feel Ben’s chest rising and falling beneath his head so he could match his breathing. Lately, they hadn’t sat like this as often. Ani was proficient at meditation on his own, and the kid was getting big—he’d outgrow sitting in Ben’s lap soon enough.
But this time, Ben wanted Ani close. He grounded himself to the pulse of Anakin’s heart that he could feel against his own chest where Anakin leaned back against him. He felt Anakin’s breathing slow to match his. He let the warmth of the boy’s body, alive and whole and right here, sink into his bones and reassure him that they were together again. Having Ani back in his arms brought forth such a swell of emotion that Ben couldn’t help the spontaneous kiss he dropped on the crown of his son’s head.
Finally, they both sank into the Force, and Ben stared into the twin suns that was Anakin’s Force presence, his brightness and his courage. He sensed Anakin reaching out to him, and Ben enfolded him in a metaphysical embrace. Together, they offered up to the Force the fear, anxiety, sadness and loneliness from that day and all the days they had been separated, and received in return serenity, balance, peace. Harmony, both with the Force and with each other. As had always been so with Anakin, it was unlike anything Ben had ever experienced in a joint meditation. Their connection was so powerful and deep, it felt as though they were one in the Force.
Perhaps it was attachment, as the Jedi warned of, but Ben had never sensed darkness from their bond. He did not feel possessive, only a profound relief and joy that Ani was back in his arms. He could sense the same emotions from Anakin, entwined as they were physically and in the Force. If he needed more proof that the decision they had just made to stay together was right, he had it in the way they breathed in time, receiving love from each other on every inhale and sharing peace with every exhale.
Ben realized suddenly that he wanted to do something that he had only dared achieve twice before, when he was absolutely sure that he was completely alone where no one could see, not even Anakin. But he didn’t have to hide anymore, and he didn’t want to either.
Ben cast himself deeper into the Force, maintaining perfect balance of mind, body and spirit, allowing it to flow around him, through him, uplifting him…
He couldn’t help but smile when he heard Anakin’s gasp and a breathless, “Wizard!” signaling the boy’s wonder at the realization that they were floating several inches above the coverlet.