the non-sexual touch turned romantic or erotic meme THE TOUCH KINK MEME
It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words. A touch, one between people who have more than just something together whether they know it or not, can be worth a million. This meme is to celebrate those intimate touches...with a twist. Almost no touch here is sexual, at least overtly, yet with the right chemistry, things can heat up romantically or erotically. This might not even be caused by the sensation caused by the touch itself - or perhaps it is - but rather the sentiment behind the gesture.
Not a smut player? That's fine. There is a tuned-up emotional aspect to all this as well, as has been mentioned. Be sure to include that you'd prefer things to stay a little less steamy the more hands-on things become.
With all that said, let's put that thousand words to rest. Instead, reach out and touch someone.
HOW TO PLAY
Comment with your character and preferences. Remember to say if you don't want smut.
Reply to others.
Use RNG. Don't use RNG. It's you're choice.
PROMPTS/WHERE TO TOUCH
Chest
Inner arm
Upper arm
Small of the back
Forehead
Face
Ears
Lips
Neck
Nape of the neck
Stomach
Hips
Soft kisses on parts of the body
Upper leg
Lower leg
Ankles
Feet
Touching old scars
Hand kiss
Wiping away tears
Cleaning - whether bathing or with wash rags or towels
Tending to injuries
Massage
Hand holding
Encouragement or cheer up touch
Desire to be close
Embrace
Bodies barely touching
Pressed close in bed or on the couch while cuddling
Flirtatious or trying to be sexual
Keeping them from going away
Before separation
After a long while
Comfort while sick or upset
Teasing or edging close to naughty territory
Accidental touch
Playing them like a harp because you know they want to be touched
Indirect intimacy. No touching the obvious spots!
You can't hold out, you've got to indulge and touch everywhere
Hand kink; you can't get enough of the way their hands feel
[ They'd been on the run for days, forced through a desolate and unwelcoming landscape. There's little time to rest at the start, their pursuers relentless in their desire to intercept Amidala and Kenobi, but as Obi-Wan forces them to press on, the distance from apparent danger increases considerably.
Finally, they're able to rest for more than a few hours at a time. Finally, they have a moment to reflect back on the tumultuous journey that brought them to this point. Slipping through the outskirts of the city, they're offered blessed respite that had once seemed impossibly far away.
Obi-Wan has secured them a room through trickery unbecoming a Jedi of his stature, but considering how tired he is, how tired Padmé must be, and the fact that they'd been sleeping on the ground for all the prior days they'd been on the run, Kenobi's willing to do something a little out of character. The room is small. It offers a wood burning stove for warmth and a single bed, but little else in the way of comforts. It's better than nothing.
Basin in hand, the exhausted man kneels in front of his friend where she sits on the edge of the bed. Over days they'd both taken on injuries — cuts and bruises, mostly — and a lot of dirt. In the low light he can see the angry red scores across Padmé's exposed skin where she's been scraped by thorns or caught on branches. He probably doesn't look much better.
They're quite the pair, the two of them. Cut off and alone, they would have to continue to find their own way. But tonight, everything else can wait. Tonight, they will need rest and security.
He wrings some excess water from a rag and takes Padmé's wrist, wiping gently at her skin without so much as a word, mopping away the grime and any blood that might have dried around her aggravated wounds. ]
[For all her gowns and finery Padmé is used to struggle and exhaustion, that on its own is hardly more than she can handle. What complicates this is the length of their hardship, and how small the galaxy suddenly felt with the sheer amount of pressure there was to bring them to heel. The cuts and scrapes are nothing in comparison to the sheer exhaustion that bores into their bones. More than anything, the most complicated part of this whole endeavor was currently sleeping in a basket, their little bodies swaddled and tucked together, not a scratch on either of them, warmed by the light of the stove. Running from Anakin the empire and Vader with two infants alone would have been an impossible task if it wasn't for Obi-wan, his strength a welcome crutch to her own waning energy.
It's partially a blessing, the constant need to flee and move and hide, it keeps her mind off the black hole in her heart that was left from Anakin's betrayal, and focused on her children's safety. If nothing else, she'd bear any hardship to keep her twins from the sith, even if it meant having to give up on the man she had once loved.
The touch of cool water on her wrist shocks her out of her deep thoughts, and Padmé jumps a little at the sting of it. Obi-Wan is kneeled before her, and she laughs softly, placing a hand over his and offers him a tired but warm smile. For all that she had cared for him and considered him the highest example of what humanity and the Jedi could be, she was still surprised every day by his devotion to her and to Luke and Leia. She didn't deserve his friendship, but was selfishly so thankful for it. ]
You don't have to do that Obi-Wan. You should sleep. You've done enough for me already.
[ Her words catch him off guard and his hand stills under her touch, but he does not remove it or the cloth.
Has he done enough? How could he? Hells, it might be something to say he'd done too much, caused too much strife, created too many problems for Padmé and her children to live free and without risk. Following the fall of Anakin Skywalker, it's not hard to believe that Kenobi has done both too much and too little, that he'd both contributed to this terrible scenario, while also ensuring it doesn't end in mindless violence. ]
Please.
[ Not a demand, but a request - a desperate need to do something at all times, to not ever let his hands still, and therefore his mind as well. Sleep would wait. Until Padmé is safe and secure, available without injury to care for her children, everything can wait.
Head dipped, unable to fully look at her even after all of this time on the run, he waits for an answer, guilt knotting heavy braids of upset in his stomach. ]
[ It's almost more painful to see what this has all done to her friend then it is to have everything she cared about ripped away from her when Palpatine took over the galaxy, and Padmé bites down on her chapped bottom lip before sighing and lifting her hand from his. They were a pair, both had lost their family and future and faith in the universe all at once.]
Thank you Master Kenobi.
[ It's a little bit more professionally than before, but then her free hand absentmindedly brushes his bangs from his dusty forehead, tucking a few wisps behind his ear. ]
[ There's no way to fully express how little he feels he deserves Padmé's gratitude, and thus he rarely bothers, particularly because he knows it upsets her. Mistakes were made, ones Obi-Wan knows he can't ever rectify, but they had both resolved to set aside the worst of their guilt for the sake of the precious lives they're hiding from the Empire.
Her touch stills his hands again, but only for a moment as he takes a slow breath. Contact feels simultaneously dreadful and splendid. Obi-Wan has never longed so much for attachment as he does now in the wake of losing almost everything, and in feeling that, he almost feels as if something else is causing him to lean into the touch. ]
Padmé...
[ So much for formality, not that they'd ever been good at adopting that between the three— the two of them. Kenobi swallows down what few words come to mind. Of all the things he wants to say, none feel worthy of describing these emotions he can no long escape or put aside.
Dragging the cloth gingerly, he moves closer to her fingertips, ever so gently revealing areas of light, clean skin beneath. It's nearly ritualistic, like the very first time you perform what is certain to become a common practice. ]
I'm fortunate to be here with you. [ He means that in so many ways. ]
[ She cant help but laugh, a short incredulous thing. The cool water on her hand both stings and soothes, the fabric soft and scratchy at the same time. The dichotomy of all of this, the underlying anxiety of their banishment and the calm comfort of this small room, punctuates how different their lives have become, how alone they were now even when they were together.
His touch is soothing, and she lets her eyes settle shut for a moment, dark hair falling over her shoulders from where the hastily twined braid had come undone, the finger mark bruises finally starting to fade from her throat. Her fingers linger just behind Obi-Wan's ear, and then settles on the side of his neck, her thumb gently stroking the skin there. If it had been any other time in their friendship this would be uncomfortable, inappropriate, and a whole slew of other things, but now?
[ For all the pain and all the heartache this whole scenario brings forth, he still laughs. It's somewhat hollow and entirely broken, but it's genuine in that he wants to laugh knowing that she can, too. It's another arguement against giving up: If Padmé can survive this, then so shall he. And really, with her and the twins nearby, he doesn't have a choice, nor should he. His future was determined through and through the moment he made a promise to his Master that he would train the boy.
Thirteen years later, Obi-Wan wants to curse Qui-Gon for his short-sightedness. But the anger is fleeting, taken over by numbness and these few points of contact he knows he shouldn't revel in. ]
I suppose that's well and good, but it's only fair to warn you that I'm terrible at polishing nails.
[ A sad joke, sure, but a glimmer of something where there hadn't been much before. In response, he takes her now clean hand between his own and kisses it. He isn't entirely certain why, and when it's done, he tries not to think too hard about it. ]
[ Another little quip builds in her chest, a freeing kind of feeling coming with the lightheartedness, the ability to find even the barest kind of happiness, in the darkness of these trying times. Obi-wan's fingers and palms are rough and calloused, his nails blunt and his hands engulf hers, but his lips are so soft against her skin that the joke catches in her throat and leaves her speechless.
Padmé feels heat bloom in her cheeks and she ducks her head a bit, her thumb stilling on his neck, but doesn't pull her other hand from his. Rather she curls her fingers around his, running her tongue along the line of her teeth as she tries to restart her thought process.]
You have time to perfect your skills before Leia will need your expertise in that field.
[ Her voice is quieter but hopeful, because that's what she needs to keep more than anything. Hope. Hope that her love for Anakin could grow into two beautiful things in the world instead of just darkness. Hope for a future for her children, herself, and for her dear friend. Hope for something more than their sad, painful past. ]
[ It's never hard to tell what they're thinking, not anymore. They'd been torn apart, laid bare by betrayal, and try as they might, nothing is deeply hidden anymore. Obi-Wan feels he isn't even interested in trying, for that matter, except in moments like these where the threat of an emotional outburst is lingering so near the surface of his typically mirror-calm surface.
He glances in the direction of the children in order to fully compose himself — to not give in to all of the expression that threatens to escape as one messy emotion or another — and it helps. Leia and Luke and Padmé, who don't deserve any of this, need all the hope they can get, especially now that they cannot avoid this new galaxy's upsetting grip. ]
I won't disappoint. [ How thoroughly he means that can never be properly conveyed, but at least he can say it aloud in this instance. His eyes finally meet hers. Kenobi lifts the rag to gently wipe a smudge from her cheek, all that much more tender than before. ] You have my word.
I think you are incapable of ever disappointing me Obi-wan. Truly.
[ Padmé smiles at him, eyes crinkling up even as it's tinged with sadness, before leaning into the gentle touch of the rag on her cheek. Despite the chill of the water, the contact only leaves warmth in it's wake, stirring more complicated feelings in her heart. She feels guilty even before she finishes her sentence, and settles both hands in her knees for a second, before taking Obi-wan's hand from her cheek and taking the rag from him. She laces her clean fingers over his, placing the rag back in the basin before bringing his knuckles to her lips ever so gently. This was hard to say, but she had to say it, before they got any further. ]
If at any point you feel this is too much for you, I won't be disappointed if you need to find your own path. I understand you never signed on for two children and running from all of this [ She blinks away tears, chastising herself for allowing them to even start welling. ]-I-We will be fine. Please know that.
[ While disappearing down his own path has certainly occurred to him, he's never once given the idea any real credence. In his mind he should be elsewhere. He should be tracking down Vader and ridding the universe of the Sith Lord's presence. At times, it's all he can think of, like the shadow vengeance lingering over him. In its wake, he finds himself weaker than ever before.
Where the Force had once provided him all the comfort and Light he needed, now Padmé has taken up that role. Her lips are a cooling balm, her encouragement luminous and soft. It nearly brings tears to his eyes (and her crying certain doesn't help the process). She's mercy, bearing a relief that stirs in him in ways he's never felt before. ]
This is where I need to be.
[ It is, perhaps, the most simple and straightforward answer he can muster, and in its wake he shifts so that he can chastely kiss her cheek, only to find he's instead pressed his lips to hers, not entirely unwittingly or without desperation, it seems. ]
[ What surprises her most is how not surprised she is by the kiss. It feels as though it's a long time coming, a rush of comfort and relief washing over her as his lips meet hers. The tension in her shoulders gives way as she leans into him, her hair tumbling over her shoulders to brush over his, one hand settling on his cheek. This all feels so inevitable, they had always been close and with the intimacy of their situation...There's nothing in this that feels wrong, even with the bitter edging that lead them to this.
Padmé slides slowly off the edge of the bed, releasing his hand to wind her arm around his neck, her knees settling on the dusty wood floor, the fabric of her dress rumpling up between them. ]
[ Arms reaching around her, he returns the embrace as if she represents his only grounding (and in some ways, that might truly be the case). It's an unceremonious offering by way of love confessions, but he's always cared — as much for her as for Anakin — and now more than ever he feels the need to make that apparent, to make everything apparent, to not hold back for fear that he won't express enough.
His fingers splay wide over her back and he thinks for a moment that this could all very well be a fever dream if not for the pain he feels lingering on the periphery. There's nothing in the Jedi Code that could account for something like this, nothing about the impossibility of denial when so many precious and important lives are in peril — peril Obi-Wan could argue he nurtured.
When he pulls back again, it's to carefully encourage her hair to one side, over only one shoulder, so he can somewhat covertly examine the healing bruises. ]
Thank you. I'd be— [ He takes a deep breath. ] If not for you, I'd be lost, Padmé.
[ Stress has been Padmé's constant companion ever since Mustafar, but somehow it feels lessened in Obi-wan's embrace, his steady hands on her back holding her in this moment. His fingers move over her shoulder, leaving goosebumps in their wake both from the contact, and the nervousness of showing those bruises. They're still fading but the memory of the rage on Anakin's face is still fresh, the sensation of her heart breaking as she ran out of air.... She shakes her head, her arms tightening ever so slightly around his shoulders, before resting her cheek on her arm, her breath fanning over his throat.]
If not for you I'd not be alive. I can't ever repay you for helping me through this. You've always been a guiding star, and the best of us Obi-wan.
[ She cant help but think that if she had just made the right decisions, all of this could have been avoided. The fall of the republic fell squarely on her shoulders. ]
[ Padmé doesn't need to live in the Force like Obi-Wan for those emotions to come through. Her shuddering breath against his skin and her desperate embrace are more than enough to tell him she might not be all right even again knowing she'd been betrayed by the one she loved. He empathizes. He could have done more. He could have saved Anakin if he'd tried just a bit harder, if he'd care just a hair more than he'd allowed himself. He wouldn't have been a guiding star, but the one who ensured their guiding star remained up in the sky. Now that star's collapsed on itself and the black hole left in its wake is all-encompassing. ]
You've done more than enough. [ She's given him a reason to live, after all. ] Now you should get some rest.
[ They'd been sleeping in shifts, trading off in taking care of the twins. Even a few hours would be certain to help Padmé on her way to regaining her strength. ]
[ It figures, that even with all this Obi-wan has turned this to take the burden on his own shoulders. Padmé laughs, shaking her head on his shoulder before she straightens up, moving her hands to cup his face gently. She just watches him for a moment, before tentatively kissing him. It's more of a brush of lips, soft and careful, than the desperate thing they had shared a moment ago, as if unsure if it was still allowed. When she pulls away her fingers slide down his neck to his arms, standing and gently pulling him with her.]
Luke and Leia are safer here in this room alone than they have been the last few weeks. Come to bed. They'll be better off with both of us well rested.
[ As anxious as the idea makes him, the comfort she guarantees is like a miraculous offering, one he doesn't feel right shrugging off. It may not be the most chivalrous choice, but in times like these, chivalry does little good for anyone, it seems. If this means better sleep for them both, he can hardly argue. Or, perhaps, that's just exhaustion finally getting the better of him. Either way, he allows her to lead him, only separating from her grasp long enough to shrug out of his long robe so that it can serve as a blanket if necessary.
Without ceremony (or even removing his boots), he crawls on to the small cot and presses himself into a space against the wall. It leaves Amidala plenty of room, but also offers his back to her. He can't imagine he won't find himself wrapped wholly in her warm presence before too long, but for now he doesn't make any assumptions. ]
[ While he climbs into the cot Padmé checks on her children, both twins sleeping soundly, gently caressing their cheeks and planting a kiss on both Luke and Leia's baby hair.
Obi-wan is already settled when she approaches, slipping carefully out of her over dress and shoes and setting them neatly to the side. Really? Boots on? She shakes her head, sitting on the edge of the cot before settling in next to him. She tucks one arm under her head, the space on the cot limited, and she shifts to get comfortable, knees and elbows sticking into his back.]
[ It's instantly unpleasant to make things so difficult, Kenobi realizes. In being so particular in his choices, he's rendered a mostly uncomfortable bed into an entirely uncomfortable bed in so few steps, and he's certainly not the only one affected by it.
Silently considering the wall for a moment, he weighs the alternatives and eventually gives in to the urge to move, if only to turn slightly so he can talk over his shoulder in her direction. ]
I wonder if I wouldn't feel more comfortable keeping watch. [ What rubbish. He hasn't even properly tried to sleep. ] We could have been followed...
If I didn't know better, Master Kenobi, I'd think that you were repulsed by sharing a bed with me.
[ It's teasing in a way that says he's being too difficult, and she sits up, resting on one arm as she reaches over and gently guides him onto his back by one shoulder. She's grateful he's said something, not wanting to push him too much, regardless of the words that actually come out of his mouth. She knows him well enough to pick up on when he's not being straight forward. ]
Here.
[ Tucking her knees under for a moment, Padmé reaches across him and pulls off his boots, gently setting them on the other side of the cot, one hand resting over his obi for balance. That is the next focus of attention, and she meets his eyes before working it open, pulling the belt and the wrap beneath off and placing it on top of the boots. The air in the room feels warmer by the moment, something she purposely ignores as she leans over him and pulls the tabards out from under him, dropping them to the side.]
[ It isn't discomfort he's feeling as he's slowly relieved of those extraneous items, that's for sure, but there is something infantilizing about the whole procedure. Perhaps because he can't recall the last time anyone's helped him out of his clothes that wasn't a medical professional. And even then, it was always a struggle.
But not here, and not now. Padmè's hands are, to him, steadier than an artist's, more adept than a surgeon's in taking him apart, more deft than an engineer's in putting him back together. Removing those few weighty items, relieving him of inconspicuous burdens, Amidala has somehow made him a tiny bit more whole. and cared for in way that defies most familiar conventions. Obi-Wan can't decide if it inspires laughter or tears. She'll get a little of both out of him as he finds himself a little overcome with emotions he shouldn't have, let alone expressing.
He sits up to meet her, to embrace her, his arms wrapping around her protectively. Despite the fact that she feels so small and vulnerable in his arms has nothing to do with the reality of her abilities — Padmé is exceptionally gifted in so very many ways — and everything to do with the very difficult future she faces. Kenobi would do anything to relieve her of that burden, and yet here she's caring for him, taking more on to her shoulders. He murmurs against her hair. ] I love you, Pamdé. [ And then he pulls back far enough to look at her, tears in his eyes, but somehow still joyous in this broken declaration. ] Please don't forget that. [ He cups both her cheeks tenderly. It needs to be said. He hadn't said it enough to Anakin. Or at all. And knowing now the rigors of that decision, he'll be damned if he lets it go unspoken. ]
[ Rather than complain or shrugging her off (honestly she was expecting either, there's a levity that they used to have that she misses terribly) she's startled by the intensity in which he throws his arms around her, tucking her protectively into his chest. Whatever she had hoped to get from trying to tease him was no where as comforting as this, her heart catching in her chest. ]
Obi-wan?
[ His lips move against her hair, sending chills down her spine, and it actually takes her a moment to realize what he's said. I love you. It's something that has been unspoken for a long time, the balance that the three of them maintained, but somehow it feels so much more powerful now that the words are loose in the air. Even with the aching hole in their hearts left by the loss of Anakin.
He cups her face in his hands, and she instinctively covers them with her own, a soft laugh bubbling up in her chest. ]
I love you too. Don't you forget it either. There's nothing that could ever change that.
[ He feels utterly unworthy of such mercy, but here it is being offered despite that. The absence of Anakin is stark and difficult to reconcile, but what he was isn't lost. Another of the more generous gifts provided by the Force sits nearby — those children are nothing short of miraculous.
Nodding, the Jedi Master slowly forces himself back to center. He shifts again, quick to keep her hands as he guides them both back down on to the bed. He wants to hold her, and Obi-Wan doesn't think she'll complain, so he leaves an obvious place for her, although he doesn't say anything more about it. ]
[ Somehow as Obi-Wan relaxes and his hands guide her back down to the mattress, something heavy inside of her feels as though it's left in the space she once occupied. Padmé doesn't even think, she just curls up against him, resting her head on his shoulder and tucking as close to his chest as she could. There's a weight that they've been carrying, the death of their closest friend and the person most dear to both of them, in Anakin's betrayal.
To speak of him at all until now was pain, and yet here, with that confession still burrowing it's way into her heart and reminding her of the good of all they've experienced together, something has changed. The past was the past, what happened and what happens now doesn't take away from how much they all loved each other.
Padmé laughs again, a soft happy thing, not at all raw or inhibited. She turns her face into his shirt, shaking her head. ]
You know, when I first saw you all those years ago, I thought you were possibly the most attractive man I'd ever seen. It wasn't appropriate for a Queen however, so I never said anything.
[ He wraps an arm around her and finds a position to suit them both, but he's processing the admission, uncertain what to say. It's strange in a way that only retrospective feelings can touch.
Obi-Wan clears his throat quietly, sliding backward into memories of the past. His mind wanders and he blatantly ignores how disappointed Qui-Gon would have been in Obi-Wan's failure. ]
It wouldn't have been good for my ego at that age.
[ He had been quite impetuous and so focused on trying to impress his Master while staying true to the word of the Order — an admission like that would have had surely gotten him wondering what everyone else thought of him, too. ]
You showed me very quickly the value of your opinion. Ignoring both of those points would have been impossible, I think.
Precisely why I stayed quiet. I hope it doesn't change your opinion of me.
[ She's certain it doesn't. It was a strange thing to see them ten years later, Obi-wan had somehow become more refined and handsome, but Anakin? She had never considered him as anything but the child in her memory until then, and what a revelation it was. She laughs a little at the memory. For all the airs she put on she was still young then. So young. It feels as though she's aged decades in the last year. ]
[ It's quiet and every bit as forgiving as Obi-Wan can be for those he cares for. Others who don't benefit from this kind of thinking would surely find themselves cast in a different light, but knowing Amidala as he does, he can see it for it uncomplicated truthfulness.
He closes his eyes and his hand twitches around in what empty space is left on the small cot, searching for that missing piece of them all. The other brushes at Padmè's hair, pulling through the strands with uncommon gentleness. ]
[ You kiss me like that and expect me to just be able to sleep? She cant help but think, but after a moment's thought, decides to keep it to herself. ]
Yes, Thank you.
[ She shifts and tucks into him a little more, enjoying the gentleness of his touch.It feels strange, like puzzle pieces that fit together but aren't quite supposed to line up, to be in bed with him. But with the strange there is also peace, as if the image they create is just as beautiful as the one it was destined to make. For now, she'd take solace in that. ]
Starkiller was in its final stages of completion and he was on his sixth day of pulling triple shift. Everything needed to be looked over, checked and re-checked to ensure it fit together in the timeline as snugly as a puzzle piece. Trying to pull all the strings at once was exhausting and he was ready for it to be over.
The weapon would still need fine-tuning in the days after, but the heavy lifting would be done, which is an accomplishment in itself.
Feeling ground away, he's been attempting to get ahold of one Kylo Ren. Some of these duties could and should be passed on to him, if all he's going to do is stalk around the halls like some dark wraith. So, with datapad in hand, he sets off, straight-backed, looking for the previously elusive man. He hasn't answered his communications and Hux hasn't been able to devote enough time to follow his tracker all over the station. Thankfully, there's a brief period of respite he's been granted and for once, Kylo Ren is relatively close by, if his tracker is to be trusted.
Turning the corner into the next corridor linking all the officer quarters together, he finds him. ]
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bakerstreet2016-05-14 08:23 am
Jasper Jordan | The 100 | ota
charles macaulay ( tsh )
henry cheng | the raven cycle
Rey | SW:TFA | OTA
Bucky Barnes | MCU | OTA
General Hux ⏣ Star Wars ⏣ m/m
Jessica Drew | marvel | f/m
Padme Amidala || STAR WARS || OTA
22ish
Finally, they're able to rest for more than a few hours at a time. Finally, they have a moment to reflect back on the tumultuous journey that brought them to this point. Slipping through the outskirts of the city, they're offered blessed respite that had once seemed impossibly far away.
Obi-Wan has secured them a room through trickery unbecoming a Jedi of his stature, but considering how tired he is, how tired Padmé must be, and the fact that they'd been sleeping on the ground for all the prior days they'd been on the run, Kenobi's willing to do something a little out of character. The room is small. It offers a wood burning stove for warmth and a single bed, but little else in the way of comforts. It's better than nothing.
Basin in hand, the exhausted man kneels in front of his friend where she sits on the edge of the bed. Over days they'd both taken on injuries — cuts and bruises, mostly — and a lot of dirt. In the low light he can see the angry red scores across Padmé's exposed skin where she's been scraped by thorns or caught on branches. He probably doesn't look much better.
They're quite the pair, the two of them. Cut off and alone, they would have to continue to find their own way. But tonight, everything else can wait. Tonight, they will need rest and security.
He wrings some excess water from a rag and takes Padmé's wrist, wiping gently at her skin without so much as a word, mopping away the grime and any blood that might have dried around her aggravated wounds. ]
no subject
Anakinthe empire and Vader with two infants alone would have been an impossible task if it wasn't for Obi-wan, his strength a welcome crutch to her own waning energy.It's partially a blessing, the constant need to flee and move and hide, it keeps her mind off the black hole in her heart that was left from Anakin's betrayal, and focused on her children's safety. If nothing else, she'd bear any hardship to keep her twins from the sith, even if it meant having to give up on the man she had once loved.
The touch of cool water on her wrist shocks her out of her deep thoughts, and Padmé jumps a little at the sting of it. Obi-Wan is kneeled before her, and she laughs softly, placing a hand over his and offers him a tired but warm smile. For all that she had cared for him and considered him the highest example of what humanity and the Jedi could be, she was still surprised every day by his devotion to her and to Luke and Leia. She didn't deserve his friendship, but was selfishly so thankful for it. ]
You don't have to do that Obi-Wan. You should sleep. You've done enough for me already.
no subject
Has he done enough? How could he? Hells, it might be something to say he'd done too much, caused too much strife, created too many problems for Padmé and her children to live free and without risk. Following the fall of Anakin Skywalker, it's not hard to believe that Kenobi has done both too much and too little, that he'd both contributed to this terrible scenario, while also ensuring it doesn't end in mindless violence. ]
Please.
[ Not a demand, but a request - a desperate need to do something at all times, to not ever let his hands still, and therefore his mind as well. Sleep would wait. Until Padmé is safe and secure, available without injury to care for her children, everything can wait.
Head dipped, unable to fully look at her even after all of this time on the run, he waits for an answer, guilt knotting heavy braids of upset in his stomach. ]
no subject
Thank you Master Kenobi.
[ It's a little bit more professionally than before, but then her free hand absentmindedly brushes his bangs from his dusty forehead, tucking a few wisps behind his ear. ]
For everything.
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Her touch stills his hands again, but only for a moment as he takes a slow breath. Contact feels simultaneously dreadful and splendid. Obi-Wan has never longed so much for attachment as he does now in the wake of losing almost everything, and in feeling that, he almost feels as if something else is causing him to lean into the touch. ]
Padmé...
[ So much for formality, not that they'd ever been good at adopting that between the three— the two of them. Kenobi swallows down what few words come to mind. Of all the things he wants to say, none feel worthy of describing these emotions he can no long escape or put aside.
Dragging the cloth gingerly, he moves closer to her fingertips, ever so gently revealing areas of light, clean skin beneath. It's nearly ritualistic, like the very first time you perform what is certain to become a common practice. ]
I'm fortunate to be here with you. [ He means that in so many ways. ]
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[ She cant help but laugh, a short incredulous thing. The cool water on her hand both stings and soothes, the fabric soft and scratchy at the same time. The dichotomy of all of this, the underlying anxiety of their banishment and the calm comfort of this small room, punctuates how different their lives have become, how alone they were now even when they were together.
His touch is soothing, and she lets her eyes settle shut for a moment, dark hair falling over her shoulders from where the hastily twined braid had come undone, the finger mark bruises finally starting to fade from her throat. Her fingers linger just behind Obi-Wan's ear, and then settles on the side of his neck, her thumb gently stroking the skin there. If it had been any other time in their friendship this would be uncomfortable, inappropriate, and a whole slew of other things, but now?
She just wants to comfort him. ]
I would chose you over my manicurist any day.
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Thirteen years later, Obi-Wan wants to curse Qui-Gon for his short-sightedness. But the anger is fleeting, taken over by numbness and these few points of contact he knows he shouldn't revel in. ]
I suppose that's well and good, but it's only fair to warn you that I'm terrible at polishing nails.
[ A sad joke, sure, but a glimmer of something where there hadn't been much before. In response, he takes her now clean hand between his own and kisses it. He isn't entirely certain why, and when it's done, he tries not to think too hard about it. ]
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Padmé feels heat bloom in her cheeks and she ducks her head a bit, her thumb stilling on his neck, but doesn't pull her other hand from his. Rather she curls her fingers around his, running her tongue along the line of her teeth as she tries to restart her thought process.]
You have time to perfect your skills before Leia will need your expertise in that field.
[ Her voice is quieter but hopeful, because that's what she needs to keep more than anything. Hope. Hope that her love for Anakin could grow into two beautiful things in the world instead of just darkness. Hope for a future for her children, herself, and for her dear friend. Hope for something more than their sad, painful past. ]
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He glances in the direction of the children in order to fully compose himself — to not give in to all of the expression that threatens to escape as one messy emotion or another — and it helps. Leia and Luke and Padmé, who don't deserve any of this, need all the hope they can get, especially now that they cannot avoid this new galaxy's upsetting grip. ]
I won't disappoint. [ How thoroughly he means that can never be properly conveyed, but at least he can say it aloud in this instance. His eyes finally meet hers. Kenobi lifts the rag to gently wipe a smudge from her cheek, all that much more tender than before. ] You have my word.
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[ Padmé smiles at him, eyes crinkling up even as it's tinged with sadness, before leaning into the gentle touch of the rag on her cheek. Despite the chill of the water, the contact only leaves warmth in it's wake, stirring more complicated feelings in her heart. She feels guilty even before she finishes her sentence, and settles both hands in her knees for a second, before taking Obi-wan's hand from her cheek and taking the rag from him. She laces her clean fingers over his, placing the rag back in the basin before bringing his knuckles to her lips ever so gently. This was hard to say, but she had to say it, before they got any further. ]
If at any point you feel this is too much for you, I won't be disappointed if you need to find your own path. I understand you never signed on for two children and running from all of this [ She blinks away tears, chastising herself for allowing them to even start welling. ]-I-We will be fine. Please know that.
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Where the Force had once provided him all the comfort and Light he needed, now Padmé has taken up that role. Her lips are a cooling balm, her encouragement luminous and soft. It nearly brings tears to his eyes (and her crying certain doesn't help the process). She's mercy, bearing a relief that stirs in him in ways he's never felt before. ]
This is where I need to be.
[ It is, perhaps, the most simple and straightforward answer he can muster, and in its wake he shifts so that he can chastely kiss her cheek, only to find he's instead pressed his lips to hers, not entirely unwittingly or without desperation, it seems. ]
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Padmé slides slowly off the edge of the bed, releasing his hand to wind her arm around his neck, her knees settling on the dusty wood floor, the fabric of her dress rumpling up between them. ]
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His fingers splay wide over her back and he thinks for a moment that this could all very well be a fever dream if not for the pain he feels lingering on the periphery. There's nothing in the Jedi Code that could account for something like this, nothing about the impossibility of denial when so many precious and important lives are in peril — peril Obi-Wan could argue he nurtured.
When he pulls back again, it's to carefully encourage her hair to one side, over only one shoulder, so he can somewhat covertly examine the healing bruises. ]
Thank you. I'd be— [ He takes a deep breath. ] If not for you, I'd be lost, Padmé.
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If not for you I'd not be alive. I can't ever repay you for helping me through this. You've always been a guiding star, and the best of us Obi-wan.
[ She cant help but think that if she had just made the right decisions, all of this could have been avoided. The fall of the republic fell squarely on her shoulders. ]
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You've done more than enough. [ She's given him a reason to live, after all. ] Now you should get some rest.
[ They'd been sleeping in shifts, trading off in taking care of the twins. Even a few hours would be certain to help Padmé on her way to regaining her strength. ]
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Without ceremony (or even removing his boots), he crawls on to the small cot and presses himself into a space against the wall. It leaves Amidala plenty of room, but also offers his back to her. He can't imagine he won't find himself wrapped wholly in her warm presence before too long, but for now he doesn't make any assumptions. ]
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Obi-wan is already settled when she approaches, slipping carefully out of her over dress and shoes and setting them neatly to the side. Really? Boots on? She shakes her head, sitting on the edge of the cot before settling in next to him. She tucks one arm under her head, the space on the cot limited, and she shifts to get comfortable, knees and elbows sticking into his back.]
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Silently considering the wall for a moment, he weighs the alternatives and eventually gives in to the urge to move, if only to turn slightly so he can talk over his shoulder in her direction. ]
I wonder if I wouldn't feel more comfortable keeping watch. [ What rubbish. He hasn't even properly tried to sleep. ] We could have been followed...
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[ It's teasing in a way that says he's being too difficult, and she sits up, resting on one arm as she reaches over and gently guides him onto his back by one shoulder. She's grateful he's said something, not wanting to push him too much, regardless of the words that actually come out of his mouth. She knows him well enough to pick up on when he's not being straight forward. ]
Here.
[ Tucking her knees under for a moment, Padmé reaches across him and pulls off his boots, gently setting them on the other side of the cot, one hand resting over his obi for balance. That is the next focus of attention, and she meets his eyes before working it open, pulling the belt and the wrap beneath off and placing it on top of the boots. The air in the room feels warmer by the moment, something she purposely ignores as she leans over him and pulls the tabards out from under him, dropping them to the side.]
More comfortable?
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But not here, and not now. Padmè's hands are, to him, steadier than an artist's, more adept than a surgeon's in taking him apart, more deft than an engineer's in putting him back together. Removing those few weighty items, relieving him of inconspicuous burdens, Amidala has somehow made him a tiny bit more whole. and cared for in way that defies most familiar conventions. Obi-Wan can't decide if it inspires laughter or tears. She'll get a little of both out of him as he finds himself a little overcome with emotions he shouldn't have, let alone expressing.
He sits up to meet her, to embrace her, his arms wrapping around her protectively. Despite the fact that she feels so small and vulnerable in his arms has nothing to do with the reality of her abilities — Padmé is exceptionally gifted in so very many ways — and everything to do with the very difficult future she faces. Kenobi would do anything to relieve her of that burden, and yet here she's caring for him, taking more on to her shoulders. He murmurs against her hair. ] I love you, Pamdé. [ And then he pulls back far enough to look at her, tears in his eyes, but somehow still joyous in this broken declaration. ] Please don't forget that. [ He cups both her cheeks tenderly. It needs to be said. He hadn't said it enough to Anakin. Or at all. And knowing now the rigors of that decision, he'll be damned if he lets it go unspoken. ]
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Obi-wan?
[ His lips move against her hair, sending chills down her spine, and it actually takes her a moment to realize what he's said. I love you. It's something that has been unspoken for a long time, the balance that the three of them maintained, but somehow it feels so much more powerful now that the words are loose in the air. Even with the aching hole in their hearts left by the loss of Anakin.
He cups her face in his hands, and she instinctively covers them with her own, a soft laugh bubbling up in her chest. ]
I love you too. Don't you forget it either. There's nothing that could ever change that.
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[ He feels utterly unworthy of such mercy, but here it is being offered despite that. The absence of Anakin is stark and difficult to reconcile, but what he was isn't lost. Another of the more generous gifts provided by the Force sits nearby — those children are nothing short of miraculous.
Nodding, the Jedi Master slowly forces himself back to center. He shifts again, quick to keep her hands as he guides them both back down on to the bed. He wants to hold her, and Obi-Wan doesn't think she'll complain, so he leaves an obvious place for her, although he doesn't say anything more about it. ]
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To speak of him at all until now was pain, and yet here, with that confession still burrowing it's way into her heart and reminding her of the good of all they've experienced together, something has changed. The past was the past, what happened and what happens now doesn't take away from how much they all loved each other.
Padmé laughs again, a soft happy thing, not at all raw or inhibited. She turns her face into his shirt, shaking her head. ]
You know, when I first saw you all those years ago, I thought you were possibly the most attractive man I'd ever seen. It wasn't appropriate for a Queen however, so I never said anything.
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Obi-Wan clears his throat quietly, sliding backward into memories of the past. His mind wanders and he blatantly ignores how disappointed Qui-Gon would have been in Obi-Wan's failure. ]
It wouldn't have been good for my ego at that age.
[ He had been quite impetuous and so focused on trying to impress his Master while staying true to the word of the Order — an admission like that would have had surely gotten him wondering what everyone else thought of him, too. ]
You showed me very quickly the value of your opinion. Ignoring both of those points would have been impossible, I think.
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[ She's certain it doesn't. It was a strange thing to see them ten years later, Obi-wan had somehow become more refined and handsome, but Anakin? She had never considered him as anything but the child in her memory until then, and what a revelation it was. She laughs a little at the memory. For all the airs she put on she was still young then. So young. It feels as though she's aged decades in the last year. ]
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[ It's quiet and every bit as forgiving as Obi-Wan can be for those he cares for. Others who don't benefit from this kind of thinking would surely find themselves cast in a different light, but knowing Amidala as he does, he can see it for it uncomplicated truthfulness.
He closes his eyes and his hand twitches around in what empty space is left on the small cot, searching for that missing piece of them all. The other brushes at Padmè's hair, pulling through the strands with uncommon gentleness. ]
Do you feel you'll be able to rest now?
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Yes, Thank you.
[ She shifts and tucks into him a little more, enjoying the gentleness of his touch.It feels strange, like puzzle pieces that fit together but aren't quite supposed to line up, to be in bed with him. But with the strange there is also peace, as if the image they create is just as beautiful as the one it was destined to make. For now, she'd take solace in that. ]
The Tenth Doctor || Doctor Who || OTA
Mitsuru Kirijo || P3 || OTA
Kylo Ren || Star Wars Episode VII || OTA
3
Starkiller was in its final stages of completion and he was on his sixth day of pulling triple shift. Everything needed to be looked over, checked and re-checked to ensure it fit together in the timeline as snugly as a puzzle piece. Trying to pull all the strings at once was exhausting and he was ready for it to be over.
The weapon would still need fine-tuning in the days after, but the heavy lifting would be done, which is an accomplishment in itself.
Feeling ground away, he's been attempting to get ahold of one Kylo Ren. Some of these duties could and should be passed on to him, if all he's going to do is stalk around the halls like some dark wraith. So, with datapad in hand, he sets off, straight-backed, looking for the previously elusive man. He hasn't answered his communications and Hux hasn't been able to devote enough time to follow his tracker all over the station. Thankfully, there's a brief period of respite he's been granted and for once, Kylo Ren is relatively close by, if his tracker is to be trusted.
Turning the corner into the next corridor linking all the officer quarters together, he finds him. ]
Lord Ren.
Blaine Anderson ♫ Glee ♫ ota
levi ackerman, ATTACK ON TITAN.