My Unfortunate Fate

chapter 80

Time fills no void.

The end of an era grows nearer by the day.

I reflect on this as I stroke my belly, which has begun to swell. So far, it is not noticeable beneath my thick robes, but as I lay here with my shirt lifted, baring my stomach to the recycled air, I see it. A wide dome of flesh has emerged from my abdomen. It feels odd, but it also feels right. Nice, even. It makes me feel as though I can finally choose for myself. Sometimes, when I'm stressed, I absentmindedly press my hand here and feel our baby's heartbeat.

I hear the tap running and assume Anakin is almost done brushing his teeth.

I feel chilly, so I get out of bed and rummage through my shelves. I find a suitable pair of pants and one of my overshirts—I usually only wear this one when we visit planets with frigid climates. I pull the pants up my legs, tighten the waistband, and then shove my arms into the shirt, leaving it loose.

I take a few steps towards the doorway, my footfalls silenced by my thick socks. As if by fate, my husband emerges from the refresher, dabbing the water from his lips with his hand. I wrap my arms around his waist, bury my face in his shoulder, and smile. Just his presence makes me happy. His arms reach around me as he presses his lips against my forehead. "Are you cold?" he whispers.

"Not anymore."

I look up to see him smiling at me lovingly. "Because of me?"

"Oh, you're so cocky," I scoff.

"That's exactly why you chose to marry me, love. My cockiness is the reason you're in my life. You love it."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, shut up."

"Why don't you make me?"

I raise my eyebrows and press my lips together, trying not to laugh out loud at just how ridiculous this is. When I regain my composure, I say, "Sure, why not?"

I take his face in my hands, lean in, and kiss him. I start the kiss harshly, to emphasize that I'm doing this to shut him up, but as I bask in the familiarity of his lips on mine, the act becomes gentle.

We never kiss for any reason. When we do it, it isn't with a goal or intent. We share kisses because we love each other, which makes us want to share moments like these.

Anakin pulls away but soon returns in full force, showering my entire face in kisses. I close my eyes and laugh in glee. Every time his lips meet my skin, my smile widens, and my cheeks ache a little more, but he kisses the ache away as soon as it erupts.

I am incredibly grateful that we have chosen each other. I couldn't imagine a future without Anakin in my life, and I'm relieved that I will never need to.

I walk backwards, still drowning in the pecks he leaves everywhere. My leg hits the frame of one of the cots in our bedroom. Since being transferred to a smaller cruiser, we don't have space for separate quarters. Caleb suggested I share mine with him, but considering that I'd sneak out most nights to be with my husband, I disagreed. Now that he has his own quarters, he can also learn to be more independent. There are two bunks in our quarters: one smaller top bunk suitable for one person, and one slightly larger bottom bunk that can fit two, in a tight squeeze. Obviously, the top bunk has been gathering dust all week.

I grab Anakin's collar, attach my lips to his, and fall back onto the bed. I feel faint, so I pull away and he shifts to kiss my neck instead. I lean against the firm mattress, close my eyes, and try to stop panting. I usually love when Anakin kisses me, but right now it feels like too much. I'm overwhelmed and sweating.

"Can you stop?" I whisper, trying not to upset him. I don't want my husband to think I'm disinterested or he's done something wrong because that isn't the case, but I need a moment to regain my composure.