Title: Hand in Hand in a violent life. (Sequel to: As from a darkening gloom).
Author: Dark_Templar
Rating: Adults Only [NC-17]
Genre: During the Clone Wars before ROTS.
Pairing: Anakin/Obi-Wan
Warnings: None.
Summary: A little wartime action leads to a little…ummm…action. This follows on some time after the events in my previous fic: As from a darkening gloom.
Author's Notes: Hugs and kisses to Jen for her support and her time spent on beta duty. You are an angel my dear, sometimes a very wicked angel


Part 1

“For Force’s sake, Anakin look after yourself!”

It was the last thing Obi-Wan said to him as they parted company. Anakin nodded and smiled slightly without saying anything in return. He simply took hold of Obi-Wan’s shoulder and gave it a final squeeze before departing with his battalion of clone troopers, striding out with a look of grim determination on his face. Obi-Wan was not pleased that they were separating. Throughout the campaign here on KandaShasa they fought side by side, but today orders came through that the troops were to be spread out much farther and wider, to deal with the smaller skirmishes that were arising all over the planet. Obi-Wan felt uneasy. Something stirred in the Force, he could feel it.

Those unsettled thoughts had gone through Obi-Wan’s mind hours ago, and he recalled them all too keenly as he put down his communicator. He’d just received a distress call from the clone commander assigned under Anakin’s leadership. So where was Anakin? Obi-Wan wondered worriedly as he signalled his troopers into position, some to sweep and scan the surroundings, others to follow him into whatever Hell was waiting for them on the other side of the perimeter. He knew sometimes the clone commanders could get a bit antsy, especially the mobile infantry, but they were nonetheless good at their game and did their job as always. Obi-Wan tried not to get too excited and worked up mentally. A Jedi is trained to be calm, to know what to do and to not panic, clone troopers weren’t as infallible on that front.

Obi-Wan found it rather hard to ascertain the nature of the distress, from this end at any rate, as they were flanked out so extensively to cover the entire sector under threat from the Separatists. On top of that, the forest was thick and inhospitable this side of the planet. Choking vines covered everything that the dense undergrowth didn’t already. He simply couldn’t see much as visibility was so poor and it was quite dark in this part of the forest. Still, with his keen Force assisted senses he picked up the sound of the laser cannon fire, the screaming and the shouting, the droid babble, and the general sound of heated battle in other words, some distance away.

“Anakin what’s happening there?” Obi-Wan anxiously trained his thoughts on registering his partner in combat; that he couldn’t sense Anakin through the Force made his stomach feel like an empty pit and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He scrambled on, tearing his way through the thick vegetation, working himself up into a cold sweat, trying to stay calm but thinking the worst. After what felt like an interminable amount of time to Obi-Wan, just shy of the point of desperation, Anakin’s presence through the Force filtered its way to Obi-Wan.

“Thank you!” He uttered quietly to himself with much relief.

He kept up a frantic pace, his energy renewed, now that he could feel Anakin again. The undergrowth steadily became less impenetrable and the canopy of the forest gradually became thinner. Some blue sky could finally be seen through the gaps in the tree tops and the light was becoming much stronger. The battle noises were far louder as well, and his steps now trod a well worn path. He recognized the typical tread of clone troopers’ high traction boots etched into the muddy forest floor. Anakin and his troopers were close. Cutting a swathe through one last cluster of vines, Obi-Wan stumbled into a forest clearing and saw the droids immediately, legions of them. Clone troopers were shooting in all directions trying to counter the converging army. It was chaotic, but it seemed that in the time it took for Obi-Wan’s troops to arrive, the battle was well in hand.

He surveyed the situation, and scanned for his former Padawan. He spotted Anakin some meters away. He was on his knees and he was clutching his right shoulder, a look of pain etched on his face. A contingent of droids encircled him poised to strike. Obi-Wan began to run towards him, there wasn’t a moment to lose, but just as he broke into a run, he heard a great bellowing cry that stopped him in his tracks. Anakin’s scream chilled him to the bone. He watched as Anakin lifted his head to the sky and swept his arms outward, and in one sweeping motion that tracked the circumference of the droids around him, their metal bodies were crushed to oblivion one by one. The sound of the twisting and popping of droid exoskeletons being shredded echoed through the forest above the noise of the battle. Duranium metal appeared to be no match for this Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan stood and watched in utter awe and amazement.

Through the mayhem all around, Obi-Wan dodged laser fire exchange between clone troopers and droids to get to where Anakin was, surrounded now by harmless droid bits and pieces, attempting to gather himself together. He was breathing hard and looking to get up off the ground. He still wore the pained expression on his face, and his hand went to his shoulder once more. Obi-Wan reached him just as he stood up. He took hold of Anakin’s arm and led him back to the edge of the forest clearing away from the main firing area.

“Are you alright Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked him with some degree of urgency as he lifted Anakin’s hand gently away from his shoulder to see what damage he’d sustained. It appeared like he’d been hit by a laser beam, but the wound had not completely cauterized. Obi-Wan deduced that it must have been weakened by piercing something else before it had hit Anakin. It bled a little, and part of Anakin’s shirt was sticking to the wound.

“Its fine Obi-Wan, I’m all right.” He batted away Obi-Wan’s hand and proceeded to look around him. He wanted to get a handle on the state of the conflict before them. He looked over Obi-Wan’s head anxiously, as Obi-Wan’s attentions remained on Anakin’s wound.

“Their numbers are falling back. Look!” Anakin steered Obi-Wan away from his injured shoulder and pointed to the retreating droids. Both he and Obi-Wan noticed that the Separatist Shasans had signalled the retreat, and the droids obeyed by forming a protective barrier between them and the clone troopers, as the Separatists, mindful of a last barrage of fire from the troopers, backed out carefully.

Obi-Wan signalled his clone commander to follow them; they weren’t going to be allowed to get away. There were more than enough troopers assembled, both his and Anakin’s regiment would deal with the Separatists. Obi-Wan judged them more than capable of rounding up the enemy and taking them back to the main prisoner detention block on the far side of the planet. The clone commander saluted Obi-Wan and turning to his men, he raised his DC-15A blaster in the air and made a circling gesture that meant regroup. In minutes the troopers reassembled their lines and went after the retreating Separatists in an orderly formation, quick step, and two abreast. The two Jedi Knights stood and watched them until they disappeared into the forest and could be heard no more.

Anakin turned to Obi-Wan questioningly. “We’re not going with them?”

Obi-Wan shook his head and replied, “They can handle this part of it.” Anakin continued to look at him quizzically for a few seconds and then as if he just remembered something that needed his urgent attention, he looked down to see to his utility belt. Obi-Wan looked at him somewhat puzzled. Anakin explained to him that he’d snagged the belt on a vine earlier, and he wanted to check that he hadn’t lost anything along the way. It seemed that all was in order.

“If you’re quite finished there, the only place you’re going to Anakin is to medical. I want that injury checked over.” Obi-Wan went to move aside a torn segment of Anakin’s shirt for another look at the wound, but Anakin caught his hand and put it down again.

“I said I’m all right. Please, its nothing.” Anakin looked into Obi-Wan’s eyes and saw that Obi-Wan was about to protest.

A little more gently, he added. “I’m ok.”

Obi-Wan swallowed carefully, placed a hand on Anakin’s chest and simply nodded. Anakin put his hand on top of Obi-Wan’s. They spoke not a word to each other, but just looked into each others’ eyes for a moment until Anakin broke the silence.

“We’re quite alone here now.” He said quietly.

“Yes, quite alone.” Obi-Wan replied, looking at Anakin with a softness of expression that was so different to the concerned one he wore a moment ago.

“Obi-Wan…” Anakin moved closer and brought his other hand up to tangle in Obi-Wan’s hair. He began to stroke the side of his head slowly, evenly, and seductively. Obi-Wan felt the cool leather clad fingers rake through his hair, and it felt so very good. He suppressed a shudder, though Anakin was fully aware that he had done so, and he smiled down at him gently in recognition of the fact.

“Come back to camp with me. Come to my tent…” Anakin’s voice was so soft, so lovely to Obi-Wan, and so beckoning. How could he refuse him when he sounded so sweet and entreating in his request? But Obi-Wan did not have any time to think on any of this as Anakin moved closer still, until his face was mere centimetres from his own. He could feel Anakin’s breath on his cheek, as Anakin brought his other hand up to cup his face on both sides. Anakin favoured him with a look that was a mixture of tenderness, barely contained passion and, surprisingly to Obi-Wan, vulnerability.

“I want you in my bed…” Anakin breathed. Obi-Wan’s heart leapt at that and he took hold of the front of Anakin’s shirt and pulled him closer to him into an embrace. Anakin too wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan and they stayed like that for some minutes, chest to chest, just breathing together. Obi-Wan lifted his hand after a bit, to stroke Anakin’s hair, but he did not let go of him. Anakin closed his eyes upon that touch and sighed shakily as he waited for Obi-Wan’s answer. At long last, Obi-Wan pulled away just enough so he could look up into Anakin’s face. Obi-Wan smiled with his eyes, and tenderly stroked Anakin’s face.

“I want that too, my beautiful Jedi Knight.” Then he shook his head slowly and continued.

“No more waiting.” And with that he brought his other hand up and placed it on Anakin’s cheek, framing his face now with both of his hands. He gazed upon the beloved face of his former Padawan. Everything that could be discerned about Anakin’s feelings towards his former Master was writ clearly upon his face. Obi-Wan knew, and had known for some time, how loved by Anakin he really was. He truly was the most fortunate Jedi in the entire galaxy.

“Obi…” It was all Anakin ventured before their lips met in a searing kiss that pledged all the allegiance they would ever need to each other. How sweet they looked, locked in a passionate embrace and kissing repeatedly, and in between, touching each others faces and looking earnestly into each others eyes, as if to confirm the reality of their situation.

After a time, they gauged rather reluctantly, that they really needed to leave. There was still the war, and it was time to return to camp, to touch base with the clone commanders and see to reports. In other words, they still had duties to perform. And in deference to Obi-Wan, Anakin assented to have his injury seen to once they got back, even if Anakin thought that it really was nothing but a slight discomfort to him.

Together they walked in silence toward the transport beasts, tethered some distance away. The journey back to the camp was a quiet one with no conversation. The forest itself was in concert with the sounds of birds chirping, insects trilling and quadrupedal fauna stirring amongst the undergrowth and treetops above. Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged looks from time to time. Through the Force they could project how each felt to the other and it only made their sense of anticipation stronger. Things were so very clear between them at this point. Tonight there would be no holding back.


Part 2

The night closed in around the camp at last. There was no moon out tonight, and it was very dark, and any place one went around the campsite required a lamp to light one’s way. It was quiet too, as quiet as it could get once a few hundred troopers, Shasans and Jedi all settled down for the night. But, for all that, it was peaceful and there was a general sense that things were starting to go well for the campaign here. Morale was high and during the day the camp fairly buzzed; quite the change from a few months ago when casualties were mounting alarmingly on a daily basis. Those were dark times, but fortunes had turned steadily around and the Republican forces continued to cover more ground. Tonight felt like one of those nights; the sense of optimism among the troops (especially the Republican Shasans) was palpable. Sleep seemed to come more easily to the soldiers tonight, save for two Jedi knights.

Obi-Wan moved aside the entrance flap to Anakin’s tent and made his way inside to find Anakin waiting for him, seemingly; it looked as if he’d been pacing. Obi-Wan felt a pang of guilt at that. He’d been delayed by some intelligence handed to him by one of the senior Shasans and he had to process it without delay; procedure that had to be followed. This sort of thing had to be attended to immediately as it came to hand, and as the General, Obi-Wan had to be kept well informed. But he was here now, and Anakin went to him immediately, sweeping him up into his arms.

“You’ve come. You’re here. You’re actually here.” Anakin’s voice sounded quietly desperate yet relieved.

“I’m sorry Anakin, I was delayed. Of course I’m here. I want to be here…with you.” Obi-Wan looked intently at Anakin for a moment, before placing a hand behind his head and drawing him in for a long kiss, a kiss that promised a long night ahead. This went on for some time, in between they’d draw breath and then resume; the kiss becoming hotter and the moans becoming louder as their need to get closer became all pervasive.

They separated finally, and Anakin smiled down at Obi-Wan shyly, “I shouldn’t have worried. It’s just… I started to think you’d changed your mind…maybe…” Obi-Wan took hold of both of Anakin’s hands and his face was deadly serious now.

“Anakin, I am not going to change my mind. I love you, and I want this just like you.” And with that, he pulled Anakin over to the bed. It was far from luxurious, an ordinary sleeping pallet, standard Republican Force issue, but anything would have done, even the forest floor beneath their feet, Obi-Wan didn’t care, and Anakin certainly didn’t either. Obi-Wan had his beautiful Knight before him, so achingly gorgeous and needful, in love with him, dying to be touched and to be loved. Obi-Wan would oblige him with relish, as he too was dying for all those things.

They collapsed together on the narrow bed. Both men lay on their sides opposite one another where they held each other for a little while, staring deeply into each others’ eyes, getting their bearings as it were. This was all so new to both men, judging by the tears that were forming in Anakin’s eyes. Obi-Wan went to stroke his cheek but Anakin intercepted that hand with his own and placed a soft kiss to the palm before allowing Obi-Wan to once again place it where he wanted, on Anakin’s cheek.

“I love you so much…I want you so much…” Anakin whispered to his Obi-Wan, before rolling himself atop him and covering Obi-Wan’s mouth with his own. Obi-Wan moaned in response, already the pleasure he felt just from this alone, was incredible. Anakin felt so warm and lovely against him. They writhed together; occasionally mindful of not falling over the edge of the bed, before they’d descend once more upon one another, holding each other so close and locking lips with wanton abandon.

“I dreamed of you Obi-Wan so many times, like this…” Anakin whispered as he traced his lips along Obi-Wan’s jaw. Obi-Wan pulled Anakin closer reflexively.

“Would it surprise you to know my former Padawan, that I too have had such dreams?” Obi-Wan sighed with pleasure. Anakin’s full lips skimming along his face and neck making him feel so good. Anakin stopped his ministrations for a moment to look up at Obi-Wan with a warm and dreamy smile.

“Then we are both asleep and dreaming it seems.”

They shared a quiet laugh together, in acknowledgement of their newly found happiness in one another’s embrace. Obi-Wan ran a delicate hand down Anakin’s face lightly, as Anakin in return, raked his fingers through Obi-Wan’s hair, before the aching need and urgency to be closer overtook them once more and they kissed again deeply, longingly and devouringly.

They helped each other out of their clothes, each man stunned and without speech for many moments. Anakin was in awe of Obi-Wan, too beautiful to Anakin to be described in words which would simply not do him justice. Obi-Wan was equally taken aback by the gloriousness of Anakin, lovely beyond compare; certain he would never again see anything in the universe that would hold a candle to the beauty of Anakin’s body.

He went to hold him, but Anakin pushed him away from him; confusing Obi-Wan for a second before he understood all too well Anakin’s sudden distress and reluctance. Obi-Wan watched as Anakin slipped off his leather gauntlet slowly to reveal his mechanical arm, with its black-armoured shielding covering over the electromotive lines and bronze coloured duro-steel. The arm made a curious, soft whirring sound as Anakin moved it. Obi-Wan had thought nothing of it, as he admired Anakin’s body, but he now saw the dilemma. Obi-Wan felt a pang of regret and anguish for his former Padawan. He wanted to reassure him that there was nothing wrong, that it didn’t detract from the man that Anakin was.

“Anakin…” He began, but was interrupted.

“Does this bother you?” Anakin asked worriedly, lifting up the cyborg limb as he looked at Obi-Wan anxiously. Obi-Wan shook his head and took the mechanical hand in his own.

“No. It’s part of you Anakin. You know I love you, and this cannot detract from that.” He looked into Anakin’s eyes with steely intent. “It’s all right Anakin.” He looked him up and down and the lust started to take over his senses, he was just so beautiful in every way. Obi-Wan moved closer to Anakin again and put an arm around his waist. Obi-Wan smiled at the strangled moan Anakin let out as their bodies touched.

’This was better.’ Obi-Wan thought. Encouraged, he ventured on.

“Can you still feel anything with it?” He entreated softly. And with Anakin’s mechanical hand still in his, Obi-Wan skimmed his lips over the electrostatic fingertips and blew on them so gently, almost reverently. Anakin’s eyes closed and he swayed slightly.

“Yes.” He breathed. And that was enough, because Anakin took him in his arms then and held him so fiercely that Obi-Wan almost couldn’t breathe. But he was humbled and deeply moved by Anakin’s soft words in his ear.

“What would I do without you? Where would I be without you?” Obi-Wan’s arms stole around Anakin just as fiercely upon hearing those words.

“Anakin, know that I love you no matter what, you are my beautiful Knight.” Obi-Wan chanted his name over and over again as he kissed Anakin all over his face and his neck, before working his way down to his chest. “My beautiful Knight, my own Anakin…”

They were overwhelmed with the feel of each other; flesh to flesh, and arms and legs entwined, it was wonderful. But it was not just the physical sensation of coming together that had them so captive in each others’ orbits, amazing though that was, but that they were Jedi and attuned to the Force as well. It made everything feel stronger, more intense, and through their Force bond, their love and desire for each other felt astoundingly powerful, and incredibly sensual.

They writhed and moaned against one another, Obi-Wan grinding down upon Anakin with all his strength. Somewhere in his lustful haze he remembered to be careful of the bacta patch that covered Anakin’s laser wound, not that Anakin was in any state to feel any discomfort from it. Both men were lost to the feel of their cocks rubbing together and the warmth and comfort of each others bodies. They sighed, moaned and whispered their undying love to each other in between hot, wet kisses. Until that night, Obi-Wan had never heard his name uttered so many times, and in such sweet, enchanting and ravishingly hot ways. Anakin too, thought he’d never heard his name sound as good as from the mouth of his beloved Obi-Wan.

Oh, how in love these two men were right then, in that tent, on that verdant wet planet, with its tumbling rivers and snow-capped mountains that took one’s breath away. And when it came time for release, they both came as one, as the team that they were. It was glorious and both were overwhelmingly moved to tears. Through all the struggles with the war and the dangers they were constantly exposed to, they had made it, to be here at last in each others’ arms.

They settled for a little while afterwards, just basking in each other’s afterglow. A little light conversation had them waxing lyrical on the nature of Love as it pertained to the Force, and how no one had taught them this at the temple, how wonderful it could be. They pondered on the need for such love to truly understand the motivations of others, especially non Jedi. Compassion, honour and fealty; what were such abstract notions without the proper context of love on an individual’s level? They contemplated this for some time, Anakin adamantly believing wholeheartedly that to have anything less was to be incomplete. Obi-Wan felt deeply moved by this, knowing that Anakin honoured him by his love for him, and taking Anakin’s hand in his own, he brought it to his lips and kissed it tenderly in humble gratitude. Anakin shifted in his embrace to place a soft kiss to Obi-Wan's throat in return.

They gazed at each other adoringly and dreamily as they began to explore one another’s bodies again with gentle, considered touches. Warm touches led to stroking, which led to kissing and rolling around, and in a matter of minutes the two men were twisting and grinding against one another passionately, once more lost in love and lust, before surrendering to the inevitable. As dawn broke they decided it was time to come back to themselves and replenish their stock with some much needed sleep. Anakin grabbed the blanket and pulled it over them both, and together they snuggled up against each other, one final exchange of undying love and a kiss or two, before they succumbed to slumber; finally all the soldiers in the camp were now at rest.


*THE END*

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