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Anakin has a problem. A very big problem. One whose name is Padmé Amidala.
He’s had a crush on her ever since their political science class started. Anakin could care less about political science and ends up spending the majority of every lecture staring at Padmé. Which is where the problem lies. He wants to ask her out. Desperately. But…well, he isn’t exactly experienced; to the point where he barely knows how to kiss. He needs to remedy that. Immediately.
It's an odd thing to ask, and Anakin, a broke college student, can't exactly afford to pay someone to teach him how to kiss. For God's sake, he can only afford his one-bedroom apartment because he splits the rent.
That's when he gets an idea. Obi-Wan! They've been best friends for ages; if there's anyone he can trust with this, it's him. Besides, there's not really anyone better for the task.
That’s how he finds himself slyly sliding next to Obi-Wan at the bar they agreed to meet at tonight. Anakin may be broke, but that doesn’t mean he can’t socialize. Plus, if he asks the bartender for water, they won’t kick him out.
"Obi-Wan," he says seriously.
Obi-Wan squints at him suspiciously. "What do you want, Anakin?"
"Oh c'mon, what's that for?" he asks, laughing. He nudges him in the shoulder, causing him to roll his eyes.
"Last time you came up to me with that look you had gotten into a bet about whether or not you could drink ten shots in a row."
"But I won," Anakin points out. They paid for the shots and Anakin could afford rent. Win-win, really.
"And I had to nurse your hangover the next day," Obi-Wan points out dryly.
"No hangovers this time, I promise," Anakin says, holding up his hands defensively.
"Then what is it?" Obi-Wan asks, still looking incredibly suspicious. Anakin takes a nervous sip of his water.
"Well. You remember that girl I told you about? In my polisci class—Padmé?"
Obi-Wan smirks slightly. "How could I forget? The angel, right?"
"Yeah," Anakin says, slightly breathless. "Well—so—I was wondering—"
"Come on, spit it out, Anakin. I don’t have all night."
"Would you teach me how to kiss?" he blurts out nervously. "I'm...y'know young and inexperienced and I don't want to look stupid for my first time."
Obi-Wan blinks at him. Then he raises an eyebrow in a way that makes him feel supremely judged. "So you decided to ask me to help? While I wouldn't call myself inexperienced, I can't exactly explain kissing techniques to you."
"Actually, I was thinking you would just kiss me."
Obi-Wan seems genuinely speechless for once. "You want me to kiss you? For practice?" he asks, eyes narrowed again as he takes a swig of his beer. Anakin watches the line of his throat as he swallows.
"Uh, yeah, that was the idea." Anakin rocks back on his heels, fiddling with the rim of his glass. "I mean you don’t have to, obviously, but I wouldn’t trust anyone else to help me."
Obi-Wan doesn't respond for a long moment, finishing off his beer, considering Anakin's proposition. He tries not to fidget nervously.
"Alright." Anakin's head shoots up as he looks at Obi-Wan in disbelief.
"W-what?"
"I said, alright." Obi-Wan has already left a ten-dollar bill on the counter, slipping off the stool and into his jacket. "Are you coming?"
"Yes!" Anakin says, rushing to catch up to Obi-Wan like a lost puppy.
"Someone’s eager," Obi-Wan taunts, smoothing out his hair.
"I didn’t want to get left behind," Anakin protests.
Obi-Wan just smirks again. Anakin finds he can’t tear his gaze away from Obi-Wan’s lips. Soft, pretty, pink. He thinks it’ll be nice to kiss them.
"Come along then, dear one," Obi-Wan says, wrapping an arm around him and tucking Anakin into his side. He's shorter than Anakin by an inch or two, but somehow it's rather comfortable, being pressed against him like this. He leans subtly into his side, letting his body heat warm him up from the early winter winds.
It’s like the most comforting blanket. Anakin tries not to lean all of his body weight against Obi-Wan as they head back to Anakin’s apartment, but he’s warm and comfortable so maybe Anakin leans against him a little more than necessary. It’s nice, like when they have movie nights on the couch and Obi-Wan allows Anakin to cuddle close.
It shocks him, sometimes, that Obi-Wan lets him. He's almost a year older than Anakin, despite both being juniors in college. He figured he would spend time with people who shared his interests in politics and philosophy and could actually legally drink sooner than a month ago. And yet, Obi-Wan chose him. Him to become best friends with, him to share an apartment with. Anakin doesn't know what he did to deserve it, really.
And he wouldn’t give it up for the world. He smiles as they reach their apartment. Obi-Wan is perfect, like the brother he never had. Anakin’s never felt this close to anyone before. He sort of wonders if this is what it’ll be like with Padmé, but, no, he isn’t sure that anything can compare to the friendship he’s gained with Obi-Wan over the past few years.
He knows Anakin better than anyone else ever has, has bailed him out more than once (and Anakin has done the same for him, not that he'd ever admit it) and studied for finals side by side with him. It's why he's the only one Anakin could go to with this, the only one he could trust.
Obi-Wan unlocks the apartment, Anakin following him dutifully inside. He hovers near the entrance, waiting for Obi-Wan to decide where they should go. He thinks the bedroom is too intimate even if they both sleep there, but he doesn’t know if Obi-Wan will think the couch is uncomfortable.
"You're so nervous," Obi-Wan says with a laugh. The sound immediately puts him at ease.
"Not all of us can be sexual savants," he teases, shucking off his outer layer and throwing it over the only chair they own. Typically Obi-Wan would scold him, but today he only copies him.
He pulls Anakin by the hand to the couch. His hand is warm and soft and smooth and Anakin doesn’t really want to let go.
Obi-Wan folds one leg underneath himself as he sits on the couch, Anakin follows his lead and takes the seat across from him on the other cushion. The couch is so small their knees brush together.
Obi-Wan leans forward, cupping his face in one hand. Anakin instinctually tenses up. "Relax, Anakin," Obi-Wan murmurs, accent prominent on his name in a way that sends shivers down his spine. He does manage to calm down, relaxing minutely into the seat. "Good boy," Obi-Wan murmurs. Anakin doesn’t even get to ruminate on that and how weird it is (or the shiver that runs up his spine when Obi-Wan says it) because Obi-Wan is carefully slotting their lips together. Anakin’s mind goes blank. His lips are just as soft and warm as Anakin imagined.
He leans slightly up into the sensation, careful not to dislodge him. Obi-Wan presses closer, his other hand coming up to hold his face more tightly, tilting Anakin's head for him to get the angle just right. He can't help the pleased sigh that he makes as Obi-Wan's warm mouth slides against his before pressing more firmly. He didn't know kissing felt like this.
Well, obviously he didn’t know. That’s the whole point of this. He wonders if Padmé’s lips are this soft, but he’s distracted from that thought when he feels something slick and wet brush against his bottom lip. Is that Obi-Wan’s tongue? For some reason, Anakin didn’t think Obi-Wan would want to go any further than simple kisses with him.
He opens his mouth on instinct, and Obi-Wan takes that as an invitation to carefully slide his tongue into Anakin's mouth. Anakin shocks himself with the moan he lets out. He feels like it should be gross having someone else's, having Obi-Wan's tongue in his mouth, but instead, it feels so good he can't stand it.
Obi-Wan's face does something, his mouth twitches, but Anakin can’t decipher the expression before he’s distracted once again by the tongue licking into his mouth. Oh. That’s nice. Really, really nice. Anakin could do this all day, he thinks. Forever maybe. It’s such a simple thing, and yet Anakin can’t get enough.
He tries brushing his tongue against Obi-Wan's, and it feels like an electric shock to all his nerves. Obi-Wan brushes his thumbs gently over Anakins' cheeks, which he hopes means he's done well. His hands come up to grasp Obi-Wan's forearms, as though he could pull him closer.
Obi-Wan hums quietly, brushing their tongues together again. Anakin is rapidly trying to catalogue everything he’s doing so he can repeat it later. It’s making him a little lightheaded. Or is that. Oh. He’s forgetting to breathe.
He really really doesn't want to stop kissing him, but when he can't even think he decides he kind of does need to breathe. It takes a moment to extricate himself from Obi-Wan's mouth, and he immediately gasps for air, panting as if he almost drowned—although he'd say this was far, far more pleasurable.
"Were you—weren’t you breathing through your nose?" Obi-Wan asks, snorting.
"You can do that?" Anakin stares at Obi-Wan.
"Oh dear, it looks like you’re already suffering the effects of oxygen deprivation. Do we need to get you to a doctor, darling?" Obi-Wan snorts again and Anakin shoves him lightly.
"Stop making fun of me and kiss me again," he says, pouting. Obi-Wan leans forward and bites gently at his lower lip, which feels way better than he should and might be driving Anakin a little bit crazy.
"Or bite me again. You can do that, too," Anakin mumbles against Obi-Wan’s lips.
Obi-Wan laughs, clearly at him and not with him, but he dutifully bites at Anakin’s lip again before pressing their mouths together once more.
Anakin makes sure to breathe through his nose as he opens his mouth for Obi-Wan to slide his tongue into, and Obi-Wan brushes his tongue gently over Anakin's lower lip, soothing the gentle bites he left. Anakin whines softly into his mouth. Anakin is almost shocked Obi-Wan doesn't laugh into his mouth.
He doesn’t mean to make all these sounds and react but honestly, all of Obi-Wan’s touches feel incredible and are perhaps making the blood in his body rush south. Not that he particularly notices or cares. It’s only a natural reaction. Obi-Wan will get it.
He just has to make sure not to pull him too close, even though he kind of wants to. Cuddling during movie nights is one thing, having Obi-Wan sit on his lap while he's hard is a bit different.
Maybe he could sit on Obi-Wan’s lap instead? He needs experience for that too right? What if Padmé wants Anakin to sit on her lap? Plus Obi-Wan is always so comfortable to sit with and cuddle, so Anakin really wouldn’t mind being settled in his lap.
His hands and arms are warm, and Anakin knows from experience that Obi-Wan is warm and comfortable to lie on top of. Curling up on his lap and letting Obi-Wan kiss the life out of him sounds kind of heavenly.
He scoots closer carefully, not wanting to part their lips for a second. Plus his neck is getting kind of sore from leaning forward in just this one position for so long. It’ll be better once he’s in Obi-Wan’s arms. It always is.
Obi-Wan's hand falls to his hip, and Anakin presses into his hand. Obi-Wan tugs him nearer, and Anakin carefully slides closer, nestling his legs on either side of Obi-Wan's lap and settling himself there, tilting his head up so Obi-Wan can kiss him deeper.
Obi-Wan hums again, sounding pleased. Anakin likes that sound. He likes that he’s pleasing Obi-Wan. He loves the slick sound of their mouths sliding together and the feeling of Obi-Wan’s mouth against his.
He gets lost in it, in making Obi-Wan feel good, in the little circles he traces on his hip, in the feeling of his warm body pressed up against Anakin's. He's lightheaded again, but this time it's pure pleasure that's making him feel that way.
Obi-Wan pulls away again, and Anakin frowns, biting back a soft whine.
"Hey, why’d you stop?" Anakin asks, pouting and biting at his lip. Obi-Wan’s eyes are fixed on Anakin’s lip, so Anakin bites at them more intently.
One of his hands comes up, gently tugging his lip free from his teeth and sliding their mouths together just like Anakin hoped he would. It's more chaste, and he pulls back once more, much to Anakin's displeasure.
"Obi-Wan," Anakin whines. He wants to go back to kissing. That was so incredibly nice. Why doesn’t Obi-Wan want to keep going? "Why’d you stop? Again."
"I figured you had enough practice," he says, kind of breathless. Anakin made him sound like that. Anakin wants to keep making him sound like that. His hand is tight on Anakin's hip, like he doesn't actually want to let him go.
"But I have to be the best kisser, otherwise no one will want me," Anakin says, hoping Obi-Wan doesn’t hear the ploy for what it actually is.
Obi-Wan laughs. "Trust me, Anakin. Plenty of people would love to kiss you even if you could barely keep up. Maybe especially then."
Anakin kind of wants to ask Obi-Wan how he knows that, but he has more pressing concerns. "But you're not one of them?" he asks, weirdly upset by the idea. It was good, they were enjoying it, right?
"I didn’t say that, darling, I very much enjoy kissing you. But I think that that’s enough for one night. I can’t overwhelm you all in one go—"
"I wouldn’t mind."
"—Besides, don’t you need to actually ask Padmé out?"
He frowns. He hadn't thought about that. "Yeah, but I figured I should do all the kissing first so that I'm not, y'know, cheating on her after I've asked her out." He hadn't thought about that until now, but anything to make sure he doesn't have to move off his lap.
"And how much more practice do you think you need exactly?" Obi-Wan asks, raising a brow, but he hasn’t thrown Anakin off his lap yet so this is perfectly fine. A-Okay in fact.
"I don't know, as the only person I've ever kissed I think you would know how much I need to improve better than anyone else. Including me." He never thought he'd want someone to think he'd need improvement, or to see him as a poor kisser, but right now he wants him to.
"I think you’re already doing plenty fine on your own. You’re a quick learner. I’m sure you’ll adapt to what Padmé likes very fast," Obi-Wan says, patting Anakin’s cheek lightly.
Anakin frowns. "Do I have to get up? I'm comfy," he whines, wriggling even closer, pressing them as close as possible despite Obi-Wan's efforts to hold him at a distance.
"I suppose not, though my legs are falling asleep. So unless you want to make me breakfast in the morning…get up." He pats Anakin’s thigh.
"I'll make you breakfast," Anakin agrees immediately. He winds his arms around Obi-Wan's neck, and Obi-Wan sighs but doesn't push him off, so Anakin considers that a win.
"Can we at least move to the bedroom? If you’re planning to pass out here since I’m fairly tired myself." His words are broken by a yawn.
Anakin pretends to consider. "No."
"We're sleeping on the couch, then?" Obi-Wan asks, sounding a mixture of concerned and amused.
"What if you don't let me back onto your lap?" Anakin asks. "Then you just wrangled free breakfast out of me."
"You have my word," Obi-Wan says, humor in his voice. "You really do get so clingy at night, darling."
"It’s not my fault I grew up in the desert. I run cold and you're like a furnace."
"I believe it was your choice to go to college somewhere where it snows, was it not?" he asks raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, but if I hadn't then you wouldn't have met me," he points out, reluctantly climbing off of his lap.
"That would be a travesty," Obi-Wan agrees quietly, hand brushing over Anakin's hair as they finally separate.
Anakin leans up into his hand like a puppy, but it’s gone far too soon for his liking.
Anakin probably speeds through getting for bed way faster than he needs to. Spit and toothpaste end up on the mirror and across the sink, he winces and promises himself he’ll clean it up tomorrow, and he forgot a pajama shirt so he can end up in bed faster. Obi-Wan is already waiting for him when Anakin gets to the bedroom.
He does a double take, to Anakin's amusement. It's not exactly a rare occurrence for him to sleep shirtless (getting a roommate was the only thing that finally broke him of the habit of sleeping completely naked), and it should be a sight Obi-Wan is quite used to. He supposes he can forgive him since they don't exactly share a bed often, and knowing that he's shirtless and sleeping next to him is probably two different things.
Anakin clambers onto Obi-Wan’s bed. It’s almost certainly too small for two grown adults considering they can only fit two twin beds in this room, but Anakin does not care as he practically throws himself onto Obi-Wan’s lap.
"Hi," Obi-Wan says, fond in a way that makes Anakins heart stutter even as he melts into Obi-Wan's body.
"Hi," he says back, winding their legs together and pressing his face to Obi-Wan's chest so he can listen to his heartbeat.
Obi-Wan strokes over his hair gently, before reclining back to lie down on the bed. Anakin remains wrapped around him like a particularly clingy koala, practically hanging on for dear life. He really is nothing if not clingy. Obi-Wan just makes such a perfect pillow.
Obi-Wan turns off the bedside lamp, plunging them into darkness, and Anakin presses a gentle kiss to Obi-Wan's collarbone. Obi-Wan's hand has never left his hair, and Anakin sighs happily, especially when his other arm winds around his waist.
"...Is this still practice?" Obi-Wan asks quietly. Practice for what, Anakin wonders. He couldn't imagine being this clingy with anyone else, not even his future girlfriend.
"No. I just like it when you hold me," Anakin says, pressing his face deeper against Obi-Wan’s chest before promptly passing out and missing any of Obi-Wan’s next replies. Kissing really is exhausting. Anakin will definitely need to keep practicing if he wants to keep his stamina up.
When he wakes up, he's still in Obi-Wan's arms. He's tracing over his back, one hand gently cupping the back of his neck. He makes a warm, happy noise, his whole body unbelievably comfortable.
"I believe I was promised breakfast?"
Anakin whines deeply. "But then I have to get up."
"Hey! You promised. Get me breakfast or I’ll tell everyone all your secrets."
Anakin snorts. "What secrets?"
"I’ll tell Padmé you don’t know how to kiss and had to practice with me." Obi-Wan smirks, then shrugs a little as Anakin groans and gets up. "She’d probably think you’re gay then, though."
Anakin stiffens. "W-why would she think that?" he asks, laughing nervously. He—he's not. He wants Padmé. Was this a bad idea?
Obi-Wan's brow furrows. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah—just I mean, I’m not gay, so…why would she ever think that?" Anakin stutters.
Obi-Wan looks at him and then barks a laugh. "Oh, you stupid boy."
"Hey! Wait! That doesn’t answer my question," Anakin calls after him even as Obi-Wan disappears into the bathroom.
He sighs, but since he won't tell him Anakin might as well get up and start breakfast. He doesn't make the best French toast, but it's Obi-Wan's favorite, and they have whipped cream which can cover up any mistake. Plus, he'll make him tea to win himself extra points.
"Mmm, smells great, Anakin," Obi-Wan says, strutting out of the bedroom. Smug bastard.
"Yes, well, you kept up your end of the bargain, I had to keep up the end of mine."
"Honestly, I expected you to throw cereal in a bowl. French toast is a pleasant surprise. Thank you," he says, wrapping his arms around Anakin from behind for a brief moment, leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to his lips, before grabbing milk for his tea like nothing happened.
Anakin stares at him dumbfounded before quickly turning back to the toast so it doesn’t burn. "You’re welcome," he says, somehow without stuttering.
"Darling, would you like something to drink?" Anakin’s heart squeezes in his chest both because of the pet name—despite the fact that Obi-Wan seems to use them all the time—and because Obi-Wan remembers that he doesn’t like the tea.
"I could use a cup of coffee," he says with a shrug. He doesn't know if Obi-Wan even knows how to turn on the janky coffee maker Anakin rescued and fixed, but he's fine making it himself.
Obi-Wan surprises him by making a cup of coffee exactly the way Anakin likes it. Anakin wonders how long it took him to learn exactly how Anakin drinks his coffee.
"Thank you," Anakin says, shyly pleased.
"It’s no problem. Now, I’d like that French toast, please. I’ve got class in an hour and I’ll lose ten points if I’m late again," Obi-Wan responds, sitting himself at the counter.
He seems to enjoy it, much to Anakin's delight, but then Obi-Wan is leaving. He misses him as soon as he's gone, and he has almost a whole hour until his first class to do nothing but miss him.
Perhaps he should plan how to ask Padmé out, but, then, he’s not done practicing kissing Obi-Wan yet, so that would be disingenuous. Instead, he gets ahead on some reading for the English class he really should’ve taken his freshman year.
If anyone asked him if he spent most of his day scheming new ways to get Obi-Wan to agree to help him practice his kissing, he'd tell them no. In other words, he'd be lying. But really, he's passing all of his classes, why can't he daydream a little?
But there’s a thought worming its way from the back of his brain to the front. He’s a little distracted at lunch with Rex and Cody, and they seem to notice. Hmm. Maybe Anakin should ask them to help with his problem. Surely they would agree that Anakin kissing Obi-Wan for practice isn’t gay.
"Guys," he says, accidentally interrupting their conversation. They don't bug him about it, however, in fact, they look concerned. Good. They should be. This is a serious issue. "Is kissing your best friend for practice gay?"
Cody and Rex look at each other, then back at Anakin.
"Is this best friend a guy?" Rex asks.
"Yeah, obviously," Anakin says, waving his hands.
"Does this best friend happen to be Obi-Wan?" Cody asks.
"How many other best friends do I have?" Cody and Rex share another look after Anakin’s question. "Well? Is it gay or not?"
They glance at Anakin, then back at each other. There's a beat of tense silence, and then the two assholes Anakin is friends with for some reason burst out laughing.
Anakin waits for them to give him an answer, or to at least calm down, but they seem to only be laughing harder with each second that passes.
"Alright, fuck you guys," he mutters, rolling his eyes at their antics.
Neither of them seem like they’re getting enough oxygen to their brains, but Anakin could honestly care less if they pass out right now. Dickheads. It’s a simple, very serious question. Anakin had better get some other opinions.
"If you’re just gonna laugh at me, I’m leaving," Anakin announces, picking up his empty tray and abandoning his friends at the table where they’re both still giggling.
He drops off his empty tray and leaves, but he can't stop thinking. That's a no, right? Obviously, it was a no. It was an answer so ridiculously obvious they couldn't help but laugh....right?
He's certain, but a larger sample size couldn't hurt, so he'll have to find someone else trustworthy to ask.
He spots one of the freshmen he’s tutored before and waves at her. Anakin likes her more than any of the other students he’s tutored, she’s funny and smart, and even if she doesn’t know it, they’re practically best friends now.
"Hey! Ahsoka! I need help with something," he says, catching up to her and walking with her toward wherever her next class is.
"Hey, Skyguy, what's up?" she asks, because she's a good friend, unlike Rex and Cody who are supremely unhelpful.
"I have a very important question." Her brows furrow, and she nods seriously, hands grasping the straps of her backpack tightly. "Is it gay to kiss your male best friend for practice?"
But then. He gets the same stare from Ahsoka as from Rex and Cody before she too bursts out laughing. What the hell?
"You—You’re not—Oh my God—You’re serious, aren’t you?" Ahsoka manages between giggles.
"Of course I’m serious, why wouldn’t I be? Obi-Wan said Padmé would think I’m gay if she found out, but I’m not, so it’s not gay," he explains, mildly annoyed.
She opens her mouth to say something, but all that comes out is wheezing laughter. She's bent in half by the force of her giggles, and Anakin would be worried about how she slowly sinks to the ground if he weren't so affronted.
"What's so funny?!" he asks, wildly confused. "I don't get it!" She doesn't seem in a hurry to answer, and eventually, he leaves her nearly crying in the dirt. "You're going to be late for class!" he calls over his shoulder. It would serve her right.
Ugh. Why is everyone laughing at him? He needs a fair, unbiased opinion from someone serious who absolutely will not laugh at him. His first thought is to ask Professor Windu or Professor Yoda, but he shudders at the thought. Yeah, no.
It does give him an idea. A horrible one, perhaps, but an idea nonetheless. Padmé was the one this was about to begin with. Surely, if anyone could tell her if she would think it was gay, it would be her.
Yes. Perfect. He’ll ask Padmé. They have class together in…five minutes ago. Fuck. Anakin turns and sprints toward the Political Science building. He’s going to kill Cody, Rex, and Ahsoka all. This is their fault.
He does not manage to slip in unnoticed, unfortunately, but he does score a seat right next to Padmé, which is good because that means he'll almost certainly get to talk to her after class.
He can barely pay attention in class because his attention is split between daydreaming about kissing Obi-Wan again and looking at Padmé. When class ends, Anakin immediately turns to her.
"Can I ask you something?"
She looks a little bemused, but she's smiling, which Anakin takes as a good sign. "Of course. Ask away," she says easily, carefully sliding her books into her bag.
"Alright. Is it gay to kiss your male best friend for practice?"
Padmé laughs, too, a bright soft thing that Anakin thinks is quite nice. But still, she’s laughing at him, too, which leaves him feeling a little put out. She, however, unlike everyone else, stops laughing after a minute.
"Yes, Ani, I think kissing him would be gay."
He stares at her. That....is not the answer he expected. "But...what if I'm—I mean, the hypothetical person of the hypothetical question....isn't...gay." She's smiling at him, and her eyes are too knowing.
"But did you like it? Do you think about kissing him more? Does your body react to his touch?" she asks.
"Well, yeah, but those are all normal reactions. I’m not gay. I like you. I only asked him to help so I wouldn’t be inexperienced when I kiss you."
She giggles. "Oh, Anakin, that's sweet. And really, I wouldn't have minded kissing you even if you were inexperienced. But from what I've seen you and Obi-Wan—" How does everyone know it's him? "—are practically glued at the hip. I'd be more surprised if you told me you weren't dating, honestly."
"But. We’re not. Dating I mean." Sure Obi-Wan kisses his cheek in greeting and always has, but that doesn’t mean anything. He does that to everyone and they’ve really only kissed once—well, except for this morning when Obi-Wan gave him a kiss good morning right before breakfast, but Anakin had barely registered that kiss so it doesn’t count.
Padmé smiles fondly at him. "Maybe not," she agrees. "But he makes you happy, and you enjoy kissing him, I mean...why not? And if you don't believe me, go back to the apartment that you share, and ask him how he feels about you. Ask him if he thinks everything you do is purely 'platonic'."
"But I like you," Anakin says, feeling more confused than ever.
"Maybe, but are you sure you didn’t just want to be my friend, Ani?" she asks sweetly, patting his hand where it rests on the table.
He feels like he should be annoyed, or maybe like she's being condescending, but he's just so confused. He thinks he would know if he had romantic feelings for someone, and especially if he didn't! He doesn't feel like this around Rex or Ahsoka. With them it's comfortable, easy, around Padmé he gets all nervous and jittery.
Padmé shakes her head when Anakin only stares at her.
"Here," she says before leaning forward and pressing their lips together quickly. "How did that feel? The same as kissing Obi-Wan?"
Anakin shakes his head because no. It’s not the same. But that’s because he’s not gay and attracted to Obi-Wan, right?
It should feel different with her.
But did it feel good different? he can't help but ask himself. He shoves down the part of himself that wishes he was back on Obi-Wan's lap, instead. Like last night. Or this morning. He was so warm and comfortable...
"I think I need to have a talk with my roommate," he croaks.
"Yes, I think you do," Padmé says, still smiling at him gently. "Good luck, Ani!"
"Thank you," he calls weakly over his shoulder as he walks out of the classroom in a daze, heading back toward their apartment. How did this happen? How is this even possible? Anakin is straight. Isn’t he?
Sure, he's been fantasizing about kissing Obi-Wan, and he's had thoughts in the past about how capable his hands are, and he enjoyed sitting in his lap last night even though if he were with Padmé it'd probably be the other way around, but that doesn't mean he's gay. It's just...what was available.
But… Padmé had been available. Padmé had kissed him and it didn’t feel the same at all. It was nice, pleasant, but it hasn’t left him aching and wanting for more like the kisses with Obi-Wan.
Anakin is so lost in thought he almost walks straight past their apartment building. He tilts his head up to where he knows their room is and prays that this goes well.
He finds Obi-Wan on the same couch they were on last night, laptop on his lap, and a textbook open on their "coffee table" (a wooden slab on some boxes. Anakin has been meaning to make them a better one). "Hey," Obi-Wan says, giving him a smile that makes him feel all fluttery. Since when has that been happening?
"Hey," Anakin says back, rocking back on his heels, hands playing with the sleeves of his jacket.
"You’re nervous, why?" Obi-Wan, who can apparently read Anakin far too easily, asks.
"I talked with Padmé. I—um, she told me to ask you how you felt about me?"
Obi-Wan's brow furrows, and he carefully closes his laptop. "What do you mean?" he asks, confused, and Anakin is relieved that someone finally gets him. "I like you. I love you. We're boyfriends, after all." He says it light, teasing, like he hasn't just brought Anakin's entire world crashing down around him.
Oh God. He’s Obi-Wan’s boyfriend? When did he even get a boyfriend!? How did this happen? Did Anakin agree in his sleep last night? Did he get drunk yesterday and forget?
"You—Wha—I love you, too," he settled on eventually because he does. He loves Obi-Wan so much. His best friend (boyfriend!?). He can’t lose Obi-Wan, even if that means pretending to know what he’s talking about and how they became boyfriends.
Obi-Wan's whole face lights up, and Anakin can't bring himself to regret it. "Oh, good," he says happily. He sets his laptop off to the side, and Anakin thinks that, since they're boyfriends, he should really be allowed to reap the rewards, and therefore Obi-Wan's lap is prime real estate and he should be allowed to sit there.
He settles himself sideways in Obi-Wan’s lap. Obi-Wan doesn’t even complain, just tugs Anakin further into his arms and presses a kiss to his forehead. His kisses really are incredibly nice. He ducks his head so he can tuck it under Obi-Wan’s chin.
"Something the matter?" he asks. Now that he's wrapped up in Obi-Wan's arms so comfortably, all nice and protected, tucked into his chest, he can't imagine anything would be wrong. So he just shakes his head, letting himself relax fully into his boyfriend's body.
Obi-Wan holds him for a long time, neither of them saying anything, just enjoying the comfortable silence. Well, Anakin might be panicking a little. He needs to do boyfriend stuff with Obi-Wan. Oh God, he needs to take Obi-Wan out on dates.
He has to ask someone what to do. Someone who knows what to do for boyfriends. He wants to treat Obi-Wan so well, wants to take him out on good dates, but he doesn't know how to do that.
Maybe he should ask Padmé. She was the only helpful one with his problem before, so she’ll probably be the only helpful one with his problem now. He makes a mental note to ask her as soon as Obi-Wan throws Anakin off his lap.
Okay, so maybe it's more of "politely nudging him off of his lap because he needs to use the bathroom", but Anakin is steadfast. Obi-Wan completely abandoned him, and the only thing that will make it better is kisses, which thankfully Obi-Wan is all too happy to supply.
And he manages to shoot Padmé a text in the meantime, having noticed her number slipped in with his notes from class today. She responds, but Anakin can’t check his phone with Obi-Wan right here. So he’ll have to wait until night.
Thankfully, he makes dinner, so Anakin gets a chance to sneak off and text her back. She tells him to just be casual. Be casual?! Obi-Wan deserves better than casual. Obi-Wan deserves everything.
He doesn’t get to ponder that though because Obi-Wan calls, "Anakin! Dinner!" Which means he has to go eat and agonize over his new boyfriend and how…pretty he is because Anakin has started to notice just how gorgeous the man is.
He has pretty eyes (and such long lashes, how has he never noticed that?), and his cheeks flush pink whenever Anakin compliments him. He wants to trace the blush down his chest with his mouth.
Okay. Maybe Anakin is a little gay. But anyone would be when faced with Obi-Wan. It’s Obi-Wan’s fault he’s so pretty, and that Anakin’s heart flutters when he smirks. Anakin starts looking into restaurants that night to take Obi-Wan to, that’s a classic date night thing.
He'll have to save up a lot of money, but he can save. He doesn't need to go out anymore, he can just hang out at night with Obi-Wan. Because he enjoys it. And okay maybe he's kind of a little in love with him, but who wouldn't be?
He’s pretty sure every single person is at least a little in love with Obi-Wan. Not that it matters, considering Anakin is his boyfriend.
He manages to save up enough money after a month. A month wherein not much changes besides the two of them kissing and cuddling more.
And then he finally, finally can take him out on a proper date. Like he deserves.
He wishes he could have been a good boyfriend this whole time (how...however long this whole time was) but he didn't know they were dating. He would have actually taken him out on dates, had he known! How was he supposed to know, when dating was just like being friends (except with kissing, which makes it way better)?
"Are you ready to go?" Anakin asks nervously, messing with the sleeves on the one nice black button-down he owns. It’s not even that fancy of a restaurant, but Anakin still wants to look nice. Obi-Wan is still fixing his hair or something in the bathroom, but their reservation is in forty-five minutes and Anakin cannot afford to lose it.
Seriously. It was like a month's worth of wages. "Almost, dear one, just one minute." Anakin tries not to fidget nervously, but he doesn't want to rush Obi-Wan. That would be rude.
And besides, once he steps out of the bathroom, he thinks it's all worth it.
"Are you sure we need to go to the restaurant?" he breathes, unable to help himself. He stares at him, wide-eyed. He can't look away from him. He's...he's gorgeous.
"Anakin, you’ve had this planned all week. We’re going. We can do whatever it is you’ve cooked up in your mind when we get home," Obi-Wan tells him. Which is absolutely not the right thing to say because they haven’t even had sex yet and that’s all Anakin can think about right now. What if he’s too inexperienced for this, too? What if Obi-Wan thinks he’s bad in bed?
He wants to make him feel so good, he'd do anything for him, but he's never fucked anyone (or been fucked, who knew he'd like that idea?), he's never tried to give anyone a blow job either, and what if Obi-Wan thinks it's so bad he breaks up with him?
But then Obi-Wan links their arms together, and he has possibly the prettiest boy to ever exist as his boyfriend, he's going on a date with him, and maybe he can worry about that later.
Especially because they’re at the restaurant before Anakin even registers it, it being a slight walk from their apartment, but only half an hour so it’s fine! Obi-Wan also doesn’t complain, so that helps. Anakin smiles as he checks into their reservation and they’re led to their table.
Thankfully, it's already ready for them, and there are glasses of ice water set out for them. They have cloth napkins and fancy silverware. Anakin doesn't think he's eaten at a place this nice in his entire life.
Obi-Wan probably has, but he still looks appreciative nonetheless.
"This is a nice place. Good choice, Anakin," Obi-Wan tells him as the waiter comes for their drink orders and gives them genuine, real menus that are in cases and laminated.
"Thank you," he says, trying not to blush and probably failing. It's fine, there's mood lighting in here, which means it's dim and Obi-Wan probably can't tell.
He opens his menu, scanning the options, only to jump when he feels Obi-Wan brush their feet together under the table. He glances up at him, but he's absorbed in his own menu, showing no sign that he's tangling their feet together under the table.
But Anakin’s heart feels like it might beat out of his chest. He goes back to his own menu, trying to ignore the way Obi-Wan’s legs are brushing against his. Oh God. Anakin is really going to have to come clean, isn’t he? Obi-Wan deserves to know that Anakin has no idea what he’s doing and didn’t even know they were dating until a month ago.
He hopes he doesn't—well, given how massive this oversight was, he doesn't think there's much he can hope for. He hopes this doesn't hurt Obi-Wan. That's the last thing he wants to have happen.
After the waiter takes their order and leaves, Anakin takes a deep breath.
"Oh, that’s not good. You’re going to tell me something big, aren’t you?" Obi-Wan says, brows raised.
"How can you even tell?"
"You’re an open book, dear."
He's stupidly pleased that Obi-Wan knows him that well. "Only to you," he says, sliding his shoe against Obi-Wan's bare ankle. His smile turns bittersweet. "Um. So. You know how we're dating?"
Obi-Wan smiles, amused. "Yes, darling, I'm well aware."
"Well, uh, I mean—So I didn’t actually realize that we were dating until you said you were my boyfriend like a month ago," Anakin says with a nervous laugh. "I realize that makes me a terrible person and probably not someone you want to be with but please don’t break up with me. I really like being your boyfriend, especially now that I know."
Obi-Wan stares at him for a solid couple of seconds, and Anakin tries not to fidget nervously. Is it hot in here? He thinks it's hot in here.
Then Obi-Wan smiles. "Oh, Anakin," he murmurs, taking his hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I know."
"You—You know!?" Anakin once again feels like his whole world is crumbling around him. "What—How did you figure it out? When did you figure it out? Why didn’t you tell me? This wasn’t—this isn’t a joke to you is it? Because it’s not to me."
"Anakin, sweetheart," Obi-Wan says imploringly, squeezing his hand. "When you asked me a month ago—well, I was teasing you. I just wanted to make you realize how ridiculous you were being. And, quite frankly, I was kind of hoping you wanted that. I didn't expect you to take me seriously, but I've wanted to be your boyfriend for so long I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth."
"You. You were teasing me?" Anakin asks, his voice pitching up.
"Of course I was, darling. I could see how confused you were and it was impossible not to keep messing with you. You really are cute when you’re confused."
Anakin’s brain catches up with the second half of Obi-Wan’s statement. "Wait. How long have you wanted to be my boyfriend?"
Obi-Wan ducks his head, and oh apparently the lighting is good enough to see when someone blushes because Obi-Wan turns bright pink. "Do I have to answer that?" he asks softly, and Anakin is already nodding.
"Yes. Please," he adds.
"… from the minute we met," Obi-Wan murmurs. "I was trying to ask you out, but you didn’t notice. I figured you weren’t interested and gave up. And then you asked me to help you practice kissing, and I was thrilled."
Anakin feels stupid. "You...you mean we could have been doing this the whole time?" Kissing is so good, and Obi-Wan has been withholding it? "Why didn't you say something, when I first asked you?"
"Because you’ve always insisted you were straight! Don’t think I didn’t notice your little crisis when I told you Padmé would think you were gay if she found out."
"You noticed that, too!?" Anakin’s voice is unnaturally high by this point.
Obi-Wan can't help but laugh. "Of course I noticed, Anakin. It was...a little disheartening, I'll admit, but. You did at least seem to enjoy kissing me, so I could enjoy that."
"I do enjoy kissing you," he says, nodding quickly. It's one of his favorite things to do, kissing Obi-Wan.
"I enjoy kissing you as well," Obi-Wan says. He’s smiling at Anakin and Anakin loves him. "In any case, I knew you would reject me if I told you that I liked you, and I didn’t want to make things weird between us. So I didn’t say anything. I don’t mind that this is the way it worked out."
Anakin, as a matter of fact, is very very pleased with how this worked out. "You wouldn't have made things weird. Just for the record. The idea of missing out on having you in my life, in any capacity, is like...the worst thing I can think of. I wouldn't have wanted anything to change."
"You’re sweet," Obi-Wan says, leaning one hand on his cheek and staring at Anakin. "I like that. I like having you in my life, darling. You’re probably the best part of it."
Anakin needs to kiss him. Like, right now. It's a little awkward, with the table in the way, but he manages to brush their mouths together. "You're the best part of my life too. I love getting to come home to you every day."
"As do I, my boyfriend," Obi-Wan says. Anakin doesn’t think the smile has faded from his face in minutes. He’s so pretty, Anakin could cry.
"I love being your boyfriend," Anakin admits.
"I think I am quite possibly the luckiest guy in the world," Obi-Wan tells him. Anakin thinks that title belongs to himself, but he doesn't get a chance to tell him that before their waiter reappears.
After that, they have to quit being sappy to eat dinner which, really, is unfair. Anakin could go on and tell Obi-Wan soft, stupid, sappy things all day. He’d like that very much actually. He’s got so many things he needs to tell Obi-Wan now that they’re real, official, genuine boyfriends (he thinks. he hopes).
Maybe he'll ask him. And then, if he says yes, he'll ask him if he can take him home (to their shared apartment) and kiss him until—well, until hopefully other things happen.
"Does—We’re still boyfriends right? But like for real this time," Anakin asks carefully, pointing his knife at Obi-Wan—definitely not proper etiquette for such a fancy restaurant but they can’t throw Anakin out now or he won’t pay for dinner.
"I would be rather upset if we weren't," Obi-Wan says softly, and Anakin smiles, relieved. He has a boyfriend. Possibly the best one in the world. Who he gets to go home with later. But first, dessert.
For a split second Anakin wishes he had a ring to give Obi-Wan then Obi-Wan could be his husband, but that probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Obi-Wan might freak out. Plus, Anakin wants to be able to tell people he has a boyfriend for at least a little longer.
He resolves not to ask him to marry him until they're at least out of college. He can wait that long, he's sure. He likes having a boyfriend too much to rush things.
Especially this boyfriend, who's still knocking their legs gently together and smiling at him over his dessert. Anakin thinks he'll be in love with him forever.