POV: Anakin Skywalker
I went over to mom's tonight because she asked me to stay there if I wasn't feeling good at the apartment. I'd met with Tru's family and had passed over all of his belongings save a few things that had a personal meaning over to his family. They seemed kind of resentful of me, like they blamed me for his death or even for his being gay. They weren't very happy with me when they realized that I was over twenty years old. I kept my things there, but I hadn't done much of anything. I didn't sleep in the bed anymore, instead choosing the couch or the floor.
Mom popped over one morning on the weekend and told me about Obi-Wan calling her to check on me, but she noticed that my pillows and blanket were on the couch. That was when she gave me a key to her place and told me to come over whenever I needed somewhere. I planned on changing the lock while she was in the hospital and replacing her key with a new one to fit because I wanted to keep Lars out.
I walked into her living room and turned the television on, passing through to the kitchen. I grabbed a bag of chips she bought me and took them to the couch, where I promptly sat on my ass and blankly absorbed whatever was on while I ate. I found myself bored and actually tried to listen to whatever was on. I pulled my legs up to sit cross-legged and I realized that I had the news on. Must've been the last thing mom watched. "Officer Kenobi has offered very few words on the matter of a young boy's tragic death in a car accident last week."
I raised an eyebrow as Obi-Wan's face appeared. They were outside the station and Quin was right there, trying to steal the focus of the camera. "The one who caused the accident is being held until further notice. The survivor of the incident is doing well, for those of you who have recently tweeted our main page asking." People were tweeting about me?
He was asked several questions and Quin eventually stepped in. "Look, lady, we're just police officers. We arrived on the scene and pulled the kid from the car. He's doing okay. He and the kid who was killed were very close, so he's taking it hard and he needs time to grieve, so leave the poor boy alone, will you?"
I saw something in Obi-Wan's eyes and I frowned. He didn't like all the questions about me. They asked repeatedly if he'd contacted me, if we were close, all kinds of things. I wasn't sure how he felt, but it kind of looked like hopeful. That's when it hit me. He wanted me to call him tonight. I waited for Quin to shove the camera aside and lead Obi-Wan into the station and decided to give them a few more minutes to relax before I invaded on their work time. He seemed to hate the press and I couldn't blame him. They were relentless.
I kept eating, got something to drink, took a shower, dressed myself, and headed back downstairs. I was too lazy to put a shirt on because I'd just be going to bed to remove it in a little bit anyway and no one was here to scold me about walking around 'half naked' as Tru used to call it. I grabbed his card out of my jeans pocket while I was upstairs and I picked up the phone, dialing his direct number. I waited, holding my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited. It rang once, twice, and a third time before it picked up. He sighed heavily before answering. "Officer Kenobi here."
"H-Hey," I whispered hoarsely, having a difficult time finding my voice and the will to speak. I wasn't sure why I was acting like this. I guess I was starting to form a crush on him, but it was probably because he was my hero from the crash and he teased me with Shakespeare earlier.
"Anakin? Is that really you?" He sounded like he didn't believe that it was my voice on the other end of the phone.
"Yep." I managed to find some of my voice then and I guess I sounded more recognizable after doing so.
He laughed lightly and I smiled. "I didn't think you'd call. How are you doing?"
I ran my hand through the short spikes in my hair and closed my eyes. "I'm doing okay. I'm being kind of lazy at the moment and I saw you on the news a little bit ago." He was quiet on the other end and I wasn't sure how to interpret that. "I, uh, I'm… Yeah."
Again, he laughed. "Don't be nervous about talking to me. I'm not here to make you uncomfortable. I know I'm your professor during the day, but I'm still your friend, if you let me."
"Professor by day, policeman by night," I said quietly, smiling softly. "Sure, we can be friends. It seems like we'll be seeing each other a little more now anyway." I paused. "How are you?"
I heard a door slam on the other end and then he cleared his throat. "I'm doing very well, thank you." He must not be used to having others ask how he was doing. It was his job to worry about people, I suppose. "What are you doing right now? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."
I glanced at the cartoon playing on the television. "I'm watching muted television at my mom's. I'm also talking to you. Why?"
I could imagine him tugging on his tie to loosen the collar around his neck and that was strangely a very appealing thought. I shook it off and listened to him as he spoke. "If you haven't eaten dinner already, would you like to go out with me? I'll be getting out of here soon. I could…I could come pick you up."
My heart sped up and my palms started to sweat a little. "Sure," I breathed breathlessly. I actually liked the idea of going somewhere with him in a casual setting instead of at the university or in the aftermath of a car accident. "I'd like that very much." I gave him my mom's address and he said he knew exactly where that was. "Do you…need my cell number to call me when you get here?" I offered. He seemed decent enough to share it with.
"That is your decision. It's your personal phone, Anakin. If you don't feel comfortable handing it out to me, I can either knock on the door or ring the doorbell."
I rolled my eyes. "Get a paper and something to write with." He scrambled around and told me when he finally had something. I gave him my number and smiled when he said he'd add it to his cell contacts. "So…" I trailed off. "What are you up to now? Am I taking away from your work time?"
He chuckled. "You are a distraction," he teased, "but I don't have much to do here. I've actually finished the work I needed to do tonight and I'm grading some papers." I smiled. He was such a hard worker, which reminded me that I had to go back to work tomorrow. Dex was nice enough to let me off for the week, but he expected me back. "I'm eager to see how you'd write because of how passionate you seemed in class today."
It was my turn to laugh. "I'm a horrible writer. My high school English teacher hated me, but I'm not sure if it was because of my attitude or just the fact that I fell asleep."
"Why'd you fall asleep in that class? You seemed to enjoy my class today."
"Let's just say high school wasn't the highlight of my life."
"We could swap high school stories if you're willing?" I chuckled and gave him an affirmative noise. "Anakin, how old are you? You're a freshman, so you've got to be either eighteen or nineteen."
I smiled to myself. Did I really look that young? "Twenty-two actually."
"Oh. Well, you certainly look it…sometimes. You look very young, but I suppose I can see that you're over twenty." He paused and I knew there was more coming. "If you're twenty-two, how are you a freshman in college?"
I laid on my back on the couch and rubbed my temple. "I didn't feel like I was worth it. I didn't think college was worth my time. I've been told I'd be a failure since I was twelve."
He sighed. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve that. You seem like a very bright, young man. Whoever put you down should be ashamed of themselves for discouraging someone with a lot of potential." We talked a little more and it seemed like second nature to just open up to him. Hell, we even transferred to his cell to keep the conversation going as he drove, though I warned him to be careful. "I'm outside your house now."
I glanced out the window and cocked an eyebrow. "You're driving that piece of shit in my driveway?" I asked, laughing. "I'll be out in a second." I hung up and slipped it into my pocket, grabbing one of my shirts from a box I brought over with some clothes. I pulled it and my black jacket on before stepping out. I locked the door and walked down to his Corsica. I glanced at it as I walked to the passenger side and it really was a piece of shit. I yanked the door open and slid in.
I glanced at him to see his warm smile. "Hello, my friend."
"Hello." He was a very breathtaking sight. He backed out of the driveway and turned left. For being able to talk nonstop for at least two hours on the phone, we were having a difficult time talking to each other with such a short distance between us. "How was work?" I tried.
"It was all right. It was eventful to start, but then it got boring, and you called." He said the last bit in a much happier and appreciative tone. "I liked hearing your voice." My face burned at the shy sound of his voice. "I don't…I don't make calls very often. Well, with people I want to hear from anyway." He glanced over at me and smiled softly. "Thank you for calling."
"I was happy to call," I answered quietly. "I like the sound of your voice, Obi-Wan, both on the phone and in person." He chuckled and took his right hand from the wheel, patting my thigh. I gave a chagrin smile as heat welled up between my thighs. It was funny how he didn't even have to try so hard to get me like this. Fuck. I'm sure he's straight. He's got to have a wife and kids at the very least. I peeked at his left hand and didn't find a wedding ring. I smiled to myself. No marriage, but probably a girlfriend.
We went to some fancy restaurant that I definitely wouldn't be able to afford, nor would I be able to pay him back. I didn't realize that my jaw dropped until he lightly touched my chin and lifted it up, a tease in his eyes. "I'm paying. You're my date." Again, there was heat between my legs and my heart nearly leapt from its place in my chest. "You can eat whatever you choose. Money isn't a big deal."
"You can afford this, but you drive a shit car?" I asked jokingly. I shook my head and we got out of the car. He locked it up and we met on the sidewalk. He slid his hand behind my back and led me along with him to the door, actually pausing to hold it open for me. If he wasn't gay, I'd be very unhappy. He's so charming and seems like he does everything by the romantic book.
I was taken aback by the way the place looked inside. If I thought the outside was fancy, then this had to be heaven. He came up behind me and smiled. "Do you like it?" All I could do to answer was nod and he led me over to a man behind a podium. He gave our names and the man took us to a table. I sat across from Obi-Wan and gazed around in wonder. "You've never been in a place like this, have you?"
It wasn't meant to sound condescending. He was just curious and I had to remind myself that. "No. Not once. I've been on the outside and in the kitchen of a place like this, but I never set foot outside the kitchen." I had been a dishwasher when I was seventeen up until I was nineteen, then I became a cashier at a fast-food restaurant. After nearly being molested by a pedophilic customer, I quit. That's when my dad set up my mechanic job for me because he wasn't happy with my choices.
His hand touched mine and I realized I was holding the edge of the table a bit…rough. "Is something on your mind?" His voice was very soothing.
"Just thinking about my…father." I hissed every time I said 'dad' or 'father.' He was never around, so he had no parental position in my life. He gave me a look that was very concerned as well as curious. I heard a television above a bar in the far corner of the room and I glowered at it.
He followed my gaze and sighed. "I really hate politicians." He watched the man on the screen, spouting off lies that most took as promises. "I don't like this man in particular. He's always been troublesome and I don't know how he's kept his position for so long."
I snorted. "That bastard is the one who fathered me. If anything, he's screwing someone higher in the chain. It's what he does when he wants something." I looked over at Obi-Wan after he remained silent for far too long. His eyes were wide and I assumed he thought he offended me. "I hate him, so feel free to insult him."
"Senator Palpatine is your father? Anakin, your last name is Skywalker."
I nodded. "I didn't want to keep his last name. Mom wanted me to for him, but I hate him." I shrugged. "He left me when I was young anyway. He's never been a father to me." I watched the man who called me by my full name when he talked to me. I rubbed my jaw and sighed.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I talk about myself too much," I whispered. "I want to hear about you."
He smiled weakly and nodded. "I will make you talk one day though." He rested his hand on mine and my heart stopped. He had to be gay. Please, oh please, be gay. "I'm from Stewjon originally. I lost my parents when I was young and I was raised by a…family friend." He kept watching me to make sure I wasn't bored or something. "I went to school, managed to survive high school, went through college, and I'm where I am right now."
He shrugged, liking how he summed up his own life story. I chose to press a bit. "What do you mean you managed to survive high school?"
He sighed and his fingers tightened around my hand a little. "It wasn't easy for me. I was frequently ridiculed, which is actually how I met Quinlan." He smiled at that and I felt jealousy well up inside of me. "He stood by my side for the last three years of high school. He's been my best friend for –" He gave me an amused look. "He's been my best friend for as long as you've been alive." I choked for a second. He couldn't be more than six years my senior. At least that's what I thought until now. He would've been fifteen, sixteen when he met Quinlan, which made him fifteen or sixteen years my senior.
"What were you ridiculed for?" I let my eyes roam over him. He was very attractive. His auburn hair seemed absolutely perfect and his beard made me wonder how it would feel to kiss him. Fuck, Anakin. I still wasn't one hundred percent sure if he was into me, or even gay.
"Well, like you, I'm interested in men." He said that and the air around us eased considerably. "I had very few friends of the same sex because they felt that I would want them, which I didn't. Quinlan was the only close friend I had until my senior year and I met Luminara. You might know her as Missus Fisto." I nodded. I've seen her around occasionally.
We talked a little more and he vaguely talked about his first and only boyfriend. He said it was the family friend who had taken care of him. When I asked about what happened to him, I regretted the decision immediately. He was very sad as he told me about how he died valiantly, which sparked his interest in criminology.
When our food arrived, we ate, but we talked. I was surprised that he talked with food in his mouth. It made us both laugh and I started to think he was just doing it to make me laugh. He seemed very sweet and caring. He took care of the police chief who had a bullet stuck in his gut. I told him I couldn't imagine being in that kind of job. I had a pretty decent stomach for things, but I don't think I'd be able to make a daily habit of it. The way he talked was slightly accented and I found it to be…beautiful. His eyes sparkled when he talked about something he remembered that was either humorous or a memory he treasured. He talked about Quinlan and Luminara and how obsessive he'd been when he was hellbent on finding his deceased lover's killer. By the end of dinner, I was totally roped in. I thought I liked him because he saved me. No, I liked him just for being him.
