Hi hi <3

Here's another chapter for ya'll! Hope you like it!

A massive thank you to @AutumnsWhisper for this gorgeous poster! She somehow managed to take the birthday hologram scene straight from my mind and bring it to life. I am absolutely obsessed. If you haven't yet, check out her writing. She is simply the best <3

 As always, I live for your feedback so don't be shy. 

TW: Smut

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anakin slept like a rock.

Typically, I feel him shift throughout the night or he'll wake up hours before I do. But this time, when I opened my eyes to soft sunlight infiltrating his room, Anakin was next to me in the same position he fell asleep in. 

He remained entirely still, apart from his trembling hand. I could sense the soft tremors emitting from the hand that was resting on the pillow right in my line of sight.

That was new.

My heart twisted as I focused on the subtle twitching of his fingers. What happened to him out there?

I had always thought of Anakin as being invincible. Nothing could take down the temple's golden boy. Growing up, I'd see him stride through the temple with confidence rippling off him. But the closer I get to him, the more I see the obvious cracks beginning to form on his instructible veneer. I knew the responsibility of being the chosen one weighs on him. I mean damn...I'd also feel the pressure if the fate of the galaxy seemed to be resting on my shoulders.

But seeing the mental cracks manifest into a physical tremor lit a flame of concern in my gut. Reaching my hand up, I gently gathered his hand in my own, willing the shakes to stop. A still sleeping Anakin let out a deep exhale, and to my surprise, his hand stilled in mine. With a careful slowness, I brought his hand to my lips and placed a soft kiss on his knuckles.

Beyond my elation upon his return or the tsunami of relief I felt to have him back in my arms, in this moment, the only thing I wanted to do was care for him. Bathe him in love and affection in an attempt to heal some of these wounds. It was the only way I knew how to help.

I sunk back into him and closed my eyes, just listening to the sound of his breathing. If I wasn't paying attention, I might miss the subtle rasp in his steady inhales. With the pace these Jedi move at, it would be easy to forget this man literally punctured his lung a couple months ago. And I knew he wasn't taking the proper measures to ensure easy, restful healing.

Anakin had always made his desire to protect me very clear. However, I wonder if he realized how much I wanted to protect him in return. I would do everything in my power to safeguard his heart and mind.

And currently, that consisted of me allowing him to get as much sleep his body would allow. So, after a few more minutes relishing in his warmth, I carefully untwined my limbs from his and slid out of bed. It was still early enough in the morning that I didn't hear any commotion out in the hallway.

After a quick refresh in the bathroom, I threw on a casual outfit and tip-toed my way to the door. I threw another look over my shoulder at Anakin, who was still out cold, before I quietly slipped out of the room. Taking swift footsteps towards the dining hall, I managed to avoid any unwanted interactions.

When I pushed open the staff doors into the uncharacteristically quiet kitchen, I found who I was looking for. Rala looked up in surprise and I couldn't help but smile at the flour streaked across her cheek.

"Okay, there better be a good reason you are here on your day off." She said with a raised eyebrow. I chuckled softly as I walked over to her, scanning the room to confirm it was just us in here at this early hour.

"I do have a good reason." I replied with a smirk, pressing my palms onto the counter next to her. "Do you happen to have any meiloorun tarts in the oven?"

The confusion on Rala's face only intensified as her eyebrows furrowed deeply. But I remembered Glynn mentioning a recent shipment of the fruit which had become an increasing rarity because of the multiple blockades. So, I had assumed Rala, our resident pastry expert, would be tasked to turn them into tarts for the temple to enjoy.

"Yeah...just took some out a minute ago." She said slowly before jerking her head towards the corner of the room. "They're on the cooling rack over there. They'll be ready for the breakfast shift."

"Would it be okay if I stole a few?" I asked, biting my lip to prevent the giddy smile from spreading across my face.

"Yes, of course. But why are you being weird about it?" She asked, narrowing her eyes slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well..." I began quietly, looking around again to ensure we were truly alone. "Lars is a big fan of meiloorun tarts."

Rala took a beat before her face lit up. "Oh my gods Kels, is he back?" She asked in a hushed whisper. I nodded quickly, trying to contain a squeal of excitement.

"Oh, that is wonderful news." She said, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. "In that case, take as many as you need."

"Thank you," I said genuinely. She giggled and beckoned towards the tray of fresh tarts that were resting to the side of the blazing industrial oven.

"Any time. Now go, get out of here." She said, jokingly shooing me away. I shot her another appreciative look, quickly wrapped two of the tarts in a cloth and scurried out of the kitchen. I was already itching to get back to my Jedi.

Luck was on my side again as I darted back through the temple and back to Anakin's room. The coast was largely clear. So, I quickly let myself back into his room clutching my bounty, only breathing a sigh of relief when I heard the door slide shut behind me.

When my gaze fell on Anakin, I was startled to see he was already looking at me. Blue eyes intense with the smallest bit of hurt that tugged at my heart.

"You're awake." I said in surprise.

"I was awake the second you left." He replied in a groggy voice.

"I'm sorry," I said, biting the inside of my cheek as I walked over to him and sat on the bed next to him. "I thought you were knocked out and I didn't want to wake you."

He mumbled something about not being able to sleep without me and rolled over to rest on his back, staring up at the ceiling with a subtle pout. He was clearly hurt thinking I had left him to wake up alone. I almost laughed at the thought, it was the last thing I'd ever intend to do. And it was such a contrast to Anakin's steely exterior. Even mighty war generals have feelings that can be hurt I suppose.

"I promise, I left for a good reason." I said softly, reaching forward to grab his chin and turn his face towards me. His pout remained which only fueled my growing smirk as I held the meiloorun tarts behind my back.

"I can't think of any good fucking reas-" He began to rant before I cut him off with an eye roll and pulled the tarts out from behind my back, presenting them to him. He halted mid-word and his eyes brightened at the pastry in my hand. "except for maybe that." He amended his statement with a grin.

"Welcome home." I said in a sing-song voice, mirroring his wide smile.

Anakin quickly sat up with his back resting against the headboard. The blanket that was covering his chest fell to expose his toned abdomen. I swallowed as my eyes darted down and noticed he was looking especially lean. I wondered when the last time was he ate anything other than a ration bar. Forcing my eyes upwards again to meet his, I pushed the tarts towards him, suddenly wishing I had grabbed more.

"I fucking love you." Anakin said eagerly, taking the tarts into his hand and hardly hesitating before he took a bite.

"Me or the tarts?" I asked with a giggle. I was enjoying watching his almost child-like reaction to the sugary breakfast.

"Both," He replied with a smirk staring down fondly at the tart in his hand before his eyes swept up to meet mine. "So much." He added in a softer tone, causing my heart to well.

He smiled and winked at me before he dug his teeth into the pastry. He hummed and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the sugar rush. His reaction seemingly confirmed my suspicion that he hadn't eaten anything of real substance in days. I laughed as he downed the first tart with incredible speed. Anakin was biting into the second tart when his eyes met mine, chewing thoughtfully he held the pastry towards me.

"Want a bite?" He asked.

"No, that's all you." I replied with a chuckle, shaking my head softly. And in seconds the tart was gone. Images of our time back on Canto Bight resurfaced in my mind.

"Thanks, Remlik." Anakin said after he swallowed his last bite, leaning back into the headboard to look at me with a lazy smile.

"You're welcome." I chirped, leaning forward and planting a kiss on his smile. I giggled at the taste of sugar on his lips. Just as I was about to pull away, he brought his hand to the back of my head, tangling long fingers into my hair to hold me in place.

"Mmm don't stop." He murmured against my lips. His hands glided down my neck and arms until they rested on my waist, pulling me onto his lap to straddle his hips.

My lips found his easily and my hands wandered across his taut chest. He exhaled deeply as my fingers refamiliarized themselves with the hard muscle. His hands drifted down to my ass and he pulled me closer to him. The increased friction caused my temperature to rise.

The feeling of him...being close to him and kissing him again, was almost overwhelming. Like two halves finally made whole.

"I missed you so much." I whispered, taking a deep breath and resting my forehead against his.

"I thought about you every day, pretty girl." He replied with a tender smile before closing his eyes and pressing his fingers into my skin.

Words weren't enough to convey how I was feeling. The relief, the bliss, the all-consuming love. 

So, I let my lips do the talking. They explored Anakin's face with whisper-soft precision. Kissing all the way from the corner of his mouth, across his cheek bone, and down his jawline. Anakin sighed and with each kiss, I felt his body relax beneath mine until he was in an almost trance-like state.

My lips eventually found their way to his neck, kissing slowly but increasing the pressure as I found that spot he loves just above his steady pulse. This elicited a groan from his throat, and he wrapped his arms around me, leaving no more space between our bodies.

Instinctually, I rolled my hips against his. My body needed him.

He seemed to understand my wordless plea and gently flipped me onto my back so he could pull my pants and underwear off in one swift movement. Seconds later, his sleep pants had been tossed to the side. My back arched towards him, leaving enough room for him to snake his arms underneath me and spin our bodies so he was back in a seated position with me straddling him.

I felt him press against me, hard as durasteel. Gasping softly at the feel of him against my heated core, my eyes shuttered closed. Being on top of him like this was giving me a sense of control that set a surge of electricity through my veins. However, it had been so long since I had felt him like this, and I so badly wanted to take care of him so I couldn't wait a second longer. Foreplay would have to wait; I need him now.

Reaching in between my legs, I wrapped my fingers around his hard cock. He bit his lip and threw his head back to rest against the headboard. His fingers dug into the fleshy skin of my hips as I guided him towards my entrance. Once he was in position, I sunk my hips slowly onto him. The familiar stretch of him entering me was ecstasy, drawing a moan past my lips.

"Fuck." Anakin hissed through clenched teeth.

When he was finally fully inside me, my body was absolutely buzzing with pleasure. Relishing in how good and how right he feels. Pressing a kiss onto his neck, I began to rock my hips back and forth. I could feel his throat bob under my lips as he swallowed, and he subtly bucked his hips up into mine. This spurred me on to quicken my pace which sent a wave of pleasure coursing through my body as I felt him slide against my walls so perfectly.

His flesh hand dragged up my thigh and towards the apex of my thighs. And as much as I wanted him to touch me, I also wanted this to be completely about him.

"Let me take care of you right now." I whispered, bringing a hand down to halt his. Right now, I wanted him to sit back and relax as I ride him. Everything in me wanted to make him feel good.

"Fuck, Kels." Anakin groaned, biting his lip as his hands resumed their position resting on my hips, allowing me full range to grind against him. He looked up at me with awe which only had me wanting to please him more.

He shifted hips so that each time I sunk down onto him, he was hitting the perfect spot. The coil in the stomach began to tighten as the pleasure built inside me. Leaning back, I braced myself by holding onto Anakin's shoulders. His gaze trailed down my body and a dark lust clouded his eyes as he took me in.

"That's it baby, ride me." He encouraged me in a husky voice. I obliged by picking up the pace, letting out a soft moan in the process. The tightness in my core intensified, sending pulses of pleasure up my spine. I increased my speed to chase the feeling.

Anakin's grip on me tightened and he closed his eyes. I watched him intently as his eyebrows knit together in pleasure, his lips parting to gift me with the beautiful sound of his soft moan. He immediately bit his lip to cut off the noise and I smirked, already intent on hearing that sound again.

Adding a swivel to my hips, I began to grind against him so that my clit was now receiving the contact it craved. I gasped softly as the pleasure rocked through me, pushing me closer to the edge. Anakin was now biting his lip so hard I was worried he's draw blood.

"Anakin...I'm close." I panted in a high-pitched voice.

"That's my girl. Get yourself off, baby." He said through gritted teeth. I could tell he was approaching his climax as well, so I wasn't going to allow myself to come until he did.

"You first." I ordered in a breathy voice.

I kept a steady pace, trying to keep my shaking muscles under control. Anakin's fingernails were now digging into my hips as he bucked up into me. Rewarding me with one more moan before he threw his head back and spilled inside me with sloppy thrusts. It was incredibly hot to see a powerful man coming apart beneath me, knowing it was my actions that brought him there.

The feeling of him finishing inside me finally sent me over the edge and my orgasm ripped through me. My arms quivered and Anakin's hands wrapped around my forearms to keep me in place. The pleasure infiltrated every inch of my body and I felt like I might float away from the feel of it. But Anakin was my anchor, he brought one hand down to my hips and guided them through the last remaining waves of pleasure.

When I was finally able to catch my breath, my eyes found his. He was looking up at me with raw adoration that absolutely melted my heart. I leaned down to place a gentle kiss on his lips, his mouth stretched into a smile beneath mine.

"Shit, Kels." He whispered, pulling his head back to meet my eyes, "That was quite the welcome home." His smile morphed into a smirk.

"Gotta keep you coming back, right?" I replied in jest, biting my lip to contain my grin.

"Baby, you don't have to do anything. I will always come back to you." He said with surprising softness, bringing a finger up to trace along my jaw line. "But this was much appreciated."

With a smile, I kissed him once more before my gaze lowered to where he was still inside me. I bit my lip as the realization of what just happened hit me. Anakin had never finished inside me before.

"We're going to have to be more careful...you can go to the hospital wing and request birth control from one of the reception droids." He said softly, sensing my concern. His hands were resting on my thighs and drawing reassuring circles with his thumbs. "I can go with you."

I nodded in response, biting back the desire to ask him how he knew that. The answer was obvious, and I didn't want to hear it. But I appreciated his willingness to go with me despite the unwanted questions it would bring up if the wrong person saw him. I didn't want him to risk it.

"I can take care of it," I said shooting him a gentle smile. "But thank you."

He gave me an affirming nod before carefully guiding my body off of him. He then rolled off the bed and stood over me with an outreached hand.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He said with a smirk.

We spent the rest of the morning enjoying each other's presence, taking advantage of the fact we could finally touch each other again. Anakin's hands didn't leave my body for more than a few seconds. Even when I was carefully twisting my hair into braids to keep the wisps out of my face, Anakin kept his arms wrapped around my torso. He bent down so his chin rested on my shoulder, watching me in the bathroom mirror reflection with interest.

I wanted every morning to be like this. And I allowed my mind to picture a future where that just might be true.

Anakin and I spent the rest of the morning lounging around his room. It was almost too easy to ignore the galaxy outside of these four walls and forget we both had roles and responsibilities.

However, the pinging of Anakin's commlink kept us grounded in reality.

For the first time, I saw him ignore it. He would just shake his head and mumble something about attending to it later. But the beeping became more and more incessant.

"Fuuuuuck." He eventually groaned and swiped the commlink off the bedside table and pressed the transmission button. I noticed the tremble in his hand returned. "Yes?"

"Anakin where have you been? Your presence is requested immediately by the council." Obi-
Wan Kenobi's voice came through. He sounded pissed.

"I'll be there right away." Anakin responded in a clipped tone, tossing the device to the side in irritation before Obi-Wan could respond. I felt my heart sink. The real world finally forced its way into his room. He shot me an apologetic look.

"It's okay." I said softly, forcing a smile.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise." Anakin said, leaning forward to grab my chin and press a firm kiss onto my mouth.

I nodded and sat up in the bed as I watched him rush to throw his robes on and clip his light saber onto his belt. And before I knew it, he slipped out the door and was gone.

Duty calls. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anakin's POV

"You missed the morning briefing, Skywalker." Mace Windu's voice boomed as I entered the council's chambers. Heads snapped in my direction, and I felt my jaw clench to keep from groaning.

"I apologize Masters, I am still recovering from captivity on Erep." I replied in a measured tone, knowing the council wouldn't push the matter. I was sure Ahsoka had filled them in on the details of our brutal stay on Erep.

"Very well," Windu said with a small bow of his head. "Please keep the council appraised of your recovery."

"Will do." I said, lifting my chin with a tight-lipped smile.

We both knew I would not.

Everyone in the room seem satisfied with this interaction. Apart from Obi-Wan whose curious gaze lingered on me. I made a point of ignoring it.

Conversation shifted to the current issue at hand, the security threat on the temple.

It appears that the threat is legitimate. The council had gathered enough intel that pointed to an imminent separatist attack. However, the details of said attack were still unknown. We didn't know how it would be carried out or who would be carrying it out. We only knew it would be soon.

I didn't like this one fucking bit.

"So, what, we're just going to sit here and wait?" I asked, speaking for the first time since my tardy entrance.

"Yes, Anakin." Obi-Wan said in a terse tone. "It is prudent we allow them to show their hand. And we will be ready to respond."

"Am I to understand that we are going to just allow danger to walk through the temple doors? What about all the people who call the temple home? Don't we owe it to them to stop this before it happens?" I pressed, trying to stay as emotionless as possible.

But it was impossible to completely stifle my fury when Kels happens to be one of those people who call the temple home.

"Making preparations, we have been doing." Yoda's voice cut through the chatter my questions provoked. "Ready, we will be. A priority, avoiding casualties is."

I kept my mouth clamped shut and nodded, not trusting myself to speak. One more word and I'd explode.

Because avoiding casualties cannot be a priority. It has to be a mandatory.

The conversation carried on, but I was stuck in my head. With only one thought echoing through my mind.

I need to get her out of here.