Category: Angst, vague humor (although I'm not sure if they
actually work in the same fic), first-time
Rating: PG-13
Archive: M_A, my website
http://www.geocities.com/jedistardestiny/ficsw.htm
Summary: Qui-Gon has a lot of thinking to do when he realises
that not only is Obi-Wan not a rock, but he is quite a
good looking non-rock at that.
Disclaimer: George Lucas created STAR WARS. No copyright
infringement is intended.
Notes: I dedicate this to the wonderful Nicolle who sent me the
tape with that interview of OhMyHe'sGorgeous!Ewan
wearing black. (::thud::) Parts of this fic resulted.
I borrowed the title from Maggie Czarney's amusing story which
involved the omnipotent Q throwing together several (het)
couples from different fandoms.
http://members.xoom.com/mcstarlight/
I should also mention that this is the sequel to that terribly-
titled "My Name is Master Qui-Gon Jinn and I Treat my Padawan
Like a Rock." Unfortunately, the angst bunny beat the crap out
of the humour bunny so this one's not as funny. Nonetheless, I
hope you enjoy.
Qui-Gon spent the entire morning on edge. After the interesting
revelations at the Masters Anonymous meeting the previous day,
he'd actually taken some of the words to heart and really
looked at Obi- Wan when he arrived home.
Master Inka had been right. Obi-Wan had grown up. And
that was the most maddening revelation of all.
Little things that Qui-Gon had been able to brush aside
suddenly took on a whole new meaning. Like the hypnotic swing
of Obi-Wan's braid. Or the softness of his hair. Or-
Qui-Gon clamped down on the thought hard and fast. He would
not bring that up, he would not!
Nonetheless, he was beginning to realise that Yoda had been
perfectly justified in describing Qui-Gon's perception of
Obi-Wan as a rock. It was far from entirely correct, but there
was truth in the statement. He'd been refusing to accept the
fact that Obi- Wan had grown up.
"Master?" Obi-Wan said softly in his ear and Qui-Gon jumped. He
hadn't even heard Obi-Wan approach.
"Yes?"
"You seem tense." Warm hands slipped to the back of his neck
and began a gentle massage, something that Obi-Wan commonly did
for him, but today it was taking on a whole new meaning. "Are
you concerned over our meeting with Master Yoda today?"
"You know about that?" Qui-Gon asked, surprised.
"He left a message for me. I think it went something like:
'Miss it you shall not, or clean the kitchens Qui-Gon will!'"
Obi-Wan chuckled as he remembered the communication, the sound
causing Qui- Gon to smile too. "I suspect Master Yoda has quite
a sense of humour."
"Try being his padawan," Qui-Gon half-groaned in memory. "Then
you would see just how maddening such a sense of humour could
be." He paused. "Those were the most trying years of my life."
The hands left his neck and Obi-Wan stepped away, coming around
to face his master. There was a look of interest in his eyes.
"Tell me more, Master, about your training under Master Yoda."
Automatically Qui-Gon started to shake his head, the
instinctive reaction being that Obi-Wan was too young to
appreciate such a frank retrospective of the training. And then
he remembered that Obi-Wan was twenty years old now, a
man, definitely not a boy.
A man. Who was standing in front of him, looking at him
intently with those amazing green/blue eyes which did things to
his insides that Qui-Gon didn't exactly want to think about.
He'd always known that Obi-Wan was beautiful, but not in
that way....
"Master?" A gentle touch to his arm and he blinked, berating
himself for having lost his focus.
"Ah yes, Obi-Wan, I was going to tell you of training under
Master Yoda."
A beatific smile greeted his words, making Qui-Gon's knees
suddenly feel all weak, which was positively nonsense.
Nonetheless, he suggested they sit down and Obi-Wan sat close
to him, as was customary given their relationship, but was
suddenly also very disturbing.
Still, Qui-Gon managed to focus and he kept his gaze
steadfastly straight ahead as he reminisced about the more
frustrating but ever rewarding times of training under the
greatest living Jedi. Obi- Wan responded with his own comments
and observations, the two falling into an easy repartee.
At the end of one particularly long account, Obi-Wan grasped
Qui- Gon's hand and said sincerely, "Master, I cannot recall
the last time we truly sat down like this and talked. I must
admit that I enjoy it very much."
"As do I, padawan." A little nervous (and it had nothing
to do with the very warm fingers tracing patterns in his palm)
Qui-Gon said, "I fear I have ignored you a little during the
past few years. I did not recognise how much I value your
company. Your friendship," he hastily added. "You must forgive
me if I have been a rather distant master of late."
"It has given me plenty of opportunity to study on my own,"
Obi-Wan countered. He gave Qui-Gon a frank stare. "I was going
to surprise you, but I will tell you now that I will take the
tenth level exams very shortly."
"The tenth level?" As far as Qui-Gon knew, his apprentice was
nowhere near ready for those challenges. Readiness came with
long hours of study of the fine points of negotiation,
business, Jedi lore, and a variety of other useful topics.
Qui-Gon knew Obi-Wan could handle the lightsaber section, for
his apprentice was very talented, but the rest of it? "Surely
not," he said.
"Do you really think so poorly of me?" And Obi-Wan sounded
hurt, definitely hurt, and he pulled his hand away from
Qui-Gon's. Folded his arms and sat back in the chair, suddenly
distant as he had been in recent times.
"Obi-Wan, I am sorry," Qui-Gon tried. "I admit I have not
recognised your growing abilities. This is the reason Master
Yoda wishes to speak with us."
"What?" There was a hint of outrage in Obi-Wan's voice.
"Yes, Padawan, he believes we need therapy. After yesterday's
session at Master's Anonymous-"
"You went to Master's Anonymous?"
"Yes, and-"
Again Obi-Wan cut him off. "And you spoke about our
relationship in front of strangers? You talked about
me?"
"I had to, Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon tried to explain. It did nothing
to quell Obi-Wan's indignance.
"I knew you were distant, Master," and his voice was now a
little icy, "but did you not think to talk to me first?"
"Yoda tricked me into it," Qui-Gon tried by way of explanation.
It didn't help. Obi-Wan stood up and began walking towards the
door.
"I have a lesson to attend. I will meet you for the noon meal,
Master."
"A lesson?" Qui-Gon asked.
Obi-Wan shot him a pained look. "Yes, a lesson. One of several
that I have been attending on a regular basis every time we are
on Coruscant." And that last statement spoke volumes to Qui-Gon
about just how much he had unintentionally neglected his
apprentice.
"Until later, Padawan," he said formally and then Obi-Wan
slipped out the door.
The few hours between Obi-Wan's dramatic exit and lunch time
crawled past for Qui-Gon. He pulled out the picture he'd drawn
the previous day and studied it carefully, noting how the
picture was most clearly of a beautiful young boy. Not of the
young man who was so much a part of his life; the companionship
so natural it had become expected. And ignored.
Yet even this introspective took a short amount of time.
Qui-Gon paced, and then sat, and then paced, not accomplishing
much at all until finally he left for the dining hall. As
usual, it was filled with visiting Jedi as lunch was the most
celebrated meal of the day and the best opportunity to catch up
with friends.
Qui-Gon quickly grabbed the first thing he saw, and then
settled at a small table to wait. It wouldn't do at all to go
meet Master Yoda while he and Obi-Wan were still so clearly at
odds. They needed to present a united front and then hopefully
Yoda would leave them alone. Qui-Gon was quietly confident that
they could sort out their problems: it would just take time.
He heard a high, female giggle behind him and glanced around,
only to see the stares of most of the room's population
focussed on the entrance to the dining hall. Qui-Gon followed
their gazes, and what he saw made his jaw drop.
Obi-Wan, his apprentice, was walking through the door.
No, not walking, sauntering. Or not even that. He was clad in
black from head to toe, a uniform Qui-Gon vaguely recalled from
night surveillance training. But the uniform did little to hide
Obi-Wan. In fact, the tight-fitting outfit which showed off
every part of his perfect body (now where did that thought come
from?) seemed to draw immeasurable attention to Qui-Gon's
padawan. And not to mention the walk...
...the walk. The sensuous swaying of hips, the strut. Qui-Gon
had seen the walk a thousand times and always written it off as
a whim of a boy who had just a touch of pride within him, a
well-justified pride.
Now, it was all different. It screamed to Qui-Gon a very
obscene message and coupled with that outfit, well, it
was no wonder that most of the room was drooling. And Obi-Wan
seemed completely oblivious to it all.
He flashed a grin at the food counter, causing the female
padawan on duty to almost swoon. Qui-Gon's frown grew even
grimmer. How dare his padawan act like that? He would speak to
him about it, and soon, but now that walk was coming towards
him and Qui-Gon found that he could remember very little at
all.
"Good afternoon, Master," Obi-Wan greeted him with the correct
measure of decorum.
"Good afternoon," Qui-Gon returned, and then deliberately
looked down at his plate so that he wouldn't be tempted by the
much more delicious thing that had just arrived. Qui-Gon
realised he should be mildly shocked by the thought but he was
beginning to get used to them.
"How did your class go?" he asked politely.
It appeared Obi-Wan had not forgotten their earlier
disagreement, or Qui-Gon's betrayal.
"It went well, Master." And that was the only response he got.
The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, Qui-Gon constantly
aware of both the time and his padawan's presence. Very soon,
they would have to present this entire mess to Yoda.
And they could not go in like this. He began, "Obi-Wan," at
exactly the same moment the said apprentice uttered his
master's title.
"After you," Qui-Gon granted.
"No, Master, it is your right to speak first. I am nothing more
than a mere apprentice, a rock, if you will."
Qui-Gon stared hard at Obi-Wan, who shot him a challenging grin
that held no warmth at all. "I had the most enlightening
discussion with Master Inka's apprentice this morning."
Qui-Gon silently vowed that if he ran into Master Inka any time
soon he would squash her himself instead of trusting her
padawan to eventually get it right.
"Obi-Wan, what Master Inka said and what actually happened are
two very different things, open to interpretation," Qui-Gon
tried. "I promise you, I did not betray your secrets. I did not
want to be there."
"But you were," Obi-Wan countered, the faintest touch of
pain colouring his voice. "Instead of consulting with me you
went to them without even mentioning it."
"I-" and Obi-Wan cut off his apology.
"It is time for us to meet Master Yoda," the apprentice said.
Obi- Wan picked up his tray and rapidly disposed of it, and
even though his walk was stiff and angry, there was still the
slight swing of the hips and Qui-Gon hated himself for watching
it. He sighed and followed his padawan from the hall.
"Master Yoda, I have examined my feelings and I realise that
you are right," Qui-Gon began even before he had completed the
customary bow. "I have been ignoring my padawan's talents and
thus done him a great disservice. I request that you allow me
to re- assess his abilities and present you with a new report."
The words came out in a rush and Yoda's ears drooped as he
narrowed his eyes at Qui-Gon. "So certain, are you?"
"Master, I know I was wrong."
"Obi-Wan," Yoda re-directed his attention, "how feel you of all
this?"
Staring blankly at Yoda for a moment, Obi-Wan shrugged. "He is
my master and the best judge of our relationship. I am his to
mould as he sees fit."
"No!" and Yoda banged Obi-Wan's knee with a stick. "Tell me
what you feel, you will."
Obi-Wan tried again. "I feel betrayed." Saying the words out
loud appeared to give him the confidence to continue. "I feel
as if I am invisible sometimes. Master Qui-Gon and I have
always been very close but he does not notice what I do, nor
does he seem to take interest in my advancement." Obi-Wan's
tirade was only beginning. "On missions I am nothing more than
an assistant. He is willing to abandon me at the slightest whim
lest I get in the way."
"I do not abandon you, I remove you from harmful situations for
your own good!" Qui-Gon interjected.
"Master, I am not five years old anymore!" protested Obi-Wan.
"I need to be exposed to dangerous situations; how else will I
learn enough to become a Jedi Knight?"
"You are not ready," Qui-Gon said flatly. He narrowed his eyes.
"I am a much better judge of what is appropriate for you than
you are, Obi-Wan." There was a definite warning in his voice
but Obi- Wan seemed not to pick up on it.
"Oh, the great Qui-Gon Jinn, always able to see the galaxy so
clearly."
Yoda was watching the interplay with a fascinated frown.
"Master, why don't you show me my portrait that you drew
yesterday?" continued Obi-Wan, obviously knowing exactly what
was coming. "Then we shall see how true your perception is!"
Now Qui-Gon's anger was clearly evident. "I have already
apologised for the lack of insight, Obi-Wan," he snapped.
"Please be man enough to accept it!" Obi-Wan stared at him for
one long moment, then whirled and stalked to the other side of
the room, well away from his master. He was breathing heavily
after his outburst.
"How do you expect me to see you as an adult when you still
behave as a child?" Qui-Gon continued, on the defensive. Yes,
he'd made mistakes, but he wasn't the only one.
"What behaviour?" interjected Yoda when it appeared Obi-Wan
wasn't going to respond.
Qui-Gon threw his shoulders back. "Not bothering to tell me
what he is doing in his life, for one thing."
"It was meant to be a surprise," came the low and bitter
response which Qui-Gon ignored.
"Not having the courage to tell me I was ignoring you."
There was nothing but a dead silence and that caused Qui-Gon to
become even more frustrated. "And that walk, Obi-Wan! If that
does not speak of immaturity then I do not know what does!"
"Yes, what walk," echoed Yoda a touch gleefully because he knew
exactly what Qui-Gon was referring to.
"That walk you do," Qui-Gon growled, his eyes raking up
and down Obi-Wan's body in memory. "It is an embarrassment! Do
you have any idea how much attention it attracts, and how badly
that reflects on me?"
Obi-Wan still appeared at a genuine loss to understand what
Qui-Gon was referring to.
"That walk," Qui-Gon continued, "that makes me want to grab
you, throw you to the floor and do you!"
There was a stunned silence for several long seconds, Qui-Gon
and Obi-Wan just staring at each other. Qui-Gon's heart was
beating wildly, partially in anger and frustration, partially
because he couldn't believe he'd just said that, and
partially because of the way Obi-Wan was looking at him.
And then a slow smile curved over Obi-Wan's lips. "Well, why
don't you?" He took two sensuous steps forward. Qui-Gon
discovered that his mouth was dry.
"Why don't I what?" he managed.
"Why don't you throw me to the floor and 'do' me?"
Qui-Gon couldn't move, he literally could not move, he
was frozen as Obi-Wan continued sauntering forward, little step
by little step. "Did you ever think, Master," that seductive
voice continued, "that maybe I walk like this because I
want you to notice me?"
He was only one step away now, and still it would have taken a
Force storm and a good deal of blue lightning to get Qui-Gon to
move.
"That maybe I want you?" And now Obi-Wan's voice was so soft as
he took that final step, his face mere inches from Qui-Gon's.
Another heartbeat and the distance was sealed, Obi-Wan's lips
covering Qui- Gon's in a gentle yet sensuous kiss.
That was what it took to break Qui-Gon's stupor and he found
himself responding to the kiss, leaning ardently into it. His
hands left his sides and reached out to his padawan's body;
touching that which was so familiar yet intimately different. A
small groan escaped his throat as Obi-Wan's tongue sought
entrance into his mouth and he readily permitted it. Qui-Gon
was losing himself in the touch....
"Ahem."
The noise was far away, like an annoying buzz at the edge of
perception. Qui-Gon deliberately ignored it and concentrated on
the feel of Obi-Wan's mouth beneath his own, not that it took
that much concentration; the sensation was sweeping him away of
its own accord.
"Ahem!" This time it was definitely louder and a sharp thwack
around his knees brought Qui-Gon back to reality. "Still here,
am I!" Yoda protested.
Obi-Wan pulled away and Qui-Gon felt an enormous disappointment
course through his body.
"We must thank you, Master Yoda, for this therapy session,"
Obi-Wan said formally. "I believe we are well on the way to
solving our problems. Wouldn't you agree, Master?" A sly hand
caressed his leg and Qui-Gon was only able to mumble something
that sounded like an agreement.
"Out with you," Yoda said grumpily, but there was a definite
gleam in his eyes. "Tomorrow meet again shall we, but time
alone you need." He peered at them intently and banged his
stick on the ground. "Talk first, you should, then later have
sex."
"Oh believe me, we plan to," Obi-Wan smirked, ignoring
Qui-Gon's outraged, "Padawan!"
Obi-Wan took his hand and led him from Yoda's quarters and down
the hall. For once, Obi-Wan was in front and Qui-Gon found
himself quite enjoying the view, especially of the snug black
outfit.
He couldn't wait to tear it off.
And he couldn't wait to learn much more about his
Obi-Wan than he'd ever known before.
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