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Obi-Wan rocked back on his heels, feeling unaccountably nervous as he watched the media swarm the newly elected Chancellor and her family. No, that was not true. He'd learned these past ten years to be kinder to himself even in his honesty. He was aware of precisely why he was nervous and it was an understandable emotion.
He'd left things in a bad state with Anakin when the latter left the Order to be with his wife and children. Indeed, he recalled the exact words. He had been cruel. He had been hurt and, in turn, hurtful.
Yet the Force was forgiving. He hoped Anakin too shared that in his nature, but if not, Obi-Wan could be at peace merely seeing his former apprentice once again. He was sure they would see each other quite often regardless – the Grand Master of the Jedi Order did often come into contact with the Supreme Chancellor – and he intended to at least extend his apologies in hopes of coming to an accord.
The arrival of the Naberrie-Skywalker family back to Coruscant was not a terribly press friendly affair. They'd had plenty of that during the quick and decisive campaign Padme had led upon her return to the Senate some months ago. Assumption of the office was not so swift as in Palpatine's day, leaving the current Chancellor time to tidy his affairs and bow gracefully from the office.
Not that there was a graceful bone in Teem's body, Obi-Wan thought cynically. His Chancellorship had been little short of disastrous, a terrible follow up to Bail Organa's refreshing and forthright terms. Desperation had been all that could call Padme Amidala back to politics, everyone was well aware. Perhaps they were in luck that such a crisis had struck, rather than leaving the Republic in the hands of middling and stale partisans who would soon undo all of Organa's good work.
Obi-Wan felt a shift in the Force and turned on his feet, aware that his opportunity had come. Padme's security had finally had enough of trying to merely keep the holocams and reporters out of her face and decided to force the issue, calling for port security to usher the reporters away.
The Naberrie-Skywalker family watched ruefully as Typho direct the security officers handling the situation – but for Anakin, of course, who stood with his arms crossed, satisfied glare on his face as he stood just in front of the children.
Obi-Wan walked quickly but solemnly over to the group, only to stop short as he stared.
"My," Obi-Wan breathed out, looking at Luke and Leia. "You are very nearly grown already."
Leia grinned at that, as if she'd just won at argument, while Luke frowned. He reached up to tug at his father's sleeve. Anakin rested his hand on Luke's head.
"He's an old friend."
"I know that," Luke said impatiently. "I saw the holos. But why is he here? I mean, why now?"
Padme's eyes were kind, yet wary. She looked more beautiful in person, the fierceness of her intelligence coming through in a way that the holos never quite captured.
"It's a good question," she said.
Obi-Wan looked to Anakin. He was so bright in the Force, dazzlingly so. The Jedi of the war had described him as a sun, not merely in the light he exuded but in the sheer gravity of him. He was different now. For all that the presence of his equally Force strong children should have blinded Obi-Wan, he felt comforted instead. Drawn to them, yes, but not compelled.
The fire in Anakin still burned, but it did not consume. Just standing here, looking at him and sensing him in the Force, Obi-Wan knew with surety: he'd become the Jedi Obi-Wan always hoped he would be.
Yet only by leaving the Jedi, disavowing them and being disavowed.
"Because my well wishes for you are long overdue," Obi-Wan said after a beat. He realized some time had passed while he looked at Anakin, though he could not say surely how long.
Anakin seemed to shake himself, time as elastic for him as for Obi-Wan. And then, in two very long strides, he swept Obi-Wan up into a hug as if they'd never parted.
Obi-Wan hugged him back, clapping one hand to Anakin's shoulder before they broke apart.
"All you had to do was say it, old man," Anakin said, arm still around him.
"I don't think you even had to do that much," Padme advised him. She smiled and shook her head. "Then you'll come to dinner?"
"I –" He'd not thought that far ahead. He caught himself attempting to refuse and stopped, inclining his head appreciatively. "I would be honored."
Padme picked up her wineglass by the stem, smiling in delight as she sat back to listen to the rest of Obi-Wan's Council woes.
"I can't believe Yoda stepped down," Anakin repeated.
He was drunk, unexpectedly and entertainingly so, and he simply would not let the topic go since it'd been brought up over an hour ago. He already knew that Yoda had retired from the Council several years ago, but somehow having another Jedi around to vent to was entirely different from merely ranting at handmaidens.
"No one could believe it," Obi-Wan assured him. He was pleasingly buzzed, from what Padme could tell, though far cagier in hiding the evidence than Anakin. She raised her glass to her lips and then swiped the back of her hand across her mouth to cover the dribbles that had somehow escaped, eyes wide as they darted between the men. They hadn't noticed. "The Council is almost entirely different from the war, Anakin. It's more change than the Jedi have seen in nearly a millennium."
Which seemed healthy enough to Padme, to be entirely honest.
"Elected! Padme, they elected Council Members. Jedi. Voting."
Anakin was cute when he was scandalized.
"Democracy is something I've heard the Order values," Padme told him, but he was still shaking his head.
"Not like that we don't!"
Neither he nor Obi-Wan seemed to notice the slip.
"It has done the Order good," Obi-Wan said. He fumbled for a moment before he found his own wine glass and then brightened when he turned his attention to the table, snatching it up eagerly. "And Master Yoda, as well. He has returned to teaching the younglings and he seems happier for it than I've seen in ages."
Padme and Anakin exchanged a cautious look. The children had been sent to bed after dinner, though both were entirely aware that they were likely just chatting with friends back on Naboo, running up a frightening holocomm bill. While they were present, the topic had been easy enough to avoid. Obi-Wan would not have brought it up with Luke and Leia sitting there, looking at him.
"I had heard there were problems," Padme said cautiously. "In finding more younglings."
And, more particularly, in finding parents who were willing to give their children to the Jedi. It had been a different matter before the war, a point of pride that an entire system would share in. But watching the galaxy's Order die on the front lines for four years of an excruciating war and, worse, discovering the entire conflict had been orchestrated by the Sith, that had quashed the cultural endorsement of sending children to the Jedi.
The matter was only worsened by one of the Republic's most prominent Senators refusing to give her own Force strong children to the Order. By the Hero With No Fear leaving the Order for love.
It was a sacrifice fewer and fewer were prepared to make these days.
Obi-Wan did not address the undercurrents of the question, smiling and shaking his head as he dismissed it.
"We did have one – at first. However, I believe I have struck upon a solution." He looked to Anakin. "Though I will need your advice, I think."
"I don't –"
"Anakin, I realize that there are few who will come to you for suggestions about life choices. However, that is the exact thing I intend to do. At a later date, so do not worry. You will have time to formulate an answer." He leaned across the gap between their chairs and pushed Anakin's mouth closed. "And to practice a more dignified way of expressing your surprise."
His hand lingered on Anakin's jaw and Padme hid a smile behind her wine glass, taking another long drink. She set the empty glass back down on the table and rose from her seat.
Now, she'd hardly had a plan regarding this evening. She was not so canny or high minded, nor as generous with the affections of her husband as certain holonet gossips liked to suppose. However, she was excellently on point when it came to seizing opportunities.
Padme smoothed her hands down the vinesilk of her dress, squaring her shoulders as she slunk around the table to her husband. He smiled immediately when she straddled his lap and pulled him into a deep, languid kiss.
Obi-Wan made a sound behind them. Padme broke the kiss with a sigh and pillowed her head on Anakin's shoulder to look at him.
"I suppose that is my cue," Obi-Wan said wryly.
"It is," she told him. "But not how you suppose."
She reached out to wind her hand into his tunics. He offered no resistance at all when she kissed him. Her nose twitched and she repressed a giggle at the scratchy feel off his beard before happily sinking into the kiss. She released him after a moment, looking first to Anakin for his reaction and then to Obi-Wan.
Well, actually, she didn't need to look at Anakin. She wriggled in his lap, pleased, and he dropped his hand from his face to glare at her.
She framed his face with her hands, kissing him lightly as she waited him out.
"I know you, Ani," she whispered against his lips. She moved to brush kisses down his throat and he shivered against her. "This will be good for you."
"And for me, I assume?" Obi-Wan asked. He sounded rather bemused that his input wasn't being asked, but Padme had taken that kiss as a fairly significant sign of his interest.
Padme ignored his question, tossing her hair to look at him.
"You missed your cue."
He swallowed deeply.
"So I did."
Obi-Wan sat forward in his chair and Padme leaned out of his way, hands braced on the edge of the table. Anakin wavered for a moment, darting a look to her, before his he shut his eyes. Obi-Wan slid his hand up Anakin's jaw to hold him in place as he kissed the other man. Anakin groaned loudly, embarassingly so – she knew he'd blush about it tomorrow – and grabbed Obi-Wan, pulling him closer as he opened his mouth under Obi-Wan's.
Padme caught her breath watching them.
Anakin parted from the kiss shakily and Obi-Wan hardly looked any more composed. He sat back in his chair, raking his hair through his gray peppered hair, shaking his head as if in disbelief.
Now that they had established that kissing each other felt good, however, Padme felt that matters could progress. She rocked slowly against Anakin, drawing his attention back to her.
"Padme? Here?" he asked.
There was a delicious hitch in his voice. She wanted to hear it again. She ground down against him and, for a wild moment, thought that here really was good enough. The table was sturdy. Obi-Wan was experienced enough to figure out logistics, she was sure.
She exhaled a long breath and forced herself to stop.
"No." She stood and extended a hand to each of them. Anakin took it, eyes lingering on Obi-Wan until his large hand too enfolded Padme's. "I think we'll be far more comfortable upstairs."
Getting upstairs was a careful and silent affair. They crept past the twins' bedroom, listening for any sign that they were still awake. It was a very good thing that their residence on Naboo had never been large enough to allow for the kind of privacy that could have misled the children about the status of their parents' sex life. Not that, according to Anakin, there was truly any way to shield that in the Force. Someday she was sure that they would decide she and Anakin were very gross indeed, but at the moment, they simply accepted that their parents were particularly happy at times and didn't have any interest in questioning it.
Anakin and Padme inviting Obi-Wan into their bed would surely change that, but Padme would rather field those questions tomorrow. After the bed invitation had been issued and taken up.
Padme keyed the door to the master bedroom open. She'd yet to actually see it. Their new residence was not an official one – after all, the many species of the Republic frequently had different needs when it came to a domicile – but she nonetheless had not been the one to select it. The handmaidens and security team had pored over various options after her election, deeming the official Naboo Senator's quarters insufficient for the family's needs. They had presented the handful of viable choices to her and Anakin who had then passed the job off to the kids, since they didn't honestly care that much and if the twins had a preference there was no reason not to indulge them.
Typho and Dorme had secured the house upon their arrival to Coruscant and overseen the move in process. Padme and Anakin had been understandably distracted by Obi-Wan's company in the meantime.
Padme looked around the room briefly, looking for her vanity. Anakin entered the room behind her and gave a low, appreciative whistle. She glanced up and followed his gaze to the panorama that lay just outside their enormous windows, the city lights like a black bed of stars, cut through with rivers of fire.
Obi-Wan joined Anakin as the two admired the view and Padme took the opportunity to deal with the structure of her hair. Dorme had streamlined the process over the past few years, giving in to Padme's complaints about the children finding precisely the right way to undo her hair without every meaning to, or else attempting to help and just tangling it worse. There was a single, hidden pin holding the hairstyle together and Padme pulled it loose, letting her hair fall into crinkled locks around her shoulders. She pushed one hand through her hair to remove the remaining pins and soon found other hands had working alongside hers.
Obi-Wan's, she realized in startled delight. He brushed her hair off of her neck and bent to kiss her there as Anakin circled in front of her, question on his face.
"The side," she told him and he nodded, reaching out not with his hands but with the Force to undo the fastenings on her dress.
It slid down her body to the floor and she kicked it away, along with her shoes. Dorme would kill her for mistreating her clothes, but right now all Padme cared about was the way Obi-Wan melded his body to hers as Anakin ducked his head, kissing a line down to her naked breasts before giving them his full attention.
Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes and bit her lip. Obi-Wan's hands had moved to her hips, pushing her underwear down for her to step out of. Anakin's hands touched his on her skin and Padme shuddered.
"I think we'll be more comfortable on the bed," she told them both.
Obi-Wan chuckled low against her back, kissing her shoulder again, while Anakin backed away. He almost looked forlorn at the loss of contact. Padme put her hand on his face and he took a deep breath, steadying himself, before he returned her smile. He was quick to divest himself of his clothes – boots thrown into a corner, shirt and trousers left on the bedroom floor as he worked his way over to the bed. Padme sat on the edge and snagged him when he drew closer, leaning forward to nuzzle him briefly.
Anakin joined her on the bed, gently wrestling her down to kiss her. She laughed and tumbled him under her, sitting up and arching her back to cast a sidelong glance at Obi-Wan.
He'd made fair headway with his clothing, shedding the outer most layers and putting his boots to the side before he got distracted watching them. There was a faint flush to his cheeks and his trousers were tented prominently.
"What are you waiting for?" Padme asked and she extended a hand to him.
He took it lightly and brushed a kiss across her knuckles.
"A plan of action, I think, Chancellor."
Anakin took hold of Padme, keeping her in place as he levered himself up to sit. He looked over Padme's shoulder to Obi-Wan and the other man's expression went heated as they locked gazes.
"I'd like to watch you go down on my wife," he told Obi-Wan. "I'll return the favor."
Obi-Wan nodded swiftly. Padme turned back to Anakin, kissing him soundly.
"Good choice, my love," she said against his mouth.
She moved off of Anakin to lay flat and he shimmied up the bed, one arm around her and head resting on her shoulder as he positioned himself to watch. His hand traced from her hip down her leg and then back up as she spread her legs.
Obi-Wan knelt on the bed and leaned forward, one hand on Padme's thigh. He lifted an eyebrow in Anakin's direction.
"I admit that, grammatically, I'm not entirely sure what you just promised."
Padme wound her fingers into his hair and urged him upward.
"Oh, hush."
They'd decide exactly which favor Anakin was returning to whom later.
Obi-Wan kissed up her thigh and spread her folds with his fingers, beard rough on her skin in a way that made Padme's stomach clench. She bit her lip, eyes closing as she focused on the sensations.
"Like that," Anakin murmured into her hair. "No, a little more…"
She cracked her eyes open to look at him and found his attention fixed on Obi-Wan. She felt the whisper of the Force, tingling against her skin, communication between the two of them as Anakin guided Obi-Wan.
Padme arched her back as Obi-Wan pushed two fingers into her, sucking harder on her clit. She wound one hand into the sheets as he finger fucked her and grabbed at Anakin with the other, panting into a quick kiss. She rested her forehead against his, trembling as she came with sudden force.
Anakin angled his head to look back at Obi-Wan who was busy coaxing her into another orgasm, leaving her gasping. He kissed her thigh and Padme pushed her hand against his face until he moved pulled back. He drew himself up to meet her eyes with a smug smile. Padme relaxed into the mattress with a sigh, too appreciative of his efforts to muster any real response.
"Get up here," Anakin ordered.
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows and Padme offered a slight shrug in response. She couldn't say that was typical from Anakin, but their other partners didn't provoke quite as strong a response from him. His hand was a tight fist on the covers, held well away from his jutting erection. He wasn't going to permit himself that relief just yet.
"What was that about a favor?" Obi-Wan asked. He covered Anakin's body with his own, propped up on his arms as he rubbed against him.
"I'm reconsidering," Anakin said. If he wanted to sound angry, he didn't quite get there. His eyes fluttered shut as Obi-Wan traced a hand down his chest and stroked his length.
He was having trouble holding it together, Padme noted with delight. His fingers dug into Obi-Wan's back as he pulled the other man down, kissing away every trace of Padme only to break off with a moan as Obi-Wan ground down against his thigh.
Padme watched them for a long moment before scooting closer to him, lips at Anakin's ear. Her hand was on Obi-Wan's back, feeling the flex of his muscles and the sweat beginning to bead on his skin.
"I have an idea," she told him. He nodded to her to continue, face screwed up as he thrust up into Obi-Wan's hand. "I'll return the favor for you and you can make it up to Obi-Wan tomorrow night."
He turned his head to look at her, eyes half lidded. He licked his lips as he nodded, breath hitching in his chest.
"And what do I do?"
"You never wanted to fuck you old Master?" she asked innocently.
Obi-Wan stilled against Anakin, slowly turning his head to stare at her. He ran a hand through his hair, lips parted, and she smiled at the obvious, blazing desire in his eyes.
"If said Master is amenable to the suggestion," she added. He had, after all, made a point about grammar. She wanted to make sure there were no misunderstandings.
His voice was dry and hoarse when it came out: "Yes."
Padme gave Obi-Wan a quick, apologetic look before she nudged him off her husband. She bent over him and sucked his dick, teasing at the tip with her tongue and then pulling off, leaving him wet and glistening. He groaned at the very brief show of attention, but the fact was that she had literally no idea where the lube was in this apartment. She would have to do a thorough job unpacking tomorrow.
They all shuffled themselves around into better positions and finally pulled Obi-Wan's trousers off him, throwing them over the side of the bed. He stayed on his knees, cock bobbing out in front of him, with Anakin behind him as he worked fingers he'd slicked with his own spit into Obi-Wan.
Padme braced one hand on Obi-Wan and took him by the base of the shaft as she leaned down, enveloping him with her mouth. His hand was light on her head, directing calmly as she tongued the underside of his dick and moved to take him down deeper.
She felt the exact moment Anakin entered him. Heard it as Obi-Wan swore vividly.
Anakin's hand found hers on Obi-Wan's hip and she pulled off him momentarily, enough to look up at Obi-Wan strained, delirious expression. His mouth was open, head half turned back toward Anakin, whose hair had gone wild with his exertions. Anakin's expression was one of rapt concentration. He kept kissing Obi-Wan on his shoulder and the back of his neck, speaking into his skin.
Padme was sure she knew what he was saying.
Kissing the prominently bony ridge of Obi-Wan's hip, she returned to her task. She swirled her tongue around him and felt as he clutched at her shoulder, suddenly going stiff as he came in her mouth.
She swallowed and exhaled through her nose, patting him on the leg until he realized he was holding her in place and released her.
"I do apologize for that," he said. He was flush and flustered and broke off with a groan, eyes closing as he thrust back against Anakin. He managed to add, "I'm usually better mannered."
"I suppose both of you will have something to make up for tomorrow," Padme replied simply.
She didn't honestly mind – restraints did feature in some of their games – but she was intent on reinforcing the truth of their encounter for Obi-Wan. It was not going to end tonight. Padme had no patience for Jedi mores on that front.
Padme leaned back against the headboard to watch as her husband bent Obi-Wan forward onto the bed, fucking him hard. He raked his teeth down Obi-Wan's neck. She moved her hand between her legs, quivering at the wonderful sound he made, and touched herself lightly as they finally found release – Obi-Wan coming again in a jolt over Anakin's hand.
Their breathing was loud in the room, taking a long moment to return to normal and finally broken by Anakin's laughter. He pulled out of Obi-Wan and turned the other man in his arms, holding him for a long, slow kiss.
"How was that, old man?"
Obi-Wan smiled at him and then glanced to Padme, corners of his eyes crinkled.
"It is a far better welcome than I expected. Though, I am surprised. You are the ones returning home, after all, not me."
Padme smiled as she shook her head. She knew well that wasn't true.
Anakin gazed out over the city. The Force assured him that it still slumbered, despite the bright orange light cresting above the horizon. Thin lines of traffic moved idly between the buildings, ferrying dignitaries around the capital district. It operated on its own time, unlike the rest of Coruscant.
The new apartment had a large balcony that wrapped around the upper level, with doors both from the sitting room and their own master bedroom. Thankfully there was no entrance up to it from the childrens' room. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, stance squared, breathing purposefully even as he watched this side of the world wake.
The breeze was slight up here, dry and artificial. It smelled stale in the way only Coruscanti air could – cycled through too many scrubbers, dead and yet somehow still polluted. He couldn't say he'd missed it. If he thought even for a moment of the small house they'd left behind on Naboo, he knew he'd charge right over to the twins' room and pack them right back up.
"It is not wholly without virtues, is it?" Obi-Wan asked.
He'd awoken some time ago and availed himself of the en suite 'fresher. Padme had lingered in bed, drawing Anakin into leisurely kisses right up until the shower was free and then left him abruptly. Showering together had never worked well for them, something about height differences, not to mention priorities in exactly what they were up to, so he simply searched out his trousers and left the bed to meditate.
Anakin cast him a look and deliberately tried to look casual. He wasn't a Jedi, couldn't pretend to be such in front of Obi-Wan. He leaned on the balcony railing, gaze directed toward the distant Temple. At one time, it had been as clouded in the Force as any other place on Coruscant, but now it broke through the haze.
"You've done good work," he said, rather than answering the question. Obi-Wan walked to his side, arm brushing against him as he too leaned forward. The closeness was as welcome as it was new and Anakin found himself smiling. He raised his eyebrows as he caught Obi-Wan's eye. "I missed you, you know."
"I know. I missed you as well."
That got Anakin's hackles up.
"Then why did you –"
Obi-Wan held up one hand, stalling the complaint. Anakin already knew the answer. There'd been a great deal of uncertainty between them, fear that rapprochement would come at too high a cost. He couldn't go back to the Temple, he knew that, but he'd been afraid that was exactly what Obi-Wan would ask of him.
"It is in the past, Anakin," Obi-Wan said.
"But we're not," Anakin said suspiciously. "Right?"
Obi-Wan loosed a startled laugh.
"I do recall your wife mentioning something about tonight. Multiple times. I suppose the rumors are less well founded than the media would have me believe."
Anakin blushed faintly. The rumors were, of course, entirely true. He and Padme had acquired something of a habit of loving and leaving various beings. Most were quite happy with the arrangement – Bail and Breha were absolutely wonderful company and no one left that particularly large bed unsatisfied – but others in the Senate were a little less sanguine about it.
Obi-Wan was different. If he'd allow it, Anakin had every intention of keeping him around indefinitely.
"There is another matter," Obi-Wan began. His voice was soft, eyes set back on the Temple. Anakin could feel his love for the place tugging at him, bringing with it a sense of wistfulness alongside an equal measure of peace. "I told you I wished to ask your advice."
"And you told me you'd give me more time to prepare."
"Well, it seems that I lied on that front. But there are many reforms we are enacting at the Temple, many tentative first steps toward what I believe will be balance – I'm asking for your help."
Anakin waited. He thought he would be angry at the suggestion, but instead curiosity and bemusement came over him. He cocked his head to look at Obi-Wan, furrow between his eyebrows.
"My help? You must be desperate."
"As desperate as the Senate is for your wife's leadership," Obi-Wan acknowledged. He sighed and tugged at his beard. Anakin realized quickly that Obi-Wan was hardly exaggerating at all. "It's these new younglings, Anakin. They're so much older and we're trying to come up with a visitation system, but I honestly have no idea what we're doing. The balance is so delicate…"
Anakin gaped at him and Obi-Wan chuckled when he finally noticed. Just as he had the night before, he reached out, finger under Anakin's chin to close his mouth.
"I'd like your help," Obi-Wan continued softly. "Perhaps the twins can visit, can share their experiences with the younglings and help the Council understand what to do."
This time there was anger, flashing over him swiftly and burning out before he could give voice to it. Obi-Wan cast his eyes down, nodding ruefully as he sensed Anakin's reaction.
"It should have come sooner, I know. But that is…"
"In the past," Anakin said. He forced his eyes shut, gloved hand coming up to rub at them. When he spoke again, he surprised even himself, "Yes."
"If you need to think about it –"
Anakin cracked his eyes open to glare at Obi-Wan.
"I already said yes, old man. I'll help and you'll sleep here from now on."
"I –" Obi-Wan swallowed deeply, eyes searching Anakin's before a smile broke on his face. "Yes."
"Good. Now brace yourself, the kids are up and I'm pretty sure Padme invited Ahsoka over for brunch."