Inspired by an anon prompt on the @subskywalker blog, this is a snippet of a modern AU where Anakin is well-known beauty blogger, and he and Obi-Wan meet through a dating site. Obi-Wan is Ahsoka’s guardian and she’s a big fan of Anakin’s how-to vids. I’d like to develop this into something longer; this is what I have so far.
They were waiting for dessert when Anakin dropped the question. “So, how long have you been watching my videos, Ben?” He choked on his water, sputtering, and Anakin chuckled as he patted his back. “Sorry, just,” crooking a finger and trailing it down Ben’s cheek, he offered a half-smile, “I’d recognize my contour anywhere. You might as well have my name written on your face.”
Ben had the grace to look a bit sheepish. “It’s my daughter, actually.” He took another drink, a long swallow to smooth his throat. “She’s been one of your ‘angels’ for a while now, and she insisted she help me get ready for tonight.”
“Is that so?” The moment of embarrassment was worth it for the amusement that danced in Anakin’s eyes. “Because it’s me?”
It took a moment for Ben to realize what he meant. “Oh, no!” A vigorous shake of his head, “I can only imagine what she might have pulled if she knew, and I’d no interest in turning our first date into a sitcom episode.” Grinning at Anakin’s laughter, “No, I didn’t tell her yet.”
A charming smile, turned first on their waitress as she brought their selections, and then on Ben. “Well, you can tell her she did a great job.”
Ben felt heat creep into his face, and directed his attention down to his cake, the same one that Anakin had chosen. Belatedly he realized he should have gone with a different choice; then he’d have an excuse to offer to share. He’d taken a few bites before allowing himself to boast about his girl. “Well, it’s nothing compared to what she does with herself. Lately she’s been taking her eyebrows—” spearing a strawberry from atop the confection, he gestured with it before popping it into his mouth, “clean off, and drawing in patterns instead.”
Anakin’s eyes widened in interested surprise, “Bold.” He scraped some of the decorative sauce up from the plate with his fork and sucked it clean; Ben tried not to stare at the bright stain of color it left on his lips, or his tongue as he licked it away. “Do you have any pictures?”
Feigning offense at the question, “Of course!” As Ben pulled out his phone and pulled up the right album he sent up a brief thanks that Ahsoka had already come up over the course of their chatting; he trusted he wouldn’t have to explain her age or adoption again. “Here are some of her more recent experiments.” He angled the phone toward his date, found himself pleasantly surprised when Anakin scooted his chair closer, laying his arm across the back of Ben’s to get a better look.
“Oh, hey—” His expression immediately lit with recognition, mouth curving into a smile, “I featured her once. I think it was glitter week?” Their separate checks arrived as he scrolled through the album, nodding appreciatively at the various looks she had designed, only turning from the phone to retrieve cash from his wallet.
“It made her whole week.” Ben tucked his credit card in with his check, hoping after the fact that she wouldn’t see the disclosure as over-sharing. “She’d be thrilled to know you remembered her.”
“It was a great look!” He waited until the waitress had collected their payments before asking, “Do you think she’d like an autograph?”
“Well, she does call watching your videos ‘learning from the master.’” He couldn’t help smiling, “I think she’d love one.” Anakin slanted another grin his way before turning to rifle through the pockets of his coat. Chuckling softly, he shared the sudden realization, “Although it will completely blow my cover.”
Anakin swiveled back around, prize held in his hand, and winked. “Well, had to happen sometime.” Then, tapping at Ben’s phone, “Mind if I borrow this real quick?” Shrugging, Ben agreed.
He was not prepared for Anakin to start applying lipstick.
Using the phone’s camera in place of a mirror, he parted his lips and followed their curves with practiced ease. The color looked like some kind of deep wine shade and was, Ben thought, distractingly shiny. He didn’t notice that his card had been returned to him until Anakin was stealing the pen he was meant to sign the receipt with. The younger man claimed an unused napkin and began scrawling, looking up briefly, “How do you spell her name?”
Ben recited the proper spelling and took the pen when Anakin offered it, nearly dropping it as he watched the other man part his lips again before pressing them to the napkin. He forced himself to focus on the newly returned receipt, filling out the tip and signing it. When he had finished, Anakin was absently waving the napkin, helping it dry. “All set, then?” Laying it back on the table, Anakin slid the napkin over to Ben.
“I think so—oh…” Smiling fondly, he took in the brief message, the little wings Anakin had drawn off the first ‘A’ in Ahsoka’s name, the perfect lip-print by his signature. “She’ll be over the moon for this.”
“I aim to please.” The lipstick only made Anakin’s smile more eye-catching, and Ben felt himself unexpectedly flushing again. “Walk you to your car?”
Not particularly trusting his voice, Ben only nodded.
The parking lot wasn’t that big so, all too soon, they found themselves standing beside Ben’s blue hatchback; he found himself feeling nervous as he had been as a teenager standing on his front porch. “So. This was…” Sudden nerves made him doubt himself. What if Anakin hadn’t enjoyed it as much as he had?
The man in question leaned back against the car, long legs crossed at the ankle, his dark lips curling into a warm smile. “A really good time?”
His relief was immediate, breath rushing out of him in a grateful sigh. “Exactly.” Ben’s smile was quick but wide, briefly showing off his teeth. “And, ah—” he held up the napkin he was bringing home for Ahsoka, “thanks again, for this.”
Anakin ducked his head, waving him off. “Don’t mention it.” Then, looking up at him through his lashes, “Can I text you tomorrow?”
“Yes,” another small, almost shy, flash of his teeth, “I’d like that.” Ben searched his mind for some nugget of inspiration that could keep their conversation going but came up frustratingly dry. Resigning himself, he nodded pleasantly. "Well, good night.”
Catching his arm as he turned toward the driver’s door, Anakin allowed his loose grip to slide down to Ben’s wrist before pushing up off the car to crowd Ben against it instead. Barely a breath apart, there was a playful tilt to his lips. “Since your cover’s already blown anyway…” was his only warning before he closed the distance between them.
His lips were as plush as they’d looked as they moved against Ben’s, not quite chaste and slick from their color. When the kiss broke Ben wilted forward, a breath shivering out of him as he absently nuzzled Anakin’s cheek; a swipe of his tongue revealed a hint of berry flavor, though whether it was from the lipstick or dessert Ben couldn’t be sure. He was shocked to find his free hand fisted in the front of Anakin’s jacket and he forced himself to let go, suddenly glad for the cool metal at his back. Similarly, he hadn’t noticed Anakin cradling his cheek until the warmth of it was gone. Even after clearing his throat, his voice came out in a warm husk, “Tomorrow?”
Anakin flashed another playful smile as he stepped back. “Count on it.”