Title: Forty-eight
Author: Hyyp chick
Pairing: Obi/Ani
Rating: R
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns Star Wars etc, I make no money from this fic, it is purely for the enjoyment of others (I hope).
Summary: Sequel to Twenty four, kind of speaks for itself. This time from Obi-wan's POV. You will need to have read twenty four to understand this.

1am: Obi-wan stares into his bottle like it holds all the answers to the universe in its dregs. Quinlan left him nearly two hours ago; some 'emergency'. Obi-wan scoffs. He's sure this 'emergency' is either blonde or has protrusions from its head, and demanded the urgent attention of the roguish Jedi. Obi-wan swills the fruity liquor around the bottle; he had maybe hoped that Quin would satisfy his needs tonight, because Sith knows he can't stand much more of this tension with Anakin. His desire for the boy is driving him insane and Quinlan alone keeps that secret, 'helping' Obi-wan like the good friend that he is whenever it becomes too much for him to handle. He could do with Quin's 'help' tonight. Still Quinlan has deserted him and by the looks he is getting from some desperate, not to mention ugly, patrons he decides that it is time to head home, alone.

2am: Obi-wan is sat at the kitchen table supping on a glass of water in the hope of staving off his ensuing hangover. Something is wrong but he can't quite put his finger on it. There is a resonance of the Force in the apartment and although Obi-wan knows it isn't bad it doesn't feel good either, it feels, well, wrong. But Obi-wan can't account for the unsettling feeling and shakes it from his consciousness. He looks in on Anakin briefly, to find the sleeping boy hidden safely under his bed sheets, and then he retires to his own room, to his own sheets.

3am: Obi-wan stares into the blackness of the room. No light illuminates its sparse features, the only sense that life continues outside of its darkness is the low humming of the cooler in the kitchen and the faint sound of the traffic still trying to negotiate the Coruscant airways. His chrono on the dresser unit next to the bed keeps up a relentless ticking to remind him that time is steadily moving along; waiting for no man, not even Master Kenobi. He must get some sleep he thinks, he has to report to the council first thing in the morning. Suddenly his ears prick at a noise. Muffled as it is he can't determine if it is a moan or a cry, but it had come from Anakin's room. He hopes the boy is alright, he hopes he isn't having those nightmares again like he had had on arrival to the Temple. Obi-wan had been able to bring him to his bed then and comfort him; he doubts he has enough restraint in him to do it now, he doubts Anakin's bravado would allow him to anyway. Gently but uneasily he drifts into sleep.

4am: Obi-wan is soliciting passionate kisses from Anakin, in the high council chamber. Anakin is a Knight and Obi-wan swells with pride just looking at him. Vaguely he hears Mace Windu talking in the background, with the odd interjection from Yoda, but all his thoughts are on the sexy young Knight in his chair and the delicious erection that he is teasing his lips around. It is hot and smooth, and his nostrils are invaded by Anakin's pre-coitus scent, and all he can hear is Anakin's deep throated panting and lustful moans…

5am: Obi-wan wakes with a start and fights hard to regain his breath. He had that dream last night too. His body is glistened with perspiration and he can feel his cock straining in his pants, begging for attention. Tentatively he moves his hand to close around his length; he still feels dirty for doing this, it still feels like a violation of the code to him, but by the Stars he needs to do it. Fixing an image of his Padawan behind his eyes, his favourite image of the boy leant up against the dresser table so Obi-wan can see his face in the mirror, he begins to stroke his erection, slowly at first as his morality duels with his passion but as the latter vanquishes the former his rhythm grows steady and hard. He comes with a much needed release, Anakin's name whispering softly over his lips as his belly takes the splash of his satiation. But his sexual relief feels hollow and he knows he will never be satisfied whilst he achieves it in the dark, alone, or with his best friend that he pretends is actually someone else.

6am: Obi-wan can't get back to sleep. Anakin is awake, he can hear him moving, but Obi-wan is more concerned by that foreboding sense of the Force that he had got when he'd first come home. It's drifted into his bedroom and he doesn't like it; it feels more than wrong now, it feels shameful, and dirty, and pained.

7am: Obi-wan is under the cascading water of the 'fresher, steam has enveloped the bathroom. He is scrubbing at his skin like the soap can cleanse the impure thoughts from his mind; but it can't and Obi-wan knows this. He is attracted to his handsome young Padawan and he must learn to deal with it or get over it. He's not quite sure right now how to do either.

8am: Obi-wan prepares breakfast; he lays all the food out neatly on the kitchen table and sits down to eat. Anakin will be out any minute, he fawns over Obi-wan's cooking and never misses a meal…but Anakin doesn't join Obi-wan for breakfast. He crosses the space to Anakin's bedroom and slides the door open a touch to peer in. Anakin is awake but he is swathed in his blankets and Obi-wan thinks he has been crying. He asks what is wrong, but Anakin fobs him off with the insistence that he just feels unwell. Obi-wan offers to stay with him but Anakin forcefully declines. Against his better judgement Obi-wan agrees to Anakin's wishes of being left alone, and leaves the apartment.

9am: He is stood in front of the council, side by side with Quinlan as they deliver their report from the mission last night. Obi-wan lets Quin do all the talking; he is distracted, he is worried about Anakin, something doesn't feel right…

10am: Quin had said that he was just preoccupied with desire, that Anakin was probably telling the truth, he was feeling under the weather, and that Obi-wan was dramatising the issue because of his lingering feelings. It had sounded reasonable and Obi-wan had accepted it, but he wasn't quite sure how that had gotten them into the broom cupboard, amongst the brushes and the mops, with Quinlan fucking the senses out of him. Obi-wan feels him come inside of him and it feels…different. Obi-wan climaxes under a projection of his Padawan and quickly escapes from the site of his disgraceful deed.

11am: Obi-wan has just received a communication from one of the teachers; Anakin has not been seen all day. The pangs of guilt that are ripping into Obi-wan's insides because he has been shagging in a broom cupboard whilst his Padawan lies sick in bed tear strips into his soul. It didn't even feel good, with Quinlan, it didn't feel…worth it. Obi-wan wrestles yet again with his conscience and comes to the conclusion that he is a poor excuse for a Jedi; laying awake in the middle of the night fantasising about a boy in his trust, a sixteen year old boy! And then not five hours later he's at it again, skulking in a fucking broom cupboard letting himself be taken by the man that would take anything. Obi-wan is disgusted with himself for falling so weakly into the arms of concupiscence because of a stupid crush. Anakin is sick and all he can do about it is get off to a memory of him with his foot resting on a mop bucket.

12pm: He hears the running water of the 'fresher as he walks in through the door. Maybe the sickness has worn off, maybe Anakin feels better, but as a calm relief washes his body his ears detect a different story. Sobs. Wails. Anakin is crying. Obi-wan hasn't heard Anakin cry since the boy hit puberty; he wonders what could cause him to do so now, or maybe Anakin often cries when he thinks he is alone. The thought pains Obi-wan and he will not shy away from his suffering Padawan. He will not turn a blind eye to his anguish and his nightmares just because he can't handle how beautiful the boy has become. He is the Master; he has an obligation. Hesitantly he slides open the door to the 'fresher. Anakin is sat on the floor under the torrent of water, his body hunched; knees punching into his chest as his lanky arms close around himself, hugging away the tears that cry a river down his cheeks. Obi-wan stares blankly at him for a moment, if the boy notices the presence of his Master he isn't showing it. Obi-wan crosses the tiled floor and turns off the pouring water. Anakin just cries louder and Obi-wan can see his body tremble. He kneels down beside him and lays a tender, gentle, parental kiss to the child's hair. Anakin reaches out to grapple at Obi-wan's tunic, tucking himself into the love and protection of his Master. Through the relentless weeping all Obi-wan can make out is 'sorry'.

1pm: Obi-wan scoops the sodden Padawan into his arms and carries him to the master bedroom. He isn't worried about getting wet or dripping water over his pristinely kept apartment; Anakin is in some kind of trouble and he needs Obi-wan to stop acting like Obi-wan for a minute and listen. In this moment he realises that he never listens to Anakin. He hears, but never listens. He has become too afraid of his own emotions to be close to the boy, and now, as he lies him on the bed and hurries to fetch a towel, he realises that he doesn't know Anakin at all. This morning he would've blamed Anakin's insolence for the strain in their relationship had he been asked to attribute such blame, but now he knows that he is at fault. He has detached himself so fully from Anakin that the boy has become maddeningly contemptible just to get his attention. His eyes are apologetic as he dries Anakin off even if his mouth can't quite say the words. Then he finds them; the bruises.

2pm: Anakin is dressed and nursing a mug of hot tea as he cradles himself on the couch. The holonet is on in the background for distraction. Obi-wan is behind the couch, looking out of the window over Coruscant; his left arm hugging his body, his right massaging his temple as bitter tears prickle in the corners of his eyes. Anakin keeps saying he is sorry and Obi-wan wants to tell him he has nothing to be sorry for but speech evades him and instead he says nothing. Anakin asks if he is angry, if he doesn't want him to be his Padawan anymore, and it's the breaking point for Obi-wan. He sinks to his knees in front of the window and covers his face as heartache torments him and he can make no sound but weep. When he comes to his senses he angrily demands to know who, who would dare to rape the Padawan of Kenobi. Anakin's protestations of consent fall on deaf ears of Obi-wan's assessment; he is sixteen years old, the issue of consent is immaterial, in Obi-wan's tortured mind it was rape.

3pm: Obi-wan has to get out of the apartment, he is suffocating in the pain. He assures Anakin that his anger is not directed at him and he assures him that he would never give the Padawan up. A genuine smile born from the reassurances creeps from Anakin's lips and it in turn gives Obi-wan the strength he needs to go on. But he has to get out of the apartment. His world has just shattered at his feet and left him spinning in the vacuum of space, gasping for the last morsel of oxygen that will help him survive. He marches through the Temple's corridors pouring his emotions into the Force, but the more he gives away the tighter the knot twists in his stomach and he finds himself clenching and unclenching his fists by his side; ready to strike out in a murderous rage against the one who saw fit to invade and violate the youth of the child in his care.

4pm: He bumps into Quinlan outside the great hall and he asks after Anakin. Obi-wan sighs with the weight of a thousand worlds and is about to relate the news to his best friend when a lightning bolt of Force stops him. He can feel it again, that emptiness he had felt after the liaison in the cupboard, that sick, shameful resonance of the Force that had been diseasing the apartment this morning. Quinlan is looking at him expectantly, waiting to hear news of Anakin, chatting idly like nothing has passed when he has betrayed everything that Obi-wan has entrusted to him, not a glimmer of remorse or admission in those dark eyes. Obi-wan feels sick and recoils from Quinlan's questioning. His hand slips to the hilt of his 'saber but he thinks better of it and instead he puts the full power of his emotions into a knock out punch. Quinlan doesn't know what's hit him.

5pm: Obi-wan is sat in Yoda's apartment trying to explain why he started a common brawl with Master Vos outside the dining hall. Quinlan is claiming it was unprovoked and Obi-wan, dutifully protecting his Padawan, is not willing to divulge his reasons for the attack to the grand Jedi Master and Mace Windu. Yoda shakes his head disapprovingly as Mace begins to lecture Obi-wan about their disappointment in him, and now he knows how it feels to be Anakin. He agrees with everything the Jedi Masters say; he doesn't know what they have said, but he is anxious to get home.

6pm: Obi-wan has cooked but he can't force himself to eat. Anakin refuses to move from the couch and Obi-wan has wrapped a blanket around him. He is watching a movie on the 'net but Obi-wan can see him staring through the screen. He doesn't know what to say, or what to do to make it better. He hasn't told Anakin that he knows it was Quin.

7pm: Obi-wan sits beside Anakin, struggling with his conscience again. He can't work out if his reactions and his anger stem from paternal love for the boy, or whether it is an all-consuming sense of romantic love that made him hit Quinlan, in Anakin's defence. He thinks if it is the latter then he is judging with double standards, but fuck Quin he deserved it. He should have known that Anakin was out of bounds. Obi-wan is still at a loss to finding comforting words and opts instead to re-plait Anakin's braid. The warmth he receives through their bond lets him know that the gesture is appreciated, and as Anakin lays his head to Obi-wan's shoulder he knows that words are not necessary. Anakin feels safe in his arms, and as he holds the boy close to him a second tender kiss to his forehead lets Anakin know that he can find solace in them any time he needs to.

8pm: Obi-wan orders a glass of the blue stuff from the bartender. Anakin asked to be alone for a while and in all honesty Obi-wan feels that he deserves a drink at the end of this day. The sting of the liquor eases the pain and soon the glass is empty. Obi-wan thinks he deserves more than one drink; it has been a particularly bad day…

9pm: Obi-wan can't quite believe it when he hears the gruff tones of his best friend behind him. His fingers twitch over the hilt of his lightsaber as the treacherous voice spills apologies into his ear. He's resisting the temptation well he thinks until Quinlan remarks that Anakin was 'well up for it' and that Obi-wan had wanted to do the same thing for an age. Quin's Jedi reflexes save him from being struck by the brilliant blue blade but he doesn't ignite his own. He spouts off some line about 'understanding' Obi-wan's position and Obi-wan responds with a look of pure disgust. He decides in retrospect that Quinlan Vos is not worth it; he will be no help to Anakin if he is expelled from the Order, so he deactivates his weapon and returns it to his belt. He picks up his glass from the bar and studies its contents intently. He considers throwing it at Quinlan but decides it would be a poor waste of good alcohol; he won't give Quin the satisfaction. So instead he drinks the drink and leaves.

10pm: Anakin is in his night clothes already when Obi-wan returns to the apartment and a dirty dish on the kitchen counter indicates that he has eaten. Normally Obi-wan would chastise Anakin for not washing his pots but tonight he doesn't care. As he walks past the couch he affectionately tugs on Anakin's hand and pulls him into the bedroom. Anakin sits on the edge of the bed as Obi-wan changes into his sleep pants; apprehensive but not anxious. Obi-wan can sense Anakin's emotions through the Force as he listens for the first time since he can't remember when.

11pm: Obi-wan kneels to Anakin's level and, stroking back his hair, tells him everything is going to be alright. He tells him that he will always be there to protect him, tells him he will always be safe in his arms, tells him that he loves him. Anakin responds with a chaste kiss pressed delicately to his Master's lips. Obi-wan deepens the embrace, holding Anakin close to him and tenuously exploring the other man's mouth with his tongue. The kiss is loving and it is enough; for now.

12am: Obi-wan strokes Anakin's face gently as the boy sleeps against the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest; his other hand possessively wound around Anakin's. Anakin is his, he is Anakin's tutor, his mentor, his protector, and his defender, and he will lay down his life in an instant to prevent anyone from hurting him again. Anakin is his love and one day, though not this day, they will become lovers, and then they will be complete.