Matched 1/?
Disclaimer: All bow to the pseudo-genius George Lucas who created and has all rights to Star Wars, Anakin, the idea of the force, etc.
Notes: In my little corner of the Star Wars Universe I tend to veer from reality so for this fic there is this thing called ‘matching’. Matching is when two masters get together, decide their padawans are right for each other, commune with the force to make sure it’s the force’s will, and basically create an arranged marriage.
Summary: Anakin and Jadea don’t like each other, however there is much sexual tension between them. Their master’s decide that they are perfect for each other and decide to match them. They send Anakin and Jadea off to Caladrean a really cool
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“Anakin, Jadea, come forward.” Both of them tried not to roll their eyes as their names were called. Lately the two hadn’t been paired with anyone else. Both of them knew that Obi-Wan and Jadea’s master, Kwell, were going to match them, although both were steadfastly avoiding thinking about it.
Jadea highly resented being paired with the ‘Chosen One’. His lightsaber skills far exceeded any of the other padawans his age and she was tired of getting beat time and again. Truthfully she had taken to frequenting the arena during study hours, honing her skills for these matchmaking duels.
She and Anakin bowed to Obi-Wan before facing each other. It was almost comical to see the difference in their heights. He was well over two meters and she was barley clinging to one and a half. ‘Ready for this? Anakin’s deep tenor voice floated across her mind as they drew their weapons. She completely ignored the tingle that shot up her spine, writing it off as a figure of her imagination.
‘Are you?’ she shot back. A slight hum filled the room as they activated their ‘sabers.
‘Do you really think you can beat the Chosen One?’ She gritted her teeth, there it was. That overwhelming arrogance, as though he was the Force's gift to the Jedi. The fact that he was, wasn’t the issue, it was how damn aware of it he was, and how modesty wasn’t his strong suit.
‘Maybe I have a few tricks up my sleeve this time, Skywalker’ their banter was cut off by their instructor.
“Lights!” Obi-Wan called. The lights dimmed until only their outlines and their faces were visible by the glow of their weapons. Anakin’s face was cast in deep relief, the planes and angles of it sharpened in the blue glow his ‘saber cast. God those eyes. She had never been able to stop the sharp bolt of awareness when she looked into his eyes. They were the light blue color of the sky on her home planet of Eriall. She always wanted to get a little closer to him when their eyes met.
In contrast the gold of her weapon seemed to light up her features, accentuating the soft curves of her face. Her flawless skin was a testament to her Eriallian heritage, as was the thinness of her nose and the generous lips. However like she, he was drawn to her eyes. They were the deep cobalt color of the oceans he loved. Growing up on Tatooine had given him a love for any and all water. When he came to the temple the first thing he did was ‘borrow’ some holos of oceans. He could see the fierce determination and spirit that so endeared her to him in them, as well as the mischievous light she hid from the masters.
They locked eyes. Blue clashed against blue, determination against determination, it was a kind of spiritual battle that sent a shockwave through the room. The temperature in the room turned to a stifling heat as a blast of sexual tension went through every member of the room. Only the two emitting it didn’t sense it. The rest of the room however was hanging onto the pair’s every move, caught up in the moment.
The pair themselves was oblivious to it all as they silently started to circle. Not even a Force-thought passed between them, as intent on their prey as they were. Usually the duel really started when Jadea attacked, but today was inherently different. They changed course to bring their circling closer to the middle, within ‘saber striking distance. An intricate dance began between them, each with a swing here or a thrust there, the other always easily blocking the blow. Never did they stop circling. It was almost as if they were testing the boundaries. With no visible clue to what he was about to do, Anakin attacked.
He ducked low, swinging the saber at Jadea’s legs. She flipped easily over him and his blow, coming down behind him and taking a shot at his side. He caught the swing easily, spinning back around to face her again. All motion after that was a blur to the spectators. Anakin and Jadea were locked in battle, blue unceasingly crashing against gold neither gaining the upper hand, just sparring with everything in them.
Then Jadea made her move. She swung low forcing Anakin to jump and only holding her ‘saber with one hand, knowing he would kick it from her. She tucked back, rolling and calling her weapon back to her with the Force. Springing up behind him she swung at his side, stopping inches from cutting him in half. Then she realized she was looking at his chest, which was on the front part of his body. Anakin had realized her ploy, cursing himself for falling for one of his own tricks. He managed to spin himself in time, his ‘saber at her neck, her’s at his side.
“Lights!” Obi-Wan didn’t bother to try to hide the huge smile on his face. I his mind this fight had proven two things: One, that Jadea and Anakin were meant to be matched, two people who can move like that together have something special, not to mention the tension in the room had skyrocketed when their eyes had met. You didn’t have to be a Jedi to sense the shockwave in the Force when that happened. Second, Jadea had proved that she could match Anakin skill for skill, a trait paramount in his mind. She could keep his padawan’s pride and ego in check, something that desperately needed doing.
“You would have joined each other in death.” His comment was drowned out to all but Jadea and Anakin, as the room had exploded with applause when the lights came on. Obi-Wan silenced the room with a wave of his hand. “Padawans, take a lesson from Jadea and Anakin, you too could fight like that. That my friends, is the product of practice, lots of it.” Jadea and Anakin were just retracting their weapons when he turned to them. “Jadea, I shall have to commend Master Kwell on his padawan. That was excellent. I especially liked your ploy at the end. Work on it, one day you might be able to fool even a master with it. Anakin, you’ve been practicing, I’m very proud of you. Of you both.” He dismissed them with a wave.
- - - - - - -
Later at dinner Jadea had found the perfect way to distract herself from her confusion about Anakin. She described the battle to the younglings, whose eyes were wide with wonder. They had placed Anakin on a pedestal for his ‘Chosen One’ status. He hadn’t gotten knocked down, but now she had a pedestal too. “He swung low at my legs, so I flipped over him...”
“Over him? But he’s so tall!” The youngling’s eyes were wide as she envisioned the feat.
“Jadea, may I have a word with you?” Her master’s voice had her snapping to attention. “Teyfey, if you practice, I mean really practice, you’ll be able to do that too.” Master Kwell bestowed a smile upon the girl, before turning to lead his padawan out of the dining hall.
Jadea was getting increasingly worried as her master led her toward the meditation wing. Usually they chatted as they walked, but he was unusually silent. Turning at an open door, he ushered her into his favorite meditation chamber. Out of habit she took to one of the pads, folding her legs under her. After the door hissed shut, he turned slowly, and then suddenly he erupted with laughter.
“Master?” His abrupt change in demeanor had her a little off balance. Gaining control of himself he turned back to her. “Master Obi-Wan showed me a holo of your duel with Anakin. I’m very pleased at your progress. Those extra hours in the arena really paid off, no?”
“How...” Jadea was cut off.
“You are my padawan, when you disappear for two hours I tend to want to know what you are up to.” At her nod he continued. “You proved yourself today, and now I feel it is time that I tell you something…” He paused as though trying to find the words.
“You’re too bright not to have noticed how much you and Anakin have been paired together, or what it means. Master Obi-Wan and I have been meditating on the match of you and Anakin for many months, only recently have we been putting the plan into action. We had a discussion today and we decided for certain that you and Anakin are to be matched.” He paused trying to give her time to adjust to this information. Truth be told Jadea needed it she had been expecting this, even preparing for it, but somehow it hadn’t really sunk in until right then. Her mind raced, thoughts of the ‘matching’ tradition at the temple had been the subject of many whispered secrets and childhood giggling. Matching was a kind of Jedi marriage, you lived with, ate with, slept with… That sent her mind on a completely new tangent; she was going to sleep with Anakin.
He was every female padawan’s and a few of the male padawan’s lust object. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, skin a natural permanent tan from his childhood on Tatooine, long fingered hands that were the base of many a fantasy in the temple, not to mention the muscled arms that made girls swoon. He also trained harder than any other padawan giving that long, lithe body muscle and definition that should have been against the law. She got to sleep with him, as in sex, as in sweaty, panting, moaning, screaming, sex.
Kwell sat across from her watching her face, unguarded at the present time go from curious, to shocked, to something akin to fear. He felt for her, he too had gone through the matching process. She didn’t realize it yet but she would soon come to find that Anakin would make her happy. It was the will of the force.
“Jadea?” he asked gently. Jadea snapped out of her trance, shaking her head to try and rid herself of her musings on naked Anakin, her body seemed to override her mind though and the images stayed firmly planted. Ignoring it for the moment she focused on her master. “One of the things that Master Obi-Wan and I are concerned with is your and Anakin’s…” he paused trying to find the right word for their rivalry, “distaste for one another. We have discussed it with the council and we have decided to send the both of you away.”
“Away? Away where?” Jadea’s utter shock at the situation was radiating off of her. It quickly got replaced with resentment; she struggled to control it, although she was losing the battle. He was just going to ship her off somewhere with Anakin?
“Caladrean.” The simple word was enough to send the resentment scattering to be replaced with utter joy. This too she tried to contain, but managed to lose the battle much more quickly than with that of resentment. Kwell contained a smile at his padawan’s brilliant one. She had always dreamed of going to Caladrean, he had seen her sneak holo brochures of the resort planet when she was a youngling.
He had particularly requested the little known Jedi retreat on the planet for his padawan. The arrangement was sure to upset her so he hoped the planet of her dreams would distract her from her loathing for Anakin, and her resentment for him.
“Caladrean…?” Her voice betrayed the wonder she felt at this given opportunity to experience what one holo had called ‘The galaxy’s most indulgent planet’.
At that exact moment her master’s head snapped up and his face went serious. After silently watching him for a minute, he finally spoke.
“Padawan, I want you to stay here and meditate for a while on this. Let the force guide you down the path it has chosen for you. I must go the council requests my presence. I will talk to you more about this later. You and Anakin are to leave at the end of this week for five days. Meditate padawan, focus, it will do you good.
He rose, the door opening with a wave of his hand. With a swish of his cloak and the hiss of the door closing, she was alone. Three days, she had three days to prepare herself to be alone with Anakin. Three days until she would be in her own paradise. She closed her eyes, clearing her mind and opening to the force. She didn’t mind meditating, in fact she rather enjoyed it. When she closed her eyes the image of a tall blonde padawan came unbidden to her mind. She didn’t bother to try and get rid of it.
Little did she know, that same blonde padawan was in the meditation room next to her, trying desperately to get comfortable on the meditating pad. He hated to meditate. No one would have ever accused him of being patient. How was he supposed to clear his mind when all he could think about was Jadea? Finally giving up on meditation, he found a comfortable position and just thought about her. In three days she would be his, and his alone. Five days together, maybe he could convince her that he wasn’t the bantha fodder she thought he was. Maybe he could control his ego enough to actually get her to like him.
Down the hallway Kwell fell into step with Obi-Wan as they headed toward the council chambers to give their report on the reactions of their padawans.
“How’d she take it?” Obi-Wan had a twinkle in his eye as though dying to know.
“Better after she found out she got to go to Caladrean. She isn’t too happy about Anakin but she’s meditating on it so maybe the force will help her. What about Anakin.”
“He’s happy although he’d never tell me that. He’s always liked her spirit, and I’ve caught him staring at her more than once. I think they should be fine as long as Anakin can learn to control his ego. They are both clearly attracted to each other, the only reason they don’t like each other is because their prides won’t let them.” The two walked amiably down the hallway sharing a laugh.
By the next mid-day the entire temple had learned about the match. Zabe found his best friend brooding at one of the Archive tables. Anakin had seemingly forgotten about the holo in front of him, and was lost in his own thoughts. Zabe came up behind Anakin and managed to get a peek at the holo before it was switched off.
“Caladrean?” Zabe was about to make a remark about what Anakin had been looking at, but thought better of it when he met eyes that were clearly not amused. A burst of giggles came from behind the nearest shelf, as Anakin unfolded himself from the chair and rose to his full 6’2. The rustle of robes signaled the quick exit of the eavesdropping padawans when they caught Anakin’s stony glare. Luckily Zabe didn’t think they had heard his remark to Anakin.
Zabe now laughed at the girls’ spying. It was no secret that Zabe and the ‘Chosen One’ were best friends. Girls often followed the pair, more for scenery than anything. Zabe was the second best-looking padawan in the temple. He was almost Anakin’s opposite in looks. His dark hair and sultry brown eyes made him the lust object of anyone not interested in Anakin. His face forever held a smile compared to his blonde friend who preferred to brood.
“I know I’m not going to get out of this one, but let’s go to my quarters. I’ve been followed by groups of younger padawans all day. As soon as I turn to face them they laugh and run off. I’m getting sick of it.” Anakin scowled when his friend burst into laughter.
“Ah the trials and tribulations of the ladies’ man.” Zabe managed to get this comment out before dissolving into laughter again. Anakin just stood there scowling.
The two didn’t talk as they made their way to the rooms Anakin shared with Obi-Wan while they were at the temple. Both successfully managed to side step would be interrogators and questioning stares.
Anakin palmed the lock and the door hissed open. They entered and turned immediately into the small living area. Anakin stretching out on the couch and Zabe flopping down into a comfortable armchair in a maneuver that was obviously familiar to them.
“All right, spill.” Zabe got directly to the point as curiosity had been eating at him since he had heard about the match at breakfast.
Anakin too a deep breath, “I’m sure you know most of it by this point. The entire temple is flipping out about it.” He paused knowing his friend wanted the story anyway. “Obi-Wan pulled me out of the dining hall during dinner last night. He took me to one of the meditation chambers and basically gave me the official word that I’m going to be matched to her. Jadea.”
“Why the hell do you sound like the world is going to end then?” Zabe was really confused. Jadea was all Anakin ever talked about. “
“She hates me Zabe.”
“That might have to do with you being a pompous ass every time you get near her.”
“I can’t help it. She drives me insane. She’s always defensive around me, which makes me defensive, then we piss each other off, it’s a never ending circle.”
Zabe decided to change the subject. “So why were you looking at a holo for Caladrean?”
Anakin grimaced. “We’resupposedtogothereforafewdaystogeto
“What?”
“We’re supposed to go there for five days to resolve our fight.” Zabe’s mouth dropped open as he stared at Anakin.
“Very funny Anakin, One day on that planet is like… five thousand credits.”
“Apparently some rich guy donated a house there to the Jedi for saving his life. The council hasn’t used it before now. They decided to send Jadea and I there for a vacation, it’s purpose being to bring us back here getting along.”
Zabe was still back on the whole ‘Caladrean for five days’.
\\\
A few corridors away Jadea lay on her bed while her two best friends sat, leaned up against it grilling her on Anakin.
“I can’t believe it” Grandi squealed into her hands. Her short blonde curs bounced merrily around her round, girlish face. She was a year younger than Jadea and although taller, the sixteen year old still looked twelve. Her green eyes twinkled as she raised her head.
“We know, you’ve said that every five minutes since you heard about it.” Nierda deadpanned. “Speaking of hearing about it, why didn’t you tell us before we got the third degree on it during breakfast? We refused to tell anyone anything but you r our best friend and we knew nothing about the official match being made.”
The raven-haired beauty was always succinct and about a month younger than Jadea. She would turn eighteen in a couple of weeks. Jadea had often thought that Nierda and Anakin would be a good match, the two best-looking padawans in the temple, according to Jadea. Ask anyone else in the temple and they would have told you that Jadea and Anakin were the two best looking.
“ I know, I’m sorry but Kwell had me meditate on it, and time just flew, and I didn’t have time to catch you before breakfast. I didn’t go, because every time I stepped out of my room today, I’ve gotten bombarded either by questions, or hateful glares form other padawans for stealing Anakin.” Jadea took a deep breath after expelling all her reasoning. The two girls seemed to accept this and moved onto new territory.
“What’s this we hear about Anakin looking up stuff on Caladrean?” Jadea groaned and buried her face in her bedcovers.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Jenfir and her friends have been trailing Anakin all day. They say he was sitting in the library, lost in thought when Zabe came up behind him. He said ‘Caladrean?’ and then they had to run out of the library when Anisi giggled and Anakin caught them staring. So again; why is Anakin looking at holos of your fantasy planet?”
“Because we’re going there.” She hid her face again as Grandi squealed again.
“When are you going, How long?”
“We leave at the end week, for five days, Anakin is flying us in a cruiser.”
Now it was Nierda’s turn to be excited. “Stuck in fantasy land, all alone, for five days, with Anakin... I’d jump him.”
“Nierda!”
“What? Jadea, open your eyes he’s a perfect specimen. Every time I see him my mouth waters. If I got the chance to have five days alone with him, I wouldn’t let him out of bed. I bet he’s great. Have you seen those hands… and that sexy little smirk…” She trailed off obviously lost in an Anakin fantasy. “Jadea What was that for?”Nierda asked after Jadea smacked her in the head. “Ow.”
“Nierda, he’s my match.”
“So, no one said a little day dreaming was against the rules. Why are you so defensive anyway? You don’t even like him, so you say.”
“I don’t he pisses me off, but he’s mine now, I’m going to have to accept it sooner or later. Besides, you’re about to be matched with his best friend. What would Zabe think if he knew you were pining over Anakin?”
“I’m not pining, besides, I’m happy with Zabe. He’s just as hot as Anakin.” At this point Grandi couldn’t hide the giggles she had been smothering. She burst out with them. Suddenly her giggles stopped. She turned serious.
“Wait a minute, why do you get to go to Caladrean. No one else got to go anywhere when they were matched, well maybe afterwards for two or three days, but not five, and not Caladrean.”
“Yeah, well everyone else gets along with their match. Anakin and I fight, all the time. Some rich merchant donated the house to the Order when he died. We saved his life or something. So we’re getting shipped off there.”
“You are so lucky Jadea.” Grandi was trying desperately to make her friend see that being stuck alone with Anakin for five days wasn’t the worst thing. Not even close.
“Yeah, I’m so lucky to get to spend five days stuck alone with the most arrogant, annoying person I have ever met in my life.”
Meanwhile Zabe had gotten over his shock. “Five days, alone, with Jadea. Oh man.” He held his hands up in a sign of surrender at Anakin’s icy glare. “Hey, I’ve got Nierda, or almost. Jadea is all yours. I’m just saying; if I got five days in paradise with Nierda… let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to waste it. When do you leave anyway?”
“End week.” Anakin wasn’t paying attention to his friend anymore. His mind had gone towards how he wouldn’t waste his time with Jadea, given the chance.
“We need to go… prepare yourself… shopping.”
“Shopping? Why? We don’t even have any credits.”
Zabe cringed hoping his friend was in a forgiving mood. “Obi-Wan gave me some credits.” Anakin, startled, quickly sat up to face Zabe. His penetrating stare turned on full force.
“Why…?”
“He sort of mentioned the that you needed some new civilian clothes. I didn’t know why… until now. He entrusted me with credits and instructions to force you into something with color.”
“Jadea…” Nierda, Grandi, and Jadea were stuck in the archives finishing a paper on the rise of the republic.
“Nierda, you know I hate it when you get that look.”
“What look?”
“ The look that’s usually followed by me getting in trouble.”
“I was thinking that the three of us should go shopping tomorrow.”
“Shopping? We’re Jedi, Jedi don’t shop. We don’t even have credits to go shopping if we wanted to. You know that whole ‘no material objects’ clause that comes with the rank of Jedi?”
“Ummm… Jadea?” Grandi was looking very guilty.
“Uh Oh. What did you guys do?”
“Well, Master Kwell kind of gave us credits. We’re supposed to take you shopping for your trip.” At Grandi’s words Jadea groaned and put her head down into her folded arms. “Come on Jadea. It’ll be fun…”
Jadea was so distracted she didn’t even notice that the arena was occupied. She kept imagining the look on Anakin’s face when he saw her in some of the things Nierda had talked her into buying. Now she was dressed in her work out clothes, and intent on getting some of the excess energy out of her system with some ‘saber work.
She stopped dead when some distinctively male grunts penetrated the fog in her brain. Instantly her focus was on the definitely male occupant of the center arena mat. He was shirtless, clothed only in loose Qierdan cotton pants. Like his observer he was barefoot, which made this encounter somehow intimate.
She felt her mouth water as she stared at his bared skin. His golden skin looked almost lit from within. It was stretched across a finely muscled chest that drew her eyes downward to his abs. It didn’t escape her attention that he had what Nierda would have referred to as a ‘six pack’. Her eyes traveled downward again. She noticed the barely visible line of blonde sneaking down into the pants he wore. Somehow the looseness of the pants seemed to accentuate the trimness of his hips, a definite contrast to the broadness of his shoulders. Her eyes took a lazy trip back up the sculpted perfectness that was her match.
She let herself peruse the arms so begging to be perused. Strong shoulders, biceps that screamed protection, sinewy forearms, and the hands. God Anakin had great hands. Long and strong, fingers the same way. They gripped his weapon, turning and adjusting it with every move. The knowledge those hands possessed sent a pang of awareness through her.
Anakin was so caught up in his imaginary opponents, that he didn’t notice that the source of his frustration was currently eyeing him as though he were the juiciest fruit in the market.
In his haze a flash of blue caught his eye. He stopped mid swing, and stood up, looking over at the distraction. The two padawans locked eyes, it was the first time they had seen each other since the news of the match.
Anakin could have sworn his heart stopped. Jadea couldn’t have told you what happened, her entire world had been focused down to the man in front of her. Heat suffused her body as his burning eyes penetrated hers. They remained like that, for how long neither of them could say with any certainty.
It was Anakin who managed to come to his senses first. He tore his eyes from her, although truth be told it was the last thing he wanted to do, and glanced down to find her lightsaber in her hand. Swallowing the lump that had risen in his throat at the sight of her he managed to get his query out.
“Would you like to spar?” ‘Oh good job Anakin that was brilliant ‘would you like to spar’ be more of a dumb ass’.
She stood there still in shock. The throaty, deep tone his voice had taken did chaos to her nervous system. It was by pure will that her legs didn’t shake, noticeably. His voice also managed to knock some sense into her.
“Okay” Berating herself in her head for the lackluster response she walked toward him, trying to avoid eye contact. This gave Anakin the opportunity to realize what she was wearing.
It was her shirt that had caught his eye; he recognized it as one she had gotten from her master when she turned thirteen. She had matured a lot since then, physically, now the innocent gift was a gift to Anakin. It hugged her chest more than it had a right to, hugged her tiny waist and ended just above her pants giving him an enticing line of flesh when she walked.
Her black pants were made out of the same fabric that his were, but were tighter, unknowingly showing off the trim thighs and tight rear Jedi training had given her. He too noticed the intimacy both of them being barefoot gave the situation. She had arrived before him, seemingly intensely interested in her lightsaber.
“Looks like we had the same idea huh?” Startled after the seemingly forever silence, she lifted her head and caught his eyes again.
“Looks like.” She vaguely noted that this was the longest they had gone in the same room without fighting, with the exception of classes.
The room was getting incredibly uncomfortable. Anakin raised his hand and dimmed the lights; it was just enough to make the area around the mat shadowy. He had never shut his ‘saber off, and it shone brightly in the darkened room. Jadea shook her head to clear her mind and tried to focus on the task at hand. She ignited her weapon, taking comfort in its familiar glow.
Neither knew what to do now, they had spared like this countless times in class, but that was in class, somehow both of them knew that this was different. Jadea and Anakin raised their weapons in synchronization.
The fight started before either really knew it had, neither knew who started it, nor did they care, they were locked in battle. It was the most intense fight either had ever been in. All rational thought was lost as pure adrenaline fueled instinct took over. They were completely even. While Anakin had size and strength, Jadea had speed; both had creativity in their fighting. The two had the abilities needed to beat any other opponent, except the person they were currently fighting, so the fight raged on. The only sound in the room was the two lightsabers constantly crashing together.
Every confusing emotion, every anger or hurt the other had bestowed, every frustration and unbidden emotion they had caused went into the fight. It seemed as though this was the way to let out every feeling about the other without saying a word. The two padawans’ worlds had been narrowed to that 20-meter circle of light.
It ended when they met in the middle, their weapons crossed between them, each putting every last ounce of energy into trying to throw the other off balance. A kind of silent agreement had passed between them, they stepped back simultaneously, powered down their ‘sabers, and left. No words were spoken, no eye contact made, they just left. Neither had ever gained the upper hand in the fight.
Nierda and Zabe just kind of stared at each other. “Talk about intense.” It was the only thing Zabe could manage to say. He was at a loss after what he just saw.
For the first time in her life Nierda was speechless, she just shook her head. It took a long few minutes to regain her voice; Even then all she could get out was “Wow.” She took more than a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself, “Aw, screw it. You know, watching our friends duel is going to be the best idea your sex life has ever heard of.” With that declaration she grabbed him.
The last coherent thought he had was: ‘The observation room for the arena is a new one.’
Meanwhile Kwell and Obi-Wan had just witnessed the fight from a different location. They were currently in the security room and had just switched off the live-holo for the arena. They too had to spend a minute regaining composure, lost for words.
---
“Ready?” It was the first words spoken since the fight. Anakin and Jadea were standing on the floor of the large hangar, having already stowed their luggage on board the sleek white cruiser that would take them to Caladrean.
Kwell, Obi-Wan, Nierda, Grandi, and Zabe were all standing in front of them waiting for their good-byes. She nodded her ascent and walked over to Kwell. They shook hands, as was customary between Master and Padawan. What she really wanted to do was Hug him, and beg for him not to make her go. He had become like a father to her throughout the years. However she did neither, instead just bowing her head. “Good-bye Master, I’ll see you soon.”
“So you shall Jadea.” His voice reflected none of the anguish he felt at letting his quasi-daughter go away for five days, with a very interested male no less.
Nearby Obi-Wan and Anakin were doing much the same. Except that for the two, it was more of a brotherly affection than a parental one. “Try not to upset her Anakin, she’d like you if you didn’t constantly stick your foot in your mouth whenever you get near her.”
Anakin smiled roguishly, “I know Master, I will try.” With a firm handshake he turned to Zabe. They eyed each other surreptitiously, and then settled on a pat on the back and a handshake. “Bye Zabe.”
“Try not to screw up Anakin, use your body to your advantage. She digs it.” He held back a laugh as Anakin realized that he had been watching the night before.
Jadea, with what would have been met with disapproval by the council, hugged both Nierda and Grandi tightly. They had never been apart for more than a couple of days before.
Nierda moved in to whisper in Jadea’s ear. “Try to take a holo of him when he gets a load of you in that bathing suit!” Jadea flushed then with a slight grin nodded her compliance.
Throwing a last glance back at her friends she hurried up the ramp and onto the ship. “Come on Anakin.” He nodded at both Obi-Wan and Zabe then turned and entered the vessel himself.
---
Anakin sighed, he had just set the cruiser on manual hyper speed and there wasn’t really anything else to do in the cockpit. Both of the passengers had avoided each other due to the extremely uncomfortable conversation that needed to happen. Now, alone, there was really no point in avoiding each other any longer.
He ducked through the low doorway that led to the passenger lounge. Jadea had been lying on the couch, idly trying to memorize the outlay of Caladrean before they got there. When a looming shadow was cast over her she quickly sat up.
“It’s okay. Lie back down, I’m fine with the recliner.” Cautiously as though he was going to strike she stretched out again, Anakin noting that she didn’t even run the length of the couch. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
“We seem to like silence.” At Jadea’s observation Anakin laughed, a distinct, deep ring to it that sent tingles of warmth throughout her. She surprised herself by realizing that it was the first time she had heard him laugh. He was usually so serious.
“Yeah, seems like we do.” Anakin relaxed. He activated the recliner, it was an old favorite for him, he liked that the leg support was long enough for him. He stretched out hands behind his head, perfectly comfortable.
“How’s everything in the cockpit captain?”
“It’s on manual hyper speed, there’s nothing for me to do, and we won’t be there for about three hours.” Seeing him stretch like that, combined with the fact that they were alone, in a small cruiser, for three hours, sent her mind reeling with possibilities. She silently cursed Nierda for the detailed ‘talk’ she had given her before she left. Although she still cringed at the mental images of her best friend and Zabe.
This was all new territory for Jadea. As a Jedi, she forced herself to constantly focus on training, so boys hadn’t really been all that prominent in her life until Anakin’s recent debut into her thoughts. Jedi had always taken a scientific approach to all things physical, when a padawan turned fourteen they were taken down to the healers and given a lecture on the mechanics of sex. Jadea had almost been scarred for life by this, as her healer had been about Master Yoda’s age and had diagrams to show her. She had basically yelled at Jadea for an hour on not getting pregnant and sent her on her way. Needless to say Jadea had learned most of what she knew about sex from Nierda once she had started ‘meeting’ Zabe.
On the other hand her fellow passenger hand more than diagrams to help him. He too had been sent to a healer after his fourteenth birthday, his was better. A twenty five year old healer had pictures too, but stressed the actual goings on of the act more than Jadea’s teacher. When he was sixteen he had started ‘meetings’ of his own with a young Jedi who was training to be a negotiator. They hadn’t actually had sex, on the basis of her wanting to be a virgin for her ‘match’, but they had done everything else.
Anakin had let his thoughts run amok for a few minutes before reining them in. He needed to get them talking, about anything. He needed t distract himself from his imagination. He ventured; “So…”
Snapping out of her daze she looked over at him, willing herself not to picture him stretched like that, except naked. She didn’t even know what the lower half of a man looked like, although Nierda had gone into more detail than was necessary in describing it for Jadea, even to the point where Jadea had had to stop her from drawing it for her. Truth was Nierda had enjoyed the embarrassed blush that suffused Jadea whenever she would even imply anything sexual, sex was the only topic Nierda knew more about than her friend, and she relished in using it against Jadea.
She was quickly losing the battle against herself as she felt heat infuse her face. From the smile on Anakin’s face she knew he was noticing. “Are you okay?” Anakin saw the blush, but refused to linger on why it had appeared, or at least what he thought its reason for appearing might be. To test the theory he put his arms above his head and stretched again, when she got even redder he knew his wasn’t the only libido running wild. Zabe’s words floated back to him ‘Try not to screw up Anakin, use your body to your advantage.’ Maybe his friend was right.
‘Oh dear force’ He had stretched his long length again, and her thoughts went strait back to more pleasurable territory. Her face flamed. “I’m fine.” She got this out without sounding too much like she wanted to rip his clothes off. This was going to be a long three hours.