Kisses

by Sage (greensage2@yahoo.com)

Archive: Yes to M_A. All others, please ask.

Category: Alternate Universe, Pre-Slash

Rating: G

Warnings: Not a one

Series: Sequel to Hugs

Summary: More fluffiness. Obi-Wan learns a lesson

Notes: Huge thankyous to Amber and Jacynthe for their very helpful betas. They did a great job, and any mistakes left over are all my fault. Thanks also to everyone who gave me feedback on Hugs. Responses were positive, so I thought I'd write a bit of a follow-up. Feedback: Oh please, oh please! Either on the list or by email would be fine.

Disclaimers: Not mine. No money. All hail the mighty Lucas. Thanks and much praise to Anne Higgins for creating her wonderful Bonding Universe and allowing other authors to write in it.

Timeline - about a year after Hugs

Qui-Gon sighed happily as he floated serenely in the middle of the cottage's private lake, taking in the sweet, green scents of early summer. He was on vacation. He tried the idea out again. On. Vacation. Had a nice ring to it. He wasn't sure what exactly had possessed the Council to give him a break, but he wasn't about to tell them that. Without waiting around for them to change their minds, he had packed himself and his young bondmate off to Rasa, a popular resort world. Qui-Gon was close friends with Rasa's Senator, and he'd obtained permission to use the man's summer home for a week. Lush surroundings, pleasant climate, and no impending disasters to defuse. Ah, bliss. He savored the feeling of having nothing to do but soak up the sun, the peace, the quiet, and enjoy some downtime with his Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon sank beneath the surface of the cool water, swimming languidly for a moment. At length, he stood up in the waist-deep water, rubbing water out of his eyes and squeezing it out of his hair. The idyllic calm and quiet of this place was doing wonders to restore his center. Hmmm. Suspiciously calm and quiet.

A faint sense of unease flashed along his bond with Obi-Wan just before a startled yelp suddenly rent the air. Qui-Gon spun around to see his five-year-old bondmate sailing through the air, swinging on a vine like a jungle creature and heading straight for him.

"Quigeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Obi-Wan's warning came to late.

"Oooooof!" Qui-Gon didn't have time to get out of the way, didn't have time to stop the little boy's rapid, swooping approach. A small bundle of arms and legs careened into his midriff, knocking the wind out of him and sending both Jedi Master and Initiate tumbling into the water.

Qui-Gon surfaced, coughing and spluttering, and instinctively reached out and grasped the little boy by the back of his swimming shorts. Obi-Wan was pulled from the water and dangled, dripping and upside down, from one huge hand. He giggled as his bondmate glared balefully at him through a curtain of waterlogged hair.

Qui-Gon tried his best to stay annoyed. Apparently, his giggling little imp had been climbing trees. He fixed Obi-Wan with his patented Stern Jedi Master Glare, which he was dismayed to note only made the boy laugh harder.

"Well?" Qui-Gon demanded imperiously.

Another delighted giggle sparkled in the warm, still air. "Sorry, Quigee. I was climbing the big tree over there, and I slipped. I grabbed the vine to try and stop falling, but... Well, I didn't mean to hit you, honest!"

Qui-Gon simply stared at the little boy for a moment, not sure whether he should be annoyed or worried out of his mind that his bondmate had tried climbing the tree without first making sure that Qui-Gon was paying attention. It was a huge tree and stood out easily among its fellows. Its grey trunk stabbed towards the sky and great limbs arced out over the water. The end of the vine now dangled in the water, hanging limply from one of the branches. Something in the Jedi Master shriveled when he realized how very tall the tree was and how very lucky his bondmate had been. Force, the child could've fallen to his death!

Obi-Wan still hung from his bondmate's hand, water dripping from his coppery curls into the lake. He was sure Qui-Gon meant to put him down, really he was, but he hadn't really grown into these shorts yet, and...

"Um, Quigee?"

Too late. With a squeak, Obi-Wan dropped out of his shorts and plopped into the water, leaving a somewhat bemused Qui-Gon holding the empty swimsuit.

A mischievously grinning face surfaced. Qui-Gon regarded the swimming shorts in his hand, and then raised an eyebrow at the imp in the water.

"I did try to warn you. You weren't listening," Obi-Wan said helpfully.

Qui-Gon cleared his throat and handed the shorts back to his bondmate. Obi-Wan wriggled back into his swimsuit underwater. He turned back Qui-Gon to find the bearded face about two inches from his own, indigo eyes snapping.

Yikes. "Quigee?" he squeaked, putting on his Most Innocent Face.

"Don't ever do anything like that again without telling me first. You could've been killed." Qui-Gon's tone wasn't sharp or angry. It was...softer. Worried. Afraid.

Obi-Wan heard that soft undertone in his bondmate's voice and realized that this was not the time to weasel out of trouble. He planted a kiss on Qui-Gon's nose. "Promise, Quigee. I didn't mean to scare you. I was pretty scared, too."

The red-headed scamp suddenly looked so very young and small. Qui- Gon hauled the boy into his arms. "You gave me quite a turn, Imp. I'm glad you're not hurt. Just be more careful, okay?"

Obi-Wan's trembling body burrowed against his damp chest, one small ear settling over his heart. He held the little boy close, realizing that Obi-Wan was probably having a delayed reaction to his madcap plunge towards the lake. Obi-Wan shook harder.

Qui-Gon pressed a kiss to the curly head. "You're all right now, Obi- Wan. I've got you."

A small, soft mouth kissed the spot where Obi-Wan's ear had lain. "I'm sorry, Quigee," Obi-Wan whispered. "Thanks for catching me."

Qui-Gon responded using their bond, sending a wave of love and reassurance. I'll always catch you, Imp, never fear.

More kisses fluttered over his chest, and love and admiration pulsed along the bond from little boy. Thanks, Quigee. You can count on me too. Think I'll stay out of trees for awhile, though.

Qui-Gon smiled. "Oh, no you don't. A Jedi does not fear." The Master proceeded to toss his young bondmate onto his back.

Obi-Wan instinctively grabbed hold of the strong shoulders. "Quigee?" he asked nervously

"If to climb it, you wish, then climb it, you shall!" Qui-Gon delivered a creditable imitation of his old Master. He strode out of the lake and leapt nimbly into the lower branches of the tree. He scrambled up to the top branches like a great cat, a terrified Obi- Wan clinging to his back.

Qui-Gon glanced over his shoulder and smiled at the curly head buried against his back, refusing to look. "Open your eyes, Imp. The view is magnificent," he said as he surveyed the vista from the top of the huge tree.

"Mag...mag...?" The head came up.

"Magnificent."

Obi-Wan repeated the new word dutifully. He made the mistake of looking down and grabbed Qui-Gon in a stranglehold. "Quigee!" he yelped.

"Look around, Imp. Listen with your heart. Can you hear the Force in this place?"

Obi-Wan tried to find his center, like he'd learned in meditation class. "K-kinda."

"It would catch you, you know, if you asked. Besides, I wouldn't let you fall."

Obi-Wan considered that for a moment. If nothing else, he trusted his Quigee completely. A little, pointed chin perched on Qui-Gon's shoulder. "S'nice up here," Obi-Wan declared, relaxing his frantic grip a bit.

"It is, isn't it?" Qui-Gon contemplated the view for another moment, then shifted Obi-Wan around so that the boy was held securely by one strong arm.

"But what goes up, must come down, right, Imp?" He called Obi-Wan's vine to his hand.

"Oh no. Nononononono."

Qui-Gon dropped an exuberant kiss on Obi-Wan's temple. "Hang on tight, Imp!" he advised before leaping into the air.

Obi-Wan felt the world drop out from underneath him, and he let out a strangled shriek as they swung down towards the lake below. At exactly the right moment, Qui-Gon let go of the vine, and they dropped into the deepest part of the lake, hitting the water with a tremendous splash.

Qui-Gon surfaced, laughing delightedly, pulling Obi-Wan up with him. Huge grey-green eyes blinked in shock for a moment, then the boy pounced on his bondmate.

"Again!!"

Qui-Gon chuckled. "Once was enough, Imp."

"But..."

"Obi-Wan, think for a minute about why we did that."

The small features screwed up in intense thought. Suddenly, a huge smile broke over his face. He threw his arms around Qui-Gon's neck and kissed his bondmate's bearded cheek.

"Thanks, Quigee," he whispered. "You're the best."

Qui-Gon just smiled and brushed a gentle kiss over his little imp's brow.

Fin