"Anakin, your ginger's here."
His head jerked up and his hands tightened. He looked back down and swore. "Ahsoka, I was almost done with this batch," he said as he carefully scraped the glob of icing from the top of a cupcake.
She cackled at the door to the sales floor. "Just thought that you wanted to know," she sing-songed, door closing behind her.
Anakin picked the piping bag back up and quickly finished icing the rest of the little cakes. He wiped his hands off on his apron and picked the pan up to take them to the display. He paused at the door, glancing out.
His ginger was there alright.
Anakin didn't really know when the man - Obi-Wan, he'd told him to call him - had first started coming into the bakery. But it hadn't taken Ahsoka long to recognize the lovestruck look on his face every time the other man was around.
He took a bracing breath and pushed through the door, a smile on his lips. "Hey, Obi-Wan."
Did he imagine the man's face brightening?
"Anakin,"" he said, leaning against the counter. "Is your day going well?"
He dipped his head in answer as he carefully placed the cupcakes in their spot in the case. "Got an early start, so I finished most everything already."
Obi-Wan's brow creased. "Nightmare?"
Anakin shrugged sheepishly.
"There's counselors at the VA center if you ever need to talk," he said. "It does help. God knows that I was a mess when I got back."
Anakin fiddled with the case in front of him, eyes downcast. "Thanks, Obi-Wan. I'm just...not sure about talking to someone yet."
"That's okay," he said, reaching across the counter to touch his hand. "We're here if you need us."
Anakin stared at him, a blush staining his cheeks.
"So, what's good today?"
He unglued his tongue from the roof of his mouth and looked at the cases of baked goods in front of him. "Well, everything's good, of course, but I think I know something that might interest you."
Obi-Wan leaned forward as Anakin bent and pulled out a small covered plate.
"I wanted to make sure that you got a slice," Anakin said softly, pulling the wrap off. He set it down in front of the other man.
"Cheesecake?"
Anakin nodded. It was his mother's recipe and he didn't make it often. Perfect in its simplicity, he'd never changed any part of it or added any toppings.
"May I?"
"Go ahead," Anakin said, snagging a fork and handing it to him.
Obi-Wan cut the tip off and brought it to his mouth. Anakin watched as it disappeared between two pale pink lips and the ginger man hummed, his eyes closed.
"Amazing," he whispered once he'd swallowed. "I don't think that I've ever had a cheesecake quite so creamy as this."
Anakin's cheeks warmed and he looked down to see Obi-Wan cutting another piece off of his slice. "Thanks."
Obi-Wan hummed again as he chewed. Anakin bit his lip. He was pretty sure that Obi-Wan didn't know about the sounds that he made each time he tried whatever Anakin made him.
"Was this one of your mom's recipes?"
Anakin jerked his head up, eyes wide. "Y-yeah."
"She must have been a very special woman," Obi-Wan said.
"Yeah," he breathed. "She was."
Obi-Wan straightened, setting his fork down on his empty plate. "I've got to get to work. Always nice talking with you. What do I owe you?"
"On the house. I'll see you around," Anakin said, falling into their routine. "Any requests for next time?"
Obi-Wan grinned back at him. "Chef's choice."
He watched the ginger-haired man walk to the door and heard the jingle of the bell as he left.
"You told him about your mom?" Ahsoka hissed beside him.
Anakin nodded. "I guess so? I didn't realize that I had."
"Anakin," she said. "Go catch him and ask him out already."
He gulped but sprinted out of the bakery. He saw Obi-Wan across the street about to go into the center.
"Obi-Wan," he shouted and the other man turned back to him. Anakin glanced around himself before rushing across the street.
"Anakin?"
"Will you go on a date with me?" Anakin blurted out.
"I was hoping that you'd finally ask me," he said.
Anakin stared at him. "What?"
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Yes, I will go out with you. I think that I've waited long enough."
"Why?"
"Oh, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't want to push you. I told you: I'm here if you need me. I'd wait till then."
Anakin smiled. "Should I call you, then?"
Obi-Wan dug his wallet out and pulled a card from it. Flipping it over he used a pen he'd had in his pocket to scrawl something across the back. He handed it to Anakin.
"That's my cell number. I've got work till a quarter after five, but call me anytime after that," he said.
"Okay," Anakin said. "I look forward to it."
"Me, too."
Anakin turned back to the bakery, a smile on his lips. He could see Ahsoka watching from the window.
"Want to give her something to really watch?" Obi-Wan asked from behind him.
Anakin turned back to him and the man's lips pressed into his, hands landing on his shoulders. Anakin caught the man's waist in his hands, fingers digging into the sweater he wore.
Obi-Wan pulled back, a mischievous smile to match his twinkling eyes.
Anakin glanced back to see Ahsoka jumping up and down, clapping her hands. He was pretty sure he could see her saying 'finally!'
He looked back at Obi-Wan, laughing.