Alright, this one has been a long time coming <3

As always, please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear how you think this story is progressing. 

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

Anakin immediately wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him as I moved my arms from his neck to circle around his torso. Again, I was struck by how perfectly our bodies seemed to fit together. My cheek found its place on his chest as his chin rested gently on the top of my head. Closing my eyes, I breathed in his scent, and it felt as though my muscles were melting into him.

I missed him so much.

"You're not mad at me?" Anakin asked, drawing me in even closer. I could hear his deep voice rattle in his chest.

"Oh, I'm very mad at you." I muttered with a defeated sigh. Anakin chuckled in response and gently brought his hand up to stroke the back of my head.

And I was mad at him. Furious even.

I knew he walked into that cantina with the goal of pissing Blake off. However, I didn't think it would go as far as Anakin strangling him in front of everyone. Blake was completely out of line by calling Anakin a salve, more than he probably even realized. But I didn't like how easily they devolved into violence over some sort of testosterone-induced pissing match.

But I was also exhausted.

Physically from lack of quality sleep and emotionally from constantly forcing myself to move on and recover from heartbreak after heartbreak. Today had been difficult, and the ensuing drama of tonight did nothing to soothe my raw nerves. I didn't have it in me to continue depriving myself of the one thing that would provide immediate relief, Anakin.

Despite how temporary it may be. Tonight, I just needed him. I'd deal with the consequences tomorrow.

"I'm sorry, Kels." Anakin murmured into the top of my head. Pulling my head away from him, I looked up into his dark cobalt gaze. His eyes still held an edge of fury, but I saw genuine remorse. The pronounced shadows under his eyes also told me he must be just as exhausted as I am.

"He shouldn't have called you that." I whispered, bringing my hand up to cup his cheek and gently drag my thumb across the dark shadows on his face. His eyelids fluttered at my contact, and he leaned his into my touch ever so slightly. My breath hitched in my throat.

"I've been called worse." Anakin mumbled; his eyes still shut.

"Still doesn't make it any easier to hear." I replied. He opened his eyes to reveal a haunted expression. My hand slid from his face to the side of his neck.

Slave. A designation that Anakin was born into. One that defined the harsh, unforgiving years of his adolescence. He still bore the scars of his childhood, from both external and internal wounds. And while Anakin had managed to break the physical shackles that tethered him to Tatooine, some mental chains can never be shattered. I know he is haunted by the life he left behind; the life he never could save his mother from.

My heart hurt at the thought of it. And I was angry at Blake all over again. 

I had never once divulged Anakin's past to Blake, or anyone for that matter. I would never do that. Because I know Anakin didn't want to be define by it. So it was a cruel coincidence that Blake happens to see the role of the Jedi and senate as akin to slave and master. Blake had no awareness of the emotional landmine he had inadvertently stepped on. 

Anakin cleared his throat and gave me a wry smile. "I'll get over it." And giving me a definitive kiss on the top of my head, he stepped away to break our embrace.

"Hope that doesn't involve you choking anyone else out." I quipped, biting down on a smirk as I crossed my arms over my chest. Anakin let out a sharp chuckle and pressed his tongue into the inside of his cheek.

"You might want to throttle Blake too if you heard what he said." Anakin said, giving me an assessing look.

I felt a pit form in my stomach.

"Oh...what did he say?" I asked, biting my lip as I prepared for the worst.

"He was just trying to piss me off, Kels." Anakin said as he took in my concerned expression. He was backpedaling. As if realizing I might not particularly enjoy hearing something negative one of my only friends has said.

"Tell me." I ordered. Anakin sighed and brought his hand up to rest on my arm.

"Just the usual bullshit men say to get a rise out of another," He began as he gently squeezed my arm. "How much better he is for you than I could ever be. And...how you won't even remember my name because soon you'll be screaming his in bed every night."

I shook my head sharply and felt my face contort into one of discomfort. His words felt like such a gross misrepresentation of whatever relationship Blake and I have. I didn't like how something that had felt so innocent and safe was being weaponized and mischaracterized to cause harm. It felt like a claim was being boldly made without any consideration of what I might want or think.

"That's not...Anakin, Blake and I hav-" I began, but Anakin held his hand up to stop me.

"You don't have to explain yourself. I meant it when I said you are free to do as you please." He said in a tight voice, unable to look me in the eye.

"Blake and I haven't slept together." I said firmly, ignoring him with a huff. Something in me needed him to know I hadn't given that part of myself to anyone else. "We haven't even kissed."

Anakin tipped his head upwards, looking at the city above us as he let out a shaky breath he seemed to have been holding. When he brought his gaze back down to meet mine, his eyes were shining with relief. He gave me a curt nod in response.

"Like I said...you can do whatever you want." He repeated, the edge in his voice softening.

"Trust me, I am doing exactly what I want." I said in a low voice, taking a step towards him. He smiled softly and brought his forehead down so that it was touching mine and closed his eyes.

"You know you don't owe me anything, right?" He murmured. I squeezed my eyes shut and nodded softly. I know he was trying to be fair. But I couldn't help the pang of sadness pricking my heart. I wanted us to owe something to each other.

"I know." I whispered, forcing my features into a smile. Anakin stepped back and gave me an unreadable look before he let out a deep sigh and tore his eyes from me.

"Alright..." He said, eyes scanning the street, "let's get the fuck out of here."

"Please," I agreed with a laugh. "But can we not go back to the temple just yet?" I asked hesitantly, biting my lip and looking up at him.

"Fuck, Kels," Anakin said with a chuckle shaking his head, "You can't look at me like that, it's not fair."

"So, does that mean we aren't going back to the temple right now?" I asked, trying to contain my grin as I tiled my head to the side.

"I will take you anywhere you want, love." Anakin said with a cocky smirk as his eyes landed on an unattended police speeder that was lined up outside the cantina.

My heart skipped a beat. I didn't care where we went, I was just excited by the prospect of spending more time with him.

"Surprise me." I requested, watching him walk up to the speeder and reach his hand beneath the steering console. He bit down on his tongue as he seemed to be fishing for something.

"Alright," he said and yanked his arm downwards to reveal a cluster of snapped wires as the speeder roared to life. "Hop in." he shot me a victorious smile.

"Hot-wiring a police speeder, really?" I asked with a chuckle and approached slowly.

"I outrank them." He said cockily and gracefully swung his legs up and over into the driver's side of the speeder. He then reached across and opened the door closest to me while nodding towards the empty seat.

I exhaled a chuckle and rolled my eyes but approached the speeder,  taking a seat without protest.

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

The bright lights danced across my line of sight. The brilliant swirl of neon blues, pinks and greens created a radiant hue that bathed the city in a technicolor glow. The streets came to life below us as Coruscant's nightlife surged into action and citizens assembled to celebrate the end of a hard day's work.

I gazed at the scene below us, my chin resting on my arm that was propped up lazily by the speeder door. Wind whipped through my hair, causing the loose strands to dance across my face.

I love flying.

Anakin kept a steady hand on the steering console with his other arm draped across the back of my chair. I'd steal glances at him just to witness the way the city lights illuminate his handsome features.

Ignoring the small voice in the back of my mind that cautioned me to be careful with him, I allowed him to take me wherever. I didn't ask questions. I just wanted to pretend for the night that everything is fine and our positions at the temple are meaningless. He seemed just as willing to oblige in this fleeting moment of deliberate ignorance.

After a few more moments of comfortable silence, we began to descend back into the depths of the city. I gave Anakin a curious look. We were in a part of town I didn't recognize. He just shot a wink in my direction.

The closer we got to the street; I began to make out a massive warehouse-looking building. It looked unassuming from the outside with no signage or markings to help decipher where exactly we were. Anakin lowered the speeder and brought it to a gentle landing right outside the large sliding doors leading into the warehouse.

"I'm intrigued, Skywalker." I said slowly, eyeing the warehouse. I heard Anakin laugh from next to me.

"You asked to be surprised." He said. I heard him exit the speeder and then he came into view in front of me. Opening the speeder door for me, he held out his hand to guide me down onto the curb. He held on to my hand and pulled me close, crouching down to whisper in my ear, "Prepare to be surprised."

I let out a lighthearted chuckle and angled my head up towards him, causing his lips to just graze my cheek. I could feel them spread into a smile against my skin. The sensation had butterflies springing to life in my stomach.

Still interlocking his hand with mine, he then pulled me towards the gigantic doors. With a casual swipe of his hand, the right door slid open, allowing just enough room for us to slip through.

At first, the inside was completely dark. I clung onto Anakin as I waited for my eyes to adjust. Suddenly, I was hit by an earthy, fresh scent. Sniffing the air ever so slightly, I felt my heart surge. I knew this smell. It was one I recalled from my memories of my mother's spectacular garden. And when my eyes finally made out the shapes and object in front of me, I realized where we were.

A greenhouse.

I gasped, taking in the greenery and fauna surrounding us. Wall to wall, ceiling to floor, we were surrounded by thriving vegetation. This wasn't just any greenhouse; this was practically a jungle captured within the confines of steel walls.

"What is this place?" I whispered, taking in the sight with wide eyes.

"Well, the upper class have to source their exotic plants from somewhere, right?" Anakin said with a soft scoff.

"How do you know about this?" I asked in awe.

"I stumbled upon it a few years ago when researching a poisonous herb." He explained, reaching out to gently push a branch of ivy to the side as we moved deeper into the warehouse. "But I've found myself coming back every so often just to see something green. And plus, the owner spends most of his time off-world so there is rarely anyone here. It's a quiet place to think."

"Wow," I whispered craning my neck to take in the willow-like tree that arched elegantly over us. "This must be its own self-sustaining little ecosystem." I mused.

"Yeah, I guess so." Anakin said, following my gaze to also look up at the tree. "He explained it all to me once. Something about a natural compost system and condensation dispersion."

"This puts the temple garden to shame." I said with a grin.

I was reminded how good it feels to be surrounded by green nature. Ova was a planet so lush and rich in greenery, being here reminded me of home.

"Here, I want to show you something." Anakin said softly, pulling me further into the warehouse by my hand. I simply nodded with a smile and kept my head on a swivel, taking in the plants and trees as we wove our way through the landscape until we stopped in front of a small clearing. The small grove was illuminated by moonlight pouring through the fogged windows up above.

That's when I saw them and my eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Oh, my gods...Anakin." I choked out and rushed forward, falling to my knees before the delicate flowers covering the ground like a fresh layer of frost.

Lunar Lilies.

With as much care as possible, I reached my hand out and stroked one of the snow-white petals with a feather-light touch. The petal felt like silk against my fingertips, and I marveled at how the bud of the flower, adorned in delicate blues and purples, dazzled in the moonlight.

I let out a shaky breath as I allowed my eyes to wander, taking in the full patch of flora. It was a sight I had feared I would never see again. My mother's favorite flowers. The ones she would put every ounce of effort into making sure were thriving and blooming.

"I remember you telling me about these. When you spoke of Ova." Anakin said in a quiet voice behind me.

"Lunar lilies." I confirmed in a choked voice, still unable to take my eyes off them. "My mother's favorite."

It felt like, somehow, she was with me. Her spirit so present within the roots and blooms of this flower. Delicate and beautiful, but determined and stubborn enough to flourish in the moonlight. I could practically hear her gentle whisper when she'd wake me up to come see the lilies in their full glory. She'd make me promise to not tell Dad, who slept soundly in the next room and we'd giggle as we tiptoed out of the house. I could picture her crouching down before the blooms, much like I was right now, her face filled with joy and adoration as she took in the beautiful sight.

See, Kels? The hard work is worth it. She'd say, her voice brimming with pride.

"They're beautiful." Anakin said, gently pulling me from my thoughts. I nodded and gently stood up, only tearing my eyes away from the flowers to settle my gaze on something equally as beautiful, Anakin.

The man who is difficult. Who is anything but easy. The very definition of hard work. But stars, is he worth it.

Without another word or thought, I closed the distance between us and threw my arms around his neck, bringing his lips crashing down on mine.

Without hesitation, Anakin kissed me back with equal passion and resolve. His lips moving in perfect rhythm with mine. I was overcome with want, and hunger for him. My heart surging with love. Every pulse, every beat was for him.

He brought his hand up to press into the back of my head, weaving his fingers through my hair to deepen the kiss. There was a sense of urgency, a desperate need to claim each other with more kisses, more passion. I poured every inch of my feelings for him into our embrace, pulling him impossibly closer as I tangled my fingers into the soft golden curls at the nape of his neck.

I'm not sure how long we remained there, locked in each other's arms. Completely melting into the kiss. I allowed myself to indulge, to taste him and absolutely lose myself in him. My heart was slamming against my chest, but my head felt light and airy. He was absolutely intoxicating.

Eventually, I pulled away, gasping for breath. Anakin brought his hands up to cradle my face as he continued to press soft pecks onto my cheeks and forehead. Gently kissing away the tears that streaked down my face. And while it was the painfully tender memory of my mother that spurred on the tears, I knew they remained because of the overwhelming amount of love I felt for the man in front of me. The man who gave me this achingly beautiful moment of connection to my home. The man who sets my soul alight with his passion and fire. The man who I am constantly drawn to by some unexplainable, cosmic force. I was undoubtably, irrevocably his.

"I love you." I whispered, baring my heart to him.

Anakin stilled, and I felt like my heart was going to explode. He drew his head back to look at me. His eyes lingered on every feature almost as if he was really seeing me for the first time. His hands began to tremble ever so slightly against my cheeks. I lifted my hands to gently press against his, dragging my thumb softly against the smooth skin. He inhaled a shaky breath, and I saw an emotion seep into his expression that I didn't recognize. It softened his entire face but at the same time his eyes never looked clearer.

"I love you too." He then said in a quiet but firm voice.

Those four words. They shifted the entire universe and knocked the breath from my lungs.

My mouth lost its ability to form words, and all I could do was let out a sob. Brining my hands down to clamp my mouth shut, I just stared up at Anakin. He looked down at me with such adoration and a small smile spread across his face. His eyes still held the same level of clarity and certainty that had my heart absolutely exploding.

"I love you, Kels." He said again, as if he knew I needed to hear it again to make sure it was real.

I responded by snaking my arm around his neck and pulling him close, placing the most slow, delicate kiss on his lips. His hands made their way to my waist as he returned the kiss with an aching tenderness.

We remained like that, completely absorbed by each other. I wanted this moment to last forever. To just stay here, under the moonlight kissing the man I love with the delicate scent of lunar lily in the air. It was perfect.

But eventually he pulled his mouth away and when I whimpered at the absence of his lips, he chuckled and pulled me against his chest. With my cheek against his sternum, I could hear his rapid heartbeat. He rested his chin on the top of my head and I had never felt so safe. So, I felt brave enough to ask the question that now hung in the air between us.

"What about the code?" I whispered. Anakin swallowed hard and then let out a deep sigh. I began to brace myself for the greatest heartbreak of all. But he held me even tighter and pressed a firm kiss into the top of my head.

"Fuck the code."