Short Obi ficlette
Apr. 16th, 2004 02:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalJust a short Obi ficlette that popped out last night. No plot, no point, goes nowhere. But for some reason I wrote it.
Title: Building Character
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: PG
Pairing: Qui/Obi
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns them. This is free and happy and just play. Really.
Summary: A long, cold trip finally comes to an end for a sniffly padawan and his master.
Building Character
This was certainly anything but the ideal mission with ideal circumstances. But Obi-Wan was coping as well as could be expected, and wanted to give his master no reason to be displeased with his performance. Still, conditions were not pleasant. Obi-Wan could hardly remember a time when his teeth weren’t chattering and his body wasn’t shivering violently or on the verge of doing so. For hours upon hours and days upon days now, they’d been out in the cold, and it was starting to wear upon them. Obi-Wan could barely imagine being warm again, let alone warm and well and in his master’s arms. Their thick fur coats had prevented that.
His cold, too, had stood in their way. Obi-Wan had done everything possible to share a tent and sled with his master and still not give him his cold. Despite the cold weather, his ailment was starting to improve, and the aches and pains and sore throat had given way to merely sniffles and sneezes, which were a little bit more controllable.
“hehhh…” The need to sneeze upon him, Obi-Wan screwed up his face, wrinkling his nose and flaring his nostrils. The feeling passed quickly, the rest of his face, beneath his scarf and hood, was so cold against the wind that he could hardly express his relief at not sneezing.
Suddenly Obi-Wan’s eyes grew wide, and he leaned back against his master, keeping a firm hold of the dogs’ reins. “Is that it up ahead?” he shouted to be heard above the roar of the wind whipping past them. He sensed that it was; he knew that it was. But he wanted to hear it from his master before he believed it.
Qui-Gon, whose eyes had been closed as he intended to drift off to sleep, strained to see through the thick snow. And, failing this, he used the force to feel it out, the way they had been using the force to travel in the right direction. “I believe it is,” he said. “We should be there in less than an hour at this rate.” His thick gloved hand patted Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Good work, Padawan.”
With a smile at the thought of getting in out of the snow and wind at last, Obi-Wan steered straight for the brown blur, trying to calm his feelings of anxiousness and excitement. Another pat on his shoulder told him that at such times, it was all right to feel a little anxious and excited. Obi-Wan smiled. This part of the mission was almost over. Character building or not, he was certainly looking forward to its completion and getting warm again.
*
Obi-Wan shivered, arms crossed over his chest and rocking side-to-side, as his master worked the key in the lock. The cabin was standard living arrangements, apparently reserved for visiting dignitaries. Obi-Wan did not mind that it was not a temple or a palace. So long as it was out of the wind and cold, he would be all right. When he breathed, his breath came out in a soft misty cloud, though his body temperature had been so lowered that it wasn’t much of a cloud any more. Still, he was filled with relief when the door to the cabin opened and shut behind them.
The cabin was sparse, and not heated, but it was certainly strong and out of the wind. There was a double bed on one wall, and a kitchen area on the other. A rug and a fireplace stood between the two, opposite the now closed and locked door. Obi-Wan set down their packs in front of the door, to help insulate it and keep any drafts from sneaking in beneath.
Out of the wind and freezing temperatures, Obi-Wan felt another tickle in his nose and this time let himself sneeze into cupped, gloved hands. “hehhShhffff!” The sounds of the sneeze and its resulting sniffles were muffled by the gloves.
“Padawan,” Qui-Gon called the moment Obi-Wan had turned back around. “I know you’re still chilled and could use a good meal, but I want you to get into bed right now.”
Obi-Wan grinned seductively. Though feeling tired and sick, he wanted to project a good appearance. “Why, Master… I thought you’d never ask.”
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and shrugged his own giant parka off before going over to help Obi-Wan off with his coat and boots, and subsequent layers of clothing. “Silly Padawan. I’ve absolutely no interest in making love to you when you’re sick like this.”
Obi-Wan put on a pout. “Absolutely none?” he asked, as Qui-Gon pulled off Obi’s undershirt and got an eyeful of his padawan’s strong chest.
“Perhaps a little interest,” he said softly, giving Obi-Wan a kiss at the nape of his neck. Obi-Wan shivered and Qui-Gon wrapped warm arms around the smaller man, pressing him against his own chest. “But out of concern for the rest of the mission, I shall refrain and simply order you under the covers until I can get food prepared and a fire going. All right?” He pulled back and looked down to see Obi-Wan nod.
When Obi-Wan had changed into dry, warm sleep pants and a clean shirt, he crawled into the bed, making a face. “It’s rather lumpy, Master. Eughh… and the pillows are much too hard for my liking.”
Qui-Gon smirked. He knew Obi-Wan must be sick if he was actually saying his complaints out loud. Usually his young padawan had much more restraint in such matters. Or at least the decency not to complain about luxuries like mattresses and pillows after spending three days trekking through the ice and snow and sleeping in thin tents. When he turned around, he saw Obi-Wan’s grin and knew his padawan was only joking. The joking seemed a good distraction from the shivering he was still doing, and was enough to convince Qui-Gon that his padawan wasn’t feeling as sick as he looked.
The food, which had been left in the cabinets, was quicker to prepare than the fire. Though Qui-Gon was skilled at survival, his cold-numbed hands fumbled with the wood and flint. He managed to use the force to start a spark or two, and nursed it into a small flame, which then spread to the nest of logs and twigs he’d carefully arranged.
“hehhEHHShhh! hah-EhShhhh!” Obi-Wan sneezed, holding a hand up to his face. He sniffled a few times, lying on his side amidst the pillows and blankets as he watched his master start up the fire. He tugged the covers tighter around him with a shiver, then got up out of bed with them still around his shoulders and clutched at his chest to keep the warmth in. He walked over to Qui-Gon and sat down on the rug in front of the fireplace. His hands emerged from the blankets to feel, palms out, the heat from the dancing flames. Slowly, his shivering stopped entirely.
Qui-Gon brought food over, just a light spread of bread and various toppings. They had not eaten much more than ration bars for days, and their stomachs needed a little time to adjust to a sudden intake of food. Nonetheless, they ate quickly and filled up even faster.
Qui-Gon sat down behind Obi-Wan, wrapping his arms around the padawan from behind and burying his face into the back of Obi’s head, where the young man was starting to grow out his hair for a very short braid, in keeping with the padawan hair cut. The hair was soft and fuzzy, even after being beneath a hood and hat for so long. It felt good against his nose and cheeks, and his lips. He kissed the back of Obi-Wan’s head gently.
“Missed this, Master,” Obi-Wan murmured as the firelight danced in front of him, making him sleepy. He lay back into Qui-Gon’s arms with a soft sigh.
“As did I,” Qui-Gon replied, hugging him close from above most of the blankets, though Obi-Wan had given him one or two as well. They formed a big lump of blankets on the floor with two heads sticking out in the middle. They still were not cuddling half as close as Obi-Wan would have liked, but it would do for now. They had a good week in this town, before they had to travel back across the snow plains. Until then, Obi-Wan wanted to nurse his cold and get in as much intimacy as possible. Without coming right out and saying so, Qui-Gon seemed to be feeling the same way, at least about the cuddling, but probably about Obi-Wan’s cold as well.
With a full belly and a warm fire, the only thing that was remotely bothersome now was Obi-Wan’s constant sniffling and infrequent sneezing. Inside, his nose ran dreadfully, and it was all he could do to keep it in check. “hehh… I have… to sneh…” And to warn his master as best he could, to be sure not to sneeze on him. “Hehshhhh! ihhhShuhhh! ehhhShhh!” Afterwards, he sniffled and tried to relax again, not bothering to lift an arm out of its warm nest beneath the blankets to rub at his nose.
“What do you say we sleep here in front of the fire tonight?” Qui-Gon asked, closing his eyes yet sensing the flames just the same, to know when to add more wood or shift logs.
Obi-Wan nodded. “I don’t want to move right now anyway. So content here with you.”
Qui-Gon snuggled him from behind. “That’s a good lad. Just stay warm and comfortable. That’s what I like to hear after that journey.” Sick and sniffling and aching, Obi-Wan had not complained once about their trek through the snow fields. He had said something about how he would have preferred to be well, but that was as close as he got. Qui-Gon was very proud of his padawan for it, especially as the council had been well aware of Obi-Wan’s condition and assigned the mission anyway, just to see how Obi-Wan would handle things. He wasn’t about to tell Obi-Wan any of that, however.
“Master?” Obi-Wan said, sounding sleepy, and pausing for a yawn. “When must we wake in the morning?”
Qui-Gon smiled. “By late morning. I believe we have a meeting over lunch. But if you are feeling too ill, you may certainly be excused to sleep longer.”
Obi-Wan shook his head, sniffling. “I just wanted to know. I can make the lunch… I… huh… oh… hehh…” Qui-Gon’s hold of him tightened, steadying Obi-Wan for when he shook with sneezes. “hehhUHShhhh! ehhhHih-Shhuhh! huhShhhh!” He leaned back with a hard sniff. “Excuse me,” he whispered. Usually he did not make amends for his sneezing, but these three had been particularly strong.
“Shhhh, quiet Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said, pulling his hand up and out of the blankets to pet Obi-Wan’s head. “Just relax and get some sleep. We’ll see how you feel when we wake in the morning.”
“Yes, Master.” Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He was indeed feeling dreadfully sleepy, what with the fire and his master’s pettings.
It was not until Qui-Gon was sure Obi was asleep that he leaned his head against the back of Obi-Wan’s again and whispered, softly, “I’m very proud of you.” And though he was fast asleep, and would have no memory of hearing them later when he woke, Obi-Wan smiled at those words.
:-)
Title: Building Character
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: PG
Pairing: Qui/Obi
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns them. This is free and happy and just play. Really.
Summary: A long, cold trip finally comes to an end for a sniffly padawan and his master.
Building Character
This was certainly anything but the ideal mission with ideal circumstances. But Obi-Wan was coping as well as could be expected, and wanted to give his master no reason to be displeased with his performance. Still, conditions were not pleasant. Obi-Wan could hardly remember a time when his teeth weren’t chattering and his body wasn’t shivering violently or on the verge of doing so. For hours upon hours and days upon days now, they’d been out in the cold, and it was starting to wear upon them. Obi-Wan could barely imagine being warm again, let alone warm and well and in his master’s arms. Their thick fur coats had prevented that.
His cold, too, had stood in their way. Obi-Wan had done everything possible to share a tent and sled with his master and still not give him his cold. Despite the cold weather, his ailment was starting to improve, and the aches and pains and sore throat had given way to merely sniffles and sneezes, which were a little bit more controllable.
“hehhh…” The need to sneeze upon him, Obi-Wan screwed up his face, wrinkling his nose and flaring his nostrils. The feeling passed quickly, the rest of his face, beneath his scarf and hood, was so cold against the wind that he could hardly express his relief at not sneezing.
Suddenly Obi-Wan’s eyes grew wide, and he leaned back against his master, keeping a firm hold of the dogs’ reins. “Is that it up ahead?” he shouted to be heard above the roar of the wind whipping past them. He sensed that it was; he knew that it was. But he wanted to hear it from his master before he believed it.
Qui-Gon, whose eyes had been closed as he intended to drift off to sleep, strained to see through the thick snow. And, failing this, he used the force to feel it out, the way they had been using the force to travel in the right direction. “I believe it is,” he said. “We should be there in less than an hour at this rate.” His thick gloved hand patted Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Good work, Padawan.”
With a smile at the thought of getting in out of the snow and wind at last, Obi-Wan steered straight for the brown blur, trying to calm his feelings of anxiousness and excitement. Another pat on his shoulder told him that at such times, it was all right to feel a little anxious and excited. Obi-Wan smiled. This part of the mission was almost over. Character building or not, he was certainly looking forward to its completion and getting warm again.
Obi-Wan shivered, arms crossed over his chest and rocking side-to-side, as his master worked the key in the lock. The cabin was standard living arrangements, apparently reserved for visiting dignitaries. Obi-Wan did not mind that it was not a temple or a palace. So long as it was out of the wind and cold, he would be all right. When he breathed, his breath came out in a soft misty cloud, though his body temperature had been so lowered that it wasn’t much of a cloud any more. Still, he was filled with relief when the door to the cabin opened and shut behind them.
The cabin was sparse, and not heated, but it was certainly strong and out of the wind. There was a double bed on one wall, and a kitchen area on the other. A rug and a fireplace stood between the two, opposite the now closed and locked door. Obi-Wan set down their packs in front of the door, to help insulate it and keep any drafts from sneaking in beneath.
Out of the wind and freezing temperatures, Obi-Wan felt another tickle in his nose and this time let himself sneeze into cupped, gloved hands. “hehhShhffff!” The sounds of the sneeze and its resulting sniffles were muffled by the gloves.
“Padawan,” Qui-Gon called the moment Obi-Wan had turned back around. “I know you’re still chilled and could use a good meal, but I want you to get into bed right now.”
Obi-Wan grinned seductively. Though feeling tired and sick, he wanted to project a good appearance. “Why, Master… I thought you’d never ask.”
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and shrugged his own giant parka off before going over to help Obi-Wan off with his coat and boots, and subsequent layers of clothing. “Silly Padawan. I’ve absolutely no interest in making love to you when you’re sick like this.”
Obi-Wan put on a pout. “Absolutely none?” he asked, as Qui-Gon pulled off Obi’s undershirt and got an eyeful of his padawan’s strong chest.
“Perhaps a little interest,” he said softly, giving Obi-Wan a kiss at the nape of his neck. Obi-Wan shivered and Qui-Gon wrapped warm arms around the smaller man, pressing him against his own chest. “But out of concern for the rest of the mission, I shall refrain and simply order you under the covers until I can get food prepared and a fire going. All right?” He pulled back and looked down to see Obi-Wan nod.
When Obi-Wan had changed into dry, warm sleep pants and a clean shirt, he crawled into the bed, making a face. “It’s rather lumpy, Master. Eughh… and the pillows are much too hard for my liking.”
Qui-Gon smirked. He knew Obi-Wan must be sick if he was actually saying his complaints out loud. Usually his young padawan had much more restraint in such matters. Or at least the decency not to complain about luxuries like mattresses and pillows after spending three days trekking through the ice and snow and sleeping in thin tents. When he turned around, he saw Obi-Wan’s grin and knew his padawan was only joking. The joking seemed a good distraction from the shivering he was still doing, and was enough to convince Qui-Gon that his padawan wasn’t feeling as sick as he looked.
The food, which had been left in the cabinets, was quicker to prepare than the fire. Though Qui-Gon was skilled at survival, his cold-numbed hands fumbled with the wood and flint. He managed to use the force to start a spark or two, and nursed it into a small flame, which then spread to the nest of logs and twigs he’d carefully arranged.
“hehhEHHShhh! hah-EhShhhh!” Obi-Wan sneezed, holding a hand up to his face. He sniffled a few times, lying on his side amidst the pillows and blankets as he watched his master start up the fire. He tugged the covers tighter around him with a shiver, then got up out of bed with them still around his shoulders and clutched at his chest to keep the warmth in. He walked over to Qui-Gon and sat down on the rug in front of the fireplace. His hands emerged from the blankets to feel, palms out, the heat from the dancing flames. Slowly, his shivering stopped entirely.
Qui-Gon brought food over, just a light spread of bread and various toppings. They had not eaten much more than ration bars for days, and their stomachs needed a little time to adjust to a sudden intake of food. Nonetheless, they ate quickly and filled up even faster.
Qui-Gon sat down behind Obi-Wan, wrapping his arms around the padawan from behind and burying his face into the back of Obi’s head, where the young man was starting to grow out his hair for a very short braid, in keeping with the padawan hair cut. The hair was soft and fuzzy, even after being beneath a hood and hat for so long. It felt good against his nose and cheeks, and his lips. He kissed the back of Obi-Wan’s head gently.
“Missed this, Master,” Obi-Wan murmured as the firelight danced in front of him, making him sleepy. He lay back into Qui-Gon’s arms with a soft sigh.
“As did I,” Qui-Gon replied, hugging him close from above most of the blankets, though Obi-Wan had given him one or two as well. They formed a big lump of blankets on the floor with two heads sticking out in the middle. They still were not cuddling half as close as Obi-Wan would have liked, but it would do for now. They had a good week in this town, before they had to travel back across the snow plains. Until then, Obi-Wan wanted to nurse his cold and get in as much intimacy as possible. Without coming right out and saying so, Qui-Gon seemed to be feeling the same way, at least about the cuddling, but probably about Obi-Wan’s cold as well.
With a full belly and a warm fire, the only thing that was remotely bothersome now was Obi-Wan’s constant sniffling and infrequent sneezing. Inside, his nose ran dreadfully, and it was all he could do to keep it in check. “hehh… I have… to sneh…” And to warn his master as best he could, to be sure not to sneeze on him. “Hehshhhh! ihhhShuhhh! ehhhShhh!” Afterwards, he sniffled and tried to relax again, not bothering to lift an arm out of its warm nest beneath the blankets to rub at his nose.
“What do you say we sleep here in front of the fire tonight?” Qui-Gon asked, closing his eyes yet sensing the flames just the same, to know when to add more wood or shift logs.
Obi-Wan nodded. “I don’t want to move right now anyway. So content here with you.”
Qui-Gon snuggled him from behind. “That’s a good lad. Just stay warm and comfortable. That’s what I like to hear after that journey.” Sick and sniffling and aching, Obi-Wan had not complained once about their trek through the snow fields. He had said something about how he would have preferred to be well, but that was as close as he got. Qui-Gon was very proud of his padawan for it, especially as the council had been well aware of Obi-Wan’s condition and assigned the mission anyway, just to see how Obi-Wan would handle things. He wasn’t about to tell Obi-Wan any of that, however.
“Master?” Obi-Wan said, sounding sleepy, and pausing for a yawn. “When must we wake in the morning?”
Qui-Gon smiled. “By late morning. I believe we have a meeting over lunch. But if you are feeling too ill, you may certainly be excused to sleep longer.”
Obi-Wan shook his head, sniffling. “I just wanted to know. I can make the lunch… I… huh… oh… hehh…” Qui-Gon’s hold of him tightened, steadying Obi-Wan for when he shook with sneezes. “hehhUHShhhh! ehhhHih-Shhuhh! huhShhhh!” He leaned back with a hard sniff. “Excuse me,” he whispered. Usually he did not make amends for his sneezing, but these three had been particularly strong.
“Shhhh, quiet Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said, pulling his hand up and out of the blankets to pet Obi-Wan’s head. “Just relax and get some sleep. We’ll see how you feel when we wake in the morning.”
“Yes, Master.” Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He was indeed feeling dreadfully sleepy, what with the fire and his master’s pettings.
It was not until Qui-Gon was sure Obi was asleep that he leaned his head against the back of Obi-Wan’s again and whispered, softly, “I’m very proud of you.” And though he was fast asleep, and would have no memory of hearing them later when he woke, Obi-Wan smiled at those words.
:-)
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 04:57 pm (UTC)And happiness abounds. :-)
Ah, but the poor padawan, with the Council members lying in wait for him to come down sick.
I loved the setting. The idea of a rather secluded cabin in the tundra, with a snowstorm beating against the outside...And a week to spend there. Mmmm, how EVER will they pass the time?
I loved it - and I'm not just saying that because it's Obi. :-) Nicely done.
Mmm, Obi...
Thanks!
-c
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 07:26 pm (UTC)Well, it's not entirely secluded... there's a small settlement there. I just didn't give many details about it. So they've got meetings and all... but they'll have MORE than enough time to cuddle by the fire and, um, other things *G* I love the way you think! heehee
Thanks for reading! :-) *pats Obi's head* I'm glad he cooperated :-)
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 06:18 pm (UTC)The timing couldn't be better either: I'm watching 'Shallow Grave' on BBC America right now. It's still one of my favorite Ewan movies ever, right up there with 'Moulin Rouge', 'Little Voice', and 'Brassed Off' (the band geek in me totally melts when I watch him play his horn and get adorably drunk at parades *G*).
Thanks for another lovely fic, tg. It's much appreciated!
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 07:23 pm (UTC)*wishes she got BBC America*
Glad you liked the fic... I keep starting tons of Obi fics and never getting them finish... so I was in the mood for something quick and with an end :-) Just a little bit of cold Obi snuggling :-)
And awwwwww! I love your icon much much! *sigh* It just ties the movie and book Legolas/Gimli together so very well. Though I suddenly feel compelled to do a music vid to 'Wherever You Will Go' by The Calling.
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 08:05 pm (UTC)The above speculations about the Jedi Council's motivations in sending Obi are great, btw! Totally cracked me up! For all we know, they really do sit around and figure out ways to get back at our boys for all the messes they get into and the trouble they cause the Council...*cuddles poor sick Obi*
Thanks for your icon comments. I saw this one and grabbed it immediately. They're just so perfect together, and Legolas looks just a tad bit cold and uncomfortable...makes me imagine Gimli's hold on his waist tightening to keep the elf steady when he sneezes while on the horse....mmmmm...yummy! *G*
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 08:10 pm (UTC)LOL Sorry, I keep getting bombarded with naked Ewan pictures today. So it's on my mind. A normal person totally wouldn't have read it like that, have no fear. :-) And I'm glad you're getting some Ewan goodness tonight *swoons over his sad, stuffed-up little "D'no" morning after he gets into the fight*
LMAO I have terrible plot bunnies pushing me for a council fic prequel now... damn... it's too good to pass up... must... write...
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 09:10 pm (UTC)LOL.
Sry, couldn't resist!
*G*
~A
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 09:09 pm (UTC)I loved this so much, you have no idea. Such an Obi shortage lately, ohh obi...! He's so cute, I love how when he's sick, he complains, and how well behaved he was all at the same time! I love the image of poor Obi walking through the snow all sick and sniffly. *Squeeeeeee!*
Qui is too sweet sometimes too, too sweet. I love the image of the two of them in front of the fire. How adorable. I wish they had room for me too...sigh.
Very wonderful!
~A