Pressing their foreheads together, Anakin wished he knew what to say, what to do as Obi-Wan shivered against him despite the warmth of their quarters wrapping around them.

Their quarters were always kept slightly warmer than the average temperature of the temple, Anakin’s desert upbringing leaving its mark to the point he preferred it warmer. Obi-Wan had never had an issue with it, wearing less layers inside their quarters if it got hot and therefore their quarters were kept nice and toasty for Anakin’s sake.

But now he was shivering, the two standing in the brightly lit living room together by the couch, pressed together for comfort since he was delivered to the temple by the commander.

You’d think after all these years, first as a padawan and then later as a knight and fellow victim, Anakin would know what to say to the other when things got bad.

But then again, no one really knew how to cope with how badly the Senators treated them, the truth of what was going on behind closed doors.

The Jedi order tried of course, they had healers and mind healers specializing in the trauma and aftermath of what was happening to them and continued happening and some Jedi saw those healers in particular more often than others.

There was a time period that Obi-Wan saw those healers in particular almost once a week, at the height of his popularity.

He didn’t see them now, mostly due to the war making it hard on Obi-Wan to keep appointments and talking through the issues.

Which was why Anakin simply kept his arms loosely wrapped around his master’s shoulders, their foreheads pressed together. Obi-Wan’s arms on the other hand was tightly wrapped around Anakin’s body, his fists clenched into the back of his tunic.

He hated this.

Being so helpless in the face of the pain all Jedi went through, from padawan’s to knights and to masters.

But especially Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, who was so popular.

At the very least Ahsoka was a padawan, she couldn’t be requested, not yet and Anakin had done his best to shield her, though he had taken notice of several Senator watching her. Sentient that Anakin would make sure were gone before she became twenty.

Well, as long as the troopers didn’t beat him to the punch.

He’d been so worried when the other didn’t come home, had spent hours pacing, at his wits end when he remembered that Cody would help, Cody would be more than willing to help.

Every Jedi knew that the troopers were aware of what were going on, some less or more happy about it.

Anakin knew that many Jedi felt helpless and ashamed, weak in the eyes of those they were suppose to lead in war.

Others however were grateful as the troopers stepped in to help and protect them, telling lies to make them busy when they were requested.

It had not escaped the Order that certain Senate members were dying, some from ‘natural’ deaths seemingly and others the victim of a supposed serial killer, some of them very vicious deaths as this supposed serial killer seemed to be of a sadistic type.

The Coruscant Guards along with the Judaical were apparently investigating it but so far whoever was murdering Senate members were proving to be very clever about it.

Of course, seeing as it was murderers and not just one and they were internal to the case, it was no wonder that the Judaical weren’t making progress.

Anakin half suspected that any of the Judaical that did make progress were potentially silenced in some way.

They, the adults of the Jedi order that was, all knew the truth though, every time it got brought up, every Jedi exchanged knowing looks.

Kark, Anakin half suspected that even Ahsoka and a few of her friends had started figuring it out, mostly due to her knowing Obi-Wan’s schedule and knew he had been with some of those Senators prior to their death.

But they would never reveal the truth about what was really going on, not to the karking Senate, who sent them to Sith hells on the regular and many of them exposing them to it in their offices. No, the Jedi’s inability to say no didn’t mean that they had to be honest with the snakes in the Senate.

So, they kept the secret, leaned into the embraces of the troopers and trusted them where they couldn’t trust the majority of the Senate.

Only a few were willing to really stick up for a reformation on the way Jedi answered to the Senate and it wasn’t enough to make a true change, especially as many of those that were willing to stick up for them were often mid or outer core planets.

The core planets were unfortunately chalk full of Senators that felt quite content to abuse the Jedi’s inability to say no.

People like the one that had Obi-Wan this night.

The fact that there were still marks left on Obi-Wan, the faintest trace of swelling and a limp to his step…

It told Anakin everything he needed to know, that Obi-Wan’s night had been rough and difficult when even Helix couldn’t help him fully and Cody couldn’t deliver a wholly hale Obi-Wan back.

Rocking the two slowly from side to side, Anakin shifted his hands slowly to rub at the others back, feeling the other relax into the touch. “I-”

“No.” Obi-Wan shook his head as he interrupted, breath hitching a bit, the older man clenching his eyes shut as he tightened his grip almost painfully on Anakin.

The reaction made Anakin swallow thickly before he made a soft noise of agreement.

Obi-Wan didn’t want to talk about it, not now, maybe not in a long time and Anakin would respect that, sooner or later Obi-Wan might talk with him about it but for now, he needed more time to process what had happened.

‘My poor, poor master,’ Anakin’s eyes watered, swallowing thickly once more before closing his eyes too, simply standing with his arms around Obi-Wan, rocking slowly, the two wrapping each others in the safety of each others Force signature. ‘I can’t do this much more, please… someone, anyone… please. I can’t do this.’