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[neverjedi]

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[darkforcerising]

Anakin's physical therapy wasn't about professional performance. The goal was the ability to do average things.

"Well, skydiving, obviously. But I've tried out rock climbing a few times. I don't think they like the concerts either."

[neverjedi]

He understands the objections to skydiving and rock climbing, but: "What's their problem with the concerts?"

[darkforcerising]

Anakin laughs. “I took you to a tame concert.” He wasn’t going to expose Obi-Wan to anything hard core on a ... was that their second or first date?

“I don’t think they believe me when I say I don’t go to do drugs.”

[neverjedi]

Second date, yes.

"I might not have entirely believed you if I hadn't already seen you avoid alcohol and had known more about the environment before you warned me." He suddenly wants to go to another concert -

and make out against a wall or in the middle of a crowd.

...He may have some issues.

[darkforcerising]

Anakin would say those weren’t issues at all... if asked.

“I even do routine drug test me. I never have a dirty test.” He shrugged. “Some people believe what they want to.”

And then he wondered if he should explain the drug testing. “It’s part of participating in the trial with this prosthetic. They want to know all the variables, I guess.”

[neverjedi]

He would have assumed routine drug testing was part of the job - or that Anakin had a history of drug abuse, or that there was conflict with his medication or...

Apparently there were a lot of ways to put those pieces together, and it was probably good that Anakin explained.

"I didn't know the prosthetic was a trial." He was going to assume since Anakin had brought it up that it was a fair topic to at least ask about: "What part of it's different?"

[darkforcerising]

"I can move it with my mind." Was the simplest answer.

The more complex answer. "There are sensors in it that can interpret the brain signals that travel down my arm's nerves when I think about moving my hand or arm in a certain way. It works with involuntary muscle reactions, too. The more I practice with it, the easier it is to use. No other prosthetic does that. Part of physical therapy is regularly reporting with the team that builds these."

[neverjedi]

"That's amazing." Which was of course still not great given that Anakin had still lost his arm, but -

but.

That was an amazing piece of technology.

"How long have you had it?"

[darkforcerising]

Sure. Anakin was equal parts amazed by the prosthetic and frustrated with it. It wasn't the same as a real hand.

"Little over six months."

He pushed the last bits of foot around on his plate. It wasn't that the topic was out of bounds, it just... came with complicated emotions.

He tried to lighten things by saying, "Someday maybe I'll have a fully integrated cybernetic arm."

[neverjedi]

"If that happens, I'll be the first to take advantage and you can lift me. It'll make for a novel change." He went with the lighter pretty easily, around focusing on finishing his meal. "Or scare me out of my mind. I have no idea how women do it."

[darkforcerising]

"We'll have to find a lake to practice lifts in." He really hoped Obi-Wan caught the movie reference there.

[neverjedi]

"I love that movie - and wish desperately that there was more deep water involved in training lifts. My back would probably be in better shape and there'd be fewer concussions."

He really did love the movie - a lot. More than he should probably admit as a thirty year old FBI agent. Figure-skater loving it was fine.

[darkforcerising]

"You... like Dirty Dancy?" Anakin asked, to clarify. Because he loved that movie, too. Though he wasn't willing to explain the reason why - it'd been his mother's favorite movie. Watching it always brought back happy memories. He didn't often find people in his age group who liked that movie.

[neverjedi]

"Now I've had the time of my li-ife, no I've never felt this way before--" Yes, yes he was singing over his orange juice. His voice wasn't even bad, actually. "Yes. I like Dirty Dancing. I love Dirty Dancing."

[darkforcerising]

"Are you-?" Anakin started, but he was laughing before Obi-Wan had stopped.

And he thought he'd be bold and take a chance.

"Come back to my place and watch it with me.

[neverjedi]

"One condition," he said, smiling. "You either dance with me or let me sing along."

That was a yes. Clearly, since he was already sticking a credit card in the bill holder and flagging down their server so he could pay.

[darkforcerising]

"You can sing," Anakin said.

The server couldn't come quick enough. But eventually they did come and the bill was squared away.

When they stepped out of the Uber at his place - an old, battered, red bricked former warehouse, he turned to Obi-Wan and said, "Okay, don't freak out about the elevator. It's perfectly safe and in proper working order."

[neverjedi]

He leaves the mention of whether he can sing or not alone, since he can... not be horrible? Which he isn't sure is at all the same and doesn't matter, anyway.

He didn't hesitate or seem surprised by the building but mention of the elevator made him wary and seeing it made him more wary. "...Have you ever seen a serial killer movie?"

[darkforcerising]

"Freddie and Jason are not hiding in the corners of the elevator. It's just fine."

He opened the cage and held it for Obi-Wan to climb in. "It's in proper running order. I promise that this is not the way you're going to die." Look, if Obi-Wan was going bring up serial killer movies, Anakin could play into it.

[neverjedi]

He stepped in, but he did it tentatively - like he expected it to fall out from under him and then moved as close to a wall as he could and stayed there.

"Oh? How am I going to die, then?"

[darkforcerising]

"... Haven't decided yet," Anakin said, smiling at Obi-Wan's trepidation.

It wasn't a long ride, just up to the third floor. The number on the metal yellow sliding door that Anakin lead Obi-Wan to said 'C-3'. He opened it and let him into the studio apartment.

[neverjedi]

Obi-Wan barely glanced around at eye level - or even the furniture. His eyes were immediately drawn up and, perhaps strangely, his expression was one of...

delight.

As in he loved it.

Yes. It was inelegant, unrefined, and somewhat rough and crude - but it was also beautiful.

"It suits you."

[darkforcerising]

Anakin dropped his pack by the side of the couch and then leaned against the back. He watched Obi-Wan take in the place. Nothing matched, not even a single chairs around his table was the same. The paint was no longer white and was chipping off the walls. Some walls weren't even painted.

Something about the way Obi-Wan looked around made him feel exposed, vulnerable.

And something about that feeling made him push off from the couch and close the distance between them.

They'd spent the morning together and the last time they'd kissed had been brief, almost not a kiss, as Anakin had been running out of Obi-Wan's apartment that morning.

"Can I kiss you?"

[neverjedi]

He drew his eyes away from the walls and back down to meet Anakin's eyes, smiled and said, "Of course," and even reached for him. "In fact please do."

[darkforcerising]

Anakin bit his lip just the slightest moment before he responded to Obi-Wan's touch and leaned in to kiss him soft at first, but then letting passion sweep him into deepening the kiss.

When he finally broke the kiss, he said, "I've been wanting to do that all morning."