A/N: As always, comments are greatly appreciated! Please enjoy!
Anakin continued to stay home from school while Obi-Wan prepared the motel for opening. He'd arranged the best photos of the motel into an advertisement and folded it neatly into three parts, the result a handsome brochure. Anakin helped when he could, but even reading wore him out, so Padmé checked for typos before Obi-Wan printed out a few dozen more. Padmé left for the station early and Obi-Wan set out to trade brochures with local businesses soon after, leaving Anakin to mope all alone in the house.
Obi-Wan reached his first stop and parked the car in front of "Coruscant's Finest Eatery." He gathered the brochures eagerly and walked inside, the smell of fried fish greeting his nose. He remembered that they weren't too far from the bay and made a mental note of taking Anakin there soon. A tall woman with green skin stood next to the hostess' booth, helping out two younger girls, it appeared. Her name tag read "Manager." Obi-Wan waited till she was finished talking to the girls before walking up to her and introducing himself.
"Hi, I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, owner of the Kenobi Motel. Formally the General's Motel," he added, seeing her befuddled expression.
She nodded and held out her hand to shake. "Luminara Unduli. How can I help you, Mister Kenobi?"
Obi-Wan took a brochure from the stack in his arms and held it up to show her. "I thought we could do a little networking. You put these in your restaurant, and I'll advertise Coruscant's Finest in the motel office. What do you think?"
Luminara hesitated before responding, "We don't really do that sort of thing here."
Obi-Wan glanced at the brochure stand by the restaurant's entrance and turned back to Luminara. "It appears you do, so I must ask, is there something wrong with my business?"
She looked sympathetic for a moment. "Is this the first place you've tried?"
Obi-Wan blinked and replied, "Yes."
"Mister Kenobi," she started, "Everyone knows."
"Knows… what exactly?"
Luminara lowered her voice a fraction. "Everything that occurred at your motel. General Grievous and Sheriff Cody's altercation. That you were involved with the Sheriff. That he attacked you in order to keep you quiet about it."
"…I see," Obi-Wan said, trying to put the pieces together.
"I'm sorry, I just don't believe it's wise to advertise your motel while it's receiving so much negative attention," said Luminara.
"I understand," he said as he pinpointed the person who had to be responsible for the rumors. Obi-Wan walked out of the restaurant and got in his car and drove to the police station. Once inside, he strode up to the counter and asked for Deputy Rex. The secretary picked up a phone and said, "Sheriff, there's someone here to see you."
"No, not the Sheriff! Deputy Rex, his brother," Obi-Wan tried to correct.
The secretary rolled her eyes and a moment later Rex opened a door and called to Obi-Wan. "Come on back," he said, and led Obi-Wan to his office.
"Your secretary seems to think you're the Sheriff," Obi-Wan said, taking a seat in front of Rex's desk.
"Actually…" Rex started, and pointed to the gold lettering on the door they'd just walked through. From the other side of the glass, Obi-Wan could still read Sheriff's Office. He barely withheld a groan.
"You're not going to make me call you Sheriff, right?"
Rex laughed. "No, 'Rex' is fine."
"It's been, what, three days since I saw you last? What happened? And why does the whole town think Cody killed Grievous?"
"I can explain all of that," Rex said, standing up to pull the shade down over the window of his office door. He sat down again after checking that no one was eavesdropping. "First, let me tell you that Cody is still in the hospital."
Obi-Wan frowned. "Why? What's wrong with him?"
"A scan revealed that he had a brain tumor. Imagine that. I'm pretty sure it was making him crazy. The doctor said it could've been a result of an untreated injury. I've been knocked around a few times myself with this job, it doesn't matter how careful you are."
Hesitantly, Obi-Wan asked, "You think the tumor made him crazy?"
Rex crossed his arms over his desk. "Don't get me wrong, Cody was no saint before you met him. His choices were still his own. But talking to him now, he's more reasonable and less… aggressive. Which brings me to my other news. Before Cody was admitted to the hospital, he was acting like a raving maniac, yelling about his head and the pain he was in. But he also yelled about you. He said he knew you killed Grievous and he was only trying to get a confession from you. Cody also told me, before his latest stunt, that he'd given you a choice—prison or him. And knowing that you chose him, well, it only made sense that Cody was telling the truth."
Obi-Wan's lips had parted and a ghostly pallor had taken over his skin.
Rex continued, "After I found out Cody had a brain tumor, I saw an opportunity to protect you and your family. I made up a story where I was the hero—I shot Cody at your house after discovering he killed Grievous and was after you next. It worked well—Cody no longer has a position of power, and I do. Padmé's involvement is null, and you aren't guilty of anything."
"But Cody didn't kill Grievous," Obi-Wan replied, finding it hard to voice his confusion.
"I know," Rex said, "but why would you? After moving here from a place the General had never set foot in, only to buy his foreclosed house."
"Self-defense," Obi-Wan whispered.
"I thought so."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and tried to relax. "But what about Cody?" he said.
"Well, I can spin the story whichever way I want. This town would accept mental illness as an explanation, knowing how much everyone loves Cody and refuses scandal. Or I could let him pay for his crimes in a jail cell."
Obi-Wan didn't like it, as much as it relieved him to be free of Grievous. "Cody isn't guilty of murder," he simply said.
"Neither are you," Rex replied.
Obi-Wan took a moment to take it all in, fingers grazing over his beard. Eventually, he said, "I'm extremely grateful, Rex. But why would you do all this?"
Rex thought on it and told him, "I meant it when I said I was sorry."
The color finally returned to Obi-Wan's cheeks and he nodded, saying, "Thank you."
Rex held the door open for him and offered him a smile and a pat on the back as Obi-Wan left. Padmé caught sight of him just as he was about to leave the building.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Obi-Wan thought she looked cute in her officer's uniform, and was proud at the same time. "I was talking to the new Sheriff. Nothing's wrong. Actually, everything's better, except no one wants my brochures."
Padmé huffed. "This town is impossible," she said. Then she had an idea. "Give me some of the brochures."
Obi-Wan retrieved them from the car and brought them inside. Padmé took them and set them up at the counter by the secretary window. "There," she said, grinning.
Obi-Wan smiled too. "Ten down, forty to go," he said, and let Padmé get back to work. He sat in his car and called Anakin as he pulled out of the parking lot. Anakin picked up right away and Obi-Wan told him what had happened since he'd left the house. Anakin didn't share Obi-Wan's concern for Cody but rather was wondering if Rex would keep their secret forever.
"I suppose we just have to trust him," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin bit his lip and tried to pour himself some blue milk with the phone wedged between his shoulder and cheek. "Are you almost home?" he asked.
"No, sorry darling. I'm on my way to the hospital."
Anakin swallowed harshly and said, "To visit Cody?"
"Yes." Obi-Wan turned on his windshield wipers as it started to rain.
Anakin was livid. "You don't forgive him for what he did, do you? Because brain tumors don't make a person want to—" He stopped suddenly. "You know."
All this talk of it was making Obi-Wan feel like it didn't happen to him. "I know, Anakin. It was clear to me that Cody didn't understand it was wrong, and when he figured it out, he didn't care. So no, I don't forgive him. But I still want to talk to him."
Anakin sipped his drink. "Alright, but be careful. I love you."
Obi-Wan parked the car and watched the rain fall on his windshield. "I love you too. I promise I won't be too long." They hung up and Obi-Wan got out of the car and dashed into the hospital. When the front desk wouldn't give him Cody's room number, Obi-Wan pulled a nurse to the side and persuaded her to tell him, but not without batting his eyelashes and throwing out some compliments. Then he made his way to Cody's room and tried to mentally prepare himself before opening the door and walking in.
He'd only seen Cody sleeping once, but now the sight was completely different. His head was shaved and wrapped in bandages. His skin seemed darker against the white sheets. He could almost pass for Rex, save the jagged scar that ran from his forehead to his cheek.
Obi-Wan stood by the doorway as he called Cody's name. To his surprise, Cody woke up right away, body tensing when he saw Obi-Wan. He still had one hand chained to the railing of the hospital bed.
"Should I call the nurse?" Cody asked, as if Obi-Wan came to cause him harm.
Obi-Wan held up his hand, saying, "I only want to talk. Is that okay?"
Cody scrutinized him, but nodded, and Obi-Wan took a seat by his bed.
"Did I do that?" Cody asked, pointing to Obi-Wan's forehead. The bruise there was starting to heal and the break in the skin had scabbed over, but Obi-Wan still didn't like the look of it. He'd been able to cover it with his hair while he looked in the mirror, but running around town and the rain had tossed it askew.
"You did," Obi-Wan replied. He didn't move to cover it this time.
"I think I remember. These drugs they have me on are pretty strong." Cody leaned a little closer to Obi-Wan, but the handcuffs wouldn't let him get very far. He sat back and said, "It doesn't look like it will scar. That's good."
"Yeah," Obi-Wan said skeptically.
"You want to know how I got this scar?" Cody asked, pointing to the left side of his face.
Obi-Wan didn't see what harm it could do. He nodded and observed Cody carefully as he talked.
"Rex gave it to me," he said, and Obi-Wan's mouth parted in shock. "It's true," Cody continued. "We were fifteen, living in Kamino, and I was kissing any boy who'd let me." Cody smiled a little and looked out the window, streaks of rain making their way down the glass. "It was always raining there. I was young and stupid, I liked the romance of it—naturally, people found out. High school wasn't easy for either of us. Rex was mistaken for me all the time—you know, he didn't always dye his hair—and he'd get called names, get pushed around. It was nothing I hadn't experienced, but he reacted worse. I'm sure he blamed me. We managed to get along anyway, for the most part." Cody's eyes fell to his lap. "Until one day when he came home with his clothes torn and blood all over his face. I didn't get a chance to ask him what happened before he had me pinned to the floor with a pocket knife in his hand." Cody met Obi-Wan's troubled gaze. "I hated him for it. Our classmates stopped picking on him, but that didn't even matter because I made sure he knew what I went through. We were always fighting after that. It got so bad our parents moved us here—we were one wrong punch away from getting kicked out of the school anyway—and eventually things got better between us. Time heals, I guess. But I still have this scar."
Obi-Wan didn't know what to say.
"I don't need you to pity me, or forgive me. I know I haven't been kind to you. Just know that Rex is more like me than he lets on."
Obi-Wan stopped a "thank you" from making its way past his lips and just nodded. However complicated Rex's motivations were, he was still on Obi-Wan's side. At least for now.
Cody narrowed his eyes and asked, "Was there something you wanted to tell me? I've been doing all the talking."
Obi-Wan considered telling him about Rex's plans, knowing that Cody couldn't do anything about them even if he knew prior to their execution. But he didn't want to lose Rex's trust. He could always persuade Rex not to let Cody pay for more crimes than he committed, legally speaking. Obi-Wan couldn't measure how much of a crime it was to hurt Anakin, or how long he'd have nightmares, or how long he'd feel uncomfortable looking at himself in the mirror before stepping into the shower.
"Obi-Wan?"
"You're an asshole," Obi-Wan said, standing to leave, "but at least I understand you a little better."
Cody laughed, just a tiny rasp in his throat. "Goodbye, Obi-Wan."
"Goodbye, Cody." Obi-Wan walked out the door and went home.
He found Anakin standing on their front porch, watching the rain fall. Obi-Wan climbed the stairs and drew Anakin near. His clothes were slightly damp. "Are you having a good day?" Obi-Wan asked.
Anakin replied, "Yeah, but I missed you." They parted and Anakin asked, "What was Cody like?"
"He was different, in ways. He told me not to trust Rex." Obi-Wan put his arm around Anakin's shoulders and guided him inside. The wind was starting to blow the rain in sideways.
"Why shouldn't you?" Anakin asked. He shrugged off his cloak and hung it by the door, then followed Obi-Wan into the family room.
"Rex gave him that scar," Obi-Wan answered. He pulled a blanket from the couch and draped it around Anakin's shoulders. Anakin wound his hands in the soft fabric, although he didn't mind the chill the rain had left him with.
Anakin said, "If that's true, you have to be extra careful around them. No cuddling up to Rex."
Obi-Wan put his hands on Anakin's shoulders, wearing a half-smile as he asked, "Are you still worried about that?"
"No," Anakin said, bottom lip pouting, "But I can see things going bad quick if you tried it."
"I'm not going to try it," Obi-Wan said, moving his hands up and down as if to warm him. "Honestly, I don't think I'm ready for something like that."
Anakin's brows pinched together. "Because of Cody?"
"Cody, Ventress…" Obi-Wan moved to sit on the couch, "Shmi, Satine. It always ends badly." He let his head rest in one hand.
Anakin sat beside him, asking, "You aren't giving up, are you?"
"I don't know," Obi-Wan replied.
"You can't give up on love, Father."
Obi-Wan just rubbed his head slowly.
"Father, look at me," Anakin insisted. Obi-Wan did. Anakin brushed the hair out of his eyes, the blanket slipping off his shoulders as he leaned over to kiss Obi-Wan. It was warm and soft and all too short. They parted and Anakin said, "You deserve all the love the world has to offer."
How did he ever get so lucky?
"So don't give up," Anakin said.
"I won't."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
After a few more days of rest, Anakin tried going back to school for an hour or so at a time. He could usually concentrate through the first twenty minutes of English and then his thoughts would slip away from literature and persuasive essays to dwell on something much more interesting. Now was one of those times, as the substitute teacher prattled on about his past—Anakin didn't mind that so much—at least he wasn't Clovis—but Anakin kept thinking back to the pep talk he gave Obi-Wan. He was glad Obi-Wan accepted his kiss without complaint, but he knew there were other ways to help Obi-Wan de-stress. The best way, Anakin thought, they'd never tried. It wasn't for fathers and sons to try. But Anakin couldn't help but wonder how Obi-Wan would react if he hadn't just kissed him. He could've laid a hand on his chest and slowly let it drift downwards, so slowly that he could rewrite his intentions if Obi-Wan decided to stop him. And if he did, Anakin wondered what would happen after—if there would be a punishment for his actions. Maybe Obi-Wan would bend him over his knee and really spank him. Or he would shove him away and call him disgusting. What if Obi-Wan kicked him out of the house and disowned him? Anakin only wanted to make him feel good—
Right, he was getting away from the point. Obi-Wan told him it was all a matter of choice, and Anakin hadn't misbehaved, so what harm was there in indulging in a what if? He could've let his hand drift so slowly that Obi-Wan would be throbbing by the time Anakin reached his destination. Distracted by the kiss they shouldn't be sharing, Obi-Wan wouldn't notice as Anakin tucked just his fingertips under his waistband, his touch faint but growing in confidence until Obi-Wan was all but thrusting into his hand. Anakin would smile and decide to really treat him—there'd be no Anakin, we shouldn't or This is inappropriate—it would be entirely appropriate for Obi-Wan's pants to hang around his ankles as Anakin sucked him off, stopping only to see the look on his face as he moaned and begged for more—
His fantasy was interrupted by a sound he hadn't heard in a long time, a sound he hadn't realized was associated with any particular person, but when he looked up from his desk at the thud of a heavy bag hitting the classroom floor, he saw what he'd feared. Mr. Clovis was back. In the flesh. Talking to the substitute teacher, explaining that the older man would have to speak with Principal Palpatine if handing over the reins mid-class was too confusing for him. Anakin felt his blood run cold. The substitute stormed out of the room and Clovis faced the class, looking at each of his students one by one. He saved Anakin for last.
"You may or may not have heard some rumors regarding my absence," Clovis began, his eyes still dwelling on Anakin. He surveyed the class once more. "But I assure you, I'm here to stay. It would be foolish to think otherwise." Anakin again.
Clovis started giving a list of assignments to the class to catch up on lost time, but Anakin's thoughts were racing through what ifs again. What if Clovis kept leering at him? What if Clovis caught him in the hallway when no one was around? What if he gave him detention and locked the two of them in? Force, he was coming this way, and Anakin couldn't even breathe right—Ahsoka leaned over with the assignment sheet in hand and Anakin locked eyes with her, thinking, Distract him.
He could see she had questions, but Ahsoka raised her hand immediately, beckoning, "Mister Clovis!" in her best sing-songy voice. Clovis looked from Anakin to her and back as he placed a paper in front of Anakin, his hand planted on the desk, fingers splayed. Anakin leaned back in his chair and stared up at Clovis, scared when he saw that same smirk on his face from the family dinner.
"Mist-er Clo-vis! I really don't understand this last writing prompt," pressed Ahsoka, "I'm not even sure what this word means. Or how to say it. Vul-ter-een? Vulture-een?"
"Vulturine," Clovis said. Anakin caught sight of four round, angry scars on the back of his hand as Clovis moved away from him to hover over Ahsoka's desk. Anakin watched him carefully but Clovis made no move to intimidate her or come back his way. Ahsoka managed to get him to explain each assignment in detail, right up until the bell rang, and Anakin could finally relax. He gathered his things and left the classroom with Ahsoka trailing close behind.
"What's wrong, Anakin? You look scared half to death," Ahsoka said, linking her arm with his to keep up with his hurried pace.
"It's Clovis," Anakin replied, meeting her big blue eyes, "Thanks for distracting him."
"Sure, but are you telling me you're afraid of him?" She didn't let him answer before she was joking, "He threaten you with an F? I know you care about your grades, don't pretend you don't."
"Not that kind of F," Anakin said. Ahsoka looked confused. Anakin pulled her over to a quiet corner of the hallway and asked, "Did you see the back of his hand?"
Ahsoka remembered Clovis pointing to some of the directions on her assignment sheet with his left. It had looked strange. She looked up at Anakin and nodded.
"I stabbed him with a fork," he said, deathly serious.
"Why would you stab him!" Ahsoka exclaimed, causing heads to turn. Anakin shushed her and she whispered, "Why would you stab him?"
Anakin waited a moment and lowered his voice too. "Because his hand was on my thigh."
Ahsoka's lips parted. Then her thoughts raced through their school day, the classes they didn't have together and where each of them would be at every hour. Anakin's eyes were downcast. Ahsoka took each of his hands in hers and said, "Anakin, you're going to be fine."
"How can you know that?"
"Because," she said stubbornly, "I'm going to be by your side every second I can be. I'll meet you after every class and walk with you to the next one."
Anakin bit his lip. "Won't people think we're acting strange?"
Ahsoka smiled. "Haven't you seen the couples around here? All you have to do is hold my hand, and we'll look perfectly normal."
Still, Anakin wouldn't cheer up. He had two faint worry lines where his brows came together. Ahsoka smoothed her thumbs over his hands and said, "Listen, Anakin. Mister Clovis has a class almost every hour. You will be in class every hour but lunch, and I'll be with you then. Mister Clovis might be a creep, but he's not stupid. The chances that he'll try something at school are not very high. And," Ahsoka held up Anakin's hands, "You have powers to defend yourself with. Don't forget that."
When Anakin finally accepted her words, he felt tears start to well in his eyes, and he cursed himself for being so emotional all the time. Ahsoka hugged him and told him, "You've been through a lot lately. It's okay." Anakin hugged her back and tried to relax. The warning bell rang and Ahsoka added, "You should call your father. Cutting this day a little short shouldn't matter."
Anakin liked the idea of going home and decided that's what he would do. They parted and Ahsoka turned towards her next class. "See you tomorrow?" she asked.
"See you tomorrow." He mustered a smile as she waved and disappeared into a classroom.
Anakin told Obi-Wan that Clovis was back as they walked to the car. Obi-Wan was not happy.
"Did he touch you?" he asked.
"No," Anakin said, "He just… looked at me."
Obi-Wan and Anakin got in the car and started towards home. "Did he say anything to you?" Obi-Wan asked next.
"Not directly. But he told the class it was foolish to think he wouldn't be back."
Obi-Wan's grip on the steering wheel intensified before relaxing, and he said, "I don't know what kind of school you're going to, but you'd think a public arrest would be enough to get someone—a teacher, no less—fired. I'm certain that Principal Palpatine has something to do with it. He was so uncooperative when I tried to switch your English class. I doubt a second attempt would be beneficial…"
Anakin watched the trees fly by as their car sped away from the school.
"I'll give Rex a call. Maybe we can work something out. Though I'm not sure what it will take this time—"
"Father, I don't want you to worry about me," Anakin interrupted.
Obi-Wan turned to him briefly before watching the road again. "It's my job to worry about you," he replied, "but if talking about it makes you uncomfortable, then I won't bring it up until I've found a solution. But you have a job as well."
"I do?"
"Yes, now listen carefully, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, letting the car sit at a stop sign as he faced him, "You must call me if Clovis tries something. Anything. If he so much as breathes near you, you call me. I don't care if he's taller than me, stronger than me, whatever—he will deal with the full fury of the Force. I will protect you, no matter what, but you have to help me do that."
Anakin had never heard Obi-Wan talk like that. A few other times had come close, but they lacked the control Obi-Wan exhibited now, the complete devotion behind the words, the way he made Anakin want to bow his head and say yes, sir.
His son had only seemed to grow more nervous as he spoke, so Obi-Wan let his voice soften and said, "Don't ever let someone make you think you're less than what you are. You are not just something to be looked at, or touched. You are so much more."
Anakin sensed there was something else Obi-Wan wanted to tell him. "I know all those things," he said, watching Obi-Wan carefully as he started driving again. "Do you know those things?" Anakin asked.
Obi-Wan's brows furrowed. "Of course I know those things. I'm the one telling you them."
"I mean, about yourself. That you're more than an object."
"Yes, I know that. I'm not so frail as to let one man make me think otherwise."
"But it wasn't just one man. There was Ventress, too."
Obi-Wan's expression was getting stormier with each word Anakin uttered. "We're not talking about me right now. Are you going to call me if you're in trouble? I need an answer, Anakin."
"I will," Anakin said, "but I deserve an answer, too."
"What are you asking me? Do you think I can't protect you because I haven't protected myself?"
"No, Father."
"Do you think I have low self-esteem?"
"No, Father, I—"
"What do you think, then? Out with it."
Anakin felt his voice catch in his throat. Obi-Wan looked over at him and immediately regretted all the things he'd said.
"Darling," Obi-Wan said quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm just so frustrated with everything but you. Tell me what you wanted to say, it's okay."
Anakin stopped wringing his hands in the fabric of his cloak only to clasp his fingers together nervously. "You're as scared as I am," he eventually said.
Obi-Wan thought about it before replying, "You're right, I am scared. But only because I don't want you to ever feel the way I've felt in the past. If we work together, you won't have to. I don't doubt that."
Anakin nodded and they traveled in silence for a few minutes. "Father," he said.
"Yes?" Obi-Wan responded, no longer sounding so cross.
Anakin hoped Obi-Wan would understand what he was about to say. "When I want to hold your hand, or give you a kiss, or... be near you when we sleep, it's not because I think that's all you're good for. I think very highly of you and... You mean everything to me."
Obi-Wan was quiet as he parked the car in front of the motel. Then he turned to Anakin and said, "I feel the same way about you. And I'm so very proud of you. My sweet little boy is becoming so wise." Anakin smiled as he avoided Obi-Wan's doting gaze, and Obi-Wan smiled too. Obi-Wan was about to step out of the car when he saw a tall figure standing in front of Motel Room 9 with his back turned to them.
"Stay in the car, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, and gave him a look when Anakin tried to object. Anakin closed his mouth and Obi-Wan closed the car door, drawing the man's attention as he walked towards Room 9.
The man appeared to have some age to him, but he stood up straight and stiff as a board. He looked at Obi-Wan with dark red eyes and spoke before Obi-Wan could.
"This is the General's Motel, is it not?" came his smooth, modulated voice.
"It used to be. Now it's the Kenobi Motel," Obi-Wan said.
The man held up the tarnished key he'd been trying to fit into the lock, saying, "That would explain why my key no longer works."
Obi-Wan wasn't sure what kind of guest kept the key after checking out. "We're not quite open yet," he settled on saying, "But if you come back in a few days, the motel should be in order then."
"Such a shame. I liked the old motel. Can you tell me where I can speak to General Grievous?"
Obi-Wan nearly balked. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but General Grievous is actually," he paused just slightly, "dead."
"Oh," said the man, the creases in his long face deepening minutely. "That's very unexpected. I'll be on my way."
Obi-Wan watched him walk away, leaving a sense of disquiet in his wake. Obi-Wan couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. He went back to Anakin and opened the car door for him.
"What's up with that guy?" Anakin said.
"I have no idea," Obi-Wan replied, "I didn't even get his name."
The next day, Ahsoka met Anakin after each class, dutifully held his hand, and walked him to the next one. Anakin thought they were getting looks but Ahsoka just kept talking to him and took him down the shortest paths through the school. He was only going to stay for three classes anyway, then Obi-Wan would pick him up and insist he rest for the remainder of the day, so Anakin didn't have to survive the girl/boy drama for long. It helped, though, that Ahsoka didn't make a show of being his "girlfriend."
"You know why I call you Skyguy, Skyguy?" she asked, as they turned the corner near the staircase.
"No, why?" he said, their hands swinging slightly as they walked.
"Your head is always in the clouds. You're always thinking about something else."
"I can't help it," Anakin replied, "I'm a thinker. That's just the kind of poetic guy I am."
Ahsoka laughed. They started taking the stairs to the second level of the building. "Sometimes I'd like to read your mind," she said wondrously.
"Tread carefully, Snips. I've got some pretty sick fantasies I'm working on."
"Oh, really?"
Anakin joked, "Wouldn't you like to know."
"Ew, no," Ahsoka responded. They reached the top of the stairs and were met with the oh-so-charming face of Maul Opress. The three of them locked eyes as Anakin decided to just keep walking. He turned to walk down the hallway with Ahsoka's hand still in his and only made it a few steps before—
"Hey, pretty boy," Maul called.
Anakin stopped where he stood, his jaw clenching. Ahsoka tugged on his hand and said, "C'mon."
"You don't have to put up a charade," Maul said, "I've seen you hanging around with that Sleazebag kid. Tano here isn't doing you any favors."
"What did you say?" growled Anakin, his back still turned.
"I've seen you and your no-good, disgusting little druggie boyfriend," Maul elucidated, wide grin on his face. "It's a wonder you found someone stupid enough to date you. But I guess high school dropouts are a good place to start."
Anakin whirled around and strode up to Maul, ignoring Ahsoka's calls of, "Anakin! Let it go!"
Anakin's hands curled into fists as he said, "You wanna say that to my face?"
Maul looked down his nose at him, yellow eyes glistening with intrigue. "You know, I don't think anyone can be that stupid, whether he's high on death sticks or not. You must've used a Jedi mind trick on him. There's no other explanation."
Anakin could barely contain his anger. "You say one more word about him and I'll kick your ladybug ass!" he shouted.
Maul feigned concentration as he held his hand in front of Anakin's face and wiggled his fingers. "You will suck my dick," he said.
Anakin decked him across face. Maul stumbled backwards, holding a hand to his cheek, but was otherwise unfazed. Anakin was determined to clear the smug smile off his face no matter how many punches it took. He strode forward to take another swing and Maul caught his arm in mid-air, his monstrous grip squeezing hard enough to make Anakin fear the same hand around his throat. Maul had similar ideas as he extended his other arm, but Anakin blocked him and kicked the inside of his knee. Maul freed Anakin's arm as he fell, yet Anakin didn't consider things over. He climbed atop Maul and threw punch after punch despite Ahsoka's cries of, "Anakin! Stop it!"
Anakin could see that he'd broken skin. He saw the blood running down Maul's face and dripping onto their black clothes, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. "Elan is ten times the man you'll ever be," he yelled, landing another blow on Maul's nose. There was a cracking sound.
"Anakin!"
That voice was not Ahsoka's, but Anakin couldn't bring himself to care. "Apologize for what you said!" Anakin demanded, pinning Maul's hands by his head. Maul just snarled at him. Someone's arms looped underneath Anakin's and dragged him away from Maul. Maul turned on his side and spat blood into the carpet of the hallway. Still, Anakin felt such rage that all his better judgment was clouded. "Apologize!" he said, trying to wiggle free of whoever was holding him.
"Relax, Anakin. Relax." It was Clovis. Could things get any worse?
Anakin felt a swell of panic as he realized who had broken up their fight and who still had his arms around him. "Let go of me!" Anakin yelled, struggling harder to get free. "Let. Go!"
"I will if you promise to behave," Clovis replied, "Are you going to be a good boy?"
Anakin groaned and forced himself to be still. "Yes," he said.
"Yes what?" Clovis said by his ear.
Anakin hated him. "Yes, I'll be a good boy."
Clovis smiled and released him. "Stay right there, Anakin," he ordered. Clovis stepped away from him to see how Maul was doing. An ugly grimace had replaced his grin and he'd managed to stand up and glare in Anakin's direction. Clovis looked Maul over and determined, "Nurse's office, now."
Maul gawked. "I don't need a nurse!" he protested, his manly bravado in contrast with his crooked nose.
"Yes, you do," Clovis insisted, "and when you're done with the nurse, I'll see you in the principal's office."
Maul had heard that tone before and decided not to make things worse. He started taking the stairs slowly, his vision blurred in one yellow eye from a split brow.
During Clovis and Maul's conversation, Anakin looked around and found Ahsoka nowhere to be seen. He called her name, but there was no answer. Clovis sauntered back to him and Anakin demanded, "Where's Ahsoka?"
"I sent her to class," he answered.
"But she saw the fight, don't you need to question her?" Anakin blurted. He didn't want to get Ahsoka in trouble, but he'd rather not be alone with Clovis.
Calmly, Clovis said, "Principal Palpatine and I are going to ask you and Maul what happened, and if either of you don't cooperate, then we'll ask Ahsoka what happened. Now follow me." He turned his back to Anakin and started walking down the hallway.
Anakin followed a few steps behind him and fumbled for his phone. When he'd pulled it out of his belt pocket and dialed Obi-Wan's cell, Clovis looked over his shoulder and quickly snatched it out of his hand.
"What have we here?" he said, glancing at the phone screen. It was already calling Obi-Wan. "Excellent idea, Anakin. I think your father should know just how bad you've been." Clovis held the phone up to his ear just as a metallic "Anakin?" came through the speaker.
Anakin listened to Clovis talk to Obi-Wan with a sick feeling in his stomach. Obi-Wan was absolutely going to freak out when he heard Clovis' voice instead of his.
"Hi, Mister Kenobi, this is Rush Clovis speaking."
There was silence on the other end.
"I'm calling to tell you Anakin has been a very naughty boy today."
"Give the phone to Anakin," Obi-Wan said lowly.
"I need you to come to the school so we can discuss his behavior," Clovis said.
"Give the phone to Anakin, now," he repeated.
"If you insist." Clovis smiled and handed Anakin the phone.
"Father," Anakin started.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Obi-Wan rushed to say.
"I... got in a fight. Mister Clovis broke it up."
"Is the other boy there with you?"
"No, just me and Clovis," Anakin admitted, glancing at the man nervously.
"I'm on my way," Obi-Wan said. Anakin heard the car engine start.
"Wait, stay on the phone with me," Anakin pleaded.
"I will—"
Clovis took the phone from Anakin again and ended the call. "We have things we need to attend to," he said as Anakin glared at him. "Follow me."
Anakin did, and stopped at the edge of the bathroom. Clovis turned to look at him, half-exasperated. "Come on, you need to wash your hands," he said.
Anakin looked at his hands then, not really noticing the split knuckles and drying blood until then. He walked into the bathroom warily and began washing them, grimacing at the discomfort. When he was done, Clovis stepped towards him and cupped a hand to his cheek. Anakin swatted his hand away but it returned as Clovis said, "Stay still." He brought a wet paper towel to Anakin's face with his other hand and scrubbed away a few droplets of blood, remarking, "Palpatine is not going to go easy on you with Maul's blood all over your face."
Anakin didn't breathe until he was done. Clovis threw the paper towel in the trash and beckoned Anakin to follow him again.
"Where are we going?" Anakin asked.
"My classroom."
Anakin would rather face Palpatine than go there. He tried to steady himself as his body said you're pushing yourself too hard once again.
Clovis held open the door for Anakin before walking over to his desk. Anakin stood by the doorway. Clovis dragged a chair over to his desk and gestured to it, saying, "Sit."
Anakin eased away from the door and sat down. Clovis sat in his own swivel chair and dug through a drawer of his desk. He pulled out a roll of gauze and some medical tape, then held out his hand. Anakin didn't move.
"Your hand," Clovis iterated. When Anakin refused to budge, Clovis leaned forward, grabbed his arm, and yanked Anakin back towards him. Anakin almost fell out of his seat.
Clovis began bandaging Anakin's knuckles. Anakin was still and tried to listen to him carefully so Clovis wouldn't be tempted to hurt him.
"You're lucky I have these supplies at my desk. Otherwise you'd have to wait for the nurses to be done with Maul, and Palpatine wouldn't care if you were fixed up before receiving your punishment. Of course, the only reason I have them is because you so graciously stabbed me." He paused his wrapping to look at Anakin's pale face. "It would have been nice if you'd done this for me," Clovis said, placing a piece of tape over the bandages, "You know it's a compliment when an older man wants to touch you." He met Anakin's gaze again, and held it until Anakin nodded. Then he took Anakin's other hand and bandaged it, saying, "I liked it better when you weren't afraid of me. All your time spent on English homework could be time spent with me. We could call it tutoring."
Anakin felt like his body had gone numb. His mouth was dry. Quietly, he said, "I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way about men."
Clovis smiled. "Don't lie to me, Anakin. I could tell by the way you wrote about your father." He taped the bandage on Anakin's left hand in place and Anakin pulled his hand back to himself, demanding, "What are you talking about?"
Clovis sat back and crossed his arms. "If you'd written about your mother like that, I'd think you had an Oedipal Complex."
"My mother's dead," Anakin said.
"That only furthers my point. You only have your father to look up to. The traits you admire in him are the ones you'll look for in a romantic partner."
"You aren't anything like my father," Anakin said.
"Perhaps," Clovis said, "but I can give you what he can't."
"Shut up!" Anakin blurted.
"Did I strike a nerve?"
Anakin didn't respond other than a scowl.
"There's a few other nerves of yours I'd like to strike."
Anakin stood and told him again, "Shut up!"
In one blink, Clovis was on his feet, inches from Anakin. He wound his fingers in Anakin's hair and pulled his head back at an uncomfortable angle. "You don't get to tell me to shut up," Clovis said through gritted teeth.
Anakin tried to keep Clovis from yanking out his hair, at the same time unsure if he should fight or make a run for it.
Clovis peered down at him with dark green eyes. "That's a rule, Anakin. But you've already proven you can't follow the rules."
"Just send me to Palpatine!" Anakin pleaded, "I'll take whatever punishment he wants!"
Clovis smiled, ever so slowly. "Silly boy," he said, "I am your punishment." And with that he whirled Anakin around and shoved him against the classroom wall.
There was the sound of a lightsaber igniting. Anakin could've cried from relief.
"Step away from him if you want to keep your head attached to your body," Obi-Wan warned.
Clovis released Anakin and backed away from him and the blue beam of the lightsaber that was getting closer as Obi-Wan strode towards them. Anakin ran to him and made himself small as Obi-Wan held him with his free arm, the other extended fully so the blade of the lightsaber pointed to Clovis' neck.
Clovis held up his hands in surrender. "I was only going to show him some discipline. You know how it is with teenagers."
Obi-Wan held Anakin tighter as his face contorted with barely subdued rage. "You're a shitty liar. And you're lucky I didn't kill you the second I walked in here."
"Kill? That's a little extreme. I took good care of Anakin. Just look at his hands."
Obi-Wan brought his lightsaber closer to him as he reached for one of Anakin's hands, the blade acting as a barrier between them and Clovis. Obi-Wan noted the bandages and then wrapped his arm around Anakin again, his mind not changed in the slightest. Moreover, he was disturbed by the idea of just how much touching Clovis had gotten away with before he arrived. He swung the lightsaber out again, pointing it at Clovis' face.
"Stay here," Obi-Wan said, "Teach your next class. And don't leave the room until we've left."
"Anakin needs to meet with—"
"What Anakin needs is my business and mine alone. We're going home. And you," Obi-Wan stepped closer, tucking the lightsaber right under Clovis' jaw, "are going to behave yourself. Do you understand?"
The corner of Clovis' mouth quirked up. "Yes," he answered.
Obi-Wan let the blade sway close enough to leave a burn before deactivating it. He walked out of the room with Anakin still clinging to him.
Once the classroom door had clicked shut behind them, Obi-Wan reached for Anakin's shoulders so he could check on him. Anakin just shrugged him off and buried his face in Obi-Wan's robes.
Obi-Wan stroked his hair in response, frown deepening as a few strands came loose. "Anakin, will you look at me? Please."
Anakin shook his head.
Obi-Wan let his hand rest at the back of Anakin's neck and felt his pulse with the tips of two fingers. "Honey, your heart is racing. Are you still scared?"
Anakin gripped the edges of Obi-Wan's cloak and didn't answer.
"It's okay, Anakin. I'm here. And I know you could've handled him." Obi-Wan slipped his hand between the two of them until he found the inner pocket of Anakin's cloak. "See? Your lightsaber is right here. You don't have to be afraid."
Anakin shook his head again.
"Are you embarrassed?" Obi-Wan asked. "Too embarrassed to look at me?" It was hard to tell but Obi-Wan thought he nodded. "Honey..." He rubbed Anakin's back. "You don't have to feel that way. You did exactly what I asked you to do, you called me, and I came. You're my good boy."
Anakin started sobbing. "Don't call me that!"
Obi-Wan's mouth parted before he said, "Okay, okay, I won't. Will you tell me why?"
"He calls me that!"
"Shh, Anakin, it's alright," Obi-Wan tried to soothe. A student came down the hallway and stared at them before walking past. Obi-Wan looked around and spotted a supply room with the door cracked open slightly. He told Anakin, "Let's talk in there, okay? And then we're going to go home."
"I can't go home," Anakin cried, as Obi-Wan walked them over to the room and shut the door. He was able to wipe away Anakin's tears as they came down his cheeks, but he still wouldn't look him in the eye. "Why can't you go home?" Obi-Wan asked, hoping to get more out of him.
"I was b-bad. Palpatine has to punish me-e-e," Anakin replied, on the verge of hysterics.
"No, darling, I'm going to deal with him later. No one is going to punish you."
"Clovis was! He is! He was going to—" Anakin took a sharp, lurching breath.
"Breathe, Anakin. I'm here and you're safe. Deep breaths."
Anakin managed a few slightly less sharp, but equally erratic breaths. "He said all these terrible things..."
"Keep breathing."
"I didn't even understand all of them!"
Obi-Wan's voice was nice and soft despite knowing he would dislike the answer as he asked, "What did he say?"
"I should be grateful he wanted to touch me."
"And?"
"That I could let him tutor me instead of homework! And he said I wanted to be with someone like you!"
Obi-Wan's brows furrowed. "Someone like your father?"
"Yes! Because I wrote a nice story about you! He said something about an edible complex something or other..."
Obi-Wan almost smiled. "An Oedipal Complex?"
Anakin snuffled. "Yeah. What the hell is that?"
Obi-Wan cupped his hands to Anakin's cheeks. Anakin met his eyes as he said, "Nothing but fiction, sweet Anakin. He was trying to make you feel bad about having a good relationship with your father."
"He said he could give me what you couldn't."
Obi-Wan tried not to let his anger show. "He doesn't know how much love there is between us. You wouldn't need someone like him to give you anything because you've already got someone willing to give you the whole world."
Anakin smiled, two big tears spilling off his rounded cheeks and onto Obi-Wan's thumbs. The smile faded as he took another painful breath. "He also said something about nerves."
"Yeah?"
"About... striking my nerves."
Obi-Wan frowned and hugged Anakin tight. "Just forget about that."
"But—"
"I can explain that later. Forget it for now."
"Okay." Anakin closed his eyes and relaxed into Obi-Wan's embrace. Obi-Wan swayed slowly from side to side.
"Can I read what you wrote about me?" asked Obi-Wan.
Anakin's cheeks would've turned pink if they weren't already flushed. "If you really want to," he replied.
Obi-Wan smiled. "I do."
"Remember when we made a chocolate cake?"
"Mhm."
"That's what it's about."
Obi-Wan gave Anakin a squeeze. "Oh, I love you."
Anakin was quiet for a moment. "Are you going to punish me?"
"Why would I do that?"
"I beat up Maul. I think I broke his nose. I couldn't stop myself."
Obi-Wan looked concerned. "What did Maul do to upset you?"
"He was saying nasty things about Elan. He called him a druggie and a stupid dropout. And he accused me of using the Force to make Elan do things."
"I can see why you were angry."
"Elan is precious to me. I couldn't just let him say those things."
"I know."
"So are you disappointed in me? Are you going to discipline me?"
Obi-Wan held his shoulders so he could face him. "No, honey, you've been through enough today. And I'm far from disappointed in you. I am going to ask that you meditate with me and do some exercises to balance your emotions. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good."
"I'm never going to hurt you for your mistakes. Lessons are meant to be learned, not felt."
Anakin rubbed at his eyes. ""kay."
"Ready to go home?"
"Yeah."
Obi-Wan took one of Anakin's bandaged hands gently and opened the supply room door. As they walked out of the school, he asked, "You want to make another chocolate cake?"
Anakin wore a bright smile. "Really?"
"I'll stop by the store on the way home."
"Can we get chocolate frosting too?"
"Of course."
"And ice cream?"
"Sure."
They smiled at each other.
Obi-Wan picked up all the supplies they needed at Pilot Outpost and took Anakin home. After two failed attempts, Anakin was able to crack an egg on the side of the glass bowl and keep the shells out of the mix with just the Force. The other two eggs spilled onto the counter and the floor, but Anakin said his hiccups were to blame. Obi-Wan just smiled and repeated Anakin's trick on the first try. Anakin pouted. After the usual measuring and mixing, Obi-Wan was pouring the cake mix into a glass pan as Anakin asked, "Can I lick the spoon?"
"'Course, baby."
"And the bowl?"
Obi-Wan laughed a little. "Then what will I lick?"
Anakin smiled coyly. "You can lick what I get on my face."
Obi-Wan glanced over at Anakin as he finished spooning the contents of the bowl into the pan, trying to decipher if he was joking. He slid the bowl over to Anakin and watched as Anakin eagerly ran his tongue over the concave part of the spoon. He turned the spoon sideways and licked the edges, revealing a dab of chocolate on his nose. He gave the spoon another long lick before turning it over and tasting the batter on the back and humming, "Mmm." Obi-Wan tried to keep a straight face as Anakin got chocolate on his cheeks and lips, even his chin. Anakin scraped the inside of the bowl for every last bit of chocolate, licking the spoon dry before loading up the edges with batter again and again. When there was one blob of chocolate left, Anakin just smeared it across his lips with the spoon, not bothering to use his tongue. "Okay, Father," he said, smiling, "Your turn."
Obi-Wan stepped closer to Anakin and placed his hands at the base of Anakin's head, keeping him still. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask if Anakin really wanted him to, and Anakin let his smile fade and closed his eyes.
Obi-Wan started with his nose. Anakin giggled because it tickled. "Don't move," Obi-Wan said. Anakin giggled one more time before keeping himself still. Obi-Wan kept his eyes open for as long as he comfortably could before licking Anakin's cheek. The chocolate tasted good. Anakin tasted like salty tears. Obi-Wan was cautious as he moved his tongue over Anakin's cheek. When he sensed he was getting close to Anakin's lips, he pressed a kiss to that cheek and moved on to the other one. He could feel Anakin smiling then, and licked a line under his cheekbone, getting more skin than chocolate that time. Seeking more of the sweet cake batter, he moved back to the area parallel to Anakin's lips, where the chocolate seemed to be in greatest density. Anakin turned his head just slightly. Obi-Wan continued his search, tip of his tongue meeting the corner of Anakin's mouth, then tracing his bottom lip. There was a lot of chocolate there. And it was soft. Obi-Wan wondered where Anakin got such beautiful lips from. Anakin's mouth parted in surprise, a wisp of air moving in and out of him. Obi-Wan paused, and slowly moved his tongue over Anakin's bottom lip again, not under it but over it, then teased Anakin's top lip too, and Anakin could feel Obi-Wan's beard against his chin, he was so close. He opened his mouth a fraction more, and leaned closer.
Obi-Wan pulled Anakin flush against him with both arms curled around his back, tongue taking the plunge into Anakin's open mouth. Anakin grabbed Obi-Wan's face to keep him there and promptly forgot how to kiss, he was so thrilled. He almost doubted that it was really happening, but Obi-Wan was so real and better than his dreams, warmer, sturdier, sweeter. Anakin couldn't predict the movement of Obi-Wan's tongue, or his own really—the twists and turns he could handle, but the retreats made Anakin want more, and as he ran his fingers through Obi-Wan's soft hair he drew him closer and pushed deeper, despite Obi-Wan's lead, and he placed his hand over Obi-Wan's jaw, feeling the muscles move as he kissed him—
Suddenly Obi-Wan pulled away from him, his hands gripping Anakin's thin hips and pushing him away before he covered his own mouth and turned away, horrorstruck. Anakin watched in dismay as Obi-Wan started to walk away from him, his pace quickening as he entered the family room, intending to lock himself in his bedroom. Anakin ran after him and grabbed his arm.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I need to think," Obi-Wan said, pulling away from Anakin's grip.
Anakin seized his hand and wouldn't let go. "Don't leave after something like that."
Obi-Wan turned around and faced him. "I'm sorry, Anakin. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you like that, ever." His bottom lip trembled as he said, "I took advantage of your trust and now I'm no better than your scumbag teacher..." He got on his knees before Anakin. "Please forgive me, Anakin. I won't do it again."
Anakin wasn't sure what to do with Obi-Wan at his feet, bowing his head. He only knew Obi-Wan was having an entirely wrong reaction. Slowly, he knelt and held his hands to Obi-Wan's cheeks, making him face him. "Father, you've got it backwards. I wanted you to kiss me. It was just another expression of love, like this—" he pressed his lips to Obi-Wan's cheek, "or this—" he wrapped his arms around him. "There's nothing to forgive."
Obi-Wan met Anakin's eyes as he took hold of his arms and moved them away from his body. "You're breaking my heart, Anakin," he said, his face utterly distraught.
Anakin didn't know what to say. How?
"You and I can't kiss like that. You aren't obligated to please me in any way, and I think that's how you feel because you love me. You've always been generous, but you can't give me yourself. And I can't fill in the gaps when you miss Elan. It's different, can you understand that?"
Anakin felt tears well in his eyes and he desperately tried to keep it to himself. "I want to be close to you," he managed.
"We are close, my dear Anakin. We'll always be close. I'm sorry for getting carried away. I love you so much."
Anakin wiped his face, finding it a little sticky. "Can you explain what Clovis said to me?" he asked.
"Now?"
Anakin nodded.
"Are you sure? After what we just talked about?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, um. Where to start?" Obi-Wan shifted so he sat cross-legged on the carpet. "When two men love each other very much—"
"Father," Anakin cut in, "I know people don't have to love each other to have sex."
"Well, love makes it better," Obi-Wan said pointedly. "When two men have sex, there's usually a few ways it can go. You can get creative and use your hands or your mouth," Anakin smiled a little, "but typically, someone tops and someone bottoms. You know what that means?"
Anakin avoided Obi-Wan's gaze before nodding.
Obi-Wan thought through his next few word choices. "It's pleasurable for the top for obvious reasons. It's a little more complicated for the bottom. Whoever's topping needs to make sure their partner is ready before... You know. Otherwise things won't go smoothly, and you may hurt your partner or yourself. And you don't want that."
"No," Anakin agreed.
"So use your fingers first. With lubricant."
Anakin quirked an eyebrow at him.
"You can buy that at the store," Obi-Wan supplied. "When both men are ready, the usual happens. To answer your question, there's a spot inside that's sensitive like the parts on the outside."
"Like a girl?" Anakin asked.
"Not quite," replied Obi-Wan, awkward smile on his face. "It's more centralized."
"I don't understand," Anakin said.
"Have you taken anatomy yet?"
He shook his head and asked, "Can you demonstrate?"
"Demonstrate... how?"
"Show me the spot."
"I can't show you, Anakin, it's inside."
"Then touch it."
Obi-Wan's face turned fiery red. "I am absolutely not going to demonstrate that way. You'll just have to ask Elan."
"Elan doesn't want to fuck me!"
"Language, Anakin," Obi-Wan reprimanded. "How do you know that?"
"I just know."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because he wants me to f—" he stopped himself, "top."
Obi-Wan sighed. "He loves you, Anakin. If you ask, I'm sure he'll demonstrate."
"But you love me, and you won't demonstrate."
"I won't demonstrate because I love you," Obi-Wan replied, a little worried that Anakin wasn't getting it.
"But I trust you," he argued.
Obi-Wan felt like this was all his fault. "Come here," he said, holding out his arms.
Anakin curled up in Obi-Wan's lap, reassured by his father's arms around him. Obi-Wan caressed Anakin's cheek as he thought of what to say.
"Dreams pass in time, my dear. You're not always going to feel this way."
Anakin leaned into him and silently disagreed.