It was getting late and most people were either sleeping or on their way to bed. Only a few people still wandered the corridors of the Jedi Temple. Anakin Skywalker was one of these, on his way from the archives. After the dinner he had felt restless and didn't know what to do with himself, so he had gone to the archives to see if he could find some peace there. He didn't. He'd been flipping mindlessly through the records, not absorbing any information at all, his mind completely occupied by other matters. There were thousands of thoughts floating around in his mind, but there was one matter that occupied most of his mind and always seemed to be there.

Obi-Wan.

And it had been so for a long time now. He had come to realize how much his Master meant to him, not only as a Master, but as something else, something more.

He loved him.

He still loved Padmé; he had done that ever since they first met on Tatooine eight years ago. But when he thought about it he realized that he hadn't even met her for eight years. Maybe his feelings weren't even right. Things change, maybe if he met her today it wouldn't be the same as when they met all those years ago, and his love for Obi-Wan was different. It was greater, stronger. Something he couldn't deny, even if he really wanted to. But he didn't want to. He knew that he couldn't. He needed this love to be able to carry on, to make the tasks he was facing and knew he were about to face. He needed it to be able to do everything, to save everyone, always. To be the greatest hero the galaxy has ever seen. It was what pushed him forward, gave him extra power, nourished him. And he couldn't keep it in anymore. He just needed the courage to…

He suddenly felt a presence that pulled him back to the present. He looked up to find Obi-Wan walking up by his side. He smiled at the sight of him.

"Oh, hello Master", he said with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Hello there, Padawan", his Master answered, looking directly at Anakin. "What are you doing here at this late hour?"

"I was just visiting the archives, but I'm on my way back to our sleeping quarters now." He wasn't sure if that was true, honestly he didn't know where he was going, but it was what made most sense to tell his Master. "What are you doing here yourself?"

Obi-Wan turned his gaze to the corridor. "I leaved the report on our latest mission to the council, then I stopped to talk to Yoda, he…"

Anakin stopped listening, suddenly aware of the moment, where he was and what was going on. The corridor was empty now, except for the two Jedi walking side by side. The only lights were the modest blue night lamps and some light from the city outside. He didn't move his gaze from his Master, absorbing every inch of his beauty. His beautiful eyes, his rather strictly combed back hair, his lips; the way they moves as he spoke. How badly he wanted to kiss them.

This is it, he thought. This is my chance.

"…so we don't need to worry about that." Obi-Wan turned to face him again, presumably done talking about whatever he was talking about. He frowned a bit when he saw Anakin's face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

This was it. Now. Anakin grasped Obi-Wan's arms and pulled him with him behind a pillar situated close to them, where the light didn't reach.

"Anakin, wha-"

Before he could finish Anakin pulled him closer, leaned forward and kissed him. It felt so right, like everything made sense now. Like his whole life was just transport to take him to this very moment. He only had one worry on his mind.

Did Obi-Wan feel the same?

This was wrong, completely wrong. Obi-Wan's head immediately filled up with worries and thoughts about how wrong it was. They couldn't, they shouldn't. They'd both be expelled from the Order (Could they expel the Chosen One?). What if someone walked pass and saw them? Would they in that case report to the Council? How would the Council react? Had anything like this happened before? What would they do if they were expelled? Hundreds of questions rushed through and bounced around his head. He wanted to pull away, to tell Anakin to stop, tell him that it was wrong, that they couldn't.

But he didn't. For some reason he didn't. Even though he wanted to he couldn't-

No.

He didn't want to pull away. He didn't want it to stop. In that moment he realized that he'd been dreaming about this for a long time. He had suppressed and denied it, not allowing himself to even think of it. But now it was real. A warm feeling spread through him, blurring his bad feelings and worries, telling him that this was right, that it wasn't wrong. He loved his Padawan. He loved him with every cell in his body and he wouldn't deny it anymore. He couldn't. He didn't understand how he ever could. Nothing had ever felt as strong as this.

Anakin suddenly pulled away, just a little bit so their lips separated. Obi-Wan's senses caught up with him. They both breathed slowly and swallowed simultaneously.

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan said in a breath, not higher than a whisper. "What is this?"

Anakin could only think of one answer. "My dreams," he answered; his voice not more than a whisper either.
Their eyes met and they stood like that for a couple of seconds, simply breathing and watching each other. Then Anakin leaned forward and kissed his Master again, more deeply this time. His hold on Obi-Wan's arms tightened and he pulled him closer to him, whereupon Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around Anakin. They were both rapt by the moment. They weren't thinking of the consequences, neither of tomorrow nor of yesterday, not of anything besides what was there and then. None of them wanted the moment to ever end.