Chapter Two
Anakin ran down the hall quickly so as not to be caught by any members of the party he had arrived with. He knocked lightly on Padmé's door and was caught slightly off guard when her decoy handmaiden answered it in a bathrobe with wet hair. She obviously wasn't expecting the call either.
"Oh-- good evening, Sabé. Is Padmé--"
"Come on in, Anakin." she smiled.
Padmé sat up on her bed. "Who was it?" she asked, knowing the answer the moment Sabé re-entered her room wearing a mischievous grin and whispered. "I didn't think you'd take me seriously!"
Padmé's heart arrested momentarily as Anakin Skywalker entered her room wearing long pajama pants and a sleeveless gray tunic. He ran a hand through his soft, slightly damp blonde hair and his blue eyes sparkled with a shy grin. He had dropped his cargo on her couch upon arrival.
"Uh--hi." he said with a grin. "Sorry, milady-- I didn't know you had company."
"It's alright. I was just leaving." Sabé grinned and rose to leave. "Goodnight, my lady. Goodnight, Padawan Skywalker."
The inner door closed as Sabé left the Senator and the Jedi in unnerving silence.
Padmé finally spoke up. "What are you doing over here at this late hour? You should be asleep."
Anakin eyebrows rose. "I should be asleep?" he walked closer and knelt beside the Senator's bed. "I believe your Majesty is the one involved with the practice of beauty sleep, though I must admit, she does not need it."
Padmé blushed slightly and Anakin was always pleased to see that he had some effect on her.
"What do you come here for?" she asked, quietly changing the subject.
Anakin poked at the carpet with his bare toes. "Actually, I've come asking a favor." Padmé cocked her head, listening. Anakin continued.
"That you would not send me back to my room to be mocked by my Master and your Captain."
Padmé smiled. "What have they done to you?"
Anakin sighed. "Our room holds but two, and we are three. And I, being the least of us, has been asked to sleep in the bathtub."
Padmé covered her mouth, unable to contain her laughter. "Well, I am glad you find it funny!" Anakin smiled, delighted with the very sound of her giggling. After a moment, Padmé settled down and looked into his shining eyes.
"What are you asking me?" she grinned.
Anakin smiled up at her. "Only imploring you to let me-- dishonor your living room with my presence on your couch tonight."
"You belittle yourself." she smiled. "It is quite honorable of you to ask for the couch-- rather than the bed."
Anakin gazed at her for a moment in anxious silence, contemplating a reply. Her bed was incredibly large-- and he was wildly attracted to her-- and incredibly out of his mind. However, he never forfeited an opportunity to flirt with the Senator.
"If you were offering--" he began quietly, with a sly smile. "I would accept."
Padmé's eyes widened, and she felt her face growing warm.
"But since you aren't," he continued quickly, standing from the floor. "I thank you for your generosity-- and bid you goodnight." He bowed respectfully and smiled, then turned to leave.
"Anakin!" she called as he reached the doorway.
"Gods, she makes my name sound good!"
The young knight turned back to face the Senator and their eyes locked. Padmé held up a corner of one of the three blankets covering her bed.
"You may use a blanket of mine, if you so desire."
Anakin advanced back toward her, his crystal eyes never shifting from her gaze, and smiled as he took the quilt from her hand. "I do so desire." he answered, in an unabashedly seductive tone. Padmé felt herself tremble slightly, but held his piercing gaze a moment longer. After a moment of mutual silence, Anakin lowered his eyes, breaking the trance. "Thank you, my lady."
Padmé glanced back up at him, slightly disoriented, but quickly regained her composure and nodded with a smile. "Goodnight."
Anakin walked back into the living room, grinning so widely that it hurt. Kicking Obi-Wan's blanket off of the couch, he collapsed, satisfied and exhilarated from their exchange. He settled himself comfortably under Padmé's blanket, and after watching the light in the Senator's room disappear, closed his eyes.
No more than twenty minutes later, the comlink in Padmé's room buzzed loudly. Anakin's eyes flew open and Padmé's bedroom light illuminated the suite. Anakin sat up on the couch. He could see her shadow reach over and answer the comm.
"What is it?" she asked sleepily.
Anakin strained to hear the one-sided conversation. Padmé was silent as she listened, but after a moment, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the doorway. As she listened to his Master speak, she smiled at Anakin.
"Yes, Master Kenobi-- yes, I appreciate your concern on the matter. However, everything is perfectly alright here-- and if you don't mind, we are both trying to sleep. Goodnight."
Anakin chuckled as Padmé hung up on Obi-Wan with a triumphant smile.
"Who says politicians can't have any fun?" she asked playfully.
The Jedi Knight eyed her fondly and grinned. Padmé nearly melted.
"I owe you one, my lady."
Padmé put a finger to her lips in thought, then smiled mischievously.
"We'll discuss payment another night."
Anakin cocked an eyebrow at the lovely Senator.
"Goodnight, Padawan Skywalker." she replied with a grin. Then she closed the door between them.
The room darkened, but the smile on Anakin's lips did not. He eased back down under her covers. "Sleep well, my lady."
So as not to create uneasiness between them, Anakin left Padmé's suite before she awoke the next morning. Fumbling with the key, he unlocked the door to his own room. Obi-Wan was already awake and half dressed when he entered. He eyed his padawan unemotionally. Anakin smiled sleepily.
"How did you sleep, Master?"
"Not as well as you did, I assume."
Anakin grinned and tossed the rolled up the blanket at his Master.
"There's your blanket. I didn't need it."
Obi-Wan eyed his apprentice. He didn't seem any different, but he could very easily be hiding. "Really?" he asked nonchalantly. "You were comfortable, then?"
"Yeah," Anakin answered, equally as calm. "She had enough on her bed for both of us."