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[neverjedi]

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[neverjedi]

That got a smile out of him - nearly a grin. "I have to be at the rink at 9. You can sleep for probably another hour, if you want or need it."

[darkforcerising]

"I guarantee that I will fall asleep after you and wake up before you. But I'll take that time to run back to my apartment and grab my meds."

But, to make sure that worked...

He let go of Obi-Wan's hand and pulled out his phone and set about six alarms to make sure he made it back to his apartment and then to the rink.

"I usually keep them on me, but they check you for Adderall at EDM concerts."

[neverjedi]

"Okay." He nuzzled lightly at Anakin's hair and hooked one of his legs around Anakin's. He was sleepy. Couldn't help it. "Class is from 9:30 to 10:30, Assume another half-hour for me to get everyone out." He didn't know what he was talking about at that point - or rather he did, but not why. He was just... content, sated, and sleepy.

[darkforcerising]

Anakin didn't really sleep. It wasn't because he was uncomfortable - he very much was. But it was difficult for him without his meds for various reasons, and he didn't want to wake up from a deep sleep in a strange place, and his mind freak out because he didn't initially recognize where he was. Instead, he'd put air pods in and played games on his phone, enjoying the soft rise and fall of Obi-Wan's chest, until his first alarm went off: GET YOUR MEDS!

He stole a kiss from Obi-Wan as the other man woke up and then rushed out the door so he could grab an Uber to his apartment. His next alarm (another reminder about meds) was going off when he was opening his front door. Meds first. And then he rushed up to his sleeping area to grab new clothes when the next alarm sounded: BRUSH YOUR TEETH. Oh right, he shouldn't forget that. And then: SHOWER. Shouldn't forget that either.

Ten minutes later he was washed, dressed in clean clothes and he was reaching for the front door handle when his fifth alarm went off: GRAB YOUR BAG. And he realized he'd forgotten to pick up his backpack before leaving. And he double backed for that.

Then- Then he was ready to go down and order and Uber to the rink.

He was walking through the rink doors when the last alarm went off: YOU BETTER FUCKING BE ON YOUR WAY, 15 MINS.

He smiled at his past self and loped up the stands to sit and wait for the class to start.

Three songs in his air pods later, a pack of small - small - children spilled out onto the ice along with their instructor.

[neverjedi]

His morning was pretty leisurely, by comparison. He woke up, reheated some of yesterday's leftovers for breakfast, took a shower and brushed his teeth and otherwise groomed, started a load of laundry and then got dressed.

Yes. In that order.

Dressed was a fresh pair of older jeans, a sweater and sneakers for the trip to the rink and white skates out onto it.

He was surprised to see Anakin already there when he went out onto the ice with his kid, but if the grin was anything to go by it was a really pleasant surprise. Then he refocused on his kids and teaching them.

Today's lessons meaning, mostly, how to use hour glass shape figures to move forward and backward, though interspersed by a lot of redirecting them onto task, preventing squabbles, picking kids who fell down up and comforting them and -

For the last twenty minutes doing it with the youngest (barely 3) year old planted solidly on his hip with her thumb in her mouth because she was having a shy day.

They all learned something though and at the end, when it was down to him and one little boy with ratty jeans and hand-me-down shakes left, he glanced up into the bleachers, didn't see either of his parents yet.

So he took him out on the ice and gave him a little more instruction and attention, mostly just talking and encouraging and ended by picking up the kid and doing a rapid, tight, spin that got his mind off wondering about his ride and made him laugh.

At that point mom was there, harried and sorry and apologetic and talking about getting out of work late and dad dropping off. Obi-Wan reassured her, ruffled the kids hair and finally skated over to the wall and Anakin.

"Sorry about the delay. It won't take me long to get out of skates."

[darkforcerising]

When it was clear the last child was going to be picked up, Anakin stood up and walked down to the rink.

"You're adorable with children."

Anakin wanted to lean across the wall and kiss Obi-Wan but he didn't know if that's what Obi-Wan would want.

"There were some moments there when I thought they would trample you and you'd be toast."

[neverjedi]

He assumed with Anakin's career, or rather former career, there may be some hang-ups about public displays of affection with another man, so he didn't try to make contact.

"Luckily, I'm faster than they are." He skated around to the opening and went to where Anakin was, and sat on the bench set a bit back so he could start unlacing his skates. "They're good kids. And if nothing else they've taught me some patience."

[darkforcerising]

Anakin leaned against the wall opposite where Obi-Wan sat down.

"You?" Anakin asked, feigning innocence. "Need to learn patience?" Can you blame Anakin for being amused.

"Maybe I can teach one or two chess to give you more practice."

[neverjedi]

"I just spent a large part of an hour holding a small child with metal attached to her feet happened to be dangling in my crotch. You are responsible for all future risk-taking involving children under 16."

Absolutely cool, and moving on to taking the second skate off.

"I do actually want to see you get steady on skates, you realize. That may be all the practice I need with patience, anyway."

[darkforcerising]

"I was promised food, and looking at exotic animals," Anakin pointed out. "And I'm much easier to teach when I'm not hangry."

[neverjedi]

He pointedly thunked the second skate onto the floor and picked up his sneakers to pull them on.

"I'm treating it as a long term project. I also want to find you a pair of hockey skates for you, since I don't see you wanting to do anything that involves leaping into the air, they should be easier for you."

[darkforcerising]

"So..." Anakin said playfully. "What I'm hearing is... you want to see me again, and do things with my body." And he dared Obi-Wan with a look, to tell him he'd misinterpreted what Obi-Wan had said.

[neverjedi]

"Well, yes," he agreed, "but I also want you to get comfortable enough on skates to play with me more."

...What is he not supposed to be willing to admit he wants to continue this? He isn't.

[darkforcerising]

"I'm still hearing that you want to do things with my body." Still teasing, but he gave a little. "Yes, I want that."

He wanted to say more, he wanted to say all the things he wanted to do with Obi-Wan, from the mundane of staying in bed all day while Obi-Wan explained the physics of a triple axel jump to the exciting of skydiving free falling 13,000 meters with him - if he could get him to do it. He wanted to gush, and rush, and push, because this was thrilling and he hadn't experienced it in such a long time.

But he didn't want to extinguish everything before it all started by smothering Obi-Wan.

"So you want to teach me hockey?"

When Obi-Wan's shoes were on, Anakin held out his hand to help him stand up.

[neverjedi]

"If you think I can play hockey you are massively over-estimating my testosterone levels," he said, self-depreciating. Or mocking hockey players? Maybe both.

He wanted a lot of things with Anakin.

Even Skydiving.

[darkforcerising]

"I've seen all three Mighty Duck movies," Anakin said, liking how close they were now that Obi-Wan was standing.

"Are you telling me they lied to me about a figure skater being able to play hockey?" Anakin was from Arizona, he wasn't even sure if the state had a hockey team. "Because I'm going to have to re-examine a lot of things I learned from movies if that's true."

[neverjedi]

"Have you also seen Cutting Edge? Because hockey players can't figure skate, either. The only things I can reliably say about hockey is that there's a lot more falling down, and there's a puck, a goal, and some kind of box."

He slid his fingers along the inside of Anakin's wrist, then started to lead the way out of the rink and, ultimately, out of the Arena.

[darkforcerising]

"What is that movie about?" but it's asked in a breathy way because Obi-Wan was using unfair tactics by touching him like that. Touching him like that and Obi-Wan could lead him anywhere the man wanted. Anakin vaguely hoped there would be food at the end of the journey, but he was fine, just fine like this.

[neverjedi]

There was going to be food, shortly. He just has to get them to food. Fortunately the arena has its own dining options, it just requires going outside and a bit further along the sidewalk.

"It's about a hockey player who takes up figure skating as a partner to some woman he later falls in love with."

[darkforcerising]

"Sounds romantic- are you a romantic?" Anakin asked, he had a million other questions he wanted to ask, but again, he bit back the urge.

[neverjedi]

He wobbled his hand back and forth, just slightly. "I enjoy romance, but I'm not overly romantic in the sense that my views of... romantic relationships listing slightly more toward cynical than idealistic. Where do you fall on that scale?"

[darkforcerising]

Obi-Wan was leading him around by his wrist because the gentle touch of his fingers brushing his skin there made him compliant and giddy and Obi-Wan was asking if he was romantic? The whole picture amused Anakin.

"For a while there, I was starting to get cynical. But maybe that'll change. Why are you cynical?"

[neverjedi]

You asked first, Anakin.

He does finally let go of Anakin's wrist though, once he remembers he has it. Because Anakin may need that hand. He does not move any further away from him though.

"More cynical than romantic. I'm not truly cynical either, I just don't believe I tend toward idealize love - or people or life for that matter. I believe in love and in treating people well. Not in the concept of 'the one' for anyone, much less everyone. Most relationships end up being what you make of them."

[darkforcerising]

Anakin thought about that. He appreciated the honesty. And he'd certainly encountered enough 'life sucks and then you die' - or almost die - in his life to understand the perspective. The last two years had been rough.

But he figured he should ask, "So... do you want monogamy or is it not your thing?"

[neverjedi]

He flashed a smile. "I tend toward monogamy if I'm dating someone, or in a relationship with them. I am not necessarily celibate outside relationships."

Did that make sense?