Obi-Wan turned another corner warily, she did not often come to this part of Coruscant, and being in unfamiliar territory alone was starting to be slightly nerve-wracking. The last time she had met Maul, they had been attacked. She did not have a bad feeling, but she was still on edge. Just because there wasn't any danger yet, didn't mean there wouldn't be any.

You are worrying again, Obi-Wan. Maul's voice chastised her through the Force.

Some concern is warranted whenever you are involved, she shot back.

She knew she shouldn't be doing this. It was potentially dangerous, and an impulsive move, very much unlike her normal pragmatism. Of course, meeting a Sith in a secret rendezvous was not expressly forbidden, no one would have thought such explicit instruction necessary. Well, perhaps they should have.

What she thought had been the noises of traffic turned into particularly loud thumping as she walked, which then morphed into the unmistakable sounds of club music. She couldn't have missed the place. Strobe lights flared, announcing the presence of fun and potential mischief within, casting bright shapes on the nearby buildings.

Once inside, the music was deafening. The lights glared as they raved around the room in various neon colors. People of all sorts danced and flitted about, some more intoxicated than others. She reached out with the Force and her eyes drew her to the orange glow of Maul's eyes, staring at her intently thought the gyrating crowd.

Why here?

I like the quiet, came his simple reply.

She snorted.

It's very public.

Hoping for something more intimate?

She rolled her eyes as she caught the flash of white teeth as she weaved through the crowd. She looked up at Maul as she approached. He was leaned casually up against the wall, his black robes still, a stark contrast to the writhing bodies behind her. Someone bumped her and she stepped forward to steady herself, only to have Maul bodily pull her against him.

Maul raised an eyebrow at her and there was a spark of mischief in his eyes, as though daring her to speak first.

Obi-Wan let herself feel his body against hers for a single dangerous breath; she could feel the hard muscle through his robes, her body pressed firmly into his chest. Then pushed herself off. The spark of disappointment belied the smirk on his face as her hands left his chest. She looked at him, a lump in her throat. Small as it was, she felt his dismay as acutely as if it were her own. There had to be some way she could defend herself against this. It was getting more difficult to ignore; and she thought she wanted to feel more. Or was that something he wanted?

She tugged at her braid and she felt suddenly restless. She glanced around, was there a disturbance in the Force that was trying to tell her something? All seemed well around her. There had to be something—

Obi-Wan.

Maul's hands pulled her face back towards him. His amber eyes met hers, glowing in the darkness. Warm fingers pressed gently against her skin and she felt suddenly calm.

Let it happen. I, for one, am not going to waste this.

She was surprised once more at his conviction. She remembered the hate he felt toward her the first time they fought. He hated Jedi, and he had let go of that hate, at least toward her, as soon as he realized their connection. He had changed, however slightly, and that calmed her nerves slightly.

Obi-Wan nodded and felt his relief.

Maul inclined his head up a flight of stairs.

Ladies first.

You know that's an outdated practice.

On my planet, anything less than deference would have been…unpleasant.

She looked at him, curious at his openness. He still had a glint in his eye, but she could tell this was something he had lived through. She grasped his forearm and gave a gentle squeeze as she sidled past him. His life had been hard even before the Sith found him. His hand found her arm when they reached the top of the stairs and he steered her into a nearby room. The music died as the door shut, though a faint beat still thumped through the padded floor.

The room was warm and covered in drapery. It was soft and inviting and everything screamed comfort.

Obi-Wan frowned at Maul.

"This is a bordello."

"My Master does not look too closely at what I do here," he said with an almost imperceptible sigh.

She believed him.

"It's a different kind of quiet," she said.

She felt less stress flowing from him than normal, and saw his shoulders relax.

There was an odd energy coming from him that she could not place. A kind of excitement that lived as a buzz in the back of her head, but it was definitely his.

"What do you want from me, Maul? Really?"

"I want a lot of things from you," he growled, his desire growing as he surveyed her.

"Why do you pursue me? I will not forsake my path. I cannot give you what you want," she said, trying to ignore the pulse of her own body in response to his presence.

"I do not think you will like my answer. Time changes all things, even you," his voice stayed even, as though stating a fact.

"I will not break my commitment to the Jedi. Not even for you."

"For now," he stated. There was no bite to his words. "Force bonds do not happen by accident."

"You presume much. I will not change my mind, no matter what I feel toward you," she said, though she was not certain she believed herself. She did agree to meet him, when weeks ago she never would have even considered it.

"No, I do not believe you will; but the Jedi might."

She faltered. He had found it; her insecurity that Padmé had also somehow touched on. That there was something inside her that made her undesirable as a Knight, as a Padawan, and even as a daughter. Her heart lurched and she looked at her companion.

"They won't change their minds," she said in a steady voice, though she did not feel as certain as she made her voice. "If they were going to turn me away, they would have done so when I was young and untrained. It is my home, by my own choice."

"Yet you are here with me."

"I want— I chose to figure out what is going on and see if we can fix this."

He laughed, nothing more than a quiet chuckle, but she admitted to herself she liked the sound.

"We cannot fix something that isn't broken, Obi-Wan. When the Force chooses a dyad, it cannot be changed," he said. "And that is not why you're here. Stop deflecting. You can't lie to me."

His bright eyes bored into hers and the lump in her throat returned.

"You could come with me," she said quietly.

He laughed again, but this time there was no mirth in it.

"It is no more use trying to convert me to your ways than it would be for me to attempt to convince you to join me, Obi-Wan."

"You are powerful, Maul. You could do so much good."

"And deny myself the few pleasures in life I have managed to scrape together? I think not."

"Oh, not all of them. I am sure you could still find ways to torment me."

He was quiet for a moment, and she felt a warmth spread from her stomach to her heart, masking everything but the desire that steadily beat through her body.

"The thought is not as tempting as you wish it to be," he started softly, his gaze dropping to the hand wrapped around her braid. As he spoke, he reached out, almost tentatively, and disconnected her fist from her hair. She had not realized how tightly she had been gripping until he coerced her fingers open and began to rub her palm.

Breathe.

She tried, but it all seemed to hurt. She was afraid and she was filled with warmth, and her heart ached. Maul's forehead touched hers, and she stiffened to keep from leaning into him.

Maul spoke again as Obi-Wan tried to assert some calm over the stifling emotions coming from him. His eyes met hers and they glowed with a fiery passion that would have aroused her even if she had not felt the lust coursing through him already.

"I may keep my ability to irritate you, but I could lose everything else about you that I want. I will not subject myself to that."

His fingers were so warm, and she could not shake the way his affection surrounded her like a heated blanket. She tried to protest, but her voice was listless, and would not obey her commands to be more firm.

"Don't—" she started, her heart lurching as the thought of fighting him again struck her. She knew her attachment had gone too far in that moment she had looked for him in that alley, but she couldn't stop. Every time his presence touched hers, she felt a bond forming that was more than just their telepathic bond.

Maul paused, his fingers stopped moving and she felt him pull back slightly.

"Don't go back to Naboo," she said. A quiet plea; a half-hearted attempt to avoid the inevitable.

Maul's emotions pulled back with him as he masked his vulnerability once more.

"Afraid to fight me, Obi-Wan?" his voice was teasing.

"Yes," she whispered.

Maul cocked his head to the side, frowning. His sudden concern was almost palpable.

"I am afraid of what I might do. I—I fear I could do something horrible to protect you, and I would never forgive myself. I just feel so out of control all the time now. Everyone believes I will do the right thing, and I want to. What if…what if…" she trailed off, suddenly realizing how much of her insecurity about their relationship she had revealed.

Maul snorted a quiet laugh. "Obi-Wan, you feeling out of control is still more control than most manage in their lifetime. You will do the right thing, and it is currently contributing to multiple frustrations of mine. You will not give in, and I want to hate you for it, but it is what makes you who you are, and…" he trailed off as warmth washed through her again, and she understood what he was unwilling to say.

"As for you succumbing to the Dark Side and killing your Master to save our lives," he continued, the teasing lilt in his voice returning with a smirk when she blanched at his words, "Don't look so surprised, it wasn't hard to see what you fear, Obi-Wan. It seems an idea worth encouraging." His hands returned to their ministrations. "You would look lovely in black, and I would have you to myself."

"Maul," she sighed good-naturedly.

"I do not share your sentiment about killing your Master, Obi-Wan," he said curtly.

"I know. I do not expect it of you."

Maul's frown deepened and he brushed her hair from her face with his free hand.

"Why do you have more grace for me than for yourself?"

"I expect you to want to kill Jedi. I do not expect it of myself. Even to save my own life. My Master is not perfect, but he does not abuse me as yours does. I believe I would choose differently if I were in your position. I would happily end his existence and never look back," she said, the fervor in her voice growing as she spoke.

Maul froze, his golden eyes growing wide. Then something bloomed in him that Obi-Wan felt mirrored in herself; something warm and bright and stomach-tangling: hope.

"You said dyads were powerful, and Master Yoda has told me the same. You could not defeat him on your own, but perhaps together?" She looked at him, he was frowning. Was her logic not sound? He was staring at her, seemingly lost for words for the first time since she had known him. She felt the familiar warm beat of his affection grow and tried to ignore the desire that came with it. For a heartbeat she thought he might kiss her.

"I—" he started and abruptly stopped, swallowing. "You truly mean that."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I have no problems ridding the galaxy of a Sith Lord. I would have killed you, if I were actually able to." Would have. Now, she was not so certain. She would have killed him if she had to during their duel, but she would have not gone out of her way to do so. She looked into Maul's hopeful eyes and heard Padmé's advice once more. We only have one chance, Obi-Wan, why not take it if you already know it won't change the outcome?

If Qui-Gon killed Maul on Naboo; if Maul was right, she would be dead as well. She could no longer tell whether the affection swirling around inside her was his or hers, and she was not certain it mattered. She could not block him out, no matter the meditation techniques Master Yoda had suggested; nothing worked.

"Obi—" Maul started, closing the distance between them.

She bristled a little at the shortening of her name, but he said it differently than anyone else had. It wasn't meant to tease her; he was full of affection and desire again. He was so close. His hands rested on her hips, his grip warm but light. She could tell he wanted to touch her more, but he was holding back. Why?

Then she found it, that hint of fear that kept his lips from hers. The same fear she was intimately familiar with: the fear of rejection.

"Kriff," she swore. She grabbed Maul's robe and pulled him down. She pressed her lips to his and was flooded with his relief and passion. It mingled with her own and then nothing existed except them.

Maul's hands found the back of her neck. Then he trailed one down to the small of her back and pulled her against him. She felt her own desire mingled with his, briefly wondering how long it had been there. That night in the alley, had she confused her attraction to him as his? Or had it been even earlier?

This is a bad idea.

Shut up, Obi-Wan.

She tried, but she could not help but think back to them sitting in the burning sand. The heat of hate and something else. Perhaps not the full-fledged passion she felt now, but certainly attraction. Had it truly started there? Before they even knew about what connected them?

You're still worrying.

"Just let it go, love," Maul whispered in her ear before dragging his teeth gently down her neck.

Love? He couldn't love her. They barely knew each other. They were enemies. So what if she could feel everything he did? It didn't matter that she felt her heart hammer and her stomach flutter when she heard his voice in her head. It did not matter that she refused to name that roiling emotion that she felt coursing through her body as more than affection. It was just a feedback loop. It would always feel stronger than it actually was.

"Obi-Wan," he growled, some irritation making its way through the haze of positive emotions. "I would like your full attention for one night before I kill your Master on Naboo and you hate me forever."

Obi-Wan placed her hands on his chest and stared into those now familiar teasing eyes.

"I would not hate you…I think it is too late to hate you even if I chose to, but I will not give you what you want tonight, either."

"Does that bother you?" He asked intently, obviously ignoring her last declaration.

"No," she said honestly, surprised, calming slightly.

He pursed his lips at her and raised his eyebrows.

"Then let's discuss it later, hm?" His tone was patient, but his feelings were anything but.

"Maul—" she started, trying to push him away, but he was too strong for her to remove without more of the Force.

His intense gaze found her eyes once more, and the challenge sparked into a fire.

She gathered herself and shoved him off, this time using a Force push, and launching the Sith several feet. He landed gracefully, and a wicked gleam lurked in his eyes.

"Would you like to know which of us is truly stronger?" His voice was dangerously soft.

Obi-Wan swallowed and glared at him. He was enjoying this. Suddenly, she felt a wave of the Force press into her. It began gently, but she felt her feet slide back on the plush carpet.

She set her jaw at Maul's smirk and pushed back, attempting to build a shield around herself while she had a brief second. His Force push slammed into her shield and she staggered back to maintain the wall, relieving some of the pressure. She struck back, and Maul slid a few inches, but he maintained his balance.

Obi-Wan pushed steadily against Maul's oppressive wall of the Force, and managed to gain some ground, but instead of feeling the frustration she expected, she felt something like pride from the Sith across the room. His eyes glowed golden with the use of the Dark Side and Obi-Wan redoubled her efforts, but so did Maul. The Force hung between them, neither gaining any ground for several long moments. Obi-Wan felt the strain on her shield and knew it was weakening. Maul showed no signs of being remotely worn out.

Obi-Wan felt her feet slip as she felt herself growing tired, sweat beading on her brow.

"No," she growled, pushing back with a surge of strength, desperately trying to hold off the unyielding power he threw at her. Her defenses splintered and cracked, and she slipped backward.

Following a small a prick of satisfaction, Maul's Force wave hit her as her shield shattered and she flew toward the wall. She braced herself for the hit, but it never came. Maul had caught her in an almost gentle Force grip, if she could call anything done with the Dark Side gentle, and dropped her to the floor.

She landed on her feet and faced Maul once more, only for him to pin her against the wall with his muscled form.

"You are strong," he mused, "but you are holding yourself back by avoiding the more primal aspects of the Force. Emotion is just more fuel. "

She glared up at him, feeling like the triumph she felt from him was more than just from the fight he had one. It felt more significant than that.

"I like you this way, mate," he growled, the fingers of one warm hand playing at the base of her neck. Another primal wave of affection and desire flowed through them, and she knew not all of it was his.

"At your mercy?" She growled back, trying to let the emotion flow through her and out, but it would not leave.

"Passionate," he replied smoothly.

"You cannot just claim me because you defeated me onc—"

"Twice," Maul corrected her, his gaze hard.

"It is a barbaric practice, and—"

His fingers on her lips silenced her.

"The Force has tied us together for whatever blasted reason. I cannot change it any more than you can, but in the moments we are not actively pitted against one another, I see no reason to regard you as anything less than mine," he growled fiercely, and she felt his possessiveness so strongly she thought she might cry from the sheer magnitude of the emotion. "If that makes you uncomfortable," he gave her another wicked smirk, "you will grow accustomed to it."

His fingers fell from her lips and trailed down her neck. She felt her own fear grow as she realized she could not stop him. He could not have been much older than she was, but he had more training, and very likely, more practical experience. He was simply better than she was.

"Relax, Obi-Wan. I was not lying when I told you I wanted you willingly," he said.

"You are more patient than I gave you credit for," she said quietly.

"I know how to get what I want. Patience is just another means to an end," he replied, threading his hand into her hair.

"I—"

The trilling of her comlink startled her, and she dove for the device, surprised when Maul let her scamper out of his arms.

"Master?"

"Obi-Wan. I am sorry to cut your recreation time short, but the Queen is determined to leave tonight, can you be ready?"

Obi-Wan's eyes met Maul's and her heart began to ache again. For just a few short moments, she had managed to forget.

"Yes, Master. I will be there shortly."

She clicked the comlink back off. Unsure of what to say, she let Maul pull her into a tight embrace. His lips touched her forehead in a display of tenderness she never expected to see from the Sith.

"You can't be late," he replied fondly, pulling her cloak over her shoulders.

Maul smirked, his eyes glowing brightly in the dim light.

Obi-Wan sighed and returned his look with a small smile of her own. She kissed him once more, and it felt like all the galaxy like goodbye, even as Maul met her eyes and spoke.

"I will see you on Naboo."