Chapter 4

Anakin looked right into Obi-Wan's eyes as he asked to better read his Master's reaction. Anakin had framed his question not as curiosity, but not as accusation either. It was more of an invitation.

The older man surprised the younger man by having virtually no reaction at all. "Do you think I have?" he asked unperturbed and stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"That's not an answer, Obi-Wan," Anakin said as he lifted his eyebrows in a mock rebuke.

Obi-Wan smiled, "Yes, that's true. It's not." Obi-Wan sighed and picked at the blanket on his cot, "The truth is that I have tried not to think about it. You are my closest friend, my partner. I do not want to lose you at my side during these dark times. I would never do anything to push you away. And since I do not know your mind on the matter-"

Obi-Wan's was interrupted by the sound of a piece of electronic equipment hitting the makeshift floor of the tent and then his whole perception was engrossed by Anakin. The younger man had cast aside his project and launched himself toward his partner. Inches from Obi-Wan's face, Anakin looked down at the lips framed in whiskers and licked his own lips, "Let me show you what I have in mind," he murmured lasciviously.

Anakin slipped a hand through Obi-Wan's crooked elbow and to the nape of his neck, nestling his flesh fingers in the soft hair he found there. Gently, he pulled Obi-Wan into a soft kiss. After a moment, Obi-Wan parted his lips and gave a smothered moan, encouraging Anakin to deepen the kiss. Obi-Wan's loose arm snaked around Anakin's shoulders grasping his boy closer to him.

When they both came up for air, Obi-Wan reached up to brush curls out of Anakin's eyes-those blue eyes that burned with immense intensity no matter what Anakin was doing. Obi-Wan smiled and said, "So it's to be this, is it? Why now, Anakin?"

Anakin grew sober. He didn't want to think about where they were or why. He only wanted to think about Obi-Wan's lips and scent and skin. "Because now we are equals. Because I think that we've reached the point in our relationship where this is the next logical step. Because I don't want to die out here without knowing you, Master. Because I want us to share everything we are-we already share so much. Our connection can only deepen, and that can only be a benefit to us."

"Benefit? What about pleasure?" Obi-Wan said with a smirk. "I'd be much more interested in that, love." He leaned in for another kiss and used his free hand this time to pinch Anakin's rear end. Anakin yelped, and Obi-Wan chuckled. He rolled onto his back on the cot and opened his arms, "C'mere."

Anakin gladly joined his Master, both of them ignoring the groan of the cot under their combined weight. Anakin smiled and licked his lips before lowering his head for more kisses, mmmm Obi-Wan kisses. None of his other dalliances had come close to this kind of excitement, warmth, or perfection. That was it, just perfection. Anakin squirmed on top of Obi-Wan trying to align their bodies in the most pleasurable orientation. It was hard to get it right on the narrow cot. He ended up with one leg actually kneeling on the floor.

Obi-Wan ran his hands up and down Anakin's back, finally slipping them underneath Anakin's tunics. He tickled along Anakin's sides until the younger man couldn't resist giggling.

"Hey, stop that!" Anakin managed to choke out around his laughing. "Paybacks are a bitch, Master." And since he had the superior position, Anakin proceeded to find all of Obi-Wan's most ticklish spots and exploit them mercilessly. Obi-wan roared with laughter and thrashed underneath Anakin. All of the friction this created between them suddenly caught up to both men. They stilled and listened to their fevered breathing.

Then it was all a jumble of limbs and kissing, clothing and movement, sighs and groans. Anakin's hands seemed to be everywhere at once. He squeezed and caressed. He marveled at the softness of the skin that Obi-Wan kept safely under wraps in his Jedi tunics and cloak. Even the war had not robbed him of that. Contrasting the softness of skin with the rigid erection rubbing against Anakin's own, he felt his passion enflamed even farther.

Obi-Wan tried to remember the last time he had felt even remotely this aroused. He very much doubted that anything had ever come close. His skin was tingling and he wasn't sure he could pronounce his own name after Anakin's talented tongue left his mouth to explore his neck instead. "Anakin, darling, may I ask you where you learned to do such sinful things to me? Was it your friend from years ago?"

Anakin answered between kisses, "Yes (kiss) he was the first (kiss) but since then (kiss) I sought out others (kiss) to, uh, perfect (kiss) my technique (kiss) so to speak." He pulled back from Obi-Wan's collar bone to look in his lover's eyes. "I couldn't very well let you outshine me in bed, could I? My ego would never survive," he added with a devilish grin.

Obi-Wan reached up to stroke Anakin's cheek in all seriousness. "I have loved you so deeply, my boy. I never imagined that you were preparing yourself for me. I'm flattered." His hand slid around to the back of Anakin's neck and pulled him in for another smothering kiss, mouths open and tongues fencing. "Show me," he pleaded.