Chapter Three
Dinner Plans
It had been several tens since Dormé had made mention of her desire to romantically attach his Master and her employer, and Anakin was beginning to think she'd possibly forgotten about it, although he doubted it. He could always hope.
He and his Master had actually been off planet most of that time, guarding a diplomatic envoy as it slowly made its way across the Outer Rim, and he was pleased to finally be back at the Temple. He was more pleased, however, to find Dormé there waiting for him
They had exchanged several communiques during his mission, but holoprojected images were quite inferior to the real thing, he discovered.
The young woman met him with an exuberant hug and kiss, which many of the passing Jedi frowned upon, although Anakin didn't care. He figured they were just jealous that somehow he had managed to capture the attentions of the most beautiful creature in Galactic City.
"Was it dangerous?" she immediately asked him following their embrace, her brow pinched with concern.
Anakin touched his forehead to hers in order to ease her anxiety and for other selfish reasons. He wished to maintain as much contact as he could get away with in public. "If you consider spending a month straight with a moody, highly irritable human male, dangerous," he answered with a smile.
"I thought the dignitary you were protecting was the representative from Rodia? He's not exactly human," Dormé pointed out, adding a playful wink.
"I was talking about my Master," Anakin joked, causing a pleasant chuckle to erupt from her, as he stepped back to take Dormé's hand and lead her to stroll in no particular direction.
Together, they made their way through the main hall of the Jedi Temple, past the copper monuments of fallen Jedi and the numerous, tall, marble support pillars. Initiates, Padawans, Knights, and Masters were all taking the same path, though not at such a leisurely pace, Anakin noticed. He imagined they all had somewhere important to be, and he was glad the Council had decided that he and his Master finally needed a break; 'some time to confer with the Force and connect with other Jedi,' their orders had stated.
He was indeed going to spend some time in negotiations, but not necessarily with the Force. Right now, he was actually trying to figure out a way to negotiate another kiss from her.
The opportunity came when a line of initiates walked past them, the last one in line intentionally shoving the one in front of him, causing a disruption of crying and tattling. Frustrated glances from stoic Masters and Knights were cast toward the interruption of the usually docile atmosphere, providing the opportunity Anakin was waiting for.
He immediately pulled the young woman behind one of the great stone pillars, and pulled her into an intimate embrace. She responded with eagerness, kissing him several times, but blushing afterward.
"Anakin." His name was spoken softly and with as much affection as he was feeling. "I've missed you."
"I missed you too." He added a caress to his confession before pulling her close again, although the ridiculous amount of dress she was wearing thwarted his efforts. "But I have good news. The Council's given us leave. I'll be on-planet for the next ten."
"Really? " Dormé bounced up and down excitedly, her hands framing his face, her lips pressing to his with a quick peck. "That's wonderful! Then perhaps…"
Somehow, he had just lost some of his exuberance. There was something shifting inside those deceptively innocent-appearing eyes of hers. Anakin mentally prepared himself for whatever she was about to say.
"We can all get together for dinner some evening, perhaps at the Senator's apartment? I'm sure she won't mind."
Well. That wasn't so bad. "Like a double date?" Anakin confirmed.
"Sure, unless Master Kenobi takes offense to the word. Maybe you can just call it a friendly gathering," the young woman suggested.
Which wasn't a bad idea. Surely, his Master wouldn't turn his nose up at a home-cooked meal with one of the only Galactic Senators who didn't annoy him. "I'll do my best," Anakin promised before noticing they were once again collecting disapproving glances. "Let me walk you home," he suggested.
"Before we go there, can we stop by Senate?"
"Working late again, is she?" Anakin asked while they headed toward the Temple exit, still hand in hand.
"You wouldn't believe the amount of hours she's already put in this week!" Dormé reported with concern. "I'm starting to worry about her health. She's not getting enough rest, she's barely taking the time to eat."
"I hope she agrees to dinner then," Anakin felt it necessary to add with this new information. "Will she even been in the mood to cook?"
"Ha!" the word exploded with incredulity. "I'm the one who does all the cooking!"
"I didn't know you knew how," he teased. Whenever he had been at the apartment, all they ever feasted on was each other. That, or kernelpop.
"Uh!" Dormé smacked his arm with mock irritation. "I will have you know, I make an astounding crab soufflé and sugarcrepes are my specialty."
Thank the Force, thought Anakin. He was so sick of nerf steak and mashed tubers!
A/N: That last line is an inside joke to myself. Can't count the number of times I've used that particular menu in my stories! I definitely need to expand the boys' meal options!