Hey you all,

surprise, I can write non-slash, too :-) It's quite an old piece of work, actually, but I loved writing it, and I hope you will enjoy reading!

I could have uploaded something romantic, too, but I don't want to be set on one topic, and in fact, I'm not quite keen on writing romantic stuff right now. :-)

This is the first chapter of maybe five or six, but it could stand alone, too. I wrote in like a One-Shot on purpose…it won't happen like the last time that I abandon a story for far too long without an apt end!

Thanks for reading…and I'd love to see your feedback!

Love, Leolina

It's ok to be a little broken – everybody's broken in this life.

It's ok to feel a little broke – everybody's broken, you're alright.

It's just life.

Everybody's broken – Bon Jovi

Anakin gazed at the man in front of him.

"Master…"

How odd this word felt on his lips. He did not know the man in front of him, but somehow he must have been friends with Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon had been nice. He had hugged him and showed him the stars. But Qui-Gon was dead, and Anakin did not know if he could trust the man in front of him.

The man was his Master now, and Anakin thought that he was quite intimidating. He was not as tall as Qui-Gon, but he was taciturn and pale, and obviously he was in pain. Anakin knew that it had been him to cause this pain, it was always his fault. He was a silly boy, he could never do anything right, and for sure the man in front of him knew that well.

"Master Obi-Wan…"

Anakin had heard how the man had yelled at the other dark, bald man who was even more intimidating, and in fact people said that he had killed someone. His mother had told him that killing was bad.

Anakin could hardly suppress a sob. He missed his mother so much that it hurt, but he wouldn't let it show to the man. Tears were weak, Watto had always hit him for crying, and for sure the man would hit him, too.

He had not completely understood why the man was here with him, and he had not talked for hours, he just sat there and stared into the deep blue yonder. Probably he was too annoyed about Anakin's presence to speak, but the boy did not know where else to go. So he stayed, a shivering bundle in an armchair, because it was cold, oh, so cold in here.

The last thing the man had said to him was "You will be a Jedi. I promise.", but right now, Anakin was not even sure if he wanted to become a Jedi at all. All he wanted was being in his mother's arms, even if Watto blew the hell out of him. His mother was gentle, she'd never punch him, and her eyes were full of love. The eyes of the man were just cold and distant.

He didn't seem to like Anakin. When he had arrived at the man's place, his hair had been cut short but a small ponytail in his neck. Truth to tell, he had been really frightened of the man's reaction, because he wore the same haircut. Anakin didn't want to annoy him, he didn't want him to think that he was copied by a silly boy, but in fact nobody had asked him what he wanted and he would have been too frightened to tell, either. When he saw the man…his Master again, he had cut his hair, too. The small ponytail had vanished, and the braid was gone, too.

Anakin had stiffened. Obviously the man abhorred him so much that he couldn't even bear having the same haircut.

Time went by, and it became harder and harder for Anakin to stay silent. He had not eaten for days, and soon his stomach would rumble. The honey-blonde boy nervously pressed his hands on his belly, trying to suppress the imminent noise. Master Obi-Wan would hear him, and then he would get angry because Anakin had disturbed him, and he would hit him like Watto had, sure he would.

Anakin deserved it, he didn't deserve anything but blows, left, right, until his lip dehisced and he tasted the salty taste of his own blood, strangely comforting, something one could rely on.

One could not rely on anyone, that was what Watto had told him, but he had disregarded this rule for his mother. She had to be an exception, because her eyes were true, and she had never betrayed him. Anakin was not sure to what extent she could have betrayed him, but everybody could, every time. It was better not to trust anyone, because they would slap you and leave you, and although you knew you deserved it because you were a nuisance, it hurt.

Anakin didn't want to be a nuisance. He didn't want to make the man angry. He was the only thing that was left for him, because his mother was on Tatooine, and Qui-Gon had died. They had left him…maybe Watto had been right. Nobody should be trusted, nobody. Anakin ordered himself to be invisible for the man, and as silent as a shadow. Maybe then he would be contented with him, but Anakin knew he deceived himself. Nobody ever was contented with him.

Suddenly his stomach growled noisily. Anakin froze. Why couldn't he do right for one time in his life?

Two surprising blue eyes faced him, but they were not glowing with anger and disdain…there was an almost regretful expression that colored them the tiniest bit of cobalt.

"Force, Anakin! I'm…I'm sorry. I've completely forgotten…You must be starving!"

The man jumped up and Anakin jerked back, but he just headed towards the room Anakin considered to be the kitchen. At home, on Tatooine, his mother had cooked over a fire, and embers and blaze had mixed with the delicious taste of the dishes, but here, Anakin hadn't found anything that looked like a hearth or something, just thousands of difficult gadgets and devices.

At the thought of his mother, a single tear leaked out of his eyes. Mom…

"Anakin?"

The man stared at him from the kitchen door. Obviously he had expected Anakin to follow, but the boy hadn't noticed it. He was always daydreaming, he was never doing things right, and now the intimidating, strange man had seen him crying, too.

Anakin quickly wiped away the tears, but obviously the enthralling blue eyes couldn't be tricked that easily. The man approached him quickly and Anakin shrank back , eyes wide open with fear.

"I'm sorry…I didn't want to…please…please, don't hit me!"

The man was lifting his hands and Anakin closed his eyes, expecting the first, burning slap, but nothing happened, nothing but a soft touch on his cheek, and as the boy opened his eyes again he saw a large, calloused hand grazing his forehead, and then he was pulled into a warm, cozy lap, the lap of his Master.

Anakin stiffened. Probably this was a trick. Watto had sometimes ruffled his hair and told him what a clever little boy he was just to slap his face then without a warning. But the man's chest was so warm and cordial, and, how peculiar, he was gently stroking his back and made soft, shooing noises.

"Hush, Anakin, it's fine. I know it's hard…I know. But everything will be alright…I promise."

And then Anakin could not hold on any longer. He burst into tears, crying into the man's tunic, crying for his mother, for his friends, for Qui-Gon, crying because it was so cold and he was hungry and exhausted, crying because he was so weak, a pathetic burden, a nuisance, a sniveler no one could like. Master Obi-Wan would be disgusted by his weakness, he would leave and then Anakin would be all alone.

He tried to tell Master Obi-Wan how sorry he was, but the too long suppressed sobs rocked his small body so heavily that he could not even take a decent breath, and Obi-Wan pulled him closer towards him, his face still buried in the cream-and chocolate-colored tunics.

The words that reached Anakin made him hiccup in surprise.

"Ani, oh, my Ani…I'm so sorry! I've completely ignored you…please forgive me."

Again Anakin was lost for words. Why did Master Obi-Wan apologize? Everything was his fault, it always was, wasn't it? The man held him away on arm's length, serene blue eyes meeting his in silent appreciation and sorrow.

"Anakin…Padawan. I'm really sorry. I'm sad about Qui-Gon's death, but that's no excuse. I haven't thought about your well-being…I'm such a jerk."

And suddenly the honesty radiating from the magic eyes wiped away Anakin's fears and he launched himself into his Masters arms again.

Obi-Wan was taken completely aback, lost his balance and fell backwards, Anakin still cradled in his arms. Again the boy froze in shock. He didn't know anything about Jedi Rules, but knocking over your Master had to be a severe crime, for sure.

To his surprise Obi-Wan simply chuckled and ruffled his hair. He dragged Anakin with him gently as he stood up, and again Anakin felt the connection between them as the calm voice made his heart hum.

"And I want you to know, Padawan, that I would never hurt you."

And somehow Anakin's tensed body relaxed for the first time in months and he cautiously placed his head right above his Master's heart that was beating strongly, regularly, like a little being walking enthusiastically, and Anakin decided that it would b quite good to walk along with his Master.

Obi-Wan wiped away one last tear,

"Come on, Padawan, let's eat something. Would you laugh if I told you that I can make the best pancakes in the whole galaxy?"