“You’ll have to forgive Obi-Wan.” Maul snapped his eyes open to
stare at his smiling master, the older man sitting on the bench with
his hands on his lap, the sun of Coruscant shining down on them in
the meditation garden.

To Maul’s eternal relief, the older man had gained back the weight
the sith captivity had lost him and his color had returned along with
some mental stability provided with contact with both himself and
Master Qui-Gon.

“Master?” He questioned lightly.

“Obi-Wan, you’ll have to forgive him not understanding the mating
part of you.” Ben wiggled his fingers slightly and tilted his head.
“He’s well versed in cultures and taboos but the mating part
isn’t really something one is educated in.” He hummed.

Maul
hesitated before reaching out and taking his master’s hands,
rubbing them. “I don’t mind. I honestly don’t understand the
instincts myself all the time.” He quietly confessed. As a sith,
his Dathomirian heritage was not
something he had been free to explore.

Every instinct and desire based on his
race was usually shoved away under the sith part his master wanted to
instill in him.

Now though…now Ben encouraged him,
told him to explore, to be himself while controlling his emotions
lest they get the better of him.

“They tell you that you have a
potential mate, one who likes to tease. They tell you he should
submit but you’re not sure how that works.” He snapped his eyes
to stare at Ben in confusion before coloring in mortification. “Yes
you do need to work a bit on your shielding when you’re around
Obi-Wan. I try not to hear to much.” Ben laughed quietly.

“Master, I am so sorr-”

“Don’t.” Ben caressed his hands
gently, smiling at him with his faded green eyes. “I can build my
shields now. Its good work, helps me concentrate when I block out
your…baser needs.” He chuckled. The padawan grimaced and Ben gave
the silka bead braid a little tug of affection after freeing one
hand. “Really, I am still a Jedi master Maul. I understand.”

“I…” Maul hesitated then shifted
until he could settle his arms on the others knees, settling his chin
on his arms. “I don’t know what to do Master.” He murmured
quietly, peering up at the other man while the human settled his
hands on the others scalp, gently rubbing between the horns. “I
have no reference for this and what my instincts tell me
can’t…can’t be right.” He wrinkled his nose a bit.

“What do your instinct tell you?”
Ben questioned lightly, his faded greens open.

“…They tell me that my mate is soft
and pink and should be protected. That he should submit to me. That I
should make sure he’s only mine and that he knows his place.”
Maul let out a frustrated breath.

“They want you to assert your
dominance.” There was an understanding noise and Maul was never
more grateful then at that moment for the judgment free tone of his
master’s voice and then soothing hands caressing his scalp.

“Yes. And that can’t be right.”
Maul rumbled in frustration, containing the snarl that wanted to
escape his throat. “Obi-Wan wouldn’t want that.”

“You can assume that of course. Or
you could go speak to him about it. Regardless, this is a part of
you, of your heritage, of your nature as a Zabrak and as a
Dathomirian. It won’t just fade away like rain for the sunrays.”
Ben hummed.

“What if I scare him away…?” Maul
whispered. He liked Obi-Wan, he liked Obi-Wan a lot, he could
imagine, one day far into the future that he got bonded to the other
man in their thirties or something.

“Then he’s not the right one. But
Maul, all relationships are built on communication. The things that
upsets and pleases has to be spoken about to be known to each other.
What makes you happy, what makes you sad and what makes you angry.
The same goes for him.” The older man offered softly.

“Is that what you and Master Qui-Gon
does?” Maul raised his tattooed brows.

“Of course. We aren’t vocal about
it because we speak about the sensitive nature of our relationship
through our bond. I relay my wishes to him and he returns the same
favor to me. We respect each others boundaries and talk about the
things that makes us happy and upset.”

The Zabrak mulled over that as Ben
started rubbing down the back of his neck, massaging lightly with
clever fingers that always did their best to make Maul relax and feel
at ease.

“I need to talk to Obi-Wan
about…about my instincts, don’t I?” He finally murmured, eyes
half closed from contentedness.

“Very much so.” Ben gave a little
tug on an earlobe, smiling down at him. “I’ll take Qui-Gon with
me somewhere, grant you two privacy to talk and decide.”

Maul could do nothing but smile
gratefully up at his master, he didn’t want an audience to his and
Obi-Wan’s conversation.

()()()

“So…what you’re saying is you
want my…submission?” Obi-Wan blinked, staring at Maul who was
sitting on the other side of the couch. The Zabrak awkwardly tugged
on the silka braid.

“I think so. Or that’s what my
instincts want. I understand if that’s not something you want
though, its odd enough for me to understand them, much less demand
you to align to them.” Maul stared at the coffee table, avoiding
looking at Obi-Wan to see the others disgust. It was the last thing
he wanted to see.

A soft, callused hand took his red one
and squeezed before the free hand cupped the others chin and made him
look at his human…boyfriend? Mate? Friend?

Obi-Wan was smiling though. “I won’t
say that the idea of submission makes me itch for it…but…it
doesn’t make me want to run screaming for the hills either.”

“And what does that mean?” Maul
clung to the hand, staring at the other.

“That I’m willing to try. That I
like you a lot and that I’m willing to at least try. If it doesn’t
work then…that’s it. It doesn’t. But we remain friends, that
was the original deal. Regardless what.” Obi-Wan offered seriously
before leaning in and giving him a sweet peck on the lips.

Maul could have melted from the relief
coursing through his body like a raging river.

He couldn’t help but reach out and
wrap his arms tightly around the other, the kiss slowly turning open
mouthed and hungry as he pressed the other back into the couch
pillows.  Obi-Wan hummed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around the
others shoulders while melting.

That got a pleased purr that started
low in Maul’s chest and escaped his throat soundly.

They jerked away from each other, both
blinking at each other before they laughed, Maul faintly embrassed
and Obi-Wan delighted.

“I had no idea you could purr.”

“I didn’t know either.” Maul
confessed sheepishly.

“Do it again?” Obi-Wan requested
hopefully before tugging the other back into a softer kiss, his hands
lightly curled into the back of Maul’s cream tunics.

Softly a pleased purr echoed through
the apartment as the two explored territory that with time would
become familiar between the two.

“You’ll have to forgive Obi-Wan.” Maul snapped his eyes open to
stare at his smiling master, the older man sitting on the bench with
his hands on his lap, the sun of Coruscant shining down on them in
the meditation garden.

To Maul’s eternal relief, the older man had gained back the weight
the sith captivity had lost him and his color had returned along with
some mental stability provided with contact with both himself and
Master Qui-Gon.

“Master?” He questioned lightly.

“Obi-Wan, you’ll have to forgive him not understanding the mating
part of you.” Ben wiggled his fingers slightly and tilted his head.
“He’s well versed in cultures and taboos but the mating part
isn’t really something one is educated in.” He hummed.

Maul
hesitated before reaching out and taking his master’s hands,
rubbing them. “I don’t mind. I honestly don’t understand the
instincts myself all the time.” He quietly confessed. As a sith,
his Dathomirian heritage was not
something he had been free to explore.

Every instinct and desire based on his
race was usually shoved away under the sith part his master wanted to
instill in him.

Now though…now Ben encouraged him,
told him to explore, to be himself while controlling his emotions
lest they get the better of him.

“They tell you that you have a
potential mate, one who likes to tease. They tell you he should
submit but you’re not sure how that works.” He snapped his eyes
to stare at Ben in confusion before coloring in mortification. “Yes
you do need to work a bit on your shielding when you’re around
Obi-Wan. I try not to hear to much.” Ben laughed quietly.

“Master, I am so sorr-”

“Don’t.” Ben caressed his hands
gently, smiling at him with his faded green eyes. “I can build my
shields now. Its good work, helps me concentrate when I block out
your…baser needs.” He chuckled. The padawan grimaced and Ben gave
the silka bead braid a little tug of affection after freeing one
hand. “Really, I am still a Jedi master Maul. I understand.”

“I…” Maul hesitated then shifted
until he could settle his arms on the others knees, settling his chin
on his arms. “I don’t know what to do Master.” He murmured
quietly, peering up at the other man while the human settled his
hands on the others scalp, gently rubbing between the horns. “I
have no reference for this and what my instincts tell me
can’t…can’t be right.” He wrinkled his nose a bit.

“What do your instinct tell you?”
Ben questioned lightly, his faded greens open.

“…They tell me that my mate is soft
and pink and should be protected. That he should submit to me. That I
should make sure he’s only mine and that he knows his place.”
Maul let out a frustrated breath.

“They want you to assert your
dominance.” There was an understanding noise and Maul was never
more grateful then at that moment for the judgment free tone of his
master’s voice and then soothing hands caressing his scalp.

“Yes. And that can’t be right.”
Maul rumbled in frustration, containing the snarl that wanted to
escape his throat. “Obi-Wan wouldn’t want that.”

“You can assume that of course. Or
you could go speak to him about it. Regardless, this is a part of
you, of your heritage, of your nature as a Zabrak and as a
Dathomirian. It won’t just fade away like rain for the sunrays.”
Ben hummed.

“What if I scare him away…?” Maul
whispered. He liked Obi-Wan, he liked Obi-Wan a lot, he could
imagine, one day far into the future that he got bonded to the other
man in their thirties or something.

“Then he’s not the right one. But
Maul, all relationships are built on communication. The things that
upsets and pleases has to be spoken about to be known to each other.
What makes you happy, what makes you sad and what makes you angry.
The same goes for him.” The older man offered softly.

“Is that what you and Master Qui-Gon
does?” Maul raised his tattooed brows.

“Of course. We aren’t vocal about
it because we speak about the sensitive nature of our relationship
through our bond. I relay my wishes to him and he returns the same
favor to me. We respect each others boundaries and talk about the
things that makes us happy and upset.”

The Zabrak mulled over that as Ben
started rubbing down the back of his neck, massaging lightly with
clever fingers that always did their best to make Maul relax and feel
at ease.

“I need to talk to Obi-Wan
about…about my instincts, don’t I?” He finally murmured, eyes
half closed from contentedness.

“Very much so.” Ben gave a little
tug on an earlobe, smiling down at him. “I’ll take Qui-Gon with
me somewhere, grant you two privacy to talk and decide.”

Maul could do nothing but smile
gratefully up at his master, he didn’t want an audience to his and
Obi-Wan’s conversation.

()()()

“So…what you’re saying is you
want my…submission?” Obi-Wan blinked, staring at Maul who was
sitting on the other side of the couch. The Zabrak awkwardly tugged
on the silka braid.

“I think so. Or that’s what my
instincts want. I understand if that’s not something you want
though, its odd enough for me to understand them, much less demand
you to align to them.” Maul stared at the coffee table, avoiding
looking at Obi-Wan to see the others disgust. It was the last thing
he wanted to see.

A soft, callused hand took his red one
and squeezed before the free hand cupped the others chin and made him
look at his human…boyfriend? Mate? Friend?

Obi-Wan was smiling though. “I won’t
say that the idea of submission makes me itch for it…but…it
doesn’t make me want to run screaming for the hills either.”

“And what does that mean?” Maul
clung to the hand, staring at the other.

“That I’m willing to try. That I
like you a lot and that I’m willing to at least try. If it doesn’t
work then…that’s it. It doesn’t. But we remain friends, that
was the original deal. Regardless what.” Obi-Wan offered seriously
before leaning in and giving him a sweet peck on the lips.

Maul could have melted from the relief
coursing through his body like a raging river.

He couldn’t help but reach out and
wrap his arms tightly around the other, the kiss slowly turning open
mouthed and hungry as he pressed the other back into the couch
pillows.  Obi-Wan hummed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around the
others shoulders while melting.

That got a pleased purr that started
low in Maul’s chest and escaped his throat soundly.

They jerked away from each other, both
blinking at each other before they laughed, Maul faintly embrassed
and Obi-Wan delighted.

“I had no idea you could purr.”

“I didn’t know either.” Maul
confessed sheepishly.

“Do it again?” Obi-Wan requested
hopefully before tugging the other back into a softer kiss, his hands
lightly curled into the back of Maul’s cream tunics.

Softly a pleased purr echoed through
the apartment as the two explored territory that with time would
become familiar between the two.