It had been a hard mission, no doubt about that, and Obi-Wan had to admit, if only to himself, that he was more then a little tired and more then a little sore. His back ached and his head felt like it had been stuffed by bricks. Obi-Wan was appalled at his inability to keep his full concentration during the council debriefing. All he really wanted to do was go back to his quarters, take a shower, and go to sleep, in his own comfortable bed. He was hungry but feared that he wouldn't have enough energy to cook himself anything.
Obi-Wan was so caught up in his hazy thoughts that he didn't realize that he had reached his apartment until he almost passed it. As Obi-Wan put in the entrance code mechanically his senses stretched out instinctually to probe the inside of his shared quarters with Anakin.
Anakin. That was a warm and welcome thought. His not-so-young padawan, to Obi-Wan's pleasure, was home. The door swished open and Obi-Wan staggered into the hall and then the common room.
"Master!" Obi-Wan turned to see his grinning padawan walk into the common room from the small kitchen. "Master, you're home! Agh…tough mission I can tell."
Obi-Wan smiled his thanks as Anakin took his cloak from him, still beaming happily. Anakin's hand brushed against the bare skin of Obi-Wan's neck and the Jedi knight felt a tingling feeling running down his spine. Obi-Wan squashed the feeling reprimanding himself mentally. These sort of feelings were absolutely inappropriate.
"I just got back from training so I didn't have a chance to fix anything up. If you wait just a few minutes…" Anakin was saying oblivious to Obi-Wan's emotional struggle.
"No, no, Anakin. I think I'm going to take a shower and get some sleep. You are right it was a tough mission."
"I hate it when the council splits us up," Anakin admitted, the smile dropping off his face.
"Sometimes it's necessary," Obi-Wan said calmly, though he couldn't help but agree with his now pouting padawan. He also hated it when the council split them up.
Obi-Wan walked into the 'fresher and turned on the water. The weary knight dropped his clothes on the floor and stepped into the shower under the hot water. He let the warm stream wash away the grime that had plastered itself onto his body in the most uncomfortable of places and had tangled into his hair. The hot water made him relax and eased up overly tense muscles.
He reached out through the Force so he could sense the proximity of Anakin's Force signature. It felt so good to be near the young man again. So very good. Obi-Wan knew that he shouldn't be feeling this way but he couldn't help it. Anakin's face floated to the front of his mind and he couldn't stop anymore. He was captivated by brilliantly blue eyes and a cheerful smile formed by lushes pale pink lips. In his mind he could see Anakin's long lashes as they brushed against his cheeks. The lingering trace of Anakin's touch on his neck burned and Obi-Wan wanted to feel that same touch once again. When did the little boy from Tatooine grow into such an intoxicating young man?
After letting himself soak a little Obi-Wan made quick work of the rest of his clean up and exited the 'fresher into his bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. What he didn't expect was Anakin sitting on his bed nursing a mug in his hands.
"Anakin, what are you doing?" Obi-Wan asked as he motioned for Anakin to turn away while he yanked up his sleep pants.
"I…I just thought you'd want some tea, Master. That's all." Anakin's voice was soft and gentle, sending shivers up Obi-Wan's spine.
"That's very thoughtful of you," Obi-Wan said sincerely as he sat down on the bed next to Anakin and took the mug from his padawan.
Obi-Wan inhaled the sweetish aroma of the tea before taking a long satisfactory drink from the cup. He twisted to set it down on the small bedside table and felt a sharp knifelike pain shoot through the still tense muscles of his back.
"Master? Are you alright?" Anakin's hand was warm on Obi-Wan's shoulder.
Obi-Wan sat the cup down gently and turned back toward Anakin slowly, trying not to wince. "I should be alright, Padawan."
Anakin frowned worriedly. "Master, let me check for any possible internal bleeding or other injury."
Obi-Wan would have argued but he was too tired for that. And a part of him wanted this. Wanted Anakin to touch him, to feel the young man's hands glide over his back, soothing him.
Anakin, if he was puzzled by his master's cooperation he did not show it, scooted on the bed so that Obi-Wan could stretch out before touching Obi-Wan's shoulders and pressing gently. Obi-Wan gave a soft moan at the contact and nuzzled into the pillow.
"Does it hurt that much, Master?" Anakin asked taking away his touch as he had misunderstood Obi-Wan's reaction.
"No, Anakin," Obi-Wan mumbled hazily.
Anakin's hands returned to Obi-Wan's shoulders and he started moving them down his master's back in search of any hidden injury.
Obi-Wan let himself relax as Anakin's hands slid over his back. The touch made him shiver with pleasure as bare skin touched bare skin.
"I don't see anything serious, Master," Anakin concluded finely. "I think you're just too tense so the nerves in and around you muscles are going crazy."
"Possibly…"
"I'll help you relax, Master," Anakin offered in a soft sensual tone. He leaned down slightly so that Obi-Wan would hear him and the tip of his braid tickled Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Not necessary, Padawan." Obi-Wan couldn't deny, though, that he was lying through his teeth. He mourned at the loss of contact between him and Anakin and a consuming part of him wanted Anakin to keep going, to never stop.
Anakin persisted and Obi-Wan soon fell into an Anakin induced trance. He wanted Anakin to explore his whole body. He wanted to return the favor and touch Anakin in that tender way himself. If Obi-Wan tried to protest Anakin would only respond with a soft, "Shhhh….you want this, Master. I know you do." And Obi-Wan had nothing to say because it was true. He did want this. He wanted Anakin and he couldn't deny it anymore.
But there was nothing he could do about these feeling because he was a Jedi. And so was Anakin. And surely Anakin could find himself someone better…younger at least…to risk his career for. So Obi-Wan took what he could of the moment. This might be the most intimate he would ever be with his dear boy. Because Anakin never had and never would have these feeling for him. At least one of them would be a better Jedi, even if it was at the expense of Obi-Wan's heart.
Anakin waited until Obi-Wan was asleep before he stopped. He looked at Obi-Wan with love filled eyes feeling guilty. He had taken advantage of Obi-Wan's weakness to forge himself an excuse to touch Obi-Wan in the way he might never be able to again. Obi-Wan would never love him in the same way, Anakin was sure. Obi-Wan was just too Jedi. But regardless of Obi-Wan's decision on the matter Anakin couldn't wish away his feelings. There was a force that pulled him toward Obi-Wan. With Obi-Wan he felt strangely complete.
Anakin leaned down and kissed Obi-Wan's bare shoulder lightly. It was a stolen kiss and Anakin knew that that was the only kind he would be able to have when it came to Obi-Wan.