An Arcadian Picnic

by Merry Amelie

Title: An Arcadian Picnic
Author: Merry Amelie
Archive: MA only
Category: Alternate Reality, Qui/Obi, Romance, Series
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Everyone's at the table this Fourth of July.

I'm posting Arcadia and Q/O drabbles to TPM 100.

Series: Academic Arcadia -- # 105
A chronological list of the series with the URLs can be found under the header 'Academic Arcadia' at the Master Apprentice ML.

My MA story page is here.

Feedback: Is treasured at MerryAmelie@aol.com.
Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.

For
My beta team: Nerowill, Emila-Wan, Carol, and Padawan Sue
Mali Wane for posting
My former betas: Alex and Ula

July 4th in Arcadia:
# 27) Independence Day: Let Freedom Ring
# 48) Declaration of Independence
# 81) Meditations on Freedom

Ian grinned as he handed a footlong hot dog to Quinn. Just a subtle reminder that he knew one hundred ways to make his husband sweat while eating one.

None of which he could use that evening. The Fourth of July picnic was at their home again this year, after Jo raved that Quinn made the best burgers in the family. So there they sat, hot dogs in hand, but unable to take advantage of it, surrounded as they were by family and friends in their backyard.

Quinn's eyes sparkled nonetheless as he grinned back at his lad nonchalantly. He already knew there would be a private set of fireworks that evening, when their guests had left. After all, they had their own personal tradition to uphold.

All of the work had already been done, with Quinn and Keith grilling enough prime beef for a commissary, Case and Bant assembling the components of buns, mustard, ketchup, and relish, Jo and John handing out cool drinks, and Ian and Ginny passing out the food.

Now the party was in full swing. Their next-door neighbors, the Palmers, had brought over their picnic table with Ian and Quinn's help, so there were two redwood rectangles on the lawn. Keith, Kathy, Lelia, Ginny, and Quinn sat on one side of the first table, while Jo, Monty, John, and Ian were on the other. The Palmers and Ethan sat at the next table, with Evan, Case, and Bant across from them.

Quinn grinned over at Ian, who was eating his frankfurter as innocently as his niece, all little nibbles with no licking of relish. Try as he might, there was just no way Ian could eat it completely innocuously, at least to Quinn's avid gaze, regardless of his best intentions.

And of course, Quinn's memory gleefully supplied the more provocative moments in their hot dog history together, a faraway look in his eyes which only Ian could recognize. He made an effort to focus on the here and now, despite the temptation sitting across from him.

Lelia picked that moment to giggle, further dispelling his erotic haze. Mommy's big girl at three, she could pronounce their names correctly now, but 'Qui' and 'Wan' remained her pet names for them.

She reached out a tiny hand to Ginny, who took the toddler in her arms. This was the first Independence Day cookout Ginny and John had attended in Alder Run. It was wonderful to see them here, especially on this most important of holidays.

Just last year, Quinn couldn't have imagined his parents knowing about his marriage to Ian, and coming to celebrate with them anyway. They'd been making an effort at tolerance, which Quinn tried to tell himself was enough. True acceptance remained a pipe dream fit for Gandalf to chase.

John's joke about a pint of Guinness, a July Fourth clover, and a leprechaun reminded Quinn of what he'd been missing. He grinned over at his dad, thinking how lucky he was to have him here, even half-heartedly. Theirs wasn't the only family picnic this year -- Uncle Sean and Aunt Maureen would have loved to play host to his folks again.

Ian was drinking in the sight of Quinn surrounded by his parents, a gift he himself had always taken for granted. This Fourth of July had brought his husband one step closer to perfect freedom.

Ginny was in her element, with Lelia on her lap and her son by her side. A variation on the future she'd long imagined. When Lelia giggled as she played with Quinn's shirtsleeve, Ginny beamed in delight. She soaked up the closeness with the last tangerine and raspberry rays of the sun.

John smiled at his wife and Lelia, musing that Ginny had finally come close to getting what she'd wanted for years. It was hard to face the reality of his son and Ian as a couple, but the rewards were tangible.

Jo had a bit of a self-satisfied grin on her face. She'd first suggested getting together with the Mastersons in 2004, and had never given up hope for one big happy family. Now it looked like they were on their way.

Keith gazed at his grinning wife with satisfaction. Sometimes it paid to have big dreams, and the faith that they'd come true. He loved Jo's mixture of pragmatism and idealism, which she'd passed on to Ian.

Kathy caught the grins with relish. She'd been hoping the Mastersons would join them, too. She'd juggled her holiday plans for years, just like Quinn, and commiserated with him over it, but at least her parents had known the reason. Luckily, this year they were celebrating with relatives in Vermont.

Monty was simply kicking back and enjoying his little brother's hospitality. Kathy and he had invited Ian over on innumerable occasions before he'd met Quinn. Now, they divvied up the holidays more evenly. And he agreed with Mom -- Quinn sure could grill a mean burger.

The first fireworks brightened the sky just as they were finishing up their watermelon. The blue and green Roman candles were Ian and Quinn's favorites, and possibly Lelia's, judging by her squeal at the lit sabers in the sky. Red sparklers and chrysanthemums burst around them in a battle for the upper hand. Duelling fireworks set the heavens on fire at the climax, fountains and comets joining the conflagration until the sky was ablaze with color.

Their guests started leaving when the light show ended, mellow and happy after a beautiful evening. Ian bagged the plastic forks and paper plates, and took them out to the curb. Quinn gave Artoo and Sandy the leftover burgers instead of their Iams, and clicked on the nightlight.

Though pleasantly tired, the men wouldn't miss their private celebration for the galaxy. Falling into bed with a contented groan, Quinn pulled Ian on top of himself with the effortless ease borne of years of lovemaking. A drowsy Ian burrowed into Quinn's neck even as his shaft started to awaken.

Quinn's was rousing, too, with such delicious stimulation. "That's right, lad. Just there." Ian's nibbles along his neck reminded him of his husband's hot dog nibbling earlier that evening. 'He could turn on a stone without even trying,' he thought distractedly.

With each contraction of Quinn's stomach muscles against his hard flesh, Ian woke up more. "Come on, Qui-yeah, that's it."

Ian's hot blend of murmurs, requests, and commands left Quinn breathless even before their shafts slid together. "Laddie!" he shouted, thrashing under Ian frantically, desperate to feel as much of him as possible.

"Aaah!" Ian wailed, beyond words now. His remarkable hips took over, thrusting uncontrollably as Quinn strained upward to kiss him.

Quinn felt his lad's orgasm in Ian's lips as they crushed his under them, in those strong fingers as they clenched on his hips, in that gorgeous shaft pulsing to the beat of his own.

Ian dropped on top of Quinn, knowing his husband would catch and cradle him. A breathless chuckle escaped him as he thought of all the spent firecrackers at this time of night on July 4th.

"Worth staying up for, laddie?" Quinn kissed the sweaty spike of hair on Ian's forehead.

"Mmm-hmm," yawned Ian, more than half asleep again.

The absolute freedom of Independence Day followed them into their dreams.