To have said Cad Bane knew what in sith hells he was doing would have been a complete lie. He was in the upper levels of Courascant-a place he never should have been- trying to buy a birthday present for his young lover. He had no idea what twenty year old Togrutas liked, but he wanted to try and find something special.

Ahsoka had been his lover for many years by that time, and he'd grown incredibly fond of her. Cad Bane was not the type of man-bounty hunter or not-to have said he loved anyone…yet had his character allowed him to say such things then who knows. A small smile crept across his face as he thought about Ahsoka.

She hadn't changed all that much even after years of living with him. She was still as warm hearted and quirky as she was the day he'd met her, she had a noble mind and heart-something that seemed uncommon in the Jedi Order recently. Ahsoka would be going through the Trials soon, and even though he didn't believe in the Force he hoped she would succeed.

Bane had been so rapt up in his thoughts he hadn't realized he'd come to some strange store that smelled strongly of perfume and had too many neon pink lights shining for his taste. However he had a hunch that it would be the perfect store to find something for his special girl. He tucked the brim of his large hat down over his eyes hoping no one would recognize him as a wanted bounty hunter and walked in.

There were very few people in there-something Bane was thankful for-so he decided to just ask for help and get this over with. He walked up to the front counter where a rather plain looking human woman with too much makeup sat.

She looked up and asked, "Can I help you sir?" whether or not this establishment was frequented by men was not given away with her tone and Bane subconsciously kept his gaze downward.

"I'm looking to buy something for a gir-woman I'm close too. It's her birthday," Bane explained briskly.

"Oh okay," the girl said nodding, "how old will she be?"

"Twenty," he said and noticed the girl gave him an odd look as if to say it was a miracle he could have someone so young. Bane rolled his eyes slightly and followed her when she beckoned him.

They went down row after row of products, none that particularly interested Bane or anything he thought Ahsoka would like. Then as the increasingly annoying saleswoman babbled on about something else completely useless, a bright slender bottle caught Bane's attention. The bottle was pale pastel colors swirled together with a slight fragrance wafting from it. And for some reason or another it didn't seem as…well pathetic as anything else in the store.

"What is that?" he asked suddenly pointing to it. The girl seemed miffed at being interrupted but brightened when she saw what he was pointing at.

"Oh that's a best seller of ours," she said proudly, "it's a new kind of lubricant that increases female pleasure during intimacy."

Anyone looking at Bane right then could have sworn his right eye twitched just a little. How annoying yet beautifully ironic that he pointed at that out of anything in the entire store. It wasn't as if he and Ahsoka hadn't had sexual relations before, they'd been intimate with each other for years. And Ahsoka had a fondness for such things as lubricant and various other more…provocative toys and such. Bane smiled slowly and said, "I'll take it."

Ahsoka sighed deeply as she plopped down onto the large bed in the apartment she shared with Bane. It had been a long day listening to Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi ramble on about nothing, not to mention neither of them recognized what that day was. 'Oh well,' she thought, 'at least he'll remember.'

And as if on cue Bane walked into the apartment with something behind his back. She sat up quickly and beamed at him when he strode in the room and leaned casually in the doorway with a sloppy grin on his face. "Happy Birthday cutie," he drawled.

Ahsoka ran to him and hugged him around the midsection. Ahsoka had not grown very much taller over the years although she became more and more like a woman everyday. She was only about seven inches taller than she was when they had first met, her lekku had grown down to her chest, not to mention her feminine attributes had rounded out as well. Ahsoka was petite yet perfectly proportioned, cute yet sexy, and sweet but dangerous.

Bane loved every single quality about her. After years of getting to know who she really was there wasn't one thing he didn't like about his young lover. Ahsoka looked up at him with her wide blue eyes and asked, "Did you miss me?"

"So much I couldn't bear it," he said. Romantic sentiments had never been Bane's area of expertise but whenever Ahsoka was around they seemed to just roll of his tongue without him meaning to. She leaned up and kissed him slowly enjoying his presence and his attention.

"So what'd you get me?" she asked when they broke apart. He gave her a small smirk then told her to go sit on the bed and close her eyes. He made a note to himself that they had a dinner reservation at a nice but much unfrequented place. It was better that they stayed at relatively low-key establishments or else there was the possibility of them being seen together.

He knelt before her and put a neatly wrapped box on her lap. She opened her eyes and smiled at him carefully picking up the present lest there was something fragile inside.
"And what's this?" she asked happily.

"It's my gift for you," he said, "open it up."

Ahsoka looked at the beautiful silver wrapping paper and had a feeling Bane hadn't wrapped the present himself. She carefully took off the paper hoping to save it, and opened the box that came from some fancy looking store. She looked up at him quizzically then quickly opened the box and saw a glass bottle lying in the purple tissue paper. She picked it up and marveled at how beautiful it was before she read what was on the front. She blushed intensely and gave Bane a half-hearted glare to which he chuckled at.

"I thought you would like it," he said teasingly.

"Hmm," she replied realizing that the lotion actually had a faint fragrance to it.

"You know we could try it and see if it really does what it's supposed to," he said meaningfully. Ahsoka looked deep into his read eyes and her desire was so apparent it was almost disturbing. She'd been thinking about how much she wanted him all day, and what better gift could he give her than something that was supposed to heighten her pleasure along with his own body? Ahsoka couldn't think of one.

She leaned foreword and their lips met in a greedy kiss, tongues mating while Bane moved up onto the bed making Ahsoka lie down flat on it. He rested himself on top of her for he knew she liked having his weight on top of her. She looped her arms around his neck and sought to deepen the kiss but Bane moved away from her mouth trailing soft kisses down her cheeks and throat. He nibbled at her pulse point and she laughed breathlessly. He moved his calloused hands up beneath her top before they broke apart shedding their clothing as quickly as they could. After so many times of loving each other there was nothing to be embarrassed about anymore, and Ahsoka clung to Bane as he returned to his previous activity. He moved to her breasts teasing each nipple until she whimpered when a warmth settled between her legs. Bane hissed his breath out as she teased him in turn pumping his length making him harder still.

It didn't take long for either one of them to get tired of foreplay and Bane turned around and swiped the lubricant off the end of the bed. When he turned around he saw that Ahsoka had used the force to bring his hat to her and put it on. She giggled when she saw his exasperated expression and heard his mumble, "Crazy girl."

He didn't take it off her however. His hat was one of her favorite items and he thought she looked rather cute in it. He quickly scanned the label on the back of the bottle wondering if the stupid thing had to be used a certain way or not, but when he didn't see anything he untwisted the cap and dipped his first two fingers in. Once the cap was off the lotion inside was rather odd looking to be lubricant. It really just looked and smelled like body lotion but Bane stopped caring at that point just hoping it would work for her.

Ahsoka picked up the scent of her new lubricant and smiled. It smelled distinctly of strawberries. She gasped when she felt a cool sensation in her most personal area but realized it was the lubricant on her lover's fingers. When he gently pushed two fingers inside her it felt very odd at first. They had used various things to make their joinings easier before, but with this one there was a cool sensation followed by an intense warming one. Once the lotion began to warm inside her the feeling of Bane's fingers moving inside her became too much to handle. She moaned and whimpered uncontrollably and saw his smirk.

"What?" she asked annoyed.

"It's working," he smiled.

"What are you talking about?"

"This is supposed to make it even better for you," he said smoothly brushing his lips across hers.

'Oh yeah,' she thought. She'd been so caught up in everything about him that she'd forgotten what type of lubricant this was. Bane suddenly moved away from her and pulled his fingers out settling on the bed beside her.

When she gazed blankly at him he said, "It's your birthday, you can do whatever you want with me."

She smiled wickedly at him then straddled him stomach purposely avoiding his arousal for the time being. She leaned down to capture his lips once more while running her hands down the scarred plains of his chest. She traced each one softly always wondering how he had got them but knowing he would never tell her such things. Bane groaned slightly at her teasing caresses expressing his desire for her with his kisses.
Finally Ahsoka had enough and positioned herself before slowly lowering herself onto his length. Her lips parted on a sigh as she adjusted to him. It wasn't as if Bane was small quite the opposite in fact. But there was something about the feel of him this time and Ahsoka realized it was her present still at work. She trembled at the feel of him and almost cried out when she moved her hips. The pleasure was almost painful and she seriously debated whether or not she ever wanted to use her gift again. They'd barely started making love to each other and she already felt like she was about to explode.

Bane did his best to keep still letting her find her own pace before moving his own hips, but it was proving increasingly difficult. Ahsoka had always been the best partner he'd ever had and the sensation of her body around his length was threatening to undo him.

"I can't do this," she said suddenly.

"What?" he asked concerned.

"Can I be on the bottom?" she asked innocently.

He chuckled softly then carefully flipped them over so they were still joined but he now rested on top of her. He took over then and started thrusting at a slow and steady pace wondering how much of an effect that lotion was having on her. Ahsoka wrapped her legs around his waist and eventually started pushing against him when he quickened the pace. He wanted to go slowly for her but his own body's desire was getting the better of him. He was drowning in the love of this beautiful woman he had watched grow up and built a life with. He kissed her with a fervor that surprised Ahsoka and made her breath hitch.

She loved this man more than anything and she was ready to give up almost anything to be with him. Because of her emotional attachment to him the physical pleasure was all the more intense and the heat in-between her legs was becoming unbearable. She knew she wouldn't last very much longer but that was alright for Bane was in the same boat she was.

The raw sexual tension was coiling so tightly in his lower body that his cramping muscles were starting to become painful. But Bane set out to make sure Ahsoka reached bliss before he did and he started pounding into her even harder while teasing all of her most sensitive areas. Ahsoka cried out when her lover's actions seemed to increase and his touch was everywhere at once driving her to the edge. Her response was to hold onto him as if there was no tomorrow and ride out the sensations gripping her.

There was only ever one thing Ahsoka wanted Bane to say to her yet she knew she wouldn't ever hear it in her lifetime. She wanted him to at least say 'I love you' one time. It was a childish and foolish dream perhaps but it was hers just like he was.

Ahsoka's body could no longer take what was being done to it and she came intensely her whole frame shuddering, letting out soft cries. Bane gritted his teeth as he felt Ahsoka's walls tighten around his length and with a few more hard thrusts he came as well enjoying the world going white for a moment. As much as their need for each other made them want to continue exhaustion from the pleasure they had just experienced made both of them groggy.

Bane rolled onto his back beside Ahsoka and let her rest her head on his chest. She kissed his cheek and mumbled a thank you for her present before settling down to sleep. It didn't take long for her to slip into a peaceful slumber but Bane lied awake with his own thoughts.

He cherished Ahsoka more than anything in the galaxy and if he could he probably would have given up being a bounty hunter so he could be with her. He supported her in everything she did so long as she was safe and he wanted her to achieve all of her dreams. But could Bane ever tell her the truth? Could he ever find the courage to tell her that he had fallen hopelessly in love with her? Probably not.

But that was okay he figured, for as long as he showed her his feelings then she'd understand. 'I just hope you know it's true,' he thought closing his eyes, 'I love you Ahsoka.'

The End.