Cold and warm both have smells, and don't fucking trust anyone who says anything different.

They have a way of entering your sinuses in a way that nothing else does.

It's different.

When you're cold, the very tip of your nose starts to burn just that small little bit at first.

Your nostrils seem to widen as you inhale that familiar scent.

As fall becomes winter and you get the first whiff of that bitter air, you're either given a sensation of pure unadulterated excitement or absolute dread.

Warm, on the other hand, smells like… comfort.

Warmth is home. It smells like the s*nd on Tatooine.

It smells dry and dusty and complete and like everything Anakin has ever known.

Cold is empty.

The lack of.

Cold is fear.

Cold is different.

Cold is unfamiliar.

Cold is infuriating.

And the human, just a few feet away from him, happens to embody everything that the dreaded cold is, has been, and ever will be.

"Hello there."

His voice was soft, charming.

It's like caramel. Like his stupid hair, dripping along his head to become effortlessly beautiful.

Creamy around the edges as it spread throughout the room, washing over Anakin like a calming breeze in a heat-stricken environment.

It's not inherently cold, though it comes through and gives you the illusion that you've somehow cooled off.

"Uh, hi."

"...Is there a reason you're staring at me? I mean, not that I mind, but…"

"I, uh-"

"My, you do say that a lot, don't you?"

"What? No, I-"

"Peculiar little thing."

The words they'd said were quick and there wasn't any room to think or use his brain whatsoever, and if there had been, Anakin probably wouldn't have taken it anyways.

He'd somehow forgotten how to breathe along the way.

This conversation had only been happening for a few seconds and Anakin had said seven words.

Two had been 'uh,' and another two were 'I.'

In summary, Anakin looked like an extremely self absorbed idiot.

English had never been his strong point.

"Interesting."

He'd heard the man say the word, though it wasn't registering in his mind just yet.

He was focused on something that had been said at least three sentences ago.

"Wait, did you say you didn't mind?"

Anakin was convinced he had the biggest, stupidest, most idiotic mouth in the entire fucking galaxy.

Nice one, Skywalker.

At this exact point, Anakin knew that jumping out the nearest window or drowning himself in a toilet would be his best options, but something was pulling him to another very, very stupid option.

"I'm Anakin."

The room was spinning.

Anakin felt his body pulsing in ways he didn't think were normal and he could literally feel his pulse jumping to the bass in the intergalactic beats filling the ballroom.

The tempo was upbeat and the music had a depth that many overlooked.

It was, for lack of a better term, Rich People Beats™.

It was live from somewhere in the venue, probably, but Anakin didn't really care to look.

He was busy staring at the man in front of him, who had subtly slipped into the conversation that he didn't mind Anakin staring at him, and he'd fucking called him peculiar and interesting and Anakin kinda wanted to fucking die but also kinda jump his fine caramel ass but that wasn't really appropriate and-

"Anakin."

Okay, that's it. Anakin never wanted to hear another person say his name ever again.

His eyes were still a pale teal color. They looked a little bluer up close. Greyish mostly.

They were lacking color yet so vibrant all at once.

He had freckles peeking out from just underneath his mask.

Anakin had never seen anything more lovely.

"Ben."

Anakin blinked a few times, pulling himself back to reality once again.

Something about this guy made him keep losing himself.

It was reckless and absolutely exactly not what this mission to Naboo was all about.

But, I mean, since when had he been the perfect Jedi, anyways?

"What?" Anakin stuttered out, eyes wide.

He probably looked like a right mess. He didn't want to think about it.

"Ben. That's my name." 'Ben' said. "I assumed we were introducing ourselves."

It really wasn't fair, actually. Everything this guy said sounded and felt completely effortless.

"Oh. Right. Okay. Yes, that's-We are. Doing that."

While Anakin, an angsty mess of hormones, was having trouble getting out a few full words at a time.

There was a pause.

"So, Anakin." Ben smiled.

Another pause.

"Ben." Anakin said it softly, letting it roll off his tongue as a faint whisper; as if scared he might taint the word.

Ben squinted his eyes slightly, tilting his head just the slightest bit to the left; curious.

"Anakin, would you like to dance?"

He wasn't sure when the music changed.

It was softer now. A steady, continuous beat sweeping over the room.

It was more formal.

Harp was involved, as well as a few instruments that Anakin couldn't name.

He was sure that Ben could.

"Yes." His answer came as easy as air itself.

The name didn't suit him.

Something about the situation seemed off, but as it seemed, they were the ones who were indeed a bit off.

They were standing still in a room full of partnered people, all dancing slowly with one another.

Ben extended his hand, bowing just the slightest bit.

Force, what a fucking gentleman.

Anakin took his hand without thinking twice.

His brain wasn't exactly on the same page as the rest of his body, and he'd decided to tune it out a few minutes ago.

A few minutes ago? Is that really how long they'd known each other?

That couldn't be right.

He felt like he'd been looking into those stupid pale eyes for centuries, yet not long enough all at the same time.

It was infuriating.

Once their hands met, Anakin knew.

There was something there.

Something he couldn't quite place.

A bond.

He should've been afraid.

He could feel the very atoms in his hands bending, moving, vibrating against Ben's hands.

He was cold.

It wasn't… It didn't feel like everything Anakin had assumed it would.

He wasn't afraid.

He wasn't empty.

He wasn't angry.

Anakin slid his arms over Ben's shoulders, allowing himself the small pleasure of brushing his fingers over that caramel dangling from his head.

And, to his delight, it was just as soft as it looked.

"Are you… Petting me, Anakin?" Ben gave him a curious, amused little look as he place his hands right on top of the other man's hips.

Anakin didn't miss how Ben pulled him just that bit closer to him.

"Maybe." Slowly, the Jedi had gained just a little bit more confidence.

Maybe it was because of how Ben was staring at him.

Like he was… Something. A treasure. A quick fuck. Something. Anything.

"Have you had anything to drink tonight, Anakin?" The golden masked man asked, tilting his head in that curious little way again.

Anakin felt excited at the idea of learning a quirk of the mystery man ahead of him.

"No." He answered truthfully, licking his lips at the thought of a drink. When had he become so parched? "I was going to get one, actually, before I ran into you."

"I don't quite remember it happening like that-"

"It did, trust me." Anakin fired back, grinning.

The caramel haired fucker was smiling back at him as they danced, bodies close to one another as they swayed back and forth to the soft beat of the instruments being played nearby.

They didn't speak for the rest of the song.

Each other's company was enough for the both of them.

It was evident that there was some kind of bond, some kind of inexplicable familiarity with this man, but there was no way he'd let himself think on that right now.

Right now, Anakin was linked up and slow dancing with a gorgeous man in a mask, and he'd decided that he deserved this small pleasure.

Once the song had ended, however, that was another story.

Anakin let himself think for a minute, pushing away all the thoughts in his mind that weren't inherently smart, and focused on the Force for a moment, willing it to guide him.

He moved away from Anakin after a few moments.

Ben waved his hand.

"So, Anakin, what brings you here tonight? Excuse my assumptions, but I don't particularly see you as being one for parties like this." Ben chuckled, stroking his copper colored beard and smiling warmly.

"I'm here to protect Padmé Amidala."

Anakin's eyes went wide, not knowing where that came from at all.

He wouldn't normally confess anything like that to a stranger.

"Ah, the former queen. Lovely girl, really. Are you two seeing each other?" Ben questioned, a knowing smile gracing his face.

"What?! No!" Anakin felt his face heating up quickly. "No, no. Nothing like that. Well, I mean, there was that time when-" He cut himself off.

Ben smirked. "Oh, do tell."

"Listen, it was years ago! She'd just stopped being queen and I was, uh." Anakin bit his lip. "Not in the best place. Unstable."

In all honesty, it was after his master had been killed. He just wasn't himself for a long time after that.

She'd been there for him through it all.

"It only happened once." Anakin explained.

"Ah, but it happened." Ben retorted.

There was a pause as they found their way over to a lounge table and chairs.

They both took a seat respectively, across from one another.

"So, when exactly did they turn the Jedi into bodyguards?"

Anakin's stomach dropped.