Covalent Bonds

Chapter 21

"Master Allie will be finished with Master Tachi soon and then you'll go. Let's head for a closet."

"A closet."

"A linen closet. This is a hospital and there ought to be pillows and comforters and such, much nicer than the Senate building's janitor closet when Padmé and I used one -- " Ooops. 

Now I'm out of the mood. "Oh, I don't think so." With Obi-Wan's knowledge of his parity with Anakin came revitalized bodaciousness. He walked ahead of Anakin down the corridor in Masterly mode as he had not done yet this week and did not look back to see if he were being followed two steps behind, one step to the left. Their imprinting flared in his mind as he reached a service level of the Jedi hospital and closed his eyes, turning slowly in a circle. Water. In there. No sentients. When Anakin caught up to him, Obi-Wan grabbed his metal wrist roughly, leading him at a brisk march through the unlocked door. The odor of water treatment chemicals tickled Obi-Wan's nose and instead of sneezing as he would have before Olanet, he swept the room with a gaze as he Force-pushed on the lights to half-power. It was a hydrotherapy suite, three whirlpools with their attendant patient-lifting cranes ready to ease wounded Jedi into the soothing warmth. No whirlpool gurgled, but each spa was prepared for patients with already heated water. There were two for human/humanoid size Jedi and a large one for Whiphids or even larger species, like Phlogs.

Anakin said nothing as he undid his cloak, but in this a forceful Master halted him with a look, undoing the clasp of cloak and belt with blinding speed. Anakin held his arms at his sides, allowing swift fingers and maybe a touch of the Force to slip off tunics, outer and under, and boots and socks until he stood clad only in his undergarment. Unlike minutes ago by the nurses' station, his cock was not interested in the proceedings. He reached down with his flesh hand to cup it, but Obi-Wan bunted his hand aside and finished the gesture.

"Ob-- "

"Quiet. I'll show you a closet." Obi-Wan fed his indignation by thrusting one hand into the fly to dig and delve as his other hand found its way into the dropseat behind and roamed freely. Anakin's eyes rolled back in his head as he spread his legs further apart, laying his forehead on Obi-Wan's shoulder. When the pressure behind turned to a probe, he half-cracked open an eyelid and gasped at what he saw. Eyes stared at him, eyes from the rows of med-droids lining shadowed wallslots in the suite, ready to assist the healers. Condensation from the room's humidity bedewed the trapezoidal lenses and a cock-seized Anakin shuffled a step forward, wide-eyed now, as Obi-Wan backed up against the droid, wiping one hand across the unresponsive face to wet it. Obi-Wan replaced his dripping hand on Anakin's ass, nudging aside quivering cheeks to tap and then press inside him. Past ring after trembling ring the droid watched without comment as the Padawan gasped yes and harder and been so long. From grinding to almost yanking, Obi-Wan's attention to Anakin's front buckled Anakin's knees.

"Stand up." From out of nowhere, Obi-Wan sensed Siri's crankiness with the measured progress of Stass' exam and relaxed a little. We have some time, not much. He eased off the pace. With a sighing moan, Anakin put his arms around Obi-Wan's neck and leaned his forehead against his. Obi-Wan gentled his approach, pulling out and back. He slid Anakin's undergarment off and even more quickly shed his own garments. "Into the water after me." He stepped down five steps into the spa, dimming the overhead lights to one-quarter, as he settled himself on the duracrete seat. Now the steam from the septsilk-smooth water made Anakin half-invisible, waiting with his hands at his sides for the next command. Somewhere between steps one and five Anakin had undone his braid. Obi-Wan caught his breath. "Now," he said, finding the pressure plate for the single underwater light by his heel. The water glowed.

Like a warmed Gitchy. Mmmmm ... Anakin figured his blunder had gotten him treated like a rag doll and obeyed without question. But he couldn't resist throwing in an inspiration of his own. With a dramatic gesture, he clapped his palms together and then separated them slowly. The steaming water parted down to the floor of the spa, surging to the sides while held back by an undeniably impressive display of the Force. The effect lasted only half the length of the four-meter long pool, leaving Obi-Wan comfortable in his immersion. Anakin seated himself primly two meters away from his Master before allowing the water to return to its natural level, splashing a little on Obi-Wan's beard.

Obi-Wan couldn't help it. He laughed, good mood restored. "You showoff."

"I learned from the best."

Obi-Wan blinked. "What?"

"When we got our tattoos, you didn't even wince."

"I was above it all, deep in the Force. It only took half an hour of discomfort, Anakin." Obi-Wan rubbed his left nipple, making the red flower furl its petals. "And I hate to throw a damper on things, but Siri will not be occupied the entire afternoon."

"Can you sense her like you did me, before the imprinting, I mean?" I can't sense Tru or Darra or even Ferus as individuals, but Obi-Wan is a Master.

"We had no bond, you know that. Now it's different, and I sense she is looking for us. It's like, it's like hearing a far-off echo."

Anakin felt secure enough to make his move. "Then shall our flowers kiss or ... be in a row?" I've wanted to say that for the longest time, I've dreamed of saying it.

Obi-Wan laughed again, charmed. "Let's let them kiss." He waved casually at the door and they both heard the click! of its lock. The next thing he knew he was hauling Anakin to straddle his waist, cupping his ass, fingers at the cleft, pinkie and ring finger audaciously advancing and then retreating, time and again. Anakin arched backwards, grunting, his knees and part of his torso clearing the water as he braced himself with a hand on each knee of Obi-Wan's. Obi-Wan sucked in a mouthful of water and squirted it at the notch of Anakin's clavicle. Anakin didn't feel it as he concentrated on Obi-Wan making his entrance.

I need to control, yes, slowly down, allll the way, eh, some more ... there. "Am I hurting you, Padawan?"

"N-Not at all."

"You're crying."

"Am not."

"I can wait. Breathe, pant like a -- "

"Missed you like this, that's all. Now let's make waves." Anakin controlled himself with Masterly finesse. It was Obi-Wan who dropped the scramball and came after six thrusts.

"Got to ... get used to ... this new power, I'm sorry, Anakin, next time ... I'll recite actuarial tables or ... Qui-Gon's first Padawan's middle names, something tedious ..."

"I may be able to help. Now you do what I want. Stay right where you are." Anakin clenched as Obi-Wan tried to stay in place. Reaching down over Obi-Wan's shoulder, Anakin's mechno-arm wasn't long enough to reach his target, but it was outfitted with a powerful untiring hand. Flexing fingers to palm and out again rapidly, Anakin directed a stream of warm water deliciously against Obi-Wan's entrance. He had the satisfaction of hearing Obi-Wan moan as Obi-Wan turned his head sideways against Anakin's pecs in order to breathe. Obi-Wan commenced to rub his ear over Anakin's undecorated nipple, fitting it inside the shell of his ear, rubbing it with a pinna that was stiffer than he was at the moment. It wasn't long until the nipple peaked enough to make Anakin catch his breath and whimper, but not enough to distract him from moving his hand. It took only minutes until Obi-Wan shuddered and stiffened respectably.

"Ohhhh, yessss ... mmmmmm ... like that, now let me help you ... " Obi-Wan didn't think he could come again, but that was secondary to furthering his Padawan's pleasure. He slid one hand down to Anakin's cock, firming it again until Anakin doubled up his legs to hook his knees over Obi-Wan's shoulders and leaned back, his braid fanning into the water. Anakin entered the realm that was ever new and renewing and came hard, his hands falling slackly from Obi-Wan's shoulders, knowing that Obi-Wan would not let his head go under the water, which he didn't.

The med-droids kept watching as the two murmured meaningless phrases as they floated side by side, remembering Gitchy. Obi-Wan got dressed first, sighed and reactivated his comm. "Three messages. All right, Siri, we're on our way. This is where the fun begins." They held hands as they walked past the nurses' station, out of the hospital and towards the Corellian Star shuttle some wag had stenciled Dubious Content on. Probably a Corellian's idea of haw-haw humor.

Anakin admired the shuttle. "It's beautiful, but why so big for the two of you? Kind of obvious for an observation mission, isn't it?"

"It's all right. We're going to secure it somewhere safe and go extra-vehicular over to, to ... " Kriff. He didn't need to know that this soon.

Anakin jerked his hand from Obi-Wan's. "What!"

"That's the plan thus far, Anakin. You'll have to trust in Siri's and my abilities. Now come with me." Obi-Wan ignored Anakin's mutterings as he led the way to the cockpit deliberately past the two turbolasers' emplacement. See these, Padawan? We're not defenseless.

Siri glared at them. "Finally. What were you two up to?"

"Visiting someone we know. He's getting better." Obi-Wan hovered behind Siri's seat, familiarizing himself with the reality of the command panel as compared to his readings.

"Do I know him?"

"I'm not sure. Siri, Anakin's decided to visit his family on Tatooine."

Siri plugged in the coordinates, huffing. "I don't see why you didn't tell me about the visit. Why did you turn off your comm?" She fine-tuned the numbers to her liking. "It's ready. He can use the mini-orbital shuttle to debark. Padawan, this boat is in tiptop shape, but I don't suppose that will stop you from checking everything yourself." She grinned widely at him. Anakin found himself unable to grin back, but he did thaw a little past mere civility. He bowed and strode aft during their liftoff, vowing to eyeball every decimeter of the ninety-meter craft in the two hours they had left together. He opened himself to the Force and finished his inspection early, stopping in the galley to say goodbye to Obi-Wan. He willed himself not to get excited and relapse to his old stuttering habit. There was one basic thing he needed to say, and all the rest could wait until he saw Obi-Wan again.

"May The Force Be With You."

As Obi-Wan replied, "May The Force Be With Y-- ", Anakin lifted Obi-Wan and bent him backwards until he lost his balance. They dropped to the deck of the Dubious Content in a sighing embrace that Anakin never wanted to end. Obi-Wan laughed after he'd regained his breath. "Like you, I don't want to wait until next time. But I have to and you have to. Siri's checking the pre-flight again now that you've fixed the fanistan -- "

"Franistan something something valve. You've knocked the jargon out of my head and I will not let your mission be delayed any longer." Anakin's braid lay in Obi-Wan's hand, neatly plaited and tied, not free like Obi-Wan liked most of all. Obi-Wan coiled it around his thumb.

"Soon this will be gone. The day is coming, I sense it."

"You'll lead me around by something else then."

"This, I assume."

"Ow! It's been a long time, be nice!"

"If I'd known before why I felt empowered, Anakin, I'd not waited, believe me -- "

Anakin pulled a face. "Healers have good news. Sometimes." I'll wait. I've waited two years. I can wait some more, even if I go Sith with it. He ran over the litany he'd composed during his angry prowl last night on Naboo and added what they had learned today to it. "Don't mod the swoops without checking the manual, wear earbuds for communication and call for backup if necessary. Let the Temple know they need to comm me if anything goes wrong and don't get cocky just because your midichlorians are in my league -- "

" -- I won't, I will, I will, maybe I will and I would never. Greet Sabra and Beru and Owen for me, stay away from Gafsa Wells and go easy on the liquor." Obi-Wan nuzzled Anakin's scarred eyebrow. "Don't operate any speeder under the influence, I don't care that there's not much traffic on Tatooine. There are still cliffs to run into."

Siri's boots clanked from far down the shuttle's main alleyway and they rose to their knees, robes entwined around them. They didn't talk for three minutes and when they were finished, Anakin hoisted his duffel and left for the aft flight deck without a backward glance. They each thought they knew the limits of imprinting and surmised that the distance between them would be too great to See the beacon that shone even when they closed their eyes.

Siri reached the hatchway to the galley one minute before and froze for a split-second. Now I feel stupid. 'Sleeping together.' Luminara, why didn't you tell me? 'Lovers,' was that so hard to say? Especially to me, when you know my history. Siri ducked out of the hatchway, waited a decent time after Anakin left, and clomped her way in to the galley. "Supplies all checked out?" she said to Obi-Wan's back. She heard the mini-shuttle depart.

"Three years' worth, check. Pre-flight?"

"Check. Anakin did a bang-up job on the valve, fitted new pyrowashers and everything. Not a drop coming now, just a slick spot where one was." She opened the cooling unit's freezer, plopping a few ice cubes into a handy mug suitable for hot or cold beverages. She poured a bubblezap over the ice and when the foaming had abated, fished out one icecube and handed it to Obi-Wan. "For your lips, Oafy."

Obi-Wan rubbed it over his swollen mouth once and then popped it onto his tongue. "Ready, willing and able for service, O-Siri."

"Then let's punch it."

Meanwhile, in downlevel Coruscant ...

Padmé wasn't tired of Enri's slow flight patterns yet. Just being a passenger behind him in the Torpedo's second seat, she experienced more of Coruscant's many levels than ever before, though his endless curiosity about certain activities downlevel embarrassed her. The stately pleasure barge moving along at a glacier's pace on the lowest level was the worst. Shouts and whoops and flashes of bare skin of all hues and textures screamed from its windows to the galaxy of the high spirits contained inside. When Enri pulled alongside, retracting the Torpedo's bubble for a friendly wave at a beruffled male Zeltron who was particularly exuberant, she had to draw the line.

"Cousin, I'm the Vice-Chancellor. I can't be seen like this. We have the security screen on, but you're flying close enough for them to see my face -- "

Enri waved enthusiastically at the beckoning cerise Zeltron, even as he shook his head 'no'. He piloted with one knee while using his other hand to twiddle a dial on the control panel. Padmé leaned over his shoulder as best she could to see.

"What are you doing?"

"Scrambling the shield's polarity. Nobody can see who you are now." Enri sped past the pleasure barge just as three human females and one close-enough to human jumped onto the wide lower step of the barge, ushered aboard by a liveried Phlog who handed them up into the half-lit interior. Enri closed the bubble and his windblown curls subsided down his back. Padmé thought about loaning him one of her scarves for their next jaunt. Wait. He programmed all that with one hand. How?

"What did you do to the screen that nobody else has done?"

"Eh, it was a piece of sweesonberry cake. Won three aurodium medals at the Varykino Parish's Science Fair when I was knee-high to a shaak."

"That long ago, my. Were you a prodigy?"

"It was last year. We grow our shaaks big in Varykino Parish, Cousin." Padmé's laugh pealed along with Enri's as they headed back home.

TBC

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