Disclaimer: If you recognize it I probably don't own it.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my friend Chels, or ChildOfAPineapple. Also, some of the italics that signify when someone is thinking aren't working, so I hope that you guys can tell. I've been having problems with my computer.
Chapter 5I hate everything about you
Why do I love you
You hate everything about me
Why do you love me
-Three Days Grace
Xanatos
No matter where he was or in what situation, Xanatos always had a talent for looking as if he was in complete control. Presently, his starship was being jerked around far more roughly then he would have liked. All the ship's shaking was ruining his drink, and he was trying to enjoy the fresh taste of the ale after his mishap with the last bottle.
"You didn't tell me that there would be an asteroid storm," the pilot said through chattering teeth as he tried to keep his grip on the controls.
Xanatos sighed. "This is YX2, a traveling asteroid storm. How was I to know? Besides," Xanatos took a moment to sip his drink, "you're an employee. If you dislike you're job so much you can stay on Tarria. Maybe hitch a ride to the inner rim from there."
The pilot gulped. If Xanatos left him on Tarria he would be ripped to pieces by the beasts there in a matter of minutes. Hours if he was lucky. Or perhaps the first one was luckier; it didn't give him much time for fear and anxiety.
Irritation burned in Xanatos as he felt a particularly large asteroid slam into the side of his ship.
My poor baby…
"Look!" Exclaimed Gerrith, who, like a few other mercenaries, had spent the duration of the storm hovering behind the pilot's seat. "I can see the end of the storm!"
Xanatos rolled his eyes and stood. He quickly splashed the contents of his glass on Gerrith's face. "Would you shut up? And get me another drink." He dropped the glass in Gerrith's hand.
Gerrith mumbled an apology and hurried to refill Xanatos's cup, wondering why he didn't listen to his mother when she told him to become a med assistant.
"We're out of it," the pilot sighed in relief.
"Good," Xanatos said, turning on his heel. "Then I have something to attend to."
"Wait sir your ale," Gerrith scurried to stand in front of Xanatos with the proffered glass.
"I don't want that," Xanatos shoved Gerrith out of his way and continued on.
Caught off balance, Gerrith spilled the drink down his front.
Xanatos smirked slightly and left. After he was out of the room the pilot and other mercenaries in the cockpit fell into fits of laughter.
"Yeah Gerrith," scoffed one. "He's real scared of you."
Gerrith tossed the cup at him and left.
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Obi-Wan
"Ow," he muttered, picking himself up off the floor of his cell.
For the past twenty minutes Obi-Wan had felt like a toy being shaken in a box by an especially sadistic child. He knew he would have many bruises later.
He laid down on the floor as soon as he heard the footsteps in the hallway. It was probably Xanatos, and Obi-Wan really didn't want to talk to him. He didn't entirely trust the strength of his self-control.
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Xanatos
I hope Obi-Wan wasn't hurt in the turbulence. Xanatos slowed when this thought crossed his mind.
It's only because I don't want him dead before Qui-Gon gets here, Xanatos assured himself. There's no other reason.
Resuming his quick pace, Xanatos soon reached Obi-Wan's cell and accessed the door. However, rather then find a battered and bruised Jedi, Obi-Wan was lying on the floor, fast asleep.
Xanatos stared in shock. How could anyone sleep through that?
Obi-Wan stirred slightly. Xanatos had to force himself not to smile. He walked into the cell and knelt by Obi-Wan's sleeping form, touching his cheek gently.
"What are you doing to me?" He asked softly.
The force waved in Xanatos's mind and he felt Obi-Wan's heartbeat flicker. He wasn't asleep.
Xanatos's blood boiled in anger. "Get up," he said in a harsh voice, rising quickly. "We're about to land."
After a moments hesitation Obi-Wan rose, following Xanatos out of the cell.
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Obi-Wan
Obi-Wan couldn't see a thing in front of him as he walked down the starship ramp. It was nighttime on Tarria, and the planet's one small moon did little to give illumination in the dark.
Upon leaving the ship he was cuffed. A guard was next to him, gripping his elbow so tightly it was bruising. They, being all the passengers save a few who were left to guard the ship, were standing in a large opening among the trees. Xanatos approached from behind and stood next to him.
"The planet is completely uninhabited save for the animals," Xanatos said evenly, staring at the trees. "The Sith relics on this planet have driven many of the beasts mad with bloodlust, and you don't have your lightsaber. Running is suicide."
"Staying is suicide," replied Obi-Wan.
Xanatos didn't look at him and for once didn't respond. He moved to the front of the group and waved his hand, and they began walking west.
Shocked, Obi-Wan moved with the guard gripping his elbow.
He's angry with me, Obi-Wan thought, keeping sight of Xanatos. Why does that bother me so much?
Obi-Wan lost sight of him several times as they advanced into the forest. The soldiers were deathly silent, and every so often he would hear low growling or see shining eyes from the trees. When this happened flash grenades were tossed into the trees to scare away the creatures. Obi-Wan made the mistake of looking over when a grenade was thrown at one animal that dared venture too close. In the light Obi-Wan saw that it resembled a vine cat in structure and stature, but it most certainly wasn't a vine cat. The flash only lasted for a few seconds, and that was enough for Obi-Wan. The creature's fur was deep green and brown, most likely for camouflage. Its body was about seven feet long. Its front fangs extended out of its mouth and down its jaw, sharpened to points more dangerous then vibroblades. Its claws grew out of its paws upwards and curved like hooks.
This certainly looks like a Sith world.
"Pretty thing ain't he?" Obi-Wan's guard said, indicating the spot where the cat had been. "They're all over this force-forsaken planet. They wouldn't kill us for meat, they've got plenty of that, they'd kill us just to kill. Always aim for the throat too; poor Tray nearly got his head ripped off when one of the she-cats got him. That was a bloody death."
Obi-Wan knew that the guard was trying to scare him, so he made sure that his features were schooled. The creatures were frightening, but he was still a Jedi.
A startling fact soon occurred to Obi-Wan. No matter how many cats stalked their party, no matter how many grenades were thrown, Obi-Wan could sense nothing from the animals. It was as if they weren't there. His nervous senses spiked.
After about an hour of walking they came upon an outcropping, much larger then the one they landed in but filled with worn down buildings and metal sidewalks that had been slightly overgrown by plants. The only thing new in the area was a small group of speeders on the North side. There was a group of heavily armed soldiers already set up there, Obi-Wan could see them nod a greeting as the party entered.
To his right a flicker of movement caught his eye, but when he looked no one was there.
Obi-Wan began to examine the buildings using a Jedi trick. Observing without appearing too. It was obvious that they were very old remains, and that this was not a living settlement. People had lived here, but only because of their work. Odds are they did not want to be here long-term.
Another movement at his right forced him to openly look over, but once again the area was empty. His senses heightened.
What is it?
He looked for Xanatos. The dark Jedi was about 50 yards in front of him, staring off into the forest. He appeared in deep thought, but his brow was lineless and worry-free, as per usual. The flicker came again, and with a sinking feeling in his stomach Obi-Wan realized what it was.
"Watch out!" He shouted, just as a nasty looking forest cat leaped at Xanatos.
Xanatos's reflexes were finely tuned, but he was still slightly unprepared for the sudden attack from the animal. He twisted his body so the creature didn't catch his neck like it was aiming, but that didn't stop it from sinking it's razor-sharp fangs deep into his right side. His lightsaber had leaped into his hand and he had sliced open the back of the cat's neck while the mercenaries were still pulling out their blasters. Unfortunately, in death the creatures jaw locked. It took three men to pull the animal's mouth open, and when they finally succeeded Obi-Wan heard an audible crack.
Blood spilled down from Xanatos's side, soaking his right pant leg. Without even the slightest limp Xanatos stepped around the soldiers and entered a building. In the chaos Obi-Wan's guard had become preoccupied, and the young Jedi easily ducked behind him and followed Xanatos.
When he found the older man he had already discarded of his shirt and was examining the wound. He had his cloak balled up and pressed it against half of the wound. The cloak was already soaked in blood. Obi-Wan almost cringed at the sight of the deep bite.
"Here," he said softly, taking a step forward. "Let me help you. That's the kind of wound that people bleed to death from."
"And I'm sure that would be such a loss to your precious Jedi," Xanatos snapped, not looking up. However, after a moment he sighed and glanced at Obi-Wan. "Come here, I'll undo your cuffs."
Obi-Wan proffered his cuffed hands and Xanatos removed the bindings. Xanatos sat down in a chair and Obi-Wan kneeled next to him to examine the wound, quickly grabbing the bandages and bacta out of the pack that Xanatos had handed him.
As Obi-Wan began rubbing bacta on Xanatos's side, the dark Jedi leaned forward and yanked off his right boot. He tipped it up and a small stream of blood poured out.
"I suppose I should be thanking you," he muttered.
Obi-Wan shrugged. "You bandaged my neck wound. Granted, you're the one who hurt me in the first place, but the thought was still there."
"Not that. For saving my life."
Obi-Wan felt heat rush to his face. He shook his head. "You would have sensed the cat, it was just my reflex to yell."
"No I wouldn't have."
A little surprised, Obi-Wan looked up at him.
"The cats here are voids in the force, probably a result from their living on a Sith world for so long. We can't sense them, surely you noticed?"
That explains it, thought Obi-Wan, remembering the forest incident.
"I also suspect," continued Xanatos, "that the creatures are force-sensitive, though I have no way of knowing for sure. They seem to know things that normal animals shouldn't."
"I thought it was strange that they went after you, when there were mercenaries closer to them," Obi-Wan laid the bacta down and began wrapping the bandage around Xanatos's abdomen. He tried not to notice how the muscles moved underneath Xanatos's skin, and he also tried to ignore the desire to let his hand brush against them as he bandaged the wound.
"They are drawn to the darkside of the force," Xanatos said casually. "I projected it the strongest. You're best off in this camp, you're the very last one that they'd kill."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I guess I'm just lucky," he taped down Xanatos's bandage and, after allowing his hand to linger a few second to long, started to move away.
Xanatos reached out and grabbed his hand before he had fully stepped back.
"Wouldn't it have been smarter to let me bleed to death?"
Obi-Wan's heartbeat went crazy in that panicked way that he had started to grow use to. It was the reaction his body had every time Xanatos touched him.
"No," Obi-Wan shook his head quickly as he tried to pull out of Xanatos's grasp. "I'm a Jedi, I can't just let people die."
"I'm your enemy, why would you want to help me?" Xanatos kept his tightened hold on the young Jedi, staring at him piercingly.
Obi-Wan's thoughts flew away like so much sand in the wind as he stared at the ocean blue depths of those eyes. He felt like he was drowning in them. "I don't," he said, then, with one firm tug, yanked his hand out of Xanatos's grip.
Only a second after he was free he threw his arms around Xanatos's neck and forcefully pressed his lips against his. Xanatos lost his balance for a moment, but recovered and responded quickly. He could feel Xanatos grab his upper arms tightly, yanking him closer. Obi-Wan let his right hand trail down Xanatos's chest, feeling the muscles he had admired moments before.
The lust-filled moment did not last. Obi-wan was startled back into his sanity by the sound of a door opening, and he quickly disentangled himself from Xanatos's arms.
"Sir," a fearful voice came from the doorway. It was Gerrith, the mercenaries' scapegoat. "The prisoner…" He caught sight of Obi-Wan. "Oh," he said, in an embarrassed voice. "He's with you."
"Yes," said Xanatos, obviously irritated by the intrusion. "He's with me."
Embarrassment flooded Obi-Wan at the near connotation of Xanatos's statement. He suddenly realized in shock what he had initiated, and guilt filled him. Jedi shouldn't have feelings like that…especially not for men like Xanatos.
"Should I take him to the temporary cell?" Gerrith asked.
Obi-Wan could feel Xanatos looking at him, but he still did look up from his study of the floor. He heard the older man's annoyed sigh.
"Fine," Xanatos waved his hand dismissively. "Take him."
Gerrith placed a firm hand on Obi-Wan's elbow and lead him out. Obi-Wan put up little resistant, still trying to sort out the feelings in his chest and the thoughts in his head, all the while the taste of Xanatos's tongue still in his mouth.
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MyFictionalAnnihilation: Darth Maul is definitely the best. By "do something" I assume that you mean you want them to have sex. I'm trying to keep this fic as logical as possible, and very few people who hate each other jump into bed. Well, there is battle lust, but we won't get into that. Anyway, I do know what you mean however. It's frustrating when you want a really good want characters to have sex, as weird as it sounds I've been there.
Child of a Pineapple: Well, you don't know that Star Wars Timmy is going to die yet, so patience grasshopper. Of course, I might kill him just cause you like him…. j/k. Yes, Xanatos is amazingly cool. I love him so much. I hope you like this chapter, and I hope that the cat death scene or the slightly uncomfortable sexual implications didn't bother you. They weren't very strong in this chappie, so I didn't put up a warning. Love you!
Holiday From Real: Yeah, I've always imagined Xanatos had being a few cards short of a full deck, so this is the way I always portray him. Kind of childish, in an evil murderous way. I'm happy that the relationship sounds normal, let me know if it gets weird.
Rian Sage: I tried to do more Obi-Wan PoV on Xanatos in this chappie, so I hope that's what you were wanting. Xanatos wasn't really showing Obi-Wan the sacrifices to get him to want him or anything, he was just angry and he wanted to hurt Obi-Wan, upset him with the people's plight. I try to use as much Star Wars language as I can, it makes the story seem more real to me. Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: I didn't like this chappie very much. The language doesn't flow to me. Maybe I'm just being an overly analytical writer, as we often are, but still… I don't know. It's shorter then the others too. Maybe I'm just a little stressed over prom tomorrow. A dance should not be this stressful. Sorry to all of you Qui-Gon lovers about him not being in this chappie, but he's still flying to Tarria and the journey takes a few days, so there's really nothing going on with him. Anyway, let me know what you thought, constructive criticism or suggestions are always good. Please review, later!