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[neverjedi]

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[darkforcerising]

Anakin had been holding back because so much about himself was too 'disruptive,' not for a lack of a better word, because that was the word, But he was too disruptive for these kinds of interactions. You didn't just dump 'Hello, I'm in therapy to address three mental disorders and to re-learn how to do simple, every-day tasks like brushing my teeth because I lost my dominant arm in a jet crash' on every random person you met. You had no foundation to trust them.

And Obi-Wan had been that, a random person he just played chess with in the park... until the other day when Obi-Wan had said 'let me buy you a rootbeer.'

Anakin had been fine just playing chess with the man and leave any possibilities of more in the fantasy spank-bank. Because of the aforementioned too real reality of his life.

But he'd said yes to rootbeer. And yes to rootbeer had turned into skating. And skating had turned into this. And this was turning into...

Maybe it was time to drop some barriers - if Obi-Wan was willing to listen to that small bit about just his ADHD and not tell him to immediately get out, maybe there was enough there that Anakin could tell him more.

"Obi-Wan-" Anakin took a seat, sighing, but not out of exasperation. It was in preparation. "A year and a half ago, I was in a fighter jet crash and lost my right arm below my elbow. So add on top of ADHD PTSD and anxiety, too. I'm in physical therapy two days a week, mental therapy one. I work, I play chess in the park, and I've only just remastered how to do enough manual tasks with my left hand to make hobbies even a passing thought again. And occasionally - occasionally I go to a concert. That is... my life right now. Whatever you come up with to do, if it's what you want to do, I'll want to do it."

[neverjedi]

He listened to that, all of it, without flinching, then got up and went to pull out a glass bottle of rootbeer and bottle of water from the refrigerator, a couple of forks and some (paper) napkins from the drawer, and then started unpacking the takeout bags into the table.

None of that was any great shock - military, lost an arm recently, took meds, recently in New York and with a new job - but it was all a relief because he was no longer fumbling around in the dark.

"Great. I've got an early class Saturday. Come meet me at the Sports Arena about 11. We'll do brunch and the zoo."

[darkforcerising]

"Now..." Anakin started to say as he tried to help open containers - he could do that at least. "When you say 'Saturday' do you mean a few hours from now?"

[neverjedi]

He decided plates were probably a better idea after realizing how much food was there and got up to grab a couple and brought them back. "That depends on whether you're still here in the morning. If so, sure. You can watch me herd cats."

He'd actually meant next week, but hey, when the opening in conversation struck- It was pretty casual, almost teasing. Comfortable? Not a problem, anyway, certainly not one that came with expectation of acceptance, much less sex.

"Otherwise pick your Saturday."

[darkforcerising]

"Maybe we should play that by ear," Anakin said. "See how fed up with me you are after we're done eating? Do you want any of the beef and broccoli?"

[neverjedi]

"Sure. If you're fed up after I give up staying awake, please lock the door behind you." Which was as casual as anything else. "And yeah. Help yourself to anything you want." Or just ask, but leaving Anakin to figure out what he could and couldn't do seemed like the... least invasive and best idea.

[darkforcerising]

"Can't stay up all night?"

Okay, how to take portions... He was only so good at moving the digits of his prosthetic. He decided the most dignified thing to do was just to use his left hand and try to dump the right amount onto his plate.

That more or less worked. He tried to error on the side of smaller portions so he didn't over take.

[neverjedi]

He let Anakin work it out without close scrutiny or commentary though he paid enough attention to make sure he managed to get the food he wanted, and filled his own plate as Anakin finished serving himself.

"Not a chance," he said, with a faint laugh. "I might be able to manage a few hours and still be able to handle excited kids in the morning, though."

[darkforcerising]

"I promise not to wear you out then."

Also playful, no expectation about what might happen after food. But maybe a hope that food won't be the last of their interaction.

[neverjedi]

He laughs, softly, picks up his fork and pauses before taking his first bite: "If you wear me out it just means I'll sleep well and you have better reason to keep calling me old." Whatever form 'worn out' takes.

[darkforcerising]

"Is... that a challenge?" He started eating.

"Because I can get creative."

[neverjedi]

He stopped eating to look at Anakin, because he hadn't meant it as a challenge, but-

"You know what? It's a challenge now. I'm flexible." Literally and metaphorically.

Bring it on, Anakin.

[darkforcerising]

Anakin laughed. Each time they laughed, the mood in the room got lighter, taking them further away from that serious moment by the door.

"What games do you have?"

[neverjedi]

"Candy Land," he said, with absolute seriousness. "Scrabble. Trivial pursuit. Cards against humanity. Not Safe For Work Exploding kittens."

"...and a couple we need at least a few more dates for me to bring out." It was teasing, but also truthful. Some things just required a degree of intimacy to play with. Meaning 'to be played with people you were already having sex with and not the first time you had sex with'.

[darkforcerising]

"Every game can turn into something you shouldn't play on the first few dates."

A drink from his rootbeer. A bit from his plate.

"So... obviously, bring out Candy Land."

[neverjedi]

"They can, but some start there."

He stops teasing and eats a few more bites of food himself. "Can we finish eating, or are we going to multi-task?"

[darkforcerising]

For a flash of a second Anakin gives Obi-Wan a flat stare. "I have only one hand, I can task."

But then he's smiling again. "Finish food first, assess if you're fed up with me, then we play."

[neverjedi]

You can put your fork down and pick it up again, his return stare says.

"I have no idea why you keep expecting me to get fed up with you in the next twenty minutes or so, but okay."

He ate.

Pointedly.

[darkforcerising]

Still one task at a time.

Anakin shrugged. "Most people do. It's weird that you don't."

Anakin ate, not as pointedly.

[neverjedi]

"...You really need to show up before the end of my class tomorrow, no matter what time you leave." Tonight or tomorrow. It was a weirdly revealing thing to offer, but it might just convince Anakin of at least a couple of things.

With that he finished his food and went to get the game.

[darkforcerising]

"What am I going to see happen?" Anakin asked. He only had a few bites left.

[neverjedi]

He put the box on the table, and then set about slowly clearing up and packing things away once he was sure Anakin was finished eating. He really was going to have lunch tomorrow - or dinner, as the case may be.

"Me with a class. If I felt capable of explaining, I'd just tell you."

[darkforcerising]

"I assumed that," Anakin said.

He stood up from the table. "Because this is a kids game, we have to play with it on the floor like kids would. Also, why do you have this game?"

[neverjedi]

He groaned, but only slightly, before he put Anakin's dishes into the dishwasher and moved into the living room to sit on the floor.

"Small children like to share their favorite things. I haven't yet found a way to tell them 'no thank you' without crushing their little souls. I also have a mug collection."

[darkforcerising]

"Give them back to their parents when they aren't looking?" Anakin suggested. He followed after and picked a side of the board next to Obi-Wan, not across.

"Okay, tell me how to play this again?"