i know my home
Summery: Young Obi-Wan meets a time traveling Anakin and recognizes him.
In which, an Anakin that has been through every pain, crime and horror imaginable seeks out the comfort of his Master but said Master is currently a tiny confused child.
Sighing in exhaustion, Obi-Wan rubbed a had over his eyes and shuffled his way down the hall, regretting ever letting Gar and Quin convince him to sneak out for the night.
He'd only been Master Qui-Gon's Padawan for less than a month and the man was still frosty with him so he'd been doing his best to stay in his good graces. Running off in the middle of the night to go see the new Coruscant band was not part of the plan of not getting under his skin.
And now here he was, fumbling his way in the dark, trying to find his Master's quarters before he was presumed missing. Master Quin-Gon would likely take any excuse to cast him aside and Obi-Wan refused to lose it all just as he'd gotten it. Gar and Quin could never understand. Not with how much their Masters adored them. Some part of him almost wanted to be bitter about it but he was a Jedi Padawan now and he refused to hold onto such petty unfounded feelings, so he closed his eyes, let the emotions pass through him and then released them into the force.
He instantly felt much lighter and what a relief that was because, force, his head was killing him. Maybe it was the loud music still drumming through his skull but Obi-Wan doubted it. This had been going on for several nights in a row and it was even partly the reason he'd snuck out tonight in the first place; if his head was going to murder him might as well get an exciting concert out of it right.
Groaning softly, he shut his eyes for a second, leaning against the wall and breathed in deeply, holding it then breathing out. He was nearly there, just a couple of turns left and he could sneak back into his bedroom before Master Qui-Gon woke up to fret about him being missing; for even half an hour like he'd been prone to do ever since he took him on as a Padawan.
Crawling back into bed would be exactly what Obi-Wan needed even if he didn't plan on sleeping. Sleep and him hadn't been getting along lately either after all.
Sleeping caused painful dreams, confusing dreams and Obi-Wan had been trying his best to avoid sleeping as much as possible. Come to think of it, maybe that's why his head was hurting? Lack of sleep could do that to someone but then again even when he slept, he woke up screaming into his pillow; lava, burned flesh and death dancing behind his eyelids. No, his headaches were apparently something that would haunt him for forever and he just had to find a way to deal with it because if Qui-Gon got tired of rushing into his room to comfort him, Obi-Wan would be sent away. And he didn't- He wanted to be a Jedi. He wanted to be Master Qui-Gon's Padawan so he couldn't keep doing this. He had to do better.
Maybe he could meditate for longer hours?
Quieting his mind with meditation like Master Qui-Gon had insisted already helped, so making the sessions longer could only help more, right?
He was still musing on that when an unfamiliar shout around the last corner froze him in place.
"I just want to see him!"
"Know you, he does not."
'Master Yoda?' Carefully peaking around the corner, Obi-Wan could barely make out his Master's tall figure in the dark with the old Grandmaster next to him. They were arguing with someone in front of his shared quarters with Master Qui-Gon.
Obi-Wan pulled back, crunching down low and keeping an eye on the unfamiliar man who had his fists clenched and while Obi-Wan couldn't see his face, the intense frustration radiating from him in the force was unmistakable. He was a Jedi, and from the lack of Padawan braid, he must be a Knight.
What was a Knight doing here arguing with two of the most respected Jedi in the middle of the night?
If only he could see his face. Maybe he'd recognize him.
"I don't care," the stranger snapped after a momentary stand off were neither party seemed to want to budge. "I have every right to see him!"
"No," Master Qui-Gon said, a hidden steel under his tone that sent shivers down Obi-Wan's spine. "The Order has been kind enough to let you stay until you find your way back, do not push our generosity by insisting on meeting my Padawan. You have no right."
Obi-Wan stilled.
Him?
What?
What was going on?
"Don't you dare," the stranger barked. "Don't you dare tell me-" he seemed to choke on his words at that, head snapping up as if sensing something. Then there was a tendril of something pushing against Obi-Wan's shields all of a sudden.
Something warm, familiar, something frantic…somehow before he could even think it over, Obi-Wan lashed onto it. Lashed on and held on tight.
He'd never felt anything like this. Sure he had a training bond with Master Qui-Gon and familial bond with his friends but non of those ever felt like this. Non of them felt like this aching feeling of home. Of belonging. Of want and being wanted, of love. It was all so overwhelming and something deep down within him knew he wasn't being rational. That this was reckless. He couldn't just form a force bond with a random Knight in the middle of the kriffing night. That was insane! But he couldn't help it. It just… it felt right.
It felt like home. It felt more like a home than anything had ever felt before and before Obi-Wan knew it, his eyes were filling up and he was stepping out from behind the wall.
"You," he whispered, startling the two older Jedi even as the mysterious Jedi took a step towards him, his face finally visible as the moonlight chose that very moment to shine upon him. He looked oh so familiar. That face, he'd dreamed off that face for so many nights. "You, I know you."
His Master said something, Master Yoda said something too but it was all drowned out by the one single word the stranger; not stranger uttered. "Master," he gasped, pushing his way past the other two Jedi before crumbling to his knees. The relief, grief and love radiating off of him in waves. "Master, please."
"An…Anakin," Obi-Wan answered, eyes widening; a sudden glassy sheen to them as his mind was thrown into a whirlwind of past, present, future, memories memories memories memories… He knew him. His heart ached and he nearly cried out because by the force, he knew him. "Anakin, Anakin."
He couldn't move, he couldn't let go off the wall he had somehow decided to grip as tightly as possible; fingers digging into the smooth rocks until his nails bled.
"Master?" There is a plea in there. A plea and years of history and Obi-Wan, he didn't get it. He didn't understand because…he'd only been a Padawan for a month. He wasn't even supposed to be a Jedi and yet here this stranger was. A man he'd never seen before, on his knees, pleading for him and…he knew him. That was Anakin, his Anakin. His beloved, wonderous Anakin and he didn't know. He didn't know him but he did. He did know him and he couldn't just---
"Anakin."
Anakin nodded; tears running down his cheeks. Old eyes staring back at him with pain and love and grief and so much relief. "You recognize me, Master?"
Obi-Wan swallowed thickly. "I don't…who-I don't understand?"
"It's okay," the man said, raising his arms up almost as if he's expecting Obi-Wan to, what? Hug him? "It's okay Master," and his mind once again brushed up against his and normally Obi-Wan would recoil. He should recoil for this was an unfamiliar mind, someone he'd never interacted with suddenly having such a strong, powerful connection to his mind but he didn't. Instead he found himself melting into the touch, letting himself be wrapped up in it, letting himself be comforted. "It's okay," the man repeated again. "I just wanted to see you, I didn't…I'm sorry."
When Obi-Wan moved this time, he didn't do it out of fear or curiosity or instinct. He moved because Anakin was so tremendously sad even while trying to comfort him and Obi-Wan while still so very young and confused, couldn't stand by and watch Anakin, his Anakin be sad. So he moved, his arms coming up to wrap around the man's neck, burying his face into his shoulder; even as the stranger; not stranger's breath hitched at his action. "It's okay," he muttered back. "You're going to be okay Anakin."
And when Anakin; stranger, friend, Padawan, Jedi? carefully put his arms around him in return, pulling him to his chest and squeezing him as if letting him go for a second would take him away, Obi-Wan couldn't help but sob into his shoulder. His mixed emotions only matched by the sheer heaviness of Anakin's grief and Obi-Wan held on even tighter.
Because…
He didn't know much. He didn't know what Master Qui-Gon thought of him or if his nightmares would end or if he'd ever be cut out to be a Jedi or million of other things but in the here and now, right at this very moment, there was Anakin, his Anakin and he'd come from Force knows where to see him and he was hurt and little bit broken and he'd come to him and Obi-Wan, Obi-Wad for the very first time knew what to do so he hugged him and let him cry.
Anakin, Obi-Wan recognized him.
Because Anakin was home and Obi-Wan knew, like he knew the familiar strength of the force that they would always find their way back to each other's sides. Always.
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