This story was a response to a challenge. Obaona asked me to write a love story with Obi-Wan and Siri and the only restriction was that Qui-Gon had to be featured prominently in it. (Not sure how much of a love story it is...more like a little attraction.)
Title: Nothing but Trouble
Author: Jedikma
Timeframe: pre-TPM. (Obi-Wan is nineteen.)
Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to George Lucas.
You would think I would have felt a disturbance in the Force before it happened, but I didn't. It all was a complete surprise. She just fell, from out of nowhere, right into my arms and it was certainly a most pleasant happenstance.
I was swimming in the lake in the Temple. Bant and Garen were there, too, along with a few other Jedi Padawans. We were enjoying a free morning together, which was a rarity in itself, and we chose to have a swim at the lake. We played the usual water games and enjoyed the usual fun, when at one point I had surfaced from under the refreshing liquid, close to shore, coming up to a standing position with the water just about waist high when I instinctively caught a female falling in my direction.
There she was in my arms and she was beautiful! Her silky blonde hair fell well below her shoulders and she wore the traditional padawan braid behind her right ear. Her eyes were the most vivid blue, which hid a spark behind them....
A spark...
"Siri?" I asked, suddenly realizing that until this point I had not recognized one of my own age mates. I hoped she hadn't noticed the unsure tone in my voice that accompanied my query.
"Obi-Wan?" To my relief, she sounded as though she had not quite recognized me, either.
Well, when I thought about it, it had been at least three years since I saw her last and three years ago, at the age of fourteen, she was still quite young. Her hair was much shorter then, almost a boyish cut, and she was underdeveloped.
The girl in my arms was most certainly not underdeveloped! Not at all. In fact, she had more curves than should be allowed for a female that was a Jedi. And the swim clothes she wore clung nicely to every one of those curves.
"Where did you come from?" I groaned inwardly at myself for such a lame question, but lamer still was that my core accent had somehow donned an element of charm.
The funny thing was, Siri made no move to extricate herself from my arms. Indeed, she began to get comfortable there and relaxed.
"Well," she smiled and a gentle laughed escaped her and caressed my ears. "I didn't just fall out of the sky, if that's what you're thinking. Garen thought he was going to get the better of me, and push me right in. He didn't expect you to catch me, of course."
"Oh."
'Oh'? That was all I could say? What I couldn't believe was that I wanted to say more. I wanted to say something intelligent. I wanted to say something impressive. I wanted to at least say something witty and all I came up with was, 'Oh.'?
Still, she didn't leave my arms. Even when I became vaguely aware of Garen clearing his throat, she stayed, and I let her.
"So," she began. "When do you suppose you will get this braid removed?" She asked, as she reached for the woven lock of hair that symbolized my current Jedi status. She gave it a gentle tug.
"At the rate I'm going, I think it will be touching the top of my toes before I get the chance to even go through the trials. What about you?" I asked. The charming tone in my voice had now set up permanent residence.
She smiled and her eyes glinted. I felt myself being inexplicably drawn to her and I couldn't tear myself from her gaze. I could hear Garen again clear his throat and I swear Bant was starting to giggle.
"At the rate I'm going I do believe this braid will be dragging on the ground behind me before I get the opportunity for the trials."
I know I felt my heart skip a beat. The warmth of her presence was beginning to radiate across my bare chest and the soft curves of her body were molding against me...
"Obi-Wan?" The deep rich voice of my Master boomed across the lake and through our Master/Padawan bond.
Blast!
My reaction was swift and immediate. I dropped my precious bundle into the water and she went under, arms and legs flailing. When she stood up she was wet from head to toe, which wasn't exactly a bad sight. Her hair plastered to her face as she took one hand to brush it back. Her eyes betrayed her annoyance as that familiar spark I remembered from when we were kids directed itself at me.
"Sorry!" I fumbled as I tried to steady her, but she wouldn't accept my help and shook off my touch. "Sorry!"
Bant and Garen were doubled over in laughter on the shore next to us and I shot them a look that indicated that I was in no way happy with their role in this whole situation.
And then there was my Master standing on the opposite shore. "Obi-Wan, it is time to get ready. We have a meeting with the Council soon."
"Yes, Master." I said as I hoisted myself out of the water. "I'm coming."
I wanted to say something more to Siri. I wanted to know if she would be around later, but I didn't even know if I would be around later. I wanted to say something, but I only stated the obvious. "I have to go."
She looked irritated as she twisted her hair and squeezed the water from the long locks.
I grabbed a towel and worked at drying myself off. I wondered if she was still looking in my direction and for some reason I drew the towel over me in such a way as to maximize the stretching of my upper torso. As I wrapped the towel around my waist I reached down and grabbed my things and headed towards my Master.
"Master, you surprised me," I said as I caught up to Qui-Gon and we began walking away from the lake.
"I noticed, Padawan," he replied.
He was quiet for a moment and I wondered if he had also noticed that I had had a girl in my arms and if he was going to say anything about that. Why should he really? It was all accidental and harmless. It was just a comedy of circumstance.
"Obi-Wan, who was that girl you were holding?"
He noticed! Well, I decided that I would just be nonchalant. "Master, that was Padawan Siri Tachi. You remember her."
"Master Adi's Padawan? She grew up."
"More like out," I added and could have kicked myself for having said that.
Master Qui-Gon stopped and I came to an abrupt halt beside him. He turned to look me in the eye. Why did I suddenly feel uncomfortable? I know that attachments are forbidden by the Code, but there was nothing going on. Why is it so bad just to look at a girl?
Qui-Gon folded his arms across his chest. "A wise man once told me that the gods created woman to forever torture the days of man."
"That doesn't sound much like Master Yoda to me," I answered. I wasn't trying to be insolent, but I guess I was nervous.
"It wasn't Master Yoda. It was a Monarch of a planet preparing for war because his wife had left him for the Monarch of a neighboring planet. They were going to war over a woman."
I knew my Master was working on making a point, but what did this honestly have to do with me?
"Obi-Wan, how many planets have similar histories?"
"Well, Master, there are a few..."
"Just proof that a woman is nothing but trouble, my Padawan."
"Master, you're making generalizations. There are also plenty of planets in which the females have brought civilization and culture. That without them the males would live in lawlessness and squalor." Why did I get the feeling I had just denigrated my own noble sex?
"So what you're saying, Obi-Wan, is that without women, men would essentially tend to be animals."
"Well, Master, what you're saying is that when it comes to women, men are basically stupid."
I saw a small grin begin to turn up the corner of my Master's mouth. "Ah, now there is a point."
I just stared at my Master. What was he honestly getting at? Had I made a fool of myself at the lake? Well, there was that attempt at being charming. Also, that attempt to show off my physique. Then there was Bant and Garen laughing at me... Maybe I had looked a little silly...
Suddenly a thought occurred to me and I wanted to cry, "Foul!" It wasn't as though my Master hadn't had a girl of his own, despite the Code. I was merely looking at one.
"I know what your thinking, Obi-Wan, and my intent is not to sound like a hypocrite." I heard him sigh heavily and sadness crept over his features. "Yes, I had a woman I loved, despite the Code. I also almost did something stupid because of it." At this he turned away from me and began walking again.
"But, Master, you told me yourself that it was Tahl that stopped you from making that mistake." I argued as I walked beside him.
"That is true, Obi-Wan. But what I am really concerned about is you."
"Master, you're making a big deal out of nothing."
"I don't think so, Padawan. What I sensed coming from you was more than a little attraction or flirtation. It may seem like only that to you at the moment, but there was definitely something more than that below the surface. What's more it was coming from the both of you."
Wow! She was interested to me, too? I know I wasn't supposed to take delight in that bit of information, but I did. "Master, I know the Code and I have no intention of finding myself in a position that would compromise my life as a Jedi. Being a Jedi means everything to me. I know you think I'm still young, but I'm not that impulsive."
"I don't see you as being impulsive, Obi-Wan, but I do see you falling in love and there is nothing that can stop that. The day will come when anytime that girl walks into a room it will give you the greatest joy and also the greatest pain, because you will feel deeply for her, yet you can never have her. Furthermore, you must respect the fact that she is a Jedi, too, and I'm sure she doesn't want to compromise her dream, either."
The realities of my existence suddenly hit me like a blow to the stomach. Why was it that my Master had to suck the joy out of a simple little attraction? For as elated as I felt when I held her in my arms, I was that much deflated now. I felt my whole body slump and I felt a sudden desire to be alone.
Qui-Gon reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm not trying to ruin your day, Obi-Wan," he said in a gentle tone. "My intent is to make you aware of the situation so that you aren't caught by surprise when it happens. It's the surprise that can bring about a careless situation. Still, I believe you will do the right thing no matter what the future brings."
"Yes, Master," I said, as I felt a deep sigh escape my lungs, but I didn't feel a whole lot better.
Qui-Gon then gave me a pat on the back and added, "You've got good taste, Obi-Wan, I'll give you that, and I know that any girl you would fall in love with would have to be special."
"Thanks, Master, but this whole talk is probably moot anyway. If Siri Tachi is still as I remember, I will probably be dead inside of a week for unceremoniously dumping her into the water."
Qui-Gon laughed. "Then I stand on what I said earlier, 'Women are nothing, but trouble'."
fin