Another chapter!
Ok this chapter does not further the action any. It exists strictly for it's own purpose. You do not have to read this as there is MORE HOMOSEXUALITY IN THIS CHAPTER. I REPEAT. THIS CHAPTER IS VERY VERY GAY.
Uh, there is no "safe" version this time as...well...if I took out all the slashy bits...there would be about 3 paragraphs.
Chapter 7
Tatooine
“Um, Anakin,” Obi-wan began, breaking the silence that had followed them all the way to Mos Eisley. Dressed in local tunics, the pair of Jedi walked steadily, matching each other’s pace exactly, as they passed through the marketplace. “I know master Qui-gon encouraged me to fill you in on everything, but I need to warn you, you may not like what you hear.”
Anakin continued to walk, not turning his head. “Would it help us any?” his voice was scratchy, as if he had not been prepared to speak for some time.
“No, but it may allow you to understand where I’m coming from a bit more easily.” Obi-wan frowned after he said it. It didn’t matter what he thought. He remembered the kiss. Anakin had not seemed uncomfortable at the time, but now he was clammed up tighter than a Nubian stone mollusk. He was uncomfortable with Obi-wan’s indecision.
“Do what you will. Say what you will. I’m the odd one out here. If we succeed, I will return to where I was and none of this will happen.”
Obi-wan winced at the reminder, but did not say anything.
The pair passed out of the marketplace and into a quieter, more sheltered alleyway. Anakin knew that Obi-wan didn’t know where the traffic control center was and didn’t care. The more time they had together the better.
Obi-wan had vague memories of this city, but could care less where the traffic control center was. Their mission was fading in importance to him. He did not want to lose Anakin.
There was an old woman slowly hobbling towards a dusty shop - no one else. The sounds of ships and speeders and beasts of burden were muffled by the walls around them. They were alone. Together. The old woman slowly made her way up the steps into the shop. Her cane clicking dully on the packed sand.
Anakin turned to see her vanish into the doorway. With lightning speed, he whirled about, grabbed Obi-wan by the shoulders, and shoved him against the darkened, musty walls of the alley. Obi-wan’s eyes widened…then widened more when Anakin furiously pressed his lips to his. After a few seconds, Obi-wan’s shock faded and the two sank into bliss. His eyes were closed, but he didn’t care who saw them. He sank into Anakin’s arms and pulled the other Jedi closer.
Neither cared. Neither asked why. It fit. As if the entire galaxy suddenly made sense and clicked into perfect alignment with Obi-wan and Anakin sitting in the very center.
Obi-wan pulled away from Anakin and opened his eyes. Anakin’s face was calm and radiant and completely awestruck. He had surprised himself more than he had Obi-wan. Obi-wan grinned boyishly.
“Why did this just happen?” he whispered, his eyes never leaving Anakin’s.
Anakin didn’t answer. He smiled and pulled Obi-wan towards him again.
An hour later, the old woman hobbled slowly down the steps out of the shop, her arms filled with colorful fabrics. She glanced down the darkened alleyway, seeing a strange dark silhouette. Dismissing it, she continued on her way. Once she had gone, the two leapt from the shadows, tunics undone and hanging strangely.
“Let’s go back to the ship, Anakin. I truly have no idea-”
“Where we’re going?” Anakin finished. “I know.”
The two adjusted their clothes and calmly began to return to their ship. Their faces were both alight with joy and their grins didn’t leave their faces for one moment.
Dagobah
The air was thick and heavy, as if all the life on the planet was pressing down on his small frame. Exotic, rich perfumes mingled with the heady stench of decay, saturating the air. Yoda had grown accustomed to his planet of exile - a world rich and full and alive in the Force. Though unlike any world he had ever inhabited, Yoda felt a calm familiarity with Dagobah. It was comfortable and sheltering and calming. Many prospective souls had tried to colonize Dagobah but had been beaten back by the tenacious foliage and stubborn animals. It remained a primal world.
Yoda sat in meditation, not asking or wondering anything, simply allowing the steady calm of the Force flow through him, allowing himself to drift aimlessly through nothingness.
He felt a resonance behind him, like a tiny bell, ringing inside a flower. He rose out of his trance calmly and turned his head.
“Anakin and Obi-wan are very close to their objective,” the faintly shimmering form of Qui-gon Jinn said.
Yoda nodded. “Distracted, they must not grow,” he said. “Difficult decisions, they will have to make.”
Tatooine
“Anakin?” Obi-wan asked quietly as he lay in Anakin’s arms on the lumpy cot in the crew quarters of the Wingjewel. It didn’t matter that the springs were sharp and uncomfortable, they might as well be in his own bed. Nothing mattered.
“Yes?” Anakin replied, smiling softly.
“I know this really isn’t the time for this kind of question…” he trailed off as his fingers slowly wound their way through Anakin’s slightly damp hair.
“What do you want to ask?” Anakin said, turning his head to look into Obi-wan’s eyes.
“What about your wife?” Obi-wan asked painfully, as if the words cut his lips as they exited them.
Anakin sat up carefully, the overhead lamp illuminating Anakin’s bare shoulders, creating the illusion of a powerful aura surrounding him, protecting him. Obi-wan rested his head on his arm.
“I can see it in your eyes whenever the conversation edges towards her. Something happened to her, didn’t it?” His words were careful and precise.
“Anakin, I didn’t want to tell you…” Obi-wan began.
“You didn’t want to, but you needed to. I understand what you were trying to say when we first arrived here, now. You have been hiding your feelings for me because you didn’t want to hurt Padmé and me.”
“You were married, Anakin. To have made my feelings known would have been wrong. You know that.”
“I do know that. I need to know what happened to her.” He paused before adding, “Was it my fault?”
“No, Anakin!” Obi-wan almost shouted. “The Sith deceived us all. More tragic than that, he deceived you. He destroyed you, and thus destroyed Padmé.”
“You say the Sith did this. What about my mother? Did you ever hear what happened when I found her?”
“I know something terrible happened by your hand, I can sense that. You don’t need to say what happened. It was horrible, yes, but she stayed with you through it. She saw the man that I see right now. She saw your strength.”
Anakin’s face fell and he began to cry silently. “This should never have happened, Obi-wan. I’m sorry.”
Obi-wan sat up and put his arm on Anakin’s shoulder. “Don’t apologize. The fault is mine. I completely disregarded your relationship with her. I’m a fool.”
“You’re not a fool, Obi-wan. When I was with Padmé, I felt appreciated and respected. She would listen to me when nobody else thought to. But when I’m with you, I feel loved. I feel meaningful. I don’t need to prove anything anymore.” Anakin leaned his head against Obi-wan’s chest. “I don’t know what to do.”
Obi-wan held Anakin close, stroking his hair. “For now, let’s just forget it. There will be a time for answers eventually. Right now, let’s focus on finding that time ship.”
Anakin sat up and nodded softly.
Uh, there is no "safe" version this time as...well...if I took out all the slashy bits...there would be about 3 paragraphs.
Chapter 7
Tatooine
“Um, Anakin,” Obi-wan began, breaking the silence that had followed them all the way to Mos Eisley. Dressed in local tunics, the pair of Jedi walked steadily, matching each other’s pace exactly, as they passed through the marketplace. “I know master Qui-gon encouraged me to fill you in on everything, but I need to warn you, you may not like what you hear.”
Anakin continued to walk, not turning his head. “Would it help us any?” his voice was scratchy, as if he had not been prepared to speak for some time.
“No, but it may allow you to understand where I’m coming from a bit more easily.” Obi-wan frowned after he said it. It didn’t matter what he thought. He remembered the kiss. Anakin had not seemed uncomfortable at the time, but now he was clammed up tighter than a Nubian stone mollusk. He was uncomfortable with Obi-wan’s indecision.
“Do what you will. Say what you will. I’m the odd one out here. If we succeed, I will return to where I was and none of this will happen.”
Obi-wan winced at the reminder, but did not say anything.
The pair passed out of the marketplace and into a quieter, more sheltered alleyway. Anakin knew that Obi-wan didn’t know where the traffic control center was and didn’t care. The more time they had together the better.
Obi-wan had vague memories of this city, but could care less where the traffic control center was. Their mission was fading in importance to him. He did not want to lose Anakin.
There was an old woman slowly hobbling towards a dusty shop - no one else. The sounds of ships and speeders and beasts of burden were muffled by the walls around them. They were alone. Together. The old woman slowly made her way up the steps into the shop. Her cane clicking dully on the packed sand.
Anakin turned to see her vanish into the doorway. With lightning speed, he whirled about, grabbed Obi-wan by the shoulders, and shoved him against the darkened, musty walls of the alley. Obi-wan’s eyes widened…then widened more when Anakin furiously pressed his lips to his. After a few seconds, Obi-wan’s shock faded and the two sank into bliss. His eyes were closed, but he didn’t care who saw them. He sank into Anakin’s arms and pulled the other Jedi closer.
Neither cared. Neither asked why. It fit. As if the entire galaxy suddenly made sense and clicked into perfect alignment with Obi-wan and Anakin sitting in the very center.
Obi-wan pulled away from Anakin and opened his eyes. Anakin’s face was calm and radiant and completely awestruck. He had surprised himself more than he had Obi-wan. Obi-wan grinned boyishly.
“Why did this just happen?” he whispered, his eyes never leaving Anakin’s.
Anakin didn’t answer. He smiled and pulled Obi-wan towards him again.
An hour later, the old woman hobbled slowly down the steps out of the shop, her arms filled with colorful fabrics. She glanced down the darkened alleyway, seeing a strange dark silhouette. Dismissing it, she continued on her way. Once she had gone, the two leapt from the shadows, tunics undone and hanging strangely.
“Let’s go back to the ship, Anakin. I truly have no idea-”
“Where we’re going?” Anakin finished. “I know.”
The two adjusted their clothes and calmly began to return to their ship. Their faces were both alight with joy and their grins didn’t leave their faces for one moment.
Dagobah
The air was thick and heavy, as if all the life on the planet was pressing down on his small frame. Exotic, rich perfumes mingled with the heady stench of decay, saturating the air. Yoda had grown accustomed to his planet of exile - a world rich and full and alive in the Force. Though unlike any world he had ever inhabited, Yoda felt a calm familiarity with Dagobah. It was comfortable and sheltering and calming. Many prospective souls had tried to colonize Dagobah but had been beaten back by the tenacious foliage and stubborn animals. It remained a primal world.
Yoda sat in meditation, not asking or wondering anything, simply allowing the steady calm of the Force flow through him, allowing himself to drift aimlessly through nothingness.
He felt a resonance behind him, like a tiny bell, ringing inside a flower. He rose out of his trance calmly and turned his head.
“Anakin and Obi-wan are very close to their objective,” the faintly shimmering form of Qui-gon Jinn said.
Yoda nodded. “Distracted, they must not grow,” he said. “Difficult decisions, they will have to make.”
Tatooine
“Anakin?” Obi-wan asked quietly as he lay in Anakin’s arms on the lumpy cot in the crew quarters of the Wingjewel. It didn’t matter that the springs were sharp and uncomfortable, they might as well be in his own bed. Nothing mattered.
“Yes?” Anakin replied, smiling softly.
“I know this really isn’t the time for this kind of question…” he trailed off as his fingers slowly wound their way through Anakin’s slightly damp hair.
“What do you want to ask?” Anakin said, turning his head to look into Obi-wan’s eyes.
“What about your wife?” Obi-wan asked painfully, as if the words cut his lips as they exited them.
Anakin sat up carefully, the overhead lamp illuminating Anakin’s bare shoulders, creating the illusion of a powerful aura surrounding him, protecting him. Obi-wan rested his head on his arm.
“I can see it in your eyes whenever the conversation edges towards her. Something happened to her, didn’t it?” His words were careful and precise.
“Anakin, I didn’t want to tell you…” Obi-wan began.
“You didn’t want to, but you needed to. I understand what you were trying to say when we first arrived here, now. You have been hiding your feelings for me because you didn’t want to hurt Padmé and me.”
“You were married, Anakin. To have made my feelings known would have been wrong. You know that.”
“I do know that. I need to know what happened to her.” He paused before adding, “Was it my fault?”
“No, Anakin!” Obi-wan almost shouted. “The Sith deceived us all. More tragic than that, he deceived you. He destroyed you, and thus destroyed Padmé.”
“You say the Sith did this. What about my mother? Did you ever hear what happened when I found her?”
“I know something terrible happened by your hand, I can sense that. You don’t need to say what happened. It was horrible, yes, but she stayed with you through it. She saw the man that I see right now. She saw your strength.”
Anakin’s face fell and he began to cry silently. “This should never have happened, Obi-wan. I’m sorry.”
Obi-wan sat up and put his arm on Anakin’s shoulder. “Don’t apologize. The fault is mine. I completely disregarded your relationship with her. I’m a fool.”
“You’re not a fool, Obi-wan. When I was with Padmé, I felt appreciated and respected. She would listen to me when nobody else thought to. But when I’m with you, I feel loved. I feel meaningful. I don’t need to prove anything anymore.” Anakin leaned his head against Obi-wan’s chest. “I don’t know what to do.”
Obi-wan held Anakin close, stroking his hair. “For now, let’s just forget it. There will be a time for answers eventually. Right now, let’s focus on finding that time ship.”
Anakin sat up and nodded softly.