ARCHIVE: master_apprentice, FirstTimeSlash. Anywhere else just
ask and ye shall receive.
CATEGORY/WARNINGS: SLASH. Humour. NC17. Contains M/M
relationships. If you are offended by a consensual sexual
relationship between two men read no further. You have been
warned!
CHARACTERS: QGJ/OWK. Pre TPM so no spoilers.
SUMMARY: QGJ & OWK are sent on their most perilous mission
yet. Baby-sitting. An old friend makes the boys re-evaluate
their relationship.
DISCLAIMERS: I don't own them. George Lucas does. I just like
to play with them, see what positions I can get them into that
George can't <G>
FEEDBACK: Okay then, force me <G>. Would love to hear
what you think, good or bad. Can't improve if you don't tell me
what I'm doing wrong.
"Master, why are we doing this?" Obi-Wan's voice was calm but
Qui-Gon could feel the undercurrent of intrepidation through
their bond. It brought a small smile to the Master lips.
How many times had his padawan stood beside him in battle? How
many times had they drawn their sabres and literally fought for
their lives? To many times for him to count was how many. In
all that time he had never felt the apprehension in his student
that he was feeling now. And what great terror had provoked
such a reaction in Obi-Wan?
Children.
Admittedly, it was 20 children, all under the age of 7, and
they were about to take them on a weeks vacation. Qui-Gon's
smile grew as he realised that perhaps Obi-Wan was right to be
a little afraid.
"Because, Obi-Wan, it is the duty of all Jedi to help shape the
minds of future generations." He answered sincerely but didn't
quite succeed in wiping his amusement from his lips.
"But why us Master? We are not teachers?"
Qui-Gon considered his answer before replying and decided he
should tell his student the truth. "Let me just say that
someone called in a favour I owed them." He finally admitted.
Obi-Wan regarded him with mild surprise for a moment, eyebrows
raised ever so slightly. "That must have been one big favour."
Qui-Gon was unable to suppress a bubble of laughter and it
erupted from his throat in a deep growl. "You might say that
padawan."
The scene that greeted them in the departure hall was as bad as
Obi-Wan had imagined. 20 children were running around the large
hanger, chasing each other and simultaneously testing the
capacity of their lungs. He tried not to let the frantic
activity and noise grate on his nerves and succeeded in keeping
his features as bland as he could. He hoped.
Qui-Gon seemed to be smiling in amusement, again.
A female, dressed in the clothes of a Jedi infant school
teacher waved a brief greeting from across the hanger and his
Master raised one large hand in response. Obi-Wan wondered if
this was the person that his Master owed such a huge debt to.
She was petite in build, no more than 5 ft in height and slim
built. Her hair was dark and short. She was humanoid, but not
human. Her skin was pale, almost porcelain, with large, almost
child like eyes. He didn't recognise her but she clearly knew
his Master.
They watched silently as she finished speaking with another
teacher and then strode confidently towards them; somehow
managing to dodge half a dozen children who darted across her
path, and gracefully side-stepping any number of toy shaped
obstacles on the way. When she finally reached them she bowed
slightly in respect.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Master Jinn." Her tone was
almost teasing, as if she knew how much both of them didn't
want to be there.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan returned her bow and Obi-Wan was caught of
guard when his normally reserved Master stepped forward and
placed a soft kiss on the woman's cheek.
She looked to be barely older than Obi-Wan, yet she did not
wear a padawan braid which made him think she had already
passed her trials. He caught a sense of her life force and was
amazed to feel a soul aged far beyond her appearance.
"It is a pleasure to see you again also Aryad'ni. May I
introduce my padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
The woman's large green eyes turned to take in the smaller
frame of the man standing beside the Jedi Master. He felt her
eyes run from his head to his toes and back again before she
finally made eye contact and smiled warmly. "It is an honour to
meet you Obi-Wan."
He inclined his head slightly in recognition of her compliment.
He had been ready to dislike the person responsible for forcing
them to spend a week with a bunch of small children but he was
already failing. Besides she was quite beautiful. He wondered
if her beauty may be the reason for his Master agreeing to come
on this mission but dismissed the idea immediately. His
Master was many things, a slave to his libido was not one of
them.
"We are clear to depart if you gentlemen are ready?" She
informed them turning her eyes towards the children behind her.
Qui-Gon nodded. "Should we round them up before they break
something?"
"Wise as always," she smiled.
Getting all the children aboard the transport ship hadn't been
as hard as Obi-Wan had imagined. After all, these were not just
children, but Jedi's in training. They were already used to
obeying their teachers.
He helped Aryad'ni and Qui-Gon settle the children into their
seats, strap them in and conduct a thorough head count. He
looked down at the tiny trusting faces and felt himself smile.
He could still remember the vacations he had taken as a child.
They were memories filled with excitement and laughter. A
chance to take a break away from the rigorous training in the
Temple.
2 hours into the trip his smile was fading. He'd done more
trips to the bathroom with more children than he cared to
count, settled at least 10 squabbles and narrowly avoided being
thrown up on. He was trying hard to remind himself that he
liked children.
By the time they arrived on the forest planet of Teskat he had
a thumping headache that he just couldn't shift, no matter what
technique he used. Qui-Gon seemed, outwardly, to be fairing
slightly better. He was still managing to smile every time one
of the children bombarded him with questions. Perhaps, Obi-Wan
thought to himself, having survived having me as his apprentice
the last 10 years he was able to face anything.
Aryad'ni seemed completely unfazed. She handled the children
with a kind but firm hand and they responded to her without
question. In fact, she seemed to be getting off far lighter
than Obi-Wan or his Master. Obviously these seemingly innocent
children knew a sucker when they saw one.
They arrived at their destination about mid-day and the
afternoon was spent in a whirl of organising lunch, clearing up
after lunch, setting up camp, arranging the children's
belongings in their tents, making a camp fire, making dinner,
clearing up after dinner, getting 20 children washed and ready
for bed and finally the ritual of stories around the camp fire.
Obi-Wan wasn't sure where the hours between their arrival and
sunset had disappeared to. He'd had to call on every ounce of
energy he had to keep going the last hour. He was exhausted yet
he seemed to have done nothing.
His mind was still spinning at all the questions that had been
fired at him during the day. Why was he doing this? Why was he
doing that? Why did he do it that way? Why couldn't they do
this? Why, why, why. He would be quite happy to never hear that
word again as long as he lived.
Once the children were finally settled he sunk down in front of
the fire, collapsed onto his back in exhaustion and sighed
heavily. He felt the familiar presence of his Master sink down
to the ground beside him.
"Can I ask you a question?" Obi-Wan questioned him without
opening his eyes.
"Certainly. So long as it does not start with the word why."
Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "How did you survive training 3
padawans Master?"
He heard Qui-Gon laugh gently. "Sometimes I wonder myself.
Besides, I haven't survived you yet. I might not."
Obi-Wan opened one eye to look up at the older man. His friend
was smiling at him softly in the light of the camp fire.
Qui-Gon's hair had given up any attempt to stay in it's usual
tie back and had fallen around his face and shoulders. His
tunic was dishevelled from having a group of children use him
as a human climbing frame and his cheek was sporting a small
bruise from a run in with a child size elbow.
He felt an all to familiar longing sweep through his body. Did
his Master have any idea how beautiful he looked in that
flickering light. Obi-Wan immediate turned the thought away. He
was to tired to be sure he was successfully shielding his
inappropriate thoughts about his Master.
Qui-Gon held his half gaze, still smiling to himself.
"Tell me Master," Obi-Wan asked closing his eyes again. "What
is the debt that you owe Aryad'ni?"
He heard Qui-Gon settle into a more comfortable position before
he answered. "I owe her my very life."
Obi-Wan waited silently, aware that his Master was going to
explain further but in his own time.
"When I was much younger, younger than you are now, I was sent
on a mission with Master Yoda. Aryad'ni was a padawan herself,
her Master had been killed and Master Yoda was minding her
until a suitable position came up. She was very near to taking
her trials and much wiser than I was."
Qui-Gon's voice was surprisingly melancholy as he recounted the
tale.
"I......." he paused. "Resented her presence. Thinking I knew
better I went against my Master wishes and took it upon myself
to settle a dispute between 2 families in the village we were
staying in. It was a foolish and reckless thing to do but I was
not thinking clearly."
Obi-Wan tried to hide his shock at the thought of his Master
doing something so out of character. He opened his eyes finally
to watch Qui-Gon finish.
"I was held hostage for 2 days and Aryad'ni risked her life to
save me. She was badly wounded and as a result can never have
children of her own. She saved my life and gave up the
opportunity of ever creating a new one to do so. I blamed
myself for her injuries and nearly left the order, she made me
see sense, again, and I am proud to count her as a friend."
"Is that why she works with the children now?" Obi-Wan
questioned.
"I do not know, her reasons are her own. I would never presume
to read meanings into anything that she does. She is an
extraordinary lady and a fine Knight," Qui-Gon answered
honestly.
Obi-Wan felt something along their bond as his Master spoke and
suddenly it became clear to him that the two had at one time
been lovers. He was shocked to find that he was jealous.
It was ridiculous to be jealous of Qui-Gon's ex-lover. She was
certainly not his only one. His Master was a handsome man, even
now he still attracted the amorous attentions of fellow Jedi
and non-Jedi alike. As unreasonable as it was, Obi-Wan wanted
his Master to be chased. He wanted to be the one to show him
the many wondrous pleasures a lover could provide.
He sighed to himself mentally. That thought was even more
ridiculous. Qui-Gon would never return his feelings. To him
Obi-Wan was still a child, his padawan. Whilst he knew that his
Master loved him like a son he knew there was no hope that he
would ever return the type of love that Obi-Wan held for him.
Aryad'ni watched them from the open flap of her tent. Obi-Wan
was laid flat out on his back, hands resting casually either
side of him, face turned towards his Master. Qui-Gon sat level
with his padawan's head, his eyes fixed on the younger mans
face. She saw Qui-Gon laugh softly and in response Obi-Wan's
body shook as he joined in. A small smile crept onto her face
as she watched.
She relaxed her body and reached out tentatively with the
Force. Not wanting to intrude but needing to share their
warmth. She was struck by a wave of emotions. Did these 2 men
have any idea how much they were radiating their feelings for
one another? She let herself almost breath in their presence,
closing her eyes against the warmth of the feelings as they
washed over and through her.
There was such love and understanding between them.
Such feelings were not uncommon between a Master and
apprentice. It was, for most, a father/son relationship, yet
she was certain she had caught something more, something there
but not quite solid.
Desire? Lust? Love? They were all there but when she tried to
get a grasp on them they were gone. They were more like
emotional echoes.
These 2 men were both hiding something much stronger. She
opened her eyes again and chewed on her bottom lip
thoughtfully. Did they know? Had they ever spoken to each other
of the hidden feelings that Aryad'ni was certain were there? Or
were they both in denial, not wanting to admit that their
relationship had progressed beyond a Master/apprentice or even
father/son bond.
She thought for a moment more, considered all the
possibilities, made her mind up and scooted out of her tent to
join them at the fireside.
When she approached she could see that they had both become
serious. Whatever topic they had been discussing had stopped
the laughter they had been sharing minutes before.
She sat beside Qui-Gon and turned her head to one side
slightly. "Listen." She whispered.
Both men listened, and heard nothing. Obi-Wan said so.
Aryad'ni smiled. "I know, silence. Isn't it wonderful. Make the
most of it. It's the only time your going to get to hear it the
next week."
Aryad'ni wasn't mistaken in her observation that the only peace
they would get would come at night, after the children were all
asleep.
The days were filled with supervising and amusing the
youngster. Walking, swimming, feeding, fielding question after
question, not to mention nursing any number of cut knees and
scraped elbows.
The children collapsed exhausted into bed each night, and the 3
adults collapsed in front of the camp fire shortly after.
Aryad'ni felt that she had formed a real bond with Obi-Wan
during their trip. The young man was friendly and calm around
the children and had quickly won himself his own fan club. The
children almost fought to be the one sitting next to him at
meal times. He had quickly won his way into her affections
also.
It was the night before their return to Coruscant that she
finally managed to capture Qui-Gon on his own and put her plan
into action.
Obi-Wan had retired to his tent for the night whilst his Master
was enjoying the last few moments of the rapidly dying fire.
Aryad'ni pulled herself a little closer to him so she could
talk in a low voice.
"Obi-Wan is a fine young man. You should be very proud of him,"
she started innocently enough.
Instantly she felt a bloom of pride from her old friend. "I am
proud of him. He will be a fine Knight. I shall be sorry to
lose him when the time arrives for him to take his trials." He
answered honestly.
"Surely the Council will allow you to remain together once he
is made a Knight?" She questioned.
She saw Qui-Gon frown sadly. "It is unlikely."
"Surely they know of the special relationship the two of you
have? It would be cruel to separate lovers. Have you not
thought of asking him to life bond with you? The council would
surely allow you to stay together if you did, they are very
aware of the power of two bonded Jedi." It was a gamble, but
one she was willing to take. She only hoped the Jedi Master
didn't see through her straight away.
She waited for his retort. And continued to wait. He seemed to
have gone temporarily speechless.
"I'm sorry if I have spoken out of turn," she found herself
apologising, not entirely honestly. "I didn't mean to intrude
into you personal life. I was only expressing my desire to see
two people so much in love spending the rest of their lives
together."
His head turned slightly and she took the full force of his
gaze.
"Obi-Wan is my padawan, not my lover." He voice was calm,
controlled but his eyes spoke a very different story. He was
shocked that someone had seen the true desire in his heart.
"But you do love him?" She was walking a thin line now.
"Of course." A sharp answer.
"I mean you love him as a person, not as your padawan. I feel
it every time you look at each other. If you both want the same
thing why has it not happened?"
"What I do or do not feel is beside the point. Obi-Wan is still
young, it would be wrong for anyone to expect him to decide to
spend the rest of his life with someone at such a young age."
"Obi-Wan is far from a boy Qui-Gon. He is very much a man, and
a gorgeous one at that. You shouldn't hide your feelings from
him to long or someone else will fill the gap that he so
desperately wants you to. Sith, if I thought he'd have me I'd
thrown myself at him right now." She allowed a small grin to
creep onto her lips.
Qui-Gon continued to stare at her, face passive.
"Besides," Aryad'ni finished. "You shouldn't decide if it's
wrong for Obi-Wan to bond with someone for life without asking
him what he wants."
She got to her feet and bid her friend goodnight. She had
planted the seed, she only hoped it would grow in the direction
she wanted it to.
Qui-Gon watched the seemingly young woman enter her tent, his
mind racing and his heart pounding in his chest.
How did she know? What had he let slip through his defences in
the last week? He allowed himself a tiny groan of self pity.
He was acutely aware of his attraction to his student, he had
been for some time. He had watched Obi-Wan grown from a lanky
child into the beautiful man that he was now. He knew every
contour of that body, had every line etched permanently into
his memory. He was also aware of the reaction his own body had
to his padawan's new found manhood.
What if what Aryad'ni was correct. What if Obi-Wan did feel the
same way about him. As impossible as it seemed Qui-Gon wanted
it to be true more than anything else in the Universe. Could it
be true? Did Obi-Wan feel the same desire he did?
Qui-Gon pulled himself to his feet, the camp fire now nothing
more than a pile of glowing ash beside him. He needed to
meditate and decide what he was going to do. By letting Obi-Wan
know of his desire he risked pushing the young man away from
him. By not letting him know he risked losing him completely.
They had been back on Coruscant two days now and Obi-Wan was
beginning to wonder if he had done something wrong. Qui-Gon had
been even more distant than usual. He had done little but
meditate since their return and seemed reluctant to spend time
in his company.
He was frowning as he walked the corridor that led to their
shared quarters. He wasn't sure what he should do. If he had
upset his Master in some way he wished he would tell him so he
could try to make amends. Even the usual flow of emotions
across their training bond had been tempered and his missed the
feel of his Master in his mind. He felt empty and alone.
He palmed the door and crossed into the living area. Qui-Gon
was sitting cross legged on the floor. His hands lose, his body
relaxed. Obi-Wan thought he was beautiful and it made his heart
ache further still.
Qui-Gon raised his head as his apprentice entered and the young
man saw something, an undefined emotion, play across his
Master's features before his face became composed once more.
"I trust you had a good day padawan?" Qui-Gon enquired.
Obi-Wan's frown depend and he stepped across so he was standing
in front of the older man.
"Truthfully Master, no I have not." He could not carry on with
this doubt and misery a moment longer.
Qui-Gon rose swiftly and gracefully to his feet and stood over
his student. "Is there something wrong Obi-Wan?" He asked
genuinely concerned.
"Yes Master. I would like to know what I have done wrong. I
feel you backing away from me, closing off our bond, and I am
at a loss to explain why. If I have made an error I would like
to know what it is." His voice was as calm as he could manage
but he kept his head bowed, not just in respect but also in
fear of what he might see in his Master's eyes.
"Wrong?" Qui-Gon echoed the statement as if it were only
occurring to him for the first time.
"Yes Master," Obi-Wan replied quietly.
Surprisingly Qui-Gon place a hand under his chin and raised his
head to make eye contact. "You have done nothing wrong padawan,
nothing at all. It is me that is at fault here not you. I
apologise if my actions have caused you pain. I never intended
them to."
Obi-Wan continued to frown. If it wasn't him that had caused
this sudden withdrawal in his Master then what was it? What
could Qui-Gon have possibly done that he thought himself at
fault.
"Please Master, tell me what is troubling you. I only wish to
help." Why was his skin tingling at the touch?
Qui-Gon stood for a long time, simply staring into the eyes of
the man before him, his hand not leaving the underside of
Obi-Wan's chin.
"Will you do something for me?" he asked of his student.
"Anything Master," came the instant reply.
"Open your mind to me. Let me see your true desires. Only then
will I know what path I should go down."
"Master..." it wasn't a question but he could sense Obi-Wan's
hesitation.
Obi-Wan was fixed on his Master's gaze. A part of him didn't
want to open up so fully, was afraid to let him see the secret
desire he held for him, fearing rejection. He shook himself
mentally. Fear was not a thing a Jedi could hold onto. Making a
conscious decision he let go of the fear and let his barriers
fall slowly away from his mind.
Qui-Gon physically gasped as he saw into Obi-Wan's mind.
Everything Aryad' ni had told him was true. In an instant he
saw the love the young man had for him, the desire, the want.
He saw himself through Obi-Wan's eyes and it made his heart
sing.
"Now do you see?" Obi-Wan was asking him in a breathless
whisper.
"Oh yes. Yes my beloved I do." Qui-Gon answered him and not
wanting to waste another moment he lent forward and captured
the young man's mouth in an achingly soft kiss.
The kiss turned from soft exploration to red hot desire in
moments. He felt Obi-Wan's arms come up to clasp around his
neck, pulling his body in against the taller man. Qui-Gon
wrapped his own around the smaller body in response, crushing
him closer still.
Clothes were shed across the floor as the stumbled towards the
bedroom. Then finally they were both naked and they collapsed
onto the bed together. Hands and mouths explored, tracing
across familiar bodies in a completely new way.
It should have been awkward, they were new lovers, this was new
territory, instead it was a discovery of pleasure. Qui-Gon sank
back into the bed, letting his student take control. He wanted
to feel Obi-Wan's love for him as much as Obi-Wan needed to
prove it.
When the young man's hot mouth finally took possession of his
raging erection he thought he was going to die from the sheer
overload of pleasure. How, when, had his student leaned such
techniques? It wasn't a complaint, yet he realised there was a
whole side to his padawan that he knew nothing about. He was
looking forward to discovering it for himself, and conducting a
few lessons of his own.
6 Months Later.
Aryad'ni was on her hands and knees, pulling toys out from
under one of the work benches. The last of her classes had
finished for the day and she liked to leave the classroom tidy,
ready for the first class in the morning to destroy it.
She heard the door open and felt a familiar presence surround
her. She looked up and smiled at the two Jedi standing in the
doorway.
"Good evening gentleman," she greeted climbing back to her
feet. Even so the two men both towered over her.
"Good evening Aryad'ni," Obi-Wan returned with a warm smile.
"When did you get back?" She questioned them as she placed the
last of the toys in their boxes.
"This morning," Qui-Gon informed her. "We thought you might
like to join us for dinner?"
Aryad'ni nodded her agreement. "I would be delighted. Thank
you."
She saw Obi-Wan exchange a look with his Master and the older
man nodded in agreement. Aryad'ni was unsure quite what he was
giving his padawan permission for until Obi-Wan took her hands
in his own and turned her to face him.
"There is something else, something we wanted to discuss with
you." He informed her.
She looked at him, slightly wary. The tension level in the room
had just gone up a notch.
"We wanted to thank you for what you did for us. If you hadn't
made Qui-Gon face up to his feelings we might never have
experienced the joy of the last few months." He was teasing his
Master slightly and although she couldn't see him, Aryad'ni
could feel the older man's smile.
"It was my pleasure believe me. I am glad that things are
settled between you, your happiness makes me happy." She
assured them both although it was Obi-Wan's gaze she held.
"We know. However, we should still like to repay you somehow."
Obi-Wan continued.
Aryad'ni took a step backwards as she realised what the young
man was suggesting. However, she didn't get very far as she
found herself backing into a solid wall that was suddenly
behind her. A wall that was placing it's large warm hands on
her shoulders.
"Repay me? How?" Was that really her voice, it sounded alien to
her own ears.
A soft mouth spoke softly into her ear. "I think payment in
kind is in order, don't you Obi-Wan?"
The young man still holding her hands smiled warmly. "Yes
Master."
Aryad'ni felt her pulse step up a gear. 'Oh my' She thought to
herself. 'I've died and gone to heaven.'
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