Work Text:
Life with Obi-Wan, post finding out about the crazy symbiote living in his head who wanted to eat just about everyone, was weirdly easier then pre finding out about the symbiote.
His master was so much more relaxed within their own quarters now, Anakin often found himself coming back from lessons and walking into an argument or conversation between Obi-Wan and Venom. There was about a fifty-fifty chance that Venom had formed a head to argue with, or if Obi-Wan was just arguing with the voice in his head. The first couple of times it had happened Obi-Wan was incredibly embarrassed. Once Anakin had convinced his master he didn’t mind it seemed to happen more and more.
Before he learnt of Venom, Anakin often found himself annoyed at his master who despite regularly using the force for little things, told Anakin off for his ‘frivolous use of the force’. It hadn’t taken him long to spot the small black tendril sneaking out from under a tunic or out of a sleeve to close a cupboard door or put a way a tea cup. Turns out Venom often did little things like that. And not all the time helpful. Most of the arguments between Obi-Wan and Venom started with Venom doing something to purposely annoy Obi-Wan. Anakin and Venom found it hilarious.
Another by-product of the silent arguments with Venom was all the faces Obi-Wan pulled. Before Anakin thought that his master was often displeased with him due to the frown on his face. But now he knew that it was really Obi-Wan frowning at something Venom was saying, most likely Venom trying to convince Obi-Wan to allow him to eat someone.
Obi-Wan had also been a lot more open with him, not having to hide a huge part of him probably helped with that and Anakin was eternally grateful. There were still some things he hadn’t opened up about, despite Anakin’s pleading he still hadn’t found out about the mission where Obi-Wan and Venom bonded. It was slightly worrying in fact. When Obi-Wan had found out he’d been a slave he had open up about his own time as a slave, not to belittle Anakin, but to let him knew Obi-Wan would understand at least a small part. If Obi-Wan wasn’t wanting to tell him about this other mission, it must have been bad.
It hadn’t all been sunshine and roses though. There had been, and still was, plenty of occasions where Anakin wished he’d never met the infuriating symbiote. Venom thoroughly enjoyed making him jump, Obi-Wan mostly stopped the symbiote, but there were occasions where his master had fallen asleep and Venom had taken over.
The first time it happened was only a few weeks after Anakin had meet Venom. They had been back in the temple for most of it, Anakin having exams coming up in some of his lessons. Both Anakin and his master had been running on very little sleep, Anakin due to revising for his exams, and Obi-Wan because the man seemed to hate sleep and drowned himself in research too often.
Anakin stumbled out of his room in the small’s hours of the morning, finally finished revising and planning on getting a drink before collapsing on his bed. A glance over to the sofa showed that Obi-Wan had finally fallen asleep too. Grabbing one of the blankets and draping it over his master before moving back to the kitchen.
There was a soft rustle of fabric from their living room, hopefully Obi-Wan going to bed, Anakin thought. Turning to head back to bed, he shrieked, glass shattering on the floor.
Venom was stood less then a foot a way from him, mouth filled with too many teeth grinning down at him, large white eyes unblinking.
“H-Hi”
“Hungry” Venoms growled reply came.
“I think there’s some left overs?”
“Disgusting.”
“Hey! I made that!” Venom gave him a flat look before ripping the fridge door open. Anakin winced, knowing he’d probably have to fix that in the morning. Venom didn’t know his own strength, or he did and just didn’t care. Anakin thought it was probably the latter. Venom eventually grabbed a packed or raw meat, sliding the whole thing into his mouth and swallowing it whole.
“More”
“I’m pretty sure Obi-Wan won’t be happy with you eating raw meat.”
“We are hungry! He does not feed us! He will not let us eat anyone! We will starve!”
Anakin was a bit worried, so far Obi-Wan had been awake for all of his conversations with Venom. What if he messed this up and Venom went to go eat someone?
“How about some chocolate?”
Venoms head whipped around quickly, so quick Anakin would have normally been worried about his master suffering from whiplash, if it wasn’t for the super healing powers of Venom.
“YESSS.” Venom left the fridge, door still wide open, and stalked over to Anakin, “Give us chocolate Little Looser”
“You know that isn’t exactly a compliment, right?” Venom just hissed in his face. Anakin sighed, wondering how Obi-Wan put up with this all the time. Pulling out his own stash of chocolate, Obi-Wan definitely owed him for this. Venom didn’t answer, but he did start devouring the chocolate, which Anakin thought was probably a good sign.
Since that night it wasn’t uncommon for Anakin to find Venom stalking him within their quarters only to jump out at him and scare him, Obi-Wan was insistent Venom didn’t actually want to hurt him. That it was Venom just playing with him, like how a tooka might play. Anakin wasn’t entirely convinced, but as it happened more and more and Anakin found himself never harmed, maybe it might be true.
The first time Anakin had done it back to Venom both he and Obi-Wan had been in hysterics. Anakin had come home from lessons to see Venom stacking glasses on the table. He had a weird fascination about stacking things up. Anakin was a bit surprised that the symbiote hadn’t hidden and jumped out at him. Until he realised Venom hadn’t noticed him! He felt a slightly manic grin spreading over his face as he slowly crept up on the distracted symbiote. Making sure to not make a sound.
Not wanting to risk being eviscerated or have his head bitten off, he’d been a witness to just how sharp the teeth and claws were, Anakin opted to grab a pillow. Throwing it directly at the back of Venoms head before ducking behind the sofa.
Venom hissed, jumping up so high he stuck to the ceiling a rumbling snarl echoing in the room until his gaze caught on Anakin. Anakin, trying not to laugh at the reaction prepared himself to run, just in case Venom decided to try and eat him. What he wasn’t prepared for was for Venom to completely retreat inside Obi-Wan.
His master, who was now about eight foot in the air, whose normal human hands couldn’t do anything to keep him stuck to the ceiling. There was a thud and groan as Obi-Wan landed on the floor, he’d used the force to cushion the fall just enough so it didn’t do any damage, but not being prepared for the fall meant that it still wasn’t a soft landing.
Anakin was sure he was about to be grounded for life.
That was until his Master, still on his back on the floor, started giggling, growing into a full-bodied laugh.
“M-master? Are you ok?” Anakin asked, maybe Obi-Wan had hit is head on the way down.
“He’s, He’s sulking!” Obi-Wan managed to get out between laughs, a few seconds,
“Yes, you are! Don’t lie.”
“Its hilarious, you looked like a startled Tooka!”
“Anakin, Ani tell him! Tell him he looked like a tooka!”
Anakin just watching his master, who was having an internal argument with a sulking symbiote on the floor, and decided that if this was going to be his life from now on, it was best to just accept all of it.
“You did sound like a tooka too V.” Anakin said, trying not to giggle.
“No! We didn’t!” Venoms voice came from Obi-Wans mouth.
“Did!” said Obi-Wan
“Did not! We are not some pathetic feline!”
“Are you sure? You certainly like head scratches.” Anakin said, he had often found Obi-Wan reading with Venom, either as a head or just a ball of goo, purring on his lap receiving head scratches.
“I will eat you both!” Venom shouted before disappearing, leaving a cackling master and Padawan behind.
So over all, Anakin had thoroughly enjoyed his padawanship, even with a slightly cannibalistic symbiote added to the mix.
Right now, Anakin was buzzing. They were about to meet with Senator Amidala, acting as a security detail for her. Obi-Wan had done as much as he could to get their missions to be around Naboo, so that Anakin could meet up with his mom frequently. He hadn’t seen Senator Amidala since the battle of Naboo.
Obi-Wan was muttering quietly to himself as they waited in the elevator, well probably to Venom, not himself.
“Anything interesting?” Anakin asked.
“Oh, just the normal. V isn’t keen on small spaces.” They had found that out the hard way on a mission when they got trapped in a cupboard, it hadn’t ended well.
Luckily on this occasion the elevator ride didn’t take too long luckily, and Anakin was more than glad to let Obi-Wan out of the confined space first.
“Obi! Obi! Obi!”
Obi-Wan froze at the voice giving Anakin a panicked look as Jar Jar approached.
“Mesa sooo smilen to see'en yousa!”
Obi-Wan smiled, if he was anyone else Anakin wouldn’t have noticed, but as Obi-Wans padawan and having lived with him for about half his life, he did notice the tensing of Obi-Wans shoulders and slight strain to his smile. By the looks of it, Venom did not like Jar Jar. Obi-Wan only had this sort of reaction when trying to prevent the symbiote from eating people. His master was very good at negotiating with the symbiote, but it normally took a lot of bribery and chocolate to ensure he got his way.
“It’s good to see you too, Jar Jar.”
“Little Bitty Annie? Yousa so biggen! Mesa no believen!” Anakin awkwardly patted Jar Jar on the back when he was enveloped in a hug.
“Hello Jar Jar,”
The trio made their way to senator Amidala’s apartment, Anakin and Obi-Wan only half listening to Jar Jar chatting. Although by the slight twitches to his master’s face, Obi-Wan was probably still arguing with Venom.
Anakin swallowed nervously as they entered the senator’s apartment, Padmé looking up as they arrived.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again my Lady.” Obi-Wan bowed, ‘manners Anakin’ Obi-Wan sent to him through their force bond. Anakin quickly dropped into a matching bow.
“It’s been too long Master Kenobi, although I must say, I think your presence here is unnecessary.”
“I’m sure that the Jedi Council have their reasons.” Obi-Wan countered, it was one of the things Anakin agreed with the council on, but that could have just been that he wanted the chance to meet Padmé again. The senators’ eyes fell on him and Anakin felt himself stand up slightly straighter.
“Annie? My goodness, you’ve grown!” Anakin felt himself blush slightly, he hoped she meant it in a good way.
“So, you have you, grown more beautiful I mean, for a senator, I mean.” Anakin wanted to die. He had tried to be smooth! He wondered if Venom would eat him if he asked.
Obi-Wan was giving him a teasing glance, and Padmé laughed, Anakin wasn’t sure if it a good laugh or bad laugh, but it could have been worse. He was pulled out of gazing at Padmé by Obi-Wan choking.
“Are you ok Master?”
“Y-yes, apologies, I must have got something stuck in my throat.” Clearing his throat again, he turned back to Padmé, “Our presence will be invisible my Lady.”
Anakin listened as Obi-Wan half argued with both Padmé and Captain Typho. He had to bite his lip in order to not speak up promising to find the assassin. As much as he wanted to, he knew it wasn’t be part of their mission. Obi-Wan wouldn’t be happy if he spoke up against the mission here, he knew from previous experience to keep quiet, for now at least. In all likelihood, Obi-Wan was probably already thinking about catching the killer, but couldn’t risk going against the council so obviously. Not without drawing too much attention to themselves, and for Obi-Wan’s and Venoms safety, they didn’t want that.
The senators and various guards all left, leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin to set up surveillance for the apartment.
“So, what was that all about? I’ve never seen you choke like that on missions?” Anakin asked.
“Ah, just something V said, I’m sure you won’t be interested.” Obi-Wan said.
Anakin just hummed, “Come on Obi, tell me.”
“It was nothing, really. Have you set up the cameras?” Obi-Wan tried to deflect
“Yes, now stop trying to distract me, it just makes me want to know more. Tellll mee, or I’ll go tell Jar Jar you want to catch up with him.”
“Fine! V just ask if, ifyouweregoingtomatewithher.” Obi-Wan muttered, Anakin frowned, not being able to figure out what he said.
“What?”
“V asked if you were going to mate with the senator!”
Anakin felt himself blush bright red, checks feeling like they were on fire. “wh- no, I, excuse me.” Anakin turned and went to the bathroom, escaping the mortifying embarrassment. It was so much worse than any of Obi-Wan’s light hearted teasing. He could never show his face again! His comm chimed, a message from Obi-Wan coming through.
‘The senator has covered her camera. Return ASAP.’
Followed by another message,
‘Sorry that Venom and I embarrassed you, I hope you know I did not mean to upset or offend you.’
Sighing Anakin made his way back to his Master. Who seemed a bit unsure, “It’s ok Obi-Wan. I know what V is like. And I did threaten you with Jar Jar, so I sort of deserve it."
“Thank you. Now, it seems like the senator has covered her camera.”
“She’s programmed R2 to warn us if there’s an intruder, it should be ok.”
“It’s not intruders I’m worried about, there are many ways to kill someone without entering a room.”
“We’re going to try catching the killer right Master? Not just stop any assassination attempts.”
“Of course, I don’t know why the council didn’t think it would be a good idea. If we find the killer, we can stop them and find out who and why someone wants her dead. But we need those cameras up and running.”
“What if we were to not?”
Obi-Wan froze at his suggestion, “We are not using the senator as bait, dear one. We’re trying to keep her out of trouble, not put her in trouble!”
“Nothing will happen! I even if I can’t sense everything going on in that room, with you, me and V, we should be able to!”
“It’s not a terrible idea.” Obi-Wan finally conceded, Anakin grinned.
Obi-Wan eventually pulled out a pack of cards, shuffling and dealing quickly, “Round of sabbac while we wait?”
Anakin frowned, “I’m not playing sabbac with you, you cheat.”
“Come now Anakin, you have never seen me cheat.”
“That doesn’t mean you don’t, I know you old man.” Obi-Wan gave him innocent looking grin.
“How about his, whoever wins, doesn’t have to do the mission report.”
Anakin knew that Obi-Wan would probably win, he nearly always did. But he also hated writing reports, at least normal reports. Anakin loved writing reports after V had come out to play, finding more and more crazy ways of creating stories which were just believable enough for the council to accept. Obi-Wan had told him several times that he ever decided to leave the Jedi he would be able to write incredible fantasy stories.
“Alright, fine.”
They were on their fifth game, each of them having won two and now playing to win, when both of them froze.
“You feel that?”
“Yeah.” Anakin pulled his lightsaber off his belt, following his master at a run into the senator’s bedroom.
Bursting through the door Anakin notes his Master going after the droid by the window, as he throws himself towards the Kouhun crawling too close to Padmé. A quick and carful slice of his saber and it’s in two pieces.
There was a crash and a gasp from Padmé, Anakin turns to see the edge of Obi-Wans cloak disappear as his Master had thrown himself out of the window after the droid.
“Not again.” He muttered, noticing the guards all rushing in. “stay here!” he ordered as he dashes out.
Not pausing to worry about any consequences he leaps into the nearest speeder hoping the owner wouldn’t be to upset. Flooring it into the traffic. Knowing his Master, he was probably heading directly into trouble, true he had Venom with him. But it wasn’t like he could get Venom to do much in the middle of Coruscant, far too many witnesses and cameras.
Reaching out in the force Anakin was able to locate his Master, weaving through the traffic. He quickly figured out he didn’t even need the force to follow Obi-Wan, not with the number of explosions and blaster shots going off.
A brief movement above him made him mutter out a curse, just about managing to get the speeder under his master who landed heavily on the bonnet. Using a bit of help from Venom to climb into the passenger seat
“What took you so long?”
“Oh, you know, couldn’t find a speeder I liked, open cockpit, right speed, and of course the best colour too.” Anakin quipped back, glancing over to his master, he hadn’t been worried about the huge fall Obi-Wan had just taken, he had Venom to heal anything, but the pale look on Obi-Wan’s face made him pause.
“Master, are you ok?”
There was a flicker over Obi-Wans face, Venom almost superimposed over it, like a bad comm signal, it wasn’t a nice view. “We don’t like flying!”
“Hey V. I’ve been flying since before I could walk! My flying isn’t that bad.”
Venom just snarled at him, “We hate it!”
“Hold on!” He barely sees Obi-Wan slide into the footwell as he focuses on breaking, spinning the speeder and shooting off through the traffic to keep up with the bounty hunter.
“Ani, Please, you know we don’t like it when you do that.” At least it was Obi-Wan’s voice this time, rather than Venoms, he was still using ‘we’ though, so he was probably not feeling great.
“Sorry Master,” Anakin glances over to Obi-Wan, he’d never seen his master look so bad. “Just hold on, we can’t lose this guy.”
Without Obi-Wan distracting him he could focus entirely on his driving. There were a couple of close calls, especially when the assassin drew a blaster and started firing at their speeder. Several steep drives, spins and even a corkscrew later and he was almost catching up when he heard a quiet whimper.
Glancing over Anakin was shocked, Obi-Wan looked horrendous. He was pale, sweaty and panting hard. Eyes screwed shut Anakin could just make out quiet pleading from his master to stop. Looking back at the speeder they were following he noticed it haphazardly parked and the assassin disappearing through a near by door. Thank the force, Anakin didn’t want to keep putting his master through whatever torment he was going through.
Parked Anakin leapt over to Obi-Wans door. Helping his stumbling master out of the speeder.
“We are never doing that again. Make us do that again and we will eat you!” Venom threated; before disappearing back into Obi-Wan, Anakin ignored him.
“I know you didn’t like flying Master, but what was that all about?”
“We will explain later Padawan mine, l-lets get after this assassin first. Don’t want to lose them.”
Looking notably better Obi-Wan went into the club, Anakin following closely behind.
“You’re going to be the death of me.” his master muttered teasingly.
“Aww don’t say that, you know you’re like a brother to me. I wouldn’t actually want to cause you any harm. You know that right?”
“I know dear one, now come on, do you see them?”
Anakin looked around, “I don’t think so.”
Obi-Wan started walking away, “Where you going master?”
“To get a drink, I need it after that driving!” Obi-Wan teased. Anakin huffed, walking around the room and trying to spot their assassin.
A flash of familiar blue light and a scream from over near the bar made Anakin burst into movement. It seemed his master had dis-armed their assassin, literally. The crowd around them did not seem happy.
Anakin drew his lightsaber, not lighting it, “Easy, official Jedi Business. Go back to your drinks.”
The crowd did, slightly reluctantly. The singer starting up again and slowly everything went back to how it was before. Anakin helping Obi-Wan to carry the assassin out of the club.
They dump the bounty hunter on the floor, Obi-Wan seeing to her shoulder before asking, “Do you know who you were trying to kill?”
“The senator from Naboo.”
“Who hired you?”
“It was just a job.”
“Tell us!” Anakin snarled, trying to channel his inner Venom to intimidate her.
“She’s going to die soon anyway. If I don’t kill her, someone else will.” Anakin felt himself getting angry at the response, not wanting to think about the senator in danger.
“Tell us who hired you!” he half shouted, ignoring the glare the bounty hurter shot him. The bounty hunter didn’t get chance to answer before a soft thud sounded, the bounty hunter gasping before dying, toxic dart imbedded in her neck.
Anakin and Obi-Wan both turned to look at the source of the dart, an armoured man taking off with a jet pack and out of view.
This mission was not going the way Anakin had thought. He had thought, like the other protection details he and his master had been assigned on, it would be easy. He had thought that with two Jedi any assassins or bounty hunters would have been discouraged from trying anything and even if they did try something the pair of them would easily stop it and catch whoever was at fault. That, obviously, did not work.
Obi-Wan was currently looking at the dart with interest, “Do you recognise it master?”
“No, but I know someone who might. It looks like this might be a chance for you to have a solo mission dear one.”
“Wait really?” Anakin hadn’t done many solo missions, what with being a padawan still. As a senior padawan Obi-Wan was letting him take the lead on missions with increasing frequency but this would be the first time he was doing one alone.
“Yes, you’re more than ready to do this, I couldn’t think of anyone better. I know you’ll make a fine knight one day.”
Anakin tried not to grin too much at the praise.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Take the senator to Naboo, and stay there. It’s not safe for her here. Don’t do anything without checking with either myself or the council. I’ll go try and find out about this dart.”
“Yes Master,” the pair were heading towards the main street, Obi-Wan pocketing the dart. “So, what was that whole speeder thing about? You’ve not that that bad reaction to any other flying.”
“We don’t like it!” Venoms voice sounded from Obi-Wans mouth
“V, quiet” Obi-Wan scolded, “Venom has a few, weaknesses.”
“We are not weak!”
“Extreme heat and flames are one. The other, is certain frequencies of sound or very loud sounds. Inconveniently, the sounds often made by speeders at high speeds is one of the worst things for him.”
“Oh, so it was killing him?”
“Sort of? Defiantly weakening him as well as our connection.”
“I, I didn’t mean to! I thought you just didn’t like it! Not that it was killing you!”
“Ani, it’s ok, we’re both fine.”
“You owe us chocolate.” Came Venoms rumbled voice.
“Of course,” Anakin agreed easily, “Wait, is that why you never want to go to any podraces?!”
“Partly,” Obi-Wan seemed reluctant to admit, “You do know the death rate for those, right? I worry about you”
“I don’t race much anymore!”
“It’s the much which concerns me. Now, go on back to the senator, get to Naboo. Keep her safe, and keep yourself safe too.”
“Yes master,”
“If you mate her, wear protection.”
“V!” Obi-Wan half shouted in shock.
“Venom! I did not need to hear that” Anakin blushed.
“He is right though, make sure to wear protection.” Obi-Wan added
“Master! Not you too! I’m going, I don’t need to hear this.”
“May the force be with you Padawan.”
“And you Master.”
Anakin was having the time of his life. Travelling along with Padmé was surprisingly fun, she was smart and funny and beautiful and did he say smart? They had decided that it was safer for Padmé if she was to travel as a normal civilian rather then with her entire guard. So both her and Anakin were posing as a couple travelling back home to Naboo. Anakin found it very easy to settle into the role, probably too easy. Padmé didn’t seem to have a problem with it though. In fact, she seemed to enjoy spending time with him. Even his failed attempts to be smooth and flirty seemed to make her laugh.
“So, Ani, do you have a plan for us now? My family would be happy for us to use one of the lake houses, it’s a way out into the country side. No one would bother us.”
“I have somewhere in mind actually, it’ll be safe, I promise.”
The speeder bus pulled up to its stop, Padmé, Anakin and R2 disembarking. Anakin leading them through the city knowing the way off by heart now.
“You seem to know where you’re going.” Padmé said, sounding a bit surprised and very curious.
“I’d hope so, I’ve spent enough time here.”
“You have? I didn’t know you’d had missions here; I would have happily housed both you and Master Kenobi.”
“Oh, it wasn’t any missions, solely personal trips.”
Anakin had led them to what looked like a small junk yard, bits of machinery, ships and droid parts scattered around the small yard outside a building. He let himself in, not bothering to knock,
“Mom! I’m home!” He smiled at Padmé’s shocked face, she quickly covered it with a smile though.
“Ani!!” there was a clatter and a shout, a small woman darting though the doorway, pulling Anakin into a tight hug. “It’s so good to see you, I wasn’t expecting you the place is a mess! Oh, I’m so sorry, I’m Shmi, it’s nice to meet you.” His mom spoke the last part to Padmé. Anakin watched as Padmé introduced herself, his mom dragging them both into her kitchen for refreshments.