Disclaimer: I don't own anything, and I'm not making a profit. It I did own Jedi Apprentice, Xanatos wouldn't have died, but alas…

Loyalty and Infidelity

It had become common for them, and they both accepted it. When Xanatos went on business trips, Obi-Wan waited for several days after his return before going to see him. This isn't something that the dark Jedi instigated because of exhaustion or lingering corporate affairs, this was all Obi-Wan's doing.

If Xanatos would just be more considerate, Obi-Wan was sure that the problem would be easily resolved. But the son of a bantha seemed to find Obi-Wan's irritation and anger amusing.

The problem was that, every time Xanatos returned from those so-called "trips," he had the lingering signatures' of others. Obi-Wan could feel strangers on his lover's skin and taste them in his mouth.

He hated that.

He hated that he was putting his entire future on the line for this romance, if you could even call it that, and Xanatos was sleeping with other people.

What's worse, it made him jealous. He couldn't stand the idea of other's being intimate with Xanatos, knowing him like Obi-Wan did.

So he didn't go see Xanatos until he knew that the traces of the man's promiscuity would be gone.

But sometimes, he had to make exceptions.

Qui-Gon told him that they'd be leaving for Manaan the next evening. He didn't know how long they'd be gone. It had already been three weeks since Xanatos had been home, and if Obi-Wan didn't see him that night, he thought he would go crazy.

Maybe he didn't pick up any random beauties this time. Maybe he chose to be loyal.

Yes, and maybe Yoda will decide to gain 2000 lbs and join the Hutts.

Obi-Wan was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of the door. He stood up to greet (and possibly shout at) Xanatos.

The older man strolled into his living room, dropping his travel case on the ground. The side of his mouth quirked slightly.

"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms, intending to holdout. There were force signatures all over his skin.

And it maybe Obi-Wan angry.

"How was your trip?" Obi-Wan asked stiffly.

Xanatos continued to smile. "Enjoyable."

"Good," Obi-Wan said.

I don't care how much I missed him. He obviously didn't miss me.

He stepped to the side and walked around Xanatos, heading for the door.

"What are you doing?" Xanatos asked, grabbing his arm.

"Leaving."

The smile didn't falter. "Why?"

"You're capricious and shallow," Obi-Wan replied flatly. "And I don't want to be anywhere near you."

He started to walk forward again, but Xanatos held fast to his arm.

"We both know you're not really leaving."

Egoistical liar… Why can't I hate you?

Obi-Wan jerked his arm free.

"You want company? Go pick up some Twi'lek or something up. You do it often enough when you're gone."

"Oh," Xanatos said innocently. "Is that what this is about? My lovers?"

Why does hearing him call them that make me feel so sick?

"I'm leaving," Obi-Wan said in response.

"Don't," Xanatos said, grabbing his arm again. "I'm sorry."

Obi-Wan didn't believe him. It might have been because the cheater was still smiling.

"Go rot."

Xanatos sighed. "You're really angry?"

"What was your first clue?"

"You have no claim or say in who I sleep with."

"I never said I did."

"But you think you should," Xanatos raised an eyebrow.

"Well, since my entire future is being risked for a few fun nights I think that it'd be nice to have some loyalty," Obi-Wan glared at him.

"I don't demand to know everyone that you're having sex with."

"That's different," Obi-Wan snapped impatiently. "I'm not having sex with anyone."

"Other then me."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Not tonight."

Xanatos sighed. He brushed the tip of his fingers against Obi-Wan's cheek.

"You know that this is as far as we'll get."

Obi-Wan stiffened. He knew, but hearing Xanatos say it made it seem more real.

"This will never be anything more then a lie to keep covered. You won't let it be."

"What am I suppose to do?" Obi-Wan demanded. "I'm a Jedi. This isn't supposed to be happening."

"But you always come back."

"I can't help it," Obi-Wan replied honestly.

Xanatos watched him patiently as Obi-Wan struggled to find the right words.

"You just… look at me like that and I can't help but come back."

Lips brushed Obi-Wan's cheek. "Then what does it matter?"

"It does matter."

Xanatos sighed. "You're making this a bigger deal then it is."

Obi-Wan wanted to stomp his foot the way he did as a child when he didn't get his way. "I'm not making it into a big deal. I'm leaving for a mission tomorrow, I need to go home and sleep. Bye."

Once again, Obi-Wan tried to leave. Xanatos trailed behind him.

"You're going on a mission tomorrow?" He asked smoothly, those his words came out a little too fast.

Obi-Wan nodded, not looking at him.

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know."

Frustrated, Xanatos grabbed Obi-Wan's arm. "And you don't care that you haven't seen me in three weeks, and now you're leaving again?"

"I don't care?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice nearly in a yell.

Xanatos raised a hand in defeat. "I said that I was sorry."

"The point is that you're not sorry."

"But I am," Xanatos argued.

"You and I both know that the next time you go through any kind of sexual withdrawal you'll just pick up another random, morally-corrupt pedestrian, like you always do," Obi-Wan tried to step around him and failed.

"Well then, I'm not sorry for that. But I actually am sorry that I upset you."

Obi-Wan stopped to look at Xanatos, hoping that there would be some semblance of truth on his face.

"I don't believe you."

Exasperation appeared in Xanatos's eyes. He grabbed Obi-Wan's face between his hands and pulled the Jedi toward him. Their lips warmed each other's and their teeth clicked. When they finally broke apart Obi-Wan was gasping for air.

"So you attack me? That's your solution?" Obi-Wan asked, not really angry.

Xanatos ran his thumb down Obi-Wan's cheek. "I meant what I said."

Obi-Wan nodded, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. It didn't matter whether Xanatos was lying or not. He wasn't going anywhere.

"You have to be patient with me," Xanatos said, so softly Obi-Wan barely caught it. The older man was staring at the floor in an extremely rare act of embarrassment. "I don't understand yet how this works; our boundaries and our rules."

A dry spot formed in Obi-Wan's throat.

He's right. I can't try to control what he does because this isn't real. As long as I'm a Jedi and he's my master's enemy this will never be real. At least not real enough.

"I'm not asking you to keep forgiving me," Xanatos continued. "But forgive me at least this once, and then we'll talk when we have more time?"

"Alright," Obi-Wan agreed. It didn't matter if Xanatos wasn't asking him to forgive multiple times; Obi-Wan knew that he would forgive Xanatos's every transgression. However, it would all be futile.

Love doesn't need forgiveness.

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A/N: I can just see Xanatos as a man-whore. I hope that you enjoyed it, please review!