Story Description: A timid good girl meets her match when a brutish gentleman interrupts the day she had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves her to swoon. Which side will she pick?
Chapter Summary: When a shy Y/N bumps into a charming man at the coffee shop, an unexpected yet intriguing relationship begins.
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Word Count: 1,403
Warnings: None
Authors: Barnes and Howlett
It was a sunny afternoon, the sound of Coruscant traffic in the air. As you neared the coffee shop, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee graced your nostrils. You enter the quaint shop and couldn't help but feel a dark presence lingering somewhere in the room. Your eyes scan around as you wait in line to order your drink.
Your gaze meets only for a split second, his green eyes sending a shiver up your back.
He must have been the presence you were sensing. A blush rose onto your cheeks as you looked away, it was your turn to order a drink. After placing the order you wait patiently for your name to be called. He walks beside you, standing just a mere arm’s length away. He smelled of a strong cologne, mixed with a burned smell you couldn't quite place, like ash.
You dared not look up at him for fear you wouldn't be able to keep your sights reserved.
“Obi-Wan!” The barista calls out.
‘Obi-Wan? What a unique and fascinating name.’
He walks up to the counter retrieving his beverage. A rogue thought pops into your head as your gaze lay fixed on the way his hands grip the coffee mug. How the veins rippled in his arms, a perfectly flexed pinky causing the hypothenar muscle to flex in tandem. It was captivating.
He heads back towards you, presumably aiming for the cafe. Your eyes meet once more, a subtle smirk on the rugged man's face. He even seemed to chuckle a bit as you crossed paths. You knew you looked like a deer caught in headlights, you had never been graced with such presence before. You had only felt such power from your professors and men in high positions of authority. You were very keen on authority figures, never once committed a crime, no hair out of place. You were as pure as the day you were born. He was very obviously…not.
“Y/N!” The barista calls, sending a wave of shock and surprise through your body. You gasped, this man had entranced you so much that you had forgotten where you were, and why you were there in the first place. Never before had you been so enthralled.
“Yup!” You call out, immediately feeling the embarrassment creeping up your neck.
You rush over to the counter retrieving your cup. A feeling of relief washes through you as you can finally enjoy a warm cup of joe. Now the next thing to do, find a table with the least amount of crumbs and an outlet. You had an introduction to continue proofreading for your meeting later. To your surprise, instead of looking into a packed cafe with many impatient customers, you were instead stopped abruptly by a barrel of a chest. Unfortunately, your coffee had also become acquainted with the front of your blouse.
“What the hell?” You exclaimed, surprised, angry even. That something, or someone rather, had caused you to spill your overpriced coffee straight onto your freshly ironed blouse.
“Ah, well hello there!” A male voice exclaimed.
Albeit, you were surprised to say the least, this man had such a charming and seductive voice. One that pulled you straight out of reality, one that made you forget the accident he had just caused. Quickly going back to your senses, you realize that you must respond and apologize for the mess.
“Oh gosh I'm sorry, I uh-” You stuttered, feeling the hot liquid burning your skin.
“No, I'm sorry, please let me.” He begins to grab napkins, patting away at the front of your blouse with a somewhat reckless abandon.
The previously gruff and rugged exterior of this man had lessened as he helped clean up.
“Please, I'll get you another.” He states waiting for you to say something, anything.
“No, it's fine, all good.” You manage to croak out, too embarrassed at the feeling of his hands wandering your torso with the napkins as he attempts to soak up the spill.
You go to order your coffee, him in tow. After you order he quickly taps his card on the machine paying for it himself. You look at him, annoyed and surprised that he would do that. Hurriedly you retrieve your new drink. There was no line, like before. Unluckily, your beverage was served in an open cup, you had to finish your drink there. Taking refuge in a corner booth to hide your soiled blouse in shame. He sits down across from you, eyes apologetic yet dark.
“Hey, listen I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.” He smirks, as he talks to you. His caring facade faltering. Suspicion rises in your gut, it almost seemed as if the spill was intentional. You narrow your eyes at the man before you.
“Wait, did- did you do that on purpose?” You ask, perplexed by his audacity.
“Well” he drawls out, giving you a mischievous look.
“The only way I could get a nice girl, such as yourself, to give me attention, would be to make a grand entry.” He smirked, almost looking as if he had just done you a favor.
Blessing your morning with a wasted coffee and stained blouse, as a means for you to share a few words with a man such as he. You did not enjoy how smug and egotistical this man seemed. You decided to ignore the compliment and do something you hadn’t done before, question authority.
With a deep breath, she faces the man ready to give him what for.
“A simple hello couldnt work for you? You had to go and ruin a nice cup of coffee and my new blouse, I just had it pressed! I have somewhere very important to be later today, and this isn't gonna cut it!” You were seething, the audacity of this man was astonishing. It’s bad enough today was the day to prove yourself worthy to your boss, but now this; this was a major setback.
“Well I’m sorry, doll. I don't do simple hellos.” He leans in a bit, your breath catching in your throat. There it was again, that feeling of being caught in a tractor beam. It makes your brain foggy.
“Anyways, giving you a reason to think of me later is really what I wanted, in the first place. People forget a passing hello, but no one forgets…” He trails off. “Someone who made them soaking wet.”
You were once again sucked into him, his voice, his demeanor, everything about him. You took a deep breath, ‘made you soaking wet?’ You had never been spoken to like this before, let alone from such a brute. You didn’t get much male attention, being in this situation it made it hard to hide your feelings, and hard to figure out what to say next.
“Seriously?!” You scoff, rolling your eyes. “If you think for a second I would give you my attention after a stunt like that, you are sorely mistaken!” You slide out of the booth, taking your coffee, walking towards the door after returning your porcelain cup. You feel a hand snake around the flesh of your forearm.
“C’mon, feel lucky. I chose you today.” His grip on your arm is rough but warm, his good looks almost clouding the words coming out of his mouth.
“I am not an object to be chosen, please leave me alone.” His grip loosened as you pulled away from him.
“Fine sweetheart, but if you uh...change your mind. Come find me.” He slides a dark card into your hand and walks away as if he hadn't just held your captive with his advances. You can feel tears prick in your eyes as you walk down the street back to your apartment, you can feel people’s judging eyes at the large dark stain adorning your blouse.
Entering your apartment, you are met with the gentle ‘purr’ of your cat Miles, you sigh, giving him a little pat before setting your course to the bedroom closet. You had laid this outfit out the night before for your meeting before the big lecture. You had to be quick, the lecture was in an hour and the university's auditorium was 30 minutes away. You quickly search for a blouse of similar color to keep your outfit cohesive. Looking at your watch, you had to leave now, you didn't want to keep your colleagues waiting.
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An unwritten fairytale lies on a page of an unknown novel—until you open the door to a strange bookstore called "The Guardian Bookstore", where the keeper is said to rewrite fate itself. Suddenly, you're pulled into a fictional world by his magic, where three broken characters are waiting to chase a new ending—with you… And maybe, this time, a happy one.
Story Description: A timid good girl meets her match when a brutish gentleman interrupts the day she had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves her to swoon. Which side will she pick?
Chapter Summary: Y/N finds herself a little too entranced by the guest speaker at her internship, what will happen next?
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Word Count: 3,280
Warnings: Language and crypto currency mentioned :(
Authors: Barnes and Howlett
“Late again, Miss Y/N. How many times have you been late this week?”
Feeling defeated, you sigh. The one day you thought time was on your side. You were well dressed, hair and makeup done appropriately. You had done everything right today, but that man at the coffee shop, he had practically obliterated your already tattered reputation.
“Many apologies, Professor Jinn! There was an accident on my way over, I had no means to navigate around it. I promise, I won’t be late next time.” You give the room a weak smile, eyes pleading, begging your superior and colleagues for even an ounce of empathy.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that before. Do you have the intro speech for this week's guest speaker?” He sighed, annoyed, but ultimately defeated.
“Of course! I stayed up late last night proofreading.” You crouch down pulling out the paper you had prepared. The black card from before slipping out, fluttering to the ground. At a glance you had been harshly reminded of... him. Conflicting feelings bubbled in your gut, he had been so rude and entitled, but no one had ever made such an effort for your attention before. That man, those piercing green eyes, and that charming smug smile. Woah.
“Y/N?” Professor Jinn asked, sounding concerned for you.
That’s unlike him. You pause, slowly rising to a standing position.
“Yea-ss, yes, everything’s fine. Just had an interesting morning. Uh, what time is that guest speaker coming in?”
“Sometime in the next 5 minutes, I suggest you go wait in the garage to ensure his needs are met the second he steps in the building. Students will be arriving soon, hurry.”
You nod, unable to make eye contact out of embarrassment, a feeling that seemed to linger recently. Gladly taking the elevator down to the garage in order to vacate the heavy feeling in the office. You exit the elevator and are met with a sleek black car. The driver's door swings open, out comes Dr. Anakin Skywalker. He had been there to give a talk to the general student body on The Force. He greets you with a warm grin and a nod.
“You must be Y/N, it's a pleasure, I've heard about you from your colleagues.”
“All good things I hope!” you chuckle awkwardly.
“Sure!” He says enthusiastically.
You laugh at this boyish demeanor, he seems very light hearted. Today he was dressed in a t-shirt with a blazer over it. It was an interesting fashion choice, to say the least. Normally the garb worn by speakers is more professional.
“Right this way, sir.” You led the way to the elevator and up to the floor the lecture hall was on.
“So I suppose cryptocurrency is in now? Is that right?” You muster out, trying to sound well informed about his enterprises. Of which you were not, you hoped he hadn’t noticed.
He noticed immediately that you lacked information about his field, but appreciated that you extended an olive branch.
“Sure, it's been around for about a decade, but I’ve seen a resurgence in the media as of late.” Anakin chuckles.
You deadpan, mentally kicking yourself for asking such a silly question. Thankfully, saved by the bell, a ding fills the elevator as it opens. You quickly step out, trying to hide your face.
“This way please!” The rest of the walk was silent as you both briskly made your way to where your colleagues and Professor Jinn were waiting.
“Ahhh, Anakin, long time no see! How's it been? How's the family?” Professor Jinn asked, laughing heartily, greeting his old friend.
“Hey, they’re doing alright. Still with The Mrs? No divorce yet?” They both erupt into a bout of jovial laughter, embracing each other tightly, delivering a heartfelt back pat, albeit a little too roughly.
“Unfortunately not, still got the ol’ ball and chain.” Professor Jinn lets out a chuckle as they release from their hug.
“Alright, so how are we feeling about this lecture today? Everyone in good spirits? Let's make some investments today!” Anakin said in an annoyingly chipper voice, while clapping his hands together. You had experienced lots of business douches in your time, but this sausage party was just unbearable.
“That’s the spirit we all need today, right Y/N?” Professor Jinn delivers a cold gaze your way, sneering as he speaks.
“Hey, Y/N can’t be all that bad? Go easy on her!” He exclaimed, turning to face you. His gaze softens for a moment as his tongue flicks over his bottom lip catching it briefly between his teeth.
“I’m sure you're just as smart as you are pretty.” Anakin said, shooting you a wink, trying to lighten the mood. You shudder, as if a cold wind had just blown past. Your eyes gravitate towards his mouth. The words almost dripping off of his lips as he spoke. You were roughly brought back into reality as professor Jinn interjected.
“I’ll stop being so hard on her when Y/N can prove she can do her work competently.” Professor Jinn scoffed, clearly still upset from the debacle that took place a few minutes prior.
“Hey, leave the girl alone! We’re here to do some business, right Y/N?” Anakin said with such charm and delight that actually made Y/N feel validated. An area Professor Jinn was severely lacking in. Y/N was taken aback by the compliment but wanted to stay firm and true to her work despite all the male energy in the room.
You chimed in, “Hehehe, yea. On that note, everything is set up and students are starting to come in. But we still have about 15 minutes till the lecture begins. Maybe we could try greeting each student and getting to know some of them a little better. It may drive up some investment and engagement.”
Anakin makes his way towards the table at the front of the lecture hall closest to where a group of students begin congregating. He leans against the table and waves a quick hello as the students approach him.
“Dr, Skywalker it's an honor, sir your advancements in crypto currency have really revolutionized the economy as we know it.” Anakin was used to the praise from frat bros and businessmen alike. Despite all the brown nosing and empty compliments, he still took everything to heart and made him feel like a million bucks.
“Thanks, it has been a very lucrative business, I think we’re gonna make a lot of headway during this lecture, so take some notes. An empire like mine could be yours one day.” Putting in a good word to the students often boosted morale and upped his engagements.
He continued to mingle with the students coming in. They mostly wanted to inquire about the assets he had accrued in the last year like his fully paid off BMW, new club and other business ventures.
The lights dim to signal the lecture was about to begin. Anakin makes his way to the podium as you make your way to your seat. Professor Jinn begins his introduction as Anakin prepares for the talk, putting his headset into place.
“Good morning, everyone. It is a pleasure to welcome you today for an insightful presentation. We are privileged to have Dr. Anakin Skywalker, a highly respected expert in the field of cryptocurrency, with us. Dr. Skywalker will be sharing his extensive knowledge and recent experiences in this dynamic industry. We are fortunate to hear from someone who has made significant contributions to the realm of digital currencies.
As we proceed, I encourage all of you to engage actively by taking detailed notes during the presentation. This is a valuable opportunity to enhance your understanding of this field. To ensure that Dr. Skywalker’s insights can be heard by all, I kindly request that you silence your phones and minimize distractions throughout the talk. Put your laptops away as they will not be necessary.
Please be reminded that there will be a designated time for questions following the presentation. You are welcome to raise any inquiries you may have, and Dr. Skywalker will be glad to address them.
Without further ado, it is my distinct pleasure to invite Dr. Anakin Skywalker to the stage. Please join me in giving him a warm welcome.” Professor Jinn stands back as Anakin takes a step to the podium. A loud array of applause fills the room, to be silenced as Anakin puts a single finger to his lips.
“Thank you professor Jinn, good morning class, as you have all heard I am Dr. Anakin Skywalker, welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. Today we will be covering why you should invest in my crypto currency, The Force.” The second Anakin had graced the stage, he put forth a presence not unlike a male peacock flaunting and enticing his mate.
Y/N sits in the front row listening as Dr. Skywalker spoke. You were really interested in what he had to say but for some odd reason you could only focus on the shapes that his mouth made, the way his arms flexed and unflexed through his blazer when he pointed toward the screen. How he would smile while he talked so passionately, you couldn't take your eyes off of him. It felt as if you only had drank in his beauty for a moment when the crowd erupted in claps. Has the lecture really ended? You joined in with the crowd as they clapped, pretending to be amazed by his intellect and not by his good looks. The lights turned back on as they readied for the Q and A, making your way back towards Professor Jinn and your colleagues, in the wings.
“Thank you all for listening, the Q and A will now begin.” Anakin spoke up, eager to tackle some questions.
With that, a myriad of hands had swung up in the air, eager to have their questions answered. Y/N was surprised that these students had been so engaged in something that could potentially get them into more debt, making the university jealous that they didn’t think of doing it first.
“Alright, lovely to see so many hands. Hopefully we can get a good number of your questions down. How about you, the young man in the blue top!” He walked across the stage gallantly, hook line and sinker, he sold the whole crowd. He had sold you as well, just not in the way initially intended.
“Oh me? Ok… umm, what does the future of crypto currency look like?” The student asked with a shy demeanor. Interested, yet still a bit skeptical of the cause.
“Excellent question! You see, the future's so bright, we gotta wear shades.” He lets out a chuckle with the rest of the crowd.
Y/N thought. ‘How could anyone take this guy so seriously?’
“With currency such as The Force, within the next couple of fiscal years, we can see a large uptick of investors.” Anakin said while chuckling, trying to avoid the very pointed question. It was amazing how he kept such charm while also selling snake oil.
“Great start, how about you next? Young lady in the pink.” With every word he said, it was almost enchanting. Like he was born to do this, to charm a crowd into an investment that will surely lead them all to bankruptcy.
“Hehehe, lucky me. How can we invest right now?! I’d really like to get something started…” The young student flirtily stated, twirling your hair and puffing her chest outward. Surely, you should know this man is twice your age and has a wife and child. However, Y/N’s seen students cross worse boundaries. Despite being right there with the student, you judged.
“It's simple, just scan this QR code,” Anakin states while changing the slides. “It will bring you into my Yodahood account. From here, after registering, you should be able to invest as much as you would like!” Her demeanor had made him slightly uneasy, however this wasn’t the first time he had attention like that during a Q and A. He was expertly able to bounce back without so much as a change in disposition.
“Alright, let's do one more since we’re almost out of time.” He stood calculating, as if the last question really mattered. “Ah yes, young lady in the black and killer hat, I love Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes!”
“Oh shucks, thanks! What do you recommend for first time investors in regards to the amount initially invested?” She had exclaimed, clearly thrilled to learn that Anakin had a shred of musical intellect.
He stood stunned and took a moment of pause. This is exactly the question he needed. He would basically be able to influence just how much he wanted from each ambitious student.
“Excellent question! I recommend buying at least 5 Force coins, since we are already seeing an uptick in the number of investments. So I recommend getting in as fast as you can, and giving in as much as you are willing!” So vividly giving the illusion of control over to these impressionable young minds. He was almost giddy, just thinking about it.
“And with that we are out of time, thanks for sitting and listening ladies and gentlemen, and everyone in between. If your questions did not get answered, feel free to check out The Force’s website. There, we have an FAQ page and a way to contact our team about any questions you have, if not listed!” He waved off the crowd to the direction of the merch table.
“Remember to check out our merch and may The Force be with you!” He gives a gentle bow, walking off the stage removing his headset.
He hurriedly jogs over to meet the rest of the crew in the wings. They greeted him with quiet cheers and nods of approval. All excited and enthusiastic with the outcome of his lecture. The university was getting 15% off the top of his earnings from today. Hopefully allowing a raise for these overworked and underpaid interns.
“Guys that was great, I really think I got some new investors tonight! The crowd was so engaged and ugh Professor Jinn!” He places a hand on his shoulder. “You did my introduction perfectly, really set me up for a home run.” He states while mocking the motion of a baseball player hitting it home. Laughter erupted from your colleagues, continuing to give kudos to Dr. Skywalker.
Y/N’s ears perk up at the sound of his praise, you had written the introduction for Professor Jinn to read. You weren't sure he would even acknowledge you but even getting the praise second hand felt like a rush, a foreign feeling for you.
“Well…” Professor Jinn starts. “It was actually Y/N who wrote it, but I did give you a good start.” He interjects, trying to pull a bit of the spotlight from Y/N’s accomplishment. “But yeah I guess you did alright too.” He says sheepishly, finally admitting to himself that Y/N isn’t all that bad. Professor Jinn gives you a half hearted nod, probably the most he had given you throughout the entire internship. It felt good, gratifying in some way.
Casey, your beloved co-worker, had stood there frozen. Not only had she always been on top of her game, but she was always sitting on her ivory tower, that bitch. Always making a note to remind you of her successes and good graces with the professor. She was a shoe-in as the candidate for becoming a full-time, official TA with Professor Jinn. Which was set to begin at the start of next semester. Seeing you in the spotlight was a change that she did not welcome.
“Great work out there Dr. Skywalker!” Your co-worker flirtily puts her hand on his bicep, getting a little too close for comfort. “Hey… maybe we could have some lunch after? My treat!” She leans in more, as if that were humanly possible, invading his space while also embarrassing herself simultaneously. Classic Casey.
“No that's alright, I had a big breakfast this morning. Plus the wifes waiting for me! We have a wine tasting event later for my club, to grab some new investors. It's investor night!” He does some finger guns to accompany the lilt in his voice, drawing away the awkwardness and embarrassment from the situation. Casey was not used to rejection, especially in this form. It perturbed her and enlightened you. Maybe Anakin wasn’t as shallow as he appears to be. You had to suppress a giddy feeling in your stomach, hiding a smile behind your hand. For the first time you felt vindicated in your role, months worth of lack of recognition had finally been noticed.
After a few minutes of well wishes and praise from the rest of the team, you found yourself escorting Dr.Skywalker back to his vehicle. You both stepped into the elevator as the sound of uncomfortable jazz filled both your ears.
Anakin broke the silence. “Hey, don't take what Jinn says to heart, he's just a hard ass. You did really well today.” He turns to face you, his blue eyes locking onto yours. He puts a hand on the elevator rail, leaning so closely that you could smell his decadent cologne. He smelled of the dew in the morning after a long night of rain, a woodsy scent of pine lingering in your nose.
“Hey, maybe uh.. drinks on me tonight? The introduction you wrote was absolutely stellar. I’d like you to meet some of my investors. We’re meeting at my new club downtown, I could really use someone like you to talk me up. What do you say” he leans in, with a husky drawl, “spread those wings for me?”
A blush begins to arise as you feel his breath fan across your cheeks. Goosebumps begin to ripple across your skin, like a tidal wave. You're at a loss for words. Not expecting the sudden intimacy of the situation. He notices your minor uneasiness and backs off slightly, worried he might have taken it a bit too far.
“Uh, sure why not!” You stumble over your words, “I’d loved to do more networking, especially since this internship won’t last forever.” Was all you could manage to croak out. You had noticed how cornered you were before he had moved away, his alluring actions leaving you breathless. The elevator comes to a halt and the doors open. He walks out leaving you standing alone. He speaks as he backs away.
“Great, I’ll email you the address. It's a bit fancy so dress accordingly, see ya at 8.” He states, giving you a quick wink.
You walk forward instinctively, like a lemming. Waiting, silently pleading for him to say more. He then reaches out his hand, politely taking yours in his own, giving your knuckles a tender kiss. His eyes meet yours as he rises to you, face to face. You couldn't help but blush at the way he was looking at you. You felt like divinity.
“It was truly a pleasure meeting you today Y/N.” He hops back into the luxury vehicle, the valet had ready for him and peels away, leaving you with an invite and a warm feeling in your chest. Stunned and charmed, your phone dinged almost immediately from an unknown email address.
Meeting at HoloBar at 8pm, 42 Corellian Avenue. Cocktail dress.
Personal Cell: (130) 049-2727
Talia Korr, (she/her), Executive Assistant
THE FORCE IND. | 66 Imperial Tower, Coruscant
[email protected] | (130) 426-7656 | The Force Industries
Story Description: As a timid good girl you meet your match when a broody gentleman interrupts the day you had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves you to swoon. Which side will you pick?
Chapter Summary: After settling into the role Anakin bestowed upon you, you find yourself struggling to keep up. To blow off some steam, you spend a night with Obi-Wan in the Outlander Club.
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Author Note: Hey y’all in this chapter we talk about Blackjack, I have never played that game before but like pretend that what I wrote is correct about the game. Thanks :3 ~ Howlett 🌙
After a long night of training, the end of day finally rolled around. Despite you only having been with Anakin and Obi-Wan during non-work hours, you were surprised to see how formal and knowledgeable they are. The whole night felt like a huge info dump, luckily, Obi-Wan printed you up a handbook that would review the whole night.
“Well that about sums up the job and general duties.” Anakin states. “Do you have any questions at this moment?”
You thought about it for a second, a few was an understatement. But, you’d rather deal with these questions tomorrow when you actually worked on the desk.
“Nope! None at the moment.” You reply.
Obi-Wan erupts in laughter. “Smart girl you are!” He brings you in for a side hug. “See! I told you it would be a good idea to hire her.”
Anakin rolls his eyes. “I suppose if you don’t have any questions, we could end it here.” He checks his watch. “Nice, we finished forty minutes ahead of schedule.”
While you enjoyed spending time with the two of them, you desperately wanted to go home and just veg out for the rest of the night.
“Sounds great! I think I’ll just grab my things and be heading out.”
“Feel free to leave whenever you’d like, I’m just going to stay behind and work on a few things.” Anakin then sits at his desk and begins typing away on his datapad.
“Do you have a ride home?” Obi-Wan asks, Anakin in return appears annoyed, giving him a side eye.
“I do not, but I think I’ll just take the hover-train.” Replying, you throw on your coat and backpack.
“Would you like a lift?” Obi-Wan questions, offering you a hand.
“I’d like that very much.” Replying, you take his hand as he leads you out of the office.
The elevator ride went down further than the lobby, Obi-Wan instead types a passcode into the button panel that brings you to the under-layer parking garage.
“Woah, didn't realize this building had one of these.” You gawk at the vast lot filled with hover-crafts. An animal bleats in the distance, they had parking here too.
“Yeah, it's pretty convenient as long as no one parks in my COO spot.” He jokes as he leads you to a spot very close to the elevators.
You noted that Obi-Wan kept his car covered by a forcefield equivalent of a tarp with a much shittier car on it while in the garage. The COO spot had a golden plaque with his name on it. You hadn’t seen one like that for the CEO, you presume Obi-Wan got it especially made for his spot. He clicks a button on his keys, turning off the disguise. He unlocks the doors and they open for you automatically.
The exterior was sleek, most obviously it was red, like bright carnelian red. Not one for hard edges, Obi-Wan's interior was similarly globular. His seats were some sort of leather with a pattern you couldn't recognize. They were nice to sit in. Especially after a day without proper back support. You sink into the seat and let out a yelp as the seat suddenly becomes very cold.
Obi-Wan chuckles and flicks off a switch. “Sorry there, cooled seats.”
“It's fine, just caught me off guard.” You buckle and settle in as he navigates his way out of the parking garage.
“I’m just outside the Port District. I’ll type in my address into the GPS.” You state.
Without another beat, he drives off going a moderate speed, which is something you appreciated.
“How was your day darling?” Obi-Wan asks, gripping the gear shift between the two of you.
“Not bad I guess. Just exhausting.” You flash back to earlier in the day, specifically when Casey threw you shade. “And one of my ex-colleagues from Professor Jin’s internship kind of hates me.” Awkwardly, you force out a fake laugh.
“Hates you? For what? Who in this parsec would dislike you?” He gives you a quizzical look.
“Well, we never met eye-to-eye.” You mutter to yourself. “I guess because she's always on her knees…”
Obi-Wan snickers. “Do you suppose she's jealous?” He asks, his hand falling to the side of the shift to relax, grazing the flesh of your thigh.
You make note of his slight touch, feeling daring, you move your leg ever so slightly towards him. Indicating you wanted more. Instinctively, he moves his hand to gently rest on you. Staring out the window, you reply.
“Maybe. We were competing for a permanent position on the professor’s team.” You sigh. “I guess she won on that bit.”
“Ah.” He hums. “I see, but at least you ended up in bigger, better places, eh?” His hand tenses on your leg at the word bigger.
You blush, gently placing your hand atop his, halting his movements. He once again relaxes. In word’s absence he flicks on a radio, static for a second until jizz music fills the cab of the car. It was entirely too loud, so he turns the nobs down quickly and mumbles an apology.
Time seemed to pass as in your exhausted state found your forehead leaning against the cold glass of the window. Obi-Wan found your light snores endearing as you drooled on his expensive interior. He waited a few moments after pulling up to your apartment, before gently shaking you awake.
“Hey, wakey wakey.”
Your eyes shoot open and you apologize to Obi-Wan for falling asleep. He hit the switch for your door to open.
“It's alright, it was a long day for you it seems.” He hands you your bag as you exit the vehicle.
Once again in your apartment, you let your bag fall to the ground and kick your shoes off in the entrance. Walking past the kitchen, living room, and bathroom, you head straight into your bedroom. Stumbling and tripping over Miles who dove at your feet from under the bed.
You let out a yelp as your shin meets the corner post of your bed frame. “Ou fuck, ahhh. Miles!” You hiss, rubbing the sharp pain in your shin away.
Knowing that the ache will last for another few minutes, you decide to get ready for bed. Changing into your pajamas, brushing your teeth, and anything else you could manage to do. Eventually, you found yourself laying on your bed, mindlessly scrolling through some streaming service. Before you could pick anything to watch, you fall asleep.
The days that followed had been hectic. Who knew that working and attending grad-school both full-time would be nearly impossible. Each day had started early in the morning and ended in the last few hours of the night.
Assignments had started piling up, each getting more difficult to complete. You had fallen behind on most of your studies, you were debating on if you should drop a class or two. But, you remember the stain it would leave on your record, so you decide against it.
Yesterday, Anakin had asked you to stay a little later so you could help him with a project. He wanted you to whip up a presentation and script for a lecture he was supposed to hold during a conference next week. You both knew he could do it himself, but he found any excuse to bother you.
It was all just to spend a little time together. It was getting quite irritating, having Anakin ask you for some assistance on pretty much any task he had on his to-do list. On top of your work, inside and outside the office, you were fried by the end of the week.
Excited that it was the weekend, you remember that you needed to take the next two days to catch up on homework and studying. Heading out to your local library, you were happy to find a comfortable seat. Setting up your materials, you are just about to get started when your holo-phone rings.
Anakin was calling.
With a heavy sigh, you reluctantly answer.
“Hey Anakin.” The exhaustion in your voice was hard to ignore.
“Hey, are you going to be busy today? I sure hope not, you actually should cancel all your plans, I need you at the office A-S-A-P.” He states, it’s clear he is being driven through traffic.
“What?!” You ask flabbergasted, already stuffing your supplies back into your bag haphazardly.
“It’s very important!” The line goes dead, Anakin hangs up.
“Shit.” You yawn, stumbling out of the library, your coat just barely shrugged over your shoulders. You find your way to the hover-train station, getting on the next stop in the direction of the office.
You spend the ride, brain short circuiting on what could be so important that Anakin would ask you in so suddenly. Although it had been labeled as potential shift hours, you didn't think he’d call you at his convenience.
You run up to the building, security parting ways, giving you a nod as you make a bee-line towards the elevators to Anakin’s suite.
Your heart is pounding on the way up.
Had you made a mistake with the paperwork? Had you somehow lost millions of credits?
The air suddenly feels stuffy in the elevator, your body increasing in temperature as you feel sweat forming in inconvenient places. The elevator dings as it arrives at the correct floor, you step out and notice that Anakin's usually open doors are closed.
You feel a lump in your throat as you walk down the carpet to his office, it feels a mile long. When you finally get to his doors they open for you. Inside, Anakin sits at his desk with his head in his hands.
You make your way to him, a concerned tone to your voice. “Anakin? What’s wrong, what's the emergency?” You ask.
“Last night the whole system went down.” He explains. “We lost fourteen hours of work, it was bad.” He shakes his head, with a sigh.
“Oh no Anakin that sounds awful, what can be done?”
“Oh, the guys got it back up and running, recovered most of it.” He tsks, tilting his head to the side. “But all the employee photo files got erased in the process. We need your employee photo to be retaken A-S-A-P.”
Not believing him, with a deadpan expression you reply. “Are you serious? Surely that can not be the reason you sent me over here in such a hurry.”
“This is no joking matter, we need your photo for security reasons, of course.” Anakin was as serious as it gets.
Trying to remain calm, you respond. “You dragged me over here on a Saturday, forcing me to ride on the shit smelling hover-train for thirty minutes to take a picture?”
“Well when you put it like that, you make me feel like I’m the bad guy!” Defensive, he stands up and crosses his arms.
“Could this have not waited until Monday?” He made it so ridiculously hard not to blow up on him.
“Of course it could have, but I thought we better get it done sooner rather than later.” He smiles, as if nothing was wrong.
“Anakin, do you not understand how valuable my time is? You made me waste precious time to come here to take a dumb ass picture? Something that could have waited until Monday?!” Livid, you decided to unleash everything you’ve been bottling up this past week.
“I have taken enough of your shit. I thought this job would be life-changing, a step in the right direction! But I was wrong. I just became your personal ass-wiper and I am sick of it! I swear Anakin, if next week you make me do another mindless task, I will be quitting on the spot.”
“Come on, you don’t mean that. You need this job, you need me.” Stepping closer to you, his demeanor grows aggressive. “Remember that I was the one that made sure you got paid way more than I would ever offer to some dumb college student!"
He did have a point, the bills aren’t going to pay themselves. But you knew your worth and you did not need some stuck up man-child saying you needed him. “I never needed you, Anakin. Don’t expect me back in the office on Monday.”
Taking your leave, you could hear Anakin yelling. “You get back here! I’m not done with you!”
Hearing the commotion Obi-Wan peeks his head out of his office and sees you storming towards the elevator. He leaves in haste and catches up to you in the elevator, sticking his hand in between the doors as they are about to close.
“What’s up his ass?” Obi-Wan inquires, crossing his arms staring intently at the doors, mirroring your energy.
“Not now Obi-Wan.” You spit.
“No need to get the claws out.” He scoffs. “Alls I’m sayin’ is when I want to de-stress I usually like to bet the farm.” He smirks.
“Gambling? Do you really think I have the credits for that?” You ask incredulously.
“You don't have to worry about that when you're with me.” Obi-Wan stops you from getting off at the bottom floor and punches in his code. “I’m going to drop you off at home. Get ready, wear that number you had on the first night we danced. It was magnificent.”
You scoffed and rolled your eyes although his cheerful demeanour was enough to quell the sharpest top note of your anger leaving a simmering rage in your gut. “And then what? We go to some backwater gambling hut on the lower level of Coruscant?”
“Prescisey.” He grins.
“Obi-Wan, I just finished telling Anakin that he needed to value my time. I’m sorry but I really can not waste another minute doing anything that isn’t school work.”
You weren’t sure why but you could feel tears daring to fall from your glossy eyes. It could have been from the argument or even from the pressure of this week, could be a combination of both. Trying to hide your face, you realize there was no stopping the water works. Obi-Wan notices immediately.
“Woah, hey what’s going on?” Immediately, he puts his hands on your shoulders facing you, searching your features.
Feeling a lump in your throat, you knew if you spoke, it would make everything worse for you. Instead you just shake him off as the elevator reaches the ground, the doors whirring open. You clear your throat and wipe your tears.
Walking out the elevator, you speak. “Can you take me home?”
“Of course.”
The car ride was silent, the only noise to fill the empty space was the faint jizz music on the radio.
Being just a few blocks out from your place, Obi-Wan decides now is the time to strike up a conversation.
“So, what kind of school work do you have?”
Not knowing if you should info-dump all the assignments and readings you had lined up, you decided to give a short answer. “Well, I’m backed up from last week, so too many to say, really.”
Gazing out the window, you examine the buildings on the block. As more passed, they grew in familiarity, indicating how close your residence was.
Hesitating with his words, Obi-Wan asks a question that stuns you. “Maybe I could help you with some of that load? I’m sure your professor won’t know if someone else completed your work.”
Pondering, you lighten up. “That would be great actually. We could split the work. I could do the readings and maybe you could do some of my writing assignments? Would you really want to waste your weekend doing that?”
“If it means we could go gambling later, then yes. Absolutely.”
Pulling into the first available parking spot, he turns off the craft, running over to your side to open the door. Giving you a nod, you lead the way into your apartment. Before you open the door, you remember how disgustingly messy your place was.
Turning towards Obi-Wan you gave him a bashful look. “Please excuse the mess, I haven’t had any time to clean lately.”
Pushing open the door, you realized you underestimated the disorder.
Looking around there was a pile of unfolded laundry on the couch. Cluttering on most surfaces as you would go through your days like a whirlwind. You knew the sink in the kitchen was piled with dishes. An embarrassed flush takes over your face. You nudge Miles with your foot away from the door as Obi-Wan walks through the threshold of your apartment.
You lead him into the dining room, clearing a few pizza boxes off of it you set down your backpack on a chair. “Stay here, I'll be right back.”
You collect trash off of surfaces balancing them on top of the pizza box as you make your way to the kitchen garbage can. You collect the bag and take it out to your floor’s trash chute.
Conveniently located eleven feet down the hall. When you return you notice Obi-Wan had made himself comfy on the couch folding towels, and absolutely way too close to your hidden mound of underwear. You meant to put them away sometime, but you woke up in the pile at four in the morning, unable to finish the task.
You take the towel out of his hands. “Obi-Wan, you really don't have to, let’s just get started on the homework.” You say rubbing your tired eyes.
“No”
“Yes”
“No,”
“Yes.”
“N-”
“Shh, how do you expect to be able to work in these conditions?” He gives you a pointed look.
You look around, feeling the weight of your exhaustion heavy on your shoulders. The mess was horribly overwhelming, the work was horribly overwhelming, life was horribly overwhelming.
Obi-Wan stands in front of you, taking you by the forearms. He lowers his head to look at you. “You need rest first and foremost. No progress can be made if you kill youself over this.” He lets you know gently but firmly that this wasn't the hill to die on.
Even as your brain screamed at you to fight against his words. To just work until you pass out, to get it all done at once. The way your vision blurred in front of you, the sheer stress of it all made you woozy. You stumble forward a bit, He braces, keeping you on your feet.
“Woah, hey. You need to get into bed.”
Weakly you nod, draping your arms around his shoulder as you guide him towards your room. He uses one arm to swipe another discarded laundry pile off of your bed before, allowing you to lower yourself down.
Immediately you're out. Not caring if the bed was comfortable or if there was a sphere shaped lip balm digging into your rib from under the sheet. Not caring that your limbs might have been in uncomfortable positions.
As you slept soundly, Obi-Wan cleaned up around the house. Taking out the trash, washing dishes, and even feeding Miles. After folding the pile of laundry, he decided to attempt to put your linens and clothes away. With ease he was able to find where you stored your towels and extra bedsheets.
Cautiously, he entered your bedroom. Checking on you, he noticed you were out like a light. Making his way to your dresser, he found the slight snores you emitted cute.
Checking through your drawers and putting things away where he believed they should go, he made note of what he needed to tidy up in your quarters.
Putting dirty clothes in the hamper, washing makeup brushes, a light sweeping…
Reaching the end of the pile, he debated on whether or not he should try and find your underwear drawer. One side of him wanted to be helpful, but the other did not want to come off as creepy. Weighing his options, he decided to finish his task. Finding the drawer, he respectfully put away the clothing.
Watching his placement, he notices a few pairs that he particularly enjoyed. Making a mental note of the way the lace felt on his fingertips as he brushed it aside to make room for more. He completed his duty and walked off to find another thing that needed some TLC.
He clears the laundry from your side, tucking you into the comforter you had kicked to the foot of the bed. Standing over your sleeping form, Obi-Wan cracks a smile. He was eager to get your reaction to his hard work. He stifled a laugh when you made a horribly loud snore and decided it was probably best for you to get as much shut-eye as possible.
Quietly he walks out of your room to the dining area, laying out the contents of your book bag on the table. He grabs a pair of readers out of his jacket and looks through some of your papers, recognizing a few of the concepts from his time in school.
“Should be easy enough.” He mumbles to himself, pushing the glasses up the bridge of his nose.
The roar of his stomach interrupted his train of thought. He runs his hand down his face, putting his glasses away. Walking to the kitchen he opens the fridge.
“There’s got to be something in here.” He sighs, rummaging through your shelves.
Mainly wilted vegetables and leftovers. He opens your freezer and sees a bag of mystery meat and promptly closes it again.
He checks in on you one last time before leaving a glass of water and scribbled note on your bedside table that he would be back soon! Obi-Wan had noticed the local grocer only a block away so he decided to take a walk.
The journey wasn't long at all. When he neared the store he realized it was like no grocer he had been to before. The windows with sales were posted proudly behind metal bars. The sign buzzed outfront. Ryloth Family Market.
Inside a young twi'lek girl sat at a booth near the butcher, working on what appeared to be homework. Obi-Wan's nose was immediately hit with the scent of cooking meat.
Weaving through the aisles, he found a peculiar array of foods. Brands and ingredients he was not familiar with. To the best of his ability, he was able to pick out a few items to make a timeless Twi’lek dish. Blue flatbreads made of Ryloth corn, fresh produce.
He walks up to the deli counter and gets the attention of the older woman. She greets him and suggests a mild cheese that was on sale. Along with some spiced nuna meat to cook alongside it. Her accent was thick Ryl and she smiled kindly at him. After collecting the items he needed, he trekked the journey back to your complex.
Arriving back to your place, he lugged the groceries into your kitchen. While he was putting the food items away, Miles thought it would be a great idea to stick his head in one of the bags. The canned corn looked particularly tempting to him. Once he realized the bag was stuck on him, immediately he began to throw himself across the island. His stubby legs frantically scrambling, slipping off and hitting the floor with no grace.
All the groceries flew across the laminated countertop, most of them making an obnoxiously loud impact onto the ground. Struggling for dear life, eventually he flung the bag mostly off his body and ran to hide under some furniture. Distraught, Obi-Wan went to check if you heard the kerfuffle Miles had just made. To his dismay, you did. In fact, it had scared you awake, causing you to launch up out of bed.
“What was that?” You ask, walking out of the bedroom.
“Oh nothing. Just Miles getting into a bit of trouble is all.”
“Oh I hope he’s alright, what happened to the little guy?” Searching the apartment, you noticed how tidy it was.
The best it’s looked in months.
“Just excited for dinner is all.” Obi-Wan states, cleaning up the mess.
“Dinner?” Puzzled, you notice the array of plastic bags in your kitchen. “Did you go grocery shopping?”
“Guilty as charged!” Holding his hands up in defense, he chuckles.
Your eyes widen at him, a light embarrassed flush across your cheeks. “Obi-Wan, you didn't have to.”
“Aht aht.” He wags his finger. “I wanted to, I know things have been rough for you lately. Consider it a gift.”
“So we can go gambling later?” You say flatly, picking up the groceries that fell to the floor.
“Whaaat?” Obi-Wan scoffs sarcastically. “You don't think I did this out of the kindness of my heart?” He asks with his signature smirk.
You chuckle and lightly hit his arm as you put a package of meat on the counter. Your heart drops for a second when you see the ingredients he bought.
“Wow, spiced nuna. My mom used to buy this when I was a kid. Haven't had it in a long time.” You think aloud, a reverence in your eyes.
“Let’s hope I do it justice.” He chuckles, a slight nervousness about him.
The added pressure of a childhood meal makes the kitchen warm before the stove is even turned on. As Obi-Wan mills away in the kitchen. You take the time to admire his handiwork. Everything was spotless, it felt like a huge load had been lifted off your shoulders. Like the pressure that made your chest tight decreased tenfold. You take a deep breath and let out a sigh, allowing your body to lean down and stretch before rejoining Obi-Wan in the kitchen.
“You seriously did an impeccable job. I couldn't thank you enough.” You praise.
“Don’t thank me just yet, we still got homework to do.” He reminds you as he washes the produce in the sink.
“Here, let me help.” You say, attempting to nudge him away from the sink with your hip.
“Nonsense, I got it covered. Either sit and relax on the couch or bring some of those papers over here and talk me through them. I can cook while you work.” He nods, gesturing to the dining room table with your backpack contents neatly organized across it.
You sigh begrudgingly and drag your feet into the dining room. You really didn't want to work after that nap but you knew you had to. Sitting across from him chopping vegetables on the island you begin your work. Talking through all of the questions on the assignments with Obi-Wan. He helped where he could, a few of his own teachings outdated.
By the time the pan was sizzling with aromatics and spiced meat you had made it two-thirds of the way through your assignment. Normally, what would've taken you hours alone, took practically no time with Obi-Wan there to bounce ideas off of.
The smell of food, laughter filling the kitchen over the sizzle of the pan, it felt like home. The apartment you lived in for a few years now, only feeling like a proper home today. Even Miles curled up on the floor by your feet, remnants of his plastic bag cape still wrapping his body.
“Oh, buddy.” You coo, slipping the torn bits of the bag off of him.
You bunch it up and throw it to Obi-Wan who catches and disposes of it. Miles is undisturbed and goes back to his nap.
“Everything is just about ready.” Obi-Wan chimes in, satisfied with his cooking.
Pulling the food off the pan, you notice he was going to plate the contents with an uncooked flatbread.
“Wait a second, are you seriously not going to heat that up?” You put a hand on his arm to halt his actions.
“Are you supposed to?”
All you could do was stare at him as if he asked the simplest question on earth. He puts the pan back on the burner.
“Well if you don’t mind showing me how you would warm up such a thing.” He stated.
“Well, it’s quite simple really.” Walking around the countertop, you open a drawer to pull out a griddle like pan.
Grabbing the flatbreads, you turn on the adjacent burner and lay the bread flatly on the lukewarm iron. After a few minutes, you flip them with your hands. Obi-Wan watched intently, hand gripping his chin. Examining like there would be a test after this demonstration. After another couple of minutes, you then take them off the griddle.
“That’s about it.” You say, grabbing the pan of warm food.
“Well, that explains why my version never tastes quite right.” Shrugging his shoulder, he helps you plate the cuisine.
Taking the piping hot meal and some accompanying sauces to the small dining room table you had, he ran to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of red wine and glasses.
You dressed your meal with the remnants of a salsa verde (green sauce) you kept on the fridge door and ate eagerly as Obi-Wan sat across from you.
You groan into the taco. “Oh, this tastes exactly how I remember it.”
“Good?” Obi-wan asks, his eyes glinting against the lowlighting in the room.
You nod fervently. With a smile he takes a bite of his own. Never having this dish before his eyebrows shot up in amusement.
"Heavens, that's quite good, isn’t it?”
You eat in silence for a few minutes before Obi-Wan clears his throat and puts his readers back on. Bringing your assignment to his attention. You giggle at the sight of them, hand covering your mouth. He looked quite cute.
“What? I need them to read.” He shoots you a glare with no weight behind it.
You just laugh more, into your food. “I think it’s…” You take a beat. “Charming.” You nod.
He smiles and shakes his head, turning his attention to the paper in his hands. His skin holds a slight pink tinge whenever your eyes linger on him for more than a few seconds. Finishing dinner in no time, you share a side of the table with Obi-Wan and continue on your course load.
The hours flew like nobody’s business. When you set the last page in your folder you thought you might start crying. Your eyes burn from looking at bleach-white paper for so long. The whole bottle of wine was gone by the time you zipped your backpack and discarded it on the now cleared couch.
“I guess all you needed was a little help from an ol’ pal.” Obi-Wan states, proud he was able to get you caught up on your school work.
It felt like a miracle, you never thought you could get all this work done in a timely manner.
“I can’t thank you enough Obi-Wan! You have no idea how much you saved me.” Feeling the effects of the alcohol, without thinking, you pull Obi-Wan into a two arm hug.
Of course, he hugs you back.
“Well, now you owe me a trip to OC!” Pulling you away, he starts to clean up the kitchen mess. “You go and get yourself dolled up, I’ll take care of the dishes.”
Not having an objection, you obliged. Taking your time to pick out the dress from last time, apply subtle makeup, and fix your hair. It didn’t take any longer than when Obi-Wan finished up what remained of the clutter. You walk out of your bedroom ready to take on the night.
“My, you look absolutely gorgeous.” He takes your hand and spins you around.
A low whistle leaving his lips as he does so.
“I suppose we shall take our leave.”
“The sooner the better.” You add, preparing to lock up your residence before spinning to face Obi-Wan.
“Wait, wait, we had a half a bottle of wine each, I don’t think we should be driving.”
“When has that ever stopped me?” He questions. “Besides, you have a handy little chauffeur in your pocket.“ Obi-Wan grabs your unlocked holo-phone from your hand.
You protest and attempt to snatch it back with no luck. He types a quick message to Soont.
Hey Soont, Important business @ the OC. Step on it. -Ob
He tosses your holo-phone back. “He should be here in no time.”
It isn’t more than 20 minutes when your holo-phone buzzes in your hand as a message from Soont pops up on the screen.
Here - Soont
You let Obi-Wan out of the door first, following closely behind him to lock up. Fun awaits. You make your way down the steps and to the Jummer with a pep in your step. Soont opens the door begrudgingly, ever the disapproving scowl on his face.
The trip was fast. You and Obi-Wan wasted no time taking down a bottle of Château Margüi during the drive. Probably not the best idea, but you needed to let loose tonight. Arriving at the Outlander Club, Soont opens the door for the both of you. Annoyed to see you two a giggling mess.
“Sir, we are here.” You could tell he wanted this night to be over already.
“I can see that Soont!” Obi-Wan exclaims, clumsy making his way out of the Jummer.
“Ohhh where are we?” You ask, astonished by the building.
Pale yellow and red lights hung around the entrance. You could already see the numerous beings inside. The sound of glitz music blares through the doorway, accompanied by chatter and laughter. A strong smell of alcohol tickles your nose, this was going to be one hell of a night.
“Outlander Club, my darling.” He takes your hand and begins to walk into the entryway. “I come here every so often. Usually when Anakin is PMSing.” He mutters out of the corner of his mouth.
“You know that’s horrendously insulting.” Playfully you slap his arm. “But you are right, Anakin was on one today.”
“Let’s not worry about him! We’re here to have a good time, no?” He practically shouts, as the music has taken over your eardrums.
Walking through the crowd of drunken bodies, you arrive at the designated gambling area. Obi-Wan is quick to stop at the first slot machine he sees. Pulling out his wallet, he grabbed two cards.
“This one is for you.” He hands you his company platinum credit card.
“What’s my limit?” Asking, you tuck the card away in your clutch.
“There is no limit!” Exclaiming, he attempts to swipe his cards in the slot machine’s pay-pad.
The game accepts the card and gives Obi-Wan the go ahead to pull the lever. He clicks a few buttons before nodding, you notice he has fifty credits bet on the game. Pulling the lever the tiles begin to spin, nine wheels clicking to a halt, each with a dinging noise coming from the machine. The machine gives an enthusiastic ring, indicating Obi-Wan had won twenty credits.
“See, I’m already winning.” He grins.
“I think that’s a net loss.” You snicker.
“Ugh, Anakin is rubbing off on you far too much.” He shakes his head, his eyes tracking a scantily clad waitress making her way through the crowd.
“Darling.” He stops the waitress by gently touching her wrist. “Two fuzzy Tauntauns, for the lady and I.” He shoots you a wink.
“Coming right up Sir.” She answers before taking a few other orders in the vicinity.
You take a seat at the machine directly next to him. Unsure of what to do, you look toward Obi-Wan for guidance.
“Ah, I shall teach you the way of the coin, young padawan.” Removing himself from his machine, he moves directly behind you.
“First you have to pay your dues.” Taking your hand in his, he moves it to swipe the silver card on the pay-pad.
The machine thought for a second, then the game lit up, indicating the payment went through. Fifty credits added. Flashed on the screen, accompanied by a seductive woman's voice.
“Now just take this big lever and give it a nice strong pull.” You do so with his hand still settled on yours.
The tiles begin to spin, as the Zabrak women dressed as a promiscuous pirate on the screen looked astonished by your actions. To your amazement, you had landed five treasure chests in a perfect row. The screen showcased an array of coins falling down, the words winner written over them. Somehow, you had won a thousand credits.
“Jackpot!” Obi-Wan cheers, shaking you roughly with both his hands on your shoulders. “And this is only your first spin! Keep it going!”
He ran off back to his machine as you gave it another go. Unfortunately, you did not win anything this turn. Even the women on the screen looked sad for you. Spinning the machine again, your server arrived with your drink.
Thanking her, you took a sip of the beverage. It was very strong, but it’s not a crime to get drunk on a Saturday night. Better to enjoy the moment and worry about consequences in the morning. The screen flashed another winning display, this time you won ten credits.
Deciding that you were up on the game you cash out, putting the voucher of your winnings into your clutch. Your lips and tongue began to tingle. You look toward Obi-Wan with a worried expression.
He notices immediately and quells your fears. “Bit alarming for your first one, isn’t it?”
“What is it?” You ask pressing your lips together.
“That would be the Fuzzy part of a Fuzzy Tauntaun.” He chuckles. “It’s a special flower, completely edible, that creates a lovely buzzing feeling.”
You nod, eyes already looking for the next activity. You spot a Blackjack table, a crowd of people around it. A game had just ended, a Wookie gingerly collecting his winning, a shit eating grin on his face.
“Ooh Blackjack’s open.” You grab Obi-Wan by the hand and pull him in that direction.
“Do you even know how to play Blackjack?” He asks, amused.
“Bet it all on black!” You cheer.
“That’s Roulette, dear.” He pats your hand before taking a seat at the table.
You stand by his side, slightly embarrassed. “Yeah, I think it’s best I sit this one out.”
“Suit yourself!”
He inquires with the dealer to purchase his chips. Fishing his wallet back out, he hands his card over. Mumbling ten thousand to the dealer. You are in awe with the ridiculous amount of money this man so willingly threw away. Carefully counting and showcasing the chips to the security camera, the dealer passes Obi-Wan a hefty amount of coins. More players start to fill the table, some dropping almost as much money as Obi-Wan had.
Shortly after, the dealer asks each player to place their bets. Obi-Wan slid over about two thousand credits worth of chips into the pile. One smug Neimoidian bet three thousand, flashing Obi-Wan a snobbish grin. He rolled his eyes in response, as the dealer began to deal out the cards.
The card on the table showed six of diamonds, next to it was a card faced down. What those cards meant was a mystery to you. You weren’t sure exactly how this game was played, but you thought Obi-Wan's hand looked fairly promising.
“Is this a good hand?” You whisper in his ear, examining the detail of his spread; A ten of hearts and three of diamonds.
He does not answer you, instead, he keeps a poker face and disregards your comment. Feeling embarrassed you decided to just stand there and not say another word until the game was up. The dealer then signaled to the player on his left.
The first player waved his hand palm down over his cards. The next player did the same. The third asked for another hit, once he saw his card, you could see his face washed white. The next player was the Neimoidian, glaring at Obi-Wan, he doubled down.
The next few players chose a split and a hit. Finally, once it was Obi-Wan’s turn, he decided to double down as well. The next card to appear in his hand was a nine of spades. After each player had their turn, the dealer then flipped the hole card.
It showed an ace of spades. Each player showed their hand. Upon seeing Obi-Wan’s perfect twenty-one, multiple players groaned at their defeat, including the Neimoidian. Obi-Wan had smiled brightly, as the dealer pushed the pile of chips towards him.
“You were right my dear! I was dealt a great hand.”
Obi-Wan decided to play for another round. Your feet began to hurt in your heels, so you leaned against him for support. With a new confidence from winning he presents his thigh and gives it a pat.
“Seat right here for you darling, watch the magic happen closely.” Not caring of the implications, your judgment less than hazy, you sit on his lap.
He instinctively steadies you by your waist, pulling you in when a figure to your right gets a little too close for comfort. Your eyes rake over the chips, impressed by the amount. Looking around the table you notice the Nemoidian still playing after busting.
He sneered at Obi-Wan who paid him no mind. Instead Obi-Wan found his attention given solely to the woman on his lap. The way your back pressed into his chest, how your hair brushed past his face, tickling his nose. He tucked those strands over your shoulder. The scent of your perfume caused him to almost ignore the dealer when time came to start the game again.
You couldn't help but glance toward the Nemoidian man, a jealous kind of rage brewing in his gaze. He kept up with Obi-Wan’s bets, making sure to one-up him every time. Ultimately leading to him losing six thousand easily. Obi-Wan on the other hand was on a winning streak.
“Unbelievable!” Obi-Wan cheers, collecting the last of his winnings. “You just might be my lucky charm.” He says in your ear.
You blush about to respond when the Nemoidian man stomps up to the two of you.
“Who does this kriffin’ guy think he is? Cheating, I'll bet! You assholes over at Force Coin always itching to take from the little guy!” The man shouts, slurring his words. “NEBULOUS COIN FOR LIFE!”
The dealer gestures for security to come towards his table. Two guards immediately come to escort the Nemoidian out.
“Are you kriffin’ kidding me? You’re escorting me out? You should make this guy leave! Always stealing from us common folk!”
Security hastily ushered this man to the door as he continued to scream obscenities.
“Obi-Wan, who was that?” Puzzled, you cower behind him, afraid of the man.
“Nobody really. He’s just jealous that the Force coin is successful and his coin isn’t. He’s always had it out for me and Anakin, despite us never engaging in his antics.” Explaining, you both walk away from the table, trying to find the next activity.
That’s when Obi-Wan receives a call. Pulling out his holo-phone you glance at the screen.
Anakin is calling.
“One moment dear, allow me to take this.” fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. “Hello, Anakin.”
“OBI-WAN!”’ Anakin's voice came roaring over the holo-phone. “Why did I just get a notification that you spent over ten thousand credits on two of the company’s platinum cards?” He asks angrily.
“Krr, kchkt. I can’t chkkt hear you, Anakin.” Obi-Wan tries to hang up the holo-phone but misses the button.
“Obi-Wan, is that music?” Loudly a crowd cheers as an elderly twi’lek lady wins a jackpot, the machine ringing loudly near you. “Are you gambling with company funds?! This is absolutely unacceptable.” Anakin continues to yell through the holo-phone.
Unbeknownst to Obi-Wan, Anakin was still on the line. You walk up to him, noticing he appeared to be done with the call.
“What did he want?” You ask.
“It seems we’ve been caught.” He snickers, drunkenly giggling into his hand.
“Oh, shit.” You giggle along with him.
Bewildered Anakin screams down the line “Y/N!?”
You hear your name muffled and look toward the holo-phone in Obi-Wan’s hand.
“Did you hang up?” You ask.
Obi-Wan notices the call still going, the muffled rantings of Anakin hidden beneath loud music and voices.
“Krrt, chkcht.” Click. He hangs up with a shit eating grin on his face and tucks it into his pocket.
Nearly immediately you can feel your holo-phone buzzing rapidly in your bag. So much so, that you thought you were getting a call. Nope. It was Anankin, frantically texting you. Deciding to not let him ruin anymore of today, you put your holo-phone on silent without even glancing at his sorry excuses.
You and Obi-Wan share an eyeroll at Anakin and continue on your merry way. Back to the bar. The night ends as fuzzy as the several tauntauns you knock back without hesitation. A deathstick seller slips between you and Obi-Wan offering to sell you both some.
Obi-Wan waves him away. “Find a better line of work.” He scoffs.
You just giggle and watch the man leave. He smelled weird, like burnt plastic. Texting Soont for a pickup, you lounge against the bar, cashing out at a nearby pay station. Obi-Wan closely at your side as you vent about the week you had.
When your holo-phone buzzes shortly thereafter, you cling to Obi-Wan on the way out of the club. It took great mental effort to put one foot in front of the other, your lips still tingling. You giggled as you stumbled, steps feeling too easy, like your body could fold to the ground at any second.
Soont stood by the open Jummer door, awaiting your arrival. Obi-Wan hoisted you into a seat, your body falling clumsily against the leather.
“Thank you.” You sing, fighting with gravity to sit upwards and buckle in. Grabbing a bottle of water you slug it as Obi-Wan takes his seat next to you.
“For everything.” You continue.
Obi-Wan not understanding that that was one complete thought. “What?”
“Tonight, I had fun. More fun than in a while.”
“I had fun too! Especially when you won all those credits at the slot machine.” He drunkenly leans against you. “At least we won a lot! You know, credits are like amazing. But at the same time they are also like, bad.” Obi-Wan continues on a tangent, as you struggle to stay awake.
Checking your holo-phone, the time read just shy of five in the morning. Below the time, you read the messages Anakin had sent, trying to make sense of them.
2:43am - Hey
2:43am - Are you with Obi-Wan?
2:44am - It’s okay if you are, just wondering…
2:51am - I know you’re with him, why can’t you just answer me?
3:04am - Outlander Club? Why would you want to be at a place like that?
3:06am - ANSWER ME!
3:11am - i’m sorry
3:17am - WHAT MAKES YOU THINK SPENDING ALL THOSE COMPANY CREDITS IS A GOOD IDEA?! >:(
3:17am - YOU DON’T WORK AT THE FORCE ANYMORE
3:48am - I’m sorry I didn’t mean to go off like that please text me back
4:23am - I hope you have a great night! :)
Laughing at the messages, you show Obi-Wan. You knew he wasn’t able to read the words in front of him, but knowing Anakin was spamming you all night was enough to make him burst out in laughter. Upon arriving to your apartment, Soont helps you and Obi-Wan to the door. As soon as you both reached the stoop, he sped off, presumably to get some sleep. Clumsily, you unlock the complex door, Obi-Wan tailed behind you.
“You know I think it’s like way too late for you to drive home. And I’m pretty sure you’re way too drunk anyways.” You state, as you stagger up the stairs to your apartment.
Gripping the railing for dear life, you nearly fall backwards at the top step.
“Of course yes, I shall take the treacherous duty of spending the night!” He retorts, a gentle hand on your back to steady you.
As you both enter, you throw your jacket and purse onto a chair, sliding off your heels.
“Ohhh I wonder if I have any pizza.” Walking towards the fridge, Obi-Wan flops onto your couch.
Fishing through the unit you are saddened to see no pizza in sight.
“Obi-Wan, we should totally order a pizza right now. I think I still have that company card.” You state, walking back into the living space.
“As long as we get a stuffed crust!” He shouts, getting comfortable in your throw pillows.
“You know you don’t have to sleep on the couch, my bed is way more comfortable.” Twirling your hair, you giggle at your own comment.
“Is that so? I guess I should test that theory.” He waggles his eyebrow jokingly.
You beckon him to your room, having grabbed a pizza menu off of your fridge. He gladly follows behind you, bringing a few pillows with him. He throws them on your bed and kicks off his loafers. Sitting on the edge with a grunt, he sighs as he lays back.
“I’m gonna order pizza.” You say sitting on the opposite side of the bed. “Sausage good?”
Obi-Wan's eyes flutter shut as he relaxes into your comforter. “Can we get some of those little spicy peppers?” He asks his words thick like molasses.
You chuckle and nod to the room and begin dialing. You order and give the company card number over the holo-phone to pay for the pizza. Anakin was already upset, so who cares anyway, right?
Looking over at Obi-Wan you couldn't help but notice how his shirt stretches over the expanse of his chest. Buttons burdened by the position he was laying in.
“Hey, you need something to sleep in? A dress shirt and slacks hardly seem comfortable.” You offer.
He looks down at his body, feeling restricted by the fabric. He nods at you softly. You were already on the way to your wardrobe, grabbing out an oversized shirt with your university’s name on it. You also get him pink fuzzy pajama pants, with little bunnies on them. He sits up as you throw the clothes at him, immediately knocking him onto his back.
His voice came through the plush fabric muffled. “Thanks.”
Your doorbell rings. Hurriedly you make your way to the front door, shrieking. “Piizaaaaa!”
Ripping open the door, you give the delivery boy a tip, happily taking your pie. You return to your room with it hot against your palms. Your eyes widen, not looking away from the sight that greeted you. Obi-Wan stood there in your pj pants, his dress shirt freshly unbuttoned sagged against his back as he removed it for the t-shirt.
“Damn.” You whistle at him as you set the box on your bed.
He chuckled, pulling the baggy t-shirt over his head, plopping heavily on the bed. “Enjoy the show?”
You gently hit his shoulder as he settles in. Opening the box the intoxicating aroma of pizza wafted into the air. You rubbed your hands together.
“Oh, baby. It’s pizza time.” Eagerly you grab a slice, as does Obi-Wan.
By the time you were on your second piece, Obi-Wan had tucked his head into one of the pillows. A half eaten slice in his hand, cheese pooling out of one end of the discarded crust. You feel a similar pull of drowsiness, eating with your eyes closed. The feeling of gravity moving your body forward. The soft bed beneath you is enough to immediately welcome slumber before you had even noticed your eyes were closed.
Story Description: As a timid good girl you meet your match when a broody gentleman interrupts the day you had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves you to swoon. Which side will you pick?
Chapter Summary: The night does not end, as you find yourself in an unexpected place.
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Word Count: 6,501
Warnings: Language, alcohol, and blood
Authors: Barnes and Howlett
Author Notes: Hey guys! Sorry this is late once again, I got tendonitis in both my hands! It was a struggle writing this for some time, but alas, we prevail. Hope y’all enjoy <3 ~ Howlett 🌙
You take his large hand without hesitation, attempting to stand up. Unfortunately, the alcohol makes your heels feel ten times taller and heavier, forcing you to stumble into Obi-Wan’s grasp.
“So sorry, must have been the last couple martini’s I had.” You half slur, letting out a horrendous drunk chuckle. Obi-Wan tries to assist you, while also stumbling in an attempt to hold himself upright.
“Well, they were worth it in my opinion. In fact, I could take one to go.” He jokes, snickering.
“Obi-Wan, the last thing you need is another drink.” Anakin chimes in, clapping Obi-Wan’s shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. A little annoyed that his colleague allowed himself to get so sloppy.
“Let’s get you both out of here. You need to get into bed A-S-A-P.” Ankain remarks, as he makes his way over to you, guiding you both towards the exit.
Through fits of laughter and slurred words, Anakin eventually gets the two of you to the velvet ropes that hang in front of Holobar.
“I’m going to get the Jummer, both of you please stay here.” Anakin makes his way over to the valet, while the two of you prop each other up.
“Who put a stick up his ass, am I right?” Obi-Wan states, laughing too hard at his own joke. The sound reverberating in his chest, you can feel the gentle vibration with each cackle.
“Probably his ex-wife.” You snort, both erupting into laughter, you brace yourself by grabbing his forearms, trying to keep steady.
Obi-Wan interjects with a seemingly random thought. “Hey I know exactly where we should go, you’ll love it.” He smiles, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “I just need to talk to the driver first. Don’t tell Anakin!”
With that, he strolls up to the window of the Jummer before it even makes a complete stop, surely annoying the driver. Anakin finally makes his way back over to you.
“Hey, let’s get you inside. You need to get some rest.”
You struggle a bit taking Anakin’s hand as he opens the door and leads you into the Jummer. The familiar sight of the bar makes your eyes twinkle. One more drink wouldn't hurt. As you settle into the seats, Anakin by your side a concerned look etched across his features. You lean forward to procure an expensive bottle of wine, swiftly uncorking it pouring a glass with unsteady hands.
“Hey, I dont think thats a goo-”
You just laugh in his face before he can finish his sentence.
“‘S fine Ani, don't worry.” You bring the glass to your lips, the sanguine colored liquid spilling down your chin, leaving a red streak in its wake.
His eyes follow the drop as the wine sinks in between your cleavage, paying no mind to the nickname, instead finding his mouth agape, and his demeanour disarmed. He swallows thickly and clears his throat before continuing.
“Fine, one more. But after that I think we should be done with the alcohol, alright?”
You nod at him, no doubt understanding that you were already sloshed. You shrug off your fluffy shawl, leaving your shoulders bare, leaning against him as he is the closest support. He didn't completely mind your state, although it was a bit concerning. He found you rather cute when you weren't so serious. He sits and revels in the closeness of your bodies as you continue to sip on the wine. He felt relief in knowing you would be home in just a few minutes. He could have Obi-Wan out of his hair and a quiet rest of the night after sending the babysitter home.
Obi-Wan enters the vehicle with a smug grin on his face. “Popped another cork, have we? Thatta girl.” He laughs, taking a glass himself pouring just shy of the rim.
“What took you so long, Obi-Wan?” Anakin asks, his eyebrow raised.
“I had to relieve myself, you wouldn't believe the volume.” He chuckles before settling in next to you.
“You know, I’ve never had wine more expensive than twenty six credits? This is like first class type shit!” You say orienting your body towards Obi-Wan, leaving Anakin none the wiser to Obi-Wan's plan. You share a knowing giggle.
“You know my dear, I could have you drink wine more expensive than twenty six credits every night.” He attempts to wink, but fully blinks instead.
“I would be more than happy to make that happen for you.” Obi-Wan leans into you, giving you a smile. You couldn’t help but smile back, it was so contagious.
“I usually wait till after the third date to spend the night at someone’s place.” You continue giggling as you start to lean more into Obi-Wan.
“Well, sweetheart, those few dates can be arranged.” He leans in more, “Then we can discuss you spending the night.”
You blush, looking away with yet another giggle. The shameless flirting getting to Anakin.
“Hey you two should probably, uh.” Anakin speaks a little too fast for his brain to form something worth saying. “Uh, watch this cool background on the TV, it's my homeplanet.” He clears his throat, and gestures toward the TV.
You and Obi-Wan glance toward the TV that once had Anakin’s face plastered on it. Now, it held a beautiful scene of the sands of Tatooine.
“Wow, that is really beautiful.” You begin to choke up a bit, almost shedding a tear. If alcohol was good for one thing, it was making you emotional. The vast gorgeous landscape reminding you of the last family vacation you took before your father passed.
“Yes, perhaps, but not as beautiful as you tonight.” Obi-Wan quickly interjects, catching your attention once again. This time, he reaches for your hand.
You let him take it, intertwining your fingers together. The intimacy of the situation makes Anakin’s stomach turn. The Jummer comes to an abrupt stop, earlier than Anakin had anticipated for your home. The driver pops the door open as you and Obi-Wan set down your dirty wine glasses. Obi-Wan's face is plastered with a shit eating grin as he pulls you up and out of the car, leaving Anakin sitting alone, shuffling out after the two of you.
“Wow!” You exclaim beholding the large telescopic building in front of you, a beautiful planetarium awaits. You quickly run up to the doors, only to find them locked. A wave of disappointment pricks in the corner of your eyes. You get an idea.
Anakin exits the car, his brow creased in disbelief. “Obi-Wan!” He practically roars at him from about twenty feet away.
“Why are we here? Did you tell the driver to take us here?!”
“Oh, Anakin. It's just a bit of fun old friend, you should try it sometime.” Obi-Wan responds by pulling a ring of keys from his pocket, jingling them around.
You had disappeared from either of their sights, set on a mission of your own. You were no stranger to a little breaking and entering, something you picked up from friends of years past. The two men look around, Anakin in a slight panic, Obi-Wan spots you first. A glimpse up your dress makes him let out a low whistle as you begin to scale the side of the building, climbing the ladder to the roof. Anakin runs up to Obi-Wan, hitting him gently in the chest for being so crass. He stands at the base of the ladder ready to catch you if you fall. Following you up once he sees you are safely on the roof.
Obi-Wan just chuckles and unlocks the front door of the building eager to show you the inside, once he meets you on the roof.
“Woah, the view from up here is amazing.” You call to Anakin as he steps over the ladder's last rung.
You stand near the lip of the building, no guard rails to stop you from falling, you look down in awe at the height, even just fifteen feet felt like a long way down. You look back at the sky full of stars. Anakin walks up behind you gently taking your hand and leading you away from the edge.
“Listen Y/N, you need to be careful, you’re too close to the edge!” He exclaimed. “The last thing I need is you falling off the building.”
“Don’t worry I won’t fall!” You say, making your way back to the edge of the building. “Besides, you can always catch me!” You chuckle.
“Believe it or not, I can not catch you from the bottom of the building if we are both standing on the roof.” He pouts, putting his hands on his hips.
“Maybe not, from the bottom.” You walk about a pace in front of him, back facing him. “You could catch me from here though!” You chuckle and tip back, slowly falling in his direction.
Anakin is quick to move, and catches you before you could fall any further. You laugh, as he pulls you back to your feet. Turning you around to face him.
“Please don’t do that again! You are clearly drunk and out of your head!” Anakin shouts.
“Listen, I’m just trying to have fun.” You give him a playful shove. “Quit being such a hard ass, loosen up a little bit!” You turn around, back facing him once more.
“Now this time, could you have a little more fun with it?” You say, as you let yourself fall back again.
This time, instead of Anakin catching you right away. He lets you fall just a little more, and a little more, and a little more, and suddenly you don't feel safe anymore. Your body begins to stiffen, bracing for impact. Until you feel Anakin’s hands hook around your arms, lifting you up back to your feet. He then picks you up spinning, holding you flush against his chest, his arms wrapping around you. You could feel his breath on your lips. You look up at him, his gaze trained on you.
“Was that fun enough for you?” He smiled down at you softly, a sarcastic tone lacing his voice.
The air stilled, you felt suspended, floating even. The stars that illuminate the sky became a blur as all you could focus on was Anakin's face. His soft smile, the look in his eyes reminiscent of how you behold artwork. Your eyes glance towards his lips, and you could have sworn he did the same. A surreal feeling pulling you towards him like a magnet.
“The stars awai-” Obi-Wan slams open the roof access hatch, his sentence interrupted as he stares at the two of you blankly for a second.
Both of your heads snap in his direction, Anakin swiftly steadying you on your feet. You felt disappointed that the moment was cut short, but the sobering realization of what you were about to do leaves your heart racing. You quickly take a step away from Anakin as you stare at Obi-Wan waiting for him to react. Surprisingly, he smiles.
“Come on down, your planetary experience awaits.” His head disappears into the floor, a hand popping out of the hatch doing a come here motion.
You look at Anakin but he's already looking at you, gazing at you, into you. A slight smile on his lips. He goes to speak but you speak instead.
“C’mon, let's get going.” You lead him over to the hatch, he climbs down the short distance first, waiting for you at the bottom of the platform.
A mischievous thought comes to mind. You sit at the hatch’s edge, swinging your legs around.
“Catch me!” You call down, without waiting for a response you jump down, Anakin’s hands finding your waist as you soar to him mid air. He pulls you in and spins you before setting you down. You couldn’t help but giggle in his arms.
“My lady, the planetarium has much to offer.” Obi-Wan chimes in, offering his hand to you. Escorting you down the stairs leading you to the main floor, he tries to draw you away from Anakin.
You gladly take his hand, loving this game of back and forth. You walk alongside Obi-Wan, arms hooked through one another.
“Where would you like to go first, darling?” He stops in front of a large holographic map.
“We have a food court if you’re feeling peckish. I’ll have to call someone in to start up the grill, hope they won’t mind.” You both chuckle. “There’s a lecture hall, nothing much to see in there. I suppose the guest speakers have all left for the evening.’ He ponders some more. “There’s also-”
“I want to go here!” You point towards a section of the map.
“The children’s area?” He retorts.
“Yes of course! I mean, they literally have an old snub-fighter that I’ve always wanted to visit!” You exclaim, already heading towards the children’s section. Anakin and Obi-Wan follow closely behind, eager to see who gets to you first.
As you weave through the place, you finally arrive at the colorful glowing borders with the huge sign reading Aspiring Jedi’s Enter Here. Without hesitation, you all walk past the corridor, and start to explore. While this area was made for younglings under twelve, you couldn’t help being fascinated with the things they had in here.
A room where you can build your own “lightsaber,” and another where you can do “Jedi Training.” They had small closet sized rooms where you can have a flight simulation, while some narrator explains the science behind space aviation. Then there it was, just beyond all the exhibits and activities lie the snub-fighter
You excitedly run over staring in admiration. The dim light catching on the cockpit. The now defunct missile launchers pointed ahead.
“You know, these babies were the best snub-fighters of the time, they were versatile and could endure for long periods of time.” You state excitedly, trusting that the two men were following behind you.
You run around the side looking for a foothold to enter the cockpit.
“Z-95” Obiwan announces. “Outdated by the time it was produced.”
Your eyes land on a sign that reads ‘employees only’, the sign was attached to a step ladder wheeled just under the plane's wing. You quickly race over and begin to push the stairs up to the edge of the cockpit. Hastily pulling yourself up them, to the metal and glass dome making an attempt to get to the access hatch. You fail, unable to get atop the fuselage just above the cockpit canopy.
The male duo races up to the base of the stairs, a look of horror over Anakin's face, and a pleased, and impressed grin over Obi-Wan’s.
“Y/N, darling, you’re forgetting a key element.” Obi-Wan calls out waving around the access card to the ship.
From the top of the stairs you beckon him to throw you the key.
“Not so fast Y/N, allow me into the ship, I can show you around.” He smirks and makes his way up the step ladder.
“There’s only space for one person on the ship, how are you going to show me around?”
He scans the card, and opens the cockpit with a hiss. Climbing past you and taking a seat in the only chair.
“Well who said there was one seat? I have the perfect spot for you.” He smirks and pats his hand on his lap a few times.
“There is plenty of room for you here, and as far as I’m concerned. Your name is written all over it.” He smiles at you with lust filled eyes.
You can't believe it, red creeps up your face as you attempt to hide it. Butterflies fluttering in your abdomen.
“Well Obi-Wan, if you insist.” You step into the ship, grinning from ear to ear, he does the same.
You slowly walk in front of him with what little room you have, and fall into his lap. He lets out a quiet sigh as you sit so perfectly on him, his hands find their way to your hips, pushing you into him more. A small groan escapes your lips from the gesture, surprised you were in this situation. Paying no mind to your “third date” rule. Anakin was furious at the sight, that should have been him, not Obi-Wan.
“Uh hey guys. I don’t really think two people should be in there at the same time. It's really dangerous.” He sulks, making his way over to the step ladder.
“No worries Anakin, we’re all good in here!” Obi-Wan chimes, giving him a wave devilishly, knowing the jealousy writhing in him.
“Obi-Wan!” He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Get out of the snub-fighter.” Spoken with a failed effort to remain calm.
“You’re not my dad.” Obi-Wan spoke back, a little too fast for Anakin’s liking.
“Get out of the fucking snub-fighter.” Anakin continues to pout, sternly glaring into Obi-Wan.
“I’m in the snub-fighter and you’re not!” Obi-Wan shouts, loving this whole ordeal.
“Hey! I’m going to-” He was cut off by Obi-Wan laughing.
“I’m literally in the snub-fighter and you’re not!”
You pay no mind to the shouting, only feeling Obi-Wan’s voice reverberate in his warm chest, as your eyes take in the control panel and stick in front of you. All locked into place and unusable but still cool nevertheless. You once had dreams of piloting this bad boy, well your five year old self did, obviously now there were way better models available. But this one; this one was your favorite. Forever holding a special place in your heart no matter how archaic.
“Are you having fun, darling?” Obi-Wan asks, now ignoring Anakin’s protesting. His hands still settled on your hips, as Anakin huffs and walks away.
You nod fervently
Obi-Wan chuckles lowly, he leans in just enough for his breath to fan over your ear.
“Good, I was hoping you'd be.”
You twist a little in his lap and look back at him. His face closer than you expected, those blue eyes locking in on yours with a maddening glint. Trouble. You thought. Good trouble.
“I feel like we're breaking some sort of safety regulation.” You murmur, feigning concern as your finger toys with the different control levers.
“Oh I'm positive we are.” He replies, his voice dipping lower into a purr.
“But some rules can be bent, especially when you look so good in the cockpit, and afterall, I am the boss.” He chuckles.
A light blush flares on your cheeks, you try, unsuccessfully, to hide it behind a light-hearted scoff.
“You are so full of yourself.”
He arches his eyebrow, lips curling into a smug smile. “And yet, you're still on my lap.”
Before you can quip back he adds, “Speaking of…” he trails off. “I want to show you something.” His hands give your hips a gentle squeeze. “It's outta this world.”
You laugh at his stupid pun. “That was actually terrible, but I'll bite.”
“Hopefully not too hard.” He smirks.
You roll your eyes playfully before standing up. He helps guide you out of the fighter, as your feet hit the step ladder below, he hops out beside you with ease.
Anakin sits beside the ship in one of the other models meant for smaller children, aimlessly toying with a plastic steering wheel. His holo-phone in his other hand as he texts someone. His brow knit tight. He's sulking, jaw wired tightly, but Obi-Wan doesn’t even glance his way. Instead he offers you his hand with an exaggerated gentlemanly charm, as he does.
“It's just this way.” He says in the usual flirty tone you've grown accustomed to.
“There's a room down the corridor that houses the observatory dome. Massive telescope, rotating roof, minimal light pollution, just us and a sky full of stars.”
You give him a side-eye as he leads the way, your fingers brushing as you walk together. “That sounds… suspiciously romantic.”
“Suspicious? Me? Ha!” He repeats feigning offense.
You laugh again, as you had been all night, but this time he turns his head just slightly to watch you, his gaze softening for a beat. He may be joking, but even as the alcohol wears off you were as enchanting as ever.
As you approach the door, he swipes the same access card from before. The automatic door hisses open, revealing a circular room bathed in soft ambient lighting. The telescope itself stretches towards the dome above, sleek, no doubt ancient, but impossibly beautiful.
“After you.” Obi-Wan says, motioning inside.
You step in, awe flooding your senses.
“Does this come with a guided stargazing experience too?” You tease, turning around as he follows you in.
The doors hiss close behind him. He steps in close again, hands slipping into his slack's pockets, as he looks up towards the stars.
“If you're lucky,” he says, his voice smooth and low, “I might find one to name after you.”
You chuckle at the gesture, and walk towards the telescope.
“Won’t Anakin be joining us? I hate to see him sulking all by his lonesome.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want him imposing, now would we?” He smirks, making his way over to you.
You scoff, playfully hitting him. “Don’t be so rude to Ani! I know he’s been kind of a drag all night, but he’s just looking out for us. Being drunk and irresponsible and all.” You chuckle and try to understand the mechanical workings of the telescope, eyes scanning over the glowing control board.
“I suppose you are right.” He stands and ponders for a moment. “But I think we’d be better off without him.”
“I’m going to go see what he’s up to, he seemed pretty upset with his holo-phone.”
With that, you walk past a dumbfounded Obi-Wan to look for Anakin.
“Are you joking?!” Anakin was seen pacing around, practically screaming at his phone.
“How could she do this?! I told you we shouldn’t have hired her tonight! She seemed sketchy!” He sighs, and pinches his nose, listening to the other person on the line before responding.
Switching his tone, he almost begs. “Listen, I’m busy right now. Can’t you go home and take care of the kids?” The begging doesn’t seem to resonate with the other person.
“What do you mean you're not in our solar system?!” He is practically seething at this point.
“Fine, I’ll be there to take care of the twins in twenty minutes. I can’t believe this.”
He hangs up the phone and takes a moment to gather himself. Through this whole ordeal he hadn’t noticed you lurking around the corridor.
He lets out a quick, angered shout, and kicks some child size chair to the ground.
You make your way over to him, apprehensive.
“Everything all right?”
Anakin’s head snaps towards you, eyes ablaze, softening in the instant he meets your concerned ones. The intensity makes your stomach drop for a second, but it quickly resolves itself as he draws close, his eyebrows knit in unease.
“Forgive me, I must go.” He murmurs, voice rough, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. Giving you an apologetic look, his hands bracing at your elbows, grounding himself, more than holding onto you.
“But, Ani, we were just about to look at the stars.” You say softly, your voice tapering off as you search his eyes.
Anakin shakes his head, his hands still gently holding your arms. “I know. I wanted to, but I have to go. I can't ignore this, not when my kids need me.“
You bite your lip, torn. The adrenaline from your earlier’s interaction with Obi-Wan weaning as you see disconcert ebb within Anakin. He wasn't just broody from earlier, he was frustrated, frightened even.
“I understand.” Your fingers brush over the fabric of his sleeve. “Of course, I understand.”
HIs jaw flexes as he tries to say something else, but he can't seem to find the words. Instead, he nods and leans in, pressing a tentative and impulsive kiss to your temple, it remains just long enough to stir the butterflies.
“I’ll see you soon.” He says, a promise lingering on his tongue.
You nod, though your chest aches with disappointment, you return the kiss on his cheek. “You're a good father, Anakin. Don’t forget to take care of yourself too.”
He lets go of you reluctantly, stepping back with a final glance before turning toward the exit. You watch him walk away, shoulders tight, until the door closes behind him. As he exits hurriedly towards the Jummer, he can't help but skip a little. His fingers found the place your lips had lain, caressing it gently
You're still staring at the spot he left when you feel another presence slip beside you.
Obi-Wan hums thoughtfully, arms folding across his chest as he leans against the corridor wall beside you. “The man that never rests, whisked away yet again. You know, it’s becoming a habit with him.”
“What do you mean?” You ask, turning to face Obi-Wan.
“He’s just always….busy. Always catastrophe, emotional unrest. Trouble in paradise, as the younglings say.” His tone thinly veiled in concern.
“I didnt even think he would have come out tonight, but I can see what changed his mind.” The smirk on his lips tempered as his eyes linger on yours for too long.
You feel your cheeks warm, but roll your eyes in response. “Obi-Wan.” You detest.
He lifts his hands to feign surrender. “No judgement, darling. I would have made the same decision.”
He shifts, smoothing his hands down the front of his shirt, a gentle smile gracing his face. “But, the stars will wait for no man. Not even one whisked away by fatherhood.”
He takes a step backward, motioning towards the observatory with a slight tilt of his head, a lilt returning to his voice, “Now, if you'll continue to indulge me, there's a rather spectacular celestial alignment about to peek into view. Won't be back for another seventy two years.”
You raise a brow, amused. “Is that how you lure all your guests into observatories? Once in a lifetime opportunities?”
He grins. “Only the ones worth impressing.”
You roll your eyes again, hiding the smile blooming across your face behind a small shake of your head. You let him lead the way back down the corridor. The door to the observatory hissing open once more, bathing the walkway in a cool wash of starlight.
As you step inside, the telescope is exhibited in the center of the room, ready to be used.
Obi-Wan moves over to the controls, fingers dancing over the glowing interface. “Now, where were we, before being so rudely interrupted by reality.”
You stand beside him, letting the tension melt into the mechanical hum of the room. “I think you were about to show me the stars.”
He glances at you from the corner of his eye. “Constellation, actually.” He clarifies, gently orienting your head toward a cluster of stars, dipping his head next to your ear.
“Have you ever heard the tale of The Constellation of Desire?”
You blink in disbelief. “The Constellation of Desire?” That sounds suspiciously made up.”
Obi-Wan chuckles, the sound low and pleasant. “I assure you, it's real. Or at least real enough to become mythos. It only appears once every seventy two years. It's fleeting, hard to spot, and always tied to…moments that matter.”
“Moments that matter, huh?” She glances at him, her eyebrow quirked.
“That's how the legend goes.” He gestures towards a soft arc of stars near the center of the sky, gently guiding your gaze.
“Only visible to those who are open to it. It's supposed to reflect longing, connection. But interpretations may vary, some believe it reflects the desire for Revnog.” He jokes.
You squint at the sky, trying to pick out the shape. “Well I'm not seeing anything particularly scandalous up here. Unless those two dots and that curved line are supposed to be symbolic of something.”
He leans in just enough to match your line of sight, his voice gentle. “That's the beauty of it. The stars never shout. No, they suggest. Ever so slightly.”
You give him an amused side eye. “Are you telling me the galaxy's rarest star is whispering sweet nothings to me?
“Only if it thinks you're listening.” He says with a sly grin.
You gently pat his arm, nudging him gently in the rib. “You're impossible.”
“I think you mean charming.” He corrects, brushing imaginary dust from his shirt like a man pleased with himself.
“And think about it, a whole seventy two years. This constellation won’t show again in your lifetime.”
Your eyes drift back to soft glittering stars overhead, taking in the beauty above. “So, you brought me here to see it before it disappears?”
“Exactly,” he says, a little quieter now. “You might think it silly, but I thought you might like to see something special.”
The stars twinkle within your eyes, and you find yourself smiling. Softly, genuinely.
“I'm glad you did.”
You hadn’t realized how close the both of you had been. How small the space was between you two. His eyes gaze down to your lips, only for a moment. You took notice, doing the same to him.
“While the stars in the sky are special, I think I found something even more precious right in front of me.” He spoke softly, inching forward just a little.
The space between you two was impossibly tense. You blush and giggle from the comment, moving closer, wanting to close the space even further. In doing so, your foot catches on the control panel’s leg, propelling you headfirst into Obi-Wan. Your forehead immediately made contact with Obi-Wan’s nose. He yelped in pain as he moved away from you, cupping his nose with both hands.
“Oh my stars, I’m so sorry!” You rush over to him, attempting to make the situation better.
“It’s alright, it was an accident.” He slowly removes his hands, traces of blood lingering on his fingers. Dark red liquid rushing out of his nostrils.
“You’re bleeding! We need to get you out of here!” You grab his hands, speed walking out of the room. Desperately trying to find the nearest exit.
“Oh don’t worry, I’m fine really.” Attempting to slow you down, he tugs at your hand, holding you back.
“No, you’re not. I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean for this to happen.” He tugs your hand again, this time with more force, making you stationary.
“Darling, I promise you I am fine.” Softly, he took your other hand, attempting not to transfer his blood to you while pinching his nose with the other.
“Let me take you home, I think it’s time we call it a night.” He tilts his head back, retrieving a handkerchief out of his back pocket. Obi-Wan cleans up the blood, as the pinching had quelled the rush.
“You know…” You tilt his head down. “You’re not supposed to put your head back when you have a nose bleed. How else will the blood come out?” A chuckle leaves both of you.
A comfortable, yet slightly awkward silence permeates the walk out of the building. Neither of you know what to speak about, not knowing if there was anything worth saying at that moment. Obi-Wan decided to break the silence.
“So, do you have any plans for tomorrow?”
Such a simple question, asked countless times over. However, this time when it was asked, it settled into the pitt of anxiety opening like a void in your abdomen.
“Oh shit.” You start to walk faster, grabbing your holo-phone from your bag. The bright screen powers on, the time reading 3:17am.
“Oh shit, I have class tomorrow! I have to be up by 7:30! There is no way I’m going to survive classes all day!”
You begin to panic, steadily speed walking towards the street.
“Don’t worry darling, I’m sure everything will be alright.” Obi-Wan jogs to match your pace.
“No you don’t understand! I’m going to have classes from nine in the morning till three! Then I’m going to have to stop at my internship for at least four hours because I have this big project that I should have been working on tonight. I can’t believe I did this, I should not have come out.”
Obi-Wan follows, offended at the last comment, but still wanting to comfort you.
“Calm down, everything’s going to be alright.”
“How could you say that? What exactly is alright about this situation? And where's the Jummer?!” You sigh, not wanting to start a fight. “Please, just take me home.”
He nods, grabbing his holo-phone, making a call.
“Soont, I need you back at the planetarium ASAP!” He yelled through the phone in that annoying tone he had used hours earlier with the bartender.
“Be here in five minutes or you’re fired!”
Obi-Wan hangs up before Soont could say anything else. Walking towards you, he attempts to give you some advice.
“If it’s any consolation I believe that if you enjoyed the time you wasted, then it is not a waste of time.” Flashing you a smile, he kicks the ground shyly. “I don’t know about you, but I had a great time tonight. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.”
A chuckle had managed to slip out of you. He was right, it was better to embrace the good then the bad.
“You’re right, I’m sorry if I said anything that offended you.”
Finding his face, he held a gentle smile. Soft, the moonlight reflected off of it perfectly as he gazed at you. His eyes sparkled so nicely in the night. He absolutely loves the dress you wore tonight, he loves looking at it hug your body every second he can. He loves the way your hair fits your face so perfectly. He could get lost in you forever.
“No need to apologize darling.” Somehow, again, he was standing in front you. So close, yet so far. “I just hope everything goes well for you tomorrow.”
He takes your hands for what would be about the fifth time, but everytime he takes it, it feels like the first time. Giving you those very familiar butterflies in your stomach, accompanied with the familiar burn of the blush on your cheeks.
“You look absolutely stunning, standing in the moonlight like this.” A huge smile plastered on his face.
“You don’t always have to be so charismatic, you know.” Looking down you let out a chuckle, keeping your hands in his.
“I didn’t know telling the truth would give me so much slack!” Chuckling, he found himself trying to close that space between the two of you once again.
Hoping to be more successful this time, you start to move in closer as well, reading his features like a hawk. Looking for any sign of hesitance, but there was none. He was a man who knew exactly what he wanted. Before your lips fully collided, you were both cut off by the honk of the Jummer. Feeling startled, you both fall back, disappointed by what could have been. Soont ran out of the Jummer, opening the door for the both of you.
Obi-Wan leads you into the hovercraft, giving Soont a disappointed look. No doubt he felt embarrassed for the mistake he made. You made yourself comfortable in the leather seats for the final time tonight. Sighing deeply, thinking about going back to reality the next day. Obi-Wan saw himself into the hovercraft, finding his seat right next to you.
Soont rolls down the driver window. “Where to sir?”
“The lady's residence, do make it quick.” He snaps, forcing Soont to roll up the window as fast as he could.
“Now, my darling, are you comfortable? Care for water or snacks?” Gesturing towards the bar, he gives a questioning look.
“I am quite alright, thank you.”
You sit, the sobering weight of your pre planned engagements turning your stomach too much to consume anything more. You think about your bed, how nice it will be to collapse on to it. Hoping that Miles was also alright, it had been a while since you left this late. Obi-Wan was watching you go through mental turmoil, your features showed worry. What he thought of doing was absolutely stupid, but he knew you would love it. So, he yawned, stretching his arm up draping one down just over your shoulders. He looked over to you, giving you a devilish smirk.
Immediately, you laughed. The ridiculousness of the situation would make anyone cringe, but it felt just right. Ridiculous was what you needed right now. With a deep sigh, you snuggle against him, closing your eyes. He took the opportunity to pull you in closer, rubbing your shoulder for comfort. You felt warm, the familiar smell of cologne and ash from the coffee shop filled your nostrils yet again. It was off putting for a second, but upon further inspection, it brought some sort of warmth and coziness.
Trying to soak up every second, you didn’t realize that you had fallen in the lightest stage of sleep for the rest of the ride. Obi-Wan noticed, but didn’t mind. It brought a sense of satisfaction. Some hours ago you could not stand to be in the same room as him. Now he had succeeded in getting you to be the most vulnerable you could be. Whether you meant to fall asleep or not, you trusted being this close to him and he loved that. Eventually, the ride would end, and he would have to shake you awake.
“Darling, we are here.” He spoke ever so gently, trying not to scare you awake.
You groan and sit up, Soont opens the door. Obi-Wan is the first to leave, waiting for you outside with his hand reaching in, hoping for you to take it. You make your way over to the door, and gladly, you take his hand as he leads you out of the Jummer. He walks you over to the door of your complex.
“Well, I had a great time darling. I hope I can see you soon.” He stands, waiting for you to take the initiative for something, anything.
“I had a great time tonight as well, thank you for everything.” You lean towards him, he is ready for whatever you would have to offer him. Your lips planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Pulling away, he couldn't help but giggle. You find your keys and unlock the door, walking in.
“Have a good night Obi-Wan.”
“You too, my sweet!”
You close the door and make your way to the bathroom, ready to wipe your face. Obi-Wan stood at the door for a second, happy with himself. He pulls his hand up to the cheek you had just kissed, smiling like an idiot. He begins his walk to the Jummer, jumping and doing a heel click just before he enters the hovercraft, giddy as ever, and headed for home.
Story Description: As a timid good girl you meet your match when a broody gentleman interrupts the day you had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves you to swoon. Which side will you pick?
Chapter Summary: After a disastrous night, you start your new job role with Anakin.
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Word Count: 7,362
Warnings: Drug use mentioned, divorce, stock market
Authors: Barnes and Howlett
Author Notes: We. Are. So. Back. Hey chat, yeah sorry for the time spent away. Ended up in the hospital a few times. On top of a busy semester. Yk how it is. If you're still here, heyyyyyyy. Thanks for sticking with us! Barnes out. 🚬🗿
WE ARE SO BACK!! We apologize for the hiatus, I was juggling a job and an 18 credit hour semester, (I was lucky to even sleep). BUT WE ARE SO BACKK!! Expect consistent uploads and new series being posted soon. We’ll probs make a update post soon as well. Hope this chapter didn’t come too late for y’all. Love you all who actually read our stuff and care about us!! Bada bing and bada boom ~ Howlett 🌙
The Oobar to your house was silent. You felt bad for causing trouble at Anakin’s, but you obviously couldn't have predicted his ex-wife bursting in like that. Nevertheless, you hope the children hadn't been awoken by the conundrum.
The car pulls up to the exterior of your run down apartment building. At this time of night, almost all of the windows were illuminated, likely families whose parents just got home from work. Your window being one of the only dark ones. Sighing, you shuffle out of the car, thanking the driver before sending him a couple credits as a tip. It wasn't much but it was what you could manage right now.
Treading up the front stairs you quickly make your way inside. The cat didn't come to greet you this time. It was past his bedtime and he kept himself on a strict schedule. Your phone buzzes in your pocket, it's Anakin texting you the details for tomorrow’s day of work. You smile down at the message. He had sent you a rather late time table and had worked around your schedule. How sweet.
Perhaps just going straight to bed would be a good idea, but the flour in your hair told you otherwise. Hesitantly, you make your way to the bathroom and begin a long warm shower. While the water dripped down from the shower head onto your body, you began to think about what had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
From one job to another, then from knowing nothing about a man to knowing all about his family dynamic. How would this new job treat you? He didn’t explain anything about the role, benefits, or really much about the pay.
What am I walking into?
Anakin was trustworthy from the few days you’ve known him, but maybe accepting this job was jumping the gun. What if it’s like the position you once held with Dr. Jinn? The internship that had you overworked and overlooked. You weren’t the most reliable person but you weren’t the dumbest member on the team. Casey held that title with no competition.
What if this job conflicts with school? Looking at the schedule, you would be working six days a week to meet forty hours. Just thinking about those long days and hours, anxiety flooded your nervous system. Maybe getting some sleep instead of thinking about what if’s is a better idea.
You reluctantly turn off the water, mind still mulling over your new found responsibilities. Drying off, you decide to wrap yourself in a fluffy robe before laying down. Your body felt the pull of your plush comforter, but your mind still raced, so many thoughts streaming by, it made you nauseous.
He's taking you on full time, the internship before wasn't even full time and you struggled to keep up. Honestly you were afraid of letting down another team. How thin could you really spread yourself this time? Your failures weren't for a lack of trying but maybe you just weren't trying hard enough.
As you agonized over your day tomorrow you felt a tiny vibration at the end of your bed as your cat stretched before hopping up with a quiet trill. He meowed a hello at you and immediately got to work making biscuits after climbing onto your torso. His fur was all ruffled, no doubt from sleeping. Miles was a peculiar cat, often opting to sleep on his back, tucked into his little cat bed. He could tell when you were stressed and interrupted his beauty sleep to bring you comfort.
Mindlessly, you dig your fingers into his soft fur, giving him a few scratches on his back before going under his chin. He purred like a jet engine, settling down on your abdomen, all of his mighty twelve pounds weighing down on you. Focusing now only his gentle purring, your eyes begin to fall. Your mind is no longer entangled with what if’s.
Today would be the first of many with this new job. The day would start with classes from ten to three, then it would be this new role from four to ten. Horrendous hours, but the bills needed to be paid and dropping out was not in the equation. With a heavy sigh, you decide to check your holo-phone for just a few minutes. There was a text from Anakin.
I don’t want you to be late today, so I’ll send out the Jummer for you. Let me know where Soont should pick you up!
At least you only had to take the hover train to the university, maybe he would even give you a ride home from your shift. Thinking of what to wear, you really couldn’t decide. Anakin never said anything about a dress code policy, but you didn’t want to look out of place. Perhaps a navy blazer with slacks to match, and a light blue button up could suffice, paired with light brown wing tipped shoes.
Not giving your look for the day much more thought, you step out onto the cool air. A bit cold for a summer morning, but it was much better than the excruciating heat. The hover train wasn’t as packed as it normally was, even better for you. You don’t have to feel like a sardine in a tightly packed can.
Per usual the train occupants paid no mind to you, all consumed by their own lives. You take a deep breath as it hisses to a stop, standing, smoothing your blazer before stepping out onto the platform. With your bag slung over your shoulder, it was finally time to be productive. You stop for coffee on the way to your first class, passing a group of gungans smoking under a nearby tree. You wave hi to the usual barista, getting your drink to go. You look down at your watch, still having plenty of time to spare before the lecture.
Arriving at the hall fifteen minutes early, you take a seat near the middle of the room, setting your bag on the chair beside you. Taking out your laptop, you prepare for note taking. As the class progressed you grew more impatient, constantly glancing at the holographic time on the adjacent wall. You were so anxious to get to the next class, you had three in total today. They all felt agonizingly long, your true goal being Anakin's internship. You found yourself staring into space thinking about what you might do with Anakin today.
You were snapped out of your daze when the people around you started packing up. A pit forming in your stomach as time inches closer to two o'clock.
Only one more class, then you could be released from this prison. Complaining about how much you disliked university was like having a love hate relationship. You loved being able to further your education and find a suitable career after. The journey, however, was a different story. University life is always seen as “the best years of your life.” Yet you had felt the complete opposite. You were forced to work to afford tuition and rent, and the school work could easily add up to a collective of seventy hours per week. School is not for the weak, and calling it a prison isn’t everyone’s idea of it. But, to most, it holds true. Walking into the last class of the day, a stark realization hit you.
It’s finally time for professor Jinn’s class.
This day wouldn’t be so easy after all. Settling into your seat, you attempt to stay as indifferent as possible. Trying not to let the memories of yesterday fill your mind you scroll through some meaningless news articles. The irritating noise of a set of high-heels made their way into the classroom, signifying that the one and only Casey had entered.
Of course, for her own amusement, she decided to sit directly next to you. She didn’t say a word as she pulled out her name brand expensive holo-top and started to prepare for the class. Instead of waiting for her to attack, you decided to take the first jab.
“Casey, first time I've seen you above the desk.” You sneer at her. Your voice low, so only she could hear.
She scoffs at your words, turning her nose up at you.
“At least I have a desk.” She shoots back wearing a pleased smirk on her face.
You felt an embarrassed pit in your stomach. Frowning, until you remember. The sides of your mouth curl into a smile.
“Actually I do, a big desk. I upgraded, Casey.” You half-lied.
You didn't actually know what was in store for you later today. No idea if it was better or worse than Professor Jinn's.
Her face fell. “What?”
You grabbed your things without another word, moving to a different spot as class began. She couldn't follow as it would be disruptive to the rest of the students. You never thought you'd thank Maker for the horribly grating metal chairs that inhabited this lecture room.
During the rest of the lecture, Casey was paying more attention to you than the material. Not like she ever needed to pay attention to it… Ignoring her was easy, since the lecture was intriguing. After some time, Dr. Jinn had finished spewing his words of wisdom.
“Alright class, remember exam two on Friday!” He attempts to dominate the loud noise from the chairs. “If you aren’t here on time, you will not be allowed to take the exam!”
Finally, it was the long awaited time. No more classes, just going to your new job with Anakin. Thinking about seeing him again made you worry. What if he was upset after the whole dinner? What if he wasn’t going to be with you tonight? A buzzing noise from your pocket cleared your mind.
Let me know where to send the jummer to! See you soon :)
Collecting yourself, you don’t hesitate to respond.
I’ll be waiting by the university library again, thanks for the ride <3
After hitting send, you pack up your things and get ready to head out.
As you pull your bag up from the chair, the sound of heels fill your ears again. Casey had gone out of her way walking down to where professor Jinn was just to-
“Oops-”
Casey slaps your bag out of your hand, your holo-pad clattering to the floor.
“Sorry.” She giggles covering her mouth, continuing her path down the aisle.
You're unable to get out a word before she's too far. You didn't want to yell, so you just shook your head crouching down to pick up the pad.
You sigh in relief as there was minimal damage to it. Dusting it off you shove it into your bag, zipping it closed.
You sling the strap of your bag onto your shoulder, exiting the lecture hall. You make a quick pit stop in the ladies room, fixing your outfit and smoothing out your hair. Satisfied and eager for your first day, you start your walk to the library.
You pass packs of beings, some students, some on campus for a tour. A few in a hurry to get to their next classes, a few more stationary enjoying a coffee, or laying under a tree.
You arrive at the large stone pillars of the campus library, towering sculptures stretching easily twenty feet high. Stone steps leading to a grand cluster of buildings. But you don't need to go up the stairs as a familiar face leans against the Jummer.
“Hello, Soont. Good evening!” You wave upon seeing him.
He rolls his eyes in response, “Evenin’ Miss.”
He holds the door open as you step in, closing it behind you and then makes his way into the driver seat. Without hesitation, you reach for a bottle of water. The same water from Hoth as last time. The ride was a bit longer than expected but it had allowed you plenty of time to relish on the free drinks and snacks. The Jummer came to a full stop and Soont held the door open for you. It was becoming routine at this point, you almost felt like asking for his number. You decided against it, as he is not just an average ride share driver. You owe him some more respect than that.
Once you exit the Jummer, you had forgotten that you would be in the core of Galactic City. Buildings more than hundreds of feet tall surrounded you. Airspeeders had ranged on a myriad of levels in the sky, filling your ears with the distant sounds. Looking at the entrance of the building, a huge sign stating The Force was displayed above the large glass doors. There was a door man, watching you cautiously.
“Thanks Soont!” You wave him off.
Soont ignores you and makes his way back into the Jummer as you head eagerly to the front doors of the building.
“Excuse me Miss, you are not authorized to be in this building.” The doorman steps right in front of you, crossing his arms.
A slight chortle was the only response you had as you attempted to walk through him.
“Don’t make me call security Miss.” He doubles down and shoots a deadly glare.
Confused, you make an argument. “I’m sorry there must be some mistake. See, I know Dr. Skywalker, I work for him now, and he told me to meet him at this building.” You walk around him once more. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”
“Ma’am you know how many people each day tell me they know Dr. Skywalker personally? You’ll have to think of another lie.” He laughs at your struggles, this is probably the most excitement has had in a few hours.
You grumble in response, quickly reaching into your bag as a hand clasps on your shoulder.
“Sir, get down!” The guard yells.
“No, wait-” The man yelps.
You feel him leap past you, tackling the person behind you. You fall to the ground as well in a shameful heap.
You wince as the hard ground hits yours back. Sitting up, you rub your head, looking at the two men on the ground.
“Anakin?” You call out, upon seeing your friend and new boss under the security guard.
“Y/N! I'm so sorry.” He responds, pushing the guard off of him, standing up.
He races over to you, offering you a hand. You take it and pull yourself to your feet, dusting off your clothes as Anakin angrily stares down the guard.
“Sir, you know this woman?” The man asks quizzically.
“Ba'daar, I sent a company-wide memo this morning.” Anakin informs him, his voice teeming with frustration.
Making grand gestures with his hands, he continues. “In big letters, Welcome Ms. Y/N Y/L/N!”
“Oh, Mr.Skywalker. I must have missed that one, heh.” He says rising to his feet, awkwardly tugging at the collar of his uniform.
“I think it's time for your quarterly review, isn't it?” He vaguely threatens, straightening his lapel.
Anakin hooks your arm with his and leads you into the building, the doors automatically opening for him.
“Welcome to The Force. I see you have already met Ba'daar, unfortunately.” He scoffs to himself. “He is the best in the business.”
You both continue to walk down the numerous hallways. The walls were painted an off white color, the bottom portion was batten, painted a dark chocolate. Each light fixture that hung from the ceiling had a white stained circular glass shade, which made the lighting soft and not too extreme. On the occasion, holographics were plastered on the wall, showing slideshows of current economic affairs and such.
“I’m sure you’ll get adjusted to the building in due time. For now, you will work just outside of my office on the top floor, of course.” Eventually, the both of you stopped in front of the elevator. He positioned his face in front of a contraption that lay just above the elevator buttons. It scanned his face, a robotic voice spoke out in response.
“Access granted.”
“After you.” Ankain gestures past the doors, and you walk right in, thanking him.
The ride up in the elevator was surprisingly fast, it never slowed or stopped for anyone to get on at any other floor. Anakin, catches you looking at the floor numbers rapidly changing.
“Private elevator.” He muses. “This one goes straight to the top. I had it installed when the building went up.”
You huff an uneasy laugh, your ears popping as you exit onto his office floor. “Fancy.”
Anakin clears his throat, “Right this way.”
He leads you along a long red runner, a quaint glass desk sits just outside two intimidating, frosted, double doors. You hear a whirring sound as a blue light runs down Anakin’s body. The red light posted on the wall turns green as soon as Anakin walks up. The heavy doors grind against the floor as they open.
“Welcome Dr. Skywalker.” The same robotic voice from earlier rang out.
“Please, take a seat.” He shrugs his jacket off his shoulders and lays it on top of a coat rack.
Looking around, his office was everything you expected it to be. To the left, a window wall overlooking the city, it appears to be tinted, so no air speeders could look in. In front of the room, was a grand wooden antique desk. The decor was simple, on the desktop was one holo-computer and a golden placard with Dr. Skywalker written on it. A fake tree plant lay on one corner and an edison ball on the other. His chair was black, made from Robuma leather, it looked soft and plump. No matter how many years of sitting, it looked like it would never be uncomfortable.
Just beyond all the fancy workings of his setup, was a myriad of achievements and certificates. In three gold frames lay different degrees, a bachelors, masters, and Phd. All from three universities on different planets, his parents must have been rich, you thought. In smaller frames, laid some certificates he had achieved as well, such as Project Management Professional, Certified Business Analysis Professional, and more you didn’t know existed.
On the right wall from his desk, there was a glass display case. It was filled with different types of awards, trophies, and memorabilia. Lit up, on display, one of the shelves held a glass encased Force coin, looked to be gold. You walk over to the case admiring the coin, its display perpetually, slowly rotates. A special light capturing its every groove. Your eyes glittered in the display lights, falling and cascading along each award. Recognition for innovations in the industry, some for galactarian aid, and others for philanthropy. It was all quite impressive.
You pause, smiling at the pictures Anakin had aligned next to his many achievements. They were pictures of Luke and Leia in various stages of infancy and toddler hood, birthdays and holidays.
In the center there was a large ornate frame, nestled in a pile of sand. It was a pearlescent white, winding glass sculpture on either side, attached to glass pink flowers. You furrow your brows in confusion, the frame's photo was flipped over.
You turn to ask Anakin, when you catch his eyes staring right where you had been. His gaze trained intently on the frame, a solemn look on his face. You look back to the frame noticing interlocking wedding bands carved into the sculpture. Your lips made an oh shape.
“Your office is lovely.” You speak, trying to change the sensitive subject.
“Thank you.” Walking over to his desk, he sits down.
You follow, nestling into the comfortable chair across from him.
“Today will be some simple training and onboarding. First, you’re going to fill out some forms, just so we have all your information on file.” He starts typing away. “Unfortunately I can not be with you in that process, HR only.” He gruffs.
“Someone should be up shortly to help you with that. Afterwards, he’ll talk about company policies, benefits, and salary. Then, I’ll give you a tour around the building, and finally I’ll show you how to use some of our softwares and what your role entails.” Rising from his chair, he could see the confused and frightened look on your face.
“Does this all sound good to you?” He questions, concerned for you.
“Sounds like a lot of information, I hope I will be able to retain all of it in such a short time.” You respond, hoping to bring yourself and him some comfort.
“Don’t worry, I printed an itinerary with the activities and time allotted. You’ll be just fine.” He opens one of his desk drawers and finds a piece of paper. Smiling, he hands it to you. Then, the sound of his holo-phones ringtone filled the quiet room. He fishes it out of his pocket, frowning at the name being displayed.
“Excuse me for a moment.” Walking past you, he exits the room. It was silent for a few moments, he must have sound proof walls. That thought quickly fades once you hear shouting.
“You know what, Kodo, you’re fired! I’ve had just about enough of you, don’t bother coming in to clear out your desk!”
Stunned, you just sat in the chair, feeling awkward as every second passed. Then, Anakin walks back into the room, a large smile on his face.
“Well, change of plans, HR is no longer coming in today. We’ll just have to change the itinerary around. I hope that’s alright with you.”
“‘Oh well, I suppose it's alright. Can we still discuss some of the things I was gonna go over with HR?”
“Some of it, I'm sure you're eager to know your pay, yes?”
You nod, not wanting to seem as strapped for credits as you were right now.
“Like I said, you will be getting double what the university was paying you. Professor Jinn gave me the number 15, so I bumped it up to 35 credits per hour. Take that extra five as a bonus.” Anakin winks at you, clearly pleased with himself.
Your chest swells with excitement as he details your pay, mind at ease, as you finally feel security for the first time since being fired.
“Wow, Anakin. Thank you so much, I won't let you down.” You promised, smiling at him fervently.
Anakin smiles back at you, beckoning you with an awkward head movement towards the double doors. “How ‘bout that tour?”
You push yourself up off of your seat, a pep in your step as you follow Anakin out of his office.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Anakin leans against the glass desk. “This is where you’ll be working. We can personalize this desk anyway you want it. Maybe once you get that permanent position here after your degree, I'll build you an office too.”
You chuckle at him, shaking your head. “Anakin, I'm still a couple of years out of graduation, I'm afraid you'll have to wait on those construction plans.”
“No shame in starting early, time in the market beats timing the market.”
Anakin continues his walk to the elevator, holding the door for you to enter. The only down side to the personal elevator is that you had to go all the way down to access the rest of the building. Before reaching the mainfloor level the elevator stopped and dinged at the 5th floor. You look up, making a confused hum.
“Okay I lied, it doesn't go straight up, it stops on the office level, so I can see if my little peons are hard at work.” Anakin chortles.
The doors open and reveal a vast office space. There must have been over a hundred people sitting in dual-monitored octagonal cubicles.The cubicles were recessed into the floor, all eyes briefly glance at Anakin walking in front of you on the catwalk before returning to work.
“All this for stocks?” You ask bemusingly.
Anakin chuckles and shakes his head.
“All this for an empire!” He cheers, earning a few faint whoops as he gestures grandly to the rows of people.
He looks up, an impossibly large holo-screen illuminates the room. Crypto numbers and graphs are steadily rising, with projections higher than you could imagine. He was making more credits per hour alone than any university job could have offered to its entire staff.
“This is insane.” Is all you can say to that, as you both continue to walk down the footway.
“Insane indeed, you have to stay ahead of the game. How else can you do so?” A passive chuckle leaves his lips. “You should see some of our competitors' rings. If you think this is insane, you’ll be blown away by what they have.” He continues. “All that technology, and we are still number one.” Mockingly, he pops his collars on his button up.
Still stunned, you let out a small laugh. It was interrupted by the sound of your stomach signaling it needs a meal, you hope he didn’t hear.
“Hungry now, are we?” A look of concern rests on his face as he stops in his tracks.
“Maybe just a little.” Shyly, you look away. Another scream of protest erupts from your gut.
“When was the last time you had a meal?” He asks, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
“I don’t know. Around…” You had to think about it, sadly. “Nine?”
“Nine!? It is nearly five o’clock!” Protesting, he wraps his arm around hers. “We need to fix this A-S-A-P!”
He marches the both of you up to where you arrived. He nearly pushes you into the elevator with eagerness.
“There's a place a parsec away that has amazing Nemoidian food. You're gonna love it.” He grins, pressing the button to the main floor.
You nod. “If you like it, I'm sure it's good.”
He gets out his holo-phone as you descend, a few clicks and a satisfied hum later, Anakin speaks up again. “Okay, it should be here by the end of the tour. I promise this meal won't be as- traumatizing.” His tone softened at that last part, apologetic and regret filled. “Y/N I’m so sorry about that by the way. I uh, I didn't know things would blow up so spectacularly.”
You turn to him, a pitied look on your face. “Oh, Anakin. I don't blame you for any of that. I understand, family matters and all.” You reassure.
The elevator dings as you hit the main floor, the same space you had to fight to enter, now being shown around by their CEO. The security looked at you apologetically, avoiding Anakin’s steel gaze.
He takes you room to room, introducing you to staff and friends alike. Everyone seemed to respect Anakin greatly, he was friendly to everybody. Looks of unease flashed briefly across a few faces when Anakin spoke to them so gently. Obviously not his usual state. You had seen how he treated the waitstaff at the club, there was no way that didn't carry over to his place of business but maybe he was a changed man after that night.
Every room had been more amazing than you thought. Obviously, this was an office building, they’re usually mundane and ordinary. However, this building was high-tech, modern, and monumental. Eventually, the both of you ended up back up to Anakin’s office. He showed you the rest of the level, which accompanied cubicles of the higher ups. Across from Anakin’s domain was Obi-Wan’s, nearly as massive in size. The clouded glass made it almost impossible to see into the room, especially when the lights were off. Finally, you both reach those luxurious seats once more, signaling the end of the tour. As if on cue, his holo-phone chimed.
“That would be the food, my dear.” Even though he just sat down, promptly, he headed toward the door. “Don’t worry, be back in a jiff!” With that, he left.
Not knowing what to do with yourself, you immediately start looking around. You knew exactly what you wanted to examine more, that wedding frame. Perhaps it would be nothing, but you wanted to see if something was hidden on the other side of that photo. Gently, without smudging the glass, you unlatch and open the panel. Albeit, you were starting to feel guilty and a little anxious even. Here you are, intruding on someone who had just given you the biggest opportunity you’ve ever had.
Pushing all negative thoughts aside, you continue to reach for the frame. You didn’t know why, but your hand started shaking. Maybe it was the anticipation of what's inside or the idea of being caught. Carefully, you pull the back off the frame and inspect the insides. There it was, a photo from one of the days that was supposed to be the highlight of Anakin’s life.
It was what you assumed to be their first kiss as they were wed. He was beaming, as was she. A baby bump was already visible in the flowing skirt of her dress. He had one hand wrapped around her waist, the other cupping her face. If you look hard enough you can see the errant tear sliding down his cheek into his smile line. You flipped the picture around in your hand, looking at it closely. A small sound of endearment escaping your lips before the ding of the elevator interrupts your thoughts.
Quickly you put back the picture, face down, neatly. Shut the glass door and scramble back to the couch. Nearly taking the coffee table with you as your heel snags on one of the legs. You make a strangled grunt as you ungracefully sit down harder than intended. In efforts to disguise it you begin to cough and clear your throat.
Anakin comes in grinning ear to ear holding up a poorly wrapped bag of takeout. He holds it in line with his face shaking the bag slightly. “Chow time!”
He notices your cough and furrows his brow. “You alright? Need a drink?”
You clear your throat one last time before nodding. “Yeah, that’d be good.” Making an effort to sell your act.
Anakin walks over to the waist height fridge near his desk, after setting the food on the now crooked coffee table, he procures a couple of glass water bottles. Pausing for a second glancing at his display case. The latch had been undone, he was sure he closed it this morning when he came in.
His eyes find yours, a question held within his gaze. You looked like a deer in headlights, eyes trained forward on the floor like a child just before being scolded by a parent. Calmly, he walks back over, handing you your bottle. “Here.”
You thank him, having a hard time finding your voice. Wordlessly he sets out the food and utensils, his expression fairly neutral. He gestures to you to pick up one of the takeout boxes, grabbing one of his own.
“These noodles, to die for.” He says opening his box, steam rising into the air.
The aroma of savory spices reaching your nostrils, your stomach growling becoming almost painful now. You eagerly open your container and begin to eat. It was heavenly, like you hadn't eaten in days. Your eyes screw shut as you hum.
That moment was halted as Anakin began to speak. “So, did you find what you were looking for?”
You fought the jarring urge to spit out your mouthful as your stomach lurched at his sudden question. “Wha-” you swallow thickly.
“My case. It wasn't unlatched last I checked.”
“I wasn’t- I didn’t mean-” you stammer.
“I mean you can lie, I have cameras in here of course.” He shrugs nonchalantly, continuing to eat his food.
“Anakin, I'm sorry.” You wipe your mouth and set down your box. “I just wa-”
“Wanted to see what was in the frame? Well? What have you gathered?” He asks his tone light for such pointed words.
You gather your thoughts. With a sigh, you explain your understanding. “Well, it appears that you and your… well, ex-wife, are just that. Exs’.”
Hearing your words, he encourages you to go on.
“You’re divorced.” You say blankly, “I think.”
Nodding his head, he continues to chew on the noodles, presumably gathering what to say.
“Would you like me to explain what happened?” He said delicately, his demeanor faltering.
Thinking about it, you knew that you were snooping and wanted to know the truth. Perchance he just wants to clear out the air, or not have to explain his situation later down the line. After all, you had a glimpse last night of the chaos that unfolded in the Skywalker residence. Staring at the floor, you make a response.
“If you’re comfortable…” you bite your lip. “Maybe you could just briefly explain your situation?”
“Of course. I mean, there is really no hiding it anymore.” Setting down his box, he clears his throat and sits up straight.
“Padmé and I are no longer together. We aren’t divorced, as that takes time, especially with the kids.” You could hear the grief in his voice as he spoke.
“We have been separated for a few months now. Each day that goes on, I can’t stop thinking about what I did wrong and how I should have made things right a long time ago.” He pauses for a moment.
“That photo that you saw was taken on our wedding day, about five years ago. I didn’t have the heart to throw it away.” He chuckles, trying to bring light into the situation. “She is my first wife after all, which means a lot to me.”
Upon hearing those words, there lay one question. Without even thinking, you blurted it out.
“What did you do?” Immediately, regret fills your face as you slap a hand over your mouth.
“No, no, it’s okay.” Reassuring you, he continues. “What didn't I do?” He pauses. “No, actually, I didn't cheat. I didn't do that one. But truthfully, I wasn't there for her, for the twins. I ran away, used work as an excuse to stay away. Leaving Padme to her government duties and two kids. It’s shameful, something I'll always regret.” He shakes his head solemnly before resuming. “It wasn't until a few months ago that Padme and I agreed the kids would live with me, you know, to make up for lost time. She still hates me, I can tell. Resents me even. We tried to work it out, I've been a better dad but I think I'm past being a better husband at this point.” He takes a deep breath, his eyes sad and glazed.
“Wow, Anakin. I’m sorry to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with me” You were at a loss for words, unsure of how to speak to him in this emotional state.
You remember witnessing how deeply he loves the twins, how good of a father he tries to be. Even if he had a babysitter for most of the day. “If it's of any use, I can see how hard you try to be a good father. I mean, those kids- they love you so much.”You nod, placing a compassionate hand on his knee.
Immediately, his hand lays on top of yours. Looking at his face, you could see his glossy eyes and the sorrow he held.
“Thank you, I really appreciate your kindness.” He squeezes your hand.
In that moment, you fix your eyes on his, and didn’t look away. You had no idea what washed over you, but you couldn’t glance away from him. He reciprocated, locking his attention to you and you alone. It is a strange juxtaposition. This man has just poured his heart out to you about how he abandoned his family, but he is now seeking empathy from you. Of course, you are one to judge, but considering how he reflected on the situation, you can see how much he deeply regrets his actions. Which is something to appreciate. A chime from his holo-phone pulls you out of thoughts, you retract your hands.
Irked, he fishes for his holo-phone in his pant pocket. Taking a moment to read it, he realizes it’s nothing important. You continue to eat your food as he returns the device into it’s place, silencing it.
“So…” he clears his throat. “You in a relationship or anything?”
Laughing, you couldn’t believe what he asked. “Why would you ask me that?”
Giggling, he protests. “You made me explain my situation, now explain yours.” He gestured with chopsticks in his hands.
He did have a point. “Fine…” Jokingly, you sigh. “I am currently single, and have been for a few years now.”
Shocked, he gasps. “What, you? Single? For years?”
You thought he was insulting you. “What? Sometimes things just don’t work out!”
“No, no.” He waves his hands in defense. “I didn’t mean it in a negative way.” He pauses. “You just seem like such a great person, I figured someone had snatched you up.” Toying with his chopsticks, he stares into the noodle box.
Feeling your face heat, you couldn’t help but smile. “Well, thank you for the compliment.” Your shoulders fall as you reminisce about your last relationship. “Wish my ex could say the same.”
“Oh I gotta hear this.” Anakin scoots closer his undivided attention on you as his hands fall into his lap.
“Since you shared, it’s only fair for me too, as well. So a few years ago there was this guy, we’ll call him Shmoe. At first things were great, he took me out, showed me off, bought me thoughtful gifts, showered me in affection. I thought ‘Man, this is too good to be true!’ Unfortunately I was correct, things took a turn for the worse when we went out clubbing in the Uscru District. He got hooked on something nasty and became a completely different person.” You look down at your hands, fiddling with your fingers before continuing. “After that he became jealous and volatile, wanting to be out all the time, getting into trouble.” There was something about your tone that gave off the impression there was more you weren’t saying. “But yeah, I couldn't do it anymore after all of that. Since then I've been more cautious as to who gets my attention. Especially with school, I just haven't had the time.”
Anakin nods, thoughtfully a flash of ire burning in his eyes when you mention your mistreatment. “You didn’t deserve that, you know. Screw that guy, Shmoe, sounds like he sucks and didn't deserve a high class lady such as yourself.”
He nudged your side with his elbow a bit, the lightness in his tone keeping you from thinking back too hard.
“Now that we know each other's scathing love lives, how about some work stuff, huh?” He grabs a remote and flicks on the holoscreen embedded into his office windows. The market up on the screen.
Instantly any thought of the past was shattered as your attention was on the constant numbers flowing up and down. While you were occupied with trying to keep up on the latest stock prices, Anakin walked towards a small file cabinet. He pulled out two white throw pillows and two large grey velvety blankets. Moving the coffee table, he attempted to open as much space as possible as he laid down one blanket. Then, he fixed the pillows next to each other, as he slipped off his shoes and blazer. Neatly, he sets his things aside as he gets down on one knee.
Glancing over to you, he speaks. “Join me.” He reaches out a hand with a cheeky smile.
Snickering, you slide off your shoes and get down to the floor next to him. He gestures towards the pillows and you lay down, trying to get comfortable on the solid wood floors. He fixed himself next to you and draped the blanket across the two of you. Your nostrils get hit with a powerful waft of Anakin’s scent.
“Why do you have these just laying around in your office?” You question, genuinely wanting to know.
“I have long days and now with the twins, long nights as well.” Folding his hands behind his head, he continues. “So, sometimes I take a little snoozer during the day.”
“Likley story.” You prod.
“You think I would lie?” He scoffs. “If I’m being honest, taking nice long naps are my guilty pleasure.”
“Okay okay, I guess.” You raise your hands in mock defense. “So, work stuff. Do you just sit in here all day and watch the stock market?”
“Pretty much.” He turns his head and winks. “With a few other bells and whistles.”
He hits his remote once more and the other windows illuminate. One idling with a 3d force coin spinning. An array of numbers and spreadsheets are visible. Your eyes alight in wonder, mostly from the optics of the screens, but also the impressive work in front of you. You knew Anakin was intelligent, but this was different. This was genius level work.
“This is impressive.” You compliment, looking over a scroll of Anakin’s personal notes that were on the screen, market projections and predictions. Old ones dated with outcomes, about 90% of the time he was correct.
Anakin crosses his arms over his chest with pride for his work. “This company is my brain child, I'm very proud of what it’s become.” He nods.
At this point it had gotten late, although the galactic market stood open all the time most of Anakin’s workers had filed out and to their homes. A single office worker arrived back into the building. Conveniently his office was on the same floor as Anakin’s, tucked into a previously unoccupied corner.
Obi-Wan had gathered his things for the day and was out of the building earlier than usual, when he realized he had left important documents he needed for some homework in his office. It is then that he arrives on the floor that he notices Anakin burning the midnight oil as usual. He makes his way to the big man’s office.
“Up gambling with the numbers so late, Anakin?” Obi-Wan chuckles as he nonchalantly slams open Anakin’s office doors.
He takes note of the scene in front of him. A wave of emotions hitting him, surprise, a tinge of anger, and bubbling curiosity.
“Oh, what do we have here?” Laying his hands on his hips, he raises an eyebrow and taps his foot in a displeasing manner.
“Obi-Wan!” Anakin jumps up immediately, pretending as if he was not just caught red handed. You toss the blanket off of your bodies, hoping Obi-Wan didn’t get the wrong impression. “We’re just doing a bit of onboarding today is all. Nothing special.” He pulled a fake smile but was noticeably starting to sweat.
“Nothing special?” Tilting his head, he surveys the room again. “If that’s what the kids call it these days.”
“Did you need something Obi-Wan?” Anakin spat, growing in annoyance.
“It appears I don’t. Merely forgot something earlier back in my office. Thought I would say hi, but I seem to have walked in on, ‘nothing special'."
Sitting up, you decide you should say something. “Maybe we should move onto the next part of that itinerary, Anakin?”
Both of their heads instantly snap to face you. They could see how flustered you’d become.
Clearing his throat, Anakin continues to stare down Obi-Wan. “Maybe we should.”
Trying to settle the cats, you make a suggestion. “Obi-Wan, would you like to join us?”
Confusion washed over Anakin as Obi-Wan saw this as an opportunity to ruin whatever Anakin was attempting to do.
He straightens his posture and smiles. “Of course! I would love to join.” Smirking, he takes a jab at Anakin. “After all, I know more about our sophisticated softwares than my associate here.”
The both of you notice the rise in Anakin’s temper. Clearly, he was not pleased with this sudden change in plans.
Taking a stand, you dust off your pants. “Sounds great! Let me fetch that paper.”
Story Description: A timid good girl meets her match when a brutish gentleman interrupts the day she had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves her to swoon. Which side will she pick?
Chapter Summary: Y/N reluctantly accepts Anakin’s invitation. What happens is a big surprise for the both of them.
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Word Count: 7,065
Warnings: Language and Alcohol
Authors: Barnes and Howlett
Author Notes:
Pay no mind to the woman's body or skin color in the top right of the mood board, it was simply put in for the dress. Thank ~ Barnes 🚬🗿
Hey y'all sorry this was late, one of us had 3 midterms and the other was about to get evicted lmao enjoy ~ Howlett 🌙
You head back up stairs, the elevator now lonelier than before. The hallway had emptied, the sound of students footsteps retreating out of the lecture hall after that stellar speech. Toting newly purchased Force tote bags, hats, and buttons. A poster of Dr. Skywalker was available for purchase as well, some were even signed. You found yourself back in professor Jinn's, less than bustling office, collecting your things to go home.
Your mind swept up in a flurry of thoughts. What would I wear tonight? Should I even go? The chaos of the day leaves you just tired enough to want to stay home and relax with your cat.
“Y/N, you actually managed to do really well today.” Professor Jinn remarked.
“Yeah nice job…for once.” Casey sneered, a self-assured smirk plastered across her lips.
You nod a quick thanks before exiting the room, honestly you didn't want to be there another second. Although the praise from professor Jinn was welcomed, you couldn't stand Casey. Her disgusting display of unprofessionalism from before is still fresh in your mind. Your eyes could have gotten stuck in the back of your head with how hard you rolled them.
You exit back down to the first floor heading out the building's main entrance. You are greeted by the security guard at the door. He was a blue skinned Chiss man with a hearty build, his uniform stretched across the expanse of his back.
“Hey girl, ‘nother beautiful day outside!” He remarks as you walk past.
“Always is Tir, always is.“ You sigh as you begin your trek home. The hovertrain had always been a reliable and easy way to get home.
However, today the usual crowding and loud noise was almost unbearable. Forcing you to get off a few stops early and just walk the rest of the way.
After what seemed like long grueling hours, you found yourself at the doorstep of your run down apartment complex. Unlocking the door, you were met once again by the ever-present Miles, your sweet little baby. After a long day of mistreatment and burnt coffee, Miles was always there to brighten your day.
You make your way into your bedroom, dirty clothes lay across the floor, fresh ones lay scattered atop half of your bed, and a few dirty cups on the nightstand. Not necessarily a mudhorn’s den, just proof of how exhausting your life really was. You make your way over to the dresser, finding a nice pair of joggers and a comfortable baggy t-shirt. Changing into your lounge fit, you wipe the makeup from your face and ruin your curls by throwing them into a messy bun.
You make your way to the living room plopping down onto your worn out leather couch with a big bowl of microwave popcorn. Immediately browsing Jetfliex for some trashy rom-com to veg out to. Then your eyes lay on one, Billionaire Babe. Its description reads, “A charming billionaire seduces a secretary into a date night that turns into an unforgettable unexpected evening.” Seems good enough.
The movie starts off with cheesy royalty free music and a poorly built office set. A handsome man comes onto screen, sitting poised and with an air of arrogance around him. There’s a sleek leather chair he sits on, illuminated by harsh studio lights. A cheesy gold name placard reading “CEO” lay front and center on his desk. The room was seemingly large and had a carpet runner to the big double doors of the office. The door slowly creaked open as a young woman meekly pokes her head inside. She had a mousy smile with long brown hair laying in waves over her shoulders. A small pair of glasses edged on the front of her nose.
“Mr. Dawn, your 4pm is here for that stockholders meeting.” She states her voice light and airy as she speaks.
His eyes lingered on her, a slow motion shot of her hair falling into her face as romantic music played.
He smirks, “I'll be there in a minute.” He sends her a quick wink before she leaves the room. The opening shot of the next scene is her flustered outside of the door, unsure of what to think of her overly flirty boss.
You sigh, shovelling handfuls of popcorn in your mouth. The suave and albeit cheesy demeanour of the man brings you back to earlier in the garage. How Anakin had talked to you, how he made you feel. Your stomach fluttered recalling the feeling of his warm lips against your knuckles.
The screen goes black before an ad, you briefly stare at your reflection on the screen. A harsh reminder of your current state, hair a mess, clothes disheveled, and little bits of popcorn lay scattered across your chest and stomach.
You glance over at the wall clock to your left, 6:14pm. A thought fills into your head, maybe going wouldn’t be all that bad…
You wrestle with internal turmoil, debating on if it’s even professional for you to attend or if you should go to see the handsome, over flirty, family man for a second time today. You sigh, as the screen goes back to the awful movie. You glance over at Miles, who is seemingly uninterested by the movie, swatting at the array of popcorn bits surrounding you.
You make a split second decision and turn off the tv, brush the discarded popcorn onto the floor, and head to your closet. You weren’t one to go out, especially on a weeknight, and definitely not to a high end club filled to the brim with people making over 700k credits annually. You quickly rifle through your best dresses, and finally lay eyes on a simple black cocktail dress that you got at a DomeGoods for 25 credits. It’ll have to do. You make your way back into the bathroom and hurriedly reassemble your face.
Dropping powder and brushes along the way, you do the most simple yet elegant look you can think of. A simple black eyeliner wing, with a light shimmery pink on the eyelids, accompanied with subtle yet bold lashes. Your lips tinted in a dark red, slight blush along the cheeks.
Good enough.
Undoing your bun from earlier, your hair still had traces of a curl form this morning. You'd decided on doing a half up look while recurling some bits with your finger, making sure to leave out some framing pieces. You hurriedly make your way back into the bedroom and throw your lounge clothes into the week's worth of the accumulated dirty pile. You slip on the dress, and find a nice faux fur white shawl to lay along your arms. Slipping on the first pair of black heels that you can find, chunky mary jane heels with X straps along the ankles.
Glancing at the clock now it was about 7pm, just an hour before Anakin had asked you to meet him. You reach for your jewelry box, opening it to reveal the sparse contents inside. You choose gold jewelry with pearl accents, praying it wouldn't turn your skin green while you were out tonight. Looking at yourself once more in a mirror you do a little spin checking out the expanse of your curves through the snugly fit fabric. You looked nice. You realize you have to take the train looking like this, not a train friendly outfit, so an overcoat would have to do the work to hide your body. You pullout your phone and decide to text Anakin on the cell number his assistant had provided
Y/N: Hey Dr. Skywalker, it’s Y/N, running a little late. Gotta catch the train. See you soon.
You write in hopes of not sounding too eager. He texts back after a few beats.
Dr. Skywalker: The train?? I'll send a car over to pick you up. The investors are getting here at 8 sharp. Don't want you to be late :)
You want to protest but, why not just let the rich man spend his money. After all, just a ride wouldn't be too bad. You text him your address and a quick thank you before tucking your phone into the small clutch you had decided to bring with you for tonight. A spritz of perfume perfects the look. You were definitely ready to enjoy the evening.
You stand by the window anxiously, watching every car that passes by, hoping that you could still make it on time. Finally, one stood out from the rest, a blacked out tinted window stretch Jummer that stops in the middle of the street. Then your phone beeps.
Dr Skywalker: Your chariot awaits madam :)
You chuckle at the message and give Miles a quick kiss goodbye on the head. You make your way down the stairs, locking up. Turning around, the nerves twisting and writhing in your stomach the closer you walk to the stretch limo. Upon stepping closer, the driver, dressed in all black with a classic taxi hat, steps out to open your door. His golden name tag read Soont Felian.
“Mrs. Y/LN, Dr. Skywalker is waiting, please hurry along.” The driver remarks, somewhat annoyed.
“My apologies.” You mutter as you make your way into the vehicle and gasp upon entering. The inside was not what you had expected. Purple lights cover the trim of the cabin above. Long leather seats lay on one side, and on the other, a mini bar. Accompanied with a few lavish snacks and an ice bucket filled with a couple of bottled waters, the expensive kind, imported straight from the mountains of Hoth according to the label. Laying next to it was a bottle of wine that definitely cost more than your rent, paired with wine glasses slotted perfectly just along the wall of the bar, folded golden napkins in each.
Along the back side, where more seats occupied, lay a flat screen TV just above. Playing a video with Anakin's face on it. He wore an all black suit that was perfectly tailored to fit his body. He held a smile that was severely contagious. The video began with subtle whimsical music in the background.
“Greetings and salutations, on behalf of The Force, we want to say thank you. Please, help yourself to some refreshments as our driver safely and promptly assists you to your destination. We look forward to meeting with you. Have a safe trip. May The Force be with you. Now this is where the fun begins.” With that, he smiles once more and the video fades out, soon to be replayed again.
You chuckle before muting the TV with a nearby remote and settle into your seat as the driver takes off. The road was long and bumpy but you could feel none of it due to the expensive suspension system. You decide to open a small bottle of water and take a sip. Amazingly the drink was more refreshing than any other water you’ve had before. You were used to the tap water in your apartment which was less than conditioned and often just cold enough to be drinkable.
You fumble with the phone in your hand wondering if you should text Anakin again, just a quick OMW might suffice. But you decide against it, he knows you're coming, after all he sent the car. These guys were literally paid to be reliable.
You arrive at the club by a smooth 7:57pm a few minutes earlier than expected. The driver climbs out, opening your door, ushering you towards the entrance.
The building you pulled up to was in a district you had never visited before. The sound of techno music filling your ears before you could finish taking in the size of the building before you. It was a tall building that had a myriad of floors to it, just enough to reach skyscraper status. It appeared to have offices just within the dimly lit windows high above. The club appeared to sit just below the offices. The blacked out windows of the club were accompanied by stone outer walls littered in neon. A large sign read HOLOBAR above you. A line of different characters awaited down the block to enter the bar, guarded by presumably armed security and a dark purple velvet rope. Without question the driver walked you into the bar, the security opening right up for you, as if you were an expected guest tonight.
Anakin had informed the staff of your awaited appearance and had them greet you at the door. A smiling lady walks up to you and introduces herself as Anakin's assistant while taking your coat. She led you up short stairs into a VIP section that was empty at the moment. You look over the railing at the bustling club. Bodies on bodies stacked against each other, enjoying the night. The scent of alcohol and fancy perfumes filled the space. Lights hung overhead illuminating patterns on the partygoers' skin as they danced the night away. You feel a slight tap on your shoulder and turn around expecting to see Anakin’s smiling face.
“Hey, you made it!” An unexpected yet familiar voice chimes behind you.
You turn around and are met with that dreadful man from this morning, Obi-Wan. You blank as you try to process who is standing in front of you. The voice of the barista ringing out in your memory.
“What?” You say deadpanned without thought, hoping he didn’t hear.
“My, you look lovely tonight. I’m pleased that you accepted my invitation, although I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight. However, I can’t wait to have you by my side for the evening.” He speaks with such arrogance as he gives you the up and down, way too many times.
“I’m sorry, you didn’t invite me here, somebody else did. Excuse me.” You turn around
and start to walk the opposite direction of this train wreck.
“Y/N! Glad you made it, and it seems you’ve already met Dr. Kenobi!” Another voice chimes in, the one from a few hours earlier. You turn around once more back to Obi-Wan, seeing Anakin pulling him into a hug, clearly happy to see him.
“What.” You say deadpanned once more, evidently unsure of the current situation.
“Anakin, you know this lovely young lady and never introduced us before? You were keeping me back from such beauty.” Obi-Wan speaks with charm, questioning how Anakin had the pleasure of knowing such a gorgeous being.
“Well, we actually just met this morning at that university lecture I was telling you about. I was charmed by her work and intelligence, so I had to bring her along tonight to help me win over some more investors. Having such a dashing young lady by my side would surely raise my stakes.” He made sure to emphasize that he invited you here tonight, and that you were to be on his arm and not Obi-Wan’s.
“How interesting, it appears I may have beaten you to that punch. I met her this morning at a coffee shop and invited her here as well. So unfortunately, she will be by my side tonight, Anakin my dear boy.” He puffs out his chests, and makes his way over to you.
Anakin chimes in once more. “Well how about we ask, hm? Because I didn't think your name was on the lease of the extravagant car that dropped her off.” He remarks playfully.
“No, but I own half of this club.” he scoffs. “Then, let's ask the lady, surely an independent woman such as herself can make that decision.” Obi-Wan haughtily states, for some reason, confident that you would pick him.
They both walk over to you, you were now a witness to their pissing contest. You staved off the urge to roll your eyes as they bickered like children.
“Wel if you must know, I accepted Anakin’s offer, he had me driven here, and I am here for the sole purpose of helping him out.”
Anakin's smile wavered for a split second at your choice of phrase. Sole reason? He thought. Quickly shaking it off, smiling at Obi-Wan as he had just won their friendly competition. He stands next to you, gently extending his arm for you to take, leading you to a group of unoccupied tables, surrounded by booth couch style seating. Their hologram watches flickered on as the live feed of a group of men entering the building illuminates from them.
“The investors just arrived, we’re going to go and meet them, stay here we’ll be back.” Obi-Wan states, hastily making his way to the entrance with Anakin just following behind him.
While the men took off, a little too hurriedly, you glance around the room. It was quite alluring despite all the debaucherous things that surely happened here. Expensive glass chandeliers hang from the coffered ceiling, fixed with white and purple light bulbs. Purple is the theme tonight, you thought, must be one of their favorite colors. On the tall gray walls hung shiny silver fringe tassels that fell just a few feet above the very expensive black sleek couches. The floors were decorated with large, glossy, black tiles. Some white fur rugs lay under the couches, lined with glass tables. Without a doubt it was real fur from some animal you hoped had died from natural causes, or at least had died a swift death.
While glancing around the lounge, you stand pondering at the situation. A few thoughts crossed your mind.
Doesn’t Anakin have a wife? Why is she not here tonight? Why can’t he have her by his side? Obi-Wan and Anakin, co-owners? What have I gotten myself into?
Your thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice, “May I pour you some champanage miss?” A bottle girl stands there in a uniform that is all too revealing but rather very flattering. She held an all too big smile, one that might hurt anyone who made an attempt to replicate it.
“Oh, why not? Thanks.” You say, not thinking about where you should be. Which was at your apartment, laying in bed, getting a good night's rest for your long day of classes tomorrow. The worker pours into your glass, she then accidentally drops the bottle, which then it falls to the floor shattering, just barely missing both your heels.
“Oh my! I am so sorry, please, let me clean this up.” She immediately gets on her hands and knees, laying her tray on the floor. She attempts to pick up the multiple shards of glass that lay around the two of you.
“No worries, let me help.” You squat down, accompanying her in the attempt to pick up as many big pieces of glass as you can.
“Y/N, what are you doing?!” Anakin exclaims, surprised to see you in such a state. He hurriedly makes his way over to you abandoning the group of men and trophy wives that had just poured in making Anakin’s acquaintance. Obi-Wan directs their attention elsewhere as Anakin helps you up, while sneering at the bottle girl.
“Sasha, how many times have you dropped a bottle this week? This one is coming out of your paycheck, you're lucky to still be on the schedule at this point.” He was clearly annoyed and frustrated, “Y/N, you don’t need to assist her, you are with me tonight. You should act like it.” He pulls a charming smile onto his face, not realizing how offensive that statement was.
“Excuse me, what do you mean act like it?” You say in a mocking manner, “Is there some sort of way that I am supposed to act around you? You may be able to boss your wife around like this, but not me.”
For a split second, the air stills. His face blanks, completely unreadable, not many people talked to him in that manner. The mention of his wife struck him like a punch to the chest. His throat tightens, as if his words were lodged in there refusing to befall his lips. He cleared his throat and spoke measuredly in a hushed tone grabbing you by the upper arm speaking succinctly into your ear. “Don't talk about my wife.”
He lets you out of his grip as he adjusts his suit jacket awkwardly. You create more of a distance between you as the bottle girl continues to clean up her mess.
“You know what Anakin? I think I should just go, this really isn't my scene. I don't treat people like the help.” She spat back at him before turning on her heel.
“Hey, look I’m sorry,” he apologizes following after you. “It’s just, I’m kinda-” he pauses. “Not with my wife anymore, I shouldn’t have reacted that way, I’ve just been high strung is all.” All you heard from him was excuses. “How about this? I’ll give Sasha a bonus, you stay here, and we have a good rest of the night. How’s that sound?” You looked towards the poor bottle girl a few feet away and decided if he treated her this way often, she deserved that bonus. If someone was getting something out of tonight you rather it be her than any of the other rich snobs around you.
You reluctantly agree, nodding your head a frown still evident on the corners of your lips. “Fine but, act like that again and I walk.” You didn’t know if your threats really meant anything to him. He had invited you here to make him look good, but all he’s done so far is use you to to make himself look like an ass.
You compose yourself, putting on a fake pleasant smile. “Let’s just get to work.”
You don't accept his arm when he offers it to you, walking ahead of him up to the group of investors. Obi-Wan had seen the whole exchange as he dazzled the men in front of him. A subtle smirk plays on his lips as he directs the focus of the group towards you.
“I’d like you all to meet the lovely Y/N.” Obi-Wan announces to the group, “It is my understanding that you work at a university, is that right?”
You join the group, and clear your throat. Slightly anxious, trying to sell yourself to this group of exorbitant rich snobs. “Yes. That's correct, Obi-Wan. I am a graduate student at the University of Coreseant. I am seeking my masters in business administration, with a concentration in urban development. I also work as a teaching assistant for Dr. Qui-Gon Jinn, in his lovely class on economics.” You speak with poise, trying to talk yourself up and romanticize your overly worked and stressful life.
“Earlier, I had the great pleasure of meeting with Dr. Skywalker and assisting Dr. Jinn with a lecture introducing the students to The Force. He had done such an amazing job with keeping engagement and speaking highly of his business endeavors.” You smile, glancing over at Anakin, who appeared to display a shy smile, not expecting praise after the previous encounter.
Obi-Wan attempts to divert your attention, about to speak. Until another voice spoke up, “Y/N, it sounds like you're quite the worker. Tell me about other projects or collaborations you have had while working or studying at the University. I’d also like to know what your capstone will be on.” An investor says from the group. It startled you, but also flattered you to know that you were saying all the right things.
“Well, my research for my capstone is heavily focused on severely underserved communities and how to approach developing new buildings and remodeling old ones. I’ve done collaborations in the past about many topics. At this point, I could go on and on about the work I’ve done. Is there any topic that piques your interest by chance? I may have already done a project on it.” You speak, glancing over the crowd, surprised to see such interested faces.
Anakin is awed by the engagement you were getting from this group of investors. They usually were not that forthcoming about ethically sound ideas, as was part of the hustle. He watched how the dim lights caressed your features. He hadn't told you how captivating you looked tonight for fear of coming on too strong, but it was hard to keep that hidden. You were gorgeous, you had been gorgeous the whole time. The moment he saw you step out of those doors this morning he noticed. He admired how eloquently you spoke, how your lips moved, a light smile never leaving your face. He knew it was a good idea to invite you here tonight. He could practically see the credits rolling in, each investor a new link in his chain.
Obi-Wan admired the way the dress formed over your body. The blouse you wore at the coffee shop that morning was something he would consider frumpy. Your jewelry shined in the light, the gold accents complimenting the tone of your skin, he could tell by the sheen that they were cheap but he didn’t care because you were wearing them. The fur accented the outfit ever so nicely. Such a smart girl, such a nice pick. Obi-Wan thought.
Thoughts flooded into his mind that were a little too inappropriate for having just met you this morning. Clearing his head, he makes his way over to you.
“Excuse me greatly, but, Y/N have you had a drink tonight? Would you mind accompanying me to the bar?” Obi-Wan abrupts, clearly not understanding how unprofessional it was to cut off such a conversation.
You reluctantly agree, remembering your attempts at getting a drink earlier. “Why of course Dr. Kenobi, it would be my pleasure. Excuse me, everyone.” He grabbed your hand, forcefully pulling you away from the conversation.
“My dear, you did such an amazing job back there.” He exclaimed, leading you to the bar.
“Well, I was, until you interrupted.” You snap, almost annoyed he would try to steal your thunder.
“Did I mention how lovely you look this evening?” He steps back, keeping your hand in his, looking at your body for probably the 100th time tonight. “Absolutely stunning, that dress was made for you. Absurdly gorgeous.”
You blush, looking away, trying not to be entertained by this man yet again. You’re at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond.
“Now, darling, what would you like to drink tonight. Anything you want at any point, is on the house.” He gives you a wink and a smirk. Showing you the array of alcohol on the shelves just beyond the bar.
“Well, how about some champagne for now?” You speak, still flustered from his comment.
“Right away, my dear.” He snaps his fingers at the bartender, “Bring out the most expensive bottle of champagne we have, go and hurry along.” The way he barked orders made you forget about how flattered he made you feel. You roll your eyes and cross your arms, sighing.
“You know it doesn’t take much to be kind to your employees. A simple, excuse me, can I have this please, would have sufficed.” You chimed, upset that you, yet again, had to ask another rich asshole to act with a little bit of decorum.
His gaze softens for a second not necessarily considering the feelings of the waitstaff at his behest. They were just workers, they were paid well enough. He should be able to speak to them however he pleases, he thought.
“Well then…that's my bad. I guess” he snivels. “Darling, bring the bottle to our table.” He says his tone altered slightly from before. It no longer held that authoritative lilt from before. The bartender nods at him, as he pulls you away from the bar. She was appreciative that she no longer had to deal with being verbally accosted by the two owners for tonight.
“Looks like the party is getting settled,” he remarks, heading towards the booth seating you had seen before. The investors had now taken their seats and begun commingling. You walk back to them with no drink in hand, but the bartender in tow, a bottle of champagne on ice and a tray with a few glasses in hand. Obi-Wan settled down by his lonesome, enough room for two next to him as Anakin sat in the middle of a bench, next to their company, a seat open right next to him. This was a dilemma, so you let the bartender decide for you.
To your surprise she puts the tray and champagne down in front of the empty seat by Anakin. Obi-Wan knew when you sat down that that was just the standard placement of the bucket holder, it didn't mean you had chosen Anakin over him, right? Anakin knew it too, but made sure to flash you a toothy grin as you sat next to him, you paid little attention, giving him a thin lipped smile in return. Thanking the bartender for pouring your drink, you bring it to your lips at an instant, the liquid buzzing against your tongue, crisp, dry. Wasn’t how you liked your champagne but, if it'll get you through tonight, you'd be okay with that.
The group speaks to Anakin as he explains his business ventures. You silently join in on the conversation as Anakin speaks. “So, that's how I got a stake in the hovertrain industry back in my sophomore year of college.”
The whole group gives him praise and intrigue, as he clearly captivated them with such a boring story. Ankain turns to you, speaking softly as the rest of the group continue to chatter amongst themselves.
“Y/N, how are you feeling? Everything going okay so far?” He spoke with actual care in his voice, bringing you comfort knowing you weren’t just for show.
“Well, despite a few slip ups, I seem to be actually enjoying myself. Better than staying at home drowned in studying.” You chuckle, knowing that is what you should be doing.
“I’m glad to hear it. I was worried I may have ruined your night with my actions from earlier. With Sasha and about,” he pauses, “my wife. I just want to make sure we are on good terms.” He brings his lips into a soft smile, he was plagued by his interactions with you from earlier. He wanted to let you know he was truly sorry and didn’t want to ruin the evening with a few sour remarks.
“It’s alright Dr. Skywalker, I appreciate the invite and the apology.” His smile grows bigger from your kind words, not sure as to why you would accept his apology so soon, probably just for sake of the night.
He clears his throat, adjusting his posture. “I didn’t get the chance to say this earlier, but I just wanted to let you know how beautiful you look tonight.” He lets out a chuckle, grazing over you. “You just look very pretty.” He sheepishly states, awkwardly laughing once more.
He wasn’t sure what made him so nervous, as he made more suggestive comments earlier in the elevator. Perhaps it was the fact that there was a room full of people, who could at any chance take you away from him. Or perhaps it was Obi-Wan, who clearly was just as interested as he in you, making for a little competition. What he knew for sure was that he didn’t want anyone to whisk you away from him for the rest of the evening. He hoped you would be able to stay just in his sight so he could gaze at your infectious smile, sparkling eyes, and soft features until the night was over.
“Thank you Dr. Skywalker.” You blush, as does he.
“Hey everyone, now that you've gotten to know each other. How about we get this party started, huh?” Obi-Wan announces loudly to the group, interrupting the private moment you and Anakin were sharing.
The party that had loosened up due to the socializing, met Obi-Wan's announcement with glee and delight. Earning him a few cheers and whoops.
“Sasha, my dear. A round of shots!” He yells as she walks by. Sasha, already balancing a tray of cocktails gives him a curt nod before disappearing to the bar.
The group laughs in excitement, as music swells from a hidden speaker in the corner playing something repetitive and thumpy, designed more to vibrate your body than to command much attention. The whole group began migrating to the open dance floor just below the vip section, you all could have danced privately but Obi-Wan insisted everybody join the general population of the club. Sasha danced along onto the floor, tray of shots in hand, she began to pass them out. You take one into your hand nodding a quiet thank you to her.
“Cheers!” Anakin grins as you both arrive on the floor, knocking back the shot as a group. The sharp burn of the liquor lingered on your tongue as the music shifted, the beat drawing out heavier, the ambient sound pulsing in the room like a living being. Sasha was already clearing the glasses, in a much better mood than earlier, no doubt because of the tips she had been receiving. A few of your new acquaintances pull each other towards the center of the floor.
Obi-Wan grinned at the sight of the dancing bodies, theatrically holding out his hand to you.
“Care to dance?”
Before you had a chance to respond, Anakin was there too, stepping in just close enough to make it clear he wouldn't be giving Obi-Wan an easy chance.
“She hasn't had time to loosen up yet” Anakin says smoothly, his voice cutting above the music. “Let’s not overwhelm her.”
You tilted your head up caught between their competing gazes. Obi-Wan had a daring twinkle in his eye, met solely by Anakin’s intensity. Despite yourself, you smiled, the alcohol warming your belly. Speaking up, they trained their eyes on you.
“I can handle a dance.” You said feeling boldness swell within your chest, fed both by alcohol and the way their attention made your skin tingle.
Anakin seemed almost disappointed by your statement, until without permission, you caught his hand in yours ushering him deeper onto the floor. Feeling a thrill as he followed willingly, he chuckled slowly, winking at Obi-Wan over his shoulder.
The thick crowd of dancing bodies swallowed you immediately, but you focused only on Anakin at this moment. You moved together so naturally to the drumming beat, your hips finding the rhythm, his hands gently finding your sides, grip deliberant yet hesitant, as if he were fighting the urge to pull you closer to him. Tension similar to that of the elevator just earlier in the day.
Across the floor you caught a glimpse of Obi-Wan weaving through the dancers, his gaze locked on you with an unreadable expression. You thought he might intervene but he simply smiled, lifting his drink in a salute. His shirt was now half unbuttoned, a gold chain glinting against his chest.
Anakin held you close as you danced, but never tipped into anything indecent, his hands staying respectfully on your waist, gaze filled with reverie as he looked at you. You felt a sense of safety, you felt seen, even admired under his attention.
Which was why the sudden hand at your elbow made you jolt.
“Mind if I cut in?” Obi-Wan's voice was smooth, beholding a charm. He didn't really wait for a response, rather just pried you away from Anakin, spinning you into him, his hands settling at your hips.
Anakin stiffened but did not protest, his eye flickering to Obi-Wan, a silent warning boring holes into his skull.
Obi-Wan led you a few paces away from Anakin, laughing to himself as you both moved to the beat. You smiled politely but something about the situation unsettled you. Obi-Wan’s charm felt so performative, like you were the means to amplifying his persona.
“You know,” Obi-Wan shouts over the music. “If you like this party, you should come to my private gala next weekend. Penthouse, rooftop, open bar, the best credits can buy.”
You blinked at him, unsure with how to react. Was he really trying to flaunt his money to win a date with you?
“I’m sure it's beautiful,” You said carefully, taking a step away from him, creating space between your bodies.
Before Obi-Wan could press you any further Anakin reappeared, effortlessly slipping between two nearby dancers. He didn't touch you, just stood by your side, a steady countenance from Obi-Wan's bravado.
“Actually,” Anakin cuts in. “I thought I might take her somewhere better” He flashed Obi-Wan a grin before continuing. “There's a little private art showing in town, exclusive access, you have to know someone just to get in.“ He bragged.
Obi-Wan scoffs at Anakin, taking a step closer to you, making an attempt to continue your dance. “Art showings are fine and all, if you like looking at dusty old paintings.” He chuckled mockingly. “But my parties are more exciting, we even have exotic dancers, very exotic.”
You felt heat rush to your cheeks, not elicited by flattery rather from discomfort. The two men circled you now, their competitiveness palpable in the space between them.
Anakin crossed his arms lazily, a smirk ghosting across his lips. The men no longer focused on you as they squabled back and forth. “You know, not everyone is impressed by champagne towers and tailored suits.”
Obi-Wan laughed heartily, turning his full attention to Anakin. ”Says the man with a car worth more than most people’s houses.”
You sigh, a curt laugh leaving your lips, the absurdity of their not so subtle contest struck you as almost childish.
“Maybe,” you state with a matter of fact tone to your voice, taking a step away from the two men. “I'm not looking for exotic dancers, or dusty paintings. Did it ever occur to you that I just want good company?”
Both men froze looking at you with an air of disbelief. Obi-Wan faltered for the first time since you met him, blinking as if he didn't quite know how to respond. Anakin, however, was quicker. His face softened the corners of his mouth, losing their sharp edge. He offered you his hand.
“Then let's just dance.”
As the night wore on, the party began to die down, the once crowded dance floor thinned as business associates and socialites alike began to trickle out. They offered slurred goodbyes and half empty promises of “talk soon.” Even Sasha, who had been tirelessly serving the group, leaned against the bar exhaustion pulling at her features.
The music softened no longer loud or raucous, morphing now into a mellow background hum. Around you, laughter and conversation grew quieter as the evening moved into its last phase.
Anakin's hand slipped from your waist respectfully as he sensed the shift too. His eyes still lingered on you, unwilling to fully break the connection just yet. You had barely had time to wind down before Obi-Wan stepped in at your side, his expression noticeably less cocky and more genuine.
“May I steal a moment?” He asked, his voice less boisterous now, more cautious.
You nodded, curiosity getting the best of you. Anakin watched, but did not follow immediately, hanging back a few steps. Giving you space, but never quite leaving you alone with the other man.
Obi-Wan led you just far enough aside for a scrap of privacy. He hesitated, his hand running through his hair before looking at you fully. His face was flushed mostly the result of the alcohol he had consumed tonight, he spoke, his words slightly slurred but genuine.
“I owe you an apology….for earlier. I can be, uh, competitive. It wasn't fair of me to put you in the middle of it.” His lips quirked into a smile. “I'm just not used to having to fight for attention.”
You studied him for a second, his charm and bravado had melted away, you could see it, the glimpse of someone who wasn't always trying to play games, someone more sincere.
“I appreciate you saying that, but you don't have to impress me. Either of you.”
Obi-Wan chuckled under his breath the tension around his shoulders easing slightly. “Noted.”
The moment softened between the two of you. Just in time, Anankin wandered over hands tucked into his pockets, his posture mostly relaxed, but gaze sharp and trained on Obi-Wan.
“Everything alright?” He asked, trying his best to act as nonchalant as possible. He was undoubtedly irked by the private moment you and Obi-Wan had just had.
“Perfect,“ Obi-Wan replied softly, glancing at you, throwing you a wink that had lacked the innuendo from earlier. It felt friendly now. The three of you drifted back into the VIP section, a quieter place lined with plush seating and half finished drinks abandoned by the earlier guests.
You sank onto one of the wide couches, the two men seated at your sides, not too close for comfort, an easy silence settling between you. For a few minutes you simply sat there catching your breath, the warm feeling permeating your body. Then Obi-Wan broke the silence.
"Hey," he said, his voice thoughtful. "The night doesn't have to end here."
Anakin leaned forward, elbows resting casually on his knees. "What’d you have in mind?" He hoped that Obi-Wan wasn’t already trying to invite you over for a one night stand.
Obi-Wan glanced at you, "Something less chaotic. A night drive, maybe? Quiet. Stars." He suggested, somewhat leaning into you, smirking in the process.
You smiled, the idea appealing in a way you hadn’t expected. After all the noise and posturing, the thought of something simple, something wholesome just you, and these two forces of nature felt right.
"I’d like that," you said, a soft smile accompanying you.
Anakin's lips curved into a small smile. "Count me in."
Anakin knew he could not risk you spending time alone with Obi-Wan. Not that he felt any less confident with himself, he just couldn't stand to think of the two of you hitting it off, at some romantic cliffside, stargazing.
Obi-Wan stood, redoing the buttons on his shirt, offering his hand with a playful flourish once again.
Story Description: As a timid good girl you meet your match when a broody gentleman interrupts the day you had planned. A succinct meeting with a crypto mogul leaves you to swoon. Which side will you pick?
Chapter Summary: After a rough day, you have dinner with a familiar, charming friend.
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x F!Reader x Anakin Skywalker
Author Notes: Hey ya’ll, we did it, chapter 4 out. Woohoo! Honestly thought this was gonna come out later bc on top of our own medical problems, my mom got hospitalized. :( She's fine tho. I also just put out part 2 of my No trespassing series with Joel Miller, very proud, please read it. Fanks! ~ Barnes 🚬🗿
Hey guys, I don’t have tendonitis I most likely have arthritis! (I’m in my early twenties). Somehow, we made it our longest chapter yet. Cheers ~ Howlett 🌙
Anakin slams the door of the jummer after hopping inside, his hand tracing over where your kiss lingered on his cheek. His phone rhythmically buzzed in his pocket snapping him back to the harsh reality of the situation. The driver quickly pulls off, knowing the matter was urgent. He brings his phone back into his hand checking the messages that flooded in one after the other.
Padmé furiously texts Anakin to hurry home. Sending stills from the nest cam of the twins left unattended while the babysitter lay hunched over on the sofa. The drive felt like an eternity, knowing his own children, being left alone for too long could spell catastrophe.
Rage bubbled inside of him thinking that she may have put his children in grave danger. Anakin had felt something was off with the sitter, but Padmé insisted there was nothing wrong with her and Anakin was just anxious. He knew he should have trusted his gut, he was never wrong in that regard.
The car screeched to a halt and Anakin practically exploded out of the Jummer, briskly retrieving his keys to unlock his doors. He runs up the stairs quickly entering the house, running into the living room where his two children sat playing with the tv remote amongst their various toys.
First he picks up Luke, inspecting his body for injuries, asking if the boy was okay, before setting him down with a quick forehead kiss. He does the same to Leia, before herding them into their shared bedroom, tucking them into their monastery beds. He carefully closes their door and angrily marches to the living room where the babysitter lay passed out on the couch. The smell of spice, sharp, ozone-like, almost metallic scent lingering in the air surrounding her. He felt his stomach leap, in fear for his children and anger towards the woman before him.
“Hey, Hey! Wake up! What the h-e-double-hockey-sticks do you think you’re doing?” He whisper yells, careful not to startle the children.
She jolts awake with a dazed out look across her face. The words fall off her tongue thick like syrup. “Mr. Skywalker, I uh-”
“Get out of my house, you no longer have a job here. I'll wire you the credits for tonight but after that do not come near me or my family again.” He spat.
She got up to the best of her ability and made her way to the door. It was infuriating to see her struggle to gain full control of her body. Eventually, the door shut, and Anakin was quick to lock it.
He rested his forehead on the door and sighed. “Calm down, the kids are safe now.”
Anakin glances over to the table next to the entrance, his hands finding their way into his pockets. A familiar shape slots between his fingers. Oh Yeah. He takes out the ring you had left in the Jummer, placing it on the table. Slowly, he pulls out his holo-phone and finds your number.
Hey, it’s Anakin! I noticed you forgot something in the Jummer. I can stop by tomorrow and drop it off for you! Maybe we could have some coffee as well? Let me know, sweet dreams!
Reluctantly, he hit send and slipped the holo-phone back into his pants pocket. Cheerfully, Anakin walks toward his children’s room. If one thing could make his mood brighter, it would be the two little rascals themselves. He opens the door, and not to his surprise, he finds them out of bed making a mess of the toys in their chest.
“What are you two trouble makers doing?” A smile erupts on his face, his hands on his hips.
“We’re clones in the clone war! We are losing right now!” Leia cheerfully responds.
“I wanted to be on the winning side, but I couldn’t leave Leia by herself. I know she needs someone strong to watch over her.” Luke says, while flexing his tiny toddler muscles.
“How did the babysitter treat you guys?” Anakin questioned, anticipating an awful response.
“She was great! She put on a movie for us then kept smelling this powder, it was really cool! Because after, she was being silly and ended up falling asleep!” Luke responds.
“She finished it all before we could get some!” Leia chimes in.
Anakin stands dumbfounded yet relieved that his children did not partake in the babysitter's stash.
“You know how daddy put his number in your holo-pad?”
Both Luke and Leia turn to him, nodding in unison.
“If any one is acting silly like that again, you tap Daddy’s picture, okay?”
They nod once more, immediately going back to playing. Anakin hopes they will tire out soon and go to bed. He heads to the kitchen, noticing the pre-portioned fruit he had ready for the kids was laying untouched in the fridge. He grumbles in frustration, before raking his hand through his hair and down his face.
Laughter erupts from the room as a battle is inevitably lost, Anakin chuckles, the joyous laughter of his children filling him with a warm happiness. He treads back into the room to see the two kids sprawled out on the floor, surrounded by foam lightsabers and makeshift pillow trenches.
“Alright you two, bested in battle. I think it's time for bed.” He says scooping the both of them up in his arms. They protest very little as the warmth of their father envelopes them.
He tucks them back in by dismantling the trenches and reassembling their beds around them. He opts to put the rest away later, when they are deeper in sleep.
“Daddy, can you tell us a bedtime story?” Leia asks, giving a pleading look that melts Anakin's heart.
“Of course, I have a perfect one in mind.” The children snuggle into their blankets, as Anakin gets ready to tell the story of his life.
“Once upon a time, there were two clones in the clone wars. It was bedtime, so because they were soooo tired from fighting, they decided to go to bed. The end!”
The children sighed. “That was awful.” Luke responds, his hand meeting his face.
“Alright, I’ll try another one…” Anakin clears his throat and changes his tone.
“Once upon a time, there were two jedis-” He was cut off by his children’s annoyed groans.
“Daddy, you suck at this.” Leia says.
“Hey watch your mouth, that is a grown up word! If you want a bedtime story, you will listen to the story I’m telling. Alright? If not, no holo-pads for a week.”
The children cry out a no. “I’m sorry daddy, we'll listen!” They both lay tucked in their blankets, ready for a real story.
“That’s what I thought… Once upon a time there were two jedis who were best friends. They found themselves sharing a snub fighter and were having a great time. But, there was another jedi, who was all by himself and wanted to play in the same snub fighter as the other two. He couldn’t bring himself to ask to be friends with them out of fear that they wouldn’t like him.”
“Why is he so scared?” Leia chimes in.
“Well, the young jedi was scared because he knew the jedi girl liked the jedi boy more than him. He knew that she would not want to be friends with him.”
“How do we know that the jedi girl doesn’t like the lone jedi?” Luke asks.
“You can find that out when you’re older.” Anakin chuckles.
“If I was the girl Jedi, I would say hi.” Leia interjects.
“Very good,” Anakin hums. “How about you, Luke?”
“I would say hi too, we can all be friends.” Luke mumbles from the comfort of his covers.
“Excellent.” He chuckles. “You wouldn't want to leave them alone so they can be close friends like how you and the other jedi are?”
“Huh?” Luke asks.
“Uh, nevermind, son. Where was I?”
“The girl Jedi was saying hi.” Leia pipes up
“Ah, that’s it. The two jedis hop along, out of the snub fighter and say hello to the lone Jedi, accepting him into their group. They go on adventures and live happily ever after as friends. The end.”
The twins sigh in unison, now too tired to protest their dad’s awful story. Anakin earned two yawns, but that was all he needed. He walked by each bed, planting a small kiss on each child's forehead before silently leaving the room.
Anakin pads back to the front door, removing his shoes at the rack, and undoing his belt. He walks towards his bedroom allowing his pants to fall around his ankles before kicking them off and flopping into his king sized bed. He groans at the dull ache in his back, he ruffles his hair and sits upright, legs off of the bed. He knows he’s due for a shower but not before he picks his phone out of his discarded slacks, navigating to your number once more, checking if you had responded. Still no response.
He walks into his ensuite and removes the rest of his clothing before turning on the pleasant warm spray of the shower. He steps in relishing the warmth of the water, finally being able to wash off the sweat of all of those tightly packed club-goers.
You felt the same as the lukewarm spray in your tiny apartment bathroom did its job. After the night of shenanigans that you just had, a shower was due. Despite it already being a few hours past your bedtime, this had to be done either now or never.
You stepped out of the shower, finding a towel and wrapping it around yourself. You make your way out of the bathroom and look for your holo-phone to check the time. 4:46 am. To say you were screwed was an understatement. Might as well stay up all night, there is on point in trying to catch some shut eye.
Curiously, you check your holo-phone notifications, it has been hours since you last checked any messages. You notice one from Anakin, piquing your interest, you read his message.
What could I have forgotten?
You decide that responding would be a good idea, maybe instead of coffee, dinner would be better?
Hey Anakin, thanks for finding my thing. How about we do dinner instead? I’m not sure I have time in the morning to catch some coffee, but I could try to get out of my internship early… What do you think?
You ponder on the message. Was asking for dinner too much? You’ve only known this guy for less than twenty-four hours. Not to mention, this was supposed to be a professional relationship. Sitting on his friend/colleagues’ lap may have stretched that line. Deciding against your morals, you hit send.
After clearing out some more notifications, you decide to get to work on that project for Professor Jin.
You drag yourself over to the small desk in the corner of your bedroom, skin still sticky from the humidity of the shower. The datapad flickers to life, illuminating your sleep deprived face with a soft blue glow. You open the crypto tracking rubric you had been working on for the economics and emerging tech section of the class. A heavy sigh escapes your lips.
“Track your chosen crypto coin from the list below, track also:
Wallet movement
Volatility trends over the last thirty cycles
Dumps or discrepancies
Provide a written analysis on potential long term viability of the coin.”
You roll your eyes before beginning the list of crypto coins, typing out The Force.
Anakin’s coin had been gaining traction amongst the students after his seminar. You recall him saying “rebalance control across the galaxy's financial system!” You’d laughed when you first heard the line. Now as you dig into his data and transaction histories you weren't so sure it was just marketing fluff. This guy knew how to slang some coins.
You go through a segment of trending data on the coin. “Okay, spike after Outer-Rim conference, plateaued during the Coruscant blackout, then yep, spike again after his latest seminar.”
You continue to dig, looking at past trends. Only a few perfect wallet dumps, here and there, could be luck, could be suspicious. The world begins to blur on the screen as your eyes begin to burn a bit. You blink hard, looking over at the time, 7:24 am.
Just about time to get ready for the day. You thoughtfully lay out an intriguing formal outfit for your internship. Doing this with no sleep was a much harder task than you thought. So you decided on a classic look, white button up with black slacks and a black blazer. Something that screams you have it together, when in reality you do not.
After finishing up your morning routine, you step outside to the cool morning breeze. Making your way to the hover-train, you decide to stop by and get some coffee. After all, you would need a gallon of it to survive today.
Stopping by the same coffee shop you had met Obi-Wan at, just the day before. Unfortunately, he was not there to razzle up your morning once again. He was most likely at home enjoying sleep in his expensive sheets. That bastard.
Somehow, the day dragged along, attending class after class, trying to pay any sort of attention to the material. It was very awkward having your head fall as many times as it did, perhaps a short nap would be able to give you some new found energy.
After your dreadfully elongated day of classes and about five cups of coffee, you found yourself back to your apartment complex just forty-ish minutes earlier than intended. The time was 2:17 pm, the meeting you had with Professor Jinn was not until four. There was definitely some time for you to rest your eyes for but a moment.
“I’ll just close my eyes for ten minutes.” You say to yourself, setting your head down on your desk, arms sprawled next to the datapad, still displaying Anakin’s crypto graphs.
When you wake, light is flooding your apartment, harsh and bright. You shoot up in a panic, your desk chair clattering to the floor.
4:09 pm
Your heart plummets, knowing you are late again. Your meeting was at four.
“Shit, Shit, Shit,” You hiss.
You're still in your outfit from this morning. Hair wild, eyes puffy and bloodshot from staring at your datapad for too long. Smudged eyeliner is still left under your eyes. NO time to fix it. You sprint out of the door, data pad hastily shoved in an unzipped backpack.
You pass the doorman in a blur, his usual greeting unheard as you rush to a familiar hallway, nearly twisting your ankle in the process. By the time you skid to a breathless halt outside Professor Jinn’s office, it’s 5:16 pm, officially over an hour late. You knock once, timidly, knowing what's to come on the other side of the door.
He’s inside, seated behind his desk, grading papers, with an unreadable calm. He doesn't even look up at you. You hover in the doorway trying to catch your breath.
“Professor Jinn, I’m so sorry I’m late again, I-”
“Come in.” He says flatly, eyes still on the stack of paper in front of him. “Shut the door.”
You do. The silence as you step inside is deafening, you clutch the strap of your bag feeling your heart beating out of your chest. He finally looks up at you, really looks, his eyes boring into your own.
“You look… rough.” He says evenly, eyes tracing over your exhausted figure.
“I was up late working on the project.” You lie, well mostly lie, taking a seat across from him. “I ran into some interesting data trends I thought were worth following and-”
He interupts, slamming his hands on his desk, raising from his chair as does so. “You were supposed to be here at four o’clock, knowing you, I had the actual meeting time set to four-thirty.”
“I’m sorry. I lost track of time.” You manage to squeak out, sinking back into your seat.
“Which tells me one of two things.” He cuts in. “Either you don't take this opportunity seriously, or you believe the rules don't apply to you.” He pauses for a beat, staring you down. “Which is it?”
You open your mouth to apologize again, but he raises his hand before you can speak. He sits back in his chair, collecting himself.
“I have other graduate students, who would kill for the opportunity to co-lead a long term project with me. You and Casey were presumably excellent candidates, but you continue to disrespect our appointment times. How can I trust you to meet real deadlines? Or speak in front of a funding board? Or even be present when it really matters?”
You're mortified. Cheeks flushed, stomach dropping. You nod, swallowing hard, hot shame washing over you.
“I do take this seriously, Professor. Last night was unexpectedly long. I was asked to help network with The Force coin for investors night. It won't happen again.”
He leans back in his chair, hands laced on the top of his desk. His eyes search your face for a long moment, his gaze cold and unkind.
“I believe you mean that.” He says at last.
“But meaning it, isn't the same as proving it.” He pauses. “I will be assigning Casey to the permanent position beside me.”
The breath you had been holding finally slips from your lungs as you feel a lump forming in your throat.
“You can still contribute to the project, if you want.” He adds, voice firm. “But I need people I can count on, not people who show up breathless, half washed, and over an hour late.”
You nod, biting your cheek, tears forming in the corners of your eyes. “Understood.”
He picks up a pen and begins grading again, already dismissing you.
“Good day, Miss Y/N.”
You step back into the hallway, the door closing with a soft click behind you. The mix of shame and adrenaline had become dizzying. You sling your bag over your shoulder, sighing deeply. You dont allow the tears to slip as you shamefully make your way to the campus library. Knowing it was the only place you could find solace for the moment.
Over the past hours, you somehow missed a message from Anakin. He sent it at around five in the morning. It appears his message was sent shortly after yours.
Dinner sounds great! I don’t need you leaving early though, text me when you're out and I’ll pick you up. ;)
Reading Anakin’s message had warmed your heart, a tear almost falling down your cheek. A distraction would be great at this time, and why not luck out on free dinner from a crypto mogul?
Hey Ani, had a rough day and got out early, would you be free for dinner now?
Not a minute passes by before he messages you again.
Just about to start making the twins dinner, I’ll be over as soon as the sitter gets here! Where am I picking you up?
You chuckle, imagining Anakin in the kitchen, a towel slung over his shoulder, bits of sweat and food on his face as he smiles down at your message.
No worries, take your time! I’ll be at the university's library.
The library had been practically empty, since it was around dinner time. No student can study on an empty stomach. So, instead of working on anything of importance or occupying your time with a book. You make your way over to a study room, checking the logs, it appears to be open for the next hour.
You enter, not even bothering to turn on the lights. You roll the blinds down, and sit on the desk chair, fold your arms on the table. You lean your head down and start to cry. The tears came hot and fast, the weight of being disqualified for the internship you worked so hard on felt like an elephant was sitting on your chest. It didn't help either that someone who had treated you unfairly, nastily you would add, became triumphant in getting that permanent spot.
Fuck Casey, and Professor Jinn.
You were so angry at them, although it was ultimately your fault for being late so often. Your mind wandered to last night, if you hadn't gone out with Anakin and Obi-Wan, none of this would be happening. You'd be sitting behind your desk working away diligently with job protection. Instead you find yourself curled up in this library room with less than one-thousand credits to your name. How would you make rent? How would you continue to live the already decrepit life you lived?
This internship with Professor Jinn was the doorway to your livelihood. You continue to cry as you hear a soft knock at the door. Your eyes immediately pin to the doorway. In comes a little old librarian lady, who appeared to be from Takodana, in her hands a small candy bar and packet of tissues.
“Come in.” You say voice breaking.
“Here ya go dear, I can hear you having a tough time here.” She places the candy and tissues down on the desk next to you.
“There's always more where that came from.” She throws you an impish wink, patting you on the shoulder before leaving you by your lonesome.
You sniffle a quick thank you as she exits the room. Partially embarrassed that she had heard you, partially relieved that you had something to clean up with before Anakin had arrived.
You take out a few tissues and wipe up the puddle of tears you had left on the desk as well as the ones staining your cheeks. Like clockwork your holo-phone buzzes once more, a text from Anakin lighting up the screen.
Hey so sorry, change of plans. Can’t seem to find a sitter, maybe we could reschedule? I doubt you’d want to come to a messy house full of toys and destructive children.
A heavy sigh leaves your lips, the one thing that could distract you seemed to dissolve. Until a thought pops into your head.
Hey, maybe I could swing by? I could help you with dinner?
Hesitantly, you press send. Hopefully this wasn’t an overstep of Anakin’s boundaries. Over a minute had passed by, and immediately you started overthinking, regretting the message
That sounds like a great idea! I’ll send the Jummer right over, see you soon!
The feeling of butterflies fluttered in your stomach, immediately you pulled out a compact mirror and started getting to work. Your eyes had been puffy and red, mascara ran down your face, and your hair had been disheveled.
You rummage through your backpack, pulling out a small makeup bag and a travel sized brush. Even if it was just a small dinner at Anakin’s house you wanted to look your best. You pull out some makeup wipes and remove the stained mascara from your cheeks, applying fresh mascara over. Quickly you fix your eyeliner and brush through your hair, doing your best to detangle it. You put away your things and head to the bathroom for a fit check.
Walking down the hallway to the bathroom you bump shoulders with a woman.
“Hey, flunky.” She sneers
Casey.
You ignore her and keep trucking to the bathroom, fixing your shirt in the mirror, blotting out the slight coffee stain at the hem of your button up. Your eyes glue to the reflection behind you. Casey had entered the bathroom after you, eager to gloat about her acceptance to Professor Jinn’s permanent program.
“Heard you got fired. Awww so sad.” She fake boo hoos, making a comically sad face.
“Leave me alone Casey, please.”
Casey pokes you, prodding at your outfit.
“No wonder you got fired, always late, and can never put together a coherent outfit. We knew you weren't a fit from day one.” She sighs arrogantly.
Fuck it, you had already been basically fired.
“You know what Casey?” You say, turning to face her. “Fuck you and the high bantha you rode in on. Everyone in the department knows those bruises on your knees aren't from the skating accident you claimed to have. You're here because you put your pussy on a silver platter to whomever asks for it, I’ve read your work and I’m not impressed. You're the least astute member of this department and I can tell it’ll tank with you at its head.”
Casey stood there slack jawed at your sudden outburst of confidence. You turn on your heel, exiting the bathroom, before popping your head back in at a dumbfounded Casey.
“Respectfully, have a horrible fucking night.”
Your chariot awaits! ;)
Perfect timing, a great way to leave such a scenario. Casey may have won the position, but at the very least you had a rich man waiting for you. You walk down the halls and finally make your way outside where the familiar Jummer awaited, Soont waiting with the door open.
“Good evening miss, Dr. Skywalker is waiting for you at his residence.” He ushers you into the hover-craft.
“Dr. Skywalker wanted me to mention that he picked the wine in the bucket just for you.” He closes the door before you could say another word, starting the drive to Anakin’s.
A smile peered across your face as the same video of Anakin welcoming his respected colleague onto the craft had shown. Once again, you turn it off and inspect the wine he set aside for you.
Blossom Wine | Sourced from the planet of Naboo
Fancy, that definitely cost more than my rent. You pour the liquid into a golden glass and settle into the leather seats. Traveling in such luxury was easy to get used to, having this everyday would be a dream. No hover-train with annoying passengers, no walking on hot temperature days, and no waiting at the hover platform.
Enjoying the ride, eventually it had stopped, the tinted windows making it almost impossible to look out. Soont makes his way over to the door, helping you step out of the craft. Awe had overtaken you once your eyes fell upon Anakin’s residence.
The sweeping landscape of his front yard was magnificent. There were plants you had never seen the likes of before, blooming and beautiful.
Guess it pays off having a successful company and a Senator ex-wife.
You walk along the path up his stairs, the stone bricks barely worn, the ornate etchings carved into the stone were seemingly in a language you did not recognize. You make your way up stopping just short of the front door, the window made of crystal. You raise your hand to knock but before you can the door begins to open.
That familiar smile beams down at you, Anakin stands there, a dish towel slung over his shoulder as you had imagined. His hair was slightly a mess, he had looked less put together than he had yesterday, but all the more charming.
“Welcome. Come in.” He steps back gesturing into the long and lavishly decorated corridor behind him.
“H-hi, wow. Nice place you got here.” You muse walking through the threshold, immediately stepping into cooler and fresher air than had been outside.
“Heh, yeah, wish I could spend more time here though, business keeps me, well, busy.”
You continue to walk until you hit an open space, the sound of children playing faintly from the other room. Anakin takes your hand guiding you into his kitchen. A marble island sat at the center of the room, at least five ovens, and two big, beautiful sinks. Although there was no fridge to be seen. Anakin could see the confusion on your face. He just silently walked up to one of the cabinets on the wall, pulling it open to reveal the hidden fridge.
“Pretty nice huh?” Anakin, cheesed, clearly proud of his abode.
“Yeah, wow. So what are we whippin up?” You ask.
He opens the freezer and pulls out some frozen bags of vegetables, tater tots, and chicken nuggets.
“The twins love this meal, and they think I spend so much time making it.” He chuckles. “Little do they know…”
You both let out a hearty laugh.
“Okay, you’ve got to be joking right? There is no way you make that for your kids.”
He looks at you a little dumbfounded. “What do you mean? I make this almost every night.”
Disbelief washed over you, you glance around the residence. “I mean, you live in this house, you're fabulously wealthy, and you serve your kids frozen food every night?”
He stood still for a second, embarrassment washing over him. “Well when you put it like that…”
“Look, I apologize, I didn’t mean to judge. It’s just, you could afford a personal chef that would give your children hearty and balanced meals, and instead you give them this?”
“Wow, you sound just like Padmé.” He grumbles under his breath.
“Who?”
“Nevermind.” He shakes his head and clears his throat.
“Well, if you don’t want to heat up some frozen nuggets, what do you suggest we make instead?” He leans against the counter, watching you.
You stop and think for a minute, pondering the options.
“How about some pasta? Easy enough, and I’m sure you have all the ingredients.”
A big smile displayed on his face. “Isn’t pasta considered a romantic dish?” He steps closer to you, a smirk forming.
You giggle. “Way more romantic than frozen nuggets and vegetables.”
A laugh falls from his lips. “I suppose you’re right about that.” Anakin continues to move closer to you. “How do we get this started?”
You clasp your hands together, surveying the kitchen like a head chef. “First let’s make sure we have all the ingredients.”
“We’ll need tomatoes, tomato paste, eggs, flour, olive oil, and some seasonings… Where would I find all of that?”
Anakin stands up straight from the counter. “Let me show you around.”
Anakin takes his time in showing you each nook and cranny of his kitchen. Trying to impress you with all his fancy kitchen gadgets that he has never used a day in his life. You were especially fond of his chocolate fountain, hopefully he has strawberries for dessert.
“Alright I think we got everything, have you made spaghetti before?” You ask, hoping he has some experience in cooking.
“A little,” he admits. ”But, am I wrong to assume that I have a spectacular teacher in front of me?”
You laugh, shaking your head at him. “You're lucky I’m the best cook I know.”
“Lead the way, Chef.” He smiles
You smile back, feeling grateful that he has relinquished control of his kitchen to you tonight. You lay out the ingredients needed to make a quick pasta, you knew the dough would have to rest so you started on it first. You instruct Anakin on flour measurements, searching his kitchen cupboards and drawers, finding a fancy sifting device.
“Didn't even know we owned one of those.” Anakin guffawed at the contraption, testing it a few times before pouring in the instructed amount of flour.
Ultimately he made a mess spilling some of it in the process, you laugh as a plume of flour erupts in his face leaving a few pale white spots along the skin of his nose and forehead.
“You think that's funny?” He asks smirking at you, his fingers dipped into the pile that has amassed on the counter.
He flicks the powder at you, snickering as he does so. You laugh and half choke on the dry air, flicking more back at him in retaliation.
He puts his hands up in surrender, his face almost a clown white, your hair mirrors his, now looking a chalky grey color. You both erupt into laughter, doubling over in front of the kitchen island.
All of a sudden a small mess of sandy brown locks appears over the edge of it, a fit of childish giggling followed. Anakin immediately snaps to attention, his eyes quickly following the boy as the rest of his head popped up from behind the counter. Anakin takes a small but measured step away from you.
“Are you playing hoth fighters without me?” He asked playfully, toddling around the counter towards his dad.
“Oh, no. Sorry bud.” Anakin scoops the boy into his arms, settling him on his hip. “We were just making dinner.”
The boy looks at his father confused. “This isn't nuggies.” He paws at the flour on his dads face, rubbing it between his fingers.
Shame washes over Anakin once more. A light blush gracing the tips of his ears.
“Thought we might shake it up tonight, huh, what d’ya say, champ?”
Luke puzzled for a moment, assessing the litany of ingredients you had set out on the counter.
“Dad, I think it's gonna be…” He makes a pinching motion with his fingers, leaving a tiny space between. “This delicious.”
Anakin sets Luke back down on the floor, kneeling down to his eye level.
“How about this? We at least try it tonight and I’ll let you stay up to play with your toys.”
The boy’s eyes lit up at the notion, nodding fervently.
“And…” Anakin continues, ruffling the boy's hair gently. “If you get your sister in on it, I'll give both of you ice cream for dessert.”
“With chocolate too?” Luke asked.
Anaking chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief, but answered nodding.
“Yes, with chocolate too.”
“All right!” The boy exclaims before taking off in the direction of his room to go spread the good news.
You can't help but let out a small laugh after he leaves in a hurry.
“Cute kid.” You smile, drumming your fingertips on the counter.
Anakin nods, chuckling a bit. “Yeah, he takes after his father.”
“That was Luke by the way, my girl is Leia, they're twins. I’m sure she’ll be seeing us in no time, once her brother spreads the good word on potential ice cream.”
Anakin had a glow about him when he talked about his kids, there was no doubt in your mind that he had love for them.
You work together, quickly incorporating the rest of the dough ingredients, leaving Anakin to knead the dough, wondering if his rich boy biceps could handle it.
He worked his hands into the mixture with less grace than you would have, but he was trying. His fingers were coated in gold-toned dust, bits of dough clinging to the ridges of his knuckles. You stood beside him now, your hip brushing his, as you reached for the olive oil, watching the muscles in his forearm coil and shift beneath his skin.
His arms were ridiculous, tanned, dusted with a few faint scars that only made them more distracting. When he rolled his wrist to fold the dough, you caught the curve of his bicep pressing against the fabric of his shirt, stretching the seam just slightly.
The tuck and fold went on for minutes, but felt so brief as you had lost yourself in the tense push and pull of his muscles.
You decidedly rip your eyes away when he completes his last fold, and continue the task at hand.
“Let’s get the sauce started. Are you familiar with marinara meat sauce?” You ask, making your way to the sink, washing off the flour.
“I’ve definitely eaten it, it’s very delicious.” He walks next to you, washing himself as well.
“I suppose that means you’re not very familiar with cooking it…” You sigh, how could a man with such a kitchen rarely cook in it?
“Alright, it’s really simple. We just need to blend all the ingredients and then bring them to a simmer on the stovetop.”
“Sounds easy enough.” Anakin gets to work, chopping and adding everything to the blender while you check on the dough.
“The dough looks good, could use about twenty minutes to rest before we can roll and cut. How’s the sauce coming?”
“Ready to blend!” Before you could process anything further, Anakin starts the blender without placing the lid on top.
“Wait!” You attempt to stop him before it's too late, but Anakin quickly realizes his mistake as the ingredients fly out of the blender.
Chunks of vegetables and juices alike found their way onto the floor, countertops, and Anakin’s face. He immediately stops the blender, feeling sheepish.
“Well, I suppose it would have been nice to place the lid, wouldn't it?” He snickers, attempting to bring light to the huge mess that has been bestowed upon the both of you.
“This is going to be a long night…” You sigh, and start to pick up the pieces of vegetables around the kitchen.
You glance over to Anakin, and see traces of tomato juice on his face. You laugh, walking towards him.
“You got a little-” You say, pointing to his face.
“Oh really?” He tries to clean blindly, missing any crucial spot.
“Here let me help.” You take the nearest kitchen towel and get to work. Delicately wiping away any remnants of tomato juice. He watches your concentrated expression softly, admiring every second. Resisting a smile.
“There, that should do it!” You stand confidently, admiring your work and realize Anakin is already staring at you.
“You are so-” Ankain was cut off by the screams of children.
“ICE CREAAAM!” Screams a small girl as her little feet pitter patter down the hallway at mach speed. Luke on her tail.
The two kids come rushing into the kitchen, excitement teeming in their tiny voices. They don't see the mess right away, tunnel visioned on treat potential. They both barrel in, feet sliding against the wet marble flooring of the kitchen. Neither child comes to a stop until smacking straight into the kitchen cabinets. The cabinets making a loud crack noise as the impact of their bodies hit against the wood, both children fall onto their bottoms.
An immediate eruption of tears, it doesn't take long for the both of them to begin screaming. Luke keeps himself planted on the floor as he begins to cry, Leia sitting up rubbing her forehead.
You and Anakin spring into action, quickly getting to the kids and assessing them for damage. You check Luke first, cradling him in your arms as he cries.
“Hey bud, that hurt huh, are you okay? Where does it hurt?” You ask him, rubbing soothing circles into his back.
He sniffles and buries his face into your shoulder continuing to cry. There were no visible cuts on him, but a red welt had begun to form on his arm where the cabinet door had pinched it.
Anakin assessed Leia, the same as you had. She had stopped crying now, struggling to get out of her fathers arm. He lets her down, she wipes her puffy eyes and runs for her brother, checking to see if he was okay.
You place Luke on the floor, sitting with him till the tears stop. Anakin also rushed over, concern creasing his brow. You hold up Luke’s arm showing Anakin the forming bruise. He gasps quietly and takes Luke from you.
“Buddy, did you get an ouchie?” Anakin asks.
Luke nods at his dad, lip in a pout.
“Is it an ouch that ice cream could fix?” Anakin asks, cradling Luke, a gentle smile on his face.
Leia pipes up as joy sparks behind Luke’s eyes. “Yes!”
Anakin finds his way to the freezer while still holding a forty-pound toddler on his hip.
“Now, I'll give you both the good ice cream if we don’t tell mommy what happened. Got it?” He remarks sternly.
“Tell mommy about our ouchies or this lady?” Leia asks as Luke climbs off him. The toddlers look at you with curiosity, never having a proper introduction to them.
“How about both? I’ll give the two of you an extra scoop!” Anakin charms, trying to get the children to comply.
“Ok!” They both agree and find their seats on the island while Anakin pulls out elegant ice cream bowls.
“Who is this lady anyways?” Luke asks, looking at you suspiciously, as if he wasn’t crying in your arms a second ago.
“Luke, Leia, this is Y/N.” Anakin gestures towards you as you awkwardly wave ‘hi’ in front of the children.
“Are you on a date?” Leia asks, “You’ve been so sad since mommy broke up with you! You need a new woman.” She continued, leaving her father embarrassed.
“Yeah, maybe you wouldn't cry when you're in bed as often!” Luke chimes in, both of them laughing towards each other.
Anakin shoots them both a look that could kill. “That’s enough you two, or I won’t add chocolate syrup to your bowls!”
“NO!” They both scream, regretting their words. You couldn’t help but laugh at the whole ordeal. Just the day before you thought of Anakin as a smug crypto mogul, but now you see him for what he truly is. A sweet, charming man, who loves being a dad, and probably resents his ex wife.
Anakin continues to work on their ice cream as the children interrogate you. “So… Y/N… do you think my daddy is… handsome?” Leia asks, investigating you closely.
“Uhh,” you pause, looking at Anakin, eyes pleading for an out, but he never gives you one.
“I think other people think he’s very handsome, yes.” You answer.
Leia didn't look amused but didn't push any further as Anakin set down their ice cream bowl in front of them, promptly quieting the children. They both pay you no further mind as they eagerly tuck into their bowls, a chocolate mess adorning their satisfied faces. The twins give each other a knowing look, smiling over their sweet treat.
You move to clean up the remnants of food on the floor, so no more accidents occur. Anakin gets to work cleaning the countertops, refilling the blender with ingredients. You rush over to him, setting the lid firmly on the blender, giving him a wink.
“Guys, loud noise.” He says looking toward his preoccupied twins.
They both nod, Leia covering her ears. Luke, not caring, showed his dad a reassuring thumbs up before Anakin turned on the blender once more. Pureeing the sauce.
The kids finished their bowls of ice cream, wiping their faces with a nearby kitchen towel. They both climb down from their chairs before moseying back to their room.
Unbeknownst to you and Anakin the kids give each other a celebratory high five when they arrive back to their safe haven.
“Told ya I would get us ice cream before dinner.” Luke snickers, rubbing his sore arm.
Back in the kitchen. You brown the meat on Anakin’s stove, before allowing him to pour in the sauce at last, seasoning it to perfection. Even after a few kerfuffles, dinner was coming along nicely. All you needed at last was a pot to boil for the noodles and you’d all be feasting in no time.
Anakin worked away, rolling out and cutting the noodles. You were sure he had an extruder somewhere in the room he had deemed a “butler's pantry”. But he insisted he hand cut them.
“Where do you keep the plates? I’ll set the table.” You ask.
“Allow me to assist you.” He quickly cleans his hands before pulling out two plates from one of his many kitchen cupboards, retrieving two suction cup bowls from the drying rack next to the sink.
Navigating to the sliding drawer with utensils, he pulls out two regular forks and two, tiny, colorful forks. You both make your way to the dining room, setting the table with the plates, forks, and some napkins.
“I can whip up a quick salad, as long as you have some lettuce.” You muse, looking at the bare table.
“Sure do. I also have something I want to add.” He smirks, leading you back into the kitchen. Pulling out all of the ingredients to make a simple salad, the smile never ceases. Then, he opens the freezer and pulls out a box of frozen garlic bread. Turning to you, giving you a pleased smirk, revealing his bread.
A sigh left your lips. “You never cease to surprise me Anakin…”
“What, now having frozen garlic bread is a crime?” Laughter erupts from the both of you, he turns to one of his five ovens and heats it.
“Should be ready by the time the pasta is done boiling.”
You give him a questioning look. “How, won’t it take some time for the oven to warm up?”
He chortles. “Sweetheart, you forget I have money. These ovens reach temperature as soon as you turn them on.”
A frown fell on your face. “Well excuse me Mr. Crypto Coin.” You mock him, facial expression matching.
You work on chopping the ingredients for a salad, placing them in an ornately carved bowl Anakin dubbed “The salad bowl of all time.”
Anakin places the toast slices on a sheet pan before setting them in the oven. Only to take out perfectly toasted bread in mere minutes.
Dinner was finally complete. Anakin takes a moment to absorb the look of a homemade meal on his table once more. He hadn't had much variety since Padmé left, it was a welcome sight. He glances up seeing your face haloed by the crystalline light that the chandelier over the table cast across your face. You looked radiant. His eyes drift towards the twins room, he would call them now that dinner was ready.
You stood there watching as different emotions washed over Anakin’s features. A yearning type of sadness with underlying gratitude. He walked swiftly towards the twin’s room, knocking on their door as he walked in. They lay in a heap of their toys and stuffed animals, sleeping soundly. Anakin chuckles to himself before picking up each child, laying them in their respective beds, giving each a kiss before closing their door.
He walks back to the dining room, a slight smile on his face.
“Sugar crash, they're out cold.” He laughs quietly.
“Guess it's just us then.” He says collecting the toddler sized plates and utensils from the table.
“Well, at least they're okay now.” You smile, taking your seat at the dining table.
Anakin follows suit, sitting directly in front of you, serving bowls on the table. Anakin serves you some salad, before doing the same for himself.
He continues to serve you before himself until both your plates are full of food. Anakin waits for you to start eating first before he does.
Once his taste buds finally collide with the pasta, he lets out a moan from how delicious it was.
“Kriff, maker!” He eats the spaghetti, as if it was his first meal in days.
“This is incredible, you’re an amazing chef!” The food continued to disappear into his mouth like a vacuum cleaner, while gripping the fork like a toddler. Guess Luke and Leia rubbed off on him.
“Well, takes practice, but when you’re poor, sometimes you have no choice but to cook with what you have.” A chuckle follows, as you gracefully eat the meal in front of you.
“I should invite you over to cook more often, I could eat this every night.”
“I really appreciate all the compliments… but being a full time student, and working, nope, wait.” You felt stupid, forgetting you had been fired from a lack of punctuality just hours before.
“What are we waiting for?” Anakin asks, curious, wanting to know what could keep you from being his personal chef.
“It's nothing, just, had a rough day is all… and I guess I got fired. So technically, I don't work anymore!” You fake chuckle, attempting to put on a brave face.
“Wait, fired? How? Why? Do I need to have a word with Professor Jinn? I’ll call him right now-” Anakin fumbles in his pants pocket, trying to grip his holo-phone with marinara hands. Attempting not to get the holo-phone or his pants dirty.
“No please Anakin, you don’t need to do that.” A long sigh follows. “It’s my fault, really. I should have been on time, today, and yesterday, and the day before that, and, well… you get it.”
A pitiful expression fell on his face. “Not to prod, but, why are you always late?”
You felt attacked. “What?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, just asking.” He attempts to hide his embarrassment with another fork full of pasta.
“You know, not everyone can get personally escorted to places they need to be.” Growing angry, you set your fork down. “I have the hover-train to rely on for transportation, you know how awful that is? Half the time, it's late or too crowded so I have to wait. Or sometimes I’m just so exhausted I can’t bring myself to make it to places in a timely manner. I don’t think you know what it’s like having twelve-hour days half of the week!” You snap.
Stunned to silence, Anakin just stares at you from the other side of the table. He looked apologetic but didnt know what to say to help in this situation.
The echoing silence made you realize what you had just done, an embarrassed flush washing over your face. Your outburst was heavily impolite and it showed all over Anakin's demeanour.
“Sorry, I just- Sorry.” You apologize, your face falling, eyes training on your half empty plate of food.
Anakin tried to make it better in the only way he knew he could.
“Work for me, I can offer you a full time internship. After you finish your degree, I would gladly take you on in a permanent position.” He offers, clasping his hands, looking at you expectantly.
“I- Anakin, I don't know what to say.” You admit, still embarrassed from your outburst.
“Say yes, and you can start tomorrow, paid double whatever the university is- er was paying you.”
This offer you simply couldn't refuse, not in the position you were in anyway. Without this, you could be homeless. With this, you would have job security again, solidifying your future.
You breathed heavily. “Yeah, okay.”
“Then it's settled, I'll send you the schedule tonight, you shadow me tomorrow. I'll show you what it's really like to be me.” He grins.
The tension in the room easing as you felt relief from the tumultuous events of today. You go to speak, to thank Anakin, but are interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.
Anakin’s face grew white, his eyes expanding. “Kriff…”
An angry shout is heard from the entryway. “ANAKIN!” Heavy footsteps make their way into the dinning room.
“Hey Padmé, you’re home…” Nervously he collects himselfs and stands up a little too fast, knocking his chair to the ground.
“Anakin, care to explain what this woman is doing in this house with my children?” She turns to face you, giving you an appalled up and down.
“Who do you think you are, working your way into my children’s life like this?” You stood shocked, not knowing what to say.
“I’m sorry, I should go, it’s getting pretty late.” You quickly get up from your seat, cleaning up your plate.
“Yeah.” Padmé mocks, rolling her eyes.
“Anakin, I need to speak with you, right now.” She pulls his arm, leading him to the patio that was a few feet away from the table. She slams the sliding door shut. Despite the thick doors, you could still hear their voices as you hid in the dining room doorway.
“Anakin, what are you doing? Why is there a stranger in this house?” She pesters, anger written all over her face.
“Padmé, I’m sorry, listen it’s not like that. She’s a colleague, it’s really not what you think.” He holds his hands up in defense as he stumbles over his words.
“Why are you bringing coworkers to this house for dinner? Last time you did this, she was a little more than a “colleague.” Finger quotations accentuated her anger.
“That was one time! And she came onto me!” Continuing to try and win a losing battle, he sighs.
“I apologize. I should have warned you she was coming over. I know how you get with the kids…” Pinching his nose, another sigh follows suit.
“And I’m sorry for barging in like that, I could have scared the children.” Padmé continues to ponder. “Speaking of, where are they? I haven’t seen them all day.” A smile forms on her face, a perfect contrast from her mood just seconds ago.
“Sound asleep! They had dinner by the way, and no dessert!” He lied through his teeth and she knew it.
“Right, that’s why they texted me about ice cream and a lady in the house…” She folds her arms and taps her foot.
He scoffs to himself. “Those damn rascals.”
Someone is definitely losing their holo-pad privileges.
You gather your things quickly, not needing to bear witness to whatever dynamic they had going on. You navigate your way through the house, to the front door, making your way back out to the driveway where Soont had dropped you off. But there was no car waiting. Ugh. You realize you don't have a way home, the nearest hover-train station is too far for your liking, you take your holo-phone out, thumb brushing over the screen. A thought to call someone, anyone, crossed your mind but, you settled on an Oobar instead. You had a job tomorrow, you could afford to pay for this ride.
Anakin cleans his kitchen in silence as Padmé sits in the den still upset, ruminating on the situation. He puts the food away, reminiscing about the fun he had while cooking with you, smiling to himself. He then lets out a sigh remembering the whole reason he invited you over. Your ring, it lay tucked in his left pocket.
Your Oobar arrives in record time, you were grateful not to be wrapped up in ex marital fights, you had enough of that growing up. Settling in the vehicle, you take one last longing glance at Anakin’s house. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.
