Chapter two! I'm dreadfully sorry if the progression in their relationship seems rushed, I wanted to try to adapt it in a "not quite love but something special at first sight" kind of thing. Aaaand I generally write this story between the hours of the darkest night and the wee hours of the mourn', so I once again apologize for any gaps in coherence.

Warnings: Slight OC/Obi

Chapter Rating: T, to be safe.

"Ah-Alex? It's me, Obi-Wan! Remember?" He said, exasperated at the sheer chance of it all. Alex looked just as surprised, and it all clicked.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi! It's been so long. I thought I'd never see yah again!" He said, giving Obi-Wan a hug, though immediately regretting it when he remembered the ribs.

"You probably wouldn't have, had it not been for my horrible driving skills." Obi-Wan said after he recovered from the embrace, still baffled by the possibility of this even happening. Every time Alex grinned at him Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel required to smile back, it was just something in his eyes, which he noticed were his favorite shade of blue. He couldn't deny that Alex was very handsome, dashing even, but jedi weren't supposed to feel like this around others… but who would know if you did? A voice he couldn't ignore in the back of his head suggested, though he brushed it off less quickly than he would have preferred. He was brought back to reality when he saw Alex staring at him, concern evident on his rugged features.

"Are you alright Obi-Wan? You should get some more sleep." He suggested.

"Oh, I was just thinking of something, I'm alright, really." Obi-Wan replied, trying to sit up when the same sharp pain struck his chest. Alex hurried over to him and carefully ushered him back to laying down.

"Yeah, sure you are. Finish your soup and get some rest, you stubborn jedi." He said before stepping closer, his mouth only inches from Obi-Wan's ear, "or I'll get in there with you and make sure you stay put." He whispered, his hot breath penetrating the canals of the jedi's ear. Obi-Wan's face turned into one composed of evident shock, embarrassment, horror and… want? Alex couldn't tell, but it was hilarious nonetheless. He began laughing again, a deep laugh that rumbled as he clenched his midsection.

"Oh you should have seenyah face, it was priceless! Your eyes were bigger than a sandmouse's in hunting season! Ah wouldn't take advantage of a friend like tha', unless yeah offerin'." Obi-Wan went deep red for the umpteenth time that day, and Alex just giggled in response, which, had Obi-Wan been in more of a stable mindset, would be quite the thing to see, a burly, rugged man such as Alex to be giggling.

"It seems yah never overcame bein' shy di d yah?" Now Obi-Wan was just offended.

"Now that was out of line! You are speaking about things of a highly sexual nature and excuse me if I don't want to partake in such an uncivilized discussion!" He barked, a bit surprised at his own outburst. Alex seemed to be as well, cocking his head sideways in confusion.

"I could be wrong, but aren't we both young men?" Alex asked, gesturing between the two of them.

"Yes, but I don't see how that has to do with anything."

"Okay, and I could be wrong here too, but don't young men such as us get certain… urges?" Now Obi-Wan understood.

"…and?"

"Then why are yah such a prude! What do yah even do when yah get those urges?" Alex asked.

"I… I release them into the force through meditation." Obi-Wan stated manner-of-factly, as it was something normal. Judging from Alex's expression, it didn't seem to be.

"Excuse me, I have tah pick my jaw up from the floor. You have got to be kidding me Obi-Wan! That has to be unhealthy. And especially for a man like yahself, I mean just look at yah!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Obi-Wan asked, with confusion becoming a constant medium.

"Yah have got to be kiddin' me. Obi-Wan, you're as oblivious as yah are attractive."

"I'm not oblivious! Wait, you just called me attractive. Why did you do that?" Obi-Wan didn't know whether to glare at him or feel flattered or kiss h-FORCE! Control yourself Obi-Wan!

"Why? That is an interesting question. Have yah considered that it might be true?" Alex replied flatly. That floored Obi-Wan. Him? Attractive? Studious, determined, motivated, devoted to the jedi, these were all things that defined him, but attractive? Surely this must be some kind of joke. But as he thought of this Alex just stared at him like he could see right through him. He double checked his shields which were of course fully operational, which made him wonder why the other man's stare could affect him in such a way.

"I... I should sleep." WHAT WAS THAT KENOBI?! The fascination left Alex's eyes in an instant but he was quick to put on a smile, though not quick enough for Obi-Wan to miss it.

"Yes, yes yah should…" he pauses "Finished the soup?" Obi-Wan nodded, and gave muttered "thank you" and Alex smiled at him, took the bowl and left the room, turning off the light as he closed the door. And so Obi-Wan was left in darkness, and if his head hadn't hurt so Force forsakenly bad he would smack himself for how much he botched that conversation straight from the get go. The other side of his mind told him he should ignore it for the sake of the code, the code that he diligently lived by, but he couldn't help himself from replaying the conversation over and over again in his mind you're attractive, just look at yourself! From someone that looked like Alex did, broad shouldered, clearly muscular and a rough around the edges look that just worked, a complement like that meant something. Obi-Wan tried his best not to dwell on it, but found that he was unable to escape his feelings about the situation. Alex had been nothing but kind to him since he found him, though that was only the day. It still meant a lot, how he hadn't even gotten angry with Obi-Wan when all he did was reject what Alex was saying. He doesn't care if I have a different opinion on something… he didn't try to change how I felt about something. Well, sort of. There was that part about him not indulging in his urges, but he still backed off when I made my point, so that has to count for something.

Obi-Wan felt restless, and pushed himself carefully off of the bed, wary of the pain in his ribs. He moved towards the door, opening it as carefully as possible, before peeking his head out to look in either direction down the hall. He stepped into the hallway, praying there were no creaky steps as he stalked forward to what he was hoping would be the way out for a breath of fresh air. Instead, he walked into Alex undressing in what seemed to be the living room. Obi-Wan had to hold back a gasp, likely looking quite foolish with his mouth agape, oogling at a man who he rejected only an hour before. The sight was nothing short of amazing for Obi-Wan however, for Alex was in his most basic undergarments, which fit rather snug and hid little from the imagination. Then, naturally, Obi-Wan found himself caught off guard yet again.

"Do yah need something, Obi-Wan?" Alex asked, the curiosity from earlier devoid in his voice. He had a habit of making Obi-Wan struggle to find the right words, something he generally prided himself on.

"I, uh, where are you planning on sleeping?" Obi-Wan asked, grateful that his host hadn't turned around to see his embarrassment once more. Force knows that's happened enough times today.

"Probably the floor. Don't worry, I've been through worse. Shouldn't yah be resting?" He replied, shrugging his shoulders and going about folding his clothes into a makeshift pillow, with a jacket used as what Obi-Wan would assume to be his blanket.

"No, you can't! That's… well you just can't."

"Then where do yah propose I sleep, jedi?" Alex turned around now, and unknowingly showed Obi-Wan just about everything, mainly the one clothed area which Obi-Wan tried very hard to advert his eyes from locking on to. Moving his gaze to Alex's eyes would just result in him getting lost in them, the same with his well-carved chest, so he settled for staring at his unremarkable feet, thank the Force, while wondering when he started thinking like this.

He will forever deny that the next words said came out of his own mouth.

"Sleep with me." Alex's eyes widened, and he stepped closer to Obi-Wan, testing the waters. Obi-Wan matched his step, and they met in a crash of untrained lips. Alex was careful of the tender bones in Obi-Wan's chest as he wrapped his arms around the jedi's back, lightly pressing bare chest to shirted. Obi-Wan broke the kiss, breathless and head pounding as he noticed the proximity that the two were now in. He groaned internally when his cheeks reddened, but this had to stop before it got out of hand. Sighing, he put on his best instructor face and began.

"Alex… I can't. The code forbids attachments, and while they permit the basic human needs, I couldn't have mindless sex with you… I couldn't come out of it untouched. I'm defying it enough allowing you to sleep with me, because with even that I know I will be affected." Alex's gaze drooped and the light left his eyes in the same way it did earlier, only causing Obi-Wan to feel more guilt.

"That really is a shame, Obi-Wan Kenobi… I could really fall for a guy like you…" As if I haven't already. Alex couldn't even pinpoint where that thought came from or why it was even there in the first place, but some part of him knew it had a point, no matter how little he wanted to acknowledge it. He gazed back to his makeshift bed on the floor and wrinkled his nose.

"Well, I thank yah for corrupting yahself at least a little bit, because I was really not looking forward to sleeping on the ground." He said with a brave smile, grazing his hand across Obi-Wan's cheek. Obi-Wan nodded, and they moved to the bedroom, Alex getting in first so he wouldn't accidentally stumble on any of Obi-Wan's wounds, something that was gratefully noticed by the jedi. Obi Wan's heart clenched at how careful and kind his friend still was after being treated in such a way, and quickly adopted a comfortable position next to Alex on the bed.

Alex snaked an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders, and the jedi didn't have the heart to tell him to move it away. Sure, that's the reason.

"Goodnight Obi-Wan."

"Goodnight Alexsander, thank you for everything."

When Obi-Wan awoke in the early morning, he force-compelled Alex to sleep soundly before looking around to find a spare piece of parchment paper. With regret and guilt panging throughout his body, and physical pain to accompany it, Obi-Wan donned his now clean beige jedi robes, making a neat pile on the chair by the bed. With two wet trails running down his face, he pulled up his hood and walked out the door, steadily increasing his speed until he was on an all-out sprint back home.

When Alex awoke in the early afternoon, he checked the house in a nervous rush before finding the note placed on the nightstand.

Alexsander,

First and foremost, I am a coward. I couldn't even face you this morning and I'm dreadfully sorry for being such a terrible guest. I can't thank you enough for your kindness and I will look upon this memory fondly. Please don't hate me for following the code… it is all I have ever known, and I'm sorry that it had to hurt you. As for what you said last night… I believe I could have fallen for you just as hard. Even now know I want to forget about the code and everything written in it, but there is just this annoying part of me that has to do the thing that benefits the both of us the most. I would be cast out of the order and I have minimal skills outside of being a jedi, and everything would be so uncertain. I wish you success in your life, whatever it is you do, for I was too ignorant to even think to ask, let alone give you a proper thanks for pulling my idiotic self out of the wreck and nurse me back the best you knew how for that short day.

Regards,

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Alex hadn't even noticed when his eyes grew wet, nor when his cheeks became damp , not even when the paper where Obi-Wan had written on in such beautiful penmanship had drops splashed on it. No, Alex didn't realize how much the short visit had affected him, not until he finished the letter and everything came rushing forward.