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"Square right one-hundred."
Anakin threw the gear shift down into second gear, swinging the car sharp and tight through the hairpin turn, tires kicking up great showers of dust in its wake. Ahsoka's voice carried through the radio, soft and calm but with an edge to it as they approached the square angle turn. He threw the gear into third and then back down, sending the car drifting through the turn.
"Peak to a long flat crest, long three right, tightness over the crest," Ahsoka said quickly and succinctly.
Her instructions always one step ahead, keeping Anakin on his toes as he followed through with instructions given seconds before. The engine of the car roared beneath their seats, belts and bars keeping them locked in place as Anakin hit a small bump, sending the car jumping upward for just a moment. There was a break in the radio, but then Ahsoka's voice continued through as soon as they landed, a hint of annoyance in it.
Anakin just grinned.
"Long flat six left to crest, two right, tightens - don't cut."
They were making good time. They'd gone over the track for the past three days, the two pouring over the details of the terrain, Ahsoka spending her evenings writing up her pacenotes while Anakin kept the car as finely tuned as he could. They didn't have a full background team like some of the more experienced, wealthy rally racers did, the two having to do most of the work with half the sleep and even less cash, but that didn't mean anything when you were on the track.
All the money in the world couldn't buy their sheer skill. Anakin felt like he was truly alive when he was racing. The pure power in the engine, thrumming and coursing through him, the sound of it as it roared and rattled away, the smell of smoke and dust as it was kicked up all around them, pungent and cloying - it was intoxicating. Anakin even loved the ache in his lower back after a particularly rough landing.
"Narrow seven, in sharp. Flat crest, into flat right, very long."
They were nearing the end of the stage, the sides of the track filling with more people as they watched the cars from the sidelines, toes as close to the track as was possible. The first time they'd raced Ahsoka thought they were going to hit someone, but Anakin stayed clear of them - despite his own misgivings now and again.
Nearing the long section Anakin punched the engine, swinging the gear shift down, sending them careening down the dusty pathway toward the finish line. Ahsoka continued to guide, her voice becoming harsher and louder as they neared a section of tight hairpins. Anakin's heart was beating out his chest, though he kept his hand steady as he pushed the car back down into second gear, slowing it until they could crawl their way through the linking hairpins and off into the last stretch of roadway.
People lined the road cheering them on, flags of different teams flying around in the air above the crowds. Off in the distance Anakin could see the finish line, checkerboard patterning draped across the dusty roadway, illuminated by the sun as it sat high in the sky.
They had a chance - a real chance. Nothing had gone wrong all weekend, they'd set fantastic times in the different stages, the car drove like a dream, the roads were clear, Ahsoka's instructions were concise - everything was perfect.
They were going to crush Obi-Wan and Cody and make them eat their bet.
They sped across the finish line and Anakin slammed his foot down on to the breaks. The car stuttered, tires losing their grip briefly on the gravel stop, dirt kicked up every which way before the tread locked in and the car came to a stop. Ahsoka braced her hand on the dash despite her harness keeping her locked in, a small gasp breaking through the radio.
Putting the car into park Anakin looked over at Ahsoka and grinned. She grinned back.
"Think we did it, Snips?" he asked.
"If we didn't we came close."
"C'mon - a little optimism, please."
"Cody and Obi-Wan were setting good times all weekend."
Anakin rolled his eyes and put the car back into drive, pulling off on to the side along with the rest of those who had completed the track earlier. Rolling up next to Echo One team, Anakin parked the car and slipped out. His body was humming, skin and muscle, sinew and bone vibrating with unspent energies and excitement. No matter how long the stages were Anakin was always ready to go again - to push himself to the absolute limit until he'd completed his goal, crushed the competition, wiped the smug smiles off the assholes who thought they were better than them.
Pulling his helmet and fire cap off, Anakin brushed his hand across his brow, pushing away the sweat and his damp curls as they clung to his skin. It was hot out, the sun high in the sky, beating down on the barren ground. He reached into the car and grabbed his water bottle, downing half off it as he and Ahsoka walked toward the leader boards.
There were still a few teams finishing up, the scream of their engines heard far off in the distance as they tried to get the best lap-time possible. But it didn't matter - they didn't matter. All that mattered was--
"Obi-Wan!"
Ahsoka bounded over to Obi-Wan and Cody as they stood near their car. The leader board was tantalizingly just out of sight, tucked away behind large advertisements for energy drinks that made Anakin's teeth vibrate in his skull. Anakin tried not to smile too broadly when he saw Obi-Wan but he could tell he wasn't doing a very good job of it by the expression on Obi-Wan's face. He was leaned against his car, race suit half off, his fire resistant shirt clinging to his sturdy frame. He was wearing sunglasses but Anakin could feel his eyes as they wandered up and down his body, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips.
Anakin wanted to get down on his knees and suck him off right then and there - expend the last of his energies on something productive and filling. Instead he nodded at the pair, ignoring Cody's smug little smile that told him all he needed to know without looking at the leaderboard.
They'd lost. Again.
Probably not by much, either. Just enough to make it sting.
"You came close this time," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin stopped in front of Obi-Wan, close enough where if he wanted to he could press his face against his neck and lick the sweat from his skin. Instead he wrapped his arms over his chest and squeezed down on his forearms.
It wasn't as if what they had between them was a secret - Anakin suspected that if he had gone licked Obi-Wan's earlobe no one would have objected. It was just that it wasn't anything serious; or so Anakin told himself even as Obi-Wan's smile alone threatened to envelope him whole. It was a completely casual situation, something they did in-between races in order to keep the nerves from getting the better of them. A quick wank here or there, the touch of their cocks together, Obi-Wan's tongue in his mouth as they jerked each other off, the smell of motor oil and sex thick in the air.
Anakin remembered the first time it had happened, the two stood together outside a bar just before the race weekend had come into full effect. Anakin was bouncing on the spot, nerves tickling away at him, prickling the very edges of his skin, making him feel like he was coming undone with every beat of his frantic heart. And then Obi-Wan stilled him with a simple touch, hand heavy and solid against his neck, pulse pushing against his palm. They'd locked eyes, Obi-Wan's steady, steel-grey blue keeping Anakin focused, centered in the moment and not off and away on some racetrack.
It was then Obi-Wan mentioned that he found sex a good form of meditation.
Anakin's doctor had never suggested it as a coping mechanism, but Anakin found it was quite useful for managing his more unruly ticks.
Since then they'd take what little chances they had to touch each other, lick and bite and suck, pull each other apart before putting one another back together again with shaky, sticky hands.
"Close but not enough?" Ahsoka asked.
Obi-Wan nodded his head toward the leader board. Anakin peeked around the advertisement to see he and Ahsoka's name tucked away just beneath Obi-Wan's and Cody's.
"Fuck," he mumbled.
He'd been so sure this time.
So much for his gut instinct.
"So does this mean you're going to follow through with your end of the bet?" Cody asked with a smirk.
"A bet is a bet," Ahsoka said.
Anakin glowered. It was only a fun bet when he thought he was going to win.
"Come on, Anakin. It won't be that bad," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin chanced him a glance. His hair was shining under the bright light, copper strands silken and full, little greys spilling out from his temples like flecks of silver. He was wearing sunscreen, thick and applied right across the bridge of his nose, but even then he was burning slightly. Anakin had teased him about his fair skin once, bite marks along his inner thighs coming out dark and rich the moment Anakin lifted his lips from them.
"Ahsoka's right. A bet is a bet, and we lost," he said, hating the sound of the word 'lost' slipping from his lips.
Cody grinned and patted Anakin roughly on his arm. "Ah, that's a good sport. I've already got your notes all set - just come see me before you go and talk to the press and I'll pass them out to you both."
Ahsoka sighed but nodded all the same. "Alright, alright. Whatever." Unzipping her suit, she turned to Anakin as she wiggled her arms out of the sleeves. "Going to go to the cool down tent - wanna come?"
"I think I'll stay here for a bit," Anakin said. He eyed the jumbo-screen that showed the second to last car careening down the track. The race would be over soon and Obi-Wan would be mobbed by the media and idolizing fans before he went off back home to Stewjon. Anakin didn't have much time left with him and wanted to remain in his orbit for as long as possible.
Ahsoka looked between the two and grinned. But before she could say anything Cody cut in, dragging her away and toward the cool-down tent.
Anakin watched the pair go, grateful for Cody. Trying to act as casual as possible he leaned against the car next to Obi-Wan, his arm stretched out over the top of the low-sitting car. The top of the car was hot, the sun warming it up, but he enjoyed the way the heat sunk into the marrow of his bones. He'd always been happier when they raced in the warmer climates, his body less taught, lungs filling with warmth rather than the sharp bite of the cold.
Obi-Wan said he could race in any climate. But Obi-Wan could do anything he wanted if he thought about it long enough.
"You're staring," Obi-Wan said mildly.
"Sorry."
He didn't stop staring. Obi-Wan caught the smallest of smiles on the corner of his lips.
"You were close," Obi-Wan said. "Only one and a half seconds off our time."
Anakin groaned. "That doesn't make it any better."
Obi-Wan turned, his shoulder pressed against the side of the car. He was close enough where Anakin could smell the clean sweat and body wash on him, mixed with a hint of motor grease. He couldn't resist and moved in closer, guided by the way Obi-Wan's body was so open to him. Obi-Wan didn't move away but rather tilted his head to the side, making room for Anakin to rest his cheek against his own. His beard rubbed pleasantly against Anakin's smooth cheek, a tingling sensation that sunk into his gut.
"This is only your second season, Anakin. For most drivers it takes them years to get up to the positions you and Ahsoka are pulling. You should be proud of yourself." Obi-Wan turned then, their noses rubbing. He reached up and pushed his sunglasses up and off of his nose, tucking them on the top of his head, silken locks pinned back. "I'm proud of you."
"Obi-Wan." It was a pitiful little sound, made even worse by the fact that Obi-Wan seemed to get a little bit of glee from it, his smile brightening, his eyes twinkling.
"Will you be at the rally in Stewjon?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin almost didn't catch the question, the shouts of the crowd threatening to drown him out as the second-to-last car skittered past the finish line.
"Wouldn't miss it," Anakin said. "It's your home race, after all. Can't wait to beat the hometown hero on his own turf."
"Good," Obi-Wan said with a smile. For a second Anakin could swear he saw something in his gaze - fondness - before he blinked and it was once again that same intense stare that made Anakin feel like he was set on fire.
Silence for a time, the crowd filling in the gaps as the pair stared at each other. Other drivers walked by, mumbling their congratulations to Obi-Wan and a few to Anakin. Obi-Wan responded to each and every one but Anakin didn't bother, too overcome with how Obi-Wan felt and smelled so close to him.
He wondered what it would be like to fuck Obi-Wan in his race suit - muss it up, mark it with his come. Would Obi-Wan mind? Would he try and brush it off or let it dry, staining the material. He was always so polished, so put together, even in the middle of sex. He could be panting and shaking, flush skin covered in sweat, covered in come and spit and his voice would still be steady as he whispered words into Anakin's ear, his hands strong as he gripped his hips, fingers digging into him, pulling him apart.
Anakin wanted to make Obi-Wan come completely undone, but every time he set out to do it he'd fall apart before he could even try, a trembling, eager mess in Obi-Wan's lap or between his thighs.
"Did you maybe... did you maybe want to get together before the race weekend?" Anakin asked. He was feeling bold, the energies from the spectators, the roar of the engines, the feel of Obi-Wan's breath against his lips, feeding into his ego.
"Anakin... are you asking me on a date?" Obi-Wan asked.
Anakin shrugged. "Sure, maybe. I just, I mean... I think it might be nice. To spend some time outside of hotel rooms or the track."
Obi-Wan looked like he was about to say something but then the crowd erupted with applause as the last car drove across the finish-line. Mayhem broke out as the announcers shouted over the speakers, Obi-Wan and Cody's victory all but assured. Immediately the two were swarmed by congratulatory drivers, and Anakin was swept away from Obi-Wan as the chaos descended.
Anakin wanted to hit the lot of them, but instead went to stand next to Ahsoka who had returned with a damp towel across her neck and shoulders.
"Why do you look like you want to murder everyone?" she asked as Anakin saddled up to her and stole her packet of cookies.
"We came in second, Snips." He pulled a cookie out and bit into it, grimacing as the sugar washed across his tongue. He chewed it anyway, watching as Obi-Wan was dragged toward the podium. Anakin would have to join them soon, but was still too annoyed by the interruption to trust his civility would hold up.
"We always come in second," Ahsoka said. She took her cookies back and shoved a whole one into her mouth. "Did you try and ask Obi-Wan out on a date?"
"Maybe."
"And he said no?"
"He didn't have the chance to."
Ahsoka nudged Anakin with her elbow, sharp and niggling as it wiggled into his ribs. He shoved back. She shoved again.
Their squabble was interrupted by an official as they approached, papers in one hand and a walkie-talkie in the other. She nodded at the pair before heading off into the crowd toward the award stage.
"Ready to get our fourth second place trophy of the season?" Ahsoka asked.
"Whatever."
The award ceremony went off much like all the others. Anakin and Ahsoka stood on their second place podium, Obi-Wan and Cody next to them on the slightly more elevated steps. On the other side were Plo Koon and Kit Fisto, grins bright behind their masks of dust and sweat. National anthems were played, trophies passed out, and the group did the obligatory showers of champaign, the liquid sticky and unappetizing as it soaked everyone unfortunate enough to be standing nearby.
Normally Anakin would retreat back to the garages, content to let Ahsoka handle any and all PR. Anakin never knew what to say or how to conduct himself, fumbling over his words or saying something completely inappropriate that the broadcasters would have to splice and bleep to make it anything remotely fit for the public. But he didn't have to worry about what he was going to say today, because Cody had brought them their scripts.
"The underlined words are there for enunciation," Cody reminded the two as they were led to the press booth.
Ahsoka read through it, her scowl deepening with each passing word.
"Fett is the greatest co-driver a driver would or could ever need, and I can only hope to obtain a fraction of his talent as I continue my career as-- this is bullshit, Cody."
Cody grinned. "A bet is a bet."
Stepping out in front of the Galaxy News crew, Ahsoka and Anakin closed ranks and looked down at the speech together. Anakin noted that his was in red ink while Ahsoka's was in blue, the two having to switch-off. Gritting his teeth, Anakin waited for the presenter to finish up with their pleasantries before speaking his part.
"Thank you for your congratulations," he began, voice void of enthusiasm, "but today is not about me or Ahsoka. Today is about the illustrious and magnani... magnanimous duo that are Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cody Fett. As a new driver of the craft I look up to the two of them regularly - literally, in fact, as I am always standing on the second place podium and have to look up at them as they receive their first place awards. I would like to, in particular, praise Kenobi's driving style. He is much better than I am because he doesn't break the suspension on his car--"
"That was one time," Ahsoka interjected.
Anakin nodded before continuing. He kept his head ducked, refusing to look at the amused faces of the Galaxy News staff. "He is much better than I am... because he doesn't break the suspension... in conclusion, I can only hope to be as good looking, charming, intelligent, and cunning as Kenobi is. Sadly, I will have to wait my turn, as Kenobi is a once-in-a-generational talent."
Anakin shoved the paper into Ahsoka's hand and stepped back, giving her the microphones. The reporters were being unusually patient. He eyed the rest of the press as they interviewed the other drivers. Six other crews - they had to reach the speech to six other crew.
Anakin wasn't going to take on any further bets, no matter how tempting, how assured he was of winning. Nothing was worth the humiliation; not even seeing Obi-Wan's silly little smile from across the way.
XXX
Anakin sat on the hood of his car, a cigarette dangling from his lips, hands steady as he fiddled with the filter, pressing it between his fingers while the nicotine and smoke swirled around his lungs pleasantly. Up above him bright advertisements played, a cacophony of sounds that mixed and tumbled with each other until it was impossible to tell which ad was for what. Neon lights, vibrant and bright, flashed across the hoods of the cars as they lined up along the roadway and danced across the puddles from a fresh rain. Coruscant's underground smelled oddly pleasant, the rainfall washing away the stench of garbage and piss, and Anakin found he could take a lungful of air in without immediately gagging.
He let the smoke out slowly, billows of it pooling out from his lips and nose, and watched the other drivers through the haze he'd made. The regulars were present - Ventress in her silver and purple car, the underside lit bright with purple neon lights. Next to her was Krell, the lights from the advertisement bouncing off the black and red paint job of his charger, engine already idling, kicking up black smoke and smog. And further up, near the top of the pack, was Sebulba. He was leaning against the side of his expensive rig while his girlfriend rested under his arm. His car came from overseas, painted shimmering gold with lights that changed colour and strobed just beneath the carriage. It was an abomination of flash and noise, matched only in crassness by the driver.
Anakin hated Sebulba.
Though it was technically an 'illegal' street race there were still rules that everyone followed - everyone except for Sebulba. The man drove dirty, pushing people off the road in an attempt to overtake, threatening other drivers with an early finish if they didn't let him pass through, and Anakin was sure he bribed the officiants to let him get top billing at the front of the pack for every race. He was rude to other drivers both on and off the track, depended on bravado and threats to win the races he did win, and looked down on the other drivers who didn't glitz up their cars to hide their lack of skills - including Anakin's car.
His was a simple little thing he'd picked up when he first arrived to Coruscant. It wasn't glitzy or flashy, the seating falling apart in some places while the radio worked only when it wanted to. He'd painted it a nice red colour when he'd first gotten it, but it had become scratched and dented over the last few years, Anakin's chaotic driving and tendency to park next to people who swung their doors open procuring most of the marks. But it was under the hood that counted. Anakin had put in a new engine as soon as he could afford one, and tinkered with it until the beast purred. He'd added all sorts of little upgrades over the years, smoothing things out until the small, dented, outdated vehicle could go toe to toe with whatever expensive thing Sebulba or Krell showed up with.
He could still remember their laughter when he'd arrived for his first race. And he could still remember the looks on their faces when he'd claimed first place.
Sucking back on the last of his smoke, Anakin flicked the ash into a nearby puddle and doused the rest of it with the tip of a wet finger. It burned, but Anakin enjoyed the sensation. Closing his eyes, he breathed in and out of his nose, trying the calming techniques his therapist had suggested. It wasn't as good as having Obi-Wan's cock in his mouth, but he'd make do.
In and out, in and out, in and--
"Hello there."
Anakin almost fell off the hood of his car at the sound of Obi-Wan's voice. For a second he thought he'd made it up - hallucinated Obi-Wan during his meditation, manifesting the only person who could make him feel so at peace while at the same time making him feel empowered and maddened. But when he turned around Obi-Wan was stood there, not a manifestation of his overactive imagination, but real and made of flesh, solid and sturdy and so terrible handsome.
"What are you doing here?" Anakin asked, the words spilling from his lips before he could stop them.
Obi-Wan shrugged. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his trousers, gold metal watch band glinting beneath the bright neon lights above. He was dressed casually - for Obi-Wan - in a forest green dress shirt, the collar popped open, exposing the top of his chest and the dense matting of hair that spread out across. He looked completely out of place next to the assortment of drivers in jeans and t-shirts, leathers and spikes, shimmering jackets and brightly dyed hair. Yet the way he stood, so elegantly, so nonchalant - told Anakin that he belonged there, same as him, same as the others.
"Well I saw this assortment of cars parked in the street and I thought it looked like great fun so I decided to join them." Obi-Wan approached Anakin, a twinkle in his grey-blue eyes. "Tell me, is this a line for something?"
Anakin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's for Flo's Burgers and Shakes. But seriously, Obi-Wan."
"I'm here to race, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "Same as you."
"It's illegal, Obi-Wan. If we get caught you could lose your racing license," Anakin said quickly.
"But that's not a concern for you?"
Anakin paused. It had never been a concern for him, truly. He'd been street-racing well before he began his rally career, the rush of adrenaline unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. The car was of his own creation, the streets and roadways pulsing with life, the inherent danger of driving side by side next to someone who thought just like you did - who wanted only to win, fuck the consequences. Rally racing had rules, and although fun, it wasn't like this. It wasn't dangerous and thrilling and so completely reckless.
But Obi-Wan was all about control - taking it, maintaining it, creating it with his hands. When he was on the rally circuit his turns were as tight as possible, his braking masterful, his speed absolute. And when they were fucking his movement were steady and strong, his voice low and deep, his walls tight and squeezing as he pulled everything out of Anakin, molding him for his own pleasure.
"You seem awfully nervous about me being here," Obi-Wan continued. He approached Anakin, his hands still firmly tucked in the pockets of his trousers. He stopped just short of being able to touch Anakin. "Are you afraid that I'll win here, too? Beat you on your streets?"
Surprise gave way to annoyance - sharp and quick, lashing at Anakin's thin resolve, tattering it into messy bits of paper. He tilted his chin and looked down at Obi-Wan. "Not on your life, old man."
Obi-Wan chuckled then, low and deep, sending little sparks into Anakin's gut and groin. He stepped even closer, hot breath skittering across Anakin's lips. "So confident, Anakin. Perhaps a little too confident?"
"You just said these were my streets," Anakin replied. He tried to maintain his composure when all he wanted to do was throw Obi-Wan down on the hood of his fancy two-seater and fuck him until he spilled out across the expensive paint job. "I know the corners - what speed is best to go into them and when to throttle the engine. I know when to go slow and easy, and when to push the car to the absolute limit, making the engine scream out as you speed past the strobing lights. I know how to rely entirely on myself and the car - no one else, no co-driver to guide, no tracks to walk beforehand, no spectators to cheer you on, making you perform better, faster, smarter..."
Obi-Wan quirked a brow. He was still smiling, though there was an edge to it that made Anakin want to bite his bottom lip. "Oh, really?"
"You're gonna lose."
Obi-Wan nodded, a soft little tilt of his chin. His eyes skirted down Anakin's face, stopping at his lips before coming back up to lock eyes. They were closer now, lips almost touching, noses brushing. And then Obi-Wan spoke. "Just remember to maintain your composure, darling. We wouldn't want you popping off early like the last time we tangled."
Anakin felt the hot heat of embarrassment drag across his cheeks and down the back of his neck. The last time they'd fucked Anakin had come quickly, thighs trembling as Obi-Wan teased him with his voice alone, the only source of friction on his cock that of Obi-Wan's thumb pushing against the base of his prick where his balls met his shaft. It had been embarrassing then and was still embarrassing now, despite Obi-Wan's assurances that he liked the fact that Anakin had a quick-trigger, and an even quicker refractory period.
"You're fighting dirty because you know you're in trouble," Anakin shot back.
Obi-Wan shrugged and stepped back, leaving Anakin void of his warmth. "Perhaps you're right. I haven't done a proper street race in Coruscant for many years."
Anakin wanted to know more - wanted to ask Obi-Wan about his life before they'd met. He wanted to dig his way into Obi-Wan's life, become a part of his story, his experiences, his memories. He wanted to know what Obi-Wan's childhood was like, who his friends were, where he went to school, what subjects were his favourites to study. He wanted to know what his favourite foods were and what he was allergic to, how he took his coffee or if he even drank coffee. He wanted to smell his skin in the morning, kiss him awake, sink into his willing, pliable body and spill into him, joining them forever - marking them as one.
But mostly Anakin wanted to know how long Obi-Wan had been in Coruscant, and why he was there and not Stewjon, and furthermore, why he'd not told Anakin he was in town.
"How long have you been here?" Anakin asked quickly. Anxiety cloyed at him, deep and dark, sinking into his gut. Did Obi-Wan not want to spend time with him? Was he turned off by Anakin's question the weekend prior? Did he want to keep things casual when all Anakin could think to do was tear the walls down and scream in the messes he'd made of both their lives?
But then Obi-Wan spoke his voice calm amongst the thrum of excitement as the race drew closer to starting. "Only a few hours. I had an unexpected meeting I had to attend earlier in the day. I called round your place but Ahsoka told me you'd gone to do something incredibly stupid. I figured you'd be here."
Anakin laughed then, relief welling up inside. Obi-Wan had 'called round' his place. He'd used the land-line phone number Anakin had stupidly given him months ago. He'd come all the way here to see Anakin.
"So what, you just decided to join the race?" he asked, still playing around with the knowledge that Obi-Wan had come to see him.
"Why not? It's as I said, I haven't driven these streets in quite a while and it'll be nice to get some practice."
"You have a car?"
"I keep it at Satine's. I don't like renting a car when I'm in town."
Anakin nodded. Satine - Obi-Wan's ex-wife. A little nugget of information that Anakin had managed to find out about Obi-Wan when post-sex bliss had lowered his inhibitions, his words soft and slow as he explained to Anakin why he'd moved back to Stewjon. They were drunk at the time, alcohol and come sitting in the back of Anakin's throat, making everything sharp and bitter as he heard about Obi-Wan loving someone else, touching someone else, being with someone else.
But he had no right to Obi-Wan. It was casual. So stupidly casual...
"Any tips for me?" Obi-Wan asked, dragging Anakin out of his revere.
"We haven't got time for a full run-down, but watch out for the shit in the gold car - Sebulba. He'll run you off the road if you're not careful. And Krell - in the black charger - tends to shove his way in the middle and won't move an inch until he absolutely has to. And Ventress in the silver and purple number is quick - she gets away from the pack and she's nearly impossible to catch up to. So keep an eye on her and don't let her pass."
"And you?" Obi-Wan asked. "What should I watch out for with you?"
Anakin locked eyes with Obi-Wan. His hair shimmered beneath the neon-lights, copper mixing with bright pinks and blues as they danced across the underbelly of Coruscant.
"Just that I'll never make it easy - for you or for me."
"So you're the ultimate challenge, then?"
"Maybe too much of a challenge."
Obi-Wan smiled. "I like a challenge, darling. Don't worry about that."
Anakin kissed Obi-Wan - quick and fierce - just as the race organizers began screaming out instructions from the front of the pack. Obi-Wan cupped the back of Anakin's neck, grip strong as he squeezed down, locking Anakin in place, keeping the kiss going. His tongue delved into Anakin's mouth, rubbing and prodding, dragging a soft moan from Anakin. When they parted Anakin felt like he'd had the wind kicked out of him, breathing short and stuttering.
"Guide me through the chaos of the race and I'll do the same for you?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.
Anakin nodded and swallowed back his love confession.
Obi-Wan kissed his cheek before letting go, the two parting as the drivers entered their cars and the spectators spilled off to the sides to line the street. It was a quick race, filled with sharp turns and winding thoroughfares. The residents of the area were always warned ahead of time of the races, and Anakin suspected a few of the regular beat cops were paid off ahead of time to turn the other way when they heard the screech of tires across the pavement.
Sitting in his car Anakin turned it on and tried to ground himself with the feel of the wheel in his hands and the thrum of the engine beneath him. Glancing in his rear-view mirror he spotted Obi-Wan's car, face hidden by the tinted windows. He was two cars behind him and to the left. Looking back up ahead, Anakin watched the black smoke pour from Krell's shit-box, noting that Ventress' underside lights could barely cut through the inky air. They were two ahead. And then in the front was Sebulba. Music pulsed from his open window, some obnoxious song that used the word 'pussy' both as a verb and a noun, his engine revving loudly beneath the neon signs and bright lights.
Closing his eyes Anakin gave himself a moment, breathing through his nose and mouth, slow and steady. He thought about what it would be like to guide Obi-Wan through the wave of cars, having him race with him rather than apart. He thought about how good it would feel to climb the ladder with him, passing Krell and Ventress before overtaking Sebulba in his stupid gaudy car. And then he thought about his prize - Obi-Wan, sat on his lap, telling him what a good driver he was, how competent he was, how he wanted only Anakin and Anakin forever as they fucked in the back of Obi-Wan's car while--
The race was staring. Anakin didn't see the woman at the front throw her arms down, so caught up in his little fantasy. Instead the screech of the tires behind him clued him in and he slammed his foot down on the clutch and threw the car into drive. He was lucky, the car in front of him had a bad release, tires smoking, car stalling in place, giving Anakin space to move around him and slip up into seventh. The speedometer spiked along with Anakin's pulse, the roar of the engine feeding him forward and past two more cars, placing him right behind Ventress and Krell as they sped through the twisted roadways.
Above them the neon lights flashed, pulsing, strobing, sending little sparks of light across the hood of Anakin's car and along the puddles on the road. Anakin chanced a glance in the rear view mirror and caught sight of Obi-Wan right behind him. He grinned and gunned the engine, Obi-Wan following close in behind, matching Anakin pace for pace.
He knew, if given the chance to actually race one another and not the times they set, they'd make it tight and neat. He knew they'd move together well, matching each other swerve for swerve, gear change to gear change, throttle to throttle. He knew they'd be in tune with each other in all ways that it mattered.
Ventress and Krell started fighting with one another, Krell blocking Ventress from getting past, using his larger car to keep her on the sides or right behind. Anakin waited until Ventress tried to pass Krell on his left before sneaking around on his right, Krell making just enough room for him to slip through. Obi-Wan wasn't a lucky, but Anakin slowed Krell down, frustrating him to the point where he decided to try something reckless and pull wide. The back end of his charger fishtailed at the rough motion and stalled out, Krell falling behind while Obi-Wan and Ventress moved past.
Anakin watched in his rear view as Obi-Wan and Ventress tussled, Ventress trying to use her speed to her advantage by skirting past him. But Obi-Wan was faster on the throttle, his car jumping forward to cut her off, making her have to break to save the front end of her car. And then it was Obi-Wan side by side with Anakin. His windows were tinted, Anakin unable to see him through the glass, but he sent him a grin all the same, knowing he was returning it.
Two other cars separated them from Sebulba who remained further ahead, gold car strobing beneath the pulsing lights above. They were coming on to the freeway that curled back into the under city, roadway opening but also coming into contact with other cars. Anakin wanted to pass the two before them before they entered the long stretch where regular rules of the road had to be followed, so he surged his car forward, pushing the engine to its absolute limit. The car in front of him faltered slightly, losing just a few seconds in time but enough for Anakin and Obi-Wan to pull ahead, Obi-Wan using Anakin's slip stream.
They traded off for the next car, Obi-Wan overcoming it with some careful maneuvering with Anakin quickly in tow. He followed the tail lights of Obi-Wan's car, watching them flicker as Obi-Wan braked and then gunned the engine as they turned on to the freeway.
Anakin let himself breathe for a moment. There were rules on the freeway - no overtakes if there were other cars in the area, no going more than thirty over the speed limit, and no sudden breaking. It was everyone's least favourite part of the track. But following next to Obi-Wan gave Anakin a new appreciation for the simplicity of the space. Here he had time to regroup, to regulate his emotions beyond needing, getting, wanting.
Sebulba was still up ahead but was caught behind three cars going the speed limit. Anakin sped off after him, closing the gap, Obi-Wan close behind as he once again followed Anakin's lead. The street lights above shone down into the front of Anakin's car, light flickering past, matching the pace of his heartbeat and the thrum of the engine beneath the hood. He hated listening to music when he drove, preferring the steady sound of the car as all its mechanical parts worked in a steady, satisfying rhythm.
They were right behind Sebulba as they came to the off-ramp that would take them back into the underbelly. They had to go single file, the road only allowing for one vehicle at a time through the narrow space. Anakin gripped his wheel a little harder when Sebulba brake-checked him but was calmed by Obi-Wan's headlights right behind. They could do this - they could overtake Sebulba and then it would be just the two of them, skill and determination the deciding factor of who would win.
As soon as they were back out onto the main roadway Sebulba gunned the engine, little flames appearing in the twin exhaust pipes of his car. Anakin laughed loudly when he saw it.
What a fucking loser.
Anakin pulled up next to Sebulba and he saw Obi-Wan on his other side, the three of them driving in tandem, side by side, locked together. He glanced over at Sebulba but the man was staring straight ahead, lips pulled back in a grimace as he tried to get ahead. But their engines were all equally matched, cars roaring down the roadway, kicking up trash and water in their wake as they sped through the underground.
And then Sebulba started pulling inward, squeezing Anakin. He moved away from Sebulba, trying to give himself some room, but Sebulba kept compressing inward, pushing Anakin further toward Obi-Wan. He gripped the steering wheel harder and tried to give himself as much room but it wasn't working. Obi-Wan was almost already up on the curb, riding the side of the roadway as Sebulba kept pushing and pushing.
Anakin caught his grin out of the corner of his eye.
He wasn't going to stop moving inward.
Anakin had two choices, neither of which were particularly thrilling. He could either remain where he was and let Sebulba crash all three of them out, or break and pull away, giving Obi-Wan a chance to finish the race while he floundered in the back of the pack. What he wanted to do was crash his car right into Sebulba - throw the vehicle hard to his left and just plow into the side of his car, ripping them both apart, potentially harming - or even killing them both. But instead he slammed his foot down on the breaks. His car stuttered to a stop, tires screeching, smoke billowing up behind him as he swerved the car into the sidewalk, hitting a garbage bin, bits of litter and trash flying up and on to the hood of his car.
Behind him cars sped by, taillights his only company as they continued on without him.
Putting the car in park Anakin ducked his head and breathed hard through his nose. His hands were shaking, a constant trembling that wouldn't stop no matter how many times he squeezed and opened them. There was a thudding in his head - deep and overpowering - and he realized it was his heartbeat. Staring down at his lap he tried to steady his body and mind, but the buzzing was getting worse, like an itch beneath his skin, pulling at his focus.
His race was ruined, car almost totaled, body and mind ripped to tatters all because of fucking Sebulba.
He gritted his teeth and let out a strangled yell, punching the centre of his steering wheel. The car horn beeped, punctuating Anakin's frustration.
There was a rap at the window his car. Anakin's head shot up, his hands tightening into fists, fully prepared to fight whoever had decided to peer into his break-down when he locked eyes with familiar grey-blue.
"Obi-Wan," he choked out, then realized his window was still rolled up. Taking his keys out of the ignition Anakin opened the door and stumbled out into the street. The smell of Coruscant's muggy air invaded his lungs, garbage and human waste crawling up through the nearby sewer grate. The rain only held the stench of the city back for so long, it seemed.
"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked. He was touching Anakin, palm pressed against the side of his neck while his other hand gripped his shoulder and then his forearm, fingers pushed against his rapid pulse point.
"What are you doing here?" Anakin asked, ignoring Obi-Wan's prodding. His car was parked across the street, engine still running, the door flung open.
"I saw what had happened - I was worried you'd been hit or something had happened to your car," Obi-Wan explained.
He had stopped fussing but was still touching Anakin, grounding him to the here and now, pulling him from the tangled brambles of his anxious mind. Anakin swallowed back his adrenaline and leaned into Obi-Wan's touch.
"Sebulba tried to push me into you. I didn't want to ruin your race too so I pulled out."
Obi-Wan chuckled, though it sounded hollow to Anakin. "Had I know you'd done that I wouldn't have come back for you. Seems I ruined both our races."
Anakin shook his head and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan's waist. He felt strong and warm, steady in all the ways Anakin wasn't. He leaned in further until they were practically hugging. He wasn't sure if this was appropriate but Obi-Wan wasn't pushing him away. Instead he pulled him in closer, his hand petting the back of Anakin's skull, rubbing soothing circles against the base of his neck.
"I told you he was an asshole," Anakin mumbled. He was shaking, the adrenaline leaving him. Obi-Wan soothed it back with a kiss on the corner of his lips - soft and simple and so terribly perfect.
"You did."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm just glad you're alright, Anakin. You had me worried."
Worry. Anakin hadn't thought about the fact that Obi-Wan had been worried about him, so caught up in the moment that he couldn't think beyond the ache in his chest and the anger, hot and thick and filling, scorching through his system. Obi-Wan had come back for him. Anakin wasn't sure what that meant in the context of everything, but he was going to revel in it for as long as he could.
They pressed their foreheads together, Anakin slowing his breathing down to match Obi-Wan's. They did this often, during sex, Anakin's body on overdrive as he trembled over top Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan would get him to slow down, guiding his movements with his own body, telling him to take care, relax, enjoy himself rather than push and push and push toward pleasure, always chasing after it, always driving himself mad for it. But it was hard to relax when he was with Obi-Wan, always so overcome with him, his very essence wrapped around Anakin, taking away any sense of restraint, stripping him of his right to call himself a man as he fed off the carnality of the moment.
Anakin sighed and kissed Obi-Wan.
He tasted of mint chocolate and wine.
When they broke apart Anakin's lips were buzzing, Obi-Wan's beard rubbing his over-sensitive skin pleasantly.
"You know, the race isn't over yet," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin chuckled and nuzzled their noses together. "That eager to lose to me?"
"Race you to last place?"
Anakin swallowed the anxiety that had threatened to swallow him whole and nodded. "You're on, old man."
XXX
They'd driven across the invisible finish line side by side. Most didn't care about the stragglers, too wrapped up with the winner - Sebulba. Anakin had wanted to go and fight him but Obi-Wan had pulled him back with a steady hand and the suggestion they go and celebrate their survival somewhere else - somewhere quieter. Anakin's rage almost overrode all senses but then Obi-Wan kissed him and all of his anger slipped away. They drove over to Flo's Burgers and Shakes and grabbed a bag of spicy fries and milkshakes before parking alongside a mostly deserted roadway that overlooked Coruscant's downtown.
The milkshakes and fries remained abandoned, melting in their cups and going cold and soggy. Obi-Wan had suggested they eat first and then fuck, but Anakin couldn't wait, too desperate to ground himself, lose himself in Obi-Wan's taste and scent, positively shaking as he dropped to his knees and pulled Obi-Wan out from his jeans. He was thick and uncut, little dribbles of precome spilling out from the slit that Anakin lapped up before taking the head into his mouth.
"That's a good boy," Obi-Wan mumbled.
He was leaned against the side of his car, legs slightly spread, his shirt pulled up to expose the hard expanse of his stomach. Anakin moaned softly as he rubbed the tip of Obi-Wan's cock against the side of his cheek, relishing in how he could feel Obi-Wan's pulse in his mouth. Obi-Wan let out a soft sound as he carded his fingers through Anakin's hair, tugging at curly locks gently. It was oddly intimate, the moment, despite the setting. They were parked on the side of a road, Anakin's knees pressed into the cement with bits of gravel digging into him, Obi-Wan's cock exposed to the cold air, and yet Anakin felt completely safe even as a car drove by.
Obi-Wan tasted bitter and musky across Anakin's tongue, precome mixing with the taste of his skin. His foreskin was soft beneath Anakin's lips, a contrast to the hardness of his length. Lifting his head from the tip Anakin caught his breath and pressed his nose against the junction where Obi-Wan's hip met his thigh. He smelled the best here - heady and masculine, mixed with clean soap and sweat, a scent completely unique to Obi-Wan. Anakin laved at the junction, wetting down the dense matting of curls at the base of Obi-Wan's cock as he stroked and fondled his length.
Obi-Wan let out a soft little sigh, one that sent shuddered down Anakin's body as he continued to play with his curls, tugging and carding his fingers through them, soothing Anakin further. Unable to draw it out any longer, Anakin went back to sucking on Obi-Wan's length, relaxing his throat before sinking down as far as he could go. Obi-Wan was big, both in length and girth, but Anakin had managed to take him almost down to the hilt on more than one occasion. He loved how Obi-Wan pulled him apart - how his cock made his jaw ache and his lips split, spit dribbling out the corners of his mouth as he took more and more of him in.
He felt and heard his limits, throat closing just as he was about half-way down. He breathed hard, throat fluttering around Obi-Wan's length. Obi-Wan was trembling now, hips stuttering as he tried to stop himself from pushing in - of taking Anakin fully. But Anakin wanted that; needed to have Obi-Wan push into him, stretching his mouth open, fucking him wide. Taking his hand off of Obi-Wan's hip Anakin looked up at him, breathing hard through his nose as he relaxed his throat.
Obi-Wan was looking down at Anakin, petting his jaw, calloused fingers tender along his throat as he felt the bulge he'd created with his cock. His hair had come undone from its usual styled hold, bangs brushed across his forehead. Anakin could see the lights of the city reflected off of his eyes, a kaleidoscope of colours awash in the blue tones of his eyes.
He let out a soft moan and sunk even lower. Obi-Wan let out a strangled gasp, his hips rocking forward of their own accord until he'd fully pressed his way into Anakin's mouth, Anakin's nose buried in his curls. He couldn't hold it long - his lungs felt like they were going to burst apart, his throat sore and aching as it accommodated Obi-Wan like he was always meant to be inside him like this. But it was enough time for Anakin to be satisfied - to relish in the act of being filled, of taking Obi-Wan in his mouth, so hard and heavy on his tongue.
He pulled off with a gasp. He sat back on his heels, his own cock hard and pressing against the front of his jeans. Chest heaving, he tried to catch his breath, even as Obi-Wan's cock tempted him. It bounced and throbbed between Obi-Wan's legs, hard and covered in Anakin's spit and precome. Anakin moaned at the sight, his own cock twitching.
"Like what you see?" Obi-Wan asked. He was smiling down at Anakin, a playful little lilt to his smile and a softness to his eyes. He was always so composed - always so put together.
It both frustrated and turned Anakin on.
"Fuck my mouth?" Anakin asked - practically begged.
He groaned when Obi-Wan reached down to brush the spit and precome away from his lips, cleaning him up. Relaxing his mouth he waited impatiently as Obi-Wan grabbed his cock and gave it a few quick strokes before guiding himself into Anakin's mouth. Once again he was overcome with the feel of Obi-Wan's weight on his tongue, the taste of him so pungent and strong in his mouth, and the press of his hands - steady and assured - as he gripped Anakin's head and began moving.
"Such a pretty thing," Obi-Wan panted out. "So eager for my cock, aren't you? Opening up for me like that. Such a good boy."
Obi-Wan's words of praise washed over Anakin, filling him, making his cock throb and his body tingle. Obi-Wan was petting his jaw even as he held him tight, cock moving in and out of his eager mouth, pushing into his throat before backing off. The sound of wet suction and the click of Anakin's throat as Obi-Wan fucked into it were the only sounds, punctuated by the occasional car driving by, tired slow across the pavement, music heard playing from open windows.
The air was still muggy from the rain, coating Anakin in a thin sheen of sweat, his body aching for release. But he held off, wanting to show Obi-Wan that he didn't always have a quick trigger - that he could actually control himself if he wanted to.
"I'm close, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. His voice was breathless, posh accent gruffer as he fucked faster into Anakin's mouth. Anakin relaxed best he could and closed his eyes as Obi-Wan finally released.
He spilled out across Anakin's tongue, ribbons of come coating his mouth and across his lips, hot and thick and delicious. Anakin swallowed what he could and let the rest fall across his lips and chin, Obi-Wan coating him with his mess. And all the while Obi-Wan was praising Anakin, quick little words tumbling past his lips - 'you're so good for me, darling', 'so eager', 'my Anakin', 'all mine.'
The words 'mine' and 'my' wiggled deep into Anakin's core, making him feel all sorts of things - things he couldn't name and could barely describe, things that made him want to run laps around the world before swallowing it up, things that made him feel both invincible and insignificant, filthy and used and cherished and loved.
Loved...
Anakin sat back on his heels once Obi-Wan was done. Obi-Wan leaned against his car, spent cock draped out of his trousers, licked clean and glistening under the roadway lights. Anakin stared at in the low light, biting his bottom lip as he rubbed himself softly. Obi-Wan reached down to wipe some of his spilled seed from Anakin's cheek, thumb pressing into his skin as he swirled it around his flushed cheek, heating Anakin up further.
"You look beautiful, Anakin," Obi-Wan mumbled.
Anakin chuckled and ducked his head. His curls were dense and matted against his neck and cheeks, the humidity doing a number on him, and his knees ached, the pressure of the cement making him wince as he moved about on the ground. He was sure he looked far from beautiful, but Obi-Wan was always so good at convincing Anakin of anything that he almost felt it in that moment.
Obi-Wan covered himself up then, shoving his cock back into his trousers before doing up his zipper and belt. Anakin waited patiently, unsure of if Obi-Wan was going to return the favour. But then Obi-Wan told him to stand and undo his belt. They switched places, Anakin fumbling around with his belt before getting it undone. Obi-Wan helped with the button and zipper, pulling everything down and out of the way before slipping his hand inside Anakin's underpants to grasp him in a tight hold.
Anakin let out a soft groan, head tossing back as Obi-Wan kissed and licked along his neck, biting his sensitive skin as he continued to stroke him with a purposeful hold. The car was cold against his back, black metal rubbing against his back pleasantly as he thrust up into Obi-Wan's hand. It felt good, the constant friction, the press of Obi-Wan's lips and the tickle of his beard against his skin. Anakin kept his head tilted to the side and watched as a car came up the bend, lights flashing across Anakin's face. He grinned as the driver sped by. There was no way they didn't know what was going on.
"Turn around," Obi-Wan instructed. He'd stopped touching Anakin's cock and instead placed his hands on his hips, touch rough but not aggressive as he turned Anakin around and bent him over the back of his car.
Anakin jutted his hips out and wiggled his ass a little, earning himself a soft chuckle from Obi-Wan. They both knew what was about to happen; the dance they'd done for months now a tried and true affair but no less exciting. Obi-Wan gripped the sides of his jeans, slipping his fingers beneath the band of Anakin's boxers before he pulled them both down to his ankles. Anakin hissed as the cool air touched his exposed ass and cock, goosebumps spreading out across him as he arched into Obi-Wan's hand.
Obi-Wan rubbed his hand across the cleft of Anakin's ass, and Anakin ground back into his touch, wanting more, practically desperate for it as Obi-Wan continued to tease him. But he didn't have to wait too long before Obi-Wan dropped to his knees and spread his cheeks. A warm puff of air slipped across Anakin's hole, his sensitive skin twitching as Obi-Wan teased him.
Obi-Wan loved to eat Anakin out. It was one of the first things he'd asked of Anakin when they'd first hooked up, his voice tense, pupils blown, a tremble in his touch as he asked Anakin to sit on his face. Anakin had never it before but complied, urged on by Obi-Wan's eagerness and the madness in his touch, how he made Anakin feel like he was made of gold and precious jewels, meant to be admired and devoured. The first time it had happened Anakin had felt so exposed, so pulled apart, so at the mercy of Obi-Wan and his tongue and how he pushed into him, trying to taste all of him. He'd made such delicious noises, needy and in the back of his throat, completely and utterly made undone by Anakin and Anakin alone.
And it was still the same. No matter how many times it happened Anakin just felt as exposed, as desired, as needed as the first time. He spread his legs further and leaned against the car, his cheek pressed against the cold metal as Obi-Wan kissed his hole with tender lips. Groaning, he squeezed his eyes shut as the kisses became more open mouthed, Obi-Wan flickering his tongue against his entrance before pushing in further. His tongue was hot and wet against Anakin's hole, wiggling and insistent as he tongued into him, Anakin pushing back to get more as Obi-Wan began making small sounds against him.
"Fuck, Obi-Wan. Y-you're so fucking good at this."
Obi-Wan simple hummed against him, sending little vibrations coursing through his body.
Squeezing his toes Anakin tried to spread his legs further but was constricted by his jeans, the banding catching his ankles, holding. But Obi-Wan didn't seem to mind, his hands - so strong and warm - spreading Anakin's cheeks apart so he could delve in further. Anakin's cock twitched between his legs, precome beading up at the tip before spilling out, but he didn't dare touch himself, wanting to experience more of the sensations between his legs - of Obi-Wan's tongue lapping at his hole, of his breath against his skin, the rub of his beard, rough and insistent, against his perineum as he ate Anakin out.
Another car drove by, Anakin opening his eyes just in time to be blinded by the headlights. He blinked back stars and moaned as Obi-Wan reached around to stroke him in time with the undulation of his tongue, spearing and then flattening against his twitching hole.
A few strokes and another car driving by was all it took for Anakin to spill across the side of Obi-Wan's car. He bit down on his wrist and wiggled back as Obi-Wan kept tonguing him, hand steady on his cock as he squeezed every last drop from him. His cock throbbed, his entrance twitched, his body rocked with sensations, pulling and tearing at him, making him fall apart completely.
He collapsed against the car, hips flush against the metal. His hole twitched as soon as Obi-Wan stood, covered in spit and now exposed to the air. He remained spread out across Obi-Wan's car even as Obi-Wan began to re-dress him, touch gentle as he pulled Anakin's jeans back up and helped him tuck his spent cock back inside. Eventually he turned around and looked at Obi-Wan.
His lips were red, beard covered in spit, his hand coated in Anakin's come. He licked it clean, and Anakin pulled him in for a deep kiss, tasting all of himself on his lips. When they pulled apart Obi-Wan brushed his curls from his forehead with his clean hand, tender and soft. They locked eyes and for a second Anakin felt like he'd been touched by something divine.
And then Obi-Wan was pulling away, fussing with himself in the side mirror of his car, acting like there hadn't just been a moment there, raw and real and so terribly close to something called love. Anakin sighed and scrambled up on to the trunk of Obi-Wan's car, heels dug into the bumper. He twisted around and grabbed the pack of fries and his milkshake from the top of the car before settling down.
When Obi-Wan joined him Anakin pressed their knees together, Obi-Wan pressing back. He watched Obi-Wan out of the corner of his eye as he sipped at his now melted milkshake, admiring the length of his nose and the shape of his lips, framed by bristly hair that tickled Anakin when they kissed. The city had gone quiet, lights still flashing, cars still driving, but a hush had settled over the area. Up here, far removed from everything, Anakin could almost call Coruscant pretty.
"You're staring," Obi-Wan said. He turned to Anakin, their shoulders brushing.
"I like looking at you," Anakin said. Obi-Wan tilted his head to the side, his eyes wandering over Anakin's face before settling on his lips. Anakin sipped his milkshake. Chocolate spread out across his tongue, cool and heavy - cloying almost. "You make me feel safe."
Anakin regretted saying it almost as soon as the words had tumbled from his lips. He had to apologize, to make a course correction before they tumbled off the track and into the ravine below. He needed to get the car back on track before Obi-Wan recognized that Anakin was in too deep. But then Obi-Wan reached out and took his hand into his own, their fingers tangling together with ease. He kissed the back of Anakin's hand, lips soft, breath warm against his rough knuckles, before dropping their still linked hands on to his lap.
Anakin stilled, fixated on the way their interlocked hands looked cradled in Obi-Wan's lap. His grip was strong, the pad of his thumb rough as it rubbed little circles across the dark freckle on Anakin's knuckle. They fucked a lot, spent hours together tangled up with one another, but this was new. This was intimate in a way that Anakin hadn't realized he'd been craving. A touch - so simple, yet everything Anakin needed.
He sipped his milkshake, washing away whatever he wanted to say that he no doubt knew would ruin the moment.
"When do you go back to Stewjon?" Anakin asked after a moment.
Obi-Wan turned to Anakin and glanced down at his watch. "In... seven hours and thirty-two minutes."
"So soon?"
Obi-Wan smiled ruefully. "I only came to clear a few things up with my bank. Had I known you wanted to see me I'd have booked more time, but as it stands... I'm sorry, Anakin."
Anakin tried to swallow back the tension in his chest, the thoughts of 'what could have been' sitting heavy inside. He wished Obi-Wan would have called earlier and asked him if he'd like to get together. But maybe Obi-Wan was just saying that to make Anakin think he wanted to spend more time with him; maybe he was just looking for a quick fuck and then to move on, like they'd done before - like they'd always done.
Or maybe Anakin was over-thinking, letting his anxieties tug and pull at his mind until he'd cut himself into ribbons.
"Anakin."
Obi-Wan's voice broke Anakin from his spiral and he looked up at him. "Yeah?"
"When you're in Stewjon for the tournament, would you like to have dinner with me Sunday evening?"
Obi-Wan's smile released something in Anakin. Hope - it blossomed in his chest, curling around him, stitching together the cuts he'd made with his own insecurities. Obi-Wan wanted to have dinner with him - just them and--
"Just the two of us?"
"If I win it'll be just the two of us. But if you manage to sneak out a win over me, feel free to bring as many as you'd like."
Ahsoka would kill him if he bailed on her, and yet...
"I'd rather it just be us, regardless of the outcome."
Obi-Wan nodded. "A date it is, then."
XXX
The car wasn't working.
It had driven like a dream all tournament weekend, everything working as it should, pistons smooth and thunderous beneath the hood, shocks absorbing every bounce, gears gliding from first to sixth without resistance. Though it had threatened to rain all weekend the track had remained dry and firm, and the sun's intense rays had been blocked by a nice layer of clouds, keeping the temperature comfortable within the confines of the car. Anakin had driven like his life depended on it, Ahsoka's firm guidance bringing them as close to victory as they'd ever come. They were going into the final race in the lead, a few important seconds ahead of Obi-Wan and Cody who had suffered a minor lock-up during Friday's events, costing them critical time.
And then Anakin had gone and jinxed it. He'd toasted to their victory the night before, tipsy on a few local beers that Obi-Wan had plied him with as they hung out as a large group at one of the nearby pubs. He'd laughed when Ahsoka had hit his arm, ignoring her remarks about casting bad luck. He didn't believe in any of that superstitious bunk - it was all about skill and luck, nothing more or less.
Until it was all about superstitious bunk. Arriving at the garage in the morning they'd tried to turn the car on to test the engine and breaks before the final race only for the engine to refuse to turn over. The sound of the engine sputtering as it briefly flicked to life before stalling out almost made Anakin sick, and he tried fruitlessly to get the thing to work by turning the engine over and over again, hoping that it would all just suddenly start working again.
But it didn't.
He and Ahsoka scrambled around underneath the hood of the car, pulling things out and taking them apart before shoving them back in. Still the engine wasn't turning over, the cylinders misfiring as they tried to communicate with a piece of the machinery that wasn't answering. Finally they tracked the issue down just as the garage area was clearing out, the last few teams lining up to do their final run. One of the boots for their spark-plugs had been damaged - a little knick on the interior of the boot - barely susceptible had it not been for the engine finally throwing up an error code that they could reference.
They didn't have a spare set of boots and so Ahsoka had run off to buy some from a nearby garage. The hosts of the events had given them the last spot of the day but couldn't give them any extra time. If they didn't have a functioning car at the start line in twenty minutes they were out of the competition.
Anakin still felt like he was going to throw up. He puttered around the garage trying to keep busy, but his anxiety wrapped its hands around his neck and started squeezing. His chest hurt, his heart pounding inside his chest, lungs stretching and relaxing but never filling up, Anakin feeling like he was drowning more and more with each stuttering breath. The area was quiet save for the speakers off in the distance broadcasting the race, the noise awash in the back of Anakin's brain, like a constant buzzing that did nothing but increase his panic, wiggling away at what little resolve he had left.
Pacing the garage he tugged at his hair. His hands were slick with grease and motor oil but he didn't care, running his hands through his curls, pulling at the tangles at the base of his skull, trying to focus on the sting in some desperate bid to stop from screaming.
Footsteps on gravel broke Anakin from his twisted thoughts and he turned to see Obi-Wan stood at the entrance of the garage. He was still in his race suit, the top undone, his racing gloves hung loosely in his hands. He'd finished the race over an hour ago, his session scheduled earlier in the day when they track was still sturdy beneath the tires. It was a good spot to race - not like at the very end when the tires of other cars had run roughshod over the dirt, kicking up all sorts of nasty things that could hurt your time.
"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked.
"The boot - one of them, I mean. It broke."
Obi-Wan nodded slowly and stepped inside the garage. He peeked inside the engine, eyes skirting over the guts of the machine. "Are you sure?"
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Anakin said. "We looked at everything else - pulled almost everything apart and put it back together hoping that something had just come loose, but then we realized that it was a misfire in the engine. Pulled the boots from the plugs and saw that one had been damaged. Fuck, Obi-Wan. Fuck."
They had come close - so close to winning. All their hard work, their determination, their dedication had been for this moment. And now it was slipping away, second by second, inch by inch, because of a stupid piece of metal inside a rubber sock. Anakin would have laughed had it not hurt so fucking bad. Leaning against the front of the car Anakin dug his hands into the metal frame, hoping that maybe if he just squeezed hard enough he could break the car apart - bring it to total ruin and make it all worse. At least then he'd feel like he had some control, some say in how things ended up, rather than just be totally and completely useless.
"Anakin." Obi-Wan reached over and pulled Anakin's hands from the car, his touch firm yet soothing all the same. "Don't hurt your hands - you'll be unable to drive properly."
Anakin laughed - a pitiful little thing, curtained with grief. He realized he was crying, eyes stinging, his cheeks flushed red with heat. He tried to pull away from Obi-Wan but Obi-Wan didn't let go, his hands wrapping around Anakin's, pale skin marred with the grease that coated Anakin's.
"We've never taken a DNF, Obi-Wan," Anakin said. "Ahsoka and I worked so hard, and now we're going to lose because of some fucking boot!"
Obi-Wan made a sound in the back of his throat and pulled Anakin closer, lips soft against his cheek and temple. "Shh, Anakin. It's not over yet - you've still plenty of time. And it's not the end of the world if you don't win this one - there are still plenty of races in the season."
Anger, hot and thick, roiled up in Anakin then. "Not the end of the world?" he repeated. "Easy for you to say when you've already won before. This might be my only chance, Obi-Wan."
He pulled away from Obi-Wan and began pacing again, the itching under his skin becoming too much. He needed to move, needed to do something so as not to scream and cry and hurt - hurt himself, hurt Obi-Wan, lash out and lance the wound, spilling out all sorts of bile and sick.
"Anakin--"
"I don't want to hear it, Obi-Wan."
Anakin didn't realize what was happening until he felt Obi-Wan's hands on him, forceful and strong as they grabbed his shoulders and pushed him hard against the side of his car. He stumbled back, his ass hitting the handle of the door, but his sharp cry was muffled by Obi-Wan's lips on his own. Obi-Wan kissed him deeply, tongue slipping in between Anakin's parted lips, rubbing up against his tongue, sending a sharp spike of arousal through Anakin's system that cut through his anxiety.
He moaned into the embrace and cupped Obi-Wan's cheeks, painting him in the filth from his hands. Obi-Wan kept the kiss going even as he fumbled with the front of his race suit, the sound of Velcro being pulled apart loud in the otherwise quiet space.
"What are you doing?" Anakin asked when they broke apart. His lips were already sore, rubbed raw by Obi-Wan's beard, and covered in their shared spit. His mind was still snagging, catching on the stretch of time as the end of the tournament drew close, and he was about to push Obi-Wan away when Obi-Wan sucked a mark against the corner of his jaw and pushed their hips together.
"We're going to fuck against your car until you calm down and relax," Obi-Wan whispered against Anakin's ear, breath hot and sticky against his temple.
"Fucking you isn't going to relax me, Obi-Wan," Anakin retorted, though it was hard to string a sentence together when Obi-Wan began nibbling his earlobe.
"If you do it right it will." Obi-Wan pulled away again and started undressing, pulling his race suit off his arms before pushing it down to his thighs. Anakin chanced a glance outside the open garage door but no one was visible, most having left to mill about at the finish line some miles away. By the time he looked back at Obi-Wan he'd pushed his briefs down to his thighs exposed his half-hard cock and thick, swaying balls to the crisp air.
Anakin groaned - loudly.
"Touch me," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin wasted no time in tugging at Obi-Wan's length with one hand, the other running along his hip bone, black grease spreading out across the milky-white expanse of his skin. It only took a few tugs for Obi-Wan to harden, his cock pulsing in Anakin's grip, precome pearling up from the slit before leaking out across Anakin's hand. Obi-Wan drew him in for another kiss, their tongues rubbing, the taste of tea on Obi-Wan's palette as he fucked into Anakin's hand.
When they broke apart Obi-Wan was thrusting into Anakin's hand fully, hips jerking forward, balls smacking the side of Anakin's fingers with every downswing. They watched the movement together, foreheads touching, breath shared as Obi-Wan's cock moved in and out of the circle Anakin made with his motor-oil slick.
"I don't have lube," Anakin said, because it was the only thing he could think to say. He was still nervous, still scared, still frustrated, but as much as he loathed to admit it Obi-Wan's distraction was having the desired effect. He hadn't thought about the race for a good thirty seconds as he stroked Obi-Wan and sucked on his tongue.
"You won't need it - you'll fuck my thighs," Obi-Wan mumbled. He kissed Anakin again - fierce and almost painful - before he switched their positions. "Open up your suit, Anakin. Let me see your cock."
Anakin did as instructed, hands fumbling with the zipper on his suit. Pulling it down all the way, he shoved it down to his ankles before pulling his boxers down as well. He was already hard, cock aching between his legs, bobbing with each heavy beat of his heart. Stepping forward he pressed his length against Obi-Wan's, moaning as their cocks touched.
There was a cheer from far away in the valley and Anakin looked up at the clock. Fifteen minutes. They had fifteen minutes until--
Obi-Wan turned around and braced his hands on Anakin's car, his cock pulsing against the driver-side window. "Don't look at the clock - look at me, darling."
Anakin swallowed down the anxiety and instead admired Obi-Wan. He followed the length of his spin down to the curve of his ass, his backside pushed out, the thick muscles of his ass so soft and tempting. Anakin reached out and took them in his hand, pushing and kneading the muscles before pulling them apart, exposing Obi-Wan's tight hole to the cool air of the garage. He let out a small groan, bottom lip sucked between his teeth as Obi-Wan's entrance twitched.
"Tease my hole a little - act like you're going to fuck me," Obi-Wan said over his shoulder.
Anakin nodded and pressed his thumb against Obi-Wan's entrance. Obi-Wan made a soft sound in the back of his throat and Anakin moved in closer, pressing his chest against Obi-Wan's back. Hooking his chin over Obi-Wan's shoulder he breathed in his scent, pushing his nose against the crook of his neck, the smell of motor oil, clean sweat, and Obi-Wan's cologne overwhelming him. He continued to tease Obi-Wan's hole with his one hand, the other coming up to rest over Obi-Wan's on top of the car. Obi-Wan leaned back and thrust his ass against Anakin's hand, seeking more pressure.
Anakin started rubbing his hole, dragging his hand over and over between his cheeks, touching him all over. All the while he pushed himself further against Obi-Wan, trying to be one with him in all the ways that he could - take a little bit of his calm, his serenity, and keep it for himself.
"That's a good boy, Anakin. Such a good boy. Keep at it - keep touching me."
"Does this feel good?" Anakin asked, desperate for Obi-Wan to keep praising him - to let him know that despite the failures today he was still good, he was still capable, he was still someone worthy of Obi-Wan's hopes and expectations.
"So good, darling. You're so talented with your hands."
"Do I make you feel good?" he whispered. He was humping Obi-Wan's backside, sliding his cock, slick with precome, across one of Obi-Wan's ass cheeks. "P-please, tell me I make you feel good."
"You make me feel better than s-standing on a podium after a win, Anakin. You make me feel like I'm on top of the world..."
Anakin whimpered and pushed his face against Obi-Wan's neck. His hand was faltering, his hips unsteady, but he kept moving until Obi-Wan told him to stop. Anakin did as instructed, his hand coming up to rest on Obi-Wan's hip, rubbing the soft skin and thumbing the dimple on his lower back. Obi-Wan closed his legs and pressed back.
"Fuck my thighs, Anakin," Obi-Wan instructed, voice level and even despite it all.
Anakin gripped his cock and pushed his way between Obi-Wan's closed thighs. Warm, soft heat enveloped him, Obi-Wan relaxing and then tightening his thighs around Anakin's length. Anakin didn't wait for permission and instead started thrusting in, rutting against Obi-Wan, pushing him hard against the side of his car, the sound of Obi-Wan's sweaty palm sliding against the roof loud in the space.
"Anakin." Obi-Wan brought his hand back and cupped the back of Anakin's neck, fingers tangling in his hair before pulling - hard. Anakin hissed and stilled his hips.
He was quaking, curls matted against his forehead, his hands shaking as he held on to Obi-Wan's hips. But he didn't dare move, Obi-Wan's hold in his hair keeping him in place.
"You need to slow down," Obi-Wan instructed. "Use my body to focus yourself - calm yourself. Move slowly and with purpose. Breath through your nose..."
Anakin wanted to pour his anxieties and anger and frustration on to Obi-Wan - wanted to rut against and into him, painting him, marking him, marring him, making him feel as overwhelmed as he felt in that moment. But Obi-Wan's strong grip turned into a soft pet as he leaned back into Anakin, his body taught and hard against his chest and hips, his scent comforting and familiar, mixing with sex and mechanical grease - just as comforting, just as familiar. Obi-Wan rested his cheek against Anakin's as he started to move back, creating much needed friction for the two of them.
Anakin started moving with Obi-Wan, matching his agonizingly slow pace. He could heard Obi-Wan's breathing, hard and steady against his cheek, little pants of pleasure breaking through his otherwise quiet demeanour.
"Keep following my lead, Anakin," Obi-Wan whispered. Anakin could hear the strain in his voice, feel it in his body, and he dropped his head to bite at Obi-Wan's shoulder through the dense material of his fireproof shirt, soaking it with his spit. "That's a good boy. Keep thinking of us right now. Only us - we're the only thing that matters right now."
"Yes, Obi-Wan," Anakin whimpered. He held on to Obi-Wan's hips, pressing his fingertips into his hipbones, wondering if he pressed hard enough the marks would remain there forever, a permanent sign that Anakin had been here, inside Obi-Wan, beneath him and on top of him, loving him.
"I love you," Anakin said. He didn't care that it had slipped out - didn't care if Obi-Wan didn't return the feelings or could never. He had to say it - had to get it out now in this moment before his anxieties took over and he screamed and tore and demanded reciprocation.
Obi-Wan stilled for a moment, his hand on the back of Anakin's neck tensing before relaxing. Anakin held on to him tighter, pressing his face against Obi-Wan's neck, breathing in his scent for perhaps the last time, trying to commit every sensation to memory before Obi-Wan rightfully took it all away and--
"I love you too, Anakin."
Anakin let out a choked sob and pushed back into Obi-Wan. Never did he think Obi-Wan would ever say the words, let alone with such conviction and such longing in his tone, like he'd been waiting just as long as Anakin had to confess his feelings. They moved together, Anakin pressing his cock in between Obi-Wan's tense thighs, fucking into them, rutting up against him and the car. The sound of sex and heavy pants resounded about the space, punctuated by the sound of rainfall - fast and hard as it pelted down on the roof of the makeshift garage.
"Come for me, Anakin. Please. Come for me."
Obi-Wan collapsed onto the car and Anakin bit the back of his neck, pinching the skin between his teeth as he came. His orgasm rolled over him like a wave, pleasure fanning out from his groin, cock pulsing between Obi-Wan's legs, come painting his inner thighs and the side of the car. Pleasure, sharp like little pin-pricks, fluttered across his limbs while contentment soothed the screaming in his chest and the voices in his head.
Anakin fell on top of Obi-Wan, pushing him further against the car. The rain was thunderous now, washing away the track with each patter. Breathing in Obi-Wan, Anakin wrapped his arms around his waist, tugging him in further as he basked in his afterglow.
"That felt so good," Anakin mumbled, drunk on his recent orgasm and Obi-Wan's confession.
"I haven't come yet."
"Shit, sorry." Anakin pushed off of Obi-Wan and stepped back, almost falling over as his race suit caught on his ankles. Obi-Wan turned around just in time and grabbed Anakin's wrist, tugging him back with a laugh.
"Don't hurt yourself," Obi-Wan said. He smiled and Anakin thought he might break in two at the very sight. His hair was messy, bangs stuck to his forehead, his lips swollen and abused. Grease marred his cheeks and jaw, Anakin's fingerprints visible along his skin.
"I would have caught myself," Anakin mumbled. He bent down and pulled his suit and boxers back up to his hips, the sleeves of the suit dangling awkwardly from his sides.
"Sure you would have. Just like you'd have won that race in Naboo - the one where you went off course for half a click and had to retrace your steps."
"Only because Ahsoka lost part of her directions."
"Don't blame your co-driver, Anakin. It's poor form."
Before Anakin could retort Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around Anakin's shoulder and kissed him softly, all the while guiding Anakin's hand to his cock.
Anakin wrapped his hand around Obi-Wan's hot length and stroked him, trying to drag pleasure from him. All the while he kissed Obi-Wan like a man starved, trying to pour all the love and desire he'd stored within himself into Obi-Wan, finally letting him know both with words and touch just how much he meant to him - how much he wanted this to become something more.
Obi-Wan sucked on his tongue and thrust into his hand, movements becoming slightly erratic, his hands tangling in Anakin's curls, fingers tugging. He broke the kiss and rested their foreheads together, Anakin breathing into Obi-Wan's parted lips as he continued to touch him, twisting his wrist on the upswing, collecting precome from the tip of his cock with the flat of his palm before sliding back down.
"I love you," Obi-Wan said again, their eyes locking.
Anakin fell into his embrace and kissed him again, deep and needy, desperate to taste the word 'love' on his breath. Obi-Wan came with a grunt, hot come spilling out across Anakin's hand and the front of his race suit, panting into Anakin's mouth. Once Obi-Wan was done he collapsed back against the car, his cheeks flushed, his breathing laboured, chest heaving beneath the tight material of his shirt. He brushed his hand through his hair, pushing the silken locks back into their usual hold.
Anakin relaxed into Obi-Wan, hugging him close. Obi-Wan returned the embrace, stroking Anakin's back, soothing the very last of Anakin's anxiety way with each steady touch.
Anakin felt electric, body humming, his mind excited for all the right reasons as he stood with Obi-Wan, the two drenched in sweat and come. Obi-Wan loved him. The race could be done and over, his victory snatched from his grasp but Anakin didn't care because Obi-Wan loved him. It was both thrilling and terrifying to know that a man such as Obi-Wan - so elegant and refined, patient and understanding, kind and intelligent - cared for Anakin, wanted him just like he did, loved him just like he did. Anakin didn't know what he'd done to deserve it all, but he would cherish it all the same.
The rain continued to pour down, cooling the muggy space, drowning out the sounds from outside.
"Gross!"
Anakin lifted his head to see Ahsoka's braids as they disappeared around the garage.
"Oh for gods' sakes," Obi-Wan hissed out, his cheeks once again flush, eyes wide. He pushed Anakin away and yanked his suit back up, covering his modesty.
Anakin couldn't help but laugh, even as Obi-Wan smacked his shoulder - hard.
"You can come back, Snips. Obi-Wan covered his dick."
"Oh that's very helpful, Anakin. Truly," Obi-Wan said with an eye-roll.
Ahsoka appeared around the corner, glaring. She was completely soaked, the little curls of her hairline matted to her forehead. She was clutching a box of boots and wiring in her hands.
"You're both disgusting," Ahsoka said as she passed the two on her way to the front of the car. Ripping open the box, she got to working on replacing the old gear, completely ignoring Anakin and Obi-Wan. Annoyance radiated off of her, palpable as the scent of sex and motor-oil in the confined space.
Anakin chanced a glance at the clock and noted they had five minutes before the race officially ended. The track was muddy now, the rain making it slick and greasy. They didn't stand a chance.
"Don't even think about forfeiting," Obi-Wan said, as if to read Anakin's mind.
Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan. He'd re-dressed fully, collar on his race suit done up nice and tight, his hair back in its styled hold. Anakin looked down at himself, noting the come stain across his suit - dark and drying - and saw that there was come spilled out across the driver's side door. Ahsoka would not like that.
"But it's raining and--"
"You won’t win, it's true," Obi-Wan interjected, "but you'll have finished the race against all odds. You yourself said you've never taken a DNF, and I don't want to see it happen now - not when you've both tried so hard this weekend. Not when you've come so far. So get the boots hooked up, restart the car, and get to the start line. I'll let the officiants know that you're just minutes away."
"Obi-Wan, I--"
Obi-Wan kissed him then, fierce and hard, and for a second Anakin felt like the person Obi-Wan thought he was - daring and brash, full of fight even when the odds were stacked against him. And then Obi-Wan was gone, the only memory he'd even been there the heat on Anakin's cheek and the taste of him on his lips.
He turned back around to see Ahsoka throwing the hood down, the old set of boots and wires tossed down on to the ground.
"You heard Obi-Wan," she said. "Get in, Skyguy, we're going racing."
XXX
Anakin fiddled with the handle of his fork as Obi-Wan perused the wine menu. Off in the distance a family celebrated a birthday of their elderly grandmother, their good cheer resounding about the elegant restaurant. It would have been overwhelming, maybe even annoying, were it not for the fact that Obi-Wan was so terribly distracting. He wore a white dress shirt and a dark blue suit jacket, the collar popped and open, showing off the dip of his collarbone and the length of his long neck. His hair shone under the lights, auburn locks perfectly styled, no longer caked in mud and sweat, pressed down by his helmet or the fire-proof hoods they were made to wear.
Anakin had seen Obi-Wan in various states throughout the year, but this one was special; this one needed to be savoured and cherished, and then later completely and utterly defiled. Because this one was their first date - officially, without the need to pretend like it wasn't something more when they both knew it clearly was.
When the waiter returned Obi-Wan ordered something off the wine list before asking for an appetizer, the ingredients of which Anakin only recognized half of. When the server was gone Obi-Wan turned his attention to Anakin, his eyes twinkling.
"Congratulations on fourth place over-all," Obi-Wan said. His knee brushed Anakin's beneath the table, and Anakin pressed back. "You did remarkable all weekend."
"Not well enough to win first," Anakin said, though Obi-Wan's praise melted in his gut all the same.
"No, but you finished the weekend all the same. Despite the odds, despite the heartache, you and Ahsoka finished what you started. That's more admirable than first place."
Anakin rolled his eyes, but he felt his cheeks warm. "Easy for you to say; you won. Again."
Obi-Wan reached across the table then, catching Anakin's hand in his own. Their hands were so calloused, rough to the touch, years of hard labour on and off the track marring them both. But they contrasted as well, Anakin's skin tanned and bronzed while Obi-Wan's were pale and freckled, his knuckles rougher and wider. They stretched well against Anakin's hole when he fingered him.
"Anakin?"
Anakin looked up from their joined hands. Obi-Wan was smiling at him in a way Anakin was beginning to realize meant a whole hell of a lot of things. Things that Anakin never thought he'd ever experience, let alone with Obi-Wan Kenobi; famed rally driver, intellectual, lover of fine wines and expensive teas.
"Yes?"
"There's always another race. There's always a next time."
There was, and then there were 'right now' sort of moments; the ones that came by only once, the ones you had to grab before the moment was lost, the opportunity scrubbed from the records like a shitty lap-time.
Moments you had to take.
He had to know; had to know that Obi-Wan's words and Obi-Wan's actions, the look in his eyes and the way he touched him, weren't brought on by arousal or a sense of duty. He had to know.
"I love you," Anakin said.
Obi-Wan tilted his head to the side, his smile broadening. "I love you, too, Anakin."
Maybe he didn't win the race; but Anakin felt like he'd won the day, the week, perhaps the entire year.