"I seriously can't wait for you to officially meet him." Payto said as he applied the last bit of dark kohl under his eyes.

We had been in my room taking our time getting ready for the concert tonight. After going through the entirety of both of our wardrobes, we had both landed on our looks for the night. I sported a pair of tight, black leather pants and an asymmetrical mesh top that left one of my shoulders completely bare. It was a risqué outfit by my own standards, but Payto insisted that we go all out for the show. So why not?

"I know, I am so excited." I replied and turned to face my friend. He was wearing a beautiful dark plum coat that cut off at his knees. He opted to go shirtless under the jacket and instead just wore a pair of dark grey trousers that hung low on his waist. And with the silver chains and rings he had accessorized with, he looked every bit a Rockstar.

We were finishing up the last touches on our outfits before we left to go meet Raj in the temple courtyard. I watched as Payto smudged the last bits of dark liner under his eye, somehow making him look even more striking.

"I've got a good feeling about tonight." He said as he set the kohl down on the bathroom counter in front of him.

"Well, it will certainly beat the last time we went out, that's for sure." I said with a dark chuckle. Payto shot me a sharp look. We had agreed to never speak of the Outlander club again.

"Sorry" I held up my hands apologetically. Payto eyed me carefully and then took a few steps until he was right in front of me. He then licked his thumb and before I could move, he dragged it across my cheek bone. I squealed in response and batted his hand away, wiping at my own cheek.

"You had a smudge. I couldn't bare an imperfection on that pretty face of yours." He said with a smirk.

"Gross!" I exclaimed and tried to keep the grin that was forming on my face at bay. Payto just chuckled in response and made his way over to a chair where he sat down and pulled on his chunky utility boots. I rolled my eyes and followed suit.

"Alright!" He exclaimed, slapping his knees with his hands, "let's go."

Moments later, Payto and I were walking out the large temple entrance and descended the stairs to the front courtyard. The sound of gravel crunching beneath our feet filled the air. Payto had grown uncharacteristically quiet, I could tell he was nervous to see Raj. I reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a soft squeeze. He shot me an appreciative look and squeezed back, taking a deep breath before we turned a corner to reveal the large courtyard fountain.

Raj had his back to us. His dark curly hair grazing the tops of his broad shoulders as he tossed a pebble into the fountain. He must have heard us coming because as soon as he released the pebble from his hand, he spun around to face us.

I had only ever seen him from a distance in full uniform. But tonight, he was strikingly handsome in his simple black tunic and black pants. Once he saw Payto, he broke into an easy grin which lit up his warm eyes. I couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Hello, Payto." He said in an accent I didn't quite recognize.

"Raj" Payto responded in a flirtatious tone.

We closed the distance between ourselves and where Raj was standing next to the fountain.

"This is my sister, Kels." Payto said and nodded his head in my direction. He had been introducing me as his sister for years and it still never ceased to warm my heart.

"Nice to meet you." I said with a smile and held out my hand.

"And you as well." He replied and took my hand in his, giving it a firm shake.

"Shall we?" Payto asked and motioned his head past the gate and towards the city center.

"After you." Raj responded in a smooth voice, never taking his eyes off Payto. It took everything in me to play it cool and not squeal in excitement for my friend.

The three of us made our way to the train station, passing through the city that was just starting to come to life for the night. Weaving through street vendors with sizzling meats, groups of well-dressed patrons heading into restaurants and bars, and as we got closer to the station, I began to notice what I could only imagine to be fellow concert goers. We finally made it to the station and onto a train headed to our destination.

During our journey, I learned more about Raj. He was a couple years older than Payto and I, but this trip to Coruscant from his home planet in the outer rim was one of his first real assignments. He didn't know how long he was due to stay, but he got the sense that he would be here for the long haul. I could tell this news elated Payto.

Raj also wanted to know more about us. He was curious to know about our daily life in the temple. It was nice to have someone genuinely interested in our lives. So Payto and I were happy to divulge.

By the time we made it to our final destination, it felt like we had all know each other for years.

We shuffled off the train with the rest of the crowd. There was a buzz of excitement in the air and I could already hear some Broken Blaster songs being sung by groups of fans in the distance. Raj was momentarily in front of us as we made our way to the station exit so I took this opportunity to lean in close to Payto.

"I like him. A lot." I whispered. Payto's gaze was on Raj's back as he broke out into a smile and grabbed my arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Luckily the abandoned train yard was not far from the station we were currently in, so it didn't take us long to hop the low fence and join the growing crowd in the center of a dilapidated warehouse.

"Are we sure the roof isn't going to cave in on this place." Payto asked with hint of concern as he craned his neck to look up at the tin ceiling that was plastered with cracks and holes that let in the multiple moons light.

"Relax, we'll be fine." Raj said with a chuckle and grabbed Payto's hand. Payto's face immediately shifted from one of concern to pure joy.

"I'm going to go see if I can find us some drinks somewhere." I said, wanting to give them some alone time. Payto shot me and grateful look. I just winked in return and promptly made myself scarce.

Because this was somewhat of an unauthorized show, I doubted there would be a concession stand anywhere, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to roam the venue a little bit and see what I was able to find. So, I took my time weaving through the crowd. There were all sorts of species present, and everyone was dressed in their concert best. I was enjoying myself just taking it all in.

I made my way to the perimeter of the crowd and found myself standing in front of an old, rusted transporter carriage. It must have been decades old by the looks of it. But upon further examination I was surprised to see the Jedi symbol faded on the side. I chuckled, even outside of the temple I couldn't escape the Jedi.

Once again, my thoughts wandered to Anakin. I wondered what Jedi business he was attending to tonight. I knew the council was keeping him on-planet for the foreseeable future until he is fully healed from his arm injury. Maybe he was running Ashoka through drills, or escorting some senator on a secret mission, or perhaps he was going to save another group of helpless red ropers. I swallowed hard at the thought.

But before my thoughts took over and brought me back to that horrible night at the Outlander, the sound of a guitar rang out in the distance. My head shot in the direction of the stage as the crowd began to roar. The show was starting.

Quickly, I made my way back to Payto and Raj. I bit back a smile when I noticed they were still holding hands.

"Sorry, I couldn't find anything!" I yelled over the noisy crowd.

"No worries!" Payto responded. Raj looked at me over his shoulder and smiled.

"It's show time." He exclaimed.

Broken Blaster was incredible live. The music hyped up the crowd while being simultaneously haunting and beautiful. The members of the band wore long black robes and dark paint to cover their faces. Part of their allure is that no one knows who they actually are. It only added to the experience. With each chord and lyric, we were transported to another reality. And for the first time in a what seemed like forever, my mind was consumed by nothing but music. It was pure bliss.

When the lead singer announced that they were about to play their last song, the entire crowd groaned and protested. I couldn't believe we had already reached the end of their set. All that was left to do was savor the final song and begin the journey back to our real lives.

After a double encore, we made our way out of the crowd, with aching feet and covered in sweat, but on a high.

"That was fucking incredible" Payto said in a dreamy voice when we found our seats on the train back to the city center. He gently leaned his head against the window and smiled at Raj who was seated next to him. Raj beamed back and nodded in agreement.

"Best concert I've ever been to. Hands down." I added as I took a seat across from Payto, "Thanks again for keeping us in the know, Raj."

"Of course." He replied, "I'm glad you two were able to make it. I know your work schedules aren't the most forgiving."

"Eh it's not too bad. We do get time off every ten days." Payto said with a shrug.

"Back to work tomorrow then?" Raj asked.

"Nope, one more day of freedom tomorrow then it's back to businesses." I said with a sigh. I was already imagining the lazy morning I had planned for tomorrow.

"And it's a doozy...the Jedi are hosting a dinner for visiting senators. Which means we get to do all the work and they get all the credit." Payto added. I groaned, remembering Glynn telling us that this dinner was coming up and to be in top form coming off of a few days off. 

Raj just nodded his head in response and hesitated for a few moments before he scooted closer to Payto and leaned his curly mop on my friend's shoulder. I could see Payto biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from grinning. And the three of us stayed like that, exhausted but happy, until we reached our stop.

The city was much quieter at this hour so we easily made our way through the streets and back up the temple steps. I said my goodbyes to Payto and Raj and practically collapsed onto my bed when I eventually got back to my room. I was asleep in an instant.

Just like I had planned, the next morning was a leisurely one. I stayed in bed, tangled in the soft blankets for as long as possible, drifting in and out of slumber until I decided it was finally time to rise. I took my time getting ready for the day and prepared a quick breakfast of flatcakes and fresh fruit I had swiped from the kitchen.

I decided to spend the rest of the day to myself, reading in my room and periodically taking walks around the temple to stretch my legs. When I wasn't out of the temple with Payto, I preferred to spend my days off like this: slow and to myself.

But before I knew it, midnight was approaching, and it was time to make my way over to the training rooms to meet Anakin.

It appeared as though we are switching off who arrives first to our sessions, because the room was empty once I stepped inside. I took a deep breath and meandered to the center of the mat as I began to gently stretch my arms out. Locking my fingers together I brought my arms above my head and slowly leaned to the side. I relished the feeling of tension leaving my obliques as I lengthened them. After a few moments I dropped my arms to my side, closed my eyes and began to roll my neck in slow circles, loosening the ever-present knots at the top of my spine. I couldn't help but sigh at the relief.

When I opened my eyes, Anakin was leaning against the doorframe of the training room looking at me. I jumped in surprise.

"Hey." I said quickly, not really knowing what to do, I began fidgeting with my fingers. Anakin studied me for a few moments.

"How was the concert?" He finally asked as he pushed off the door frame and strode towards me.

"The best." I responded simply, unsure of whether he really cared to know or was just being polite. As he approached, I noticed he looked tired. The dark circles under his eyes only further emphasized his blue eyes.

"Good." He said with an affirming nod of his head. He stopped a few paces in front of me, removed his outer robes and rolled his shoulders, briefly closing his eyes as he did so. I took this brief moment to scan his frame. Not only did he look tired, but his shoulders seemed to carry a load of stress. I wondered if it was due to the "Jedi business" he was tending to last night.

"Long day?" I asked in a hesitant tone.

"Not of your concern." He replied, shooting me a sharp look that told me to stop asking. I swallowed my next question and just nodded.

"Got it." I whispered under my breath, adverting my eyes to the floor.

I couldn't help but feel frustrated by the fact that Anakin never answered any of my questions. Especially since he was the one who chastised me for not feeling like I have the right to be asking questions just a few nights ago.

Anakin let out a deep sigh from where he was standing. He must have been able to sense my frustration.

"The council had me on bullshit, low-level security patrols all night last night. Complete waste of my time." He divulged. My head snapped up in his direction, I was surprised he was giving me even just this small kernel of information.

"I'm sorry..." I said quietly and the continued with a soft smile, "You'll be back out there in no time...doing whatever it is that you usually do."

Anakin exhaled a sharp breath through his nose that resembled a scoff.

"Appreciate the confidence." He said in a flat tone as he flexed his gloved hand by his side. I knew that my vote of confidence meant absolutely nothing if the council didn't also agree. They must not think he is ready to be back out in the field yet. And despite what little I know about Anakin; I was sure this frustrated him to no end.

"I know it doesn't mean much," Hesitating before I continued, "But I don't think there is anything in this whole galaxy you aren't be able to overcome."

Anakin's head swung in my direction, his gaze softening. He opened his mouth to respond but snapped it shut, the muscles in his jaw tensing.

"It does mean something...you saying that." He finally said. His expression was one I didn't recognize. There was a sad vulnerability behind his eyes that was such a stark contrast to his usual hard, emotionless expressions.

Suddenly, I flashbacked to Anakin as a little boy. Even back then, he caught my attention. When word got out that there was remarkable, force-sensitive young boy who was destined to do great things for our galaxy, it was hard not to take notice. I recalled the many moments Jedi masters would openly chastise Anakin in the temple halls. Always demanding more from him. More concentration, more dedication, more patience. I can't imagine how heavily that must have weighed on him as a child. And from an outsider's perspective, he seems to have exceeded every expectation that was thrust upon him. But I couldn't help but wonder if anyone had ever told him that. Has anyone given him even an ounce of well-deserved praise to offset the constant pressure?

I smiled softly in response, not knowing exactly what to say next. Anakin has never seemed so human.

And just like that, this fleeting moment of vulnerability ended. Because Anakin forced his expression back into one of neutral calm and pointed to the center of the mat with a snap, signaling it was time to get to work.

After about an hour of running through technique and getting in reps on the dummy, I was exhausted. Anakin was quieter than usual, communicating via nods and a sparse correction. I could sense a flurry of emotion just below his carefully constructed surface. I wondered if he would talk about it if I asked. I was fairly certain he would shut me down, but when we were both seated on the mat after I threw my last punch, I couldn't help myself.

"Anakin..." I began hesitantly. He hummed in response as he fiddled with the lace of his boot. I took a deep breath, "Is everything okay?"

Anakin smirked and gently shook his head. "Is this something we're going to do now?" He asked. I swallowed the nerves forming in my throat and shrugged in response, leaving him to make the next move.

"First..." He began in a quiet voice, "You tell me what was bothering you so much yesterday."

I sighed and looked down at the palms of my hands resting in my lap. I had a feeling I wasn't totally the hook for skirting his questions yesterday in the temple halls.

"I was just thinking about my family," I said in a small voice, unable to look him in the eye. "Sometimes even the smallest thing will trigger this wave of grief. Yesterday it was a flower in the garden that reminded me of my mother. And it takes everything in me to fight against it....to not get swept away."

Anakin was silent next to me. It made me feel uneasy after sharing such a vulnerable piece of myself. I glanced up from the corner of my eye and was surprised to see him giving me a kind, knowing look.

"I have nightmares almost every single night about the last moments with my mother." He finally said. Singling that he understood my feelings better than most.

"How do you manage to....still be you." I asked motioning towards him: the Jedi knight, the chosen one. I wanted to know how he was able to overcome his grief and become this incredible person. He seemed so unaffected by the challenges and pain of his youth. Meanwhile, I am paralyzed.

Anakin let out a dark chuckle in response. "The wave never goes away, Kels. The grief is always there, threatening to spill over." He set his gaze out the window, focusing on the amber city lights. "I wish I had an answer for you...a way to make the pain go away. But the only thing I can do is keep moving forward. Keep being the man my mother would be proud of."

I nodded slowly in response, "It must be really difficult then...for you to be stuck here, on Coruscant."

"It's fucking torture." He replied, exhaling sharply.

"Nothing to distract you from your thoughts." I said softly, also looking out the window.

"Exactly." Anakin whispered in confirmation.

We sat there in silence for a few moments, just taking in the nighttime cityscape. I felt oddly at ease despite how personal and raw this conversation had become. I wondered if Anakin had ever divulged this information to anyone before. I imagine it would be difficult to admit one's inability to fully control an emotion such as grief to fellow Jedi or important political figures. I hoped he knew this conversation was safe with me. I wanted him to feel comfortable sharing things with me. I needed him to know that he could answer my questions and I would never use that information against him.

"You know..." I mused softly, breaking the silence. Anakin turned towards me, and I couldn't help the smirk from forming on my face, "I think we both need fucking therapy."

I was surprised by Anakin's deep laugh. The sadness in his expression immediately shifted to an easygoing smile.

"You're not wrong." He responded, shooting me a look of genuine understanding.

"Alright," I said, clapping my hands brightly and rising to my feet, "Get up Skywalker."

Anakin's eyebrow rose in response as he gave me an amused look. After a few seconds, he sighed and joined me in a standing position. I immediately took up a fighter's stance and gave him a look signaling my readiness.

"Alright," Anakin said with a chuckle. "Three shots. Make 'em count, Remlik."

And as he dodged all three of my punches with ease, I couldn't help but be glad this meant I'd get another night training with Anakin.