#macenjar

After guiltily dodging Palpatine’s questions about his eagerness to leave (He had to be discrete. Windu was testing him. He had to be discrete.), he honestly confessed his excitement at seeing Padme again. Chuckling, the Chancellor urged him to go to her, offering to lend him a private speeder, but Anakin declined. He finally managed to exit the building via the express magnatran towards Padme’s apartment, subtly using the force to steer attention away from himself.

When he arrived, heart pounding in anticipation, he again restrained himself, stopping first at the bakery to pick up several cups of caf and a box of pastries, entering the elevator looking obviously as though he was planning on attending a large, public gathering, not a clandestine rendezvous. He even got off on the parking level, nodding to the other individuals and hid in the shadows briefly before reentering a separate empty elevator.

He reached the door to Padme’s apartment several hours after landing on world, finally letting himself in.

“Anakin!” Padme rushed over in delight the moment the door shut, and Anakin hastily half threw, half dropped his burden on a side table so he could sweep her up in his arms, embracing her passionately.

“Where were you?” she asked after catching her breath. “I was expecting you to come home hours ago.” She eyed the pastry box with some bemusement. “When I suggested you use the bakery as a cover story, I didn’t mean for you to do so on every visit.”

Anakin grinned. “Trust me it’s worth it, I’m going to have to be a little more discreet right now, visit the bakery more often, but Padme—I’ve got news that could change everything.”

“Bakery related news?” she asked doubtfully.

Anakin’s smile lit up the room. “Angel—I ran into another Jedi in the elevator when I was leaving last time.”

Padme’s eyes widened. “At 3 AM?!” she pulled away, biting her lip. “Darling, are you sure—”

“Yes!” Anakin quickly reassured her. “I wasn’t at first, but Jar-Jar confirmed it when we ran into him—”

“Oh!” the Senator clapped her hands together in delight. “Good for him, he hasn’t been with anyone in ages—” she gasped. “Or has he? Who is it? It must be someone high up if you think their relationship could change everything...”

Anakin sat on the couch, sipping caf and admiring his wife’s brilliant mind.

“It’s a council member right?” she asked as she paced back in forth; he bit his tongue as she puzzled it out. “Someone who you think could institute the kind-of change in the Order that you’ve hoped for—it can’t be Obi-Wan, you would be far more giddy–Master Fisto? Not Plo Koom?!”

He shook his head, grinning widely.

“So it is a Council Member, higher ranked then Master Fisto, the only Jedi that I recall him spending much time with besides you is—” she gasped again.

“No!”

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

She stared vacantly into space for a minute. Anakin felt his smile slowly fading.

“Angel?”

“I’m sorry my dear I just—” she sighed, collapsing onto the sofa and staring hard at the furthest wall of her apartment. “I’m afraid I’m rather disappointed with myself but, oh, you think you’re so progressive and then something comes along and reveals your inner speciest biases—not that that’s an excuse—”

“It’s alright, my love,” Anakin offered softly. “I know that Nabooian culture isn’t... the kindest towards Gungans. You should be proud of how much you’ve worked past your internalized biases to amplify—”

“Still!”

Anakin chuckled. “If it helps, I was also surprised.”

Padme chewed that thought over. “Master Windu’s just so...serious,”

“I guess he must have a lighter side,” Anakin said in wonder. “In hindsight—I’m pretty sure some of the times over the years that I assumed he had to be mocking me, he was actually joking.”

“Of course he wasn’t mocking you, honestly Anakin, I know you’ve had your disagreements with the Jedi but they’ve never spoken anything but highly of you, you have to know that,” Padme responded, indignant.

“Hey, I thought we were talking about your internalized speciesm, not my issues with authority,” he shot back lightly.

Padme swatted at him. “We can do both, I’m an excellent multi-tasker, you know that.”

He caught her hand, kissing her knuckles. “Indeed you are, my lady. Indeed you are.”

She laughed, high and bright and the two came to the mutual decision that any further conversations about Jar-Jar and Windu would very well have to wait. 

- - -

It was nearly midnight when Anakin finally told her the whole thrilling tale: the terrifying elevator ride, the agonizing wait in line, the stunning reveal, and the final conversation with Windu.

“Do you really think that...it’ll make a difference? For us?” she whispered, chin propped up on his chest.

“I do.” He stroked his fingers gently through her hair, smiling softly but earnestly. “I told you—the Jedi definition of attachment hasn’t always been as cruel as it is now, and if Master Windu is on my side—”

“None of the Jedi are against you,” she scolded lightly. “Not understanding is different from being your enemy.”

“I know, I know, but if Windu shares my viewpoint, then this could mean—this could mean a return to the pre-Russo ideals! To the old version of the code, it would mean—the rest of the Jedi would think it would be heresy for me to bring it up but if the Master of the Order does it...” he trailed off gleefully.

“Maybe more people agree with you than you know. Afterall, if you never discuss it...”

He stared at her, dumbstruck. “That’s—what did I do to find someone so smart as you?”

She flushed, hands tracing abstract patterns on his chest. “You’re the one who did all that research, just to find a way for us to be together.”

“I would spend 1000 nights in the archive for you, my angel.”

They decided once again to delay further conversation on Mace Windu and Jar Jar.

- - -

It was nearly dawn when they finally sat down and discussed a master plan.

Padme had a meeting scheduled with representative Binks later that day—it would require some shifting around of her schedule, but it would be entirely possible for her to spend more time with him.

Anakin gave her a bewildered look, wrinkling his brow. "You don't already spend time together socially?"

Padme opened her mouth, looked at his earnest confusion, closed her mouth, then finally opened it again to answer, "I've just been...so busy."

His expression cleared and softened. "I'm glad you're working to find time in your schedule now."

“I would spend 1000 nights with Jar-Jar for you, my love,” she said.

“What?”

“Nothing—let’s just—I love the way you love, have I ever told you that?”

- - -

It was past dawn by the time Anakin hastily rushed out of Padme’s apartment for the Bellasun bakery. He sat for over an hour, nervous that he had missed his opportunity, but the force whispered wait and so he did.

He perked up immensely at the sight of Master Windu hah never thought I’d be so happy to see him wow wait I gotta play it casual—He deliberately sat back down in his seat, attempting to play off the motion as a stretch

Windu’s face gained a pinched expression at the sight of him. Anakin fidgeted as the Master of the Order waited in line, made his order, then slowly made his way to the very table Anakin Skywalker sat at. This it it, this is what it all depends on—if I can just get him to offer me a ride than it can become a pattern of behavior—once I gain his confidence I can bring up my plans for reforming the order in exchange for wedding planning—no wait, Padme said to hold off on that until phase fifteen, don’t mention wedding planning yet, don’t mention double dates, just secure joint transportation—

Anakin shot him what he hoped was a charming grin. Or is this the one that Padme said me look constipated—wait he’s saying something, focus, FOCUS—

Windu sighed. “This is going to become habit, isn’t it?”

Anakin beamed.

Obi-Wan: “He’s—to put it delicately, he’s not smart enough.”

Anakin: “...Then again...that would be—”

Obi-Wan: “—the perfect cover. No. No!”

Anakin: “No way.”

Obi: “Didn’t you say he went from being an exile to a General? That’s kind-of suspicious.”

Ani: “And he somehow ended up on the Queen’s personal ship?”

Obi-Wan:

Anakin:

Obi-Wan: “...I always did wonder how he became a representative of Naboo.”

Anakin: “And there were security leaks...no, it’s ridiculous, I can’t believe we’re even considering it! He’s a friend, and he’s not—he’s not competent enough.”

Obi-Wan: "But—sometime’s he acted so incompetent that—”

Anakin: “—you couldn’t help but wonder if he was doing it on purpose?”

Obi-Wan: “Holy Force—could it—could he—”

Anakin: “It’s insane, but...”

Obi-Wan: “He did vote for Palpatine’s emergency poweres, which were immediately used for the military creation act—”

Anakin: “That doesn’t mean he’s evil but—”

Obi-Wan: “—it does indicate that there’s more to him than meets the eye.”

Windu: “Alright, I’ve looked him up and—he's Royal Consort of Bardotta. One of the leader’s of the Dagoyan Order.”

Anakin: “Huh.”

Ani: “Um, are his eyes yellow?”

Obi-Wan: “That’s—lots of species have that phenotypic expression.”

Obi: “Which, combined with the galaxy’s tendency to overlook Gungans, would make him an excellent Candidate for a secret Sith Apprenticeship.”

Anakin: “...Holy Kriff.”

Obi-Wan: “I can’t believe—”