Leaves of Three

by Regina

Title: Leaves of Three
Author: Regina
Category: Humor, angst (can you have both? lol)
Archive: Master/Apprentice. and my livejournal. Others ask.
Rating: PG-13?
Spoilers: Um... if you haven't seen Star Wars, I don't know why you're reading this. ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just wish I did.
Feedback: I'll beg if I have to...
Summary: Obi-wan has a little run-in with a three-leafed plant.

Obi-wan itched. For more than a week now, he and Master Qui-Gon had been traipsing through the jungles of... whatever Force-forsaken planet they'd crash landed on. Their ship was beyond repair and communications, of course, were down. After a day of attempting to fix their communications array, Qui-Gon had decided it would be best to head towards the nearest village for help - nearly a tenday's walk away.

Obi-wan groaned inwardly and paused to snake a hand inside his pants to scratch the offending rash on his thighs. No matter how much he scratched, he still itched. And it was getting worse. Now his entire rear-end itched as well as his thighs and the palms of his hands.

When the pair entered a small clearing half an hour later, Qui-Gon dropped his survival pack and announced, "We'll rest here until dawn."

Obi-wan dropped his pack and started setting up their shelter while Qui-Gon ventured beyond the clearing, scouting for water and possible threats. Once the small shelter was erected, Obi-wan took the time to survey his rash in a small mirror. His backside and thighs were both covered in an angry, blistering rash. The palms of his hands weren't blistered, but that didn't make them itch any less.

Realizing what the rash was didn't help at all- poison ivy. He must have sat in it by the river this morning after bathing. "Blast," Obi-wan cursed pulling the med kit out of Qui-Gon's pack in search of a remedy.

Qui-Gon returned to camp to find his padawan digging through the med kit with his pants around his ankles. "Padawan," he said sternly causing Obi-wan to jump and quickly pull his pants back up. "What in the name of the Force are you doing?"

Obi-wan blushed. He didn't exactly want to share the news of his blunder, but knew there was no hiding it now. Looking down at his hands, absentmindedly scratching his palms, Obi-wan answered, "I uh... was looking for some anti-itch cream."

Qui-Gon took Obi-wan's hands examining the rash. "There isn't any. You used it all up last mission remember? I didn't think to add more. Jock itch again?"

Obi-wan flopped down to the ground, wincing in pain as several of the blisters on his backside popped. He closed his eyes, desperately trying to release the itch to the Force, with little success. Finally, he sighed and looked at his master. "I think I sat in poison ivy," he said miserably.

Qui-Gon's eyes twinkled a bit. "Now that wasn't very wise. I thought they still taught initiates the perils of playing in poisonous plants."

"They do," Obi-wan affirmed, testily. "Yeah. Well, it didn't look like poison ivy when I sat in it." Obi-wan sat for several minutes, occasionally scratching, trying to think of something... anything to ease the itch. When he finally remembered the advice given by an agemate as initiates, he wished he didn't. And yet...

Obi-wan looked up at Qui-Gon, who was still standing, holding his hands, with a glint in his eye. Obi-wan blushed deeply. "Master, I need your help. I-I need you t-to..." he stammered, pulling his hands away and looking down at the ground.

Qui-Gon knelt before his obviously deeply troubled padawan and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You need me to what, Obi-wan?"

Obi-wan met Qui-Gon's eyes for a moment before looking back down at the ground. "It itches so bad... I-I can't release it. I need you to..." Obi-wan took a shakey, deep breath before continuing. "Pee on me."

Qui-Gon laughed briefly before realizing Obi-wan was serious. "I will do no such thing!" Qui-Gon raised a brow at the utter disappointment in his padawan's face. "Whereever would you get such an idea, Padawan?"

Obi-wan wished a hole would open up in the ground and swallow him. "I- As an initiate we had a first aid class. Another initiate suggested that... if you have poison ivy, the... urine would dry it up."

Qui-Gon's smile returned and he placed a hand under his padawan's chin, forcing him to meet his eyes. "Do not believe everything an agemate tells you." A single tear fell from the padawan's eyes. Qui-Gon rubbed the back of his hand on Obi-wan's cheek. "I will help you, Padawan. But we will do it the proper way. Let me see."

If it was possible to get any redder, Obi-wan did as he stood and once again lowered his pants allowing Qui-Gon to appraise the damage. He squeezed his eyes tightly, as Qui-Gon gently ran a hand over his backside and thighs, using the Force to sooth the angry skin and draw out the irritant. When the rash had cleared and the blisters healed thanks to Qui-Gon's Force manipulation, he gently pulled Obi-wan's pants back up over the tender skin.

Obi-wan turned and with a bowed head thanked his master. He started to apologize for his loss of control, but Qui-Gon waved him off saying "I believe you'd best go have another bath before it gets too dark. The river is a quarter mile to the east."

Obi-wan fished through the pack for a few things and started heading towards the river. "And Padawan..." Qui-Gon said with a grin. "Remember, leaves of three? Let it be."

The end