An Arcadian Backyard

by Merry Amelie (MerryAmelie@aol.com)

Archive: MA only
Category: Alternate Reality, Qui/Obi, Romance
Rating: PG
Summary: Ian and Quinn enjoy the delights of the Prentice backyard.
Series: Academic Arcadia -- 1) Wedding Gifts 2) A Symposium on Love 3) Dinner and a Movie 4) Please Call First 5) Masquerade 6) A Change of Clime 7) Christmas in Williamsburg 8) A Paduan New Year's Eve 9) Flux 10) Ki of Tranquility 11) A Rescindable Honor 12) An Honor Conferred 13) Outmaneuvered 14) Valentines by Design 15) Mastery 16) A Walk in the Park 17) The Man of the Moment 18) St. Patrick's Play 19) Avocation 20) Sustenance 21) A Cruise for Two 22) Mother's Day 23) A Long-expected Anniversary 24) Futurity 25) Father's Day 26) A Taste of Summer 27) Independence Day: Let Freedom Ring 28) An Arcadian Backyard
Feedback: Is treasured at MerryAmelie@aol.com
Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
To Alex, my friend and beta

Jo and Keith had moped around for the past week like empty-nesters all over again. Kathy, Monty, and the baby had moved back to their New York City apartment so Kathy could return to work after her maternity leave.

It had been Jo's idea to invite Ian and Quinn over on this sunny mid-July Saturday, and now all four of them were sitting on the patio sipping Jo's own mango iced tea. This was the first time they'd gotten together since Independence Day, and she couldn't help but notice that Quinn and Ian's wedding bands had been replaced by college rings.

Jo looked at their hands with resigned acceptance; she hadn't really expected the men to continue wearing the bands. Quinn might be a maverick in his profession, but Jo knew that his family situation called for diplomacy and discretion. As for Ian, with his ingrained respect for rules and regulations, it was no wonder that he'd rather his personal life remain private.

Quinn caught Jo staring at him, and gave her a commiserative grin; he and Ian had thought all this through long before. He deliberately patted Ian's left hand to reassure her that though the ring was no longer there, it might as well have been. Their love for each other was as fixed as the planets in their orbits, and a bit of metal wouldn't change that one iota.

"Looks like we're sending strong gymnastics teams to Athens next month," Keith said. He and Jo had carefully nurtured Ian's lifelong dedication to the sport.

Quinn chuckled. "Guess who's got the TV schedule memorized, and wants take-out meals for the duration?" He ruffled Ian's already messy hair.

"It's only two weeks, Quinn. Thank goodness we don't have classes during the coverage." Ian finished his iced tea.

"If you think Ian's going overboard now, you should have seen him in 2000. He used the events in Sydney as the basis for his writing worksheets in class," Keith said, a mixture of pride and amusement in his voice.

Ian said, "Don't laugh -- the kids did their best work of the semester on them."

Quinn nodded. "I don't doubt it. Anything that makes course material a little less dry works wonders."

Jo said, "I'd like to do an Olympics showcase for the library next week. Will you help me, Ian?"

"Of course, Mom."

Jo looked at her watch, and said, "We'd better get started on dinner. You boys stay out here for a while."

"As long as you'll let us do the dishes," said the ever-gallant Quinn.

As soon as Keith and Jo went inside, Ian reached for Quinn's hand. The backyard was blessedly private with no neighbors across the way, the property boundary line a brook with undeveloped land beyond.

Ian and Quinn walked hand in hand to the brook, and sat on the grass by its side, close enough to dip their fingers in to feel the rush of water tickle the tips.

Quinn felt something else slide into his palm, a gift of the current. He opened his hand to see a black river stone that might have been a twin to Ian's first present to him. Sure enough, Quinn felt a tingle from the stone, just as he had in Windover.

Grinning, Quinn placed it in Ian's hand, and watched his face light up.

"Thank you," Ian said, kissing him softly. "I know just where to put it."

Quinn laughed. "That bookcase looks more like a curio cabinet every day."

"Too true," said Ian.

The late afternoon sun blazed a path down the brook, dazzling their eyes.

"It looks like a river of light," marveled Quinn.

Ian said, "Only when I'm here with you."

"What a perfect place to read Tolkien," Quinn said, surrounded by water, trees, and sky.

Ian said, "I must've gone through each book at least three times out here over the years."

"Not a bad imitation of the Shire. Sitting here, you'd never know that it's the Age of Men," Quinn said.

"Right now, I'm feeling more like a boy. Care for a swing?" Ian asked, pointing to an old tire that had been tied with stout rope to an oak tree branch.

Quinn said, "I've never been on one of these."

"My dad put it up for us when I was six. Come on -- let's take turns." Ian wiggled into the tire hole first, to show Quinn how it was done. When he was sitting comfortably in the wheel gap, he said, "How about a push to start?"

When Quinn reached for the tire, Ian captured his fingers and squeezed for a moment before Quinn positioned his hands on the rubber. Ian thought of Quinn's powerful volleyball serve on their cruise when he saw those muscled arms swing the tire all but effortlessly. Once Quinn had gotten him started, Ian pumped his legs to move on his own. He flew through the air whooping and laughing. "I'd forgotten how good this feels."

Quinn stood aside to smile at his friend's antics. "Go, Ian!"

After a few minutes of flying, Ian let the swing gradually stop. He clambered off, and gave his 'seat' to Quinn, who had a much harder time squirming into position. Needless to say, Ian enjoyed every movement.

When Quinn was ready, Ian pushed him off. His long legs allowed him to swing in a higher arc than Ian, and judging by his hoots, Quinn enjoyed the thrill of it just as much as he had.

After they 'tired' of swinging, Ian dragged Quinn to the ping pong table on the patio. Ian had played hundreds of games with Monty, which more than made up for Quinn's height and reach advantage. Quinn began to play at full steam, and was surprised when Ian matched him swing for swing.

The weathering of the table gave Ian an additional edge; he was used to the quirky ball bounces that left Quinn flat-footed. When Ian won the decisive third game, they'd both had enough for the day.

Ian sniffed the air hopefully, but dinner wasn't quite ready yet. He led Quinn over to a wide green hammock with white fringes supported by a wooden frame, and shaded by the largest elm tree in the yard. They'd seen Jo and Keith relaxing together there before, but had never used it themselves. Since his parents had given them privacy, why not take advantage of it?

The men lay on the coarse cloth, heads on the same pillow, pleasantly tumbled together by the hammock's curvature. Overhead, the sky was blueberries and cream, the quiet around them unbroken.

When Keith poked his head out the door to tell them to come in for dinner, Ian and Quinn weren't quite ready to go indoors yet. The two grinned at each other like the ten-year-olds they'd been for the last hour, and decided to ask to eat outside.

End.