Epilogue
From across the pillow, Anakin scrutinized Obi-Wan's features as he slept. It wasn't often that he was awake first so Anakin too advantage of the opportunity to study his lover. In the nearly four months since they'd settled on Alderaan, Anakin had enjoyed waking up next to Obi-Wan each morning. Even if one of them woke up before the other the two of them stayed in bed together, the sunlight streaming in on them through the large balcony doors on the opposite side of the bedroom.
Lifting himself up on his elbow, Anakin reached over to run his fingers through Obi-Wan's longer hair. It had grown out somewhat in the months they'd been living in exile, his hair still short, but no longer a ragged mess. He'd even managed to convince Obi-Wan that a beard was more trouble than it was worth. On the whole Obi-Wan looked happier and healthier than Anakin could remember him being in a long time. Long hours outdoors had given his skin a bronzed glow once the initial sunburns had faded and he smiled and laughed a lot more than he had in the past.
Originally, Anakin had only meant for them to hide away until Obi-Wan regained his memory. And while Obi-Wan may not be able to remember much of his life before the failed mission to Ranth'fer, he could remember enough to decide that he didn't want to return to Coruscant. He'd given Anakin his blessing if he'd wanted to return to the Jedi Temple, but had informed Anakin that he couldn't follow.
"The Jedi are not supposed to form attachments, Anakin. How can I be a proper Jedi if I'll put the entire galaxy in jeopardy to keep you safe?" Obi-Wan demanded as he slumped onto the bed. "I did what Sidious wanted because he threatened your life. And I'd do it again."
Anakin gave the only response he could think of. Moving quickly into the 'fresher, he found the flat-bladed razor Obi-Wan used each morning to shave and brought it back with him into their bedroom. He knelt down in front of Obi-Wan, holding the handle of the razor out towards the older man.
"If you're not a Jedi then neither am I," Anakin said solemnly, tilting his head to the left. Grabbing hold of his padawan braid, Anakin held it taught.
"Anakin...?"
"Cut off the braid," Anakin instructed. "I won't return to the temple unless you are with me. I can't be a Jedi unless you're there with me. I don't trust any of them, only you."
That morning Obi-Wan had cut off both Anakin's padawan braid and the short tail at the base of his skull. His Jedi robes along with the remainder of Obi-Wan's Sith attire had been burned, effectively erasing all physical evidence that the two men had once been Jedi.
Anakin knew that one day they would have to face the Council, but for the moment he was enjoying the peaceful life he and Obi-Wan had built on Alderaan. He wasn't foolish enough to think that the Council didn't know where they were. If the Council hadn't known where they were they would have been hunted to the far ends of the galaxy. Master Windu didn't trust either of them and Anakin knew that it would have been even worse after what Obi-Wan had done. So while Anakin didn't really like that they were being watched, he was grateful that the Jedi Council—or more likely Master Yoda –respected them enough to give them some time on their own.
Slowly returning to consciousness, Obi-Wan was instantly aware that Anakin was awake and staring at him. Obi-Wan snuggled closer to his lover, winding his arms around Anakin's torso. It was far too early to be awake and if he was lucky he could convince Anakin to go back to sleep without difficulty. His lover was rarely in a rush to get out of bed in the morning.
"Can we please go back to sleep?" Obi-Wan yawned against Anakin's sun-warmed chest.
"It's not that early," Anakin chuckled quietly. "Besides, I promised Nolan I'd look at speeder of his this morning."
"Nolan can wait," Obi-Wan grumped, burrowing himself deeper into his lover's embrace.
When Anakin didn't protest, Obi-Wan relaxed in hopes of drifting back to sleep. It was the middle of the harvest season so he and Anakin were usually busy for most of the daylight hours; Obi-Wan in the fields and Anakin repairing the machines that were constantly breaking down. It was hard work, but Obi-Wan didn't mind it because it meant that he and Anakin could live free from the Jedi Council. He didn't have to fear being used as a pawn by people he didn't know just to keep Anakin safe.
"Don't fall back to sleep," Anakin murmured against his temple. "We'll never get out of bed if you have it your way."
Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I've never heard you complain about it before."
"That's because I usually don't have the breath to complain."
Obi-Wan snorted into Anakin's shoulder, rolling over so that he was lying mostly on top of the younger man. To add further incentive, he pressed his thigh between Anakin's, rubbing firmly against his groin. In no time at all he had Anakin moaning softly and arching his hips upwards.
"You are definitely cheating, my love," Anakin groaned, arching more forcefully against Obi-Wan. "Besides, I thought you wanted to sleep."
"I'm hoping that if I wear you out you'll fall asleep," Obi-Wan murmured as he began to kiss his way to the center of Anakin's chest.
And had his side pinched for his efforts. "I'm not a two year old."
"Of course you're not."
Anakin's scowl was entirely ineffective as the corners of his mouth kept twitching while he fought a smile. As Obi-Wan began to press kisses along his collarbone the smile won out. It hadn't taken Obi-Wan long to discover just how tactile Anakin was. The boy craved being touched and held. He liked it even better when he was the one doing the touching. More than once Obi-Wan had been forced to lie still as Anakin took his time exploring the contours of his body, first with his fingertips then with his lips and tongue.
At the moment, though, it was Anakin who had been turned into a quivering mass. In four months Obi-Wan had had plenty of time to explore Anakin's body and discover all of his sensitive points. He knew where to squeeze when Anakin's neck ached from a day spent bent over an engine; where to massage if he wanted Anakin to relax; where to press when Anakin felt the imagined sting from his imagined right forearm; and where to touch his lips to make Anakin tremble beneath him.
"Obi-Wan, please…." Anakin moaned as he arched his hips upwards.
Holding Anakin's hips still, Obi-Wan pressed a kiss to the dip of flesh where hip and torso met. "You're the one who didn't want to go back to sleep."
This time it was a whimper that slipped past Anakin's lips even as Obi-Wan watched him try to keep silent. Anakin was biting his lips, his eyes squeezed shut tight, while Obi-Wan blew lightly over the skin he had just kissed. By the time Obi-Wan even reached Anakin's erection, the younger man was writhing against the mattress.
Spreading his legs wide as he was able, Anakin sunk his fingers into Obi-Wan's hair and tried to guide his lover's face up towards his own. It took several insistent tugs, but he was able to draw Obi-Wan up his body. He wound his legs around the other man's hips, holding him in place while he arched forward to catch Obi-Wan's lips in a kiss.
"Getting impatient, are we?" Obi-Wan chuckled, nipping lightly at Anakin's chin.
It continued to amaze Anakin just how carefree Obi-Wan had become since losing his memory. Even with the bits that were returning, Anakin had yet to see any of the frustrating stoicism that had permeated his Master's personality before Ranth'fer. Obi-Wan was still quiet and contemplative from time to time, but with each day Anakin saw more of the man Obi-Wan had been when they had first met. Before Master Qui-Gon had died. He was no longer weighed down by ten years of responsibility to a young man who had been forced upon him. Nor did he have to live up to the legacy of his own teachers.
He was simply Obi-Wan Kenobi, the man that Anakin loved with everything in him.
So it was with a gasp and a contented moan that Anakin arched his hips to meet Obi-Wan's initial thrust into his body. The awkwardness that had been there the first few times they'd made love was long gone. Now it was more of a dance; one infused with much more passion and fervor than any of the katas they had mastered over the years.
And when it was over they lay in a panting, sweaty jumble of limbs. Obi-Wan started to roll off him, but Anakin held him still, craving the weight of his lover's body covering him. Even though physically Obi-Wan was the smaller of them, Anakin always felt protected lying in his arms.
With a yawn and a sleepy kiss pressed to Obi-Wan's forehead, Anakin felt himself drifting off to sleep despite his best efforts. The last thing he was aware of was Obi-Wan's quiet chuckle rumbling through his body.
Grunting, Obi-Wan flopped down on the small hill that sloped down from their back door. He was utterly exhausted. The rains were coming in under a week and they were rushing to finish the harvest in time. Obi-Wan found that he didn't mind the difficult work. In fact he rather enjoyed it. It was fulfilling work that allowed Obi-Wan to take pleasure in the exhaustion that weighed him down each night.
Obi-Wan shivered slightly as a cool breeze danced over his sweat-damp flesh. His shirt was somewhere near his right hand, but he didn't have the energy to pat himself dry. Or even to lift it from the grass. The chill only increased a moment later when someone stepped between him and the sun. Blinking his eyes open slowly, Obi-Wan grinned up at source of the shade.
"Hello, lover," Anakin murmured as he straddled Obi-Wan's thighs, sitting himself on the shorter man's thighs. "Think you can make it to the house?"
"Not while you're sitting on me," Obi-Wan chuckled, arching his back slightly. "How's Nolan's speeder?"
Anakin smirked and set his fists down on either side of Obi-Wan's head, leaning over his prone form. "The speeder's back in working order. So's that bailer that was acting up yesterday."
"Glad to hear it. That'll make tomorrow's work easier," Obi-Wan yawned as he wiggled around a bit to find a more comfortable position on the hill.
"The sun's going to go down soon," Anakin pointed out, his lips brushing against Obi-Wan's cheeks. "It'll be warmer inside the house."
Comfortable as he was, Obi-Wan knew that Anakin was right. This late in the season there was a noticeable chill in the air once the sun went down. The air had already dropped a few degrees since he'd left the field and as much as he enjoyed the sight of Anakin smeared with grease, neither of them would find much pleasure as the temperature continued to drop.
Obi-Wan heaved himself into a seated position which dislodged Anakin from his lap. The younger man landed on his back with a huff of expelled air, staring up at the sky in shock. Chuckling, Obi-Wan ran his hands along Anakin's inner thighs as he bent his own legs up.
"You could have given me a little warning," Anakin snorted, bringing his own hands up to rest on top of Obi-Wan's.
Smirking, Obi-Wan flipped his hands over to grasp Anakin's. "I'll keep that in mind next time you sit on me."
Anakin rolled his eyes before slipping his hands out of Obi-Wan's. Then, pressing his elbows into the soft earth, he rolled himself over backwards so that he ended up kneeling facing his lover a little ways down the hill. Anakin was on his feet a moment later, holding his left hand out towards Obi-Wan.
"Let's go in. I'm starving."
As soon as he saw the flashing light on their holocommunicator Anakin felt a sense of dread wash over him. In all the time they'd been living on Alderaan there had never once been a message waiting for them. Everyone they associated with lived within walking distance and would come over rather than waste time on the communicator. It was meant only for emergencies.
"We knew this was going to happen," Obi-Wan sighed as he moved past Anakin and towards the 'fresher. "I was a Sith apprentice. I'm surprised the Jedi didn't drag me back and throw me into some deep, dark prison cell. Where I can't hurt anyone anymore."
Anakin hurried after Obi-Wan, latching onto his shoulder and spinning him around. "Stop it right now, we don't even know if that's from the Council."
Taking several deep breaths, Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut tight and leaned into Anakin. As Obi-Wan leaned into him, Anakin wound his arms around the smaller man, holding him as he trembled slightly.
"Sorry about that," Obi-Wan murmured into Anakin's shoulder. "It's probably just Senator Organa calling to check up on us."
"Probably," Anakin agreed, his voice muffled slightly against the side of Obi-Wan's head. "Let's go have a shower then make something quick to eat. Okay?"
"Okay," Obi-Wan mumbled as he pulled away from the younger man.
Anakin stared at Obi-Wan's retreating back for a moment before turning back towards the holocommunicator. He wanted to listen to the message while Obi-Wan was distracted. If it was the Jedi Council, which Anakin feared was the case, he wanted to be the one to tell Obi-Wan after what had happened earlier.
Retrieving the message from the holocommunicator's memory, Anakin was utterly relieved when he saw that the message was from one of the nearby farmers who needed him to look at a compactor. Deleting the message, Anakin was much more relaxed as he made his way to the 'fresher. One day it would be the Jedi Council on the other end, but for the moment he and Obi-Wan were safe.
Palming open the door to the 'fresher, Anakin paused in the doorway in order to properly appreciate the sight. Anakin was a desert boy at heart and the sight of water beading off his lover's skin never ceased to arouse him. The crooked smile directed at him only delighted him more.
"The water's going to get cold if you spend anymore time staring at me," Obi-Wan called over his shoulder before turning his head back under the spray.
Shedding his own clothes, Anakin padded towards the shower unit and slipped in behind his lover. Winding his arms around Obi-Wan's middle, he pressed a kiss to the nape of the smaller man's neck. He stayed that way for several long minutes until Obi-Wan's hands on top of his own brought him back to the present. With a final kiss brushed against his shoulder, Anakin reached around Obi-Wan for the cleanser and sponge so that he could wash his lover's back.
The End