Summary: Qui-Gon is not sure whether he likes Obi-Wan's new beard. (The author does though.)
Obi Wan is sporting a full beard. Qui-Gon can't even tell when his young partner had started to let it grow until it was...just there. Granted, they had both been off planet in turns to fulfill some minor missions, but it surely hadn't feelt long enough for it to grow that much-or fast for that matter.
He isn't sure whether he likes it or not, as it has turned the young boy he knew into a grown man.
Even though nothing else has changed about Obi-Wan, he seems more mature, settled down, to some extent even more respectable. However, what remains are his kind blue eyes and the bright smile that lights up his face and with it Qui-Gon 's world.
He berates himself internally for these thoughts. They are against everything the Jedi code dictates them. But on the other hand, wasn't their relationship itself against the strict rules of their order? Qui-Gon cannot bring himself to care about it. If there is one thing he knows, it is that being with Obi-Wan balances him out and even makes him a better man. If compassion and genuine care aree not approved of by the council, he thinks it is pure hypocrisy.
Thus he keeps on watching Obi-Wan as they go about their everyday life.
Anakin seems to like his lover's facial hair all the more, constantly trying to get a hold of it and exclaiming what a fluffy bear 'daddy Obi' has become.
It is endearing to see them running about the hills or swimming in the nearby river, pretending to be training but ultimately just behaving like small children.
It is in these moments Qui-Gon feels at peace, even if he is aware that all good times eventually have to come to an end. Still he doesn't have the heart to tear them away from their peaceful life just yet.
Sometimes he will even join them, more often than not after the ccombined efforts of Ani and Obi-Wan, nagging him to 'get up and come over here already'.
It is one late afternoon, the sun still high up in the sky, though Ani had declared he was tired and wanted to sleep, that he brings up his thoughts.
"A beard? Why?" He lounges on their couch, Obi-Wans 's head safely nestled against his chest, and runs his fingers through the surprisingly soft hair, so unlike his own scruffy beard.
"Hm?" Obi-Wan looks up at him. "What about it" There is the unspoken question of 'Don't you like it?' as well, but he doesn't dare to say it aloud, though in truth he would be rather disappointed if the answer was indeed 'No'.
Qui-Gon shrugs, a motion he has grown rather familiar with ever since they started their living together with Anakin, hailing from the fact that arguing about things he doesn't like all the time will gain him nothing at all. So shrugging it is.
"Nothing?" Obi-Wan asks and raises an eyebrow.
"It's...unusual" Qui-Gon mumbles.
"Unusual?" The ginger sits up straight and fixes him with a curious glance. "As in a good kind of unusual or a bad one?"
"Well. I'm not certain?" It comes out more like a question than a statement.
"Oh" Obi-Wan lets his shoulders slump. "Do you want me to shave it off then?" And now there is the disappointment evident in his voice after all. Frankly, Obi-Wan had started it out as an experiment at first, but quickly grown accustomed and even fond of his new look. He thought it gave him a somewhat distinguished appearance.
"No! No, of course not" Jinn intervenes, seeing the other's face darkening ever so slightly.
"So I shall keep it then?"
"Yes! No! Maybe" Qui-Gon blurts out and flushes at his own indecisiveness. Truth be told, the longer he looks at his lover, the more appealing does the facial hair become. He ducks his head as his thoughts start to wander in less innocent directions.
"Are you quite alright master?" Obi-Wan reaches out a hand to brush his cheek "You feel hot." He frowns.
"It's nothing" the older man stutters "And don't call me master. Not here"
"As you wish, master" The younger one grins and plants a kiss on his cheek.
"Obi-Wan!" Jinn gasps and draws back.
"That's my name, yes" he laughs, which is answered with a groan.
"When did you become so cocky?" Qui-Gon shakes his head in exasperation.
"Newly found confidence. Don't you like that either?" It earns Obi-Wan a light smack to the back of his head.
"Don't be ridiculous"
"You're the one being ridiculous!" He protests and pouts for good measure.
The beard, Jinn notices, makes his friend's blue eyes and the little wrinkles around them whenever he laughs stand out even more. He stares, being at a loss for words.
Obi-Wan finally waves a hand in front of his eyes.
"Qui-Gon? Master!" The older man blinks, his cheeks taking on an even darker shade of red.
"Sorry I-" Why is it he has so many difficulties with simply expressing compliments or the way he feels? There are a thousand things he wants to say, but his tongue will form none of them. Instead he opts for a kiss, gentle at first, but quickly increasing in intensity.
The sensation between softness and roughness against his own jaw is both strange and pleasant, making his stomach flutter and heart rate speed up as he draws Obi-Wan into his lap, tightly winding his arms around the other's back.
"Now that's more to my liking" Obi-Wan mumbles against his lips between kisses, his own hands tangling in the long, greying hair.
"I take it you approve then?"
"Hmmm" Qui-Gon hums and traces his spine, counting the small bumps he can feel under the robes and skin. It sends goosebumps all over Obi-Wan 's body.
Boldly he makes to push Qui-Gon's robes aside to lavish his neck with some attention, but is stopped by the patter of bare feet outside their sitting room, soon followed by a blonde head peeking in through the door and ultimately resulting in Anakin launching an ambush hug at them, squeezing in between their bodies.
"I couldn't sleep! I need my papas with me." the boy exclaims in a mildly whiny tone and snuggles against Obi-Wan's chest, head tucked under his chin.
"I like your beard Obi! So fluffy." He sighs happily. Reaching back to blindly draw Qui-Gon's arm around him as well, he falls asleep within minutes, a content smile on his face. If both of them had learned anything over the short period of time with Anakin, it was that the boy never ceased to surprise them, whether it be with his brightness or the joy he took in the simplest comforts.
"Seems you will have to show me how much you like my new looks another time" Obi-Wan whispers and flashes Jinn a cheeky grin.
"Oh, be quiet" Qui-Gon hisses but smiles all the same.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence he adds: "there's always tomorrow."
Obi-Wan is glad his own blush is mostly hidden by the shadows cast by the setting sun outside.