SUMMARY: "Nights of insult let you pass, Watched by every human
love."
FEEDBACK: is a good thing. Positive, negative, long, short,
constructive, deconstructive... <g>
Author's notes: title and summary by W. H. Auden. Beta by the
lovely elynross.
***
The entirely beautiful
***
"May I have this dance, ved'Jedi?"
Qui-Gon recognized the music; it was a simple six-step, a dance
for individual couples. Probably one of the last dances of the
night, he thought with some relief. After a long day of
listening to political manifestos and a long evening of eating
as little as possible of twenty-seven elaborate courses, he
wanted nothing so much as to withdraw to the guest suite for
some peace and quiet. He smiled down at the veddia Arfin with
as much good grace as he could muster. "Certainly, my lady."
She smiled back, and her thin features looked almost impish.
"It has been a tiresome day, hasn't it?" Putting her hand on
his arm, she swung them both out onto the dance floor, weaving
an easy path between the other dancers. "I find that a little
simple rhythmic exercise always takes my mind off my troubles."
"Your faction is ahead on points," Qui-Gon said, following her
movements. "It may have been a troublesome day, but I think
your troubles are nearly over."
The Jantha custom of literally keeping score in debates did
simplify some things. This mission might be boring, but after
Ehraal, he was grateful for a little boredom. Qui-Gon looked
over the veddia's head towards the other end of the room and
saw that Obi-Wan was standing with a group of electoral
candidates for the progressive party, listening silently to
their discussion. Although it didn't show on his face, fatigue
was evident in the lines of his body. Yes, boredom and safety
would do very well, until Obi-Wan was fully recovered.
"We shall see," veddia Arfin said and spun them around in a
graceful swirl, her long yellow sleeves flaring, the movement
becoming part of the dance. "Troublesome days such as these
must be commonplace to you."
"All days are different," Qui-Gon said. And any day in which
his padawan did not nearly die in a fire was a good one, he
thought. When he closed his eyes he could still see the burning
building, could hear the screams of the trapped children. He
much preferred to look at the crowds of Jantha politicians and
listen to the measured beat of the music.
"Yes, but not all days are interesting." The veddia smiled. "I
believe it is our duty to make them as interesting as we can...
the days and the nights. Would you care to continue this dance
in a more private location, ved'Jedi?"
The suggestion was so lightly, casually made that Qui-Gon
almost missed its implications; then he saw the glint in her
eyes. He returned her smile, but not the pressure of her
fingers. "I'm afraid not, my lady," he said. "I already have
a... permanent dancing partner."
"My apologies." Veddia Arfin's body language turned a shade
more formal. "It was my impression that Jedi usually remain
unbonded, to be free to do their work. Is it not difficult for
your partner to spend so much time apart from you?"
Qui-Gon shook his head. "My partner is here with me," he said.
It only took her a moment to figure it out. "Ved'Jedi Kenobi?"
Qui-Gon nodded. "But--how can you bear to--he's so *ugly*," she
said, her voice and face for once completely unguarded.
Qui-Gon stared blankly at her, sensing her spontaneous honesty
and completely baffled by it. He turned his head. Obi-Wan was
still standing at the other end of the room. Was still Obi-Wan,
the same warmly shining presence that had brightened Qui-Gon's
life for the past seven years. At a loss for how to answer the
veddia's outburst, Qui-Gon settled for saying, "I believe it is
time for us to retire for the night, my lady. If you will
excuse me...?"
"Yes, of course." She didn't meet his eyes. The next turn took
them to the edge of the dance floor once more, and veddia Arfin
took her hand from Qui-Gon's arm, stepping away. "Thank you for
the dance, ved'Jedi Jinn."
"My lady," he bowed to her and waited for her to walk off. Then
he went around the dance floor and came up behind Obi-Wan,
putting a hand on his shoulder. Obi-Wan nodded and slipped away
from the group. Together, they crossed the room and went out
through the large double doors, into the fresh air, and turned
left onto the outside staircase.
Their room was on the fourth floor, and they walked up slowly.
A slight breeze was blowing, fluttering their sleeves. On the
second landing, Qui-Gon stopped and pulled Obi-Wan close,
taking his face in one hand and tipping it up. He looked, long
and carefully, until a corner of Obi-Wan's mouth twitched and
his remaining eyebrow quirked up in mild amusement. "What is
it, master?"
Qui-Gon leaned in and kissed Obi-Wan's left cheek, feeling a
hint of late-night stubble against his lips, and then the right
one, gentling his mouth against the scar tissue. He remembered
seeing Obi-Wan come out of the flames, a man made of soot and
fire, all his remaining force energy concentrated on shielding
the children in his arms.
"I love you," he said, brushing his lips against Obi-Wan's,
wondering fleetingly how the veddia Arfin had come to be so
blind. "Will you share my bed tonight?"
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