In all his years of work in the ballet industry– a lifetime really – Anakin had always thought Obi-wan's company took the most care before opening the new season. The man held two straight weeks of dress rehearsals before allowing the public to view their work whereas most productions he'd worked on were only a week. He'd always thought Obi-wan's idea was a smart one. Better to air out any issues with enough time for changes if need be. But now, after partaking for himself, he was starting to wonder if this whole thing had been created just to drive him crazy. The truth was, he wanted – needed really – to get as far away from Padme Naberrie as humanly possible. But the truth also was that he wanted to get as close to Padme Naberrie as humanly possible.

Anakin couldn't tell the difference anymore.

And he still had to spend the next week and a half holding her in his arms in rehearsals before the show even started.

Obi-wan had made a joke when he'd called Anakin about partnering with Padme, that she might be the death of him. He'd laughed about it then but now, laying in bed thinking about the woman in question with his cock painfully hard, he wondered if somehow, his friend had done all this on purpose.

In the past few weeks, he'd felt a creeping urge to look up if it was possible for sexual frustration to actually kill a man. It was feeling increasingly possible. He was literally aching in frustrating.

Yes, yes, the logical half of Anakin's brain understood it was just lust and all it took to recover was a quick blast of cold water from his shower… So, no, desperately wanting Padme Naberrie couldn't really cause his death and he knew that but the more primal parts of his mind that hadn't developed beyond the days of cavemen had spent the last few months chanting, I really, really, really want to sleep with Padme over and over again. That part completely believed that if he didn't sleep with this woman, he was going to combust.

It was confusing. Anakin was being tugged in two directions at once. Personal and professional. He absolutely wanted to sleep with Padme now but it was complicated and risky to pursue a colleague in this industry. It was a small world in ballet, breakups and rejections could turn nasty, he'd seen it happen before. Failed courtships could ruin great working relationships and what he and Padme had carved out together was spectacular. Anakin could see them working together for years if the show went well. Was it okay to risk that potential to seek something more? Even if it was, it would have to wait until after opening night at least… That's when the important critics would be writing their reviews. For Obi-wan and The Order's sake, their perfectly balanced routine had to be flawless.

Outside of rehearsals, Anakin had barely touched Padme and yet all he could think about every night was tearing that flimsy little costume off her body instead of smearing it with paint.

Since the first preview, Obi-wan hadn't passed along too many notes as far as improvements went but he'd made them repeat the dance more than four times now, each time calling for more intensity, more fire between them. It was easy to understand why. The Order's big mythological finale was planned to be the real talking point of the show, the dazzling bang to end things on, it needed to be more than perfect. It had to be impeccable. But it was hard. Literally, he thought with an eye roll, casting his eyes downward.

But it was getting more difficult to keep up the pretence. Their dance wasn't about Lucifer and an angel anymore, it was about Anakin and Padme…It was real. At least it had become very real for Anakin. Now, amid the steps, when his Lucifer pulled the angel close, it was because he needed to feel Padme's body closer to his, in the piece's climax, when Padme took his fingers into his mouth, all he could imagine was those pretty lips around his cock instead. It was almost impossible to keep the effects of those lines of thoughts hidden sometimes. Thank god for that stupid cloak.

He had to stop.

But it was almost impossible. He caught himself watching her lips constantly… Or when they were running, he'd taken to letting her take the lead just to watch her ass in those leggings. He was pretty sure she knew it too.

But, it wasn't just sex Anakin wanted, that was the problem. He was beyond attracted to this beautiful, stubborn woman… But he also found her funny and cute and he admired her talent and fire. Padme Naberrie was by far the most interesting, infuriating and enticing woman he'd ever met. They'd gotten to know each other pretty well these past few months but still, he wanted to know more. This was dangerous territory but something inside whispered that maybe it was worth the risk… He just had to take the plunge.

By some miracle, Anakin managed to keep his sanity intact for the last set of rehearsals before opening night. Avoiding drinks with the other dancers had been a big part of that, he didn't trust his tongue enough to be loosened. He could do this… After all, he was a professional and this wasn't the first time he'd felt an attraction to a dance partner. It was the first time it'd been this intense, though...

One week later and the show opened to rave reviews and widespread acclaim. Tickets flew out of the box office leading to an unexpected show extension. It'd only supposed to be on for a week before beginning to tour the country without Anakin and a few others in the cast who'd already booked other jobs elsewhere. He was supposed to be heading straight into training for Swan Lake with Empire Studios for its December previews but Anakin hadn't had the heart to leave. Especially when Obi-wan mentioned recasting him with Rush Clovis.

Just the thought of the slimy creep dancing with Padme the way he did…

Absolutely not.

He pulled out of the Swan Lake contract that same day, endured his agent's screeching down the phone and happily wrote a cheque for the money he owed back to the production and at the end of it all, he didn't regret a thing. Maybe he regretted losing out on the money just a bit… Still, Anakin wasn't ready to let go of the show just yet.

Or Padme.

So he stayed, they danced and two more weeks passed without notice. Until he was thrown a curveball in the form of Padme excitedly running into the theatre one morning for the matinee performance. Anakin couldn't help but smile in response to her excitement, it was palpable. He watched her toss her purse onto her seat and smile into the mirror, tying back her straightened hair.

"What're you so happy about?" He asked, "I didn't think anyone liked matinee performances."

Padme laughed and shook her head, moving her purse and sitting beside him. "Oh no, it's not that. I got some news today."

"News?" He quirked an eyebrow, "what news could get you this riled up, huh?"

Padme turned to face him, casting a glance in the direction of the makeup arts lingering on the other side of the room, gossiping about a date someone had been on last night. He'd been tuning them out until now. "Well… Alright, you can't tell anyone, okay?"

Anakin rolled his eyes but felt his lips curve upwards anyway. "Fine, I promise. What is it?"

"I have a meeting with Obi-wan after the show… At the end of the month, I'm leaving. I know it's a little sad but I've been headhunted! I got a call – well, my agent got a call – from Naboo. Have you heard of them? They work out in New York. They want me to join the company and star in The Nutcracker over Christmas. Anakin, they want to make me the Prima Ballerina for the company!" She ended with an excited squeal and smiled at him expectantly.

Shit.

"Wait, wait, you're leaving?" He spluttered, "wow – I… I'm happy for you." Every word hurt to say but Anakin grit his teeth and took it because he hadn't seen her smile like that in a while. As a fellow dancer, he understood just how amazing this opportunity was, how it was something everyone in their industry was desperate for and Padme deserved it. He didn't know what The Order was going to do once she left. She was by far their best female dancer, despite what she thought about Sabe.

"Thank you!" Padme beamed, "I just hope Obi-wan will understand."

"He will," Anakin nodded, "he understands the business better than anyone."

She turned back to her mirror and began setting out her things on the table, oblivious to Anakin's mind racing. The entire reason he'd stayed in the production was her and if she left… Well, he'd burned his bridges with Empire Studios, so he was left with two options, stay in the show and work with whoever Obi-wan cast in Padme's role or leave and stay out of work for the season. The second one made him grimace. That was a long time not to work… He had a reputation to upkeep.

But he also didn't want to dance Lucifer and the angel's dance with anyone but Padme. He'd never been sentimental over a routine or a partner before but then again, none of his previous partners had affected him quite like she had. Damn it… He had to think, to consider his options carefully. His agent would probably beat him if he wanted to leave The Order now after the loss of the Snow Queen contract…

"Y'know, it's funny you should say this today," the words slipped past his lips without Anakin's permission, "I was thinking of moving on too."

Padme turned to him wearing a frown, "but I thought you turned down the other contract? Has something else come up?" The concern on her pretty features somehow made Anakin's heart speed up in his chest even as his ego hurt at her question. At least she cared, he thought bitterly, maybe he wasn't a total loser in this.

Anakin gave a quiet laugh and leant back in his chair, leaning his head on his palms, playing the role of a carefree dancer whose stomach wasn't in knots. "Pfft, please, the industry loves me… I'm sure my agent has offers lined up out the door."

It turned out, she did not.

As it happened, letting down a large, well-known company mere weeks before rehearsals started for their headline show over Christmas had some rather negative ramifications for one's career. Who would have thought? He'd given his notice to Obi-wan a week after Padme and in the prospect of not having a job waiting for him dove Anakin to a year's teaching contract in one of New York's most elite ballet schools.

Padme moving to the same city had been a bonus rather than a real factor in his decision.

Mostly.

Work was work and until a new season started, Anakin was happy to have something to occupy his time. He had always heard teachers say it was rewarding at the end of the day so maybe he'd get something out of it at the end? And if not, well, he looked good in the magazines for helping kids.

The final week of shows starring he and Padme passed without any drama. There were rehearsals for Sabe and Rush to take over their new roles but those were nothing to do with them. Their only focus was to put on the best week of shows of their lives to make it up to Obi-wan. Their departures were causing a lot of reshuffling in the show, after all, and Anakin swore he was starting to see flecks of grey mixed in with the other man's auburn hair.

Tonight was the final show he and Padme would dance together and they performed to a sold-out theatre. Obi-wan had worked with The Order's marketing team to whip up a frenzy of hype about their last show together and it had paid off. Every performance of the week was sold out with a cancellation waiting list as long as Anakin's arm.

Having danced the dance so often now, they moved fluidly, working as one to convey the story of lust and forbidden love. Their bodies strained toward one another more than ever as their hearts hammered with the mutual knowledge that this was the last time they'd ever do this, ever dance as Lucifer and the angel together. Who knew when their work would bring them together again? The finality of the moment brought a bittersweet wistfulness to the performance that hadn't existed before. Every moment felt too fleeting, too quick to pass as each lift and spin brought Anakin and Padme closer and closer to the end of Lucifer, the angel and their partnership.

For a brief moment, he thought he saw the glisten of tears in Padme's big brown eyes as she draped herself over his leg but it vanished too quickly to take any real notice. He acted his part without thinking, had it memorized for months now, and slathered his fingers with the paint before dragging his touch along her perfect skin, biting his lip at the feeling of her lips closing around them. God, he was going to miss that feeling. Now, there was no sign of tears in those eyes, no, only the same heat he'd been fighting against all this time. It was intoxicating.

Drunk in the lust Anakin saw in her eyes, his hand trailed further than usual, caressing its way down lower and lower, grazing her stomach as it rose and fell with her breath and then down to graze the warmth of her inner thigh. They were panting, chests heaving in unison as the music began to fade but he took no notice. He only had eyes for the sweet blush that'd lit up Padme's face beneath her shimmering make up. Then, the lights went black. It was over.

As the show's final act, the curtain call for Anakin and Padme was last. It allowed a moment for the dancers to breathe and swig a sip of water or two. When their turn came, their hands joined as they ran back out to the stage to a roar of wild applause. It thundered through the theatre and he beamed. This part of the job never got old. How could someone ever tire of this? Anakin revelled in it, closed his eyes and let the sound fill his senses for a moment.

They stood straight and smiled at each other as the applause thundered on. A moment later, one of the younger dancers trotted forward and handed Anakin a large bouquet of roses especially picked out for Padme. It was the done thing, to gift one's partner flowers at the end of your time working together and normally, he took very little to do with it. He asked the head of the production for a florist recommendation in the city and ordered something moderately expensive and pretty. This time was different, he'd spent time picking out the large bouquet of perfect white roses for Padme. He wanted it to be beautiful, just as pristine as her angel was. She deserved nothing less.

When she noticed the flowers, Padme laughed and shook her head, throwing her hand over her mouth as tears formed in her pretty eyes even as she tried to blink them away. When she had the gift safely in her arm, Anakin bowed to her, throwing out his arm in a sweeping gesture toward his partner one last time, ceding the spotlight to her alone. She deserved that too. He stepped backwards toward the other dancers, clapping along with the audience in celebration of Padme. This was her moment… He was honoured to be a part of it.

When the curtain fell, she threw her free arm around Anakin's neck with a wild laugh, "thank you!" She cried, pulling back to smile at him. "I couldn't have done this without you!"

He pulled her close and savoured the moment.

One by one, people filed out of the theatre's communal dressing room leaving Padme alone with the hair and makeup artists gathering their things up for the night. She lingered by her chair, fidgeting with its corner nervously. She'd hoped Anakin would come back in here. She'd gotten caught up chatting to Sabe in the wings and missed him changing and packing up. Worry picked at her nerves. She'd been hoping to casually run into him in here the way they had more times than she could count. This was their last night here together! They couldn't just drift away without a goodbye!

Then again, maybe he just wanted to get home and rest after the long day, it was possible and understandable, but the thought filled the dancer with bitter disappointment.

For the past couple of months, Padme had been confused about Anakin… It was easy to get caught up in on-stage chemistry and fall for your partner under false pretences. She'd seen it happen too many times to blindly follow her feelings the way her friends had. Too much heartbreak was caused by that. The term 'showmances' existed for a reason, after all. But this was different, as silly as that sounded, this wasn't just a little crush… She thought about Anakin day and night. And lord knew she'd burned through more than her fair share of batteries in her vibrator with him in mind.

Maybe it was just lust, Padme was prepared to admit that if it was true. But they were both adults… There was nothing wrong with indulging themselves, was there? As of tonight, Anakin wasn't her colleague anymore and there was nothing to risk if something happened between them. They'd been professionals and now she wanted to just be people.

She'd stayed up late last night thinking about this and making a plan of action. In the end, after consulting with Sabe and Dorme, just asking to grab a drink seemed to be the best option. If her feelings weren't mutual, it was a casual enough setting to play it off as two friends simply hanging out after work. It was a nice way to say goodbye.

Maybe it was vain, but she didn't think there was a high chance of rejection tonight. Padme was quite sure Anakin wanted her too. She'd felt the bulge in his trousers after she had his fingers in her mouth… She'd seen him blush and stutter, watched his eyes linger on her breasts when he thought she wasn't looking. It was fairly easy to just assume his lust, it was as reliable as the sun rising and setting every day. She saw the signs every time they were together. But just because he wanted her physically didn't mean he'd be interested in something actually happening between them. She had no idea how to play this game with him.

Another fifteen minutes passed and she was the last person in the room. Was this officially sad? It was starting to feel like it. She glanced up and the clock and sighed. It didn't look like Anakin was coming back… Maybe she should just call him? He might not have left the building or block yet. Or was texting more casual? If it was going to be tonight then she had to act quickly because there was no other way to disguise an opportunity to come on to her former partner as a celebratory drink any other night.

Yeah, it had to be tonight.

Not only for the timing but because after her run of successfully sold-out performances for The Order, Padme felt amazing. She felt invincible! She was full of excited energy and for once, she wanted to let completely loose and sleep with Anakin Skywalker before they parted ways.

She just had to find him first.

She huffed and began to gather her things into her gym bag. If she was fast, maybe she could catch him before he left the building or made alternate plans with someone else. Right now, Padme was sure her biggest competition was Obi-wan. He'd probably want to share a few parting drinks with his friend before Anakin moved out to New York, which she really couldn't blame him for, but that would really interfere with her plans.

Just as Padme was packing away her leggings and makeup wipes, a familiar voice made her jump. "What're you still doing here?" She turned around to see Anakin leaning on the doorway with his shoulder, arms crossed over his chest. He'd changed into a pair of dark jeans and a plain white shirt, simple, casual but still, her stomach flipped at the sight of him. Oh, she had it bad… "I thought everyone was gone."

"They are," she caught herself smiling, relieved and excited to see him. "I'm just taking my time… I'm sad to leave." That was certainly true, Padme had gotten her start here with The Order, it broke her heart to leave it behind but that was how this job worked. It just felt strange knowing she wouldn't be back in here on Monday like everyone else.

"I get that." He nodded. From where he stood, Padme could see he'd wiped away most of the makeup but a dark shadow lingered beneath his eyes as if he hadn't slept in days. It brought out the searing blue of his eyes wonderfully. "You won't have any time to think about it once you start packing up your apartment, though. Believe me, it's a pain in the ass."

Padme laughed and nodded. "Oh, I know. My family offered to drive into the city and help but I don't think they're prepared for how much work it'll take to unload my wardrobe."

"That, I can believe." He chuckled. "I saw your shoe collection; I don't think I've ever owned that many in my life."

"I just like to have options…" She shrugged and zipped up her bag. Well, that was it. Her excuse for lingering was finished now… There was nothing more to do than say goodbye and head home… Unless she had the nerve to actually ask him. She did. She did. "Hey, what're you doing tonight?"

"I was planning to head home and scrape off the rest of this glitter off before I get a rash. It's definitely the one thing I won't miss about this show. What about you?" He asked as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "Any big plans?"

"You know, for someone famous, you're life is very boring, Anakin," Padme laughed and walked toward where he stood, "but I'm not any better, I suppose. Why don't we go get a drink? To celebrate." Their eyes met and Padme felt a flush of heat spread through her body. He really suited white, it complemented his tanned skin… And the way the shirt stretched over his muscled torso… Her mouth felt a little dry.

"Yeah," he nodded, gaze intense and wanton as it bore into hers, "let's get a drink."

There are probably around two parts left to this! Please review and let me know what you think.