trust

part twenty-five

i laughed, "alright smooth talker."

"how long will it take to get there?"

"not long." i grinned, squinting my eyes from the scorching sun beaming down on us.

"alright." he scoffed, cringing at the sand on his boots.

after about 10 minutes of walking, we stumbled across a village, the houses being shaped as domes.

"my god." he whispered, stopping still as he realised what we had come across.

"what?"

"i grew up here." he bit his lip, jogging to the small dome.

"perfect." i smiled, following after him.

it was the perfect shape, and size. and it hadn't seen human life in years. as far as we could see.

"i think people are still living inside." anakin mumbled, slipping in through the door.

"anakin! don't intrude!"

"i'm not intruding. i'm just saying hello."

"sometimes you really get on my nerves." i whispered under my breath.

"i heard that." he called back, creeping into the set of houses.

i ran in after him, and a man appeared. dazed as ever.

"can i help you?" the man asked, folding his arms.

"don't you remember me?" ani stuttered, holding up his head.

"my god... it can't be you can it?" the man rose his voice in excitement, pulling in anakin for a hug.

"it's nice to see you young man!"

"and you." anakin nodded, "aria - this is my step father. cliegg."

"it's lovely to meet you sir." i bowed, shaking his head gently.

"please - just call me cliegg." he grinned, pulling me in for a hug too.

"my boy - you have grown!" he smiled with glee, "owen, come out here."

"yes dad?" owen sighed, realising who we were.

"owen - you remember your step brother anakin right?"

"how could i forget." he grinned, hugging anakin tightly.

"it's nice to see you too owen. it's been a while."

"it's been far too long. please, do stay for dinner."

anakin looked at me for an answer.

"of course we'll stay. we'd love to."

"then it's settled. come this way!" cliegg grinned, gesturing for us to walk with him.

we walked over to a small table, with cliegg, owen, and owens fiancé, beru.

"this is my fiancé. beru." owen smiled, bringing her to us with open arms.

"it's lovely to meet you." i grinned, as she shook mine and anakin's hand.

"you two make a great couple." beru smirked, sitting with us.

"you think so?" i replied, blushing at her comment.

"yes! beautiful babies too." she smiled, winking at me in secret.

i laughed shyly, feeling anakin's hand move to my thigh, causing me to flinch.

he smirked, looking at my reaction.

"so young man - how long has it been!" cliegg began, sitting down after he handed out the food.

"it's been 3 years." he replied, eating his first mouth full of food.

"my boy - you look so much like your late mother."

anakin smiled, looking down at his food without a reply.

"i have her eyes."

"yes - you do."

silence fell upon the table after he brought up anakin's mother, whom i never got to meet.

so i started conversation.

"so, cliegg, what's life like on tattooine?"

"hot, tiresome, peaceful." he listed, chewing his food loudly.

"how's life on coruscant?" owen asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"well - we haven't been there for a while." i sighed, "the clone wars and all."

"oh of course - we don't hear much about that." owen replied, shaking his head.

"speaking of that - why are you here?" cliegg raised his eyebrows, looking to me and anakin.

we didn't know what to say, until anakin came up with something.

"call it a, vacation?" he laughed, placing his knife and fork on the plate after he finished.

"we have fought hard." i added.

"so you came here?" owen laughed, cliegg and beru looked at him with fierce intention, which quietened him down.

"it's safe here. and we thought we'd come and say hello to you all." anakin smiled, but it quickly faded.

"that's a valid enough reason." beru replied, nodding her head.

"so anakin - how's master kenobi." cliegg began, chewing his food louder.

"fine." anakin fake smiled, clenching his jaw.

i noticed his body language completely changed as cliegg switched conversation. and i decided to step in quickly.

"well - we better be off." i grinned, as i realised anakin was becoming restless and agitated by cliegg's endless questions.

"thank you for dinner!" i exclaimed, pulling anakin up and out of the room.

"are you sure you want to leave so soon? it's dangerous out there at night."

"we'll be fine. we're jedi after all." i reassured them, pulling him up the stairs as if he were drunk.

"please be safe!" beru added, waving us goodbye.

"come again soon. we'd love to have you." owen called, as we walked out of the dome and back out onto the dunes.

"thanks." anakin smiled at me, putting his arm around my shoulder.

"it's alright - that's what girlfriends are for - saving their boyfriends asses."

i grinned, kissing his cheek, and we set off on our mission.