In the End {1}

~ Fireworks ~

He nodded. "Okay. You're the boss." He slipped his shirt over his chest and folded it on top of the speeder.

Ahsoka smiled. He was just as tidy in the middle of the night on a cliff as he was at work. She'd never understand how he had the patience to be so meticulous with these things.

She followed suit and folded her shirt next to his.

"We should probably get in soon," he said. "The fireworks are probably going to start any minute."

She took his hand and looked up at him. "Together?"

"Always."

Ahsoka clutched his hand as they ran to the edge and jumped. As her body hit the water, Lux let go, and she felt her top slide up from the impact. She swore as she came up for air. She must not have tied the knot tight enough, because her top was floating in the water in front of her.

Lux came up for air next to her, beaming.

"Well that was fun," he said. He noticed her top. "Wait a minute, I thought you said–"

"I did. I guess the lake had other plans." She debated putting it back on, but, against her better judgement, she picked it up and tossed it on top of a nearby rock sticking out of the water. "Tradition, it is."

Lux followed her as she swam over closer to the shore. There was a small cove nearby where she could stand.

She turned around, and Lux had disappeared. "Lux, where–" she was cut off by a hand yanking her underwater. When she resurfaced, she hit Lux playfully on the shoulder. "Hey!"

He held her top in his hand and placed it on the rock beside them. Then, much to her surprise, he put his own swim trunks next to it.

"Tradition," he said.

"Uh huh," she said mockingly.

"What?" He joked, drawing out the "ah" sound. "When have I ever done anything halfway?"

He had a point.

She reached out and touched his chest. It was still hard for her to believe that she and Lux were together. Every kiss they shared felt like she was living a fantasy. She knew it couldn't go on forever because of her commitment to the Jedi, but for now, it was perfect.

Lux took a step forward and rested his forehead on hers. His gaze dropped, but this time, her sarcastic remark was caught in her throat as he grazed his fingertips up her thigh under the water, sending a small shock throughout her body. Their bodies were inches apart, and she could feel the energy between them.

His breath quickened as she lowered her hands, tracing each muscle and feeling every inch of his smooth skin.

"Kriff, Ahsoka..."

She was vaguely aware of the fireworks lighting up the sky above them as he moved his hands to the front of her chest and brought his mouth to hers. His kisses were firey and passionate, and Ahsoka found it easy for her to relax in his embrace. She rested her hands on top of his as he kissed the smooth curve of her throat, sucking gently at her skin. It was going to leave a mark, but she didn't care. She could smell his citrus cologne and the faint scent of sulfur from the fireworks above them.

His hands were shaky as he reached down and began to tug at her bottoms.

"Can I?"

"Please."

He slowly tugged at the bottoms and slid them down to her ankles. She kicked them off and let them float up in the water next to them.

A few months ago, she never would've even considered swimming in the lake naked with Lux, but now, she found it strangely liberating. She was past the point of caring about rules and lived in the moment, freeing her of any doubts she had about her future with the boy in her arms.