A/N: To those who do not recognize me by name, allow me to reintroduce myself. Once I known as 082 Martian Scout - until I got tired of the name and opted for something cooler - now I go by ZR0-D4RK-0M3GA. Or "Zero," for short. My point: I have returned!
…
REAP WHAT YOU SOW
…
Summary: With Ahsoka hypnotized and completely under his power, Lux decides to live out the classic juvenile fantasy: "When you awaken, you will fall deeply in love with me." Nothing could possibly go wrong. Right? (Contains fluff, humor, suggestive themes, and hazardous levels of temptation.) (Sequel to "To Hypnotize a Jedi, A Simple Wager.")
…
"Buwk-buwk-buwk…. Bah-gawk!"
Lux snickered quietly to himself as he sat comfortably in his favorite lounger, watching the person-sized, Togruta girl-shaped chicken roam about the apartment. Ahsoka Tano, the girl that had once been a Jedi, had her legs bent at the knee and her arms tucked into her body as she marched avianlike around the living room without a care in the galaxy. Her widened round eyes, missing all intelligence, flicked in every direction of her surroundings, and her head jerked forward with each step, clucking on occasion. Hovering silently in the distance, the holocam droid circled around her, recording every second of her fowl behavior.
"What did you say earlier? 'No one can hypnotize a Jedi?'" He said smugly to the clucking girl, but her only response was a simple "bah-gawk." She wasn't even looking at him. She was staring curiously at the floating droid monitoring her every move.
It was a truly ridiculous spectacle to behold.
Then, after five minutes of laughing at her expense, Lux stood and approached the chicken girl as she tried to "peck" at the camera. When she cocked her head at him curiously, he placed his hand on her shoulder and snapped his fingers.
"Ahsoka: Default."
She paused for a brief second before her eyes fell shut and her posture corrected itself immediately. He helped her find her balance and then stepped back to inspect her as she stood before him.
Lux laughed to himself. She now appeared as if she had fallen asleep while at attention. Her eyes were closed, and her expression was blank, but her upright bearing was stiff and perfect, as though military etiquette was purely natural for her. As a joke, he made this her default position, with her right arm locked in a salute, as if she was his own personal toy soldier awaiting orders. It was one of many jokes since she let herself be hypnotized.
For the past hour, Lux had enjoyed playing with her. When the subject on hypnotism was first brought up, and after watching a rather humorous demonstration vid, Ahsoka had made a near-classic statement: "No one can hypnotize a Jedi." When Lux proposed they settle the matter with a simple wager, Ahsoka had mocked him and smugly accepted…
…and evidently became his personal puppet.
At first, he only wanted to use simple parlor tricks—magnetically bound hands and selective amnesia—but after seeing just how susceptible she was, he wondered just how far he could push the limit. While he was studying hypnotism, he learned that those under hypnosis couldn't be made to act against their will. It involved a great deal of trust, open-mindedness, imagination, gratification, and sometimes the presence of hidden desires. He didn't know which category Ahsoka fell under, but the fact that she had followed and accepted his every suggestion without hesitation meant she was enjoying the game.
Which also meant that he, more-or-less, had her permission.
It had escalated from curious tests into a fun little power trip, watching the once assertive, no-nonsense Jedi he knew fulfill every ridiculous whim he could imagine. He had seen many personas of Ahsoka so far—the chicken, the sleepwalker, the belly dancer, the drunk, the droid, the drunken droid—and captured every moment of it on film. (He had won the wager, after all, and was going to need proof.)
Now it was time for a real test.
With his hand resting firmly on her shoulder, and he spoke with absolute assurance. "Ahsoka. You hear my words, and you will answer truthfully," he said while imitating the Jedi mind trick phrasing. "You are still perfectly relaxed and content right now, aren't you?"
"Yes…" she replied sleepily, eyes still closed. So far, so good.
"You are willing to admit you lost the wager? You are willing to admit that you're hypnotized, aren't you?"
"Yes…"
"You enjoy being in a trance, don't you? You enjoy the fun we're having?"
"Yes…"
Next, the important question. "You understand that we don't have to continue. You understand that I cannot force you to act against your will, right?"
"Right…"
"Then you don't mind if we continue a little longer?"
"No…"
Lux felt like a holovid villain as he smirked and rubbed his hands together. Once again, she had just agreed to being his living, breathing plaything and submit to more of his shenanigans, whether she realized it or not. He will probably feel guilty about it tomorrow, but that remained hours away. If this latest suggestion doesn't snap her out of it, nothing will.
"Ahsoka. You will hear my words and listen closely," he stated firmly with his hand still on her shoulder. "Like before, I will start counting down, and once I snap my fingers, like before, you will awaken and remember nothing from when you were in a trance. But this time," he readied himself for a reaction, "when you awaken, you will fall deeply in love with me. If you understand, nod for me."
Ahsoka's head lifted briefly before dropping back down in a single, lazy motion. There was zero hesitation.
Surprised yet pleased, Lux continued the induction and started counting down. Once he was finished, he held his breath and snapped his fingers. "Ahsoka: Wake."
On cue, Ahsoka's perfectly attentive pose collapsed as she suddenly swayed and canted forward. She would have fallen if he wasn't there to catch her. He held her by the shoulders and helped her regain her balance, but she didn't seem to notice. She wasn't looking at him.
"Ahsoka?" Lux asked, but she didn't respond. She simply stood before him, held up only by his support, head slumped forward lazily as though she was still asleep, still in trance.
Ahsoka opened her eyes drowsily.
"Lux…" She slurred quietly as she looked at him with a half-lidded stare, and then suddenly threw her arms around him and pulled him close towards her.
Huh? Lux only had a moment to process when he found himself being caught in a tight embrace.
"Lux…" She muttered again, and the next thing he realized, she was enfolded within his arms, holding on to him tightly, burying her face in his chest.
"Ahsoka? Are you alright?"
Finally, she lifted her head to meet his gaze…
Huh? Before him was an unexpected sight.
Blushing and breathing heavily, Ahsoka had a very uncharacteristic smile on her face, and her eyes seemed like they were glowing, brimming with burning adoration. "I WUV YOU!"
HUH?!
…
Strolling through the streets of Coruscant's entertainment district, Lux was still having a difficult time wrapping his head around this unexpected turn of events. Ahsoka was still hypnotized—that much was clear to him—and she was still following his latest post-hypnotic instruction completely and without fail. At present, she was basically his fully devoted girlfriend. He was practically living out a classic juvenile fantasy right now. Except…
"I love you so much, my darling…" Ahsoka said, smiling uncharacteristically as she clung to his arm. To hear her, of all people, call him that, of all things… It just felt wrong.
He knew to expect some uncharacteristic behavior after snapping his fingers, but he never predicted such a drastic change. Everything about her was completely out of character: her affectionate demeanor, her wide goofy smile, and even the kittenish tone of her voice. Not to mention the very suggestive comments she made. The things she said… They were not the sort of things he'd ever expect from her. Nor, for that matter, any woman in her right mind. Although, being hypnotized, Ahsoka wasn't technically in her right mind now. Honestly, if he didn't know any better, it was easy to think that Ahsoka had been replaced with a total airhead.
Even so, it didn't make it any less outlandish.
He wondered if perhaps his instructions were too vague, so Ahsoka had to mentally fill in the blanks to comply with his command. That, or perhaps this was her own interpretation of being in love due to limited or lack of experience. Either way, he never intended for this level of abnormality. He knew that Ahsoka was far more suggestable than either of them had anticipated, but it's not like he brainwashed her or enslaved her mind. In his studies he learned that all hypnosis was just self-hypnosis, which meant the subject was more-or-less acting of their own free will. It was why he had been able to take things as far as he had before. Subconsciously, Ahsoka knew all of this was just a game, and she was simply playing along because she trusted him. Or maybe it was because she was enjoying this? Or maybe…
Lux lost his trail of thought when he felt something soft pressing against his arm. (Actually, it was two somethings.) He looked at Ahsoka, who was smiling adorably while she cuddled his arm into her chest. It might have been his imagination, but he swore there were little heart bubbles floating over her head.
Well, he thought. It's not like it's a problem right now.
He decided to worry about it later. After all, from a certain point of view, he was currently on a date with a cute girl who was absolutely smitten with him. And the fact that Ahsoka was even here at all, that she hasn't yet returned to normal, meant he more-or-less still had her permission. He may as well have fun while it lasts.
It was late afternoon, and the two of them continued their leisurely stroll through the district's shopping center. For all intents and purposes, they looked like a pair of young lovers on a date. All the while, Ahsoka clung closely to his side, smiling dreamily while wrapped around his arm.
I could get used to this.
Eventually, they reached the shopping center's food court and spied a dessert parlor, and then Lux suggested they stop for something sweet. They could've had something back at the apartment, but he wanted to take Ahsoka on a real date out into town.
That was his idea, anyway, but once they were seated at a table with their dessert, Lux immediately felt like the center of unwanted attention. It wasn't like they were the only young couple there. Nor was it unusual for two people to share one vanilla parfait. They were just the only couple making use of a single chair.
Well, to clarify, Lux was using the chair, whereas Ahsoka had decidedly claimed his lap as her seat.
Moreover, the food court was especially crowded at the time, and more than half the people there were staring at them. Not surprising. After all, from their perspective this was a rather bold open display of affection.
It was incredibly awkward, but Lux ignored them and tried to enjoy his parfait.
Or he'd like to, except there was one other problem. Not only was Ahsoka sitting on his lap and hugging him closely—they're so soft and supple—but her embrace completely blocked both his arm and his attempt to reach for his dessert. It looked delicious, though.
"Um… Ahsoka?"
"Yes, my darling?"
"Could you… Do you mind?"
Ahsoka looked at him blankly. "Hm? Mind what?"
"Well, the thing is… We agreed to come here because we were both hungry, yet you haven't even touched the food."
"That's okay. Food means nothing to me. My appetite can only be satisfied by you."
That doesn't even make sense, Lux thought. Not to mention unrelated. He cleared his throat. "Please understand. I'm not at all opposed to this seating arrangement, but I'm afraid it's making things a little… problematic."
She blinked. "What do you mean?"
"My point is that my parfait is right there on the table, and I would like to enjoy it before it melts. But I can't because of where you're currently sitting, since you are currently blocking the arm that I eat with, so…" He trailed off there, hoping she would take the hint. "Do you mind?"
Ahsoka looked puzzled for a minute before she finally seemed to understand. "Right! Of course, darling. I don't mind at all!"
She gleefully picked up the spoon on the tray, scooped up some of the dessert, and offered it to him.
"Say 'ahh…'"
That's not what I meant. Lux mentally sighed. All around them, people were watching them with a mixture of astonishment and jealousy, and he felt himself shrink under their stares. Does she really have to do this in public? He wanted to protest, but Ahsoka was staring at him with starry, pleading eyes, waiting eagerly.
Lux finally caved and opened wide, welcoming the cold spoonful of soft sweetness. He was right, it was a delicious blend of ice cream and fruit. Somewhere in the food court, he heard some people cheering and jeering and knew it must have been aimed at him. He felt himself tense up, his face burning with embarrassment.
"Thank you for that, Ahsoka, but I think it's time we head back—"
"Ahh…"
He opened his mouth to receive another spoonful of dessert.
"Delicious. Perhaps now we can—"
"Ahh…"
"Maybe now—"
"Ahh…
Enough already! Lux cried internally as he tried to speak, only for her to cut him off with spoonful after spoonful. He was willing to admit that he was enjoying this type of attention, but he would have preferred the privacy of his own apartment over here. More people were staring at them now, whispering and chuckling in hushed tones. Wait, was someone recording this? Can I catch a break!
…
Once they were finished with their dessert and a good distance away from the food court, Lux sagged his shoulders in exhaustion and relief, glad to finally get out of there. He had been through many ordeals, but nothing like that. Well, at least now they could finally head back to the apartment.
That had been his hope until they ended up taking a detour, courtesy of Ahsoka.
Lux thought she would be dying from embarrassment right about now, but for some reason she remained completely unscathed by the experience. Then again, maybe he shouldn't be so surprised. She was hypnotized, after all, and he had transformed her into this clingy, flirty, playful lookalike with nothing but love on the brain. And unlike the real Ahsoka, this girl seemed to lack all shame, inhibition, and sense of reason, which worried him greatly. Did he create a monster by mistake?
Ahsoka pulled at his arm, urging him to pick up the pace. She seemed really excited for some reason, cheerful and energetic. Is she giggling? He never heard her laugh before. It was such a sweet and innocent sound, almost like music to his ears. She sounded so lively, so free, so happy, and Lux felt his concerns melt away. He had to remember that she wasn't a different person, just a different version of herself; one that wasn't restrained by her Jedi Code, her obligations, her self-image, her sense of duty. Without everything that made her a Jedi, she was… a normal girl.
Almost, Lux thought to himself. When he had told her that she would fall "deeply in love" with him, he never anticipated any of this. Ahsoka has always been driven and persistent, this he knew and admired about her, and whenever she had an objective, she gave it everything she had, no matter what. In this case, that subconscious determination was probably working against her, compelling her to fully immerse herself in the role of lovesick girlfriend. He just didn't know anymore.
Regardless, he was certain that Ahsoka had lost her mind, because when he saw their next destination, Lux felt his heart stop.
"Uh, Ahsoka? That's—" He tried to explain the issue, but she was already dragging him along through the entrance.
He had a bad feeling about this.
The store appeared larger and wider from the inside, and it was elaborately adorned with a style both exquisite and exotic. It was popular too, considering the significant number of customers roaming around, inspecting the countless assortment of trademark items that lined every inch of the place. When the two of them entered, however, the atmosphere grew uncomfortably tense, and it immediately felt as though every odd stare was directed solely at him. No surprise there; he was the only male foolish enough to enter a lingerie store for women.
Secrets of Oria-Vic. It was a trademark store that sold a unique variety of intimate specialty items, mostly ladies' lingerie. Everywhere he turned, there were clothes, costumes, cosmetics, perfumes, and other accessories. Honestly, he didn't know where to look.
Of all places, he never thought Ahsoka would come here.
Oblivious to the scrutiny of the other customers, Ahsoka suddenly spotted something of interest and rushed on ahead. Not wanting to stand alone amidst the sharp stares, Lux quickly hurried after her.
She turned out to be an overzealous shopper, as he had quite a bit of trouble keeping up with her as she zipped from rack to rack, shelf to shelf, and collected one random article of clothing after another. When she was finished with her selection, she headed straight to the dressing rooms, and Lux was finally able to sit down and catch his breath.
A minute passed, and then Ahsoka emerged.
Lux was at a loss for words. Ahsoka now wore what closely resembled a maid's uniform: a low-cut black halter that left both her shoulders and arms bare and her midriff exposed, a short matching black skirt that only covered half her thighs, and a frilly white apron around her waist. The white stockings barely reached the bottom of her thighs, and the black shoes on her feet made her seem a little taller. Finally, a lacy white headdress framed her head, completing the look.
"Wow. You look incredible."
"Your words are most kind, milord," she replied in a polite tone with a curtsy. "I selected this outfit hoping it would be to your liking."
He smirked at her response. "I see you're assuming the proper decorum. Is that included with the outfit?"
She kept her head bowed. "But of course, milord. If I am to act as your maidservant, I should at the very least address you with the proper courtesy and respect befitting your status. You are a highborn nobleman after all, and I am but your humble personal servant."
"My 'personal servant,' huh? Does that mean what it sounds like?"
She looks so beautiful and elegant, and she has a very fine… figure…Lux was momentarily distracted when, as she was leaning forward, he caught a peek at her cleavage. Her top, with its plunging neckline, just barely supported her bosom, and the white apron did very little to hide that fact. Were they always that big? No. It's only because her clothes are tight on her in that area. Either way, they're rounder than I imagined…
Lux quickly abandoned that line of thought and dragged his attention back to her face. That's when he noticed that her head was lifted, and she was smiling at him with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Caught you, her gaze whispered mischievously.
Still, it seemed like she was having fun.
"Oh, absolutely, milord. As your personal servant, I am yours to command. I will follow your orders and attend to your every whim," she stated with that proper, no-nonsense manner that made her the very picture of a polite, demure maidservant, "even in the bedroom."
The atmosphere of the store suddenly dropped.
"W-what are you talking about?!" Lux stammered as the other customers around them paused to listen.
"Forgive me, milord, but I assumed you already know. It is common knowledge that men of high position and social standings occasionally subject their female attendants to shameful and indecent activities."
Where in the galaxy did you acquire that logic?! You basically stated that all men are pigs!
There were a few more female onlookers watching their exchange, and he could feel an uncomfortable number of stares fixed on him directly. It's not what you think!
"You need not worry about forcing me against my will," she continued. "I am your devoted maidservant, after all, and my heart, body and soul already belong to you. So, feel free to defile me however you desire, and I will gladly submit to all your whims, no matter how depraved or perverse."
"What? N-n-no!" He shouted as his face turned red. The whole store seemed to recoil in shock. "I'm not… You know I'm not like that!"
"Really? Just a moment ago, you were inspecting my breasts."
"Please stop."
"Why act so coy? You are a healthy, red-blooded male, after all. Personally, I'd feel insulted if you didn't mentally undress me in the middle of a clothes store."
"Can we go now?" Lux asked—begged, really.
"Of course, milord. If it is your wish to take me here and now—"
Lux quickly clapped her mouth shut before she could finish that statement. "Ahsoka," he said, forcing his most patient smile. "I would prefer you drop the act and speak normal now. Please?"
"Whatever you want, my darling!" Ahsoka answered gleefully, her demeanor returning to normal as she smiled sweetly.
No, not normal, he corrected himself. When she's like this, she is anything but normal.
"Ahsoka," Lux said calmly. "I'm happy that you're having fun, but don't you think it's time we head back home now?" Before everyone in this store declares me an enemy to all women.
"Fine." Ahsoka pouted, and despite himself, he thought she looked absolutely adorable just now.
He sighed. "Thank you for understanding," he said. "Is there anything else you need before we go? I'll buy."
Lux realized too late that he should've kept his mouth shut.
…
It was late in the evening by the time they finally made it back to the apartment, and Lux was thoroughly exhausted. Once they got home, he quickly left Ahsoka to sort out her new scandalous wardrobe and locked himself in the refresher to wash the day away. The bath felt soothing as he settled into the hot water and inhaled the steam forming a mist around him. After everything that transpired today, this was pure bliss.
Twenty outfits. After the first one, Ahsoka had tried on twenty different sets of outfits, at least. He knew girls could be crazy about fashion and clothes, but she was on a whole other level. It was more than he ever expected. Afterward, she piled everything she wanted on the front counter before a very awestruck store clerk. Lux had found the exchange rather funny at first, until he learned the total amount that they were charging him.
A six thousand credit purchase from a lingerie store, he groaned to himself. That was not going to look good on his financial disclosure.
Today had been hectic, to say the least. But it wasn't all bad. Despite being bombarded by one surprise after another, he had fun, and so did Ahsoka. Honestly, it was nice to see her let her hair down, figuratively. Although, he just couldn't keep up with her wild side. Who knew she even had one?
There was a sudden draft, and Lux tensed. He listened closely to his surroundings but heard nothing. Just my imagination, he thought as he relaxed. He was being paranoid…
Pat… Pat…
…or so he thought. Those sounded like footsteps—bare footsteps—but there was no way.
Pat… Pat…
It was impossible. He locked the door. He knew he did.
Pat… Pat.
Lux slowly turned his head towards the new presence, his movements creaking as he did.
"How's the water, my darling?"
He stared dumbfoundedly, his eyes wide with shock. Ahsoka had an innocent-looking smile on her face as she stood casually by the edge of the bathtub, hips rocking from side to side, wearing nothing but a light-blue towel. When he finally found his voice again, it broke out in stammers. "Ahsoka?! Wh-where are your… Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
She cocked her head in confusion. "Well, normally I don't wear clothes when I take baths. I thought that was common sense."
"Right. I suppose that's valid— Wait, that's not the issue! How did you get in here?"
"I used the door, of course."
"But I locked it!"
"Well, I unlocked it. I am a Jedi, after all."
Lux fell silent. How did he forget that? Everything else aside, Ahsoka was still a Jedi with the ability to use the Force, psychic power that allowed her to perform feats no normal person could. Plus, she had taken part in many missions involving infiltration. So obviously standard locks wouldn't keep her out. Honestly, he should have seen this coming.
"Ahsoka, I'm sorry, but would you please leave me alone?"
"Don't be mean." She puffed her cheeks. "I was lonely, and you've been in here a very long time, so I started to worry."
"I've only been in here for five minutes."
"Well, it felt longer!"
What are you, a child?
Ahsoka had her chin up as she huffed and casually circled around the other side of the bathtub, opposite from him.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to join you."
Lux paused. He either misheard her, or she really stated her intent to join him in the bath. No, it must have been the former. True, the tub was big enough to accommodate them both with room to spare, but she couldn't be serious…
…except now she was already sitting on the lip of the tub, dipping both her legs in the water…
"Hold on, Ahsoka. I don't think—"
Lux tried to protest, but she had already stepped fully into the tub. Then she tossed the towel aside.
He immediately covered his eyes. Was she truly crazy? It was one thing to see her in costumes and maid outfits, but wearing nothing at all… And in the bath of all places… This was wrong. Wrong! WRONG!
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
What did she mean by that? He dared a peek through his fingers.
He relaxed when he saw Ahsoka standing boldly before him, her hands resting on her hips and her legs submerged in the water. She had an impressive figure, both athletic and slender. It made sense considering she trained and exercised on a regular basis. The only reason he could look at her so calmly was thanks to the blue bikini she wore, one of the swimsuits she picked out from Oria-Vic.
"Swimsuit," he muttered with a sigh of relief. Maybe he really was paranoid.
"Are you alright?" Ahsoka asked.
"Yes. I'm fine." He replied as he relaxed. "For a moment there, I thought you were naked."
She blinked innocently, and then her eyes lit up in realization. "Right, of course! Let me fix that…"
"Huh? Wait. No! Stop!" Lux cried out in panic as Ahsoka started to strip out of her bikini. Maybe she really was crazy.
Somehow, he managed to escape the situation before things escalated beyond the point of no return, but he knew he would never feel the same way about baths ever again. It was more than he could bear.
…
Lux stood in front of the door to Ahsoka's bedroom, fortifying his nerve.
She was waiting for him, he knew. After her last stunt, he had sent her to her room with the promise that he would meet her there in a moment for "bedtime," with a very tactful emphasis on the word. Thankfully, she took the bait and obediently ran to her room. Hopefully, for both their sakes, this will end smoothly before things got out of hand.
As if things haven't already gotten out of hand, he thought, recalling her latest stunt. That had been a close call. Too close. Before, her antics were harmlessly bordering on flirting, boldness, and mischief, but now they were treading on thin ice. "Hypnosis couldn't compel someone to act against their will." Lux had thought that fact would've keep her safe, because no matter what transpired, she could easily stop herself from crossing the line. Except, as she was now, the line no longer existed. There was nothing to prevent her from doing the unthinkable. She might not be dangerous due to her post-hypnotic mindset, but as far as everything else—her Jedi status, her honor, her virtues, her chastity—she was a danger to herself. And to him.
Lux knew what he had to do.
The plan was to put her under and then get her settled into bed, so that he could send her from trance to natural sleep. (He figured it would be rude to leave her sleeping on the couch, and his own bedroom was just too risky.) With luck, he should be able to return her to normal without incident. He just needed to squeeze her shoulder, snap his fingers, say "Ahsoka: Trance," and then this will all be over. That was his plan, but after what transpired recently, he couldn't help but worry about whatever risqué ordeal awaited him. He might not have time to even get a word in—let alone her trigger phrase—before he finds himself at the mercy of her whims. He needed to act swiftly and directly, without falling into another trap. No matter how tempting it might be.
When he was ready, Lux opened the door.
It was deserted.
Confused, Lux stepped inside and switched the light on. He knew he told her to—
Without warning, the door slammed shut behind him, and he had no time to react before he was tackled towards the bed. The next thing he knew he was on his back, both wrists pinned at his sides, with a certain Togruta girl straddling his waist, smiling with mischief.
"Surprise!"
Lux was surprised all right, by both the ambush and her apparel. It was a pair of blue silken pajamas with all the trademarks of Oria-Vic. He hadn't seen her wear that outfit when they were at the store, and he hadn't notice it among the other items they purchased—which meant she must have hidden it from him in preparation for this occasion. He thought it was a strange choice. The outfit just seemed too simple and childish in style, but then he realized that was part of the charm. The button-up blouse was the same light blue color as the pants, but it was tight enough to accentuate her figure. What's more, she had left the top three buttons undone, offering a clear view of her cleavage, and after catching a closer examination, he also noted that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. She was dressed so innocently, yet somehow made it look sexy…
Lux quickly abandoned that line of thought and tore his eyes away from her body. When he met her gaze, however, his heart only started pounding harder. Her gray-blue eyes were beautiful and brimming with longing, and her mouth had become a wild and wicked-looking grin. She made him think of a predator, and he felt like her prey.
"Ahsoka—" He opened his mouth to speak…
…and was instantly silenced by hers.
Lux's eyes widened with realization, but his mind had gone blank when Ahsoka kissed him. Her lips were soft, and her mouth was warm, so sweet that all judgment immediately deserted him, and then he simply gave in. Slowly, Ahsoka drew herself closer to seal the empty space between them, and Lux, so lost in desire, hugged her back. Everything else around them simply disappeared. For him, there was only her, and for her, only him. His hands seemed to move on their own, reaching under her silken blouse to the small of her back and pulling her closer to him. He loved the warmth of her presence, the gentle weight of her body in his arms, the smooth softness of her skin beneath his touch, the sweet taste of her mouth against his. Everything was perfect. Now, more than anything in the galaxy, all he wanted was to stay like this forever.
But he couldn't. Not like this.
Remembering what he needed to do, Lux broke the kiss and quickly turned the tables, rolling her onto her back.
He was the one on top now, and Ahsoka was briefly taken aback by the sudden maneuver, but she offered no resistance. She simply relaxed under him and waited submissively, eager for his full attention. Clearly, she had mistook his intentions, but that worked to his advantage. His hands were free now, and this was his chance.
"I love you."
Ahsoka was staring at him longingly, her cheeks were red, and her eyes glistened beautifully. But he saw something serious in her stare as she watched him and felt himself pause.
"You're my first love," she continued as she caressed his cheek. "Did you know that? When we first met, all those years ago, I felt something new awaken within me. I didn't even realize what these feelings were until much later, when you stole my first kiss, and then I finally understood. The more I saw you, the more those feelings intensified. Whenever I think of you, I feel warmth and content. Whenever I see you, I feel excited and ecstatic and terrified all at once. Whenever I'm near you, my heart starts racing and I struggle to keep my composure. I'm a total mess and it's all because of you. I love you, I'm in love with you, and I want you to know it."
Lux… did not respond. He couldn't find the words.
"Spend the night with me."
Lux shook his head. "We can't—"
"Stay here tonight. With me." She insisted. "I know I'm a Jedi and you're in the Senate, but I don't care about that now. This is important to me. I love you. I want you. I want my first time to be with you and only you."
She was cupping his face with both hands now.
"Please. Be with me tonight."
Her eyes locked onto his, full of silent yearning, and his resolve wavered. For a moment, they simply stared into each other's eyes, unmoving and unflinching. Then, without another word, she slowly brought her face closer, eyes closing, and lifted her mouth to his. His heart was racing so much he heard it in his ears, and he could feel hers too as the distance between them vanished. He lowered his face to hers, their lips about to touch…
"Ahsoka: Trance." Lux whispered as he squeezed her shoulder and snapped his fingers in her ear.
It was truly the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.
…
After putting her to bed and retiring to his own room, Lux couldn't stop thinking about everything Ahsoka had told him. As strange as it seems, after everything he went through today, the last thing he ever expected from her was a love confession.
Naturally, he would write it off as the hypnosis talking, but something told him that might not be the case. Once, he heard someone state that a drunk man's words were a sober man's thoughts. He knew that being hypnotized wasn't the same as being inebriated, although Ahsoka did seem to make a good case for it, having lost all inhibitions while acting under the influence of her post-hypnotic condition. He assumed that her feelings were only due to her being hypnotized, but then she mentioned that she had already felt that way about him since they first met. Did that mean her feelings were sincere?
Well, it no longer mattered now. Wherever that route might have led, he would never know. He sealed that door shut when he undid her conditioning.
It was probably for the best.
The rest of the night passed in a blur. He hadn't sleep at all, but for some unknown reason, he didn't feel tired either. Then it was morning, the start of a new day, and Lux rose and made his way to the kitchen to get started on breakfast.
As he prepared a meal for two—scrambled eggs, bantha bacon and pancakes—he heard a door open in the hallway.
"Lux? Are you here?" Ahsoka's voice called out. She sounded more like herself.
"In the kitchen," he replied as he flipped the second pancake. He hoped she was hungry.
When Ahsoka entered, Lux turned to wish her a good morning… and felt the blood drain from his face upon seeing her. She was still wearing the pajamas from last night, and even during the daytime she was a stunning sight to behold. (He thought she would have at least changed into normal attire before coming out.) But that wasn't what alarmed him. As she walked briskly toward him, he saw that her face was flushed red, but there was no mischief or admiration in her eyes.
Only rage.
"Lux!" Ahsoka shouted with her fists clenched at her sides, gritting her teeth. "You devious… despicable… scoundrel!"
As she stomped toward him, Lux suddenly recalled something important. Last night, when he used her post-hypnotic trigger phrase and sent her into trance mode, he made sure to undo her conditioning and return her back to normal. However, in his haste, he had completely forgotten to erase her memory.
And now, she remembered everything.
Lux quickly backed away and raised his hands like a criminal held at gunpoint. "Ahsoka, please wait. I understand why you might be upset, but hear me out—"
Fury emanated from Ahsoka as she quickly lunged and put him in a headlock. "Hear you out? So you can hypnotize me again? Not a chance! You have a lot to answer for!"
"Ahsoka…" He croaked. She was a lot stronger than she looked. "If this is about the confession, I am truly sorry, but given the circumstances—"
"I'm not talking about that, you deviant! You turned me into an amorous, simple-headed idiot! Then you paraded me out in public, had me wear those skimpy clothes, made me say and do those humiliating things, and… and last night, you… I…" She trailed off, trembling with a mixture of rage and embarrassment. Her face grew redder.
"Are you referring to what happened in the refresher—"
"Shut up!" She squeezed his neck with greater force as she shouted, voice full of rage. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He cried, but he knew her anger was justified. He may have prevented them from crossing the ultimate line last night, but he did push it a little too far when he had first set things in motion. He should have just stopped after the chicken gag. "I promise you, I never intended things to get out of hand like they did! I swear, I'll find a way to atone somehow! You have my word!"
"Oh, you'll atone all right! But not before I'm done kicking your ass!"
With that, Ahsoka unleashed her full wrath upon him, and as she did, Lux suddenly found himself missing the hypnotized version of her. Hopefully he'll survive to see it again.
…
END
Well, this is a little awkward. I finally return to finish what I started so long ago, but now that I've posted this chapter, I realize now that this was the conclusion of the storyline. In other words, this is the end of the story. So, what do I do now?
Oh, I know! I'll fall back on my original plan and transform this project into something ongoing: a collection of short, random, and bonus stories following the configuration of "To Hypnotize a Jedi."
