A/N: I'm so sorry about how long this chapter took. Honestly, it actually took me forever to perfect. I apologise. But... it's longer, so there's that, I suppose. I can honestly say that happier times are ahead. That's a promise :) Anyway, please enjoy this chapter. Hopefully, the next one won't be as long of a wait (I make no promises).
Chapter 30
When Padme woke the next morning, she was actually sore. The last time she'd been sore after having sex was when she'd lost her virginity to Rush Clovis, and that had hardly been a pleasurable experience. Yet, when she rolled onto her side and sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she felt the almost forgotten pains deep inside her core, and it brought a wry smile to her lips. Dorme had often confessed that such pains were common after particularly rough sex, but even though she and Anakin hadn't been rough, exactly, she'd been completely stretched by him, and after two months of nothing, it was bound to leave her sore.
Beside her, Anakin began to stir, his left hand roaming the bed as he searched for her. She turned back around and caught his wandering fingers, squeezing them gently. "Good morning, Ani" she greeted him brightly.
He smiled up at her, slow and lazy, and laced their fingers together. "Mmm, yes, it is." He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it before releasing it.
With a yawn, she stood up and stretched, before bending down and picking up his t-shirt off the floor and throwing it over her body. Like everything else of Anakin's, it was enormous, and swallowed her tiny petite frame, ending between the curve of her ass and mid-thigh and hanging off her shoulders like a sack, the V-neck opening exposing the tops of her breasts, her nipples clearly outlined by the white cotton. He chuckled at her, and she whipped around, fixing him with a pointed stare, as she pulled her long curly locks out of the shirt, allowing the tresses to tumble down her back. "What?"
"What is it with you and wearing my clothes?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow, because it wasn't the first time she'd done this. "I swear that's the only reason you keep me around."
Grinning impishly, she shrugged and walked around to the other side of the bed. "You've got to serve some purpose, Anakin." Then, she leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the lips, before taking his left hand in hers. "Now, let me help you get up."
She put her other arm around his shoulder and urged him to swing his legs off the bed, which caused him to groan. When he heaved himself to his feet, he let out a sharp cry of pain and stumbled forward, which only caused him to whimper again. Padme did her best to keep him upright, heavy as he was, soothing him with sweet words and gently rubs over his shoulder with her hand. "It's alright, Ani, it's alright. You're up now. Do you want a bath?"
He gave a quick nod of his head, and Padme peeked out her bedroom door to make sure the bathroom was open and Dorme wasn't in sight (as Anakin was still nude) before she lead him towards the bathroom, keeping her arm around him to steady him. She hated the sounds he was emitting, so pained, but there was nothing she could do about it. Even the act of breathing seemed to hurt him, and looking at the mottled discoloration along his ribs, she vaguely wondered how he'd managed to make love to her last night in such a state. It must have been some sort of lust-filled haze that had temporarily blocked his pain. Smirking to herself, she had to admit she must have been good medicine for him last night.
Once they were in the bathroom, Padme shut the door and set about running him a bath. While the hot water was running, filling the tub, she went out to the kitchen to grab a small plastic trash bag, then returned and tied it around Anakin's cast so it wouldn't get wet.
"You don't have to do all this, y'know," he muttered sheepishly, his eyes fixed on her fingers as they tied a knot in the plastic bag, securing it tightly.
She beamed up at him and kissed his cheek sweetly. "Don't be silly, Ani. I want to take care of you."
When the bath was ready, she helped him step gingerly into the steaming water, steadying him because she didn't want him to fall over and assisted him as he sat down. He winced and groaned, but Padme tried to block out his pained noises, because she needed to focus on keeping him upright. His long limbs looked hilarious cramped in the small bathtub, and it took a moment for him to settle down comfortably, bending his knees up, but once he was ready, he smiled up at her in gratitude. "Thank you, Angel."
Padme pressed a kiss to the top of his hair, running her hands through it tenderly. "Just relax. I'm going to go make us some breakfast, okay?"
His lips curled into a teasing smirk. "You? Make breakfast? Are you sure you're not trying to kill me?"
She clicked her tongue. "Well...If you're going to be ungrateful, then maybe I won't make you anything…"
"Not ungrateful," he held his left hand up in surrender. "Just…surprised...is all. You never cook."
"I want to take care of you, Ani, and I do so cook...sometimes."
His blue eyes grew soft with affection. "You don't have to – "
"Oh my god!" she cried, suddenly sick of his sacrificial attitude. "Anakin, you are the worst patient in the entire world! Just let me take care of you, dammit!" Then, without even fully considering what she was doing, she pulled his shirt up over her head and threw it on the floor.
Swallowing thickly at the sight of her naked before him, he watched her with wide eyes. "W-what are you…? Angel, what are you doing?"
She smiled coyly at him. "I'm going to help you wash off." She twisted her hair up into a messy knotted bun on top of her head before turning back to face him.
"You're really trying to kill me aren't you?"
With a wink, she grinned down at him. "Yes. Now, scoot up. I'm getting in behind you."
He did as he was told, having accepted that Padme was fully in charge while he was injured, though he made no further complaint, so she assumed he wasn't entirely against the whole idea. Carefully sliding in behind him, she braced her legs on either side of his hips and, grabbing her soap and a washcloth, began to wash him.
There was something strangely intimate about what she was doing to him, and she felt herself hum with contentedness as she lathered soap all along the hard, broad plane of his back and shoulders, kneading the tight muscles gently with her fingers. He had a beautiful back; she often enjoyed watching the way his muscles glided smoothly over his shoulder blades and how they rippled and pulsed with every movement he made, when he would walk around her apartment shirtless. It was always a pleasing sight to her, because he really was a beautifully sculpted specimen of raw virile masculinity.
Cupping her hands together, she poured water on his blonde locks to wet his hair, then grabbed her coconut scented shampoo next, and poured some on top of his head. Setting the bottle down, her wandering fingers then went to work in his hair, massaging his scalp tenderly, soaping his hair thoroughly, and then she reached behind her to find the small bath bucket, and used it to scoop and pour water over him, making sure he shielded his eyes so he wouldn't get soap in them. Padme repeated this again, and again, until she was satisfied that he was clean, and then the two of them just lay there, relaxing in the still hot bath water, basking in each other's presence and the familiarity of their love.
"Thank you," Anakin muttered quietly, leaning his head back on her shoulder and turned to nuzzle his nose against her neck, and she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder, placing a tender kiss on his temple and letting her fingers run up and down his left arm in a soothing manner. "For doing all this. I hope I'm not too much of a burden."
He was ashamed, even embarrassed, of having to ask her to help him, and it made her heart ache. She pressed a sweet kiss to the side of his cheek and squeezed his fingers. "You're not a burden, Ani," she told him, earnestly. "You're injured, and you need my help. That's nothing to be embarrassed about."
"I know," he sighed, and shifted in the tub, wincing again, before settling back against her chest more comfortably.
Gritting her teeth in determination, for Padme needed to get him to understand that she liked taking care of him, she rubbed her hands tenderly over his upper arms, chest, and shoulders and dusted soft, feather-light kisses over his golden skin. "Ani, I like doing this," she quietly assured him through kisses. "I want to take care of you. I love you. Okay?"
His left hand dipped under the water and found her thigh as it lay beside him, and he caressed it tenderly, in response to her words. Padme knew what his silence meant; he wanted her to keep talking, to keep reassuring him that he wasn't a burden on her. He needed her to stroke his ego, and so she was going to do just that.
Kissing up along his shoulder towards the nape of his neck, she rested her hands on his shoulders and began to massage them gently, her thumbs moving in a practiced circular motion which drew a contented groan from him. "You need to let me, Ani," she breathed in his ear softly. "Relax. Let me take care of you." She danced her fingertips down his back and over his hips into whisper soft touches over the tops of his muscular thighs. As she slowly inched her way higher and higher, relishing in the way his breath caught in his throat, she nuzzled his neck and gently bit and suckled his earlobe. "Will you? Will you let me?" she whispered in his ear.
A muffled moan of consent was all she needed before she grazed her fingertips delicately along his rapidly stiffening cock below the water. "W-what are you…?" he stammered, turning his head and tilting it back to stare at her with wide eyes, darkening quickly with desire.
"Taking care of you, Ani," she replied sweetly, softly, dragging her lips along his neck, nipping and suckling his flesh teasingly. Grinning triumphantly into his skin, she began to slowly stroke him up and down with the back of her nails, teasing him to a hard full-erection. Then, she wrapped her hand around him and began to pump him firmly, squeezing hard on every tug downwards. Her breasts pressed right up against his back as she used her other hand to reach lower, fondling, cupping, and rubbing circles on his heavy sack gently, feeling the thin, smooth skin slide over her fingers. She rubbed her legs suggestively up and down his calves, the rough blonde hair on his legs tickling her skin and contrasting vividly with the slide of her supple upper thighs against the smooth skin of his hips.
All Anakin could do was relax into it, closing his eyes and leaning his head completely back on her shoulder as he whispered her name repeatedly, soft moans and groans passed through his lips to tickle her ear and ruffle the wispy tendrils of her hair at her temple, as she brought him pleasure with her skilful hands. Even though it was a little erotic and dirty, doing this while in the bath together, Padme found that she wasn't at all embarrassed by it. On the contrary, she relished in it. There was something intensely personal and romantic about it, in doing something like this together. It helped reinforce their unity as a couple. She couldn't explain it, but she felt…generous. Selfless. Giving him pleasure and taking care of him and his needs, putting him first, without expecting anything for herself in return. She loved him, speaking to him with her actions, rather than words.
It was slow and deliberate, but when she felt him throb in her fist, she smiled to herself. "Padme…" he moaned, hoarsely. "I'm…I'm gonna…"
"Do it," she encouraged him sweetly, in his ear, whispering encouragement as she quickened her strokes. "Come, Ani. Come for me. Let go."
She watched his face, enthralled, as he erupted in her hand, his hips involuntarily thrusting his shaft up into her grasp as he came, and she was entranced by the way his eyes fluttered madly beneath his closed lids and the way he bit down firmly on his plump, bottom lip, a long, low growl of satisfaction rumbling from deep in his chest. It was such a beautiful expression, so honest and real, just like everything about him.
He shuddered in her tight embrace and winced with his release, and she continued to whisper to him, soothing him, praising him, until he eventually slumped back against her torso, relaxed and sated, and leaned his head further back against the crook of her shoulder, tilting his head to place a tender kiss below her ear.
Padme stroked his wet hair fondly before crossing her arms over his upper chest, holding him snugly against her, and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Padme," he told her, softly, twisting his head to stare at her with those gorgeous blue eyes of his that never failed to make her melt. "Not just for…this, but for everything. For taking care of me. You really are an Angel, y'know...My Angel."
Despite herself, tears pricked at her eyes at the deep gratitude and love in his words, and she beamed brightly at him, leaning down to nuzzle his cheek, placing a sweet kiss on the corner of his lips. She didn't say anything, for there was nothing to say. Her absolute love for him had been expressed so many times over the last few days that there was no need to respond verbally. He knew. Instead, she just held him tightly in her loving arms. After all the time they'd spent apart, she'd had precious little opportunity to hold him in her arms like this, so she took full advantage of it. Anakin certainly didn't seem to mind.
It was only when the bath water started to grow cold and the skin on their fingers and toes began to wrinkle, that they decided they needed to get out. Anakin sat upright, and Padme stepped out first, then helped him out, letting him lean on her for support. She then set about drying him off, patting and rubbing down his body with a fresh towel, taking extra care to be gentle with his chest, as his bruising was still tender. Nevertheless, her ministrations still managed to elicit an excited response from him, which she chose to ignore despite the twinkle in his eye and the smirk he gave her. Once he was dry, and she had effectively dried herself, she threw Anakin's t-shirt back over her body and wrapped the towel snuggly around his waist.
"I'm just going to shave," he informed her as she stood back up, and she nodded her head, kissing his lips once more – simply relishing in the fact that she could do that again – and then headed out the door toward the kitchen to start breakfast (but not before he had playfully swatted her on her backside and gave her another wink).
Dorme was awake, making herself some morning coffee, and turned around at the sound of Padme's bare feet padding across the tiles. Padme beamed at her, practically glowing with happiness, but her best friend, it seemed, did not reciprocate her joy.
With a deep frown, she pursed her lips. "You really need to soundproof your bedroom," she remarked rather bitterly, narrowing her eyes at Padme over her mug of coffee.
Padme tipped her head to the side in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
With a dramatic sigh, Dorme fixed her with a stern glare. "It's really hard to get to sleep at night when your roommate and her boyfriend are having the loudest fucking sex in the world!"
Her cheeks flushed bright red, and she lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling sheepish and embarrassed. "Oh."
"Do you know how awkward that is?! Hearing you guys moaning like that at the top of your voices?!"
Padme shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet her best friend's gaze. "I'm… I'm so sorry, I didn't realize we were so..."
"Raucous?" Dorme drolly remarked with a raise of an eyebrow.
"Well…yeah," Padme conceded with a quick nod. She felt incredibly guilty. She could only imagine how awkward that must have been for her best friend.
Shaking her head, Dorme sipped at her coffee, but Padme didn't miss the smirk that played at her lips. "Look, I do understand. Totally. I'm glad you're both…happy… but, could you try to keep it down? Please?! For me? I need my beauty sleep, y'know."
Smiling coyly, Padme winked at her. "We'll try… but I can't guarantee anything. Anakin is very…"
"Passionate?" Dorme supplied with a smirk.
"Yes."
"How long's he staying for?" Dorme asked weakly.
Padme shrugged. "About a week."
With a groan, Dorme frowned sullenly. "I think I'm gonna have to sleep on Trey's couch for a while." She yawned, stretched her arms, and then headed back into her bedroom, grumbling under her breath as she went.
As guilty as she felt, Padme decided to pay her no mind, because she knew Dorme wasn't that offended, and instead, began to start breakfast; Anakin's favourite – blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup and bacon. She'd never cooked pancakes from scratch before, but she was determined to give it a shot. How hard could it be, really? Dorme made pancakes all the time. It should be simple.
With her mind focused, she bent to retrieve the mixing bowls out from the bottom cupboard, and then sorted out all the necessary ingredients and placed them on the counter. Except, because the flour was on the very top shelf of the pantry, she couldn't reach it, even when she stretched up on her toes. She growled in annoyance, cursing her lack of height, and was about to call for Dorme to come out and help her, when she felt a warm solid body press flush against her back and looked up to see Anakin's hand pulling the flour container down from the shelf for her. She turned and glanced up at him in surprise, and he smirked down at her, blue eyes amused and twinkling, before bending to kiss her sweetly, and once again, she turned into a puddle of goo. But, when he pulled away, he winked at her and whispered, "Midget," and she once again came to her senses and pouted up at him petulantly.
"I am not a midget," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm just…vertically challenged. Who puts flour on the top shelf anyway?"
"Normal-sized people," Anakin sniggered, blue eyes dancing with mischief.
"I am normal sized," Padme protested. "It's not my fault I'm surrounded by giants." Anakin towered over her tiny frame at six foot two, and Dorme was the ultimate svelte at five foot ten. Padme, herself being only a measly five foot four, constantly felt like she was one of the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz.
Anakin merely chuckled at her irritated expression, amused by her reaction. "Wow, what they say about short people is true," he jested, lips twitching.
"Oh, really? And, what's that?" she demanded hotly, fixing him with a stern glare.
He winked at her again, that infuriating, impish smirk still on his face. "They're angrier because they're closer to hell."
Padme glared at him, eyes narrowed coolly. "You're making fun of me."
Grinning mischievously, he bent and kissed her quickly. "Of course not," he lied smoothly. "I'd be much too frightened to tease the woman who's making me breakfast." Then, with a final wink and a pinch on her bottom, he went back into her bedroom to get dressed, leaving her partially annoyed and partially amused, watching his retreating form with a sly smile. She'd missed this…this playful side of their relationship that had been absent as of late. Their lives had been filled with so much drama and emotion, it was a nice, and very welcome change.
Now that she was alone in the kitchen, without any distractions, she began to cook breakfast. It wasn't as hard as she first thought; at least, putting all the dry ingredients in the bowl and mixing them together was simple, and frying the bacon up in a pan was just as easy.
She laughed while she worked, as she sang that old TV tune to herself about being bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan...and never letting him forget he's a man, and she suddenly realized she was giddy with happiness, being able to take care of her man this way. She was amazed she'd never done this before for Anakin. It was almost…fun. But, once it came to actually pouring the pancake mixture into the pan and trying to make these perfectly round circles, the task grew exceedingly more challenging. Particularly when she tried to flip them. They stuck to the bottom of the pan – which she'd forgotten to grease properly with the non-stick spray – and when she tried lifting them with the spatula, they fell apart. Apparently, she discovered, you were supposed to wait until little bubbles popped on the surface before flipping; otherwise, they were still gooey in the middle, but nowhere in the recipe did it say that, Padme was certain!
However, by her third attempt, she managed to get the hang of it, and they didn't turn out too bad…not as circular as she'd hoped for, but golden and fluffy with just the right amount of blueberries. She'd just finished the last batch when Anakin strode out, looking slightly dishevelled and a bit irritated, and sat down on the kitchen barstool. She gave him a once over, then cocked her head to the side. "What's wrong, Ani?"
He pursed his lips and sighed, looking sulky. "I never fully appreciated my ribs before now, or my right arm."
Padme laughed in spite of herself, because the way he was complaining was so childish. "Did you have a bit of trouble getting dressed?" she asked, turning back around to turn the bacon one last time. It hissed and spat as it sizzled in the pan, but she took that as a good sign.
Anakin groaned. "You have no idea. It's fucking painful."
"Do you need more meds?" she asked immediately, looking at him over her shoulder, concerned for his pain.
He shook his head. "Nah, I'm alright now. I've gotta get used to it, I suppose. It'll be like this for a while at least."
Even though it was true, Padme hated seeing him in pain. Especially when there was nothing she could do about it. "I'm sorry, Anakin," she muttered.
"Don't apologize, Padme. It's just how it is." He inhaled deeply and smiled warmly at her. "This smells amazing, Angel. I admit, I'm impressed."
She flushed at his praise, feeling proud of herself for successfully cooking breakfast for the first time. "Don't speak too soon, Ani," she warned him with a smirk. "You haven't tasted them yet," and her comment made him chuckle.
As she stretched up to reach for the plates in the top cupboard, Anakin suddenly let out a strangled, aroused, groan. "Babe, you're killing me, here."
"Babe?" She turned around, eyeing him curiously, enjoying the way he was staring at her unabashedly, all lusty and predatory. "I thought I was your Angel?"
He shook his head, his eyes turning a dark midnight blue. "Not right now, you're not. You're more like the devil. Every time you stretch up, my shirt rides up, giving me a nice little sneaky peek of your cute butt." He made this face, as though it was actually tormenting him, and Padme grinned at his dramatics.
"You think my butt's cute, do you?" she simpered, batting her eyes at him in an attempt at being coy.
"Very." Anakin leaned closer, eyes impossibly dark as he swept his gaze over her from head to toe and muttered in a low voice, "Babe, if I didn't have broken ribs, I'd so bend you over the counter and take you right now."
His bold declaration made her flush with heat and her dormant arousal spiked. He always did that, teased her, flirted with her, making her uncomfortable. It was like he got some sort of enjoyment out of seeing her squirm. "What if Dorme came back out and saw us, huh?"
"That's her problem. It wouldn't stop me."
Shaking her head at him, Padme giggled at his wanton expression and then served up breakfast. She had to help Anakin cut up his food, for he was struggling with one arm, but she didn't mind at all, even though he grumbled about it the entire time, but he stopped grumbling after the first bite and complimented her sincerely on her cooking, as it was delicious, which left her feeling immensely pleased with herself.
When they were halfway through their meal, Padme's phone began to ring, and she hurriedly went to answer it. Surprisingly, it was her father. Again. He'd never called her so much since she'd been at Harvard, she swore.
"Hi, Dad," she greeted him cheerfully.
"Hello, Padme. How are you? And, how's Anakin? Is he out of the hospital yet?"
"I'm alright. Ani's doing okay. He's still in quite a bit of pain, but it's not too bad. He was discharged yesterday."
"Good, good," he cleared his throat. "What are your plans for tonight? I was wondering if the two of you wanted to have dinner with me? At our usual place?"
Padme couldn't contain her shock at his offer. He wanted to have dinner with her? And, Anakin? Why was her father being so…nice to him all of a sudden? She still remembered his cold treatment of Anakin when they'd stayed at the estate before Christmas. As far as she knew (because he hadn't said otherwise), he still felt the same as he had then – that Anakin, in his opinion, wasn't good enough for his youngest daughter. So, she was confused by his sudden consideration for him.
"Padme? Are you there?" Ruwee called her name, breaking her hesitation.
She blinked her eyes and cleared her throat, coming out of her thoughts. "Yes, sorry, Dad. We'd…we'd love to join you."
"Excellent. I'll make a reservation for 7 pm. See you then, Sweetheart."
"Alright, bye, Dad."
Anakin was still struggling to eat his breakfast when she hung up and sat back down. "What did your dad want, Babe?" He asked through a mouthful of pancakes, before swallowing them thickly. Obviously, he was enjoying using his newfound nickname for her, but she secretly liked it.
Picking at her food, she explained, "He...he wants to take us out to dinner, tonight."
He almost choked on his breakfast and had to take a drink of milk to clear his throat before he could respond. "Dinner?! With your father?! " He was understandably stunned, his eyes wide as he looked at her.
She nodded. "Yeah. He, uh, wants to take us to our favourite little Italian place...You know, the one I keep telling you about." Padme smiled, in an attempt to soften him up and make the idea more inviting.
Clearly, Anakin was only paying attention to one thing. "Why?"
"I don't know, Ani," she sighed running a hand through her hair. "Is it really that big of a deal?"
He eyed her seriously. "You do remember what happened the last time we had dinner with your father, right?" Padme made a face. How could she not? It hadn't been a particularly enjoyable evening. "I'm not exactly his favourite person, Padme."
She smiled and reached across to take his hand. "I think you've actually grown on him, y'know. He was pretty concerned about you the other night."
Anakin tipped his head. "Still. How do I go about explaining this situation?" He gestured to his cast. "I doubt he'll approve."
"He doesn't need to know," Padme answered instantly with a firm nod of her head.
He seemed amused by her response, for he quirked an eyebrow at her, a smirk on his lips. "You want me to lie to your father?"
"Who said anything about lying? You had a car accident. That's the truth."
"But, not the whole truth..." Anakin reminded her.
She shrugged. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him." When he still looked sceptical, she smiled and him and stretched across her seat to kiss his cheek. He was still feeling guilty about lashing out at Clovis, Padme could tell. "Ani, it's in the past. It's all over. We don't need to bring it up again." For the sake of keeping peace between Anakin and her father, Padme saw nothing wrong with keeping that particular piece of information secret. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of last time.
"Padme..."
"Please, Ani. I want you two to get along. You're the two men I love most in the world. This is important to me."
Her words melted him, and he smiled sweetly at her. "Alright. If it means that much to you, we'll go."
"Thank you, Ani," this time she kissed his soft lips. He tasted like maple syrup and blueberries, and she lingered a little longer than she'd intended, because she just loved kissing him. It was one of her absolute favourite things to do.
They spent the rest of the day lounging about the apartment, ordering Chinese takeout for lunch and watching more Game of Thrones episodes while snuggled together on the couch. Dorme appeared from out of her bedroom sometime after midday, with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She muttered something about going to stay with Trey for a few days, and Padme smirked while Anakin shook with quiet laughter. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about being quiet, and if she knew Anakin, and she did, she knew he was definitely going to make the most of this week alone together before he went back to Chicago, broken ribs or not. The look in his eye turned positively feral as Dorme shut the front door behind her, leaving her in no doubt of his intentions.
When it came time to get ready for dinner, Padme went to get changed, choosing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a cream, long sleeve blouse, a pale blue scarf and a grey woollen coat, with her tan ankle boots and her grey woollen beret perched on her head, as she had left her hair down at Anakin's request. She had to help Anakin into his boxers, black jeans and belt and tie up his black Converses, as well as pull his grey t-shirt over his cast, before helping him to tuck it in. He couldn't get his arm in his sweater, so he had to be content with wearing his black leather jacket, leaving his right arm out. It was uncomfortable, and he was a little cold, but it was all he could manage with the angle and cumbersome size of his cast.
"Are you sure you want to go out to dinner, Angel?" Anakin asked, low in her ear as she stood back up after tying his shoe laces. His hand came to rest on her waist, slipping down to cup her backside, pulling her flush against his groin. "We could just stay here. I could put my mouth to good use again, if you like?" His gaze was searing on her face, as he kneaded her ass with his fingers and suggestively wet his lips with his tongue.
She rolled her eyes, amused by his suggestion. "Nice try, Anakin, but we're going." He visibly slumped, looking a little dejected. So, to cheer him up, she slid her fingertips suggestively up his arm and purred in his ear, "But, if you're a good boy and behave yourself tonight, I might be inclined to put my mouth to good use when we get home."
That smartened him up immediately, and he nodded, grabbing her hand and heading for the door. "Right. Let's go."
Padme chuckled as she followed him, locking the door behind them, then walking down to her car. After his accident, Anakin was understandably a little sceptical about taking a taxi, and so Padme offered to drive. Though, her Mini Cooper was definitely not built for someone of Anakin's size. Even when he was drugged up on pain medication, it was still awkward for him to slide into the passenger seat, but he eventually did it, and frowned across at her, his body all curled up and squished. She just giggled at him.
Ruwee was waiting for them at their table when they arrived and stood up as they approached, hugging Padme warmly. "Hello, Sweetheart, good to see you again." He kissed her on the cheek as he pulled back, and then his eyes drifted over to Anakin. "Anakin," he held out his hand, and Anakin shook it politely, "Glad to see you are out of the hospital and looking well."
"Thank you, Sir," Anakin smiled. "Your daughter has been taking very good care of me. I couldn't be in better hands."
Beaming up at him, Padme squeezed his hand in response to his praise. Ruwee noted the interaction with a small smile. He gestured for them both to sit down, Anakin first holding Padme's chair for her as they did, then went to order drinks for them, which they both declined, Padme due to having to drive and Anakin due to being on heavy pain medication. They perused the menu in silence for a while, until a waiter came over and took their orders, Anakin deciding on the gnocchi, as he wouldn't need to cut that up and could eat it more easily.
Once the waiter had taken their menus and walked away, Ruwee cleared his throat and looked over at Padme, eyes serious. "Padme, I have something I need to tell you," he began. She frowned at the tone of his voice, and her hand instinctively flew to Anakin's thigh underneath the table, which he covered with his left hand and twined his fingers with hers, to comfort her. The gesture was much needed.
"What news?" She asked anxiously, with some trepidation. Had something happened to her mother? Her sister? What if it was something to do with her? Was she going to lose her apartment? Was he cutting her off? The possibilities were endless, and she bit her lip nervously, waiting for the proverbial bomb to drop.
With a deep sigh, Ruwee pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and sighed. "You mother and I have decided to give it a second chance."
Padme grinned happily at the news and withdrew her hand from Anakin's to reach across the table and take her father's. "Dad! That's...That's wonderful! " She felt like she was a fourteen year old girl again. The mere thought of her parents getting back together again, after a ten year divorce, was the greatest news she'd heard in a long time. Their divorce had broken her heart, as well as their family. It had caused her separation from her mother and her sister for ten years. If they were, truly, getting back together, then she wouldn't have to worry about trying to see both of her parents for Thanksgiving, or the holidays. They'd be together, one big happy family again, and even though she was twenty-four now and no longer a little girl, she twitched with excitement at the prospect.
"So, you're getting remarried?" She asked ecstatically, unable to stop smiling.
Her father smiled at her enthusiasm and shook his head. "No, we're not getting remarried. We're just...Taking it slow. Seeing how it goes. We've both changed since we were married. Right now, we're just getting to know each other again. "
That only made Padme grin. "So... You're dating?" She laughed, shaking her head. "I never thought I'd ever say 'my parents are dating'."
Shaking his head, Ruwee sighed. "Padme, don't get your hopes up too high, Sweetheart. It might not work out."
Padme brushed him off with a wave of her hand. Her father - ever the sceptic. Honestly, it's where she got her scepticism from, no doubt. Still, she was determined to see the bright side of this situation, because she'd been wanting this ever since her parents' divorce when she was fourteen, and now her wish was coming true. "But, it might. You love Mom, don't you?"
A small smile crept upon her father's face, and he nodded his head, suddenly looking a lot younger than he was. "Yes. I do. I always have."
"Then that's all the matters," Padme told him. "When you love someone, you do whatever it takes to make it work." As she said those last words, she glanced up at Anakin, smiling sweetly. His eyes were misted over with fierce affection and, this time, it was his hand that snuck across to her thigh, caressing it tenderly. Ruwee watched their interaction with unusual fondness – Padme caught it out of the corner of her eye. Once again, she was surprised. Maybe she was right. Maybe Anakin had grown on her father. The prospect left her tingling with happiness. She loved Anakin more than anything, and it was about time her family understood why she felt the way she did about him. He was sweet and brave and had the biggest heart of anyone she'd ever known. He deserved to be loved and respected.
"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Ruwee chuckled, shaking his head. "I knew you'd let it go to your head. You're too optimistic, Sweetheart." Padme knew he wasn't making fun of her, just being honest. "But, your mother insisted that we be honest with you, and, well," he paused and sighed, though she didn't miss the little endearing smile on his face, "she'd already told your sister, so it was up to me to tell you."
Padme laughed. She could just picture her mother crossing her arms and being firm, and her father sulking as he reluctantly agreed to her suggestion. "Well, I'm glad you told me, Dad."
They shared a tender smile, before Ruwee turned his attention across to Anakin. "And, if I may ask, how is your mother, Anakin?" he asked.
He stiffened beside her, like he often did when talking about his mother and her condition, and at first, Padme thought he was going to close off, shut himself behind his walls in that way of his, to protect himself, but he surprised her. Instead, he nodded his head and smiled, though she didn't miss the flash of agony that caught the light of his eyes. "She's well, Sir," he informed her father. "Well, as well as she can be, I guess. I talk to her most nights, and she seems…happy… but… she's tired a lot. The chemo is taking its toll on her." His voice cracked on the words, and Padme's heart yearned for him and she found his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly, expressing her love and support silently.
Ruwee nodded his head solemnly. "She's a very brave woman, your mother, from what I can gather from Jobal. Give her my regards, when you next talk to her, m'boy." Anakin nodded and muttered his thanks. "She must really appreciate hearing from you so often," he continued. "Padme only calls me when something's wrong."
Padme rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That's not true, Dad!" she protested.
He smirked at her. "Oh yes, it is, Sweetheart. The last time you called me was when Anakin was in hospital and you needed me to take you to see him."
He had a point. Padme crossed her arms and pouted. "Well…I've been… busy," she insisted.
"That's what she tells me, as well, Sir," Anakin interjected with a smirk, eyes flashing with mischief. "You're not the only one. Apparently, Padme is too busy for the both of us."
"Well then, maybe next time she needs us, we might just be too…busy. Don't you think?"
Anakin grinned widely. "I think that's an excellent idea, Sir."
Padme flicked her eyes back and forth between her father and Anakin, unable to believe what she was hearing. They were making fun of her…together. As though they were friends or something, or at least partially liked each other. Even though she was the target of their teasing, she didn't mind at all. They could tease her all they wanted, if it meant they got along.
Pride surged through her as she beamed at the both of them; her two favourite men in the entire world. Nothing made her happier than knowing that her father had finally accepted Anakin in her life, even if only slightly. He was making an effort, she could tell, and she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and hug him tightly for trying, for her sake.
"How did this happen, anyway, Anakin? If you don't mind me asking?" Ruwee inclined his head towards Anakin's cast.
Padme glanced over at him, biting her lip and praying he would stick to their agreement. "Well," he began slowly. "I was in a taxi, heading back to the airport, when we got T-boned at a set of traffic lights by another driver."
Ruwee frowned. "That's very unlucky," he said. "But, why were you heading to the airport in the middle of the night? Why didn't you just stay the night with Padme? Isn't that what you normally do?"
Anakin swallowed and glanced at Padme, who pleaded with him silently to just make something up. "Well, we…er – we'd had a fight, Sir, and I was going to go back to Chicago, actually."
Padme wanted to bang her forehead against the table. Why did he decide to be all honest and righteous now of all times, especially when her father was just showing signs of coming around and actually liking him?! Anakin could be seriously pig-headed sometimes.
"A fight?"
Anakin nodded. "Yes, Sir. I…well, I had a bit of a – uh – run in… with Padme's ex-boyfriend."
An instant scowl appeared on her father's face, and his eyes narrowed to slits behind his glasses. "Rush Clovis?" he snarled aggressively. Padme had never seen her father look this angry before. "Let me guess…it was a physical discussion?"
Anakin swallowed nervously and glanced over at Padme, who glared at him, all but telling him to stop talking before he ruined the progress he'd made. Clearly, though, he was bent on ignoring her, because he nodded his head weakly and sighed. "Yes, Sir. Well, on my part, anyway. I…I punched him in the face…umm, quite a few times." He hung his head in shame, and Padme felt a small pang of sympathy for him, but it was quickly replaced by sheer disbelief.
What was he doing? She'd told him to keep that particular piece of information secret. Her father had already accused Anakin of being a criminal once before, she didn't want him to do it again. Especially not in public. She dug her nails into the flesh of Anakin's palm, urging him to shut up, and prepared herself for the outburst that was likely to come from her father.
Instead, he smiled wryly and asked, "So, how did it feel? Did it feel good?"
"Dad?!" Padme cried out in shock, staring at her father with wide eyes. Had he just…encouraged Anakin's actions?!
Ruwee looked over at her, his expression deadly serious. "Padme, I've been wanting to punch that son of a bitch for years after what he did to you. Anakin, unfortunately, got there first. So," he redirected his focus back to Anakin, who was just as shocked as Padme, eyes blinking rapidly as he processed the sudden turn of events. "How did it feel?"
Anakin hesitated, unsure of how to answer the question, before he swallowed thickly and nodded his head, "Satisfying, Sir." Then, in an effort to redeem himself, he glanced at Padme, wide eyed and confused. "At least, the first time it was…but then I got – I got carried away and I… I shouldn't have. It was wrong. I know it was. I could have killed him, but he – he hurt Padme, and he…he had to pay for that…" he broke off, distressed, but Padme couldn't move. She already knew why he did what he did, why he'd lashed out so violently and out of control. But, her father didn't know about the horrors of Anakin's childhood, of why he was so protective of her. He didn't understand. All he would see would be a violent brute. It terrified her.
"I love her, Sir, and..." Anakin continued. "The thought of someone hurting her… it – "
"Good!" Ruwee sat back in his seat, looking both impressed and proud. "Good."
Padme stared at him incredulously. "Dad! Violence is never the answer!"
"Padme," he said slowly. "You're my baby girl. Did you really think I'd let that bastard get away with hurting you like he did, with treating you so badly? Were I in Anakin's position, I would have done the exact same thing. Well done, m'boy." Ruwee nodded his head at Anakin in approval.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. How was it, that the thing that had almost torn her and Anakin apart, was the same thing that was bringing her father and Anakin together? She didn't understand it. Was she the only person who had been horrified by Anakin's actions?
"Thank you," Ruwee addressed Anakin once more. "You defended my daughter's honour, and I appreciate and respect that."
Anakin nodded his head solemnly. "Thank you, Sir. That means a lot to me. I truly love her, Mr. Naberrie. She's everything to me." His hand squeezed her thigh gently, and he met her gaze, adoration swimming in those intoxicating pools of blue.
It was then that their moment was interrupted by the arrival of their meals, and they began to eat in silence, Anakin managing well with his spoon. Padme was more than just a little overwhelmed by what she'd just witnessed. She couldn't believe her father, her strict, by the rules father, had actually approved of Anakin's treatment of Clovis. It was unbelievable.
But, she also couldn't help but feel flattered. It only proved, once again, how much her father truly loved her. To him, Padme would always be his baby girl, and, as he'd said, no one got away with hurting his baby girl.
"Do you like basketball, Anakin?" Ruwee suddenly asked when they were halfway through their meal.
Anakin perked up immediately, eyes brightening and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes, Sir. I love it."
Nodding his head and smiling, Ruwee swallowed his next mouthful and took a sip of his wine. "Excellent. See, I have two spare tickets to the next Celtics game this Friday night. I was wondering if you and Padme wanted to join me?"
Padme felt a little annoyed at how her father hadn't asked her about this, and instead was addressing Anakin, but before she could remark, Anakin responded for her. "Wow! That's...that's awesome! Yes, of course. We'd love to! This…this is incredible! Thank you, Sir!" He was bouncing in his seat like a child at Christmas, and it was so endearing, that Padme couldn't stay irritated for long, even though she didn't know anything about basketball, and simply nodded her head along in agreement.
"Yes, we'd love to, Dad."
Ruwee smiled happily, looking immensely pleased. "Great. Well, I'll pick you both up before the game."
When they'd finished their meals, all three of them were too full for dessert, so Padme decided it was time to go home. She hugged her father goodbye, and Anakin shook his hand, thanking him again for the Celtics tickets, as well as dinner, and then the two of them walked out to Padme's car. As they drove home, Padme couldn't help but smile to herself. Dinner had gone far better than she'd expected. She had a feeling that her father's new attitude towards Anakin was due to her mother, but she couldn't (and wouldn't) complain. They were getting along. That was all she wanted.
When they arrived home, Anakin slung his left arm around her waist and pulled her gently into his chest, lifting her up slightly to kiss her languidly. She rested her hands on his hips and returned his kiss, walking them backwards until he was against the wall of the living room.
"You're right," Anakin smirked when they broke away from the kiss. "Your father has grown to like me."
She frowned. "I can't believe he approved of what you did to Clovis."
Anakin shrugged. "Hey, I didn't expect him to either. I just didn't want to lie to him. It didn't feel right, y'know?"
"You're too honest for your own good, Ani," she smiled, twining her fingers up in his hair.
He smiled and kissed her again, his hand sliding down her hip to cup her backside, giving it a firm squeeze. "So, I held up my part of the bargain. Now, it's time to hold up yours, Babe," he whispered as he winked at her, his eyes gleaming with desire.
Rolling her eyes at his request and the use of her new nickname, she grinned wickedly. "Hmmm…well, I think you've earned your reward. You were on your best behaviour, after all."
Then she dropped to her knees in front of him, an excited grin on both their faces.