Chapter 18
Anakin wondered what he must look like as he took the stand. He hoped he appeared less pale and shaky than he felt. He wanted to look like a reliable witness, not a terrified deer caught in the headlights.
Mace had instructed him and Obi-wan on what to wear and how to act. Anakin tried to keep all of those lessons in mind as he forced himself to look up at Mace.
"Anakin, how did you first meet Maul?"
Anakin took a deep breath and began.
Mace took him through every sordid, awful detail of what had happened, both in the initial encounter and then the following months, everything up until when Ahsoka had been brought safely home.
The jury rustled restlessly as he spoke about how Maul had hurt him, but Anakin didn't risk glancing over at them. He peeked at Yoda, who was watching with his brow furrowed in concentration.
Then, Maul's lawyer stepped up to question him. Anakin had been briefed on what to expect, but that didn't make the accusations any easier to bear.
Dooku had a difficult job, given the overwhelming evidence against Maul, but he appeared completely unphased as he coolly implied that Anakin had invited Maul's aggression against him.
It seemed to go on forever, though Anakin knew by checking the clock that it only took fifteen minutes. As he left the stand, avoiding Maul's gaze entirely, Mace gave Anakin an encouraging nod and a smile.
Anakin fell into his chair beside Obi-wan, clutching Obi-wan's hand under the table.
The next witness was called forward. Dooku's approach was the same for all of them. He would either accuse the witness of inviting Maul's attack or simply try to convince the court that their encounter with Maul had never taken place at all.
Dooku accused the witnesses of banding together to take down this 'upstanding member of society' in an attempt to gain a settlement out of him, despite the fact that every settlement Dooku had offered (with increasing desperation) had been turned down.
It was a pretty slim defense, in Anakin's opinion, but it wasn't his opinion that counted in this matter. He risked a look at the jury, but he wasn't able to read from their faces which way they were going to decide.
Hearing the testimonies took all day. By the end of it, Anakin felt wrung-out and disgusted by what he had been forced to listen to. If Maul didn't go to prison for the rest of his life for what he had done, there was no justice in the world.
The court was adjourned for the jury to discuss the matter. It wasn't long before official working hours ended. If the jury didn't come to a decision quickly, they would all have to come back here tomorrow.
Anakin wanted that decision now. Even if the decision wasn't in his favor, he just wanted to know. If he, Obi-wan, and Ahsoka were going to have to change their names and start their lives anew, he just wanted to know.
After a mere twenty minutes of deliberation, the jury came back with a verdict.
Anakin felt faint and clutched Obi-wan's hand, trying to steady himself.
"Remember, whatever happens, we'll be ok," Obi-wan murmured in his ear.
Anakin nodded jerkily, his eyes fixed on the piece of paper that would determine so much of his future. One of the jury members stood up and read aloud.
"We the jury find the defendant guilty on all seven counts of rape."
The words washed over Anakin. It didn't feel real. Had they really just said what he thought they had or was his mind tricking him?
He didn't have long to consider this possibility, because the next moment, Obi-wan's arms were around him, pulling him close. "It's over, dearest. We won."
We won.
Anakin gave Obi-wan a shaky smile as he listened to Yoda hand down two life sentences to Maul without the possibility of parole. It was everything he had ever hoped for.
Anakin felt lighter than he had in months as he walked out of the courtroom, his hand still securely entwined with Obi-wan's.
Luminara was waiting for them outside the courtroom. She grinned at them. "I just heard. I've got more good news for you. We've arrested Sidious on charges of human trafficking. It looks like he's going away for a long time, too. And he and Maul aren't going to have a pleasant time in prison. They've both made a lot of enemies over the years."
"Thank you, Luminara. That is good news to hear." Obi-wan squeezed Anakin's hand.
"Thank you," Anakin murmured. He knew he should say something more, but before he could even consider it, a rowdy bunch of reporters hurried over to them. The next thing he knew, Anakin had a microphone shoved in his face and he was being asked to relive the trial.
Oh, hell no. He'd done this once, he was not going to do it again.
"No comment. Let me by, please."
"You heard him. Let us pass."
Something in Obi-wan's voice had the reports backing up a little, enough for them to squeeze by. A couple of stragglers followed, but most went to harass the rest of the witnesses who were filing out of the courtroom.
Ahsoka was practically bouncing off the walls when they got back. Anakin had vehemently insisted that he didn't want her in the same room as Maul, which had led to much pouting about wanting to support him during the trial.
"You did it!" she squealed, dashing to Anakin and hugging him the moment he walked through the door. Anakin hugged her back, stroking a hand down her hair. "We did. I still can't believe it. It's finally over."
Obi-wan ordered pizzas, and the three of them watched reruns of Dr. Who, fastidiously avoiding anything related to the news.
Anakin kept hold of Obi-wan's hand, sure that if he let go, he might just float away.
Once Anakin had gotten a grudging Ahsoka to bed, he and Obi-wan took turns taking showers. Obi-wan lay down in bed and pulled the covers aside for Anakin, holding his arms open, a near-irresistible invitation.
Anakin was determined to resist, though. There was something he wanted to do.
Instead of lying down next to Obi-wan, he crawled on top of him, kissing him slowly, enjoying the feeling of Obi-wan's lips against his.
There was no hurry to their kiss. They had all the time in the world.
"I want to go all the way with you tonight."
Obi-wan's hands, which had been rubbing Anakin's sides, paused in their ministrations. "Are you sure? You've had a tough day, to say the least. We don't need to do this tonight."
"I want to," Anakin insisted. "Now that the trial is over, I feel like Maul and what he did to me are finally in the past. I'm ready to move on."
Obi-wan kissed him again, sweet and tender and just what Anakin needed. "As long as you're sure. We can stop at any time. Promise me that you'll tell me if you want to stop."
"I will," Anakin promised.
They kissed some more, the kiss moving from languid to heated. Anakin pulled the blankets aside, pressing his body against Obi-wan's. They were only wearing their underpants, both of which were tented with rising erections.
Anakin reached down to rub at Obi-wan's cock through his pants, causing Obi-wan to give a throaty moan of approval. The kiss became frantic as Obi-wan started rubbing Anakin in turn. Anakin let his hand slip into Obi-wan's pants, relishing the feeling of Obi-wan's bare cock against his hand.
Obi-wan did the same to him and soon they were jerking each other off, kissing sloppily, breathing each other's air, and rutting helplessly into each other's hands.
Anakin was the first one to break. "Stop," he gasped. "I'm going to come."
"I don't see the problem." Despite his words, Obi-wan removed his hand immediately.
"I want come with you inside me."
Obi-wan groaned and tensed, his eyes fluttering shut. Anakin felt Obi-wan's balls draw up and immediately removed his hand from Obi-wan's pants.
Obi-wan moaned in frustration as his hips tried to follow Anakin's hand. Anakin watched as Obi-wan took several deep breaths, clearly trying with all his might not to come. When he opened his eyes, his pupils were blown wide with lust.
"Lie on your back, dearest, and put your knees up."
Anakin did what Obi-wan asked at once, watching as Obi-wan reached for the lube. They both shed their underpants, leaving nothing between them but skin. Obi-wan kissed him for a moment before bringing one lubed finger to Anakin's ass. He just circled Anakin's rim gently at first letting Anakin get used to the sensation.
Anakin waited for a flashback to hit, but nothing came. "You can keep going."
Obi-wan's finger slowly breached his ass. Still no flashback. Anakin sighed as he relaxed into the sensation.
Obi-wan curled his finger inward, sending a sharp spike of pleasure through Anakin's senses. "Fuck… do that again."
Obi-wan obliged him, brushing his finger over Anakin's prostate again and again until Anakin was sure he would come untouched if this kept up.
He barely even noticed when Obi-wan slid a second finger inside, scissoring the two back and forth and keeping up a relentless barrage of pleasure.
"More, Obi-wan! I need more. Please."
"Someone's getting desperate, hm? I guess I'm doing my job right."
"Yes – now just fuck me!"
"Not a chance, dearest. You're taking four fingers before my cock comes anywhere near your ass."
"Then hurry up," Anakin moaned.
Obi-wan kissed him just as he pressed in another finger.
By the time he was up to four fingers, Anakin was so close to the edge he could practically taste his orgasm. His ass felt loose and empty as Obi-wan withdrew his fingers.
"Are you sure, Anakin?"
"I'm sure. I want this."
Obi-wan nodded and slowly lined himself up. He had loosened Anakin up so much that it didn't even hurt when he pushed inside. Anakin gasped as he gripped Obi-wan's arms tightly, wrapping his legs around Obi-wan's waist.
Obi-wan was soon balls-deep inside Anakin, trembling slightly with the effort of keeping still.
"You can move." Anakin tilted his hips a little, encouraging Obi-wan to start moving.
Obi-wan finally did. Anakin cried out and tightened his legs as Obi-wan's cock brushed against his prostate. "Yes, yes, yes," he chanted in time with Obi-wan's thrusts.
There were no memories of Maul, only Obi-wan's hands and cock and the blinding pleasure that they brought. Obi-wan leaned down to suck on Anakin's nipples while still pistoning his hips back and forth.
Anakin's breath was coming in choppy gasps as he rode the wave of pleasure. He didn't reach for his cock, because he knew the moment he touched it, he would be gone. He wanted to hold on so that he and Obi-wan could come together.
"Tell me when you're close," he said through gritted teeth.
Obi-wan nodded, his face set in concentration. Anakin pulled Obi-wan up to kiss him, the kiss jolting because of their movement but perfect nonetheless.
Obi-wan broke away from the kiss. "Anakin, I'm close. I'm – Anakin!"
Anakin's hand flew to his cock. It took only two strokes and he was coming with Obi-wan, crying out as his ass contracted wildly around Obi-wan's cock.
The two of them remained suspended in an endless moment of pleasure before coming crashing down.
Obi-wan collapsed heavily next to Anakin, his cock slipping out of Anakin's ass. Anakin whimpered at the sudden lack, but Obi-wan comforted him with kisses all over his face.
Anakin grinned under the pleasant assault and kissed Obi-wan back as best he could.
"That was incredible. You're incredible."
"I can say the same thing about you, dearest."
"We're so doing that again."
"You won't find any objections from me."
Anakin was the first to gather himself enough to get up. He cleaned up and got a washcloth for Obi-wan. Then, the two of them nestled close together, already near to drifting off.
Anakin had meant what he'd said to Obi-wan. With Maul in prison for life, it felt like he could finally leave that part of his past in the past. It was over.
It was not, in fact, over. Maul was going to prison for the rest of his life, and Anakin just wanted to spend the rest of his doing his best to forget Maul.
Unfortunately, the public didn't seem to want to let him forget. Maul's had been a high-profile case, and everyone wanted to know about it.
Anakin spent the next few days hiding inside with all the curtains closed. It didn't help. People called, whatsapped, emailed, and tried to get close enough to the doorbell to ring it, though Obi-wan's security kept them from ever getting that near to the door.
Even worse were the newspaper headlines.
For some reason, the press had decided to focus on Anakin out of all the witnesses – perhaps because he was the one who had started everything.
The worst of it wasn't when they said horrible things about him that were blatantly untrue. The worst was when they said things that had Anakin wondering whether they had a good point.
They accused him of being nothing more than an older rich man's sex toy, and a troublesome one at that. After all the effort his sugar daddy had gone to in order to ensure he had no competition for his toy's attention, the press speculated that he must be spectacular in bed, or Obi-wan must be a fool.
Anakin bit his lip as he read yet another article on the subject. What if they were right?
No, he knew Obi-wan loved him. Obi-wan had proven that time and time again. That's not what really bothered Anakin. What bothered him was the thought that they should be right. What could he possibly offer Obi-wan? He deserved to be nothing more than a troublesome sex toy. It wasn't like he could ever contribute anything worthwhile.
No, he couldn't think like that. Obi-wan had told him over and over again that he was worth everything. He said that Anakin's thoughts on this matter couldn't be trusted. Anakin wasn't supposed to put himself down like that anymore.
But if Obi-wan was wrong…
"Anakin?"
Anakin looked up guiltily. Obi-wan sighed as he plucked the newspaper from Anakin's hands, glancing at the headline in disdain. "I thought we agreed you would stop reading these?"
"I'm sorry," Anakin mumbled. Stupid, troublesome sex toy.
"You're doing it again, I can tell. You have this specific expression that always comes across your face when you're putting yourself down."
"Sorry," Anakin repeated. "I just – they have a point, don't they? What can I really offer you? Nothing. You're the one who –"
"Anakin, we've been through this," Obi-wan said patiently. "Remember what I told you about our relationship?"
"You said that you get as much out of it as I do, but –"
"No buts. I meant what I said. This is exactly the kind of thing you need to discuss with your therapist."
Anakin gestured helplessly outside. "How can I see a therapist when I can't even walk out of the door without being assaulted?"
"They will lose interest eventually, dear one. We have only to wait."
"I don't like this," Anakin said in a small voice. "Why can't they just go away?" He was fully aware that he was whining, but he couldn't help himself. This was supposed to be over. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
Obi-wan stared thoughtfully into the distance. "If they insist on seeing you as nothing more than my sex object, then I suppose there's only one way to convince them otherwise."
"What's that?"
Obi-wan gave Anakin a swift kiss before grabbing his keys. "You'll see. I'm going out for a while. Get ready to go to dinner – dress for somewhere fancy."
"Obi-wan, we can't – we'll be mobbed the moment we step outside the front door."
"I'll make a plan. Just trust me."
Anakin did trust Obi-wan, so two hours later, he was dressed in his best suit and waiting resignedly by the front door.
"We're not going that way. Come around back."
As they were going to the back door, they passed Ahsoka, who headed straight for the front entrance.
"Snips, where are you going?"
"To provide a diversion."
Anakin wasn't sure he liked that idea, but Obi-wan was tugging him along by the wrist, and Ahsoka was wearing that determined expression that told him he'd be a fool to argue with her.
"Fine," he muttered. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"I'll be alright."
Anakin heard the uproar at the front door the moment Ahsoka stepped outside and approached the press. He and Obi-wan snuck out the back, where Obi-wan's car was waiting. Anakin didn't know how Obi-wan had gotten someone to move the car without the press realizing it, but he didn't care. All he cared about was making a clean getaway.
He giggled as the two of them hurried to the car. Obi-wan quickly put it in drive and they fled the scene.
"I can't believe we just did that. I feel like a criminal."
Obi-wan chuckled. "It does feel a little odd, doesn't it? It'll be worth it, dearest, I promise you."
"So, where are we going?"
Obi-wan offered him only a mysterious smile. "You'll see."
It turned out they were headed for Dex's, one of the higher-end restaurants in the area. Obi-wan had booked a table in a private corner. Anakin perused the menu, keeping a wary eye out for reporters.
As the meal progressed, he began to relax. No one knew they were here. They were safe.
Obi-wan, on the other hand, seemed to be getting more and more anxious by the minute.
"Obi-wan? Are you ok?"
"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine, thank you."
Anakin frowned at him. "You're fidgeting. You never fidget. What's up?"
"You know me too well, dearest. Very well. I was planning to do this after dessert, but I find I don't want to wait any longer. You should know that this is something I've been wanting to do for a while, but it never felt like the right time. The issue with the press has given me the opportunity, but know that I would have done this eventually regardless, probably sooner rather than later."
"What are you talking about?"
Obi-wan got off his chair and got down onto one knee in front of Anakin.
"What…?"
Obi-wan produced a black velvet box. Anakin felt his jaw drop. Surely, Obi-wan wasn't about to do what Anakin thought he was.
Obi-wan opened the box to reveal a sparkly golden band with inset diamonds.
"Anakin Skywalker, I love you more than life itself. You are worth everything to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you do me the great honor of marrying me?"
Anakin felt tears spilling down his cheeks. "Yes," he whispered. "Yes, yes, of course, yes!" His voice rose to a joyful shout as he fell to his knees too and kissed Obi-wan.
Obi-wan laughed and hugged him tightly for a moment before pulling away and slipping the ring onto Anakin's finger. It fit perfectly, like it belonged there.
Anakin became aware of the clicking of cameras, but he didn't care that the press had found them. Let them try to say that he was nothing more than Obi-wan's sex toy now. He stared down at the sparkly ring before looking up at Obi-wan in wonder.
Obi-wan really did want to keep him forever. Anakin had known this before, of course, but something about seeing Obi-wan's ring on his finger brought that knowledge home in a way that nothing else had.
He was worth more than just what pleasure his body could provide. To Obi-wan, he was worth everything.
Anakin's face hurt from grinning as he and Obi-wan sat down. He moved his chair around so that they were right next to each other and took Obi-wan's hand in his. Anakin sighed happily as he leaned his head on Obi-wan's shoulder.
"I love you."
"I love you too, dearest. More than anything."
Anakin knew that he still had a lot of work to do with his therapist, but as long as he had Obi-wan's love, he knew that he would make it through.
With Obi-wan by his side, he could do anything.
