You're probably wondering why it took me so long to write this one... the answer is I have absolutely no clue! I'm HOPING I can be inspired to work more on this story in the near future, but if the length between the last chapter and this one is any indicator, you might have better luck waiting for the next ASOIAF book (kidding! (hopefully))

Either way,

Happy Reading!

Chapter 14

The last time she had been to New Orleans had been around Mardi Gras a few years back. Dorme, Yane, and Eirtae had all decided to drag her all around the French Quarter with every intention of giving her what they thought was a well deserved break from the pressure of the real world. Her memory of that night was a little hazy, save for headache much too vivid memories of spending the following morning huddled over the toilet. But through the haze she does remember dancing with a few guys, laughing, and a general feeling of release as her worries faded for those few short hours. Her evening with Anakin was going a little different than that. The place he'd selected checked every box on the what to do in New Orleans list; fresh seafood, fancy cocktails, a live jazz band, and less than a block south of Bourbon Street. But if she was being honest with herself, she didn't really care about that. They could have just stayed in the airport for all she cared, so long as they could talk like they have been doing all night. At first they talked about the usual things. He asked about her sister and how she was feeling being so close to giving birth. He asked about Luke and told her that Luke should be fine with her dating. She asked him about his mother and if the rumors about Obi-Wan leaving were true. But evidently those topics were quickly abandoned in favor of more interesting things.

It turns out neither of them are really into jazz music. Country music is… okay, but if you listen to enough of it you eventually have the urge to buy a pickup truck and poppin' a cold one down by the creek. They of course have their differences, Anakin preferring more of the classic rock of the 80's with a dash of some big hits from his mother's youth, while Padme has more of an… eclectic taste with everything ranging from early pop to classical orchestral pieces. Luke can't stand it when she gets in a Tchaikovsky loop, and it seems Anakin is mostly clueless about who that even is! And based on the list of musicians he likes, she can just picture the look on his face if she were to pull up one of her playlists and make him listen to it.

As the dinner crowed soon started to dwindle and the atmosphere shifted more towards the nightlife, the two of them left and casually strolled along the brightly lit streets of the city. Hand in hand, they let the laidback mood of the city simply drift them along down the streets. Music blared out of almost every building and the occasional street band left almost no space devoid of some melodic tune. "You know, I used to want to be a drummer," Anakin said as they passed by another live music venue. The drummer in the live band playing nodded his head to the beat of the song as he fancily twirled the drumsticks in his hands between each hit. Anakin smiled as they peeked their heads in to catch a glimpse of the band for a few moments.

"You told me you always wanted to be a pilot," She said, raising a brow at him.

"Well, yeah," He shrugged. "But I wanted to be a pilot, slash drummer, slash professional athlete…"

Padme shook her head as a light giggle escaped her lips, "Jack of all trades," She muttered.

"Oh come on, every kid has those silly ambitions at one point or another. What's the craziest thing Luke ever said he wanted to be?"

"Indiana Jones," She said with a sigh. "But just the adventure part, not the archeology professor part. He wanted to go on adventures, fight bad guys and rescue damsels in distress." Padme shook her head as they both laughed. "He even went so far as to ask for a whip for his birthday once. He was so disappointed when he didn't get one."

"How old was he?"

Her eyes glanced up for a Monet as she counted back the years, "Six, I think… But when he didn't get the whip he started using his shoelaces as a whip to the point that I had to hide all shoes with laces until he grew out of it."

Anakin shook his head as his arm wrapped around her waist and they left the venue to continue on their walk. "And what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. Before you wanted to be a lawyer there had to be some crazy dream that had you banging on pots and pans, or making cracking sounds with shoelaces."

A light blush dusted her cheeks as a vivid image from her childhood flashed briefly in her memory. She couldn't tell him. It was so silly and ridiculous, and something she'd already endured years of her sister's teasing over. "I've always wanted to be a lawyer," She resolved, squaring her shoulders with an air of assurance she hoped he would find believable.

He didn't. "So boring," He said, rolling his eyes. "Please tell me you at least wanted… I don't know, to do something fun! Like… professional unicyclist."

"Unicycle?" Padme laughed as she glanced questionably up at him, "Where did you get that idea from?"

His head bowed over as he laughed, pulling her back against him, "I don't know! It's at least more fun than just a plain old lawyer. Pouring over law books, and paperwork," He gave an exaggerated yawn and shook his head, "You have to have had some dream that was crazy and innocent, and just plain childish."

Padme bit her lip as she heaved a heavy sigh, "Queen," She said, her voice barely louder than a whisper but still loud enough for him to hear.

"Queen, eh?" His smile broadened as he gracefully stepped to the side and into an overly dramatic bow, "Your Majesty!"

"Don't start!" She laughed, giving his shoulder a firm shove, "I was five!" She argued, as he stood straight and wrapped his arm around her once again as they started walking again. Anakin pressed his lips to her temple and she felt herself lean into the affectionate gesture. "What I really wanted was to be the President, but, I always thought the title of a Queen sounded better."

"So instead of a new President every four years, we'd get a Queen?" His eyes lifted as he tried to think about the logic of a silly five-year-old Padme's idea. And it really was a silly idea. The idea of a democratic royalty made no sense, and as expected, Anakin thought the same thing, his laughter was contagious as they burst into a fit of giggles.

"I haven't told anyone that in a long time," She mused, reaching up to the shoulder his arm was draped over. Her fingers found his and immediately he weaved their fingers together. The natural way everything he did just felt so perfect. The way she fit into his side, the way the rough callous of his thumb brushed against her knuckles… it amazed her how familiar everything was for them. They haven't even been on that many real dates, and yet it felt like she's been with him for years.

"I can tell why," He said, "It is absolutely ridiculous!"

"Oh, don't start!" She sighed, as she started to regret even telling him.

"Come on, don't you want to know the most ridiculous part of the whole thing?"

"Not really."

Anakin smiled as he suddenly jerked them to the side of the sidewalk, her back pressing against the stone wall of a storefront. He smiled down at her, as his fingers gently came to brush a lock of her hair away from her face. "The most ridiculous thing, is that a Queen is a rather large step down from the Angel you really are." The corner of Anakin's lips curled into that half smirk of his as he spoke. His voice was gentle and so brutally honest, and yet his words sounded so… corny that if she didn't know that Anakin always spoke like he jumped out of a romcom, she would think he was lying.

But she did know him. She knew that he never said anything he didn't mean. She knew that he was a romantic at heart. She knew that he wanted her. And knowing that it is hard enough finding a single guy who is okay with her having a kid, but also finding one who can say things like that, was near impossible, part of her was expecting to wake up at any moment alone in her bed to find that all of this — that Anakin was just a dream. Because how can someone so perfect exist in this world?

A light blush slowly colored his cheeks as he brought his hand to the nape of his neck and awkwardly chuckled. "Um, I think this is where you either tell me 'that's sweet' or if it's creepy."

"No!" Padme laughs, her hand coming up to his chest, "No, it's-it's anything but creepy. It's perfect." She took a step closer to him and tilted her head up, Anakin following her lead and leaning down until their foreheads lightly touch. Her eyes fall shut as she fists his coat.

A light tremor radiates through her body, starting in her chest before flowing out. She tries to hide it by nuzzling into him, but it doesn't work. "Are you cold?" He asks, his hands rubbing smoothly up and down her arms. "You're trembling."

"I didn't know I could feel this way about someone," Her eyes opened slowly and they regarded one another silently. She loves they way he looks at her, like there is no one else in the world. It is easy to just drown in the depth of those blue eyes of his. She doesn't care that they're standing outside of a storefront just staring at one another, she doesn't care that people smile at them as they walk past the scene they're making. She just cares about him and hopes that he feels something close to what she is feeling.

Anakin carefully tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear, and despite the coldness of his fingertips, she leans into his touch. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows before he speaks again, "Do-do you want to go back to the hotel?" He asks, his tongue flicking out to wet his lips, "It's getting a bit cold out." It isn't even that cold out. She knows what he is really asking even if he hasn't said the exact words. It doesn't matter. Her answer remains the same. Padme gives a small scoff at him before giving a small nod and letting him whisk her away at a slightly faster pace to get back to the hotel.

His back collided roughly with her hotel room door as she stumbles into him, their lips clashing in a deep and desperate kiss, one they've been saving for the several blocks back to the hotel. Padme fists the front of his jacket as she feels his hands dance up and down her back, pulling her flush against him so she can feel the beginnings of his arousal as it starts to grow in his pants. She sighs as she fumbles with her purse, trying to find the silly keycard to open the door, all the while she is desperate to keep her lips and his sealed together. Anakin helps by cupping the back of her head as his tongue delved into her mouth, twining with hers with gentle caresses. Dear God, it takes everything just to remember what she's supposed to be doing! Inside her purse she rummages for her wallet but with no success. With a groan, she forces herself to pull away from the kiss. Anakin lets his hands slide down to her hips, drawing little circles as she opens her purse as wide as it can so she can physically look for the wallet. How hard is it to find a wallet in a little cross body purse? Harder than it should have been. How did her wallet end up lodged in the bottom behind all the little tiny things she carries? She has no idea.

With an exasperated sigh, she finally pulls out the key and opens the door and roughly shoves him inside, before following and letting the door slam behind them. She only barely heard his laugh at how eager she was before she pressed herself back into his arms. His hands left a burning trail down her spine as she carded her own through his hair. Their lips locked in a heated kiss, Padme let her hands wander from his hair to his shirt, carefully working the small buttons open as his grip around her body slackened enough for him to let his coat drop from his shoulders. His shirt quickly followed, and she pulled back only long enough to fully appraise him. She already knew he was well built, they'd cuddled together enough for her to already be somewhat familiar with the ridges of muscle that was hidden beneath his layers of clothes. But knowing was miles from actually seeing and she could feel her cheeks heat at the thought that this textbook example of male masculinity— this god actually wanted her. Padme bit her lip as unconsciously her eyes followed the light trail of blond hairs that led below his waistline. It'd been so long…

Anakin's laugh pulled her attention back to his face, her cheeks burning a little in embarrassment from how long she'd been staring, but he didn't seem to mind. instead, he cupped her cheek with his hand and kissed her again, slowly this time as he eased her embarrassment with his lips, reaffirming that this— what they had— was more than just a physical attraction and she easily relaxed under his attention as he slowly brought his hand to the back of her dress, undoing the button at the top and waiting a moment in case she wanted him to stop before easing the zipper down until it stopped just above the swell of her backside. The dress easily slipped forward from her shoulders before falling in a pool of fabric at her feet, leaving her standing before him in just her underwear. Anakin's lips twitched at the corners as he looked at her with such… adoration. He always looked at her like she was the most amazing person in the world, but it felt so much heavier now. Taking a deep breath, Padme reached behind her and unclasped her bra, letting it too, slip from her shoulders and land on the floor, watching in amazement as his eyes grew wide and his jaw slackened.

"You're so beautiful," He said, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached his hand to her breast and cupped it, feeling the weight of the mound as his thumb traced little invisible patterns just below the nipple, before he stepped closer to her and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her in for another breathtaking kiss. Her eyes closed as they blindly side-stepped to where the bed was located in the middle of the room. She felt his lips smile against hers as he flicked at her nipple with his thumb and she jolted at the tingling sensation the action sent through her system. Padme pulled back from the kiss, just barely escaping his lips as he leaned forward to chase her. With their eyes open, and locked in an intense gaze, she felt an unfamiliar thrill, one she surprisingly wanted to encourage. With a sly smile, she pulled out of his embrace and roughly shoved him backwards onto the bed. His eyes went wide as he lost his balance and bounced from the force of his landing on the matress, but he didn't seem to mind, in fact, he seemed to feel a similar thrill as he lifted himself onto his elbows and simply looked up at her in awe.

The way he was laying on the bed made the bulge in his pants more visible as it clearly tented and strained behind the zipper. Padme bit her lip as she carefully crawled on top of him, his hands coming to rest easily on her hips to steady her as she leaned over him to kiss him once more. His grip on her hips tightened as he shifted under her, pressing himself firmly against her and dragging a slow moan from her as he moved them further onto the bed before he relaxed back against the mattress. Leaning over him, her hair cascaded over her shoulders, enveloping both of them behind the brown curls. He smiled up at her before quickly latching his mouth to her neck, suckling wetly as she craned her head to the side to give him more access. Beneath her she felt the light twitch of his cock, still very much restrained, and she couldn't help but feel bad for the poor thing. Shifting her hips over him, she grinned lightly against him, loving the surprised grunt that escaped his lips as he eagerly thrust his hips to meet hers. She sighed into his mouth as she tried to continue grinding, all the while letting her hands slide lower until they reached his belt. It took some fumbling for her to undo the buckle, but once it was done, it was easy enough to get the button and zipper before he hastily began to kick his pants and boxers off.

Padme shifted further down his thighs as she sat up. Between them, his erect cock bobbed eagerly between them, the head shimmering with wetness. His eyes locked intently and almost shyly on her, as if waiting for her approval. Tugging her lip between her teeth, she slowly reached out and touched the skin of his member. It was warm, as she felt a firm throb against her palm as she slowly dragged her hand from base to tip. Anakin breathed in sharply as his eyes rolled back and taking that as encouragement, she repeated the action, again and again. "Harder," He hissed, his hips jerking up into her hand, and she obeyed easily, increasing her speed and adding a slow twisting motion. His fists bunched in the sheets as she just barely heard her name pass his lips as his hips began to rock into each downward motion she made with her hand. The rhythm felt so natural, and so in sync that despite this being the first time in a long time that she held a man's cock in her hand, she didn't feel shy or embarrassed and all she was truly aware of was the guttural sounds he made, and the wetness that was slowly forming between her legs.

She watched as his eyes rolled back as a strangled moan slipped past his lips before he suddenly lurched forward. His hands cupped the back of her neck, drawing her lips towards his. The action caught her off guard and what control she had, slipped as he flopped back down onto the bed, bringing her with him until she was sprawled on top of him; their lips met in a heated and sloppy kiss that warmed her to her very core. She felt his hands slide from her neck to her chest, her hair, her hip… his hands were everywhere, wanting to touch every last inch of her he could reach. It was endearing, and she loved it especially when she heard a loud tear as he roughly ripped the waistband of her panties, slipping the tattered garment out of the way of his enticing fingers.

"Anakin…" She jolted as the tip of his index finger made contact with the tight bundle of nerves, and felt his lips latch onto her neck. Padme sighed as she gripped his shoulders, her hips lifting slightly to allow him more access, but it was hard, so hard to do that when his fingers worked to make her weak.

"So wet…" He mumbled against her throat, "You're so wet… you want this- Want me?"

"Yes… yes, yes!" Padme let out a yelp as she felt him shift her off of him a little more rough than she expected, but she didn't care. She watched as he stumbled off the bed and rummaged through his pants on the floor. Light reflected briefly off the blue foiled square he pulled from his pocket. Padme bit her bottom lip as she watched Anakin tear the packet open with his teeth and pull out the condom. His eyes never left hers as he rolled it over his hard throbbing cock and she couldn't help but to reach out towards it. Gripping the base, she gave him a small squeeze and relished in the groan that rumbled from his chest before carefully leading him back towards her. Anakin's lips curled into an amused smirk as she led him by his cock until he was hovering over her. Immediately, his hand found a perch on her thigh while he leaned most of his weight on his forearm by her head.

Anakin smiled at her, a genuine smile as he twisted a lock of her hair around his index finger. His eyes locked intently on hers as he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, pulling back only long enough to show her that beautiful smile again before kissing her once more, deeply, passionately. His cock nudged at her entrance and her hips shifted under him, widening, helping him to ease inside her. Padme sighed into the kiss as her hand found its way into his hair, holding his face to hers, as he slowly started to rock. "Oh God… uh, Ani," She couldn't believe how wonderful it felt— how wonderful he felt. His cock reached so deep inside her, nudging the most sensitive parts within her that had her gasping in pleasure as he worked to almost consistently hit that same spot over and over again. The way his eyes were trained on her, and the way he responded to the sounds and minute movements she made, had her heart swell with affection for this man. So attentive even in the throes of passion, he cared more about her enjoyment than his and she couldn't help but love him for it.

Roughly, his hands yanked hers from around him, with one hand, he held her arms in place above her head while his other hand readjusted his grip on her thigh, hoisting it over his shoulder as he leaned up. His hips thundered into her, the sound of their skin clapping and the creaking of the bed, accompanied by the guttural sounds they made, filled the room as she felt her end approaching like a freight train. "Anakin! Oh, Anakin! Yes! Right… right there!" Her eyes rolled back as her hips shook violently against his as a toe-curling orgasm ripped through her, sending an electric flow of pure physical pleasure down her spine.

Anakin never let up, his own hips continuing to thrust hard and frenzied into her as he chased his own release. "You feel so good," He groaned, "…S-so tight… warm… Fuck!" And just like her moments before, she felt him come undone inside her—for her. Padme watched with rapture as the veins in his neck constricted and how his muscles twitched spastically with every shallow thrust as he emptied himself. She didn't think she could be so aroused watching a man climax. But she was, and instinctively, the muscles in her center tightened as she milked every drip from him. He let out a strained groan as he collapsed on top of her, panting heavily as his grip on her wrists and thigh relaxed. She was sore. And he was heavy. But she had never felt so complete with every inch of her body touching his.

Eventually he became a little too heavy, and her small groan had him hastily rolling off of her with muttered apology as he settled beside her, his arm slinging over her hip as she turned to face him. His skin was still flushed and his hair darkened by perspiration, but she swears he's never looked more perfect. Anakin smiled at her as he ran his fingers along her side, as if testing to see if she were real or a dream. And if he was doubting it was real, so was she. Reaching out, she placed her hand on his chest, feeling the slightly erratic beat of his heart, and trailing up to his jaw. His head turned into her palm, pressing a soft kiss to her soft flesh before turning his head to look back at her.

Her brow furrowed as he bit his lip and despite what had just happened, he seemed almost tense, as if he might regret what had just happened. Padme felt a sinking feeling in her gut at the thought that it might not have been good for him, or maybe— no, that was impossible, right? "What is it?" She asked, almost dreading his answer.

Anakin tugged his lip between his teeth, "I-I don't know if I should say this after sex," He started, already starting to confirm the dread in her stomach. "I mean, I've never— But…I-I just have to say it…" He cleared his throat as he met her eyes with an intense gaze, "I-I love you."

Her breath hitched, caught off guard, and yet so, so happy. A giggle slipped past her lips that might have sounded on the verge of hysterics but she didn't care, leaning close and taking his face in her hands to kiss him senseless. Anakin Skywalker nearly scared her half to death, but, she was sure, so sure she was in love with him that it didn't even matter. And hearing him say those words, made her heart soar. "Oh, Ani… I love you too," She said.