#i also picture anakin being very shy with other padawans when he got to the order at first

[iszapizza]

anakin and aayla childhood friends? Yes

[prompt-wars-in-the-stars]

How about 6.“Shh. Stop fussing. I’m just braiding your hair.” with Ahsoka,Anakin and Obi-Wan bonding time?

It would be my pleasure! Got away with me a bit. I hope you enjoy!

-

“Shh. Stop fussing. I’m just braiding your hair.”

The words were followed by a noise that could only be described as a yelp. It was in a voice Obi-Wan would recognize anywhere. The yelp was followed by a protest of "Snips!" that only further confirmed who he was overhearing. 

Obi-Wan wasn't surprised the noise was coming from Anakin's favorite meditation balcony. He'd been using the same one since he was nine years old and was supposed to be using it for teaching Ahsoka meditation, at least according to her Temple schedule that Obi-Wan had peeked at. Slipping through the doors Obi-Wan couldn't say he was surprised to find that the Master and Padawan pair were most definitely not meditating. Anakin was sitting cross legged, facing away from Ahsoka, curling forward away from her hands. She was on her knees bent over her Master with her hands tangled into his hair. Scattered on the meditation mats they'd pushed together was a curious mix of sparkling clips, ribbons, and a few barrettes.

"Stop struggling Master!" Ahsoka shouted arms jerking forward as Anakin moved away pulling her with him. She pulled back causing another yelp of pain from the unexpecting human.

"Snips! Ouch, whatever you are doing stop it! That is not braiding!" Anakin protested attempting to escape, but it was clear Ahsoka had somehow managed to tangle her own fingers in the knotted mess of curls that appeared to have a few hair bands already mixed in. Obi-Wan winced sympathetically and decided it was probably best to interfere before Anakin lost some of his hair in the struggle.

"It may be best if you both stop moving for a moment," Obi-Wan slipped in, unable to keep the amusement completely out of his voice.

They both turned to him simultaneously, Anakin wincing as he did, and spoke in unison.

"Master!" / "Master Kenobi!"

Anakin tried to straighten up as Ahsoka tried to pull away, both looking embarrassed at being caught. Obi-Wan could see the disaster on its way even as Anakin gave another shout and Ahsoka seemed to be gearing up to yank at full strength. He dropped to a knee beside them, using one hand to grab Ashoka's elbow and Anakin's shoulder. Both went still instantly, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Now lets see if we can't get you free, why don't we?" he said with as much warmth as possible, focused on Anakin's poor curls and pretending like he didn't see their flushed faces. "Hm, Ahsoka keep still for me will you? And Anakin stop squirming you are making it worse."

Ahsoka obeyed quickly, with obvious contrition, looking down at the mess with guilt. Anakin was a bit slower but not wanting to cause himself more pain by disobeying just to be contrary. Obi-Wan worked slowly, gently unweaving the knots, freeing the hairbands that had twisted into a tight web and easing Ashoka's hands free. He continued untangling the attempt at a braid, with quick practiced ease as Anakin relaxed and Ahsoka watched with clear interest.

Once he could run his fingers through the curls without catching, he leaned back satisfied and looked at them both expectantly. 

"So, what exactly have I stumbled upon my Padawan and Grand-Padawan?"

Ahsoka looked startled at being referred to as such, but then was clearly pleased at the recognition. She looked at Anakin for guidance and he met her gaze with a reassuring smile, turning to face Obi-Wan. The two of them had only been together for a couple months and it was reassuring to see they were already looking to each other for support. Obi-Wan had sadly been unable to get to know his Grand-Padawan too well yet. They'd been deployed separately after Christophsis and it was only by a miracle of the Force, and an unexpected engine malfunction, that the 212th was back on Coruscant during the 501st's leave.

"I wanted to try braiding human hair," Ahsoka admitted, looking a little shy like she expected to be scolded. Very different from the bold, snippy girl Anakin reported to him in his comm calls. Obi-Wan nodded, keeping a smile on his face. This seemed to make Ahsoka relax a little and she continued. 

"Skyguy, eh Master Skywalker," she corrected the nickname self-consciously, but seemed reassured when Obi-Wan didn't react. Obi-Wan thought the nicknames the pair had were endearing even if Anakin did pretend to be annoyed at it sometimes. "He agreed to let me practice on him since we were taking a break from meditation. But, I wasn't very good at it."

The last part was said mournfully and Anakin frowned at his Padawan's upset. Obi-Wan couldn't sense exactly what passed between them, but he could feel the Force around Anakin blaze and see Ahsoka's frown relax.

Obi-Wan did not raise an eyebrow at the story though, feeling thoughtful. Ashoka's meditation hour was less than halfway over. Anakin shifted slightly, guilt carefully hidden, and Obi-Wan decided to make a point to invite the two of them to meditate with him. Meditation had always been hardest for Anakin to master and it was not right to expect him to be able to pass it along to his own Padawan easily. Obi-Wan had received counsel and training from others in areas Qui-Gon was weak in. He saw no reason not to assist his Padawan, former Padawan he mentally corrected, in this.

"I see," Obi-Wan said. Looking at the assortment of hair decorations and knowing the disappointment  that had been on Ashoka's face he did.

"Was this your first time braiding Ahsoka?" 

She nodded, sheepish. Anakin was frowning at him looking both protective and curious as to where his former Master was going with this. Obi-Wan smiled at him.

"Well, I'm certain Anakin himself isn't much help. He has always been terrible with braiding. I always had to do his Padawan braid for him whenever it came loose." Obi-Wan said, allowing a teasing tone to enter his voice directed at Anakin, who huffed, but seeing Ahsoka perking up said nothing. "If you give me some room I will show you how it's done."

"That is," Obi-Wan said, meeting Anakin's knowing gaze. "If Anakin will volunteer to be our model."

Anakin sighed, loud and dramatic. "For you Snips."

Ahsoka beamed and scooted over to allow Obi-Wan to settle in behind Anakin. He picked up a comb and began gently working his way through Anakin's hair, sure to give Ahsoka a clear view. Anakin relaxed at the attention, he'd always enjoyed physical affection and Obi-Wan could feel his Force signature relaxing into something peaceful that was normally accomplished through meditation. 

"Human scalps are quite sensitive, Anakin's especially, so you must be very gentle. Start from the bottom to work out any tangles," Obi-Wan began adopting the same tone he'd used when teaching and feeling his own peace settle in as he showed Ahsoka how to separate the hair into sections. He stopped after each step to allow her to practice, correcting as needed.

-

Obi-Wan maintained eye contact with Mace Windu, his posture relaxed as his former Padawan stood stubbornly straight and determined despite his embarrassment and his Grand-Padawan barely stifled giggles beside him. Mace looked like he wanted to ask, but also did not, continuing to debrief them as if there was nothing wrong. Plo wore an expression more befitted to someone looking at a collection of Tooka kittens. Yoda was amused, very clearly in the Force, though he kept a serene expression. Shaak was smiling softly, eyes somewhat distant. The rest of the Council, rather in person or over comm, wore a mix of resigned, confused, or amused expressions.

"I will make sure Cody begins preparing the men immediately," Obi-Wan said a picture of innocence. "I believe he and Anakin's second are together and that should take care of preparation for the 501st. Is there anything further the Council needs?"

Mace looked at him wryly and Obi-Wan, from the passed ten years of getting to know the Master more closely, saw the corner of a smile. "Perhaps remove the flowers before you start negotiations."

Obi-Wan nodded seriously, and saw Ahsoka bite her lip out of the corner of his gaze. Anakin's face was red hot at the teasing.

"Your wisdom is always appreciated, Master Windu, now if you'll excuse us," Obi-Wan said and Mace nodded his dismissal. There was a small click that sounded like a holo being taken that Obi-Wan ignored as he ushered Anakin and Ahsoka out. As soon as the doors closed behind them Ahsoka burst into a fit of giggles and Obi-Wan allowed his own smile to grow widely.

They had finished braiding Anakin's hair, playing with it until they'd managed to shape it into something resembling a butterfly Ahsoka had admitted to admiring on a civilian she'd met on one of the 501st's missions. It was completed with a rather ornate flower barrette and small sparkling clips and ribbons Ahsoka had eagerly braided through Anakin's hair under Obi-Wan's tutelage. When they'd finished Anakin had gotten a gleam in his eye and said something about Obi-Wan not being left out and between the two of them, after a few winced, they'd managed some clumsy braids in his now much shorter hair. Anakin had pouted about it, bemoaning the loss of "Obi-Wan's luscious locks", but then Ahsoka had mentioned seeing flowers braided into beards and soon he'd found himself allowing them to decorate him with a dozen small white blooms plucked from the crawling vines on the Temple no bigger than a pin's head. When Ahsoka had looked somewhat put out at not being included Anakin had surprised them by getting the idea for a ribboned headdress and together the two of them had crowned the beaming, laughing Torguta teenager who'd protested but looked too happy to be taken seriously. 

Halfway through Ahsoka had stopped being so formal and happily snipped and called him 'Obi-Wan' instead, to his pleasure. 

They hadn't even registered the decorations when an emergency call came through from the Council, resulting in quite a sight.

"Master Windu's, hic," Ahsoka could barely manage her eyes streaming as she laughed. "His face! Skyguy, they were all so-" 

She collapsed into laughter causing the ribbons to sway and the bells in them to jingle. Anakin smiled, offering a small chuckle at his Padawan's amusement. Obi-Wan could feel his embarrassment fading slowly. 

"It was pretty funny," Anakin admitted. "I don't think I've ever seen Master Rancis so confused."

Ahsoka beamed and Anakin returned it. Obi-Wan basked in the warmth between them pleased at how close they were. Ahsoka turned to look at him brightly.

"Master Obi-Wan since you'll be joining us, can you show me jar'kai? Skyguy said you're one of the best at the Temple and Skyguy is terrible," Ahsoka looked up at him so hopefully as Anakin sputtered behind her.

Obi-Wan felt a warmth spread through his chest and reached out to give Ahsoka's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "I would be honored Ahsoka."

[jasontoddiefor]

Summary: It was tradition for Initiates to challenge a Knight or a Master to debate them to pass their Introduction to Diplomacy I course. Anakin didn't mind it, but he’d prefer it if all these kids would stop running up to Obi-Wan he’s practicing ‘sabers with his Master.

AN: The idea came up in a talk with @alabasterswriting I hope you like it!

If Anakin didn’t know better, he’d say that Obi-Wan was attempting to dissuade him from using two lightsabers. His Master’s attacks were downright brutal and savage, the sixteen-year-old hadn’t really known that Obi-Wan was capable of such aggressive attacks. Anakin had been aware that Obi-Wan could fight like it, he had seen the recordings from his battle against the Sith on Naboo and studied them relentlessly, but it was very different to experience Obi-Wan fighting seriously. None of that harshness in his moves translated to his mind, of course. Obi-Wan was the perfect picture of serenity and even amusement in the Force. Anakin could feel his joy every time he managed to block one of his strikes, happy that his student was learning, yet his strikes didn’t lessen in power.

“Right arm up!” Obi-Wan ordered as he attempted to strike Anakin from the right, where before he had left himself defenseless.

Anakin parried his blade successfully, even if his grip on the training ‘saber he was using slipped. He, therefore, wasn’t fast enough to twirl the blade around when Obi-Wan initiated the next attack. The low-level blade halted right in front of Anakin’s throat.

“Solah,” Anakin called and watched as Obi-Wan stepped back into the ready-stance.

He wiped the sweat off his brow and adjusted his grip on his lightsaber. His own sat perfectly in his hand. He had tinkered with it relentlessly, still sometimes found a way to change or improve it. Obi-Wan had commented on it a few times since it apparently wasn’t so usual for a Jedi to work as continuously on their ‘saber as Anakin, but he couldn’t deny the results. Anakin just felt like his weapon needed to reflect every lesson he had learned, the path of the Force was always easier to follow when it rang harmoniously.

“I still think practice would be more fruitful if I actually had a blade that fit me,” Anakin said as he fell back into the first stance of Jar’kai.

He had trouble sticking to the very basic form and not immediately try to work in the stances he knew from other forms. Obi-Wan insisted that the groundwork had to be there first before he could branch out, but to Anakin it was all instinct.

And his instinct said that he needed two blades that both fit the hands they were meant to be wielded with.

“You’re not building a second lightsaber, Anakin,” Obi-Wan replied, faking an exhausted sigh.

“Yet,” Anakin added and attacked Obi-Wan once more. He held himself against his Master a little longer this time but was soon pushed to the defensive again. Anakin definitely wasn’t a fan of staying passive, but Obi-Wan cared more about having a good defense than a good offense.

If you could counter your opponent’s every strike and had more endurance than them, a passable offense could defeat them. If your defense sucked, you died.

Obi-Wan had cited old Jedi philosophy when he had begun instructing Anakin in combat, but that was what his lecture had boiled down to.

The next thing he had told Anakin was that if you could fight dirty, you should. Anakin had been taught that lesson years ago on Tatooine. Survival was never about pride or honor, but about enduring and not losing yourself.

Anakin blocked another strike, then feigned an attack towards the right. Obi-Wan adjusted his steps only minimally, but Anakin knew that he had fallen for it so he threw himself to his right faster than Obi-Wan could react and managed to reach his side to a far closer degree than he had expected. Obi-Wan jumped back again before he could connect, but Anakin had succeeded in breaking his offense regardless.

He spun his ‘sabers around with a victorious grin. “How was that, Master?”

Obi-Wan smiled and turned off his blade. “Well done, Padawan. Or what do you think?”

Confused, Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, needing a moment to realize he wasn’t speaking to Anakin at all. Instead, he had turned to a group of Initiates standing at the entrance of the training hall. There were about seven of them, all around the same age, staring at Anakin and Obi-Wan with big eyes.

“Super cool!” The first Initiate cheered and soon after the rest of the group joined in.

Taking Obi-Wan’s acknowledgment of them as an invitation, the children entered the training hall, all babbling and asking questions. Anakin felt his cheeks heat under all that praise. He was good, he knew that or Obi-Wan wouldn’t have moved up his training or he wouldn’t score so high in his classes, but Anakin always felt like he wasn’t good enough yet. There was something he had the strange feeling that there was something he had to be prepared for and his current level wouldn’t be enough.

He had to get stronger.

“What can Padawan Skywalker and I help you with?” Obi-Wan asked the children kindly.

Anakin could still go a couple more rounds before he needed a break, but he figured he might as well use the time to grab a drink. He deactivated his blades, clipped them onto his belt and then walked over to the benches where he had stashed his water.

The Initiates all looked amongst themselves, suddenly shy. After a few seconds, they seemed to have agreed on a speaker as a young Nautolan Initiate stepped forward.

“Master Kenobi, we are here to ask whether you would do us the honor to debate us for our Introduction to Diplomacy I final exam.”

Anakin couldn’t help himself, he snorted, earning himself an annoyed look from Obi-Wan. This was the third group of Initiates to approach Obi-Wan about their final exam. Obi-Wan’s reputation as a genius negotiator had started to make the rounds – praise his Master more than deserved in Anakin’s opinion – and many had decided that challenging him and having him accept that challenge was a great honor. Anakin himself had debated Quinlan for his final exam. He wasn’t a particularly good speaker, likely also never would be as he got too invested too quickly and tended to bulldoze through arguments. However, no amount of Jedi Shadow training and secret undercover missions Anakin wasn’t supposed to be aware of but knew about anyway because Quinlan tended to leave Aayla in their care when he was gone, could defeat first-hand knowledge of how the Hutt’s reign in the Outer Rim worked. Anakin had won that debate based on personal experience, but he had won it.

Anakin didn’t mind that all these Initiates were now crowding around Obi-Wan so often, honestly, he thought it was pretty adorable actually, but he would prefer it if they chose to approach Obi-Wan when he wasn’t training with Anakin.

Resigning himself to the fact that the rest of the afternoon would be spent watching Obi-Wan trying to talk himself out of being one of the examiners for the Initiates, Anakin began to put his water bottle away and collected the tunics he had thrown on the floor while sparring.

“Padawan Skywalker?”

Anakin looked up to see that one Initiate had separated from the group. She was a little shorter than the other children her age, but she looked twice as determined.

“Can I help you?”

The girl nodded seriously. “I’m Initiate Shallan Rom and I request your aid in preparing for my Introduction to Diplomacy I final exam.”

She clasped her hands behind her back and bowed once formally before resuming her previous position. Anakin smiled apologetically at Shallan.

“I’m sorry, I’d love to help, but I’m really not good at all that diplomacy stuff,” Anakin explained. He shrugged and then ran his hand through his grease hair. “I’m better at fighting.”

“My rhetoric marks are excellent,” Shallan continued, proving her point as she spoke with carefully selected words. “I’d like your help when it comes to finding arguments.”

“Arguments?” Anakin repeated. “What topic do you want to debate?”

Now the girl blushed slightly, though the dark color of her skin and the green tattoos on her cheeks almost hid it completely.

“You’re the only Padawan who has been granted early access to the upper-level greenhouses by Master Windu. I want to go there as well and have decided to debate Master Windu for that right. My crèchemaster told me you might be able to help me.”

Anakin’s face split into a grin as he heard her words. He had pretty much bullied Master Windu for the right to get access to that greenhouse when he had been eleven so he could keep taking care of one of the flowers he had inherited from Qui-Gon and didn’t have to hand it over to somebody else. The plants in those greenhouses were extremely delicate, hence not wanting any children in them without supervision. Most of them only wanted in there to prove they could sneak in and not to actually care for the greenery in there.

“And why do you want in there?” Anakin asked.

“We keep a couple of plants from Kiffu up there,” Shallan slowly. “It’s my homeworld. I’d like to see something real from it.”

That was a sentiment Anakin could relate to. He glanced at Obi-Wan, but his Master was still busy fending off the other Initiates.

“Alright, sit down,” Anakin said. Shallan smiled at him, practically vibrating with happiness and excitement. “First things first, the plants up there are very sensitive and/or dangerous, so you will want to show you can be responsible and know how to deal with poisons…”