(In a world...where Palpetine forgets to give Anakin those terrible dreams about Padme’s death...)
He frowns when he’s told the news.
“But...Chancellor,” Anakin says, trying to be respectful. “I don’t really want to be on the Council. Nor am I particularly ready to be. I’ve only been a knight for a few years, after all, and-”
“Nonsense,” the Chancellor waves him off. “You’re very talented, Anakin, and very wise. You deserve to be on the Council just as much as any of the other Jedi there.”
Anakin huffs softly to himself. Not only are Council meeting dull (and snackless. Why is he expected to sit for so long without snacks???), but he’s not even a Jedi Master yet. And on top of that, Padme is heavily pregnant. She needs him, and he wants to be there for her.
“Perhaps someone else,” Anakin suggest. “Maybe Aayla?”
“Anakin,” the Chancellor says firmly. “It is your right to be on that Council.”
It’s not.
Anakin sighs to himself. No getting out of this, clearly.
*****
At his first meeting, he takes a seat, and looks around at the clearly unhappy faces of the Masters on the Council. Obi-Wan, at least, looks sympathetic. He knows Anakin doesn’t really want to be there.
Oddly, Mace picks up on that first.
“You’re not happy about this, are you?” he asks.
“Not really,” Anakin admits, grinning sheepishly. “But what the Chancellor says, goes, I suppose. So I’m just going to sit here quietly and not interfere.”
“You’ve never sat anywhere quietly and not interfered a day in your life,” Mace points out.
“Right, Master Windu is,” Yoda nods “A man of action, you are.”
“Well,” Anakin says awkwardly. “Maybe I can...take action for the Council in a different way.”
“Such as?” Ki-Adi-Mundi asks.
Anakin thinks for a moment. “I...can...I can bring snacks! For everybody! We can have snacks at Council meetings!”
Obi-Wan shakes his head fondly. “Oh, Anakin.”
“Look, I am aware that I’m not Council material,” Anakin keeps going. “But it doesn’t seem like there’s any way to get out of this. So the least I can do is make myself useful.”
“I for one would love a snack,” Plo Koon says with a smile in his eyes. “Perhaps some popcorn?”
“And root chips,” Kit Fisto adds.
Luminara groans. “Root chips give me heart burn.”
Obi-Wan strokes his beard. “We could stop at Dex’s before the next meeting...pick up some hubba chips...”
“Oh, Hubba chips,” Mace says.
“What about a fruit platter?” Shaak Ti asks. “That’d be nice.”
“Nice, a fruit platter would be,” Yoda agrees, before sighing. “Yes. In charge of snacks, young Skywalker will be. Learn from the Council he will, on matters of import and how to conduct oneself in Council meetings.” He eyes Anakin. “Munch too loudly, he will not.”
Anakin grins sheepishly. “Yes, Master Yoda.”
The old Jedi nods. “Hm.”
