There was this time, this one fucking time, on fucking Tatooine, when Anakin was... Seven? Eight? Something like that.

Okay, well he was fucking racing, it was his first race.

His pod was a piece of shit, but it got him into his first race, so it was absolutely the best to him.

He'd been doing pretty good so far. It was down to him and a handful of others, and he'd somehow managed to catch up to Sebulba, fucking somehow, and he was feeling pretty great.

Like he could actually do it.

Win.

Make something of himself.

Not feel like a slave for a fucking second.

Soon enough they were nearing the finish. Sebulba was on his left and a big fucking rock was on his right and there just so happened to be another big fucking rock in front of him.

He'd tried getting in front of Sebulba but it was no use he was going to-

The next thing Anakin knew he was on his back.

He was staring up at the sky, which was a lot foggier than usual.

There was black smoke covering it, and Anakin wondered why he couldn't smell it, but that's when he realized he couldn't fucking breathe.

He tried pulling air into his lungs.

Some s*nd fell from his lips into his mouth and down his throat as he sucked in, while he felt an awful, gutteral noise escape his throat.

It seemed he couldn't hear great either.

He'd ejected from his pod at the last second, landing him a good distance from the explosion.

Anakin could feel the heat from the fire from where he was, so he had to be close.

So, there he was, lungs filling with s*nd and gasping, begging for air.

He blacked out for a couple seconds before his instincts kicked in.

Somehow he managed to sit up, cough out some fucking s*nd and get in a few good, labored breaths.

The next thing he knew his mother was there and he was assuring her that he was okay, but he seriously wasn't, because he fucking thought he was gonna die, holy shit.

Anakin felt that same thing.

He'd only felt it three times in his life.

"Hello there."

Those two stupid words knocked the fucking wind out of him.

After a couple seconds of being transported back to his home planet and having some s*nd stuffed down his throat, he turned around.

It was a slow turn, like those ones in old westerns when they're about to have a stand off and shoot the fuck out of each other.

He really didn't know what he was expecting.

It was Ben, the man from the party, of course.

Because of fucking course it was.

You know, Anakin really thought he could tell what he looked like under that mask.

But he wasn't expecting that.

His clean cut beard was as perfect and pristine as ever, he could see a bunch more little freckles, he had a cute nose, and some nice crinkles at the edges of his eyes.

He was hot.

It was infuriating.

"Uh, hi."

What the hell had one of the Senators just said? Wait.

Anakin must've looked every bit as confused as he actually was.

Several people in the room laughed, as well as Ben himself.

Obi-Wa-

"We'll leave you two to catch up. Feel free to join us down the hall when you two are ready."

"Obi-Wan Kenobi?!"

He heard Padmé's distinct snort from across the room as the Senator's exited the room, chuckling amongst themselves.

This had to be some kind of sick joke.

"Ah, yes, about that-"

"Liar!"

"Half-truths and hyperbole."

"You're-"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, yes. I do believe we've been over this already, Anakin."

"Why-"

"Do you really think a Senator should be giving out their real name at a masquerade? Trust me, Anakin, I'm not that foolish." Obi-Wan explained, shrugging as he spoke. "'Ben is a nickname."

"You," Anakin was breathless. "You knew who I was. You were there. On Tatooine."

"Yes, I was. With my Master." Obi-Wan seemed tense. Like he was fighting back the urge to clench his teeth.

"My Master."

"Oh, Anakin. I can assure you, he was mine first."

"You're a Jedi. How-How are you a Senator?"

"I was a Jedi." Something in Obi-Wan's eyes twinkled just the slightest bit.

Anakin felt the air leave his chest abruptly for what felt like the twelve thousandth time in the past thirty seconds.

"Perhaps you should sit down."

"I'm fine."

There was silence for a moment.

"I decided to leave the Jedi Order the year Qui-Gon took you on as a Padawan."

"Why?"

It was quiet again.

Obi-Wan crossed the expanse of the room, walking over towards the completely glass wall, perfectly showcasing the gorgeous city of Coruscant.

Anakin hadn't realized what time it was until he looked outside to see a somber sunset, mopping the sky with deep yellows and brilliant golds, accented with dark crimsons.

He must've slept through most of the day.

"Wouldn't you have?"

The Jedi blinked a few times, tearing his eyes away from the bustling city outside the windows.

"What?"

Obi-Wan chuckled.

It was soft and wholesome, just like the one he'd heard at the party.

He was happy to hear it again.

"Nothing, Anakin."

The Senator waved a hand, gesturing for Anakin to come over and join him.

Anakin obliged without thought.

He was here for a mission, after all. Master Windu had set this up.

"Why don't I ever see you in the temple? You just… Vanished one day. Qui-Gon didn't even mention you. I thought you died."

Obi-Wan looked away from him. He couldn't read his emotions if he wanted to.

He really wanted to.

"That was the consensus, yes. Most of them assumed I died on some mission that went wrong. I simply told the Council I was leaving and I did." He paused. "Having 'former Jedi' on your resume can really get you any job. I was brave enough to choose politics."

Anakin thought for a moment, mind racing as it began making all too much sense.

"I didn't think it'd be that easy."

"You've thought about leaving?"

"What? No. Of course not." Anakin quickly replied. "I'm extremely grateful to the Jedi Order, without them I-"

"I heard it all on Naboo, Anakin. I don't need to hear the lecture again. That is, unless you need to say it to convince yourself-"

Anakin turned his head, looking away from the city and to Obi-Wan.

He had a feeling those grey eyes were going to be the death of him.

He didn't say anything, simply stared for a few moments while the former Jedi stared out at the city.

"Why'd you stay here?" Anakin spoke up, genuinely curious.

"What?" Obi-Wan hadn't been expecting that question, as it seemed.

"On Coruscant. You could go anywhere in the Galaxy." The Jedi explained.

"This is the Capital. I'm not looking to govern some city off on the other side of the Galaxy." Obi-Wan turned his own head, locking eyes with Anakin. "I don't believe I could find my family, either, if they're still alive. The Jedi ripped me from my home planet when I was very small."

Anakin thought about his own home planet.

He'd known his mother, unlike Obi-Wan. It must've been easier for him, having left before he'd even had a relationship with his own mother.

"Have you visited?"

"What, Stewjon? Oh no. Not yet. I've been busy here or traveling to other planets for masquerades."

Something quickly occured to Anakin, something he hadn't thought about before.

"Why were you there, anyways?" He asked.

"The party was for Padmé. I admire her as a senator and former queen." Came Obi-Wan's quick answer.

"Are you two friends?" Anakin tried not to give too much away with his response, not wanting to sound overprotective or jealous or anything because he totally wasn't at all.

"Not exclusively. Don't worry, Anakin. I won't make any moves." Obi-Wan laughed.

Anakin didn't.

He stared at him for a moment, brows pushed down in annoyance.

Obi-Wan continued to laugh before stopping, smiling smugly at the Jedi in front of him.

"She's not the one I'm interested in." He chuckled, tilting his head just that little fucking bit.

Anakin was disarmed.

He hadn't been expecting that, and it wasn't entirely unwanted, Obi-Wan was fucking hot but-

"Stop it." He forced himself to say.

"Make me." Was Obi-Wan's quick response.

Anakin pulled his eyes from Obi-Wan's.

"Why am I here?"

"To protect me."

Anakin looked back at him. Confused as ever.

Anakin had a few moods. Confused was a constant one.

"Padmé reported that a changeling was trying to get information about me. And I, a defenseless human, cannot protect myself."

"You were a Jedi." Anakin stated.

"Anakin, this is getting a little pathetic." Obi-Wan replied, sighing deeply and looking back to the city.

"What is?"

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

"Can't you sense it?"

"What?"

"Exactly."

"I'm confused."

"Clearly." Obi-Wan mumbled. He took a few seconds before looking back to Anakin."I've closed myself off from the force."

Anakin nodded slowly, still not fully understanding.

"Oh, that's why I couldn't sense you!" He exclaimed, not even realizing how dumb he actually was. Fucking Idiot. Dumb Stupid Idiot.

Obi-Wan laughed softly, moving a little closer to Anakin.

"You're lucky you're pretty." He basically purred.

"Stop it."

"Why?"

Anakin paused for a moment, really thinking about it.

"It's inappropriate." Was his stupid answer.

"Why?" Obi-Wan tilted his head, smirking just the tiniest bit.

Anakin forced himself to look away.

Jesus fuck.

Why did he have to be hot?

"You know why."

"Do I?"

"Attachments are forbidden. I can't. I'm… Here to protect you."

"Mm, I suppose you're right." Obi-Wan closed the distance between them, lips close to Anakin's ear. His hand was on the Jedi's chest, bodies close.

Anakin was still. He couldn't breathe.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes."