Anakin adapted well to his pregnancy, thanks to Healer Eerin's – now simply Bant – medications and constant care.
Certain days, he almost forgot a new life was growing inside him. Almost…It was impossible not to remember it while looking at Obi-Wan's eyes.
His mate was a quiet man, kind, gentle, reserved. He let go of the control he had over his emotions only in the bedroom—and not completely even there.
Thus he never showed his joy at the pregnancy in the same way Anakin did. There were no big or silly smiles on his lips at the return from some check up that had held only good news. No whistling or humming aloud. No sudden bursts of laughter.
Obi-Wan's happiness was expressed with little, small gestures and the way he looked at Anakin, with warm, all-encompassing love that made the younger man swallow hard.
Obi-Wan was not constantly repeating "I love you" – in fact he rarely say it – but Anakin could sense his love each and every moment they were together. Words were not necessary between them.
Anakin's pregnancy was so easy that it took more than time and a slightly swollen belly to fully realize his condition.He had to wait until the life he was carrying inside made his presence known.
One night, when Anakin was over five months gone, something extraordinary happened. He had awakened around midnight, his sleep disturbed by a strange sensation.
He had been still, laying on his back, as he had waited for the strange sensation to return. He had been alone, for Obi-Wan had been away on a brief mission.
When the strange ripple in his belly had repeated, Anakin had needed a few seconds to understand what had happened: his son had moved for the first time!
Anakin had abruptly sat up and scrambled to turn on the bedside lamp, as the baby had rolled and kicked again. Tentatively, he had touched his belly with a trembling hand. Nothing had happened. Gingerly, Anakin had held his breath and pressed lightly. The baby had kicked back.
Unable to stop himself, Anakin had giggled and laughed, before sobering, his eyes fixed in front of him, his mind parsecs away.
Only then he realized the incredible gift the Force had given them.
Until that night, the baby had been a welcome burden Anakin had accepted in exchange of being allowed to live with Obi-Wan without jeopardize his mate's career. He had never really understood what or who he was carrying. The words son, baby, child had been only words for him-- but that night everything had changed.
Anakin had taken full awareness of what was happening inside him. That he, a gelded male who would be considered by many as the most unlikely person to ever procreate, was carrying the son he and Obi-Wan had conceived. That soon there would be a little Kenobi-Skywalker in his life, and his heart burst with an inner, quieter joy.
Now, finally, Anakin understood the silent happiness animating Obi-Wan's eyes, for a joy like this was too great, too deep to be expressed by words or actions. It could only be experienced and shared with his loved ones.
When Obi-Wan returned from his mission, he was intercepted as soon as he put a foot inside their apartment, and led to sit on the divan by an ecstatic Anakin.
"What…?" Obi-Wan tried to ask.
"Shh," Anakin took his mate's hand and put it over his belly. "Wait…you will understand."
Obi-Wan did as asked, waiting patiently, until their child decided it was time to greet his other father too. Anakin felt the baby kick with strength and watched delighted as Obi-Wan's eyes widened in wonder, before his handsome face produced the biggest smile the younger man had ever seen on him.
"Well, Anakin," Obi-Wan said after a while, "I think it is about the time you and I decide how we will name the little one. Do you have any ideas?"
Anakin shook his head. "No, I've never thought about it before."
"Is there any name you like?"
The young man grinned, "Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan smiled and shook his head, "Nothing else?"
"No. And you?"
"I can't think of a name I like per se. All the names that have a meaning for me are connected to people I know or knew," Obi-Wan explained.
Anakin brightened. "That sounds like a good idea. Why don't we name him after your late master? Qui-Gon Kenobi-Skywalker. What do you think?"
Obi-Wan rubbed his beard. "Well, I was hoping we would find a name that had a meaning for both of us. Maybe we could combine my master's name with another one. What about Toradiur? I know you care a lot for him."
"Yes, I do. He has been very kind with me, and we are still close. We just had a holocom talk last week. However Qui-Gon Toradiur Kenobi-Skywalker sounds rather mouthful. I am not sure the little one would like it…" Anakin commented, his voice doubtful.
"I agree, but what about Qui-Tor Kenobi-Skywalker? I think it has a nice ring."
"Qui-Tor, Qui-Tor," Anakin repeated the name, tasting it on his lips. "I like it—and judging by the way he is rolling, I think the little one agrees too."
"Good." Obi-Wan smiled, then scooted closer to Anakin, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and posed the other hand over the young man's belly, waiting for Qui-Tor's next kick.