Looking around with
a disturbed expression, Anakin wrapped his arms around himself in an
attempt to ward off his sense of unease.

But the room wasn’t
helping at all.

Going down into the
basement of the house in search of clues with his master he had not
expected to find this and Obi-Wan’s face was not helping him feel
any better.

Every spare piece
of wall was covered in images of the missing woman they were looking
for, her smiling or frowning or oblivious face plastered everywhere
except for some shelves and a table with items covering them.

It was clear she
had no idea the images were being taken.

Disturbingly enough
one of them was a clearly used pair of underwear held up in a gravity
display.

“Take a good look
around padawan,” Obi-Wan said, his face tight and his scent sour.
“This is a cowards shrine to possession. Not love, never love.
Never brave enough to approach and speak to her but still demanding
her attention and her space by invading it.” He said tightly while
gesturing to the multitude of images covering the walls and the table
filled with items that could only either belong to her or have been
touched by her.

The young man
swallowed heavily and pressed closer to Obi-Wan’s side, rubbing his
own arms as he pressed into him, trying to provide comfort and hoping
the acrid smell lessened somewhat. “Do you think this guy took him?
The miner who owns this house?” He whispered, surprised at how
hoarse his voice came out.

Pursing his lips,
Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around Anakin’s shoulders. “Maybe but
stalkers are dangerous and unpredictable and he seemed to be utterly
loosing it around the edges now that he can’t fill his obsession to
see her. You saw him, walking around, mumbling to himself while
watching her house.”

Anakin nodded.

That was after all
why they had followed after him when he had gone home and snuck in
when he left because of the miners suspicious behavior. Glancing
about, he swallowed again, “What do we do about all of this?”

“We call the
local law. Stalking is against the law and he is clearly stalking our
missing Senator daughter.” Obi-Wan sighed.

Anakin nodded,
following Obi-Wan as they headed up the stairs, Obi-Wan already
pulling his comm of his belt to indeed contact the local police and
inform them about the issue. A shudder went Anakin’s spine as his
brain superimposed Obi-Wan’s face onto the pictures downstairs and
the makeshift alters, changing the items to belong to Obi-Wan
instead.

He wondered if his
master had people like that around, stalkers.

The idea chilled
him to the bond simultaneously as it made his metaphorical hackles
rise.

The idea was just
so disturbing and it was still disturbing when they left the house to
the police, the chatter on their comms informing both Obi-Wan and
Anakin that the miner was being taken into custody at work. Anakin
still couldn’t quite get the sour scent of Obi-Wan’s displeasure
out of his nose as he clung to the others hand, telling him that
Obi-Wan was still affected.

He tugged lightly
on his master’s hand, waiting until the other was looking down at
him as busy people passed around them on the street. “How about we
go and eat Master? I see a pancake house over there.” Anakin said
hopefully.

Obi-Wan hesitated,
knowing their mission took priority.

“We know this is
Miss Grona’s local community, she may have gone to the pancake
house and we could maybe pick up a lead there but regardless we do
need fuel to work, food and drink master.” Anakin cajoled as
sweetly as he could.

A reluctant smile
started at the corners of Obi-Wan mouth and before he could stop it,
Obi-Wan was smiling fully, fond and warm down at Anakin as he squeezed his
padawan’s hand before playfully tugging on his braid with his other
hand. “You and your pancakes,” He chuckled. “Oh alright, you
win, we can go get pancakes, get some food into us but we’re going
right back to work after and I will be talking with the waiter or
waitress that serves us if I can.” He said sternly, still smiling.

Anakin just nodded
eagerly, following his master and brother towards the pancake house,
the acrid smell finally gone from the omegas scent.

Only Obi-Wan’s
clean and sweet scent remained.