An Even Greater Sin

Chapter 7: The love of greed...

Anakin knew exactly where Luke was. He could sense the vibrant presence of this newly met friend so strongly that it made him feel weak in the knees. Anakin was certain that he'd know that Force signature for the rest of his life.

He had no idea why the boy- for Anakin was fairly sure that he was somewhat younger, maybe twenty-two at the oldest- struck such a chord with him. It was exhilarating, and yet somehow threatening. The Force moved around Luke in ways Anakin had never experienced, could never accomplish, and it was unsettling.

All this time, he thought he was the strongest Jedi, but Luke brought up a conflict of questions in him. He had to find out just who this soulful boy was.

Luke sensed Anakin's speeder approaching rapidly. He huddled under an awning, trying to stay out of the powerful microstorm cooked up by the unique ecology of Coruscant, but it was no use. He was drenched, and beginning to get the chills. He almost always welcomed the sight of any water, but here, alone, in the cold... the rain merely magnified his depression.

But he wouldn't be alone for long. He considered running away- to listen to his logic and avoid Anakin. There was no reason to cause his mother any more pain.

Odd, that he should accept her as his mother, but not-

The speeder was yellow, open cockpit causing Anakin's now-soaked hair to flap in the wind. Luke could sense confusion, and pain- he had the nightmare again- and through all of the conflicting, swirling emotions, Luke found a line of hope.

But it was hope as dark as night.

Something had tainted Anakin- or perhaps just brought out that flaw. Something- or someone- said something which had evoked a perverse kind of longing, not for love, but for possession, for control- for power.

And Luke saw what had been the downfall of Anakin Skywalker.

Grabbing a blanket from the emergency kit, Anakin brought the speeder to an abrupt halt next to the awning where Luke crouched, trying pitifully to find a dry spot. Anakin recalled the first time he had experienced one of Coruscant's microstorms that popped up between buildings from time to time.

/"Master, it's freezing!" "Yes. You must not let yourself freeze."/

At the time, he hadn't understood. At nine years old, he didn't comprehend the idea that one strong with the Force could block out sensations. And it seemed like Luke didn't know it, now.

He wasn't going to give Luke any vague answers about how to deal with it. He was going to help Luke.

This hotel was much nicer than the last. The reception-droid was courteous, the rooms were clean, and it was warm. It was near the end of the year, and outside, this hemisphere of Coruscant was experiencing winter.

Shivering on the couch buried under a massive pile of towels, Luke brought a mug of cocoa to his lips. He had been introduced to it by Lando Calrissian not even a month earlier, and already he was hooked. It cleared his senses and warmed him, body and spirit. It was Anakin's drink of choice, too...

Anakin was currently out, shopping for some food. It was about two hours before midnight- much later than most people ate- but any war veteran could tell you: Eat when you can, drink when you can, sleep when you can, and get laid when you can.

This last thought brought a flush to Luke's face. He knew that there was something wrong about thinking the way he was- but he didn't know how to stop it. The connection between them was so fierce, so intense, that he was having trouble believing it.

He was still trying to think of Anakin in a different way...

He couldn't change what he had already done, but he had to keep from making the same mistake. Even if Anakin wasn't his- wasn't from his own time, he was a married man. Luke didn't want to come between his mother and-

His mind still froze before the thought could go on.

Anakin used the Force to turn the doorknob, and Luke saw that his arms were full of paper bags. Luke stood to help him, but felt Anakin's Force holding him down onto the couch. Trembling at the brief contact with the warm energy, Luke struggled to keep his mind clear.

Strange, that tonight, the cocoa was making his mind fog over.

'Oh, but it's not the cocoa,' a dark part of himself whispered, and Luke shivered.

"You didn't need to get so much," he said aloud, watching Anakin stock the mini-fridge.

"I thought I'd get you enough to last a while- you didn't say how long you'd be here."

"You don't need to do this for me." 'But you wanted him to...'

"Don't worry about it. Official Jedi are permitted unlimited credits for necessities- food, shelter, medical aid."

"Where does it all come from? That must cost billions of credits a year!"

"The Order is very strict on what it views as necessities. Alcohol is not covered, nor is legal spice. Most junk food isn't, either."

"Most?"

With a grin, Anakin pulled out a gigantic candy bar. "Thank the Force that the Order is full of chocoholics- including Master Yoda."

Swallowing, Luke gaped at the bar. It had to weigh at least a kilo. "That... is a WONKING chunk of chocolate!" His mouth watered, and Anakin smiled.

"So I didn't misjudge you." Unwrapping the bar, Anakin popped a piece into his mouth. Luke drooled with envy. "You want chocolate? I want answers."

Snapping his mind to real life, Luke stammered, "Answers?"

"Yes. I hate not knowing who you are. I need to know why I feel like I do about you."

"How DO you feel?" Luke's pointed question clearly took Anakin by surprise.

Raising a hand to his head, Anakin sighed. "That's just it. I feel... confused, and there's SOMETHING there... a connection..." He shook his head. "It's not romantic. It's not. I can feel it. But it's... something I've never felt... it awakens me... excites me... scares me."

Luke nodded, glad that Anakin could feel the truth, even if he couldn't put it into words.

"There's no romance... but there's a connection, deeper than anything I've ever felt... ever needed... " Anakin sat beside Luke, and swore. "I feel like I'm betraying Padme`-"

"Your wife?" So he now knew her name.

"Yes. Like I'm betraying her, and yet... not. Like she'd view it as betrayal, but- if I just knew who you are! Who are you?"

Shaking his head regretfully, Luke answered, "I'm not so sure anymore." Finishing the last, rich sip of cocoa, Lukeclenched his fists around the mug. "Around you... it's like I can't be... who I used to think I was. You're right, it's not the connection of lovers." The mug suddenly shattered. Had he been gripping it so tightly? "I know- somewhere- who you are, what you mean to me... but I can't bring myself to say it, to admit it... to stop denying it."

He nervously tried to pick up the remains of the mug, but the shards had fallen into the folds of the towels that were surrounding him. Hurriedly, he threw them off of him. He was still freezing, but the towels were now full of thousands of pieces of ceramic. He had to have unknowingly used the Force on the damn mug.

Shivering despite the fact that the room was heated, he turned his back to Anakin. "Do you care about me?"

Anakin's shock registered loudly through the Force. The taller man hurriedly returned, "Yes. I felt a link form immediately."

"It's not whether we're connected or not. I need to know: Do you love me?" Luke's heart ached, his pulse pounded, his mind was frozen in this time.

And then warm, strong arms, clad in pliable leather surrounded him, sheltering him in their consuming embrace. "What else could this be? I'm not the type to just go after a pretty face. You- your soul, your Force- it all calls out to me, begging me to submit, to protect, to care." Luke shivered as he felt the strength of Anakin's convictions. He did not do things halfway.

Hanging his head in in helplessness, he murmured, "We can't be together. It would ruin us."

"That's what my wife said."

Luke's mother- He spun out of Anakin's arms, facing him, challenging him. "And wouldn't it ruin you and your wife, if you and I continued like this? I won't let you do this to your wife. I want it-" With a split-second shock, he realized that he did, "- but I won't mess things up with your wife. You said you were in trouble?"

Those eyes mirrored his own challenge at him, before backing away, stung. "You're right. I need to think about my child- our child."

'The trouble is, the way you think-' Luke's mind began, but couldn't finish the thought. Instead, Luke nodded, and murmured, "Your wife is beautiful."

"What?" Anakin grabbed Luke's arms, and demanded, "What do you mean?"

"I met her, today. I could sense that the child-" he almost said children, "was yours."

"Where did you meet her?"

"At a Pynque Phloide concert, at the Rallying Point."

Anakin laughed weakly. "Even as pregnant as she is, she still went to a concert. I bet the baby is going to grow up obsessed with Phloide."

Luke couldn't help but smirk.

With a sigh, Anakin asked, "Did she say anything?"

"Not much. I wished her luck on the delivery- and shooed away a stick-vendor. Can you imagine a lady of her bearing, especially a pregnant one, smoking a stick? That guy was asking for trouble. I think I saved HIM from a punch in the nose."

This time, Anakin's laugh was full-hearted, and Luke joined him. As they settled down, their eyes met, sparkling, sparking with blue fire...

Luke couldn't resist falling into Anakin's embrace. He wasn't horny, he was lonely. And although he couldn't fully be himself, in this time and place, who would understand him better?

Anakin began running the fingers of his natural hand through Luke's hair, and Luke released a trembling sigh. It was soothing, warming, comforting, to be in the arms of this powerful, gentle being.

Anakin murmured, "It's so odd... it's as though you make me love her even more..." Luke's head was tilted up as Anakin took his chin in his padded metal fingertips, and Luke saw those stormy eyes study his every feature. Luke's lip quivered, and he flushed at such intense scrutiny. "Something about you makes me love her even more..." Luke couldn't pull away- he didn't want to pull away- as Anakin slowly leaned in to brush his full, warm lips against Luke's. It was intoxicating, the feeling that
someone needed him, that someone wanted him for who he was- even if that person didn't know why.

Luke found himself tentatively returning the kiss, soft, chaste, somehow infinitely more weakening than the sloppiest tongue-fight. This was love- true, deep, and dizzyingly pure. There was no Darkness here. There was no love in Darkness. There was no Darkness in love.

His knees buckled, and he almost fell, but Anakin wrapped a strong arm around his back, and they stood there for what felt like an eternity of peace, of connection, of pure love...

It had to have been mere seconds, though, as they both tightened their grip on each other. Luke couldn't let go, he was afraid to fall. Anakin didn't let go... and Luke realized that he was afraid, as well. Afraid to trust, afraid to relax... afraid to love.

The sensation of Anakin's fear, tangible, thick, pained Luke deeply. "Ssh," he whispered. "I want to help you. I want to help you lose your fears."

Anakin's face was contorted in a plethora of conflicting emotions. Luke could see the terror, the shame, the futile attempt to show bravery... and over it all, he saw a need, deeper than the most primal desire, for compassion, for warmth, for... love.

Luke took Anakin's face in his hands, and lightly caressed the smooth, space-pale cheek with his lips. "I need to help you," he breathed tenderly, meaning it with all of his heart.

Anakin fell into his arms, heavy and weakened. Luke's spirit called out to continue, to comfort this lost soul, to ease the pain- even if only for a while. Staggering under the weight of the larger man, he brought him over to the bed, stroking his soft hair and murmuring meaningless sounds of comfort. Instinct, pure and willful, was telling him to go with his heart, to help this man who was not yet a man.

A surge of sympathy rushed through his heart as he realized that Darth Vader probably hadn't been held like this since Luke's birth.

He needed to make this mean as much as possible. There was no way he could allow this man to remain brokenhearted. And Luke knew without thinking that when he returned to his own time, he had to remind Vader of love.

The two images clicked in his mind, and Luke fully understood that Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader.

But the last piece of the puzzle- Luke couldn't find it. Something deep within him was blocking those fateful words from his mind, from his heart. But right now, none of that mattered. All that mattered was the here, and the now, and the reality of the love he held for this quietly sobbing young man.

He allowed Anakin to crush him in an embrace so tight, it strained his back. Something popped, but as a tingling rush of warmth spread through him, he realized that it was merely the tension being squeezed out of his muscles. He closed his eyes, savoring the sensations this fiercely gentle hug evoked.

Nuzzling Anakin's shoulder like a kitten, he curled up in the lap of the larger man, to be a comfort, like a plush animal to be held. The cuddle sent a shudder of released stress down his spine, and he wrapped his arms around Anakin's waist.

"How is it you seem to know what I need?" Anakin whispered breathlessly. "How do you know what will ease my mind? Do you know me that well already?"

Tears shining in his eyes, Luke replied, "I know what I need. I need to help you- even if for just a moment."

Gasping sobs escaped Anakin's throat, and he desperately pressed his lips to Luke's, softly, eagerly, hungrily. Luke felt the warm, smooth tongue lightly tease his lower lip, begging permission, and Luke's jaw quivered open.

The rich taste of dark chocolate filled his senses as Anakin's gentle tongue explored the caverns of his mouth. His mind swam, and he pressed back with his own tongue, savoring the tingle as they tangled in a deep, sweet mess of chocolate-laced saliva. He slipped his arms around Anakin's neck, craving this link- deepening it- celebrating it. Something back in a dark corner of his mind was bitching about the wrongness of this- but his body and the Force and his heart and everything he was merely squashed that objection like a bug.

There were no differences between the varying expressions of love- only depth, and volume. It wouldn't feel so sacred- so wonderful- so RIGHT if the Force didn't desire it. The hatred that he had felt on Bespin- hatred itself- was infinitely more wrong than this selfless, profound, perfect love.

Powerful hands rode up his spine, a caress and an enfolding and a plea for more all wrapped into one soul-tearing motion. Luke flattened his hands on Anakin's shoulders, arching his back at the soothing contact. All the while, dark chocolate spun through his lips, his throat, his mind, and Anakin's Force-presence filled him with an aching for more. Anakin needed this. And for Anakin, Luke would carry all the burdens of the universe to relieve his for a moment.

But right now, Luke's heart was lighter than hydrogen, lighter than the Light side of the Force itself. He could feel everything that Anakin did to him- and everything Anakin felt. Experimentally, Luke dragged his hands down into the leather vest, stroking through the fabric of Anakin's tunic, at the center of his chest. A shuddering purr was sent through their joined lips, and the Force fluttered like a feather on the breeze. They were soaring, together, in a way that thrilled Luke more than ever.

Luke's hands worked downwards, to the utility belt that fastened Anakin's vest. Trance-led fingers unclasped the buckles without Luke's eyes even opening. Removing first the leather, then the softer cloth belt, he slithered his arms into Anakin's vest, clutching him tightly. Strong, pliable muscles lay beneath the rough but plush fabric of the double tunic, and Luke's heart beat faster as Anakin shivered through their kiss.

Running his hands over Anakin's ribs, he finally broke his lips away from the deep chocolate chasm, bringing them to gently nip at Anakin's ear. Anakin tensed, and released a choked moan which was almost a whimper, before tilting his ear for greater access. Luke remembered that drunken night- was it merely last night?- when Anakin had performed the same motions on Luke's right ear, and his lip quivered at the memory. The trembling of his lips must have shocked Anakin, for the larger man
gasped, digging his fingers into Luke's back in reflex. Groaning at the almost painful kneading, Luke began to breathe harder.

Pulling back slightly, he observed Anakin. Those intoxicating azure eyes were closed, turned upward in delirium. Those chocolate-stained lips were parted, and Anakin's breath came in ragged gasps. A trail of saliva had dripped down Anakin's chin, and Luke lapped it up slowly with the tip of his tongue, his mind swirling with a myriad of ways to help Anakin- touch him- feel him- pleasure him.

Lightly pulling Anakin's tunic open, he ran his tongue down the smooth throat to his collarbone, where he began lapping at the base of Anakin's throat. Anakin swallowed hard, and leaned his head back. Luke nibbled lightly on Anakin's collarbone, and was met by a desperate shiver.

Placing his hands on Anakin's broad shoulders, he gently pushed the man down, still sitting on his lap. A drop of Luke's saliva fell towards Anakin's half-bare chest, and landed directly in the middle, causing Anakin to flinch. Panting lightly, Luke moved down to lick it up, and Anakin's hands dug into his shoulders as he lapped up the fluid like a cat. Cuddling against Anakin, Luke began to trace a light pattern on the smooth muscle of the vulnerable chest.

Spreading the folds of Anakin's tunic further, Luke brushed a single fingertip against a darkened nipple. Anakin's breath caught in his throat, and he hissed with desire. Lazily, Luke teased the surrounding flesh, intentionally avoiding that sensitive nub, until, guarding his intentions carefully, he swiftly swiped his tongue over it. Anakin spasmed briefly, then shuddered. His Force-presence flared and quavered with a rush of elation. Smirking, half-shyly, half-slyly, Luke took his nipple in between his
lips and kneaded it as he sensed Anakin struggling not to thrash in reflex. The fingers of his right hand crept up Anakin's ribs like ascending a ladder, and he captured the left nipple in between two fingertips. Anakin's back arched, and Luke's vision swam as waves of deep passion swept over him, through him, until he was in a state of almost pure pleasure.

The emotional mirroring of each other's gratification was hypnotic.

Bringing himself up to kiss Anakin once more, Luke ran his fingers through the soft, wavy hair. Stroking the back of Anakin's neck, he plunged his tongue into the lips which still tasted of strong chocolate. Anakin's hands scratched Luke's back, ribs, chest, through the fabric of his still-damp tunic, which clung to his form like a wet second skin. Luke felt very exposed, and the sensation excited him even more. Through his tunic, he felt Anakin's left hand tease his ribs, before-

Luke's mind exploded with dazzling stars as Anakin took his right nipple between his fingers and twisted. He let out a feral, choked gasp, and clenched his fingers in Anakin's hair. He was thrown on his back, his arms pinned above his head, as he worked to regain his breath. "Were you going to tease me forever?" Anakin asked, mockingly. Luke's vision slowly cleared, and he saw a hungry stare in those electric eyes. His breath quickened, Luke swallowed in anticipation at Anakin's next move.

His brain was slammed into another tempest of longing and need as Anakin grabbed his already throbbing sex through his trousers. Anakin's mechanical hand held Luke's wrists bound, helpless, as Anakin lightly, deliberately teased him through his clothing. He tried to shift away, to maintain a measure of control, but Anakin wouldn't allow it. Pinning Luke's legs with his own, he snaked his hand between Luke's thighs and scratched at his penis, ever so lightly, from hilt to head.

Luke cried out, "Oh, Force!" and clenched his fists with need. The room was spinning out of control... his lust was screaming with delight... his heart was singing... and that little logic-bug was still squashed.

Anakin chuckled, his low voice sending thrills up Luke's spine. "So, you like to go slow? I'm fine with that..." and he left that devious statement hanging. Releasing Luke's wrists, he slid off of the bed. Pulling Luke's boot, and then his sock, off of his right foot, he first squeezed his foot, making Luke moan in sensual need, then...

Luke threw his head back in response to the tickle of Anakin's tongue on the arch of his foot. Panting with want, he fought to keep from kicking Anakin in the face. His toes spasmed, and he giggled desperately, breathlessly. Anakin stroked between Luke's toes, massaging them, relaxing them... preparing them...

He was caught completely off guard when he felt the nip of Anakin's teeth on the meaty part of his big toe. His eyes grew wide, then squeezed shut as Anakin began to suck on his toe, dragging his teeth over the vulnerable flesh. His mind was growing clearer, but that meant he was also becoming even more aware.

Leaving the right foot behind, Anakin simply removed Luke's other boot and sock, then returned to lying next to him. Luke saw a thirst in the other man's eyes- which seemed to be sparkling more than Luke had ever seen before. They bent towards each other for a deep, slow kiss, and Luke felt Anakin's real hand slide into his wet tunic. "Mm, you smell like rain," Anakin murmured.

Luke blushed, and lay there placidly as Anakin removed the belt fastening his tunic. The air of the room chilled his bare chest, and Anakin's fingers traced down over pale skin, to his navel. Luke flinched as Anakin began to lightly, tenderly stroke his ribs, then shivered as his body grew more accustomed to the ministrations.

Then, the contact grew too light for his nerves to feel. He knew through the Force where Anakin's hands roamed, but he was tormented by the lack of full touch. And then, his mind shrieked with divine sensuality as his nipple was pinched between two fingertips. What was Anakin doing to him? He was as helpless as a kitten. He had his claws, but he couldn't see to use them.

His breath was heavy, longing, rushing in his ears like a solar wind. His trousers were too tight, he was beginning to need release. Opening his eyes, he silently pleaded with Anakin for relief.

Anakin's sensually clouded eyes narrowed, and he leaned in to brush his lips against Luke's earlobe. Luke moaned hoarsely and grasped Anakin's face with one hand. Forcing a kiss upon his captor, he sent mental messages of what he wanted- needed.

Anakin's kiss still tasted so much of dark chocolate.

When their eyes again met, Anakin smiled gently, and nodded. Luke quavered in anticipation, and watched as Anakin removed his own clothing, slowly, stripping down in a manner which enticed Luke even more. Luke drooled over the smooth back, broad and sharply defined. The way his hips swayed. The way his chest heaved. And the pulsing mass of flesh that Luke still was amazed at.

Bending over Luke, he trailed his hands up the still-clothed legs, caressing the outer and inner thighs softly, before gripping the waistline of Luke's trousers and slipping them down millimeter by agonizing millimeter. Luke felt Anakin's hot breath on his ankle, then the wet tongue traced a beeline up his inner leg all the way to his thigh.

Luke twitched in desire.

Carefully taking Luke's hips in his hands, he turned Luke so that he lay on his side, then his stomach. Trailing fingernails and metal-tipped prosthetic fingers down Luke's hips, he then gently spread Luke's buttocks.

The stars themselves couldn't be as bright as the whiteness of Luke's vision as he felt Anakin's tongue slide, deftly and temptingly, into his inexperienced crevasse. Luke clutched at the sheets, clenched his jaw as his mind screamed for more. Rasping breaths escaped his parched throat, and he arched his back, craving more... and more... and more.

Anakin lifted Luke onto his knees so that he was on all fours, and continued his treatment. Luke was no longer thinking in words. He was only feeling, through his body, through his heart, through the Force. And the Force was very much with him.

As his legs were spread, he felt Anakin's hair brush against his thighs as he positioned himself to further seduce Luke. The steaming breath on his erection was weakening Luke's muscles, making him feel like he was going to collapse. Instead, Anakin grabbed his hips to steady him, and then...

Hot and wet and sharp teeth and a deep throat and ohhhh...

Anakin nipped at Luke's foreskin, making him shriek in lust. The logic-bug reared its ugly head for a nanosecond, then- only to be annihilated permanently by Luke's desire, and instinct, and love. Spiraling his tongue around Luke's cock, Anakin began to chuckle, a low, throaty laugh that vibrated and chilled and excited and Force!

And then they were lying next to each other, their hands desperately pounding on each other's hardened desires, and then...

A blinding explosion of light and heat and wetness and power and love and need...

The Light side of the Force was very light indeed. They came into each other's hands, screaming each other's names, and there was a thrill like none Luke had ever dared dream existed.

And then there was peace, and calm, and sheer, sensuous bliss.