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[neverjedi]

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[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?

[darkforcerising]

"I don't see anything wrong with that." He didn't need a history, he had his own past. He just expected everyone did and it was a part of the person, but not a part of what they did together.

"I'm monogamous in a relationship... But can't say I've ever tried a polyamorous relationship, though- I think that might be beyond my skill set."

[neverjedi]

"The nearest I 've ever come is someone else having an open relationship and being friends with both." It wasn't the same thing at all.

He opened the door to let them into a building so they could get a table (or wait a bit for one, though it wouldn't likely be long) and ultimately eat.

"What is your skill set?"

[darkforcerising]

Close, Obi-Wan, yes, close.

Anakin didn't answer right away because the host led them to a table.

"I'm not sure I get what you're asking. Like, I can barely keep track of my life, adding one person to it would be a challenge. A fun challenge. But still. So, I don't know if I could split my attention to more people. Have I mentioned how short my attention span is?"

He glanced at the menu.

"Or are you asking me what kind of sexual stuff do I know how to do?"

[neverjedi]

He shook his head with a slightly confused expression. "You said that wasn't your skill set, and now you've explained why. Tell me what works for you? What are you good at in a relationship."

Stop making everything a disclaimer.

[darkforcerising]

Anakin raised an eyebrow. Way to make this feel like a session with his therapist.

He thought about it and encountered that usual problem people face when asked to compliment themselves: his mind drew a blank. Everything he thought of turned into something negative the more he thought about it. And now he was doubting himself...

But everything was a disclaimer for him. Why deny it?

“See, when you ask it like that, all I can think of are ways I suck... I know what I’m not good at and I’m honest about it. If the thing I’m bad at is a deal breaker, I’ll respect my partner’s choice to leave. But if it’s something I can find a solution to, I’ll work at it. I won’t try to pretend it took me six reminder alarms to make it to see you again this morning or that it won’t take the same number to make it to our next date- I’m bad about non-routine sequential steps and being on time. I found one solution that helps. I want my partner to be happy and trust me.”

And because he had to answer that, so too should Obi-Wan. “What are you good at in relationships?”

[neverjedi]

The answers for what he was good at in there, was ultimately that he wanted his partner to be happy and to trust him, and worked to make that happen.

Obi-Wan filtered to that, without missing the rest and being a little amused by it.

"Meeting people where they are, and loving them as they are."

He did not do mental gymnastics to get to that, but in fairness he wasn't blindsided by the question.