Loyalties

Chapter three: Showdown at Revelations

Anakin walked out of his class holding a half-finished Calamarian sonnet, knowing he would have to do another one anyways. He had amused himself by writing a poem about his Master, but he was sure that the class would not appreciate details about his Master's body. Well, a good few of them wouldn't mind all that much, but Anakin was sure that his teacher would not. Strange, though, how Obi-Wan didn't know how many Padawans he had wanting him. Anakin smirked happily. "Eat your hearts out; he's mine," he muttered.

"Who's yours?"

"Taro! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

His friend grinned and punched him on the arm. "I wasn't sneaking. You were daydreaming about Obi-Wan again."

" Why the hell did I even tell you about that in the first place! Thanks to your big mouth, half the Temple probably already knows! I swear, Taro, one of these days I'll-"

"What you got there, Ani?" She interrupted before grabbing the piece of paper out of his hand. She fended off Anakin while she read it and he gave up, knowing she wouldn't quit until she was done. She laughed, the mellow sound trilling through his head like a bullet.

" Sith Hells, my little Anakin is all growned up. You got laid, didn't you?"

" Shut up! That's none of your business! You're such a bitch sometimes."

"That's why you love me."

"I don't love you."

"No, but apparently you're getting some love from Obi-Wan."

"I am not!"

"Anakin, how long have we known each other? Six, seven years now? Don't try lying to me. Who else would that poem be about?"

"You?" Said Anakin feebly.

She looked at him, amusement clear in her dark eyes. "Me? Har har. That's the lamest thing I've ever heard. You know that trip we took last month?"

"What about it?"

"Remember how we ended up sharing a room? Well, Anakin, you might be surprised to know that you talk in your sleep, and moan and scream and generally give the impression of having a wet dream. And guess just who's name it was that you were screaming?"

Anakin bit his lip and refused to say anything, hoping that she would drop it. She didn't.

"Oh, Obi-Wan! Master!" She moaned, imitating him. "And the expression on your face after it all, that well-laid, smug smile, is the same sile you've been wearing all of today. Just admit it. You got laid, didn't you?"

"Ok, but it's a secret, so you can't tell anybody. The Jedi Council is already not crazy about me, and I don't want them to know."

"You can trust me, Anakin," she said, suddenly serious, "as long as I can trust you." Her demeanour changed back to teasing quickly, as if she was uncomfortable with her honesty. "But you better keep your hands on Obi-Wan. If he's as good as you write him up to be, I just might want a taste."

Anakin shook his head and laughed. You could always count on Taro to find a spot for herself in any situation.

" I'll see you later, Ani," she called, walking away.

" See you," he called, thinking that he just might have the time to squeeze in a bite to eat before his next class and maybe even- his train of thought was broken by a quick jolt of pain as he felt someone pinch his butt.

"You're dead!" He hollered, chasing Taro back down the hall. He laughed as he caught up to her and tackled her to the ground, tickling her. It never occurred to him to pick up the piece of paper that had fluttered to the ground behind him. A pair of feet approached, and a hand bent down to pick it up.

Obi-Wan looked guiltily at the mostly empty bottle in his hand. He should not have had so much, and he knew it. And it offered him no solutions on what he should do about Anakin and himself. Obi-Wan decided that he would tell Anakin that it was all over, that they couldn't do it anymore. Obi-Wan sighed and sat down. He was doing the right thing, so why did he feel so wrong?

He picked up the bottle and put it back on the shelf. As soon as he comes back in, I'll tell him, he thought. As soon as he comes in. He sat down and stared at the door, waiting for Anakin to come back in. And waited. And waited still.

Eventually, he heard Anakin's heavy footsteps and thanked the Force that he didn't have to sit perfectly still anymore. He stood up to meet his Padawan. Anakin opened the door and smiled at his Master. Obi-Wan opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Anakin was on him and his tongue was in Obi-Wan's already open mouth. No, thought Obi-Wan, no! This isn't how it's supposed to go! With considerable effort, he ripped himself away from his Padawan. He could see the anger smouldering quietly in Anakin's eyes and it scared him. For a second, he'd seen the darker side of his Padawan, and he wished to never see it again.

Was he doing the right thing? No time for cold feet now, thought Obi-Wan. "Anakin, I love you so much-"

"I love you too!"

"-but we can't do this anymore. It's wrong for me to take advantage of you. I can't handle this kind of relationship, and I don't think you can either. It's destroying our Master/Padawan bond and…and…it's just wrong!"

Anakin smiled a smile that sent shivers down Obi-Wan's spine. He can't hurt anyone; Obi-Wan reminded himself, he wouldn't hurt anyone. Not my Anakin.

"I understand, Master. Of course you're right. It's wrong."

Anakin's voice was even and calm, but Obi-Wan could hear the anger behind it. His Padawan simply didn't understand that this was for the best. In time, he would come to see it. Obi-Wan trembled slightly as he turned around to leave. He didn't trust himself around Anakin right now.

"Master?"

"Yes, Anakin?"

"At least give me a goodbye kiss. For old times sake?"

Obi-Wan looked at his Padawan's sad eyes and figured that one last kiss couldn't hurt anyone. He softly pressed his lips against his Padawan's and was rewarded by being slammed against a wall. Before he could open his eyes, Anakin's knee was between his legs and his tongue was in Obi-Wan's mouth. A few minutes later, Obi-wan dazedly looked at the sleep-couch in front of him as he registered what his Padawan had just done. Anakin was sucking on his neck right now, and his confused thoughts finally started to flow as the deprived oxygen ran up to it. "No!" He screamed hoarsely, throwing his Padawan to the ground. He saw the gloating in Anakin's eyes and it angered him even more. "No, Anakin, no! I said that it was over!"

His Padawan scowled in all his glorious fury and walked to the door. "Fine. If that's the way you feel," he hissed through clenched teeth as he stalked away.

Obi-Wan slid to the ground and cradled his face in his hands. He had done the right thing, hadn't he? The picture of Anakin scowling on the floor stuck in his mind, and for the first time, Obi-Wan realised just how much his Padawan was capable of. He shivered at the sight of Anakin's fury, red-hot and blinding, and Mace Windu's words echoed in his head. "One thing to remember, Obi-Wan: you're playing with fire; watch that you don't burn yourself."

He laughed. " Too late, huh, Mace? Too fucking late not to get burned!"

He stood up and decided to meditate, hoping that it would calm him down.

He took his place on the ground and inhaled deeply, trying to find hid centre and align it with the Force. He succeeded in doing so for a second, but he couldn't concentrate. Forget about Anakin, he told himself sternly. You've done the right thing. But how could he forget, when his lips were still sore and his neck wet? He paced around the small room like a caged animal as he struggled not to think about Anakin. I was a little harsh on him, he thought. Maybe I should go apologize, he thought.  But even as he walked to the door he knew that he was only going to see what Anakin was doing.

Anakin stepped out of the small, obscure store in a back alley of Holonet wearing the tightest clothes he had ever seen in his life. He was having the slightest amount of trouble breathing, but that was okay, because he looked hot. The black material clung to every possible curve in his body. " Let's see how much Master Obi-Wan likes this," he said quietly, jumping into his speeder to head off to Revelations. He hadn't been there in a while; but he was sure he could get himself in anyways.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and tried to sense his Padawan's energy. He sensed it somewhere in the underworld of Holonet, and he wondered what the hell Anakin could be doing there. He's just a kid, thought, Obi-Wan, what could he be doing in that drug-addled whorehouse? An idea dawned on him and he gritted his teeth, pushing the throttle up ever so slightly on his speeder. He would not let anyone -hurt- Anakin. He smiled. No, no one would hurt Anakin.

Anakin smiled at the bouncer at the doors of the club.

"Ani! How you doing? Haven't seen you in a while! You look good."

"Seto, my friend, it's good to see you, too. I've been busy lately- you know, Jedi business. Am I still allowed in?"

"What, are you joking me? Everybody loves you here! Go right in."

"Thanks."

"Always a pleasure, Ani."

Anakin strode into the smoky, crowded place confidently. This place was so far from the Temple that no one ever bothered to come here, so strangers always surrounded him, and that was how he liked it. Strangers were better than acquaintances because you only saw the perfect side of the stranger, but when you had a friend, you had to take the ugly with the good. That was part of the reason Anakin didn't like having too many friends.

"Hello, beautiful," called a whore from one corner of the room, batting her heavily made-up eyes at him in an invitation. He nodded at her, but kept walking. He could do better, and he knew it. He took a minute to look at everyone in the room and decided to strike up a conversation with the pretty blonde boy at the bar. He looked easy, and comparatively young. Anakin ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it down a little, took a deep breath, and sat down next to the boy, deciding to seduce him with the rogue appeal that he was told he had. It was a quick job, and in less than five minutes Anakin could tell that he had the kid eating out of his hand. He smiled and gulped down his shooter, willing himself not to sputter and spit it back out. That wouldn't be very sexy at all.

Things were going very well, and the kid was in his lap, muttering unintelligible things into his ear. He pressed his lips against the kid's neck, wondering what his name was. Anakin closed his eyes and pretended that the kid's hair was a little darker, a little longer. Now this kid had a name; he was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He pulled his makeshift lover closer to himself and started kissing him. Not quite like the original, but it would do. The door opened and someone else walked in. Anakin paid no attention, concentrating solely on the boy perched on his lap.

"Corellian hazel on the rocks, blunt and frosty, please.

Anakin's body stiffened. That was his Master's drink. Wait a minute; that was his Master's voice. Carefully adjusting the bundle in his lap so that he could see the person without the person seeing him, Anakin opened his eyes to look at the familiar stranger. He was greeting with a set of deep cobalt eyes and a warm smile. His eyes widened and he pushed the bundle out of his lap. He heard the boy protest but shushed him quickly. He smiled and quickly muttered, "Just some unfinished business to take care of. Why don't you wait for me over there?" the boy strode away obediently, leaving Anakin alone with his Master. His Master's demeanour changed quickly from loving to angry, so quickly that it was hard to see the shift.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Master!"

"I'm looking for you. What are you doing with that smutty little boy?"

"I thought you said it was over. You have no right to tell me who to date."

"I'm still your Master, and that gives me the right! Look at you…you look like a prostitute! Are you crazy? Dressing like that in this kind of neighbourhood?"

"There's a reason to why you came here, and I'm guessing that it has nothing to do with my choice in clothing or your sudden urge to come all the way down here for a drink. Why are you really here?" Demanded Anakin angrily. Who the hell did his Master think he was? He had no right to meddle in Anakin's life like that.

"Watch your mouth, Anakin!"

"No! Go away! I'll wear what I want, I'll kiss who I want, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Anakin stalked away to his table in the back and was relieved to see the boy waiting for him. "I'm sorry about that. Now, let's get back to-"

He felt himself get picked up and thrown against a wall. He winced as he felt the impact against his shoulders. He stared down into his Master's dark eyes and knew that he was going to pay for that show of rebellion. He felt his Master's hot breath against his ear as he heard the words in a low, even hiss.

"Nothing I can do to stop you, Anakin? Let's just see." He pressed his lips against his Padawan's hard and Anakin obediently opened his mouth to him. " If I can't touch you, no one else will," he whispered menacingly into Anakin's open mouth. He smiled as if nothing had happened. "Do I make myself perfectly clear?" He asked quietly. Anakin swallowed and nodded, avoiding his Master's gaze. Obi-Wan tipped up his Padawan's chin and he was shocked by the doubt and self-hate that he saw in those clear orbs, but it passed quickly and Obi-Wan turned around, afraid that his Padawan had seen too much. "Let's go, Anakin," he said. Was it Anakin's imagination, or did that voice just waver? He let his Padawan drop and took Anakin's hand in his own as they walked out of the club.

Anakin thought back in amazement to what had just happened. That was a side of his Master that he had never seen, and never wanted to see again. He looked at his Master's face, but Obi-Wan had hidden himself in his cloak. For the first time, Anakin didn't feel very safe with his Master sitting so close to him. He edged away slightly and stared out into the beautiful night of Coruscant, trying to puzzle out what had just happened to him.

But things weren't so clear anymore…

Obi-Wan can't figure out what to do, Anakin can't figure out what Obi-Wan just did. Who picked up the note? What is Obi-Wan thinking? All will be revealed in the next chapter of Loyalties.

The next chapter will be put up on Thursday.

I hope you enjoyed my fanfic and remember to review!