The Senator And The Jedi

Chapter Twenty-Five: Feelings Brought To The Surface

Ahsoka

Ahsoka's heart swelled up in her chest as she and lux reached the outer circles of dancers and took a spot between them. She felt like she was in a dream.

The musicians gave a trill with their instruments, calling the dancers to the ready, and Lux placed one hand on her waist, clasping her fingers tightly with his other one. Ahsoka stilled her beating heart and looked into his beautiful greyish-green eyes, a smile on her face.

The dance began, and the floor was suddenly alive with color. For the sake of keeping Lux's identity secret as much as easing her nerves, they chose to stay far from the center of the floor, moving amongst the elegantly clad guests in a waltz that Ahsoka was glad she could remember all the steps to.

But despite how much there was to take in all around her, the only things Ahsoka was really conscious of were Lux's arms around her as they swooped and spun across the polished marble floor.

Lux let go of her for a moment to spin her around with one hand, sending her skirts spiraling out around her in a cascade of teal blue fabric. As vain as it is, I can see why Padme insisted on me wearing a long dress, she thought to herself.

She wished she could stay in this moment forever.

As the musicians struck their final chords, Lux spun her around again before catching her in his arms. Ahsoka was suddenly acutely aware of just home close they were, and she found herself unable to break away from his eyes hiding just beneath the mask.

Having so little space between them was utterly intoxicating, and she could hardly concentrate on anything else.

But despite that, she noticed quickly enough when the musicians started playing again. This time, it was a slow dance.

At the same time, they leant in, holding one another close as they swayed to the music. Ahsoka tucked her chin over his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment and letting herself be transported far away, to a realm where nothing mattered but the two of them and the music to guide them.

Suddenly, she felt the gentle pressure of lips against her jaw, and stifled a gasp. "Lux!" she whispered, her breathing speeding up.

"Hmm...?" he murmured, tucking his face back into the crook of her neck.

"Not here," she hissed. "Someone's going to see!"

Carefully, she danced him to the very edge of the floor, taking pains to move only very gradually so no one noticed. She suddenly got the impression that he had perhaps had too much to drink – and if less than two glasses of that champagne was making her lightheaded, then it would be making him tipsy in the very least. There was no other explanation for the way he was acting.

As soon as they were close enough, she pulled him out onto a secluded balcony she had noticed earlier, all without halting in the dance.

After a while, they stopped dancing, instead just swaying to the faint strains of music coming from inside and looking out at the view of the moonlit Nubian countryside. Her arms still hadn't left their places around his neck, and his still encircled her waist, holding her close.

She sighed, leaning her head up against his shoulder. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"You mean the scenery? Yes, that's true..." He smiled beneath the mask. "But it's nowhere near as beautiful as you are."

Ahsoka's breath caught in her throat, and she exhaled shakily, looking down as she tried to push away all the memories of the kisses they had shared in the past few weeks. She moved her hands from where they hung loosely around him onto his chest to half-hide the parts of her face he could see.

However, a moment later, Lux tilted her chin back up and gently removed the mask. He put it down on the elaborately carved stone railing a few steps away, looking into her eyes.

"Don't deny it," he said, his voice low and passionate. "The stars, the moon, the countryside... They have nothing on you. And I'd have to be crazy not to see it."

It was as if Lux were a magnet, his pull compelling her to lean in. Her eyes fluttered shut, and, a moment later, he pressed his lips firmly but tenderly to hers, taking her face in his hands. She couldn't help it – she melted into his arms, kissing him back.

As they kissed, she reached up and took the deep blue mask off his face. Now that they were so close together, she felt like she couldn't stand to have anything else in between them. She let it fall to the floor, and it landed with a soft rustle as it brushed against the smooth marble tile.

Lux was being careful not to go too far too fast, and Ahsoka was enjoying the moment, but somewhere deep down, she knew it had gone on long enough.

"Lux, I... I can't do this. I'm a Jedi, and–" She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "And purpose must come before feelings."

"But purpose and feelings can coexist! Being a Senator is all about both, and so is being a Jedi, even while you try to deny it!" he whispered, a determined fire in his eyes. "Ahsoka, please...!"

"What about everything else?" she demanded. "What about our duties?"

"Ahsoka... you're everything to me. I need you. To hell with the consequences."

Ahsoka could feel her temper beginning to rise. "But what about Annina? What was all that with her, then? I know you have to be lying when you say–"

He cut her off there with another kiss, slower and deeper this time. Somehow, it felt almost like he was casting some sort of a spell over her: she could feel her reservations slipping. Her already compromised barriers against attachment were going down.

She was suddenly overcome by a feeling from deep inside her that this was what she wanted. She had just been too blind to see it.

And so Ahsoka kissed him back without question, pulling him close. His fingers brushed her lekku, adding fuel to the fire that had resided so quietly in her for so many years. She didn't think this was what she wanted; she knew it.

But that was when the Force curled around her like a warm summer breeze, carrying with it the tide of something unmistakable: the Dark Side of the Force.

*HUZZAH!! DOUBLE UPDATE!! AND IT'S THE SECOND ONE FOR THE SAME FANFIC IN TWO DAYS!

Yep, I had a lot more prewritten stuff than I expected... and I had some time to finish transcribing it into the first chapter during school today. The second one I just finished now.

Sadly, I'm out of the prewritten stuff, but I still have a basic scene sketch to keep me going.

AND

I PROMISED YOU LUXSOKA AND I GAVE YOU LUXSOKA

I LOVE FLUFF

BUT I ALSO PROMISED IT WAS GOING TO GET OMINOUS

AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND PART OF WHAT I MEAN IN THE NEXT CHAPTER

OKAY, NOW--