#imperialvader

The rain currently pelting their tent was an inconvenience to their trek but one that Anakin could think of as cozy, as long as they were inside and dry.  The insistent jabbing at his ribs?  Not so much.  Then came Ben’s voice, low and harsh, “How are you sleeping through this?”

A last—particularly forceful—jab and Anakin groaned.  “I’m not,” he corrected, wrenching an eye open to look at the other man, “Why are you doing that?”  Why he was on the other side of the tent instead of on their shared bedroll would be his next question.

“Doing what?” Ben asked, blinking owlishly for someone still holding the walking stick he’d been using to prod his companion.  He followed Anakin’s answering gaze to the implement and had the grace to look a bit sheepish.  “No, not—” he let the stick drop, “not that.”

Rubbing at his eyes, Anakin couldn’t help thinking he hadn’t gotten enough sleep for this.  “Then what?”

“That!”

As if taking the rasped word as a cue, a slight…squirming drew Anakin’s attention to his own stomach.  “Oh,” he murmured, carefully propping himself up on an elbow, “Hey, buddy.”  From across the tent he could just hear Ben repeating the words to himself sarcastically.  

The snake coiled around itself a little tighter, raising its head.

“Aren’t you beautiful?” Anakin murmured, admiring the ruddy spot patterns on its otherwise pale scales.  This time Ben groaned loudly and Anakin turned his head in time to see him roll his eyes.  Trying to stifle a laugh, “What?”

Ben seemed torn between leaning forward and scooting back, tensely holding his position after a few aborted movements.  “There is a snake on you, and you are…are…” gesturing helplessly with both hands, “cooing at it like it’s a baby!”

He did laugh, then, tilting his head consideringly at the creature.  “It may well be, by the size of it.”

“Anakin,” he sighed, his tone telling Anakin that he’d missed the point.  “What is it doing in here?”

“Probably the same as us, just trying to get out of the rain,” he chuckled, half-shrugging, “and cuddled up to me for the warmth once it worked its way in.”

“Snakes do not cuddle.”  The creature reared up higher then, head curving back and beginning to twitch to the side; one shallow strike at the air and Ben catapulted himself backward.  “There, see? It’s clearly dangerous,” motioning toward the closed tent flap, “Now get rid of it before it gets its venom into you!”  

Anakin held very still and tried to keep his voice calm, more for Ben’s benefit than the snake.  “Okay, first of all—this is a constrictor.  So no venom,” winking, “and very snuggly.”

“You’re not doing yourself any favors,” came the flat reply.

Shaking his head with amusement, “Second, it’s reacting to your hostility right now.” He nodded sympathetically toward the snake.  “You’re making it feel threatened.”  As if to illustrate the point, the snake helpfully made another shallow strike at the air.  

“I feel threatened!”

Slowly, Anakin raised his hands in a placating gesture.  “Alright, alright…”  With the ease of long practice he drew the snake’s attention with his left hand before seizing it with his right, fingers holding securely just behind its head; its tail thrashed briefly before stilling again.  “Sorry, buddy,” he told it regretfully as he crawled awkwardly toward the flap of the tent, holding it away from his body, “but the professor makes the rules.”  Unzipping the flap one-handed was a clumsy affair but he managed it, gently depositing their visitor outside before closing the tent up—a bit more securely—again. Turning to the other man, he held up his empty hands.  “There. Will you come back to bed now?”

Narrowing his eyes at the bedroll, Ben allowed after a moment, “Once you check it for more snakes.”    

Anakin pressed his lips into a thin line and Did Not laugh at the command, merely began to comply, making sure that Ben could clearly see as he peeled back the blanket layers.  Eyeing them revealed no more snakes, but he began to smooth over the layers with his hands just to make sure.  Observing lightly, “You know, I’ve watched you befriend a komodo dragon—those are apex predators, Ben.”  He slipped under the blankets this time before jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “That guy won’t even be five feet long when he’s done growing.”  

Ben still looked skeptical, but crawled cautiously forward.  Grousing, “I’m not having this conversation again.”

“Alright…” he pacified, turning down the blankets invitingly.  “Come on, we’ll zip up for extra protection.”  

Shooting Anakin a last glare, Ben got into the open side of the bedroll.  “I’m never going to get back to sleep after that,” he muttered, jerking the blankets up as he tried to settle himself.

“Just listen to the rain,” Anakin suggested, leaning over Ben to capture the zipper-pull, “and trust me to do my job.” The bedroll’s zipper traveled more smoothly than the tent’s had.  “That’s why you bring me, remember?  You get us safely through the temple ruins, once we actually get to them, and I keep you unmolested by the local fauna along the way.”  He offered a playful smile before sinking down, remaining draped over Ben beneath the blankets.

Annoyance fading, Ben found himself struggling not to return the grin. Instead he chided gently, “You’re enjoying this too much.”

“Probably,” came the unrepentant reply as Anakin nuzzled into the curve of his neck.

~*~

I pictured a pearl island boa for Anakin’s little friend, pic courtesy of cuttingedgeherp.com