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Anakin sleeps like the dead and is impossible to rouse in the morning.
There are mornings when Obi-Wan has to go into the boy’s room and shake his shoulders so vigorously that he’s left wondering if someone could be dead while still breathing. Zombie would certainly be an apt description for the ten year-old shuffling to the fresher and then blindly eating a bowl of cereal at the small table in the kitchenette of their Master-Padawan quarters.
But not today.
Today he’s awake early, his loud excitement in the Force waking Obi-Wan right as his Padawan bursts into his room.
“It’s today!” Anakin shrieks.
Obi-Wan pushes himself up groggily. “Yes it is, Anakin, but please— oof!”
Anakin slams into him, tackling Obi-Wan down to the bed again.
Obi-Wan is about to scold Anakin when the boy looks up at him with wide, sparkling eyes and a big grin. “I’m so excited!”
It is an expression that never fails to melt Obi-Wan’s heart. And he can allow Anakin his overexcitement. It is his birthday, after all, and Obi-Wan knows how much he’s been looking forward to going to the aquarium. Obi-Wan has even asked the creche Master if they could take Anakin’s friend Ahsoka with.
“Me too, my dear.” Obi-Wan brushes a hand over Anakin’s hair with a fond smile and presses a kiss to the side of his head. “Happy birthday. Now why don’t you take a shower and get dressed. Then we can pick up Ahsoka and start our day.”
Anakin is out of the bed in a flash, a “yippee!” following him as he bounces into the fresher.
They go to Dex’s for breakfast and Obi-Wan will probably regret it later.
Especially when Dex keeps bringing new stacks of the syrup-smothered flatcakes and both kids are apparently very capable of holding a krayt dragon’s portion of food in their stomachs.
Dex, the bastard, just laughs boisterously at Obi-Wan’s worried expression and asks FLO to bring another plate.
“Where do you leave all those pancakes?” Obi-Wan asks amusedly. He leans to the side and peeks under the table. “Are you dropping it?”
Anakin says something around a mouthful of flatcakes, very loud and very off-putting.
Obi-Wan frowns at the bit of saliva covered flatcake now on the table and then looks at Anakin. “Not with your mouth full, please.”
“He said he has an extra stomach for flatcakes,” Ahsoka says.
Obi-Wan raises a hand to hide his smile at Ahsoka’s prim and proper words, like Obi-Wan is the poor man that didn’t understand rather than a slightly frustrated Jedi Knight trying to educate his Padawan.
He nods politely at the little Togruta on the other side of the table, giving him an expectant look. “Thank you Ahsoka.”
She smiles proudly at herself before going back to her own flatcakes.
“But if Anakin hadn’t spoken with his mouth full, I would have heard him just fine.”
Anakin makes an absolute show of swallowing his food before he says: “Sorry.”
Obi-Wan wonders if this is how Qui-Gon felt raising him.
They take the shuttle to get from Dex’s to the aquarium, which is unfortunately busy. They manage to find a free seat, though, which Anakin promptly offers to Obi-Wan because “you’re older, Master, it’s all right.”
There’s a cheeky gleam in his eyes that means he knows exactly what he’s doing. But with his wide smile, big tooka eyes and blond hair, everyone around them is easily charmed by the polite, considerate boy.
Polite and considerate, Obi-Wan’s ass.
An ass which he sits down on the chair, while sending Anakin a sharp, warning look and settling Ahsoka in his lap. “One day you too will be old, Anakin.”
“I’m already old today!” he laughs. “I can’t wait to get to the aquarium,” he says, jokes about his Master's age promptly forgotten. “Did you know they have over fifteen thousand animals at the aquarium? And six hundred species from over a hundred-thirty different planets!”
Obi-Wan and Ahsoka—and a few bystanders—listen as Anakin talks and talks and talks about the aquarium.
Obi-Wan wonders if he has the aquarium’s whole holo-page memorized. Perhaps he should have a talk with Anakin about potentially switching up some classes in his curriculum to better fit his interests.
When they get to the aquarium, Obi-Wan gets them tickets while Anakin drags Ahsoka over to a big holo-map, pointing out various points of interest.
Tickets bought, Obi-Wan makes his way over to the pair. “Which exhibit do you want to see first?”
“Angler fish!” Anakin cries without hesitation. “It’s so wizard. It’s got a light to catch prey and huge teeth!”
Obi-Wan smiles fondly and ruffles Anakin’s hair. “You did your research, I hear.”
“Uh-huh!” Anakin grins up at him and then spreads his arms, and Obi-Wan has to quickly step back to avoid being hit in the stomach. “They have one with teeth as big as your forearm!”
“My forearm!?” Ahsoka echoes and holds up her arm, looking at it with wide eyes. “Cool!”
The angler fish from the planet Terra does not disappoint.
Nor do any of the other deep-sea creatures, which range from funny all the way to down-right terrifying.
When they finish with the section, Obi-Wan takes the kids outside for ice-cream—he is perhaps too soft, but only because it’s Anakin’s birthday—while they take a look around the outdoor exhibits.
Towards the end of the outdoor area, there is a big tank, circular and rising five meters above the ground. Benches stand around it for visitors to sit on to view whatever animal lives there, but it looks surprisingly empty.
Anakin rocks back and forth on his feet excitedly as he takes in the tank. “This isn’t on the holo-map!”
“Maybe it’s new,” Obi-Wan muses, watching the two men at the tank in the blue shirts all aquarium personnel wear.
They both have brown skin and amber eyes and Obi-Wan would bet credits the two are related. One has bleached hair and a simple cut, while the other’s dark hair is styled in an undercut with a mop of short curls at the top. But it’s the dark-haired one that catches Obi-Wan’s attention most.
Even from afar, he feels calm and steady in the Force, like a calm ocean on a sunny day that‘s incredibly soothing.
“Maybe we can ask,” Anakin says.
“Okay,” Ahsoka says. The only warning they get before she shouts, loud and shrill and so very enthusiastic: “Hello!”
Both men turn, confused first and amused after when they see a little Togruta waving at them with a wide smile that shows off her fangs.
The blond man waves back with a grin. “Hi!”
“What are you doing?”
“Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan admonishes gently.
Ahsoka glances up at him and then back at the men, yelling an additional “please!”
Obi-Wan sighs.
At the tank, the dark-haired man turns to the blond. “I told you we should’ve put up the sign before we got started.”
“Well we were busy,” the blond replies with a shrug.
The blond gets a raised eyebrow in return. “Then maybe you should do it now.”
“Okay,” the blond drawls slowly, eyes flicking to Obi-Wan and the kids. He smirks and turns to the other again. “I see how it is.”
“Rex.”
The blond laughs as he darts off. “Yes yes, on my way.”
The other man makes his way over to them with a smile and a small wave. “Hello.”
Ah, Obi-Wan thinks as the man comes to a stop in front of them, he’s even more handsome up close.
The man glances at Obi-Wan, a hint of interest in the Force around him, before he squats down in front of Anakin and Ahsoka. He smiles at the kids. “We’re just checking the new exhibit. We’ll be welcoming a new resident this afternoon and want to make sure his new home is perfect.”
Handsome and kind, Obi-Wan corrects and slips his hands into the wide sleeves of his robe so no-one can see him fidget.
“Will you put in an island?” Ahsoka asks.
The man frowns. “An island?”
“Yes.” Ahsoka nods. “For the new resident.”
“It’s not a person, Snips. They will put a fish in the pool,” Anakin says.
“A Correlian sea ray,” Cody says, his voice lowered as if he’s sharing a secret. “His name is Bob and his wingspan is seven meters”
When Ahsoka frowns, Obi-Wan says: “It’s from here to the trash can over there.”
Even Anakin looks impressed. “Wow, wizard!”
The man flashes Obi-Wan a smile before looking at Ahsoka and Anakin again. “If you come back in three hours, you can be there when we release him.”
Obi-Wan doesn’t need the Force to tell him that the two are buzzing with excitement at the prospect of seeing the animal. He chuckles. “Well that sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”
“Yes!” Anakin cries while Ahsoka nods vigorously.
“Looking forward to seeing you there,” the man says, but his eyes aren’t on the kids. Slightly shy and hesitant, they rest on Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan feels the heat of a blush spread on his cheeks as he smiles. “Pleasure’s all ours.”
Ahsoka is skipping ahead of them when they get back to the Correlian sea ray exhibit three hours later. The blond called Rex is at the curved transparisteel front of the tank with a group of kids around him while the dark-haired man they spoke to is standing back a bit, watching with a fond smile.
Some parents and guardians sit on the benches and there is now a big sign with information on the ray.
Ahsoka waves. “Mister ray-guy, we’re back!”
The man turns to them and breaks out into a smile that makes his eyes light up—and makes Obi-Wan’s heart skip a beat. He makes his way over to them with a slow jog. “Hey guys, welcome back. And you, little lady, may call me Cody.”
Ahsoka sticks out her hand and an amused Cody leans down to shake it. As serious as any six year old can be, she says: “Ahsoka.”
“Nice to meet you Ahsoka.” Cody smiles and turns to Anakin. “And?”
“I’m Anakin! And that’s my Master, Obi-Wan.”
“Jedi Master, that is,” Obi-Wan adds with a cough.
Cody chuckles. “Yes, the robes did give it away. I hope you weren’t trying to be stealthy,” he teases.
Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow and waves a hand at Anakin and Ahsoka. “With these two?”
As if to prove Obi-Wan’s point for him, Anakin looks at Cody’s face with a little frown. “How did you get the scar?” he asks apropos of nothing and with the unlimited curiosity of an eleven year old.
Obi-Wan nearly chokes on his own spit and flails rather embarrassingly as he cries: “Anakin!”
Cody, however, laughs—and Obi-Wan would call the sound sinful, but he’s got a Padawan and a youngling at his side and so he swallows that down very quickly. “I was attacked by an opee sea killer once. Left me with quite the scare and a wicked scar,” he says, gesturing at the scar curling around his left eye.
“Whoa!” Ahsoka gasps, eyes wide.
“Wizard!” Anakin cries and then waves excitedly at Obi-Wan. “Obi-Wan was almost eaten by one of those too! Right, Master?”
Cody turns amused eyes to Obi-Wan. “Oh?” he asks, raising an eyebrow and his lips curl up in a smile that looks very much like a playful tease. “What a coincidence.”
Obi-Wan smiles back serenely. “Indeed.”
“When will you release Bob?” Anakin asks, eyes glued to Rex and the kids at the front of the tank.
“Soon,” Cody says, smiling at the kids as he waves towards Rex, who is explaining something with obvious joy and excitement on his face. “And you know, my brother Rex always knows the weirdest facts about any marine creature.”
“Why don’t you go join the other kids,” Obi-Wan sayys, because he can almost feel Anakin vibrate and at this point it would be mean to make him ask. “Sounds like fun.”
“And you?” Anakin asks with a frown, even if he’s ready to run off. But he’s still a bit clingy, still a bit hesitant to run off alone.
You can take the boy out of Tatooine, Obi-Wan thinks sadly. Perhaps he should speak to Master Yoda again.
He gives Anakin an encouraging smile and a small nudge. “I’ll be right here.”
“Let’s go!” Ahsoka urges, tugging on Anakin’s arm and grinning up at him, her sharp teeth glittering in the sun as much as her eyes do with mischief.
“Okay, okay!” Anakin laughs and the two tumble over to Rex and the group of kids. “Hello! I’m Anakin and this is Ahsoka. Today’s my birthday.”
The kids cheer and Rex laughs and just like that, they’re part of the group.
Obi-Wan turns to Cody, mischief playing in his own eyes as he says: “An opee sea killer. Impressive.”
Cody laughs, and this time Obi-Wan allows himself to enjoy the sound. “It sure sounds much better than a fishing accident during a research trip.” He waves a hand at Rex with a sharp grin. “Do ask my brother for the whole story if you’re interested. It makes him relive the guilt. What’s your sea monster story then, Master Jedi?” he asks, an eyebrow raised and a teasing grin on his lips.
Obi-Wan smiles back, a pleasant tingle going through his body. It’s been a while since he’s been interested in someone, let alone flirted. Grief and a Padawan will do that to you, he supposes. So this is a nice change of pace coming from a very, very handsome and charming man. “We had to travel through Naboo’s underwaterways in a sub while on a mission once. Got chased by one of these creatures.”
Cody nods, obviously thinking he’s playing along to some joke. “That’s terrifying.”
Obi-Wan chuckles. “The opee sea killer wasn’t even the biggest fish we had to evade.”
“What, you almost got eaten by a sando aqua monster as well?”
Obi-Wan hums. “Is that what you call it? It was humongous, I’ll tell you that. With weird arms and a long tail, although I didn’t have too much time to get more than a quick look at the time.”
“You’re actually serious.” Cody stares at him for a moment, dumbstruck. Then he barks a laugh. “I’m not sure if that’s a marine biologist’s dream or nightmare.”
“Isn’t everyone interested in some thrill and action nowadays?” Obi-Wan asks with a grin.
The teasing air that had surrounded Cody up until then, fuzzy like a wool blanket on a winter’s day, tenses and becomes more intense. Becomes decidedly less innocent. And oh.
Obi-Wan likes that.
“I prefer to get my action somewhere else,” Cody answers, his voice lower and filled with heat and promise. He smiles at Obi-Wan and the tips of his fingers brush against the top of Obi-Wan’s thigh in a fleeting touch. Easily dismissible yet still so very obvious. “If you know what I mean.”
Arousal swirls in Obi-Wan’s gut at the words, at the promise simmering in amber eyes. He turns his head slightly, so he can look into Cody’s eyes through his lashes with a playful smile. “I do,” he murmurs, “and I agree.”
Cody’s grin sends a thrill down Obi-Wan’s spine. Before he can reply, the chrono around Cody’s wrist beeps. Almost immediately, the other’s expression turns slightly sheepish. “I have to go do some actual work now,” he says as an explanation. He hesitates for a moment, worrying his lower lip with his teeth before hopeful determination swirls around him. “If you’re interested… I could give you my commcode.”
Obi-Wan smiles. “Oh, I’m interested. I would love to hear more stories about horrific marine life.” He takes the card Cody hands him and when their fingers brush and linger, leans in close. “And partake in our own little bit of action.”
Cody’s interest is as clear on his face as it is in the Force around him, sweet like a ripe meiloorun fruit. “Looking forward to it.”
Quinlan’s smirk is vicious and almost makes Obi-Wan regret asking his friend for a favor.
But it’s too late for that. He can kill a Sith, but there is no way he can turn back time.
“Let me get this straight,” Quinlan starts, draping himself over his chair even more ridiculously and pauses theatrically.
“Quin,” Obi-Wan sighs.
Quinlan laughs to himself. “Although there’s nothing straight about this, considering you just asked me to babysit your Padawan for the night so you can get laid.”
Obi-Wan leans against the back of his own chair, rubbing two fingers against his temple. This is worth it, he reminds himself. “I am.”
Quinlan cackles. “You must truly be desperate.”
Obi-Wan doesn’t dignify the statement with a reply.
Two days later, Obi-Wan brings Anakin over to Quinlan’s quarters. It’s his Padawan Aayla Secura that opens the door.
The blue-skinned Twi-lek gives them a polite smile. “Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker.”
Anakin waves as he bounces into the living-room and Obi-Wan gives Aayla a polite smile. “Hello Aayla,” he greets.
A sharp whistle fills the air and Quinlan steps out of the fresher. “Looking good, Obi-Wan.” He makes a show of giving Obi-Wan, in his brown bantha-leather jacket and black pants that fit him just right, a once-over. He grins wolfishly. “Your ass in those pants… that’s one lucky person you’re meeting.”
“Master.”
“Quin.”
Both Aayla and Obi-Wan sigh at the same time.
Quinlan makes a face, eyes darting from Aayla to Obi-Wan. “Ah, I get disappointment in stereo now.”
Obi-Wan rolls his eyes and looks at Aayla. “Will you be alright?”
“Hey,” Quinlan complains with a frown, “I’m the adult here.”
Obi-Wan smirks and asks Aayla again: “Will you be alright?”
“Yes, Master Kenobi.” Aayla’s eyes gleam with amusement and mischief. “I will make sure Master Vos and Padawan Skywalker don’t get into too much trouble.”
Quinlan makes a very undignified noise that has Aayla bite back a giggle.
“Thank you, Padawan Secura,” Obi-Wan says with a playful wink and turns to his own Padawan. “Have a good time, Anakin. And behave.”
Anakin’s already sprawled on the couch and he looks at Obi-Wan with a smile. “Yes, Master.”
He turns his head to Quinlan with a raised eyebrow. “You too.”
Quinlan rolls his eyes. “Yes, Master.”
“Good,” Obi-Wan nods, even if he’s not sure whether he believes either his friend or his Padawan. But, he has somewhere to be and so he wishes them a good night and leaves.
Just before the door slides closed behind him he can hear Anakin shout: “Have fun with Cody!”
Obi-Wan hopes Quinlan chokes on his howling laughter.
Cody is already at their agreed meeting spot when Obi-Wan arrives.
He’d feel guilty for making the other man wait, if it wasn’t such a good opportunity to finally take the time to fully appreciate the man’s looks.
He’s in a pair of fitting but comfortable looking cargo pants, a white t-shirt and a black bantha-leather jacket. The purple fluorescent lights of a nearby billboard cast Cody in an almost ethereal glow, highlighting his dark skin and Obi-Wan has to swallow.
He ought to tell Quinlan that it is him that’s the lucky one.
Then, as if sensing that he’s being watched, Cody turns. Their eyes meet and all thoughts about Quinlan disappear when warm, brown eyes glimmer in the bright evening lights of Coruscant and a set of alluring lips pull into a pleased smile.
Obi-Wan makes his way over with a smile of his own. “Hello there handsome,” he says when he’s in front of the other man.
Cody brushes a hand over the buzzed sides of his hair with a chuckle. “Thanks,” he says and then lets his eyes trail down Obi-Wan’s body. It’s similar to the once-over Quinlan had given him, only decidedly more wanted. And, when Cody’s lips curl up into a grin, decidedly more satisfying. “Although I should be calling you that.”
With an awkward chuckle of his own and a blush on his cheeks, Obi-Wan says: “Guess we’re both lucky.”
Since Cody only just arrived on Coruscant, Obi-Wan picked the restaurant for their dinner-date. A small Pantoran place on one of the mid-levels that serves a monthly changing menu.
They get seated at a table near the back, offering them some privacy. Not that they need it, because Coruscant seems to disappear around them once they start talking. Conversation flows surprisingly easy as they get to know each other, share stories about friends and family and what feels like anything that comes to mind.
“So,” Obi-Wan says when they’re waiting for their main course, “marine biology.”
“Yes,” Cody grins. “Growing up on Kamino I was always interested in marine life. I mean, the planet’s more water than anything else. It’s a great thing to study these creatures and work on conservation projects.”
Obi-Wan can’t help but grin along with Cody. Hearing someone talk about something they’re passionate about is always such an intimate treat, and Cody is certainly glowing while he talks. “Any project in particular that you feel proud of?”
“Hm,” Cody makes a thoughtful noise as he takes a sip of his beer. “Probably the pufferfish conservation project on Naboo. It’s a while ago, seven years now. Naboo has eight different types of pufferfish, the Queen’s Puffer the most distinct looking. It’s very pretty, with red scales and black fins. A very elegant puffer.”
Obi-Wan nods dutifully. “As is any queen of Naboo.”
“Exactly.” Cody grins, eyes shining in excitement as he continues. “But they were the fewest in numbers, and they were dying. I was working at the Nubian Marine Conservation Center at the time and was on the team trying to find out what was wrong. We dissected so many puffers, and eventually found out it was a bacterial infection that previously only infected tripod fish, which is a relative of the pufferfish.”
“That’s a relief! You must’ve been so happy when you found out what was killing the puffers,” Obi-Wan says.
“For sure,” Cody says before he smiles with boyish excitement. “And I got to keep one of the puffers.”
“Oh! How did you transport it to Coruscant? Do you keep it in a little tank or…”
Cody chuckles. “No, nothing like that. It was a dead one, but I brought it to a taxidermist to have it mounted. I hung it in the living room.”
Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow with an amused expression. “You have a dead fish hanging in your living room.”
“Don’t tell me the Jedi that travels across the Galaxy doesn’t have any weird possessions,” Cody shoots back teasingly.
“Not me!” Obi-Wan shakes his head with a laugh. “It was mostly my Master that brought home every plant or pathetic life-form he could. And Anakin has a soft-spot for droids.”
“Come on,” Cody teases with an easy smile. “There’s gotta be something.”
Obi-Wan shrugs. “I just collect tea.”
“What kind?”
“Mainly herbal tea. Or white tea. My Master, Qui-Gon, adored white tea. It’s very delicate and he would use a special tea-set to prepare us a pot every Benduday. I even have a rare Lothal one. It can only be bought from the farm that grows it, which is a two-day hike from the nearest town. It’s purple and actually quite sweet.”
Cody chuckles. “A two-day hike for some tea?” he asks with a raised eyebrow.
Obi-Wan clears his throat, cheeks burning. “Ah, yes. That is perhaps a bit eccentric.”
“Just a bit.” Cody grins.
A waiter brings their food, and Obi-Wan is surprised that Cody looks slightly abashed when the Pantoran leaves.
“I was thinking,” Cody starts, raising his eyes from his food to look at Obi-Wan through his lashes. There’s a hopeful glimmer in his eyes and a small, nervous smile on his lips.
Obi-Wan’s heart skips a beat and he finds himself holding his breath waiting for Cody to continue.
“Maybe next time, we can go for tea somewhere. Maybe go to a tasting, try some new flavors you’ve never had before.”
Obi-Wan breaks out into a smile, bright and brilliant. The excitement and anticipation in his own fluttering heart echoed in the Force, blending with it until it feels like Cody and him are wrapped in the soft intimateness of a developing relationship—because really, he’d be lying if at this point he thinks it’ll be anything else.
“I’d like that.”
After dinner, they go for drinks. They stay until the bar closes, sitting close together and speaking in hushed tones and the occasional not-so-accidental lingering touch. And even when they’re out on the street again, they don’t say goodbye.
They wander around the streets, seemingly without a direction.
Until Cody stops them in front of a standard, mid-level prefab apartment building. “So,” he starts, rocking on his feet once and glancing at the building, “this is me.”
“Oh,” Obi-Wan breathes. The electric crackle of anticipation surrounds them as they gravitate closer to one another. The street around them is almost empty, no-one around to see this increasingly intimate moment between two men that three days ago were nothing but strangers.
And now…
Now Obi-Wan allows his fingers to brush against Cody’s with a bashful smile. “I had a great time, Cody. Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you for showing me such a great restaurant. With even better company.”
Obi-Wan is about to say he hopes their evening isn’t over yet when Cody’s eyes fall down to his lips, lodging any potential comment right in Obi-Wan’s chest.
When Cody raises his eyes to meet Obi-Wan’s, the heat of arousal smolders in both his eyes and the air around him. “May I?”
“Yes,” Obi-Wan breathes and meets him halfway.
As with any first kiss, it’s not quite right. Just a bit awkward because they don’t know one another this intimately yet. It’s learning that lips might be chapped, what makes the other’s breath hitch and which feather-light touches make a shiver wreck down their spine.
When the kiss ends, their faces linger close together. Breathing in the other's breath, basking in the warmth of the other's body, reveling in the feeling of their tangled fingers.
“Want to come up and see my wall-mounted Nubian pufferfish?”
Obi-Wan bursts out laughing. “Has that ever worked on anyone?”
Cody grins cheekily as he drapes his arms over Obi-Wan’s shoulder—even if he has to reach up a bit to actually do so. “Just you.”
“I didn’t say yes.”
Cody smirks. “Yet.”
Obi-Wan doesn’t reply with words. Not that he needs to, the kiss he presses against Cody’s lips really says it all.
When Cody opens the front door to his apartment, he leads Obi-Wan straight past the living room and into the bedroom, distracting him with hungry kisses and lingering touches and discarding items of clothing as they go.
The puffer will have to wait until breakfast.