𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐎 || 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

Chapter 9 - Forbidden Desires

Anakin's cheeks were flushed crimson and he quickly glanced away from my smirk as he strode to the balcony's railing, leaning against it. His cerulean eyes were locked on the horizon, avoiding my gaze. Walking slowly over to where he stood, I joined him.

"Jet, you know very well-" he began but I cut him off.

I shook my head with a scoff, "Padme let me borrow it, okay? Yes, I know we're on duty but there is nothing wrong with a bit of fun sometimes,"

"Not for you maybe..." he mumbled under his breath but in my confusion as to its meaning, I chose to ignore this remark.

Gazing out over the rippling sapphire water, I took in the sight of the towering mountains in the distance and the melodious singing of the birds overhead. A sigh of contentment escaped my mouth, the cool air on my skin truly exhilarating. I could feel Anakin's eyes burning a hole into me, his gaze intense.

"You've been here before, haven't you?" he asked, his voice quiet and soft despite our isolation.

I nodded, smiling slightly, "Master Kinza and I had made a few trips here on missions. I admit, I fell in love with the planet in those days... How about you, though? Is Naboo as beautiful as you remember it?"

A smile teased his lips as he spoke animatedly then of his time in Naboo, "...it's exactly as I remember it all those years ago. Although more peaceful now that the Trade Federation has moved on and no one is threatening Padme's rule,"

"Although I never met her back then, I always heard she was a very wise and fair ruler. She should have served longer,"

Anakin nodded his agreement to this, "You're right, she was. And then at least she would have been safer here than being in Coruscant..."

It was only then that I noticed the shift in Anakin's tone when he spoke of the Senator, no longer so enamored but softened into that of strictly admiration and respect. Like that of a friend...

"But if she'd stayed in office then you and I wouldn't have had this lovely vacation," I joked and Anakin grinned before I continued, "Although I would have preferred visiting Tatooine as I've never been,"

Anakin made a face and shook his head, "Believe me, you wouldn't want to. The suns are beating down on you all day, the air is dry, the landscape arid and so much sand..."

Shrugging, I replied, "I don't know. I love hot temperatures, I doubt it would bother me,"

Shaking his head, he continued, "It's the sand that's the worst of it. I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere... Not like it is here with you. Here everything is soft... and smooth..."

Ever so slowly, Anakin's hand had been inching towards mine on the railing. Before I even had time to react, the back of his knuckles was brushing against my hand. The gesture was so minimal, I didn't even think anything of it...at first. Not until his fingers found their way to the bare caramel skin of my back and I sucked in a sharp breath at the intimate contact. His fingers traced my skin and subconsciously, my eyes fluttered shut just for a moment at the sheer pleasure of it.

Anakin's breathing was audible now, his closeness suddenly intoxicating. Perhaps it was the wrong thing to do, the cataclysmic effect that was the beginning of the end. Yet I could never help doing the wrong thing... My eyes flicked up to meet his and our gazes locked in an intensity that felt electrifying. A momentary smile touched his mouth just as he began to lean in, his warm breath fanning my face. My heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest, so near that I was about to brush his lips-

"Jetta, Vas just left and I was wondering if-" Padme began suddenly, before stopping in the doorway with her mouth agape, "I-I-... Sorry, I didn't mean to - I'll just go..."

A furiously blushing Padme spun on her heel to leave just as we burst apart, starting to make a swift exit.

"Padme, wait, it's not-" Anakin called after her but it was too late, she had already disappeared in a cloud of secondhand embarrassment.

And as he turned around, he found that I had disappeared as well. Shaking all over from the adrenaline rush, I stumbled down the darkened hallway as Anakin called my name in the distance. But all I could hear was the overwhelming pounding in my chest as once I had reached my room, I locked the door behind me. Sliding down it like a girl in some cheesy holodrama, I crumpled to the floor in a tangle of anxiety and realization.

As I pressed my fingers to my lips, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding this entire time. Against everything in this galaxy I knew to be right, just and fair...I had committed the worst act of treason in the eyes of all the Jedi that had come before me.

I had fallen in love.

Author's Note: IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING! THE SHIP IS SAILING...well, nearly sailing. Maybe just gliding but, you know, it's a start. Anyone got ship name ideas? I was torn between Jettakin or Skyroo <3